#ignore that I skipped day one and am several days late to day two prompt. ill get back to everything eventually

[plum-taffy]

Being lazy and making a mood board for the second day of maxvid week (*´∇`)ﾉ my job just leaves me too tired to do much

TW for a bit of blood and talk of cannibalism! ^^

For the AU prompt, I decided to do the cakeverse! If you don't know what that is, it's essentially where people are relegated into three categories. Cakes, forks, and normals. Someone who is a cake tastes like a cake(flavor very), forks can taste the cake, and normals have no taste nor can they taste a cake. Once a fork tastes a cake they will become more and more fixated on their flavor until they eventually cannibalize them. How romantic!

I decided to make David the fork, because I adore both guilty David and him just being a cannibal lol. It'd probably be an accident that David tasted Max, maybe it happened while David was patching him up, but after a small taste it's all he can think about. I just know David would constantly be beating himself up for wanting to hurt Max but the constant urge for more just makes it so hard. Could definitely see a very desperate David near the end of camp finding some creative ways to get Max's blood.

Max would be a fun cake because he would totally flaunt his taste (if he found out David tasted him) without really knowing how much danger he's putting himself in. He'd scrap his knee and show it to David before wiping away the blood or maybe even putting it in David's food when he's not looking. All the while David is trying his hardest to not pin Max down and just start biting him on his neck, stomach, thighs, etc. Max had too much confidence in David's morals (*n´ω`n*) I also think Max would taste like Tiramisu, specifically with a really strong coffee flavor. It'd probably get David to start drinking it in an attempt to replicate the flavor and subdue his urges (it doesn't -w-)

Here's an alternate mood board, that isn't really too different from the one above, but I liked the middle photo with the cakes and meat side by side so I had to make it （｡>‿‿<｡ ）

[tickly-trashcan]

The Best {Xiao, Hu Tao, and Venti}

A/N: i decided to treat myself today hehe but don’t worry, i’m still working on prompts, but i took a short break to write this (and prepare for school which also started today) but i’m already back on them! anyways, I hope everyone enjoys this and has a lovely day~

Summary: Xiao, Hu Tao, and Venti are all meeting up for a picnic. But things quickly get out of hand for Xiao...

Word Count: 1.7k (under the cut)

Xiao fumbled with his thumbs as he waited for his friends to arrive. They had agreed to meet together near Liyue, and he was currently the only one there.

He sat patiently, though he couldn’t help fidgeting. He would never admit it, but he was excited to see his friends, and he had been looking forward to meeting up with them for several days. They had been planning on having a picnic, and Xiao had offered to bring something, but both of them insisted on Xiao just relaxing and enjoying the food.

“Xiao! Hi~!” A voice came, and Xiao turned to see Venti skipping towards him with a basket full of treats. He set them down and quickly threw himself on Xiao, hugging him tightly as he giggled, petting Xiao’s head.

“Hey, just because I wasn’t here yet doesn’t mean you guys can engage in PDA!” Another person said. Venti and Xiao looked up to see Hu Tao standing above them, one hand on her hip as the other held a back, likely filled with more food.

“Ah, hello Hu Tao,” Xiao said softly, then looked at Venti. “Hello to you too, Venti.”

Hu Tao set the bag down and hugged Xiao from behind, sandwiching him between his two friends as he wheezed, tapping their shoulders to show that he needed some air. Hu Tao and Venti giggled as their released their friend, allowing him to breathe as they unpacked their drinks and snacks, setting them down on the ground as they sat in a circle, digging in.

Almond tofu, apple pie, crystal shrimp, golden crab… there was way too much for the three of them, but they still all managed to eat most of it, full and content as the sun started to set in the distance. 

Hu Tao sighed loudly, laying back down in the grass before looking over at Xiao and Venti, giggling.

“I think I ate more than you guys.”

“No, Venti ate that entire apple pie himself,” Xiao pointed out, and Venti sat up, whining.

“Hey! You had like… a bite!”

Hu Tao and Xiao laughed as Venti pouted. He folded his arms across his chest, smirking at Xiao as he spoke.

“Bold words from someone within tickling distance.”

Xiao’s eyes widened and he shook his head, holding his hands up in front of him. “Venti, I was only kidding!”

“Aiya, look at the situation you’ve gotten yourself in!” Hu Tao teased when Xiao backed up against her, Hu Tao grinning at him. He looked at Venti, who was already wiggling his fingers, and ducked behind Hu Tao, making her laugh.

“My my, Xiao, I thought you liked this! And it’s been so long since we really got to tickle you!” Hu Tao teased, and Xiao paled, realizing he wasn’t safe from her either. He went to run, but Hu Tao caught his ankle, pulling him back as he yelped.

“Nooo! Wait, wait! I’m sorry, Venti!”

“Too late~!” Venti cooed, pouncing on Xiao as Hu Tao giggled, Xiao’s own laughter immediately echoing around them as Venti squeezed his hips.

“Nohohoho! Plehehease, I’m sohohorry! Wahahait, no, Hu Tao-!” Xiao squealed as Hu Tao joined in, scribbling her fingers up and down his ribcage, using her nails expertly to get in between the grooves of every rib.

“NAHaha! Hu Tahahahao, not thehehere!”

“But Xiaooo~!” Hu Tao faux whined, smirking as she started to gently squeeze his ribcage, making Xiao shriek as he tried to squirm away, only getting himself more stuck in Venti’s tickles.

“Xiao’s laugh is just as cute as it was last time, wouldn’t you agree, Hu Tao?”

“Definitely! If anything, it’s gotten cuter!”

Xiao whined through his already frantic laughter as Hu Tao and Venti teased him, both with their hands and their words as he could do nothing but wiggle and laugh.

Venti climbed up from his hips, lightly skittering his fingers across the expanse of Xiao’s tummy, making him wail and squirm, trying to curl up. With Venti and Hu Tao on either side of him, curling up was probably his best option.

“Nuh-uh-uh, none of that! Don’t make this worse for yourself, Xiao~” Venti cooed when Xiao started curling up. He went for his hips again, finding the sweet spot right where his hips and thighs met and squeezing it, making Xiao positively squeal.

He started to uncurl slightly, but when he did, Hu Tao instead went for his tummy, using her nails as she fluttered up and down. She focused just a bit on his lower tummy, knowing it was just a tad more sensitive as Xiao shrieked.

He didn’t know which was worse, and he didn’t know where to focus. He tried swatting at Hu Tao’s hands and kicking his legs to try and shake off Venti, but nothing was working and the vicious tickling continued. 

“No mohohohohore, plehehease! I caha - I can’t! Hah-HAhaha!”

Hu Tao and Venti ignored Xiao’s pleas, knowing when he actually wanted them to stop that he would say the word. Venti and Hu Tao exchanged a glance with each other, and the two of them smirked, though Xiao didn’t notice because his eyes were squeezed shut in hopes of ignoring the sensations (spoiler alert: it wasn’t working).

“I wonder which one of us is making Xiao laugh more, don’t you?” Hu Tao pondered aloud, looking at Venti cheekily.

“Oh, I bet I am. After all, I am a better tickler,” Venti said confidently, squeezing Xiao’s upper thigh and making him squeal to prove his point.

“No way! Maybe we should have Xiao tell us who’s better?”

“Nohohoho! Dohon’t you dare!” Xiao exclaimed, already knowing where this was going. But there was hardly anything he could do to stop it as Hu Tao and Venti grinned evilly at him. 

“Dibs on his tummy~!” Venti called out, and Hu Tao whined.

“You know that’s his best spot, cheater!”

Venti only giggled as Hu Tao pouted, pulling her hands away from Xiao’s tummy as she went up behind him instead. She grabbed his arms, making him squeak as she tucked his arms under her knees, making Xiao panic.

“No no no, Hu Tao! Not that, plehease!” He giggled already, even though neither Venti or Hu Tao were currently tickling him. Hu Tao only grinned, wiggling her fingers deviously.

“Not what? I’m not even doing anything!” Hu Tao giggled, lowering her hands as Xiao tried to pull his arms free, giggling even though she hadn’t even touched him yet. He shrieked when she faked him out, bursting into frantic laughter when Venti started his own torture on Xiao’s tummy.

Hu Tao started to lightly scribble her nails under Xiao’s arms, making him squeal as he threw his head back, his laughter doubling over as his face warmed, both from embarrassment and from how hard he was laughing.

“AHAhaharchons, wahahait! Plehehease, no mohohohore!” Xiao yelled, his laughter dipping more into cackling territory as he shook his head, tugging on his arms and kicking his legs as he tried to shake off his attackers. They wouldn’t let up, however, and it somehow managed to get worse.

Hu Tao started lightly raking her nails down the inside of Xiao’s arm, making sure to circle around the hollow of his underarm before scribbling in it, driving Xiao absolutely mad. Meanwhile, Venti had started pinching at the sides of his tummy, giving him quick, occasional raspberries that kept catching Xiao off-guard.

“Who’s better Xiao? It’s me, right?” Venti asked, blowing another raspberry as soon as he finished his sentence, making Xiao shriek.

Xiao couldn’t even formulate a proper sentence since he was so hysterical. Instead, he just shook his head, making Venti boo.

“What, you don’t think I’m the best? I’ll show you!”

“Just admit it, Venti! I’m a better tickler than you!” Hu Tao chuckled, now raking up Xiao’s ribcage as he hiccuped and laughed beneath her. “I’m better, right Xiao?”

In hopes of getting it to stop, he nodded his head, agreeing with Hu Tao as she finally stopped, punching a fist into the air.

“Yes! Take that, Venti!”

Venti grumbled, looking at Xiao evilly as he slowly recovered, glancing at Venti as he panted heavily.

“I think you’ve made a bad decision, Xiao~”

Xiao panicked, already squirming again as Venti started squeezing his hips, digging his thumb lightly into the hipbone as Xiao hollered, squealing when Venti simultaneously blew several raspberries on his tummy.

“VEHEhehenti! Nohohoho, I tahahake it back! I’m sohohorry, you’re behetter!!” Xiao gasped out, and he heard Hu Tao behind him gasp.

“Xiao! You lied to me? You know what happens when you lie, right~?”

“Nohohoho! I didn’t mehehean it!”

“Make up your mind, Xiao! Who’s better?” Venti taunted, still going after his hips in a cruel way before placing one more raspberry directly below his navel. Xiao shrieked.

“I cahahahan’t! I’m sohohorry!”

Hu Tao prodded at Xiao’s ribs, making him whine through his laughter as Venti continued to knead his hips, driving Xiao up the wall with ticklish agony.

“Stop! Stahahap! Plehehease, I cahahan’t!”

Hu Tao and Venti halted, giving Xiao a chance to breathe. Hu Tao released his arms and Venti got off of him, and the two of them sat on either side of Xiao, watching with soft smiles as he collected himself.

“Y-You two… you’re both good. Neither of you are better.”

“Eh, I’ll take it,” Venti said, chuckling as Xiao shot him a dirty look. Hu Tao helped Xiao sit up, giving him a quick hug as she giggled.

“I am better though, right?”

Xiao groaned, pushing Hu Tao away as she laughed. Venti hummed, looking over the horizon of Liyue as the sky turned a light shade of violet, showing that most of the sun had set.

“Well, it looks like we’ve had more than enough fun today. Wouldn’t you agree, Xiao? I’m sure you enjoyed yourself~” Venti teased, watching Xiao go red before standing.

“We should do this again sometime soon! How about tomorrow?” Hu Tao offered, picking up her bag as Venti nodded.

“Only if we get to tickle Xiao again!”

Xiao lightly pushed Venti, making the bard chirp before he jumped on Xiao’s back, wrapping his arms around his shoulders and his legs around his waist.

“Bye-bye Hu Tao!” Venti called, waving to the brunette as she waved back, skipping off towards Liyue.

“I’m not bringing you home…” Xiao mumbled, and Venti hummed.

“Are you suuure~?” He cooed, fluttering his fingers on Xiao’s neck as he gasped, scrunching up his shoulders.

“Fine! Just - Just don’t do that again.”

“Alright, but no promises for tomorrow!”

Xiao flushed as he walked Venti home, mind swirling as he smiled softly to himself. Today had been… fun.

[bakubub]

Best friend rigs the Secret Santa for Bakugo and yourself to get one another...

A/N: Hullo everybody!! This is part 2 (find part one HERE) of this Pinterest Prompt and part 3 will (hopefully) be the final part. I honestly thought this would be a 800 word fic but now we're barreling towards almost 5k all together whoops lol-

Warnings: Just a few swears here and there, SFW, its literally all Bakusquad shenanigans.

Word count: abt 1.5k, ENJOY <3

"Soooooo~ Who d'ya get for the cringle?" Kaminari asks, leaning back on his chair dangerously to look back at me, sitting on the desk behind him. I raise my eyebrows, since I can't just raise the one, and flick my pen expertly in my hand.

"Mr. Aizawa," I answered seriously. "I'm thinking of getting him another sleeping bag. The musty yellow one isn't really his colour."

Looking genuinely confused, Kaminari looks around to see if anyone else overheard our conversation.

I laugh at him, and kick his chair forward, causing him to shriek as he sits squarely on his butt. I look down to see a folded note on my desk, opening to read it as Mr Aizawa tells us to settle down;

Lover boy was TOTALLY just greasing off Kaminari for making you laugh. I think someone's still jealous from the whole sleeping incident...

Catching Mina's eye, I give her an I don't think so look, which she promptly rolls her eyes at. Its been a whole weekend since the 'sleeping incident', where I had woken up with Kaminari's arms wrapped around my waist and his head nestled on my stomach. Accidentally of course. We, along with Bakugo and Kirishima, had fallen asleep on the couch in the common room, talking late last Friday night.

It really wasn't a big deal... Kaminari apologised several times. I got over it, he got over it, and I don't see why Bakugo, whom Mina just loves to call 'lover boy', would even care.

Plus, I have bigger problems. Like what to get said lover boy for the Christmas Cringle we were supposed to be exchanging this Saturday. He's literally impossible to buy for. Well, I could always just buy him a new pair of shorts or something, but since I've had a crush on him since literally the first day of school, it needs to be perfect.

So far I've thought of a cookbook, an apron, a scarf since he's always wearing the brown one, or maybe even a matching beanie; then again his hair has such personality I don't even know if he CAN put a beanie over those suspiciously natural spikes...

"Hellooooo, come on, Aizawa dismissed us," Mina says, nudging my shoulder.

I snap out of my daze and gather my things, following out of the nearly empty classroom.

"Decided on what to get monsieur Hothead yet?" I sigh, already having predicted this question.

"Nope," I say, popping the p as we walk to the dorm rooms. "I'm thinking of maybe getting-"

"Hey girls, wanna meet at the common room at 6 for a rematch of UNO?" Kaminari asks, coming up from behind us and slinging an arm over my and Mina's shoulders like he always does.

"Yeah sure, we're down." Mina answers, pinching him in the side so he lets us out of his grasp. We duck away, laughing and continuing our banter, before I catch Bakugo's gaze.

"You coming too, Bakugo?" I ask, walking up next to him, ignoring my heart trying to escape its cage.

"Coming where?" He grumbles, still looking disgruntled and angry.

"We're playing UNO around 6 today in the common room. Come on, it'll be fun," I say, trying to persuade him into coming, since he never usually participates.

"HELL NO! I don't have time to waste, especially with you extras," He yells at me. I huff, rolling my eyes and continuing to ignore the feeling of my heart beating in my eyeballs, as I grumble, "you never do," and walk back next to Mina, who was now somehow in a water fight with Kirishima, Kaminari and Sero.

Overall certain that I didn't let my nerves peek through while talking to him, I don't register what's happening as Sero grabs Oijiro's water bottle out of his bag, unscrews the lid, then promptly dumps it over my head.

With Mina, Kirishima, Kaminari and even Bakugo gasping in the background, I wiped the water off my face, before realising my mascara had probably smudged all over my cheeks and glared at Sero, who was slowly backing away.

I practically growl before chasing him, blindly grabbing my own water bottle out of my bag and drenching him, messing up his styled hair which has him shrieking "sorry, I'm so sorry!" and has me cackling in sweet, sweet revenge.

---

"PLUS FOUR?! AGAIN KIRISHIMA! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!" Mina screeches as she pounds Kirishima's arm from next to him, who is laughing and judging from his reaction, barely feeling her punches. I know from experience, that Mina punches hard. He has to be really tough not to show an inkling of pain.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I just really have to win this one!" He says, shooting a guilty smile Mina's way. Maybe he just doesn't feel pain in general...? I stare at him with suspicion as Mina huffs and she rolls her eyes at him, promptly dropping a four plus for the next person in our circle, who just happened to be me.

"Hey! Not cool, hypocrite." I mutter.

"I had to get my anger out somehow. I'm pretending you're Kirishima. Go on, pick up those cards, you slimy rat," Mina says smugly.

Giving her a confused look at her weird logic, I continued the game, Shoji and Hagakure also having joined in half way.

Just as I'm about to announce UNO, Bakugo stomps through the common room and sits right in between myself and Mina, crossing his legs on the floor and leaning back on his two hands.

"BAKUBRO! YOU CAME!" Kirishima yells excitedly, Kaminari and Sero also whooping and cheering.

"Yeah, yeah, shut up. I finished my work and came to see what you idiots were doing." He says, voice gruff but not screaming for once.

I raise my brows at him, and he scowls and looks the other way, not being able to face me after he so rudely rejected my invitation a few hours ago.

"Oh please, you just couldn't handle the FOMO." I say teasingly, smirking at him without fully turning my face so the others can hear.

Sero stifles a laugh and Kaminari looks confused before the dots connect and he also has his hand clamped around his mouth.

"She has a green 7," is all he says, a sadistic look of satisfaction overtaking his features. It takes a moment for all of us to realise what he just said.

Mina cackles as she changes the colour to red, effectively stopping me from winning the game.

Shooting him a dirty look, I lean over to grab another card, simultaneously elbowing him hard in the shin, which he doesn't even react to.

What is it with these guys and their weirdly high pain tolerance?

Ignoring him now, we continue the game, Kirishima practically slamming his last card on top of the deck. "I WON, I WON, man that was so MANLY," He celebrates as I see Mina rolling her eyes and silently fuming. I begin to shuffle and hand out the cards deliberately skipping Bakugo, which doesn't go unnoticed by him.

"Oi, where are my cards?" He asks, annoyance evident in his tone as Kirishima continues to gloat in the background about how manly his win was and Kaminari complaining about how he never "gets the good cards." When I don't respond, Bakugo steals my cards from in front of me, leaning forward to play with the others.

Snarling, I grab my cards out of his hand, causing him to snarl back, until we're fighting for the 7 cards.

"What are you guys doing, there's a whole ass deck here, you know," Sero says, eyebrows raised and nudging Kirishima.

"These. Ones. Are. MINE." I gasp out, my knee coming around to jab him in his side as his hand pushes me down from my sternum. Oxygen knocked out of my lungs, I gasped for air as I tried to hold the cards out of his reach, my hero training kicking in as I snake my other arm around the back of his neck to hold him in an upside down headlock. Trying to push his forehead onto the ground, I give the cards to Mina, who laughs and takes them, after taking a photo of us.

Having apparently heard the camera click, Bakugo (after struggling a great deal might I smugly add) gets out of my head lock and zones in on Mina. "Delete that photo, Racoon Eyes," He snarls.

"Not in a million years. Awww, look Bakugo are you blushing?" She says, pointing at her phone.

Eyes widening and red creeping up his neck, Bakugo snatches the phone out of her hand and deletes the photo, before getting up and leaving.

"C'mon Bakubro, she's just joking," Kirishima says, following him out.

"Yeah man, you didn't even play a game yet," Sero adds.

"I HAVE STUFF TO DO!" He screams, seemingly going back to his old self.

"Didn't you just say that you finished your homework?" Kaminari asks, furrowing his eyebrows.

"SHUT IT, CHARGEBOLT! I DON'T NEED TO EXPLAIN MYSELF TO YOU," he says a tad too harshly, turning slightly to glare at him with bulging eyeballs. Kaminari closes his mouth and shuffles his cards, trying not to set him off again.

"Bakugo-" I start, but when he doesn't turn, I find myself letting him leave.

Staring dejectedly at Mina, she gives me a giddy smile and grabs my phone, going onto her messages and smirking as she shows me the photo he just deleted.

"I sent it to you as soon as I took it. Thank me later," she says, winking, as she gets up to leave, dragging Sero and Kaminari with her.

I look down at the slightly blurry photo, seeing me handing Mina the UNO cards under Bakugo with a desperate expression. He has his hand pressed down on my sternum, straddling my waist and looking down at me, with an unmistakable smile gracing his features. Unless that's just a new way of scowling.

The phone dims and all of a sudden I'm confronted with my own expression on the darkened screen.

A lovesick fool.

That's all I can see.

A/N: Ngl pretty proud of that ending. JUst in case I'm not as slick as I think I am, she meant herself and Bakugo, hehe <3

Notes, interactions and reblogs are highly appreciated <3

Find part 3 HERE

[autumnleaves1991-blog]

Day 1: “Who keeps hanging all this damn mistletoe everywhere?”- Poe Dameron

A/N: It’s here! It’s here! The 12 days of Christmas writing challenge has begun! Everyday up until Christmas day I will post a new story! All the prompts have been requested! Thank you so much for reblogging, commenting, and liking! 

This was requested by @poedameronloverx​ I hope you enjoy it! 

Pairing: Poe Dameron x F! Reader 

Warning: 18 + for language 

Taglist: @oldstuffnewstuff @yespolkadotkitty @heythere-mel @justanotherblonde23 @artsymaddie 

My Masterlist 

12 Days of Christmas Writing Challenge Masterlist 

During the middle of a war is not the most ideal time to celebrate the holidays. War doesn’t stop just because you hang some lights. The resistance was a depressing place to be at the moment. Small incursions resulting in heavy losses, the lack of new intelligence, and the overhanging threat of the First Order dampened the season. 

Although some never gave up it was becoming harder and harder not to be pulled under the cloud of hopelessness. Poe Dameron was not one of these people. Poe never gave up hope even when things had become desperate. BB-8 faithfully rolling by his side, the two of them went around spreading cheer around the base. They started with the decorations. Large garlands made from the forest leaves outside strung together with white lights and bright orange bows tied together from old flight suits. How they managed to hang them that high you had no idea, and frankly didn’t want too. Then came the music, classic songs from eons past filtered through the comms during missions, in the mess hall, and even the cantina. The atmosphere began to shift around base as the colorful decorations and music began to lift their spirits. 

The third step of their plan began the week before Life Day. A strange green plant with white berries began appearing. In doorways around the base the plant appeared. 

“What the hell is all this stuff?” you said aloud to yourself. 

“Mistletoe,” Jess snaps you from your thoughts and you turn to her questioning. 

“What the hell is mistletoe?” 

“Mistletoe is the common name for obligate hemiparasitic plants in the order Santalales. They are attached to their host tree or shrub by a structure called the haustorium, through which they extract water and nutrients from the host plant, very toxic. Although in the custom of Life Day they are used as a decoration under which lovers are expected to kiss. A most strange custom,” you and Jess both turn slowly to see 3PO standing behind you pointing his gleaming arm toward the plant. 

“So you're telling me someone put a toxic plant all over the base so that people would be forced to kiss each other?” 

“Precisely,” 3PO says cheerfully. 

“Right,” you nod sarcastically, “perfect.” 

“I think it’s kind of romantic. Who are you hoping to kiss?” Jess sighs. 

“No one,” you scoff. 

“Not even....Poe?” she wiggles her eyebrows and nudges you with her elbow playfully. 

“No way, the poster boy for the resistance doesn’t even know I exist...I think the existence of the other person is probably the first step of getting someone to kiss you.” 

“Don’t you hang out with BB-8 all the time?” she teases. 

“Yes, BB-8 assists me with my work on the ships but I’ve never really spoken to Dameron before. Sure, a word here or there but he doesn’t really notice me I’m just a mechanic. Plus I am waiting for a special person to kiss me on Life Day this year,” you start walking toward the mess hall, Jess following alongside. 

“You mean your secret admirer?” she coos giggling. 

“As a matter of fact, yes. They promised that during the week before Life Day they would leave me some more hints around base and then reveal themselves on the big day. But I haven’t received anything in two weeks...with all those casualties last week...I think my secret admirer might be gone.” The darkness hanging overhead seeps into your bones and you rub your eyes in exhaustion. 

“I wouldn’t be too quick to write them off. Maybe they are just waiting for the right time...like right now.” She points to your usual table in the mess hall overflowing with bright white and orange daisies. 

You walk in a trance toward the table and see your name scrawled on the cover of an envelope. You tear it open and devour the words, holding the letter tight to your chest you sigh. They’re alright, you thank the maker and ask Jess for help carrying the daisies to your work station. Trying to ignore the murmuring crowd around the table. It takes three trips but finally your workstation is overflowing in the colorful flowers, their sweet scent permeating the air. You inhale and smile still clutching the note. Jess walks over smiling patting your shoulder and giving you a one armed hug before going off to work. You look down and let your eyes flow over the note again. 

Hello Gorgeous, 

I’ve missed you so much these past few weeks. With the recent losses we have faced I have been busier than usual. These past few months of exchanging letters with you have been some of the happiest in my life. I can’t wait to finally meet you and reveal myself to you on Life Day. I hope these flowers bring a smile to your face as bright as mine was picking them for you. 

All yours, 

Your secret admirer 

You look around again at the sheer number of flowers covering every space of your workplace, and laugh imagining them picking each one special. Tucking the note safely into the pocket of your jumpsuit you get started working on the x-wings. By the end of the day you are starving from skipping lunch and exhausted. You take a sniff and wince at the sharp smell of engine oil and grease soaked into your skin. 

In the mess hall it’s late not many people are still up but they are luckily still serving food. Although it’s debatable what the resistance is serving can be called such. You poke hesitantly at the food and pull your notepad from your bag penning a response back to your secret admirer. 

Hi,  I’ve been so worried that you may have been one of those casualties that my heart melted when I saw my name on the envelope. You have spoiled me with the sheer number of flowers, and they smell so sweet. I have missed your letters and can’t wait for Life Day when we can finally meet.  All yours,  Your secret admirer 

You tear the paper off and fold it up before finishing the meal. You yawn as you take the long way home and pass your spot. You pull at the loose brick in the wall and place the letter inside before going back to your room for the night. 

The next morning, the sun streams through the small window of your room. Your roommate is already gone for the morning so you take your time in the fresher and pull on a fresh jumpsuit before grabbing a nutrition bar and leaving. When you get to your workshop BB-8 is waiting. The droid quickly became your friend when you first arrived several months ago as a transfer. He was great company on the larger projects around base. 

“Are you here to help me out?” you greet the droid dropping to a knee. He beeps happily back to you and you grin back at him. 

“So this is where my droid spends his day?” The voice behind you startles you and you rise quickly tripping over a canister on the ground. You feel the ground quickly come up to meet your back when you're flipped and land solidly on the chest of Poe Dameron.

“Are you okay?” he runs his hands over your head. You look into his deep brown eyes nodding. “Damn, I...I didn’t mean to scare you.” 

Your brain just suddenly realizes that you’re still laying on top of him and scramble to get up, brushing yourself off and clearing your throat, “Oh uhm, thank you for catching me Commander.” 

“Poe,” he instantly corrects, and you say his name causing a smile to break out across his cheeks, “As I was saying, I wanted to meet the mechanic that has my droid making heart eyes,” he teases making you blush. 

“Oh...BB-8 is a wonderful droid. I am lucky enough to have him help me out,” you avoid eye contact, attempting not to make a complete fool out of yourself. 

“He speaks very highly of you, and I can see why,” he grins. You're sure at this point you must be the color of a tomato when he takes another step toward you taking your hand gently, and bringing it up to his lips. “I hope to see you again, very soon.” He places a gentle kiss on your knuckles and smiles before leaving. 

When he is gone you sigh and look down at the droid who quickly opens a compartment and lights the flame into the form of a thumbs up causing you to giggle. “Not the smoothest interaction I’ve ever had buddy but thanks for the support.” 

The rest of the week is a flurry of activity around the base as everyone tries to complete their work ahead of schedule for the Life Day celebration. The days are long in your workshop but luckily a steady stream of notes between you and your secret admirer make the days seem to go by quicker. 

Until the day finally arrives. The base while still maintaining itself is mostly run by droids today as people make their way over to the mess hall for the festivities. You check yourself over in the mirror again, smoothing out any wrinkles in your green dress, and placing the white snowflake hair-clip in place. Satisfied with your appearance you head off to your spot to check for any notes. Pulling the stone away and giving a slight squeal at the paper stuck inside. 

Today’s the day we finally meet. I can’t wait to hold you in my arms and tell you how I feel about you. Meet me under the mistletoe.  All yours,  Your secret admirer 

You tuck the note into the pocket of your dress and race off to the mess, linking arms with Jessika as you pass her in the hallway and all but dragging her to the room. Your breath catches as you arrive. The room illuminates with twinkle lights in white, red, and green. Large candles are flickering in the center of the tables, and the room smells heavenly of tip yip and roasted vegetables. But one thing stands out amongst it all and your heart sinks. 

“Who keeps hanging all this damn mistletoe everywhere?!” Jessika asks, walking toward the buffet line. 

Everywhere you look sprigs of mistletoe hang. From the ceiling, the doorway, and everywhere in between. How the hell were you going to find your secret admirer now!? Jess shouts over to join her and you reluctantly do. The Life day celebration is a blast. People playing games, exchanging gifts, and the liquor flowing freely. You could almost forget for a minute we were in a war. 

The night slowly starts to wind down and you feel even more heartbroken as you start to pack up your small gifts from friends when BB-8 crashes into your side. Beeping hysterically. 

“What buddy, slow down! Poe...Poe WHAT?!” you shout and several heads turn to look at you as you follow the droid who is racing from the room. You run as fast as you can to keep up and when you turn into the hangar your steps falter. Standing under the open bay doors in a colorful sweater with BB-8 sewn on it is Poe Dameron smiling broadly. 

“What...what’s going on?” you stammer, “BB-8 said you were hurt, that you needed help…” 

“I wanted to get you alone,” he reaches for your hand and pulls you closer until you're standing directly in front of him. 

“Poe...what?” he sticks one finger up and points, your head tilting up to look above you and seeing the mistletoe hanging from the open bay doors. Your blood pounds in your ears and your lips turn up into a small smile and your voice gets very quiet, “It’s you.” 

“It’s me...are...are you disappointed?” he’s surprisingly shy and you shake your head no quickly stepping closer. 

“No...not at all...I...I wanted it to be you,” you whisper and his smile is almost blinding. 

“Can I kiss you?”

“I would be disappointed if you didn’t,” you match his smile and he leans forward capturing your lips with his own. He’s warm and soft and tastes like peppermint and chocolate and you sigh opening your mouth to his. You’re so caught up in the moment that the shrill beeps of BB-8 capture you both by surprise, and Poe holds you close in his arms as you both smile down at the droid. 

BB-8 beeps at you happily and Poe nods laughing before kissing you again, “Yeah buddy, happy Life day to you too.” 

[johobi]

Falling, Falling, Gone

Word count: 5.8k

Pairing: Taehyung x Reader

Warnings: None really, it’s my first ‘SFW’ fic, though there is some extremely bad language in here. And there might be an erection because I can’t help myself.

A/N: This is the fourth and final ‘drabble’ for the drabble game I ran ages ago. Prompt: “The thought of me making out with someone else is ruining you.”

Music inspo: Don’t Be So Serious, Baby Don’t Stop, Waste It On Me

AO3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23477485

Taehyung. Captain of the soccer team. Master of your heart. You'll never tell him for fear of rejection.

So why the fuck are you about to do it in front of dozens of his peers?

Banana and peanut butter become pulp in your mouth as you glare out the kitchen window. It's so grey out there. Greyer than it has any right to be. As if your dour mood has polluted the very atmosphere. Rain lashes the exterior in leaden pellets, each one compounding your headache like a rap on the head. Don't be so serious, your bluetooth speaker croons as you chew and chew, unblinking. The bridge of your glasses slip further down your nose but you don’t correct them. Don't be so serious.

Oh, but it's all so serious. 

Your final portfolio lacks in ways your mentor is incapable of articulating, and you only have so much time to fix it. Your college life is coming to a close. There are frighteningly few opportunities out there and they’re sure to spurn a sham like you. What do you do now? Where do you go from here—

"God, you listen to such depressing music," a husky voice sounds. It’s thick with sleep and horribly attractive. You hear his feet next; big and bare as they slap the tile floor and disrupt the ambience. 

Yes, dismal is an ambience. 

Before you glimpse the interloper himself, his fingers pilfer your next mouthful of toast. His other hand has your phone and is skipping through your carefully curated playlist of moody tunes. With all the scant energy you can muster, you glower at him. 

“Taehyung.” 

Soccer captain. Campus celebrity. Doofus.

Unlikely friend and unlikelier crush. But life is strange, and he is both these things. Indeed, he proclaims himself your best friend to all who will listen. As for the matter of your tender feelings, however, he is oblivious. And will remain so.

Taehyung is long-legged and limber-bodied, but round of face and feature. A kitten in a tiger’s pelt. Will mew for affection and roar when angry. Has quite literally nudged your hand for pets and raged at referees in the same afternoon. There is usually no in-between. 

Your scowl goes unseen. He sidles past like the oblivious buffoon he is and continues to tamper with Spotify.  Smears his peanut-buttered thumb around your phone display. Ugh. You brush back your hood and fix him again with extra scorn.

"Actually, douchebag, it’s good music for thinking. And I have a headache. I hardly wanna listen to something like—no, don't you dare put fucking Party Rock on right now. Tae!"

It’s too late. The lanky idiot is already gesticulating to the beginning beats. Your phone is an unreachable hostage in his flapping hands. You’re about to lunge for it but he preempts the attack by smothering you with your own hood. “Tae.” Your whining sounds all the more pitiful muffled. “Everyfing hurfs. ‘m hungover. Pleathe.” 

Taehyung relents after further, strangled pleas. Unwraps you with a grin that grows like the sunrise. For a moment, you’re dazzled. “Sorry. No more torture,” he chuckles all low, hair in his eyes. His locks are long and always untamed. An aureate crown befitting of his celebrity status. 

One swipe and he’s muted the racket and returned your phone. You turn the sticky thing over in your hands, rueing the day you met the overgrown imp. “How did you get it this dirty…?”

You go ignored and Taehyung gets closer. He scrutinises your hunched and hoodied appearance with a thoughtful hum. “Headache?” A rounded nose and two brown eyes come into focus. "Hungover? How? I didn't see you go out last night."

Averse to such study, you shy away. "Well, I did." You did not. You stayed home and guzzled $4 Prosecco while lamenting your trash portfolio. But you aren’t about to regale him with that pitiful tale. The sheerness of shame prevents you. Taehyung would be so sweet about it, too! So buoying, with his sunny smiles and fervent encouragement: "Why were you crying over that?!" He'd ask. "Your work is amazing. Seriously amazing. I love everything you do!" He'd gush. "People will be stumbling over themselves to hire you!" He'd continue, naively. And that hurts the most, because he just doesn't get it. Taehyung is a sponsored, collegiate athlete that's graduating into a guaranteed draft. He is—and always has been—praised widely as up-and-coming. The kid has had scouts scrapping for him mid-way through high school!

You, however, are small fry, swimming in a shoal of other unknowns, leaping for the hook of internship. Your dreams of animating for Disney died long back. They dwelled with Walt now.

But you don’t resent Taehyung for any of it. Ever. He’s a paragon. Born for the limelight. Has sweat and bled oceans for it. And for some reason he insists that you, too, are deserving of that same renown. Why? He’s ridiculous. Far too kind. And—Christ, he has a big dick.

"Taehyung, can you please not shove your tiny fucking penis in my face while I'm trying to eat? I'm nauseous enough as it is."

The soccer captain rests a foot on the seat next to you, giving you ungainly insight into his crotch. Taehyung, as he often, inexplicably is, is clad only in his boxer-briefs. This would be alarming were it not so goddamn commonplace. He is allergic to clothes.

According to him, he’s a naturist. 

According to you, he’s an attention whore.

Taehyung points to his elevated foot, but it's a little difficult to ignore the bulge he's brandishing. "Do you understand the concept of inappropriate proximity and your current state of undress?" You rattle on, words slurred half by OJ, half by fluster. He simply points again, and with more insistence. Relenting, you follow the line of his finger to his pretty, if gigantic, foot. Then notice the ink around his ankle, black and fresh. "Oh, wow, you got a tattoo? Cool!"

"Yep! I didn't ever really think about getting one 'til I saw yours. They were so cool I became kinda obsessed with getting one. So I finally did it last night."

‘Til he saw yours? Your stomach flutters. It's not the nausea. You smother it with more orange juice. "Well, that's awesome, Tae. You'll probably want more eventually. I would've gone with you if I'd known you were gonna go alone."

Finally, he lowers his leg. It’s a small mercy. But then, for no discernible, earthly reason, Taehyung begins flexing his many defined muscles. His calves in particular catch your attention. They’re so goddamned thick. They ripple. Fucking soccer players. "Hm? Oh, I wasn't alone. I went with some guys from the team." He ogles his reflection in the microwave door.

How can you avert your eyes when his pecs dance so compellingly? It all becomes a bit too much. "Okay, what are you doing? Seriously, what? I know you're into yourself, but this is ridiculous.” He stops. Snorts. Thank God. “If you were with the guys, why did you come back here last night? I thought you’d go back to your dorm."

Finally Taehyung sits, but he’s spread-legged and that’s perhaps worse than what he was doing just now. He’s 6ft of pure, hewn sex and just so fucking casual about it. He reclines. "Some of them took girls home last night so I needed somewhere to go and you're always an open door." Finger guns follow a cheesy wink.

You scoff, but he's right. You’d do anything for the big-hearted clown. Open door? You'd be the doormat under his soccer cleats, licking them free of dirt— "You're lucky Areum isn’t here right now. Don't think she’d take kindly to having some almost-naked oaf clambering into her bed."

"You say that, but she’s tried to hit this several times.” Taehyung is smug, brows high on his forehead. Yours lower harshly. “Tell her I slept in her bed last night. She’ll cream herself thinking about it later, I guarantee you."

“You’re gross. And can you stop—why do you keep flexing? There’s just me here.” You peer about for emphasis. Taehyung is again admiring his form in some burnished surface. “No-one is looking. Or cares.” Contrarily, you’re doing both those things. But he needn’t be privy to that. 

"This is serious. I need to work on my angles.” He contorts himself into something of a pretzel to peek at his back muscles. “We're holding a hook-up auction at our dorm to raise money for a graduation blow-out. And I'm on sale. Do you think I need to work on my back?"

You ease into a squint. "When you said serious, I thought serious words were about to follow."

"I am being serious!" Again Taehyung flexes, biceps bulging by his ears like an overfed turkey’s thighs. "How much do you think I'm worth?"

The world.

"I dunno. I'd take you for free, I guess, if you were the last one left."

Taehyung is unperturbed by your acerbic wit. It ricochets off him like rubber bullets would a muscle-bound ox. He is your greatest adversary. The bastard lacquers his lips until they’re plump and glossy and boasting a smirk. 

He’s always doing this. 

Always moistening himself. 

"Oh yeah? Well, I think you'll be disappointed." A boxy smile emerges. "I got girls and guys already approaching me about it. Some of the guys literally just wanna buy me for mentoring. I mean, that’s more effort than kissing, but—" He shrugs. The thought goes unfinished.

"That makes sense. You are a God among these mere mortals, Taetae." It's not sarcasm this time. Taehyung senses it. The grin he returns is life-affirming. You're so close to reaching across the table and squeezing his hand. Telling him you're proud. Telling him you most likely, maybe, love him. But you notice you've dragged your sleeve through peanut butter—”Ah, shit,”—and you can tell him how you feel some other day.

Some other day.

"Some of them just wanna make out too, of course, and, like, I'm happy to comply. It's all for charity." His altruism knows no limits.

"Charity, huh?" You snort. Taehyung's mouth grows more square at your incredulity. "Who else is up for bidding, then?"

"Mostly guys from the team and dorm. There are some mutuals who just wanna get in on the action, too. Uh, you know Kim Namjoon?" He measures your reaction. When you give none: "Jeon Jungkook?"

Disinterest mellows your features. "Oh, right. Cool."

"So you don't like Jeon Jungkook?" Taehyung's eyes are eager, his body poised. Anticipating.

"What? No. What gave you that idea? I've talked to him, like, twice." Your face crumples as you towel your soiled sleeve. The peanut butter smears into a tragic, shit-brown stain. "Damn, that's never coming out."

"He's gonna be so disappointed. He might even cry." Taehyung heaves a hammy sigh and clutches at his breast. There’s nothing the captain enjoys more than clowning his subordinates.  "Kook likes you so much. He's really into your whole androgynous fuckboi thing you got going on. He literally said, 'She's like a mystery, man. I'm not sure if she's a girl or a guy and—like, I'm not like that, but that's hot.'"

If your eyes could roll past the bounds of their sockets, they would. "Wow, what a poet. He sounds like a douchebag and I'm even less interested now. Fuckboi? Is that really the vibe I give off?" You don't fuck full stop. Nor were you aware you could dress like you do. 

"I dunno. You just seem kinda like a gremlin to me. Or like that weird guy from Death Note," Taehyung is quick to reassure you. Cool. You’re fucking overjoyed that he perceives you that way. Not as a goddess, or his beautiful, sexy soulmate, or the princess that wanders the spires of his captive heart. No. A gremlin. Or L.

"Well, you got me there, son."

"What about Kim Namjoon?" Taehyung presses, urgent again. He picks at your bread crusts with one hand, head cradled delicately in the other. The boy could be a world-class model, too. His loose, dark curls hang like a Van Gogh nightscape, framing the planes of his unmarred face. It hurts to look at him. It hurts to be looked at.

A self-conscious shuffle. "What about him? I don't know who that is." You flick away his foraging fingers but he draws you into an impromptu game of thumb-war in retaliation. It's the only thing to extract a smile from you today.

Taehyung looks sceptical. "He's the physio student with our team! You literally talked to him all day during this season's semi-final." His lengthy digits best yours easily. But though the match is won, he doesn’t withdraw his hand. Instead he encroaches further. Thumbs your wrist. Encompasses your knuckles in a soft, warm palm. He’s clasping you like an enamoured suitor might their bashful sweetheart, and it’s very strange. What is he doing? His mind looks to be elsewhere, now.

"Uh...—oh. Oh." Yours ambles back to you. "Yeah, he was really nice, but you know my rule. No—"

"—dating in final year. Yeah, I know. I'll tell him that if he asks about you again." Taehyung has returned, too. His hand is gone. Your gooseflesh ebbs with it.

With a cough, you sober. "I think the auction's a bit stupid, really, Tae. You sure you wanna do it?"

"Stupid? Why?" He shimmies in close, smug on his face and intolerably naked the rest of the way down. His skin is hot and golden and just far too close. "You're only saying that because you're jealous, right?" He tickles your chin to keep you honest and your eyes on him. You seize and squeeze the offending hand because he might be right and now you’re embarrassed. "The thought of me making out with someone else is ruining you," he goes on to say, brazen as the smirk defiling his cherubic cheeks.

"Some rather large conclusion-jumping going on there," you smile, sweet as sugared cyanide. Your vice-grip tightens until he’s pouting in repentance. "I meant it's stupid to put yourself in a potentially uncomfortable situation if you don't want to kiss that person." 

"I'm just joking!" he whimpers like the overlarge puppy he is and you free him of his snare. Because you would die for this big, soppy boy and his big, soppy eyes. “You’re so grouchy today.”

‘The joke won’t land if it collides with the truth, Taehyung,’ you muse. You expect him to know this despite never having apprised him of your situation. You’re jealous and cowardly and completely unreasonable. You want him for yourself but you never want him to know that. 

If he wants your candour he should be a telepath. Simple.

Irritated by your own nonsense, you lash out at the unsuspecting boy. "You know what? I was joking, too. I remember Namjoon, he was hot. And smart. I think I'll cheat on my dating ban this once and bid on him. He has super nice lips, so." 

Taehyung simply smiles. "Oh, okay. Cool! Glad you’re gonna come along." 

Your threat proves ineffective because he doesn’t like you like that. Wouldn’t give a shit if Namjoon rawed you on stage while you stared him down. You stall on that thought because it’s kinda hot. “It’ll be great. Can’t wait to get my tongue down his throat.”

“Hell yeah! I knew you liked him.”

Yep, Taehyung is oblivious to your pining. As he should be. Because outwardly, your pining consists of nothing more than the odd, lingering look here and there. The balled-up sketches of him he will never see. A secret smile if you’re feeling particularly sentimental. Other than that, you're steely. Poker-faced. Rarely blind-sided by his allure, especially now that you've acclimated to his penchant for exhibitionism. 

 "Thank you in advance for your patronage." Rising from his seat, Taehyung comes to a stand behind you and leans. Encircles your shoulders with his terribly athletic arms and puts his lips to your ear. You're like a feral cat in the arms of a senseless child. You're bristling. "If he turns out to be a jerk and tries something he shouldn't, I'll protect you." For a moment, you're touched enough to unclench a little. "With these guns." And then you choke between his straining biceps and vie to repay him in kind.

----

The common room of Taehyung's dorm has been crudely transformed. Some questionable construction has taken place in order to build the catwalk centrepiece. Sofas and tables line the walls, thrust from the limelight. You've occupied the drinks table for the last 45 minutes, from the second you entered this place. You harbour an intense dislike for the chaotic energy of Taehyung's dorm. Machismo rages noisily between these walls and you much prefer less testosterone-drenched environments. Nevertheless, despite it all you're here on an endeavour this evening. One your idiot, rampant mouth has obligated you to. To buy time with a guy that's perfectly nice and all, but isn’t Taehyung.

Kim Namjoon makes eyes at you from the head of the runway, awaiting his musical cue. The beer you just slurped down bubbles up. You have to look away. Unfortunately, when you do, Taehyung is immediately there, his face in yours, his thumb and fingers pulling at your cheeks. "Hey you, don't get too drunk, okay? I don't trust a single man here. Especially not nice-as-pie Namjoon." 

Nice-as-pie Namjoon has chosen some Bruno Mars track by the sounds of it. The auction-goers' excitement ramps up considerably.

Unable to move your captured face, your eyes sweep the room. "Not even your own teammates?" you scoff cynically, swatting at his hands until he’s baited into a game of slapsies. "Now who sounds jealous?" 

Taehyung stops for a moment, thoughtful. "You know, you're right. I'm extremely jealous. I want Namjoon all to myself. He gives the best massages. And a happy ending when I ask nicely." And then he's back to rough-housing you, slapping your upper arms to alternating beats. "You look cute tonight. Your outfit, I mean," he offers up out of nowhere, so quiet you almost lose it to the bass. "He's lucky."

But you look exactly the same as you did earlier that day. Exactly the same as that afternoon in the cafeteria when he ribbed you for raiding Billie Eilish's Good Will donations. "Um, thanks. I guess." You're genuine, but don’t sound it. You can't look at him for fear of revealing the dopey grin that has hijacked your face.

"You're welcome, buddy." A large palm flattens your hair. His fingers get all in there, ruffling it until it probably looks more akin a bird's nest. Is Taehyung trying to sabotage you? Also, buddy? "Look, Namjoon's walking." 

You turn and see that he is. Strutting, moreover, albeit awkwardly. It's obvious that the lanky boy is unaccustomed to the same attention the team he services is. Nevertheless, there are whoops and hollers aplenty for the handsome blonde dork, and you, too, catch yourself smiling. How can you not, when he pokes at his dimples so? The others seem captivated, too, though less by the  finger-hearts and more by his form-fitting tracksuit. 

“I’d wrap my car around a tree if he was the tree,” one auction-goer confides to her friend. “And then I’d wrap my legs around—”

“Yeah, we get it Lisa.”

Lisa quiets. 

Namjoon’s endless legs sidle to a stop at the catwalk's end, directly opposite you. His bespectacled eyes meet your bespectacled eyes. For one, long second, the interest is palpable.  But then he breaks, and casts his gaze down to his FILAs. 

"Okay, he's, like, in love with you, I think," Taehyung whisper-yells, hands aflurry in applause. "Are you gonna bid?"

Shouts puncture the cheering either side of the room.

"$10!"

"$20!"

Neither of them are you.

The evening’s auctioneer - Taehyung's partner-in-slime Park Jimin - echoes each cry that rings out, giggling into a tinny karaoke mic. "$20 for our team physio?! Is that all you got ladies and gents? Do I have to remind you this guy can grope away pain with his magic hands?"

Namjoon spins toward Jimin's makeshift podium of an upturned bookcase and menaces him with his eyes. Well, it would be menacing were the man not as threatening as a ribbon-wrapped basket of newborn sloths.

The striker backpedals. "Okay, the massage might not be included, but don't let that deter you! He kisses like a pro!"

Screams of how do you know that, Jimin?! erupt and the throng grows ever more wild. Namjoon is redder than the cup you're strangling.

"Are you gonna bid?! You're gonna miss your chance!" For some reason Taehyung is still here, harassment game still strong. He should be preparing to walk next, but sees fit to pester you instead. And because of that, he's caught you in your lie, bare-faced and blushing.

No, you are not going to bid on Kim Namjoon.

"Uh, oh no, I forgot my purse," you grumble around the rim of your next drink, gulping it down like the bottom is your way out of this God-awful situation.

Then what are you doing here?

"It's right there." Taehyung pokes the cross-body bag hanging traitorously by your side.

"Oh, is it?" You reach for another cup even while burdened with one. Anything to sidetrack this conversation.

Taehyung intervenes with a firm hand. Swaddles your knuckles ‘til the shaking stops. You’re shaking? Beer slops over the sides, unnoticed. “___?”

Stupid, warm hand. And why are his fingers so fucking delicate for a footballer? He should model jewellery. Wedding rings.

Yours.

His ringless fingers close around your wrist when you persist in avoiding his gaze. The ruse is almost up. Fuck. There’s nothing left to do but to look at him. 

You do, ever so timidly. “What?”

"What are you doing?" Puzzlement becomes him well. Why is he so goddamn handsome? "If you aren't gonna bid on Namjoon, why did you come?"

Silence, but for the pump of background Bruno Mars.

‘You. I came for you. You were the plan all along. Not him,’ your mind screams.

You, however, just stare.

"Going—going—gone! Sold for $70! Come claim your kiss!" Jimin can hardly stop himself from squealing. For a guy that beds girls on the daily, his sincere excitement over simple lip-locking is amusing.

Taehyung's teammates hail him from the drapery behind the catwalk but he won't yet go. No, he insists on searing holes into the side of your face while you watch Namjoon get sloppy on-stage with some girl you don't know. They're really getting into it. Damn, he forgot about you quick. In  their fervour they edge towards the bounds of the catwalk, too absorbed in one another to notice. Thankfully, voyeuristic bystanders are on-hand to catch them before they fall.

"Kim Taehyung! How many times do I have to call you?! Get over here before I kick your fucking ass," Jungkook roars across the hubbub, halfway through the room. He  enacts the violent gesture for emphasis and knees some unsuspecting girl in the ass. Immediately the macho facade drops and he's all doe-eyed and buck-toothed, prostrating himself before the girl who actually seems grateful to have been assaulted by one Jeon Jungkook. Between his hushed apologies, Jungkook shoots Taehyung a look something murderous. And then he sees you and throws a shy wave, the kind a little kid might when cajoled by his parents.

"Ew." The word comes up involuntarily, like bile.

A deep cackle emanates from beside you. "Okay, guess I'm up." Taehyung squares his shoulders. His mouth, too. He's a very angular boy. "Better get my kit on. Cheer for me!" With a pat to your shoulder, he makes for Jungkook. Leaves you with an insidious dread. His soccer kit is your weakness. 

No, he is your weakness.

"Next up - and I'm sure most of you here tonight are anticipating this guy - our very own Team Captain and soon-to-be Major League Soccer player, Kim Taehyung!" Banshee-shrieking reverberates at Jimin's announcement. "Stick around, he'll be out in a few minutes!"

Oh fuck. Oh fuck. You turn from the catwalk and fully embrace the drinks table, supporting yourself with two hands and God's grace.

Nah, you aren't gonna do this.

No way.

This wasn’t an actual plan. Just a fantasy.

You're not gonna tell him like this.

You're not gonna tell him ever.

All you have to do is just say you turned out to support him. You rarely get to go out with him anyway, what with his ever-growing entourage. Taehyung would appreciate that, and he'd never have to know that you came here for cornier purposes.

You're not a big gesture kind of girl.

Nah, you aren't gonna do this.

Distantly, you wished Areum were here. She'd have slapped some sense into you, maybe even literally.

No. Wait.

The devious cow would've talked you into doing it. For sure. She has a flair for the dramatic.

"Sorry, can I just—thanks." Someone with offensively bony elbows bulldozes you aside and passes a drink to her companion. An apology is on the tip of your tongue but evaporates into the ether upon seeing the twosome in question. Both were complicit in the casual bullying you endured during your high school years. They don't appear to recognise you now. Not that they even spare your pitiful person a glance.

"Who's up next?" the worst one queries, cup snug to her bosom.

"Taehyung," the lackey answers, glee upending her petulant features. "Kim Taehyung."

An elbow jabs you again as the girl struggles with the clasp on her clutch. Her overlong claws impede her. "Oh shit, already? I thought we had more time. Shit."

"Nope. It's go time. Hurry up, girl, competition's gonna be fierce." The other one watches her digital acrobatics to get into her purse.

Oh God. She has so much money. There's no doubt in your mind she'll trump everyone present.

No. Oh, no.

Not her. Not with him.

Your mind flits through premonitions of the future. They’re all  rather grim. The last one is that of a wedding. A marriage between this dreadful bitch and your most cherished of friends, Taehyung. It's garish and tacky - she's denied him input, of course - and the ceremony is filled with faces that once mocked you mercilessly. None of Taehyung's friends are there; indeed, he is no longer even part of his team. Her possessiveness and his undying loyalty have put an end to his blossoming career. He looks sad beneath a mask of happy. Eyes that once blazed with the embers of ambition are doused by despondency. He is a husk.

And their first meeting is this auction, this cute anecdotal encounter of oh, I just had to have him, and when I kissed him I knew.

Just a glimpse at this dystopian future disturbs you silly. Conviction, while tentative, burgeons in your heart.

You can't let her have him. Anyone but this noxious cunt.

And suddenly you've money in hand, too. Bills you withdrew specifically for this purpose, and yet would sooner have left them crisp and cold in your purse than followed through. But public humiliation is endlessly preferable to damning Taehyung to a kiss with this serpent. Because it won't stop there. It won't just be a kiss but an appeal for more. She’ll say it’s no strings attached, but she doesn't attach strings. She weaves webs. You recall her high school boyfriend. He was a well-performing, jovial guy that always waved hi. And she consumed him, heart-first, ‘til he was naught but a sunken-eyed zombie. He took a leave of absence that never ended.

Sexy, dangerous synth sounds from the speakers either side the catwalk. Ah, shit. Not that song. Any song but that one. NCT U’s Baby Don’t Stop. Of course Taehyung picked that. It fills the air with a fatal drum beat and in he comes through the curtains, strutting like he is the rhythm. The room, rather than become uproarious, falls eerily quiet. Everyone breathes as one entranced being, and no one moves but him. Halfway down the catwalk he body-rolls with the fluidity of wind-rippled satin, burgeoning from his chest and snapping at the hips. Prospective bidders gasp, as do you. And then his thumb is in the hem of his shirt, luring it upwards, exposing his olive expanses inch by mouthwatering inch. You see his abs near every day, but in this context, backed by that song, you find yourself as winded as everyone else. His stomach tautens for show, feeding into loose-waisted shorts that sit far too low. Even you haven’t been privy to this much. And especially not the alluring trail of hair that thickens at his waistband.

Someone shatters the stupor and screams, “$80!”

“Geez, you’re a horny bunch.” Jimin’s laughter peals. “We already have $80. Any advance on—“

“$100!” Some breathless sap cries next. “Oh my God, look at his thighs!”

And look you do. Taehyung grooves at the catwalk’s end, shirt back in place but hiking up the hems of his shorts instead.  You almost glimpse groin. He’s absolutely shameless, straining the muscles of his thighs until they’re lewdly pronounced. They’re veritable tree trunks. His calves, too, defy belief. Rock-hard and rounded and begging to be bitten. The party-goers crowding round his feet must think similarly. 

What distracts you most, however, are Taehyung’s straying fingers. They skirt his crotch in a salacious manner, stretching the material where it shouldn’t. Accentuating things they shouldn’t. You may pass out.

All the while his eyes are down, maybe closed. You want to see his face more than anything. The playful smirk on his plump, wet lips and the focus in his brows. 

“$120!!” You almost lose your head to a cash-strangling fist beside you.

It's her. Pointy-elbowed bitch.

But you aren't thrusting your student loan up just yet. You're in the middle of an almost holy, revelatory experience. Taehyung is still undulating and provoking the crowd, who are no longer hushed but whooping like chimps in heat. His shirt is off and helicoptering overhead. He allows one overcome girl at the sidelines to verify the thew of his biceps and bags himself another bid. You, however, do nothing but gawp, bills clutched to your chest and your eyes affixed to the glorious grin that breaks across his face. His eyes open onto you and then it's you you see at his wedding, standing afore him, bouquet instead of a wad of cash. You want to be the one. Now is the moment, while he's watching you envision this.

"$200,” you splutter. Volume is difficult when your voice is a quivering inconstant.

"What was that? Did we just get another bid?" Jimin wavers too, out of disbelief. "Did someone say $200?!"

The room is a clamour of confusion but Taehyung watched you mouth the very syllables. The shock is such that it softens his salacious movements to a dance more modest. His eyes are wider than you've ever seen them; mouth too. It hangs agape and downturned, as yours does. Because you're not quite sure whether you said something else altogether. Maybe you hurled a cuss word out of frustration? Did you momentarily black out and proclaim Hitler did nothing wrong? Nothing else can account for the scrutiny with which he punishes you with now.

Or.

You actually did bid, and that's why he's walking over, to the very drop-off of the catwalk, no longer any swagger to his step. "What are you doing?" he calls down, the music still strong and now strangely inappropriate. You simply watch the mole beneath his bottom lip move, dumb.

Louder, now, you call again. "$200!"

"Oh! It was a bid! ____?!" The flame-haired MC shares his puzzlement with the rest of the reacting room. All heads turn toward you.

But yours turns nowhere but Taehyung, your expression an open book of long-hidden liking. You watch, suspended by dissociation, as he lays a palm flat against his chest. "Me?"

It could all still be explained away. A joke. You drank too much. You just wanted to see the look on his face. Instead, you grant him the minutest of nods. A simple tip of the chin. "You," you whisper, whether it's heard or not.

Taehyung sees it in the shape your lips make. And then his gaze sweeps back upward, his chest heaving far too much for a man standing stationary.

"What's going on?" The disgruntled echo each other.

Jimin is quick to make sense of things and keep it rolling. "Okay, so, a bid of $200! Anyone else?"

A new song comes on; it's gone on too long. Something with a cantering beat that's adequately sentimental.

So if love is nothing more than just a waste of your time—

Clambering atop the platform, you counter someone's desperate bid of $220 with a measured breath. "$250." You hold Taehyung at fingerpoint. "You."

Waste it on me.

For a pants-shitting second, nothing happens. Your outstretched arm gains a tremor that could crumble it. Taehyung sifts your soul with his big, dewy eyes and then he's walking. Stalking toward you. Knocks the money from your hands and seizes your shying face with both of his. The last thing you see is his nose mole before his mouth joins with yours. His grip is like a vice and his lips are no gentler. They pry you open with little effort and then you're flooded with wet heat. Taehyung is insatiable in pursuit of your tongue. His hands drop to draw in your waist, your chest, every inch of your overclothed form. He's underclothed but burning hot, planes of honed skin beneath your fingertips. It's all so right. Feels so good. Taehyung moans that much into you when he chances a breath of air. Applause starts up as the music swells. It's so cliche but you've never had a cliche of your own before and your gloom-ridden ass needs this.

"Going—"

"I didn't know. I wish I had. This would've happened sooner," Taehyung gasps between desperate, too-short smooches. It proves too difficult to resist the pull of your mouth and he captures it again, sloppier. Slower.

"Going—"

"It doesn't matter." You pull the oxygen in, impatient. "Doesn't matter." Your fingers are a tangle at the nape of his neck, tugging on his lustrous locks. "Make up for it."

"Gone! Sold for $250!"

The two of you won't be parted for a moment. Not even when dismounting the platform. There's ruckus around you but it's so distant when his lips are on you. You sink into him like you would a scalding bath. "You don't have to pay that," Taehyung tells your cheek, smearing his saliva-slick mouth back to yours. His greed for you manifests against your stomach, and you ache in return. "This is a freebie."

Your passionate clinch takes you to the sidelines, away from prying eyes. Most of them, anyway. "What about this?" Your hands are suddenly in unseemly places.

"Th-That's also free. Everything's free. Oh, God."

[marjansmarwani]

we won the cosmic lottery

2.1k || ao3

When Mya convinces Carlos to try speed dating on what would otherwise be a lonely Valentine’s Day, he’s pretty sure it’s going to be a disaster. Until a man who manages to light up his world with one look slides into the seat before him, that is. Suddenly he’s feeling a lot more optimistic.

Or, Tarlos Alternate First Meeting: Speed Dating Edition

I wrote fluff again and I am probably more surprised than you are. 

But I found this prompt from @madamewriterofwrongs in my inbox from several months ago and figured why not write a Valentine’s Day fic and try to stretch those fluff muscles again. Beta’d by @officereyes 💕 

-----------

As bad ideas went, Carlos was pretty sure this was one. 

“I cannot believe I let you talk me into this.” 

“What, you had other hot plans for Valentine’s Day?” Mya asked him, raising a skeptical eyebrow at him over her drink. 

“No,” Carlos admitted, “but that doesn’t mean this was the correct alternative.” 

“Why not? You’ll waste an hour of your life, talk to some people, come out with some good stories if nothing else. I think it sounds like the perfect alternative to spending the night home alone with Netflix.” 

“Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it,” he told her, tipping his glass to her before taking another drink.

“I have tried it Carlos, far too many times. You have too - that’s why we’re here.” 

“To get a look at Austin’s future serial killers?” 

Mya rolled her eyes at him before lightly smacking his arm with her clutch, “No, Officer Buzzkill. We’re here for a chance to maybe meet Mr. or Ms. Right.” 

Carlos twisted on his stool to survey the crowd gathered in the reserved section of the bar. He typically didn’t like to make assumptions without at least trying to get to know someone first, but he could honestly say that none of the men in the crowd even gave him the slightest glimmer of hope for the evening. He should have stayed home. 

He turned back to Mya with a dubious expression and she rolled her eyes again, “Lighten up Carlos, at the very least it can’t hurt.”

Carlos cast a glance back to one guy who was leering at him from the other side of the room and grimaced, “I’m not too sure about that.” 

His partner opened her mouth to respond but was interrupted by someone grabbing a microphone and calling the crowd to attention. 

“Good evening lonely hearts!” the host said once the din of the crowd had died down. Carlos shot Mya a look but she ignored him. 

“We’re going to get started here in a few minutes,” the host continued, “but before we start moving I just wanted to go over the specifics. Upon checking in you were given a bracelet. These are to help with the logistics. If you received a red bracelet you will be taking a seat at any of the open tables. If you got a pink one you will be rotating between the tables.”

Carlos glanced down at his wrist to see a red bracelet sitting there. Mya held up her own wrist to show another red one, “Looks like we both get to have people come to us tonight.” 

Carlos chuckled at her before turning his attention back to the host, who was still explaining the rules. 

“When the bell dings, you will rotate to the table to your right. You will have 3 minutes with each potential suitor and when the bell rings, you will move to the next one. Make sure that you write down their number and check yes or no before you part on the card provided - that’s how we will be pairing you! At the end of the evening we will be comparing all the lists and you will receive a list of the names and contact info of any suitors you mutually matched with to the email provided. After that, the ball is in your court! So make sure you make the most of these three minutes; it could be the time you find your soulmate!” 

The room filled with polite clapping and Carlos turned again to Mya, “You can’t be serious.” 

“Lighten up Reyes,” she said with a wink, “you wouldn’t want to scare your potential soulmate away.” 

“Fine, I’ll ‘lighten up’. But if one of these creeps murders me to make a skin suit, I’m holding you personally responsible.” 

“I don’t believe in ghosts so your threats have no effect on me.” 

There were several more things he wanted to say to his partner, but he was interrupted by the sound of the host telling them all to head to their respective areas. As they went to stand up, Mya reached out to touch his arm, “it’s going to be fine Carlos, really. You’ve got this; try to have some fun for once.” 

Her tone and expression were much more gentle than before and he took a deep breath, forcing himself to relax, “Thanks Mya,” he replied with a grateful smile. “Now go find Ms. Right.” 

She matched his smile and with a wave, she was gone. Carlos took another steady breath and headed to the guy’s section of the room, taking a seat at one of the tables. He pulled the card out of his jacket pocket and picked up one of the pencils waiting on the table, twirling it through his fingers anxiously. And when the first contender of the night slid into the seat before him he forced on a warm smile and held out his hand in greeting. Mya was right, he had this. 

--------

7 dates later he was less sure he had this. 

They hadn’t all been creeps, per se (though numbers 2 and 6 definitely had been) but they also hadn’t done anything to elicit any kind of spark in Carlos. They had been nice enough and reasonably good looking, but Carlos had decided a long time ago that good enough wasn’t worth the effort. If he was going to try and make a go of something with someone, they had to be someone who made him feel something. It had to be worth the risk. 

He was contemplating his abysmal luck when the next guy slid into the chair across from him. Carlos looked up and all coherent thoughts fled his head. This guy was... gorgeous was the only word Carlos could come up with that did him justice. Everything about him was perfect and Carlos couldn’t bring himself to look away. 

He eventually noticed the extended hand in what he sincerely hoped was a normal amount of time and took it, still studying him as he blurted out the first thought that came to mind: “I didn’t see you here before.” 

He definitely hadn’t been here when things were starting, Carlos would have noticed him in a crowd, he was absolutely sure about that. The other man smiled sheepishly, “yeah, I got here a bit late. I was trying to convince myself to actually come. My friends had to practically push me in the door.” 

Carlos chuckled, “My friend had to pretty much drag me here with her. Are your friends here?” 

“They’re at a bar down the street for ‘moral support’,” he responded with an eye roll, but a fond expression. 

“That’s so helpful.” 

“Isn’t it?” 

They both laughed again before Carlos suddenly realized they had yet to even exchange names, “I’m Carlos, by the way.” 

“TK, nice to meet you.” 

“That’s an interesting name. Does it stand for something?” 

TK grinned at him coyly, “It does, but that’s at least a level 4 backstory, and we’re barely at level one.” 

Carlos grinned back, feeling the quip come easily despite the butterflies definitely fluttering in his stomach, “Well, we’ve got some time to work on that. Personally though I recommend we skip over levels 1 and 2, those are mundane at best.” 

TK’s green eyes lit up as he laughed. The sound sent a shock through Carlos’s entire body and in that moment, Carlos decided he had been wrong. He owed Mya an apology: this had been an excellent idea after all. 

-----

His three minutes with TK had not been nearly long enough. When the bell had dinged he had nearly jumped out of his skin. He had been so absorbed in their conversation he hadn't noticed the passage of time. It felt like they had been talking all night, but also as if they had barely begun to talk at all. 

TK gave him an apologetic smile as he stood from his chair, “I guess that’s my cue. It was really nice talking to you though, Carlos.”

“Yeah, you too,” he responded. He hesitated for a moment as he studied the other man. In only three minutes he had felt more of a connection with TK than he had with people he had dated for weeks. Maybe it was that they were both first responders, maybe it was something else, but he wasn’t ready to let this go. So many things were mysteries, but Carlos knew one thing for sure: if he let TK walk away from him tonight, he might just end up regretting it for the rest of his life. 

“Would you maybe like to catch up when we’re done here? Maybe get a drink, talk some more?” 

TK paused mid-stride, raising an eyebrow, “You still have two more dates left, how do you know you won’t want to spend the evening with them instead?” 

“Call it intuition.” 

He could call it intuition or blind hope or desperation if he wanted, Carlos really didn’t care. He just knew in his gut that it was right, that TK was someone he needed to get to know more. TK was still considering him, and Carlos anxiously awaited his verdict. This was so far outside of his comfort zone and he was pretty sure that if TK turned him down he was going to head back to his condo tonight and not leave for at least two days, too buried in embarrassment and shame to face the outside world. But this felt worth the risk; he just hoped he hadn’t read these feelings wrong. 

Finally, after what felt like a lifetime passing in the moment of a breath, TK smiled. “I’d like that,” he said, “I guess bachelors 9 and 10 are out of luck for both of us then.” 

“Try to let them down easy.” 

TK laughed again, squeezing his shoulder as he walked away, “As long as you promise to do the same—getting turned down by you would be a tough pill to swallow, Carlos. Try to break their hearts gently.”  

-------

Carlos was still feeling the euphoria of TK’s smile 10 minutes later when a figure slid into the seat next to him at the bar. He turned eagerly, ready to see TK’s eyes again and felt disappointment, followed by instant guilt, when it wasn’t TK but Mya occupying the seat next to him. 

“Well that was a waste of time,” she declared as she slumped forward onto the bar, “you were right. I shouldn’t have dragged you here, I’m sorry. Wanna go get tacos at that truck you love to drown our sorrows?” 

“Actually,” Carlos began, but their conversation was interrupted by the sound of someone calling his same from behind them. They turned in tandem and Carlos felt his heart beat just a little faster at the sight of TK, who was looking between him and Mya. 

“Hey Carlos, I just wanted to see if you were ready for that drink yet. If you’re not we can...” 

Mya interrupted before TK could finish his sentence, “I was just leaving, actually. I’m Mya, by the way—Carlos’s partner and friend.” 

TK turned his gorgeous smile on her and held out a hand, “TK Strand, nice to meet you.” 

“TK’s a firefighter,” Carlos told Mya, biting back a smile as she raised an eyebrow and TK nodded, “I’m with the 126.”

“Well, TK Strand with the 126, take good care of my partner here. He’s pretty special.” 

“I’ve already gotten that feeling,” TK agreed, giving Carlos another grin that he felt straight through to his soul. 

Mya smirked as she stood from her seat, looking between them as she pulled out her keys, “I’d say have a good rest of the night, but I think that’s already a given. I’ll see you on Monday Carlos, don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

“And that would be what, exactly?” 

Mya shrugged as she started to walk away, “I’m sure I’ll think of something.” 

“Text me when you get home!” he called after her. 

“Yes mom!” she called back as she reached the door. Before she opened it to head out into the Austin night she turned one more time and shot him a smile and a thumbs up. He rolled his eyes fondly, but nodded. Then she was gone and he turned all of his attention to the man beside him. He was grinning too and Carlos was starting to get the feeling that he might never get used to the things that smile did to him.  

TK slid into Mya’s abandoned seat and leaned closer to him, “So where do we start?” 

Carlos smiled back and waved down the bartender to get drinks for them. He wasn’t sure where to begin, but he had a feeling wherever it was would be the beginning of something great. He turned and caught TK’s eyes again, savoring the warmth that emanated from them. 

Tonight may have started out feeling like a mistake, but he was starting to think it may have actually been more like fate. 

[shinygoldstar]

Pleasantly

since @risayume opened this can of worms i think it's safe enough for me to drop this. been itching to write this for so longgg. pls don’t torch me haha

mild gaslighting (frankly this could get a lot darker but let’s not open that can of worms yet)

'Maddie'/Vlad (kinda)

rather light hearted on the surface

AO3

Maddie's life is simple. Wake up, greet her sleepy dear, cook some breakfast for both of them- despite his insistence that she let the hired cooks make their meals, Maddie knows Vlad prefers her cooking the most. She hummed idly, sprinkling some salt and pepper on the eggs, carefully controlling the heat to ensure the eggs are done just right. Perfect. She turned off the stove and scooped the eggs onto the plates. The toaster pinged at that moment, perfectly timed as usual. She arranged everything then took it to their usual breakfast table on the patio. Moments later, her sweet dear arrived, yawning and still in his PJ's. "Maddie dear, you don't need to cook for me. Just your presence with me each morning is more than I could ever wish for. Let the cooks do their jobs." he smiled happily.

"You work hard all day while I idle away at home. I just wish I could do something to help you dear. If cooking breakfast for you makes you happy then I'd certainly do it for you." she smiled. And she meant it.

Maddie hummed. For as long as she can remember, Vlad had always been there for her. Re-teaching her how to walk, to speak, to read. He did so much for her after she had an accident that cost her all her memories. Patiently waiting for her to relearn everything while juggling his full-time job. He said it's not too much of a bother and she believes him. But she also wishes there's some way she can repay him.

"You hum a very pretty melody." Vlad commented. She blushed; she had forgotten that he's still here. "Would you- if you don't mind, do you want to hum along while I play the piano tonight?" Vlad asked hopefully. She nodded in agreement. Anything for Vlad.

.

Soon enough Vlad had to leave for work. As much as he tries to delay it to spend more time with her, she knows his job needs his attention. She doesn't mind, much. But their house is quiet without him. The staff don't like to interact with her, mostly keeping to themselves and making themselves scarce. She never saw who did her laundry. The house is always clean but she never saw the cleaners.

She was reading a book in Vlad’s study when someone appeared out of nowhere. It was hard to see the person, there’s some sort of glow that makes her blurs her sight but she can vaguely see the person’s white messy hair and their black bodysuit. She asked.

“Who are you?”

.

It has been several months since Vlad last launched some nefarious plan. Ever since Vlad reentered the Fentons’ lives, he had always been at best, a constant burr to their lives. Irritating and difficult to remove. Several months of silence is too long in Danny’s opinion. Ghost Zone seems normal so Vlad must be plotting something big. It’s time to visit the old fruitloop.

The trip went surprisingly easy as Danny quietly slipped through Vlad’s house. The hallways were empty, devoid of people. Almost like a haunted house. Perhaps it is, Danny thought wryly. He thought he felt a faint trickle of his ghost sense but no mist emerged from his breath.

He breezed through the rooms until he found one study room warmly lit with one presence in it. He barged into the room, “Hey Fruitloop! I know you’ve been cooking up some new nefarious plans! Why don’t we just skip straight to the fight can call it don-?” then he saw the room’s occupant, “Mo-Maddie?” he yelped out in surprise, dropping out of the air.

Mo-Maddie blinked and squinted at him for a moment, then asked, “Who are you?”

.

Danny flipped back into the air, “What you do mean ‘Who are you’? It’s me- uh your friendly neighbor Phantom? Ring any bells?”

Maddie mumbled the name to herself, “Phantom, Phantom, Phantom… No, sorry.” She looked up, “I don’t remember that name. Sorry if I don’t recognize you. Have we met before? And how are you floating midair? Is this a new invention?”

Danny... is confounded. What is she doing here? In Vlad’s house of all places? Wasn’t she at home this morning? And what’s with the questions?

Brushing aside her strange questions for later, he asked “M-Maddie? What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be at Fenton Works?”

She replied confusedly, “What is ‘Fenton Works’?

Danny is even more confused. “That’s where you live?”

Maddie frowned, “But I live here? Is this Fenton Works?”

Danny facepalmed at the absurdity, “This is ridiculous…” he muttered into his hand. “How about I take you back to Fenton Works and maybe you’ll recognize it?” Not waiting for a reply, he swooped towards her, catching her in his arms and flew out of Vlad’s house.

Maddie disagreed strongly with the treatment. “I did not consent to this. Take me home Phantom.” She demanded. Vlad’s house grew smaller behind them. A tiny dot of white in the middle of everything green.

Phantom replied, “I am!”

“That’s not the right direction!” she huffed out, “And how are you flying?”

“I’m pretty sure I’m better at directions than you in the sky Maddie!” he retorted back with humor. Maddie’s patience is wearing thin. Whatever good intentions this strange Phantom has, he’s not getting her point.

“You just took me from my house Phantom!” she told him bluntly, “Take me back! Or I swear I’ll bite!”

Danny is taken aback by his mom's attitude.

“I didn't want to do this but I’ve got no choice.” Danny said quietly and attempts to overshadow her. However, he is interrupted by a screech. Recognizing the screech, Danny immediately ducked, dropping lower in the air and rolling to the side while holding tight onto his mom. He turned to look above him. Yup, the three vultures are here, all in their green feathery glory.

The one on the left, Danny never caught their name, stated their demand, “Return the lady to us, Phantom.”

Danny ignored the birds and flew faster, or as fast as he can while holding his precious cargo. But outnumbered 3 to 1, a lucky strike from one of the birds left him open to the other two birds and Danny soon had to retreat without his mom. Danny flew back home at twice the previous speed to get reinforcements.

.

Birds were chirping softly. Quiet burbles of running water. The sun’s rays warm and comfortable. Maddie snuggled into her bed. Something shifted beneath her. Maddie blearily blinked her eyes open.

“Oh sorry, did I wake you up?” It was Vlad. Maddie blinked several times to clear the fog in her head. They were in the back garden, the fountain burbling away quietly in the center of the garden. She shifted up to sit on the bench next to Vlad. She looked up at the sky, it seems like it’s late afternoon now. Then she remembered.

“Vlad?”

“Hmm?”

“A young man came into the house. I think he flew. I asked him how is he flying and he tried to take me away. I told him to take me back home but he said he’s taking me home.”

“That’s a very bizarre dream you have dear.” Vlad commented, amusedly.

“It felt so real. I think it’s real.” She murmured.

“Dreams often do.” he hummed contentedly.

They sat contentedly watching the sun’s rays grow thinner and shadows grow longer. This idyllic world. It feels so small now.

“Vlad?”

“Hmm? Yes Maddie?”

“What’s Fenton Works?” Vlad’s breath hitched.

His reply is carefully neutral, “Fenton Works? That’s an odd name. I don’t think I recognize it. Don’t worry about it, okay? Just let it go. It’s just a weird dream. I don't think you're relapsing back into coma but I can call the doctor if you want to recheck?"

"I- no, it’s fine Vlad. It's probably just a weird dream." She smiled weakly.

No. It’s not just a weird dream. She slightly shifted her arm to hide the small scratch she received from one of the birds. She knew heard Vlad's breath hitch when she asked. Fenton Works meant something to him. It wasn't just a dream.

--

Original prompt: Vlad clones Maddie and elopes with her. (Alternatively a fic where Maddie doesn't recall anything about the outside world and we wonder why until it's revealed that she's a clone)

[let-it-raines]

Prompt - David and Mary Margaret discover this great groupon deal for an autumn leaf changing tour and cabin rental in Vermont, but the catch, it's for 4 people. Enter in the reluctant best friends that can't stand each other. (And you know, the cabin only has 2 rooms)

🍁 found on ao3 | here | 🍁 

-/-

Here’s the thing about Killian Jones: Emma doesn’t hate him.

She really, really doesn’t. Hate is a strong word that she saves for people like Neal and the asshole who took her parking spot and made her lose her skip and her bigger paycheck last week. It’s not a word she uses to describe her opinion of Killian Jones. That would be better described as mistrust or slight animosity or dislike. In the nicest of terms, it could be described as nonchalance and uncaring, maybe a little bit of annoyance, but those are only true when she hasn’t seen him for awhile and has forgotten how annoying he can be.

Right now, annoyance is the exact word she would use to describe her relationship with him, mostly because his appearance was unexpected and unwelcome.

A month ago, Mary Margaret called Emma and told her that she and David won a trip to Vermont for a weekend of walking trails to see the leaves changing. It included free lodging, free dinners, tickets to a farm where you could pick your own apples and pumpkins and sit at their restaurant on the lake and drink the cider brewed at that very farm. It sounded nice, like the plot and setting of a Hallmark movie Emma only watches when she’s at Mary Margaret’s loft, and Emma told Mary Margaret that she hoped they had a good time.

Then Mary Margaret told her the trip was actually for four people, invited Emma and their mutual friend Ruby, and Emma figured why not? Her job has been stressing her out lately, and it’s a free vacation. Who passes up a free vacation?

Ruby Lucas apparently does in order to go to help her grandmother with the catering of a last-minute wedding, and Emma didn’t know about that until she got in the back of David’s truck and saw Killian Jones sitting in the spot that was supposed to be Ruby’s.

She feels cheated.

This was supposed to be relaxing even if it was going to be spent watching David and Mary Margaret be overly affectionate with each other, and now she has to deal with Killian for an entire weekend.

That’s two days and twelve hours too long if she includes today…which she definitely is.  

They’ve been in the truck for a little over three hours, which means they should be at the lodge soon, and Emma’s trying to focus on the scenery outside. It’s gorgeous, much more rural than what she’s used to living in the central part of Boston, and from what she’s heard of the lodge and the trails surrounding it, it’s only supposed to get better.

This is good. This can be a good weekend. Maybe she can go off on her own for most of it, and she won’t have to be with Killian or the lovebirds. They’ll be too busy getting lost in each other’s eyes, and he’ll be too busy flirting with every woman around. There’s definitely got to be opportunity for her to go off on her own.

If not, she might fling herself into a pile of leaves and never emerge for air.

And she’ll definitely blame it on Ruby for not telling Emma about her last-minute cancellation.

When they do eventually arrive at the lodge – after thirty minutes of Killian complaining about one of his coworkers – it turns out to look more like a small castle than anything else. It’s made of gray stone and covered in ivy and weeds while still being maintained. There’s a round fountain in front of the entryway, and behind the building, Emma can see the path that leads down to the lake and the hills that are full of trees behind it. Every tree is a different shade of red, orange, green, and yellow, and Emma has never wanted to take a picture of nature so much in her life. She’s about to live out the life of one of those girls on Instagram who only do things for the aesthetics, and for a weekend, she can’t say she minds.

What she does mind, however, is that when David hands her the key to her room, he hands Killian a key to the same room.

The same room as in her room.

Her. Room.

Hers.  

“No.”

“Why are you saying no?” David asks, tilting his head in question.

“No, as in no I will not share a room. I thought I was getting my own room.”

“It’s a couple’s weekend, Emma, and I bet you would have been fine sharing a room with Ruby.”

“Yeah, because Ruby’s…”

“Ruby’s not me,” Killian interjects, wrapping his arm around Emma’s shoulder. She tries to shrug it off, but it doesn’t move anywhere. It’s deadweight up there, and Killian has unfortunately turned so he can’t see her death stare. Not that it would have any effect on him. “You see, Dave, it’s just that Emma is wildly attracted to me, and she doesn’t think she’ll be able to contain herself knowing I’m only a few feet away from her, especially when she discovers I sleep in the nude.”

“Oh my God.” Emma moves from underneath Killian’s arm, her strength coming back to her, and moves toward her – their, ugh – door. She turns the key, which is for some reason the old fashioned kind and not a card. “Please stop talking, Jones. I am not wildly attracted to you, and I can handle sharing a room. I’m not a child.”

“See, I knew the lass could do it.”

He winks at her and does this ridiculous eyebrow thing at David, and Emma is seriously considering paying thousands of dollars (she googled this place when they walked inside, and it is not cheap) for her own room.

“We’ll meet you guys in the lobby in thirty minutes, okay? We’re going on a tour of the grounds with our guide and then dinner, so dress for both.”

“When is the hike?” Emma asks, lingering in the doorway.

“Not until tomorrow. I’ll get Mary Margaret to send you the itinerary.”

“She already has. I just haven’t looked at it.”

“I’m not telling her that,” David laughs. “See you soon.”

Emma waves, smiling at David, and turns into the room, dragging her luggage behind her. It doesn’t take long before she’s stopped in her tracks, her sneakers snagging in the carpet, as Killian runs into her back.

“Bloody hell, why’d you stop like that?”

She opens her arm to the bed – singular – in front of them, which would look cozy and soft and all of the good things if she had it all to herself. “If you didn’t bring clothes to sleep in, you’re sleeping in your fucking jeans,” she mumbles before turning toward the bathroom and closing the door behind her.

This is fine.

This is all fine. Emma has been through a hell of a lot worse, and maybe Killian won’t be an ass. Maybe he’ll be the gentleman he always claims to be.

She’s never believed him for a second when he’s said shit like that.

Emma changes out of her leggings and sweatshirt into a pair of jeans and a thick sweater, grabbing her red plaid jacket and a beanie and placing them to the side for when she leaves. She puts on some mascara, a swipe of lipstick, and brushes out her hair. This is as good as it’s going to get, and she doesn’t mind that. Mary Margaret will tell her that tomorrow or whenever they go to the nice dinner that she’ll have to dress up, and Emma is giving herself a break on the makeup until then.

She had to pile it on every night this week for work, and her skin is screaming for a break.

Killian knocks on the door, telling her to hurry up because he has to get ready too, so she takes five extra minutes…out of spite…because she knows it’s just petty enough for it to rub him the wrong way. She doesn’t feel bad about it either. Killian would do the same damn thing.

“You look nice,” Killian tells her when she opens the bathroom door and he’s standing on the wall opposite the bathroom, leg propped up and arms crossed over his chest. His eyes trail up and down her body, and Emma moves out of the doorway. A shiver runs down her spine, but she ignores it.

Definitely, definitely ignores it.

It’s cold up in Vermont, even colder than in Boston, and these old walls aren’t helping.

Killian takes approximately two minutes to get ready, all of which is probably spent getting into ridiculously tight jeans, and then they’re begrudgingly walking to the lobby where David and Mary Margaret are waiting for them already talking to the guide, a peppy woman named Anna who is like the redheaded version of Mary Margaret when Mary Margaret is in one of her “everything is a fairytale” moods.  

Anna takes them throughout the property, giving them the history of the place while offering up different amenities that are not included with the package they won but still accessible if they’re willing to pay. There’s a spa, a gym, three different hiking trails, an option to take row boats out on the lake if the weather is nice, and there are two different restaurants on the property. They also offer drivers to several places around town, including the grocery store and the farm they’ll be visiting tomorrow after their hike, and Emma is sure several other things are said. She zones out about halfway through, distracted by the view of the trees and how they’re reflected on the lake. Everything is in an orange glow right now, one that brings comfort to Emma.

She’s always liked sunsets. It’s cheesy and she’d never admit it out loud, but she likes the predictability of them. They don’t always look the same, but they happen every day, even if she can’t see it. She likes that, having that constant. It’s not something she has a lot of, constants that is, and she takes every one she can get.

Maybe this weekend won’t be so bad.

If she says that enough, she just might believe it.

-/-

Dinner is nice.

The food is good, the wine surprisingly good since she was pretty sure it was going to be some funky homemade stuff, and even more surprisingly, the company is great.

When she thinks that, she wonders if the alcohol content in the wine was higher than the server said it was.

All the good thoughts about Killian go away, however, when they’re back in their (still so awful to have to think) hotel room, and Emma is awkwardly sitting on the edge of the bed rubbing lotion on her arms. Killian, thank goodness, is in a pair of plaid pajama pants and a t-shirt, so he’s not even going to attempt to sleep naked.

She was 100% sure that he would try, and she’s honestly kind of sad she won’t get a chance to slap him.

On the cheek.

On his face.

She doesn’t want to slap him anywhere else.

Okay, that wine’s alcohol content was definitely higher than it should have been.

Killian plops down on the bed, the mattress shaking beneath him, and tugs the covers over him. His movements jostle her, and she grits her teeth as she finishes moisturizing. He turns on the TV, puts it on some show she has never heard of, and Emma tries to keep calm. She’s tired. She’s going to fall asleep quickly, and the TV won’t bother her. She falls asleep every night with the TV on, so this is nothing new.

Emma turns down the corner of the bed on her side and slides underneath before flipping the switch for the light. The room darkens except for the TV and the glow of the alarm clock, and Emma closes her eyes. They’ve got a lot to do tomorrow, and she doesn’t want to be walking around wishing she had an IV of coffee to keep her awake.

Slowly, sleep comes for her, tugging at the corners of her eyes, and just as she’s about to succumb to it, the comforter is tugged off of her, leaving her foot exposed to the cold air of the room.

What the hell?

Emma tugs it back, shifting her leg to have it covered, and for a moment, she’s warm. Warm and cozy and not even the too loud laugh track on the TV is disturbing her.

The fact that Killian pulls away the comforter again is, however, disturbing her.

Actually, it really freaking annoys her, so she pulls it back. Hard this time, and Killian grunts in response and rolls over. she feels his foot brush against her calf, and she kicks out, moving him back to his side. It’s only a queen-sized bed, so there’s not a lot of room for them to stay separate. She’s about three seconds away from finding pillows or their suitcases and putting them in between the two of them so he stops encroaching on her space.

And taking her comforter.

Because it’s definitely hers. Just like this room was supposed to be.

Killian wasn’t even supposed to be on this trip. It was supposed to be Ruby, who definitely would have stayed on her side of the bed. Better yet, she probably would have met someone and would be staying with them, and Emma would have this entire bed to herself.

It’s so comfortable that it’s a shame she has to share it. She’s not used to that anymore, and she likes to stretch out.

The comforter moves again, and Emma grips onto it, holding it where she is and tucking it underneath her ass to keep it as steady as possible. At this point, he has to be doing it to annoy her, and Emma is not going to lose this battle.

She’ll stay up all night if she has to.

“You know, Swan,” Killian mumbles, “normally I prefer to do more enjoyable activities with a woman on her back than fight over the covers.”

Emma groans and rolls over on her stomach, pointedly kicking out at him. “Shut up, Jones.”

“If that’s what the lady wishes.”

Emma mutters into her pillow, and for a few minutes, as the blanket stealing calms down and the TV quiets, Emma wonders if she could feasibly fake some sleeping disorder that has her punching Killian in the face all night.

She can be a pretty good actress sometimes. She could probably pull it off.

She doesn’t do that, though, because she eventually falls asleep, one foot sticking out into the cold air.

Damn you, Jones.

-/-

There’s a warm body nears hers.

That’s the first thought Emma has when she wakes up – after thinking of how annoying her alarm sound is. The body warm and solid and a little hairy, and it takes her two seconds to remember where she is and who she’s sharing a bed with. She knew she should have slept on the floor last night because in no world does she want to have her leg pressing up against Killian’s leg and her ass…

“Oh my God,” she murmurs, eyes blowing wide as she turns and moves her body as much as she can. “Oh my God, oh my God, oh my Goooooooood.”

“What are you yelling about?” Killian groans, shifting behind her, which only makes it worse.

“I’m not yelling,” Emma hisses. She pushes away and sits up, and there’s no need to even adjust the comforter because none of it is on her. “What are you doing near me?”

He raises his brow, wrinkles on his forehead popping up. Getting a look at him now, she knows the ruffled look he sometimes does with his hair is natural, and for some reason, that really freaking annoys her.

“I was sleeping until you decided to have a conniption.”

“Yeah, well that’s because your dick…oh shit.”

Emma wasn’t going to say that. She really wasn’t, and from the way Killian’s brow is arching higher, she knows that she’s messed up. She’s given him the perfect set up for all of his innuendos, and knowing him, she’s never going to be allowed to live this down.

What a great start to her morning.

“Usually that’s not the reaction, but I understand your shock, love. You weren’t prepared, and it’s, well, a lot to take in.”

“Oh my God, shut up.” She takes the pillow from behind her and smacks him with it as he laughs. He’s getting far too much enjoyment out of this, and she’s wondering how long she would be in jail if she smothered him. “I’m going to take a shower.”

“Make it cold and bracing. I think you might need it.”

“Yeah, I’m not the one with morning wood, but you keep thinking that.” She gets off the mattress and reaches down for her bag. Killian may have unpacked his stuff, but she didn’t bother to do that, even if it means everything is wrinkled. “Please don’t take care of it while I’m showering. That’s just…we have to share the bed, Jones, and I’ve worked in hotels before. I know they don’t always change the sheets.”

He mock salutes, the cheekiest grin on his face, and this is really going to be a long day.

-/-

It’s a long day.

Before she can even get coffee in her, she’s dragged out to the hiking trail. The sun hasn’t fully risen, and they’re supposed to be watching the sunrise and how it matches up with all the changing trees. It’s beautiful. She knows it is, and she does manage to take some pictures that she’s sure capture about half of the beauty. The thing is that despite her best efforts, she didn’t sleep well, and she’s only running on adrenaline and annoyance.

Mostly at Killian.

He’s been staring at her all morning, a joke on the tip of his tongue about their morning, and he’s started to make them several times before Emma shoots him a look or elbows him in the stomach. Mary Margaret has given Emma several funny looks, and if she wasn’t so wrapped up in David and the romance of the changing leaves and the sunrise, she’d probably ask about it.

Mary Margaret is not one for subtlety or staying out of someone else’s business.

David guides them over the trail, which is somehow all uphill despite no discernible incline, and eventually the come to a perch with a few of the lake and the lodge, miles of trees surrounding it. Emma doesn’t think she’s ever seen anything quite like it, and now she can truly see why so many people travel here just to stare at some trees.

“It’s something isn’t it, Swan?” Killian asks as he walks up behind her, the heat of his body making the chill of the air fade for a moment.

“Yeah, it’s beautiful.”

“I didn’t think looking at trees would be your thing. I don’t take you as much of a nature person.”

Emma turns to face him and crosses her arms over her chest. “You don’t know me well enough to know if I’m a nature person or not.”

He steps closer, invading her space like he always does, and maybe she’s a bit of a liar when she says he doesn’t know her. “Just who are you then, Swan?”

Emma cocks her head and straightens her back, not letting him overwhelm her. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

He smiles and nods, lashes fluttering until his eyes are hooded. “Perhaps I would.”

“We better get moving if we want to make it to the apple orchard on time,” David tells them, making Emma jump away from Killian and smooth down her flannel over her stomach. “You okay? You look flushed.”

“Just the walk,” Emma lies. “I’m sure that’s all.”

-/-

“I will throw this apple at your head.”

“I don’t believe you.”

Emma groans, audibly, and plucks another apple from the tree and puts it in her basket. It’s getting a little heavy, and not in a million years could she eat all these apples before they spoil. They’re not for her, though. They’re for the farm and its cider and pies and tarts and all the other apple goods they make. She must admit that it’s a brilliant business plan, having people pick the apples for you and then make them pay for it and the food and drinks.

She can’t believe people actually pay to do this. The hike, she gets, foraging for your own food, not so much.

Emma picks an apple out of her basket, one that kind of looks gross and a little squished, and she tosses it at the back of Killian’s head. It hits, just barely, and she stops as he reaches up to touch his hair.

“What is wrong with you?” he hisses, turning around to glare at her.

“You’re the one who has spent the last ten minutes being invasive to my personal life, so what’s wrong with you?”

“Asking if you were still seeing Graham Humbert is not invasive.”

“It is definitely invasive.”

Killian’s shoulders shrug, and he steps closer to her. Really close, actually. He does this obnoxious thing where he’s always encroaching on her space when he speaks, swaying closer and dipping his head down until their eyes are level. He’s doing that now, obnoxious, downright cocky grin gracing his lips, and Emma backs away, dodging some low-hanging apples, until her back is against the tree and she’s putting her basket on the ground. She really hopes there aren’t ants crawling all over her, but at this point, she’s too distracted to care.

For every inch that she moved, Killian matched her. And now, he’s more in her space than ever, the heat of his body warming her more than her jacket. How is he that damn hot?

Only in the temperature sense…not in the other way. She is obviously still a little tipsy from the wine last night that she still maintains had a higher alcohol content than usual.

He chuckles, and his eyes look at her before glancing down at her lips. It’s not even a quick glance. It’s pointed, and Emma knows she was meant to notice it.

“Please,” Emma huffs, “you couldn’t handle it.”

He doesn’t even flinch. “Perhaps you’re the one who couldn’t handle it.”

She wants to say something back, some smart, snide remark that will make him frustrated, but she also wants to prove him wrong. Emma doesn’t care what anyone else has to say, and she’s heard all the rumors. Kissing Killian Jones is not going to have an effect on her.

So she grabs the lapels of his coat and pulls him forward until his mouth is on hers and Emma’s head is pressing into the back of the tree. The bark scratching the back of her neck would be uncomfortable if she wasn’t so focused on Killian. He’s not kissing her back, his lips rigid against her, and she’s just about to pull back and give him shit over being a horrible kisser when he moves. His hand comes to her hair, yanking on the strands as he tilts her head the way he wants it, and his prosthetic rests at her waist. Every thought she had about him being stiff was wrong.

She’s never felt anyone move like this.

She’s also had some pretty damn good kisses in her life, but she can’t remember the last time one took her breath away and made heat curl over her skin as soft lips moved over her and slightly rough stubble scratched against her skin, likely leaving her red.

Emma can’t remember the last time she was kissed well, and damn, what a shame that is.

She could get used to that.

But she knows that’s a dangerous thought, and this is a dangerous game she’s playing. If she’s bringing cards to the table to play, she has to be open to the possibility that she can lose her hand.

Emma isn’t open to that right now.

So, she pulls back, just barely though, and tries to catch her breath as Killian does the same. He’s panting, and in any other circumstance, the sound would be like heaven to her, a strong indication of what’s to come next. Not in this one, though, and when Killian moves in, she pulls away.

“That was,” he begins, seemingly trailing off in a search for the words to describe what just happened.

She doesn’t know either, but it doesn’t take her long to figure out what she wants to say.

“A one-time thing,” she finishes, knowing she has to say it as she looks at him and the flush of his cheeks. “I’m going to find David and Mary Margaret. Don’t follow me. Wait five minutes and...” she glances down toward his jeans “…calm down.”

He mockingly bows, same smug smile she’s used to back on his lips. She knows how they feel now, and that feels wrong.

“As you wish, milady.”

-/-

The late afternoon lunch (or is it early dinner considering the time?) is awkward as hell. They’re sitting at a small, supposedly cozy table in the midst of the most romantic patio ever created (think of all the string lights in the world and then double it) with wine and cider in their glasses and good food on the table in front of them.

Emma wants to run away.

She can’t.

It really freaking sucks.

And it doesn’t help that Killian keeps looking at her with these big blue eyes that she doesn’t normally see. He looks earnest almost, and she doesn’t think Killian Jones has been earnest a day in his life.

Then again, how much does she know?

“Oh, this is so romantic,” Mary Margaret sighs. “I’m so glad we won this trip.”

“Does romance include two of your mates sitting at the table with you?” Killian asks. “Dave was playing footsy with me earlier we’re so cramped in here.”

“Was that you?” David hisses, cheeks going red, and Emma starts to laugh. That’s the best thing she’s heard all day.

“Yes, it is romantic even with you and Emma here. And with David somehow mistaking your leg with mine.”

“In my defense, Killian’s calves are only a little bigger than yours, sweetheart.”

“I’m not sure whether to be flattered or insulted.”

“Flattered, of course,” Killian says. “I have bloody fantastic legs. Ask Swan here. She felt them up last night.”

Emma kicks out her foot at Killian under the table, not one hundred percent sure she’s actually hitting his leg, but then she sees the slight wince. Gotcha.

“So, what are we doing after this?” Emma asks to change the subject. “Another hike? More apple picking? Second dinner?”

Mary Margaret sighs, “a carriage ride back to the hotel, but they’re going to take us the scenic route.”

“Of course they are,” Emma mutters, stabbing her food and stuffing it into her mouth. She’s going to need more wine.

-/-

The carriage ride is worse than the dinner. For one, the horses smell horrible, much worse than the food, and the carriage is somehow smaller than their table. She’s pressed completely up against Killian, their sides aligned, and he has his arm over her shoulder while they share a blanket. She tried to refuse, but it’s gotten really cold. Her nose and her fingers are going to fall off soon, and she’s as zipped up as she can be.

David and Mary Margaret practically make out across from them, and even though Emma knows more about their sex life than she would ever want to know, sitting his close to it as a horse drags them along the road is not something she’s comfortable with.

“Make it stop,” she murmurs into Killian’s shoulder, half to keep her from having to look at David and Mary Margaret but mostly to keep her nose warm.

“I’m afraid we have to ride this one out, love. If you want, we could share our own kiss…again.”

She hits his thigh underneath the blanket. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Whatever helps you sleep through the night.”

-/-

She doesn’t sleep through the night.

She’s too aware of her surroundings, of the warm body a few inches from her own.

It’s all too much, even if he didn’t try to steal the covers tonight, and if she wasn’t so damn stubborn, she’d sleep on the floor. She told herself she would do that tonight, but now it feels like admitting defeat.

Emma doesn’t like to admit defeat.

-/-

They go for another hike the next morning, their last morning in Vermont.

Emma sticks next to David the entire time, asking him mundane questions she doesn’t care about just to keep the conversation flowing and to keep Killian from making any jokes she doesn’t want him to make. It works, mostly, and Emma is even able to enjoy herself and the view for a lot of it. Boston can be gorgeous, but she’s going to miss a lot of this.

It’s the picture perfect dream, but Emma knows perfection doesn’t exist. And in pictures, it’s almost always photoshopped.

Doesn’t make it any less stunning as she stares out at it all, and it doesn’t make her want the picture perfect dream any less. The one where she isn’t so scared of getting hurt again and where she lets herself have fun, lets herself feel safe.

Lets her heart in on the decision making with her head.

-/-

Emma sleeps on most of the car ride back to Boston, and when she wakes up, it’s with a sore neck and tired eyes. It’s also in front of her apartment. She thanks the Nolans for the weekend, and very slowly, it dawns on her that Killian is no longer in the car. They must have dropped him off first, and she doesn’t know why, but it stings a bit that she doesn’t get to say goodbye to him as well.

That’s the lack of sleep talking, obviously.

Emma would never miss saying goodbye to Killian because that would mean she was going to miss his presence. She wouldn’t do that, though. Of course not. Because she didn’t have a good time when he was around. He didn’t make her smile at all this weekend.

He never makes her smile at all.

If Emma was using her own superpower to detect lies, there would be a blaring red light over her head with a little bell blaring in her ears.

She is ignoring it in favor of stuffing everything about this weekend in her bag and not looking into it. It was pretty. Nice pictures were taken, good food was had, and nothing else happened.

(Ding, ding, ding.)

-/-

Life returns to normal. She goes to work, goes to the gym, is occasionally dragged out to bars and clubs with her friends on the nights she isn’t working.

(She does finally get that guy from two weeks ago, and the paycheck is worth the struggle.)

Killian is around a lot more than he usually is. He’s in school getting his degree in software engineering on some scholarship he got from his service in the Navy, and he usually bartends at night. That job fizzled out, though, so when they all have pizza night or go out or meet up for lunch, he’s usually there.

Emma finds it odd, but she doesn’t mind.

She doesn’t pay much attention to him because she’s making a conscious effort specifically not to pay attention to him, not until he misses a fantastic opportunity to make an innuendo, and she realizes he hasn’t been making a lot of those lately. They’re there, sure, but not in as high of a quantity as they usually are.

It’s weird, but the weirdest thing about it all is how much she misses them.

Huh.

When did that happen?

When did the flirting stop annoying her and start making her laugh? When did she start liking it?

Liking him?

The thought comes to her without true warning and without permission. It’s wiggled its way out of the deep caverns of her mind and made it to the surface, gasping for air so it can live out in the open. She has a physical reaction to it, her hands coming to cover her mouth as she inhales a deep breath that has everyone looking away from the TV to look at her.

“You alright?” Ruby asks from her spot on David and Mary Margaret’s couch.

“I’m fine,” Emma lies, knowing her friends won’t push her further. They’ve known her long enough to know not to do that too often. “Just need some water.”

She gets up from her chair and walks toward the kitchen, her mind running faster than Usain Bolt, and she tries to focus on pouring herself a glass of water and on the football game that’s on. She doesn’t even really like football, but it’s kind of a fall tradition around here. She just has to go with it.

Everything is fine. This is fine.

This is…this is crazy. It’s even crazier that she can’t tell if her body is experience fear, joy, or some insane mixture of both bottled up with all of the adrenaline it can muster.

“You sure you’re alright, love?” Killian asks as he walks into the kitchen puts his plate in the sink. Of course he followed her in here. He, unlike Ruby, Mary Margaret, and David, has no qualms about bothering her. “You look a bit flushed. You’ve gone red around your cheeks.”

“Fine,” she lies again. “I’m fine.”

If she says that word enough, it’ll be true.

“Are you certain because I – ”

“Why don’t you flirt with me anymore?” she blurts before she can stop herself. She must be going crazy because this is insane. Who has taken over her body, and can she get it back please? Preferably before she does something stupid like kissing him again.

Then again, that wasn’t all stupid. It felt pretty damn good.

Killian arches his brow, his forehead wrinkling, and she knows she’s about to get some dumbass answer. He scratches behind his ear with his prosthetic. “Because if I’m to win your heart Emma, as I’d like to, I’d like to do it in a way that doesn’t piss you off, as much as I do love that. It’s quite entertaining for me, especially when you go red as you are now. It’s a becoming color on you, but I realize my methods of getting your attention were a bit childish.”

Well, okay then. Maybe not a dumbass answer.

This is a weird, weird few minutes.

“Are you trying to tell me you’ve been doing the adult equivalent of pulling pigtails on a playground?’

He shrugs. “Aye, I guess.”

Emma, once more, doesn’t know what to do or say, so she lets instinct drive her. She steps forward and places her hand on his shoulder, looking him dead in the eye. They’re ridiculously blue, and it’s just not fair. “Asking me to dinner would have worked much better than that. Food has always been the way to my heart, especially if it’s cheap, greasy, and will make my stomach hurt afterward.”

She leaves the ball in his court (or in his possession on the field since they’re watching football and her sports metaphors should make sense, and she’s 82% sure that’s a correct metaphor), and walks away before being pulled back by her wrist until she’s looking at him again.

Once more, he’s earnest, and she’s still getting used to that.

And those blue eyes. Those too. They don’t have to be all devilish all the time.

“Would you like to go to dinner with me, love?” Killian asks, hopeful, kind smile on his face.

Genuine. He’s genuine, and she feels that little flutter that she hasn’t felt in awhile, not since she kissed him against the apple tree to prove a point to herself that she wouldn’t be affected by kissing him.

Emma really is a bad liar, especially when she’s lying to herself.

“I thought you’d never ask.”

[gaylotusthatexists]

may i have one 'shot with an arrow" with intrulogical, please?

hunting

fandom: sanders sides

pairing: intrulogical 

prompt: shot with an arrow

trigger warnings: morally grey/sympathetic remus, weapons, animal death, blood mention, injury mention

word count: 2391

a/n: hey!!! it's been a while since i posted anything for the @badthingshappenbingo but! i'm back babey, here we go! thank u for requesting this friendo u know how much of a slut i am for intrulogical. 

ao3

The one thing that Logan hadn't expected today was for Remus to break down his door and drag him out to the Imagination, very much against Logan's will. Logan supposed he didn't have an excuse to get out of it, though - he was ahead of schedule in doing his jobs for Thomas, and had actually allocated that day to rest, perhaps to read a few astrology books from the steadily increasing pile on the corner of his desk. However, those plans were soon thwarted as Remus explained his own plans.

Logan somewhat got along with Remus, unlike the other light sides, although he'd never thought that he would ever be Remus' first choice to play around with - or 'torment', as Remus liked to put it, although Logan knew that was just his way of showing affection. Apparently, Janus had been busy that day - something about Thomas working too hard lately, the two of them were having a 'self care day' according to Remus - which meant that Remus had come to Logan instead. Which would usually be fine - Remus often came to 'hang out' with Logan, although that usually consisted of Remus ranting at him whilst Logan worked. This was the first time that Remus had taken Logan into the Imagination.

"Might I inquire what we are actually doing here?" Logan asked, calmly walking alongside a bouncy Remus through the Dark Forest.

"I was bored," Remus said.

Logan sighed. "Yes, Remus, I'm quite aware of that. But that doesn't explain why I am here, or what activities you have in store for us."

"Basically, I was reading The Hunger Games last night-"

Logan raised an eyebrow. "You can read?"

Ignoring Logan's statement but throwing him a glare, Remus continued, "-and I wanna learn archery. And maybe go hunting. So I made an archery range to practise!"

Logan breathed in. "Is that safe?"

"Who cares about safety?"

"I care about safety."

"Well, you're a nerd-"

"I'd just prefer not to die."

"Boring."

Logan sighed. "Please just tell me it's safe."

"Yeah, sure, it's safe or whatever." Remus grinned. "You'll like it, though!"

Logan nodded. "Sure." Over the years, he'd found that it was better to just agree with Remus.

Eventually, the two came across an archery range, where two targets, two bows and several arrows were waiting. One bow had been painted a sickening shade of green and decorated with tiny tentacles, and the other had been painted a solid dark blue, with some white lines dotted around. Logan hummed.

"Did you make these yourself?" he asked, as Remus picked up the green bow and got himself into position.

"Yeah. I didn't sleep last night."

Logan frowned. "Remus, sleep is important, you shouldn't be skipping out on that just to paint something."

"You can't say anything, I know you stayed up late last night reading Sherlock for the hundredth time."

"That's only because I don't have time to read it during the-" He paused. "Wait, how do you know what I doing last night?"

Remus shrugged. He hooked an arrow onto the string and pulled back, sending it flying into the air. It flew straight over the target, landing on the ground a few metres behind the targets.

Logan sighed. "Remus, if you're going to shoot an arrow, at least aim." He stepped towards Remus, as Remus went to get another arrow. "Oh, Lord, you're not even holding it correctly. Here-" He reached up and moved Remus' fingers so one was above the arrow and two below, then fixed his grip on the bow itself. "Alright, now pull to your cheek, try to centre the arrow on the target, and-"

Remus shot the arrow, landing straight on the target. A little off centre, in the red section, but still a pretty good shot. Remus grinned in excitement and immediately went to get another arrow, taking another shot. This time, the arrow bounced off the board, landing in the ground below. Remus pouted.

Logan chuckled lightly. "You need to keep up your technique with every shot, Remus. Don't loosen your grip."

"You're such a nerd, Logan," Remus said, taking another shot and this time getting closer to the bullseye. "How come you know how archery works?"

Logan didn't want to tell Remus about his three am Wikipedia trips learning about subjects that had never particularly interested him but sure were fascinating when he had nothing else to be thinking about, or didn't want to go to sleep, so instead he grabbed his own bow and took a few shots himself, all landing pretty close to the bullseye, one only just off the centre. Remus turned to him, admiration in his eyes.

"I take back what I said about you being a nerd, that was so cool."

Logan gave him a small smile, trying to ignore the fact he was blushing a little. "Well, you're doing a good job yourself, as well."

Remus grabbed his hand and began to run off, dragging Logan with him. "C'mon! We can go hunt real things now-"

"Remus, I don't think-"

Remus shushed him and continued running, deeper into the Dark Forest. He summoned a quiver around his own shoulder and one around Logan's, filled with a never ending supply of arrows. It didn't seem like Logan would be able to get out of this.

Eventually, they stopped as they came across a clearing, with a few deer standing around. Remus ducked under a bush, dragging Logan with him.

"Try to hit that one," Remus whispered, pointing to a large one in the middle.

Logan sighed. "Do I have to? They're deers. They haven't done anything to us."

"They aren't real deers, Logan. They'll be fine. This is just for fun."

Logan breathed in. "Alright." He hooked an arrow onto his bow and aimed towards the deer, trying to keep his breath steady as he released it and watched the arrow soar through the sky, hitting the deers shoulder. It cried out in pain and collapsed to the floor, the other deers running away. Logan couldn't help but feel a little sad.

But Remus was smiling so much, and Logan did like seeing him happy. "You did it!" He exclaimed, jumping out of the bush. He clicked his fingers and the deer came back to life, looking a little confused but beginning to wander around the forest again, the arrow previously stuck in its back disappearing. "C'mon, let's go find more things to kill!"

The two began to walk through the forest now, falling into a comfortable silence as they looked around for their next prey. Logan had to admit that he was... somewhat enjoying this. The forest was a fairly pleasant place to be - being surrounded by nature was calming in a sense, and seeing the various creatures that Remus choose as his targets was actually quite interesting, some of these creatures Logan had never seen up close before and it was certainly an eye opening experience. Of course, he would have much preferred seeing the animals in a context where he wasn't killing them, but still, it was an enjoyable enough experience.

And there was something about Remus' forest that made Logan want to explore even more. He very rarely came to the Imagination, usually only popping in to check on Roman in times where Patton was unavailable, but he had never come to the Dark Imagination. He'd been expecting something a little more... dark, to put things simply, although what he'd been met with was a pretty realistic forest, with a scientifically accurate ecosystem, hardly any nonsense (asides from Remus' apparent ability to revive dead fauna). It was a stark difference from the Light Forest, with danger at every turn and a hundred different species that Logan was a hundred percent certain did not exist in real life, or should even exist in the realm of fiction.

This forest was nice, though. Logan was half tempted to come back here alone at some point, it seemed like an alright place to carry out some research, perhaps a little camping trip would do him some good. He could almost imagine it, a little tent by that stream over there, the berries on that bush didn't appear to be poisonous, there was a family of deer just beyond the stream that he could work with...

"Logan, duck!" Remus shouted, from behind him.

"Duck?" Logan spun around to face Remus, then looked around the area for this supposed duck. "Where?" He failed to notice the arrow quickly flying towards him, and the look of horror on Remus' face as the arrow pierced through Logan's chest.

Or rather, he noticed it a little too late. Logan glanced down at the arrow lodged quite a bit into his skin, looked at the blood beginning to soak through his shirt, and promptly began to freak out. On the outside he tried to maintain a composed look, but on the inside his mind was screaming and he was fairly certain that he was about to die. Well, logically he knew that he couldn't die, and even if he did Remus could just bring him back to life, but damn he had never felt this much pain in his life-

Pain. Pain. The more he thought about it, the more it hurt. He felt himself fall to his knees as all his limbs began to ache, the sharp pain extending from his chest and spreading across his entire body. He felt tears prick at his eyes and his vision become blurry - or was that just his glasses falling off, or- no, no, everything was growing dark as well, and he could feel the blood dripping down his skin, finding it harder and harder to breath.

He felt a hand touch his shoulder, pulling him up and reaching around the arrow.

"No!" Logan exclaimed, wincing at the sudden movement as he twisted his body to face Remus, a look of panic spread across his face.

"Logan, you-"

"Taking-" He took a gulp of air. "Taking it out will make it worse."

"Are- Are you okay?" Remus asked, gently.

"Yes, Remus, I'm doing just great, it's not as if I have a fucking arrow in my chest."

"Okay, okay, that was a dumb question, I'm sorry, I-" Remus breathed in. "If I'm not allowed to take it out, what are we supposed to do?"

Logan bounced his leg up and down, trying to get his thoughts straight and to push the pain down. "I don't know, this is your imagination, can't you get it to go away or something?" Remus' various weapons never usually hurt Logan when he was hit by them, Remus could never usually affect him, why was it different here?

"It's not my imagination, it's Thomas', I-"

"You fixed those animals earlier, can't you-"

"They weren't real, Logan-"

"So? I'm not real either."

"You're real to Thomas."

"Just do something," Logan snapped, getting increasingly frustrated with their back and forth.

Remus glanced around the forest for a second, trying to figure out his next move, before snapping his fingers and picking Logan up. A building had opened up in front of them, some sort of Medieval-style hospital, or... no, more like a witches hut. As he was carried inside, Logan glanced around to take everything in, another attempt to distract himself from the pain. There were bottles of various coloured liquids lining the walls, along with more modern looking medical supplies on tables, and a bed in the far side where Remus went to place Logan down. A woman came out and began to treat Logan's wound, carefully taking out the arrow and rubbing various liquids into it until the pain had soothed just a little. She then wrapped a bandage around Logan's chest, a little too tight for comfort but it kept the blood in, at least. The entire time, Remus held his hand, squeezing it in a comforting manner.

Eventually, the woman disappeared, and Logan's vision slowly return to normal. The pain was still there, but a lot better, and he could breathe much, much better now. After a long silence, he looked up at Remus, frowning at the tears staining his cheeks.

"Remus, are you-"

"I'm so sorry," Remus choked out, squeezing Logan's hand tighter. "I didn't- I didn't realise-"

"There's no need to be sorry, Remus," Logan said, calmly. Inside he was anything but calm, but he needed Remus to know that he wasn't mad at him. "I'm actually rather proud of you, that was quite an impressive shot, considering earlier today you could hardly hit a target-"

"Now isn't the time to compliment me, Logan, you could have died, I almost killed you!"

"I seriously doubt that I would have died," Logan said. "I don't believe it's possible for me to die, being a figment of Thomas' imagination and all-"

"That isn't the point." Remus was crying again. Logan couldn't quite figure out why. "I- I was worried, what if-"

"Why would you be worried about me?" Logan asked, genuinely confused.

"I fucking care about you, Logan, why wouldn't I be worried about someone I care for almost dying?"

Logan blinked. "You... care about me?"

"Of course I do, why would you think I don't?"

"I- I don't know." Logan hummed. "I mean, you hit me with all those weapons daily, and I know it never really affects me but it doesn't exactly scream 'friendship'. I was under the impression that you didn't care about anyone, actually."

Remus collapsed onto him, hugging him tightly. Logan tried not to wince at the sudden pressure, and instead awkwardly patted Remus on the back. "Well, I care about you. Don't scare me like that again."

"I mean, you're the one who hit me in the first place-"

Remus shushed him. Logan sighed, sitting up in the bed and pulled Remus into a proper hug, to which Remus' eyes lit up.

"Maybe we should stop with the archery," Logan suggested.

Remus snorted. "Yeah, okay, in hindsight, it wasn't really a good idea."

Logan smiled. "I did have fun, though."

Remus gasped. "Really?"

"Of course."

Remus hugged even tighter. Logan planted a small kiss on Remus' forehead, and then allowed Remus to sink into his body, as Logan tightened his own grip around Remus as well. The two refused to ever let go.

[ill-skillsgard]

Faith and Faust have been on my MIND lately. Thinking about him starting to get more protective over her like him waking up to her curling into his side and he has his arm sling around her. Or at a party when one of the rivaling band dudes tries getting her to sleep with him. He ends shit quick.

Previous Faust x Faith imagines here (x)

Note: This drabble got looooong. Over 3K. I think it might qualify as a one-shot, but oh well. We’re super close to the smut I’ve been teasing y’all Faust fans with. Enjoy!

Warning: 18+ drug use/drinking/violence/death threats etc.

Faust watched joy unfurl on Faith’s face. What was once her standard smile brightened into a beam so incandescent he had to look away. She jumped on him, wrapping her legs around his waist and her arms about his neck. If he took a step, surely she would have remained stuck on him like a cluster of chattering burrs.

“You really want me to come? Like, really? It’s not just a pity invite?” Faith asked.

“I’d never invite you if I didn’t actually want you there,” Faust told her.

“I know! I’m just so happy! I can’t wait!”

As fast as she exploded, a sudden and cold realization snuffed her enthusiasm. Faust saw her eyes, once wide and spirited, turn wistful. 

“What is it?” He asked, feeling her disappointment as she slid off him.

“My parents will never let me go. Not for an entire weekend.”

Faust clicked his tongue. “You’re an adult, Faith. You can do whatever you want.”

She shook her head, teeth pulling her bottom lip inside her mouth. “Not if I want to live there. As much as I’d love to be on my own like you, a minimum wage job at a bookstore barely covers rent. And I don’t know anyone around here who’d be my roommate.”

Faith assumed her disclosure would throw the same gloomy shroud over Faust’s expression, but he smirked and snorted. “Just tell them you’re going camping with Jessica and her family.”

“My dad will demand to meet her parents. There’s no way they’ll let me skip church for a camping trip without meeting them. Trust me, I know my parents. There’s no way to pull it off.”

“What about a phone call? What if Jessica’s dad talked to your dad on the phone? Would that work?”

Faith drew breath in through her teeth. When she looked up at Faust and saw his air hadn’t tainted with the sourness of defeat as hers had, it gave her a glimmer of hope. She’d do most anything to go away for a few days with Faust and his band. 

“I’m not sure. It’s risky. And if he doesn’t buy it, I’ll be screwed. He’ll never let me out of the house.”

“It’s stupid that your parents still control everything you do. Do they expect you to suck the teat your whole life? What about when you go off to university? Are they gonna monitor you every day?”

“No, but then I won’t be under their roof,” said Faith, her cheeks warming from his distaste. 

“Just tell him you’re going to Jessica’s for the night, then call the next day and say you’re staying another night.”

She shook her head. “I can’t. They’re already questioning me about her. Asking when they get to meet her, what’s wrong with having sleepovers at our house... My dad is catching on, I can feel it.”

Faust grunted his aggravation. “I feel like I’m dating a ten-year-old. You have to get permission to do anything. It’s fucking stupid.”

His frustration stirred up a whirlwind of emotions in her chest. On one end, Faith loved to hear him admit they were a couple, but on the other, Faust’s scorn reminded her of the infantile rules she had to follow and her father’s distrust. She was an adult, and there was no reason she shouldn’t be allowed to go away with her new boyfriend for a few days. Dejected and without hope, Faith’s eyes watered.

“Don’t you think I know how stupid it is without having you reminding me all the time? I don’t want to be me, but I am. If I don’t listen to my parents, they won’t let me choose my school or anything. They’ll put me in a private school. You don’t understand what it’s like to have parents like mine.”

“Thank fuck, I don’t.”

“So, I guess I’m not coming with you.”

Faust sneered and motioned at her purse. “Give me your phone.”

“Why?”

“I’m calling your dad.”

Faith clutched the strap of her suede bag, the thought of a staged conversation between her secret boyfriend and her father causing a lapse in any rational thought process. Though she stood rigid, Faust urged for her phone. She held her breath after relenting, a faint whisper of sweat dappling her nape. He held the phone to his ear and, noticing Faith’s paleness, turned from her to not crack a laugh.

Faith longed to hear her father’s voice, whether he spoke in a monotone or smelled the bullshit reeking off Faust’s words. Before she leaned in, Faust laughed through another bite of conversation, thanked the man and hung up. He tossed the phone to Faith and winked.

“That’s how it’s fucking done, babe. You’re coming.”

“What? Really? You did it?”

Faust wished not for her praise, so he stooped quickly to kiss her, but she pulled away, astonishment hanging off her jaw. 

“Wait, what did he say?” She asked.

“He said yes, obviously.”

“No, but, like, what did he say?”

“A whole bunch of shit. I don’t know, but you might want to start thinking up a new imaginary best friend because he’s keen on meeting Jessica and her bullshit parents soon,” Faust guffawed.

~*~

After Faith climbed into the back of the band van — a rust-bitten, grey clunker of a machine — Faust gave her a bare introduction to the rest of the passengers. The group wore clothes of all black, patched denim vests, leather boots or white high-top sneakers and sported varying lengths of shaggy headbanger hair. Faith felt vibrant as a rainbow with her floral summer dress on and a glinting gold chain suspending a cross pendant between her breasts. She hoped her fashion choices wouldn’t harrow Faust’s reputation as the broodiest member of the band, but when he held her hand in the back seat as they took off, all self-consciousness flew out the cracked windows. 

They pulled up to a squat apartment building where two girls stood waiting. Similar black clothes, dyed hair, illegible band patches, ripped fishnet tights and metal jewellery reminded Faith of how different she must have looked. She was the outcast in this group of like-minded individuals. The girls piled into the van, throwing their backpacks into the mess of camping gear while one lit a joint and passed it to Ola, the guitar player, who’d taken up a third of the space in the van by lying length-wise across the floor. The second of the pair noticed Faith and scrutinized her with two heavily lined blue eyes.

“Who’s that?” The girl made a general inquiry, avoiding eye contact with the newest presence in their group.

Faith hesitated a breath and then answered. “My name’s Faith.”

The duo exchanged smirks and giggled. “Okay. Did you find this one at Sunday school, Faust?” The blue-eyed girl asked.

A frosty mask of distaste tainted the drummer’s neutral expression. “Fuck off, Anika. Not everyone’s cunt doubles as a sewer. Nasty bitch.”

The girl named Anika scoffed, smacking Ola to prompt some defence, but received a chorus of snickering instead.

“Fuck you, Faust,” sneered Anika, imploring Ola’s intervention with a glare. “Are you just gonna let him talk to me like that?

Ola shrugged his shoulders, pulled his hood up over his mop of long blond hair and lowered his sunglasses. “He’s got a point.”

Anika turned her attention back to her friend, conveying some wordless message, and scoffed again. “We’re already off to a great start. Faust’s dating Mother Teresa and Ola’s being a little bitch.”

Mordy, the bass-player and driver, glanced into the rearview mirror, cynical eyes pinning on Faith before a curve in the road demanded his attention. She recognized him from the party. He was a quiet man with long, brown curls tied into a ponytail that nearly dusted his tailbone. Mordy shook his head and turned up the stereo to drown out the voices with walls of assaulting guitar riffs.

To Mordy’s right, the singer of the band — if he could be referred to as a singer — slouched into his seat, cracked leather boots perched up on the dash. Faith forgot his name, but didn’t worry over figuring it out until later. The passengers bobbed their heads in time with the music as they carved through the countryside and came to a dirt road that stretched for miles. She worried Faust’s friends would never accept her, but when he took up her hand again and held it in his lap, she leaned her head on his shoulder and decided it didn’t matter. Faust liked her, maybe even loved her, and that was enough.

The spot they chose was no more a campsite than the forest was a trailer park. Faith thought they’d never stop hiking until they came upon a small clearing, far enough away from civilization it was unlikely anyone might chance upon their tents. The group set up their gear while Ola and Mordy argued over who got to start the bonfire. 

By the time Faith unrolled her sleeping bag and changed into more comfortable clothes, the sun was minutes from disappearing. Mosquitoes caught their scent, ignoring the citronella torches doing nothing to keep them at bay. Faust insisted she douse herself in bug spray and did the same before rolling a felled log from the forest to use as a seat next to the crackling fire. Once the group gathered around the flame, out came the beers and weed. Several joints came around the circle, one of which Faith took a puff of before Faust plucked it from her fingers.

“You’re gonna give yourself the spins,” he warned.

Anika glared at the drummer. “Let her smoke if she wants to, Faust.”

Shocked by Anika’s change of heart, Faith gave her friendliest smile. Perhaps it was the alcohol smoothing over her prior judgments, or maybe she was always crass with newcomers, but soon, Anika and her friend Sam urged Faith over to their area, offering her sips of hard lemonade between pulls from a shared joint. Faust watched from the corner of his eye as he poked at the embers with a stick. 

“Um, where do we go to pee?” Faith asked an hour after sundown.

Faust spread his arms wide, gesturing all around the site. “The forest is your toilet.”

She blushed and turned to her new girlfriends.

“Don’t worry, Faith. I brought toilet paper. I’ll get you some,” said Sam.

Equipped to trudge through the forest to find a suitable spot to relieve herself, Faith heard the boys howling from afar and giggled. She found a log large enough to provide her some cover even though the night was black as pitch and the tops of the trees filtered out most of the moonlight. She could still see the fire flickering in the distance and headed toward it after she finished her business.

Twigs snapped underfoot as she ducked under low-hanging branches, intent on cutting straight through despite many obstacles. But before she reached even ground, a black figure stepped out from behind a thick walnut tree. It was the singer whose name she still couldn’t recall.

“Lost?” He asked.

“Nope,” Faith giggled, feeling the effects of both the weed and alcohol mixing in her bloodstream. “The campsite is right over there.”

“Right over where? I think you’re lost,” he said, taking a step forward.

Faith’s breath hitched in her throat. She tried to peer past him to spot Faust, but he cut off her line of sight. 

“Don’t worry about ol’ frosty Fausty. He’s busy talking to his ex-girlfriend. I’ll help you find your way out.”

She took a step back, and he matched it with a pace forward. Soon there was hardly a gap between their chests.

“I see the way you stare. You want me,” the singer claimed.

“Um, I think you’re mistaken. I’m with Faust.”

The man laughed, then took a drag of a cigarette Faith hadn’t noticed burning away between his fingers. He flicked the butt away and touched her shoulder. She snapped back, her heart plummeting from the unwanted contact.

“Can you not? I promise whatever you think you’ve read, it’s wrong. Faust is my boyfriend.”

“Man, for someone who dresses like a prissy smart-ass, you sure don’t know how things work. And you’re dumb to think Faust will settle any time soon. Trust me, I’ve known him since grade school. There’s no chick in this world good enough to hold him down. Least not for long. He’ll tire of you just like he did with Anika, and you’ll become another band-whore. Sticking around the guys to try your hand at being picked. I’ve seen it happen, and you don’t want that.”

Faith didn’t have much of a temper, but what underlying rage she harboured stoked beneath the scorching air of his words. It brought to light all the reasons she thought up to explain why Faust had yet to have sex with her. Perhaps what the singer claimed held truth. Maybe Faust was using her to gain shock points from his circle of friends. 

“Me, on the other hand... I’d treat you right. You’re too pretty for him, anyway. What’s a girl like you even doing sniffing at his heels? You’re not exactly his type.”

“I guess that means I’m not your type either,” Faith bit back.

“You’re most definitely my type. And I think you know it.”

“I’d like to go back now,” she whispered.

“Come on. Just think about what you’re doing. Faust will rip your precious heart out. You’ve no idea how many of his rejects I’ve had to comfort after be humps them and dumps them. What makes you think you’re any better in his eyes?”

“Faust loves me.”

“Oh, yeah? Has he told you that?”

“No, but... He doesn’t have to. I know he does. Otherwise he wouldn’t have—“

“Invited you here?” The figure chuckled. “Yeah. Right. This is where we bring all the band-sluts. Best not to think yourself wife material. You’ll only be disappointed.”

“Why are you doing this? Aren’t you his friend?” Faith asked.

“Yeah, sure we’re friends. Best friends. Which is why you should take my advice before you end up hurt—“

Something knocked the words from his mouth in a flash. One second he was upright, and the next he was on the ground, groaning from impact. Faust stood in the darkness, arms hovering at his sides to prepare for what he’d do next. Faith hadn’t realized she let out a yelp until voices from back at the campsite started calling out their names. Faust stooped, grabbed hold of the singer’s ankles, and dragged him a few steps.

“Get the fuck off me! What are you doing? Get off!”

Faith looked on with utter panic as Faust hauled him through the brush toward the campsite. She followed. The others gathered at the edge of the treeline until they noticed Faust’s hulking form and took steps back to clear his path. The drummer raked his hand through the singer’s hair, lifted him by the belt and tossed the man toward the fire. Before he could scramble to his feet, Faust was at his throat, fingers tangled in his hair again to force his face close to the roaring fire. The rest of the group looked on in horror as the singer’s moustache and eyebrows singed. Inches away from the licking flames, he let out a howl that nobody but they reeled from.

“If I ever catch you talking to my woman that way again, I’ll find you. I’ll find you and nail you to a fucking crucifix, douse you in gas and set you on fire.”

“Faust!” Ola snapped from his shocked state and lunged for the drummer before he caused permanent damage.

It took both Ola and Mordy to wrestle Faust off the other member, and when they did, Faust spit on him as the girls huddled together. Anika curled a protective arm around Faith’s shoulder as Sam stepped in front of her. Both girls wailed for them to stop, but their cries went unanswered.

“You hear me, motherfucker? Go near her again and I’ll murder you with my bare hands. You know I will!” Faust screamed.

“Fuck! My face! You burned me, you sick fuck!”

“Next time, I’ll slaughter you!”

“Faust! Faust, stop! Stop with the death-threats, okay? Enough! We came out here to have a good time!”

Faust shrugged his friends off, but they kept proximity in case the drummer took a swing. When they were sure Faust made his point, they let him go to Faith, who rushed into his arms and buried her face under the flap of his leather jacket. 

“Are you okay, Sven?” Mordy asked the singer as he stumbled to his feet.

In the firelight, the group stared at Sven, shorn of all his facial hair, brows and eyelashes included. The wind swept the stench of burnt hair away as he swiped his hands over his face, coming away with oily smears of his singed moustache on his fingers.

“Does it fucking look like I’m okay, Mordy? This fucking psychopath almost killed me! That’s it... We’re kicking him out of the band. I’ve had enough of his shit!”

Ola and Mordy exchanged strained looks, then turned back to Sven, both laboured with regretful grimaces.

“It’s not your band, Sven,” Ola mumbled.

“So what? Didn’t you just see what he did to me?”

“What happened back there?” Asked Anika.

“We were just talking!” Sven yelled. “I was just talking to her before this crazy fuck sucker punched me!”

“I heard what you said. And I should have known you’d try to pull a fucking move on her because that’s what you do. You try to fuck everyone’s girlfriend because you can’t find your own. It’s gonna earn you a tombstone, asshole!”

“Faust, come on. I think he’s learned his lesson,” Ola tried again to diffuse the tension.

“If anyone’s out of the band, it’s you. You won’t play in this town ever again.”

Faith tightened her arms around Faust’s waist, and the move worked to ground him. He realized then how scared she was, wheeled her about and guided her away.

They left the group, not stopping until they descended a slope and came to a small river. Faust took out his cigarettes, lit one, and exhaled more than just smoke. Faith watched, stiff and unable to give voice to her racing thoughts. All she could do was cling to him until he was ready to address the situation.

“Sorry,” said Faust.

“Sorry? What are you sorry for?”

“For scaring the shit out of you.”

“It wasn’t you who scared me.”

“I know, but still. Fuck, maybe I should have handled that a bit better.”

Faith noticed her hands shaking as Faust kicked rocks into the water, hauling on his cigarette until he burned filter. If she was honest with herself, Faust’s reaction had frightened her, but showed her all she needed to see.

“I... I love you,” came her wavering reply.

Faust looked up as though she’d let out a scream, eyes wide and lips pressed together. She shook her head, immediately regretting what she said until he went to her and pressed her to his chest again. He kissed the top of her head.

“I know you do. And I feel the same way, I think. But you have to let me do this at my own pace. All right? I don’t want to fuck this one up.”

A tear rolled down from her eye, but Faith smiled. Oh, how she smiled, clinging to him in the blackness, the trill of the stream drowning out the arguing back at the campsite. His heart thumped against her cheek. The beat erased all Faith’s fears of him growing bored with her. She would wait for him as long as he needed. 

[kurowrites]

I’ll See You Soon - Part II

Part II to this prompt. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

---

Wei Ying was on his way to the little takeaway that Lan Zhan had suggested they try out, and Wei Ying was nervous. They hadn’t seen each other since the wedding banquet, but they had started to message each other pretty frequently ever since then. Wei Ying had learned several things about Lan Zhan during these conversations: That Lan Zhan was extremely smart, rather taciturn, but also funny and fun to talk to once Wei Ying actually managed to make him talk.

Wei Ying was most definitely developing a crush. Had developed a crush. He didn’t even know. He had only met the guy once. But be that as it may, they were meeting today, and he was hoping to convince Lan Zhan that he wanted to meet Wei Ying again. So, Wei Ying had to be on his best behaviour today, and as he knew himself, he would inevitably fuck it up. But he wanted to make a good impression so badly. God, he wanted Lan Zhan to like him.

It was very easy to spot Lan Zhan, sticking out from the general masses as the only tall figure dressed in all-white with a long, thick braid falling down his back. He looked even better here, away from the oppressively opulent hall they had sat in for hours, among the red brick buildings of the university, surrounded by flowering hedges and trees.

“Lan Zhan!” he called out before he could stop himself, and skipped over to where Lan Zhan was standing as he turned around. “Sorry, I made you wait!”

“No,” Lan Zhan said. “I just arrived here myself.”

Then, after a short break, “Wei Ying.”

Wei Ying smiled at the mention of his name. Ah, he really liked Lan Zhan calling him by his name!

“So, Lan Zhan,” he said playfully. “Please guide me today. I’m sure you know all the best foods here.”

Lan Zhan nodded and led them a few steps further to the takeaway. The shop wasn’t extremely busy since they had opted for a late lunch, but it still had a steady stream of customers placing and picking up their orders. Lan Zhan pointed towards the menu hung up above the counter and recommended a few dishes he personally liked.

“If it is Wei Ying, he will like this one,” he said as he pointed towards a dish called Kadai Paneer on the list. “Spicy.”

Wei Ying laughed, a little embarrassed. “Was I that obvious at the wedding? But yes, you have guessed correctly, I like spicy things. I’ll take that one.”

Lan Zhan went to the cashier and ordered for them both, even asking to make Wei Ying’s dish extra spicy. When Wei Ying was getting ready to pay, Lan Zhan gently pushed his wallet back into Wei Ying’s bag, looking severe.

“It was my invitation. I will pay.”

“Lan Zhan, no!”

“I will pay.”

Wei Ying pouted at him, but Lan Zhan ignored him in favour of completing the transaction with the cashier. Well. He wasn’t going to complain about a handsome man paying for his food, no sir.

Before long, they were handed their food containers and carried them outside to secure one of the wobbly tables that had been placed under one of the large trees just next to the takeaway.

“Thank you for the food,” Wei Ying said as he opened his container with Kadai Paneer. It smelled heavenly. “I didn’t accept your invitation to mooch.”

“I know,” Lan Zhan simply replied.

They ate in silence for a little while, mostly busy with enjoying the food. Lan Zhan had been entirely right. The sauce was rich and spicy, and the paneer and bell peppers were a delightful contrast. He loved the food and told Lan Zhan as much.

Lan Zhan almost seemed to smile at Wei Ying’s enthusiasm.

“I come here often,” he told Wei Ying. “They change the menu regularly, so there is variation, too.”

“Hehe, nice,” Wei Ying smiled. “I might join you more often, in that case.”

He stole a sly look at Lan Zhan, and was almost sure that Lan Zhan blushed the tiniest little bit.

Wei Ying’s heart soared.

---

It didn’t take them long to start having lunch together regularly, slowly making their way around different takeaways and cheap but delicious little restaurants close to the campus. Wei Ying enjoyed all the meals, and he enjoyed Lan Zhan’s company, but he also couldn’t help but notice that Lan Zhan never allowed him to pay for a meal. Not one single time. Lan Zhan always found a moment of distraction or a threadbare excuse to pay, and while Wei Ying thought Lan Zhan’s insistence on paying was pretty cute, he was also getting rather frustrated.

“Lan Zhan,” he said one day as they both ate a lentil curry (Wei Ying’s spicy and red, Lan Zhan’s sweeter with a delicious taste of coconut). “If you keep feeding me all the time, it’s almost like you’re dating me.”

Lan Zhan blushed bright red without warning. There was absolutely no mistaking it this time. He was blushing, and it was the cutest thing Wei Ying had ever seen.

In disbelief, Wei Ying dropped his spoon into his curry. He stared at Lan Zhan, who was studiously avoiding Wei Ying’s gaze, studying his own curry with single-minded focus. Could it be that–

He slowly reached out for Lan Zhan’s hand, lying on the table between the two of them. He felt a smile spread over his face when he touched Lan Zhan’s fingers; the fingers opened up to make room for Wei Ying’s hand, closing gently around it, holding it without hesitation.

“Lan Zhan,” Wei Ying teased, once he found his voice. “Have you been stealth-dating me?”

He laughed happily when Lan Zhan only blushed harder. Overwhelmed by a feeling of tenderness in his heart, he squeezed Lan Zhan’s hand.

“You know you could have just asked, right?”

Despite the fact that he was holding Wei Ying’s hand, Lan Zhan kept stubbornly staring at his curry, refusing to look up. “I couldn’t be sure you were interested in someone like me.”

“Someone like you?” Wei Ying asked, incredulous. “What? A perfect gentleman? One of the most handsome, intelligent men I have ever met? At the banquet I was just waiting for the chance to get to talk to you! You were the one who would barely look at me!”

“You,” Lan Zhan cleared his throat. “You looked very handsome in your suit.”

Wei Ying gasped, but he couldn’t help but laugh at the same time. “Lan Zhan! Are you saying you were shy? That I was too handsome to talk to??”

He was teasing, but he also squeezed Lan Zhan’s hand in reassurance as he did so. He didn’t want Lan Zhan to feel bad about it. No but– he couldn’t wrap his mind around Lan Zhan liking Wei Ying in a suit and then being too shy to do something about it. It was cute. It was adorable. It was frustrating.

“You should tell me such things, Lan Zhan,” Wei Ying continued. “If you tell me, I can wear a suit whenever you want me to.”

“Not necessary,” Lan Zhan replied. He finally found the courage to look up and meet Wei Ying’s eyes. “Wei Ying is always handsome, no matter what he wears.”

Now it was Wei Ying’s turn to blush.

“Lan Zhan!”

Lan Zhan squeezed Wei Ying’s hand tighter.

“I am serious,” he said, and Wei Ying had no doubt that he was. That was the worst part.

After a few more moments of holding Wei Ying’s hand and stroking it gently with his thumb, Lan Zhan finally let go of it. He then returned to eating his curry without another word.

Wei Ying looked at him in confusion, waiting for Lan Zhan to say something until he couldn’t bear it any longer.

“You’re not going to ask me out?”

Lan Zhan shot him a look from the corner of his eyes.

“Not while eating,” he replied. “After we have finished.”

Wei Ying laughed and shook his head. “That’s so you! Incredible.”

He reached for his spoon, and finished his meal quicker than anything he had eaten in a long time, all thoughts of spices and good taste forgotten.  

[ft-dads-au]

Come Undone

Gratsu Summer Solstice 2020, Prompt: Is it Hot In Here or is it Just Me? I Take Pride In What I Am 2020, Prompt: Growth Pairing: Gray x Natsu Rating: M

A Collaboration by @mdelpin​ and @oryu404​

AO3  | FF.Net

Summary: With Aki staying at his grandparents' place for the weekend, and Lyon out of town for work, Gray finds himself home alone on a Saturday night. He asks Natsu to spend the night with him, hoping to get the chance to really be alone together for the first time.

July 24, 2021

Gray grinned, noticing the slight flush on Natsu’s cheeks as he returned from the stockroom to find him sitting at the bar. He lifted the beer he’d gotten from Mira a few minutes earlier in greeting.

“Hey!” Natsu welcomed him cheerfully, shaking his hand vigorously and squeezing it gently before letting go. “You don’t usually come here on Saturdays. Meeting someone?”

Natsu attended to his customers while trying to hold a conversation, never straying too far from where Gray was sitting.

“I have no doubt Loke will track me down eventually,” Gray snorted, knowing how much his friend hated to be alone these days. “My parents took Aki and the twins for the weekend to give us ’kids’ some alone time. Rogue is holed up somewhere with Sting, but you are sadly working, so I came to visit, and eat.”

No sooner had he uttered the words than a menu had been placed in front of him.

“I’ll be right back,” Natsu said before moving further away to take some drink orders.

Gray flipped through the menu listlessly, not really feeling hungry but well aware there was nothing for him to go home to. Lyon was gone on some work-related thing and wouldn’t be returning until late that night.

“You know, I’ve been meaning to thank you.”

Gray looked up, startled, even more so when he realized it was Mira who was talking. “What?”

Mira giggled into her hand, her eyes twinkling with mirth, “I know we didn’t exactly hit it off the first time we met, but to see Natsu smile again, it means a lot to all of us. So, yeah, thank you.”

He had no idea what to say to that, so he just kind of nodded and hid in his menu, ignoring the sound of Mira’s laughter at his reaction.

“So, have you decided what you want?” Natsu appeared in front of him once again, reminding Gray why he didn’t like visiting him when he was working at Fairy Tail, especially on a busy night like this one. Fairy Tail was located near the college campus. It was a much more popular bar than Crime Sorciere, making it difficult to hold a conversation since Natsu had to flit around constantly.

“I’ll just have a burger,” he muttered moodily.

“Everything okay?” Natsu raised an eyebrow in concern.

“Natsu, it’s already getting pretty busy, why don’t you take your dinner break now, you might not get a chance later,” Mira suggested, “I’ll have them bring both your orders to the break room.”

“Sure, thanks!” Natsu grabbed the menu from Gray’s hands, put it underneath the bar with the others, entered Gray’s order in the computer, and added his own. He gestured for Gray to come with him, grabbing his hand as soon as they were out of view from any prying eyes.

They entered a small, dimly lit lounge with two love seats and a rectangular table with several chairs.

“This is the break room, huh?” Gray remarked, glancing around the room. He was about to say something else when he felt Natsu’s warm lips on his. He hummed contentedly, kissing back and moving his hands down to Natsu’s waist, pulling him flush against him until Natsu broke away.

“I’ve wanted to do that since the second I noticed you were here,” Natsu beamed, licking his lips slowly before leading him to one of the loveseats.

“Not gonna lie, me too,” Gray chuckled, leaning in for another kiss and feeling his lousy mood melt away when Natsu returned it. “I wish you didn’t have to work so much.”

“Yeah, well, bills don’t pay themselves so,” he shrugged, “This place isn’t so bad.”

One of the waitresses came in with their orders and two sodas, setting them on the table. “Here you go, guys!”

“Thanks, Laki!”

The waitress smiled at Natsu and Gray, leaving quickly to get back to her tables.

“And hey, free food!” Natsu cheered, moving to the table and sitting down to eat. “Gotta eat quickly though, I only get thirty minutes,” he explained, shoving a french fry in his mouth. “So what’s going on with you? You looked upset earlier.”

“It’s nothing, I’m just not used to being alone,” Gray shrugged, taking his seat and adding some ketchup to his burger. “It’s fine, Lyon will be home in a couple of hours.”

“Ah, the wife,” Natsu retorted, his mouth widening into a teasing smirk. “Where is he anyway?”

“He left this morning to go do some deposition or something in Oak Town,” Gray explained, taking a bite from his burger and washing it down with the soda. He glanced down at his watch to see how much time they had left before Natsu had to go back to work, frowning when he saw half their time was already up.

Gray knew he should be happy Mira had given them a chance to have dinner together, but it didn’t feel like enough.

He watched Natsu eat, smiling at how messy he was. It was really kind of cute. He continued to eat his own meal, grabbing his phone when a vibration in his pocket alerted him to a text. Reading it did not improve his mood in the slightest. It looked like Lyon wasn’t going to make it home after all.

“Bad news?” Natsu immediately asked, no doubt noticing the change in his expression.

“Lyon isn’t coming home tonight. I guess I’ll have the apartment to myself.”

“I wish I could come over for a bit, but I’m on the clock til 2,” Natsu lamented. “Still got a few minutes though, are you done eating?”

Gray looked down at the plate of food and nodded. He didn’t think he’d be able to eat any more.

“Well, let’s make the most of it then,” Natsu got up from the table, and after bussing their plates, he sat on one of the sofas and patted the seat next to him invitingly.

Gray watched him for a moment, the beginnings of an idea playing in his mind. He’d stayed over at Natsu’s place several times now, why couldn’t Natsu stay with him? With Erza and the kids always sleeping in rooms all around them, they’d never had the chance to really be alone.

He moved over to the sofa, purposefully ignoring the seat Natsu had indicated and choosing to straddle his boyfriend instead. Natsu’s eyes widened in surprise and his entire face, all the way to the tips of his ears, crimsoned at Gray’s proximity.

Gray leaned ever closer, his lips barely brushing Natsu’s before moving to kiss down his earlobe, blowing softly into his ear before whispering, “Stay with me tonight.”

He let his tongue slowly trace the back of the ear, smirking in victory as he felt Natsu squirming underneath him, his quiet moans making Gray forget where they were.

He continued to give small kisses along Natsu’s jaw until he reached those luscious lips. Working his fingers into the pink locks he loved, Gray tugged them roughly, and then he was kissing him hungrily, tasting the burger and fries on Natsu’s tongue as he sucked on it gently. Gray felt a twitch against his cock and backed away, realizing he’d gone too far.

Natsu was panting, his face still red as he stared up at him with eyes as wide as saucers. Gray scrambled off him, sitting in the spot Natsu had offered earlier.

“Oh God, I’m sorry,” Gray quickly apologized, “I got carried away, I just wanted to give you some incentive.”

Natsu waved his apology away, closing his eyes tightly as he struggled to get his breathing under control.

“Incentive, huh?” Natsu repeated suddenly, bursting into amused laughs, “Is that what you call that? How am I supposed to go out there like this?”

“At least your color’s returning to normal,” Gray informed him helpfully, earning himself a playful slap on the shoulder. “So, what do you say? Stay with me tonight?”

He wrapped his arms around himself, tensely awaiting Natsu’s answer, and when it didn’t come right away, he worried that he’d somehow pushed too far.

“I need to talk to Erza first,” Natsu finally responded, and although Gray wished he could have a more definite answer, he knew it was the best one he could expect. Neither one of them could really take off on a whim anymore.

“Okay, text me later?”

“Yeah,” Natsu agreed, closing his eyes again, “Can you let Mira know I’ll be out in a few minutes?”

“Sure,” Gray replied, still feeling a little guilty but not enough to really feel bad. He kissed Natsu as chastely as he could manage and made his way back to the bar.

0-0

It had been hours since Gray had received Natsu’s text, but it felt much longer, almost as if time had stopped entirely. He’d tidied the apartment, changed his sheets, vacuumed, took a shower, and even did a laundry load, yet somehow it was still only midnight.

He was getting more impatient by the minute, and finally, he’d had enough of waiting. He went into his closet, changing into a shirt Natsu had once mentioned made his eyes look less droopy, which was about as close to a compliment as the jerk ever gave, and a pair of tight jeans. After examining himself in the mirror, Gray went downstairs to wait for the cab he’d called.

He looked up sexy drink names on his phone to pass the time until he arrived at Fairy Tail, laughing at how ridiculous some of them sounded and knowing the only bartender he’d ever be brazen enough to ask them of was his boyfriend.

Gray entered the bar, relieved to see the band dismantling their instruments. It was already one o’clock, and the bar was mostly empty. Employees were sweeping the floors and cleaning up the tables.

Natsu was laughing with the few customers that remained, and Gray’s heart skipped a beat at the sound. He made his way to the opposite side of the bar and waited for Natsu to notice him.

He kept his head down, continuing to look through drink names and deciding which one he was going to ask for.

“What can I get you?”

“I’d like some sex with the bartender,” Gray snickered, unable to keep a straight face.

“You’re hilarious,” Natsu rolled his eyes, “And here I thought you were going to ask for something classy like a Dick Sucker.”

Gray giggled again, “How do people order these?”

“You’d be surprised,” Natsu shrugged, “Unlike most of the people who ask for it though, you might actually get it.” He winked and mixed some sort of colorful drink, handing it to him. “Here, try this.”

Gray sipped it and hummed in approval.” What is this? It’s delicious!”

“Just a little something I like to call, my boyfriend got me all fired up at work and then left me to deal with a boner.”

“That’s kind of long, and oddly specific. I doubt it will catch on,” Gray quipped, snickering as Natsu flipped him off.

“I thought I was meeting you at your place,” Natsu remarked, “Didn’t want to be alone? or…. Couldn’t wait to see me?”

“Couldn’t wait to see you,” Gray admitted sheepishly, “Plus, if I cleaned anything else, Lyon might start leaving every weekend.”

Natsu laughed, “Considering your stuff is usually a mess, you’re probably right. I gotta go get started with clean up, but it should only be another thirty minutes or so.” He leaned over the bar, kissing Gray on the cheek and murmuring, “I missed you too.” before hurrying away.

Gray waited as patiently as he could manage, sipping his drink and playing a game on his phone until Natsu was finally done. He glanced around only to realize that the bar had emptied out of everyone but the employees.

“Come on, Mr. Incentive, let’s get out of here,” Natsu prodded, grabbing him by the hand once he stood up and pulling him towards the rear exit, calling out goodbyes to his coworkers on his way out.

“Where’s your car? Mine’s this way,” he asked once they were outside.

“No car, I took a cab.”

“Did you now?” Natsu’s eyes glinted with mischief right before pinning him against the wall of the building adjacent to Fairy Tail.

Gray didn’t fight, curious to see what his boyfriend would do, but he hadn’t expected Natsu to imitate his earlier actions, and before he knew it, he was the one squirming as a warm tongue swirled against his ear. Before he had a chance to get used to the sensation, Natsu had already moved to nibble and suck on his earlobe, his hand moving to caress the base of his neck, making Gray shiver with pleasure.

“Unngh, Natsu,” Gray groaned, feeling his cock respond to Natsu playing with his body.

As soon as it started, Natsu had stopped, and Gray could only stare at him in disbelief.

“Now, we’re even.” He smirked, continuing to walk towards his car, leaving Gray to rearrange himself and navigate his way to the car uncomfortably.

0-0

The streets were empty as Natsu drove them to Lyon’s apartment. Gray wanted nothing more but to pay him back for his little stunt earlier, but they were in Erza’s car, and he didn’t have a death wish.

He waited impatiently for security to be done with them, for the first time since he’d arrived in Magnolia wishing that he lived in a typical building. One where he could do what he wanted in the elevator without it being transmitted to cameras downstairs. He contented himself with holding Natsu’s hand and massaging his knuckles, instantly forgiving him for earlier when he received a pleased but tired smile at his caresses.

Gray had no idea what to expect from tonight, and he told himself that even if they did nothing but sleep as always, he would be content. But they had been dating for about three months now, and he would be lying if he said he wasn’t hoping for something a little more physical now that they were alone.

He wanted to discover Natsu’s sounds when he was coming undone, see his face as he lost himself in pleasure and more than anything he wanted to be the one that made him feel that way. There were plenty of ways to do that without delving into areas that would make his boyfriend uncomfortable. At least that’s what Gray hoped. He didn’t really know how Natsu felt about it, which he knew was probably a bad thing.

Gray had never initiated the preferences talk, mostly because he was terrified of the answers. The way he saw it, the fact that Natsu somehow seemed to return his feelings was a miracle in and of itself, and he had no desire to push his luck.

They exited the elevator, and he took out his keys, fumbling to get them in the lock as his hand began to tremble. Natsu put his hand over his and helped him guide it into the lock.

Gray turned to smile at him gratefully, relaxing when Natsu said, “I’m nervous too.”

They entered the apartment, removed their shoes, placed them on the rack Lyon kept by the door and closed the door behind them.

Natsu whistled as he took in Gray’s efforts, “You weren’t kidding, this place looks great!”

Not as great as you...

Gray thought the words but kept them to himself, embarrassed by how childish they sounded even if they were true.

“Can I get you anything?”

Natsu shook his head, and Gray once again noticed how tired he seemed.

“You look beat, come on,” Gray grabbed him by the hand and led him to his bedroom, sitting him on his bed while he rummaged through his drawers for some pajama pants he could lend him. Finding a pair he thought would fit, he offered them to his boyfriend.

Natsu laughed, “That’s sweet, but I don’t need them. I only wear them at home because of Hana and Erza.”

“Oh,” Gray put them back in the drawer, and when he turned to join Natsu on the bed, he startled to find him standing behind him instead, wearing nothing but a pair of snug-fitting black boxer briefs.

Gray’s eyes traveled over Natsu’s body, taking in the toned muscles of his stomach and chest, his broad shoulders and the strong line of his jaw until he’d reached his face again, where a smile was waiting for him that made his knees weak.

“See something you like?” Natsu smirked at his reaction, looking way too pleased with himself, and as much as Gray wanted to come up with a snappy response to shut him up, he found his tongue was tied. However, other parts of his body were waking up, and they were quite interested in the display.

Gray closed the distance between them swiftly, realizing there was more than one way to shut his boyfriend up. His arms snaked around Natsu’s hips, pulling the slightly shorter male against him as his mouth quickly found its way to Natsu’s lips.

He heard Natsu’s breath hitch as his mouth was invaded, and as they kissed, Gray let his hands roam along Natsu’s naked back until finally settling on an area he hadn’t dared explore yet. At first, he was content to let them rest there, but when Natsu didn’t complain, he became more adventurous, squeezing and kneading the firm butt cheeks. Natsu’s groan excited him, and he gave an enthusiastic thrust, surprised when Natsu ground against him as well.

Gray could feel Natsu’s fingers fumbling with his shirt buttons, undoing them one by one until his chest was exposed. Natsu wasted no time pulling his shirt off, his hands exploring Gray’s chest, sending jolts of pleasure that soon had him feeling a welcome tightness in his pants. He moaned, and Natsu took the opportunity to interrupt their kiss and nibble at his collarbone.

“Natsssu,” Gray shuddered. He’d never realized his neck was so sensitive.

“I thought about you all night,” Natsu whispered breathily into his ear while gently running his fingernails across Gray’s scalp, sending shivers across his entire body.

“Me too.” Gray had never seen Natsu this turned on before, so eager to tease and touch, and it was making it incredibly hard to think about anything other than tossing him on his bed and ravaging him. Gray desperately wanted to drive him crazy with his mouth, hands, and anything else he could think of.

So he did just that. He picked Natsu up, tossed him on his bed, unbuttoning his pants, and undoing the zipper carefully before pulling them off. He glanced up to find Natsu watching his every move with an expression that seemed almost hungry. There was no hiding the tent in his underwear.

“Someone’s eager,” Gray teased as he neared the bed, his own arousal in full view.

Natsu chuckled but didn’t argue the point.

Gray climbed on his bed, crawling over to where Natsu lay and straddling him. He took a second to admire the man that lay beneath him before kissing him again, so deeply he could barely breathe.

“I love the way you kiss me,” Natsu breathed into his mouth, wrapping his arms around him and letting his hands slide down his spine, finally resting them at the small of his back.

It was such a simple gesture, yet Gray felt it echo throughout his entire body. He could only stare in shock, not accustomed to anything remotely like this. He fumbled for words, but nothing came close to expressing how those words affected him, so he settled for, “I love the way you make me feel.”

Natsu’s whole face lit up at his words, and Gray once again felt lost but also elated. He peppered Natsu’s jaw with kisses working his way down his neck. He felt Natsu’s fingers threading through his hair, tugging at it, letting Gray know he wanted more.

Gray worked his way back up, nibbling and kissing every spot he could, chuckling when Natsu captured his lips impatiently, his hands holding Gray’s head in place.

“You’re so beautiful,” Gray’s thumb caressed Natsu’s cheek gently, smiling as he wrinkled his nose at the compliment. “I want to make you feel good.”

“You already are, dummy,” Natsu replied, giving a quick ruffle through Gray’s already messy hair, “thought that was pretty obvious.”

“I can do so much better, though,” Gray promised, moving down to his throat and gently sucking on his boyfriend’s Adam’s apple, reveling in the vibrations he could feel against his lips as Natsu groaned softly.

Gray left a trail of kisses as he worked his way down Natsu’s chest until he reached his next destination. He blew gently on the perky bud, using his tongue to slowly lick his way up the areola, getting closer and closer but always stopping just shy of the nipple.

“Graaaaay!”

“Hmmm,” Gray agreed, finally flicking the nipple with his tongue and giving it a gentle bite.

“Fuck!” Natsu moaned, his fingers clenching around Gray’s hair and his hips thrusting upwards in a reflexive response, sending a shudder of pleasure through his body that drew out the moan.

The feel of Natsu’s cock rubbing against his, even through the fabric of their underwear, was enough to distract Gray from what he’d been doing. He ground against Natsu, using all the restraint he had in him to keep his movements slow. He glanced at Natsu’s face, wanting to make sure he was okay with this. But before he could ask, he felt Natsu thrust his hips up again.

“Natsu?” Gray hesitated, still worried until he saw the warm smile on Natsu’s face, and that was all the encouragement he needed to continue. He rolled his hips, watching that smile evolve into an expression he’d only seen in his fantasies until that moment, but none of them had been as satisfying as the real thing.

Natsu met his every thrust with fervor, the sounds of their moans filling the room, getting louder and more urgent as they got closer to their climax. Gray’s eyes hadn’t wandered from Natsu’s face since they had begun frotting, enraptured by the emotions playing out on his features, the trust reflected in his eyes. He fretted that maybe the constant weight of his gaze would make Natsu self-conscious, but then he realized his boyfriend had never looked away either.

Gray couldn’t remember the last time sex had felt this good. The movements in itself weren’t really any different, the familiar pressure building up inside him nothing new. But the feeling of warmth blooming in his chest as their gazes lingered somehow heightened his pleasure to an entirely new level.

Even after all those years of admiration Gray had experienced as a model, he’d never felt more wanted than he did now. There wasn’t a spotlight in the world he’d rather be in than that of those gorgeous green eyes, and it was an incredible turn-on.

“I’m close,” Gray panted, his thrusts speeding up now that he felt the telltale tightening that heralded his release.

“Me too,” Natsu gasped, his hands moving to Gray’s ass, pulling his hips down harder as he drove up.

“GRAAAAAY!” Natsu yelled, his body jerking as he came. The warm wetness of his release seeped through the fabric of their underwear, followed by Gray’s own only a few frantic thrusts later. They slowed down, continuing to grind together as they worked each other through their orgasms, making a mess on their stomachs.

“That felt so good,” Gray sighed, leaning down to kiss Natsu before collapsing on top of him, his arms burning from holding himself up as their thrusting had become more intense. He could still hear Natsu yelling out his name as he climaxed in his mind, and it filled him with a joy he hadn’t felt in years. He wanted nothing more than to hold him in his arms, whisper sweet nothings into his ear, and bask in the intimacy of the moment they had just shared.

He rolled off his boyfriend, lying down next to him and ignoring the mess they’d made for the moment. The sound of Natsu’s uneven breathing reached Gray’s ears, and he could only chuckle. He grabbed Natsu’s hand and brought it up to his lips for a kiss.

He’d loved the way Natsu’s eyes had never left his as they moved together, had felt connected to him at every kiss, every touch, every moan. It had filled him with a confidence he’d lost during his time with Siegrain, where it had always been more about the act than any feelings between them.

It surprised him a little that Natsu had yet to say anything, but he wasn’t too troubled. This was new, after all. They’d both need some time to adjust, it was only natural. He contented himself with visions of what their future could be, the dream he’d begun to build in his mind the first time he’d stayed at Natsu’s house growing bigger by the second.

They’d keep working hard so that Natsu could pass the rest of his tests, get a job with more regular hours, and free up his time to spend with friends and family. They’d be able to indulge in many more nights like this, moving their relationship forward slowly until Natsu was ready for more.

The silence continued to build, and now it was making Gray nervous. He snuck a glance at Natsu’s face, a weight settling on his chest as he noticed the arm covering Natsu’s eyes, which had been so open and welcoming just a few minutes ago.

He wracked his brain, trying to think of anything he might have done wrong, but everything had been so wonderful. What had happened? Did Natsu regret it now that it was over? Had he not been good enough?

Gray knew he couldn’t give in to those thoughts, not when he’d worked so hard to move away from them. No, he should just ask.

“Natsu?” he winced at how shaky his voice sounded, but there was nothing to be done about it now.

He received no answer, feeding into his fears and filling him with the urge to get up and hide in his shower until he could think of a way to fix whatever he’d managed to do wrong.

He thought he heard sniffles and decided to try one more time, “Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” Natsu replied, and now Gray was sure of it, Natsu was crying. He had no idea why, but it didn’t stop him from feeling miserable. Had he misunderstood?

“No, you’re not.” Gray sat up to get a good look at his boyfriend, “Please tell me what’s wrong, did I- did I do something?”

Natsu shook his head, still refusing to look at him. That connection Gray had felt between them just moments earlier seemed to evaporate, creating a distance between them that he was all too familiar with.

“I need you to talk to me,” Gray pleaded, “I can’t do this again.”

This time Natsu moved his arm away from his face, his expression puzzled, “Do what again?”

“I just... If I did something wrong, you need to tell me, don’t distance yourself from me and leave me to figure it out on my own.”

“You didn’t do anything wrong, Gray, it’s me,” Natsu admitted, wiping his eyes with his hand, staring down at the wedding band he still wore.

That was all Gray needed to understand what was happening, “Oh God, you weren’t ready for this, were you? I should’ve realized when you didn’t say yes right away.”

“No, it’s nothing like that,” Natsu cut in, but Gray was so caught up in his guilt, he didn’t fully register the words and continued to rush out his apology.

“I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have pushed-”

“What?! No, will you just listen to me?”

Natsu sat up and paused for a few seconds before he explained, “You didn’t push me to do anything I didn’t want to. I’m not upset because I wasn’t ready, I’m upset because I was.”

“I don’t understand,” Gray ran a hand through his hair, confused and still anxious because even though it seemed like he hadn’t done anything wrong, Natsu was still upset about something.

“It’s difficult to explain,” Natsu sighed, offering him a small smile.

“I really like what you and I have,” he grabbed Gray’s hand in his and held his gaze once more, “but every time we do something I’d only done with her, it’s like I’m leaving more of her behind, and it’s hard. She’s all I knew.”

“Oh...” Gray let go of Natsu’s hand, and unable to contain his disappointment, he hid his head in his hands, not wanting his boyfriend to see.

“Ugh, I said that all wrong,” Natsu groaned. “Please look at me?”

Gray hesitated, but he knew he couldn’t hide from this, not if he wanted their relationship to work. He’d known from the beginning that it wasn’t going to be easy, but he was determined to fight for it.

What Natsu had said wasn’t unreasonable, Gray knew that. Their previous relationships had been very different. It was natural for Natsu to want to cling to his happy memories, but that didn’t mean he didn’t want to make new ones with him. He’d said as much. Gray just needed to accept that Lisanna would always be a part of Natsu and let go of the insecurities that tried to tell him that he wasn’t good enough for someone like Natsu, and he never would be.

He took a deep breath and tried to put his feelings into words.

“I get what you’re saying,” Gray offered his hand and waited for Natsu to take it, “You’re not ready to let go of Lisanna, and that’s okay, I don’t expect you to, but I don’t want to be a replacement either.”

“I’ve never thought of you as a replacement for her, Princess,” Natsu protested, “But I can’t just pretend those ten years of my life didn’t happen, either. Every day she gets further away, and I can’t help but feel guilty for letting that happen.”

“I guess I have the opposite problem, I want to forget the last ten years happened, but I can’t,” Gray lamented.

“Forgetting isn’t the answer, Gray.”

“I know, I just don’t know what is,” he answered honestly, hoping that Natsu would let it go but knowing it wasn’t likely.

“What did you mean when you said you can’t do this again?” Natsu asked, latching on to the words he’d blurted out in his panic.

Gray peered at Natsu, unsure of how much he wanted to share of his time with Siegrain, still concerned that Natsu would think less of him for some of the things he’d done. But if he was asking Natsu to be open and honest with him, he figured he should do the same.

“Siegrain had this thing he did where he’d act like I’d done something wrong, but he’d never tell me what. He’d just take off and leave me alone to figure it out, or even worse, he’d stick around and act distant.” Gray tried to keep all emotion out of his voice, but it was difficult. Just thinking about how that had made him feel was enough to put him back there.

“That’s awful! And you thought I was doing the same thing?” Natsu murmured in sudden understanding, “God, I’m sorry. That wasn’t my intention at all, no wonder you freaked out.”

Gray found himself enveloped by one of Natsu’s hugs, and he melted into it.

“You mean so much to me, and what we just did...it was amazing. I’m so sorry I ruined it.”

The words reassured Gray, reminding him that Natsu was a very different man from his soon to be ex-husband. It gave him hope that if they both kept trying, one day, they would both rise above the things that still held them back, together.

“You didn’t ruin it,” Gray objected.

“Gray,” Natsu declared, his features settling into a stubborn pout, “I ruined it.”

“Fine, maybe a little,” Gray reluctantly gave in, rolling his eyes at his boyfriend’s expression.

“I’ll make it up to you,” Natsu promised, “Next time it’ll be even better. I mean, I had no fucking clue what I was doing, and it was awesome, just imagine what it’ll be like now that I have some experience!”

“I’m gonna be honest, all I heard was next time,” Gray couldn’t help but tease, laughing at his boyfriend’s outrage.

He was glad they’d been able to discuss what had happened, and he did feel better knowing he hadn’t messed anything up.

Gray glanced down at his watch, groaning when he saw it was already close to four o’clock. It was so late, but he couldn’t really fall asleep like this, sticky with sweat and come.

“Hey, Mr. Experience, I’m going to jump in the shower to rinse off, you coming?”

Gray had to keep himself from laughing at the sheer panic on Natsu’s face, deciding to offer him a way out instead. “You can take your own shower if you want, but it’s late, and it might be nice to fall asleep together.”

He held his hand out, waiting for Natsu to make his decision. It took him a minute, but he grabbed it eventually, following Gray into the bathroom. They bickered about the water temperature as they removed their underwear and threw them into the hamper. Not that that was unexpected, but it took the edge off the awkwardness of being naked in front of the other for the first time, bringing back a sense of familiarity that they both needed after such an eventful night.

Once inside the shower, Gray grabbed his bodywash and poured a large amount onto a pouf, scrubbing himself quickly. He was about to wash his back when Natsu finally made his entrance. He grabbed the pouf out of Gray’s hand and took over, scrubbing his backside all the way down to his feet. Gray grabbed the shampoo and washed his hair quickly, rinsing off once Natsu was done.

Gray turned to face his boyfriend, watching as he scrubbed himself before handing him the pouf and turning around. He returned the favor, amused at Natsu’s behavior, but respecting the boundaries he had set. All of this was still new to him, and Gray knew he had to be patient. Besides, if things went well, there would be plenty of steamy showers in their future.

They dried off and got ready for bed. Gray grabbed two pairs of underwear from his dresser, tossing one to Natsu, who quickly put it on. They climbed into bed, completely exhausted from the long day. Gray pulled the covers over them, and soon they settled into their usual sleeping position of Gray lying on his back while Natsu rested his head on his chest, arm draped casually over his middle.

“Thanks for staying over,” Gray murmured, putting his arm around Natsu and pulling him closer.

But the only response he got was the sound of Natsu’s snores. Gray kissed Natsu’s head, pink hair still damp from the shower, and carrying the scent of his shampoo.

“Good night, my love. Sleep well,” he whispered, a fond smile tugging at his lips.

He closed his eyes, drifting off in no time at all.

[iereiaio]

𝕸𝖆𝖐𝖊 𝖞𝖔𝖚𝖗 𝕮𝖍𝖔𝖎𝖈𝖊

There is no shadow work prompt today, however I will be giving some updates, and then some insight on a reading I had received and then one I just did for myself. They have similar messages but I feel mine is more in depth. I will be separating the topics into sections so you can skip around to what you’d like! 

Updates regarding the Account

I will be trying to post more starting today. I feel as though Haides hasn’t been very happy with me considering my inability to devote ANY time to him, aside from talking to him at night before bed, and sleeping with his altar bag. I feel he’s in the forefront of my mind on most days, but I’ve been lacking the motivation and energy to do anything about it. I am a Priestess. He chose me out of nearly 8 BILLION people in this world. He’s been with me since I was born into this life, as well as all of my previous lives. He has been with me for hundreds, if not thousands of years. I had gotten this confirmed by several readers, and several of my own readings, and I had always had a very strong pull towards him, as well as luck with a lot of things. He’s believed in me for so long, and I can feel his patience in me wearing thin, and it’s a very lonely feeling. He hasn’t pulled back from me, however I just feel like he doesn’t have as much faith in me as he once did. So I will be trying to do shadow work at the very least once a week, but I aim to do 3-6 days a week. So expect more posts with shadow work. I was healing when I was journaling and pulling cards every day. I have been very stagnant lately and I know it’s because I’ve been neglecting my journey of healing, but also my deities and other passions in my life. I know Haides understands, but I also know he wants me to do better and try harder. Even a little bit of effort, I’m sure he will appreciate 

The reading I had received 

I got a reading from a friend today, I pulled it regarding new deities potentially knocking on my spiritual door (I feel as though Lucifer and Lilith are wanting to work with me, but somebody I don’t know said that Lilith told her it was an imposter entity, so I am needing to do some research before confirming or denying that. This reading was supposed to do that, but instead it came for my throat. Anyway, on with the cards:

6 of swords

5 of swords

10 of swords

9 of swords

4 of pentacles

7 of wands

the Hermit

queen of swords  

So into the interpretation, they said I have very little energy (as represented by the 6 of swords), and that Im trying to heal but it’s just really difficult. Any new deities coming into my circle will provide me more energy, but it will “hurt” me a little bit- (represented by the 10 of swords, I am personally believing it may be once I start putting more energy into Haides, I will be getting this newfound energy) And by hurting me, it will be learning lessons. As lessons are often hard to learn. I am represented again in the 9 of swords, being in pain consistently (mentally) but with the 4 of pentacles, Hades will help me step into my personal power, and break free from restrictions i feel financially- but also emotionally. Im being given the opportunity to go forth after the things in life that im passionate about, and i know what im passionate about but i fear both success and failure. The Hermit, which was a funny draw, because Haides uses that card to represent himself in my decks- but I feel alone a lot ofthe time (not a lie anyway lmao), and with the Queen, im being called to action to either step up or get out of the battle. Im being called to be more assertive and call to Haides for the strebgth Im currently lacking. “Embody him so to speak”. They suggested EVOKING Haides, and even INvoking him next. They also said my protections might be weak (hope I don’t regret saying that online)

Now onto my own reading

So, for mine, I did it pretty soon after theirs, since they gave me a bit of clarity on what to look for. As well as insight that Haides wasn’t too happy with me and my depressed shenanigans. While YES hes understanding, and more understanding and patient than many other deities would be, he is still growing impatient with me, considering how little effort im putting into ANYTHING. So with the insight, i decided to do my own pull based ont he reading I had gotten from my friend. The cards I pulled were:

(the first reading was very short and to the point)

Page of Swords 

The Hermit (only to find Haides in the deck)

King of Cups

And in the second reading, which was much longer, I pulled:

Two of Wands

Eight of cups (R)

Four of coins (R)

Seven of cups (R)

Three of coins 

The High Priestess (R)

The Magician (R)

The Fool

Page of Cups

The World

The Artist (unique major arcana card to this deck)

The way that I personally interpret the first reading, is that Haides misses my energy, and would like to help me gain it back, however I need to devote at least some of my energy to him and show him my loyalty to him in order to get that in return. I cannot expect help with healing without giving him anything in return. I need to do better if I want his help. He will be there for me, but he wants me to do better. He wants the best for me. 

As for the second reading, I have some decisions i need to make, i assume about my current artistic path, i will have some career opportunities but i need to work now to get them. My depression and hopelessness is represented by the 8 of cups, ive been in a real bad rut these last couple weeks, moreso in the last few days as some bad, traumatic memories have started to resurface. Haides is reminding me with the 4 of coins to start being more responsible, not only with my money, but with my time. I’ve spent so many days moping in bed, sad, sleeping all day; he wants to help me but he wants me to prove to him that I am devoted to him and my healing journey. He wants me to try, even on hard days. He wants to give me clarity and strength to move forward, but again, wants me to  prove my loyalty to this journey. If i put forth the effort, i will grow and blossom in the ways I need to. I will succeed with him by my side. However I need to be more open with myself, and not allow ignorance to take me off my path. I need to remember that the things that have happened to me, have already happened. And while it’s okay to process and be sad about them, and traumatised (as its as if im living these things for the first time), but I cannot let them ruin my entire day, or multiple days. I cannot let my life waste away because of something bad happening. I need to stop letting insecurities rule my life as well. I’ve noticed when I get insecure about something, I shut down and don’t even complete, or start the project. I need to understand that everything isn’t going to be perfect. Though despite the learning I need to do, I also need to cater to my inner child. I need to hold onto that innocents and free spirit. i need to focus on new beginnings and getting these new things rolling instead of just staring at them hopelessly, letting them intimidate me. I need to dive back into spirituality and again, tend to my inner child. If I can do that, I will be successful and happy; I can be brought to the right path, but I need to get back on the right path. Things are rocky, and it’s gonna be a little weird going backwards so I can get back on the right path, but sometimes it’s necessary. I also believe I will have a lot of success with art. I just need to put my mind to  it and put energy into it. I wont get recognition and success by never drawing or posting. I wont succeed if I don’t put in the work. 

[thorne93]

Unforeseen Chasm (Part 28)

Prompt: Two sisters fall for men that are absolute enemies. The love they have could tear all of them apart, or it could bring them together.

Word Count: 4516

Warnings: Language, fighting,arguing,jealousy,trust issues,torture flashbacks,angst

Song for this part: Time by NF

Note: This is by far the longest thing I’ve ever written (including my novels). It’s a collaboration with the amazing @mrs-dragneel-stark-solo​​. It started as a funny “What if…?” and it evolved and got huge. This took two years to write. We are both proud and happy and we hope you enjoy it. It follows from Thor 1 to Endgame in the MCU. Some of the timelines may be off in order to fit certain people, and some characters may show up earlier or in different ways than they have in the movie. But for the most part, it follows the MCU. It also has a bit of crossover with some other Marvel characters throughout the story.

Masterlist for Unforeseen Chasm

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

The day had finally come for you to leave the cell. When Shannon had told you she got all the obstacles tackled, you were in awe. How did she convince Fury to let you out? Then again, it seemed everyone did whatever Shannon asked of them.

But she had told you that you being out had to be a secret and to do your best not to be seen by anyone. This was strictly a need to know basis, and so far, only five people knew.

It was early morning when Shannon came down to receive you. She was on the phone with someone, when suddenly Kurt appeared in your cell. It made Loki jump slightly and frown. He probably wasn’t expecting it. You had to make the escape fast so no one would see it on the cameras so you kissed Loki quickly, and Kurt grabbed your hand, and you were suddenly in an SUV with pitch black tinted windows.

“Thanks, Kurt,” you said with a smile as you saw who was driving. “Hi, Steve,” you greeted with a coy smile.

“I will see you at the mansion, ya?” Kurt said, his accent heavy.

“See you there.”

And with that, he was gone.

Shannon was still in the cell room, talking to Loki. “I am not sure when we’ll be back, but if you could do your Loki thing and cast an illusion of Y/N/N while we’re gone…”

“I’m already ahead of you,” he stated with a smile as a carbon copy of you walked out of the bedroom, reading something.

“That’s… incredibly unsettling,” she commented. She shivered and shook her head, then gave him a beaming smile. “But, for our purposes, it’s great. Thank you.”

“Anything I can do to help.”

She grinned, nodded, and left, meeting you in the SUV, sitting in the passenger seat.

“Are we really supposed to trust you?” Steve asked, catching your eyes in the rearview mirror.

“No,” Shannon stated, and you started to feel disappointment run over you before she added, “You’re supposed to trust me.”

This made you smile quietly to yourself in the backseat.

Steve checked the traffic, and then pulled out. In order to alleviate some of the tension in the car, Shannon turned on the radio and the ride upstate was rather… pleasant. You stared out at the city the entire way, taking in people, the way they talked, moved, walked. It was amazing how several months without much human interaction could really make you go stir crazy. You were hungry for all the lights, the noises, the sights… Even watching people walking a dog, or grabbing coffee made you smile.

The ride upstate turned from the city, to the country and it was just as stunning as the city. Asgard was like a golden heaven, it truly was beautiful, but all you had known for nearly the past two years was one desolate, windy rock, and an isolated cell with four rooms.

As soon as you turned into the familiar drive, you were nearly like a kid arriving at Disney World. You could hardly contain the excitement. Once Steve parked the car, you jumped out, making him nervous.

“Woah,” he said, getting out and holding his hand up.

“What?” you asked, confused.

“Just...slow down,” he said, eyeing you.

“Yes, Captain,” you said with a polite smile as you folded your hands behind your back and stepped in front of him, so that he could keep an eye on you as Shannon went up to the door and knocked. Storm let the three of you inside, where you stood in the foyer, trying to remember the last time you’d come here.

In an instant, it seemed like the foyer was filled with X-Men. Kurt had appeared, Jean and Scott came up holding hands, Logan, Jubilee, and Marie were all there. Charles arrived only a second later, where he and Shannon traded a hug and he smiled to you, welcoming you back to the mansion.

“Thank you, Professor,” you said sweetly before glancing to Jean and bounding over to her. “Jean! Scott!” you greeted wrapping them both in a tight embrace.

“And just where is my hello?” A cajun drawl suddenly pulled your attention away.

Your head snapped up to the top of the stairs where Remy stood, a shit eating grin on his face.

“Remy!” you all but squealed, dashing up the stairs to greet him.

Without any warning, Steve launched into his super soldier mode and took off quickly. He hurled over the circular wooden table in the middle of the foyer, knocking over the vase full of flowers, before he bounded up the stairs and grabbed your biceps, pulling them behind you.

“What the--?” you asked calmly, looking to see what had just happened. “Steve? What the hell, man? Let me go. I’m just trying to hug my friend.”

The X-Men shared a look of strong confusion, but Charles simply waved it off.

“Steve, it’s okay, let her go,” Shannon commanded. “She’s known Remy for a long time.”

Remy gave Steve an incredulous look before Steve stepped back one step and let you go. Ignoring your perplexion over the event that just occurred, a warm smile spread on your face and you wrapped your arms around Gambit.

“How have you been?” you asked.

“Uh, Y/N/N, we need to utilize our time here,” Shannon reminded, making you turn around.

“What? Hmm, oh! Right! Point me wherever I need to go,” you said happily.

Charles spoke up. “Jean, Logan, and Remy, go with Y/N. Shannon, my dear, you can come with me and Scott.”

With that, everyone went their separate ways. Charles escorted Shannon to the large training room, while Steve, Logan, Remy, and Jean showed you to another training room underground in the backyard.

----------

When Charles got settled in, he began questioning Shannon.

“So when did this start?”

“I think it was around the time I ran into… what was that kid’s name that had the emotional power? Where he could feel what people felt?” she asked.

“Ah.. Adam, the empath,” he remembered. “And you think that’s what’s wearing on you?”

She shrugged lightly. “It’s the only thing I noticed. When I use any of my powers, I get a little weak. But it’s nothing like what’s compared to when I have an emotional high or low,” she informed.

“Interesting… so the powers themselves aren’t bothering you, but your emotions are wearing on you?”

She bobbed her head side to side.

Just then the infamous Wade Wilson comes skipping in having heard that his favorite none avenger was in the mansion.

“ Spicy Buttercup!” he stops right in front of her and lifts her off the ground in a strong hug. “It’s been way too long since the last time I saw you.” he mock pouts knowing she wouldn’t believe it.

“Too tight….Wade” she gets out feeling light headed from his surprisingly strong grip. “Hah! Wow it has been a while also you never come by I told you, you’re always welcome.” she brushes her hair back and takes a deep breath in.

Steve had moved to stand closer unaware that the man in the mask was a friend of Shannon’s. “If you could not do that, it would be very appreciative.” he said in a stern tone noticing how she was taking a moment to catch her breath. “We’re a little busy at the moment, would you mind letting us get back to it?”

“Well hello to you too star spangled man,” he snorts and bumps his shoulder with her. “What’s up his butt?” he shakes his head and looks to Shannon for an answer. “Did stark finally get you a babysitter!” he laughs at his own joke.

“Hahaha very funny Wade, and no Steve’s just a little protective of me with my powers going haywire lately.” she bumps her shoulder back into his. “And Steve has a point there’s something that we are doing that's a little more important.” She makes it to move near Charles.

“Hey wait a darn damn minute!” he playfully scowls. “How come everyone else gets to hang with you and I don’t?” he cocks his head to the side. “I thought I was the fun friend.”

“Wade.. you are the fun friend.” she giggles at his expressions behind his mask. “How about this you let me do this and we can hang out and watch a movie or something?” she offers hoping it’ll satisfy the man-child

“Alright fine! But the moment they finish I'm stealing you away!” he claims looking at everyone to let them know he was serious. “Your treat by the way I’ll be in the background letting all you guys work.” he gives Shannon a peck on the cheek and moves to give them space.

“Okay doll you get your stuff done i’m gonna go keep an eye on Y/N make sure she’s keeping out of trouble,” he hugs his friend and walks off. “Call me if you need anything.”

“I will Stevie and be nice to her would’ya?” she smiles at the Cap but he was out of earshot. She turns to the professor. “Now where were we?” she motions to the man to continue where he left off.

“Lie back and let me run some tests,” he offered. With that, Hank entered the room and they began talking to her as if she were in a doctor’s office. They hooked up electrodes to her head and placed heart monitors on her.

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

“So tell me about these new powers,” Jean coaxed.

“Well… Long story short, I went to Asgard,” you began explaining.

“Mhm, and what happened there?” she urged, looking at her clipboard.

“Well, we found out that the longer I was on Asgard I got the same power Remy does,” you informed, glancing to your friend. “I could take the potential energy of any object, and turn it kinetic, as well as absorb energy that’s thrown at me.”

“And that’s bad?” she inquired, perching an eyebrow.

You shook your head. “No, no, that isn’t what the problem is. That power is a part of me, but… But I got pushed into a bad situation and someone gave me another power, a dark one. This one is just straight energy, but whenever I’ve used it, I’ve felt angry. It’s just so… dark.”

She nodded, frowning, looking at her notes. “Okay, let’s do this. Let’s get your blood going, get you angry, and let’s see what triggers this power.”

You bobbed your head.

“Why don’t you and Remy do some contact training? You did say you had the same power as his, right?”

Again, you nodded.

Luckily, the training room had a few objects you could use -- yoga ball, sports balls, weights, metal rods, vases, glasses, empty cans.

“Are you okay with that, Rem?” you asked, glancing to him.

“Whatever I can do to help, cher,” he said with a lilt and a wink.

The two of you took your positions opposite of each other, getting ready to spar.

“Begin whenever you’d like,” Jean sweetly instructed as she stood off to the side with Logan and Steve.

You picked up an empty can, charged it, and threw it at Remy, who deflected it easily. A grin popped onto both of your faces. This grin suddenly sparked something very competitive in both of you and the training quickly became rapid fire shots and dodges. The two of you were throwing anything you could get your hands on. You started out small, but Remy was building up impressively quick. One second it was empty cans and vases, the next, you were lifting entire gym machines and launching them. On the very last one, Remy had to tuck and roll.

“Y/N, have you used your dark energy, at all yet?’

You turned and faced Jean, frowning. “Uh, no, I guess I haven’t.”

“Go ahead and try that for me,” she suggested.

“Um… I don’t know. On Remy it might be too much,” you said, looking to your friend and shaking your head.

“Don’t worry about me, mon cheri,” he assured, nodding towards you, encouraging you. “We gotta find out what’s eatin’ away at ya, don’t we?”

“I suppose,” you said uneasily. You lifted your hands, ready to fire the dark energy, but when you did… it didn’t reach him. The dark purple, electric looking power barely fizzled out of your hands. “What the hell?” you asked, peering down at your hands.

“Interesting,” was all Jean could say.

“All that talk and no action,” Logan mocked from the back corner. You stared back at him, an unreadable expression on your face.

“Try again,” Jean urged.

You turned back, getting ready to aim the power at Remy. You lifted your hand, felt the charge under your skin, the tingling in your hand, but when you actually pushed it from your body -- it simply fell to the floor.

“I don’t know what’s happening,” you stated, staring down at your hands with worry. What if they thought you were lying about needing help?

“When was it at its peak?” Jean asked.

Her question made you think back to months ago when you were a monster, when you were hurting everyone you loved. You flinched involuntarily, it didn’t go unnoticed by the others.

“When I… when I was trying to take over New York,” you explained, shame entangling in your voice and body language.

“How’s everything going in here?” Shannon suddenly asked, stepping into the bunker style training room.

Seeing her felt like a wave of fresh air and sunshine. You instantly straightened up and smiled.

“We’re trying to get to the bottom of exactly what makes her dark power so powerful,” Jean explained. “She said it had to do with the terrorist attack on New York and her hand in it?” she said, looking a little puzzled as she turned to Shannon.

She looked to you silently asking if she could explain what had exactly happened and how you were involved in all of it. You nodded your approval.

“Well it’s a long story but to summarize her hand was forced into helping another Asgardian open up the portal to letting the creatures in. At the time she brainwashed and was completely unable to do anything but do as told or fear losing not only her life but seeing the lives of her loved ones taken one by one before her,” she said trying to keep it as clean and with little detail possible so as not to shed a bad light on you, she knew how much their opinion of you mattered.

You looked to her and silently thanked her for not telling them of all the horrible things you had done to her and the people that you cared about. You felt as if though they were looking at you in a different light and began shrinking in on yourself and she could see that this topic was beginning to bother you.

“There is one hint I will give you as to what happens to be a part of what triggers her dark energy,” she said looking at Jean.

“Well, what is the hint Shannon?” Jean asked, wanting to figure out quickly how to help you.

“Your hint is a who, rather than a what, that goes by the name Loki,” she went on to say.

“And who might this Loki be?” Gambit asked her, looking to you curiously.

“He’s a man that she is very connected to,” was all that Shannon had said. She really had no place in telling them of who exactly Loki was to you so she kept it at that. She also realized that there was indeed a connection between the dark energy and Loki, Shannon remembered how upset you got when you two had been fighting and she kept bad mouthing him and your powers getting stronger.

—————————

The very first session of testings were out of the way. Shannon had gone off to speak to someone at the mansion and told you she’d see you back at the tower later on. Not being one to waste time, she quickly went to look for her masked friend.

“Wade? Wade Wilson if you don't appear in the next 2 minutes I'm heading home!” she giggled feeling someone’s emotions were playful. She walked closer to where he had been earlier with her. “Hmmm, I guess I’ll have to find someone else to go eat some chimichangas with.” she shrugs her shoulders and makes to leave the room.

“Woah there! Now just wait a minute no one else likes chimichangas as much as I do.” He rushed to stand in front of her. 

“I got you!” She smirked. “Come on dork lets go catch up.”

“Hey no fair.” He mock pouted. “You used my weakness against me.” 

“That's what happens when you have a spy as a friend.” She smiled up at him.

He pulled her close and messed with her hair. “Alright off to go watch a movie what are you in the mood for?”

 The two had walked to the lounge area and spent the rest of the afternoon together. Wade had made a ton of questions about the event of New York, the issues that occured between her and you. She had left feeling a bit  better about what happened, she knew she could always count on Wade to help her.

—————————

Kurt popped you back into the cell and left instantaneously, as to not be seen by Tony or any other prying eyes. Loki dismissed his illusion of you that was currently sitting on the couch with a mug.

“Was she good company?” you asked with a coy grin before sitting next to Loki on the other couch.

“She was... Didn’t talk much, but then again, isn’t that a good thing with girlfriends?” he teased and you shook your head at him. “How was it?”

“It was… good, I suppose. They don’t know what triggers my powers. Well, we might know, but they need to run more tests.”

“So...you’ll have to go back?” Loki inferred.

“Probably. We’re thinking it will be in two days. Shannon can’t exactly keep sneaking out without raising suspicion,” you informed with a shrug. “I just hope it goes a little better than it did today,” you remarked, getting up to go make a drink and make Loki something for dinner since he couldn’t cook for himself.

“Oh? Why? I thought you said it went well?” he questioned, concerned.

“It was,” you answered, “until Steve almost tackled me.”

“The soldier? What on Midgard for? What could you have possibly done?”

You turned to face him. “It’s silly really. I was running to hug my friend Remy and--”

“Your friend?” he questioned, frowning at you, the slightest tone of anger in his voice.

“Well, yes.You remember Remy. I told you about him. We kind of grew up together in the same foster home,” you explained. “He’s a character,” you said with a laugh. “You may like him.”

Loki closed his eyes and held his hands up. “Wait… So while I waste away in this cell, you went and had brunch with friends?” he asked, his voice rising dramatically.

“What? No. It’s not like that. I was exhausting myself physically and mentally trying to figure out why I feel so different. Trying to find a way to feel normal. I thought you were fine with this?” you asked. “You told me to go find answers.”

He shouted, “Yes! Answers! Not off having mimosas with some man you used to know!”

“I wasn’t off ‘having mimosas’,” you mocked in his voice. “I was trying to figure out what the hell that asshole put in my head, in my body!”

“Okay so you just think Shannon was helping you out of the kindness of her heart?” he pressed.

“Yes, I do. What else would she be doing?” you challenged.

“How do we know she wasn't just installing more surveillance when she gave you that tablet?” Loki asked as you worked on making him tomato soup in the small kitchen.

“What? Loki, there are literally cameras in every room except the bathroom. What more could they install?” you asked incredulously.

“I’m merely saying… do you trust her?” he said as he stood close to you like a shadow.

“I guess,” you answered unsure. Sure, she got you out for the day, and she helped you, and respected your privacy about New York and Loki, but both of you had a long way to go before there would be full trust again. She was still on the side of the heroes, and you on the villains afterall.

“Your level of confidence astounds me,” he mocked.

You sighed, frustrated at you laid down the stirring spoon. “I don’t know, Loki. She says she believes us, she came inside the cell--”

“Romanoff, the spy? She fooled me on that helicarrier. Shannon did the same thing to me in this tower. She pretended to be you for gods’ sake, and stabbed me in the back.”

“And I threw Tony out the window,” you reminded with a gleeful, fake smile, sarcasm behind it. “We’re pretty even.”

Loki took a deep breath before he said, “All I am saying is that she doesn't exactly stand on moral high ground. We don’t know her intentions. Coming in here, saying she believes us, all of that could’ve been a ruse. Trust me, I’m a master of trickery.”

“Moral high ground? Have you forgotten what we did?” you asked, turning to him.

“No,” he told you flatly, his eyes cold. “But she stabbed me in the back, Y/N. Not figuratively, like I do, but literally. What if she does the same to you?”

“Stab me or betray me?” you teased.

He gave you a cold look. “Neither is a joking matter,” he chastised.

You rolled your eyes. “Lok, she isn’t going to do that.”

“Oh, you’re right,” he said, putting his hand on his forehead dramatically. “I forgot that humans are so prone to forgiveness.” He gestured to the cell around you, looking at the concrete walls outside the glass cell.

You pursed your lips. “What do you want me to do?” you asked in a huff. “Send her away? You want me to say, ‘Oh, no, Shannon, that’s fine. I only spent the better part of a year trying to get you to come and see me, to forgive me. But now that you believe me, you can go’.” You crossed your arms and stared at him.

“No, I just… I want you to be cautious. I don’t want you getting hurt by her. I can't bear to watch it,” he stated.

“You know, not everyone is a fucking snake, looking how to double cross someone. That’s pretty much your department,” you snapped, shoving napkins in his chest as you started to walk to the bedroom. “Your soup is done.”

Loki stood, hurt evident on his face, sighing in frustration before he turned around. “The last I checked, that was hers. She was raised to lie, to gather information on the enemy. Or am I wrong?”

You froze.

“Look me in the eye and tell me I’m wrong. That her background doesn’t lay solely in lies, betrayal, pretending…” He demanded. “I may be a snake. I may do what’s best for me, but at least all my friends and foes know that. I don’t pretend to hide behind some innocent facade,” he hissed.

You turned and slowly advanced on him, your eyes dark. “I thought you were happy for me? I thought you were happy for us? She’s on our side! Tony couldn’t care less if we rot down here. She might be our only chance at ever getting our freedom! She got me out today. She is trying to get me help! And even if she wasn’t, even if we never got our freedom, that’s okay, because we don’t deserve it. I’m lucky she even wants to look at me after what I did...Just her talking to me is just as good as freedom. Why can’t you see that?”

In low tone, he looked down at you and said, “Because I can never see the good in people. If you always expect people to betray you, you’ll never be disappointed.”

You flinched away from him. “Is that what you think about me? That one day I’ll betray you? That one day I’ll somehow leave your side?”

His wild blue eyes met yours for a long moment before looking away.

Tears sprang to your eyes. “Wow. How fantastic. Does nothing I did prove my love to you? I lost my freedom for you. I stabbed my best friend for you. I threw Iron Man out a fucking window for you. I jumped into a portal for you. I endured brainwashing and hellish conditions for you. And you still think that I could just turn on you?”

“You wouldn’t be the first,” he remarked with hatred. “If history has taught me anything, it’s that I will always end up standing on my own. Remind me again who got to leave this cell today and who didn’t.”

You pulled away from him even farther. In a whisper, you asked, “How could you even say that to me? I have been by your side through everything when no one else was. I never once said, ‘This is all Loki’s fault. I plea insanity, let me go.’”

“Ah, so there it is. You do think it’s all my fault.”

“That’s not what I said,” you argued through clenched teeth.

“It’s just a matter of time before you cast me aside like all the others. You’re already leaving without me, maybe one day you just won’t return.” A cold smile fell on his lips as he cocked his head to the side.

“Maybe this is why!” you cried. “Did you ever think of that? Maybe it’s because you expect the worst from people and eventually they’re tired of trying to show you that you’re wrong, so they just betray you anyway. It’s easier just to prove you’re right, rather than to constantly fight to prove you wrong!”

“Then it’s best I do it first, before they do it to me,” he said, his eyes narrowing as his voice got low.

You held up your finger, warning him, “Shannon is a good person. So long as she doesn’t hurt you or me, we will go on trusting her and believing her. Do you hear me?”

“Loud and clear darling,” he cooed darkly.

“Just… eat your soup,” you said finally before turning and going into the living room to read. You sat with your back to him, hoping he wouldn’t hear you crying. Of all the people you could fight with, you really didn’t want it to be the one man you were literally stuck with for the rest of your life.

Was this your life now? Constantly choosing between Loki and other people? Choosing Loki or freedom? Choosing Loki or a normal life?

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

Tag List: @essie1876​ @magpiegirl80​ @letsgetfuckingsuperwholocked​ @iamwarrenspeace​ @marvel-imagines-yes-please​ @superwholocked527 @missinstantgratification​ @thejemersoninferno​ @rda1989​ @munlis​ @thefridgeismybestie​​ @bubblyanarocks3​​ @igiveupicantthinkofausername​​ @kaliforniacoastalteens​ @feelmyroarrrr​​ @kaelingoat​ @friendlyneighbourhoodweirdo​​ @damalseer​​ @heyitscam99​​ @yknott81​​ @sorryimacrapwriter​​ @glitterquadricorn​​ @xxqueenofisolationxx @little-dis-kaalista-pythonissama @bittersweetunicorm​​ @alyssaj23​​ @sea040561​​ @princess76179​​ @thisismysecrethappyplace​​ @sarahp879​​ @malfoysqueen14​​ @ellallheart​​ @breezy1415​​ @marvelmayo​​ @random-fluffy-pink-unicorn @cocosierra94 @hardcollectionworldtrash @capsmuscles @marvelloushamilton

@paintballkid711​

Loki: @lostinspace33​​ @ultrarebelheart​​ @lenawiinchester​​ @esoltis280​​ @tngrayson​​ @wangdeasang​​ @harrymewmew @jayfantasyatyourservice​​

UC:

@lokis-high-priestess​

[absolutelynoct]

Hello there! Ah! So glad your taking prompts! I recently got into your works and you're a really good writer! If it's not to much to ask, could I have a Promptis? I was thinking a morning after. Can be cute or cuddly or them just being naughty or both! Thanks a bunch and thank you for making great fics!

[Hello! Thank you so much for your prompt! I hope you enjoy this one! I feel like I could have turned this into a full length fic so it was a lot of fun to write! Thank you so much for liking my fics!

Noctis couldn’t believe it. How could he when he never thought that he would ever be with the person of his dreams? Growing up he had been told over and over again that he had to marry Lunafreya, that it was the two of them and that was it. But when he had fallen in love with Prompto, he felt like he was doomed and unable to face a future if that meant he couldn’t be with him. When he confessed as much to his father, he had expected his father to admonish him. Instead, the king was only kind and gracious and told him that he was proud of him. Then it was all up to Prompto. Noctis never considered that Prompto would actually love him in return.

Through a series of careful planning, Noctis finally worked up the courage to ask Prompto on a date. When Prompto had accepted the trip to Galdin Quay, he had been thrilled. It was just the two of them, Ignis and Gladio giving them their own space despite the need for security. The quay was a particularly calm and peaceful place, giving Noctis and Prompto the assurance they needed that they would have their privacy while being safe. Noctis and Prompto had spent the day together, laughing and playing on the beach and in the water, almost as if they were just there as friends.

But at night it was different. Noctis had arranged an almost perfect dinner at the restaurant with Prompto, something that they both had to dress well for. Cor had gotten Prompto a nice suit for the occasion, and when Noctis had first seen him, he felt his breath catch in his throat. It was no wonder he was in love with Prompo. The guy was gorgeous. 

They had both been nervous, blushing and stumbling over their words as they sat at the dinner table. Nervously, Noctis had reached across the table and grabbed Prompto’s hand at one point. He had expected Prompto to pull away, for him to tell him it was really just all a dream, but instead he did the opposite. They spent the rest of dinner holding each other’s hand across the table until they made their way back to the hotel room together, both of them equally captivated under the starlight and glow of the moon.

Noctis had anticipated that the end of the night to go one way, with maybe a kiss on the lips and then a quick goodnight before they went to sleep. Instead, one kiss led to another, and then another and another. Before he knew it, Prompto was sighing and shuddering under his touch, and they spent a long night of bliss and ecstasy. They slept late into the morning, neither of them looking to forget just what they had done, the image of Prompto’s blushing face beneath Noctis swimming in at the forefront of his mind.

With a deep sigh, Noctis pulled Prompto closer to his body, his arm wrapped around Prompto’s naked torso. He felt Prompto’s back against his chest, his lips nuzzled into Prompto’s neck, his legs entwined with his lover’s. Prompto let out a sigh and a slight moan, the moan of a sleepy lover who didn’t quite want to get the day started. Noctis felt the same. They had one more day together before they had to go back to Insomnia, and he was quite content to spend it in bed with Prompto.

“Just five more minutes,” Prompto moaned as he pressed against Noctis, his backside shifting pleasantly against Noctis. Noctis inhaled into Prompto’s neck, his body reacting to Prompto’s very presence. Noctis’s hand trailed down his hips and between his legs, caressing him gently, teasingly. Prompto let out a moan, almost a whimper, and Noctis found his heart racing even more. “Nngh… Noct…”

Prompto shuddered beneath Noctis’s touch as he continued to caress him, his own body screaming in his desire to see his lover pleased beneath him once more. In an instant, Prompto was turning over, his lips pressed against Noctis’s, their bodies wound together as they proceeded to ignore the world in favor of paying attention to each other. Noctis didn’t know how long he would have to be with Prompto without the reality of being prince hitting them like a behemoth, but he was going to do his best to savor the moment.

As if the universe had heard his worries, Prompto’s phone went off, the ringtone indicating that it was Cor calling. It wasn’t something that they could ignore. Not since Cor had adopted Prompto and was an overprotective parent to say the least. It was a miracle that they had been able to go on this trip at all. Prompto had promised to always answer his calls when he tried to reach out to him, and it was something that Prompto was going to honor. He wasn’t the sort to go back on his word, and that was something that Noctis admired about him.

Prompto untangled himself from Noctis quickly, grabbing the phone on the bedside table next to Noctis, reaching over the prince and nearly dropping his phone in the process. He answered it, his face red, half hanging over the bed as he laid nearly sideways on top of Noctis. Noctis grinned, his heart racing as he thought about Prompto’s body on top of him. His hand trailed over his back and backside, making the flustered blond squeal in delight.

“Hey Cor,” Prompto said as he tried to swat Noctis’s hand away unsuccessfully. Noctis watched as he continued to touch Prompto’s ass. He was squirming on top of him, but he wasn’t pulling away. “Yes! We’re doing great. Just woke up actually. It’s been… It’s been a great time! Thanks for letting me out of the house. Yeah, we’ll be home tomorrow. I-I am really g-glad we got to take the trip!”

There was a silence as Prompto held the end of the phone away from his lips, listening to whatever Cor was saying as he tried not to moan from Noctis running his hands over his body, touching every sensitive area on his body. He grinned as his own body screamed to pull Prompto into his arms and have him then and there, but he refrained. The last thing he needed was for Cor to suddenly stop the two of them from ever communicating again. While he didn’t think Prompto wouldn’t like it, he wasn’t so sure he wouldn’t disobey him.

“Y-yes, Cor,” Prompto said as he shuddered from Noctis’s touch. He gripped Noctis’s arm with his free hand, his nails digging into his skin as he tried to stop himself from moaning. Noctis used his fingers to press into Prompto, making him stifle a moan that made him want to forget all about the call. “Noctis and I are dating now. I swear he knows to treat me well. Okay. I will. Thank you. Bye.”

He hung up the phone and looked at Noctis, letting out a shudder and a moan as the phone fell from his hands and clattered on the bedside table. Noctis continued to use his fingers to torment Prompto with delight. Prompto made several attempts to say something, but they were lost entirely to the pleasure he was feeling. When Noctis finally pulled his hand away, Prompto looked at him with a desire in his eyes that made the prince’s heart skip a beat.

“Are you going to torment me every time I’m on the phone?!” Prompto asked as he thwacked Noctis on the arm and sat up in bed. Noctis laughed as he sat up, leaning against the headboard. “Cor will definitely catch on eventually!”

“Maybe I will,” Noctis said with a shrug. “But you’re my boyfriend now. I’m never letting you go.”

Prompto blushed a deeper red. “Y-yeah, well maybe not every time Cor calls, okay?”

“Sure thing,” Noctis said. “I told my dad that I’m in love with you, you know. So he’s working on dissolving the betrothal to Luna. I just thought you should know that.”

“R-really?!” Prompto asked in surprise. “I… I just kind of thought that maybe…”

“Maybe you and I were just a temporary thing until I became king?” Noctis asked, knowing that Prompto was full of insecurities that he would have to spend a long time unlearning. “No, Prompto. That’s not me. You know that, and it’s just your brain being mean. I love you, and now Lucis is going to have two kings if I have any say in it. And I’m the prince so I should have a say.”

“T-Two kings?!” Prompto asked, his eyes wide. “W-Would anyone want me as a king?”

“They’d be foolish not to,” Noctis said. “So how about it? Let’s rule Lucis together?”

“Ever at your side,” Prompto said, and Noctis grinned. A moment later they were kissing again, Prompto on top of him as they lost themselves in each other’s arms again. They were both looking forward to spending the entire day together, and Noctis had an idea that neither of them would leave the room. Why would they when all the happiness they needed was within their grasp?

[mothmansfriend]

when i’m happy oh god i’m happy

TW: alcohol abuse, non-graphic sexual content, unhealthy coping mechanisms, self harm (in many forms), drug use, couchsurfing, mentions of delusions and paranoia, otherwise reckless behaviour

Note: this takes place in @illogicallyinclined’s hockey au and is a Prequel this is supposed to represent what Remus’s manic episodes look like everyone is different, but im using a mix of my own experiences with bipolar i and some friends who were willing to talk about theirs, then changing it to fit Remus’s existing Absolutely Feral personality, Jared and Payton are OC’s and teammates of Remus, the three of them are known for wrecking havoc at all times because none of them possess a braincell.

The art studio was empty, filled only by the assorted music of Remus’s sculpting playlist on the bluetooth speaker he brought in, and Remus himself. His hands glide through the wet clay and he basks in the slimy feeling between his fingers. Remus’s hair is held back by a small headband and he is wearing a tank top and jogging pants already covered in various mediums he has used through the day. He does not know where the energy to finish every project for this semester came from but he isn’t about to object.

If you were to look around this studio, there is a high contrast painting of a tentacle creature that is unsettling in an almost unidentifiable way, half of a self-portrait which uses resin teeth as the main element, as well as his current project of a large cup shaped like a decapitated head. In short, while Remus believes these are his best pieces, the chances of the university permitting them to be displayed are very low.

Remus gets frustrated that the music didn’t seem to be filling his inspiration in the way he hoped he changes the song revealing it to be approximately 4am, and no texts received since he sent D a picture if the teeth pile around 10pm.

—

“Can you go wake Remus up and ask if he wants any breakfast, he really shouldn’t sleep in this late, even if it is Saturday” D asks from the stove while Roman grabs his carton of milk from the fridge and doesn’t bother grabbing a cup.

D grimaces at him as he chugs back the milk, once again thankful that they have separate ones (even if that is at fault of Remus deciding to mix apple juice with milk in the carton without alerting anyone else in the household). “He actually headed out like, real early this morning, I spoke to him when I got up for a shower at like six. He said he’d be back today though?” Roman replied ignoring D’s look.

“Well, that’s even weirder. I’ll make extras so he can eat when he gets back, it's already eleven.”

“Sounds good,” Roman noticing D’s almost done slides a few plates next to him and accepts D’s soft ‘thanks’.

Suddenly they hear someone miss the keyhole three times before getting it and entering. Unsurprisingly, it’s Remus inappropriately dressed for a casual outing, surprisingly he seems to be holding several bags full of merchandise. “Helloo roommates! Look what I bought!” Remus shouts, slamming the door with his foot and bringing his bags to the couch.

“Are those... cups?” D asks turning off the stovetop to curiously check out Remus’s merch load.

“Hell yeah they are! I figured since you-” He pokes at D, “Took away all our glass cups after me and Roman went to that last party, I would take it upon myself to replace them. Look!” Remus proudly pulls the ugliest Jar Jar Binks cup out of one of the bags.

Roman visibly recoils as his brother parades the worst cup he’s ever seen around their apartment. D rolls his eyes but collects the cup and hesitantly places it into the dishwasher. “Thank you, Remus, these cups are horrid but they’re functional, which, I guess is good enough. Though, how much did these cost?”

“No idea, probably around sixty bucks total though, maybe. I went to three different thrift stores. Look at this one!” Remus holds up a vaguely terrifying cup that seems like it may have once resembled Spongebob Squarepants to Roman.

“That’s… Great, Remus, thanks” Roman says taking the offered item.

—

The three make it to practice 20 minutes early because Roman likes to prove he’s dedicated and a good captain. Coach Thomas and Joan greet them and Thomas talks to Roman briefly as Joan finishes setting things up. D and Remus do some stretches as others begin to show up, D comments on Remus being shaky and Remus hops around quickly explaining that he just woke up with a lot of energy for some reason.

Coach Thomas reminds Remus to take his time during practices speeding through everything doesn’t work if he keeps messing up before he even makes it halfway through.

—

D is going to kill Remus tomorrow morning. The repetitive sound of the bedframe slamming against their shared wall, and Remus wailing like a cat in heat at 1am is not something he wants to deal with right now. It’s a Tuesday night and D knows Remus has a class at 11am, one that D will not let him skip because he decided getting laid was more important. How does Remus even get a man to willingly enter that nightmare of a room? D rummages through his bedside table for ear plugs and regrets giving Roman the far room so easily.

—

“Jesus- Hello? Do you know what time it is?” The tired voice answers the phone after the third time of going to voicemail.

“Of course I don’t, Jared, I’m not a fucking nerd! I just thought I might extend my offer of filling the fountain in the middle of campus with bubble bath and a swim to you and Payton! D already said if I woke him up he would cut my dick off and feed it to his snake,” Remus audibly pouted at the end of his sentence.

Despite it being three am, it didn’t take a lot for Jared to wake up Payton and agree to meet him just off campus to run to the 24/7 convenience store for soap for the fountain. Remus leads the group in talking a mile a minute about something that Jared and Payton actually missed out on entirely. They try to contribute but realize Remus doesn’t notice when they have their own conversation anyways. They listen to him vaguely flit through topic after topic and get lost and confused in his own sentences, and once the soap is collected, they head to the large fountain in the middle of campus.

The fifth bottle of soap has been discarded and the fountain is sufficiently bubbly by the time the three hockey players strip to their boxers and begin their bath. There are attempted drownings, bubble beards, and the fountain change being thrown around.

At some point Remus stops talking for a second, observing the lithium bulbs through the fountain streams and bubbles floating across the courtyard. For a moment, he thinks he’s never been this happy in his life, these last few days have been the best days of his life. He lets Jared and Payton know this and like stare at him for a moment before teasing him about going soft and a few “I love you, bro” “Dude, you mean so much to me” and such were exchanged. They leave moments before campus security’s due to do their rounds in the early morning and laugh when about an hour later they receive a campus-wide notification to avoid the courtyard for repairs.

—

Remus spends most of practice being more annoying than usual. He gets a bit more of a stern talking to than he has in a while, in response says that he’ll try to do better to prepare for the game this weekend.

—

He did not succeed and got an even sterner talking to by Coach Thomas and Joan, and then by Roman separately.

—

Remus has a brief moment of clarity regarding his spending habits from the last week and a half in the middle of his current project. His solution is instead of buying the club size container of hot sauce, he makes a trip to the Taco Bell off campus. After dropping off the rest of his goods at the apartment, it was pretty late in the evening and he was dressed in nothing but neon green basketball shorts, slides, and a pretty badly stained grey tank top. Thankfully, Florida weather permitted this, though the looks he had been receiving all day disagreed. It likely did not help that if prompted, Remus wasn’t 100% on the last time that he slept, but if he had to guess it was two or three days ago, but that was probably a maximum of five hours. Surprisingly, he had never felt so good in his life. He’s also pretty sure he’s said that a lot this week.

He leaves Taco Bell with a small meal bag full of hot sauce at no cost.

—

D doesn’t ask any questions when he uses the bathroom in the early morning and is met with the sight of Remus in the bathtub. He is covered in a large variety of substances. The floor is covered in Taco Bell hot sauce wrappers, there’s a box full of water balloons of various colours and sizes. Remus waves with his available hand before he resumes filling the current water balloon with what may be a bulk container of banana lube. D pisses, not bothering to ask Remus to leave and just pulls the shower curtain over a little before washing his hands and deciding to figure it out tomorrow.

The next day, D woke up around 10am to a few texts saying some prick is throwing weird water balloons at first years off this academic building on campus. D didn’t think much about it until he was leaving his 12:30 lecture walking past splatters of mayo, egg, egg shells, hot sauce, and more, all separately. While observing the damage he found Remus asleep on some grass outside said academic building and had to call Logan for help to get him home. The two are used to this by now and D reminds himself to tell Remus to clear his ‘great ideas’ with someone containing a braincell.

—

Remus spends a good majority of his day listening to one song in the living room of the shared apartment. He was there when D left for classes, he was there when Roman left a little later in the day, failing to go to his own classes at all that day. The second D returns for lunch Remus is trying to explain a hidden meaning in the song, D brushes it off and reminds Remus, that to pass his classes he has to at least go.

—

This is Remus’s third night out in an area of town he really doesn’t know. He went home yesterday for early practice before coming back out. He knows it didn’t go well.

In attempts to make himself feel better, he blew a guy who’s name he already forgot but was hot as hell, he lost count of the shots he’s done, but at least there’s no practice tomorrow. He doesn’t have to worry about when he goes home, doesn’t have to worry about Roman or D and their weird concerned looks. He’s doing great! Why are they concerned, they just don’t get it.

At 2 am everyone gets kicked out of the club. Remus walks six blocks with his new friends with the promise of couch space to crash on and additional alcohol.

It’s suddenly 4:47 am and Remus is the only one awake and all the booze is gone. He is sitting under lithium streetlights smoking a cigarette on the porch of a strangers house with the humid Florida wind enables him to sit comfortably without a jacket. There is a moment, with sirens in the distance that Remus lets his eyes go out of focus. For the first time in who knows how long, he feels present. There is cracked cement under his feet, a dog barking a few houses down, and he wonders why he’s even here. The hidden Prince twin, here, in a city he has only been to once for a tournament, in a stranger’s house, drunk off his ass, his phone dead. He takes time to wonder, is this fun to him? It has to be right? Why did he just leave without telling anyone? Spending nights on the streets, or finding someone to go home with just so he didn’t have to find somewhere else to sleep. Is this who he is now?

He doesn’t know if he can answer that. Remus shakes himself before putting out his cigarette on his arm and deciding it doesn’t matter.

He still doesn’t sleep that night, but plugs in his phone and decides he needs to go home soon.

—

This is a different club than the previous night, someone sold Remus a few pills earlier and he figured why not? He feels better than ever. He lets the man he’s making out with know that and he lets out a kind of raspy laugh that Remus thinks is the hottest thing. He lets the other man know that too before sticking his tongue down his throat.

—

Remus is in the park yelling. It is almost 6pm, he pauses for a moment, completely forgetting what he was yelling about. He realizes that he is pretty drunk. Remus would normally like to say he only drinks with an excuse, but he doesn’t remember why he’s drunk, or how he got to the park. This isn’t near campus, he doesn’t recognize this park at all. He just stops yelling and googles the next bus to take him home.

—

Upon arriving home and greeting D, Remus falls asleep in his room for almost 12 hours to make up for the missing sleep from the last four days. When he is woken up for food and offered tylenol for his hangover, he tries to tell them he doesn’t have one. They don’t believe him, but he takes the food. Remus makes a joke recalling how the other day all he had eaten was some stale croutons he found in a pantry and half a bottle of Fireball he found in the fridge nearby. The joke did not land, but he was too busy laughing about it to notice.

The three eat their Sunday lunch with small amounts of banter and D switching between who he agrees with based on who’s statement didn’t sound like it came from a six year old. As they clean up, Remus starts excitedly talking about something that’s topic changed around four times in one sentence. Roman feigns interest but got lost and doesn’t care enough; D listens and has to ask Remus to repeat things slower every few minutes.

—

Several times throughout the night, D hears Remus loudly leave his room to check the front door. In the early morning D doesn’t hear Remus return to his room, but faintly hears netflix turn on in the living room.

In the morning, Remus seems wary of the door but does not say anything.

—

One day while messing around in the kitchen Remus is struck with the need to just go. The urge is so strong that the more he stands still in the kitchen the more his body just begins to tremble with barely contained energy. He doesn’t quite know where he’s going yet, but as he grabs his wallet, double checking he has his bus pass and ID, a jacket, his phone, and his keys. Without telling anyone, he walks to the main exchange near campus where he hops on the first bus that arrives. The bus isn’t particularly busy, and it makes it easier for him as he settles into the back of the bus bopping to his music, but not having the focus to listen to a song all the way through. He hits his hands softly on the very 90’s looking patterned seats to the beat of the song, watching out the windows with both legs bouncing. He rides this bus to the end of the line and catches the next bus to arrive at that bus exchange that takes him into a new smaller city. The sun is beginning to set and he finds a pub to grab some food and a few drinks at.

An hour and a half and four drinks later Remus is fighting some asshole in the pub and they both get kicked out. He wanders these smaller streets buzzed and poking at forming bruises while he smokes a cigarette. He walks by a convenience store and two homeless men outside ask him for a cigarette, he shares and spends a solid amount of time socializing with them and gets some booze for his troubles. They eventually part ways when one of them come out from the bathroom with a pack of stolen cookies. The store attendant chases them away and Remus finds himself wandering down empty streets again. Eventually, Remus decides to sleep for a few hours curled up in a stairwell, he doesn’t quite sleep, but does relax. Again, in the sounds of small city life, yellowed flickering light bulbs, and humid wind, Remus wonders why he’s out here.

—

The flashing neon lights and bass heavy music resonate through Remus’s bones like electricity giving him a never ending feedback loop of energy. Just before the club closes Remus sweet-talks a kind of nerdy looking guy into taking him home, while he’s mostly just hoping to not sleep outside tonight, getting laid wont hurt either.

—

Sneaking out of someone’s house before they wake up isn’t something Remus is necessarily proud of, but he doesn’t want to risk them doing something cheesy like make him breakfast. Sorry sir, Remus is a Manic Pixie Nightmare Boy, do not catch feelings, do not use for your own character development. He laughs to himself a little walking down the morning rush streets.

—

After waking up in bed with a man he doesn’t remember meeting the night before is a little jarring, but this is not the first time. It makes him wonder briefly if something is wrong with him. Remus is tired. Exhausted with himself and getting a little tired of this much fun. Instead of finding a diner for breakfast he catches a bus home and asks Logan if they can hang out tomorrow. If anyone will force him to go home, go to practice, sleep and not give him a choice to study or not without expecting him to explain himself. It will be everyone’s favourite Large Nerd. Remus doesn’t know what’s happening or why he feels like this, but he needs to go home and stop this for a little bit.Virgil, D, and Logan will help him get things a little back on track.