#is what gives him peace and lets him rest. 10/10 no notes

[judesstfrancis]

anyway this is your annual reminder to watch the crow (1994) dir. alex proyas starring brandon lee based off the cult classic comic book of the same name by james o'barr. movie of all time

[osaemu]

GOJO SATORU: ❛❛ MEET ME IN THE AFTERGLOW ❜❜

.ೃ࿐ post-sukuna fight: no victory comes without a loss, and his win came at the cost of his eyesight

contents: fem!reader. some combination of hurt/comfort, angst, and fluff.

author's note: inspired by levi at the end of aot ꨄ︎

7:58 PM

satoru gojo had always had the best eyes. sorcerer, curse, human – you could search the whole world, and nobody else would even come close.

but the aftermath of satoru's fight with sukuna changed everything. after a long, painful battle, satoru came out on top, but at a great cost. his eyes.

dying wishes are powerful, especially from a curse as strong as sukuna. right before the king of curses was done for, he pooled everything he had left into a final attack to ensure that satoru gojo would never be the same. he succeeded.

now, almost a week after the fight, long after the dust settled and peace had reclaimed the jujutsu society, satoru still insists on wearing his blindfold around the clock.

no matter what you try or how you ask, he stubbornly refuses let you see underneath. actually, it'd be more accurate to say that he doesn't respond at all. after all, to your dismay, he's a master at avoiding questions and delaying answers.

you weren't even sure if there was any change to how he looked. maybe he looked the exact same underneath. maybe he had a couple scars. fuck, for all you knew he didn't even have eyes at all anymore.

you just wish he would let you see the new him. he doesn't even have it that bad – thanks to six-eyes, he can still see the silhouettes of cursed energy. and he wore a blindfold most days anyway, so it wasn't too much of a change.

which is why you weren't sure why he wouldn't just take the damn blindfold off.

"satoru, please let me see," you beg, tugging at his shirt sleeve. "i miss your pretty face. and honestly, who wears a blindfold to bed?"

he laughs at your incredulous question, but it sounds forced and unnatural. satoru tugs his arm away and waves you off. "let me take a shower, 'kay? i just got out of work, and i'm probably covered in germs."

you hate this new satoru – the one who won't let you get too close or even see his face anymore. he just won't open up to you, and it's frustrating. "satoru, please? let me in."

at the sound of your pleading voice, satoru rests one hand on the bathroom door and sighs before turning around to face you. he's smiling, but it seems so off – like all his smiles do nowadays.

"you try'n to watch me shower, sweetheart?" he cracks, running a hand through his hair. "i know you love seeing me naked, but-"

"satoru." 

"get off my dick," he grumbles lightly, before strolling into the bathroom and shutting the door behind him. maybe you imagine it, but you could swear that you hear the soft click of a lock turning.

10:34 PM

"good night, sweetheart," satoru mumbles, pressing his lips to your shoulder and rolling over onto his side. he still has his blindfold on, and the almost undetectable glow eminating from his skin shows that he has a very subtle form of limitless active.

it's been like this every night.

"satoru, can we talk?" you whisper, trailing a hand through his damp white hair. "please?"

"is it about the blindfold?"

"obviously."

he sighs and rolls over again to face you, the soft glow fading from his skin. "give it a rest, yeah?" he says, exasperated. "i'm not ready for anyone to see."

"satoru, even you don't know what your eyes look like under the blindfold," you murmur. "and do you really trust me that little?"

he lifts one of his hands and rests it on your shoulder, thumb tracing circles as he leans in and says "of course i trust you."

you shake your head and sit up, pressing your back against the headboard. "no, you don't."

"then why'd you as-"

"why do you sleep with limitless on now?" you interject, crossing your arms. "what happened to 'i never have limitless on around you'?" you whisper, quoting something he told you when you two first starting dating. back when he could look you in the eye.

satoru sighs again and sits up alongside you. "you know why."

"you seriously think i'd do that?"

"i..." he trails off, slipping a finger underneath his blindfold to rub one of his eyes. "i don't know. all i know is that i'm not ready for anyone to see me like... this." 

"satoru, you can't keep running away from everyone forever," you say, shaking your head again. "you-"

"i know, i know," he mutters. "it's not that simple."

he's stubborn – he always has been. and you're mostly used to it, which is why you know that the best way to get satoru to change his mind on something is to ease him into it instead of pushing and shoving.

so you switch gears, and instead of arguing more you reach out and take his hand. "what are you afraid of?"

"nothing. i'm the strongest," satoru replies automatically. the response sounds so automated, so pre-written that you can't help but smile. 

"okay," you say neutrally, trying to reword your question. "why don't you want to show me what your eyes look like? you've haven't even seen them yourself."

satoru smiles sourly and his hands curl into white-knuckled fists around the bedsheets. "and i never will. i'm blind now, remember, sweetheart?" his words are laced with bitterness, even (and especially) in the final word. 

but it wasn't you who satoru was resentful towards. it was himself. 

how could he have so foolishly let down his guard before sukuna was confirmed to be dead? how could he let his characteristic arrogance get the better of him? he made the same mistake when he was a teen, and now he's done it again as the strongest – although this event may have stripped him of his title.

a mixture of emotions crosses what little you can see of his face, and it's now more than ever that you wish you could be there for him. 

but he's the only one alive who knows what it's like to be the strongest.

so as much as you wish you could tell him that everything's going to be okay and that he'll always be the strongest, you know damn well that you don't know and that he might not be.

somehow, this conversation has evolved from your desire to see his face to something more.

a silent, mutual understanding passes between you and satoru, and the thickness in the air slowly dissolves. 

"sorry," you breathe. "i was being selfish, wasn't i?"

satoru shakes his head, a smile growing on his face. "nah, you're right. i don't even know what i look like."

he lifts a hand and slips his thumb underneath his blindfold, and after a brief moment of hesitation, slides it off.

to your surprise, satoru looks more or less the same. his eyes aren't cloudy and they still glow with that familiar bright blue. the only difference, which was expected, was how his eyes didn't quite settle on you. they were pointed in your direction, but his eyes didn't entirely focus on you.

"so?" satoru asks, running a finger over his eyes. "how bad is it?"

"satoru, you look the same."

he blinks and doesn't answer for a second, as if he's processing the information. "really?" he asks, an unreadable expression on his face.

"yep."

"oh. well, that was anticlimactic," satoru says with a lopsided grin. he leans forward and scoots down from his spot against the headboard, laying his head on a pillow and pulling you on top of his chest. "my bad."

"you idiot," you mumble, pressing your face into his neck. "i didn't get to see your pretty face for a whole week."

"ah, i believe it was only six days."

"and satoru, you even turned on limitless at night! the hell would i even do? cut your blindfold off in the middle of the night?" you grumble, looking up at him with narrowed eyes. "and i can't believe that the only reason you didn't want to show me your face is because you thought you weren't pretty anymore!"

satoru grins lazily and rests one of his hands on your waist, slipping a finger under the waistband of your shorts and idly rubbing your skin.  "keep venting, sweetheart. it's cute."

he laughs when you swat him with another pillow and pulls you in for a long kiss. and that's when you know that things might never go back to how they were in satoru's glory days. 

but as the night falls and slips away in satoru's arms, you think that maybe, just maybe, this works too.

[youronlydarlin]

warning: none, Simon knows you can't resist him, Simon loves you so much it's giving me a migraine. Fluffyyyyy

Thinkin' bout Simon who acts all cuddly whenever he wants you in bed.

This is just his strategy, actually. He's noticed your unhealthy sleeping patterns since coming home from deployment. How you're still awake at ungodly hours of the night, and ready to start your day at the ass crack of dawn. It remains a mystery to him how you still go through your daily routine, with the same grace of a rising phoenix as if you weren't counting your blinks as a means of rest.

It's way past 10. And way past the time you should be in bed. But you're still hunched over your desk doing god knows what. He keeps a mental note in his head to come up with a another technique, this time for your bad posture.

He stalks towards you carefully, trying to make as little sound as possible. Large biceps wrapping around your middle while he nuzzles his nose into the crook if your neck. His stance looks uncomfortable, with his back slightly bent down to get close to your sitting body. And you abandon whatever it was you're doing in favor of cupping his face with both of your hands. The slight stubble on his jaw tickles your palms and you can't help but give a soft kiss to the tip of his nose.

Sighing, Simon's shoulders relax at your touch. He pulls you closer to his chest and you laugh at the funny angle you're in. Only sitting at the edge of your chair now. The world is still and quiet, letting an intimate moment be shared between two lovers.

A long, loving kiss was given to your forehead, paired up with a warm hand slowly stroking your back and all of a sudden everything's that happened throughout the week is catching up to you. Feeling your eyelids slowly drop, you sling your arms around Simons neck. He knows exactly what that gesture means and he's already hooked his arms under your knees. Carrying you like a bride.

Gives one more kiss to the top of your head before saying "S' time for bed, doll..."

And you're nearly knocked out because of how soothing his voice is. You admit defeat, resting your head on his soft chest. Closing your eyes as you slowly drift off to a peaceful sleep.

"... Goodnight, Si.."

".. Goodnight, love.."

Gotcha.

Simon says in his head.

a/n: I am extremely eepy. But I choose soft Simon over sleep. Hopefully your getting enough rest, my darlings! Don't be like me!

Yours, truly,

–dolly

[kisskuni]

sleeping with him

↳ how it would be to sleep with him. [all brothers x gn!reader]

tags: fluff, like one swear in beel’s

notes: anonymous requested sleeping with the brothers headcanons! i hope you enjoy :) i got carried away with lucifer’s i’m not sorry

lucifer ━━━

i feel like he’s the most normal sleeper of the brothers. doesn’t toss and turn or anything, but he does sleep on his back in mummy position………..

anyway, i also feel like he’s really warm to snuggle up to — in part he because only sleeps in sweats pants.

convincing him to let you sleep with him is probably the hardest part. not because he doesn’t want to, but because he doesn’t want himself to be that vulnerable in the presence of someone

therefore, he’ll likely only sleep in the same bed with you if you’re in an established relationship or something close to it.

the actually sleeping with him part is peaceful

his bed sheets are silky and undeniably comfortable. his favorite cuddle position is for you to fall asleep laying on his chest, he’ll ignore his arm falling asleep and deny it happens every single night.

additionally, he sleeps very little. you’d think the nights of going to bed so late and waking up so early would send him into sleep debt, but no he just doesn’t need as much sleep apparently.

so, be prepared for his alarm at 6 in the morning. he won’t wake you up past the alarm, but it will go off.

if you do wake up to it, he’ll feel bad and attempt to tuck you back to bed, sweet little forehead head kisses and all included.

(if you don’t wake up to it he gives you the forehead kiss anyway)

mammon ━━━

10/10 a cuddler. it does not matter the circumstances; it can be the middle of a hot summer day and he is still going to be cuddled up to you

ok well he’s gonna try to anyway. he falls asleep cuddled up to you but by morning he is somehow spread eagle and lost a sock?

he kicked you off the bed once

i feel like he also has a mini fridge by his bed LMAO he uses it to store water in bc he wakes up thirsty in the middle of the night all the time..

he wakes up late, always. if you have an alarm set you have to drag him out of bed, or else he WILL be sleeping in.

there’s also a 50/50 chance that he’ll not let you get out of bed in the morning anyway.

leviathan ━━━

you’d def have to tell him multiple times that you want to sleep in his bed, established relationship or not. he just won’t believe you the first few times.

after u convince him… sleeping is strange.

he sleeps in a bathtub and it’s not much comfier than it looks. it is for him because he’s used to it, but not really for you.

he tries his best though! he puts down cushions and covers the sides in blankets.

i think therefore cuddling is kind of a given though. the bathtub is bigger than a normal sized one but it’s not big enough for two people to sleep comfortably, especially not without touching each other.

that means cuddling mostly looks like one of you sleeping half on top of the other :)

he sleeps late usually, but he’s not as bad about waking up early as you might think.

although if you asked him to come to bed early he would jump at the idea, he’s wasting absolutely no time

satan ━━━

satan ends up passing out on the couch in his room most nights, but he does sleep in bed occasionally lol

but! whenever you mention wanting to stay the night and sleep in his bed, he’s suddenly sleeping in his own bed every night. he always has, what do you mean you remember him sleeping on the armchair before?

he sleeps on his stomach or his side mostly. he doesn’t cuddle all that much but he does like touching you in some way, be it his hands resting against you or your leg thrown across his

that said, he’s not against cuddling if you want to

he sleeps very little as well, sleeping late and rising early. he’s careful not wake you up when he rises, though there is a 50/50 chance that he just lays back down and sleeps some more if you aren’t awake when he is.

he doesn’t toss or turn in his sleep much, but he does whenever he’s stressed or you’ve had an argument

also a light sleeper. please don’t kick him in your sleep; he will wake up and never tell you you’re half the reason he can’t sleep

asmodeus ━━━

he’s so excited!! makes you do his nighttime routine with him and everything.

his taste in bed sheets is luxury, of course. the sheets and pillowcases are silky, his blankets light but incredibly fluffy.

he definitely sleeps nakey if he’s alone but for your sake he wears shorts to sleep (they’re silky and match his bedsheets?? somehow???)

he has a pretty normal sleep schedule, sleeping and waking up at pretty reasonable times

that said, he’s not immune to when you roll over all sleepy-eyed and ask for five more minutes. he will thoroughly enjoy an extra hour or two of sleep.

he wakes up pretty and it’s almost sickening at times. where is his bed head. where.

side sleeper but will sleep in whatever position you want him to if you want to cuddle with him, he just likes being close to and being able to touch you :)

beelzebub ━━━

he sleeps like a brick.

he also sleeps on his back and would absolutely love for you to sleep on his stomach

don’t hit him with the “im gonna crush you” bullshit either i’m fairly sure he could get hit by a small car and walk it off

anyway! he also has a fairly normal sleep schedule, but if he doesn’t have any where to be, there’s a good chance he’ll turn the alarm off and fall back asleep

he’s weirdly clingy in his sleep as well? he could be passed out and still wrap his arms around you when you try to get up

sleeps in pajama pants but usually no shirt. if you want him to, he’ll gladly put on a t-shirt or tank top though i want to eat his biceps

he’s good about not tossing and turning in his sleep but it’s not an impossibility. u have been crushed by him on multiple occasions i am so sorry.

belphegor ━━━

ok i know ur thinking “ok he’s the sleep demon of course he’s the best to sleep with-“

WRONG. ur wrong. he snores like a fright train and sleeps like a zombie

he talks in his sleep SO bad. you have had multiple conversations with him that he just fully does not remember in the morning

that said, he’s so comfy to sleep on and he’s super down to cuddle in whatever way that you prefer to

because he sleeps at odd times, his circadian rhythm is messed up. however, since you’ve asked to start sleeping with him, he’s made an attempt to fix it to some degree to make sure you’re sleeping at the same times.

he’ll ask you to stay with him when he naps as well but he doesn’t always expect you to sleep

he sleeps in pajamas but if he’s hot he’ll lose his shirt sometimes

he also has some sort of control over dreams. it’s not every night, but he does make an effort to visit your dreams and keep your nightmares at bay on a regular basis :)

[theladyofthevarioussorrows]

In honor of Lestat de Lioncourt's 264th birthday, I present to you...

Written in Blood, or the Play in which The Brat Prince Ties the Knot

Part I (of IV)

Fandom: The Vampire Chronicles (Gothic horror novel series, 1976-2018); Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire (TV series, 2022-present)

Pairing: Lestat de Lioncourt/fem!reader; Lestat de Lioncourt/You

Word count: 3,900+

Characters: Lestat de Lioncourt (Sam Reid, the best version…­­­the only one that matters, obviously); fem!reader; The Vampire Armand (lol ouch); Nicolas de Lenfent (even bigger ouch, RIP); Santiago; Estelle; Celeste; Eglee; Sam; Gustav; Quang Pham; pretty much the entire Theatre des Vampires.

Summary: Fem!reader is the newest addition to the Theatre des Vampires, and Lestat becomes smitten with her (of course he does, the little whore!). Lestat’s allure, charm, beauty, and viciousness are not lost on the reader, and she falls for him (I mean, who wouldn’t, let’s be honest). With fem!reader being the freshest member of the Coven, Santiago “initiates” her (similar to how he brought Claudia in) by casting her as Lestat’s co-star in the next play as his love interest. The play, overseen reluctantly by Armand is about a wedding (in the vein of The Taming of the Shrew, As You Like It, or something similar but accurate to the time period, that is the vibe…Lestat, little miss Lady Macbeth himself, “barely Balthazar” Armand, “too old to play Hamlet, too young to play Polonius” Santiago, and I are all Shakespeare girlies, so I thought it would make sense); fem!reader and Lestat are actually getting legally married, unbeknownst to the mortal audience. Fem!reader and Lestat are to be the bride and groom, Santiago is the Justice of the Peace, and the rest of the TDV are the wedding party. While Armand is still the Coven leader, he “directs” the play and Nicki leads the orchestra. Things do not go the way they were planned to go (in Armand’s case); a story of love, sex, and vampire drama unfolds.

Warnings and additional tags: New/eventual relationship, established relationship, smut (P in V), fluff, mention of sex, mention of masturbation, (F and M), oral sex (F and M receiving), all characters (except the reader, duh) are written to be as close to the way they are in the books as well as the show to the best of my ability, reader-insert, reader-interactive, use of Y/N, Lestat gives the reader pet names in French (this is Lestat, after all), mutual pining, flirting, slight voyeurism, slight exhibitionism (is anything Lestat does really a secret? No, not really), blood drinking, blood sucking, bloodletting, biting, gore, violence, murder (feeding on humans is the only instance of this), both Lestat and fem!reader are bisexual, age gap (fem!reader is younger than Lestat by at least a bit but it doesn’t really matter as much because he himself is a new-ish vampire; Lestat would still be somewhere in his thirties in mortal years by the show’s timeline), Lestat is very seductive and persuasive (fem!reader doesn’t need much persuading, so it’s not a bad thing), a bunch of mentions of Shakespeare, lines from As You Like It are in italics and dialogue from vampires using the Mind Gift are in bold italics.

Notes: This story takes place while Lestat is still performing with the Theatre des Vampires and is newly a vampire himself. Magnus is obviously dead by now (thank God). The events of this fic take place after Lestat breaks up with both Nicki (he is still alive at this point in time) and Armand, but before he meets Louis de Pointe du Lac and later Claudia. I don’t have anything against either character (I adore both greatly!), this is just a “what if?” kind of situation. This is a basic idea I had had for literal years ever since I read the books, but I didn’t do anything with it until the second season of the show started, specifically episode 10. I wasn’t immune to Harlequin Lestat, and I was FERAL about it. Sam Reid only made that worse for me (God, I am so in love with him…that man IS Lestat. He doesn’t just play him, he BECAME him, and no one else has come close. Tom Cruise and Stuart Townsend could NEVER!). The premise of the fic came to me while listening to “Written in Blood” by She Wants Revenge…one thing led to another, and here we are! Also, yes, I KNOW the vampires don’t “have sex” in the novels, but they do in the show (a LOT). I might make references to things that have happened in the books (mostly Interview with the Vampire and The Vampire Lestat, possibly a bit of Queen of the Damned) but might not have been shown in the TV series yet, so reader beware of that. Let this be the spoiler warning if you are not familiar with the books or haven’t watched the show. I am completely ignoring both movies, because they mean absolutely nothing to me now that the (far superior) show exists. The piece that fem!reader uses for her audition comes from Shakespeare’s comedy As You Like It…she is reading as Rosalind while disguised as Ganymede, and Lestat reads with her as Orlando. I thought the parallels were a nice touch. I obviously do not own the rights to As You Like It, I merely used the one scene for Y/N’s audition, and to add romantic and dramatic effect. Special shout out to my best friend Riley for their contribution and ideas!

Language: English (except for a handful of pet names and expressions used by Lestat in French, hopefully I did it correctly. I took 4 years of French in high school, but I am not fluent)

_________________________________________

It was a cool autumn night in Paris, and while mortals slept, the undead were busy welcoming their newest member to their coven inside the old auditorium. The Vampire Armand stood proudly in front of the stage, looking up at the Theatre’s founder and poster child Lestat de Lioncourt, giving him notes and stage directions he knows full well Lestat will not listen to. Next to Lestat was Y/F/N Y/L/N, a freshly turned vampire herself.

Today was Y/N’s audition to join the Theatre des Vampires, and although nervous, she felt at home already among the other thespians in the room with her. With her lifelong love of theatre and literature that only intensified in her newly immortal life, Y/N knew she was in good company. She caught herself stealing glances at Lestat, as if against her will, but she knew she couldn’t help herself. Of all the vampires in this room—the stage director and Coven leader Armand, fellow company members Eglee, Celeste, Estelle, Sam, Gustav, and Quang Pham in the seats, as well as the gifted violinist Nicki hiding in the wings—there is something captivating and enchanting about this charismatic blonde actor. Y/N felt immediately attracted to this man, and she was both alarmed by and pleased with this sudden revelation. Lestat could feel Y/N’s attraction to him, something he found adorable, endearing, distracting, and quite arousing. Lestat gazed at her, a charmingly wicked smile on his face as he admired the young vampire in front of him. Armand, annoyed but pushing the uneasy feeling down, turned to look at Y/N.

“Welcome to the Theatre, dear Y/N. The Coven and I are interested as to how you found yourself in Paris, and how you found us. Please, enlighten everyone,” Armand said, with a slight air of both curiosity and mild arrogance rolled together. Y/N quickly moved her glance from Lestat to Armand and shivered slightly before she answered.

“Hello all, my name is Y/F/N Y/L/N, and I was visiting when I was given the Dark Gift. I have been in Paris ever since. I heard about the Theatre through my maker, and through discovering the Theatre, I found out about the Coven.” As she told the truth, she felt Santiago staring daggers at her, full of amusement.

“So, little miss Y/L/N, it seems as though you enjoy the arts, is that right?” said Santiago, with a slithery snark. Y/N nodded her head. “A birdie told me that you’re auditioning with one of Shakespeare’s lesser works, yes?” Y/N nodded again. Lestat’s blueish violet eyes widened as he grinned a little bigger.

“Yes, I will be reading as Rosalind disguised as Ganymede. I hope you find it suitable,” she said politely, trying to stifle a small tinge of laughter. Santiago exaggerated his giggle to mock her slightly before speaking again.

“Hmm, I assume you would like to have someone read with you. I wonder who that could be…” Santiago’s voice trailed off as he shifted his glance from Y/N to the left of her.

The slender, blonde, and devilishly handsome vampire beside Y/N spoke before she could even have the thought to respond. Watching from the wings, the violinist Nicki put a hand to his forehead with a quiet groan.

“I volunteer myself. I know the play by heart,” said Lestat. He shot Y/N a soft but sly grin as he placed his hand on his chest, reeling in the blush that appeared on her face. Armand had to hold back a scoff as Lestat offered to read with her. “I’m quite curious to see how she does, if I may.” Lestat gently bowed as he spoke to her, with a smile on his face and intrigue in his heart. Lestat was many things, and subtle was not one of them. Y/N nodded, smiling slyly back at him.

“You may,” Y/N said, bowing slightly. Her cheeks cast a rosy glow upon them as she smiled. Santiago chuckled to himself, and Armand choked down another scoff as he looked back to Y/N and Lestat.

“As you wish. Lestat, you will read with Y/N as Orlando, starting from his entrance after Jaques exits the scene. Y/N, you will follow.” Armand crossed his arms over his chest as he watched the two vampires in front of him on the stage.

“Yes, maître,” said Y/N, slightly nervous but strangely excited about reading alongside this hauntingly tempting creature next to her. She got herself into character quickly, trying to fight off the thought of how sweet Lestat’s blood might taste on her tongue and how soft his full lips must be, among various other salacious and primal things that she wasn’t aware of that she needed or wanted. It wasn’t an unwelcome thing—Lestat had something disarmingly attractive about him. Y/N felt drawn to him somehow, but she tried in vain to hide it. Lestat cleared his throat and prepared himself as well, his own pale skin turning a faint pink as they moved to the middle of the stage. Butterflies fluttered inside their bodies as they began their scene. After a few seconds of silence passed, Lestat launched into character.

“My fair Rosalind, I come within an hour of my promise.” Lestat said, remembering the lines from memory as if it was nothing out of the ordinary. Despite her nervousness and giddiness, Y/N began herself.

“Break an hour’s promise in love? He that will divide a minute into a thousand parts and break but a part of the thousand part of a minute in the affairs of love, it may be said of him that Cupid hath clapped him o’ th’ shoulder, but I’ll warrant him heart-whole.” Y/N matched Lestat’s intensity and focus as she spoke her lines. Astonished by her delivery, he carried on with his own lines.

“Pardon me, dear Rosalind,” continued Lestat, feeling a rush of adrenaline in the pit of his stomach, the pleasant sensation only growing stronger as she went on. Lestat watched her as she moved effortlessly through her audition, overcome with awe, very nearly stumbling on his own lines as a result. Armand and Santiago watched from the bottom of the stage as Y/N and Lestat kept going.

Armand watched from the front row and noticed Lestat’s immediate and oddly natural chemistry with Y/N and was well aware of the subtle attraction and quiet infatuation she felt towards Lestat. Armand could feel it through her, and it bothered him. He couldn’t help it; he began to feel his face turn green with envy. Santiago, however, was greatly amused at what was unfolding in front of them—and he relished the drama of it all. The rest of the Coven watched from the seats intently, some engrossed, some unbothered. Nicki leaned up against the wall backstage, a pained expression etched on his features. Looking on at his former lover floating across the stage with a woman whom he had only met mere hours ago and watching her fall under his spell just as he had, Nicki shook his head, a grimace forming on his face.

With all due respect, maître…maybe we should keep an eye on the new one, said Santiago, filling Armand’s head with his thoughts without moving his mouth. It’s only a matter of time before our dear founder tries to take her to bed with him…you know as well as I do how he is. And seeing how she’s looking at him—Armand did not want to hear this. Lestat and Y/N were too immersed in their scene and lost in each other to hear them through their own minds.

Armand cut him off. Enough, Santiago. I know very well how Lestat operates. Let them finish. I’ll allow Y/N to continue, for now. We shall decide what measures to take when the time is right… As Armand and Santiago sized Y/N up, she breezed through her audition.

“Come, woo me, woo me, for now I am in a holiday humor, and like enough to consent. What would you say to me now an I were your very, very Rosalind?” Y/N continued as she blushed and smiled at Lestat. Anything he did in his impromptu performance, she followed with masterful skill.

Lestat slowly walked closer to her, his gaze never leaving her eyes. Lestat looked at Y/N, smirking as he brushed some of his long blonde hair behind his ear. He let the silence expand for a second before he continued.

“I would kiss before I spoke.”

Lestat and Y/N gazed at each other as if they were the only beings in the room, amusing Santiago morbidly and annoying Armand profoundly. A mixture of admiration and a deep hunger formed inside Lestat’s chest, and Y/N’s heart pounded against her ribcage. She gulped quietly as she tried to keep up with Lestat. Determined to give the best audition she could despite having to act opposite the most gorgeous creature she has ever laid her eyes on, alive or dead, Y/N tried to fight off her own desire building within her. Soft gasps could be heard from the other vampires watching them from the seats.

“Nay, you were better speak first, and when you were gravelled for lack of matter, you might take occasion to kiss. Very good orators, when they are out, they will spit; and for lovers lacking—God warn us—matter, the cleanliest shift is to kiss.”

Sensing Y/N’s struggle to maintain her composure, Lestat met her energy with his own words. “How if the kiss be denied?” He looked at her for a beat, cocking his head to one side quizzically. Y/N answered him with a playful shrug.

“Then she puts you to entreaty, and there begins new matter.”

Lestat continued his teasing, delighted by the thrill Y/N gave him. “Who could be out, being before his beloved mistress?”

Y/N pretended to scoff. “Marry, that should you if I were your mistress, or I should think my honesty ranker than my wit.”

Lestat looked at Y/N with a look of mock surprise. “What, of my suit?” he said, his voice harboring a more sensual tone this time.

“Not out of your apparel, and yet out of your suit. Am I not your Rosalind?” Y/N floated across the stage like a ghost, every single movement calculated and carried out so smoothly.

“I take some joy to say you are because I would be talking of her.” Lestat’s face reddened slightly as he noticed how Y/N’s jaw dropped, but only for a second before she kept going.

“Well, in her person I say I will not have you.” Y/N let out an exaggerated giggle as she playfully spun around slowly.

A dramatic sigh escaped Lestat’s lungs. “Then in mine own person I die.” He looked back at Y/N as she turned to face him again.

“By this hand, it will not kill a fly. But come; now I will be your Rosalind in a more coming-on disposition, and ask me what you will, I will grant it.” Y/N gazed at the vampire in front of her, only inches separating them now. Lestat reached out to gently caress Y/N’s cheek as they looked deeply into each other’s eyes, making her blush even more obvious in her face now. He has her right where he wants her, and as fate or some other mystical thing would have it, Y/N is right where she wants to be. Once again, Lestat drew the silence out for a beat too long before he spoke.

“Then love me, Rosalind.”

Y/N’s voice trembled a little as she leaned into Lestat’s touch. His unbroken focus on her made her feel slightly faint just from the way he looked at her, but she kept her cool as best as she could. “Yes, faith, will I, Fridays and Saturdays and all.” She shyly smiled up at him, trying and failing to hide her quiet swooning.

Lestat hung on to every word that left her lips as if he had never heard such language spoken before. Of course, he was no stranger to the stage himself, having been the Theatre’s main selling point for a few years now. The act of performing on a stage in front of an enamored audience always thrilled him, but she…she was different. This new and sudden but pleasant feeling cut him way deeper, hit him harder—he knew that she was something magical. And Lestat wasn’t quite sure where to put that desire and hunger, so he decided to do the thing he does best: he needed to have her all to himself, by any means necessary. Lestat was delighted to find that the feeling was so clearly mutual.

Santiago watched Lestat enchant Y/N as they continued with their performances. He gasped quietly as he saw Lestat become smitten with Y/N, rolling his eyes. Just look at those two! Can you believe them? They’ve made eyes at each other from the second she came through the door. They’ve only just met a few hours ago and he’s looking at her like Venus de Milo herself…and she looks as if she’s about to melt through the floor. Armand found himself becoming more and more annoyed as Lestat and Y/N carried on like they were, and Santiago took notice. Maître, you’re grinding your teeth…

Armand huffed quietly. I said let them continue. Y/N is smarter than we realize. If she doesn’t know who she’s getting herself tied up with, she will. I can guarantee that. Armand maintained his mildly annoyed expression as he crossed his arms over his chest. I see potential in her. We can use that potential.

Santiago, ever the drama queen but also the suck-up, tried to push Armand’s buttons. How shall we do that, maître? I wonder what our violinist has to say about this…I can’t imagine he’s especially thrilled about—

Armand cut him off once again. Be silent now, Santiago. Nicki is the least of my worries right now.

Now mildly aware of the growing discomfort in the pit of Armand’s stomach and Santiago’s antagonizing of him, Lestat continued to read with Y/N. He was enraptured by her, this was true—but he also found quite a bit of amusement in making Armand uncomfortable. Y/N, less aware of the effect her performance is having on the Coven leader and his all-too-willing sidekick, matched him masterfully.

“And wilt thou have me?” said Lestat, sultry and low.

Y/N nodded her head and smiled. “Ay, and twenty such.”

Lestat felt his heart flutter in his chest as he moved closer to her. “What sayest thou?”

Y/N gently bit her lip then let it go with a smirk. “Are you not good?”

“I hope so.” Lestat rolled his eyes in a sassy manner.

“Why then, can one desire too much of a good thing?” Y/N went on, closing the small space between herself and Lestat.

The vaguely pained expression did not escape Armand’s face. Still wanting to maintain some sort of order and power over his Coven, Armand kept his focus fixed on the two vampires on the stage in front of him.

Santiago, an evil grin taking shape over his features, watched Lestat and Y/N’s bond become deeper by the second as Y/N continued. “Come, sister, you shall be the priest and marry us. Give me your hand, Orlando.” Y/N gently reached for Lestat’s hand, and he placed it in hers, tangling their fingers together. She looked to where the audience would be sitting. “What do you say sister?” Y/N looked back up at Lestat as he gazed back at her, their vampire eyes blown out with love and desire for each other.

After what felt like an eternity, Lestat put his finger under Y/N’s chin and gingerly tilted her head up. He started to move down to press his lips to hers, and she moved up to meet him. He closed his eyes, and her eyelids fluttered shut as his lips gently—

A groan could be heard from Armand as Santiago abruptly rose from his seat and applauded loudly. Lestat and Y/N snapped out of their trance and pulled away from each other, no longer able to hide their blushing. The rest of the Coven began to applaud as well. The vampires Sam and Gustav were enthusiastic in their encouragement of the new potential member of the Coven and her undeniable and palpable chemistry with their Theatre’s founder. Celeste looked on with a proud smile on her face, while Estelle clapped wildly. Eglee rolled her eyes before eventually joining in with her applause. Backstage, Nicki shook his head again as he quietly left the auditorium, quietly cursing under his breath.

“Very well done, Y/N. Very well done indeed,” said Santiago, sounding giddier than he probably should. He looked at Armand. “What say you, maître?” he asked with mock amusement.

Armand once again did not listen. He looked up at Y/N as Lestat released her from his gentle but bold embrace. “Exquisite work, Y/N. Exceptional. While we evaluate your performance, you are welcome to remain here with the Coven. We have provided a coffin for you near your maker’s.” Armand started to dismiss everyone before he turned back to Y/N. “We do expect you to keep our hours, curfew is three o’clock sharp.” He shot a subtle but menacing glare at Lestat. Lestat rolled his eyes and chuckled to himself as he turned his back to him. Armand looked at Y/N again. Lestat smiled warmly at Y/N as he winked at her.

Still reeling from everything that just occurred, Y/N nodded and bowed. “Yes maître, I will. Thank you all.” Armand dismissed Santiago and the rest of the Coven, and they all left the auditorium.

It was then that Y/N heard a sensual and seductive voice inside her head.

Très bien fait, ma chérie. I’m impressed.

Y/N turned around to find Lestat leaning against the piano on the stage, his arms crossed over his chest, looking her up and down, dripping with genuine curiosity and insatiable desire. She blushed and smiled as she met his gaze.

“That’s very sweet of you to say, Lestat. It really means a lot to hear.” Y/N walked over to him, slightly nervous but not at all deterred. “You were amazing yourself.”

Lestat rolled his eyes playfully at her compliment but accepted it. “You flatter me, mon amour.” He stood up straight and walked over to her, looking down at her with that softly sly smirk again. “I must say, my dear Y/N, you are quite the actress. Many have come and gone from this theatre, but none have bewitched me so like you have, ma petite fleur.”

Y/N swooned at his words, slightly taken aback by the sincerity in them despite the obvious attraction. “Oh, you’re too kind. It’s not often I’m in the presence of someone so…” She caught herself getting lost in his eyes again—something she has by now realized is very easy to do—before she continued. “So…enchanting as you.”

Lestat chuckled lowly. “Is that so? Well, you have captivated me too, love,” he said, pausing briefly as he took the sight of her in. “I haven’t seen such talent on this stage in quite some time, Y/N.” She blushed deeper as she took a second to gather her thoughts. Y/N sighed softly before speaking.

“Thank you! I’m just happy that I can finally do what I love to do. Up until today, I thought it was unfortunate that I couldn’t do this kind of thing when I was mortal, but I don’t have that feeling now that I’m here. In an odd way, it feels right like this.” Y/N chuckled lightly.

Lestat listened to her words intently. “I know that feeling very well, mon coeur. For what it’s worth, I’m quite glad you wandered into our midst. I can see already that you’re passionate about the Theatre, and it’s refreshing. You’re simply lovely.” Y/N smiled at his words of admiration and encouragement. “I cannot wait to see what other talents you possess, if you don’t mind my saying so,” he said with a smirk, appreciating the slight drop of her jaw. Noticing the positive tension on her face, Lestat spoke gently to her. “Oh, and don’t be nervous, chérie. There is nothing to be afraid of. I have no doubt you’ll fit in here, I am sure of it.” He traced her jawline affectionately before tilting her head up to bring her eyes to meet his, just like he did during her audition. “And, if I may be so bold, I would love to get to know you better. If you’ll have me, of course.” Y/N’s eyes widened as she swooned. She nodded as she stuttered slightly.

“I’d love to, Lestat. I would be honored.” Y/N felt her heart jump into her mouth. The gorgeous blonde vampire in front of her reveled in how flustered she looked as he spoke to her.

“Very well then, dear Y/N. We’ll continue our little conversation after your initiation tomorrow.”

Y/N gulped. “My…my what?!”

Lestat giggled slyly. “You heard me correctly, ma chérie. Welcome to the Theatre, darling. You’re one of us now as far as I’m concerned.”

“But…Armand said—” Lestat gently placed a finger over her lips to shut her up as he spoke lowly to her, sultry and dripping with desire.

“Shh, ma jolie fille…never mind what that manipulative gremlin Armand said.” Lestat let his finger gently drag across her bottom lip before letting it go. He brushed some of her hair behind her ear as he continued. “I’ll be seeing you backstage afterwards, yes?”

There was no way for him to be coy about his appetite for her any more than he had earlier. The vampire Lestat de Lioncourt, the Brat Prince himself, was anything but shy about his unquenchable thirst for Y/N; it only grew exponentially in the few hours since he met her.

Y/N felt as though the air had been knocked out of her lungs as she nodded. “Of course, Lestat. You will.” She smiled at him, trying to regulate her breathing.

Lestat smiled wickedly at her again. “Très bien, mon amour. I’ll see you then.” He caressed her face again before turning to walk away. “Bonne nuit, ma belle. Sweet dreams.”

Y/N could feel her heart pounding in her throat as she smiled. “Good night, Lestat. I hope you sleep well.” Blushing, she beamed at him, and he smiled back, a blush of his own on his face.

With that, they left the room. As she lifted the lid to her coffin next to the others to crawl inside it, Y/N gasped as she heard Lestat’s voice in her head again, stopping her momentarily.

Remember what I told you, ma petite fleur. There is nothing to worry your pretty little head with. And know this too, my darling: I don't bite...hard.

[eternalxvenus]

୨⎯ Like a good neighbor, Gojo is there ⎯୧

summary: You've just moved into a fixer-upper in a quaint neighborhood, excited to start building and designing your dream home. Everything's perfect…or would be, if it weren't for that gorgeous but obnoxious Satoru Gojo next door, who you fight with practically every day.

cw: smut 18+, satoru gojo x f!reader, smut, a little fluff, a smidgen of plot if you squint, gojo is annoying, no curses au, gojo is stupidly rich, pet names (baby, sweetheart), oral f!receiving, p in v, light choking, squirting

word count: 1.5k

notes: this is my first time writing smut so pls bear with me… the tile is bc that logo has been stuck in my head all damn day </3, im also debating on making a part 2… and lastly HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!

You woke up to the sound of birds and wind, the sun shining brightly through your uncovered windows. As you stretched your limbs out with a groan trying to fully wake up, you thought about all the things you had to do today.

The clock shown 9:15am. Getting out of bed, the house was warm thanks to the summer morning. After doing your morning routine and eating breakfast you decide that you’re next project for the house will be painting the outside porch railing. You already had the paint, opting for a soft brown color.

Outside the air was warm and almost humid. The half empty coffee cup rested on the small table you had out there. Your clothes were already stained and rugged from previous projects done on the house. You picked up a paintbrush and promptly started on the porch.

About an hour or so later you were still painting, a light sheen in your forehead as you hummed a song stuck in your head. This was the peace you were looking for.

“Heyyy Y/N, how’s your morning going?” You roll your eyes, recognizing the all to chipper voice. Your neighbor Satoru Gojo. He was the most non-peaceful thing about the entire neighborhood. You tried to ignore him, but of course he was already making his way over. “I said good morning, what’s wrong too tired to speak?” he inquired.

A loud huff leaves your mouth. “No Gojo. I just don’t want to speak. To you at least.”

“Ah don’t be like that. I know what’s got you in a sour mood. It’s that ugly paint color isn’t it? Looks like shit— literally.”

“Gojo please do not come over here starting nonsense. It’s a pretty neutral brown. Now go away and leave me be.” You pick up the paint can and move to the next part of the porch. Gojo watches you lazily as you move about. He’s uncharacteristically silent and you almost forget that he’s even there. Glancing up to give him a look that says ‘What?’

With a no good smile on his face he says “Have lunch with me Y/N. Take a break and i’ll make us something good.”

You thought about declining but you were really hungry. As if on command your stomach growled rather loudly. “What’s the catch? You berate all my artistic choices thus far?” you deadpan.

With a hand over his chest in mock offense Gojo replies saying, “I would never!” He starts walking over to his house beckoning you to follow. “C’mon i’ll make us some sandwich wraps.”

You follow Gojo into his house and i soon as you step inside you see the stark contrast the inside has compared to the outside. Everything looks modern and sleek.

Gojo clears his throat before speaking. “Have a seat wherever. I’ll get started on the wraps.” You give a brief nod, walking into his living room to get a closer look at the decor. Fifteen minutes later, Gojo walks in empty handed.

“I put the wraps in the fridge. I usually let them sit in there about 10-15 minutes before eating so they have a better crunch and don’t get as soggy.” He plopped down on the couch stretching out his arms and legs. His eyes kept moving down to your ass as you walked around. “Come sit and let’s talk.”

You sit down next to him, making sure to leave a good amount of space between you both, before he scoots you closer by the hips.

“You know, I’ve never had such a pretty neighbor before…” Gojo’s voice is smooth and filled with seduction. Your heartbeat picks up as he places a hand on your thigh squeezing lightly.

“Gojo… what are you doing?” You ask in a breathy voice. His touch had an effect on you and you hated it. The last thing he needed was an ego boost.

“Oh come on Y/N, why do you think i’m always coming to bother you? I needed an excuse to see your pretty face.” He lowered his head to place light kisses along your jaw and neck. You moved your head to the side to give him better access. It couldn’t hurt to have a little fun…

Gojo moves from your neck and looks into your eyes. You see the dark lustful look in them before he pulls you in for a heated and bruising kiss. It’s all tongue and teeth, both of you barely stopping to get any air. You can feel the heat and arousal rushing through your body as he pulls you into his lap. Lifting his hips up slightly you can feel that he’s already hard and definitely not small. You break the kiss to pull off your shirt and Gojo nearly rips off your bra before taking one of your hard nipples into his mouth while working the other between his fingers. “Ah… Gojo-”

“Satoru” he says breathing heavily and looking into your eyes. “Please call me Satoru.”

“Satoru… don’t tease.” you nearly whine.

“Fuck… i need to taste you.” Without missing a beat Gojo lays you down on the couch, making quick work of getting your jeans and panties off. “You’re so wet, this all for me?” his lips formed that cocky smirk. “Shut up and do something.” you say squirming. He grabs your hips to still you then lowers his head to taste your arousal. “You taste better than I could’ve imagined… so fucking sweet.” He goes straight into it, sucking your clit into his mouth and teasing your hole with his tongue like he’s starved. Your hands immediately find purchase in his hair. You tug slightly making Gojo moan which only adds to the knot that’s already forming in your stomach.

You try to lift your hips but he has you in an iron grip. Heavy pants and moans slip past your lips as you feel that familiar sensation or your orgasm. “Ah! Sa-satoru! Fuck i’m gonna cum!” he continues working his tongue on your clit as he inserts two of his long fingers inside of you, curling them to hit that spot that has you seeing stars. Gojo eagerly licks and sucks all that you’re offering as you slowly start to come down from your high. He kisses your thighs and slowly makes his way up to your face. “I could eat you out all day” he breathes out. “But right now I wanna be inside you.”

You watch as he takes off his pants, seeing the wet patch on his boxers from his precum. After removing the rest of his clothing he now rests in between your legs, stroking himself as he rubs his tip against your clit. You buck your hips trying to get more friction but Gojo won’t budge. “Tell me what you want.” he whispers aligning himself with your entrance. “Satoru just fuck me please!” You say impatiently. The only warning you have is Gojo saying “If you say so.” before sliding his cock in until he bottomed out.

He threw his head back with a groan. “Shiiiit baby you’re so fucking tight.” He gave you a moment to adjust then started fucking you at an almost inhuman pace. All you could do was moan not able to form anything coherent. You felt Gojo’s hand come to your neck and squeeze just enough to heighten the force of his thrust. “You take me so well… this slutty pussy just keeps sucking me in.” His free hand slipped down to rub harsh circles on your clit causing you to practically scream. “Satoru! Too much!”

“You can take it baby i’m almost there. I want you to cum for me.”

Gojo keeps up his unrelenting pace and overstimulates your clit. You can feel him throbbing inside of you as his thrusts start to stagger and get sloppy signaling he was close. “Fuck baby I’m gonna cum… gonna cum all over those pretty tits.”

“Please Satoru! Feels so good… fucking cumming ah!” You feel a gush of warm liquid between your legs just as Gojo pulls out whimpering while spilling his cum all over your stomach. “F-fucking shit! Fuck baby…” you both lay there panting as Gojo gives you small feathery kisses. After a minute or two he gets up to grab a towel to clean you up with. He’s back in his boxers and had one of his shirts for you to wear. You blush taking it with a small “Thank you.”

Once you’ve sat up and slipped on the shirt you notice the wet spot staining the couch. “Shit… sorry about your couch Satoru. I’ll give you the money to replace it.”

Gojo laughs at your concern for his couch. “Don’t worry about it sweetheart.” He moves you both over to a the other side of the couch that isn’t ruined. “No really i’ll replace it, how much was it?” He mumbles something that you don’t understand. “What?”

“$3,600.”

You stare at him in shock. “Satoru what the hell!” He dismisses your shock with a wave of his hand and lays you both down. “I told you don’t worry about it. Right now just lay here with me.” Just as you both got comfortable and closed your eyes, your stomach growls loudly.

“I guess now would be a good time to get those sandwiches.” Gojo laughs.

likes, comments, and reblogs are greatly appreciated!

[gloomwitchwrites]

*stumbles breathless through your door*

I SAW YOU'RE ASKING FOR STORY REQUESTS!!

*fixes the Caps button*

Sowwy!!

Anyway!!

Please can I ask for:

1. Lord of the Rings

2. Bathing (innocent)

3. Thranduil

4. I leave free hand to you. Just some nice relaxing bath with his love (can he his new queen or soon to be) some pampering with hair and skin care, something along those lines. Fem!elf!reader if I may ask that!

xoxo Firelight

That entrance into my ask box is a solid 10/10. No notes. Just perfect.

Technically, I’m not taking story requests, but I am taking headcanon requests for all the fandoms I write for. So, this will fall into the “what are Thranduil’s bathing habits” realm. So like, what he does alone and with a partner. But it’s obviously on the innocent/fluffy/romantic side of things.

Personally, I’m all about a soft Thranduil who knows how to pamper himself and his partner. I've kept this one on the gender neutral side.

Word Count: 585

1k Follower Event Rules

ao3 // taglist // 1k follower event masterlist // main masterlist

Thranduil’s bathing habits when he’s alone:

A bath is Thranduil’s reset. There is no one that attends him during this time. It’s a chance for him to slow down and to let go of the pressures of the day. When I mean that no one attends him, I mean no one. It is he that fills the tub with water. Not one of his subjects. Thranduil uses that time to disconnect and to think only of the task at hand. He is always making choices, giving orders, and overseeing the wellbeing of all. Filling the bath is a moment of peace. There are no responsibilities here.

Thranduil soaks before he scrubs or washes his hair. He will close his eyes, tip his head back, and rest. This could take a few minutes or even ten before he opens his eyes again and begins the process of lathering up some soap.

Thranduil washes his body first before his hair. The soaps and scrubs he uses are always made from ingredients that are found within the Woodland Realm. He is resourceful in that regard. That same goes for his hair. Anything and everything are sourced from the forest, if possible.

Thranduil reads in the bath (if it’s just him).

Usually doesn’t eat but might have a snack. There will always be wine. That’s nonnegotiable.

Doesn’t remove himself from the tub until the water has gone cold. He likes to stay in as long as possible.

Loves a warm towel afterward.

Thranduil’s bathing habits when he’s with a partner:

Similar to how he draws the bath from himself, Thranduil will do the same for his partner. It’s an act of service, but also a way he shows affection. He wants to do it, and he always makes sure to have it done before they can arrive to bathe themselves. He might seek help from an attendant to prepare other items like candles or fetching wine and food, but Thranduil likes to do most of it himself.

Because of who he is and all the things he must do in a day, a bath is his time to reconnect with his partner. During this time, they are alone, and are unlikely to be interrupted. Truly, this is the only time for Thranduil to spend time with his partner since most of his day is spent taking care of his people.

Whoever Thranduil is with, they are not to lift a finger. This is about them, not him, and he goes to great lengths to make that happen. His favorite thing to do is recline in the tub with his partner leaning against him. This way, Thanduil can cuddle them but also take care of them. It’s the best position to wash their body and their hair.

He is prone to gentle touches, almost an absent-minded sort of motion. He does it without having to think about it. Skin against skin is usually what he needs and not in the physical sense of need. Connection is more important here.

Thranduil enjoys conversation but it is not a requirement. Sometimes just being in each other’s presence is enough.

Thranduil will not allow his partner to do anything for themselves while in the bath. Won’t get angry about it but he might have a twinge of attitude if they keep resisting. Thranduil just wants to take care of them.

Will make sure his partner removes themselves from the bath before they grow cold.

Thranduil will insist on drying them himself.

taglist:

@foxxy-126 @glassgulls @km-ffluv @sweetbutpsychobutsweet @singleteapot

@firelightinferno @glitterypirateduck @tiredmetalenthusiast @protosslady @childofyuggoth

@miaraei @coffeecaketornado @cherryofdeath @therealbloom @ninman82

@thewulf @ferns-fics @beebeechaos

[ducktoo]

Syncing Dream [Aespa x M!Reader]

10. Day off becomes show off

Note: hope you know how to fight

Masterlist here

(Side note: i fcking love this gundam armoured aespa fr)

The morning sunlight filtered through the blinds, casting a warm glow over the dorm as Y/n checked his phone. As usual, his mind was prepped for the day’s chaotic schedule, expecting back-to-back appointments, rehearsals, and meetings. But as he scrolled through the group’s calendar, something strange caught his eye.

No rehearsals. No interviews. No photoshoots.

A day off?

Y/n blinked. It had been ages since they’d had a full, unscheduled day since MAMA, and for a moment, he didn’t believe it. After double-checking to make sure he wasn’t missing anything, a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

This was the perfect opportunity to give the girls a break—away from the stress and cameras.

Throwing on a hoodie, he knocked on each dorm room door, rousing the group from their sleep.

“Wake up, everyone! I’ve got something planned.”

Giselle was the first to emerge, hair sticking out in all directions, still wrapped in her blanket. She rubbed her eyes groggily. “Is it breakfast? Tell me you made pancakes…”

Y/n chuckled. “Not quite. But get ready. We’re going to the park. I made a lunch basket for us.”

The reaction from the rest of the members was similar—confused but intrigued. Winter poked her head out from her room, eyes half-closed. “A park? What are we, in a drama? And why is it sound romantic” She yawned loudly.

Karina followed suit, still looking half-asleep. “A park sounds… nice, I guess?”

“Hey, we can't just stay indoors when the sky is this nice.” Y/n grinned, clapping his hands together. “Now, let’s get moving.”

An hour later, the group found themselves standing at the entrance of a quaint city park. It wasn’t grand or flashy, just a small, peaceful spot nestled away from the usual bustling city life. A winding path led to a pond, ducks paddling lazily in the water, and a few bicycles stood nearby, available for rent.

“A park, really?” Winter raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. “This was your big plan?”

Giselle stretched, taking in the scene. “I’m not complaining. It’s nice to have some quiet time.”

Y/n held up a tote bag filled with snacks. “Look, we’ve been running around nonstop for weeks. A relaxing day in the sun will do us all some good.”

Karina eyed him suspiciously. “What kind of snacks?”

Y/n smirked, pulling out bags of sandwiches. “The good kind.”

That seemed to do the trick. With renewed enthusiasm, the girls grabbed a few bikes from the rental stand, gearing up for a leisurely ride along the park’s paths. Y/n followed, feeling confident this would be a simple, peaceful day.

Well, until Ningning almost ran over a duck.

“Watch it!” Y/n called out as the youngest member veered off course, narrowly avoiding the waddling creature.

“I swear these bikes are taller than I remember!” Ningning complained, trying to steady herself. “Or maybe I’ve gotten shorter?”

Meanwhile, Karina wobbled dangerously as she tried to pedal forward, clearly struggling. “I think I forgot how to ride one of these things…”

Before Y/n could offer help, he was too busy dealing with his own issues. As soon as he pushed off, his bike’s front wheel jerked violently to the side, and he lost his balance, crashing into a nearby bush. The sound of his spectacular wipeout echoed through the park, causing an eruption of laughter from the girls.

“Nice strike, Y/n!” Giselle called out, barely able to contain her giggles. “You’re really setting a great example for us!”

Y/n groaned as he disentangled himself from the bush. “Okay, fine. Maybe I suck.”

It took a few minutes—and a lot more laughter—but eventually, they all managed to get moving smoothly. The group cycled leisurely along the park’s paths, the fresh air and rare freedom lifting their spirits. Despite the shaky start, the atmosphere was light and carefree.

At one point, Giselle and Winter challenged each other to a race, leaving the others trailing behind. Y/n, never one to back down, joined in—only to accidentally steer himself and Giselle straight into a patch of tall grass, much to the amusement of Karina and Ningning, who were practically in tears laughing.

“Maybe stick to managing, Y/n,” Karina teased as he pulled his bike free from the grass.

“So mean, Jimin” Y/n grumbled, but he couldn’t help grinning. “I’m just warming up.”

After a while, they parked their bikes near the duck pond and wandered over to feed the ducks. Y/n handed out snacks, though he wasn’t entirely sure feeding crackers to ducks was the right move.

Karina tossed a few pieces into the water, watching as the ducks swam around, fighting over the crumbs. “You’re supposed to give them bread, right?”

“I think we’re not supposed to give them anything, actually,” Y/n replied, scratching his head. “But... they seem happy enough.”

"Yea, they're the presences of their own kind." Winter joked. "Idiots…"

"I heard that, crybaby."

The group spent a good portion of time by the pond, laughing at the antics of the ducks. One particularly clumsy duck kept missing the food, prompting Ningning to point and say, “That one reminds me of Y/n.”

"See? I told you Ning." Winter chimed in, clearly amused by the comparison.

Y/n rolled his eyes, though he couldn’t stop smiling. For the first time in a while, it felt like they could just be themselves, without the constant pressure of schedules, rehearsals, or fans.

Well, except for one fan.

His eyes landed on a figure standing not too far away, partially hidden behind a tree. The person was wearing a hoodie, the hood pulled up over their face. It could’ve been anyone—a park visitor, maybe—but the way they lingered, half-concealed, raised alarm bells.

Y/n’s stomach tightened. He’d seen this kind of behaviour before. Sasaeng.

“Everything okay?” Karina asked, noticing his shift in demeanour.

Y/n kept his voice low, not wanting to alarm the rest of the group. “Don't wanna scare you, but there’s someone following us. Don’t look, he’s at 5 o’clock ”

Karina’s expression darkened. “Sasaeng?”

“Probably,” he confirmed, his eyes never leaving the figure.

Karina let out a frustrated sigh, clearly fed up with the constant intrusion on their privacy. “Can’t we just have one day? Just one?”

Y/n nodded grimly. “Unfortunately, no. But I’m going to check on him.”

Karina hesitated. “Be careful. Some sasaengs... they don’t exactly handle being confronted well.”

Y/n glanced over his shoulder, noticing that the figure had gotten closer. It was now or never. “Ehhh..I’ll be fine. Just stay here with the girls.”

As he approached the sasaeng, his heart raced, but he kept his voice calm and steady. “Hey, my guy, can I help you with something?”

The figure stiffened but didn’t move. Up close, Y/n could see they were holding a phone, angled just enough to capture footage of the group from a distance.

“I’m just a fan,” the person mumbled, their voice muffled under the hood. “I’m not doing anything wrong.”

Y/n clenched his jaw. He didn’t want to escalate the situation, but he also couldn’t let this slide. “Hey hey hey, I understand you’re a fan, and that’s fine. But right now, the girls are trying to enjoy some time off. This is their personal space. Please respect that.”

The sasaeng’s eyes flashed with something Y/n couldn’t quite place—frustration? Defiance? Either way, they didn’t budge. “I’m not leaving. I just want to see them.”

Y/n’s patience was running thin. “I understand, but they just want a breather from the public for today. Please don’t make this a bigger deal than it needs to be.”

The tension hung thick in the air, and for a moment, Y/n wasn’t sure if the sasaeng was going to back down. But then, with a huff of annoyance, they turned and started walking away, though Y/n couldn’t shake the feeling that they weren’t done.

He returned to the girls, who had been watching the whole exchange from a distance. Karina must've told them.

“Did they leave?” Giselle asked quietly.

“For now,” Y/n replied, though his gut told him this wouldn’t be the last time they saw that particular fan.

Winter’s expression softened. “You handled that well, you know.”

Y/n shrugged, trying to play it off. “Part of the job.”

When the fun resumed, Ningning was busy trying to feed a particularly stubborn duck while Giselle and Karina lounged on the grass, seemingly forgetting tension that had just passed.

“You good?” Karina asked, her tone casual, though Y/n could tell she was watching him closely. "You've been tense since that happened."

“Yeah,” Y/n nodded, giving her a reassuring smile. “Everything’s fine.”

But as the day went on, Y/n couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that they were being watched. Every now and then, he’d glance over his shoulder, half-expecting to see the sasaeng again.

It wasn’t until they were packing up to leave that he caught another glimpse—this time, from a different part of the park. The same hooded figure, lurking in the shadows, watching them.

Y/n’s stomach twisted. That guy hadn’t left.

As they piled into the van, he made a mental note to stay vigilant. Today had been fun, but he knew the peaceful days were always short-lived when it came to protecting the girls.

As the van pulled away, Karina, sitting next to him, gave him a sideways glance. “You think we’re safe?”

Y/n forced a smile. “We’re always safe... as long as I’m around.”

"Damn, Oppa is confident now." Ningning teased.

"That's how I blitz through things, Ning-ah."

But deep down, he knew things were getting more complicated. Being their manager was more than just keeping track of schedules and rehearsals. He had to protect them, even on their days off.

And something told him that this wouldn’t be the last time he’d face off with that sasaeng.

-

The fan meet was supposed to be the highlight of the week—one of those heartwarming moments where aespa could connect directly with their fans.

However, things were rarely so simple for Y/n.

The chaos of his daily life as the group’s manager had become his new normal, but today was different. He could feel it in the pit of his stomach, a gnawing anxiety he couldn’t quite shake.

It wasn’t just the usual nerves, either. Ever since the incident at the park with the sasaeng, Y/n had been on high alert, his senses sharper than ever. Though the obsessive fan hadn’t made a direct reappearance, there were subtle signs—cryptic messages left on social media, strange accounts following aespa’s every move, and more importantly, a lingering presence. Y/n knew they hadn’t been forgotten.

It already has issued into SM, but Y/n was still definitely on high alert.

Still, today was about the fans. The usual logistics of organizing a fan meet were challenging enough, but this time, Y/n had to be even more vigilant. He’d personally gone through each gift from the fans, carefully making sure there were no suspicious items. Everything seemed to be in order, and the meet was progressing smoothly.

The girls were laughing, chatting with their fans, and signing albums while cameras flashed, capturing every moment. Y/n was supposed to be standing off to the side, handling minor hiccups as they came. But the real trouble began when the gifts started piling up backstage.

“Y/n, can you help me move these?” one of the staff members called out, struggling with a box of gifts that had been left near the entrance. Y/n nodded, quickly setting aside his tablet and running to help.

The problem? He hadn’t exactly been paying attention to where the gifts were being taken.

Somewhere between moving boxes and juggling event logistics, Y/n realised he had lost track of the pile of fan gifts meant to be distributed to aespa later. By the time the fan meet was in full swing, fans were asking about their gifts, only for Y/n to feel a rising sense of panic as he scanned the backstage area, the gifts nowhere in sight.

“Where are they?” he muttered to himself, running his hands through his hair in frustration.

Giselle, noticing his distress, sidled up to him with a teasing grin. “Lost something, Y/n?”

"…maybe?"

"Oh." Giselle replied nonchalantly. "Surely not the fan gift right?"

He sighed heavily, rubbing the back of his neck. “I may or may not have misplaced the gifts... all of them.”

Giselle let out a snort of laughter, causing Ningning, who was standing nearby, to join in. “Seriously? All of them? Haven't seen you messed up majorly for a while.”

Y/n groaned. “Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. But this is bad. The fans are going to freak out.”

Ningning shook her head, still giggling. “Don’t worry about it. Fans love sitcoms—it’s relatable. They’ll probably get a kick out of it. You know, seeing their gifts disappear into the void, never to return.”

Y/n managed a weak smile, appreciating their attempts to lighten the mood. “You’re probably right. Still... this is not my best image yet.”

The girls, seeing how genuinely stressed he was, huddled around him in support. “Don’t sweat it,” Karina said, giving him a reassuring nudge. “We’ve dealt with worse. Besides, the fans are here to see us, not obsess over some missing gifts.”

"Confident much?"

"Someone did say that's how he blitz through life." Karina mocked. "Now I thought about it, it was you, Y/n"

He appreciated their positivity, but the uneasy feeling in his chest refused to go away. The gifts were one thing, but his gut told him that something far more sinister was on the horizon.

As the fan meet began to wind down, Y/n made his rounds, keeping a watchful eye on the crowd. Most of the fans were energetic and cheerful, thrilled to be interacting with aespa, but he couldn’t help scanning for any suspicious faces.

That’s when he saw the guy.

Near the back of the room, hidden among a cluster of fans, was the same hooded figure from the park. His blood ran cold. It was the sasaeng, and they hadn’t come empty-handed.

"Guards on standby, we got a Code S." Y/n talked over the radio. "Please don’t cause a scene and find him."

Without causing a scene, Y/n subtly moved closer, positioning himself between the sasaeng and the girls. As he did, he noticed something glinting under the sleeve of the sasaeng’s hoodie—a knife.

His heart skipped a beat, and the world seemed to slow down. This is it.

Y/n had been trained for situations like this (he said trained, but he only had a taekwondo certificate a while ago), but nothing could truly prepare him for the moment it actually happened. He quickly scanned the area, assessing his options. Security wasn’t close enough to intervene immediately, and he didn’t want to alarm the fans or the group.

With a deep breath, Y/n locked eyes with the sasaeng. “Hey, you, nice seeing you again,” he called out, his voice steady but firm. “I need to talk to you.”

The sasaeng’s eyes darted to Y/n, and for a split second, Y/n saw it—the sheer obsession, the dangerous mix of admiration and delusion. The sasaeng clutched the knife tighter, their knuckles white.

"Ah fcking damn it…" Y/n muttered.

There was no time to wait for backup.

Y/n lunged forward, grabbing the sasaeng by the arm. The fan reacted immediately, swinging the knife wildly in his direction. He narrowly dodged the blade, adrenaline coursing through his veins as he wrestled the weapon from their grasp. The crowd hadn’t yet noticed the struggle, too focused on aespa.

The sasaeng fought back, landing a punch to Y/n’s side, but he didn’t let go. He managed to twist the fan’s arm behind their back, forcing the knife to clatter to the ground. Finally, security rushed in, pulling the sasaeng away and detaining them.

Panting, Y/n stood there, clutching his side, still trying to process what had just happened. The girls had noticed by now, their faces pale with shock. Ningning and Giselle were the first to rush over.

“Oppa! Are you okay?” Ningning asked, her eyes wide with concern.

Y/n nodded, swallowing hard. “Yeah... yeah, still alive.”

The fan meet was quickly wrapped up after that, with security escorting the sasaeng out and the remaining fans ushered toward the exits. The event had been going so well until that moment, and the sudden chaos left everyone rattled.

Later, in the safety of their van, the girls were silent, the weight of what had happened hanging in the air. Winter was whimpering after her intense bawling from worrying about her childhood friend. Y/n could just only chuckle at his adorable best friend.

“You saved us,” Karina finally said, her voice quiet but full of gratitude. “That could’ve been so much worse if you hadn’t been there.”

Y/n shook his head, still processing everything. “I was just doing my job.”

But the gravity of what he’d done wasn’t lost on anyone, least of all him.

-

The next day, Y/n rolled out of bed with a groan. His body still ached from the scuffle with the sasaeng, and while he wasn’t one to complain, the dull throb in his side was a constant reminder of yesterday’s chaos. He stretched, wincing slightly, before getting ready for the day.

Today was supposed to be business as usual—another trip to the SM building for rehearsals and meetings—but nothing about this day felt normal. After all, it wasn’t every day that you made headlines for tackling an obsessed fan. And while Y/n wasn’t exactly thrilled about the attention, he knew it was inevitable. He’d been in the industry long enough to know how fast news spread, especially when it involved something as dramatic as a knife-wielding sasaeng.

When he met up with the girls during breakfast in the living area, they were already buzzing with energy. Kind of wild that they moved on from the incident that quickly.

Ningning grinned at him, clearly enjoying the spotlight this incident had brought to their usually quiet manager.

“Ready for your big day, supernova?” she teased, nudging him as they walked toward the van.

Y/n shot her a look, shaking his head. “Please, no, Ning. Can we not make a big deal out of this?”

“Too late,” Giselle piped up from behind, her voice full of amusement. “The whole building’s probably talking about you right now. Yunjin and Somi is gushing in the gc at the moment.”

As much as Y/n wanted to protest, he knew she was right. Ever since the news broke, he’d been flooded with messages—both from fans and people in the industry. It was surreal, really. He’d never expected to be at the centre of attention, especially not for something like this.

When they arrived at the SM building, the atmosphere was different. Usually, the bustling halls were full of staff going about their daily business, but today, there was an undeniable buzz in the air.

As soon as they stepped inside, heads turned. The receptionist, who usually gave them a polite nod, smiled broadly at Y/n, her eyes twinkling with admiration. “Good morning, hero,” she greeted him, her tone playful.

Y/n blushed, ducking his head awkwardly. “Morning…"

The teasing only got worse as they moved through the building. Other managers, particularly Minji and Joon, came up to him, clapping him on the back and offering words of congratulations.

“Hey, Y/n! Saw the news—man, that was some serious balls. How are you feeling?”Joon asked, giving him a firm pat on the shoulder.

“I’m fine,” Y/n mumbled, trying to downplay it. “Just... doing my job.”

“Doing your job?” Minji laughed. “You tackled a guy with a knife! I’d say that’s a bit more than your typical day’s work.”

Before Y/n could respond, a familiar voice called out from behind him. “There he is—the man, the myth, the legend!”

Y/n turned to see Taeyong and Mark from NCT walking toward him, grinning from ear to ear. Taeyong immediately pulled him into a friendly hug, his eyes twinkling with pride. “We saw what happened, Y/n. That was insane. Are you sure you’re not secretly an action movie star or something?”

Mark nodded enthusiastically, his smile wide. “Dude, you’re like the coolest manager now. Everyone’s talking about how you saved the day.”

Y/n’s face flushed with embarrassment. “I secretly invested my stats in strength.”

But the teasing didn’t stop there. As they made their way up to the practice rooms, other idols—some Y/n had trained with back in the day—came up to him with wide grins and playful jabs. It was overwhelming, to say the least.

The final straw came when they passed by one of the SM rookies who was clearly too shy to approach him directly. The young trainee whispered to their friend, their eyes wide with awe as they looked at Y/n. “Is that him? The manager who stopped the sasaeng? He looks so cool...”

Y/n sighed, shaking his head as the girls stifled their laughter. He could feel the heat rising in his cheeks, but there was no escaping it. He had become the talk of the building, whether he liked it or not.

By the time they reached the practice room, Y/n was ready to crawl into a hole and hide. But the girls, ever perceptive, noticed how uncomfortable he was and rallied around him.

“Look,” Karina said, giving him a rare smile, “you might hate the attention, but we’re really grateful for what you did. That was seriously brave.”

“Yeah,” Winter added, her voice soft but sincere. “You're maybe an idiot, but you were genuinely cool back there.”

Ningning, of course, couldn’t resist adding her own playful twist. “Plus, now you’re famous! Maybe you’ll get your own fanbase.”

Y/n groaned, burying his face in his hands. “Please, no fanbase. That’s the last thing I need.”

But despite his protests, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride. The girls’ words meant more to him than any praise from strangers. They were the ones he had sworn to protect, after all.

As they settled into their rehearsal, Y/n leaned back against the wall, watching the group with a small smile. The chaos of the past few days had been overwhelming, but it had also solidified his place in their lives. He wasn’t just their manager anymore—he was part of their family.

Just as he thought things had finally calmed down, the door to the practice room burst open, and Seulgi from Red Velvet, his bias, poked her head in. “Ya, Y/n! Heard you’re the building’s new hero! When’s the movie adaptation coming out?”

"Seulgi-noona, not you too…"

The girls burst into laughter as Y/n groaned again, knowing he’d never live this down.

But deep down, he didn’t mind. He faced down a knife-wielding sasaeng, after all. He could handle a bit of teasing.

[levisolace]

[10] Expendable Hearts (Levi x F!Reader)

Chapter 10: Friends?

WC: 7,826 Chapter Warnings: none not even angst lol Summary: Everyone in Levi's life knows he only ever dated one girl and that she left him wrecked, bitter, and heartbroken. Many years later, she's back in his life and he doesn't know what to do. Note: unedited i just wrote and skimmed through the whole thing SORRY

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You stirred slightly, caught between the haze of sleep and wakefulness. Warmth surrounded you, and your cheek was pressed against something solid. A steady, rhythmic sound filled your ears—Levi’s heartbeat.

It wasn’t until your hand shifted against his side that realization hit. Your arm was draped across him, your body curled into his. You froze. His arm is also draped over your back, hand resting on your shoulder, vaguely reminding you of how he held you from the back last night.

Levi’s breathing was slow and even, his chest rising and falling beneath your palm. He was still asleep, his face relaxed in a way you rarely saw. His brows, which were almost always furrowed, were smooth. His lips, slightly parted, showed none of the sharp remarks or dry humor you were used to.

You wanted to move—needed to—but your body betrayed you, unwilling to disturb the rare moment of peace. Levi looked genuinely asleep, which was rare. So instead, you lingered, your mind racing. It felt so natural, so familiar, and yet… it wasn’t.

The spell broke when a sudden weight landed on the bed, startling both of you.

Levi grunted, his brows knitting as his eyes flickered open.

Before you could so much as untangle yourself, Earl, your adorably sassy cat, pounced directly onto Levi’s chest, his tail whipping against your face.

“What the—” Levi’s voice was rough, his expression dazed as Earl began sniffing his face, completely unbothered by the chaos he’d caused.

“Earl!” you hissed, finally pulling yourself away from Levi, your face burning. You grabbed the cat, holding him up in front of you like a misbehaving child. “Really?” 

The black cat hangs in the air, swaying slightly in your hands, completely unmoved by your scolding. In honesty, you were thankful for the cat getting you out on what was supposed to be an awkward situation of waking up.

Good job, Earl. You thought. 

Levi sat up, raking a hand through his mussed hair, his silver eyes narrowing at Earl. You had to look away from him, hoping he didn’t notice your eyes shifting quickly from his sexily messy hair and toned arms that’s fighting peeking through the sleeve of your shirt that shifted down when he ran his hand through his hair. 

“Is he always this… invasive?”

You couldn’t help but laugh, setting Earl on your lap. “He’s just excited to eat. He likes to make sure everyone knows who’s in charge around here.”

Earl, as if to emphasize your point, let out a demanding meow before jumping off the bed and trotting out the bedroom, clearly demanding breakfast.

Levi sighed, standing and stretching, the hem of his shirt lifting slightly as he did. “Might as well feed him before he gets ideas.”

“Sorry about that,” you said sheepishly, moving to follow him.

Levi glanced at you, his tone dry but not unkind. “Waking up to your cat attacking me is definitely a first.”

You laughed again, grateful for Earl’s impeccable timing. Whatever awkwardness lingered from the moment before was replaced by a quiet, easy rhythm as the two of you prepared yourself for breakfast. 

After the two of you are done with your morning routine, which thankfully you have a spare toothbrush for Levi, the both of you headed to the kitchen. You brought out Earl’s food, laid them out on the counter and opened the fridge, eyes shifting to Levi who quietly followed you to the kitchen.

“Can you feed him while I make breakfast?” you ask, eyes hopeful.

Levi stood in the kitchen, arms crossed, giving Earl a scrutinizing look as the cat meowed expectantly by his food bowl.

“Alright,” he muttered, reaching for the bag of cat food on the counter. “What’s the serving size for this tiny menace?”

“Two scoops,” you said over your shoulder as you pulled out a carton of eggs.

Levi measured out the food with precision, his movements sharp and efficient, as though he were handling something far more serious than feeding a cat. Earl, meanwhile, paced in impatient circles, tail flicking as he let out tiny, demanding meows.

“Pushy, aren’t you?” Levi remarked dryly, crouching to set the bowl down. Earl immediately dove in, devouring the food like he hadn’t eaten in days.

You chuckled from the stove. “He’s got a big personality. Much like someone I know.”

Levi straightened, ignoring your comment and brushing his hands together as he leaned against the counter, watching you work. “Didn’t think I’d be running errands for a cat this morning,” he said, his tone teasing but light.

“Consider it your rent for staying over,” you quipped, cracking an egg into the pan.

He raised a brow, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “So I get breakfast and a deal on rent? Generous of you.”

You grinned but didn’t reply, focusing on flipping the eggs. The kitchen is filled with the soft sizzle of butter, the smell of toast warming in the toaster, and the quiet hum of your coffee maker brewing fresh coffee while you told Levi to make his own tea that he found on your cupboard. Well, not before voicing out 

“Why does this can of tea have dents on it?” He asked, amused and holding up the can that you bought when you first saw Moblit. Your cheeks flushed, embarrassed at the thought coming back. 

Levi didn’t say much as he moved around the kitchen, tidying up stray items as though it was second nature. He wiped the counter, straightened a dish towel, even refilled Earl’s water bowl when he noticed it wasn’t full. It was kind of funny that you had to say something.

“Do you ever sit still?” you asked, glancing at him from the stove.

“I do,” he replied, his smirk deepening. “Just not when there’s chaos around.”

“It’s not chaos,” you protested, gesturing vaguely around the kitchen.

He gave a small shrug, though his expression softened slightly. “If you say so.”

A comfortable silence settled between you. Levi poured your cup of coffee while you plated breakfast, the two of you moving in sync despite the tight space.

When you finally set the plates down on the table, Levi handed you the cup of coffee, his eyes flicking briefly to yours. “Not bad teamwork.”

You smiled, sitting down across from him. “Earl’s happy, and breakfast’s ready. I’d call that a win.”

Levi gave a soft hum of agreement, picking up his fork. For a moment, it felt easy—like you were two people simply sharing a quiet morning together. It’s like you two were actually friends.

When the two of you were done eating and after winning over Levi as he insisted on washing the dishes by basically having to push Levi out of the kitchen, you place the last of the breakfast dishes in the sink, wiping your hands on a towel as you glance at Levi. He’s still seated at your tiny kitchen table, tea cup in hand, looking unusually relaxed for someone who had a night like his. Earl brushes past his legs before hopping onto the counter, and Levi glares at the cat briefly before returning to his tea.

“So,” you begin, leaning against the counter, “Hange and Moblit’s wedding is coming up. Do you have your gift figured out yet?”

Levi takes a slow sip, barely acknowledging your question. “No.”

“Really? You’re usually so on top of things,” you tease.

“I don’t waste energy on people’s weddings until I have to.”

You chuckle, crossing your arms. “Fair point. But the gift is important, you know. It’s Hange and Moblit. You can’t just show up empty-handed and scowl in the corner.”

Levi raises an eyebrow. “That wasn’t the plan.”

“Good, because I don’t think Hange would let you live it down,” you quip, walking over to sit across from him. “What are you thinking of getting them, then?”

His gaze shifts to you, expression unreadable. “What do you usually give people who spend their free time terrorizing the streets of Paradis with ‘scientific breakthroughs’?”

You laugh at that, shaking your head. “True. Hange’s one-of-a-kind. Moblit too, honestly, for putting up with her. I guess… something meaningful? Or fun?”

Levi huffs, setting his cup down. “Meaningful. Right. You’re not thinking of one of those ridiculous photo albums, are you?”

“Excuse me?” you say, feigning offense. “Photo albums are sentimental and timeless. Better than, I don’t know, a plain frying pan.”

“High-quality cookware isn’t plain,” Levi replies, deadpan. “It’s practical. They’re starting a household.”

“Oh, please,” you scoff, leaning back in your chair. “You think Hange’s going to care about pots and pans? Are we talking about the same Hange?”

Levi doesn’t reply immediately, but the faintest twitch of his lips betrays him.

“What about you?” he asks after a pause.

“What about me?”

“Do you have a gift in mind?”

You hesitate. “Not really. I’ve been busy. Haven’t had time to think about it.”

Levi leans back, arms folding across his chest. “Then figure it out now. We’ll go pick something out this afternoon.”

You blink, caught off guard. “We?”

“Yeah. You clearly need help.”

“And you don’t?”

Levi shrugs. “I’ll manage. But since we’re both clueless, we might as well waste time together.”

A smile tugs at your lips despite yourself. “Fine. But if you even look at cookware, I’m dragging you out of the store.”

“You can try,” he replies smoothly, finishing the last of his tea.

After a while following the conversation, Levi heads home for a bit, wanting to get a proper change of clothes before heading out to your gift shopping. You also took the time to prepare yourself for the day ahead, showering with all your might, choosing a good casual outfit for half an hour, and putting on proper makeup. 

The early afternoon sun filters through the streets as Levi picks you up from your apartment in his car. 

As you arrive at the center of the city, the marketplace buzzes with energy, shoppers weaving in and out of storefronts, vendors calling out to passersby. It’s a lively scene, a stark contrast to the quiet of your apartment just hours ago.

“Alright,” you say, clutching your bag as you walk beside him. “First stop?”

Levi glances around, his expression unreadable but his pace unhurried. “You’re the one who hasn’t thought of anything yet. Pick a store.”

You roll your eyes. “You’re such a gentleman, truly.”

He doesn’t reply, but the corner of his mouth twitches, and you count that as a victory.

After a few moments of scanning the shops, your eyes land on a boutique with quirky home goods displayed in the window. You grab Levi’s arm without thinking, tugging him toward it.

“This one!”

He stops just short of the door, eyeing the display. “If this is another shop full of useless junk—”

“It’s not junk,” you insist, dragging him inside. “It’s artsy. Hange would love it.”

The interior of the store is as whimsical as its window promised—bright colors, mismatched shelves, and a faint scent of lavender in the air. You immediately start browsing, your eyes flitting over ceramic planters shaped like animals, colorful tapestries, and handmade journals.

Levi follows, his hands in his pockets, clearly unimpressed. “You think they’ll actually use any of this?”

“Hange? Definitely,” you say, picking up a set of oddly shaped wine glasses. “What about these? Functional and fun.”

Levi raises an eyebrow. “They look like they’d break if you breathe on them.”

“Ugh, you’re impossible,” you mutter, setting them down.

As you continue browsing, Levi’s attention is drawn to a small shelf near the back of the store. You glance over, curious, and find him inspecting a sleek, minimalist tea set.

“For Moblit?” you guess, stepping closer.

Levi shrugs, his fingers brushing the edge of the teapot. “He might appreciate it. Keeps him calm when Hange gets… Hange.”

You smile, trying to picture Moblit carefully pouring tea while Hange rambles about her latest experiment. It’s almost too perfect. You also remember how Moblit told you when you first met that it was him who got Hange to actually drink tea. The memory warms your chest, knowing that Moblit is such a good match for your friend.

“I like it,” you say, surprising him. “It’s thoughtful. Let’s keep it in mind and go around one last time.”

He nods, setting the box back down with care as you walk around the store once more to see what else you haven’t spotted.

After deciding that the tea was the best choice, the two of you exit the quirky boutique, armed with a small bag containing the tea set for Moblit and Hange, to be named a gift from Levi. He carries it in one hand, his other tucked neatly into his pocket as he scans the street ahead.

“Alright,” you say, squinting in the sunlight, “one gift down. Now we just need something from me, and something that screams Hange.”

“Nothing screams louder than Hange herself,” Levi mutters, earning a chuckle from you.

As you walk, you glance over at him, curiosity bubbling up. “So… how did Hange and Moblit even happen? He wasn’t around when I left, was he?”

Levi hums, thinking for a moment. “No. Moblit came a little after you left. Fresh out of college, I think. He started working as Hange’s assistant when she was still with that research company.”

“Wait, assistant?” you interrupt, intrigued. “Like, lab assistant?”

“More like someone to keep her from burning the place down,” Levi replies dryly.

You laugh. “Sounds about right.”

Levi continues, his tone casual but laced with a hint of fondness. “They were… chaotic. Moblit was constantly putting out fires, literal and otherwise. But he stuck around. Hange tested his patience in every way possible, and he still showed up every day.”

You nod, smiling at the thought. “So, what, one day they just realized they liked each other?”

Levi shrugs. “Something like that. I didn’t ask for details. One day they were working late nights together; the next, he was the only one who could drag her away from the lab. Took a while, but they figured it out.”

“Sounds like a rom-com,” you muse, hands in your pockets.

Levi glances at you sideways. “Maybe, if your idea of romance includes a lot of yelling and broken glassware.”

“That just adds spice,” you tease, nudging his arm.

He scoffs lightly but doesn’t argue.

As you round a corner, your eyes catch on a brightly lit storefront across the street. The garish neon sign leaves little to the imagination, and your lips curl into a mischievous grin.

“Hey, Levi,” you say, feigning innocence. “What about that place? Think Hange would get a kick out of something from there?”

Levi follows your gaze to the adult shop and stops dead in his tracks. His expression twists into a mix of annoyance and disbelief.

“No,” he says flatly.

“Oh, come on,” you press, barely suppressing your laughter. “It’d be hilarious!”

“Absolutely not.”

“It’s so on-brand for her!” you argue, crossing your arms. 

Levi shakes his head firmly. “You can go in there yourself if you want. I’m not stepping foot in that place.”

“Wow, way to be a team player,” you tease, giving him a playful nudge as the two of you continue walking.

“I’m already regretting this,” he mutters, though you catch the faintest hint of a smirk on his face.

The store bell jingles as you and Levi step inside the eclectic shop, a place so jam-packed with trinkets and oddities that it feels like stepping into Hange’s brain. You take a deep breath, the faint scent of sandalwood incense mixed with dust bringing an odd comfort.

“This might be it,” you say, spinning to face Levi.

He scans the chaotic layout of the shop, shelves stacked precariously with knickknacks and books. “This is it? You dragged me here for this?”

“Oh, don’t start,” you say, giving him a playful glare. “You’ve been way too grumpy for someone having a shopping day with me.”

“I didn’t realize I signed up for chaos,” he mutters, though he trails behind you as you dive into the aisles.

You scan the shelves eagerly, your fingers brushing over odd gadgets, vintage postcards, and bizarrely specific books. Levi stands a step behind, hands shoved into his pockets as he glances around disinterestedly.

“Look at this!” you exclaim, holding up a miniature plasma ball. “Hange would love this! She’d put it on her desk and zap it every time she had an idea.”

“She’d break it within a week,” Levi says, unimpressed.

“True.” You laugh, setting it back down and moving further into the shop.

Levi, seemingly resigned to his fate, picks up an intricately carved paperweight shaped like a hyena. He studies it for a second before showing it to you. “This isn’t terrible.”

You squint at it. “Is that because you think it’s practical, or because it reminds you of Hange?”

He shrugs, putting it back without answering, but the slight quirk of his lips betrays him.

Eventually, you stumble upon a small section of quirky inventions. Your eyes land on a device labeled “All-In-One Enthusiast’s Gadget: Compass, Thermometer, and Laser Pointer.”

“Oh my god,” you whisper, grabbing it off the shelf. “Levi, look at this!”

He leans in to inspect it. “What even is that?”

“Perfection,” you reply dramatically. “Hange could use this for literally everything. Getting lost on one of her field trips? Compass. Want to mess with someone’s cat? Laser pointer. Need to check if it’s too cold for a jacket? Thermometer!”

“Or,” Levi says, taking it from you, “she’ll use it twice and lose it.”

“That’s… also valid.” You laugh. “But isn’t that the fun of it?”

He sets it back down and picks up a hardcover book titled “Wonders of the World: Unexplained Phenomena and Curious Discoveries.” He flips through the pages, his brow furrowing slightly.

“She’d like this,” he says simply.

You peer over his shoulder, nodding. “You’re right. She loves this kind of stuff. Aliens, strange artifacts, ghosts… She’d devour this.”

“Finally,” he mutters, heading toward the counter with the book.

“Wait!” you say, grabbing the gadget and rushing after him. “We’re getting both.”

He gives you a flat look. “You’re impossible.”

“And yet, here you are,” you tease, grinning.

The clerk wraps up the items, commenting on your “unique taste.” Levi pays without hesitation, ignoring your protests.

“You didn’t have to do that,” you say as the two of you step outside.

“Think of it as compensation,” he says dryly. “For dragging me into this circus.”

You nudge him with your shoulder. “You’re too kind, Captain Grumpy.”

As you walk, your attention catches on a wedding display in the window of a boutique. The mannequins are dressed in elegant white and black, surrounded by glittering décor. You slow your pace, drawn to the scene.

“They really went all out,” you murmur, your eyes lingering on the intricate details.

Levi pauses beside you, his gaze following yours. After a moment, he speaks, his tone softer than before. “People are different in relationships.”

You glance at him, surprised by the sudden comment.

“Some change to match their partner,” he continues, his eyes still on the display. “Others… lose themselves trying to keep the other happy.”

Your chest tightens at the subtle weight of his words. You can’t help but wonder if he’s hinting at your past together, though he doesn’t look at you or elaborate further.

“Which one do you think you are?” you ask, your voice almost a whisper.

He turns to you then, his expression unreadable. “Neither.”

You don’t press him, and the two of you walk in silence until you reach another store.

“Well,” you say, forcing a lightness into your tone as you point at the boutique across the street. “Should we pick something up for the honeymoon? I’m sure they’d appreciate something… educational.”

Levi follows your gaze, his eyes landing on the unmistakable neon sign of an adult shop. His response is immediate.

“No.”

“Come on, think of the laughs!” you say, grinning at his deadpan expression.

“I said no.”

You laugh, raising your hands in mock surrender. “Fine, fine. No fun.”

His glare softens as he shakes his head, and for a brief moment, you catch the faintest hint of amusement in his eyes.

“Let’s find something else they won’t want to throw out,” he says, leading the way into the next store.

The day stretches into evening, and the vibrant streets of Stohess hum with life as you and Levi step out of the last shop, your shopping bags rustling. In the end, you settled on also giving them a personalized wooden cutting board with their name carved on the corner and on the sides, “may you be filled with the most powerful form of energy—love.” 

The golden glow of the setting sun bathes everything in a warm hue, and your stomach growls, breaking the momentary quiet.

Levi glances at you. “Hungry?”

You nod sheepishly. “Starving. All this gift-hunting works up an appetite.”

“Yeah, who was the one ridiculing kitchenware this morning only to end up with a cutting board?” Levi teased, earning a glare from you. 

He points down the street toward a cozy-looking restaurant with glowing lanterns strung outside. “Let’s eat there. It’s quiet.”

You glance in the direction he’s pointing, nodding in agreement. “Alright, but I need to grab something first. Go ahead and get us a table—I’ll be quick.”

Levi narrows his eyes slightly, skeptical. “What do you need so urgently?”

“Just some essentials I ran out of at home. It won’t take long, promise,” you reply, already stepping away before he can argue.

He sighs but doesn’t press further. “Don’t make me wait too long.”

As Levi makes his way into the restaurant, you slip down the block to a nearby flower stand you’d spotted earlier. Your eyes wander over the small yet colorful selection until a simple bouquet of blue hyacinths and white orchids catches your attention. They’re elegant and understated, much like the man they’re meant for.

“This one, please,” you tell the vendor.

The vendor, a gentle old woman, smiles. “Nice choice.” 

“Perfect,” you murmur, paying the vendor before hurrying back—well, before stopping by one last store, that is. 

Inside the restaurant, Levi sits at a window-side table, glancing at the menu with his usual calm demeanor. The warm glow of the lanterns outside casts soft light across his face, making him look more relaxed than usual. When you approach, flowers hidden behind your back, his eyes flick up, noting your arrival.

“Took you long enough,” he remarks, his tone laced with mild exasperation.

“I come bearing peace,” you say with a grin, revealing the bouquet.

Levi blinks, momentarily stunned. “Flowers?”

“For you,” you say, setting them gently on the table in front of him. 

He stares at the flowers for a beat before letting out a quiet sigh, though there’s a faint hint of color on his cheeks. “You’re unbelievable.”

“In a good way, I hope,” you tease, sitting down across from him. “Did you know men rarely get flowers?” 

He picks up the bouquet carefully, his fingers brushing against the petals. “I do. And they’re… nice,” he mutters, setting them aside with practiced nonchalance. “Thanks.”

You can’t help but smile at his reaction, knowing he’s not the type to gush over such things. The server arrives, and the two of you place your orders, the warmth of the restaurant and the soft glow of the evening making everything feel a little more intimate.

“So,” Levi begins once the server leaves. “What was so urgent that you had to leave me standing here like an idiot?”

“Already told you—essentials,” you say lightly. “The flowers were just an extra.”

“Hm,” he replies, though his expression softens ever so slightly as he glances at the bouquet again.

The small, cozy restaurant Levi had chosen was warm and inviting, with the scent of freshly baked bread and simmering herbs wafting through the air. The two of you sat by the window, the quiet hum of conversation around you providing a pleasant backdrop.

“You’re predictable, you know,” you tease as Levi scans the menu.

His eyes flick up to meet yours. “How so?”

“Always going for the places with minimal crowds and simple menus,” you reply, gesturing around the understated interior.

“Simple is better,” he says matter-of-factly. “Less room for error.”

You roll your eyes, grinning. “Right, because a chaotic place would just ruin your whole day.”

“Exactly,” he deadpans, but the faintest twitch of his lips gives him away.

The server arrives, and after placing your orders, you lean back in your seat, folding your arms. “So, do you ever relax, or is this just a lifelong state of being?”

Levi raises an eyebrow. “I’m here, aren’t I?”

“Fair point,” you concede, chuckling. “But seriously, don’t you ever just… let loose? Try something new, something out of your comfort zone lately?”

He considers this for a moment. “Define ‘letting loose.’”

“I don’t know, karaoke? Trying spicy food? Wearing something other than black?”

“I’ve done all those things,” he counters, taking a sip of water.

“Wait, you’ve done karaoke?” you ask, incredulous.

You remember back in college, he would just sit in the corner whenever you and your friends would have karaoke night. 

“I was coerced,” he admits, looking vaguely annoyed at the memory.

“By Hange, I bet,” you say, laughing.

“Who else?” he mutters, shaking his head.

The conversation drifts to lighter topics as the food arrives, and you find yourself relaxing more than you’d expected. The two of you share observations about the other diners, recalling old inside jokes, and even debating which of the dishes you ordered was better.

At one point, Levi surprises you by asking, “So, what’s the most ridiculous thing you’ve done recently?”

You blink at him. “Ridiculous?”

“Yeah,” he says, leaning back slightly. “Something impulsive. Out of character.”

You think for a moment, then grin. “I once sang the entire theme song of a kid’s cartoon during a work karaoke night. Sober.”

Levi’s eyebrows lift. “Why?”

“I panicked,” you admit, laughing. “It was the only thing I could think of under pressure.”

He shakes his head, the corner of his mouth twitching upward. “You really are something else.”

“Is that your way of saying you’re impressed?” you tease.

“Don’t push it,” he replies, but there’s an unmistakable warmth in his tone.

When you are done eating, the server clears away your plates, leaving the two of you nursing your drinks. The warm, ambient lighting softens Levi’s sharp features as he leans back slightly in his chair, fingers loosely clasped around his glass.

“Do you miss it?” he asks suddenly, his tone casual, but his gaze steady.

“Miss what?” you reply, sipping your drink.

“Working for your old boss. You spent years there, didn’t you?” he asks, swirling the liquid in his glass.

You tilt your head, studying him. “Why the sudden interest?”

He shrugs. “Just wondering if you were happy back then.”

The question catches you off guard. You shift in your seat, glancing out the window briefly before returning your focus to him. “It was… different. I mean, Vanessa was a great boss, and I learned a lot.”

You pause, setting your glass down. “But yeah… I do,” you admit, the words coming out softer than you expected.

Levi raises an eyebrow, clearly curious. “Why?”

“She wasn’t just my boss,” you begin, leaning back slightly in your chair. “Vanessa was like family to me. Her house… her world… It felt like a second home. After work, we’d have these barbecues in her backyard, nothing fancy. Just her kids running around, her husband trying not to burn the chicken, and me trying to keep up with her stories about law school.”

Levi listens quietly, his fingers resting lightly on his glass. “Sounds… normal. Too normal for someone who was running herself into the ground.”

You smile faintly. “It didn’t feel like work with her. She was always pushing me, yes, but she made me feel like I belonged. When we celebrated wins, it wasn’t some formal dinner with suits and speeches. It was burgers and laughter. She’d pop open a bottle of champagne for even the smallest victories and let her kids spray me with the hose afterward.”

He hums, his expression softening, though his voice remains steady. “You were happy.”

“I was,” you admit, staring at the table for a moment before meeting his gaze. “She saw me through some tough times. I owe her a lot.”

“Does she know that?” Levi asks, tilting his head.

You chuckle. “Oh, she does. She likes to remind me every chance she gets. She even jokes that I’m a daughter she didn’t ask for but is stuck with anyway.”

Levi’s lips twitch, almost forming a smile. “Bet you were more trouble than her actual kids.”

“Probably,” you admit, laughing. “But she never made me feel like it. She just… had a way of making everything feel manageable. Even the messiest cases.”

Levi’s gaze lingers on you for a moment, as though he’s weighing something in his mind. Finally, he speaks. “So why leave all that behind?”

You pause, the weight of his question settling heavily in your chest. “Because I had to,” you say quietly. Leaving Trost felt like the right thing when she asked you to. Something was pulling you back in Paradis, no matter how… scared you were. 

He doesn’t press further, and for that, you’re grateful. Instead, he shifts the conversation slightly, his voice casual. “And those barbecues… were they a regular thing?”

“Every couple of weeks,” you reply with a nostalgic smile. “She’d always say, ‘Lawyers need to remember they’re human too.’”

Levi leans back, studying you. “Maybe she had a point.”

You glance at him, raising an eyebrow. “Are you implying I’ve forgotten how to be human?”

“Not completely,” he says dryly. “But you’re getting there.”

You laugh, shaking your head. “Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

The playful banter feels easy, almost natural. For the first time in a long while, you sense a sliver of your old self shining through. Levi’s sharp wit and steady presence ground you, even as the conversation drifts into lighter territory.

You laugh softly, changing the topic with something you recalled. “You know, one time, Earl accidentally jumped into a Zoom meeting with client.”

“Your cat had better networking skills than you,” Levi remarks dryly, though the faintest smile plays at his lips.

“Apparently,” you quip, shaking your head. “But those moments were rare. Most of the time, it was just work, work, work.”

Your companion tilts his head. “What about work? Was it fulfilling?”

You blink at him, a bit thrown by the unexpected depth of the question. You take a moment to think, swirling the remnants of your drink. “Well… there was one time Vanessa let me lead a case solo. It was a small one, but I was terrified. I stayed up all night preparing. When I won, she told me she was proud of me. That meant a lot.”

Levi nods, his expression unreadable. “Sounds like she saw something in you.”

“She did,” you admit, a small smile tugging at your lips. “More than I saw in myself at the time.”

A comfortable silence settles between you for a moment before you glance at him, tilting your head. “Why are you asking me this, anyway?”

He shrugs again, leaning back in his chair. 

“Just trying to figure out if all that time away was worth it for you.”

Your chest tightens slightly at his words, and you look down at your glass, tracing the rim with your finger. “I’m not sure yet,” you say quietly, then force a lighter tone. “But hey, at least I got to meet some interesting people. Like that client who tried to pay me with chickens.”

Levi raises an eyebrow. “Chickens?”

“Three of them,” you confirm with a grin. “And they weren’t even food. Just… alive. In cages.”

He snorts softly, shaking his head. “You have a knack for finding the weirdest situations.”

“Or they find me,” you counter, chuckling.

The moment feels lighter again, the tension dissipating as you trade a few more jokes about your bizarre work experiences. But beneath it all, you sense an unspoken understanding between the two of you—a recognition of how much has changed, and how much still lingers.

By the time the check arrives, you feel lighter than you have in weeks. As you step out of the restaurant, the conversation continues with the same easy rhythm, and you can’t help but feel like maybe, just maybe, the space between you and Levi isn’t as wide as it once was.

As the server sets the check on the table, you reach for it before Levi can. 

“I could’ve gotten that,” he protests, narrowing his eyes at you.

“You bought some of the wedding gifts,” you counters flatly, tucking your card into the black folder. “Consider us even. Also, I’m not that broke.”

He rolls his eyes but doesn't argue further. The meal had been better than you’d expected—both the food and the company. As you shrug on your coat, Levi glances at the bags holding Hange and Moblit’s gifts.

“Do you have gift wrap at home?” he asks.

You pause, blinking at him. “Uh, no. I was just going to buy some tomorrow.”

He shakes his head as he stands, adjusting his jacket. “That’s a waste of time. I have everything at my place.”

You raise an eyebrow. “You have gift wrap? Since when are you so prepared for weddings?”

Levi smirks faintly. “I’m not. But Hange made me wrap some ridiculous thing for her last year, and I still have leftovers.”

You chuckle, imagining the scenario. “Of course she did.”

“Come on,” he says, grabbing the bags. “We’ll get it done tonight.”

“Are you inviting me over to your place to wrap gifts?” you tease as you follow him outside.

“It’s practical,” he replies simply, leading the way toward his car. “Unless you’re planning on hauling this around tomorrow.”

You hesitate, not entirely sure if you should. But his tone is casual, and the evening had been nice. To be entirely honest, you also didn’t want to part with him yet. “Okay,” you agree, stepping into the passenger seat.

After agreeing to stay the night at his place, you told him that you should get some things at your apartment first. 

Levi parks the car in front of your building, throwing the gear into park with an ease that feels second nature. He glances at you as you unbuckle your seatbelt.

“You don’t have to come up,” you say, reaching for the door handle.

He raises an eyebrow. “You’re not carrying all that by yourself.”

You roll your eyes but don’t argue, knowing his stubbornness would win out anyway. As you unlock the front door and lead him inside, you feel a flicker of self-consciousness. Was it really casual to stay over at a friend’s place overnight just to wrap some gifts? What are the two of you even doing?

“Give me a minute,” you mumble, stepping into your bedroom to grab a change of clothes and your overnight bag.

Levi remains in the living room, scanning his surroundings with quiet observation. Earl, as if on cue, saunters out from his hiding spot and rubs against Levi’s leg, purring loudly. Levi chuckles softly, glancing down at the fluffy gray cat.

“Hey buddy,” he calls, his voice flat.

You poke your head out of the bedroom, grinning. “Well, aren’t the two of you best buds already?” 

“He’s shedding on my pants,” Levi mutters, though he doesn’t move away.

“He likes you,” you note, slinging your bag over your shoulder. “That’s what you get for feeding him once.”

Earl jumps onto the couch, staring at Levi with curious green eyes. Levi sighs and scratches the cat’s head tentatively, earning an enthusiastic purr.

You smirk, pulling out Earl’s carrier. “Looks like you’re taking him, too.”

“What?” Levi’s eyes widened slightly. For a moment, you feel bad for making him take the cat. He’s probably worried about the mess. But Earl’s a good cat anyway. 

“You can’t expect me to leave him alone overnight,” you say, scooping Earl into the carrier. “He’ll hate me for it. Besides, you two are bonding.”

Levi grumbles something under his breath, but when you hand him the carrier, he takes it without protest.

Back in the car, Earl meows loudly from his carrier, the sound echoing in the confined space.

“He’s dramatic,” you say, glancing at Levi, who looks vaguely amused.

“He fits in,” Levi deadpans, keeping his eyes on the road.

You laugh, leaning back in your seat as you navigate through the city. By the time you reach Levi’s apartment, you’re surprisingly relaxed, the earlier awkwardness replaced by a faint sense of familiarity.

Levi unlocks the door to his apartment and steps aside, letting you and Earl inside. You take a moment to glance around, still impressed by how neat and minimalistic his space is—dark wood tones, simple furniture, and barely any personal clutter. It’s quintessentially Levi.

Earl, now out of his carrier, sniffs cautiously before hopping onto the couch like he owns the place. Levi watches the cat with a raised brow.

“He’s making himself at home,” you tease, setting your overnight bag by the door.

“Better not scratch the furniture,” Levi mutters, though he doesn’t move to shoo Earl off.

You grin, pulling the bag of gifts onto the coffee table. As you do, you notice that he’d already found a place for the bouquet you gave him. It’s already settled in a vase on the same coffee table, the action earning a smile from you.

“Okay, let’s get started,” You clapped your hands cheerfully. 

Levi fetches a roll of brown kraft paper, scissors, and tape from a nearby drawer, placing them on the table with precision. You sit cross-legged on the floor, unboxing one of the gifts. Levi sits across from you, his expression vaguely skeptical as you spread out the paper.

“Do you even know how to wrap properly?” he asks.

“I’m offended,” you say, mock gasping. “I haven’t done this in a while, okay? Don’t worry. Once I get the hang of it, I’m an expert.”

He smirks, grabbing one of his own gifts and starts taking them out of the bags. “I’ll believe it when I see it.”

With an exaggerated flourish, you start wrapping the premium wooden cutting board, carefully creasing the edges and taping it with precision. Levi watches quietly, his amusement growing as you fumble with the ribbon.

“Need help?” he finally offers, taking pity on you as the ribbon slips out of your grasp for the third time.

“No!” you insist, stubbornly tying a lopsided bow. “It’s perfect. Rustic charm.”

Levi chuckles under his breath, shaking his head as he picks up the next gift—the boxed tea set that was his first pick for the day. His movements are deliberate, his sharp focus turning the task of wrapping into an art form.

“Well, aren’t you the gift-wrapping expert?” you observe, impressed.

“Had to,” he replies simply. “Kuchel made me wrap gifts for the restaurant staff every year, remember?”

You smile softly, recalling a younger Levi meticulously wrapping presents in the back of the restaurant. You didn’t actually see him do it before but you remember him telling you about it when you asked what he was doing one time. 

“Yeah… I remember,” you respond, making him pause and look at your face. You don’t look back at him, opting to look at the gift he was wrapping, but you can see him scrutinizing your reminiscing countenance. 

As you work, the silence between you grows comfortable. Earl curls up in a corner, watching lazily as you and Levi finish wrapping the gifts. When the last package is placed on the table, you lean back with a satisfied sigh.

“Done,” you announce, admiring your handiwork.

Levi glances at the slightly crooked ribbon on your gift and smirks. “Barely.”

You playfully nudge his leg with your foot. “Whatever. It’s the thought that counts.”

“Oh, wait! One last gift,” you exclaim, grabbing the same handbag that you had earlier in the day. You giggle in excitement, fishing for the plastic bag.

“Aha!” You shout as you find it, taking it out and shoving it in Levi’s face as you wave it around to show him. 

His mouth drops when he realizes what you were holding. The realization makes his face immediately redden and turn away, dodging the item in your hand. 

“What the fuck? When did you even—,” he sighed. “I knew you had a funny look on your face when you said essentials.”

“It’s essential for a young, married couple to find out their tastes in sex,” you argue, grabbing a wrapping paper. “Also, I got a good deal on it. Look? It’s a variety of things, see?”

You point at the box, showing him what’s the inclusion for the box set you bought. 

Levi sighs, closing his eyes. “I don’t even want to think about it. Don’t put that picture in my head right now.” 

You giggled, happily wrapping the gift and adding a note that says “open it on your honeymoon night.”

By the time the last ribbon was tied and the neatly wrapped gifts sat in a corner of Levi’s living room, the evening had begun to fade into night. The soft light from the table lamp cast a warm glow over the room, and the quiet hum of the city outside filtered faintly through the windows.

You stretched your arms above your head, stifling a yawn as you glanced at the clock. “Well, that’s everything,” you said, nodding toward the small pile of gifts. “They’re going to love these.”

Levi stood nearby, carefully clearing the scattered bits of tape and wrapping paper. His movements were precise, almost methodical, but you could tell he was tired. He straightened, his gaze flicking briefly to you. “I think we got too much,” he muttered, making you laugh.

You hesitated for a moment, looking at him as he carried the last of the scraps to the trash. There was something unspoken lingering between you, a quiet tension that had been growing all day. Not uncomfortable, but not entirely easy either—a fragile balance teetering between familiarity and something… unresolved.

Clearing your throat, you offered him a small smile. “Thanks for today. For, you know, coming with me and asking me to do this and… everything else. I had a good time.”

Levi paused by the trash bin, his back to you for a beat before he turned, his expression unreadable. “It’s fine,” he said simply, but his tone was softer than usual. “Thank you too… for the flowers.”

You shifted your weight from one foot to the other, feeling the sudden need to fill the silence. “Well, I should get to bed. It’s been a long day.”

Levi nodded, gesturing toward the hallway. “Guest room’s ready.”

You turned to leave, but stopped after a few steps. “Levi?” you called softly.

He looked up, his gray eyes meeting yours. “What?”

“I just… I’m glad we’re doing this. You and me, I mean. Trying to…” You trailed off, searching for the right words but finding none. Instead, you settled for a quiet, “Good night.”

For a moment, Levi didn’t reply, and you wondered if you’d said too much. But then his gaze softened, almost imperceptibly, and he gave a small nod. “Good night.”

You retreated down the hall, the sound of your footsteps faint against the hardwood floor. As you closed the door behind you, you couldn’t help but feel the weight of the day settle over you—a mix of warmth, nostalgia, and a faint thread of hope.

Unbeknownst to you, Levi lingered in the living room for a while longer, his gaze resting on the gifts you’d wrapped together and the flowers on his coffee table. 

Levi sat on the edge of the couch, elbows resting on his knees as he stared at the bouquet of blue hyacinths and white orchids on the coffee table. The delicate petals caught the dim light of the lamp, their colors muted yet vivid against the quiet tones of his apartment.

He reached out, lightly brushing a finger along the edge of a petal. His mind drifted, unbidden, to a memory he hadn’t revisited in years.

It was a warm spring evening during college, the kind of night where the air was cool but the sky was clear. He had just won first place in an essay-writing competition, something he hadn’t thought much of at the time. You had, though.

Levi remembered the rooftop you’d both snuck onto after the ceremony, a quiet place away from the noise of the world. He had been sitting on the ledge, his arms draped over his knees, while you rummaged through your pockets with a mischievous grin.

“What are you doing?” he had asked, arching an eyebrow at your unusual excitement.

“Celebrating, obviously,” you had replied, pulling out handfuls of flower petals you’d somehow collected throughout the day.

Before he could respond, you tossed a handful into the air, the soft rain of petals cascading over him. Levi had groaned, brushing a few off his hair, but he couldn’t stop the slight upward twitch of his lips.

“You’re ridiculous,” he had muttered, though the words lacked any real bite.

“You’re a champion,” you had countered, your laughter bright and unrestrained as you grabbed another handful and threw them again.

He had watched you then, your face lit up with joy, your laughter echoing in the stillness of the night. The sight of you—carefree, radiant, unapologetically yourself—had struck something deep within him. It was one of the rare moments when the walls he’d built around himself felt a little less sturdy.

And now, years later, as he sat in his quiet apartment, the memory came rushing back with startling clarity.

The bouquet on the table felt like an echo of that night, a fragment of a past he wasn’t sure he’d ever fully understand. He wondered if you remembered it too when you told him that men rarely receive flowers in their life. He had received a few, especially on graduation and when Stohess Stone took off. But the petals you rained on him that night… that was the first flowers he had ever received. 

With a quiet exhale, Levi leaned back, his gaze lingering on the flowers for a moment longer before he pushed himself up. 

But the memory stayed with him as he turned off the lights and headed to his bedroom, the image of your laughter and the gentle rain of petals lingering in his mind like a soft, bittersweet dream.

© levisolace. please do not copy, translate, claim any of my works. my works are cross-posted only on my ao3 account. reblogs, asks, and comments are also greatly appreciated. thank you.

[linos-luna]

My Baby (Pt. 10) 🥀🔪

Yandere!Bang Chan x Fem!Reader x Minho

(Pt. 1) (Pt. 2) (Pt. 3) (Pt. 4) (Pt. 5) (Pt. 6) (Pt. 7) (Pt. 8) (Pt. 9) (Pt 10)

Warnings: 18+, Yandere! Crying, some self harm, violence?

—————————— 🎀 ——————————

Minho was a wreck, losing sleep over your kidnapping for a whole week. Frustrated with the police, he hired a private investigator; however, they were only able to find some old friends of the man. So Minho decided to take matters into his own hands, confronting Chan's old friend Felix

“I haven’t seen him in over 3 years!”

“You're lying!” Minho accused, causing a scene.

Jeongyeon tried to calm him down, but Minho pressed Felix for more information.

“Listen. We know you were in communication with him a little over a year ago…” Jeongyeon said with her arms crossed. “Whether you understood the situation or not…”

“I-I can’t just rat out my friend—”

“Your friend has my girlfriend!” Minho interrupted.

“I… I only know of three places he’s lived at…” Felix said while looking down. “One apartment. Two houses…”

“Spit it out!” Minho said while pulling out his phone. He wrote the addresses on his notes app and sighed.

“That’s it?!”

“Yeah. I swear!”

“Thank you.” Jeongyeon said while pulling Minho away.

“I wasn’t done!”

“We got what we needed!” She snapped. “We don’t even know if he’s even at one of those old places.”

“Yeah but it’s a good place to start…”

——— 🎀

It was late into the afternoon. You were taking a nap and for the moment, it was quite peaceful.

You didn’t even realize that Chan was right next to you. He was also napping, on his side facing you.

You didn’t even notice until you started waking up.

He looked more at ease, as if he hadn’t had a good rest in a long time. His curly dark hair was grown out but suited him well. His features, well, you were reminded of one of the many reasons you originally fell in love with him.

His hand rested gently on your waist, showcasing his caring side. With a bit of light shining through the window, he just looked… soft… and well… handsome.

I mean, things weren't all that bad. He changed a little, loving as always but not as scary. At least he’s making an effort to be gentler and control his emotions.

He looked exhausted. You wondered if now was the time to sneak away. However, you couldn’t get yourself to move. He just seemed so much happier and relaxed when you’re here, almost like you give him purpose for his caregiving nature.

Sitting up, you watch as he moves a bit. There was a slight moment of panic when he didn’t feel your body, but you quickly grabbed onto his hand with the both of yours. Insanity.

You say there for a good ten minutes just watching him. And he was happy to see you there when waking up.

He woke up, finding his baby looking at him with concern. "Hi, baby," he smiled. "Didn't expect you up first."

"You looked tired," you said timidly.

"Don't worry about me, y/n," he replied, sitting up and kissing you. Surprisingly, you didn't resist.

"We need to talk."

His tone shifted, and a sense of unease filled the room.

"I just don't get it," he sighed.

"What?"

"Why would gop with another man?" he said, agitated. "Let him corrupt you…"

"Corrupt me?"

"I saw him with you!" he yelled, making you flinch.

"No, I'm sorry!" he softened, grabbing your arms. "Don't be scared!"

"Stop it!" you yelled, pushing him away. "He's my boyfriend! I'm not a baby!"

"My sweet babygirl," he said, unclear if serious or mocking. "You don't know anything. That's why you need daddy here."

"No! No! No!" you cried, shaking your head as tension rose.

“You need me!”

“Stop!”

“You stayed.” Chan continued. “Why would you do that? What would you stay as long as you did if you supposedly hate me?”

"Because I love you!" The words burst out before you could stop them, and you instantly covered your mouth, shaking your head. "N-no, no! Wait!"

"You still love me..." Chan said quietly.

"LOVED! I meant I LOVED you!!" You tried correcting yourself to no avail.

"I knew you still love me."

"No!"

"You missed me…" he continued as he watched you starting to sob.

"No! No, I don't!" You sobbed while smacking yourself on the head. "Stop it! Shut up! Shut up!"

"You just wanna be held… and loved… just need someone to take care of you—"

It's almost as if your mind was starting to slip. All these contradicting thoughts were overwhelming. What do you want? Do you still love him? Do you like him caring for you...??

"— because you're still my baby."

That was it. Almost as if something else had overtaken you. You practically threw yourself at him, clinging onto him and sobbing into his chest. Chan rubbed your back and held you tight while rocking you lightly. Have you finally lost it?

————— 🎀

“The houses. Those are our last options.”

“And what if she’s not in one of them?” Jeongyeon sighed.

“Dont say that!” Minho snapped.

Jeongyeon frowned at his reaction and took a deep breath.

The two of them were at a local restaurant trying to brainstorm. That is, until Minho looked up and recognized a freckled boy not to far away.

Minho realized something. He’s seen this man here before. Here at the same time when you were here.

“You’re right…” Minho muttered. “She’s probably not there…”

The man gets up, making the other man nervous when making eye contact. Before Felix could react, Minho grabbed him by the shirt, pulling him close.

“You lied to us, huh?”

Instead, the man was quiet.

“Say something!!”he yelled, making the patrons of the restaurant turn to watch.

“Minho!”

“No! He knows something!” Minho yelled back.

Surprisingly, the diners went back to eating and going about their business, acting as if this was normal. It was a little unnerving.

Getting frustrated, Minho drags Felix to the men’s bathroom and lets him go, making Felix slip to the floor.

“I’ve had enough.” Minho grunted. “You know where she is. You know where he has her. You’re still in contact with him.”

“Minho!” Jeongyeon was banging on the door, not sure if she should just barge in.

“Listen, I don’t know what kind of sick friendship you have with Chan, but I’m begging you to give me the correct address of where he is.”

————— 🎀

Not too long after, Minho and Jeongyeon found themselves standing outside Chan's house. Jeongyeon was actually surprised that Felix had coughed up the information.

"Shouldn't we get the police? Maybe some professional—?" she suggested

"No!" Minho interrupted. "I'm getting her! She's MY BABY!"

The intensity in his voice took Jeongyeon aback. He hadn't slept for over 24 hours, and it was evident he wasn't in the right headspace.

"You can go now," Minho said solemnly.

"She's my friend... I want to help," Jeongyeon insisted.

Meanwhile, Chan was feeding you. It seemed like you had given up on resisting. He paused when his phone buzzed, revealing a text from his friend.

< Lix >

[ I’m sorry! They made me tell!]

The man sighed and got up, confusing you a bit as he suddenly lifted you up.

“What are you doing?” You asked as he carried you to your basement room.

“Just stay here.” He replied while setting you down on the bed.

“W-what?!”

“It’s okay, baby.” He said while kissing your forehead. “I’ll be back…”

So what happened? It all flashed by so fast. You were in the basement, listening to the commotion upstairs, but you couldn’t make out exactly what was happening.

You were startled as the door burst open, revealing your best friend, Jeongyeon.

"Y/n!"

"Jeongyeon?" Your voice carried a mix of surprise and relief as your friend enveloped you in a tight hug, clearly thrilled to see you.

"Thank god you're okay!"

"Why wouldn't I be?" you replied.

Jeongyeon didn't know how to respond and quickly pulled you toward the stairs. Hoping to guide you towards a window for a possible escape. However, your attempt was short-lived, and you were spotted rather quickly.

"What are you doing??" Chan's voice rang out.

It appeared that the two men were engaged in a heated argument… or more like a fight? Chan looked frustrated but oddly calm, while Minho, on the other hand, seemed disheveled. It was a contrast between a rested man and an unrested one, both brimming with desperation.

Maybe that was the plan. For Minho to distract him while jeongyeon snuck you out. It wasn’t supposed to get violent…

"Y/n!" Minho's expression changed as he was so happy to see you.

You wanted your run to him. To be in his arms again, but someone stood in your path.

"Baby, go back downstairs!" Chan's voice echoed loudly, leaving you frozen in fear as your friend attempted to pull you away.

Minho looked around, coming up with something on the spot. He grabbed a glass cup from the table and smashed it against the wood. The contents spilled everywhere; he disregarded the large shard cutting into his hand as he ran forward, stabbing Chan in the shoulder. Stunned by the pain, Chan tripped over, and Minho loomed over him, ready to make the final blow.

"Don't!" you called out.

"Why shouldn't I?!" Minho demanded.

"Because—because—!"

"—because she still loves me…" Chan finished with a sly look.

Enraged, Minho threw the glass aside, landing a punch that instantly knocked Chan out. He got up, dragging the unconscious man by the leg into the basement. You and Jeongyeon followed.

You quickly went through the nightstand drawer, grabbing the cuffs that he’s put you in before.

As Minho practically threw Chan onto the bed, Jeongyeon cuffed him to the rail. She turned to you. "Is there another one?"

You nodded, finding another pair in the closet. The three of you returned upstairs, and tears streamed down your face.

"Minnie, I... I don't love him..."

Without hesitation, Minho hugged you, holding on tight. He fought back tears, wanting to appear strong for you. “I know…”

"Are we gonna call the—?"

"Let him suffer," Minho said in a low tone, interrupting the woman while holding you tight. "It's what he deserves! It's what he gets for stealing her away! For stealing away MY BABY!"

Both you and Jeongyeon paused. You pulled away briefly to look at Minho, while Jeongyeon eyed him with concern. Was he becoming what he hated? His actions were almost lethal. He could've killed him. The irrational possessiveness scared all three of you.

"Jeongyeon... call them," Minho said, looking down.

—————— 🎀

A moment of calm enveloped you, feeling at peace in his loving embrace that provided a sense of safety and relaxation. Spooning, was that the right word?

"We should finish packing," Minho suggested.

"Mm... 10 more minutes?" you replied with a sigh. "I'm sleepy."

"We've been in bed all day," Minho teased, with a playful smile.

"Oh well," you giggled, turning yourself around to be face to face with him. Minho gently rubbed your cheek, admiring your adorable features.

"Okay, that's fine. But Jeongyeon will be back soon."

"I can't wait until we move to the new home. And I'm so happy that Jeongyeon is coming with us." You giggled.

"We'll be our own little family," Minho said with a smile. "The three of us and maybe a few cats…"

You planted a quick kiss on his lips and cuddled up into his chest, breathing a sigh of relief.

[ALTERNATE ENDING]

——————————————— 🎀

Tags 🏷️

@salfetkablog , @gyuhbfr @jihyun2monster ,@henrietta-whor3 , @stanskzsstuff , @leah-berkley-17

@lixxiebrownies , @minervasystem

@casarse0446-blog , @kuin7s @jlady-016 , @arthistt @iilliess @marrykat @generalbearangel el , @bunnyxoxodarling @hoeforbangchan n @cozyleeknows @lailac13

to those you read and love the series, I hoped to bring a good conclusion 😅

Don’t forget to like and reblog so others can read it too! I really appreciate you all for liking my writing and I hope to bring you more good fics and series!

I have a few in the works:

Pt. 4 of My Queen ❣️🔪 (yandere!Hyunjin x Reader)

Pt. 4 of Eternally ❣️🔪 (Yandere!Vampire!Jin x Reader)

[pengweng-quack]

Bloodbound

Carlisle Cullen x Human!OC

Summary: Place Carlisle in the Edward situation of falling in love with a human, and see what happens

Chapter 13/?

Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 8, Chapter 9, Chapter 10, Chapter 11, Chapter 12, Chapter 13

Notes:

This is on Ao3 under the same title and username if you'd like to read it there (https://archiveofourown.org/works/54527830)

Leave your thoughts (or don't, your choice) in the comments, I enjoy reading through your thoughts :)

Word Count: 2162 words

General warning: I used some religious references in this story so read with caution if you're not so keen into reading that

TW for this chapter: drinking

PM or Comment to be added on the taglist for this one!

Masterlist

Carlisle went out of the car and went to the passenger side to carry Celine to her room. His step feeling heavier than the last as he makes his way to her. Carlisle knew that Edward and Jasper knew what was happening, hell even he who didn’t have Jasper’s powers can feel how heavy the atmosphere is.

Celine made herself comfy on Carlisle’s chest, her eyes closed and her breathing steady. Carlisle couldn’t help but smile at the sight of her, peace evident on her face. But his smile faltered when he remembered that underneath the peace that her face held was so much anger and pain that she hid from everyone.

Walking in the house, he saw that everyone was doing their own thing. Rosalie and Alice were discussing some things related to cars and Emmett and Jasper were playing some video games. Edward was the only one that was already looking at him when he walked in, seeing what had just happened in his mind. Esme walked in from the kitchen, the scent of chicken noodle soup trailing behind her.

“Celine’s gonna suffer some very tough hangover tomorrow, Alice saw.” Esme gave answer to the food that was prepared

Carlisle answered with a nod before going up to her room and calling it a night for her. There, he gently laid her down on the bed and retrieved some nightclothes from her closet along with wipes, cotton pads, and micellar water to remove her makeup. Sitting beside her, he admired her beauty as he meticulously wiped away the makeup from her face with care and tenderness.

“So beautiful.” Carlisle whispered, a smile on his face as he finished cleaning her face up.

Carlisle proceeded to carefully remove the dress she wore for their hangout, taking his time to ensure her comfort. He then used the wipes to cleanse her body gently, refreshing her skin for when she woke up. And when he was done, he made her wear the nightclothes that he picked up, a simple shirt and shorts.

Carlisle looked at her, a sad smile on his face. He needed to give Celine a chance to live, to love, to be happy. A decision was forming in his mind, he looked at Celine one last time before leaving her room, allowing her to peacefully rest.

He went down to join the rest of his family, sitting next to Bella who was watching tv. His thoughts were obscured by the weight of his decision, contemplating the various approaches he could take. It didn’t take long until the rest of the family was surrounding him, all with an unreadable expression on their faces

“Do you need to tell us something, Carlisle?” Esme asked, making the man look at her

“Celine isn’t happy anymore.” Carlisle started before he let out a sigh of defeat “I’ve hurt her too deep; I doubt that forgiveness is something that she’ll be able to grant me.”

“And that’ll just make you give up?” Rosalie asked, her eyebrows furrowed and her arms crossed

“I decided to try and fight the Volturi.” He continued, earning gasps from everyone “You don’t have to join me, I do not wish you to do so. I’m doing this to give Celine a choice.”

“Have you said this to her?” Jasper asked quietly

“I don’t think she’ll want to know.” Carlisle answered “It’ll put guilt in her if I don’t make it out alive.”

“Oh, fuck you!” Rosalie hissed angrily

“Rosie—

“I’ve had enough of you being a coward! You're always hiding behind 'it's for her' or 'this is for the best' but how will you know if you don’t straight up ask her?” She rambled angrily

“She wanted you, Carlisle. She understood all the risks, all the damn danger it would put her in, but she didn't give a damn because she wanted you! She didn’t need protection, she didn’t need saving, she just needed you! Now, if you can't get that through your thick skull, then I say we march straight to those Volturi scum right now and never show our faces to her again!”

“Rosalie, that’s enough.” Edward warned her

“No! Someone needed to tell Carlisle that he can’t always be making decisions alone.” Rosalie argued, her eyes blazing in anger “Edward, tell him what you told us.”

“What is it?” Carlisle asked

“Alice had the vision, why is it not her to say it?” Edward asked, not wanting to take responsibility of telling Carlisle what the vision was

“Will someone just tell me what—

“If you fight the Volturi, Celine will be one of them.” Alice spoke up, louder than how she usually talks “She’ll find out of your attempt to fight them, and she’ll go to Italy herself. She’ll offer herself to them for your safety.”

“She has no escape from being a vampire, it’s her calling. We’ve known that way back when that rogue vampire wanted to attack her.” Edward added “All that matters is who’s side she’s gonna be on. And I don’t think you’ll be able to accept being on opposing sides as your mate.”

“What now?” Carlisle asked quietly, dropping all thoughts of fighting the Volturi for Celine “She still won’t accept me as her mate even when she’s turned.”

“Win her heart again.” Rosalie answered in a matter-of-fact tone “It’ll be slow, but you’ll have all of eternity to win her back.”

“And for the love of God, will you please tell her anything that concerns her now? I would have thought that we’ve learned from Bella and Edward before already.” Esme exasperatedly said as Edward playfully rolls his eyes at her

“Like father, like son.” Emmett teased, a grin on his face

It was nearing noon when Celine woke up with her head throbbing with a relentless ache and her memory of the previous night blurred. She was in her room, well Carlisle’s room, but he was so gracious to give her his room to stay in until she becomes one of them.

“Ugh, headaches.” She groaned, clutching her head in pain. It was as if Carlisle heard her wake up because a soft knock was on the door before he entered the room with a tray of food for her

“How are you feeling?” Carlisle asked, setting the tray on the nightstand and sitting on the bed next to her

“How much did I drink last night?” Celine asked quietly, clutching her head in pain. Carlisle reached for her hand and pulled it away from her head, holding it to stop her from hurting herself more

“Like almost half a vodka bottle, more or less.” Carlisle answered, getting her to groan at her decisions last night

“Did I do anything stupid?” She asked again, grabbing the tray and placing it on the bed carefully

“Nothing that will get you questioned by the police.” He playfully answered before he grabbed the bowl of chicken noodle soup and the spoon for it “Open up, Esme cooked this for you.”

“I can take care of myself.” Celine softly argued, about to grab the bowl from Carlisle had he not moved it away from her

“I know.” Carlisle simply answered, mixing the soup with the spoon “I also want to take care of you.”

Celine didn’t argue anymore and allowed Carlisle to feed her. He was gentle in feeding her, just as he’s been gentle with her ever since. And once the bowl of soup was finished, Carlisle picked up the glass of water and helped her drink it.

“I said something last night, didn’t I?” Celine asked as Carlisle put away the tray of empty dishes on the nightstand, about to take the dirty dishes and leave her be until she decides to join them “Usually, you wouldn’t put much of a fight in my decisions to just take care of myself.”

“Not much that really mattered.” Carlisle assured her, flashbacks of all the anger and pain that she let out last night on the drive home playing on his mind

“I don’t need to have skills like Edward to know that you’re lying.” She said softly, looking at him. Carlisle let out a sigh before sitting next to her again

“You were sobbing last night.” Carlisle started, making eye contact with Celine as she listens to him in curiosity of what she has done

“I’m sorry for leaving you. I was so obsessed with keeping you safe and keeping the Volturi away from you that I hadn’t thought of what you would feel if I left you.” He continued, making Celine realize just how much she told him while drunk

“It was foolish of me to believe you'd welcome me back with open arms. I thought that it was gonna be simple, I just needed to tell you why I had done it and then you’ll forgive me. But I hurt you beyond words. You had to live alone after I had shown you the love that you deserve. You were alone again.”

“I know an apology alone would never be enough, and I accept it. I made the decision to leave you.” Carlisle ended, reaching for Celine’s hand with a sad smile on his face “I’ll be happy for whatever decision you decide is best for yourself.”

“Carlisle, I—

“After your transition and after we show the Volturi that you’re a vampire, you’re free to go wherever you want. Live how you want. Be who you want.” He continued with an offer, reading Celine’s eyes for any reaction but it only held emptiness, giving him the answer that he didn’t want to have but needed to see “You deserve the freedom.”

Carlisle squeezed her hand softly before standing up. He looked at her, flashing her a small smile before grabbing the tray and leaving the room.

“Carlisle?” Esme asked, watching as he goes down the stairs, his steps heavier than usual

“Where’s the others?” Carlisle asked

“They all went out.” She replied, her eyes still on him as he goes to the kitchen to clean up the dishes. She followed him to the kitchen, resting her body on the island, her eyes intently on him as he moves eerily silent

“Spill it, Carlisle.” Esme said, despite knowing what he’s offered Celine already “What happened?”

“You heard it.” He answered, not even turning around to face her

“Why did you offer it?” She asked

He turned around and faced her, an unexplainable lost expression on his face. Not once had she seen Carlisle look so lost and hopeless until now. They’ve had this sibling charade for 90 years already, and not once did he look so unsure of what to do next. It reminded Esme of the time when Bella carried Renesmee, a period filled with doubt and fear. However, this moment surpassed even that, leaving Esme deeply concerned about the weight of the decisions ahead.

“A simple apology isn’t gonna fix what I broke.” Carlisle answered, a sad smile on his face

“You’ll have all of eternity to fix it.” Esme tried to assure him, but he only shook his head no

“When I first daydreamed of meeting my mate, I thought it was gonna be magical, just like how Edward felt meeting Bella.” He started, letting out a small laugh of pity to himself “But now... now I can't help but wonder if this is just God's way of punishing me, for entangling all of you in this mess, for bringing you all into a life of turmoil and pain.”

“I wish I could cry right now just so God can feel the depth of sincerity of my love towards her.”

“You should hunt.” Esme told him “Clear your mind a bit. Let me prepare some lunch for Celine then I’ll follow.”

Carlisle didn’t need to be told twice; he went out into the depths of the forest, leaving Esme and Celine alone. Esme made her way in front of Celine’s room, wanting to have a conversation with her so she could know her side. She softly knocked on the door, waiting for a response.

Upon hearing a soft "come in," Esme entered to find Celine seated on the bed, engrossed in one of Carlisle's books. Noticing that Celine wore one of Carlisle's jumpers, Esme couldn't help but feel a deeper admiration for her, knowing how much it would mean to Carlisle to see her in it.

But Celine’s scent, it was burning Esme’s throat. A scent so addictive that Esme knew that if she had a whiff of her blood while she was actively bleeding, that she would terribly struggle with her self-control. Something she was so scared to face, especially when it’s Carlisle’s mate that is in grave danger if she showed any lack of self-control.

But she needed to be strong

For she would not wish Carlisle to live an eternity without his Celine, the same way that she has to live an eternity without her mate.

[my-rose-tinted-glasses]

This was the hardest monthly wrap up I ever had to do because I forgot about it until like two days ago and my brain is not at its best and I'm tired so I can't really write a lot. So anyway as usual, spoilers and opinions below, read at your own risk.

QL - Currently Watching

🇹🇼 Blue Canvas of Youthful Days [2/12] - I really like the look of this show and all the art. I'm not yet sold on the main couple as a possible item but I really like the characters individually. I adore the second couple. The scene with the hearing aid was beautiful and I like the fact that it's not about the couple. Perhaps in a bl from a different country this would be about them finally being able to communicate, but because Liu knows sign language, it's simply about helping Tan Yin. Don't know why but I really liked this.

🇰🇷🇹🇭 Eccentric Romance [8/12] - It's not the worst thing ever but at several points during the episodes I find myself asking, what am I watching?

🇹🇭 Every You, Every Me [4/8] - This show constantly surprises me. The different stories every week and the aspec rep was how they got me at first but now I'm invested in the meta and the absolutely adorable mains. And this show is just so gorgeous to watch.

🇹🇭 Fourever You [5/16] - Beautiful Pond. Cute Earth. I'm annoyed. Hopefully the next couple is better in terms of storyline.

🇹🇭 Jack & Joker [8/12] - Can they just get together first and then give me all the drama? I'm okay with that. I actually liked Love Mechanics, so give it to me. But Jack is all over the place with his behaviour, he says Joke is family and they seem to have a shared view of the future, and they sure behave as if they're a couple, but then he hides things from Joke, supposedly 'for his own good'. I feel for Joke, because he's being jerked around by Jack.

🇹🇭 Kidnap [8/12] - I love Ohm. And that is the one and only reason I'm still here.

🇰🇷 Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo [6/8] - I'm obsessed. I think about this show way too much. It's painful and beautiful, brilliant writing and visuals and I need it to be over but I don't want it to end. I think we're gonna have a second time skip since they are not in our present yet and I just want to see them happy.

🇰🇷 Love in the Big City [4/8] - Obsessed in a total different way. This story is like an open tab in my brain at all times. I'm dreaming of edits and gifsets. I think of Young and my chest tightens. I'm having a hard time writing about the second part of the show because it's just so much, although it feels lighter than the novel. I'm dreading the next part.

🇯🇵 Love is a Poison [7/10] - I love it here. Everything about it. This being Shiba's first love sure explains a lot, and the onsen date was amazing. I think the actors are nailing this.

🇹🇭 Peaceful Property [10/12] - I've said enough about it. I'm here for TayNew and trying to just ignore everything else.

🇹🇭 Perfect 10 Liners [1/24] - And so it begins. Every gmmtv boy is here and they are all playing engineers. They got two Flukes and everything. I wish Force wasn't once again an asshole jock and Book the clueless fool but I guess that's too much to ask. This is the couple I'm least interested here so I want to see the rest.

🇹🇼 See Your Love [3/13] - Taiwan just doing giving all the rep with disabled characters and as usual a parade of bl actors. It's fine for now.

🇯🇵 Smells like Green Spirit [6/9] - I love Mishima. I think the scenes with him and Kirino are always great. I'm still not totally on board with the romance but I'm somewhat fascinated with Yumeno.

QL - Finished

🇹🇼 First Note of Love - I feel like I need to rewatch this as a binge because I think this format didn't help this particular show. Although I like the mains and I really liked the actors, their romance never truly clicked for me. I need more of the sides. The language banter was my favourite thing about this.

🇹🇭 I Saw You In My Dream - This is super cute. They are all adorable and they actually communicate. Ultimately I was a little underwhelmed about the concept.

🇹🇭 Monster Next Door - It's fine. I like Big and he was great here. But I've already forgotten everything about this.

🇭🇰 Our Golden Times - I watched it. It was okay.

🇹🇭 Reverse 4 You - Pretty show. Good concept. Not great execution all the way through.

Dropped / On Hold

Waiting to binge - 🇹🇭 The Loyal Pin | 🇹🇭 Apple | 🇻🇳 Teenager Judge

Rose Watches OJBL

Same Difference aka Docchi mo Docchi (2014) - I don't even know what to say. It's not good. That's it.

Others - Watched

🇯🇵Densetsu no Head Sho| 🇰🇷Black Out | 🇯🇵Double

Upcoming Shows - November

As usual my ask box is open. Have a wonderful weekend💜

[saphhhiree]

hello!!!!!! i was wondering if u could write an abed nadir x reader mayhaps.. fluff or smut, i don’t mind !!!! i am so starved for abed content pleek.

HOLY SHIT HELLO MY FIRST FUCKING REQ????? HOLY SHIT YES OF COURSE ABED CONTENT IS LACKING!!! I WILL PROVIDE!!

introduction to art

abed nadir x reader

warnings: i’m very high so not proofread, nsfw, jeff’s ego, makeout, oral m!receiving, fingering, (in pt2) no pierce (i’m sorry but i won’t write anything pierce would do or say)

enjoy!! reader is afab if u didn’t want that i can change it if needed 🙏🏻🙏🏻 but gn prns!!! also! reader sits next to jeff in the open chair

“y/n? wake up!” opening your eyes while groaning softly “you can’t keep falling asleep, we need to keep studying” annie said rolling her eyes. “but this is borrrrriinnng” you yawn stretching your arms. “then leave, no one’s keeping you here yknow” annie crossed her arms while puffing her bottom lip. “gladly” you stood up but before you could pick your bag up, “you can’t.” you looked back up to the source of the voice, locking eyes with abed, his brows furrowed, “we have our art project due tomorrow.” he cocks his head slightly to the side awaiting your response. “so? you guys are studying for a class i don’t have with the rest of you, this is basically pointless for me. plus it’s almost 10, we all should be home right now.” you cross your arms, bag on your back ready to walk out. abeds mouth snaps shut as he looked to jeff as if he could stop you, jeff rolled his eyes saying “how about you and abed go to the other study room for your project and we can give him the notes tomorrow.” you practically wanted to murder jeff. 5 mins away from peaceful slumber yet now morally aware how unfair it was to leave abed to fend for himself. turning on your heels you walked to the opposite of the room “cmom im tired, let’s get this over with” tapping abed on his shoulder “aw, that’s nice.” shirley commented as abed packed up to follow you out in the direction of the other study room.

“what’s the assignment anyway?” you both put your bags down and sat next to eachother “expressing the human form and fabric texture” he pulls his notebook out, looking for the description of the assignment. “ah, okay…” you copy his actions, knowing you don’t have the notes because you fell asleep in the class. “since we’re partners on this one, you can be the model and i will draw it” abed says as he turns to you. “what? that’s not fair cmon.” you pout slightly, the thought of basically modeling for someone who you had feelings for was not something you wanted to do. “but you don’t have the notes” he points to your empty notebook then glancing at his notes. “fine.” you sigh and put your head in your hands awaiting further instructions. “it says arrange for a live model, examine the flow of fabric on the body while drawing it.” you get up, trying to hide the fact you were practically sweating, “draw me like one of your french girls, abed” you joke as he turns his chair around to look at you, “you have to be naked for that reference to work” he says looking down to start the sketch “what?? it was perfect timing, i think i hit the mark either way.” you groan back, “no, it doesn’t count, you can’t quote something that doesn’t apply to what’s happening. plus your not laying down” annoyed, you respond “yes i can! i can quote whatever i want! it doesn’t matter if i’m laying down naked or not.” you cross your arms. “yes it does.” he keeps sketching, “no, it doesn’t” “yes, it does.” “fine!” you yell, you’re tired and just wanted to make a joke, but now your irritated, you pull your sweater off, and next your pants. abed stares back at you, “you’re still not naked” he shakes his head almost burrowing it into his notebook, he’s seen half naked people before yea, but not you. you intrigued him, you never got mad at his ramblings, you watched kickpuncher with him when troy couldn’t, you’ve shown him movies you like, and he actually enjoys them. though you make crappy jokes about them, or *cough cough* quote them wrong *cough cough* something about you drew him in. he could read people so well, and he could read you too, but he still couldn’t figure out why he liked you so much. bringing him out of his thoughts you joke “why do you want me naked so bad?” “i don’t.” he lied. “so you think i’m ugly?” you push him further, “no” your laughter dies down, “oh?” you question, “wait. what’s happening? are you flirting?” he looks up at you, noticing that you’re a little too close than he remembers you being. “do you want me to be?” you ask looking down at your feet. he stands up, cocking his head to the side, looking down at you, “yes” he says.

PART TWO IS UP! NSFW! READ HERE, 18+ ONLY!

[litmisfit]

— 𝘼𝙉𝘿 𝙏𝙊 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙀𝙉𝘿𝙎 𝙒𝙀 𝙂𝙊 (𝙏𝙊 𝙁𝙊𝙇𝙇𝙊𝙒 𝙇𝙄𝙆𝙀 𝘼 𝘿𝙊𝙂)

—.🌿. PAIRING. hwang hyunjin x f!reader

—.🌿. TW. cursing. violence. blood and injury. gore. mental health issues. severe ptsd. flashback. heavy trauma. murder. panic attack. mentions of vomit. arguing. chan being a dick (sorry). just heaviness.

—.🌿. GENRE. tlou!au. angst. slight fluff.

—.🌿. NOTES. i had an idea to write this fic before to go along with two other of the same au i had, but it was written about a person who turned out to be a complete fuckface. i’ll come back in the future to re-write those with an actual likable person. however, this little mini series thing idk what to call it holds a very special place in my heart so i wanted to continue it, but with different people. i’ve never written for stray kids or any type of k-pop before so please bear with me if anything seems weird. another note about this piece, minho and chan are roughly 10 years older than the rest of the members. i apologize for that, but it works with the way the plot was written. anyway, i hope you enjoy! :)) btw, not proofread lmao.

— THE SUN WAS brighter today. it shone down, warm rays casting a brilliant golden hue to the fluttering field of grass. a gentle breeze passed by. its presence made stray hairs dance slightly, the strands tickling the bridge of y/n's nose. she inhaled, lungs expanding fully before letting the breath go.

she enjoyed the peace. the sound of distant birds. the smell of blooming wildflowers along the forestline. the feeling of the wind against her scarred skin. it was a moment of tranquility she was still getting used to. after spending so long on the hunt, fighting for survival and tracking one down, it felt unfamiliar. foreign almost, like she never spent a moment before basking in the blanket of silence.

her eyes finally opened.

felix always suggested a moment of calamity would help with the anxiety she carried. to stop and soak in her surroundings. it was to show she wasn't in constant danger. there was no need to step on eggshells every minute of every day, especially now since their group decided to settle down.

after chan getting shot, hyunjin taking arrows to the shoulder and lung, and y/n left beaten and bloody, they all needed a moment to relax. at least to relax as best as they could given the trauma they continue to carry.

the others resided in jackson, deciding to stay back home to help chan recover. y/n and hyunjin broke off, finding a farmhouse not too far from the community.

it was a two-story building, abandoned and forgotten since the beginning of the end of the world. the white outside paint was worn and the porch was well-loved, sporting scratch marks in the wood from used rocking chairs. the inside was open and roomy, giving them enough space to decorate it like their own. lots of windows brought in sunlight and the smell of the outside traveled through screen doors. a fence sectioned off the outgrown yard from the woods and a small barn sat outback. it housed a handful of sheep they rounded up when they first moved in and a small garden planted next to it.

it felt like home for the first time in a long fucking time. ever since minho died, walking the world without him felt empty. like she'd never find a place where she belonged again.

the thought of her brother made her swallow. she took a breath and stood, making her way toward the house and stepping through the screen door. the sound of it slamming shut caught hyunjin's attention from the kitchen.

he peeked around the wall to catch a glimpse of his girlfriend setting her flannel over the back of one of the wooden dining room chairs.

"hey," he said with a small smile, tossing the wet cloth he was using back in the bucket of warm water. the dishes could wait a moment. he walked over to her, using a hand to lean on the table.

"hey," her voice was weak. it sounded almost strained when she spoke, like she's been quiet for so long that she forgot how to talk properly. hyunjin wouldn't be surprised if she had. he noticed how having a moment to rest after chaos really brought everything out of her. the sleepless nights, the panic attacks, the anxiety, the way she interacted with everything now: it all poured out now she didn't use survival as an act to push it down.

he reached out, fingers pushing back a few baby hairs from her forehead. "you were out there a while." he said quietly. i'm worried about you.

y/n shrugged. "it's nice out." she said. don't be. i'm fine.

he forced back the words he wanted to say. i don't believe you. instead he nodded with a grin, glancing out a nearby open window. the breeze that came through blew the curtains apart lightly. "that it is." he looked back at her. "i'm thinking a salad with the stuff from the garden would be nice for dinner. cucumbers, broccoli, carrots: nice and fresh for a day like today. what do you think?"

she nodded. "sure." she spoke before slipping by him. he frowned, but bit down on his lip to hide it. he followed after her, watching as she grabbed a glass from the cabinet and filled it with water from the drinking pitcher.

"okay. i'll go put the sheep in the barn for the night and head to the garden." he explained, heading to the shoe rack next to the back door to put on a pair of his boots.

y/n sat down her glass. "i got the sheep. just go to the garden." she offered. hyunjin blinked at her.

"are you sure?" he asked, standing up. concern swam in his gut. she's been off today, more than normal and it's starting to worry him. he didn't want to leave her alone any more than he could today.

"yeah. it's fine." she reassured. "it'll take like ten minutes."

"okay." he said after a moment. "okay, yeah. holler then... if you need me." he covered his nervousness with a smile. he reached out and grabbed her hand, giving it a small squeeze. she returned it.

"i will." she said before dropping his palm. "i'll be back."

hyunjin watched as she headed out the back door, dark eyes fixated on her shrinking figure. he pulled his hand up and rubbed his right shoulder, a familiar twinge of pain spreading across the muscle. he could feel the textured skin under his shirt, bringing back the memory of seeing y/n pinned down with fists flying to both sides of her face.

he shook his head, willing the thought away before it came. he sighed before heading towards the garden.

“come on, jesse, please.” y/n begged the last sheep. jesse, although small, had a knack for making things harder than they should. a mischievous ewe of the herd, black as night with snowy spots around her face, she enjoyed making her handlers work for what they want.

thankfully this last plea led her to give in, following the others inside the barn. y/n trailed behind to make sure the sheep didn’t try to run off before leading them into the pin.

they walked in and began munching on their dinner for the night as y/n locked the enclosure. “you,” she pointed towards jesse. “you are a bitch, you know that?”

the sheep bellowed as if agreeing to the statement. the snide remark earned her an eye roll. “jackass.” y/n muttered under her breath.

she turned, ready to head back to the house when a noise caught her attention.

she looked back, the end of the barn swimming in darkness from the setting sun. despite knowing she’s in a safe place, the thought of not being alone pressed down on her chest. “hello?” she called.

no person came out. in the place instead was a lamb, little tail flicking as it tried to hide between old farm tools.

“barney? how’d you get out?” she asked herself, striding over to catch the animal.

he caught wind of her actions and ran behind a bucket and shovel, making the two smash against each other and fall.

bam!

a scene flashed behind her eyes. minho laying still on the floor, looking just how he did when she woke: bloodied, bruised, and dead. his face was swollen and crimson leaked from his vicious wounds.

the sight caused her heart to clench and her breathing to catch.

“please…” she begged, trying to focus on the sheep in front of her. he sped by, too fast for y/n to catch and headed towards the barn doors.

she followed behind, breathing rugged and hands shaking. “p-please, barney.”

the wind outside picked up slightly. what was once a gentle breeze turned violent, catching the door before slamming.

she couldn’t see. she couldn’t feel. she couldn’t hear anything over the sound of her gasping breaths. hyperventilating overtook her, unable to properly calm herself.

yet as soon as the light left, it came back through a flicker of a flashlight.

she was back here again, swaddled in a thick jacket and gloves. snow melted in her hair that sent shivers down her spine. she stood at the top of a familiar set of stairs with a white door at the bottom.

minho’s screams were on the other side, calling out to her in pain and agony. the realization that her brother was in there sent her flying. she sped down the stairs, nearly tripping and calling his name.

“minho! minho!” she screamed, trying the doorknob. it was locked.

his voice grew louder and the sound of metal hitting skin came through the wood. “no, no!” y/n shouted, trying to slam her shoulder into the door.

smacking, screaming, kicking, punching, slamming. nothing worked. it never worked.

the sound of her name being cried from his lips made her head spin in desperation. over and over and over again until she felt herself being pulled.

being yanked back to reality was never easy. where she was always felt so real. so fucking real every time she’s back at that door, but the feeling of hands on her face and shoulder and the voice of hyunjin grounded her.

“y/n! y/n!” he shook her. “breathe, love. in and out.” he pleaded, feeling his heart twist at the sight of her frantic eyes. “he’s not here, none of them are.”

y/n took a breath, feeling her lungs skip from the straining she put herself under. it was shaky in nature as she followed along with the exercises hyunjin demonstrated.

she gulped and leaned her head back against the wall. she was sat on the dirt ground, straws of hay poking her skin through the material of her jeans.

in through her nose and out through her mouth.

“i’m sorry,” she rasps, blinking back the tears that burned her eyes. “i’m sorry.”

he shook his head and settling down next to her. “no need.” he spoke softly, brushing back her hair like he did before. he was gentle with his touch, fingertips like feathers across her sweaty skin. “there’s no need to be sorry, love.”

she nodded and screwed her hues shut for a moment. his hand fell to her knee.

“you haven’t had an episode like that in a while.” he muttered, thumb grazing over her pants leg.

“yeah,” she croaked, sniffling.

“is it the same one?” he questioned, eyes tracing over y/n’s features. swollen and red hues, the irritated skin around her nose, and the puffiness of her lips from her constant biting. she looked so worn down. that hurt more than any wound could.

“it always is.” she replied.

they sat in silence for a moment longer.

“come on. let’s get you cleaned up and fed. we can go to bed early tonight.” he helped y/n to her feet, placing a small kiss to her temple.

she didn’t respond, but let hyunjin lead her back to the house after making sure the sheep, now including barney, were good until morning.

her footsteps were sluggish and heavy. to hyunjin, it felt almost like carrying a drunk person, having to help haul their body weight back home. he didn’t mind it though. he was too preoccupied with his running thoughts.

his mind trailed back to that day. gunshots rang throughout the old theater they were held up in. he hurried from his place upstairs, wincing slightly with every step from his sprained ankle, but managed to follow the sound.

the image of chan laying still when he walked through the doors sent a shiver down his spine. his friend, his older brother practically, on the ground in a pool of his own blood, gunshot running through the back of his head and knee.

he gagged. seeing someone he was so close too lay limply and lifeless, it made him sick. his hands shook as he covered his mouth, trying to fight back the bile rising in his throat. yet, he didn’t have time to dwell on either his friend nor the vomit threatening to spill once the sound of another gunshot echoed through the auditorium.

the first thought that came to mind was y/n. she wasn’t anywhere near and deep down he knew she was in the midst of the havoc.

he didn’t waste time taking the stairs, but instead hauled himself up on the stage to run through the curtains. then he saw them.

abby anderson. she was the very person that set y/n off. the very cause of minho’s death. he remembered her. she looked exactly the way y/n described. built, muscular frame, long blonde hair tied in a braid, and a look that could kill.

god, the damage she caused. he’ll never forget the way his heart sank seeing y/n’s unconsciousness figure laying next to minho’s corpse. fear struck his bones, blending with the chill of the snow stuck to his skin. dried blood coated her nose and mouth, seeping between her lips and dying her teeth red and left eye starting to swell with purpling skin.

she was still alive. the shallow breathing of her chest told him so and he’d never felt so thankful yet so selfish.

the hope in his heart burned, happy to note his girlfriend was still here, but so disgusted with himself praying she wasn’t the one dead. that’s something he’d never grow to forgive himself and every time the memory of his friend’s body flashes by, the more guilt he continues to grow.

and this moment now was an entire recreation of that day.

abby was on top of y/n. her frame much bigger and stronger than the girl she had pinned. brutal fists were coming from all angles, paining y/n’s skin crimson.

he could see it everywhere. it seeped from her nose and mouth and leaked into her eyes. she coughed and gagged, trying her best to fight back with a broken arm.

the sight of it alone, the ptsd of the day he found her knocked out, it all came flooding back. so he charged. he sprinted and slammed against abby, pushing her off of y/n’s gasping form.

she wiggled in his grasp trying to take the upper hand. he stole it, swinging back with knuckles to meet her face. punch, punch, punch, punch. over and over with a rage he never knew burned in him.

he would kill her. he wanted to kill her and he was going to.

until a sharp pain struck his left shoulder. a deep ache he’s never felt before. he paused, both abby and himself staring at his wound in astonishment.

an arrow was driven through him, a broad head tip peering through his top, sporting blood and meat. red slowly started to spread across his white shirt, expanding like the very fungus trying to kill them.

then another hit and this time was much more painful. it the right side of his upper back, piercing right between his ribs and driven into his lung. the instant taste of metal flooded his tastebuds before a violent cough racked his system, blood spilling from his lips.

he doesn’t remember much after that. other than getting pushed off with knuckles to the face, everything went black. he didn’t wake up until weeks later with y/n by his side and her arm in a split.

he shook his head, willing such a painful memory away and fell back to the present.

he spared a glance over to y/n whose face was pointed down and hands shaking like a leaf in the wind.

yeah, an early night sounds good.

the sunset of the next day was just as bright, painting the chipped white paint of the house a warm orange.

y/n frowned at the sight of a familiar horse tied to their porch. she headed forward, the rabbits for tonight’s dinner bonded with rope was tight in her hand.

she was reluctant to step inside. a well known voice spoke with a gentle ease to hyunjin. she frowned.

a small step through the screen door caught the duo’s attention. hyunjin sent her a smile from the dining table, chan sitting right across from him.

he sent her a grin, too. it was hard to read, a mess of emotions passing through making it difficult to discern. his right eye was white, baring a scar circling the socket of his skull. the right corner of his mouth couldn’t move to far.

“hey, i was wondering where you were.” chan chuckled, willing himself to stand. y/n could see how shaky his stance was, causing hyunjin to leap over and help him regain balance.

“none of that. i’m capable of doing things myself now.” chan shooed hyunjin away, placing a hand on the male’s shoulder in a silent thanks.

he limped around the table, his left knee still weak after all this time but managed to make it to where y/n stood and pulled her into a hug. he squeezed her lovingly, happy to see his adoptive niece after so long. y/n wasn’t as expressive with her touch, opting to just rest her hands around his waist loosely until he backed away. she hoped he didn’t notice that.

he did, but chose not to speak of it.

he looked around, peering at the decor the couple managed to find to decorate their living room. “rather nice place you two have set up here. feels very… homey.” he chortled with a nod.

“well, it is home now.” she responded back, seeing hyunjin step over to take the food for the night from her palm, giving her hand a small squeeze while doing so.

y/n cleared her throat. “so, how’s everyone? good, i hope?”

chan nodded, turning to her. “yeah. felix is studying to help with the medical team. han, changbin, and seungmin are on patrols more often than not, and i.n. is, well, just i.n.” a light laugh left his mouth. “nah, he’s helping the town’s children with their learning.”

“that’s great. i’m happy for ‘em.” y/n gave him a tight-lipped smile.

“i’ll let them know you said that.” then, he sucked in a breath. “but, um…” he trailed off, trying to find his words. “but i’ve came by to talk about something.”

y/n cocked her head slightly. “what is it?” she questioned.

“here.” he sat back down on a wooden dining chair. he patted the table, motioning to the seat next to him. “come sit.”

she followed, seeing hyunjin come back from the kitchen out of the corner of her eye.

she watched as chan pulled out a folded paper and opened it, revealing a map of the east coast. “i’ve been putting out feelers for a while and a guy heard my story.” he smoothed out the sheet on the table. “he told me about a woman he traded with a while back when he was going through california. said she was built like an ox, traveling with a kid with scars across his face.”

y/n swallowed thickly, nails digging and scraping into the wood of her seat. she felt her chest grow heavy.

“he said they were living along the coast on a sailboat. here,” he pointed towards a marked spot on the map before peering up, meeting y/n’s eyes. she felt her stomach twist with his next words.

“that’s gotta be her.”

a silence fell over them for a moment, y/n unable to form the right words.

it’s as if hyunjin could feel that unease radiate from her and took a step, leaning forward and resting his hands on y/n’s shoulders. she could feel the slight trace of his thumb run comfortingly across the skin of her collarbone.

“we’re done with that, so…” he chimed in.

chan peered at y/n, brows furrowed. y/n let out a shaky breath. “i’m sorry,” she looked down.

she could see the way his face twisted, an expression of almost betrayal falling over his features. “well,” he cleared his throat. “i can’t go.”

y/n gave him a small nod. “i know.” her voice was growing weaker.

a pause followed after that. y/n could feel her skin crawl with the way chan’s eyes scanned her. then, a scoff.

“all right.” he sneered, grabbing the bag he traveled with and stood. “reckon it’s easy to forget about her while you’re sitting so comfy and cozy all the way out here–“

“hey,” hyunjin cut in, taking a step forward.

chan ignored him, still fixed on y/n and her saddened hues. “i’ll make her pay. that’s what you said.” he sneered while putting on his backpack.

“chan,” hyunjin tried again, stepping in his line of sight. y/n looked away.

chan rolled his eyes and snarled. “what a fucking joke.” he hissed and limped through the front door.

hyunjin turned to her, standing form towering over her. he leaned down and pressed a kiss to her temple. “stay here a minute, yeah?” he muttered. she nodded, feeling one more peck be placed to the crown of her head.

she heard him head out, footsteps heavy with anger.

“the fuck was that?” she could hear hyunjin’s voice flow through the open window.

“nothin’.” she heard chan respond back.

a groan of irritation came next. “god dammit, chan. you know what the fuck we’ve been through—“

“save it.” chan snapped. “she made me a promise.”

“i don’t fucking care!” hyunjin barked back, making y/n bite her lip until metal seeped to her tongue.

“and that’s your fucking problem, hyunjin. i know you don’t give two shits.”

“you listen here,” her boyfriend’s voice was sharp. “don’t you ever, i mean ever, come into my fucking house with that bullshit ever again. do you hear me?”

y/n was no longer paying attention to their conversation, too preoccupied with the thoughts running in her brain.

abby was so close. so fucking close. and y/n, she could end it once and for all. for her. for hyunjin. for chan. for all her friends. for minho.

she shook her head, forcing them away. it’s done. she’s done.

she grabbed the map and headed upstairs.

sleep didn’t come easy that night. hyunjin laid beside her, dark hair falling over his pillow with small snores leaving his lips.

y/n was sat up, feet dangling over the edge of the bed. goosebumps riddled her skin. the night air flown in through the open windows, making her shiver in her sleep shirt and a pair of hyunjin’s boxers.

she sniffled and sighed, swallowing back the lump in her throat before standing. she walked over towards the window and closed it quietly.

she peered over her shoulder at the man she loved asleep so soundly and made her stomach flip with both adoration and heartbreak. he’s been with her through it all. from minho’s murder, to the hunt for abby, to violence she’s committed, even to his scratch with death. and he’s still here, choosing to be by her side through anything and everything.

she dug her nails into the skin of her crossed arms. chan’s voice echoed through her mind.

i’ll make her pay. that’s what you said.

she let out a broken breath and buried her face in her hands, rubbing harshly at the skin of her forehead. she dragged them down her face.

another shiver racked her body. there’s more windows open downstairs.

with one last glance at the sleeping hyunjin, she took gentle steps into the hall and down to the lower floor. she walked around. the entire house was dark except for the moonlight shining through the curtains, bright enough for y/n to see to move around.

a howl of wind came from nearby. y/n strolled over, hands and feet chilly as she entered hyunjin’s little art room. the walls were pinned with his works. charcoal drawings of herself, paintings of their friends, sketches of jackson’s outline. he was talented.

y/n closed the window and took a few steps back, her hip knocking into a stool. a thud hit the floor, causing y/n to jump at the sound. her guitar case laid there and stared up at her.

she swallowed and bent down, opening it to reveal minho’s old guitar. it was loved, the wood scratched from old picks and old snapped string ends tied to the tuning pegs that he was too lazy to remove.

she grabbed it, thumb running across the neck. she sat on the stool and placed it in her lap, fingers falling back home to where they always were. a few soft strums followed. it was a familiar tune, one she grew so used to playing.

if i ever were to lose you, i’d surely loose myself.

she paused. minho’s voice sang in her head. future days by pearl jam. it was one of his favorites when he was young, he said. his mother used to play it for him when he was a boy and unable to sleep.

“and i wanted to teach you, you know,” he shrugged, sitting on the sofa in y/n’s little makeshift house she claimed as her own. “just in case you need it.”

she chuckled, twirling side to side in her swivel chair. “and why would i need that?” she asked. “i don’t even know how to play.”

he rolled his eyes in a playful manner. “that’s why i said i’ll teach you. it’s almost like you don’t listen.” he reached out, fingers tangling in her hair and giving it a good ruffle.

she pushed him away. “thanks for that. now i look like i’ve been attacked by a bear or something.” she sassed, trying to smooth out her locks.

“it’s not too bad. though, i don’t think hyunjin would mind no matter how your hair looked.” he teased, causing her cheeks to burn.

“shut the hell up.” she brought her hands to her face, trying to conceal her redness.

“yeah, yeah.” he laughed. “but i’ll teach you. if you can’t sleep, just play it. it’ll help. besides, it’s a good song.”

she nodded. “it is. maybe once i learn, i’ll play better than you.”

he scoffed. “doubt it.”

the memory played on repeat. she missed him and his dumb teasing. the only family she ever had was him, practically becoming her brother figure over the course of their journey across the country.

and his death: unjustified and left behind. it left a bitter taste in her mouth, especially since she’s given up on it. on him.

she couldn’t do that to him, not after all he’s done for her. she wouldn’t.

she needed to find abby.

hyunjin was cold when he woke up. the left side of the bed was bare, leaving him alone in the dimly lit room. the sun hasn’t risen yet and the bright moon left a ghastly white glow on the walls.

y/n was missing and that worried him. he knew her insomnia was growing worse by the day. she’d stay up for hours on end, tossing and turning with no dreams to be found. he wondered where she was now.

he got up, bare feet hitting the hardwood floor that sent a shiver down his spine. he headed out and down the stairs, hearing the sounds of shuffling come from the kitchen.

he rounded the corner and felt his heart sink. y/n’s back faced him. she was crouched, frame swallowed in minho’s old jacket he wore all the time, and she was stuffing things into a bag. she was leaving.

“hey,” his voice came out soft. it’s still startled her, making her flinch and peer over her shoulder. she stood.

“hey.” she replied, clammy hands rubbing against the material of her jeans.

“you okay?” he asked. it was dumb. of course she wasn’t.

she nodded nonetheless, lying straight to his face. “fine.” she croaked, stepping over to hide the backpack from his sight. it was useless to do so. he already knew what her plan was.

“come. let’s go back to bed. let’s talk in the morning.” he motioned towards the stairs and turned, hoping to not give her time to argue. he wasn’t quick enough.

“i need to finish this.” her words were broken, much like the way his heart was.

he clenched his jaw and screwed his eyes shut. he turned, taking long strides over to her. he shook his head.

“you don’t owe chan anything. you know that, right?” his hand reached out, brushing back her hair. she pulled away, looking up at him with exhausted hues.

“i don’t sleep. i…” her voice broke slightly. “i don’t eat. i’m not like you.”

hyunjin’s brows furrowed, face twisting in a blur of offense. he took a step back. “like me?” he scoffed. “what? you– you think this is easy for me?”

y/n’s frown stretched deeper.

he scowled. “minho was my best friend, y/n. for years, he was there for me. with– with advice, or solutions for my problems, even to just fuck around with. he watched me grow up and you think it’s easy for me to act like his death didn’t effect me?”

y/n shook her head. “that’s not–“

hyunjin cut her off. “i do this for you, y/n. everything i do is for you.” sadness washed over his anger. “i love you. please, just stay.” he grasped her face gently with his palms, thumbs running along the high points of her cheek bones.

“i can’t.” she whispered.

“so, am i just supposed to sit and wait for you? for me to drive myself insane thinking your dead or ripped apart?” he exasperated. y/n shook her head in his hands.

“i don’t plan on dying.” her voice was stable for the first time in a while.

“well, neither did minho.” the words slipped out faster than he could catch. his blood froze in his veins at the look of pain making home on y/n’s features.

she didn’t respond, but instead ripped away from his touch to grab her bag, taking steps towards the back door. he panicked, jumping forward to cup her face once again. “no, don’t. please.”

her breathing was ragged. what he said was unfair on every level and he knew that. but, anything to keep from separating, he’s willing to do. “please. i-i can’t…” he cracked. “i can’t lose you, too.” his eyes burned with tears, gaze locked with hers.

“i have to kill her, hyunjin. she’s still alive and minho’s not. i can’t live with myself as long as she’s still breathing.” she whispered.

he leaned forward, forehead pressed together, and let out a shaky breath. “let me come with you.”

“no.” her response was instant. “no, you can’t come.” she shook her head, attempting to pull away from him. his gentle hands stayed.

“why?” he begged. “tell me, why can’t i come?” he scanned her face. her emotions bled openly. her fear and agony of watching someone she cared for to be hurt again was on full display.

“you’ll get hurt. i-i can’t have you dying on me. last time was cutting it way too close.” she explained. “and that was because of me. you came because of me and that earned you a collapsed lung and a run in with death. everything that’s happened to you was because of me.”

she sniffled and hyunjin shook his head, wiping a rouge tear from her cheek. “no, god no.” he swallowed. “you think this was your fault? are you fucking serious?”

she nodded. “of course it is. if i hadn’t–“

“if i hadn’t, you would’ve been dead.” he cut in. “if i hadn’t been there, abby would’ve beaten you to death and i would be sitting in jackson wondering where you were. if i hadn’t, you would’ve been taken and killed by the wlfs. if i hadn’t, i would’ve lost you for good.”

another tear slipped down her cheek. he wiped it away, not acknowledging his own. “none of this is your fault. none. it has never been your fault. what abby did, you had nothing to do with and i know that in your mind, you believe you’re the root cause of everything, but believe me when i say you’re not.” he pushed her hair back, much like he did when she had her panic attack in the barn.

“and i know this is what you feel is needed. i know this feels like the only thing you can do avenge minho’s death and i know your mind is made up. i wont stop you, but god forbid i let you do this shit on your own. you’re much too precious to me to do that.” he breathed.

“i’d go to the ends of anything and everything for you. i’d follow you into any place you want. fuck, i’d walk blissfully into hell if that’s where you’re headed.” he licked his lips, salt on his tongue. “please, love, please let me go with you.”

y/n swallowed and sniffled, feeling the weight of his words crush her. she could see it in his eyes. please let me come with you. i’m begging, my love, please.

a sigh and then she nodded. “okay.” she croaked. “okay. you can come.”

a sense of relief filled hyunjin’s chest. he leaned down and captured y/n’s lips with his. desperation fled from him to her, spilling between them in a flurry of emotions. the very need to be by her side at all times consumed him, to survive and die right next to her. and he would without as much as a second thought.

he breathed her in, hoping to consume and bury all her worries and fears, and sprout them into flowers of hope and courage. she was his everything.

and if it’s to the ends they go, he’ll follow her like a dog.

[severelystrangewriter]

Cooking Together (Flufftober 2023 Day 10)

Pairing: taiju shiba x reader

WC: 734

Warnings: none

Summary: what it’s like to cook with taiju

Note: i feel like cooking with a guy who owns multiple restaurants would be a nightmare not even gonna hold you

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

Cooking together with Taiju Shiba was an impossible task. And when I say impossible, I mean it. He had a very strict method when it came to being in the kitchen, and honestly, you felt that you were just in the way more times than not when you tried to help. He wouldn’t even let you chop the vegetables or boil the water without hovering over you in some way. Like, you understood that the guy ran multiple restaurants, but come on.

“Babe, I know what I’m doing!” You finally snapped one evening as you cut some carrots, “Trust me.”

“I do trust you!” Taiju argued, “...But your knife technique could use a little work.”

You pointed the blade at him jokingly, “Do you really wanna say that to the person holding the knife?”

Taiju looked completely unfazed, “Will you just let me show you?”

You sighed heavily but handed the knife over and stepped to the side in order to give him free rein on the cutting board. Crossing your arms, you watched as he took your place. He shot you a thankful smile and got started right away.

“You’re supposed to cut them lengthwise first,” Taiju instructed, “Then dice them like this.”

You nodded your head, trying really hard to find the will to care. But this was important to him, so you bit back your sarcastic remark. He finished dicing the rest of the carrots and then moved on to the onions. You figured you weren’t going to get to chop up vegetables anytime soon.

With another sigh you picked up the peeler from the counter and held it up, “Can I at least peel the potatoes?”

He looked thoughtful for a moment, and you swore that if he said no you would scream, but then Taiju nodded his head.

“That should be fine.”

With a breath of relief, you got to work right away. But after the first potato, your boyfriend was by your side again.

“You know, there’s a trick to peeling them more smoothly,” He commented casually.

“Is there now?” You grumbled with a huff.

“Yeah, here, let me-”

“Touch my potatoes and I’ll throw one at your head,” You threatened, causing him to retract his hand. “Just tell me how to do it.”

“Well for one, you need to fix how you’re holding the potato,” Taiju explained.

“And just how am I holding it wrong?” You exclaimed in exasperation.

“You need to firmly grasp it.”

“I’m grasping it as firmly as I can!” You protested, “It’s too big to get a proper grip!” At Taiju’s smirk, you squinted, realizing how that sounded out of context. Shaking your head, you said, “Don’t you dare laugh, I’m getting annoyed.”

“You’re cute,” He replied with a slight chuckle, throwing you off guard.

Feeling your face heat up at the compliment, you shook your head again and pointed the peeler at him this time, “Flattery will get you nowhere. I’m peeling these potatoes whether you like it or not! You just worry about dicing them.”

He put his hands up defensively, “Alright, alright.”

And so you both went back to working on your respective tasks. The silence that fell over the kitchen was actually peaceful for once. When you finished peeling, you decided that there was not much else for you to do but watch him take over. He quickly got the ingredients in the pot and while that was cooking he went ahead and started washing some of the dirty utensils that were used. You took the opportunity to come up behind him and wrap your arms around his middle.

“Thanks for letting me help. Even if it was reluctant,” You told him, squishing your cheek against his back.

“I wouldn’t say it was reluctant,” Taiju scoffed, drying his hands and turning in your hold.

Now facing him, you gave your boyfriend a blank stare, “You literally took over chopping all of the vegetables.”

“You peeled the potatoes,” He pointed out.

“Only after I threatened you!” You argued. Then you groaned and buried your face into his chest, “You’re lucky I love you.”

One of Taiju’s hands came to rest on the back of your head and the other on your back to hold you closer. You smiled when you felt him press a soft kiss to the top of your head in response as he murmured, “That I am.”

[icarustypicalfall]

Commander's last love

masterlist • ao3 • fic masterlist • part 4

summary: Training till draining, where tears spill and pride kills. He just wants peace.

Warnings: bad self image, self sabotage, scars, sparring, wounds.

note: i hate u tumblr for deleting the first one >:(. also if y'all want to be added to the tag list tell me :3

tags: @unicorngirly1

**

"Dis moi, est-ce-que tu m'aime? Je suis emprisonné de tes yeux, de ta douce voix. Dis moi la vérité."

Mission [A2626]

Location: [CLASSIFIED]

Time: 15:20:34 - 24/10/2022

What on earth could have prompted Shadow's esteemed company and revered member of the military to rise at such ungodly hours and become the sidekick to two young people?

Well...

After yesterday's meeting (Phillip might start following them from bed) he was certain of two things: the mission was progressing smoothly despite numerous obstacles, and he had a strong urge to push that Sky Diver out of the helicopter at the earliest opportunity. He might even consider pulling off the Gaz move in this unit.

As he sat beside you and Sky on the way back to the base (a logistical oversight), all he wanted was to return home and rest. However, you and Sky seemed to be engaged in playful banter and meaningless arguments out of nowhere. Pardon Phillip's manners, but he couldn't find his blanket and had only managed to sleep for less than five hours. He was on the verge of losing his temper with Martin.

Phillip groaned as the unusual noise grew louder. He snapped, "Is there anything the two of you are better at than opening your mouths?" It wasn't like him to be snarky or mean, as he usually preferred playful taunting. But in that moment, he couldn't deny that he felt... jealous?

Yes, absolutely.

He was also sleep-deprived and in need of a hug. Apart from that, he was perfectly fine.

He had been here for over two weeks, yet he felt as if there was now more distance between you and him than there was between his own shadows and logic.

You stared at him, your brows furrowing over your usual mask.

He wished you would feel safe around him, or at least trust him enough to reveal the hidden beauty that you chose to veil from him. You often let your guard down around your colonel and her husband, as well as some of the other soldiers. Even Sky got to see you. Why couldn't Phil?

It was like a precious pearl locked away in a chest, afraid of thieves. But he wasn't a thief; he would never dare to steal you away from your life, from where you truly belonged. The only thing he wanted to steal was your heart, but apparently, that was as difficult as cupping the surface of the moon and sealing it with a kiss.

Nevertheless, he was determined. He wouldn't give up, even if it meant getting hurt along the way. Even if it meant facing the failure of his broken heart shattering. He didn't want to creep you out; he just wanted to understand the reason for your disdain.

You interrupted, squinting your eyes with what he assumed was a smirk, "Yes, Commander, we train to ensure our joints don't start cracking at 30."

Oh, wrong move.

He glared at you, crossing his arms as he spoke with an air of confidence, as if your remark hadn't affected him at all. "No, doll, I certainly train as well. But what I've seen from the two of you is pathetic. I highly doubt you would have passed boot camp."

Push, prod, bait... anything to leave a lasting mark. A constant reminder of your rejection.

Sky chimed in, his carefree spirit making Phillip want to throw himself off the moving van. "What if you give us proper training, Commander?"

Phillip, providing you and Sky with training? Making you sweat and curse at him? Supporting you as you struggled through your reps? Sparring with you?

His prayers had finally been answered. He tried to hide the grin spreading across his face with his usual proud smirk. "You won't last a single minute."

You laughed, and his heart fluttered. Phillip wasn't exactly old; he was in his thirties, but he still possessed the spirit of a young man. You made him rejoice in those moments of familiarity.

Since childhood, Phillip had always been left out, hated, and bullied. Even his own family favored his sibling, leaving him to live in their shadow. He had thought that joining the army and fulfilling his father's wishes would earn him a modicum of respect. But he was wrong.

That's why he had severed ties with his family, only visiting on rare occasions. He would watch as his brother basked in the limelight. His brother, a renowned lawyer with a beautiful wife and a young son. Phillip grew distant after his mother's death, burying with her the last remnants of affection.

Phillip looked at Sky and felt a pang in his heart. The young man had everything: success, friends, money... and you. The way you shared laughter and giggles made him envious of that connection.

He longed for love, acceptance, friendship, anything. But he had never been good at being vulnerable. All he could do was watch and pray for a miracle to happen. Maybe one day, or perhaps never.

This was the bitter reality that Phillip had to swallow since the day he came into this world.

Later on, the three of you convened in the training facility, finding it empty. It was evident that Phillip had discreetly dismissed the three rookies who were miserably failing at their sparing session. He stood alone, anxiously waiting as the clock's ticking intensified his nerves. To drown out the demons of his loneliness, he turned up his headphones. The reminders of his solitude were silenced.

Having arrived, you entered the room dressed entirely in black. A nod of acknowledgement was exchanged between you and Phillip before you began your warm-up routine. Shortly after, Sky joined the group, offering a brief excuse for his delay. Phillip's gaze lingered on you for a moment, admiring your strength and the flawless execution of your moves, which he doubted he could ever replicate. Caught staring, he coughed nervously before uttering, "Well, sweetheart, care to show me what you're capable of?"

Your laughter filled the room, a soft giggle that felt like the first rays of sunlight in winter. Approaching Phillip, you positioned yourself in the sparing section. He followed shortly while Sky cheered from the sidelines.

Phillip was about to make a snarky remark, but before he could, your fist swiftly found its mark on his chest with a forceful punch that stole his breath away.

Coughing, he grabbed hold of your arm and threw you onto your back. Pinning you down with his knee on your stomach, he lifted your chin, locking eyes with you. "Told ya, sweetheart. No chance," he declared.

Your laughter only caused his heart to ache once again. The grip of your bare fingertips on his bicep burned, torturing his soul.

"No, Commander, she was going easy on you," Sky interjected, causing Phillip to frown.

Easy on him? Was he this old?

Releasing his hold on you, he stood up, attempting to conceal the pain etched on his face as he took a sip of water. Finding a spot to rest, he watched as Sky and other soldiers showcased their impressive moves shirtless. A sigh escaped his lips as he cursed his aging body and the unsightly scars that adorned it. He leaned back, contemplating removing his shirt but ultimately opted to clutch his water bottle tightly till his knuckles turned white.

After the intense training session, you found yourself drenched in sweat, ravenous, and above all, exhausted.

Deciding it was time for a quick bath followed by a well-deserved nap, your eyes roamed the room, landing on Commander Graves who was venting his frustration by pummeling a boxing bag.

To your surprise, your prejudices faded away as you observed him. The man wasn't half bad, and you could even acknowledge some of his positive attributes. However, whenever you caught a glimpse of him, memories of a past life, someone you despised with every fiber of your being, resurfaced.

Driven by curiosity, you approached him, addressing him gently by his rank. "Commander?"

He stared at you in shock, perplexed as to why you were there and not with the rest of the group. Letting out a sigh, he forced a smile and replied.

“Yes, sweetheart? Anything else you want from this old man?”

In that moment, something within you shifted, causing you to abandon your animosity towards him. Without hesitation, you found yourself standing before him, gently holding his bruised hand and carefully bandaging it. He looked at you, feeling defeated yet momentarily at peace. Your cold hands cradled his, softly tending to his wounds as you reassured him, "No need to be upset, Commander. Everyone admires your abilities." Vulnerable to the core, he gazed at you, his guard lowered.

Before turning away and heading towards your room, you whispered, "Oh, and Phill, comparison is the thief of joy."

Phil?

If anything, this encounter healed every doubt he had. He couldn't believe that his name had left your lips. As he watched you walk away, he pondered what had just transpired.

Later that night, as Phillip prepared for bed, a smile adorned his face. However, his happiness quickly dissipated when he received a call from General Shepard. The weight of despair settled upon him as he listened in silence, absorbing the General's words.

No.

Not again.