#might go back and change a few details later on but I wanted to finish it for day 4 of post whatever tober which has...30 min left yipee

[eyes-of-nine]

STAEVEN!!!

this surprisingly not dead tav belongs to @velnna and has absolutely stolen my heart plsss give it back ywy i spent a lot of money to get in in the first place

[whateveriwant]

might I request how tf 141 tries to turn you on maybe? Sorry kind of a weird request you don’t have to do it if you don’t want to ;-;

Not a weird request at all, anon! Hope you enjoy! 18+ only, GN!Reader

Price

Three words: full body massage

That man loves to get his hands on you, and it doesn’t even have to be sexual in nature, honestly. Any opportunity to touch you, to caress you, to help ease the tension from your body, he’ll gladly take it (and if afterwards you’ll let him ease himself into you, well, that’s just an added bonus 😉)

He might use special rollers or electric massagers sometimes, but mostly he just sticks to those big, strong hands of his

He'll start by slicking up his palms with some oil, warming it up before he applies it to your skin

Beginning with your shoulders, he’ll slowly work his way down your body, paying special attention to the areas you need most targeted

Aside from those tender spots, he’ll also be sure to focus on a few of your more erogenous zones, namely your thighs and your ass (he's an ass man for sure)

By the time he's finished, you're all supple and pliant before him, but there’s something else too – a sort of warm, fluttery feeling in your gut

Luckily, he knows just the remedy for that sensation. And oh! Would you look at that? You're already in his favorite position: prone

Ghost

We all know he tends to be a man of few words, and this applies to every environment he finds himself in

…At least, every environment outside the bedroom, that is

Because when he's in the mood, you best hold on tight to your pants if you don't want them flying off from how he talks to you (but, I guess, your pants coming off is his end goal anyway)

You'll just be going about your day, minding your business, when you'll get a call from him while he’s “busy” at work

He'll start off casual at first, inquiring about your day, your plans for the night, etc., but it won't take long for the conversation to steer to the real reason for his call: to describe the way he's going to fuck you when he gets home

He'll go into excruciating, toe curling detail about all the things he's going to do to you; just how good he’s going to fuck you until you forget your own name

I hope you're not in public when you take his call, otherwise you better have the poker face of a lifetime if you don't want to make a scene in front of several dozens of witnesses

Gaz

He's a big romantic at heart, so rather than just going straight for the bedroom, he'll slowly work his way up to it over the course of the evening

First, he'll treat you to a nice dinner – either by cooking it himself or by taking you to that fancy restaurant you love but think is much too expensive for every day dining

Beneath dimmed, romantic lighting, together you'll share a delicious meal, a glass or two of wine, and of course a tasty dessert to cap it all off

The conversation will be light and pleasant (nothing unbecoming whatsoever), but while he might not outright voice the plans he has for you later in the night, that look he keeps giving you from across the table speaks volumes

When you’ve finished your meal and gradually made your way back home/to the bedroom, even then he still isn't done buttering you up just yet

He'll put on some slow music, maybe light a couple candles to really set the mood, even draw you both a bath if you're feeling up to it

Once he does finally take you to bed, it'll be a seamless transition from an evening overflowing with desire and passion

Soap

‘Subtlety’ is not really a word in his vocabulary, so most of the time when he's horny, he's just turning to you and asking if you want to fuck

However, sometimes when you need a little more build up than that, he has a few tried and true methods he knows will work you up

He'll change so that he’s walking around your flat wearing a pair of gray sweatpants. Wearing only a pair of gray sweatpants, mind you

Whilst wearing said sweatpants, he'll proceed to stretch and flex around you, showing off all those muscles he knows you love, as well as highlighting a few other assets he knows drives you crazy (i.e. bulge printtttt 😍)

He'll then get really touchy with you, starting innocent at first – brushing an eyelash from your cheek, straightening the neck of your shirt – before he gets more and more brazen with his petting

And when he's real close like that, leaning right into your ear, he’ll mutter soft praises to you: telling you how beautiful you look, how good you smell, how soft your skin is where he’s touching just there

By the time he finally goes to ask if you want to have sex, he doesn't even get the words out before you're jumping him like a wild animal. All according to plan…

[minarisplaything]

Tour Break ft. Lisa and Jennie

pairings: Jennie Kim/M!OC, Lisa/M!OC rating: Explicit word count: 3.7k summary: A few months have passed since your last encounter with Jennie. When a tour stop brings the girls near your university, they decide to pay you a visit. PART ONE HERE. tags: size kink, semi-public sex, stomach bulge, rough sex, footjob A/N: may have gotten a bit carried away. hope yall enjoy!

After that night with Jennie, the following weeks leading up to their tour changed for you completely. Instead of preparing to go off to university, you began spending more time with your sister and her friends. It was an effective way to lose that embarrassed little sibling complex. Mostly though, it was because being around them offered more chances for Jennie and you to sneak off and fool around.

And boy did you two fool around. You had to have easily been the luckiest person in the country during that time. Eventually, though, it came to a close as they went back on tour and you went off to university.

You kept in touch through texts and sneaking in the occasional FaceTime when possible, but it wasn't until the end of your spring term that you got to see them again. It wasn't even a personal visit; it just so happened they were playing at the local stadium near your university.

You had received a text from Jisoo that you were to meet them for lunch later in the day. As happy as you were to see your sister, you found yourself anxious to see Jennie. It had been more than a few months now. Would she still be interested in your arrangement? Would she still be interested in you, or had the thrill disappeared? You supposed there was only one way to find out.

You walked through the front doors of the restaurant you were to meet them at, and the hostess led you to the table where they were waiting. Immediately, you were greeted with high-pitched voices and limbs swallowing you into hugs.

Okay, maybe you hadn’t completely gotten rid of the little sibling complex.

"You look so different with all that scruff!" Rosie exclaimed, running a hand over your chin, her fingers brushing against your stubble. “I bet all the girls on campus fall for this.”

“I do alright for myself,” you joked.

Some light-hearted laughter echoed in the restaurant and you found yourself scratching the back of your neck as you stole a look at Jennie. As everyone took their seats you placed yourself next to Jisoo and across from Jennie. You stole another glance at her but, to your disappointment, she seemed to be acting completely normal.

Of course she was, you silently chastised yourself, Did you expect her to suck your dick right in front of Jisoo?

“I want to hear all about it. How has your first year been?” Jisoo questioned, placing her chin on her hands.

"Really? You guys have been traveling the world and you want to hear about how school has been?" you asked.

"Duh! And make sure you leave in all the dirty details," Lisa chimed in, a smirk on her features.

"I think we can do without that part," Jisoo said, her face scrunching up.

"Speak for yourself!" Lisa retorted.

Her words earned laughter from everyone except Jisoo, and you felt yourself slowly beginning to relax. Among her many talents, you found that Lisa was an expert at lightening the mood in any given situation.

"Where do I begin..."

You proceeded to recount the events that had occurred in your first semesters at university. The parties - which Lisa seemed particularly interested in hearing about - the friends, your classes, and even the few girls you had what could loosely be called relationships with. Though admittedly, you might have intentionally overplayed those stories. Judging by the way Jennie’s expression subtly shifted when you told the stories, it had worked. Or, you hoped it had.

Christ, you were getting bold. Playing games with one of the most desired women on the planet?

"Wow, I can’t believe my baby brother is sounding like an adult," Jisoo said, placing a hand on yours as you finished. "You’re practically a man now."

You scoffed before pulling your hand away teasingly. "God, when did you get so sentimental?"

She laughed, hitting your arm playfully before turning back to the group.

"To be fair, I think he’s been a man for a while now," Jennie spoke up for the first time, her gaze zeroing in on yours.

You played it off with a laugh, but you could feel your face heating up. Beneath that, there was a tinge of fear. Was this payback for provoking her? It had to have been. Of course, Jennie had always been flirty, however where it had been innocent in the past, you now had a history. If it could be called that. And you weren’t exactly sure how Jisoo would react to that history. But you had prodded her, now you had to deal with whatever came next.

You took a sip of your drink, recovering your composure before changing the direction of the conversation. "So, how is the tour going? You guys are on the last leg right?"

There was a collective nod before Jisoo spoke, "It’s been wonderful. I really wish mom and dad would have let us take you to some of these places."

"Why do you say – THAT!?"

The last word came out almost as a high-pitched yelp and you immediately went into a coughing fit to try and mask it. Jisoo looked concerned, as did Rosie, while Lisa bore a smirk and Jennie seemed almost indifferent.

"Sorry, I must have gotten something stuck in my throat, go on," you coughed.

Jisoo patted you on the back to make sure you were okay before continuing her answer. You, however, were no longer listening. That was because there was currently a foot pressed against your inner thigh unbeknownst to anyone else. When you looked across the table, you had no doubt about who the culprit was.

Truth be told it was exhilarating and terrifying all at the same time. Jennie stared back at you, the slightest hint of a smirk on her lips. Her eyes, meanwhile, were practically daring you to react and say something. When you didn’t, you swore her smirk grew more bold, her foot pushing higher against your thigh.

"…Well, we did New York in December, it looks amazing…" Jisoo continued on.

You nodded your head, trying to remain focused as Jennie’s foot rubbed up your leg until she reached the height she wanted. Her toes curled slowly as she moved to press against your crotch. At this point, you were already starting to get hard and had to move your chair in more so Jisoo or Rosie wouldn’t see.

"How was the crowd overseas? Good?" you asked, trying to keep the conversation and any attention away from what was happening underneath the table.

"Oh, they were amazing," Jennie spoke. When you turned your attention to her, she was simply smiling as normal, despite that the sole of her foot was now rubbing your erect cock through your jeans. "There was so much excitement and energy. I literally felt like the crowd was just going to explode."

While the other girls just nodded in agreement, you closed your eyes briefly. Lisa began speaking but at this point, you were barely registering what any of them were saying. Jennie’s foot continued to jerk you off over your clothing, rubbing you as furiously as possible without being noticed. At one point, her toes pressed against your zipper and you wondered if she just might free your cock from its constraints. That would be terrible. So why did you want it to happen so badly?

“Are you okay?” Rosie asked, giving you a glance.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, you're fine. You just need a drink," you said, trying to give your best smile before sipping your water slightly. You could see Jennie smirking out of the corner of your eye. You still didn’t know what she was playing at but you also weren’t sure you cared at this point either.

Rosie gave you a concerned look but they soon carried on with telling their tour stories. Your mind, however, was focused somewhere else. Jennie’s toes had worked down the zipper of your pants and had slid inside just enough to allow more contact with your hard cock, her sole rubbing against the stiff length as she jerked you off.

You tried to keep yourself together. You really did. But eventually, it got to be too much and you leaned back in your chair. You tried to disguise it as simply stretching but judging by the look Jennie was giving you, you doubted that was how she took it. You felt the pre-cum dripping onto her feet as she continued her assault. Fuck, you were going to cum. There was no way you would be able to hold out much longer.

"Hey, are you okay?" Jisoo asked, turning to face me. "You look like you're burning up."

"Y-yeah, I'm fine. Maybe just a little hungry. Are the appetizers here yet?" you said, hoping your excuse would work.

"Actually, that's a good idea. I could go for some food too," Rosie chimed in.

"I'll check on the status," Jennie spoke up. "I need to use the ladies room anyway."

You let out a sigh of relief when Jennie's foot left your lap. But the relief was short-lived as you watched her stand up and make her way around the table. You held your breath, wondering if she would say anything but, instead, she placed a hand on my shoulder and squeezed it before walking away.

The contact was brief, and it could have meant nothing but you knew better. You were certain of it. She was just making sure that the message was sent.

"I'm going to head to the bathroom as well," you said, standing as you held your napkin over your lap awkwardly.

You quickly scurried away, following after Jennie, catching up to her before she made her way to the bathroom. "What the hell was that?"

Jennie looked at me with her eyebrows raised, an innocent expression on her features. Her words, however, were anything but, "What? Did none of your little campus sluts do that for you?"

"So you were jealous then?" you asked.

"Do I have something to be jealous about?" she said simply before making her way towards the ladies' room.

Maybe it was indignation, maybe it was anger; hell maybe it was just because you were still horny. Whatever the reason you found yourself following Jennie into the bathroom. As the door swung closed behind you, you grabbed her by the arm and spun her to face you. Your lips pressed hard against hers in a heated kiss.

Christ. It had been so long that you almost forgot how soft her lips were.

Almost.

You pulled her tightly against you, pressing your body hard into hers. Your tongue invaded her mouth, dominating her as the kiss intensified. Your hand traveled down her body, slipping under her skirt and grabbing a hold of her firm ass. You could feel that she wasn't wearing any panties.

"Hoping this would happen were you?" you muttered against her lips.

“Baby, I’ve been going commando for months now,” she whispered. Her breath was hot against your ear causing your cock to twitch from the sensation.

“God I’ve missed you” you muttered.

Not wanting to wait anymore, you got rid of your own pants, sliding them down past your knees. Jennie positioned herself up, using the sink as a counter and spread her legs for you; her wet, glistening pussy looking up at you in the eye.

You gripped the base of your cock, positioning yourself at her entrance and thrust yourself inside her.

"Fuck~!"

Jennie was still just as tight as you remembered and your hands immediately went to her hips. You started pumping her hard and fast, your hips snapping back and forth as her legs wrapped around your waist.

"Oh my God~" she groaned, wrapping her arms around your neck and pulling you into a deep kiss.

Her tongue slipped into your mouth, exploring the familiar territory.

Your lips locked in a frenzy as you both tried to express months of pent up sexual frustration. Jennie's pussy gripped you tight, squeezing and milking your cock as you fucked her.

“You thought you were cute with your little act earlier didn’t you?” you grunted as you pulled out and slammed back into her with more force than before causing her to squeal in surprise, and pleasure.

“You…liked it…didn’t you,” she shot back, her words coming out in short pants. Your sudden change in roughness caused her to move one hand to the sink, gripping tightly as her body shook each time you entered her.

Rather than answer immediately one of your hands moved to her throat, choking her lightly as you continued to fuck her, "It was embarrassing."

There was a brief moment of surprise on Jennie's expression before a devilish smile crept across her lips. "Someone's gotten into a few new kinks while I was away." Her hand rose to cover over the top of yours, imploring you to squeeze tighter as her fingers curled against your hand.

Not bothering to respond, you focused on the task at hand as you quickened your thrusts. This was different from your usual dynamic with Jennie but you didn't hate it. Far from it in fact. And clearly you weren't alone in that sentiment. You could feel her pussy clenching around you. Her breathing became heavier, her chest rising and falling, breasts heaving, and her skin flushed. It was an expression you hadn't seen in a while.

"You're enjoying this aren't you?"

Jennie nodded eagerly, biting down on her lip, stifling a moan as her orgasm was building.

You could tell she was close by the way her pussy tightened around your cock and the look on her face.

"Go on then, cum for me, Jennie" you grunted, releasing her throat and leaning down to kiss her once more.

As soon as you released her she gasped for air, her head rolling back against the mirror as she let out a loud cry, her body convulsing around you as she came hard. Her juices spilled down your shaft as you kept pounding her through her orgasm.

It was the sexiest thing you had witnessed since, well, the last time you had fucked Jennie. Finally she relaxed and elicited small moans as you continued to slide in and out of her, chasing your own release, knowing it wasn’t far now.

“I thought I’d find you two in here.”

Your mind registered the presence of a third voice, but your body was too far gone. Thrusting into the singer’s sweet pussy a few more times you felt your balls tighten. Grabbing Jennie’s slim waist you pulled her close against you before you erupted into her. Your hips jerked erratically a few more times as your seed shot to her womb.

“Christ…you weren’t lying about how much he cums, Jen,” the third voice said.

Unbeknownst to you, her eyes were fixated on your fluids currently leaking out of Jennie. It took another moment but finally your brain began to function properly again. You tore your gaze away from Jennie, to see Lisa standing there, hands on her hips and her tongue licking her lips.

“Lisa! Shit!” You might’ve jumped backwards were it not for Jennie’s legs still being hooked around your waist. “It’s not what it looks like.”

“You mean you’re not balls deep inside one of your sister’s best friends?” Lisa asked, manicured eyebrows raised.

You hesitated for a moment, “Okay…Maybe it is exactly what it looks like.”

Jennie, who had finally started to recover as well, brushed aside her sweat soaked bangs, “Relax. You don’t have to worry about Lisa.”

“You told her?”

“I came to my own conclusions,” Lisa answered. “We were both there on that dance floor, remember? Jen just got to you first.”

There was something undeniably hot about that. That two of the most desired women on the planet had wanted you, going so far to outmaneuver one another to get to you first. Briefly you wondered what it might’ve been like if that night had ended with the two of them. Boldly, you wondered if you might be about to find out.

“First come, first serve, Lili,” Jennie grinned. She pushed you back so she could slide from atop the sink, your release dripping down her thigh.

“You’re not jealous?” you asked, remembering her earlier reaction when you mentioned seeing other girls.

Jennie rolled her eyes. Her hand reached down, fingers curling around your cock as she slowly stroked you to cut down on your refractory period, “Are you comparing Lisa to one of these campus sluts?”

“N-no, not necessarily,” you moaned.

“Good,” Jennie kissed your cheek. “Then bend her over this sink and fuck her like a good boy before your sister starts asking questions.”

Yep. That did it alright. You were back to full mast from those words alone. You turned your gaze to see that in the time you had been talking to Jennie, Lisa had stripped out of her clothes. Your cock gave a twitch at the sight. Jennie was hardly the only one of Jisoo’s friends you had fantasized about. It was all three if you were being honest with yourself. Now here you were staring at Lisa’s toned, perfectly fit body.

Lisa bit her lip, smiling and giddy with excitement as she stepped towards you. She turned, wiggling her tight ass against your crotch as she looked over her shoulder at you, biting her bottom lip, "Don't be shy, stud. Jennie's told me plenty of stories."

That made you curious. It also made you not want to disappoint her. There was no sense of pressure, maybe because you just had your balls drained and any nerves along with it. Instead what you felt was an excitement and eagerness to get to it. “Are you sure you can handle it?” you asked, feeling confident.

Lisa merely winked at you and gave another shake of her tight ass, “Why don't you find out.”

You briefly spotted Jennie out of the corner of your eye, her eyes practically glowing with anticipation at what would come next. One hand grabbed Lisa's slender waist while the other pushed against her back, bending Lisa over the sink. She giggled as she gripped the white porcelain for balance, moaning when she felt your cock start to probe her entrance.

You found her already dripping from her sex, running your cock along her folds before roughly sliding into her. "Shit" you moaned, the feeling of her tight sex enveloping you from the start. Your thick cock was splitting her in half and you could hear Lisa moan as her head fell forward.

"Are you okay?"

"Don't you dare stop," she told you. "Give me all of it, stud."

You didn't need any further instruction. You kept working your cock into her until you finally bottomed out inside of her, your balls pressed flush against her rear. It was heavenly. How many people around the world wanted to do this? Yet you were the one fucking the Thai princess in a restaurants bathroom.

You reached forward, one hand wrapping around Lisa's neatly done ponytail and pulled back her head raising. Her eyes locked with yours as you began to slowly withdraw your cock before slamming back into her.

"That's so fucking hot," you heard Jennie say.

Had your attention not been solely focused on fucking Lisa you might've spared her a glance. As it was, you were entranced by the talented dancer; your rhythm steadily increasing as she propped herself up against the sink. Fucking Lisa’s lithe, fit body was a whole different experience. Each time you moved inside of her, you felt like you might break her. Like your cock might punch through her cervix and bulge against her stomach. And yet Lisa took every inch like a goddess.

“Shit. Shit. Shit” she chanted, her body shaking with each thrusts, her head still pulled back, “You’re going to fucking break me. Is that what you want, stud? You want me to walk on stage with a limp from being fucked so good, huh?”

Your cock swelled inside of her at the thought. The filthy words driving your passion. You watched your reflection in the mirror, pounding the global starlit from behind. Truth be told you almost didn’t recognize yourself. In the span of a few months you had gone from drooling over your sisters friends and nearly coming yourself just from some provocative dancing to taking charge and fucking Jennie and now Lisa.

It made you realize her words were exactly what you wanted to do.

"That's exactly what I want to do," you grunted in response. One hand moved to slip around her throat, squeezing lightly as the other still held her ponytail, "I want my cum dripping down your leg when Money plays and you're dancing on stage."

Lisa moaned, struggling to maintain a state of coherence let alone form a proper response to your words. Fortunately, Jennie was more than willing to provide commentary as her fingers played with her own clit.

"Yeah? Are you going to sit in the front row to make sure?" she asked.

"That's right," you grunted.

You didn't know if you'd ever be able to look at Lisa the same again after this. Let alone when she was on stage performing an array of provocative moves. But logic no longer mattered. You were completely lost in the moment, saying anything and everything as long as it heightened the moment.

Too much. It was too fucking good. It was —

“Oh f-fuck,” Lisa let out, her eyes rolling back.

Her body tightened, her walls squeezing your length as her orgasm hit like an ocean wave on a stormy night. You weren't far behind, in fact as she shuddered against you you continued to thrust into her tight pussy. You buried yourself deep inside of her when your own release finally hit, painting her insides with your seed.

By the end of it you were utterly spent. And you weren't the only one either. Lisa slumped against the sink, letting it support her weight.

"I think I...I need a few minutes," she babbled.

Jennie licked her fingers, cleaning them of her own release. "Don't worry, stud. I'll take it from here. You go back before Jisoo really starts to ask questions."

You could only nod dumbly as your cock slipped out of Lisa, your cum seeping out of her hole. Needless to say, this had been one hell of a reunion.

[millieisawriter]

La redención de un tonto

javier escuella x reader

summary: the fall of the van der linde gang was the thing that doomed what had been between you and javier. you loved each other, you truly did, but after he chose dutch's side, and you stood by arthur, you knew this is the end. however, a few years later the fate had led you right back to javier.

wc: 2.7k

all pics taken from pinterest

!!!rdr2 spoilers!! rdr1 spoilers too i guess?

♡this was requested!♡

a/n: okay so i have never played rdr1 nor have i watched any gameplays, but i conciously spoiled it to myself after having finished rdr2, so i know what happens in rdr1, but forgive me if i have missed some details from the game

You never had the intention of heading to Mexico. Well, back when you and Javier were a thing, he always talked about how he was someday going to take you there. But due to what happened to the gang, it never happened, so you buried the memories six feet deep.

Long story short, Javier sided with Dutch and his ideas that got crazier each day, one worse than the other. On one hand you understood his loyalty, but you looked at the problem more objectively. Dutch's brilliant ideas were dangerous, leading the gang into a dead end, from where there was no saving.

"Loyalty is the only thing that can save us." Javier would often remind you.

By then, the gang had moved somewhere near Annesburg. The damn cave you had cleared of its previous tenants was making the camp feel cold, unfamiliar, even scary. Or maybe it wasn't the cave's fault. So much had changed the past few months since that failed job in Blackwater.

"Look, I love Dutch like a father, he practically raised me," you had replied, "but right now he's leading us all into a grave!"

"So what, you're going to side with Arthur? With John? Turn your back on everything we've built?"

"I can't be with you if you support ideas of a man who doesn't give a shit about none of us anymore!"

In that moment, you had been ready to leave. If only Javier wanted to, you two would have left the gang, keep your head low for some time, and eventually leave a happy ever after.

But that never happened. Javier had been blinded by his loyalty to Dutch, and you saw it even without Arthur pointing it out. Because Dutch saved Javier's life a few years before, Javier was now willing to give it up for plans that were doomed from the start.

After you had left, you had no idea what happened to any of the others. You've heard a whisper here and there in saloons, talking of the great fall of the Van Der Linde gang, some people that died, but never any details.

"I guess this is where we part ways." You had stated the last time you ever saw Javier. It were as if you needed to say it for yourself, because it still didn't feel real.

Old you never thought a breakup with Javier would ever have to happen. But then, the old Javier wouldn't put Dutch over the love of his life. Maybe it just wasn't what you were to him, after all.

He knew you still loved him, even if you hated you were on separate edges of the war within your gang. "You don't mean that."

Did he say that because he still loved you too? Or was he just so full of himself? In that moment it hit you, the memory of how John had called Javier a cynic that tried so hard to be a romantic. Maybe the fall of the gang caused Javier's true colors to show.

"I do." Tears appeared in your eyes when you thought about how you'd often imagine saying these words to Javier, but in slightly different circumstances.

For a moment, you thought he might argue, that he would try to convince you one last time. But instead, he looked at you with an expression you had never seen on his face before. There was sorrow, and regret. And the sign of an internal struggle within him.

"Then go," his final words pierced your heart, "just don't expect me to save you when everything falls apart."

Like a prophecy, everything did fall apart. The next few years were so difficult for you. You couldn't get a job, you had practically nothing left. You left the gang, but you never left the life of crime. It was the only way of living you knew.

The price on your head grew, at some point you stopped keeping track of how much it was. You had no way to redeem yourself, but there wasn't a thing you'd regret. You did what you had to in the order to survive. Regret wouldn't feed you, and it sure as hell wouldn't protect you from the men who wanted your head.

The next job was supposed to be simple. You were going to deliver a shipment of rifles to a small band of people like yourself near the border. But nothing ever went according to plan and you were ambushed. You ran, and all you knew was that now you were in Mexico, the place you were supposed to someday visit with the man you once had loved.

Coming back to America would be too risky, maybe fate just wanted for you to end up in Mexico, so after weeks of travel you thought you finally found a safer place to rest. The building looked like an abandoned house, falling apart, but it was better than the lack of any roof over your head.

You woke up one night to a group of unfamiliar male voices talking to each other outside. In Spanish, so you didn't even understand a single word. Before you could silently flee, the door opened, and you had been found by a group of Mexican bounty hunters.

Maybe it was the dehydration, the hunger, the lack of good sleep, but you could swear one man looked way too familiar.

"Javier..?" You asked quietly, to shocked to be scared by the three other men pointing their guns at you.

"¿La conoces?" One of the men asked, as Javier's shocked expression didn't go unnoticed.

["Do you know her?"]

Javier quickly recomposed himself, as if slipping into a role. "Es mía." It was a gamble, but Javier had always been good at those.

["She's mine."]

"¿De qué carajos estás hablando, Escuella?"

["What the fuck are you talking about?"]

"Vale más viva. Y no pienso compartir la recompensa. Váyanse ahora o ninguno de ustedes se va a ir caminando."

["She's worth more alive. And I'm not going to share the reward. Leave now, or none of you will walk away walking."]

The other bounty hunters passed knowing looks among each other. "Bien," one of them nudged Javier, you reckoned it was a playful gesture, "es tu problema."

["Fine, she's your problem."]

The other men left, and you were confused. How the hell were you having a reunion with Javier in such circumstances? As if out of habit, your reached for your gun, resting your hand on the holster at your hip.

"What the hell are you doing here?" You asked, standing up.

"I could ask you the same thing, querida." He raised his hands to show you he doesn't mean bad. "I'm not going to hurt you." He's always had an accent when he spoke in English, which you had always adored. Now, the accent was even more prominent.

You pointed the gun at him, unlocking it. "Yeah, just hand me over so I can swing." You snapped. "That's the great Javier Escuella! Bounty hunting, of all things! That's ridiculous!"

"At least it's honest work. Continuing the way you chose... did you think the law will never catch up to you?"

"That's rich coming from you."

Javier's jaw muscles twitched, betraying the calmness was just a mask he put on. He lowered his hands slowly, but didn't reach for his weapon. "You don't know what I've been through. I lost everything."

"Just as I did! I've lost the gang, the life we had... you..." you paused before you seethed at him, "don't you dare act like you're the only one who's suffered. Nothing justifies selling people out for a few... whatever currency you have here."

Javier's gaze softened, you could swear you saw his lips twitch into a smirk momentarily. "I didn't sell you out, did I?"

Suddenly, the words 'then go, just don't expect me to save you when everything falls apart,' rang in your mind again. Truth be told, those words were said in anger, and right now... Javier was far from angry.

He hadn't seen you in years, but he still loved you. Maybe even more than before. After the gang fell appart, he quickly came to the conclusion you were the love of his life. There was no one better before, nor after. Meeting you again was felt like life giving him another chance.

"Why don't you sell me out, then?" You asked, lowering your weapon.

Javier smirked, as if the answer was supposed to be obvious to you. "Because I don't want you to swing, querida." He took a few steps closer, carefully as if approaching a wild animal.

"You don't get to suddenly act as if you care." Your voice was aggressive, but it sounded forced, almost cracking. "Let me go, and tell your... friends that I ran away."

"I couldn't let you go for all these years. You think I haven't thought about you every day since we parted? You think I don't regret the choices I made?"

You knew Javier has always had a way with words. In the charming way, not in the brash way Sean used to. Javier's words were like quiet, seductive whispers whenever he wanted or needed them to be. And maybe right now he just needed to sweet-talk you into giving in.

"Regret doesn't mean shit," you tried to snap at him, "you chose Dutch over me. We could leave the gang, leave a good life—"

Javier interrupted you, "Dutch knew how to get inside our heads."

"Just help me get out of here."

Javier took a deep breath, glancing outside the broken window momentarily. He could see the other bounty hunters leaving, the road's dust raising at their horses' hooves. They were far enough.

"Fine." Javier said finally, his voice disappointed.

The man grabbed your wirst, sternly but without hurting you. Now that he had you again, he was supposed to let you go. That wasn't what he wanted.

After he led you outside, you felt his grip loosen up to eventually let go of your wrist completely. Contrary to what it should make you feel, you were... disappointed? As if at some point you thought he would fight harder to win you back.

Then you realized. Javier didn't want to part ways again, but neither did you. And just when you thought there was no more hope, the man spoke up.

"You don't know this place," he said, "you're hungry, exhausted, don't know the language. Let me help you."

Your stomach had been empty for a long time, your legs ached, and the pounding in your head was getting unbearable. There were more reasons not to trust Javier, than to trust him, but you needed help. Maybe you could just sneak away after he helps you.

"And what do you get out of this?" You asked.

"I get to make up for my mistakes." He replied. "I'll show you I'm not the same man that let you go. Maybe I'll even get to keep you safe this time."

"I don't need saving. I can survive on my own."

"Not here, querida. This isn't the United States. How are you going to survive if you don't know how to even buy a damn apple in Spanish?"

Scoffing, you crossed your arms. "Don't need talking to steal."

"And make your bounty grow?" He sighed. "Admit it, you need help. Let me to that, please."

You replied after a moment of silence, "Fine. But don't think it makes up for what you did."

Javier nodded, smiling faintly. He led you to his horse, offering his hand to help you mount. Hesitantly, you took it. You pride didn't want to, but you were too exhaused.

Before climbing up himself, Javier reached for his sombrero and handed it to you. "Here."

It wasn't much, but it was better than leaving your face fully exposed, so you accepted it. You hoped wearing a man's hat didn't mean the same thing in Mexico as it did in the United States, but you tried to push that thought away regardless.

Then, you pulled the bandana from around your neck up over your face, completing the makeshift disguise. It was better than nothing, but what you really needed, were new clothes. Maybe something that wouldn't scream wanted criminal.

Some time later, a time that felt like enternity to you, Javier's horse came to a stop at a saloon. It looked as if it was about to collapse, but apparently the interior was full of life.

"Don't worry," Javier reassued you, dismounting, "most of them got a bounty on their heads. No one will care."

You reluctantly followed Javier inside. The saloon was dimly lit, and no one even seemed to care when you two walked inside. Despite the location being rather safe, Javier paid for a room, and that was where you ate your meal.

The meal wasn't fancy, but it tasted like heaven after weeks of surviving on whatever you could find. Either the saloon's cook was wasting his talent working in a place like this, or the fact that you hadn't had a proper meal in so long made it seem that way.

Javier leaned against the wall, arms crossed, watching you. "Good?" He asked.

You nodded, swallowing the last bite. "Yeah."

Javier watched you for a moment longer before looking away. For all the tension between you, there was something in his gaze that you recognized well. Inside the man he was now, was still the man you once loved.

He was different. Older, worn by life and everything that had happened the past few years, but so were you. Thinking about what to say next, you moved from the tiny table to the bed.

"Why are you doing this?" You asked, making Javier's eyes shift back to you.

"Because..." he hesitated, "I never stopped thinking about you, about what happened. I didn't even know if you were alive. I was a fool, querida. I thought loyalty was everything, that Dutch had all the answers. Turns out he didn't, and it cost me the only thing that ever really mattered."

You didn't know what to reply. Of course, years of anger wouldn't disappear after a bunch of nice words. But it definitely cracked the surface of your shell. Part of you wanted to push him away, to protect yourself. But another part wanted to believe him, the part that saw in him your former lover.

When you didn't answer, Javier continued talking, making a bold move by sitting down on the bed. Right next to you. What it made you feel was so familiar yet so distant, you had to shift in spot, attempting to make the distance between the two of you a bit bigger. It barely worked.

Javier leaned forward with his elbows on his knees, hands clasped. He wasn't looking at you when he spoke. "I know I don't deserve forgiveness," he couldn't look at you when he said this, "but I need you to know I never stopped loving you."

His words were an arrow that pierced right through your heart. As painful as it was, his feelings for you never faded. Even back when he made that choice to stand by Dutch. Especially then.

You took a breath to reply, but you couldn't come up with any words. So it just sounded as if you let out a sigh. That didn't make Javier feel any better.

He turned to look at you. "I'd take it all back if I could. I'd leave it all behind for you, right here, right now. Just say the word."

It was the way he said it that finally broke your shell completely. The way his voice was vulnerable. It proved to you that he wasn't trying to manipulate you.

Without thinking, you reached for his hand. He didn't know what to do, but he surely didn't want you to let go.

"You're an idiot." You said, but your voice was soft, without malice. "But so am I for what I still feel for you."

Judgning by how he's been acting, you thought he'll catch a hint this is the moment where he kisses you. It seemed as if he was too stunned to react immediately, so you took the matters in your own hands and leaned in.

It started hesitantly. He kissed you back, but the both of you were carefully walking along the thin thread of any trust that there was left. It took Javier a moment, but his hands eventually pulled you closer. He used to think he had lost you forever, so when he finally found you again... he didn't want to let go.

[wittymumbledon]

been tinkering with this self-indulgent little thing for a lil' while now, but I think it's finally ready to release into the wild - I've seen a few takes on the concept of a Gravity Falls and Jekyll and Hyde crossover already - and with the nature of things there's likely going to be quite a bit of overlap - but nonetheless I wanted to try and make my own take on it. (I will note, though, that I was quite inspired by @maruchanart - especially in regards to Bill's design :])

Now - "The Strange Case of Dr Pines and Mr Cipher" is quite the mouthful (and no doubt quite the painful hashtag) - so from here onwards I will simply refer to this as

The Strange Case AU

I haven't worked out the details yet - and the details that I have are likely to change considering I originally based this off the musical and am now also reading the original novel but- As it stands -

This AU will be loosely based on a combination of the original Robert Louis Stevenson novel and the later Jekyll & Hyde musical. If I end up making any sort of animated content I will likely use the original 1994 recordings (they're gorgeous, can you blame me?), but I am most visually inspired by the 2001 production (the one with David Hasselhoff in it - I've already stolen his ponytail for my Ford lol)

Though the AU features the GF cast (those of them that were around in the 70s and 80s anyway), it will be set back in the early 1800s like the original story. We'll sort out the time anomalies as they arise - I don't want to think about it too hard right now I imagine there might be some shifts to a couple family trees though...

The roles of Jekyll and Hyde will - understandably - be played by Dr. Stanford Pines and Mr. William Lucipher

Stanford's character remains mostly the same - he is still a brilliant scientist, curious about the strange and a workaholic to the core - but he leans more towards the egotistic (there's a lot more of his "Why didn't Rudolph use his red-hot nose to burn his oppressor's workshop to the ground?" side showing through)

The main roles get a lot muddier from here - especially considering some of the character changes between the novel and the musical - but Fiddleford mainly plays a joint role of Lanyon and Emma, with some Utterson thrown in where suitable (and potentially a bit of Lucy too--see I told you it gets muddy real quick). A brilliant mind for mechanics and mathematics, but also a mind prone to paranoia. He is in perpetual conflict over his feelings about Stanford's experiment and his feelings about Stanford himself.

Stanley mostly replaces Utterson from either version of the story, an likely whatever parts of Lanyon that can't taken over by Fidds. After getting disowned - and lacking his twin's much higher social reputation - he ends up working at a factory.

Feel free to ask about more details (might get me to finish the artworks faster lol) or make your own suggestions/speculations! :3

[morgana-larkin]

Got a prompt messaged to me by someone who wants to remain anonymous. The prompt is: Melissa likes reader or OC that looks like Jodie. And the woman in the picture with Jodie is the reader/OCs best friend. Melissa thinks the brunette is dating reader/oc but they aren’t dating.

I had a lot of fun writing this, I’ll be honest. Also I would have had this up yesterday but audition season is here and I’ve been really busy going to those. I left this on a steamy cliffhanger, I might make a part 2. I’ll post the picture it’s referencing at the end of the fic in case you want to see it for reference. Anyways, as always not edited in the slightest and I hope you like it!

On another note: After I’m finished with all the prompts I currently have, I’m thinking of writing Marilyn and reader (redheads are my biggest weakness… I regret nothing)

Part 2

Blood As Green As Her Eyes

Warnings: Jealous Mel, references to smut, small not very detailed unfinished smut scene, good luck! 😉 😈

Words: 4.4k

Melissa walks into the break room and looks over to try and find you and sees you near the couch but you’re talking to someone she’s never met before. She walks a little further in and gets the tail end of the conversation.

“Alright see ya later beautiful.” You tell her.

“Right back at ya sweets.” The woman says and then leaves.

You see Melissa is there now and you go to her and sit at the table with her and Barb.

“Hello ladies.” You tell them and Barb smiles at you and Melissa glares at you.

“Who was that woman you were talking to?” She asks.

“Nicole? Oh she’s my best friend!” You say as you straighten your posture. “We’ve known each other for years. We met in high school and it was like instant connection.” You tell them excitedly.

Melissa doesn’t buy it though. With the way you talked to her and about her, it was obvious to Melissa that you’re dating her. Melissa ignores the sick feeling in her stomach.

The next morning you walk in the break room and your blonde hair is wet from the rain.

“Did you forget an umbrella hun?” Melissa asks you and you nod with a pout.

You go to sit down but then Nicole rushes in and you turn around.

“Hey you forgot your lunch on the way out. I gotta get to work but just wanted to drop it off quickly for you.” She tells you and hands you your lunch.

“Oh thanks love.” You tell her and Melissa scrunches her eyebrows. She knows you’re British, you have the accent and you told her, but the nickname threw her off.

“No problem sweets.” Nicole says and gives a quick kiss to your cheek then leaves. Melissa glares at Nicole the entire time. She clenches and unclenches her fists a few times to calm down. You put your lunch in the fridge then sit down at the table.

“Maybe I should go to the bathroom quickly and use the blow dryer to dry my hair.” You say with a chuckle and Barb laughs with you. Melissa just gives you a forced smile and you give her a confused look.

Melissa is bringing her kids to gym class that you teach. You see her and her class and you put your phone away instantly and give them a smile.

“Hey kiddos! Go on and get changed!” You tell them with a smile and they all run to the change room. You see Melissa still hanging around. “Hey, aren’t you gonna use the break to relax or whatever you do during this period?” You tell her curiously.

“No, I think I’m gonna hang around this time. Watch why they’re always so excited about gym class.” She tells you with a smile and you blush a bit.

“Alright! That’s not a problem at all! I would love for you to stay actually.” You tell her and the smallest blush makes its way to her cheeks.

“What were you doing on your phone btw? You put it away rather quickly. Are you sexting or something?” She jokes with you and you giggle.

“No! I was just texting Nicole something but it’s not as important as gym class.” You tell her and her blood boils a bit at the mention of her name. The kids start coming in with their gym clothes on and you turn to face them. “Alright guys! Today we’re playing dodgeball!” You tell them with a one clap of your hands and they all cheer. “And before we split up into teams, remember, no aiming at anyone’s face. And I’m looking at you Niyah.” You say and the girl just shrugs. Melissa goes to sit on the edge of the stage with her legs dangling off.

She watched as you picked 2 team leaders who then chooses their team. You then blow the whistle when they’re all ready with the balls in the middle of the gym. And then they all run to the middle to get a ball. You walk onto the stage and sit beside her and watch everyone. At some point, a ball comes directly at Melissa and you catch it then hand it to whoever is near you guys. You two end up talking while you still keep an eye on the kids.

And then Niyah throws a ball and hits a kid in the face and they fall. You immediately jump down and blow your whistle. “FREEZE!!!” You tell them and they all immediately stop and you run to the kid that was hit. “Niyah, we talked about this.” You tell her and she just shrugs again. You help the kid that fell to get up and make sure they’re alright. “Are you ok sweetie?” You ask very soothingly to him. He nods but looks upset. “Do you want to come sit with me and Ms Schemmenti on the stage for a bit?” You ask him and he nods again. You guide him to the stage and once he climbs up, you blow your whistle, signalling for the kids to continue the game. The boy ends up sitting in between you and Melissa and you look at his face again. “You have a small bruise forming but other than that, I don’t think there’s anything else.” You tell him and he seems upset that he got hit. “You know you’re very strong.” You tell him and he looks up at you. “You got hit in the face, fell down and you still got up.” You tell him with a smile. “That’s the mark of a strong person.” You continue and he smiles at you when you tell him that.

Melissa looks at you and sees how you are with the kids and can’t help but think of how beautiful you are, inside and out. 5 minutes later the boy asks if he can rejoin the game again and you nod at him. “Of course, you can rejoin whenever you want.” You tell him and he jumps off and runs back to the game.

You and Melissa continue talking and you notice how her hand is subtly touching your hip and you blush. The power this woman holds on you with just a touch.

In the morning the next day Melissa is on her phone scrolling through instagram. She’s mindlessly doing it until she comes across one of you and Nicole sitting together on a couch and you both have big smiles. Melissa freezes and stares at it and unconsciously grips the phone tightly.

“Melissa, are you ok?” Barb says and gently puts a hand on her upper arm for comfort.

“What? Oh, fine.” Melissa says and you walk into the room then and she smiles, then that smile immediately drops when she sees Nicole following you. “Actually I gotta go.” Melissa then says and grabs her stuff then stands up.

“Morning Melissa! Oh are you going somewhere? We were gonna join you.” You say innocently and with a big smile.

Barb sees how Melissa grips her pen so tight that her knuckles are turning white, while you are none the wiser.

“I’ve just got some stuff to do before school starts. I’ll see you later Barb.” She says with a frown and then walks out of there.

“Is she ok?” You ask Barb and she just looks at you confused as well. Then she replays in her head what happened. Melissa was scrolling on her phone through instagram and obviously saw something she didn’t like, then you came in and she smiled, and then it dropped. Why?

“Did you post something on instagram lately?” Barb asks and you nod. You showed her the picture you posted an hour ago that you took yesterday afternoon, then suddenly the pieces fall into place for Barb. Melissa likes you and she’s jealous of Nicole. Barb has to do some digging, cause while she doesn’t think you and Nicole are dating, Melissa might, and Barb has to be certain before she talks to Melissa. “Just out of curiosity dear, are you and Nicole going out? I mean like are you dating?” She asks and you shake your head.

“Me and Nicole?” You say while pointing towards you both, even Nicole is confused by the question.

“Why would you think that me and y/n are dating? I mean not that there’s anything wrong with y/n, it’s just, she’s not my type. Gender wise.” Nicole says.

“I mean ya I guess we can come across as a bit flirty but we’re just comfortable with each other.” You say with a smile. “Besides she’s not my type either, personality and looks wise.” You say and Nicole nods.

“Ya y/n is a great friend but would be a terrible partner for me.” Nicole says and all 3 of you laugh.

“If you don’t mind me asking, what is your type dear.” Barb asks you and you have to think about that. You know your type, and it’s Melissa, you have a crush on her and the only person who knows about your crush is Nicole and she’s been pushing you to get closer to her and ask her out. You want to tell Barb but she’s Melissa’s best friend, and while you know Barb won’t tell her if you tell her not too, it’d still be awkward if she knew. So you have to say your type without letting on that it describes Melissa.

“Well I guess women that have like a lot of spice to their personality, like they’re not plain.” You say with a big smile. “And I guess I do have a soft spot for fiery redheads.” You say a bit cautiously and you see that Barb’s expression hasn’t changed so I guess she hasn’t figured it out yet, so you continue. “And older women, I think they’re hot.” You say and Nicole playfully smacks your shoulder.

“Ya you and those milfs, I swear.” She tells you and you giggle. Barb looks at you two confused.

“What’s a Milf?” She says and you both look at her.

“It stands for Mom I’d Like to Fuck. But it’s also meant to describe older women that you think are hot.” You explain to her and her eyes widen a bit but you think it’s because of the description of Milfs and not of the woman you like.

“Is there anyone that you like right now dear?” She asks you and you nod timidly.

“Ya she does!” Nicole says and you glare at her. “I’m gonna leave now, gotta get to work, see ya sweets.” She tells you and waves at you and Barb goodbye.

“Is it Melissa?” She asks you and you snap your head at her and eyes wide a bit. That was all the answer Barb needed but of course you try to defend yourself.

“What?!? N-no…of course not! Why would you think I like Melissa?” You say, stuttering and stumbling through the entire sentence.

“I’m just wondering dear that’s all. I have something to do before school as well. I’ll see you at lunch dear.” She tells you and you say goodbye to each other.

Barb gets to Melissa’s room in time to see Melissa throw a pen across the room, and she sees no others on the redhead’s desk.

“How many pens have you thrown across the room?” Barb asks her and Melissa whips her head to her.

“I lost count.” She says to her, then goes to collect all of them. She picks up what looks to be about 10 pens and a couple markers and highlighters.

Barb wants to tell Melissa what she knows but thinks that Melissa might brush her off, so she decides to tell her tomorrow after she has time to blow off some steam. Which in retrospect, turns out to be a mistake.

Melissa goes to a gay club after to blow off some steam, and she ends up chatting it up with a girl there and then makes out with her at the club. You end up seeing that, as you also went to the club to try and move on from her since you think Melissa will never have an interest in you. Melissa ends up taking the girl home and you were watching her the entire night, she never saw you though. You really have to move on now. You end up telling Nicole what you saw and she said she can be around with you more in the mornings and after school so when you see the redhead, she can provide comfort for you.

So on the Friday morning, Melissa comes in with a small pep to her step as she had sex with the girl last night and you notice it. Nicole is with you though on the couch, you decided to stop sitting at the table with Melissa and Barb to avoid the redhead. As soon as Melissa walks in, she sees you and Nicole on the couch, and Nicole has an arm wrapped around your shoulders. Melissa gets angry at that and ends up taking it out on Jacob and throws his android at the wall with a “GO BACK TO THE BLUE BUBBLE!” She yells at him and Jacob tries to act like that didn’t faze or scare him.

You look over at Melissa when that happens and she catches your gaze. You two lock eyes for a second then you turn back to Nicole and Melissa stomps out of there. Melissa ends up telling Barb that she went to the gay club last night and hooked up with a girl, and later you end telling Barb that you went to the club as well when she asked what was wrong.

“I went to the gay club last night and being there just didn’t help anything.” You told her and even if you don’t say it, Barb knows you saw Melissa there, and she knows Melissa didn’t see you.

Over the next couple of weeks, Nicole has been coming with you into the break room in the morning or you go to your classroom with her to avoid the redhead, and she meets you after school to avoid Melissa as well.

“Hiya sweets!” She greets you one Friday afternoon and then you end up catching Melissa giving a glare in your direction. You see that it wasn’t directed at you though, it was directed at Nicole and you got confused.

You and Melissa both end up at the club again only it was reversed this time. She sees you there and you don’t see her. She sees you there alone looking upset and Nicole nowhere to be seen. And then she decides to go and talk to you. Before she gets to you however, a girl comes up and starts talking to you before she does. She freezes and sees that the girl is flirting with you and you seem to be liking it. That makes her confused because as far as she knows, you’re dating Nicole and you’re monogamous. She starts to get jealous again and stomps out of there before she starts a fight with either that girl who’s flirting with you or some random person.

On Monday morning she decides to talk to you at lunch. She knows that for some reason you seem to avoid the break room now so she’ll have to go down to your classroom. You at the moment are having a discussion with Nicole before school starts.

“What are you going to do y/n? Cause you can’t avoid Melissa forever and I can’t always come down to support you.” She says and you sigh.

“I know, it’s just hard right now. I mean ever since I saw her take that girl home a few weeks ago. I just keep thinking about it.” You tell Nicole and she nods.

“I keep telling you to talk to her.” Nicole tells you and you sigh.

“You know I won’t. You don’t have to come with me in the mornings anymore you know. I can just hide out in my classroom. I mean there’s what? 16 weeks left until summer break. And then I can spend the summer just getting over her. And then she’ll never even know how I felt cause then it’ll go back to normal next school year.” You say confidently. Melissa sees your door mostly closed and decides to keep walking, knowing that Nicole’s in there too. You hear her heels and you go and look out your door and see her walking to her classroom. You think it’s good that she didn’t stop by your classroom or else she might have heard your confession and you let out a sigh of relief.

“If you just tell her then you’ll know if she likes you or not. I mean what if she likes you back?” Nicole says and you shake your head at her. “Honestly you lesbians are so dramatic.” Nicole teases you and you flip her off. “I love ya too y/n.” She says and then leaves for work.

At lunch Melissa comes to see you after grabbing her lunch from the fridge. She runs into Barb and tells her she’s going to see you and Barb smirks and tells her good luck.

She arrives at your door then Melissa takes a deep breath and knocks on your door. You open it and almost slam the door back in her face but instead you just freeze.

“Hi.” She tells you and leans on the doorframe. She’s so cute you think and then remove those thoughts, not the time to check her out.

“Something you want Melissa?” You ask her as neutral as possible and she’s slightly taken back by this. You usually have a big and bright smile when you greet her.

“I just wanted to know if you were ok? I haven’t seen you as much lately.” She says and you look at her eyes then look away from her eyes as fast as possible.

“I’m fine, just don’t feel like being in the break room.” You tell her.

“Why?”

“That’s personal.” You tell her with a bit of a snap to it.

“Can I come in?” She asks you and you shake your head.

“No.” You tell her flatly.

“Why not?” She asks you confused. “You always were happy to have people around in your classroom to visit you.” She tells you.

“Well I decided that I’m going to avoid people from now on.” You say and go to close your door, but Melissa with quick hands, stops it and pushes it back open and you stumble back from the force a bit. Melissa takes the opportunity and walks in and closes and locks the door. She then turns to look at you with an unimpressed look. “What?” You ask her and she walks towards you, you however began to walk backwards to avoid her and she keeps walking towards you. You then get stopped by your desk and Melissa traps you there and looks at you closely.

“What’s going on with you hun?” She asks and you begin to breathe deeply. You don’t reply and she continues to try and get you to talk. “I saw you at the club on Friday night, flirting with that girl.” She tells you and your eyes go wide then you narrow your eyebrows at her.

“So?” You question her.

“You seem to be enjoying it and playing along. I thought you were dating Nicole.” She tells you and the built up anger that was starting inside you immediately disappears and all that’s left is confusion.

“You think Nicole and I are together?” You tell her and press your lips together to try and suppress a laugh.

Melissa looks confused. “Um ya, I mean it’s kinda obvious. She’s always with you, you guys constantly are talking, she comes in with you to school and picks you up after. You’re constantly flirting and posting pictures of the both of you together.” She says those last 2 with some anger and you quirk an eyebrow at her.

“Melissa, her and I are just friends. We may sometimes seem flirty but it’s innocent. She’s straight and she’s not my type.” You say and Melissa leans back, immediately releasing you and you get out from her entrapment. “Melissa what is all this about? You’re acting distant lately.” You say and she looks at your desk and has her fingers on it.

“I don’t like seeing you two together.” Is all she says.

“Why?”

“Because I thought you were together.” She says plainly and then it all hits you at once. The way she leaves when she sees Nicole with you, the glares she sends at Nicole, the way she ignores you both when you go to talk to her, the way her personality changes as soon as Nicole is in the room. Melissa is jealous.

“Is it because you don’t have a partner? Because it can be so easy for you to find one. I mean you found someone to hook up with a few weeks ago.” You tell her and her eyes widen.

“You were at the bar that night?” She asks and you nod.

“I saw you make out with her and then take her home with you.” You say disappointedly.

Melissa pieces it all together right then and there and smirks. She stalks towards you and traps you against the wall on the side where your doors are.

“Did you get jealous by that?” She asks you and you shake your head.

“What?!? Me? Jealous of you with another girl? Why would I get jealous of that?” You say and your voice gets high in pitch and she grins. You gulp as she gives you a look that she doesn’t believe you.

“I think you are jealous by that.” She tells you and lowers the pitch of her voice. “Tell me, did you want it to be you that I took home that night?” She asks and you look at her with a huge blush and you can’t find it in you to lie to her, so you nod. “Well do you want to know what I was thinking when that girl flirted with you?” She asks and you nod again. “I thought that I wish it was me flirting with you instead of that girl. She is just a girl who probably doesn’t know how to properly satisfy another girl yet.” She tells you and then leans in to your ear. “I’m much more experienced and know how to satisfy a girl all night.” She whispers in your ear and you shiver. “Ugh I was so jealous when I thought you and Nicole were together, I was mad. And then you started avoiding me and she was over every day and I wasn’t able to keep taking it. I went to that club every night and kept sleeping with girls to get my mind off of you and blow off some steam.” She tells you and you look at her surprised.

“You’ve been sleeping with a bunch of girls?” You ask her shyly and she nods.

“And either they weren’t experienced or maybe it’s because they weren’t you, I don’t know which one but it wasn’t any good.” She says and you look at how close she is.

“Can you let me go?” You ask her and she shakes her head.

“Do you know how much time I’ve spent picturing you in my bed, underneath me or up against my wall at my house. How many times I’ve spend fantasising about you when I’m touching myself?” She asks and you shake your head. “I mean fuck y/n, you drive me crazy.” She tells you and you’re a blushing mess right now but find enough strength in you to speak.

“I… I fantasise about you too.” You tell her and she smirks at you.

“Really?” She asks and you nod. “What do you fantasise about?” She whispers near your ear and you gulp.

“I-I picture you on top of me, domi…dominating m-me.” You start and you’re very nervous, but her smirk makes you continue. “And I imagine what it would be like to feel you inside of me and making me beg to let me come.” And while you speak, she drives her knee closer and closer to your core. Until she hits it and you squeak and buck your hips.

“Keep going.” She tells you while grabbing your hips and you gulp again before continuing.

“I thought about…about what your breasts would look like and-” you get cut off by you gasping as she moves your hips forward, making you grind against her thigh. “I thought- I thought about what your lips would feel like on mine and all over me.” You continue with difficulty and eventually you don’t need her hands guiding you as you’re turned on enough and you continue grinding her thigh on your own. She removes her hands from you and places them beside your head and then places her lips on your neck and starts kissing and sucking. She then tells you to continue. “Omg, Mel-Melissa.” You say a bit loud and she has to cover your mouth with her hand.

“I guess you can’t continue, since you’re loud.” She says against your neck. You’re close to coming about a minute later and she pulls away and you whip your head at her in shock.

“What? Why’d you stop? I was so close.” You say and she smirks.

“Oh I know. But I want to see your whole body and be inside you while you come underneath me.” She says seductively. “I want to take out all my jealousy on this pretty body of yours.” She says and bites your ear then pulls back again. “Why don’t you come to my house after school?” She asks and you immediately nod. “Good, now don’t touch yourself during the rest of lunch, I want you begging me for release tonight.” She tells you and you nod her head.

Melissa then grabs her lunchbox and then goes back to the break room. She enters with a grin on her face and the trio looks at her confused, Barb sees the grin but doesn’t comment on it. She just smiles and shakes her head.

Taglist: @esposadejoyhuerta

@imaginesmultifandoms

@idonothingalldays-blog

@sexysapphicshopowner

@dvrkhcld

@lilfartbox1

Let me know if you want to be added!

[thefiery-phoenix]

MY SLEEPING BEAUTY PART 2 (YANDERE PETER PARKER X READER)

Part 1

You woke up the next day feeling really fresh and energetic and you couldn't help but feel that during the night most of the times, something would hold you. But you had no idea that it was your friendly neighborhood spiderman Peter Parker who would hold you and fantasize about both of your lives together

Speaking of Peter Parker, he already started planning to kidnap you so he can have you all for himself. Finally all the days where he protected you and watched over you from the shadows were gone, you can be right in front of him where he'll always love you and smother you with his love. He knows it might take lot of time for you to adjust and get used to your new surroundings and life with him but it's for your own good darling! He's just trying to protect you from all the dangers in the world, and he as an Avenger and as Spiderman knows how dangerous and bad the world is for a pure kind innocent angel like yourself. He decided to take you the next night in your sleep so he won't get caught of kidnapping someone in broad daylight 

You couldn't help but get an uneasy feeling as the day passed while you were in school. You were really close friends with Peter and you told him about how you felt and how something warm was on your bed the other night and you actually had a good night's sleep for once. Oh yes, Peter DOES know about that and it's a good thing he held you in his protective arms and embrace otherwise you wouldn't go to sleep and you would've stayed up watching shows on Netflix and anime and reading fanfiction and whatnot. And Peter couldn't have that, what sort of boyfriend would he be if the love of his life couldn't go to sleep and gets tired the next day? He told you that he'd make sure nothing happens to you and you didn't think too much about his words. You thought he said them as a kind concerned friend but in reality, boi here is literally freaking obsessed with you 

You finally finished your day at school and went home and Peter followed you secretly without knowing. He kept an eye on you 'for your safety of course' and watched you through your window. He was mesmerized by whatever you did, everything you did drove him crazy. He loved the way you danced and hummed to the tunes of your favorite songs but he felt upset and wanted to hold you and comfort you again when you whined and grumbled in frustration while doing something difficult for homework. 'It won't be too long my love, I'll give you the life you deserve' he thought and watched you for some more time. Your mother called you for dinner later and you went down. While you were having your dinner Peter took the chance to look at your room in a more detailed manner and he loved the way you organized eveything so perfectly. He made a mental note to design a same room like this one when he takes you and he collected some little souvenirs for himself

When he heard you come back he quickly leaped out of the window. You saw the window open and you thought 'Strange... I thought it was closed. Meh, I probably left it open again or something' and you closed it. As you were getting ready for bed Peter got ready to take you for himself. It was now or never. He slowly snuck into your room after he changed into his Spiderman suit and picked you up carefully and gently bridal style. He brushed a few strands off from your face, gently kissed your lips and pulled back red faced and unable to believe he finally had you for himself. He'd finally take you to your new home where you don't have to get worried about school anymore. He was finally going to give you the life you deserved, of love and affection

[sunnyrealist]

Chapter 65: Irises and Yellow Roses

The Sun, the Moon, and All Our Stars

Summary and Details…

Previous Chapter Recap/Context: Everyone has left the Three Broomsticks to give Sebastian and Ominis some privacy to catch up on their own. Ominis explained how he and Anne fell in love, what their marriage was like, and how her health greatly improved over the years. He then recounted the events preceding her sudden death. Anne had become determined to have children to continue the Sallow family line; she didn't wish for it to end in tragedy. Deliberately going against Ominis' wishes, she stopped taking her contraceptive potion on purpose, which resulted in pregnancy. Close to the twins' due date, Anne had a random bout of illness, but they considered it fairly normal and unconcerning, based on her symptoms, and she stubbornly refused to see a Healer. The next morning, Ominis woke up to find her dead beside him. In this chapter, Ominis continues the story and later, Sebastian returns home.

Pairing: 25-year-old, post-Azkaban Sebastian Sallow x 24-year-old Kate Mayflower (my OC), the assistant librarian at Hogwarts

Art Credit: the very talented @giselsann-opencommissions 💛

Content warnings: In general, this is rated 18+, so minors should not read or interact with this story, but this chapter really has nothing I would consider triggering.

The full chapter is available below the cut; it can also be found on AO3 (link is posted below). Please leave some feedback if possible, especially if you like what you read! 🥰

Chapter 65: Irises and Yellow Roses

“Ominis…” Sebastian murmurs, noticing his watery eyes.

“The coroner said that Anne had… experienced a stroke. That she had likely been suffering from something called toxemia,” the blonde man continues somberly. “It supposedly happens to many pregnant women, especially to those pregnant with multiples, and is difficult to detect. We just… thought the symptoms were normal. We were so used to her having bouts of illness like that.” He pauses, wiping at his eyes. “We didn’t realize the severity.”

Sebastian works his jaw. He cannot fathom how something so… mundane could have finished her off, after all she had suffered through. Anne’s refusal to see a Healer was infuriating - and so like her, but he understands that they could never have imagined her suddenly dying overnight with those symptoms. Then, he considers Ominis’ experience.

Waking up to find the love of his life dead without warning.

Expecting to raise a family, only to end up completely alone.

All hopes and dreams dashed.

Sebastian doesn’t even know what to say. He sits quietly, lost in his own pain, as he watches his old friend, his brother-in-law, cry. 

“I should have insisted she go to St. Mungo’s,” Ominis mumbles dejectedly. “I want to- to take it all back. Reverse it all. It… it hurts so badly. I’ve lost… everything.”

 Carefully choosing his words, Sebastian finally replies, “I understand. My situation… was never the same as yours… but I understand the feeling.” He reaches out to place a handkerchief in Ominis’ hand. “It’s indescribably… horrific. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. For many years, I wasn’t even sure why I was alive… or that life was even worth living.” 

Ominis uses the cloth to dry his cheeks. 

“I know this may sound impossible to you right now,” Sebastian continues, “but… things can change. Your life isn’t over. Try to find a reason to go on. The future is… open. It doesn’t have to be miserable forever. Honor Anne…” He trails off, fearful he might only upset Ominis further. How would one even possibly provide comfort in this situation? Sebastian stares at the floor. “Ominis… I want you to know that you aren’t alone. We’re friends, and now, we’re family… I promise - I will help you in any way I can. It’s what Anne would have wanted.”

When Sebastian returns to the cottage that night, he’s exhausted.

Kate kindly left a few candles burning for him, and he stumbles towards the bedroom to find her sitting up and reading in bed by candlelight. Her eyes take him in as he wanders in wordlessly. He undresses slowly, and she waits patiently for him to join her. 

Sebastian lets out a sigh as he settles, his head in Kate’s lap. She runs her fingers through his hair, silent for a long while.

Kissing the top of his head sweetly, her lips lingering, she whispers, “Would you like to talk about it?”

He shakes his head, no. 

“That’s fine,” she soothingly murmurs. “Let’s go to sleep, love.”

They readjust, and for once, Kate spoons Sebastian. She can tell that he is attempting to hold back tears, but his emotions quickly consume him, and she can feel his stomach contracting as he sobs. 

It breaks her heart, and she wishes she could take away whatever pain he’s experiencing. All she can do is hold him tight. This distress keeps her awake until she can hear him breathing deeply, finally asleep.

“I love you,” she whispers, even though he won’t hear.

Kate wakes early the next morning to the sound of Sebastian’s light snoring. 

Wishing for him to get much more rest, Kate carefully slips away towards her side of the bed, placing a pillow where her body had been curled against him. She slowly lifts herself up, trying to keep the bed from creaking too loudly. She slips on her deep green, silken robe and gingerly pads across the room to escape into the hallway.

She decides to start breakfast, trying to determine what type of food might be best after last night’s excitement. Kate wonders if Sebastian may have a hangover; she determines that it would be best for him to have a hearty breakfast to soak up the alcohol and replenish his hunger. 

When she is just about finished with cooking, she hears footsteps in the hallway. The sound disappears as he closes the bathroom door. Quickly, she plates everything and sets the table. 

Sebastian finally wanders into the kitchen a few minutes later, yawning, donning only pyjama trousers. His eyes grow large when he sees that breakfast is completely ready.

“Good morning, darling,” Kate cheerily says in a sing-song voice.

“Good morning, sweetheart,” he echoes in a somewhat groggy tone.

“Sit,” she offers, motioning towards the chair he usually takes. “I’ve made breakfast.”

Sebastian gladly plops down, surveying the offerings.

“I’ve made oatmeal with cinnamon, pecans, apples, and dried cranberries,” she explains. “Breakfast tea is ready. I’ve fried up some tomatoes and sausages. There’s also a bowl of fresh strawberries and blueberries - I’ve just washed them.” She smiles. “But if there is anything else you desire, just say the word. I mean to please you.”

“Gods, no. I already feel spoiled,” he answers gratefully. He lifts her hand, kissing it. “You’re… you’re bloody perfect, Kate. This is incredibly considerate. I love you so much.”

She giggles in response. “And I love you.”

As they tuck into the food, Kate is surprised to hear that Sebastian is not hungover. 

He tells Kate everything about his private visit with Ominis. She listens avidly, asking several questions to which Sebastian does not yet know all of the answers. 

When he reaches the part in which he and Ominis said goodbye, he hesitantly says, “I need to tell you something. I hope you aren’t angry with me that I’ve not given you much notice, but…” He looks into her blue eyes. “I invited Ominis over for dinner tonight.”

Kate slowly nods, and Sebastian immediately assumes that she is upset. He quickly adds, “You don’t have to cook. I can order a meal, cook something up myself, or just change the plans and go out to dinner in Hogsmeade. And I’ll do everything to prepare the cottage for the evening. Sorry… It’s just… When we went our separate ways, I didn’t feel like we had fully caught up.”

“It’s alright,” Kate replies. “I don’t mind hosting. I don’t mind cooking, either. But yes, you will need to help quite a lot. Perhaps you can help out a bit in the kitchen… and I’ll certainly need you to do some work around the house.” She pauses. “Next time, I would appreciate more notice, though.”

“Of course.” He kisses her cheek. “Thank you.” 

Kate’s mind begins to run through the ingredients she has on hand and what might be impressive enough to make for a dinner guest. Knowing that Ominis is blind actually makes her a bit more nervous. She’s read before that when someone loses their eyesight, all other senses are heightened. This means her cooking will need to be especially flavorful. She will need to pull out all the stops. 

Ultimately, Ominis will be her brother-in-law, and she aspires more than anything to win his friendship.

Nothing is more important to Kate than family, and Ominis is the only other remaining member of the Sallows. This dinner could hopefully solidify a renewed relationship between Sebastian and Ominis and encourage them to get together more frequently. 

Sebastian needs that.

“Well, we’ll need to get to work right away,” Kate says decisively, standing up. “Come on, let’s get dressed.”

Sebastian pouts as he nuzzles his face between Kate’s soft breasts, barely covered by her thin robe. “Do we have to? Do you have to?”

“Sebastian.” She gives him a chastising look. “You’re the one that sprung this on me…”

“Oh, fine,” he mutters with a smirk, allowing himself to be helped up from the table.

The houseplants have all been watered, and windows are open to let in the fresh summer air. Sebastian has tidied up the living room and bathroom, and Kate has busied herself with baking a pie, using preserved apple pie filling. She places it near the window to cool.

“Sebastian!” she calls outside, “Will you be finished soon? I really need those vegetables.”

“Coming,” he shouts back.

Moments later, the front door swings open, and Sebastian enters, carrying a basket filled with freshly harvested vegetables. 

“I could be wrong, but I didn’t think the peas looked ready yet,” he informs her. “But I have everything else you requested - the potatoes, carrots, and asparagus.” 

“Alright.” She takes the basket from him, inspecting the garden’s yield. 

Then, Sebastian reveals a bouquet of flowers he had been hiding behind his back. Kate gasps as she accepts the yellow roses and purple irises, inhaling their scent. 

“Lovely,” Kate hums. “Just lovely.”

“I almost cut some of the peonies,” Sebastian mentions, “but these were also ready… and their symbolism… it’s meaningful for tonight.”

Kate nods. “Hmm… the irises… they’re…” Her nose scrunches. “I’m afraid I’ve forgotten. Let me take a look in my book.”

He stops her. “They symbolize hope, faith, and trust in friendship. And the yellow roses - they’re optimism and joy in friendship.” 

Kate gives him a lopsided smile. “My clever Seb.” 

She turns around, strolling into the kitchen to find a vase. He follows her like a puppy.

“The pie smells fantastic,” Sebastian murmurs as she fills a vase with water. “I wish I could steal a piece right now.”

Kate smiles, carefully arranging the flowers in the vase. “You’ll just have to wait, dear.”

He pulls her hips forward, places his hands on her arms, and leans in with a mischievous grin. “You know patience is not my strong suit.” He kisses her cheek and eyes her up and down. She’s wearing a darker yellow dress, a rather simple one, under a cream-colored, frilly smock. Her hair is half-up, half-down; delicate white flowers are woven into a braid secured around the back of her head. “You look very pretty.”

She goes pink, secretly delighted by the compliment. “I know Ominis can’t see, but I still want to at least look… decent.”

They kiss, and the scent of her floral perfume envelops him in its sweetness. 

“You smell like a dream,” Sebastian whispers in her ear. “Flowers and honey… vanilla and cinnamon… so sweet.” 

He picks her up, placing her on the counter and going in for more kisses. She gives in, and their lips move together languidly. After a minute, the kisses begin to feel more insistent, and Kate finally pulls back, giggling. She pushes him away playfully, sliding off to stand on her own two feet. 

“Alright, Romeo. We have work to do,” she teases him, a smile tugging at her lips.

Kate puts Sebastian to work, asking him to wash the freshly harvested vegetables as she greases and flours a bread pan. She takes a cloth off the top of a bowl, revealing fragrant dough that had been left to rise, which she puts in the pan and then the oven. 

Eventually, the two stand side by side to cut the carrots and potatoes. Laughter fills the kitchen as they take turns feeding each other small scraps. 

Sebastian stares at Kate for a long time, his eyes filled with deep affection. “Kate…” 

“What is it?”

“I… I’m so lucky,” he finishes. “Sometimes I really cannot believe I’m here with you…”

Kate smiles back at him. “You are. You’re home, my love.” 

[sendpseuds]

20 days until Christmas

"I don't think I've ever seen an elf with a beard before," Padme smiles brightly, giving Anakin's shoulder an affectionate pinch as she sinks down on the couch beside him, waiting for him to lace up his boots.

"Oh, Obi-Wan Kenobi has had several different style eras," Anakin replies with a chuckle, smiling up at the elf perched atop his refrigerator, his chest flooding with the warmth of wonderful memories everytime he catches sight of the little Christmas creature of cloth and cotton , "He has a whole wardrobe."

In the beginning, Obi-Wan hadn't looked too dissimilar to the elves lining store shelves — red felted body with a silly white collar, big blue eyes, and that cheeky little smirk that never fails to make Anakin smile. He wasn't exactly the same, of course, made in his mother's studio instead of in a factory, but that had only made Anakin love him more. Every Christmas she found ways to make it even more magical, adding details to his face, changing his hair, making him little outfits like the tiny knit sweater he wears now.

One year, when Anakin was at that age where all boys think their moms are horribly embarrassing, she sewed Obi-Wan a tiny Canadian tuxedo and gave him frosted tips. A stage made from cardboard boxes and a few strings and she had figured out how to make the poor elf dance like some tortured boy band member as Anakin manned the spotlight [held a flashlight] and failed to stifle his delighted laughter.

She always knew how to win him over.

"Obi-Wan Kenobi," Padme says softly, her voice trailing up at the end like she's not sure she's remembered it correctly, still looking up at Anakin's childhood toy, "Does the name mean something?"

"Not really," he replies with a shrug. "The last name came later," like the beard and the beauty mark on his cheek, that much Anakin remembers, "I think it was just fun to say."

[The way they would just say it over and over. "Do you like the snowbi Obi?" "You should knowbi by now that Obi-Wan Kenobi loves the snowbi." Anakin always imagined it annoyed the elf greatly.]

"My mom always said I started calling him Obi-Wan that first night," Anakin continues, leaning back into the couch pillows, his vision going a bit fuzzy with the memory, "She always said it was like I knew his name— that I knew him before she'd even finished sewing him." All this time later, Anakin still thinks it might be the truth. "I don't know," he shrugs, shaking his head like it might clear his foggy thoughts, "He's just always been my Obi-Wan."

In the days since Anakin pulled Obi-Wan from that box, it's been difficult not to feel like he's found a piece of himself he hadn't even realized he was missing.

"That's so cute," Padme smiles, giving his shoulder a quick squeeze, "I'm glad you found him."

"Me too."

It only takes another minute to grab his jacket and check for his keys and wallet before they're headed out the door to meet Padme's friends for drinks at her favorite cocktail bar but Anakin finds himself lingering for a long moment in the doorway, his fingers gripping the handle, his mind fuzzy and focus far away.

"Everything okay?" Padme asks, reaching out to grip his bicep like she's trying to pull him after her, "I don't want to be late."

"Yeah, sorry, I—" Anakin stutters, trying to identify the strange needling feeling crawling up his spine, "I feel like I'm forgetting—"

That's when it hits him.

I forgot to say goodbye to Obi-Wan.

That little habit came back shockingly fast.

Guilt twists in his gut as his eyes linger on his smiling Christmas elf sitting on top of the fridge in his cozy cable knit sweater and Anakin wants to say it.

He feels like he should.

He doesn't.

"All good. Let's go."

The moment he gets back from the bar, Anakin apologizes.

He's pretty sure Obi-Wan forgives him.

He always does.

[sparrowrye]

Demi Demon || Alastor x Reader, A2 part 25

Synopsis: It’s been over a year since we were brought under Alastor’s watchful eye. We’ve unlocked our Demonic powers, discovered our own talents, and began building the Safe Haven with Charlie and co. Alastor seems increasingly interested in the power we hold as one and intends to use it properly.

Previous part

Part 25: comfort

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

Another big storm came from the ocean. I was grateful that construction and other projects were paused because it gave me the time to stress sketch. Reading helped but sketching really seemed to help loosen any built up stress I had stored in my neck and shoulders.

And stressed I very much was.

It was mid summer and four more surface Overlords had gone missing. Territories were toppling and being combined into a sort of Clan that Blackwater was running. Yet he still remained a ghost, completely untouchable. He was building an empire. And I knew he was going to come for us eventually.

Knowing Blackwater and how thorough and evasive he has been, I knew he would build up his power and empire until he was strong enough to come challenge Alastor. Or, he would be slick about it and try to catch Alastor off guard like he had done with Reagan and I in that hidden factory.

Alastor insisted we were fine but I didn't believe him. Blackwater was smart and obviously very good with technology. He created an entire room that could prevent people from using their magic yet he could wield it freely as a Human. What else could he figure out? He was creating the very thing Overlords had been working so hard to prevent: a collective power of Humans.

Hazbin Haven wasn't anywhere near the power of such a possible empire. We had Demons and Slight Humans but they were here to escape the persecution, to escape the fighting. Blackwater wasn't going to stop at just one nation or body of land. He was going to make sure the entire world was rid of Demon-kind. We might be last on his list but he was moving fast.

I knew I was bothering Alastor with my frequent concerns and nightmares but they were starting to become real.

Lucifer had mentioned during some of my training sessions that I might have future visions. I had already had a couple but I didn't think anything of it. Nowadays, I was starting to have small little scenarios during a nap or at the tail end of a dream that would come true a few days later. I couldn't change them or even predict them before they happened. I could only recognize when the vision came true.

I asked Alastor to speak with Lucifer and set up a more frequent time to meet with the King of Hell so he could teach me more about Angelic magic. Alastor wasn't happy about it but he didn't say no.

Progress.

I heard him calling for me. I was sitting on the window seat in the library sketching the corner of the room. I was practicing quick, rough sketching before going in for finer details. I was trying to finish the quick sketch before answering. I didn't want to break my concentration, plus he would see me once he came down the stairs.

But he kept calling. It was a call, then a question, then sweet, then just annoyed that I was ignoring him. I knew he could see me from where he walked into the living room. Why was he still calling me? Couldn't he tell I was focused?

I shifted more comfortably, back haunched over the sketch pad, and continued to focus on the corner of the room. He tried again, more forcibly, and I responded with a terse, "What Al?"

I was finishing the edge of the rug in the corner when I noticed the prolonged silence. He had stopped calling my name and was just standing there, staring at me. That's when it finally registered in my head what I had just said.

I stopped sketching. I slowly straightened my back, eyes anxiously moving up his long legs to meet his eyes. I couldn't tell what his smile meant. Was it surprise? Was it annoyance? He blinked twice before coming back to reality. He stepped to the side to reveal Reagan waiting in the living room. I had forgotten she was coming up to chat with me.

"Sorry, I was just so focused," I laughed lightly. I closed the pad and left it on the seat, waltzing over to  Reagan and letting my tail drag lightly across his boot. I tried to briefly touch his mind but I couldn't quite catch what he was feeling. Why had I said his name like that? I had heard Husker use that nickname but I had never once used it.

Reagan and I took a walk along the shore. We couldn't go into towns anymore since Blackwater's rise to power. Both of us were too nervous after last time when we had left the haven. So we agreed to walk along the beach instead.

The rain was still present but the wind had died down for the early evening. I kept the rain from hitting us like Alastor had done so many times to the two of us. She talked to me about helping Vivian with the children and all the fun and stupid things that happen in the new school building.

We didn't walk for very long. The rain had made it cold and our feet were getting pale from walking on the cold beach. I walked her back to the haven where Lucas 'happened' to be walking along the edges. A smile grew on my face as I watched the two of them talk and walk down the street. I realized then just how much the haven had grown.

How much I had grown.

I found Alastor sitting by the fireplace. The dark outside made the living room feel more safe and warm. His eyes slowly opened to look at me, smile showing only a few of his upper teeth. "How was the walk?" he asked, holding his hand out for me to take.

I crossed the room, practically a magnet to his hand, and wrapped my claws around his. The last edges of cold disappeared as his presence and magic blended with mine. In one swift movement, he pulled me down and lifted my leg to have me sitting sideways on his lap, legs folded over his knees. His claw came up my back to keep me from falling over the armchair and the other kept my thigh securely on his leg.

"Relax your muscles, darling." He planted a few kisses on the side of my neck. It had taken a surprising amount of effort to get my shoulders, and especially my legs, to lower and loosen up. Now I was starting to feel way too warm.

He tilted his head up and waited, waited for me to lean down and kiss him. The action felt strange this time as I leaned my head down. His hand on my thigh moved a little further while the other one on my back pressed me closer.

I wrapped one arm around the back of his neck and rested a hand perfectly on the curve of his shoulder. A moment later he broke the kiss and found my eyes with his gentle, beady red ones.

"Say, my darling," his smile turned into a smirk, "what compelled you to say my name in such a way earlier?" My eyes widened and my face grew even more red. I tried to get off but he fastened his grip with a laugh, "Not so fast, my dear. I'm only curious."

"It just kinda came out," I replied, refusing to look in his direction. "I've heard Husker call you that. I'm sorry, I won't do it again."

"Come now, my darling." He placed a kiss on the exposed part of my shoulder. "I didn't say that you shouldn't. I had only asked why."

"Well...that's why." I still wouldn't look at him. My face was too hot and I knew he would make a comment about it. So he wasn't angry about the nickname?

"Darling~" He leaned his face close to my neck so his breath would brush against my skin. He then slowly ran his tongue up my neck muscle. I bit my lip.

He placed small, light kisses along it next. When I still wouldn't look at him, he ran his sharp teeth gently across my skin. I pushed him back in the chair by a splayed hand on his chest. A spark of anger crossed his features before the smugness took over.

"I do believe we agreed that I would have your attention in the evenings." His tentacle came up to pull on the bend of my elbow so we closed the distance. "So do hold up your end of the deal." His hand on my back pressed a little more.

"Of course, Al," I said right before I kissed him. His surprise lasted only a millisecond. He laughed into the kiss then let out a content sigh, breath brushing on my upper lip. The sensation sent goosebumps up my arms and made a heavy burning build in my chest. I pressed harder into the kiss.

I was higher than him, only slightly, but it was something different.

He gently pulled my one hand off his shoulder and led it to his hair. I hummed a laugh into the kiss as I threaded my fingers through his hair. I slowly moved up to his ear and gave just enough pressure up the entirety of it.

His claws held on to me tighter, deepening the kiss and running his tongue along my teeth. I moved my hand to the back of his head and pressed like he was doing to my back. Occasionally I used my claws gently enough and it earned a full body shudder from him each time.

His hands moved closer to each other, moving down my back and further up my thigh. His claws found the edge of my shirt and slipped underneath to touch my skin.

Scenes flashed in my eyes and I jerked away. My hands shoved his away and kept them locked in a deadly grip. I had pushed him out of my mind and kept him there.

His smile looked pained. "I overstepped again."

"I just...I'm not...we didn't..."

His hands were still locked in my grip but his eyes were holding me firmly in place. "Easy darling. Think on it before you attempt to explain it."

He glanced to his hands. I gradually unstuck each claw until I had let go of him completely. I stood up, facing burning from embarrassment, and avoided looking in his general direction. I wanted to curl up in a dark cave and never come back.

"Darling."

I hadn't realized how close he had gotten. He held out his hand from behind, towering from behind but not in his usual demeaning way. It felt like was trying to hug me from a distance.

It took me a moment longer before I placed my hand on his, back still to him, and let him press a soft kiss to the top of my head near my horns. My claws looked so small in his large palm, red claws covering mine. I lowered my shields to him only slightly, allowing him to press close but not yet enter.

"Let us begin our routine," he offered. I'm not sure what it was about our nightly routine that made me feel more at ease and more comfortable. I changed in my room and sat on the edge of his bed with my novel. His eyes remained focused on his abstract, eyes looking through his round glasses and ear flapping occasionally at slight noises.

I tried to read but I couldn't focus. My mind kept going back to him, kept forcing me to look over for any signs of anger.

Yet there wasn't.

I lowered my shields but didn't pull him in or try to touch his own. I wanted to know what he was feeling but I didn't dare try to go anywhere near him. I didn't want to risk upsetting him somehow.

I decided to call it a night. I turned away from him and left the book on the table. He noticed my back facing him and asked, "Done for the night?"

"Yeah."

He took off his glasses, the sound of them bending and being placed on the table reaching my ears easily, and snuffed the fire out. I listened intently to the sound of him shifting down and eventually going still, going silent.

I stared into the darkness, heart pounding painfully loud in my ears and hands gripping the sheet tightly. I didn't like having my back to him but I was too scared to turn over.

"Darling," he called, making me jump.

"Yes?"

"Why are you still frightened?"

"I'm not." I turned my head a little despite the pitch blackness of the room.

"I can feel it."

Shit. I drew my magic back not realizing that it had subconsciously melded with him.

"S-sorry."

"It is not something to apologize for. I was only asking the reason for it."

I went quiet. He didn't sound upset and he hadn't feel upset when our magic had touched. There was definitely something close to impatience but he always felt that way.

"I-I'm sure you wanted to do more but I made us stop," I finally answered.

There was a long moment of silence. I wanted to touch our magic to see what he was thinking. Was he looking at me or just staring into the darkness?

His voice broke the silence again. "Are you afraid I am angry with you?"

"Aren't you?" I turned over more so I could just see his dark outline. My eyes were starting to adjust to the darkness.

"No, my dear. I am quite the opposite. I am worried."

"Why?" I turned over to face him. I could sense his magic as he made it light enough for me to see his eyes. He was lying on his back with his head turned towards me.

"I do not wish to cause such fear in you. I wish for you to feel safe in my presence."

"I do feel safe around you. It's just..." I trailed off, avoiding his gaze again.

He pulled his hand out from under the covers and left it face up on the mattress in between us. I moved closer and laid my hand in his, watching his claws carefully and slowly enclose on mine. I still didn't know why I liked looking at our claws like that.

"Do you fear I will force myself onto you?" he asked.

I pressed my cheek into the pillow and casted my eyes to my shoulder until the edges went dark from the strain. I shouldn't be shocked by his bluntness. That was his style, after all.

"I'm not sure," I admitted slowly, tightening my grip on his hand, "I'm...I...get really nervous. That's all."

"My dear." He rolled on his side and gently brushed his fingers along my cheek with his other hand now that we were close enough. "Your definition of fear and nervous are sorely misguided."

"They're pretty much the same." I casted a gentle glared up at him. It instantly fell when our eyes met.

"It is an unexplainable fear when I touch you in that way, yes?" he prompted.

"Yes."

"Then I am telling you it is not. You are experiencing flash backs to what that wretched man did to you." My eyes stayed glued to his, somehow unable to look away this time. "At first I had thought it was because you still feared me in such a way. However, the memories that present themselves when this happens is from your time in the rings."

"Oh." I tore my eyes from his to look down at our claws. I had been trying to keep that memory pushed out of my mind. I had blocked it out after it had happened but had to face it when unraveling my curse. He had seen it. He had killed the man, too. It wasn't as if I was afraid this man would find me and do it again. Even if he did, surely Alastor wouldn't let that happen again. So why was I still scared?

"I will not force myself on you in such a way." He laid his large palm on my cheek as lightly and gently as he could, his thumb rubbing back and forth across my skin. "I have taken the lead in everything. This time, I will allow for you to take the lead."

I met his eyes and watched his smile turn genuine. I couldn't stop the smile that mimicked his, watching it grow as I did so. The weight on my cheek grew heavier as I moved my fingers to interlock with his claws. My tail came up to wrap around his ankle. A radio came on to play a soft, smooth tune. I laughed lightly at the action, knowing he was trying to find a way to make me feel more at ease.

I moved closer until my cheek was against his chest. I sucked in a deep breath of his smokey, cedar wood scent. I could feel the ridges of his chest under the black long sleeve without his usual layer of clothes. 

His arms wrapped firmly, securely, around my shoulder and hooked one of his legs with mine. He placed a gentle kiss on my hair before taking a deep breath of my own scent. I let our magic blend together. I could read his emotions, feelings, and thoughts. He was worried but seemed happy, too.

"Why are you sad?" Worry suddenly took over as he tried to pull away to see my face. I kept my arms tightly around him and face pressed into his chest. I didn't want him to see me crying.

"It's relief."

He wasn't sure what to do at that, still stiff and trying to see my face.

Just hug me back. I sent through our thoughts. The worry stepped away as he encased me back in his safe hug. The cold had disappeared and the overwhelming heat had abated, leaving me in the perfect temperature. I took another deep breath.

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

Author's Note:

Hope you guys liked this comfort chapter. @jgabriel1920 and @wendigonamecaller gave me the idea.

Thank you to all of you for your support and kindness! I honestly wasn't expecting it <3

Hopefully I'll be back to daily posts by next week.

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

Taglist:

@wendigonamecaller @saccharine-nectarine @thesimpybitch @papas-ghoulette

[valeriianz]

For the fic writer asks:

4. Obviously you did research for BitB. I'd love you to ramble about it if you like I'm sure you've got STORIES

5. Did you outline it?

7. How'd you decide it would be Hob's pov?

25-27 I'd love to know a/some favorite lines, details, and any lore you might want to share

omg TJ what wonderful questions! thank you!! this is going to get LONG!

4: Rambling about research!

do you wanna see a screen shot of my bookmarks under my "band au" folder?

man, and that's only what could fit on the screen.

there is... SO MUCH i chose to ignore for this fic. ideas that i had to drop, lines or extra details about the other band members equipment. more logistics, what Lucienne actually does, what Mervyn has to put up with as the new touring stage manager... i realized very early on that i couldn't possibly cram all this (super cool and eye opening) information into the fic and still keep reader's interest and, most importantly, to not stray away from the fact that this is a dreamling fic. whenever i felt myself getting carried away with a side character or job or even social media numbers, gossip, outside POVs, i had to reign myself in and get back on track. there will be time for exploring everything i missed in side stories after BitB is finished. i just hope i still have the energy to write it all.

once, i was so deep into research that after publishing chapter 2, i went into work and when my chef asked what "GA" meant on my prep list, i answered with full confidence, "general admission."

(it means "get ahead.")

the worst part of this entire writing process is im still learning new shit. i havent rewatched or read a lot of what i've saved because, to be very honest, i was feeling a little burnt out. it's why we're kinda full steam dreamling now. it's why ive been glossing over a lot of technical stuff and being vague about conversations amongst the crew/not including it at all. i don't prefer ignoring my research, but at the end of the day i want to still enjoy writing this fic and finish it. even if i can't be as descriptive and detailed and nuanced as i used to be.

5: Did you outline the fic?

(also asked by @hardly-an-escape!)

i wouldn't call what i have a proper "outline," it's more like a 20k word document filled to the brim with notes that i skim at least a dozen times while i'm writing a new chapter (being in my brain is literally hell). i live multichapter life very dangerously. i copy and paste lines or sections (always scattered, never together! augh!) that are meant to go together and plop them in a new document titled "band au ch.#" and then i structure the chapter around what i want to happen.

but to answer this question in the plainest of terms: yeah. i know exactly what's going to happen up until the very end. even if its all in my head and the only concrete shit that's written down are beats/plot points. i'll figure out the rest later!

7: How'd you decide it would be Hob's POV?

i actually never even considered writing it from Dream's POV. this was my first fic in the fandom (which is so nuts to think about lol) and writing in Dream's POV sounded so scary lol. i also just thought Hob's would be easier because i have worked a few backstage shows, back in my college years. i figured eh, i can make this work. and i loved exploring how weird and mysterious musicians can be, from a normie's POV. making Hob a fan first and having him worry about developing a parasocial relationship... it was fun to explore.

25: Share your favorite line

oh god, i have so many haha.

“What are you thinking about?” starting in ch.2 and onward lmao

“It’s–” Dream laughs quietly, bitterly. “I don’t like change.” He says each word with emphasis, eyes trailing down to fixate somewhere past Hob. “And I still hold onto the things I can control, like my instruments–” his eyes swing up to regard Hob apologetically. “Or my clothes or my–” he brings a hand up and wiggles his fingers around his head. “My hair.” ch.4

"His majesty is pleased." ch.5

“You are obsessive,” he states, slow and cool and with a quiet smile cracking through his composure. “Just like me.” ch.7

“You look good.” Hob has to lean in to say so, unwilling to raise his voice amongst the roar of the fans. ch.11

“Del looks like porcelain, but she’s actually made of steel.” Desire swirls the contents of their glass before pushing their shoulders back with a deep breath. “She's tougher than all of us.” ch.11

“Everything. I want…” his fingers tighten in Hob’s hair, pulling him closer, speaking against his lips. “…Everything.” ch.14

26: Share your favorite detail

how intentionally coy Dream behaves. i love keeping him a mystery and deciding when and how much to allow his intentions to peek through has been so fun lol.

Despair is in fact covered in tattoos and piercings! i say this because i feel like sometimes i forget lmao. (but also her and Hob don't interact much so. my bad haha).

Delirium's constant explosion of color in the way she dresses <3

Hob's dedication to his job, Dream, and the people he cares about the most. i don't care if people think i'm making him too soft and good, im gonna project on that man and make him a sweet, sweet simp lmao

and ah, this doesn't matter anymore, and i kinda regret doing it but. i originally had Dream's favorite bass all black but the pickguard was white. so it actually looked like Jessamy. not gonna lie when @designtheendless drew it all black i decided i liked it better that way. and truly i do. that's when i went back to ch.1 and changed it haha. to actually see the guitar with Dream, all done up sparkling black and purple flecks... gosh it's just so him. but then i got up to the reveal that the guitar's name was Jessamy and i was like, "oh, right." lmao. no one seems to care so i'll leave it be.

27: Share a piece of lore you made up for the story

i have a lot lmao. and this post is already so long... im hoping i can get to some if not all of it in side fics in the future. but for now, here's some that's more like headcanons but:

Dream hates flying. he can full on go into panic attacks on the plane if he allows himself to get into his own head.

this was mentioned briefly in ch.4, while Dream was discussing the formation of the band, but Despair was in another band before joining Endless. she is the only character in the fic who gets to keep her English roots (lol sorry) and is the oldest in the band (30).

all of the band members ages: Dream, Desire, and Death are all 28 and Delirium is 22.

Dream can experience subdrop after going too hard during a performance.

Dream paints his own nails, it's very therapeutic.

as an exercise, i explored my own headcanons for Dream in this verse in a word doc, and one thing i will share from it that you might find interesting: If I were to ever give Dream a theological values, I would describe him as a satanist. He is a physical and pragmatic person, nonconforming, and although he is introverted, he enjoys being a part of a community (he loves his band).

also found this in my notes: How Desire and Dream got along was Death making them fight it out. Hob raises an eyebrow “like in a brawl?” He couldn't imagine Desire throwing hands. “No, in a pillow fight that escalated in hair pulling and verbal taunts.”

fic writer asks

[likeadevils]

Speak Now Timeline

This is a very long post that puts all the songs on Speak Now in order of Taylor creating them. I’ve also added a few other songs she wrote while writing Speak Now and quotes from Taylor and her collaborators talking about her process.

If you don't want to read all that, check out this playlist of the album in order or this playlist of her entire discography.

Due to a surprising amount of digital decay and her life not being highly documented yet, exact dates are bit harder to come by then they are with following albums, but you can still find a few! I’ve added this color coded scale of how sure I am of the date: 

Confirmed: There is some type of official source for the date

Inferring: Nobody has officially said “This is when we wrote it,” but everything points to that date

Speculation: This date is based off pure vibes and guesswork and is highly likely to change.

Unknown: All that is known is the year (from the US Copyright Offices)

More notes: I will probably be editing it as information about vault songs and new details about old songs get come out, so it probably won’t be finished until July, so check back in with this post and/or follow me if you want updates. Most tweet dates come from crawling through the wayback machine, but if you want further sourcing, feel free me an ask/dm.

Without further ado...

Sparks Fly: Late 2006 (Inferring)

Taylor opened up for Jake Owen on October 31, 2006 In Portland, Oregon (the secret message for the song), and wrote Sparks Fly about the experience shortly after. I’ve seen a few second hand sources say she wrote it on the airplane ride back to Nashville later that same night, but I can’t find Taylor herself saying that, so it might just be an old fandom legend, or the source has been lost to digital decay, or I just haven’t looked hard enough. She first performs the song in May 29, 2007.

Haunted: 2009 (Unknown)

Taylor: "Haunted" is about the moment that you realize the person you're in love with is drifting and fading fast. And you don't know what to do, but in that period of time, in that phase of love, where it's fading out, time moves so slowly. Everything hinges on what that last text message said, and you're realizing that he's kind of falling out of love. That's a really heartbreaking and tragic thing to go through, because the whole time you're trying to tell yourself it's not happening. I went through this, and I ended up waking up in the middle of the night and writing this song about it.

February 17, 2009: Tweets "It's 3:58 am in London.. And I accidentally fell asleep at 6:30 pm, so now I'm wide awake and have no idea what to do. Write a song?"

It’s possible that this was what Taylor was referring to when she said she “ended up waking up in the middle of the night and writing [Haunted]”, but it’s also very possible that Taylor didn’t write a song on February 17, and waking up in the middle of the night and writing a song is not a rare occurrence in Taylor’s life, so one tweet doesn’t really prove anything.

March 13, 2009: Tweets "A day off in Sydney. Drove two hours out of the city and spent the day on the beach. Wrote a chorus you'll hear on the next record. :)"

Pure speculation, but I think she was working on Mr. Perfectly Fine. It was created in 2009, and in my opinion, of the possible songs it has the most notable chorus.

March 19, 2009: Posts on Myspace “I’m wiped out. I’ve been in the studio all day ( I know, I know.. We JUST put out a new album. I think I have a problem, I cannot stop writing songs.) It’s so much fun knowing that you can take your time, because you have like a year and a half to make something you’re really proud of. I love recording a few songs, waiting a few months, recording a few more.. Instead of devoting a few weeks to “record the album” and then it’s just done. I like dragging it out, that way you can be meticulous about every detail. Daydream about different ways to put the songs together, and then take them apart. I’m pretty obsessed with the whole process. So needless to say, it was good to be back in the studio with my redheaded producer who I missed terribly.”

If This Was A Movie: April 2009 (Inferring)

Taylor has literally never talked about this song, but April would be six months after and Joe Jonas broke up in late September/early October 2008.

April 24, 2009: Taylor plays in Jonesboro, Arkansas, and possibly writes a song: "I'd get my best ideas at 3:00 AM in Arkansas, and didn't have a co-writer around and I'd just finish it. And that would happen again in New York [likely Enchanted], that would happen again in Boston [likely Long Live], that would happen again in Nashville." (x)

May 23, 2009: Taylor records Half Of My Heart with John Mayer

On March 1, 2009: John Mayer tweeted: “Waking up to this song idea that won’t leave my head. 3 days straight now. That means it’s good enough to finish. It’s called Half of My Heart and I want to sing it with Taylor Swift. She would make a killer Stevie Nicks in contrast to my Tom Petty of a song.” On May 23, John Mayer tweeted "I couldn't get Taylor Swift on my record so I found the world's greatest impersonator, Laura Jacksheimer" with a picture of Taylor.

Superman: Spring 2009 (Speculation)

This could have been written any time in 2009, but due to it's general sound and the following quote, I’d guess it was written sometime in spring, when her and John Mayer first started working together. Taylor: “This was a guy that I was sort of enamored with, as usual. This song got its title by something that I just kinda said randomly in conversation. He walked out of the room, I looked over at one of my friends and said, ‘Man, It’s just like watching Superman fly away.’”

May 29, 2009: Posts on Myspace “Tomorrow, after the performance on the Today show, I’ll fly back to Nashville and record a lot of new songs I’ve written in the last few weeks. I’m really excited about that.” (She also posts "Tonight I went shopping at Top Shop in New York with the band. I got purple shoes. I’m really excited about the purple shoes, and I just needed to tell someone. I got purple shoes. Ok. That’s done." Which. If I had a nickel for everytime Taylor teased her new album by posting about shoe colors I'd have two nickels, which isnt a lot but it's weird that it happened twice.)

June 4, 2009: Posts on Facebook "In the studio. I don't know whose computer I'm using. Pssh.. Such a rebel right now.."

June 9, 2009: Tweets (about recording Thug Story) "If I said I was in the studio with T-Pain, would you believe me?"

Better Than Revenge and Let’s Go (Battle): June 2009 (Inferring)

These were probably written sometime between June 12, when the Jonas Brothers released “Much Better”, and July 1, when Taylor posted on Myspace: “What else is new.. Recording a bunch of new songs. Lots of new things to write about…..”

Last Kiss: 2009 (Unknown)

Taylor: "The song "Last Kiss" is sort of like a letter to somebody. You say all of these desperate, hopeless feelings that you have after a breakup. Going through a breakup you feel all of these different things. You feel anger, and you feel confusion, and frustration. Then there is the absolute sadness. The sadness of losing this person, losing all the memories, and the hopes you had for the future. There are times when you have this moment of truth where you just admit to yourself that you miss all these things. When I was in one of those moments I wrote this song."

July 22, 2009: Tweets "Hanging with my producer Nathan, discussing the next adventure" and then in a separate tweet "...album #3."

August 25, 2009: An interview with Nick Buda, Taylor's go-to drummer, is posted and he says: "Sitting here in Blackbird right now in the process of starting Taylor Swift's new record I guess. We've been here the last couple days and we're here today again." Throughout the interview, you can hear If This Was A Movie playing in the background. (Thank you to @taylor-on-your-dash for finding the interview!)

Never Grow Up: Fall 2009 (Speculation)

Lover Diary Nathan Chapman: "The song 'Never Grow Up' is just she singing and I on acoustic guitar. We recorded ourselves live. That song probably happened in two hours." This could’ve been written at any time in 2009, but I put it here because she bought her Nashville apartment sometime before October.

September 8, 2009: Tweeted "Last night in nash before heading out tomorrow for 4 shows, then VMA's. But right now I can't put the guitar down."

September 13, 2009: VMAs Incident

Enchanted: September 15, 2009 (Confirmed)

On September 15, Taylor attended an Owl City Concert in New York Taylor: "It was about this guy that I met in New York City, and I had talked to him on email or something before, but I had never met him. And meeting him, it was this overwhelming feeling of: I really hope that you're not in love with somebody. And the whole entire way home, I remember the glittery New York City buildings passing by, and then just sitting there thinking, am I ever going to talk to this person again? And that pining away for a romance that may never even happen, but all you have is this hope that it could, and the fear that it never will. I started writing that in the hotel room when I got back. Because it just was this positive, wistful feeling of: I hope you understand just how much I loved meeting you. I hope that you know that meeting you was not something that I took lightly, or just in passing. And I think my favorite part of that song is the part where, in the bridge, it goes to sort of a stream of consciousness of ‘Please don't be in love with someone else/Please don't have somebody waiting on you.' Because at that moment, that's exactly what my thoughts were. And it feels good to write exactly what your thoughts were in a certain moment.”

September 26, 2009: Taylor plays in Little Rock, Arkansas, and possibly writes a song: "I'd get my best ideas at 3:00 AM in Arkansas, and didn't have a co-writer around and I'd just finish it. And that would happen again in New York [Enchanted & Back To December], that would happen again in Boston [Long Live], that would happen again in Nashville." (x)

October 17, 2009: Tweets "Travis: you look so out of it. Me: I'm writing a song in my head. Travis: oh, I apologize. I didn't realize you were working."

November 19, 2009: Bob Lefsitz (the guy from Mean) publishes his impromptu interview with Taylor:

Taylor laughed.  Said she could handle being criticized for having a bad voice, for missing notes. But she couldn’t live with being criticized for being inauthentic. Those songs are written in real time. About real people. Her cowriters edit more than contribute. Her next album she’s not planning to write with anyone. Not now, anyway.

November 30, 2009: Tweets "If I had a dime for every time my producer and I blurt out the same thing at the same time, followed by an awkward, uncoordinated high five..."

Ours: December 6, 2009 (Inferring)

Myspace Post on December 6: “I just got back to Nashville this morning after being in LA all week. Today I was out and about and in the studio all day” Taylor: "I wrote this when I was about to turn 20. I was in a relationship I knew people wouldn't approve of, and it was just a matter of time before everyone found out. When you're first getting to know someone, it's a fragile time, and then you add newspapers and magazine covers and it can get kind of rough. I wanted to have this song to play for him when it got difficult. Singing it for him was one of the sweetest moments I can remember."

December 22, 2009: Tweets "I was writing a song and my pen fell into the piano. Still trying to figure out if I should do anything about this."

January 2010: Starts polishing up the demos made in 2009 into fully produced tracks

Billboard: "Swift and Chapman had begun recording new songs almost as soon as "Fearless" was released. The two cut demos in his basement studio and would only take those songs to larger facilities once they felt they had an emotional foundation in the basic tracks. Still, it wasn’t until early 2010 when the album truly began to coalesce." Nathan Chapman: "We stripped it down and made the demos first. Taylor came to my studio and I played all the instruments on the demos, and because I have a good vocal booth, her demo vocals ended up being the vocals you hear on the record. After finishing the demos, we went out to different studios, and tried different combinations of engineers and musicians to replace some of the elements of my demos, mostly the programmed drums, and to do additional overdubs. [...] A pop artist would probably release what we'd done after five hours, but country artists don't want to hear programmed drums, they don't want to hear fake stuff. So once we had recorded the demos, we would book whatever studio we wanted for each song, to replace the drums, in many cases the bass, and to add whatever overdubs we envisioned, like fiddle, keyboards, percussion and strings. After we got the demos right, we opened it up and allowed ourselves to spend money and cut a big record." Taylor tweets on January 11: "Studio-ness with all the same boys who played on Fearless" and on January 13: "More recording. So excited. So excited. So excited. See, I said that three times. Once for every album we've made in this studio."

January 13, 2010: Posts on Myspace “Thank you January. I have had this month off. I have walked on snow-covered grass and discovered new coffee shops and laughed hysterically with friends about things that probably weren’t technically funny. I’ve written songs on napkins and sat at a giant table with my whole family on my mother’s birthday, all of us in one place for the first time in too long. I’ve gotten to take what has happened to me and process it to my full capability, and celebrate it the way it deserved to be celebrated. I’ve made new music. I’ve gone over the memories and jumped up and down with my producer and floated around with nothing on my schedule other than just appreciating what my life has somehow turned into. [...] Getting back in the studio with the same guys I trust and know and love.. (right, the pointing one: my producer Nathan Chapman) (Left, the waving one: Bass extraorinaire, Tim Marks. Clearly marked on his road case.) [...] Nick Buddha is in charge of the drums.”

February 13, 2010: Writes in her diary "I’ve been obsessing over the new album. I always do that until it’s just right. I don’t know if I have the formula just right for this one yet. I know there are great songs. I just need to figure out the strands that bond them together into a great album. And I will obsess until it’s there. This album, any album, is the next 2 years of my life. It has to be more than amazing. It has to be great enough to keep my attention for 2 years."

February 22, 2010: Posts on Myspace "I’ve been writing lots of songs"

Mine: March 10-12 2010 (Inferring)

Taylor (above interview, at 5:17): "I wrote Mine somewhere on the road, I think in Texas, actually." Nathan Chapman: "The demo for 'Mine' apparently took less than five hours to record, and sounded, according to Chapman, "almost identical to the record. After that we worked on the track for another four months, off and on, and spent $30,000 to make sure it sounded perfect in the real world."" Taylor: "This song is the first single because it has this…there was this moment between Nathan and I, my producer, when I brought this song in and when we made this demo in one day in his basement and we just kinda looked at each other and we were like, "This is it. This is the one. All of the times that I've had "The Moment" with songs of "This is the one," it's been a good call, so I'm hoping for the best on this one. Wish me luck." Scott Borchetta: "Mine" was a turning point in the album’s development. Swift and Chapman had begun recording new songs almost as soon as "Fearless" was released. The two cut demos in his basement studio and would only take those songs to larger facilities once they felt they had an emotional foundation in the basic tracks. Still, it wasn’t until early 2010 when the album truly began to coalesce. Swift presented "Mine" to Borchetta in his office [...] "We probably played that song four or five times," Borchetta recalls. "I’m jumping around playing air guitar, she’s singing the song back to me, and it was just one of those crazy, fun, Taylor teen-age moments."

March 13, 2010: Taylor records Mine, brings it to Scott Borchetta, and says she’s done with TS3

Scott Borchetta: "I said, ‘Keep going,’ [...] She kind of looked at me like, ‘You’re challenging me.’ And I said, ‘Yeah. You’ve found true north here. Keep going.’ " Taylor: “During Speak Now, when I went to (label head) Scott Borchetta and said, 'The album’s finished,’ he said, 'No, it’s not – you need to keep writing.’” (Right after playing in Texas, Taylor leaves for a vacation in the Bahamas, meaning Taylor likely had about a day in Nashville between the two trips).

Innocent: Late March 2010 (Inferring)

Billboard: “It was some time in the period after that challenge — between February and June — that Swift wrote “Innocent,” her response to the Kanye West incident.​​” Taylor: “Some songs take 30 minutes to write, and some take six months, which was the case with “Innocent.” When things affect me intensely and really hit me hard, it can take a while to figure out what I think about it and what to say about it.” (March would be just over 6 months since the VMAs).

March 24, 2010: Taylor goes lunch with Taylor Lautner and both of their publicists, inspiring Back To December.

Taylor: Swift says she based the song on a conversation she had with the guy about whom she's singing. "It's not loosely based," she says. "It's almost word-for-word. It is a song and a conversation that needed to happen, because I don't want to hurt people. If you unintentionally do so, you've got to make that better."

Speak Now: Early April, 2010 (Inferring)

On April 3, Taylor attended the wedding of Josh Farro as Hayley Williams (who is Josh's ex) plus one. That day she also tweeted: ""Nathan you smell really good! Is that a new cologne?" "Thanks! Actually it's a two in one shampoo and soap. From Dial." My producer rules." implying she was in the studio. The conversation below could have happened any day after the VMA awards in September, when Hayley first reached out to Taylor, but I think Taylor probably wrote the song fairly close to naming the album after it. Taylor: "This song was inspired by one of my friends who was telling me about her childhood sweetheart, crush guy. They were kind of together in high school and went their separate ways, and it was kind of understood that they were gonna get back together. Then, she one day comes in and tells me he's getting married. He had met this girl who was just this mean person who made him completely stop talking to all of his friends, cut off his family, had him like so completely isolated. And I just, kind of randomly, was like, "So, you gonna speak now?" She was like, "What do you mean?" And I was like "Oh, you know, like storm the church, speak now or forever hold your peace? I'll go with you. I'll play guitar. It would be great." She was just kind of laughing, and later on I just was wrapping my mind around that idea of how tragic it would be if someone you loved was marrying somebody else. Later I had a dream about one of my ex-boyfriends getting married, and it just all came together that I needed to write this song about interrupting a wedding. For me, I like to think of it as good versus evil, and this girl is so completely painted as the evil one. So this is "Speak Now.""

April 13, 2010: Names TS3 Speak Now

Lover Diaries: "So I’ve been obsessing over the new record to the point where it’s all I can focus on. I’m majorly stressed and borderline losing it, with all these lists and chronic dissatisfaction. Perfectionist-ness. I keep growing tired of songs because I know I’ve raised the bar and I can beat half the songs. Scott and I had lunch the other day. We were talking about the record and I had this epiphany. I didn’t talk in interviews about how I felt about much of what has happened in the last 2 years. I’ve been silent about so much that I’m saying on this album. It’s time to Speak Now. Scott freaked out. He loved it. We have a title, ladies and gentlemen!" Scott Borchetta: ""At one point, the record was not called ‘Speak Now.’ It was called ‘Enchanted,’ [...] We were at lunch, and she had played me a bunch of the new songs. I looked at her and I’m like, ‘Taylor, this record isn’t about fairy tales and high school anymore. That’s not where you’re at. I don’t think the record should be called "Enchanted."’” Swift excused herself from the table at that point. By the time she came back, she had the "Speak Now" title"

Dear John: Spring 2010 (Speculation)

This was likely written sometime after February 2010 (Taylor implies she's single in her vlog and her diary). Beyond that, it could have been anytime between February and June 2010.

Brief Interruption: The next two songs (Back to December and Mean) are going to use quotes from this interview that @1989worldtour found. If you've already listened to the interview attached to the Mine section, then it's the same interview

Back To December: Early May, 2010 (Inferring)

Taylor (above interview, at 5:12): "Back to December was written in New York City. Taylor was in New York city from May 3-5, and May 12-15 2010. she was not photographed in New York any other time in early 2010, and given her busy touring schedule, I doubt she was in New York at another time. USA TODAY: “Swift says she based the song on a conversation she had with the guy about whom she's singing. "It's not loosely based," she says. "It's almost word-for-word. It is a song and a conversation that needed to happen, because I don't want to hurt people. If you unintentionally do so, you've got to make that better."”

Mean: May 29, 2010 (Speculation)

Taylor (above interview, about 6 minutes in): "I started this song called Mean on my, like sitting on my kitchen counter, just playing it, and then, you know, took a plane and flew to the venue where we were gonna play that night and finished it in the dressing room." Now, this may be a too literal interpretation of "took a plane and flew to the venue where we were gonna play that night," but if we want to theorize: the only tour date (that Taylor could've conceivably written Mean during) without another show right before or after it was in Baton Rogue on May 29, 2010.

Long Live: June 2010 (Confirmed)

Lover Diary She likely wrote this around June 5, when she ended the Fearless Tour at Gillette Stadium (Wikipedia counts two festivals as being part of the Fearless Tour but Taylor doesn't, so I'm going with her opinion), since she said that she wrote a song for Speak Now in Boston (which is the closest major city to Gillette)

The Story Of Us: June 9-16, 2010 (Confirmed)

Taylor attended the CMT Awards (Which goes on to be the secret message for The Story Of Us) on June 9 and was sat very close to John Mayer. Taylor: "The people closest to me are used to me deserting a conversation and bolting into some corner of the room with my phone out, hunched over, singing some melody or lyric or hook into my phone. I wrote “The Story of Us” about running into an ex at an awards show, and I came home and sat down at a kitchen table and told my mom, “I felt like I was standing alone in a crowded room.” She tried to console me, but I was gone at that point." Lover Diary: "So I’ve been a little studio rat since the tour ended [...] Ever since, I wake up to my cell phone alarm around 9:30 each morning. Throw on a sundress, skip make up, tie my hair in a messy side braid, and head out the door with no shoes on. Because the only walking outside I’ll be doing is from my house to my car, then from my car, three steps to Nathan’s basement studio. [...] I worked on a song for a few days, then basically finished it in the car on the way to Nathan’s this morning. It. Is. So. Good. And I can safely say I am DONE writing this record!! This song is up-tempo, and hooky and sort of torn-sounding … like this horrible stressed confusion that comes on when you knew the person you’re pining away for is in the room. And for some reason, there are these invisible walls keeping things from being ok. So you’re not fine. And they’re not fine. And I’m so happy I wrote that song!! Footage of Taylor working on TSOU

June 30, 2010: Taylor tweets “@amosjheller is SLAYING a bass part in the studio right now. http://twitpic.com/21am7t” 

Footage Nathan Chapman: “We tried several bassists until we had a bass part that worked, which was played by Amos Heller, of Taylor's live band. In Nashville, it's rare for a road musician to be on the record, but he earned his way into this record by kicking ass. In fact, all Taylor's road musicians played some parts on the album, which was important for me and her.”

July 15, 2010: The orchestra for Back To December and Haunted are recorded (footage here, same outfit as these candids)

Taylor (talking about Haunted): “I wanted the music and the orchestration to reflect the intensity of the emotion the song is about, so we recorded strings with Paul Buckmaster at Capitol Studios in Los Angeles. It was an amazing experience - recording this entire big, live string section that I think in the end really captured the intense, chaotic feeling of confusion I was looking for."

And that's all for this timeline! Check out my others:

TIMELINES: debut • fearless • speak now • red • 1989 • rep • lover • folklore • evermore • midnights PLAYLISTS: debut • fearless • speak now • red • 1989 • rep • lover • folklore • evermore • midnights • entire discography GENERAL: tag

[motherofplatypus]

So I saw this post by @iandoubt and i just have to write a fic out of this.

It's slightly NSFW, because I also use this fic for practice, so please excuse the cheap writing I made ٩(ᐛ)و

***

For Joel, the worst thing about being a red life isn't that he's on his last life and must go on a killing spree to get everyone to join the Legion of the Losers.

Nope. It's that he had to dye his hair, again.

The process of dyeing it is quite fast, but the effort to collect the ingredients are a pain. And yes, it's not necessary to change the color of your hair every time you lost a life, but it's a must if he wanted to instill fear upon those who sees him.

Also for style.

Mainly for style.

Anyway, after spending like a quarter of the session collecting poppies and turning them into red dye and carefully painted over the green streak on his hair, Joel finally finished. It took him like ten minutes max and an extra few minutes to let it dry. Being on the upper deck of the Relation Ship really helped the drying process.

He looked at himself and felt weird not seeing that green streak there.

While cleaning up, he looked at the hatch towards the lower deck, listening to the faint grunts from where the bedroom was. Etho is down there, dyeing his hair himself, and Joel quoted Etho: "I think I can do it myself, it's just like painting, right?"

It's not actually necessary for Etho to dye his hair, but they're partner, and if they wanted to be a functional partner in their last life, that Canadian man better get on with his style.

While waiting for him to finish, Joel decided to add extra details on the upper deck and the sails. He avoided going to the bedroom or lower deck to check on Etho, he wanted to be surprised by Etho's work (derogatory).

After some texturing and choosing better color gradient, something that took more time than collecting those poppies, Joel decided Etho might be needing his help.

He went to their bedroom, and the first thing that came to mind was "Did Etho just killed someone here?".

The bedroom was red. All red. The white sheet of their beds looked like someone just got murdered there, and Etho was sitting on it, entire body tainted with red dye except his white hair, looking defeated.

"I know you said it'll be just like painting, but I didn't expect you to paint everything except your hair!" Joel's mouth was gaping, trying to find a word to express his bewilderment. "How did you even do this? There's more dye on the ceiling than there are on your hair!"

Even with half of his face covered with mask, Joel could see just how embarrassingly red Etho's face was.

Joel took the dye away from Etho and pulled a chair from the corner. He gave Etho a sign to sit there. Without complaint, Etho obeyed, trying to hide his face away. Joel left the room for a moment and came back with a towel in hand.

He tossed the towel to Etho and moved next to him, preparing to dye his hair. "Clean yourself up, or do I need to do it myself as well?"

"You know, if you wanted to do it that badly, you just have to say it." From the way the side of his cheek raised slightly, Joel could tell Etho is making that snarky smirk.

His eye twitched and he grabbed Etho's hair like he's snatching wig. Etho screamed.

Joel decided he will just dye Etho's bangs. Maybe a bit more, as long as the white still the dominant feature of his hair. He had tried to imagine Etho with red hair and he hates it (not like he thinks about his partner that much, he's not that obsessed).

Five minutes later, Joel almost finished with dyeing one side of the bangs. It was relatively quick. However, it's a different story for Etho, who had to listen to his partner nagging nonstop in that five minutes.

"God, you're so pathetic. I mean, look at this!" Joel turned Etho's face and lifted some strands of hair to wipe a red stain. "If I left you alone any longer you'd be Hellboy by now."

"Joel, my ears are about to fall off if you keep nagging."

"Nagging is for losers. I'm not nagging, I'm scolding!" Joel moved to the other side and paint the white hair red. "You with your bloody dye and hair. If you can't scare the other with this, I'm ending our series."

Now, it's Etho's eye that twitched with annoyance, and he wanted to retaliate.

Etho grabbed the hair that's just dyed, feeling the dye still fresh and wet on his skin, and aimed it at Joel's face. Instinctively, Joel tried to dodge, but it was too late. The finger with the wet dye, originally aimed at his cheek, brushed upon his lips instead, giving Joel a rosy red lips.

Etho exploded into laughter. "Nice to see you there, pretty lady." Etho spoke between his laughter.

Heat crept up on his face that Joel thought he'd combust. Etho was laughing harder when Joel's face went red as a tomato, he nearly fell off the chair.

Joel clenched the dye in his hand and was more than tempted to just pour the whole thing onto Etho's head. But he thought, where's the fun in a quick revenge?

And so, Joel decided to make his revenge as slow and as painful as he could.

Joel moved in front of Etho, and without a single word, he sat on his laps.

The sudden weight on his laps instantly made Etho stopped laughing. His eyes were set and locked on the man in front of him. The man on his laps. But the weight wasn't the thing that got his attention.

Their waists were practically touching. Separated by the fabric of their pants, their tools are pressing one another.

The silent didn't go unnoticed by Joel. Seeing that he had won the first step of his petty revenge, he decided to step it up. "Nice to see you too, handsome man. This pretty lady needs to sit down for a while, you don't mind, right?" He smirked, both to tease him and to declare victory.

If Etho's brain was audible, Joel would hear a lot of sirens and stuff crash and burn. And when Joel moved himself to get a better position, there would be an explosion sound.

Joel returned to dyeing the hair red, as slowly as he could. Each stroke of the brush took at least a minute, and each stroke of it sent Etho's mind further into the blank mindscape.

Once in a while after turning the white strands red, Joel would purposefully moved himself. Feeling the soft brush of their pants that got Etho to moan silently while trying to not looking too flustered, it was a sight to be seen.

He would like to do this all day. Teasing his partner into oblivion, filling that head with nothing but the friction of their pants and the soft sound of his breath mixing with the pleasure moan that Etho himself made.

He would love to do this all day, but the circumstances won't allow them. Sooner or later, they will have to return to the game, be it willingly or have someone hunt them down.

With one last stroke and one last movement that pulled the longest moan Etho made, Joel got himself up from his partner.

"Alright, we're done. Let's get going." Joel turned himself away faster than he should've. Despite being the one deciding to move away and getting his revenge, he found himself already missing the pressure between his legs.

"Joel." There was a long silence before Etho called his name. Joel turned around to see Etho already standing behind him. Even though Etho was only slightly taller than him, Joel couldn't help but feel a bigger pressure being this close with him.

"What?" Joel finally spoke, his voice was squeaky beyond his control.

It was clear as day of the desire within Etho's eyes, as well as the lies he's gonna say. It was disappointing to know he would not be able to hear it, but something tells him he would not hear it now.

Etho pulled out a flint and steel, and those eyes smiled softly at him. "The ship burns, everything burns?"

Joel took the flint and steel with a smile that matched his partner. 'The ship burns, everything burns."

[whereianonymouslypostfics]

Wrath 

Pairing: Wanda Maximoff x reader

Word count: ~1.5k

Summary: Wanda has to put someone in their place

A/N: I would die on the spot if any of this happened to me.

Warnings: Annoying people

You sigh as you glance at your phone again to see how much time has passed. Wanda had texted you about 10 minutes ago telling you that she was going to be a little later than expected. The two of you were meeting up for drinks after you’d had a late night at the office. You were exhausted and slightly depressed and you wanted to relax with your wife, but she wasn’t here.

She’d run into the type of trouble that a normal person would. She’d gotten a flat tire and was in the middle of changing it now so she should hopefully be here soon. You sat up in your booth with a groan as you reached out for your drink again. You figured you’d finish this one and hopefully Wanda would be here by then.

Wanda groans in annoyance as she puts her spare tire in the trunk with a huff. Of all days, she had to tell Steve not to follow her around today. She knew how to change a tire, but she hated to do it. Especially in the clothes she was wearing now.

Her suit was wrinkled and she was sweating by the time she got back in the car. She was already so late to meet you at the bar, and she has to resist the urge to speed all the way there. She hates leaving you there on your own for too long because it wasn’t the safest place. She hoped that Bucky was almost there as well, and she sighs one more time before calling you to let you know she was almost there.

You drop the glass on your table again with a smile when you see that your wife is calling. You put the phone to your ear with a smile as you look around with an expected look.

“Hey Wands.”

Wanda smiles as she listens to the background noise of the bar before offering another apology.

“Hey, detka. I’m sorry that I’m late, but I’m almost there.”

You smile as you sit up and start to play with your glass as you continue to look around for your wife.

“I’m going to be drunk by the time you get here. You’ll have to carry me home.”

Wanda rolls her eyes at this because she knows that you might be on your second drink, but you probably weren’t even there yet. She knew you only drank socially or if things were bad, but this hopefully wasn’t the case tonight.

You smile when you hear Wanda laugh and you’re about to ask her if she’d like you to order her a drink when something catches your eye.

“Yeah right. Unless something happened that I should know about?”

You had already told Wanda that your day was busy, but you didn’t give her too many details. You planned to do this when she got here, but thoughts of having this difficult, possibly uncomfortable discussion were halted at the sight of someone standing in front of you.

“Hello there.”

You frown in confusion and forget to respond to Wanda’s question as you try to figure out who this is. He has two drinks but he’s not the bartender because you didn’t order anything. You realize what he wants only seconds before he speaks up, and you have to tell yourself not to sigh in annoyance.

“Hi, can I help you?"

Wanda frowns as she hears you talk to someone at the bar. She’s only a few minutes out and she can’t help but speed up to get there faster. She didn’t like it when other people flirted with you. The only one who had dared to do it recently was her brother and she’d smacked him for his efforts. She hopes that she doesn’t have to deal with this after the stress she’s endured today, but based on what she hears over the phone she’s not sure she’s in luck.

The blonde standing in front of you, leaning on your table actually, smiles widely as he looks you up and down. You eye him with an unimpressed scowl as you lean back and shoot him an appraising look of your own.

“Yeah, I was wondering if you could help me out? I have this extra drink and don’t know what to do with it.”

You’re scowling and Wanda actually rolls her eyes as she hears this truly horrible pick-up line. You have to resist the urge to sigh in defeat as you check your watch and shake your head. You offer an insincere smile as you eye the drink suspiciously. You tap your fingers against the glass in your hand, and the clink from your ring unfortunately goes unnoticed by this newcomer. 

“No thanks, I actually am waiting for someone. She should be here soon.”

It’s like talking to a brick wall, which you’ve done before, and you actually think it was more responsive than this man. He slides the drink to you regardless and you just look at it before waiting for an unsatisfying explanation.

“I think you’ll like this one though.”

You can’t help but want to mess with him because he really isn’t your type. You will admit that he’s handsome. He’s tall, built and has piercing eyes, but he’s clearly not the brightest. Or he’s too confident for his own good.

“Oh, you know what I like huh?”

You hear your wife mutter something through the phone, but you’re not listening as you wait patiently for the slightly thrown blonde to answer you. You can tell that he was determined to talk to you and you decided to humor him until you got bored of messing with him.

You’re a little surprised when he shakes his head and you would groan loudly if it weren’t for the fact that he decides to surprise you again.

“I don’t, but I’d love to find out.”

You open your mouth to say something snarky, but you’re left speechless as he moves to slide into the booth next to you. You don’t hear the sound of a car door slamming through the phone as you tilt your head and study the bold blonde who is now in your personal space.

“What makes you think I would be interested? I already told you I was waiting for someone.”

You don’t realize that someone is about to walk through the front doors because your view is blocked by the man who’s practically trapping you in the booth. He sets his drink down before reaching out for you, and you’re already moving away when he stops short.

“Well, I was thinking I could show you a good time. Surely better than that girlfriend of yours.”

You are only a breath away from smacking his hand away from your thigh when you watch him lurch back suddenly. You frown but then you watch as he flies out of the booth and lands on his ass on the dirty, hard floor. You have to resist the urge to laugh when you see him look up in shock and annoyance at your wife who’s glaring at him viciously.

“Wife, actually, and I highly doubt it.”

When the blonde realizes who you are, and who is talking to him, his eyes widen in surprise. This quickly turns to poorly concealed fear as he clumsily gets to his feet. Wanda’s still staring at him wondering why he hasn’t left as she looks to you to ensure that you’re not hurt. You’re only perturbed and she accepts this for now as she turns back to the interloper with a threatening smile.

“I’d leave now before I decide to cut off your fucking hand for touching her.”

He looks like he wants to argue that he didn’t even touch you, but he demonstrates intelligence for the first time since he’d walked over to you and lets it go. He nearly runs off as Wanda slides into the seat next to you and pushes the drinks he’d brought over away with a scowl. She reaches out for you with a questioning look, and you’re quick to grab her hand with a smile.

“Are you alright? That idiot didn’t bother you too much did he?”

You lean in to kiss the redhead before grabbing her arm and pulling her closer. You groan as you bring your wife flush against you before shaking your head as you break the kiss.

“Not too much. I’m glad you’re here now. The car, okay?”

Wanda sighs as she nods in answer. She’d told you she ran over a nail or something and it was more of an inconvenience than anything else. She leans against you as you pull her closer into a hug. You smile as she hums in exhaustion as she turns to face you with a contemplative look that makes you laugh.

“Me too. The car’s fine. Perfectly capable of carrying a dead body if the need arises.”

You roll your eyes at your wife’s ridiculousness before kissing her again with a smile.

“Let’s forget about him. You promised me a good time. I mean you’ve already thrown a man on the ground for me, so it can’t get much better, but might as well try.”

Wanda laughs at you before she leans further against you and waits for you to wrap your arms around her waist. She smiles as she squeezes your hand and looks back to the discarded drinks with a smug look.

“You know I always keep my promises, detka.”

 Masterlist

[cosmicanemoia]

Things and Doubts

Amelia Shepherd x Reader (broken up)

Amelia Shepherd x Kai Bartley (back together)

Love Me Till You Leave Me part 14

You have been mustering some courage to get some of the things that you've left in Amelia's place. After some time, you finally have enough courage to get your some of your things from Amelia's place.

As you walk over to her place, you feel yourself lacking the courage 'you haven't saved up enough' you thought to yourself, but you're already there and if you back out now, you won't be able to anymore.

You still had your key and you still know the pass code, atleast that's what you think, you hoped she hasn't change the locks or the pass code, and to your luck, it wasn't.

There's one major detail you have forgotten. Someone else might be there. Someone else named Kai. "You're y/n, right?" You turn around in shock hearing that question, and you see Kai standing with her arms crossed in their chest, "Uh-- yes. I texted Amelia to let her know I'm getting my things. I didn't know someone would be here, I can come back later if I'm intruding."

K:No, it's okay. Please continue.

Y/N: Thanks. I'll be quick.

K: Take your time.

A few silently awkward moments later. Kai cleared their throat, which made you look at them. "That's pretty cool. Not making her feel guilty for not choosing you." They said, which made you confused, you scoff, "where did that come from? We don't need to make small talks if you don't want to." You chuckled. "I'm just saying. Not everyone would do that." They said, which made you stop what you're doing and look them straight in the face, "she have nothing to be guilty of. And, it is not cool. It's just the mature and right thing to do. You know, basic human decency 101. I can't remember where I've read it." You chuckled at your own joke. You can tell that they tried to hold back a chuckle but failed anyway. "Damn! I can't hate you even if I wanted to." You raised your eyebrows at them, "uh-- thanks?" Then you narrowed your eyes, they try to defend their last sentence by saying, " I didn't mean anything by it. It was just-- you, uh---" ending the unfinished thoughts that can't be formed by words in a scoff, they scoff and just smiles, "Sure. Whatever." You replied, letting them know you get what they mean.

There is this awkward silence again. The only sound is when one of you cleared their throats. When you move things, it is so silent you can hear yourself breath. And it went on until you finished packing and getting your things.

************Later that night************

Amelia and Kai are now cuddled up in bed. There is silence still, but for them, it wasn't awkward. It was just soothing. "Y/N took the last of her things earlier." Kai said, and Amelia just hummed as a response.

Kai wandered in their own mind. They would remember insignificant little moments like how they thought they caught Amelia stealing glances, looking at y/n. How would Amelia smile every time she saw y/n smiling around the hospital. How Amelia quickly turns around to avoid y/n's gaze.

Without Kai's knowledge that Amelia is already sleeping, they blurted out, "Are you still in love with Y/N?". When they got no response, they checked and looked at Amelia, 'she was sleeping,' they thought as they let out a sigh.

They tried to go to sleep, but they just couldn't. Something is bothering them, and they can't get it out of their mind. As Kai is about to fall asleep, Amelia unconciously shuffled on the bed that makes them look at her.

Since Kai couldn't sleep, they sat up on the bed to watch Amelia sleep. How beautiful and peaceful Amelia looked while she slept. While Kai watches Amelia, a smile forms on her girlfriend's lips, and then she mumbles something. Kai moved their ear closer to Amelia's mouth so they could hear what she was saying in her sleep. Their curiosity only broke their heart as they heard her say "y/n" in her sleep while she smiled and slept soundly.

Kai finally fell asleep but not as peaceful as Amelia. They fell asleep wondering what her girlfriend was dreaming about, why she said that name, and why was she smiling as she dreamed of y/n. Wondering if Amelia is still in love with Y/N.

In the morning, Kai woke up first even if they slept last and late. They caress Amelia's face as she sleeps, but it only wakes Amelia up. "You were dreaming last night." Kai whispered. "I am?" Amelia asked, confused. "Yes," Kai responded

"How would you know?" The blue-eyed girl asked. "You were smiling and humming and saying something last night. You said y/n's name in your sleep. " Kai vocalise, Amelia, who's shocked and confused, "I did? Really?" She then chuckled nervously, having an idea where this conversation might be going. "Yes," the brown eyed person replies monotonously. "I don't know. I don't remember." She depended herself. "Was it a sex dream?" Kai asks, Amelia quickly said, "What!? I told you, I don't know and I don't remember. Now let's get some coffee. " She stood up from the bed and tried to go to the bathroom to wash her face, but Kai suddenly grabbed Amelia's hand, making her fall right back into bed. They were both shocked at how their conversation quickly escalated to this. Whatever this is. Kai tried to apologize and explain themselves, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to---" but Amelia quickly cut them off and frustratedly utter "what is it?" They both let out a sigh, and there was silence for a minute.

Amelia is now standing beside the bed while Kai is still in bed, half lying, half sitting. "Are you still in love with y/n?" They finally asked the question they've been dying to know the answer to.

Both of their hearts are beating loudly on their chest. Amelia is silent for a moment, thinking how could they ask her such questions. Before she could think of a rational answer, she just blurted out, " Stop with these nonsense. Let's go get coffee... Don't ruin such a beautiful day. "

Before Kai could bother her some more, she is already out of sight, and she slammed the bathroom door, both of them shocked at the sound it made. Amelia didn't even mean to slam the door, but there's no turning back time. Kai could understand why she did what she did, but they're still waiting for and wanting an answer.

Nobody said a word on their way to the hospital. Not even a small glance in another's direction. Everyone in the hospital could feel the tension emitting from the said power couple, but they knew better than to pry. Their colleagues get out of their way as well.

They only speak with each other if they really need to, but other than that, they will avoid each other to avoid such uncomfortable conversation. Even if they both know they're still gonna have that much needed discussion and conversation, they just didn't want to right now.

There are only two possible outcome when they have the conversation. Either they stay together, or they don't.

[orlissa]

So we still have a little over 1,5 months left of this year, but the lovely @readthelastpaage asked me what were the best books I read/translated this year, so... here you go. I left out my rereads and highlighted the ones I translated in blue. It's a... pretty mixed bag, I think.

R.F. Kuang: Yellowface After Athena (young and brilliant Chinese-American author) dies in an absurd accident, her “friend” June (struggling white author) steals her nearly finished manuscript, works it over, and publishes it under her own name. Chilling tale about guilt and the publishing industry ensues.

Rebecca Ross: Ruthless Vows I needed to includes this because of reasons. The second of Divine Rivals, a story of two, well, rivals falling in love through letters sent by a magic typewriter, while the war of the gods rages around them. Simply beautiful.

Jeff Bishop: A Heavy Dose of Allison Tandy High school senior Cam dated Allison Tandy, the girl he is still obsessed with, for years before they broke up just before new year’s. Three months later Allison was in a car crash and has been in a coma ever since. Only when Cam gets some heavy painkillers after his knee surgery, he starts seeing Allison, and the girl is determined to get him to move on. Is it just the drugs, or does Allison really appear to him?

Naomi Alderman: The Power When girls suddenly start developing shocking (literally) powers worldwide, the order of the world and gender relations start to change. Not necessarily for the better. Chilling dystopic observation of gender dynamics.

Emilia Hart: Weyward Stories of personal trauma and abuse through three women and several centuries, with a touch of magic. Brilliant book, but beware, there are a lot of triggering stuff her (detailed description of domestic abuse, rape, basically at home abortion…)

Lora Beth Johnson: Goddess in the Machine/Devil in the Device Andra, along with her whole family, was meant to be one of the million people to colonize a new planet, but when she comes out of stasis, she is all alone in a strange new place, where the remains of technology are hailed as magic and she is believed to be a goddess. The language of this duology is insane–the author basically came up with a whole new dialect.

Jennifer Lynn Barnes: The Inheritance Games series When financially struggling Avery is informed that a Texan billionaire left all of his fortune to her, instead of his family–with whom now she needs to live together for a year–, she suddenly finds herself surrounded by dysfunctional family dynamics, heaps and heaps of dirty secret, and a bunch of puzzles and mysteries. I read the whole series this year, and although I’m not yet totally on board with The Grandest Game, this series is just fabulous.

Jodi Taylor: Just One Damned Thing After Another First book in chronicles is the St. Mary’s institute, where historians travel back in time to study the important (and not so important) event of history. British humor, some darker themes, and a bunch of chaotic energy.

Margaret Rogerson: Sorcery of Thorns I won’t be able to give a proper summary here, but books and magic and demons and adventure and books and romance, oh my. Or Elizabeth, who spent her whole life in a library full of magical books that might attack you at any moment, gets tangled up in a scheme that might bring on the end of the world. Which she and her allies need to prevent, obviously. There is also a sequel novella, which is mostly just a fluffy epilogue, but it’s just so nice.

Holly Jackson: A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder British teenager Pip needs to do a special project for her last year of high school, and she chooses to examine the effects of a murder that happened in her sleepy little town a few years back – only what she really wants is to find the real killer, because she’s convinced that the police got the wrong guy. I absolutely loved the whole mystery and the multimedia nature of the book. (I know that there is apparently a version of this where it all takes place in America, which that sounds odd to me? It was so quintessentially British.)

Hannah Bonam-Young: Out on a Limb Win was born with an underdeveloped hand, but she doesn’t let is to slow her down. However, after she gets into a one-night stand with Bo, who lost a leg to cancer, at their mutual friends’ Halloween party, she ends up pregnant, so she and Bo decide to give this whole co-parenting thing a chance. Just a really nice feel-good romance story, made even more authentic by the fact that the author has the same hand issue as Win.

Taylor Jenkins Reid: Daisy Jones & the Six Story of a fictional seventies rock band told through a series of interviews done decades after the events. Intriguing tale of music, drugs, and personal dynamics.

Hannah Grace: Daydream I know that Hannah Grace’s work is kinda controversial (some love it, some think it trash), but I’ll always defend her, because of her works are very much pro-mental health and pro-cutting out toxic pieces of shit out of your life. And she is getting better with each book and she really did find something with this one. Sweet slow-burn romance with heavy emphasis on mental health.

Kristen Ciccarelli: Heartless Hunter This is what I’m reading/translating now, and although I’m only halfway through, I’m in absolutely brainrot over this. In a world where witches once reigned and now are being hunted, Rune, shallow socialite by day, secret witch saving vigilante by night, decides to try and seduce witch hunter Gideon to get some information out of him – only Gideon pretty much has the same plans to prove that Rune is that witch saving vigilante he’s been hunting.