#magic mystery letters masterlist

[christinebloodwrittings]

To hunt or be hunted #11

Pairing: Alastor x Fem!Reader x Lucifer Summary: Drinks with Alastor turned the heat up! Warnings: Gore, blood, Smut.

Thank you so much to the amazing @hazelfoureyes she's the author of the smut here! She was an amazing help for this, so go to her profile and give her lots of love!! Her masterlist

Hazbin Taglist: @sakuraluna2468 @boogiemansbitch @mysterypotatoink @sibsteria @cherry-cola-100 @readergirlstuff @phoenixica24 @martinys-world @alientee @jellyroom2 @jewelsrules @ladyzaunis @zealousllamawolf @kittycat246 @shamblezzz @looking1016

“Alastor, it’s me” An Alastor with a seemingly white tie ensemble only with red and black colors, opened the door to his studio. Red evening tailcoat, It’s not closed entirely, double breasted black dress shirt, high pants held up by suspenders, winged collar and butterfly bow tie, he looked amazing. That was, at your time, the highest and most formal wear for men.

“Y/n dearest, I thought you had forgotten of me” he offered his hand to you, pretending to be hurt, “Never, sorry for the delay, the comedian that arrived a while ago was a blast, made me laugh to tears” as you walked up the stairs he eyed the dress you wore, feeling disgust as he knew who had tailored for you.

With a click of his fingers, his green magic made a flash on your body, flapper’s dress red and black materialized. It had tons of black beads and shiny flowers. Your hands were covered by laced long gloves. Golden medium high heels that matched the golden headband.

“Hey, this is lovely” he smiled proud of his work, “Figured it was better than the ensemble you were wearing” You didn't ignore his bitter tone, but you didn't want to rub it in, instead you rolled your eyes and smiled as he prompt you to sit on a chair near his radio panel.

“I have a surprise for you” he pulled up an album, in between the pages were pieces of newspapers all about the Axe-man of Louisiana, “How did you brought this down here?” he put in your hands, allowing you to pass on the pages. “I have my ways” he was proud, even more so when you started showing signs of homesickness.

“I don’t regret a single one of this encounters, except the crazy as fuck letter that I wrote” which was in one of the pages, a subtle 'oh' from you made Alastor laugh, "Do you know that I read that letter on the radio? I don't know how I didn't laugh while I was doing so, but as soon as it was off the air I couldn't stop” you hit him on the shoulder playfully.

“That was my last murder, I wasn’t in my right mind, the cut was sloppy and I didn’t even reached the brain, it was a mess” he was invested in the story, you could tell by the way his smile looked more relaxed.

“The wife saw me but didn’t said anything, instead she wanted me to confirm that he was dead, as soon as I did she thanked me” part of you was pissed she didn’t felt fear, the other was at peace with that, “It made me sick to see her wounds, but I guess it didn't make sense to think that a bad man could be a good husband” your eye roll and sarcasm put an amused grin on his face.

“I’m not a good man, but I know I can be a good husband” he took your hand, knowing your point but still making his own on top, “Because you don’t abuse little girls Alastor, that’s the line between a bad man and a monster” and he was proud his mom taught him better, “You eliminated all those vermin, how you’re not in heaven?” in his mind no one so well thought as yourself should be in hell just for taking out a contaminator, “Because a life is a life I guess, not matter how worthless” not enough, he needed to make the puzzle you were less of a mystery.

“How did you died?” to him it didn’t made sense, your appearance, “The Axe-man did it” but he wasn’t satisfied, he needed to take the bodies from the closet, “Is this your real face?” taking a better posture on the chair you sternly made him explain, “What do you mean?”.

“You used a mask when you got here, even in life you were famous because you were never identified” he was truly informed, a fan of your ways , “What was my modus operandi?” you asked, eyeing a photograph of the bayou in between the pages, “Axe through the head” he answered,  “Face” you corrected him.

“I did the same with me, what I came to know later was that there was a fire caused by a misplaced candle, took years of deep care to my body to be this soft, but I had no face” that information was new, “I don’t care how much I like you Alastor, but if you try to say this to anyone else my coming back victim will be the radio demon” to be fair, that thought turned him on, just the feeling of your fangs on him again was enough to rile him up.

“Charlie gave me a face, this one-” he placed his hand on your cheek, appreciating the feeling, “For your information, dying by your hand, would be my upmost pleasure” a crack of his chair was heard before he placed a gentle kiss on your temple.

“What made you do a contract with her?” he had thought that question for a while, Charlie didn’t exactly gave him an answer when he approached her, “What will you give me in exchange?” he swayed his hand in the air, the wall turning onto itself.

“The pleasure of seeing me kill him” sat in a chair was your ex-husband, almost unrecognizable in all the bruises and cuts everywhere.

You were speechless, he did that for you? Alastor turned the man that hurt you in his own punching bag, just for you. “I was angry, she wanted to help, I wanted her to die” you admitted, watching closely all the wounds on his body, “The princess will die at the end of this?!” he rose from his chair, green hue surrounding him.

With a smirk you out yourself at his level, “You sound a tad too preoccupied for someone that made her sign a blank contract” his ears pinned down his head, “I have my reasons” he added, bitterly so,  “Too bad she can’t help you with that leash” your fingers grabbed the invisible pull around his neck making him growl, “You’re despicable” he spit, his eyes turning colors, black and red dials, “And you a manipulative narcissist, hungry for power, cannibalistic fool” a growl of your own made him shiver in place instinctively.

Pulling on your hair he took your lips on a kiss, your hands flying to his neck, hugging his shoulders yearning for his touch. His tongue pushed his way into your mouth, an audible yelp got swallowed from your mouth my his.

“You two are crazy” your ex cried from his seat, calling yours and his attention. “My darling, this is one of your birthday gifts” he pointed to all the black ties around his body and the chair, “Car cables, how many watts?” his hands circled your waist, his chin resting on your shoulder, wickedly smiling when he uttered “39.9” with a purr, “That’s twice the electric chair, your idea of foreplay is splendid” you kissed his cheek earning a sigh from him.

Your eyes darted towards your ex, “The mobster’s wife drowned our daughter in the river, just so you know” while he started crying his guilt out you walked up to the switch, “Start recording, I want all of hell to hear him later” he pushed a button on his panel “Of course mon cœur”.

As soon as you flipped the switch, the radio electricity that Alastor provided overloaded your ex-husband's body and made it blow into a thousand pieces, staining your dress and some of the walls. “The dress is ruined” you shook some of the blood off, before you were pulled to Alastor’s lap, “You’re a tease” you smiled, “And a manipulative narcissist” he used your own words against you, but with a laugh.

“She can’t help?” he referred to Charlie and his deal with her, “The only one that can has a short sense of humor towards you” you booped his nose, “You’re hilarious” his eye roll made you laugh, “And you…prideful-ah!” he bit you on the neck, “But you like me either way” he knew you liked him at least a little bit, “Guilty as charged” however, he knew he wasn’t the only one.

“But you like him as well” he made your heart beat painfully in your chest, “I went from nothing to have two sources of affection, I became an addict” he pressed his cheek to yours, “I…mmh” he bit his tongue, “I don’t know what I can do, whatever I choose will hurt me, and one of you” he pulled you closer while you spoke, your knees straddling his hips.

“How about both?” he thought out loud, “I didn’t take you for a sharer” ‘If that can overrule the deal, make you stay and arrange it so we won’t lose you, then’ he thought, “I can swallow my pride that far” then his confession seemed so surreal, “Is that my second gift?” he smiled trying to mask his embarrassment.

“I hope it can suffice” he whispered, his hand petting your hair, “I don’t want to seem greedy” could you really date both? “Oh you are, darling, but I bet the king and I adore you either way” head pressed against his chest, felt right, just as much as having Lucifer curl up with you at night.

“Thank you” he hummed in response, “That won’t do” you thought it for a second, “Want me to take the lead?” maybe he wanted a reward for being so good to you, “I already gave you my answer a while ago” ‘Devour me’ you remembered his words, while adjusting yourself on his lap, you could feel his erection, “All this for little old me? How flattering” the clothed friction electrified his senses.

“You know what I found out?” Your breath ghosted along his neck, little bite marks already reddening as your hands found their way to his pants. “You love being in control, but even more so…” you bit gently on his neck, “When I control you” he let a shaky breath escape his throat, making it looked like he had been holding it for a minute now.

“Hands behind your back” you took off his belt, twisting it around his wrists, tightly but not so much, “I want to thank you for the amount of trust you give me” Zipper down, you grabbed either side with your hands and pulled them down with a swift yank.  

“I’ll tear you apart if you…-” tell anyone? No, you were going to have him all to yourself, “Tempting, but I would never” you stopped your movements when you caught a magnetic scent, “Is this a new cologne?” he hummed a yes, “You like it?” you nodded excitedly, “Yes, and though the white tie dressing is sexy, is horribly tedious to undo” the red and black suit was too gorgeous to ruin, but he had that in mind.

“Claw your way through it” he furrowed his brow, “I don’t want to ruin it” the fabric was far too exquisite, “You’ll make me beg for it?” his words made your tail slightly wag, “How far can you swallow your pride?” he laughed in response, “Chérie, please claw your way through it” It was the show of strength that took him by surprise, not that it wasn’t adding to the strain of his cock against his underwear. You ripped the pant legs off in tandem, slowing down as you brought your hand to the curved bulge now open for you to enjoy. Finally, a moment to pause.

His hands wouldn’t be stopping you now, but the way his was cutting into his lip as he bit down in anticipation made it clear you were not unwanted.

A slow drag down his clothed erection, small wet spot forming at the head. “Now this, this is all for me. No denying that, no questioning.” His hips bucked up instinctively, chasing your finger for more friction. A little giggle from you, realizing how much fun you were about to have. 

Leaning down between his legs, you let your nose slid up his length. Hot breath ghosting over his head, that wet spot growing as he twitched.

“Y/N…,” he growled, “Enough.” 

You shook your head and hooked your fingers under his waistband and peeling them off. A hiss as the air hit his precum slicked cockhead. Heavy and hot, you took him in your hands. No stroking, no squeezing. Your eyes looked into his, attempting to look as innocent and confused as you could to counter the small rage overwhelmed by arousal.

“Should I stop then?” A squeeze at his base. Another raise of his hips. 

His head drooped down, a nearly imperceivable shake of his head. “Good boy” Your hand rose up slowly, then back down. Each stroke you rose further and further until your hand was rolling over his head with every pass. Clear and sticky, his precum slowly made a lovely wet sound fill the space between you two. As his breath began to hitch, shoulders tightening and drawing in you, you stilled your hand. A whimper was your reward.

Letting a beat come, feeling that pulse slowdown in the heat in your hands, you only then began again. Taking pleasure in biting at his inner thighs when you noticed his body tensing up with the next attempt to cum, the pain breaking him just enough to let you regain the control. 

You brought him closer and closer each time, managing a third before you finally gave in and let him meet his climax and paint your knuckles and his station floor. “Sloppy” you mocked, letting your finger rub at his slit. Alastor’s knees drew up, hands tugging at his restraints. 

“It’s too sensitive. Up”

“Why are you still so hard then?” Your hand twisted over his head and shaft. His legs were hitting at your ribs, body trying to escape your hand but with nowhere to go.

“You’re pushing your luck, chérie” 

You liked pushing your luck. Watching him hiss and convulse was bringing out the sadist in you. With a second to consider it, you nodded to yourself and swiped your tongue up the bottom of his cock. Salty, bitter, hot. Focused, your tongue edged along the neck of his glans. 

As he squirmed, he realized you hadn’t been made to squirm yet… nor last time. Motivation found; his smirk finally returned in full.

The sound of the leather ripping as his arms pulled them apart reached your ears too late. You knew he could have gotten free at any time but you hadn’t expected him to actually do it. You knew despite his act; he enjoyed letting you be the one pulling his reins.

A hand in your hair pulled you off his lap, another took hold of your waist. The wind was knocked out of you as he tossed you to the floor between the chair and his table. 

Alastor had had enough. You had your fun, you teased, you took control of the dynamic. He warned you, and now he would reclaim the power. 

“Allow me to return the favor. I have a debt to you, after all.”

You hissed a warning that he ignored, ripping through your dress with ease. Unfair, you thought. You hadn’t been quite as quick when you undressed him. Had you known it was a competition you’d have made a quicker order of his pants earlier.

A clawed hand slid down your pelvic mound, two fingers spreading open your lips on the way down to your entrance. “You’re already dripping. You acted so tough earlier, but you were melting.”

“Can it.”

He hummed, both fingers bending and slipping into you with a slight resistance. Though you both enjoyed a little sadomasochism, he wasn’t trying to hurt you. So preparation was a necessity. Not that you minded, hips rutting into his palm to bring his digits deeper. Your hands came to your chest, feeling yourself while his own hands were occupied. 

You hadn’t minded not finding your own release last time, but the promise of Alastor drawing an orgasm out of you made your pussy clench around his fingers.

“Not enough?” The radio static of his normal voice grew as a direct reflections of his faltering control.

 Your hands came between your leg and pull his hand away, “I want you.” Hooking your legs around his waist you dragged his lap to your core and rubbed your slick smeared folds up and down his growing length. “Enough foreplay” you growled, wild and feral expression darkening your eyes.

Happy to oblige though not eager to show it, he took his time drawing back his hips. Already so hard he didn’t need his hands to enter you, Alastor let his claws grip the flesh of your thighs as he pressed into your heat, moving your tail to the side, tempted to grab hold of it, but he ignored it. 

A brief moment passed over his face when his smile faltered, the pleasure of getting back into you breaking his focused facade. He took a breath and that smile widened again, eyes opening to lock on your face as he started immediately into a steady rhythm. He knew what you needed to cum, something from within told him exactly how to work your body on his cock to make your vision white out. A consistent and determined thrusting, the sounds of his hips and balls smacking into your body getting louder as the sweat and arousal was shared skin to skin.

The noises of your bodies hitting together punctuating the restrained moans you were biting back made his ears twitch. Debauched, a moment you let yourself be bested. Rarely did you surrender but for his dick you lied on back for him. Or on all fours. Or… his head fell forward. Hanging there he could hide his uneven smile behind his curtain of hair. He could see himself disappearing into your body. Effortlessly you were sucking him in and gripping with every withdrawal.

The buildup of your orgasm was stalled, your hand coming to your clit to push yourself over the climax. As soon as your handed started strumming at your little bud, your walls spasmed and squeezed Alastor. 

“Y/N, Are you close?”.

You nodded, eyes clenched shut. Your stomach muscles tightened and threatened to cramp your arching back. 

When was the last time you felt good about this? Wanted? Loved even? Was this it, at last you found someone that could match your unique self?

“Me too.” Alastor groaned it out, body straightening. Onto your shoulders were touching the floor of his station now, back bent with the chase of your orgasm and Alastor lifting your ass so he could fuck up into you. 

It was a fact your knees would bruise his sides as you finally came, legs wrapping around him and pulling him as deep as you could get him. It wasn’t enough, you whined with the rare display of desperation to have more of him. 

As if he felt that draw as well, he let your body back down. His body rested on top of yours, the air slightly pushed out of your lungs. With a weak and broken moan into the side of your head, he pressed your body into the floor as he came buried as deeply as he could physically manage.

“I’ll talk to Mr. vertically challenged” he breathed out, “Are you sure?” you saw spots of colors, regaining as little strength as you could, feeling your body being pulled backwards. Soon enough you were in his lap again, curled up against his chest, “You go out tomorrow, I think I can convince him” he looked down to you, with the softest look he could provide.

“Deal” you kissed his chin, he felt how your tail tangled around his waist, it was soft and warm, “Just don’t get killed” he took your lips in a kiss, “I won’t” you gave him an unamused stare, “I’m serious” he kissed you again, as if he could erase your worries like that.

“Now, let’s get cleaned up, cuddle the king so he doesn’t suspect anything” you made a pout which he found adorable, “I thought we could sleep together” he made you and him appear in his bathroom, where his shadow already made a warm bath for you two.

“I’m going to compensate for the other day, but I feel…weird” he was overstimulated, so you understood and rather enjoyed the bath and his delicate way to spread the soap across your skin, rather than object him.

After a good night kiss, you went back to Lucifer’s room, finding him in the same position you left him in. “Luce, Luci” you slid in between the covers, calling him softly to get him to cuddle, in which as soon as he heard you, regained a bit of senses, enough to fit his head in your chest and his arms around your waist.  

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

Stay tuned ;3

part 12

[happyhauntt]

famous last words — james potter

writing masterlist | askbox

─── summary: you and james are sworn enemies. you quite like it that way.

─── pairing: james potter x quidditch player!reader.

─── warnings: fluff, banter, swearing. if you're a reader of my cedric series oh, captain! then you might find this familiar, it's a reworked version of chapter three. this was so much fun honestly i love sassy stuff like this.

─── word count: 2.1k.

     BY THE TIME THE TRAIN WHISTLES ITS ARRIVAL AT HOGSMEADE STATION, all you really want to do is go to bed. The golden glow of warmth has suffused your bones completely, lulling you into a delightfully sleepy state. You're curled up against the window when your friend Beth jostles you awake and practically carries you off the train, where you are utterly unsurprised to learn that the weather is terrible.

     The downpour does a spectacular job at waking you up. Droplets of freezing rain slip past the collar of your shirt and down your spine before you manage to pull your cardigan up over your head. A disgruntled scowl tugs at your lips as you race ahead of Beth to get a space on one of the carriages. Once you are safely situated in the dry, you look out into the rain, expecting to see Beth scarpering up the platform right behind you. Instead, she's sauntering towards the carriage, a wide smirk on her face, happy and dry beneath one of the big black umbrellas Hagrid is handing out on the platform.

     You frown, folding your arms over your chest, feeling distinctly soggy. Beth climbs into the carriage, giggling as she sits down beside you. You merely stick your tongue out at her.

     "Hey," Beth says, folding the umbrella back up before raising her hands in defence, accidentally splashing you both with rainwater, "you're the one who ran away. Don't blame me for being more observant."

     "I reject that," you reply indignantly. Beth offers up a hair tie from her wrist and you take it, still scowling, to tie your damp hair into a messy ponytail. "I am absolutely observant. Just not... all the time." Which basically means where sports isn't involved. Teachers have noted in their reports that you're easily distracted in class, with a mind that tends to wander rather than focus on the task at hand. Your mother used to call it butterfly brain. Thoughts light as air, settling down on one flower for a few moments until a prettier, more interesting flower comes into view. She didn't mean to make you feel bad about that, but it doesn't help when all your teachers are saying the same thing.

     The prettier flower is usually Quidditch. With a muggle upbringing, you hadn't been exposed to the brilliance of magic until a mysterious letter appeared on your eleventh birthday (delivered, you recall, stern-faced woman in peculiar emerald robes. If you'd known then that Professor McGonagall's first impression of you would be a wide-eyed child whose front tooth had just been knocked loose by a rogue cricket bat, well, you probably would've died of embarrassment. Now she's your Head of House. And most unfortunately, that's not the only time she's seen you missing a few teeth.) When you got to Hogwarts and saw students playing Quidditch for the first time, whizzing like arrows through the air on actual broomsticks— You'd been in love with the sport ever since.

     Almost every corner of your brain is taken up by Quidditch. A hundred different game plans and plays running on repeat. So Beth is totally wrong; you are very observant., and you are never more observant than when your eye is on the prize.

     This time, though, the prize was shelter. Skittering off through the downpour to get to the carriage without properly checking your surroundings wasn't the smartest route, but it worked. Sort of.

     Your pride hurts a little bit.

     Beth's just about done laughing at you when a knock on the carriage exterior catches your attention. A familiar face appears at the door. "Is there any room in here?" James Potter's smile is crooked, and his dark hair is damp and floppy from the rain, water dripping from the strands into his face. Bright eyes dart back forth between you and Beth, and suddenly you remember that only almost every corner of your brain is occupied by Quidditch.

     There's a stubborn little spot right in the middle, little more than a speck, really — but it's filled with nothing else but James fucking Potter.

     "There was a mass exodus from the train as soon as it arrived," he continues as his glasses start to fog up, "and the only other carriage left is full of second-years."

     Oh, you feel that one in your soul. Second-years are okay, sometimes, but usually they're excitable, too ready for the start of another year at magic school, and thus only bearable in small doses. By third year, the excitement is all about getting to choose which classes you take, and you understand this to a degree (you chose Divination, which sounded cool at the time but was an absolute fucking mistake, because you might enjoy the spooky muggle stuff but predicting the deaths of all your friends is not fucking fun, no matter how good your end-of-year grade was for it ) but the novelty quickly wears off.

     You suppose that's why James has chosen to risk his life by sitting in a confined space with you, instead. The three of you are well-seasoned veterans of Hogwarts and its bullshit by this point and, as a result, are appropriate company.

     The fact that both of you are his teammates is probably a nice bonus, too.

     You, however, offer a merciless smirk. James Potter is, without doubt, your worst enemy, and it fills you up with glee to inconvenience him at any opportunity. "You snooze, you lose, Potter. Off to the second-years you go!" You even make a shooing motion, just for good measure.

     Beth smacks your arm and rolls her eyes, offering James a pleasant smile. "There's loads of room, ignore them," she says, and while you're busy dramatically rubbing your arm and muttering expletives, James takes a seat on the bench opposite you. Rain hammers against the roof, somehow louder than it was a moment ago, and a self-satisfied grin creeps onto his face as the carriage begins its journey to the castle.

     "Where are the rest of the merry morons, then?" You ask, quirking a brow at him. You're pretty sure you can count on one hand the number of times you've seen James without at least one of his comrades in mischief. Frankly, it's rarer than spotting a unicorn in the wild. You wonder if you should take a picture to commemorate the occasion.

     He looks sheepish as he pulls his glasses off to wipe away the condensation. "Lost a bet."

     He doesn't elaborate, and you don't care enough to ask him to. You've been at school with them long enough to know that, honestly, it's probably best not to know.

     Beth reaches out and plucks a stray leaf from your hair. She waves it in your face, tickling your nose gently before letting it flutter to the ground. You slip your hand into hers, linking your fingers together. Beth is soft and sweet when she wants to be, and you're certain there's not a soul in the world who knows you this well. She has wormed her way into your heart, and you'd have to carve it out of your chest to be rid of her now.

     "Does anyone know who our captain is yet?" You ask aloud, after a few seconds of silence have passed. You're tired enough to curl up on the floor of the carriage and fall asleep right then and there, lulled by its gentle rocking and pitter-patter of the rain, but you should probably be conversational. There's very little worse than awkward silence, especially with James sitting there, staring at you with that dopey half-smirk on his face.

     You want to smack him. You want him to think you're extraordinary. You're not quite sure how to cope with such emotional extremes, but there they are, coexisting at the front of your mind. They war with each other, an itch you can't scratch because if you, you'll keep going until there's blood.

     His, preferably.

     It's not even that you hate James. Not really. You used to, only a year or so ago, because he made it so easy. With his smug little smile and the skip in his step, with his quips and jokes and way his hair curls over his brow, you'd fucking despised him. He'd set himself up as your rival back in second year, when you made the Gryffindor team at the same time. With the blurred stretch of years between then and now, you can't remember quite how it began, or what he did precisely that sparked this eternal grudge, but what followed is years of goading one another, pushing and pushing and pushing to outdo one another.

     The rivalry has made you so much better than you ever could have dreamed. Quidditch is your life and honestly, without James Potter, you're not sure where you'd be with it. Still good, perhaps. But maybe not very nearly the best.

     (You'll die before you tell him that, though. Or he will. You're not that picky and he does seem to have a death wish.)

     The carriage jolts as one of the wheels dips into a pothole. The thought of skipping the feast entirely sneaking past Professor McGonagall to go straight to your dorm is a tempting prospect. You know Beth won't let you do it, because if she has to sit through Dumbledore's speech then she'll drag you down with her, but it might be worth a shot.

     The silence persists for a few more seconds, growing steadily more awkward. When no one responds to your question, you press on. "We should've heard by now, right? Team captains get picked in the summer, and we need a new one because Hilary graduated last year." Do you sound a little bit agitated by your teammates' lack of urgency? Yes. Just a touch. But the look on Beth's face is fucking suspicious, and James... Well. He looks like he'd rather die.

     You narrow your eyes. "What are you not telling me? Spit it out, the pair of you."

     James coughs once, raising a hand to cover his mouth as he does so. For once the typical arrogance is gone, washed away with the rain. He looks dreadfully uncomfortable, turning bright red as he bashfully says, "Well. Uh. I am, I suppose. The new captain, that is." He has the good sense to look frightened.

     You hope, suddenly, that his cough means he caught pneumonia or something. Nothing fatal, obviously, but just enough to put him out of commission for a little while. You don't really mean it (you're not quite as horrible as some people would like to think) because James is one of the best on the team. Sometimes, you'll begrudgingly admit that he's even the best on the team   ━   but only if you get to be second best, obviously.

     Which is why you're a little shocked, of course, but not surprised. Not surprised at all, because he is good. Even as you sit there, pondering the many ways you could kill him and make it look like an accident, you know he's good. Too fucking good.

     Which is why you say, "Tell me you're kidding."

     James furrows his brows. "I'm not kidding?"

     You can feel Beth's shoulders shaking beside you, trying desperately to smother her amused cackles. James' expression softens a little as he realises this is a joke, sort of, and he begins to grin.

     "No, really," you say, this time the hint of a smile forming on your own lips, "tell me you're kidding. I'm begrudgingly proud and all that, because it had to be one of us," you wave your free hand at him, you'll have the captaincy one day, "but also, like, tell me it's a joke."

     "Why?"

     "Because I'm genuinely considering pushing you out of this carriage."

     James shrugs his shoulders, as if to say 'yeah, that's fair.' He gets it, he really does. You love that someone gets it. "It's not a joke, I'm afraid. Better luck next time, though!" He says it in a jolly tone of voice, and oh, you hate him.

     That's the thing with the two of you. You're sworn enemies, right, but you make each other better. He tries harder because you light a fire under his arse and bloody hell, you're itching for a chance to burn him, and vice versa.

      So you smirk, now. Square your shoulders. You've baited him into a competition, and you are absolutely ready to deliver. "Famous last words, Potter. Famous last words."

[futurecorps3]

imagine no war!!! remus after hogwarts decides to go to university, meets a muggle and falls head over heels but doesn't think he's good enough for her (w his condition on top of being a wizard and poor) but he brings her to meet the marauders anyway because they keep asking to meet the person he won't shut up about, maybe harry's birthday or just a pub outing or whatever??? he's nervous she'll fancy sirius but it's quite clear to everyone the second they meet that she clearly only has heart eyes for remus and the gang are like are you insane she's CLEARLY smitten with you and it literally takes everyone he knows to point it out for him to think he might even have a chance but is still floored when she's like "remus, i adore you, i've adored you from the moment we met" bc goddammit he deserves to be loved like that!!!

𝐈𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞

Masterlist<3

Summary: The request sums it up, read it hoe Pairing: Remus Lupin x reader Warnings: Alcohol consumption and that's all I can think abt hehe Word Count: 4.5K (i'm sorry) Requested: Yes

A/N: I'm absolutely sobbing. This is so cute!!! I'm using the Reggie was a spy for the order wild card and roll with that. Tysm for this awesome idea, nonnie! And sorry it took so long.

Remus knew magic existed, the type of magic that opens doors, gives you luck or disarms someone. But until he met her, he didn't know there was a type of magic that could be contained in someone's eyes, someone's smile, or even in that little quirk she had of squinting every time she focused.

Y/N Y/L/N. Even her name felt like the sweetest honey when it rolled off your tongue and into the air, he figured. She was a new kind of magic and Remus was hooked from the get go. They had met on a rather peculiar set of circumstances. When Moony first got to college, he had no friends or anyone nearby to help him cope with the abrupt transition. The boys visited as much as they could, but it'd be for about an hour or two before they had to go back to the ministry.

So, as he did when he arrived at Hogwarts, Remus found solace in reading and taking his wolfsbane at appropriate times. He was doing a classics mayor and reading the Plato classics was a convenient way to kill time while doing something productive. The boy spent hours in the library, sitting on the couches or getting some annotations done on the desks; he'd be done with the school's classics collection before the semester was over if he kept that pace.

He would have if he hadn't found those notes. Remus first noticed them in a worn copy of a compilation from a specific period of Plato's scripts, the third page in Philebus. "Socrates is being very reductive. I don't like it. Out of character, I do declare" written in red ink, cursive letters delicate in the ripped white paper.

He giggled at that, his thoughts exactly. Moony picked the piece of paper and examined it to see if it had any indications of who might've written it, but he found nothing. He only knew that the person who wrote it had a ruined red pen; the stains of ink sitting messily on the opposite side of the annotation. Remus was a sucker for mystery stories and he viewed this as an opportunity of having one of his own!

A short-lived one, since he cracked the case when a pretty girl on his history of philosophy class asked around for a red pen. Remus frantically but quietly rummaged through his satchel and found one just in time.

He rushed to her, offering it out “Here” he smiled, looking down at her as she looked up at him. “Thanks… Remus isn’t it? I don’t think I’ve had the pleasure. Y/N Y/L/N”. Y/N introduced herself, offering her hand out. Stained in red. The boy stared shocked at the realization this was the person he’d been looking for.

“Oh shit m’sorry, it looks like I committed a murder or something. My pen started leaking yesterday while I was studying in the library” She laughed and Remus swore he’d faint if he hadn’t gripped her hand. “Actually…” Remus started, searching in his pocket for the piece of paper he kept, when he finally found it, he showed it to her and a smile broke on those pretty lips.

“…I hope you don’t mind! I-I kept it. Been looking for you, it made me laugh” He admitted, handing it to her “You found me then! And, you’re very much welcome to keep it, Remus” Y/N grinned and Remus mirrored her expression sweetly. They met for coffee the next day. The day after that, they studied together. And the week after, they shared lunch.

About two months after they talked for the first time, they had gone on a date every single week. From museum outings to walks around campus if one of them didn't have much time. They also sat together in philosophy and, turns out, literature (which they realized they shared after).

Y/N gifted him a cool rock once, and he kissed her.

He kept the rock in his pocket ever since.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

"Come on, mate, you gotta tell us who she is!" James exclaimed, his excitement palpable as he repeatedly patted the worn wooden bar in the cozy pub they had agreed to meet at. Remus chuckled and shook his head, a fond smile dancing on his lips as he took another sip of his whiskey.

"You've been talking non-stop about her since you two met! The last three times we've seen each other, it's been Y/N this, Y/N that. We've gotta meet the missus," Sirius playfully teased, giving Remus a light shove with his shoulder.

Rolling his eyes playfully, Remus glanced at his friends, grateful for their persistent curiosity but also hesitant to share too much. "Oh, Pads, don't call her that! We're not even official yet, and I doubt we'll ever be. She'll find someone, alright, but I'm just good old Remus," he replied, a hint of wistfulness shadowing his gaze.

It was true; good old Remus had learned how to stop caring about what other people thought of him, but that didn't mean he was entirely confident about who he was.

Navigating the Muggle world presented its own set of challenges for Remus. He knew that at some point, he would have to confront the whole "Hey, I'm a wizard, and there's this whole other world you don't know about, hope you don't mind!" situation with Y/N.

Then there were the lingering money issues that weighed on his mind. College was not cheap, but he had managed to secure a decent scholarship, which alleviated some of the burden. He hoped Y/N wouldn't care about his financial situation. And, of course, there was the delicate matter of revealing his true nature as a literal werewolf. How would she react when she found out?

Yeah.

He was good old Remus: poor Remus, monster Remus, scarred Remus, wizard Remus. If he were honest with himself, he was surprised they had made it past the first day, considering he had stupidly worn a short-sleeved t-shirt without anything to conceal the telltale signs of his condition.

But she noticed the perceptive and kind-hearted soul that she was, and she chose not to mention it. In that moment, Remus couldn't help but imagine the possibilities, but he also knew that reality had a way of reminding him of his limitations. Moony knew he would never be able to claim her as his own. Not in this lifetime, not in the next.

For now, he chose to cherish the moments they shared, basking in her laughter and marveling at the way her hair defied gravity with its radiant beauty. She was his bit of magic in a world that often seemed devoid of it. Deep down, however, he couldn't shake the nagging certainty that good things didn't last for boys like him—boys with tragedy coursing through their veins.

"Yeah, no. We're not doing this shit again," Sirius declared, shaking his head in disagreement. Remus's best friends had grown accustomed to his self-deprecating tendencies and were determined to lift his spirits. Remus might have been a mysterious figure to some, but to the Marauders, he was an open book, their brother.

"That's why she likes you, mate. You're good old amazing, lovely, smart, hot Remus!" James proclaimed with a boisterous cheer, pulling Remus into a tight embrace. "Tell you what, bring her to Harry's birthday party this weekend! I'm sure Lily won't mind," he suggested, his mischievous grin widening. Sirius enthusiastically chimed in, nodding in agreement. "Just ask her first and let me know, okay? I don't want Harry to have a bad time becaus-"

"Oh, Moons, the party is more for us than for him! He'll be out like a light by eight, and we'll get wasted like we always do," Prongs interjected, his infectious laughter filling the air, causing Remus to join in, his worries momentarily forgotten in the camaraderie of his friends.

There was no way out of this one, not that he sought an escape. Remus couldn't blame his best friends for their eagerness to meet Y/N. They knew him better than anyone, and they could see the spark of happiness she had ignited within him. Moony did little to hide his excitement, his heart fluttering with the hope that maybe, just maybe, things would work out.

Now, he just needed Lily's approval so he could gather the courage to ask the girl who had captivated his heart to accompany him to the birthday celebration—a step that held the promise of a new chapter in his life, one filled with both joy and uncertainty

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

Remus nervously fiddled with the corner of his book, stealing glances at Y/N across the library. The soft rays of afternoon sunlight filtered through the stained glass windows, casting a warm, golden glow on the rows of ancient tomes and the elegant wooden shelves that lined the room. But in that moment, all Remus could see was Y/N, a radiant presence amidst the tranquil surroundings.

Summoning his courage, Remus took a deep breath and approached her table. The scent of old parchment mingled with the delicate fragrance of her perfume, creating an intoxicating blend that filled his senses. As he neared, he couldn't help but notice the way her eyes sparkled with intelligence and curiosity as she immersed herself in the world of words. Her hair cascaded down in gentle waves, its hue reminiscent of auburn leaves in autumn, and he found himself captivated by the way it framed her face, enhancing her natural beauty.

"Hey, love," Remus greeted her with a warm smile, trying his best to appear at ease. "Mind if I join you for a moment?"

Y/N looked up, a surprised yet welcoming expression crossing her features. Her eyes met Remus's, and a playful glimmer danced within their depths. She gestured to the seat across from her, her voice laced with gentle humor. "Well, if you insist. But only if you promise not to distract me from my riveting studies."

Remus chuckled, grateful for her light-hearted response. He took the offered seat, feeling a weight lift off his shoulders. "I'll do my best to behave, I promise," he replied, a twinkle in his own eyes. "But I do have something on my mind that I wanted to ask you."

Y/N raised an eyebrow. Her curiosity piqued. "Oh, really? Well, go on then. I'm all ears."

"There's a little someone's birthday coming up this weekend," Remus began, his voice filled with playful anticipation. "Harry, James' adorable son, is turning two years old. And, well, I was wondering if you'd like to come with me to the party."

Y/N's face lit up with a mixture of surprise and delight, her smile contagious. "Are you asking me to crash a toddler's birthday party? That sounds like a dangerous proposition," she teased, her tone lighthearted.

Remus laughed, his nerves easing with every moment of their easy banter. "Well, I can promise you that the party will be more entertaining than dangerous," he quipped, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "There'll be cake, balloons, and probably a fair amount of chaos. It's a chance to embrace your inner child if you want to look at it that way."

Y/N pretended to consider it, her finger tapping against her chin. "Hmm, cake, balloons, and chaos? You make a compelling case," she replied, a playful smile tugging at her lips. "How can I resist? Count me in, darling. I'd love to celebrate with you and your mates."

Remus couldn't contain his happiness, his relief flooding through him like a warm wave. "Brilliant!" he exclaimed, a genuine excitement coloring his voice. "I can't wait for you to meet everyone, t-they insisted I brought the girl I don't shut up about to the party"

Y/N smiled at that, holding Remus's hand over the table. "So you've talked to your friends about me?" "Oh shut it" He smiled, pressing a soft kiss to her lips. Right before those grey clouds of self deprecation repeating "this won't last" and "enjoy it before she realizes what you truly are" clouded his mind.

He shoved the thoughts away, holding to Y/N's smile against his lips as if it was an anchor saving him from drowning.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

Bad idea. Bad idea. Bad idea.

He really did try to plan it all neatly. From what he'd wear to how he'd introduced her to his friends. Remus even asked them to keep the magic discreet since it was all too soon for that conversation, but for fuck's sake; it all got thrown out the window when he saw her in low waisted flared pants and his Bowie shirt. "H-hey!" He smiled, almost yelling, but she just laughed at his enthusiasm.

"Hi Rem," she sighed, leaving a kiss on the corner of his lips which she left lingering a bit too long. "Ready?" "As I'll ever be!". As Y/N and Remus walked hand in hand, the excitement in the air was palpable. However, beneath her playful demeanor, Y/N couldn't shake the nerves that fluttered in her stomach. Meeting Remus's best friends felt like stepping into a new world, and the fear of not fitting in or being accepted gnawed at her.

She stole a quick glance at Remus, hoping he wouldn't notice the physical manifestations of her anxiety. The last thing she wanted was to burden him with her own inner turmoil. But even as she tried to compose herself, her voice wavered slightly as she spoke.

"Remus, I can't deny that I'm feeling a bit... off," she admitted, her words stumbling over her nervousness. "My heart feels like it's racing a marathon, and there's this knot in my stomach that just won't loosen. I hope it's not too obvious." Remus turned his head towards her, a reassuring smile playing on his lips. His eyes sparkled with warmth and understanding.

"Hey, I get it," he said, his tone comforting. "Meeting new people can be nerve-wracking, and our bodies have interesting ways of letting us know. But you know what? You're doing great, sweetheart, and I'm here with you. We'll take it one step at a time, and I promise we'll have a good time together. So, let's embrace the adventure, nerves and all, and see what the night has in store for us, okay?"

Y/N nodded thankfully, the knot loosening up a little. “Thanks baby”. The world stopped in Remus’ perspective at the pet name but he just nodded and kissed her cheek. He helped. He was a warm blanket after a long day even when moments like those weren’t happening. Comfort.

They eventually got to James’ place; the loud music coming from the two floor house making Y/N feel even more at ease. It radiated a warm, welcoming energy even before stepping in. Maybe it wouldn’t be that bad.

“Deep breath”. They both took a breath before approaching the door and knocking, the wine Remus’ plus one brought close to breaking with the force she was holding it with. A bright smile opened the door, hugging Remus immediately. “You have no idea how happy I am you’re here Moony”.

Y/N smiled sweetly at the nickname the boy had for his best mate. She didn’t know where it came from but James seemed to be the sun reflecting on the moon. On Moony. The girl knew Remus’ light was enough to outshine the sun itself, but the comparison seemed cute.

“You must be Y/N! He can’t shut up about you. Can I hug you? It’s okay if not, Sirius says I need to ask before hugging people but I just love it so much I cannot help myself” He rambled, making her giggle as she uttered a small ‘It’s okay’ and hugged the boy. She noticed Remus staring and just winked at him. “Is that cake I smell?” Y/N grinned, peeking inside before James stepped aside to let them both in.

“Yes, come inside! My wife, Lily, has just finished baking her chocolate cake recipe. It’s bloody brilliant! Harry’s favorite in his short lived culinary experience. You gotta meet him too!” Moony stayed behind, cherishing the way James’ warm welcome made Y/N feel a little more comfortable; her shoulders relaxed as well as her grip on the wine bottle.

He stepped in, hanging his coat on the rack he helped Lily choose when his best friends bought the house. Rapid steps came running down the stairs, and before he turned around, the smell of cigarettes and leather filled his nostrils. “Hello Pads” he smirked, hugging his friend tightly.

“Hey Moons! Did the missus come?” “Yes, she’s outside with James and Lily-“. He was cut short when his best friend, (his eyeliner wearing, muscled, rocker, tattooed, charming best friend) ran all the way into the garden to greet the girl. He was head over heels over.

A new feeling settled into his chest. An unpleasant one. Sirius was a dream. Remus was just good old Remus. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck! He sighed heavily, ran a hand through his hair, and then covered his mouth. Y/N was not one to be too forward, but the way Sirius looked and acted could easily make her reconsider.

It got worse when he heard her loud laugh coming from the garden, followed by a chuckle that unmistakably came from Sirius. His best friend would never do it on purpose, but then again, his charm was never used on purpose. It just sort of happened. Remus sighed and walked outside to find the girl saying hi to Harry.

The toddler had his tiny hand wrapped around the girl's fingers, babbling incoherencies, as Y/N had a full conversation with him. "Are you sure?" she asked and Harry answered nonsense as the girl nodded back. She looked up at Remus coming through the sliding door. "Remus, he's the cutest thing I've ever seen!".

He laughed and walked over to her. The girl immediately wrapped her hands around his arm and hugged him tightly. James winked at Moony and went inside as the conversation ensued, Sirius teasing Remus about the girl he "brought home".

Soon, Y/N was well adapted to their friend's sense of humour and was joking around with Lily about how dumb they could all be. Despite Y/N's worries, it all went by smoothly. The one he got along with the most was James; he loved asking questions, and she loved answering them.

Remus had always loved her laugh; Seeing his best friends being the cause of it made it even better. "I'm telling you, he's insane!" Sirius laughed, bouncing his leg up and down as Harry sat on his lap giggling. "He's an absolute sweetheart" Y/N answered, kissing Remus' cheek as his best friends tried putting dirt (rightfully deserved dirt) on his name.

"Wait until you know him just a tiny bit better. You'll get to see his menacing self... got us in a shit ton of trouble back in school" James chuckled, making Remus roll his eyes and trying to divert her attention by asking if she wanted a bit more cake.

During their evening, Y/N kept a tight grasp on Remus’ hand while smiling at his friend’s jokes. When it was his turn to laugh, Sirius noticed how the girl looked intently over at Remus with a grin on her face. His eyes looked gorgeous in the sun with those little wrinkles when he giggled, she thought.

In that moment, she realized she wanted Remus to say her name as you’re supposed to say it; sleepily, with a mouth full of food, between laughters and in tears. Y/N saw the specks of brown in the amber colored lake that his eyes were and fell completely. Sirius saw it, James saw it, Lily saw it.

Even more when he turned to look down at her and wipe a bit of chocolate off her cheek, and she kept that look of utter adoration for him. “He’s gone” Lily mumbled to her husband. “She’s too” he agreed. Sirius smirked, getting up to get Harry to bed as he fell asleep on his uncle’s arms as the sun set.

James and Sirius were at the center of attention, regaling the group with a hilarious story from their time at school. Their voices were animated, and they gesticulated with enthusiasm, drawing everyone into their tale. Remus stood nearby, a mix of amusement and mild embarrassment evident on his face.

"And then, there was this one time at Hogwarts," James began, a mischievous glint in his eyes, "when we decided to prank the entire Slytherin common room! We turned all their robes into neon pink ones!"

Sirius chimed in, laughter bubbling in his voice. "Oh, it was epic! They all looked like walking flamingos! The look on their faces was priceless!"

Y/N was thoroughly entertained by the story, but she couldn't help but notice Remus's subtle blush. She leaned closer to him and whispered teasingly, "Remus, were you part of this grand pink robe conspiracy too?"

Remus grinned, shaking his head. "I plead the fifth," he replied, trying to hide his amusement. "Let's just say those were wild times, and I may or may not have been an innocent bystander."

Y/N laughed, enjoying the playful banter. She was captivated by the camaraderie and genuine friendship between the group. As the evening continued, she found herself drawn into more anecdotes and laughter, feeling a sense of warmth and acceptance in their company.

Remus's friends made her feel welcome and included, and she couldn't help but feel grateful for being a part of this close-knit circle, even if she didn't know the full extent of their world. The nerves that had accompanied her earlier had transformed into excitement and a genuine desire to create new memories with Remus and his friends.

The feeling was reciprocated. Remus felt, and not on mere theory; the moment Y/N excused herself to go to the bathroom, his best friends started gushing to him about the girl. "Moony, she's in love" Sirius said between incredulous and joyous laugh "Oh Pad-" "Mate, I'm telling you... she looks at you like you hung the bloody stars!" now said James, Lily nodding pridefully "She looks at you just how James looked at me back in the day".

And Merlin did he want to believe them! He truly, really did. But instead, there was this empty feeling on his chest. There was no way Y/N Y/L/N looked at him in the way James looked at Lily; Almost scared of the joy she brought to him, like that pain in his heart would end up killing him and he'd quite literally die a happy man. So, when Remus dropped her off at her flat and turned his head before she'd kiss him on the mouth, the void went deeper.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

Y/N couldn't sleep that night. Her mind was restless, thoughts of Remus swirling in her head like a tempest. She tossed and turned, replaying the events of the evening over and over again, each memory etching itself into her heart. There was no denying it anymore; she was utterly and completely in love with him.

The realization hit her like a wave crashing onto the shore, powerful and unstoppable; she was head over heels for Remus Lupin.

The next day, Y/N couldn't concentrate on anything. Her mind kept drifting back to Remus, like she'd could easily find herself absentmindedly doodling hearts and his name on the margins of her notebook. She needed to tell him; she couldn't keep this to herself any longer.

In the late afternoon, she gathered her courage and dialed his number, her heart pounding in her chest as she waited for him to pick up. When he finally answered, his warm voice on the other end sent shivers down her spine.

"Hey, Remus," she began, trying to sound casual despite the turmoil inside her. "I was wondering if we could meet up later? There's something I want to talk to you about." Remus's response was filled with concern. "Of course, love. Is everything alright?" "Yes, everything's fine," she reassured him. "I just... I have something to tell you, something important."

He agreed to meet at their favorite cafe later that evening, and Y/N's heart fluttered with nervous excitement. The minutes leading up to their meeting felt like an eternity, but finally, the time came. When they sat down together, Y/N took a deep breath, trying to steady her racing heart. Remus looked at her with those caring, gentle eyes, and she felt a rush of emotions wash over her.

"Remus," she began, her voice trembling slightly. "I don't even know where to start. Y-you've brought so much magic into my life. From the moment we met, I felt something special, something I couldn't quite put into words."

He listened intently, his gaze never leaving hers.

"I've never felt this way before," she continued, her cheeks flushing with emotion. "You're like a beautiful enigma, a captivating mystery that I can't get enough of. You make me laugh, you make me feel safe and cherished, and every moment with you is a treasure. You've shown me a kind of magic that I never knew existed, a magic that exists in the little things, the stolen glances, the shared laughter, and the way you hold my hand. It's like you've cast a spell on me, and I never want it to end."

Remus's eyes softened, and a tender smile graced his lips. "Y/N, you're the most incredible person I've ever met," he replied, his voice filled with emotion. "From the moment I saw your ink-stained hands, I knew you were something special. You've brought light into my life, and I can't believe that someone as amazing as you could feel this way about me."

He reached across the table and took her hand in his, their fingers interlocking like two puzzle pieces, finding their perfect fit.

"I'm not good with grand gestures or flowery words," he said, his voice a whisper. "But I can tell you this: I care about you deeply, more than I ever thought possible. You make me happy like I never imagined I'd could feel. I've fallen in love with you, Y/N, and I can't believe my luck."

Y/N's heart soared, tiny tears of joy welling up in her eyes. "Oh, Remus," she murmured, her voice choked with emotion. "I'm so in love with you too. You've shown me a kind of love I never knew existed, a love that feels like coming home. I cherish every moment with you, and I want to share my time with you, if you'll have me."

Without hesitation, Remus leaned across the table, closing the distance between them, and pressed a soft, tender kiss to her lips. It was a kiss filled with love and promise, sealing their feelings and intentions.

"I'd be honored to have you in my life, Y/N," he whispered against her lips. "You're my bit of magic in a world that can be harsh and uncertain, and I never want to let you go."

And so, in that cozy cafe, two souls found solace in each other's love. The world around them faded into the background as they basked in the enchantment of their newfound love, knowing that this kind of magic was unlike any other they had ever known. They had found something truly extraordinary in each other, a love that would stand the test of time and shine brighter than any star in the night sky.

˚ · • . ° .

It’s currently 12am and my brain isn’t working so i’ll just post this and place the word count in the morning.

Remember, the best way to support writer’s works on here is by REBLOGGING WITH TAGS. I’d very much appreciate it if you did!

Thanks again, stranger. Hope you have a nice day<3

NO ONE IS ALLOWED TO REPOST AS THEIR OWN/TRANSLATE/OR COPY MY WORK IN ANY PLATFORM OR SPACE WITHOUT MY EXPLICIT CONSENT.

[nincompoopydoo]

CAUGHT IN A CROSSFIRE

BETRAYAL — ; PART 8 / 9

PAIRING: Theseus Scamander x Female!Reader WORD COUNT: 2.7k SUMMARY: Awakening in an unfamiliar setting with restored memories, you encounter someone familiar. However, a lingering sense of betrayal clouds the reunion. Meanwhile, Theseus uncovers a concealed message in your letters, hinting at the potential discovery of your location. A/N: Hi everyone! I know I said I was going to put this on permanent hiatus until I was ready to pick it up again, but your girl finished her degree (kinda did badly, but glad it's over!), and now I have ample time to put all my energy of my one brain cell into finishing this series before I fall into depression again lol. Anyways, I really hope you enjoy this and thank you for all the love for this series and my baby, Theseus <3 I'm also sorry for ending it with another cliffhanger haha WARNINGS: Angst. Kinda scary shit (I literally scared myself while writing this lol) no beta we die like men. MASTERLIST ; MASTERPOST

Your environment is an enigma through the lenses of tunnel vision—hues of darkness circle in textures, contrasts of colour that dance along with your darting eyes. Your slow mind tries to keep up with your sight, unravelling the mysteries of your surroundings.

You first notice wood. Brown, battered, dim–a wooden beam trailing along the expanse of plastered white walls, grimed with dirt and age. Through blinkered sight, you catch a glimpse of light, dim orange hues casting fluttering shadows on the wall. You see it now, a flame dancing upon melting wax perched on a rustic candlestick. 

Flame. Fire. Heat.

You remember it all now.

Inferno swept through the foundations of your tiny household, leaving you and the fragility of your lungs gasping for air as you stumbled around for an exit. Yet, things were dense, billowing colours of deep grey and red, blinding your vision. You still feel the parchedness scratching down your throat. 

You remember how your hands clambered to grasp something before falling to your knees. You remember how your environment began to twist and spurn before your very eyes, vivid colours of the blaze swirling.

Then, everything went black.

…

…You…

You remember emerald cobblestones—a mesmerising golden statue.

You remember the warmth of the colour red – the trees in fall, the crackling of a fireplace, a desk with scattered papers across its surface. 

You remember.

Theseus.

Dim blue eyes. Sad. Freckled cheeks. Flushed. Brown hair curled and tumbled in autumnal hues. Trees. Barcham trees that line the sidewalk are carpeted in autumn gold. The tenement. His home. Warm, petite, charming. Gardenias. Tea. Your suitcase. Magic.

Little glimpses of returning memories flood your whirling mind like gushing water. It’s overwhelming. For weeks, you sat with a sense of longing, a missing piece, settled within the depths of your mind. And now, it all traces back to the odd familiarity of the man you met on the bus. Perhaps you recognised the glint in his eye when his eyes met yours or the patterned freckles along his cheeks, tinted in blotches of red from embarrassment.

You remember.

Your elbows immediately shift under you, perched as you rose midway, wondering yet blurry eyes moving along your surroundings. You’re in a room, and it’s not your own. Small, humble, solid walls encircle your surroundings. You have seen places like these during the war. You push yourself up, weight now on your splayed-out palms on what you realise to be a settee. It creaks at your very touch, and every little shift echoes throughout the room.

Its walls are far from pristine, with petite flowers scattered across the yellowed wallpaper with tears at its curling edges, perfectly still yet timeworn.

Your eyes trace the trails of sunlight that glow through the room, diluted by a translucent curtain that hangs before a window, shadows of a tree swaying in the gentle wind.

There’s a bed on the far left of the room, narrow and meticulously made with a quilt reminiscent of autumn hues. You can barely distinguish its patchwork from where you are, and it itches a part of your brain – a sense of familiarity.

Before you can make sense of that feeling, you are overcome with searing pain. Tearing through your head and coursing through the very confinements of your skull as if something was begging to break free from the back of your mind.

Eyes squeezed shut, you cannot help but bring your palms to the sides of your head, the heels of your hands harshly pinned to your temples, yet all you see are flashing lights dancing around in the darkness. 

Then, a flash. White. Blinding.

At that moment, you found yourself transported to an apartment. Yellow-bricked, warm honey-coloured hues of Autumn. Golden, falling leaves. Bright eyes, cheeks tinged with a touch of red. Theseus looks at you like you’re the sun. Like you hold a weight of significance, a tapestry to his existence.

“I know I’ve said this a thousand time before, but I’m sorry. Truly. You don’t deserve to be involved in this.”

You feel yourself smile; tears threaten to slip from your saddened eyes. 

“I would usually say it’s alright, but I don’t think I can say it for everything that has happened. But, thank you.” 

A hand reaches for his, gentle and soft to the touch. You feel his fingers twitch under your hold.

“Truly.”

Theseus looks at you like you’re the sun.

Theseus looks at you…

Theseus…

Suddenly, you find yourself in a narrow bus. You see him blinking wide-eyed at you, his expression paled. You had said – no, asked something. 

“No. I don’t think we do.”

You see it, the pain in his eyes, the sadness in his tone. It clenches your heart, but you don’t know why.

That was the first time he had lied to you.

…

You hear your name.

Distant but frantic. It repeats again and again and again.

A grip on the curve of your shoulders, and you find yourself back in the narrow, unknown room you awoke in moments ago.

But then you see his eyes, his tousled hair. It’s him who calls you.

“Theseus?” you breathed, disbelief flickering in your wide eyes. Without a second thought, your hands reach out to grasp his shoulders, fingers digging into the fabric of his dress shirt as if to ground yourself in the reality of his presence. A counterpoint to the disarray within your mind.  

But as Theseus meets your gaze, a furrow forms on his brow, and a shadow eclipses the warmth in his eyes. The frown, subtle yet profound, settles an uneasiness in you. Your grip weakens.

“We need to go. Now.” His tone is cut-throat, laden with urgency, and you cannot help but jolt at his words. You find your fingers slowly releasing their hold as the weight of his statement settles in the room.

He pulls away and reaches for your elbow, swift and deliberately, that reflects the gravity of the situation. His touch is so firm that it prompts you to stand. Questions hang heavy in the air, but you know you’re in some kind of trouble. Yet, you catch your eyes lingering on the dark look in his own, and you can't help but think he's changed since you last saw him. Since you last remembered him.

Something feels…wrong, but you don’t give yourself a chance to even think about it before you’re being led out the door. 

The narrow corridor stretches ahead, dimly lit, bricked walls with a single lamp casting a glow across the space, revealing its worn walls and your flickering shadows. The air is cool, carrying a faint scent of dampness that permeates the space. All you hear is footsteps reverberating along the narrow passage, echoing against the walls. You realise you are underground and feel your stomach lurch at that thought, making your skin crawl.

“Come on.” Theseus pulls you along, the grip on your elbow never weakening. You can feel the tension emanating from him, the stiffness in his movements, the rigidity of his jaw.

You find yourself staring at the back of Theseus' head, studying how the dim light catches on his hair. He seems so different.

“Where are we going?” You finally ask.

He doesn’t respond.

Theseus continues to pull you down the corridor, and you take the time to scan your surroundings despite the quickened pace. You see the occasional rusty pipes that snake along the ceiling, contributing to a low mechanical hum and the flickering of overhead lights that seem to swing periodically at a light rumble that makes the ground shake for a second or two.

Then, he eventually comes to an abrupt halt, revealing a dead end. Your feet stagger back, trying to stop yourself from bumping into him. You see Theseus' brows furrowed in thought, eyes darting between the walls, searching. His fingers trace the rugged surface and abruptly pause as you catch sight of a carving on a specific brick, nearly invisible.

Theseus taps it, and a warm glow emanates from the wall. The carving becomes illuminated, and the wall seems to dissolve into seemingly ethereal dust. It shines golden under the dim buzzing lights. What once was a wall reveals an entrance to an alleyway; it greets you with a rush of cool air and the sounds of the city.

You step through the entrance after Theseus as he beckons for you to follow hurriedly. Yet, your focus is elsewhere as you close in on the intricate symbol carved into the brick. As you inch nearer, the features sharpen, and a sudden recognition sparks within you.

It's a Gardenia, delicately depicted.

Gardenias always had a particular significance in your life, and it’s all because of your mother. That same Gardenia on your mother’s necklace is an heirloom that spanned many generations. It was important and personal to her, and you don’t know how or why it is doing here.

Flowers for your mother – a bouquet of Gardenias.

The bigger picture materialises as if the puzzle pieces are beginning to click.

Your place in the unfolding mess remains unclear, but it hints that you've anticipated the arrival of this revelation for a long time.

Theseus is calling for you, a slight note of panic in his voice, but you ignore his calls, remaining rooted in place. As you watch the glow that details the symbol disappear, you wonder if Theseus knows everything, even though you swore you never told a soul.

Unless…

You still don’t know how you got your memories back.

As you finally turn to Theseus, there’s a gripping sense of uncertainty. His approach, marked by a frustrated expression, erodes the strong familiarity you once held for this man, a trust built in such a short time. With each step towards you, that trust begins to dissipate.

That vulnerability quickly turns to anger – betrayal.

“What the hell is happening, Theseus?” you question fiercely, pressing him for an explanation. 

Again, Theseus dismisses your insistence and attempts to reach for your arm, but you instinctively step back, maintaining a wary distance. 

“Answer me.” you insist, voice growing louder, eyes boring into his.

His gaze lingers on your face, and you watch his expression harden, jaw tense.

“Look, you’re in deep trouble right now and it’s best we leave right now he’ll come looking for you.”

He.

Not they. Not she.

Not The Restoration Movement. Not Morrigan.

Something is very wrong.

And his eyes. You can’t quite place it, but something about the look in his eyes has shifted. They look so different.

In moments like these, you aren’t sure what to do, but you know to trust your gut. Your mind races at the possibilities of how this could all end, and the only thing you can think is to run.

And so, you run.

—

Theseus believes he has only survived through self-deceit – the deception of his ability to stay grounded and keep his emotions at bay. His heart was never to be trusted, never to give in or give up. Yet, how does one cope when a situation relies on promised perseverance but is tangled amid his emotions he suddenly lacks control of in your presence?

Theseus knows there was something between the two of you, but he will never admit it despite his now aching heart caused by your sudden disappearance, even though you might as well be considered dead to the muggle world. The thought of your death pulls his thoughts to the night he first met you, how an unforgivable curse nearly struck you, how you looked at him, knowing you couldn’t have survived if he hadn’t been there in time. 

Merlin, he hopes you aren’t dead.

No, you’re not. He knows it. You’re relentless. So relentless that death would never want to claim you without a fight. So relentless that you manage to squeeze yourself into his thoughts at every waking hour. Every fibre in him wishes he hadn’t let you slip away that day, wishing he hadn’t abandoned you, betrayed your trust.

He wishes you hadn’t agreed to leave.

To leave him.

Now all alone.

Alone.

Theseus was never certain of his feelings for you when you were ambling within the expanse of the four walls he calls home. Whether affections were simply out of pity or was it his admiration for your entire being, your perfections, blemishes, and everything in between. Yet, at this very moment, he couldn’t be more unequivocally sure that his affections are true because presently, you have consumed all his waking days and nights, leaving a hollowed space perhaps once filled by your presence. The constant worry in his brow made his eyes tired but sleepless due to his fear of the worst for you.

Dread fills his senses, and tears threaten to seep through the cracks of a carefully sculpted, hard-headed man he had spent years practising, performing as a so-called war hero. Theseus never let himself cry, especially over you, not even when you parted with a touch to his cheek. Not even when he set his eyes on you again and you were completely unaware of him. 

Yet, it’s the possibility he has lost you forever that he’ll never see you again. Never.

Theseus breathes a shaky breath, fingers clamped in his trembling hand as he tries to remember what he’s been told to do. To find you. To stop Morrigan. To stop whatever mess he has landed you in.

No, you’re not. You’re not dead. He reminds himself again.

The sun had set moments ago, darkness creeping between the cracks of light, shimmering from the candle alight by his tableside and the flames of the fireplace. Its crackling grounds his very notion of stirring into panic. Theseus finds himself tucked in the same corner of his living room, and his couch now houses a collection of books and particular pieces of evidence of your whereabouts.

He merely fears this has everything to do with Morrigan, the Restoration Movement, your supposed living brother and perhaps your mother – also dead. Theseus gains a strong premonition, a gut feeling that your disappearance is all a part of a larger plan than he had initially expected. Your disappearance may have caused a flurry of commotion amongst the Aurors. Still, the ministry has its sights on the movement rather than your supposed connection as more than just your brother, which Theseus feels strongly about. Yet, with Travers breathing down his neck to arrest Morrigan and her acolytes, Theseus needs solid evidence rather than vague instances and misdirected clues that all seem to lead to spiralling trails.

Frankly, his career is at stake, but he couldn’t care less.

He just wants to see you again.

Theseus heaves, fingers carding through his deep brown locks when his eye catches sight of the only two letters that he found to be related to you in one way or another. He finds himself drawn to it, finding the letter from your brother within his grasp for what seems like the millionth time this month. The same words, again and again, were already engraved in his mind.

When he shifts his elbow, the letter catches the candlelight from behind, and something immediately seizes his attention. Something he hadn’t recognised before now.

Inscribed in the very material of the parchment – the symbol of a Gardenia, its intricate lines glowing against the candlelight, seemingly burning. Theseus props up in his seat, back straightened, shoulders tensed, and eyes wide.

Bloody hell…

He scrambles for the other letter, holding it up against the light, eyes settling on the darkened edges of the page only to discover the very same symbol.

A Gardenia.

How could he have been so blind?

It must have been instinct when he decided that the two letters were puzzle pieces meant to be joined. Theseus would try anything at this point.

Seemingly, luck was finally on his side when he pressed the letters together, above one another – new words formed before his eyes, written with burning lines, every curve of each letter appeared between the gaps of the original text to only form a new paragraph.

Sister,

If you're reading this, I'm likely gone, and you're in trouble. Morrigan and The Restoration Movement hide a darker truth. Their agenda involves our mother and a woman named Miriam Monet. I'm unsure of the details, but Miriam plays a crucial role. Stay safe.

As his eyes shift down the page, his heart nearly stops when his name comes into view.

To Theseus,

If you see this, my sister is in danger. You know more than you think.

TAGLIST (tagging everyone who commented in my last post just because it's been awhile <3):

@crumpets-are-better-with-jam

@inlovewithfictionalcharacters27

@aterriblelangblr

@yournewmommy

@mariaelizabeth21-blog1

@never-let-them-change-your-self

[piss-pumpkin]

🔒That time you died(?)🩸

(Older)dipper pines x reader, Douce amere chapter 20, ~3.3k words Masterlist Prev

Tw- violence/blood

Ford used spray paint to draw the zodiac in the grass on the mystery shacks front lawn. You watched on the porch, arms folded into a chin rest as you stared out. You hadn’t been outside the shacks magical borders in a while. The sun was bright. Brighter than you remembered, as dramatic as that felt to think.

Everyone was gathered around. Pacifica and Dipper were inside together. Ford was nodding along with McGucket as he drew out the symbols. Robbie, Wendy, Mabel, and Gideon were chatting by Robbie’s car: halfway broken down Honda that he’d spray painted himself. 

You smiled. Despite everything, it was a nice summer afternoon. There was barely a cloud in the sky, and the sun was bright overhead. It might’ve been enough to make you an optimist. 

Sighing, you stood up and stretched your arms above your head.  Maybe the sun was making you tired. Or maybe you could barely sleep with the anticipation. One or the other, either way you yawned on your way to the vending machine. 

Lazily, you typed in a code, and got a Pitt cola. It was only a little gross. The pit wasn’t great. Sighing, you sat with your back to the machine, and sipped the drink. It might be a long day. Or not, if… you know. Whatever. You might not have known much, but you knew the waiting, no matter how long it really was, felt like a lifetime. 

“Hey,” said Dipper, leaning on the machine beside you. His eye bags looked a little like war paint. Or maybe you were just searching for some sort of fight, or battle, and could find it anywhere. It would be so much easier if this was a fight. 

You nodded up at him, and he slunk down beside you. “So,” he started awkwardly, watching the same scene as you. The preparations were pretty much done. Guess everyone was waiting on you, now.

You smiled, “So,” you echoed. 

“Are you still sure about this?” He asked, studying your face. You could feel the way his eyes burnt into you.

You sighed, “Guess so.”

That must not have been the answer he was hoping for. Dipper didn’t say anything more, but his gaze never left your face, even as you looked back on the others, sipping your drink. The letter you’d written him was carefully tucked under your bag in Soos’ break room. Hidden just enough that they’d only find it if things went wrong. If all went well, you could get rid of all your papers nice and easy. 

You tapped your feet against the porch, crushing you’re empty can, “are you ready?” 

“I should be asking you that,” Dipper laughed dejectedly. He glanced at Ford and his red paint zodiac on the grass. 

You snickered, “You already have.”

Dipper pulled his knees close to his chest, and rested his chin on them. “Then I guess I’m ready as I’ll ever be,” he sighed. 

You smiled, lightly hitting him in the leg. You let your hand linger there a good moment, and flicked him when you pulled it back. “It’ll be fine, man,” you promised. He didn’t look like he believed it. But he nodded along with you. 

Well, soon Bill would be out of your mind, and you could go back to… whatever summer you had left. You took a breath, stood up, and stretched your arms above your head. Smiling tiredly down at him, you offered Dipper a hand up.

He bit the inside of his cheek, and took it. Once his hand was firmly in yours, you heaved him up with force, leaning back on your heels and sending him stumbling forward with a grumble. “Come one, Dip,” you snickered. 

You stepped off the porch towards the group. When you got down the stairs, you stopped. The grass felt nice on your ankles. The shacks magical border was ahead of you. You weren’t sure where on the lawn your safety ended, but it couldn’t be far now. The circle was drawn a few meters away. All you had to do was step out there. 

Dipper waited beside you. Maybe he could sense your apprehension. You slowly inched forward, unsure when the effect would kick in. 

You took a little baby step. And another. One foot, and then the other. You must have looked a little silly. Each step you waited for him to come back. Where was that barrier? It had to be getting closer. You didn’t feel any difference as you-

And then it hit. Once tiny step forward, and you may as well have been stabbed in the head. You little- you’re going to regret this. “Oh shit,” you started, stumbling forward. Dipper caught you by the arm. I’m going to kill him. Then you. You’re not as good a host as I thought. So he’s here already. You looked down at the grass, the spot that must have been the barrier. If you stepped back, you’d be safe. But you weren’t going to do that. 

”Y/n?” Dipper asked. But his voice was like a distant echo. All you could focus on was the headache. Yeah, he’s gone, Bills voice rang through your ears. Just yours though, it seemed. You turned to Dipper, face twisted with pain. Good chance you didn’t have long before he was in control. 

“I’m, uh-“ you tried. Oh god, it’s happening. You looked up. Oh no. You couldn’t much feel the headache anymore. Your eyes fixed on Dipper, and you were vaguely aware of his hand on your forearm. Bill. “Hey Pinetree,” Bill said, grinning. His smile felt sick on your lips. 

His grip around you tightened for a moment, then all at once fell away. “Guys, he’s here!” Dipper shouted, turning to the crowd. Yeah, get his ass. Fuck him up. 

Bill was back in control. That was fast. Your pulse was racing, heart pounding. He must be a little anxious. Bill we’re totally gonna kill you, you taunted in your mind. You’re so dead. “Then so are you, host body,” he laughed. Guess he know everything you knew, considering you were stuck together. He could sense your worry, maybe. He giggled, “you bet!”

Then the wind was knocked out of you. It was all you could do to watch as you fell to the ground, and Dipper backed away slowly, even as you hit the grass. Whatever attacked you came from the side, and flipped you into your stomach to hold you down. 

“Bill,” Ford said. Your vision was a little blurry, and your cheeks pressed into the dirt. Ford had your arm locked behind you to keep you down. Good. Keep him that way. Don’t give him the chance. 

Bill hissed under your breath, voice pushed out through barred teeth. Grass brushed pay your lips as he opened your mouth. “You’re really going down with the ship on this one?” You weren’t sure the others could hear his hushed tone. This was just for you. “How noble. Dead at what, sixteen?” 

Oh my god, does he know something we don’t? You thought. You’re gonna be fine, you told yourself, Ford said it was a maybe. But… 

Dippers words echoed through your mind. All the warnings. Bill tricks people, it’s what he does, you thought. You could feel your finger nails dig into the dirt, ripping through grass roots as Bill curled your fingers with rage. I’ll be fine, you thought louder. Loud enough for him to hear. 

Bill grumbled as Ford, Stan and Wendy hauled you up to your feet, starting to pull you towards the circle. A pit was forming in your stomach as Bill growled under your breath. Holy shit, he was scared. This could just work. 

But then in one swift motion, your legs flew out from under you. Bill shot your foot out straight into Fords knee, sending him buckling to the ground as he groaned in pain. The exclamations of the others were like a far off call, most of what you heard was the thumping in your ears, and the guilty sound of Fords pain. 

In the small moment of panic, Bill was turning the tide. He whipped your arm out of Wendy’s grasp, and tried to trip Stan on his way out. 

Stop. If you had any control of your breath, it might have quickened. Bill took heavy steps on your feet as he tried to pick up speed on your weary legs. Guess you still had some energy left after this whole ordeal.

”Don’t think so,” Bill hissed. 

“I don’t either,” Dipper cut in. Where’d he come from? Bill stumbled as he grabbed you, wrapping his arms around you to stop Bill from fighting back. And suddenly Wendy was racing back, and before Bill could even think about swinging your legs again, she grabbed you by the ankles, forcing your legs up so her and Dipper could carry you. As Bill struggled and wriggled, she hugged your feet close to her body to sequester them. 

Oh my god. They’ve got this. The force of their hold was tight, but it lifted a weight off your chest. 

Bills voice was a whisper, barely even words. Maybe he didn’t even speak, and just moved your lips. Either way, you heard it loud and clear, “Wanna bet I can talk my way out of this?” Despite everything, he still acted like he had the upper hand. Calm, calculated. You would’ve shuddered.

The eyes of the others were searing into you. Whenever Bill thrashed, you caught glimpses of horrified expressions across the board. Even Robbie looked unsettled, and unsettling was usually the vibe he was going for. The only one who didn’t look phased was McGucket. Though Ford and Stan were still out of sight. 

Hope Fords leg is alright. Another apology to add to the list that was growing more every time you stepped outside. Had you apologized to Stan yet for stealing his car? 

Wendy groaned, resisting a kick, “how are we gonna do this?” 

Bill was yelling and laughing, very much incoherently to you. You did your best to focus on your friends voices. 

Out of the corner of your eye, you caught Ford hobbling over with Stan supporting him under arm. “They need to be restrained,” he said stiffly.

Wendy and Dipper paused, and you got an under hand look at Dippers face, mostly his chin, as he hesitated. They shared a glance as Bill squirmed. What happened to talking his way out? Bill didn’t seem to be trying very hard. 

“Have a little patience,” Bill whispered. Even without control of your body, it made you feel cold. You stared idly wherever Bill pointed your head as Wendy tied your hands behind your back. No more fighting back. Duct tape restraints dig into your wrists, but the feeling seemed far away. Your ankles were next. 

If Bill was going to make a move, he didn’t show it. They carried you to the centre of the circle, entrapped by the zodiacs members in case Bill found an away to escape again. Bill kept your eyes trained on Dipper, Mabel, and Stan, even as Ford spoke to him. You could feel the beginnings of a sick grin on your lips. 

The twins faces were locked in a grimace, but they steeled themselves. They didn’t speak to him, even when Bill started to laugh. Oh my god, stop that. Dippers eyes flickered to the grass at his feet rather than look at your face. Bill wriggled to the edge of the circle to hone in on him. Stop that. 

“I’m not doing anything,” Bill whispered. Maybe he just mouthed it again. 

Ugh. You’re freaking him out. In a second you wanted to hit yourself for thinking that out loud. If Bill was looking for a weak link, you’d confirmed he found it. Dippers eyes were trained on the grass. 

Bill giggled. Shit. He looked up at Dipper with those big manic eyes and wide smile. 

Ford had finished saying something to the group, maybe telling them what to do. They all held hands. Thunder clapped in the distance. Wasn’t it sunny? A peripheral glimpse overhead showed grey clouds gathering overhead. A faint blue glow emanated from the group. Shit, that was fast. Is this it working? The wind was picking up around you, seemingly coming from all directions towards the centre of the circle.

So, this might go according to plan, then. That’s… good. You’ll be fine. 

Then Bill did something that surprised you. You could feel your body contort as he winced, and sucked a breath in through barred teeth. Your face was twisted in a grimace as he let out a small cry. He might’ve been doing his best impression of you. 

I- what are you doing? Even with your senses dulled, you could tell there was no pain. The most pressing sensation was just the grass beneath you and the tape around your joints.

Then it clicked. Dipper was staring down at you, horrified. Oh no. Do not. Bill, no. Your laughter perforated the air as Bill cackled. Doing his best impression of your pain, he said, “Are you really willing to let them die over me?” 

Don’t listen, we’re fine, you wanted to shout. But you couldn’t. Dipper was glancing back and forth between you and Mabel, occasionally Ford. Bill giggling drowned out Fords voice across the circle. 

Bill coughed. That’s just dramatic, why would this affect our lungs? Our lungs. You would’ve kicked yourself for saying our. They were your lungs, he was just occupying them. “Your loss I guess,” Bill said to Dipper, doing his best at a pained smile. 

Dipper shouted over you, “Ford, is it supposed to hurt them?”

”I don’t know,” a faint voice yelled back. Dipper bit the inside of his cheek, and by the way it moved you could tell he was chewing. He grimaced, but didn’t break his hand hold on Wendy beside him. Good. 

Bill was on your knees, and with a groan turned your head down to the grass, hiding your expression. A few dew drops sparkled with the light that got through the shade of your head and hair. He glared at the ground and mouthed, ‘fine, you really want me to play?’ 

You didn’t. That is definitely not what you wanted. How much longer did Bill even have? The circuit had been complete for a few moments now. This had to be over soon. 

Bill was doing your voice. Your mannerisms. Just the way you’d speak. “Hey, wait- wait,” he sputtered. “Is- is this supposed to hurt? I don’t think I’m ready!” Crocodile tears were welling in your eyes as your head whipped up to look at Dipper again. Stay strong. 

Dipper stayed strong. “Yes, good, staying strong,” you said. Wait, what? Bill grumbled, and your face knit back into a knot of pain. Hold on, are you losing control here? You wanted to laugh, maybe punch the air. Instead, your fist twitched as it gripped the grass. Baby steps. 

Bill threw your body down, wiggling away from Dipper again, your eyes laser focused on the ground, scanning the dirt. “Fine then,” Bill growled. “We’ll play a different type of game.” Your bound hands might’ve made you look like an inchworm. 

Bill stopped before a rock in the dirt. Wait. What are you- 

Bill slammed your head into the stone.

The pain was dull. In the same way most senses were, like the yelling that sounded far off, or the grass beneath you. Bill went in for another smash, nailing you in the forehead between the eyes. The clearest feeling you had was a small trickle of blood creeping down to your nose. Stop stop stop stop stop stop. You saw the ground rapidly approaching again. Stop.

You didn’t hit rock. When your head came up again, a hand came into focus beneath you. Bill whipped around to look, grin on your lips even as the blood from your forehead hit them. The same blood was wiped on Dippers the back of hand now. Dipper. Dipper Dipper Dipper. 

Bill was still smiling. And with a twitch of your lips you felt the grin widen seeing Dippers maddened distress as his hands flew to your shoulders. 

He didn’t seem to know what to say. He gritted his teeth, and stared into your yellow eyes. Thank you. Thank you. “Thank you,” you managed to say. 

“Dipper, the circuit!” Ford shouted. He sounded muffled and far away.

Dippers eyes didn’t leave you even as he yelled back, “Someone needs to hold them down!” Pulling his sleeve over his hand, he wiped the blood from your forehead, and pressed the fabric in to stop the blood. When he pulled it back, it had a bigger dark stain than you’d have liked. 

Mabel and Pacifica fell to their knees beside him, rushing over to you both. Pacifica might have asked what was going on. Her voice sounded far away. Bills echoing laughter was the clearest noise. Weird we aren’t passed out yet, huh?

’you aren’t that much of a little bitch,’ Bill mouthed. In one swift motion, he swung your head forward again, making the floor spin below you. Your head clashed straight on Dippers skull. Your vision was blurry when you pulled back, but you saw blood smeared in his birthmark where his hair parted.

Dipper stumbled back, breathing heavy. That was Mabel and Pacificas wake up call. Them, and maybe some others- it was a blur to you- came forth to steady your head. 

Yells sounded garbled and underwater. Dipper looked so scared. He tapped and brushed at the blood on his forehead while his eyes were trained on you. He looked a little like when he first fought you- Bill- off. 

Bill laughed, thrashing when they tried to restrain him. 

Fords calm and steady hands came from behind, and his voice was clear. “I’ve got them,” he said, dragging you back away from the rest. “We need to complete the circuit, that’s the only way to end this.”

How he managed to steady his voice was beyond you. The world was spinning, Dipper was terrified, all your friends looked at you with a mix of pity and horror, but at least Ford was steady. Guess he’d probably done something like this before. Stan seemed to nod along too, and was the first to retake his place on the circle.

Ford carefully forced you to the ground, and put his foot down to hold you. With your body weak, and Ford strong, Bill couldn’t wriggle out. 

As everyone linked hands again, the faint blue light and storming counts above came back. 

Bill laughed. Then it was you for a moment as he lost a little control. Then he was back with a growl. Once more he started talking, and each word seemed to come out muffled or slurred or with a gasp for breath as the world spun. “I’ll be back,” he declared. “Again, and again, you can’t get rid of me,” he giggled with a malicious glee. He swallowed, “Sixer, you must know that, right?” 

Ford grumbled.

”This isn’t how it was meant to happen, but next time will be better. You think the zodiac can end me?” Bill laughed. “Caveman drawings are nothing! This is nothing!”

Your face was pressed into the grass. Things were starting to get dark and spotty. Maybe it was Bill, maybe it was your head, it maybe it was the pressure of Fords boot. You had a hundred reasons to pass out now. 

But Bill held on. “A x o l o t l-“ 

And then it all went black.

Next

Fellas. A little before writing this I watched ‘talk to me’ it’s an Australian horror movie and like iykyk cuz I sure did steal some ideas 😭

Also we pretty much caught up to where I’ve written too so like you’re experience the story around the same time I am now 😭

Taglist: @dead-esque @cipheress-to-k-pop

[rookiesbookies]

Greek God!Price x MaidenFem!Reader pt 2

Masterlist is pinned as always and please submit any requests to my inbox I dont bite

She had always been nervous around men, in her village they had always seemed rude and misogynist. Women were a commodity, their value based on purity and age. But Price was different. He treated her with respect and tenderness, making her feel safe and cherished. It was a new experience for her, and she couldn't help but feel nervous about it.

As she lay there, wide awake, she couldn't help but notice Price's movements in his sleep. He had gone from a respectful distance to spooning her side, his warm body pressed against hers. It was both comforting and unsettling at the same time.

She had agreed to spend the night in his bed, a decision that made her anxious. Changing in his master bathroom, she had put on one of his white undershirts that barely covered her upper-mid thigh. She worried about him seeing her exposed, about her own vulnerability in this unfamiliar situation.

The clock on the wall ticked away, reminding her of the late hour. She shivered, feeling the coldness of the room seep into her bones. Despite Price's warm body heat and the thick blankets, she couldn't find comfort. Her mind was preoccupied with thoughts of her nipples showing through the shirt or the possibility of her underwear being revealed.

But amidst her restlessness, she couldn't help but appreciate Price's gentle and kind nature. It was a stark contrast to her past experiences with the men who had tried to court her - often older and looking for a young housewife to act as a slave due to their wealth. She found herself slowly letting go of her fears and embracing the unfamiliar warmth that he offered.

Price stood out among the men she had encountered. He possessed a genuine gentlemanly demeanor that made her wonder if all gods were like him.

As her mind aimlessly drifted, she couldn't help but become fixated on Price's physique. Questions began to swirl in her thoughts, particularly about what lay beneath that thick sweater he now slept in. Were his muscles well-defined, sculpted from hours of hard work and dedication? Or were they hidden beneath a layer of softness, adding a touch of comfort to his appearance? The curiosity grew stronger, fueling her imagination as she envisioned the possibilities. It was a tantalizing mystery, one that she couldn't help but ponder, wondering if one day she would have the chance to uncover the truth.

As her mind wandered, it delved even deeper into his physical attributes, specifically focusing on what he possessed between his legs. Questions arose about its thickness, length, girth, and whether it was thin or substantial. She pondered whether he preferred a clean-shaven look or if his hair was coarse yet well-maintained, similar to his facial hair. Curiosity arose about the presence of freckles and whether it leaned towards one direction or the other. She wondered if it was pale or tan, what color the tip was. These thoughts consumed her mind, leaving her with a multitude of unanswered questions.

Her cheeks flushed with warmth as she realized the direction her thoughts were taking. It felt criminal. It was inappropriate to think of a man in such a way, especially someone like Price who was so sweet and such a gentleman. She began to question her own feelings towards him, fearing that she might be falling for a man who deserved a woman equally as remarkable to be his eternal partner. She pondered the qualities that would make a woman worthy of Price's affection. Would she need to possess extraordinary beauty, intelligence, or perhaps a combination of both?

The weight of her own self-doubt began to settle upon her, as she questioned whether she could ever measure up to the standards she imagined Price had. Perhaps he was waiting for some magic spark to ignite, maybe Eros to strike them with arrows to let him know it was meant to be or a letter hand-written from Aphrodite or Hera with approval. Something he seemingly so desired based on his adamant refusal of the other sacrificial women he considered for brides. He even said it himself, he wanted someone closer to his physical age to keep for an eternity as a partner, not just a wife.

Lost in her thoughts, she yearned for a sign, a glimpse into Price's true nature. She longed to know if he was as extraordinary as he appeared, or if her infatuation was merely a figment of her imagination, the facade of a god. Only time would reveal the answers she sought, and until then, she would continue to question her own worthiness of a god like Price.

He shifted again in his sleep, pulling her closer. His beard tickling against her neck, he took a deep breath. She couldn't help but think about the advice her friends had given her as a teenager. They had told her that men could determine if they wanted to marry a girl by the end of their first date. As she lay there, she wondered if the dinner they had just shared counted as a date. Did it hold any significance or was it just a casual outing with his friends? Her mind raced as she rubbed her legs together and nervously bit her lip. Being in such close proximity with a man was a new experience for her.

Suddenly, he began to stir in his sleep, a soft grunt escaping his mouth. Startled, she realized he was awake. "Why aren't you asleep?" he questioned, his voice filled with curiosity. "Humans need a good deal of sleep compared to us gods."

Her heart skipped a beat as she tried to come up with a response. "I... I couldn't sleep," she stammered, her voice barely audible. "I guess I'm just not used to... this."

He looked at her intently, his eyes filled with understanding. "It's okay," he said softly, reaching out to gently brush a strand of hair behind her ear. "We can take things slow. There's no rush."

As he held her close, she felt a warm and comforting feeling, giving her hope for a happy future. Could this amazing man be the one she would marry? And, by some lucky chance, did he really understand her deepest desires?

Finally, she drifted into a peaceful slumber, feeling a sense of tranquility and optimism. The man she had discovered, whom she might be falling in love with, had filled her heart with hope and affection. The thought of marrying him brought her immense joy and contentment. He was truly remarkable, and she could only wish that he felt the same way about her. Thankfully, it seemed like he did, and that realization filled her with even more happiness.

[pedrostories]

❄️ PedroStories Secret Santa event 2023 ❄️

Thank you again for participating in PedroStories’ second Secret Santa event! We hope this event gave you some joy this holiday season! 💙

Special shoutout to our pinch hitters: @gasolinerainbowpuddles who jumped in later to help us out and @katiexpunk & @taro-666 for taking on two prompts! 🥰

Additional shoutout for Santa's little helpers who made sure this event stayed on track: @userdjarin, @wannab-urs, @chronically-ghosted, @oogaboogasphincter & @pedrorascal

You can find all the works published by the participants below the cut!

MASTERLIST

* - Mature/Explicit work

VISUAL ART

Joel Miller banners - from amongtlou to tempestuous-lush

Dieter Bravo fanart - from taro-666 to mysterious-moonstruck-musings

FANFICTION

Dieter Bravo

* Tear You Apart - from psychedelic-ink to dark-scape

* The Knight & His Queen - from mysterious-moonstruck-musings to booburry

Run Over By A Reindeer... - from blueeyesatnight to brandyllyn

A Thing for Angels - from miraclesabound to toxicanonymity

Din Djarin

* closure - from javier-pena to quinnnfabrgay-writes

to know the light - from burntheedges to lincolndjarin

* salt water - from 5oh5 to chronically-ghosted

Retrograde - from taro-666 to 5oh5

Ezra

* devour (the entire universe) - from frannyzooey to wannab-urs

* Floating in Space - from 0celesteisthebest0 to julesonrecord

the trembling willows - from sp00kymulderr to djarinmuse

Cross My Heart - from brandyllyn to oonajaeadira

Frankie Morales

Copilot - from frenchiereading to joelmillers-whore

* The Gift is You - from julesonrecord to the-blind-assassin-12

merry christmas, cariño - from joelsflannel to frenchiereading

A Little Christmas Magic - from the-blind-assassin-12 to something-tofightfor

* A love letter to Frankie - from fhatbhabie to prolix-yuy

* Gas, Grass or ASS - from katiexpunk to astroboots

* Routine - from endlessthxxghts to alwaysbethewest

Jack Daniels

* Under Your Skin - from wannab-urs to javier-pena

Stay Close to Me - from alwaysbethewest to iamskyereads

Snakebit - from blueeyesatnight to brandyllyn

Javier Peña

* Under Your Skin - from wannab-urs to javier-pena

* office party - from tieronecrush to flightlessangelwings

* Not So Secret Santa - from lincolndjarin to taro-666

* If We Make It Through December - from lucyeyelesbarrow to tieronecrush

Paperwork - from blueeyesatnight to brandyllyn

Mistletoes in the Moonlight - from 221bshrlocked to undercoverpena

Joel Miller

* it means something - from undercoverpena to joelsflannel

* Joel Miller fanfiction - from tempestuous-lush to sweetercalypso

i've got my love to keep me warm - from thetriumphantpanda to yeollie-plz

* Modern Day Hero - from flightlessangelwings to miraclesabound

* Snow and Mistletoe - from something-tofightfor to burntheedges

The Reason for the Season - from prolix-yuy to psychedelic-ink

Oh, the Wildflowers - from adora-but-ginger to amongtlou

Candlelight - from sweetercalypso to adora-but-ginger

a heart for melting - from joelscurls to thetriumphantpanda

Muffins and Jam - from noisynaia to katiexpunk

* freeze-thaw - from covetyou to oogaboogasphincter

Bookends - from djarinmuse to pascalispretty

Simply Having - from iamskyereads to talaok

* A gentleman - from talaok to lucyeyelesbarrow

* Joel Miller fanfiction - from booburry to fhatbhabie

A Very Miller Christmas - from yeollie-plz to joelscurls

* Nightmare Before Christmas - from katiexpunk to xdaddysprincessxx

* Love Shack - from pascalispretty to sp00kymulderr

* Visions of Sugar Plums - from dark-scape to covetyou

* twin peaks. - from toxicanonymity to endlessthxxghts

* Happily Ever After - from xdaddysprincessxx to frannyzooey

* Cinnamon and Sugar - from gasolinerainbowpuddles to thirtysevenodddogs

* a bowlful of joel-y - from oogaboogasphincter to lisadean

Marcus Moreno

Have Yourself a Moreno Little Christmas - from chronically-ghosted to noisynaia

Marcus Pike

* closure - from javier-pena to quinnnfabrgay-writes

* Procedures to Reach a Common Agreement - from thirtysevenodddogs to 221bshrlocked

Text Me Merry Christmas - from quinnnfabrgay-writes to 0celesteisthebest0

Max Phillips

I'll Leave a Light On For You - from oonajaeadira to artemiseamoon

Pero Tovar

* What the heart wants - from artemiseamoon to blueeyesatnight

* The Cross: The Spirit of the Season - from blueeyesatnight to brandyllyn

dividers by the lovely @saradika-graphics 💙

due to the less than ideal tagging system of tumblr all the participants are tagged in the reblogs

[lovetei]

I have an AU and I enjoy sharing so. Gift, from a (semi-?) writer to writer I suppose

but Swapped Obey me Au

where the brothers and side characters are humans- here’s the dynamic simplification;

Humans (Solomon / MC) : Cryptids

Demons (The Brothers / Diavolo / Barbatos) - humans/humanoids

Angels (Luke / Simeon) - Monster hunters

Maybe a modernish Victorian era, with castles and monster stories and that fun stuff + technology. Prince Diavolo starts a school to hopefully make peace between the three tribes of being.

So Solomon the Land siren (maybe a Lamia/Naga?) and MC the Mutt sheep cryptid. Where invited to the human school,

I can go on for hours- but hope this helps with ideas! I’d love to hear ya take. I love the way you write Obey me so yeah!

I'm so sorry this took so long, I need to create a visual in my head first and it takes long to write an AU :')

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

Swapped Alternate Universe

Swapped Universe: Introduction

Warnings:

Links: Masterlist

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

You were just going around the forests beside fields, feeding on whatever there is

But all of a sudden

An entitled prince, randomly sent you a letter saying you're invited into this type of program

But it's suspicious

The incentives favors the participants way too much...

What could possibly be the catch?

ROLES: Cryptids

MC MCLN

TYPE: Cryptid (Mutt sheep)

It is rumored that the "Mutt-Sheep" cryptids are a cross between lambs and canines, and are known to be found in areas with dense forests. Some describe them as a cross between a sheep and a dog, with a thick sheep-like coat covering their body, large claws on their paws for digging in the forest floor, and a canine's nose and teeth for hunting small animals. However, the exact origin and nature of the Mutt-Sheep cryptids are still unknown and shrouded in mystery. Despite this, sightings of these creatures have been reported by people who claim to have seen them lurking in the forest.

SOLOMON

TYPE: Cryptid (Naga)

They are described as having a human upper body, often with arms and chest, and from the waist down, they have the tail and scales of a snake. The Naga are said to be intelligent and powerful beings, capable of controlling the elements of nature and using their powers to influence the world around them. Many people believe that the Naga possess magical abilities that they use to protect their territory and the creatures that live there.

ROLE: Humans

DIAVOLO

JOB: President of RLD

The Royal Lab of Diavolo (RLD) is a highly advanced underground research facility with top-notch equipment and state-of-the-art technology. The lab is focused on developing peace between different races, such as humans, humanoid, cryptids, and monster hunters. The primary goal of the lab is to find ways to bridge the gap between the different races, and to create an environment where all beings can live together in harmony. The lab is led by a team of highly skilled scientists and researchers who work tirelessly around the clock to advance their research and find solutions to the world's problems.

BARBATOS

JOB: Vice president of RLD

The vice president of the Royal Lab of Diavolo is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the lab, including the management of staff, the supervision of research projects, and the coordination of activities with external partners and stakeholders. The vice president also plays a key role in managing the lab's finances and ensuring that resources are being used effectively and efficiently. Additionally, they may be involved in developing and implementing strategic plans for the lab's long-term growth and success. Therefore, the vice president plays an important role in the lab's success and helps to ensure that its mission of promoting peace and unity among different beings is achieved.

LUCIFER

JOB: Chief Fiance Officer (CFO)

The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is a high-level executive position that is responsible for overseeing the financial operations and strategy of an organization. He works for the government and is supporting the current king.

MAMMON

JOB: Actor

He is the most famous actor out there starring in every genre whether it may be romance, comedy, action or adventure. He also stars in his own TV show series that broke multiple records and nominated multiple times on award show as well as receiving hundreds of awards.

LEVIATHAN

JOB: Programmer and Developer

A famous IT that works for the government and helps maintain government systems and Technologies, being one of the most trusted and talented worker in this field he has access to everything that can be found online.

SATAN

JOB: Proffesor

The youngest and top proffesor of one of the best schools found in the world, being the charming and mysterious proffesor whose world seems to revolve around books and his well known addiction, cats.

ASMODEUS

JOB: Model

The jewel of the human world, modeling for every possible brands to exist. He's known for his unforgettable face and his unmatched charm that helped him rise to the top of the world of fashion.

BEELZEBUB

JOB: Chef

A world-class chef that cooks for the king, known for his unique skills and for his beautiful physique. A man that made multiple woman swoon because of his looks and cooking skills.

BELPHEGOR

JOB: Doctor

A mysterious Doctor who seems to enjoy cutting things up and inventing antidotes or medicines against viruses and diseases that does not have a cure yet. He seems to be passionate about his job but the reason why he entered this field is still unknown.

ROLE: Hunters

SIMEON

RANK: A

A Rank A monster hunter is one of the best, most skilled and experienced monster hunters out there. They have exceptional abilities and skill in fighting and defeating monsters, as well as an in-depth knowledge of different types of monsters and how to defeat them.

Rank A Monster hunters are highly skilled and experienced in the art of hunting monsters. They are sought after for their exceptional abilities and knowledge. Their skill and experience have earned them a reputation as some of the finest monster hunters in the world.

LUKE

RANK: C

A Rank C monster hunter is considered an entry-level monster hunter. They are relatively new to the field and are still developing their skills and gaining experience. While they may have some basic knowledge of monster hunting techniques, they lack the advanced abilities and knowledge of higher-ranked Hunters. Nonetheless, they can still be an asset to a team and can perform certain tasks with supervision and guidance.

Overall, Rank C monster hunters are still learning and gaining experience. They are not always ready to handle high-level or dangerous missions, and are often assigned tasks and roles under the supervision and guidance of

[sundeathh]

Could you do demon!aizawa x fem!reader where the reader inherited a house and while just looking through she found a spell book and didn’t realise it but what she read actually magicked the demon and maybe the he “flirts” with the reader since the readers gets flustered easily? (U can add or takeaway whatever u want) thank youuu ❤️❤️

Demon!Aizawa

Fem!Reader | Words: 2,2k

Masterlist | CW: Suggestive but still SFW.

In the dimly lit room of the old house you inherited, dust danced in the air as you sifted through the forgotten relics of the past. 

Amongst the aged books and trinkets, you stumbled upon an ancient and ornamented tome, its pages worn with time.

You held it delicately, the cover gleaming in the moonlight and the gold lettering shining with a soft radiance, almost ethereal. You ran your thumb across the delicate script, admiring the intricate craftsmanship of the workmanship. It was beautiful.

Its yellowish hue seemed to glow even in the dark of the room. It had been left behind by some old former owner that you now held within your hand. 

Curiosity getting the best of you, you flipped through the pages randomly, stopping at one where a drawing caught your attention. It depicted a man, standing tall in what could only be described as a throne, surrounded by creatures whose appearance contrasted with his own.

His skin was pale, his hair dark. His features were slender and elegant, and it was appealing. On the other hand, the creatures at his feet looked disfigured, looking impassively as he stared down at them all. 

You glanced at the small text written on the page next to the drawing, reading it aloud in a soft voice. 

Unbeknownst to you, the words you began to read sparked a dormant magic, summoning a mischievous demon into existence.

As the incantations left your lips, a mysterious energy enveloped the room, and a chill breeze blew your hair softly.

Suddenly, you felt a presence behind you, which watched as you read the journal from a distance. The feeling of being watched made you turn around, only to meet a pair of red eyes staring intently back at you. 

The figure wore nothing but black robes, his crimson eyes glued on yours, and a sly smirk graced his lips. Unfazed, he spoke, "Well, well, what do we have here? A summoning, and by accident, no less."

His voice was deep and smooth, resonating in the room. Your heart pounded against your chest as you tried to maintain your composure. You weren't exactly sure who or what this stranger was, but he certainly intimidated you. 

He looked exactly like the drawing in the book, except instead of appearing malevolent and demonic, he just looked… odd. And very handsome, actually. With his long ebony locks that flowed down over his shoulders, and his intense gaze that appeared to see right through you…

You felt your cheeks heating up.

He smirked, seemingly amused by your lack of hostility towards him. He sauntered closer to you, taking advantage of the fact that you didn't have any weapons at your disposal, making you feel vulnerable. 

"You must be quite skilled to summon a demon without even trying," he remarked, his tone suggestive. 

You swallowed nervously, "What do you mean? Who are you?"

He hummed, taking another step closer and running a finger along your cheekbone, "You don't look like you've done much studying of demons before…" he trailed off, "but let's not get ahead of ourselves, shall we? I would have expected nothing less of a young woman such as yourself."

You gasped, pushing him away. "Back off" you growled, clenching your fists.

He chuckled, "Oh ho, so feisty aren't we? I like feisty women. I'll have to keep you around, then."

"No! What business is it of yours? How did you even get here?!" You demanded, your voice quivering. You had no idea why this strange, gorgeous creature was stalking you around.

The demon's smirk widened, and he continued to circle you as if assessing a precious gem. "You, my dear summoner, have quite the talent. Not everyone stumbles upon my services unintentionally."

You glared at him, a mixture of fear and annoyance. "I didn't summon you for any services. I was just reading this old book I found."

The demon scoffed, "I doubt that, my lady, but it seems fate has decided otherwise." The demon's gaze intensified, and he leaned in, his lips dangerously close to your ear. "Fate can be a fickle thing, my dear. It brought you to me, and I intend to make the most of it."

You could feel his warm breath against your skin, and an involuntary shiver ran down your spine. This was unreal; you were in your own home, yet a supernatural being was making you feel both nervous and strangely intrigued.

"I must say, I'm impressed," he continued, his tone teasing. "Not every human can summon a demon, especially an inexperienced one like yourself." 

"Hey!" You yelped, stepping back, glaring at the demon. "You're just trying to scare me."

"My darling little Summoner," he cooed, moving slowly toward you, his eyes flicked down to your lips, then up again. "I have no intention to resort to intimidation tactics with you…"

The atmosphere grew thicker as his eyes held a mischievous glint. "But, if you insist on keeping things interesting, I'm more than willing to adapt to your preferences."

Your cheeks burned at his suggestive words, and you took another step back, creating more space between you. "I don't have any preferences, especially not involving demons."

He chuckled, low and throaty, enjoying the effect he had on you. "You say that now, my dear, but you summoned me. There must be something you desire deep down."

Your eyes narrowed, and you crossed your arms defensively. "I'm not playing your games. Just leave."

The demon tilted his head, studying you with a thoughtful expression. "Playing games? Oh no, this is just the beginning. As for leaving, why would I when I'm having such a delightful conversation with you?"

You huffed in frustration. "This isn't a conversation. This is you invading my personal space and making inappropriate remarks."

He grinned, unapologetic. "Personal space is overrated, and as for the remarks, I'm just stating the obvious. You summoned a demon, after all."

Your agitation grew, but you couldn't deny the strange allure of the situation. "I didn't mean to summon anyone. This is a mistake."

The demon's eyes softened for a moment, a hint of genuine curiosity breaking through his playful facade. "A mistake, you say? Well, mistakes can be quite fascinating, dear. They lead to unexpected discoveries."

You sighed, feeling a strange mixture of irritation and intrigue. "What do you want from me?"

He stepped back, giving you some breathing room. "For now, just a little bit of your time. I promise to make it worth your while."

You started flipping through the book again, searching for anything that might help you solve the problem you'd encountered.

The demon smirked once more. "You know what, I think I'll sit down." He said, sitting at a chair by a desk and crossing his legs, resting his elbow on the armchair, his hand suspending his head.

He observed you, watching every move you made to try and figure out whether you could send him away with one more spell. His ruby orbs roamed around your surroundings, taking in the old furniture around you. "You seem like a smart girl," he told you, "but that's not good enough to send me on my way." 

You frowned in confusion, and he smiled knowingly, "you will need more than simple spells to get rid of me."

"Why should I believe you?" You inquired. "How do I know that I won't die because you're going to drain me dry before I even know what happened?"

The demon chuckled, shaking his head. He stood up, walking toward you again. Your eyes followed his movement, refusing to let your guard down. The demon stopped before you, gazing at you from head to toe. "You may trust me or not. But either way, you are stuck with me for a while longer, my dear." 

The tension in the room seemed to ebb and flow with the demon's every movement. His confident demeanor, combined with the uncertainty of the situation, left you feeling both uneasy and strangely captivated.

As he circled you, you couldn't help but feel the weight of his gaze, as if he was unraveling the secrets hidden in the depths of your soul. The book you clutched in your hands felt like both a shield and a potential weapon, though you doubted its effectiveness against a being like him.

The demon's eyes sparkled with a playful gleam, and he couldn't resist turning the conversation into a teasing game. "My dear summoner, you hold the secrets of this ancient place in your hands, yet here we are, bound by fate's curious whims. Don't you find it amusing?"

His tone took on a more lighthearted cadence, and he eyed you with a certain flair. "You see, summoning a demon is quite the bold move. A testament to your adventurous spirit, perhaps?" He paused, letting the words linger in the air.

You met his gaze, a mix of confusion and curiosity in your eyes. "Adventurous? I didn't summon you on purpose, and I certainly didn't expect this."

He grinned, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. "Ah, but that's the beauty of it, dear. The unexpected can be thrilling. Now, let's not dwell on the details. Instead, allow me to appreciate the one who unintentionally brought me into this intriguing situation."

The demon leaned in slightly, his words a gentle caress. "Your courage, even in the face of the unknown, is truly captivating. I must say, it's an irresistible quality."

You felt a warmth spreading through your cheeks, caught off guard by the unexpected turn of his words. The demon seemed to take delight in unraveling the layers of your composure.

The demon's eyes gleamed with amusement, a pleased smile spreading on his lips as he noticed the subtle blush that adorned your cheeks. "Ah, there it is – a delightful shade of rose to decorate your cheeks. How charming," he mused, reveling in the small victory.

He continued to circle you, his presence exuding a magnetic charm. "It seems I've uncovered a hidden facet of your spirit, my dear. Who knew that the summoner of demons could be so enchantingly bashful?"

Your heart rate accelerated, and the warmth from earlier quickly spread throughout your entire body. You weren't sure whether your cheeks were flushed with embarrassment at being complimented by a stranger, or the sudden rush of attraction the demon stirred within you. 

The demon chuckled, clearly aware of the effect he was having on you. "Tell me, my dear, what is it that you desire? A kiss, perhaps? Perhaps a caress on those pink lips…?" His voice trailed off suggestively.

"Stop!" You exclaimed, your voice sounding louder than intended, much to the demon's enjoyment. The blush on your face intensified, and you dropped the book you were holding, hoping to put distance between yourself and the demon as quickly as possible.

The demon quirked a brow, amused by your reaction. "Don't you want a little fun, Summoner?" he asked playfully, a smirk tugging at his lips again, "If we continue this way, I fear you might actually enjoy my company." 

"I highly doubt that…" You retorted, trying to ignore the fact that your whole body felt warmer than usual. 

The demon laughed, enjoying the blush that covered your cheekbones. "Come now, my dear," he purred, approaching you again and placing a delicate hand on your cheek, lingering longer than necessary. "I'm sure it wouldn't hurt to indulge in this once or twice. After all, this is merely an innocent exchange of words. No harm in that, right?"

You swallowed thickly, unable to stop the shiver that ran down your spine at his touch. You tried pulling away, but the demon placed a finger on your lip, making you freeze. "No, no, let's not run away." He shook his head in disapproval. "Let us finish this business before we start avoiding each other, hmm?"

Your eyes widened at his unexpected change of behavior, and you pulled away with a gasp, glaring at the demon in anger. "What are you talking about?"

He shrugged his shoulders indifferently, his lips curling up in a playful manner, "you're just so adorable when you're flustered, and you're getting more beautiful by the minute. You're a very desirable female." His tone was smooth, and his stare never wavered.

A slight pout formed on your reddish features, your eyes narrowing dangerously. "And you're a big jerk, so keep away from me."

The demon raised a brow at your hostile attitude. "Oh really?" He mocked, tilting his head as he studied your expression with interest. "Then again, you did summon me to your home. There might be a reason, don't you think?" 

His expression softened considerably as he moved closer to you, cupping your jaw tenderly in his hands. He tilted your chin upward slowly, forcing you to look directly at his crimson eyes, which held a sort of mischief that you'd only seen before. 

You averted your gaze to avoid any kind of prolonged eye contact. "I don't know what you're talking about…" You mumbled.

He chuckled softly, brushing his thumb over your lips. "Don't go spoiling our little deal, now" he said quietly, turning your head to look at him. "After all," he continued with another seductive grin, "there's still more to come." The demon cooed.

With that, he leaned forward, pressing his lips against yours.

Likes, reblogs, and comments are appreciated!

[martinakl13]

Six of Crows fic masterlist

Keeping Me Alive work in progress

Not Rated, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - College/University; Chapters 175/?

Relationships: Kanej, Helnik, Wesper

Some important tags: Jordie Rietveld Lives; Mixed Martial Arts; Alternate Universe - Ballet

Original Summary:

A boy who lost everything and is still fighting for his chance at a better life. A ballerina who wants to make her dream come true. A soldier running away from a terrible truth. A multilingual girl, abandoned by her own family, trying to find her place in a world. A talented musician who struggles to overcome his father's prejudice and mistrust. A boy who solves his problems by making bad decisions. Six students of University of Ketterdam deal with their past and traumas to find love, understanding and friendship.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/40936371/chapters/102587274

Hearts of Saints work in progress

Rating M; Canon Compliant; Chapters: 53/?

Some important tags: Pirate Inej Ghafa, Captain Inej Ghafa, Kaz Brekker's Backstory, Kaz Brekker's Real Name, Kanej centric

Original summary:

Nearly a year since the Ice Court heist, Inej and Nina receive a strange letter from Jesper inviting them back to Ketterdam. Something has happened and it can't be good. Are their friends in danger? However, the city and their friends don't welcome them as warmly as they expected. An old enemy returns, but is it the only threat, or is there a bigger one? But this is only the beginning. The new queen of Ravka has a very unique job for the Crows. She wants them to steal the heart of Sankt Feliks. Sequel to Crooked Kingdom following the events of the Nikolai series. The story begins after Zoya's coronation, but includes flashbacks explaining earlier events.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/45847870/chapters/115386739

Born To Be Champions complete work

Rating T; Alternate Universe - Sports, Biathlon; Chapters: 11/11

Some important tags: Jordie Rietveld Lives, Kaz's Parents Lives, Aditi Hilli Lives, No trauma, Enemies to Friends to Lovers (Kanej), Kanej centric

Original Summary:

Kaz Rietveld, a talented Swiss biathlete, is forced to change teams at the start of what should have been his breakthrough season. He is angry and unwilling to cooperate with anyone, but eventually finds friends and something else entirely.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/54428653/chapters/137876821

In the Darkest Corner of Your Mind work in progress

Rating T, Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Magic; Chapters: 11/?

Some important tags: Dark Magic, Slow Burn, Fluff and Angst

Relationships: Kanej centric, Wesper, Helnik, Background: Nikolai/Zoya, Genya/David, Alina/Mal

Original Summary:

There is a new student at Hogwarts. It shouldn't be strange considering there are a lot of new first-years, however he is too old to be one of them and there is some mystery surrounding him. Who is the strange boy with his cane and leather gloves that he never put away?

https://archiveofourown.org/works/56999884/chapters/144952027

On Black Feathered Wings complete work

Rating T, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Character Swap, Grisha Kaz Brekker, Grisha Inej Ghafa, Grisha Matthias Helvar, Grisha Wylan Van Eck; Chapters: 42/42

Some important tags: Kaz constantly giving Inej flowers, Soulmates, Jordie Rietveld Lives

Relationships: Kanej, Wesper + Helnik Slow Burn

Original Summary:

Inej Ghafa is a talented acrobat, but only her closest family knows that she uses her special power during her performances. Wylan Van Eck was sent to Ravka to be trained as a Grisha, but when he returns years later, his home is no longer his home. Matthias Helvar has powers he never asked for, and his family wants to keep him safe. What is the best way to hide Grisha in Fjerda? Among the drüskelle. Nina Zenik is a soldier of the First Army, gifted with excellent language skills. Jesper Fahey moves with his mother to Ketterdam after the tragic death of his father and the loss of their farm due to debts. Kaz Brekker has powers that no one has seen before. Or?

https://archiveofourown.org/works/48621490/chapters/122643886

Flying Into Darkness work in progress

Rating M, Sequel to On Black Feathered Wings; Chapters: 21/?

Some important tags: Soulmates, Jordie Rietveld Lives, Resistance, War, Suli Culture and Religion

Original Summary:

A rebel operating underground in the Barrel. A prisoner longing for freedom. A scientist trying to find a cure. A pirate fighting against fate. Two soldiers on a secret mission.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/53888521/chapters/136397584

Dancing with the Crows complete work

Rating T, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Celebrity, Alternate Universe - Dancing With the Stars (TV) Fusion; Chapters: 10/10

Some important tags: Press and Tabloids, Kanej centric

Original Summary:

Breaking News headlines One of the richest businessmen in the world joins the cast of Dancing with the Grishaverse Stars! Will the famous pastry-cook bake her way through the dance show to the finals? Stand-up comedian accepted a spot, on Dancing with the Grishaverse Stars! The very first poet and the first politician in history of the show! Rock singer is the next star to dance in the ballroom! Who has a better chance to win? Scientist or actress? Hockey player versus musician! Who is the better dancer?

What happens when the Grishaverse characters join a dance show?

https://archiveofourown.org/works/51360763/chapters/129783718

Dancing on the Rooftops complete work

Rating T, a bonus story for Dancing with the Crows; Chapters: 10/10

Original summary:

Do you want to take a look behind the scenes of a dance show and find out what's really going on here? Are the mass media right or not? What happens when the Grishaverse characters join a dance show?

https://archiveofourown.org/works/52039714/chapters/131605543

Dancing Through the Night work in progress

Rating T, sequel Dancing with the Crows / Dancing on the Rooftops; Chapters: 6/10

Original summary:

Five years after winning the dance show, Kaz and Inej have a baby, and the Crows and the rest of their friends (the "tolerated people" as Kaz says) can't stay away.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/56190346/chapters/142743658

The Winner Takes It All complete work

Rating T, Canon Compliant, Post-Canon, Inspired by Mamma Mia! (Movie); Chapters: 10/10

Some important tags: Original Kaz Brekker/Inej Ghafa Child(ren), Original Jesper Fahey/Wylan Van Eck Child(ren), Original Nina Zenik/Ilya Grimjer Child(ren)

Original summary:

Rumors are spreading throughout Ketterdam. The only son of King of the Barrel is getting married. The Wraith arrives in Ketterdam for the first time in seventeen years. Berth number twenty-two is still waiting, but the city and people may have changed a lot in that time.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/49600462/chapters/125186446

Summer Nights complete work

Rating T, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Unvierse - Grease (1978) Fusion; Chapters: 11/11

Some important tags: Kanej centric

Original summary:

Kaz Brekker spends the summer on a farm near Lij, where everyone knows him as Kaz Rietveld. He would rather stay in the city with his friends Nikolai, Jesper, Matthias and Mal. But then he meets a girl… Inej Ghafa and her parents are invited to her cousin's wedding and decide to spend the whole summer with the family in the countryside. Inej thinks she understand herself and her life until she meets a boy... What happened when you put GRISHAVERSE and GREASE together? Read tol find out.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/46738489/chapters/117713437

I plan to revise this story in the near future.

Map to Your Heart complete work

Rating T, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, ALternate Universe - College/University, a bonus story for Keeping Me Alive; Chapters: 1/1

Some important tags: Kanej centric

Original summary:

It's one of the many rainy days in Ketterdam when nobody wants to be outside, except for Kaz and Inej, who are on a mission: to explore the part of the coastline with the lighthouses.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/46720252

I plan to revise this story in the near future.

[hp-abandonshipfest]

Abandon Ship Fest Masterlist

Ahoy there! Our voyage is now at an end, and we, the mods, are delighted to announce that we have 23 spectacular gen works for your perusal! Thank you to everyone who engaged, commented, reblogged, and followed along. Your support means so much and we are so grateful! Without further ado, here are our entries ⚓

Fine Print by nocturn Marietta's maxims for a life well-learned and well-lived.

Where the Heart is by silver_fish - a Podfic by @cailynwrites After the events at the Department of Mysteries in June—and all that came after—Harry finds himself once again stranded at Number Four Privet Drive. With only his own thoughts to keep him company, he takes to writing letters to the only person he thinks can help, if only he were still alive to do so.

Collected Correspondence by Artemisaki, jtimu Correspondence between Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy regarding publication of novel findings in magizoology and wizarding space. 

Maybe this is enough by Patriceavril Scattered moments throughout a doomed friendship.

All The Whys To Map The Stars by @nogenrealldrama  Sometimes Astronomy feels like the least magical subject at Hogwarts. But while the influence of the planets can seem subtle, it’s also ever-present. This fic is a short narrative exploration of how Astronomy might affect magic in the Wizarding world.

Eat Your Death, Draco by @sillywives Draco's first dinner with the Death Eaters isn't what he expected.

The Ostentation by @lumosatnight, @nanneramma Lucius Malfoy: the boy, the man, the bird.

[ART] Never Been in Love by @okeydokeylackey Little piece of art/gif of Voldemort with an aro/ace flag 🧡💛🤍💙🖤

The Winds Forbid by @dodgerkedavra The third letter Petunia receives from Albus Dumbledore simply can’t be right.

The Sacred Blood We Spilled by @bunnieblair Her sisters were her ever-present companions in life. Their presence at her side firm and unyielding. Years of treasured girlhood, of never being alone. A lifetime spent fighting, learning and growing together.

Between Truth & Repose by @caitriona-3 Lily figures the assignment is as good a chance as any to ask her question - why are the three curses unforgivable?

Aniseed by @poljupci The Art of Identifying the Things which No Longer Serve You

These Dreams That Deepen Our Desires by Clueless Anxious Ghost of Hayhay (ShadowfoxFreyja) Narcissa finds herself in Azkaban, unwillingly dwelling on her past experiences.

The Diary of T.M. Riddle by @midnightstargazer On a visit to the Malfoys, fourteen-year-old Sirius insists on sneaking off to explore. What happens when he and Regulus find a blank diary hidden deep within the Malfoys’ library?

Ollivanders and Potter: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C. by That_Dark_Forest_Witch The wand may be the one to do all the choosing, but wandmakers are needed to help the pairs find each other. The getting-ready-for-school rush in Diagon Ally is one of Harry's favourites now that the shop is his.

A Good Place (Believe Me) by SquibNation10 Five-year-old Harry's idyllic summer in Godric's Hollow takes a dramatic turn when he meets Tom, a troubled boy. Tragedy strikes: Harry's sister, Luna, is missing. Can Tom and Harry solve the mystery together?

The boy and the dogfather by HadrianPeverellBlack Trouble is very protective of the young boy.

The Secrets We Keep by sky_watcher_rose Minerva knows who the black cat with the brown eyes is, but she never says anything. After all, as she keeps telling herself, she has no proof.

Learning to Unlearn by @offthemap A Pansy Parkinson character study. Over the course of a year and a half, Pansy starts to become more open-minded about the world she lives in... though at first not on purpose. A series of vignettes.

My brothers, my boys, my twins by @lucigoo Percy was unintentionally parentified at a young age. Now, on his first birthday without Fred, he finds himself with George and Harry. Reminiscing about the boys he all but helped raised.

Missing Pages by @nightfalltwen Something isn't right with Monica Wilkins' life. It's like reading a book with the pages torn out and she doesn't know.

Unbreakable bonds by x_manga_Bleach_x Bill was Ginny's favourite brother. She'd never tell Ron though. He'd pout and sulk for days.

our house in the middle of our street by daniko A neglected orphan, a former and future spy, and a convicted felon take up residence in a grim old place.

[sitp-recs]

Hey!

Thanks for all the great work you do for the fandom! I couldn't go through the entire masterlist so not sure if this rec has already been answered.

Do you have any drarry fics which is just a complete emotional roller-coaster ride? Something very emotional and gut-wrenching?

Thanks again!

Hi anon, you’re very welcome! Sure thing, here are my favorites. This list has a focus on long fics but if you’re into shorts I also did an angsty rec list here. Happy Holidays!

(Un)wanted by @aibidil (E, 36k)

Ginny's pregnant, then she's not and Harry's single. Harry, again with no family, doesn't know what to do with this turn of events, or how to find a new life—post-war, post-Ginny, post-abortion—in which he belongs. He doesn't expect that life to include dancing to the Backstreet Boys with Hermione and Draco Malfoy. A story of finding belonging in the unexpected.

Stop All the Clocks (This Is the Last Time I’m Leaving Without You) by @firethesound (E, 44k)

Living with Draco was difficult; living without him is unbearable. But if there’s one thing Harry learned from the war, it’s that even when one life ends, the rest of the world goes right on living.

The Boy Who Only Lived Twice by lettered (E, 54k)

Harry Potter is an Unspeakable. Draco Malfoy is the wizard who shagged him. Adventure! Intrigue! Secret identities, celebrities, spies! It's all right here, folks.

Super Rich Kids by @thusspoketrish (E, 81k)

Draco Malfoy has become disillusioned by the glitz and glamour of the scandalous lives of the Post-Second Wizarding War Pureblood Elite. Enter: one existential crisis, one group of thieving cynical friends, and several terrible, terrible decisions.

Merlin Works in Mysterious Ways by lordhellebore (M, 82k)

When Harry is forced to form a Blood Bond with Draco Malfoy under threat of death, he thinks his future will consist of a cold home and sexual frustration. But when a group of left-over Death Eaters decides to stir trouble, their lives change completely – and it takes them both some years to figure out whether it’s for better or for worse.

Dwelling by aideomai (T, 83k)

Curses, James and Lily Potter ride again, several Ministry balls, a teenage Summer of Love, a grim young adult dystopian winter, a few different Draco Malfoys, secrets and the problems re: not having any, alternate lives, impossible lives, real lives, allusions to Dirty Dancing, and just because it's not called the Mirror of Erised doesn't mean you shouldn't know better.

I Am Not Who I Became by mab_di (E, 93k)

Draco left England after the trials and has travelled the world meeting wizards and Muggles from different cultures and with vastly different relationships to magic, each other, and the natural world. Now he's a fisherman in Finland on commercial vessels. Harry has been struggling since the war and has become a recluse while trying to write his autobiography.

Nor All That Glisters by @sweet-s0rr0w (E, 110k)

Lonely and frustrated on house arrest, with no prospects for the future, Draco begins brewing Felix Felicis in an attempt to improve his lot. Just in the short term, of course. He isn’t a total idiot. But before long he finds himself with a thriving business, a nice flat, some actual (albeit irritatingly Gryffindor) friends, and a very satisfying sex life. What’s more, no-one is hexing him in the street. And Harry Potter is single, and gorgeous, and giving Draco decidedly interested looks.

Far From The Tree by aideomai (E, 112k)

The arrival of Harry Potter’s children—snapped back in time, the children themselves guessed, twenty or so years—was the most interesting thing to happen at Hogwarts for years.

Another Mask Behind You by lettered (E, 116k)

Draco is a high-end prostitute who hides his identity. Harry unknowingly hires him. And then there is porn, questions about identity, domestic bliss, more porn, and truth as seen through a web of lies. (And then more porn. Seriously, if you don’t want sex scene after sex scene you probably shouldn’t read this. And please read the warnings.)

Grounds for Divorce by Tepre (E, 122k)

Malfoy finds a coin. Harry finds a letter. A story about histories, a story about families. A story about a lemon tree somewhere in Upper Egypt.

Away Childish Things by lettered (T, 153k)

Harry gets de-aged. Malfoy has to help him.

Twist of Fate by Oakstone730 (T, 302k)

Draco asks Harry to help him beat the Imperius curse during 4th year. The lessons turn into more than either expected. A story of redemption and forgiveness.

[justbelievinginmagic]

ariadne's thread ⎯ pt. 2: never go that way.

pairing(s): hyunjin x fem!reader, soobin x yeonjun, jisung & fem!reader, soobin & fem!reader. series summary: when tempted by an intoxicating offer by hyunjin the goblin king of the underground, you fight against him to find your own sense of self once more while in his labyrinth. glimpse: abandoned in the desert sea, you take your first steps into your quest where you meet challenges that put your patience to the test and meet a collection of unusual folk - from a frustrating man with quokka-cheeks to a sweet tall blonde and his mysterious seal-fur caped partner. warnings/tags: inspired by the 1986' movie Labyrinth, follows majority of the movie's plot points with lore divergence, 3rd person POV, use of Y/N, some violence, pixies get squished, some mild injuries, anxiety, world building!!, strong language, faerie lore!!, amnesia, best boy han jisung being a fae menace!!! (we will learn his name later promise but thats Him!) soobin/yeonjun from txt cameo, selkie!yeonjun, changeling!soobin, goblin!jisung. let me know if there is anything else i should tag! word count: 7.3k first chapter <- -> next chapter series masterlist

The desert sea felt endless. She wasn’t sure how long she’d trudged through the dunes; all she knew was that her shoes (which had thankfully appeared on her feet when she’d been transported) were full of itchy sand. Grains in-between her toes, they scratched at her heels and her soles. It was annoying, but what was more annoying was that every step towards the walled maze didn’t seem to make it appear any closer. In fact, it seemed like it was still so, so far away. It was like an optical illusion; the little walls growing further and further despite her continuous walking. Was this some sort of torture? A brain game? She wasn’t sure. All she knew was that she was growing more and more frustrated.

The area around her was dark; the sunspot she and the King had been transported to was only so large, and the rest of the Underground was dark. Cool and dark. There was a haunting ruddiness in the distance that reminded her of the orange-red glow of fire. As if there was an ever-glowing inferno just out of reach. It was mostly from the floating candles and large roaring fires in the tall look-out posts high above the Labyrinth, she was sure of it. But it didn’t make it less strange.

This whole place was strange. Glancing around with a sigh and a wipe of her brow, she noted the dead twisted plants that spotted the landscape in brown, dry patches. Cacti with withering pink flowers that looked like they would crumble away with a single harsh wind and the odd-shattered stone obelisks jutting out of the sand dunes every so many feet. She paused in her walking, harsh sand squelching in her shoes as she stood and stared around her.

The rockwork she had seen so far were crumbling things, mostly piles of rounded rubble as if they had been destroyed millennia ago. But the further she got through the dunes, the more they began to become sturdy and full things. The one beside her even had an engraving in it – in a language she couldn’t decipher. The letters were curling forms, intricate by design as they crawled down the rock. It didn’t look like any language she had ever seen before.

Everything felt like a dream. Eerie and off-putting with illusions too grand to be real, but standing staring at this tall rock formation… it felt real. It felt like it was historic. Was it a tombstone? Was it a boundary marker? Was it a monument for an old ruler or god? She didn’t know. She just knew it was here, chipping away under desert sand.

Glancing away in the direction she came, she had to admit she had made progress. The sunspot she had left was far in the distance and the once far away walls of the Labyrinth were finally not despairingly far. This was when she noticed another thing: everything crawled towards the Labyrinth.

Dead vines, piling rocks shimmering with magic, withered tree branches, and even the stray night flowers curled and twisted, pointing towards the maze awaiting her. She wondered why. Was it magic? The wind? It was strange there was even wind down here. She shivered as a rush of cold air caressed her skin. Her white long sleeve tunic wasn’t made for the chill of the Underground – it was just enough for the warmth of her heated house. Wrapping her arms around herself, she continued her trek towards the walls. 

Once she got there, she had to find an entrance. Surely, that had to be easier than it seemed. But even approaching the thing felt like a mindfuck. As she got closer, she noticed how tall the exterior wall towered above her. It was made of thick slabs of grey rock that didn’t seem magical. But it did seem ancient. The rock was cracked everywhere, aged by the harsh sand and winds it blocked out. The higher the walls grew, the less she could see of the interior maze. She could only hope she could figure a way once inside what seemed like a never-ending twisted path.

There were also watch points every so many feet yet she couldn’t see any guards patrolling. Maybe the King sent them away? Not one of these look-out points looked to be special. They all were of equal height with a roaring flame within the columned center of the watchpoint. Nothing to hint that she should go towards it rather than another.

Just get to the wall, Y/N.

The closer she got to the Labyrinth, the more she saw evidence of civilization. Rather than loose sand, it was packed down by foot traffic and even remnants of what looked like carriages or carts. A post stood beside some sparkling, shimmering rocks – with too many signs to count crawling up the wooden thing, pointing this way and that. Chaotic. Some of the signs had been hand-painted and eroded away until the words were unreadable. Others were carved pieces of wood that were written in that strange language from the obelisk. There was one that read, in red paint, ‘TURN BACK’ pointing towards the Labyrinth.

Great. Very reassuring.

And then, there was a well with sparkling, cracking stonework with once-intricate tiles making up its molding. The thing was full of water, teetering at the edge of the stones, but it didn’t look appetizing. It was murky dark with green algae and clover-like lily-pad structures jutting out of the surface. Small glowing blue creatures that looked like some sort of moth with transparent wings danced about the water, making ripples. 

She swallowed – her mouth felt dry. She had to have been walking for an hour?

Squatting down, she looked over the well. It was the first thing she had stumbled upon that wasn’t fully dead. The tiles were aging, but still sparkling with the magic stardust that seemed to radiate magic. Their sparkle gleamed even in the dark cave-light of the Underground. Reaching out, she wiped the dust away from a tile, the grime falling into the water and startling the glowing blue creatures away. There was a hissing sound coming from them like they were cats.

Ignoring them, she looked down at the first tile, realizing it wasn’t just a pretty tile, but a painting. Each one of the stones were a painting she noticed, telling some sort of story. The art style was loose and dreamlike with cool blue and purple tones making up the color scheme. It looked like from the only full tile that it was about a girl and a boy from different worlds. One from the blue, one from the purple.  When she blinked, it almost looked like the loosely painted figures were moving.

Scooting over, she tried to figure out the story, but each tile was too cracked and shattered. Each crack revealed a shimmering jewel like substance, almost like diamonds. It was beautiful, but definitely destroyed. She couldn’t tell if it was from the harshness of the desert sea or if it was intentional.

Pushing herself up by her knees, she stood once more and looked over towards the wall only for the thing that was once still a good 15-minute walk away to be right there, only a few feet away! Her eyes widened in surprise, stumbling back into dead foliage that crunched like dead bones beneath her feet.

She wiped her hands off on her pants as she looked back where she came and back at the Labyrinth that now towered over her. Flickering flames painted the area in a warm golden light, almost a mimicry to sunlight. But it never lost its fire-smoke hue, the world painted in an orange-red sunset haze like a filter on a movie.

But it was less dark now and she was glad for it. Walking closer to the wall, she saw no entrance. The thing was cold to the touch with no discernible entrance. Just cracking rockwork with some rotting plants crawling up.

(It made her wonder if this place ever was once flourishing. How could there be so many plants if there wasn’t once water? What had happened she wondered?)

She began to follow the wall, trailing a hand across the cool rock. Dodging white night-flowers and harsh sharpened vines, she continued onwards, hoping to find something, some clue, that would lead to an entrance to the Labyrinth.

The Runner walked on and on, her eyes not leaving the wall as her hand trailed over it. Feeling for something that would feel like a door or a secret. There was nothing, just a cool rock wall with creeping plants. She didn’t know how long she had walked onwards. Her toes felt rubbed raw from the sand but she had to keep going.

It wasn’t until she heard a noise – like someone noisily eating - that she finally looked back over at the desert sea.

There, beside a water well with red stonework rather than purple-blue sparkling tiles, sat a man. A satchel was beside him, with some sort of bread loaf resting on the fabric like it was a make-shift plate.

Someone else! Maybe they knew where to go. He looked humanesque, not a tiny bug like the blue creatures from before. There were no rules with getting help from others.

“Excuse me!” she called, rushing over to them. Optimism flashed through her.

The man turned his head, and she could see only full cheeks. Big food-filled cheeks like a chipmunk. Crumbs of honeyed-bread rested on his pouted lips. And his wide eyes blinked owlishly. Like he had been caught red handed.

“Oh,” he smacked his lips as he chewed and swallowed. “It’s just you,” he said before grabbing his food and shoving the entirety of it in his mouth before standing from his crouched position.

“You know me?” she queried, her voice stuttering.

He began to walk away, loudly chomping. She trailed behind him, brows pursed. He wasn’t super tall, but he definitely held himself with an air of someone who was tall.

He snorted, crumbs tumbling from his pout and falling to the sandy floor.

“Yeah, little human. I could smell you the moment you fell to the Underground.”

Smell? Her hand rose to her nose so she could smell her own skin. It didn’t smell like anything to her, maybe hints of her perfume or soap?

“You can smell me?”

He rolled his eyes as if she was dreadfully dumb.

“Yes, we all can.”

His foot steps quickened as he continued trekking past the wall. Her eyes flickered from him to the wall beside them. God, he was quick.

“Wait!” she called.

He wasn’t extremely tall, but he somehow took wildly long strides. Stumbling over stray rocks, she tried to catch up to him.

“What, Runner?” he sighed as he continued walking. 

“My name isn’t Runner – What does that even mean?”

“Do you need everything to be explained to you? Your scent, your title, your-“

Suddenly, small creatures, their size no bigger than a butterfly, flew out of their hiding spots (behind old dry ferns and the lily pads of another tiled-well.) Transparent milky-white wings and glowing trails of what looked like dandelion fluff trailed after them as they swooped down upon the fae-man. Tugging at his long hair, his clothes, scratching at his cheeks.

“Ugh,” the man spluttered out, hands going to swipe at the things. “Damn pixies!”

They crawled and flew over his form, five of them. A soft chittering giggling sound bubbled from the things. He flailed and whacked at the things until with they fell off him with violent ‘ugh’s.

“Fucking pests,” he cursed as he crushed one with the heel of his leathered boot.

“Hey!” she exclaimed, horrified as he smeared the magic-remnant on the dirt floor with a squish. His eyes flashed to meet hers with a raised brow. He looks oddly young with his brow pursed in such a way. Innocent, like a misbehaving kid being scolded before a scowl replaced his soft-eyed expression.

“What?” he grounded out, whacking aside another stray pixie that had tugged at his ear.

“They were just playing!” she defended, a hand going to shield one of the fallen pixies. Her gaze flickered from the smeared sparkling lavender-azure remnants of the squished pixie to the one that she shielded.

It didn’t look as human as she imagined a pixie to look. It had whisp-y white hair that faded off into blue translucent tube-like strands, the appearance resembling glowing fiberoptics. Its wings were paper-thin and an off-white shade that had small bones making up its structure. Instead of humanoid features, its face was flatter with no prominent nose bridge. Their eyes were a glassy fluorescent blue, wide and bug-like. A spider-esque mouth with black tipped pincer-like fangs bared themselves at her before biting the hand that shielded it, right at the juncture of her thumb and forefinger.

“Ouch,” Y/N yelped, jumping away from the creature that hissed out a gargle of a giggle. More monstrous than humanistic. The fae-man silenced the biting pixie with a well-place kicked, making it fly off into the distance.

“Just playing,” the fae-man repeated with a low scolding chuckle. “Are you okay?”

Her non-injured hand held the bitten hand close to her chest. It stung with the same ferociousness as a mosquito bite. Droplets of red blood pearled to the surface but it wasn’t a bad bite. His hand reached out to grasp her wrist, his skin was warm like a furnace. Not hot enough to burn but, certainly enough that if he was human, he’d be running a high fever. He looked over her hand closely and, if she had been focusing on his face, she’d noticed the fascination blurring in his eyes at her red blood. But she wasn’t she was hissing a bit at the wound’s sting.

“I’m fine… I thought they’d be sweet like a fairy?” she admitted. “Pixies are usually playful in stories, mischievous, but I didn’t think they’d bite.”

His eyes rolled before he wiped at her hand with his thumb. She noticed his nails were a painted lacquer; a black shimmering color that had long been chipped away at the edges. There was a beat before he simply looked at the bite’s holes inquiringly before dropping her wrist easily, his cool gold rings grazing her skin.

He laughed. “Sweetness? From pixies? They’re nasty creatures. Mean vermin.”

A noise of acknowledgment hummed in her throat before he turned away once more.

“Wait.” She called, grasping his wrist desperately.

He paused this time, head tilting back as he brought his free-hand dragged through his hair.

“Yes, Runner.” He answered before gently tugging his hand away.

“My name isn’t Runner; it’s Y/N,” she retorted with a furrowed brow.

“I thought so,” he grimaced as he continued to walk along the perimeter of the Labyrinth walls. Another pixie jutted out in front of him, and all he did was grab it and crush it before tossing it aside. As if it was nothing but a bug.

It was startling and a bit frightening. Everything here was like that – if she was being honest. The way he was able to do something so violent when he looked well… so sweet.

The man had a round face with softened cheeks. His doll-like eyes were the strangest shade of blue – in the flame-light, it turned a purplish shade, glistening like a jewel in sunlight. His lips were a pouty thing – with a strong ‘V’ of a cupid’s bow and puckered lower lip that was a soft pink shade. His cheeks even had a prominent glaze of the magic remnant that everything seemed to be made of. Constellations of pink, yellow, green, purple, and blue glittered through his skin, sparkling when it caught the light.

His hair was dark, long and, unlike the Goblin King, it was long in a more un-styled way. Like he simply hadn’t had the time to cut it. It laid in loose waves down his neck, covering his forehead in soft curls. Some curls were damp with sweat and plastered to his golden skinned forehead.

Hidden beneath his blue-black curls, she could see small teardrop earrings sparkling with golden chain and red rubies. But, his clothes lacked such wealth. They were simple – he wore an orange-tan vest that had been patched haphazardly in red, purple, yellow threads over the years, a white flowy tunic that was open chested and pushed up to his elbows to reveal his toned forearms that were shimmering innately with that magical dust as if someone had painted him in body glitter. Rings decorated each finger in a golden halo, sparkling in the firelight.

His pants were a paler sandy color with clear wear-and-tear on the knees and edges. A belt of some sort of leather clung to his slim waist, cinching his form in. It acted as a purse of sorts, holding what looked like a dagger with a rubied hilt in between its leathered folds, a black-woven purse he had been using as a plate moments ago, and, most prominently, a collection of vibrant jewels. Rubies, emeralds, diamonds, moonstones, and amethysts. Some of the jewels were hung by worn rope; others strong-linked chains of gold. But each one of the jewels were pretty, sparkling in the overhead firelight.

How did he come to attain them she wondered? He didn’t have the appearance of a king or a prince or any sort of royalty – despite his handsome face. He just didn’t have that magnetic lure that the King had. Power that was unspoken. Walking tall wasn’t the same as a powerful walk.

He felt. . . reckless. Like how a wolf in the wild was nothing compared to a dog kept as a pet. He prowled forward, scavenging onwards and swatting at the remaining milky-white pixies that hovered about him. One reached out to tug on his jewels, making a low growl escape his chest like he was some sort of alligator.

She reached out to swat the pixie away, not squishing or squashing it like he did but just shoving it away. His jewel-toned eyes flashed to meet hers from under his dark oil-slick blue-black curls.

He didn’t thank her, just looked at her with simmering eyes.

“I don’t mean to bother you,” she started.

“Well, you are.” He retorted quick. “You Runners are always so slow to the game.”

“Runner – you said it was my title, there have been other Runners? Are they the ones who make deals?” she queried.

“You’re catching up,” he acknowledged.

“I’m a quick learner,” she retorted back. “Just—do you know where the door to the Labyrinth is? That’s all I need to know. I need to get inside.”

“Hm,” he hummed absent-mindedly. “Oh no, do I know.”

Under his breath, he huffed and shook his head.

“You know?” she repeated.

“Know,” he agreed with a shake of his head again.

It all sounded the same ‘know’ and ‘no’, his head was shaking ‘no’, but did he actually say know? And now, Y/N was even confused.

“Gosh, it’s hopeless asking you things!” she huffed as she turned away and looked up at the sky – the reality she was in another world striking her as she saw the dark cavern stalagmites high above them.

Cracks of sunlight beamed through – shining over the Labyrinth. She realized she could faintly see… flowers. Yes, there were flowers blooming high above them. Those flowers had vines that creeped outwards through the sunlight veins of the Underground’s ceiling, crawling in and out of the stalagmites.  Hope in the middle of the darkness.

Her gaze settled back on the rock wall in front of her. In its own thousand-year-old cracks, she could see budding blooms of what looked like magnolias, peach blossoms, and desert poppies. Hope in the middle of darkness.

She needed some hope right now.

“Ask the right things maybe,” the man suggested as he sighed and leaned against the rock nearest to him. A hand rose to wipe at sweat on his brow – how could he be sweating in such coldness?

“How do I get into the Labyrinth?” she mused.

The man paused, a flicker of a grin coming onto his round face. “Now, that I can answer,” he smirked, glancing over at her before pointing with a finger.

“There,” he said simply.

Her eyes followed his pointing finger to find there was a grand gate beside two empty watch towers. The gate’s exterior was decorated with intricately carved vines, twisting, and twirling over the heavy wooden doors.

“See, not a door, a gate,” the fae man chortled.

“That’s so stupid. How was I supposed to know?” she whined.

He laughed again, the thing sounding playfully song-like. “You’ll have to ask the right questions. Think closer next time.”

Y/N fought the urge to roll her eyes. It was like walking on egg-shells in this place. Taking a deep breath, she walked closer to the gates.

“Is there a key?” she murmured.

“Yes,” the man retorted, casually as he leaned against one of the watch towers. He looked awfully amused now, rather than itching to get away like before.

Glancing away from him, she looked over the gate to see an itsy-bity key hole.

“Do I need the gate’s key?” she asked again.

“What do you think?” he queried, looking at her blankly. But the corner of his lips twitched, he was about to grin.

Creeping closer, Y/N pressed a palm against the wooden gate door – and pushed.

With a puff of smoke and the twinkle of sparkling magic-remnant on the gates, the carved vines bloomed their pure-white blossoms before the doors heaved themselves inwards open to reveal the Labyrinth.

Cobwebs tore away with the motion as the plume of smoke tumbled over her and the stranger’s feet. His eyes widened with mock surprise at her before turning to crush a pixie under his foot with a stamp. There was a smear of chromatic glitter when he removed his heel.

The Runner took a soft breath in as she peered curiously into the labyrinth, not yet fully stepping onto the cobblestone path of its interior.

“You’re really going in there?” the stranger prompted, crossing his arms. A brow raised into his curled bangs.

“I have to,” she replied, licking her lips. Glancing towards him, she offered a smile. “It’s the only way to gain myself back.”

Now, that seemed to strike something in the handsome man. His eyes widened genuinely, and he swallowed, poutful lips pursing. His cheeks looked chubby, and for a moment she could understand how fae could be described as cherubic.

“You’re brave or stupid,” he muttered, ruining the moment.

She sighed out. Head falling back in exasperation. He really was pushing her buttons. Regardless, she took a step in, half-ignoring the fae-man for the time being.

Looking left and right, she couldn’t help but feel the creeping tell-tales of anxiety. Sweaty palms, heart rushing, shakiness. It looked endless. Abandoned forever-passageways that seemed to never curve or turn. Their interiors were shadowed occasionally by the flickering of the grand fire-pits high above in the watch towers and the sea of floating candles high above the Labyrinth. The light made sparkling cobblestone walls and floor glimmer and glisten.

“Left or right?” the fae man’s voice piped up again, chuckling as he leaned in and glanced one way and then the other.

“Which way would you go?” Y/N prompted him.

He was of this place – maybe he’d know.

“Neither for me.” The long-haired man snorted. “I don’t know – no point in it anyways,” his fingers reached out to pick up a sparkling rock resting on the uneven floor. Glittery and shiny, he wiped at it with his linen vest.

“You can just leave if you’re going to be like this.” Y/N snapped.

Why was he being like this? Purposely spiteful and misleading one moment, helpful the other minute. She huffed a bit as she tried to find clues to which way to go. Footsteps, signs of life, something.

“Listen,” the dark-haired creature said, taking a step into the Labyrinth after her. “I’m just trying to level with you. Even if you made it there, you’ll never escape. No one escapes the Labyrinth - or the King’s rule for that matter.”

“So, there has been others?” she queried, brows crinkling as she turned her gaze to settle on the man.

He shrugged not even looking at the Runner, his gaze locked onto the rock he found. It was certainly not a jewel or gem of beauty. It did gleam a bit and had something akin to fairy dust trapped within its glassy texture.

“Maybe. Maybe not.” He seesawed.

“Have you tried to leave?” she countered, her gaze not leaving him.

It was odd, he was the only person outside of the grand labyrinth she had seen up close. And he was locked out? Far, far away from the castle. Yet he didn’t know which was to go. Was he stuck here too? Had he done something? Was he once in her shoes?

He froze at her words. The fine muscles in his throat tensed.

“No.” he answered solidly. Topic shut. “I’m not a Runner. Listen, all the others failed – I’d give up now; he’s kinder to those who admit weakness.”

The King wanted to be the all-powerful King, she saw that now as the man continued to gather this and that from the walls.

“Well, thanks for nothing.” She trailed off. “I never even got your name.”

He almost looked at her pityingly. He sighed. “You don’t need to learn names down here with your fate.”

It made gooseflesh rise on her arms and neck, and she resisted a shudder going down her spine. If anything, that only proved how she had felt in her bedroom with the King. That her wish was a mistake.

She had to win.

“You’re not very helpful.” She commented again. “Just discouraging.

“I’m being realistic, little human,” he retorted with a roll of his eyes. “I’ve seen many yous before. They all end up with the short-end of the stick.”

She frowned at him purposely. Staring with cruelly hurt eyes.

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” The fae-man said, hands raising in defense as he backed out of the Labyrinth.

Y/N looked back at him for a moment. He hadn’t stopped looking at her and she couldn’t help but notice the glimmer in his eye. A furrow of his brow. Not in disdain or anger but something contemplative. Before sighing a soft huff and walking off, his jewels clanking with every step.

Her own lips stretched into a gentle grimace. What a strange man. But she couldn’t worry about that now, no. She had to keep going onwards. Looking left and right again, she chose to go right. As soon as she took a few more steps inside the Labyrinth, the gates heaved shut with a groan.  

The cobblestone was raised and uneven in places like it had been laid centuries ago and never repaved since. Broken stones rested here and there in stacked piles. The same dried, dead greenery outside of the Labyrinth poked through the cracks here as well, withered roots of dead crawling up the rockwork.

Mushrooms of varying sizes burst forth from the cobblestone walls, finding their homes in the dark corners. They looked unlike any mushroom she had seen – seeming to breath with shuddered breaths of sparkling pollen.

She kept walking.

There were no entrances to other parts of the Labyrinth. There were no doors or corners or parts in the walls from what she could see. It was just a straight path. Forever. She began to run after some time as if that would help make it go faster. Her feet ached from the scratchy sand that still occupied her shoes. It was quiet here; there was only the sound of the soles of her feet hitting rock.

She ran for a while. So long that it almost felt like she was in the optical illusion this time rather than viewing the castle grow further and further. Everything felt like it was repeating. The same crippled plants. The same mushrooms in the same dark corners. The same aching feet. The same pitter-patter of footsteps.

Until she finally came across something different.

In the distance, Y/N could see it. Something in the path. Something on the ground curled over. Panting, sweat dripped down her temple as she paused a few feet away. Her stomach churned.

Lying against the wall of the Labyrinth was a skeleton. A human one she assumed. Curled in on itself as if frozen in time. If she blinked, she could see the muscles, tendons, skin, forming a shell around the stuck skeleton. It looked like her, young and female. They were hiding or sleeping or afraid.

And they were dead.

Cobwebs clung to the skull and she could see caterpillar-like creatures making the eye cavity a home. It made her shiver and run faster.

She couldn’t end up like that.

No, no, no, she had to find a way out.

Running onwards she didn’t see a skeleton again – the only reassuring thing so far. It meant maybe this wasn’t a looping path. As she continued on more and more cobwebs decorated the walls. Huge spiderwebs with intricate patterns were ahead. Sparkling shimmering quilted spiderlace that whistled in the wind. If she wasn’t feeling so frustrated and frightened, Y/N may had stopped to appreciate them or ducked under them. She just swiped at them and continued onwards.

Another spiderweb appeared a few hundred feet away.

She kept wiping at them, avoiding the spidersilk from getting into her mouth as she did so as she ran onwards.

Her arms felt sticky with webs; her feet hurt; her head ached from the repeating cobblestone. She let out a yell as she finally stopped. Panting, with a reddened face, she covered her face with her hands and screeched.

“This place is hopeless,” she scowled as she stopped. It’d been minutes of running straight and straight and straight!

Kicking the brick wall petulantly, she yelped before stumbling to her knees. Her hands went to cup her foot, rubbing it a bit as it throbbed in pain. Tearing her shoe off, sand from the desert sea tumbled out in a cup-full. Her big toe throbbed as she held it close, massaging it with her thumb. Toeing off the other shoe like an over-stimulated child, she kicked it away, making it hit the opposing wall with a thunk. Sand from it tumbled out as well into a small pile.

Wiping strands of hair away from her sweaty face, she leaned back against the wall behind her and looked to the side, heaving and panting as she felt a tell-tale pressure building behind her eyes and nose.

No, no, she won’t cry. She felt like a child. It was humiliating.

It was then she saw a plant staring at her! A plant with a million tiny eyes instead of petals and blooms. She yelped scooting away, her hands scrapping against the rough cobblestone beneath her. All the eyeful plant did was blink, all at once, eerily but not dangerous.

Tugging her hands up from the stone floor, she saw the faint scrapes and inkling of blood rushing to the surface. Another injury. Her eyes burned in frustration before she buried her head into her knees.

First, she walked ages in the desert alone, filling her shoes with sand. Then, she met a rude fae man where she watched him hurt pixies. After that, she got bit by a pixie. Now, she’s stuck walking on and on in one direction nowhere close to getting a real stab at the Labyrinth. And she’s hurt her hands after getting scared by a creepy eye plant.

It was frustrating. She didn’t know what to do and it all felt so so pointless. The scales were stacked against her. How did anyone win?

“Annyeong!”

A cheerful voice chimed and, in that moment, she looked up to see a figure, shading her from the dull light of the Labyrinth.

He was tall, far taller than the Goblin King and certainly taller than the fae she had met outside the Labyrinth walls. He had almost frightened her with how his blonde hair reminded her of the king, but the tone of his voice and the smile on his face was far different from the King’s. In fact, the man looked happy. Gentle. Dimples lit up his face as he outstretched his hand for her to shake. Or to take to stand?

“Huh?” she mumbled.

His smile didn’t cease, and he glanced at his hand with his brown eyes.

She took it to shake tentatively before he yanked her up with a strength that didn’t seem possible in his lanky form. A ‘ugh’ pushed its way out of her.

“Annyeonghaseyo,” he breathed. His smile was sweet she noted as she took him in more now that she was standing. His eyes were a deep chocolate color, and they didn’t seem to be cruel or sparkling or ethereal like the others she had met so far. They were brown, gleaming a bit in the faint golden light of the Labyrinth, but otherwise normal.

“Annie-yeo,” she tried to begin to repeat before he let out a bubbling laugh.

“No, no, annyeonghaseyo – or hi, which is close enough,” he corrected.

A gentle breath left her in relief, glad there would not be a language barrier between the two of them.

“Hi,” she repeated.

“Hi,” he breathed again. “We’ve said hi a lot now. Maybe we should continue to something else,” he teased. He buzzed with an energy, almost childlike in nature. “I haven’t met anyone in so long.”

His admittance didn’t ring alarm bells – like she thought it should. Instead, she felt… sad. His entire form seemed to be desperate in some ways. Desperate to talk to her.

“That’s alright.” She reassured. “I’m Y/N.” Her hand reached out properly to shake again.

“Y/N,” he repeated with a smile as he took her hand and shook it. “You can call me Soobie; my friends do.”

“Nice to meet you.”

“It’s really nice to meet you, too.”

His smile was charming and gentle. The dimples made him look younger and, in some ways, she wanted to protect him. Why…? Her eyes danced over his face. He didn’t seem… well, ethereal. Not like the king nor even like the dark-haired fae outside the labyrinth. Sure, he was handsome and coated in the sparkling dust that seemed to be engrained in everything here. But there was something utterly human about him. His eyes weren’t some fantastical thing; the way he held himself didn’t feel off-putting and otherworldly. And if she looked closer, she noticed that sparkle wasn’t engrained in him like it was for the King or the Fae-From-Outside-The-Labyrinth. It almost looked like make-up?

“I’m trying to make my way through the Labyrinth; do you know the way?” she asked after a moment, glancing down the path she had been heading.

“The way through the Labyrinth… I used to know,” he muttered, gaze following hers down the path she was headed before looking back at the way she came. There was a moment as he thought. And she saw how distant his eyes became. Like, he wasn’t all here with her. In fact, his eyes looked sad, distant. As if lost in a maze. His face fell into a pout, curved lips softly parting as his breath shuddered.

His blinking slowed and she swore for a moment his breathing stopped before he blink, blink, blinked at her. His smile slowly reappeared and his eyes warmed from the deep sadness and confusion that consumed them moments before.

“Soobie?” she asked inquiringly.

“What was your name again?” he queried. As if she hadn’t given it only moments before.

The Runner smiled softly – though a bit tentative. Something was going on.

“Y/N,” she replied. “You don’t know how to get out of this Labyrinth either?”

“Y/N, pretty name,” he hummed pleasantly. Cheery, happy, content.

“The Labyrinth is my home.”

It was said solidly, truthfully.

“Your home?” she queried once more. “Has it always been your home? You spoke in Korean, right? It sounded Korean. Are you from there?”

What if it hadn’t always been his home? The Fae-From-Outside-The-Labyrinth said every Runner failed. She had seen bones, and countless dust, and what if Binnie was another remnant of a Runner.

“Korea. . . “, he breathed. She watched as his eyes faded into the distance. His long eyelashes fluttered. “I-I was from Daebu Island. I lived near the water.” His hands shook as he went to grab the necklace around his neck. It was a beaded necklace around his throat, the thing made of wrapped twine and iridescent shells, seven teardrop-esque gems, and dark-silver pearls. It complimented what looked like a hand-made white sweater. He was dressed all in white she noticed, all soft clean fabric. Like he never was walking in the dirt and grime she was now covered in. How was that possible?

His lips trembled as he continued to fiddle with the necklace. Twisting it around and soothing himself by rubbing the smooth shells and pearlescent gems between his fingertips. Anxiously, his eyes fluttered once more as he moved a hand away to wipe at his face. Glitter shifted on his skin in a streak of golden silver dust. It wasn’t underneath his skin like she had thought.

He was from her world. She knew that now. Was he human? She couldn’t tell completely.

“How could I forget? But-but Junie is here–“ He was talking to himself, rubbing his cheek back and forth. His eyes shifted to look at her again. Wide and gentle and confused. “The Labyrinth, it’s been home for a long time – come inside,” he gestured to a brick wall, that now with a closer look did resemble a door. There was even a latch and door handle made of ivy. His smile was shaky but genuine. He smiled brightly as he thought of something that seemed to distract him from his previous anxieties. “We can have tea together! Junie and I! I make a great cup of tea. It’s from night-flowers!”

“Oh,” she felt genuinely sorry. He seemed kind. There was a manipulative tone or even condescension. He was just desperate. Eager to talk to someone else. Naïve maybe. His thoughts were befuddled for some reason.

“I can’t; I’m sorry.” She apologized.

His eyes grew even sadder like a kicked puppy’s.

“I’d love to but I must find a way out of here. I don’t have a lot of time.”

“A way out,” he repeated. “But—”

“Soobin,” a voice called from within the doorway and out popped a dark-haired fae. He had something about him that felt magical – like the Goblin King. The world lit up as soon as she saw him. His gaze felt magnetic. She couldn’t help but turn towards him, focus on him.

“You’ve made a friend,” he hummed. His words felt like honey on her ears and she couldn’t help but stare. Hypnotized.

His hair was a midnight black, short, and trim in the back but swooping over his face daintily. His face was almost as beautiful as the Goblin King’s. His eyes weren’t a winter-esque blue or jeweled purple, but instead a water-soaked green as though his eyes were salt-frosted sea-glass. His lips were kiss-swollen, a softened red pout.

While Soobin wore a soft, hand-knit sweater of cream, this man wore a heavy fur-like cloak over his shoulders, hiding his shirtless form she noted as it shifted with his movements. He had remnants of magic in his skin but, unlike the crushed starlight of the King, his looked glossy wet like it was liquid honey and sunshine mixed together. If she reached out, she swore it’d stick to her.

He captivated her.

“Yeonjun-hyung,” the blonde-haired man lit up at the sight of him as well. A hand reached out for the forgetful man, and Soobin took it easily.

He hugged the fae man, and the motion sent the smell of salt-water her way. The ethereal man smiled fondly at the other before looking at the Runner again. There was that sharpness, almost an animalistic look. Like a predator hunting a prey. His fingers wound themselves through Soobin’s protectively.

“I’m looking for the way to the castle,” she repeated to the new fae, her head tilted towards the blonde. “Soobin was helping me.”

There was a flash of something dark in Yeonjun’s sea-glass eyes. Something she couldn’t quite place as he licked his plump lips slowly.

“He is helpful,” he said steadily. “Did he mention things aren’t always as they seem? The walls may seem one way but they may lead another.”

Her eyes widened in surprise, one that Yeonjun tracked with carefulness.

“He hadn’t.”

“She was going straight,” Soobin teased under his breath.

It made her roll her eyes a bit, huffing. Yeonjun smiled as he exhaled. His shoulders loosened a bit as he glanced both ways. Down the right and left of infinity.

“Things aren’t what they seem here,” Yeonjun stated simply. “So, you can’t take it for granted,” he looked back at Soobin who had leaned more and more into the older man. His chin rested on the tip of the older’s shoulder as he stared directly at the wall behind her. He smiled raising his brows before gesturing with his chin towards the wall behind her.

The Runner glanced back at the wall opposite of their ‘house’, her brow raising.

“Walk through it!” Soobin encouraged.

She turned and fully stared at the wall in front of her. It looked like a wall. No gaps, no nothing.

“But it’s… a wall,” she breathed.” She took a step forward, trying to trust these strangers. Her hand reached out slowly to find… nothing. It just looked like the wall continued for forever. Stepping through the hole, she could see clearly now. It was an opening! There was another path beyond its bricks, and surely another one somewhere else. These walls were all illusions.

She just had to look closer.

“Thank you! That was incredibly helpful!” the Runner beamed at the others as she turned to face them once more.

Yeonjun’s smile was careful, and Soobin’s equaled her beaming grin. She quickly went to grab her shoes and slide them back on, grimacing at the loose sand grains still in them, but even that couldn’t dampen her mood that was gradually lightening. This was a start - finally!

“Thank you!” she repeated gratefully as she turned to right to begin to walk onwards through the maze.

“Miss,” Yeonjun called out, the tune something so enticing she couldn’t help but pause in her step. “Don’t go that way – never go that way.”

The warning was paired with a shake of his head that Soobin copied.

“Oh…. Thanks,” the Runner grinned at them before heading in the opposite direction, finally feeling like she had something of a start.

Soobin’s sad eyes watched her leave. “I was excited to see someone,” he commented lowly, dejected, and droopy almost like an ill-watered flower.

Yeonjun sighed, his hands going to pass through Soobin’s hair sweetly. “I know, sugar, but we have to keep you safe.” He glanced back at the castle and the shadow it cast over the land. “If she had gone the other way, she would have gone straight to the castle – and the King would be at our doorstep.”

The mention of the Goblin King made Soobin’s eyes focus just a tad.

“Can’t have that.” He murmured, and Yeonjun smiled proud.

“Exactly, coileán,” Yeonjun praised as he moved one hand to release his seal-skin fur cape’s clasp.

The silky soft thing fell off his shoulders, leaving his upper body bare. It revealed what appeared to be spotted grey and white dots over his toned stomach. He pressed a kiss to Soobin’s nose, lovingly, before he draped the cape over Soobin’s shoulders protectively.

“Let’s go inside and make tea, hm?”

[disaster-biraven]

Love Notes - Masquerade AU

Masterlist

For @the-coffee-fandom

Marinette stood at the edge of the dance floor, trying not to pick at her dress. Gotham Academy was having its Annual Masquerade, and she had spent months making her dress and mask. Not to mention she also made Tim’s suit, the reciprocate for her anonymous love letters. This was the first time they were meeting where Tim was aware he was talking to the secret writer. She nervously scanned the room, waiting for him to arrive.

For months, they’d written back and forth leaving the letters in Tim’s locker. Whenever Marinette would leave a letter, she would take any response he had left. He had never asked how she got into his locker. He only knew her as L, short for her secret identity; Ladybug. When the date of the Masquerade had been announced both of them immediately asked the other to the dance, with Marinette offering to make both their outfits.

With the Kwami’s help, she put magic into the mask that would keep Tim from figuring out who she was. Which would frustrate him to no end, she, unlike her classmates had figured out he was an amazing detective. The whole time they had been in correspondence she could see him take note of any information she gave him and go through their classmates, eliminating people. But he was one of the most popular people in the school, and Marinette was well-liked but flew under his radar.

“I’m assuming that since you match my suit, you’re L?” Even though she was positioned to see the whole room, she missed him sneaking up beside her. She whirled around to face him and stared back as he tried to place her. When he didn’t recognize her, his eyes fell to the intricate embroidery of her gown.

“Tim, you look amazing.” He looked up from admiring the detail on her dress and blushed.

“L, you’re breathtaking,” He held out his hand. “May I have this dance?”

~Five Months Earlier~

Last night had been a tough patrol, and being bruised all over Tim had wanted so badly to skip. But he had two tests and a presentation, so he powered through. He was so tired he almost missed the out-of-place letter, placed in the middle of his locker. It was faintly pink paper folded neatly into a square. Grabbing it along with his textbooks, he hurried to first period. Luckily he sat in the back of the class, so he didn’t have to worry about someone looking over his shoulder.

As he read through the letter, he found his eyebrows raising. The thought of someone having a crush on him was a surprise, much less having a secret admirer write to him. It said if he wanted to write back, all he had to do was leave a letter in the same place he found the first one. He couldn’t help but smile. A mystery.

~~

Marinette rushed through the halls, late. She had slept through her alarm after staying up all night working on designs for the launch of her MDC website. She was already a well-known fashion name after all the big names she had designed for in Paris. So the upcoming website was the talk of the industry right now.

Turning the corner, she ran into a surprise wall and fell to the floor. Except it wasn’t a wall. It was Tim, who looked down at her startled.

“I’m so sorry! I was trying not to be late and wasn’t looking where I was going-” She rambled as he helped her up.

“Hey, no worries! It happens sometimes..” He looked at her expectingly.

“Oh! Marinette.” He beamed at her.

“Marinette! Nice to meet you, I’m Tim. Now, I won’t hold you up. The bell is ringing in 2 minutes.”

Forgetting her mortification she rushed passed him, as he laughed kindly. She couldn’t believe that was how they met.

~~

Tim opened his locker to a new note. Good, that meant she got the one asking her to the ball. It was perfect, a masquerade so she’d feel comfortable coming, and he’d get to see what she looked like (other than her face, but a win is a win). He opened her letter right there and almost laughed out loud at her also asking him to the ball. There were also beautiful sketches of different suit designs along with the offer to make their outfits for the night. He couldn’t accept it quickly enough.

He had spent months trying to figure out who L could be. It wasn’t anyone whom he knew well enough to know their handwriting, and he had already crossed out any girl with a name starting with L. If he tried to beat her to the locker to see who was leaving the notes, she always knew and wouldn’t show. It was driving him mad. He had started to develop feelings for her in return, and he didn’t even know who she was.

~~

Dancing with Tim was like a dream, they spun around to the music and talked like they knew each other forever. There was a break in the music, and they headed toward the snack table. As Tim handed her a cup of punch he asked,

“So will I get to find out who you are today?” He seemed nervous like he wasn’t sure he should be asking.

She tapped her finger against the edge of the cup, considering revealing herself earlier than planned. But she was nervous of what they’d become once he knew who she was. Would he reject her? Confess his feelings and make them official?

“Maybe, it does feel a little unfair to you to keep you waiting.” She set down the cup, looking back at him. “But I hope you’ll understand if I wait.”

“Of course, I don’t want you to do anything uncomfortable. I just would love to be able to talk to you every day, whenever we want.” He grabbed her hand and pulled her into a side hug.

~~

The dance was almost over, with an hour to go when Marinette made her decision. She pulled Tim toward the doors that led to the outdoor courtyard and went outside. It was surprisingly empty as she sat down on one of the benches. Tim sat down beside her, not knowing what she had decided to do. Without speaking, she grabbed his hands and brought them to her mask. Tim’s eyes widened as she guided him to remove her mask.

“You’re Marinette! The girl that ran into me!” He cupped her face and brought their foreheads together. “That explains why you were so flustered, we had been talking for over a month at that point.”

“It was so embarrassing that that’s how we met.” Before she could start to ramble, he tilted her face up towards him. He paused, wanting her to make the move if she wanted to. She leaned in.

author's note: I hoped you liked it! This idea popped into my head almost fully formed. Please join the discord down below and tell me what you thought!

https://archiveofourown.org/works/54893752

[lilmisssona]

𓍢ִ໋🀦 PROLOGUE 𓍢ִ໋🀦

𓍢ִ໋🀦 PAIRING: Vampire! Hyunjin × Witch! Fem Reader

𓍢ִ໋🀦 GENRE: Supernatural AU, SMAU, Enemies To Lovers, Murder Mystery AU

𓍢ִ໋🀦 PLOT: You're accepted to The University Of Magicks" You thought it was just a fun prank, a spam ad even. But when you get actually accepted, things start to get real....You move across the country to start your new life, only to get on the nerves of a certain vampire.... Join on this magical journey as you navigate through life, friendships , love and maybe even an ancient curse ??!! Will you be able to thrive or will this be a battle to survive ?

𓍢ִ໋🀦 WORD COUNT: 1.5K

𓍢ִ໋🀦 A/N: And The journey begins! Let Me know what you think! New chapters every week!! ⸜(｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝♡

𓍢ִ໋🀦 WARNINGS: Childhood trauma, reader is depressed, depiction of physical abuse.

𓍢ִ໋🀦MASTERLIST |𓍢ִ໋🀦NEXT

𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒𓂃🦋𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒𓂃🦋𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒𓂃🦋𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒𓂃🦋𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒𓂃🦋𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒𓂃🦋

" What the hell is this even ?"

This was your initial reaction when you received the mail in your inbox.

" An acceptance letter ??"

"But I have applied nowhere..." you pondered over your thoughts, recollecting last week's memory.

But nothing came up even after jogging your brain for a good few minutes.

" Whatever, must've been some spam mail " You rolled your eyes and were about to move that mail to the bin when suddenly....

A message popped up on your laptop screen.

" Will you really let go of such a wonderful opportunity Yn ? "

"What the hell ??" You desperately tried to get rid of that pop up.

But despite your efforts, you couldn't even click on it, let alone remove it.

" Omg! My laptop is hacked!" You cried out to the thin air.

" YN, was this not what you wanted ? " Another message popped up.

" Are you even happy in your meagre mortal life ?"

You were about to shut your laptop down, when you stopped in your tracks....

It was supposed to be a spam bot right ? This was all fake right ?

Then why did a single tear formed in your eyes when you read the last message.

Why did you stumbled and fell down on the floor with a soft thud ? Why were you too shocked to even respond to that message ?

Tears rolled down your face as you let the words sink in. " Am I even happy, where I am right now ?" you thought to yourself.

" Does everyone now know that I'm a burden ?" You massage your temples in frustration.

𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒𓂃🦋𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒𓂃🦋𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒𓂃🦋𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒𓂃🦋𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒𓂃🦋𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒𓂃🦋

Life hasn't smiled upon you yet... You lost your parents in an accident at the tender age of 3.

For anyone else losing one of their parents at any age is unbearable, but loosing both of them at 3 years old ?

That shock was too much to bear and you were mute for at least six months....

The orphanage became your new home. The people there were nice to you there but you kept your guard up.

As if you were angry at them for pitying you. Until one couple visited the orphanage two weeks later.

The woman of the couple played with you, cooed at you soothingly. The man of the couple gave you your favourite snacks.

Slowly you started to smile at their presence. They visited you daily and you looked forward to it every single day.

As their visits became your highlight. You started to smile and laugh again. Forgetting the painful memories little by little.

And for the first time in seven months, you spoke again. " Mumma " you called out to the woman of that couple.

She was overjoyed to the point of lifting you up and spinning you around. After that everything happened so quickly.

Some legal documents were shared, some hushed conversations were discussed that you couldn't fathom to decipher.

Finally after two days of confusion, the couple walked to you smiling.

Holding a document in their hands, they held you close to them and whispered...

" Welcome yn to your new home "

You were overjoyed to find a new home. The couple, whom you addressed as Mumma and dada, were the best parents you can ask for.

Life was finally looking up to you, you thought. Until it was your 7th birthday....

𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒𓂃🦋𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒𓂃🦋𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒𓂃🦋𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒𓂃🦋𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒𓂃🦋𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒𓂃🦋

You have been sick for a few days. Your parents were worried to the point of consulting every doctor, every remedy they can find.

You feel indifferent in your body, as if something is changing within you. No doctor, no elder can detect anything wrong.

Your parents lost hope and just stuck to feeding and comforting you.

One evening before your birthday, your eyes glowed to the sight of the rays of the moon.

You were alone that evening, with only the neighbour's daughter at your care as a babysitter.

She was in your room reading some comics and giggling to herself. You were staring at the moon from the window at your bedside.

Suddenly, a cold wind blew outside. You felt "it" again in your body.

The chills, an indifferent feeling. And before you know it, your neighbour's daughter was screaming at you incoherently.

Begging you to stop....

Everything was a blur after that...

Apparently your eyes changed their colours and you were levitating in the air with a golden orb surrounding you.

You were too shocked to know of this predicament so you couldn't answer your mumma, when she confronted you.

You didn't remember a thing.

But when your mum showed that the CCTV cam in your room captured everything, you were at a loss of words....

Your parents looked at you with a gaze of disgust and fear. For the first time of years, you didn't feel safe in your new home.

And before you know it, you were given away for adoption just like that...

𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒𓂃🦋𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒𓂃🦋𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒𓂃🦋𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒𓂃🦋𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒𓂃🦋𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒𓂃🦋

After that, it was one foster home to another. One school to another.

No one kept you more than a few months.

Everyone looked at you with terror, when they saw the glow in your eyes, with an orb surrounding you like a burning flame.

You fitted nowhere and were constantly called names. " Freak " and " Possessed " being the most frequent.

Slowly the weight of being indifferent from others was too much to bear.

You started to feel like a burden to everyone.

You tried everything to stop " that feeling " but, it was to no avail....

At 17 you ran away from your last foster home.

Your foster father, hit you with a pan after one of your "episodes' ' you begged him to stop.

But he glared at you with a terrifying smile and hit you, numerous times.

At the same night, you left that house and never came back.

After that, you survive yourself with small jobs here and there.

Continuing your education as well as juggling 3 jobs at a time to make ends meet.

You tried to mask that uncanny feeling. Hiding it in plain sight by being in the washroom for a good few minutes.

Finally after 3 years your efforts paid off. You were hired by a freelance company with good pay.

You thanked your past experiences for landing this job.

Eventually the job became very fruitful and you even bought a small apartment on your own until now....

𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒𓂃🦋𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒𓂃🦋𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒𓂃🦋𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒𓂃🦋𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒𓂃🦋𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒𓂃🦋

You were staring at the laptop screen for at least an hour now.

The pop ups are gone now... Yet the words stung to your head.

" Will you really let go of such a wonderful opportunity Yn ? "

" Are you even happy in your meagre mortal life ?"

The truth was, even though you were pretty satisfied with how far you've come on your own.

But there was always a lingering feeling that you don't belong here.

That you're different from the others.... And you hated that. Hated that " it " the uncanny feeling, took away your adoptive parents from you and made you go through hell.

“ It” being the very reason for how you started to hate yourself.

How you thought you're really a crazy freak who's a burden to everyone. How your mental health started to deteriorate.

To the point that you took mini breaks from work. Like you're taking one now and staring at your ceiling wide awake at 2 in the morning.

Not a blink of sleep in your eyes.

Pondering over your life decisions and that strange email you received.

After receiving that email you googled your symptoms.

The ones that made you feel like a freak in front of everyone.

And it was confirmed by an article. You ARE a witch.

These are the symptoms that all witches experience.

Although it was confirmed by a shady website. So you half believe it yourself.

But the university is very much real. They even have an instagram page with thousands of followers.

Their website also seems genuine.

" How did they even select me ? " you wondered. Although you were half laughing as you scrolled through their page.

Something in you believed that you should embrace yourself. Uncanny feeling or not.

That this is where you belong....

And when you spotted a very handsome man, in a post.

Clad with shining black hair, ethereal dark brown eyes, so deep that you can swim in them and a smile enough to end world problems....

A blush creeped upon your cheeks. " Hyun '' or something was written in the captions of that post.

Smiling to yourself you scrolled through all his pictures on the page. A weird feeling formed in the pit of the stomach.

But this wasn't a feeling of dread, it was a feeling of happiness, joy even.

So you rethink your decisions. Whether it'll be worth being stuck in this boring, pathetic life or should you plunge into the unknown and visit this university ?

Something in your mind tells you to choose the latter, after hours of thinking. So at 4 in the morning, you type a reply and send it.

Almost immediately you received an answer back.

" We're glad you chose the right decision. You're expected to arrive on the 21st, 5 pm kst sharp.

We look forward to your visit in Namsuhara and our lovely university. "

" Wait! Namsuhara ??" That's like the other end of the country ??"

You looked at your messy room and sighed. Looks like I have a lot of packing to do….

𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒𓂃🦋𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒𓂃🦋𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒𓂃🦋𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒𓂃🦋𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒𓂃🦋𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒𓂃🦋

𓍢ִ໋🀦 OUR ETERNAL ALLIES: @atinyniki @candycrunchstay @writingforstraykids

@cheesemonky @skzoologist @minholing @michelle4eve @jinnie-ret

𓍢ִ໋🀦 NEW RECRUITMENTS: @star92  @arloo00 @dabiscrustyfeet @loxgirl2004 @lakoya @thisrandomgoofy15 @kpopmenace143 @avokralaim @i2nsstuff @yasssposts @kopikokrunch @wa-wandavision @nlr1606 @kangyeonie @niaalove @bellandxx @annybah @kaiyaba @seungminindabuilding

(Taglist Is Closed!!)

𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒𓂃🦋𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒𓂃🦋𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒𓂃🦋𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒𓂃🦋𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒𓂃🦋𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒𓂃🦋

𓍢ִ໋🀦 ENDNOTE: Everything Here is a work of fiction and my own imagination. This does not represent the real life characteristics of Stray Kids.

Make sure to like, reblog, follow and turn your notifications on to get updated whenever I upload a new chapter!!

⸜(｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝♡

[chuuyrr]

Hi! Idk if you also write for Poe but I rlly need some more oneshots or scenarios or fanfics of him 😞😞 but can you do something where we’re scarlet witch and Poe is our boyfriend? How would he react having a s/o who’s really strong and powerful? And how would he and ranpo and maybe other agency members feel about him having us as his girlfriend? Sorry if this isn’t specific enough! Idk what else to put in this request 😭

poe with a scarlet witch! s/o

bungo stray dogs x scarlet witch! reader

masterlist of the series

╰➤ CW(s): spoilers from bungo stray dogs (specifically season 2), headcanons + scenarios, major fluff content

╰➤ PAIRING(s): edgar allan poe

headcanons !

poe is socially awkward and timid by nature, but when he's with you, his dearly beloved, he's a tad different. poe is a lot more confident. his voice isn't as quiet, and it's full of love and respect for you.

i think you and poe are a match made in heaven. even your abilities go together.

poe's ability, black cat in the rue morgue, allows him to create a fantasy world governed by his own set of rules, with his own writings serving as the media.

you, on the other hand, have the ability to alter reality due to your possession of chaos magic as the scarlet witch.

you can even manipulate reality at a molecular level very similar to his, allowing you to recreate the fantasy world he creates in real life, which is incredible.

as the scarlet witch, or as an ability user with chaos magic, you are undeniably strong and powerful.

if you wanted, you could even go head-to-head with the port mafia executive who is renowned for his gravity manipulation abilities. you would win.

it truly astounds and somewhat frightens poe how the same red psionics you possess that can wreak havoc and alter reality can be so domestic and endearing when you use it to leviate him the cup of tea you made for him, or when you use it to leviate all sorts of kitchen utensils in the kitchen while you make him food.

you can be really frightening if you want to, especially if you have to fight. let's say you want to protect poe or another ability user.

poe is astounded by how quickly you transform from a sweet, kind, and somewhat shy darling into a straight-up violent force to be reckoned with.

i feel like poe would definitely be a little scared, because again, you're strong and powerful with such an ability, err, abilities?

but poe is mostly bewitched of his darling—like, you know how dazai stares at chuuya when he uses corruption?—poe has the same kind of gaze towards you whenever you use your chaos magic to the fullest.

oh, and being poe's beloved, he spoils you a lot. if poe sees you staring at a piece of clothing or jewelry, he'll get it for you in an instant. a manuscript worth millions is nothing compared to the things he buys.

i also think poe is a traditional type of lover. again, he lavishes you with gifts, and among them is a bouquet of your favorite flowers, as well as handwritten love letters and poems.

his poems might be cheesy but romantic, making you feel loved at all times. they are all about your smile, beauty, strength, and his vow and desire to love and be with you forever. poe finds your flushed cheeks and the soft giggle that escapes your lips cute as you read his poem or love letter.

being poe's beloved also entails being close to karl, which fills his heart with joy. karl actually likes you a lot. you enjoy cuddling and patting the little fella's head.

however, whenever karl clings to you more, it makes poe a little jealous, but it still amazes him (yet again) that you can easily read karl's thoughts with your special ability and communicate with him in the same way that he can, if not better.

scenario !

"you'll get him this time. i'm sure of it!"

poe had written yet another mystery novel to put his rival, edogawa ranpo, to the test once more. you both came to a halt in front of the office, you knocking because poe was shy, and it wasn't long before the door was opened.

"oh, it's poe-san!" atsushi exclaimed, "you must be looking for ranpo-san. come in, he's here!"

you trailed after poe as he entered the office, and that's when atsushi and the others realized he hadn't come sinply with karl.

all eyes were drawn to you at the same time. however, poe mistook it for everyone staring at him, prompting him to stick closer to your side, with karl, who was on his shoulder, transferring to yours instead, to which you responded by petting the top of karl's fluffy and soft head.

"hello and welcome! you must be poe-san's friend," atsushi said with a friendly smile, but he quickly realized how familiar you were, "hmm, but i feel like i've seen you before miss."

"huh, you're right atsushi-kun.." dazai exclaimed, blinking as he and the others stared at you.

but ranpo raised a brow them, "you guys seriously don't remember the three-way war?"

"three-way war?" kunikida tilted his head only for him to realize it, along with everyone, "!!!"

"i'm [surname] [name]. it's a pleasure to meet you, armed detective agency," you introduced yourself with a slight bow and a friendly smile.

"huh, i do remember seeing you during the guild war. as a matter of fact, we all did. you were there, saving everyone from the onslaught of the mind control ability that had gotten out of hand and rescuing civilians left and right," kunikida furrowed his brows.

"now that kunikida-san has mentioned it [name]-san, you were the one who saved me when i was being attacked while delivering the doll to dazai-san. you made me a forcefield and enhanced my speed with your psychic energy manipulation ability," atsushi recalled.

during the guild war, everyone remembered a young woman with [color] hair who had the ability to manipulate red psychic energy. although it was unclear whether the woman was on the guild's side or not, she had assisted numerous citizens and ability users during the incident. you played an important role in the yokohama incineration.

"ah, that? you guys flatter me too much! it wasn't a big deal. i just like to accompany and help out my boyfriend and people who need it with my wiggly-woos, that's all," you exclaimed, giggling and waving your fingers in the air.

with the exception of ranpo, who already knew the information, the armed detective agency members responded with a series of surprised looks and gasps.

"you're poe-san's significant other?!" atsushi proclaimed before bowing his head, "ah, i'm so sorry [name]-san! i didn't know!"

"mhm!" as you hummed and nodded in agreement, poe was shy by how everyone was reacting. poe blushed and turned away, holding your sleeve instead of your hand.

"well, that's.. certainly a big revelation.." dazai stated, blinking profusely.

"you guys are really idiots. idiots i say!" ranpo sighed, folding his arms across his chest, "how can [name]-chan not be poe-kun's significant other? just look at the way he sticks to her and holds her sleeve!"

"h-how are you the same person you were during the three-way war?" tanizaki asked, his sweat dripping as he remembered you being terrifying with the way your eyes and fingertips glowed red with power, your hair flowing in the breeze as you floated in the middle of the sky, and a serious expression on your face.

"what do you mean?" you tilted your head in confusion, laughing a little at his comment.

everyone was dumbfounded by your cluelessness, their sweat even dropping.

"i agree with you. sometimes my darling can be so clueless at how powerful and strong she can be with her ability," poe sighed, shaking his head as he handed his new manuscript to ranpo, "but regardless, i love [name]."

"heh, that's real sweet of you poe-kun," said ranpo before taking a look at his manuscript with a smile on his features.

[ author's notes ! you inspired me to take on scarlet witch! reader x bungo stray dogs characters, so don't apologize. i also think the request was good, so yeah !! i also think you're right. there isn't much bsd! poe content in here, so let me fix that for you by adding a new one on the list out here hihi. thank you so much. hope you enjoyed reading this <3 ]