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corysmiles · 3 years

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Could you believe I actually am back with some Runnaway Experiment WRITING??? :D

This takes place very early on in the story, and gives some more insight into Tommy's life before they escaped (in the comics). Enjoy :D

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The experiment was growing years after years, to everyone’s delight. It seemed the first laboratorial human had a decent enough lifespan so that it could be studied in the long run. And so, 14 years, it has been since T0M saw the light of day, and it acted in a similar fashion a 14 year old human would. .

Of course, the many researchers failed to take in consideration an alteration of the most cumbersome. T0M looked human, could understand the english language, followed orders and didn’t complain, asked some questions but the specimen…. was big.

Too big to fit in a human bed.

Too big to fit comfortably in a room.

It went in spurts, which was terrifying the first time. It kept on growing and growing, as scientists hoped it wouldn't take long for it to stop, otherwise, it might lead to a lot of problems. But for the past 2 years, no noticeable change really occurred, which was a relief when the thing was already 25 ft tall. It never seemed to be challenging personality wise, which was a relief, but they still needed to keep him in line.

Hopefully, the Doctor Soot, as well as Doctor Puff took part in daily check ups and made sure he didn’t rebel.

So, every 2 day, they took turns to visit T0M in the room accustomed to its needs.

And both’s reports were excellent! T0M learned more while being as obedient and compliant as ever. Phil couldn’t be more happy with those results.

However, as time went on…. Wilbur failed to mention another kind of teaching he had going on with the subject for the past months.

“And this is called ‘Sadness’.” He held an A3 size paper with a moody smiley drawn on it, the word being written below. “It’s that feeling when our sessions are over and I have to go and you say ‘oh noooo’ in that voice.”

T0M was sitting on his knees in front of him, paying the utmost attention to what Wilbur was showing and saying.

“I hate that one.” He pouted.

“I know,” Wilbur chuckled. “No one likes to feel sad. But it’s a part of life.”

A single hum. Wilbur’s smile turned more sympathetic.

“Do you remember the other ones?” He stood up from his place and put the sheet in one of the dark grey metallic drawers.

T0M nodded, excitedly. He took his hand and poked his fingers as he counted. “ there’s “Happiness”, it’s the good one. And “Disgust”, it’s when I have to eat the weird green stuff.”

“Brocoli”

“That. And then there’s excitement, it’s when I smile real big because you come early.”

Wilbur clapped “Wonderful!” T0M’s eyes were shining stars at every approval from Doctor Soot. Even though T0M’s enjoyment was very appreciated and contagious, but it could be a bit… much, to handle at times.

“Since you understand the basics, I think it’s time for us to start a whole new lesson.” He clapped.

T0M gasped and cheered from the top of his lungs “YEAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!”, throwing his arms in the air and effectively making the room shake from the sheer volume of his voice. When he looked back at the scientist, his eyebrows were pinched and the brunette was covering his ears and curled up, almost in pain.

“...Doctor?” He brought his head close to the man who, after making eye contact, scrambled back until he hit the same drawer he put the papers in earlier. T0M looked at him confused, face still too big in Wilbur’s peripheral.

“I… Tom, I appreciate your enthusiasm when we do our lessons, but if you could prevent yourself from screaming, it would be nice.” He tried in the most gentle voice he could muster without it shaking.

“What’s screaming?” T0M asked, crouched so his face was almost on the ground at eye level with him. He brought a hand closer to the doctor who was still breathing heavily. When his head shot to look at the hand, his body on alert, he froze before saying.

“... Is it a moment when I can’t touch you?”

Wilbur’s eyes were locked on the now frozen hand for a good second before returning to T0M, nodding. “Uh, yeah.”

“... Okay.”

The hand retracted in the following seconds, and soon, he was back in his initial position.

The doctor thanked before regaining his composure. He looked back at T0M, and his expression held remorse. A guilt twisted Wilbur's guts at the view. Thing is, as T0M grew up, people quickly realised he was the equivalent of clingy. He would constantly grab people into hugs and had a hard time keeping his voice down which resulted in a large noise blocker investment. And so they had a rule. T0M couldn’t make any sort of physical contact with anyone without being given explicit permission first. Obviously, most workers considered T0M as a test subject and therefore, wouldn’t give him that pleasure.

Wilbur, though, was not in the same vein. Once he realised how empathic and emotional and human T0M was, he started teaching him things a human teen should need, and started giving him a sort of affection a human teen should have. Which included some sort of physical affection.

When T0M was sad, he would sit next to him or pat his back. It quickly evolved as Wilbur accepted being held by the boy and brought to eye level as long as he was careful when doing so, and ever later, they would hug and wilbur would try to brush his hair at times.

Still, that didn’t make him immune to any of T0M’s carelessness which’s consequences were amplified ten fold due to his scale.

“Did I do something wrong?” he asked pitifully.

“I- no, it’s not your fault. It can just be a bit overwhelming is all.” Wilbur explained.

“... what does that mean?”

“It means… when something is ‘too much’. Like when you want to bring Techno very close, but he keeps reminding you about the rule.”

“Oh.” T0M let his head fall. “... I don’t like that.” Wilbur scratched his head. “I want to be so close and show that I’m very happy and it’s all inside and I can’t let it out.”

“Well, here, it’s a bit more of the opposite. When outside, there is a lot and you’re incapable of letting it in.”

“... I’m sorry Wilbur” he mumbled.

“It’s okay, I’m not angry.” reassured the brunette. “I just have sensitive ears.”

“...Everyone has sensitive ears.”

“Well, when you’re a small guy like me, you’re sensitive on pretty much all fronts.”

“... It’s not fair.”

“What’s that?” Wilbur perked.

“When I stop getting big and strong, I want to hug you with all of my will. Like you do with me. It feels nice. I want you to feel nice just like that. I want you to be overwhelmed with happiness. I want to hug you so, so bad but I can't and it's shit. I don't want to be strong, I hurt you if I’m strong. I want to hug you."

Tommy vented, more to himself, and when he looked at Wilbur, his eyes shined, not with joy.

"Oh Tommy…."

It ached. It ached Wilbur to his core that something as simple as a hug was something he craved and still couldn't get. Because he knew. He knew all of the things T0M was missing out on. All the life he could have lived if he was granted freedom. How much he could live and appreciate. It kept him awake at night.

But he was here. Trapped. In a room barely tall enough to contain him, treated like a circus monster. And the worst thing was, T0M wasn't aware of it. Of all the life he wasn't living. How his life was no life and how he thinks this absence of everything is what life should be.

Plato would probably laugh in his grave.

"I promise you. One day, you will be able to do that. I promise you that I'll find a way for you to hug me just like you are a small man too. I promise you that I'll make you discover all of those joys of life, Tom. I Promise you. I will help you. And I'm sorry for not being able to provide it sooner. And I'll apologize for all the years it took for me to get it."

They stared at each other, and Tommy nodded, throat tight and eyes wet.

"And a promise makes sure that it's gonna happen." T0M croaked.

"Exactly, tom." Wilbur smiled. "You are going to live many more things."

The bell rang, and both faces fell a bit.

"I'll see you in 4 days, Tom. We're gonna have a little recap over the emotions you learned and then I'll teach you about relationships."

"Oohh, that sounds nice! What is it?"

As Wilbur packed his little bag, he looked at T0M and simply replied "it's all around you. But I'm not gonna spoil the next session. On that note, I wish you a nice week, Tom."

"Have a nice week, Wilbur! " T0M waved with a smile. "It's nice talking to you."

"It is my absolute pleasure, Tom."

And thus, they parted. As Wilbur walked down the immense corridor (just tall enough Tom could run through them.) He wore a satisfied smile. His small steps resonated, the only sound in the room, yet peaceful enough for his ears to listen to them as carefully as silence. Halfway through, the sound was doubled.

"Helloooo."

"Oh, hey techno! How are you?"

"Doing fine. You seem very happy."

"I am. I made some good progress with T-he subject. I feel like he's learning well. The next tests should have fabulous results."

"Ahh, wonderful. Let's make sure it doesn't learn too much though." He joked.

And at that, Wilbur chuckled, his hand on the man's shoulder. "Oh don't you worry about that, my friend. I can assure you that'll never happen"

"Amazing" techno replied, deadpan. Both nodded their conversation away and walked the rest of their ways.

As he got further away, the doctor's smile turned to an amused grin. His steps resonated, so much smaller than what could be, in a corridor in which the boy just next door should walk through.

"Don't you worry about a single thing."

MEL YES I ADORE THIS AU SO MUCH ITS SO GOOD!!!!!!!!

Poor Tommy but at least Wilbur is helping him :”]

#runaway experiment au #melissas writing #mcyt g/t #mcyt gt #g!tommy #t!wilbur #YES YES TES #XJWJXJWNNX #SCREAMS AND YELLS AND CRIES #BUT IN A GOOD WAY #:D #I LOVEBTHSI AU

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moonbaby26 · 3 years

Text

Title: Diamond in the Rough

Pairing: Peter Maximoff x Reader

Summary: Continuation from last chapter. You and the others get some more down time in your last day and night on the ship together. Reader talks about some sensitive things with Peter, culminating in more bonding and fluff at the end.

Warnings: Some cursing, mentions of sex and arousal. Nothing explicit though.

Chapters: Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

Taglist: @drikawinchester , @n0obmaster69 , @alexloveskili , @what-a-silver-lining , @bluesprings18 , @weakmoony-stuff , @slytherinsi-mp , @wintwrsoldiwr , @tommy-braccoli , @amourtentiaa , @cringingmemeries , @bi-panicatthe-disco , @himbos-are-my-lifeblood , @simp4mcuwomen

Peter Maximoff x Reader Masterlist

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“So you really weren’t going to tell me that you just said ‘screw it, peace out, guys!’, and pulled the sacrifice card to throw yourself out of a plane?”

Peter’s voice carried through the barracks as he looked at you like you were the crazy one for once.

“Well...it was in the middle of crashing at the time.” You countered, much quieter by comparison and looking to Jean or Kurt for any help here. Some of you were sitting on the floor, others on the beds, roughly in a circle as you talked.

But Kurt only piped up to make it worse. “Yes, I did not like that at all. Next time we must find another way. I thought too that you’d chosen to go down with the plane so we could escape, (Y/N).”

“But you can fly right? None of us could fly.” Scott butted in a bit unexpectedly though, on your side of the argument no less.

“(Y/N) can levitate like me.” Jean corrected. “The flying is newer though, not yet perfected.” She smiled at you then in a way that told you she wasn’t about to let you back out of getting credit for that risk taken in Egypt. “You still hit the ground, hard.” She added. “I went back in your mind to make sure you’d made it after we teleported.”

The others all looked at you, and you tried not to lose your nerve. “My energy field was still up though when I hit. That’s the important part...”

“I mean I could jump off a building with a helmet on, I’m pretty sure it still wouldn’t work out for my head.” Peter retorted, though with a very self aware look before he finished. “And no, that’s not what’s wrong with me.”

Scott actually laughed at that, which surprised both you and Peter at least. Maybe he was different when alone with Jean, but in front of the group he’d stayed fairly no nonsense since Egypt. Though who could blame him for being a bit uptight after all he’d been through recently.

“We did all get pretty wrecked.” Peter admitted after a moment though. “Thanks for the save, Jean. Up top.” He held his hand up in front of her to signal for a high five.

She obliged, but a bit half heartedly. “I had the Professor in my head though, egging me on. He helped me unlock that. But I still couldn’t have done anything if you all hadn’t held that guy in place for that long for me. He just would have escaped.”

“I wonder what happened to the woman?” Kurt considered. “Do you think she learned her lesson too?”

“I doubt it,” Ororo answered then. “We called her Psylocke. But she just wanted to be more powerful. I don’t think she’d care now about who we hurt.” She looked at all of you at that. “I am sorry...if I hadn’t said well enough before. I thought he wanted to make the world better for us, but he didn’t. He really did just want to control everyone, human and mutant alike. I was wrong.”

Scott shrugged. “You figured it out by the time it really mattered.”

“And he probably just would have tried to kill you if you’d shown disloyalty any sooner than that,” You agreed.

“Can’t stay mad at anybody with a sick mohawk like that anyway.” Peter commented too, clearly admiring her hair.

Ororo chuckled. “If I’d known other mutants like you all before, things likely would have been a lot different.”

“Well you know us now.” Jean offered.

“Yes, I’m new here too,” Kurt added. “There’s a lot to learn. I’m glad Raven found me as well to bring me to the school. I never had mutant friends either in the circus.”

“Woah, wait. You were in a circus? Like the whole bit? Elephants and clowns and stuff?” Peter turned his head to look at him, curiosity easily peaked.

“Ja.” Kurt replied.

As those two went off into a separate conversation about whether or not there’d been bearded ladies, strong men, and the like in the Bavarian circus, you just looked back to Jean.

“We’ll definitely have a lot to catch up on when we get home. You think Jubilee is going to be mad that she missed all the action?” You asked, only half joking.

“Oh man,” Jean conceded. “She’ll be all over us wanting details.”

But her next words surprised you a little as her voice so easily transitioned just into your mind afterward for privacy, her lips no longer moving.

“You know as soon as she finds out you met someone, she’s going to go nuts wanting details about Peter.”

You could only look at her for a moment. It was such a strange thing to consider. This had all happened so fast. But with her bringing up that point, it was the first time you’d really thought about what it would be like to potentially introduce him to other friends of yours back home, to try and communicate what he meant to you already.

Could you call him your boyfriend? Would you say you were dating? He’d already called himself that label, but did that mean you could say it? Would the others even believe it was possible to feel these things for someone you’d only known such a short time? Would they think you were naive, or just caught up in the whirlwind of the moment and that this would all fade?

“Hey, relax. I wasn’t trying to send you into a tailspin.” Jean’s mental voice broke back through that wave of anxious thoughts. “I haven’t known Scott for very long either. If anyone wants to waste energy judging us, I would say that’s their problem.”

“Yeah,” You just answered then, remembering you still needed to respond in a way that made sense to the last thing she’d actually said out loud, about Jubilee. But you went quiet afterward, letting the others steer the conversation to new things as you all continued just trying to pass the time.

It wasn’t too very long later though when you’d had another visitor to the barracks. You were all a bit surprised to see Moira walk in, noticeably without the Professor and carrying something in her hands.

“Some new brass arrived today, or officials I mean. They wanted to speak to Charles themselves.” She said quickly, obviously realizing by your looks that you were all wondering the same thing of where he was. “But I wanted to come by and take care of this for the ones that needed pictures.”

As she spoke, she raised up the thing in her hands as if that should also be some clear explanation for her purpose here. It still took you a moment honestly to realize it for what it was, accompanied by what she’d said.

“For your licenses and passports that we’re printing.” She clarified anyway before continuing, the polaroid camera in her hands. “You two,” She pointed at you and Peter, and then at Raven. “And you. You already had valid driver’s licenses. We’ll reuse those photos for a new license and passport. Charles wanted everyone to have both, as you’ll still need to travel within the U.S. as well once we’re back. The rest of you I need current photos of.”

The thought of Peter actually taking the time to get a driver’s license seemed pretty absurd when he could travel anywhere much faster on foot, but before you could ask him anything, Hank was speaking up.

“But I already had a license and a passport,” Hank responded in some confusion.

Moira looked a little awkward, but still answered kindly. “But the pictures were of you before. It won’t match how you look right now for us to get back into the country.”

Raven snickered and Hank shot her an unamused look.

“Uh, but I can’t take off my glasses. You want me to take it with my eyes closed?” Scott asked dryly, though it was a legitimate question.

Belatedly you realized this also meant he’d been completely prepared to drive one of the Professor’s cars illegally then, before you’d asserted yourself to be the one to drive you all to the mall that day. This was a mental note you’d have to save for later.

“Glasses on is fine. We’ll note it as a medical exemption.” Moira answered easily, though already looking for a spot to have them stand against. “And this might actually be better to do in the hallway, if you could- Hey!” Her hands were abruptly empty, as she startled, then looking around.

You blinked after the flash that came almost simultaneously. A hand squeezed your shoulder before Peter pulled back away, the stolen camera in his other hand as the photo began to eject from it.

“I thought you couldn’t move like that with your leg,” Moira chided, now realizing what had happened. “And that thing isn’t mine to break, just so we’re clear.”

“You’re like three feet away, I don’t have to run if I can just lean over and grab it.” Peter responded smoothly, pulling the photo out before offering her back the camera. “So what, that thing is CIA issue? If I push the wrong button is it going to laser me or something?”

“No.” She huffed. But didn’t look as if she wished to extend the conversation any further to get drug into this right now. She just motioned for the others to follow her into the hall as she then turned away. “Come on, guys. We’ll try to make this quick.”

Peter didn’t seem to mind either way, just putting his attention back to the photo he was now holding as if it were a prize. “What do you think?” He asked you after a moment, the image becoming more and more visible as the film developed.

You saw yourself there, though surprisingly not a terrible image considering you hadn’t even been prepared. Your expression in the photo was simply neutral, glancing elsewhere even as Peter’s smile was wide and bright, him leaning in with his face almost touching yours in the photograph.

“I’ve taken worse,” you said truthfully, but then looked back to him, amused at his seeming satisfaction with it. You wondered if he was actually planning on keeping the photo, instead of it just being a little joke. Wouldn’t he rather a better one at least?

“What?” He questioned, seeing your expression. He flicked the photo gently. “It proves you’re real if anyone asks later.”

“Why would you have to prove...” But you ended up just smiling, and gave up before you even really started, seeing how happy he still looked. “If you want a picture together, I’m sure she’d let us take another if we asked. You know, if we asked nicely, and didn’t just steal her camera this time.”

“I like this one.” He insisted though, holding onto it regardless. “It really looks like you.”

“Um...wouldn’t I always look like me?” You asked quizzically.

“It’s real,” He tried to explain. “Natural? If we took another you’d just smile on purpose.”

You still didn’t fully understand. He was smiling in the picture after all. But to his point maybe, he did look almost giddy in the photo. Not something you would be able to replicate on command. “Okay.” You said, fine either way. “If you like that best.”

“There is something I think I’m going to ask Moira anyway though when she comes back,” He admitted.

It wasn’t very long either until you were able to find out what that was.

When the others did start to file back in after taking their pictures in the hallway, Moira had just leaned in the doorway briefly to thank them. “We’ll have these made up in time for tomorrow for your travel documents, thank you.”

She was already turning to leave again before Peter stopped her.

He cocked his head, piping up. “Hey, can I ask you something?”

She did pause, but her look back at him was slightly wary. Likely not knowing if this would be more humor or not. “Yes?”

He didn’t mess around though this time, just getting to the point outright. “Do you think you could send somebody to my Mom’s house? You know, just to say everything’s cool and I’ll be home soon? She’s probably losing her mind right now.”

Moira’s expression changed fully at that, empathy going to the forefront. “Of course. Yes. What’s her name? Her address?”

That mood faded just as quickly though as he raised his eyebrows, teasing. “Well shouldn’t the CIA know that?”

She sighed. Staring at him as the annoyed look returned.

“You’re so serious,” Peter smirked. “Magda Maximoff, suburbs outside D.C.” He rattled off a street address afterward, but still continued, “We’re in the phonebook anyway. Prof.’s been there too, he’d know.”

“We’ll look it up.” She agreed. “See you guys later.”

With that she was gone. The rest of you settled back, just sitting and talking again. And you’d gone off with Peter down by your beds after a while. Just the two of you again.

You’d realized obviously before now by their interactions that the Professor had met Peter at some point previous to his coming to the mansion the other day. But like so many things, in the rush of everything, you hadn’t learned much more.

“So Xavier’s been to your house. Was he trying to recruit you for the school?” You asked, honestly just curious. Though it was a little disappointing to consider you may have had a chance to meet Peter much sooner if he’d accepted any kind of invitation like that then.

You had been sitting on the bottom bunk together again, but he leaned back behind you now, stretching before putting his arms behind his head. He pulled his legs and cast awkwardly back up into the bed as you shifted to try and let him get how he wanted.

He looked pretty content though as he lowered an arm back to put it across your lap. “Well that was years ago. He had hair, he was walking. He didn’t want me for your little private school though. He just wanted me to help them spring my dad from the Pentagon...but I don’t think he knew it was my dad either then. It was all Logan’s plan to bring me. Really I didn’t find out much else. These dudes just showed up at my house, and I went with them to commit a felony.” He shrugged a little. “Probably not that smart, right? But I didn’t have anything else cool to do that day I guess.”

You wondered how much of that story Xavier would really tell you if you asked one day. You could only imagine what reasoning someone like the Professor would have to do something so brazen, even if it was to help Erik. Especially when Xavier had always preached to you all the importance of staying within the law and not using your powers to exploit any rules that would apply to non mutants. For now, you only asked a little bit more though. “How many people actually came to your house to do that then?”

“Oh, it was just three. Prof., Hank, and Logan.”

Well that made it even more interesting really. Hank was also so well known for always following the rules. But then again, he also was one of Xavier’s longest friends, like Raven and Erik. They’d all known each other since many years ago.

But this was the second time Peter had said this name of ‘Logan’. Shouldn’t you know that name? Well yes, you knew at least one. You couldn’t forget the name Jean had told you back in Stryker’s base. The man who’d gone on a rampage, though also cutting you violently from your own restraints before he’d escaped. Honestly you might even have scars from that when this was all said and done. But the name in and of itself wasn’t that unusual of a name. And what Peter was talking about apparently occurred years ago.

“I don’t think I know a Logan,” You said honestly. “Was he a mutant too?”

“Oh hell yeah,” Peter answered, raising up a closed fist. He made a noise, and a motion you didn’t understand as if he was doing something in midair with his fist, before adding. “Three big claws come shooting out this dude’s hand. It was so gross, but badass.”

You stared, the realization finally hitting hard. It couldn’t be a coincidence then. “Peter!” You exclaimed abruptly. There was just no way they were two different people. It was too unique of a mutation. “That’s the guy!”

“Huh?” He looked up at you in surprise. Confused at your sudden excitement.

“The one from the base! Didn’t Jean tell you?” Without thought, you lifted your shirt enough to show him those long claw marks still red across your stomach. They were dry now, already trying to heal. But it was three in a row, still clear as day. “The guy that tore through all those soldiers and freed me, she told me that his name was Logan.”

“She didn’t tell me that.” Peter stammered slightly, definitely caught off guard as you’d raised your shirt. “She just said to expect you to be bloody when I went looking for you.” He was staring at your exposed skin now though. “So Logan did that?”

You tensed slightly as you felt his fingertips graze your abdomen. It wasn’t unpleasant, just a bit unexpected. You lowered your shirt back down, but noticed obviously when he just let his hand stay under it.

When you didn’t show further aversion to the touch though, his hand continued idly wandering on the skin that was unbroken. “Well damn, that’s super screwed up then. I know they said a guy went full rage mode and tore the place up. And yeah, I saw the bodies he left when I went looking for you. But they didn’t say his name. I didn’t see him either before he took off.”

“It has to be the same person.” You reiterated. “But if you really want to be sure, you can always think of those memories of him, the Logan that you knew. If you let Jean look into your thoughts later, she could tell you for certain if it was him.

Peter looked a little disconcerted, but just agreed anyway. “Yeah, sure. I just, man how long did they have him there then? What a dick that Stryker guy was. Fuck him.”

But after the little bit of anger, he was only looking back at you. That thought of Stryker seeming to also remind him of your initial meeting with him. “How’s your ribs?”

You felt his fingers trail up across them at the question. “Sore,” You admitted. “But what isn’t?”

His voice was quieter then though, his hand moving back down before it reached your chest. “Then don’t jump out of any more planes please.”

You paused, wondering if he really was so bothered about that to have brought it up again. You’d all played so fast and loose that day though, doing whatever you felt you had to do. “It was a big day of firsts that’s for sure.”

“No kidding.” He agreed.

And nothing was ever going to be the same again was it? Even when you were all home again and the mansion was finally rebuilt. Were you all just going to go back to class like you hadn’t almost died? Would you just pretend that you didn’t know there were still entities out there that wanted you dissected, destroyed, or both?

“I think it gave the Professor a lot to think about too.” Is what you finally said. “I feel like he’s going to change some things going forward. But I don’t know how much yet. I don’t know if this could really mean the resurrection of the X-Men.” It was a crazy thought. Xavier and Hank never really liked to talk about that part of their past. They’d lost a lot then, or at least that’s always what you’d inferred from the bits and pieces you had heard over the years.

“X-Men...” Peter repeated, making a face like he wasn’t sure if it was a decent name or not. “Guess it’d still be better than being called Charlie X’s Angels or something like that.”

You smirked. “You know they used to all have codenames too.” Though you were sure not all of them were self named. “Xavier was just Professor X, Hank was Beast, Raven was Mystique, Scott’s brother Alex was Havok, your dad was Magneto of course. But there was Banshee, Darwin, and Tempest as well.”

He gave you a contemplative look. “Can I call you Lite-Brite then?”

Your look must have clearly said no, but he just kept going, very amused at your reaction.

“Glo-Worm?” He offered instead.

“Seriously? You’d name me after a bug?”

“Nah, they’ve got these super cute toy ones. Wanda had one. She slept with that thing all the time. They glow when you hug them.” He was grinning again now. “I mean, you’re comforting too right? Think I could make you glow?”

“I don’t think it works that way.” But honestly you might be lying to save face as he was now rubbing his hand further up into your shirt again.

“Don’t we all lose a little control when we get excited?” He countered, his tone getting a little more dangerous. “I know I do.”

You felt that statement was likely a bit of a trap, hesitating as your curiosity swelled. What could happen with his powers if he did have an uncontrolled moment like that? He was likely right though. Just like the onset of mutant powers came for most of you around the same time as puberty, they could also be triggered by intense emotions or stress. So it was reasonable to think that another powerful feeling such as arousal could also lead to some issues for those of you already less experienced in controlling yourselves.

“Brings a whole new meaning to safe sex doesn’t it?” He said as he let go of you then, putting his hands back behind his head. He still looked too amused, even though he seemed to sense when you needed another break from the touching to process your own thoughts.

“Did that happen with her?” You asked though. Not afraid, but yes, maybe some concern in your expression. You really hadn’t considered any of this before.

His smile faded at the unexpected mention of Crystal again. But he only hesitated a little, looking at you as he answered honestly. “Sometimes. She uh, burnt me a couple times. In the literal sense. She was like the band, Earth, Wind, and Fire. I mean she could control water too, but I liked the band joke better.” He frowned slightly. “She always hated that joke though.”

“Did you do anything to her?” You responded quietly before you could think better of it. Was this really any of your business? No, not really. But, it could be a part of your future.

There was a little surprise in his eyes, but his answer was immediate. “Babe, I’m the last person you’d ever have to be afraid of.” He looked bothered still as he continued though. “And no, I never hurt her. She would have knocked me into next week if I had.”

“So what does happen if you lose control that way?” You still asked, deciding you still did want to know.

He gave you an awkward look. But if he was going to offer out this information, it seemed there was going to at least be a small price for it. “If I’m really riled up? Turned on? You can say it outright you know.”

You weren’t going to say it in any more explicit way than that though, but you nodded at least. “Yes, you know what I mean.”

He sighed at your modesty, but reached out his hand after a moment. “Let me see your wrist then. Way easier just to show you.”

Well, if it was anything dangerous, he wouldn’t be so casual about it would he? You did offer him your wrist, not knowing what to expect as he clasped his hand around it.

You could tell he was focusing on something for just a moment, before the oddest sensation you’d ever felt shot from your wrist, down into your fingertips, and all the way up into your shoulder before you jerked your hand back in surprise.

Your reaction didn’t seem to faze him at all though as he’d easily let you go. It looked like you’d only done exactly as he expected. “You’ll still feel it for a bit after, just so you know.”

And you could still feel it, fading but definitely there as you flexed your fingers. “What did you do?” It wasn’t painful, but it was like a tingling, instantaneous whenever he’d done it. Not just through the skin, but into the bone, the muscle, everything. The only thing you could liken it to at all is when a limb woke up from being asleep, yet it wasn’t as uncomfortable as that and it was far deeper.

“Well you asked what happens if I get too excited. I, uh, vibrate?” He tried to call it something without really knowing what to call it. “I’m no science guy, but I’d guess it moves everything I’m touching down to what, the atoms right? So that’s what you’d feel. But it wouldn’t just be from my hand. I was doing it on purpose there. If it wasn’t on purpose it’d be literally all of me doing it.”

So that would mean, well...that would be a very intense sensation to say the least if you would happen to be having skin to skin contact in more places than one when he would accidentally do that. You tried not to let your expression change much at the realization. The last thing you wanted to do was to throw this very personal dialog further down into the gutter.

“I still think you’d glow though.” He added confidently. “And if your energy deal is always as warm as it was in that elevator shaft back at the base, I think it’d feel really good too. Just for the record.”

Yes, this was definitely teetering on that edge of going fully into a place you weren’t ready for just yet. But you only had yourself to blame. You asked him to elaborate, and he did. You knew your powers could be a lot more than harmless though. Much more than warmth. You didn’t know if it’d be too pessimistic to mention that right now though.

“I don’t know what I would do.” You finally said, just speaking the truth when you didn’t know what else to say.

“We can talk about something else you know if you want.” He poked you gently in the arm, seemingly offering you an escape route if you wished to take it. “Like we’re still going to the mall at some point right?”

“Definitely.” You answered gladly.

“You should come over too, play some video games when we get back. I’ve got an Atari and a Nintendo. Or we could watch a movie. You like Bruce Lee? Karate Kid? Stuff like that?”

The genuine eagerness emerging in his tone was something you really appreciated. A reminder that in reality, even though he evidently enjoyed any physical contact he was allowed to have with you, it was only a part of the whole picture. He just wanted to be around you too.

“Yes, I think that’d be awesome. I haven’t seen many of those movies, but usually Jubilee picks for movie night. Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink, Sixteen Candles...over and over.”

He laughed. “Oh, no way. There’s more to life than Molly Ringwald. Time to expand your horizons!”

You were smiling too, about to say something back when Scott’s voice carried from further down the barracks.

“Hey, they brought dinner if either of you want to eat!”

“But is it even worth a crap!?” Peter called back immediately and just as loudly.

“Heck if I know!” Scott answered and you could swear you heard a lot less loud Jean tell him to quit yelling in her ear.

“I’m still salty about that fake strawberry garbage from earlier.” Peter said, just to you then as he sat back up.

It wasn’t much of a surprise to you though that the food would be brought to you all this time, considering the episode in the mess hall before. The only thing that did surprise you was that it would already be dinner time. Though it was hard to have much concept of time right now really, especially when there were no windows to see the sun or sky below deck.

But it did give it more of that prison feel too. The hours running together, locked away in close quarters, and now with government mandated food being dropped off impersonally. It either felt like prison or being in a rare species exhibit at the zoo.

“Well, you said you’re like a hummingbird metabolism wise, right? You have to eat something.” You spoke, while hanging back to give Peter a chance to get up on his crutches.

Really the hummingbird analogy you were liking more and more though as you personally thought they were adorable, and they literally were the bird equivalent to him in your opinion. This flamboyant little bird that beat its wings so fast it could actually hover in place or disappear in a blur once they did decide to take off. Not to mention the exclusive high sugar diet.

“Glo-Worm,” Was all he replied back, but very pleased when it still got a strong reaction from you.

“Please don’t make that one stick. It’s a lot less cute than Hummingbird.”

But he just offered a non-committal smile, walking past you. “We’ll see.”

——————————

Some few hours later, when it was time for lights out again, Peter had wanted to take a shower so you were already in the bottom bunk alone.

You tried to stay awake to wait for him, but you must have already been asleep for how bad you startled when you felt something pressing down against the mattress beside you.

And when you shot up, you were even more confused at the sudden pressure against the top of your head before you finally woke up enough to realize Peter now had his hand splayed there, pushing your head back a little.

“Woah,” He whispered in the dark. “You about nailed the top of the bunk. It’s just me.”

You relaxed, trying to look at him before you felt him let go, laying down beside you. As you laid down as well, he shifted several times, trying to get comfortable.

“I hate this damn cast.” He complained. “Do you know how weird it is to have to shower with a garbage bag tied around your leg?”

You could feel his still wet hair though on the pillow as he nuzzled in closer with you. You’d both joked a little earlier about looking forward to getting to share this bed one more time tonight before heading back to the U.S. and your sort of more normal lives tomorrow. The emphasis of the joking though had been about getting to continue the kissing that had been interrupted on the flight deck.

But now that you were here, you found you really just wanted to hold him and enjoy the warmth and quiet together. Because you didn’t know when this chance would come again. Would you go your separate ways tomorrow? You back to New York and wherever the other displaced students were now staying, and him back to D.C. to reunite with his mother? He wouldn’t be able to run and come to find you again until his cast was off. And how many weeks would that take, even with mutant healing factors?

You didn’t really know what the exact plan was after you’d arrive in the U.S. either, but maybe there was something you could do after all. “Hey.” You said quietly after a bit, hoping he was still awake.

“Mmm?” He made a questioning noise, hugging a bit tighter to you.

You took it as enough response to say that he was listening. “So they said that we’re landing in New Jersey tomorrow, right? Well everyone else is going to want to go north to get back to Salem Center, New York.” You didn’t really need to clarify where the school had been though, he’d obviously already found it. “But you’ll need to go south to get back to D.C., and it’s not like Xavier is going to expect you to find your own way home. Someone’s going to have to drive you and-”

But Peter didn’t even let you finish, already very on board with the idea. “And we give Prof. the old puppy eyes and beg for it to be you.” You knew he was grinning again then just by his tone. “I like it. Road trip.”

You felt relief that he approved of your spur of the moment plan, but then again he’d already said he wanted you to come over to his house sometime. You wouldn’t be able to stay very long you were sure, but at least you’d get the car ride together if this all worked out. And you’d get to see where he lived, maybe even hang out for a little while before having to drive back to New York.

It was funny how just like that you now had something to look forward to again. But would Xavier really be on board? Would he feel comfortable letting you drive back alone? You’d just have to convince him that you were old enough now and capable.

“I guess I should have cleaned my room a little better before I left.” Peter mused. “Can be a bit of a train wreck, just like the dude that lives in it.”

“Oh, someone else lives there too?” You teased slightly.

But Peter only played along. “Yeah, a real piece of work. Guy just plays video games all day, and wears out the same shitty records playing them over and over with the volume up. Maybe reads some comic books or jets off to nab some Twinkies from the convenience store down the block. Real outstanding citizen. I heard he’s dating now though. Who the hell would want that charity project?”

“Hmm.” You knew he was only half joking, Peter really still seeing himself in the way he just described to a large degree. But you were patient, and determined to keep working on building his self confidence little by little. “I think if he met someone then, it’d be someone who believes in the old ‘diamond in the rough’ expression. They must really just like him for him. They probably even see his real value even when he can’t yet.”

Peter was quiet for a few moments at that before you felt him run a hand through your hair. “I guess that would make him really lucky then. He probably should bust his ass to make sure he doesn’t disappoint them then and screw that one up.”

You smiled softly. “All he has to do is be himself. If you have to fight too hard just to maintain a relationship, it likely was never right to begin with.”

“Been there, done that.” He at least agreed, but was now running his fingers down along your face.

You knew what he was hoping for and leaned in to meet him as you kissed. It was very soft though, like he was still thinking of what you’d said. He didn’t press for much more either, just a few more kisses before he nuzzled his face back down against you.

“I’m still going to do the best I can.” He spoke quietly against your neck. “I want you to be happy.”

“I am.” You said. Feeling every bit of those words as you stayed warm against one another. It felt safe. It felt right.

And no one said anything else. You were both content to leave it that way, falling asleep just as you were.

———————————

(Continued in next chapter here)

#quicksilver #quicksilver x y/n #quicksilver x you #quicksilver x oc #quicksilver x reader #quicksilver xmen #peter maximoff #peter maximoff x y/n #peter maximoff x you #peter maximof x reader #peter maximoff x oc #x men #xmen #x men fanfiction

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themadauthorshatter · 3 years

Text

It's been a while since I did one of these, and I'll be expanding over more of the series.

Here's Part 4 of headcanons I have for Never!Tedros!!

Even when she becomes the coven's new leader, Tedros still hates her guts and it definitely has to do with her treatment of Agatha and letting Dot get kicked out.

In retaliation, he asks Agatha to take her in, which she does, and explains what happened to Dovey, who allows Dot to stay, much to the annoyance of the Evil teachers and a lot of the Nevers, even Sophie.

They have they're confrontation at lunch and Sophie shouts at him that Agatha tricked him, too, lest he forget. He already knows this, but walks away anyway to be with Agatha.

They have some angsty-fluff moments with Tedros asking if she's afraid of him, which she claims she isn't because, no offense to him, he's all bark and no bite with her. He admits to knowing she'd tried using him, but also admits he's glad she gave up on that because it wouldn't have been a good thing if he'd figured it out and she lied to him.

During the bridge encounter, Sophie claims Agatha is the Evil one, and that Agatha is the witch, not her, even going as far as to say she and Tedros are the good ones and deserve an Even After together.

"At least I know I'm evil, you stupid girl."

I should mention Tedros takes a turn for the dark when he is confronted by Ravan, Vex, and other Never boys and dragged into a bathroom, so they can beat the crap out of him for all the stuff he's pulled.

Having been in Good for about a month, he's immediately overwhelmed by all the evils surrounding the students, even a few of Sophie's, which reveal her attacks and intentions for the schools.

Ravan goes to get a hit in with a weapon of some kind, but Tedros grabs it and stands up, angrier than ever before.

Anadil is unfortunate enough to see Tedros leave the boy's room with some blood on his face, but uninjured. He glares at her and walks away without talking.

She finds all the boys unconscious with scratches and slashes on their faces and bodies. The weapon Ravan had is now broken, having been used against them to the extreme.

Come the circus of talents, when Agatha comes in pretty as a picture, Tedros warns her not the stop him, and thanks her for being nice to him.

She sees why when she and a witchy Sophie go toe to toe.

Too bad Tedros attacks Sophie before they can start actually do anything.

I should mention that, as a sort of update on his talent, Tedros can USE these evils to his advantage and can force them into visibility, which is exactly what he does.

He shows all the students what they are on the inside, revealing the monsters he's scene since day 1 of arriving at school.

After a HUGE fight breaks out between Tedros, who is consumed and corrupted by the evils he's seen, letting them take over, and Sophie, who just gave up on being good like before.

Sophie attempts to kill Agatha, but she's caught by Tedros, who's grown shadow-esque wings and looks like some sort of demon dragon.

As he holds her, the two flying maybe eight feet off the ground, he admits he may have gone overboard and apologizes to her for almost dying.

He then reveals he knows about Sophie's plan to not only give the Nevers a ball, but also destroy all of Good and steal the Storian.

"What are you going to do?"

Tedros smiles. "Being a prince. I don't like Beatrix or a lot of other people in Good, but I like you all enough to know I don't want Sophie to end your stories."

"What do you mean? What're you-"

He sort of lands on the ground and lets Agatha stand, resting his forehead against hers. "Agatha, thank you for being in Good."

"You say that like I had a choice."

"No one ever said you had to be my friend, but you did, anyway."

He kisses her on the cheek and takes her to her dorm, which he locked from the outside, in the door, before taking off towards Evil, telling her to not stop him.

She gets to Evil by turning into a cheetah and, like before, tries to crash the No Ball to save everyone.

EVERYONE only believes her ehen Tedros arrives and attacks everyone, using the evils to his advantage.

When Sophie and Agatha are magiced away to Gavaldon, he only stands, emotionally empty as they vanish.

He's locked himself into his room and is sitting with his knees up and with his head resting against his knees.

Hates Aric.

Sleeps and stays in the Doom Room to avoid him, and the other boys because they won't shut up.

Does step up to be the leader of the boys, but does not order any kind of attack on the girls.

When the boys start getting rowdy, courtesy of one of the Everboys, said Everboy gets in Tedros's face when he confronts him. Aric backs up the Ever, and Tedros says nothing as he rams his fist into the Ever's stomach and swings an insanely hard punch into his jaw, which knocks him out instantly. The whole room is quiet as he basically demotes Aric as captain and gives the position to Chaddick; Aric is now responsible for disciplining anyone that steps out of line, which is nice enough, but he'd rather have the power to choose who gets the whip. With a low, "I want this entire castle spotless. You have the rest of the night and the weekend to do it," Tedros leaves, Chaddick following when Tedros asks him to very warmly, despite the scene that just unfolded.

When boys start refusing, Tedros hands them over to Aric, telling him that he can use any method he wants just as long as the boys are still alive.

No one refuses an order after an Ever and a Never leave boisterously shouting they're not afraid of a sewer rat like Aric and return quiet, pale, and injured from getting tortured.

Surprisingly, Tedros is the most collected with Tristan, almost returning to his Book 1 self, except more chatty. Tedros notes how Tristan smells a little different and that the redhead's been distant. Tristan denies it, spawning an evil for lying that Tedros sees.

He tells Tristan to keep his distance, and that he was one of the Everboys that was really nice to him; it's a small thing, but it means the world to him.

When Agatha and Sophie arrive, Tedros has locked himslef in his room. The boys are whipped into shape and don't really step out of line, all except Aric, but he tells the two strongest boys to keep Aric on a leesh if they have to.

Cue a lovely Tagatha reunion where the real Tedros comes back for a little bit.

She tells him about what the School for Girls are saying about him, even talking about how he rules over the boys with an iron fist, but Tedros states that if the boys wanted a different leader, they should've picked someone else to step up.

He tells her he won't hurt her, if they have to fight, but he will tear Sophie apart, so she'd better keep Sophie safe, if she cares so much about her.

Agatha leaves, apologizing for the fact that she might still love him. Tedros apologizes to her for the same reason.

Turns out the boys don't need to pick a new leader because the male teachers do it for them, and lock Tedros in the Doom Room.

He doesn't mind the other boys ignoring him. He doesn't mind the fact that he's not allowed to eat even when he tells the truth. He doesn't mind Aric being a dick or Tristan disappearing into thin air.

He minds greatly when he meets Filip, who has Sophie's evils and makes the mistake of trying to befriend him.

Just to put a target on his back, Tedros allows Filip to win. He wants alone time too, because he's been thinking about Agatha a lot.

Turns out not ALL the boys hate him, because Chaddick tries sneaking him food.

Tedros refuses and asks to be left alone.

A few days later, Filip finds Tedros lying on the ground, passed out and weak from not being fed. He wakes him up and tries to get him to have some lamb, but Tedros kicks Filip away

"Stop whatever game you're playing! I know it's you, Sophie!"

Filip blanches as he stands, flustered. "I... W-Who's Sophie? I'm Filip. Remember?"

Tedros glares up at him and scoffs. "You think I can't tell when you're lying? That I don't know when someone's trying to trick me!? Unless you're here to torture me or rub it in my face that I messed up and you have everything, go away and don't ever talk to me again, you witch!"

Filip(Sophie) is gutted by this, stunned as Tedros adds in a, "Speak of the Devil," as Aric strides in, armed with a whip.

Aric makes Filip leave and gets a few lashes on Tedros as he shouts that the prince is weak, a fool, and useless to eveyone, adding emphasis on weak if he can't even rely on his princess to save him.

When Aric's done with him and leaves, Tedros forces himself to his feet and unpockets a key he snagged off "Filip" when he kicked him.

He gets out and looks for Sophie, who's partnered with Hort for the trial by tale.

He finds Yara instead, heavily injured and dying as he rushes over to her side.

"I tried," she sobs. "I-I tried to get here sooner... and warn you, but he... he came out and-"

Tedros takes her hand, too upset to be angry. "Why, Tristan? Why be with the girls? I would've helped you!"

Tristan, Yara, holds his hand tightly and smiles. "You should've seen it. It was so pretty. And the girls were wearing blue for once."

Even though he has tears in his eyes and running down his cheeks, Tedros can only smile and shake his head. "You're a bloody fool."

"So... So're you."

Tristan apologizes for hiding the Storian away from Tedros, and thanks him for being possibly the only boy in the school for boys that was really nice to him, even though he defected to the girl's shool, in the end. With one last smile, Tristan dies, Tedros setting him down and backing away before shouting and releasing a sort of shadow-y energy, sonic boom that flattens a bunch of trees. He screams, he cries, and he basically mourns the fact that he lost someone he genuinely cared about and saw as a friend, maybe even a brother.

Even though he's weaker than before, tired, emotionally drained, and barely able to stand, Tedros still finds Filip, who's revealed to be Sophie, and, too tired for words, smirks as she tries to explain herself to a very hurt Hort, who she picked as her partner.

"Look who's putting her lessons to good use."

She turns on Tedros and shouts she always tried to help him, even when it would result in a punishment, and where he got worse she got better.

Tedros snickers and asks why she manipulated Agatha and lied to the boys, even Hort, who's her friend. On skaky legs and with unfocused eyes, Tedros murmurs, "You can take the witch out of Evil, but there's no taking the evil out of a witch. No wonder Agatha hates us both."

Just as he falls, Agatha races out of the trees and catches him, apologizing that she hadn't been the one to take the potion and help him and admitting she never hated him. She actually never stopped loving him and believes that he isn't so evil he can't be loved by her.

Tedros asks how she knows, considering the events prior, and Agatha shakes her head; if he was truly as evil as he thinks, she would be dead, her and Sophie both, and both schools would've been destroyed. He can think all he wants that he hates both schools and everyone inside them, and that he's an evil force of destruction that will never sit a throne, but Agatha knows the truth:

He loved going to both schools. He loved being around people, more specifically people who showed him the most minimal shred of kindness, regardless of whether or not it was genuine or out of obligation. He loved being the only one up at night and enjoying the silence of both schools, loved pulling pranks that were harmless, save for causing gray hairs. He loved being friends with Chaddick and Tristan, who took him in and showed him how great it was to even have friends. He loved the lessons in good and the trips between both schools.

Most of all, she knows he loves her, even though she tried tricking him into falling in love with Sophie so they could leave.

Tedros can't help but cry and not seeing any evils grow from Agatha, knowing everything she said was true and that he's an idiot for needing it spelled out for him.

They kiss, ending the conflict between boys and girls, and getting their Happily Ever After. Hort does a good friend move and looks away to give them some kind of privacy, but Sophie is frozen, realizing that regardless of whether she's good or evil, she's not getting Tedros. His heart belongs to Agatha, who feels the same way.

When Evelyn Sader appears with the Storian, bringing back Rafal and dying in the process, Tedros still tries to fight him.

He gets his ass handed to him, and gets that gash in the original story.

When they're sent to Gavaldon and found by Callis, who tends to Tedros, Agatha guves her the run-down, including the fact that Tedros is indeed a Never and the Prince of Camelot.

Callis sighs at this and admits he's good at being still for her, considering how he was so fitful while unconscious. Agatha then admits he sleep walks.

With that in mind, they check and find him awake and staring at Callis, holding a hand out to her as Agatha shakily introductions them.

They trade introductions, Callis at least because Tedros is back to being quiet, and Callis returns to patching him up.

Tedros is quiet as she finishes up, though only breaks his silence with this:

"You're so lucky to have such an amazing daughter."

Sorry this took sonlong to work on. I'm trying to sort of clear the clutter in my Drafts so I can work on more new stuff. This was really fanfic-y, too and I deeply apologize for that😅

Either way, I hope you guys enjoyed this!

#school for good and evil #sge tedros #tedros of camelot #never! tedros #tagatha #sophie of woods beyond #agatha of woods beyond #sge sophie #sge agatha #sge aric

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mamichigo · 3 years

Text

Title: upon our joined hands (4,2k)

Pairing: Gen, Miranda & Allen

Tags: Alternate Universe - Angels, Angst, Bittersweet, Ambiguous/Open Ending

Rating: T

Warnings: Implied/Referenced Child Abuse

Written as a gift to @/pouzingarou for the @dgmsecretsanta2021

Read below or on ao3 (link in source)

“Say, brother…” Lenalle started, voice small but firm. She stopped leafing through files to briefly look up. “How has Miranda been doing?”

Komui paused as well. Although he tried not to betray much with his expression, he couldn’t help the twitch of his wings. In response, Lenalee’s face fell.

“Is it that bad?” She whispered.

“Not in the way you’re imagining,” he replied. Komui debated how to explain the situation and frowned. Quietly, he stamped a document on a recent soul retrieval. “Miranda is still working on her assignments as usual, so I doubt the Archangels have taken note of her behavior. She should be okay.”

It was clear from the way that Lenalee’s hands clenched that his words didn’t reassure her. She pressed her mouth into a thin line and continued to work for a few seconds. Komui could see her sorting through her emotions, he realized–somewhat sadly, but fondly without a doubt.

“But…?” Lenalee prompted. She bumped her wing against his own. “I can tell there’s something on your mind.”

“I can’t hide anything from you,” he joked. He smiled, though there was no joy behind it. “Humans are more resilient than we give them credit for. Miranda has good intentions, but a fantasy can’t last forever.”

Understanding downed on Lenalee. She rubbed a fingertip along the edges of the file she held–a soul that was lost too soon despite having a guardian angel assigned to it.

“That human boy is going to leave her,” she said, gravely, sure it was the truth.

Komui nodded in assent. “Sooner than she might think.” He tugged Lenalee closer, safe under his wing, before patting her head. “Let’s just hope Miranda will be able to handle the separation.”

⟡ ⟡ ⟡

The red sunset matched the color of Allen's own blood, drying on his split lip. As soon as Miranda took notice of it, she was already reaching for the handkerchief inside her pocket—then froze as reality caught up to her. She felt silly for worrying about such a small cut when she could see deep, dark bruises whenever his shirt shifted even a little.

And even if that wasn't the case, Miranda knew not to offer her help with Allen's wounds. He didn't like being reminded they were there, he said once.

At a loss, she instead reached for the lone candy she had been carrying, and offered it to Allen. Just as the boy looked up from the pile of circus props, Miranda realized she forgot her greeting.

"G-Good afternoon, Allen!" She hurried to say. "Hard at work again?"

"Like I have a choice," he replied moodily. He glanced at the candy, and his frown melted a little. He didn't take it. "...Is that for me?"

"Of course." She nudged her hand closer, as she would a scared dog. Miranda hadn't told Allen that the only reason she carried sweets, now, was for him alone; every time, he asked if it was okay for him to take it.

"Don't say you want it back later, okay?" Allen murmured, and snatched the candy away. The prickly attitude didn't bother Miranda—he always acted that way on the tougher days. She couldn't fault him for that.

"I promise I won't."

Attitude or no, the way Allen lit up the moment the small treat hit his tongue more than made up for it. It was endearing to see Allen act so achingly childish, as anyone his age ought to be.

It hurt, too, that this was all she could do to make him smile. A few minutes of sugar to forget the bruises and the blisters and the cold. Miranda pulled her hat further down her head, hoping he wouldn't read the thoughts stamped across her face.

"What're you doing 'ere anyways?" Allen asked, a little slurred through the candy. Then, he seemed to catch himself and lowered his head, his cheeks red. "Not that I don't like it… Thanks."

Miranda shook her head as fast as her hands. "It wasn't anything special! It's just candy, anyways and I… You could say I had free time."

The glance Allen gave from the props to her was cutting, even if he didn't intend it to be. Allen sighed as he started moving his hands again, faster than before.

"You didn't get fired, did you?"

"Surprisingly, no," she laughed self-deprecatingly. Although Chief Komui was far kinder than she deserved, the Archangels were… Another issue altogether. Miranda shuddered.

"Woah, does that mean you could be?" Allen blinked. He leveled an odd look at her. "Like, is your boss mad at you or something?"

Miranda realized, belatedly, that look was one of sympathy. Apologies almost tumbled out of her mouth before she realized how absurd it would be to say sorry in this situation. She anxiously clenched her hands in her laps.

"Oh, uhm, I don't— I'm not sure they remember I exist…” Miranda admitted. With Allen being special enough to errant the usage of her powers, she could only imagine what kind of punishment would befall her for keeping him from his fate. “Otherwise, I would be in trouble. But to be forgotten is a little… Of course they forgot me…"

Allen winced as she hung her head. In a clumsy attempt at comfort, he said, "At least you're lucky no one's mad.” He checked the shine on the prop he was cleaning, an unhappy frown on his brows–but it disappeared when Allen’s eyes found hers. “In my opinion though, you're hard to forget, but I dunno."

"Do you mean that, Allen?!” Miranda screeched, too touched to mind her tone. She grabbed Allen’s hands, toppling the props lying in a pile between them. “Thank you—"

“Uh. I mean, you're pretty weird, so."

They stared at each other for a moment. Wordlessly, Miranda let go and started tidying up the mess she had made.

"Ah. Right," she said.

Allen watched her for a second before, without any warning, he blew a raspberry and descended into uncontrolled laughter. Though he tried to dampen the noise with a hand so as to not attract unwanted attention to them, his giggles were clear like a summer breeze, something too nice for this small town and its circus. For a moment, Miranda could forget everything about the time that was surely to catch up to both of them, the cruel hand of fate: everything that existed outside this town frozen in time.

When Miranda held Allen Walker’s cold body and stole his time away, it was for this very reason. To see his face not stained by tears, but lit by the smile she had seen a glimpse of inside his memories.

“Allen, would you like to leave the circus with me?” She asked, impulsively.

Allen hiccuped on his laughter as it was quite abruptly cut short. He blinked at Miranda, then, as her question downed on him, looked away and worried at his bottom lip. Miranda already knew his answer.

He did not know this, but this marked the fourth time Allen had been asked this very same question. Each and every time, he answered—

"Course I wanna leave this stupid place, but…" He scratched the back of his neck. "There's someone I can't leave behind. I'll just stay 'till we can leave together."

To have the single-minded love of a child for their parent must be wonderful, Miranda thought. She wondered if Mana Walker understood that.

(But, really, Miranda had seen him hold Allen in his big, sometimes clumsy hands with a gentleness that didn't match his broad figure more times than she could count. There was nothing to wonder about.)

"...Are you crying?" Allen asked, horrified and lost. "Sorry for saying no, I just—"

"It's okay, Allen," she reassured quickly. Miranda held a thumb to her waterline and forced out a watery laugh. "You're right, you should stay with those who love you."

"Oh. Thanks, I think."

Not knowing what to do with himself, Alen set down the ball in his hands. Then, he seemed to remember he wasn't done cleaning it so he picked it back up. Miranda sniffled as she watched his small, calloused hands work.

"Do you want some assistance?" She offered.

Allen snapped his head up.

"What? No!" He held the ball and the cleaning cloth closer to his chest, out of Miranda's reach. He looked to the side, then pushed the other props away with his foot. "We could get in trouble. I mean, I'm used to it, but you—"

"They won't find out," she said with confidence. "I'm not good at most things, but I'm pretty good at this."

The time coiled in this place was easy to tangle her fingertips on—after all, this town had long ceased to exist, but kept alive in Allen's memories; it was nothing more than an illusion. A rewinding clock. Miranda brought its hands to a stop. To Allen, there wouldn't be any difference, but Miranda felt the shudder of her power coming to a standstill.

The ones moving were only the two of them, now.

"Could you trust me on this, Allen?" She asked, knowing he wouldn't understand the source of her conviction.

"You don't sound convincing," he pointed out, grumbling a bit. His shoulders hunched and Allen nodded. "Fine, there's another show tonight and there's no way I can finish this by myself. Knock yourself out."

Miranda hurried to get started, enthusiastically replying, "Will do."

Though he raised his eyebrows at her response, a small smile appeared on Allen's face. The silence, as they worked, was comfortable and soothing.

⟡ ⟡ ⟡

Miranda didn't have to work nearly as much as the other angels. Her powers were just too special, Komui had soothingly told her, when Miranda had worried herself into a panic that this meant she was useless in comparison to everyone else.

The truth of the matter, she later found out, was that time manipulation was a bit of a taboo, even within the highest ranks of Archangels. Time only progressed as God intended, and to interfere with it was a sacrilege; but as His servant, wasn't her ability an extension of His will? Miranda wasn't too sure herself, so she took her orders without complaints.

Her circumstances meant that whenever Miranda did get assigned to a person, they were meant for something far bigger than themselves. That their role was not yet finished.

Funnily enough, Miranda didn't understand this until she found Allen Walker's bleeding body inside a dark, lonely room. Even through the deep red stain painted across his face, Miranda could see how young he was—no older than 20, she thought. Miranda caressed his cheek with a trembling hand as she approached.

"Allen Walker…"

The young man roused, only a twitch of his head. He breathed out a labored sigh that rattled in his chest.

"I'm sorry, please don't be scared, I'll—I'll take care of it," she said for her own benefit. No matter how many she did this, Miranda could never get used to a human being's weakening pulse while she reverted their time back.

Just make sure he survives, just make sure he survives, she repeated in a mantra. Just—

"Are you an angel?" Came Allen's strained voice, so low Miranda almost missed it. "If you are… I need… A favor."

Though it wasn't necessary, she found herself holding her hands against his wounds as a human doctor would. Miranda flinched when the blood seeped through her gloves.

"I'll save you, I promise, just give me a few—"

Allen touched her wrist, halting her words inside her throat. Their eyes met, though Allen’s were unfocused. "Not me. I had a friend… He needed me, he…”

His voice shuddered, the same tempo as his bird-light heartbeat. His eyes moved frantically side to side, like he was searching for something. Miranda found herself suspended in that gaze, in the irritated veins painting his sclera red.

“Please," he begged, one kneel away from a prayer.

Miranda clutched his hand. "I'm sorry, I d-don't know who your friend is," she explained—she lied, and hoped for penance. What Miranda couldn’t tell him was that she had no permission to save his friend, even if he were to bleed out in her arms much like Allen did now.

"Oh…” He breathed. Allen went still as a doll as he said, “I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Nea…"

And much like a stuffed toy, his body was stitched together as Miranda took his time from him, a gift that bordered on a curse, one that couldn’t be undone. Inside Allen Walker’s memory, there was silence and tragedy, there were smiles faded out like old pictures. As she saw a kid much too small and much too thin, Miranda cried for the knowledge that it was her duty to put him back on the path of suffering.

For the sake of the Lord and His plans.

What good was her as an angel, if she couldn’t save a single child?

⟡ ⟡ ⟡

There was something about the sunsets in this town. Perhaps it was the influence of Allen's memory, but they were particularly mesmerizing here. Miranda breathed in the cold Winter air and watched the sky turn from blue to orange. Beside her, a flutter of wings warned her of incoming company.

"Miranda," Marie greeted gently. "You seem well."

Her vision glazed over and the sun burned into her eyes. Slowly, she turned to Marie.

"I… 'Well' is a bit…” Miranda trailed, lost for words to explain her situation, or how she felt about it. To begin with, did she have a right to complain, when she was here out of her own design? "You're probably here for a job, I'll go right away,” she blurted instead, hands fisted in the hem of her shirt.

With more fumbling than would be necessary and growing embarrassment, Miranda attempted to gather herself to depart. Just as Miranda was shoving trinkets–small, irrelevant things that she had wanted to show to Allen–into her pockets, Marie stopped her with a hand to her forearm. Her movements halted, and she finally took note of her own heartbeat beating painfully in her chest.

"Don't worry. I am here as a messenger, but I volunteered so I could check on you as well,” Marie said gently. He let the touch linger, just enough to assure that Miranda’s hands were no longer trembling. “We have time."

"Check on me?" Her voice cracked at the end. Miranda blinked, conflicted between flattered and confused.

"How is your kid going?"

"My—?!” Miranda screeched, before she caught herself and covered her mouth. Quieter, but stumbling on her words, she continued, “He's not really mine, though I suppose I did get assigned to save him, but officially speaking I shouldn’t have gone this far—"

Just as suddenly as it had started, her rant died out. For no particular reason, she remembered Allen’s words as he said is your boss mad, his eyes boring into her. Not for the first time, she was forced to remember complascence to her clumsy attempt at saving Allen Walker meant the Archangels were secure in the knowledge that this changed nothing, in the long run.

Just like how on this specific day, Allen would appear with more bruises than usual and hollowed out eyes. Even if she interfered, it would just be pushed to the next day. Save for completely freezing time, nothing could stop it from happening altogether.

A fixed event. And at the end, everything stayed just the same. She bit on the inside of her cheek.

"He's… just like always,” Miranda summarized. “He has a bad mouth, but he's a good kid. Gentle, too, despite it all."

Despite Miranda keeping her thoughts to herself, Marie seemed to catch on to something from her tone alone. His wings fluttered back and forth, as if inviting her closer.

"Which time is this?" Marie asked, no judgment in his voice.

"This is the fourth time." The fourth loop; the fourth repeated year.

Marie hummed, pondered for a moment, then asked, "I've been curious, why did you choose to rewind this moment in specific?"

"O-Oh, I didn't choose it, Allen… he latched onto it. It was his strongest memory as a child.” There was no better way to describe the way his figure lingered on that cold winter day, battered but smiling at an awkward but gentle man, whose hand was tightly clutching Allen’s. “And, there's nothing else before he met Mana Walker."

"What do you mean?"

"Anything before that point is, uhm, unstable?” She hissed through her teeth to illustrate her point in a way Marie could understand. “It’s like listening to a scratched record. I can’t play that time back…”

“And after?”

“There were small moments, but it was… By the time I realized it, I had already taken too much of his time.” Guilt weighed on her like a noose tied to her throat, but Miranda remembered too clearly the desperation as she shuffled back through Allen’s memories, stealing one year after another from him, eager to find at least one period of time where he didn’t have to endure the kind of pain no person should experience. At the end, she ended up with a child in her arms and a gaping hole in her chest.

Miranda knew she was trembling again. She pressed her palms to her face and bit back the tears prickling her eyes.

“Is living such a painful thing?” She whispered, strained and quiet. “Are humans always doomed to suffer without relief?”

Marie let out a sigh and pulled her closer. His wings were warm when they wrapped around her. Miranda hiccupped on a sob.

“It’s our job to help them, isn’t it?” He reminded her. “But, if I’m being honest, I’m not sure we’re capable of doing anything for them.”

She remembered dark eyes and a file that had been updated far too many times, a soul Marie had been assigned to; never retrieved, after all these decades.

“That boy…?”

“I lost him again.”

Miranda turned her hands to clutch Marie instead. Despite it all, she still felt him smile as he pressed his cheek to her head.

“I’m sorry.”

Silence stretched between them, melancholic but not uncomfortable. Both of them immersed in their thoughts. Perhaps it was thanks to that quiet that Miranda recognized Allen's quiet footsteps. When she turned, Allen looked back like a startled animal.

“I-I wasn’t eavesdropping,” he explained weakly, eyes wide. Allen fisted his pants as he talked, “Really, I was just trying to get to–”

She knew—too well, really. Miranda alwas also aware that the best course of action was to let him go for now; Allen was too jumpy to be around others at the moment. And still, her foolish impulse took over. Miranda was reaching for Allen before she could talk herself out of it. When her hand found Allen’s cheek, he flinched hard enough to trip on his own feet.

“Are you alright?” Miranda asked cautiously. Her hand hung in the air, where Allen had been.

“Oh, uh, yeah. It’s nothing.” He nodded. His eyes fleeted across her figure. “Are you going away again?” Allen asked, his voice small.

“Yes, I have some work I need to take care of,” she said in apology.

The look on Allen’s face was an ugly mix of relief and disappointment. He scratched at a patch of deeply purple skin and looked away.

“Hey, at least that means you haven’t been fired yet,” Allen commented sardonically, and he choked on it. More than anything, it sounded like he was saying those words to himself.

Miranda took in the swelling of his cheeks, the faint marks around his throat, the bruises somehow made worse. There were no words that would ever serve as a good apology to this child. Miranda wondered if they weren’t the ones who ought to kneel before humanity and beg for forgiveness.

Then, Allen looked up, and caught Miranda studying him. He twitched and tugged at his clothes, as if to hide the marks left on his body. Without enough cover, however, a panicked flush rose to Allen’s face. He turned on his heels.

“I gotta go. Sorry.” The words barely left his mouth before he left.

“Allen–”

A hand on her wrist stopped Miranda from following after Allen. She glanced back at Marie, but he shook his head.

“Let’s go, Miranda,” he said. A suggestion more than an order, really.

Heart heavy, she turned to follow after Marie, one eye on the dirt path that led to the circus’ tent.

⟡ ⟡ ⟡

The wind was freezing; there were three days left until Christmas. Three days left before the fifth reset. Her sense of resigned certainty in the repeat of this cycle was shattered when Allen found Miranda just past two in the morning.

His eyes were sunken and marked with dark circles. With a graveness that cut into her, Allen said, “I can see your wings. You’re not human at all, are you?”

Unprepared for such a confrontation, Miranda couldn't find her voice. She was sure her stunned silence spoke volumes by itself.

“No," she replied, for a lack of any other coherent response. In her mind, she recited the rules of the Order, trying to figure out if this was a violation of regulations. "I’m not.”

Her sincerity, however, didn't calm Allen. In fact he tensed, then hunched into himself. "So it’s true." He clenched his fist to his chest. "Even though I wanted it to be all just a stupid nightmare. Goddammit…”

Her comfort would surely be unwelcome at the moment, but Miranda couldn't help the movement of her wing, reaching towards Allen. His eyes were squeezed so tightly, Allen didn't notice her come closer.

“What are you talking about, Allen?” Miranda asked.

“Mana is gonna die," he gritted out, somehow an exclamation and a whisper. Like the phrase was ripped out of him. "I remember it. Why do I remember it?”

Miranda opened and closed her mouth a few times. She cycled through excuses, ways to explain her actions without revealing more than she was allowed to tell any human. But, then, Allen looked up and Miranda froze. The haunted, wide-eyed expression he wore was a less intense, but equally as heart wrenching echo of the face she'd seen him have on a Christmas night.

When she would find Allen covered in Mana Walker's blood, just before time rewinded. Miranda shuddered.

“Because this already happened," she admitted. "I can’t undo it, Allen.”

Allen blinked at her. His shoulders shook, but what came first was hysterical laughter. The sound was raspy; Allen didn't stop even when he started coughing through it. Tears spilled down his cheeks.

“I feel like I’m gonna go crazy."

Miranda tugged him close. As she crouched to fully embrace him, she couldn't help but take notice of just how bony Allen's body was, and how the scent of blood clung to him. His body felt so fragile in her arms: she feared he would fall apart completely from his own sobs.

“I’m so sorry," she pleaded. Miranda blocked the world outside of them with her wings, like she could protect Allen from whatever horrible future awaited him as long as she hid him from it. "I wanted to give you peace, but this isn’t any better. I’m so sorry.”

“Is this all in my head? Like an illusion.”

Though that was an oversimplification, she nodded. There was no need to confuse Allen further.

“Can you undo it?” He asked next.

Miranda peeled herself away. She sunk her nails into the back of her hand so she wouldn't dig into Allen's wounded body instead.

“Do you understand what you’re asking for, Allen?”

“I don’t really understand anything," he laughed weakly. "But, you know, Mana told me to keep walking. I can’t do that if I’m stuck here.”

His palms pressed against her shoulders; although Allen didn't really push, Míranda felt the force of those hands as he took several steps back, away from the shelter of her wings. He started at his feet for far too long, enough to find it in himself to square his shoulders eventually. Allen wiped the tears from his face and turned a wobbly smile at her.

“Please, Miranda. I’d like to leave now," Allen said. It didn't escape her that this was the first request she'd ever gotten from Allen since the day of his near death.

There was so much Miranda wanted to say, but the weight of the farewell was a tight knot inside her throat. She wanted to plead with him, to pull him back; she wanted to hold his hand and ask that they walk on this path together. But there was no place for Miranda's fear of the future in Allen's determined eyes.

“I’ll pray for your happiness," she promised instead. "Every day."

“So even angels pray," he mused, with some amusement. "Thank you, Miranda.”

One last time, she walked closer, and thanked the Heavens that she was allowed that much at least. Miranda pressed a kiss to Allen's forehead; his time slowly, bit by bit, slipped out of her hands. No longer in her control.

“Please, be well," she whispered.

Oh God, I beg of you, have mercy for this child.

#miranda lotto #allen walker #dgm #my writing #I never posted this on tumblr so

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narniagiftexchange · 4 years

Text

THE WINTER NARNIAN GIFT EXCHANGE.

for: @athoughtfox from @oflucyandlorien.

Lucy and Edmund stand on the railway platform, waiting; Eustace tears his gaze from the compartment window. The train slows, jerking to a halt, and Eustace stands, pulls his case down from the overhead rack, steps off the train, and looks about for his cousins.

“Eustace!” Lucy throws her arms around his neck and leans back to look up at his face. “You’ve grown taller than me.”

“So he has,” Edmund notes with a grin. “Sorry, Lu. Destined to be the shortest, I suppose. Well, except for Susan, but she’s always wearing heels.” Edmund frowns at Eustace’s face, and his tone changes. “What’s the matter, Eustace?”

“Caspian is dead,” Eustace says flatly. He nearly whispers it, really, because it hurts, the memory of Caspian so old, when he’d been so young just weeks before. Edmund recoils, Lucy’s arms drop from around Eustace, and she takes a step back, frowning.

“What?”

“I think we both heard him, Lu.”

“Edmund!” Lucy turned back to Eustace. “What are you talking about?”

“I went back,” he tells the railway platform. “Two weeks into autumn term.”

“That was months ago,” Lucy says quietly. “Why didn’t you tell us sooner?”

“I should have, I know. I’m sorry.” Eustace clamps his mouth shut for a moment, willing his voice to steady. “It just—it didn’t seem the sort of thing I could put in a letter and explain properly without beginning at the end, which I suppose I have…anyway. I’m sorry.”

“No,” Edmund says hollowly. “He can’t be. We were just there. I—we were just there. He can’t be.” Edmund looks as though he might hit someone. Eustace steps away without thinking, and Edmund shakes his head. “I’m sorry.”

“How long had it been, in Narnian time?” Lucy tilts her head in question. “I mean, it wasn’t in a battle, was it?”

“No—no, it was nothing like that. It must have been decades since this summer. When we got to Narnia, I didn’t know Caspian until after he had sailed to seek Aslan’s country again. Oh, bother it all. I ought to have started at the beginning.”

“Would you, still? I’d like to hear as much of your adventure as you’ll tell.” There’s a yearning in Lucy’s voice, and Eustace remembers how she still seemed to be half in Narnia the rest of that summer, even back in Cambridge.

They sit on a platform bench and Eustace begins with the beginning: Jill crying behind the gym, stumbling into Aslan’s country or being pulled by magic, how they arrived in Narnia only to just miss Caspian setting out for the end of the world, meeting Trumpkin, the parliament of owls and meeting Puddleglum, running around up north with the giant city and discovering the underground world, how they found Caspian’s son, Rilian, just time for Caspian to see him again before he died, and how, after the old king had died, he and Jill had found themselves in Aslan’s country again.

“After that it gets a bit blurry,” Eustace says. Lucy wipes her eyes surreptitiously; Edmund hands her a handkerchief. Seven months ago, Eustace would have mocked them for it, but it’s all he can do to keep his own voice steady.

“At any rate, Jill and I were back by the river in Aslan’s country, and Caspian was lying in the river. He looked as though he were sleeping.”

“Oh, Eustace,” Lucy says.

“Aslan made me drive a great nasty thorn into his paw and he let the blood fall on him, Caspian, I mean, and it sort of de-aged him until he was about the age he was on the Dawn Treader. After we talked a bit, Aslan let Caspian come with Jill and I back to the Experiment House, for about ten minutes, and we did Them, the bullies at school, I mean, rather a lot of good. The board ended up getting rid of our Head after the investigation into ‘costumed people with broadswords’ and ‘an escaped lion from the circus’.” Edmund snorts, and Lucy smiles a little.

“I’m sorry to have been the bearer of bad news,” Eustace says after a moment. “I wish I could have gotten to tell you that I had had some fantastical adventure in Narnia where everyone lived happily ever after.” Edmund snorts again.

“Caspian is living happily ever after, in Aslan’s country,” Lucy reminds them, smiling rather sadly. “Thank you for telling us that, Eustace.”

“Yes, thank you,” Edmund says. They sit on the bench, leaning on one another, until the last of the other passengers have left the platform.

#tcon #tconedit #eustace scrubb #lucy pevensie #edmund pevensie #type: fanfiction #narnia #narnia gift exchange #narniagiftexchange #winterexchange: 2 #from oflucyandlorien #for athoughtfox

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vanserraseris · 3 years

Note

END OF PART VII - I’m not going to lie, this chapter and the next one are probably a little more on the boring side. It’s just sort of Eris spending some time with Lucien. Shit’s gonna hit the fan soon, but Eris is just going to spend some time at the beach, for no reason really. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy!!!

no im SO excited for eris and lucien brotherly boring. BEACH EP BEACH EP BEACH EP BEACH EP

Prince of Ashes. Part VII.

masterlist.

“Give me your shirt.”

“I don’t obey the orders of anyone below my station,” Eris tilted his head back, his fingers digging into the sand of the beach. He was leaning on his forearms, his eyes shut, the afternoon sun warming his face. Eris liked making snobbish remarks like that around his friends just as much as they liked reminding him that his status as heir amounted to absolutely nothing in their presence.

Micah repeated himself, “Give me your shirt.”

With an exaggerated sigh, Eris undid the laces of his thin, light brown shirt, throwing it at his friend. “Shit, Micah, you should have asked sooner.” Micah’s nose and cheeks were a frightening red colour, the gold of his tattoos bright against the burned skin of his neck, all because he was too proud to admit that he burned when he stayed out in the sun for too long.

“I hate you all,” Micah declared, lifting Eris’s shirt and putting it over his head like a cloak, shielding himself from the rays of the sun.

Eris knew Lagos was pouting, mocking, “Poor little Micah, can’t stay out in the sun.”

“Poor little Micah is going to throw sand at you,” Micah muttered.

Widge smiled, lifting the brim of the sun hat he’d borrowed from his mother. While he looked ridiculous, Widge didn't seem to care. “Not all of us have exceptional magical abilities,” he huffed a laugh as Enya jumped up, licking at his face. Eris swore that hound loved Widge more than him. Lagos was sprawled on his back, pants thrown off to the side, using his own shirt as a pillow as he laid by Eris in his undershorts. He was faintly glowing.

Eris kept expecting Lucien to do the same thing, eyes following Lucien as he played near the water’s edge. Lucien hadn’t shown signs of any other Day Court magic since Lady Morai had suppressed it, but Eris still found himself worrying over it. Rufus was also by the water’s edge, boots off, pants rolled up, and shirt left unbuttoned as he watched over Lucien. Every so often, he would kick water at their youngest brother, laughing every time Lucien told him to stop.

“Your brother is perhaps an even greater menace than you were upon your arrival at my camp,” Micah declared. He awkwardly moved towards Eris, dragging his ass along the sand while still trying to keep the shirt over his head.

“He belongs in a circus,” Lagos added.

“I like having him there,” Widge managed to get out as Enya continued to lick his cheeks.

“He’s doing alright?” Their father had recently sent Rufus to one of Autumn’s largest war camps. It was located in the South, near the Spring Court border; Eris had been sent there at two decades old with nothing but a sword, brown leathers, and a title he was pretty sure he’d never be able to live up to. Eris was proud to admit that over two centuries later, he could claim being a half-decent commander of his father’s armies - not fantastic at combat, but damn-good at military strategy.

Eris had heard that Rufus, despite his more care-free attitude, was doing quite well, but it was always Eris’s first instinct to assume that Rufus was going to get himself killed or cause some sort of international catastrophe. Especially with political tensions in Prythian so high lately, Eris found that he’d become quite the mother hen, constantly asking his friends how Rufus was holding up. “He’s absolutely mad,” Micah laughed, “I could throttle him sometimes.”

“Cauldron, does he write his reports backwards?” Eris smiled just thinking about it, “Rufus used to do shit like that to his tutors, you can read them in front of a mirror.”

“He walks around the camp with a near-empty cognac bottle filled with apple juice, and makes bets on whether or not he can hit moving targets with his bow and arrows,” Lagos said. “He won 50 gold marks from me before I found out what he’d been doing.”

“Serves you right,” Eris grinned.

“He also tells us the most interesting things,” Micah hummed. He nudged at Eris with his knee. “Things that you neglect to mention.”

Lagos didn't sound too amused as he said, “Told us he was afraid for your life.”

Eris knew exactly what Rufus had told them. “If this is about Lizaveta—”

“Of course it’s about Lady Lizaveta,” Lagos leaned up on an elbow. “Your choice in lovers is abysmal, truly.”

“Don’t offend me,” Micah mumbled.

Lagos ignored him, “It’s like you dive headfirst into relationships that are bound to get you killed.” Eris sneered, mostly because Lagos was right. If his father ever learned of the countless male lovers Eris had been with over the centuries, Eris was almost certain that Beron would kill him. Or if he found out about the lesser faeries, or the females of common birth. Eris had been very good at ignoring his father’s rants about degeneracy when he’d been much younger.

But Lizaveta was a full-blooded noble, and Eris didn’t really see the problem. “How might this relationship kill me?”

“You’re sneaking around with a female who’s rumoured to have killed her own husband in his sleep less than a decade ago. Does that seem like a good idea?”

“I’m sure he deserved it,” Widge muttered absently, “Lots of lords in Autumn deserve it.” Everyone turned to face him, but he was looking off into the distance, no longer paying any attention to them.

Micah placed a gentle hand on Eris’s knee, “We’re just messing with you.” Eris knew they meant well, but his friends had a horrible habit of sticking their noses into Eris’s business, all hidden behind the guise that they “cared for his well-being,” as they so often reminded him.

“Just make sure you’re not her next victim,” Lagos added, “And do try and keep your father from finding out.”

Eris scowled, “Your faith in me is astounding.” He’d had centuries worth of practice in keeping his lovers a secret from the rest of his family and ensuring that rumours didn’t make their way to the always-listening ears of Autumn Court aristocrats. It was exhausting. He looked away from his friends to make sure Lucien and Rufus hadn’t drowned while he’d been distracted.

Lucien seemed to have convinced Rufus to play some sort of aggressive game with him, spinning Lucien around in his arms before throwing him deeper into the ocean. Lucien landed in the water with a big splash, Rufus roaring with laughter. Eris would have scolded them both had Lucien not jumped up from the water with a huge grin on his face, looking very foolish as he struggled to run at Rufus.

“Just be careful, we quite enjoy your company.” Micah squeezed his knee once before moving his hand, his fingers now dragging through the sand.

Eris finally looked away from his brothers after deciding that they would be fine, turning to face Micah again. “Let’s talk about what happened in Spring.”

“Yes, let’s talk about how we’re on the verge of another war, Eris would rather talk about our impending doom than his lover.” Eris glared at Lagos.

Micah scoffed, “There’s not going to be a fucking war, both of them are too young - untried. They aren’t going to do something so stupid.”

Eris considered this. Rhysand and Tamlin had just become new High Lords, perhaps they would start a war just to prove that they could. “If somebody killed my mother, I might start a war.”

“You might start a war just for fun.” Eris kicked sand at Lagos, a crooked smile on his face that was becoming more and more rare. Eris knew Lagos simply meant well.

Lagos returned the smile, dimples showing. Lagos was perhaps the only one of his friends that constantly bothered Eris for being a cruel prince of the Autumn Court.

“Cauldron, you wouldn’t do that either,” Micah seemed so sure. Eris sometimes wished he had that amount of confidence in his ability to make good choices.

Widge furrowed his brows, looking up from what he was in the process of writing in messy, scrawled script in the sand. “Wait, what happened in Spring?”

Somebody would explain it to him later, Eris thought. “I wonder if Rhysand will be a better High Lord than his father.” It was no secret that the Hewn City was more horrible than any part of Beron’s territory. Eris had despised the place since the first moment he’d stepped foot in it. He’d take his own two-faced city of Calchas over that wretched city any day.

“Probably not,” Micah adjusted the shirt over his head, “But at least he’s better looking.”

Eris would have to agree. With the dark hair and those star-lit, violet eyes, Rhysand was one of the better looking faeries Eris had ever seen. Not that he’d ever admit it out loud, “I like his general better.”

Micah grinned, “What about the shadowsinger?” Eris grinned back, “Fancy the shadowsinger, do you?”

“Who doesn’t?”

“Those people are from the Night Court.” Widge looked confused, much like he usually did.

“Very observant,” Lagos muttered.

“We’re talking about Tamlin and Rhysand,” Eris explained. “The new High Lords.”

“Heard about that,” Widge said with a nod. “Sounds like a mess.” With a shake of his head, almost like he was clearing his thoughts, Widge went back to whatever he was writing in the sand without so much as a second glance in their direction. Eris shifted slightly so that he could more clearly see what Widge was doing. He’d drawn three interconnected circles in the sand, numbers and formulas surrounding them.

Eris had always enjoyed watching Widge work, liked trying to figure out what he was doing, and he wasn’t paying attention to anything as he tried to understand where Widge was going with this. Definitely not smart on his part, he hadn’t been expecting so much water to crash onto his head, leaving him completely soaked. Widge yelped as some of the water fell on him as well.

“What the fuck,” Eris growled.

“My circles,” Widge whined, the water having ruined whatever he was writing. Eris hoped he remembered what it was, it had seemed interesting. He heard everyone’s laugh. From the deep rumble of Micah, to the obnoxious cackle of Lagos, to the loud howl of Rufus. It should have come as no shock that Rufus would try and pull a prank on Eris, no doubt with Lucien’s help. He was rather disappointed in himself for not keeping an eye on the two biggest troublemakers in all of Prythian.

Eris looked up at Rufus with a glare, he could see the steam in the air around him as he used some of his magic to dry off. “Honestly, Rufus,” Eris sneered, teeth bared.

“My mistake, didn’t see you sitting there.” He’d filled his fucking boot with water and thrown it at him.

Eris ran a hand through his still damp hair, “You’ve disappointed me.” Rufus just smiled, tugging once on Lucien’s braid.

“Lucien told me to do it,” Rufus was very good at playing the part of innocent victim. His auburn brows were raised, his russett eyes wide. “No I didn’t,” Lucien instantly stopped cackling, defending his honour. “Eris, he’s the disappointment, I’d never.”

“Little assholes,” Eris mumbled, shoving Lucien playfully. Lucien laughed again, dropping into the sand right beside him. Rufus sat by Lagos, winking at Eris before he sprawled on his back, Enya trotting over to lie down by his head.

Eris was glad for moments like this - when his father wasn’t in Autumn and he had the time to spend with the people he cared about. He knew it was a weakness, the fact that he cared about them, but he'd missed them all. Rufus was stuck at the war camp with his friends, Lucien was stuck in the Forest House, and Eris was stuck in his territory far away from them both.

Eris had been staying away from Lucien anyway, visiting less and less. It’d been months since he’d last seen the little runt, but Eris knew it was for the best.

“This was really nice, Eris,” Lucien said with a small smile, his face turned towards the sun. He looked happy.

Eris nodded once, closing his eyes and turning his own face towards the sun, “I thought it was really nice, too.”

Perhaps it was very foolish of Eris to be spending his valuable time frolicking on beaches, but all he wanted to do right now was pretend everything would be alright. Pushing all his worries aside, the sound of waves crashing along the shore, his toes curling into the white sand of the beach, Eris could almost forget he was the heir of the Autumn Court.

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boogiewrites · 4 years

Text

Never Break the Chain Pt 5

Part 5 of 5

Characters: Javier Peña x OFC

Summary: Reunited after their deadly close encounter. They finally have time to ask the right questions and give honest answers.

Warnings/Tags: Sexual Content. Lover’s reunited. Confessions of Love.

Getting shot was never part of the plan, but it was always an option she had to consider. She was already marked and scarred, not the first time she'd been shot, but the first time in the shoulder. Needless to say, it fucking hurt.

Staggering, bloody through the streets was awkward enough, being shirtless turned it into a circus attraction. She had to shove with her good arm through concerned passersby and made her way as quickly as she could to her bike. It was a good trek, but far away from the action. She had a jacket in the side bag, and that had one problem fixed. The other, a much larger one was leaking out of her sleeve and throbbing through her entire body every time she moved, which was as little as she could manage. Being the sinful girl scout she was, she was always prepared, which meant knowing where she could go if she was shot. It was always a smart move to have blackmail on a veterinarian. She wobbly directed her bike with only one truly useful arm and braced herself for a very painful experience.

-------------

As soon as his eyes opened in the hospital room, he was being asked questions. The last thing you want to do after losing so much blood and being shot with surgery on top of that was be interrogated. But here he was. After giving his signature attitude that no supervisor had ever enjoyed dealing with, he was left alone. He finally knew some peace after a week or so, laying with eyes closed, healing up well he was told, now waiting out infection just to be safe. He’d never passed out from blood loss before, and he would be lying if he didn’t feel every second his age while he had been in the hospital. The bare walls and sterile fixtures didn’t help make him feel any warmer or comfortable. The pain medicine in his IV did though.

Murphy comes in, an eyebrow raised and a grunt in response to the appearance of his partner was given in acknowledgment.

“I know. I look like shit.” Javi smarts, adjusting himself to sit more upright, a pull in his side still noticeable but no longer grating.

“If you’re aware of that I guess that marks off one of my theories.”

“You? Have a theory?” Javi snarks, leaning back, propped up and hands across his stomach.

“I thought you might’ve had brain damage.” Murphy grins. “Claiming you didn’t know who that woman was we saw.”

“You didn’t say anything did you?”

“Don’t insult me, man.”

“Good.”

“They’re pretty fuckin’ annoyed with you right now.” the observation draws a chuckle from Murphy.

“Good. They’re only going to get more mad.”

“I can see why you’d wanna protect her though.”

A raised eyebrow was all that was needed to ask a question.

“They not tell you about anything that happened after you passed out?”

There's a pause as a wave of subdued anger rises on Javi’s face.

“I got to ya first. I peek over the edge of the roof and there she was…” he holds his arms out, a dramatic retelling for no other reason than to take his sweet time and annoy his partner. “You sure can pick ‘em Javi. She was standing there like some Colombian centerfold with no shirt on, hair all wild. I would’ve thought I’d just interrupted you two having a good time if I didn’t know better.”

“What the fuck are you talking about? Shirtless?”

“Still had her bra on. Unfortunately.” Steve huffs out a laugh at him and the annoying twitch in Javi’s crow’s feet. “She made her shirt into a tourniquet for you, man. It was ripped and holding your guts in. You’ve got to thank that pretty little lady for saving your ass.”

He sits silently for a moment. “No wonder they thought I was working with the narcos.” he says quietly.

“They told you that?”

“Not outright.” he shakes his head.

“I guess you don’t know about what Trujillo did then huh?”

A sharp turn to face Murphy and a glare told him to spit it out fast.

“I saw her and she had her hands up, let me know you were shot. The sweet thing said, Murphy...Please don’t let him die.”

A twitch of his nose and an uncomfortable grunt show the emotion Javi was willing to show about the heartfelt statement.

“So I put my gun down, cause I figured I knew it was your girl. Who else would be willing to save you and put herself out like that? Unfortunately...Trujillo wasn’t aware of that.” he pauses for a moment, a wince to tell Javi the rest. “And he shot at her.”

“Shot AT her or shot HER.” Javi immediately demands clarification.

“Both.” he shrugs.

“Why the fuck am I just finding this out? Is she alive?” he begins getting out of bed, his torso pulling forward before Steve holds an arm out to keep him down.

“Woah, she should be, man, don’t get your panties in a bunch. She jumped off the roof and I was honestly a bit worried he’d hit her, but when I looked down there was a mess of a dumpster and a blood trail out to the street. You were right about her being good.”

“I know I was.” his brow furrows, immediately preoccupied with her again. “You should check the-”

“Hospitals, I know. I already did. Nothing. I would’ve been in to see you way sooner if she was dead.”

Javi looks away and that’s the closest to a thank you Murphy will get, but it was enough.

----------------------

The first night back in his apartment Javi sat and smoked by an open window, half expecting Esme to show up, a pop of black hair over the edge of the roof but she never came. He could swear she said she wanted to stay with him, or there was something building when the moment was ripped away. He wanted to be angry and tell himself he was being stupid, but he couldn’t help but think he was recalling correctly.

-----

He had finally gone back to work. He hadn’t foreseen a warm welcome but being reprimanded and lectured hadn’t been what he expected either. He was too distracted, not trustworthy, a rebel, a loose cannon. All things he’d heard before. This time they focused on his history with women. Both professionally and personally, the experience was vast. He had pulled more visas out of thin air than anyone in the DEA. His methods worked, yes it was sleeping with his informants and gaining their trust but it was a perk to a transaction that always worked. Because of Esme’s unknown identity, they had nothing concrete about him having connections with the groups they were after. He wouldn’t budge in telling them and they couldn’t accept that. So now he was too lenient on women, they said. His judgment couldn't be trusted because he could be compromised. To say he was pissed was an understatement. Had this suspension and possible reassignment after a board review been something he thought could happen? Of course. That didn’t mean he had to take it well or be happy about it.

He went to a bar, Murphy giving apologetic glances and slaps to the back between snarky remarks to break the tension. Javi knew he meant well, but his mind was elsewhere. He sauntered home, a warm belly of the contents of a few highball glasses and a glare on his face. He didn’t contain his annoyance as he let his boots hit heavy up the stairs and his shoulder jam against his door before opening it and twisting the lock hard. A more vulnerable groan, his hands running down his face after throwing the contents of his pockets onto the counter diffuse through a quiet and dark apartment. The warm light from the street lamps outside seep in through the thin curtains, a light breeze causes them to sway against their thicker partners that provided a shield from the sun during the day. He moves towards a window, feet dragging slightly, lighting a cigarette that illuminates him in orange and red for just a moment before the billowing smoke frames his face, half-lit in Rembrandt lighting by the mix of the moon and artificial light.

“Bad day Javi?”

He hears from the direction of the chair in his living room. Any other voice he would’ve turned and leaped for his gun and aimed, but he shut his eyes and took another patient inhale and exhale.

“I was wondering when you’d show up.”

“You should have better security for your place.” she smiles but he doesn’t see it, she admires him for a moment before standing.

“Not many have the balls to break into a cop's apartment.”

“It’s not a matter of excess balls, but lack of brains.”

He turns to see her in a dress, ruffles on the edges and red as blood fitting her loose and tucked in at the waist. A matching flower sat in her hair, woven espadrilles on her feet made her look like any other beautiful woman he’d look twice at on the street. He could see her green eyes gazing at him doe-like and calm in the low light. They gave away that she was special, not by their color but in how they looked at him. No other woman had looked at him like that. He would’ve sworn all the answers he needed were right there in her eyes as she approached him, he could’ve almost gone on without the need to say his questions out loud. But he was never one to act without proof.

He looked her up and down, a cigarette resting between his lips before he pulled out a chair next to the small kitchen table against the windowed wall. “I’d ask what took you so long but by comparison, you didn’t make me wait long at all this time.” He begins taking off his boots, giving her time to respond and appear calmer about her appearance than he was.

“I had things to take care of.” She pauses, hip against the kitchen counter observing him and appreciating seeing how his jeans pulled tight across his thighs and hips as he moved.

He looks her over again, her relaxed stance, weight on her arm resting as he took a long drag. He stands and walks over, his significantly taller frame, even minus the boots, takes his time taking her in. He selfishly makes her wait, drinks her in, pushing her hair off her shoulders and almost touching the bare skin of her decolletage. “Is it true that you got shot?”

She nods and motions with her head, “In the shoulder.”

He takes his liberties and pulls the sleeve of her dress down to expose a fresh pink scar. “Still hurt?”

“Does yours?” a light touch to his side for a moment, barely outstretching her arm for how close they stood. Personal space wasn’t something either of them was interested in when they were together.

“Sometimes.” he admits.

She nods in agreement. “Yeah, sometimes.” is her quiet answer. He leans down for a moment and kisses the blemish on her shoulder.

“You could’ve let me know you were okay.” she was prepared for anger, which she deserved, admittedly, but she wasn’t met with it. His eyes were dark and deep, looking over her wound where his thumb was currently tracing.

“I didn’t want to risk being seen.” he keeps his eyes on her scar, his brow low and to anyone else, he would read as angry, but she knew he was just thinking, wheels turning and recalling the day she received the mark. “What did work say?”

“Why?”

“Call me curious.”

“I’d much rather hear what you have to say.” he meets her eyes again but he’s faced with the look of insistence a woman gives a man she loves. “Alright,” he sighs. “I'm under review. They wanted me to give you up, tell them who you were but... “ he shrugs, needless to say, he didn’t give them so much as her alias. “They don’t trust me. Too many favors pulled to cover other people’s asses finally caught up to me.”

She nods, looking away in thought for a moment. “You were too good in other words.” she finally answers, reaching out to take the hand that had been anchored to his jutted-out hip.

“Me?” he lets out a chuckle, another inhale, blown away from her face. “I’m not the one who lost their shirt saving my ass from getting shot.” he grins and nods down at her. “I’ve been told I should thank you for saving my life.” he takes one last drag before snuffing out the cherry in the ashtray on the counter.

“It was nothing.” she lied and matched his grin.

“If you’re so bad at lying, how have you not been caught yet?” a teasing squeeze of her hand as the pair rest in the small space between them. “Wasn’t nothing.” his other, now free, hand rests on her scarred arm. “Getting shot for me is something. Men get medals for that shit.”

“But I’m not a man. Just a topless woman who’s stupid enough to risk her life for one.”

A soft huff of amusement is shared between them. “So that part was true?” his smile reaches up to his eyes before he pulls her in to kiss her head and her laugh gives him his answer. “I really wish I hadn’t been a chicken shit and passed out. Would’ve liked to have seen that. ”

“Play your cards right and you still might,” she smirks. “But I believe we have a conversation to finish first.”

“So I didn’t dream all that?”

“No, you didn’t.” a soft and gentle answer, her eyes tender as they looked up to his face. He sees the lump in her throat bob before she speaks. “Where did we leave off?” She sounded a touch uncertain.

“You gonna act like you haven’t been playing it over and over in your head this whole time?” His head ducks down to eyeball her and she gives him an unexpected smile that grows up to her eyes.

Touching his face she lets out a wistful sigh, thumb dragging on his clean-shaven cheek. “I didn’t even realize how much I missed you until I saw you again.”

The sentiment was a punch in the gut that softened him, clearing his throat he looks away almost bashfully for a moment.

“Once I saw you that night in the jewelry store you haven’t been far from my mind. And since that kiss…” her eyes move to his lips and he nervously wets them. Only she could make him nervous. He lost the power balance when he was with her and it felt new, almost scary again. It made his old bones feel like a kid again when she said sweet things to him. “I would’ve come to see you sooner if I could have. I’m sorry. I worried the whole time if that’s any consolation.”

“I worried about you too. Always have.” He speaks quietly and almost mumbles the latter, turning to kiss her palm that had started stroking into his hair absent-mindedly. “I thought if I ever saw you again I would give you a piece of my mind. I'd tell you everything I’d built up in my head all these years.” His eyes move to her marked shoulder and he places his hand over hers. “But you’re making it hard on a man, sweetheart… looking at me like that.”

“Like what?” She quietly laughs and moves her chest to his, her other hand moving to hold his face and he encapsulates her other hand

“Like you used to. Like you love me.” There’s a pause and the cards are on the table. Neither was the type to fold and bluffing wasn’t an option in this company.

“That’s because I do.” She shakes her head. “I didn’t want to leave you, Javi.”

“Then why’d you do it?”

“I had to find out for myself, didn't I? I’m as hard-headed as you are, no one could tell me nothin’ at that age. I had big dreams, ones I couldn’t reach if I was with you.”

“What about now?”

“Now?”

“Could you reach them if you were with me now?”

She smiles almost condescendingly at him. “That’s why I’m here.” She whispers and gives him a small kiss to his lips before pulling away and moving farther into the room. “I just finished a job.”

His hands fall to his sides, holding to hers until they’re forced to let go. “And?”

“It was my goal. For a long time. I wanted to work with a billionaire and I have. So now I’m faced with what to do next.”

“Well, what do you want?” He takes slow steps towards her.

“You.” She looks his way with her big green eyes shining.

“How may I be of service?” He holds his arms out in offering.

She takes almost a full minute to speak and a worry grows in his gut as he musters all his patience to wait. “I’m tired, Javi.” Is the response she finally sighs out and meets his eyes.

With a furrowed brow he begins to move her towards the couch. “Well you were shot hun-“

“No. Not like that.” She stops him and her fingers pick at each other. “I want... this to be over.”

“You’re gonna have to give me a little more than that, sweetheart.”

“I was wrong. I can admit that now... now that I’ve found you again. I’m tired of this life. This... running. I’m tired of not being able to trust anyone and being alone and getting hurt and taking this disrespect from these men and-“

He shushes her as she speaks faster and grows more upset. “Take a breath baby, you’re fine. You’re with me. Nothin bad's gonna happen as long as I’m with you alright?” He says it and means it, an honesty she meets in his eyes that makes hers well up.

“I know. That’s why I don’t want it anymore. I want you. I want to be with you. I want to have that quiet life where nothing happens. I want to wake up and know we’re safe. Together.” She wraps her arms around him and he holds her tightly. She doesn’t cry but the sting is red on her face.

He stands and considers this confession, one he’s only had in his wildest dreams. While stroking her hair a million scenarios run through his mind. He eventually settles on one. “I’m tired too.”

It’s a simple sentence but it spoke volumes between them. “I have enough money, Javi. Enough for us to be happy somewhere.”

“You want to run?”

She feels the burn of reality in her chest. “I don’t know any other way.”

He looks away into the empty and dark room, hands on her face and stroking her temples. “Fuck…” he exhales. “I don’t either.” He shakes his head before looking back at her burning cheeks. “But fuck me am I tired of this shit too. They’re no better than the men you worked for. They’re all in bed together. There are no “good guys” and “bad guys”. There’s no fucking justice there’s just…”

This time she distracts him by kissing his palm. “I know Javi. I wanted to tell you when we were younger but you believed in it so much. I didn’t have the heart to-“

“I wouldn’t have listened.” He shrugs and watches her eyes pour our decades of apologies.

A long but not heavy moment of silence passes. Decades of memories whirling around, potential possibilities for the future playing out as his hands held her heart-shaped face and studied her. Both older, crinkles in the corner of their eyes and sun spots mixed with the freckles, their faces showed their age but their eyes were 18 again.

“I’m sorry.” She breaks the silence. “For everything.”

“So am I.” Is the best response he can muster.

“Instead of you asking me to stay… I’m asking you to go now. Ironic.” She smiles.

“Timing was never our strong suit.”

“No.” She shakes her head and softly laughs. “We didn’t talk much. Not with our words anyway.” The smiles shifted into a smirk.

“Never had to back then did we?”

“You only had to smile with that baby face and as soon as I’d see that dimple it was over.” She shakes her head in agreement. A rush of new emotions comes over. The happy memories. It was so easy to let the negative eat away at them and replace them. “You’re so much more handsome than I ever thought you could be.” She admits with a fully formed laugh. “Better looking than that scrawny young man I left.” She loves her hands to feel his shoulders and watch the grin spread on his face.

“You’re sweet-talking me now.”

“Well, I have to get you to run away with me. Thought I’d try flattery.”

“All you had to do this whole time baby was show up.” The grin he wore wasn't an exact match to the sentiment but she felt it like a knife. The mood shifts, they both feel it. A weight, but it was comforting. “There’s never been another woman that could even begin to replace what you meant… mean to me. This whole time it’s been you missing. The way only you’ve been able to make me feel and that... that damned beautiful face that makes me want to do anything it asks. It’s not fair on an old man sweetheart.”

“Run away with me. Fuck that job. We’ve taken a lifetime to figure out what we needed. Come with me, Javi. We’ll have that quiet little boring life. Like it should’ve been.”

“How can I say no?”

“I’m hoping you can’t.” She gives him the sweetest smile she can.

“You mean it don't you?”

“You seem surprised.”

“After all this time?” His eyes squint showing his disbelief.

“You are as handsome as you are clueless.” She laughs and reaches up to kiss him again. “I never wanted to leave. I never stopped trying to fill my guilt and regret with money and danger and drugs. Just feeling your hands on me like this right now feels better than anything else ever has. I can’t beat how you make me feel.”

He takes his cue, hands moving to pull her closer. “I can make it feel better, sweetheart.” A lower voice, one that was deep, sends a tremble down her spine. He didn’t sound like that when he was younger.

“You always did like to talk a big talk.”

“And I can walk it now. I’m not a kid anymore Esme. I’m a man.” A stern brow appears and she feels her insides melt. “If you think it was good then... well it was…” he gives that grin that wins women over time after time. “You’re gonna love what I can do now.” With broad shoulders and a strong jaw, he loomed over her, making her feel small in a way she didn’t want to fight against..

“Then stop talkin’ and show me, Javi.” She whispers, a seductive smile on her face. “Show me what I’ve been missing.”

“I can do that… but you’ll never wanna leave again.” He smirks before closing in.

“Make sure I don’t.” She softens for a moment, her hand carding through the almost curls at the nape of his neck. She lets the tension grow, the flirtatious closeness, an intimate sharing of smiles and breath isn’t taken for granted. Something hotter grows in the heat between their bodies, and as she had in the past, she gives him a direct signal to move forward. “We’ve waited long enough, Javi, stop sweet talkin’ and make love to me already.”

Her laugh is broken off by a commanding press against her mouth and his two strong hands moving into her hairline. She feels his smirk fade against her lips, each pass growing more and more urgent. With confident hands, he reaches down to grab her ass, one staying to her jaw. These weren’t the clumsy but enthusiastic hands she recalled. There weren’t short sweet kisses, unsure glances shared as he squeezed his eyes shut and tried not the cum so soon from inexperience. He handled her like a man, and she felt more like a woman than she had in years in his strong grip.

He didn't let up as he moved them to his bedroom his mouth stayed to hers, taking each breath and devouring it, savoring it with a tease of tongue before deepening again. She bit his bottom lip after a light slap to her ass to get her moving in the right direction. He spreads his fingers, handling as much of her body as he could, a hard controlled wobble of her ass cheek, another slap of ownership, not enough to hurt her, but enough to show her how he thought of her as his. Once he had her at the foot of his bed, as much as he wanted to take his time, he also wanted to ravage her and intimately know every inch of her he’d been away from. She kicks off her shoes, lost to the darkness of the room before he hitches her leg up, hand traveling back and forth on her thigh, exposed from the wrapped slit in her dress. His mouth follows where his mind wanders, to her neck to hear her sighs and hums. His hand snakes up the nape of her neck into the thick black hair, a tight fist to gently control her head, holding it back so he could explore the sensitive bend.

A moan from her elicits a response, “You like it like this?” spoken quietly in her ear as he gives her head the slightest yank back.

“Aye.” she sighs, her eyes fluttering back. “I love it.” she whispers, a smile on her face and her long lashes shadowing over her cheeks from her blissed expression.

He makes quick work of making her shudder from the pressure of his lips and tongue on her racing pulse. She let herself enjoy it, not another thought in her head except how it felt with him touching her. It was an abandonment she hadn’t been afforded in decades and the act of letting go had never felt so good before.

His kisses trail her neck, shoulder, making tender work of her scar as he slips her arms out of the sleeves. His hand was fast to her back and one to her naked chest makes him press his forehead to the wound he directly caused. “Fuck me, you’re even more beautiful now aren’t you?” his hand kneads her breast and his mouth moves lower over her exposed top half, the cinch at her waist the only thing keeping them apart now. “I wondered what you’d look… feel like now.” his words a quiet but the low rumble in it, pouring that masculine energy he gave off in waves made her melt in his hands. His hands move to cup her chest, an eager mouth, and open kisses before latching onto her hard nipples and triggering a moan he mirrors enthusiastically. “Now I get this… grown fuckin’ woman, don’t I? Fuck, look at you baby.” She wasn’t the skinny little thing he’d held before. She’d filled out, the years kind to her body from the athleticism they’d demanded. She was strong but soft in all the places he wanted her to be. Perky little tits and a tight ass were now something substantial. Something he could sink his teeth into and he wanted to touch every inch of it.

“Let me see you,” she asks quietly, pulling out of his embrace, dropping her dress to leave her bare. Her hands unbuttoned his shirt, tugging it out of those jeans that fit him just right. “I almost want to keep the jeans on you look so good in them.” she grins and reaches back to grab his ass and he jumps before they entwine again. A soft laugh and an old lover's embrace float them down to the bed together. Mouths and hands explored as she straddled him and felt the breadth of his shoulders and the lean muscle in his arms from work.

He laid back, hands moving over her naked body, taking her in with an open mouth in awe. Her arms knocked her tits together as he played and pinched, making her grind and giggle. With a slow drag of her hands down his chest, the soft fuzz covered his pecks, grew smaller, and flowered out again as her fingers followed the trail, her hands moving to unfasten his belt. “As handsome as you are… I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t most excited about this.” she leans forward and coos as her hand reached into his undone jeans, finding no underwear and considering teasing him for it. Then she remembered she had come to him not wearing any either. She supposes they were both whores and deserved each other. With a breathy indulgent laugh, she leaned forward, hearing him swear as she began kissing him again.

“I thought you loved me for my mind, sweetheart.” They both share a laugh and she bites his bottom lip.

“I love you for a lot of reasons, Javi. This cock has always been one of them.” The thick hair around his base was as soft as she recalled, maybe softer. But he certainly wasn’t. She kisses him through a groan, freeing him and feeling him fully harden in her hand. “Don’t know how you keep this thing in those tight little jeans.” she kisses down to his neck and he smirks, hand in her hair and the other still teasing her nipple.

“Same way I’m gonna fit it in your tight little pussy, baby doll.”

He hadn’t lost that smoothness, a perfected skill that made her bite his throat for making her throb and feel herself get wet and warm between her legs. “Suave.” she coos into his ear before licking the rim of it. “Now show me.” she demands sitting up and rubbing herself against his pulsing cock.

He moves quickly, his body trained and hers willing to submit to him. He sits up to grab her and push her to her back, hair splaying out, her breasts bouncing before heaving from the sudden excitement. There’s a girlish giggle he’d heard before as she watches him, her fingers disappearing between her pussy lips as he made quick work of his jeans and made his way back between her legs. “You’re still impatient.” he grins against her inner thigh, his hand tracing her slit, a bite to her inner knee that turns into a lippy kiss.

“For you.” she lets her arms fall back, biting her lip and watching him with interest.

His fingers find her swollen clit, both his cock and her sensitive bud jump at the touch. “And you still get so wet for me, Esme.” a trail of kissing to her inner thighs, moving lower towards her center makes her shiver. She didn’t have a response with the circling of her clit, the way he spread her knees apart before dipping down to suck the pulsing spot into his mouth.

“Fuck.” she exhales quickly. A compliment if he’d ever heard one. He did know what he was doing. His broad fingers teased her opening, waiting for that tension, that suction that meant not just her mind but her body was ready.

He hadn’t anticipated being the one not ready for the loud moan that left her thrown back head when he filled her with his fingers. One to test, another soon after added, and the trio to finish it was the curl of them inside her as he made her spasming clit even more sensitive with the suction of his mouth and the attention from his tongue.

“Fuck, Javi, don’t make me cum yet.” It was a plea and a chuckle at the same time.

“You think you’re only cumming once tonight?”

“I want the first time you make me cum to be on your cock.”

He hums deeply, “I can’t deny that, now can I?” a kiss to right above her lips before he eases the pace of his fingers and removes them. “C’mere baby.” he leans into her, hard against her slick folds, dragging his hips back and forth, a strong hand on her hip and his mouth firmly attached to hers again.

Her impatience shows, a brief indulgence of the feel of him, velvety against her before she reaches between them and angles him in. Her legs stay back, he's holding himself up on one hand before taking her hand, kissing her fingertips, and taking over himself. He teases her and it’s met to a whine, a pressure against her hole that was aching for him. “Javi, please.” her hips circle as a pout appears on her lips.

“That sounds too good for me to wanna stop, sweetheart.” he grins, knowing he was in control and being indulgent as fuck about it.

“You gonna make me beg?”

That cocky brow raises, rubbing his tip against her clit.

She raises her hips to meet him. “Fuck me, Javi. Don’t make me wait. I’ve waited too damn long already. Fill me up, I wanna cum so hard on that cock.”

He pushes into her to cut her words off, he loved dirty talk but he couldn’t take it tonight. He’d topple over far too fast, so best give her what she wanted. She was right after all, they’d waited too damn long for this. You couldn’t tell who was making what sound at first. Their limbs entwined, her legs around his hips, keeping him in and her nails into his back. He had his face buried into the side of hers, not willing to miss a sound, one hand on her lower back that was arched up off the bed and the other in her hair. He waited, feeling her tighten and then give to him. “That’s a good girl.” he exhales softly in her ear, feeling her whine as her legs fell farther apart for him.

It happens fast for her, something she wasn’t accustomed to. But no man had been him, and she didn’t recall the last time she felt like this, with every muscle aching and reaching for pleasure from someone. She’d never been able to give over, to trust enough to let some in like she did him. The fact that she was sober and feeling like this was something she didn’t even think was possible. She wasn’t usually so submissive, but while he was looking into her eyes, kissing her lips, temples, nose, and forehead while he moved inside her she didn’t want to be anything else but taken care of by him. His body pushed against her just right, her legs wide let him rub against her clit and the spots most effective inside her. “Javi.” it comes out so desperate and he moans into her mouth as she tries to kiss through her rapidly quickening breaths. “It’s so good.” it was rushed out and ended with a squeak of a sound as she first tightened around him, he knew what that meant. “Just like...like that.” water wells in her eyes, feeling it build from the depth of her stomach, a wave builds up into her chest.

He pushed her hair out of her face, looked her over watching the painful pleasure fall over her flushed cheeks, her lips swollen from his kisses, sweat dampening her hairline and he concluded she’d never looked more beautiful than she did like this. “Fuck you feel even better,” he says against her temple, leaving a comforting kiss while she slowly let herself go. “I feel it Esme, let go for me, lemme feel you baby.”

Her fingers turn to claws in his hair and sink into the thick of it and the skin of his back as she gasps his name like a warning. He puts his nose to hers, nuzzling and reassuring and watching her burst into full bloom. There was no high-pitched showiness like ages ago. She knew what she wanted, asked for it, and got it. She knew her body and what felt good and how to make it work.

He got to watch her body move in waves, a subdued but not quiet cycle of moans and swears, her thighs trembling around him, feeling her squeeze and drip and make the deep muscles in his stomach jerk at the white burst inducing pleasure behind his eyelids. Javi loved sex, for so many reasons. But to have sex with someone he loved? It was quickly making the other experiences fade into the background to be forgotten and replaced by every second he spent inside Esme. The sound of her moaning his name like she desperately needed him fogged his mind, her sounds, the whimpers from deep breaths stayed steady and after a shared moment of the most intimate thing someone could share with their bodies, she forced his mouth back to hers, even hungrier than before.

Riding high, feeling her insides soaked and sensitive and each stroke still forcing a moan from her, she holds him close, a bit less submissive now with a clearer head. The kissing grows more heated, nails raking and teeth sinking into skin deeper. “I wanna ride you.” is all she states, and he obeys, pulling her up and situating her, a deep moan as she sinks back down on him, a string of expletives as she finds her footing. “Fuck you’re so deep like this.” her face is more playful, biting her lip and smiling down at him. She lets her hands explore his chest, moving to his neck before he takes her wrist to kiss her palm, his palm on her bouncing chest. He groans, her thumb slipping into his mouth as he gives her a bite and lick, “You’re too god damn handsome.” she grins and shudders from a growing wave. A slap, barely enough to call it that makes him grin as it hits his cheek. He pushes the thumb of his hand he had held hers with into her mouth. She greedily sucks at it, feeling his hips jerk beneath her. He moves it between her legs, targeting her clit and her hips stutter. He’d make her cum again soon and she was almost embarrassed at how easy it was for him to make her. Only she could roll them out like this, but he certainly was right about knowing how to handle a woman.

“You're already close again.” his upper lip almost snarled back as he said it, his prowess he prided himself in but knowing he was making her in particular feel good was cutting off his usual time quickly.

“Fuck you, Javi.” he laughs and slaps her hips, grabbing them and making her move faster.

“Go ahead and run that mouth. See how long you can keep it up while I’m making you cum.”

She gave in with a flutter of eyelids and a whimper as he braced his feet and pounded up into her. “Oh shit.” she cried, a hand on his chest to balance herself, the other absentmindedly on her breast, twisting at her nipple. The higher-pitched moans made their appearance, her mouth open, panting and paced with the slaps of his balls against her ass.

He holds her hip, making her move and she watches him pop his thumb into his mouth before zeroing right back in on her clit again. He feels her tighten back up again, her thighs starting to shake as she tries to push back in time onto him, taking him deeper, feeling him slide into the deepest spaces of her, filling her up, and feeling him up into her belly.

“It feels so fuckin’ good, don’t stop. Cum for me.”

He switches modes, she sees his brow lower, his nostrils flare, a sharp slap to her ass before gritting out “Then fuckin’ ride me, baby girl.”

Planting her hands on his chest, he braces her wrist, other thumb still pushing her over the edge with the way he was pounding into her. She bounces on him, watching his eyes shut from time to time, holding back as she drenched his cock and balls, the wet slap of skin loud in the otherwise quiet room. She moves her hips up and down, in circles, grinding down when he hits her just right, the sheen of sweat is now obvious on both their skin. They were both breathing hard, exertion and excitement weighing heavily on them as they tried to sync up.

“Fuck that’s it,” he grunts, head raising slightly to watch himself disappear in and out of her. “C’mon and give me that pussy. I feel it Esme, fuck, don’t make me wait for it.”

He had never been able to dirty talk when he was younger, perhaps that was why it had such a strong effect on her. Because she did exactly what he asked, and came hard on him again. It was borderline violent, a combination of inner and outer taking over her whole body as their angry expressions matched up, groaning out his name through her clenched jaw, keeping eye contact and making him watch, seeing the mess drip from her as she rose and fell on his cock.

“That its…” is all he gets out, no masculine power tripped words as he came shortly after she did. His hips thrust hard to each pulse of cum that he filled her with. A deep grunt followed each thrust, his brow low as he quickly moved up, sweeping her to him, splayed together still inside her as he kissed her. They came down together, breathing soon normal, mouths still intertwined and hands still exploring curiously. As he moves to kiss her neck, both hands warm on her back she sighs loudly.

“I missed you, Javi.” she whispers, soft from the exertion and orgasms and the way he warmed every part of her he touched. “So much.”

“I’m here now,” he answers with a flick of his nose to hers, scooping her up and rolling them to their sides. He gives her a soft kiss before pulling away, standing, and yanking the covers down. He gives a pat to her bare ass, a signal to move as he then covers her up. As predictable as he could be, he makes his way to the pack of cigarettes in the other room and she gets to warm up and watch his cute ass walk away. “You want one?” he asks, looking down the lit cherry at her, now getting under the comforter with her.

Instead, she reaches over him, grabs one from the pack, and lights it off his, still in his mouth.

“First time you did that I almost came in my jeans.” he grins, taking a drag. “Always thought it was one of the sexiest things you’d ever done.”

“I wanted to show off. Good to know it worked.” she smiles.

There’s silence for a moment as they bask in the quiet of the room, she angled against him and his arm over her shoulders. “Are you gonna stay?” his eyes swing her way, pushing back a wild curl in her face.

“Here tonight or… in general.”

“Both.” he shrugs casually.

“You want me to stay tonight?” an eyebrow raised at him, squinting as she smoked.

“First time for everything.” she’d never watched a girl stay after he called her up. She’d wondered how this would go down but she was continually pleasantly surprised. "No, I don't want you to leave." he states it as obviously as he felt it was.

“What happens when someone sees me leave tomorrow?”

“Who says I’m not leaving with you?” he gives a nod her way. “You said you wanted to leave, right?”

“Yeah.” she answers softly.

“I don’t say things I don’t mean, sweetheart.” his voice demanded respect she already had for him, but after the sex, she was happy to know he hadn’t changed his mind.

“I’ve got enough money. I just have to go back and get it. I’ve got visas and passports for both of us.”

“You work fast.”

“I had to.” she smiles, scooting in closer. “Couldn’t risk wasting time.” her voice is softer, she put her head on his chest. “Do you want to quit your job? Or do you just want to...dissppear?”

“No.” he takes a drag. “I’ll quit first. I don't want them trying to find me. Or you.” his arm swings in and rubs hers to comfort her. “I want to tell them to go fuck themselves anyway.” he grins, amused by the thought. “I can empty my account, well what little’s in it. Packing isn’t exactly a worry for me. Long as I’ve got you with me.”

“You’re a real Cassanova.” she kisses his chest and smiles into the warm fuzz.

“I mean it.”

“I know.” she nods and wraps her arm around him, letting the cigarette land in the ashtray by the bed. “It doesn’t feel real yet, is all.”

He nods, letting his cigarette join yours in the ceramic dust-filled pile. “I’m afraid I’ll wake up and I’ve been dreaming. Or in a coma from being shot.”

“No, it’s real.” she sighs and runs her hand over his healing side. “I’ve fantasized about running, and being with you has been such a pipe dream I can hardly believe you…”

“What?”

“Love me still.”

“Never stopped. I couldn’t. You said you loved me, why’s it so hard to believe I love you too?”

“Because no one has since you.” the answer hurt his chest, he kisses her hair and pulls her into a firm embrace. “I didn’t think I deserved it.”

“Shhh.” he strokes her hair back and keeps his lips to her bare skin. “We're gonna get out, Esme. We’re going to leave this shit behind. Because we have to. We aren’t made for this like we thought. We aren’t like them.”

So that’s how he’d slept at night. Truthfully she’d entertained the denial on occasion too. He was a good man who did bad things. She thought of herself as a bad woman, but if the one person whose opinion she valued didn’t think so, she’d have to change her thinking on the matter. Maybe he was right. They just weren’t cut out for this, and instead of shame for failure, she felt relief for the first time in a long time. “Where do you want to go?” her voice sounded weaker, sleepier now.

“Far away.”

“How are you with cold?”

“What does that mean?” he huffs out a soft laugh.

“I thought someone cold might be nice. Somewhere in Europe. It’s beautiful there. A nice secluded cabin...maybe some dogs.”

“That the European version of a house and picket fence and two kids?” he chuckles. “It’s not what I originally wanted but…” he sighs, “It doesn’t sound bad.”

“What did you want?” she sounded different, he tilts her face up so he can see her eyes.

“What I said I did, sweetheart. You, a home in San Antonio, figured we’d have a couple of hell raisers. Get old and fat together. Spoil the grandkids.”

Her eyes flutter for a millisecond. “You really wanted that?”

“Why are you so surprised?”

“I didn’t know that’s really how you felt. Thought you were just falling in line with what was expected of you back then.”

“I was always sure about wanting you forever.”

“Kids?”

The way she said it answered his question, that’s where the surprise was. “Yeah. You’d keep a kid walking a straight line.” he grins. “Put the fear of God in them.” a laugh builds and he kisses her softly. “Maybe I’m getting soft in my old age. A man gets to a certain age and he starts thinking about these things.”

“I don’t know if I can… have kids at my age.”

“You act like you’re 50 hun.” he dismisses her worry without his tone being condescending. “I’m not asking you for kids, Esme. I’m answering your question. I wanted all of you. The good and bad. Even then.” he touches her chin sweetly. “As long I’ve got you I’ll be a happy man. We have so much time to make up for. Don’t worry that beautiful head about it. We haven’t even gotten out the door yet.” he gives her a lingering, comforting kiss.

“I’m sorry for leaving you.”

“I know you are, baby.” he whispers back.

“I’ll spend the rest of my life making it up to you.” her eyes were honest, a sincerity he’d not seen from anyone in years.

“Then that’s our plan. Plain and simple.” he seals his promise with a kiss.

“We’ll figure out the rest in the morning?” her eyes looked hopeful again, face nuzzling into his hand that stroked her cheek.

“We’ll figure out the rest together in the morning.”

In the morning they figured it out. It went just as they planned. Plain and simple. Together.

@jaegeeeeer @likedovesinthewnd @inkededucatednnerdy @biharryjames @ladamari68 @past-romantic @weliketomoveit @shikin83

#Javier Pena Fanfic #javier pena fic #javier pena fan fic #narcos fanfic #javier pena x reader

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mischiefandspirits · 3 years

Text

Last Laugh (1 of 3)

“Oh, I noticed,” Red X said lowly, tossing the staff aside. “What that idiot was thinking letting Flamebird send you all the way across the country right after Batkid got blown up, I’ll never know.”

Robin flinched back at the accusation before his fists clenched at his sides. “Then you’ll be happy to know no one sent me here. It’s just where I ended up when Batman decided he didn’t want to work with me anymore and tossed me out.”

The story of how Dick ended up with the Titans in Batkid and Robin.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Richard?”

…

“Richard, may I come in?”

…

“If you do not want me to come in then you need to tell me.”

…

“I’m coming in.”

Light filled the room for a moment then disappeared. The bed shifted and a hand settled on Dick’s back.

…

“Barbara told me what happened.”

Heat. A ringing in his ears. “BATKID!” “Red Wing, please!” Digging. Bodies. “No. Jason.” A mother and son… or a pair of acrobats… Blood. Footprints leading to tire tracks. “My son, I’m so sor-Robin? Robin, get back here!”

“I’m sorry I wasn’t here sooner.”

“Why can’t I come with you and Jon?” “You’re not quite ready for a space mission yet, Richard. I’ve talked to Father, though. He said you could patrol with him and Jason until I return so long as you two don’t get into too much trouble.” “We’re not that bad.”

“I’m sorry,” Dick said, his voice hoarse.

“Imagine how mad he’ll be if I’ve clipped the wings of a baby bat and a baby bird on the same day!” Zap! “Haha! Aw Jeez, I hit Batkid harder than that!” “Shut up!” “So,” a groan, “the first Demon Child taught you a,” a hiss, “a few tricks, hahaha!” “I said shut! Up!” “Hahahaha!” “ROBIN!” “B?” “He’s had enough.” “He killed -” “I know. I… I know.” “Don’t worry, Boy Blunder, you’ll join him soon enough!” “What are you talking ab-” “Robin! Move now!” An explosion.

“I killed him.”

The hand started rubbing circles into Dick’s back. “That’s not true.”

“If I hadn’t attacked him like that, if I hadn't beaten him as bad as I did, he would have made it out.”

“He was the one who set off the explosion, Richard. That’s not on you.” The hand shifted up to Dick’s shoulder and tugged him closer to the warm presence next to him.

He pressed his face into the warmth as another hand came up to card through his hair. “B thinks it’s my fault.”

“Father doesn't think anything right now. He’s still processing his grief. We all are. You are not at fault for what happened. If Joker is dead -- and his body still hasn’t been found so we don’t even know if he is finally gone -- then it is no one's fault but his own.”

Dick shook his head. “I shouldn’t’ve attacked him.”

There was a pause, then a sigh. “No, you should not have. It was extremely reckless and we… You could have gotten yourself killed. You are extremely lucky Joker had not expected you to be with Father so you were able to catch him off guard. Impulsive behavior… It’s already taken Jason, you can’t let it take you too.”

Dick’s fingers dug into his calves from where his arms were wrapped around his legs.

“I found my mom.” “Batkid? B said -” “It’s okay. She said Joker isn’t here. It’s safe. We’re going to talk inside so no one sees us.” “But -” “I can talk her around, Red Bird. I know I can. Please, don’t tell B. She’s my mom.” “O-okay. Just be careful.” “It’ll be fine. She said he won’t be back for hours.”

She lied.

“It wasn’t his fault.”

“I-That’s not what I mea-”

“Yes, it was.”

Another sigh. The warmth moved away so the hand in his hair could come down to cup his cheek. It brushed away his tears and tilted his head up, but he didn’t look at the face hovering over him. “Richard -”

“I wanna be alone now. Please.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m tired.”

There was a beat, then the hands and warmth and face moved away. “Alright. Get some rest. I have to go talk to Father. If… I am here if you need anything.”

Dick nodded and laid down with his back to the warmth.

The light came and went.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When they returned from Ethiopia, Bruce told Dick he’d be benched for a month. It was partly to give his injuries from the fight with Joker time to heal and partly as punishment for running off to said fight. Damian had agreed when he arrived back on Earth a week later and Dick accepted the punishment without complaint.

By the end, though, he was itching to get out of the manor. He hated being trapped in one place for too long. With the media going crazy over Jason’s death, Bruce had managed to arrange for him to finish the last few weeks of school from home and Damian decided they would remain at the manor instead of heading back to their house in Somerset. It was a longer commute to work and patrol for Damian and meant Dick couldn’t run around the neighborhood to visit with his friends, but it was also more secure against paparazzi.

Dick wouldn’t complain since he knew he deserved it, but it didn’t stop him from feeling trapped.

On the day he was meant to go back on patrol, he was skipping through the halls in anticipation of stretching his wings and releasing the tension that had built up under his grief and guilt. He went looking for Damian once he got home to see if he wanted to spar before dinner. When he couldn’t find him in his room or studio, he went to see if Alfred, Bruce, or Selina knew where he was.

“- for a month. I think that’s a fair amount of time.”

Dick perked up when he heard Damian’s voice and ran up to the door to Bruce’s study.

“I don’t mean he should stay on the bench. I meant Robin should be taken off the roster altogether.”

He froze, hand inches from the doorknob.

“I know he shouldn’t have gone after Joker -”

“It’s not just that. Dick… He never should have been brought into this life. He’s not like us and he was too young.”

“I was younger than him when I started out as Batkid,” Damian snapped.

“You were raised by assassins. He had a normal life before you involved him. He deserves a normal life. I know you wanted to help him, but this isn’t the way.”

Bruce was angry. Dick had known that. He didn’t think Bruce would take Robin away from him though. Robin was… his purpose. His place in the family. Without Robin, he didn’t have any reason to be there. And if he wasn’t there…

“Heard Wayne’s taking Grayson.” “Really? Knew his old man liked strays, but I thought he stuck to animals. Why’s he coming for the kid?” “To honor Brucie’s memory? Hell if I know.” “Well, whatever reason, I hope the kid can behave.” “Yeah. Lord knows Wayne hates people at the best of times, can’t imagine how he’ll take to having a brat running around.” “He’d probably return the kid the first time he acts up. Doubt the poor ***** will get another chance too.”

No, Dick couldn’t lose Robin. But Dick was Damain’s partner and Damian wouldn’t let Bruce do that, right? Right?

Why wasn’t Damian saying anything?

“This is what Richard needs,” Damian finally said after a few moments, but the happiness at his words was overshadowed by the ice sliding down Dick’s spine from how calm Damian sounded.

Why wasn’t he mad anymore?

Was… Was he starting to think Bruce was right?

“No, it isn’t,” Bruce said.

“How is he any different than the rest of us?” Damian asked, voice still calm.

“You were raised by assassins. As was Cass. Duke was in a gang. Tim raised himself in that damn empty mansion and spent years trailing after us through Gotham’s streets with nothing but a camera. And Jason lived on those streets.”

Tearing up, Dick wrapped his arms around himself. He knew he wasn’t as smart or skilled as the others, but he’d thought…

“Dick might not have had a typical childhood, but he had a happy one. He grew up with an entirely different mentality than us. You saw how he looked when he went after Joker.”

Dick flinched. He remembered the rage that had flooded through him. He knew he shouldn’t have gone after Joker. That it was stupid and reckless and wrong. Not justified vengeance, just plain old revenge. The very thing Damian had tried to instill against when he’d started out.

But at the time all he could think was that Jason was dead, had been murdered like his parents, and his family kept dying around him and Joker was to blame. He hadn’t meant to go as far as he did, he hadn’t meant for Joker to die!

He just wanted everyone to be safe.

The worst thing, though, was that as much as he wasn’t proud of how he’d run off and put himself in danger, as terrified as he was that he had killed someone, he didn't regret what he’d done to Joker.

“He doesn’t belong in this life, Damian.”

Dick froze. No. No! Losing Robin was one thing, but to not belong…

“I understand.”

Dick staggered back, hand coming to his mouth as the tears fell. He quickly ran back the way he’d come before the sobs could start.

They couldn’t… They couldn’t!

It was one mistake! It was a bad one, but he knew the others had had bad mistakes too. They couldn’t get rid of him for that, right?

Except the others were Bruce’s sons, and he was just Damian’s foster kid. He thought it hadn’t mattered that he wasn’t really family on paper, but maybe it did.

“You’re not getting a family, circus freak.” “Yeah, foster kids ain’t family. They’re just a paycheck.” “Or some rich bastard’s charity case.” “Either way, no one actually cares about them even if they have to pretend to. And no one would care about someone like you.”

Dick barely stopped himself from slamming the door behind him as he staggered into a closet. He dropped to the floor, pressing his knees into his eyes.

He couldn’t go back to juvie. Losing Robin would be torture, but going back to that hellhouse would kill him. Maybe even literally.

He technically wasn’t as defenseless as he was last time. He was sure he’d probably be able to take anyone that tried to hurt him if he tried, but he wouldn’t be able to try. He wouldn’t be Robin going in. He’d be Dick Grayson, former foster son of Damian Wayne. He couldn’t use any of the skills he’d gained as Robin without risking his identity -- former identity -- and the identities of the rest of the Bats by extension. And he would never do that, even if they did return him.

No, he couldn’t go back to juvie, but where else could he go. It’d been made pretty clear both when he got there and when he left that there was nowhere else he’d be sent. Maybe Babs or Cass would take him? Or maybe they could talk Damian around? Duke, Steph, Tim, and Selina would help, right?

Unless they thought Bruce and Damian were right.

“I understand.”

No, they would talk them around. They had to.

Except Bruce and Damian -- like the rest of the family -- were stubborn. Would the others be able to talk them around before they shipped him off?

Maybe if he could buy them time…

He couldn’t go back to juvie.

Dick scrubbed his eyes and got up to slip out of the closet.

His first stop was the cave. He couldn’t grab his normal suit without anyone noticing, but the updated version had just finished testing and hadn’t yet been equipped with trackers. He stuck it into a lockbox alongside some gear.

Then he was up in his room. He stuck the box into a duffle bag with his travel toiletries.

Before he could grab anything else, there was a knock on his door.

He quietly zipped up the bag and knocked it under the bed as he called, “Who is it?”

“It’s me, Richard. Can we talk?”

Dick dropped onto the bed. “Yeah, sure.”

Damian came in with a plate of cookies.

Dick grabbed one, but didn’t press up against his guardian like he normally would.

“You already know why I’m here,” Damian sighed.

“I overheard you talking with Bruce. You’re…” He clenched his fingers around the cookie as he looked up at Damian. “Don’t do this, please. I can be better. I-I won’t do anything like this again, I swear! Please, you can’t! We’re a team. We’re partners! You said so yourself! You cant… you can’t just toss that aside! Toss me aside!”

“It’s not like that, Richard,” Damian said, setting down the plate.

“Then what is it like!” Dick snapped and jumped to his feet, placing them eye-to-eye.

“This life isn’t good for you,” the young man said, meeting his gaze. “Bringing you into it, it was a terrible error in judgment. Father is right. It’s not your fault. You didn’t do anything wrong. I’m just doing what’s best for you.”

“It’s not like you forced me into it! I chose this! I want this!”

“You could have been killed, Dick!” Damian said, voice growing louder.

“I’m sorry! I let my emotions get the best of me! But it won’t happen again!”

“It’s over, Dick!”

“No! You can’t do this! I-I won’t let you! You can’t se-”

“Enough!” Damian shouted, then pressed a hand over his face. In a calmer voice, he said, “I’ve made my decision.”

“Dami, please!” Dick felt tears pricking at his eyes as Damian stood up and turned to leave.

“You’re going to stay here until after the funeral next week. We can talk more about what happens after once you’ve calmed down.”

“You can’t do this to me!”

“You’re better off this way.”

“Wayne is going to be the best chance you’re going to get, kiddo. The only good chance, honestly. I really hope this works out for you.”

“I hate you.”

Damian hesitated by the door, then shut it behind him.

Dick couldn’t go back to juvie.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lines quoted or rewritten:

"Imagine how mad he'll be if I've whacked two Boy Wonders on the same day!" - Joker ~ Joker: Last Laugh #6

"Aw... Jeez... I hit Jason a lot harder than that." - Joker ~ Joker: Last Laugh #6

"Bruce... You... You can't! We're a team. We're partners! You said so yourself!" - Dick ~ Robin: Year One #3

"This was all a terrible error in judgment. Gordon was right." - Bruce ~ Robin: Year One #3

"It’s over, Dick! You’re better off this way." - Bruce ~ Robin: Year One #3

#batfam #reverse robins #dick grayson #bruce wayne #damian wayne #batkid and robin

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quixotic-writer · 4 years

Text

Bermuda Love Triangle

Request: @gionline and anon(s?)

Summary: Flirting between Sal and Q had always been a little quirky joke between them for entertainment value until they both catch feelings. Sal plays it up, Q plays it off. When Sal seemingly moves on though, jealousy brews in Q and he doesn’t know what else to do but finally say what’s on his mind.

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Truth be told, Q was a bit of an idiot. He was well aware of this and knew it often caused him to get into situations he sometimes couldn’t escape from. There was nothing he was more oblivious to than emotions. He was more specifically blind to romantic feelings, be it his own or others.

The moment he heard about vulquinn, he and Sal both played it up for their audience just for the reactions and their own personal entertainment. The need to always be right next to each other at live shows, their own podcast filled with inside jokes and personal stories, the way they managed to communicate through only their eyes, and the countless compliments and jokes about being romantically involved with the other.

‘If chicks can do it and be simply best friends, why can’t we?” Was his thought process. And it was true, it was just simple little gestures to one another that was merely just platonic affection. That was until it started bleeding into their regular life and the pair found themselves doing their little “act” for an audience that was non-existent around them. There was no one to get a good laugh or reaction out of, so they just tried to laugh it off.

Hidden behind those laughs was a realization within Sal that he had actually started falling for his best friend hard and fast. The flirtation slowly didn’t become an act, it melded into meaningful gestures. He found that his heart would race when Q would wrap an arm around him to bring him closer, when they made eye contact he could feel the butterflies burst from their cocoons into his stomach and tickle his throat, and the way that no matter where they would, the flirting never stopped. It all felt so real and he believed it was real too.

Q felt the effects of it all but had chocked it up to typical feelings for your best friend. Everyone felt comfortable with the thought of kissing their best friend… right? Cuddling your best friend during a scary movie and letting them hide in your arms was totally normal, all simply platonic… right? So on he kept saying how Sal was his “best friend,” little did he know exactly how much it hurt Sal to hear them being only that title and never anything more. Sal kept quiet about his feelings and never said anything not wanting to destroy or lose everything the two had built up.

One tour though, the tides quickly changed and shifted.

“Bri! This is Chris Distefano, he’s gonna be an opener for our shows!” Sal introduced Chris to Q. In that moment he got a look at this guy, he thought he looked way better than him and Q felt something inside of him coil up and make him sick. He passed it off as some nerves from being around someone new, so he remained civil and made his best attempt to make a good impression on this guy.

As the tour progressed, Q noticed that Sal wasn’t attached at his hip so much anymore. He was busy chatting things up with Chris. What he saw had made this fire ignite in his head, a jackhammer was what it felt like. He saw Sal leaning up against him, crying tears of laughter, hands folded over his stomach pushing out more laughs, and Chris in the same condition as the other. Q had thought he was one of the few people that could get Sal to laugh like that, and seeing Chris effortlessly do something he thought only he could do made him unreasonably upset.

As he lay in his bunk on the tour bus, Q couldn’t help but wonder: ‘What is going on with me? Why do I feel like this? I should be happy he’s making other friends.’ He barely got sleep that night and he was a total drag up until they were called up onto stage for their next show.

“Hey babe!” Q had never whipped his head around so fast at the sound of the familiar voice and he almost thought he was gonna get whiplash or pull something. As it turned out, Sal’s words were yet again not to him, but to Chris instead who greeted Sal with a wide smile and a warm hug. Q didn’t realize his jaw and fists were clenched so tight until Murr had pointed it out and he allowed it to relax and all the pressure in his head eased a bit and his hand stopped throbbing.

“Just a bit of pre show nerves, heard it’s gonna be a big crowd tonight.” He lied through his teeth and to himself too.

Tour had come to a close leaving Q within the four walls that he had grown familiar too along with the silence that accompanied it. He was finally able to have time to self reflect and really think about what was going on with him. It had been so long since he had even felt this strongly about anyone in his life and for so long he had kept trying to tell himself that everything they did was strictly platonic and nothing more. But Q seeing Sal with someone who was, in his opinion, much more attractive than him and doing basically everything that they used to do together had flipped the switch that this wasn’t just simple friend jealousy.

“Fuck…” He said out loud to himself, “I’m in love with my fucking best friend.” He finally admitted it out loud and buried his face in his hands as his cats nuzzled around him demanding immediate attention. Q’s head felt like it was spinning, he felt almost sick. “Why am I so stupid?!” Mentally beating himself up for not realizing things and sorting it out sooner. Now that he finally realized what that feeling was, jealousy, every other emotion attached had felt so much more intense. Magnified even. He had called Sal for lunch to get together.

“Maybe Chris could join us?” Sal asked curiously.

“Can't just be us?” Q said in quick opposition and realized he sounded like a jealous boyfriend without actually being his boyfriend, “I mean, we haven’t had a day with just us in a while.” He quickly back paddled and covered those secret emotions.

When the day rolled around, he convinced himself that he would finally confess everything. All he wanted was to finally have it all out in the open and hold nothing back. It felt weird keeping secrets from his best friend. Everything was going great, they were catching up on some things, sharing some little life updates, and as always they shared a few good laughs and stories.

“You know Q it’s great we had this day because I have exciting news that I wanna share with you! You’ll be one of the first to hear it.” Sal sat across from him in the booth they were in and had a big beaming smile plastered on his face. He looked as thorough if he didn’t get whatever it was out in that moment, he was just gonna implode.

“Well i’d love to hear what the news is!”

“Chris and I are starting a podcast together!” Q’s stomach sunk like the titanic. It felt painful and he knew he couldn’t mask any of his emotions after trying to build himself up. Sal quickly picked up on all of it and could read Q’s signals well, “Is there something wrong with me doing that Bri? I can read you like a book. You’ve been acting strange lately, what’s going on?” Q doesn’t know what came over him, but his emotions swirled him like a tornado and consumed everything.

“What’s going on? Sal, I know you’re smarter than this.” He forces a chuckle as he rubs his forehead staring down at the table. Sal had an inkling as to what it was, but he wanted to hear it out of Q.

“I don’t think I know what you mean…”

“For god’s sake Sal I like you okay! More than a friend should. Seeing you with Chris… It just…” There it was. The confession. But, for some reason it made Sal mad. All this time, the hints he kept dropping, the countless moves he tried to make. Only when Sal started taking interest in someone else did Q finally show up and show out what he had been wanting for so long.

“Does it make you jealous Brian?” Something about the way Sal said his name made it feel like his veins were wrapped tight around his neck and were suffocating him. “Only now that i’ve started showing interest in someone else do you care. I liked you too, okay?! But you couldn’t be bothered to notice my desperate hints. You just kept throwing ‘friend’ and ‘buddy’ around so I just gave up trying to win you over.” Guilt riddled Q and he felt paralyzed in that moment.

“Sal, i’m just so stupid.”

“Yeah, you are.” Both of them knew Sal didn’t mean it, but it still stung Q like a jellyfish wrapped around his leg. “I’m tired of the mind games Brian.” His head hung low as Sal left without another word. More than ever, Q had felt like the biggest clown in the circus he called his life. He tried to finish eating his food, but all he could do was pick around at it and wallow in his own self pity. By the time he left the diner, he came to the conclusion that this discussion wasn’t done and shouldn’t be left where it was.

He had made his way over to Sal’s house, approaching the front door and about to hit the doorbell

“Q?” All motions come to a quick halt as he turns around to see Chris standing there. He feels the jealousy and anger slowly building again, “What are you doing at Sal’s man?”

“What are you doing here?” It was a little sharper than he intended to sound.

“I asked you first!”

“And I asked you second!” He didn’t want to dish out any info about him and Sal, especially to the guy that Sal’s found a new interest in. Chris takes a deep breath, looking at Q with almost hurt eyes.

“Do you hate me or something? You just seemed to not want to be around me, especially on that tour. What did I do?” Before saying anything else, Q takes a moment to step back before making another mistake he’ll regret. Chris stood there with hands in his pockets waiting for an answer.

“Listen, I don’t hate you. Guess I was just getting a little jealous…” He admits not giving away too many details as he rubs the back of his neck. Looking at Chris though, he could tell he was able to piece some things together with that sentence alone. A moment of clarity hit him.

“Of me and Sal?”

“You just seem to make him happier than I have, you’re a lot more attractive than me… like honestly really attractive…” Q was trailing off and slowly understood Sal’s attraction to Chris.

“Don’t be like that, you’re quite the looker yourself babe.” Q’s cheeks rose in heat and he found it a bit hard to speak.

“You just seem to make him happier and get him to laugh really hard. Guess I let jealousy get the best of my emotions. Maybe… Maybe it’s better he has you. I should… I should just go.” Q began backing away from the door and was gonna leave, but Chris placed a hand to his chest and stopped him.

“Funny, it’s you I should be jealous of. Not gonna lie, I am interested in Sal but he told me he liked you, Q.”

“Wait what? When did he say that?”

“When… we got back from the tour..?”

“Well he just got done telling me he liked you. That’s actually why i’m here.” They both stood there in silence for a moment looking at each other. Their eyes wandered to Sal’s front door, then back again to one another. In a mirrored movement they both went right to the door and rang the doorbell. Footsteps grew louder as they got closer, the door unlocked and cracked open.

“Chris!” Sal said with a smile. Chris moved his hand out opening the door more to reveal to Sal that he had more than one visitor and his eyes grew wide. “And… Q…”

“You’ve got quite a bit of explaining Sally.” Q said with a devilish smirk as Sal broke out into a nervous sweat. When Sal looked to Chris, he wore a similar smirk.

“Yeah, babe. Let’s get to the bottom of this, shall we?”

#what would their ship name even be??????#Sal x Chris x Q #sal vulcano #brian quinn #chris distefano #suki writes #angst #only a little bit though

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azuchifairy · 4 years

Text

The Corpse Bride

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13672392/1/The-Corpse-Bride

Long ago in a small provincial town in the forest, a girl with the dream to be married to her soulmate met a terrible fate. When only her true love could set her free from the awful curse, it turns into a twisted story of life and death.

Chapter One: According to Plan

Gray finished his sketch just as a butterfly perched on the window sill. He noticed its impeccable colors, a stunning sapphire and deep violet hues to compliment it. Nature rarely made things blue, but that exceptional little butterfly seemed to be rather lucky. It fluttered up through his room and out the window again as his eyes followed it up into the cloudy skies.

He sighed in memory of the day before him. His father, Silver Fullbuster, was in an insufferable state of disarray that his heir had not yet taken a wife. He had been rather unpleasant over it being that his father was growing old and he wished to see the new generation of his family. Gray was his only full blooded son and would inherit their grand estate and family business.

His mother, Mika Fullbuster, had passed on when he was still a child. Yet Gray always remembered her fondly. She adored the beauty of the world around them and explored nature and its majesty. Although he missed her terribly from time to time, Gray tried to be positive about his mother watching over him in the afterlife. His father however never truly healed, but felt that in his remarriage to a wonderful woman named Ur filled the hole in his chest even if only by half.

Ur, like his mother, was a magic user who specialized in healing. She taught Gray, his stepbrother Lyon, and stepsister Ultear how to use their magic. Gray always thought of her as his second mother because of her courageous heart in teaching, yet brutal temper when any of the children misbehaved. Silver frowned upon the children’s use of magic saying that it wouldn't help them in the progressing world, for magic at that time was seen by some as dark and a bad omen. Many who were known to use magic kept it hidden out of fear that those who opposed them would strike back.

Gray never thought of it that way, he was always fascinated by it like both of his mothers had been. Throughout his childhood and into his adult life Gray had become so wrapped into the family business that he rarely had time to do as he pleased. He spent his days living in his father’s shadow, something Silver believed made his son happy.

As Gray became of marital age his father was set on having him be wed, and the sooner the better. Unfortunately his son almost loathed the idea of an arranged marriage. He knew he would wed eventually but he didn’t want to be pushed into it. But marrying him to a suitable maiden to carry on the Fullbuster name was all his father desired. He had tried introducing Gray to countless women, after all his wealth needed to be passed on to someone of equal status. His father wanted him to be happy, but he was willing to only believe that he was. Silver meant well but remained blinded by his own personal wants instead of Gray’s needs.

It took many trials to find Gray a match but when Silver came across the Heartfilia family, another wealthy family like theirs, he found out that their daughter, Lucy, was of age. She was known to be intelligent, beautiful, and blonde. Many other men had sought after her, but she still had yet to be married. Silver had met her on a trip to the Heartfilia estate to have a business meeting with her father, Jude. Silver was struck by her beauty and kindness that he forgot about the business proposal and instead offered his son to Jude and his wife Layla. They agreed to have their children meet and further discuss marriage plans, although it really meant that they wanted it sealed in stone.

Gray had heard of Lucy before around the town and there was nothing wrong with her, she just wasn’t his type. He was entirely unenthusiastic to go to their estate that day. The only reason he didn’t put up an attitude is because his father was at his wits end after Gray had come back from many meetings without a bride. Gray was confident that Lucy wouldn’t like him either, the rumor was a man had already won her heart.

“Gray! You better be ready up there, my boy!” His father called from the hallway.

Gray let out a sigh as he got up from his comfortable spot. He set his book down on his desk and stood in front of the mirror to see the ridiculous suit his servant had helped him put on. It was a deep navy colored suit with a black dress shirt and an overly sized scarf-like tie in silver. It was too tight and extremely uncomfortable that in the instant the servant left the room he tugged at the sleeves and collar to let him breathe again. He wanted to pull the tie off entirely eventually giving up on the undoable knot. They had also slicked his unruly spiked hair back to make him appear ‘proper’. He didn’t quite care if he looked greasy, perhaps it would make him less attractive.

His father opened the door with a smile that turned into a frown as he took a look at his son.

“What did you do this time?” he asked , although knowing his son despised formal wear.

“Dad, I look like a circus monkey, and I couldn’t even breathe. What did you expect?” Gray responded in annoyance as his father crossed the room to him. He fixed his collar and rolled his sleeve cuffs up again making him look presentable again. He tightened the tie and tucked it in so he looked tidy all around.

“Everything must be perfect, you have to make a good impression. As long as everything goes according to plan I’ll be satisfied.” Silver said. It seemed his son wasn’t paying attention with his sour expression so in turn Silver clapped his hands on his son’s shoulders making him jump, “C’mon, lose the attitude.”

Gray winced, “Fine. But it’s not my fault if this doesn’t work out.”

Silver narrowed his eyes, “That’s because you’re going to be kind to her and put your best foot forward so it does work out.”

Gray rolled his eyes, “Sure, whatever you say.” His tone was unconvincing but his father ignored it wrapping his arm around his son’s shoulder.

“Are you two done yet?! This carriage isn’t going to wait forever! We can’t be even a moment late!” Ur shouted from downstairs causing both men to wear looks of fear.

“Of course, honey!” Silver called before turning back to his son with a sheepish smile, “Let’s go now son, before she eats us alive. We’re coming!”

***

In the carriage Gray sulked, staring out the window while they passed by the shopping district. It clunked across the cobblestone as it ventured and soon they were off onto the back road towards their destination. The Heartfilias lived just outside of the town in the countryside so they could farm off the lands. Gray’s suit pulled as he slouched with his arms crossed over his chest, making him twice as uncomfortable.

“Gray, sit up.” Ur snipped, “You’ll wrinkle your clothes.”

“You're right, let me sit up because I care so much about how I look right now..” He snorted sarcastically. It was very rare for him to behave that way towards his stepmother, but given the circumstances of the day in his mind he had every reason to be a bit rebellious.

“Now don’t be that way, this could be the best day of your life!” Silver piped before Ur could scold Gray. He was smiling as optimistically as ever, a classic trait of his father.

Gray rolled his eyes feeling his stomach churn, “Tch, try the worst.”

Ur snapped her fan shut, “Now Gray, your father is right. It's a beautiful day outside-” she glanced up at the ominously dark skies, “well, it's a rather nice day. Anything can happen, you might find yourself smitten with the Heartfilia girl.”

Gray’s eyes went wide, “You can’t be serious. If I didn’t like the others what would make her any different?”

“She’s a Heartfilia! She’s been educated since she was a child on proper etiquette and she’s of remarkable status! Smart, elegant, beautiful,” his father held up three fingers, “those are the three you look for in a wife.”

Ur, who had been calmly fanning herself, gasped and whacked Silver across the head with her fan, “There’s much more to a woman than that!”

Silver chuckled, “O-Of course my dear, I’m just trying to make it easy for him!” He rubbed the growing lump on his head biting his lip in pain.

Gray wiped his face with exhaustion and he shook his head, “You should hear yourselves.”

As Ur was about to hit Silver again, she instead looked to Gray with a touch of sympathy in her eyes, “All we’re asking is that you meet her. If it had been up to your father he would’ve sold you off. Just, please, do your best and try not to embarrass us with something unexpected. That attitude of yours only gets you into trouble. Everything must go according to plan.”

Gray glanced at her a little less coldly before looking out the window again, “I know, okay. You keep reminding me.”

A peculiar estate struck his interest as they approached. There were high black gates that vines had started to twist up with a long gravel pathway to the front. It was an old looking mansion in a deep blue color, including pillars on the porch of the front door. It looked as if it had been abandoned yet it was still very unique in design that had a tower in the middle that connected both sides of the estate. He couldn’t describe the way he felt looking at it but it was almost as if he had never noticed it before. They had taken the same road many times to go on business trips to the neighboring towns or to visit other families, such as the Dragneels.

“Dad, whose estate is that?” Gray asked before they completely passed the area. Silver peered out the window with Ur and they were both silent.

“I’m not quite sure, has it always been there?” Ur asked, looking at Silver. He appeared to be in deep thought as he gazed at it.

“I’m afraid I don’t know either. That’s very strange.” Silver noted as he knew all the wealthy families within the town’s range. They carried on down the road and both of his parents seemed to shrug it off easily.

Gray’s overwhelming curiosity of the mansion didn’t fade and for a moment he could have sworn that he saw a shadow by the gates. However, he did get distracted by their carriage making a sharp turn. He realized that they had arrived at their destination.

***

The Heartfilia estate was magnificent on the outside and the inside. The landscaping was to perfection as was the decor on the outside of the mansion. It was bigger than the Fullbuster’s and it seemed much flashier. It was fitted with tall windows and grand staircases, warm colors of gold and red, and on the outside four high columns in front of the door. The estate extended into two wings on either side that had doorways to the garden in the back. The Heartfilia’s were renowned for their magnificent gardens that had been in the family since the first line. Jude, the master of the home, was a very ridgid man who had lived in noble status for his whole life. He knew nothing of commonplace life, nor did he want to. He was very difficult to befriend and even harder to impress. His wife Layla, the matriarch of the Heartfilia’s, was known to be the most gentle and elegant woman of the family. She cared for her daughter Lucy more than the sun and stars, and she was also a very skilled magic user. In turn she taught her daughter everything she knew and many said Lucy was much like a reflection of her. In that area of the country, the Heartfilia’s were the closest to royalty.

Lucy was in her room preparing to meet the Fullbuster family. Her closest friend, Levy Mcgarden, was assisting her with her hair as Lucy let out the biggest sigh.

“Lu-chan, I’m sorry.” Her blue haired friend said sadly as she brushed through her blonde locks.

“It’s okay, Levy-san. I wish he would just give up already! I knew when I made that arrangement with my father it was an awful idea. But I suppose I just wanted something to believe in..” Lucy grew quiet as she placed down her powder puff.

“I could’ve told you that he wouldn’t let it go either. Especially since he promised that you could be with Natsu if you couldn’t find a suitor. That’s why he’s bringing every eligible man possible.” Levy responded.

Lucy slammed her fist down on the vanity making Levy jump,“But why! I don’t understand why he has to hold onto this silly feud between the Dragneel’s and us. Natsu’s father doesn’t even care about it! If something happened centuries ago, why dwell on it?! Natsu told me that his father wants him to be happy and choose his own path, why is that so hard for me?”

Levy’s heart ached at the passion in Lucy’s voice. For as long as she had known her, Lucy was a force of nature. Perhaps that’s why no man could handle her, except for Natsu. Lucy came off as the perfect lady in front of her parents, but she revealed her true identity to every suitor and it drove them away one after the other. She could be rather headstrong and opinionated, she spoke up for what she believed in and most men wanted a quiet and complacent wife. That was truly the opposite of Lucy, which is why Natsu fell for her. When they met it was the first time Lucy felt shy around a man, because he liked her passion and her stubbornness, he fell in love with her.

The Dragneel family was very successful in coal mining and shipping, something that usually did not generate much income. Yet the coming times were growing dependent on it for their new means of transportation, trains. Natsu’s father’s business had shot from the ground up and although they were still small compared to the Heartfilia’s, they were growing rapidly. Her father said that new money was nothing compared to old money and continued to look down on the Dragneel’s every chance they got. In Lucy’s eyes he probably felt threatened by how likeable they were becoming with the other families.

“I swear Levy, I won’t go through with this. This Gray Fullbuster will be just like all the others, and I’ll get him to leave twice as fast. If my father wants to keep messing with me I’ll throw it right back at him.” Lucy said with her fist still clenched. Levy secured her hair into its braid and placed delicate golden flower pins in the top section.

“I believe in you, Lu-chan. That’s why as soon as you're done getting dressed, I arranged a bit of a surprise.” Levy grinned watching Lucy’s face light up.

“What is it?!!” The blonde giggled with excitement as Levy put her shoes on her delicate feet.

“Do you listen?” Levy laughed and went around behind Lucy to finish lacing up her dress. She pulled the pink threads tightly and wrapped it in a bow at the bottom of her back.

Lucy stepped over to the full length mirror and gasped twirling the dress around, “Wow, it’s so gorgeous! You did a fantastic job with this one, Levy-chan!”

“Well you know it’s easy to get it done so fast with magic.” Levy smiled admiring the beautiful light pink dress she had made and how beautiful it looked on Lucy. She always handmade all of Lucy’s gowns, an artisan skill she had learned over years of practice and perfected with the assistance of magic.

“Alright, as promised I’ll get your surprise. But you have to close your eyes, and keep them closed until I say. No peeks!” Levy teased.

The giddy blonde covered her eyes with her gloved hands and waited impatiently for Levy to reveal her surprise. The blue haired maid looked back to Lucy as she neared the balcony doors and opened them quietly. Natsu was perched in the large oak tree that connected to Lucy’s room and swiftly jumped down upon seeing Levy wave him in.

“She’s in there, just be quick. They’ll be coming to get her soon since she’s ready.” Levy whispered.

Natsu could see her blonde hair from the corner of his eye, “Thank you, Levy. I really owe you one for helping me do this during the day.”

Levy shook her head, “Don’t mention it, if it’s for Lucy I’d do anything.”

They entered the room and Levy went to the door of the upstairs hallway, “Alright Lu-chan, you can open your eyes!” She slipped out the door to give them privacy and as she felt the door click shut she heard the overjoyed squeals of her friend from inside the room.

“Natsu!!” Lucy cried, throwing her arms around him. He was the last thing she expected to see since most of their meetings happened at night when the rest of the estate was asleep. They would lay in her bed for hours talking, or sit on the balcony and watch the stars. Natsu was just as elated to see her admiring the dress she had on. He lifted her up and gave her a spin, “You look great Lucy, look at you!”

She giggled in overwhelming happiness when he put her down and felt her nose touch his before he pulled her closer for a kiss. Her face grew hot when she pulled away and Natsu was staring down at her with his eyes full of adoration.

“Maybe you look too good.” Natsu said while scrunching his eyebrows. He knew what was going on that day, it happened many times before. Natsu was not a very jealous man however, and he knew Lucy’s heart belonged to him. He did like to tease her often.

“I’m so happy to see you, even if this is a terrible day you’ve made it much better.” She said bashfully, having a struggle to maintain eye contact.

“It’s okay Luce, you know I promised you no matter what that we’re going to be together. I don't care what anyone says, if I get to spend forever with you it would all be worth it.” He was smiling the whole time, as he always was, as he had been during everything.

“Natsu..I-”

“Better yet, I could just steal you away.” He smirked with an evil glint in his eye, “I’m sure they wouldn’t miss you that much!’

Lucy gasped into a laugh, “Natsu! That’s awful!”

“What? We’ll send them letters,” he paused debating his words, “occasionally.” He joked laughing with her like they always did.

“I wish it was that easy..” she whispered with her hand on his chest. Her eyes grew sad with the underlying frustration apparent.

He shrugged, “I mean, it could be.”

Lucy’s eyes widened, “You mean..?”

“If he doesn’t want to give you up the easy way, he can give you up the hard way.” Natsu said nonchalantly. The words resonated with her and helped her to realize that with Natsu she had the chance to control her own fate, and she would take it.

Lucy grinned, taking him into a hug again, “You’re right. He doesn’t own me. This is the last time I’m going to be introduced, after today I’ll leave with you if he won’t give up.”

Natsu stroked her back and pulled her braid over her shoulder, “Go get em, don’t let whoever this bastard is fall in love with you or I’ll have to kill him.”

“I hate to see you go..” Lucy frowned as they walked towards the balcony together, “yet it seems soon enough I won’t have to see that.”

Natsu kissed her again briefly and jumped up onto the tree branch that led him there. “Keep holding onto that. I’ll be back before you know it. Maybe I’ll bring Happy next time, he’s been dying to see you!”

Lucy leaned against the doorframe keeping her smile as she thought of the cat, “I miss him too, I’ll be with you both.”

“I’ll see you, Lucy.” Natsu said with his cheeky smile and classic wave. Lucy’s heart swelled as she watched him disappear into the forest. But just as it was brought up, it sank down when he was no longer in sight. She placed her hands over her chest and looked up to the endless blue sky. If she had more courage she would’ve skipped this whole day and escaped with Natsu. She realized within that moment that it wasn’t about her amount of courage, it was about timing. Lucy knew that if the timing was right her heart would not fail to guide her onto her own path. She turned around reluctantly and closed the doors behind her crossing the room with her dress flowing. Her chest began to feel even heavier as the door to her room opened.

“Lady Lucy, the guests have arrived. Your parents request your presence at once.” Her head maid said standing sideways to keep the door propped open.

Lucy took a deep breath and tried to bite back her sadness with Natsu in her mind, “Let’s go then.”

***************************************

#gruvia #gray fullbuster #juvia lockser #gray x juvia #natsu dragneel #lucy heartfilia #natsu x lucy #corpse bride #fairy tail #fanfiction #azuchifairy #anime otp #otp

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wellthatjusthappend · 4 years

Note

If you're still doing prompts, maybe a very protective, almost stalkerish, Alpha Ric Grayson and an irritated Omega Jason Todd?

I got a little carried away in their reuniting scene and what might Ric assume if he couldn’t remember Jason was an Omega but liked him anyway. He’s planning his stalking, but we don’t quite get to see it in this short. Kinda wanted to save it for a more flushed out scene later.

Great prompt!

****

“Holy fuck, that’s a bullet wound, isn’t it?”

Ric swung round ready give hell to whoever had the balls to try and follow him to the latest house he was squatting in. He assumed it was another of “Dick”s old friends that Wayne was sending after him, and he was not in the mood, but when he turned around-

Holy hot damn-

“Hey seriously, what happened? The Bats never tell me shit,” the guy said from a loosely relaxed sprawl of a predator. Ric had always assumed he was straight, but he had never so instantly wanted to be fucked by someone who was so clearly another Alpha.

Well, you learn new things every day.

“Don’t really remember,” Ric said finally, “Don’t remember much of anything after the circus, actually.”

That caught the man’s attention.

“Wait, seriously? You’re not fucking with me?” the guy sat up straight, “This isn’t another one of you and B’s asshole lets-fake-Dickies-death-and-not-bother-to-tell-anyone-until-months-later kind of deal is it?”

“What?” Ric reared back, “He did what-? No, nevermind, I don’t want to know. And yeah, pretty much zilch on the memories.”

“Shit, that sucks,” whistled the guy.

“What sucks is having all these people who think they own a part of me try and tell me who I am,” said Ric bitterly.

“Hn, that’s what you get I guess when you’re a people pleaser.”

“Fuck off,” Ric made a face, but secretly he was sort of pleased. No one from his old life had done anything but walk on eggshells around him… this was sort of nice.

“Oooh, he curses now,” the guy laid a hand over his heart with a wicked grin, “Well, you were bound to hit your rebellious streak sooner or later.”

“So who exactly were you to old me?” asked Ric changing the subject.

Several expressions flickered over the guy’s face before Ric could figure out what they might mean.

“Nobody,” he said ruefully at last, “You didn’t even like me much, to be honest. I just dropped by to get some intel, but I guess you wouldn’t know anyway.”

“Mmm, well you don’t seem too bad to me,” said Ric drawing a little closer. Strangely enough, he still couldn’t smell anything from the guy.

“Just wait until you get to know me,” he snorted. Ric caught himself staring at that nick again and had to stop himself before he did something embarrassing. You didn’t stare at Alpha necks.

“Well my motto lately has been ‘out with the old and in with the new’ so…” Ric extended his hand, “Hi, I’m Ric Grayson. I don’t hate you and I wouldn’t mind getting to know you.”

“Ric?”

“It was my nickname.”

“It makes you sound like a doushe.”

“Like you then.”

“Hey, no, I’m an asshole. That’s a whole different tier.”

Ric could feel himself smiling.

“And your name?”

“Oh, right. Uh… not sure how much you know so I guess you can call me Jay,” the guy said finally.

“Just Jay?”

“You wanna call me something else?”

Why don’t you stay the night and we’ll find out, Ric almost said.

“Jay’s fine,” Ric said instead, “makes you sound like a little bird.”

For one moment, there was a haunted look on Jay’s face.

“You’re the little one here, shorty,” he scoffed.

“Don’t worry, I’d have trouble believing there was anything little about you,” Ric teased before he could stop himself.

Damn, he’d been flirting too much at bars.

Except… Except, Jay was turning a delightful shade of red and not quite meeting his eyes.

No way, he was gay too? And he liked Ric? Or maybe he liked Dick… no, he’d said he and Dick Grayson didn’t get along. He liked Ric. It was almost like a drug to think.

Ric wanted him in his bed.

“Right, well, anyway,” Jay said standing up a little too abruptly, “Like is said, you probably don’t have the info I was after so I should probably get going-”

“There’s no rush,” Ric said, letting himself slide a little closer. Jay looked flustered beyond belief, and Ric was rapidly editing his fantasies. Teasing. There would be lots of teasing. He was dying to see what would happen if he pushed the young Alpha just far enough…

“No, I really gotta go,” Jay said not quite meeting his eyes, “Anyway, sorry about your head Rickie, I guess I won’t be seeing you around much anymore.”

He practically fled.

“I wouldn’t say that…” Ric said, picking up the jacket Jay had left. He was already planning to bribe that Barbara girl to see if he could find where the other guy lived. With as strong as reactions as he’d been getting, he was pretty sure if he could put himself in the other’s way a few times- maybe return the favor and break into his house next time- he’d be able to trip his way into the other’s bed soon enough.

It only had to be once. Probably.

Ric brought the fabric to his face and breathed, for the first time catching a scent that wasn’t cigarettes. It was just some Omega scent though. Jay was an attractive Alpha, he’d probably rubbed up against one at some point. Ric tried not to be jealous, but honestly that scent…

Warmth, a flash of red, yellow, and green, bright laughter in his ears…

Ric shook it off.

It was an incredibly attractive Omega scent, but Ric would keep his eye on the prize.

#story request #this one ended up long enough it'll probably go on ao3 #plus I want to continue #jaydick #ric grayson #my writing #Anonymous

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fangirlofbooksandpasta · 4 years

Text

One Morning (Part 1/2)

Part 2

Pairing: (Post Azkaban) Sirius Black x reader (I tried to write it without a gender or skin colour or size in mind, but sorry if I have moments where it slipped)

Warnings: a small amount of angst? 2261 words? None really I think.

Summary: On a calm morning you wake up to a shoking newspaper, and when memories flood your mind, you decide to take action.

Note: This is for @im-a-writer-right‘s 2k followers writing challenge! Congratulations! None of the prompts I chose are in this but they’re going to be in part 2 when i write that one. If anyone has any feedback, please write a comment or send me a message, I appriciate it all! Sorry for any spelling or grammar mistakes, English isn’t my first language and the time is currently 2345

PS. I have used a part from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, chapter 3. I do not own the rights to this, I merely use it for the purpose of this fanfiction. All the credit for this passage goes to J.K. Rowling. Please dont sue me.

The dust was sparkeling like little stars in the morning light as you lied in the soft bed. You slowly awakened with your cat, Freya, coming closer to you before she cuddled against your duvet cover. With eyes closed you petted her soft fur with a tired hand as she purred in content. The moment passed and you got up from the covers, much to Freya’s displeasure. With slow steps you made your way to the small kicthen to pour yourself a glass of water, which you drank while you looked at the little street from your flat. The café opposite your building was opening up, already with a few customers at the tables outside. The weather was wonderful, not to hot with a light breeze. The people at the café were wearing overcoats and scarfs but nevertheless looked incredibly comfortable and cozy in the august weather. Freya jumped up on the counter and sat almost next to you, looking at the street too as if she understood it all. Maybe she did.

You became starteled when your small transformer owl, Hermod, jumped inside from the window you were just looking out of. Freya jumped down from the counter and found a sunny and warm spot in the living room where she lied down for a morning nap. She had been playing and exploring the flat the night before, so she was probably tired. You smiled to yourself before you turned your attention to Hermod, who carried a copy of The Daily Prophet and a letter.

‘Thank you, Hermod,’ you said as you took the post from him and gave him a little snack as pay for his work. He was a very small owl, as transformer owls are, but he did a great job for his size. He was hard to catch, small, and fast – and insanely cute. Hermod hopped away while you looked at the front page of The Daily Prophet. It was the first time you had read it in a couple of weeks because your work for The Order had taken up your time. You absolutely knew how essential it was that you followed the news and how the ministry dealt with everything. But nothing could’ve prepared you for the headline you were faced with:

BLACK STILL AT LARGE Sirius Black, possibly the most infamous prisoner to ever be held in Azkaban fortress, is still eluding capture, the Ministry of Magic confirmed today. ‘We are doing all we can to recapture Black,’ said the Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge, this morning, ‘and we beg the magical community to remain calm.’ Fudge has been critisied by some members of the International Federation of Warlocks for informing the Muggle Prime Minister of the crisis. ‘Well, really, I had to, don’t you know,’ said an irritated Fudge. ‘Black is mad. He’s a danger to anyone who crosses him, magic or Muggle. I have the Prime Minister’s assurance that he will not breathe a word of Black’s true identity to anyone. And let’s face it – who’d believe him if he did?’ While Muggles have been told that Black is carrying a gun (a kind of metal wand which Muggles use to kill each other), the magical community lives in fear of a massacre like that of twelve years ago, when Black murdered thirteen people with a single curse.

Your breath came to a stop when you had processed every last word. You stared into the air, not really seeing what was happening in front of you. Freya had noticed the silence and made her way back to the counter. She was purring loudly as she stroked your arm with her body. But you hardly noticed. A blizzard of thoughts ran through your mind. Memories, feelings. Everything that you had long ago hidden in the corners of your mind rushed up as if a tornado raged in your head.

Your trance was awaked by the sound of the parchment letter hitting the hard kitchen floor. Freya looked innocently at the letter and back at you as if she tried to convince you that she wasn’t to blame, although you knew differently. Still unsetteled, you stroked her fur as you unfolded the letter with shaky hands. You recognised the handwriting as your good friend Remus’s.

Hello Y/N, I’m sure that you’ve read the news – can we meet soon to talk about it? I’m sure we could both use it. All the best, Remus Lupin.

You put the letter down in front of you, on top of the newspaper. Freya looked concerned at you and you could hear Hermod from the other room, also sounding concerned abour the sudden silence that fell over the flat.

‘Don’t worry, Honey,’ you whispered as you petted Freya. She closed her eyes and the concerned look on her furry face changed into one of love and enjoyment as she purred in delight. Hermod stopped his complaining and went on to enjoy the snack you had rewarded him. While you were standing in the kitchen with a million different thoughts racing through your mind, one certain memory took the front seat.

The sun was setting in the distance, way behind the mountains and forests. Sirius’s arm was resting around your shoulder as you rested your head against his own shoulder. Tired from the exams and the circus that was school the two of you had gone outside to relax in the calming presence of each other. It was the last year and everyone knew that Voldemort was rising and that it, sooner or later, would lead to some kind of a war. Everyone knew that there would be losses, great ones. Painful ones. But for that moment there was bliss. A breeze russteled Sirius’s hair and you nuzzeled closer to him. He sighed a tired sigh and closed his eyes in an effort to enjoy nothing but your body against his own. Something he enjoyed greatly, but knew there wouldn’t be much time for when you finished your time at Hogwarts and were forced to face the brutality of the real world.

‘Are you ok?’ he asked in a quiet whisper, as if it pained him to speak the words. You turned to face him and were met by a concerned but yet caring face. You smiled sadly at the question and turned to look back upon the landscape. The quiet water. The still mountains. Absolutely unbothered by the ongoing conflicts in the world and only slightly disturbed by the breezes.

‘I honestly don’t know. I’m anxious and I feel like I’m waiting for something. But I don’t know what it is that I’m waiting for,’ you said quietly. Sirius leaned closer to you and kissed the top of your head, gaining a small smile from you.

‘Whatever happens Y/N,’ he started and paused. Once again you turned to face him. He looked at you with worry in his eyes before he finished his sentence; ‘I will always love you.’

You finally decided on what to do; first things first you went to the bedroom and found a piece of parchment and a quill.

Hello Remus, I’m going to his house. You know where. Y/N.

Hermod was had long ago finished the piece of meat when you entered the living room of the flat with the small letter in your hand. He knew what he had to do and without protesting let you. You instructed him to fly to the Burrow when he had done his duty, and when the letter was fastened securely, Hermod flew out of the open window. Quietly you followed him with your eyes before he was nothing but a black spot far away.

You yourself got dressed in a loose, white dress shirt and some black trousers. The august weather was still colder than what was preferable, so you put on a scarf that Molly had knitted for you years ago, along with a dark brown coat. You packed a bag of necessities before you went sat down in the couch next to where Freya was resting peacefully. She raised her head when the couch was weighed down by you. The cat carrier bag was placed next to you and Freya knew what she had to do.

‘I’m sorry, I know you don’t like it, but I don’t want to leave you alone,’ you quietly said as Freya made herself comfortable in the carrier. She sounded a little meow as an answer to your remark. You stood up, bags in hand and over your shoulder. A small checklist was crossed in your head as you made sure that you had everything you needed. A loud noise sounded and soon you appeared on Grimmauld Place. The slight breezes were still present. You looked around and before you was 11 and 13. In the cracks of the pavement small flower weeds grew in yellow and purple colours. You picked a couple, gathering a small bouquet. With a quick movement of your wand, number 12 appeared between 11 and 13 – an apparent mistake the muggles merely laughed at.

The house stoof before you. Suddenly you were filled with dread although you knew that Walburga and her husband were long gone. You had only visited Grimmauld Place 12 once or twice, but the house’s energy was comepletely off. Everyone could feel it radiating evil, and not having been there in ages you felt as if it was stronger than ever. Whether it was the impacts of the words from The Daily Prophet, or your own imagination and feelings tricking you, you didn’t quite know.

‘Here we go,’ you whispered to yourself as you took the steps towards the door you opened slowly.

The scent that immidiately hit your face as you closed the door was both recogniseble and not. The few memories you had of the place filled the screen in your head. As you looked around, you noticed how the dust was flying in the room in which you had entered. Paintings had been covered up. Bookshelves looked as if they were going to break the moment somebody touched them. You sat down the bag and Freya when you noticed a piece of parchment on a credenza. It was yellowed – old.

Calla,

A big smile formed on your face and a warmth spread in your heart when you read the first word. The nickname he had given you when you were still at Hogwarts.

You walked into the Gryfindor common room with a glass of water and flowers in it. Careful not to spill it, you made your way around the furniture. The room was empty for people, everyone being at Hogsmeade and the first and second years yet at brunch. You had snuck outside for a moment of peace before the castle would vibrate with curious 11 and 12 year olds, who still had loads to explore.

‘Calla,’ you heard a familiar voice say when you reached the entrance to the girl dormitory. You turned your head around and saw Sirius Black standing at a window.

‘What?’ you asked confused. You knew him – not well, but enough to know the very basics. His group of friends, James, Peter, Remus, and he himself, was well known. Especially in the Gryfindor house. Your best friend Lily always talked about how irritating James and his friends were. But even though you were only thirteen, you could hear that even though Lily found James incredibly annoying, she also at times enjoyed his company.

‘The name of the flowers,’ Sirius answered. You looked at the flowers. They were like small glasses or cups, mixes of pink and white with strong, dark green stems. Beautiful and robust, you thought to yourself.

‘I find them quite beautiful, thought I’d put them on my desk and enjoy them until they wither,’ you said and again turned to look at Sirius. He walked closer to you. You weren’t shy around him, although you did find him very handsome.

‘Do you know what the Greek meaning of “calla” is?’ he asked. You shook your head.

‘No, I don’t,’ you answered. Sirius smiled and walked close enough to smell the flowers.

‘Then I’ll let you figure it out on your own,’ he said and walked out of the common room.

Confused and wondering you made your way up the stairs to your dorm. The flowers looked refreshing on the wooden desk and although they didn’t survive too long, you enjoyed them while they lasted. A week later you asked Professor McGonagall if she knew the Greek meaning of “Calla”.

‘Most beautiful, if I remember correctly.’ She answered.

And you didn’t sleep for a week.

I figured you’d be the first one to come here. Nobody knows about this place – only the Order, as you probably remember. Is the order still active? I hope it is – at least, it should be. I’m in Hogsmead. I won’t be more precise than that in case anyone else reads this. You will recognise me when you see me. Love, Sirius Orion Black.

You turned to look at Freya, who was lying in the carrier with her eyes open as if she analysed your every movement. You walked back to her and petted her calmly.

‘Sorry girl, I have to do it again. I know you don’t like it, but I promise it’ll be the last time for a while.’ You said as you picked her carrier and your packed bag up again. The small bouquet of flowers was in your hand and before you could count to three, you were in Hogsmeade.

@beksib

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yandere-ac · 4 years

Note

Could you do something with yandere Pietro or Dom I love them so much and I would love to see what my babies would be like ❤❤

Yandere Pietro X Reader

"Aaaaah y/n...ssssssuch a silly thou-*hicc*ought, hhhehe" Pietro had blurted out. The two of you were celebrating his birthday by relaxing by the beach and having a picnic. There you had given him your gifts, sung happy birthday and started to cut up the cake, which was fine and dandy. But then Pietro had busted out the Vacation Juice and well, that’s when things had started to become a little more blurry. It had started with just a couple of sips, but then you two were doing challenges and sooner or later you were both dizzy and giddy.

You had just suggested that you and him should start a circus together, which he had brushed off as a joke. "Nno, 'm serious Pietro. We should *hicc* totally do it! I cou-I could be the guy behind the lights and you could be the entertainer! Is’ genius!" You had blurted out. "Yeeeeeeah but we can’t just leave the island? You’ve got your job as island rep and I’ve got my job" Pietro responded as he looked at you contented. "Wah? You have a job?" This made you very much confused since there weren’t really any jobs on the island that you could think of. "Why yes of course! My job is being the greatest, most astounding villager around here!" He had stated triumphantly. This caught you off guard and made you snort. You playfully hit him on the shoulder and before you could react, Pietro had tackled you into a hug. The both of you fell onto the picnic blanket and you both started to laugh, but only for a little while. Yes, soon the laughter died down and you both just laid in each others arms, looking up at the sky, smiling.

"Thanks fo-or the offer y/n, but I’m perfectly content with living here on the island, entert-*hicc*taining our fellow islanders...with you..." that last part was very quiet, barely above a mumble. You weren’t sure if you were suppose to hear that part but you did. You liked Pietro, he was one of your first islanders and you two had quickly become close. By now you were practically *inseparable*.

He always kept you company even whilst you were doing your tasks, planting trees, terraforming, fishing, catching bugs, digging up fossils. It didn’t matter what you did, Pietro was always sure to follow you around, talking to you all whilst still having a smile. It was very sweet of him, sometimes keeping up the island was a chore but it was made much easier when you had someone to talk to. One time when you were walking by the beach, Pietro had given you a shell, saying that he thought it looked pretty. You still kept that shell, never once even thinking of selling it to Timmy and Tommy.

You and him had been through it all, the nooks cranny and plaza upgrade, the K.K. Slider concert, the May Day event, that horrid bunny day event. He’d been with you, from start to finish. And you wanted him to stay with you until the absolute finish. Or, at least you hoped so. You knew very well that there was a possibility that he might want to move away, but you always tried to shun that thought. It always made you so nervous and sad and now you were thinking about it and-

"Hmm? Is something wr *hicc* wrong? Honk honk" He could see the frown on your face, a frown that you hadn’t even realized that you had. "Oh...umm...Pietro? You...you enjoy your life on the island right? You don’t want to leave?" As you asked this, you could see his eyes widen and his face turn from confusion to worry. "Why, of course not. Why would you ever think I would? I love it here on the island!" He said, giving you a gentle smile. "I guess...I’m just kinda scared that you would find a better island and want to move there" you admitted to him, this had made him laugh. "Oh Y/N! No island is ever going to be better than this one! You wanna know why?" He quirked his eyebrow as his lips formed into a smug smile.

"Why?"

"Because this island has you"

The next morning you had woken up feeling rather stiff. Not because you had a bad bed or anything but because you and Pietro had fallen asleep right there on the beach, huddling close together for warmth. You in particular had buried your face in his soft wool, Pietro didn’t really mind, he knew that humans had a higher risk of catching colds since they didn’t have any fur. It had been nice at first. But now your back was hurting and your hair was full of sand. Waking up before Pietro you got up and instantly felt a sharp pain in your head. You winced and immediately put your hands on your head as if that would do anything to stop the pain. Good lord, if you were feeling like this, then you could only imagine how bad it would be for your sheep pal. He had drunken a lot, and I mean a LOT more vacation juice than you had.

You took a little while to let your nerves calm down and the pulsation in your head stop. And after taking a few deep breaths you stood up and pulled Pietro onto your back, giving him a piggyback-ride to his house were you safely tucked him in....well maybe not tucking him in, more like placing him on his moonchair. It’s not your fault that the madman refuses to get an actual bed. But now, it was onto the residential services, you had to let Tom and Isabelle know that you couldn’t work today.

Dragging yourself towards the resident services you appreciated that you had woken up early, since most of the other islanders were still asleep. You didn’t want them to see you like this, it took you everything to not go straight home so Tom and Isabelle didn’t see you like this. But you knew that they would be concerned if you didn’t show up. Opening the door, it had made the little bell on top of said door jingle. "Good morning Y/N!" You heard a certain yellow dog cheer. Her volume made you wince and cover your ears slightly. "Oh, sorry. Are you okay? Was I being to loud?" Isabelle and Tom were now fully turned to you, giving you all of their attention. "No, no. It’s fine Isabelle, just, keep it down a little right now. I have a hangover at the moment" this made Isabelle let out a sharp gasp and Toms eyes slightly wider. This wasn’t the first time you’d ever had a hangover, but it WAS the first time you’d ever turn up to "work" with a hangover. If you could even call it your work.

"A hangover? I don’t mean any disrespect Y/N, I truly don’t but why would you show up here then? Just go home and rest it off" Tom had told you. "Yeah, that’s what I’m planning to do, I just wanted to ask if you guys could handle all the rep tasks? You don’t have to do `em or anything but I just wanna know that you’ll be okay without me" now that you said it out loud it sounded a little stupid. Of course they could handle it, it’s not like you were really doing anything super important, and they both were adults. "Oh Y/N, how sweet of you. You know you don’t have to worry about keeping up with all the rep tasks right? This is your forever vacation! You don’t have to stress about not showing up everyday and work on the island" Isabelle had yipped happily, although a little quieter than usual of course. "Yes, yes. The deserted island getaway package is supposed to be relaxing, not pushing more work onto you. We’ll be fine. Go home and rest now" Tom told you with a smile. Seeing them both so supportive had made you feel warm inside. You had overworked yourself during these past few months, always wanting the island to be perfect. But this was your vacation after all. You thanked them both and just before you left Tom had told you: "And Y/N? Don’t feel obligated to come back after you’re better, you can take the next few days to yourself"

Oh god, everything was wrong! Everything was totally wrong!!! You had followed Toms request and had stayed inside for the day, not only that but the next two days. And when you came back, it turns out that a camper had visited the island, another sheep named Dom, he had heard of the islands good reputation and wanted to move in . But there was no room left on the island. And so, after some arrangements he had gotten to replace someone. And that someone had been Pietro.

But worst of all, Pietro had never even stopped by your house to say goodbye. You didn’t know if it was because he didn’t have any time or if he was mad. You hoped it wasn’t the latter but it wasn’t like it mattered anyways, you wouldn’t ever see him again. Once you found out from Isabelles morning announcements that a new islander had moved in and takes Pietros place you had stormed out towards Pietros house. To your horror it was a completely different house, and to hammer in the fact that Pietro was gone. The new resident had exited his house and greeted you. Once realisation hit you, you sunk to the ground, tears flowing out of your eyes. You couldn’t believe it, you refused to believe it! Your closest friend, the one person who had been with you since the very beginning. Gone! Just like that he was gone.

Your short stay inside your house and now extended to a week. A week, with no contact and no interaction with the island. Some of your friends on the island had slipped in some letters underneath your door but you couldn’t bother to read them. All you wanted to do was cry and mourn the loss of you friend. You felt like he had died, which he might as well have, you knew that once someone moved out, their chances of returning where next to nothing. And it made you deeply depressed to think about. You were mad at Tom Nook, you were mad at Isabelle, you were mad at the new Islander, you were mad at the world, you were mad at YOURSELF! But the one person, the only person that you’d never be mad at, was Pietro. The one who you needed the most.

It had taken a while, but you eventually got out of your house. Only to be immediately bombarded with apologies from Tom and Isabelle. As it turns out, there had been a mistake in the system that had allowed Dom, the new resident to replace anyone he wanted. They were both very upset and sorry about their mistake. It didn’t exactly make the situation any better, but you did eventually forgive the two. But that wasn’t the only thing that had changed during the week inside your house. You had noticed that your other fellow residents had started to treat you differently. They acted as if they were walking on eggshells around you, as if you could break at any second and they’d have to be there with the glue. It was very annoying, no one would talk to you like a normal person, but you did receive a lot of support, which was nice you supposed. Even Dom had tried to comfort you at some point, saying that he didn’t mean to separate you and your closest friend. But you had made it very clear to him that you didn’t want to talk to him at all, he was the one that did this. And you had no desire to ever forgive him.

But just like everything in life, eventually, you had to move on.

It was an ordinary day at the island, soon it would have been a year since Pietro moved out, and you had started getting used to life without him. By now, everyone was starting to act normal around you once again. You had grown closer to your other islanders and had even started to engage in conversations with Dom. You held less of a grudge towards him nowadays. He didn’t really know what he was doing when moving in. And he was pretty pleasant to talk with, although he was nowhere near your favourite resident.

You were going to fly to a deserted island to get more supplies and hopefully you would be dropped off at a rare island. As you were sitting in the seat of the airplane, you were conversing with Wilbur, your good friend and the captain of the plane. You found yourself often going to deserted island when you wanted to get away and be alone with your thoughts. Although that didn’t really happen that much since there were still other people going on island tours. They were nice, but you could never bring them with you since your island was now full.

In the distance you could see faint smoke coming from the island you were landing on. So there was another person there.

Stepping off the airplane, you walked off the docks and onto the island ground, you were in luck! The trees there were full of fruit that was not native to your island. You happily started to shake the trees and picking up the fruits that fell to the floor. That was all good until you saw the campfire off in the distance. And more importantly, who sat by it. You couldn’t believe your eyes, and you had to run closer to make sure your eyes weren’t deceiving you. Oh my god, it was-

"PIETRO!" You had shouted running up towards him and tackling him into a hug. You couldn’t believe it! He was here! He was okay! And he was-

"Oh...it’s you. Thought you didn’t want me in your life"

And he was mad.

"What?! No! Pietro listen to me! There was a big mistake!" You tried to explain, but by the look of his expression he was having none of it. "Save it, honk honk. You think I’m stupid? You let a new person move in, and then have the audacity to lock yourself inside, refusing to take contact and ignoring me before I was forced to move out!" The sheep’s eyes turned from angry to sad. "I...I though you loved me Y/N... I though we were friends... I thought we were gonna stay together, the two of us against the world... But I guess I was wrong" you could hear a small crack in his voice as he said this and soon your vision started getting blurry with tears. "Pietro, please listen to me, I never wanted this to happen. I wanted to stay together with you, believe me I did. I still do! But when that new islanders had come to the island he moved in without my permission. I was taking a break from my life as island rep and didn’t get the memo. Trust me! If I would have known about this. I would have stopped it! Please forgive me Pietro! I never wanted this to happen" you fell to your knees and started crying, you had finally found him again but now he hated you.

But little did you know, that was so far from the truth. As you wept into your hands you felt yourself being pulled into a woolly chest. And soon, a pair of arms wrapped themselves around your shaking body. You quickly returned the hug, the both of you now crying onto each other. The two of you had lost one another, we’re separated, divided. But you had finally found each other. And unbeknownst to you, Pietro was gonna make sure that he wouldn’t lose you to somebody else.

Later that day, you returned to your island, with Pietro. On the plane ride home you two were still holding onto each other. As if one of you let go, you would never see each other again. As the two of you stepped onto the island, a lot of people started gasping and some even ran up to Pietro. Giving him a big hug, telling him how they’ve missed him. But the moment quickly faded as a very confused Dom had walked up to you and asked what was happening. "Oh? Dom! This is Pietro! He used to live here befo-" one of your peppy islanders had said before cutting herself off, realizing what she was about to say.

"Oh...so...is this the islander who replaced me?" Pietro said, a smile present on his face, but his eyes, his eyes held what could only be described as pure hate. "Oh, im so sorry about that, indeedaroo. I never meant to-"

"No! It’s fine! Really! I’m happy to put all of this behind us, what is important is that I’ve returned" Pietro said, the wide smile still present on his face. Everyone could tell that Pietro was clearly not over it. But you didn’t care, Pietro was back and you’d both agreed that he’d stay at your house. And you felt ecstatic!

But that’s how you felt.

Pietro, felt quite the contrary. He had been willing to forgive you, believing that the whole "kicking him out" was an accident. And at that moment, he WAS happy. But the moment he stepped on the island and saw that the person who had replaced him was another sheep. That’s when he got angry. Not only that but he was wearing a rainbow shirt. He WAS trying to replace him! He had started to brainwash you so that you would let him move into HIS plot. He probably wanted to hurt you, or worse. PURSUE YOU! He couldn’t let that happen, he couldn’t let someone take you away from him. Not again. He’s the first to admit that when he had to leave, he was really hurt, he’d thought that you had wanted to get rid of him. How silly of him. It was clear to him now that DOM was the real culprit. Well he wasn’t gonna let Dom steal his life from him.

Not on his watch.

It had happened quietly, in the middle of the night. The clown had snuck into the jocks room, since he hadn’t closed his door. And then, he’d done things that he didn’t think he was capable of, things that would horrify any normal person, things that even made himself a little afraid of what he was capable of. After the hard part was done, he had to move onto the second part of his plan.

In the morning, you had woken up. You stretched a little and then went up. You had made your breakfast and now it was time to go outside. But first, you went into the room that Pietro was sleeping in. He looked knocked out, poor baby. You decided to not wake him up, leaving him a note instead.

"Out of the house, the bread is in the left cabinet in the kitchen"

Going outside you had greeted all of you residents as you all waited for Isabelles announcement.

"Hello everyone! Right now on (Island name), it’s 9:46 am on Tuesday, August 13th. For today’s news, we’re sorry to be announcing that Dom the sheep moved out last night. Leaving his house completely alone. We’re not sure why he have done this, but the house is going to be up for sale."

This shocked you and a lot of residents, Dom had never expressed a need to move out or the want to experience new things. So the fact that he would presumably move out without an explanation was very strange to you, especially if he had left the house. You went to the plot to see the house still indeed standing there. As you walked up to the house you saw a note taped to the door.

"Dear (island name), I’m sorry that I left you all in such a hurry but I knew it was something that had to be done. When I moved in here, I didn’t know that I would have to take one residents place, and I didn’t know you all liked him so much. I simply cannot live here with the guilt that I separated friends from each other. To make up for it, I’ve left the house for Pietro. I hope we could see each other again some day"

This note felt very weird to you, it didn’t feel right. You knew Dom, this didn’t feel like him. It felt like a wolf in sheeps clothing. But no matter, you all had to move past this weird incident. Pietro had moved back in and all had seemed to be going well. You and him had grown even closer now and Pietro loved it.

Before, you were close. But now, you always seemed to be afraid that if you looked away from him, he would disappear. And Pietro took full advantage of this. He loved to feel you being so dependent on him, he always felt so jittery anytime you held his hand. He loved you, he loved you deeply, he didn’t care if it was unhealthy, he loved you, he NEEDED you.

He lost you once, and he wasn’t gonna lose you ever again.

#yandere #yandere acnh #animal crossing #yandere animal crossing #pietro acnh #yandere pietro #x reader #honk honk🤡🤡🤡#i love this cured motherfucker #tw yandere #tw obsessive behaviour #tw murder #or well...#implied murder #if you wanna belive that Pietro just asked Dom to mocve out then thats fine to

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