#might've been slightly mad it got cut too short

[khawlat]

I wanted you dead.

[ghost-in-the-hall]

The Mouse and The Bear (König x Reader)

(A/N: I'm too drunk to proofread this rn, I tried to keep this GN but it might've ended up being a fem! Reader. I'll come back and fix this later lol

Warnings: Swearing, mention of death, mention of injury, slightly angsty but not really, lots of fluff)

"Don't look now, but I think someone has their eye on you." Soap says with a smirk as he walks up next to you in the kitchen. You rolled your eyes in response, knowing that meant any moment now you were going to have some annoying asshole approaching you.

"Spare me." You say under your breath, Soap just laughs in response as he finishes pouring his coffee and heads off. You picked up your lunch, going to find somewhere to sit where hopefully whoever decided you were their new love interest would leave you alone. You were met with a sight you didn't expect. Instead of the usual bombardment of unwanted flirting you caught the almost nervous gaze of KorTac's gentle giant. The second he realized you caught him looking, his eyes snapped down to the mug in front of him. You hadn't had a lot of interaction with König but the few you had he had been nothing but pleasant.  A soft smile finds its way to your lips as you start heading in his direction. "Hey König." You greet him pleasantly, "is this seat taken?" He shakes his head, a look of pure disbelief in his eyes over the fact you were standing in front of him. You slide into the chair opposite him. Normally if there was someone at base checking you out you wouldn't bother indulging their infatuation but König made you curious.

"I'm sorry for staring." He admits immediately, acting like a child getting caught doing something they're not supposed to.

"König I'm not mad." You reassure him.

"It's still rude… I know how much I hate it when people stare at me." He seemed to relax slightly now that he knew you weren't upset with him. Before you could ask him why he was looking at you he answered the question on his own. "I've never seen you without your gear on… I never realized how small you are- not that it's a bad thing of course! I know you're more than capable of handling yourself-"

"König," you cut him off before his rambling got him too flustered "it's okay." You smile at him and he shifts awkwardly in his seat. This was the first time you really allowed yourself to look at him. Bright blue eyes looking anywhere besides at you, he hunched over the table in an attempt to make himself look smaller and less threatening. "Du brauchst keine Angst vor mir zu haben." (You don't need to be afraid of me.) You joke in an attempt to lighten the mood.

"You speak German?" He sounded shocked.

"A little, I used to live in Berlin when I was younger." You explain. He nods, leaning forward slightly to give you his undivided attention as you speak. You sat and talked with him for a while, you definitely couldn't complain about the company. He was very attentive, asking you questions that prompted you to keep talking. He had a loud, boisterous laugh that made your heart soar everytime you coaxed it out of him

"Mick, we got takedown training, let's go." Your time with him was cut short by Price informing you to head down to the base's gym.

"I'll be right there." You call back. You turn your attention back to König, who was fidgeting with his mug again. "This was nice, thank you for the company." You smile at him, nervous eyes moving down to the table.

"Maybe… maybe we could do this again sometime?" He asks softly.

"Are you asking me on a date?" You retort immediately. His eyes snap up to you, already trying to stammer out a response in his flustered state. You giggle, reaching out and placing one of your hands on top of his, which looked child sized compared to his. "If we ever have downtime together I would love to." He nods, giving you a quiet goodbye as you cleaned up the table and prepared to head to training. You were unable to keep the dumb grin off your face for the rest of the day.

A few days later you found yourself in the kitchen again. You groaned internally as a high pitch whistle met your ears. "You come around here often sweetheart?" You recognized him, some obnoxious Private that often got in trouble for disrespecting the chain of command. He wasn't worth the energy, you just kept going about what you were doing prior to his interruption. "Maybe you didn't hear me," he tries to sound threatening. He steps uncomfortably close to you, "I asked you a question."

"You really shouldn't be speaking to a Sergeant that way." The Private turned, ready to cuss out whoever had interrupted his terrible attempt at picking you up. You saw all the color drain from his face at the sight before him. You couldn't stop yourself from breathing out a laugh. The Private slowly starts to back up with every heavy footstep that echoed through the kitchen. König steps in front of you, blocking off your pursuer. "Are you alright?" He glances back over his shoulder at you. You nod and his attention immediately turns back to the Private. "I suggest you get out of here kotzbrocken (lump of puke) before I tell your superior officer that you were getting aggressive with a Sergeant." As if on cue his Captain entered the kitchen. König very calmly explained the situation to him, the Captain grabbing his subordinate by the collar and pulling him off.

"Do you want to fucking die? Because messing with her is a good way to get there." You hear him angrily mutter to the Private as he pulls him out of the room.

"You're sure you're alright?" He asks in a much gentler tone than he was using before.

"I'm fine König, thank you." You smile at him, turning back to what you were doing before you were interrupted. You groaned as you looked through the cabinet. "He always does this to me, he knows I can't reach that shelf." You stood on your toes, struggling to reach your favorite mug that you knew Ghost put on the top shelf on purpose. König reached over you, grabbing the mug with ease before lowering it into your hands. You turned to thank him only to be startled slightly by his close proximity. You knew he was a big man, being 6'10, there wasn't anything about him that was small. But you had never witnessed your height difference with him this close up. You stood about his stomach height, the nearly 2 foot difference causing you to have to look straight up to see his mask covered face. Seeing your flustered appearance he quickly stepped back.

"Sorry, I just figured I'd have an easier time reaching it." He says bashfully.

You swallowed thickly, the mug in your hands becoming the most interesting thing in the room at the moment. "It's alright, I appreciate the help." You start making the tea you had originally come in here for, both of you sitting in silence. You didn't have to look up at him to know that König had his eyes on you. He was leaning up against the counter a couple feet away from you, just studying your movements as you flit around the kitchen. You hear König chuckle, your eyes drifting over to him. "What's so funny?" You ask him with a smile

"Don't take this as an insult, but you remind me of a mouse. You're so small and fast." You both laugh at his joke, he wasn't wrong.

"I mean, I don't have the codename Mickey for nothing." He studies you for a moment, you could tell he was thinking about whether or not he should say something.

"Would it be okay if I called you Maus?" He asks quietly. Normally you would object to someone calling you that. But hearing it from König, his deep voice that paired so wonderfully with his accent, you loved the way it sounded coming from him.

"I wouldn't be opposed… but only you get to call me that." You see the corners of his eyes crinkle in a smile.

"Deal." You searched through the fridge, finding a container of leftovers you had cooked the other night.

"Would you like to join me for lunch?" You ask, holding up the container.

"I would love to." It became a ritual for the two of you to have lunch together. You enjoyed the fact that he was company outside of your team and the usual annoying flirts around the base. Even though you hated to admit it, you had found yourself rather smitten with the Austrian giant. König was kind, but never in a way that made you think he was only being nice to you because you were cute. He was always making you laugh, cracking small jokes and telling you stories. He loved to see you smile, it was one of his favorite parts of his day.

"Good morning Maus." You smile as you hear König enter the kitchen behind you. You pull down a secondary mug from the cabinet.

"Good morning Bärchen." You greet him softly as you pour him a cup of coffee alongside yours. You hear him chuckle as he approaches you.

"Bärchen, huh? Mouse and Bear, that seems pretty fitting." He nods his thanks as you handed him his coffee. "Ready for the debriefing today?" Price had informed you yesterday that Task Force 141 and KorTac were going to be teaming up together for a mission. You were more than happy to work alongside them, the whole team was incredible. But you were still worried. 

"As ready as I'll ever be." You sigh, taking a long sip of your drink. "Just… promise me, wherever we end up tomorrow, that you'll be careful." You couldn't look at him. The fear you were feeling in your chest, it was too real of an emotion for you. You weren't going to say that you were never scared to go on a mission, that would be a lie. This however was new, you had another person besides yourself to be worried about.

König smiles down at you, carefully reaching out to tuck some stray hair behind your ear. "Maus, you have my word." The threat of tears welled up thick in your throat. "I'm not going anywhere, liebling." Someone calls from down the hall that it was time for your meeting. You feel König place a hand on your lower back, keeping you close while ushering you further. You came out of your debriefing feeling even worse than when you went in, this wasn't going to be your run of the mill mission you were used to. This was going to be dangerous for even the most skilled soldier. The second everyone had broken off to try and enjoy the rest of their day König pulled you aside. "Look at me, it's going to be okay." He could tell you were on the verge of panicking, despite knowing that would only make the situation worse.

"König do you know the statistics of how many people get hurt going on missions like these. Do you know how many people die?" You said it, the one word that was forbidden in your line of work. He drops down on one knee, gently taking your face in his hands.

"I know, and I know it's scary, but I don't want you to be thinking about that." He sighs, stroking your cheek. He wanted to make you feel better, he hated seeing you so anxious. "Let me take you on a date… it will give us something to do instead of sitting around worrying." You froze, your mind going blank. He wanted to take you on a date?

"I…I don't have anything to wear. If we're going on a date I want to look nice." You couldn't stop yourself from smiling. König was right about one thing, it would be a welcomed distraction.

"You already look beautiful Maus." You blushed at his compliment. He held out his hand to you and you took it without hesitation. His skin was warm and calloused, his hand completely engulfing your own as he let his fingers completely close around it. The two of you got permission to head into the city for the evening. König had been stationed in this area before so he knew exactly where he wanted to take you. Before you left he changed out of his sniper hood and into a cloth mask that covered the lower half of his face. You finally got a chance to get an idea of what he looked like underneath. You were shocked to find out that König had dark blonde hair that he kept relatively long compared to usual military standards. He had freckles that peaked just above where his mask. You could also more clearly make out the wrinkles by his eyes that shows how much he genuinely smiles. When the two of you headed into town you were honestly a bit surprised when you ended up at a food truck that served some local specialty. He ordered for you and paid for your meal, the entire time keeping his hand on the small of your back so he could ensure that you were still there next to him. You wandered into a park to look for a place to sit and made it just in time to catch the sunset. You let your head fall to rest on König's arm, he sat next to you completely rigid.

"Thank you for taking me out, I needed to keep my mind off of tomorrow." He glances down at you, bright blue eyes trained on your face.

"I'm hoping you'll let me take you on another date after this mission is over." You picked up on the nervousness in his voice immediately.

"König, I don't know if you've noticed, but I kind of like you a lot… of course I'll go on another date with you." The hand that was situated in his lap began to reach out for yours, slowly moving his finger over so it would bump into the side of your hand.

"I'm really happy I met you (Y/N)." He says softly.

You smile, eyes never leaving the horizon. "I am too."

The next morning everyone was on edge. You all sat silently in the back of the truck, the usual attempt to lighten the mood vacant. As you neared your destination Ghost finally spoke up. "Team A, we're going to sweep their safe house, any hostages I want brought to me directly. Team B, you're in charge of sweeping the rest of their compound. This is a capture or kill mission, our number one priority is getting us and the hostages out safely. You glanced across the isle at König. He tried to give you a reassuring nod but you could tell how nervous he was really feeling. The truck came to a rough stop, jolting your body forward in the process. Everyone piled out and began separating into their teams. A giant gloved hand came to rest on the top of your head as König gave you a gentle pat. "Be careful out there, Bärchen." You say softly, unable to look at him knowing it would probably make you cry.

"You too Maus." He runs off to join his team.

"Come on Mickey, we got a house to clean." Soap says as he approaches you. He could tell how stressed you were feeling. Even if he didn't know the extent of your relationship with König he knew how much you cared about him. "He's gonna be alright, man's a fuckin' tank, there's no stopping him." You nodded heading off with him to handle your half of the mission. Team A consisted of you, Ghost, Johnny, Gaz, and a couple of privates from the base. Team B consisted of KorTac, Price and a few other soldiers.

"Mick, I need to know you're here with me sweetheart, you're looking a little spacey." Ghost says quietly as you wait for the perfect moment to storm the safe house.

"I'm with you lieutenant, just another day at the office." You tried your best to sound confident. To give your team the Mickey they needed right now. Soap was right, König would be fine. All of this would be over in less than an hour.

"Move in." You got your cue. You looked at Soap, the two of you exchanging an affirming nod before you made your way up to the safe house. He taps your shoulder, motioning that he'll start his sweep to the right you start to your left. You found nothing but a couple low grade officers guarding the hostages, which meant everyone incredibly dangerous was either not here or in the same building as Team B. You quickly and quietly escorted the hostages outside so you could get them some medical attention "Team A has successfully completed their sweep. Team B what's your status?" Ghost's voice booms over the comms. It was silent for a while… too long.

"Ghost, we've been hit." Price's panicked voice was the only thing you could hear. "They found out we're here."

"Do you need medical? We're heading to your location now." You readied yours as fast as you possibly could.

"Ghost, I need you to listen to me. I don't know how many men I've already lost, if you come over here your whole team could be taken out." You could hear gunfire in the background. You were going to attempt to make a run for it. You needed to help them, you needed to get out who you could. The second you tried to bolt Ghost latched onto your collar, pulling you to the ground.

"Let me go, I need to help them." You say through gritted teeth, fighting back tears.

"Mick, you know that's only going to make things worse." Ghost jumps back on comms. "Price, do you have a casualty count?"

"At least four." Any drive you had to stand back up left your body. That was half of their team, just gone.

"Anyone from KorTac?" Ghost remained motionless by your side, prepared to drag you out of there if needed.

"I don't know, I lost them in the fire fight." You were shaking. Throughout all your years in the military you had never felt like this during a mission.

"We'll rendezvous back at base, I need to get these hostages medical attention." Price confirmed and the comms went silent again. Ghost hauled you to your feet, attempting to steady you by the shoulders when you almost fell over. "Hold it together Mickey, come on." His gruff voice shocks you back to reality. You felt like you were in a fog, you were going through the motions of securing the hostages but you weren't really there. The second you were back to base you made your way to the common room, sat down, and waited. Your teammates tried everything they could think of to comfort you but it wasn't any use. All you wanted was König, or at the very least to know he was okay. After about an hour of waiting, Price finally found you. You stood, hurrying over to him. He looked a little worse for wear but overall he seemed fine.

"Price, is König okay?" Ghost was the first one to speak up. You couldn't bring yourself to say it knowing that there was a very high chance he didn't make it back at all.

"He was hit, but he's okay. He actually asked if I could send you down to him." You thanked Price, telling him how happy you were that he was safe but you had to go see him. You ran down to the infirmary, ignoring the calls from the nurses that you had to check in before you could enter as you pushed through the doors. You just needed to see what state he was in. You were met with the sight of König sitting up in bed, pleasantly chatting with the doctor that was going over what he would have to do for his wound care. The top half of his body was wrapped in a bandage that showed he was shot in the shoulder, sniper hood still on. His eyes landed on you and you saw his whole body relax. You waited for the doctor to leave before you approached him.

"Maus." You saw the corners of his eyes crinkle up. It was hard to be mad with the shirtless mass of muscle in front of you. You had a whole speech planned about how worried you were how he could've been seriously hurt. But now that you saw him sitting in front of you none of that really mattered. You sat on the edge of the infirmary bed, tears pricking at your eyes.

"You said you were going to be careful." Your voice cracked as you spoke. He grabbed your hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"I know, and I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you worry." You felt the first year slip into your cheek and that was enough to open the floodgates. Your body wracked with sobs, König pulled you to him, wrapping an arm around you.

"I thought I lost you." He quietly hushed you, running his fingers through your hair. You stayed like that for a while, both of you remaining silent until König.

"I think after my contract's up I'm going to call it." You shot up, in pure disbelief at what you were hearing. "I got hit today because I got careless. I was trying so hard to get this over with quickly to get back to you that I let my guard down. I don't want something to happen to me out in the field or have you worried like this all the time. (Y/N), I'm in love with you, I don't want to miss the opportunity to explore what we have before it even starts." Hearing him say that made you start crying all over again. Once you had finally calmed down you sat up, wiping your eyes.

"I think this might be my final tour too." You smile at him. He grabs the top of his hood, fully pulling it off his head. You gently caress his face, "you're so handsome under there." You hiccup a laugh through your remaining tears.

"I'm glad you think so." He chuckles. He holds you close, lips gently finding yours for what was the softest first kiss you had ever had. König gently cradled you in his arms, taking his time to fully memorize every single aspect of what kissing you felt like. 

"I love you Bärchen." You say softly. He gazed down at you with the most loved filled expression of adoration.

"I love you too, mein mouse." He whispers, pulling you in for one more short, sweet kiss.

[elusiiev]

omori headcanons: the brothers

hero:

when he was little, he used to tutor kel quite frequently. kel would keep all his notes from previous years for kel to use, and often didnt have much downtime on weekdays because of it. he didn't mind, though, he just wanted to make sure kel was doing well in school and enjoyed spending time with his little brother

he also didn't really have many friends his age aside from mari, choosing to spend his time studying if he wasn't running errands or hanging out with the rest of the gang. he also had a hard time making new friends, feeling the connection he already had with the gang could never be beaten out, therefore he never tried

when mari died, his grades suffered and he hardly passed that year. it unfortunately docked some of his chances for college, but didn't end up affecting him too badly

he went into college to become a pediatric psychologist, 'inspired' by mari's death to try his best to help anyone else who might've been under the same circumstances

when faced with The Truth, he freezes and ends up leaving the hospital immediately. he stayed home for the next couple weeks, and once he was mildly able to function again, he tried his best to get back into his work and college.

he does not hate sunny after the truth, however he tries to speak to sunny as little as possible after, still clearly affected. maybe after 5-10 years they would reconnect, but it would definitely take a while for hero to get into a stance where he feels like he can personally be ok talking to sunny

he goes on to be a psychologist for a few years after graduating before completely changing his career path and becoming a chef !

personally, i dont see hero dating again. i know its not very realistic, as someone's probably gonna get over soemthing that happened in their childhood like 20-30 years down the line but still.... im heromari forever ok... and if theres no mari then there's no one else for him /j

kel:

when he was younger, he was very active and had loads of constant energy. (he's 100% the hyperactive side of adhd) he did lots of sports and was actually pretty good at most sports with how frequently he played them, but his personal favorite was basketball. he is also an extremely sound sleeper, often using so much energy that he crashing towards the end of the day

he always had long hair since his parents could never get him to sit down for a haircut, he was just entirely uninterested and didnt like having someone touch his hair so much. when he got slightly older he got his hair cut relatively short, realized he liked longer hair, and kept growing it out and only getting occasional trims

he didnt spend too much time around the sporty kids, feeling that they were a little too rugged, so the gang was pretty much the only friends he hung out with outside of school

he struggled a lot at school, not because he's dumb, but because of the way everything was taught. he had a hard time grasping a lot of concepts, which is why hero tutored him so much. with hero's explanation and unique view of subjects he was able to understand things a lot better and keep his grades up around B's

however, when hero went to college, kel's grades and mental health suffered. kel was ALWAYS around hero, and even when things were bad, like when mari died, they were still together. now his friend group has broken apart, his brother is leaving, and he's even more unfocused than ever. he started taking basketball more seriously, knowing his height qualified him, and it was pretty much the only thing he was good at now

he hoped if he was good enough at basketball then his parents wouldn't be mad, that he'd still have something to show them at the end of the day, that he's not useless.

he talked more with the sporty kids, but didnt really enjoy himself, forming more surface level connections than anything

after the truth, kel tries his best to get sunny to say that he's joking, but to no avail. he feels the desperate need to forgive sunny, but just cant find it in him to do so. he misses the next few basketball games, trying to understand what had happened and trying to cheer hero up a little

kel graduates with relatively low grades, only really able to keep a passing score from his constant tutor-hopping

he goes to live with hero for a while, giving up on basketball from burnout and going towards minimum wage jobs for a while until he finally finds something he'd be interested in taking a job in, that being the pastry business

kel would find a partner at some point but i have no clue who they'd be

OK THATS IT!!! this was a lot of writing and a lot of procrastinating other things i should've been doing but thats ok

[lepusrufus]

To bargain for immortality pt.6 END

There were little things, really, that ended up putting her doubts and theories to rest. Nicole hadn't been an active person since she was five, so the occasional mild fatigue didn't stand out from her normal routine. The headaches that came and went or the tiredness that accompanied nights when she didn't get enough sleep were simply chucked to her body adjusting to its newfound immortality. Sometimes it takes longer for the Cadou to fully settle in, Esteria had reassured her, talking from personal experience as her own mutation took close to two years to be done changing her body.

All the doubt was wiped from her mind when she woke up one evening, the day after another particularly unpleasant experiment run with Miranda, with a splitting headache. It soon turned downright nauseating and hasty steps took her to the bathroom connected to Cassandra's bedchambers, where she all but doubled over, as much as her position leaning on the sink allowed.

Her initial plan was to simply splash some cold water on her face, but that soon went out the window when her throat and mouth were invaded by the familiar sensation of thick blood coming and pouring out. The white porcelain got stained in dark crimson as her heart seemed to beat painfully against her ribcage, making a small whimper escape blood stained lips. This experience in and of itself was not unfamiliar by now, but her own body apparently taking offence to simply existing was a new and unwelcomed development. An attempt to take a deep breath was made, but that only seemed counterproductive as it sent a stinging ache through her chest, so she settled for holding her breath until the pain subsided. A few shuddering intakes of the oxygen her body seemed to scream for later, the room and her reflection finally seemed to stop spinning.

Her eyes landed on the crimson mess in the sink and she let out an exhausted sigh, but before it could be cleaned, the bathroom door that she had left ajar creaked open.

"Heyy- ooo that looks bad," Daniela's voice came from her side, tone as over the top as always with the grimace that pulled at her features.

"Oh this? What do you mean, just a normal Thursday evening," Nicole replied, voice dripping with sarcasm and hands still shaking on the faucet when she turned on the water.

The other redhead didn't seem phased, presumably being Bela and Cassandra's sister does render one immune to sarcasm. Instead she shrugged and occupied herself with her sister's collection of perfumes that were placed on an adjacent counter.

Nicole gave her a look through the mirror while trying to splash some water on the remaining blood stains. "Did you… need something?"

"Dumbass number one and two are practicing some sword fighting in the garden. Thought you'd like to see," came the reply complete with an eyebrow wiggle that gained her a playful shove.

"Give me a minute to change," Nicole said, finally pushing herself off the sink when the nausea subsided back to a mild headache and her face was free of crimson trails.

As promised, when they entered the back garden that stood between the castle and its extensive vineyard, the faint clinking of metal against metal could be heard. It raised in volume as they made their way to an area where a few logs had been set on the grass, that made perfect sitting spots around what the sisters reclaimed as their small personal arena dedicated to occasional training. The vine covered statues and bushes with colorful leaves made for a pleasant spot to simply spend time in too, her wife currently dressed in light training gear and sword fighting coming as a big bonus to the beautiful surroundings.

The moment Cassandra's eyes landed briefly on her, a characteristic smirk pulled at her lips, their ashy tone left visible from the choice to skip lipstick for the time being. Their sparring match got cut short by a sudden low swipe at Bela's feet, that knocked her off balance and sent her on the trampled grass underfoot.

"Show off," she grumbled at her younger sister when offered a hand to get up. She took it, but continued to glare daggers at Cassandra as she dusted off her pants.

Not that the middle sister noticed, having turned and came up to her wife for a tender good morning kiss. She let the hand not occupied by the sword's handle rest on Nicole's cheek, eyebrows pulling into a frown upon noticing the tired look in emerald eyes.

"Are you feeling well? You look pale."

"Yeah yeah-"

"Oh just some mild gut-puking in the form of blood all over your sink," Daniela interjected, giving a fake innocent shrug when Nicole turned to glare at her. "You might wanna get a maid to clean it up, she did a shit job of it."

"I did not!" Nicole protested.

"You forgot the underside," Daniela hummed. "That was some mad splatter there."

She was rendered mute as the youngest sister moved to the small fence portion that was turned into an impromptu weapon holder to choose something and take Cassandra's place in another sparring match. Her glare was interrupted when she noticed her wife's worried expression.

"It's fine, just a mild headache now," Nicole sighed as she brought a hand up to interlace their fingers and pull Cassandra with her so they could both sit where Laura and Anita were. "Any chance I'm getting another performance? Since I missed the last one," she then said, a sly smile making its way on her lips.

That got Cassandra to grin, fangs glimmering in the early evening's soft light in a way that anyone else would find downright menacing. "Of course," she answered, eyes momentarily moving to her sisters.

It looked like Bela was winning, despite Daniela choosing her preferred twin swords that she wielded with an odd mix of grace and chaos. A slip past her guard and a hit with the ornate hilt of Bela's sword was what it took to put an end to their match, the youngest sister stumbling forward and breaking into a swarm before she had the chance to fully lose balance and fall face first into the dirt. She reappeared in front of the blonde, tongue stuck out and nose scrunched in an annoyed grimace, complete with a middle finger. If the Dimitrescu sisters had one thing in common, it was that all three of them were the world’s biggest sore losers.

"My turn to kick her ass," Cassandra perked up, picking up her well polished gladius.

Daniela, still miffed about her previous loss, didn't offer her the grace of getting into a proper stance. A flash of flies later, the clanking of metal ringed around them as Cassandra pushed her back.

"We said no swarm!" Bela called out from where she had found a seat on the grass, right in front of Laura.

The youngest rolled her eyes but complied, the buzzing completely dying down in favor of quick swipes and blocks. What Cassandra might've lacked in speed, she more than made up for in an impeccable defense, being near impossible to get near her body even with the apparent advantage of having an extra sword. Their fighting came to a standstill soon enough, with Daniela unable to get near while also being too quick to let any major hit land.

"My ladies."

Alexandria's voice called out from the entrance of their little makeshift arena, distracting Daniela enough for her sister to quickly swipe at her feet not unlike she had previously done to Bela.

The Steward flinched for a second when a long frustrated growl was heard from the youngest, but cleared her throat and did her best to keep up her characteristic poker face as she addressed Nicole. "Mother Miranda's assistant is here for you."

Her face fell, annoyance and dread both bubbling in her chest at having her pleasant day cut short not even two hours after waking up. She got up and exchanged goodbyes with the rest of her family while grabbing Cassandra's free hand in a silent demand to see her to the door.

On their way out, she decided that old jeans and a slightly oversized shirt that had survived her high school days was an attire appropriate enough to being tortured. It should've been concerning how at peace she had become with that idea, at least to any person with a sound mind. She never declared her sanity intact though.

"I'll see you later," she told Cassandra once they were at the heavy doors of the castle's main entrance, a thumb slowly tracing her jaw.

Emma was impatiently waiting for her just outside and blame the slight inherent meanness she had learned to let free since becoming a Dimitrescu, but Nicole took immense pleasure from the woman's uncomfortable grimace when she pulled Cassandra down in a deep kiss that went on for ten seconds too long. Small victories in the face of doom.

---

Nicole choked out a sob that walked the fine line between crying and screaming when the knife that looked way too big for the woman's hands came down at her elbow's joint with a gut wrenching crack.

It felt like Miranda had an unbeatable talent to never disappoint when someone thought she had reached the peak of inhumane with her experiments. The poisons were dreadful as was everything before that. The test on how well she can heal bullet wounds from the previous day had been downright cruel, only stopping after the results that showed how only a bullet through the head can incapacitate her for a while. Today's experiment on regenerating limbs was starting to eat away at Nicole's remaining sanity. It obviously started small, with fingers, but Miranda was always so keen on pushing limits.

She turned on her side with the remaining hand pressed to tear filled eyes and nails digging into skin as she desperately tried to find some sort of distraction from the pain and tingling that felt like static in her veins. Her temples were already throbbing with a headache and her vision was spinning due to the nausea. Miranda and Emma were having some sort of conversation to the side, but it felt distant through the deafening ringing in her ears as she put all her effort into not throwing up due to the sheer shock her body was going through.

The amount of time she laid there sobbing completely evaded her, not bothering to keep a mental track nor raising her head towards the clock mounted on the wall. She just wanted the healing to move and get it over with.

By the time she was mentally prepared to stomach the sight, her hand was already stitching together muscles covering the newly reformed bone, together with the beginnings of skin close to the incision. She tried moving her finger and flinched into a whole body cringe at how utterly wrong it felt.

The door creaking open took her attention away from the unsightly muscles twitching as they got placed together and into their places.

"Lord Heisenberg is here," announced a man, donning a white lab uniform not unlike Emma's.

"Just on time," Miranda perked up, a dangerously gleeful look in her eyes.

She got up, leaving the assistant with the job of timing Nicole's healing as she went to greet Karl. It went on for almost another torturous minute before the tell tale click of the timer and Emma noting it down marked that her arm was once again whole.

"How- how long was that?" Nicole asked, tentatively moving her hand. Good as new, with the exact same mobility function and sensitivity. The only thing missing was the beige nail polish applied just the night prior.

"Five minutes and twenty," the woman replied, not looking up from her paper.

Another few minutes of silence passed, that Nicole spent flexing her fingers. A bit of hot rage coursed through her veins when she noticed her ring finger, the matching band she and Cassandra had having been left on the desk upon entering the lab. At least Miranda had the decency of not slicing her hand off with the ring still on it, but she still wanted it back.

It wasn't long before Miranda came back, motioning for her to follow. "Come," she said, waiting for Nicole to push herself off the hospital bed and onto her feet.

A small burst of dizziness later, she was standing and shaky legs were taking her towards the woman. "Can I get my ring back now?" She did her best to keep the edge out of her tone, too tired to face her wrath.

Miranda simply thought for a moment before waving a dismissive hand at her. "Fine, it won't be in the way anymore."

Nicole wasn't sure if that was good or downright horrifying.

Most of the rooms in the underground maze of corridors were unknown to her. The structure twisting and turning in dizzying patterns that were enough to disorient anyone not familiar with the layout. Not to mention the occasional tunnel that stretched for entirely too long that led to one place or the other from the town above.

Nicole found herself following Miranda through one such unknown area, the corridors new to her but the look not dissimilar to every other part of the underground structure. If it weren't for the numbered plaques on the door, she wouldn't even be able to tell this was a different area than the ones she's seen before.

Miranda pushed open a door and led her inside. It was definitely more spacious than the labs and the space was mostly cleared out save from a few tables lining the walls and some cabinets. The only thing at the center was Lord Heisenberg and a long metal table, leather straps fastened to its sides and a circular saw blade attached to a machine above.

Nicole took a couple stumbling steps back, hips hitting the corner of a table and rattling the papers placed on it. It seemed to peeve Miranda, who grabbed her wrist impatiently.

"Come now, we don't have all day," she said while slowly dragging her towards the table.

With every shaky step, her knees felt like jello under her and her ears started to ring anew with the panic and dread settling like ice in her veins. Her legs finally gave way under her and she fell to her knees with a pathetic sob.

"No please. Please I can't," she said, one hand meekly grabbing at the goddess' lab coat.

Miranda bent down on one knee, brows furrowed in the feign concern that only she could have perfected to such an art. "We have to," she started, voice so soft one could easily believe it belonged to someone else. "We must know the limits of your regenerative abilities. You said it yourself that you want to know them."

She had but not like this. Not like this.

"Then use anesthesia. Please just don't-" she choked out a sob before the end of her phrase. Not that it was going anywhere, it was just a pathetic attempt at bargaining for less suffering.

Surprisingly enough, there were few instances since coming to the Village when she felt truly and utterly terrified. Anxious and afraid? Sure. But not even Lady Dimitrescu hiring her, or Cassandra taking an interest in freaking her out or even getting shot made her feel the dread she was feeling then. She would've rather spent eternity on the cold hard stone under her knees than budge an inch.

Miranda pursed her lips and lifted her chin with one hand, expression like a mother hearing her child make an outrageously unattainable request. "You know that will interfere with the results."

"Then local anesthesia," Nicole suggested, holding onto some kind of feeble hope by a thread.

The goddess seemed to actually consider it for a moment before shaking her head. A hundred meek protests and cries fell past Nicole's lips and on deaf ears as she was pulled up by the wrist and back on track towards the metal table. Miranda was incredibly strong despite her rather short stature, so any attempt at pulling back was completely useless.

Once at the room's center, she pushed Nicole against the table, frowning when she refused to get on. With a sigh, she grabbed her chin once again, putting slightly more force in the gesture. Both a warning and witness to her growing impatience.

"If you keep still it's going to be much less painful," she promised, though the validity behind her words were doubtful.

Though there was something in Miranda's tone that almost demanded to be believed without question. It may have been the inherent authority that came with being almost divine, a goddess in all ways that truly mattered. Or something else entirely, common to every piece of the Megamycete's web, down to the finest and farthest roots.

With a barely visible nod, Nicole pushed herself onto the cold surface of the table. It was far taller than she was so Karl had to spend a few good minutes readjusting the leather straps on the sides until they were in the right positions to wrap tightly around her limbs.

"Uh… sorry kiddo," he said in a barely audible whisper as he fastened a strap around her forehead. "Here," he pressed a folded cloth to her lips, that she bit down on to at least try to not crack any teeth.

He seemed almost as much of an unwilling participant as she was, lips pulled into a tight line under the scruffy mustache. The only one seeming rather gleeful there was Miranda.

The leather was digging painfully into her skin, the belts having been tightened slightly too much to prevent movement. Not to mention the uncomfortable position, with her hands tied above her head and starting to feel numb. Her head also seemed beyond foggy, the shallow breaths she was taking doing a poor job of providing her body with oxygen, to which it protested with a heart painfully beating against her ribcage, almost as if the small parasite that nestled around it was taking offence itself.

Another sob shook her body, deafened out by the metal sound of the circular blade when it was turned on. Thankfully it was clean. At least Nicole hoped as much. And sharp. If she was going through this she prayed that she would at least be granted the mercy of a clean cut as opposed to shredding of skin and muscle with everything underneath.

She shut her eyes when Miranda raised her shirt enough to expose her abdomen and, as the saw forcefully came down, screams were muffled both by the cloth in her mouth and the deafening roar of the saw.

---

The feeble knock on heavy ornate doors was answered by the tall woman positioned on guard duty that night. Nicole did not remember her name and at the moment it was the least of her worries.

She took a handful of shaky steps inside before clearing her throat in an attempt to not let her voice waver. "Cassandra?"

"Out hunting with her sisters and the other ladies," the woman answered promptly.

Nicole simply nodded once and made her way into the castle as the heavy thud of the shutting doors echoed around her. Her movements seemed on autopilot, eyes only focused enough to watch her step as she made her way through the familiar path up to her wife's bedroom. She barely registered passing through the first set of corridors, the paintings and priceless decor she had grown accustomed to every day becoming a background blur.

She felt downright dreadful.

Her ears were still ringing slightly and exhaustion made her limbs feel heavy and aching with every step. The headache from earlier was also back in full swing and throbbing painfully at her temples.

A quick look at a golden clock mounted on the wall in the main hall reminded her that it was near dawn so the rest of her family must be on their way home.

She flinched, a small jump that threatened to throw her off balance, at the heavy footsteps that came behind her. Throwing a look over her shoulder she saw none other than Lady Dimitrescu, her mother in law, making her way under the low arch of one of the doors leading into the spacious room. Thin black eyebrows were pulled into a frown at the sight of the much smaller woman, hunched over and all but shivering, with dark circles under her eyes having taken an almost purplish hue and dried tear streaks on pallid cheeks.

"Oh hi," Nicole greeted with a wry smile. "I thought you were out hunting."

Alcina waved a hand dismissively, eyes still focused on every minuscule shake of her shoulders. "Paperwork had to be taken care of."

At the explanation, Nicole let out an oh and shuffled her weight from one foot to the other, unsure of how to politely book it up the stairs and under the mountain of blankets on Cassandra's bed. There was no escape, it seemed, as a large hand came to gingerly rest on her shoulder, leading her further in and towards one of the plush couches lined in front of the barely lit fireplace. "Come sit," she offered, face softening in a gentle motherly smile.

Nicole just nodded absent mindedly, sitting barely on the edge of the white cushions decorated with a beautiful intricate floral pattern. She passed clammy hands on her jeans, now covered in fine powdery ash from the crystallized remains of the discarded half of her body after she retrieved them following the night's experiments. A disgusted grimace pulled at her lips, deciding then and there that the pants had to be burned as soon as possible.

"How did the tests go?" Alcina asked, taking her attention away from the ruined piece of garment and being met with distant eyes.

"Good," Nicole whispered, but before the word could even be fully out of her mouth a sob shook her entire body, coming out accompanied by choked out gasps as she all but doubled over in an attempt to make herself smaller than she already was.

The Lady's eyes widened at the sudden outpouring of emotion, so uncharacteristic for the woman in the few years she had been part of her family. "Oh child," she whispered, hands resting protectively on small shaking shoulders.

"Did-" Nicole started but interrupted herself with another shuddering gasp. "Did she- do the same thing to-... to you?"

Alcina grimaced, expression unseen by the smaller woman currently curled in on herself in her arms. It had been so long since her infection, the pain caused by her body acclimating to the Cadou a distant memory. Something that would forever remain seared in her mind however was the cruel ice in their goddess' eyes as she ran test after dreadful test, pushing the limits of her body to see how much she can actually heal. It had taken months to finally be content with the results, after her body's defensive response had been mutating and turning into the giant hungry beast she kept carefully at bay from that moment on. Instead of answering, Alcina decided that the better option was to rub her back slowly, not unlike she had done to her own daughters countless times before, to bring some comfort.

"You will get through this," she promised, unwavering conviction in her tone.

---

Date: 20th May 2012

Subject: Nicole [REDACTED] Dimitrescu

Mutation experiments - 5 (Regeneration- 4)

Testing the limits of regenerative abilities - regrowing body parts

Subject can regrow limbs (arm, served from elbow - 5'20'') and regenerate after being cut in half. If the body is cut with a 50/50 ratio, the upper half will regrow the lower half, prioritizing brain activity and the Cadou's placement. If the proportions are different in favour of the lower half, the upper one may still be the one taking priority; results vary. Up to 80% of body mass can be regenerated. If more than that is destroyed (eg. dissolved using acid) subject will presumably crystallize and enter a dormant state like others infected with a Cadou.

The discarded body parts crystallize and disintegrate into a stony/ashy mass.

---

Miranda's enthusiasm seemed to slowly dwindle after a few more experiment runs, the same effects John Abbott's mutations that caused his untimely death coming to knock at Nicole's door every so often.

"You see," the goddess had said the last time she had called Nicole down in the underground labs. "John was missing the healing abilities, which led to his infection slowly corroding away at his body until his death. You can heal, so you won't die, but the negative effects are still present. So try not to get hurt too much too often," she finished, not even sparing her a glance.

And that was the last Nicole had seen of Miranda, at least as far as one on one experiments went. The woman would still pay the castle a visit every so often, sitting down with Alcina for a glass of wine and having the rest of the family joining in on occasion, when their discussions didn't stray too far into matters of their cult.

She was right too. There were days when a migraine would rudely wake her up in the morning, or when her chest seemed to ache to the point where she was sure the parasite that made its home around her beating heart was trying to escape. The Cadou truly was a wretched little thing, constantly at odds with her body's defenses and trying to slowly but surely cause damage to the point of death. But if there's one thing that very same parasite had bestowed upon her was just… being really good at not dying. The healing abilities were in a continuous cycle of repairing any and all internal damage the infection may have caused on a not so good day. Those times had her doubling over the nearest sink, or suitable container if unlucky, a waterfall of blood carrying all the damaged tissue that had been replaced flowing from her lips in crimson rivulets.

A cruel fate, one may think. Not her though, for the knowledge of how her family had helped her through the change was at the forefront of her mind each time she had to sit down due to a burst of dizziness. Cassandra rubbing gentle circles on her back while she was coughing up the clogged blood in her throat grounded her beyond belief. Then, when everything was said and done, there was always something to get back to. A short vacation originally meant for business but that Alcina would always prolong for just a couple days so they could all spend some quality time away from the Village and the cult and Miranda's scrutinizing ever watchful eyes. Or the season's first hunting trip, the genuine glee on her wife's face never growing old to her. Even life's more mundane events, like the weekly movie night that had half the family groaning at Esteria's choice of vampire media. Rinse and repeat, forever under the castle's imposing towers and inside ornate inviting rooms, always warm and welcoming, always feeling like home to her.

If that was the price she had to pay for eternity, then so be it.

---

Subject Name: Nicole Dimitrescu

Cadou Affinity: Favorable

Brain Functions: Normal

Subject can regenerate at an incredibly fast rate, although healing slows down with loss of consciousness. Shows a similar mutation to John Abbott; able to detect illnesses by specific smells. The latter mutation causes the Cadou to have adverse reactions, causing internal damage that is however kept at bay with the regenerative abilities.

An unfit vessel for Eva.

[lovee-infected]

♦♥ Paint them red ♠♣

[Yandere!Riddle Rosehearts x reader] [pr 1] [pr 2]

♦♥♠♣

(y/n) was only 9 when she first found her hidden place through the forest . An area covered by tallest of trees and darkest of shadows .

Quiet

(y/n) found herself gazing upon the large table covered with a dirty white table cloth .Two cracked teapots on two sides of it , several small teacups in front of seven wooden chairs set all around .

" W-wow"

As the cold wind started to Howl , she slowly walked closer to be the uninvited guest to this party , admiring the pace and forest's small surprise for her.

She bowed down as a proper apology to the imaginary guests .

" Sorry for being late !"

Taking a seat , she found a hat with multiple bruises and different colorful fabrics on it , having it's sunlight colors turned black and gray as the result of being left out there for days ; dare to say years .

"Mad hatter..!"

She turned around to catch each and every easter egg , waiting there for her to discover them .

A broken chest clock . (Y/n) carefully picked it up , realizing it's cold and wet body while smelling its ringed copper .

"My my , March heir is late again? "

(y/n) giggled as she tries to sound as legit as possible

"Well he'd better be early , or Queen of hearts would be off with his he-"

(y/n) Froze as she heared bushes shaking . She didn't realize how she dropped the chest clock until she sound of broken glass shook her .

'Who was there?'

"Wh...who is there...?"

no anwser came

(y/n) said , trying her best to hide her fear from exploding and voice from shaking . Hearing the bushes shaking wasn't supposed to be any big deal , but things are different when you're all alone into the woods .

" Hello...?"

"C...come out !"

She dared to step forward trying to get a better sight of whatever was going on behind the bushes . Seeing the! shaking again she let out a silent scream .

Once again , silence poured the atmosphere .

(y/n) slowly lowered herself , picking up a rock

"Last chance ; come out ! Or you'll regret it !!"

This was taking too long...

"Okay ! Take it !!"

She angrily threw it to the bushes , just to make making something or better to say , someone, smirk playfully :

" You're really terrible at targeting , aren't you ?"

Hearing the voice , (y/n) first froze . Then want mad again :

" AND YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE AT MAKING SMALL TALK !" , she shouted angrily , face as red as a tomato now .

"JUST A COWARD WOULD DARE TO STALK ON A YOUNG LADY LIKE THIS !!"

"Me ? stalking ? " , the childish voice continued to tease her : "Then what would you say about entering one's private place uninvitedly . You're lucky it's not with the Queen of hearts ; she would've been off with your head by the time you realized..," the boy giggled sarcastically .

(Y/n) got even redder but now , there was a bit of shame as well . This place ? One's private area ? No way .

She couldn't imagine once in a hundred times that such a mess might actually be owned by someone . At least it could've been kept...cleaner .

" If I were you , I would've considered at least wiping off the dust once in a month ! Also , if you really "own" this messed up tea party , then stop sneaking LIKE A RAT and show yourself !" , it might've been too much to call someone mad at you for stepping into their property 'rat' , but that was no big deal since they were just children .

For the third time , silence granted the atmosphere

"If you don't , then I'll come there myse-"

She was cut off as the red haired kid came out of the shadows , giving her an uninterested look .

" First , I wasn't sneaking ; I was ' watching ' . You've been doing the same for your first 10 minutes here. Also , this isn't a simple tea party , this is a non- birthday party . Tea parties don't have many deserts served and won't usually have more than 6 guests . That's the difference "

(y/n) went speechless , she meant to kick the bastard who's been scaring her and instead , she was given a presentation about differences between tea parties and non-birthday paries . 'Whoever this guy is , he surely has a thing for non-birthday parties' , she thought . Taking her time to analyse the boy more carefully , she realized that he was actually... cute . Short messy red hair with a weird hair cut that shaped a heart upon his head , shiny silver eyes that kinda matched the dirty color of that dirty tablecloth , tidy clothes that proved that he did come from a high class family indeed ...

'Such an ironic attitude is a total contrast to this cute appearance'

"What's your name ? "

"Ah...what?",she was suddenly pulled out of her day dreaming and for a second , didn't get what she was asked.

"Your name , I said," Riddle replied .

"I'm..."

She felt awkward taking for too long to anwser such a childish question so decided to take advantage of it

"Don't you know the appropriate way to ask for a lady's name ? " , she tried to sound as mature as possible

"If it's a "lady" who has stepped into my property , I think this way's appropriate enough, "

He got (y/n) in that point so there was no need to be offended

"It's....(y/n)," she mumbled slowly , giving him a look as an expect of his name .

He smiled at your name and stepped closer to you: " I'm Riddle , pleasure to meet you ,(y/n) "

He patiently brought you his hand to shake it .

" Pleasure to meet you to , Riddle "

The ironic atmosphere now seemed to be gone , even the forest didn't feel as dark and cold as a few seconds ago .

" Well well , (y/n) . I'm not gonna be off with your head but I'm not gonna let you pass like nothing has happened either ," he said holding a smirk .

His was still teasing her , but she were getting used to his cringy attitude . 'Perhaps he isn't that bad after all , ' she thought .

"And now ? What are "you" going to do to me ? Trial me in a court or push me into a rabbit hole ?" you asked with a playful tone , not minding to tease him back a little bit .

Riddle's smile disappeared , making him break eye contact with you . This wasn't the anwser he was expecting .

He took a quick look around before having his eye caught on something .

A small grin appeared upon his lips : " Neither , I've got a better idea,"

"Huh?" she asked , raising an eyebrow

'God , this boy is taking a joke seriously ,maybe I should've explained better...'

"Paint them red , all of them ," he said pointing to rose bushes surrounding them .

"Paint what....?" , she asked , still unsure if it was another joke .

"This area's surrounded by white roses . Queen of hearts would've been really disappointed if she were here , wouldn't she? She probably would've wanted them all...red "

(y/n) Couldn't really get if he was kidding or not but she found not the smallest of sense of humor into his solid tune .

She sighed , asking : " Okay , how should I be coloring them , then ? "

"Use those," Riddle ordered , pointing to back of you .

You returned to see a paint can with a paint brush on it . It took her a few minutes to stop watching since it seemed pretty odd to her. 'They weren't there before...' she thought.

"If I lose my temper , you lose head girl . So be fast." Riddle warned her ; not that (y/n) was taking him seriously though...not yet

(y/n) bowed down to pick the brush and paint can . She trembled a bit when her hand firstly touched thr can's unexpectedly cold fuselage. She pulled it up , trying to open it

" why doesn't it open ?" she mumbled while struggling with the can , trying to open it . 'Just how hard has this thing been sealed ?!' she held it between her thigh dragging it's door with all her power left in her fist .

" Ouch-! "

She managed to catch the can before having all the color spilled , that was close . She sat once again at the dirty , wet ground ; staring at the half empty , opened can . She then realised red color on her finger .

"You had your finger cut by just opening a can? " , Riddle questioned .

'How long has he been standing there ?' she thought , realizing how close he was to her now .

You rose your head to find Riddle staring at you , arms crossed and eyes a little bit widened .

"Here , take my hand," he said offering you his hand . She held his hand , expecting him to pull it and helo her stand up , but he did nothing but to hold her hand , making have to raise using her only one hand . She relied her hand on the earth , feeling the wet soil and small rocks within her fingers. With one push , she stood up , slightly pulling her hand from Riddle's , but he didn't let go . He wasn't looking into her face , yet he was staring at her finger , which was covered in dirt and small sight of blood .

"Can you , let go of my hand?" (y/n) asked uncomfortably , she didn't really enjoy the way he was starting at her finger.

Riddle silently rose his head and locked eyes with her : " Are you gonna waste that ?"

"Waste what...?"

" Your blood ,"

(y/n) stood blank at the anwser , more from how calm and serious it was said . She uncomfortably tried to free her hand from his fist : " What do you mean by wasting my-"

She didn't get to continue as Riddle pulled her hand with him , almost making her fall . He brings himself closer to the rose bushes , pulling (y/n) with him .

"Hey ! what are you-," she protested ; not that Riddle was actually listening.

Riddle pulls her closer to the white bushes , letting go of her hand and holding her finger instead .

"Right there..." he lowly whispered , holding her finger with one hand while putting the other on her waist , slightly making (y/n) bow down , her face too close to touch the thorns.

He gently brings her finger closer to a rose , softly putting it on a petal as if your finger was kissing it . He slowly moves her finger to spread the color , turning the lifeless white to a deep , glossy red . (Y/n) could feel his warm breathes upon her neck , along with the sound of his heart beating at her back :

All so calm and gentle , followed by an organized rhythm coming one after one , never in a hurry....

He continued to paint the roses with your blood ; until your finger gets too dry to be used . He carefully pulls her finger back , makimg sure that it won't be touched by any thorns , then pulling back all her body from the roses .

Riddle suddenly let go of her hand a body , making (y/n) lose balance for a second .

"Fine then , get to your work . They aren't gonna be colored on their own," he mumbled , clearing his throat . (y/n) sighed again . The gentle and calm painter holding her tightly before was now gone . The strict ruler of forest was back . But why did he have to turn away ?As he was turning his head from her , was that , blush she saw upon his pale cheeks ?

"Get to work . We haven't got all day " he ordered .

Well at least , this Riddle made more sense than the one which...which was there a few minutes ago or whatever-

Quickly , (y/n) picked up the brush and can , not wanting Riddle to be mad at her again.

If she were trying to be honest , she must have admitted that it wasn't too bad being ordered around by the redhead . He seemed to have his own childish trends along with his cold, strict personality . Also , she did agree that she found him cute .

It was not only because of his naturally rare hair color together with his chubby cheeks and silver eyes , but she was also attracted to his ,well, dramatical side . She could still feel his slender fingers on her waist ; so soft and gentle , yet strong . (Y/n) wasn't sure why , but she felt attached to those very few seconds . As a child , she might've considered those "moments" as part of her romantic fantasies , until the day she finds her own prince charming holding her close and gentle ; showing her a true happy ending and making her finally believe in fairy tales ; to have a happy ending .

Ah but how wrong she was...

Both about those seductive minutes and fairy tales

♦♦♦♦

"Enough"

(y/n) was unexpectedly stopped . 'What's the matter? There are still half of the bushes left ,' she thoughtv. What was wrong ? Wasn't he satisfied with the color or hadn't she colored them properly ? Could that be her wasting too much color on each rose ? She didn't know-

Hundreds of thoughts scaped her mind in a matter of seconds as she tried to find out what might've dissatisfied Riddle : " Um , anything wrong ?"

"Hm , should it be ?" he replied . A small grin started to appear on his lips as he got closer to rose bushes , checking their each and every detail from petals to leaves. "Well I can't deny it , I'm impressed ," he said , cutting a flower from its bush : " The color's solid and well spreaded , neither too tender nor too thick , it's just like a glacier of ice covering the petals , " He steps toward you , not taking his eyes off the flower for even a second . He brushes his finger upon the petals , careful not to ruin or harm them : " Eventhough it's colored , I can still feel it's softness under my fingers . Most of the flowers turn rough and scaly with color on them..."

He continues to explore each and every detail left on the flower , making (y/n) more and more attached . She could even say that this made her admire Riddle as he was , such a patient and accuracy wasn't something you'd get to see everyday , he did surely have an eye for detail . Each and every reply from him seemed like a million to her , making her want more of it . Before she could've realized , Riddle was now really close to her . With now their breathes meeting , it was just a few inches away . (y/n) moved her eyes from the ground to the rose and then , from the rose to Riddle's eyes . Suddenly she feels butterflies in his stomach , making her gulp and hold her breathe .

"Nice job done , (y/n)"

(y/n) could feel blood rushing to her cheeks again time but it was greater this time , making her face sweat a bit .

Riddle didn't move an eyebrow , he simply kept watching ; again . (y/n) Found his gaze a bit uncomfortable , deciding to bring on a subject to wreck this unsettling silence : " Shall I paint these last ones as well?" she said , pointing to the roses behind your back with your paintbrush ; still wet in red .

"Indeed , " Riddle nodded .

"But not today"

Once again , he turns to بوته ها , slowly moving his hand above the roses as he walked , giving his movement a soft , yet organized , rhythm .

"It's starting to get dark already , it would be such a pitty if you lost your way through the woods , wouldn't it ?"

His words made (y/n) recognize how fast time had passed : She'd got there a while after the sunrise and now it was... What time was it ? 6 ? 7 ? She couldn't tell .

She looked up to the grayish sky ; now all covered in dark clouds . She couldn't quite keep her eyes open as wind started to blew , getting soil and dust into her eyes and making all trees and bushes shake heavily . She could hear crows cawing as they all flew away , filling the sky with portraits of wandering shadows .

Riddle came to you , not being the least affected by the unsettling atmosphere :

"30 days "

You thought that you must have misheard him through that thunder of sounds , but there was no mistake . He was speaking loud and clear

"You'll be returning herr in 30 days , one month . I'd be waiting here . Don't be late , miss (y/n) ,"

(y/n) didn't know how to reply , so wasn't she going to paint the rest till then ? Was he trying to tease her even more by making this game last for another month or... she was being invited to an actual tea party ?

(y/n) didn't get to anwser as a flash of lightning brightened the sky , making her let out a silent scream . She just quickly shook her head as an okay and started to run out of the place. At the moment , (y/n) didn't get why she agreed to such a nonsense. But soon it came clear that it wasn't a request ;

it was an order.

And all she could do was showing her obedience toward the redhead , even if it didn't make any sense.

As she was panting heavily trying to find her way within endless trees and wild winds , her minb was running toward the silver eyed boy . His words , his gaze , his eyes , he surely was much of a riddle after all... a complicated one of course .

But...

There was something about him that busied her mind :

~"You'll be returning to me in 30 days , one month . I'd be waiting here for you to come . Don't be late for the non-birthday party , miss (y/n)"~

His voice echoed through her head , making her smile . She couldn't deny being hyped for the next time they met and getting to know this new friend of her better . There were hundreds of questions popping in her mind already , giving her a sense of curiosity and excitement .

♥♥♥♥

Days flew away and before she could've imagined , (y/n) was standing again within the treeless area , but not quite the same as the last time :

(y/n) Could feel the smell of steamed tea combined with softness of sweet vanilla , then having it even better with a mild scent of fresh flowers through the air .

Table looked... different now . Broken teapots were replaced with classic , florid ones and previously dirty , gray tablecloth was white and tiddy . Empty plates and dishes were filled with colorful shortcakes , sandwiches , marshmallows and other eye-catching desserts .

She couldn't help but to hold tip of her dress bowing down in respect of her host's hospitality , who has been watching her for minutes now .

" 2 minutes late , any excuses ?" , Riddle said coming out of the shadows, holding a clock in his hand .

"Almost lost my way though the woods , that's why ," (y/n) said . Trying to seem as polite as possible ; in contrast to her last time .

Riddle sighed , definitely not even a bit satisfied with the anwser . But he wasn't really fascinated either since it was (y/n) they were talking about .

"Anyways , let's not delay the party anymore . May I ? " , he said , genty holding his hand to her with a soft smile . ' He can really be much of a gentleman sometimes ' , she thought . Riddle patiently leads her to the other side of table , pulling the chair for hair to sit . " What a gentleman ," (y/n) smirked , taking her seat . Riddle sat at the other side of table , locking eyes with her . " And now , let the non-birthday party begin ! Happy non-birthday to you (y/n) ! " Riddle says cheerfully , rising his tea cup . (y/n) giggled softly , taking her own tea cup , this was going to be long day...

" Happy non-birthday to you too , Riddle !"

♪♪♪♪

"Enough for today "

'Again..?', (y/n) thought . She stood up to see the amount of roses done with coloring : a quarter of them were still left... she'd just painted half of what was left from the other time . "Um...I can finish them toda-"

"No," Riddle cut her off : "It's already pretty late . I don't want you getting lost ."

"It's not that la-" she recognized how late it really was by looking at the sky . How did it pass so fast ? Perhaps it was because of how much they talked while having a... non-birthday party. She couldn't feel time passing at all .

" So...when should I be back for...the rest of them ?"

Riddle smiled at your question , more because of seeing you willing for a next time .

"30 days , one month . Don't be late..."

(y/n) smiled slowly taking her way to the woods . Just before getting to far from Riddle to see , she turned back gently bowing down : " Thanks for the tea , Riddle "

Riddle just shook a head as a you're welcome , but that was enough for (y/n) . She'd never expected him to be this hospitable with her , and that was already more than enough for her .

On her way back , something was stock in her mind again : Was she really going to finish the roses next time or would it end up with one eighth of them left ? Or was the redhead afraid of not seeing her again if this little game of him didn't continue ? Come to think of it , they all seemed cute to young , naive (y/n) , cheerful about her new friend.

But there were other consequences as well she didn't notice at the time

The new roses growing after their monthly duration was just one of them...

♦♥♠♣

Tagging : @yandere-romanticaa @roaringyouth @tsuisute @yandere-wishes @yandere-of-your-dreams @ghostiebabey @twst-soul @kanaverni @twistedlymad ♥

[addictofsupernatural]

Spidey Senses (pt. 4)

Peter Parker x reader

Summary: You and your friends prepare to go to a costume party, and Peter has conflicting feelings.

Word Count: 2917

Chapter 1 • Chapter 3 • Chapter 5

Peter stayed up at night thinking about you. He couldn't explain it. You were the only one on his mind for some unexplainable reason. The hotel room was the first time in a while you two slept together, and it was different from how he remembered. It didn't feel like sleeping in the same room with a sister that he slightly remembered as a kid. It made him feel weird.

You were so warm. You had your natural smell you always had, but it smelled a lot better than he remembered. A lot more calming. He could sense your happiness at full prime, and your sad ones too. You had a lot of happy emotions earlier this day, both in the hotel room and during the fight. It was hard to describe, but spending the day with you made him feel so warm.

And you and Tony's friendship. Peter did always love your sarcastic side, and he was so proud of you for showing it to Tony. You were so awesome. He's always thought you were awesome. So why did you feel different right now?

You were weirdly a lot prettier in his mind. His spidey sense was buzzing around you. He felt happy when you laughed. The feeling was still lingering by just thinking about it. And when you had your nightmare, he felt almost in physical pain himself.

Maybe it's just your spidey senses clashing with each other. Maybe it's the puberty kicking in? It's probably nothing. He just needs to go to sleep... Anytime now...

The next morning Peter ate his breakfast in a daze. "What's wrong Peter?" Aunt May asked. You're all spaced out."

"I don't know. Just thinking."

"Uh oh." She teased as he sat down. "About what? That Liz girl?"

"No. Y/n actually." He didn't realize how misleading that came out.

"Well finally. I was wondering when you'd realize your feelings for her."

"What?! Aunt May, no! That's not what I meant at all."

"Oh." She blankly said. "Then forget everything I just said. Have a nice day at school."

Meanwhile, you woke up back in your empty apartment with no excitement. As you ate your breakfast in silence, you felt like an idiot. How could you be so rude to Tony Stark? He was being nice in his own way. What the hell is wrong with you?

Your landlord then knocked on your door, giving you a huge suitcase and telling you that it was left for you by someone named Happy. You thanked him and opened it. It was clothing. A bunch of nice, expensive looking clothing. They were weirdly your style; they weren't flashy and didn't show off any brands. There was a card as well.

Hey kid. I might've came across as a rich jerk. That's not what I meant to be. Here's a little something so you don't look homeless. You're welcome. Also, here's Happy's number. Xxx-xxx-xxxx. Don't still be mad at me. Nobody likes a petty person. And besides, you're my favorite "other kid". Keep in touch. -TS

You smiled and put on a pair of clothes, texting Happy to thank Tony and for Happy to keep you posted about Tony and him.

You then walked to Peter's, waiting on the steps as usual. You smiled when he stepped out, and to your surprise, he just began to walk straight ahead instead of saying anything. "Woah, Peter wait up. You okay?"

"Uh, yeah. Think so." He only gave you a glance.

"If you wanna talk, you know I'm all ears." You offered, and he took another glance at your beautiful smile, only making him more nervous.

"No, no it's okay. I'm okay."

"Oh." You quietly said. He was being so weird to you. Why wouldn't he look at you? "I didn't do anything, did I?"

"No!" He said too quickly.

"You can be honest with me Peter. I hope you know that." You only looked down, and he held his gaze to you for the first time today. "I'm really sorry if I did something. I just hope we can fix it so things won't be weird."

"What? No, I swear you don't need to worry. It's really not you. It's me. I'm... Going through puberty. Seeing things and people, uh, differently. Sorry if I'm being weird." His voice cracked on the word weird.

You giggled. "Oh. That's totally okay. I wonder if your spidey senses are out of wack from it."

"My what?"

"Your spidey senses. That's what I'm calling it. Aunt May calls it something else though, I just forgot what."

"No, you don't need to repeat what she calls it!"

You were genuinely curious. "Why not? Maybe it's a better name for us to—"

"I'm not letting you call it that!" He cut you off. Peter would be damned if you called your instinctive feelings your Peter Tingle. "I like spidey senses. It's cool and cute. Now what do you mean by it being out of wack?"

You figured if Aunt May's nickname for your sixth sense was truly that embarrassing for him then he wouldn't tell you, so you just dropped it.

"I was just wondering if your powers gets affected by puberty."

"How, how did you deal with puberty and your powers?"

"Oh, I started my period long before the spider bite. That could've been so sucky." He made a face, and you chuckled. "Right, no p word. Sorry."

"It's fine. Just don't want to think about it."

You sighed. "Me neither. I wish I had that option."

He smiled as his eyes drifted towards your clothes. "Did Mr. Stark get you those?"

You looked down at your outfit. "Yeah actually. I guess I didn't scare him off after all."

"I guess not." You nudged each other's arm to tease. "I have the check he made to you. I think you should take it. It could make him happy."

"Yeah, okay. Thanks Peter. You always have my back."

As he stared at your smile and sensed your happiness, he had that weird feeling in him again. What was it? It didn't matter. Peter was going to push away those feelings and focus on school, Liz, and Spiderman.

Later on that day you got a text from Happy, saying that Tony accepts your apology, and to fill in on what's going on once a week for him and Tony. You did, and you could tell he cared. He would sometimes tell you a little something about his day or week. He was indeed becoming a good friend.

A few months passed and you and Peter adjusted to your new superhero lives well together. You and Happy texted each other at least once a week, and gave Peter Happy's number out of request. Tony was given information Happy thought he should know, and Tony was secretly happy to be hearing about how well you and Peter were doing. It made him feel like he was protecting you two from a distance.

One day at lunch Flash came up to you and began to gross you out yet again. "Hey girl, what're you doing next Friday night?"

"I don't know. I might take an extra shift at work. Not everybody has a silver spoon down their throats." You had a hint of annoyance to your words.

"Are you saying you need someone like me to take care of you?"

"I'm saying I might have to work because I actually earn the things I get in life Flash."

"Well not when you're someone like me you doesn't really have to worry about working hard on things. It comes naturally." He leaned on the table and shoved away Peter's backpack that was a seat holder, causing you to throw him a dirty look.

"What were you going to ask me Flash?" You kept your voice calm.

"Just wanted to know if you were coming to my party next Friday. Y'know, maybe show up to see me."

"I would never go anywhere to see you Flash."

"C'mon, I'm rich, you got a nice body, let's make other people jealous. I can make some dreams come true. It's not like you don't need the money."

"You didn't even care that I existed until a few months ago." You glared at him. This was a proper asshole. Now you knew.

"That's because it was when you started wearing better clothes. Now that I know there's a hottie under all that nerd, I can get behind it."

"The answer is no. Leave me alone!" You said a little more forcefully. People were beginning to stare, and Flash's face became red. No one said no to him.

"Okay, what's it gonna take to get you there?" He leaned in and asked quietly.

"Is anyone from Mathletes gonna come?"

"Yeah. I invited Liz and she told some other people in the club to come."

"Then I'll only go if I can bring Ned and Peter."

He scoffed. "Yeah, I guess."

"Okay then. We'll be there." He sighed in relief. Nobody says no to him, and still haven't.

Your annoyed expression forced itself to a barely there smile when Peter and Ned walked to your table. "Why was Flash talking to you?" Ned asked.

"I guess we're going to a party next Friday." Peter looked confused while Ned couldn't be more happy.

"Oh my God We can be, like, cool now!"

"Why would you say yes to a party from Flash?" Peter asked.

"Liz will be there." Peter's body language changed. "It's a costume party, so you guys find yourselves something to wear."

"You say it like your not going." Peter said, slightly disappointed.

"I'll probably go to make an appearance and leave." You said as you stared at your school food.

"But it won't be the same without you." Peter frowned and shook his head.

"Peter's actually pretty true about that." Ned contently nodded.

"I just don't want to go there. That's it."

"Why are you short today?" Peter blankly asked. What's wrong?"

"Nothing." You said. You then got up and dumped your food in the trash. "I'm gonna go to the restroom. Bye."

As you quickly walked off, Mj spoke up from the other end of the table. "You two are idiots."

"What did we do?" Ned sceptically asked.

"It's what Flash did. It's obvious that he said something to make her feel like crap. When is he not a rich narcissist?" Peter shot up and quickly went after you by hearing that.

"He's an even bigger idiot." Mj said.

"Yeah, but he'll figure it out someday." Ned shrugged, getting up and going after you too.

You got to the bathroom and put a bunch of paper towels on the corner of the floor. You set your backpack on the floor and sat down. You take out your phone and send a text to Happy, not really knowing who else to talk to. You usually only text him to give each other check ups, rarely actually communicating back and forth.

You: What do you do when a rich asshole makes you feel like you're worth shit?

You stared at your phone and scoffed. Don't be stupid. He's busy. You put your head in your knees. Why do people still get to you? Liz has a ton of money. You wondered if she ever had anything to be ashamed about.

People only started looking at you once you started wearing the clothes Tony got you. Most weren't even revealing at all, they just looked expensive. This was a different feeling. You used to feel ugly and invisible. Now you just feel like a piece of meat. You couldn't tell which feeling was worse. You then heard a buzz.

Bestie: What's his name? I swear I can scare the living crap out of him.

You smiled. He did care. You then saw another message.

Bestie: Also watch your language

You giggled.

You: You didn't answer my question

Bestie: Sometimes you just have to be the bigger person. Once they realize who's actually better, you get both their pride and your better life.

Looks like you really did have a friend.

You: Thanks Happy

Bestie: You didn't answer my question

You grinned.

You: Just some guy at school

You: Doesn't matter

You: I feel better now

Bestie: Good

Bestie: And I don't care what you say, Tony's going to be hearing about this.

You: Ugh traitor

It was embarrassing, but it wasn't like Tony would actually do anything. It's not like he'd drop everything and fly out here. He's a busy man, he's got more to worry about than you being bullied.

"Y/n, are you in there?" Peter asked from the other side of the door.

"We came to see if you were okay." Ned chimed in. You got up and went outside, looking at them confused. "I had to convince Peter not to barge in. I think those two girls passing by think we're creeps now."

"Aww you guys looked like peepers for me?" You pulled them in for a group hug. "I'm fine now. Thanks though."

Ned then spoke up again. "Are you still gonna leave us at the party? Cause we totally understand if–"

"If you guys want me to go, I'll go." They both hugged you again.

After school you walked to Delmar's Deli-Grocery. "Hey Del."

"Llegas una hora antes prima. No te pago horas extras." He said, his back turned.

("You're an hour early cousin. I'm not paying you overtime." He said, his back turned.)

"Relax primo, I'm just gonna do some homework in the back before my shift."

As you did, Delmar called for you. "Prima, someone's here to see you."

"Who is it, Peter?" You asked as you walked out. You then saw Tony stare at you with an unreadable face. "Damnit."

"Why does he call you that?"

"What?"

"Primuh– whatever. Why does he call you that?"

"It's a nickname."

"What does it mean?"

"It means cousin."

"So you two are related?"

"No, we're just that close."

"Can I call you that?"

"Can you pronounce it correctly?"

"Ouch."

"So what's up Mr. Stark."

"I thought it was just Tony."

"I don't know. It's a little unprofessional."

"Do we only have a professional friendship?"

"Are we even friends?"

"You tell me. You stole Happy from me apparently."

"Aye, it's like a mom's new boyfriend trying to get her kid's trust." Delmar said in the back.

"Little loud back there Del." You said.

"Happy told me about this kid. Does he mess with you a lot?"

"He messes with Peter more."

"You didn't answer me."

"Yeah, maybe. Is that really why you came out here?"

He furrowed his brows. "Is that hard to believe?"

"Um, yeah?"

"I've seen a ton of bullies as Iron Man, and I take things like this seriously."

You let out a breathy chuckle. "Tony that's war fare and alien stuff. This is just highschool."

"So? I don't take kindly to people who mess with my friends."

You couldn't stop the smile from coming to your face. Did you really just make friends with some important middle aged men? The thought was laughable. "So, will that be all Mr. Stark?"

"You know I don't like that. Stop." You giggled. "You didn't tell Happy what was going on with you this week."

You shrugged. "I guess I'm going to a costume party next Friday. It's gonna be at the ass wipe's house."

"See, I can do something about that. Okay, I got a date with Pep in a few hours so I'll see you and Peter tomorrow."

"Wait what? Why?"

"Um, so you two can get into costume design and later fitting? Whoever that kid is will be jealous of your costume, and you get to wear a cute couple costume with Peter."

"Happy told me I should just be the bigger person." You teased.

"Yeah, and you will be by being the better dressed person." He smiled at you.

"I knew you had a crush on Peter." Delmar said at the counter. You gave him a dirty look. He glanced at his watch. "You're 2 minutes late. Hurry up."

"Alright, that's my cue." Tony said. "Nice clothes by the way."

"Thanks." You said cheerfully. "My friend gave them to me."

"Wow he had good taste. Well, see you tomorrow kid." And with that he left.

You went to the back and caught the apron Delmar harshly threw at you. He gave you an intense stare. "What?"

"What the hell is wrong with you? Why would you take a job like this when you're hanging around billionaires?"

"I like this job. And I'm not a gold digger. He's just really persistent and there's no point of arguing."

"I should fire you for arguing with me so much." He called out.

"Keep it up and I'll stop covering some of your shifts."

"Mmh." He rolled his eyes and you contently smiled, starting work.

Later on that night you suited up, going to Peter's apartment and crawling up to his window. You opened it and crawled on the wall, closing the window. You hopped to the floor and pulled off your mask. "Peter, we need to talk. Tony just saw me today and–"

You stared face to face with a panic looking Peter in his boxers and a surprised Ned.

---

Author Note: Just so everybody knows this is my own au where Peter accidentally sent the video of you two to May and had a very interesting phone call with the both of you. I totally forgot to write this and just wrote this message after I posted this chapter. Maybe I'll make a little short of that idk.

---

Tag List:

@flawlessapollo6 @them-cute-boys @lunawndrlnd @the-greatt-perhaps @babebenhardy @sofisofi1602 @smilexcaptainx @herondalism @coni-martina @youvebeenlizzed

[sauveteen]

3.25 Year Anniversary | s.m

"You're really trying to lie with your face all red like that?"

"But I swear I'm not lying!" Is what Shawn claims, but the way he's biting down on his lip to hide his painfully obvious smile tells you something completely different. Your boyfriend's cheeks are stained red — and by stained, you don't mean the soft, rosy blush he gets after a cold day out or a heated makeout session. You're talking tomato, crimson, I-look-like-I-took-a-snowball-to-the-face red. The kind of blush you've only seen on him when he's a) lying, or b) ecstatic.

Something — more specifically, the twinkle in his tired eyes — tells you that the current reason for his expression is a mix between the two.

You hum, a lame attempt to humour him. Placing your bag on the counter, you hold your hand out, "Can I at least see?"

It takes a little convincing and a lot of pecks for him to finally place his hand in yours, an angry gash cutting across his palm. Wincing, you immediately twist towards the shelf that holds your first aid box, but Shawn's grip on your waist anchors you there.

"I've cleaned it already. I'm stupid, but not that stupid, you know?"

"What about a bandage?"

"We're all out. Shouldn't have used them to wrap me a birthday present, don't you think?" His grin is wide, and voice teasing, so you can't help but join in on his mirth. Giggling softly, you tuck your hair behind your ear, bringing his hand up to your palm to press soft, butterfly kisses against his wound. He sighs, contended, and pulls you in by his other hand. Dropping a kiss to the top of your head, Shawn lets his fingers tangle into your hair. You hum against his chest, the warmth from his knitted sweater pressing into your cheek.

"I just don't get it, though..," Belatedly, you pull away, "So you're saying you got that while washing dishes?"

"Yes, hunny. I've told you like ten times already."

"But Shawn... we have a dishwasher."

"And?" Shawn presses impatiently, hurriedly trying to pull you back in. You resist, however, leaning away from his touch.

"And you hate doing the dishes."

"I just wanted to do something nice for you!"

"Are you sure?" You purse your lips, gaze falling to his cut hand, "You sure you're good?"

"Yes, yes, yes," Shawn places his hands on your face, pulling your face upwards to press a sweet kiss against your lips, "How can I not be good when my second favourite girl in the world is here with me?"

Your eyes narrow in suspicion, "Second favourite, huh?"

"First is Beyoncé. Always. Sorry, babe, you're gonna have to do a little more than be cute to top Queen B."

"Queen B doesn't take care of your annoying morning wood every morning, does she?"

"I mean, yeah," Shawn tilts his head to the side, a little smirk gracing his features, "But she's not the one who causes it either, soo.."

You chuckle, swatting his chest with the back of your hand before moving underneath his arms and out of his grip. A soft whine of protest follows you as you pad around the kitchen, Shawn's doe-like eyes watching your every moment. You breathe a sigh of relief once your hair cascades down your shoulders, placing your scrunchie on the island. Proceeding to take off your heels, you chuck them towards the living room, telling yourself you'd bother with those later. Coming home to the sight of your boyfriend tumbling around clumsily in the kitchen had been contending, but you can now slowly feel the tiredness of the day weighing in your shoulders. Making your way back to him, you place your hand on Shawn's face, leaning up to kiss the corner of his mouth.

"I'll go get changed, 'kay?"

Shawn answers with a nod, but his movements are too practiced. Rehearsed, almost. You try not to let yourself be bothered by his antics, making your way over to the living room. The sight that greets you has you gasping audibly, hands flying to your mouth to hide your surprise. Turning back to see Shawn casually leaning against the doorframe, a shit eating grin on his face, hands shoved into the pockets of his jeans.

"This—I— what?" You manage to stutter, stealing glances at the marvellous spread before you. The entire living room has been decked out in candles, a massive blanket fort stretching from the beginning of the hall to the doors leading to the balcony. Your mind is screaming three things — one, oh my God this is a big safety hazard, two, Jesus Christ that must've taken a shit load of time, and three (and this one you say aloud), "What?"

Shawn's making his way over to you, patting himself on the back for his stealthy trick that had distracted you into completely avoiding the living room earlier. He had wanted to see your expression, more than he wanted you to enjoy the actual setup itself. What Shawn needed was to gauge the look on your face as you took in the hardwork he had put into your surprise, the amount of time he had spent lighting and blowing candles. Because sometimes — sometimes words fell short to describe his love for you. Sometimes he had to go all out.

And you loved him to death for it.

"Happy three point two five year anniversary!" Shawn announces giddily, placing his hands on your waist, slightly lifting you off the ground. His happiness is so damn contagious that you're joining in on his laughter not long after, your hands on his shoulders as he twirls you around. When Shawn finally sets you back down, the both of you stumble for a few moments, unable to find your grip on the ground.

You hold his arm to steady yourself, eyes mapping the layout behind you, "Shawn, baby, I love you so much — but you know a quarter of an anniversary is not a real thing, right?"

"I knew you've had a long month and were shit booked with meetings today. Just wanted to do something nice for mon amour. What, I can't celebrate my love for you anymore? Rude!" Shawn looks genuinely hurt, bottom lip jutted out. Before you can apologise and convince him of your happiness, however, his face breaks out into a grin, "Just kidding! Ha! Got you, bitch."

"You're a baby."

"What did you say?" Shawn tips his head forward, his ear turned towards your face, "I'm your baby? Yeah, sounds about right."

You're too busy staring at the candles to send another retort his way, your hand intertwining with his again. Eyes dancing with love for the boy you so luckily ended up with. Your finger brushes against his wound, causing him to hiss slightly and for your eyebrows to furrow.

"And this? You didn't get this while washing the dishes, did you?" You slide his palm open again, concerned eyes now flitting between him and his hand. There's a sheepish glow to his face as you wait for him to answer, an eyebrow raised expectantly. When he finally does, you don't know whether you want to laugh or reprimand him for being the most stupid twenty year old you know.

"So I wanted to have wine ready, right?"

"Right.."

"And I don't know how to use that twisty corky thingy, right? You always do that for me."

"Mh—mm."

"So I kinda... sorta... might've used a knife?"

Your eyes are as wide as saucers, lips parting in surprise. Your mouth open and closes, reminding Shawn of a dazed goldfish, but he pinches his lips shut as he waits for your reaction. And then you're screeching, hitting his chest with balled fists, but your laughter seeps into your anger, causing you to giggle between your words.

"You—fucking—dumbass!" You manage to let out, chasing him as he tries running away from you, "You could've killed yourself!"

"But I didn't!"

"But you could've! All over a bottle of wine?"

"I will have you know, though.." Shawn holds up a finger, gripping both your wrists in his giant hand, "That it was a Chateau Pierre de Montignac."

"Oh, thank God," You let out a relieved sigh, "That changes everything."

"It does, doesn't it?" Shawn lets your hands go, "It's like plum—"

"No it doesn't! I don't care what brand it was, Shawn, you could've seriously hurt yourself!"

"But.."

"But..?"

"But I didn't!"

"Shawn!" You exclaim laughing, not finding it within you to be mad at him anymore, "Come on! It's not funny."

"I'm not the one who's laughing, though?"

"I hate you," You mutter, softly shaking your head. The smile on your face says completely otherwise, though. Your arms go around his waist and you press your face against his chest, Shawn's heartbeat thumping softly against your cheek. Allowing your eyes to flutter close as you breathe him in. He smells like the laundry detergent you fought over in the middle of a grocery store because, apparently, Olives suck ass and he would leave you if he had to use your detergent again. So despite him bullying you into switching detergents, his warmth and presence smells like home.

"A reveleation like that, and on our 3.25 anniversary? Damn, you're really out for blood tonight."

"Shut up and kiss me, idiot."

"Yes ma'am."

taglist: @muffinmendussy @fuckneymar

[lmk if you want to be added to the permanent taglist!]