#if you had no desire to continue no worries just ignore me :D

[streetslost]

@maximummuses | cont.

      HAND HOVERED near to the bag where money stuffed inside enticed her next move.  she needed to get the cash back to her “employer” or suffer the consequences.  she NEEDED the cut that he had promised to give.  however, cat was also fully aware she didn’t need to go to jail.  especially not over a deal that wasn’t even hers.  just the errand girl.           “wouldn’t you prefer to f o l l o w me, instead?  see who i deliver it to.  i think it’d be more in your interest t’chop off the head of the beast than a measly finger like me.”

[thus-spoke-lo]

An Education [NSFW/18+] Dracule Mihawk x afab!reader x Roronoa Zoro

cw: afab!reader [no pronouns used]; implied D/s relationship between reader/Mihawk; mention of Shanks x reader; vaginal fingering; oral sex [reader receiving] wc: 2.1k // Read on AO3

The afternoon sun filters through the tall windows, long columns of light stretching across the cool, stone floor. Zoro stands in the middle of the room, a sword held tightly in his large hands, and he repeats the same motions with it again and again like a meditation, a mantra with a rhythm and cadence that only your master could have taught him. You stand in the doorway, observing his movements, almost grateful that he is so deeply focused that he doesn’t seem to notice you. Beads of sweat trail down his temples, thin rivulets running down his neck and dampening his shirt so it clings to him like a second skin. His biceps strain against the fabric with every swing of the blade, and he grunts softly with each movement, a noise that registers as almost lewd when hits your ears; your legs press together almost on their own as you continue to observe him from the shadows, and a slow, aching heat begins to build.

You’d watched him for months, day after day, sometimes forgoing your afternoon chores just to observe him; gardening and doing laundry seemed far less interesting in comparison. Zoro barely acknowledged you when he wasn’t training, merely grunting in appreciation when you served dinner and took your place beside Mihawk, curtly nodding at you as he passed in the halls, not even raising his head to look at you when you left clean clothes in his quarters. He even ignored your occasional intrusions during his weekly bath, avoiding your gaze entirely as you muttered some flimsy excuse that you were dropping off fresh towels, never even looking your way no matter how long you lingered.

There was something odd about the way he elected to ignore you; he had no qualms about engaging with Perona, spending his free time quarrelling with her as if they were siblings separated at birth, but with you, it was different. It would almost seem as though he was avoiding you, perhaps denying his own passing fascination with you, just as you did with him.

“You’ve taken a liking to him, haven’t you?”

You stiffen at the sudden low, quiet rumble of Mihawk’s voice; you had been so captivated watching the moss-haired swordsman that you hadn’t even heard Mihawk approach, a mistake for which you silently scolded yourself. His large hand comes to rest upon your shoulder, fingers sinking into the fabric of your shirt, and your heart drums guiltily in your chest.

“I don’t know what you mean,” you mutter, barely above a whisper, as you turn towards him. You drop your gaze to the floor—he hasn’t yet required it of you, but you suspect this is not a time that you should try to meet him as an equal.

“It’s alright, darling, you needn’t worry.” He places a thumb and forefinger under your chin and tilts your head up towards him, golden eyes quickly darting over your face to understand the apprehension etched into your expression. “As I’ve told you before, your eyes may wander so long as your heart belong to me.”

“Then yes,” you finally admit after a moment—quietly, shakily, despite knowing that there were no consequences for honesty. “I have… taken something of a liking to him.”

“I see.” He trails his fingers down your neck, and the beginnings of a smile form at the corners of his mouth. “Then perhaps I shall have to see about accommodating your desires.”

Your pulse races at his suggestion, a detail you’re certain Mihawk would quickly pick up on. “…Oh?”

“I had been thinking that it would be wise for young Roronoa to have a more, shall we say, well-rounded education. A life worth living involves more than more than wielding a sword.” Mihawk’s hand moves to the back of your neck, and he leans down, pressing his lips softly to yours for a moment far too brief. “Wouldn’t you agree, mi amor?”

You run your tongue over your lips, tasting him still, and allow yourself a grin. “I couldn’t agree more.”

**********

This wouldn’t be the first time that you’d entertained another man since becoming Mihawk’s close companion. But that red-haired pirate who unabashedly calls you his lover when he comes to visit, whose tongue tastes like ale and sweetness, whose hands learned your body with a startling swiftness, is nothing like the young swordsman who now stands at the end of your bed. No, that man who Mihawk begrudgingly calls his friend knows exactly how to please you and spoil you, gives into all the desires and whims that Mihawk insists you earn with patience, undoes all the hard work that Mihawk puts into your own education with just a few nights of debauchery.

Zoro, who stands nervously before you, shifting from foot to foot as a blush settles on his tanned cheeks, will be nothing like that—not yet, anyway.

Mihawk presents you to Zoro like you’re a prized possession, a bottle of fine wine he pulls out only for special occasions or an antique piece of furniture that requires careful handling. He leans down now and again to kiss you tenderly as his hands roam your body and he points out all your most sensitive spots, elucidating on just how you like to be touched, how responsive you can be, what sweet little sounds to listen for to know that he’s hit the right spot. He runs his fingers down your neck to demonstrate and you shiver, your nipples hardening, a soft gasp escaping your lips. Despite the guest in your bedchambers, your focus is on the way Mihawk handles you, and how all this slow, drawn-out teasing is only making you more ravenous.

“Look, I’m not that inexperienced,” Zoro interrupts as Mihawk’s long fingers begin to spread your pussy lips open, showing off how drenched you’ve become from his long, slow tease. “I know what to do.”

“Perhaps that’s true, Roronoa,” Mihawk responds coolly, sliding a finger inside you as he speaks. “But you ought to understand that you must learn about every lover individually—they aren’t all equal. Some like to be touched softly, and others roughly, and everything in between. Isn’t that right, darling?”

“That’s ri-ight,” you stammer through a moan as Mihawk adds another finger, and Zoro’s expression of discomfort slowly becomes one of fascination, his eyes drawn to how yours body responds to Mihawk’s measured touch. You look up at Zoro, whose gaze is too fixed on the fingers dipping inside you to notice your stare, and bite your lip as your gaze drifts downwards; despite any protests he had lodged about this private learning session, the way his cock strains against his trousers seems to suggest he’s a willing student after all.

It’s almost unfair how Mihawk so expertly manipulates your body, his fingers crooking up to stroke your walls while his thumb circles your clit. Your hips buck up into his hand almost involuntarily and you grasp for him, gripping his shirt in your fist as a familiar warmth builds in your core, your body tensing. As your eyes clench shut, your mind wanders and you wonder if Zoro is enjoying the way you thrash about under Mihawk’s touch—if his cock throbs at the sight of your wet cunt being toyed with, if he’ll go back to his quarters tonight and fuck his fist thinking of you, shooting hot ropes of spend onto his toned stomach imagining just how good it would feel to be inside you.

The tension inside you snaps at the thought and you let you a sharp cry as you’re seized by an intense rush of sensation. He slows his movements, letting you ride out your waves on his hand as he languidly pumps his fingers in and out of you, not letting you overstimulate yourself. As the last warm waves of your climax move through you, Mihawk withdraws from inside you, leaving you with a sudden feeling of emptiness. Before you have a chance to whine and plead for more, he maneuvers himself behind you on the bed, and lays your limp body back against his chest, propping you up like a doll on display.

“Now, Roronoa—why don’t you give it a try?”

Zoro’s nervousness is surpassed by his curiosity, and the mattress quickly shifts as he sits beside you on the bed. His touch is rough, hands calloused and scarred, fingers wandering over your body hesitantly, as though you might shatter with too firm a touch. His thumb grazes your nipple and he looks at you expectantly, a smile creeping up his mouth when you sigh at the sensation. Mihawk softly strokes the side of your face, always keeping a hand on you as Zoro explores the expanse of your form. You are for Zoro to play with, to pleasure, to enjoy, but only for now, and only with permission—it is abundantly clear you will always belong to Mihawk.

Zoro moves down your body at an achingly slow pace, as if he’s trying to restrain himself from reaching for your needy cunt too quickly, trying to savor the feeling of your softness under his palms. When he finally reaches the heat between your thighs, he tries his best to mimic Mihawk’s earlier ministrations, and his thick fingers glide over your slick pussy lips. He lets out a shivering sigh as your wetness coats his fingertips; his touch isn’t one of experience, but he certainly is a quick and eager learner. The pad of his middle finger lands on your aching clit and starts to move slowly over it, Zoro’s teeth sinking into his lower lip as he watches the way you start to squirm under his touch.

“Why don’t you use your mouth, Roronoa?” Mihawk says, voice tinged with lust. “See what kind of response that garners you.”

Zoro looks to you, as if to ask for permission despite Mihawk’s suggestion; you hastily nod, wondering if he’ll be as apt a pupil when it comes to using his mouth. He lays on his stomach and settles between your thighs, wasting no time in devouring you like a man starved, his tongue darting in and out of your cunt, lavishing your swollen lips. He’s enthusiastic, and his technique lacks the refinement you’ve come to anticipate from a skilled lover like Mihawk, but Zoro demonstrates that he has the potential to become quite accomplished—and you are certainly willing to let him practice all he pleases.

Your thighs begin to quiver as you feel that tension beginning to coil inside you again, and you move your hips against Zoro, grinding into his tongue as he moans into your drenched cunt. Mihawk’s steely arm suddenly wraps around your midsection, pinning you to his torso, and he growls into your ear: “Hold still, mi amor—he won’t learn if you do all the work for him.”

You hold back a defeated whine do as you’re told, holding yourself still and resisting the urge to press against Zoro’s mouth as he greedily laps at your swollen clit, a puddle of his spit and your juices starting to form underneath you.

Mihawk’s clothed cock presses against the small of your back, pulsing every time you moan and whimper, groans rumbling in his chest with every little sigh; it always gratifies him to see you receiving such pleasure, nearly as much as if he were the one providing it. While his restraint is admirable, you feel yourself growing even more heated and ever closer to your climax at the thought of just how he’ll ruin you as soon as Zoro leaves—thoughts of just how he’ll pin you to the bed like prey, your face pressed into the mattress as he mounts you from behind, caging you in with muscled arms, stretching you with his thick column of a cock until he spills himself inside you, claiming you as his.

A strangled moan creeps up your throat, and that strong sensation begins to claim you again as you convulse into a chain of spasms. Zoro licks and sucks at your clit with more fervor as you shudder and cry out for him, almost pushing you to the brink of painful overstimulation. With a low, guttural groan of satisfaction, Zoro finally pulls his mouth away and looks up at you, seeming almost feral as he grins, his face covered in your slick. “How’d I do?”

“You did well,” you manage to mutter after a moment, offering him a teasing smirk as you lean back against Mihawk and catch your breath. “But master Mihawk and I still have so very, very much to teach you.”

[unicorncornflakes]

Dark Desire - Modern AU! | Chapter 8

Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

Paring: Aemond Targaryen x Niece!Reader

Summary: Aemond doesn't know how he feels every time he sees you. Neither do you when you look at him. Your father Aegon has always been absent from your upbringing ever since he divorced your mother. That role has been filled by Aemond until last summer, when everything changed.

Tags: Alternate Universe – Modern/ Setting Emotional Hurt/ Comfort/ Drama & Romance/ Eventual Smut.

Warnings: This fic includes manipulation, violence, death, and inc3st, at some points. Reader has purple eyes and her mother is from Dayne House, the rest is complete free :D

Tag-List (If you wanna be tagged in thi series or all of my work, let me know): @thedamewithabook @afro-hispwriter @chainsawsangel @thetrueblackheart @atherverybest @itsabby15 @boundlessfantasy @partypoison00 @glame @tempo-rary-fix @tssf-imagines @aaaaaamond @imaloserbby @youngcomputerpuppy @aemondsfavouritebastard @cloudroomblog @queenofshinigamis @bluevxnus @wooya1224 @serving-targaryen-realness @darkenchantress @padfooteyes @mariannnavao @moonlightfoxx @jennifer0305 @ammo23 @iloveallmyboys @tempt-ress @bellameshipper @okfashionista @shelbyteller @dahlias-and-marigolds

Author´s note: Pls, enjoy! Feedback, shares and comments are always welcome!

Word Count: 4.8K

The following week passed without any further shock in the office. Aemond had ordered a desk slightly smaller than Alys's to be placed next to hers. They sent you for coffee and water. You had lunch alone and left at your own time, bored all day with tedious little tasks that no one else wanted to do, like crossing the street to buy the newspaper. Although Elia was happier than ever now that she didn't have to. At best, Aemond ignored you, when you didn't get the temperature of the coffee wrong. On one more occasion, Cregan invited you to dinner. The next day, a bouquet of roses was brought to your office and you smiled when you read the card. You didn't see it, but Aemond's face had darkened as he watched you pick those flowers. He intended to destroy Cregan. You were only his.

"Alys, before you go" Aemond spoke to her without looking at her, after he had been ordering an endless list of tasks. He saw him turn to look out the huge picture window of her office. Alys knew him better than anyone. She knew he was screwed that Cregan had dared to send flowers to the office right under his nose. “I want you to take out various forms, whatever they are, and give them to (Y/N). Tell her I want them on my desk tomorrow” he ordered authoritatively.

"Aemond, (Y/N) would need to have a degree to know how to fill in any of the forms we have..." She try to explain, as if she knew what all that order to send you things you didn't know how to do was about.

"Better then" he said without looking at her again, with his only eye closed, while he basked in the sun coming through the window, who had believed that stupid northerner? He continued to ruminate silently when Alys spoke again…

"Know? She's cute when she's jealous, but you… you're an asshole” Alys told him ready to leave and then Aemond turned to look at her again. His eye looked like it was going to pop out of his socket, like he didn't believe what Alys just called him.

"What are you implying?" he said, leaning back in his chair, inviting her to speak, but this time, his secretary didn't keep quiet.

"You know very well what I'm hinting at, and what's happening to you" Alys replied in a cold and distant tone. She had already lived a story in a similar way. She had suffered it in a much more painful way. "You try to distance yourself, but when you see her receive a bouquet of flowers from another guy, you get like that... Aemond, you just want to fuck her because it could be someone else's and not yours... you're jealous..." She explained as if that wasn't with her, because it really didn't go with her, but it made her shudder and worry. She saw Aemond's face darken further and saw him frown, not daring to look at her. "You only love her because she can't be yours, because now she belongs to someone else"

“You take out the 505 form and give it to them. Tomorrow I want it on my desk” he repeated again. He didn't want to argue with Alys. She was his confidant, not his enemy, but he…he couldn't stand it when she told the truth to his face. And Alys was only correct in her assumptions. He hated himself for feeling this way, but he couldn't let you go so easily with a man who wasn't him.

"Where do you think you are going?" Aemond asked as he watched you pick up your bag and get up from the small table that had been set for you next to Alys's. He was with his business briefcase. He was also willing to leave for the day. You looked at him confused.

“To dinner with Cregan. My day is over" you told him sincerely, but he only approached with determination and a frown. Alys looked at the two of you in confusion, as if she had never seen Aemond so angry over one of your replies this week before.

"No, definitely not" he hissed between his teeth, ending up by pursing his lips and looming like a threatening shadow over you. “You have work to do. I want those reports tomorrow Saturday on my desk. That is what I want and what I have commanded you” he spoke with authority.

"I don't know how to do them" you blurted out quite angrily, crossing your arms and daring him to continue talking, but he spoke. Your uncle was not going to remain silent.

"You have all night to do them, to learn" he ordered you without any love, without any affection... he wasn't going to let Cregan touch you that night. He wasn't even going to see you. He was the boss and you had to obey. Alys froze as she watched the scene. That domain… That power… That obsession... it reminded her of Daemon with Rhaenyra... she saw how Aemond left through the door victorious and you sat down to finish the reports or at least to try. That made her alarm bells go off. It was one thing to pretend that she knew what was between you two. Another was to let Aemond go mad as his uncle had done almost twenty years before. She had to defend Aemond. If he went down, she and her privileges would go down with him. She didn't see you as a rival. She had never done it, but she had to take you out of the competition. Aemond was such an achiever, because she was the one who had created him.

She came up to you and spoke to you with sincerity and concern, once she left Aemond there. He couldn't know. He couldn't know what she was about to do: “I'll help you. I know how those reports are filled out perfectly” she told you as she sat down next to you. You looked at her strangely and she kept talking: “I too have been young. You can't miss a Friday night because of work,” she lied. All she wanted was to protect Aemond from what he just beheld. Aemond was becoming a Daemon, and that could only lead to trouble.

Twenty minutes later you were walking out the front door, laughing with Alys. She was finally not a woman as terrible as you had imagined. She was pretty cute when she wanted to. Even though you knew she was like this because she needed something. At that time, you preferred not to think about it. The truth is that in that week that you had been working there, she had been the friendliest of all your colleagues. "Where is he going to take you to dinner?" she asked you, prolonging your conversation a little more. You smiled kindly, thanks to her you were going to be able to get out of it at a decent hour from there.

"I don't know" you answered shrugging your shoulders, and she laughed amused and looked at you complicitly.

"If... he doesn't spend more than 300 dragons on dinner, believe me, you don't deserve to sleep with him today" she laughed at her occurrence and you laughed, with a slight blush on your cheeks. You could feel them burning and she just winked at you. "You won't be worth it if he doesn't." She took out a cigarette and placed it between her lips.

“Well, he sent me flowers today…” you said sheepishly, as if that suggestion had knocked you out, and Alys laughed heartily.

"And a girl as young and pretty as you is going to sell herself just for some flowers?" she answered herself in a suggestive way. You realized that Alys liked you, in the sense that she saw you more as someone to mentor rather than destroy. She was not a bad woman, she only had the man you wanted. She protected Aemond, but because she did so she also protected herself. "Show him who's boss"

Just as you were about to respond, you saw Cregan get out of his car and you quickly said goodbye to Alys only to reach Cregan's arms. He took you with a smile and... he kissed you on the lips... it was a brief contact that made you smile in bewilderment. You blushed again and he caressed your chin...

"Perhaps... have I overdone it?" he asked you charming and you laughed without knowing very well what to say. “Did you like the flowers?”

"A lot" you whispered. His fingers entwined with yours and you felt slightly uncomfortable, as if Cregan felt that giving you that bouquet of flowers had allowed him to move to another state in your relationship. Maybe what he was doing was normal. It was just…you wished Aemond was the one to do those things…

Cregan drove cool, made you laugh, and then took you to a rather expensive restaurant. You saw the count: 350 dragons… and you remembered Alys's words, but the problem was that Cregan wasn't Aemond…

"I've had a great time" Cregan broke the silence that had existed until then in the car. He had finally stopped in front of the Targaryen mansion in King's Landing itself. One of his hands grabbed the steering wheel and looked at you, waiting for you to also answer that you had a good time, that the plan that he had been thinking for you for a couple of days had finally resulted in a pleasant moment for both of you. You smiled sweetly at him and cocked your head. Your stomach ached and tears were poised right in your eyes. Why couldn't Aemond be like this with you? However, you answered him, swallowing the true feelings that then surfaced on your skin.

"Me too" you replied. You really had a good time, even though you hadn't felt for Cregan anything that you felt for Aemond. You'd be lying if you said you didn't have a good time, but… Cregan wasn't the person you wanted to have a good time with. “Well…” you started saying and Cregan quickly cut you off with a nervous smile and those alert brown eyes and always sincere and pleasant.

"I was thinking that maybe... tonight you want to... sleep with me at the hotel..." he confessed visibly nervous and happy as he told you. And your whole stomach ached at that nervous and happy confession from the northerner. Your entire stomach dropped to the floor as you looked away from him and locked on your heels. Sure, he…he saw you as aspiring for more than just a friend to invite to dinner. You started to feel bad. Why didn't He do the same thing? Why? “It's not like the room someone in your family could afford, but… it would give us privacy. And… I know that the age difference could throw you back, but… I like you, just like I haven't liked anyone for a long time” he confessed smiling and nervous. He knew he was making a fool of himself in front of you, but he didn't care. He just wanted to establish how he felt about you. Putting the cards on the table. Explaining to you that he was seeing you, that he wanted to bet on you... and you couldn't feel more pangs in your stomach. It looked like the pit of your stomach was bleeding. You didn't want him to tell you how much he liked you, you just wanted…you didn't know what you wanted. "I feel like a kid confessing himself in front of the girl he likes" he said, looking at his hands and you couldn't take it anymore. You opened the car door and quickly left towards the gate of the family mansion. Why was this happening to you? Another jab in the pit of the stomach. You felt tears well up in your eyes and Cregan shot out of the car. He couldn't let you go like that, had he done something wrong? "(Y / N), wait" he told you desperately and grabbed one of your arms. You turned to see him. Why couldn't he be Aemond? "Forgive me. I have exceeded. I just like you and…” you interrupted him by kissing him. You didn't kiss him because you loved him. It was just a whim. It was just a way to show you that you could do whatever you wanted with men. Cregan was proof of that. Bryden too…you were powerful. You were a dragon who took what you wanted, except what you really wanted. It was a way to get back at Aemond.

Aemond had been waiting for you. He was concerned that he had sent you reports that were too complicated for your knowledge. He had waited for you all night. He had wanted you to walk through the door near tears, unable to do what he told you to do. And he would help you, of course. That had kept you from going on that date with Cregan and ending up spending the night with him. However, it had not been so. You hadn't shown up, and it was late. How were you going to get home? He looked at the clock in the living room. It was almost one in the morning. No one else missed you there, but he did. He finished the whiskey he had poured himself while he waited for you in one gulp and put on his coat. He had to go find you. That was what he had to do. He took the car keys and opened the door of the house. At that very moment, his heart froze. His gaze detected you right at the entrance gate. Your arms encircled Cregan's neck as he gripped your hips with his mangy northern hands. Your lips joined his in a passionate kiss... your lips were painted with his lipstick... the same one he had given you... the same one he had imagined spoiling... his soul sank. His heart seemed to scream at how stupid he had been. He had been a fucking asshole. Now that northerner who didn't deserve you was enjoying you as if you were his. And the worst thing was that you returned the kiss with the same intensity. Alys's words echoed in his mind: ‘You only love her because she can't be yours, because she now belongs to someone else.’ Maybe she was right, but he wasn't going to let Cregan touch what was his. You were the property of Aemond Targaryen. He had decided it when he saw how you were making out with another man. He was going to stop being an asshole. He was going to give you what you wanted. He was going to bow down to you. He didn't care. He didn't care at all. He just wanted to be the recipient of those kisses. He approached you two and cleared his throat, opening the main gate that gave access to the house.

You gave a start, but you didn't blush. You were only surprised to see him there, standing in front of you, undone like a betrayed lover, like a beaten puppy... the night wind slightly rocked his hair. The shadows of the night made him look harder than he already had. “You had me worried…” Aemond spoke it in a whisper, and you just looked at Cregan with a smile. The old wolf tried to smile at you in the same way, although he seemed annoyed by that intrusion.

"Now we talk, okay?" you said with a smile and Cregan just nodded with a sincere smile. You said goodbye with another kiss on his lips and entered the gates of the family home. You didn't spare Aemond a glance. Nothing. Not even good night. You just lifted your chin and walked in full of pride. You were showing him what he was missing.

However, Aemond was not looking at you now. You were back in his comfort zone. He just looked at Cregan. The only violet eye of his gave her a warning: 'Don't touch my things'. They both stared at each other for a few simple moments, as if their gazes could solve something of the dispute they were having over you. Aemond was challenging a candidate to win you over. Cregan, sorely mistaken, he was believed to be challenging your protector. He couldn't suspect the slightest thing that Aemond wanted you. He got into his car and drove off. Aemond thought that he would never do business with that wolf again. His things were not touching and Cregan had dared to kiss you.

You came out of the shower wrapped in that soft towel. Your lips still burned from the very pleasure that Cregan kissed you had produced. They tingled and made you feel special, much more special than any kiss with Aemond had ever made you feel. The answer to why was clear: Cregan was controlled by you, Aemond not. It was simple. The northerner made you remember what you were, a woman for whom men would bow down. Aemond made you feel helpless, little... in need of his protection. In that kiss with Cregan you were the one who had marked the time, the one who was needed and revered was you, Cregan looked at you as everything he could not achieve and praised you as a goddess because you offered him an opportunity. Aemond looked at you exactly the same, like what he couldn't get, but he made you feel bad with each of his actions... the answer of who you should stay with was obvious, and yet your heart kept screaming that it was what you wanted At that moment, you looked up from the ground and found that Aemond was standing in the bathroom doorway, leaning and admiring your wet body. You didn't even look at it. You weren't the least bit interested in what he had to tell you, but he was still at the door, in complete silence.

Just at that moment, he walked up to you and grabbed your arm in a gentle but commanding manner. All his skin stood on end and the towel fell to the floor due to his grip. He wrapped you in a slow spin in his arms and then he kissed you. It was a slow kiss, but eager. Nothing like Cregan's full of sincerity. No. This kiss hid much more, it hid everything that you could become, everything what he coveted you, what he desired you... His lips continued without separating from yours while at that moment, his tongue caressed your palate, sending a pleasant sensation that ran through your entire spine. Did you enjoy the kiss? Of course, but at that moment, when Aemond's hands were now running up and down your back, grasping the flesh of your buttocks and kneading it, you realized how small you were every time he kissed you, and you didn't want that. You couldn't want it. You were destined to be powerful, not a little girl in the arms of a master, but someone who was an equal in that relationship... but, still you followed the kiss... that Aemond Targaryen taught you how he liked to be kissed. You would learn and you would kiss him the same, but in that eternal moment. Aemond pulled back with a smirk on his lips.

"I'm sure you haven't felt the same way with that asshole" he said arrogantly, drawing you into his body, and you just blinked at him with feigned innocence.

"No, of course not... He invited me to his hotel room, you know?" You said trying to make him jealous and Aemond just swallowed and ended up outlining a superior smile.

"I can afford a better room" he whispered between his teeth as he kneaded the meat of your buttocks hard. He rested his forehead on yours and closed his one eye. You thought you could die of happiness and he kissed you again, although this time it was much faster. "Kneel down..." He whispered. You felt how his left hand was lost in your hair and his right hand managed to unbuckle his belt. You felt your heart beating fast, running wild like a racehorse. He looked at you with superiority and you felt ready to give up... "I'm going to teach you how that asshole couldn't do it" he said giving you a tug of hair, leaving your neck exposed to him. He kept smiling powerfully over you... And you, at that moment, understood that Aemond was suffering a jealous attack caused by not being able to have you. He didn't love you because he had realized that he loved you, but rather that he needed you because someone else seemed to be going to keep the prize. It was a jealous rage. Similar to the one he had had in the bathroom of that nightclub, but much less violent. At that moment you separated from him and his face petrified when he saw your grimace. You wanted Aemond to love you because he really wanted to, not because others were going to take what he considered theirs. You dumped him and walked away, leaving him with just his erection and a terrible frustration all over again. Why the hell were you telling him no now? That was all Aemond couldn't stop thinking. At that moment, he realized that there was no way you could have finished the reports on your own to go to that date with Cregan. Someone had to have helped you. Fruit of the frustration at your refusal, Aemond told himself that the one who had helped you was going to pay the consequences for having done so. Only one person suspected of having helped you came to mind: Alys...

Aemond came through the door of the family home carrying the birthday cake for your party. For that party that they would begin to celebrate in your honor every time you went to visit them in the summer. It had been Aemond's idea. They weren't going to go all the way to Starfall to celebrate with your mother's family, they were going to celebrate something even bigger there. They weren't going to stoop to give your mother that satisfaction. Although if it were up to your father, they would all be dragged there. "Aemond!" you yelled at him as he came through the door and he reached down to grab you. Still with the cake loaded in the other hand. He turned you around as you laughed and removed his eyepatch. He could only smile at your audacity and he kissed you several times while you laughed and laughed. At that moment, Alicent appeared with a fake smile up to you. You were only five years old then. This was going to be your first summer surrounded by dragons.

"Mother, keep the cake" he said to his mother as he gave it to her and she took it in her hands. He would have preferred to buy you a dragon cake, but your mother had insisted that you liked unicorns, so that was what he had bought. He hoped you'd like it when you served it after dinner that night. “Did you draw a lot today?” he asked you happily while he lifted you up exhilarated and you smiled at him with that broken smile in which the  tusks were missing.

"Yes, a lot" you smiled at him, but at that moment when you smiled and laughed, Alicent whispered to her son.

“Have you seen the news? Those photos… are front pages in the national press…” she told him in a somber whisper. Aemond scolded her with a look.

"Not now. It's (Y/N)'s birthday and I've been hearing about the damn photos all day.” Aemond spoke with a cold tone and turned his attention back to you. “How about we go find Vhagar?”

"Yeah!!!" you exclaimed happily and he gladly took you to the living room, where the old cat he put on your lap was dozing. Daeron was watching TV as was Helaena, neither of them could take their eyes off what they were watching, almost horrified that they were Targaryens. “Can we see the cartoons?” you asked Aemond and he just picked up the remote and changed it, much to Daeron's annoyance. He gave you some Cartoons that he didn't know if they were for your age, but they seemed to entertain you.

"Fuck, Aemond, I was watching," Daeron told him, and Helaena smacked him.

“Moderate your language, which is here (Y/N). Aemond those cartoons are not for her age” Helaena replied as Aemond sat next to you to watch the drawings with you.

"Little Dragon, do you like these cartoons?" Aemond asked pointing to the TV and you smiled again.

"A lot, but mom won't let me watch them" you laughed complicitly with your uncle, who smiled back at you.

“See, Aemond? They are not for her” Helaena said, ready to take the controller from her, but then Aemond took it from her hand again.

“If the Dornishwoman doesn't like them, all the more reason for us to watch them,” he said, turning up the volume, and Daeron looked at Helaena. They both went to watch TV in the basement and Aemond stayed watching the cartoons with you, never once looking at his phone. The world around him was falling apart, but he didn't care. He just wanted to be with you. He had done all of that to give you a better life, to give himself the place he deserved within the company.

Then you all had dinner together. Everyone except Aegon. Your father hadn't shown any signs of life since you'd almost arrived. He was not capable of looking at you without remembering your mother and that only reminded him of his failure. Aemond had narrowed his eye in annoyance at your father's ineptitude. But, it didn't matter. He was there to take care of you. You had dinner with your grandmother, with your uncles Daeron and Helaena and with Aemond, even at the end of dinner, Cole also ate cake with you. They gave you several gifts, but the one you liked the most was a huge stuffed unicorn that Aemond had bought for you. He neighed and had shiny hair. It was the best mount in the world, after the back of a dragon of course. You put it in your room next to Mr. Wings, the old dragon that Aemond had also given you on your first birthday, before your parents' divorce. They were the two best mounts in the world for your five year old self. Later, almost at dawn, Aemond had let you stay without him watching TV, and at that moment when you closed your eyes from pure sleep, your uncle changed the channel.

'I'm just saying it's repulsive' said one of the commentators on that midnight show.

'He's fucking his niece, but since when? Because perhaps this is even murkier than we think,' another of them commented.

Aemond continued to watch that show while you fell asleep on his lap. He kissed your hair while you slept, never taking his eyes off the screen. That same morning some compromising photos of Daemon and Rhaenyra had come to light, fucking in a pool of a hotel in the summer islands. Everyone thought that what happened there stayed there, but that was not the case. The scandal had jumped. All the media were involved in that informative maelstrom, more morbid than true. Only illuminated by the light of the television, Aemond continued watching the program. His entire family was shaken by what had happened. Everyone at the company had talked about it all day…his mom was shocked, his brothers disgusted, Cole was thankful that their dad had died before he saw that…everyone was upset except Aemond. He had only been interested in celebrating your birthday and giving you the best possible day. And he had not been surprised, because Aemond Targaryen was the one who had been in charge of hiring that photographer who took those photos and ordering Alys to send them to the main newspapers with a national circulation. Aemond had been the one who had ratted out his uncle, CEO of Targaryen Inc, and no one else knew it, only Alys, who had tipped him off about what was happening between his uncle and his sister... now he would be the one who would occupy the throne that always had searched. He was businesslike, serious, determined… all those things the investors had told him at that emergency meeting. He had taught that part of the family, that he had protected the one who had gouged out his eye, who was on charge. All who had rejected him would now fall at his feet. The battered boy was now a winner. It wasn't just that throne, it was so much more… Aemond was now the new master of King's Landing. And he couldn't be happier about it.

[kookie-doughs]

Again And Again

Portgas D Ace X Reader

-Amatsuki Y/N decided to stay in the future without her sister upon meeting a friend’s son.

Chapter 11: A Dream Within a Dream

You looked at the newspaper in your hand, tears flooding your eyes as you read the headline:

"Rookie Pirate, Son of Revolutionary Leader Dragon, Monkey D. Luffy, to Be Executed in Marineford"

Your heart sank at the devastating news. The name "Marineford" brought back a rush of painful memories – memories of loss, sacrifice, and the war that had changed your life forever. Now, it seemed history was about to repeat itself, and you couldn't bear the thought of going through this war again.

As you looked at Ace, you could see the happiness in his eyes, unaware of the devastating news that awaited him. Your heart ached at the thought of what Luffy had done in the past to save him, and you couldn't bear the idea of leaving him now.

Torn between the duty to protect Luffy and the desire to stay by Ace's side, you felt overwhelmed with emotions. You knew that Luffy had risked everything to rescue Ace from execution, and now it was your turn to do the same for Luffy. But going through this war meant one thing and you knew it, you're going to lose Ace again.

As you struggled with your decision, Ace noticed the distress in your eyes and gently cupped your face in his hands. "Y/N, what's wrong?" he asked, concern etched on his face.

You took a deep breath, trying to find the right words. "Ace," you began, your voice trembling. "Luffy... he's in trouble... They plan on executing him."

Ace's eyes widened in shock, and you could see the worry n his gaze. "What? I have to go help him! I-I have to tell pops."

Marco's understanding gaze provided a sense of comfort amidst the turmoil of emotions swirling inside you. Only he and Edward knew the full extent of your past attempts to save Ace, the countless failures, and the pain that had haunted you. Marco grabs Ace's hand.

"Ace... We can't let you go," Marco said firmly, his voice tinged with worry. The crew looked on in shock at Marco's interference, unsure of how Ace would react to such a bold statement.

"M-Marco, Luffy is my brother. Y-You're not going to forbid me to save him... Are you?"

"A-Ace, I understand how much Luffy means to you, but we can't ignore the dangers," Marco continued, his grip on Ace's hand tightening. "You know what happened to Y/N in the past."

Ace's expression wavered, torn between his determination to save Luffy and the genuine worry of what his choice might do to you. He turned to you, seeking reassurance and guidance in this difficult moment.

Tears welled up in your eyes as you stepped closer, gently placing your hand on Ace's cheek, your heart heavy with emotion. "Ace, I can't bear to lose you," you said softly, your voice filled with love and vulnerability. "I've seen you die too many times, and each time it breaks me. I can't let that happen again."

"Y/N, please its my brother... I can't not do something." His voice trembled as he leaned into your touch.

You looked up at Ace, the memories of Luffy's tireless attempts to save Ace flooded your mind. The countless times he put his life on the line, faced insurmountable odds, and pushed his limits to the brink just to bring Ace back to safety.

With tears in your eyes, you clung tightly to Ace's hand and nodded in agreement. "I'll help you save Luffy, no matter what it takes, we'll bring him back."

As the ship approached Marineford, you couldn't help but be amazed by the number of allies who had rallied to fight alongside the Straw Hat crew. The sight was overwhelming and filled your heart with gratitude and awe. Countless pirate crews and individuals had come together, united by the shared respect and admiration they had for Luffy.

As you looked around the chaotic battlefield, you couldn't help but notice the presence of many unfamiliar faces. They were individuals and pirate crews you had never encountered before.

As your ship came closer, the battlefield faltered.

"I-Is that the Whitebeard Pirates?!!"

Ace quickly runs to the bow of the ship, "LUFFY!!!!!!!"

You'd think the reunion between the brothers would be the focal point of the battlefield but, a distant scream from the sky suddenly echoed through the air. The sound sent shivers down your spine, and memories of your first attempt to save Ace came rushing back. You couldn't shake the feeling of déjà vu, the eerie familiarity of the scene unfolding before you.

"YOU STUPID MOSS HEAD!!!!"

"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU ZORO!!!"

"I SHOULD'VE JUST GONE TO MARINEFORD INSTEAD!!!!"

"I KNEW JOINING YOU GUYS WAS STUPID!!!!!!"

As you looked up to the sky, you couldn't believe your eyes. Descending from the heavens were the same people you had encountered on your first attempt – the Straw Hat Pirates and Dragon, Luffy's father replacing you and Luffy.

"Its the Revolutionary Leader, Dragon!!!"

The Marines were caught off guard by the unexpected arrival of the Whitebeard Pirates and the Impel Down Escapees, led by Dragon. The addition of two powerful forces on the side of the rookie pirate, Monkey D. Luffy, tipped the scales of battle significantly.

~

Finally, the two older brothers reached the execution platform, where Luffy stood defiantly, his eyes locked onto them. The three siblings took no time in removing the chains on Luffy. You felt a rush of relief seeing Luffy liberated, but your mission was far from over. The most dreaded part of this war awaited—the escape.

The scene played out similarly to the past, and you couldn't shake the feeling of déjà vu. The sight of Luffy standing tall, despite his injuries, and the fierce determination in his eyes reminded you of the countless times you had witnessed this moment before. You knew what was coming next, and the weight of the past failures bore down on you.

But this time, something was different. The alliance of the Straw Hat Pirates, the Whitebeard Pirates, and the Revolutionary Army had created a force that the Marines couldn't easily defeat. As Luffy's allies fought tirelessly to protect him, you realized that this was the pivotal moment where history could be rewritten.

The battlefield erupted into chaos, and the war intensified. But you had achieved your immediate goal—to get away, escape. Now, you fought alongside your allies, united in your determination to protect what you held dear.

Just as you thought victory was within reach, history repeated itself. The tides of battle shifted, and the unexpected happened once again. The enemy unleashed a devastating counterattack, catching your group off guard.

Akainu's menacing presence loomed before the brothers, and you felt a surge of fear and determination coursing through you. This was the moment that had haunted you in all your previous attempts, the moment that led to Ace's tragic demise.

Sabo's protective instinct kicked in, and without hesitation, he shielded Luffy from Akainu's deadly attack. Your heart pounded in your chest as you watched Sabo about to take the hit meant for his younger brother.

But just as Sabo was about to save Luffy, Ace stepped forward to protect both of them. He stood tall, blocking Akainu's attack. Memories of the past flashed before your eyes, and you knew that you let history repeat itself.

"Not again... This was supposed to be different..." Tears slowly trickle down your cheek.

You see Ace slowly turn his head to you arm raised trying to reach you. You walked towards them, your heart heavy with emotions. The battlefield was silent, and all eyes were on them.

Your walk slowly turning into a desperate run. Your heart sank as you saw Ace falling to his brothers' arms, his life fading away once again. The scene was painfully familiar, and a wave of grief washed over you.

Your crew stood frozen in place, their eyes locked on you. They knew the significance of this moment. No one dared to intervene or say a word.

You knelt down beside Ace, his brothers clutching him tightly. The anguish in their eyes mirrored the pain in your heart. You gently placed a hand on Ace's cheek, brushing away a strand of hair from his face.

"Ace," you whispered, your voice shaking. "I told you... Y-You..."

Sabos eyes were red with tears, and Sabo's grip on Ace tightened.

"A-Ace," Luffy choked out.

"Y/N, I'm sorry," Ace managed to say, his voice strained.

"I told you, I didn't want you to do this..."

Despite his weakened state, Ace managed a weak laugh as he leaned into your touch. He held your hand in his, grateful for your presence in this crucial moment. He looked over at Sabo, his brother whom he had reunited with not so long ago.

"Hey pretty," he teased, a faint smile on his lips, "Can you not scold me? You're making me look bad."

"You're being stupid." You laughed sadly.

"Sabo, Luffy," he said, "this is Y/N."

Sabo smiled softly, understanding the significance of your presence. "Its nice to meet you," he said, "Thank you for being there for Ace."

You smiled through your tears, touched by Sabo's kindness even in the midst of the chaos. "It's nice to meet you too, Sabo," you replied, your voice still quivering. "Ace has told me a lot about you."

"Luffy, have you forgotten... the manners class? You're supposed to... greet her."

Luffy, though deeply distressed, tried to follow the manners class he had been taught, even in this dire moment.

"Sabo, why aren't you calling for help?!" Luffy looked at his brother, "W-We need to save Ace..."

"Luffy, stop." Ace mutters weakly.

"Ace, you need to get treated!"

Ace took a deep breath before speaking, closing his eyes and smiling. "Hey.. you guys... I want you both to know something..." He chukled to himself, "Y/N, is the most... amazing person I know." He glanced at you, a soft and affectionate look in his eyes. "She's the strogest... and kindest person... I've met. She's fearless in the face of danger, and determined."

Luffy and Sabo exchanged glances, listening to Ace's heartfelt words about you. You smile at his praises.

"She's been trying... to save me," Ace continued. "And, I guess.. I'm stubborn. But she... she doesn't stop."

"Y/N, is the woman I love," Ace said, his voice becoming softer. "I want her to be happy, and I'm glad to have her in my life. Can you both... Help her?"

Ace's words had brought tears to your eyes, and you blinked them away, trying to compose yourself. You felt overwhelmed by the love and affection he had expressed for you, and you were grateful to have him in your life as well.

Ace's placed a gentle kiss on your hand, he looked into your eyes with a mixture of sadness and determination. His voice was gentle, yet firm, as he spoke.

"Y/N, you don't need... to keep suffering like this," he said, his thumb gently wiping away a tear from your cheek. "I don't want you to go through... all this pain and heartache for my sake."

You tried to speak, but your voice caught in your throat. You knew that Ace was right, that your attempts to save him had only brought you more suffering. But you couldn't bear the thought of giving up on him, of letting go of the hope that you could change the future.

"I can't just... let go, Ace," you whispered, your voice trembling. "I love you, and I can't lose you."

Ace's expression softened even more, and he cupped your face in his hands, making sure you looked into his eyes. "I love you too," he said, his voice unwavering. "And that's... exactly why I can't let you keep going through this... I... want you to live... your life without being haunted by the past... How many times have you been going through this?"

"That doesn't matter," you said, tears streaming down your face.

"Y/N," his thumb gently wiping away a tear from your cheek. "How many?"

"482 times." You admit leaning to his touch. "But Ace, I can't just abandon you," you replied, tears streaming down your cheeks. "I can't give up on you."

Ace's gaze softened, and he cupped your face in his hands. "You're not abandoning me," he said gently. "You've already done so much for me, more than I could ever ask for. And now, it's time for you to live your life and find happiness."

As you looked at Sabo, you could see the sadness in his eyes. He too understood the weight of the situation and the difficult choices that had to be made. Sabo had witnessed the depth of your love for Ace and how much you had sacrificed to save him.

"Ace," he said gently, "You don't have to worry okay? We'll take care of Y/N."

Ace's smile brightened at Sabo's words, and he chuckled softly. "You know, knowing you two... idiot brother of mine," he teased, glancing at you with affection. "I can already see... she's probably the one... who's going to take care of you two..."

Sabo chuckled, a hint of warmth in his eyes. "I'm counting on you, Y/N," he said. "We'll make sure to keep each other in check."

Luffy grinned, albeit with a tinge of sadness in his eyes. "I guess I have a sister now," he said cheerfully. "We're gonna have so much fun together, I can already tell!"

Ace watched as his brothers welcomed you into their family, and a sense of happiness filled his heart. He reached out and gently took your hand in his, intertwining your fingers together. The warmth of his touch sent a comforting sensation through your body, and you couldn't help but smile back at him.

Seeing Ace smile, even in the midst of the chaos and uncertainty, brought a sense of peace to your heart. "I don't want you... to forget me," Ace continued, his voice tinged with sadness. "But I want you... to be happy, even if it's without me..."

You held Ace's hand tightly, interlocking your fingers with his. "Ace, how could I ever forget you?" you replied, your voice filled with love and sincerity. "You're a part of me, and no matter what happens, you'll always be in my heart."

Ace's smile softened, but his eyes glistened with unshed tears. "I know, but... I don't want my memory to burden you," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I want you... to live a full... and happy life, Y/N, even if... I'm not there with you."

You smile, your tear slowly falling. "I have Sabo and Luffy to keep watch. You don't have to worry."

Ace looked at you with a mixture of emotions in his eyes – love, sadness, and a hint of relief. He knew you were strong and capable, and he trusted his brothers to take care of you. Yet, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of sadness at the thought of being apart from you.

"I know," he said softly, his voice tinged with melancholy. "I trust them, and I trust you... I know you'll take care of each other...."

"I love you..." You remind him.

He gave your hand a gentle squeeze, cherishing the warmth of your touch. His strength slowly faded and a smile remained on his face.

As the light from Ace's eyes faded, a profound sadness washed over you, threatening to consume you entirely.

"Always..." You cried.

You felt a mix of emotions swirling inside you, and you couldn't find the strength to stand on your own. But just as you began to crumble under the weight of your grief, you felt strong arms wrap around you, holding you close.

It was Sabo and Luffy, Ace's brothers, who held you tightly, grieving with you as tears flowed freely from all of your eyes. Together, you formed a circle of support, leaning on each other for strength and comfort. In that moment, you knew you weren't alone in your pain.

Sabo's grip on your shoulder was firm, his silent presence offering you a sense of stability. Luffy clung to your side, sharing in your sorrow, his simple presence a reminder that you were all in this together.

You wept together, finding solace in each other's arms. The loss of Ace was a devastating blow, but you knew you had to be strong for each other. Despite the pain, you drew strength from your bond, the bond that Ace had praised so highly. It was that bond that would carry you through this difficult time.

As the battle raged on around you, you held onto each other, grounding yourselves in memory of Ace. Together, you fought to safety. Carrying his figure with you.

As the sun set on the battlefield, the three of you remained together, a united front in the face of loss. You knew that the road ahead would be difficult, and that grief would linger, but you also knew that you had each other. With Sabo and Luffy by your side, you would find a way to honor Ace's memory and carry on his legacy.

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Taglist?

@gayer-than-the-gayest-gay @nykie-love-anime @cinnamonrollscafe @sol-d15

[saltysskin]

Radio Silence Signal

könig finds out f!reader is bi (fluff//flirting)

It was almost 11:30 at night when I heard a soft knock at my door, “Hey D, why is the Colonel outside, asking for you?” my roommate asked, popping her head into my room. “Shit,” I hurried to throw on some kind of clothing, he came unannounced. I carefully made my way through the dorm I was currently sharing with 2 other medics. Opening the heavy door, I see him, waiting. He’s still in his work attire, mask and all. He turned around to face me, putting his arms down by his side, “Colonel,” I stated before noticing him staring at my outfit. I had a big tshirt on, with old army fatigue pants that were cut off at my thigh, I had two different color socks on as well as my work boots. “You look, like a—what is the word?” König’s German accent was almost as thick as my southern one. “Do I even wanna know the word yer lookin’ for?” I complained, “I got dressed in the dark, okay?” I continued. “What do ya want anyway?” I crossed my arms, hiding my chest from the cold air. “A redneck!” König exclaimed, finally remembering the word he was stuck on. “I’ve been called worse,” I leaned against the doorway, unamused and tired from the day. “That’s a word Americans say, no?” He laughed to himself, ignoring everything I just said. He’d been on an American base for a few months now, lapping up the culture. “Yeah we gotta word for Austrians too but, you won’t like it,” I joked, while pushing my hair behind my shoulder away from my face. He scoffed at my remark, which made him squint his eyes at me, finally focusing on the task at hand. “I have a few questions,” König confessed, getting closer to me. I looked up at him with tired eyes, a building of a man. He looked into my dorm, then down the hall, “Shall we?” He insisted, I obliged. We walked down a long corridor, then out a door that lead to outside. He sat down on a bench that neared the door we just came through. I stood in front of him, keeping my arms crossed. Since he was sitting, he was finally at my eye level, making this hard to get through. He never breaks eye contact, and it works my nerves like a live wire. He was very animalistic but yearned for connection, he was like a rouge animal cast out from his pride. I’ve heard what they say around campus, what they call Colonel König. The stories they make up about him, just to keep him isolated. “I have to ask,” He began, I wasn’t worried before, but I am now. Being alone with him made me feel exposed, he could make me disappear and that’d be the end of me. “Have you had any men in your dorm?” His voice was stern, he was still in work mode, but my brain was shutting off. I furrowed my brows at the question, waiting a moment before answering. “No, sir,” I answered honestly, that was only a problem if it were after hours, anyways. “Any women?” He asked, his question hung in the air, like he already knew. I straightened my posture while he stared at me, “We’ll, my roommates—,” I tried explaining, before he interrupts. He scoffed then waved his hand at my comment, “Why?” I asked in a defensive tone. Offended by his harshness, “Because I heard otherwise,” König had leaned back where he sat with his arm resting on the back rest of the bench. “You read my file?” I accused him, only for him to shrug in response. I had a fling with a good friend of mine, we were caught, and I was written up for it. So there it sits, within stacks of papers and he managed to find it. My face was bright red, burning me alive, I was embarrassed recoiling into my clothes trying to hide. “What’s your point, König?” I snapped at him, retaliating for the embarrassment. His eyes widened from hearing me say his name, I could see him deciding to ignore it, for now. “Do you only like women?” He asked, looking away from me for a moment, “What?” I hissed, annoyed by him prying, “Do you only desire women?” He repeated his question, making my body tense up. “I-well-,” I stuttered unable to find my footing, I didn’t say anything for a moment, I decided that since someone was asking, that I’d answer. “I’ve desired men before,” I replied, my hands tugging at each other.

This was a topic I’ve spoken to no one about, now suddenly here I am; saying it out loud. I do favor privacy, less chance of the judgement that inherently comes with humans. He shifted where he sat, not able to look at me anymore, “Don’t tell me, ya drug me outta bed to have a conversation about my sex life,” I scoffed at him. He looked back over at me, “You haven’t pursued any other men on base—,” He tried to explain, before I interrupted, “Their not really my type,” I answered, before turning my view away from him. As if I haven’t heard that before, I’d been on countless dates and not one of them stuck. “Type?” He breathed out, before rubbing the back of his head with his hand. He studied me for a moment, making us both sit in silence. He stood up from the bench and approached me, I backed up naturally, after his shadow swallowed where I stood, I looked up at him with wide eyes. He towered over me, blocking out the only light that came from a nearby streetlamp. “I’m different from them,” He purred down at me, turning into a flirt before my eyes. How long has he been alone? Can’t be longer than I have. “I know you are,” I said up at him softly, before he picked up my hand with one of his. I held my breath from the shock of human touch, König’s fingers played with mine for a moment, I was smitten with how gentle he was. My hands only covering most of his palm, my fingers stopping where his began. He took off one of his black cloth gloves, then grabbed at my hand again, allowing his skin to touch mine. I shivered from it, getting goosebumps at how warm blooded he was, radiating heat like a furnace. He corrected his posture while keeping his eyes on our entangled hands, “It’s film night in the mess hall tomorrow,” His voice was low, like he shifted into another gear. “Will you join me?” He purposed as he continued to play with my fingers. I looked up at him with a small smile, with his eyes meeting mine I looked away again, trying to keep my cool. I nodded my head, “Okay,” I accepted, “I’d like that,” I gushed to myself silently. As he walked me back to my room he stayed close by my side, instead of behind me. “Thank you for your time,” He cooed at me, making me smile in response, “I’ll see you tomorrow, then?” I said nervously while leaning against my door. “I’ll save you a chair,” He insisted, playfully, before looking down at me again. “Goodnight Colonel,” I cooed, giggling from his English phrasing. Hearing a faint, “Gute Nacht,” slip out from behind his mask along with a few other German words I didn’t understand. I laid in my bed that night wracking my brain at what had just happened, going over every detail in my mind. I failed at picking up on his energy towards me. Aside from catching him staring at me, multiple times. We’d only shared about a dozen words between each other. This all felt out of the blue, but maybe I haven’t been paying enough attention. I was so use to being unavailable I didn’t realize; until now. I’d been alone, on my own for way too long to remember what it’s like being with someone. Sharing my time, my love with them, was something I’d prayed for in the past. I hear what the others say, and with each sickening comment on a woman’s body I recoiled more and more out of their view of sight. I made myself undateable, so they couldn’t hurt me the way they told their friends they would. I seemed callous and checked out because I was, because I was made to be, unapologetically.

[taomyou]

The Romance of Reimbursements - Chapter 3

Pairing: Levi Ackerman x Reader Status: COMPLETED Summary: There’s a guy you see every Friday on bus 143, and you think he’s pretty hot. It wouldn’t hurt to tell your best friend about him, would it? or, you and Levi take the same bus home from work every Friday, and you fall in love slowly, clumsily, and with all the time in the world to fold as many paper stars as your heart desires. Word Count: 5.7k Tags: slow burn, friends to lovers, modern au, office au, fluff, romance, meet-cute, matchmaking

(A/N: this fic is entirely available on ao3 here if you would like to read it there instead! "www" is also shorthand for "haha" or laughing!)

Chapter Navigation Accompanying Playlist

dandelion root

After a good night’s rest, your regularly set alarm rings you awake at 6 AM.

Once you were home after dinner, you didn’t spend much time thinking about your night out. Against your worst judgment, you decided that going to bed and choosing to ignore whatever feelings you had about dinner was the best decision you could’ve made. You stripped down, hopped in the shower, and crashed on your bed with your plush rabbit. You fell easily into your slumber, the anticipation and fear that plagued you over the past 2 nights finally gone.

If there was anything for you to think about, though, it would’ve been Levi.

You stretch your arms above your head, letting a yawn escape. After you blink a couple times to get the sleep out of your eyes, you walk over to the bathroom to brush your teeth. After you finish brushing and flossing, you hum to yourself as you shuffle through your cabinets for an outfit for the day. It's routine by now: choosing your outfit, putting on your makeup, getting your briefcase ready.

As you walk out your door, you realize that seeing Erwin at the office is probably going to be a bit... awkward. Him dropping formalities at last night's dinner wasn't unlike how he was back when the two of you used to take your lunch breaks together so you didn't waste any energy questioning it, but you have no idea how he's going to act at work.

You're not opposed to the possibility of becoming closer—Erwin is a good work superior, a good friend—but even if he does start getting warmer, you still have to worry about him snitching on your client to upper management. There's already enough paperwork as is, and having even more of it is something you don't want to have to deal with right now.

You try not to worry about all of that as you hop on the bus after the short walk down from your apartment. After greeting the bus driver "good morning" and taking a seat at the back, you take out your phone and aimlessly scroll the various SNS you have installed.

In the middle of a random video you were watching, you get a notification from Hange. You tap on the little icon at the top of your screen, not being able to see the attached message, and to your confusion, it's a screenshot of a conversation between them and someone who's nicknamed 'Shorty' on their phone. You don't even bother reading the conversation, instead swiping down from the screenshot and quickly typing out a response to Hange themselves.

You - 7:32 AM

wtf why did you send me this???

You don't need to wait for even a moment before Hange replies, the dots on your screen appearing just seconds after you text them.

Hange - 7:33 AM

Just read it!!!! :D

You - 7:33 AM

no that's weird why would you send this to me www

Hange - 7:33 AM

BECAUSE I need you to read it B)

You - 7:34 AM

this is an invasion of privacy yk sharing private dms to a third party i can get you sent to prison

The three dots you expect to see don't appear, and so you quickly type out another message for them.

You - 7:35 AM

that was a joke hange i'm not gonna send you to prison

You sigh at the continued silence, taking a look outside at the window across from where you were sitting. You hear a faint beep and look back at your phone. Instead of a text, you see a play button and an accompanying audio bar. Rolling your eyes, you go for the side pocket of your briefcase to get your earbuds and connect them to your phone to hear the message without disturbing others on the bus.

Hange - 7:37 AM

"Well, since you're not going to read the screenshot I sent you, I'll just tell you what it says. Ok, ok, so last night, I drove Levi home, right? And when I got home after, I texted him, and I was all, like-oh, yeah, I know, you're too nice to send anyone to jail, that's kinda your thing-anyway! I asked him, like, 'is it cool if Astraea starts hanging out with us?' You know, because you're my best friend and I obviously want you to hang out with everyone, but also, I'm trying to set you up! And he was all like, 'why don't you ask the group chat, Four Eyes,' and I was like, 'just answer the question!' And guess what he said! Guess!"

The voice message ends there.

You probably would've cared more about what they had to say if you had spent some time thinking about Levi at all after dinner, but, again, it's a Monday, and you really can't care to be bothered about something like this right now. You bring your phone up closer towards your lips after holding on the voice recording button on your screen, speaking quietly into the microphone.

"Hange, I'm not going to guess. Please, I'm about to get to work, you're probably getting ready too. That's the end of it," you pause. "Also, I don't send people to jail because, for the millionth time, I'm a family attorney."

Hange - 7:42 AM

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, if that's how you wanna avoid this. I'm gonna tell you anyway! He said, and I quote, 'I-'"

Before you can hear what Hange has to tell you, you tap the play icon and pause the recording, not wanting to hear. At times like these, they tend have a (to be generous) distant relationship with the truth. It's not worth it to know, anyway, now that you're determined to just be friends with Levi; you don't need Hange getting you excited over things like this.

The bus announces your stop a stoplight away, so you tuck away your phone and earbuds into your pocket so you don't have to worry about having to do it while getting off the bus. Once it stops, you say a quick "thank you" to the driver and head over to the firm's building.

When you're through the doors and in the lobby, you spot Eren, Mikasa, and Armin, all of them coming from the entrance at the other end of the hall. They all greet you with big smiles and waves before meeting you halfway right in front of the elevator. When it opens for you and you all enter, Armin leans over to press the button for the 8th floor while you and Mikasa stand towards the back of the elevator.

"How was your weekend, Astraea?" She asks, looking over at you as the door closes. Eren and Armin don't turn towards the back to face you, but you're sure they're listening from where they are.

"It was a bit stressful, but it was alright," you answer, smiling to reassure her. She doesn't seem to want to press you on it, trusting that you'd tell her if you wanted to, but Eren doesn't quite get the memo.

"What happened? You accidentally used salted butter in your cupcakes or something?" He jokes with a chuckle.

"Eren, that's not nice," Armin says, lightly bumping his elbow against Eren's side. He turns to where you and Mikasa are, shooting you a sympathetic smile. "You don't have to tell us if you don't want to, we stress you out enough as is."

At that, you laugh and cover your mouth with your hand. The doors open again, the 8 button now flashing to tell you you're on the right floor, and you all step out before they close in on you.

"Armin, it's okay, it's my job to watch out for you guys. Well, just Mikasa, but you guys too," you start, looking around the office to try and find Erwin. You should probably talk to him before he can talk to someone higher up in the chain in command. "I'll tell you at lunch, yeah?"

They seem satisfied enough with that suggestion, and once you spot Erwin, you tell them to have a good start to their workday and go over to him. He spots you before you get the chance to greet him, and he nods at you, not able to wave with his briefcase in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other.

"Good morning, Erwin," you greet, looking up at him now that he's closer to you.

"Good morning to you too. Need me for something?" You nod, and he tilts his head towards his office. "We can talk in there, let me set my things down."

You walk with him over to his office, opening the door for the both of you.

"Close the door, would you?"

He silently puts down his coffee and briefcase, motioning for you to sit at the seat opposite of his own behind his desk. The little jar at the corner of the table brings a small smile to your face. He notices your eye on it and picks it up, rattling it a bit to see the little paper trinkets move around.

"I assume you want to talk about what was brought up yesterday," he starts, not meeting your gaze and instead keeping his eyes on the jar. You sigh and tense up in your chair, not wanting to accidentally say or do anything out of place.

"About that, could you not bring it up with anyone? I'd really appreciate if you just kept it between us."

Erwin moves to put the jar down, looking at you with steely eyes. You shrink back even further into the seat, fearful of what he has to say.

"Is that really what you want?"

You nod, breaking your gaze on him to look down at your lap.

"I know I should've came clean about it after it happened, but I handled it just fine. I don't want the higher-ups to think I can't-"

Erwin interrupts with a chuckle, taking a sip of his coffee. "Are we talking about the same thing?"

"You were pretty adamant about getting me to report that client to management. If you were thinking about something else, I wouldn't know."

"If that's what you're here to talk about, then you don't need to worry. I respect your decision not to report it. I shouldn't have pressed during dinner, so accept my apology."

You let out a sigh of relief, finally letting your shoulders drop.

"Thank you, Erwin. I promise I'll come to you if something else like that happens again."

Erwin hums in approval before opening his briefcase, a stack of papers in his hand now outstretched to you. You shoot him a look of confusion but get up from your seat to get a better look at what he's holding. When you don't move to take it from him, he nudges it forwards toward you.

"...What is this for?"

"Your paperwork for the day," he says. You hesitantly take it from him and flip through the pages with your thumb and pointer finger. It's a lot thicker than the stack you usually get, but it is indeed your paperwork. Usually, the interns around the office would hand papers out to everyone after their stint at the printer every morning. You remember Petra telling you, though, that Erwin, who was always the first one in the office, always printed out his own things to avoid his documents getting mixed up with someone else's. Why would he print yours for you?

"Why are you being so nice to me?" The question comes out before you can think. Realizing your mistake, you look to another part of the room to avoid making eye contact. "Sorry, that was out of line."

For another time, Erwin chuckles and takes out his own papers for the day now that his hands are free.

"I suppose dinner made me think of when I first started here, and I'm feeling nostalgic," he says. The look on your face reads as skeptical, so he continues with a smile. "And as much as you try telling me it's fine, I still feel guilty about giving away your parking space."

You shake your head, a quiet red making its way up to your face in embarrassment. Is he ever gonna let this whole parking situation go? You guess it's fine he hasn't. "It's okay, I really am fine taking the bus."

He laughs, shaking his head in response. "I'm sure you are. By the way, how are the interns doing? I've noticed that they tend to spend a lot of time with you, but I hadn't had the time to ask about their performance yet with you privately."

You smile at the thought of the three of them, a warm feeling settling into your chest. "They're doing well, getting stuff done. I know I'm only officially in charge of mentoring Mikasa, but I'd be glad to write all their performance reports once their internships are over." He nods in approval.

"That won't be necessary, but I appreciate your initiative."

"It's hardly initiative. They're all good kids," you praise. After the last couple of months you spent getting to know them, you hope that they all get offered positions after their designated time is over, just as you did after your own internship.

Unlike you, however, it'd be impossible for them to all stay here in your department.

You and the other seasoned attorneys on your floor were already told that there was only enough in the budget to allow for one more full-time member on the family floor by the time Eren, Mikasa, and Armin were finished with their internships (hence why nobody aside from you really made much of an effort to get attached to them).

Petra did tell you a month or so ago that someone on the financial law floor had quit very suddenly (which gave Oluo more work to complain about), so maybe one of them could go for that, but it pains you to know that they'd eventually be split apart.

"I'm sure they are. Productivity has been better since they started." Getting out his glasses, he yawns behind his hand before glancing over at you. "You're welcome to leave, if there's nothing else."

"No, that was all. And, uh, thank you for my papers."

He smiles, and it seems to reach his eyes. "It's not any inconvenience," he pauses. "Knowing Hange, they'll be bringing you along more often. I look forward to seeing you more outside of work, Astraea." After the two of you bid each other farewell and you put the papers into your briefcase, you turn to open the door and head back to your own office. To your surprise, however, Mikasa, Eren, and Armin are all there, seemingly waiting for you.

"What're you still doing here?" Ordinarily, the three of them would go straight for the printer once they got to the floor, so it's a bit strange that they wouldn't be there right now.

"Why'd you go into Erwin's office?" Eren asks, earning him a shove from Mikasa. "What? We all wanted to know!"

Armin sighs at Eren's comment. "It isn't our business, Eren. We're sorry, we were just waiting to ask if you wanted a drink from the breakroom since Mikasa needs to put her lunch in the fridge before we head to the printer."

"Okay, then, I wanted to know," Eren rephrases.

Looking around the office, you see that there's quite a few people here already—enough that you don't want to say anything about it until you're back at your office. The paperwork you have for today just from the regularly distributed items is already more than enough to keep you busy this morning, so you decide that waiting until lunch to tell them about everything is the better idea. You start heading to your office, the three of them following closely behind you.

"It's okay to be nosy, Eren. I'll just tell you during break—I have a lot to do this morning," you tell them, getting a small laugh from Mikasa. "Could you brew a pot of chrysanthemum tea for me?"

Eren groans at the mention of the drink, getting yet another shove from one of his friends.

"I tried some the last time you had me brew it. It tastes like shit! How could you like it?" You hurriedly shush Eren, looking to make sure none of your coworkers heard him.

"How many times have I told you not to cuss at work? You're lucky that it's a Monday and everyone in here is a zombie right now."

"That was rude, Eren. Apologize," Mikasa chastises.

"No."

You roll your eyes at him, going for the doorknob now that you're in front of your office.

"I'm gonna get you fired. Anyway, I'll see you during lunch, go be productive or something."

Before you exchange waves with them, you step inside and get your teapot and the small container of dried chrysanthemum petals to give to Mikasa. Once they're back en route to the breakroom, you head back inside, sighing as you move to sit at your chair, set down your briefcase, and get your laptop out.

You go through the same motions you have for the last 3 years: responding to emails, reviewing cases from the past week, looking at new cases sent from upper management and Erwin. In the middle of replying to someone inquiring about meeting times, Mikasa comes in with your teapot and sets it down at your table. You thank her, and she moves to sit at the desk adjacent to yours.

When she first started working here, you would try and force conversation, not sure if she was comfortable working on her own yet. It was... really awkward, but as the two of you spent more time together, it got easier. No longer did you need to try and fill the silence—it just became a comfortable quiet.

You like to think that she's gotten used to working, you assigning her tasks as you see fit for her and her occasionally asking you questions about anything related to working at the firm.

You keep your teacups in the bottom drawer of your desk, so you roll out with your chair to grab them. You pour yourself a cup of tea and wordlessly ask Mikasa if she'd like one, to which she shakes her head. After you take a sip, she speaks up.

"It said your documents for the day were already printed when we went to do it earlier. Did you start working over the weekend?" Mikasa asks you. You check the time at the corner of your screen; 8:49 AM.

"No, Erwin got them for me before I got here."

"Why? I know that you're friends with him, but I don't remember him ever doing that before."

You nod. You'll tell her about yesterday's dinner with Erwin, Hange, and Levi later, but, right now, you're both too busy to have any sort of girl talk. "Yeah, I used to be the one giving him his papers, ironically enough. He said something about still feeling bad about having me give up my parking spot."

"I thought he was over that. He stopped coming around here a while ago."

"I guess he isn't over it."

12:00 PM comes around soon enough, and you're grateful that it does because your hand cramps from all the typing and writing you had to do. You walk with Mikasa over to the breakroom for her to grab her lunch and for you to heat up some food you brought from home. You don't quite have the energy to make any small talk and Mikasa seems to be still unreeling from her work, so both of you are silent as you get your lunches ready. When you're back at your office, Armin and Eren are already inside, having rolled in their chairs from the main floor.

Once you and Mikasa are seated and the door is locked, the four of you eat in silence for a good ten-or-so minutes. Eren's the first to finish, and so after he throws away his trash, he comes back and starts the conversation.

"So, was I right about the salted butter?"

"Yes, I'm so stressed out about using the wrong butter that it ruined my entire weekend." You roll your eyes. "Hange invited me to dinner, and I went yesterday."

With Eren, Mikasa, and Armin, you were less careful with names, knowing that they were much less inclined to try and look them up online unlike Hange. They all nod, albeit looking a bit confused.

"Isn't Hange your best friend? What's so bad about going to dinner with them?" Armin asks. You groan and dramatically melt onto the table, making a scene.

"They wanted to introduce me to their friends, so I met them."

"Were they weird?" Mikasa inquires, looking at you from her seat.

"No, not really. But one of them was Erwin."

To that, all three of them freeze for a second. Armin's the first to speak.

"Is that why you were in his office this morning?"

You nod. "I made a joke about that client from last week. You know, the one that cursed out me and Mikasa?" They nod. "I just wanted to make sure he wouldn't file a report on my behalf. I really don't need the paperwork."

"Is he different outside of work? I don't think I could imagine him as anyone other than he is when we're in the office," says Mikasa. You shrug, taking another sip of your tea.

"Not really. A bit funnier, but he still acts the same, more or less."

"Who else was there?"

You opt to not tell them about Levi being someone you knew before yesterday, not wanting a (less intense) repeat of Friday's conversation with Hange.

"There was only one other guy, he said he's a professor over at Sina." Before any of them can ask other questions, you hear a knock at the door. "Who is it?"

"It's Erwin," the voice says back. You get up to unlock the door, looking back at the interns with your pointer finger over your lips to shush them. They all motion zipping their lips, and you smile back at them. When you open the door, it's still hiding the interns behind you, but you can hear them shifting around to get a better look at your interaction.

"Did you need anything?" He nods.

"Do you have any tea in your office? The breakroom's out." You look at the interns who look back at you in confusion, wondering why he's here instead of getting lunch somewhere else.

"I thought you didn't drink tea," you comment, opening the door further to let Erwin into the room. He follows you inside, staying near the doorframe while you go to your desk to get the basket of teas out of your cabinet and set it on your desk. He doesn't pay any attention to the other three in the room, instead looking directly at you.

"It's not for me, Levi's here to have lunch with me."

At the mention of Levi, you take a sharp breath in. You're past the initial overwhelming blush that normally overtakes your face when you're in Levi's presence, but you're sure that your ears are beginning to turn red, so you immediately move to hide them, feigning fixing your hair. The thought that he's here is a bit daunting, considering you might run into him, but you try to ignore that to save face in front of Eren, Mikasa, and Armin.

"Oh, well, um.. What kind of tea does he like?"

Erwin comes a bit closer to get a look at what variety you have. "He likes bitter things, but I'm not sure what exactly he likes. What would you suggest?"

You move around a few containers and riffle through packets before deciding on a yellow canister.

"How's dandelion root?"

You hold it out to Erwin, and he happily accepts it. "Sounds good to me. Thank you, I'll have him come by with me on his way out."

At the suggestion, you scratch the back of your neck before laughing anxiously.

"There's no need, I'll probably be busy."

"Nonsense, it'll take a minute. I can drop off the rest of your tea, too."

Just like with Hange, you know you can't keep Erwin from getting what he wants. You smile at him, bitterly giving him a thumbs-up. You can hear Eren snicker at the interaction, followed by a "please be quiet" from Mikasa. You're going to have so much fun getting grilled about this. Soon enough, Erwin's walking out of your office. You groan as you go over to close the door again, slumping into your chair afterwards.

"Are you okay?" Mikasa asks first, followed quickly with Armin asking the same thing. In a pathetic attempt to hide your face, you pour yourself another cup of tea and take a big sip, coughing afterwards from the aftertaste.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm good."

"Seriously, what was that? Is Erwin pulling the moves on you?" Eren sure is getting smacked around a lot today, but you suppose he deserves it.

"If I had to guess, it's that Levi person Erwin mentioned that gets Astraea all flustered," says Armin. Mikasa nods, agreeing with him.

God, there it is again. Your heart beats just that tiny bit faster, thinking about Levi.

"Is he the professor you were talking about? Hange's friend?" Mikasa asks. You nod slowly, an exaggerated tight-lipped smile on your face.

"Yep. I probably don't even need to say anything." You groan again in excess, putting your head down on the table. Mikasa gives you a good-natured pat on the back. "My heart isn't prepared."

"Is it so bad for you to like someone?" asks Armin. You lift your head a bit, looking at him briefly before slumping back down.

"Yeah, you've been single for a while, right?" says Eren.

"I don't like him. He's just really hot," you lament, voice slightly muffled. "And I've never had a boyfriend before, so you could say that." You don't look up to see their reactions, but you hope they're at least surprised someone as successful as you has never been in a relationship before.

Armin, seeing your obvious discomfort, shifts the conversation over to his own weekend and pokes fun at Eren for giving bad directions to their destination, and you four spend the rest of lunch talking about anything and everything that comes to mind. At 1:00 PM, you boot Eren and Armin from your office (lovingly) so you and Mikasa can go back to work. It takes a while for the two of you to get back in the groove, but after about half an hour, things are running as smoothly as they usually are.

"I'm going to the bathroom," says Mikasa, getting up from her seat.

"Don't fall in!" You tease, smiling up from your paperwork for a second. She rolls her eyes before going to open the door. You expect to hear it close shortly after, but instead you hear Erwin.

"Good afternoon, Mikasa," he greets cordially. You immediately forget about whatever papers you're in the process of reviewing and look up to see Mikasa awkwardly looking up at Erwin with her hand still on the doorknob.

"Good afternoon." Not wanting to entertain any chance of small talk, she opens the door wider and sneaks past Erwin for the bathroom.

Good grief, why is Levi even here? He's right there, standing next to Erwin with his hands in his pockets. Thank goodness Erwin is the one to speak first.

"Thanks again for the tea!" Erwin exclaims, positively beaming. He seems to be in a better mood than he was earlier, speaking more freely now. You nod at him, unsure if you're meant to get up and actually get the tea from where he's currently standing. He makes the decision for you, stepping in and coming up to your desk. He waves Levi over, and you try your best to avoid making eye contact with either of them by fiddling with your teapot.

"It's no problem, I have more than enough to share," you say, which isn't a lie. All of your coworkers prefer coffee, so the breakroom is mostly stocked with that instead. The person previously in Erwin's position liked tea well enough to keep some there, but after they moved up the ladder, nobody ever bothered to restock the supply. After you drank through the rest of what was left behind, you decided to just bring some from home to keep some in your personal office.

Erwin looks between you and Levi, and you assume he wants you to greet each other.

"It's good to see you, Levi."

"Yeah, you too." You look up from the teapot to see Erwin still expectantly looking at you.

"How'd you like the tea?" You ask.

"It was fine," Levi says, looking around your office. Erwin chuckles, the smile on his face getting bigger.

"He loved it! He even took a picture of the label," says Erwin. You blush a bit at that, feeling a bit flustered he liked the tea that much. "Oh, speaking of, I forgot it in my office. Let me go grab it." And with that, you and Levi are left alone for the first time. Well, maybe not the first time; Hange and Erwin aren't there when you're on the bus, but there's other people there too. Yeah, this is the first time you've ever been alone with him.

"I'm glad you liked it, the tea. It's one of my favorites." He hums in response, now settling to look at your teapot.

"What tea have you been drinking?"

"Chrysanthemum." He seems a bit awkward, standing in the middle of the room, so you decide to take out your basket of teas to show him. You motion him to come closer and take a look. "You can take a couple to try, if you'd like."

He doesn't seem to be in much of a mood to talk, but that's fine. Good for you, even, since you don't have to overthink everything that he says. He takes well to looking through your collection, stopping every couple of seconds to read the labels. There's quite a lot to get through, the basket being about the size of a briefcase, but he takes his time, seemingly looking at everything.

"Why are all of these caffeine-free?" He asks, stepping a step back, probably to tell you he's done looking. You're a bit disappointed he doesn't end up taking anything, but you try not to take it personally; he probably doesn't want to seem rude taking something from someone he hardly knows.

"My mom didn't want me getting addicted to it, so I wasn't allowed any when I lived at home. I think I just grew to be too cautious of it."

He scoffs, and, for a second, you think he's going to insult you.

"Can your mom go back in time and raise Hange too? They're always hopped up on caffeine, I don't know how their brain still functions."

You giggle at that, covering your face with your hand. He isn't wrong—Hange probably drinks more coffee than water.

"Even with all the coffee, somehow I still think that's just how they are."

Suddenly, Erwin comes back into the room a bit out of breath, the container of dandelion root tea in his hand.

"Sorry I took so long, I ran into someone on the way," he apologizes, putting it on your desk.

You look between him, Levi, and the canister. You realize that if Levi liked the tea enough to take a picture of it, surely he wanted to buy it for himself, right? You don't know what spirit, entity, whatever compels you to do this, but you pick up the container and hold it out towards Levi. He stares back at you, probably confused as all hell. You're also confused, honestly—an hour ago, you probably would've leapt at any chance to go across town just to avoid making eye contact with him, but right now, you feel a bit calmer than usual when you're near him. Though, like usual, your face and ears feel a bit hot.

"Are you giving it to me?" He asks.

You nod. "Yeah."

"You literally just said it was one of your favorites."

"That means I have other favorites!" You smile at him. "I'll feel better if someone else gets to enjoy it, anyway. Nobody else here appreciates tea."

Hesitantly, Levi takes it from you. Erwin looks a bit surprised at your exchange, but otherwise, he looks just as he normally does. He checks his watch before looking back at you.

"Levi's got an appointment soon, so we better get going now. Again, Astraea, sorry for taking so long!"

You nod in understanding, waving at them from where you're sitting. Erwin's the first to leave the room, as Levi lingers a bit, looking back and forth between you and the door.

"How much is it? I can pay you back," he says, deciding to keep his eyes on you. How ironic—you were the same way last night with him, except now you're not ready to faint just thinking about his face.

"Don't worry about it. I'm a lawyer, you think I can't pay for some tea?" He sarcastically laughs at you, his face staying completely deadpan throughout. You smile again and motion towards your office door. "Enjoy it for me, yeah?"

He nods. "Thank you, I will."

Without saying any "goodbyes," he's soon out the door, and you're finally able get back to your paperwork.

You don't question why Mikasa takes nearly 30 minutes to come back from the bathroom, but you suspect that she was talking to Eren and Armin for some part of that time. She doesn't question the smile that's stuck on your face either, but she knows it has something to do with the short professor that's holding a yellow canister in his hand as he walks with Erwin to the elevator.

✰

Next Chapter

[scarlettlillies]

Sorry I'm kinda late to this but 💞 and 🌿 for the writer asks? Also 💌 but only if you're comfortable with that of course ;v;

No worries! You're actually the first person to send me an ask about this! :D

From this ask meme

💞what's the most important part of a story for you? the plot, the characters, the worldbuilding, the technical stuff (grammar etc), the figurative language

That's a tough one! All of them are pretty important to me but I think I'd have to pick the plot. I often go into my stories with just a vague idea of what I want to happen so it's very common for me to write my sections out of order. I then try to find a way to tie the pieces together, either through worldbuilding, extra prose, or new plot points. Sometimes it works, other times not so much!

🌿how does creating make you feel?

I feel many different things. There's a lot of positive feelings like joy and excitement. I daydream so much about the things I want to make! But my anxiety takes over very quickly and the desire for perfectionism keeps me from finishing anything. I nitpick at every sentence and I've tossed out stories at the moment when something goes wrong. There have definitely been times when I didn't feel good enough to create the things I wanted. It's very difficult to get out of that mindset. :c

💌share something with us about an up-and-coming work (WIP) that has you excited!

I recently just started writing again! I'm starting slow so I revived a 10+ year-old story and turned it into a ficlet! I'm hoping I can post it within the next few days. It's just a simple fic about Est and Ned bonding over gardening. Whether their relationship is platonic or romantic is really up to the reader. It still needs some cleaning up so please ignore anything wonky. ;w;

No matter how many times Netherlands stopped by Estonia��s home, it was always a shock to see him covered in dirt.

Their friendship was very new. His impression of Estonia was slick, neat, and modern. When their paths would cross, he was always well-dressed in expensive suits and noticeably owned the latest devices available on the market. Estonia seemed to be stunned when Netherlands shared his observations about him over coffee. It was their first time sharing a table together during a brief morning recess at an EU meeting in Paris. Estonia admitted he had a bad habit of changing his devices regularly and was struggling to break it. Being known as an IT nation was important to him. He had convinced himself that being seen with a device that was more than a few years old would tarnish his reputation. His clothing, however, he insisted was fairly cheap. He was no different than anyone else; he shopped at one of the local malls nearby his home and bought what was within his price point. Netherlands found his words hard to believe but when he wanted to press him for more questions, they were called back to continue with the day’s agenda.

That was some time ago. Five? Maybe ten years ago? He doesn’t quite remember. Time was always a strange concept for their kind anyhow.

Over their short time together though, Netherlands has learned more things about him. He had an interesting palette for alcohol, was a natural when it came to music and technology, liked the outdoors, but most importantly he was business-orientated. He knew how to sell you on anything—whether it was a wacky dish at his favourite restaurant that you just had to try out or you needed help selling your hand-made crafts at the local marketplace—making a quick buck seemed to come naturally for him. Netherlands liked that in a man.

But when he found out that Estonia liked to garden, he was skeptical. They had been sharing drinks in a Brussels jazz bar after a long meeting and thought Estonia was just trying to make conversation. He didn’t look the type (then again neither did he), especially to those outside of his main friend group. Even when Estonia shared his knowledge on botany, he chalked it up to just being the intelligent guy that Estonia was known for.

“You should come to my place in the spring! I think you’ll like the setup that I’ve got.”

He took him up on that offer. To his surprise, Estonia was correct. He definitely liked what he saw.

[doctorbrown]

❝No, you're right, Marty. If what you say about my position here is true, I'm just as much at fault for the current state of things as she is, whether or not I conceived the idea myself or put it to paper. If I put my signature on it, or even if I didn't, I still allowed these policies to be put into effect unchallenged. I'm equally as responsible, perhaps even arguably more so given that you've told me this is my social experiment.❞ Emmett scoffs, scrunching his face up with unmistakable disgust at the information concerning his life's trajectory in this timeline.

❝Though what could have possessed me to pursue a career in civil and social engineering and forsake my scientific calling to such a degree, I can hardly imagine...❞ Whatever key event happened in this reality that is absent from his own must be responsible for pushing him down a path he never would've considered even in his wildest dreams.

❝Clearly whatever I've...he's...been thinking leaves a lot to be desired! Outlawing dogs!❞ God, what does this mean for Einstein...? ❝That certainly explains the few concerning things I've already seen—❞

His expression twists into a very pronounced frown as he spares a few choice mental words for Marty's parents. This behaviour reminds him of the George and Lorraine that exist as disparate echoes in his mind—spectres of miserable souls overlaid over the cheerful and far more attentive people he is familiar with when he looks too long, as if realities were overlapping behind his eyes—and he feels the beginnings of anger heating up beneath his skin.

Immediately, he seeks to rectify this damage despite knowing that a few words won't instantly undo what is likely years' worth of destruction. ❝No good? Well, I don't believe that. I bet you're much better than you're giving yourself credit for.❞ Music and Marty seemed to find their way together in any reality; the kid had a natural-born talent and a discerning ear for the stuff that only continued to amaze him.

❝If he—I—saved it for you, it's never too late to start playing again.❞ He had to give his counterpart that, at least. He has some kind of heart left in him, even if his brain has yet to be spoken for.

Emmett gapes, his jaw nearly scraping the floor. The title leaves a rotten taste in his mouth; being the town lunatic and crackpot already came with more publicity than he cared for, but the nasty whispers and disapproving looks were something easily ignored. Annoying at times, especially when rumours began to flare up amongst the youths once again, but harmless. ❝D-Divine Head of...❞

Great Scott... Tell me I didn't push for that title.

❝If I'm being perfectly honest, I'm not particularly fond of Your Honour, either, but I appreciate you not calling me...that.❞ He might have fainted on the spot to be addressed so pompously and by Marty, no less.

There's that small voice in the back of his mind that warns him to be careful with the information he's about to share. This is Marty, yes, but even though he's been forthcoming and helpful so far doesn't mean there isn't the possibility, as much as he detests the thought, for things to go horribly wrong. If it were him being confronted with the possibilities of time-travel and other-dimensional versions of himself without any prior proof of one or the other being possible, he would be wary all the same.

But other than mild confusion, he has given him very few reasons to worry that he'll have to contend with whatever law enforcement exists in this Orwellian nightmare, so with a deep inhale, he begins, hoping for the best.

❝You've been very helpful so far, Marty, now I need you to hear me out. Everything I'm about to say is going to sound impossible, but it's the truth and I have proof to go along with it.

❝Where I'm from, you call me Doc and we've been very close friends for many years. I didn't just want to be a scientist, I am a scientist—I have a doctorate as well as several other degrees, primarily in physics, though my education extends to other sciences as well. I am an engineer of sorts—mechanical, primarily—although not by formal education; it was a skillset I needed to learn to aid me in my inventing—these days, I'm an inventor. That's always been a passion of mine and it looks like however diametrically opposed I am from my counterpart here, we still share that interest, considering that he—I—went through the trouble to set himself up a secret lab.❞

Emmett reaches into his back pocket and fishes out his wallet, carefully retrieving the small family photo from one of the slots it has all to itself. ❝Now, I don't expect you to call me Doc given that it seems our relationship here seems to me like it's more professional, but at least while it's just the two of us, you can call me Doctor Brown. It might also help you differentiate me from the Emmett Brown you're familiar with here.❞

He crosses the length of the room, holding the photograph out to Marty to take. Pictured are two young boys, one blond and one dark haired, eight and ten years old respectively, grinning at the camera, the younger of which looks like he knows something that nobody else pictured has any idea about. Standing between the two boys is another young man that is unmistakably Marty with his arms thrown around the shoulders of the two younger kids. Behind them is Emmett standing next to a tall, beautiful woman with long, dark hair whose radiant smile nearly overshadows everybody else in frame.

❝That's Clara, my wife, and my two boys, Jules and Verne. I think you can recognise the person standing between them. What I need to figure out now is how I managed to end up here, replacing my counterpart of this reality, and fix whatever it is that went wrong so I can get back where I belong. I'd like to ask for your help with this, Marty, if you'll give it to me.❞

It's pretty much impossible that Citizen Brown actually is happy to see him, that he's not just being nice, that he's not just relieved to have some company in the courthouse other than himself or Edna, but Martin lets himself cling to the idea anyway, holding onto it with everything he has.

The teen hesitates, glancing once more toward the door and then to one of the small CRTs behind the desk; specifically, the one overlooking the front door of the office.

"Permission to speak freely, sir?" he asks, relieved to see that they are actually still alone. After a moment and the permission granted, he continues. "...You're a civil and a social engineer. You've dedicated your life to the practical pursuit of technology for the betterment of the world and to help create a more efficient and orderly society. Hill Valley was your experimental prototype community and what you conceptualized as the ultimate solution to urban planning. It was supposed to be a feasible, tangible step toward building a utopia."

Most of this, he's somewhat ashamed to admit, he remembers verbatim from his eighth grade research project on Citizen Brown. After all, it was that paper that set him on the trajectory he was on now.

"Public policy, though... if you don't mind me saying so, Your Honor, it's not your forte. The laws and ordinances concerning sobriety, obedience, moral fortitude... outlawing dogs, a-and... rock music..." He looks genuinely pained at the last two things.

"That's not your fau--" He immediately freezes, changing his wording. "I, um... I mean you're not responsible. Those are Citizen Strickland's ideas." He indicates the painting with a nod of his head, the expression on his face one of definite discontentment. "So I guess the answer would be yes and no. As for your next question..."

Martin shifts his weight from one foot to the other, staring at the floor of the courthouse for a moment. Voicing this out loud feels like a betrayal, but it wasn't like he could disobey.

"...About a week ago my parents told me it was time to get over Jennifer and get rid of my guitar, and... and you didn't get mad when I said I didn't want to, that ever since I was a kid I'd wanted to be a rock star even though I'm no good." He treats the idea like it's obvious, a statement of fact.

"You told me you always wanted to be a scientist and that you had a secret lab near the ravine. You told me I could keep my guitar there and that it would be safe. I guess that answers both two and three. And sorry, Your Honor, I don't know anyone named Clara."

"And... I call you that because First Citizen Brown, Divine Head of Hill Valley is kind of a mouthful and I don't know what else to call you. Everybody else just calls you Citizen Brown."

[skaikruswan]

I walk beside you

Summary: “I have not heard these words in ages,” a deep, male voice says, and before you can answer, you wake up. 

Your dreams start changing once you realize that you’re not alone as you think. Who is this man and why does he know you? How do you know him?

Pairing: Dream / Morpheus x reader 

AO3:  I will be grateful for every kudo :D

Chapter 1: 

You fall on your bed, your cheek connecting with your pillow as you let out a long sigh. Today has been one of these days where you can’t wait to sleep, exhaustion holding you in an iron grip.

You thank your lucky stars that you never had any trouble falling asleep, knowing that it is a luxury not everyone knows. Your best friend complains regularly that it takes two magnolia teas and a long dance of twisting and turning in her bed before she finds some rest.

You roll your shoulders, find a comfortable position, and close your eyes, wondering what kind of dream is awaiting you tonight.

Your dreams are unpredictable. Sometimes in the morning, you can’t remember one single detail, only feeling some lingering glee, sorrow, or mirth. Sometimes you feel more like a bystander watching a movie of your own creation, where your desires and insecurities blend together, leaving you satisfied but yet wanting more. Usually you dream the “normal stuff”, like meeting your favorite celebrity, winning a large sum of money, or choosing a better dialogue option in a conversation that just won’t let you go. Your favorite dreams, however, are the ones that feel so real that they leave you yearning for more once you wake up.

You’re confused and excited as you find yourself on a long beach, your toes sinking into the warm, white sand as a soft breeze tugs at your hair. The blue ocean crashes into waves at the shore, almost reaching you. This is nice, you decide, preparing yourself for what you call a vacation dream.

However, the palace sitting atop of a cliff catches your attention, a beautiful building seemingly carved from marble. Your curiosity urges you to investigate, and you soon abandon the beach to walk a path towards a forest, the many tall trees creating a canopy, the wood inviting you to stroll around. Flowers of every color highlight the green grass and for a moment, you consider making a bouquet.  

You continue walking through the shade as the sun illuminates the path. The chirping of birds keeps this place from being too silent, and before you even think about it, a bench appears, just when you feel the need for a break. Closing your eyes, you enjoy your rest, immerging into this peaceful place.

Why would one feel tired while dreaming? Questions like that keep your mind busy and intrigued as you move along.

You tilt your head when the path suddenly splits into several, and you rest your hands on your hip. Which one to choose? Should you continue or just head back to the beach? You can imagine that this dream wants you to make a decision, to force you into action instead of worrying.

“The path before me doesn’t frighten me, I want to forever walk beside you,” you declare wholeheartedly. An intense ache takes ahold of your heart, and you press your hand to your chest. Where did that sentence come from? And why does it feel so familiar?

Before you can continue, lighting illuminates the gray sky, with thunder drowning out every noise. Fear prickles at the back of your neck as you see the leaves fall from the branches and disappear before your eyes.

You let out a scream when the air picks up, roaring into a storm and the first tree is slowly torn out of the soil, as if it’s picked by an invisible hand.

You’ve had your fair share of nightmares, but usually they don’t sneak on you like that, luring you with the peaceful image and then twisting into something horrible. Is all this just because you didn’t take a decision?

You stagger backwards as more trees are uprooted, following the same path you’ve come, ignoring the horrifying view of the forest turning into a desert, the lush grass withering instantly.

You must go back to the beach. Maybe it’s not affected by whatever calamity is happening right now, you reason as you continue running, the wind whipping you.

A dark figure stands at the beginning of the beach, and you slow down. Nightmare or dream? Will this person help you or torment you? This wonderful dream quickly turned into a nightmare, and you’re upset about your own imagination.

“I have not heard these words in ages,” a deep, male voice says, and before you can answer, you wake up.

If yesterday was bad, then today is worse. After waking up from the nightmare-dream, you hoped that at least you would be well-rested. You weren’t.

You had to take a detour because your usual way through the forest was impossible after last night, and every time you felt as if you could doze off, you heard the caw of a raven.

Not even your favorite movie could cheer you up after you came home and for the first time in forever, you dreaded going to bed. But then again, you’re not going to let one terrifying experience ruin sleep for you.

The determination follows you from the waking into the sleeping world, where you hear the comforting sound of waves. You recognize the beach immediately and kneel to play with the sand, letting it glide through your fingers.

You could stay at the beach, dream yourself a drink and ignore the forest. Or you could face your fears and try for a second time.

You march to the forest, telling yourself that this time, you won’t run away, or at least not until you’ve discovered more.

You find yourself back at the crossroads of paths and you take a deep breath.

“The path before me doesn’t frighten me, I want to forever walk beside you.” You don’t even know why you say these words, but something deep within you urges you to do so. Such a simple sentence, yet it is full of determination and longing.

The storm starts and you push through, darting past the uprooted trees, avoiding branches and flowers which are hurled to the heaven. You didn’t even care about the path, just randomly choosing one as you continue your way.

Shielding your face with your arm, you fight against the brutal gusts, going against nature itself as sweat drips down your face, every step more strenuous than the last.

Looking down, you realize that the path has disappeared, that you’re walking on withered grass. Great. Where should you go? Is there even a right path? The palace seems so far away, a glimpse of white in this barren world.

“I am not giving up!” you scream, at yourself, at your imagination, at the dream.

“You have always been a brave fool,” a familiar deep voice drawls from behind, and before you can turn around and get a glimpse, you find yourself back in your room, blinking at the sun peaking from your roller blinds.

At least today you weren’t exhausted but almost giddy, a restless energy running through you as you counted down the minutes before night fell. You were almost tempted to have an afternoon nap and maybe have two tries, but something told you that this would be cheating and wouldn’t cut it.

Trying to get rid of the energy, you go for a short run. As you breathe in the fresh air, warmed by the rays of the afternoon sun, you jog down, still avoiding the forest. Birdsong creates a far better background noise than your music, and you look around to see a raven taking flight. Odd.

You return home sweaty but satisfied and take a shower to relax and collect your thoughts. You’ve never had a dream continue like that, and it starts to feel like episodes of a show, with each cliffhanger worse than the one before.

You try not to ponder too much on what your subconsciousness is trying to tell you with this dream. All you know is that you’re resolutely want to reach the palace and learn more about the mysterious man.

You let out a sigh as you down your hot beverage and bring the mug to the sink. It isn’t the first time that people starred in your dreams, but usually they reveal themselves sooner rather than later. You get the appeal of the secrecy, a mystery you want to unravel, but somehow you feel as if this figure is more than just a figment of your imagination. But then again, what is he?

It's a question you want to find an answer to as you close your eyes.

You reach the path, but this time you wait in silence, swallowing the words on the tip of your tongue. Could it be that they are connected to the man? You bite your lip as you remember his cryptic answers.

“I have not heard these words in ages.” “You have always been a brave fool.”

They somehow imply a deeper connection. What kind of revelation is your mind working on? Your dreams have always been entertaining, but this seems different. Who’s in control of this dream?

“The path before me doesn’t frighten me, I want to forever walk beside you.” This time, you say these words almost as a challenge and watch as the chaos tears apart the forest.

You don’t flinch as the ground starts swirling around in the air, you hold still as the flowers brush against your skin, you merely wait and observe the shriveling grass.

The beautiful forest is gone and the paths with it, but it doesn’t concern you. You simply close your eyes and put one foot in front of the other. Maybe you can’t actively choose the right path but should rather let it choose you. Or maybe you’re just blindly walking inside a storm.

You don’t know how long you continue walking, your eyelids pressed shut, but you open them once you feel a familiar breeze.

You let out a long groan. You’ve returned to the beach. So much for that theory, you grumble as you kick the sand. You really hoped that you would at least approach the palace. Instead, you did the opposite.

While your curiosity and competitive spirit root for you and want you to go on, your reason states that maybe you can’t reach the palace because it somehow represents the unreachable. Maybe even in dreams, there are limits. Maybe the palace is meant to be admired from afar. The thought leaves a bitter taste in your mouth.

“Giving up so easily?” You hear the voice a third time, his tone hiding the slightest mockery.

You turn around, ready to either give this figment of your imagination a piece of your mind or wake up, since he won’t be there either way.

You do neither.

You stare at the man, dressed in black. His messy dark hair, silky like a raven’s wing, is in sharp contrast to his pale skin, making him look like an ancient statue come alive. His blue eyes seem ageless, the sky and the sea peering at you. You doubt that you could come up with someone so extraordinary. You’re quite sure that you have never seen this man in your life, so he can’t be a real person. Who is he? What is he? Deep within you a part of you wonders if he’s human.

“We will meet again.”

You wake up, gasping for air, wishing the dream had continued.

Today you feel like a ghost, an intruder who does everything on autopilot, from getting ready in the morning to returning home. Half of you is still inside your dream, processing what just happened. The other half barely pays attention to your surroundings, your head in the clouds.

You enter your favorite coffee shop, eager to buy you a drink and a treat. You leave with your food and your drink, grateful for the short evening walk home, when a raven hops from a branch to the ground, looking straight at you. You remember reading an article that raven are smart animals, but this seems eerie. This can’t be same raven from the last days, right?

You give it a wide berth, for your own sake and so you don’t startle it. It caws at you, almost as if it wants to say something to you.

Against your better judgement, you kneel and look closely at the bird, hoping that no other customers see you.

“Hey little birdie, are you hungry?” you coo, deliberating on giving it a piece of your snack. Ravens can’t be picky eaters, right?

It caws again, louder this time, looking past you, and you turn around, following its gaze.

With a startled yelp, you rise to your feet as you look at the impossible, hearing the raven give one last caw before it flies away.

“How can you be here?” you ask in a whisper, fully expecting him to disappear. Are you daydreaming? He looks even better in reality, the streetlight highlighting the sharp angles of his face, his dark clothes and dark hair blending in with the darkness of the evening. It’s as if night had taken human form.

You reach out to him, a childish wish to touch him and see if he’s real, before stopping. Nobody’s around, so nobody can either see you talk to thin air or confirm that they are seeing him too.

“We must talk.” His voice sounds as wonderful as it does in your dreams, and with one swift move, his hand circles around your wrist. You feel his long fingers pressing against your pulse point.

He’s real.

[zzzzzzzzzzoom]

Encanto AU: What if Mirabel had greater control on the magic?

in the movie, we see the house rumbling and cracking when the family is distressed, but it's particularly in tune with mirabel's emotions and desires, because, yknow, we all agree that she is the miracle, i.e. the candle.

so i wanted to take this one step forward and make an AU where mirabel learns to control the magic by herself. :D

It's Mirabel's gift ceremony. She wipes her hands on her dress nervously, and reaches for the doorknob. But the door fades before her eyes, and she looks to her Abuela in tears.

Julieta hugs her and she begins to cry, but to everyone's surprise (and fear), the house begins to shake.

Casita's shaking and the worried murmurs of the villagers make Mirabel cry harder, and she hides further in her mother's arms. The wall where her door should've appeared begins cracking. Everyone panics; in its 40 years of existing, Casita has never, never cracked before.

For some reason, Dolores and Camilo run upstairs to Mirabel. Pepa calls them back, an anxious storm brewing, but they ignore her, and Camilo begins shapeshifting.

He tries to copy Mirabel, but he fails (because he's had this gift for only a couple of months give me a break, Dolores). He tries copying Dolores instead, because he has much better practice with that, and even though he also messes up a bit, it's enough to distract Mirabel and make her stop crying.

Camilo's never failed to make his prima laugh before, and he won't start now.

Curiously, the cracks stop forming. Isabela and Luisa take the hint, even though they don't fully understand what's going on. Luisa carries Mirabel on her shoulders, and Isabela blows blue orchids in her sister's face, making her giggle. The house stops shaking and the cracks disappear one by one. By the time Mirabel is back in her Mama's arms, content, there is not a crack in sight.

Everyone is still confused of course, but they do know that Mirabel's mood must affect the house. Is it a side effect of not getting a door? The other Madrigals have been upset before (especially Pepa), but none caused such a ruckus as this. Is this Mirabel's gift?

Alma quickly catches everyone's attention, announcing that the celebration must go on. The party does continue, even if it's a little awkward at first.

Mirabel is dancing in the middle of it all, but wonders where her Tio Bruno is. Frustrated, she mutters that she should just come to her now, and to everyone's astonishment, the tiles shift and suddenly Bruno is on the dance floor, looking more shocked than they are. Mirabel's the only one who's pleased.

She asks him to pick her up and he can't refuse his sobrina, and even though the villagers keep their distance from the harbinger of bad news, the afterparty ends on a good note, the town wondering what Mirabel can do.

After Agustin and Felix respectively put Mirabel and Camilo to sleep (Agustin has mixed feelings about returning her to the nursery), Alma calls the rest of the Madrigals to discuss this... unique ceremony.

("How did you know we needed to cheer Mirabel up to stop the cracks?" Isabela asks, immediately looking to her super-hearing cousin. Dolores shrugs. "I heard the cracks form right when she begin crying louder. I guessed they might be related.")

Alma lays out what they know: the house begins to fall apart when Mirabel is distressed, and Casita follows her wishes more effectively than even Alma, who helped bring this miracle alive.

("Oh, but Mirabel's five, and tantrums are unavoidable. I hope the house can withstand it." "Well, we withstood Pepa." "Excuse me?!")

They all agree to wait and observe, and to try not to upset Mirabel further. Of course, this is difficult since the little girl is an emotional toddler, but they do their best.

(Abuela asks Bruno for a vision, asking him to see how Mirabel and Casita's future would turn out. When he sees a teenage Mirabel standing in front of a flickering, breaking house, he knows they're going to treat her like broken glass, fragile yet dangerous, like they did to him. And he doesn't want that for her. He shatters the vision, leaves his room, and lets Casita hide him in the walls. He hopes no one finds the vision and jumps to the wrong conclusions, nor blames her for his disappearance.

The adults know it's no coincidence that Bruno leaves soon after Mirabel's ceremony, and they try searching for him, but they can't dwell on that for long. They have young magical children and an entire town to take care of.

(Unfortunately, Abuela's not as forgiving.))

In the days following the ceremony, the house is always shaking because Mirabel still feels melancholy about not having her own special door. They quickly learn that unlike Pepa's storms, which won't leave her room if she locks herself in, they can't just let her ride out her tantrums in her room because, well, Mirabel doesn't have one. They tried leaving her in Julieta and Camilo's rooms too, but it wasn't effective.

As such, as she grows up, she spends a lot of time with Tia Pepa and Tio Felix, because they know all about having destructive powers related to emotions. They teach her how to handle her outbursts, and she even makes her own calming mantra, like her Tia's "clear skies, clear skies..."

("No cracks, no breaks, no mistakes..." she mutters, frustrated after messing up a stitch on her shirt. The crack on her bedroom wall subsides.)

Because their parents knew how close they are, she and Camilo would always be found together. Camilo was a natural entertainer, so Mirabel rarely cracked anything in his presence. They grew much closer over the years, always making each other smile.

She also learns to communicate better with Casita. It feels so natural to have the house's magic at her call, like when she reaches up only for Casita to nudge the spool of thread off the top of the cabinet and into her hand. She guesses this is how her family feels when they're in their magical rooms (she still holds a bit of contempt for never having gotten her own).

She even uses her "gift" for fun, sometimes. In a prank war with Camilo when they were 10, she used to trip him up by manipulating the floorboards. Or sometimes, when Isabela is particularly annoying, she makes everything slightly higher or farther than it should be, since she knows how much of a perfectionist Isa is.

Speaking of which, Isabela isn't as antagonistic to Mirabel as in canon, but the pressure to be perfect still built on her. She couldn't have an imperfect sister, who makes the floors crack when she gets annoyed, and who can't even do anything outside of their house.

Abuela is of the same mindset, usually just keeping her in the house since at least then, her power can actually help.

Until one day, when Mirabel is 13, some kids tease her for not having a door and having a useless gift. She huffs in annoyance, a retaliation on her tongue, when the road under her feet cracks. As the kids stumble away, they trip in the cracks and fall over each other, one of them spraining his ankle. Of course, it's nothing her Mama's food can't fix, but...

"Huh," Mirabel says, running a finger along the cracks. It disappears under her fingertips, and she grins. Maybe her gift won't be so useless after all.

[babyboibucky]

The Match - Part 2

Pairing: CEO!Bucky Barnes x Reader

Summary: The aftermath of matching with your boss on Tinder.

Word Count: 3,344

Warnings: FILTHY SMUT, boss x employee affair, oral (f receiving), fingering, unprotected office sex 🤷🏻‍♀️

A/N: Hmmm yes, part 2 of The Match is finally out and I hope this did not disappoint 😂

The Match Masterlist || MAIN MASTERLIST

“Am I really doing this?”

You asked yourself in the mirror before making a face, “Of course I am.” You huffed out and adjusted your breasts inside your bra.

After your brief yet tension-filled encounter with James, you sprinted to the bathroom as soon as you reached your floor. And mind you, you did that while wearing a tight pencil skirt and a pair of heels. It really surprised you how your thirst made you do that with ease.

If there was an olympics dedicated for thirsty bitches trying to get some, you’d probably bring home the gold with how fast you moved.

You checked your watch for the time, you still had ten minutes left so you made sure to fix yourself up. Of course, the logical part of your brain was screaming for you to get a grip because really? You were going to let your boss fuck you? In his office? During work hours? You were at a damn risk here; you could get caught or even worse, lose your job. But was that going to stop you?

Hell fucking no.

Checking yourself out in the mirror one last time, you let out a deep breath and walked out. Maybe you were just being hyper aware given that you were headed to your boss’ office to get fucked, but you felt uncomfortable as you passed by your colleagues. You offered them polite smiles and tried to act normal. Thank god the elevator was just a few steps away.

“Oh thank goodness, there you are.” Your manager immediately blocked your way and handed you a couple of folders.

“I need you to make a report out of these. I have a presentation before lunch.” She explained.

You frowned, “I’m sorry but aren’t you supposed to do these, not me? Besides, Ja— Mister Barnes called requested me to see him in his office.”

Your manager used to be on the same level as you were but was promoted a couple of months ago. Why? You absolutely have no idea. She wasn’t the best at her job, in fact, you felt like the promotion should’ve been yours. Since she became your manager, she had been passing some of her tasks to you and snatching away the credit like a fucking bitch.

Your managed narrowed her eyes at you, “The James Barnes requested for you? Why?” She asked suspiciously, hands on her hips.

Of course she would be suspicious, you never worked with James before. But the fact that you were going there for a completely different reason made you sweat.

You breathed out through your nose, shaking your head and avoiding your manager’s gaze. “I...who knows? I mean, I have no idea why. He just told me to see him in his office and that’s about it. I really don’t know the reason, why would he even ask for me? Probably not a big deal, it’s very normal to ask a subordinate into your office, right? Do you know why he asked for me?” You were a blabbering mess at this point.

Your manager scoffed, “If I did, I wouldn’t ask you.” She responded before waving a hand. “Anyway, I’ll take care of him. Go and work on the reports now. Before lunch, remember.” She commanded, pointing a finger at you before walking away.

“Wait! But I...” you trailed, looking at the folders in your hand before checking your watch. Five minutes left. “...I was gonna get fucked...” you whispered in disappointment before stomping your way back to your cubicle.

The tantrums you made when you reached your desk didn’t go unnoticed. Who wouldn’t be grumpy anyway? Your manager just cockblocked you on your way to get some D, and it’s not even some regular D. James would probably be balls-deep in you now but instead, you were getting fucked by a report that wasn’t even supposed to be your responsibility.

You were typing away on your computer when you noticed the office chatter start to die down, the loud conversations transforming into hushed whispers. The HR probably paid your floor a visit, you thought and continued to work on the report.

“Any reason why you’re here and not in my office?”

Shit.

Your whole body froze at the sound of James’ voice. No wonder the entire floor grew silent, he was always in his office or out for a meeting. He wasn’t one to visit his subordinates but here he was, standing by your cubicle and looking down at you with dark eyes.

You stood up and noticed that your colleagues were watching, whispering to each other and most definitely wondering why James paid you a little visit.

“I’m sorry, I uhh there was a—“

“Mister Barnes!” Your manager greeted, a little too chirpy, when she saw James. “I was just about to head to your office to tell you that she’s working on an important report. She’ll come to your office when she’s done. I’ll make sure of it.” She said, offering James a huge smile that made you want to gag.

James kept his eyes on you, completely ignoring your manager. You licked your lips and tried your best not to break eye contact.

“And when was it okay to bypass your boss’ orders?” James asked your manager, his eyes still trained on yours.

You bit back a smirk when your manager ended up sputtering out an apology while you and James continued eye fucking each other. While being surrounded by your colleagues. This should worry you actually, the attention you were getting from everyone else seeing that the James Barnes went out of his way to see you. You couldn’t care less at the moment though, not when James was undressing you with his gaze.

“She’s not doing any report this morning. I need her in my office.” James said and tipping his head, asking you to follow him.

You were out of your cubicle in a second and quietly trailed behind James on his way to the elevator, ignoring the curious looks from every colleague you passed by. As soon as the both of you stepped inside the elevator, the torture began yet again.

Standing beside James, a little bit closer now than before, you could feel your skin prickle with goosebumps. The thought of him being all over you in a few minutes was driving you insane. Shit, you were really down to fuck him.

“You know, I don’t like waiting.” He said, turning to you.

“I’m sorry, James. I really—“

“Ah ah ah.” James tutted, backing you up against the corner of the lift— a blind spot, to keep the both you away from the CCTV inside. “That’s not how you called me earlier. Why stop now?” He asked, resting an elbow against the wall caging you with his body.

You let out a tiny whimper, your eyes landing on James’ lips as he bit them. “I’m sorry, sir.” You whispered.

He hummed, leaning forward until his nose touched your cheekbone. “Good girl.” He whispered roughly into your ear.

Your hands found their way onto James’ necktie, tugging him down when you were unable to hold back your desire. But then the elevator dinged and the both of you scrambled away from each other when the doors slid open, revealing a few employees coming from a different floor.

A chorus of greetings for James echoed as they slowly filed into the elevator, pushing you and your boss into the very back. You let out a soft gasp when you felt James’ hands on your waist as he moved behind you, feeling his erection press against your back.

“Can’t wait to have you to myself.” He whispered, sliding a hand down to you ass, giving it a firm squeeze that almost had you keening if not for the company.

-

Just a few hours earlier you were worrying about crossing paths with your boss whom you matched with on Tinder. Now, you were still worried but only about whether you and James would get caught while his face was in between your legs as you sat on his desk.

“Oh my god, right there...fuck...” you breathed out, head thrown back when James’ tongue circled your sensitive clit.

The moment you James’ office door slammed shut, he was immediately all over you. Pinning you to the wall as he hungrily kissed you, hands wandering all over your body, gripping whatever he could.

James was desperate to have a taste of you, his eyes showed it all. But surprisingly, he managed to make you even more desperate for him than he was for you. He pulled away from the bruising kiss, made you stand still as he walked over to his desk, plopping down on his seat.

His eyes scanned you hungrily as he removed his coat, followed by his tie and then unbuttoning the cuffs of his sleeves before rolling it up to his elbows.

“Take your panties off.” James had ordered.

Your breath hitched at the roughness of his voice. Following his orders, you reached beneath your pencil skirt and slipped off your underwear and letting it fall to your ankles before stepping out of them.

“C’mere.” James said and his voice was so tender it made you feel soft.

It’s amazing how James could go from sounding soft to almost feral, now that he was lapping up your cunt like a starved man while his subordinates went on about their work just outside.

“Let me see those tits. Been wanting to see them since I saw that bikini photo you had on your profile.” James growled, reaching up to pull down the cups of your bra, setting your breasts free.

Okay, maybe you sort of overdid your Tinder profile for someone who wasn’t really interested to hook-up. It was only one beach photo though, but now you weren’t regretting uploading it, not even a bit.

You keened when James pinched a nipple at the same time he started tongue-fucking your cunt. The entire scene was straight out of a porno, like one of those Naughty America skits minus the bad acting and terrible monologue between a CEO and his secretary.

“Keep it down, will ya? Gotta stay quiet, else we might get caught.” James warned, pulling back to watch your wetness drip down from your cunt to your asshole.

You blinked your eyes as you panted, watching James as he inserted two fingers into your sopping pussy. “Fuuuuck, James...” you whimpered.

“That’s not my name, baby.” James said, stilling his fingers and chuckling when you began wiggling your hips to get some friction.

“Sir, please...” you pleaded.

“You’ve always been an obedient one, aren’t you?” James cooed, bending down to lick a stripe against your folds while pumping his fingers in and out.

“Even doing a report that isn’t even yours, so fucking obedient.” He grunted.

Your moan was cut short when James’ phone began to ring, your eyes widening in panic when he answered it with nonchalance as if his fingers weren’t knuckle deep in your pussy.

“Hi, about time you called. You have any updates about the deal? He asked casually as he stood up from his seat.

James went on to discuss business with whoever it was on the other line. And this was all the while you sat on his desk with your skirt bunched up to your waist and legs wide open. You were about to close your legs, thinking that this rendezvous needed to be put on hold, but James was quick to grab your thigh to stop you from doing so.

You made a face at him, incredulous that he didn’t seem to have any plans of stopping. In fact, he started unbuckling his belt while keeping his eyes on you.

“Excuse me, can you hold for a sec?” James spoke into the phone before putting his mic on mute.

“Not a damn sound.” He told you and raised an eyebrow, waiting for a response.

Your mouth parted and you weren’t sure anymore whether you were nervous or aroused that your boss was about to fuck you while having a conversation over the phone. James pinched the inside of your thigh when you failed to respond.

“Yes, sir.” You quickly breathed out with a nod.

“Hi, sorry about that. Where were we?” James asked as he unzipped his pants.

Tinder never really piqued your interest that much. It was truly boredom that made you download it. There have been times when you felt like the app had its favorites; hearing your friends gush about this amazing guy they met through the app and all that shit. You almost gave up on the app that Friday night but thank goodness James appeared right before you called it quits.

If your friends were lucky for bagging an amazing guy on Tinder, it was safe to say that you hit the fucking jackpot because not only was James an amazing guy in general, but he had a very, very impressive cock as well.

You felt your pussy throb at the sight of his cock, springing free from the confines of his Calvin Kleins. It was thick and the vein on the underside of his shaft was so prominent you might as well give it a standing ovation.

James ran a tongue over his bottom lip, taking it in between his teeth when he stepped in between your legs to slide his cock along your folds. That gesture alone made your eyes roll to the back of your skull as you threw your head back from the pleasure.

James casually talked on the phone as he lined the tip of his cock to your entrance. Placing a finger on his lips to remind you to stay quiet, he watched your face as he slowly slid inside. You choked on your moan when you felt a slight sting from how his cock was stretching you out. Inch by inch, James pushed himself inside of you until he was fully sheathed.

He stretched you out so fucking good that you suddenly clenched around him, making James cough into the phone to mask the grunt that escaped his lips.

“Fuck.” He breathed out. “That sounds like a tight plan, Sam.” James said through gritted teeth, looking at you pointedly as if warning you to stay put.

James started off with slow, languid thrusts, gauging for your reaction to ensure that you wouldn’t make any noise. Unfortunately for you though, James was hitting all the right spots and it would only be a matter of time that you’d end up whimpering as he fucked you onto his desk.

He sped up his thrusts, pushing into you with more force making you slide up onto his desk every time he slammed back in. Your elbows were aching from how you were leaning your entire weight against them but fuck, you wanted to remain in that position to watch James’ cock disappear into your cunt.

James appeared to be struggling from holding back as well, seeing how his face was turning red and how the veins on his neck were starting to show up. His free hand gripped your thigh tightly, keeping your legs open as he began to speed up his pace.

One particular thrust made you see stars and unconsciously, you let out a moan that immediately turned into a gasp when James wrapped his free hand around your throat.

“That sounds great, Sam. When are you free to meet to further discuss the details?” James asked, his eyes glued onto yours as he pounded into you mercilessly.

His grip around your throat tightened each time you squeaked out the tiniest noise. You were so out of it now; James was fucking you so good that it slipped your mind that you were at work and that James was, well, your boss— the CEO of the company actually.

James could feel your pussy flutter around his cock and quickly put his phone on mute before grunting, “C’mon, baby. Cum for me, make a mess on my cock.”

His command spurred you on and your climax hit you with no warning at all. The coil in your abdomen simply snapped, reducing you into a trembling mess as you came around James’ cock the same time he let go of your throat, only to cover your mouth with his hand as you let out a long, muffled whimper.

“Great, I’ll have my secretary schedule the meeting then. It was great talking to you, Sam.” James literally let his phone slip from his hand as soon as the call ended.

He held your waist with both hands as he chased his own orgasm, fucking you harder until he slipped out and came on your mound.

“Fuck...” he panted as he jerked off his cock, milking it until your folds were covered in his release.

Holy fucking shit, your boss was truly down to fuck. And it was one hell of a fuck too.

-

You had just finished cleaning up yourself when you somewhat regained your consciousness. Now what? This was what you were worried about, the aftermath of fucking the CEO.

“You good?” James asked as he sat down on his chair.

You nodded and tucked a strand of your hair behind your ear, “Yes, sir.”

“Bucky.” James corrected.

“I’m sorry?” Wait, what?

James shrugged, “If we’re going to start working closely, I prefer if you called me by my nickname.” He explained.

You frowned, “I don’t understand?”

What the hell was going on? James sorted through the stack of his papers on his desk (most of which were crumpled when you ended up grabbing them as he fucked you) and handed one over to you.

“You’re promoted as the head of your department.” He announced with a small smile.

Now you were offended. Did he promote you for letting him fuck you? Was this his plan all along? You couldn’t understand a single thing that was going on and James was attentive enough to figure out what you were thinking. You stared at the formal letter discussing your promotion and then back up at James.

“The promotion has nothing to do with us fucking.” He reassured. “Do you think I don’t pay attention to my employees? I know each and everyone in this company, their performance and how they do their jobs. And you...” James said, standing up and walking around his desk until he stood in front of you.

“I’ve been watching you for quite a while now. You have impressive skills. Your reports are exquisite, you know how to manage a team, you’re very smart. Quite the entire package.” He explained with a shrug.

“I’m not sure how my manager will take this given that—“

“That promotion was supposed to be yours but I asked the HR to give it to her instead. You deserve being more than just becoming a manager so now you’re a department head. You’re required to directly report to me moving forward.” James bit his lip as he tipped your chin.

You were at a loss for words. All this time, you thought that your hardwork and efforts haven’t been paying off.

“What do you say?” He asked, tilting his head. “And just so we’re clear, the promotion has been decided before I even stumbled upon your Tinder profile.” He explained.

You let out a chuckle, still unable to believe what had just happened. Your boss fucked you, gave you one of the best orgasms in your entire life and also gave you a promotion. Talk about good fucking luck, all thanks to Tinder.

“Uh I...yes...I’m accepting the promotion.” You said excitedly.

“Good.” James said, taking a step back from you giving you your space back.

“The announcement of the promotion will be e-mailed in a few. Congratulations and I’ll see you tonight.” James said with a smirk.

You narrowed your eyes at him, “Tonight?”

“Yeah, we’ll celebrate your promotion. You’re not just the head of your department, baby. You’re mine now.”

-

Everything Bucky Tag List:

@ddowii @jessou893 @stealapizzamyheart @bagelofthelord @mxnt @dontputyourfckingdrinkonmytable @jeeperky @ohladymacbeth @wildflowergubler @supraveng @twinerd14 @buckysmar  @bakugouswh0r3 @sweetcoldharmony @wintersfilm @charminivy @amelia-song-pond @iamvalentinaconstanza @mcubqrnes @i’m-squished @tcc-gizmachine @sipsteacasually @prettyintopeerpressure @weloveyasmin @est19xxshit @bloodhon3yx @dressed-in-prada @lizette50 @thatfangirl42 @sunflowerbunny2​ @unmagically​ @okiegirl24 @sugarpunch-princess @enlyume @vvipgotbb @slimeyderp @lyoongx @just-deka @nobody-will @jaziona92 @elisebuitron @dpaccione @suvikamahes98blr @buckybarneshairpullingkink @earthtonav @x-judyjude-x @nani-kenobi @just-here-to-escape-from-reality @belladonnabarnes​ @iloveangstposts @weenersoldierr​ @asemistablehundredyearoldman​ @reidbuck​ @lizzarooni​ @girlfriday007​ @5-seconds-of-mendes​ @whoth3hellisbucky​​ @bonkywobble​ @lost-in-the-stars03 @its-yasbxtch @twinerd14 @bluehour-553​

The Match Special Tags:

@marvelslag​ @weird-mumbling​ @propertyofpoeandbucky​ @lostinthoughtsandfeelings​ @mostly-marvel-musings​ @squishybabies​ @megzdoodle​ @little-baby-vixen​ @annathesillyfriend​ @xhollycowx​ @sweetkingdomstarlight-blog​ @5-seconds-of-mendes​ @gogolucky13​ @countonthesun​ 

[nugget-from-neptune]

Attention

I have 22 characters of Kny I will be doing scenarios I will let it be random and the lucky 3 shall get a scenario!! So let's begin with... -Genya! m(. .)m -Kokushibo /╲/\╭[ ᴼᴼ ౪ ᴼᴼ]╮/\╱\ -and... Haganezuka (・'ω'・)

Genya m(. .)m

When it came to attention from Genya it was vERY rare since he would blush a lot and walk away not wanting to be embarrassed around you.  This one particular evening Genya was being more distant than his normal self and you, precious bean, cravED attention. So you thought if you did something stupid Genya would come and pay attention to you. Which led to your current state right now.

(Y/N)'s pov

Do something stupid I thought... it will be worth it, I got stuck in a tree! I just wanted Genya's attention since he kept ignoring me and I thought it would be a nice idea if I got stuck in a tree branch Genya would come and rescue me as a damsel in distress. Instead, I got stuck between these two big branches and my foot was in a weird but a bit painful position. I didn't see Genya and I got worried since it was getting late and I was starving. So I yelled for help hoping Genya will come and save me.

Genya's pov

I was just taking a walk around the garden lost in my thoughts. Until I heard a yell... not just any yell my (Y/N)'s yell! I quickly rushed to where I heard them yell. Only to find them stuck in a tree with their foot in a very painful position. "E-eh Kiwi? A-are you ok? D-do you need help Kiwi?" I asked worried about their safety. "E-eh Genya c-could you help me I'm kinda stuck here..." admitted my dear (Y/N). I just sighed and went to help them.

As Genya was helping his loved one he heard them wince in pain when he was about to put them on the floor. "...I assume your foot is in pain" pointed out Genya. Genya looked at (Y/N) and they nodded shyly. Genya just sighed and blushed a lot when he blurted this out of the blue, "G-get on my back so you won't h-have to put pressure on your f-foot". (Y/N) blushed a little and got on Genya's back smiling from how Genya was giving them attention. They then decided it would be a nice idea to just tease Genya a little by just rubbing their face at the back of his neck giving him a few pecks. "K-kiwi, please st-stop" baffled Genya blushing a lot. The only response he got was a giggle that warmed up his heart. "You're just giving me this attention and it's just so cute!" exclaimed (Y/N) hugging Genya. Which only caused him to get more flustered and more shades of red appeared on his face.

Kokushibo /╲/\╭[ ᴼᴼ ౪ ᴼᴼ]╮/\╱\

(you shall be a demon in this one)

Kokushibo has been ignoring you lately which caused you to feel a little neglected so you decided when he was doing something while sitting down you can try to get his attention. You hoped it worked.

Kokushibo's pov

I was sitting down and decided to read a book I found in my lover's bookshelf. It was an interesting book until I felt someone touch my hair to which I turned around and saw my lover, (Y/N). They looked at me like a deer who had just been caught. "What is it that you desire little dove?" I asked wondering what they were planning to do. "Nothing I just want to play with your hair... I'm not bothering you, am I?" they have answered my question and asked me a question. I just sighed and went back to reading my book not really caring anymore that was until I felt my lover braid my hair gently. It felt nice and lovely and I leaned against their chest feeling comfortable. "Kokushibo you have nice fluffy hair" blurted out my little dove. I was a little taken back but just gave them one of my rare smiles and answered back, "Thanks little dove" and I continued to read the book.

This continued on for a few minutes whenever Kokushibo turned to the next page (Y/N) would compliment Kokushibo in any kind of way. Kokushibo realized that his lover is doing this for something but what? He has noticed that his lover was now massaging his shoulders and occasionally messing around with his hair. Then he realized... his lover wants his attention! After having basically ignored his lover for the past few days for attending many meetings with the upper moons he then sat up looking at his lover. (Y/N)stared back at his lover then yelped in surprise when Kokushibo just hugged them and pulled them to lay down in their bed they shared. Kokushibo then began to be affectionate to his lover while holding them close. All (Y/N) could do was blush and cuddle back with her lover happy that they finally got the attention from their lover they have been yearning for.

Haganezuka (・'ω'・)

Haganezuka has been creating and fixing many swords which you understood since it was his job but you wished he just paid a little attention to you. You were his girlfriend after all.

(Y/N)'s pov

I sighed a little sad seeing Haganezuka ignoring me again doing his swords. It gets really lonely whenever I want to cuddle with him at night when he's all busy doing/fixing his swords. I decided I will go out to the hot springs for the rest of the day to at least have something to warm me up after being neglected attention for so long

It wasn't long after (Y/N) left that Haganezuka realized how quiet his shared home with his girlfriend was. He looked around for them wondering where could they have gone. He kept wandering around until he reached the bedroom and saw a note from their loved one which had an explanation of why they aren't around and where they were. Haganezuka just sat there quietly missing their loved one and had no inspiration to even do anything and so he lay down on the bed and hugged his girlfriends' pillow and soon he fell asleep. After a few hours, you finally came back from the hot springs as a new you (basically a spa day for you). You went in search of your swordsmith and saw him asleep in your shared bed. You sighed and decided to cuddle up to him since you wanted to be held in your boyfriends' arms and so you proceeded to do random little cute things while your boyfriend was asleep. That was going on for a while (a very long one) and then your boyfriend woke up to you kissing his face very softly. He chuckled and just held you close to his chest. "Hey, wifey... come and sleep with me" Haganezuka groggily spoke. "Sure my dear swordsmith" softly whispered (Y/N) and soon they both were cuddling in bed slowly falling into a peaceful sleep.

( ' ▽ ' )ﾉ

[cherryblossom-chopper]

Hello Liv!

I'm kind of new here and after I must to say- your headcannons where Luffy's child d!ed my heart broken so much-

But I still love it and your headcannons about Strawhats are so accurate, I just- I literally don't have enough words to express how great your writings are!

Also...If it's okay, can I ask for Part 2 of angst about Luffy's child death?..

I mean, I just wonder how would react and treat child! reader if they find out that child is revived? One day , one pirate had a ability to bring back people from death and he accidentally revived reader.

I hope it's too much to ask but if it is - please ignore this message and do whatever you desire! Take care of yourself!

Have a nice day!

I've always really liked Part One so I'm glad to continue the concept. This did get away from me a little bit.

CW: Child Death

-Let's start with Sanji.

-Above all else, Sanji is a fixer. He cares deeply for his loved ones and often expresses great concern for their well-being. So after the loss of his close friend's child, he struggles to help. Sure, Sanji makes all of Luffy's favorites, but the captain doesn't have much of an appetite. Thus when Luffy refuses food for the first time ever, Sanji is at a loss. He doesn't berate his captain for wasting the food because he's so unsettled by such a thing.

-Feeling a bit lost and out of his depth, Sanji spends an awful lot of time reading. Most of the crew has picked up on that during this time, actually. They can all sit together without having to talk; it makes the grief a little easier, and the more talkative Straw Hats can talk about whatever they've been reading instead of having to talk about... other things on their mind.

-Sanji picked up a book he donated to the Straw Hat's (Robin's) collection of books in one of these rather depressing book clubs. He's skimming the pages of the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia when comes across Brook's devil fruit. He nearly lets out a dry laugh as his thoughts wander to a darker place.

-Sanji can't help but wish they had given Brook's devil fruit to (Name). He wonders if Brook feels some level of guilt for having it now, but Sanji thinks it's better not to ask. Though in the next couple of pages, Sanji sees something that piques his interest. The user has the power to resurrect the deceased.

-When he abruptly flees the lounge, no one says anything. Sure they watch him with worried eyes, but one of them rushing out of the lounge, to presumably weep, is no longer new to the Straw Hats.

-Sanji doesn't want to get anyone's hopes up, so he doesn't mention the devil fruit, but he does reach out to Zeff for information. Sanji is anxious when Zeff says he had heard about an older woman performing miracles similar to what the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia had written about.

-Sanji carefully explains his grand plan to Nami, who is immediately skeptical. Nami tries to talk him out of it, thinking it's a hair-brained idea that will lead to so much heartbreak.

-Nami decides that she'll guide the crew to the island Sanji wants to go to, but if he can't ensure that this will help Luffy, she doesn't want to hear about it again. So the crew goes to this mysterious out-of-the-way island, and as soon as the dock, Sanji disappears.

-He's gone for ages and does eventually return with a woman in tow. Sanji can feel the coldest glare coming from Nami when he brings the woman on board. He tries to explain as delicately and clearly as possible what this woman can do for Luffy. The crew is quiet during his speech, but as soon as Sanji's done, Zoro explodes.

-"How dare you insult Luffy that way, how dare you insult (Name) 's memory by bringing a necromancer on board."

-Zoro is so hurt and angry. He largely blames himself for (Name) 's death and hears Luffy's wailing in the back of his mind during all of his waking hours. He remembers clearly (Name) crying out for their father.

-Zoro is shoving Sanji and barking insults in his face so loud that he doesn't even notice that he's crying.

-And for the first time, Sanji lets Zoro shout and yell. He doesn't back down, but he does let Zoro do and say whatever he has to. Sanji understands how deeply Zoro felt the loss of what Zoro considered his own child.

-Eventually, Zoro runs out of steam. He's red in the face and out of breath, and he's suddenly so tired.

-Luffy has been silent during Sanji's speech and Zoro's outburst, but his silence has been pretty common lately. He watches with bloodshot eyes and thoughts going a mile a minute. Luffy considers his options with deep, shaky breaths; he's comforted by Robin rubbing small circles on his back.

-After a few minutes of uneasy silence, Luffy agrees to try. He reasons that the best thing that could happen is that his baby comes back to him, and the worst case is that nothing in his life changes.

-What ensues after is nothing short of the Gods working miracles. The crew can't even confidently say what precisely they witness beyond a flash of light and intense fiery heat.

-One moment, Luffy is rubbing his eyes, and the next, he's seeing his kid looking somewhat bewildered. When (Name) looks up at him, and says "Dad?" Luffy burst into tears. He frantically scoops his kid up in his arms, holding them far tighter than he probably should've.

-Zoro is wide-eyed and out of breath. He looks at the older woman, who is sporting a kind smile. "What did you do? How did you do that?" he asks, approaching her, and she shakes her head while smiling even wider.

-Bewildered and teary-eyed, Nami gives the woman a good deal of money as if money had become no object to Nami. The woman takes it, bids them farewell, and practically vanishes.

-Luffy is overwhelmed with grief and joy, and the words are stuck in his throat. He doesn't know what to say or do all he knows is that he can't let (Name) go. He'll never let them go again because that's his baby, and he can't lose them again.

-Sanji is so unbelievably relieved because he wasn't sure it was going to work. He even gets apologies from Zoro and Nami, who are both widely overwhelmed. He nearly cries when he hears (Name) call him "Uncle Sanji" again. (Name) asked for something to eat, which he was more than happy to do for them.

-Zoro is really shaken by this event. More than anything, he wants to hold (Name) tight, he wants to scold them for scaring everyone like that, he wants to wrap them up in a blanket and never let them go. What he ends up doing is sitting and watching (Name) from a safe distance.

-To say (Name) is flooded with affection is an understatement. Anything they could ever ask for is accommodated. (Name) is confused, feeling as if they'd had a long sleep and nothing more. Robin did her best to explain that they'd been gone for a while, and everyone had missed them dearly.

-To say Luffy improves as a father is an understatement. He wasn't a bad parent, but he was a little reckless; after (Name) was returned to him, Luffy relaxed a bit and was more aware of what (Name) needed.

-In the end, the crew watches (Name) like hawks to ensure that they're safe and happy.

🏷: @winter-peach-fuzz

[ayyezhongli]

dom student council pres zhongli x troublemaker childe

Guess who’s back :D Back with some zhonchi smut for all u sinners. Note: Theres a lot of spelling errors bc when i wrote this i was telling it to a friend n they said i should post this n i’m too lazy to edit it so yeah! enjoy <3

summary kinda: child did something n is now stuck in detention with zhongli being a kinky president of the student council watching him.

so childe is bored asf n tries seducing zhongli. but childe has always had a crush on zhongli. thats why he misbehaves to get his attention.

so zhongli says “ur here again” n sighs

“yup did you miss me?! dont answer that bc ik you did”

n zhongli sighs again all annoyed n shit

“seems you never learn”

“maybe i’m jus here bc i love n want to see you everyday”

n zhongli taking that as sarcasm rolls his eyes

“i doubt that.”

and so for like 30mins childe is making all these noises to get zhongli’s attention and annoy him which it works. and zhongli having enough of it already decides that he needs to be punished. so he gets up n walks over to the desk childe is sitting at cups his face with his hand grinning

“u rly like to get on my nerves dont you~…..” and childe’s tryna contain himself

“is it working~?”

“idk pretty boy….wanna find out for urself~…..”

n zhongli is like inches away from childe’s face. n childe still keeping his composure decides to tease back hoping to get what he’s longed for for so long.

“idk do i~?….”

and zhongli leans in n jus as hes abt to kiss childe he pulls away and walks back over to the teachers desk and childe is really disappointed bc he thought he finally had it but jus lost it. so zhongli goes back to working on his paperwork while childe is just furious.

”Is this how u treat everyone?! tease them and leave them with nothing. take advantage of us!!”

n zhongli bursts out laughing putting his papers in a neat stack

”ur quite interesting childe, if i said it was jus u would that make u feel better??”

and childe huffs rolling his eyes still rly pissed off.

“did u want more? were you expecting something more from me? something else?”

n childe blushing looks away

“fuck off”

n zhongli gets mad at the response and pulls out one of those long ass rulers n gets up n starts walking to childe.

“thats no way to speak to the student council president. you need to be punished”

so zhongli sets the ruler aside still pissed asf

“get up.” childe ignores.

”get up right now.” childe still ignores.

so zhongli grabs the ruler smacking it against the desk childe is at.

“GET UP RIGHT NOW!”

n childe jumps a little and gets up

“ok ok chill”

so childe walks over to zhongli n stands in front of him.

“im gonna punish n force you into submission until u completely submit to me”

childe laughs

“no way. you really think u can do that? just try”

“oh i will. just watch me”

(a/n: in this fic childe has bright pink sensitive nipples bc ughh 😩🤌🏾 well both of them have bright pink nipples but zhonglis r rly sensitive.)

so zhongli turns childe around n starts grinding against him causing childe to moan ever so slightly.

“do u like that~?”

n childe tryna keep his composure laughs to cover up a moan. n zhongli looks down and grins seeing childe’s hard erection through his clothes.

so zhongli reaches down n starts palming childe causing slightly louder moans to come out of his mouth.

“your so hard for me childe….what a naughty slutty little boy~“

childe loses it bc zhongli is finally saying the things he’s been dreaming of him saying. so zhongli amused starts licking the shell of his ear biting and nibbling it which makes childe blush harder. so zhongli reaches his hand down into childe’s pants and boxers and wraps his hand around childe’s dick which he almost cums. so zhongli starts pumping him n not even 30s he throws his head back on zhonglis shoulder n cums letting out a loud moan

“fuck zhongli~…..”

zhongli smirks very amused

“so quick to cum~ do i rly turn u on that much~?”

n childe fights the urge to nod his head and submit. he’s not going down without a fight.

“no i was just pent up. why would i be for someone like you!!”

zhongli snickers and slides his hands up childes shirt n starts taking it off.

“not submitting yet i see~….”

“did u think it would be that easy asshole? ha!”

so zhongli turns childe around.

“you should just give up now! your not go-“

n zhongli interrupts him with a passionate kiss. a long deep one filled with sexual tension n desire. he leaves childe blushing like crazy and gasping for air.

“what was that? i didnt catch the last part, say that again.”

“i said that i’m never gonna sub-“

n zhongli interrupts him again. same thing happens like 2 more times until childe gives up.

“can u repeat that one more time?”

and childe looks away with a annoyed expression on his face

“glad that shut u up~”

so then zhongli looks childe up and down bites his lip causing childe to blush.

“you’re kinda cute…i think i can use u….”

n childe blushes more

“and these nipples….”

zhongli says while pinching them making childe arch his back and moan loudly.

“they look pink and innocent…but when i pinch n twist them like this…”

childe lets out n even louder moan with a face flushed even more n drool running down the side of his mouth

“….you make such naughty noises and that really turns me on.”

and so zhongli continues pinch n play with them and then starts marking his neck.

“what if i made u mine hmm? my little fuck toy? or how abt pet?? you could be of some use to me….”

and all childe can do is whimper. so zhongli has him bend over on the teachers desk and pulls down childe’s pants. and he like squeezes childes plump round ass and caresses it before grabbing the ruler and spanking him with it which causes childe to moan n cum immediately.

“ur such a slutty masochist”

n childe groans n is like stuttering his words

“w-w-well ur so fucking sadis-“

n zhongli spanks him not with the ruler this time but his hand n childe jus looses it.

“ready to submit….?”

n childe tryna keep the ounce of pride he has left shakes his head.

“no!”

zhongli spanks him again.

“how abt now?”

“No!”

n so zhongli gets an idea n sticks his fingers inside childe’s mouth.

“suck”

childe does so n a minute later zhongli pulls them out.

“what are you gonna d- ahh!”

and zhongli’s fingers are wiggling around inside childe tryna get him prepared. childe has just completely lost it. he’s drooling all over the desk, moaning so loudly that if there was people here they would be able to hear, clinging onto the edge of the desk like his life is on the line.

“f-fuck zhongli…ahhh”

he’s a panting slutty mess. a fee mins later zhongli pulls his fingers out n takes off his own pants and boxers lining himself up to childes entrance. he inserts only the tip of his dick causing childe to go even more crazy if thats even possible n moan so fucking loud. but its been long enough. he wants more. more of zhongli inside him. he wants all. all of zhongli inside him. so he whimpers n cries out zhongli’s name.

“whats the problem sweetheart?”

zhongli says grinning from ear to ear.

“pls..”

childe says desperately

“pls what?”

”pls zhongli i-….”

“you…? gotta tell me what u want otherwise i wont know.”

“pls i want more of u….!!”

“beg for more than.”

“Zhongli pls i want ur cock inside me so bad. pls i’ll do anything!! just fuck me already!!”

“anything…?”

zhongli says slipping half way inside him.

“y-y-yes just pls fuck me!!”

n zhongli, a very satisfied man jus starts pounding into him hitting his g spot every time.

“Fuck! fuck! fuck! FUCK! ZHONGLI PLS SLOW DOWN AHH~!!”

n that only makes zhongli speed up and childe cums like multiple times. after a while, giving a few last thrusts zhongli comes for the second time inside childe. and pulls out while childe just drops to the floor completely unable to move or anything. jus a panting blushing hot slutty mess with zhongli’s cum dripping out of him. all pride lost. pulling his pants and boxers back on zhongli lifts him up to his feet and bc childe has no strength he just falls onto zhongli resting his head on his shoulder.

“now that you’ve completely submit to me, ur all mine~….mine to do whatever i pls with. mine and only mine. No one else….”

and childe jus nods groaning bc of the pain.

”i hope u learned ur lesson now. unless…. you wanna comeback again for another visit…”

n childe jus groans again.

“i see the way you look at me childe….a look filled with lust and desire…its really quite a turn on~….. you look so desperately….so needy….so vulnerable…the amount of times i wanted to bend you over and fuck u so hard until you cant walk is too much to count. i wanted to make you mine so no one else could have that innocent slutty little boy who’s just oozing with sexual desire. any man or woman would get turned on n wanna have there way with you. u needed to be protected and only by me.”

so zhongli grinds his teeth bc of how possessive he is.

“so no one but me can fuck u stupid. and now that ur finally mine…i dont have to worry abt it so much as before”

n so zhongli strokes childe’s hair n plants a kiss on his head.

“you’re my precious little play thing.”

and childe, burying his face into zhongli’s chest smiles bc thats all he ever wanted. and then he looks up at zhongli as zhongli looks down at him smiling.

“zhongli…?”

”yes?”

“if all u said was true….why were u such an asshole to me. you were stricter on me than others, ruder to me than others, tougher on me then others….so why?”

“why?”

zhongli chuckles n childe nods

“to keep a good reputation, but i also wanted to push you, everytime u got angry and gave me attitude it only turned me on. which is why i kept going….does that answer ur question?”

n childe grunts

“u sadistic fuck!”

n zhongli laughs

“says the one who got turned on every time i public humiliated or yelled at you….”

“thats not true!!”

“uh-huh…the sexual energy u admit would become stronger and i could hear your breathing getting heavier with breathy tiny moans and u would always part ur lips slightly and rub ur thighs together and on top of that, ur eyes squint ever so slightly.”

childe was speechless bc this whole time he thought he was being slick.

“w-w-well that doesnt matter!”

childe said huffing and zhongli only chuckled and kissed his head.

“hey childe…”

“what!”

“i love you….”

childe was blushing like crazy. never in a million years did he think zhongli would say that.

“you can’t just go randomly saying those things?!!”

childe said burying his face deeper into zhonglis chest.

“b-but i love you too i guess…”

he mumbled and zhongli smirked.

“look at me.”

childe looked up into zhonglis ambers eyes embarrassed asf.

“wh-wh-what is it?”

“you’re really cute yk.”

n zhongli leaned down slightly and kissed him before he could say anything else. the end :)

thanks for reading and hope you enjoyed even though its formatted weird and kinda sorta a story. 🥰

[some-messed-up-writing-for-you]

Continuation of Request #14?

Request #23

Warning: mentions of past rape, beliefs of oneself being unlovable/unwanted.

Honestly, at first, I wasn't sure where to go with this, but I ultimately gave it a wholesome(?) ending that I'm satisfied with. (Of course, If y'all want another continuation, I'm down to write more in the future.)

Enjoy!

Part 1

~~~~

Welp...

It was morning now.

...

A sigh left Villain's lips as they lay freshly awake in their bed, staring at the ceiling. They had to go and deal with Hero, even though they really didn't want to. They were still rather puzzled about what had happened yesterday. Why the hell...? Did Hero actually enjoy...?

Shaking their head to clear their thoughts, the villain lifted themself with a slight groan and dragged themself out of bed. Now, first things first, they were in dire need of a shower. Their nemesis' unexpected late-night visit had drained what little energy they had at the time, so they had just collapsed into bed as they were, all sweaty and gross.

Entering the bathroom and turning on the water, Villain freed themself of their clothing and hopped right in. As they rubbed shampoo into their greasy hair, they pondered how they should deal with this situation. On the one hand, they could probably use this to their advantage. They could make an arrangement of sorts. Hero gets what they want as long as they follow Villain's orders.

Lightly chuckling, they imagined the looks on their nemesis' teammates' faces as they realized the hero had betrayed them. And only to fulfill some fucked up fantasy of theirs, too.

But on the other hand, this was super weird, and the villain probably shouldn't indulge Hero. This could get out of hand very fast. After all, the hero had already snuck back into Villain's base; who knows what they might do next to get what they're after.

With another sigh, they turned off the water, grabbed a towel, and went to get dressed.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Hero sat in the corner of their cell. Their arms had gotten tied behind their back, and the familiar power-suppressing collar was back on their neck. They weren't sure why they had come back. I mean, they knew why they came back, but they also... didn't.

It was such a stupid idea. Of course, Villain would freak out! Why the hell did the hero think they would react any other way?! What was wrong with them? Why did- Why did Hero enjoy being used like that...?

Were they into all that shit, or were they just... really that desperate for contact?

...

Hero couldn't deny that they did, in fact, enjoy being at the villain's mercy, but... physical contact was still their main desire. Even during their fights, they often let themself get pinned down, just so that they could be close to someone, even if only for a short moment. And Villain... Villain just happened to be the one person who willingly got closer to them...

...

Maybe they were just sick in the head... People probably avoided them for a reason... Villain didn't care about them; they were enemies after all. They only got close to the hero because they were fighting. It made sense, didn't it...? It made sense that Hero was unwanted-

The door suddenly creaked open, and light flooded the small room, blinding the hero for a moment. They blinked their eyes a couple of times to adjust, and once they did, their gaze met with the dark form of their nemesis.

With their arms crossed and a stern calculating look on their face, the villain stood before them, looking down at them. Hero fidgeted nervously under their stare and eventually looked away, head hanging low in their shame. The sigh that left Villain only made them curl in on themself more.

"Hero." - the criminal started, mentally preparing for one hell of a ride. "Why did you come back? I mean, you told me why, but- but why?"

Silence was all they received as an answer, and it honestly got on their nerves a bit. Hero fucking breaks back into their base and then doesn't even want to talk? Fine. They would do this a different way then.

Villain's footsteps echoed through the cell as they approached the quiet hero whose face still turned away from them. As they knelt down, they grabbed the other's chin and forced them to turn their head. The villain noticed the way Hero shivered from their touch and had expected them to try and pull away in fright, but instead, they leaned into it, albeit a bit hesitantly.

With how cold it was in the room, the villain could easily feel how hot the captured's face burned. As their eyes met, the hero looked embarrassed and like they seriously didn't want to be here right now. The sight just made Villain's blood boil even more.

"Why so hesitant all of a sudden, Hero? You were so eager earlier." - the villain spat out angrily, their nemesis' indecisiveness irritating them. Just what the hell did they want?

Hero tried to stutter out an answer. They wanted to explain themself, they really did! But all they managed to say was a quiet "I-I'm sorry..." as tears slowly gathered in their eyes.

"You're sorry?" - Villain pressed, demanding a better answer.

Tensing up as their stomach twisted in their stress, they tried to explain again, voice meek as they admitted, "I- I was just... lonely..."

Their captor was quiet for a moment, studying their face. Trying to figure the other out, they eventually asked, "You let me rape you because you were lonely?"

"Um... Well... when you... put it that way... I... um..." - the hero mumbled, their gaze darting all over Villain's face, avoiding their eyes, too afraid to look into them.

The villain was silent again, slowly catching onto what Hero's deal was. The way the other's eyes were moving all around was annoying, so they decided to test something. Using their free hand, Villain softly cradled the hero's face, making them freeze, their gaze locked on the new point of contact. The criminal's touch slowly glided to the back of Hero's head, making them shudder as their hand tangled itself in the captured's hair.

The hero's eyes looked off to the side, trying to ignore the new feeling, but Villain brought them back to attention as they suddenly gripped Hero's messy locks and roughly pulled, getting a yelp out of them. They shivered as the villain forced their faces closer and ordered, "Look me in the eyes, or I'm leaving."

With a small whine, Hero's eyes immediately snapped to Villain's own.

"Bingo." - the criminal thought as they loosened their grip on the other's hair and instead tenderly began to massage their scalp.

As another whimper crawled out of the hero's throat, they pleaded meekly, "S-Stop... Y-You- You d-don't-"

"You're touch starved." - Villain said, matter-of-factly, anger disappearing as their expression turned more neutral as Hero's tears started to flow down their face. "You let me hurt you because it meant I would touch you."

"I- I- I'm-" - the hero tried to deny their nemesis' words but ultimately failed as they broke down into sobs, still looking into the other's eyes, not wanting them to pull away.

The villain paused in their petting and instead cradled Hero's face with both their hands, the hero inhaling shakily at the feeling. As they hiccuped and sniffled, Villain continued their conversation.

"I admit, seeing you under me is fun, but you seriously need some help." - the criminal watched as Hero only cried more, still desperately keeping eye contact. They really needed help. I mean, to just let themself get raped? They could've just told Villain what they wanted, and they would've let them go!

And yeah, sure, the villain wasn't the best for doing that to them in the first place either, but they only did it because it was Hero. Raping some random person is of no interest to Villain, but the hero? They knew what they were signing up for when they picked this job, so the villain didn't mind being ruthless to them.

But still... this was... honestly just sad. Did Hero genuinely have no one who cared about them? Villain supposed they had fans, but that wasn't really the same thing. Someone liking them as a hero is a lot different than someone loving them as a person.

...

Did... Villain like them?

...

They didn't exactly hate them, but were they interested in the other like that?

...

Well, they did tell their henchmen to put Hero in that... revealing outfit...

It was mostly just to humiliate the hero, but...

...

Shit.

...

With a small sigh, they made their decision and continued talking from earlier. "And I'm gonna be the one to get you that help, 'cause God knows you won't get it yourself."

"W-Wha...?" - Hero's confusion made them pause their crying. What- What did Villain...

"W-What do y-you mean?"

"You're staying with me."

Hero's chest fluttered at that. Villain... wasn't going to push them away?

"R-Really...?" - the hero asked uncertainly, doubt still gripping at their heart.

With a smile that melted their worries away, the villain answered, "Yes, really. We'll get some oxytocin going in that brain of yours." They gave Hero's forehead a gentle boop for emphasis, and the hero found it oddly comforting.

"Also, we're getting you a therapist." - Villain added, more seriously this time. "And... you know what? Fuck it. I'm getting myself a therapist too. Got some shit of my own to deal with..."

In a slightly better mood, Hero playfully asked, "B-By 'get' do you mean you'll literally g-go and grab some therapists?"

The villain snorted in reply, and as they pulled the hero to their feet, they said, "For you? I'd kidnap a therapist any day, darling~."

The blush on Hero's face only worsened at the nickname, but they still found themself smiling, a bit giddy. As Villain undid their restraints, they rubbed at their wrists and neck, shyly looking to the other. "S-So, what now?"

"Now, we're going to go and have breakfast." - the villain answered, offering the hero their arm, which they flusteredly took as their stomach grumbled and as Villain grinned at them endearingly.

As the two of them walked, they talked about how exactly to proceed from here. Neither of them was of a very... healthy mindset, and such, this relationship probably wasn't the healthiest one out there. But... that was fine. They would get there someday.

If no one else would help them, then they would help each other.

[vendettaparker]

Tom Holland x actress reader

Where are there in the same movie together and the cast goes out and Tom and reader really likes eachother maybe smut and after it’s really awkward between them fluff with a sprinkle of angst

Not In Love [T.H]

Word Count: 3.1k

Warnings: sexual themes, cursing, slight angst, probably some typos

a/n: hi hi! i’m so sorry but i don’t write smut, so i hope it’s ok that i just implied it! i will probably start writing smut in the future but for right now i find it a bit awkward for myself to write. also, sorry that this took so long to get out, i planned for this to only be like 800-1k words, and obvioulsy, it just kept going. hope this works well for you!

                             ✯¸.•´*¨`*•✿ ✿•*`¨*`•.¸✯

     (Y/N) (L/N) does not fuck around with co-stars. Ever since you started acting at the young age of eight, you were always told by your mom, manager, and others in the industry to avoid casual, co-star related hook ups. As your career progressed, even through puberty, you remained faithful to your vow. No mingling with co-workers in a non professional manner. Sure, some of your previous co-stars and you remained good friends, even after filming. But the main internal lesson always stayed the same: don’t fuck your co-stars. 

     In your long and glorious career, the only hindrance to your resolve was Tom fucking Holland. His stupid British charm and playful wiles always had your knees buckling and the butterflies in your stomach going haywire. And when he called you darling? In that stupid, yet honey-like accent? You were done for. 

     Tom had the absolute pleasure of working with you in The Devil All The Time. He watched all of your movies and practically grew up watching you on Disney Channel. To say he was simply starstruck would’ve been an understatement, he was enamoured. Practically in love. And when he got to know how kind and sweet you were in real life—not just on screen— he just had to turn on his British charm, just to watch you squirm. 

     Every little comment he made caused your skin to tingle. Your stance on co-star relationships had never been so harshly challenged. He would constantly call you whatever cute pet name he could think of at the time, and unluckily for you, they always seemed to just roll right off his tongue. He even went out of his way to grab you a coffee if he went out to get one, or he’d ask his brother to make sure to bring back your signature order: caramel macchiato with almond milk, two pumps of vanilla, and extra caramel drizzle. How he knew that was your go to order was a mystery to you. 

     It’s not like you didn’t retaliate with your own antics though. Sometimes during his scenes you send him a wink and a smile, just to watch him lose focus. Or maybe you’d tease him about the way he says croissant, but then also say it in the over pronounced way he does, just to bug him. On days when the sexual tension between you two was especially palpable, you’d kiss his cheeks after his scenes and say “good job, babe” or something else to rile him up. So no, you weren’t innocent in this matter at all. 

                   ✯¸.•´*¨`*•✿ ✿•*`¨*`•.¸✯

     This build up of tension was bound to boil over at some point. But why the fuck did it have to be during the fucking full cast and director dinner?

     You all arrived at the fancy restaurant, all 40+ of you. You sat next to Eliza and secretly hoped that Sebastian, Harry, or even Robert would take the seat next to you, anyone but Tom. He had been especially touchy that day, and you knew if he continued his ministrations, especially under the cover of a table, your resolve would surely fade away. 

     Unfortunately for you, Tom practically bolted to the seat next to you. You scooted a bit closer to Eliza, who nudged your shoulder playfully. 

     “You should just give in.” She stated, smirking the whole time. “Look at him, poor thing just wants some love and attention.” she giggled, nodding her head to where Tom was whispering with Harry on the other side of him. 

     “Stop it, you’re insufferable.” You rolled your eyes, but still smiled at the joking banter. 

     “(Y/N), hon, he’s one of the hottest celebrities in Hollywood right now, and he wants you.” Eliza pinched your makeup covered cheek, “you’re telling me you don’t wanna just jump in his pants? Do you not find him hot or something?” 

     You smacked her hand away, “No, I do find him attractive, I just d—”

     “Find who attractive, love?” Tom interrupted, smirking at the comment he heard. No, he didn’t know for sure you were talking about him, but one can hope. 

     “Nobody,” you dismissed, “I was just telling Eliza here that I think her dog is cute, right Eliza?” 

     “Sure.” She mumbled, rolling her eyes dramatically, then winking directly at Tom, just out of your view. 

     “Ah, I see.” He chuckled, “Yes, you find her dog attractive then?” 

     “No!” You defended, red faced from being backed into a hole, “I didn’t even use that word; you’re just hearing things.” 

     “Don’t worry, love. I find you absolutely, without a doubt, drop dead gorgeous.” Tom winked, before returning back to his conversation with Harry. 

     Eliza pinched your side, causing you to yelp. “See, I told you!” she whisper-yelled, a knowing smirk dawning her face. 

     “You didn’t tell me shit.” 

     “Ugh, whatever, you’re hopeless.” She sighed, just as the waiter was coming around to take your orders. 

     The majority of the evening went by just as simply and smoothly as possible, it was when dessert arrived that Tom stirred up trouble once again. His damned British charm made him the perfect devil in disguise.  

     “Darling, you have some cake right—” he licked his thumb before drawing it over your bottom lip, slowly, “here.” 

     He smirked at your surprised gaze and wiped the chocolate cake from your rose-painted lip. Never breaking his gaze, he drew his thumb back to his mouth and sucked on the digit, gently humming at the sweet taste of chocolate and strawberry lip gloss that flooded onto his tongue. This bitch. 

     You cleared your throat and ceased your—more than obvious— gawking. He wasn’t going to win this time. You sat quietly, smirking as he watched your every move, simply waiting for retaliation. And it came soon enough, when you knocked your water off the table into his lap, on accident, of course. 

     He jolted up the second the cold water hit his slacks, cursing, yet still keeping that charming smirk on his lips. You immediately started the steady stream of apologies, a faux look of remorse etched on your face. The rest of the cast simply looked on, none the wiser. 

     “Oh Tom! Gosh, I am so sorry.” You stood up as well, taking the napkin from your lap and dabbing his torso where the water splashed up. “I’m just so clumsy, forgive me.” You looked up at him with false serenity in your eyes, but a devilish grin. 

     “No worries, love.” He mused, “I’m just going to go dry off in the washroom. Could use some help though; it’s the least you could do.” The rest of the cast went back to their desserts and conversation, so they failed to notice the hidden glint in Tom’s eyes or the lustful insinuation behind his request. 

     “Sure.” You smiled up at him, determined not to lose this game of cat and mouse. You followed him to the large family restroom in a dimly lit corridor. He opened the door and gestured for you to go in first. What a gentleman, hm?

     He closed the door behind him and locked it before undoing the buttons on his dress shirt and removing it. His toned torso also damp with freezing droplets of ice water. 

     You sucked in a shaky breath, taking in his less than professional, disheveled look. “You gonna come help me, princess?” He reached for paper towels and grabbed a handful, dabbing the wet spot on his lap, right over his crotch. 

     “I—um, sorry,” you snapped out of it. Following his movements, doing the same but to his wet torso. 

     “You’re okay, love.” He looked at you, the close proximity of your bodies creating the most delicious heat in the bathroom. Tom leaned in slightly, just until your noses were brushing against one another. “Though, I’ll admit, the fact that you're not giving me an apology kiss right now, makes this a little less than okay.”

     You didn’t even process your actions completely, the second those words left his mouth yours lips were on his. You held his face in your hands, rough passion seeping through your entire body, and he was just the same. He kissed you fervently, holding your waist with one arm and the back of your head with his opposite hand, tangling his fingers into your hair. The tension and desire that had been building up for almost as long as you’ve known him finally boiling over. 

     Tom gingerly inched his hand up the side of your leg, under your dress. 

     “Wait, wait,” you pulled away, breathlessly, “we need to get back, they’re probably wondering where we are.” 

     Tom was about to concede when a knock rang through the room. 

     “Hey guys,” It was Eliza, “Seb paid for all of us, so we’re gonna head out. Take your time! Oh, and use protection!” You could practically hear the smirk on her face.  

     Tom stopped your little scowl by returning his attention to kissing you, “How lucky are we?” he mused, repositioning his hands, starting to fumble with the zipper of your dress. 

                   ✯¸.•´*¨`*•✿ ✿•*`¨*`•.¸✯

     The next Monday at work was hell. You spent the whole weekend internalizing your little rendezvous in the bathroom. Tom texted you nearly fourteen times over the two day break period where you didn’t see each other, and you ignored every single one of them. The first ones were simple ‘hey’s’, ‘hi’s’, and ‘good morning’s’, but they soon progressed to show Tom’s concern over you not responding. The last message being, 

Tom: I hope you know, I don’t regret it, but I’m sorry if you do.

     You didn’t mean to ghost him, but your feelings were so confusing. You liked him and the things he did to you. But you had a code. And maybe the ‘don’t date your co-worker’ was a bit old school and shitty, but you’d been able to stick to it for this long and your work has never been better. Then again, all your previous boyfriends have been assholes; constantly upset over how busy your schedule was. Maybe a fellow actor would be more understanding? 

     The second you arrived to set Harry was on your ass. 

     “(Y/N), hey!” He called to you from the snack table where he was talking with Tom. You gave him a small smile and wave, but proceeded to your makeup chair. He motioned for you to join them, but you waved your hand in dismissal and gave him an apologetic look. Whether or not you regretted your night with Tom, you were absolutely not ready to confront it just yet. However, you didn’t miss the disappointed look on Tom’s face or the way Harry gave his brother a reassuring shoulder squeeze. 

     Harry even came up to you asking how your weekend was and if you were busy or not, no doubt trying to gauge your mood for Tom. You were friends with Harry so you didn’t mind talking to him, but when it was becoming apparent that you weren't giving much away as far as how you were feeling, Harry resorted to more ‘less than subtle’ questions. 

     “So… are you seeing anyone, currently?” He asked, playing with his fingers, the question struck you as extremely off-putting, especially since Harry said it with little to no confidence, like he really didn’t want to be asking that. 

     “Why? Are you trying to ask me out?” You teased. Watching him squirm was almost as fun as when it was Tom. 

     “No! No, I mean— I’m not opposed, you’re very pretty—no wait, I don’t mean it like that, I just—uh, I think you look nice, but not too nice—I’m gonna go.” Harry painfully stuttered out. Cursing under his breath as he walked away, back to where Tom was standing, watching on. These idiots were the most obvious divs in the whole world. 

     After you finished with your stylist, you were ready to start running lines for your scene. You have the majority of your scenes with Tom, so as per usual, you were acting opposite him. As the director was explaining how he wanted the scene to go, Tom kept glancing over at you, raising his eyebrows a bit, obviously wanting to clear the air. 

     The scene went by fine, but it was clear to many of the people around you that you were not on the top of your game today. It even got to the point where the director needed to ask if you needed a break. You said you didn’t and persisted. The scene was finally done to perfection, but it took almost double the amount of time it usually would for you. 

     Tom noticed you struggling the most and couldn’t help but feel guilty. He was quick to give you words of encouragement between takes, but you only responded with a quick ‘thanks’ and moved on. 

     When lunch time came around, the caterers were all set up and prepared on a different part of the lot. You quickly made your way over, running into Eliza on the way. 

     “Oh, hey (Y/N)!” she beamed at you. “Did you finish your scene?”

     “Yeah, are you going to set right now?” 

     “Mhm, I’m shooting the scene at the church with Robert.” 

     “Well, good luck.” You smiled at her, about to move along when she grabbed your wrist. 

     “Wait, did something happen between you and Tom? He’s at the lunch table moping, even Seb is trying to cheer him up.” 

     “Um well no, I mean, maybe? I don’t know, I guess I’ve been avoiding him a bit.” You shrug, now not really wanting to go to lunch, but you know you have to. If you don’t show up then it’d be all too clear to Tom that you were definitely avoiding him. 

     “Oh, well, maybe just talk to him?” Eliza comfortably put a hand on your shoulder before walking away to set. 

     You continued to the lunch set up, seeing club sandwiches, soups, and cupcakes set up. You grabbed what you wanted and went to sit by Tom and everyone else. Yeah, you may have been avoiding him, but you didn’t want to make it that painstakingly obvious. 

     As soon as you sat down, Tom put his arm around you like he always did when you had lunch together. Only this time you stiffened up, not because you hated it, but because the action felt so different after what you both had done, it felt like it meant more. Tom noticed, of course, and removed his arm, frowning. 

     “Can I talk to you, (Y/N/N)?” he whispered to you, the rest of the table in their own little world, too caught up in their interactions to notice yours. 

     “Um, sure,” you mumbled in response, “but maybe when I have free time later? I’m just really hungry right now.” you gave him a small smile, trying to keep up the amicability. 

     He nodded and continued his conversation with Seb, who looked completely uninterested, but still continued responding since he could tell Tom was feeling shitty about something. 

     Later that evening, the entire cast had a one hour break since the next scene they wanted to shoot needed to be done at night and it wasn’t dark yet. That’s when Tom took you to his trailer to talk. 

     “Look, (Y/N), I don’t want to jump to conclusions, but I can’t help but feel like you’re avoiding me.” He stated, once the door was shut and you were already seated on his couch. 

     “I’m not.” 

     “But you are. I can tell. You didn’t talk to me at all today, even when I made a joke that I knew you’d have the perfect come back to.” He sat next to you, but kept more of a distance than usual.

      “I don’t have to talk to you, Tom. You can’t rely on me to keep you entertained.” You rolled your eyes, annoyed that you’d been caught. 

      “That’s not what I’m saying, (Y/N), and you know it.” Tom pointed a finger at you, equally annoyed now. 

     “Fine, so what if I was avoiding you? You’re a grown man, you can handle rejection can’t you?” You spat. The argument was quickly becoming more heated. If there was one thing you hated the most in the world, it was being called out, especially if you knew you were in the wrong. 

     “What the fuck is your problem today?” Tom asked, exasperated at how defensive you got so quickly. 

     “Tom, I’m sorry, but I don’t do this,” you motioned between the two of you, “I don’t do the cliche Hollywood, sleeps around, one night stand scenario, so back off.” 

     “So you regret it.” Tom looked down, trying to keep his emotions at bay. He really did like you, but maybe it was naive of him to assume that sleeping together would open the door to something more. 

     “No, I just—it shouldn’t have happened. I liked it, but I’m not that type of girl. I’m a relationship type of person. I never wanted to be another girl for you to mark down on your list of possible hook ups.” You sighed. Tom wasn’t necessarily notorious for random hookups, but he was a famous actor who just so happened to also be single. It was hard to not go there with your thoughts, so in your mind, you had him pegged. 

     “I’m a relationship person too, though. I wanted all of this. All of you.” Tom inched closer, gingerly taking your hands in his. “I may have gone about it wrong, I should’ve asked you out first or something.” 

     “Tom, stop.” 

     “No, (Y/N), because you’ve got it all wrong. I didn’t flirt with you or spend time with you just to get in your pants.” Tom pulled you closer. “I surrounded myself with you because I wanted you. And I think you want me too.”

     You looked in his eyes, searching for any sign of insincerity, small as it might be, but Tom was being the most sincere he could possibly be. Tom cautiously leaned closer, just wanting one more kiss, even if it was the last. However, you were the one that took the final plunge and pulled him in, kissing him. You both moved together so fluidly, like you were made for each other. 

     When you did pull apart, Tom was the one to break the silence, “So does that mean you like me or…” 

     “I kissed you, didn’t I?”