#it's too cleanly drawn

[krirspooty]

Why is he drawing some map on the floor? I have no idea to be honest.....

[silencescribbles]

🌩️

[website-com]

very autistic media day

[the-cosmic-cauldron]

Astrology Observations: ☺️😍🥰😘🤪Your Turn-On’s Based on Your Rising Sign 😍🥰😘🤪

Aries Rising: As an Aries rising, you are attracted to individuals who are lively and full of enthusiasm. You appreciate those who exude energy and prioritize self-care, taking the time to nurture their physical well-being. You find it appealing when people validate and compliment you, making you feel extraordinary. Additionally, you are drawn to versatile and creative individuals who express themselves confidently, whether through various hobbies or a unique way of speaking. A captivating voice can also intrigue you, especially if it draws you in when they share stories. You admire driven and ambitious people who strive for their ideal lives, and you are inspired by those who maintain a positive outlook, even during tough times. You also have a preference for assertive individuals, as well as those who are romantic and affectionate. You enjoy the excitement of dating and socializing, and you are particularly fond of people who can brighten a room and bring joy to others.

Taurus Rising: As a Taurus rising, you might find yourself attracted to individuals who are passionate about their lives and specific lifestyles, particularly those with a strong aesthetic appeal. You may be drawn to certain styles, such as someone's fashion choices, which can be a significant factor in your attraction. The way a person dresses, their movements, and even their subtle mannerisms can captivate you. It could be something as simple as how they gesture while speaking, their walking style, or the way they look at you or gaze into the distance. These small details can ignite your interest. Additionally, intelligence can be a major turn-on; engaging in stimulating conversations that challenge your thinking can be incredibly appealing. You may also appreciate individuals who are perceptive and aware, as they can create a strong connection. Education plays a role too; you might be attracted to well-educated people or those with a genuine desire to learn and grow. Whether it's through fitness, furthering their education, or organizing their lives, you admire those who strive for self-improvement. Cleanliness and good hygiene are also important to you, as is a pleasant scent. You may find yourself drawn to nature lovers or those who prioritize their health, whether they have a muscular build or a lean physique.

Gemini Rising: You are attracted to individuals who are visually appealing. You tend to gravitate towards those who fit conventional standards of attractiveness and can present themselves in a way that appeals to a wide audience. You might appreciate the girl-next-door vibe or a simple look in a man, or perhaps you prefer someone who embodies a gentlemanly style or classic beauty. You are also drawn to femininity, as well as masculinity, which means you may find androgynous individuals appealing or women who adopt a more masculine fashion sense, as well as men who embrace a more feminine aesthetic. You appreciate people who can engage in meaningful conversations, and you are particularly attracted to those who are sociable. You enjoy well-spoken individuals who express themselves in artistic or poetic ways. You value calmness in others and prefer those who are balanced rather than erratic. You appreciate open-minded individuals who can consider different viewpoints and avoid jumping to conclusions or engaging in arguments. You are drawn to effective communicators who can address both major and minor issues. Additionally, you are attracted to romantic individuals who go out of their way to create special moments, whether through grand gestures or simple acts of affection. You enjoy receiving flowers, gifts, and physical affection, and you appreciate those who openly express their love for you.

Cancer Rising: With Cancer rising, you are attracted to intense individuals. You find yourself drawn to those who exude mystery yet maintain a laid-back demeanor. The allure of someone who is difficult to read excites you, especially if they keep their personal details to themselves. You appreciate people who are introspective and prefer small social circles, as they tend to be more trustworthy. The thrill of pursuing someone who plays hard to get adds to your interest in them. You value individuals who can safeguard your secrets, allowing you to share your thoughts freely without fear of them being disclosed. You are captivated by those with a strong sense of sexuality and personal power, often gravitating towards ambitious and creative individuals who stand out from the crowd. Their emotional depth and authenticity resonate with you, making them even more appealing.

Leo Rising: You are attracted to bold and adventurous individuals who pursue fun and meaningful lives. You appreciate those with deep beliefs and a sense of spirituality, often exploring the depths of existence. You also like people who learn through experience, valuing raw and instinctual individuals who embrace their mistakes. Their ability to show vulnerability makes them more relatable to you. You enjoy being around free-spirited and adventurous people who are open to trying new things, as it creates a comfortable atmosphere. You appreciate honesty and direct communication, especially when it’s delivered in a way that’s straightforward yet considerate. You are drawn to those who enjoy outdoor activities and have a lively sense of humor. Big personalities and philosophical thinkers captivate you, especially those who think deeply and challenge conventional ideas. You value authenticity and appreciate individuals who embrace both their flaws and strengths, as you prefer to see people as they truly are. You are particularly attracted to those who are spontaneous and ready to act without overthinking, enjoying the company of people who can think quickly and adapt on the go.

Virgo Rising: You are attracted to ambitious individuals who know what they want. Decisive people excite you because they can set the tone and have a clear vision. You appreciate those who are achieving their goals and can articulate their accomplishments. You enjoy being around strong-minded individuals who are firm in their beliefs and opinions. You find comfort in the presence of someone who is self-assured and knows their identity. Additionally, you prefer reserved and quiet people who may take time to open up, as you appreciate those who are more understated. Physical appeal also matters to you; you are drawn to those who dress well and present themselves nicely. You find authority and power attractive, especially in individuals who may seem intimidating or difficult to approach. You admire people who lead organized lives and maintain simplicity, as well as those who are dependable and consistent. You are captivated by individuals with unique perspectives and intelligence, often connecting with them on a mental level before anything else. Lastly, you are intrigued by someone who can be sensual yet reserved, saving that side of themselves for you.

Libra Rising: You are drawn to unique individuals who often differ from you or have had different life experiences. You appreciate people from diverse backgrounds and races, and you may find yourself attracted to those who express themselves in unconventional or quirky ways, or who have unusual habits, careers, or lifestyles. You might also be interested in popular individuals who are well-liked. Humanitarian qualities appeal to you, so you may be attracted to those involved in volunteer work or organizations, as you find it attractive when someone is dedicated to helping others and contributing to the greater good. You could also be drawn to politically active individuals who strive for the empowerment and betterment of society, especially those who dream of a brighter future or take steps to make it happen. You admire people with grand ideas and a vivid imagination, and their intellectual capacity excites you. Additionally, you value personal space and appreciate relationships that allow you freedom when apart. You may be attracted to unconventional lifestyles and find intellectual stimulation appealing, as you enjoy being inspired to think bigger and broaden your perspective.

Scorpio Rising: As a Scorpio rising, you are naturally attracted to ethereal and otherworldly individuals who seem disconnected from this dimension. You find yourself drawn to those with unique spiritual beliefs that expand your perception of reality. Artistic people with creative talents and innovative hobbies captivate you, as do gentle and romantic souls who engage all your senses. You appreciate companions who provide an escape from the mundane, turning fantasies into reality. You are particularly attracted to those who are expressive, empathetic, and can intuitively understand your emotions, often finishing your thoughts. You also admire individuals with special abilities or those who have faced significant challenges yet remain humble and kind. Kindness and sensitivity to your well-being are qualities that resonate with you. Additionally, you are intrigued by people who perceive reality differently, offering a calming and approachable perspective on life rather than a harsh one.

Sagittarius Rising: As a Sagittarius rising, you are drawn to individuals who are confident and self-assured. You appreciate those who are bold and pursue their desires without hesitation. You admire courage and self-esteem, valuing people who can overcome challenges. Unique personalities that stand out and possess social charisma attract you, especially those who are well-liked and have a positive reputation among friends and family. You respect hard work and dedication, and you are particularly fond of those who actively pursue you and invest effort into the relationship. You are attracted to strong, athletic individuals who take action and focus on self-improvement. You prefer people who demonstrate their feelings through actions rather than words, and you find generosity incredibly appealing. You enjoy being around creative thinkers who can make quick decisions and engage in stimulating conversations. Their diverse range of topics keeps you intrigued. Additionally, you are captivated by someone’s intuition and their ability to connect with their authentic, primal self. You appreciate when they feel free to express themselves fully around you, always seeking to capture your attention.

Capricorn Rising: For the Capricorn rising turn on’s reveals a fascination with individuals who are slow and steady. You appreciate those who are methodical and take their time in their actions. You enjoy being around well-dressed, fashionable people who exude a sense of beauty, whether conventionally attractive or possessing standard appealing features. You are drawn to gentlemen and classy women. You find it attractive when someone communicates clearly and carries themselves with self-respect. Additionally, you are captivated by elements that enhance beauty, such as makeup, nail polish, and stylish haircuts. You admire tenacity and the drive to achieve, as well as stability and financial success in others. You are attracted to those who are not overly emotional, preferring calm individuals who can reason effectively. Physical affection and touch are important to you, as you enjoy sensations like skin-to-skin contact, massages, and cuddling. Words of affirmation, declarations of love, love letters, and poetry make you feel cherished and admired. You appreciate someone who seeks to make your life easier, constantly nurturing you and giving thoughtful gifts. You are also attracted to those who introduce you to the finer things in life and invest in your experiences, making you feel valued and desired.

Aquarius Rising: As an Aquarius rising, you are drawn to individuals who stimulate your intellect. You seek someone who can unlock new perspectives in your mind, someone who encourages you to think differently. You are attracted to those who are versatile and creative, embracing spontaneity in their lives. You appreciate adaptable people who pursue their desires and thrive in social settings, especially extroverts who enjoy engaging with others. A good sense of humor and wit are essential, as you love engaging in intellectual conversations that excite you. You also value partners who are open about their sexuality and willing to explore new experiences together. You find joy in sharing first-time adventures with someone who possesses a creative spirit, often seeking out those with a touch of genius. You are attracted to individuals who communicate quickly and confidently, and you desire a connection that feels like a deep friendship. Being able to vent and share your thoughts freely with your partner is a significant turn-on for you.

Pisces Rising: As a Pisces rising, you are drawn to deeply emotional individuals, yet you often find yourself attracted to reserved and shy types—those who exude an innocent charm and seem to have their lives in order. You are captivated by someone who presents a refined image and tends to be selective about who they let into their world. Mysterious people who are difficult to get to know intrigue you, but you also appreciate those who maintain deep, meaningful relationships with others. You are particularly attracted to nurturing individuals who genuinely want to support and help others. Expressive people who know what they want in life also catch your interest, especially when it comes to physical affection, admiration, love letters, and other intimate gestures. You cherish spending quality time with someone you love, even if it’s just lying next to them and gazing into their eyes. Their words and the way they communicate with you are significant turn-ons, as is their emotional capacity to understand and embrace all that you bring to the relationship. You value empathy, consideration, and compassion for your feelings. You appreciate a partner who respects your need for space while also being close to you. Loyalty and a deep commitment to building a strong relationship are essential for you. You are also attracted to someone who keeps their more adventurous side private, shared only between the two of you. Lastly, emotional intelligence and a good sense of humor are qualities that you find particularly appealing.

[be-good-to-bugs]

i gotta stop 4getting my ocs names

[kquil]

POLY MARAUDERS | HEROES IN TATTOOS PRT.6

06 : SELFISH DESIRES

SUM : it's your chance to make amends and push aside your selfish desires - your heart will ache but they're worth it 

TAGS. : modern au ; muggle au ; tattoo artist james potter ; piercer remus lupin ; angst ; idiots in love ; unexpected turn of events ; sirius is the main character here ; jk jk ; it's you~ hehe~ ; you'll see what i mean ; wolfstar have a heated argument ; i almost cried writing it ; i hate seeing them like that ; poor james ; james needs a hug ; regulus makes an appearance! ; dramatic sirius black ; regulus is a good brother ; sirius being an instigator ; we love him for it though ; you can't just leave them again! ; no fluff here kiddos ; but kiddos stay away! ; just cover your innocent eyes! 

LENGTH : 3.7k

← PREV. : 05 | DRUNK AND CIGARETTE SMOKE

“You’re disgusting,” Sirius manages an indifferent glance over at his younger brother before resuming his miserable, unmoving position on the sofa — Regulus’ sofa. The obvious detachment Sirius has to the situation only stirs his younger brother’s bubbling anger, “It’s almost been a full month! And you’re letting yourself rot away on my sofa; get a hold of yourself!” No response. Regulus shakes his head with a drawn out sigh, “you usually don’t stay around this long whenever there’s an argument… I wonder what’s happened this time…”

Deeming his older brother completely hopeless, Regulus returns to his sparse but sleek kitchen just as the kettle whistles its readiness to be poured for tea.   

Sirius breaths an audible sigh and grimaces at the stench of his breath. The mix of excessive alcohol, countless cigarettes and mountains of junk food didn’t make for a good concoction on his tongue, definitely not for fresh breath. When was the last time he had brushed his teeth? He brings a hand up to push straggling strands of hair away from his view but grumbles when the curls had knotted up too much for him to comb his hair back uninterrupted. Stone grey eyes look down at his figure, stagnant and pale, weighed heavy from low spirits. 

What followed the night you left their flat was the worst fight they have ever had. It was mainly between him and Remus while James remained in the background, too downhearted to contribute anything to the verbal warfare happening before him. He was spoiled with love since birth. As an only child with loving parents, who never fought in front of him, whenever Sirius and Remus argued, James was left paralysed with despair. It was always shocking to him how nasty those fights became; his parents never fought like that. Sirius could see it in his sweet hazel eyes that James wanted desperately to have peace but didn’t know how to steer things in that direction. He had tried before, many times, to defuse the situation but both Sirius and Remus were too stubborn and hot-headed from the argument as well as their suddenly stark differences in opinion to back down. 

As unfortunate as it is to think about, these fights happened often, recurring in the same exact way – originating from opposing opinions, primarily between him and Remus. They would try to keep it together but it would just keep piling up until someone snaps and then there’s no dispelling their disputes. James either takes a side or none at all (usually the later) and Sirius storms out of the flat to stay with Regulus. 

He should feel guilty for being such a burden to his younger brother. He should have more pride in himself than to allow Regulus to ever see him in such a depressed and unpleasant state. Lack of hygiene, self care and self maintenance manifests into something so repulsive and unsightly, Sirius would usually be back and making amends within a week or two – encouraged by his own lack of cleanliness and his commitment to run from the disease of laziness. 

But it’s been more than that now. Nearly a month, Regulus says. Time just passes by, slow and tolerant, so unlike him, and yet, Sirius still managed to lose complete track of it. This is the longest they’ve ever had a dispute without reconciling.  

His own stubbornness is definitely a factor. He had been right all along. If only they, mostly Remus, had listened to him. James was fully on board but Remus was stubbornly defiant and managed to convince the former otherwise. 

“Do you think she’s the type of person who would embrace such an unconventional relationship with open arms?!”

“That’s not what I’m saying, Moony,” Sirius grits his teeth, his inner thoughts and reasoning ached to be heard and let out coherently. In his mind, it all made sense to do things the way he suggests, so why couldn’t his boyfriend understand him?! It doesn’t even seem like he’s trying to listen to him at this point! “She won’t understand if we don’t say anything to her! We have to be forward and bold! Do it now before something happens!”

“Nothing. Is. Going. To. Happen!”

“How can you be so sure? We need to be honest with her, it’s not fair to her and it’s, frankly, deceitful to keep her in the dark about all this!”

“We can’t be too sure that she’ll accept us. If that happens then we’ll never see her again– I don’t want that, do you?!” 

“We won’t know unless we say something, do something, anything!”

“Please just trust me, Siri,” Remus begs, his loud voice lowering to a soft plea, his beautiful brown eyes no longer fierce or piercing but kind and warm again, with a hint of fear. Sirius can sympathise with that creeping terror, an anxiety that wants to swallow you whole and keep you in a dark abyss for eternity, “I don’t want to frighten her…”

The first time, Sirius gave in, weak for his love and weak for the reasoning behind his proposal on the matter concerning you. The dark-haired tattooist couldn’t fault his lover for that but, in hindsight, he should have argued his side more, maybe then, you wouldn’t have disappeared like that…

“Hey, your phone won’t stop pinging,” Regulus alerts, appearing out of thin air and surprising Sirius enough to sit up and alert with wide eyes, “will you finally read their messages to you?” with some reluctance, Sirius reaches for his phone and proceeds to look through his messages while Regulus takes a seat opposite him, a steaming cup of tea in hand.

The younger Black brother was just about to begin reading another one of his classic novel favourites when a rush of air flew by him, ruffling the small strands of hair and whipping about the billowing steam from his mug of tea. Moments later, the sound of his shower turning on full blast echos through his flat and a smile graces his lips. 

“It’s about time…”

Lingering guilt had plagued you all night long and you barely managed to get a wink of sleep. It, however, meant that you were able to better prepare lunch for the boys the following day. While cooking, you abandon all negative feelings to focus on only the good, not wanting any harmful emotions to diffuse into the food and saturate it with bad tastes. Your eyebags weren’t a pretty sight but it was easily fixable with a touch of makeup. 

You tried to look your best for the day. Fortunately, the early summer sun inspired your motivations further. Yes, you’ve made the terrible mistake of selfishly pushing them away to nurse your own battered soul and unrequited feelings, but this was your time to make amends, to make things right… to see Sirius again. 

You never felt right after you accused him of cheating on Remus and James with each other, only to find out that he was far more loving and loyal than that. You were embarrassed and ashamed to have ever thought so negatively about him, jumping to conclusions like an immature, thoughtless child. It was wonderful seeing James and Remus again, your heart was practically soaring in your chest as it disregarded all lingering feelings of misery and dejection. But now, your chest felt incredibly tight as your heart ached to catch a simple glimpse of Sirius.  

You carefully pack away the lovingly prepared food and desserts into your largest, most durable shopping bag before getting dressed. It was only natural that you managed to make more than you usually made for the boys, seeing as you wanted to spoil them rotten after being so childish the last few weeks. Since the weather was pleasant, you opted for a cute mini dress with a light, flowy material that was comfortable and soft. Over top, you wore a cropped cardigan that had long sleeves, enough to reach past your fingertips. For jewellery, you wore a simple necklace and slipped into a strappy pair of mid-heeled platforms that weren’t too tall. Casual but cute. 

Approaching the studio doors, your grip on the strap of your bag tightens and your breath hitches. They hadn’t taken the notice down and the bold, red letters of their ‘CLOSED’ sign glared at you angrily. 

Were they inside? Should you knock? Neither Remus or James actually agreed to your sudden choice to meet for lunch the night before. Did this mean that they didn’t want you to be in their lives anymore?... But… but you wanted to make things right! You wanted to apologise! You want to be friends with them again! You’ll tell them right away – tell them how you would do anything just to remain by their side, even if it’s just as a friend, you’ll be happy for them! You won’t be selfish anymore, you won’t covet anything more than friendship with them, that’s all you want! Not that they’ve ever heard of your true desires—

“Well?” A familiar voice speaks up behind you, putting an abrupt end to your panicked inner monologue, “Aren’t you going to knock?” 

Swiftly spinning in place, you smile brightly at the biker and tattooist standing before you, dressed in all black, with heavy, lace-up boots and his signature leather jacket, “Sirius!” 

He doesn’t breathe a word to you, eyeing your hefty bag before briefly meeting your eyes and making his way over. His long strides made it so that he reached you in no time but he didn’t stop. With a light gasp, he had backed you up into the left of their studio’s double-door front entrance. You held your breath and kept your eyes shut tight, not knowing what to do as your heart pounded deafeningly against your eardrums. 

A moment passes and you feel his hand brush against yours before your portly bag of packed food is taken from you. A wave of relief washed over your aching shoulder as the weight disappeared but such a diminutive alleviation of discomfort couldn’t swamp the trepidation in your heart. Sirius was different. 

“Siri–”

“Let’s head inside,” he had opened the right hand door and easily slipped through with your bag. Alone and in the quiet, you felt like crying. You wanted to cry, desperately but you knew that it would offer little to no reassurance. So, with a heavy heart, you followed Sirius inside and closed the studio door behind you. 

The air was stale but, in it, lingered a familiar scent that you had come to love, it was a clean, almost clinical smell from the regular use of disinfectant and bleach. You love this parlour so much, it was filled with so many good memories, ones of soft affection through tender words and gentle caresses. Despite the earlier interaction, you couldn’t help but smile just from the wave of romantic sentiment washing over you. 

“You’re here,” Remus greets with a tired smile as James sits on the opposite end of the sofa with a shy grin directed towards you, his hazel eyes looking elsewhere.

“Sorry if I’m late,” you managed a weak smile, “I didn’t know if the door was open or not. Thankfully, Sirius was there to help me in,” Sirius didn’t sit down despite the many available seating spaces and chose to lean his back against a far wall, instead. James couldn’t meet your eyes and Remus was sneakily massaging his temple as he leaned his face against his large hand, “let’s eat, shall we? I hope you guys are hungry,”  

It was never this awkward. Or quiet. Especially when sharing your homemade lunch together. James would usually be giving you endless praise through large, mid-chewed mouthfuls while Sirius laughed at the ridiculous sounds and faces he’d pull trying to speak coherently through the mouthful of food, and Remus would shake his head, his amusement by the display evident in the warm glimmer of his eyes. However, James doesn’t have as big of an appetite today and Sirius stands alone with his tupperware, barely touching his food. Remus is the only one eating a substantial amount besides you. Although, you’ve gradually slowed your own chewing. 

What have you done?... 

What happened to all of you?

Your shame brought your gaze down, making your head weigh heavier than usual as you give up on communicating anything with the boys. This wasn’t how it was meant to go…what should you do now? The pain in your heart was unbearable. 

Shoulders slumped and confidence dried up, you struggled to think of what to do. You should have prepared a speech or something. It was naive of you to think that simply coming over with a homemade lunch would fix anything. Things are never going to be the same, no matter how much you hope and pray for them to be. 

You’re hopeless… completely and utterly hopeless…

This was your worst fear come to life. You had feared rejection but seeing them unloving towards each other, barely communicating and broken apart, your stomach collapsed in on itself as your heart fell to a million pieces. You didn’t utter a single word of loving them romantically aloud and yet, you still managed to get in between their relationship. This was a sentiment of how selfish of a person you are. 

How could you do this to them?! They were your friends, who saved you from the worst night of your life, and you repay them like this?! Shameful. Disgusting. You don’t think you could ever look at yourself in the mirror again.  

The skirt of your mini dress blurs on your lap and you have to bite your lip to keep from sobbing out loud. The tears, however, you couldn’t stop them. Hopefully, they’re all too distracted to see you silently weeping and you can gather yourself before turning tail and running out of there. 

Today is a complete disaster—

“Don’t cry, angel, please!” James jumps up and rushes to your side, kneeling down at your feet as he takes your hands in his and tries to meet your gaze through the puddle of tears in your eyes. His words immediately catch Remus and Sirius’ attention and they both begin to make their way over, evident worry swimming in their eyes but you refuse to acknowledge any of that as your mind drowns in all manner of negative thought.  

You shake your head, hearing the flurry of footfalls around you and wishing them away silently, “I shouldn’t have come here today…” you whisper. 

“What was that?” James patiently asks, voice soft and sweet and kind, it makes you want to fall into his arms.

“I’m sorry,” you speak clearer and stand abruptly, “enjoy the lunch,” the haste and sorrow in your shaking voice makes their heart drop and they’re brought back to that fateful night once more. You don’t meet their eyes as you turn and push past them to leave, almost running through the hallway of their studio just to reach the door and make a quick escape. 

“THIS!” Sirius’ roaring voice suddenly cuts through the studio like a knife, making you stop in your tracks and turn around slowly. The door to the lounge room was still open, before it Sirius and Remus stood in an aggressive confrontation, both taking on a defensive stance as they faced each other, all while James remained in the background, clutching at his head as he slumped forward on the sofa, “THIS IS WHAT I MEANT! IF YOU HAD JUST LISTENED TO ME–” 

“I DIDN’T SAY WHAT I SAID WITHOUT REASON SIRIUS! YOU KNOW MY EXACT THOUGHTS ABOUT ALL THIS!” Remus shouts back, the veins in his neck bulging out from his fierce anger, the blood rushing in his cheeks making him look just about ready to violently explode. 

“BUT–”

“—YOU CAN’T FAULT ME FOR THAT!” Remus continues, not allowing Sirius to speak.   

“WELL YOU CAN’T FAULT ME FOR MY REASONING EITHER!”

You’re horrified at the scene. Sirius and Remus look ready to tear each other apart as James looks on hopelessly, not knowing what to do or how to diffuse the situation, completely torn between supporting one or the other. Without thinking, you rush back and skid to a stop between the two hot-blooded men. Their fuming rage was like a turbulent inferno whose flames licked viciously at your skin, ready to burn you and spread the hostility. 

“The both of you need to calm down!” you shout, pushing them away from each other and creating a safe distance between. Your tears had already run dry, replaced by the trembling terror shaking your limbs. 

“Don’t worry about us Dove,” Remus manages to voice through gritted teeth, his glowering eyes never leaving Sirius’, “you can leave and we’ll sort this out,”

“Sort this out like usual huh?—”

“—Don’t taunt me, Sirius,”

“That won’t solve anything, you idiot!” Sirius flings his arms up and James just barely manages to pull you away from being accidentally hit. Neither of the two seem to notice and James expresses his apology in lovingly nuzzling your temple, his lips puckering to kiss your skin but refraining and stepping away abruptly. You try not to feel the heartache his actions elicit in you.

“SHUT UP!” you’ve never heard Remus sound so angry and venomous before, it makes your heart stutter in fear and worry. You can’t leave now; this disagreement can’t end well without some form of intervention and James isn’t fairing too well with that – he needs someone there for him too, just to feel, somewhat, grounded through all of this, “She doesn’t have to hear all of this!”

“We wouldn’t have to be saying ‘all of this’ if you had. Just. LISTENED. TO. ME!”

“You’re being ridiculous!”

“Ridiculous?!” Sirius growls lowly, his countenance scrunching up into a foul expression —an antithesis to his elegant features, “I’ll show you!” it was then that Sirius turns to face you and approaches with purpose in his long strides, unstopping like he did earlier when outside the studio. 

“SIRIUS—!”

Sirius backs you up into the wall behind you, “—Everything Could Have Been As Easy As Doing This!” you didn’t know what to prepare yourself for but Sirius firmly gripping your chin and pulling you into a deep kiss was not one of them. In your shock, you let out a surprised but muffled moan, slowly falling into the blissful embrace and reciprocating eagerly. 

Did you faint earlier? Was this all a dream?... 

…Dream or not, you like this very much!  

James and Remus watch at the bold display, disbelief shining clear in their eyes as Sirius has his way with you. But you don’t see them, you don’t see anyone or anything, all you know is that Sirius kisses like an experienced lover from fantasy and he wasn’t shy about loving you up. Not knowing what to do with your hands, you let Sirius guide them over your head to cuff your wrists together with his large hand, his other snaking around your waist to pull you closer and deepen the kiss. 

He tastes like spearmint gum and smokey cigarette smoke, his lips tinted in cherry lip balm for sweetness. What an addictive taste. You can’t get enough. 

But air is a necessity and just as you were beginning to run out of breath, Sirius pulls away, panting heavily. He doesn’t wait for a single second to pass before diving his head into your neck, where he peppers feathery but fervid kisses along your sensitive skin and smiles to himself when you slip out a moan. You sound beautiful. He needs to hear more. Sirius doesn’t stop, he sucks and licks and kisses and nuzzles along your neck like the tease he is, drawing out every quivering whimper and pretty moan you were desperately trying to contain. 

You keep your eyes tightly shut, too embarrassed to meet the eyes of Remus or James. Their gaze on you left behind a searing, phantom mark that developed into a displeasing itch. An itch that could only be satisfied if they kissed you too.

…So selfish. God! When will you stop?!

Ashamed of your gradually increasing volume, you seal your mouth shut in a stubborn attempt to suppress your pleasure. How did his lips and tongue feel so good on your skin? His touch made your knees weak and your legs shake, without his support, you don’t think you would stay standing for long. 

Just as you were able to swallow every embarrassing sound that tried to escape, James was beside you, his warm breath on your cheek as he silently urged Sirius to give way, “you need help staying quiet, angel?” he whispers and doesn’t wait for an answer, briefly meeting your eyes before he’s closing them to kiss you sweetly. It started off sweet. Sweet and loving like James before suddenly becoming very dominating and overwhelming. You were being devoured and the thought was undeniably arousing. They were both on you, Sirius kissing away at your neck as James savoured the taste of your lips before bullying his way into your awaiting mouth. He swallowed your moans for you as Sirius defiantly persisted, urging you with seductive lips to make more.  

Overwhelmed but so content. 

You were drowning in bliss and you never wanted to break away from it. 

“DIDN’T I SAY!” Remus shouts, stopping all activity and leaving you strung up high as the boys slowly pull away, not too far but enough for all of you to meet Remus’ unreadable stare. The boys look over their shoulder to observe their commanding lover, their large frames tense before moving their eyes down and slowly smirking, the tension evaporating off their figures as you’re left to rebuild another tower of anxiety from your lower stomach, “Didn’t. I. Say. We. Were. Going. To. Savour. Her?”

What?

Your shocked, wide-eyed stare meets Remus’ cool and, almost, unfeeling gaze. Once again, your knees buckled under you and you were caught by Sirius and James. Held in place by their hot, firm hands and the press of their toned physiques. 

What did he just say?

Unable to keep his stare, your eyes slowly fall down the tall brunette’s figure. Capturing his beautiful, full lips; taking in the delicious column on his neck; observing the wide expanse of his shoulders and chest; drifting down to gulp at his veiny arms and hands before landing on... 

Oh~

A/N : no fluff, but something better right? a little sneak peak on how i write spicy things but it's readable hehe~  

NEXT. | 07 : APOLOGISE AND COMFORT →

NAVI. | HEROES IN TATTOOS MASTERLIST

TAGLIST : @susyelectra @fangirlninja67 @pagesfalling @thepunisherfrankcastle @axeofwars @imarimon @in-love-with-4-marauders @chicken-taco-burrito @valencia-rou @feast0nmeee @lestat-whore @hvmxjjk @twilightlover2007 @diaryofabiwoman @woohoney @celestialfantasiess @willbedecided @lovelyygirl8 @iiirhiane-g @mangodamochiii @queerqueenlynn @l3xiluve @brain-has-left @bunbunbl0gs @kneelforloki @citrusiove @virtualbuni @awkward-d3rs3-dr3amer @that1nerd-20 @wolfstar4everbitches @skepvids @dearmy-diary @littledollfacebaby @mylifeisnothing @em16cor @krazyk99 @imdoingbetternow @realalpacorn @remussbitch @swiftieeras1989 @lonely-nerd-sodaholic @canthavetoomuchchaos @rckstrbee @b-i-h-i @ennycutie @kneelforloki @theteaobsessedbug @padfoot1313 @d1gital-data @venezsuwayla @melllinaa

[ziaxkawaii]

The Creator needs help

I claim to know s*it about canon genshin impact Teyvat lore or how things work in it. I just wrote something that was on my mind at 2 AM.

~~~~

Teyvat was crying...

No, it wasn't any ordinary rainy day no.

Not only was water falling down from the skies above in the form of tears, hail and snow also came down along with powerful winds in places that rouse concern in humanity and other forms of life alike. 

Thin layers of snow covered parts of the smeltering deserts of sumeru, rain poured down in forever freezing shnesnaya, pillars of ice formed in the waterfalls of watatsumi island in inazuma and such other incidents wreaked havoc all around the land of Teyvat. 

These disasters drove away almost all creatures of nature into hiding and cursed all yields to be near nonexistent due to the extreme conditions, leading to a landwide food shortage and miserable people. Even vision holders report feeling less elemental energy from their visions than before.

Mr. Zhongli, or formerly known as Morax or Rex Lapis, sat at Third-Round Knockout on a rare good day drinking tea as he�� watched the dark clouds over the sea creep closer to Liyue Harbor. He sighs, as he already figures that the weather would one again cut his visit short.

Just as he brought this tea cup to his lips to take another sip, his surroundings changed. He was no longer drinking tea he was standing inside a domain of sorts. Where ever he looked, he couldn't see an end to the limitless space.

He wasn't alone though, six others, who he realized were the other archons and people of the highest authority of each nation, were here as well. And from the looks of things, they were just as perplexed as he was.

Since all of them were brought here, it could only mean, a being higher than them have summoned them for a purpose.

"Be not afraid."

A voice spoke, which drew everyone's attention to them.

A figure floated by their lonesome in place with a calm and understanding expression as they gestured at the seven of them. The figure was like a glowing humanoid lamp, glowing brightly with no distinguishable features whatsoever, except a horizontal golden line at their throat that seemed to extend all the way around their neck.

As if their head had been cleanly sliced off...

Wait... He recognized such featured being described somewhere. An ancient parchment that spoke of a deity that was the purest and highest being in all of Teyvat. A being whose purity was reflected on how others would perceive them, for they lost their real body and a line as tough drawn with gold wrapping around their neck symbolizing their sacrifice to the life on Teyvat.

That being being the Creator...

The moment Zhongli realized who was talking to them, he sank down on one knee. Others following suit as they too realized the same thing as he did.

"Be not afraid... I am not here to neither cast judgement nor punishment." Their voice spoke, as though it was coming from everywhere at one. From behind the seven, from above, from inside their craniums. It would of felt almost overwhelming, had they been afraid, but none were.

"Your excellency... why have you summoned us to appear in your presence, if not for a punishment?" Zhongli hears one of the seven ask, as the same question runs in his head.

That was an excellent question. Though many of the Archons have done everything in their power to fulfill their duties as assigned, their disastrous and war filled past and even current lives, leave no room to doubt they too were not above desire.

The same desire that plaques Teyvat and every other being on it. Driving them to satisfy their own desires

to survive

to live

to build

to control

to destroy...

The Archons carry their sins for they are forbidden to forget them, it would be shameful to do so.

What reason are they here?

"My children... heed my words, for I am afraid time is running out." The creator spoke, their hands gently clenched in front of them, without a single waver in their tone as they continued.

"I was afraid that the day when the balance of Teyvat would be disrupted would come, but the severity of this disruption is far too severe. I can no longer watch as the creations I gifted life needlessly suffer." They floated closer to the kneeling seven as they pleaded.

"I beg of you my children, help end this misery that plaques Teyvat."

The Creators plead rang in their ears as giant bells as they looked up at their Creator, heads full of questions.

The Creator requests their assistance?

"Your grace, we do not know the causes of the anomalies on Teyvat, therefore we are powerless to help even our own nations. What can we possibly do to help?" Another Archons spoke.

"To understand our current obstacle, you must understand how Teyvat came to be." They spoke as, with a flick of their wrist, a mist like substance filled the surrounding space. Creating images aiding the Creators storytelling.

"As you are already aware, I, the Creator, was born of and egg and used the shell of said egg to create Teyvat, but that is not all." The Archons watched intently as images formed before their eyes one after another, telling a history never told before.

"After I was born, I wandered among the stars, awaiting for a purpose for my own creation. As time passed, a sudden desire willed me to use my given power for something, so I returned to my first ever home and used it's eggshell to house a new world in another galaxy.

I shed tears to form the seas, I took pieces of my body to create land, I blew air to form the atmosphere... I lent the sun and the moon to occupy the new lands lonely existence...

however... I wasn't satisfied...

what use does a world offer if no one is there to appreciate its beauty?"

The loyal Archons remained on their knees, listening to the tale of creation and birth of the land they call home. Seems as though even the most purest of beings in Teyvat cannot escape the curse of desire.

"So with the last of my strength, I gave up one of my hearts and divided it to millions and millions of pieces and scattered them all around the land and sea to form life. Life capable of growth, capable of feeling emotions and capable of death on the world I call Teyvat.

As a final gift, I gave up a fraction of my power and formed the seven elements. To make sure these gifts are not used wrongfully, I also created Celestia to act as guardians of Teyvat, the elemental energy and its happenings."

Zhongli stood silent in fascination of the history told. Their Creator really was just as benevolent as described in the ancient parchment he read oh so long ago. Even if their intention for Celestia was different from how things currently stand, they were thinking about their creations' well being. How could he disrespect his own creator so severely as to forget them? How could he?

"However...." The Creator continued.

"Just as I basked in relief and excitement of having created something that would have a life of its own... it caught the eye of another deity."

"They were envious of one of their own giving their body and attention to another, and so, they were going to curse the newborn world, which I could not let happen. I sliced off my own head as a distraction but the spell ended up landing on and affecting my own soulless mind and body, leading me to temporarily forget myself and my creation.

After the battle, my body and severed head fell into Teyvat, leaving behind the deity to grieve for hurting a fellow god.

My body collided with the earth while my head went missing, both staying unmoving, for I had no way to control them nor any memory to guide me on what to do. I felt as eons of life cycles passed before me, ground slowly swallowing my body and breaking it down, making me one with my creation." 

The sudden realization hit Zhongli harder than any of his meteorites. All along, the Creator has been among them. They were no spectator above Teyvat or a god who had abandoned them after their duty had concluded, no. They were there... they are...

"Yes, my children... I am Teyvat, and Teyvat is me."

Zhongli was taken aback as their Creator had read through his entire inner battle inside his mind. Now that he was aware of Teyvat's major historical event, he can finally start to string pieces together and think why Teyvat now experiences such instability. 

"Your eminence, since your body is apart of Teyvat itself, does the weather, soil and even elemental energy have anything to do with your physical well being?" Another Archon spoke and all tuned in to hear the Creator.

"I certainly does... Even if my body is no longer, most concentrated amounts of my being and the energy inside still lie beneath the ground, instinctively healing Teyvat and the ley lines from major damage, effectively enabling Teyvat and the elemental energy to remain balanced and flourish. 

However, lately the level of corruption in the ley lines and the amount of abnormal elemental energy surges have risen greatly, leading my "body" to panic and repel the added strain, therefore leading Teyvat becoming unstable." The creator hugged themselves as they explained and all of us understood the current issue and the gravity of it.

The creators physical body is what had been keeping Teyvat and its energy in line even when the Archons, gods and Celestia had abused it, but know that the last nail has been hammered, the creators body is no longer instinctually healing it and the Celestia is not stepping up to the task that was theirs to begin with.

"Your grace, just say the word and we are at your disposal. What can we do to help?" Zhongli himself spoke, voice even and calm for he had his full faith in his creator.

"You need to find my long lost head and bring it over to my bodys remains. Only then, can I reawaken and consciously put a stop to all of this, for in my current state I am a mere piece of your imagination laced with a voice." The creator explained, as though to prove their point, Their voice now sounded from inside their head as they floated higher and addressed the seven once more with a formal order and open arms.

"Please, find my body and bring my head over to it so I can awaken and help put a stop to this disaster! Let my mind be once again one with my body so balance may be restored, and the curse be lifted!"

Zhongli blinked and everything was just as it was before getting pulled into the domain to meet the creator. The tea he was going to savour previously, was still in his hand, steaming, as though no time had gone by at all. He however knew what had transpired mere second ago, was no daydream or a hallucination, his creator had really summoned him and requested his assistance.

With no more interest in the tea, Zhongli set the unfinished cup down while rising from his seat and began making his way out of Liyue harbor, with a newly acquired goal occupying his mind and shoulders.

[the-goddess-of-mischief-writing]

Random Captain John Price headcanons

sfw and nsfw

pairing: Cpt. John Price x reader (cod mw)

tags/tw: domestic stuff, afab!reader, masturbation, spanking, hickeys, Price is an ass-man

a/n: inspired by a conversation I had with @melancholyy-hill and just some random thoughts, might do a second part to this, tell me if you want any other characters

John Price MASTERLIST

sfw

-Price has two phones, one for work and a private one, he doesn't like using the same one when he's deployed in countries where there's definitely a chance of it getting hijacked

-he's so tidy, like having a surroundings to calm his mind, make it easier to concentrate for him

-he's also pretty strict with his own cleanliness

-don't get me wrong, Price doesn't mind getting dirty on the field and in bed, would be weird if he did lol, but once at home or base, he takes care of himself

-we talking beard oil, grooming, trimming his nails if they got jagged during deployment and picking out the dirt from beneath them

-not that he dislikes showing you off in public, on the opposite he loves having you by his side, showing others you're his, but he gets uneasy with PDA

-that's why he's such an old-fashioned gentleman with showing you affection around people, those small gestures that make women swoon and telling you that you're found 'a good one, god you're so lucky'

-hand on the small of your back in a crowd is a must, palm resting on your knee when sitting down, you walk on the side furthest from the road, standing/walking behind you on the escalator or stars if you're wearing a skirt, kisses to your hand, temple, forehead or crown

-he always does the bed in the mornings despite you being the one who wakes up last

nsfw below the cut

-he's such a fucking ass man, like he appreciates boobs, thinks your nipples look good poking through a shirt or deliciously teasing in lingerie, but he prefers your ass

-like this man's hand is drawn to the plush flesh of your rear like magnets, just like his eyes

-back turned? eyes down, staring at ass.

-don't get him started at how he folds when watching it jiggle in doggy style or reversed cowgirl

-lowkey struggles not to blatantly stare or grab at you when you're in public and the pants/leggings you're trying on make it look too fucking good for his health

-sometimes you can just be relaxing, laying on your stomach and he comes up from behind, kneading your ass, swatting it to watch it jiggle

-other times, he pulls you on top of him, resting a book against your ass as he reads, one of his hands always groping you, you simply prop a pillow on his legs to get comfortable as you'd gotten used to this request of his

- you've stopped counting the times he'd put down his book and started parting your asscheeks as he massages your rear, in the end Price can't help how his thumb rubs the folds of your covered pussy

-if he gets to know you don't mind spanking, it's over, the man swats your ass constantly around the house,

-he thinks your gasps are adorable as you shoot him a look he ignores bc he knows you like it

-does not whine, not a particularly big moaner either, but the grunts and groans is enough to make up for it

-high-sex drive when he's around you, but during deployment he keeps it under wraps, which leads me to...

-not that big of a masturabator, but once in a while he needs to rid himself of the crawling desire in his spine, simply having to jerk one out to be able to concentrate, probs because he thought about you for too long

-BUT he actually really loves mutual masturbation, started when he walked in on you once when returning unexpectedly early from a mission

-'don't mind me, love, continue' he would husk at your wide eyes following him as walked from the bedroom doorframe to the little seating area you had in front of the bed, sometimes used when you did your makeup or Price would read, sitting down and to your surprise pulling down his pant, jerking his already half-hard cock to full length, waiting expectantly

-he puts on a show as well, using two hands, one to stroke himself in matching speed to how you finger yourself, the other cupping and fondling his balls

-would definitely not shy from throwing his head backwards when reaching his sensitive cocked with palms too rough in comparison to your soft ones

- Price is so fucking sly about where he leaves hickeys

-as previously mentioned, he doesn't really like the public attention it pulls, but a primal part of him swells when seeing the marks he's left during your intimate moments, so he definitely likes to give you little lovebites

-so you can bet your ass you could leave the house in a crop-top and they wouldn't be visible, strategically placed where no one but him and you could see them, meaning the line of your panties, on or around your breast, inner thighs, etc

-the beach might be a problem however, you would never forget the time Soap had cackled like a fucking madman when he'd spotted the marks' inconspicuous placement, leaving absolutely no room to guess what Price had done between your legs

[dixons-sunshine]

Was It The Boogeyman? | Daryl Dixon x Fem!Reader

Summary: Soon upon your group’s arrival to Alexandria, a masked killer begun running loose. Having no idea who they could be, Rick started an investigation, one that lead you to realize that you could not always trust everyone, especially not people who seemed to be unsuspecting at first.

Genre: Halloween, Slasher themes.

Warnings: Swearing, blood, death, near-death, others I can’t think of right now.

Word count: 5.9k

A/N: For @ghostboneswrites2’s Halloween challenge! To be honest, I feel like this is not the best, and I feel like the plot is all over the place, but I hope you like it nonetheless!

A bloodcurdling scream rang through the air. Rushing towards the source of the chilling sound, you, Daryl and Rick came face to face with a woman named Sarah, who had rushed out of the pantry. The woman looked as pale as a ghost, her hands shaking as she clutched onto the notebook in her hands.

“They got her! The killer got Olivia!”

You pushed past the woman, and walked into the garage that doubled as both the pantry and the armoury. There, laying in a big puddle of her own crimson blood, was Olivia, the former caretaker of the weaponry in the armoury. Her glasses were shattered on the ground a few feet away from her body, and a chunk of her brunette hair laid next to the spectacles, drenched in the woman’s blood.

“Shit,” you muttered under your breath, taking a tentative step towards the body. However, before you could take another step, you were gently pulled back, the familiar cerulean eyes of your partner coming into view when you turned your head. “What’s wrong?” you inquired, your eyebrows furrowed together.

“We dun’ know how long she’s been dead,” he began, his eyes darting over to the lifeless corpse of the woman. “She can reanimate at any minute.”

That fact you knew. A lifeless corpse reanimating had been what had alerted you all to the murders that had been happening around the alleged ‘safe zone’ in the first place. Deanna’s husband, Reg, had been murdered in cold blood a few weeks prior, and his reanimated corpse had caused quite the uproar amongst the other inhabitants. Thankfully, there had been no casualties; that is, if you didn’t include the community’s leader’s broken heart.

Deanna Monroe had been absolutely crushed by the death of her husband. She had been the one to put him down after encountering his undead self, and your heart went out for the woman. She had been nothing but kind to your group since you all had set foot through the gates, and she didn’t deserve to suffer from such pain.

You were drawn from your thoughts by the sight of Daryl crouched over Olivia’s body, his knife disappearing into her skull, before being retracted once more. The metal of the deadly weapon sported a red colour as the crimson liquid dripped from the object down onto the floor below. However, the knife was soon cleaned off with Daryl’s trusty red rag, returning the weapon to its former state of cleanliness.

The sound of heavy footsteps walking into the garage got your attention. You turned around and saw Rick approach the part of the room that held the bloody, gruesome scene. Your leader’s blue eyes flickered between the corpse and the blood that surrounded it, before he sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and pointer finger.

“This is death number three,” he said, frustration lacing his tone of voice. “Three deaths in two weeks.”

The Grimes man’s words rung true. Olivia’s unfortunate demise chalked up the death toll since the murderer made their debut to ‘three’. Reg had been killed first. Then a few days later, Pete Anderson’s life had been taken as well, his body being found near the infirmary. And now Olivia had joined them in the afterlife, too.

The killer’s pattern made no sense to you whatsoever. What did Reg, Pete and Olivia have in common for them to be murdered? How were they connected? What had they done to deserve a fate so cruel? Well, you knew what Pete Anderson had done to deserve it, but Reg and Olivia? It did not make a lick of sense to you.

With a deep sigh, you trudged forward and crouched down next to Olivia’s lifeless body, taking Daryl’s place as he stood up. Scanning over her body, you could quickly determine the method that had been used to kill her; strangulation, and then an odd looking stab wound through her chest. She had not been stabbed with a regular knife. Of that much you were completely certain. However, you could not decipher the weapon that had been used to pierce through the woman’s chest.

You glanced up at the two men. “She was strangled. And stabbed. There’s not really any telling which one got the job done, but the killer made sure to be thorough. They didn’t want her to survive this.”

“Christ,” Daryl muttered, shaking his head. “This killer’s sure got quite the way’a makin’ a lastin’ impression.”

“I just wish they’d choose something else to do it,” you mused aloud, your lips tugging into a grimace when your fingers traced over the clear-as-day blueish purple bruises that clearly depicted a handprint around the woman’s neck. Then, you stood up, crossing your arms over your chest. “This shit’s just inhumane.”

With a weary sigh, Rick shook his head and turned around, making his way out of the garage. You and Daryl shared a look, before the both of you simultaneously followed behind your leader, needing to know his thoughts on the matter. He had been your leader since the early days at the quarry, and even though Deanna Monroe still claimed official leadership over the Alexandrian safe zone, Rick had essentially taken over, and you would not have it any other way.

“Rick?” the archer’s voice rung out once the two of you had caught up with the Grimes man, effectively stopping him in his tracks. “What now?”

Another sigh left Rick’s mouth. He pinched the bridge of his nose, his eyebrows furrowed together as he gathered his thoughts. “I don’t know,” he admitted, his blue eyes flitting between you and Daryl.

“No luck on the investigation?” you questioned him.

Shortly after the death of Reg, and then Pete, Rick had implemented an investigation, one which only he and Michonne were a part of, to avoid drawing any suspicions towards what they were doing. More people being let in on the investigation could potentially spill the secret as to who exactly was actively looking for the murderer, therefore the investigators would be the murderer’s next targets, and nobody wanted that. The murderer certainly knew that people were looking for them, but they did not know who.

Rick shook his head in acknowledgement to your words. “Nothin’. This killer’s smart. I haven’t found anythin’,” he admitted without hesitation. “Michonne and I have been turnin’ this place upside down lookin’ for clues, but it’s like this killer doesn’t even exist afterwards. It’s like they just vanish into thin air.”

Taking Rick’s admission into consideration, Daryl slowly nodded. “Ya think it could be someone from the outside? Someone who could be sneakin’ in to do this?”

“It’s a possibility,” Rick agreed, “but probably unlikely. We have people keepin’ watch all hours of the day. It doesn’t seem likely that someone would manage to sneak in.”

“So basically, we’re still nowhere near finding out who the murderer is,” you concluded, a heavy sigh leaving your body. “Three casualties and still nothing. Not even a meaningless clue that could lead us in the right direction.”

Daryl placed a hand on your shoulder, his thumb rubbing against your clothed skin soothingly. He knew how stressed you were, and for good reason. Who’s to say that the murderer’s next victim wasn’t someone you cared for? Who’s to say the murderer’s next victim was not you? The archer did not even want to consider that last possibility.

Rick sent you a look of sympathy, understanding your frustrations towards the entire ordeal. However, he did not know how to ease your worries when he was unable to quench his own worries. You had every right to worry about this murderer. He certainly did not blame you in the slightest.

Suddenly, realization dawned on Rick, and he cleared his throat. “Actually, we did find somethin’,” he began, effectively recapturing both yours and Daryl’s attention. “There was a witness in Pete’s murder. They said that they saw someone walk away, and that the person was wearin’ a mask.”

“Well, that’s just great,” you voiced with a heavy sigh, crossing your arms over your chest.

“So what, this killer s’like some sort’a Boogeyman or somethin’?” Daryl inquired with a scoff. The whole situation had been weighing heavily on the archer’s shoulders since the first body had dropped a few weeks prior. It was only a matter of time until the unknown killer attacked once more, maybe even taking the life of somebody he truly cared for. He needed to find this vicious murderer, and fast.

“I mean, technically speaking, the killer’s kinda more like Ghostface,” you corrected him, your arms crossed over your chest.

“Ghostface?” Daryl echoed in confusion, his eyebrows furrowing. “What’s that?”

Your eyes flitted over to your partner. “Those killers from the Scream franchise?” When recognition did not dawn on the archer, you furthered your explanation. “You know, the movies with that terrifying white ghost-like mask? The Ghostface mask? The mask that the two killers wear in all the movies?” A few beats of silence passed. Sensing that nobody in the small group knew what you were talking about, you shook your head. “It doesn’t matter. Boogeyman is as good of a code name as any.”

Rick cleared his throat, diverting the attention back to the more important matter at hand. “So, this Boogeyman, they clearly only strike once they’re absolutely sure nobody else is around. Until we can come up with a concrete way to catch them once and for all, I think it’s best if nobody is alone. Perhaps groupin’ people together in houses could help.”

“Ain’t too sure folks ‘round here are gon’ take too kindly to that idea,” Daryl voiced, his eyes flickering between you and Rick.

Rick shrugged and looked at his found brother. “If they wanna stay safe, they’re gonna have to go with it, whether they like it or not.”

“You want me to ask Deanna to call a meeting so we can spread the word?” you asked, your eyes locking with those of your leader.

Rick shook his head. “No. Deanna’s not in the best mindset at the moment. She can’t make important calls like this right now. I’ll call it. In the meantime, you and Daryl clean up the body. No need to have people causin’ an uproar.”

“What do we tell people when they come lookin’ for her?” Daryl questioned gruffly.

Rick hesitated for a moment. “We don’t have anythin’ to hide. Tell them the truth.”

With that, Rick turned around and left, leaving you and Daryl alone in front of the garage. You exchanged a look with your partner, your eyes conveying more about how you felt than words could in that moment. However, you pushed your emotions aside for the time being. You had a job to do.

With a sigh, you turned around and stalked into the pantry, your sense of smell instantly being overpowered by the overwhelming stench of death that lingered in the air. You had to stop and close your eyes momentarily, both in an attempt to gather your thoughts and to not accidentally vomit at the gruesome sight in front of you. I’ve seen worse, you attempted to remind yourself. However, that did not seem to help at all.

The feeling of someone’s hand on your shoulder snapped you from your trance. Opening your eyes, you looked over your shoulder and locked eyes with your partner. He sent you a small, albeit strained smile, and you had to commend him for his efforts to calm you down.

“Ya dun’ gotta do this,” Daryl began, his tone of voice surprisingly soft and gentle. “I can handle it. Ya can go home.”

Almost instantly, you shook your head, before turning your head back to peer at Olivia’s lifeless corpse. “No, it’s okay. I wanna help.” You sighed and placed one of your hands over his larger one that still remained firmly on your shoulder. “I just wish we didn’t have to do this at all.”

Daryl leaned forward and pressed a tender kiss to the crown of your head. “I know,” he murmured into your hair. “It sucks, that’s for damn sure, but it won’t last forever. We’ll find the bastard that did this and take care’a ‘em. I promise ya that.”

You could not help the small smile that tugged at the corners of your lips. “Wow. That was a surprisingly positive outlook for a ‘glass half empty’ kinda person. Being the optimist is usually my approach. Who are you and what did you do to the Daryl Dixon I know and love?”

Daryl scoffed and rolled his eyes, but made no effort to move away just yet. “Yeah, yeah. Can’t always be the pessimist, can I? M’one negative outlook on somethin’ away from turnin’ into a professional grump.” When your giggle reached his ears, he smiled to himself. “Ya feel better?”

You turned around and looked at him. “About all of this?” For added emphasis, you motioned towards the body on the ground. “No. But I don’t feel like I’m gonna break down anymore, so I guess there’s that.”

“Ya can go if ya really need to. I seriously dun’ mind doin’ this myself.”

“No. I’m fine, I promise,” you reassured him. You took a few steps towards the lifeless Olivia, your expression turning grim once more. “I have to do this.”

Cleverly sensing that there was no point in arguing, Daryl nodded. “Alright. Let’s do this, then.”

“I’m telling you, I’m not gonna share my house with him! No way in hell!”

“Linda, I understand your frustrations, but—”

“You don’t understand a thing, lady!” Linda—an older lady you estimated to be in her sixties—cut you off abruptly, her dark brown eyes glaring daggers at you. “He’s the community slob! A miscreant! I’m not gonna allow a man like that in my home. Over my dead body.”

You let out a wary sigh at her declaration. Opting to not take the argument any further, for the sake of your slowly increasing anger, you simply sent a nod in her direction and walked off. Your fists were clenched at your sides, your lips pursed as you attempted to keep your raising frustrations at bay. Linda was not the first person to be frustrated at the new living arrangements being implemented around the Alexandrian safe zone, and you highly doubted that she would be the last. You just hoped you would be able to keep your cool.

It had been a week since the unfortunate death of Olivia. A town meeting had been called in Gabriel’s church a few hours after the discovery of her body, and the fear amongst the people had spiked once Rick had made it known that the community was unsafe at that moment in time, and to not wander around without someone at their sides. However, like Daryl had predicted, people did not like the idea of grouping together in houses, and it had not been instituted until somebody had been attacked by the mysterious masked killer—the Boogeyman—when they were alone in their own home.

Thankfully, the person had survived the ordeal. They did suffer from a stab wound and a broken leg, but they were relatively okay, and they had managed to provide your group with more information, meaning you all were one step closer to solving the case.

You walked down the street and met up with Daryl, who had just finished helping Tobin settle in with Aaron and Eric. He only had to take one look at you to realize that you were not having a good day.

“Bad day?” he asked rhetorically. He knew damn well how bad of a day you were having. The look you sent his way had him chuckling and raising his hands in surrender. “Sorry. Dumb question.” When you simply sent him a strained smile, his eyebrows furrowed. He gently grabbed your hand and held it in his, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “What’s wrong, Sweetheart?”

“Everything.” Whether you were being dramatic or not, you did not know, nor did you care. “From having to convince people to group up with people they’re not particularly fond of, to having to make sure that people actually listen and don’t try to sneak off back into their own homes, and having to look over my shoulder every few seconds because I’m terrified of the Boogeyman taking me next? Yeah, I am not having a good time.”

Daryl gave your hand another squeeze, a sympathetic look on his features. “M’so sorry, Sweetheart. I wish ya didn’t have to do none of it.” He took a deep breath, before continuing. “And the Boogeyman ain’t gon’ get their hands on ya. M’not gon’ let ‘em. I promise.”

You knew Daryl could not promise you that. Despite all the precautions that were being taken, despite every safety measure that was being implemented to up the difficulty for the killer to strike again, you knew deep down that it would not be enough. Murderers always found a way to work around any obstacle in their paths. If they wanted something, they would stop at nothing to get it. And this killer in particular was extremely careful and smart, so you knew it was only a matter of time until they struck once more.

“I know, but—”

Your words got cut off by a deafening scream. Both you and Daryl whipped around and scanned the area to locate the source of the chilling sound. It did not take long to do so. Another scream sounded through the air, and you could instantly locate where it was coming from—Gabriel’s church.

You took off in a dead sprint, Daryl following closely behind you, his crossbow loaded and ready to be fired at a moment’s notice. Whilst running, you met up with Michonne, Rick and Glenn. Without exchanging so much as a single word, you all burst into the church, weapons raised and pointed in front of you.

That moment was the first moment you saw the Boogeyman face-to-face. The mask the killer was wearing appeared to be a mix between the Ghostface mask and the Jason mask from Friday the 13th. They had blood splattered all over their mask and clothes, and Spencer’s lifeless body laid behind the killer. The murderer was stalking towards Jessie Anderson who was on the ground in front of them, the woman in question backing up fearfully, tears streaming from her eyes.

“No, please!” Jessie pleaded, sobs tearing through her body. “Please!”

A gunshot echoed through the air, just narrowly missing the Boogeyman’s body. That made the killer turn around, their body tensing up as they regarded your group that stood in front of them. Cleverly sensing that they were severly outnumbered, with nothing to defend themselves other than an odd looking knife, they made a run for the back door.

“Go! I’ll take care of Jessie. I’ll get her home. You all take care of the Boogeyman.”

With parting nods, Daryl, Rick, Glenn and Michonne instantly sprung into action, following behind the murderer. However, the killer pushed a bunch of furniture and objects as they ran, effectively slowing them down, but that did not stop the people in your group from bounding out the back door, in search of the long sought-after Boogeyman.

With the immediate threat out of the way for the time being, you rushed forward towards Jessie. You helped her up from the ground and onto one of the seats in the church. Taking a seat next to the clearly traumatized woman, you placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.

“Jessie?” you began softly. However, the woman did not acknowledge you. It was as if your voice had not even reached her ears. The poor woman had seriously gone through it. “Jessie, you’re okay. They’re gone. They’re not gonna hurt you anymore.”

The Anderson woman closed her eyes and shook her head. “Spencer…” she started, her voice trembling as she spoke. “He—he’s dead. The Boogeyman killed him and… and…”

The woman could not even finish her sentence. She broke down into sobs and threw her arms around you unexpectedly. You tensed up momentarily, not expecting her to seek comfort in you. You and Jessie were not exactly close. In fact, Jessie Anderson was probably one of the few Alexandrians you had not been able to develop a big liking for. It was nothing personal towards the woman. You just were not particularly fond of her.

Snapping yourself from your thoughts, you slowly wrapped your arms around Jessie, rubbing her back soothingly. Despite your indifference towards the woman, you could not turn her away in a time of need. What had happened to her was beyond terrible, and it clearly had taken its toll on her.

“I’m sorry you had to go through that, Jessie,” you whispered to her. “You didn’t deserve to experience that.”

Jessie sniffled and pulled away from your embrace. “I know,” she said. “I’m sorry, too. You don’t deserve this either.”

Her words confused you. Your eyebrows furrowed together, but before you could say anything, Jessie lunged forward. The two of you tumbled to the ground, and the Anderson woman placed one of her hands over your mouth to muffle out any noises you made. She hastily reached forward and pulled a cloth from under one of the aisle seats, and brought it up to cover your nose and mouth.

A strange, foul-smelling stench filled your senses. You fought back against her hold, but Jessie had the clear upper hand. Your resistance against her hold grew weaker as the seconds ticked by on the metaphorical clock, until you felt too weak to fight back at all. Your arms fell limp at your sides and your eyes began to fall closed.

The last thing you saw before the darkness took over was the face of the blonde woman, her expression cold and filled with no remorse. And then…

Nothing.

You awoke to the smell of something completely foul under your nose. You shot awake with a loud gasp, your eyes being blinded by the harsh light of what appeared to be that of a… spotlight? Once your eyes had adjusted, and your mind had managed to catch up with you somewhat, you attempted to push yourself up, only to find that you could not do so. The same thing occurred with your legs. You were left completely immobile, except for your head.

“Well, well. Look who’s awake. Welcome back to the land of the living… Well, and the dead.”

The sound of a woman’s voice reached your ears. You snapped your head back up, and locked eyes with those of your captor; Jessie Anderson. If looks could kill, the woman would be long dead, for the glare you sent her way would be enough to incinerate her in seconds. However, looks did not possess the power to end one’s mortality, so you were completely powerless to do anything at that particular moment.

Jessie laughed at the glare on your face, the sound positively wicked. “Oh, don’t look at me like that, Y/N. You should be glad it was me that got to you. If it was her, she would have killed you instantly. She doesn’t really like you all that much.”

Jessie motioned to something on her left, and you followed her gaze. At first, you could not make out a thing, but once the person stepped into the light, you could not help the gasp that escaped your chest. There, standing right in front of you with the very weapon that had been used to kill all those people, was none other than the supposed leader of the community, Deanna Monroe.

“Deanna,” you muttered in surprise, your eyes widened as the older woman stepped forward, a sickeningly sweet smile on her face.

Deanna shrugged and stepped up next to Jessie. “Hello, Y/N.” When you did not dare say anything to her greeting, she chuckled. “This is the part where you say, ‘hi, Deanna’.”

“You…” You trailed off, your eyes flickering between Deanna and Jessie. “You both… You’re—”

“The Boogeyman?” Jessie cut you off, sharing a smile with Deanna, one that had shivers sprinting over your spine. “Yeah, we are. Well, technically speaking, we’re the Boogeymen. Or Boogeywomen. Whatever floats your boat, really.”

“You two killed all those people,” you voiced in a tone that spoke of disbelief.

Jessie chuckled wickedly. “Ding, ding, ding! You really are smart, huh?” she asked rhetorically, her tone mocking.

“But Pete, and Reg—Spencer…Why?”

The Anderson woman scoffed, rolling her eyes. “Pete? Believe me, that’s not really any love lost. But hey, it was fun to play the helpless woman for a while, I’ll tell you that. As for Reg, that was my mistake. I thought he was Eugene. Believe me, Deanna still hasn’t forgiven me for that.”

“And I won’t,” Deanna said firmly. “But we have a common goal. The enemy of my enemy is my friend, as they say.”

“And your son?” you inquired. Although you were interested to get some insight as to why these two seemingly harmless, friendly women would resort to cold-hearted killing, you were more so attempting to distract them by getting them monologuing, and it appeared to be working. If they were distracted, you would be able to free your hands from the duct tape securing it with the sharp edge of the bracelet, a gift from Carol, specifically gifted should you ever end up in a situation where you needed an inconspicuous sharp object. You truly treasured that woman, now more than ever.

A flash of remorse, of heartbreak, appeared in Deanna’s eyes, before she expertly schooled it with a blank, indifferent expression. “I didn’t want to do it. A mother never wants to do harm to her child in any way. But he saw Jessie place one of our weapons in Gabriel’s church to frame him for the killings, and he was already calling for Rick. I could not have him blow my partner’s cover, so I did what needed to be done.”

“But he was your son! How—how could you? How could you be so heartless?”

“Heartless?!” Deanna bellowed, her tone a stark difference from the usual kindness you had falsely grown to associate her with. “Do you wanna know what’s heartless? Having to hear that your youngest son’s life got cut short because of the people you brought in, people you thought could help change things for the better! Or having to live with the fact that even your own husband was beginning to trust your judgement! That he blamed you for everything that was going wrong! I was heartless by letting you people in! I was heartless because I wasn’t thinking about the people who had been under my care for years!”

Come on, you thought to yourself as you continued cutting away at the duct tape. Only a few more inches. “Oh, so we’re to blame? For everything? Even for your deranged, psychopath of a partner? Why did you have to offer up so much but all she did was kill her asshole husband?”

Jessie, suddenly being brought back into the spotlight, practically snarled at you. “You bitch—”

Snap! Your hands got freed from the harsh tightness of the duct tape. Without a moment of hesitation, you lunged towards Jessie, the sudden momentum miraculously snapping the duct tape securing your legs together. With your limbs freed and your mind on only one thing—to escape and find Daryl—you began to execute your plan. Take out Jessie, the one that was the main killer in all of this, and then Deanna, the brains behind the entire operation. Or at least, that’s what you suspected, anyway.

Due to having the element of surprise on your side this time, Jessie was relatively easy to take care of. You did not want to do it, only resorting to killing when absolutely necessary, not to mention the fact that Jessie had two boys as well, but you had to do it. You pushed the knife you had managed to swipe from her holster deep into her chest, watching the woman choke as she fell limp. She did not die, not instantly, but her wound rendered her unable to do anything. She was out of your way.

Pushing yourself off of the Anderson woman, you spun around to take care of Deanna. However, she was nowhere to be found. The only thing you could see was a door that was opened to the left. She must have fled, which proved your theory to be correct. She may have been the brains behind everything, but she could not do the killing herself. She needed somebody to do the dirty part for her, which meant that she would be easier to take care of.

Making sure to grasp the knife firmly, you rushed up the stairs and out of the building you were in, which you soon realized was the vacant building which doubled as a cell when needed. Clever, you thought as you looked around, hoping to spot the Monroe woman. You soon did, seeing her running down the street, back towards Gabriel’s church.

You took off in a dead sprint, your youth compared to Deanna’s granting you an advantage. You managed to catch up to her, tackling her to the ground right before she could reach the building. However, she let out a deafening scream, alerting everyone in the church to what was going on outside.

In an instant, everyone that had been partaking in, what you assumed to be, the meeting inside rushed out to see what the commotion was about. You winced as everyone’s eyes fell on you, and you knew that you were not in a particularly good spot at that moment. From their perspective, they could see their well loved and respected leader on the ground, screaming bloody murder, with one of the new and slightly feared members of the community on top of her, blood splattered all over her body whilst she had a knife against Deanna’s back.

Yeah, things were definitely not looking good for you.

“Help me!” Deanna yelled desperately, tears streaming from her eyes. “She’s gonna kill me! She’s the Boogeyman!”

You got off of the woman, raising your hands in surrender, although you still clutched the knife in your hand. You had seen your fair share of horror movies before. You would not be the person that dropped the knife to plead their innocence, only to get stabbed in the back by the actual bad guy. You definitely were not stupid enough for that.

Your breath got knocked out of your chest when your found family pushed towards the front of the crowd, their weapons raised and trained in front of them—at you. They did not truly believe Deanna’s claims, did they? Did they seriously have such little faith in your loyalty, in your beliefs to only kill when it was an absolute necessity? Did they truly not trust you?

“I’m not the killer,” you spoke carefully and slowly, your eyes locking with the familiar cerulean-coloured ones of your partner. He had his crossbow aimed at you, and it made your heart sink. “I’m not. Deanna is. And Jessie. They kidnapped me and revealed the whole thing.”

“That’s a lie!” Deanna cried out desperately. “She’s a liar! A murderer! She attacked Jessie and then chased after me when I walked in on her doing it! She’s a psychopath!”

“I’m not,” you insisted, attempting to keep your voice calm and even. It would not do you any good to fall to your knees and plead with them to believe you. “Jessie attacked me in the church after you all ran after the Boogeyman, after Deanna, and she dragged me down to that empty basement where you were kept, Rick.”

“She’s lying!” It was Deanna’s turn to insist. “She killed them all! Pete and Reg, and then she killed Olivia that day in the garage! She’s a cold-hearted murderer!”

Rick hummed and stepped forward. He slowly trailed his gun away from you, instead aiming it at the ground. “And Spencer? Who killed him, if she killed them all?”

Deanna hesitated for a moment, before she mustered up a reply. “She—she must be working with someone! With Daryl, maybe! You’ve all seen how close they are.”

“Daryl was there with us when we found the Boogeyman in the church. And so was she,” Rick voiced, motioning towards you. “And we never said where we found Olivia’s body, just that we found her dead.” That was the final nail in the coffin. Rick raised his gun and aimed it at Deanna, and you could see the blood drain from her face. Rick cocked his gun and stepped forward, his eyes cold as he regarded the supposed kind-hearted leader of the safe zone. “Don’t try to fight or run. If you do, we will kill you.”

Everything was a blur after that. Rick and Michonne somehow managed to secure handcuffs and ‘arrested’ Deanna, taking her back to the basement she had run from in the first place. They had told you to go see Denise, and that they would take care of Jessie’s body, should she be dead. Heeding their advice, you let Daryl escort you to the infirmary, and waited for Denise to finish up with another patient before she could attend to you.

“Ya alright?” Daryl asked you, finally speaking up after everything that had hone down.

You shrugged. “I’m as okay as can be expected, I guess.” Then, needing to get the question out of the way, you spoke up again. “Did you really believe that what Deanna said was true? That I killed all those people.”

Daryl instantly shook his head. “Nah. I knew from the get go that ya were innocent.”

You frowned slightly at his words. “How?”

“‘Cause Ron came clean to me ‘bout it right before Deanna made that whole spectacle. Said he heard his mom and Deanna talk ‘bout killin’ Olivia right before we found the body. Was gon’ tell everyone, but I got cut short.”

“Then why did you point your crossbow at me?”

“To get yer attention. To get ya to see the code I was sendin’ ya, but ya wouldn’t look down at my hand,” he told you with a small smile. “Guess I shouldn’t be surprised, though. Ya had other things on yer mind.”

You sighed in relief. “Thank god you believed me. I thought Deanna was gonna get away with it.”

“Nah,” Daryl began. “Pretty sure none’a us believed her. We know ya wouldn’t do that. Hell, ya hesitate killin’ a rabbit. Yer too good for somethin’ as terrible as blatant murder.”

You smiled at him and leaned your head on his shoulder, sighing in contentment, being able to relax for the first time in weeks. The killers were caught, and you and your family were safe. You could sleep a little easier that night.

“We did it,” you mumbled, the exhaustion clear in your voice.

“Yeah,” Daryl voiced, pressing a soft kiss on top of your head. “Told ya we would.”

“Yeah, you did. Guess I should learn to listen to you more, huh?”

“It would pro’lly be for the best, yeah,” Daryl joked, chuckling when you punched his shoulder. “M’real glad yer safe, Sweetheart.”

“Me too,” you voiced. “Believe me, me too.” You nuzzled your face into Daryl’s shoulder. “I love you.”

A few beats of silence passed. “Love ya too, sweet girl. More than you’ll ever know.”

[darlingsblackbook]

Distant Echeos 4

Gojo Satoru x Reader

Arranged Marriage AU

Summary : The time of an old pact, promising your hand to the heir of the Gojo clan, has come. It is now your wedding, how will the two of you continue from here?

Warnings : Angst, depressed reader :(, lonely reader :(, mentions of weightloss and not eating.

AN : Part four ♡

Previous parts : 1, 2, 3

Gojo Satoru

I didn’t come home often.

Not because I didn’t want to, but because it was easier that way. Easier to avoid the awkwardness, the tension that hung between us like a thick, invisible fog. Easier to stay away than confront what I’d been feeling since that damn wedding day.

But tonight was different. I wasn’t even sure why I decided to stop by this time. Maybe it was the guilt, gnawing at me like an itch I couldn’t scratch.

Maybe it was the exhaustion creeping in after a long week of missions and endless responsibilities. Or maybe, deep down, I just wanted to see her, to make sure she was okay.

I hadn’t been home in over a week, and though I knew Y/N wasn’t the type to complain, something about her silence had started to bother me.

I opened the door quietly, stepping inside the penthouse with its usual pristine cleanliness. The familiar scent of the place—something subtle, floral, that I always associated with her—lingered faintly in the air.

Everything looked exactly the same as I’d left it. Except… not quite. The furniture was in place, nothing out of order, but there was a thin layer of dust on the surfaces, as if no one had touched them in days.

The usual sense of care and attentiveness that she always brought to this place felt like it was missing.

The energy was off.

I frowned, walking further in, my senses on alert in a way they rarely were at home. Something wasn’t right.

The kitchen was spotless, of course, but the sink was empty, the counters bare. No dishes drying, no evidence of food having been made recently. A quick glance in the fridge confirmed it—half-empty containers of food that looked like they’d been untouched for days. Leftovers from meals that had gone uneaten.

The eerie quiet that filled the place started to press in on me, and an uneasy feeling twisted in my gut. It was too quiet. Too still.

Had she… left?

The thought hit me harder than I expected, sending a strange jolt of panic through my chest. I wasn’t sure why, but suddenly, the idea that she might have just packed her things and gone felt… wrong. Sure, I hadn’t been the most attentive husband, but she wasn’t the type to just disappear without a word. Was she?

I moved through the living room, glancing around for any signs—anything that would tell me she was still here. Her shoes were by the door, neatly placed like always. Her bag was on the small table near the entrance, untouched. It didn’t look like she’d left. But why was everything so quiet?

My feet carried me down the hall, toward the bedroom—the one she had claimed as hers. I hadn’t been inside since we first moved in, and I wasn’t even sure if she’d want me to go in now. But I needed to know. I needed to see if she was still here, if she was… okay.

The door was slightly ajar, a thin sliver of darkness spilling out into the hallway. I pushed it open quietly, stepping inside.

The room was dim, the curtains drawn tight against the windows, letting in only the faintest traces of moonlight. My eyes adjusted to the dark, and that’s when I saw her.

Y/n was curled up on the bed, wrapped in a thick bundle of blankets, barely moving. For a second, I thought she might be asleep, but there was something about the way she lay there—too still, too quiet—that made my chest tighten.

I stepped closer, my gaze falling on her face. The dim light made it hard to see, but as I got nearer, I noticed something that made me pause. Her cheeks looked a little hollower than I remembered, her skin paler. And then, the worst part—the part that made my stomach twist with guilt—I realized she had lost weight. Not just a little, but enough that it was noticeable, even in the dim light.

She hadn’t been eating.

The realization hit me like a punch to the gut, and for a moment, I just stood there, staring at her small, fragile form wrapped up in those blankets like she was trying to disappear.

What the hell had I been doing?

I knew I’d been distant. I knew I hadn’t been there for her. But I hadn’t realized just how bad things had gotten. How much she had been suffering because of me.

The silence between us had been easier for me to deal with. I told myself that keeping my distance was for her sake—that it was better this way. After all, it wasn’t fair that she had been forced into this marriage. She hadn’t asked for it any more than I had. She deserved better than to be stuck with someone like me, someone who couldn’t give her what she needed. What she deserved.

But looking at her now—seeing her so small, so worn down—I realized I had been wrong. Completely, utterly wrong. My absence hadn’t made things easier for her. It had only made her feel more alone.

I swallowed hard, my throat tight as I crouched down beside the bed, watching her quietly. She hadn’t moved, hadn’t stirred, but I could see the faint rise and fall of her chest, slow and steady.

I wasn’t sure how long I sat there, just staring at her, but my mind was racing with all the things I should have done, all the things I’d failed to do. I’d been so caught up in my own frustration, my own anger at this situation, that I hadn’t stopped to think about how much worse it had to be for her.

I was Gojo Satoru—the strongest sorcerer in the world. I didn’t have to answer to anyone, didn’t have to rely on anyone. I could have walked away from this marriage and still been fine. But Y/n? She had been forced into this life with no choice, no control. And I had just… left her to deal with it on her own.

I thought keeping my distance would protect her, that it would make things easier for her if I wasn’t around to remind her of the life she didn’t choose. But all I’d done was make her feel like she didn’t matter. Like I didn’t care.

But I did care. More than I wanted to admit, even to myself.

The truth was, I hadn’t been avoiding her because I didn’t want to be here. I’d been avoiding her because I didn’t know how to deal with the fact that I cared. I cared too much. I hated seeing her trapped in this situation, stuck in a marriage with someone like me. I hated that she had been forced into this life, and I hated that I was part of the reason she was suffering.

But now, seeing her like this—so fragile, so alone—I realized that my distance hadn’t protected her at all. It had only made things worse.

I let out a slow breath, my chest tight as I watched her, my mind racing with all the things I should say, should do. Apologize? Promise to do better?

But what good were words now, after all this time?

I stood up slowly, my gaze still fixed on her as I tried to decide what to do. I could leave, give her space like I always did. But something in me knew that wasn’t the answer. Not anymore.

Instead, I gently pulled the blankets up a little higher around her shoulders, making sure she was warm, and then I turned to leave. Not because I was abandoning her again, but because I needed to figure out how to fix this. How to fix us.

Because, for the first time, I realized that I didn’t just want to make things better for her out of obligation. I wanted to make things better because… I cared. More than I had ever allowed myself to admit.

And I had been too blind to see it until now.

♡

Taglist : @kalopsia-flaneur @lov3vivian @junslay

All Rights Reserved © 2024 DarlingsBlackBook

[epiicaricacy-arts]

oh we’re still so young, desperate for attention

this was super experimental so i will talk about my process (+ clearer version) under the cut

i’ve been looking at a lot of “messier” or more textured painting styles recently and an artist that stuck out to me is clariondeluna ! they posted a self-portrait recently that i really liked and i was super interested in the brushwork seen in their work. i love all the textures and how the shapes feel so loose yet everything is so detailed.

that’s not a method for me at all!!!! i cannot paint like that at all and the stuff i like to paint is very different to theirs. which is okay!!!! i had no intention to copy this artists style so closely like with what i tried to do in my raiden painting, i just wanted to try this style out :^)

it’s been a goal of mine to avoid over-rendering like i tend to do a lot, and i think i’ve been doing good with that recently! the mindset i’ve got going on right now is that if i find myself staring at it too hard for too long, i have to leave it and move on. if there’s still something wrong with it, i can fix it later once ive got a fresh view!

i’ve been trying a lot of things with my art this year. i always try to challenge myself with each piece, and to end the year off i wanted to be as uncomfortable as i possibly could be with this painting. i let myself draw whatever i wanted because i still wanted to enjoy it, but everything i did in this process was new, including parts of the subject matter.

i’ve never drawn a head at an angle like this, and i struggle with drawing mouths open. i don’t do bold lighting like this, and if i do, it’s not fire. i’ve never drawn fire! i also rarely work with warm colours and i hate using green, so i combined those to be my colour palette. i like working cleanly so instead of having a dozen different layers for one section, each section only had 1-2 layers for rendering. instead of clipping masks i would simply paint over things loosely and clean it up later. i never like having limbs cut off in a drawing so i had his other arm go GOD knows where. i don’t like weird patterned backgrounds so i made myself figure out how to like it!

IS THIS MY FAVOURITE PIECE OF ALL TIME. no. absolutely not. but i’m very proud of how this came out with all the challenges i put on myself. i WANTED to get better at these things and be more broad with my art, both in terms of the styles and subjects i portray.

okay let’s talk about wtf this drawing is

for those who don’t know, the design in this painting is my fatui/“Father” lyney fan design (read the design post here). the concept isnt super complicated and i don’t really have much explanation for it, but i wanted to combine the story of how lyney wanted a delusion before getting his vision, fire eating circus acts and how olympic medalists will bite their medal to prove it’s real??? don’t quote me on that i’m like 75% sure that’s a thing that happens. i don’t watch sports though so im just believing someone i heard on the internet ages ago.

anyways. i think fire eating acts are cool. and i think the fact that lyney wanted a delusion is very interesting to me. scratches my brain in the right places. and yk as a magician lyneys character revolves a lot around fooling people and creating illusions so i guess what im saying here is that lyney is trying to prove to himself that this power he’s been bestowed is real. bc his whole life his only constant has been lynette so he is trying to see if he can trust this new power. cause i guess this is an alternate universe where lyney does eventually become “Father” but he never got his vision ??? idk im not making lore for this i just wanted to dress up this funny little guy.

ok i’m done

thanks for reading

here’s my dog

[pixiesfz]

rent a girlfriend k.c.c

plot: after a man tries to come up to you at a bar, Kyra saves you by saying she's your girlfriend which you both pretend to be together for the night

warnings: fluff, suggestive

You ran your fingers through your hair as you waited for your turn at the bar, the team had decided to go out after your first game back and you had accidentally drawn the short straw and now had to shout everyone their second shot.

When the bartender came to you she laughed at your frown "shots again for the table out the back?" she asked and you nodded "yes please".

When you slowly pulled out your card to pay a tall man came up from behind you and beat you to it.

You shot up your brows and turned to him, he was wearing a clean suit and had a cleanly shaved beard.

"You didn't have to do that," you said "No pretty girl like you should have to spend so much money on a drink" he smirked "Well thank you then," you said with a small smile before trying to grab the tray and go back to the table but he stood in front of you, blocking you.

Katie watched from your table "Code Red!" she yelled at her teammates as they all followed her eyesight to see you trying to get away from the man "What a dickhead" Victoria said as he picked up one of the shot glasses from the tray and took it for himself.

"I've got it!" Kyra said as she shimmied off of the seat that held half the team.

"Do I get anything in return?" the man asked you, stepping towards yourself as you stepped back.

"Babe!"

A voice called out as the man took a step back as Kyra made your way over to you and swung her arm over your shoulder and leaned into you.

"go along with it" she whispered in your ear which made the hairs at the back of your neck stiffen.

It was no secret that you had a small crush on the Australian since she started at Arsenal and even if it was fake, her arm around you made you blush.

"I was wondering why you were taking so long" she hummed before turning to the direction of the man "hey man are you a friend of my girlfriend here?" she asked and the mans eyes widened.

"girlfriend?" he asked you and you nodded "unfortunately" you smiled "she can be a lot to handle", Kyra scoffed "please you love me" she gloated and kissed you on the cheek.

"I'll leave you girls to it then" he said bitterly before walking off.

Kyra laughed as he walked away as you turned to her "Thankyou...girlfriend" you teased and she scoffed "Hey I am in fact a great fake girlfriend" she said as she pointed at herself "Well unfortunately that's the second time that's happened tonight so if your comfortable can you be my girlfriend for the rest of the night?"

"too be fair that skirt is doing wonders for you" Kyra smirked "well can you?" you asked "what is this, rent a girlfriend?"

"Kyra!"

"of course I can, I'll be your sexy girlfriend for the night," she told you before taking her jacket off and passing it to you "here" she said as she grabbed the shots out of your hand and gave you the jacket.

Putting it on yourself you missed the way Kyra eyed you up and down with a smirk before grabbing your hand and leading you back to the table.

"Well isn't it Kyra and the missus" Alessia joked as you sat down, Kyra quickly sitting next to you "Ha Ha" you fake laughed as everyone took a shot.

"cheers girlfriend" Kyra smiled as you laughed and clanked your glasses together before taking the shots.

"Alrighty who's next?"

The group stayed together for most of the night as more shots came your way, every time you got up, Kyra grabbed your hand and went with you.

No guy or girl had come up to you since which you were grateful for, but your mind wasn't on them, it was on the Australian who convinced you to take a 'couple' picture with you as you were both finally getting drunk from your drinks.

"you're so pretty girlfriend" Kyra told you as you cuddled into her side for the photo "you're not too shabby either girlfriend" you smiled up to the girl who looked down at you.

Victoria came running in and grabbed you as your favorite song was being played, Kyra went back to the table where some of the 'oldies' she joked were sitting.

They all just stared at her when she came back "What?" she asked innocently and Viv shook her head "Oh c'mon we both know ya like each other" Katie said as Caitlin slapped her shoulder.

"Katie"

"She likes me?" Kyra asked, pointing back to you "why are you acting like this is big news it is quite obvious" Beth pointed out

"You like her too so it should be fine" Caitlin spoke up as Steph slapped her arm.

"Katie is rubbing off on you too much"

"You told Caitlin that I like y/n?!" Kyra asked Steph who shrunk in her seat "She also told me" Jen and Beth spoke up at the same time and they both yelled out 'jinx' and high-fived.

"Amber says you should go for it" Jen added on "Since when has my love life been brought up into you and your girlfriends conversations "she likes y/n" Jen stated and shrugged.

Kyra rolled her eyes before turning around back to find you and Vic who were now drinking another drink at the bar.

When she made her way over you smiled "Hey girlfriend" you smirked before passing her a drink "this is your favorite right?" you asked and Kyra nodded "Yeah".

it wasn't but she wasn't going to tell you that right now.

"I don't want to be a third wheel" Vic muttered before leaving and giving Kyra her seat that she happily took.

"How long until my rent a girlfriend subscription ends?" you joked and Kyra laughed "I don't know" she answered and you took a sip out of your drink.

"Does my girlfriend want to dance with me?" Kyra asked as she sipped her drink and you nodded eagerly.

The dance floor was pretty packed as you made your way into the middle with Kyra, at first you started with silly little movements "wouldn't you wanna be a sexy dancer in front of your girlfriend?" Kyra asked and you shook your head.

"This isn't rent a situationship Ky," you said as you stepped closer to her "I have to miss out on the sexiness" Kyra gasped and you nodded "girlfriends are very comfortable being un-sexy in front of each other"

Because of how many people were on the dance floor, a girl had pushed you more into Kyra who caught you immediately and held you close.

Your need to joke around died down as you looked up to Kyra who was staring down at you, then to your lips and then back to you.

"y/n?" she softly asks and you humm "would you let your girlfriend kiss you?"

You smiled and nodded before Kyra leaned down towards you and you connected your lips, the kiss was sweet and soft but turned passionate as Kyra's hands wondered down your waist "kyra we're in public" you reminded her as she looked up.

"Kinda forgot about that"

You smiled at her before using your hand to grab her chin, redirecting her head towards you.

"Well as my girlfriend can you take me home?" you smirked and Kyra nodded "and as your girlfriend I would love too" she said before grabbing your hand and dragging you out of the dance floor.

Ever since that night, Katie has gloated about being the one to push you on the dance floor that night.

[littlefireball]

Can we so get a version of Seongwha like F*ck away the pain? Seongwha is a clean freak so I'd love to see this side of him

Here you go~~ btw there is an exact same request lol

Other members (fk away the pain series): yeosang

ꜱʜ|ᴍᴀᴋᴇ ᴜᴘ ꜱ*x (ᴀ/ᴍ)

ʙᴜɴɴʏ ʜʏʙʀɪᴅ ꜱᴇᴏɴɢʜᴡᴀ x ꜰᴏx ʜʏʙʀɪᴅ ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ

ᴡᴀʀɴɪɴɢ: ꜱᴍᴜᴛ|ᴀɴɢꜱᴛ|ᴀʀɢᴜᴍᴇɴᴛ|ᴘʀᴏᴛᴇᴄᴛᴇᴅ ꜱᴇx|ɴᴇᴄᴋ ᴋɪꜱꜱ|ʙʀᴇᴀꜱᴛ ᴘʟᴀʏ|ꜱᴇx ᴅᴜʀɪɴɢ ᴘᴇʀɪᴏᴅ

ᴡᴏʀᴅ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛ: 1.9ᴋ

You and Seonghwa have been apart for a week. It was unusual for you both to be separated for so long, as you were used to spending everyday together. There was no choice, however, a pressing matter awaited at the residence that demanded immediate attention.

You neglected to inform Seonghwa of your early return, opting instead to delight him with a surprise. Stealthily making your way into the house, you caught sight of him seated in his favorite chair.

"BA~BY~~" You leaped onto Seonghwa's back, unaware of the fact that he was holding a cup of noodles. "Goodness gracious!" Due to your unexpected jump, he inadvertently spilled noodles all over the legos.

"Oh my…" He straightened up abruptly, releasing your grip from his neck. "Have you returned?" His expression soon shifted from surprise to a hint of annoyance. "Well…yes. My apologies." Sigh "Let me clean up first" The tension in the air was palpable, especially since it was his beloved limited edition legos that was now in disarray.

His silence left you speechless, unsure of what to say next. Okay, look at what you've done. The entire desktop became a mess, not to mention his legos were all dirty─what he hated most as a clean freak.

"I'm sorry…" He glanced at you with impatience." "Can you be careful next time? You know it's hard to clean oil stains?! " His composed demeanor swiftly shifted to a slightly fierce one, his voice escalating in volume. His outburst, unlike anything you've witnessed before, sent a shiver down your spine. Coupled with your current irritable mood due to menstruation, his unexpected anger only fueled your own frustration.

"I didn't do it on purpose!" You shouted back. "But you are the one who made this mess!" Despite your strong urge to argue, you chose to maintain silence. Observing him meticulously restore his legos while muttering to himself, you swiftly retreated to your room to grant yourself solitude.

Feeling aggrieved, tears began to flow. Normally, you wouldn't cry easily, but the fact that you were on period slipped your mind. What followed such a display of emotion? The excruciating cramps that grip your stomach relentlessly. You gasped in agony as your body contorted in pain. Clutching your stomach, you struggled to sit up straight, let alone to take painkillers or call for help.

"Y/N?" Upon tidying up the desk, he pondered whether he had been too harsh with you, prompting him to seek you out but you had no response. 'Was she still angry?' "Y/N?I come in now." To his surprise, he found you huddled in a cocoon of pillows and blankets, your complexion pallid and your expression distressed.

"Y/N?Are you okay?Are you in heat? But there is no scent…" Alarmed, he hurried to your side to assess your condition, only to discover that you were in pain. You looked pale, drawn, and sweaty, as if something was torturing you.

"It's just on my period…" "Is it painful?But you won't be hurt before. Do you want some water?Or painkillers? Or something?" He gently caressed your head, his eyes filled with concern. You shook your head, taking his hand and placing it beneath your cheek. "I'm…fine…" Your furrowed brow betrayed your true feelings. As a fox hybrid, you knew that intimacy could alleviate menstrual pain, but you couldn't bring yourself to ask him. How could a rabbit, so obsessed with cleanliness, agree to such a request?

"Sorry, hwa.I didn't mean to. I know I am sweaty now and I'll wash the sheet." You pouted, your fox ears dropped.

"Why are you saying sorry? It's fine, baby. Let's not talk about this, okay? What can I do for you to reduce the pain, hm?" He comforted you softly while caressing your fluffy fox ears.

"Please don't be mad…" You hugged the pillow filled with his scent tightly, said "I want you…fuck me…" "Yo─you said what??" "Intimacy could reduce menstrual pain in foxes…" You hesitated, avoiding his eyes as you nestled into the soft pillow. A heavy silence lingered, intensifying your discomfort. It was no surprise that he reacted this way. He probably viewed you as unclean and not willing to help you.

"Forget what I said…I'll take the painkillers…seonghwa?" Strangely, you found him not in the room. Your attention was drawn to a faint noise, the gentle clinking of objects brushing against each other. As the door creaked open, Seonghwa stood before you, clutching a dry towel, a wet towel, a box of tissues and a plastic bag.

After placing down the objects on the table, he climbed over the bed, gently leaving your thighs and putting the dry towel under your body. "Hwa?" "It's okay, honey, I'm here to help you." As you watched him lift up your dress and pull down your panties, you held his hand to stop him.

"It's dirty…You don't have to do this, I can take the pill." He pecked at the back of your hand, whispering gently. "Taking too many pills is not good for your body and let me make it up to you. I'm sorry I was too tough." "I'm sorry, too."

Seonghwa caressed your head and placed a kiss on your cheek, giving you a sweet smile. "Let me help you then." With utmost care, he placed your foot on the ground, positioning you on the bed in a L shape. He removed your panties and set them aside, ensuring not a drop of blood tainted the fabric. However, upon witnessing the sight of your bloody hole, he hesitated momentarily. "It's fine, hwa. I can drink some hot water to reduce the pain…" "Everything is okay, honey." He wrapped up the condom before aiming at your entrance, slowly entering without hurting you.

Your tail puffed up as his cock fitted you perfectly, causing you to bite your lips not to make a sound. "Let me adjust first, honey." Wrapping by blood was weird, he could tell. It was hot and sticky, but indeed was a good lubricant. He found he can slide into your deepest part thanks to your blood. Maybe he could feel better just by thinking that it was not your blood but cum.

Slowly, he adjusted the feeling and thrusted into you. You were so sensitive that you moaned at the slightest touch to your sweet spot. "Fuck, honey, you are sensitive." He propped himself with both of his arms on either side of you, drew his hips and slid into your deepest area until he could not go further. "Ah~hwa~" The bed creaked as Seonghwa rolled his hip at a fast pace, you grasped the bedside and moaned choppy.

"I can't baby, it feels good." His hand trailed to your tail, caressing from bottom to top. He knew you loved it, badly. "Oh─oh!Gosh, hwa~ah!" Your wall tightened around his long cock as the numbness almost overwhelmed you and the period pain was gradually replaced. The musk scent belonging to you filled in the air combined with his sweet strawberry scent, fueling the desire within your bodies.

Seonghwa laid beside you and made sure the towel was still in the right place. "I love your scent so much." He couldn't help but bury himself into your crook of neck without breaking the thrust. Both of your left leg and tail were pushed forward to allow him to enter deeper. His hand trailed down to the hem of your dress, climbing up to your breast, kneading and squeezing it.

The electrifying sensation cascaded through your being, causing you to gasp in delight. You adored the way his form molded against yours, his imposing presence making you feel petite, while his intoxicating aroma surrounded you like a warm embrace, promising endless waves of ecstasy. You could cum multiple times because of this feeling.

But that's not enough. He licked the back of your ear, the sound of his tongue against your skin stimulating your nerves, making you tremble; his lips gradually moved downwards, planting shallow kisses on your nape, sucking on your fine skin, leaving faint red marks.

"Honey, are you okay right now?" His soft voice made you awake temporarily. "Yah, yah." He stopped thrusting and cupped your face, made you look at him. "Can I go rough?You can say no if you don't want to." "I can, please." Upon hearing your answer, he flipped you over to make your chest pressed against the sheet.

"Tell me if I'm too rough." You nodded, sensing the bed dip under his weight. He smoothly slid you once more, pressing against your back, his cock buried deeply in this particular angle. Contrary to the tenderness before, he pounded in and out with primal intensity. "Shit!!Fuck!Hwa!" Your derriere quivered with each rapid thrust, the delicate caress proving irresistible. He groaned uninhibitedly, reveling in the sheer pleasure of it all.

Seonghwa grabbed your hair and pulled it back a little bit, allowing him to leave a bite mark on your neck. "It's beautiful." Pressing a kiss on it, he sat up straight and continued to enter in and out as fast as possible. You were on the verge of losing your breath due to the pain and stimulation coming from below, and could only express your excitement through desperate screams.

His hand once again found your long tail, kneading it as if it was a ball. "Hwa…hwa…" "What if I pull it, a bit?" He pulled your tail slightly, pain blended with pleasure and numb, this sensation sent you to the edge of climax. "Hwa, I'm…oh fuck, ple…"Your cries of pleasure were now intertwined with the sound of weeping. You were rendered speechless, unable to form coherent words, only producing incomprehensible sounds.

"Tell me, what'd you want?" "Cum…Fuckkk!!" He collided with your sweet spot without any error. "Cum baby, let me feel you." Closing your eyes tightly, you could feel a knot in your stomach. His thrusting became sloppy and lost his rhythm, he was almost at his limit. With a few more thrusts, both of you reached your peak.

"Thank you, hwa." "Don't say this, honey. You're amazing." Catching his breath, he slowly withdrew from your body to ensure you can feel every vein of his manhood. "Clean up first, little fox. Stay still." He carefully took off the condom without dirty his hand, threw it in the plastic bag and cleaned you up with tissue and wet towel.

"Let's go take a bath first and I'll change the sheet, hm?" He pecked at your forehead as you nodded. After you showered, he already changed the sheets and all the pillow bags. Of course, all the rubbish was thrown away, and even the towels were put in the washing machine.

"Cuddle?" He guided you to the bed as you nod, cradling you tenderly in his arms. "Is it hurt now?" You shook your head, feeling comfort in his warm embrace. "It's much better now, thanks babe." He tenderly kissed your forehead, his eyes filled with affection. "Let's sleep, hm?" You snuggled closer to him, and together you drifted into a peaceful sleep.

And the legos? Well, although he said it's fine, you still buy ten more packages for him as a make up. One can never have too much of a good thing, right?

[ataliagold]

Slippery When Wet

For @astrangersummer week 6 prompt 'sweat.' Title from the Bon Jovi album.

Pairing: Eddie Munson/Steve Harrington

Rating: M (mild sexual content)

W/C: 965

Tags: Established Steddie, Steve Harrington wears short shorts, basketball, summer, sweat kink (mild but there), mild sexual content, Eddie can't keep his hands off Steve

Summary: On a sweltering July afternoon, Eddie watches Steve practicing basketball with Lucas, and struggles to keep his hands off him.

___

It was one pm on a Saturday afternoon in the middle of July, and Eddie was about to die.

Not literally, he supposed.

He knew what death felt like, and this wasn’t it – not quite.

But it was fucking hot, his t shirt was soaked through with sweat, frizzy hair pasted to the back of his neck and how was it this goddamn boiling even in the shade?

He sighed heavily. Mopped at his brow uselessly with his t shirt, adjusted the sunglasses he’d swiped from Steve earlier.

At least his view was good. Excellent, in fact.

Steve was coaching Lucas on the makeshift basketball court outside the boy’s garage. There was a hoop bolted above the roller door, some crude lines drawn in chalk on the concrete pad.

Most weekends Steve could be found here, doing his best to impart all the knowledge he had on the younger boy. Lucas was good, even Eddie’s untrained eyes could see that, and he was improving all the time under Steve’s guidance.

But he wasn’t quite as good as Steve.

Eddie shifted on his camp chair, shoved it further back into the little patch of shade, and let his eyes follow Steve as he jogged up and down the concrete.

He was openly leering now, but who could blame him?

In his defense, Steve’s shorts had ridden high up his thighs, his t shirt was basically see-through with sweat, and his hair was mussed and his skin tinged gold and moisture beading on his forehead…yeah, Eddie’s tight fucking jeans were about to be a problem, and not just because of how inappropriate they were for the weather…

Steve dribbled the ball effortlessly. Ducked left, then right as Lucas lunged for it, pivoting around the kid and throwing a small smirk towards Eddie.

If Steve wanted to play, Eddie was game.

He took a long sip from his beer bottle. Let the rim linger at his lips for a little longer than necessary, let the pink of his tongue slip between his teeth for a moment.

He returned Steve’s smirk when he saw his boyfriend’s expression heat up a little, cockiness fading as he watched Eddie’s mouth with hooded eyes, blinking slowly.

Lucas took the ball from him without much effort, leaping in and stealing it mid-bounce.

Steve cursed, darting after him again, but Lucas was already lining up his shot and sinking the ball cleanly into the hoop.

“That was Eddie’s fault,” Steve huffed.

Lucas rolled his eyes. “How? He’s not even on the court.”

“He…” Steve trailed off, flashed a look at Eddie, then focused back on Lucas. “Never mind. Let’s try that again.”

And the afternoon continued. Steve was distracted several more times by Eddie running his tongue over the lip of his bottle, or lifting his shirt up to wipe at his face, or groaning in a dramatic but somehow fucking hot fashion about the heat.

Finally, after saying goodbye to Lucas and driving back to Eddie’s place with the air con only succeeding in blasting warm air at them, Eddie got his hands on Steve.

As soon as he kicked the door shut behind them, Eddie was attaching his mouth to Steve’s neck, kissing open-mouthed and filthy at the salty skin there.

“Eddie,” Steve whined, half-heartedly pushing him away. “I’m gross, let me shower.”

Eddie shook his head and dived back in, making grabby hands at the hem of Steve’s shirt, dragging it up and over his head.

Steve huffed out a laugh as Eddie practically licked at the newly exposed skin, tonguing over his shoulder and collarbone, running fingernails through the hair on his chest and digging in just a little too hard until Steve hissed and threw his head back.

“What’s gotten into you?” he murmured, gripping Eddie’s waist now.

“You soon, hopefully,” Eddie grunted, mouthing across his jaw.

“I’m sweaty and disgusting, Eds,” Steve argued again, but his chest vibrated with a soft laugh as Eddie only tugged him closer.

“Not disgusting,” Eddie mumbled, voice slurred as he ground up against Steve’s thigh, the skin bare under the hem of his indecently short shorts.

“Oh?” Steve quirked an eyebrow, his eyes dancing with amusement. “You’re into this, huh?”

Eddie took a moment to shrug, then licked a small stripe up the side of Steve’s neck. “S’it…weird?”

Steve chuckled. “I mean, doesn’t bother me, if you’re sure you’re into me like…this.”

“Always into you,” Eddie settled in the hollow of Steve’s neck, just above his collarbone. “Just…you looked fucking hot out there today.”

“You think?”

Eddie hummed, ran a hand down Steve’s chest, across the plain of his sweat-slick stomach and the raised scars on his sides - touching because he could, because Steve was his and he was Steve’s and there was no one here to stop them.

Steve let his eyes fall shut, enjoying Eddie’s roaming hands, but then murmured as if suddenly remembering - “You know, Lucas is really improving. You know he scored more goals than me today? I think he’ll be off the bench this season for sure -”

“Sweetheart?”

“Hmmm?”

“Can we save this conversation for some time when I’m not hard?”

“Oh…sorry.”

Eddie bit his shoulder lightly, causing Steve to squeeze his eyes shut again and pant, the soft noise coming from his lips so lovely that Eddie did it again, just for good measure.

Steve shoved his ass back, meeting Eddie’s hips and Eddie nearly lost it on the spot, as worked up as he was.

Pupils blown, Steve turned to drag his gaze over Eddie, landing at the bulge behind his fly.

“Shall we do something about that?”

Sport metaphors be damned, Eddie grabbed his hand and dragged his boyfriend to his bedroom in what might’ve been a new personal best time.

___

[infamous-light]

You Belong to Me Ch. 1

Alcina Dimitrescu x F! Reader

AO3: You Belong to Me

Summary: Lady Dimitrescu's obsession knows no bounds as she becomes increasingly possessive over you. Will you succumb to her dark embrace, or find a way to break free before it's too late?

Word Count: 3.4K

Warnings: Yandere, possessive/obsessive behavior, blood, aftermath depiction of violence

You woke up every morning to the faint glow of dawn filtering in through the small, frost-covered window of your cramped living space. The air was cool and still, carrying with it the subtle scent of weathered stone and aged wood. It was a far cry from the comfort of your former life, but you have long since resigned yourself to the harsh realities of servitude since you began living in Castle Dimitrescu three months ago.

With a weary sigh, you pushed yourself upright. The blanket slid away to reveal the simple cot that served as your bed. Rubbing the sleep from your eyes, you swung your legs over the edge of the bed and planted both feet onto the cold, unforgiving surface of the wooden floor. It made goosebumps travel across your arms.

Ignoring the slight chill in your bedroom for now, you walked over to a small dresser, and with a gentle tug, you pulled open the drawer, revealing an array of neatly folded uniforms within. You sift through the selection, your fingers grazing over soft cotton blouses, tailored trousers, and dresses. After thoughtful consideration, you settled on a plain white blouse paired with sleek black trousers.

Once dressed, you made your way over to where a small basin sat atop a stand, tucked away into the corner of your bedroom. Cupping your hands, you scooped up the frigid liquid and splashed it onto your face. As the droplets cascaded down your cheeks, you reached for a hand towel hanging nearby and patted your face dry. You turned your attention to your hair next and picked up an old hairbrush resting on the stand. As you ran it through your strands, you felt the satisfying tug of knots being smoothed out.

After combing your hair, you placed the hairbrush back down with a soft clink and grabbed your toothbrush and toothpaste tucked next to the basin. You applied a pea-sized amount of toothpaste onto the bristles and began to brush your teeth. Once two minutes have passed, you rinsed your mouth and toothbrush and placed it back on the stand. With a sense of cleanliness and readiness, you leave your bedroom, prepared to face the day ahead.

You walked down the hallway, the quiet tap of your shoes thumping lightly against the carpeted floors. The walls, painted a pristine white, were lined with gold accents that shimmered under the candles’ soft lighting. Alongside the decor, various paintings adorned the walls, depicting scenes of women dancing in sunlit fields or portraits of people.

The interior of the castle was beautiful, you could admit that, but beneath it all lurked the unsettling reality of torture and death. Behind closed doors, unseen horrors unfolded. All the maids lived in constant fear, their every move scrutinized, and their slightest mistake met with brutal punishment. The halls were haunted with their pained screams and whispered pleas for mercy.

The price of disobedience and the consequences of crossing the line drawn by Lady Dimitrescu and her daughters was one you wanted to avoid at all costs.

Eventually, you reached the supply room door and turned the handle. The hinges protested with a soft, familiar creak as you swung the door open. Inside, shelves were neatly stacked with cleaning supplies. Just as your hand reached out to grab the items you needed, you heard a familiar voice behind you say your name.

You turned around and a rush of warmth flooded through you as you realized it was Catalina. Since your arrival three months ago, Catalina had become your closest friend, an anchor, guiding your life through the horrors of this castle.

“Good morning.” Catalina greeted you with a warm smile, her chestnut brown hair cascading in gentle waves around her shoulders.

“Hey, good morning.” You replied, returning her smile.

“Are you ready for another grueling day?” She joked lightly, though her voice was tinged with exhaustion.

“Yeah,” you forced to maintain your smile despite the unease that gnawed at your insides. “But we’ll get through it like we always do.” You added, summoning a bit of reassurance for both you and Catalina.

The corners of her mouth downturned, forming a subtle frown as she spoke. “I wish I had your optimism right now. I have to help Maria clean up Miss Daniela’s bedroom,” she continued, her tone heavy with a sense of foreboding. “I dread what I’ll find in there.”

You grimaced in response.

Daniela was the youngest of Lady Dimitrescu’s daughters. She was known for her volatile and unpredictable nature. Her actions often left everyone on edge. At any given moment, Daniela's demeanor could shift like the wind, turning from saccharine to savage in the blink of an eye. It was best to avoid her completely when it came to the Lady’s three daughters.

“Well, I hope it’s nothing too bad.” You murmured.

“Me too,” Catalina said with a soft smile. “But I’ll see you later at lunch, okay?”

“Definitely. See you then.”

As Catalina left the supply room, you grabbed a bucket already filled with soapy water, a mop, and a couple of washcloths. With your supplies in hand, you made your way over to one of the hallways assigned to you. Upon reaching your destination, you carefully set your supplies down. The mop leaned against the wall while the bucket of cleaning solution sat nearby.

Taking a moment to survey the large window, you noted the thin layer of dust and grime obscuring the view beyond. Determined to restore its clarity, you dipped one of the washcloths into the water and wrung out the excess liquid soaking the fabric.

Positioning yourself at the first window, you finally got to work.

***

As you finished wiping down the last window, the midday sun shone high above the mountains, letting you know that it was nearing noon. Satisfied with your work, you gathered your cleaning supplies and began to make your way back to the supply room.

However, as you walked along, the silence of the castle was shattered by the sudden, blood-curdling scream of a woman. The chilling sound was quickly followed by a sickening gurgle. Dread washed over you like a wave as the implications of what you had just heard sank in. Without hesitation, you quickened your pace, clutching your supplies in a death grip as you hurried away from the source of the horrifying noise.

“You there, stop!”

A menacing voice cut through the air, and you halted in place. Every muscle in your body tensed as you recognized the commanding tone of Cassandra, the middle child of Lady Dimitrescu. Encountering Cassandra was an ordeal in and of itself. Though not as overtly unhinged as her youngest sibling Daniela, Cassandra's brand of cruelty was more insidious. Her actions were calculated, designed to inflict maximum suffering upon those unfortunate enough to cross her path. She was known to be the most sadistic among her sisters.

With a knot of apprehension tightening in your stomach, you slowly turned to face her, meeting her piercing gaze with trepidation. However, your attention was soon drawn elsewhere as you noticed something deeply disturbing: blood dripped from the edge of her sickle, staining the floor in dark, ominous droplets.

“Come here.” Cassandra drawled out, her voice dripping with mock sweetness. Her lips curved into a sly grin as she extended her index finger, beckoning you over.

Swallowing hard, you forced yourself to comply, your footsteps hesitant as you approached her. Her grin widened, a glint of amusement dancing in her eyes as you stepped closer, feeling the weight of her gaze upon you.

“Clean this mess up.” She said lowly as she inclined her head toward Lady Dimitrescu’s study room.

“Yes, Miss Cassandra.” You whispered obediently.

As you cautiously stepped past the door frame, a scene of horror greeted you. There, sprawled in the center of the room, lay the lifeless body of a maid. Her throat was gruesomely slashed, the wound jagged and brutal. A pool of blood spread like a sinister halo around her head, seeping into the cracks of the floorboards.

For a moment, you stood frozen in shock.

Time seemed to stand still as you struggled to comprehend the brutality of what lay before you. Your eyes were fixated on the lifeless form, unable to tear your gaze away. You had never encountered a dead body before. The sight was jarring, shocking you to your core.

You had seen the aftermath of violence before, heard the distant screams, and seen leftover blood etched into the fibers of the carpets, but never have you come face to face with death itself. This was different.

This was raw and real.

Your eyes briefly caught sight of a large key adorned with the Dimitrescu family crest, resting delicately next to her hand. Before you could ponder its significance, Cassandra's voice, smooth as silk but laced with an unsettling edge, whispered close to your left ear.

“Don't mind her,” she purred, her breath brushing against your earlobe like a cold breeze. “She had it coming.”

Startled, you gasped and instinctively stepped forward, desperate to get away from her.

Cassandra chuckled and stepped around you without a single care in the world. She bent over and retrieved the key, slipping it into the pocket of her dress. Then, in a chilling display of strength, she seized the young woman by the collar of her blouse, her grip unyielding as she dragged the limp body along with ease. And then, as if forgetting something, she paused, turning slowly to fix you with an unnerving gaze.

“Consider this a lesson. This is what happens to those who attempt to escape.” She remarked, her tone almost causal, as if discussing the weather. Her eyes then drifted toward the trail of blood that stained the floor. For a moment, her eyes lingered on the crimson mess before meeting your own again, a smirk playing on her lips. “You may want to hurry and clean this up before Mother makes an appearance.”

The implication of her statement hung heavy in the air.

“Yes, Miss Cassandra.”

As Cassandra finally departed the room, a surge of anguish threatened to engulf you, but you suppressed it. With trembling hands and a heart heavy with dread, you forced yourself to maintain composure, though every instinct screamed at you to turn and run.

There was no time to waste as you got started on cleaning the blood up.

Time seemed to warp and twist, stretching into an eternity as you meticulously cleaned every speck of blood off the floor. With each swipe of the mop, your hands shook uncontrollably, the memory of what had transpired haunting your every move. Every corner you scrubbed, every stain you erased, felt like an attempt to cleanse not just the physical space, but the sorrow that threatened to consume you from within.

Just as you thought you couldn't bear another moment of the suffocating silence, you heard it. The unmistakable sound of heavy high heels clicking through the hallway. Your heart almost leaped into your throat, but instead, pounded against your ribs like a caged animal desperate for escape.

The click-clack of her high heels came to a sudden stop.

A tense stillness settled in the air, thick and palpable, as you sensed her presence looming by the doorway. The hairs on the back of your neck prickled and stood on end, a primal instinct warning you of the danger that stood before you. But your eyes remained fixed on the floor, as if it held the key to your salvation.

And then, finally, she spoke, her voice like velvet. “Well, well, what do we have here?”

You found yourself momentarily stunned. You didn't know how to respond. Your mind raced, searching for the right words, but they never came. You had never spoken to her before, until today. So, you settled for her title instead.

“My Lady.” You managed to utter softly.

But there was only silence in response.

You shifted uneasily, unsure of what to do next. Was she waiting for something? Did you do something wrong?

With a hesitant glance upward, you found yourself locking eyes with Lady Dimitrescu.

Time seemed to slow to a crawl as you held her gaze, a sense of unease creeping over you like ivy winding its way around your limbs. There was something in the way she looked at you – a hunger, a thirst for something you couldn't quite name – that made your insides curl.

And then, just as suddenly as it had begun, the moment passed, and she offered you a knowing smirk – a flash of pearly white teeth that sent a chill down your spine.

Your pulse quickened as you watched Lady Dimitrescu walk past you, her tall figure casting a long shadow across the floor. But then she stopped, the sudden cessation of movement sending a jolt of fear through you. You could feel her presence hovering somewhere behind you, a suffocating weight that seemed to press down on your very soul.

“You missed a spot.” Lady Dimitrescu said but it sounded almost playful.

“I-I’m sorry, my Lady,” you stammered, your voice barely above a whisper. “I’ll get that cleaned up right away.”

Your heart hammered in your chest like a relentless drumbeat as you scrambled over to her. Kneeling beside her, your eyes caught a small spot of blood that you had missed, a tiny droplet that clung stubbornly to the floor. How was she even able to see that?

You pulled a handkerchief from your pocket, fingers fumbling slightly in their haste. With gentle precision, you began to clean the area, your movements slow and deliberate.

Finally, when the task was done, you gazed up at her, seeking some sign of reassurance. But what met your gaze was unnerving – a smile that sent shivers down your spine. It wasn't the smile of satisfaction you had expected. No, it was something far more sinister. Her lips curled upward, revealing a glimpse of something altogether different – a flash of fangs.

“You may go.” Lady Dimitrescu said, her voice carrying an eerie calmness.

“Thank you, my Lady.”

With a deep, respectful curtsy, you dared not linger any longer than necessary. As you hastily gathered your belongings, you could feel her eyes boring into the back of your head as you left her study.

You navigated the many hallways once more, each twist and turn blurring together seamlessly. Desperation clawed at you, urging you to put as much distance as possible between yourself and Lady Dimitrescu.

As you rounded another corner, a wave of exhaustion washed over you, both physically and mentally. Taking a moment to collect yourself, you breathed deeply, letting the tension melt away. But even as you tried to calm your racing heart, your mind couldn't shake the image of the way Lady Dimitrescu stared at you.

There was something off about it, something you couldn't quite put into words.

You hope you never find out.

***

The morning sun casts a soft golden glow through your window, signaling the start of a new day.

With a languid motion, you stretched your limbs and pushed the covers aside, swinging your legs over the edge of the bed. Rubbing your eyes, you let out a soft yawn and glance around the room, the familiar surroundings gradually coming into focus. Yet, something seemed out of place.

Your gaze drifted to the door of your bedroom. You frowned as you saw a small, folded piece of paper lying on the floor, just beneath the edge of the door.

Intrigued, you rose off the bed and padded your way across the room toward the note. You bent down and picked it up. Unfolding the paper, you found yourself staring at what appeared to be elegant handwriting scrawled across the page.

My dearest pet,

It has come to my attention that your talents are wasted on menial tasks. Therefore, it is with great pleasure, and without room for negotiation, that I hereby command you to assume the role of my personal servant from this day forth.

You shall attend to my every whim and desire with the utmost devotion. You will be at my beck and call, ready to serve me without question or hesitation.

You are expected to begin your shift at 9 A.M. in my bedchambers. Do not be late.

Yours faithfully,

Lady Alcina Dimitrescu

Blood froze in your veins.

As you read those words, an icy grip tightened around your heart.

Pet.

Being labeled as Lady Dimitrescu's “pet” made your stomach churn. At that moment, the room seemed to close in around you, suffocating you with its hold. You released the note from your trembling fingers, watching it flutter back to the floor.

None of this made any sense.

Lady Dimitrescu wasn’t known for keeping pets. The very idea seemed absurd, yet she called you one.

As if that wasn’t bad enough, she also wanted you to be her personal servant. That fact alone was terrifying. You were already forced to work in this castle but the prospect of serving directly under her? That was a whole other matter.

You stole a glance at an old clock perched on your dresser. It was 8 A.M. You knew you had little time left before you were expected to be in her bedchambers, ready to fulfill whatever tasks she demanded of you.

Many thoughts flittered around in your mind, swirling like leaves. Among them, one stuck out the most. The desire to escape burned within you like a flame refusing to be extinguished.

No.

The idea was foolish. It would surely get you killed. You have already seen what Cassandra did to that maid yesterday.

But what if you took your time to plot your escape?

Escaping the castle would not be easy. It would require cunning, stealth, and a plan so foolproof that even the Dimitrescu family would be caught off guard.

Despite the overwhelming odds stacked against you, you have to try. You refuse to live the rest of your life as some noblewoman’s pet.

Turning on your heel, you got dressed and left your bedroom. With each step, you couldn't shake the feeling of being watched, as though a pair of unseen eyes followed your every move. You glanced over your shoulder, half-expecting to catch a glimpse of someone lurking in the shadows, but the hallway remained empty. You quickened your pace until the sound of your name pierced through the stillness of the hallway.

Startled, you pivoted to find Catalina standing there. Her smile, usually bright and welcoming, faltered as she took in your demeanor. Concern etched across her features as she walked over to you, her hands settling gently on your shoulders. Her touch offered both comfort and support.

“Hey, is everything okay?” Her voice carried genuine worry. “I didn’t see you at lunch or dinner yesterday.”

You swallowed hard, your throat feeling dry and constricted.

“No, everything is not okay.” You managed to rasp out.

“What’s wrong?” Catalina's expression softened with empathy.

You hesitated, feeling the weight of Lady Dimitrescu’s words pressing down on you. But you needed to confide in someone, and she was the only person you trusted enough to share that information with.

“I received a note this morning from Lady Dimitrescu. She said that I’m to be her personal servant starting today.”

Catalina's reaction was immediate. A light gasp left her lips, and her hands, which had been resting reassuringly on your shoulders, fell away. The color drained from her face, leaving her complexion pallid as her lips pressed together in a thin line.

“I don’t know what to do.” Your voice quivered, tears beginning to well up in your eyes. “I’m scared.”

Catalina's brow furrowed as she sought to understand the situation.

“Why did she ask you to be her personal servant?” she asked, her tone gentle yet probing. “The grand chambermaid usually attends to the Lady’s needs.”

You reached up, delicately brushing away the tears that gathered in the corner of your eyes. “I’m not sure. She just said that my talents were wasted on menial tasks.”

There was a long pause as she absorbed your words.

“This is very unusual.” Catalina murmured; her voice laced with unease.

A queasy sensation crept up from the pit of your stomach, coiling like a serpent as you hesitated to tell Catalina how Lady Dimitrescu addressed you in her note as well. You were reluctant to say it out loud.

Pet.

You were no longer a person, but a possession.

[cherishedhope]

“Safe with me.”

Synopsis: How he reacts when his s/o gets injuried. Characters involved: fatui!Scaramouche, Xiao, & Childe. TW: Very mild descriptions of injuries. A bit of cussing. Probably not a trigger, but this could be OOC. A/N: Ah yes, the good ol’ ‘injured reader’ hcs/scenarios. I got lazy near the middle of Scaramouche’s scenario, so eh. Have fun with that. I wish I could’ve come up with a better title, but that’s all my brain juice managed to squeeze out. Also, I think I’m getting the hang of formatting! Haha. This might be out of character so bear with me. As always, GN!reader. NOT proofread.

Request status: open!

— You and I both know damn well he isn’t going to take this situation lightly. When I say he is upset, I mean he's pissed. Infuriated, even. How dare someone have the audacity to injure his significant other? Are they simply begging for death? — If you try to make light of the situation, he’ll shoot you a piercing glare to shut you up. He doesn’t find these circumstances to be amusing at all. Even if your injuries aren’t too grim, he’s still going to dispose of the treasure hoarders, and yes he’ll do it behind your back even if you oppose that idea. He isn’t a fatui harbinger for nothing. There isn’t anything you can do that will hinder him from annihilating them.

“Worthless as expected.”

You bit down gently on your lip as those harsh words sliced through your ears. Even though at this point you were used to Scaramouche’s degradation, it still stung a bit to hear those words easily exit his mouth. You weren’t given enough time to ponder over your boyfriend’s hurtful words because shortly after, the sharp stinging of alcohol swabs dabbed repeatedly on your open cuts. A hiss of pain was instantly drawn out of your lips. Hell, cleaning the wound hurt worse than the actual injury itself.

"It isn’t my fault that the treasure hoarder snuck up behind me,” You mumbled, rolling your eyes at him. Your hands clenched in your lap, being balled up into a fist when the swab tainted with rubbing alcohol hit a particularly deep cut on your shoulder. Scaramouche’s indigo-colored eyes flicked over to your clenched fists for a brief moment before he went back to cleaning up your wound. “mistakes happen.”

The room falls silent, the only noises being the grinding of your teeth and the occasional hiss of pain slipping past your lips despite your efforts to keep it down. While Scaramouche still managed to maintain his cold demeanor just as always, you failed to notice the slightest hint of worry in his gaze with each pained noise and every sign of discomfort you displayed. The truth was, he was utterly disgusted. Not at you nor your actions, but with the existence of that one treasure hoarder who held the audacity to lay his repulsive hand on you. The hand that held such a tight grip on the dagger that sliced cleanly through your flesh, ripping a large hole in your clothes as well as your skin. When the news had reached him that his significant other got wounded during a battle, Scaramouche was livid. The wound itself was not fatal, but still. However, it was fine now. He was here with you, tending to your wounds. You’re okay.

“Are you an idiot?” A bitter scoff was brought out of his mouth, his fiery orbs seemingly drilling holes into your soul with how intense his glare was. He tossed aside the cotton swab that was now covered in blood and reached into the first aid kit to pull out a bandage. The pads of his fingers brushed softly against your skin as he delicately wrapped a bandage onto your shoulder. His face softened as he spoke the next words, his voice still remaining cold, yet there was also warmth detected in his tone. “I wasn’t mocking you, I was referring to how pathetic the treasure hoarder looked as he begged on his knees for mercy.”

You blink once and then twice in confusion as you try to process his words. Oh, so that’s what he meant. A sheet of awkwardness fluttered down in the room. Both parties remained silent once again. Scaramouche glowered down at the first aid kit as he began to put away the clean roll of bandages and cotton swabs. The transparent box was snapped shut, the sharp noise being obnoxious in contrast to the deathly quiet room.

“You’re lucky those useless underlings found you when they did. Who knows what would’ve happened had they not spotted you. You’d be dead!” His voice was the first to break the silence. In fact, he had done that twice in a row now. You weren’t surprised in the slightest. You already knew he would start scolding you the second he was sure you were safe. It was just his way of showing how much he valued your safety. “Now, I need you to tell me just what the hell went through your mind when you decided to let your guard down in the middle of a fight.”

The lecture lasted two hours straight. About 90% of it was him constantly telling you to stop being in your own little la-la world and to pay more attention when in a fight. There was no mistaking the sprinkle of fear hidden behind his eyes as he scolded you mercilessly. Yet, despite how harshly he was reprimanding you, you couldn’t help but notice how tightly his arms were wrapped around your waist later that night. How he held you a little bit closer to him when you two retired for the night.

You weren’t allowed to go complete any commissions the next day. Mr. Fandango man held you hostage in the camp. And when you were finally permitted, — yes, permitted. He’s paranoid, okay? — to go do your daily comissions, he stationed some fatui underlings to accompany you with your work. If he wasn’t so busy, then he’d go with you himself considering he’s much more reliable than some worthless underlings. However, he made sure himself that the underlings were qualified enough to look out for you.

Better safe than sorry.

— Hm, I wonder what kind of flowers your culprit wants at their funeral. Maybe sunflowers? Ooh, how about daisies? Heck, Childe will pay for them himself out of spite. — You thought he was clingy before you got hurt? Well, multiply that by a hundred. He’ll be spoiling you rotten during your time being injured, despite the wound being just a couple of teensy weensy cuts. — It’s not just little cuts in the grand scheme of things, okay? Anything can get tainted by bacteria, which can then lead to an infection, which could also lead to death, and then- and then-! (we get it, childe. chill.)

“I brought you some flowers.”

Your head swivels in the direction of the sudden, yet familiar voice that had just come out of nowhere. You had been preoccupied with cleaning the minor cuts that were littered across your fingers. It wasn’t anything too bad. It was all due to some sharp ice that a cryo abyss mage had spawned above your form. Luckily, you had dodged it fairly quickly. The problem was that the large block of ice had completely shattered when it smashed onto the ground, the tiny shards of ice flying up into the air and cutting up your hands.

A head of messy ginger hair comes into your line of sight. It was your significant other, Childe. He was holding a bouquet of roses in his gloved hands as he slowly approached the table you were sitting at, pulling out one of the wooden chairs and sitting down on it across from you. “Are those for me?” You asked, pointing your forefinger at the flowers he held in his hand. It was almost impossible not to let your eyes wander over the gorgeous bright red petals. They looked as if they had been tended to with the utmost care before being picked fresh. You could only imagine how sweet the aroma must smell.

“Who else would it be for?” The tone of his voice was teasing as he passed the bouquet over to you. You gratefully accepted it, and after pressing your face into the soft petals to get a nice big whiff of the pleasant smell, you gently placed the roses in a glass jar that was filled with various kinds of flowers. Cecilias that had been imported from Monstadt, qingxins that were plucked from the highest mountains in Liyue, and hell, you even had sweet flowers in the jar.

And they had all come from Childe. That wasn’t even counting the scrumptious, expensive sweets he had bought for you as well. He had been spoiling you rotten ever since the scuffle you had with the abyss mage. On the contrary, you hadn’t gotten injured that badly. It was just a couple of cuts on your hands. Although, the 11th of the fatui harbingers didn’t just treat it as if it were just ‘some cuts.’ He had been treating you as if you were fragile porcelain. Something that couldn’t be easily replaced if broken so carelessly. His eyes trailed over to the small bandages that were fitted on your hands. The worried and slightly enraged look in his big blue eyes hadn’t faded away the entire day.

“Are you feeling better, darling?” Childe lowered his voice to a gentle whisper as he kindly took your hand in his own, taking extra care in trying to avoid holding it too tightly lest it stings for you. The fabric of his gloves felt soft against your hands as he held them gently. A coy smile fell across his lips. “I take it you liked the flowers?” You nodded your head leisurely as a response. While you felt slightly embarrassed due to how much he’d been spoiling you, you couldn’t help but feel loved. Despite his status as a fatui harbinger, which would scare many people off, you couldn’t help but love him dearly. He appreciated you and your presence greatly and treated you as if you were a higher deity. Like you were the jam to his peanut butter.

The grip he held on your hands tightened ever so slightly as he continued to gaze deeply into your eyes, a loving, yet determined look in his own. You were here, safe with him. He would protect you till the day either you or he perished. Damn it all if he ever failed to protect you again.

You are the love of his life, and he is yours. Nothing could ever change that fact.

“By the way, did I tell you about how I murdered every abyss mage in the vicinity and beyon-”

“Childe, what.”

— He is freaking out. — Why didn’t you call out his name? Didn’t he tell you countless amounts of times to call out for him if you ever found yourself in danger? He was supposed to protect you, damn it! — He blames himself for it. 100%. He should have been cautious and kept by your side. He should’ve been there, and he wasn’t. — Even after he tears through the treasure hoarders with his spear, he still feels furious the more and more he stares at your wounds. How. Dare. They? — While he’s also furious, he’s also terrified. He can’t lose you. He can’t. He just can’t.

Your vision was blurry and your mind felt foggy as your brain scrambled around to try and process what was happening. Everything had been going well a few minutes prior to this very moment. You were on your merry way to Wangshu Inn to visit your beloved, when suddenly you got ambushed with a horde of swords and bows. The roughness of the rope dug deeply into the skin of your wrists as you were pressed up against a tree, your body battered and bruised. It had all happened in mere seconds. You barely had enough time to process or defend yourself from all that was happening, let alone even think about calling out for your significant other. And when your brain did clear up enough to think about calling him, you felt hesitant to do so.

You watched in a daze as the treasure hoarders ruffled through your belongings in your bag. All of your items were strewn around the camp so carelessly. The treasure hoarders didn’t want to just settle for your pocketbook. The greed that filled up their hearts gave them an intense lust for riches. Not that you had any. You hated every single moment of this scenario. It felt as if you were some helpless damsel in distress whom relied on others to come and save them. It was humiliating.

But it was either get saved or more than likely suffer a gruesome death.

“Xia-!”

Before you can even finish speaking his name, all of the treasure hoarders are dead and lying lifeless on the ground, Xiao standing menacingly over their still bodies. Your face paled just looking at the sight. While you knew your boyfriend wasn’t a stranger to ending lives, he never unleashed his fury in front of you. However, you knew it would happen either way. Xiao wasn’t a merciful soul to those who harmed the people he actually gave a shit about. Even if he didn’t like killing humans, he’d do so without a thought if a measly mortal were to put your life at risk. It had taken Xiao a split second to stalk up to your restrained form to break you free of the restraints that held you in place. Before you could utter a single word to break the silence, you felt callous hands untying you from the oak tree. The scent of fresh blood floated up your nostrils, the strong metallic smell making your stomach feel queasy. At this point, Xiao had gotten rid of his mask and was focused on getting you safe and sound. His eyebrows scrunched together in sheer frustration as his eyes scoured over every inch of your body, the bruises and slashes never once leaving his eyes. While there was also fury, there was also a clear sense of worry shown through how shaky his fingers were as he finally undid the ropes, how uneven his breathing was as he caught you in his arms. (more like snatched you into his arms.) He was trying his hardest to remain calm, but he couldn’t.

“Xiao, I-”

“…Are you okay?”

Even his voice trembled as he desperately tried to keep up a stoic facade. You knew he was panicking. He knew he was panicking. How could anyone not panic upon seeing their significant other is bruised and bleeding? While the injuries certainly would not result in your death, all he could think about was what could have happened. He could be burying your body right now instead of holding you close to him. He clutched you as if you were his most prized possession, which you were. He knew he had to get you to a healer, but he had the hardest time letting you go. He needed to hear you say it. To say that you were all right. That you wouldn’t leave him.

Your arms wrapped around his torso as you hugged him gently, slowly rubbing your hand up and down his back soothingly as you tried to comfort him. “It’s all right, Xiao. I’m still here. I won’t leave you. I’m okay.”

Those words were all it took for him to crumble down. His hands tightened around your waist exponentially as he held you close, his head pressed into his shoulder as he calmed yourself with his presence.

It would all be okay in the end. Because when it all came down to it…

“You’re safe with me, (name). No one will ever hurt you again. I swear it.”

“That’s nice and all, but could I please go to a doctor-”

“Oh, right.”

“The curtains have closed and the seats have become bare. The show is over.”

© 2023 cherishedhope. do not repost on other platforms, modify, steal, copy, or use without explicit permission.