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readingforsanity · 2 years ago

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Then She Was Gone | Lisa Jewell | Published 2017 | *SPOILERS*

Ellie Mack was the perfect daughter.

She was fifteen, the youngest of three. She was beloved by her parents, friends and teachers. She and her boyfriend made a teenaged golden couple. She was days away from an idyllic post-exams summer vacation, with her whole life ahead of her.

And then she was gone.

Now, her mother Lauren Mack is trying to put her life back together. It’s been ten years since her daughter disappeared, seven years since her marriage ended, and only months since the last clue in Ellie’s case was unearthed.

So when she meets an unexpectedly charming man in a cafe, no one is more surprised than Lauren at how quickly their flirtation develops into something deeper. Before she knows it, she meets Floyd’s daughters - and his youngest, Poppy, takes Laurel’s breath away.

Because looking at Poppy is like looking at Ellie. And now, the unaswered questions she’s tried so hard to put to rest begin to haunt Lauren anew.

Where did Ellie go? Did she really run away from home, as the police have long suspected, or was there a more sinister reason for her disappearance? Who is Floyd, really? And why does his daughter remind Laurel so viscerally of her own missing girl.

Laurel Mack had the perfect life, or so it seemed. Married to Paul, and mother to three children: Jake, Hanna and Ellie. Ellie, whom she described as her golden child. At 15, she is in the throes of teenage angst, but is still what her mother describes as perfect.

When her boyfriend beats her in a math test, Ellie becomes engrossed in wanting to be better than him. Though they get along well, her intelligence is important to her and she requests a tutor. She is spoiled rotten, and knows that she will get what she wants despite her parents being unable to afford it. In the end, they hire at the suggestion of a neighbor, Noelle Donnelly. Noelle is mysterious and strange, with green eyes and red hair and moved to London from Ireland, where she had lived with her family. She has two older brothers and two young brothers, and a sister who had passed as a child due to cancer, along with parents who were loveable but not really. She begins tutoring Ellie in math, and soon Ellie gets back on track, and decides, after Noelle begins asking her strange questions, that she wants to end their tutoring relationship.

A few weeks later, Ellie mysteriously disappears and isn’t heard from ever again. Laurel has spent the last 10 years wondering what happened to Ellie, spending time ensuring the police don’t lose track of the case but this fact is inevitable. After a break-in 4 years after her disappearance, the thought that she was a runaway is confirmed as money, a laptop, clothing and various other items of Ellie’s goes missing. Laurel begins to make peace with this, though she and Paul ultimately divorce, and life moves on.

Laurel, now living in a flat and spends her days working part-time as a marketing coordinator, visiting her ill mother in a nursing home and cleaning her remaining daughter’s flat weekly, simply gets by on life. But, her life quickly changes for a variety of reasons. Some of Ellie’s remains are found quickly after the rucksack she had been carrying the day of her disappearance is located. The family buries her and begins to get some sort of closure.

A few weeks later, Laurel is sitting in a cafe when she meets a handsome man named Floyd. He is an author of mathematics books, and has two children, Sara-Jade and Poppy, 21 years old and 9 years old respectively. They go on a date and their romance quickly blossoms. Laurel begins to get to know Poppy, and spending time with her. Deep inside, she knows something is amiss about Poppy - she is not your typical 9 year old child, and she has a striking resemblance to her deceased daughter.

This fact doesn’t quite bother her until Sara-Jade makes a comment during a conversation: once when Poppy’s mother, Noelle, was around 8 months pregnant, SJ saw her naked by mistake and noticed a lack of a baby bump. Laurel says this could easily be that SJ had been young and wasn’t sure what she was looking at, but it eats away at her. She begins looking into Noelle Donnelly, who she remembers tutored Ellie 10 years ago.

Laurel meets Noelle’s nephew Joshua, who is living in the flat that Noelle once occupied before her own disappearance. All of Noelle’s personal belongings remain in the house, and Josh even offers to show Laurel something strange that he and his brother, who lives with him, had found shortly after they moved in: a door that leads to the basement where several animal cages are left, along with a TV and a sofa bed. He says it was likely a guest bed, but it wasn’t used very often as Noelle was a bit of a loner. He also gives his grandmother’s phone number to Laurel, and she speaks with her to learn that Noelle was supposed to be returning to Ireland with Poppy, but never showed and they haven’t heard from her since and that she strongly suspects that her daughter is dead.

It is around here that we come to learn what happened to Noelle. Noelle had met Floyd at a convention for maths, and she became obsessed with him. They lived in the same area, and after another chance meeting, their romance began. Though she was over 40 years old, she found herself pregnant, but at 10 weeks gestation, had suffered a miscarriage, and then another a few years later. Floyd is unsure of whether or not he wants to continue his relationship with Noelle, as she is unable to bear a child of her own. Noelle quickly finds herself tutoring Ellie, who she also becomes completely enamored with. Ellie has the perfect life and family, and is essentially a golden child.

When Ellie is walking to the library, Noelle speaks with her and invites her back to her home. Noelle offers a drink laced with sleeping pills, and locks Ellie away in her basement. Within a few short months, Ellie is pregnant and carrying the child that Noelle is going to pass off as her own to Floyd in order to win him back. Things go smoothly, but the longer Ellie remains pregnant, the more Noelle changes compeltely: she stops doting on her, and feeds her foods high in sugar. When Poppy is born, she is kept with Ellie for two weeks and then Noelle takes her, leaving Ellie in the basemet unattended until she passes away. Noelle keeps her in the basement until the smell begins to become a problem, and then moves her up into the attic where she remained until Noelle disposed of them, some partially in plain sight to be found and the rest in the wasteland.

Noelle begins raising Poppy, and for four years, does so with Floyd, though Floyd does not invite Noelle back into his life as she hoped he would. When Poppy begins to show great disdain for Noelle, Floyd decides to step in. When he says that he wants Poppy to live with him permanently, and for Noelle to give up her maternal rights to the child, Noelle says that Poppy isn’t hers nor Floyd’s, and that she really is the child of Ellie, the girl who had gone missing, and an anonymous sperm donor she had contacted in order to purchase sperm he had been selling. In a fit of rage, Floyd attacks her and kills her, burying her body under the flower garden in his backyard and he continues to raise Poppy as his own.

On Christmas Eve, Floyd invites Laurel to her home and now Laurel is aware that something is strongly amiss, and that Poppy belongs to Ellie, and is in fact her grandchild and not the daughter of the man she is seeing. He makes a video confession, informing her of everything he knows and that his intentions when they first met were not malicious, and that this was always his intention, and that their love affair simply was an added bonus, as he had fallen completely for her. He has decided that the best gift he can give Laurel is Poppy.

In the end, Laurel accepts Poppy wholheartedly, and is still dealing with struggling to accept what happened to Ellie, as she had always been so close but was never found. They attend Hanna’s wedding to Ellie’s old boyfriend, Theo, as they had reconnected and fell in love. Hanna adores Poppy, and Poppy adores Hanna, and their family is complete now that the piece of Ellie is back with her true family.

Discussion Questions

1. Then She Was Gone, is first and foremost, a mystery. Yet many questions are answered quite early on in the book. How soon did you guess what really happened to Ellie, and if you did, did it affect your enjoyment of the book? It took me a bit to realize that Floyd wasn’t involved with Ellie like I originally thought. Reading the synopsis, I thought Floyd was the one who had kidnapped Ellie and impregnated her, and then was raising their child together and her whereabouts were still unknown, or that she would be found alive being kept in a basement somewhere. However, when the book took over into Noelle’s perspective, I knew then what had happened, but still suspected Floyd. It wasn’t until her own confession that I realized he was just a poor scapegoat in everything she was doing, and I felt badly for him.

2. In the prologue, it says “looking at it backward it was obvious all along.” Now that you’ve finished the novel, do you agree? What warning signs referred to in the prologue might Ellie have spotted if she’d been more aware? Oh yes, everything was painfully obvious from the beginning, with Noelle’s strange questions about what she was wanting out of life, etc. Noelle was obsessed with her but in the beginning, you didn’t really pick up on it until she made her own confession.

3. Did you think Lisa Jewell’s portrayal of Laurel and her journey was realistic? Could you relate to the way she dealt with her grief, or did you find it alienating? I think her portrayal was pretty spot on, though I can’t say this from first hand experience. Both of my children are alive and well, and they’re not missing. But, I have seen the shells that people become after their children disappear, and more often than not, marriages end because one party is unsure of how to deal with it. This is what happened to Laurel and Paul. Paul was optimistic, and he did his duty, but he couldn’t remain in a relationship with Laurel because she essentially became such a different person after Ellie’s disappearance, that even her own children were skeptical of her existence.

4. What was your impression of Poppy when she is first introduced? Did this change over the course of the book, and if so, how? Poppy is a strange child, and I realize now that she had a very strange upbringing. She was isolated, by being home-schooled and she was never given the chance to socialize with other children and when given that chance, she wasn’t sure how to act. I feel badly for this poor child, and I did at the beginning when she’s first introduced. I’m glad she came out of her shell at the end and is going to live a somewhat normal life.

5. Then She Was Gone is divided into six parts. Why do you think Lisa structured the book this way? How would you catergorize each section - what makes it distinct from the other parts of the book? The first few parts are all from Laurel’s pespective, and what has happened since Ellie was taken. The last few parts are a mix of both Laurel and Noelle’s perspectives, as well as Ellie’s, and then eventually Floyd’s as well. I think this was important as we weren’t left wondering what actually happened to Ellie, we got to read what happened to her, and we got to see how Floyd had dealt with it as well.

6. For much of the book, Laurel and her daughter Hanna have a fraught relationship as Laurel fails to let go of unfavorable comparisons between Hanna and Ellie. Do you think it’s normal to have a favorite child? How should parents handle these feelings if they arise? While I think it’s normal, it is unfair. I oftentimes find myself favoring my younger daughter over my older daughter. There is a 4 year age difference, and I spend much more time with my 1 year old as my oldest is in school for the majority of the day. Plus, I have the ability to be a stay at home parent as opposed to when my oldest was born I was working either part-time or full-time up until 2021 when her baby sister was born. And this brings me a lot of guilt. I love both of my children, equally, I can assure you. I have to constantly remind myself that my daughter is only 5 years old, nearly 6, and is still learning how to navigate this world just as much as I am still learning to navigate being a mother.

7. Throughout the novel, Laurel has moments in which she feels something is not quite right, but often writes it off as paranoia as a result of losing her daughter. Have you ever written off your own concerns? How can you distinguish when you are being pessimistic, and when you should trust your intuition? Intuition should always be followed. I’m sure I’ve had times where I’ve written off concerns, specifically in my relationships with people. This is apparent when I felt that my husband, who I had been dating for two years at this point, had been seeing his ex-girlfriend behind my back. When she moved out of state, this ended, obviously, and our relationship continued. We eventually moved in together, and after 6 years, we got married. In between the time of our elopement and us planning a larger celebration, he confessed that he had still slept with her for the majority of the beginning of our relationship. This ate me alive, because intuitively, I knew that something was going on with them but I chose to ignore it because I loved him. He said if I wanted to end the relationship and marriage, that it was up to me as he had betrayed my trust for so long, but by this point, we had already been married for a few months, and were only a few months of celebrating that with our nearest and dearest, and it had been several years since anything else had happened. We no longer have contact with her, as this was my stipulation, that if she were to reach out to him that he please not have any contact with her because at that rate I’d be done, because it showed he wasn’t ever truly done with her. But, we’re going on 8 years married, and have two children. While I don’t recommend this approach to anyone, this is what worked best for me and our relationship. This won’t work for everyone.

8. There are four different perspectives shown in the book, but only Noelle and Floyd’s narration are in first person. Why do you think Lisa chose to write their chapters in first person, directly addressing other characters, while Laurel and Ellie’s chapters were told through third person? What effect did this have on you as you read? Noelle and Ellie are gone. They’re both dead, and we’re essentially reading this from “beyond the grave”. Laurel and Floyd are in the present. It shows their perspectives to the now as opposed to what had happened to Ellie in the past.

9. Floyd and Noelle are both characters with some obsessive tendencies. What other similarities do they share, and in what ways are they different? Were you able to sympathize with either or both of them? Floyd and Noelle both became obsessive over two different Mack women. They sought them out, for different reasons. Floyd had the best intentions in mind: he wanted to return Poppy to the people who truly belonged to her. Noelle did so selfishly because she was a terrible person.

10. In chapters from Ellie’s perspective, she repeatedly brings up the subject of blame, thinking of all the moments that led to what happened to her, and she she “should” have done differently, or what others could have done to save her. As you read, did you find yourself blaming characters for the unforeseen consequences of the choices they made? If so, in which situations? Not at all. Ellie was a child, and she has zero blame in anything that had happened to her. Despite her having reservations about Noelle from the beginning, Ellie couldn’t have foreseen what was going to happen to her, and in the end, she did what was told of her because she needed to survive. In the end, she did not survive but Ellie is still not to blame for any of it.

11. At the end of the book, Laurel notes that she “hasn’t told Poppy the full truth” about everything that happened. Do you think she ever will? How would Poppy react to learning the secrets of her background? Poppy is only 9-10 years old during the present events. So, yes, I agree that not telling her is the best thing. But eventually, she is going to know what happened to Ellie, her mother. I’m sure there will be articles and things written about what really happened. And I think, as Poppy is quite a bit more mature than other children her age, she is going to take it well. She didn’t like Noelle to begin with, and she was well cared for after Noelle was killed by Floyd, and again after she is returned to her rightful family. Poppy will see that Ellie was an innocent victim, but she was the light that came from the tragedy of Ellie’s disappearance and death.

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nancythedrew · 3 years ago

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Employers in ND Games Rated By Likelihood of an OSHA Violation

On a scale of 1-10, a 10 meaning holy shit OSHA needs to intervene ASAP and a 1 meaning I would generally be fine working here. Also I just took Employment Law so I’m gonna be that nitpicky person that recognizes that only employees, not independent contractors, are subject to OSHA regulations.

SCK1: The pliers being used to fix a gas leak later swapped with a ladle is not a great solution, but what’s more concerning is what kind of godforsaken gas is coursing through the veins of that kitchen that if he doesn’t have something supporting it for 3 seconds the ENTIRE building is engulfed in flames? Are they cooking on a stove using methane gas? 9/10

SCK-Remastered: Organizing all those unrelated books is probably a pain in the ass for Aunt Eloise but not a safety risk. Getting pistol whipped by your “boss” who isn’t even an actual cop probably sucks but Nancy was functioning more as an independent contractor. I don’t remember what happens in the boiler room exactly, but I don’t think the chains on it were by design, and there was definitely a way to cool that place off if needed, so no -major- hazard. 4/10

STFD: The ability to lock that soundstage so that not even security or the fire department can get in is a lawsuit waiting to happen. The threats and stuff that Rick get probably don’t matter because he’s an independent contractor (although -maybe- an employee if he’s getting contracted season after season??), but the security overall is sus given how easily Owen Spayder snuck in. Imagine if they had some kind of sexual harassment complaint and the offender is just showing up to work under a fake identity. I wouldn’t be surprised if Dwayne was doing that already as Owen. 8/10

MHM: Everyone’s probably an independent contractor so honestly OSHA probably wouldn’t even care about that questionable chandelier. The biggest hazard in the place is asking people about gum bo fu but that seems more of an interpersonal than work environment problem. 1/10

TRT: The spinning 3-step-bridge that those chains to get into the tower activate seems like a disaster. I don’t even know where that pit goes. To the laundry facility? Also the obvious steps sliding that gets Lisa at the end. But if you keep all but the most trained employees out of the tower area and elevator shaft the rest of the place is just a hotel. 3/10

FIN: The rickety lights aren’t great, but the place was gonna get torn down anyway. The wardrobes that lead to each other seems like a sexual harassment claim waiting to happen, the literal actual guillotine could cause some problems, and what the fuck was that cooler that Maya is in at the end? Nothing major that couldn’t be fixed, but as is I’d like some investigation. 5/10

SSH: Hahahah that fucking rock solid structure with stairs with no hand railings and then you walk outside and there’s still no railings even on the BRIDGE over WATER and then it makes you walk around in the dark?? Who is the poor employee who has to restock those glowsticks when they run out? Or someone drips a lil bit of water out of their water bottle onto the stairs? When they make the staff schedule for this place they better factor in the regular trips to Nurse Bluefoot’s because everyone’s gonna be getting head injuries. 9/10

DOG: We still don’t fucking know what Ranger Akers really does for work, Emily seems to run her own basic retail business, idk how Red Knott is funding his escapades. I’m gonna hope that Mickey Malone had his employees enter through the non-graveyard route that wasn’t pitch black, but I’m also really loving the idea of a speakeasy employee snitching on OSHA because they’re not getting enough bathroom breaks or something. (OSHA wasn’t formed until the 70s) 1/10

CAR: After working at a theme park this game is extra funny but like the very concept that these pieces of actual heavy machinery could just be activated at inopportune moments by a single user? Even non-malicious employees could end up fucking murdering each other because there’s no secondary accountability to these machines. Shut this place down and redesign every ride holy shit. 9/10

DDI: I doubt OSHA would figure out how to get into the tunnels from the Hot Kettle. I don’t even know who’s really in charge of the lighthouse but I think as long as they got decent training it’s not an issue. Katie’s boat and Whale World are probably fine unless Katie sends employees down to slip on the thawing fish water. 1/10

SHA: I think….all is fine? The fucked up chicken has a clear warning, the horses are taken care of by someone who’s definitely competent, Shorty’s food is probably ass but I don’t think it’s like a medical hazard. I don’t know what the fuck Mary uses to polish agates but I assume she wears proper eye wear. 0/10

CUR: The only person working a job here is Ethel, who is probably independently contracted, but I don’t think she has anything to bitch about except Nancy going down a slide and walking out of a door. 0/10

CLK: Tubby Telegrams was like the original Postmates (so, independent contractor). The tetanus nail “tip” Nancy gets isn’t great but not worth looking into. Jim Archer’s bank is vanilla as hell. We don’t get to see any of the Lilac Inn’s dining area or kitchen. What we know about the kitchen is that it fully burns down if someone leaves the stove on, but it was the 30s so was anything really safe? 0/10

TRN: Let’s maybe assume John Grey is actually an “employee” and he’s there to find ghosts for his TV show. If so, he gets a sweet ass ENTIRE CAR to himself. The engineer has nothing to complain about. I think Fatima, the mortician at the crypt who jizzes himself over Camille’s, and any and all employees at the Copper Fork seem to be working in similar conditions to your standard fast food place. 0/10

DAN: Within 3 seconds of walking into her new job, Nancy gets a plant pot thrown at her head and is expected to act like it’s no big deal. She has to pick up cockroaches which is nasty but not a health risk (I think?). Getting kicked in the titty by your boss probably violates some rights, as is the questionable reimbursement policy regarding items haggled for at Pont Neuf. 6/10

CRE: Contrary to popular sentiment, Big Island Mike’s Immersion Excursion is not a sweat shop, but is in fact a vacation experience for the whole family (just like a sweat shop). No one knows what the hell is happening at the HilliHilli but those protective suits seem like they’re probably keeping people safe, though there’s always the lingering possibility of the Hilli HIlli Homeboy himself losing his shit on you. Dr. Kim just has you pick up bug poop which is fair given you’re working with a bug doctor. I wish there was some place at her camp to wash your hands, but we can’t have everything, can we. 4/10

ICE: The strangely unsupervised and unquestioned use of firearms by Ollie is conce

(that’s all I had written for ICE in the Google Doc I found. I’m laughing because honestly I think it sums it up pretty well so I’m just gonna leave it. I don’t know why that was the only one left incomplete)

CRY: There’s pretty much no employees in this game, since Renee is independently contracted and everyone else seems to be their own boss. Even if Lamont has a couple of employees that place doesn’t seem like it screams safety hazard, even though the sink is kinda gross. 0/10

HAU: Also no employees but maybe Donal has some sort of agreement where he sells his soul to be able to wank off around the Good People on a weekly basis. Giant chunks missing from a building aren’t great, but that sheep shearer seems to have some pretty good guards and safeties on it. The bar is just a bar. 4/10

RAN: Yet again no real employees. Maybe the monkeys work for each other? I would say their conditions are safe for monkeys, but I don’t know how they get up to the top of that cliff and communicate to those at the top to stop chucking rocks for a second for the next shift to climb up and swap out. 2/10

WAC: Paige seems to have a pretty sweet set up even though her hours are wonky and she has to be wandering around the building at godforsaken hours to catch other people wandering around the building at godforsaken hours. It’s not great that the training for the snack shop it’s just a three-ring binder but it also isn’t like there’s crazy tools involved. 2/10

TOT: The volume of electronic equipment Nancy is asked to fix with no prior training is pretty dangerous, especially when she’s asked to fix an actual literal electrical socket. We know Scott was sending people out into storms they weren’t supposed to be in so I’d say even in the storm chasing industry this team was not following generally accepting procedures. 8/10

SAW: Given that someone literally died by slipping and falling accidentally (allegedly) while cleaning the baths I’d say there’s definitely some unsafe protocols at the Ryokan. Some more railings around the garden would probably be ideal, as would maybe at least a sign by that fire in the middle of the lobby. 7/10

CAP: I don’t know how to classify the tunnels and the forest because I think Nancy is warned to not go into them whatsoever and just disregards that guidance, so I’m not sure the castle as an employer is responsible. The only person really put at risk is Lukas and he’s not an employee so OSHA wouldn’t give a fuck. 3/10

ASH: Again, a lot of people who are their own employers. Also just like a not super dangerous game in general? It’s just a town and there was an arson but that doesn’t have to do with the working conditions, but everything else seems to be up to par for the 21st century. 0/10

TMB: Idk why the fuck the scaffolding collapsed but maybe we should investigate that. Also random cobras? And sand storms? And Egyptian death traps? Fortunately this game takes place outside of the US so OSHA doesn’t have to worry about this(yes I’m being arbitrary with which games I don’t care about because of their non-US location), plus I assume most were independently contracted anyway. ???/10

DED: I mean Nancy wasn’t supposed to go into the lab and start sticking her hands in all those chemicals. Like all things considered it seems like the people authorized to access the dangerous things generally have adequate training to do so. Yeah, a dude got murdered using that equipment, but maybe if they just included a safety or required turning on the coil to be a two person job that could’ve been prevented. 2/10

GTH: The Thornton business really did have its own Triangle Fire so that’s basically the gold standard for “holy shit we need government oversight here.” I don’t really know where the employees are supposed to have been working but since everyone seems to have seen spooky things on the island I’ll assume everyone was within reach of the carbon monoxide, which is an obvious hazard. 10/10

SPY: To the degree that Nancy did work for a terrorist organization she was independently contracted, as probably everyone else was. I don’t really know how OSHA works in terms of national security related government jobs where the idea is you know you might die. But given that this whole game was about a “non lethal” threat I guess it isn’t -that- bad. But getting crushed by the trash thing was probably not ideal. 4/10

MED: I have no idea what the employment situation is where ONE GUY can just “take over” the ENTIRE crew and the entire show??? If this wasn’t a children’s PC game this would be some Morning Show kind of story about how Sonny abused that power. But it’s not. And this game makes no sense. But, I would send OSHA in to figure out what the fuck the plot of this game was. 10/10

LIE: Literally has a set with actual lava and actual handcuffs and actual puzzles you have to solve to get off of the set??? 100/10 call the police too

SEA: Really not sure who’s all working for who here (like I think we’re working for Dagny AND Magnus technically since they’re in a partnership and Dagny hired us) but I can’t remember anything much more dangerous than general sea-faring hazards and if we were Nancy we probably would’ve had adequate education or training to take care of ourselves. 3/10

MID: I don’t know why a passageway in the cemetery leads to the courthouse bathroom, but that aside most things seem to meet similar standards to ASH. The ergot poisoning is weird but doesn’t seem to be tied to a specific employer. 1/10

#nancy drew #effort #generic #favorite

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let-them-read-fics · 3 years ago

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Bite

Pairing: Vamp!Lisa x Human!Fem!Reader

AU: Vampire

Word Count: ~ 5,564

Warnings / Misc. -- Mentions of Blood

Disclaimer: This writing is a work of fiction, and no disrespect is meant for those mentioned herein.

A/N: Hey everyone! I'm alive! School has kept me crazy busy and I've had my hands full with other things as well, but I finished writing this one and I wanted to share with you lovely peeps. To everyone who stopped by to check in, and to those of you who’ve been patiently waiting, thank you endlessly. I love having you as my readers 💜

PS ~ I hope this isn't too bad for my first one shot in forever! Also, happy Lisa era. I’m so proud of our girl!

🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤

Saturday, October 31st

You look like an idiot.

The nurse uniform you have on is obnoxiously cliché; short and tattered in various places to really sell the "sexy" aspect of it, little is left to the imagination. Fake blood stains dot the flimsy material in random patterns and mat some strands of the tacky blonde wig atop your head, making you look like something out of a B-movie at best.

A bonafide, absolute idiot.

When you express that sentiment to your best friend, she just rolls her eyes and holds out one last costume for you to try on. She had a few lined up in case you didn't like her other options, and clearly that's come in handy; you've already worked through the previous picks, so she crosses her fingers as your eyes skim over this one.

"Humor me, will you?" She asks, hoping that you'll give in and at least check this last one out.

"Fine, but this is your last chance. It had better be good." You raise a pointed finger at her in warning.

"I have a good feeling about this one," she says, smiling as you take the bag from her and slip into the dressing room one final time.

Her phone chimes soon after, and she's quick to retrieve it from her pocket.

Willow: Are you guys almost here?? Jackson's been asking about you.

Your best friend bites her lip at that, nervously nibbling on it as she rereads the message to make sure she didn't imagine the last part. She's liked Jackson since middle school, and he'll be swinging by the party that you've all been invited to; that's one of the main reasons she begged you to come with her tonight.

Y/BFFs/N: Still getting ready. We'll be there ASAP tho!

Willow: Alright, we'll see you soon. Don't take all night, or else👩🤛

Y/BFFs/N: Yah, cut the violence!

The sound of your best friend's soft giggling fills the air just as you manage to fasten the costume's last zipper and pull its hood over your head.

Surprise etches its way into your features as you do a spin, taking in the sight of yourself through the full length mirror of the dressing room. The outfit's red and black color schemes complement each other beautifully, giving you a powerful and sensual appeal that the other costumes didn't even stand a chance of doing. You look alluring in every sense of the word.

"Holy shit," your best friend says when you emerge, striking a pose. "You look hot!" She squeals, clapping a few times in quick succession.

There's no way you think this one looks bad.

"I think Wanda would be proud," you grin, tilting your head up and wrapping the cape around your neck.

"One hundred percent," Y/BFFs/N nods adamantly, in total agreement. The Scarlet Witch getup really compliments your features.

"Now," she starts, changing topics as she looks in the reflection of her phone's dark screen to adjust some of her hair that's gone astray. "Let's pay and then go. Willow's looking for us, and my future man's wondering where I am, too."

"Hell yeah!" You chuckle, patting her on the back. "I'll help you finally land him so you can stop pining."

You watch as she takes a moment to decide between coming up with a decent rebuttal to defend herself or agreeing with you, and you smile when she goes for the latter.

"I'd accept nothing less," she says, holding her head high like a princess. "You are my wingwoman, after all."

"And the best one in town," you add, tugging her towards the register. She reaches into her purse and pulls out the money to pay before politely handing it to the cashier.

The teenage boy takes it with a small smile, though the action looks a little comical as his upper lip gets caught on the cheap, plastic fangs he's sporting. His knock-off version of Dracula is definitely…. something… and you can tell that his managers forced him to wear it for the holiday.

"Come back and s-shhee us," he says, handing your change back. Your best friend takes it, failing to contain her laughter at his messy speech. He blushes crimson, likely cursing the plastic teeth for making him look a fool.

"We surely will," you respond, giving him a comforting smile to keep his embarrassment at bay. He nods gratefully, and you're quickly pulled out of the store by your best friend.

"Happy Halloween!" You shout over your shoulder, accompanied by the chime of the bell over the door.

"You too," he calls back, letting out a soft sigh.

---

20 Minutes Later -- The Party

Upon rounding the front of your car and stepping up onto the sidewalk outside of Willow's house, your attention is immediately caught by the numerous decorations that she put up last week.

"Huh," you mumble, gazing up at the skeleton that towers above you, standing 12 feet tall. "I think it's safe to say that this is her favorite holiday…"

"What makes you think that?" Your best friend plays, feigning ignorance as she pops up from behind a life-sized, animatronic Jason Voorhees.

"I don't know," you tut, admiring Willow's hard work a little longer. "Just a feeling."

Y/BFFs/N giggles in her unique way, making you smile at the sound as the two of you make your way up the path towards the house. You gaze down at your feet, careful to step on the stones of the walkway and avoid the motion-activated hands that scramble out of the weeds to grab unsuspecting guests.

Having known Willow your entire childhood, you've grown used to her ways.

*knock knock*

A strong, iconic synth bassline sounds off from inside, filling the otherwise quiet night around you with its catchy beat as you wait to be let in. Its sound is well known, and you almost instantly recognize it as "Sweet Dreams" by the Eurythmics.

A few seconds later, you hear clambering from inside, followed by concerning groans and shouted apologies.

Y/BFFs/N arches a skeptical brow at you, perfectly mirroring your thoughts.

Directly after, the door swings open in a flash, and you're nearly tackled by a whizz of curly hair.

"There you guys are!" Willow shrieks, pulling the two of you close as she nuzzles her face against your cheeks.

"Yep, here we are," you struggle out, nearly being strangled in her tight grip. She responds by squeezing you even tighter, blinded by her joy at seeing you again.

After all, it's been a while since all three of you have had the opportunity to spend the night partying together like this.

"Can't… breathe," Y/BFFs/N squeaks, successfully getting Willow to release you.

"Sorry," she apologizes, stepping back. "I'm just so happy you're here."

The freckles that spread across the bridge of her nose look especially adorable with the blush she's sporting, and her shy grin makes you forget about the near-fatality you just encountered moments before.

"We're happy to be here," you reassure her, returning her smile.

Your best friend agrees from beside you, nodding her head with a happy look of her own. "Believe it or not, we've missed your weirdness." She adds, cocking her head to the side.

Willow giggles again, and her eyes crinkle up into those half crescents that could surely melt even the iciest of hearts. She's practically sunshine in human form, and you have to resist the urge to shield your eyes.

"Yo, Willow! Who's at the door?"

Jackson.

You feel your best friend tense beside you, and you subtly pat her leg to calm her down.

Willow falls silent, though her lips go through the beginning stages of answering him; they open and purse, but she quickly halts her reply and shuts her mouth. She knows of Y/BFFs/N's crush on him, and she doesn't want to say the wrong thing.

Plus, if the lovesick girl wants to run and hide in the bushes, Willow's silence could buy her some time to slip away.

But alas, she doesn't.

Jackson appears in the doorway a mere 5 seconds after asking his question with a beer clutched in his hand. He moves to lean against the wooden frame as his pearly smile beams at you, and Y/BFFs/N audibly swallows at the sight.

For someone who's usually so confident, she can really be shy sometimes.

"Lovely to see you, ladies," he greets, putting his free hand in front of him as he bows. His accent is modeled after that of Jack Sparrow, as is his surprisingly well designed costume.

You nod back at him. "Hey, Jackson. Long time no see."

You elbow your best friend when she remains silent for a beat too long, and the action snaps her back to reality.

"Yeah, hey Jackson." Her voice is quiet -- she doesn't trust it to refrain from cracking.

He smiles, not failing to notice the nervous aura that's quickly taken over the girl beside you. Her eyes nearly pop out of her head when he gives her a curious once-over, and you take that as your cue to save her from the impending embarrassment that's lurking just around the corner.

"Alright, guys!" You clap, stepping forward. "Let's get to partying."

Her shoulders relax, and you feel her slip her hand into yours as you enter the house, squeezing twice as a silent thank you.

15 Minutes Later

Willow stands beside you in the kitchen, mixing a few things together in one of the millions of red solo cups that she bought for tonight. You sneak a peek over her shoulder at the concoction, seeing its light blue color turn purple-ish as she adds a new liquor into the equation.

In comparison to typical house parties, this one is relatively small; most of the rooms are filled with people, but it's a comfortable amount. Maneuvering around the place is fairly easy, which is always a plus when you're coexisting with sweaty, drunk people.

"Willow, love, why did you buy so many cups?" You ask, toying with the ripped plastic packaging of one of the stacks.

"You know I like to be prepared," she laughs, brushing off her major miscalculation. "Plus I can just use the rest of them at my next party."

You nod, knowing she's right. "Are you having another soon?"

"I think so. Jiu and her crew are coming back in a couple weeks, so I thought I'd surprise them with one."

You scoff, humor laced in the sound. "What, they didn't get enough partying done at their university already?"

Willow turns around, grinning at you as she hands you your drink. "Evidently campus police keep a close eye on them. Siyeon whined about that a lot when she called me."

"Sounds like her," you chuckle into your cup as you take a sip.

PFFT

"Eww, Willow! What did you put in this?!"

Your spit take didn't land on anyone, thankfully, but it did capture the attention of some people nearby. You wave a hand at them as a silent apology, and they go back to their previous tasks.

The curly headed prankster covers her mouth, though the action does a terrible job of quieting her maniacal laughter.

"You're lucky Y/BFFs/N isn't over here," you say, wiping your lips with the back of your hand. "She'd avenge me."

Willow uses a napkin to dab the tears of laughter from her eyes. "Why else do you think I waited until she was busy with Jackson?" She asks, motioning to her lounge room across the foyer.

You look inside, spotting Y/BFFs/N holding a pool cue in her hand as Jackson sinks another shot into one of the corner pockets.

The sight reminds you of the pep talk and 2 shots of liquid courage you gave her earlier, and how she disappeared with the promise to make a move and actually talk to him. Now, she looks completely absorbed in whatever banter they're sharing, and although your violated taste buds still ache from the sickly-sweet mixture that Willow made, you wouldn't want her to be anywhere else.

You can get your own revenge.

Sneaking a glance around the kitchen, you search for something to help with your retaliation. A small package of streamers lays abandoned on the island, forgotten to be put up earlier, and you slyly grin. Their ribbons sparkle with glitter, shimmering as the multicolored party lights stream in from the living room and land on them.

It's as if the universe is putting a spotlight on them, just for you.

After side eyeing Willow one final time to ensure that she isn't catching onto your plan, you act quickly. She stands beside the counter, right where you left her, and you dart to the island to grab the streamers. Your fingertips soon gain purchase on the packaging, and you tear it open in one swift motion.

Her gaze locks onto yours just as you near her, but it's far too late for her to get away.

"Take this!" You declare, upending the baggie atop her head. She shrieks as they cascade down her body, getting caught in the creases and wrinkles of her costume as they go. A small wave of glitter tumbles out of the bag as well, coating her hair and clothes.

Boy, that'll be fun to try and get out later.

Her head slowly raises once you finish your assault and place the baggie on the countertop beside you, but the look in her eye is unlike anything you've ever seen.

"You're dead," she warns. Just as the smile drops from your face, an even larger, more sinister one begins forming on hers.

The floor creaks beneath your feet slightly as you take a step back, and you know you have to high tail it out of there if you want to evade her.

"Catch me if you can!" You shout, springing into action. You turn around and dart out of the room, gliding past numerous partygoers in the hall.

Willow's choice of footwear works in your favor, you soon realize; the sharp rapping sound of her heels pierces the air behind you, serving as a tell of how much distance is between you.

Her unstable platforms buy you a little time, and you thank the universe as you rush through the living room and back towards the foyer. You plan to cut across it and hide out in one of the bathrooms until she drops her plan for revenge.

A grin pulls at your cheeks as you skid into one of the walls, looking like a character from Scooby-Doo as you will your feet to work correctly again and get you to safety. Willow laughs behind you, joining in on the fun.

"Perfect," you mutter under your breath, spotting a clear path through the foyer. It leads under the stairs, and you can see the open door of the bathroom from where you are.

Your feet take you past a handful of drunk people, bobbing and weaving through them with ease, before you're racing towards the restroom to take cover.

Before you can make it there, though, you collide with someone rather abruptly as they step straight into your path.

Your eyes shut tightly as you brace yourself for impact with the ground, but it never comes. The person reaches out and catches you before you can hit the floor, and a soft apology slips past their lips as they scoop you up.

Upon hearing that uniquely feminine voice speak its regret again, you peek your eyes open. What you see nearly makes the woman's effort to keep you upright moot; she's so gorgeous that your legs almost give out from underneath you.

Dirty blonde locks cascade over her shoulders in soft waves, half-mussed, half-pristine from your run-in. Her doe eyes are a velvety chocolate color, and you find yourself getting lost in them. Flickers of red show in them, illuminating almost rhythmically the longer she admires you.

Are those contacts? You ask yourself. They have to be.

She seems to be just as affected by your presence as you are of hers.

"Y/N, I'm coming to get you!"

Willow does her best to sound like a villain from a 90s horror film as she clambers her way closer to you, bumping into a few people on the way. You're brought out of your stupor by her rapidly approaching footsteps, and you take a step away from the woman. Her hands fall from your waist, where they had previously been resting.

Stealing a quick look at the bathroom, you feel your stomach turn.

Damnit. Someone's in there now.

Screw this sexy stranger for distracting you. Now you'll have to deal with Willow's wrath.

"What's wrong?"

There's that voice again.

Part of you wants to brush it off and slip away quietly, but an even bigger part of you is determined to stay where you are and tell her. Something about her pulls you in, and you're having a hard time denying it.

"I need to hide. I glitter-fied my friend and now she's coming after me."

The woman's plump lips pull back in a humored smile, and she nods as a chuckle leaves her. "Right," she says, like that's a common occurrence. "I can help, if you'd like."

"How?" You ask, your brows momentarily knitting together in confusion. When she unties and opens the black cloak that's wrapped around her body, your breath catches.

"You in?" She asks, side eyeing the foyer as Willow nearly careens into the Egyptian vase that her mother bought her last year for Christmas.

You take a deep breath and hold your hand out to her just as Willow rounds the corner, and she swiftly pulls you in close before you can be spotted. She winds the cloak around both of your bodies, concealing your faces as the fur-lined hood falls atop your heads.

Unconsciously, you wrap your arms around her waist and pull her flush up against you to further ensure your safety. She quietly grunts when she stumbles over her own feet, falling into you a little.

"Sorry," she whispers, though her third apology of the night is unnecessary. You almost want to thank her for what happened.

Especially when her warm breath fans across your right cheek, where her head is angled.

Every breath you take pushes you closer to each other, and the satin shirt she's wearing slides against your heated skin. She swallows thickly as one of your hands falls to the small of her back, testing the waters.

When she shifts a little to encourage you, you're acutely aware of the thigh that's worked its way between your legs.

When did that happen?

You bite back a sigh as she just smirks, quietly shushing you.

Willow thunders by, shouting your name and threatening to throw you into the pool when she tracks you down. You want to laugh at that, but you'd honestly welcome it right now. Some cold water would surely bring you to your senses after being led astray by this goddess in front of you.

Her footsteps grow distant as she makes her way outside, still searching.

The two of you remain as you are for a couple more minutes until you're certain that the coast is clear, and then you part. When she lowers the cloak, you look away; a deep blush has worked its way up your neck and across your cheeks, and letting her see it would surely make you die of embarrassment.

She keeps her eyes on you as she reties the cover around herself, attempting to get a read on you. The bashful aura that's befallen you is cute, no doubt, but she can sense your arousal. She can smell it on you, and the scent is beginning to drive her crazy.

You fiddle with the sleeves of your costume, readjusting them nervously.

"So, um… thanks," you say, sneaking a glance up at her.

The red hues in her eyes are even more pronounced now, and the sight makes you press further into the wall behind you -- the one that you were previously pushed up against.

"No problem," she smiles, showing off her pearly white teeth. Two of them catch your attention; a set of fangs now shine, looking alluring and threatening all at the same time.

There's only one issue: you're certain that they weren't there when you first bumped into her. When did she put them in? And why do they look so real?

The feeling of her hand landing on your forearm pulls you away from the millions of questions that're firing off in your head right now.

"May I ask your name?" She politely requests, dipping her head down sweetly.

"Y/N," you breathe out, quickly realizing that you'd do just about anything she asked you to.

"Y/N." She repeats, allowing the letters to blend in her mouth as they roll off her tongue. She looks satisfied for some reason as she says it again, trying it out.

"I'm Lisa."

"It's nice to officially meet you," you smile, reaching a hand out. Her touch is gentle but firm as she takes it, shaking it with ease.

"Likewise, beautiful."

The grin on your face only widens at the name, and you pull your hand away out of fear of what she might do next. She's already putting you under her spell, and you're sure that another touch would have you fully entranced.

She studies you with pursed lips for a moment, clearly debating on something. Her eyes flicker over the dips and curves of your body as a smirk grows on her lips.

"What are you thinking?" You question, curious but teasing.

"That I'd love to have your body on mine again."

She's bold, and she says it like the fact it is. No shame, no bashfulness. Just true, honest desire.

You bite the inside of your cheek at her bravery, silently thanking the universe for it. The likelihood of you gaining the courage to make a move is slim to none even in the best cases, and this was no exception. She already has your heart skipping beats and you've only known her a few minutes.

"How about a dance?" She suggests, quirking a brow. The look on her face disarms your defenses, and you take a deep breath before agreeing to your demise.

"That sounds wonderful."

She dips her head again, hiding her face away momentarily, and you think it's the cutest thing ever.

She's shy all of a sudden as her cool demeanor slips up a bit, and that never happens. You might just be her downfall, too.

She holds an elbow out and steps forward, allowing you to link your arm with hers and cuddle in close.

Her eyes scan across the living room as she studies it, but she's unimpressed.

Sweaty, winding bodies thrash around to some upbeat pop song that's been overplayed on every radio station in town for weeks now, and the idea of taking you there puts her off.

When a drunk boy comes into view with a dildo strapped to his forehead, her mind is officially made up.

"Let's go outside," she says, leading you through the patio doors.

A quaint gazebo sits on one side of the yard, and the dance floor that Willow's family installed a couple years ago occupies the other. Both are decorated with string lights in combinations of gold, purple, black, and orange. Other ornaments adorn the surfaces as well, and you smile when you spot a comically large spider sat atop the gazebo's roof.

"Where would you like to go?" Lisa asks, keeping her voice low. It's calm and deep, running a chill through you.

Softer music plays out here, offering a totally different vibe than inside. Some couples -- many of them introverted, assumably -- sway on the dancefloor as the DJ that Willow hired takes a sip of her drink on the raised stage. She adjusts a few switches slowly, not rushing for a second.

"Let's try the gazebo," you decide, glancing over your shoulder at Lisa. She's looking away, but you don't think anything of it as the two of you fall in step with one another on your way over.

Shit, Lisa thinks to herself.

Her plans to come to this party, feed, and make a quick getaway are totally derailed. She'd hoped to find a victim that she was attracted to but didn't like, if that even makes sense, and feed like the animal she is. Then she would leave them like all the rest, drained but still alive, and slip away.

But now she's met you, and any desire for those plans have been thrown out the window.

You interest her, and that doesn't happen often. She hasn't met someone who's been capable of doing that in years, and she's intrigued. Something about you just pulls her in, inexplicably, and she knows her feelings would be glaringly obvious if you saw her face right now.

"Woah, look at this," you sigh, stepping out of her hold to check the place out. A bench runs the perimeter of the gazebo, only stopping at the doorway, and the lights look even prettier from inside. They shimmer, looking like star showers as their strings hang down in the windowless openings of the building.

Lisa quickly learns that she loves seeing you like this. Your eyes are alight, and your sweet smile of wonder warms her heart. Her hands slip into her pockets as she eventually manages to take her eyes off you, following your lead as she admires the decorations.

She does a twirl, looking around.

"It's gorgeous."

"I know, right? This is totally up Willow's alley," you say, grinning at the mental image that you can conjure up of her giddily spiffing the scene up.

"I'll have to thank her for making it look so special, then," Lisa says, smiling. The place really makes you feel like you're in your own little world; everything about it is just right. The ambience, the decor, the company… it’s perfect, and Lisa's content with how the evening is playing out.

Her fingers skate down your arm as she nears you, trekking their way down to your palm. She takes your hand and spins you, watching with admiration as your hair flows in the breeze. Now facing her, you thread your fingers together around the back of her neck as she encircles your waist with her arms.

"Why have I never seen you around?" You ask sincerely, looking up at her.

She hesitates briefly. "My university is a few towns over. I just come here to visit my family every few months."

Not a total lie, she thinks to herself.

"And stop by terrible parties like this, of course." You add, smirking.

She shakes her head at that. "No, I can't say I do. I just decided to check this one out on my way to my friend's house." She explains.

Underneath your cloak, her hands find their way to the small of your back. One stays put while the other dips a little lower, testing the waters.

"And besides," she starts again, feeling you pull her closer. "Meeting you here automatically makes this an awesome party. Not terrible."

"Cheeeesy!" You scrunch your face up and groan, making her laugh.

"Maybe, but it's the truth."

"Sure, Lisa."

She shakes her head and you laugh lightly together, still swaying about. You hold her close enough to rest your head on her shoulder, and the pads of your thumbs rub small circles on the sensitive skin of her neck. She hums at the feeling, and you take note of the way she relaxes in your arms.

The night breeze appears again, performing a flowing dance of its own as it lulls past you in waves. A slight chill resides in it, mixed with a generous amount of the day's sweet, fading heat, and you're at peace.

The slow song that had been playing across the yard ends delicately, parting with some melodic feature that resembles a warm embrace, and it blends seamlessly into the next song.

Turning Page, you recognize it as.

Huh, how ironic. One of your favorites.

Lisa's lips brush against your cheek as she turns her head slightly, whispering, "I like this one, too."

How did she know? You ask yourself. You hadn't said it out loud…

Maybe she's just a good guesser. Yeah, that's gotta be it.

You feel yourself melt as she begins singing the words to you. It's hushed and sentimental -- meant only for your ears to hear, and that makes it even more special to you.

"If I had only felt the warmth within your touch"

She croons, pressing her cheek against your warm skin. You blush, catching yourself when you remember what the next line of the song is.

"If I had only seen how you smile when you blush"

She brings a hand up to cup your cheek in her palm, and her other arm remains around you, holding you tenderly.

"Or how you curl your lip when you concentrate enough"

Now, her thumb runs across your bottom lip. You look into her eyes and find them an even deeper shade of red than they had been before, but it doesn't frighten you for some reason. She glances down at your mouth again, fighting her impatience as she waits for permission from you.

"I would have known what I was living for all along"

You nod and lace your fingers in her locks, and she doesn't waste another second.

She leans in, humming against your lips when they meet hers for the first time. Her lipgloss spreads across them upon contact, smudging its precise application, but she doesn't seem to care in the slightest. She draws you in closer, and you bring both of your hands around to cup her face as you deepen the kiss.

Her mouth is welcoming against yours, and it moves languidly as you get adjusted to one another. Every move makes you feel dizzier than the one before it, and swarms of butterflies take flight in your stomach with no signs of stopping.

She nips at your bottom lip as her hands dip far lower than before, now kneading your ass as your kisses continue to work her up.

"Fuck," you curse, breaking away from her lips to catch your breath. She's stolen it all from you, and yet she's still not ready to give you a rest; her mouth drops to your jaw, embracing your skin there before moving down to your neck.

She doesn't realize how dangerous the game she's playing truly is until it's almost too late.

Her lips press to the area just above your pulsepoint, where she's learned over the years that blood pumps the hardest and tastes the sweetest. She draws it into her mouth, swirling her tongue over the area as her ears perk up at the breathless sound of your moans. They spur her on, and she nips at the skin, surely leaving a hickey.

Her senses become even more clouded when you say her name, the title caught somewhere between a whine and command, and she feels the strong impulse to claim you. The sensation is overwhelming, and she knows you can feel it too.

Your hands tug on the collar of her shirt as she lets her fangs fully extend, no longer suppressing them. They rake across your pulsepoint, making you shiver against her.

"Please…"

That's all you manage to get out before they pierce your skin, eliciting a whimper from you. Blood fills her mouth instantly, sliding across her taste buds in velvety waves and calming her constant craving. Your hands tighten in her hair, and the delicious twinge of pain that it provides only encourages her more.

Your blood is different than anything she's ever tasted; it's richer -- sweeter. A throaty groan leaves her as she savors it, and you shut your eyes in pleasure. It's addicting, but she knows she has to stop herself before she hurts you. If she continues like this much longer, she won't have the willpower to let go.

She retracts her fangs as she licks your taste from them, and then you feel her warm tongue clean the wound she made. It stings a bit, but in all the right ways.

When she pulls back to look at you, she finds your eyes half-lidded and a pleased smile on your face. It nearly kills her, then and there.

Her gaze flickers back to your neck to admire the hickie she made earlier, but what she sees surprises her. Below it is a darker, more prominent marking that she's only seen other vampires leave behind before.

Definitely not a hickie.

Your brows furrow as you look at her neck as well, noticing a faint outline of something growing darker by the second. Blinking a few times to ensure that you aren't hallucinating, you find that it's really there.

"Lisa, what's on your neck?" You ask.

"A soulmate mark." She responds, feeling a sense of belonging settle over her as she looks at you again. You just confirmed her suspicions by asking that.

"Same as yours," she smiles.

319 notes · View notes

artemiseamoon · 3 years ago

Text

By Your Side

One: to save a life

Overgård x ofc (Film Arctic)

Ficlet? Is this too long to be a drabble? | Words: 805

An: I finally watched this and I loved it. 💜 I process emotions via writing. I have a loose plan for later expansion.

Gif credits to owner, name attached to link

Warnings: a helicopter crash, bodily injuries, a head injury and infection mentioned, almost dying.

What do you say when thank you isn’t enough?

When no amount of words strung together can express what you feel in your heart?

Lisa didn’t remember much of anything. They were up in the air, saw the S.O.S, turned to help and crashed.

The crash itself, she could only recall in bits, like shards of glass. The sounds, the smell, the way her body shook in her seatbelt. She didn’t remember the impact, or the shard of metal that cut her.

Her next memory after the crash was him, the stranger who saved her. Memories of him were scattered. Lisa can only recall small moments in between the painful darkness; sips of water, small bites of food, feeling herself being moved or lifted, the sound of his voice.

There were no visions, no dreams in between those moments. Maybe she was dead? Maybe she danced on the line between death and life? Maybe she was transported elsewhere, like some subterranean world where no heaven existed, no hell, just endless lightless space.

The first time she dreamed of the lush green gardens was here at the hospital. In contrast to the cold white landscape of the Arctic, the gardens were sun kissed, inviting, and healing. Lisa was dreaming of this very place the first time she opened her eyes and saw his face again, the man who saved her life.

Flashback

Waking slowly, Lisa flutters her eyes open and stares at the white ceiling. Though she’s woken up a few times since being hospitalized, she wasn’t fully conscious. Her semi-delirious state mixed with meds and a small head injury made it hard to hold on to things.

Blinking a few times, she turns her head to the side, her eyes settling on the window. The sun is out, a soft breeze blows into the room. Her gaze lingers here for a moment until she hears a soft breath.

It must be one of the nurses.

Turning her head to the other side, what she finds isn’t a nurse nor a doctor. Her brows come together as she tries to place the face.

The man is a stranger, but doesn’t feel like a stranger. His expression is steady, stoic even, except for his eyes. Behind them she can see a sea of emotion.

“You’re awake.” He said softly.

2 months later

What do you say when thank you isn’t enough?

When no amount of words strung together can express what you feel in your heart?

Standing in front of the hallway mirror, Lisa smooths her hands over her shirt. The fluttery feeling in her gut remains, accompanied by a racing heart.

She was equal parts worried and excited. As she healed in the hospital and eventually overcame the infection, the stranger remained by her side. Visiting when he could, crutches and all.

Their first couple of visits were quiet, when he reached for her hand and held it, the gesture warmed her heart, and helped her recall the times he held her hand in the arctic.

Lisa looked forward to his visits, and once she was mobile, she’d visit him too. The stranger was released before Lisa, on his last day he left her a number and a mailing address.

Though he never left her, Lisa didn’t use either. Not for a while.

With him gone the full realization of what happened that day hit her. She wasn't on that chopper alone. Oliver was dead. Alma was dead. The grief hit like a ton of bricks, and the stranger she’d grown fond of now shared space with great loss and sadness.

She was out of the hospital for weeks when she finally used the number. The moment he picked up, a profound warmth washed over her. She felt regret, wishing she called him sooner. After 2 weeks of phone calls, some lasting so long one of them would drift off to sleep, Lisa made an invite. He happily accepted.

When the doorbell rings, Lisa steps away from the mirror and glances back toward the kitchen. It’s been a long time since she’s cooked for anyone but herself, she hoped he’d like it. Shaking out her hands, she travels the short distance to the door and unlocks it.

Taking a deep breath, Lisa holds it and opens the door. On the other side of it he stands, dressed in fine all black clothes, his hair still long but neatly styled. He smiles as his eyes meet hers, “hi.”

“Johan,” she smiled and took a step back, holding the door open, “come in.”

More Mads

#Overgård #Arctic film #mads mikkelsen #Overgård x ofc #mads mikkelsen characters

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joonie-beanie · 4 years ago

Text

Present | Diluc x Reader

Word Count: 6,692

Pairing: Diluc x GN Reader (Traveler)

Preview: After realizing that Diluc never gives himself a chance to relax and enjoy the many festivals of Mondstadt, you and Kaeya come up with a plan to create a festival specifically for Diluc. One that he won't have a choice but to enjoy.

"I want this all to work, because more than anything, I want to see the look on that bastard’s face when he realizes we’ve created an event so perfect that he’ll have no reason not to relax. He’ll be pissed.”

In which Kaeya is a little shit, Diluc doesn't know what's coming, and you're a bit of a (love-stricken) fool.

Mondstadt, as the city of freedom, has no shortage of festivals.

Each year, there’s at least half a dozen festivals—well, official ones, at least. Sometimes Good Hunter or Angel’s Share just happen to be doing a special of sorts—you know, a new wine tasting, a limited-time seasonal recipe, and all of the sudden the entirety of Mondstadt is out enjoying themselves and creating a festival of their own.

During the first leg of your journey, when you’d crusaded with the Knights in order to stop Dvalin, you’d experienced your fair share of the city’s festivities. On a handful of occasions, you’d ended up nursing a glass of Dandelion wine—watching as Mondstadt’s residents mingled in the bars, and seeped out into the music filled streets.

Venti had a habit of putting on a show, his cheeks flushed pink as his melody entranced his audience. Jean tended to immerse herself in her work, but Lisa and Amber always managed to drag her away—the trio getting a bite to eat, and a bottle to share. And Kaeya…well, Kaeya could typically be found in Cat’s Tail—flirting his way through the evening with no shortage of confidence. And if he ever felt like being a bit more mischievous, he’d head over to Angel’s Share and see if he could rile Diluc’s feathers.

Speaking of…the red-headed winery owner never quite seemed to enjoy the liveliness of Mondstadt. No matter how much his workers tried to relieve him of his place behind the bar, he never opted to indulge himself. On occasion, he would leave Charles to run things by himself—quietly slipping out the back door and returning no more than 15 minutes later, not a hair out of place.

It wasn’t until after you’d figured out exactly who the Darknight Hero was that you realized what exactly it was he was doing in those short reprieves of his.

“You know,” you say, the evening of your last festival in Mondstadt. Diluc is making his way back in from the side gate—the masks of defeated Hilichurls left in the grass behind him. “You deserve a break.”

“The Knights use the city’s festivities as an excuse to get drunk and shirk their duties,” he responds, crimson gaze turning to you. “If I don’t keep an eye out, Mondstadt will be left undefended.”

“But that’s not fair to you!” Paimon argues over your shoulder, peeved on his behalf. “Even Master Diluc deserves some downtime!”

“I feel better when I’m doing something—slacking off doesn’t suit me.”

“It’s not slacking off it's relaxing,” you argue, scooting from your spot atop the short concrete wall and following after him once he makes his way up the stairs. “Everyone deserves to relax, especially you, Diluc.”

He sighs at your persistence, B-lining for the back door to the bar.

“You don’t need to worry about me, Y/N.”

“I don’t need to, but I am.”

He pauses in his stride, turning to look at you. Confusion creases his brow, as if he’s not used to anyone outside of his staff genuinely worrying for his well being.

He stares at you for a few seconds, his gaze flitting to the slight pout of your lips. Unfortunately, a little pout isn’t enough to break him.

“Please don’t worry, I promise I’m fine,” he says, his features softening. He doesn’t smile, but the look in his eye is enough to have your heart skipping a beat. Luckily, if your cheeks flush, it can easily be passed off as a side effect of the glass of alcohol you’d already downed.

Without waiting for a response, Diluc then strides forward and returns to the bar. You’re left alone in the street, staring after him--at least, until someone else saddles up beside you.

“I came looking for our dear old friend Diluc since I noticed he was gone, and here I find him out here with you,” Kaeya’s teasing voice reaches your ear. You glance over your shoulder at him, rolling your eyes when he cocks an insinuating brow.

“15 minutes is long enough for a quickie, no?”

“Oh hush,” you say, slapping the front of your hand against his chest. He chuckles.

“Hey, don’t tell me you would be opposed.”

You decide not to respond to that, opting to change the topic, and while Kaeya certainly notices, he chooses not to push it.

“You know,” you start. “Diluc never participates in these festivals because he knows the Knight’s are out enjoying themselves.”

“Ah, and by that you mean “Diluc hates the fact that the Knights are taking a break, and is busy masquerading as the Darknight Hero to protect the city instead, since he thinks we’re incompetent”.”

You wince at his wording. “Well…I wouldn’t put it like that.”

“But he would,” Kaeya scoffs. He eyes the drink in his hand, swirling the contents at the bottom of the glass. Silence stretches for a moment.

“You’re worried about him.”

“I think he just deserves to…I don’t know…enjoy himself??”

A grin stretches at Kaeya’s lips. “Well, if you show up in his bedroom wearing a cute little lingerie set I’m sure he’d—”

“Paimon, look! There’s Venti!” you hurriedly interrupt him, pointing at the intoxicated bard that has come into view just up the road. “Didn’t you say he owes you a meal at Good Hunter?!”

Luckily, the distraction works. Paimon gasps, realizing you’re right, and floats away from your side.

“Hey! Good for nothing bard! Time to pay up!”

You breathe a sigh of relief before turning a narrowed gaze on Kaeya. He holds his hands up innocently.

“Whoops~”

“You have no self-control,” you tell him with a huff, attempting to brush past him and head back into the bar. The cryo-user catches your wrist, however, before you can get too far. With little trouble, he tugs you backwards—your bottom bumping into a wooden table set out behind you, and you reach back to steady yourself. Kaeya places his hands on either side of you, effectively caging you in.

He smiles cheekily.

“If I had no self-control, you’d be flung over my shoulder as I carried you back to your lodgings.”

You cock an eyebrow at him. “Then what’s stopping you?”

The question isn’t teasing, but curious. This is far from the first time Kaeya has entered your personal space, or made naughty insinuations while around you. In fact, once before he had thrown you over his shoulder and attempted to escape, only to be stopped by Jean along the way.

This time, however, despite his bold words, he’s not moving to follow-through.

You hold his gaze, waiting for an answer, and he sighs.

Hanging his head, his soft hair brushes against the skin of your neck as he rests his forehead on your shoulder.

“Because…I think you’re right.”

“…what?”

“I think you’re right,” he repeats, finally taking a step back and giving you some space. There’s a disgruntled yet bashful look on his face.

“I think…maybe…Diluc should relax for a day. Even just an evening, really. I mean, after all, if he doesn’t relax every now and then he’ll age horribly.”

You breathe a laugh at that.

Pushing yourself up, you eye the Knight considerately.

“…you really do care about him, don’t you?”

Kaeya shoots you a look—one that obviously screams “don’t you dare say a word more”—and luckily for him, you don’t. At least, not about his secret concern for Diluc.

“So, if we want to get him to relax for once, how do we do it?”

Kaeya pauses, considering how exactly the two of you can take on this nearly-impossible task. It will be no easy feat to get Diluc to relax, even if only for a few hours. He doesn’t trust a majority of the Knights of Favonius, if any, so even if Kaeya recruited other Knights to guard the city during the next festival, he doubts Diluc would simply accept the increased defense in Mondstadt and relax.

No…of course it wouldn’t be that easy.

“The city is too big,” Kaeya says, making his thoughts known. “Even if the Knights didn’t take a break during the next festival, and chose to patrol instead, I don’t think Diluc would see them as competent enough to actually prevent an attack. He’d assume they’re pouting about being on guard while the rest of the city is having fun, which…wouldn’t exactly be wrong, I’m afraid to admit.”

“Then…why not have a festival in a smaller area?” you suggest. “Maybe the area around the cathedral, or—”

“The winery…”

There’s a look of surprise on Kaeya’s face, like he’s taken aback by his own brilliant idea. But, the more you think about it, the winery would be a perfect place. The area to survey isn’t nearly as large as the entire city, and the winery is already bustling with staff that could help out with the preparations.

“That…yeah, that would definitely work,” you agree, feeling excited that this plan might actually be successful. But…then you remember your sibling, and the fact that you’re leaving for Liyue in the upcoming days, and your cheery demeanor quickly melts away. Kaeya, even while buzzed, is quick to notice.

“Leave all the preparation to me,” he says. “I can ask Jean, and Venti…maybe even Amber to help out too. I want this all to work, because more than anything, I want to see the look on that bastard’s face when he realizes we’ve created an event so perfect that he’ll have no reason not to relax. He’ll be pissed.”

You laugh at that. “Okay, I feel bad leaving you to do everything, but…I trust you, if only because I know your need to see him pissed off is genuine.”

“Perfect,” he says. “You just need to meet me at the Winery at noon exactly 30 days from now.”

“30 days from now?” you blink, head tilting to the side. “Why--?”

“April 30th,” he responds, not bothering to explain when you don’t register the significance of the date. “You’ll see. Just be there.”

“Got it,” you nod. “April 30th.”

Kaeya hums, pleased that you won’t be forgetting anytime soon, and then leans in. Before you can register the movement—too busy thinking about your and Kaeya’s newly formed scheme—you feel a pair of lips press against your cheek.

Kaeya smiles as he inches back.

“Now, be safe in Liyue, alright?”

As annoying and flirtatious as Kaeya can be at times, you sense a sincerity in his words and his actions.

“I will,” you promise softly, and with that, Kaeya turns and disappears back into the city. Two days later you leave Mondstadt behind as you make your way to Liyue, and never once do you forget to count down the days each time the sun sets.

Exactly 30 days after your conversation with Kaeya, you wake up in a bed at the Wanshu Inn. The sun is just starting to peek over the horizon, and you feel the most rested you’ve felt in the last month of traversing all over Liyue. You assume it’s thanks to being able to sleep in a real bed—not a sleeping bag, in a tent, with one eye open in case any monsters come your way.

No, after accepting a commission for the Inn, they’d offered you mora as a reward, and immediately you’d turned around and given it right back.

“Can I…have a room for the night, instead?”

Thankfully, they’d been more than happy to oblige.

“Today’s the day!” Paimon exclaims as the two of you make your way out of Wanshu, and up the road to the North. “We get to see all our friends from Mondstadt! Aren’t you excited??”

“Of course I am!” you respond with a quiet laugh, eyes trailed on the path ahead. It will be a few hours walk to make it to the winery, but you should make it there by noon no problem.

“I’m just…a little worried. I hope Kaeya’s planning went alright…”

“Oh, don’t start worrying about silly stuff!” Paimon scolds you. “We’ll be there soon, so don’t start thinking bad things! Just trust Kaeya, okay?”

You look at her curiously.

“…do you trust Kaeya?”

Paimon stares blankly. Then, she speeds up the path, arm outstretched.

“Okay! Let’s get a move on!”

You make it through the mountain pass between Mondstadt and Liyue just as the sun hits its highest point in the warm spring sky. Across the lake, you can spot the Dawn Winery and a smile tugs at your lips.

While you’re learning to love Liyue, Mondstadt and its people had been the first to come into your life. For that reason, the familiar sights and sounds have you feeling just a bit more at ease.

“Look! There’s Kaeya!”

Paimon points up the path, and you spot Kaeya’s blue hair in the distance. There are other figures bustling around him, and judging by their outfits, you can only assume they’re employees of Dawn Winery.

Seems like Kaeya did manage to get Diluc’s people in on the surprise.

“Kaeyaaaaa~” Paimon cries as she floats on ahead, catching the Knights’ attention. He smiles charmingly at spotting you both.

“My favorite mysterious traveler and Paimon! Welcome back to Mondstadt.”

“Good to be back,” you respond with a smile as you make your way up the small set of steps. Your gaze sweeps across the winery, and you note the tables that have been set out on one end of the patio. On the other is a small wooden stage, and on either side of the entrance are long banquet tables.

“I see you actually planned something. I’m impressed.”

Kaeya looks seriously offended at the comment.

“What? You thought I would forget? Do you really think that little of me?” he sighs dramatically, but smiles when you roll your eyes and smack his arm.

“Well, you did good, Captain Kaeya, I have to admit.”

“Thank you,” he responds, turning to survey the progress of the winery workers. It’d taken up a chunk of his free time—getting this all planned—but hopefully the look of disbelief on Diluc’s face will make it all worthwhile.

“So,” you say, breaking the silence. “What is the plan?”

“Well,” Kaeya starts. He crosses his arms, looking up to the sun in the sky. “Master Diluc is away on a trip to Starfell Lake to meet with a potential vendor for the winery. He should be back at…eh…I’d say 3, normally, but my guess is he’ll make some pit stops on the road home to take care of some rouge slimes and hilichurls, so let’s go with 4.”

You breathe a laugh, realizing he’s right. “Okay, fair. So until then it’s just preparation here, I’m guessing. What are we doing about defending the city?”

“Jean asked Lisa to lead a training exercise with the rest of the Knights. An all-night patrol of both the outside and inside of the city walls—a “test” of their will-power.”

“So…trying not to fall asleep on the job?”

Kaeya smiles. “Maybe.”

“Well, so long as the city is being protected, I can’t say anything. Hopefully that will be enough to reassure Diluc.”

“If it’s not, we can just force-feed him a few glasses of wine.”

Speaking of, you watch as two of the winery workers roll out a HUGE barrel of wine. Apparently, there are no holds barred when it comes to throwing an event for their master…

“We’re also using protection for the winery,” Kaeya pipes up, turning to stare to the North. “Amber managed to talk to that wolf boy, Razor, and he agreed to keep an eye out across Wolvendom. Amber volunteered herself to keep tabs on the area between here and Springville, so I don’t think the Abyss Order will get away with trying anything tonight.”

You nod, surprised at the lengths Kaeya had gone to make this a perfect chance for Diluc to relax.

“…god he’s gonna hate us for this,” you sigh, holding your face in your hands. You care about Diluc so much it’s insane, and the only thing you want for him is to take a little break, but man he is gonna be pissed.

“There there,” Kaeya says, patting your back. “No sense worrying now—everything is already in motion. For now, why don’t you see if you can help the preparations in some way? Everything needs to be perfect for Master Diluc, after all.”

You shoot him a disgruntled look. “Ugh, it’s so weird when you call him that. Stop it.”

“I think he gets off on it,” Kaeya responds, an amused glint in his eyes. “Maybe you should try calling him that when the two of you are alone—see if it makes him blush.”

“I’ll hurt you,” you deadpan.

“Maybe I get off on that.”

Wow, he doesn’t miss a beat.

Snorting a laugh, you turn away from him and move to help the winery staff. In just a few hours, you’ll see Diluc for the first time in too long (although you won’t admit that to anyone), and you want to do what you can to make this evening great for him.

Everything goes swimmingly until Jean arrives just before 4pm—jogging up to you and Kaeya with a perplexed look on her face.

“I know how important it is for there to be guards in order to get Master Diluc to relax, but a large number of slimes were spotted near Windrise, and with the Knights of Favonius doing their training exercise tonight in the city, I had no one available to send except Amber,” she explains with a sigh, rubbing her fingers against her forehead.

Worry knots in your throat, eyes scanning the crowd of people that have already gathered. Many of the guests are employees of the winery and patrons of Angel Share that Diluc gets along with. Only a handful of the people present have Visions, but asking any of them to give up being a part of the fun to go and stand watch in the nearby hills sounds like a terrible thing to do.

“Well--,” Kaeya interrupts your thoughts, rolling one of his shoulders. “Guess I’ll have to take over. My dear friend doesn’t seem to enjoy seeing my face around here anyway, so I might as well—”

“No,” you interrupt him. “I’ll play guard.”

Both Kaeya and Jean pause.

“Y/N…,” Jean starts, looking torn. “You traveled all this way. Out of anyone here, you should get to stay and enjoy the festivities…”

“No, it’s okay—Diluc doesn’t even know I’m here, right? I can watch for enemies. You both stay here and enjoy yourselves.”

Paimon looks heartbroken. “Well…if you insist, but won’t you miss seeing Master Diluc?”

You smile at her, attempting to be reassuring. The idea of coming all this way and not getting to mingle with your friends certainly does make your heart ache, but the entire point of this event is to let Diluc relax, and have fun. So, long as he does, you’ll be happy.

“He’ll be here soon,” you respond. Jean and Kaeya notice how you avoid answering the question—instead taking a step back and looking towards the northeast. “I should get going.”

You run off without waiting for the others to comment. Paimon scurries after you, shouting something about how she’ll keep you company instead.

“Idiot,” Kaeya sighs as Jean shakes her head.

“Hey! Sorry I’m late!” Venti says, coming up behind them. He’s got a bottle of wine tucked under his arm and a bright smile on his face. His eyes scan the nearby area, and when he spots that someone is missing, he frowns.

“Wasn’t Y/N supposed to be here?”

You’ve just arrived at the Statue of The Seven when you hear a chorus of cheers from the Winery. Turning, you watch over the treetops as the intimately sized crowd raises their glasses—sharing a toast before the merry music begins—rolling over the hills.

“I guess Diluc just arrived,” Paimon surmises, face drawn into a pout. You can tell that she wants to be down there, joining in on all the fun, and you can’t say you don’t share the sentiment.

“Looks like he took the long way around,” you say, turning away from the winery, and seating yourself at the base of the statue. “Otherwise, we would have passed him on the way here.”

Paimon frowns at you, floating down to look you in the eyes.

“Why does it seem like you’re trying to avoid Master Diluc?”

“I’m not,” you respond with a huff. “It’s just easier this way.”

Paimon doesn’t buy it.

��You know, Kaeya offered to keep guard. I’m sure Master Diluc would prefer to have you at the festival, rather than him.”

“Even if they act like brats towards one another, they’re still…frienemies,” you say, for lack of a better term. Silently, you attempt to block out the jovial noises behind you. You don’t want to be focused on something that you’re missing out on.

Paimon pouts even harder at your argument, looking like she’ll start stomping her foot midair, but she keeps her mouth shut for now. Even if you won’t say it, she knows you’re sacrificing your own wants at the moment, and bickering with you won’t do anything to help.

So, instead she flies down and sits herself snuggly in your lap—determined to make you feel better.

“I feel like any Hilichurls in Mondstadt already know not to mess with you,” she says, changing the subject. “Do you think any will show up?”

You breathe a laugh.

“I hope not. But they are quite dumb.”

Diluc has to admit��he was not expecting to come back to the winery to find that a makeshift festival had been staged at his very own home.

And on his birthday, no less.

“Surprise!”

“Welcome home!”

“Happy birthday!”

An array of familiar faces greet him as he steps into view—caught on the path between the rows of grapes. Understandably, he’s speechless. He typically is aware of the happenings of his staff, and if an event had planned in Mondstadt, surely he’d have gotten word, but…here he is, and here they are, and at the front of the pack is a certain Cryo-wielding Knight, grinning ear to ear.

Of course he had something to do with this.

“To Diluc!” Kaeya cheers, holding up his mug.

“To Diluc!” the rest of the guests’ chorus, and as if on cue, the music starts.

Diluc, perplexed, remains where he is. At least, until Jean and Venti make their way to him.

“I hope you don’t hate the surprise,” Jean speaks, offering him a glass of wine. “We just…wanted you to be able to relax for once. We know how busy you always are, and I also wanted to thank you for your help with Dvalin.”

“We?” Diluc echoes, taking the glass from her. He stares at it for a moment, hesitating, but then he remembers that Kaeya is here, and he takes a long swig.

“Yep! Me, Jean, Kaeya, Y/N--,” Venti doesn’t notice the way Diluc’s eyes light up with interest at the sound of your name. “—and even the people who frequent Angel’s Share, or work at Dawn Winery! We all thought it would be nice to hold something like this for you! And hey—no better time than your birthday.”

Diluc is silent for a moment, his scarlet eyes scanning over the crowd.

“Well,” he finally responds, apparently not having found what he’d been looking for. “If anything, I’m surprised. I should have suspected something was happening when I noticed the Knights patrolling the city in full force on my way back…”

Jean laughs—reaching out and giving his arm a friendly pat.

“Just try to enjoy yourself, alright? For one night.”

Diluc sighs heavily, but he can’t ignore the efforts everyone had put into throwing this mini-festival for him. Doing so would make him just as bad as anyone in the Abyss Order.

“Fine.”

Venti beams a smile, reaching out and snagging his wrist. Diluc’s eyes widen in shock.

“Good! Now let’s get you some food, and some more alcohol!”

For what it’s worth, Kaeya really does try to lay off the teasing. It’s Diluc’s birthday, after all. He can manage to be civil for a few hours, right? Right.

So, the cavalry captain keeps his distance—enjoys his alcohol and female companions at least 20ft away from Diluc. He dances along with the music, cracks jokes with the crowd, and flirts his way into more than a few women’s hearts. (And maybe even a man or two).

However, even while doing so, Kaeya quietly keeps tabs on the birthday boy. He is far from blind to the way Diluc’s gaze searches the grounds every so often, hoping to catch a glimpse of someone he’s sure not to find.

And yet, that doesn’t stop him from doing so time after time. Poor bastard.

Sighing, Kaeya stares past the winery, into the northeastern hills. He can see the light from the Anemo Statue beaming into the sky. A silent beacon of where to find you.

“You know,” Kaeya says, saddling up next to Diluc. He has decided to break his imaginary 20ft rule for the first time tonight—leaning back against the winery wall. Diluc is standing in front of him, eating a skewer, and blatantly avoiding making eye contact.

“It was Y/N’s idea—all of this. They wanted you to be able to relax for once.”

The redhead pauses for a millisecond at the mention of your name, before he quickly resumes chewing. Kaeya takes the opportunity to continue talking.

“I decided to help out, considering they were leaving for Liyue. Oh, and also because I wanted to see the look on your face.”

At that, Diluc shoots him a glare.

“Are you pleased with yourself?”

“Very,” Kaeya grins, swirling the wine in his glass. “You’re on your third drink, you’ve had two plates of food, and I’ve seen you smile nearly half a dozen times—which I’m pretty sure is a daily record.”

Diluc glares harder. Kaeya smiles wider.

“You’re enjoying yourself and hate me for it. This is the perfect outcome.”

Rolling his eyes, Diluc tosses the empty wooden skewer into a nearby trash bin and turns away. Kaeya is less than a step behind him—following Diluc as he makes his way to the edge of the crowd. As the two distance themselves from the heart of the festivities, Kaeya can spot the serenity swirling in the winery master’s colorful orbs. However, beneath it all, he sees a twinge of disappointment.

Once again, he finds his attention turning to nearby Anemo Statue.

Silence stretches. Then—

“I got you a present.”

Diluc cocks an eyebrow.

“I hope it’s not another vase.”

“No, that beauty is one of a kind,” Kaeya responds with a snort. “The issue is, my present…is playing hard to get. If you want to be able to unwrap it, you need to go to the Statue of The Seven.”

Now, Diluc just looks confused.

“You…left your present at the statue?”

“Actually, I think it’s hiding there.”

Worry etches into Diluc’s handsome face. Kaeya rolls his eyes.

“Why not go and see, Master Diluc? No harm in a little walk to get some fresh air, right?”

Diluc doesn’t grace him with a response. Instead, he stares at the blue-haired Knight with genuine concern. At least, until a small figure floats down the hillside and into view.

“Is that--?”

“Paimon!” Kaeya greets, not showing the least bit of surprise. “Wh—”

“Can’t talk! Gotta find a bathroom!” she yells, floating right past the two and towards the front door of the manner. Diluc stares after her, wondering if his eyes are playing tricks on him. However, when his gaze shifts to Kaeya, and he finds the Knight sipping on his wine, all while shooting him a teasing side-eye, Diluc knows what’s waiting for him at the statue.

“How long were you planning to hide from me up here?”

The sound of Diluc’s voice sends a shiver straight up your spine. Your entire body freezes, head stiffly turning to look at the man who now stands only a few feet behind you.

“I…I wasn’t hiding,” you say, jumping to your feet. You attempt to avoid his gaze, but his crimson orbs pull you in—refusing to let you look away.

Heat rises on your cheeks.

“I just…Amber was supposed to guard this area, but something came up, and I decided that since you didn’t know I was back, it wouldn’t be a loss, you know?”

Diluc’s brows furrow at your comment, but he says nothing. You cough, hoping to ease some of the tension.

“…how did you know I was up here, anyway?”

“Paimon floated down the hill from this direction,” he responds. He finally breaks eye contact, glancing up at the stars overhead. “Also, Kaeya told me that he’d left me a birthday present by the statue.”

For a moment, the cogs in your brain grind to a halt. A…what?

“It’s your birthday?!”

Diluc’s eyes widen innocently at your outburst. He looks confused, but judging by the way you’re quickly flushing red and looking bewildered, he can only assume you truly had no idea that today was his birthday.

“…you planned this event and didn’t even know the significance of the day?”

“Kaeya picked the day!” you respond, groaning into your hands. If you had known it was his birthday, you at least would have gotten a present for him! Something nice from Liyue! “I just wanted to have a festival where you could actually relax, and not be playing the hero to make up for the Knights slack! Ahhhh~”

You crouch down, holding your head between your hands. Dammit, if only you had known!

“I’m so sorry,” you finally say after a moment. “I didn’t know. I don’t have a present for you.”

If you weren’t freaking out, maybe you would have noticed the breath of laughter behind you, or the sound of footsteps making their way towards you through the thick grass. It’s not until Diluc crouches down in front of you and tucks a stray strand of hair behind your ear that you notice just how close he’s gotten.

“You’re present enough,” he says quietly, sincerely. His eyes are fond, his lips turned up into a soft smile, and for the first time in 30 days, you feel your heart skip a beat.

His fingers skim behind your ear—lingering longer than they need to—and you lift your hand—placing it atop his own and trapping it there.

“I missed you,” you admit, unable to look at him. “I didn’t want to hide myself away up here, but I thought it would be the best thing to do. I just wanted you to have a good time.”

“I am,” he reassures you, his gloved fingers curling around your own, and giving them a squeeze. He presses back to his full height, tugging you to your feet along with him. And when he releases your hand, you immediately find yourself missing his warmth.

“It just would have been nice to know that you were here. I could have snuck away sooner to come and visit.”

“Your friends are all down there.”

“But you’re here,” he immediately reminds you, the tips of his ears turning red. “And you also matter.”

The “to me” is left unspoken, but is certainly implied.

You chew the inside of your cheek. His admission—while it certainly causes your heart to race—has you feeling a bit worried.

“…are you drunk?”

The glare Diluc sends your way is telling enough, and you quickly try to backpedal.

“It—It’s just!” you spring forward, placing yourself in front of him just as he turns to leave. Your palms reach forward to press against his hard chest, effectively keeping him from going another step.

“I’m not used to…feelings…from you,” you admit, your thoughts coming out in a jumble. You don’t want him to go anywhere. He can’t just say something like that and then walk away. Doesn’t he know what he’s doing to your poor little heart??

“Of course, I’m not saying I don’t enjoy you opening up to me. I definitely do. I want you to be able to talk to me, and trust me. It was just…unexpected, okay?”

Your fingers curl into his black coat. Your eyes trace the checked pattern of his shirt.

“I…I like that I matter to you.”

You finally find the courage to look up at him, and damn, he’s so beautiful. You’re not even sure when it was that you fell for him. Perhaps it was when he faced the Abyss Order head-on at Mondstadt’s gate without anyone knowing, or when he followed you into Dvalin’s layer and fought alongside you for the first time. Really, you have no idea, but the fact of the matter is: you have feelings for him—feelings that you’ve been attempting to ignore.

“I…like you,” you admit, no more than a whisper.

On a quest for your lost sibling, you shouldn’t have time for inklings of love. Or, at least, that’s what you tell yourself. It feels selfish—falling for Diluc, of all people, because charming as he is, he’s also stubborn, and closed-off.

You know this, and yet, you can’t stop yourself from yearning.

Unfortunately, you’re not sure he feels the same wa—

“Mmph—"

Diluc’s lips on yours is what manages to stop your worrying.

He wraps an arm around your waist, holding you close as his free hand cups your cheek. While at first you go stiff with shock, you quickly melt into him. He tastes like sweet wine, and smells like firewood, and gosh, he’s oh-so-warm.

“Mm,” you can’t help the appreciative groan, pressing yourself closer to him in a bid to soak up all the heat you can. Since the sun had set, the chilling air had soaked into your skin, and while you hadn’t realized it before, you certainly notice it now.

As your lips connect—once, twice, and again—a part of Diluc’s brain acknowledges that he should grace you with a response. That he should tell you how he feels. But…he’s not exactly good at that, and actions speak louder than words, right?

So, he tilts your head up—deepens the kiss. His brows furrow as he soaks up any sounds that escape you, internally conflicted by his actions. He’s not used to doing this--feeling this way. He never intended to feel anything for you—to feel sad when you left, and excited when you returned, but…here he is, and Barbatos be damned if he was going to let you slip away now.

“Diluc,” you pant, cheeks flushed as you manage to nudge the man away. As much as you enjoy his kisses, you need air.

“Sorry…,” he says, looking bashful. His cheeks are rosy, and his eyes nervous. He had acted on pure desire, without considering your feelings, or how his actions might be perceived.

“This isn’t like me,” he continues after a moment with a sigh. “I’m sorry.”

Diluc attempts to take a step back, but your grip on his jacket holds him steady.

“No, don’t be sorry,” you say. You give him a gentle tug—drawing him into you once again. Your eyes fall to his lips. “Just…shut up, and kiss me again.”

Diluc can see the desire in your eyes, and he’s not used to such an emotion being directed his way. Sure, he’s aware that a few select citizen’s perhaps have affections for him, but this is the first time anything has felt…mutual.

It’s terrifying.

Leaning in, he captures your lips once more—not hesitating to slot your mouths together and deepen the kiss. And when you make a contented sound, your fingers tracing up his chest and moving to wrap around his neck, Diluc immediately forgets about his inner conflict.

Right now, he refuses to waste the time he has with you. He can overthink his emotions later.

Wanting to be closer—to feel more of you—Diluc briefly breaks the kiss. He leans down, wrapping his arms beneath your thighs, and hefts you upwards. You make a sound of surprise, more heat rising on your face as you feel your back rest against the Anemo statue.

“This really isn’t like you,” you say, your palms moving to cup his face. Your thumbs brush over his cheeks, and you silently carve this version of him into your mind. His hair tousled and cheeks red—his body flush against yours. This is a Diluc you never want to forget.

“Shall I stop?” he asks, voice quiet. You immediately shake your head, drawing him into another kiss.

“No…it’s just a side of you I’m discovering for the first time. I don’t dislike it at all.”

You feel him smile against your lips.

“Good.”

Things begin to blur after that. The two of you forget about the festival being held in Diluc’s honor just a short way down the hill. You don’t consider that people are likely looking for the master of the winery—wondering exactly where he’d gone off to. No, the only thing the two of you think about is the feel of each other’s bodies pressed together, and the heated kisses you exchange.

Quiet gasps and moans begin to fill the area around the statue—your hands wandering against Diluc’s torso, and his lips moving to trail kisses against the sensitive skin of your throat. It’s very possible that things would have continued to get even more intimate…had someone not interrupted.

“I see you like my present.”

You can almost tangibly feel Diluc’s annoyance.

“I’ll kill you.”

Kaeya chooses to ignore that.

“It’s been over half an hour. People are starting to get worried about the birthday boy.”

“Let them worry.”

“No, hey, c’mon,” you say, brushing his hair away from his eyes and catching his attention. You smile sweetly, nodding your head towards his residence. “You should get back. This whole event is for you, after all.”

With a sigh, he loosens his grip on you—his hands moving to hold your waist as your feet touch the ground for the first time in minutes.

“Fine, but only if you come too.”

You frown. “But…the whole point of me being out here is to keep guard so you can rela—”

“I won’t be able to relax knowing you’re out here,” he argues, and the look on his face tells you he won’t be taking “no” for an answer.

“Okay, okay, fine—guess I have no choice,” Kaeya breaks the tension, sighing somewhat dramatically. For the first time, you note that there’s a bottle of dandelion wine tucked under his arm.

“You two lovebirds go enjoy the festivities. I’ll play guard until the night winds down. I’ve already had my share in the fun anyway.”

“Perfect,” Diluc says, grabbing your wrist and tugging you away. Helplessly being dragged toward the winery by its master, you at least manage to turn and mouth a “thank you” to Kaeya. Because despite your determination to guard over the area, you really are looking forward to being able to spend some time at the party with Diluc and your friends.

Kaeya flashes you a smile in response, his lips innocently parting as he mouths back some words of his own.

“Use protection.”

Sometimes, you really hate him. Tonight though…

You glance to the redhead in front of you, moving your hand so your fingers slot through his own. He slows his stride—allowing you to catch up—and then gives your hand a squeeze.

You can’t help but smile.

Tonight, you can’t find it in yourself to be mad. Not when Diluc looks so happy.

#diluc x reader #diluc x traveler #diluc x gender neutral reader #diluc #diluc fic #genshin impact #6k of word vomit just bc my brain is a dumpster fire for genshin rn #genshin impact fic #kaeya #writing kaeya's lines was pretty much my favorite thing ajdhlaks

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ensembllle · 3 years ago

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@bittenichtstoren

He’d kept the sleeve with the girl’s number, despite his better judgment - folded it into his pocket when he threw away the coffee cup. Still, he didn’t call. What would he say? Eli’s not modest enough to think such a thing could never be legitimate - he cuts a good figure in his suits, he carries himself well, and there’s something of his more self-assured youth that remains in his eyes. But he’s been through it, relationship-wise, so there’s also a hesitance.

He’d be lying if he said she wasn’t pretty. That makes this difficult.

It’s almost a week later when he finds his way back to the coffee shop. Is he looking for her? No, not really, maybe. He’s in the area. For some reason, he’s more comfortable with hanging around than actually keying in that number on the piece of flimsy cardboard.

Sitting in the corner by the window - rare for him, to actually pause to eat or drink or exist - he orders a large americano, because he can stay there and nurse it while waiting. Waiting, because the flirty barista isn’t at the counter. Eli might have just left - but no, he lingers, just in case. Why, exactly? He isn’t sure. He can’t ask for her by name, as he doesn’t know it. Besides, they’d probably think she was his uncle, or whatever.

Halfway down the cup, his phone rings, and it’s a call he has to take. Unfortunately, it isn’t a good one, either.

“...What?! Jesus. No, no, no... wait, slow down. You’re not helping me. Where is Lisa? Can you--- oh, great, well... of course she is. No, listen. Listen!” His mood has rapidly run along to exasperation. He sighs - huffs, even, shutting his eyes briefly for personal clarity.

“---Calm down. No, do not talk. To anyone. Anyone! I’ll come to the office in half an hour. Oh, and tell Lisa to get back.”

He hangs up, just in time for a shadow to fall across his table.

#[threads: eli]#[with: alice]#HELLO OK #i guess he is there yelling at whoever and alice chooses this moment to magically appear #lisa is his assistant that i just made up #bittenichtstoren

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restlessfandoming · 4 years ago

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“the president and the troublemaker” (part 11) (chilumi fic)

“Lumine is the student council president and Childe is the school’s number one troublemaker. They cross paths more than they’d like. Especially when Childe finds out Lumine’s big secret. Highschool AU à la Kaichou wa Maid-sama.”

[part 1] [part 2] [part 3] [part 4] [part 5] [part 6] [part 7] [part 8] [part 9] [part 10]

[Fic Masterlist] // [AO3 Link] // [Main AO3]

my brain is struggling to produce serotonin :)

* * *

the president and the troublemaker (part 11)

Lumine felt like a mountain had been lifted off her shoulders the second she saw the large charter buses pull up to the school. The class trip to Liyue was moments from starting.

Amber let out a huge yawn next to her. “Finally, the hard part is over,” she said. “Time to relax.”

Noelle handed each of the girls a paper coffee cup. “I hear Liyue is a beautiful city.”

Lumine took a grateful sip of her drink, the early morning air crisp in her senses. It was tranquil: the low purr of the vehicles with the muted murmur of the students loading into the buses was almost pleasant enough to put her back to sleep.

It had been a stressful (sleepless) few nights leading up to today. Lumine was thankful the bus ride was long enough for her to catch up on some much needed rest.

“LuLu~!”

Lumine started to turn around. “Hello, Venti—”

Immediately, the bard hugged her with a giggle. “So, where are we sitting?”

She peeled him off with a raised brow. “You can sit anywhere you want. I’ve got to sit near the front.”

A cheeky grin. “Then I shall sit at the front as well!” He pulled his ukulele out. “Let’s write a song together!”

Lumine found herself smiling at Venti. His cheerful disposition definitely put her more at ease, his joy contagious. “Okay, sure,” she agreed.

“Will Aether be joining us?” Venti asked.

Lumine shook her head. “All the council members have their own bus to help supervise. He’s with Mr. Zhongli.” She pointed at a few buses over, where Aether waved back at them.

Venti had gone home with her one day, playing catch up with both her and her brother. Initially, Lumine had been very wary of Venti. But as they recalled old memories together late into the night, she warmed up to him, now remembering their long forgotten bond (though she was still getting used to his...clinginess. And of course the fact he kept reiterating how much he loved her.).

He reminded her of happier times, times when the stress of the world hadn’t been placed on her just yet, and all they had to worry about was what game to play next.

“LuLu, come on!” Venti said, pulling her onto the bus. He started settling into the seat next to Lumine as the rest of the bus filled up. Lumine settled her belongings as well, in addition to checking off her list of students on the bus, ensuring no student was left behind.

Just as her finger traced over Childe’s name, there was a loud commotion coming up the stairs.

“Let go of me, please!” Bennett’s voice. “What did I do wrong?”

Childe sauntered onto the bus, hand gripping Bennett’s collar and dragging the poor council reporter down the aisle.

Lumine immediately stepped into the aisle, face furrowed. “What the hell are you doing, Childe?” She pried Childe’s hands off Bennett.

“Making friends,” the tall ginger replied.

Bennett stopped rubbing at his neck, and looked up at Childe, eyes glistening. “Wait, really?”

“Bennett, go back to your bus,” Lumine ordered. After her reporter dashed off the bus, she turned back to Childe, waiting for an answer.

He shrugged. “I told you, I was making friends.” A tilt of the head, eyes flickering to Venti. “Too long of a bus ride to spend alone.”

Lumine glared at him. “Just go find a seat, Childe. You’re one of the last students to arrive.”

Childe’s eyes lingered on her for a second, before turning around, and making his way to the back of the bus. Lumine only sat back down when she saw him disappear into the seats. She let out a loud sigh.

“Wow,” Venti said. “He certainly keeps your hands full.”

Lumine gave a strained laugh. “You don’t know the half of it.” She closed her eyes, leaning into her chair and relaxing—

BAM!

Shouts erupted from the back of the bus.

The muscles in Lumine’s jaw clenched as she slowly opened her eyes and stood up, attention zeroing in on noise. And just as she thought, Childe stood in the aisle, his hands balled into fists, towering over a student on the ground. When he noticed her looking, he smiled.

Marching to the back, she ignored Childe as she helped the student on the ground, blood seeping through his fingers as he cradled his nose, groaning in pain.

“Oh my!” a different student exclaimed behind her. Lumine recognized her as Barbara, leader of the music club and occasional volunteer at the nurse’s office. Thank god.

“Can you help take care of him?” Lumine asked quickly.

Barbara nodded, gently helping Lumine carry the student to a nearby seat.

Lumine turned and glared at Childe. “Making friends again?”

He shrugged, still smiling, and wiped the blood off his knuckles.

Lumine groaned, rubbing her forehead. “Just...You’re going to sit at the front. With me. So I can make sure you don’t cause anymore trouble.” She shuffled to the front of the bus, Childe in tow behind her.

“So, what was going on…,” Venti started, sentence trailing off as his gaze landed on Childe. A twitch of a smile. “Aha, him again?”

“Yes,” Lumine said with a sigh. “I’m sorry, Venti; we’ll have to sit together on the way back or something. I’ve got to keep an eye on him.”

Her friend gave a small smile, a nod of understanding, before scooting out of the seat. As his arm brushed past Childe’s, he stopped and looked at the tall troublemaker, opening his mouth to say something, then closed it.

“See you later, LuLu,” Venti ended up saying, a sadden edge to his voice. He made his way to the back where Childe’s original seat was. Part of Lumine panged at seeing her friend upset.

“Well, LuLu?” Childe said, already sitting near the window, legs crossed, head resting on his hands. “Are you going to sit down?”

“So sorry I’m late, dearies!” their faculty chaperone, Lisa—the school’s librarian—said as she walked onto the bus. She smiled at Lumine. “Ah, President Lumine! I trust you’ve accounted for all the students on our bus?”

“Yes, Ms. Lisa,” Lumine responded. “We’re good to go whenever.”

Lisa nodded, leaning over to tell the bus driver, then plopping herself in the very first row, a few rows ahead of Lumine’s seat. The front of the bus was nearly vacant, with only Lumine, Childe, and Lisa sitting there; the rest of the students congregated towards the middle and back.

The doors to the bus hissed closed, and Lumine finally sat down, facing forward, head turned very obviously away from Childe.

“Aw, are you mad at me, LuLu?” Childe asked.

“Don’t call me that.”

“Oh, but Venti can?”

“Why did you hit that student?” Lumine crossed her arms as the bus jolted forward. “You were doing good for so long.”

“So you only like me when I behave?”

“You are acting up way more than usual today. Is someone a little cranky?” Lumine mocked.

“You look like the cranky one,” Childe said, swiping at the bags under her eyes.

Lumine pushed his hand away. “I told you. It’s been a busy, stressful time for the council.”

“Well the trip is finally happening, so you can relax now,” he said. “Take a nap, we’ve got a long drive ahead, don’t we?”

Lumine slammed her eyes shut and turned her head away from Childe. “Yes, I was hoping for a quiet, pleasant bus ride to catch up on sleep, then someone decided to start a fight.”

“Had to, Pres. Couldn’t let the new kid sit next to you.” Then, his hand was on the side of her head, and he pulled her head to rest on his shoulder. “Sleep,” he whispered. “I promise I won’t cause any more trouble, okay?”

“What’s wrong with Venti?” Lumine said, heat creeping from Childe’s shoulder to her temple. She didn’t move, however, her body feeling heavier with exhaustion—and Childe made an alright pillow.

Childe gently smoothed out her hair from where his hand still resided. “He loves you.”

“So do you,” Lumine grumbled, eyes fluttering closed. So tired...

“And that’s the problem, now isn’t it?” Childe muttered. “That makes him my rival.”

“Don’t be stupid.” “Oh? And whose shoulder would you be sleeping on if I hadn’t gotten in trouble?”

So he’s...jealous? Lumine started to sit up. “You punched that kid just so you could sit next to me?”

Childe pulled her back. “You should sleep before you get sick. Remember how we first met?”

Lumine hummed out a response, eyelids feeling heavier than ever, adjusting her head on Childe’s shoulder without even thinking about it.

As the sounds of the bus started to drown out of Lumine’s hearing, she felt Childe rest his head atop hers, his cheek pressed against the top of her head. His hand on her head thumbed circles in her hair, while he took his other hand and slipped his fingers through hers. It was a comforting, warm, caring touch—safe.

And she fell asleep in no time.

* * *

Lumine groggily opened her eyes, moving to stretch her sore muscles. She tried stretching her arms upwards, but realized her fingers were still intertwined with Childe’s. She glanced over at him.

He was asleep, head leaning against the window. It felt odd to see him like this—so still and quiet. His face was slightly furrowed, as if he was dreaming about something mildly unpleasant.

His body did look quite uncomfortable, sleeping upright like that, and Lumine felt the cricks in her neck and back from sleeping similarly. It’s probably worse since he’s taller...

Lumine let out a huff of embarrassment as she moved his head to rest on her lap. He immediately adjusted a bit, then visibly relaxed.

Lumine couldn’t help but smile a bit, at him looking so...vulnerable. Usually he was so puffed up with his strength and ego; it was cute to see him sound asleep.

Her hand moved to soothe out his hair. It was much softer than she had expected, like a cat or fox’s fur, and she found herself running her hand through his hair repeatedly. Each time, his face seemingly relaxed.

It’s nice. This is...nice.

The moment didn’t last too long, the bus halting to a stop shortly after. Glancing out the window, Lumine saw they had pulled into a city on the outskirts of Liyue for their lunch stop.

As she heard the students on the bus starting to gather their things, moving to exit the bus, a small panic formed in Lumine’s gut. She still had Childe in her lap.

She quickly lifted his head up, pushing him off of her, perhaps a little too forcefully. His limp body smacked against the window with a THUNK!

Childe jolted awake as Lumine clasped a hand over her mouth, stifling a laugh. He squinted at her through bleary eyes while rubbing at the side of his head.

“Did you just hit me?” he asked, confused.

“No. Yes. Sorry, it was an accident,” she answered, still trying to hold back her laughter.

He blinked at her, then reached over, pinching the sides of her face and pulled at her cheeks. “Is this you wanting to start a fight?” He laughed. “I’d be happy to oblige; we never did finish our fight at the beach, did we?”

“I’d win for sure,” Lumine managed to get out as she tried prying his hands from her cheeks.

Suddenly, a ukulele descended into her view. She looked up and saw Venti standing behind her, in the aisle, holding the ukulele between her and Childe.

“LuLu, is this guy giving you trouble?” Venti asked, a fake smile plastered on his face. “I’d be happy to bash a few strings over his head if you want.”

Childe let go of Lumine’s face, an equally fake smile spreading on his lips. “I’d like to see you try.”

“Okay!” Lumine interjected, standing up abruptly, and joining Venti in the aisle. “Let’s go eat.”

“Okay!” Venti echoed, the hostility disappearing from his voice. He took hold of Lumine’s hand, and pulled her towards the exit. “C’mon, LuLu; we’re the last ones off the bus!”

Before they moved too far, however, Childe clamped a hand down on Lumine’s shoulder, halting them in place.

“Now, now, Pres—don’t forget your responsibilities,” Childe said, his faux smile still in place. “You’ve got to keep an eye on me, remember? Otherwise, who knows what trouble I’ll stir up?”

Ah, shit. Lumine bit the side of her cheek, thinking of another innocent student’s bloody nose. “He’s right, Venti,” she said. “I’ve got to keep an eye on him for now.”

“Oh,” Venti uttered. His face stilled.

There it is again, that expression…, Lumine thought. What was it? Sadness? Yearning?

Lumine lightly squeezed his hand. “Venti—?”

“Well, the more the merrier, right?” he suddenly exclaimed, his usual, bright demeanor returning.

And just like when they were younger, Lumine felt the need to look after him. Something was bothering him, and she wanted to patch him up—patch him up like the countless skinned knees she treated for him in their childhood. He was always so optimistic, and it was painful to see him otherwise.

“Yeah,” Lumine agreed softly. “Why don’t you pick where we eat, Venti?”

The bard nodded, and started pulling her along again, this time his grip tighter than before. As they walked forward, Lumine felt Childe’s hand on her shoulder slip off, and she glanced back at him.

He was still following her and Venti, though much further behind now, his hands in his pockets, his eyes cast out the windows.

She remembered, he was jealous of Venti, though she still didn’t completely understand why. Venti was an old friend, and Childe was...entirely in his own category.

And yet, somehow, stepping towards one of them left the other in pain.

What am I going to do?

* * *

The city was bustling with life as students roamed around looking for different restaurants to eat at. They had a few hours break for lunch, and the students were free to walk around after eating until it was time to resume the journey to Liyue Harbor.

Lumine had texted Aether asking where he was, and he (with the rest of the student council) were already eating elsewhere. So, Venti dragged Lumine and Childe far away until they found a small restaurant near an arcade. “So we can have some fun together after eating, LuLu!” he told her.

Currently, the three of them sat at a circular table, the waitress setting down their food before them—an almond tofu for Venti, Jueyun chili chicken for Childe, and jade parcels for Lumine.

“My first time trying Liyue cuisine…,” Venti said, taking in a breath of his food’s aroma. “Smells delicious!”

The sugary sweet scent of his almond tofu wafted towards Lumine, and she smiled. “Even now, you still have a sweet tooth,” she noted.

Venti returned her smile. “Well, of course! Remember that grape juice you always made for me and Aether? Oh, and those apples your mom used to cut up for us! The ones that looked like little bunnies?” he reminisced as he started to eat his tofu.

Lumine snorted slightly, biting in her jade parcels as well. “I don’t know how we never got sick of that horrid grape juice. It was basically just sugar water.”

“You made it—so of course we had to drink it. It was special,” he replied. “Oh, I remember how cute you were, so diligent and hardworking as a kid. You’ve gotten even more cute over the years~!”

Lumine’s cheeks warmed. “You’re still the same as ever, blowing off classes whenever you feel like it, just to go off and write songs. I remember when—”

Childe’s foot tapped hers.

“Ah, sorry about that,” he said, his blue eyes gazing directly into Lumine’s. “Don’t mind me.”

Huh?

She could only hold his gaze for a brief second, before she averted it, finding it too intense. She chose to look down at his food instead—his completely untouched food.

“Why aren’t you eating?” she asked. Was he on a diet for training?

The corner of his lips twitched, and he mustered a smile. “It seems like chopsticks are harder to use than anticipated.”

…

“Pffft—” Lumine couldn’t stop herself from laughing.

“Haha, yes, very funny,” Childe said, his voice bordering on sheepishness. “You seem to have no trouble with it.”

“No trouble at all,” she said, finger wiping at the corners of her eyes. “Look.”

She scooted closer to him, showing him how she held her chopsticks in her hand. He mimicked her as best he could, but the positioning of his fingers was still a bit off.

“Here,” Lumine said, setting her own utensils down. She reached over, her hand over Childe’s, moving his fingers to the correct positioning. “Try to pick up some food.”

She saw his eyes narrow on a piece of chicken, hand steadily moving towards it like a target, concentration straining his face. She almost burst out laughing again. He’s so serious about it…

He slowly picked up the chicken, hovering it in mid-air, face relaxing in triumph. “Look, Lumi, I got it!”

She raised her eyebrows, a slight smile on her face. “Wow, yeah you—”

“Hey.”

The two of them stopped and looked at Venti. His eyes were focused on Childe, his cheerfulness nowhere to be found.

“Do you like Lumine?” he asked Childe.

Oh no. Lumine opened her mouth, ready to switch to another subject. But then—

“Yes,” Childe answered, his smile gone as well. He set down his chopsticks. “What are you going to do about it?”

Lumine froze, her jaw still open. Disbelief. Disbelief was the only thing running through her mind as she watched Childe and Venti before her, speechless.

A sharp laugh. “Well, looks like we’ve got ourselves a good old-fashioned love triangle,” Venti said. “You should know I fought really hard to get back here, to Lumine.”

“And you should know I never lose,” Childe retorted.

Venti grinned. “There’s a first time for everything.”

Lumine slammed her hand on the table, hand gripping her chopsticks furiously. “How about we all just be quiet and eat?” Were these two idiots starting to fight over her?

Anger bubbled in her gut, at Childe for revealing more of their secret. She was also angry at Venti for provoking Childe even further. Not to mention the two seemed to ignore her completely as they quipped at each other.

It was also two people she cared about, now at ends with each other. There is no way this is going to end well...

Childe and Venti sent each other a final glare before returning to their lunch, the rest of the time in silence. As soon as everyone was finished and paid for, Lumine left.

“Let’s get back to the bus,” she said, not wanting Venti and Childe around each other any longer.

“Wait!” Venti grabbed her hand, pointing down the road. “We still have an hour; let’s go to that arcade! Please?”

Lumine looked at her phone. What Venti said was true, and what were they going to do on the bus for an hour?

“Fine,” she conceded with a sigh.

“Does Childe have to come too?” Venti asked, eyeing the tall ginger as he walked beside them.

“Yes, I do,” Childe answered loudly. “I’m under Lumine’s watch, remember?”

“Is he really?” Venti asked.

“Yes,” Lumine said. “If I don’t keep an eye on him, he’ll throw hands with the first person he sees.”

“Hmph. Sounds like an untrained dog if you ask me.”

Childe scoffed. “You’re the one who’s like an incessant yapping chihuahua.”

Venti blew a raspberry at him as they entered the building. A headache was mounting in Lumine’s head.

Upon entering, they were instructed to leave their belongings in a locker. After doing so, they entered the arcade where bright neon machines flashed and the electronic noises of games chimed.

Venti gasped, and started running ahead, forcing Lumine and Childe to follow close behind. He led them to the back, where there was a small archery range set up.

“LuLu! I actually learned archery while I was away in the countryside,” Venti said excitedly. “Let me show you my amazing skills!”

“Why don’t we make it a little competition?” Childe said, already stepping up to one of the bows, picking it up and turning it over in his hands.

Venti tilted his head, his eyes gleaming. “Okay,” he agreed, stepping up as well. He was deep in thought as he picked up the other bow.

Then, Venti smiled, a true Cheshire grin. “The winner gets to go on a date with Lumine.”

…

Wait.

WHAT?!

* * *

[part 12]

#genshin impact #genshin childe #genshin lumine #chilumi #fanfiction #fanfic #me

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bestdadkars · 4 years ago

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jojos getting shots

this is solely because i got my first dose of the vaccine and usually hate shots but i didn’t die this time so

cw: needles/injections

jonathan

he’s probably a little nervous because he hates the swelling feeling that comes with it, but overall he’s one of the better joestars to have to get any shots

probably asks erina to at least sit in while he gets them, but if he’s getting multiple injections he’s holding onto her hand pretty tight

will be a bit upset if he doesn’t get a paw patrol bandaid afterwards at the very least, but if there’s a little bowl of candy he’s taking a handful for himself and erina to enjoy later

joseph

joseph sees himself as such a tough guy but i feel like this is something he’s at least vaguely afraid of

on the way to the appointment all he talks about is how he’s never been afraid of going to the doctor or anything like that, but it’s really just him trying to psych himself up

keeps a relatively straight face on during the appointment, but the moment he leaves you can bet he’s going to cry and complain to caesar and lisa lisa

jotaro

he’s the second best joestar to gives shots to because he has little to no reaction, but at the same time it’s a little unnerving because of that

his discomfort only shows in the way his face might scrunch up by a nanometer, but other than that he keeps a major poker face on the whole time

internally he’s more nervous than he lets on, and holly is naturally going to pick up on it and comfort him through it. normally he’d put on his standoffish facade to her, but this time he just lets it happen

he will request a dolphin bandaid. i don’t make the rules

josuke

i feel like josuke would be a lot like my usual reactions to shots, which is freaking out a bit too much, and shedding a few a lot tears

either tomoko has to give her hand to him or another nurse will have to hold it because once josuke sees the needle come out he’s ten times more likely to burst into tears (like i do ;-;)

he knows that logically the shots don’t hurt that much, but he can’t help getting anxious over them

once the appointment is over and he’s calmed down some more, he’ll probably go out to get ice cream with okuyasu and koichi

giorno

relatively similar to jotaro in the sense that he’s not very reactive to getting any shots, but you’ll still see him wince a bit when it’s happening

has virtually no preference for what bandaid he wants, but won’t say anything if the only bandaid they have is covered in unicorns (he secretly likes it but he’ll only allow himself to know it)

probably doesn’t go out for anything to treat himself afterwards like josuke or jonathan, but he’s careful to work his arm a little bit so it doesn’t get too sore

jolyne

closest to being like joseph in trying to hype herself up and saying she’s not afraid of shots, but the way she keeps messing with her hands and eyes darting around the doctor’s office tell a different story

hermes is gonna hold jolyne’s hand because she’s too stubborn to ask her even though she really really wants her to. hermes’ has to be prepared for a bit of pain though, because jolyne’s gonna squeeze the shit out of her hand when the needle gets close

definitely going to ask for some candy or a couple stickers afterwards to feel better (just don’t let her take the whole roll)

johnny

johnny is definitely going to be the most difficult one to get anywhere near a doctor’s office (considering how he was treated in the hospital it’s easy to see why he hates having to go)

gyro will hold his hand the entire time because he’s beyond anxious just at the thought of having to schedule an appointment, and it’s even worse if he has to do it over the phone

gyro isn’t really the best at comforting people, but he has a whole catalog of shitty jokes to run through to distract johnny

does he basically bruise gyro’s hands during the appointment?? yes. does he sulk in the passenger seat going back home?? also yes because the only thing worthwhile he got from the doctor was his mlp bandaid

gappy

i feel like gappy’s reaction depends more on the kind of shot he’s getting versus the idea of it in general, like anything with a smaller needle vs the flu shot (that shit hurted)

naturally he’s still on the reluctant side, but if he has to get them he’d much rather get it over with sooner than later. i think he’s also the kind to fidget a lot while waiting; he’s not necessarily scared, but gets some nervous energy that he’s gotta shake out

gappy is ten times more fixated on those repurposed gumball machines with the weird little toys than he is about the idea of stealing the whole role of stickers or the entire bowl of month old lollipops

that being said he will spend all his change on that machine yasuho has to get him out as fast as she can

#im too familiar with gappy's character so i hope this isn't bad #needles #tw needles #jjba #jonathan joestar #joseph joestar #jotaro kujo #josuke higashikata #giorno giovanna #jolyne kujo #johnny joestar #gappy higashikata #my writings #this is some crack shit right here ok #sfw canons

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shirtlesssammy · 4 years ago

Text

6x06: You Can't Handle the Truth

Then:

Soulless Sam was a psychotic work of art

Now:

Calumet City, Illinois

Jane, a cute waitress at Biggerson’s, talks on the phone with a friend about whether a boy likes her (Bechdel who?). “I just need the truth,” she implores, as the camera zooms in on her mouth.

She gets the truth. After ending the call, her coworkers start telling her VERY mean things, and a customer admits to running over a homeless man once. People just poor their worst thoughts out at her. Feeling like she’s going crazy, she calls someone to pick her up. Her friend just throws out more mean things at Jane. It’s then that Jane pulls out a gun and kills herself. DARK.

Meanwhile Dean’s on the phone with Bobby about Sam. Bobby says he’ll look into it more and tells Dean, “Don’t shoot him yet.” Once off the phone, Sam brings food and a case.

They head to interview Jane’s sister. She tells Sam that Jane was having a bad day, and she tried cheering her up. Sam --ruthless and blunt-- calls her out on her lie and asks what she did. Dean watches, perplexed. The sister starts crying, and admits that she wanted to console her sister, but it’s not what came out when she talked to her. They leave wondering what could have caused the fatal exchange.

At a dentist’s office, a man sits in the dreaded chair, chit chatting with the dentist. He suddenly admits to not liking his wife anymore, and he’s actually a raging pedophile.

Dean’s back on the phone with Bobby, hoping for answers on whether it’s Sam or Satan that’s Dean’s copilot. Dean’s struggling with the idea that this could just be Sam.

Sam comes back to the motel to report another death --this time a guy got drilled to death. (But by the “non-sexy kind of drilling”, as Dean points out. DUDE.) Dean tells Sam to go interview the dentist alone. He’ll stay behind and do research. Uh, not suspicious at ALL , Dean.

Turns out, the dentist hung himself before Sam could talk with him. They’re thinking that all the truth telling around the deaths point to a curse. While Sam heads to the morgue to check out the body, Dean heads to the dentist’s office. Once there, he finds a receipt for “Harry’s House of Horns” and remembers that Jane also had frequented the store.

He goes to interview the store owner.

The owner asks about progress on his stolen horn. It was a museum piece, a thousand years old, one in a million. It was stolen the same day Jane died.

Later, at the motel, he looks up Gabriel’s Horn, and sarcastically prays to Cas to check out the “loose nuke”, not really expecting the angel to show.

GUYS. I haven’t rewatched this episode in --forever!--and didn’t think Cas was in it. But HE IS. AND we get a “Hello, Dean.”

Dean’s a little (!) pissed that Cas will come for this stupid horn, but not otherwise. Cas reassures Dean that Sam is not Lucifer while pouring him a consolation drink.

Dean asks Cas what’s wrong with Sam, but Cas doesn’t know (Like, doesn’t Cas honestly not know he forgot Sam’s soul or is he lying on purpose?). Dean then stares (and stares) at Cas. He wants to know what Cas’s deal is --when did he stop being human (*whimpering noises*). “I’m at war.”

For Science:

Dean mentions Gabriel’s Horn of Truth and says they think it’s in town. Before he can continue, Cas is gone. (*whimpering noises*)

Dean takes a drink, and Cas is back before he can finish swallowing. He searched the town and didn’t find Gabriel’s horn. Dean turns his back and tells Cas, “Nice seeing you anyway.” Cas tries mending fences a bit by telling Dean that he does want to help with Sam. He tells Dean that he’ll “make inquiries”, and is gone. Dean looks around the room forlornly, and takes another drink.

Sam takes a look at the dead dentist and asks to see the rest of the bodies. The coroner says, “They’re gone.” Gone gone. They’re gone.

Dean sits at a bar, nursing his Cas wounds, and watches the news on the television. Sam calls with the news. He’s at a missing person’s apartment now --and since she died a whole week before the others, he’s thinking the curse started with her.

Dean orders another drink for the road, and utters the words, “I’d just like the freaking truth.” The bartender unloads some serious truths on Dean --and he realizes that he’s cursed.

He calls Bobby to test out his new cursed skills, and learns that Bobby’s drinking milk in the middle of the day and watching Tori and Dean. Lol, nothing to confess at all, Bobby! “I guess it does work over the phone,” Dean laments. Bobby also confesses to pedicures and that Dean’s his favorite (but Sam’s the better hunter). OOF. Said flippantly, but this is one truth siblings never want confirmation on. Dean tells Bobby that he’s cursed --and then he gets an idea.

Dean calls Sam strategically now that he’s carrying the truth curse, and asks him to call him when he has a chance SO HE CAN SPILL. Sam can’t come to the phone right now because he’s going over the case with Corey’s sister. She confesses that her sister was obsessed with finding out the truth about her potentially-cheating boyfriend.

Back with Dean, Lisa calls at the WORST TIME. She confronts him about his behavior - storming in and shoving Ben. “You've got so much buried in there, and you push it down, and you push it down. Do you honestly think that you can go through life like that and not freak out? Just, what, drink half a fifth a night and you're good?”

Lisa then tears into the reappearance of Sam, tagging the Winchesters’ relationship as unhealthy. As soon as Sam reappeared, she knew their relationship was over. Once everything’s laid out, Lisa pauses. “That came out so much harsher than I meant,” she says, softer this time. Dean absorbs her criticism like a towel specially designed for soaking up loathing. She tells him they’re done.

Sam tears through the bedroom looking for evidence. He finds a cat skull under the bed. “Yahtzee,” as they say. Dean storms in and demands the truth about the vampire hunt. Sam goes dewy eyed. He froze when Dean was attacked! And he feels super duper extra duper bad about it! For REALS.

Later, they uncover the truth - quite literally - while doing research back at the motel. The cat skull was part of a ritual to invoke Veritas. Now everybody in town calls on Veritas whenever they demand the truth. Bombarded with the truth, victims kill themselves and become tributes.

Cut to a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it montage of stealing a hard drive from the TV studio of Ashley Frank, local TV anchor. They (mostly Sam) watch cut footage until dawn.

For Pretty Motel Science:

Nothing suspicious appears until a barking dog makes an appearance on film. While the dog barks uncontrollably at the news anchor, they FINALLY notice an eye flash. Monster target LOCKED.

At Ashley Frank’s palatial home, they ready their weapons: blades coated with dog blood. (Sam does NOT want you to ask where he got it from.) The Winchester’s creep through her house, and finally locate an altar-like setup. There are candles, a sculpture of Veritas, and many cute widdle kitties. Veritas arrives and immediately knocks out the Winchesters.

Later, they wake to find themselves tied to posts. Veritas strolls in wearing a fabulous gold gown and gets right in Dean’s face so she can absorb some delicious emotions.

Dean confesses that he feels better about Sam now, but before he thought he was a monster and wanted to kill him. Dean explains that the hunting gig is that you’re either covered in blood, or dying in it. He tells her that he’s good at slicing throats - he isn’t a father. He’s a killer. I SCREAM BECAUSE 15X18 AND 15X19 LEFT US A GIFT (and then 15x20, well……..doesn’t exist).

Sam tells Veritas that their lives are hard, but he and Dean watch out for each other. He’s EXTREMELY chill about the situation. Veritas listens to this calm analysis and then freaks out and accuses him of lying. She demands to know “what” he is, which is SO RUDE.

They could stick around and talk some more, but Sam’s finally done sawing through the ropes holding him down. He escapes, then Dean frees himself as well. Veritas gets stabbed first by Dean, then Sam. She perishes dramatically, but after that foe is defeated, Dean raises a knife to Sam. Dean demands the truth.

Sam reveals that he knows he is “Sam,” but he understands that there’s something wrong with him. He lied, and he let Dean get turned into a vampire because he knew there was a cure, and that Dean could fight it. He admits that old Sam wouldn’t take the risk of Dean turning forever, or killing an innocent person. Sam tells Dean he doesn’t feel anything - and this is what makes him a better hunter. Sam concludes that he needs help.

Dean knocks Sam to the ground and starts throwing several punches at him until he passes out.

The Quotes Hurt:

Dentist drilled a guy to death

I'm here hittin' the books while drinking a nice glass of milk, while watching Tori & Dean

I'm not saying don't be close to Sam. I'm close to my sister. But if she got killed, I wouldn't bring her back from the dead!

It’s the gig. You're covered in blood until you're covered in your own blood

Want to read more? Check out our Recap Archive!

#spn recap #dean winchester #sam winchester #castiel #cas #spn 6x06 #you can't handle the truth #bobby singer #supernatural season 6

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vintagedolan · 4 years ago

Note

now all i can think about is when e and lisa meet grays baby 🥺😭

(a lil continuation of this one)

He couldn’t think of a more perfect view than both of his girls sleeping. The only thing that would make it even better was to have his baby girl in his arms, but he was trying to be good, trying to let her get used to sleeping in her little bassinet so that she didn’t have to be held to sleep when they went home.

Still, he knew as soon as she made a peep he was going to have her scooped up and cradled against his chest - the thought soothed him a bit. He liked feeling useful, feeling like she needed him and he was going to be there, no matter what.

Five minutes later she let out the tiniest little whimper - a sleep sound, not one of distress. He didn’t care - it gave him the excuse he needed to pick her up with careful hands. He tried not to think about how one day she wouldn’t fit in his hands so perfectly. It already felt like she was growing too fast, and she’d only been in the world for a day. He stared at her little face for a few minutes, memorizing the contours of her nose, her tiny eyelashes that curled up perfectly, the wisps of dark hair on her forehead.

Grayson shifted her, moved her into the crook of his arm so he could use his free hand to trace over her cheek, smooth and soft. Her lip curled up on the side into a gummy smile, eyes still closed as he saw the little dimple in her cheek that would always be there anytime she smiled up at him.

“Hi baby girl,” he cooed, loving the way she stretched in his arms. Though he said it quietly, it still woke you up, and you couldn’t imagine a better sight to wake up to - your man with your baby wrapped up in his arms.

“You guys are so cute,” you hummed, getting his attention. He turned to you, beaming.

“Baby she smiled at me. She smiled, and she has a dimple on her cheek, look, I might be able to get her to do it again.” His excitement was contagious and you watched eagerly as he came over to sit gently on the edge of the bed, stroking her cheek again. This time, her lips curled up again and turned into a pout, shaking once before she let out a whimper that you already knew would lead to a cry.

“She’s hungry,” you sighed, lifting your arms up so he could pass her over.

“How do you know?”

“Dunno, I just do.” Sure enough as soon as you had her next to you she was latched on, suckling away happily, her hand in a little fist against your chest. You looked down and watched her, made up for the time that you were asleep and you couldn’t see her.

Grayson’s hand came out and brushed some of your hair back behind your ear, and he leaned in to press a kiss to your temple before he spoke.

“How yah feelin’ momma?”

“Oh you know, like I just pushed a baby out of me,” you chuckled lightly, careful not to move too much. He laughed with you, reaching to tilt your head so he could kiss you. You accepted it gratefully, still in your little bubble of bliss that had surrounded you for the last 24 hours. Just you and Grayson and your little girl. But you knew the world was still turning outside, and you knew there was something that Grayson was itching to do.

“When are Ethan and your mom coming?”

“Whenever you’re ready,” he answered, eyes still on his daughter who was already slowing down.

“Are they here already?”

“I told em to get breakfast, let you guys sleep.” It was true that he’d text them and asked them to stay busy until you woke up - the last thing he wanted to do was put any pressure on you to be ready for company when you were the one who had to be up feeding the baby.

“Tell them to come in 30 minutes, that gives me time to look human and get her changed and dressed,” you hummed, excited at the thought of getting to see them.

“Baby it’s Ma and Ethan, you don’t need to get ready. You look perfect.”

You scoffed. “Always so sweet, but I’m about 99% sure I look like a troll.”

He was already shaking his head before you finished, leaning in to kiss you again. You knew he was going to launch into a sickly sweet speech about how you were beautiful, his favorite, the best thing that ever happened to him. So you opted for distraction instead.

“Can you burp her while I brush my teeth and pee?”

“Yeah, but I’m following you in there.” You passed your daughter over like you’d done it a thousand times, so natural to place her into the crook of his arm. He moved her up onto his shoulder - her head didn’t even take up half the space.

“I’m fine.”

“You just gave birth.”

“The nurse went with me the first time and said I did great,” you protested. He rolled his eyes, leaning in until his nose was pressed against yours.

“Let.” He pressed a kiss to your lips. “Me.” Another, to your nose. “Take.” Your cheek. “Care.” Your other cheek. “Of.” Your lips again. “You.”

“Okay okay you win,” you giggled a bit, pushing on his chest gently. To be honest, you didn’t mind the idea of having him there to hold onto, and you used his spare arm to balance when you stood up from the bed. He moved with you slowly, keeping you steady as you made your way into the bathroom and lowered yourself onto the toilet.

“This is romantic,” you teased, peeing while you watched him pat your baby on the back, bouncing her just barely.

“Parental bliss.” He was laughing with you, beaming. It was a bit like he was glowing - that was the only way you could describe it. It just seemed to come so naturally to him, and you could practically feel the happiness radiating off him while you went through your routine.

All was well until he spoke up again, an excited “good girl!” echoing through the bathroom. You looked up at him in the mirror with a mouth full of toothpaste, incredulous.

“She burped!” He explained innocently, making you laugh. You spit in the sink and rinsed your mouth out.

“Thought you were talking to me for a minute.”

“Nah. 5 weeks and 6 days mama. But whose counting,” he winked, dodging a bit when you whirled to smack him. He giggled, careful to keep the baby still on his shoulder the whole time, even when he reached out to lead you back into the room.

It felt good to be up on your feet, and you took advantage of it, moving over to your bag and pulling out a pair of shorts and a t-shirt.

“Ready to ditch the gown?”

You set your feet wide and gestured down to yourself dramatically. “No way in hell am I letting Ethan see me like this, he’d never let me live it down.”

You were joking, but Grayson’s eyes grew serious. “I’ll smack him.”

“Kidding baby, he knows better.” He watched you hold the shirt up and quickly sat the baby down in the bassinet, moving over to you. You didn’t protest and let him help, from untying your gown to holding your shorts out so you could step into them.

Once you were settled, you checked the clock. Ethan and Lisa would be there in 15 minutes.

“Let’s get her changed, I wanna put her in a cute outfit before everybody gets here. You wanna pick it out or change the diaper?”

“I can do the diaper,” he offered, knowing that you’d be particular in what you wanted her to wear. You kissed him quickly, hoping he knew how grateful you were for him.

Even as you went over to the little duffle bag to start looking for clothes, you couldn’t help but watch him. He picked her up so gently, smiling his biggest smile at her and immediately putting on his dad voice, mimicking her sounds and cooing at her as she grunted and whined at the cold air. She was crying by the time he got to her diaper and you grabbed the first thing you touched - a black long sleeve zip up with large watercolor blue and purple flowers on it, moving over to them.

“I know baby, I know, daddy’s almost done, shh shh shh,” he worked quickly to clean her up, lifting her little butt up so he could slide a fresh diaper under it. You couldn’t help but remember when he had come into the bedroom a few months earlier to see him practicing on a baby doll, youtube tutorial pulled up. They’d paid off apparently, because he had her done up in no time.

You switched places so you could get her dressed, getting her feet through the pant holes before pulling it up her back so you could get her arms in the sleeves. She still cried quietly until Grayson reappeared at your side with a pacifier, which calmed her down immediately as you finished your work.

Clothed, warm and content you scooped her up and let her rest on your chest a bit while you relaxed back in bed, only a few minutes passing before you heard Grayson’s phone ring.

“You ready?”

“Yeah, bring it on,” you teased, giving him one more kiss before he disappeared into the hallway in search of his family.

In true Dolan fashion, you heard them in the hallway before they even made it to the door. Lisa was the first to appear, Ethan close behind, faces alit with excitement that melted away into awe as soon as they saw her.

“Oh my goodness,” Lisa gushed, already teary eyed as she made her way over to you. “She’s gorgeous. How’re you feeling? Tired?”

“A bit, but I’m healing up okay.”

Then it was a string of mom questions, from how latching was going to if you had enough nursing bras, enough ice packs. It was more comforting than you had expected to have another woman there with you - one you knew, one you trusted, one who truly understood what it was like to go through what you had.

“Lisa I have no idea how you lugged those two around for so long,” you teased, but they didn’t hear you.

Ethan was too busy staring over his mom’s shoulder, arm around his twin’s shoulders.

“I can’t believe you’re actually a dad bro. This is crazy.”

“I know. She’s perfect, isn’t she?”

“Tiny. I didn’t even know babies could be that small.”

“Wait till you hold her dude. It’s like you’re barely holding anything, and everything, all at once.”

“Can I?” He paused, looking between the two of you. “Hold her?”

“Yeah, yeah here, c’mere,” you reassured him, waving him over. You sat up, Lisa’s hand coming to your back to help you. Ethan leaned over, arms a bit awkward as he tried to position them.

“Here, like this.” Grayson moved to take her confidently, standing up chest to chest with his brother.

“Like a football. A very fragile football.” Grayson’s explanation made you laugh as you watched him pass your daughter over into Ethan’s cautious arms. He was still as stone, so hesitant.

“A very cute football,” Ethan mumbled, eyes wide in wonder. “Hi there, hi baby.” His baby voice was similar to Grayson’s, but just different enough. Lisa sniffled beside you, overwhelmed at the sight of her sons there with her granddaughter.

“She hasn’t cried yet. Probably thinks you’re me,” Gray grinned, bumping his shoulder just barely, turning his attention down to her. “That’s your Uncle Ethan lovie, he’s gonna get you into trouble I have a feeling.”

“Am not.”

“Are too,” you and Lisa said at the same time, making everyone laugh.

“Alright alright, hand her over, gimme my grand baby.” Lisa stood up, heading to the other side of the bed, hands out at the ready to get her turn. Grayson moved to take her place at your side with a proud smile as he watched them both fuss over his little girl. You couldn’t describe the warmth or happiness in your heart.

#anon #ask #this ending was SHITE but Im soft for uncle ethan uGH #c:newborn #g:blurb #blurb

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deans-baby-momma · 4 years ago

Text

Truth or Dare-Part 8/20

Summary: The Winchester sibling trio has been through so much in the last decade. From the night of their parents’ 30th wedding anniversary party where Sam and Dean eased Y/N from her innocence to Sam becoming a happily married lawyer with a kickass nurse of wife to the three of them now living in the same town they grew up in under the same roof where each of them came of age. Y/N is a working mother of three, her days spent helping the townsfolk make proper and suitable financial decisions while bustling about escorting her two oldest to school and her youngest, Mary Ellen, to daycare; Dean’s garage is the premiere body shop for classic restorations and car maintenance; people from other state’s bring their vehicles to them to be repaired. Business at Winchester Wheels is booming; Sam is the legal council for Winchester Wheels and has been since he moved back home almost 5 years ago. He has his work cut out for him dealing with the people Dean pisses off and threatens to sue the garage on at least a monthly basis.

After one lust-filled night, the siblings become more than family. They become lovers. The three of them, together and separately.

One big loving family.

So when Y/N’s boss calls for her to take a much needed vacation, the six of them hit the road. What will happen? Will it bring them closer together or break them apart?

W/C: 1556

Warnings: talk of body changes, SMUT, fluff, Sammy being “saucy”

I would be lying to say the idea of being Dean's one and only, to know that he was bound to me, isn't enticing and exhilarating.

Although, even now we are already practically a married couple. We basically live together; he hardly ever goes to his apartment and never sleeps there. He is in my bed, snuggled up to me each and every night. We raise our children together, making sure all their needs are met. We have sex. Sure sometimes Sam is involved but there are times when Dean and I get some one-on-one time. And let me tell you, as passionate as it is with both of my brothers, when it is just Dean and I, it's more sensual, more intimate.

So, yea I let jealousy get its claws in me tonight and that monster made me believe that I wasn't enough for Dean. I'm such an idiot.

"I'm sorry," I say quietly, looking down at my lap. "I got jealous."

I look up at my lover through my lashes and see the smirk on his face. Cocky bastard!

"Don't be so smug asshole," I tell him but the sides of my lips lift. "It hurt. I thought you were tired of me or that I wasn't enough."

"You will always be enough for me and I will never, ever tire of you," he tells me as he slides off the bed to the floor and walks on his knees to me. "Lisa was exactly what you called her, a whore. Hell, her pussy has probably been fucked by so many dicks, it'd feel like a hot dog in a hallway."

I couldn't help but laugh at his analogy. Dean Winchester sure had a way with words sometimes.

"You're probably right. What about mine?" I ask, feeling those desires creeping back up my body. "I'm sure I'm not as tight as I used to be. I have pushed three humans out of it."

Dean smiles up at me and lifts his hand, pushing my hair behind my ear.

"Baby girl, your pussy feels exquisite. Squeezes my dick just right. They, uh, they shrink back after you give birth. Not right away, but eventually."

"What?" I laugh. "How the hell do you know that?"

Dean blushes and clears his throat. "I might have done some research when you were pregnant with Isabella. I wanted to know what I should expect."

"So I'm still tight?"

"Well not as tight as before you gave birth, but baby you fit my cock like a glove. Sammy too. Hey, we talk!" he defends at my raised eyebrow. "We don't always just talk shop at work. I know about what happened when you tried…."

"Okay. Okay," I cut him off, feeling embarrassed about the time Sam and I 69'ed the first time. I actually tried to deep-throat Sam and actually ended up puking on him instead. The man's dick was lengthy!

"Y/N?" Dean says as he looks into my eyes. "Can I please make love to you now?"

I nod and breathe out, "Yes. Please."

Dean puts his hand on the back of my neck and pulls me down, capturing my mouth. He immediately requests access that I grant it by parting my lips for his tongue to snake through.

I can already feel my clit tingling as I squirm on the chair, trying to find some friction. Putting his hands on my hips he stills my fidgeting; his tongue battling against mine.

He pulls me from the chair and I land on his thighs as he sits back on his heels.

“Can’t wait to get inside you,” he whispers against my lips.

“Can’t wait to cum on your dick,” I reply.

Dean pulls my legs to wrap around his waist and somehow manages to stand up from the floor with my body wrapped around his. I squeak and curl my arms around his neck as I deepen the kiss.

He lays me gently back on the bed, never breaking the connection as he lays right beside me, his hand running up and down my body, squeezing periodically.

We slowly work at undressing one another and when we are both bare, he takes no time in taking his spot between my thighs.

“I love everything about you Y/N,” he tells me, looking into my eyes. “I love your voice, your laugh, the way you walk, the way you talk. I love watching the way you take care of my children, the way you take care of me and Sammy. I couldn’t imagine anyone else I’d want to do any of that with.

“You have had my heart since I was 16 years old and realized how I felt about my little sister. It might be wrong but it felt so right. Now,” he continues after bending down and pecking a kiss on my lips. “I’m going to enjoy fucking you into this mattress because I really love doing that.”

“Go for it,” I respond and promptly turn my head to the side, burying my face in the pillow and screaming as Dean slams into me. He is fully sheathed and throbbing inside my pussy and it feels so good. So good!

“Move! Move! Dammit Dean, MOVE!”

Dean obeys and begins a hard and fast pace, pumping into me over and over. His grunts are just as loud as my moans and whines.

“Fuck! Baby girl, this pussy will be the death of me. Goddamn, it’s so tight; squeezing my dick so good. Oh, you’re close aren’t you? You gonna cum on my dick? Yea you are. Come on. Cum all over my cock. Let me feel you. Let go.”

A sharp thrust causes the tip of his dick to hit that one good spot inside and I see stars! I cum so hard that I think I forget how to breathe, how to do anything, as my climax rushes through my body and releases around him.

“Fuck, Y/N. You squirted all over me,” Dean says in awe. Once I get my bearings back, I become aware of just how wet it is down there. The squelching sound as he keeps thrusting into me is heard throughout the room, along with the slapping of wet skin.

Dean’s pace begins to falter and I know he is close to his own orgasm. “Fill me up Dean. Put all that cum in my pussy. I want to feel it leaking out of me for days. Come on, cum inside me, all over me, wherever you want. Mark me as yours!”

Dean growls. He growls like a bear right before he wraps his arms around my back, causing me to arch. His hips are going at a maniacal speed as he grunts and pants in my ear.

“Oh shit!” he exclaims, as he pushes in as far as he can, his whole dick inside my cavern as he throbs and spurts and spews; his cum splashing against my walls and filling me to the brim.

We lay on the bed, still joined for what seems like hours. Dean’s dick softens inside of me but he doesn’t move. His body on top of mine keeps me grounded and I lay there and think about what happened tonight.

Dean and I had our first official date as a couple, he took me to a nice buffet and then at the bar he tried to impress me by breaking the record on a mechanical bull. I got jealous and went off on some bitch who was trying to flirt with him, to us coming back and him professing his undying, unyielding love for me and telling me he wished I could be his wife!

I get pulled from my reminiscing as Dean pulls out of me with a squelch. I immediately feel his cum running out of me and down my ass to the sheets. Dean looks down and smiles.

“I love seeing you pour my cum,” he says then hops up and goes to the bathroom, returning with a damp washcloth. He cleans me up and then wipes himself off before throwing the rag back into the bathroom.

We climb into bed together and he pulls me close; my head on his chest and his arm wrapped around me. Our hands join on his abdomen and we just lay there, cuddled together.

“I’ll try not to get jealous again,” I whisper and kiss his skin.

“I like it when you’re jealous,” he says. I raise my head and look at him, confused. “Shows that you do care, you do love me. And it leads to some ah-mazing sex!”

We laugh and I return to laying on his chest. “I have to agree there.”

When we do finally doze off, we are closer than ever before.

There is a knock on the door between the two rooms way too early for my liking, but I can tell by the impatient rapping it is RJ, ready and raring to go.

Dean and I get dressed before opening the door and rejoining our family. Sam gives us both knowing grins, which I later find out is because he heard us fucking and actually jacked off to the sounds.

Thankfully the kids all slept through it all. That would be a terrible way to start a vacation!

A/N: Lil fun fact for you. The analogy Dean uses for Lisa is something my brother-in-law said once and it kinda just stuck with me. He was an idiot. R.I.P.

@lostinaseaoffictionalbliss @spnbaby-67 @tftumblin @sea040561 @delightfullykrispypeach @larajadeschmidt13 @atc74 @vicariouslythruspn @squirrelnotsam @death-unbecomes-you @sandlee44 @blacktithe7 @hoboal87 @mogaruke @deanwanddamons @onethirstyunicorn @supraveng @deandreamernp @akshi8278

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lesdreams-author · 3 years ago

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Baby Klee part 2:

They spent hours in the doctor's office, waiting to be called in. Apparently the pediatrician in town is very busy and there are a lot of families waiting to their appointment.

Jean keeps walking through the small office, attracting looks from parents and nurses. Klee cries softly in her wife's arm and Lisa needs to remember multiple times she can't threaten people to get an advantageous place.

When they are called, it's two hours later. Poor Klee is all red faced, her cries painful and Jean is almost crying together with the baby.

D: what can I do for you today, mothers?

Before she can say anything, Jean rushes in. All breathless and almost imploring.

J: she can't stop crying. Something isn't right. She doesn't want to eat, she can't sleep, she just cry.

The doctor, sensing the Grand Master distress nods solemnly and gets up from the chair.

The old woman gesticulates for the little bed where she can examine her patients.

D: please, put her in the bed.

So Jean does it, her face pained as if separate from Klee physically hurt her.

The doctor measure Klee's temperature, feel her tummy and looks at her elf ears. Lisa can't decide if the silence is good or bad.

D: her temperature is fine. I can't see anything physically wrong. So I will ask for some blood tests. However, I would like to ask if she is being feed trough breast milk or formula.

Lisa answer this, since her wife looks too worried in the moment.

L: she is taking formula. We adopted her a while ago.

D: I see l. I asked it because I noticed her tummy was a little bit hard and it can be indicative of intestinal gases. It can be pretty painful to newborns. Although formula are widely well accepted by babies, some have difficulty in getting used to it. Since the colic.

J: oh...

D: either way I'm asking for some blood work, so we can rule anything else. If the result comes back we'll, then we can for sure say it's from the formula. Because it can take a little while, I will prescribe some good teas for colic while we wait for the blood work. I think in 3 days we can get the results.

J: what can we do to substitute the formula?

D: unfortunately there's the only solution to kids who can't be breastfeed. So you guys will have to keep trying until she get used to it.

Lisa can't believe in it. They are supposed to just sit back and watch their daughter hurt?

Tô be continued...

#soft jeanlisa #lisa genshin impact #jean genshin impact #genshin impact #yuri #lesbian couple #jeanlisa #purple dandelion #jean x lisa #lesbian #mini fic #baby klee #genshin impact klee

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supernatural-freek · 5 years ago

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Knife To My Throat

Dean x Sister!Reader, Sam x Sister!Reader

Synopsis: Hello! I have a very angsty request!!! Winchesters x sister!reader. The reader is the boy's half sibling and always seems to be forgotten. She goes through memories of them forgetting about her for early years to present. [Never picked up from school, left behind on a hunt, having to clean up after them,stuck with research,chores,ect.] It makes her snap when she was put in a life threatening situation[kidnapped for a couple of months] and they didn't even notice she was not in the bunker.

NOTE: This is a lot sadder than I thought it would be, I’m so sorry. I’m also sorry if this wasn’t quite what you were looking for but once I started I couldn’t stop and- I mess around with the ages too, so don't worry about the canon ages.

There is a trigger warning for this one. It’s not the happiest of one shots.

REQUESTED

MASTERLIST

Your life passes in snapshots.

You’re 12, the product of something between your mom and a man whose two sons stare at you with blatant resentment. You’ve slandered something, soiled someone’s image or reputation. They’ve come to your school, you see, and they know who you are. They don’t take you with them when they leave, and you’re not sad to see them go.

When you tell your mom that the Winchester boys can’t possibly be your brothers, she laughs sadly until she starts crying and holds you tightly throughout the night.

She dies when you’re 14, two years after Sam and Dean had taken one look at you and decided that didn’t want you. Someone contacts John, and you hear the Impala before you see it. It’s a majestic beast, big and proud and growling. You desperately want to touch it.

John does’t let you stay for the funeral. He’s not being cruel, he’s just gotta get back to something. You sit in the back with Sam while Dean sits in the front with John.

“I don’t really hate you,” Sam whispers, sneaking you a lolly. You take it shyly. Sam smiles. “I’m Sam.”

“I know,” you say, and his smile grows instead of wavering, and you know that things won’t be too bad if Sam’s around.

Sam leaves when you’re 16, a teenage girl who’s prone to flinching at sudden movements but can stand next to a firing gun and have a spine of steel. Sam storms out the front door in a flurry of anger and deadly hate. John shouts something about not coming back, and Sam shouts back that he doesn’t care, and then the door slams.

He doesn’t say goodbye.

Dean comes to your bed that night, wordlessly asking for comfort. You roll over and let him lie next to you before you’re cuddling in to his side and crying as silently as you can. Dean’s body shakes, but the darkness hides if he’s got tears too. You fall asleep like that, and when you wake up, Dean’s already moving around the room and there’s no way to tell if last night had been real.

When you, Dean and John pile into the Impala, you think that it’s awful lonely in the backseat.

You miss your brother.

You’re almost 18 when you and John have your first real fight. You’ve argued before, fuck knows John can’t be around another living thing without arguing with it, but this time there’s a slap from you and a threat from him and Dean has to step in the middle.

He picks John over you.

You can’t say it doesn’t hurt, but it’s expected. You stare at them, so alike in their feelings and their actions and their pain, and you scoff and shake your head and say, “I hate this family.”

“You aren’t hunting, Y/N, and that’s final!”

“And why not?” You shout back, and Dean groans because here you both go again. It’s the same argument you’ve just finished, but the anger is still rippling under your skin so you don’t walk away. “Am I just some glorified nurse? Here to clean up the messes?”

“You weren’t supposed to be my responsibility,” John seethes. He’s said it before. It doesn’t really hurt much anymore. “I’ve already lost Sam because of this life. I won’t lose you too.”

You give up fighting. It’s too tiring. You can’t be bothered.

When you’re 19, Dean comes back half-dead and without John.

You keep calm and stitch him back together again, going through too much alcohol and too many strips of cloth. You run out of dental floss for stitches, but you make fucking do, because if Dean dies on your watch, you may as well die too.

He’s not coherent the whole time he’s with you, mumbling about ghouls and blood and John, but you can’t spare a second to worry about John now, not if you want Dean to live. You manhandle him, pretending that he’s just drunk and not concussed and bleeding out.

“Fuck you,” you hiss at him as you cover him with the sheets on the bed, sitting by his side as he sinks into a troubled sleep. “You problematic fuck.”

John doesn’t come back until three days later. He’s not horribly injured, but the claw mark on his chest has smeared blood all over his front and he looks like death incarnate. He sees Dean, still unconscious on the bed, and grunts, settling into the seat at the table and closing his eyes.

“Fucking ghoul,” he sighs, and then you’re attacking him with whatever medical supplies you have left.

Dean wakes up the next day, takes the keys, and drives you and John far away from that little town. You never tell him that you left your story book on the bedside table.

It had been the last thing you’d had of your mothers.

You’re 22 when Sam truly settles back into hunting.

You know he misses Jess, know that he’s got too much weight on his shoulders, know that he wants to find Dad just so he can go back to pretending he doesn’t miss his old life. But he settles into it after a while, sitting in the front seat with Dean.

It’s still lonely in the back.

You’re 23 when John dies.

Dean and Sam are without injuries. You have a broken arm that doesn’t get properly treated before you’re leaving the hospital in the dust, the taste of ash still on your tongues.

Everything goes to shit when you’re 24. There’s something about Sam, him being a Chosen One, and Dean says that John had wanted him to kill your brother, and it’s all so confusing. You know about the visions, and you trust the visions, but then Sam and the other kids like him are mutating into something else and you’re afraid.

You know it’s the Demon, good old Yellow-Eyes, but you don’t matter to him. You don’t matter to anybody. Bobby sees you sometimes, but that’s because Bobby is an old soul in an old body and knows what it is to be in the background.

Ellen sees you too, but only because you remind her of Jo. “Don’t let them boys walk all over you,” Ellen tells you one day, when you’re sitting at the counter at the Roadhouse after the boys had taken off on one of their adventures without remembering you. “Honey, you aren’t a doormat.”

“I’m not much of anything,” you tell her and then you finish your beer and motion for another.

You’re 25 when Sam dies and Dean sells his soul and leaves you with two brothers who are forever tainted with the cold tang of death.

Dean shoots the Demon.

You’re 25 when you look at schooling options for adults.

The Hellhounds come for Dean sometime after you turn 26, and you have nightmares about Sam’s cries and Dean’s blood until you have to start taking extreme measures, like pills and alcohol and concussions.

You and Sam crash at Bobby’s house once, and you sleep easier than you have since your brother went to Hell.

When you wake up, Sam is gone and he doesn’t come back. Bobby looks at you with pitiful eyes, but you keep your head down and make yourself a list of permanent chores to do just so you have a purpose and won’t have to kill yourself.

Dean comes back while you’re still 26. You’ve given up on schooling, which is good, because Dean wants to look for Sam, and you have to scramble to get in the back seat of the Impala before he takes off with a squeal of the tires.

Bobby sits in the front. It’s not any less lonely in the back. You seem to care less now, and you wonder if it’s because the nightmares have sucked out your soul and no you’re just hollow and beaten and sad, and you don’t care anymore that your brothers don’t really care about you.

Sam causes the Apocalypse. You’re turning 28 the next day.

You meet Cas when you’re 28, but you aren’t important so he doesn’t see you. The angels don’t see you, your brothers don’t see you, and Bobby loses sight of you somewhere along the way. You slip through the cracks.

You go on a hunt on your own and it goes fine.

You’re disappointed that you don’t die.

You’re 29 when Sam jumps in the Pit with Lucifer and Michael. Cas isn’t God, and you aren’t important enough for anybody to take as leverage. Zachariah had taken Adam and Sam, but he hadn’t taken you and that should tell you to quit while you’re ahead, but you’ve already decided you’re a lot cause with school and there’s nowhere else for you to go.

Dean goes to Lisa and Ben. Cas disappears. You float around and you pretend you have purpose. You think your name becomes a legend amongst the hunters. Something about you being a ghost, here one moment and gone the next.

You’re too cold to cry, really.

You’re 30 when you attempt to kill yourself and fail.

Nobody comes to get you until you’re 32. Sam loses and gains his soul in that time. There’s someone named Samuel. There’s Alpha monsters and Death and walls in minds that shatter far too easily, and then Cas is the new God, but he’s sick.

You run into the boys on a hunt. Dean says your name with the reverence of someone who has seen God and laughed. He talks to you, and it’s nice, and then he tells you about Leviathans and Cas and your heart breaks and you crawl into the back seat of the Impala and stare out the window.

Hunters still talk about the Ghost.

Dean doesn’t know that it’s you.

You’re 33 when Dean and Cas go to Purgatory, and you’re 34 when Dean comes back.

You’re 33 when Cas comes back, too.

You’re 35 when Metatron casts the angels out of Heaven and Sam fails the Trials. It’s a mess, but there’s Kevin and the Bunker, and the angels falling look like dying stars and it’s oddly beautiful.

Kevin likes you. It’s strange because Kevin doesn’t really like anybody else. You think that its nice to be seen, but then there’s Crowley and demons and your brothers are important again and you quietly make enough food that nobody stares and clean up afterwards.

Your room stays bare. Nobody comments. You don’t think Sam or Dean could point out which room you claimed as your own anyway.

You’re 37 when Dean gets the Mark of Cain. It’s scary and it makes him into something harsher and more unstable. You try and keep quiet around him, because he seems almost hyper-aware of you now and he keeps eyeing you.

You make food and you do beer runs because that’s the role that they accept, and that’s the role you know. Charlie braids your hair once. It feels like something a sibling would do.

The Darkness brings Mary back when you’re 38.

Mary looks at you once, understands who you are and what you represent, and then she turns to her boys and smiles. You are 39 years old in a world that doesn’t want you, and you’re invisible to everybody in the damn room.

You can’t harbour any anger for Mary though.

You’re just so unbearably tired.

You’re on the cusp of turning 39 when someone steals you off the road when you’re waiting for the boys to come out from questioning a witness. You don’t know who they are, but you know they want information on your brothers, they want someone to experiment with.

They want a hunter.

They want the Ghost.

Torture becomes old soon enough, so they play mind games. It takes them a while to adapt to your apathy though, but once they understand that forcing you to imagine your brothers being nice hurts more than making you think they hated you, things get going.

You don’t talk. But you hurt.

You hurt, you hurt, you hurt.

You’re 39 when you make your escape, killing everybody there and returning to the Bunker covered in blood and wounds and you are afraid.

“What the fuck,” Dean says in a tight voice as you stumble down the stairs. Cas is already charging towards you, a glowing hand held out. You flinch away. but he’s persistent, and your wounds close slowly. “Y/N?”

Sam stares at you with wide eyes. You stare back without saying anything. Cas gently brushes his hand over your shoulder. You croak miserably and he pulls away.

“Where were you?” Dean asks.

(You’re 39 when you realise that nobody had noticed you were gone.)

You turn away, intent on going back to your plain little room, but someone holds your arm and you can’t take the touch. “Stop,” you beg and whoever is holding you lets you go.

“What-” Sam gets cut off by the guttural wail that rips from your throat.

“I was gone for months!” You seethe, voice cracking and rasping. You are 39 and you are breaking, breaking, breaking. “You didn’t come for me, you’ve never come for me.”

The Ghost, the Ghost, the Ghost.

“I am nothing and I am nobody, but I should have been somebody and you took that from me and I don’t know what I’m supposed to do now.”

Cas reaches for you again. “Let me ease your troubles,” he says and fingers touch your forehead and nothing happens. “You are in too much pain.” he murmurs. “I am sorry.”

“So am I,” you whisper, and then you turn away from your brothers and you go to your plain little room.

You are 39 and half-Winchester when you press a gun to your temple and pull the fucking trigger.

#supernatural #supernatural dean #supernatural fanfiction #Supernatural fanfic #supernatural sam #supernatural angst #angst #sad #like seriously its sad #supernatural oneshot #request #sad supernatural imagines #supernatural imagine #sad supernatural one shots

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