#in the love they’re willing to give once it’s unlocked within them

[minheelovelee]

Could you do the smut a-z for jo!!

jo a-z smut

thank you for requesting! i was super excited to work on this. loving loving loving jo so much today.

A = Aftercare (what they’re like after sex)

gentle giant. he's quite good at aftercare. once he catches his breath, he'll get you whatever you need. bonus points are awarded for round two in the shower or bath.

B = Body part (their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner’s)

he likes his partners' hair. grabbing it, pulling it, playing with it. he pulls his partner back by their hair during doggy. put that picture in your mind rq.

C = Cum (anything to do with cum, basically)

his favorite place to cum is inside your mouth. his partners can rarely fit his entire length inside their mouths. watching them struggle always tips him over the edge and get him shooting ropes.

D = Dirty secret (pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs)

he is a horny menace and wants to get caught. just once or twice, he wants to be seen with his hands shoved down your pants and teeth on your neck. he doesn't get a lot of credit from his roommates and is always excluded from sexual discourse. he's too shy to say anything, so he speaks with actions. he'll purposely leave the door unlocked while you suck him off. he gets risky with his hands during group activities. he's only seen when he wants to be seen. if you're willing to participate, he would love to get a blowjob in a public bathroom.

E = Experience (how experienced are they? do they know what they’re doing?)

probably has no experience. but, it wouldn't surprise me if he's gotten an accidental handjob or seen boobs a few times.

F = Favorite position (this goes without saying)

something about cowgirl. it does it for him. he likes thrusting up when you're hovering above him. he gets great access to your boobs and neck.

G = Goofy (are they more serious in the moment? are they humorous? etc.)

he gets into his head and comes off as serious. he takes sex seriously and values his partners. he tries to laugh off little mistakes or mishaps. otherwise, sex with him is extremely intimate and special.

H = Hair (how well groomed are they? does the carpet match the drapes? etc.)

i feel like he doesn't shave. maybe he does a little taming, but he would never go bald. he would feel too naked while being naked.

I = Intimacy (how are they during the moment? the romantic aspect)

sex is very important to him. he doesn't tread lightly and he likes to set clear boundaries. he's always asking questions on how to pleasure you. even when you're too shy to respond, he reads body language well and learns from mistakes. he's a terrible fwb.

J = Jack off (masturbation headcanon)

secretly, he's such a horn dog. he has to jack off at least 5 times a week. there's a lot of pent up energy and emotion within jo, it could very well express itself through his sexuality.

K = Kink (one or more of their kinks)

size kink. his size kink is crazy. he was blessed with a giant body and he's learning to use it well. he doesn't realize it's something that turns him on until he meets someone really small who he wants BAD. when his mind drifts into thoughts of their small, tight body, he realizes why he's down so bad. "small girl big cock" is his most recent porn search.

L = Location (favorite places to do the do)

he likes somewhere with a little risk. the couch always gets his heart pumping. he likes the bathroom, too. when his friends pound on the door asking him to hurry up... poor boy hasnt even touched the shower yet. he was too busy eating you out against the counter.

M = Motivation (what turns them on, gets them going)

when you wear his clothes.

seeing you be assertive or confident.

jealousy/when other people look at his girl.

N = No (something they wouldn’t do, turn offs)

he's quite risky, but i think he draws the line at non-con. cnc could be negotiated.

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

he's 50/50 on the giving/receiving spectrum. he LOVES eating pussy. any position, anywhere.

but receiving... he loves loves loves getting head too. shoving himself down someone's throat is the highlight of his week. especially if they choke a little.

P = Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.)

i think he switches it up. he either takes his time with a slowwwww pace, or likes things quick and dirty.

Q = Quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.)

he's not big on quickes. but i will say, the second he finds himself alone with you, his hands are immediately tangled in your hair.

R = Risk (are they game to experiment? do they take risks? etc.)

hes actually a very brave boy when he gets comfortable with sexual encounters. a little exhibitionism never hurt. he's a "go with the flow" kind of guy, so he never says no to something his baby wants to try.

S = Stamina (how many rounds can they go for? how long do they last?)

he actually has great stamina. he's okay for 2-3 rounds, and would go all day if he was in the mood.

T = Toys (do they own toys? do they use them? on a partner or themselves?)

he doesn't own any. he likes restriction, but he has the strength to hold you back himself. he might find himself owning a gag at some point.

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

he is such a lover. teasing isn't a big thing for him. but, he is firm when it comes to punishment and following through on his word. if he says you're not cumming tonight, you're not cumming tonight. sorry.

V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.)

he's not loud, but he makes a lot of noise. if that makes sense. he's always asking questions and looking for ways to make sex more pleasurable for the other party. a very sweet boy who talks a little and groans a lot.

W = Wild card (a random headcanon for the character)

loves seeing you in his clothes. wearing his shirts or sweatpants is a sure way to get his attention. some of his fondest sexual memories consist of you wearing his clothing.

X = X-ray (let’s see what’s going on under those clothes)

his cock is huge. just trust me. those long legs, arms, and fingers can only mean one thing.

Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?)

jo is a very nice boy who always respects boundaries. when he's in a relationship, he is horny ALL the time. like im not kidding its weird. he gets possessed by a sex demon when his significant other is around.

overall, his sex drive is above average. he's just really good at hiding it from people he's not fucking.

Z = Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterwards)

jo likes snuggling after sex. he's bound to fall asleep. he does so much work during sex, there's no way he isn't exhausted. i'd give him thirty minutes before he's conked out.

[clericofmystra]

venndaai replied to this post:

Oh wow, Larissa and my Tav should be friends! They’re a half-drow whose father wasn’t able to study magic in the Underdark and put all his hopes on them, but they were always the weakest student at wizard school despite studying really hard, but the tadpole in their head seems to have finally unlocked their wizard potential and they’re not willing to give up that power for anything…

Ooh, they should be friends! I love the idea of these two people trying so hard to get magic to work and having potentially dangerous degrees of aspiration to that kind of power, and being continually frustrated in that desire until suddenly everything changed. The two of them should hang out with Gale and have hubris tea parties :P

I also like the contrast with their differing perspectives on the tadpole!

When Larissa was captured and being eye-horror'd, she assumed she must have offended Mystra somehow (though she has no idea what) and completely lost her favor for something this horrific to happen to Larissa. And then when she escapes her pod, she thinks ... maybe Mystra hasn't completely abandoned her? Possibly? But at heart she doubts it until she sees Shadowheart using cleric spells and is like ... well, there's only way to know, and tries to cast Guiding Bolt at the devil, a spell she's never had occasion to use before.

And it just blasts out and sears this side of the devil's face (mechanically: critically hits for some 30 damage lol) and she's like ... wait, so ... Mystra's still blessing me? Then is this not a punishment ... wait ... I'm so confused????? But in general she is firmly set on getting rid of the parasite and avoiding illithid abilities whenever possible, so I think Larissa-(your)Tav would have a really interesting dynamic, actually!

Very curious now about why Mystra chose Larissa!

I was imagining that it mostly comes down to the sheer intensity and scale of Larissa's awe and devotion despite her personally receiving nothing from Mystra for over a decade. But once Larissa (eventually) catches Mystra's attention, Mystra also approves of Larissa's powerful curiosity about the mysteries of the world, especially magical ones, and dedication to studying them and acquiring/preserving as much knowledge as possible + general drive and aspiration. I think Mystra judges Larissa to be someone who will always appreciate and respect the gift of magic while remaining steadfastly faithful to her, and will make a reliable agent in the world.

Larissa fwiw tries to repress her near-insatiable curiosity and the fervor of her longing for respect and magical power, thinking they're a bit unseemly, but I think a) Mystra is 100% aware of them and b) actually very much approves as long as Larissa stays within the limits of Mystra's instructions and will.

[jockvillagersonly]

I’m just thinking a lot about PingXie in Nan Pai San Shu’s ending notes to Ten Years Later.

I’m thinking about how Wu Xie brings the warmth of the world to Zhang Qiling, and about how Zhang Qiling in turn brings Wu Xie a sense of fascination, intrigue, and (ironically?) tranquility.

I’m thinking about how the two of them are “predestined to meet.” How they ultimately complete each other’s duties - Zhang Qiling takes Wu Xie’s place at the Gate, and Wu Xie concludes the Zhang family’s mission against the Wangs.

I’m thinking about how curiosity defines and drives Wu Xie throughout DMBJ. I’m thinking about how his obsessive curiosity draws him to Zhang Qiling...and about how his love for Zhang Qiling overcomes that aching hum in his mind on the eve of reunion.

I’m thinking about what it means for Zhang Qiling to be Wu Xie’s “demon,” as Wang Meng puts it. What it means to be haunted by someone you love.

I’m thinking of how simply hearing Xiao-ge’s nickname on another man’s tongue in Sha Hai can set Wu Xie off in anger and grief...and about how finding a sign left by Xiao-ge can give Wu Xie “a sense of security that I hadn’t felt in many years suddenly rose up from the bottom of my heart.”

In the end, I think, perhaps, for PingXie, the act of loving is inherently to be, “on one hand, everyone is happy; on the other hand, everything is burning.”

Image ID under cut ❤️

Image 2 (Gif): A series of scenes of Zhang Qiling staring pensively alone. The first scene is him in wood room, flicking his gaze down. The second scene shows him slightly inclining his head towards Wu Xie behind him (but not actually turning around). The third scene shows him staring up at the night sky and speaking while illuminated by firelight. The quote “I’m a man without past and future. Even if I vanish from the surface of earth, no one would notice,” runs along the bottom of the gif.

Image 2 (Gif): A series of scenes of Zhang Qiling staring pensively alone. The first scene is him in wood room, flicking his gaze down. The second scene shows him slightly inclining his head towards Wu Xie behind him (but not actually turning around). The third scene shows him staring up at the night sky and speaking while illuminated by firelight. The quote “I’m a man without past and future. Even if I vanish from the surface of earth, no one would notice,” runs along the bottom of the gif.

Image 2 (Gif): A series of scenes of Zhang Qiling staring pensively alone. The first scene is him in wood room, flicking his gaze down. The second scene shows him slightly inclining his head towards Wu Xie behind him (but not actually turning around). The third scene shows him staring up at the night sky and speaking while illuminated by firelight. The quote “I’m a man without past and future. Even if I vanish from the surface of earth, no one would notice,” runs along the bottom of the gif.

Image 3: Another text screenshot: “Zhang Qilin[g]’s heart was bound to the bronze door from the beginning, and the warmth of the world was beyond his reach — until Wu Xie appeared.”

Image 4 (Gif / on the same line as Image 5): Wu Xie and Zhang Qiling from TLT3 sitting togerher in the rainforest eating, covered in mud. Zhang Qiling looks exhausted. Wu Xie lifts his hand to pat it reassuringly on Zhang Qiling’s shoulder; ZQL looks back at him in acknowledgment. Xiao Yuliang is giving a voice over to the scene: “He met Wu Xie. Despite being lost and has always been searching, he has someone beside him.”

Image 5 (gif / on the same line as Image 4): A-Ning talking to Wu Xie (who we can see from behind on the far left of frame) against a desert rock background. She says, “Zhang (Xiao-ge) will ignore everyone but you.”

Image 6: A text screenshot: “Buddha said that if two people are predestined, they can meet unexpectedly, even after ten years of separation.”

Image 7 (gif): Wu Xie and Zhang Qiling hiking through a forest. Wu Xie trips, his arms flailing, but Zhang Qiling catches him before he falls. The two share a long look, and Wu Xie smiles slightly. Caption: “We have been through a lot together.”

Image 8: A text screenshot: “Fate is often double sided. On one hand, everyone is happy; on the other hand, everything is burning. In front of the bronze door, Wu Xie finally realized his original intention. He can withstand every minute and every second after those ten long years, and let go of his obsession like the passing rain. He doesn’t care about the truth behind this door, or where Zhang Qiling came from, or even if he’s the same person. All he cares about is the ‘Poker-Face’ in his heart.”

Image 9 (gif, on the same row as image 10): Wu Xie in a light blue jacket looking earnest against a night backdrop. His face is illuminated by campfire light, and he is saying, “I’d notice if you disappeared.”

Image 10 (gif, on the same row as image 9): A flashback to Zhang Qiling looking concerned and gently cradling / tapping Wu Xie’s head after Wu Xie appears to have passed out on him. The scene fades to Wu Xie in different clothing speaking to Panma (off screen); he is saying, “I know better than anyone what kind of person he is.”

[mindofharry]

Be My Baby

In which Prince harry and Princess Y/N are set to marry and are more than happy about it. They celebrate in more ways than one.

AHHHH!!! ITS HERE!!! FINALLY! Prince harry is my guilty pleasure. pls treat him with the respect he deserves. these two are officially my favourite people ever.

fluff & FILTHY SMUT!!!!!! feedback is welcome as always! <3

“Princess Y/N is arriving soon, Harry” Anne, the queen of england said putting down her tea. Harry is the prince, next in line for the throne - Marriage is very important to the throne and for the throne. Anne has been very strict about that, preparing Harry for marriage. Princess Y/N of wales, is who Harry is meeting with today. Hopefully, to settle a deal. Harry has never cared for marriage or for a partner. He’s a lone wolf as his family would describe. But if he wants to be king, he needs to marry. And Y/N is looking like the only option at the moment.

Harry nodded putting the paper down and looking up at his mother. He pursed his lips leaning back in his seat.

“Is something the matter, dear?”

Harry shook his head “No, mother. Just tired” he lied, reassuring his mother. Anne didn’t press any further just got one of the servants to pour her more tea. She could read harry very well, she knew her son better than he knew himself. Y/N is perfect for him. Even if they do not marry, she will be a life long friend. But anne is sure they will marry within the year.

And Queen Anne is never wrong.

Y/N was late.

Harry was beginning to become bored, don’t get him wrong he loves his sister and mother. But he can only take so much. All he wanted to do was to be curled up with a book in the abandoned side of the castle - no one except for the young prince had been there. It was locked up for years before harry found the key, it was like a whole new world in there. It was dirty, messy, filthy - just how harry liked it. He decorated a room in there, and it’s like his safe place from all of this. All of these stupidly important responsibilities. His safe haven.

They were meant to be meeting, talking about their futures together. If his mother thought this was what was best for the country, then harry would push through. He hadn’t see Y/N in years, meeting when they were both much younger. No pressure, just the two kids playing in the fields. Y/N was beautiful, so care free. Harry wished he was like Y/N - the only think she seemed to care about were the moon, the sun and the stars. They never saw each other again after that, they have both obviously seen each other in papers and at events. But never talked. Y/N didn’t know why, neither did harry. They weren’t on the same chapter in life. But now, they’re both willing to do what is best for their country.

And maybe it wouldn’t be too bad marrying a soon to be king.

A servant comes into the dining room bowing at the styles family. Harry waits for him to speak - except a tall girl, bumps into him making the servant fall foward. Y/N (the tall girl) giggled, before clearing her throat and bowing at the styles family. Harry smirked and leaned back. Anne was standing a smile on her face as she saw her soon beaming for the first time in months.

“Your highness” Y/N said bowing, nearly falling down again. But she grinned covering it up. Her dress was long and tight - her mother made her wear it. She would much rather be in a nice flowy dress in the woods right now. Maybe reading about the sun. But her mother needed her to do this, so Y/N would.

Y/N’s father died a couple of months back, it was sudden and no one saw it coming. So her mother needed her to marry as Y/N is the oldest of four girls. They needed a man of the house and once Y/N married, harry would be that man. Y/N didn’t like that one bit. She could be the man of the house if she wanted to. She didn’t understand why they needed a man to pay for things, to do stuff for them. Women are just as capable. But there was no fighting with Y/N’s mother. And Y/N knew she was having a rough time without her husband and Y/N’s dad.

“Princess Y/N, it’s good to have you here” Anne said, as a servant helped her back into the seat. Y/N had the same treatment but she looked rather uncomfortable. She was seated infront of harry, which was glad of. It’s a nice view, she’ll admit. He had grown into his baby face, she thought. And that hair. Fuck, that hair.

“Thank you for inviting me, your highness” Y/N said smiling softly. “Your castle is amazing” She said and Anne nodded pointing around at the paintings. “I actually just got these new paintings in from a new artist in rome. Just beautiful, right harry?” Anne said, giving harry the look. His mother is giving him that look a lot recently, Anne just wants what is best for him and harry just doesn’t seem to care at all. It’s like he’s away from reality. In another universe half of the time. Anne was hoping Y/N would be able to bring him back down to earth, but from her entrance in here - Harry and Y/N are a lot more similar than she thought.

“Yeah, they’re beautiful” Harry said staring at the girl infront of him. Y/N blushed under his stare. She had never felt anything like this before for a man. Her stomach was in knots and her cheeks were getting hotter by the second.

The dinner was nice. It was quiet with Y/N trying to keep up the small talk - Anne was impressed with that. Everyone she had invited to the palace would only talk when spoken to, but Y/N had a certain way about her. She had manners of course, the kindest soul, but she talked. She could talk all day if she was allowed. She just never ran out of things to say. But the food was really good, so Y/N was quieter than usual. Harry had one question: did they feed her in the city? The way she was eating was like she had been starved for years.

“This is amazing” Y/N said putting her fork down. Anne grinned at the girl nodding to herself. She had found a keeper.

“Harry, why do you show Y/N around? She’s going to be staying here for the next couple of weeks” Anne announced and Y/N nearly choked on her water, she tapped her chest.

“I am?-“

“she is?”

Harry and Y/N both spoke at the same time, Anne tutted and ordered the servant to fill up her wine.

“Your mother and I have arranged it. Everything you have is here already, you’ll have your own quarters too. Your horse is being transported down here as we speak” Anne said making new room for arguing. “Y/N your mother said she would be happy for us to host you here if the dinner went accordingly. And i think it went more than accordingly” Anne continued sipping her wine.

Harry and Y/N looked to each other their eyes both wide with amusement and shock. Only their parents would do this.

“Now, run along. Gemma and I have some talking to do” Anne ordered, the servants came and helped the princess and prince up following them out of the dinning room. Y/N was rather uncomfortable with the servants being everywhere, she had a lot more freedom at home.

“Hey, you wanna do something fun?” She asked and harry raised an eyebrow in amusement.

“Hey! Intruder” Y/N yelled and the servants looked around quickly, harry was startled when Y/N laughed loudly taking his hand in hers and running down the hallway towards the abandoned part of the castle. Harry grinned and laughed loudly as they ran together.

This girl, he thought.

The door was locked. Harry brought a key out of his pocket and Y/N laughed loudly making harry shush her as he unlocked the door. Quickly they made themselves into the abandoned quarters and giggled to themselves when they heard the servants feet making their way to this side of the castle - but immediately they turned away, knowing that they weren’t allowed on this side of the palace.

Harry was distracted with locking the door, but Y/N was amazed. She looked around at this place and couldn’t help the sigh that escaped her. This place is really fucking amazing, she thought. It’s obviously abandoned, that man she could tell - but it was still so beautiful. Paintings, upon paintings and books at every end. There was high ceilings and stained glass windows giving a nice hew to the room. Y/N brought her hands to her hips and spinned around her dress moving as she did.

“This place is fucking amazing!”

Harry laughed and finally got the door locked popping the key back in his pocket. He moved beside the beautiful girl and didn’t say anything. But Y/N knew.

“You come here often?” She asked and Harry nodded.

“Found it a couple years ago. Think it was my fathers” He said and Y/N sighed looking around.

“It’s beautiful” you’re beautiful, he wanted to say but he bit his lip instead walking in the direction of his safe haven. Y/N quickly caught up placing a hand on his, harry flinched at the touch. This definitely wasn’t allowed. If anyone saw they’d have to marry immediately. But nobody was here, he reminded himself. And with that he squeezed Y/N’s hand a little tighter.

Harry opened the door the room he had been coming to for years now. It had a few chairs, a huge window with curtains on each side, a fire place in the middle and blankets and pillows surrounding the room. Y/N smiled to herself as she saw harry become more himself. It was like this room allowed him to be himself.

“You come in here often?”

Harry nodded making himself comfortable on one of the pillows, Y/N soon followed sitting very close to the prince. Harry had no complaints at all.

“I come here most days. When i need to take a breath, escape my mother and the stupid royal family” Harry said and Y/N giggled leaning in to harry, their lips close.

“I can think of many ways we can escape reality. Why don’t we try one of them?”

Harry let out a sigh and placed his hand on Y/N shoulder, it fell down her arm to her waist. Harry had been with people before, he had kissed and pleasured many, many people. But never did he feel like this. He felt as if she was a goddess, and she would brake it the touch of his finger. She looked almost fragile, like a painting.

“Kiss me, Harry” She ordered and harry wasted no time, placing his lips on hers.

Her lips are soft and gentle, just as harry had expected. He moved his hands up her hips to her shoulders again, Y/N moaned letting harry's tongue into her mouth. Harry groaned and pulled away smirking at that flushed look on her face. He loved it.

Y/N bit her lip standing up, unzipping her dress. She turned around, the only thing she had was a small night dress and corset. Harry cursed under his breath standing up behind her. Everything felt so intimate. They both felt a lot of things, Y/N never wanted this to stop. Harry hugged her from behind, kissing the back of her neck. After a few seconds, Y/N turned around in his hold, holding his gaze. She began to take off her corset and night dress, now bare. She felt confident in Harry's glare, he made her feel good. He sucked in a breath looking down at her perky breasts, her nipples hard from the temperature of the room. He made a mental note to put the fire on after this, Harry knew you two would be in here for as long as you possibly could. He knew his mother would be beyond pissed that they had gone off alone together.

Harry placed a hand on Y/N’s breast, teasing her nipple with his index finger. His rings were cold on her skin making her whimper. Harry smirked at the sound, lowering his head and taking her nipple in his mouth his tongue swirling the nub of it. Y/N’s hands found harrys hair and she tugged on it hard.

“Fuck” She cursed and harry let go with a pop, again he smirked at the sight of the princess. So undone and flustered. Harry absolutely loved it. Holding her gaze, he began to undress unbuttoning his shirt and pants. Heat rushed to his penis, as Y/N watched him undress.

“Want to have you in my mouth” Y/N said, getting on her knees. She knew she would have bruises by the end of this - but she knew it would be worth.

“Don’t make me cum” Harry ordered, Y/N just smirked and pulled his underwear down almost drooling at the sight of his red, cock full of pre-cum. What a sight, she thought. And it’s fucking huge. Bigger than she thought that’s for sure.

She hummed, pumping harry’s rock hard cock. His head flew back, a moan filling the room. Harry wished her hair was pinned back, he needed some to grip. He took both of his hands and gripped the side of her head. Y/N spit on his cock, keeping eye contact with harry.

“Shit”

Y/N licked the tip, running her tongue over the slit, tasting the saltiness of his pre cum. Harry’s eyes rolled to the back of his head.

“You taste so good” She moaned, finally taking his full cock into her mouth. Her hands began pumping the base of the shaft, as she sucked him off. Harry moaned, but tapped the side of her head.

“Need to be in you, no more foreplay” He said and Y/N pouted whipping her lips.

“But i like having you in my mouth” Y/N argued, harry smirked pecking her lips, tasting himself on them. He hummed in agreement. “Next time, let me fuck you” He said kissing her neck, Y/N sighed and placed her lips on his before crawling over to the fireplace - there was a white sheet layed out. Y/N lay down and harry kissed down her stomach, teasingly kissing her thighs. “You’re definitely wet enough for me, aren’t you princess?” Harry said slapping her pussy, Y/N moaned and nodded.

Slowly, harry thrusted into Y/N making them both whimper. “Fuck, you feel so good” Harry said, kissing your lips. Y/N just moaned, gripping his back and putting her legs around his waist. Harry began to move faster, his hands either side of Y/N.

“Faster” Y/N said and harry complied, pounding into her. The moans coming out of the both them were enough to make them both cum within seconds. And that’s basically what happened. They both climaxed, harry falling down into Y/N’s chest. Y/N only felt pleasure and ecstasy.

Shit, her mother picked a good one.

***

“Fuck” Y/N panted into harry’s mouth as he took against the wall. They were left alone for ten minutes, and this happened. They were looking at the new paintings and architecture Anne had got, browsing around the hall. Harry had convinced the servant that his mother was calling and of course the poor servant couldn’t dismiss it, so they had a good ten minutes while the servant searched for the queen.

Harry pounded into her the paintings on the wall knocking loudly, Y/N laughed loudly making harry put a hand over her mouth.

“Don’t want to attract any attention, do we princess?”

They continued their hot and very messy quicky and then made their way to the gardens. Y/N and harry soon found that the gardens would be another safe haven. Beautiful flowers and when the sun is shining a beautiful place to sit and relax.

They couldn’t wait to marry - seen as harry wants Y/N in his bed, all the time. They fuck like bunnies, it’s amazing how they haven’t been caught as of yet. When they get their own palace, harry will christen to the whole place. They’ll fuck in every corner. Every room. Every library and garden.

Y/N looked at harry smiling as he lay on the grass. No one was around as the servant hadn’t arrived back. Y/N quickly looked around before pulling harry into what she could only assume was a place to keep all the fruit and veg away from foxes. It was closed off and you could lock it from the inside.

“Jesus christ Y/N” Harry mumbled kissing your neck as you leaned back on a bench.

“Another round?” You asked with innocent eyes.

“Another round” Harry confirmed lifting up the bottom of her dress and pushing her down so she was flat on the bench. He kissed up her legs, biting down on her thigh.

He pulled up her night gown and saw her bare pussy, wet and glistening just waiting for him. He could cum at the sight. He moaned kissing her thigh, teasing her.

Y/N tugged at harry’s hair, giving him a warning. “Stop, teasing” She pouted and harry smirked finally making his way towards your pussy.

Y/N closed her eyes when she felt harrys breath against her core. “so wet, princess” Harry said, the vibrations going right through her body making her jerk up a little. Harry loved the affect he had on her, the littlest thing would make her jolt with pleasure.

Harry spread her legs a little more, his tongue licking up her slit. Y/N’s tugged on harry’s hair, moaning loudly. Harry watched her unfold becoming so flushed, but Y/N looked so very beautiful in this light.

He pressed his lips to your clit, flicking his tongue up and down. Your hips moved with his tongue movements, harrys hands made their way to your hips trying to get them to stay in place. You wrapped your legs around his shoulders and began to shake and moan.

“Fuck me” You murmured coming down from your high.

“Oh, i will princess”

The days went on and more fucking occurred. Again they fucked like absolute bunnies. They were sure everyone knew by now, but the servants were way too afraid to say anything. Anne would have everyone’s head if she found out what they were doing.

“I can’t wait to marry you” Harry said laying down beside her in their safe haven. Y/N smirked rolling over on her side. He was so beautiful. His eyes, his freckles, that one dimple that came out when he laughed. She was so lucky to call him hers.

“You just want to have me in your bed everyday” She said and harry pretended to think about. “Hmmm, yeah” He said, making Y/N laugh loudly before pecking his lips.

“Can’t believe you’re mine” Harry said pushing her into his chest. Y/N grinned pecking his neck and looking up at him.

“Forever”

[angelkurenai]

So much for a surprise - Chris Evans x Reader - Part 2

Title: So much for a surprise

Pairing: Chris Evans x Reader

Warnings: None

Prompt: I’d love a chris evans x reader one shot, where they’re dating, and after the knives out movie, he’s been spending a lot of time with his co-star Ana de Armas, and like in one specific interview she was getting very flirty and such with Chris, and touching his arm and stuff, and I’d just want to see how you’d interpret jealous!reader, and Chris reacting to that jealousy!!

Read Part 1 here!

There was an echo. A distant one. Far away. And there were words too, he was sure of it, but they couldn't reach him. They tried to, as did the person saying them. However it felt like there was something more, preventing them from getting to him. Maybe it wasn't the voice or the person. Maybe it was really him, him that had walls around him. Preventing the outside world from getting to him.

And the echo seemed further away, muted somehow though he could still hear it. Maybe he was underwater? He didn't know, he had no idea what was going on in the first place anyway, but it felt like it. And not just because he felt like no sounds could get to him clearly, not because his own ears were ringing and the pressure building on each side of his head made him feel like he was thousands of feet deep into the sea, crushing his head in a way that oddly enough didn't hurt as much as the rest of him, as much as his chest and not because of his eyes stinging, burning as did his lungs as he held his breath. No it wasn't because of those reasons that he thought he was beneath the sea but because he felt like- He had taken you on your first date for a picnic by the sea. You had commented on how punctual he was. How him being right on time might seal the deal for you and make you fall for him in the end.

The memory seemed to shake him to the core. A link to reality which assisted in pulling him further and further up from the depths he had found himself in, the surface almost tangible and the other side... painfully there. It hurt more to be back to reality than it did to be underwater in the sea of his thoughts, after all. Maybe, and he was almost certain of it, it would hurt much less to really be underwater. The physical pain would be nothing compared to what he was feeling now.

He blinked. Once. Twice. Then some more. Everything slowly started coming into focus, all of his senses sharpening. His vision more clear, the sounds reaching his ears more acute and precise, to the point he could tell what was being said.

“Chris? Chris? Chris are you still in there?... Are you alright? The door is locked. Please, just say something.” the voice on the other side of the door was unmistakably Ana's, and while both the tone in it and the knocking on the door was frantic and panicked, to say the least, he couldn't find it in himself to move a muscle just yet.

Whether it was that he didn't care to move or that his mind still hadn't made the connection to the rest of his body so as to not feel the full scope of pain, especially the one harboring within his chest and broken heart, he didn't know. All he did was blink several times again, his eyes slowly focusing on the small open box in his hand. He had spent so much time agonizing over picking the right ring, wanting to treat you right he wanted to pick a ring that could express all of his love for you, and then agonizing over trying to organize the perfect occasion to finally ask the question. It had almost been months now, though he couldn't dare admit to that (mostly because he was almost sure now, he wouldn't get the chance to) just like he wouldn't dare admit that you had been right about Ana. Only up to some point though.

He had been spending more time with her, maybe much more than he did with you, but he was completely oblivious to the way she could possibly feel about him, let alone about all the flirting you had seen. He had too much on his mind, you and his possible future with you, that he didn't even notice half of it. Appreciating only the fact that it somehow managed to make him forget his worries, he went along with all of it. Not that you were to blame for it, if anything it was possibly one of the sweetest kind of worries, but it was still something that kept him up at night. And staying away for some time he had the chance to prepare, mentally if nothing else. He feared that if it didn't go right, if you said no, then maybe that would be it for the both of you and for good. It was a risk, no matter what, and he feared losing you to it.

“Chris? Chris, are you alright? Please just- Say something, I'm getting really worried here. I'm going to get someone to kick the door open if you can't-” her words didn't really register in his ears after that but that wasn't necessary when the purpose had formed in his mind.

Taking in a deep breath, albeit shaky, he shoved the closed box inside his pocket and got up. He cleared his throat and finally unlocked the door, opening it to face his costar standing on the other side. Her face showed the same amount of worry he had detected in her voice through the frantic knocking, but he couldn't bring himself to care. He didn't have the mind to.

“Chris! You- Are you alright? What happened? I've been waiting for you. We- you said you were coming with but then you didn't show up and I- I got so worried.” she said with wide eyes.

He felt a pang in his chest at those words but didn't dwell on it “I- Yeah. I'm fine, I'm- I'm sorry. I was actually a bit in a world of my own, I didn't mean to worry you.”

“Well, no- it's alright, don't worry about me.” she blinked several times, shaking her head “It's just that you've been here for hours and I-”

“Yeah, I've got lots of things going on at the moment and I- To be honest with with you, I'd prefer to be alone right now. So I apologize but I just- I actually have to be somewhere else, I won't be able to make it tonight. I'm sorry, I just... I don't think I will be any good company.”

“Well, it's not like you have to even try to be any good company. Not if you don't want to. You could just come with and not have to talk at all to anyone else if you don't feel like it. And after-” she paused, as if hesitating for a moment “Not to intrude or anything but I kind of noticed that things got bad after your girlfriend showed up so I couldn't help but think that maybe... it would help take your mind off things?” she suggested hopefully but it only made Chris' insides twist “Cause I could help if you'd let me, I'd love to. You know that. I- I mean maybe it's not my place but it seemed-”

“You're right, it's not.” maybe it came out more harsh than it was supposed to, maybe more harsh than he meant it too and more harsh than he even realized, not until h saw Ana's eyes widen in surprise that is “I-” he started before he cleared his throat “Sorry.” he mumbled.

“No, of course- It's alright.”

“It's just that there's something very important going on right now at the moment that needs my full attention. And you can't help me. I would actually appreciate it if you left my out of your plans for quiet... quiet some time. I'm sorry, it's really not you specifically. It's between (Y/n) and I, it can only be that way and it should be that way. Which is why right now-” he hurried to grab his phone and close the door “I have to hurry. I'm truly sorry Ana for...” he paused, looking at her with a frown “For more things than were in my power and I wish things could have gone different but right now (Y/n)'s my main priority. She's always been, even though I did a shit job of showing it.”

“You- uh you don't have to apologize. It's personal. I get it.” she put on what could only a a brave, albeit forced, smile on her face “You go to your girlfriend. I might not know what's going on but... it's clear she could do with seeing you. I can certainly say you need to see her. You should go.”

There were far too many things he wanted to tell her, to apologize for having let things get this way because she wasn't entirely at fault either. He had been so busy worrying about the proposal that he had led her on in his selfish attempts to unwind. In his mind, and heart without a doubt, though he knew that there was no space for any other woman but you. You came first and all the pain he'd put you through, one which he was willing to spend the rest of his life trying to amend for if you'd just let him. Hopefully. So instead all he did was give Ana a short nod and tight smile with a soft “Good night.” before he was sprinting to his car, ready to find you.

Even though he didn't really know where to begin with, the thought of which filled him with ten times the panic of having to propose to you. Moments like this, he really wished he could go back in time and change everything. If he could, he would ask you to marry him with a napkin ring on the spot, without waiting a minute let alone months, from that first morning he realized that he really did want to wake up to you like that every morning for the rest of his life. He even had some crazy hope you would say yes. And it was certainly much more hope than finding you tonight in time and before things took a turn for the worse.

If only he knew where to find you, that would have been great.

It felt like forever, going around with his car, from bar to bar. It was almost crazy, futile even, but it was the only thing he could think of; even if it didn't work out. And it really hadn't because he hadn't been able to find you, or better yet you and your companion, in any of the places he went until he found himself in the most unlikely place for you to be. Or maybe it was the most likely one, who knew?

All Chris knew was that had he not struggled to get out of his car and into your apartment then he would have never noticed the familiar car, parked just a few feet away. And therefore would have not gotten a warning for the man whom he saw exit not shortly afterwards that apartment complex which he certainly didn't live in. Chris followed your costar with his eyes, frowning but otherwise making no move. He wasn't planing on approaching, much less confronting him; he wasn't even ready to know what he was doing at your apartment, because he knew that's where he'd been and he knew that's where he'd find you now. He watched the man get in his car and slowly drive away on the other lane. He kept looking even after he was long gone, no other car in sight or any other person but darkness. The kind of darkness he was afraid would swallow him up whole, most probably from within.

He shut his eyes tightly, his knuckles turning white as he clenched his fists around the steering wheel and took many breathes in and out as well as a few seconds to calm himself and his thoughts before he left his own car and made his way to your shared place. Or maybe it was a couple minutes trying to prepare himself, but he didn't want to dwell on what he was preparing himself for.

Opening the door and walking into your shared apartment he almost prayed deep down to find you at leas on the living room and when he didn't, he only felt his heart rate pick up. Holding his breath, fearing that even that would make a sound audible enough to alert of his presence, he made his way to your shared bedroom. He would have looked for you in the kitchen or probably any other place he wanted but that would have only been stalling and an attempt at sparing himself some pain and truth was he felt like he didn't deserve it. Even if it was eye for an eye, even if it was more, he had it all coming.

So with that in mind he walked into the bedroom only to, if possible, be more hurt by the sight that greeted him than he initially expected. His breath hitched in his throat when he spotted you sitting on the floor of the room, back resting on the bed, staring at the open wardrobe with red eyes, still glossy from the tears you had no doubt shed. Because of him. And that was a knife to the chest.

It was Dodger, who was as always attached to you and currently laying on your lap, trying his best to comfort you, that noticed Chris first and gave a small bark. You blinked, almost jumping in your place, before you turned your head to meet his eyes. Your own eyes widened briefly, maybe you really didn't expect to see him there, and after a few seconds of hesitation and confusion, you looked away from him again and back at your clothes. He still wouldn't look away, nor make a single sound.

“He only offered to drive me back home. I wasn't-” in came a shaky breath “I clearly wasn't in the mood to stay with them and I- I couldn't really calm down and he got worried. He- He stayed for only a few minutes as I, well-” your smile was so bitter it cut him open “Cried my eyes out. Didn't tell him anything though, don't worry, he didn't ask either.” a heavy sigh “Don't worry about this... us either. I'll uhm I think I've figured out what kind of clothes I need, I haven't talked with Lizzie yet but she wouldn't have a problem letting me stay at her place for some time before I make my way back home.”

“What?” his words came out choked out, probably barely above a whisper, but ringing in his ears “Home? (Y/n)... this is your home. This is our home. What are you talking about?”

“I think I was rather clear, Chris. It's better if we put some distance between us. And after that... Well, I'm going to go back home. There's obviously no other way this can go.” your voice was low “Besides, it's not going to make a difference to you, be honest. Whether I am here or not, how will you even notice the difference when you barely remember you have a girlfriend let alone are around enough to notice her.”

He wished there was some anger in your voice, he wished there was venom or bitterness direct at him. But instead there was nothing, nothing but exhaustion and possibly pain. And that was the worst of it.

“(Y/n), no.” he breathed out almost desperately “No, please don't say that.”

“Well, it's the truth.” you shrugged casually.

“That you're leaving him? Is that the truth? Is that the truth of what you wanted? Of what we were fighting for in this relationship? Of all that we wished and dreamed about? Of what we promised each other when we took the next step?” his voice cracked, and he knew his vision was getting blurry, but he couldn't bring himself to care of how pathetic he could look right now.

“The truth of what the past couple months have been leading to. Of what all this secrecy and distance between us has led to. Even if, as you see, I've been right here for you all the time; maybe it's really time for me to take a step back too.” you looked sadly only at Dodger, no wonder feeling sad that you'd have to part with him and possibly for good after today and-

Chris shook his head, banishing all the thoughts from his head and trying to fight off the lump in his throat. No, no this was not how things were supposed to go. This was not how he was going to let them go.

“It's only natural after today.” you spoke softly “Look, I- I don't want to take any of it out on you. We've had our talk, there is nothing else to say anymore, not really, so I will simply gather my things and-”

“No!” it was the first time a voice was raised in the room, coming from Chris who, as his ears were buzzing, was shocked as well by it all “No, you won't. Not until you've heard my side of the story!” he sounded more firm and determined than, he was sure, he had ever heard himself be in his entire life.

“Chris, honestly, there is no need. I told you I don't blame you and I'm not even jealous anymore. I simply-” you gave him a forced smile “I'm simply tired. I don't have the mind or heart for any of it. And if you really want to be with Ana then you are free to, you don't even have think about me. Much less try to explain yourself or the situation.”

“This is not some sort of excuse, (Y/n). I would never-” he sighed heavily, dragging a hand down his face before slowly making his way to you and sitting down in a way that looked more like he was collapsing, making sure to still leave some small distance between you in case you felt uncomfortable “You know I've never cheated on you. I would never try to hurt you, especially in that way. Though, I understand, by not paying closer attention to Ana flirting with me I did just that. You know I-”

“I do.” you whispered “I do know that... Just like I know that all those promises we made each other all that time ago mean nothing anymore. So really there is no reason for you to try and mend things between us. There is no reason to-”

“There's always a reason. There's-” his eyes widened before he shut them closed tightly, shaking his head and fighting back the tears that threatened to spill. It looked like you had given up and that hurt him even more. He couldn't have you give up, because if you did then he probably could do nothing to undo the mess he had created “I love you more than anything in this world, more than my own life.” his voice cracked but he didn't care, he could almost not hear his own words, not as he almost subconsciously reached inside his pocket and pulled the small box only to slowly place it in the space between you.

And even though he was sure all words had left him by now, he surprised himself when he recalled only a few. The ones he had practiced in his head – and ridiculed himself while failing to say out loud – he would tell you when he did get the courage to propose to you “You're my reason.” he whispered, fully looking at you and therefore being able to notice the way your eyes reluctantly but surely trailed from him to the small object between the two of you. Shock was the word that could easily describe the look on your face but not the only one. The gasp from your lips sounded louder in his ears.

“You're my reason for everything. Everything good that happens in my life. Everything good that makes me happy. Everything good that I manage to achieve, you're my reason. Everything I've become these past years, you're the reason. Because you push me to be the best of who I can be . But when the world demands that of me, you're the reason I remember it's also good to not be the best I can be. It's because of you that I remember that falling and failing isn't so bad, because you will be there to help me stand up again. You're the reason I smile and laugh, and cry and get angry more often than not. But you're also the reason I love doing all that as well. You're the reason I love life, with its ups and downs, that I love waking up and that I wish it could be next to you for the rest of my life. You make it all worth it in a way no words can describe it... even the one I've already used. Even-” he stopped himself, the lump in his throat too much to bear anymore, the unshed tears making his eyes burn.

He didn't say anything more, and you weren't about to break the silence that had set around the two of you, his uneven breathing being the only sound that was heard besides the ticking of the clock. In the end, Chris let out a pained laugh “There was a lot I was planning to say after that too, before I really asked the big question you know. For obvious reasons... I probably won't. Not that I think I can really... I'm sorry. But that's the most I've said without messing it up so uh-” he rubbed that back of his neck, painful smile on his face “I guess if things were different, you would have been proud of me? If...”

“Chris... When did you get this?” your voice cracked, hurting him worse than his broken heart.

“It's- I've had it for months now. I couldn't bring myself to- I was scared to ask you. But instead of facing that fear head on I did the stupid thing of trying to get my mind off of it by... well, you know what I've been doing lately.” he sighed, letting his head lean back on the bed, he closed his eyes and fought off the tears. Or at least so he told himself, he was actually scared to face you “I'm so sorry, (Y/n). For everything I've done. For ruining easily the best thing to ever happen to me in my entire life.”

“Fucking hell, Chris. That's- Damn it.” you shocked out, burying your face in your hands. The silence that hang in the room was so thick he felt like chocking. But the way your low voice whispered to him in pain, he realised that there were worse things than that silence. “You did all of this for- for that?”

“I know, trust me I do.”

“You should have told me.” you shook your head, fresh tears running down your face “You should have... That's not how you- I deserved to know. I deserved it... I needed it.”

“I know... I know now. And I understand how... scary it gets. And it's much more scary than asking you that question.” he let out a shuddering breath, eyes opening and falling on the small box “Realizing that there was a real chance of losing you to another man made me feel so helpless. It scared me more than anything and I hate that we had to come to this for me to understand the truth... That I can't lose you, I can't live without you. Only real question here is-” he gave a humorless smile “Is it too late for that?”

Three beats. Three beats of his heart. The longest three beats in his entire life and he felt like drowning again. Before you finally sighed and whispered "You're never too late."

[pressedinthepages]

Return

Fandom: The Witcher

Pairing: Eskel/Reader

Rating: E

Masterlist

a/n: Reader Request: [ Hey Erica 👋 How are you? I hope you don't mind me dropping an ask here, I saw your fic requests are open. I've had a terrible time lately, I'm stuck in another country unable to go back home. My flights home have been cancelled twice already and it's really bumming me out. I love your stories, though. They bring me joy. Could I request a fluffy Eskel x reader where they're reunited after months apart? You can make it smutty or not it's up to you. Thank you, I love you ❤️] Love, I am so sorry that it has taken me so long to write this prompt. I have been in such an odd writing headspace lately, but i finally was struck with inspiration and knocked this out. sending you love, and I hope that if you’re not already home, you will be soon <3 (also, i 110% used the scene from Narcos season 2 episode 3 at the very end as reference O.O)

As always, thanks to @sometimesiwrite​ for beta’ing <3

(There is a link on my page where you can be added to my taglist :D)

Warnings: smut, oh my god the smut, unprotected sex, eskel can be tender and a fucking beast at the same time, get you a man that can do both

After a long year, Eskel once again finds himself at your door.

    You shivered as a burst of wind slithered in from a crack in the wood of the door. The soft wool of your shawl tightened around your shoulders as you stepped from behind the bar, ready to slip the key in to lock up for the evening. The three rooms that you had available were sold for the night and you were ready to tuck in for the evening. 

    But something made you stick your head out into the evening air, your nose reddening in the sudden chill. You glanced around and shook your head, retreating back into the warmth of your inn. Wait, was that-

    Emerging from the fog was a strong, dark warhorse, rising tall under the moonlight. You swung open the door fully and bounded into the road in front of his rider, your breath coming in gasps that swam in the cold air in front of your face. 

    Eskel lowered his riding hood and smiled down at you, relief and longing tinging those sweet summer gold eyes. “Ah,” he rumbled, straight into your bones, “just the woman I was hoping to find.”

    “I’ve been looking out for you, you’re late this year,” you said, willing your teeth to not chatter. Eskel had always been observant though, so he shook his head with a little grin. 

    “Get yourself back inside before you freeze. I’ll be in shortly.”

    You nodded and turned back to your doorway just as you heard his boots hit the ground with a damp splash. “That is...if you’ll still have me?”

    You furrowed your brow and glanced over your shoulder, finding him fiddling with the hem of his cloak and tilting his head towards you. “Eskel,” you close the distance between you, resting your hands on his chest, “you stop here every year. I always have, and always will, be more than ecstatic to have you come rest with me.”

    Eskel breathed deeply and bent down, pressing his lips softly to the apple of your cheek. “Then I’ll be just behind you.”

     You scurried inside and left the door unlocked as Eskel let himself into your stables at the rear of your inn. At the beginning of every spring and the end of every fall, he stumbled onto your doorstep, sometimes much too thin, others warm and full of life. But always loving, always reaching for the parts inside of you that you tried so hard to hide away. 

    And he always found them. 

    You busied yourself as you waited for him, readjusting how your tankards were set beneath the counter and checking your stores of ale. Again. You didn’t end up needing to wait terribly long, for Eskel let himself in and shut the heavy wooden door behind him. You tossed him the key and he flipped the lock, cocking his head as the bolt fell into place. 

    “You’ve got yourself a draft, love.” Eskel’s cheek came into view as he glanced back at you, a smirk turning up his already scarred lip.

    You sighed and blew a strand of hair away from your face. “So I’ve noticed. But there hasn’t really been enough coin lately to justify replacing the damned thing, so...draft.”

    Eskel hummed contemplatively and ran his fingers delicately over down the knots and grains. “Maybe I’ll see if I can fix it before I leave…”

    “I would appreciate it, but if you can’t fix it, it won’t be the end of me.”

    Eskel turned fully to you now and walked to your side, wrapping his arm comfortably around your waist. “I would hope not. Then I’d have to find a new spot to stop on the way home.” 

    “Besides,” he murmured, kissing the crown of your head, “there’s not anyone on this continent who could replace you.”

    You closed your eyes and sank into him, letting him guide you back into your bedroom at the rear of the inn. He toed the door shut behind him and carefully began to slide your shawl down your shoulders. Eskel’s lips peppered your neck and up behind your ear before you spun around in his grasp. 

    “You’ve still got your traveling clothes on, dear,” you chide with a smile, reaching for the knot on Eskel’s cloak. He tilted his head up, baring his neck to you as you felt the knot give way and his cloak spill onto the floor. You let your shawl join it before trailing back towards the bed. 

    Light from the moon danced over Eskel’s cheeks and down the arch of his nose, and you just couldn’t resist reaching up on your tiptoes and placing a little kiss right to the tip. You felt his chuckle under your hands before he pushed your hips backwards. The backs of your knees hit the edge of the bed and you fell onto it, resting on your elbows and looking up at your Witcher. 

    Eskel slid his swords off of his back and rested them at the bedside, just within reach. He pulled and tugged at the straps of his armor, letting his jerkin and pauldrons hit the floor beneath him and tugging off his boots in one swift motion. You reached for the buttons on your blouse, but his hand shot out and caught your wrist, his face before yours impossibly fast. He was kneeling over you now, smelling of the road and pine and the spice of the chaos that flows in his blood. 

    “Not yet,” he murmurs, a low growl torn from the depths of his lungs, “I want to do that.”

    You swallowed thickly and nodded, lowering your hand back down to rest at your side. Eskel hummed and pushed himself up, still kneeling, his legs straddling one of yours. You could feel his arousal pushing into your thigh and though you wanted nothing more than to reach out and take him in your hand, you just...waited.

    Eskel smiled down at you and resumed undressing himself, lifting his linen shirt up over his head, baring his chest to you. You raised a brow and held up your hand, reaching out to him. He carefully captured your fingers and trailed them up his stomach, over the soft stomach dusted with dark hair that led down below his trousers. There had been one winter he had come to you bare as bones, as if a stiff gust of wind would threaten to carry him away. Most springs when he came he was soft and warm after a few months of good eating and safety. 

    “A sign of a good year,” you whispered, pressing your fingertips gently into the cushion of his stomach.

    “I spent some time in Skellige this year,” he said, running his thumb over the back of your knuckles, “tends to be a little more dangerous, but they always pay fairly.”

You bit your lip and teased the edge of his trousers, barely dipping into the warmth there before he pushed your hand away. You pouted as he reached for the ties himself.

Eskel leaned down and pressed his lips to the furrow in your brow, “Don’t give me that look. Patience, you.”

You huffed good-naturedly, watching the dark curls of hair be slowly revealed as his trousers loosened. The tanned skin of his inner thighs found its way into the air and your tongue darted out to wet your lip, just waiting for the glorious moment that his cock will leap from the confines of his trousers.

And then, you fucking shiver. The cold air had seeped far enough into your skin to bring goosebumps to the surface and it was only in the blink of an eye that your body tried to warm itself, but it was too late. Eskel noticed every little thing, there was no scenario in which he would overlook your chill and take off his gods-be-damned pants.

“Shit, you stubborn woman, why didn’t you say you were cold?” Eskel laughed and pushed himself up and away from you, sauntering over to the dark fireplace. You threw your arm over your eyes and groaned as he flicked his fingers, letting the fire bloom and blossom in the room. 

“I was fine, I just want you nake-”

“I know what you want. But you also need to not freeze before I even get you naked.” Eskel shook his head and stood between your legs at the edge of the bed. You peered out from beneath your elbow as he slipped his hands into the band of his trousers and slid them down, finally releasing his hips and thighs and the fucking delicious cock nestled away. He was already hard, straining up towards his stomach and flushed ruddy at the tip. 

    “See?” Eskel smirked, giving himself a few long, slow strokes over you, “Sometimes it’s best to be patient…”

    “Eskel,” you sighed, feeling your underclothes grow wet as your eyes raked down his shoulders and chest, over his powerful thighs and the little swells of his hips that just begged for your fingers, the fire raging in the fireplace having nothing to do with the heat roaring under your skin, “p-please, will you-”

    “Will I what, love?” He smiled, his fingers leaving his length and reaching for the ties at the side of your skirt, but not yet touching. 

    You arched your back up off the bed and keened, your voice high and thin. “Eskel, don’t tease, please just touch me…”

    “Since you asked so nicely, sweet woman,” Eskel finally ran his hand up your thigh and you could feel the heat of him even through your skirt. Your head hit the bed beneath you as you felt him quickly undo the tie of your skirt. You lifted your hips and he pulled the soft fabric from beneath you, leaving you in your blouse and smallthings. 

    Eskel crawled atop you, straddling your hips. His hands were firm as he smoothed them up your stomach, bunching your blouse in his fingers before reaching the button at your collar. He reached into the gap in the fabric and pulled, the button slipping free of its hold and revealing the barest glimpse of the smooth skin of your breasts. 

    He leaned down and pressed his lips to your chest as he quickly continued undoing the buttons. You reached up and rested your hands on his shoulders as he finally pushed the shirt open, freeing you to his burning gaze. Eskel took one of your nipples in his mouth and sucked lightly, wrapping his arm around your back when you arched up to meet him. 

    He reached down with his other hand and ran his fingers up your clothed slit, feeling the warm wetness that had seeped into the delicate cotton. “Gods, woman,” he breathed, grazing his teeth over the tender flesh of your breast, “so good for me…”

    “Always a pleasure,” you moaned as he slipped your smalls to the side, sliding his finger through your folds and circling the little bud of nerves at your core. He chuckled and pushed his finger down, dipping slowly inside of you. Your walls fluttered around him like flowers first opening for spring, something innate and easy, as if Eskel belonged just as he was. 

    Eskel shifted off of the bed, yanking your delicates down your legs and tossing them away. His eyes were dark with lust as he climbed atop you once more, bruising your lips with his own and rolling the two of you over. You rested atop him now, your fingers tangled in the hair at the nape of his neck and your breasts pushed flush against the fluff of his chest. You pushed yourself up with a grin, rising to your knees and hovering over his arousal. 

    “Go on, pleas-” Eskel’s words were cut off with a groan as you sank onto him, soaking him in your folds as he pushed into you. Your head fell back, baring your throat to him as you were filled to the brim. Your hips met flush against each other and your hand reached out to brace on Eskel’s chest. His muscles, corded and powerful, lay tense beneath your fingers, his own fingers digging into the soft flesh of your hips. 

    “Eskel,” you breathed, peering down at him through heavily-lidded eyes, “fuck, I’ve missed you so much…”

You raised your hips and lowered them, feeling the stretch of his cock along your walls and impossibly deep in your core. Eskel already looks wrecked, his teeth bared and cheeks flushed, the veins in his neck taut as he attempted to wrangle his control.

The sounds your hips made as they met over and over again were lewd in the dark evening, and they kept coming quicker and quicker. You bounced in his lap, slamming down onto him as if trying to fuck away all of the yearning, all of the worry from the last year of not having Eskel in your bed. He seemed just as eager, meeting your every move with thrusts of his own. 

Suddenly though, his hands grasped your hips harshly, stilling you in his lap. “C-can I move you?” He asked, his chest heaving under your hand. 

You nodded and he moved like a whip, whirling you around and under him, on your hands and knees facing away from him. He ran his hand up your back and into your hair, his touch suddenly tender. Eskel kissed the space nestled between your shoulder blades and lined himself up, sliding through your folds and smearing the slick onto his length. 

He pushed back into you slowly, letting the new angle do the work. A gutteral noise fell between your teeth as he bottomed out, allowing you to adjust. “My love?”

“Yes?” You moaned, flexing your walls around him. 

“I-I can’t be gentle right now, I...I need-”

“Go on, Eskel,” you reach back, grasping onto his hand, “I trust you.”

And with that, Eskel seemingly just...allowed himself to let go.

He rocked his hips back and then slammed into you, immediately setting a brutal pace. Your breath was torn from you as you saw stars behind your eyes, holding onto the sheets beneath you for some sort of tether to reality. Every thrust he was hitting something devastating inside of you and you thought you may have been crying out, but you weren’t really sure.

    Eskel was grunting and groaning as he ploughed into you, his hands gripping hard into your hips, pulling you in for every thrust so that he just hit deeper and deeper. You were so warm and wet and fucking perfect around him and his mind was finally...quiet.

    Your toes tingled and you felt that familiar build up of pressure in  your core, everything very quickly amplifying towards the end of a tunnel. Eskel felt the shift, everything getting slicker and your walls fluttering desperately around his cock, so he sped up and just kept hitting harder. 

    You hung in the balance for a moment, teetering on the edge as you felt him hit that spot over and over again and you finally fell, crying out for him as your climax overtook you. It was a blinding white light in a pitch black night, all desperate hands and clawing moans. Eskel’s voice turned breathy and strained as he rode through your high, his own approaching mind bendingly fast. 

    He wrapped his arms around your waist and hauled you up, pressing your back flush against his chest. Eskel’s hands held on for dear life as he gave one, two, three final thrusts up into you before his own peak washed over him. He gasped and his mind blanked as he spilled within you, his breath hot on your ear as he gave stunted thrusts into your core. You reached up and stroked through his hair as his orgasm faded into the background, leaving the two of you wrapped in each other with the evidence of your arousals seeping down your thighs.

 Eskel latched his lips to your neck, feeling your pulse slow and calm under his touch. He shifted and let his softening cock slip from you, leaving you oddly empty before you turned around in his arms. 

    You met his lips, slow and loving, pushing him gently back to lay in the bed. His bones felt like jelly and his mind was thick as molasses in winter, and it was precisely what he needed. You weren’t terribly far behind him, just reaching for a spare rag to clean up a bit before climbing into his arms. 

    He was warm and soft beneath you, his breathing slow and steady as your head rested on his chest. You could have sworn he was already sleeping, but as always, he surprised you.

    “I missed you too,” he whispered, kissing your head lightly. You sank into him, content to rest in his arms as long as you could before he had to leave. Or maybe, you thought as the last threads of consciousness fell away, I could get him to stay all winter. 

    Just maybe. 

[tenthgrove]

can i order a uhhhh... a hc scenario with la squadra members where s/o is kidnapped by a rival gang/syndicate no matter if s/o is a stand user or not? you don't have to do all the members if you don't want to c:

La Squadra rescues their beloved

La Squadra (separate) x Reader, Romantic, SFW

They left this morning with menial business. A hit, no complicating factors, minimal difficulty. There was no cause for concern in leaving you to watch the base. You relaxed on the sofa, content in the promise of a date that night and unaware of the figures creeping towards you from behind. Maybe if you had known what was happening, you could have saved yourself, but even the most powerful stand users in Passione are useless when knocked out. The intruders dragged your unconscious body out the window and into the trunk of the waiting car. If their intel on you was correct, the weight of your loss would immobilize the assassins for days. If only they knew the lengths your love would go to to bring you back.

Formaggio- There’s no way to beat around the bush. Formaggio panics. While he doesn’t doubt the capacity of his team to break you out, that relies on them actually knowing where you are. And that’s going to take hours of slow, excruciating investigation. Formaggio doesn’t have time for that! His baby’s life is on the line! But then, the young man bearing the conditions of your release arrives at the hideout, and Formaggio gets an idea. They aren’t going to comply with the terms, but they aren’t going to take Ghiaccio’s idea of just killing the agent and his escorts either. Instead, as Risotto is sending them on their way, Formaggio slips himself into the agent’s bag. How kind of the man to give him a ride all the way back to the enemy’s hideout! Once there, Formaggio shrinks himself further to the size of a keyhole, and slips his way through doors until he reaches the dingy room you’re being kept in. He crawls into your lap and nudges you to wake up. You’re amazed and overjoyed, and spare no delay in letting him shrink you down as well so you can sneak out together. Your captors will never know what happened! After a couple days of recuperation, the two of you will be sure to return with the rest of the team to give the group who took you their payback. Formaggio wants them to know what happens to anyone who hurts his beloved, and he’s going to make sure the two of you have fun doing it.

Illuso- Illuso’s first concern is to balance the dangers of busting in to save you without adequate planning, with the dangers of leaving you alone too long. Fortunately, Illuso’s stand is perfect for observation without risk of being spotted, so it’s easy for him to spy on the enemy syndicate’s associates and follow the right leads until he finds you. Taking a prisoner from La Squadra di Esecuzione has everyone in the syndicate talking, so it’s only a matter of hours until Illuso collects the information he needs to find you. With that sorted, Illuso seeks you out and pulls you into the safety of the mirror world immediately so you can’t be harmed, but then, he’s going to fuck with your captors. The doors are barred from the outside and they find their colleagues disappearing one by one until suddenly, the hallways start to look wrong. It’s as though the layout of the building has been flipped somehow. Then they see the laughing figure approach them, and they know it’s too late. You watch this all go down from the safety of behind Illuso, content to watch your captors cower like children as your boyfriend avenges your imprisonment.

Prosciutto- For a day, there is silence. The success of their plan is almost surprising to your captors, who fully expected at least one reprisal from La Squadra by now. They’re ready to present the terms of your safe return when, another shock, Prosciutto beats them to it. He phones them up. In exchange for your safety, he promises to switch sides. Your captors are floored. He’s actually willing to take their deal without them even needing to hurt you? Perhaps he won’t be worth much to them at all if he’s this spineless! Nonetheless, they agree to a meet up. Prosciutto can come, but he has to come alone and with no weapons. They’re fully aware his stand is indiscriminate, so if they bring you to the meet-up, the risk of hurting you would render him powerless. Surely. When the meet up begins it seems Prosciutto has kept to his word. He is alone, free of any weapons and carrying nothing but a suitcase of ransom money to smooth things over. Everything goes as expected and you find yourself staring dumbstruck as Prosciutto so willingly signs away his loyalty to Passione. Finally, Prosciutto hands the leader of the enemy suitcase the briefcase. A token of goodwill, he assures him. The leader unlocks the latch and opens the case, and is hit by a wave of cold air. The case is packed with nothing but bags of ice. Your heart leaps. “(Y/N)! CATCH!” Prosciutto yells, ripping the suitcase back from the mobster’s hands and tossing it at you. As the confused mobsters try to make sense of what is going on, Prosciutto summons his stand and begins its deadly effect. You hurriedly stuff the ice bags down your clothes to save yourself, but nobody around you is in any state to make the connection. One by one, they wither and fall. Grateful Dead snaps into nothingness and Prosciutto lends you a hand, helping you to your feet.

Pesci- You’d think he’d freeze up. You’d think he would become paralysed and indecisive with the fear of losing you. But no. When Pesci realises what has happened to you, all he can feel is anger. Anger and resolve. He sits down immediately and begins compiling everything that is known about the group that took you, having no qualms with ordering about anyone who volunteers to help him. Within a couple of hours he knows where you most likely are and has a concrete plan to get you out. And yes, it involves a lot of blood. Pesci will accept help in getting you back, as he knows it increases your chances, but he still wants to be the one to avenge the wrongs against you. Make no mistake that Risotto and Prosciutto are only there for support. The unprepared kidnappers have no chance against Beach Boy, when Pesci’s insecurities are completely buried under an overwhelming desire to be back in your arms. The battle is over in minutes and Pesci is holding you tight, muttering that he’ll never let anyone harm you again. Prosciutto is proud of him, as are you.

Melone- Now this is somewhat fortunate. With your permission, Melone collected some of your DNA a while ago in case you ever became useful as an emergency mother or father for his stand. He doesn’t make a habit of tracking you, but with your profile saved to Baby Face’s memory he can activate that ability whenever he wishes, and have your location in a matter of minutes. Deciding that with your life on the line, there isn’t time for him to take the lengthy route of creating a junior to attack your captors, he calls on the help of the rest of the team to break you out by force. But even with Risotto or Ghiaccio leading the attack, Melone will still ask to come along just to be reunited with you all the sooner. He’s going to be at his absolute best in taking care of you after you’re safe, making sure you’re unharmed and reassuring you with his attention. In terms of revenge, Melone would like to see you take your own against your captors. If any were taken alive, he wants to see you make them pay.

Ghiaccio- There’s no sense of hesitation as Ghiaccio speeds out the front door the second he realises what happened. It’s a good thing that La Squadra already has some knowledge of the group that took you, because Ghiaccio’s going to make up his plan as he goes along. All he can think about is having you safe and alive, and those thoughts possess him as he goes from place to place, tearing up every known haunt of the syndicate holding you captive until he finds you. When he finally arrives at the correct place, your capturers know to expect him. They’ve increased their security to the max until there’s a veritable army present to greet him at the door. But it’s no match for White Album. Nothing is. Ghiaccio doesn’t stop running when he gets to you. He carries you in his arms at full speed all the way home, terrified of any small injury you might have gained. Your close-call will leave him shaken, and he’ll guard you very closely for a long time. However, there won’t be any talks of revenge. After Ghiaccio’s rampage, there is nobody in the enemy syndicate left to pursue.

Risotto- A darkness falls over Risotto’s eyes when he finds you missing. His mind is filled with regret- regret for not following up on this new enemy sooner and regret for leaving you alone while the rest of them went out. But the time for remorse will come later. Now, he’s going to get you out. He scowers his contacts for clues as to your whereabouts, and he’s not afraid to threaten anyone he suspects of being compliant with your capture to find out what he needs to know. Anyone in the building when Risotto arrives might as well already be dead; he’s not showing mercy to any of them. After ensuring your safety, Risotto has no need to finish things quickly, so your captors will be subject to slow, agonising deaths courtesy of Metallica. Risotto believes strongly in principles of revenge, so he invites you to take the finishing blows if you so wish. Once the enemy hideout is coated wall to wall in crimson, Risotto wordlessly picks you up, regardless of whether you’re hurt, and carries you home. He takes you to your shared room and cradles you gently until morning comes.

Sorbet and Gelato- When the team discovers what has happened Sorbet and Gelato share a silent, all-telling look. They disappear to their room shortly after and anyone who passes can hear the distinct noise of weapons being moved around and loaded. They leave the information gathering to those more suited, but as soon as your location is known they emerge from their room armed to the teeth, announcing that they’ll be leaving right this second regardless of who will be joining them. They ram down the gates of the enemy hideout with a car, before bursting in, firing off their guns at whoever is unfortunate enough to be near. Gelato keeps everyone occupied at the front of the house, while Sorbet takes the mildly more stealthy route to seek you out. When they find you, you’re struck by the fact they seem almost gleeful to be presented with the opportunity for such bloodshed. But make no mistake, they’re absolutely furious. Never have either of them had to deal with one of their lovers threatened to this extent. Like Risotto, they’ll be looking to make your kidnappers suffer, but it won’t be over so quickly for them. They’ll be dragging the worst offenders home, to be subject to their torment for however long they please. The rest of La Squadra knows better than to ask questions. When they aren’t down in the basement getting revenge against those who hurt them, they’ll be sandwiching you between them on the bed or the sofa, whispering words of affection into your ear. You’ll be lucky if they let you get up any time this year.

[anime-lover-forever-1127]

The Pencil {Klaus x Caroline}

The Pencil

*****

Disclaimer - (Cause fanfiction is tricky ground and I hope not to offend the creator of the original story and get sued)

I do not own "The Vampire Diaries", it belongs to its original creator Kevin Williamson, Julie Plec, and L. J. Smith. This is only a fanfiction that I was inspired to write by the original work. Please support the official release of "The Vampire Diaries". Most of the media - such as the art and illustrations, gifs, video's, etc. used in this fanfiction - are from the web. Thus, most of them aren't mine (because I really, really can't draw) unless mentioned. To fit the story, images are also edited by various apps and websites. So they aren't mine, just edited.

Also if you own a picture or Video that I found online, and you either want your name added, or me to take it down. Please contact me and we can talk it out. P.s. I also ask that you do not copy my work and publish it onto any other website.

If you're gonna use my idea, please ask me (If you ask nicely, I for sure, will agree). If I don't contact you within a week, then just assume I'm giving you the all clear and go for it. Just remember to credit me and the story you are getting the idea from.

vvv FOR THE LOVE OF GOD! PLEASE READ THE WARNINGS FOR THIS CHAPTER! vvv

Warnings: Cursing, Bonnie x Kol, Spoilers for Season 7 episode 2, Mild Make out scene, Dark themes, descriptive torture, blood, Gore, violence, death, Fire, Ripped out hearts, Stabbing, suicide, Heretic's bashing, Lorenzo bashing, Dark Caroline, Suggestive themes

Info You Might Need To Know: This is from Season 7 Episode 2

Word Count: 6.5 K

Requested: By no one

*****

Today's Special

It doesn't matter what is in front of her...

Because of who is behind her.

~ Unknown

*****

"What do you mean those bitches took Caroline!" Bonnie screamed at Damon.

The vampire rubbed his ear, "Exactly what I said. Apparently Lesbian Barbie and Gender Bendent Ken decided they wanted revenge. Caroline insulted the brunette or something."

Bonnie began pacing around the room. "What can we do? We need to get her back."

"There's nothing we can do." Damon told her, taking a sip from his drink.

The witches eyes lit up in anger, "What the hell do you mean there's nothing we can do! We can't just leave her there!"

"We aren't going to leave her." Stephen tried to calm her down. "But we need to think about this. They're heretic's and extremely powerful. We can't just rush in there."

Bonnie let out a growl of frustration and stormed out of the house. She had no idea where she was going, just letting her feet carry her.

She slowed down once she had calmed a bit, but still continued to walk and try to ease her mind. Stephan and Damon refused to do anything against mommy dearest. And now her best friend was paying the price. She'd already lost Elena. If something happened to Caroline she would lose it.

Bonnie's eyes widened and a large smile spread across her face as she realized she wouldn't be the only one willing to burn down cities if something happened to Caroline. Bonnie frantically searched around her bag and let out a quiet "Yes!" when she found what she was looking for.

Bonnie unlocked Caroline's phone, typing in the numbers as if it was second nature to her own. At this point, both girls had officially decided, all their secrets ended.

She opened up the baby vampire's contacts and then started scrolling through them. At this rate, it would take forever, considering how popular the blond was. A light bulb lit inside Bonnie's head and she resided smacking herself for not thinking of it sooner. It would have saved her a couple minutes. She clicked on the call history, and instantly found the name she was looking for at the very top.

Klaus

*****

Klaus let his paintbrush glide over the canvas with graceful strokes, honed with centuries of practice.

He was almost done with this one. He just needed to add the finishing touches. So he added a little bit of orange into his yellow paint. Just enough to darken it. And began working on the highlight's in the hair.

He was almost done when his phone rang. He growled and grabbed it from a stand, though the growl cut off mid way as he read the collar ID.

He quickly accepted the call, "Hello Love." He smiled.

"Sorry. Not the one you're hoping it is." Bonnie answered from the other side of the line.

Klaus's eyes narrowed, "You're the Bennett witch, aren't you. The one Kol's so taken with."

Bonnie began tripping over her words, trying to deny it. But quickly stopped herself. "We have more important things to discuss." The flustered witch told him.

"Such as why you have Caroline's phone." Klaus said, his voice losing any warmth.

"Yes. Exactly. Caroline's in trouble." Bonnie told him, getting straight to the point.

"What kind of trouble exactly?" Klaus asked, his hand's clenching as his mind flashed through thousands of possible scenarios.

"The heretic's kidnapped her." Bonnie answered. "Apparently Caroline pissed them off somehow. Damon said she insulted on of them or something. So they took her."

Klaus let out a growl. "I believe it's only fair if we return their favor in kind. I'm on my way."

Klaus hung up and grabbed his jacket that was hanging on the chair. Instantly he was rushing down the stairs, only to be stopped by Kol. "Where are you off to?" The younger brother asked, raising an eyebrow.

Klaus growled, he didn't have time for this. "Mystic Falls." He was about to walk about but was stopped by a hand on his wrist.

"I'm coming too." Kol said. "Just give me a minute." he then rushed up the stairs to change.

Klaus clenched his hands and stormed out into the car. He slammed the door shut as he got into the driving seat. He was tempted to leave without him. But he knew his brother wouldn't stop complaining if he missed the chance to see the Bennett witch.

Klaus sighed when he finally heard the passenger seat open, but was surprised to see Elijah there. The back door opened and Rebekah, Freya, and Kol climbed in.

Klaus shook his head, "No, no, no. I did not agree to this." He did not agree to spend five hours in a small box on wheels with four of his siblings.

"Don't be that way." Freya told him. "I've been dying to meet Caroline, and Bonnie as well."

"This isn't supposed to be a family trip." Klaus growled out.

"Come now brother." Kol laughed. "You know our family doesn't bond better than when were torturing someone. And considering that it's Caroline we're talking about. I'm expecting for head's to roll at least, and all of Mystic Falls to burn at best." Rebekah nodded, agreeing with him.

Klaus grumbled under his breath, though everyone in the car heard the curses loud and clear. "Why don't we tie Finn's coffin to the top and bring him along on this family road trip as well." Klaus said sarcastically as he began to exit the driveway.

But clearly, Elijah had missed the sarcasm because he asked hopefully, "Really!"

"No!" Klaus shouted.

"Wait! If Finn's coming. Then Marcel should too!" Rebekah told them.

"Finn's not coming." Klaus growled out.

"But-"

"I swear to god if anything happened to Caroline, I'll burn all of Virgina to the ground, and the soonest you'll all be waking up will be 3500." Klaus threatened.

*****

Caroline began twisting around as her arms hung painfully from the ceiling by chains, her toes barely touching the floor. "Ugh, what did you do to me?" Caroline asked.

"What Lorenzo should have done." The other blond said, fixing her makeup."Vervain." She answered, holding a needle.

"Uh, it hurts."

"Yes." Mary Louise laughed. "My family ran a slaughter house growing up. It was all well and good until they found out I was a siphon freak of nature. Then they were more than happy to hang me with the cattle."

Caroline tried to get herself loose, but it was in vain. Mary Louise just laughed at her misery. "Been there sister. Just be happy I didn't hang you by your feet like we do cows."

"What do you want from me?" Caroline asked.

"We have a burial to go to. My girlfriend thinks her outfit has to be fashion-forward. I disagree. What do you think?" Mary Lousise said, turning and calling out toward the bedroom door. "Nora, show us!"

Caroline looked around panicked and sways by her arms as she looks around

"Help us, and perhaps I can find a small stool for you to stand on." Mary Louise offered.

"I feel silly." Nora calls out from outside the room.

Mary Louise stands to her feet. "I'm sure you're beautiful, my love." Caroline's thought's wandered at the nickname. She wondered where Klaus was. He always called her Love. But he wouldn't come to Mystic Falls. No, it's not that he wouldn't. He couldn't. All because of her. She was the one who made him promise to never return. She was on her own.

Nora shook her head, "Nobody wears this anymore!"

"You wore that dress to Queen Victoria's funeral! It's stunning!" Mary Louise complemented her.

Just then, Nora comes in wearing a full-length, long-sleeved black funeral gown that looks as though it's from the turn of the 20th century. She also has a black hat perched on her head, and she looks very self-conscious as she walks over to the full-length mirror to see how she looks. Caroline, unable to help herself, snickers quietly, and Nora looks over at her, visibly mortified. Mary Louise looks back at Caroline as well, clearly unhappy with her reaction

Nora turned to Mary Louise, "See?"

Near tears, Nora stomps out of the room, and Mary Louise sighs before turning to glare at Caroline, who is trying to keep from laughing. Mary Louise picks up an eyeliner pencil from the vanity and storms over to her.

Mary Louise growled angrily, "I asked for advice, not mockery!"

Caroline should have apologized, but she wasn't exactly good at that. So she instead said weakly, "Yeah, well, you should listen to your girlfriend, because that dress...?" Caroline, realizing she's only getting herself into more trouble, sighs "Look, my best friend used to live here. She had good style, and I'm sure that a couple of her dresses are in a closet somewhere."

Mary Louise, only mildly satisfied, holds up the eyeliner, "I'm curious- what do you think of this color?"

Caroline tries her best to be nice while covering up her concern, "It's great, actually. Super vivid. It'll totally make your eyes pop."

Mary Louise takes the pencil and holds the extra-sharp point only centimeters from Caroline's eye. "Do you think it'll make your eyes pop?"

Caroline holds as still as she possibly can and tries to prepare herself for an imminent injury. When she pulls the pencil away, Caroline sighs in relief and relaxes slightly.

Mary Louise laughed coldly, "If you ever embarrass my girlfriend again–" she said angrily stabbing Caroline in the shoulder with the pencil, causing the baby vampire to scream in pain.

*****

Elijah practically jumped out of the car when Klaus came to a stop in front of boarding school. As an immortal, if there was one thing he was going to remember for centuries to come. It was to never let Klaus drive when Caroline's life was on the line. The drive from New Orleans to mystic falls should have taken eight hours. But Klaus made it in three hours. He was snapped out of it when he heard a loud cry ring through the air.

Rebekah froze. Recognizing the voice. She turned her head around to look at her brother, whose face was pale, before range consumed his features.

Klaus stormed up the pathway and banged on the door. It was opened by an older, brown haired woman. "Yes." She asked.

Klaus smiled sweetly, too sweetly. "I believe you have someone that belongs to me."

"What do you mean?" The woman asked, confused.

In an instant Klaus had the woman by the neck, and held her against the wall. "Where's Caroline?"

"So it's about her?" Lily asked, gasping for air. Klaus growled and threw the woman at Kol. "Gather everyone in the house. Until I find out what they did to Caroline. Don't kill them. Each and everyone of them is gonna receive a proper punishment for their involvement in this."

Klaus instantly ran upstairs, following the smell of Caroline's blood. He growled as he pushed open the door. The sight before him made his eyes burn amber and his inner wolf let out a roar.

Caroline was hanging by her arms in chains. She looked pale, her left arm was completely covered in blood as a wooden pencil pierced her shoulder.

In front of her stood a blond vampire who looked surprised to see him. "Who are you?!" She demanded.

"I thought that would be obvious. Your judge, jury, and executioner." Klaus growled.

"Klaus." Caroline said surprised. Relief painted clear on her face.

"Hello Love." Klaus smiled. "Just give me a second." He then turned to Mary Louise, his gaze hardening. The woman raised her hand, prepared to attack. But Klaus beat her to it. "Stay still. You're going to walk downstairs and join the rest of your herded family in the cellar. Understood."

Mary Louise gasped as her muscles tense and her body was forced to obey. "Vampire's can't be compelled by other vampires."

Klaus shot her a sinister smirk, "Well I'm not just another vampire. I'm a hybrid. The Original Hybrid." He answered tauntingly.

Mary Louise's eyes filled with fear. Of course she'd heard legends about him. She just never thought she'd ever have to meet him. Just who was this woman to him. But as the blond took one last look over her shoulder at Klaus, who was gently lowering Caroline to the ground, and cradled her in his arm. Feeding her his blood directly from his wrist, to heal her. She realised she'd made a grave mistake. As her feet carried her to the cellar, she knew she had condemned her family to death.

*****

Caroline leaned against Klaus, the two of them still sitting on the ground. "I'm sorry, Love." he apologized.

Caroline's eyes widened, "Wait! Why?" She asked, confused.

"I broke my promise. I told you I wouldn't return to Mystic Falls." Klaus explained.

Caroline shook her head, "No!".

Klaus's face fell, thinking she may not forgive him, "Caroli-"

Klaus was cut off half way through as he felt the women in question's lips on his. It took him a second to realise what she was doing. The second he did though, he returned the kiss just as passionately. Karoline brought her hands behind his hand, choosing to ignore her sore arms protests as they shot pain throughout her body. Because the sense of pain was soon overcome with the wonderful feeling of Klaus's soft hair in between her fingertips. She pulled him closer to her, deepening the kiss and opening her mouth to let him explore.

Caroline had originally wanted to just kiss him, but she was unable to resist pressing her chest against his as he wrapped an arm around her and ran it up and down her spine. He used it to pull her toward him until she was sitting completely on his lap, with both her legs around his waist.

He was about to pull her top off, when they were inputted by a cough. They two turned around to see Freya standing there, her arms crossed. Caroline immediately tried to jump up, but her tired legs gave out from underneath her, causing her to fall back onto Klaus, who caught her. Laughing at the cute squeak she let out.

Freya smirked. "I came up to tell you that they're all in the cellar. Bonnie and the Salvator brothers arrived too.

Caroline smiled, "Bonnie's here!"

Klaus nodded, "She's the one who called me."

Klaus helped Caroline stand up gently, wrapping an arm around her waist for support. Feya smiled at the baby vampire, "I'm Freya Mikaelson. Nice to meet you."

Caroline's eyes widened, "Freya? But didn't you..." She hesitated to bring it up.

But Freya just laughed, "No. My mother told everyone I had died in the plague. But in reality, she had sold me."

"Oh, I am so sorry." Caroline said, eyes softening.

Freya had heard that saying many times, but looking into Caroline's eyes, she could see how sincere her brother's mate truly was. She smiled. "It's fine. Come along now."

Klaus walked next to Caroline, his arm still not moving from her waist.

"I found them." Freya announced as they entered the cellar. Where all five heretic's and Lorenzo were chained up. "They were stuck to each other like glue."

Rebekah pretended to gag, "I remember him stripping her down with his eyes in that old school gym."

Well Kol laughed. "Nah. That's normal. Mines better, the first time I met dear sweet Caroline, the two were eye fucking each other from across the room."

Klaus rolled his eyes, and instead turned to their prisoners. He let his eyes gaze over all of them. One of the men, Italian by the looks of it. Looked like his arm was broken and had healed wrong. If he had to take a guess, that was most likely Kol's handy work.

Klaus turned around to stare at the Salvator brothers and Bonnie. "This is going to get messy, so I suggest anyone who can't stomach it, go upstairs. Better yet, leave the house.

Damon leaned back against the wall, a hard look in his eyes. Stefen had a pained expression on his face. "Klaus. She's my mother. Please-"

Stefen through a desperate look at Caroline. But the blond turned away. She remembered what the heretic's and Lily had done. They were responsible for all of the new recruits of the force dying.

Matt nearly died because of them.

Stefen tried to speak to her again but Klaus wasn't having any of it. "I suggest you leave then, Stefen. Because each and every one of them will pay." Stephen looked torn. He could understand why Caroline was choosing to stay silent. But Lily was still his mother. But he knew he didn't stand a chance. So he sighed and chose to walk out the door and head upstairs. He may as well get a head start on the funeral preparations. He doubted Klaus would leave anything left to bury. But it didn't hurt to hope.

Klaus turned his gaze to the Bennett witch who had a fire in her eyes. "I'm not leaving." She said, "They hurt Caroline and I want to see them pay."

"Bonnie..." Caroline let out quietly, as a tear fell from her eye. Bonnie smiled at the blond, nodding.

Klaus smirked, and could see a matching one on Kol's face. Though the one on his face was full of a lot more pride.

"Well, advance warning. The first three meters are a splash zone." Klaus said, reluctantly letting go of Caroline and walking up to his first victim.

Elijah stepped in front of Caroline protectively. At this point, he definitely considered Caroline family. She had managed to bring out more humanity from his brother in the short time that he knew her, then their entire family combined had been able to, from the last millennium. She was one of them now. For always and forever.

Kol leaned against the door, the only exit in the room, so none of the prisoners could even think of escaping. Then again, he could have possibly done that just so he could stand closer to Bonnie.

Klaus turned his attention back to the heretic's. He decided to start with the man who was closest to him.

Caroline had only seen him a handful of times. They hadn't had any direct contact.

"You're going to have to forgive me. I don't exactly have all my tools on hand. So I won't be able to give you the full Mikelson torture experince. But don't worry. It will be painful nonetheless." Klaus said, starting down at the man.

"Don't worry brother." Rebekah smirked. "Lucky for you. I tend to think ahead." She said, pointing to a corner of the room where there was a duffle bag."

Klaus smirked, as he picked it up. He opened the bag and seemed quite pleased with what his sister had chosen. Which only meant bad news for the heretic's.

Klaus picked up a bottle of clear liquid, which Caroline could only assume was vervain.

He was about to walk toward Beau, when Caroline called out to him. "Klaus, stop."

"Yes Love?"

"He didn't do anything. He wasn't involved in my kidnapping, or my torture." She told him. Feeling sorry for the man who was only in this situation because of the women around him.

Klaus hummed in thought, "So he didn't do anything." Beau's eyes filled with hope, but that was soon shattered with Klaus's next words. "So he did absolutely nothing as you were kidnapped. And as you were tortured." Klaus thrust forward, breaking through the man's chest and letting his fingers close around his heart. "Consider yourself lucky." He said, yanking the organ out.

Lily let out a pained scream as the man she claimed as her son died in front of her, his blood splattering on her face.

Caroline couldn't help but flinch at the ear piercing screams. But she couldn't find it in her to feel sorry for the heretic's after everything they'd done to her and her friends.

The other heretics watched in horror. If this is what he'd chosen to do to one who'd been the most innocent in Caroline's suffering. What would he do to the rest?

"Now I wonder if she'll want the rest of your deaths to be quick. I hope not." Klaus told them.

Caroline doesn't. She absolutely hated Lily. Valerie taunted her. Lorenzo betrayed her. And Nora and Mary Louise had both hurt and tortured her.

Klaus, still with the bottle of vervain water in his other hand, looked at the rest of their prisoners. "Now. Caroline had vervain in her system. Which one of you was responsible for that?" Klaus asked, when no one answered.

"Why don't you ask her." Nora seethed. Klaus narrowed his eyes and walked towards her, opening the bottle he was about to pour it into Nora's mouth when Mary Louise spoke up.

"Me! It was me! I'm the one who injected the vervain into her." Mary Louise shouted desperately.

Klaus smirked, "Tell me. Out of all your so called family. Who do you care about the most?" He asked, already having a good idea of who the person would be judging on the blonds actions.

Mary Louise, as much as she tried to resist the compulsion and bite her tongue. She was unable to. And was soon Nora's name was spilling from her tongue.

Klaus smirked and forced Nora's mouth opening, pouring the bottle's contents down her throat.

Nora cried out, her screams muffled by the bottle. But you could clearly see steam rising from around the bottle as the vervain acted like acid on her skin.

Mary Louise cried out at the sight, sobbing hysterically.

Rebekah laughed, "You've had your fun Nik. Now it's my turn."

"What?" Klaus asked. "No."

"Niklaus." Elijah called him. "This is supposed to be family bonding." He said, causing Bonnie to snort in an attempt to keep her laughter at bay. She knew she shouldn't be enjoying this. But she couldn't help it. She knew when she'd be conforming her friend and asking what happened later. She'd look back on this moment and be glad that they suffered.

Klaus rolled his eyes, "I never asked you guys to come."

So Elijah decided a different approach. "Coraline say's getting tired."

"I am?" Caroline asked. But seeing the look from Elijah, she nodded. "I am."

Klaus sighed, and walked over to her, letting her lean against his chest, he waved his arms at the people in chains. "Choose between one of the three on the left." He said, referring to Lily, Valerie and Lorenzo. He'd already decided that the blond and the one she cared for would be his, and more importantly, Caroline's to claim.

Honestly, Caroline was feeling a little tired, and Bonnie could see this. "Caroline." she called. "Do you want me to get you a blood bag?"

Caroline looked at her friend. They had some bumps in the road, from when Bonnie was hesitant to even make Caroline a daylight ring. But they were both past that. Their friendship had survived those trials and come out even stronger than before.

Caroline nodded. "Yes please."

Bonnie nodded and exited the room. "Wait, I'll come along to sweet cheeks." Kol grined following after the witch.

Rebekah looked around at her options, and eventually settled on Lily.

Damon, who couldn't care less until now, sat up straighter. Lily saw her son in the corner, "Damon. Damon please. Don't let them hurt me or any more of my children. Please. I'm your mother. Help me Damon!" The woman cried desperately.

Damon stared down at her with a cold look. "Yeah. I don't think so. For starters, you're wrong in assuming I even want you to live. And let's say for a second I do want to save you. I can't. You're begging the wrong person. The one you should be beginning is Caroline. And I'm pretty sure for once, Barbie is fresh out of mercy. And I'm glad."

Rebekah laughed, "Nice. Bonus points for emotional hits." she complimented. Damon smirked, tipping an imaginary hat in her direction, causing Freya to chuckle.

Ah torture.

You can always count on it to bring people together.

Seeing that Damon wasn't going to do anything, Lily turned her attention to Caroline, who was still wrapped up in Klaus's arms. At this point, she was fully leaning against him. "You never truly loved my son did you? You were only stringing Stefen along."

Caroline's eyes furrowed. "You're wrong. I never strung Stefen around. If you knew your son, you'd know the love we share is completely platonic. I'd legally make him my brother, if it didn't mean Damon would come along like a bedbug."

Damon let out an offended, "Hey."

But Caroline just shrugged, or as much as she could with Klaus's arms wrapped around hers.

Rebekah walked over to Lily, who looked up at her in fear. In her hand was a lighter. "Rebekah, no." Elijah told his sister firmly. "Choose something else."

Klaus smirked, "Why? Let our sister have some fun."

Elijah turned to his younger brother, "Need I remind you. We can survive the fire. Mis. Forbes on the other hand. Isn't as fireproof."

Klaus looked down at Caroline, who was looking back up at him calmly. "It's fine. Let her. If it gets too out of control we can just leave. I'm pretty sure Bonnie's with Kol, and I'm with you."

Freya nodded, "So we won't have to worry about getting out. Well they can stay here and burn with their sins."

Elijah sighed, "Fine."

Rebekah let out a childish giggle. She pressed the fork of the lighter, and watched and a bright flame danced on top of it. The smell of butane filled the cellar.

Caroline scrunched up her nose, not at all fond of the smell. Rebekah crouched down, until she was eye level with Lily. "Now where should I start?"

"I suggest the neck." Caroline told her. As she remembered the shard of glass that had only missed his neck by an inch when the Heretic's attacked. "That's how Matt nearly died."

Rebekah's face hardened for an instant, because she quickly regained control over her emotions. She looked over her shoulder and smirked. "Elijah is right. This really is the perfect way to bond. I was originally thinking her hair, but you do have a point." Rebekah let the flame gently kiss the woman's skin. Lily screamed and tried to move away, but Rebekah only brought the flame closer.

As Rebekah continued to use the flame, Caroline zoned out.

Remembering the fire that had taken so many lives.

How Nora and Mary Louise had brought her to her knees from the aneurysms.

How they were forced to hand over Stefen and Damon's home.

She was brought back to her senses when Klaus began running his fingers up and down her arm, comfortingly. She looked up and gave him a silent look that clearly told him she'd catch him up on everything later.

She then turned her attention to the front. Where Rebekah had just pulled out Lily's heart. The woman's body had begun to grey, and black lines ran all across her body like a map. Though you truly couldn't make many of them out, considering 95% of the women's body had been chard.

Klaus let her go and was walking toward Valerie, when the door opened. Bonnie and Kol walked in. With Bonnie moving to stand next to Caroline, handing her the blood bag, who accepted it happily.

"That took you quite some time." Freya pointed out.

"You missed my session." Rebekah pouted, crossing her arms.

"I'm sure you did fine." Kol said, rolling his eyes. Though the smirk that appeared on his face as he took in Lily's charred body clearly did show that he was proud of her work.

The two hadn't answered Freya's question. But judging by how their clothes were rumpled, Caroline had a pretty good idea of what had taken them so long.

Valerie knew she was next and tried to speak, "She... she was being difficult." She tried to reason, but only made the man angry.

"Yes she's difficult. But she's mine and I would have her no other way." Klaus growled.

Valerie flinched, seeing Klaus walk towards her. Thinking she had nothing left to lose, she tried giving him an aneurysm. But to her surprise, the hybrid didn't even flinch.

It was like he didn't feel it at all!

Klaus smirked, "So your witches as well. That's interesting. But let me give you some advice tricks like that stop working after five centuries. Even Katherine wouldn't blink at something that weak."

Valerie, frustrated and angry, turned her gaze and attack toward Caroline, causing her to let go of the blood bag and scream in pain. Caroline didn't even need to hold her head in her hands because within a second Klaus was holding Valerie up by the neck and the pain stopped. But now, the woman was the one crying in pain. It took Caroline a second to realize that both Bonnie and Freya had flipped the attack around. They were both attacking the heretic witch with aneurysms of their own.

Caroline, seeing both of them coming to her defense, felt a warm feeling bloom inside of her. She grabbed one of Bonnie's hands, and sent Freya a small smile. One the first born Mikaelson returned.

Freya had found herself coming to the baby vampire's defense, almost on reflex. As if she didn't even think about it. Caroline brought her brother, and her family, so much happiness. She gave them a chance. Freya would be damned if she let anyone lay a finger on the blond well she was around.

Blood began running down Valerie's nose at the two witches' constant attack. All the vampire's in her room could hear her heart beating erratically, until there was a loud pop sound that even Bonnie could hear, and then nothing.

Caroline blinked a few times. Trying to understand what had just happened.

It was Rebekah who spoke up, "Did her heart just explode? Inside of her?" she asked her sister.

Freya smirked a Mikaelson smirk. "Sorry." She said to her younger brother. "Couldn't contain myself."

Kol just laughed. "More like you didn't want to control yourself."

Klaus grumbled, and dropped Valerie's dead onto the ground like a broken toy.

Bonnie looked at it with wide eyes, filled with fascination and interest. "Could you teach me that?" she asked the older witch.

Freya nodded, "Of course. You're a Bennett witch. So you have more than enough power. You'd just need to teach you the technique."

Lorenzo was the only one aside from Nora and Mary Louise who was still alive. But he knew he wouldn't be alive much longer.

They were going to torture him to death.

Beau was lucky.

Lily was burned alive.

Valerie's heart had literally exploded inside of her.

He didn't even want to think about what they would do to him.

So he decided to take the cowards way about. His arms hadn't healed right. So it now bent at angel that his hand should be able to pierce his chest, even with the chains still on him.

So well the rest were talking, he used that moment to push through the pain, and grasp his heart in his chest. He took a deep breath, and clenched with all his might.

Klaus turned around to look at one of his last victims and groaned. "Come on. He took the coward's way out." the thousand year old hybrid crumbled.

"Not surprising." Damon said with his arms crossed over his chest. "We already knew he was a coward when he turned. Guess he knew that taking his own life would be the quickest and most painless route."

"Well, that only leaves two then." Kol shrugged, getting bored.

Klaus smirked, "Always save the best for last."

Nora shuddered. When he meant best for last, she assumed him. The better it was for him. The worse it would be for them.

"Kol, Rebekah. Unchain them. I have to go get something." Klaus told him.

"What? Why?" The youngest sister asked.

"Let's just say the last ones are going to be active participation. They won't have to just sit there and suffer." Klaus answered. But the way he said it, made the two heretic's doubt it should be anything they would be grateful for.

Klaus then walked out of the room at human speed, making sure to take his sweet times so Nora and Mary Louise's fear only grew.

Once the two heretic's chains were off, they rushed towards each other. Nobody in the room stopping them as they embraced each other.

"Aw," Rebekah cooed mockingly. "Aren't they just adorable?"

Kol played along, "Klaus did say active participation. Shouldn't you girls be getting ready for that instead of playing cuddle monster? How about I help warm you up." He said. He turned to his sister, "Please tell me you brought my bat along. Please."

Rebekah pulled a shiny steel bat out of the duffle bag in answer, holding it up to her brother. Kol was just about to grab it when Klaus came back in, "You will do no such thing." He said, the second he saw the bag. "These two are mine and Caroline's alone. In fact, the rest of you are going to leave."

"Why?" Freya asked. Put out. From what she'd known, these two were the ones who'd hurt Caroline. Their torture was the one she was looking forward to the most. Bonnie found herself nodding, wanting to stay as well.

"Sorry. No can do sister. I've done enough family bonding for the day. It's time for some couple bonding time. So out. Shoo." He said, dismissing them with his hand.

Elijah sighed, he knew his brother wouldn't budge on this one. But this was the longest his family had spent in a room together this month without any death threats. So he was considerably happy. He would have liked to have made it last a bit longer, but doubted Nicklaus would agree. Hopefully with Mis. Forbes is around more often, Klaus may be more open to family bonding time.

Rebekah followed after her brother pouting a bit. When Damon walked out, Bonnie decided to leave as well, with Kol following behind her like an energetic puppy.

Freya was the last to leave, she sent a small smile Caroline's way, and a glare at her brother. Though the angry gaze didn't hold a lot of true heat.

Klaus walked up to the two women, who were still huddled together in a corner with a fearful gaze, shivering like leafs in the wind. This most likely would have been their best chance to escape. But with their vampire hearing, they would still make out the people up stairs. So even if they could somehow manage to beat Klaus and escape, they doubted they'd get very far.

The hybrid decided to start with some precautions. This was the first time he was going to show Caroline how to torture someone. He knew his love had been on the receiving end of many, a thought that caused his eyes to turn amber and a growel began to grow in his chest. But she didn't exactly know the art quite well. So it would be best to ease her into it.

She did give Rebekah quite a good idea with the fire, but this would be the first time she'd be participating in actual torture. He'd prefer to make it as enjoyable as possible for her.

He looked both women in the eye. Making sure they were both locking gazes with him so he wouldn't have to repeat himself. "You will obey every order Caroline or I will give you. You will not try to leave this room." And the most important one of all. "You will not try to attack Caroline." Both women repeated the order, unable to resist.

"Good." He smiled. He then pulled a pencil out of his pocket. One that instantly caused Mary Louise's face to pale and her eye's to widen in fear.

Caroline also flinched at the pencil, her shoulder stinging from the memory even though the wound had already closed. Klaus saw this, and wrapped a gentle comforting arm around her.

"You know what I really don't appreciate?" Klaus asked the two women on the ground. "Seeing the love of my life again after years, only to find her hanging from a ceiling in pain. With a bloody pencil in her shoulder."

Klaus then turned to Caroline. He hadn't wanted her to actively participate in her revenge. He knew she had wanted it. But seeing her reaction to the pencil, he wasn't sure if she was ready to actively participate right now. So he decided on having her call all the shots instead. "Caroline, what would you like to see more? The blond one stabbing the brunette? The brunette stabbing the blond? Or maybe the blond stabbing herself?" he asked her, as if he was asking what she wanted for dinner.

Instantly Mary Louise began crying, "No! I'll stab myself! Please!"

Klaus shot her a glare, "That's not your choice to make."

Caroline looked at the women on the ground, crying desperately as she had been only hours ago. The woman had wanted her honest opinion. And she gave it, and as a result she was stabbed. It wasn't her fault that Nora had horrible taste. So she chose the option that would cause both the most pain. "I was Mary Louise to stab Nora." She told Klaus. Her heart was beating erratically. She knew what she was doing was wrong on so many levels. Yet she was anticipating it. She was enjoying it. She wants revenge. And like always, whenever she wanted something. Whether she verbally asks him for it or not. Klaus will always deliver.

Because of the compulsion, Mary Louise was forced to take the eyeliner from Klaus, no matter how hard she tried to resist it. She couldn't. Mary Louise and Nora both looked at Caroline desperately, knowing she was the only one who could stop this hell.

Caroline recognized the looks on their faces. The fear, the desperation. She had worn the same look when she was hanging from the ceiling.

"Caroline. Please." Mary Louise begged.

Caroline's eyes hardened, "What was it that you said to me again just hours ago. Just be happy I didn't hang you by your feet like we do cows." She said, throwing the other blonde's exact words right back at her. Klaus smiled, not even trying to hide his glee. She could clearly see that he was proud of her, causing her to blush. "Oh shut up." She said, turning her head away.

Klaus smiled at her, and wrapped an arm around her. "If you want to hang them like cows. I'd be happy to." He offered.

"Now you're teasing me." Caroline pouted.

"No. I wouldn't dream of it." The man practically purred, wrapping her in a huge. She shot him a glare, one without any heat behind it.

Klaus was about to say something but was cut off by Nora's scream as Mary Louise couldn't resist any longer and stabbed Nora in the shoulder.

Caroline felt a sick satisfaction at the two women's misery. And for once, she couldn't find it in herself to care. "Now twist it around. The same way you so gleefully twisted it into my shoulders." Caroline demanded.

Mary Louise felt the compulsion take over, as her wrist moved, and the pencil twisted inside Nora's shoulder. Causing her even more pain.

"Please." Mary Louise begged. "Please let me stop."

Klaus watched the woman who had captured his attention with fascination. He always knew Caroline had a darkness inside. One she chooses to cover up with smiles and bright colors. She was a true wolf in sheep's clothing. He couldn't take his eyes off of her. Completely captivated by her darkness.

Klaus held in a moan as the sight, as it sent waves of arousal through his body.

And then she said, "Oh, we're just getting started."

As if he wasn't whipped enough for her as it was.

*****

I hope the ending was ok, I wasn't exactly sure how to end it. So I decided to leave it there. But I did want to kind of end it off on a thought about them.

What do you guys think?

There were like two and a half easter eggs up there.

I wonder if anyone found them. Here's a hint, one and a half of them were from SAO abridged. Well another one was from Reign.

That was pretty dark. I honestly had no idea what to do with Lerenzo, so I just went with the suicide route.

Sorry if Freya was a bit oc. I haven't watched the originals and probably never will because of certain reasons called: Haley, Cami, and Klaus Mikelson's death (T-T).

Let's be honest, because I find it hard to believe that I was the only one who wanted Mary Louis to suffer for what she did to Caroline.

Like you did that to our girl because she insulted your girlfriend. Well good luck, she has the big bad hybrid wrapped around her finger. Have fun burning in hell.

Like anytime there was a scene where Caroline was hurt, my first instinct was "Klaus! Where are you? Your future-wifey needs you!"

Like I get it's the 21st century and girls are all about feminism now. But hey, there's no shame in admitting that she's something seriously romantic about a guy who's a jerk to almost everyone else, but a puddle for you - and is willing to drop everything, and do ANYTHING for you. {Including Murder, Main, and Kill.}

There's just something hot about that. (Yeah, that may have been me projecting a bit.)

Or was that just me.

Anyway,

KLAROLINE FOR LIFE!

[lastbluetardis]

Sacred New Beginnings (1/?)

Summary: James Noble thought he traded away his chance at love and a happy-ever-after when he signed a contract with a record label that turned him into an international celebrity. But a chance meeting in a dive bar may prove him wrong.

Ten x Rose AU, @doctorroseprompts

This Chapter: Teen, ~5500 words

Note: Er... surprise? This idea has been in my head for months but my brain took it and ran with it this weekend. I plotted the whole thing and am gonna try to update every weekend. I don’t anticipate this being more than like... 7-10 chapter? I’d love to keep it under 5 chapters but that might be trimming things down too much for my liking. Anyways, I really hope you enjoy this little story!

AO3

Flashing lights and shrieks of his name greet James the moment the back door to his armored car is opened. His head of security ducks out first and James can only see a mass of feet and legs but it’s more than enough to let him know it’s a heavier than usual crowd. Not surprising, considering the news of his latest break-up just dropped while he’d been flying back from a visit to America.

He slides out of the car, helped by hands that pull him as much as guide him through the throng. He ignores the shouts of his name—telling him to look left or right or up or down or every combination therein—and the barrage of questions and jokes that aren’t funny.

Was it you or him that ended it?

Three weeks, is that a new personal record?

Another notch in the bedpost, eh James?

Got another beau lined up yet?

If you’re looking for candidates, what do we have to do to get our names in the running?

“Ignore them,” he mutters to himself, too quietly for anyone except his security team to hear.

In answer, one of them gives his shoulder a reassuring squeeze as they reach his front door. Someone has already unlocked it for him and the darkness within is a blessing he’s all too willing to be shoved into. The cacophony muffles once the door shuts, and finally he’s alone, a rarity for him. If it’s not his security, it’s personal assistants and writers and producers and photographers and the paparazzi.

Or his lover of the month, as the papers have taken to calling his partners.

But nope, his home is empty and quiet and bloody freezing. A shiver ripples up his spine as he treads to the thermostat controller. Summer finally released its hold on London, and the muggy heat has been replaced with a damp chill that burrows down into his bones.

Several button-presses later, James hears the familiar clank of the radiator and he can smell the heating kick on. It’ll take a while for his house to warm up, so James keeps his peacoat on for the time being as he putters around his home, checking the fridge and the cabinets. As always, they’re well-stocked. He hasn’t had to do anything as mundane as grocery shopping in the five years since his YouTube channel full of acoustic covers of popular songs went viral and landed him a lucrative deal with a prestigious record label. Only in his wildest dreams had he expected to find fame and fortune in the hobby he loved so much—for it to have actually happened still took him by surprise, as though any minute he’d be told “it was fun while it lasted, but it’s time for you to leave wonderland now.”

Shaking his head of those thoughts, he goes to the antique dining table that can easily seat ten people, which is great for holidays or in-home meetings, but just plain depressing every other day of the year. A stack of mail has piled up, and he spends the next five minutes attempting to sort it before giving up and telling himself he’ll look at it in the morning, once he’s not quite as groggy—transatlantic flights always take it out of him.

Instead, he rootles around his fridge until he comes up with the necessary items to make himself a ham and cheese sandwich. With the prospect of food in front of him, James realizes he is starving. He shoves a whole slice of ham in his mouth while he assembles his pitiful meal, heaping on lettuce and sliced tomatoes as though that’s enough to negate the pile processed protein and greasy chips he layers in for crunch.

It’s tastier than any sandwich as a right to be, and he nearly makes himself a second one before catches sight of his phone screen and the slew of incoming notifications. His work is never finished, is it?

There are several texts from his publicist, Donna, welcoming him home and congratulating him on not making an arse of himself just by trying to walk up the front drive of his home. (To be fair, he felt entitled to channel his inner crotchety old man and tell reporters to get off his damn lawn if they encroached on his personal property.)

“Though some photos are surfacing of your trip to New York… Anything you need me to get ahead of?”

He rubs his fingers into his eyes, knowing she’s probably referring to his last night out in the city, where he went bar hopping until the wee hours of the morning to try to forget the text his subsequently-ex-boyfriend had sent him.

Thanks for everything, but I need to focus on my career. Cheers mate.

The career that James had kickstarted for him by introducing his rising actor boyfriend to several of his friends in the film industry, because James had been so damn desperate for affection that he’d once again let the wool get pulled in front of his eyes.

And so James had reached out to mates who lived in New York and they’d all gone out and acted half their age and had a wonderful time once James forgot about why he’d gone out in the first place.

But none of that now. Nope. No sir.

“Not that I’m aware of,” he replies. “Let me know if you catch wind of anything.”

Despite the fact that he only just got home and he’s jetlagged and still feeling the effects of his night out in New York, James can’t stay in his house right now. It’s so quiet that his brain is creating its own white noise. He can’t stand being in his head on a good day, and today is not a good day.

He grabs his keys and wallet and makes for the back of the house. His property is landlocked with the back gardens of other houses; the paps have learned the hard way that James is dead serious about protecting his neighbors’ privacy and will not hesitate to phone the police to arrest and sue anyone caught trespassing on private property to snag a photo of him. James hosts dinner for his neighbors several times a year and buys them gifts any chance he can to show his appreciation for their patience and tolerance.

In the dead of night, he slips out into his back garden, the crisp October air burning his lungs in the best way as he ducks his way through the neighborhood, his feet taking him far away from the crowd of reporters that are still stationed in front of his own home. Hopefully they’ll all have dispersed by the time he gets back. Perhaps he should have turned on music or a movie or something, made them think he was settled in for a lazy night in.

He wanders aimlessly for a while, enjoying this taste of freedom and trying to remember the days when he could leave out the front door of his flat without any fanfare.

It’s dark, and thick clouds obscure whichever moon phase they’re in, but the street lamps glow yellow on the damp pavement, lighting his way forward. A crisp autumn breeze ruffles his hair and the leaves, sending them tumbling around him and skittering across the residential street that’s so much quieter than the bustle of New York. It’s good to be home, though.

He arrives at a bus stop and catches one headed into the city proper. It’s no secret that James lives in London, and therefore the general population has gotten used to glimpsing him on the tube or walking on the street or frequenting pubs. He knows people snap quick photos of him, and he’s always happy to stop and pose for a selfie with respectful fans, but mostly he’s left alone when he’s out by himself like this.

Nevertheless, he hears the excited undertones of people trying to inconspicuously point him out to their oblivious friends. He keeps his head down, mindlessly opening and closing apps on his phone for something to do as he pretends he doesn’t notice them. He won’t be on the bus much longer anyway.

Several people get off the bus with him, including a group of teenage girls who are whispering heatedly among themselves. It’s almost funny, watching them debate amongst themselves before one of them approaches him.

She’s red-faced but determined as she blurts, “Can we get a photo?”

“Sure thing,” he says good-naturedly, inclining his head for them to come closer. “Need me to take it?” He holds out a lanky arm and flops it around a bit. “Got a longer reach than any of you.”

He’s certain one of the girls is about to start crying with joy as they all nestle into his side and hand him a new-model iPhone. Damn, it’s fancier than his own. When he was their age, he had an old flip phone that lost reception if he breathed on it wrong. It was a tank though—he’d dropped that thing hundreds of times, and nary a scratch.

“Do me a favor,” he says, handing the phone back to its owner, “and don’t ping our location if you post to social media, yeah? I appreciate it.”

“You’re my favorite person ever,” one of the girls squeaks.

His face splits into a grin and he tucks his hands into his pockets. “Is that so?”

The girls spend the next five minutes chatting with him about music and how they’ve been following him ever since his YouTube days. He listens and chimes in every now and then when they ask him a direct question, but he prefers being passive in exchanges like this, content to hear peoples’ stories. It makes him feel normal, if only for a little while.

Finally, they take their leave, and James turns in the opposite direction even though the destination he had in mind is down the street the girls had just taken. But he’s been burned far too many times by encounters with seemingly innocent fans, only for them to begin following him around and showing up outside his house to talk to him again. He makes a point of not drawing out public encounters with his fans.

He wanders down a street he’s vaguely familiar with, figuring he can backtrack in a couple blocks. The night is too beautiful for him to be upset about needing to take a detour.

Everything looks different in the dark, the glow of neon signs bathing everything in hues of greens and blues and pinks and yellows. Shops and restaurants are mostly shut up for the night, their windows dark or blinds drawn. Dingey motels with pay-by-the-hour rates are in full swing, as are the pubs that have a revolving door of people in varying states of intoxication.

Deep bass that he can feel all the way in his chest catches his attention, and he gets turned around a few times, but he eventually finds the establishment: Bad Wolf Brews. At first, he doesn’t think it’s open, and that he must be mistaken about where the music is coming from, but the heavy front oak door opens, and he realizes the glass on the door is tempered so that the interior lights don’t shine through. The music is clear and heavy and vibrating in his bones. He doesn’t think twice before catching the door before it closes and slipping inside.

The air is humid and smells of sweat and stale beer. Bodies are writhing and gyrating to the rhythm blasting through invisible speakers. The acoustics are phenomenal; none of the layers are lost and the sound quality is nearly as good as if he were listening to the record at home on his own stereo system.

The lights are low, and he’s sure he trips into a few people in the minute it takes for his eyes to adjust to the dimness, but finally, he’s at the bar. There are three open stools, and he claims one between a blonde woman and a red-haired man as he wonders what the hell this dive bar serves. He can see beer taps, but he’s more of a cocktail guy. He must look as lost as he feels, because the bartender hands him a menu that looks like it was hand-written and then photo-copied. It jives with the overall vibe of the pub.

The bartender checks in with him a minute later. James opens a tab and orders a sidecar sans sugar, and is pleasantly surprised by the quality. Not to make assumptions, but he’d figured an establishment such as this would have cheap liquor. If the alcohol in his drink is cheap, it’s well masked.

When he’s drained the last drop and about to signal for another, a hand rests on his shoulder. “Can I buy your next round?”

James looks up into the face of a stranger. It’s a woman with striking green eyes and a disheveled pixie cut. Judging by her crimson cheeks and glazed eyes, she’s three sheets to the wind. There’s buzzed, then there’s drunk, and then there’s plastered. He prefers not to let himself get to that last category, and by extension, he doesn’t really like to associate much with people who won’t remember the night come morning.

“Thanks, but I’m good,” he says with his most charming grin. “G’night.”

He has no idea if the woman knows who he is, but the way she shrugs and saunters to the gentleman sitting beside James, he doubts it.

He gets clumsily propositioned a few more times and always politely declines with a smile. So far, nobody here seems to recognize him and he is going to ride out this anonymity for as long as it’ll last. It has been too long since he’s been able to sit in a pub and drink quietly. Well, quietly, insofar as crazed fans or paparazzi aren’t harassing him—the music is loud enough that he’s sure to have ringing in his ears for a few hours once he gets home.

But he’s not really in any rush to get home, and so he orders his fourth cocktail before making his way to the loo. Alcohol goes right through him, and it’s nearly gotten him in trouble on tour a time or two.

There’s no line, but the loo is crowded, and he tries to ignore the double-takes as he stands in front of a urinal to take care of business. If he wakes up tomorrow morning to find that someone snapped a photo of him having a piss, he’s going to lose his goddamn mind.

Bladder tended to, James keeps his head ducked and shoulders his way back into the bar. His stool is unoccupied, and when he steps forward, he realizes why. A purse sits on it, seemingly reserving the seat but he can’t figure out for whom. He’s about to take the cocktail the bartender hands him and stand against the shadowed wall when someone picks up the purse.

It’s his blonde-haired stool mate. She flashes him a broad grin that lights up her entire face and squeezes something deep in his stomach.

“Saved your seat for ya,” she says with the ease and confidence of someone who’s known him his whole life.

“Thanks,” he manages through a suddenly dry mouth.

Feeling like an idiot for standing and gaping, he slips into his seat and downs half his new sidecar in one go. It’s as though the ice has been broken now, and she turns to him, her elbow on the counter and her cheek propped on her fist.

“Pretty sure you could outdrink a fish, mate,” she drawls, smiling again in that easy way that does too many strange things to his insides. “You’ve been knockin’ ‘em back for over an hour now.”

Has it really been that long? James checks his watch, and yup, it’s half past ten. The paps should be gone from his house by now, but he feels no draw to leave this place. The alcohol has left him pleasantly tipsy and warm, but he’s more drunk on the fantasy that he’s just a normal bloke having a nice night out in a newly-discovered dive bar.

“Fish don’t really drink though, do they? They absorb water through their gills via osmosis,” he replies, and he wants to bite his tongue off because what the fuck was that??

This woman, whatever her name is, doesn’t seem to mind his answer though, because her face scrunches in a giggle. His body is hot and throbbing with more than drink now, and he wants to hear that sound again but his brain has stopped working.

“Is that so different from you absorbin’ alcohol through your bloodstream?” she muses, finishing off whatever is in her short tumbler.

“Can I buy your next round?” he blurts rather than responding to her question, which he’s almost certain was rhetorical.

Her smile melts into something softer, something private and a little shy. “If you’d like.”

“I do.” He flags down the bartender and glances at his new companion expectantly.

“Gin and tonic,” she says. She thanks the bartender, then James when she takes her first sip. “I’m Rose, by the way.”

“James,” he says, feeling stupid because his face is plastered all over London, which likes to boast that it’s the home of international celeb James Noble. But wouldn’t he seem more of an arse if he just assumed this gorgeous woman knew who he was?

Nevertheless, his stomach sinks a bit when she snorts into her drink and says, “I thought it was you.”

“Yup, it’s me,” he forces, his voice flat. He hides his frown with his glass, knocking back the rest of his sidecar like it’s a shot. The room sways slightly with the violent motion of his head, and maybe he’s slightly drunker than he’d thought.

If Rose catches on to his sudden sour mood, she doesn’t mention it. “What brings you here to Bad Wolf?”

He shrugs and blows out a noisy breath. “I dunno. Went for a walk, ended up here.”

“Those are the best sort of adventures.” She hums wistfully. “Sometimes you find what you didn’t know you needed when you let yourself get lost.”

That observation is far too astute for his current state of mind, so instead he says, “Would you like to dance with me?”

Her eyes flicker across his face for a brief moment before she says, “Okay.”

He hops down from his stool, but Rose hesitates, clutching her purse and coat awkwardly. The bartender helpfully tells her to keep them on her stool, and he’ll keep an eye on it. Rose flashes him a grin that James would rather she flash at him, but he realizes that is utterly absurd, so he simply rests his coat on top of her things to better hide them from view. He then holds out his hand for her. Her palm is soft and warm against his as he leads her to the crowded dance floor.

They find space towards the back of the pub, hidden in the shadows of a hallway that states it’s closed off to patrons. And of course, of fucking course, right when he rests his hands on her hips to find the rhythm of the song, a new one comes on, and his own voice belts from the speakers.

“Fucking hell,” he mutters. He loves his music—he made it, after all—but he can’t help but feel pretentious and more than a little silly to dance to it like this.

Rose, however, grins and says, “Oh, come on, this is one of my favorites.”

She catches his hands where he’d loosened them at her waist and forces him to grab hold of her. She’s wearing high-waisted trousers and a top that leaves a sliver of her belly exposed. His thumb grazes the skin of her bare side, and it’s enough to send tingles through his body. Rose, meanwhile, slings her arms around his shoulders and begins to rock her hips from side to side in sync with the bass, embellishing the motions until she looks absolutely ridiculous but so, so beautiful.

He can’t help but grin and laugh, and he mirrors her movements until they’re both dancing like idiots to his music.

“This is how my baby brother dances,” she explains, bouncing up and down while twisting her hips. “We have regular dance parties together.”

“How old’s your brother?” he asks.

“Just turned four.”

He blinks, and blood rushes from his face. “And… and how old are you?”

“A perfectly legal twenty-four,” she drawls, reaching up to flick his nose. “You can start breathing again.”

Thank fuck.

“That’s quite the age gap.”

“My mum got remarried when I was nineteen,” Rose says with a shrug. “She and my stepdad didn’t waste much time.”

“Clearly,” he mutters under his breath.

“It does feel a bit like they’ve started over,” Rose confesses with a too-stiff shrug. “New family, new life, and I’m the interloper.

There is no way this vivacious woman in front of him could ever be considered an interloper, but before he can tell her that, she continues, “Mum does her best to assure me otherwise, but still. It’s hard to watch all the things Mum and Dad are able to do for Tony—that’s my brother, Tony—when Mum struggled so much as a single mum with me.”

“Your dad’s not in the picture?”

A sad smile pinches her face, and he regrets asking.

“No, I never knew him. He died when I was a baby.”

“I… I’m so sorry.” Well, he’s totally buggered this all up, hasn’t he? He wracks his brain on how to salvage the easy banter they’d had at the bar, but draws a blank.

Rose seems to realize they’ve lost the mood, but she breaks out into a lazy grin and says, “Since you seemed so opposed to dancing to your own music, it’ll please you to know a new song’s on. C’mon, show me your moves.”

He’s not going to look a gift horse in the mouth, and so he follows her lead, watching her dance her heart out until her cheeks are pink and her hair is damp with sweat. He’s sure he doesn’t look much better, since he can feel the perspiration beading down his back and beneath his arms, but he can’t bring himself to care. Tonight has been the most fun he’s had in a very long time. Clubbing in New York had been a lark, but he’s been swarmed by his American fans half the night, and had been busy drowning his latest heartbreak to fully enjoy it. But here, now, with Rose, it’s like he’s any other bloke in a pub, chatting up a pretty girl he wants to get to know.

Their bodies are wrapped around each other with the ease and grace of partners who have known each other for years, and he forgets that he has known Rose for all of a few hours. He never wants this night to end. He wants to cling to this fairytale and pretend that the clock isn’t about to strike the proverbial midnight.

But time marches on as always. The clock really does strike midnight, and the bartender begins to clear people out of his establishment. James is as exhausted as he is exhilarated, no longer drunk on booze but rather the company of Rose and the magic they made together by simply dancing the night away.

They head back to the bar to retrieve their coats and her purse, and to close out their tabs. James slides his credit card to the bartender and asks him to charge everyone’s tab to his card. If the bartender is surprised, he hides it well. A few minutes later, James is signing off on the receipt of purchase of several thousand pounds-worth of alcohol. His personal assistant is sure to be confused as hell when she wakes up to see the charge. He fires off a quick warning text to her so she doesn’t open up a fraudulent charge claim.

James salutes the bartender, knowing he’ll come back to this pub as often as he can until he’s found out and this place once again becomes somewhere that’s overrun with his fans.

The night is refreshingly cold when he and Rose emerge into it, a nice change after the stifling, sweaty heat of the bar. However, she hunches her shoulders against the chill, prompting him to wrap his arm around her waist and tug her into his side, all too eager to lend her some of his body heat.

“Can I walk you somewhere?” he asks, glancing around the street that is now full of the drunken patrons who’d been in the pub with them. They all disperse in different directions, stumbling home or to a different bar that is still open. “Or wait with you ‘til you catch a cab?”

“Yeah, sure,” she says, pulling up her phone to order a ride. She taps on the screen for a few quiet moments then says, “Done. Should be here in a few minutes.”

They descend into a slightly awkward silence that James wants to break, but he can’t think of anything clever to say. So he says nothing, and finally headlights wash over them, momentarily blinding them before a taxi pulls up.

“D’you wanna share?” she asks, opening the door to the back seat.

Is she as reluctant to leave him as he is to leave her? Or is she being polite and eco-friendly by ride sharing? Nevertheless, he nods and slides into the back seat beside her.

There is something incredibly intimate about sitting with Rose in the dark interior of the taxi, and he feels like he’s fifteen and wondering how to hold his date’s hand after a cheap night out at the cinemas. He fists his hands together, knotting his fingers until his knuckles pop.

The driver goes to the address Rose provides first, and all too soon they’ve arrived.

“I’ll cover the fare,” he says when she makes to hand over some bank notes to the diver. “It’d be my pleasure.”

She hesitates, but nods, then opens the door to climb out of the car. His pulse quickens as he watches her walk away with nothing but a, “Goodnight.”

“Can you wait just a minute?” he asks the driver.

“Meter’s still runnin’,” he grunts.

“That’s fine.”

James scrambles out of the taxi. “Hey, Rose?”

She turns back to face him, frowning.

“I… er… I had a great time tonight,” he says lamely, but her frown relaxes into a smile. “It was fun. With you. I had fun.”

“Yeah, me too,” she answers.

He licks his lips; his mouth is bone dry and his pulse pounds in his ears, making his vision throb with each frenzied beat.

“Do you… do you maybe wanna do it again some time? Hang out together? I… I’d really like to see you again,” he says, cursing his clumsy, fumbling words.

She scrutinizes him for a long moment, her expression indecipherable. His stomach sinks. Maybe this was a one-off, a story for her to tell her mates.

You’ll never guess who I met at the pub last night. James Noble! He paid for all my drinks and we danced like idiots.

He stews in his misery of doubt, and just when he’s about to tell her to forget about it, she slowly nods.

“Yeah, okay. I’d like that.”

“Really?” he asks, a hopeful edge creeping into his voice.

She laughs. “Really.”

“Brilliant!” James fumbles in his pocket for his phone, and he thrusts it at her. “Give me your number? I’ll text you. Or call.”

He rocks back and forth on his toes and heels, waiting for her to finish up with his phone. He has a sudden, potent bolt of panic that she’s snooping through his private messages or photographs for something to use against him to make a quick profit, but before that panic can take root, she hands his mobile back to him. It’s open to a new texting conversation.

From: 🌹 Bad Wolf Girl 🌹

Now I’ve got your number too 😉

He beams at the name she’s given to herself in his contacts, then he pockets his phone.

“I’ll see you later,” he says.

“You better,” she replies with that knee-weakening smile he’s grown to love over the course of the night. “See ya.”

“Bye.”

He stands there like a moron until she’s safely inside, then he turns back to the taxi and climbs in. The deserted streets streak by as the driver takes him to his neighborhood. He never gives his address though; he always chooses a destination a few streets away, just in case.

James generously tips the driver and bids him goodnight before slipping into the night to his home. He was right: the paparazzi are gone. There is no fanfare as he slips his key into the lock and lets himself into his house. It’s warm and cozy, but still too quiet for his liking.

Between the plane ride and his night out, he feels greasy and disgusting, and indulges in a hot shower before bed. He washes Rose’s scent off of his body, an intoxicating blend of jasmine and vanilla that’s as sweet as it is musky.

He’s groggy by the time he crawls into his giant, king-sized bed and burrows deep into his mounds of pillows and duvets. One of his ex-girlfriends once teased that he turns into the marshmallow man when he sleeps.

His sleep is deep and dreamless, and when he awakes with the sun the following morning, he feels more refreshed and invigorated than he ever remembers being. He’s got a full day of meetings with his songwriting team to brainstorm his next album, and he is ready.

But first, he checks his phone. There’s nothing from Rose, which makes him a little sad, but also nothing from his publicist, which is always a good sign. If ever she messages or calls him first thing in the morning, it always means there’s some sort of dumpster fire to put out. Usually a dumpster fire full of compromising photos of him.

He makes a point of not Googling himself, but he does occasionally check his social media pages for new posts about him, wanting to know when, where, and how his fans came across him in the wild. He easily finds the photo that he took with the group of teenage girls, and makes a point to like the original post and type a quick, “Nice to meet you all. Thanks for chatting with me last night - J” in the comments section. He snorts to himself as his comment blows up within seconds.

But other than some grainy photos of him riding the bus, he can’t find any other photos of himself. Nothing of him wandering the streets or drinking in the pub or even having a wee in the mens’ room. And best of all, there’s nothing of him and Rose. No photos of them dancing together or sharing a cab. If Rose has a social media account, it didn’t post any sneaky photos or bragging stories about dancing all night with James Noble.

He can’t quite believe it; he managed to have a fun night out drinking without it all being thrown back in his face the next morning. Within seconds, he’s grinning to himself and pulling up Rose’s contact information. It’s still in his phone, further proof that his night with her wasn’t some sort of jetlagged fever dream. She was real.

“Good morning. I hope you slept well. Thanks for last night.”

She responds almost instantly. Good morning to you too. I should be thanking you for paying my drink tab and taxi fare 😉 And for being an excellent dance partner.

“The pleasure was all mine, on all counts.” He sends that message, then types out a new one, “I’m gonna be in meetings all day (yes, I know it’s Sunday), so please don’t be discouraged if I don’t reply. But I’d really like to see you again. Want to do dinner or drinks or coffee or something?”

He doesn’t wait for an answer, needing to make himself presentable for when his driver picks him up in an hour. Yet he can’t help but check his phone every three seconds, until finally there’s a message from Rose.

Yeah, I’d like that. I work ‘til five most nights, but I’m free after that. Or we can wait ‘til the weekend.

With spirits lighter than they’ve been in months, James steps out of his house with a broad, stupid grin that the ever-present crowd of paparazzi are all too happy to photograph.

[space-lynn]

I’m back with another Unintentional Gods AU snippet! A big thank you to my friends (Fen and Marcus) for inspiring me to write this. Nash Viseriox and Q’ryxthec are OCs that belong to me. They’ll probably show up more in future snippets.

Just a little fyi, Sasha’s transmasc and transitioned when he was 19, and since the name Sasha is already unisex, no point in changing it. Enjoy reading!

@fermented-writers-block Sorry for the mention, thought you’d wanna see this :)

~~~~~

Perfect, everything had to be absolutely perfect for tonight. 22-year-old Sasha Waybright, ever the perfectionist, had to make sure his plans were perfect. It was his and his girlfriends’ anniversary and he had a special surprise waiting for them. He was excited and nervous as he flitted about, making sure nothing was amiss. Once he had finished his 294th inspection, he was satisfied.

“Excited for tonight?” a deep voice asked behind him, chuckling.

“Yes! And nervous,” the blond laughed, turning around to face Nash Viseriox, one of his celestial best friends and a fellow space god. “Thanks for helping me out with this.”

“No problem,” Nash said, looking around. “Love what you’ve done with the place.”

“You think they’ll like it?”

“Oh, they’ll love it.”

Sasha nervously pushed his thumbs together, eyes darting around the area, seeking out whatever thing could be out of place.

“Are the other gods actually fine with this?”

“Y’know they are, you’re not the first to start something like this and you won’t be the last. The three of you deserve a break, Sash. What better way than to give you all a day off on the day of your 6-year anniversary.”

An anxious but grateful smile made its way onto Sasha’s lips.

“Now, I’m no time god but shouldn’t you be heading back to get dressed?”

“Shit. Right! Thanks again, Nash.”

Another chuckle from the draconic god, “Go and have fun tonight.”

Sasha nodded, teleporting away.

-----

He arrived at the doorstep to their home and placed a hand on the doorknob. It glowed red at his touch, the magical mechanism within unlocking the door for him. He opened it and stepped in, calling out, “Hey, girls! I’m back!”

“Hey, Sashimi!” Marcy chirped.

“Hi, Sash!” Anne greeted.

He grinned, moving forward and wrapping his arms around them both, pressing a kiss on each girl’s forehead. They were both dressed up, Anne in a light blue sundress and white ballet flats and Marcy in a green blouse, a black pleated skirt and black flats. “Are you two ready for tonight?”

“Mhm,” Anne nodded. “Food’s all packed. Sorry if that’s my anniversary gift for the two of you.”

“That’s good enough for us, Anna-Banana.”

“Mar Mar is right, as always.”

“Well, I can’t wait to see what you two have in store.”

“Neither can I,” Sasha said.

“How do I not know your surprise? I’m literally a goddess of knowledge.”

Sasha smirked, “I’ve had some help. From certain gods who know a thing or two about keeping things from gods like you. Could you two wait outside? I need to change.”

“You look good enough like this,” Anne teased.

“Kind of sweaty and dressed in messy clothes? Yeah, no,” he snorted.

Marcy laughed, “Go ahead, Anne and I will wait.”

He gave both of his girlfriends kisses of thanks, and went upstairs to change into a red casual button down shirt, jeans and black chelsea boots. He traveled back down the stairs and to his girlfriends outside, fingers twitching as he summoned two pieces of cloth. 

“Took you long enough,” Marcy said and he rolled his eyes.

He offered the cloth to them, looks of bewilderment on their faces.

“Blindfolds,” he said, as if that could answer their unsaid questions.

“Uh, Sash?” Anne asked, her hands fiddled with the boxes of food she held.

“Trust me,” he smiled reassuringly.

The girls looked at one another then nodded at him, taking the blindfolds from him. He held onto their food, willing them away to a safe space. Once his girlfriends’ eyes were covered, without them able to peek through, Sasha warned them before he teleported them to his surprise. It threw Anne and Marcy off but they patiently waited for Sasha as he said, “Hang on a second.”

Their boyfriend moved a few steps in front of them, grinning. “You can take them off.”

And they did, blinking their eyes. Anne and Marcy looked around with awe in their eyes.

“So? Do you like it?” Sasha asked, getting nervous.

“Holy shit, Sash,” Marcy whispered. “We love it.”

Anne nodded, a grin stretching her lips. “This is so fucking beautiful.”

God, he sure hoped it was. He’d spent months on this surprise, hoping his girls would like it.

With the help of certain gods, he’d created a small floating island in space, big enough for what he’d placed there and big enough for the three of them. There was a large tree to the side, a cherry blossom eternally in full bloom, flowers colored pink, blue and green. In front of it was a pond lined with rocks, lily pads floating about and koi fishes swimming within, their bodies made from condensed nebulae, their eyes, fins, whiskers and tail a bright white color. The water ran from the pond, creating a small stream to the edge and to a mini waterfall, disappearing into space. There were bookshelves lined in a semicircle opposite of the tree, filled with tomes, novels and other reading materials. There in the middle was a table with three chairs. In the center of the island was a blue-red-and-green picnic blanket, laid out and ready for them. There were wooden posts that surrounded the entire area, carrying lanterns that held starflies, celestial creatures born from supernovas that were pretty much like fireflies.

He watched as his girlfriends walked around, examining everything.

Marcy turned to him, one hand on the spines of the books, and asked, “How did you… do all this?”

“Had some help. The tree, the pond and the island, got to thank Fen for that. And to Marcus for this being a date night idea.”

“No wonder Fen was occupied in the last few months.” Anne shot him a look. “He was busy helping you out with” -- she motioned around them -- “this.”

“The next time I see Marcus, I’m giving him my thanks,” Marcy said. “And the books?”

“Q’ryxthec.”

“I did tell them my faves from other worlds.”

“And the koi and fireflies?” Anne knelt down by the pond, watching the koi fish swim.

“Nash helped me catch the starflies and I made the koi,” he said shyly. “Boy, did I fail a lot.”

“Well, they're gorgeous. Everything here is!”

For the hundredth time that day, a smile graced Sasha’s lips. He rubbed the back of his neck. “Thanks, I just wanted to make this night special.”

His girlfriends walked towards, lacing their fingers together. A few bouts of giggles escaped them.

“It’s special enough with you,” Marcy said softly.

The blond chuckled. He glanced at the two of them. With a snap of his fingers, their meal was on the blanket, already out of their boxes and on plates with utensils, still warm.

“Now how about we have some dinner?”

-----

After their meal, Marcy’s gifts -- matching necklaces made from a special metal from another planet with gems in their colors -- and a conversation underneath the stars, Anne stood up, stretching her legs and arms. Marcy followed suit, a sigh of contentment escaping her lips.

The goddess of knowledge smiled at Sasha. “This was a really awesome night Sashimi. Thank you.”

“I agree with Marshmallow,” Anne chirped, a giggle escaping her lips. “How long did this take you?”

Sasha grinned at them, “7 months, give or take.”

Marcy’s eyes widened, “Wow. All this effort” -- she motioned around them -- “for us?”

Anne’s smile softened, “You didn’t have to, you know?”

The space god stood up, taking both of his girlfriend’s hands in his. “I wanted to.”

“Dork,” Anne teased.

“Your one and only,” Sasha smirked.

They kissed him on the cheeks and he chuckled.

“There’s... still one more surprise I have for the two of you.”

The happy looks on their faces turned into confusion. It made Sasha gulp, hands sweating at what he was about to do.

“There’s more?” Anne asked, bewildered. Marcy was just as puzzled beside her.

The blond nodded. “Yes. We-We’ve been together for 6 years now, and it’s been the best 6 years of my life. Sure, there were a couple of hiccups in our relationship but we’ve been through them together. I love you both so much that I wouldn’t mind going through them with both of you for the rest of eternity.”

He then got down on one knee, timidly watching his two lovers’ eyes grow wide. He held his right hand out, two black rings materialising in his palm, both with glowing intricate carvings etched onto the surface. One in blue, the other in green.

“Anne Boonchuy and Marcy Wu, my sunshine and my moonlight,” -- Anne sniffled while Marcy choked back a sob -- “will you both do me the honor of becoming my wives?”

“YES!” they both screamed, tackling Sasha into the ground.

Anne nuzzled her cheek against her boyfriend’s-- no wait, her fiance’s cheek, saying, “Yes, yes, a million times yes!”

Marcy grabbed onto Sasha’s shirt, pressing kisses on one side of his face. She pulled back just a bit to say, “Always a yes.”

Sasha beamed brightly at them, sharing a kiss with the two of them and watched as Anne and Marcy shared a kiss with one another, a warm and fuzzy feeling blooming in his chest.

They decidedly snuggled up together to watch the stars above for a few more hours, happy and content on their little island. The future was looking bright for them, and they honestly couldn’t wait.

~~~~~

Just pure fluff. My face hurts so much from smiling when I wrote this. I hope all of you enjoyed reading this! Have a very nice morning, afternoon or evening! Until my next snippet~ :3

[katelyn--renee]

Composure

Title: Composure

Fandom: Supernatural

Characters: Dean Winchester, Sam Winchester, Reader/(Y/N) Winchester (mentioned), Harper Winchester (OC, mentioned), Daniel Winchester (OC, mentioned), Crowley (mentioned)

Pairing: Dean Winchester x Wife!Reader

Words: ±2670

Description: Dean and (Y/N) take their shot at a normal life and settle down. Over the years, they have a few kids. Things are good. Until they’re not. What will Dean do when his past comes back to put an end to his happily ever after?

Written For: @deanwanddamons ​ 2K Celebration! Congratulations babe! That’s awesome! My prompt will be in bold -  “Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in.”

Warnings: ANGST! Descriptions of blood. Mentions of breaking and entering. Kidnaping. Show level violence/outbursts of anger. 

Author’s Note: This is in correlation with another fic of mine, Sweet Cherry Pie. It takes place about twelve to thirteen years after that one, to give you a brief timeline. There will be other fics with that original storyline, so stay tuned.

Thank you so much to @wonder-cole​ for being my beta for this wonderful piece and helping me with the title. You’re awesome and much appreciated! She has some amazing work of her own, so please do yourself a favor and check it out! Check out @talesmaniac89​ for more awesome page dividers!!

Disclaimer: I do not own any photos or gifs, all rights go to original creators/owners.

Interested in more of my work, check out the link below.

Masterlist

The rain was heavy tonight, thick and angry as it poured from the dark clouds above. The fat raindrops were noisy against the single paned windows. The water coated the glass surface and made it impossible to see through, even as the flashes of lightning lit up the night sky and cast long shadows through the living room of 35 Maplewood Road. There was a heaviness surrounding the house, as if something wicked had been there.

The home was dark and empty, and the furniture was overturned and broken in places; the sofa was thrown over backwards, the cushions laying discarded across the floor with the end table toppled over beside it. The lamp that had occupied its surface was shattered to pieces on the wooden floor, and the rug had been stained with something dark and red. 

The coffee table was shoved out of place, the glass surface no longer there in one piece and the mirror that hung in the hallway had a spider web like crack across the surface, hanging now only by one screw. In the very center of the crack, something crimson and shiny caught the lighting from outside, almost as if someone’s skull had been smashed there.

The familiar idling of Baby’s engine grew louder as Dean pulled in the driveway of his home, the brakes squealing as he came to a stop and put the Chevy into park. A feeling of dread began to knot into his stomach, making the muscles of his jaw flex as he tried to bite back the feeling. Something was wrong; all those years of hunting and honing his instincts told him that much. Not a single light was on inside of the home and yet, (Y/N)’s car was parked out front. Not good.

Dean fished his phone from his jacket and swiftly unlocked the screen with a swipe of his thumb across the glass, dialing the number he knew so well. Pressing the receiver to his ear, he waited while the call rang out once... twice… “Come on, (Y/N/N).” He muttered under his breath as the fifth tone sounded. Her voice greeted his ear, but it was artificial; the recording of her voicemail, Hi, you’ve reached (Y/N)... 

“Damn it.” He cursed between gritted teeth and ended the call. He tried again, pressing redial. “Come on, baby, answer your damn phone!” He shut his eyes when he got the same results as before, cursing to himself as he shoved the device back into his pocket.

Never taking his eyes off the front of the house, he leaned over for the glove box and swiftly unlatched the compartment door, just as he’d done a million times before. Green eyes continued to scan for any signs of movement, even through the thick wall of rain that coated the windshield, despite the efforts of the wiper blades. 

Reaching a steady hand inside, he pulled out a pocket sized flashlight and his beloved stainless steel Colt, the engraving on the barrel catching the lightning as it bolted across the sky. Expertly, he removed the clip with a press of his thumb and double checked the bullets inside before sliding it back into the place, securing it with another click. It’d been years since he’d held the weapon, but the pearl coated handle felt just as natural as breathing against his palm.

Leaving the Impala’s engine running, Dean climbed out from behind the wheel and shut the door, the hinges creaking with age. Clicking on the flashlight, he approached the home with long, yet cautious strides, his booted feet silent in his approach, even through the heavy rain. 

His mind was racing with every terrible possibility, his guilt threatening to eat him alive as images of his family, in the worst possible outcome, flashed before his eyes. It made his blood run cold. His heart was pounding rapidly with fear, pushing the adrenaline through his veins and forcing him to move forward rather than let the panic overwhelm him.

He tried to peer inside the living room through the set of windows lining the front of the house, but it did little to ease his uncertainty; if anything, it only made it worse, only able to make out long shadows and dark shapes. His clothes were completely soaked through, hugging his large frame by the time he’d reached the front porch, the coolness of the rain chilling him to the bone. Droplets of water dripped down his face and the tip of his nose, and his hair clung against his forehead.

Approaching the large red door, his scowl only deepened, darkening his features when he discovered that it had been left unlatched, allowing in a single beam of light with each flash from the storm overhead. He glared at the lock and then narrowed his eyes as something caught his attention, the muscles there twitching. Stretching a hand out, he examined the wooden surface, his fingertips grazing over the chipped paint and splintered wood. Someone had broken in.

Taking only a moment to compose himself, Dean exhaled slowly and swallowed back his apprehension, forcing himself to go on. Using the weight of his body, he nudged the door open cautiously and poked his head inside. The experienced hunter kept his gun aimed high and at the ready, his finger hovering over the trigger. Wrist over wrist, Dean held the flashlight steady with the opposite hand, the beam unmoving, providing him with some light through the darkness.

All of those years of training were put to the test as he stepped through the threshold of his home, his expression as hard as stone and giving away absolutely nothing, despite the fear that was boiling just beneath the surface. His eyes darted around the room, following the beam of his flashlight, taking in every detail of his surroundings just as he’d been taught all those years ago.

Following the layout of the house, Dean came to the living room first, stepping over the broken furniture and discarded decorations. The sight of his home in this state made him uneasy and that much harder to keep his cool, able to sense the panic starting to creep in. Where was (Y/N)? Where were the kids? Who had done this to his family? Was it revenge?

Another flash of lightning caused something slick and shiny to catch his eye, and Dean let out a shaky breath. Hesitating for only a moment, he crossed the room and crouched down next to the sofa to investigate, the troubling sight seized his heart. There was a substantial amount of blood there, a large pool of crimson that had soaked into the fibers of the rug. 

Near the top of the stain, a gold chain necklace was lost within the mess and a thin layer of another substance was scattered around it. It was almost yellow in color and had a very distinct, very specific scent that accompanied it. Touching the surface of the floor next to the stain, Dean felt something grainy under his finger tips. Lifting it to his nose, the smell of sulfur invaded his senses. Demons.

“Fuck,” He cursed, the boom of the thunder shaking his house as it lit up his face simultaneously. Still crouched, he plucked the necklace out of the sticky crimson mess and glared at the amulet with a heavy gaze, his hand shaking. He shut his eyes and closed his fingers into a fist, the knuckles turning white around the piece of jewelry. It belonged to (Y/N). It had been a gift, a charm to ward off evil and prevent possession.

This was all his fault. He should have known better. Hell, he did know better and yet, he ignored it, because he had a chance to finally be happy. To have an actual family and live the normal, apple pie life he’d always wanted. And now the ones he loved were missing and more than likely dead. Or probably close to it.

His chin quivered for a moment and hot tears stung at the corners of his eyes, his emotions getting the better of him. How could he let this happen? How could he be so stupid and reckless? He knew better, damn it! Once a hunter, always a hunter. There is no getting out of the life, not entirely, because those evil sons-of-bitches will always be out there. 

One way or another, they always find a way to catch back up to any hunter who has tried, and every single time it ends bloody and messy and violent. He needed to find them, he just had to. And he would save them, no matter what it cost. He’d pay it.

Releasing a heavy breath, he opened his eyes and willed the tears away, shoving the emotions back down into the pit of his soul. Despite his efforts, a solitary tear made it’s escape, dripping down his left cheek and onto the color of his shirt before he could stop it.

Dean rose to his full height and squared his shoulders, prepared to continue his search. Sliding the necklace into his jacket pocket with care, he followed the trail into the hall with a heavy heart. 

Glass cracked and snapped under his boots as he walked through the space, his jaw flexing when he saw the picture of his family shattered on the floor. Their happy faces only added to his grieving heart and guilty conscious, their smiles making his soul ache.

That had been a good day, nearly five years ago now; (Y/N) had worn his favorite blue dress that day, the strapless one that stopped right above her knees and showed off her sexy legs. 

She had on that silly - but achingly cute - oversized tan hat that kept the sun from her eyes. He would always tease her about that goofy hat, but she never cared what others thought of her, never ceasing to be herself, no matter what.

They’d gone to the park that day, had an actual picnic and he’d played catch with his son while the girls giggled and painted their nails...  They even taught the twins how to ride their bikes that day. They couldn’t have been more than seven years old.

Harper had caught on much quicker than her brother, of course, taking after her mother in that way. Those girls were naturals at almost everything they did, only needing to try something a few times before perfecting it. That had been something he’d adored and admired about his wife and it was a huge part of what made her such a skilled hunter when they met.

Daniel, on the other hand, had to take the time to understand how something worked first. He needed to study the mechanics of things, take them apart, rebuild and understand it completely, inside and out, before he was able to master it. Danny often reminded Dean of the Winchester side of the family. That had been a good day, one of many they’d shared together.

Brought out of his memories by another angry boom from outside, Dean pressed on. Where the picture had once hung, there was a bloody handprint smeared on the white wall, the two colors contrasting greatly. 

The blood streaked out toward the kitchen, giving the hunter a clear path to follow. Damn it. Dean grit his teeth. It felt as if something had his heart in a vice, squeezing it tighter and making it increasingly difficult to breathe the further he went.

His emotions were threatening to break through the surface again, fighting hard against his resolve, but he held his ground against them, purely focused on finding his loved ones. Now was not the time to break down. Following the trail of blood and debris, he checked each room along the way, trying to be as thorough as possible. He couldn’t afford to miss a damn thing. 

Their bedrooms were empty, and unsurprisingly, every inch had been torn apart. Dean’s chest heaved with emotion, his breath hitching in his throat; if anything happened to those kids, he would never be able to forgive himself.

Continuing on, the hunter emerged into the next room, and found much of the same; broken furniture, shattered pictures and even more blood. But not a single sign of his family. The sliding glass door had been left open, allowing the rain from the storm to collect onto the tile floor. 

Dean shut his eyes and took several deep breaths, his chest aching with every forceful beat of his heart. He needed to call Sammy, needed to form a plan. When he opened his eyes, something on the countertop caught his eye; a sheet of paper. Cocking his head with curiosity, he crossed the room in three long, determined strides.

It was a note, addressed to him.

It’s been too long, darling. How’s Moose? Hope the wife and kids are well...oh, wait, that’s right, you’re as clueless as ever. No surprise there. Before we get to the fun bits, let’s talk business; I need a favor and you and your giant of a brother are going to help me. Now, to ensure that things go as planned, I have something of yours. I assure you, they are safe. For now. Do as I ask, and they will be returned to you, alive. So, Dean, dear, let’s make a deal, shall we? You know where to meet me.

Squirrel,

Yours truly, 

The King of Hell

“Crowley.” Dean growled deep in his chest, his teeth clenched as his blood began to boil over with rage. “Goddamn it!” He shouted, swiping the contents of the counter onto the floor. “Fuck!” He kicked something across the room, too angry to pay much attention to it as it slammed into the stainless steel refrigerator. He swung at the closest surface, his fist connecting with a nearby wall.

The drywall collapsed around his fist as the plaster fell to the floor at his feet. His knuckles were screaming at him, but he didn’t care, too fueled by his rage to notice. What could Crowley possibly need their help with? It didn’t matter. Whatever it was, they would get it done and save his family. Crowley would get what’s coming to him; Dean would make damn sure of that.

Taking a few calming breaths, Dean removed his phone with a bloodied hand and opened his contacts, scrolling through the names until he found what he was searching for. Sammy. Dialing the number, Dean held the phone to his ear with baited breath. After the third ring, Sam’s voice came in through the other end, sounding concerned because of the late hour, “Dean? Everything alright?”

Dean shook his head, his vision blurring with tears. He cleared his throat, trying to prevent it from shaking too much. “No, Sammy. It ain’t alright.” He admitted, gripping the counter with his free hand, bracing himself. He wanted to crumble onto the floor, his body trembling; his mind flooded with so many different emotions, each of them trying to overpower the other: fear, guilt, anger, heartache…

“Dean, what is it?” The younger Winchester questioned, the worry evident in his voice. “Is it (Y/N)? The kids? Is everyone okay?” He waited patiently on the other end, but Dean could hear him moving around; he assumed his brother was getting his things ready to head out.

“Damn it, Sammy,” Dean’s voice broke as a few tears slipped through the cracks, “Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in.” He shook his head, allowing himself a moment to break, his chest heaving. “We were out!” He slammed his fist down onto the counter, terrified and angry.

“Dean, what’s going on?” Sam pleaded, wanting desperately to help his big brother. 

“Crowley.” Dean clarified, going into more detail as he composed himself and straightened his stance, “Crowley’s taken them.” He took a calming breath, his moment of weakness over. “I need your help, Sammy.”

“Already on my way.”

Annnnnnd there you have it. I hope that wasn’t too rough on the heart? No worries, there may or may not be a part two in the works? We shall see. ;) 

Anyway, if you enjoyed that, please like and comment and if you’re feeling a little extra generous, share it with your friends, too! You’re feedback is like GOLD! As always, thanks for reading! 

Taglist!

Supernatural

@akshi8278​ // @flamencodiva​ // @perpetualabsurdity​

[maplecornia]

chapter 21

𝔴𝔬𝔯𝔡 𝔠𝔬𝔲𝔫𝔱: 3.72K

𝔤𝔢𝔫𝔯𝔢: romance | slice of life | fluff | angst | bts x female!reader | ot7

𝔰𝔲𝔪𝔪𝔞𝔯𝔶: You watched them from the sidelines ever since you were a young teenage girl. Now you’re grown up, they’ve returned after 2 long years and everything has changed. What happens when you pull back the mask and find the darkness within? What happens when you see that they’re broken?

𝔞/𝔫: in regards to the banner above...yes tae if i also looked like you i would want to kiss myself too

𝔴𝔞𝔯𝔫𝔦𝔫𝔤𝔰: cliffhangers | angst | fluff | slight mentions of self hatred | depression | mental health illness | self harm | occurs in the year 2024 | set in a timeline where BTS went to the military together | slight language

tags: @kookaine | @fangirl125reader | @kookiebbyxx | @taradevonne | @rae-bear |@mangminnie | @pixiekooo

Some people are connected.

Aren't they?

When you meet them, it’s as though something clicks. Something inside that tells you some unimaginable being has brought you together. A hidden string tying you to the other, drawing you slowly across the universe just to meet each other.

And once you’re connected…

Do you ever really let go of them?

Groaning, Taeyhung turns over in his bed for the thousandth time.

Why is this so hard?

Letting out an exasperated sigh, he lies on his back, sheets and comforter scattered, as he stares up at the ceiling. Glaring up at it with his eyebrows furrowed tightly together, he purses his lip into a pout, his jaw set defiantly.

“This is your fault.” He mutters underneath his breath, before running his hand absentmindedly through the tangled locks of his hair. “I don’t know how...but all of this is your fault.”

When the ceiling doesn’t answer him, he gives it a look before rolling out of bed, not really caring if he brings the covers along with him. As they fall from the tangles around his body, and rest safely on the floor, he catches the reflection of his eyes in the full-length mirror he keeps expertly held on the sliding door which hides his clothes closet. Biting his lip, he hesitates a bit before heading over to the mirror and taking his reflection in.

He’s grown a bit taller...perhaps half an inch. Don’t worry Namjoon hyung, one day I’ll be as tall as you. Though he smirks a bit at the thought, it quickly vanishes as his gaze travels to more points in his reflection. His dark glazed eyes, his mess of curls resting on his head, his slightly pale lips. Almost despondent, he pulls aside the already halfway buttoned down shirt and presses his fingers against his stomach. He smiles back to when all that was there was a soft belly. When he didn’t care as much.

When did he start caring?

Was it when he saw everything that ARMYs felt about him? When he realized just how double sided they could be? Was it when he realized that they really did care what he showed them? That if he showed them who he really was…

They would just walk away?

He knows he probably shouldn’t have read those comments, that he shouldn't have seen what some people have said...but did they forget that he could see everything they said?

Did they forget how much he gave...how much he sacrificed for them?

And when he shows them all of him…

The good and the bad…

"Kim Taehyung seems a bit rude…

He doesn’t care at all about BTS.

You think he needs them? If he were given a chance he would just leave.

Kim Taehyung is too moody. He’s happy one moment but sad the next.

Don’t you think fame has changed him? He seems so cocky.

What’s wrong with Kim Taehyung lately? Doesn’t he seem depressed?

Honestly, if I had to put my money on it, he’d be the first one to leave.

He’s so untalented.

BTS is filled with a group of 6 very talented, beautiful, and handsome young men. And then there’s the roach called Kim Taehyung.

Why doesn’t Kim Taehyung just leave? If you’re really bored with everything by now, why don’t you just leave?

Do us a favor and stop pretending.

Just leave."

Taehyung winces at the overwhelming amount of bad memories slamming into his inner consciousness. He tries to forget them, but every time he looks in the mirror, he can see them reflected back at him. As though they were burned deep into his skin. As though the sign of hard muscle beneath his fingertips is a scar he can’t escape.

The only thing he can remember, the only thing he can think about when he sees himself, is what they have molded him into.

The beautiful, the perfect sculpture which they call V.

Defiantly, flames burning in his eyes, he meets his gaze in the mirror. Anger and hurt mixing together into one painful chaos inside his chest, his gaze darkens before he swings back his fist and rams it deep into the mirror. As the glass shatters and sharp, iridescent pieces dig maliciously into his skin, he breathes heavily and glares up at his broken reflection. Into the dull dim hue of his hazelnut haze.

Eyes which have changed from bright beautiful saucers that could only see the sky...

To a gap of emptiness which cannot be filled.

Reflecting the cold abyss he feels in his own heart.

As thick blood begins to numbingly ooze from the cuts in his skin, he hardly flinches. The iron taste playing sinisterly on his lips, he can’t help but relish in the pain. Is this what he deserves? Is this what they want now that he’s not who he was before? Now that he’s grown, changed even the slightest bit? He almost wants to push his fist deeper into the glass, deepen the pain, all to distract him from the roar in his ears.

The constant screaming inside his mind.

He did everything they wanted him to do. He smiled for them, hid the inner part of him screaming, brushed away any hateful comments, any people who hurt him, and laughed through all the pain. He became a bigger person and grew.

He did it all for them.

He did it all for the sake of BTS.

Because he loved ARMY. Because he loved his hyungs.

Because this was his dream.

He became the man they all wanted.

He became V.

So why?

Why is it the moment he starts to let go of the mask, the moment he starts to become himself in front of their eyes...

Why do they turn against him as though he had never existed in the first place?

As though they didn’t beg him to hide.

As though all his efforts…

Meant nothing after all.

The worst part of it all…

Was that he let go for them.

Because he wasn’t willing to say goodbye.

The soft ring of his alarm breaks him out of his thoughts and his hand falls to his side as he turns to the sound. Sighing, he runs his hand through his tangled mess of hair picking up a tissue on the way to his dresser, and wiping off the thin trails of blood the cuts brought forth. In the back of his mind, he scoffs at the fact that that’s the third mirror he’s broken this week. Perhaps he needs a break. Looking up at the ceiling, he takes a deep breath.

A break from myself.

Picking up the phone he quickly dismisses the alarm, and finds himself staring at the lock screen in dismay.

To this day, Taehyung still uses the Galaxy BTS phone made especially for them and ARMY. Jimin absolutely loved the thing, and Taehyung treasures it with a quiet wonder. When he finally moved everything from his old phone to this one, he used it daily, even if it wasn’t always in front of the cameras. Back then when they had to leave for a while, looking at it gave him strength to go on. To head back to them. To see ARMY again.

Looking at it now, he wonders if it’s actually real.

If the love ARMY gives them…

Isn’t all just a lie.

When the phone buzzes suddenly, Taehyung lets out a small yelp, fumbling as his phone flies halfway in the air. Luckily, he’s able to catch it before it falls. Letting out a small breath of relief, he checks the random message that has popped up on his lock screen, peering to see who it belongs to.

Eyes widening, he nearly drops his phone again.

Stumbling to catch it, he falls on top of his pile of sheets and blankets, but thankfully the phone falls in his outstretched hands securely.

It's you.

Why is it always you?

Shocked, he slowly unlocks the phone, opening your little message. As it pulls up on his screen, he softly smiles.

Good morning, Mr. Pan.

It's such a simple message. Such short, sweet words said out of consideration and kindness. You sent it as a second thought, somehow knowing that he might need a smile after the amount of trouble he must have gotten in yesterday. He doesn't know this. All he knows is that a mere mention from you has made everything all right again.

It clears his mind, allows him to focus, saves him from the darkness continuing to choke him in its hold.

He picks up his phone and presses a button, before holding it up to his ear. It rings into the dead silence for a couple of seconds, making Taehyung a bit nervous. For a moment, he doesn't know if you're going to pick up, but once he hears the familiar click and the steady sound of your breathing, he can feel a rush of relief spreading through his body and leaving nothing but happiness.

"Hello?" You nearly whisper, a bit in shock. He can hear it over the phone and, sitting up, he doesn't notice as the gorgeous smile grows.

It’s funny how he didn’t realize until he heard your voice, that his head and his mind was filled with thoughts of you.

On the other line, you smile softly, finding the same truth.

Was it only yesterday that your dream came true?

He finally did it. He spoke to you.

Things should be over right?

But you find yourselves wanting…

More.

"Good morning." He teases in response to your recent message and you have to refrain yourself from groaning in embarrassment. "Did you sleep well?"

Hearing his innocent voice and the deep lure to it so early in the morning makes you wonder if you're dreaming. Smiling on the other line, you cup your hands around your phone, pulling it close to your cheek and smile, unable to stop the happy pink hue from creeping onto your rosy cheeks.

"Yes." You reply, a bit of excitement creeping into your voice from the giddy fact that you’re talking to him. "I slept like a baby...what about you?"

You decide to keep from him the fact that you hardly slept last night. Your constant nightmares and terrors of panic scared you. They made you afraid, thinking that if you closed your eyes, you would once more be lost in a deep sleep. Trapped in the hidden corners of your mind.

He smiles on the other line a bit sadly, deciding to keep the fact that he didn't sleep half the night to himself, lost in the whirlpool of hateful comments and slurs towards him. Towards BTS. He decides to hide the truth that the only thing that was able to let him sleep that night was the sight of your phone number held tightly within his hands.

"Yeah...yeah I slept alright." He says, unable to mask the catch in his voice. Your eyes widening in concern, you open your mouth to ask if he's alright, but he quickly clears his throat and changes the topic.

“How’s your ankle?” Even though you know he asked the question to change the subject, you can't help but wince.

Your ankle hasn’t shown much improvement.

The swelling has gone down and you're able to stand on it, but every time you try to walk, numb pain still courses up your veins. It's still pretty bruised, but what is there that you can do? You've already slipped on an ice pack, wrapping it carefully around your ankle to prepare you for the day, but you know it's going to be quite the uncomfortable ride.

You hesitate, pondering whether or not to tell him this, but he continues on the other line.

“Yen?” The way he whispers your name makes you melt inside. So concerned and full of worry, you wonder if you truly deserve this small blessing. The blessing to know someone like him. “Are you okay? Does it still hurt?”

The blessing to be able to speak to him.

Smiling, you shake your head before responding, slightly struck speechless.

“Yes, I’m fine...your ice pack yesterday really helped so I’m all ready to head to work today. Don't worry, I’m fully prepared with an ice pack of my own in case the bruise starts to bother me…” You start rambling, trying to reassure him that everything will be fine, while on the other line, his eyes go wide with protective anger.

You’re doing it again.

Forcing yourself to continue, when you should be looking to take care of yourself.

Not the other way around.

“No.” He says interrupting your slight tangent, and you flinch, pausing and your grip clenching tightly around the phone. You knew this would happen. You knew that he would be upset. That’s why you shouldn’t have said anything. Somehow, this frustrates you. You know it shouldn’t, after all he’s just looking after you, but you can take care of yourself. You aren’t some damsel in distress that needs saving.

Trying hard to forget what you’d rather not remember, you sigh, massaging your temple.

“Taehyung, I’m fine. I really am--”

“I don't believe you. And even if you were telling the truth, you should at least rest it for a day at least! Do you want to worsen it because you decided to push yourself?” Shocked at his sincere and concerned tone, you really don't know what to say. You know he’s right, but you can’t help but feel that if you listen to him, if you rest easy for just today, you’ll be letting someone down.

Namjoon is waiting for you.

He doesn’t know that your ankle is bruised, nor that you could sprain or quite possibly break it if you try to come into work today. But you’ve already been late once before. Today was supposed to be your first official day on the job. He was counting on you to be there.

Hoping that he’d be able to rely on you.

You can’t help but feel that if you decide to stay...that you'd be letting him down.

You don’t want to let him down.

You can’t let him down.

Glancing down at your ankle, you grimace a bit as you bitterly smile.

This is just a minor bump in the road isn’t it? All you're doing is offering a small sacrifice so that you can be there for him. So that you can carry out your job, your obligation as his manager. He should know that you will always be there to help. Isn’t that what a manager should do? You have a duty, an obligation...a simple bruise shouldn’t get in the way of that. After all the ways you let him down yesterday, and the kind way he treated you in spite of that...isn’t that the least you can do? You can afford to give something in return...after all he’s given you already.

Yes...this is nothing…

Taehyung wouldn’t understand…

Right?

Taking a deep breath, you respond to him.

“Taehyung, I really appreciate your concern but…”

“If you say you’re fine I am going to come to your apartment and force you back into your bed.” He replies so steadily and sternly that it’s hard for you to conceal your burst of laughter. He hears, however and grows a tiny bit offended, not willing to admit that the sound of your laughter brought a little bit more light into his clouded mind.

“You think I’m joking?!” He shouts on the other line, and you can’t keep it back anymore, your laughter spilling over and melodiously carrying itself through the line and into Taehyung’s small, scattered room. He smiles at the fact that he was able to make you laugh, although it wasn’t his intention. That just like that...you were able to make everything seem alright again. It’s almost as though a mere smile from you, a simple laugh escaping from your lips…

Makes the world a little bit brighter to him.

“I-I’m sorry…!” You manage to gasp out between your small fits of giggles. “It’s just the thought of you walking over here all angry and trying to force me back in bed…” You break off at the end, your sweet melodic laugh ringing high in the air once more, and he can’t help but crack a smile, eventually laughing along with you. After a moment, once the laughter subsides, each of you glance toward the phone as though that would help you see the other's face, or at least imagine it as though you were standing right next to each other.

Taehyung smiles a bit before glancing away and closing his eyes in serenity.

“Yen?” he murmurs softly, his eyes opening a fraction of an inch as he stares into the distance, almost imagining your smiling face right in front of him. At the sound of him saying your name once more, your eyes flash towards the phone, a bit surprised. It takes you a moment, but you eventually answer, a small smile growing on your lips.

“Yes?” you respond, your hands once more finding themselves cupping around the phone almost as if you held onto it a little bit tighter he would magically stay with you just a little bit longer. Offer you this comfort for just a bit more.

Is that too much to ask?

You know it is and yet you can’t help yourself from wishing for it.

Wishing that you had...more.

“I want you to know that I’m saying this with the best interests for you in mind.” He answers, and your brow crinkles a bit, wondering what he’s going to do this time. Taking a deep breath, he ponders whether or not to say the words, but he decides to do it anyway. Your safety is the most important after all.

“Don’t come to work today. Please stay home, and take care of yourself. I don’t want to see you get hurt.”

Startled, you open your mouth to answer, to refuse the kind request, to let him know that you’re going to head to work anyway, but he’s already hung up the phone, leaving you dumbfounded. Your heart pacing a million miles per hour, his last few words lingering in your mind.

I don’t want to see you get hurt.

“Who gave you the right?” you murmur softly, your hands rising furiously to hide the growing hot blush against your cheeks against your will. The hot tears that begin to push against your eyes, threatening to escape out of the cage you have held them in for so long.

“Who told you to care so much about me?”

Taehyung, after hanging up the phone, has completely forgotten about everything else but you. He smiles a bit sheepishly at the cheesy things he’s said and stares at the empty screen where your profile pic rests, safe in his contacts. He can’t help but wonder how you do it.

How with a few simple words…

You make everything okay again.

Turning to his closet, he starts to pull out a couple of clothes to wear that day, as he dials a number on his phone. Once it starts to ring, he places it on his dresser, putting it on speaker phone so he can hear the clear annoyed voice that answers, no doubt being distracted from an important source of work.

“What is it, Taehyung?” he snaps, tired and worn-out, and Tae smiles at the familiar greeting, as he pulls off his shirt, avoiding the cracked mirror beside him.

“Nice to talk to you too, Namjoonie. How's the album coming?” He responds playfully, and Namjoon on the other line can't help but smile. He adores that nickname, and it definitely puts him in a better mood. Just like Taehyung knew it would. Turning back to the screen of the computer, Namjoon can't help but sigh. There’s a whole lot of work to be made with the album...and such little time to do it in.

“Well...it’d go a lot faster without interruptions like this. What is it Taehyung-ah? This better not be a prank call or something for a Vlive…” Namjoon begins, his tone warning and Tae can’t help but laugh. He shakes his head, pulling down his pajama pants, and deciding to replace them with plain blue jeans. They don’t really have dance practice planned today, just a bunch of meetings and preparations for the album...maybe even a photo shoot.

“You know I try to stay away from Vlive’s nowadays.” Tae replies, trying to keep the bitterness out of his voice, but failing miserably. At the comment, Namjoon can’t help but feel a stab of pity and regret. He knows that it’s a sensitive topic for Tae now...especially with what happened the last time Taehyung held a Vlive….he shouldn’t have mentioned it so soon.

“No it's not...Namjoon it’s about Yen.” Tae explains, and at the mention of your name, Namjoon sits straight in his chair, work forgotten, and mind focusing on you.

“What? Is she okay? Did something happen? Is she--” Voice heavily decorated with worry, Tae has to bite back the laugh that threatens to be released. Is this how he sounded to you? No wonder you started laughing at him. Smiling softly at how open and kind Namjoons heart is, Tae shakes his head once more, pulling on a grey hoodie.

“Actually I wanted to talk to you about that.” Tae replies, as he pulls on his socks, and rummages for his jean jacket. Namjoon waits a bit impatiently on the other line, trying his best to be polite and wait for Taehyung to finish. Once he finds it, Tae lets out a small cry of victory before looping his arms through it and finishing his look. Picking up the phone as he grabs a plain white mask and heads for the door, Taehyung smiles slightly at his victory.

Try to refuse staying home after this, my Wendy.

Just as RM opens his mouth to demand a straight answer from him, Taehyung replies, leaving behind the mess he had made just moments before untouched and forgotten.

“Namjoon...could you do a favor for me?”

𝔫𝔬𝔱𝔢: this chapter was kind of sad...

chapter 22 here

check the Infinite Stars masterlist for more chapters

check my BTS masterlist for other BTS content

check out my masterlist for other kpop fanfics

[forbiddenwestern]

Hello to all first-time Horizon Zero Dawn players!

Since Horizon Zero Dawn is free on the Playstation store right now, I thought I’d offer some gameplay tips for everyone playing HZD for the first time!

Spoiler-free, of course.

-This may be a no-brainer, but try to loot every machine you destroy! That way you’ll rarely be low on resources. (And believe me, you’ll likely tear through resources faster than you think.)

-‘Metal shards’ are both the game’s main currency AND a crafting resource, so make sure to get as many as you can (can collect shards mainly from downed machines, but also from downed human enemies and supply crates)

-IMO the skills to get first are: Silent Strike, Hunter Reflexes, Silent Drop (+its whole branch), Concentration, Double&Triple Shot, Healer+Herbalist, and Tinker

-Buy the maps for the collectables as soon as you can (under ‘special items’ at any merchant outside the Embrace). Definitely seek out the Vantage Points collectables (their icons on the map look like an eye); they not only take you up to scenic vistas, but they contain a lovely 12-part story within. 

-Check every new merchant for more powerful weapons and armor!

-If you feel underleveled at any point, check and make sure your weapons and outfits are equipped with the best upgrades (go for blue and purple ones, esp ones that say ‘resist ranged/melee attacks’). The Tinker skill lets you switch out upgrades as you get more powerful ones. If you still don’t feel powerful enough for what you’re facing in the main story or open world, go out and do some sidequests to gain more XP.

-The sidequests are all awesome, and they’re everywhere! The ‘errands’, by contrast, are more fetch quests than anything, but I enjoy them too. They take you to beautiful areas of the map that you probably wouldn’t explore otherwise, and the stories they tell really help with both world-building and character-building for Aloy.

-Climb every Tallneck you see! Not only are they all unique, but it def helps to reveal the map

-Take on the bandit camps! Every cleared camp has its own massive pile of loot, and clearing a camp gives a ton of XP.

-Explore the cauldrons! They’re easily missable, but they offer rewards in the form of new overrides (allowing the player to take control of different types of machines so they can fight alongside Aloy) and lots of loot within.

-Do at least one Hunting Grounds (I recommend Nora hunting grounds or Valleymeet hunting grounds) to activate the Hunter’s Lodge sidequest. It’s a lot of fun with an interesting story, and you can get 3 unique weapons out of it. Just as a lil warning, though: it’s pretty long and has some fetch-quest-y elements. All that considered, I also think it’s a vital part of the game, and it introduces my favorite character (besides Aloy herself oc).

-When you arrive at the quest “Deep Secrets of the Earth”, a sidequest called “Traitor’s Bounty” opens up. This sidequest, I think, should be a part of the main story, but since it’s officially not, it’s easily missable. FOLLOW THE QUESTLINE REGARDLESS. You won’t regret it.

-Hold off on the Frozen Wilds DLC until you’re most of the way through the main story. It’s a formidable challenge if you’re not well-equipped or comfortable with the game’s mechanics, BUT once you’re ready, it’s possibly the coolest part of HZD.

-Finally, consult an online guide on the locations of Power Cells strewn throughout the game. Collecting all of them unlocks a powerful item that lowkey breaks the game gives Aloy a significant combat advantage!

I’m probably in the double-digits when it comes to playthroughs, so I’m more than willing to give further advice to any new players :) Just send me an ask and I’ll respond as soon as I can.

Happy gaming, everyone!

[cora-vizsla]

Hypnotic (Taking Over Me) - Chapter 4

Pairing: Eventual Jedi!OC x Sith!Obi Wan Word Count: 7.2 K

Story Rating: E (18+)

Chapter Rating: E due to some sexual themes and I’d rather be safe than sorry.

Warning: Swearing. Threats of violence. Cannon typical violence. They went to a party. There was only one bed. Kissing. Explicitly asking for consent because consent is sexy. Angst. Woo boy is there angst. Talking of unfavorable things that could happen to those kidnapped. 

A/N: Please let me know if I missed any warnings!

They sat at the table together, silently eating breakfast. Zara wondered if she should feel bad for sleeping curled up with the Sith. She knew that it was survival but laying together talking for hours wasn’t. The thought of how angry and disgusted Master Windu would be with her actions was making her sick to her stomach.

Anakin often pulled Zara close when it was just the two of them. It felt natural with him since they had been connected since they were children. Nothing about it felt wrong and she told herself doing the same with Obi Wan was different because of who he was.

It didn’t feel different though. Maybe a little more intimate. Anakin didn’t trace the lines on her face or tuck her hair behind her ear. Even when he was physically close to her, there was still a distance. That’s the way it had to be.

That was the Jedi way.

Obi Wan didn’t have any interest in distance. He didn’t have a code telling him that physical closeness or attachment was wrong. There was nothing stopping him from pursuing what he wanted. He didn’t feel guilty because he had nothing to feel guilt over.

Zara almost let herself think that it must be nice. She almost wanted to resent the Jedi order for telling her that something so basic was wrong. She couldn’t let herself think it though. Over and over again, she told herself that the Jedi knew what was best and they were doing good in the galaxy. The light had to prevail. It was just hard to focus on that when the darkness was looking at her so affectionately.

“My master sent word to me today. I am expected at a social function in two days’ time.”

“Oh. How lucky for you. I guess It’s a good thing you have a sizable library. Not much else to do on this frozen tundra of a planet.”

“You could go with me.”

She looked up from her plate and saw he was looking at her intently.

“To a social function? Are you mad?”

“Perhaps a little. Depends on who you ask.”

“I can’t.. aren’t you afraid I’ll escape?”

“Not at all.”

She crossed her arms and sat back, raising her eyebrows at his answer.

“You do think I’m a fool, don’t you?”

He sighed and pushed his plate away gently before leaning forward onto the table.

“It’s self-serving to bring you. I need people to see that my Master is moving towards his goals. I also need my Master to see that I am moving towards my goals.”

“You aren’t.”

“He doesn’t need to know that. In fact, your survival depends on him not knowing that.”

“I still can’t believe you’re okay with lying to your Master.”

“And you’d go back and tell Windu that you were cuddled up to me all night?”

Zara opened her mouth to answer but shut it quickly. She grabbed a piece of her food and shoved it into her mouth to give her time to recover.

“I didn’t think so. Anyway, even though it is self-serving for me, it can also be an opportunity for you.”

“How so?”

“There may be people there that could get a message back to Anakin. That’s what you want, right? To keep him safe?”

“If they’re there as a Separatist, why would they help me? Wouldn’t they just tell your Master?”

“There are spies on both sides, darling. I happen to know a few. If you play along, I will help you get your message to the Skywalker boy.”

“You would do that? Why?”

He sat back and smirked.

“Because as much as I don’t want to turn you, you’re better off without the Jedi. They’re going to find out you were there regardless of what message gets to your friend. So, I guess the real question is, are you willing to risk your position within the Jedi to save Anakin?”

---

Zara followed Obi Wan into a beautiful building on a planet he refused to name. He didn’t make her wear a blindfold on any part of the trip, but there was no way he was going to give her more information than needed. She was wearing one of his black cloaks pulled down to hide her face and hair. Unless someone saw the bottom of her face, it wasn’t even possible to know she was human.

They walked up to a desk, so she kept herself a few paces behind him. There were a lot of moving parts to the entire trip, enough so that it gave her a headache. Once Obi Wan received his information and key, they head up on the lift to the correct floor.

“The event is here in a day. We will stay here until then.”

“Then we will go back to the planet?”

“Yes. Unless something changes.”

The walked down a long hallway until a door opened when he waved the chipped card in front of it. Zara was blown away by how beautiful it was. The windows allowed the natural light to flow through in a way she had never seen. Once the door was shut, she pulled her hood off and marveled at the beautiful architecture and furniture.

“May want to get used to this now. Can’t have them thinking you grew up in a temple.”

“I did grow up in a temple.”

“They don’t need to know that. They don’t need to know a thing about you. No until it’s beneficial.”

She looked over at him and nodded.

“Only one bed. I would offer to sleep on the floor, but the bed is bigger than the blankets we shared by the fire.”

Her face flushed but she nodded. He was right, the bed was huge. She slipped the cloak off and draped it gently over the chair next to her.

“Well, darling, I need to go meet with my Master. I must ask you to stay here. Do not open the door, not that I’ll leave it unlocked anyway, unless it’s the droid with our outfits for tomorrow.”

“Outfits?”

“Did you think you would be wearing a cloak and my robes to a social function?”

“I uh, I guess I never thought about it.”

He chuckled and walked over, pushing her hair back like he loved to do. He looked down at her with a softer version of the smirk he usually wore.

“Try to enjoy yourself. There is a real bath here. I made sure it had all the extras that your Jedi life has never let you experience.”

“Says the man who lived in a small home on a desolate planet.”

“Is it so bad I want to spoil you, sweetheart?”

“I think you need a lesson on how to treat prisoners.”

“Hmm. Perhaps you are right.”

He pressed a kiss to her forehead and turned before she could question him. Once he was gone, she looked around and decided not to indulge in anything. She couldn’t let herself get distracted and forget her mission.

---

Obi Wan returned sometime later and found Zara sleeping peacefully on the bed. She was still wearing the same robes. He sighed, realizing that she didn’t relax short of falling asleep. He moved around quietly until he heard her whimper. When he whipped around, he saw her face twisted up like it had the night he woke her from a nightmare. He knew he should just ask her, but the last time he tried to talk about it, they ended up fighting. Once he reached her, he gently placed his hand on her arm and spoke to her. She jumped awake, grabbing onto his wrist tightly.

“You’re alright, sweetheart. You were just having another nightmare.”

“Stars, you scared me.”

“Sorry. Didn’t want to leave you stuck in whatever is plaguing you.”

“Thanks.”

She sat up and rubbed at her eyes, trying to get the images out of her head.

“How long have you been back?”

“Not very long. It’s just about time to eat. Food should be here shortly. I see you didn’t make use of the luxuries of the room.”

“Didn’t feel right doing so.”

“You can’t show up not looking pampered. You need to care about your appearance for this.”

She sighed and shifted uncomfortably.

“I don’t really know how to do all of that. Up until a few years ago my hair was short. I never cared much about how I looked, just if what I was doing was practical for fighting.”

“That shouldn’t surprise me.”

Obi Wan walked confidently into the bathroom, disappearing behind the wall. Zara watched the doorway listening to the foreign sounds. When he walked back up, he motioned for her to come closer. She stepped into the room and saw a giant tub filled with water and bubbles.

“Have you seen a tub before?”

“Only in books and holovids.”

“Relax for a while. I won’t come in, so you don’t need to worry about being modest. Although once you get in, no one will be able to see any part of you not under the water. Once you are done, there is a robe hanging on the far wall you can use. We don’t have anything to do this evening so take your time and relax. I will let you know when dinner is ready.”

She stood leaning against the counter and looking at everything. The temple wasn’t a slum by any means, but no Jedi that she ever knew had even seen a real bath in person. She looked up when Obi Wan moved directly in front of her, placing his hands on her shoulders.

“I can see your guilt, sweetheart. Calm your mind. This is part of your obligation to pass along a message. I won’t let you go down to the event not looking the part. Don’t make me throw you in there.”

He gave her a soft smile before leaving the room. With a sigh, she pulled her clothes off and slipped into the hot water. Regardless of how she felt, she couldn’t stop the sigh when her body was settled into the heat around her. She slid down to the back of her head was resting on the side.

The water smelled wonderful. It was a far cry from the quick showers she had taken at Obi Wan’s house. Even those made her feel guilty. She didn’t often get to use real water and there she was relaxing in an exuberant amount of it.

“Please don’t feel guilty. Think of it as a form of torture if you must.”

Zara jumped but saw Obi Wans shoulder peeking out from the doorframe.

“Are you sitting by the door?”

“I gave you my word I wouldn’t come in.”

She smiled to herself and relaxed back into the heat.

“It’s hard not to feel guilty.”

“That was one thing I never understood with the Jedi. Why should anyone feel guilt for feeling comfort? Sounds a bit self-righteous to be honest.”

“It isn’t our job to feel comfort. It’s our job to do what we must to protect the galaxy and keep the light strong.”

“How do you know something is light without the darkness?”

“I-“

Not wanting to admit that he was right, Zara fell silent.

“I’m not trying to turn you. I find comfort in the dark especially after everything I’ve been through. Just as much as there is no light without dark, there is no dark without light. I don’t hate the light.”

“Just the Jedi.”

“Yes.”

“Tell me more.”

“What?”

She saw him shift slightly in the doorway out of surprise.

“If I’m going to go with you tomorrow and be around people who don’t like the Jedi or the Republic, I need to know what you think. I doubt a silent meek apprentice is what you would like to present.”

“You wouldn’t.. why don’t you relax for a while and then we can talk?”

“No. How about we talk now. I wouldn’t what?”

He sighed and turned so he was more in the doorway but still had himself facing away from the tub. She sat up, leaning forward so her chest was still covered. She could feel him worried and trying to shove his emotions down.

“Obi Wan, what aren’t you telling me?”

“No one thinks that you are my apprentice. Nor would you be my apprentice were you to come to the dark side. You likely would become a conduit for Anakins passion.”

Zara narrowed her eyes at him as her rage started to build.

“They think that you’re corrupting me so I can become Anakin’s concubine?”

“I think that word is a bit harsh. I’m sure he would call you.. wife or something of the sort.”

“And just how do they think you are corrupting me?”

He carded his hand down his face, stopping to hold onto his well-kept beard.

“Zara, there are people on both sides of the force that have done and will do terrible things. There are others that I know that would not have been so kind or considerate of a beautiful woman being at their mercy. They wouldn’t have taken your feelings or worth as a powerful force user into consideration. You would have been an assignment and one that they would have taken what they wanted from. They certainly wouldn’t be sitting so they couldn’t even look at you to ensure you felt more secure in your surroundings.”

Zara took a few calming breaths, willing herself to focus. The Jedi never spoke much of how women would be treated differently were they to be taken, but she knew the truth of the matter.

“Your Master doesn’t want me as a force user. He wants me as a way to control Anakin.”

“He wanted you dead. I convinced him this would be a better choice.”

“You decided this!?”

“I already told you, I didn’t want to kill you.”

Zara stood up and stepped out of the tub, yanking a towel off the counter. Once she was covered, she stomped over to Obi Wan, who was now standing.

“What exactly about me screams that I will fall victim to any of that? I won’t let your Master hurt Anakin and I sure as hell won’t be part of that manipulation. I am more than being a woman. I am not a body to use or take. I was never insulted when you took me or used my compassion for my men against me. That was smart. However, for any of you to think that I will just parade myself around and let anyone use me for their personal gain is the most insulting thing I have ever heard.”

Obi Wan grabbed her arms tightly, careful not to hurt her, and pressed her up against the wall quickly. He moved so fast she hadn’t even realized it was happening. He caged her in like he had at the house, radiating anger and pain.

“How dare you accuse me of such. Everything I have done thus far has been done to protect you. I brought you to this kriffing event to give you a chance to talk to your precious Anakin.”

“You brought me here to show your master you’re a good boy. Let’s parade around the pretty little Jedi thinking I would fall for a handsome smile and a shred of decency.”

“Even though you are incredibly lucky it is me pinning you to this wall, you’re still pushing your luck sweetheart.”

“You don’t scare me, Veth.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it, Jedi. You see, I know your weaknesses. You wouldn’t be swayed by fear. You’re swayed by emotion. If I wanted to hurt you, I’d just make you feel something with your cold little heart.”

“You could never make me feel anything, Sith!”

He laughed darkly and bent forward, staring directly into her eyes.

“You underestimate me. I’m not your little boy toy Skywalker that would fawn over you and accept when you shut yourself off. You are capable of feeling; of loving. It would just destroy you. You pretend like you’re such a good little Jedi by staying shut off and cold. Just like your Master. Oh, but what better way to break the little knight than to have her on her knees begging for my love.”

“I’d never beg for anything from you. Never. If Anakin, my best friend in the entire galaxy, couldn’t get me to feel that kind of love then how the hell do you think it would be possible for you to accomplish that? I don’t know what happened to you, Veth. I don’t know why your heart is so broken that you fell to the darkness, but don’t presume that I am that weak.”

“Weak? Oh, darling, no. Weakness is clinging to false sentiments of superiority for the sake of seeming infallible. Weakness is pretending like you aren’t human when you very much so are.”

“I will never fall for you, Veth. I will never feel anything for you but contempt and pity.”

His hand snapped up to grab her chin, grinning at her ferally.

“Only a Sith deals in absolutes, darling. Looks like you’re already halfway there.”

Zara snarled and ripped away from him, shoving him back far enough to escape back into the bathroom.

“Hurry up and pull yourself together. It’s almost time to eat. You’ll need your strength if you’re going to keep pretending that you’re better than everyone else.”

---

After begrudgingly eating with Obi Wan, Zara took to sitting on the balcony. She was frustrated and wanting nothing more than to bolt. She knew it wouldn’t end well. The Sith still had her saber and from what she had seen he was incredibly powerful.

She was torn somewhere between hating him and finding comfort in his presence. He was right that most wouldn’t have been as considerate or kind towards her. Not that the bar was very high, not trying to assault her was definitely a plus.

No, there had been times when he was kind to her. He wasn’t just taking from her. He was giving her a chance at accomplishing something that not only meant a lot to her but put him at great risk. There was no denying his darkness, but he was making her question, again, if darkness meant bad.

“I can hear your thoughts all the way in there. You aren’t very good at shielding.”

She jumped slightly when she heard him behind her but quickly calmed.

“Not even trying. No point in it. Why waste the energy.”

“I have not tried to dig into your mind.”

“I know you haven’t. I’m not accusing you of such.”

“Do you shield around Anakin?”

“Yes.”

He hummed and moved forward, sitting in the chair next to hers.

“Why is that?”

“Any time he sees me feeling a certain way he just wants to fix it. It’s easier if he doesn’t know what I’m feeling most of the time.”

“Protecting him even from yourself. Interesting. You do an awful lot for a man you swear you don’t love.”

“I do love him. Just not in the way you’re inferring.”

“Why not? Why can’t you just let yourself feel Zara? I would think letting yourself love someone that is already so dear to you would be safe.”

“There is nothing safe about loving Anakin.”

“Do you mean that? Or is it there is nothing safe about loving in general. You love your men. You love your Jedi. Why can’t you let it go further than that?”

“I’d never be a Master. That is my goal. It’s everything that I want. Nothing is more important to me. Call me foolish all you want; that is what matters to me.”

“Come here.”

Zara looked at him with confusion until he pat his leg. She raised her eyebrows and he laughed motioning for her to move to him. She stood and tentatively walked to him until she was close enough for him to pull her onto his lap.

“In a cycle we will need to act like we are physically close to each other. May as well get used to it now. Treat it like a mission. Let them all think you’re safe to speak to. That’s the only way you’ll get to Anakin.”

She nodded and let herself relax into him. His arm was wrapped tightly around her waist and the other hand was resting lightly on her thigh.

“I don’t say this to hurt you. Keep that in mind, yes?”

She nodded again and watched him carefully.

“Do you really think the Jedi will understand why you came with me? Of all the master’s they have, I can only name one that may accept that the clones are more than an expendable resource. Not only that, but they also can’t be happy about how close you are to Anakin.”

“They aren’t. The only Master that shares my sentiment about the clones to the extent that I do is Master Koon. He sees them as his family.”

“As do you.”

She nodded again giving him a small smile.

“They all mean the world to me. I feel every loss deep in my soul.”

“Do you feel all of them in the force?”

“Yes. Obviously, I can feel force users much more strongly. I feel them though. They’re all so different even though outwardly they look the same. The other Jedi have admitted as much but they’re more concerned with the war.”

“See? You do feel love. You don’t let yourself feel it in a romantic way, but you risked everything for your men and Anakin. You truly think they would let you be a Jedi Master feeling that much compassion?”

“Plo Koon is a Jedi Master.”

“And how serious do they take him? Is he the one making decisions or is he the one sent out on missions?”

“He.. They respect him. He has earned his place within the order. It doesn't matter if he's different than the rest of them.”

“Oh, sweetheart, you truly believe that. Forget being naïve about the Jedi, you’re naïve to even the way the galaxy works. People who are soft don’t make it without being hurt.”

“Is that what happened to you?”

She snapped at him, hoping her words would hurt him. Instead, his face fell as he looked deep into her eyes.

“Yes. That is exactly what happened to me. I loved too deeply and trusted too easily. Now I’m here. Ironically, that’s what brought you to this exact place as well.”

---

“Alright Zara, are you almost ready? We need to make our entrance.”

Zara stepped forward having just finished getting ready. Obi Wan stood in front of her in crisp black clothes that seemed much more suiting for a formal event. His hair was pushed back perfectly, and he had cleaned up his beard. She gave him a soft smile and nodded, running her hands down the skirt of the extravagant dress he had given her to put on.

“I feel rather silly wearing this if I’m being honest.”

Obi Wan appraised her with a small smirk playing on his lips. The dress had been a custom ask of his, ensured that the black would be the exact shade of his own clothes. It plunged down showing off the soft skin between her breasts and just the top of her abdomen. It was tight enough up top she didn’t need to worry about moving and the long sleeves clung to her like it was made for her.

He laughed to himself that it had been made for her.

The dress clung to her hips then flared out, flowing out into multiple layers. He motioned for her to spin so she did slowly, letting him see the way the back was open save of some pieces of fabric that wove together to keep the dress tightly against her. When she faced him again, he reached forward and toyed with her hair that was now curled flowing around her.

“You look stunning, darling. I have one more thing for you though.”

He picked up a box off the small stand near them and opened it, showing the intricate necklace to her. She looked at it and gently touched the stone, pulling her hand back when she felt how strong the force was within in.

“It’s a kyber crystal. I stumbled upon it and thought it would look stunning resting on your chest.”

He pulled it from the box and motioned for her to turn around. When she did, she pulled her hair to the side, allowing him access to the back of her neck. He gently clipped it as it rests against her skin. She inhaled sharply at the power emanating from it as it began to glow.

“It looks.. it looks like..”

He moved closer, pressing himself to her back. He wrapped one arm around her waist, pulling her closer as the other toyed with the crystal on her chest.

“Like what, sweetheart?”

She shut her eyes, desperately trying to calm herself down.

“Oh, darling, don’t act so coy with me. We’ve been together for quite some time now. Do I still take your breath away?”

It occurred to her that he was acting the way that he would need to around everyone else. She told herself that was the only reason he was so close to her. There was no way he would actually want to be. With a deep breath, she willed herself to calm down and melt into him.

“It looks just like your eyes, Lord Veth.”

He hummed and leaned forward, letting his lips graze across her pulse point.

“That’s a good girl. You catch on quickly.”

“Let’s go. We’re already late enough.”

He chuckled and pulled himself from her, putting his arm out for her to take. She placed her hand on his elbow and walked confidently, hoping that there was some way that Anakin could be warned.

---

It was almost too easy for her to act the way she needed to. When they walked into the ballroom, mostly everyone turned to look at them. Obi Wan smirked down at her before turning forward to walk inside. She let her hips sway just a little more and ignored everyone but him.

At least that’s what everyone else thought. Secretly she was looking at everyone around them. It was hard to figure out who was who, but she held tight onto the idea that someone would help her get a message out.

“Lord Veth! It is so good to see you again!”

“The pleasure is mine, I assure you. When Lord Sideous let me know that I would be coming in his stead, I was pleased to know you were running this event.”

“We are happy to have you as our guest of honor. And who is this? This can’t be the pretty little thing Lord Sideous has been telling us about. No wonder why you’ve kept her squirreled away!”

“This is my darling Zara. I have begrudgingly brought her into the public eye. I’ve been so selfish getting to keep her all to myself.”

He hooked his finger playfully under her chin, leaning forward to kiss her cheek. She fluttered her lashes at him and leaned against his arm.

“I don’t blame you! I would keep a woman of her beauty and grace locked away too! Please do let me know if need anything.”

Obi Wan nodded and let Zara towards the focal point of the room. She inwardly grimaced when she noticed that it looked like a throne.

“Just play the game, darling.”

Once he sat down, he took her hand and pulled her closer, helping her sit on his lap sideways. He sat with his legs spread, commanding the room in a way she never could fully understand. Once she was seated on him, she was able to hear him talk without anyone else listening in. His words didn’t exactly match his body language, but she understood what he was doing. She felt clinical in the way she melted into him with his arm wrapped around her waist.

“There is a certain image they expect of me. Play the game and things go correctly.”

“I understand. I guess I know that feeling.”

“Yes, you do. That’s why you’re at ease now. Different game, same moves.”

She noticed that people were looking at the two of them, so she gave him a smile and started toying with the front of his shirt. He focused his attention on her and smirked.

“Hmm, perhaps not though. Unless you often sit on Jedi laps like this. If so, I missed that part of the training.”

“Just doing what I have to, Lord Veth. Tell me, who should I be trying to get a message to?”

“Well, the man who greeted us to begin with I’m sure has already spoken with not only my Master but at least one Jedi Master.”

“Really? Why?”

“He’s wealthy. He wants to ensure that no matter who wins, he stays that way. That is why I used your real name instead of an alias.”

“Wait but.. so, they will know that I am here with you.”

“Sitting on my lap looking rather stricken. A Sith’s arm wrapped around your waist as you toy with the front of his shirt. Oh, how the rumors will spread about you, especially once word gets out that you’re a Jedi Knight. How scandalous.”

She glared at him before plastering a fake smile on her face again.

“As long as I end up getting a message to Anakin, it will be worth it. I know the truth and the counsel will see that.”

“If you say so, darling.”

He pulled her closer and chuckled at the annoyed huff she gave him in return. He toyed with the necklace resting on her skin while he looked out at the crowd. Zara wanted to look at everyone but didn’t want to show how eager she was to find someone else.

“Lord Veth, I am so glad to see you here tonight.”

Zara focused in on the woman standing in front of them. She was pretty and absolutely knew it. She felt Obi Wans thumb rub against her a few times where the mystery woman couldn’t see, and she instantly got the hint.

“Well, hello there. What can I do for you?”

She grinned at him and shot Zara a quick fake smile.

“I was hoping that I would be able to garner your attention for a little while. Unless you’re too busy?”

“Of course not!”

He gently pushed Zara to her feet and stood up, brushing past her. She watched the two of them walk away, the woman instantly all over him. She wasn’t sure what to say or do but she couldn’t imagine that in a genuine situation she would be happy. She caught herself feeling something about the woman being all over him but pushed it away quickly.

Go to the balcony. Make it dramatic. Your contact will find you out there easily.

Zara set her jaw and stormed away from the throne like chair, causing a bit of a scene. Everyone moved out of her way, watching as she flew out of the room. She could feel Obi Wans amusement as she went to the balcony and waited.

---

“Zara? Zara Fross?”

She turned to see a young woman walking towards her. Her dress was on the extravagant side, but it seemed to suit her.

“Yes.”

“I thought that was you. My name is Padme, though you may know me as Senator Amidala.”

“What is a fierce proponent for the Republic doing at a Separatist sympathizers party?”

“I am from Naboo. We tend to have the luxury of being trusted by many. It allows me to get information others may not have access to.”

Zara turned back towards the balcony, looking out at the nature around them. Padme joined her, allowing both of them to speak without anyone seeing their faces.

“You don’t need to dance around me, Senator. I didn’t betray the council.”

“I was rather surprised when I saw you here. Everyone is on high alert with you being gone.”

“Would it be safe to send you with a message?”

“Of course. I can go directly to the Jedi Council.”

“Lord Veth took me when he threatened killing my entire team. Whoever his master is, he wants Anakin Skywalker. They must keep him on the straight path and in the light. I need him to understand that I didn’t leave him. I didn’t take off. I’m doing this to keep him safe and the moment I can get back I will.”

“Is he hurting you?”

“No. He’s.. surprisingly fair. Right now, Anakin is in much more danger than I am.”

Zara looked down when Padme placed her hand on hers.

“Are you sure there isn’t more I can do? Have you gotten any information that could help?”

Zara hesitated but shook her head.

“No. You’re doing more than enough. Thank you.”

“Please stay safe, General Fross.”

They both turned when footsteps rang out. Obi Wan was giving Zara a feral smile and Padme visibly tensed.

“Senator Amidala! Thank you so much for keeping my little dove company.”

“Lord Veth. If you’ll excuse me.”

He watched Padme walk past him before stepping forward, tracing his fingers across her jawline.

“Did you accomplish your mission, sweetheart?

“Surprised to see you out here so soon. Figured you would have made use of the room.”

“Oh, dear are you jealous?”

She scoffed and crossed her arms.

“What in the makers name would I have to be jealous over? You’re the one who told me to come out here.”

“I did. I didn’t expect you to be so vexed when I left with her though.”

“Vexed? I was just standing there. Who you spend your time with hardly concerns me. I’ve accomplished what I came here to do. Nothing else matters.”

“You’re so cute when you lie to yourself.”

“Stars you’re insufferable sometimes, Obi Wan.”

“I’m not the one calling you by a different name when we’re alone.”

“What?”

“You could have called me Obi Wan. You very easily could have alerted the council as to who I am. Yet you didn’t. You didn’t correct her when she called me Lord Veth.”

“That’s who you are.”

“Yet you know the council wants to know my true identity. I had already prepared for you telling them. You can lie to yourself all you want, Zara. I see right through all of it.”

“There is nothing to see through.”

“Look me right in the eyes and tell me that you feel absolutely nothing for me.”

She stepped forward and glared.

“I feel nothing for you.”

“Liar.”

“Go find someone else to bother. I won’t fawn over you like the other women will. Actually, why don’t I just go now? You can have the room all to yourself and do whatever and whoever you want.”

“You aren’t going anywhere without me.”

Zara started walking past him to head back inside. Obi Wan grabbed her arm and spun her back to him. She gasped when she crashed into him and his arms wrapped around her.

“How rude you are, little Jedi. I risk myself for you and this is how you repay me? What are you so afraid of, little dove?”

“I’m afraid of nothing.”

Zara shrugged out of his arms and took a step back, trying to get distance between the two of them. Obi Wan didn’t let it happen. With every step back, he took one forward. Zara gasped when her back met the wall and Obi Wan pressed himself against her. Her ran his finger across her jaw and looked into her eyes.

“You are afraid of me, darling. You’re terrified of me. You’re terrified of how my kindness makes you feel. You’re so afraid you’re unable to admit how much your body sings when I touch you. I can see your wall being thrown up the moment I get close. Why is that?”

“Y-you’re vile.”

“Perhaps. At least I’m not a liar.”

“I’m not a liar, Veth.”

“No? Prove it to me.”

“How the hell can I prove that to you?”

“Let me kiss you. If you feel absolutely nothing when I do, I’ll leave you alone. If you can truthfully look me in the eyes and tell me that you felt nothing, I’ll believe you. Your honor is important to you. Let’s see how strong that conviction is.”

Zara set her jaw and forced her breath to stay steady. She chanted over and over that he meant nothing and there was no way she could ever feel anything but contempt towards him. He was the enemy. A Sith! She finally nodded once, and he chuckled deeply.

“Do I have your consent, Zara?”

She nodded and he shook his head.

“Use your words, love.”

“Yes.”

“Yes?”

“Stars, Obi Wan. Yes, you have my consent to kiss me.”

“Good girl.”

He leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers. She had heard of the idea of sparks but thought it was all bullshit. It had to be bullshit. There was no way that this Sith pressing his lips to hers was stealing her breath. She refused to admit that when he cupped the side of her face and deepened the kiss, her body melted into his. It couldn’t be possible that the smallest airiest moan was swallowed up by his all-consuming presence and touch.

He was right though. Her honor and pride couldn’t let her lie. She could lie to herself and hold herself back all day any day. But looking him in the eyes and telling him that she felt nothing would have been a lie. When he pulled his mouth away, he kept it close to hers. His breath fanned out across her face and he was breathing just as hard as she was.

“Tell me you feel nothing. Tell me that not even one part of you enjoyed that. Tell me you don’t feel a damn thing, Zara.”

“I.. I can’t do that. Even if I wanted to lie to you.. I respect you, Obi Wan. I respect you enough that I barely even hate you.”

“There is a very thin line between love and hate, Zara. And either mean that you feel something.”

“Do you ever shut up?”

“Yes.”

He crashed his lips against hers again with much more enthusiasm. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and ran her fingers through his hair. She inhaled sharply when his hands tightened on her hips as he pressed himself against her. Right when she was beginning to forget who she was kissing and whose hands were holding her so tightly, she heard her name.

“Zara?”

Obi Wan kept himself pressed against her but broke the kiss to look over his shoulder with a feral smirk.

“Seems like we have an audience, darling.”

He shifted his body just enough that Zara could see a very confused Anakin looking at her.

“What the hell are you doing to her? Get away from her!”

“I can assure you, Anakin, I had consent. What is it with Jedi and thinking I’m that uncivilized?”

He turned so he was facing Anakin but still partially shielding Zara. She wanted to push him aside, but she saw what he was looking at. Her best friend was clutching his saber so tightly he was shaking. She wouldn’t trust any enemy that tense either.

“Anakin, how did you find me?”

“I’ve been searching for you for days! I was told that this Veth would be here.”

“Does the counsel know you’re here?”

“Of course not. They told me to stand down.”

Zara stepped forward and Obi Wan grabbed her wrist, stopping her.

“It’s okay. He isn’t going to hurt me.”

“Remember our agreement, Jedi.”

She nodded so he let her go. She took another step forward and Anakin scowled at them.

“Agreement? What the hell is this. Do you know how hard it was to get this information? Then I show up and he’s.. what were you doing!?”

“Anakin, listen to me. You are in danger. I need you to-“

“Answer me!”

Zara took another step forward, only for Anakin to step backwards.

“Anakin. I came here to get a message to you. I told Senator Amidala what is going on so she could tell the counsel. You are in danger. You must listen to counsel. Please.”

“Why should I listen to a word you have to say? I’ve been sick with worry for you. Did he even take you or are you here because you want to be?”

“Of course, he took me! He threatened to kill my men.”

“You’re more valuable than a bunch of-“

“Don’t you dare say it, Anakin. Don’t you dare say that their lives don’t matter. You know how much it hurts me when they hurt. You know me.”

“Do I? Do I actually know you? You gave yourself over to this filth to save clones. Then I show up and you’re dressed like some escort to this Sith? You hardly look like you’re captive to me.”

“How dare you. You’ve known me since I was a child. How could you think so low of me?”

“What am I supposed to think! He just had his tongue shoved down your throat!”

“How crass.”

Zara glanced over at Obi Wan who had his arms crossed, looking bored.

“What? It was. Hardly a way to talk to a woman let alone his friend. You deserve better than him, darling.”

“Shut up! What right do you have to say anything to her or me?”

“Don’t be rude, Ani. You’ve always been quite the little shit.”

“You don’t know me.”

“Oh, but I do. I know how you cried for your mum instead of being grateful for the chance to be more than a slave. I know how you whined every time you had to do anything. You’ve always been an insufferable little brat and that has not changed.”

“Who the hell-“

“Obi Wan, stop. You aren’t making anything better.”

Anakin had a look of horror wash over his face as he stared at the Sith.

“Obi Wan? No. No you died.”

“I obviously did not. Not that it mattered. The Jedi got their chosen one. I hardly mattered after that.”

He stood up taller and reached his hand out for Zara.

“I’ve grown bored of this uncivilized arguing. We are needed inside. Let’s go, darling.”

“She isn’t going anywhere with you!”

“Oh, she is. She gave me her word. Isn’t that right, Zara?”

She looked between the two and finally settled on Anakin.

“He’s right. I gave him my word. I am only here because I knew I’d be able to get a message to you. That was my mission. Go back to the counsel, Anakin. I can’t go with you. Not.. not right now.”

“Unbelievable. You’re choosing him over me?”

“I’m doing all of this for you, Ani. Listen to Padme. Listen to the counsel. Please.”

“I’ll never forgive you for this, Zara. You’ve betrayed everything you stand for.”

She turned and heard Anakin jump from the balcony. She gritted her teeth and waited for Obi Wan to lead her back inside.

“Do you need a minute?”

“No. You kept your word. Now I will keep mine.”

Tag List

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[juniaships]

Odelloyd (Yodel shipping)

Since @minecraftninjerkid expressed interest I wrote a particularly long post about Odette and Lloyd Garmadon's relationship. It's basically set in my AU of the while Ninjago canon. It's pretty angsty in some parts, and honestly I love this couple because it's a story of two individuals who learn to trust and like TALK with each other and work out their issues together! Plus I feel like if Lloyd needed another love interest within canon it should be someone who can match his energy, a strong young lady who works side by side with him!

Harumi is still the princess but now she has a LADY IN WAITING!! YAYAY

Mostly because she needed a morality pet in some way but also a foil to show if Harumi hadn't been so consumed by personal demons

Odette was a homeless orphan living on the streets with her sister; often stealing from food carts to feed themselves

One night Odette made the mistake of stealing from one of the SOG and they catch her and bring her to their base

Instead of being mad Harumi was impressed by her thieving skills and decided to recruit her. Odette didn't want to at first but then she had second thoughts thinking the extra money could help her and baby sis

So Harumi brings her back and manages to convince the Emperor and Empress to hire Odette as a lady in waiting & decoy if Harumi needed to sneak out to do her business Odette is So instead of it being Harumi it's Odette who stays and befriends the ninja

Odette had NO IDEA her friend plotted to blow up the palace - with her still inside - not great thinking there o' Quiet One

She also had no idea how AWESOME Lloyd is on a motorcycle: "Sweet moves grasshopper!"

They stop at several places gathering clues on the location on the final mask leaving a lot of time for Lloyd and odette to bond; for the first time in forever Odette starts to enjoy life again

The Ninja take Odette in and decide to search for the final mask. Odette does what she can to help out (and find info) getting close to them and my OCs

Lloyd even buys her a gift: a lotus shaped hairpin to replace the one she lost in the palace fight

The jungle incident happens; Lloyd and Odette separates for a while and she comes across the real princess who had stalked the group the whole time undercover

But she's afraid that her big secret might come out everywhere she goes she's often looking over her shoulder

Odette starts to really enjoy the Ninja's company and all her perceived notions about them fade; but she still had to find Harumi to try to talk her out of her plot

Odette meets up with Lloyd inside the caves and they look for the final mask. Finally they see it and Lloyd grabs it, happy that they found the masks before the gang did but notices Odette isn't feeling the same

She's tells Harumi that they're all making a HUGE mistake with the Masks; Harumi of course refuses and orders her to stick to the plan or else

He asks her what's wrong and that's when Odette becomes hysterical and begs Lloyd to destroy the mask or run

Lloyd doesn't know whay she's talking about and tries to calm her down suddenly they hear some sarcastic clapping and in steps in Harumi. Dressed in full Royal Garb

Lloyd is confused and doesn't understand looking back and forth between the newly revealed Princess and the one next to him

Harumi reveals that she is - was - the real princess and that Odette was acting as her decoy to spy on the ninja. She hadn't count on Lloyd catching feelings for Odette which made it all the more sweeter

Odette pleas with Lloyd claiming that while she was ordered to spy, her feelings for him and his friends were genuine. Lloyd coldly brushes he brushes her off and calls her a liar and demands Harumi why she planned all this. The Princess explains that the Ninja failed to save her family from the Great Devourer & that it was Lloyd himself who unleashed such monster on the city killing her parents and several civilians

Harumi also revealed that she had the Emperor and Empress assassinated as punishment for their inaction during that event, and subsequent failure in treating her like a person. "They didn't want a daughter they wanted a Princess."

Harumi takes out her knife and begins attacking Lloyd; Odette watches helplessly as they fight and in the ensuing chaos Harumi knicks Lloyd and orders Odette to return to their group

The Ninja wait by the docks and discovers Odette and the real princess together. They're shocked to see two Princesses; the real Harumi admits her plan knowing they wouldn't last for long to do anything to stop her. An Angry Kai yells at Odette for selling them out

Then the monster attack happens because it is drawn to the mask's essence; Lloyd saves Odette from being crushed, she tries to use the brief chance to explain but he still brush her off

The SOG board their ship and leaves; Odette wallows in guilt Harumi snarky asks her if she really thinks the Ninja are her friends. Odette shakes her head no and looks out the window praying for them to be alright

Back at the city the SOG takes Misako (and Cole's gf Rhenée) hostage to draw Lloyd out. Odette is no longer in her casual clothes but in SOG attire; at the ritual she pretends to be clumsy hoping to stall the ritual long enough

Rhenée asks Odette if she's willing to risk her soul for the terrible actions of other, hoping that Odette can make the right choice. This makes her think about her placement in the SOG

Suddenly the ninja crashes the party just in time and battles the gang. Odette frees Rhenee and Misako and allows herself to be apprehended

Outside she's sitting in the police van when Lloyd walks by and she begs him to hear her out. He wants to listen but is furious with her for betraying them and cuts her off

The ninja head to a bar to celebrate their victory; Lloyd has an honest talk with his mother about Harumi and vows to never trust again. Rhenée says that while Odette lied to them she notices that she's very different from the rest of the SOG

At the jailhouse Odette is sobbing at having lost everything - her friends, her life, and maybe even her sister. She takes out the lotus pin and is about to throw it way when she hears some commotion outside. Apparently the ritual brought back a monster. Fearing for her sister's safety she uses the pin to unlock her cell and sneaks out

Lloyd is too occupied with protecting Baby Wu to fight off Harumi; before she knocks him off Odette arrives & saves him and the baby

In the chaos the Monster arrives and tries to crush them all, Odette gives Lloyd enough time to escape but she falls to her supposed death in the process

Once the battle is over the four original ninjas are nowhere to be seen and are presumed dead

They find out Odette disappeared also, and believe her to he dead too

Harumi and her gang express joy at their enemies demise; and the gang no longer recognize Odette as their own seeing her as a traitor. Deep down Harumi feels a tiny bit pain over the loss of her only real friend but quickly sets that aside to prepare one last scheme

Lloyd grieves Odette's loss regretting they never had the chance to really TALK about what happened between them.

Unknown to everyone, the ninja and Odette were transported to the First Realm

Seasons 9&10 ramps up the angst

Cole is the first one who demands to hear her explanation. Odette explains her backstory and says whole none of it justifies her lies she has now become aware of her actions and is willing to help the ninja FOR REAL FOR REAL

The ninja do NOT want Odette anywhere near them after her betrayal and for a while shuns her.

Zane is the second one; his relationship with former merc Jetta he understands a bit what it's like to choose bad things for survive

Jay and Kai takes the longest: Jay because he's paranoid that Odette may just be evil and insane as Harumi; Kai because he is very protective of Lloyd (who he sees as a younger brother, and even had begun to saw Odette as another sister) and furious that she'd hurt him and their whole team like that

This leads to a series of trials for Odette to prove that she's willing to atone; she actually finds the last dragon's nest and vows to protect it

Meanwhile in Ninjago the city started an underground resistance led by Lloyd and Nya; Lloyd took in Odette's sister to take care of her now that she is gone

Odette and the Ninja finds a way out of the first realm and arrives with their new dragons. Odette splits off to confront Harumi and sees her on top of a building...which is about to fall much to her horror

Lloyd witnesses the scene and shouts Odette's name; the building collapses and he sinks to his knees in fear

Everyone watches with baited breath and cheers as they see both girls and the dragon coming out of the smoke alive

Lloyd and Odette apologize to each other then go off with their friends to fight off the Oni invasion

Once everything is over & Harumi decides to turn a new leaf and surrenders, everyone gathers at the monastery to celebrate. Wu invites Odette and her sister a permanent home with them

After s10 they don't get back together that quickly. Lloyd still has trust issues as in canon and Odette feels like shit believing herself to tbe the cause. Lloyd says it's not her fault, he's simply fed up with random villains coming at him for the crime of being the Chosen One.™

Odette isn't exactly let off easy by the public; there's multiple conspiracies about her and stuff and some aren't exatly forgiving her for working with a group that killed the royal family and destroyed the city. In order to redeem herself in the eyes of the public Odette starts training to become a real Ninja, doing little side missions to help people even something as simple as helping little old ladies use an escalator. Lloyd supports her every step of the way, using his popularity "and natural charisma" to dispel any rumors about her.

[itsclydebitches]

RWBY Recaps: Volume 8 “Witch”

Happy Saturday, everyone! Well, it's perhaps happier provided you didn't watch today’s episode lol. Getting through these 18 minutes felt like watching an extended version of a CinemaSins vid. I heard a little 'ding!' every time something nonsensical, contradictory, or just downright stupid happened. My mind became a pinball machine. 

Which, in the interest of being fair as opposed to just snarky, only matters if you're looking for something resembling emotional depth in this show. RWBY, for all its faults, is enjoyable as a mindless spectacle. It's when you expect — or simply hope — for anything more that this very fragile house of cards comes tumbling down.

If it’s not clear already, today’s recap contains copious amounts of salt. Fair warning. 

With that disclaimer out of the way, let’s dive in. Episode nine is titled "Witch," which is fitting since many members of our group go toe-to-toe against Salem herself. The narrative issues inherent in having your heroes fighting their final boss years before the series is meant to end might have been avoided if it weren't for Oscar's ridiculous, sacrificial attack... but we'll get to that.

We open with a sweeping shot of the Atlas battle, as hundreds of dead soldiers segue into endless grimm. Hold onto that image for a bit. At the end of this carnage is, of course, the mouth of the whale. We cut to Jaune, Ren, and Yang already safely inside.

"Well," says Yang, "that was harrowing."

I'm on the fence about this choice. On the one hand, yes, it's good that RWBY knows it can skip over extraneous scenes. We have NINE characters to keep track of and develop, fourteen if you count Ozpin, Maria, Winter, Ironwood, and now Whitley. Plus villains. There simply isn't time to show every insignificant moment... but was this insignificant? Obviously finding Oscar and escaping Salem's clutches is the true hurdle of this mission, but that doesn't mean getting through an entire army of grimm is in any way a cake walk. I'd be more willing to ignore this time skip if it weren't likewise presented as such a challenge for Winter's team. They have to "clear a path" to the whale, but our trio got there unscathed and unnoticed? The obvious implication here is that Ren just masked them the whole way — supported by his aura breaking later in the episode — but it still feels like we missed an important chunk of this task.

I'm nit-picking though. As said, I’m straddling the fence on this one and, given that, I'm inclined to settle on a, "Good job, RWBY. You're keeping the writing tight," if only because I don't have much else to praise about this episode. Throw the poor, struggling show a bone lol.

Now that they're inside, they realize they haven't the slightest idea how they'll find Oscar. “Like finding a needle in a giant…whale… why did we think this was a good idea?!” Because you and your friends are idiots who no longer bother to think about a situation before throwing yourself straight into it? This isn't me being mean to Yang, she literally says as much later on. Our heroes no longer get by on intellect, strategy, and skill, but rather plot armor and a staggering number of coincidences. For example, Ren.

Yang: Wow, it sure is lucky for us that on our way to this incredibly dangerous mission Ren inexplicably developed a new part of his semblance. Now he can not only mask peoples' emotions, see the true emotions that someone is feeling, pull thoughts out of their head about what they believe about a situation, but can also track someone across long distances through their emotions alone. Even that doesn't actually help us find Oscar, we just got lucky again when, in this maze of a whale, he ran right into us!

Me: So what were you going to do if this meta-world stopped giving you the most contrived solutions in Remnant history?

Yang: Die gloriously, I guess.

What Yang actually says is, "Okay. That's new!" and they enter the literal belly of the beast wielding a shield of convenience.

Jaune is also being awkward again because remember, RWBY doesn't know when to incorporate humor and when to treat a situation seriously. He reminds Ren not to "drain [himself]," he'll help him, and it's clear the scene is hinting at their earlier fight. There's a lot to unpack there, but I want to save it for the second conversation.

For now, we cut to Oscar, curled up in his cell, repeating stories to comfort himself. Yeah that's fine. I could use a broken heart right before Valentine's Day.

“She brushed off her bumps and bruises, for nothing hurt worse than the loneliness in her chest." It's a line from The Girl Who Fell Through the World, which Ozpin recognizes given that he's "lived through" a fair number of fairy tales. He immediately asks how Oscar is holding up — because he's a caring person! — and Oscar admits that he never understood why the girl of the tale was sad upon reaching home again. Now he does: she wasn't the same person anymore. I don't think the fact that Oscar has had both a metaphorical fall — leaving his farm to 'fall' into this war — and a literal one — falling through Atlas to unlock his magic — is lost on anyone. This is a nice allusion to our themes. Yang's speech to Salem later on? That’s something else entirely. 

Storytelling done, Ozpin says he thinks "this plan to divide might have run its course” and it's time to try and find a way to leave. I'm sorry, I love my farm boy, but what plan? He didn't do anything. At least nothing that could remotely be termed an intellectual plot. Oscar convinced Ozpin to try and turn Hazel by telling him the world would end under Salem's rule and the only reason that worked is because the story decided to chuck out Hazel's entire character. You know, the one that hates Ozpin above all others, wants the world remade into a non-Academy horror show, can't understand that people make their own choices, is terrified of Salem, and has no reason to trust a prisoner he's currently torturing. Oscar's "plan" hinged on his writers erasing a great deal of work to build a new story that fits said “plan.” He didn't even get Emerald involved, she just — again, conveniently — eavesdropped outside their door at just the right moment.

To be clear, I'm not against a story being written to work in the hero's favor. Of course things are going to be convenient in a happy-ending tale. Someone manages to hold out just as long as they need to, a sword is lying just within reach, you, yes, happen to run into the one person you're desperate to find. This kind of stuff is reassuring, telling its audiences that sometimes things do work out for the best. It's enjoyable... but only provided the hero's entire success doesn't hinge on fate being shockingly kind to them. That's what RWBY has become. A world where Salem doesn't attack Mantle, Amity Tower is suddenly finished, the group can charge into any deadly situation they want to and bank on destiny twisting around itself to ensure they come out of it safely. A hero finding a convenient weapon nearby to defeat their enemy with is only reassuring after we've seen them implement a brilliant attack, struggle, nearly win, but then suddenly be faced with failure, necessitating that little push from coincidence. They earned it. The hero doesn't get to run in blindly and find a Defeat Bad Guy plot point gift wrapped for them at the first sign of trouble. They just die.

RWBY used to be a better written show because that's precisely Pyrrha's story. She charged a Maiden unprepared, without a single plan or hope for success, and she died. That's what happens in a dangerous, internally consistent world, but RWBY has since lost the second half of that formula.

I'm harping on this because this entire episode is built on that foundation of coincidence, something that shouldn't be happening at all, but especially not when you're pitting the heroes against Salem herself.

So yeah, it just gets worse from here.

Back to Oscar. Without the cane magic is the only weapon they have at their disposal, but he's reluctant to use it because every time he does, they merge more quickly. 

They... do? 

Okay, there are three major problems with this announcement:

I'm pretty sure we've only seen Oscar use magic once: creating that barrier to survive the fall through Atlas. That was the point of his near death experience, to unlock something that had previously been unavailable to him. Yet if he's only used it once, why is he so sure that it hurries the merge along? What's this "every time" business? This confusion could have easily been avoided if the show had just let Oscar use his magic this volume, tackling some other questions and gaps in the process. Let him use it to fight off the grimm in Mantle, giving him the opportunity to admit to at least Jaune, Ren, and Yang that Ozpin is back. He could have used some magic against the Hound with Ozpin's encouragement, answering the question of why he was entirely silent while the two of them got their ass beat. Give us a moment where Oscar uses his magic against Hazel, nearly escaping in the process, but is captured again at the last moment. Basically, his line makes it sound like magic has been this ongoing resource with an established downside when... it hasn’t.

Coinciding with all of the above, how is it that Oscar can suddenly use magic at will? Yeah, yeah, he unlocked it during the fall, but really? You open up the magic gates and from then on out it's as natural as breathing? This is the same issue with Ruby's silver eyes. The story gives these characters incredible powers, but never has them talking about how they work, let alone training them. They just exist, perfect in execution, as soon as the plot needs them. (See: the final shot of this episode.) At least Weiss had to practice her summoning for multiple volumes.

Finally, the question of how Oscar instinctively knows how to use magic could easily be answered with, "Well, he's kind of Ozpin now," but that would require the story to actually explain what the merge is. "We merge faster," Oscar says, but what does that mean? The Ozpin and Oscar we see in this scene are fundamentally indistinguishable from the Ozpin and Oscar who existed at his aunt's house, four whole years ago. They're still separate people, with one controlling the body and the other existing as a consciousness he can talk to. Nothing has changed. The show keeps insisting that Oscar is going through this deep and painful arc of losing himself to Ozpin... despite the fact that he has yet to lose a single bit of Oscar-ness. Has he changed? Well of course, but anyone going through these experiences is going to change. Remove the "merge" aspect and Oscar's confidence or power up is likewise indistinguishable from any of the other characters' developments. Nora is becoming more of an individual this volume. Ren is becoming more powerful in his semblance. Neither have an Ozpin to force that change, it just happens on its own. So what separates Oscar from every other character going through a formative experience? When is “I’m not the same person anymore” due to unnatural magic vs. just growing up? 

Don't get me wrong, I'm happy our boy is getting more screen time — and that the cast is actually being kind to him now — but overall his arc is objectively terrible. He bought some clothes, told Ironwood he was as bad as Salem, told Hazel how to access the Relic, and then asked him not to be a villain anymore. Somehow these things are presented as significant moments of growth while the real questions surrounding his merge go unanswered.

“Honestly, I think you’re doing just fine on your own," Ozpin tells him, but he's not. God knows our boy is trying, but this is a moment where Ozpin's self-hatred (and the story's insistence that the younger generation is intrinsically better than the older) is blinding him to the situation. Oscar has made terrible decisions lately, in as much as he's been able to decide anything at all, and now he's rejecting escaping captivity because he's terrified of a concept he doesn't even understand yet. None of that is fine. Reassurance is one thing, but painting this situation as Oscar making better choices than he would with Ozpin's input is insane. He literally just decided to keep them in Salem's clutches indefinitely because something something magic is scary, I guess. Oscar doesn't need a, 'You're better than me' speech, he needs a reality check so they don't both die. Remember back in Volume 5 when Oscar, a brave but idiotic 14 year old, insisted on fighting someone entirely out of his league and Ozpin was like,

then saved him from getting his head crushed in like a cantaloupe? We need more of that. Our teenage heroes need guidance, but because RWBY keeps insisting that every adult they encounter is corrupt or incompetent, that hasn't happened in three volumes. They're just aloud to decide things like, “Let's tell our captor the Relic's password because UwU ~trust~” and then the story bends over backwards to make that work. Instead we could, you know, let characters learn that they can be wrong. 

The snow scene was the beginning, but RWBY really went off the rails the day it let Qrow warn the group against stealing from and attacking an allied city, only for them to call him an idiot for doubting them. Now, Ozpin doesn't even get to warn Oscar about stupid decisions, he just agrees with them, reassuring and passive. Never mind the complication of whether Ozpin is even emotionally capable of providing guidance after they labeled him the worst thing to ever happen to them. 

Why does RWBY keep ruining my faves 😔

Anyway, we’ve got to stay on track. Oscar has decided to just lie there but, luckily for him, Hazel's redemption — I use that term so loosely — has begun. He drags Oscar out of his cell before we cut to Winter. 

She's leading a portion of Ironwood's army, trying to get things ready for when the bomb arrives. Neon and Flynt are a part of her team, sharing scared glances and trying to remain optimistic. It's a legitimately hard-hitting moment, striking that balance between horror and hope. Funny though, I wonder that RWBYJNOR would think of their friends fighting for evil Ironwood...

Marrow, continuing the tradition of insisting that our heroes be both adults and kids simultaneously, looks sadly at the soldiers heading into battle and goes, "But... they're just kids." I would like to remind everyone reading that Ruby is younger than them. Anyone who thinks that these teenagers shouldn't be fighting grimm — the thing they have been training to do as their professional career, during an unprecedented attack on their home — should not simultaneously be looking to the girl who is two years younger as his savior. (Something that, while not overt yet, is very much where Marrow is heading as he continually doubts the Ace Ops and looks to RWBY's group as his new, moral leaders.) I'm glad that, for once, this perspective is firmly called out. Elm arrives to tell him point blank that he needs to figure out his personal ethics later. It doesn't matter because there's an army of grimm out there and monsters aren't going to spare anyone, adult or child. Quit philosophizing and kill some already.

Back to Hazel where we get the doorway shot from our trailer. He's taken Oscar to the Relic, because of course he has. Do I really need to list how convenient this is too? Apparently, "the moment we move that thing, this place goes on high alert," but there’s no alarm for when Oscar is taken from his cell, they enter the Relic's room, or when they use it. What does a movement alert matter if someone can just waltz in and waste the last question themselves? Put some of those endless grimm in the room to guard it, Salem!

Just assume that I am, at any given point in this episode, letting out the longest sigh my lungs are physically capable of.

Emerald shows up, demonstrating both the convenience of everyone arriving when they need to, and the very real danger that Salem herself could come in and discover what they're up to. Hazel has Oscar summon Jinn, only to immediately say that “Actually, I think all my questions are answered now.”

I'm sorry, how does this answer any of Hazel's questions? His driving question was not, "Is the Relic actually a magical object capable of doing magical things?" but rather "Are you telling me the truth about Salem's plans to summon the Gods and destroy all of Remnant in her quest to finally die, thereby changing who I'm going to support in this war?" Seeing a naked, blue djinn does not answer that question. 

Hazel's "redemption" is non-existent. He — we — learned about Salem's death wish despite how that contradicts previous lore, then he trusted Ozpin despite that contradicting his entire character, now he joins the heroes because, literally, he sees Jinn floating there. It’s bad enough that Hazel goes from clear villain to sacrificial hero in a matter of in-world hours, but we don’t even get a reason for why that change occurred. 

Oh, there's also this:

So Jinn doesn't come out of her lamp unless someone intends to ask a question, but does it for Ruby because she's special, yet still reiterates that this won't happen again. Then Oscar summons her without intending to ask a question, she comes out anyway, confirms that none of them seek knowledge from her, and happily pops back inside her lamp because eh, it’s whatever.

If RWBY had any courage the three of them would be cursed now for toying with a powerful, magical object. Remember the days when Jinn was a little terrifying because it felt like she was warping her answers and we had no idea what she might do to someone who used her carelessly? When she felt like a djinn? Good times.

Or better times, at least. 

So Good Guy Hazel and Good Gal Emerald promise to get Oscar out. Never mind all the horror they caused, the people they killed, and that for Hazel, at least, this defection is coming out of nowhere. 

Anyone remember that Emerald orchestrated Penny's death? No? Just me?

As they leave it turns out Neo was camouflaged against the wall, because she was also precisely where she needed to be. Does everyone just periodically pop into the Relic room to see what’s going on? At least this time it's not working in the heroes' favor. Remember when I said it's beyond idiotic for Oscar to just hand out the Relic information to known enemies currently holding him captive and torturing him?

Yeeeeaah.

So Neo's got the Lamp. Funny how all of this could have been avoided if Ruby had just put it in the vault like she came to Atlas to do ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

We return to our trio where Jaune and Ren need to rest because their aura is giving out. Good! These guys fought a battle, fought Neo, fought more grimm, fought the Hound, traipsed through the tundra, presumably fought through more grimm to get to the whale, and have been using both their semblances to look for Oscar. It's about time their reserves started to falter.

Jaune decides to scout ahead a bit, leaving Yang and Ren to talk about nothing of importance. I mean that seriously. Remember a few days ago when I spoke about how, if the snow conversation does come back up, Ren's points would be entirely ignored for a nonsensical “I’m glad we’re friends” speech? Remember how I also spoke about how every emotional beat now is entirely generic and you could replace any character with another and not a single thing would change? Yeah. This is both those arguments in one. Nothing is said about the points Ren made. His problems with how the group has been acting lately and the very real, very deadly consequences it has had are flat out ignored. We went from

"But these aren't the kinds of decisions we should be making because we have no idea what we're doing!"

to

"Forward, no matter what!"

in a matter of hours, with precisely zero insight into how Ren went from one perspective to the exact opposite. Kind of like Hazel. Because see, RWBY doesn't write arcs, it just writes one thing until it decides to switch it up for something else, with the opposite idea presented as a “resolution” or a “twist.” Our creators writes scenes they know the fandom is begging for without considering how to get a character to that place, let alone how to get them out of it. That's all Ren's speech was, the equivalent of moral fan service. Here's a glimpse of actual character depth and a morally gray situation... now forget it ever happened because we're back to our regularly scheduled programming.

Instead of working through the laundry list of issues Ren raised, Ren instead accepts Jaune's aura help — something they've been doing since Argus — and tells Yang it's okay to be scared. These moments are meaningless and, as said, could have been between anyone in our cast. Ren could have told Nora she doesn't have to use jokes to cover up that she's scared. Jaune could have reminded Ruby that she can depend on him. Yang could have tried to keep Blake and Weiss' hopes up. This scenes ignores the individuality of the characters, like the fact that they just fought over very different world views, to instead favor any dime-a-dozen moment of support. The number of times this volume has rejected the conflict and resolution the group needs for bland, generic reassurances staggering.

Also, apparently Jaune isn't scared at all? I don't think that's as good a thing as Ren seems to think... 

Then Jaune immediately rounds the corner, terrified lol.

One of the seer grimm is on its way and he tells Ren to mask them. Apparently he had been masking them before — one of the reasons he's so tired now, trying to do two things at once — but it's only here that they go black and white again. Ren manages to keep it up for a little while, but his aura breaks before the seer passes and they're spotted.

Hark! A consequence!

That was well done. It makes sense and it adds to the stakes. We've seen the insane amount of fighting the group has done since Volume 7, we just established that they're at their breaking point, and then Ren's aura fails him right when he needs it the most. Add this to the miniscule pile of things that were well done this episode. 

Salem runs into Emerald and Hazel, the former of which is acting very suspicious when asked if he's made any headway with Oscar. The seer's alarm interrupts them though and... okay. Was I the only one who cackled during this moment? Between Salem's voice acting and the fact that she just yeets herself down the hallway, it came across as really funny to me. 

Either way, it is a bad situation. Our trio is trying to figure out what to do, to which Yang responds, "Do what we do best… charge blindly into danger!!”

Ren's aura is broken. Jaune barely has any left and it’s unlikely he could heal right now even if Ren had any aura to amplify. If Ren takes a single hit anywhere important he is dead.

Me, on my knees, surrounded by the ashes of the Hound, the last bit of serious storytelling we had: "For the love of God, the kingdom is on fire and simultaneously dying of cold. There's a grimm army decimating hundreds outside. Half their group is missing and they're wandering lost inside a devil whale, about to have the most powerful being Remnant has ever known personally try to kill them — can we please have their attitudes reflect that?"

The answer, in case you were wondering, is no.

Back to the bomb. Whatever scientists were given this task have completed it and Marrow watches as it's flown out towards the whale. "Come on, Juan" he whispers and I'm all, "Juan?" Apparently it's a callback to last volume when Marrow couldn't remember Jaune's actual name, but it took me hopping onto the RWBY wiki to remember that. 

As death via explosion inches closer, the trio runs into Hazel and Emerald. Turns out though that Hazel is really Oscar, disguised through Emerald's semblance. Nice trick! Jaune immediately drops both weapons to hug Oscar and, while that's nice and all, it's also the stupidest thing he could possible do in enemy territory. Also, Oscar has been beaten up by the Hound, tortured with magic, and likewise beaten bloody by Hazel. I was hoping for a tender hug like the one Nora gave him, not a giant squeeze for more comedy purposes. It just feels like RWBY has no idea how to manage the tone of this volume, let alone the torture of a child...

There's the obligatory, "Why should we trust you?" from Yang regarding Emerald joining the team, to which Ren responds, "Because she's scared, just like us."

That doesn't prove anything. Literally everyone is scared right now. There is a war going on. I really cannot emphasize enough how RWBY throws out Deep™ sounding lines that are, upon inspection, absolutely nonsensical. Nora reminding Penny that there are different parts to her personhood, Hazel saying that all his questions have been answered, Ren announcing that Emerald is scared... it's all worthless chatter that has no bearing on their problems: How do I keep from being hacked? How do I know you're telling the truth? How do we know you're trustworthy after you spent years trying to kill us? But of course, because it's RWBY, Ren's announcement is treated as some sort of secret truth that everyone accepts. Emerald joins up.

As they head for an exit we return to Marrow who, frankly, is getting on my last nerve. I know the fandom loves him because he's clearly leaning towards Team RWBY, but does anyone actually listen to what he says? He starts yelling at Winter for sending in the bomb because the trio might still be alive in there, despite:

Seeing for himself the hundreds of soldiers that have fallen trying to keep Atlas safe

Knowing and hearing again from Winter that the only way to stop this carnage is to take out the whale. Given more time, the whole city falls

Sadly announcing to the world that children shouldn't have to fight in a battle, rather than just joining the fray and helping to keep those kids safe

How does Marrow think those kids are going to be able to stop fighting? How does he think he'll get a city to return to? It's no wonder that he's drawn to Ruby because both characters stand around twiddling their thumbs, mourning that things are bad, and blaming others for imperfect solutions rather than doing something to make the situation better. Marrow's disgust at Winter over the bomb is precisely the same as Ruby's disgust at Ironwood over Mantle: how dare you not have a plan that results in both victory for us and zero sacrifices? They want perfection which, yes, is an admirable trait, but their problem is they refuse to do anything until that perfection appears. They’re paralyzed, a trait that’s particularly dangerous when your story insists that perfection will never appear: it’s not a fairy tale. So they just continue to get mad at others for the fact that they live in an unfair world. You want that perfect solution? Think it up yourself. Otherwise, stand aside and let those coming up with something do what they can to make things better. 

Marrow goes so far as to drag Weiss into things, trying to guilt Winter with the knowledge that she'll have to relate the death of her sister's friends back to her. Winter, because she's a badass who isn't in denial over the situation, tells him that yes, she will shoulder that responsibility. To Marrow's credit he backs off then, but man. RWBY has legitimate moral questions here — when is holding out for a few worth risking the many? — but they go about exploring it in the most frustrating way possible. I personally have no respect for the guy who wants to announce that Children In War Is Bad instead of, you know, using the power he currently has to protect those kids already neck deep in a battle. 

Because John Mulaney remains relevant:

"There shouldn't be a horse in the hospital :( "

"We're WELL PAST THAT."

Marrow is the one going, "There shouldn't be kids in a war :( We shouldn't have to kill a few to save the whole kingdom :( " and everyone around him is like, "No shit, dude! But this is the hand we were dealt! You going to help us, or what?"

Literally all of these characters could have been so much more than what they currently are.

Except Winter. She's doing great.

Now for the final scene. Our group nearly manages to escape the whale, but is incapacitated by some sort of screechy power that Salem employs. 

She contorts her body, stretching out her arms to snag Emerald, and the others have a brief, but intense skirmish. Jaune manages to block a blast of magic aimed at Ren with his shield — nice — and Yang dots Salem's face with a bunch of bombs before blowing her sky-high — double nice. Oscar shoots out some magic of his own because, yeah, I guess he can just do that now? It really feels like it came out of nowhere after eight episodes of being the punching bag. 

Of course, Salem immediately reforms. She traps the group with grimm arms that come out of the whale, interrogating Ozpin about why he bothers to keep coming back. There's a very sad answer there of, "I don't," referring to his lack of choice in reincarnating to fight her.

Yang interrupts their little tet-a-tet to throw the question back in Salem's face, calling her out on her choices. A great idea but, as always, execution: "because something bad happened to you once upon a time? No one gets a fairy tale ending."

I’m sorry, but that dialogue had me cringing. Like I said before, way too on the nose. There's keeping with the fairy tale theme, and then there's shoving the viewer's face in it. More of Oscar's musings on how he relates to the protagonists of fairy tales, blurring the lines between storytelling and reality, which in turn encourages the viewer to consider how they see themselves in the RWBY cast. Less... whatever this is.

Yang goes on to talk about how many people Salem has taken from her, which upon reflection makes a certain amount of sense if you toss in all the people who are here, but changed somehow due to Salem's influence, as well as acquaintances who died as a result of her meddling: Raven is scared off, Tai suffers as a result, Pyrrha dies, Penny dies, Yang loses her arm and her school. I think the dialogue could have been revised to reflect that better though because what Yang implies is that Salem has killed countless of her loved ones, yet what she says is, "Summer Rose. My mom." Honestly, for the few seconds this exchange was happening my thoughts weren't even on Summer. Yang calls Salem out for killing loved ones and my brain went, "Pyrrha??"

That's how little they've done with Yang and Summer. I know in the past I've argued that RWBY has a "better late than never" situation going on, that I would praise them for making the right writing choices even if they arrive years too late... but now that we're here, I find that it's a hard problem to overlook. Summer is Yang's mom? When's the last time we heard that? Volume 2? Whenever the conversation with Blake was. Since then Yang has called Raven "Mom," focused on that emotional connection (or lack thereof), was excluded from the conversation with Qrow, comforted Ruby after she was blindsided by Salem's taunt, and otherwise hasn't mentioned Summer at all. There is no foundation for this accusation except a few lines about getting cookies as a child and the fact that we're tossing references in now makes me worried that we'll indeed get a grimm!Summer reveal. Better remind the audience that she exists before the twist arrives! Honestly, as much as a part of me wants to praise RWBY for trying to get things back on track, moments like this just ring hollow now. They waited years and now it’s too late. It doesn't help that this is the episode where we shrug off Ren's speech. What will Yang's cutting admission amount to based on this trend? Probably nothing. Summer will become Yang’s mom again in another six seasons. 

Salem, obviously, doesn't care. The real Hazel arrives and she orders him to take Oscar back to his cell. Instead, he gives him his cane with a whispered, "No more Gretchens, boy."

Behold, another meaningless line. Hazel hates Ozpin for "forcing" Gretchen on a mission and "getting" her killed. The whole point of his villainy is that he doesn't understand the concept of choice and that bad things can happen to good people with no one able to prevent it. Not every loss has a responsible party attached (outside of, you know, Salem/the grimm). So what is he even demanding here? No more huntsmen schools? That's what you wanted Salem for. No more "forcing" people to fight for you? Ozpin never did that in the first place. Or is it just a strange promise that no one else will die here? RWBY seems to be under the impression that they can just name drop dead family members — Summer, Gretchen — and that's that. Emotional depth created, never mind a lack of buildup or clarity. 

Then Hazel punches Salem across the room and she releases every single hero from their bonds. See the theme of this episode: convenience. Hazel shoves a whole bunch of dust crystals into his shoulders and yells that he's doing what Gretchen would have wanted, clearly sacrificing himself so that the others can escape. The battle between him and Salem is pretty decent. I enjoyed the dust vs. magic creativity and the sheer damage Salem can take before reforming. This fight really showcases how not human she is.

It does, however, bring into question Hazel's reveal about her needing an hour to heal at the longest. I mentioned how unlikely it would be that our heroes would get the chance to "kill" her multiple times, yet here we are, just a few episodes later. They got that opportunity and... does it matter? Salem's reforming doesn't appear to slow down at all, despite her head getting obliterated at least three times, so at what point does she need longer than a few seconds to heal? If this was meant to be a potential weakness the group would eventually exploit, we needed to see it here, both for that setup and to keep it consistent with Hazel's story.

Regardless, they fight and at first it looks like a pretty straight-forward sacrifice on Hazel's part, giving the group their chance to escape. Except... Oscar.

"She'll just come after us," he tells Jaune, turning away from him to fight.

I need a list for this: 

Of course she's going to come after you. This is not some shocking revelation. At no point has anyone thought that escaping the whale is the answer to all their problems, it just creates one less problem to deal with. Namely, the problem of "Our ally is captured, being tortured, and may give up important intel to the enemy. Oh, also he's about to be blown up with a bomb." Salem coming after them doesn’t matter. What matters is making her plans as difficult as possible as you work to come up with more solutions of your own. This is just a smaller version of the Ironwood conflict: “Well, Salem will just follow Atlas into the sky so it’s useless to attempt escape, or to buy ourselves time.” It’s really not. I know I’ve used this ridiculous comparison before, but if you’re ever chased by a horror movie serial killer hell-bent on your destruction and your reaction to this problem is, “Why run? He’ll just chase us. The only possible choice is to fight him with a 99% chance of our death,” then I beg you to re-evaluate things. 

What was the point of coming to rescue Oscar if he was just going to stay behind? The whale is about to be blown up by a bomb and the trio risked their lives ten times over to get to him. If I were them I would be pissed. We went through all that to get you out and now you’re refusing to leave when we have a chance? Thanks for that. 

Same with Hazel. Not that I care about the guy, but if I was sacrificing myself for others to escape I'd be pretty annoyed at them randomly deciding not to do that.

What does Oscar even think he's going to do? Kill the immortal witch? The entire point of our series is that they can’t do that (yet). 

However, if he is able to do something significant via Ozpin's magic, why didn't Ozpin do that generations ago? Somehow I don't think a younger Ozma closer to the height of his power was in a worse position to attack Salem than a tortured, aura-less kid who unlocked his magic yesterday. The more RWBY reveals about Salem, the more I go, “Okay, but why didn’t his happen [insert any number of years] ago?” 

Did Jaune actually leave? I assume he's just grabbing an airship or something before coming back to drag Oscar away, but seriously where did he go?

There's no way I can approach this scene without throwing up my hands and going, "What? WHY?" Which is a real shame because we finally get to see a bit of what the cane does and it’s... precisely what Ozpin's magic has always done? I mean, we saw that green shield five years ago and now there's a giant white beam. Okay.

If the beam just hits Salem with Generic Magic Power then there was never anything secret about the cane, it’s just, you know, Ozpin’s weapon. If the cane does something significant to hurt her we're left with the question of why it took literal generations to use it. Nothing is making sense to me and the only way I can think to salvage this scene is if Jaune runs back in, snags Oscar like a sack of potatoes, and runs out yelling about how he's clearly suffering from a concussion because what are you trying to accomplish here?

It doesn't help that this moment feels... final. Hazel has managed to hold Salem in place. Oscar has unlocked his cane and lands some mega hit right before Hazel passes out and looses his hold. Not only does this feel like a scene that should be at the end of the volume (we've still got five episodes), but also the end of the series. RWBY is building Salem into an unbeatable enemy by giving her more and more powers, and simultaneously eliminating the stakes by having our currently weakest character (in terms of exhaustion/injuries/aura/training) landing a shot like that. Why would you nerf Salem's threat level like that in the middle of a volume? Especially with a tool our group has had available from the start? If the cane does damage, maybe lead with that in the, “Here’s why we should stay and fight” office conversation. 

I assume that Oscar's hit will obliterate Salem to the point where both he and Hazel have time to escape, or he obliterates both of them (“Do it”) and that's somehow presented as a better choice than just running while Salem is captured, or the bomb will interrupt things somehow... but it's just so shoddily done. At the very least, if they were going to have Oscar refuse to let someone fight alone, have it be an actual friend he's staying to assist. Having Oscar refuse his own rescue to help Hazel has more than one problem attached to it. We can say what we want about RWBY's themes of forgiveness, but this guy was torturing him just a few hours ago while serving Remnant's version of the devil. Just let him sacrifice himself and move on.

And that's where we end. Oscar powering up, the cane getting all magic-y, and him shooting a crazy big blast that engulfs both Salem and Hazel. I can't believe how not excited I am about my farm boy doing something badass, but here we are.

Overall I think this episode was way worse than last week's. We absolutely had problems in "Dark," particularly when it came to the Hound and the group's blind devotion to Ruby, but at least those moments were cushioned by an otherwise decent episode. "Witch" felt like I was watching something closer to a parody of RWBY, one deliberately poking fun at the fandom's desires: erase all conflict for awkward silly times, your favorite villains are instantly good now, the heroes go toe-to-toe with the main antagonist because why not, throw a bunch of magic in there for good measure, and wrap it all up in some over the top "this isn't a fairy tale" lines. I can see the pieces of a much better episode here — Emerald sneaking Oscar out with her semblance, Neo snagging the relic, Flint and Neon, Hazel attacking Salem — but it simply didn't come together.

I know I said this last time, but I have no idea what we're going to do for another five episodes. Salem slowly reforming from bomb damage as the group tries to keep Penny from opening the vault? The grimm attack halted with the whale gone so Qrow can go after Ironwood? The longer this volume runs, the more I think it was a mistake for them to introduce Salem as a fightable antagonist now. RWBY doesn't know what to do with her besides have her inevitably fall in the final season, so until then she's left being stupid (Relic), passive (Mantle), or, likely, written out of the story temporarily so the heroes can turn their attention towards smaller conflicts and weaker foes. They literally can’t beat Salem yet, but they can’t focus on other problems when she’s around without coming across as negligent, so if you have to find ways to erase her to make room for that... what was the point of bringing her here in the first place? We could have established that Salem is bound to her realm and had her send the Hound and whale to attack Atlas. There, all the fun parts of the volume without her complicated presence. 

Well, the next five weeks will certainly be interesting, at the very least... 

Until next time 💜

[Ko-Fi]