#laying down & trying to sleep brought up the mental image of the scene & just my heart still hurts

[oftincturedwords]

the way tech shouts 'NOW' after saying that wrecker must severe the connexion hinge , i don't think i have ever heard tech shout like that in the whole series one or two. i may be wrong because sleep deprived but the absolutely urgency & s t r e s s he places on that one word hurts my heart all the more

he knows they have less than minutes before the car is taken from the tracks by the weight of the fallen car & he doesn't want his brothers & sister to plunge to death when it can be avoided , but too he knows none of them would ever cut the line that would condemn him to die , especially not wrecker or omega

i think he realises that after he says it because he looks round , as if searching for another solution , but cannot find one thus he takes the burden form their hands & shoots it himself

[pastpatientlywaitingforimagines]

Wormhole | Spencer Reid x Reader Platonic

WC: 10k

A/N: This is a comfort fic disguised as a CM episode. Also, I had a lot of fun writing this.

WARNINGS: Kidnapping, murder, general CM things, hospitals, mentions of blood, psychopaths

You weren’t normally nervous to talk to Agent Aaron Hotchner. Sure, he was your boss, but he had also been leading the BAU for so long that you always trusted his reactions and motives. Still, the reason you had asked him to meet was so far out of left field that you were nervous he would tell you you were insane.

You were the first one in the office for the morning, perching on your desk in the empty bullpen while you waited for Hotch to arrive. You stood up when he entered the office, but waited to move until he made it to his office door and beckoned you to follow him inside.

“Good morning, (y/n).”

“Morning, Hotch,” you stood awkwardly in front of his desk, clutching the file in your hands.

“Please, sit. Is everything ok?” As soon as you made eye contact with him, your nerves settled. Everything about his behavior showed that he was genuinely concerned for you and interested in what you had to say. You took a deep breath, sliding the file onto his desk.

“I was looking into this cold case from the eighties, in Illinois. Mia-Rose Horn, 16, found murdered under a bridge. I have a theory, and I was hoping I could take a couple of days to go check it out.” You bit your lip while he picked up the file, thumbing through it.

“What’s your theory?”

“The only suspects considered were older transients in the area because the town was so biased against migrant workers. My preliminary research shows that the unsub profiles as younger, someone who knew the victim and her family personally. It feels like there’s a piece of the puzzle missing, and I think victimology can really help this case. I’d like to visit the dumpsite and walk the crime scene. I’d also like to go through the evidence to see if I can narrow it down a little more, and possibly do updated DNA analysis. I’ve already contacted the lead detective, he said it would be fine if I went out there.”

Hotch was quiet for a minute, reading the case information from the file. The longer you sat in silence, the more you feared he would say no. Finally, he closed the file and handed it back to you, “the FBI wasn’t invited in on this case when it was active, how did you find it?”

You blushed, hard. “I was watching a cold case documentary and when they talked about this one it just didn’t feel right, so I asked Garcia to pull the file. Once I looked it over more I realized my hunch was correct. They barely built a profile and the one they did make was wrong.”

“Do you work on cold cases often?”

“I’ve only worked on it when we don’t have an active case and I’m caught up on my paperwork, it makes me feel like I’m still making a difference when things are slow here.”

Hotch nodded, “you’re a good agent, (y/n). I trust that you’ll represent the BAU well. I can’t let you take the jet but you’re welcome to an SUV. However, as soon as we get an active case it takes priority. Do you understand?”

You stood up quickly, excitedly gripping at the file, “Yes sir, of course. Thank you so much. I promise I wouldn’t be asking if I didn’t think I could do something. I won’t let you down, sir.” Hotch smiled softly at your energy. You had reached for the door handle before he spoke again, calling after you.

“(y/n),” you turned, hand still on the doorknob, “take Reid with you, I assume he knows the details of this case, too?” You nodded quickly, practically bouncing back to your desk with excitement. You checked the clock, Spencer would probably arrive in the next ten minutes or so, giving you time to arrange everything you’d need for the trip.

As soon as he stepped out of the elevator, you were waiting for him, go bag in hand.

“Hotch said you could go?”

“Not only that, he said you could come with me,” you smirked, falling in step next to him as he walked to his desk.

“Really?”

“We’re leaving now, so get your go bag.” You did a little happy dance as he started to gather his things.

“Ooh! Where are you going?” Penelope joined you at Spencer’s desk, hot cup of coffee in her hands.

“(y/n) is solving a cold case, we’re going out to Illinois to get more information.”

“The one I pulled for you? You actually solved it? Is there anything you can’t do?” Penelope asked in disbelief. Just last week she had explained to you why she was convinced you were a superhero.

You laughed brightly, “I don’t know if I can solve it yet, that’s why I need to go check it out for myself. Yes, I’ll call you if I need anything,” you answered when she opened her mouth to speak again. She hugged both you and Spencer before you left, making you promise you’d call her with updates and letting you know she’d call the detective to let him know you were on your way.

In true Spencer fashion, he had brought enough audiobooks to last the whole drive. You didn’t mind, your brain was more focused on driving. You didn’t talk about the case until you were nearing the end of the twelve hour road trip. Spencer was the one to bring it up, turning down the volume knob on the console.

“How are you feeling about this?”

“To be honest, Spence, I haven’t really been listening.”

“I meant about the case,” he chuckled.

“I’m trying not to get my hopes up. It’s been a cold case for over three decades for a reason, you know?”

“We wouldn’t be in Illinois right now if you weren’t on to something. Instincts exist for a reason, and your instincts are usually right.”

You fiddled with the air conditioning vents absentmindedly, “I don’t want to dredge up old wounds for the family and the town unless I’m absolutely certain I can bring some closure to them as well. The detective is the only person who knows we’re coming. I don’t want to start interviewing witnesses until I know I can do something to help.”

Spencer nodded, “I’ll follow your lead, you just tell me what you need.”

You spent the rest of the time discussing the details of the case, Spencer looking over the file again while you navigated to the police office. Having Spencer with you made you feel a lot better. You knew the case front to back, but this was your first time leading an investigation and you didn’t want to accidentally miss something in the file out of nervousness. Spencer’s eidetic memory and genius brain would keep you on track and ask you questions you knew would only help you in the grand scheme of things. Spencer was also your best friend, your biggest supporter. Any considerations he had would always come from a place of love and mutual respect.

When you arrived at the police station it was late in the evening, but the detective was waiting for you. He was an older man, tall and mostly bald.

“Hi, you must be Agent (y/l/n). Nice to finally meet you in person.”

“Detective Reeves, nice to finally meet you, too. This is my partner, Doctor Reid.” Spencer brought a hand up to wave. “Thanks for letting us take a look at this.”

“Thanks for making the drive out here. This case…” he sighed, “Mia-Rose went missing two months after I started this job and I’ve been hunting her killer ever since. It’s been thirty two years, a fresh pair of eyes will do this case good. It’ll do the whole town good if you can see somethin’ I haven’t.”

“We’ll see what we can do,” you said, not wanting to promise any results to him. “Is there a room we can set up in?”

“I’ve brought all of the evidence to our conference room. Use it for as long as you need.”

“Thanks,” you took off to the door that he had pointed at, Spencer on your heels. He shut the door behind you, dropping his bag on a chair while you picked up examination gloves.

The next few hours were spent meticulously going over the evidence that had been collected. You occasionally made comments to Spencer about where the item had come from and any notes that had already been documented about it.

The clock had just passed midnight when you were ready to move on to the next part of your investigation. You wanted to walk the dumpsite, but it would be useless to go while it was still dark. Instead, you retreated to a small motel at Spencer’s insistence that you needed sleep.

“I don’t think I’ll be able to shut my brain off enough to actually sleep,” you confessed once you were wearing sweatpants and leaning up against the headboard of the bed.

Spencer wandered out of the bathroom, giving you the softest look as he sat down next to you.

“What are you thinking about the most?”

“The evidence told me exactly what I thought it would, but I can’t build a decent mental picture of what happened until I see the dump site. What if I get there and it still doesn’t make sense? What if I’m in too deep on this one, Spence?”

“This case has been cold for thirty years, it can wait one more night. You are an incredible FBI agent. You’re an incredible human, at that. I know you can handle this, and Hotch knows you can handle this, too. If you aren’t able to solve it, you’re not letting anyone down. It’s been a cold case for a reason, I’m sure you’ll solve the next one.”

“Logically I know you’re right, but that isn’t making sleep happen any easier,” you sighed, sinking down onto a pillow. You could tell from Spencer’s expression that he had an idea when he reached up, turning off the lamp beside him and laying down next to you in the dark.

“This is called Image Distraction, all you have to do is close your eyes, try to relax, and listen to my voice.”

“Are you hypnotizing me?” you giggled into the darkness, feeling like a small kid at a sleepover with their best friend.

“No, it’s just a strategy to help you fall asleep. I’m going to describe a scene to you and the idea is that it takes up enough space in your brain to prevent you from re-engaging with other thoughts. Hypnosis doesn’t actually put you to sleep, just in a trance that seems like you’re sleeping. It’s been proven to help change habits and thoughts around sleeping though. There was a study done in 2010-”

“Is that what I’m supposed to be picturing? I’m seeing dudes in lab coats and creepy hospital walls.”

You felt the mattress shake next to you as Spencer laughed.

“No, that wasn’t it. I’m going to start now, picture a waterfall. As you walk closer it gets louder, pounding onto the rocks below it and spraying a mist into the air. The droplets of water stick to your face. You can see a rainbow that touches the pool at the base of the waterfall. The plants growing around the pool of water are greener than emeralds, bright and shining in the sun…”

That was the last thing you remembered him saying before succumbing to sleep. You had a very vivid dream while you were sleeping, not uncommon for someone in your field, but it wasn’t one you had had before.

There was a teenage girl walking in front of you down a long hallway. You instantly recognized her as Mia-Rose. She turned around every so often, beckoning you to come closer, but no matter how fast you tried to move your feet it was impossible for you to catch up. The hallway was familiar, you realized it was one in Quantico that you walked down every day to get to the elevator. It took longer than normal to reach the end, and just when you thought you could catch up to Mia-Rose, Hotch stepped out in front of you, holding Spencer with one arm and holding his gun to your best friend’s temple with the other.

“You have to choose, (y/n).”

“Choose what?”

“One of them has to die. Him or her?” he moved his gun to point the barrel at Mia-Rose.

“I don’t understand, why can’t I save them both?”

“One of them has to die.”

It only took you a moment to consider, “me. Shoot me. Let them live.”

“Brave choice,” Hotch’s gun came to point at you and his finger squeezed the trigger.

You woke up.

Soft morning light was coming in through the window and Spencer was already awake, quietly tying his tie while perched on the edge of the bed.

“Morning,” he grinned when he noticed you watching him.

“Morning,” you panted, sitting up and rubbing the sleep from your eyes.

“You were dreaming.”

“Yeah.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“Hotch made me choose between him shooting Mia-Rose or shooting you.”

“What did you choose?”

“I made him shoot me instead.”

You expected Spencer to launch into an analysis of your dream and what it meant, but instead he asked another question, changing the subject.

“Can we stop for coffee before we walk the dumpsite?” he pulled a blue cardigan out from his go bag and stuck his arms through the sleeves.

“Sure,” you said, stretching as you stood up. While you got ready, Spencer found the nearest place to get coffee, and you stopped there before continuing on to the bridge where Mia-Rose’s body had been found thirty years ago.

“I’m too used to walking active crime scenes,” you murmured when you pulled over to the empty dumpsite. Normally dumpsites like this were taped off with officers present, as well as some news reporters and civilian gawkers. You were sure that it had looked like that when the crime had first happened, but now it was just a bridge that nobody thought about.

When you stepped out of the SUV you noticed a small memorial for Mia-Rose nailed to a tree, wilted and weathered flowers around it. You stopped for a minute to look at it, then continued through the brush to the overpass.

Mia-Rose had fallen off of the bridge onto the ground beneath, where you were standing now. Her death was originally ruled a suicide, which had slowed the investigation until her parents insisted she wasn’t suicidal and had her autopsied, revealing ligature marks and evidence of assault. Just from reading the file, you knew that her parents were right. She didn’t profile as suicidal, and if she was she could have jumped from further down the bridge into the flowing river to your right, not onto the ground where she likely would have survived.

“Mia-Rose was found right here,” you pointed, “and her belongings…” you turned to your left, Spencer moving from behind you to stand where the girl’s school backpack and shoes had been found, a handful of yards away.

“They were found next to this rock.”

“That doesn’t make sense,” you said, facing him from where you stood, “the ME found traces of motor oil on her skin, so she must have been transported in a car. That means the unsub was driving on this road, stopped here by the bridge, then tossed her over the side. Why not just toss her stuff after her?” After thinking in silence for a minute, you started moving. “Stay where you are,” you instructed Spencer as you climbed the embankment. Once you reached the bridge, you stood on the edge so you could see both locations of dump sites.

“Spence,” you called to him, “how long is the average car?”

“Anywhere between 10 and 18 feet, depending on the size of the vehicle,” he answered quickly. You positioned yourself in line with where Mia-Rose’s body was found, then paced out roughly fifteen feet, landing you almost squarely in line with where Spencer was standing down the hill.

“What are you thinking?”

“This might sound kind of out there, but what if there was a partner?”

Spencer furrowed his eyebrows, trying to figure out how you had gotten there. He climbed up to where you were standing before asking you about it, “what makes you think that?”

“Eyewitness accounts said they saw Mia-Rose in a car with a man the night she went missing, and they were both sitting in the front of the car, but that’s about all anyone can agree on. What if there was a second unsub sitting in the back? If I’m the unsub getting Mia-Rose out of the front, you’re taking her stuff out of the trunk and tossing it over the side,” you acted out.

“Which means my DNA should be on her belongings,” Spencer concluded, finishing your thought, “I’ll call the lab and start getting things processed.”

“Good idea, I’m going to call Garcia and then we can head back to the station,” you said, pulling out your own phone as Spencer took a step away to make his call.

“Crimefighter! What have you’ve got?” Garcia answered her phone quickly.

“Hey Penelope, can you go through the list of Mia-Rose’s family members and get me some updated contact info?”

“Of course! Did you get a lead? I knew you could solve this,” she rambled. You could hear the clicking of her keyboard as she multitasked.

“Not quite, just a better understanding of the situation. I want to start interviewing family members to really nail down victimology and see if they know of anyone who fits my profile. Spencer’s calling the lab to get some evidence re-examined. When they send you results can you run them through CODIS?”

“Absolutely. Anything else?”

“That’s it for now, thanks Garcia.”

“Anytime, my love. I just sent the updated contacts to your tablet. Garcia out!”

Spencer was waiting for you in the SUV, once you finished your call with Garcia you drove back to the station. Detective Reeves assigned an officer to help you call the family members and invite them in for interviews.

“Mrs. Horn, thank you for coming in to talk with us,” you said gently to the elderly woman sitting across from you.

“Anything to help you find my little girl’s killer. Do you really think you can solve it?”

“We’re trying our best. Any information you can give us will make our job easier. Mia-Rose was walking home from school when she went missing, and was later seen getting into a blue car. Is there anyone she would have willingly accepted a ride home from?”

“No, she always walked, rain or shine so she could say hello to the neighbors on her way home. Except for Tuesdays, my brother Dylan would drive her home from band practice on Tuesdays because it was after dark.”

You exchanged a glance with Spencer, silently acknowledging that Mia-Rose was abducted on a Friday.

“Did she have any enemies? Anyone who would want to hurt her, bullies or friends she might have had a falling out with?”

“No, she was sweet to everyone. That’s why it was such a shock to the town when she was killed. There wasn’t a soul who hadn’t been touched by her kindness.” Mrs. Horn spoke so highly of her daughter, further validating your theory.

“Let’s take a break,” you said, noting the way she was tearing up, “excuse us.” You stepped out of the room with Spencer.

“We should talk to Dylan,” he said once you were out of earshot of Mrs. Horn.

“I agree. He was interrogated by police when Mia-Rose first went missing, but I don’t think he’s a suspect. His alibi was rock solid, but he might know something about what happened.”

You had the detective bring in Mrs. Horn’s brother, Dylan Godfrey. While he agreed to an interview, he was much less cooperative than Mrs. Horn.

“I told the police thirty years ago, I had nothing to do with it,” he drawled, “I was at home with my wife, God rest her soul. I didn’t even have my car to kidnap Mia if I wanted to.”

“Where was your car?” Spencer asked quickly.

“My boy had it, out with his friends. He had just gotten his driver’s license. You know how kids are, impossible to control.”

This was the first you were hearing of his son. Nowhere in the records from the original investigation did it say Dylan Godfrey had a son, let alone a son who’s whereabouts were unknown on the night of the crime.

“Mr. Godfrey, let me ask you this. How old was your son the year Mia-Rose was murdered?”

“Eighteen.”

“Do you know where he was that night?”

“Out, like I said. He didn’t come home until after two o’clock in the morning.”

“Do you know where he is now?”

“Last I knew he was working on a farm just out of town, the McGilroy’s place.”

As soon as Spencer had gotten the information out of him, you were firing off texts to Garcia. She sent you the address of the farm, and you called her once you were en route.

“You’re on speaker, Garcia. What have you found about this guy and why didn’t we know about him before?”

“I’ve been asking myself the same question. He wasn’t included in any of the original witness statements. I’ve barely been able to find information about him online. I know he’s still alive because I don’t have a death certificate, but other than that no home address, no phone number, no nothing. Everything I know about him is from his childhood, before Mia-Rose went missing.”

“Something is better than nothing, what did you find?”

“Daniel Godfrey, born in 1965 to Mary and Dylan Godfrey. He was a decent kid from what I can tell. He got good grades in school, even got a scholarship to a college in Chicago but he turned it down at the last minute. I’ll hit you back if I figure out why.”

“Thanks Garcia,” you chirped before she hung up. You pulled up the long dirt drive of the McGilroy’s farm, putting the SUV in park and getting out. Spencer was by your side in an instant, you noticed the way his hand rested on his revolver.

“My goal is to get him in for a voluntary interview. If we can get him talking, we can figure out what happened that night and why his known locations on that night fit our timeline. Best case, we get a confession and the name of his partner, worst case, he had nothing to do with it and we’re back where we started.”

Spencer nodded, so you reached up to knock on the door. After a moment, a blonde woman opened the door.

You flashed your credentials, “hi, I’m SSA (y/l/n) with the FBI, we’re looking for Daniel Godfrey and we were told he might be here.”

“He’s out back in the barn,” she said, pointing down a gravel path.

“Thanks so much,” Spencer said as you stepped off the porch. You reached the barn and pushed open the large door, revealing a man inside. He was carrying a bucket of water that he poured into a trough for a horse before acknowledging you.

“What can I do ya for?”

“Are you Daniel Godfrey?” you asked.

“Depend’s who’s asking,” he chuffed, wiping his hands on his dirty coveralls. You held up your credentials.

“I’m Agent (y/l/n) and this is Doctor Reid. We’re with the FBI investigating the murder of your cousin, Mia-Rose Horn. We were hoping you’d come in to the station so we could get some more information about her.”

“What kinda information? Mia’s been dead a long time now.”

You had to play this carefully, one wrong word and he wouldn’t voluntarily interview with you, “your father told us you were out with friends the night she disappeared. We were hoping you could tell us what town was like that night and if you saw anything unusual.”

“You talked to my father? I can tell ya right now, it was quiet. Just like any other night in this town.”

“Great, that’s exactly the kind of information we’re looking for. Would you be able to come with us to the station so we can get that statement through the official channels? While we’re there I’d like to ask you a few more questions, if that’s ok.”

“Are ya saying I’m being arrested?”

“No, not at all. This is completely voluntary.”

Daniel fell silent, considering your offer. When he finally spoke again it was gruff and hostile, “will my old man still be there?”

You exchanged a glance with Spencer, hoping he had a better read on what answer would be your best choice. Spencer’s tongue flickered over his lips, then he cautioned a response, “he’s there right now, will that be a problem?”

Daniel looked dejected, scuffing his feet in the hay below his boots, “not unless he makes it a problem.”

“We’ll make sure that doesn’t happen. Our car is out front, is there anything you need to do before we go?”

Daniel shook his head and quietly followed you and Spencer back to the SUV. He didn’t say much while you were driving back to the police station, and neither did you. You escorted Daniel inside the station, walking quickly past where his father was sitting, still talking to the officer Reeves had assigned to your case. Dylan stood up when he noticed his son, but Daniel just kept his head down and quickened his pace. You brought him to an interrogation room, a small space with just a table and a couple of chairs.

“You can wait here, we just have to go collect some materials and then we’ll be back, alright?”

“Whatever,” Daniel said, taking the seat closest to the door. You stepped out, shutting the door behind you.

“Did you see the way Dylan reacted when he saw Daniel?” you asked Spencer quietly. He nodded.

“Did you see the way Daniel reacted when he saw Dylan?”

“Do you think it’s relevant to this case? I don’t want to waste time asking about it if it’s just some squabble they had once. Hotch said I could only work this case until we got an active one back at Quantico, and you and I both know serial killers don’t take extended vacations.”

Spencer considered the situation, you could almost see the gears turning in his mind, “it might be a way we can get him comfortable talking to us, irrelevant or not. This is the best lead we have. Just like you said earlier, you have to get him talking.”

You trusted Spencer’s opinion, not just because he was your best friend, but because he had led his fair share of interrogations during his time in the FBI. He was really good at it, his accelerated mind picking up patterns of words and behaviors that you could only be envious of.

“What do you mean ‘I’ have to get him talking? I thought this was a team effort.”

“It is, but you have to lead this interrogation.”

You weren’t surprised at his statement, but you resented the fact that he was right. Your favorite part of your job was the quick thinking, the on-the-fly deductions you had to make in the field that helped you put all of the clues together. You liked helping people and actively putting bad guys away for the greater good of the country you served. You were good at your job, too, having spent so much time developing your skills with arguably some of the best agents in the Bureau. You couldn’t not be good at your job surrounded by minds like the ones at the BAU.

Like everyone though, there were some aspects of your career that you were better at than others. You usually excelled in the takedown and arrests of suspects and left the mind games to your colleagues that were much better equipped to handle them. Sure, you could talk a suspect into putting their weapon down instead of pointing it at you or a victim, but that was a heat of the moment interaction. Cool, collected interrogation rooms just weren’t your strong suit, and nothing during your time at the BAU so far had changed it.

“You really think I can do this?”

“Absolutely. You have the skills, knowledge, and rapport to conduct this interview,” Spencer showed no hesitation in his answer.

“Promise to let me know if I’m going down the wrong rabbit hole?”

Spencer smiled, “of course. Let’s go solve this case.” He handed you a sheet of paper, a form for Daniel to sign with his Miranda rights on it.

Once you were seated across from Daniel, you handed him the paper and read him his rights.

“If you don’t mind me asking, Daniel, what happened between you and your father?”

Daniel’s eyebrows furrowed as he looked back and forth between you and Spencer, “what kind of FBI agents are you?”

“We’re with the Behavioral Analysis Unit in Quantico, Virginia. We use psychology to solve crimes. I hope my question wasn’t intrusive, Doctor Reid and I both just noticed the way your behavior changed when you saw your father. He’s been helpful in our investigation and I don’t want any family conflicts to interfere if you’re going to help us too.”

“We had a disagreement.”

“Just a disagreement?” you pressed carefully.

“Just a disagreement.”

“Alright,” you said, deciding to leave it at that and move on. He was giving you too much resistance for the direction you had wanted to take the conversation, so you changed the subject. If his disagreement with his father was relevant to the case, you’d have to get that information out of him another way.

You started off by asking about Mia-Rose and gathering any information Daniel had about her. At first he was reluctant, just explaining that they saw each other during family gatherings and when his father would drive them both home from band practice.

“You went to the same high school then, if you were in band together?”

“Uh huh. It’s a small town, everyone goes to the same school.”

“Can you tell us about who Mia-Rose spent time with? Who were her friends?”

“Everyone was her friend. She was the friendliest kid in school.”

“Who were your friends?” Spencer asked, tilting his head. It wasn’t a question you had thought to ask, but as soon as he did you saw where he was going.

“Does it matter?”

“It does to me,” Spencer answered.

“Alec Krause, Markus Sparrow, Nicolas Rush,” Daniel listed.

“Where are they now?” you asked while Spencer pulled out his phone, presumably to text Garcia for a background check, “are you still in contact with them?”

“They all moved out of town for college. Haven’t seen or talked to ‘em since,” Daniel shifted uncomfortably in his chair.

“You were supposed to go to college, in Chicago, right?” you prompted. Daniel’s eyes flickered between you and Spencer, probably wondering how much about him you knew.

“Yeah.”

“Why didn’t you go?”

“Got a job at the farm,” he shrugged.

“Daniel, I’m going to be real with you,” you squared up, “I’ve seen plenty of small towns in this job. I’ve talked to many people from small towns just like this one, and almost all of them in your position would have taken the out. They would have moved to the city as soon as they got the chance, so why didn’t you? Why did you choose to stay in this town?”

“I didn’t have a choice,” Daniel was quick to correct you.

“You didn’t?” Now you were on to something.

“The disagreement I had with my father was about me leaving. He wouldn’t let me leave, so he got me the job at the farm.”

“Alright, let’s take a break,” you said, standing up and stepping out of the room. Spencer exchanged a few words with Daniel, then followed you out.

“That was big,” you panted, trying to shake out the jump of adrenaline that you were feeling.

“You’re doing great,” Spencer confirmed.

“When Dylan was talking about his son earlier, during his interview, it seemed like he didn’t have control over Daniel. What was it he said, ‘you know how kids are’? Something must have changed to make Daniel listen to his father telling him to stay, something that changed after Mia-Rose was murdered.”

Right before you were going to go back into the interrogation room, your phone rang. Hotch’s name lit up the screen.

“Hold on, Spence. (y/l/n),” you answered, praying that Hotch wasn’t going to tell you to abandon the case and get back to Quantico right when you were making strides.

“I’m just checking in to see how things are going.”

“We’re talking to a person of interest right now, it’s just very slow going. We think he had been working with a partner when the murder took place, but he’s not giving up names,” you explained, “please don’t tell me we have a case that we have to come back for, we just got a break that might open this case up for us.”

Hotch chuckled on the other end of the line, “no, we don’t have a case. Garcia told me you had a lead and I was curious.”

“Honestly, I don’t know how you were a prosecutor before joining the BAU. This is exhausting, and every time I say something I feel like he’s going to invoke.”

“You’re doing fine,” Spencer whispered reassuringly.

“Spencer says I’m doing fine,” you relayed to Hotch.

“I’m sure you are. Sometimes unsubs like this take time to crack,” he reminded you.

“It’s already been thirty years, I’d like to close it now,” you decided, squaring your shoulders. “I’m going to go back in there and wrap this up. I’ll call you back when we’re done.” You hung up with Hotch, then turned to Spencer. “Let’s do this.”

Daniel seemed to tense up when you walked back in, sitting down across the table from him once again.

“Thanks for being patient, Daniel. I’d like to know why your father wouldn’t let you leave town. From what he told us, he gave you a lot of freedom in high school. What happened?”

“We had a disagreement, like I said.”

“Right, we’ve covered that. It must have been hard going from being able to do whatever you wanted to working a farm job under your father’s thumb. I was hoping you could tell us exactly what kind of disagreement. Was it because Mia-Rose was murdered?” Daniel nodded, “ok, that’s a start. Was there a specific reason beyond Mia-Rose’s murder?”

Your tactic was deliberate, validating his feelings before pressing harder in hopes that he would give something up.

“He didn’t want me getting into more trouble.”

“More trouble? As in, you got into trouble here first?”

“Correct.”

“We don’t have any police records for you, Mr. Godfrey. Usually that’s the kind of ‘trouble’ that stops kids from going to college,” Spencer chimed in.

“The police don’t know I was there.”

“Where?” Your question was burning hot, and you watched Daniel squirm as he realized he had dug himself into a hole.

“I was in the car.”

“Which car?” you hoped he meant the car you thought he did, but you needed a true confession.

“My father’s car…” you chose not to say anything and instead let him sit in uncomfortable silence, “the night Mia was killed.”

“With her? Was Mia in the car with you?”

“Yes, she was.”

You had to maintain your composure, even though your insides were doing cartwheels out of excitement. This was exactly the kind of lead you were looking for, you couldn’t blow it now.

“Your father said you were out with friends, were any of the people you mentioned earlier with you? Alec, Markus, and Nicholas?”

“No, it wasn’t with them.”

“Who else was in the car then, Daniel? It wasn’t just you and Mia-Rose.”

“I don’t remember,” he started backpedaling, a clear sign that you were closing in.

“We’re going to step out and give you some time to think about it, see if you can try to remember,” Spencer interrupted before you could say anything, nodding towards the door when you made eye contact with him. You followed him out, turning to him abruptly once the door was shut behind you.

“I was getting somewhere with him.” You were fired up, to say the least. Now that you were in the comfortable privacy of Spencer’s company, you could let your emotions come forward.

“I know, I know,” Spencer smirked, “Garcia got a hit with Daniel’s friends, we should call and see what she has so we have more leverage when we go back in there.”

You took a deep breath, pulling out your phone and calling Garcia.

“Boy Wonder got my text!” she answered after the first ring.

“What did you find, Garcia? We’re really making strides here and anything you’ve got could really close this for us.”

“I ran the names of Daniel’s friends, like you asked. Almost all of them checked out, normal guys with normal lives.”

“Almost all of them?” you caught the specificity of her words.

“Right. One of them, Markus, he checks out too… but his brother, oh my his brother has done some stuff.”

“What kind of stuff?” Spencer asked, brows furrowed in thought.

“Kyle Sparrow. When he was 11 he attempted to rob a bank, and not just as a joke. When he was 14 he was suspended from school after locking students in storage closets. He’s been in and out of jail his whole adult life. He got out a year ago and hasn’t been back since.”

“That fits our profile. How old was he when Mia-Rose was killed?” Spencer followed up.

“That’s where things get weird, I was hoping you guys would have a good explanation because this really doesn’t make sense.”

“Garcia,” you called, refocusing her.

“Right. Kyle Sparrow was 10 years old when Mia-Rose was murdered.”

“What?” you whipped around to look at Spencer incredulously, hoping he would have some kind of information about child serial killers that would clarify the situation. Instead, he just frowned and shook his head. You had to decide if it was worth bringing up to Daniel and risk wasting precious time. You considered for a moment, then spoke. “Send us his address, we’re going to ask Daniel about him. If he seems like a viable lead then we’ll head out there. Thanks Garcia.”

“Done and done. You’ve got this, crimefighters!”

“Are you ready to go back in there?” Spencer asked when you reached for the interrogation room door handle.

“Do I have a choice? This case just took a turn that I wasn’t expecting.”

“It’s been four hours and thirty six minutes. We can take another minute to get coffee if you need a longer break,” he suggested.

“I’m too close to cracking this. I can feel it,” you confessed. Spencer nodded, acknowledging that your gut feelings were usually right. You opened the door, sitting back down across from Daniel. Spencer stood in the corner behind you, hands in his pockets.

“Did you remember who was in the car with you the night Mia-Rose was murdered?” Daniel shook his head. “Ok, that’s fine. I have some names that we’ve collected as people of interest for this case. I’m going to read them off and you tell me if one sounds familiar, ok?” Daniel nodded, so you opened your file and pulled out a blank piece of paper, holding it so Daniel couldn’t see the lack of information on your side.

“Emily Prentiss.”

He shook his head.

“Derek Morgan.”

Again, nothing.

“Penelope Garcia.”

Your list was intentional, listing people you were certain Daniel wouldn’t know so you could get a baseline for his behavior. It paid off when you listed the next name, “Kyle Sparrow.”

You could practically see Daniel tense up. Though he shook his head, his leg started bouncing nervously and his eyes were flickering frantically around the room, looking anywhere but at you and Spencer.

“Daniel,” you started, keeping your voice low, “remember when I told you Doctor Reid and I use psychology and behavior to solve crimes? You may not have noticed it, but your behavior shifted when you heard Kyle’s name. You know something about him, don’t you? Was he in the car with you that night?”

Daniel finally looked up at you, eyes watering, “I’m not a criminal.”

“I didn’t say you were. Was Kyle in the car with you the night Mia-Rose was murdered?”

“He was just a kid, my best friend’s little brother. We were out in my dad’s car, I had just gotten my license so I skipped class and took Markus and Alec for a spin around town. When I dropped them off back home Kyle said he was lookin’ to go across town to the library so I offered him a ride. I even made him sit in the back because he was still just a small kid. Then we saw Mia walking home. It always took her longer because she stopped to say hi to everyone she passed. Kyle suggested we offer her a ride too, so I did.

“It all happened so fast, first she was getting into the car and then Kyle had a knife at her throat. He told me he’d kill her if I didn’t do what he wanted. He made me drive out of town to the woods and watch as he tied her up and did horrible, horrible things to her. I didn’t even know a kid was capable of doing those things. When he was done with her he made me help put her back in the car and drive to the bridge. She wasn’t dead when he made me push her over the edge, that’s why I didn’t throw her in the river. I thought she’d survive it without Kyle knowing because he was too busy getting rid of her stuff in the trunk. He still made me drop him off at the library after, even though it was closed on account of it being real late at night, and swear that I’d never tell anyone what we did or he’d kill me too.”

“How did your father find out?” you asked.

“He found blood in the car the next morning. I told him it was from Markus, that he had gotten scratched up while we were messing around in the afternoon. He made me clean it out with bleach, told me I’d have to learn responsibility if I wanted to move out. When my auntie called him later and told him about Mia being missing, he connected the dots. He told me he didn’t want to know what I had been doing the night before, but if I tried to move away it would make me a suspect. He got me the job at the farm and I’ve been there ever since.”

“Thank you for your honesty, Daniel. We’ll tell the court how cooperative you’ve been, they might ease your sentence because of it.”

“The court? What?” Pure fear crossed Daniel’s face. It didn’t sit right with you that he had to be arrested, knowing he had been coerced into helping murder his cousin, but he had still committed a felony. You had to let the court decide his fate.

“Daniel Godfrey, you’re under arrest for accessory to the murder of Mia-Rose Horn,” Spencer moved behind Daniel, taking his hands to cuff them. As soon as he was done Daniel was passed off to an officer and you and Spencer took off, SUV keys in hand.

You sped towards the home address Garcia had sent you for Kyle Sparrow, wishing the rest of the team was there so you could split up in case he was at work. This part of your job was where you felt the most comfortable, the tactical side of an arrest that was more physical than the mind games you had just played in the interrogation room. It was just starting to rain, a light drizzle that darkened the skies as you drove to what you hoped was your final location for this case.

“Is there Kevlar in the back?” you asked, realizing you hadn’t gotten vests from the police station before you had left. Spencer turned around in his seat, checking around the vehicle.

“Nope.”

“Great,” you sighed, “let’s try not to get shot at then, alright?”

“Sounds good to me,” Spencer agreed.

You pulled up to Kyle’s house, which was more of a rundown shack on the outskirts of town. You drew your weapon as soon as your boots were on the ground, approaching the door cautiously.

“Where’s Morgan when you need him,” you mumbled, hoping you wouldn’t have to kick the door down, “Kyle Sparrow, FBI,” you announced, knocking on the door. A gunshot flew through the window next to you, shattering the glass. That was all the invitation you needed to bust open the door, but Kyle wasn’t in the room inside. You moved quickly through the maze of rooms, taking one side while Spencer took the other.

“Clear,” you called every time you ensured a room was empty. You heard Spencer clear a couple of spaces, then fall silent. You worked your way to the kitchen, finding him in a standoff with Kyle.

“I’m not going to jail again. You can’t make me,” Kyle seemed unreasonably calm, grinning slightly to himself while he pointed a pistol at Spencer.

“You’re wanted for the murder of Mia-Rose, Kyle. There’s no way to get out of this one,” you had to keep things simple for him and talk him down as quickly as possible before he shot at you again, “let’s just talk about it.”

“I don’t want to talk about it. I’m not going to jail for a person I killed thirty years ago.”

“There’s no other option. We know it was you, this ends here.”

“If I have to go back, it has to be for something better. You’re right, this ends here, but not because I killed Mia-Rose Horn.”

“How does it end, Kyle?” Spencer asked. You noticed the glint in Kyle’s eye, giving you a split second to push Spencer out of the way and get hit with a searing pain in your side. You heard Spencer’s revolver fire as you hit the floor.

“Get him first,” you grunted, putting a hand on your side to try to stem the bleeding. Spencer crouched next to you, worried eyes looking you over before he pulled your handcuffs out of your pocket. Your ears were ringing, but you could just make out the sounds of Spencer talking before you blacked out.

You woke up in the hospital, an all too familiar experience. Spencer was beside you, nose in a book. You weren’t sure how much he was paying attention to it though, considering the way his brows were furrowed and his fingers were tapping against the cover. He was lost in thought somewhere, you just didn’t know where.

“Spence,” you managed to croak through your dry throat. His eyes shot up from the page, lips turning up in a small smile when his gaze met yours.

“Hi,” he practically whispered.

“Is Kyle dead?”

Spencer hesitated, no doubt weighing the value of telling you the outcome now or waiting until you were better rested. He chose the former, shaking his head.

“I did what you would have done and shot him in the hip. He’s not dead, and once he’s healed he’ll go to trial. You did it, (y/n). You solved the case.”

“We solved the case. I couldn’t have done this without you.”

“You also wouldn’t have gotten shot.”

“So?” you shrugged, “I lived. Where’s Garcia? Usually she’s the first one at the hospital.”

Spencer’s smile returned, “she wanted to but a case came in right right after you went into surgery. She sends her love and said she’d make up for not being here when we get back to Quantico.”

“A case? We should get back to help,” though you were exhausted, you brain immediately went into profiling mode.

“No, you’re going to stay here and rest. You should be staying for longer than you’re going to, but I was able to convince your doctor that I was more than capable of making sure you got home safely.”

“I didn’t realize you were a rule-breaker,” you teased, feeling your eyelids droop.

“I’m not, I just thought you would want to go home as soon as possible. You’re not the kind of person who likes being away from their family, and we’ve already been gone three days. Staying here doing nothing, although it would be good for you, would just torment you more.”

“Thanks, Spence,” you murmured, falling back to sleep. You dozed on and off for the better part of the day, Spencer staying by your side the whole time. Towards the end of the afternoon, you woke up to his seat vacant. The immediate panic you felt was squashed by calculated thoughts, he’s probably getting food or in the bathroom. You fought to stay awake while you waited for him to come back. He surprised you by returning with someone behind him.

“Mrs. Horn wanted to talk to you, if you’re feeling up for it,” he said, resuming his position in the chair next to you. You nodded, watching the older woman enter the room from where she had been standing in the doorway.

“I wanted to thank you for finding my daughter’s killer, even though it put you in the line of danger.”

“I’d do it again in a heartbeat,” you reassured her, sitting up a little against your pillows.

“I wish her father could have been here to see it solved. He always told me not to lose faith, that a blessing would come our way. You were our blessing,” she dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief.

“I was just doing my job, I’m sorry it took so long for someone to figure this out.”

Mrs. Horn tutted, telling you she was just glad that her daughter could rest in peace now. Before she left, she made sure to tell you that if you were ever in Illinois you and Spencer were welcome to come over for dinner, and that she hoped you got better quickly so you could go help other victims.

Once she was gone, your doctor came in to follow up with you. You had been shot in the side, the bullet passing through and exiting out of your back without hitting any major organs. Spencer did most of the talking for you, asking questions you couldn’t make sense of and checking over your chart for what was probably the hundredth time that day.

“You seem to be healing well and have a… knowledgable… support system, so I’m going to clear you for discharge. If anything changes you’ll need to go into the nearest hospital, ok?”

“Yes ma’am,” you answered. A nurse came in later with your discharge papers, which you signed before Spencer helped you in a wheelchair and out to where the SUV was parked.

“Are you sure you want to drive in this rain? I can-“ you winced in pain, hand flying to your side, “I can do it if you don’t feel comfortable.” Spencer stifled a laugh, reaching his hands out to give you something to brace yourself against as you moved from the wheelchair the SUV.

“I don’t mind driving,” he said simply.

“Yes you do,” you quipped quickly, exhaling as you settled into the passenger seat.

“Ok, yes. Under normal circumstances, I do mind driving, but I think I can make an exception when my favorite driver has been shot.”

“Don’t let Morgan hear you say that,” you smirked, still struggling to breathe in a way that would make your side hurt less.

“Are you warm enough?” Spencer fiddled with the heating knobs once he was settled behind the wheel. You nodded, but the shiver that ran down your body betrayed you.

“You’re the one driving. I want you to be comfortable,” you mumbled.

“You’re the one who just got shot. Here,” he reached behind him into the back where both of your go bags were stored. He unzipped his own and pulled out a cardigan, then leaned over the console to drape it across you. “The wool will help you retain heat.”

“Thanks,” you sighed, relishing in the comfort of his gesture.

“You didn’t have to take that bullet for me.”

“I did. I pulled you into this mess, I wasn’t going to let you get hurt because of it.”

“Hotch sent me with you so that you wouldn’t get yourself hurt,” he rebutted.

You brushed him off, “I’ve been shot before, I’m going to be fine.”

“I’ve also been shot before, you didn’t have to push me out of the way.”

You were quick to counter, “you didn’t have to push Blake out of the way either.”

It was an unnecessary squabble, a fact you both caught onto quickly once you realized the direction the conversation was going. Instead, Spencer changed the subject to explain the history of the small towns you were passing through on your way to the interstate.

Miraculously, once the car was comfortably cruising on the highway, Spencer fell silent. You suspected it had to do with his intense concentration on driving in the elements as the rain got harder, though he also could have been giving you the space to sleep if you needed to.

It wasn’t until you were over an hour into your journey that he spoke again, after a quick glance at you revealed fresh tear tracks down your cheeks under the passing street lights.

“(Y/n), are you crying?” His question was so soft you almost missed it, “is it the pain? You’re not due to take your meds for another three hours but I know you have ibuprofen in your bag that would be ok to take now. I can pull over-“ his hand was about to move back to the steering wheel from where it had come to rest on the console, but you reached out to grab it instead.

You and Spencer didn’t really ‘do’ physical contact. You both had reasons not to, instead finding comfort just in proximity. As long as he was around, you were happy. This time, though, it was different. Maybe it was because you were touch starved, or because you had just been poked and prodded at all angles while in the hospital. Whatever the reason, the light grip you had on Spencer’s hand to stop him from pulling over was enough to make you feel the tiniest bit better. He was there with you, he was real.

“It’s not the pain,” you managed to hold your composure, knowing that letting any kind of sob escape the confines of your soul would only physically hurt you more.

“Are you tired? I drank enough coffee to get us home by morning but if you really need to sleep we can find a hotel somewhere. There are three off the next exit.”

“Spencer,” you ran your thumb over the prominent vein in his hand, “it isn’t something you can fix.”

“What do you mean?” He was puzzled, and by the way his hands were twitching you could tell he was deciding whether or not to stop the car anyways.

“There are hundreds of thousands of cold cases. Hundreds of thousands of families that don’t have closure. Hundreds of thousands of victims that haven’t gotten justice.”

“There’s one less because of you. You made a difference to Mia-Rose’s family, you got her the justice she deserves.”

“She deserved justice thirty years ago. I feel like the system failed her, the very system I work for. She was just a kid, and the answer was right there the whole time. Why did I have to be the one to figure it out, thirty years too late?”

Spencer’s response was soft and gentle, “because you’re exceptional, (y/n).”

“I didn’t have to be exceptional to solve this case, though. That’s what I’ve learned from all of the cold case documentaries I’ve watched. The ones that get solved are because someone knew what happened and didn’t come forward about it until years later. There was a psychopathic kid on the streets for thirty years because the police didn’t think to talk to Daniel Godfrey.”

“We can’t change what happened in the past, but we can make a difference in our futures.”

“I’m just so tired, Spence. I chose this job, I love this job, but it’s exhausting.”

“Then rest, (y/n). It’s ok if the only person you save some days is yourself.”

He was right, of course. You wanted to keep saving others, but you couldn’t do that if you didn't make time to save yourself too. You finally closed your eyes and pulled his cardigan up to your chin. Though you were still conscious, limiting your sensory input helped calm you down enough that you found yourself flitting in and out of dissociation. Even when Spencer’s hand gently moved out from under yours to answer his phone, you kept your eyes closed.

“Hey JJ,” his voice was quiet, barely audible over the rain pounding against the windshield, “they’re doing ok.” He paused while he listened to JJ’s response. “No, they keep reminding me that it’s not the first time they’ve been shot. I’m worried about them though.” He trailed off.

“They’ve been shouldering this burden of over 185,000 cold cases since we started working on this one, and now that it’s solved they’re finally feeling the weight of it. I don’t want them to drive themselves crazy trying to solve all of them on their own. We deal with enough active cases as it is.”

Though you were barely in a state of mind to process his words, he had hit the nail right on the head.

“How is the case you’re working on?” You presumed JJ was filling him in on what they knew, “have Garcia look into large purchases of triacetone triperoxide… Call me if anything changes. We should be back by morning.”

“Yes,” his change in tone indicated that JJ had asked him a question, “that would be great, JJ. Thank you so much.”

He must have hung up with JJ because his hand found yours again, fingers just barely touching. It was a simple action, loaded with a lot of meaning. Spencer was your best friend, and would always be your best friend. Bullets, cold cases, marriages, there was nothing that could break the bond you had with him.

You didn’t understand why people called their significant others their “better half”. It insinuated that you weren’t a whole person to begin with, a fractured existence that only found completion by the means of someone else. The idea that your life couldn’t be fulfilling until someone else made it whole was a concept that was set up for failure and self-loathing.

Instead, you believed that you were a whole person who could live a fulfilling life without the necessity of another. Instead, you surrounded yourself with people who lifted you up and helped you achieve your goals without being the direct cause of your success. Instead, you followed your dreams and somehow found Spencer Reid along the way.

Spencer was your best friend, your confidant, the one person who you knew you couldn’t live without, but he was not your other half. He was his own whole person, a mirror image of your own being. You found solace in his companionship, safety in the complexities of his brain. When the stress of your job got to be too much, you could reliably turn to each other and exist in the little slice of the world you called yours for a moment.

No, he was not your other half. He wasn’t even yours, for that matter, but he was there. He was there in a capacity that nobody else could achieve.

This is part of my GALAXY universe! If you liked this relationship, check out the MASTERLIST for more content!

Galaxy Taglist: @kermitsaysgayrights @niallthedancingharry @shadyladyperfection  @thatsonezesty13  @lexshead @ceeellewrites @howdycharlie @girlycakepops @fantastic-fans @canimarrypizzaornah @daisyflower138 @dyingrexx @taylormobley @bazzleslynn @tj-drinks-tea @willa-wonky @eddiesbifocals @tee-mbrown @reniescarlett @bone-hurty-bitch @messyacademia

[pretoriafics]

Therapy Sessions with the Devil - Part II

You guys requested me about this one so much! I'm glad all of you liked part one. Now, prepare yourself for your worst nightmare being Homelander's therapist.

Word count: 1.683 Contain: Therapist!Reader x Homelander Warnings: Mental disorders, sexual harassment, stalking and regurgitation. +16 only Versão em português aqui PART 1 THE BOYS MASTERLIST

If hell really exists, for you, it sure would be Friday mornings. Of course, that was a very contradictory thought for most people. Friday was usually associated with a fun day where, after work, you could go out with your friends in the evening and return home whenever you wanted. That was the advantage of Fridays: The fact that you know you don't have to wake up early the next day to go to work. Knowing that the week was coming to an end was like a cool breeze, as well as knowing that the next day would be pure rest. That didn't exactly apply to you. Okay, it was great to know that you wouldn't have to work the other day. That was the only good point on Fridays for you because on that specific day of the week you have Homelander as a patient. Your attempt to get rid of him on leaving Vought had been successfully thwarted because you were apparently a good professional. And you've never hated yourself so much for being good at what you did as a job. It turns out that, lately, things had started to get a little strange in the consultations with him. Homelander always mentioned a girl, whom he said he was starting to see differently. He filled her with compliments when he spoke of her, always reinforcing how much he loved the color of her eyes, her calm voice, and the way her hair moved with her graceful walk. Of course, according to him, if she were a Supe she would be perfect. But that's okay because he said he really accepted her "with that imperfection". You started to suspect that he was talking about you but avoided thinking about it. It not only made you sick with dread, but it completely perturbs you. A Homelander in love with you would be a great way to make it even worse than it was going. That morning on a Friday the 13th, when you arrived at the office, you saw that on your table was a sumptuous bouquet with the most beautiful reddish roses you had seen. Despite the beauty of those flowers, you took that as confirmation of your worst nightmare. Terrified, you let your bag hit the floor and ran to the bathroom. There, you knelt in front of the toilet and put all your breakfast out. Tears were wetting your face, your hands were shaking in pure fear. And then, you felt a hand touch your shoulder. “Yes, put everything out. Everything will be fine, it will be over… ” It was him. Homelander's voice flooded your ears, and you had to take a deep breath to try to take some control over yourself. “Okay, I'm already better. It must have been something I ate for breakfast. Can you excuse me and wait for me on the couch, please? ” He nodded, his blue eyes filled with concern. "Sure." As soon as he left, you closed the door. You took the toothbrush and the paste you kept there, brushed your teeth, and wiped away your tears. Then, you left the bathroom ready to get it over with. So, you sat in your chair while Homelander directed his worried blue eyes to you. You have started the query. "Well, let's get started then." “Don't feel pressured to make our session today. We can do it tomorrow, you are not feeling well. ” You forced a slight smile. “I'm better, thanks. And I don't work on weekends. ” Not least because you weren't willing to let Homelander ruin your Saturday. "I bought these flowers for you when I was coming here." He got up from the couch and took the bouquet from the table, handing it to you with a tender look. Homelander was beaming and even looked so anxious as a teenager in front of their crush. You, however, froze. You clenched your jaw and forced another smile, holding the flowers. “I appreciate it, John. I'm flattered, but I need you to know that we need to keep our relationship strictly professional and impersonal. I can have my therapist register canceled with this type of relationship with a patient because it is unethical, and I don't want to end up harming myself. ” Those words made you realize how brave you were. You had fought an internal battle to say that. "But I will put the flowers in a vase after the consultation." His expression became austere and you froze with it. Homelander nodded and lay down on the couch while you put the flowers back on your table. Fortunately, at that meeting, he hadn't mentioned you or anything you might suspect was about you. The subjects of that consultation were merely concerned with the Seven, about their suspicions about Starlight, and how angry he was with the team. You were with your head on the clouds. You couldn't stop thinking about what you would do now that your worst nightmare had become real. You were so disturbed, you didn't even see that appointment go by. It seemed to have passed in the blink of an eye, unlike the others that seemed to be an eternity. And then you were finally able to rest. Being Homelander's therapist also brought other burdens: No therapist could maintain consultations with you, because it was too heavy for anyone to hear you talk about Homelander. Until then, you hadn't been able to find anyone who could help you support the weight you carried on your shoulders. You even thought of writing everything you felt in a diary as a way to try to get out and put out what you felt. However, the fear that Homelander might read outweighed everything. That was another point: You felt, at times, that you were being followed and observed. The curtains in your house always remained closed, although you knew that if Homelander was really stalking you, curtains would not help. That was enough for you to start developing a little paranoia. But that Saturday had been unlike anything. As usual, you woke up with the feeling of being watched. However, it looked different that time. It was almost as if you were feeling that Homelander was also on the sumptuous penthouse where you lived. Knowing that hiding in any room in the house could be worse, you simply chose to go out with a friend. Your circle of friends didn't recognize you anymore, and they even seemed to be concerned about you. While you and your friend were walking through Central Park, while she was telling some random gossip from someone in your social circle, you couldn't stop looking around. Homelander was there, somewhere, watching you. You were quite sure of that! Night soon came, and that feeling of being watched did not go away. You had the impression that Homelander, when he came to watch you, never stayed that long. His maximum was three hours. But on that Saturday, he seemed to be on your heels all day. You chose to wear your worst pajamas that night, the one that best hid your body, since you never had the feeling of being watched at that time. You were certain that you would not be able to sleep, and you could already feel that your emotions were extremely drained. Trying to act as naturally as you could, you lay down in your King Size bed. You covered yourself with the blankets and turned off the lights. You were lying in a sideways so that you could see the door that went into your corridor. It was like you were waiting to hear Homelander's footsteps there. But then you saw, through the reflection of the mirror, the door to your closet - the only door you were facing away from. You saw the reason for all your dread. The mirror reflected the image of a Homelander with slightly red eyes, watching you through the crack in the door. His uniform pants were slumped under his feet, and despite the low light, you could see what he was doing - explained mainly by the movement of one of his arms. His eyes were on you as he touched himself, and that seemed to be the main reason he didn't notice that you saw him. Your heart sped up, and you had to contain a weeping of fear and the nausea you felt when you noticed that grotesque scene. Tears flooded your face so that your vision was completely blurred, and panic made your entire body stop functioning. Homelander was completely obsessed with you, and that would bring you to complete ruin. You didn't sleep the rest of the night - even when you noticed that Homelander was no longer in the apartment. Still, on Sunday morning, you only managed to get out of bed at seven. You had been crying all night, completely stunned by the surreal situation that had happened. Apathetic, there were no more tears, no energy to cry or be afraid. You were just an empty shell, an inanimate object - the Homelander's favorite one. So you walked slowly to the closet to change clothes. And there was proof that what had happened last night was real. It was everywhere. The pearly liquid present on the door, on the floor, and at some points on the wall proved that he had not touched himself just once that night. You staggered backward, feeling that sudden wave of nausea again. That scene was enough for you to stride to the bathroom, kneeling in front of the toilet while your body tried to expel something through your mouth, without success. Suddenly, you felt your heart racing. Panic enveloped you, and you leaned against the bathroom wall, your breathing as fast as your heart. Sweeping heat shot through your body, and you started to feel sweaty. The air seemed to start to drain from your lungs and you thought you were about to die. And if your time to die had indeed come, fine. Homelander would no longer torment you anymore.

[angelanimedesaray]

hey i saw your requests are open and i have the BIGGEST dad levi brainrot rn, can i request Levi and Reader in a long term relationship, reader’s sibling has a newborn kid and reader takes care of the kid and Levi sees how motherly reader is being, how would he react? i’m curious about what you think!

AN:  Ohhhhhh I love some Dad!Levi, I’ve got at least two or three fic ideas with eventual Dad!Levi, so it’ll be good to dip my toe into the waters a little earlier than I otherwise would have :D  I had these two little short scenes almost immediately come to mind when I read this and while I was at work, and its the first thing I started to do when I got home :D  Thank you for the request--I don’t get many <3

Plus, I think everyone needs some happy fluff after the two story whammies I just delivered XD

Fanfic One-Shot Request is below the cut.

~*~Different Kinds of Gifts~*~

*Levi’s POV*

He was midway through his day, finished with his daily cleaning routine (besides his own room) and finished with helping with morning training.  He was giving himself a bit of a break, and by break, he meant he was going to spend a few hours in his office doing paperwork.

When he opened the door to his office, he was met with an unexpected sight.

It wasn’t the same office that he used to have--once the two of you had solidified your relationship as a serious one and started practically living with one another, Erwin had moved the two of you into a larger space that was more like a small apartment than a simple office and bedroom.  The main front room was still his office, but it doubled as a living room as well, with a couch, fireplace, bookshelves, and lounge chairs taking up a portion of the room off to the side, though Levi’s desk and workspace was still center, and a straight shot from the front door with nothing in the way.  Instead of one branched off room there were three--the bedroom, of course, off to the right, as well as a washroom and a small private kitchen whose doorways were along the left wall.

Practically the lap of luxury by Scout standards.

However, right now the little sanctuary you two shared was occupied by more than just you.

Levi paused just in front of the doorway, his hand still on the doorknob and the door hovering open just a crack as he processed the sight in front of him.

You were sitting on your usual spot on the couch, somewhere he actually knew to look for you whenever he needed to find you.  However, in your arms was a small, carefully wrapped bundle, tiny arms hanging free and moving involuntarily around in the air, coming to curious stops whenever they collided with your chest, neck, or chin, little fingers curling instinctively against the human being they found.  A small face of soft and not-yet defined features was peeking out from the bundle, the cloth wrapped around its head like a snugly fitting cloak, and its eyes were open, staring widely at your face as you peered down at the babe with a soft smile, a mouth that could probably be covered by the pad of his finger working as if it was trying to copy the sounds you were making as you spoke softly to the little one.

For a moment, Levi was just...confused.  What were you doing with a baby in his office?  Where had the baby even come from?  He was pretty sure that whole thing about storks coming to deliver swaddled babies to expecting parents was an out for parents who weren’t ready to have the babies talk.

He was pretty sure.  The sudden appearance of a baby in your arms made him doubt for a couple of moments.

With the initial surprise passing, Levi shut the door behind him much more quietly than he initially would have, though you had already looked up by now to see him entering the room, that soft smile still on your face.

“Hey--didn’t expect to see you for a couple more hours, at least,” you said, as if it wasn’t noteworthy that you had a baby in your arms.

“Paperwork--what’s with the...”

Levi was dismissive about why /he/ was here, considering he was much more interested in why the /baby/ was here.  You only chuckled at his confusion, though, one of your fingers brushing against the baby’s little cheek and making the baby try and look to see what touched them, eyes following the finger as it traced lazy circles in the air in front of the baby’s face.

“You know how my sister had her baby the other week?” you said pointedly, and the pieces clicked into his mind.  Ah, /that’s/ what was going on.  Babysitting.

“I thought their boy already had a reputation for his lungs,” Levi said wryly, moving over to his desk and taking off his jacket, draping it carefully over the back of the chair for the time being until he was ready to put it back on and get back to work /outside/ his office.

“Oh, believe me, he does--he came here screaming and crying and people kept checking in to see what the hell was going on,” you said with a chuckle.  “But we got pretty well acquainted.  He seems to like me, now.  Don’t tell my sister, though--she’ll want to know what my secret is.”

“What is your secret?  They were having a rough time getting him to quiet down,” Levi remarked as he took a seat, remembering the tired circles under your sisters eyes the last time he’d seen her and how she’d been running through an exhaustive list of what they’d already tried to calm their newborn son down.

You shrugged.  “There is none.  I guess I just have a gift for it,” you said with a twinkle in your eye, turning your attention back to the newborn as he seemed to be burying his face in your chest.  “Hey, that’s not going to give you any food, I’m not your Momma!  Where’s that bottle.”

“Hey, hands off, those are mine,” he grumbled at the baby as he pulled a stack of papers towards him.  You shot him a look which he returned with the ghost of a smile flickering across his face, a bit of amusement in his eyes as he kept track of your movement through the office and apartment as you sought out the bottle to feed him.

Levi’s attention turned back to the paperwork he was planning on doing once his curiosity had been satiated, a relative silence falling over the room.  For the most part.  There was the occasional noise from the baby that got to eagerly suck on the warm milk after you’d disappeared briefly into the kitchen to heat up the milk.  You walked in slow, directionless lines around the room, wandering around to keep the baby entertained and in motion while you fed him, and a few minutes afterwards when you burped him (Making sure there was no mess left behind, of course), and as you simply hummed or talked to him, finger brushing against his lips, or his ears, or his cheeks, just giving him little reassuring touches until one of his hands curled around your fingers.  The smile you had when that happened was heart-melting, even if you had prompted it by letting your finger brush against the baby’s tiny hand, and it might have been a reflex more than anything else.

It wasn’t long before the baby was sleeping, but instead of laying him down on, say, the bed in the bedroom, you simply brought out a crescent moon pillow from the stash in the bedroom your sister had apparently given you while you were babysitting, and sat on the couch.  There you cradled the baby closely to you, mostly laying him on the pillow so he was securely held to you and you wouldn’t have to keep a hold of him with your arms, though they rested around him along the rim of the pillow.  Once he was safe and secure, you leaned your head back and closed your eyes, letting out a soft sigh and slipping off into a light sleep, something Levi could tell by the sound of your breathing.

The entire time, his attention kept getting drawn off the paperwork in front of him, watching you out of the corner of his eyes so you wouldn’t catch him, gaze following you as you paced around the room, watching how you interacted with the baby that seemed so content in your arms.  Now that you were asleep, he gazed more openly, even putting the pen down for a few moments with his arms lying loosely in front of him on the table, a small smile curling across his lips as he watched you and the baby sleeping soundly, the peaceful silence in the room somehow warmer than the sun outside.

A few days later, and the sight of you with your sister’s baby still hadn’t left his mind.

Currently, the image was plaguing him as the two of you stole some time for yourselves, the door to the apartment/office locked, with you sitting properly on the couch and Levi stretched out along the couch, his head in your lap as you gently threaded your fingers through his hair in a relaxing, soothing manner, allowing him to relax and stew in his own thoughts as he gazed up at you.

He was thinking about that peaceful moment when he’d watched you after you’d fallen asleep with the baby situated securely within your arms on the pillow.  He thought about that warm smile and the bright look in your eyes, how quickly the baby had taken a liking to you, how you’d said you had a gift for it.  He was looking at you in the present, but his mind was projecting an image that had been slowly solidifying in his mind since that day, of what it would be like, what it would feel like.

“What if we had a baby?”

You blinked, thrown off by his sudden question as you looked down at him in your lap, your hand pausing halfway through his hair.  “What?”

His cheeks colored with a light blush as he realized he’d just blurted that out loud without any context or explanation, just dropped it on you without warning.  “Not right now, there’s too much risk, but...eventually.  What if we had a baby?  When this is over?”

Your eyes were wide with surprise, lips moving without words coming out as if you were seeking for the right thing to say.  Suddenly, he got worried he’d somehow said the wrong thing, that he’d simply assumed, that he’d let his little fantasies run away with him without stopping to see what you thought about it.

“Unless...you don’t want kids,” he said, quickly trying to retreat and take back his blurted out question, already mentally kicking himself for springing this on you.

“No, I...I think I do, some day, I just...wasn’t expecting to be talking about it right now.  Honestly, I thought I was going to be the one to bring it up, not you,” you said with a slight laugh, hand running much more tenderly and intentionally this time through his hair to soothe him and any worries your hesitation had caused him.  “I do.  I’d love to have a child with you one day, Levi,” you promised him quietly.

Levi took in a deep breath and let it out slowly, closing his eyes to conjure up that mental image of you holding a child you’d had with him, that same warm look in your eyes--no, warmer.  Sparkling.  Like they were right now as you promised to have a child with him.

“One day...” he agreed in a low murmur.

Levi Tags:  @clary-quinn @humanitys-hottestsoldier @whalerus @sunny-flo @thirstyforsometea @hauntedhousecat @peaches-and-clouds

[sgtbradfords]

"Sorry, were you sleeping ?" with Chenford ?

Love your writing

Thank you for the prompt anon, I hope you enjoy! :)

Tim Bradford’s Thursday shift had been one of the longest he had experienced in a while. Not that it was a hectic night, especially for a Thursday but it all started after he had dismissed his officers on the nightshift to hit the streets.

“Hey Sarge, got a second?” Officer Amelia Hatch asked as she walked to the front of the room, the room clearing out as everyone went their own way. “That kid from that domestic the other night, can I contact the school, see if she will talk to me or maybe the guidance counselor?”

Tim sighed, “It wouldn’t be a bad idea, the kid doesn’t need to be bottling that shit up.”

“I think she would have talked to me the other night, but the mother pulled her away before I could ask any questions.”

Tim took a second to think before giving her advice, his lips forming a thin line, “Swing by the elementary school near their address tomorrow after shift, see if that’s where she attends and go from there. But Hatch, don’t blame yourself if she has no intentions of talking now.”

“Understood Sir.” The officer told him before walking away.

Tim had a pile of paperwork in the metal basket on his corner of his desk that grows by the minute that he knew he needed to get a start on, but being a man of few habits, he had gotten in the habit of visiting booking just after the start of the shift.

“Evening Luke, any regulars in yet?” He asked the intake officer who was typing away at the computer behind the counter.

“Not yet Bradford. But there is a full moon and a bad batch of drugs going around.” The officer spoke, never looking up.

Being the nightshift Sergeant of the Mid-Wilshire prescient of the LAPD, Tim had gotten to know his fair share of regulars, the junkies, druggies, and the few prostitutes that frequented one of the three holding cells.

“Great.” He mumbled under his breath. When you work in law enforcement, you always keep track of the moon cycle, the brighter and full phased the moon was, the crazier everyone got. Though it is not a proven fact, it is just a well-known fact that you learn comes with the job. “Let’s get those in, processed out soon, the quicker the better.”

“Wreck on I-10, van’s stuck in traffic. According to radio traffic they should be here within the next thirty or so minutes.”

Tim was about to thank the officer for keeping him updated when a loud disturbance stopped him, the door of the garage flying open.

“I didn’t do shit, you motherfucker!” yelled the man that was being escorted through the door.

The Sergeant moved closer to assist, the man fighting the two officers every step of the way.

“Harper, you good?” Tim asked, grabbing onto the other man’s upper arm.

“Fine. Found this one defacing the side of the church on Harrison Avenue, drunker than a skunk.” She told him as she secured him to the bench.

“You bitch, I told you I had to piss! You can’t prove nothin’.”

Nyla rolled her eyes. “There’s footage on the camera in the alley and on my vest.”

“You fuckin’ lyin bitch.”

“Enough.” Tim glared. “Get him booked, then throw him in the drunk tank to sober up.”

Nyla nodded as Tim walked away, heading back to his office.

He sat down behind his desk, keeping an ear open on the scanner that sat in the corner of the bookshelf in his office. He picked up the reports, reading them one by one as he began sorting through the pile in the basket, checking, filling, and signing the reports filled out by his officers. The report in his hand was particularly captivating when the shaky voice of Officer Hunt came over the radio.

‘7-Adam-22. Shots fired at my location. Suspect gave chase but is now in custody. Roll back-up and EMS.’

Tim stood, grabbing the keys for his shop out of the top drawer of his desk. The rest of the evening was spent documenting the crime scene and making reports before he headed to the hospital, checking on the suspect and now patient, the man getting stitched after cutting his leg while hopping over a fence. Tim made it back to the station thirty minutes after his shift was intended to end, preforming the daily maintenance on the shop before he made his way inside, heading for the office of the day shift’s Sergeant, Wade Grey. He brought the other man up to speed, filling him in on what occurred overnight, by the time he was done updating his fellow superior it was well past eight in the morning and Tim was dead on his feet.

Tim hastily went to the locker room, changing out of his uniform and back into his normal clothes before heading out of the department. He was lucky that he only lived twenty-three minutes away (on a good day) from the department and for a Friday morning, his commute was harmless besides the lingering effects of the morning rush hour traffic.

He pulled the vehicle in, parking his truck in the drive, reaching over for his duffle bag from the passenger seat before he exited the extended cab. He pulled the ring of keys from his front right pocket, unlocking the wooden door as he made his way inside, disabling the alarm system before reengaging the security system as he kicked off his shoes. The silence of the house had always been strangely comforting, the quietness enveloping him as his sock clad feet padded through the dark bedroom, heading for the bathroom. He tiredly stripped of the clothes, throwing them into the hamper before he walked back out into the bedroom, blindly grabbing a pair of black boxer briefs from the top drawer of the dresser, sliding them on before he pulled the covers back and falling into bed.

He stretched out, laying on his stomach, an arm under the pillow and one over his head, sleep claiming him within minutes of his head hitting the pillow, the comfort of the memory foam mattress with the coolness of the multitude of pillows creating the perfect combination.

The dream he was having was one he wanted to stay in forever, the scene his dreaming brain had concocted was perfect, the sunset hitting the woman in front of him, casting her in the hues it was projecting.

“Lucy, I-“

Lucy smiled as she stepped forward, moving towards him. “It’s perfect.”

“Are you sure?”

“Positive.” She grinned, staring at him the sounds of the ocean before them began fading into the background as she leaned in, the buzzing in his ears growing louder.

“What the hell?” he mumbled in his dream as the image began to dissipate.

The buzzing of his phone bringing his sleep addled brain back to reality. There were only four people that could get past his do not disturb settings, and out of the four of them he could immediately eliminate two.

“Hello.” He grumbled into the phone, sitting up as he let out a yawn.

“Tim! You are not going to believe this. Wait- shit.“ she said as the sound of shuffling came through the receiver. “Sorry, were you sleeping?”

“No I wasn- actually yeah, I was.”

He could picture Lucy grimacing on the other end. “Shit. I’m so sorry, I forgot that you worked last night, and that tonight is your night off. I got my days mixed up. I’m just- I’ll just hang up now.”

“Lucy.” He sighed, laying back onto his pillows. “What did you need?”

“It’s not important, I can just tell you tonight wh-“

“Luce, I’m awake now, might as well tell me.”

“Are you sure?” she hesitated as he grunted on the other end. “Ok, so remember me telling you about that high-speed chase we had the other day on I-10? The whole thing is about to get weirder…”

Tim grunted, listening as she continued in her story, her voice becoming softer and softer the longer she spoke and before he knew it, he had fallen back asleep, lulled by the sound of her voice.

“Tim? Babe?” she asked, smiling when she heard the even breaths and soft snore coming from the other end. She ended the call, placing her phone back into her pocket as she made a mental note to make it up to him when she seen him after shift tonight.

Working on two separate shifts and trying to maintain a relationship was difficult, sometimes they would call the other, forgetting that they were likely asleep. Other times, one of them would stay awake for the other, long after their shift had ended, just to catch up. Tim and Lucy have always been a different couple but when all the pieces fall into place, it makes the perfect puzzle.

[valwrite]

hide & seek; daveed diggs

masterlist

summary: Y/N L/N can´t keep a promise. (sequel to leap frog & hopscotch)

warnings: cushion violence.

fic style: drabble.

word count: 1807

author’s note: this is the third and final drabble from the leap frog series. sorry that it’s kind of short and not really as good as the other two, i’ve got a bit of writer’s block right now. like, i have tons of ideas of what i would like to write but, when i try to write, my brain forgets the whole english dictionary and is just like “qué?”.

It was official. Rafael Casal was going to kill Daveed Diggs and Y/N L/N.

The sun had barely risen an hour ago; the air was still crisp with the chill of the night; some people were just making their way home, exhaustion and last night's makeup painting their face, and there Rafa was stood, phone pressed to his ear whilst his fist banged against the oak door repeatedly. He'd spent fifteen minutes in the very same predicament, alternating between calling Daveed and Y/N. Neither of the two were picking up despite the fact he was sure he could hear their phones ringing from indoors.

It was typical, honestly, for the two to pull such a stunt on him. The poor man was juggling having to worry about his friends whereabouts and his own health, which was progressively slipping away from him as his stress levels grew from having both their close relatives breathing down the back of his neck and questioning him on where exactly the two could have disappeared to.

When they both had first agreed to spending the night apart, Rafa was quick to laugh in their faces and tell them they'd find themselves crawling back to the other by the end of the night. Hell, the two barely survived nights apart brought on by work- Rafa had once walked in to Daveed's hotel room and found him asleep whilst Y/N slept on his propped up phone screen, nothing but FaceTime to unite them during their time apart- so how in the name of Hell would they willingly choose to sleep without one another? The satisfaction of his impending "I told you so" was the only thing keeping Rafa going.

“Screw this." He muttered, shoving his phone back into his pocket. Crouching, Rafa picked up a few of the plant pots that decorated the front porch until he found the hidden key.

Quietly, and carefully, he turned the key in the lock. When the door opened, he pushed through slowly and held his breath, awaiting for it to squeak. A squeak never came, meaning two things: Daveed must have fixed the door and Rafa was safe to continue venturing into the home. Of course, he had to continue with the slowed movements and the careful breathing. The last thing he needed was to wake up the couple's four legged friend, that would only lead to an influx of tail wagging and puppy kisses being branded all over him. No, Rafa had to treat this like the most serious game of hide and seek he'd ever taken part in, on the off chance that Daveed was actually alone. The man was never a morning person, so being the person to wake him up, whether by accident or on purpose, was practically a suicide mission. Add that in with a reminder of the fact he'd (possibly) slept alone, Daveed was not going to be a happy bunny.

Rafa made his way through the living room where his eyes couldn't help but focus on the picture frames scattered along their television unit. They held so many stories, most of which he'd been present for and some he'd just been told about by the couple.

There was the cheesy one of them under some mistletoe on their first Christmas together, where Daveed had accidentally tripped over his own two feet and landed chest first into the cake she'd spent the whole day baking. There was the picture from a Warriors match they'd gone to, where Y/N spent most the night near drooling over the players and Daveed had silently prayed he still had a girlfriend by the end of the game. A candid photo of the both of them at some music festival, arms around each other and heads resting on shoulders. A collage section, filled with each cringe worthy matching Halloween costumes they'd worn. A picture of Daveed in a hospital bed, cast around his arm and Y/N sat at his side, their hairs still tousled from the kiss Rafa had walked in on before capturing the moment in a photo. At the time, they'd told him to delete it but the man was adamant they'd thank him one day when they were getting married and they realized that, without his meddling, the two of them would have never ended up on that date, in that hospital room.

With one of those things nearly down, Rafa was just counting down the hours till they came to the epiphany of his involvement in their love blossoming.

As he made his way out of the living room, the sound of a squeaky toy invaded his senses. Confused, Rafa looked down to see he'd stood on one of the dog's toys. All movement froze. He waited a couple heartbeats, to see if the pup had awakened. When no fur-ball came running his way, he assumed it was safe to move again.

The kitchen was up next. Rafa held back a laugh at the matching Mr & Mrs aprons which were hung up, mentally storing the reminder to mock them about it in his speech later on. A cupboard was slowly pulled open, a large bowl- in which countless of his favorite goodies were made by top baker Y/N- was lowered out of it and the tap was switched on, water trickling out of it and directly into the dish he was holding up.

Rafa now had to move more carefully than ever, his eyes flicking back and forth between the floor in front of him and the sloshing water in the bowl. But he had made his way safely up the stairs, down the hall and, now, he was finally rounding the corner to their shared bedroom. He could see the door had been left half open and, like the most tense scene in a thriller, Rafa took one step, two steps, three steps before he stumbled upon the exact image he'd been awaiting.

There they lay in bed, all shamelessly tangled up in silk sheets and limbs. His head on her pillow, her face buried in his neck. Casual sleepwear adorned them both- much to Rafa's own relief - whilst their outfits from the night before were strewn across the whole room. Each of their chests rose and fell in sync with one another, their breathing more peaceful than that of a monk. They so perfectly detailed what it meant to wholeheartedly be in love with someone, with no real effort whatsoever. It was such a shame Rafa was about to ruin their whole picture perfect sleep.

Eyeing the dog bed, Rafa affirmed that the pup was peacefully off in dreamland, with no sign of waking up and ruining his little surprise. He tiptoed from there onward, making his way around the king sized bed, stepping over abandoned cushions and swerving between articles of clothing. Panic coursed through him as Daveed let out a groan, rolling over where he lay. When the man's eyes remained shut, Rafa continued his careful journey to his best friend's bedside. After snapping a few pictures of the sleeping, unsuspecting fools, he lifted the bowl of water, carefully balancing it over them with his hands.

The first few drops fell onto the pillow, but the rest? They completely soaked Daveed and Y/N (mostly Daveed, he was Rafa's main target after all) and sent them both flying out of bed, eyes still half shut and wet hair dripping water all over the place. The first thing they noticed was Rafa, bent over at the waist, hand clutching his sides as laughter shook through his rib-cage.

“What the fuck, dude?” Y/N was the first one to speak, as she picked up and threw one of the cushions at Rafa, who smoothly ducked from her aim.

“What time is it?” Daveed had sat back on the bed at this point, shoulders hunched as he tried to find his phone.

“It's eight am.” Rafa passed him his phone. “And don't you what the fuck? me." He put on a high pitched voice as he addressed Y/N, dodging another one of her cushion attacks.

“I do not sound like that.”

“You do in my head.” Another cushion, this time it actually whacked him on the thigh. “I told you guys you wouldn't sleep apart and you two agreed to the bet, the forfeit being I get to dump a bowl of water over you both.”

“Hey, this isn't my fault.” Daveed stood up again, reaching for a pair of sweatpants off the floor. The bundle of fur had woken up by then, barking at Y/N's feet until she reached down to pick him up. “I was here alone last night, ready to sleep alone when she showed up at the door. She forced me to lose.”

“Oh, please!” Rafa was glad to see Y/N redirect her flying cushions at Daveed. “You practically dragged me into bed last night. I didn't force anything on you.”

“It wouldn't be very gentlemanly of me to turn away a tired woman at my door.”

“And they say chivalry is dead.”

“I brought it back just for you, babe.”

The buzzing of his phone in his pocket reminded Rafa of the fact that this was no ordinary day, where the two idiots in front of him had the entire morning to have meaningless arguments. Today, they were all on a strict schedule and Rafa was half responsible for making sure it all went well.

“As fun as this is,” He paused, redirecting his complete attention to Y/N. “you have a car waiting for you outside, to take you back to your parents home to get ready. So, with all due respect, fuck off and let me get D ready for you.”

“Fine, whatever, I'm going.” He could tell she wasn't really as bothered as she tried to seem, especially from the way her shoulders were shaking in silent laughter. “Be warned, Rafa, if you try take credit for our relationship in your speech, I will not hesitate to deck you in front of my whole family. Capiche?”

“You know, it's not too late to change your mind, Y/N. There's still a chance to rekindle our old flame and reenact that kiss we shared years ago.”

“Hey, watch your mouth!” Daveed made his way over to Y/N's side and wrapped an arm over her shoulder. “That's my wife you're speaking to.”

“Not yet, Diggs.” Rafa grabbed at the other man's arm, stripping him away from Y/N as the two tried to share a kiss. “Save that for the altar, you two.”

The couple collectively let out a frustrated sigh as Rafa guided her out of the house, both aware of the fact that the next time they locked eyes, they'd be swearing eternal fidelity and love to one another and, as much as neither would admit it out loud, they owed it all to Rafa and his gossiping ways.

[jawritter]

Prank Gone Wrong

A/N: This was a private request from my sister. So you guys don’t crucify me upside down lol. This was originally posted on wattpad, and someone who wished to remain anon asked me to bring it over here. So be nice lol. As always all mistakes are mine! Feedback is golden! Hope you all enjoy this one. I was nervous about writing it. 

**Disclaimer!** This is a complete and total work of fiction. I don’t believe Jared would ever do something like this!! LOL Even though Misha may beg to differ..... 

Warnings: SMUT, unprotected smut, drugged!jensen, jared being an asswhole on accident. (kinda), language, exaggerated effects of a drug, hint at reader with body image issues (very brief), male masterbations (also brief). Shifting viewpoints. I think/hope that’s everything.

Pairing: Jensen x Jared, Jensen x reader, Dean x Cherry (reader’s character), Richard Speight x reader, Richard Speight x Jensen, Misha x Reader, Jared x Reader, Jared x Misha. 

Word Count: 5103

Want more? Check out my masterlist!

****MASTERLIST****

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Jensen's POV:

"Jensen, JENSEN!" Mikaela screamed at him. Making him jump in his seat. 

"Sorry." He said, Settling back down in the makeup chair. Turning his head for her like she wanted so that she could even out the base coat of makeup she was applying to his face. 

"You feeling okay? You're really zoned out this morning."

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine, just tired I guess." Jensen said. Knowing that was an absolute lie. He wasn't tired at all. In fact he'd never felt more awake in his life. 

Today was the day he'd been nervous about since he found out about it. The sex scene between "Cherry," Dean's new love interests.. And Dean. And Cherry just happened to also be Richard's niece y/n. 

See Jensen has had a secret crush on y/n since she started working for the show four weeks ago. He'd been separated from Danneel for six months now. The only ones on the set that knew that was Jared. So there was no way that Jensen could ask y/n out even though he really wanted to. He had to wait for things to become public, and he didn't want to do that until the divorce was finalized. 

Now here he was, going to have to preform a sex scene with the woman that he can't seem to get out of his head. While everyone, except Jared, thinks that he's still in love with Danneel.

"Morning sexy!!" Jared said, flopping down in the makeup chair next to him. Handing him a cup of coffee that he gladly accepted. 

"Thank you!! I was running late this morning, and didn't get go by and grab myself any." 

"So you ready for today's scene with y/n?" Jared said wiggling his eyebrows at his friend. Watching him intently as he took a deep swing from his coffee.

"Yea, guess as I'll ever be... "

"Okay Jensen your done!" Mikaela said. Ushering him out of the trailer door. He was running late to the costume trailer as well, so he downed the rest of his coffee, and bolted for the door. Glad to be away from Jared and the conversation at hand. He did not want to discuss today's scene with anyone. He just wanted to get it over with. He definitely didn't want to admit he was fighting everything in him that was excited to see her underneath him, even if it was just pretend.

Jared's POV:

Jared rushed out of the makeup trailer headed toward the costume trailer. Seeing Misha coming out of it already in full Castiel mode. 

"Misha you coming to watch Jensen and y/n's scene today?" He asked. Making only two short strides of his long legs in order to catch up with the shorter man. 

"I don't know, should I? My coverage isn't until once they're done with you in the bunker library." Misha said. Looking up from his script he was reading when Jared had caught up with him. 

" Well you might want to, it might get... Interesting..." Jared said. Almost bouncing on the balls of his feet with glee. 

"What did you do Jared?" Misha said. Looking at the overly tall man, concerned, but grateful for once It was Jensen and y/n who were in the line of fire and not Misha himself. 

"Well. I was at my uncle's house on the brake, and while I was snooping in his guest bathroom I found some Viagra shots. So.. .I kind of stole one of them... Anyway, I knew Jay and y/n had this scene today, and was running late. So I got him a cup of coffee and brought it to the makeup trailer for him. With the Viagra shot mixed in it..." 

Jared was grinning like a criminal that had just pulled off the greatest bank robbery in human history. Misha stood there with his jaw on the ground, caught somewhere between amusement, and concern for Jensen. 

"Well did... I'm... Oh my god Jared... Did he drink it?" Misha said. Concern growing, but amusement winning out in the end. He did make a mental note NEVER to accept coffee from Jared ever again...

"Yep downed it before he left the makeup trailer. Come on, it's going to take them about an hour to set up. So it should be good and in his system by the time they get down to business." Jared said taking off toward the costume trailer to hurry and get changed into Sam's outfit. This may be the greatest prank he's pulled yet!!

Your POV:

You were having one of those days.. Nothing was going right. You spilled your coffee this morning before you got to finish it. Cliff was late getting you and Jensen to set, you both lived in the same apartment complex while filming in Vancouver, so you usually just car pooled with them, it was just easier. 

Even though you guys were already running late, traffic kept you even later, like the whole universe was trying to cosmically get you back for having  a huge crush on this extremely handsome and extremely married man that was sitting next to you. 

You where nervous about the sex scene today. No matter how many of them you did, they were always awkward. Add in the major crush you had on your costar, and that made it even more awkward. 

Jensen must have been nervous, because he wasn't his normal talkative self on the way into the studio. 

It was an hour worth of hair and makeup for you, then to your trailer to change into your nude underwear and robe to head to set. It was also December in Vancouver, which made that a very cold walk.

By the time you got to set that morning. Everyone was there and in place. Jensen was standing off in the corner talking to the director, you took your place already in the bed. For this scene your character Cherry was supposed to be sleeping, and Dean comes into her to.. Well You know... After an extra difficult hunt and your characters argument that you filmed yesterday were Dean had admitted his feelings for Cherry, but ran out of the bunker before she could respond to him.

Stripping your robe you get under the sheets and turn on your side as directed by Eric. Your uncle Richard comes over and kneels down on the side of the bed to talk to you.

"How are you feeling kid, are you sure you're okay with this?" 

"I'm a big girl Richard. I think I can handle a little sex scene." You tell him. Trying to downplay your nerves a little. 

"Okay, Okay," He said. Throwing his hands up in mock surrender. "You know what's going to happen, Jensen's going to come through the door, stand next to your bed. The coverage is going to be on a sleeping Cherry, Dean will then strip down and slip into the bed with you. That's where we're going to start the fun stuff. Now we haven't scripted this scene. Because no matter how much we've tried we can't make it look real on paper, so we're going to have Jensen adlib it. Just follow his lead. If at any moment you feel awkward or uncomfortable, just let us know and we'll reset and start over again. Okay." 

"Okay." You said. Feeling a little information overload, but you should be used to that by now. 

"Okay." He said, Standing up as they brought the lights down on set. "Jensen's a professional, don't worry." He said winking at you and making his way over to his directors chair while you tried your damndest to calm down your racing heart rate. 

Jensen's POV:

Jensen stood off to the side of the set, letting you get comfortable and covered before he made his way to his mark. Trying his hardest to keep his mind on the upcoming task at hand. To do this with as few takes as possible. 

He felt funny, but attributed it to his nerves, and tried to shake it off. Looking over to the side of him behind the camera he saw Jared and Misha standing off to the side by the PA's whispering to each other. Probably going to try and find a reason to make fun of him after this scene is over. Great more pressure. 

Jensen adjusted his stance uncomfortably as the lights came down and they called the markers in place. The commands started to come out. Y/n adjusted in the bed and smiled at him. A smile that nearly knocked the breath out of him. The only problem is it seemed to show off her cleavage in the brief moment that she turned toward him. 

"Quiet on set!!" 

Fuck he was already getting hard, and he hadn't even gotten to the bed yet were she was laying. What the fuck was wrong with him? He tried to low key adjust himself to make himself more comfortable, and hide the fact that he was already having some problems. He'd never done this before. His heart rate quickened. 

"Action."

Your POV:

As soon as they called action your eyes closed and you started to put on the presumption that Cherry was asleep. Waiting for Dean to come through the door with battered breath. You never get tired of watching Jensen play Dean. Jensen was sexy to begin with, but when he put on his bad ass hunter act it just did all sorts of things to you that you weren't ready to admit yet.

You could hear the door shut to Cherry's room, you could also hear your heart beating in your ears, but you tried to ignore it. Keeping focused on keeping your breaths even, like you would if you were really sleeping. 

You could feel Jensen's presents behind you. Even though your eyes were closed. Hearing Dean's clothes hit the floor as he made quick work of them. 

You felt the bed dip as his weight came down behind you, his lips finding your throat. You knew that there was no script to this, and that he was just winging it. So you lay there. Playing off the fact that he hadn't woken her up yet. 

His lips ghosted over your throat to the pulse points behind your ears and you couldn't stop the shiver that went down your back.

"Cut!!!"

"Okay guys great so far. I don't think he needs to do that again. The next time it cuts to you guys your already going to be deep in the act. So... Let's start from there. Since this isn't scripted this might have to be done a few times. You guys good so far?" Richard called out from his directors chair.

"Yea, let's just do it." Jensen said, his voice was a little more strained than normal. He must be nervous too. 

"Okay you guys get in position and Jensen nod when you're ready."

Jensen adjusted himself to be hovering over you. Trying his best to keep staring at the wall, and not you lying underneath him. 

To say that the man was breathtaking was an understatement. A light sheen of sweat already coating his chest. You wondered if they sprayed him before he got into the bed. Why would he already be sweating? Jay wasn't really a sweater. Not that you'd ever noticed anyway. 

Finally looking down at you when he'd positioned himself between your legs, trying hard not to touch you with his body. He supported his weight on his arms, and knees. 

"You okay?" He asked. Looking down at you finally.

"Yeah I'm good, you?" You were starting to feel a little concerned about him. He wasn't acting like his normal joking Jensen at all. It worried you.

"I'm fine sweetheart don't worry about me." He said, winking at you. Trying to make light of an awkward situation. Even though you had nude underwear on, you couldn't help but feel exposed to him, and you couldn't help but feel self conscious about the parts of your body that you weren't necessarily happy with. 

Jensen looked over to Richard and nodded to him. Then the two of you lay there waiting on the words action!

Jensen had his eyes closed and was taking deep breaths above you. 

"Quiet on Set, ready, and action!!"

As soon as the words were called Jensen's mouth crashed into yours. Knocking the wind out of you. My god the man was a good kisser. 

His lips brushed lightly over your own. That's when you felt him start to move his body above your own, careful not to touch his hips to yours, and keep you covered from the other eyes in the room. 

"Cut!!"

Jensen's head connected to your shoulder and he growled in frustration. "What now Rich?" 

Richard took a tentative step toward the two of you. Jensen still holding his body above your own. 

"I'm sorry Jensen, It just didn't look real, your holding your body too high above hers, you're going to have to have a little contact with each other. You've done this before Jensen. What's wrong today?" 

Jensen took a deep breath, looking from Richard to you. "I just don't want to make y/n feel uncomfortable." He said, keeping his eyes focused on the bed comforter. It was starting to make you feel even more self conscious. Did he not feel attracted to you at all? Did you disgust him so much that he didn't want to even pretend to have sex with you?

Quickly you shoved the feels down, you had to get through this scene. He said he just didn't want to make you uncomfortable. He was trying to show you a little respect, and keeping his eyes deviated form you until absolutely necessary y/n quite being so self conscious!! Jensen is your friend!

"Y/n I don't mean to sound crude, but your niece, and I know you can handle it. I've seen you at parties, we're not that far apart in age, I'm sure you're not a virgin." Your eyes narrowed at him, silently daring him not to go too far here. 

Richard threw his hands up in surrender, and stepped back a step. "All I'm saying is I don't think he'd make you that uncomfortable if his hips ground into you a little. Hell you both have underwear on. It's not like you're really touching each other." 

Rolling your eyes at him and fighting the urge to throw a pillow at his face. "No Richard, it won't make me uncomfortable. Now can we get this done!' 

"Fine, Okay guys here we go!" Richard said running back to his seat. "Action."

Again Jensen's mouth found yours. Slow, but gaining momentum. He ran his hand down your side that the camera was covered on and you couldn't help the small gasp that left your lips or the involuntary shiver that ran down your spine at his touch. 

What you didn't expect was his tongue to run across your lip. Maybe it was an accident. Was he really going to break that rule? Not that you'd mind, but It just didn't seem like Jensen. 

Until you felt it again. This time you give him entrance, and he moans so lowly into your mouth that the camera's wouldn't be able to catch it. The sound is going directly to your core. Soaking your thin layer of panties. 

With that his hips came down fully against yours. Grinding into you once. Something felt off, but you couldn't put your finger on it. His hips came down to yours again as his mouth made its way down your throat. This time you felt him. 

Was he seriously fully erected right now?

He started picking up his pace. Almost rutting into you now. Little moans fall from his lips. 

"Cut!! JENSEN!!"  As soon as his name was called. He flew out of the bed. His back to you and his hands in his hair.  God his back was sexy, but you could tell there was something wrong. 

"Richard I need a few minutes!!" He called over his shoulder not turning around. Jared and Misha burst into a hysterical fit of laughter as Jensen through his robe over his shoulders and almost ran off the set. 

"Okay everybody take 30." Richard said. Grabbing your robe you threw it over your shoulders before Jared and Misha made their way over to where you were standing. Jared was laughing so hard he could hardly breath.

"It's not funny Jared. I think something is wrong with Jensen." You tell him as soon as he gets an ear shot. He couldn't respond only doubling over in laughter.

"Oh yea there's something wrong with him alright." Misha said wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. "It's hard to do a sex scene when your horny as fuck." 

With that Jared fell down on the ground on his back rolling. You resisted the urge to hit Misha in the face.

"What is that supposed to mean?" You asked. You weren't about to tell them what you felt, or what Jensen was doing right before the director called cut, because that wasn't Jensen you knew it. They'd done something to him.

"I mean Jared here slipped him liquid Viagra in his coffee this morning in the makeup trailer. He's not quite thinking with his upstairs brain at the moment."

Running your hands over your face as Jared got to his feel heaving with laughter, trying to catch his breath.

"Looks like he ran off to his trailer to try and get ahold of Danneel." Misha said doubling over in his own fit of laughter. Jared on the other hand froze. Not laughing anymore. 

"Oh fuck I forgot." He said, Looking between the two of you. 

"Forgot what?" You said. Fighting the urge to go find a step ladder so that you could slap him in the face without having to jump.

"You guys got to promise not to tell this to anybody, but him and Danni are getting a divorce."

Misha, no longer laughing, turned and faced Jared. "So you mean he's got no one to help him out there, and he's going to basically be stuck with a minimum four hour erection. Jared that's not funny."

"I fucking forgot okay, I knew he had a crush on y/n, he was nervous about the scene today, I just wanted to fuck with him. I didn't think that far ahead. He should be able to just beat it off he'll be fine."

You stood there in stunned silence. "He's got a crush on me?" You said. Looking between the two men. 

They both stopped and looked at you. Jared visibly kicked himself for this prank that had gone very wrong, very quickly.

"Jared you got to go tell him what you did! He's probably freaking the fuck out right now" You tell him. Jared nodes at you, and runs off toward Jensen's trailer. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. He felt horrible, but it was too late to take it back now. 

You stood there for a moment weighing your options. 

Finally you made up your mind. 

"Misha go tell Richard we're going to need a lot longer than 30, and that he should go ahead and just do yours and Jared's coverage, me and Jensen can resume after lunch." You said, stalking your way toward Jensen's trailer. 

Misha watched you go. He couldn't help the smirk that spread across his face as realization hit him of where you were going, and just what you had planned to do.

Maybe this prank hadn't gone so wrong after all.

Jensen's POV:

"YOU FUCKING What?!?!" To say that Jensen was livid was an understatement. "What the fuck am I going to do now Jared?!" Pacing back and forth across the trailer. He was frustrated, hornier than he'd ever been in his life, and annoyed beyond belief because of the combination of the two. He was also on the verge of panic. He'd never taken anything like this before, so he had no idea how it was going to react to him, he was only about an hour and a half into its effects. 

"Jensen I'm so fucking sorry, I wasn't thinking about you not having anyone.... to.... you know..." Jensen narrowed his eyes at him in a death glare. Jared threw his arms up, and backed up a few steps. 

"Well guess who gets to explain to Richard why I can't do this scene today?" Jensen says, voice filled with humorless venom. 

Jared looked at the ground, and nodded before looking back up at Jensen who's face and neck was slightly red in the tent. Palming himself through his robes subconsciously. Not looking at Jared at all anymore. Just leaning against the wall with his eyes shut next to the bedroom of the trailer. 

"Maybe I should take you to the hospital?" Jared asked sheepishly. Jensen through his hand up to shut him up. It was getting harder to concentrate. 

"Jared I'm not going to the hospital for this, you've lost your fucking mind." 

"Well if you can't get your... self... under control there you may have to." 

"Jared get the fuck out."

"But.."

Jensen said nothing just pointed to the front door. Jared nodded and walked out the door.  Jensen flopped down on the small couch where he kept his pillow for napping during takes. 

Grabbing a bottle of lotion from the table that y/n had left in there when she was there yesterday running lines with him. The thought of her made him ache even more. His mind is unable to focus on anything but her, and what she'd feel like wrapped around him. 

Groaning and running his hand down his face, he pulled his robe open, and freed himself from his boxers. Putting  a generous amount of lotion in his hand, then began to stroke his aching length. Getting desperate to find some relief. 

He'd only pumped himself about twice when there was another knock on his door. Fuck this was literally going to kill, or Jared, he wasn't sure yet. 

Your POV:

Reaching Jensen's trailer you still your nerves, reach up and knock on the door.... Nothing. Clif's SUV was still in the parking lot, so you knew he was still here. Just not answering the door. 

Reaching up you knock again a little louder. 

"Go away Jared!!" Finally came the muffled response through the trailer door. 

Taking a deep breath, and thanking God that he hadn't had some massive reaction, or had a heart attack from the medication you steel your nerves. 'You can do this.'

"Jensen let me in please." You yell back through the door. Silence for a moment, Just as you were about to pick the lock you heard his voice a little closer to the door. 

"Y/n go away, you don't want to see me right now." 

"Jensen please! I know what Jared did to you! Misha is talking to Richard right now! Let me in!"

Silence. 

"Don't make me pick the lock Jensen."

More silence. 

Just as you were about to pull the hairpin out of your pock to pick the lock on his trailer door, playing a hunter on TV had taught you how to pick a lock pretty well, you heard the latch unlock on the trailer. 

Opening the door yourself you see Jensen leaning against the bar that separated the living room from the kitchen section of the trailer. 

His face and neck were red, he had a light sheen of sweat still on his face. His breathing was a little heavier than normal. You could only see him from the chest down, seeing as he was standing behind the bar. 

"Are they going to cancel the scene for the rest of the day?" He asked. His voice is rough and low. The sound alone sends shock waves through your body. Landing somewhere in your core. 

"Yeah, we're off the hook until lunchtime." You tell him reaching over and locking the door behind you. His eyes following your every movement. "Jared and Misha are going to go ahead and shoot their coverage, that should give us about three hours for you to recover."

You start to undo your robe and slip it from your shoulders as you are talking. Your eyes never leave Jensen. He reaches down, obviously palming himself behind the counter. "Y/n... You don't have to do this....." 

Deliberately walking around the counter to him. His robe open, His chest showing bare for you to see. His black boxers barely cover his swollen length. Walking up to him you run your hand down his chest. A shiver visibly runs through him, and he leans himself into your touch. 

"Let me help you Jay, Jared already told Misha and myself that you don't have anyone that can help you. You don't want to end up in the hospital."

Leaning his head down on your shoulder for a moment. Taking a deep breath before wrapping his arms around your waist. 

"Y/n I don't want you to do this because you feel sorry for me." He said, not looking at you, just pulling you closer to him. Your chest now against his. His breathing is getting deeper. 

"Jensen I would do this regardless if Jared drugged your ass or not. Have you seen you lately?" You say jokingly. Trying to make light of his situation. 

Grabbing his hand you pull him toward the open door of the bedroom of his trailer. He follows you silently without a fuss. Pulling the bedroom door shut behind the two of you. 

You lay down on the bed and back yourself up against the headboard with Jensen hot on your heels. His eyes lust blown. Deciding it was no use to fight it. If he didn't do something to get himself off he was going to lose his fucking mind. 

Crashing his lips into your his kissed you deep, fully of passion and need. His tongue sliding easily into your lips. Expertly gliding over your own. A moan rose low in your throat, and that spurred him on. 

Making his way down your jaw line, to your pulse points on your neck, nipping and marking the skin there as he went. 

Reaching around behind you, you arched your back so that he could quickly unlatch your bra. Jerking it away and throwing it across the small room. Taking a moment to look down over you exposed chest. Gently running his fingers between your cleavage as he admired you. Outside your breast. From one to the other before leaning down and gently sucking on each nipple. Making them stand on end for him. Your body arching into his, sucking in a deep breath. 

He hissed as your body pressed against him. Ripping your panties off, and throwing them across the room with your bra before removing his boxer. He quickly lined himself up with you. Slipping just the tip inside your already dripping core. 

"You sure baby? I don't want to do this if you don't want to. I'll just go to the ER if it gets worse." 

Putting your lips to his to silence his worrying, you run your fingers through his short hair as your mouth moves smoothly with his. 

Deliberately he slides himself fully into you with one swift thrust. Both of you groaning as he fills and stretches you in a way no man has ever. Visibly shaking as he holds himself still, giving you a moment to adjust to him. Kissing you deeply before pulling himself almost all the way out, and sliding back in. 

The sensation of his manhood dragging along the inside of your walls was almost enough to send you over the edge right there. You dig your nails into his shoulders and arching your back into him as he finds a steady rhythm. Both of you are touching and feeling all of each other that you could reach. He kept his body pressed close to yours. His hips hitting your clit just right every time he slid himself home. 

Over and over again he repeated his steady rhythm, not faulting once. Building you higher and higher. The coil winding tighter and tighter in your belly. 

"Jensen.. Fuck.... I'm close..." With that you were thrown over the edge walls tightening around his pulsing length. Grunting loudly he worked you at a steady pace through your high. Picking up the pace casing his own. 

Slamming his hips into you faster until he was pounding into you at a punishing pace. Then starting to falter his body jerked above you and inside of you as he spilled seed deep inside of you. Moaning loudly into your shoulder. Slowly trusting himself into you as he road out his own high. Finally stilling inside of you. 

Rolling you both over to your sides before pulling out of you. Kissing you a lot calmer now. Sweeter. Taking his time exploring your mouth, you hands tracing the outline of the curves in your body that you honestly hated. He treated it like it was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

You don't know how long the two of you laid there. Just holding each other as your hearts went back to a normal pace.

"How are you feeling now?" You asked him quietly as he ran his fingers through your hair. Peppering you with little kisses. 

He shrugged. 

"Don't know, ask me again in about 15 minutes. They say that shit he gave me last up to four hours. I still have almost three hours to go...."

"Well.... we're just going to stay here and take care of you until you feel better. Good practice for the scene today..."

Giggle a little with you he pressed his forehead to yours. Taking a deep breath. 

"Y/n... I'm a pretty fuck up person. I'm not walking out of that marriage completely fine,  but if you will have me, I really don't want this to be just a fling because Jared is a jackass."

You felt your heart flutter in your chest. You couldn't help the stupid smile that spread across your face as you brushed your lips over his soft pink ones. 

"I think I can handle whatever you have to dish out Ackles."

"Well in that case remind me to thank Jared for being a fucking asshole and drugging my ass." He said with a laugh. You could feel his body already responding to you as he quickly began to harden again. 

"Yeah, I'm going to have to send him a fucking thank you card."

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Tag List:

@deanwanddamons @imabitch4jensen @rvgrsbrns @bi-danvers0 @onethirstyunicorn @i-love-superhero @akshi8278​

[visionsofus]

Hi! I’ve been reading some of your Wanda & Vision mixtape series and after the season final, I HIGHLY recommend giving “Our Corner of the Universe” by K. S. Rhoads a listen! I think your series is such a great idea and it’s so well written; warm without being cheesy.

You seriously are trying to break my heart with this song - I'd never thought about listening to it in the context of Wanda and Vision but boy once I did my heart was in pieces. Anyway! I hope you like where I went with this. 

| read on AO3 here | mixtape playlist | send me an ask with your song/prompt request |  

track #8 of Wanda and Vision’s Mixtape ~ Our corner of the universe 

Synopsis: In which Wanda and Vision are coming to the end of a few weeks together in Paris pre-IW and Wanda dreams a life for them where they no longer have to run and hide. Unknowingly, she draws Vision into her dream and they both must contend with the idea that this reality isn't something that will be easy for them.

Paris had grown colder in the last few days, as though the city knew the time was coming when Vision would have to leave.  The sun had disappeared early that morning behind a cover of clouds that had seen the day through until sunset, leaving a soft rain to patter against the glass French doors. They were huddled in bed now, Vision tracing soft patterns about Wanda’s back as he watched the rain drizzle down the glass.

“Tomorrow is too soon,” she whispered, her head shifting slightly from where it was resting atop his chest.

“I know,” he murmured into her hair, kissing the top of her head affectionately.  

“One day we won’t run like this,” Wanda said looking up into his eyes and Vision tried to smile. Normally he was more hopeful, but it was now coming to the end of their second year of meeting up like this and it was difficult to see a future where they could be else. Of a time when they might have a life together that was more than stolen moments in distant cities.

“One day we’ll be able to live together in one place, we’ll have neighbours and friends, we won’t have to hide.”

“I hope so, my love,” Vision said opening his arms wider as Wanda got under the dark bed covers for the evening. Once she was settled, he slid off the bed and went about turning the lights out and checking the doors were locked. It was routine for them now. Once Vision was sure that everything was safely locked up, he joined Wanda, pulling a blanket from the foot of the bed atop the covers for added warmth.

Wanda shuffled closer to him as he lay down beside her and he opened his arms for her to rest atop his chest once more. They were often inseparable like this on the last night, needing the physical connection of each other to remind themselves to be present in the moment and not spend their precious hours dreading the coming morning.

Vision ran his fingers through Wanda’s hair in calming motions as her breath slowed. Eventually he stilled and started to drift off himself, into the version of sleep that his synthezoid body demanded.  

Neither of them was conscious when Wanda’s hand twitched atop Vision’s chest, red mist forming before dissipating in the air between them.

Vision didn’t dream. It wasn’t that he couldn’t, if he really wanted to his synthetic brain could replicate something close to the dreamlike state that humans experienced. But he generally preferred the endless quiet that came with his brain’s resting state. The chance for stillness, even for a few hours, was a relief. Perhaps there was an element of self-preservation to it, the fear that Wanda would be caught and that he would have to watch her be imprisoned once more haunted his waking hours enough, he would rather not be consumed by the same thoughts at night.

So it came as something of a surprise when Vision found himself opening his eyes to warm sunlight, despite his brain reminding him that he was indeed, still resting. It disconcerting trying to reconcile his physical form, which remained in the Parisian apartment in bed beside Wanda, and his mental form currently cast in sunlight somewhere, somewhen, else.

Judging from the light streaming through the four paned windows opposite his face, it was early morning, where though, he couldn’t tell. Slowly, Vision rolled over and came face to face with the peaceful, sleeping face of his partner. She sighed softly and shifted closer to him.

“Go back to sleep, it’s too early,” she whispered to him.

“It’s night-time,” Vision said in confusion.

Wanda’s eyes opened and she scrunched her nose up at him. “Just a few more minutes.”

This put him at ease, it was exactly what his Wanda said most mornings. “Of course, a few more minutes,” he said, and Wanda sighed happily, moving closer to rest her head upon his shoulder like a pillow.

“We should stay like this forever.”

Vision smiled and his eyes drifted closed against the sun, wishing that every morning might be like this.

He started when he suddenly found himself standing in an unfamiliar living room. It was a cosy space, mostly occupied by a large red couch and a collection of armchairs assembled around a flat screen television. He spun on the spot looking around for Wanda.

“Vis? Is that you?” Came Wanda’s disembodied voice and Vision followed it through the next room into a quaint kitchen complete with cluttered island and wooden dining table.

“Darling?” Vision said hesitantly, closing the kitchen door behind him. “What’s going on?”

“I just wanted to make sure that your evening is free for next Friday, we’ve been invited to dinner,” Wanda said running her fingers atop a calendar and marking a square with a black marker.

She was dreaming, that much he was now sure of. This strange transition to what appeared to be a few hours later was the most obvious indicator. Not to mention the haze like state of their surroundings, as though the interior designer had given up halfway through the décor process. Kitchen tiles faded off into exposed wall, there were two clocks hanging above the sink ticking in opposite directions, and though there were cookbooks sitting on the kitchen island, when Vision tried to make sense of their titles, he found he couldn’t read any of them.

He’d talked with Wanda about what kind of house that she would like one day, but that had been a while ago and he’d been hesitant to add himself to that image. Now here he was in her dreamscape, in a made-up house that they appeared to live in, together.

“So that is a yes for you next Friday?” Wanda said absentmindedly as she began to move around the kitchen assembling a breakfast of scrambled eggs and bacon.

“Yes,” Vision said, deciding it was best to play along, distantly recalling that it wasn’t a good idea to wake sleepwalkers. He didn’t want to give Wanda a fright or force her into a lucid dream state. Instead he watched in wonder as she continued to navigate the space with ease, her hands finding the cupboard with the saucepans and the cutlery drawer without hesitation, it was fascinating to watch. He wasn’t entirely sure how Wanda had drawn him into her dream, but for now he was content to observe.

“I was thinking of making Paprikash to take, what do you think?” Wanda asked as she brought her meal to the table and gestured for him to join her.

“I think—” Vision began, watching her smile up at him as he hovered about the table. “I think that is a wonderful idea.”

“I’m glad you think so,” she said grinning and taking a napkin from a pile on the table, “perhaps I can teach you how to make it properly?”

“I’d love that,” he replied, thinking tenderly of his pathetic first attempt at the dish all those years earlier. Back when he’d been a lovestruck being, not entirely capable of processing the wave of feelings he got every time she was near. He supposed not much had changed, if anything the feelings had grown more intense.

Before Vision had time to further dissect the space about them, the scene changed yet again and he found himself standing in a park whose grass was slightly too green, the colours of the playground a little too bright. The colours lost their saturation around the corners of his view, as though the paintbrush had run out of paint for the edges.

Vision instead turned his attention to the woman walking beside him, her arm tucked into the nook of his elbow as they strolled through the park. He was distinctly aware of Wanda chattering away about their imaginary schedule for the weekend, suggesting a movie the following day at the outdoor cinema with their neighbours and reminding him of the community meeting the following Wednesday.

He smiled softly and listened to her creating this life for them, wishing it into existence. He was content to just hear her speak, to gain this glimpse into a future they clearly both wanted, even if it was just a dream for the time being. It reignited his desire to fight for a shared life with Wanda. The running and hiding had been wearing them both down recently, but it humbled his despair to know that Wanda still longed for this version of life. It made him want to do as much as he could to get them something close to this life.

Vision turned his face to the sun as they walked, relishing in its warmth as glimpses of light made it through the greenery above them. Her hand was a constant on his arm, her voice in his head telling him of all they both wished for, birds providing a background chorus.

His eyes opened once more, smiling as he turned his head to look at Wanda. It took a moment to realise this wasn’t part of the dream, that he had returned to their current reality once more.

It was still dark outside and for a brief moment his heart held onto the hope that time had paused while they dreamt, that it was still evening, but a glance to the digital clock on their bedside table told Vision it was nearing 7am. He was due to get the train at 10am.

Wanda was still curled against his side, her breathing slow and steady, one hand had reached across the covers as they slept, reaching for him. He took it rubbing her cold fingers to warm them up. As he did so, she stirred beside him.

“Wanda,” he murmured to the morning air, brushing her hair off her cheek with gentle touches.

“No,” she whispered back, scrunching her eyes closed causing little tears to leak from the corners. “I didn’t want to wake up.”

“I know,” he said.

“I wanted to stay there.”

“One day.”

Wanda opened her eyes at this and looked up at him, her questions clear. He smiled tightly at her but was sure it came across as something closer to a grimace. Understanding reached her eyes and he nodded sadly, confirming that he’d seen it all too.

“One day,” he repeated, like a promise and she slid her arms around his waist in answer, pulling herself closer to his warmth.

They held each other for as long as they could afford before knowing that they had no other choice than to get ready for their respective departures. With their bags packed, Vision set about making a quick breakfast for Wanda, the same scrambled eggs and bacon she’d made in her dream world. She stayed pressed to his back, her arms wrapped around his waist, as though afraid he’d disappear like her dreams.

At the station they waited at the platform as the train pulled in. Vision hated this part the most, hated that he had to be the one to turn his back first, but Wanda never told him where she was going next, it was to protect them both.

“We will find a way to that home,” he whispered at her ear as they hugged one last time.

“You really think we could have that?” she asked, voicing the question they both seemed too scared to ask all morning.

“I promise to you,” he said holding her hands tightly between them, “that I will do everything in my power to make that life for us.”

She smiled and leant forward to kiss him one more time.

“Travel safe,”

“And you,”

And Vision was leaving again, not knowing when they’d next be able to meet up, or for how long. At least some of his hopelessness had turned to hope in the last few hours, reignited by the knowledge that she longed for the same life he did. Doubt was always following him, and he’d started to wonder if he’d been overstepping where they were at in their relationship, but he could no longer ignore how right it had felt. They’d find a way to that corner of the universe, one day.

[writingsbychlo]

home | thomas

word count; 15,944

summary; thomas is struggling to get over what happened, and he just needs a little help.

notes; this is just some cute stuff for my baby, because he needs it.

warning; PTSD, sad Tommy, he just needs a hug.

“Home,  a place that I can go, to take this off my shoulders, someone take me home.”

Thomas was a known hero around paradise, he was greeted with smiles, thanks, hugs everywhere he went. Even all these many months later, the effect he had on people’s lives had never been forgotten, but he couldn’t forget the effect it had on him.

More nights than not, he awoke with sweat dripping across his forehead and screams tearing from his lips. For the first month, everyone had ignored it, subtle looks of pity being shot his way or comforting pats on the back being given. By the time month two had rolled around, he’d began feeling guilty, noting how tired those who lived around him were becoming, and still, no one said anything. He was grateful for them ignoring it, nobody pounding on his door in the middle of the night or shouting at him, but he could clearly see what he was doing. 

So by month three, he’d moved himself a good mile away from everyone else. Built himself a new little hut near the shore and he screamed out his night terrors to his heart’s content, assuming they’d go away. By month five, Thomas had begun to fear he’d live with them forever, the images of Chuck dying, Minho being taken or Newt almost bleeding out, the pictures flashing behind his eyes every time he shut them. The boys had begun taking turns sleeping on the floor of his room, just to wake him up and comfort him when he started thrashing and shouting in his sleep. Newt had officially diagnosed him with PTSD, which hadn’t surprised him at all, he’d been musing with the idea for weeks, so to have someone else say it had been no shock at all.

By month seven, Thomas had grown tired of doing this to his friends, so he started laying awake at night, pretending to sleep until he’d convinced them he was okay, and they started coming less and less, and now, Thomas rarely slept. If he had a night terror, he’d run. He’d run for miles, until his lungs were burning and his legs aching, and then he’d turn around and drag himself back, before passing out for a few hours from exhaustion, before repeating the cycle. 

Everyone around him was happy, the community was thriving as the year marker rolled by and people began to feel at ease. Thomas was glad they were now secure enough to start going out and finding new people, others who needed help, needed saving and a sanctuary, he really was, but the expansion only increased his fear. 

Six months ago he’d safely been a good distance from anyone else, but now he could see other houses, with the rate their group was expanding, it wouldn’t be long before he was once again crowded, and once again keeping up the poor, innocent souls who had the misfortune of having to live around him. It had been a while since Thomas had actually joined the community, tending more to skirt around the edges, grab some food before everyone else in the morning and after everyone else at night, preferring his own sanctity. It wasn’t until late on a warmer evening that he finally saw his friend again, knowing it must’ve been at least a month since he’d spoken to anyone, a disapproving look on the blonde’s face as he entered the small stick hut, crates laying around with all of Thomas’ things in.

“I brought you some dinner, can’t bloody remember the last time I saw you eat a decent meal since WCKD, so here you go.” As if to punctuate his friend’s thoughts, Thomas’ stomach grumbled loudly at the sight and smell of the food, and the runner grabbed it, shooting his friend a grateful smile as he sat on his bed to eat it. “Not going to unpack, mate? You’ve lived here for a while now. Awful hard living out of boxes, don’t you think?” Newt wandered through the one-room cabin, picking up and putting down various items from boxes as Thomas chewed and watched him go.

“I did unpack. This is repacking.” His words were muffled around bites of food, crumbs spraying from his mouth and Newts eyebrows furrowed as he turned to look at his friend, hands on his hips intimidatingly. 

“Repacking, eh? And where is it you’re going this time? Another mile from your friends? Two? Do you know how bloody hard it is to walk on this limp? Now that I’m not running for my life I quite like to keep off it, bloody painful it is, and trekking up here to see your sorry ass isn’t the highlight of my month, you know?” The speech left Thomas frozen, mid-chew, as he stared at his friend wide-eyed, wondering where the sudden outburst came from. Newt ran a hand over his face, but didn’t apologise, however, he let go of the breath he was holding and his eyes met Thomas’ with a gentler look in them. “Look, mate, I know it’s hard. You don’t think it was hard for me? For Minho? For any of the newbies coming in? But we’re only going to keep saving lives, keep expanding, and you can’t run away forever. We all need you, we need you back, not this shell of you that goes on runs in the middle of the night to wear himself out, or the one that locks himself away from us all and sneaks about to eat and shower. I want my friend back, Tommy.”

The words cracked Thomas’ heart, because he wanted nothing more than to do just that, be that person for all of them and himself, but he’d given it time, and he’d tried his best, and no matter what, he just couldn’t. “I-I want that Newt, but I don’t know how to be me anymore. I-I’m just this broken hollow thing left over from what happened.” Tears lined his eyes and he pushed the tray from his lap, gaze directed to the floor and he palmed at his eyes roughly, willing the water back. 

Crouching before the broken boy, Newt pulled his hands from his eyes until their gazes met, a soft smile on his lips. “I know, but there’s someone I’d like for you to meet. She’s been here a while now, and I think she’s been pretty desperate to meet you. She told me to give you her thanks, turns out one of those younger kids you saved in the last city was her little brother, the only family she had left, you should’ve seen the tears in that boy’s eyes when we brought her off the boat a few months back, would’ve made your day, Tommy.”

He let a small smile flick at his lips at the thought, a soft cooing leaving his lips as a warmth filled his chest at the idea of reuniting a family. 

“Told her she had to wait, though, had to tell you herself because you’d come out of this hut one day. She’s helped a lot of us, Tommy, she even helped Gally. I’ve never seen the boy laugh but let me tell you, he cracks up when he’s around her. She brings everyone together, she makes this place feel like home.” 

He mulled over the thought, knowing he’d have to leave sometime, and knowing the least he could do was give his friend this chance. He had no hope of it working, but he could do the very minimum and try, because he owed them all at least that. “Okay.”

“Okay? Well, Tommy, you’ve just made my day. We can talk more about it soon, yeah? You need some rest.” With that, his friend clapped him on the shoulder and stood, ruffling his hair before making his way on unsteady feet back to the main village, a slight pep in his walk as he left.

To say Thomas felt overwhelmed by the noise would be putting it lightly. He hadn’t been around so many people in almost a year, and he knew all eyes were on him. People were already coming up to him and greeting him, hugs and handshakes were given as he walked quickly through the crowds to get his breakfast. People were shocked to see him, probably thinking he’d just disappeared, but nothing could replace the look on Minho’s face as he spotted them at the table, the Asian boy’s jaw dropping as his fist hit the table, startling everyone else and shaking water cups. 

The scene brought a genuine smile to Thomas’ lips, for a split second, before all eyes turned to him and anxiety once again overtook him and he froze in his tracks a few metres from the table. “Thomas? You’re.. here! Like, at breakfast with us!” Gally had been the last person he’d expected to speak, but he shuffled down on the wooden bench, a large space opening between him and Brenda as his lips twisted up in a hint of a smile, his eyebrows raised in an offer to the seat, and surprising himself, his feet carried him forward to sit in it.

It wasn’t quite as bad as he’d expected, he felt comfortable to be back with his friends, welcome and warm, and most of all, he felt loved. “Not getting any food, Thomas?” Brenda nudged him and he bit his lip, shaking his head as he looked over to the queue of people, all bustling and lining up to get fed, his heart racing uncontrollably at the mere thought. 

“Leave him be, he’s made a massive step just coming down here. We’re proud of you, mate. Missed seeing you at the table.” Newt reassured him he was still welcome, Brenda backing off as everyone dug into the food on their plates, his eyes finding the table as he picked at a loose piece of wood. It wasn’t until a soft voice, a voice he didn’t recognise broke his thoughts that he glanced up, eyes widening at the sight of the girl before him as her gaze was focused on Newt.

Waves of hair sat around her shoulders, eyes practically sparkling as a younger boy stood behind her listening intently to Minho as he chatted, arms waving excitedly and the boy’s fingers were gripping his plate with such enthusiasm Thomas thought it might snap. His gaze rose to the girl once again, her eyes now on his and his breath hitched in his throat, but he couldn’t find it in himself to look away this time. Her face held nothing but compassion, and she didn’t look at him with pity like everyone else did, or admiration, she wasn’t putting him on some podium and she wasn’t mentally coddling him like a child, she was simply smiling at him with care, and he decided he quite liked the way she looked at him.

Placing a plate down on the table, she pushed it across the table towards him, steam still rising from the fresh food and cutlery quickly followed, his eyes barely leaving hers to glance down at the meal before looking up to her once again. Her gaze was gone, however, her fingers ruffling Newt’s hair as she left, apple clutched in one hand as the young boy bid his farewells to everyone, following after her quickly. The smell of the food was getting to him and he picked up his knife and fork, glancing at the food wearily before tucking in.

“She’s lovely, isn’t she?” Brenda muttered in his ear, and his sights met hers, mouth full but he nodded quickly, before stuffing more food into his mouth, body ecstatic to finally have such a good meal. 

“Didn’t think we’d see you so soon, Tommy, I was gonna’ come talk to you about getting started in a week or so.” Newt began, and the boy reached for a glass of water, swigging half the glass before replying.

“I felt like we should start now. It’s been a year, I owe you that, at least.” He confessed, the blonde’s eyes crinkling at the middle, but Minho spoke up before Newt could.

“You don’t owe us anything. You saved all our lives, on multiple occasions. If it wasn’t for you, we’d all still be running around the maze like headless chickens. We do it because you’re our friend and we care, not because you have any kind of debt to us.” The table was silent for a second, and all eyes on Minho. “Shut up and eat your food, shanks.”

“And there he is. Worried you were going soft for a second there, Min.” Newt teased, laughs echoing around the table and for perhaps the fourth time today, Thomas smiled. He was sure his cheeks were going to start aching if he kept it up, but he wouldn’t mind, because this is what it felt like to be cared about, to be loved. He felt safe with his friends, he enjoyed the sensation, but he couldn't quite help but feel like something was missing. 

Exhausted would be an understatement, if one were to describe Thomas. He’d stayed awake the entire night just to be awake at breakfast time, and to fight off any terrors or nightmares that may have arisen. By the time the sun was setting, he was anxiously sitting on his bed. Everything in his body was telling him to get up, to go for a rumour to do a workout, to do something to get him so tired that his body was quite literally too fatigued to possibly consider giving him any kind of horrifying experience while he was asleep. He was, however, suppressing that urge, for his friends, because the way he had felt today was better than he could ever remember feeling, and that was saying something. 

His fingers pulled at the edges of the blanket sitting below him, real pyjamas adorning his body for the first time in what felt like forever, instead of just collapsing in whatever sweaty gear he’d run in and changing in the morning, and his eyes flicked over all the re-packed boxes sitting around him. He wanted to unpack them, he really did, but he just didn’t see this thing with this miracle girl Newt had mentioned ever working out. He was truly glad she made his friends so happy, and she seemed to be the epitome of sunshine form the small glance he had caught of her at breakfast, but he didn’t see himself being able to conquer this problem, so why should he take everything back out of boxes if it was only all going to end up in boxes again in a few months. It really didn't seem logical to him.

He continued to look around desperately, for anything he could spend the night doing while the dark hours passed in order to avoid having to face sleeping, but he was torn quickly from his searching when soft rapping on his door sounded out, and he swallowed thickly. Nobody but Newt or one of the other boys ever came out here, and they always just let themselves in. 

With slow and cautious steps, he made his way over, slowly opening the door before him and peering around it carefully, his eyes widening as he looked at you. Your hair was blowing in the wind gently, a cardigan hugged tightly around your body, and until he’d interrupted you, you’d been staring off at the sun setting over the calm waves. When you looked at him, he felt that same feeling come charging back. You were smiling, somewhat nervously yourself, and he brought up a hand to scratch at the back of his neck, opening the door slightly wider, just enough to wedge his body into the gap so he could talk to you.

“Hey, Thomas. I’m (Y/N).” He looked at you for a second, before nodding, choking down the lump in his throat as he held his hand out to you, nodding in a simple and silent greeting but your smile only widened at the act and you slipped your hand into his. “It’s nice to finally meet you. Your friends have told me a lot about you.”

His heart sunk, yet another person who wanted to ask him about WCKD, ask him all about the things he did or tell him just how brave they thought he was fo-

“Gally says you kicked his legs out from under him once. That’s pretty badass, he’s pretty large. I don’t think I could manage that.” He couldn't stop the laugh that broke free, he had never expected that to be the reputation of him that impressed someone, and he’d lost that memory under all the trauma, but pride and humour flooded his veins as you dug it back up for him so casually.

“I’ll be honest, it really hurt my leg. The boy is heavy and solid muscle, I think I hit him right on the bone, I had a nasty bruise on my leg the next morning.” He grinned, and your own laughter drifted around in space the two of you stood in, a blush rising to his cheeks at just how pretty you looked while smiling, and he ducked his head to cover it, clearing his throat slightly and getting his feelings under control before looking back up to you. “What.. um, what are you doing here?”

His face scrunched up on himself as he realised how rude that had sounded, but you didn’t seem to mind, and you shrugged slightly, your eyes finding his again. “I just thought maybe we could chat. I know Newt talked to you, he seems to think I’m some kind of happiness charm.” Thomas let his lips flick up in a smile, Newt wasn’t exactly wrong. He already felt happier and all he’d done was open the door. Looking back down at the empty path, his eyebrows rose. 

“You walked a mile up here for a chat?”

“I got to watch the sunset as I walked, it flew by. Besides, I have a feeling you’re worth the walk.” You promised, and that heat rose to his cheeks once again, his bottom lip clamping between his teeth as he thought about it. His fingers tightened around the edge of the door, holding it shut, your gaze left his for just a moment to flick up to his white-knuckled grip on the wood, before coming back down to his. 

“We don’t have to, I just thought it’d be nice. But if you do, we don’t have to do it inside. Your home is a private place, we could go for a walk or sit on the beach instead, if you wanted. It’s all up to you.” The calmness in your voice was nothing like the was his own shook when he talked, your tone was smooth and relaxed and his own jumped between pitches and frequency each time his anxiety spiked, and he would often just cut himself off mid-sentence altogether and just give up.

“No, no, it’s okay. You can- you can come in.” He waited for a second, looking at you before slowly opening the door, stepping out of your way as you took a tentative step over the threshold. You walked past him, and suddenly the house that had been perfectly fine to him moments ago seemed embarrassing now. He had boxes stacked high everywhere, overflowing with clothes and things he’d been given, most never touched or used, and the counters lay practically empty, save for the few things he was using regularly, and as he shut the door behind you he fumbled for a way to explain it all. “I-I don’t talk much, and I don’t get many visitors. I-I’m really sorry.”

His arms gesturing about the small spaces as he looked down at the floor, his hands falling to sit limply by his side and your own reached up, sitting on his forearm gently and you squeezed, just enough to comfort him before taking your touch away, and his fingers twitched at the loss. “I think you’re doing great.” Your simple statement made him feel infinitely better, and he let himself smile, still not bold enough to meet your eyes again as you took in the small place he lived. “You’re reading ‘Pride and Prejudice’? Good choice.” 

When his head snapped up, jaw open, you were running your fingers over the cover of the book that was sitting out, and he nodded shyly, your body finally turning to face him fully. “Y-You’ve read it?”

“Several times, actually. I took up home in a library for a while, once. Lived there for about a year. I must’ve read every book on those shelves.” You hummed, and his head tipped to the side. “‘Pride and Prejudice’ was one of my favourites. If you’re liking it, I could have a little look around and find you some other books that you might enjoy, if you’d like?” His head dipped in an eager confirmation as he nodded, enough confidence filling him to take quick strides across his room and take a seat on the edge of his bed, motioning for you to do the same, and you thanked him as you settled yourself comfortably onto the mattress.

The moment you had asked him about the book, his mouth had opened and he hadn’t been able to stop the words from flowing. He surprised even himself about how chatty he was being, and you replied to him just as enthusiastically. After that, the topics had changed, he’s spilled anything from basic facts like his favourite colour to more stories from the glade that he thought you would find funny, his heart skipping a beat every time he heard you laugh. 

The two of you had started by sitting at separate ends of the bed to talk, and you had shifted regularly, the both of you nose sitting amongst the pillows with your backs pressed to the headboard, legs crossed at the ankles as they stretched out before you and he was chuckling amicably at himself as he showed you the sketches from his notebook. As he reached the last page, he smoothed his fingers over his most recent drawing, which was just a simple sketch of the mountainscape he could see from his bedroom window.

You ran your gaze over it, your lips parted as you looked at it, and he studied you carefully as you studied his art, and he decided, one day he’d rather like to draw you, if you’d ever let him. “This one is my favourite.”

“It is?” He mumbled, snapping his gaze away from you when you looked up from the paper pad to him, and you hummed in acknowledgement, your legs carrying you over to the window to peek out at the scene, holding his book up before your face and comparing them.

“It’s so good, I’m so impressed! This is.. amazing!” You turned back to him, and he took the book from you, his teeth flashing to you in a grin, and you stood before him, his legs swinging over the edge of the bed to face you as a comfortable silence took over the room. “I should probably get going now.”

The frown he was so used to wearing, made its first appearance in your presence as he looked at you, and his chest tightened slightly. “You’re going already?”

You giggled at his statement, his brows furrowing as you checked the watch sitting on your wrist. “Tommy- can I call you Tommy?” He licked over his lips, nodding at your words and you lit up at the confirmation, your happiness lifting his spirits back up slightly. “Tommy, you know it’s been almost four hours since I got here, right?” His eyes widened, flicking over to the window to see just how dark it had gotten. Thomas did not know it had been four hours, in fact, it felt like barely any time at all had passed, and his mouth was dry as he was at a loss for words. “We’ll hang out again soon, okay?”

“I think I would like that.” He whispered, and you held your hand out, rubbing his shoulder slightly as a goodbye, before pulling your jacket tighter around yourself. He watched you walk toward the door, and without a second thought, he tore out the final page of his notebook, standing and holding it out to you when the noise had caught your attention. “I want you to have this. This drawing. As a thank you.”

“A thank you?” Your words were spoken as a question and a bashful smile too over his face, his hands fiddling and twitching in front of him as you took the paper from him.

“I laughed more tonight than have in at least a year. Thank you for making me feel like my old self for a while.” You looked at him carefully, the room growing tense as you stared into his eyes, and he felt like you were reading his soul just from the tender look you gave him. With quite possibly the softest smile Thomas thinks he’d ever seen, your head tipped to the side. 

“I didn’t bring out the old you. Who you were tonight, that’s who you always are, you just need a little encouragement to let that side of you show.” He wasn’t too sure what to say, and you chuckled, leaning up and pressing your lips to his cheek softly. “Goodnight, Tommy. Thank you for my drawing, I love it.”

Before he could respond, you had gone from the door, leaving the wood in his grasp as he watched you set off in a crisp walk into the darkness, back toward the hut you lived in, in a colony with everybody else. Raising his fingers to brush his cheek, he found dimples there, the revelation that he was smiling, widely, crashing over him and he couldn't help it, backing away and closing the door.

That night, when he laid his head down on his pillows, Thomas could still faintly smell you around him and on the blankets, and he didn’t think about the fear of going to sleep as he drifted off that night. Instead, he thought about how proud Newt would be of him, and how he couldn't wait to spend more time with you if this is the feeling he got afterwards.

The heat of the next day woke Thomas, the light filtering through the window on the opposite side of the room, and he groaned, wiping at his eyes, still unaccustomed to waking up while it was light. His body was sore and achy from the tense fits of fear he’d had, but his throat didn’t sting from as much screaming, and he was more well-rested than he had been in a long time. The nightmare haunted him, but going to bed happy seemed to ease the pain, and he couldn't help but lie in his bed happily as he let himself adjust to the morning. 

When he eventually made his way down to the table, most of his friends had already arrived, but unlike yesterday, they had chosen a bigger table, and he had more choice of where he would like to sit. Newt was chatting to Sonya, the two of them deep in a conversation, and Gally was arm-wrestling Brenda across the table as Minho refereed the interaction. Slotting himself beside his blond friend, he was greeted happily, his hair being ruffled and despite the scowl that came to his face, Thomas laughed gently at the action. 

“Two days in a row, look at you go, mate. Here, you can have some of my food.” Newt could sense that he was still too timid to go up into the queue for food, and Thomas appreciated the gesture, and as he looked at the plate, he realised his British friend must’ve already anticipated hs actions, because exactly half of everything had been eaten, scraped neatly to one side of the plate as the knife and fork sat beside it and he shook his head fondly at the way the boy cared for him.

The sudden squealing in a youthful voice of Minho’s name came as a young boy came sprinting toward the table at high speeds. The kid could only be eight or nine, and his eyes widened as he watched the boy turf down the side of the hill at high speeds, and Minho struggled to free his legs from the bench as he stood up to greet him, sweeping the boy up into his arms in a hug. Raising his brows at the interaction, Minho’s brows raised as the boy grinned happily, squealing and twisting in the ex-runners arms as Minho tickled his sides before letting him down. “Guess what, Minho!”

“What is it?” Taking a seat again to continue his food, Thomas shovelled his own meal into his mouth as he watched on curiously, and the kid hopped up on the bench beside the dark-haired runner, straddling it with one leg dangling either side of the wood. 

“(Y/N) said I can spend the whole day with you until she gets back, if it’s okay with you!” Thomas almost choked on his food at the mention of your name, and as if on queue, you followed after the boy, cheeks flushed as you jogged up behind him, panting from the sudden exertion.

“Oh, she did, did she? Well, what do you want to do then?” He tuned out of their conversation as he watched you slow to a casual walk, your eyes moving over everyone on the table as you greeted them happily, before your eyes landed on his, and you picked up a slight pep in your step as you walked towards him with purpose. He froze, swallowing the mouthful of food he had loudly and awkwardly, wincing at the feeling and how it must’ve appeared, but you didn’t seem to care as you stood before him, and he looked up at you from where he sat.

“Guess what we’re doing today.”

“W-We’re doing something?” He cursed himself inwardly for just how awkward he had sounded while saying that, but you breezed over it, nodding enthusiastically as you rolled on the balls of your feet. “Well, what are we doing?”

“That’s a surprise. Just wait here, and I’ll be right back, okay?” He had barely given you a sign of acknowledgement before you were leaving the table, heading towards Frypan serving food in the kitchens and he watched you leave with raised brows. 

“Should be fun, hanging out with (Y/N) is always fun, so your first time will be a blast!” Brenda’s hand clapped down on his shoulder, shocking him slightly from his gaze and he looked away from you, turning to look at his food as he pushed the last few bites up onto the fork. 

“Not out first time hanging out. We hung out yesterday.” It seemed to be a collective shock, and Thomas avoided the looks his friends were sharing as he rolled his eyes at the plate before him. “We just talked for a while. It was nice. She makes me laugh.”

“You deserve to laugh, it’s good!” Gally assured, and Thomas wasn’t sure he would ever get used to this side of the builder, but he did really like not fighting with him all the time. He shot up a grateful look of acknowledgement, not bothering to reply as you neared the table one again, sealing up your backpack and swinging it back up onto your shoulders. 

With another squeeze on his shoulders, he was encouraged to his feet by his friends when you asked is he was ready to go, and he congratulated himself when he made it to your side without stumbling over his own feet. Normally, he spent the day reading, or drawing, or doing a workout inside after eating, and it was normally night. Now, he was avoiding the looks he was being given by everyone around him, none bad, but they were simply surprised to see him up and about and interacting. 

You had already struck up a conversation, and as you began to deviate from the well-worn ground of the camp to lesser trekked passages into the wildlife, his eyebrows rose, and he turned to look at you curiously. It was only another minute or two before he realised the route you were taking, he would recognise this scenery any day, and casting his gaze out, he realised you’d already begun to gain some height, the roof of his own cabin being revealed to him in the near distance, and he could see through the window.

“You’re taking me up the mountain I drew.” He whispered, and your smiling face turned or him, nodding happily as he caught on and he couldn't stop the enthusiasm that began to rush through him. 

“If you think it looks beautiful from the bottom, wait until I show you the view from the first ridge, that’s where we’re stopping for lunch.” He laughed lightly at your words, looking out ahead of him as the two of you slowly began to disappear into the beautiful surroundings, the camp disappearing away below him with every step until it was a mere spec down on the beachfront. 

They seemed to go for hours, and though Thomas was used to physical exertion, he was more used to quick bursts of running, and on flat ground, the rocky passes of the hills and the long-distance trekking had him sweating as the soon got higher in the sky and the day moved on, bringing higher temperatures with it. He was sweating, a thin layer coating his brow and his pants mixed with yours in the warm air as the two of you continued your journey.

He was almost grateful when the two of you finally came to a stop, but he was breathless in an entirely different way as you finally stopped moving. You trekked forward into the space and Thomas could barely move for the sheer beauty of it. He could see from one end of the large island to another. He could see right down over the miles and miles of treetops they had walked through, birds and animals flying and leaping between them, the shade of the trees around him were giving him enough shade from the sun above that he didn’t need to squint as he looked out at the wildlife, the beach seeming so far away as everything suddenly fell into perspective, and he had a sneaking feeling you’d done it on purpose.

Everything felt so large up here, and he felt small. He felt reassured. Unless you knew your way up here, you’d never find it. Not even his friends would be able to find him up here, never mind WCKD or anybody that would want to hurt him again, and there was nothing for the miles and miles that the glittering sea stretched out toward the horizon.

The area they were standing on was beautiful. It wasn’t quite the top of the mountain, another mile or so winding up steeper pathways would need to be done to reach the summit, but you had brought him to the best-shaded area, a spot you clearly came to often as you confidently walked toward a spot, dropping your bag from your shoulders and leaning it against the trunk of a tree. 

You pulled a blanket from inside, laying it out on the grass, and laying out the wrapped pieces of food you had brought. He was stuck, fascinated as he looked out at the stunning view you had shown him. You never rushed him once, letting him take his time, just looking out and coming to terms with the place he lived, and the thing she was seeing around him. When he was finally ready to sit down, he made his way over to you, your eyes closed as you lay out on the blanket, your shoes toed off as you enjoyed the warmth of the sun on your skin. 

“Why did you bring me here?” You cracked a single eye open to look at him as he followed suit, leaning himself back against the trunk of the tree, kicking his shoes off of aching feet with a happy sigh. “Not that I’m complaining, this is incredible. It just seems.. almost.. personal, I guess.” 

“You gave me a gift, something personal of yours, that you shared with me. I wanted to share something with you, that nobody else knows about.” 

He glanced down at you, your eyes closed again and you missed the small smile he gave you as he took in your relaxed state. “You’ve never brought anybody else up here before?” You shook your head, never looking at him, as though it was the most casual thing in the world. “So, why me?”

“You’re special, Tommy.” You didn’t give him any further explanation, but he blushed at your words, and he tried to hide his red face as you sat up, opening up the wrapped food you brought with you, before handing a sandwich to him, his mouth watering as he looked at the food. “Frypan said chicken sandwiches were your favourite, so I got you that one.”

He had already taken a large bite of the food when he nodded enthusiastically, cheeks full as he tried to speak his ‘thank you’ around his food, his mouth full and words muffled, but the giggle you let out told him you’d heard him just fine, as you opened your own food and dug in. You had also pushed an apple and a piece of cake over to him, a bottle of water sitting between the two of you as you ate in silence, looking out over the place you called home, the squawking seagulls happily filling the empty space for sound. 

You had even been quiet when you had finished eating, as you lay back down, his arm was propped under his head, his eyes staring up at the sunlight that was flittering through the gaps in the canopy of the tree above you both. Your own head was resting on his elbow, your hair brushing against his cheek each time you moved, and for the first time in a long time, he felt content.

“I never got to thank you, Thomas.” You eventually mumbled, and he turned his head to the side, his nose bumping against your temple from your close proximity, and he huffed lightly, his breath blowing across your face, before he redirected his gaze to the leaves above his head. “I know you were looking for Minho, and I know finding my brother and all those other kids was just circumstances, but you saved him, and you brought him back to me. I thought I was going to spend the rest of my life alone in a library, and now, I have friends, and a family.”

“He seems very close with Minho?” Thomas eventually responded, and you let out a laugh, a sound of agreement leaving you. 

“He said Minho would look after him when they were locked up. Minho’s cell was the one across the way from his. He said Min used to pull funny faces through the glass for him, and would always tell him it would be okay when the lot of them were rounded up for tests. Minho was the older sibling he had when I couldn't be there for him, I guess.” You chuckled sadly at the end of your sentence, the quiet fading back in around your both. “This is where I like to come to think, and that's why when I saw your drawing of this mountain, it was my favourite.”

“I’m really happy you brought me here. It’s incredible, I didn’t think I’d ever get to see anywhere this beautiful, or have enough time to stop and enjoy it.” 

“Well, there’s a lot of other places I can show you, if you’d like to see some more?” You offered, sitting up and pulling your legs to your chest, wrapping your arms around them, his hand twitching by his side with the wish to reach out, and so he did, his fingertips trailing along your arm slowly from where he lay, your head twisting to look at him over your shoulder, a soft smile on your face. 

“I would like you to show me everything there is in life, I think I’m ready to start living it.”

He was desperate to get back out there and do something with you. His friends had already commented on his change in mood, when Thomas had started joining in with the conversations at the table. He didn’t speak much, but he added his opinion, and he laughed at jokes. He was confident enough to lift his head and actually look at the people sitting around him, instead of trying to make himself as small as possible.

For the first time in a long time, Thomas didn’t mind being seen by the people around him. 

Each day when he woke up, he found himself looking up at the peak of the mountain he could see, remembering the view he’d been given, and how different things could look from different perspectives. Today, was different, though. He was practically buzzing with excitement from the second your little brother had been seen zooming between the tables to find his older friend, his arms wrapping around Minho’s neck from behind in a hug, and he knew any minute now, you would be making your appearance. 

He was shocked at his own eagerness. This time two weeks ago, the only space that felt comfortable was his own bedroom, and now, he was starting to get antsy if he didn’t expand further than his own hut to the kitchens and back. He wanted to explore, he wanted to see more, do more, be more.

His thrill was bubbling over as he watched you calmly making your way toward the group, your bag sealed on your back again as you braised your hair behind your back as you walked, your eyes catching Thomas’ in a wink, his teeth flashed to you as he smiled. He didn’t need any encouragement from his friends this time, he was on his feet on his own, meeting you halfway up the path, and he didn’t care about all the eyes of his friends on his back as he met you, and he didn’t bother hiding the pep in his step.

“Hi, Tommy. You’re bright today?”

“Hm, and you’re like sunshine. Are we doing something today?” He pressed, a laugh falling from your lips at his urgency, his hands gripping yours desperately as you hummed, pretending to think it over as he whined impatiently, and eventually you caved and laughed. 

“Yes, we are. Do you not like just hanging around the camp? A little too boring for you?” You teased, and he rolled his eyes, a smirk pulling at his lips. 

“You promised to show me everything there is in life, and so far, all I’ve seen is the camp.” He huffed, jokingly, and you beamed. 

“There’s a lot more to life than sights, Tommy. I’m going to show you everything, in time.” He whined again at your response. “You have a whole life to enjoy everything now, Tommy, nothing is a rush anymore. Let me show you how to take things slow.” His jaw hung open, and you pushed a finger under his chin to close it. “Why don’t you go and pack us a lunch, and I’ll meet you in a minute?” 

With a nod, Thomas had bolted off, watching as you made your way over to your little brother, your words from the summit echoing in his mind as he watched you kiss the top of the boys head, thanking Minho for caring for him for another day. Frypan helped him, a grin on the boy’s lips as he looked between Thomas and you, but he didn’t care about his heated cheeks now, and he thanked his friend for the food, and the subtle extra rations he’s packed for you both. Clutching the food in his hands, you were weaving between the tables. 

With an open bag, you let him stuff all the food in, before sealing it carefully. Before you had lifted it up, he had taken it from you, slinging it up onto his own shoulders and adjusting it on his back. “You carried it last time, it’s only fair I carry it this time.” He shrugged off the act, letting you lead the way as you headed off on your next journey. 

This time, you had spent a few hours walking through the thick forestry of the island. It was a whole different kind of incredible, the from the flowers that littered the ground in fields and meadows to the animals he caught sight of as they went along, and you would point them out, telling them the names and little fun facts you’d learnt about them from all the reading you had done during your alone time in the scorch.

When you reached your final destination, however, he was torn for a favourite between this one and your last one. The pool of blue water before him looked so tempting that he just wanted to dive in headfirst, ripples spreading out across the surface from the waterfall that was crashing loudly from so far above, water spraying up as the sun trickled through the tree canopy in certain spots, lighting up the whole area with a certain transcendental glow.

You looked around the area, settling on a spot to set up camp as you took his hand gently, pulling him over to the shaded spot, and he placed the bag down, leaning it against the tree. He could feel the cool air coming from the force of the water cascading down from above, but it wasn’t quite close enough for the spray to get onto the bag, and he knew it was the perfect place to sit. 

You didn’t sit, however. This time, when you toed off your shoes, your socks followed, being tucked into the sneakers you had discarded. “I’m gonna’ swim.” Before he had a chance to question it, you were tugging your shirt up and over your head, the shorts you were wearing soon dropping to the floor to join your pile of clothing and he averted his gaze, heat travelling from his cheeks to the tips of his ears. The sound of your feet moving away from him sounded out, and you were trailing up the edge of a rock, not too high, but enough to jump into a deeper section of the pool as you looked over carefully.

“Wait!” He had called out to you before he could stop himself, and you turned to look at him, wobbling on the edge of the rock as he stopped you a split second before you jumped, and he was pulling his own top over his head, struggling to stop himself down to his boxers in a hurry as his forgotten clothes mixed with yours in a heap on the grass, his feet carrying him across the warm stone to stand beside you. “I want to swim too.”

His words were mumbled shyly, sure he just made a fool of himself in a bid to get his clothes off, but you smiled at him, your hand held out to him, and he took it tightly. You offered him a count of three, and he took it, his nerves crawling back as he remembered the last time he had jumped into water, his eyes on the pool below changing as images of the deep and freezing water of the last city flashed in his memory. With a deep breath, he pushed down the fear, your hand only tightening around his as he pushed off from the rock, falling for only a second, before he was plunging into the water below.

Everything about this experience was different, and he loved it. 

The water didn’t stab at him, a thousand tiny needles as the freezing temperature swept over him, but instead it was warm, like being wrapped in a blanket, and your hand in his reassured him, his legs kicking to drag himself up to the surface. He emerged just a second before you did, gasping for breath and using his free hand to smooth back the hair that was sticking to his forehead, pushing it back and away in messy styles up his head as you emerged from below. 

You were laughing, water trickling down your skin as you wiped the water from your eyes, kicking your legs beside his to stay afloat, and your touch never left his, your joint hands floating on the surface of the water between the two of you. You twisted, rolling onto your back and bobbing on the surface of the water, limbs spread out like a starfish, and he followed suit, the two of you floating in the pool with the ripples, the sound of rushing water being the only sound to fill the air.

“This is nice.”

“Just nice?” You questioned, your gaze finding his as you tugged on his arm, angling the two of you better until you were floating side by side, your shoulder and the length of his arm brushing against yours.

“No. It’s surreal.” He paused, taking a few deep breaths and rolling his lower lip between his teeth as he thought about his words. “I don’t feel like I’m really here. I feel like.. like I’m going to wake up at some point, in some WCKD lab being tested on. That none of this is real. That you’re not real.” His words trailed off in a whisper and you were quiet beside him for a moment, and he panicked, trying to backtrack out of the conversation when he felt the water beside him stir.

You were stood up, your feet only just reaching the bottom as you stood, the water lapping around your upper ribs and you pulled him toward you, guiding him into the same position. Your hand left his, trailing up his arm, as your other hand copied, until both your hands were cupping his cheeks. His lip trembled as you held him with nothing but pure adoration and compassion, tears lining his eyes. 

“I miss Chuck, and Winston. I miss my friends, and I can always see their faces in my mind but I’m starting to forget what their voices sound like.” His voice cracked toward the end of his sentence, a hot tear leaking from his eye and you were quick to wipe it away with your thumb. 

“It’s okay to cry here. It's okay to cry with me.” You assured him, and he felt the lump in his throat building. The moment the first tear had fallen, more were following, and soon his chest was heaving up and down as he struggled to breathe, loud sobs falling from his lips as his eyes closed. His hands found your hips, and you let him pull you closer until his forehead was resting against yours, your hands holding him as he shook, and spilled everything that was bringing him pain.

He told you every single name of everybody who he had met and lost along the way, having memorised each face and name. He sobbed about his fears, and how he tried his best but it just didn’t seem like enough and how he would’ve done things differently had he a second chance. By the time he’d finished spilling his heart out to you, his face was buried into your neck as he tried to calm his whimpers, and his arms were wrapped so tightly around your waist, your chest pressed so tightly to his that water no longer moved between you as two separate beings, but as one, around you both. 

Your fingers were running through his hair, nails scratching against his scalp as you shushed him softly. Despite the sadness that had come over him, he felt like a weight had been lifted off of his chest, like suddenly it was taken from his shoulders. He’s confessed his deepest, darkest worries and thought and now they were out in the open he felt like light was beginning to fill those crevices. He felt like he could breathe again. 

Walking him backwards gently, he let you move his body, his face adjusting on your shoulder until his nose was nuzzling against bare skin, because for this moment, while you held him as tightly as he was holding you, he didn’t feel the stress of the world, or the pressure of being the boy who took down WCKD, or even of the greenie that killed a griever. When you held him, he just felt like Thomas, and he wasn’t ready to let that go just yet. 

The water moved further and further down his body the further you moved him, until it was barely lapping his toes, and the soles of his feet were moving against warm and dry rock. Your hands slipped to his cheeks, pulling his face back until he was looking at you and you wiped your fingers under his eyes carefully, clearing away any last tears. Dropping from his sight, you tugged him down, water running from both of your bodies and back to the pool as you laid out on the warm stone.

His legs buckled under him from the exhaustion of his emotions and he laid down gently beside you, his head tilting to the side as he looked at you, licking over his lips as he tried to build up the courage to ask the question he so wanted to ask. It took him a minute, and a lot of false starts, but you waited patiently, and he smiled lightly, closing his eyes for a moment. “Will you please hold me?”

When he opened them again, you had rolled onto your back, your arms held out for him as you wiggled your fingers and he shuffled forwards, his cheek resting on your shoulder as your arms closed around him. One of his arms slung across your waist, the other resting above his head as he ran his fingers through your hair, the same way yours were doing to him, and he toyed with the loose strands that had slipped free from your braid. 

Your eyes had fluttered closed, but your hold remained on him, leaving soft and reassuring touches on his skin occasionally. He had the bravery to let his own eyes close, and though sleep never came, he wasn’t scared of his own mind for once, because Thomas quickly realised that the feel of your arms around him grounded him more than anything ever had, and you would be there to help him, no matter what flashed in his mind.

He wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but by the time he finally felt better, your hair had dried and there were no longer trails or water on the rocks, but his stomach was growling, and the sun had moved far from the place it had held overhead, and was instead, was heading towards the horizon as the colours in the sky changes into pastel shades. 

You had a layer of goosebumps on your skin from the air becoming cooler, and he shifted, your eyes cracking open to watch him as he stretched out, spreading himself out like a starfish on the rock. You eased yourself up onto your feet, pulling your braid loose and shaking it free, your hair falling in ripples down your back. You held your hands out to him, and he whines as he took them. 

“Can’t we just stay here forever? I like it here.” You pulled him to his feet, laughing as he spoke, and you shook your head, making your way over to your clothes and picking through the pile to find yours. 

“There’s a lot more to see yet, a lot more to do, a lot more to experience. We can’t do it all here.” He grumbled under his breath, tugging his own clothes on, and grabbing the bag, rooting through it for his long-forgotten lunch. He handed your’s to you too, and the two of you stood under the trees, enjoying your lunch and chatting aimlessly as you ate, enjoying the last of the sights before you were ready to head back.

When that time eventually came, the sun was sinking low, a golden hue cast over everything and making it seem entirely different than it had in the regular light. As you began the walk back, he’s been bold enough to skin his fingers down the inside of your arm to hold your hand, and you’d laced your fingers with his instead, your shoulders bumping and brushing as your fingers remained intertwined for the whole journey.

He was happy to be home after a long day, but the closer the two of you got to the camp, the more his stomach began to sink as he realised that his time with you was ending, and when you finally emerged from the shrubbery and plantlife and back into what they would term civilisation, his feet became rooted to the spot, his hand still holding yours tightly and tugging on your arm to bring you to a stop.

“W-Will you stay with me for a little longer? We could watch the sunset?” 

“I’ll stay with you as long as you’d like, Tommy.” Your thumb rubbed over his knuckles, tugging him back into motion gently as you walked together toward the huts. “Let me go and get my brother ready for bed, and then I’ll come and find you, if you want to choose us a spot to watch from?”

“I’ll see you soon, then.” You leaned up, pressing another kiss to his cheek before pushing your bag down his shoulders, taking it with you as you moved toward the collection of huts all sitting in the middle of the encampment. He had chosen a spot on the grass, looking out over the water, and the area around him had begun to grow quiet when he finally heard you approaching.

Your footsteps were light, and he turned his head to look up at you, a large blanket wrapped around your shoulders for warmth. When you reached him, you took it off, draping it over his cold skin and he held an arm out for you, letting you tuck yourself back under the blanket. His hand slipped down along your side, sitting on your waist and his cold fingers slipped under the edge of your shirt to sit on the warm skin of your waist as you huddled together, your head resting on his shoulder. 

Shades of orange and pink fanned out across the sky in a way that looked almost like a painting, before fading into purples and blues, the deep ebony of the sky coming in as stars twinkled above the two of you. When Thomas finally tore his gaze away from the sky, he found your eyes closed, and he lifted a hand to cup your cheek, your breathing slow and steady, and he realised you were asleep. 

He rested the top of his head against yours for a second, biting at the inside of his cheek to hold in the smile that wanted to break through. Warmth was filling his body and he used his free arm to shrug the blanket off from around you both, before scooping you up under your legs and lifting you to his chest. 

He walked as steadily as he could, weaving between cabins as he tried to remember which one had been yours, and he nudged the door open with his foot gently. The empty room was dark, but the moonlight coming in from the clear night sky was enough to guide him as he placed you on top of your covers gently. Taking your shoes from your feet, your body shifting sleepily as he tried to pull the blankets out from under you, your hand reaching out to find his and he lifted it for you, your fingers lacing with his as you pulled your joint hands to your chest happily. 

“You can stay if you’d like. You don’t have to walk all the way home. You can stay with me.” You mumbled out your words, pressing a kiss to his knuckles gently and he reached behind him, but he hesitated at your offer. He wanted to, he really wanted to, but he couldn't ruin your sleep like his own was always ruined. “I’ll hold you through your nightmares, it’ll be okay.”

With a soft sigh and a kiss to your knuckles, he was kicking your door shut and toeing off his own shoes before easing himself down onto the bed beside you. The second he let his head hit the pillow, your own head found a place on his chest, your legs wrapping between his as your snuggled into him, and he held onto you tightly. Leaving a lingering brush of his lips against your hairline, he allowed himself to drift off to sleep.

For the first night in over a year, Thomas had a dreamless sleep. No terrors, no nightmares, nothing.

He was shocked or wake up in the morning and find you still curled in his arms in the same way, and that he was more rested than he ever had been. The second you had woken up and asked him about the smile on his face, he’d told you about his progress, and you’d been just as happy as he was. In his joy, he let it slip just how cute he thought you looked with a messy bed head and the morning sun rays around you, both of you blushing as he let the confession slip. He refused to leave the bed, instead, he held you tightly to his chest until your hunger for food had become too much and you’d forced him to release you so you could get up.

He watched you move about, stretching your body out in the morning and finding yourself a fresh set of clothing to wear, the ones you had slept in becoming uncomfortable on your skin now. “You staying here or are you coming to breakfast?” He teased, and when he made no effort to move, you held your hand out to him, your fingers spread out invitingly for him to sleep his own between, and with a groan, he forced himself up. 

The second his shoes were on and his fingers laced with yours, you’d been moving him toward the table. That day, he was bold enough to queue up for his own food, your hand in his giving him the confidence to do so. That afternoon, your brother had approached him, asking Thomas if he wanted to join his team to play soccer against some other kids, and he’d accepted. 

That night, after you had bid your brother could night and returned to your own cabin, you’d allowed him to crawl under the sheets with you again, slipping into a dreamless and peaceful sleep. As the weeks turned into months, and more time passed them by, and Thomas found himself spending less and less time in his own hut, but found more and more of his things appearing. He’d stopped taking his laundry and belongings back to the place he barely visited now, and instead simply unpacked them into your drawers with your clothes. 

The day he came home to find you wearing one of his shirts as pyjamas, was the day his heart stopped in his chest for a few seconds as he looked at you. It was also the day he began to wonder, if home really meant a place, or if it might be a person to him instead.

Thomas wasn’t really a jealous person. He knew you didn’t want to date Gally, but up until now, the most time you had both spent with anyone else was for mealtimes, or walking on the beach with your brother. 

But, as the safe haven grew bigger, a couple of the adults had realised that a lot of these kids had been taken and put into mazes and experiments before even learning basic things. All the younger kids had started attending classes, learning to read and write, learning their history and some basic survival skills. Now he was active and around, Thomas had started working to chip in like everyone else. He helped Newt in the gardens, and helped clear land to build more homes. 

For the first time ever, their whole group was free for a day, your brother was attending his classes and making new friends his own age, and he knew you were just being friendly, but he couldn’t help but want all your attention on him. You were chatting and laughing with the boy he could now call friend, but now he was standing along as everybody else interacted and thought about the plans for the day, but Thomas didn’t want anyone else right now, he wanted you.

As though reading his mind, you never turned away from your conversation, but you must have felt his burning and longing gaze on you, because your arm lifted from your side, stretching out in his direction as you flexed your hand at him, the same way you always did when you were telling him it was okay for him to hold your hand. With hurried steps, he stumbled to your side, both of his hands holding yours and he gave Gally a polite smile before pressing a kiss to your temple in thanks. 

He felt better, because you were giving him attention even when you weren’t giving him attention. 

He knew he couldn't occupy your time all the time, that wasn’t how things worked, but he liked to have all the time he could get, because he would happily give you every single second of every single day of his time if you’d let him. But, that’s not what life was. Life was knowing yourself better than anyone else, and it was knowing that the only person who had to spend every moment with you, was yourself. That life was nothing, if you couldn't love yourself.

You had taught him that, and you had taught him to love himself. He was proud of who he was, and he no longer looked back in negativity. As the year so far had passed you had taken his worries and regrets and crafted them into something beautiful. You had made them into something he was proud of, something he could look back on with fondness and nostalgia, and miss those he had lost without feeling like he had failed, and he would never be able to repay you for giving him his life back.

Nuzzling his nose against your hair, he held onto you tightly, enjoying the warmth of your side as his front pressed up against you. Your conversation with the other boy continued on for a while, but he waited patiently, and when it finally finished, he was quick to land hands on both of your hips as turn you towards him. Sliding his hands around your back to meet in the middle, he laced his own fingers behind you, pulling you closer to him until he could prop his chin on the top of your head. 

His fingers were weaving through your hair, and he was happy just holding you, until Newt’s voice called out to the both of you; “We’ve settled on spending the day at the beach. Are you coming or what?”

You glanced up at him, and he looked between you and his friend, nodding in response and you cheered happily, breaking away from his grasp to high five the blond boy as you told him just how much you loved the beach. When you returned to him, your hands had found his shoulders, propelling yourself into the air until your legs were wrapping around his waist from behind, your arms circling his neck and he chuckled at your actions, his hands coming down to grip your thighs as he adjusted you on his back. 

You had clung to him for the whole walk down to the beach, mumbling comments and jokes in his ear as you went, keeping his mood light and peppy. It was a hot day, the end of the summer and yet the heat was still dragging out, the sun burning overhead as the boys set up a makeshift set of nets, a soccer ball that had been washed up on the beach.

By the time lunch was rolling around, the girls had long since decided to tan in their swimwear, and the boys had stripped off their shirts in the heat, having abandoned their soccer match to lie on the sand. Thomas did a lot with his friends, and he almost felt bad for himself for having missed all this fun the year before, but the year before, he was still stuck in his bad dreams, and a year before, he hadn’t met you yet.

He was always close though, you were always within his sights, no matter what you were doing, and he’s watched you lay and tan as the sea had pulled out on the shore, and then he’d watched you explore rock pools and pick out shells you liked until the tide was coming back in. As the sea came in deep enough that you wouldn’t reach the rocks, you and the other girls had gone swimming, standing happily in the waves and gossiping. 

You were too far away now, he still had his feet on the dry sand while you were more than waist-deep in the sea. Luckily for him, Minho had decided to break up your girl chatter, racing into the sea aggressively and making as much splashing as he could as fast as possible. He could hear Sonya’s angry shouts from here, Harriet and Brenda both splashing him back aggressively as you cringed away from the saltwater in your face, and he smirked as he watched you back away from the boy, only for Newt to join him, and soon, he was following the boys into the water.

He could barely see through the splashing going on around him now, saltwater flying up from every angle in a blinding wall but he followed the sound of your laugh, his arms wrapping around your waist from behind and shielding you, turning you away from the ruckus, your laugh bubbling against his chest as you shook in his arms with your giggles. His lips found your cheek in a wet kiss, and he cringed as he pulled away. 

“You taste like the sea.” 

“Well I’m wearing half the ocean thanks to Minho.” You joked, and Thomas spun you in his arms. 

“Want a bit of revenge?” You nodded happily, and he mumbled a plan to the two of you, before quickly dunking under the water. You waited, the Asian boy screaming out in shock as he was suddenly lifted from the water, his legs dangling from Thomas’ shoulders as the boy emerged from under the water and he fell backwards from his perch, hands flailing as the group laughed, Minho spluttering once he emerged. 

“You’re so dead, Thomas! Newt, get on my back!” The blond boy didn’t have to be told twice, and Sonya squealed, hopping up onto Aris’ back as Brenda jumped up onto Frypan’s, Harriet lifting her hands and backing away in surrender and Thomas turned to you with a cheeky grin. 

“We can take ‘em.” 

“Yeah, we can!” You yelled, and he crouched down, your legs sealing around his waist once again as your splash battle took off. Water was tossed and thrown, bodies falling back into the water and reappearing on repeat, until everyone had swallowed enough water and was wearing enough seaweed to call it a truce. You were still sitting behind him, picking seaweed and grit out of his hair happily as the temperature of the eater began to catch up to you. 

The sun was sinking toward the place the sky met the land and the chill was beginning to sweep in. Twisting in his grip, he released your thighs, expected you to slide to the ground, but instead, you swivelled around, your arms tightening around his waist in the water and your arms around his neck as you looked at him now. 

His hands circled your back, pulling you closer to him, the breath between you shared. “Did you have fun today, Tommy.”

“One of the best days of my life.” He mumbled, pressing a kiss to the tip of your nose and relishing in the low giggle he earned for the action. His hands smoothed up along the skin of your back, playing with the strap of your bra before sliding back down, his fingers tingling as he touched you, his forehead resting on yours. “I don’t know where I’d be without you. You changed my life.”

“I didn’t change anything. I just showed you how to make the most of the one life you get.” You shivered in his grasp, and he began to walk the pair of you back towards the shore, your legs dropping to walk on your own when the water dipped below your waist, and his fingers found yours to weave them together. As the sky darkened and the light faded away, your group made their way through the crowds to the showers to wash off the sand and salt, and he finally let you go as you stepped into one of the cubicles. 

When he emerged, you were still showering, and he changed quickly, racing down to the kitchens, water still dripping from his hair as he joined the dinner queue. Vince served him two bowls of soup, and two portions of bread, commenting on how nice it was to see him and he made the walk back up to the showers to meet you, only to find them empty when he arrived.

He panicked, he didn’t want you to think he’d left you, and he made the quick route to the cabin the two of you now shared, trying not to spill the hot food on his hands as he moved. When he opened the door, you had changed into one of his shirts and a pair of his boxers, and you were lighting candles delicately as he burst through the door. In your shock, you had dropped the match to the floor, the stick putting itself out and you grumbled, picking it up carefully and disposing of it. 

“I just went to get soup!” He panted, and you chuckled, making your way over to him and taking one of the bowls. 

“I see that, honey. Why are you stressing out? You haven’t been stressed for a long time.” His heart warmed at the pet name you reserved just for him when the two of you were alone, and he shrugged carefully as he sat down with his own meal. 

“I don’t know. I wanted to surprise you but you were gone from the showers, and I just panicked, I guess..” You looked at him with a soft gaze, swallowing your food and continuing to eat in happy silence. He was no longer shocked by your ability to calm him so quickly, instead, he found comfort in it.

He had long since realised that he would never be able to live without you, you were everything to him, and you didn’t even know it.

He had gone to return to dishes, dashing through the calm and cool night to put them back, and when he’d returned, you were already tucked into the pillows, candles blown out and blanket peeled back for him. He took his place on the usual side of the bed, and instead of turning you back to him as you usually would so he could pull you close to his chest, you faced him. 

Your hand came up to rest on his face, thumb stroking over his cheekbone carefully. “I have to tell you something, but I don’t want you to panic.” You whispered, voice carrying in the darkness and his heart rate sped up, a nervous chuckle leaving him. 

“That’s like asking a dog not to bark.” He muttered, but the air was tense around you both. 

“It’s been a while since anyone did a supply run, a good few months. We need more stuff and we have been building so strong, we have the capacity to save more people, now.” He didn’t like where this was going, and he reached up to hold your hand over his cheek, squeezing tightly as his heart raced. “Vince asked me if I would go with them.”

“Please tell me you said no?” He questioned, but the silence in the air answered for him, and he heard himself sniffle in the darkness, your cooing following, as he tried not to cry. “I don’t want you to go. I can’t come with you.” He wished with everything he had that he could go with you to look after you, but despite how much he processed it, he knew he couldn’t talk you out of it just like he could never go back there. “When do you leave?”

You sighed, the question hanging over him for a second and the longer it was before he got a reply the heavier his heart felt. “The day after tomorrow.”

“F-for how long?” His voice was croaky, and he let a single tear slip from his eye and drip into the pillow below his head, sniffling deeply to push down how he felt. 

“About a month.” He brought your hand to his lips, pressing shaky kisses to your palm, and the tips of each finger as he thought about the situation. You should move the rest of you things in while I’m gone. If we’re bringing more people back, we’ll need all the huts we can get, and you haven’t been back there in weeks. I don’t want you to close in on yourself just because I’m gone, honey.”

“I won't, I promise.” He wiped at his eyes, shuffling closer to press his lips to your forehead tenderly, before holding you there, your arms wrapping around each other. “I’ll go to breakfast and dinner every single day, I swear it. And, I’ll do extra work with Newt in the gardens, to fill my time. I’ll spend time with your brother, he wants to build a treehouse with me.”

He felt you tip your head to press a kiss to his jaw as he spoke, before you yawned tiredly. “He would love that. He thinks you’re the best, he loves you as much as he loves Minho.” You mumbled, face buried in his shirt as you drifted off to sleep.

The following day, you had told everyone about your trip, and they were shocked or find out that this would be the last full day in which they see you for a month. That night, Newt had arranged a bonfire for your departure, and Gally had whipped up a batch of his secret recipe drink. Frypan had stolen chunks of chicken and rolls of bread from the kitchens, and as the night rolled in, Thomas had found himself sitting on a log with you, a blanket wrapped around your shoulders as funny stories were shared between the group. 

A fire so tall he could barely see through the flames to the other side curled up into the air, sparks and still burning ash trickling away on the wind, and his hands were grasping a stick with a piece of chicken on, the same as everyone else, as you roasted bits of food. You were giggling, the effects of Gally’s drink hitting you, and your head rested on his shoulder, his own resting on top of yours as he simply listened to you talk to his British friend, spinning the stick in his hands as he watched the chicken rotate and cook on the end. 

He had missed it at first, but he jumped as he let his gaze flick over it one again. Your grip had grown slack, the heavier end of the stick sipping closer to the centre of the fire and the meat on the end of your stick had actually caught fire itself. Not only was your chicken ruined, but you hadn’t noticed the flames crawling along the thin wood pole towards your fingers, and he yelped, slapping at your hands to get you to drop it. 

Your gaze found his, brows furrowed as you looked at him, following his trial of vision until you saw the fire half-way up the stick, a shocked sound leaving you as you threw the whole thing into the flames, your eyes wide as the group cracked up laughing at the incident. With a pout, you picked up your drink, swilling the almost empty glass around before taking a sip of the liquid. 

“My chicken..” You grumbled, huffing through your nose and he chuckled, nudging you with the elbow pressed between you both as he pulled his stick back from the flames, showing you the perfectly roasted piece of meat. 

“You can share mine, sweetheart.” Turning to look at him, your pout was replaced with a cute smile, and he grinned at the sight of it, his head dipping forward to bump his nose against yours. 

“Thanks, Tommy.”

“Anything for you.” His nose nuzzled against yours a little longer, his forehead pressed or yours happily as you waited for the food to cool, before he held it out in your direction, letting you take the first bite. You shared the stolen treat between you both, sharing your bread out equally as well, until both of you had enough to fill you. 

You stayed out staring at the dying embers until all the warmth was gone and the night was dark and cold once again. You had hugged each of your friends goodbye, all of them bidding you well on your trip, cracking jokes and promising to do something fun when you returned. You had walked back to your cabin in silence, leaving one candle lit by the bedside as the two of you lay down. 

Something was different tonight. It was the first time Thomas was going to have to say goodbye to you, the first time he faced having to on his own for a while, and though he knew he could handle it, he was still worried. Not for himself, but for you.

You looked after everyone else, but who was going to be looking after you out there.

His thoughts were swirling and dragging him down to the depths as you played with his fingers, your eyes on him as he avoided your gaze in the low lighting of the room, your breath washing over his face from your close proximity. When your hand finally stilled, you called out to him, the sound of your voice dragging back to reality. 

“Don’t get lost in your head. I’m going to be fine.” You whispered, and he nodded cautiously, eyes scanning over every inch of your face, memorising your features. For once, his heart wasn’t racing, and his nerves weren’t electrified. Anxiety wasn’t coursing through his veins, and Thomas had never been so sure of his actions or his feelings in his entire life. 

Leaning in, his lips met yours softly, his eyes closing as he pushed into you, enjoying the soft sound you made, your hand coming up to lace in his hair, your legs tangling with his as you pulled yourself closer to him and he circled his arms around your waist, rolling onto his back. His fingers gripped your hips as his mouth moved slowly and passionately against yours, the air around him seeming to tingle each time he pulled back for breath only for your lips to meet again, and his tongue traced the seam of your lips, to which you happily parted them for him.

Tentatively, his tongue dipped out, playing with yours between your cheeks and a low moan left him, your whimper being muffled between the loving exchanges you shared, and eventually, you pulled back for air, pressing your lips to his in a final and chaste peck, leaving the same on his nose. You collapsed down onto his chest, tiredness creeping into his body, but he could feel the smile he held being returned on your own lips, your face pressed into his neck. 

“I love you.”

“I love you too, Tommy. I’m coming back to you, don’t worry.”

Your pledge held him steady as he fell asleep, your body weight on top of his making him feel safe and secure, and your confession of love making him feel warm and comfy in your embrace.

When Thomas woke up alone, the large ship on the horizon gone from sight, he wanted to get back into your bed, hold your pillow close to his chest so he could smell you, and simply wait it out until you returned. But, he didn’t.

He joined his friends for breakfast, just as he had promised he would do, because he wanted to make you proud.

His nerves were wracked. He had been sitting on the beach here for hours, ever since he’d seen the ship peek over the horizon as a tiny dot, and he’d practically been rocking with anticipation as it grew closer and closer. The small steamboat that had been bobbing on the shore was finally fired up as he watched the anchors be dropped from the main ship, the small one beginning to fill up for it’s multiple trips to and from to carry everyone back to the shore.

Firstly, came the newcomers. Shaken up and in awe, he remembered that same look being on his own face two years ago when he woke up, and one year ago when you’d started showing him how to truly live. The next shipload carried all the supplies, and Thomas was impressed by how well you had all done. It took almost forty-five minutes, he was timing it on his watch, to unload it all, the boxes being carried up the beach to put away. 

Finally, the little boat departed again, and he stood up, his legs shaky and nervous underneath him, and he distracted himself by wiping the sand from his jeans, brushing himself down and straightening out his clothes. 

He messed with his hair, ruffling it and flattening it, his hands continually running through it, and the little carrier ship finally came to a stop. He squinted, but he couldn't make anyone out, merely shapes unloading carefully and climbing aboard, and it seemed to take hours before it was slowly making its way back toward the beach.

He still couldn’t see you, amongst what seemed like a sea of bodies, he couldn't pick out your face, and his leg began to jerk and his foot tapping at the floor, adrenaline and anxiety riddling his body. Coming to a stop, the boat piled out, person after person and he watched carefully for you.

The last few people were making their way off, and he was sure the entire nail on his thumb was gone from how much he had bitten it, when at last, he saw you. You were battered and bruised, your shoulders sagging with exhaustion and you feet dragging. Your shirt was torn, and your bag was slung over one shoulder, but you had a tired smile on your face as you hopped down onto the sand, making your way up the beach.

He was calling out to you before he’d even registered it, his feet carrying him in rapid footsteps towards you and you looked up, your bright eyes meeting his and how he had missed seeing them looking into his own. You dropped your bag from your shoulder, your arms lifting tiredly up and open for him and he skidded to a stop before you, his body crashing into yours as he held you tightly. 

Finally, after all this waiting, you were back in his arms, and he pressed a kiss to your hair as he buried his face in your neck, his body trembling desperately and you held onto him, your hands coming up to squeeze around his waist as he cupped the back of your head, the other hand resting on your arm. 

“Tommy, baby, you’re shaking. It’s okay, I’m okay!”

“I missed you so much!” His eyes were lined with tears when he eventually let you pull back to look at him, and he watched as you own eyes filled with tears while you looked at him.

“I missed you too.” Dipping his head, he pressed breathless kisses to your lips, trailing them up across your cheeks, covering your face with the touches as he tried to steady himself. His hands slid down your arms to lace his fingers with yours, and his foreheads pressed together, and he felt himself finally slipping back into ease and joy now he had you in his arms again. 

“I went out every day, like I promised. I hung out with everyone, especially your brother. We hang out the most, he missed you a lot. He can’t wait to see you when his classes end.” You gave him a teary smile at the words and he lifted his hands, not wanting to see tears on your face, whether they were happy or sad. “What do you want to do? You want to sleep, or eat, o-”

“I really want to shower. I’m achy and dirty.” You mumbled, and he kissed your lips one final time, one of his hands leaving yours as he dipped down to pick up your bag, before leading you away. Holding the door open for you, he dropped your bag to the ground, and watched you rifle around for a change of clothes, before dragging yourself toward the cubicles. Your hand never left his, pulling him into the stall with you as you closed the door, and his cheeks heated up as you did.

“You want me to shower with you?” His voice was higher than normal, and he cursed himself at the way it had risen in pitch, showing off his nerves openly. Your eyes were sliding shut you were so fatigued, and his hands found the edges of your shirt, peeling up over your body and stripping you down gently, dirty clothes building a pile on the floor and he pushed them away with his foot. 

Twisting the handle for water, the warmth sprayed over your body, a low groan falling from your lips the second it did. He dropped his own clothes to the heap, stepping forwards push you both under the spray of water carefully. With a soft touch, he lathered a bar of soap in his hands, scrubbing the dirt and grime from your skin, the water running discoloured for a while as he removed the sand and filth from you, your face buried in his bare chest as he ran his fingers through your hair, detangling knots and washing away everything that had happened while you were away from him. 

When the water was clean once again, he reached for the worn towel, drying you from head to toe before helping you dress into your fresh clothes, only to find you’d brought him a set too. One of his shirts hung from your body, the long sleeves covering your hands as he scooped you up under your legs, the dirty clothes all bundled in the towel and you held the collection as he held you. 

You were too tired to eat, you just wanted to sleep, and he was more than happy to do whatever it took to take care of you, as you had been doing for him for so long now. You didn’t care about the light flooding in through the window, you only cared about crawling into your own bed, your hands clinging to him as you dragged him down with you. 

“I got you something.”

You sat up slightly, pointing at your bag in the corner and he raised his eyebrows, leaving the bed for just long enough to dig through the bag and pull out the neatly carved little wooden box, the contents jingling and shaking as he held it. Settling back in beside you, he sat up as you rested your head on his chest, an arm around his waist and your legs tangled with his. 

He popped the lid open, a selection of tools sitting inside and you covered your mouth as you yawned, hid fingers picking through the instruments he was seeing. 

“A wood carving kit?”

“I thought you could carve, like you said Chuck did. It’ll help you feel connected to him.” Tears welled in his eyes as he looked down at you, and he placed the box down, shuffling down until he could brush his lips with yours, your head resting on the pillow beside him.

“I love you so much.”

“I love you too.” Your lips flicked up, twitching into a smile at the side. “What are you going to carve first?”

He contemplated it for a minute, humming under his breath, and his fingers trailed along your arms to your hand. “How about a ring-” He tapped the base of your ring finger with his own, circling the space the token of love is supposed to sit. “to go right here?”

You didn’t open your eyes, but you laced your fingers with his, a small laugh leaving you in a breath. “I think I’d like that.” You didn’t say anything after that, you soon fell asleep, but Thomas lay awake, his free hand running through your hair as he simply enjoyed being able to hold you. 

His mind drifted to how far he’d come, a grin pulling on his face. This time a year ago, he had been sceptically following you up a mountain, intrigued by the girl who had made him laugh when no one else could. Now, he was holding the love of his life in his arms, his thumb rubbing over the patch on your finger that a ring would soon sit on. 

And finally, Thomas knew what was missing. He knew his friends cared for him, loved him, and made him feel safe. But you made him feel different. When he was with you, nothing but pure joy and adoration filled his veins, his heart beating erratically when your eyes met his and you smiled at him with a grin you saved just for his eyes when it was the two of you, the one only he could get from you. When you said his name, his heart soared and he felt like he’d been lifted into the clouds.

When your lips met his, Thomas felt like you were breathing life back into his lungs and showing him a world he’d always dreamed of and never thought he’d get. When he was with you, he didn’t feel like anything was missing, he felt like he was complete.

When he was with you, he felt like he was finally home.

[lsmileychanl]

Stray kids scenarios // cuddling

Summary: How would members of stray kids react to you being really cuddly 

Genre: Pure fluff

Warnings: minor swearing (sorry I can't help it T_T)

Pairing: Stray kids x Reader

A/n: Hello everyone! I wanted to say a huge thank you for your support, it really means a lot! Sorry for the slow posting schedule, I’ve been really busy lately. I promise that I will be more active in the future. I hope that this lil scenario can put a smile on your face! Remember to stay hydrated and get enough rest. Ily guys! ♡

_________________________________________

Bang Chan:

Channie, where are you coming home? I miss you ♡

Sorry y/n It’s been really busy lately. I’ll be home soon! Love you, baby!

I love you too!

Seen 11.27 PM

The clock was about to hit late hours of the night, but Chan still wasn’t home yet. You were determined to wait for him so that you could finally have some quality time with your boyfriend. He was working so hard and you really miss him. It was 1.45 AM and you made the critical decision to lay down on the couch. You felt yourself slowly doosing off when you heard the door open.

You jumped in his arms and hugged him so tightly, that you were convinced — any tighter and you would cut his circulation. God, you missed this.

‘’Whoa, hey baby!’’ Chan laughed out. You gave him a soft kiss on the lips. ‘’Welcome home.’’ You looked up to see his tired eyes. ‘’Let’s get rid of those model – eye bags of yours.’’ You took his arm and softly led him to the bedroom. You pouted when Chan didn’t move and gently shook your hand off.

‘’Sorry baby, I need to shower first, I’m all sweaty. Don’t be sad, I’ll be right back’’ Chan gave you one last kiss before heading to the shower.

When he came back, you were already waiting for him with fresh sheets and sheet masks for the both of you. You two ended up talking for way longer than you were supposed to, making fun of each other’s faces with the on and Chan filling you in on all the crazy stuff that happened in the dorms. You realized how late it was when you two heard bird chirps outside. You mentally thanked god that you both have a day off and went to bed. Needless to say you two ended up sleeping till noon.

Minho:

Waking up with lee know by your side was one of the best feelings ever. It was one of those lucky days where he didn't have anything planned for the whole day. Lee know is really touchy with people who he loves and so you woke up facing each other, with his arms securily around your waist and legs entangled together. You felt safe in his hold. While you wanted to stay in his strong hold forever you knew that you have to get up eventually and knowing Minho, he will not be the first one to wake up.

You gave one last look at his relaxed, sleeping face. God, he is perfect. You gently brushed your fingertips along his jawline while thinking of how lucky you were to have someone as precious as him. You gave him a gentle kiss. You felt him slightly smiling against your lips.

"Good morning, baby" you said while gently brushing through his hair.

He let out a slight groan. "Just 5 more minutes..." Lee know said with his slight morning voice. "Or a little longer..." He mumbled while digging his head in your shoulder.

You knew that there was no escape. And so you accepted the faith that you were given and gave into the warmth of his body.

You both loved the feeling of being close to each other and that is exactly what you did.

Changbin:

You looked at yourself in the mirror for the last time, fixing your hair and smiling at your reflexion. You normally didn’t wear anything fancy when going out with Changbin, but today you were really feeling yourself.

Are you ready y/n? I’m waiting for you outside! :)

Just a second, I’m almost done. Can’t wait! ♡♡

You rushed outside to find your boyfriend fiddling with his phone, while leaning against a wall. When he saw you his eyes widened and he almost fell. We love a clumsy man

‘’Whoah, that was unexpected’’ He said while nervously touching the back of his neck. You just smiled and leaned in to give a small, but loving kiss. He deepened the kiss before letting go and leading you to the car.

While changbin was driving, you rested your head on his shoulder. Soft music was playing in the background. You lost track of time and before you knew it, you were already at the location.

You were really comfortable and wanted to stay in that position for a little while longer. You knew that Channie liked acting tough in public and didn't want to "ruin his image". That meant little to no pda.

Changbin gently shook you. "Were here it's time to go!"

"Channie, let's stay like this for a while." You said while playing with his hands.

He just laughed while turning to give you a kiss on the forehead. He was so soft for you. Few minutes passed and it was time to enjoy your date. Changbin held your hand the whole entire time. Congradulations you cracked him

Hyunjin:

Ok, sooo..... phone, keys, food,  water aaaaannnd passport. You were ready. You headed out to JYP's building. Even after all these months the same manager never forgot yo ask for your passport, like you haven't vissited this building hundrets of times already. To be completely honest, you still weren't used to the huge building and managed to get lost every, damn time. With the help of a few workers there, you headed to the practising room.

When you found the right room you noticed that the door was already open. You peeked your head in and found Hyunjin all sweaty, sitting on the floor, while resting his head on the wall. You heard blasting music and a cold breeze of air, which was probabbly because he opened every, single window to let in some air, despite the multiple scolds from you about how he is going to get sick this way.

"He must have been practising there for hours... " you mumbled to yourself. You knew that it was hard being an idol. But when you saw him laying like that you got a reminder of exactly how much he puts in to achieve his dreams.

"You know that you can come in right?" You mentally cursed yourself. You got sidetracked by your thoughts and didn't even notice, that he noticed you staring at him.

"Hiii! I bought you lunch. Thought you might get hungry here." You sat down next to him and handed him the food you ordered before. It really wasn't much, but you couldn't trust yourself enough to touch the kitchen by yourself.

"Thank you, y/n! I don't know what I would do without you." Hyunjin kissed you and opened the food. "OMG YOU BROUGHT ME SUUUSHIIIIII!" Hyunjin's face lit up as he engulfed you in a giant bear hug. You laughed at his cute reaction. After he finnished the meal he put the emptied box down and just layed there with you on top of him.

"I love you, you know that right?" He mumbled under his breath while playing with the strands of your hair. You hugged him even tighter "I love you too, Hyunjinnie!"

Jisung:

,,Please Jisung-ah, I will watch literally anything else!’’

,,Commoon y/n! Please. I promise you it’s gonna be fun! If you watch this with me I’m going to be the one bringing the trash out for the next week.’’

,,Ugh fiiiiiiiiine…’’ You grunted.

You have no idea how he convinced you to do this. You hated horror movies. But there you were on the couch, scared shitless, hiding in the crook of your boyfriend’s neck.

Each time you jumped at the scary scene he laughed even harder. ‘’What are you scared of y/n? It’s really not that bad.’’ Jisung smirked devilishly knowing how much the movie affected you. He secretly enjoyed these moments where he could fill the strong, protective boyfriend role and feel your hands helplessly grabbing on his shirt. Also he just wanted to be able to make fun of you smh

After the movie you mentally took note to never watch a scary movie ever again. You were SHAKING and couldn’t help yourself from clinging to your boyfriend. You basically became a human koala bear and followed him everywhere. At first Jisung just laughed it off but then it started to become a problem when he couldn’t even get to the bathroom.

The tickle battle was on. Using the advantage, he ran and did what he had to do. After returning and seeing you hiding under billions of blankets, he felt bad for just running away like that and jumped in the bed with you.

‘’AAAGHHH you’re so cute, y/n.’’ He said squishing your cheeks and giving you a quick kiss on the lips.

Felix:

You just woke up. You didn’t even realize that you fell asleep in the first place. You were chilling at the dorm with the boys so you didn’t know how you ended up sleeping in Felix’s bed. You sleepily rolled out of the comfy sheets and threw on one of his oversized, comfy hoodies and went downstairs.

You found Felix playing games with the other members. He was concentrated on the screen, wanting to prove that he is a good player, while everyone else teased him.

‘’Didn’t you start playing it 4 months before him?’’ Jisung laughed.

‘’Hey, he just got lucky. I’ll beat him next time.’’

You smiled and back hugged Felix placing your head in the crook of his neck.

‘’I think you did great!’’ You said and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Felix got scared at first thinking that you were Minho trying to tease him, but once he realized that it was you he relaxed in your arms.

‘’Oh, you’re up already, y/n? I thought that you might hurt your back sleeping on the couch like that, so I carried you to my bed. Did you sleep well?’’

‘’Ugh not to interrupt you, but can you please get a room, we have to protect the children!’’ Bang Chan quietly begged. Felix jumped off the map and lead you back to his bed and you ended up spooning each other to sleep.

Seungmin:

"Seungminni, pleaassee! This is getting ridiculous." You pouted. You're boyfriend decided that it would be funny, to not give you any affection for the whole day. Whenever you leaned in for a kiss, he would dodge it. Whenever you tried to hug him, he managed to wiggle out of your grip. "Nu-uh it's only getting interesting now." Seungmin playfully winked at you and gave you a light pat on your head. Gosh you hate this little game of his. "I swear to god if you keep doing this to me, I will find someone else to cuddle with!" The smile on Seungmin's face disappeared as his eyes widened in shock. "Say sike right now or I will throw hands." (it's getting late and I'm so sorry) You didn't respond and just walked out the room. Seungmin soon followed and grabbed your hand. "I'm so sorry y/n. This was all a joke I really didn't mean to upset you." You saw the pain glisten in his eyes. Immediate guilt tripped over you. But then you remembered about his antics earlier. "Ha! Got you! The only one who I was going to cuddle was Mr. Flower bear. (Mr. Flower bear was a gift from Seungmin, for Valentine's Day. You named him that, because he had a flower crown on it's head.) Seungmin's shoulders dropped as a sigh of relief escaped his lips. "Oh my God, you almost gave me a heart attack. From now on I'm never letting you out my arms ever again." Sweet victory.

Jeongin:

Istg he makes me so soft I'm- You stood there with a big, comfy pillow in your arms. Jeongin opened the door and you were immediately hit with his precious smile and his little claps of excitement. "Hi, y/n! You ready?" It was an intense, late night, pillow fort movie marathon. You two just finished the last Harry Potter movie and having a debate over what's the best spell in the movie. "Common, Jeongin, Wingardium Leviosa is iconic. You can't deny that." "Yeah, but Expecto Patronum is still cooler. Would you rather make something float or see your spirit animal? I think that anyone with the right mind would pick the spirit animal." You sighed in defeat. You knew that he is too stubborn and you wondered why did you even start the debate. "Fine you win, let's watch another movie and then let's go to bed, it's getting late." "No pressure, but the last movie matters the most." You lock eyes with him and understand that a battle for the remote control is coming. You kissed him on the cheek, making him flustered and got a head start. Once he realized what you were doing, Jeongin caught you in his grip and started tickling you. You lost your balance from laughing so hard and right before you hit the floor Jeongin managed to catch your head. "Whoah, are you okay? I'm so sorry y/n, I didn't want you to get hurt." "I'm fine, but now I have the advantage of choosing the movie." Jeongin just showed you his tounge and hugged you tighter. "Whatever. As long as I spend time with you, I'm happy." You laughed at his cheesy line. "Gosh, I love you."

[sd1970x]

Marinette, work in progress - Ch2

Read also on AO3: here

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The sound of bird chirping accompanied the rain waning down. 

“Petrichor,” Marin quipped as he took in a deep breath of that musky smell, and sat down at one of the park benches to contemplate his first day at school.

  So… Chloe is with me in class, that is a major disappointment. But Adrien… that’s something I did not expect, at all. 

  A homeless person lay next to Marin. He considered how the rain must have not been kind to them, yet they still looked cheerful enough.

The woman rose up and looked at him with mild curiosity, then suddenly a smile of recognition came about her.

“Hey… I know you, you’re the Dupain-Cheng kid, aren’t you? I used to order bread from your bakery.” The woman said. 

“Oh?”

Marin tried his best to jog his memory, but to no avail.

“Fanny. Fanny de Travers.”

Oh!

He had vague memories of her as a polite lady, but not much more.

“I used to work as a freelance tailor, until I became too sick to practice the trade.”

That jogged his memory a bit. He now remembered she used to show his mom some embroidery occasionally. In fact, it may have been one of the few things that kindled his interest in fashion.

“You know what, Fanny? Wait right here, I’ll be back in a moment!”

Like any self-respecting bakery, the Dupain-Cheng boulangerie had a bag for unsold goods that were destined for charity. Marin quickly picked some of the best he could find from it, wrapping it up and hurrying back to the park.

Much to his surprise, when he came back, Fanny was already chatting freely with one of his classmates.

“Mylene?”

“Oh, Hi there Marin!” She said, as both her and Fanny looked at his wrapped bread. “I didn’t know your bakery was part of the anti food waste program!”

Fanny couldn’t have been happier at the sight, followed by the smell and the taste.

“That tastes real good, reminds me of the times I could actually afford it.”

She took one good crunchy bite, then sighed, pocketing the rest in her jacket.

“Do you two know each other?” Marin asked, mildly surprised at the unexpected encounter.

“Mylene is an activist, I’ve seen her once or twice in demonstrations.”

Mylene nodded in approval. “Just doing my small share at making sure Paris is a better city for everyone.”

Marin wasn’t sure if he ever excelled at reading people’s sincerity, but something about Mylene’s enthusiasm seemed highly convincing. 

It’s quite nice to have someone like her in class.

“Now, I’m really sorry to bid you farewell; there’s a demonstration I’m going to.”

“Oh!” both Fanny and Marin exclaimed. “What’s it about?”

“I don’t actually know yet,” she admitted sheepishly. “We’ll get all the details soon.”

Just as she made that statement, several city construction workers started spreading around the park, taking measurements and making chalk marks.

“Hrm? Is something going on?”

“We’d have to ask you to leave soon. We’re about to install new benches in the park.”

“New benches, that’s really nice!” Fanny looked at the construction workers, hopeful.

“Ha. Wait until you see them,” one of them responded, a mysterious smile to him and a certain gleam in his eye. Something about Fanny seemed to deflate at that moment as her movements slowed down and her senses seemed to sharpen. It was that moment when another of the construction workers gave her a friendly pat to the back and said “I’m terribly sorry.”

“What would you be sorry about?” she asked, almost instinctively, even though her expression gave in that she was starting to realize it. In a few moments, they all saw the crane hauling over the new bench. 

Marin had never slept in the street, but it was obvious to him there was no way anyone could ever sleep on that angled stone slab, much less with the bars attached at strategic locations and the shallow, but disruptive, segmentation.

“No, please…” Fanny begged, to no avail, as Marin’s heart sank at the cruelty.

Who’s to hear her cry, a plight to be allowed some dignity in her sleep?

And even if the construction workers were to listen and open their hearts to her plea, was there anything they could do about it?

Marin watched Fanny’s head droop as she slowly walked away from them.

“Try the other way,” the friendly construction worker called to her. “It will be a longer while before installation plans reach that part of the city.”

“I… I guess that’s what today’s protest is about.” Mylene sighed deeply. “I better hurry.”

“Can I… can I come with you?” he asked, and Mylene nodded.

  ---

  A whirr of a motor disrupted the silence as rays of light disrupted the darkness as well, opening just a bit of Hawk Moth’s lair to the world.

“Yes. Just the feelings I need. Despair against a merciless municipality. Rage against civil servants with a heart of stone. Fly away, my precious akuma, and evilize her!”

  Fanny walked aimlessly, trying to get as far as she could from that park. Eventually, she succumbed to the thoughts of futility and leaned her back at one of the trees on the boulevard, sobbing. Another pedestrian casually bumped into her, not even bothering to utter an apology.

She looked about, paying no special attention to the odd butterfly that approached her, as it landed on the piece of bread sticking out of her jacket’s pocket.

  It was then when she felt some kind of mental link being formed and silvery eyes prying into her soul.

“ Stoneheart. I am Hawk Moth. Wouldn’t you like to repay those who failed to listen to your pleas, those with a true heart of stone?”

“With pleasure, Hawk Moth”.

The purple-black mist enveloped her, as she morphed into Stoneheart, a giant made of pure stone.

  ---

  Marin and Mylene were walking at that very same boulevard, as a deafening sound and a shake of the earth rattled them to their core.

They both looked at Stoneheart with great fear, their minds doing their best to comprehend its existence, with little success.

“What… What is that thing?” Mylene cried. Marin was swift to pull her from its way as its foot crashed into the ground, seemingly ignoring them both, much to their relief.

“I don’t know, but we had better run away!” Marin answered as both nodded and fled the boulevard.

Marin ran off as quickly as he could, his feet carrying him away towards the safety of his home. He tried his best to forget about the scene he just witnessed, to no avail. It’s not like he was empowered to do anything about it anyway, now was he?

Well, at least Alya would be very interested, I bet she’d love to chase and photograph the thing. 

Just as he was about to fetch his phone from the school bag and call her, something dropped out of it, an object he did not recognize. He picked it up and examined it thoroughly.

The thing looked like a highly ornate tiny box made of lacquered black wood with strange engravings.

“Huh? What’s that doing here?”

He cautiously opened the box, curious as to the pair of earrings found inside, as a tiny red creature with a black dot on their forehead emerged. 

“First a monster and now I’m imagining things,” he quipped.

“Huh? Well, imagine this!” The creature flew and forcefully smacked right into his right side.

“Ouch, what did you do that for?”

Wait a minute...

“You’re real!”

“Yes! My name is Tikki and I’m a Kwami.”

“My dad must be pranking me.”

Marin waved his hand as if trying to find the strings that supposedly make Tikki move.

“We don’t have time for this, you have to listen. We have to beat Stoneheart.”

Marin looked at her with intent from several directions, going ‘hmm’ as he did.

“You’re a bit too small for that.”

“Don’t be silly. There’s something super inside you waiting to be unleashed.”

“The only thing I’m super at is being the school’s super laughing stock!”

Tikki seemed to ignore his statement.

“Just memorize the important parts. The invocation of your special power is by saying ‘lucky charm,’ but you will detransform after five earring beeps, so wait for the right moment to use it.”

Marin looked at her, still thoroughly unconvinced, though he did place the earrings over his ears as Tikki expected him to.

“Okay… I’ll try to remember all of that,” he said.

“And after that, you need to find the akumatized item, break it, then capture the butterfly using your yo-yo.”

Marin nodded.

“I still think this is all some kind of a prank.”

“Then you wouldn’t mind saying ‘spots on’, would you?” Tikki seemed to taunt him.

“Spots… on?”

  ---

  Marin got a glimpse of Tikki’s form getting sucked into his earrings. By then, he was no longer able to suggest it was a prank. His body seemed to gain a life of his own, his hands motioning over his eyes, a red mask forming over them. The transformation then proceeded towards the rest of his body, covering it with a red-and-black hexagon patterned suit and the yo-yo Tikki promised formed near his hip.

“Well, that’s a surprise,” he said, as he looked at himself in the mirror and he realized it was far more surprising that he had initially imagined.

“I’m… a girl now?”

Something about those words felt right. Too right. Almost temptingly right.

Too tempting… and not true.

I may have a girl alter ego, (s)he thought, but that doesn’t mean I am a girl, now does it?

(S)he wasn’t too surprised that the feeling still lingered on, despite her supposedly-rational thought about it. The image in the mirror was too hard to fight off.

(S)he casually waved her hand and was still surprised that the image in the mirror did the exact same.

“Well then… it’s time to save the world, isn’t it, Tikki?”

There was no response.

“Oh my, guess she’s part of my suit. Perhaps that’s why I have a feminine form!”

That revelation made her feel joy at figuring it out and the same time cast some unexplained sadness upon her.

As if (s)he wanted to have a genuinely feminine part to have brought about that form. But alas, (s)he was a boy. A not-so-happy fate, as far as (s)he had considered, but a fate nonetheless.

“So. Ladybug.” she whispered.

My girl persona.

I have a girl persona.

I’m free to act like a girl when I’m wearing this suit.

  ----

  Marin left her room to her porch as she considered her options. She pulled out the yo-yo and an idea came to mind, about using it as a means of transport.

It’s a bit crazy but worth a try, I guess?

A quick toss and it latched perfectly upon a stone gargoyle in a nearby cathedral. She tugged it and found herself thrust forward.

That works!

She quickly landed at the cathedral’s balcony, where another figure stood. One very similar to her, though clad in black. Being the Ladybug-themed superheroine, then he must be-

“Chat Noir, pleased to meet you. You must be the partner my kwami told me about.”

“Well, my kwami failed to mention any partner…” she said, “But two against one sounds better.”

“Uhh… About that, I have some really bad news, partner,” Chat Noir called as he pointed towards the street below them. A group of Stoneheart clones were now thrashing through Paris. In between them, she spotted one wearing a familiar jacket.

Fanny?

The jacket-wearing stoneheart pointed towards a nearby beggar and they instantly turned into yet another clone of theirs, joining their growing army.

“We have to stop them before they get out of control!”

Chat Noir was quick to vault towards the scene and Marin followed, using her yo-yo yet again as means of transport. Chat Noir was careless enough to land smack in the middle of a group of stoneheart clones, while Marin was much more careful in planning her landing.

“Cataclysm!” he called it and touched his hand to the ground, causing a minor chasm to open up and giving him cover to vault away to safety.

“Wow, that was so cool! better have another one ready,” he suggested. “Cataclysm!” He called it again.

Marin stared at Chat Noir who seemed perplexed that his super-power wasn't recharging on its own.

“Looks like your Kwami failed to mention important things too! You only have one shot at it. It’s all up to me now, I guess. LUCKY CHARM!”

Marin cupped her hands to find a firehose dropping into them.

A firehose? That’s almost too easy!

“Cover me, partner!” she said, and Chat Noir was quick to fend off some stoneheart clones with his baton and allow her to reach one of the fire hydrants. As she plugged it, she tried her best to aim at Stoneheart’s pocket, to no avail.

I have to do better than this.

She quickly slid between the legs of some other stoneheart clones, jumping over yet another two and stuffing the hose straight into the pocket in Stoneheart’s jacket.

The torrent of water was quick to dislodge and soak the piece of bread, swiftly breaking it apart. In a moment, all the Stoneheart clones detransformed, leaving behind dazed people, as the akuma butterfly fluttered away.

“You’re done causing trouble, little akuma!” she called as she tossed her yo-yo away, whisking the butterfly into her yo-yo.

“Bye bye, pretty butterfly!” she waved at the now white purified butterfly, then looked at the fireman’s hose she carried.

“Miraculous… Ladybug!” She cried as she tossed the hose sky high and it burst into a shower of ladybugs, going about Paris and correcting whatever damage Stoneheart had caused.

  An earring beep reminded her of her time limit.

“Tomorrow at eight, same cathedral. Don’t be late, partner!” She bid him farewell and quickly ran off.

  ----

  Her earrings made their final beep just as she hid herself in the alley and detransformed.

“I was… a superheroine,” she mumbled. “But now I’m a boy again, I’m-”

Something about being Ladybug thrilled her far more than just her superpowers.

Something about the suit seemed to fit in a way that was much more than merely physical.

The thought about being a boy again made her sick to her core and by now she realized very well why.

She’d be forced to forever live out the gap between her feminine alter ego, let loose in superheroine form, and the boy life she has to endure.

The bullying. The harassment. Laughed at for being gay.

If only I could actually be Ladybug. If only I truly had that in me.

As if to reinforce that exact thought, her school bag just slipped away and its contents spread around, reminding her of the very thing she wished to forget. A gentle, manicured hand picked up her history book and her eyes went wide.

The scrawl was gone.

Huh?

As if by themselves, tears of happiness poured out, as her hand gently fluttered over the now-clean history book.

It’s gone! that… that awful thing, no longer here to haunt me. The blatant reminder of my supposed place. How many tears have I shed over this?

In-between her tears, she also noticed something else. Her hand, which was feeling the book, was now different as well.

How could I have missed that?

Gentle. Manicured.

A girl's hand.

Wait.

Hold it right there for a minute.

No… it can’t be… it’s… I…

I didn’t change back.

I DIDN’T CHANGE BACK!

Hands gently trailed her now feminine features, stroking her face which was previously slightly bearded (much to her chagrin), now smooth to the touch. Cupping her breasts, squeezing them just a touch.

They’re… real. It’s all real!

She looked at herself and something just felt feminine, right . (She would only later be able to identify it as body fat distribution changes)

“I…”

She began saying something, then stopped as her own voice startled her. It was now higher-pitched than before. As if she hadn’t gone through this awful puberty.

Feelings of joy, surprise and fear of the unknown overwhelmed her. She collapsed at the nearest bench, crying her heart out.

“Are you okay, girl?”

“I’m… girl… I…”

She called me a girl. I’m a girl now. I’m really a girl now.

“Do you need some help?”

I… but… do I even know the least thing about actually being a girl?

This thought made her dizzy, as another began to chase her.

I’m a girl now. That’s… ten times as hard, isn’t it? Being so… 

Tikki… I have to talk with Tikki.

“I’m fine,” she mumbled towards the woman, as she made haste home, ignoring everything and everyone who stood in her way as she barged through the bakery’s door, the bell ringing loudly.

“In a hurry, Marinette?” Her dad called, but it barely registered in her mind. She quickly opened the door to their home and quickly climbed the stairway, opening the door to her room then gaping in awe.

  ---

  “It’s… it’s beautiful!” she squirmed full of excitement. Her room now looked nothing like she had remembered it. Her eyes were first drawn to the pink upholstery, replacing the drab grey memory and evoking glee at the cuteness it radiated. The lounge chaise was a perfect match and she had to restrain her urge to immediately jump and lay over it. Her feet dragged her as if by their own volition to her desk, colorful and inviting, tastefully decorated with various trinkets.

“Awesome!” she almost screamed as she sat on her chair.

“So, I take it you like your new room!” A high pitched sound was heard, as Tikki emerged from her purse.

Wait, I have a purse? And it’s all pretty and pink? 

“Well then, Marinette, how do you like your new life?”

Marinette blushed furiously.

“I… it’s… it’s everything I ever wished for, without even knowing it. Even my new name feels… perfect.”

That admission only managed to further her embarrassment at being unable to get a good grip on the situation and she tried her best to look away from Tikki.

“So, I should tell you exactly how it works, then.” Tikki zipped in front of Marinette again, denying her the privilege of looking the other way.

“The Miraculous Cure has rewritten everyone’s knowledge of you and reshaped your life. Should you ever want to reverse it, you will need to call for the Miraculous Cure again with that intent.”

Marinette chuckled.

“I… don’t see that happening anytime soon.”

“As for your own body, this one couldn’t be handled by the Cure as it avoids subjectively fixing you.”

“Oh?”

Well, that does make some sense, I guess?

“So, I am sustaining that magic using a small portion of my power. Should you need your maximum power, you can ask me to drop it temporarily.”

“Well, I don’t see that happening either. Tikki, things are... ”

She paused, trying to contain her excitement.

“Things are the best they have ever been. I am looking forward to school and living my new life.”

Marinette looked at her bed that suddenly looked oh-so-inviting, both on account of how it looked and on account of her being so tired.

“Guess it’s time for me to go to bed… Good night, Tikki!”

“Good night, Marinette.”

Marinette tucked herself into bed, a wide smile to her that refused to fade.

  ---

  Dear Marinette… While I did this much for you, your quest towards accepting who you really are is far from done. The real challenge lies deep within you.

[anteroom-of-death]

Life, For Dummies p5

a/n: deconstructed angst with a slice of life. idk, i cried too many times lately n now we here. enjoy my pretties.

You fell into a comfortable routine of sorts. No set pattern or time sheets to fill out, no schedule. Just adventure after scheme, mind-numbing body flaring fuck after pleasurable expeirence, after explosions and wine and dine. 

He’d even begun to train you to pilot the TARDIS. He made it fun, and used sex and punishment like a drivers education teacher uses gold stars and red pen. Land it perfectly or even in the right vicinity, he’d toss you up over the console and toss your legs behind his shoulder and eat you out like you were the last snack on the planet. Leaving you with beard burns and gushing…

Manage to wreck the TARDIS into something or massively screw up? He’d pull you by your ear until you were lower to the ground and take the notebook you’d eagerly scribbled notes into, tear your panties down and use it as a flogger, “Now maybe it’ll get through your skull now?” 

You didn’t know which rednesses were which anymore. 

Once you even set up in a kingdom after killing the King and Queen and using telepathic manipulation. It was an annual tithings feast akin to the Purge. The survivors of it would give the king and queen the losers goods. You did admit it was good having everyone fawn over you and treat you like royalty. The Master laughed and nearly died laughing the first time you truly didn’t fuss over the genuflecting, sputtering masses. After that was done, he took only the prettiest and most useful object and drug out the corpses of the former rulers and mockingly made them on their thrones.

He did take the most grand tiara and place it on your head one night and said, “Queen of the Whores...look at how well you know how to kneel!” Before cumming on it, your face, and the wall behind you.

You insisted on lots of rest days in the TARDIS and even out. He enjoyed having a solarium open to the most grand suns for naps during this time, all curled up, you on his chest and you knew this might be the legitimate only time the alien ever had some semblance of a sleeping schedule. 

He’d taken to playing slightly with your hair and humming a bit to you. It was simple and always drained out to a slight snore. He was opening up and relaxing more around you. Even informing you of his life. All the good with all the bad. It was slow to start, but you knew it was a lot.

He was right, all those months ago, this was the Real Way to See the Universe. Having it brought to you and not at random. Each day an a la carte and having loads of time to unwind. The days of randomness and ill-adept piloting, half lies mixed with earnest truths and long-winded explanations were a fever dream of lives past. You understood him better. At his level.

Things became clear and stuck.

You wondered off hand constantly if this was what regeneration felt like one day. 

“I can assure you. It’s much more painful.” He said, responding to your wonderment, tracing a small circle around the base of your neck one day at a beach on Momia 18. “You at least get to keep this smashing body, I have the lottery. Will I end up a dashing man with hands that can do this- “ He went lower and massaged the outside of your bikini bottoms, “And these lips you can never tear your filthy little mind away from…” He stopped and pulled you back, “Or something boring and less exciting.” 

“Damn, you have a point there.” 

If not for the people who he demanded you get called by your preferred name and or, regal terms, you half-thought sometimes you’d forget your name. What was it again? Y/N? 

You were always “Pet” or “my pet”. Unless he was being cool with you, then it was a terse “love”, which always made your heart plummet into your stomach. 

You’d only fought once so far, and it was over something so stupid, you happened to land on Earth and it was a festival and he wanted to scheme and lure in her, but you wanted a nice day perusing the booths and eating, maybe getting a haybale ride in. You ended up cutting your nose off to spite your face and slamming the door to your room and barricading it with a chair, screaming that he had best not come in there. You froze him out for three days and you two took two fucking weeks to make it up. 

It was, at the end, you paid in pain and delayed pleasure. He had you you choked out and chained on the floor of the TARDIS, slowly torturing you with fucking your brain up with images of him pleasuring you. All while using an electric zinger. The Master had you begging and pleading while informing you that Pets don’t get the chance to freeze out their Masters. That they were to be warm and receptive. Always obedient. Once you got the point, he brought you to the most extreme orgasm you ever had, then spent the next day caring for you and yet making sure you wore your new marks with pride.

You could have, in retrospect gone without him, but hindsight is perfect vision. 

You knew you were changing, you were constantly reminded, not just by your creeping suspicions, but by the few, brief times you checked in with your old reality on Earth. You said your excuses, blamed mental illness and lied through your teeth to poor Graham who wanted to send you a box of scones he made. 

He’d been a surrogate father to you in a few many ways.

Yet you never felt so far and so disentangled. 

Not that all change was bad. You were becoming more confident and stood straight up. You were always learning, whether at the hands of your Master, or by the innumerable amount of books he had falling over the place, even by your own tinkering. Your reveries became smaller and fewer in between. And you didn’t let fear get in the way of you doing anything, even falling great heights. 

You were a ghost within a ghost wrapped in a human shell.

Chaos over Chaos. 

The final piece of this fell in when you finally encountered her, the Doctor and all your old friends. Yaz, Ryan and Graham. 

It was an accident.

You’d been laying the foundations for rebellion to happen, the Master was quite put out with the establishment and told you, “Let them eat cake!” as you pointed out, that it’d be longer to wait, but more fun to sew the seeds of discourse and let them march the leaders' heads out on spikes, then swoop in later as glorious alternatives. 

He kissed you so hard you nearly stumbled over and quickly blurted out, “I love you for this! What a clever idea.” 

Of course, the Fam was here and trying to create peace and make sure “order” happened and not your beautiful chaos. 

It was a stand down and you’d literally just walked into those two circling around each other like snarling dogs for a meaty bone. 

“I knew you’d probably be behind something as sinister as this!” She barked. 

Yaz and Ryan were calming a crying leader’s wife and Graham was recharging his Laser shoes. You wondered offhandedly how a supposed pacifist would let him have a weapon purely for killing.

You allowed yourself one, “Fuck.” a little too loud to escape quietly and go deal with this and smooth over the best saving grace for your long plan you both poured all three of the available hearts into. 

“Y/N?” The Doctor pivoted and spun around to the shadow you’d been off stage in. 

The Fam all dropped whatever they were doing immediately and began to gawk at you.

“We thought you died? I went to your home to pick you up and it was deserted-dusty!” 

“We tried calling!”

“I mailed you a postcard!”

“We checked every local hospital and scanned the records for your death!”

So many voices and shouts shook you into the first of a massive reverie in a while. A dull ringing set in and snapped. People started bickering between. For a second you couldn’t hear a single peep from anyone and lost your mental footing.

“How could you betray me? After all we’ve been through?” The Doctor demanded, rolling into your face and nose curling in utter grievances. Fire and sadness filling her eyes. You felt guilt, but saw the pure disgust radiating out of her.

“Enough.” You pushed back and screwed yourself up again. 

“You left me, and them.” You pointed your commanding hand at the Fam. “All alone and on our own to get home! What was I supposed to do? Stand by and wait like I’m being stood up? We waited days. We always wait for you. Always.” Hurt and violence pouring out of every syllable. “What are we, hmm? Us companions? Toys for you to play with for character development then toss away when you learn your lesson?”

“He’s got your hypnotised! He’s evil! You know he’s a baddie!”

You let out a manic laugh, “So?”

“Look what he’s turned you into!” She pointed, “You didn’t look like this before.”

You clapped your hands and chortled, “I’m happy!”

You saw out of the corner of your eye everyone, even the Master, stepped back and observed the two of you’s scene. Yaz? Horrified and like she’d seen a murder. Ryan, confused and hurt. Graham, hurt, but just looking glad he wasn’t in the middle of it.

But your Master, you thought you heard him coo under his breath and felt a warm tingling in your brain.

Yaz, ever the Officer and The Gentlewoman approached you and asked honestly if you were okay. 

At the moment you didn’t know, you crossed a hand over your gut and inhaled sharply, slouching and swallowing a lump in your throat. Graham was beginning to look beyond concerned and in a fatherly sort of way. “You seemed shaken up the last time we talked, Y/N. Did he hurt you?” He approached you and put out to comfort you…

The Doctor was turning from shock to anger and betrayal overruled. “What’s that? It’s like he’s taken over you!” The Doctor made a broad sweeping gesture.  

The Master went to speak and you waved him off, your mind crashing around you. You could feel him getting worried and angry. He looked like he was to kill the Doctor. But not in the little smirking way you’d grown to adore. His teeth were out, but not in a wide, dopey grin. Purely feral and ready to open something like a can opener…

He stopped, looking confused but a little proud. He had a front row seat to your mind and the cacophony of thoughts inside it, yet was shocked. 

“Oh- it’s not like you don’t take us and mould us to your liking? Worlds speak in hushed reverent tones of you sacrificing your Children of Time. Then you go move on to another set. No big deal! You can always pick a bunch of suckers. Your TARDIS might as well be a white panelled van.” You tried matching her equally for the amounts of emotions or a monologue she would do. “You’re just as bad if not worse! You play the hero and the martyr! You lie to us!”

To rub salt in the wound you quietly added, “He’s many things, but I know he’ll never lie to me.” 

You didn’t know how much of a hard-ass you could successfully pull off. You considered her a friend and up until this moment still had a lot of loyalty and love for her. You still loved despite always being a misshapen puzzle piece the human part of the Fam.The ringing settled in your jaw and you felt her pain. 

Your facade began shaking.

You started to tear up. “What was I supposed to do, huh? Stay home? The world was in lockdown, and my anxieties were numerous. I was worried sick about you, and forget me? Graham’s elderly and has health problems!” Your lower jaw began to shake. You were scared for the first time in ages. 

“Sue me, so I left with the Master.” 

Your words rang out but not as intense as they should have.

“Did I really fit in with you at all?” You posed an easy question. Expecting an easy answer.

The tears began to fall freely.

“He’s evil...” She reminded you.

“Does not matter.” You rebutted. 

“He’ll kill you.”

“Whatever.” At this point you began wishing someone would murder you. 

She pivoted and lunged straight at him, “This a big part of your plans? Take my companion and pervert her? Then have her trot out…” she straddled him and grabbed him by the lapels. “Dressed like you dressed her? Huh? What method of mind control-” You went to go save him from the honey badger in blue. 

He began to laugh, not exactly manically, but not exactly mirthfully as well. “Oh, I’ve been more or less avoiding you. Out of respect for my pet.” The tone was taunting and bitter. “You think I wanted to hurt Y/N? Like this? Oof- how little your respect for me, Doctor!” He spit her name out like a fatwa. 

You closed your eyes and began to break. Mentally, you were draining down and physically it felt like you’d received a punch to your guts. You felt spiritually bereft. The Doctor and the Master fighting made you feel like some doll for these virtual children to deal with.

You wished you could pop a valium.

Giving the rest of the Fam an imploring look, you swallowed and gathered yourself up. You hoped your eyes could give them all the apologies and information you needed them to know. That you cared for him and weren’t in trouble. All the facets of you crashing and burning. You were being torn apart, playing a game with your held heart. 

But in the end it was fruitless. So you pulled the two Time Lords off each other, glowering at the two of them.

“I’m going back to the TARDIS.” You gave it your best shot to look commanding and in charge.

You turned around and tried to stalk out with all the bravery you could muster. You couldn’t relate to a happy state, feeling your blood run cold in your ears.

So you ran.

[zendaycoolman]

romantic getaway  ( zoah )

sumary: after asking her to be her girlfriend, zendaya and noah ( @ncahcentinechq​ ) take a weekend out in a mountain / beach setting. this is a collectiong of small paras from that trip. triggers: fluffy, smuttish, angst, cursing, relationship starting at its best dudes when: somewhat a month ago.

DAY 01, the bathtub scene

ZENDAYA: "i'm sorry that i slept the most of the way here", zendaya said, after the both of them settled down the things they brought - suitcases, food, utensils and other supplies. she was hopping that he would erase from his mind the image of her snoring lightly clinging to the script for the second episode of euphoria. "i promise i won't keep you awake at night", with that powernap she knew she wouldn't be sleeping that much at night and was aware that noah loved his sleep. outside, it was close to nightfall, but they were both a bit sweaty from the heat and the effort they put on putting the rented cabin-house in order. reaching for a towel to clean her face, z offered another one to her boyfriend. "how about we break out the tub?", she asked, pointing the hotub outside of the glass walls. in the end she didn't wait long for an answer and took off her shirt, revealing her lacy brown bra as she walked towards the door.

NOAH: "You have the cutest little snor I've ever hear" Noah replied with a smile as they both got to settle everything they bought for their long weekend away from reality. It was a much anticipated weekend for Noah, and something he was really in need of, to have her just to himself. "Now that's a promise I want to see being broken" he was an early riser when it comes to the day to day life, and that wouldn't apply to their getaway, the last thing he is worried is with keeping up a schedule. They would eat when they are hungry, and sleep when tired. Uncomplicated. Everything was perfect about the place she choose for them. He was in love with every little details, and his mind was already running wild on how much they could do. At her offer, his brow was quick to raise, as he watched her taking off her shirt. "That plan sounds and looks amazing" Noah declared, taking off his own shirt and going after the brunette, biting down on his lower lip taking a good look at his girlfriend before catching up to her and grabbing her by the waist, pulling her back against his naked torso, planting a kiss on her naked shoulder.

ZENDAYA: kicking off her shorts as she walked, z wasn't surprised when noah pulled her close. she was hopping for it, that this would be how everything is this weekend worked: just them, connected, not thinking about work or anything else but them. zendaya wasn't the most romantic person she knew, but she did had a few things planned. "can i tell you a secret?", she asked, supporting her weight on him when putting her foot inside the warm watter. "i almost didn't booked this place over this tub. whenever i see it i just remember of peter and lara jean making out - then i realized", she was fully inside the water now so she pulled him close too. "that i have noah. which is way better", she wasn't sure about sharing that detail with him, but figured it was a way to show him that she was thinking about him. "but we can't do the make out part tho. we are enemies now, i'm sorry", she shrugged, pulling away from him, splashing some water in his direction.

NOAH: "You can tell me anything" Noah declaree wholeheartedly, feeling a peace of mind that he haven't been able to experience in a long time, now that he thinks about it. He aided her getting into the tub and didnt took long to join her "Oh god no" Noah complained, looking up and a sign of defeat. "I am way better then Kavinsky, and Lara Jean got nothing on you" he then declared, wanting to hold her close, as she pulled away from him, and instant pout formed in his features. "Whyyyyy?" he complained in this baby voice he knows he had a tendency to pull for some reason in the most random occasions. "Let me love you woman" Noah added playfully in tone, but meaning every word, as he splashed her back.

ZENDAYA: "you're noey, way better than peter", nodding in agreement, she got close enough to touch his chest. "DC", she then touched herself on the chest "Marvel", that was probably enough of an explanation for him. "congrats on the role babe", getting closer to him, she put both of her hands on his neck, feeling her body getting used to temperature completly. "actually congrats on everything you have been doing. working, getting new roles, but also for everything happening with favored nations, for being caring, for being patient and most importantly - for rooting for the warriors", and with that, she kissed him for a few seconds. "i guess i'm saying that i'm falling for you noah. i just wanted you to know that", her fingers pressed his skin, trying to show him one more time that she was there.

NOAH: "Thank you, I mean, he's a good guy and all, but I needed to hear that " he grinned at her. "Oh wow" Noah exclaimed, only now getting the enemies reference, as he welcomed her into his arms. "Please, that's literally nothing compared, my girlfriend is a freaking Emmy nominee  and I couldn't be more proud." when he first saw the news he started shouting and clapping in the middle of the meeting, getting everyone looking at him as if he went mental, but he couldn't care less. She deserved all the hype she was getting, and he couldn't be more happy for her. At this point it was so damn easy to get lost in the taste of her lips, and how perfectly they were fitting together. "I've fallen for you a long time ago, actually, I'm pretty sure I've fallen for you back  in that basketball court, and I can't believe I got this lucky" he declared back, gazing deep into her dark eyes, his fingers brushing small locks of her hair away from her face.

ZENDAYA: "can you believe it noah? I FUCKING DID IT!", the last part was a bit shouted and right now she was happy they were both in the middle of the woods, so no one but noah would actually hear it. zendaya nodded at him, agreeing. "if you think about it, it's kinda weird that from all places, that's where i take you? that basketball court is my sanctuary. i guess i was just waiting for you to come along", all these thoughts were running in her head for a while now and she was glad that there was space where she could say it without being silly. "just don't go anywhere any soon ok?", and after that she leaned for a kiss, a proper one, sucking his lips into hers, trying to make more obvious that she wanted to have him close.

NOAH: "I can believe it because you are that damn talented. You fucking did it!" Noah exclaimed, sharing the same excitement for her achievement, he was really proud of her. "It was meant to be." the brightest smile was now plastered in his face "I will be forever grateful that you allowed me into that court" he added, planting another kiss into the girls month. "I won't, you don't go anywhere either" he pleaded back, before getting lost into her kiss, eager for her taste under his tongue, officially entering paradise.

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DAY 01, serial dater, serial worrier

ZEN: "hey babe?", zendaya asked after almost thirty minutes of silence. they were in the backyard, laying down in front of a fire, surrounded by pillows and duvets. it was the end of the day one, after a big dinner and if they kept quiet they would probably sleep there. it was clear that zendaya had something else in mind, tho. "i have a necessary question", she started, reaching for his right hand. the girl was laying on his chest and was kind of glad that she wasn't seeing his face right now. "alex ren. you broke up with her in april right?", the question was sharp, but her voice was soft, having the sound of the campfire in front of them rattling in the background.6 de agosto de 2020

NOAH: "Hum?" Noah hummed as a reply, as he would find himself thinking in anything in particular, enjoying the peaceful evening the both were sharing by the fire. His hands were easily distracted by her hair, he didnt seemed to have enough of it. "A necessary question, alright" Noah gave a little nod. The question caught him off guard, at least at this particular time being. He was ready to have to discuss his past relationship, it was only normal if they were both starting one themselves. "The news of the break up can out late March, we have been drifting apart since the beginning of the year though. We came to terms with it by February." as he was speaking he was putting the timeline together in his mind. Gazing down at Zendaya he brushed her hair behind her ear for the trillion time that day. "What else do you wanna know?" he asked, willing to tell her whatever she might wanted to know.

ZEN: part of her wasn't expecting a honest answer or actually a answer at all. noah wasn't a ordinary boy, drowned in the dynamics that are expected of a male in society, but she was still surprised. raising her hand, she covered the moonlight on her face, trying to figured out what's the next question would be. "that's a few months before we met", she started. "which makes me wonder - am i the rebound? someone to help you get over her? that's okay if it's the case, i just wanna know", zendaya shrugged a little, still facing the sky while laying on his chest. none of them were capable to see each other faces right now and maybe it was for the best. "i'm not mad really, i just wanna know".

NOAH: As Noah realized where she was going with the conversation, despite being a valid doubt, it still hurted him a little. Love is a weird thing, and Noah as this way of living where he jumps right in at every circunstance that life presents him with. His past relations with Alex Ren is one of those circunstances, but as time goes by, there wasn't a real connection, not as lovers nor as companions. It took then a while to figure out that they are better off as friends other then pushing into something that wasn't meant to be. Zendaya on the other hand, he has noticed, is more of the type to think things through, and mesure her steps carefully, so he knew she had to ask him this things. "I see... the shortest way to reply you is that I was over her even before you and I met for that basketball game. So you are by no means a rebound. By the end of 2019 we both started to realize that the whole thing was a mistake. So the break-up was sort of a natural thing and drama free between the both of us until we made it official since we made it public and all." Noah did his best to explain, since he really wanted to make her understand his true intentions and where he is coming from. Specially when he has this gut feeling that... she's the one. Adjusting a little bit his body so he would he more into a seating position rather then laying, he then reached down to place an upside down kiss on her forehead since she ended up still laying on his lap. "There's no one quite like you, and dont you ever think that this that we have going on is anything less valued just because we recently got out of other relationship, something's we cant explain, you just feel." he whispered, gazing at her eyes even with their faces being in different directions  and he planted a kiss on her nose. At this point Noah was pretty sure to be in Love with the girl. But the last thing he wanted was to drop the Love bomb right when they are discussing an ex relationship.

ZEN there wasn't many people zendaya talked about feelings. dylan knew what was happening but she tried to downplay as much as possible, so he wouldn't know how lost she was into the questions she had in storage for noah. and lin did told her that she should just straigh up ask anything she wanted to clear, so for him it was more about the relationship itself and not the feelings behind. "right", stopping touching his hand, she scratched the space between her eyes, as if she was processing his words. she was taken by surprise again, now with the forehead kiss. "still, she wasn't the only one. according to the internet and your instagram actually, that's something that has hapenned before. dating someone for a year, then a few months single, then another year dating...", she wasn't ashamed to put out there that she was researching about his past relationships before even asking to him. in her mind she was about to step into a really big commitment, so she needed to know more about it. "i'm not judging. you do you and it's refreshing to know that you go for it. and on my book, it's kinda good - the idea of having an expiration date", in her head, zendaya was being understanding, trying to bind her idea of a relationship to fit noah's ways. and that, to her, was the ultimate proof that she was into him. "there's a lot of people like me", she smiled to show that this was a joke, but his next words made her fell into deep silence, looking at his face after the kiss. she had to take a breath to focus again. her heart wanted to let this conversation go and get back into comfortable silence by the fire, but her brain was too organized to do that. he made her want to be more confident on them and less of a brainer, but what if this was a mistake? "not that feeling anything will actually do us any good", she finally said out loud, her words sounded a bit bitter.7 de agosto de 2020

NOAH: Putting things like that Zendaya didn't really knew how that was something that actually bothered Noah, in all his moments of introspection he wonders what is wrong with him for not being able to keep a long term relationship, and connect at all levels he is so eager to reach, till this day he is still to find out. He stopped the small touches for a moment, picking the right way to reply to her. "The history is there, and I can't run away from the fact that it does look like a patern. Is not something that I'm particularly proud of. I actually wonder-" he stopped himself for a moment, trying to find the right way to put it. "I dont know... maybe I'm the issue you know?" he ended up adding with a sigh. At her next words his heart sank, and a frown took him. "Expiration date?! What the-" he refrained from cursing, but that one caught him out of guard and it made him upset that she found the idea of having an expiration date was a good thing. He slightly shook his head, "That's not how I look into things. And it hurts me when you put it like that... why would an expiration date be a good thing?" as their conversation went on, an unsettling feeling started taking over Noah. He was already way too deep into feelings for her to be saying stuff like that. "What does that even mean?! I'm not following. For you what is even the point of all this then?" as he question he gestured a circle around the two of them as he said 'all of this'.

ZEN: blinking her eyes pretty fast, she took a minute to appreaciate the fact that noah was being honest and putting himself as a possible part of the problem. people often dodged their responsabilities, specially men towards relationships. she could work with someone that was capable to admit mistakes. before z could articulate any further, the mood picked up and now noah was voicing that his feelings were hurt. scrathing her eyebrow, zendaya sat down, knowing that he should able to properly see her eyes for this part. "it wasn't my intention to hurt you, but you have to understand that i have to prepare myself for this", taking a breath, zendaya felt corned now, having to explain how her mind works. it was a constant feeling towards any significant others, having to adjust herself to them. "unlike you noah, i don't put my heart on the line when i feel there's a possibility. you're my second actual relationship, and i had a hiatus of seven years between. i don't do stuff that there's a possibility to end, i'm always in for the win, for the long run, if it's up to me i am not going anywhere", it was clear she was growing unhappy about this situation. this was why she didn't date, cause no one had to understand how she sees the world. "so when i see that you broke up all these relationships it scares the hell of me. make me feel not important, makes me feel like just another one on the list. or worst - that this is not real", taking a breath and looking down, she noticed that she was sitting in lotus position by his side this whole time. "and at the same time i like you way to much to walk away so yes, i have to find having a expiration date a good thing"., suddenly this felt like a weird pivot moment. make it or break it momentum. "it means that not even love can garantee that this will work. ren gave a interview saying that you were the love of her life. two months later you guys ended it.", she shrugged, sure that this was the worst outcome ever.9 de agosto de 2020

NOAH: "Prepare for what exactly Zendaya?" Noah asked, gesturing with is hands. This was important, he knew it was, speaking about the fears that come with giving yourself into someone else, someone new, but it was still hard and complicated to voice his mind and trying not to be too harsh, they had very different ways to see life, and that he knew. " I'm sorry Z, but relationships don't come with instructions, and not one is like the other, ever. You can't bring my past experiences or your past experiences into our relationship, we need to build our own, learn from our past obviously, but not let it define our future." he added, before growing silent again to listen to what she had to say. He was starting to get so confused by her words, but still trying to do his best to understand where she was coming from. He didn't knew she was that long before letting herself into a relationship. So he noticed some big scars there. " I don't know any other way to do this then to put my heart on the line." he declared, in between her speaking. " Who said I broke up all this relationships? And if all this broke ups mean anything is that neither of them were the right one for me, then maybe you are. Fucking god, how I wish that you are! How you can you be afraid that this might not be real? Have I ever didn't seemed present and open to give myself to you? Because that's all I've been trying to do." Noah was trying to make sense in his words, but wasn't too sure if he was being sucessful. " Z, how many times did you expressed your true feelings in a interview? Are you really bringing something my ex said in a interview?" at his point Noah couldn't help a stern expression on his face. " Listen, I can't promisse you that we will forever be together, no matter I wanted to be able to hold such promise. We never know what life throws our way. I do know is that my feelings for you are real, and can't imagine my life with you anymore"

ZEN: tilting her head to hear him out, zendaya was dangling between amazed  and concerned by his replies. they were so different, that was clear from the start and she was hopping it meant that they would complete each other, not colide. she also knew that this was on her too, so if she wanted it to work, she had some work on herself to do too. z felt like noah had understood her and now it was her turn to do so."ok. you're right. no expiration date, no promisses, no fears. just us being us.", zendaya finally said, nodding her head. this felt like the second part of the agreement that they did last week when he asked her to be her girlfriend. now this was a real relationship. "if it matters, i want you to be the right one too", getting closer, she slowly crumbled into his chest, asking to be hugged. "just don't let me go".

NOAH: Noah let out a breath he didn't really knew he was holding as she agreed to give them a fair shot really. "It matters a whole lot" Noah whispered, welcoming her back into his embrace, wanting nothing more then to keep her close to him forever. Thankfull to have long arms that were able to properly hug her into him, and still wishing to have some more so he could hold her even more tight. "I won't" he stated, placing a long kiss on the top of her head. "But babe?"

ZEN: "yeah?", she asked, her voice low, as is she was too scared to keep talking and by that make another mistake, or take a turn that would drag into that discussion again. she just wanted to be there, quiet and loved.

NOAH: "Forgive me but I really need to pee..." he finally said, chuckling, kissing her once in the month before standing up. "Start thinking on what you want me to make for dinner, I'm gona be right back" he added, slowly getting up to go to the bathroom.

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DAY 02, the first time

ZEN: "so, i was doing some reading", the woman was standing next to top the stairs that led to the only bedroom at the house. noah had just left the shower after they spent the afternoon sunbathing outside. "...on how to garantee that the first time with someone new is perfect", taking a step on his direction he could see now that she had a satin robe on. "they say: lingerie, protection, don't worry about appearance...", as she spoke, she undid the robe, showing her lacy black underwear. "...and don't put pressure on orgasming", she stopped midway on his direction, smiling. "so i have it all covered. IF you wanna do somethinng", she was nervous, it showed, but also there was a hint of possessiveness that he knew by now.

NOAH: With only a towel losely around his waist and casually brushing his hair off with another, Noah raised an eyebrow at the sight that was Zenday before him in her silky robe. He didnt interrupted her line of thought, just dropping the towel he had on his hand, having a feeling he would prefer to have them both free. "What else?" he questioned, even knowing that she would keep going. He did his best not to let his jaw hit the floor when she undid her robe showing off to him her perfect figure in a black lingerie, bitting down on his lower lip, Noah kept closing the distance between the two eager to reach her. "That sounds easy enough... IF YOU wanna do something" two could play this game, and for sure Noah would want to have fun with it, as he stopped right in front of her, brushing her shoulder ever so slightly with the back of two fingers, licking his lips, as he gazed into her eyes, their noses brushing together from their closeness.

ZEN: it was clear that she had thought about this several times. from the conversations where she looked at his lips instead of focusing on the content, or the making out sessions that stopped repeatedly, this moment was highly anticipated. "i came prepared. i ALSO have a poem", raising an eyebrow at him, she was challenging him with his very own weapons. he asked her to be his girlfriend with a poem. she would ask him for this with that too. zendaya then threw the robe on the floor, taking his hands into hers. "let me live or live in me. let me go home or make me your home ...", she whispered at first, giving his small kisses through the process. "get inside me, more than you get in clubs", she placed both of his hands on her ass, teasing him with a smirk after. "break my bed, not my heart ... make me wet, not wip", slowly, she pulls his towel away, dropping it on the floor. "because paradise it's reached when we're on our knees ... but not on a prayer", finally, she pushed him to bed and now she was the one licking her lips, watching the image of her completly naked boyfriend on the light of dusk. "fuck, you're so fucking beutiful", she broke character touching his knees with hers before slowly joining him on bed, climbing on top of his body as her lips went for the most desperate kiss they ever had.

NOAH: "I can see that you did" Noah smiled at her, but was surprised when she said she had a poem, using his own moves against him, he was noticing. He let himself being led by his girlfriend, and as she start on the poem, Noah was done, completely surrending himself to her, every word sending small shivers down his spine, every kiss lightning something inside of him, with his hands placed over her ass Noah didn't think twice before feeling her in his hands, holding her close to him, and even before she pulled his towel from his body he was already naked before her, his lust clear in his eyes, mixed with so much admiration for how she started this moment for the both of them. Letting himself fall in the bed, Noah let out a small chuckle, amazed how she took charge of everything, and was pretty much doing everything he wished he did. But then it wouldn't have been this perfect. "Come here already, and let me make you wet, and never, ever, wip" he reached for her hand and pulled her in, their lips smashing together eager for each other, like never before.

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DAY 03, the basics

ZEN: the past few days they feel qucikly into a routine. waking up, eating brunch, then either going to the beach or he convinced her to walk around the woods. at the afternoon they would eat together, watch something, play some game, just enjoying each other until at some point they ended having sex wherever they were at the house. this was the last day and they would be leaving after lunch, so she decided to let noah in bed and make him breakfast. once zendaya managed to get the tray while going upstairs, she smiled at him. "hey noey, morning", she said, putting the breakfast next to him in bed, before giving him a small kiss. "you can eat while i start organinzing shit. you probably tired from last night. sorry not sorry", she shrugged, remembering that they went two rounds more than normal in the past day.

NOAH: Noah was an early riser, but not today apparently. Probably because he knew it was their last day in heaven, and he really wasn't that hyper about getting back to reality. "Morning babe" he mumbled, brushing his eyes with his hands trying to keep them open, before yanning whilst opening his arms wide open. "Not so fast!" Noah held her back as she was getting ready to go on with her plan on packing. "what if you are what I really want for breakfast?" he teased, just wanting to hold her there a little bit longer next to her. "have you eaten already?" he wondered still hugging her down into the bed, he was really just trapping her there, with his arms holding her upper body and one leg over her own legs, as he made her lay there. "I don't wanna go" he declared, and you could listen the pout he was wearing in his voice.

ZEN: to hear him talking like that,  hoarse voice in the morning, calling for her, all of that was something the zendaya was starting to wish it was all her mornings from now on. but of course, noah wasn't just going to say, he was going to demonstrate, and all she managed to do before he took her was to get the glass of juice out of bed, so it wouldn't spill. "is that a promise?" she teased back. "not really, focused on doing something for you and forgot" she answered honestly, blowing some of her hair out of her face as she adjusted herself in position. "i don't wanna go either...", that was the kind of thing she would never allow herself to say before, to stimulate a fantasy that would never come true. but this trip proved to her that she could live in a made up world as long noah was holding her. "baaaaabe", now able to see the neck up close, her voice cracked. releasing one hand from the boy's embrace, she touched his skin, now with purple and red tones. "im so so so sorry", she bit her lower lip, already thinking about the shade of foundation she would use to cover it. "i'll get something to cover that for the trip, don't worry", she assured him, tilting her head to check the extent of the hickey on his neck.

NOAH: it was painful the mere thought of having to actually let her go and get on with the day, so greedy Noah decided to just kept holding her for just a little longer, as his mind started to really wake up. a chuckle vibrated through him at her teasing reply. "It can be"  he whispered against her ear. "let's have breakfast together then, and be lazy for just a couple more hours, and then we both will get everything packed and ready to go" he sugested, wanting to take everything he could out of these amazing days with her away from reality. "What?" he wondered confused, not sure what she was talking about, as she touched his neck he understood, and memories from last night rushed back into his mind, putting a silly grin to his face. "Why would I want to cover it?" he raised an eyebrow at her, before closing the distance between the two into a kiss, so she would stop over analize the love bite she left on his skin.

ZEN: taking a note to hold that promise against him later, she nodded her head in agreement, trying to move. "babes, in order to eat breakfast you have to let me go", she smiled, giving him another kiss on his chin. "so people won't give you a hard time about it", she said simply, looking at him. suddenly, another grin took over her features. "you know what's my favorite part of your body?", her fingers touched his cheeks. "your scar. i love it. even tho it's covered right now", zendaya caressed his unshaved face, finding him more attractive in this look. "speaking of it, we should cover our basics", at this point, she gave up trying to move and just settled under him, kissing his jaw on the process. "favorite movie, type of music, book, color, food, color, tv show.... tell me yours i tell you mine".

NOAH: "Forgot about that small detail" Noah jokingly pouted, before eventually letting her go for eating purposes, smiling as she kissed his chin, quickly closing the distance between them again smashing his lips on hers. "Yeah, I've grown found of it myself" He said, unvoluntarly reaching with his hand to his chin at the same time she carressed him. "Is the unshaved look girlfriend approved or not?" He wondered raising a brow at her. Grabbing the glass of juice to take a good sip at it, Noah nodded at the idea. "We really should. Feels like we skipped a couple of steps there" he chuckled, at the same time he was already thinking about the questions she already throw in there. "Let's see... Favorite movie is too hard, my favorite rom com is Failure to Launch tho, just music, the type of music depends a lot on your mood, I've been listening a lot to Kina, if you don't know of him you should definitely check that out, book, again, there's a lot, like a lot a lot, but I'm gonna say Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts. All the food. I can't pick. I don't have a favorite color, TV show, Friends." As he replied he was counting it with his fingers, grinning at the end. "You're up now"

ZEN: "i like it cause it's something that should let you traumatized but it didn't", she smiled, reaching for the chopped fruit, having some watermelon inside her mouth as she was kissed. "girlfriend aproved. makes me tickle. don't let it too big tho, i like your face", as she spoke some of the watermelon juice dripped from her lips, quickly cleaning it with the back of her hand. "babe, everyone knows you love kina. you hum it everytime", she laughed, zendaya herself had listen to it in her alone times because of him. "ok - movie is harry potter, i'm into oldie stuff like ray charles. aside of that anything R&B, book... i read a lot about business and biographies. i loved nelson's one. burritos, pizza and ice cream. i know imma die because of it. favorite color is pink, tv show would be handsmade tale", she tried to speak all of that in one breath as if it was a contest, laughing. "ok, next round - give me all the family names", she rose her hand too. "also, one thing that makes you happy, one thing that makes you mad, one thing that makes you sad and one thing that makes you horny", wiggling her eyebrows, she smiled and offered to feed him some grapes.

NOAH: "Oh poor dog got more traumatized then I did" he commented, stuffing some fruit into his month after tasting the watermellon from her month. "I'll see so it won't get too big" he said in tone of promise. "Oh, well it's really good" he chuckled. "Okay, I'm taking notes here. Harry Potter and Ice Cream in emergency situations. Got it. Mandela you mean?" he questioned to be sure concerning the book. "I'm the son of Kellee and Gregory, divorced by the way. And the younger brother of Taylor" he quickly replied. "You have quite the big family, which I find it so excited, but I'm afraid if you start naming them all I will forget a bunch. I just ask you to forgive me for it in advance" he pleaded with a small chuckle. "Meditation, is one thing that makes me happy. Mad? Fake people. Sad, well I get sad over the silliest things, like a song. Not having my girlfriend in arms reach for over a month! stuff like that. There's this black woman recently in my life, she pretty much holds that power, it's not really a thing that will get me going, if you know what I mean" as he said his last words he raised and lowered his eyebrows a couple of times. "What does makes you happy Zendaya Coleman. And everything else."

ZEN: "yeah, but we can't watch it together. dylan would kill me", she pointed that out with a face, nodding to the sides. "but if you show up with ice cream at my door i'll do pretty much anything you ask. and yes, mandela! his life is so inspiring", as he spoke she made a effort not to reach for a notebook to note it down, figuring that it would kill the moment. when he mentioned being sad for not seeing her for a month, she pulled his face and gave him a lil peck. she was specially proud that he acknowledged that she was a black woman in his answer. "my parents, also divorced are claire stoermer and kazembe coleman. kazaa for friends. don't worry, no one can actually remember all my siblings names, but it's katianna, annabella, austin, kaylee and julien", starting to smash a piece of bread, she nodded at him. "ice cream makes me happy, mad would be not being able to succeed in something that i invested time... i get sad over christmas songs for some reason and neck kisses gets me going. if you want to tone me down, touching my earlobe makes me sleepy", shrugging, she smiled. they were nearly done with breakfast, so she looked up at him. "ok, final question: what is your goal in life?", her voice was calm, looking at his eyes as she made the question.

NOAH: "Dylan would kill you? Why am I feeling jealous over harry potter right now?" noah frowned slightly, chuckling. "Ice cream, the key to your heart. Noted. I haven't read it yet, maybe you could lend me the book someday. But for what I know he had an incredible life experience." Noah commented, reaching for a couple of more fruit pieces, and orange juice. As she started to go on and reply to her own questions, Noah just listen, and rejoiced on the fact that she was sharing all this litle things with him, it might seem small, but it holds a great meaning when you are starting to get to know someone. With a small chuckling as she shared the earlobe fact, noah grinned at her. "That's something I will keep in mind" he smiled. "Oh, that's a loaded one." he had to take a moment to think about it. "I think the answer would be... just to be, really. You know? To be present in every thing you do. To be a good friend, to be a good son, a good brother. A good partner. At every step of the way, I just want to give my all in what I do, and have faith that will bring me happiness, and fullfillment. I don't have this specific thing. Of course I want to be sucessful profissionaly, but it's really not everything for me." This was the mess that was Noah's head right there, raw and without making much sense, but it was him, and he was willing to show her just that: him. "What's yours?"

ZEN: "don't even start babe, that's one you won't win", she replied with a mockery smile. as noah spoke back, zendaya quickly picked up the tray and it's belonging so clear the bed. she then sat on her legs, watching her boyfriend talk about his goal. at end, she had a huge smile on her face. "to be happy. i mean, i have loads of professional goals and shit, but i just want to brave enoug to be happy. give up when needed, walk away from people, all the hard decisions you have to make in order to make me and my loved ones happy", shrugging a bit, she was glad that they did this, sharing small things made her feel closer to him. "thanks for sharing noey. it's important to me", zendaya smiled at him again, but soon, snapped out of her silly face "okay, now, i do have a short term goal", benting her body to his direcion and gave him a long peck on the lips, then dragged her lips on his jaw line. "making my boyfriend cum", sharing a smirk, z pushed the sheets out of the bed with her feet to have more acess to him. the energy shifted, and he could see she was in a mission herself.

............................................................ [ 𝕋ℍ𝔼 𝔼ℕ𝔻 ]

[skvaderarts]

Soliloquy Chapter Seven: Abscond

You can check out the Masterlist Here for more links to places to read!

Chapter Seven: Abscond

Note: I just wanted to start by saying that chapter six was an absolute nightmare to write, but I had a great time doing it nonetheless. I’ve spent a few months trying to get myself to write this fic, and that resurrection scene was basically the whole reason. Trying to figure out a way to do that and make it make sense, fit into the existing confines of the series, and be coherent and enjoyable to read made for quite the crippling challenge, so I am thrilled by the reception that that chapter received! I remain humbled by your kind comments and warm words of encouragement! Thank you to every single person who commented, reblogged, gave kudos, and sent me messages about the story. I’d name you all, but in addition to everyone who has ever left me feedback on the previous chapters, almost 200 new people read the last chapter, so I can’t list you all by name. However, I can say thank you. Thank you all so much!

-~-

The overcast that had loomed overhead as they had entered the building was now more prevalent than ever. Be it a result of their current actions, some form of an ominous omen, or simply impeccably timed weather, it alluded to a coming storm of epic proportions. Huge dark clouds that would cause any right-minded pedestrian to check the current time of day spread across the sky in a vast network, chilling the air and absorbing all forms of light. The once gentle breeze was now a harsh wind, hammering against every surface it came across. It had been a glooming day from the very moment that the sun had come up that morning, but this was really kicking things into high gear.

As Magnolia collected what remained of the sparse materials she had brought with her to conduct the ritual, Nero oversaw V’s condition. The newly resurrected young man seemed to be semi-continuous, having still not opened his eyes since being brought back to the realm of the living, but able to react to physical stimuli. While it made sense to Nero on some level that he would not be fully operational out the gate (since he had never really been in the time he had known him) he still found himself unable to shake the feeling of uncertainty that had lodged itself deep into his subconscious.

He was worried about V.

Now that was something he never imagined he’d experience again...

As Dante and Vergil combed the space per Magnolia’s request to make sure there were no overt signs of demonic activity still present in the building, the youngest Descendant of Sparda went over a vague mental checklist in his mind. On the top of that list was the obvious question of where the hell V was going to go for the time being. While the Devil May Cry office was an obvious choice, there was the issue of Vergil’s undeniably recent return to contend with. Nero didn’t even need to ask if Dante knew where Vergil was staying at his office right now. They hadn’t been home long enough to see to that. For all the young white-haired man knew, his father had evolved to no longer require sleep during his time in the underworld. But V was going to be a different story. He just knew it. He had always been a different story; an exception to every rule.

“Hey, Magnolia,” Nero called to the alchemist as she packed up the last of her supplies,” Should I be worried that he looks like he’s in a coma or something?”

The woman in question shook her head as she closed the buckle clasps on her carrying case. “Being in a coma is no laughing matter, little one. Relatively speaking, it’s about as close to passing into Purgatorio as one can possibly get without actually being deceased.”

Nero chuckled to himself, nodding with an amused look on his face. “You don’t have to tell me that. I spent some time that way myself a little while back. Woke up one night to this one,” Nero said as he gestured towards V,” sitting in my window reading a book ready to offer me a job like I wasn’t already half-dead already or something. That’s how we met.”

Magnolia didn’t know what to say to that. While one part of her wanted to know what the hell had happened to him that ended with him comatose in the first place, her mind couldn’t help but find humor in the mental image of a person contracting someone to fight the envoys of the Underworld in their sickbed after seemingly breaking into their home. She decided that she would ask for more details when all parties involved were capable of speaking. “Well, if that’s the case, I’m glad to see that you're faring so well, dear. Hopefully, there will be fewer close calls in your future.”

Nero wasn’t entirely sure if she was being sarcastic or if the Alchemist was genuinely happy for his good health. She just had one of those voices, and the accent wasn’t helping in the slightest. “Thanks, I guess. Anyway, does bringing someone back from the afterlife or whatever come with a manual, because I feel like there’s something I’m missing in all of this.”

It was her turn to laugh now. She pulled the rolling case into an upright position and headed towards the front entrance, presumably heading to the van or some other form of transportation. After all, it was unlikely that she had walked here carrying all of these supplies from nearly twenty miles away up a gradual slope. Nero carefully lifted V bridal style and followed her. Somehow he weighed even less than he had originally estimated, if that was at all possible. Maybe after he had clothing on, his body weight would be more substantial. 

As cold as it was starting to get both inside and outside of the building, leaving him laying on bare concrete in -well, nothing- was probably a bad idea. As he followed her, she stopped, snickering to herself at the situation at hand, and decided to answer his question. “He should be more or less fine now. The hard part was relocating his soul to another plane of existence,” She spoke calmly, in a manner reminiscent of a professor giving a lecture,” The poor thing is going to be whether weak for a while though. Any inborn gifts he possessed prior to all this nonsense will trickle back in gradually, though in the meantime he will be effectively human. No passive regeneration, sixth sense, or anything like that for at least a week or so. I’m no doctor, but I’m going to take the initiative here and recommend bed rest. Extensively. What he just endured is taxing on the mind and body in every way conceivable, even for someone young and in good health. Don’t be surprised if he experiences dizzy spells or fainting. Proper nutrition is helpful, but this could still take a while.”

Nero nodded to himself as he took in the information she had just given him. Nothing seemed unreasonable, but it did clarify one thing for him. He needed to talk to Dante and Vergil. He chuckled to himself as he followed Magnolia, garnering a curious glance from her as they exited the building. “I fail to see the humor in this.”

In response to her statement, Nero smirked knowingly. “It’s not funny, it’s ironic,” He said. Her blank repose signaled that he needed to elaborate.” What I mean is you said he might faint and that for someone “in good health” this could be a lot to go to, right?”

She nodded, barely noticing the transition between the indoor and outdoor lighting as they exited the building and stepped out into the parking lot. “Yes. I said that. Why?”

Nero approached the van, using his foot to knock on the side door and signal Nico to open it. “Well, it’s ironic because he’s not “in good health” to start with. He’s walked with a cane the entire time I’ve known him and he’s constantly coughing or tripping over himself. Not to be an asshole or anything, but if I’m magnetically attracted to stairs, then he’s magnetically attracted to the ground ’cause that’s where he spends a lot of his free time.”

Magnolia blinked, her wide eyes filled with a sudden understanding and sympathy that she made no effort of hiding. Suddenly, what little desire she held to know how the young man before her had met his end fled her. It was unusual for someone his age to walk with a cane, especially one with a measurable amount of demon blood coursing through his veins. When he was more stable, she would need to take the time to try and consult with him. Perhaps there was something she could do to help…

As Nico opened the van door, Dante and Vergil exited the building. They arrived just in time to watch Nico’s frankly astounding facial expression at the sight of the presumably deceased demon slayer. “Well fuck,” she said as she stepped back to give the onboarding party room,” Every time you get in this van Nero, some weird shit happens; I swear. How the hell did yall- you know what? I don’t even wanna know! Let’s get outta here. Where are we headed?”

Magnolia pointed across the parking lot to the side of the building. They couldn’t see what she was pointing at, but they could only assume that it was her means of transportation. “I just wanted to see you off. I need to get back to my shop. Come see me later. And call me if you need anything,” She glanced at the oldest Son of Sparda, her eyes narrowing harshly,” Except you, Vergil. Your allowed casual visits at most.”

With that, she handed a slip of folded paper to Nero before hurrying off across the parking lot. Nico snickered briefly before looking at her passengers. She still needed a destination. Nero glanced between the twins and his friend as he laid V down on the couch. The summoner coughed weakly, teasing the possibility of opening his eyes for a moment before exhaling and settling back into his previous state, only this time more asleep than awake. Nero watched him for a moment before nodding to himself, his resolve towards the decision he had been teetering back and forth on now absolute. “... I think me and Nico should take V back to Fortuna with us.”

Dante and Vergil did a double-take, seemingly more surprised at his sudden uptake in initiative than offended by the statement. Dante seemed to consider quietly the statement, while Vergil seemed more apprehensive. 

“Why?” The eldest Son of Sparda said bluntly. He was clearly unconvinced.

Nero settled into a sitting position of the floor with his side against the couch, seemingly uninterested in heaving V’s proximity. Whether this was a conscious or subconscious decision or not remained to be seen, but he did so nonetheless. “Because there is a metric shit ton less demonic activity there than there is in Redgrave and Capulet and because I’m the only one here who isn’t going to get in an argument with my brother and literally destroy my own house. Magnolia said he needs bed rest and all that shit, and the only peaceful kinda peaceful place is my house. That, and your extra bedroom is taken, Dante,” Nero tilted his head in his father’s direction,” And I just happen to have an extra room at my place since someone decided to scare my kids back into one room!”

Vergil glanced away at the last statement, still unwilling to think about the mental damage he had probably inflicted upon those wide-eyed, chatty, orphans. “So you actually believe that three actual children can be that well behaved and we can't?”

Nero didn’t hesitate to nod in agreement. “Yea, because when I turn on the tv, they sit down and watch it. You can’t even turn a TV off without unplugging it, and your only means of communication with your own brother is stabbing each other to death. Plus, Dante’s doors get kicked in like every fucking week and he blasts loud ass music all the damn time. That’s literally the opposite or a restful environment!”

Dante shrugged incredulously. As much as he’d like to make some sort of witty comeback, Nero wasn’t exactly incorrect. Vergil closed his eyes as if he were deep in thought for a long moment as Nico tried not to laugh at this whole situation from the driver’s seat. Everyone in this family was a walking disaster and it was amazing that they had survived this long. After a minute that felt like a lifetime, Vergil sighed and leaned back against the window next to Dante who was now sitting down across from the couch and searching for a magazine to pretend to read to avoid this uncomfortable conversation. “... Do not disappoint me, Nero… I do not give my trust light.”

Dante interjected with a quick “no he really doesn’t” before continuing to reread his magazine for the millionth time. Vergil shot him a quick glare before returning his gaze to Nero. There was no humor present in his demeanor. Nero glanced between him and  V before nodding slowly in agreement. “I’m not going to.”

-~-

It had taken almost every ounce of daylight to drop Dante and Vergil off and then head back to the pier. And their timing couldn’t have been better as the ferry was stopping with the next round trip. The possibility of a thunderstorm had halted most water traffic, and all water transport between the island and the mainland was due to cease immediately upon the vessel’s return. That left just enough time to sneak one last trip in.

As the ship was docking, Nero called Kyrie to alert her of their arrival and to inform her that they would have another houseguest for a while. As expected, she didn’t protest the idea. In fact, she seemed thrilled, though that could be because Nero hadn’t elaborated on the context of the stay or who was coming over. V and Kyrie had never met one another, despite the fact that V had come to their home once before. But it had been during the middle of the night and the young summoner had been in something of a hurry at the time. There had been no time for pleasantries back then. But that was about to change. Hopefully.

As they pulled up to the onboarding ramp, Nero gave Nico the closest thing he could to a serious look. Before he could ask her not to go flying off the ramp, she disembarked, taking the ramp for perhaps the first time ever. Nero was utterly flabbergasted. “Nico, what the fuck?!”

Nico put her cigarette out in the ashtray she had placed in one of the cup holders. “What is it this time? If I drive carefully, you bitch at me. If I don’t, you bitch at me. Are ya crazy or somethin’? If you think you can do better, then you drive next time and I’ll take a nap in the back with him!”

Nero stared at her incredulously as she pulled around the corner and headed towards their shared residence. Nico absolutely never under any circumstance drove like a normal human being. He wasn’t sure if knowing that she could do that made him feel relieved or upset. She could have just driven the van like this the entire time he had known her? What the absolute fuck?

“So ya gonna keep starin’ at me like that or what?” Nico asked casually. Nero was at a loss for words and it showed.

As the van pulled onto the street that they called home, Nero stood up and walked over to V. Despite the fact that he still hadn’t woken up, he now looked more asleep than unconscious. Or at least that was what Nero thought. When he had first been brought back, he looked distressed, uncomfortable even. Now he seemed more at ease. At the very least, his breathing had been steady and he hadn’t coughed in at least an hour. He seemed stable. Nero couldn’t help but wonder if he was just a very deep sleeper and had been taking a much-needed nap this entire time. He doubted it, but still. Now that he thought about it, this was the first time he had actually seen the summoner sleep. During their time together during the Redgrave city incident, they had taken the occasional break, but V had been so preoccupied with his book that he hadn’t even sat down, always choosing to lean against the stove in the van’s kitchenette instead. Vergil had the book now, perhaps using it as a bargaining tool for later. He wasn’t much of a talker, a fact that had bothered Nero when they had first met. Who would have ever guessed that they’d be in the situation that they were in now, Nero bringing him to stay at his place? Wild shit happened sometimes.

“It’s just good to know that you can actually drive. Though I still don’t understand how you ever got a license.” Nero said as they pulled into the back alley that led to their driveway. For once, the door was open. Kyrie must have let it up after their conversation on the phone earlier. Nico climbed out of her seat and headed over to the side door, opening it and then hoping down to hold it open for Nero.

“Yea, well I wasn’t tryin’ to knock him around too much. He already walks with a cane.” Nico said as she stepped back towards the rear of the van. With the large vehicle inside of the garage, space was at a premium, and carrying someone required more room than normal. Nero fixed his jacket around V and scooped him up, nearly bashing his legs against the kitchen cabinet as he turned. The youngest Descendant of Sparda cringed to himself. That was one thing the two of them seemed to have in common to some degree. They were both clumsy as hell.

Taking a few cues from his close call a moment prior, he descended the stairs carefully and headed towards the inside door. Nico closed the door behind him and squeezed past them, heading to open the door for them. She nearly walked right into Kyrie as she did so. The young red-haired woman was carrying a stack of cardboard boxes and Nico had nearly sent her crashing to the floor as the door caught her in the side. She set the boxes down on the bench behind her and stepped back out of the way, clearly startled.

“My bad Kyrie,” Nico said as she looked her over for injuries,” I couldn’t see you!”

Kyrie smiled brightly and gestured towards the boxes. “You’re just fine, Nico. The children and I were cleaning out the extra room. There wasn’t really much in there, so I was hoping I’d be done before you arrived. These were the last three boxes. All of this was going on the empty shelves in the garage-”

Nico eagerly grabbed the stack of boxes as Nero entered behind her. “Ok, I’ll take care of it for you,” the young dark-haired woman said as she stepped out behind Nero and out into the garage. Kyrie was going to inform her that she could take care of it herself, but Nico disappeared behind the closed door before she could. The young redhead shook her head and giggled to herself as she turned to face Nero. During her time here, she had truly come to enjoy Nico’s extreme personality. She was a joy to be around.

The moment she caught sight of the white-haired young man her domestic partner was carrying, she went wide-eyed, her head crooking to the side in surprise. Who in Sparda’s name was this newcomer? Nero shifted anxiously. Maybe it was better if he just spit it out and got it over with? “Hey so… this is V, the guy I told you about when I came back after everything,” He said cautiously, unsure of how she was taking all of this,” It turns out that being dead is more complicated than everybody thinks, so he’s alive again. And… he’s kinda my brother so…”

Kyrie stared at him blankly. That was a little too much for her to take in all at once. She glanced down at their sleeping guest, leaning over him to get a better look. That made sense. They did have the same color hair, even though his looked a little whiter than Neros did to her. She was totally taken aback at the implications of what Nero had just said. He’d come back from the dead? Nero had told her Vergil had done that at one point, so the idea wasn’t completely foreign to her, but Nero had a brother? In the entire time that she had known him, she would have never guessed that he had siblings. He had always been so… alone. After all, being an orphan made it very difficult to locate your original family. It made her wonder what Nero must be thinking about all of this. As startled as she was, it had to be several times worse for him.

She smiled softly and gestured towards the guest room. It was on the opposite side of the house from the dining room. Being the only room on this floor and having its own small ensuite bathroom, it had been the natural choice for a guest room. She patted Nero gently as he passed her before turning towards the dining room. “It’s okay. I know you did the right thing, Nero. I’ll go get some extra blankets. I put a sheet and some pillows on the bed after I finished dusting, but I didn’t get a chance to do anything else.”

Nero stared at her as she walked off for a moment, relieved that she had taken that so well. She’d have probably told him off for his reaction if she’d been present at the time. Her understanding meant the world to him. “It’s okay, Kyrie. You do enough as it is.”

She waved at him over her shoulder as she rounded the corner into the next room and disappeared. He used his foot to nudge open the door and walked, taking a moment to look around. Aside from the built-in bookcase that had always been in the room near the door and the bed that jutted out into the center of the room, the entire room was spotless. The large window on the far side of the room that overlooked the small side yard where the children normally played was open, likely to let in the fresh air. Nero laid V down and sat at the foot of the bed, only now really registering how unreal this entire situation seemed to him. A moment later, Kyrie returned with a stack of about six blankets. Nero raised an eyebrow at her as she stuffed them into one of the open shelves on the bookcase and then used one to cover him up. It was a plush grey knitted blanket that she had made herself a while back. As soon as he was covered up, Nero unwrapped his jacket from around him and tucked it under his arm, returning his attention to Kyrie. She shrugged at his obvious confusion.

“I didn’t want him to be cold,” She said simply, gesturing towards the oversized stash of warm, thick blankets,”... Why was he wrapped in your coat? Is he okay?”

Nero looked over at V. He had stirred slightly, pulling the soft blanket tighter around himself. Now that Nero thought about it, Kyrie was probably correct. It had been abnormally cold for the last few hours. Having no clothes on had probably been uncomfortable, to say the least. “... I think he’s going to be alright. Supposedly he just needs to rest” Nero glanced over at the pile of blankets again, nodding to himself,” Thanks for the blankets. He doesn’t have any clothes on, so that’s probably going to be good for him. Probably should have said that before...”

Kyrie blushed bright red. “OH. I’m sorry then! I’ll go see if I can find him something!”

Before he could say anything, Kyrie hurried out of the room, closing the door behind her. He shook his head and laughed to himself. Poor kyrie. She probably felt like she had violated V’s personal space. He stood up and pulled an extra cover from the pile, tossing it over him. Better safe than sorry. As he leaned over him to fix the covers, V turned over and brushed his arm over him, exhaling audibly. Nero moved V’s arm off of his hand and continued, paying him little mind. As he sat up to assess his work, V gripped his wrist weakly. Assuming that he was simply shifting in his sleep again, he sat up and moved to step away and towards the door. But as he tried to pull away, V’s grip tightened. Nero turned his attention from the door back to the bed and nearly jumped out of his skin in fright. A familiar set of green eyes was looking back up at him.

V was awake. And he looked absolutely wrecked.

-~-

This chapter was so fun to write that I had to stop here and immediately start working on the next chapter. They will only be a day apart, so don’t worry, I won’t keep you in suspense for very long! Again, thank you so much for your overwhelming support. Hopefully, this chapter wasn’t too slow for you. But the good news is that V is actually awake now, so you know what that means. DIALOGUE! See you guys on May 22nd for chapter Eight! Wow, I can’t believe we’re already on chapter eight...

[sooghostwriter]

Bodyguard

Pairings: Do Kyung Soo x OC

Genre: Mature,  Romance, Angst (But not love angst), fluff 

Warnings: Main character under trauma.

Summary: Ae Ra is a singer who has been receiving threatening messages and letters for a while now, but she didn’t give them importance. Until one day the sender decides to act and kidnaps her. It’s then when her agency decides that she needs protection, so they hired two bodyguards for her. Mister Do and Mister Park.

Chapter 9 

She was back at her house two days later. An intern from her agency made sure to keep her house fresh, the plants watered and her fridge full. It wasn’t too hard to go back to her normal life. At least inside her house. She really missed her bed, her studio, her garden, and even her furniture. She even was able to sleep alone. At least the night of Chanyeol’s shift.

By the third day she decided that it was time to start facing things. She wanted to end this issue as fast as possible “Mister Lee Joon Young in now been questioned by my partner and the psychologist” It felt weird to finally know the name of that man. She wasn’t sure if it was a good weird or bad weird “I was at home once and I saw her perform on stage” She read on his statement “And I could see it. Her body language, the way she looked at the camera and her lyrics, she was calling for an uprising so her twisted ideas could reign, followed by a horde of innocent people who would do everything she said, they are all organized, ready to attack at any moment” Ae Ra couldn’t believe what she was reading “We ask him what his sources were, with the excuse that we needed to investigate it so we could press charges against you, he gave us a list of websites, hashtags, usernames, etc” He stopped and sighed in frustration “They were all fansites, blogs dedicated to you, fan accounts, and the words they used to refer to you are Queen, goddess , and everybody professed rather feverishly they love and blind trust towards you, acting like a cult, this only feed is fantasy” Chanyeol and Kyung Soo were showing their anger in different ways. Chanyeol was holding his head between his hands, shaking it in disbelief. Kyung Soo was laying back, his arms folded across his chest, and a leg bouncing in exasperation. He looked so mad that it scared her. It was tragicomic, Minseok always joked about how every fan meeting looked like mass, someone took it literal “That’s all we have for now, he believes he is in the right, so his attitude towards us is of course not the best, but he already confessed, everything is there, so we don’t need you to meet him, not until the trial at least” That was a relief. She was ready to face him, but that readiness was a lot of fake it until you make it. She was still terrified by him. And she didn’t even know what he looked like.     The detective walked them out of his office and engaged in a light conversation with them when they heard a small commotion ahead. Ae Ra stopped on her track, instinct maybe, and Chanyeol and Kyung Soo stood behind her. A couple of policemen walked in front of them, talking in their radios, and a couple of steps behind, two more cops walked by holding a handcuffed man. Ae Ra looked down out of respect and watched the three pairs of feet walked by, but one of them stopped “Ae Ra” A male voice called quietly “It’s you Ae Ra” He said louder this time, almost shouting. She looked up, she knew she shouldn’t have to, she should have taken a step back. But she didn’t, she looked up and met the eyes of the men calling her name. Lee Joon Young. He was tall, with long limbs, gaunt, and his skin lacked any shine or color. His eyes were red and big. He stared at her without blinking. He kept struggling, trying to free himself from the grip of the policemen, moving closer to her. She wanted to move away, but her legs didn’t respond “Let me go so I can finish her!” He shouted right on her face, but before she could move away, Kyung Soo pulled her behind him and rushed on his direction. Chanyeol was quicker this time and grabbed Kyung Soo, passing his arms under his armpits and over his chest. Kyung Soo tried to charge again, but Chanyeol stopped him. Joon Young began laughing, a loud, terrifying laugh “Look at that, your toy boy is here!” She was sure she felt the same rush of anger that Kyung Soo felt, wash over her. She took two big steps, but Chanyeol stopped her too, grabbing her by her jacket, stopping her from taking one step closer. She was furious, him calling Kyung Soo like that remained her of the times he tried to hurt him. She wasn’t going to let that happen again. She tried to take her jacket off so she could move, but Chanyeol noticed it and pulled her again, making her lose some balance. Only then Kyung Soo looked away from Joon Young and moved her attention to Ae Ra, worried that she could fall. At the same time, the two policemen were able to control Lee Joon Young and took him out of the place. Chanyeol didn’t release his friend or Ae Ra, just in case “You two are making a scene, let’s go!” He grabbed them both by the arm and walked them back into the detective’s office.

++

A couple of days later, Mister Min arrived at her house with her lawyer. Kim Junmyeon looked as young as he was, and she liked that.  Maybe he wasn’t very experienced, but he had the ethics that only youth gives you. And if Mister Min brought him, it meant he was good. Mister Min, Junmyeon, Kyung Soo sat at her dining table with her, cups of coffee at hand and folders with police reports inside “Lee Joon Young confessed all his crimes, although he didn’t really need to, his fingerprints were found on the gun that was used to shoot you, his car and motorcycle matched the ones seeing on the footage,  and we are going to use that,  but he sustains that it was a favor for our country, the defense is having a hard time” “What about Jin Tae Ri?” “Well in her case, she has a record, she recognized that she attacked you in the bathroom and broke into your house, the bathroom attack was a femicide attempt, which will give her the highest sentence and she was also an accomplice all the way” She was asking about that, sure, but she was worried about something else “What Miss Ji is really worried about is their mental state, Miss Jin has a story of substance abuse and Mister Lee has a diagnose of schizophrenia” Kyung Soo was able to put into words what she was really worried about. Junmyeon was worried about sentences and how many laws they broke, and it was great because he was a lawyer. And Ae Ra was conscious about how much they both hurt her and affected her these last months, but she also knew that it was something beyond their control. So they couldn’t pay for what they did as everybody does. And also, they got Kyung Soo in the middle. That wasn’t going to go unnoticed.  “Miss Ji, I can ask for a number of years…but the prosecution needs a stand on that matters too, I understand your position and I support it, and I can promise you that I will try to help you, helping them” That was all she was asking for “Thanks Mister Kim” He smiled warmly at her and kept informing them about the curse of the case.

+++

After weeks, she stayed by herself at her house for the first time. She missed the company, but she didn’t feel lonely or scared. One time a bird clashed with her kitchen window, and she almost called the police, yes. But after she took a couple of deep breaths, as her therapist recommended, she was back to normal. Therapy was doing wonders. And not only in the matters related to Jin Tae Ri and Lee Joon Young. She now had new weapons to come back to her idol lifestyle. She learned that she didn’t need everyone’s approval, that resting was necessary, that her own image couldn’t be based on how people saw her and that she didn’t own an explanation to anyone regarding her life. Most specifically her private life. She realized that therapy will become a health necessity for her, like the 6 pills of vitamins and supplements she took every day.

Kyung Soo arrived a bit after dinner time “I thought today was Chanyeol’s shift” She commented as he great her at the door, kissing her warm cheeks and giving her a long hug “It was, but we reached a deal” A deal was kind of a big word. He simply told Chanyeol that he was going to Ae Ra’s house, and he only agreed. He grabbed her hand and walked her inside the house into the living room. He sat in the couch and patted the spot beside him. Ae Ra sat as close as she could and passed her arms around his waist resting her head on his shoulder “Did you eat? I cooked some pasta like you taught me” He regretted the bowl of Udon he ate, he wanted to try her food “Don’t worry, I ate with Chanyeol before I came here” He embraced her back, pulling her even closer and kissed the top of her head “Ae Ra, Chanyeol and I had a meeting today with your boss and our boss” “Our bosses, remember we are coworkers” He laughed softly and ruffled her hair “Right, I forgot, well, a lot of things came from that meeting” He prompted her to move so he could look at her when talking about this matter. She released him from her hold but grabbed his hand. He was pleased with the skinship “Tell me, tell me!” She asked eagerly “First, your agency will be hiring the services from our agency permanently for you and your colleagues, which got us two big bonus checks” He was going to be able to afford a new mattress and a better oven “Congratulations!” “Thank you, also, we talk about our contracts” He saw the change on her face. From happy too wary in a second “You are going to have a bodyguard from now on, that will accompany you only in public appearances” “And is not you” She guessed “And is not Chanyeol” She was right again “Is a colleague and friend of us, Jongin” Her expression softened a little bit “If he is your friend, I guess is alright, when is he starting?” “After your trial” Now she was free of tension “You wanna see him, I’m sure I have pictures with him” He fetched his phone from his back pocket and searched for a picture. He found one of Jongin and Chanyeol at the new year party of the agency in full suit. Ae Ra’s eyebrows went up “Is he going to protect me with how beautiful he is? Is he planning of dazzling people?” He laughed at her comment and looked at the picture again. He did look quite dazzling “Don’t look at him too much, you could end up falling in love with him” He joked, bringing up their inside jokes “Impossible” She leaned forward, tilting her head, her eyes focused on his. He knew that look. He liked that look. He grabbed her strongly by her waist, pulling her on his lap. He wrapped Ae Ra’s body with his arms, nosing her neck taking in her wonderful scent. She circled his neck with her arms and caressed his back and head absentmindedly. He felt like taking a nap. Ae Ra always talked about how he was a strength for her. How he brought her peace and calm. But she had no idea how peaceful felt to be in her arms. How healing her warmth was. And it wasn’t that he was particularly stressed, but the world always drove him a bit mad. Too much noise and too many things going around. But being with Ae Ra felt as if she was stopping time, and he had time to breathe.

++++

She met with Mister Kim several times before the trail. He always came in with new information. He confessed that this was the first time he worked almost hand in hand with the prosecution “Next week we will present our evidence, they will say that it was all product of his schizophrenia and her drug abuse, and then we will ask for a sentence that the judge has to approve” “What sentence are you asking for?” “15 years…that’s the minimum” He clarified, but still it sounded like so much “He hasn’t been very collaborative with his lawyer. They could lower if he accepted that he is sick and needs treatment for example, but he isn’t doing it yet…in fact, he keeps repeating that you need to be put on trial” Ae Ra was worried about that. She had to be at the trail. And if he kept acting as he did before when encountering her, the situation wasn’t going to be pretty “What should I say? If I get ask if I am sending secrets messages through my music and all that, what should I say?” Junmyeon gave her a funny look. And when she heard what she just asked, she felt stupid “Ok, I know what I should say, no, of course, but how?” It was an honest question. Did she need to be calm? Or be emphatic? Maybe giggle before answer because it was a stupid question, should she bring proof that she wasn’t a dictator? “If they ask you, just say no, explain what your writing process is, what you write about, actually Joon Young told the police which are the songs with subliminal messages” He pulled a list of ten songs from one of the folders. They were all singles, of course “This is insane, this two are about summer, this one is about partying, this three are about not giving up and the rest are love songs” Junmyeon asked her if she wrote all of them. She did. He recommended her to bring the drafts for the songs, notebooks, etc, so they could have it on hand. Just in case. Their meeting went on for two hours. He had to go to the police station for the last bit of proofs “Miss Ji, we can’t make him go through therapy before the trial, I wish we could,  I will do my best so you both have a fair trial, but you have to remember that justice is here for a reason” “Why are you telling me that?” “Your manager and bodyguard told me that you could be thinking of drop all charges on him” Those bastards, how could they read her so well “Don’t worry Mister Kim, I will not do that, I trust you” He bowed at her smiling, and then left. A couple of minutes before he left, she got a message from him – Sorry, forgot to tell you that the trial is set for next Friday – She had to run to the bathroom for the sudden nausea she got.

+++++

She wasn’t surprised when she arrived at the court and a sea of reporters rushed to her. Chanyeol and Kyung Soo stayed next to her, unwavering. She didn’t answer any question as instructed by Mister Kim and walked inside the building. Head up, as Kyung Soo instructed. She was amazed at how she didn’t fade, even after not eating for almost a day. Her anxiety got the best of her and only water could go down her throat. Any solid thing was immediately rejected. It scared her a little bit. This was worse than on other occasions. She even had a pregnancy test, because of nausea. The idea of having to relive everything that happened in the last months. Every fear, every encounter disgusted her. Mister Kim promised her that she wouldn’t have to talk more than necessary, after all, there were proofs that spoke for themselves. But having to hear everything, as if someone was reading a horror novel to her, wasn’t appealing at all. Chanyeol, Kyung Soo, Mister Min, Sehun, Minseok, Baekhyun were witnesses. Specially Kyung Soo and Chanyeol since they were there at the worst attacks. She sat next to Junmyeon as a couple of journalists allowed at the courtroom arrived. She could recognize two girls from her fan site, a small group of people wearing t-shirts with her name on it and people from her agency. Time passed so slowly. Junmyeon told her that in 10 minutes Lee Joon Young was going to arrive. But those 10 minutes never passed. And then he arrived. And suddenly everything happened very fast. First thing Joon Young does when he arrives is lock eyes with her and grin menacingly. She looked away immediately and found Kyung Soo’s eyes looking at her. He looked peaceful as always. He smiled softly at her, and involuntarily she smiled back. How not to. And he did that for the rest of the trial until it was his turn to give a statement. Lee Joon Young remained quiet the entire time. When Chanyeol and Kyung Soo testified, Mister Kim asked them very specific questions, then the prosecutor did the same and Joon Young stayed quiet the entire time. Smiling sometimes, nodding or talking to himself. Ae Ra avoided his figure. He only looked at whoever was standing in the witness stand. She didn’t quite listen to what they were saying though. It was self-defense. The last one to give his statement was Mister Min. Ae Ra couldn’t avoid listening to him. He spoke seriously, but every word was charged with a fatherly feeling an emotionality. Once he was done, the defense had their turn. It all went as Junmyeon told her. The prosecutor did what he could with what little he had. He didn’t deny any accusation. And when he reached the motive for the attacks, his tone was apologetic. But the whole room reacted. Her agency never published the whole story. They all knew Ae Ra took the hiatus for the attacks, but no one knew who was attacking her, or how. The angriest ones were her fans. The small group that made it to the courtroom complained loudly at the lawyer and Lee Joon Young. She could feel the shade they were sending them. The defense finished and the judge called for a twenty minutes recess and left the room, so he could come back with the verdict. The police took Lee Joon Young to another room and Ae Ra went to sit between Chanyeol and Kyung Soo. He grabbed her hand and hid it under his coat, meanwhile Chanyeol and Baekhyun distracted her with silly comments. Junmyeon looked confident and it was contagious. She was feeling positive all of the sudden. This could end up soon and in the way she hoped. Twenty minutes passed. This time faster, and they all went back to their sits. The judge, a middle-aged man who looked bored started going over the case. Pointing out the facts, how believable the evidence presented was “After considering the evidence showed to me, listen to all the witnesses and considering the mental situation of the accused, besides him not being able to recognize it, I came to the decision that Mister Lee Joon Young will be sentenced to 15 years at psychiatrist facility designated by this court, where he will receive the treatment he needs to overcome his situation, but also serve his sentence for the several times he broke the law. Because even if the history that his mind was making up about Miss Ji and her intentions for the citizens of South Korea was true, killing her was never the answer. As she came to justice to clean this situation, he should have done the same” He hit the table with his hammer, and everybody stood up as he left. Joon Young lost it there. He started shouting that he wasn’t crazy and that she needed to be erased from here. Before he could keep shouting and getting himself another charge, two big bulky officers came and almost lifted him from the floor, taking him out. Hearing Joon Young’s loud voice scared her again, and she was sure the memory of it will keep making her jump in shock. She could hear him shout outside, until the sound was a low hum. No one celebrated. No one clapped. And she was thankful for it. Her fans didn’t try to talk to her out of respect, but she made sure to thank them for being there. She answered a couple of questions from the journalist but cut it short since she was planning on giving a press conference. After everybody left only her friends and boyfriend stayed with her. They didn’t congratulate her nor celebrate. They only hugged her and patted her back. There was nothing to celebrate really, so she was kind of relieved by her friends’ actions. They took their time to go out, although time wasn’t going to help. The journalists outside the court were able to wait for her under heavy rain if it was necessary. They resumed their positions and Chanyeol and Kyung Soo sandwiched her and walked outside, pushing back every daring journalist and photographer that came too close. She jumped inside the van, and went to the back seat, feeling exhausted “Now go straight home, take a bath, eat and then go to bed, we need you strong for tomorrows trial with Jin Tae Ri” Right, it wasn’t over yet, she thought, falling asleep on the back seat.

++++++

After the two trials, she stayed at her parents’ house for a couple of days. Her house was still surrounded by journalists. It was a very emotional visit. She didn’t inform them about all the things that happened to her this past month. She forbid them to go to the trial or google her and they obeyed. That’s why when she told them everything that happened, they broke into tears, especially her dad. She spend some good thirty minutes being hugged by them. Just like that time when she was 10 and broke her arm, they didn’t know what else to do to comfort her, to make the pain go away “But there is no more pain mom and dad” She assured them “And that’s the next thing that I want to talk about with you both…Kyung Soo you can come in now”. When Kyung Soo was driving her to her parent's place, she dropped the bomb “Since we are visiting them and is your shift, I will tell mom and dad that we are dating” He almost crash with the car ahead “Can you wait until we stop working together?” “Why?” “Well…what are they going to think about me? We started dating, we work together and we pretty much live together, that makes me look like a horrible man” She giggled and hold his hand “My mom already knows about us, and she doesn’t care, my dad is going to be busy thanking you for taking care of me and all that, don’t worry they are going to love you, and also, they are modern people, they got married after I was born and my mom is 7 years older than my dad and she was his boss at the company they worked” “I…ok…yeah it’s like us” “It’s not like us, because she was his boss and we are…” “Coworkers, yes, we are coworkers” He interrupted her, sounding exasperated but still smiling. He wasn’t smiling when he came to their living room though. He was dead serious, he was good at that. She gave him a signal to relax, but he ignored her. Kyung Soo sat on the sofa in front of them and remained silent “As mom already knows, so I guess dad you are informed too, Kyung Soo and I are dating” Kyung Soo bowed until his chest almost touched his knees. Ae Ra stood up and sat next to him, she didn’t like how lonely and sorry he looked there by himself “I’m aware of your relationship…I’m glad you brought him, we are going to have a couple of days to know each other better” “I’m sorry we have to meet under this circumstances Kyung Soo” Her mom spoke to him softly, smiling at him “I’m sorry I didn’t come here early ma’am” “Oh, those are silly details, don’t worry” Her dad got up and stood in front of Kyung Soo, signaling him to get up too. He did so with military obedience, and her dad immediately catch him in a hug “My wife told me all the great things about you, I know how much you have done for our daughter, I’m glad I can call you son from now on” She always knew she got her talent with words from her dad. After the crying and after her parents finally left Kyung Soo alone with all their hugs, she was able to get her boyfriend back and go for a walk with him. It was already dark outside and there were very few people on the streets. Kyung Soo bought two coffees and they walked for almost three hours around the neighborhood. She showed him her high school, her old house, the place where she took piano lessons since she was six, the laundromat where she worked for the first time “And last, the next year I was hired by my agency, the owner plays one of my records every day” “Were you a good employee?” “Of course I was…although one time I was careless and a red sock went inside a charge of white clothing…thank god it was my dad’s clothing, he wore pink shirts and t-shirts for months” Kyung Soo broke into a goofy laugh, his apple cheeks glistening in the night lights. It was so nice to see him laughing like that again.  It felt like in the past week everybody around her, including herself, were pained, or pitying and Kyung Soo wasn’t the exception. She knew why, she wasn’t going to blame him. He was always the one giving her calm and reassurance, but he was as human as she was, and he was only worried for her. But know everything was over. Jin Tae Ri and Lee Joon Young were sentenced, and they were going to receive the help they needed. Her agency was taking care of the press and arranging her press conference, and finally her marvelous fans were taking care of all the hate she could get in social media. Now her only worry was to go back to her normal life. She got a text from her mom telling them to go back home for a midnight snack, so they turned around and walked back, holding each other by the waist, sharing some warmth. It was three in the morning when they went to sleep. Her parents went to their room, Kyung Soo got a futon on the living room and she went to her room. She didn’t go to bed immediately though. She waited until her parents were asleep, to snick out of the room to the living room. She found him in bed already, but still awake “Ae Ra, go to sleep” He told her from under the covers “No, I want to cuddle, move” She got under the covers and pushed Kyung Soo to the side until her body was firmly pressed to his. Despite the initial response, he immediately enveloped her in his arms, kissing her nape “What if your parents come in?” “They are already sleeping, nothing can wake them up” He hugged her tighter, so she imagined he had already given up “I like your parents” “They like you” “Thank god, so we are really doing this? Dating?” She turned around in his embrace, curious “What do you mean? We have been dating for almost a month now” “Yes,  but now you introduce me to your parents, so is very official” He was right, kind of “Actually, we haven’t informed my other parents yet, my agency” Kyung Soo cursed under his breath “Look, I will take care of that, but only after Jongin starts working with me” “So this Monday” “That soon! Today is Thursday!” Kyung Soo covered her mouth, but it was too late, with some luck, her parents wouldn’t hear her yelling “If it helps, tomorrow Chanyeol will be with you, but I’m going to take Saturday and Sunday shift” That did help, a lot “And then on Monday Jongin will take over, but since you don’t have a schedule until Friday, Chanyeol and I will guide him through some stuff at your house and agency, so for some days you are going to have three bodyguards” Not bad, she thought “Kyung Soo, I still have to talk with my agency, but for the time being, I prefer us to keep dating in secret, I want to avoid any situation where you could get hurt, some fans can be very rude and hurtful, you don’t deserve going through those things… at least meanwhile all this fades off” “Whatever you want Ae Ra, I want the best for us, especially for you, I can only follow what you say in this matter, you know best, so whenever you feel ready, open up about us” She felt a burn in his heart, not a bad one. It was just a burst of something. That burst she felt whenever she saw him, but it was stronger when he said those kinds of things. Words of understanding, support, care and love. She planted a chaste kiss on his lips, because what else does one do on those situations. He smiled and she knew she did well. She caressed his cheeks, his cute ears and head “Are you willing to be kept in the shadows? I can’t tell the world about you, I can’t even take you out on dates” As she asked him, her voice broke. He was alarmed for a second, but then smiled at her again, returning her caresses “I don’t like going out that much either” She moved her hands away from his face and hugged him. His lips pressed against her forehead, hers resting on the base of his neck. Kyung Soo whispered different words of love until she fell asleep.

The next morning she was awakened by her mom “Ae Ra, wake up and go to your bed before your dad comes in, poor Kyung Soo would be mortified” She followed her mom’s order, half-awake, half asleep and was able to release herself from Kyung Soo’s grip. She saw Kyung Soo move peacefully on his sleep. It was still 7 in the morning, he still had some minutes of sleep left. As she closed the door of her room, a strange feeling settled in her chest. This peace and this homely feeling they have been sharing all this time were coming to an end. She was on her way to come back to her normal life. To the busy schedules, the airport life, the rumors and the lack of privacy. And despite all the things Kyung Soo told her that night, one could never know how he would actually feel when rumors of her dating another celebrity came out, or when she cancels dates, when she was so physically and emotionally exhausted that she didn’t want to see anyone or when the first possessive fans started attacking him. She trusted that he was brave and that he loved her. But this wasn’t about her. She was terrified of the mere thought of him getting hurt.

___

Note: After watching police show after police show (Bones, The Mentalist, Brooklyn 99, etc). After watching so many dramas with lawyers on it (Suspicious Partner, Lawless lawyer, While you were sleeping, etc) here I am forgetting every single term and how the law works. Fuck it.

Next week, last chapter!!

[sunsetsinhoenn]

Hello! I'm the anon who requested the reader with telekinetic powers. To light up things a bit, how about the main protagonist using her powers to goof around with the main gang (like surprising them by making them levitate)

OOF, i know i told you this would be ready like two days ago, but I ended up rewriting the entire thing because there was a part of it that i just did not like and could not get past. from now on, anyone should take my time estimates with a grain of salt, because they’re never on time lol

1 | 2 | 3

4 - “the good part of me”

It was always an off day when you didn’t see at least one of your friends. During the week, you hung out with them at school, and during the weekend you you could easily visit four of them within a three minute trip. After being around the apartments for six months now, there had just been a handful of times where you went 24 whole hours without them.

There was the one time you caught a cold in late February, all thanks to a nasty virus that had been going around the school. You were confined to your room for a long while, sleeping the sickness out. There was also the time during spring break where you and everyone decided to have a sleepover week at the apartments. It lasted about four days before everyone got tired of each other and decided to separate for a while. You were all hanging out again like normal just a couple of days later, but that break was desperately needed.

However, this time was all because you decided not to see them. Two weeks after your mishap at the apartments, school was officially deemed closed for the summer and you were relieved that you could finally start ignoring your friends better.

Not because you hated them or anything! Your friends were just too smart for their own good, and you hated seeing them worry when they looked at you.

After realizing that there was a part of you - like as if there was a whole other being inside of you - that was pretty much evil, you had a hard time letting it go. You were afraid that if you let yourself slip just once, it would come out and wreak havoc, destroying everything you held dear. You never had to worry about it before because it hadn’t been awake. But now it was and you had to fight back.

That very night after you left Sal’s apartment, you had laid down, ready to sleep and get the day over with. You were shaken by the events, but you were also itching to just let your mind rest and let it go. You were still afraid that maybe it would steal your mind in the middle of the night, pretty much killing you, never letting you rule of your body again, but how could it possibly do that? How would you fight back? Could you? It wasn’t something you could really bother to think about at that moment.

It didn’t take long for you to fall asleep, but when you began to dream that night, you were met with a very familiar and very unwanted scene.

It was the void again, empty and as confusing as ever. The dread and fear was still surrounding you everywhere you looked, but you couldn’t place where it was coming from nor did you really want to. Not that it was easy to find anything, anyways. There were no landmarks and no key differences in the landscape.

You had a thought pass through your head that maybe it only looked that way because you had your eyes closed, and just like that, they flew open inside your dream. You were able to notice that it was still black, still dark, still dreary, still creepy.

But there was a pair of red eyes staring at you now and if you weren’t shocked from that, you would’ve cried or screamed. The eyes were all you could see, but now it felt like you were being loomed over, watched and held hostage.

“IT’sS tt—YOU WILL BR—NNhh AVE MY—“

Your eyelids flew open again, and this time you let out a gasp, breathing hard for fresh air, your head spinning. That wasn’t just a dream. You were talking to something, and you knew it. The connection was just bad.

It was after that that you began to develop a bad case of insomnia, showing up each day at school with more and more prominent bags under your eyes, your mental health and emotional stability waning as you started to deteriorate.

If it weren’t for your friends, no one would have really noticed that you were having a rough time. But they did, and you almost hated how much they cared for you. While you didn’t want to admit it now, you knew that getting no sleep wasn’t good for you. They were rightfully concerned, they had a good reason to be.

There were times where you would crash as soon as you got home from school, but in that case you were so low on energy that you didn’t even have the chance to dream or communicate with any demons that may be trying to talk to you.

Now that summer break had officially started, you could be an emotional wreck as much as you liked. No one could be worried about you if they didn’t see you and your parents just figured that your sleep schedule was already trashed like any teenagers was when they had no obligations.

Currently, you’re laying on top of your bed, staring off into space. You’re not focusing on anything, but you feel the pulsing in your head that developed just a couple days after your sleep issues began. For a moment, you think that maybe it wouldn’t hurt if you got one night of full rest. You couldn’t fight a demon in your head when you were so low on energy, right?

But then the image of the void flashes in your mind, and in the center of it all, you see those incredibly bright, red eyes. That’s all it takes to make you not want to sleep anymore.

You don’t want to be taken over by something else and used for bad reasons. You don’t want to hurt anyone.

You roll over on your side, and if it weren’t for your lack of sleep maybe you would have noticed the pair of legs that were in your line of sight sooner. But it took you almost a minute, and when it clicked in your brain that someone was standing in your room, you yelled out, startled.

“Wha- Ash?!” You sat up quickly, surprised to see her in your room, especially when you hadn’t heard her enter. You reeled back a bit when you felt a wave of dizziness hit you, but Ashley came to your aid quickly, helping you before sitting down next to you.

“Ash, what are you doing here?”

“Checking up on my friend.” She looked at you, trying to surmise how you had fared since she last saw you. Concern turned into disappointment the more she studied your face. “Your parents let me in, by the way.”

“I figured.” You shrugged, looking away from her. “I would hope the front door was locked or that you didn’t just break in.”

Silence followed soon after and in the wake of the awkwardness, you rubbed at your head, the pulsing still constant and still annoying.

“Why won’t you sleep?” You grimaced, not wanting to hear that question. Ash really knew how to get straight to the point with things.

“Because… I don’t want to?” You turned back to Ash as you answered the question, as lame as the answer was. Her frown deepened and her eyebrows furrowed down, making you gulp. You didn’t like seeing her mad, especially not at you.

“Listen, (Y/N). Sal and Larry told me everything. I might not believe in ghosts, but I’ve seen your powers firsthand. We’re also not stupid, we know you’ve been acting weird ever since that happened.” You breathed in quickly, scared that your friends were going to start to hate you. You gave them ample reason to, since you’ve kinda been avoiding them and keeping secrets.

“I’m not evil or anything, I swear. I’m not.” Ash leaned closer to you as you folded back into yourself, exasperated by your words.

“We know that, (Y/N)! That’s why we want to talk about what happened. We want to help you. You can’t keep going on like this, it’s really not helping anything.”

You wanted to turn away, to tell her that she wouldn’t understand. That she wouldn’t get it and neither would anyone else. You wanted to, but she was right. You weren’t very fair to her or the others, either. You didn’t even give them a chance to try and understand.

“I… I know.” Your eyes went downcast, looking at your lap, where your hands rested. You watch as Ashley takes your hand, holding it gently. You feel the pulsing in your head get stronger as you try to fight away a blush.

You didn’t want to turn away from your friends, but it was just so hard to tell them everything. If you were the one listening to someone else talk about how they were practically on the verge of being possessed, you would think they were crazy.

“Then what are you going to do?” Her voice was gentle, taking a step back from the upset tone she had just a second ago. It would be a lie to say it didn’t calm your nerves don’t, just the slightest bit.

“I’ll… talk. With you guys.” You were hesitant to say it, but you knew the issue needed to be resolved sooner rather than later. Ashley brought you into a hug, letting go of your hand. Despite being nervous to say what had been bothering you for a while, you also felt just a little relieved. Enough to even let a smile form on your face.

The both of you got up off the bed, and after telling Ash that you were going to get ready for a few minutes and freshen up (you were cooped up in your room for a while not really doing much, so you felt a little unhygienic) she told you that you guys were having a sleepover. Just two days this time.

Like how you guys had done before, you all ended up bunking in Sal’s room, since his was the least cluttered of all of yours and his dad was usually in his room working or busy doing something outside of the apartments, meaning you got interrupted from your loud hangouts a lot less. Larry might’ve had the tv and video games, but it was also pretty cramped in his room. It didn’t take a while for you to start feeling comfortable after the boys gave you a warm welcome back when you came in the room with Ashley.

You were also grateful for the fact that they didn’t jump you with questions right away. Instead, they started off with joking and messing around as per usual, and it was when they caught you nodding off on a bean bag chair with an open can of soda in your hand did they have to snap you back awake. Looking down at the soda in your hand, you realized that you almost had it spill all over you, which obviously would not have been fun to deal with.

“Hey, (Y/N)? How’ve you been?” Larry had that look of concern on his face that he always managed to pass as casual, but you knew it to be genuine worry. You yawned, waving your hand to brush off the question.

“Tired and bored. I’m glad I get to spend time with you guys.” Gingerly, you set the soda on top of Sal’s nightstand next to you, off of the floor. “I’m sorry for keeping from you guys for so long.”

“Usually the last couple weeks of the year keep us busy with finals and all.” Todd was messing with some weird contraption, complete with cut wires and a battery pack at the top as he spoke. “But it looked to us like you were dealing with more than just a rough class.”

“I…” You trailed off, trying to think of the right words to say. “I guess that whole thing with that amplifier affected me more than I’d like to admit.” Todd stopped what he was doing and looked straight at you, serious.

“Are you okay? I told you to tell me if anything bad happened.” Well aware of the fact that Sal had been staring at you from your peripheral, you gulped. Why was the nicest person in the room so intimidating?

“I just didn’t want to say anything because I- I didn’t think anyone else would understand, really.”

“Are you kidding?” Larry was talking again, hands behind his head as he leaned back on Sal’s bed. “We’ve seen ghosts. You can levitate stuff. I don’t think you’re going to find another group of people more understanding of whatever’s going on with you. Man… imagine thinking we wouldn’t get you, (Y/N). We’re your best friends.”

“It is a little silly when you put it that way.” You laughed a bit as Larry gave a sound of agreement, yawning and then closing his eyes, truly the epitome of relaxation. Ash came over to sit next you, leaning her back against the bean bag as she placed her sketchpad in her lap and began drawing. “It feels like I’ve known you guys for forever, but then I do something stupid like this and I go back to thinking that no one wants to deal with the weird kid with superpowers.”

“In all fairness, if you think telekinesis isn’t cool, then there’s something wrong with you.” A round of laughs went around the room as Todd spoke, as bluntly honest as ever when he was around the four of you. He began working on the device in his hands again, asking for the screwdriver that Sal was holding. “So, can you tell us what happened? If you don’t want to tell us right away, you don’t have to. Though, it looks like the sooner you get it off your chest, the better.”

You nodded, agreeing completely. The day you get a full night’s sleep without any messed up dreams is the day you could start being normal again.

Well, as normal as you could be.

“I… Well, okay. Um.” You fiddled with your hands, gaze averting to think again on what to say. “When I passed out, I actually woke back up somewhere else.”

Silence followed your words before you continued and when no one said anything you nervously began shifting your sight between your friends, looking to see if there was any sign of disappointment or anger or just any negative emotion.

“But I didn’t really know where I was. It was all black and I was… floating? Or something. I felt scared, but also like I was missing something. Then, all of a sudden I could sense this voice. But it wasn’t a good voice. I could tell that I didn’t want to talk to them, but it-” You breathed in deep. “It was more than just not wanting to talk. It was like if I did listen to what it said, it would be a… really bad thing. Worst than I could imagine, probably.”

There was still silence, and you surveyed the group as best you could. Larry was no longer resting with his eyes closed, Todd was hardly messing with his device anymore, though he wasn’t looking at you, more like he was just concentrating on what you were saying. You couldn’t really see what Ash had been working on as her head was blocking the view, but you could tell that she wasn’t drawing anymore. Sal was the only one paying attention directly towards you, but he didn’t make a sound.

“It scared me because I knew that whatever it wanted or could do, I didn’t want to happen. Then, I woke up on the fifth floor, and that’s why I said to get me out. Because whatever’s trying to talk to me lives in these apartments. I know that for a fact.”

Silence followed again with your words stopping in your throat. Luckily, someone finally said something.

“I get why you didn’t tell us that right away. That’s, uh…” Larry coughed, awkwardly trying to find the right thing to say. “That’s a lot to deal with in one day.”

“Yeah. It doesn’t help that you told me my eyes turned red.” You waved your hands in the air, fed up with having to deal with all of the stuff that had been going on. You were just a teenager! This whole situation was stupid and idiotic, and just plain irritating in retrospect. “I mean, you told me that you and Sal got rid of the red-eyed demon before I even moved here! And you haven’t really seen any signs of him since, right?”

Larry shook his head.

“Nope. Not one.”

“Ugh.” You slumped in your seat, your head lightly hitting the wall. “There is one last thing about all of that, though. Um… It kinda feels like there’s another person inside of me.”

The loud, obnoxious laughter coming from Larry and the snort that came from Ash made you blush bright red and sit straight up again.

“NOT LIKE THAT! THAT’S NOT WHAT I MEANT!”

“HAHAHA! I can’t believe you said that!” You got up from your seat, grabbing the pillow that Larry was rolling over on in his laughing fit. As you started hitting him with it, he tried making a pathetic grab for it, wheezing for air.

“YOU’RE GROSS, LARRY! I’m trying to be serious!” The blush was still there, but you stopped hitting Larry, instead raising your hands up to lift him in the air.

“AGH! WHAT!” Ceasing his laughter, he instead started trying to maneuver around in the air, grasping for the blankets on the bed. Everyone else watched, stunned, but after a few seconds of grasping for anything to hold onto with his gangly limbs, they all began to laugh. “This is fuckin’ weird! I’m not flying, but I’m not on the ground! Where’s gravity?!”

You snickered, moving him from above the bed towards the bean bag you had been sitting on.

“I took it away.” You plopped him down gently, making sure he didn’t knock into Ashley or the nightstand. Speaking of, you levitated the soda you had earlier towards you, grabbing it when it was in arms distance from you. “Anyways, what was I saying?”

Despite being hauled into the air less than a minute ago, Larry adopted an insufferable expression, smirking at you.

“There was someone inside of you?”

In response to that, you levitated a pillow and threw it directly at his face.

“Teenage boys like you are the worst.” You shook your head. “It just feels like there’s another part of me that isn’t really me, but is in my head and wants to take over at some point or maybe wants me to learn something that will help it out. And whatever that is, it isn’t good. That’s why I haven’t been sleeping at all. It feels like if I sleep too long, it’ll take over. I’m not sure if that’s true, but that’s… the impression I get.”

For the first time since you started talking, Sal spoke, his voice somewhat quiet and hard to hear.

“So you haven’t slept since? Did you try?” You nodded. “Did you have a bad dream?”

Again, you nodded, biting your lip. He was right on the mark with that one.

“I had it that night. I just wanted to go to bed, but I ended up in the void again, and I opened my eyes, and it was the same scenery, but… There was red eyes this time. It tried talking to me, but the words were jumbled.”

Sal let out a short hum, thinking about what you said.

“After that, I just decided to not sleep.”

“You can’t decide to just not sleep.” Todd pointed his screwdriver at you. “If anything, it makes you more susceptible.”

“Then what am I supposed to do? Fall asleep and dream about the demon again? I couldn’t take seeing that thing every night.”

“Tell it to fuck off!”

“You’re so wise, Larry. So smart. Why hadn’t I thought of that.” You rolled your eyes as Sal got up from his spot and walked to his bed, sitting next to you. “You’re really on a roll tonight. Where’s Chill Guy Larry? I don’t need a hype man.”

“Ignoring the way he said that, I don’t think that’s a bad idea. I think that if you dream of the red-eyed demon again, you should tell him you don’t want to talk. Maybe it’s as easy as that. And even if it’s not…” Sal gestured towards the room, towards Ash, Todd, and Larry. “We’ll be here when you wake up.”

They all smiled at you, and you felt your heart warm. Todd, who wasn’t really much of a smiler in the first place, just curled up one side of his mouth whereas Ash smiled at you wide. Larry’s was close-mouthed; not as bright as Ashley’s, but there was more efforts in it than Todd’s. It was all very much them, and you knew that it was all genuine. These people cared for you, and you should be lucky for that.

“Yeah, you’re right.” You turned your head back towards Sal, who patted his hand on top of yours, comforting you. You wondered in the back of your mind if you had just imagined how he acted when you first woke up. Then, he seemed like he knew just as much as you did, and that he knew you were lying. Now, it didn’t feel that way. It just felt normal. “Now I’m excited to finally be able to sleep.”

“I would be. I’ve had my fair share of bad dreams. Um…” He trailed off and you could see his eyes flicker to the side, wanting to ask something. After prodding him to continue, he spoke again, his voice hushed. “This is sort of weird, but could you levitate me? I think it’d be fun.”

You laughed, not expecting that question.

“Why are you so shy about asking that? Yeah, I could! Do you want me to make you fly? We’d probably have to go outside for that.” You could practically see the sparkles pop up in Sal’s eyes.

“You can make me fly?”