#only to completely spill her guts a second after that as if in a trance

[catty-words]

[twisted-crumpets]

The soft Vil and kissing headcanons I'm- 😭😭😭😭😭 Could I have headcanons for NRC having a ball and MC just walks up to Riddle, Azul, Vil, Idia and Malleus (seperately ofc) being like "I've decided that you're gonna be my date for the ball 😊". I know I picked like, the 5 worst characters for this, imagine the audacity and guts you gotta have to pull that on Vil and Malleus 😂

Pff MC strolling up with guts of steel

I- Imagine like slamming down a corsage or smth and being like “you, me dance a lil, get to know each other, maybe smooch idk” to Vil 😂😂

Also, thank you very much for liking my Vil headcanons, it made me smile.

━━ Riddle Rosehearts ━━

To say that Riddle wasn’t stressed out of his mind would be a complete and utter lie.

After spending a good chunk of his time dedicated to scolding Ace and chasing Floyd the poor crimson leader was staring at his watch, panicking as the seconds tick by.

Hearing soft footsteps, he whipped his head ready to berate whoever was dawdling in the dorms and not laying out the table for the upcoming unbirthday party, but froze upon the sight of his darling.

“Oh! Love, I’m sorry you have caught me at a bit of a bad time. What is the reason for your visit?”

He was not at all prepared for his darling to demand his presence at the school ball and couldn’t help but splutter as his face slowly began to turn into a shade that could rival his hair.

“I- you... do you have any sense of decorum or poise?”

Ignoring the blush smeared across his cheeks, Riddle began to criticise the “invitation” and how it did not comply with the rules of the queen of hearts.

However, he soon quietened down when his love teasingly asked if that meant he was rejecting them, reducing the strict dorm leader into a flustered mess.

“That most certainly was not a no!... I just, I believed that we were automatically going to arrive together... I didn’t expect to be asked so abruptly.... I... let me try this again.”

Clearing his throat, Riddle knelt onto the ground, surprising the dorm members who were slowly filing into the room, sweetly holding onto his dearest’s hand.

“Darling, it would be the upmost honour of the highest degree to accompany you to the ball.”

Laying a kiss onto the back of their hand, he couldn’t hide the smirk beginning to grow onto his face as he amusedly watched their face grow as brightly as his own.

━━ Azul Ashengrotto ━━

Due to the rise in contracts during the exam season, Azul’s paperwork began to increase as well and the poor octopus could already feel every part of his back creak in protest everytime he leant down.

Opening the heavy door to his study, his darling was not surprised that he barely even looked their way before pressing his nose against his documents, scanning their contents tiredly.

Attempting to gain his focus, his darling decided to demand that he join them at the ball.

His response was lacklustre at best, not even taking his eyes off his his work to reply.

“Hm? Ah yes, of course my treasure.”

Suddenly, his quill paused in its journey across his contracts and he froze, dropping it against the pristine desk.

At first, his response was “hmmm? Ah yes of course, my treasure.”

That was until, the demand finally processed in his mind, then he just stood wide eyed and froze, dropping his quill.

He gasped at his darling, his azure eyes getting increasingly smaller in shock.

After a few minutes, his darling was finally able to call his name through their giggles, and he snapped back to life.

“Oh my angelfish~ what a tempting command. But, I can only make wishes come true if they are a request.”

Smiling coyly, he observed his darling floundering for the proper words to ask him.

Crooking a gloved finger, he beckoned them closer, mischief practically glowing in his eyes, and gently pulled them into a slow kiss.

“That is a deal I could simply not turn down. Alright, I will gladly join you, my pearl.”

━━ Vil Shoenheit ━━

As a deep lover of all things intricate and organised, this was nothing short of messy.

Fabrics ranging in colour, texture and pattern covered every inch of his room, and Vil was extremely critical of which would be worthy to be used to decorate the dorm room.

He revelled the peaceful silence that lingered in the room, which demanded complete and utter focus, until his darling came barrelling into the room.

“Ah! Fairest no! You could’ve sullied the fabrics... whatever possessed you to come stumbling in like an elephant better be of high importance.”

Returning to his work, he did not expect shaky warm hands to cup his face, and he slowly moved his gaze to their face, observing the rosey flush due to their exercise prior.

In a shocked trance, Vil watched as his darling bolted from the room, after loudly proclaiming that he was coming with her to the ball.

Snapping his manicured fingers, his poor love was dragged like a sack of potatoes over the shoulder of his loyal huntsman, who overheard the events that unfolded with a wide grin.

“My dear, whilst your confession was executed rather... uniquely, I believe I must be the one to give an answer on whether or not I shall attend with you.”

With a cat-like smile, he basked in the nervous gaze of his darling which bounced around the room, whilst he pretended to find his nails exceedingly interesting, before finally accepting with sophisticated air.

Striding up to his darling briskly to tenderly cradle their face, peppering sweet kisses and giggling at the look of bewilderment and shock that graced their face.

━━ Idia Shroud ━━

Finding Idia furiously slamming his fingers into his keyboard, fully enamoured with the happenings on his computer, was not new.

Observing his hunched and focused figure, his darling decided that it was due time for him to take a break and attempted to tear his eyes away from the harsh glare of the screen.

“Oh pixel, I promise I will stop right after this round don’t worry.”

Unfortunately, he couldn’t even press a single key when he heard his lover announce that he would be attended the ball alongside them.

Turning a blind eye to the blatant ‘game over’ on his monitor, Idia’s hair began to burn a vibrant assortment of deep reds and he muttered incomprehensible half sentences, his current state akin to a phone after being dropped into a pool.

“You... me... public... together... d..dancing..”

Like a mouse, he burrowed his way inside the cozy depths of his hoodie, squeaking out his agreement, before flinging his arms around their middle and smooshing his face into their stomach in an attempt to distract them from his vermillion hair and face.

“.. I would love that very much thank you.”

 ━━ Malleus Draconia ━━

For Malleus, midnight strolls are the highlight of his day.

From exploring the picturesque ruins of castles he might’ve known once upon a time, to marvelling at the loyal gargoyles that remain standing guard at the entrance, that frequently remind him of the two guards of his back at his dorm.

Although, he couldn’t deny that, the main reason for his enjoyment in his nightly activities was when doing so with his truest love.

On this day, instead of the usual lighthearted air between them, a nervous yet determined one replaced it, filling the horned boy with curiousity, which grew as he gazed deeply into the eyes of his love, who appeared to be summoning every ounce of courage to look back into his.

“Truest, what is ailing you?”

Nothing could quite prepare him for the explosive torrent of words that spilled from their lips that took his brain a whole series of seconds to decipher.

When it finally clicked that he had received that invitation, no one could’ve possibly smiled brighter or laughed merrier than he, as he whisked his beloved into his arms, pressing his lips against theirs passionately.

Pulling away, his chest rumbling with laughter, he cheekily beamed at the dumbfounded expression that graced his love’s features.

“My my, inviting me so suddenly, and with such a demanding tone too. Why this is an interesting declaration, and I would be a fool to not accept. Very well my truest, I accept. You best do well to not be late, I am looking forward to this.”

I’m so sorry this took so long, school said no❤️

I hope you enjoyed your meal!

[little-diable]

Twinkling stars - Harry Styles (smut)

First try at writing for Harry, I hope you guys like it and will request some imagines for this lovely man. Enjoy my loves. xxx

“It’s lovely, innit?” Harry sat down next to her, back pressed against the cold railing of his roof, eyes wandering up to the dark night sky, admiring the mass of stars. “Mhm,” her eyes momentarily wandered over his features, his green eyes twinkled in the faint light, outshining all those stars. “Shouldn’t you be down there?” (Y/n) nodded her chin towards his garden, finding their friends sitting around his pool, giggling about god knows what. 

“They’ll be fine without me,” his calm voice made her shiver, a reaction she was used to by now, after all she already had been around Harry for a few months, still not quite sure, if it had been just a lucky coincidence or one of the worst decisions of her life. She had trusted Anna, trusted her as she told (y/n) about his kind nature, the smile he so naturally carried on his pink lips, appreciating all the people around him. 

But, Anna didn’t tell her how alluring his smile would truly be, didn’t warn (y/n) about the possibility of falling head over heels in love with one of the biggest names in music, didn’t even mention how his touch would make her body tingle for hours on end. 

(Y/n) was well aware that Harry, the Harry Styles, would never truly be interested in her, she wasn’t one of those naturally pretty model faces, of course she was beautiful, but she wasn’t special, at least that was what her inner voice would tell her, every time her mind would dream about being with him. She should have trusted the feeling in her guts, should have stopped accompanying  Anna to his parties, to the events he’d host, but, she simply couldn’t. 

“Don’t think I’ll ever get used to this view,” his head rolled backwards, fully taking in the night sky, a carefree smile danced on his lips, she hummed once again, hoping that she’d find the strength to rip her eyes off him. Harry caught her staring, not truly intending to, deep down he had hoped, that she’d still look at the stars, giving him the opportunity to admire her, like he’d always do. 

A frown was gracing her features, eyebrows knitted together, the line between them seemed to get more prominent, she had been pulled into her confusing thoughts, detesting her heart for betraying her like that, letting itself fall into another heartbreak. Her eyes wandered down his jaw, to his neck, where his necklace hung, (y/n)s finger ghosted over the metal, unconsciously creeping closer. 

Harry gulped, trying to pause his racing thoughts, his heart was rapidly beating, pounding against his ribcage, he could almost feel her breath on his skin, how easy it’d be to dip his head down and finally kiss her. But just as he came up with enough bravery to move closer, (y/n) shook her head, rising from the cold floor, “I’ll have to get up pretty early, should be finding my way home now,” she demonstratively yawned. 

“I’ll walk you down,” Harry grasped her awaiting hand, following her down the steps, the knot in his abdomen seemed to tighten, he didn’t want her to leave, there were too many things he still wanted to say to her. “Do you want me to drive you home?” He shot her a concerned glance, she shouldn’t have to wander through the dark streets around that time, he’d always worry about her, no matter what. 

“’M good, thank you,” (y/n) squeezed his hand, shooting him one last tight smile, that truly didn’t reach her eyes, displaying the raging storm of emotions overtaking her senses. A lump began to form in her throat as she walked through his gate, eyes focused onto her phone screen, his voice began to rumble through her earphones, singing to her, engulfing her on the walk home. 

It took Anna a few days to reach out to (y/n), telling her about Harrys new invitation, he’d play “fine line” to his friends for the first time, after teasing them for months about his new album. “No, I won’t make it,” she chewed on her nails, wrapped up in a big blanket, placed on her sofa, “oh come on, won’t be as much fun without you.” Anna desperately tried to convince her friend, she didn’t hear the pain in (y/n)s voice, didn’t notice her friend struggling, letting her go with a simple “take care”. 

Of course she had wanted to take the invite, (y/n) couldn’t wait for Harry to release his new music, music she’d listen to for hours on end, wondering if he had thought about her, while writing one of his songs. But she’d quickly dismissed the thought, switching her focus onto something else, distracting herself from the name “Harry Styles”. 

Another deep sigh spilled from (y/n)s lips, she was laying on her bed, eyes following the movie, which played on her tv, only getting ripped out of her trance as a knock echoed through her apartment. Her naked feet tapped against her cold floor, hair pulled up into a messy ponytail, “Harry?” He was standing in front of her door, dark green jumper covering his figure. 

“Hi love”, he smiled at her, tentatively stepping into the apartment, he had never been there before, Harry had always wondered what her home would look like. A simple look around was enough for him to fall in love with her four walls. “Why are you here?” It sounded more rude than she had intended, curious eyes watching Harry clear his throat, “you didn’t come.” 

“Oh,” she bit down on her lip, not quite sure what she should tell him, would it be appropriate to simply say “sorry”? (Y/n) stuttered a few words before she gave up, sighing as her eyes momentarily fell close, collecting herself, he’d always have this effect on her senses, letting her drown in his scent, hairs rising as she felt how close he was standing. Harry grasped her chin, tilting it upwards, not giving her any chance to look away. 

Her cheeks were flushed, dilated pupils staring at his tall frame, a few locks fell into his face, projecting a light shadow onto his features. “Love,” Harry mumbled, eyes switching down to her lips, giving into his instincts before he’d find himself overthinking the situation. It took (y/n) a few seconds to react to the kiss, wondering if he was truly kissing her right now, lips moving against hers, arms wandering up her sides, pulling her into his chest. 

He chased her lips, not breaking the kiss once, she didn’t seem as tensed, finally relaxing, giving into his touch. (Y/n) didn’t dare open her eyes as he broke the kiss, heavily breathing, forehead pressed against hers, a chuckle rumbled through him, hands placed against her cheeks. “Do you want to stay?” (Y/n) mumbled against his lips, hoping that he wouldn’t leave just yet, not after overstepping the invisible line between them. 

“Of course,” Harry pecked her lips, following her into her bedroom, eyes finding the movie she had paused before answering the door. “Harry Potter? How fitting,” he chuckled, crawling under the covers, arms wrapped around her, chin placed on top of her head as he tugged (y/n) into his chest. 

The scent of his Tom Ford cologne filled her senses, she’d recognize the luxurious perfume everywhere by now. His fingers danced across the exposed skin of her side, her jumper had risen up just a bit, giving him enough room to glide his fingers over her skin. 

(Y/n) pressed herself further into his chest, she couldn’t truly process what had been happening just moments ago, could still feel his lips against hers, his taste heavy on her tongue. Harrys fingers moved underneath her sweater, her mind was focused on his touch, goosebumps rose on her skin, her thoughts were racing, hopefully he wouldn’t be able to hear her rapidly beating heart.

Just as the credits began to roll, Harry pulled her back in for another kiss, ignoring the buzzing of his phone, ignoring the messages, that kept on flooding in, he couldn’t concentrate on anything, besides (y/n). She crawled into his lap, fully sinking into the kiss, eyes closed at the sensations, no worries clouded her mind, nothing to make her lose her focus, just peace flooding through her veins. 

His green eyes pierced into her (y/e/c) ones, Harry knew, that he wouldn’t be able to stop himself, if he’d kiss her once again, it felt too real, too good. “We don’t have to rush things, love.” The nickname made her shiver, tingles shooting up her spine, his husky voice echoed through the room, hands fumbling with the outlines of her shorts, shuddering at every opportunity he got to explore her skin any further. 

“Don’t want you to stop,” she admitted, voice so silent he had almost missed the words leaving her, (y/n) averted her eyes, focused on his necklace, tracing its shape. Harry tangled his hands in her hair, covers falling from her frame, lips moving in synch with his, expertly he flipped them around, shifting his weight onto one forearm as he hovered above her. “So sweet,” Harry kissed his way down her neck, his left hand moved up her sweater, teasing the fabric of her bra, pinching her clothed nipple. 

A moan fell from her lips, eyes fluttering close, only opening them as he pulled her sweater over her head, exposing her chest to his darkening eyes. “You’re so gorgeous,” he pressed a kiss to the valley between her boobs, slowly pulling her bra straps down, his rings felt cold against her skin, he sucked his lower lip in as he appreciated her naked skin. “Harry.” She breathed out his name, tugging on his locks, he attached his lips to her nipples, sucking and slightly biting on her skin, like he had wanted to do for ages. 

Before Harry made his way down further, he pulled his sweater and shirt over his head, clothes falling off her bed, (y/n)s eyes were ranking up and down his skin, admiring his tattoos, his muscles flexed with every move of his. She traced her fingers down his abs, his skin felt oh so soft underneath her fingertips, “are you sure?” Harrys eyes found hers, hands tugging on her shorts, smiling at the soft “yes” that spilled from her lips. 

The cold air brushed against her exposed skin, she was completely bare, fighting against the will to cover herself up, the adoring look in his eyes was enough to calm her down. “’S that alright?” Harry mumbled, fingers gliding through her wet folds, eyes not leaving hers, even as he dipped his head down, to suck on her clit, he was still holding eye contact. He found himself obsessing over the sight in front of him, she was glowing, chest heavily rising and falling, moans leaving her.

He felt his bulge throbbing against his trousers, desperate to feel her walls around him, aching for her touch. “Harry-” (y/n) panted, “-more.” She didn’t need to explain herself further, he unzipped his trousers, pushed them down his legs, boxers following shortly after. She reached for her bedside drawer, pulling out a condom, eyes falling down to his exposed length, visibly gulping. Her fingers were trembling, pushing the material down his member, coaxing a deep growl out of him. 

His eyes burned through her, waiting for her approval, a sigh left Harry as he parted her folds with his tip, slipping through them a few times, giving (y/n) enough time to overthink the situation, he didn’t want to pressure her into anything. “Stop the teasing Harry,” (y/n) wrapped her legs around his middle, she probably would have chuckled at sight of him smirking down on her, but the sound got stuck in her throat, turning into a high pitched moan. 

Slowly he stretched her walls around him, sinking into her heat, she was aching for him, walls burning as she tried to adjust to his length. Harry pressed a few kisses along her neck, up to her features where he found her lips, distracting her from the pain. “Move, please,” (y/n) begged, sighing in relief as Harry pulled out of her, thrusting into her heat over and over again. The burning sensation soon turned into something more, something deeper, lust was flooding through both of their veins, overtaking their senses. 

“You feel so good, so tight,” Harry blabbed, building up the speed of his thrusts, stretching her further with every motion. His skin slapped against hers, (y/n) scratched her nails down his spine, muscles flexing for her, pulling him down for another kiss, tongues fighting for victory. His name fell from her lips, she couldn’t find any other words, (y/n) was too far gone, sobbing as Harry started circling her clit with his thumb, he’d push her over the edge way too soon. 

Just as (y/n), Harry felt his own release approaching.“’M not gonna last long,” Harry warned her, groaning, she clenched her walls around him, sweat pooled on both of their foreheads, his hair stuck to his skin, eyes brighter than ever, making her drown in them. (Y/n) arched her back, mumbling his name one last time before she came around him, giving into the massive wave of emotions, sobbing some incoherent words. 

Harry couldn’t rip his eyes off her features, he rode her through her high, eyes fluttering close as he tumbled over the edge, releasing himself into the tight fabric, growling and groaning, hands fisting the bedsheet. He collapsed on top of her, face pressed into the crook of her neck, her hands traced his skin, moving up and down the back of his neck, heavily breathing. 

She kissed his forehead, eyes fluttering close, finally giving into the exhaustion. 

[spencers-renaissance]

Trees and Seas Have Flown Away, I Call it Loving You

Summary: Derek says something hurtful, but it happens to lead to just about the best thing that's ever happened to Spencer.

Tags: hurt/comfort, fluff, angst, making up, bullying, angst with a happy ending, autistic spencer, coming out, getting together

Pairing: Morgan x Reid

Word Count: 3.2k

Masterlist // Read on AO3

Spencer is having one hell of a morning. He’d slept late, a significantly rare occurrence for him, and the metro had been delayed and diverted, leaving him to walk a decent chunk of his journey into work. To top it all off, he’d left his pencil case at home, leaving him stuck with cheap office supplies on a paperwork day. 

He hates days like these, when his mood is so seriously affected by events beyond his control, and he knows he’s just going to continue to fester in his own self-prescribed misery if he doesn’t take some drastic steps to change the way he’s feeling. 

After a moment of staring into space as he considers his options, he decides on a few deep breaths to try and calm himself down. Surveying the mess on his desk after opening his eyes, he tackles that next, sorting through case files that can be filed away and organising the notes he’s currently working on as well as rearranging his personal items to stop them taking up so much room. Already feeling better, he takes a few sips of water and some painkillers for the headache he can feel coming on, and locks eyes on the break room. His mid-morning coffee is due.

Elle and Derek are chatting at the counter when he pushes the door open, and he smiles at both of them. He’s still getting used to being around Elle. She’s so confident and intimidating that he’s not really sure if she likes him that much, and it definitely doesn’t help that she reminds him of the girls he used to go to school with, the ones who found it amusing to laugh at the much younger autistic boy, hiding his stuff and calling him names, standing by and laughing when the older boys would beat him up. 

He tries very hard with her, though. Maybe this would be a good opportunity to build more rapport, he thinks, so he listens in while he refills the coffee machine’s water. It’s definitely got nothing to do with how much he wants to climb Derek Morgan like a tree.

Derek looks over and catches him up in that thoughtful sort of way that always gets Spencer’s stomach fluttering. “Elle’s just telling me about the hot date she had on Saturday,” he winks, nudging her in the side. “He seems like a catch.” He sips innocently at his coffee and Spencer realises belatedly that he’s being sarcastic and watches for Elle’s response. God, he wishes conversations weren’t so damn convoluted.

“Oh, fuck off, Morgan,” she says, rolling her eyes. “You’re just jealous because I got laid and how long’s it been for you? Months?”

It’s Derek’s turn to roll his eyes, looking over at Spencer in a way that has him flushing pink. “Come on, Greenaway,” he laughs, “you know full well I’m not exactly lacking in that department.”

Elle gives him a dubious look, before raising her eyebrows and sipping her coffee. “Whatever you say,” she says in a patronising tone - the kind that reminds Spencer of an adult indulging a fantastical child. Derek laughs again, tapping lightly on the underside of her mug and causing it to spill over her hand a little. Spencer envies how easy it is for other people to elicit such a beautiful sound from Derek’s mouth; the few times he’s intentionally made Derek laugh he’d felt like he won a trophy, the sort he’d frame in a cabinet and show off to visitors, giving them a tour of the limited map of Spencer’s victories with a proud smile on his face.

He watches the exchange a little awkwardly, not knowing how to respond to these two very dominant personalities discussing an area he’s not overly familiar with. Unfortunately, they don’t ignore him forever and Elle looks over at him, her intense, fiery gaze already stirring up nerves in his stomach. “Anyway, what about you, Reid, when was your last hot date?” she teases, and he cannot for the life of him figure out if it’s friendly or malicious. 

He flounders for only a second, cheeks heating up steadily, before Derek interjects. “Oh come on, Elle,” Derek scoffs. “Not sure Reid’s whole ‘twink aesthetic’ thing is quite what women are after, is it, pretty boy?” 

Instantly, humiliation bleeds into his veins. His stomach swirls and he feels dizzy, completely out of his depth as his face reddens even further and he starts to sweat. The playful nudge that digs into his side doesn’t do anything to bring him out of the protective trance his mind’s gone into. “I--” he tries, but he’s cut off by Elle clearly growing bored of the conversation and pushing off the counter-top to leave. 

She turns around for a moment as she heads towards the door, walks backwards a few steps as she delivers the final, devastating blow. “Hey, you never know, Reid,” she grins, “maybe the whole virgin genius thing will win them over instead.” She chuckles to herself as she leaves the room, door swinging closed behind her softly, leaving Derek and himself standing there in a vacuum.

Today of all days. It’s been a long time since the last time such a crushing level of humiliation was burning inside him, but he remembers the emotion like muscle memory. His body knows exactly what to do as his gut swirls and his head spins, sweat beading on his skin as though the very little self-esteem he had left is leaking steadily: the stopper that had been keeping the small amounts of confidence he had inside him degraded and dissolved by his coworker’s careless words, nothing there anymore to stop it leaking out of him. 

It’s not new. But the sting is so much more visceral when it’s shocked into him by two people he considered friends and one person he was hopelessly, desperately in love with. It feels exactly like high school and university did: the toleration of his presence for intellectual reasons, for everything Spencer had to offer, but ultimately the social rejection of him as a human being when it actually came down to it. He was useful to the team for as much as he could give them. And that was it. 

Derek takes a sip from his mug as Elle leaves, but he doesn’t notice Spencer’s completely frozen state until he tries to move on to another topic. “Spencer?” he asks, obviously concerned at his non-response and completely oblivious to his inner turmoil. “What’s wrong?”

He can’t find the words to respond, but he does manage to meet Derek’s eyes and he just stares at him for a few seconds before he shakes his head and looks away again. Derek’s clearly confused, but that only makes it worse. Is he overreacting? Or is Derek just truly that oblivious to the cruelty in his words, to his feelings? 

Feeling the tears burning in his eyes and adamantly refusing to cry in the middle of the breakroom, he turns around and hurries to the bathroom without saying a word. 

⭐️

He barricades himself into a stall and sits on the closed toilet seat as tears steadily spill down his cheeks. This is exactly the reason he hasn’t told a soul at the FBI -- how would a group of alpha personalities who were likely the most popular kids in high school, likely would have bullied him if they’d attended the same school, that he was gay? 

The humiliation stings more coming from Derek. Such negative association with his sexuality had proved himself right: this was a secret he needed to keep quiet. It just hurt so badly that the man he loved seemed so dismissive, so rude about something so integral to his being, and the allusions the entire exchange had to previous traumas had him struggling for breath through the steady stream of tears. 

It takes him a few minutes but he eventually manages to calm himself down. He splashes some cool water onto his heated skin and tries his hardest to breathe deeply, even though it feels almost impossible at first. Usually when he gets worked up and has a meltdown or a panic attack he’s able to talk himself out of it after he’s calmed down a little; able to rationalise and apply logic to the situation, which tends to illuminate either an overreaction or a clear path through the problem.

That coping mechanism is not applicable, though - Derek and Elle truly hurt his feelings and there’s no way around that. Instead, he just tries to push it to the edge of his mind. He thinks through the quantum physics problem he’d started at breakfast, and the logical progression through the formulas and rational reasoning he has to use brings his heart rate down and he feels at least a little calmer, even if the twisted knot of dread and grief and pain still sits heavy in his stomach. 

He’s just solved the physics problem in his head when the door swings open and he can hear Derek’s signature tread on the bathroom floor. “Spencer?” he calls quietly, pausing as the door closes behind him for just a second before making his way to the end stall. “I know you’re in there.”

“I am in here,” Spencer confirms, resenting how weak and watery his voice sounds. 

Derek sighs heavily. “I didn’t get it until I talked to JJ,” he admits, speaking through the door. “I was confused why you suddenly acted so strange so I asked her what she thought was up. I thought it was all friendly banter. To be honest, I didn’t even realise what I’d said until I was explaining it to her. But you gotta understand, pretty boy, I never meant to hurt you. I’m so sorry.”

Spencer squeezes his eyes shut, but the tears still escape anyway, spilling down his tears in an expression of silent grief as he listens to Derek. He takes a deep breath in through his nose and swipes the tears away from his cheek with his fingertips before unlocking the door, revealing the most apologetic expression he’s ever seen. It doesn’t make him feel much better. He still meant what he said.

He smiles weakly. “Don’t worry about it,” he says, and his voice sounds so vulnerable, it’s giving him away. 

Derek’s expression doesn’t ease at Spencer’s forgiveness, he doesn’t smile and consider the issue done and dusted, he frowns harder, eyes desperate. “No, don’t dismiss it,” he says. “I hurt you, and that was wrong. I shouldn’t have said what I said, and Elle shouldn’t have either, okay, kid? I’m really sorry.”

“I know, but I’m used to it,” Spencer says, trying for a light tone and missing the mark by an embarrassing amount. 

“Well you shouldn’t be,” Derek frowns. “If you’re so used to it, though, then why did this affect you so much? I’ve never seen you lose your cool like that.” He looks genuinely confused, and combined with the sorrow smothered across his features, it’s a pitiful sight. 

“Don’t push, Morgan,” he warns, looking back down at his hands. His back hurts from his awkward, hunched position on the cold porcelain of the toilet. 

“Seriously, Spencer, I--” Derek looks completely bewildered, caught off guard by the way he clearly expected this conversation going and the road it’s actually taken. 

“I’m gay, alright?” Spencer interjects, loudly. He looks up fiercely into Derek’s eyes as he says it, but the fight quickly drains out of him and he looks down at his hands again, tensing automatically in fear of his reaction. 

Derek doesn’t say anything though, so when Spencer eventually looks up again, he finds a strange expression on his face. Not mild disgust or confusion or awkwardness, but relief and fear and frustration. 

“Spencer, I--” He cuts himself off as he shuffles his feet and looks away, but Spencer doesn’t miss the mournful tone as he realises the true impact of his words, how they must have hurt him. “You’re gay? That’s… why my comment was so hurtful, I’m so sorry. I never wanted to imply any kind of homophobia, I mean… I’m bisexual,” he admits, the same fear Spencer had felt swirling in his stomach written on Derek’s features. 

“You are?” Spencer replies, surprise colouring his tone. He feels a surge of hope rise in his chest and he forces himself to tamper it. Just because Derek likes men absolutely does not mean he likes men like Spencer. In his experience those kinds of people tend to be fairly rare. He stands up from his uncomfortable seat, meeting Derek’s eyes properly for the first time since he entered the toilets.

What he means to do is give him a hug, or maybe have some sort of conversation on a more equal playing field. He does not mean to kiss him. 

But when all of a sudden Derek’s lips are on his and Derek’s hands are cradling his cheek and waist so gently, surely it would be rude not to kiss him back. So he does. Far too passionately for a public bathroom in an FBI building, by all accounts.

They break away eventually, and Derek immediately panics. Spencer can see it rise in his eyes and body language, so before he can say anything he pulls him into the stall properly, shutting the door behind them and kisses him again, more gently this time. It’s the most confident thing he thinks he’s ever done, and he’s damn proud of himself because he does not want to go another day without Derek kissing him as tenderly as he is right now, without his hands roaming up and down his sides, without the careful brush of his fingers against the side of his head as he pushes a strand of hair back behind his ear as they pull away again. 

“You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that, pretty boy,” Derek whispers, and Spencer can feel the gentle brush of his breath against his lips.

He’s lost for words again, but in a completely different way from just minutes before, and he absolutely cannot believe this is happening. Today of all days. 

“Me too,” Spencer confesses, smiling slightly as he allows himself to convey the vulnerability he’s feeling on his face instead of building up a wall in front of it as he usually would. It doesn’t take long for reality to set in though. “But we are in an FBI building and we could definitely lose our jobs for this.”

“Right,” Derek acknowledges, looking up as he puts a bit more space between them, as much as the tiny stall allows. “Later, though, we could maybe do this… not in a government building?” 

Spencer’s always wondered how it feels to be on the receiving end of Derek’s romantic charm and charisma, and it’s rather overwhelming. Derek’s smiling cheekily as he interlocks their hands and waits for an answer and Spencer’s finding it a little hard to breathe again.

“Like… a date?” Spencer squeaks, face flushing again -- though admittedly in a much more pleasant manner -- as he prays he hasn’t got the wrong idea.

“Yes,” Derek smiles, “like a date.” He pauses and takes a breath, grinning wider for just a second before he suppresses it slightly and looks back at Spencer. “How about… I swing by your place at 7 and we head to that new Italian place you’ve been talking about?”

“Really?” Spencer asks, face open and vulnerable and honest. He hopes to God that he’s not being mocked right now. It’s happened before. He’s not sure Derek really understands the amount of trust he’s placing in him, the burden that might bring. 

“Yes, really,” Derek chuckles, bringing a hand up to rest at the side of his face again as he thumbs gently over his cheekbone. “I’m gonna wine you and dine you, baby, just you wait and see.”

Spencer knows he won’t be able to speak without squeaking embarrassingly again, so he just nods emphatically and beams at Derek. 

“I’ll see you at 7, then, pretty boy,” he winks, pressing a brief kiss to his lips. “I’ll be counting down the hours.”

⭐️

Taking care to exit the toilets separately, they return to their desks, filling out the paperwork left over from their most recent case. Spencer is certain that more than one coworker picks up on their shy, knowing looks, shared over the top of coffee mugs and cheap printer paper,  but he can’t find it in himself to care. The very thing he’d craved for almost three years, since he first stepped foot in the bullpen and was introduced to Derek Morgan, was within his clutches and he was going to hold on to it no matter what it cost him.

Things feel different almost immediately: ‘pretty boy’ is infinitely more affectionate, the previously platonic touches are lingering and meaningful, Derek’s completely unnecessary paperwork consults seem more affirming and reassuring than ever. The idea that he could possibly spend the rest of his life with Derek Morgan’s hands on him, his passionate kiss on his lips, his compliments and nicknames warming him from the inside out, feels almost dizzying. He knows he’s smiling stupidly, he also knows that JJ and Elle are smiling knowingly, but he just doesn’t care.

He drives himself home and dresses in his smartest suit as soon as he gets back, even though Derek isn’t due for another 30 minutes. For reasons he refuses to acknowledge, he tidies his apartment while he waits and then takes a seat on his sofa, tapping his foot in anxious anticipation. By the time he hears a knock on his door, his heart’s in his mouth and his stomach is fluttering wildly, but that all fades to irrelevancy when he locks eyes with Derek.

“Dr Reid,” he says calmly, smile providing a soft kind of light to his face and Spencer wishes he never had to look away. He passes him a beautiful bouquet of flowers, and Spencer knows enough to recognise it’s a curated bunch, not a hasty supermarket buy but a thoughtful, purposeful trip to the florist. 

“Wow,” Spencer says, and he absolutely tries to fight down the emotion rising in his throat but he isn’t quite successful. He takes the offered bouquet and examines them in closer detail, tracing an index-finger along the petal of a yellow daffodil. “New beginnings,” he whispers as tears spring to his eyes. He stares at it a little longer before looking up to meet Derek’s softened, deep brown eyes. He’s still in disbelief that someone would go to the lengths of researching the language of flowers for him, knowing it was something that he liked. “Thank you.”

“New beginnings,” Derek repeats, taking another step closer, “love me, desire, wisdom, and affection returned.” He lifts a hand to rest on Spencer’s cheek again and looks deep into his eyes for just a moment, conveying all he needs to with one look, and leans in to kiss him.

⭐️

Aaaaand this is the conclusion to my 12 Fic Challenge! Thank you to everyone who supported my fics through this journey, I can’t believe all the amazing things it’s led to and I’m so happy that this is the fic to end it. I’m so excited for what’s next in store, so stay tuned! <3

@strippersenseii @criminalmindsvibez

[randomideasmybrainhas]

Orphaned Soulmate

There was shouting at every end, and bright red and blue lights shining off the building. The esteemed chief of police stepped out with a megaphone and her arm held out with her cables ready to go at any moment. 

“Chief. There are 3 hostages inside, we suspect a small family. A male in his late 60’s, a woman in her mid 60’s, and a young woman in her late 20’s. They’re in the middle and refuse to surrender them unless we leave them alone and pay their bail.” An officer debriefed the chief as soon as she walked up and nodded to some of his men to try to get more eyes on the hostages. 

“What’re the entry points?” 

“South end and up top through the roof, but we don’t have any visuals if its a trap up there or not.” The officer responded and clicked his heels to his chief. 

“And the south side entry?” Chief asked as she looked up and down the building to see if she could spot anything. 

“3 make shift bombs with 5 men guarding it, but the north side already went off and is in complete rubble and another 5 bombs ready to go off, even if we tried to move the rocks around it. No bending or non-bending would be useful to get through, odds aren’t good.” The officer replied while looking forward. 

“Alright, well we’ll take our chances with the top then, and hopefully they forgot about that entry.” Chief responded. They all got suited up ready to burst through. 

—

“On my mark, bust it open and instantly drop down. The second you get visual of their boss, shoot him down, along with any of his men. Song and I will grab the hostages.”  Chief Beifong nodded to all her men, double checked they were all ready and gave the signal. Instantly a bomb went off and they all dropped down on their cables and swung in. Chief and Song headed straight for the middle while the rest of her men start attacking the others and all the fighting broke out. 

Chief saw 3 bodies strapped to 3 chairs and could see the men around them busy with her men. Chief quickly shot out her cables and threw the armed men into the wall unconscious. She motioned to Song to get the male, since he seemed to be the biggest, while Chief was going to get the two women. Once they reached the floor, Chief did a quick scan and grabbed the youngest woman and started to untie her ropes. 

The young woman jumped in shock and looked up to the chief who just saw a dirt covered face, until she made eye contact with the woman and it was as if time stopped completely and she couldn’t breathe. Lin looked at this woman, and knew instantly she would do anything in her power to protect her, and care for her and be there for her. This woman who she doesn’t even know her name was the only thing tying her down to this planet. Before anything could be registered to Lin, the woman lept up to wrap her arms around Lin and sobbed into her neck. Coming out of her trance, Lin instantly wrapped her arms around the woman, shocked and confused by what just happened, but was trying to peel her off, though she didn’t want to, she quite liked the feeling of having her wrapped around herself. Lin still needed to save the other two folks tied to the chair bent over. 

“Ma’am, please let me finish and get all of you out here.” Lin tried to peel the young woman off, who just sobbed harder. 

“They’re dead. He killed them! Right in front of me.” The young woman sobbed and clinging to Lin burying her face into her neck. Lin looked up at Song who finished untying the male, who just slumped forward and all his guts spilled out on the floor and he looked like a ghost. Thats when Lin realized the woman looked the exact same and there was blood dripping from her chair. 

“Song, double check, but we need to go. Gather all the men, and find Hudson!” Chief shouted to her officer as she gripped the young woman, and shot her cables up.

—

Chief Beifong walked into the hospital and asked a nurse where the young woman who she brought earlier was in. The nurse directed her, and the chief headed that way and walked in to her room. She was still sleeping, and the chief was half grateful for that, since she wasn’t exactly sure what to expect with the woman, who just lost everything, but also gained something new. 

What was that feeling? She must’ve felt it too. If they weren’t in the situation they were in at the time, Lin could’ve stayed with her in that position forever. Sighing, Lin pulled up a chair next to the bed, and watched over the young woman. Sure she told her officers she needed to question the young woman, and it was true, she did have questions, but most of them were specific to who or what she was. What was the thing they held in common with each other, and why does Lin need to watch over her? 

Officer Song walked in and saw the Chief sitting there next to the bed staring at the young woman in much angst. Officer Song cleared his throat to alert her of his presence. “Chief, the perps are detained and everything is being documented and cleaned up. The parents are being documented and being taken to the coroner’s office. They seemed to be simple merchants, who were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Though, I do have to ask chief. Who is she? According to our documents, she’s just their daughter, and finished top of her class in business and psychology. Though when you looked at her, it looked as if you’ve known her for a lifetime.” 

“I… I don’t know Song. I’m just as curious as you. Anyways, thank you for your work, go home to your wife, and rest up. You did good, I’ll see you tomorrow.” Chief Beifong nodded to her officer and he was dismissed. He bowed his head and walked out, closing the door behind him. Lin sighed as she looked at the closed door, thinking about the young woman on the bed, and how she fit into all of this. 

“And who exactly am I to who?” A voice spoke up next to Lin, causing her to shoot her head in the direction of the angelic voice coming from the bed. Lin stared at the young woman with surprise and curiosity. 

“I was hoping you could tell me that.” Lin said as she looked at the young woman who was staring at Lin with a curiosity. 

“I’m not exactly sure, but I do know I feel safe with you. You’re the chief of police right? Chief Beifong? My name is Liu.” “Liu. I am the chief of police. Lin Beifong. I have so many questions.”

“I have a lot of questions too, but for now, I need sleep and I have this feeling that you’ll watch after me. Can you please stay?” Liu asked Lin while reaching her hand out to the chief. Before Lin could respond, Liu was asleep and just laying there with her hand outstretched to Lin. She had no idea why, but Lin felt as if she needed to protect this young woman, so for whatever reason, she took her small, soft, fair hand into her rough, calloused, warm hands and just held it as she watched after the young woman, with all the questions circling around in her head, but for now, just knowing she would do whatever it took to protect Liu at all costs. And right now, that starts with watching over her while she slept. 

[lunewell]

The Norwegian Mermaid Association - Part 2

Part 1 can be found here

Word Count: 1688 words

Written for MerMay

CW: Attempted Drowning

Can also be read on Wattpad

This is Part 2 of The Norwegian Mermaid Association, and follows Morten, who after his discovery of mermaids, goes to find a mermaid of his own.

For someone who’s entire world view had just been shattered, Morten was coping surprisingly well with it. It had been about a month since the mermaid incident, and only a brief breakdown later he was already alright.

Well, actually, more than alright. This discovery had awakened Mortens childhood love and curiosity of the supernatural, and he often found himself wandering through mossy forests or enthralled in the depths of the sea, wondering what was hidden around him. Some might consider it a problem, the way he seemed to find it harder and harder to focus on the fishing, more and more caught in the ripples of the waves, but Morten found it nothing short of delightful.

His co-workers, however, were not quite as happy as himself. They couldn’t bring themselves to be angry at him, as they had all at one point or another experienced the shock, but they were rather annoyed. Morten couldn’t blame them, not really. He was well aware of how much of a nuisance he was being right now.

Which is why, it came to him as little surprise, when Thomas approached him with an offer; “why don’t you take a little break from work?” he asked one day, leaning on the rail of the small fishing boat next to him, “you’ve been awfully distracted lately, and I think you need some time to think.”

Morten started into the waves, biting his lips. Truth be told, he didn’t want to leave the waves hiding so many secrets, even if he was slowly getting on everyone’s nerves. He twiddled his thumbs, stiff and quite tense. After a while had passed in silence, he heard a sigh next to him. “If it helps,” Thomas began, voice lowered, “you could always take a break at a more… tempting spot. There’s a mermaid hotspot not too far from here, it’s where we met our wives.”

Morten eyes lit up at that. He himself had little interest in the wife part, but even the idea that he would be able to communicate with one or the creatures was more than enticing. Thomas smirked, clearly having picked up on his excitement; “I’ll give you the directions when we get back to shore.”

———————————-

Though he considered himself rather mature, Morten was vibrating like a sugar-high child. The spruce trees around the large lake and river mouth stood tall and proud in the slightly overcast sky, and though he had yet to even see a singular mermaid, he could hear their chattering and laughing flowing through the wind.

Following the voices through soft grass and over sun-bleached rocks, it wasn’t long before he was but branches away from his desired destination. Quite literally, in fact, as the only thing obscuring the creatures was a few branches of an oak tree.

With a deep breath, he reached out to the soft leaves hanging off the solid tree, and pulled it to one side.

It was not the first time Morten saw mermaids, his breath still caught like rock in his throat. Spread all around the shore, there were five mermaids with brightly coloured tails in hues of purple, blue, red, and green that scales sparkled majestically, all having flowing hair and distinctly non-human traits that were so awe-inspiring that he couldn’t stop himself starring. They were joking playfully between themselves, an odd language that sounded reminiscent of an odd dialect of Old Norse.

One of them- the one with night-coloured curls and a spotty, grey, rainbow-hued tail, saw him gaping and gave a playful, but undoubtedly mischievous smile. She turned around to the group speaking rapidly, before hushed voices giggling, before all eyes and tails turned to him.

“Hello,” he whispered a bit unsure of himself, “I was wondering if you would be willing to, uh, tell me a little bit more about your species.”

Another round of looks were exchanged between the girls, before the spotty one looked up with a grin, and answered him not in Old Norse but in perfect Norwegian; “why, of course. Why don’t you come with us into the water, and we can discuss it in full…”

A feeling of fear, a gut deep feeling carved from years of reading about the spirits in the water, coursed through him. And yet, there was something in her voice- safe, trusting, melodic, and lulling like the waves, that made him instantly comply and step towards the high waves.

His feet stumbled closer, while his sub-conscious screamed that something was deeply wrong, and his heart began to race. It wasn’t long before he felt the first drop of water wet the tip of his shoes that he had been too unaware to take off, and it was an even shorter amount of time before he felt it spill over and onto his socks.

The shock of the icy water against his skin snapped him out of the trance just in time to see a series of sharp claws lunging out toward him. He tried to leap away, heart hammering, but ten hands had already grappled and dug deep into his skin, the water around him turning a light red, and submerged him underwater. His nostrils burned from the water as he wiggled desperately, lashing and thrashing hopelessly as the mermaids kept ripping his clothes and skin.

He was going to die here, in this watery grave, shredded by hostile mermaids. He could already see the vision blackening at the edges, and as a sharp claw gripped tightly around his throat, he closed his wet eyes and prayed that his death was not too far away.

Then, like a prayer answered, everything stopped.

For a good second, he’d thought he’d died. He no longer felt cold- in fact he was surprisingly warm, and though he was sore, he was surrounded by an odd sense of tranquility that could only be explained by a fading soul.

“Are you alright?” a soft, mellow voice asked gently, and Morten realised for the first time that the hammering around him was not the grasps of hands but his own, very alive, beating heart. He hesitantly pried his eyes open, fully expecting to stare at death. In all fairness, based on the way his heart leaped at the sight in front of him, it might as well have been death.

A blonde man- no- merman, with warm brown eyes which looked at him in a way that made his heart melt, had pushed him safely on the shore and was now cradling his body. Half the creatures cheat was covered by not scales, but inhuman skin that connected to a tail which he immediately recognised as one of a porpoise harbour.

He was the most beautiful thing Morten had ever seen.

“Sorry about them,” the stranger said, in a tone that sounded completely genuine, “not all of us respect your species, and I promise we’re not all like that.” He trailed off, giving another blinding smile that made Morten’s pulse go on cocaine, before finally reaching out a blue skinned hand; “I’m Kjell, and you my darling human are?”

“M-m- Morten,” he mumbled, mind still caught at darling human, “I uh, yeah. My name is Morten.”

“Morten. That’s a gorgeous name,” Kjell said with a little wink that’s sheer charisma could kill a man. “So, what brings someone like you out here?”

A pang of uncertainty hit him, unsure of whether to tell this merman- the same species that had violently attacked him earlier- the reasons for his visit. However, looking at the violent hues of caramel and chocolate in Kjell's eyes, he could see nothing but genuine curiosity and a playful and friendly twinkle.

Plus, he honestly didn’t know if he had the resilience to deny that face.

“I’m actually here to learn more about your kind and other potential folklore creatures,” Morten explained, “I only found out about the existence of otherworldly creatures- or, uh, people, I suppose, so there’s a lot I want to learn.”

He was rewarded for his honesty, by Kjell lighting up like a Bonfire. “Oh!” he exclaimed, grabbing Morten’s cold hands in his own warm ones, “you should have told me earlier! I love heaving humans about my culture, and I have an entire cave of artefacts and cultural items! It’s under the water- don’t worry, there’s air- and I could take you down if you want.”

Morten, far too occupied by his companions stupid grin and his warm hands, was about to reply the quickest yes of his life, before Kjell interrupted him with a gasp. “I’m sorry,” the merman apologised, letting go of his hands, “I completely forgot that my kind tried to drown you. You probably don’t want to go right back after such a traumatic experience, and certainly not with someone like…” he gestured to his tail, “me.”

A part of him- the one who had gone for the safe choice of a fisherman in a largely fish centered city- wanted to agree with Kjell, and forget this day ever happened. After all, even if he truly admired Kjell, they were both still men, and it was probably safest for the both of them if they just forgot meeting.

However, a much more selfish, and deep part of him already knew what he wanted. Meeting Kjell’s eyes- and with warm cheeks- he gave his answer; “please, take me down there. I trust you.”

That was all Kjell needed, before he dragged them both back into the water. Unlike the mermaids, Kjell was not so much gripping as holding him- tight enough to be led but loose enough as to be easy to escape, the fingers stroking up and down his wrist in a repetitive motion. And as they dived deeper, Kjell leading him along in what was almost a gentle waltz in the water, occasionally shooting a reassuring smile, Morten understood why all the seamen dated mermaids, and got the feeling that he might be seeing Kjell a whole lot more in the future.

[juno-eclipsee]

A Ruined Night - Poe Dameron x reader

A/n: I’m back to my regularly scheduled angsty crap. Fun fact this entire situation is essentially my greatest fear so go wild with that

Rating: G

Warnings: Cursing, that be it

Word count: 1.7k

Summary: A plan to confess to Poe after a major victory goes awry.

     Another victory for the Resistance! Nobody could believe the lucky streak they’d been having. The celebration was in full swing because the pilots, ground troops, medics, and everyone in between didn’t know which successful mission would be their last. But essentially all negative thoughts had been thrown out the window for just this night. 

     All the pilots sat around a bonfire in the center of the tarmac, bottles from everyone’s personal stashes being passed around. They had spent the whole night together, and they were definitely the only ones still awake. Everyone but them had the common sense to go to sleep, but how could they? The energy was electric, the joy was palpable, laughs were echoing through the forest. Poe thought he would never feel like this again. The sun was just about to peek above the horizon, the sky lighting up just a bit, and the remaining pilots finally decided to “go to bed” which would really be for an hour or two. 

     Everyone gathered in stomping out the embers of the fire, and Major Y/n volunteered to clean it up fully so they wouldn’t get yelled at by Leia in the morning. She got a few hugs and claps on the back for taking one for the team. She got an affirming nod from Karé, who knew what was about to go down. Y/n seemed calm and appreciative on the outside, but her heart was beating with the speed and rhythm of a snare drum on crack. 

     This was her last shot. Her mouth moved before her brain could stop it. 

     “Oh, Poe,” she called out. He spun on his heels and wobbled a bit to face her. “Could I talk to you for a second?” 

     “Sure. What’s on your mind?” he asked, sitting down on the crate closest to where she was standing. Her hands started shaking. Why did she think this was a good idea again? But Karé’s words echoed in her head ‘Maybe he likes you back. You’ll never know until you ask.’ What terrible advice.

     “Ok this is going to sound really sudden and weird and I… I really just need to get this off my chest. If that’s okay?” She stopped pacing for just a moment to gage his reaction. He was leaning back on his hands, legs swinging off the crate, clearly still buzzed. Maybe this wasn’t a good idea.

     “Sure, spill.” Y/n took a deep breath. Now or never. “Wait!” He yelled, making Y/n jump out of her skin. “Is this something bad? Are you sick or hurt or dying or something? Are you leaving the Resistance?” Each question was asked more urgently than the last, he was leaning forward, eyes filled with worry. 

      “No! No, nothing like that, nothing bad.” She said, trying to be as reassuring as possible. Poe whispered a quick ‘Oh thank the stars’ before gesturing towards Y/n to continue. She  had started wringing her hands in a pathetic attempt to get rid of the nerves coursing through every fiber of her being. “I really don’t know how to say this but, with this crazy streak of luck we’ve hit, I can’t really help but think that the next one is just going to be a disaster. So I guess I just wanted to say this while I still had the chance.” Her voice was getting shaky, the anxiety consuming her being obvious now, no matter how much they had to drink. 

     “Why are you talking like you’re never going to see me again? Whatever the next mission is it isn’t going to be your last, you’re too stubborn for something like that.” He said, smiling mostly to himself. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have interrupted. Continue.”

     “I really like you. And I have for a really long time. And I spent so long being afraid of telling you, I was just being unfair to myself. And I’m so afraid of what might happen in the future that I wanted to tell you myself while I can.” Y/n’s eyes were fixed on him, not daring to look away. 

     The weight she had been carrying for the past three years lifted off her shoulders, finally. 

     Until she heard Poe sigh. And the weight settled twice as heavy in the pit of her stomach.

     “Um,” She heard Poe start. She didn’t know what to make of what she was seeing. He ran his hands through his hair and tried to start a sentence about three times before sighing again. His knee started bouncing and Y/n had never wanted to just disappear more in her life. “Y/n, although I really like you,” Her eyes shot to the ground. She could have sworn she heard glass shatter somewhere in her head. Bad start. “I just…” another sigh, “I really don’t think it’s a good idea to get into a relationship during a time like this, you know?” He looked at her, praying that she would at least look at him. But her eyes darted around everywhere except him, maybe trying to look for an answer. She started nodding.

     “Yeah. Yeah, you’re right. I just,” She didn’t know what to say as tears started welling up. “I’m so sorry, I don’t know why I thought this was a good idea.” She tried to laugh off her tears of embarrassment, but she wasn’t hiding anything from Poe. 

     “Hey, you don’t have anything to be sorry for.” 

     “No, I have everything to be sorry for because I completely ruined your night and made everything awkward and now you’re going to pity me for however long in the future and,” She turned her back to Poe, not wanting him to see her like this even after she just poured her heart out to him. “Look, I’m really sorry about all this. Can you just pretend this never happened? You should probably go to bed at some point too.” She was trying to get rid of him, he realized. Maybe it would be for the best. He wouldn’t want to be around the person who broke his heart for too long either. 

     “Are you sure you’re going to be alright for now?” He at least had to ask. She was extremely emotionally compromised and the last thing anyone needed was to have her do something stupid because of it. 

     “I really just want to be alone if that’s okay.” She said, finally turning around to look at him again. The rising sun wasn’t helping her case. Her face was red and puffy from holding in tears, which shattered Poe’s heart even though it had no right to when she was in a state like this. But he nodded nonetheless and got off the crate. 

     “I’ll leave you alone now. I’m really sorry, Y/n. If the situation was different-” 

     “The situation is what it is and it isn’t going to change. And you don’t have to be sorry about having emotions of your own, okay?” She said, sniffling by the end. 

     “Neither do you.” He countered. “I’ll see you around.” Poe Dameron had been beaten, shot, tortured, and yet walking away from her was one of the most painful things he’d ever have to do. He took one look over his shoulder and she hadn’t moved a muscle. 

     When Poe finally made it to his room, he laid on his back above the covers staring at the ceiling in a trance. What he said to her was true. He didn’t want to forge a romantic relationship when either member could die at any second. It was just irresponsible. He had essentially a schoolboy crush on her since the moment he met her, but he thought that after years of pining and meaningless flirting that it was never going to happen. But her confession sparked the remnants of his crush into a steady little fire inside of him, and it was too late to act on it without having it seem pitiful.

     He thought by not telling her he at least used to feel the same it would be easier on both of them. He realized now just how stupid that sounds when he really sits down and thinks about it. Black Squadron is usually so good at giving him a heads up if they know someone had a crush on him so he could figure out a way to let them down gently. But he was blindsided by her. So he panicked and broke her heart.

    He covered his eyes with his arms. He just lost one of his best friends. He wished it wasn’t true, that they could look past this hiccup in their relationship and everything would go back to normal. He had only seen Y/n cry a handful of times in the years he’d known her, she wasn’t going to just overlook this like it never happened. 

    The gravity of it all was a punch in the gut to Poe. Well not so much a punch, more of a carve his chest open and rip out his beating heart kind of feeling. But he had no right to complain. No matter what, Y/n had it worse and he had nobody to blame but himself.

     Y/n stood still as a statue on the tarmac as Poe walked away, ripping their conversation to shreds mentally, analyzing every word said, finding a thousand things she could have done differently. 

     With tears streaming down her face, she grabbed a broom and started pushing away the cold ashes of the fire to the grass nearby. She very desperately needed a distraction, even though she knew in her heart it wouldn’t do any good. She knew she wouldn’t be going to sleep anyway, so she did what anyone would do in her situation. She hid in the privacy of her ship and cried of pure embarrassment until there weren’t any tears left. 

     When she finally pulled herself together after what felt like hours, her datapad vibrated in her pocket. 

     How’d it go?!

     Karé. Three simple words managed to make her feel so much worse. She typed a quick response before going back to sulking.

     Bad. Don’t want to talk about it. 

     Y/n took a few deep breaths, trying to calm herself down. She still had to go to work soon and do her best to avoid Poe. Another buzz.

     I’m going to fucking kill him for you, understand?? 

     Y/n scoffed and smirked. Karé absolutely would give him a hard time about it. At least she had someone in her corner after such a terrible night.

[vinylhazza]

can u do like a fluff story of ethan finding this cute french girl and spending most of his time in france with her

JERSEY BOY (E.D)

Trésor Inattendu

jersey boy masterlist

he’s walking past the ferris wheel, grayson following close on his tale. 

fuck. 

there she is, hair flowing in wavy tendrils down her back. she stands pretty, legs long and soft, little black dress falling right down to the middle of her thighs. she has this soft luminous glow, the paris sunlight making her skin shine. he’s never seen someone so beautiful. so breathtaking. he actually stops in his tracks to stare at her, hands in his pockets, mouth parted, eyes locked on her long eyelashes and rosy lips. 

she stands near her friend that looks a little too excited to jump on the spinning wheel, but her…not so much. he can just tell by the nervous look on her face that she doesn’t want anything to do with the ride. he doesn’t blame her. 

“you good bro?” grayson knocks him out of his trance, nudging him in the arm. people walk around them in every which direction, but his eyes never stray from that beautiful face.

“uh yeah, just saw someone that’s all,” he mumbles, walking forward but looking at her out of the corner of his eye. 

they had decided today was the day they would ride the ferris wheel and make grayson get over his stupid ass fear because they are in paris and they have to experience the ride at least once. it had taken some serious convincing and lots of room service before he finally agreed - but naturally ethan got his way. 

they head over to the line, about four people away from her. but he just can’t stop staring. she’s almost addicting to look at. he could get used to the adrenaline pumping through his system at this very moment. if he thought he had a chance in heaven or hell he would go for it but dear jesus she was crafted by the hands of the king himself and he wouldn’t dare shoot his shot with someone as ravenous as this angel before him. 

“okay either you move your ass up in line and talk to her instead of being a little bitch, or i’m gonna,” grayson chuckles, giving him a pointed look with his eyebrow raised. 

when he turns back to look at her, she’s near green in the face with nerves, looking similar to grayson at this very moment. making fun of ethan calmed him down some - but not nearly enough. 

“why don’t you focus on not barfing and leave me alone?” ethan shoots back at him with a sneer. 

“okayyy guess we are sticking to being a little bitch,” little bastard. 

“can you fuck off for five seconds and maybe give me some brotherly encouragement?” 

“I would start with bonjour,” and grayson looks serious, but a laugh is bubbling just below the surface.

“go to hell bitchass,” he smirks, taking a moment to decide, and then he’s shyly walking to the front of the line, earning a couple glares from the four people waiting in front of him. he mumbles a quick sorry with a little smile. 

he stands beside her timidly, rocking on his heels before he decides on a good conversation starter. 

“um...hey how are you?” good right? not too weird? too formal? oh shit this is pathetic. 

she stops her nervous fidgeting, both her and her friend turning to look at him with a confused smile. no one has ever really approached them out of the blue. 

“je vais bien et toi?” God she even sounds like a goddess, voice smooth as butter. 

that means good right? jesus fuck please mean good. wait does that mean she speaks English or just understands it enough to respond? he is so out of his element here. he turns to look over his shoulder at grayson who is hiding a laugh behind his hand, but he nods at him to keep going. 

with a sigh he carries on, “so you excited for the ride?” 

“un peu nerveux,” she admits with a shy smile, cheeks blushing a rosy pink. it looks adorable on her and he gets the sudden urge to plant a kiss right on her heated cheeks. 

he’s lost on that one and she can tell, giggling along with her friend. she does in fact know how to speak English, just loved seeing him squirm a little. 

“I can speak English you know,” she cuts him some slack, seeing his body relax right before her eyes and his nervous pout breaking into a joyous smile. 

“oh good...so you..come here often?” Jesus Christ ethan can you be any more of a loser? 

at that she throws her head back with louder laugh, shaking her head. 

“no this is a first, you?” her accent might be the best sound he’s ever heard. he’s so hooked on that silky sound. she has only ever been to paris when she has free time, living in a small town right outside of the city, caught up in her own life to wander through the busy streets. but when she doesn’t end up in the alleyways of the beautiful city, she’s entranced once more.

“this is a first for me too, listen um if you want we could ride together?” he shoots his shot with a hopeful smirk, really trying to lay on the charm. 

she thinks for a moment, cheeks darkening before she turns to her friend with a hopeful smile - maybe she would get the hint and let her ride with this devilishly attractive American boy? 

she takes the hint with a playful eyeroll, ethan catches the teasing look, waving grayson over. he walks over with a questioning look, seeming quite nervous when he catches a glimpse of the girls friend, completely frozen when she lays her green eyes on him, never seeing someone as handsome as the younger twin. there must be something in the water in the states. 

the smile that comes onto his face is nothing but fond, muttering a shy “hello.” she waves back with a matching smile. ethan continues talking.  

“do you think you could join..?” 

“Adélaïde,” she introduces herself. a beautiful name for a beautiful girl. 

“so that I can ride with?”

“Chloé” dear God he might die. 

“uh yeah sure,” he holds out a hand, taking a step forward and grabbing onto Adélaïde, pulling her up to the next awaiting cart. they sit down and pull the bar in front to lock themselves in - grayson much more nervous now that he has a beautiful girl sitting next to him. when the cart turns and they raise highly into the air, they hear graysons cursing and Adélaïdes flowing laughter.

ethan and chloé are next, walking side by side and sitting down on the cold metal seat. the seats are enclosed in a cage of some sort, making it feel much more safe and also making him feel much closer to her. although it seems like a smart idea to even out the weight and sit on the opposite side - he scooches his large body to plop right beside the beautiful girl, catching a whiff of her vanilla perfume. 

he’s never been hooked this fast. 

-

it’s been three days since the ferris wheel, and he’s seen chloé near every minute, date after date, café after café. she’s addicting to talk to - her accent something he wants to hear forever. of course grayson isn’t lonely, having Adélaïde to keep him company enough. now those two...dear God it’s almost gag worthy when they are together. always looking like they’d get married tomorrow if they could. they both are so caught up in the city of love with two beautiful women they almost forget the Louis Vuitton event and are nearly late, rushing around while the girls laugh at them both, teasing them for being typical boys. at least some things are the same in each continent.

she doesn’t mind that she is spending most of her time on double dates with grayson and Adélaïde. she doesn’t mind that she’s head over heels, showing ethan around the city every night, observing him with curious eyes while the moon shines on him just right. she doesn’t mind how much he actually freaks out when he buys something and they speak nothing but french and the cute little nervous face he does comes out. she always steps in to save the day. fuck she doesn’t mind it one bit. she doesn’t mind how much laughter and joy has entered her life once ethan decided to take a chance on her at the ferris wheel.

they talk about everything from the future to the past, exchanging where they grew up, how many siblings they have, favorite memories, favorite places to travel, favorite food, favorite movie, anything you can think of, they spilled their guts. so comfortable and wrapped up in the warmth of each other’s company. it’s quite endearing how he has a little accent himself pronouncing a lot of words with a hard “d” which makes her heart flutter every damn time. jersey really must have some magical power.

...there’s one night where ethan decides to make his move and take a risk, kissing her right when she least expects it. they are standing on his balcony just mere minutes after the walks into the hotel room, and he’s pulling her small face to his with rushed movements, pressing her close to him. it knocks the breath from her lungs, shocked at how deep he’s kissing her...like he means it with his whole person. and he does. he knows it’s crazy to feel this way after only a week and a half. he knows it’s out of this world what his heart feels when he’s with her. he knows it’s going to tear him apart when he has to leave her...but he continues to kiss her hard.

of course she’s kissing him back with the same urgency, suddenly very sad that he does in fact, live in LA. this boy, this wonderful jersey boy, has taken her completely by surprise, stealing her heart in a matter of days. how can she ever let him go? how can she ever forget him?...and he feels just the same. that’s why he kisses her harder, backing them into the bedroom and onto the plush white comforter, kissing her harder. 

grayson is doing just the same at a bench near the eiffel tower, looking at adélaïde like she holds the stars at her fingertips. these twins are so fucked.

when they break apart for air, she cups his cheek, tears welling in her eyes, and admits something that’s far too deep, far too soon. but it’s now or never. he’s leaving anyhow, so why not feel this way in this moment, while he’s still here, still kissing her, still with a pounding heart, looking at her softly with his hazel eyes like he is now? why not be that spontaneous girl that she always dreamt of being? why not be young and reckless? why not kiss the american boy like she truly feels she should?

“tu es l'homme de mes rêves,” she whispers, looking at every strong feature of his face. she knows he can’t understand, but she still lets it fall from her lips with one shaky breath, rubbing a thumb over his bottom lip. she’s never felt this way about anyone. ever.

even if he doesn’t understand, he smiles this fucking smile, one he’s never had before, and kisses her once more.

“you’re fucking beautiful,” kiss, “out of this world,” kiss, “breathtaking,” kiss, “perfect,”...lingering kiss left on her lips. it feels like fire, like fireflies, like butterflies, like lightning. exactly how it should feel.

she’s never meant anything more than this sentence in this very moment. she knows he’ll leave, she knows he’ll get on that plain and go back to his busy life in the city that never sleeps, she knows her lips will grow cold in his absense, she knows her heart will ache for him long after he leaves...but a part of her hopes he’ll come back.

a part of her hopes he’ll understand her sentence one day...that he’ll translate it. that he’ll remember it. and she hopes when he does, that he’ll hop on a plain to come right back here. right back to her with eager lips and those same entrancing eyes. she hopes he feels the same about her. she hopes he’ll join in her recklessness. she hopes he’ll kiss her just like this one day.

she hopes her sweet jersey boy will come back for her.

[sweetness47]

Gifts from the Sea

Pairing Merman! Sam x Human! Reader

Warnings: smut, sex, language etc...MATURE 18+ READERS ONLY

Chapter 1

She didn’t know what drew her out to the beach so late at night. The entire shore was deserted, not a soul remained, save some gulls looking for a meal. She loved the peace and quiet, the feeling that she had the entire place to herself. She loved the sand between her toes, and she loved the cool water as it lapped against her feet. The hem of the floral maxi dress grew damp as the waves gently washed ashore, but she didn’t mind.

The ocean itself seemed almost magical, gleaming against the bright moonlight. If she listened close enough, she could imagine hearing the splashing and gentle callings of pods of dolphins and orcas. It was beautiful and soothing. It was a vacation, one she fully intended to make good use of, and find herself once more. Between school and work and having no fucking idea what she was going to do with her life, she needed to relax, and decide what path she wanted to take.

Her thoughts had her in almost a trance like state, so when she accidently bumped into a wall…no a person, she screamed, and would have fallen backward into the ocean had it not been for a pair of strong arms grabbing her and helping her regain her footing.

The arms belonged to the most beautiful man she’d ever laid eyes on. He looked like he’d been sculpted from the finest marble, his bare torso and abs had her drooling. And those eyes! Hazel with a hint of green, mesmerizing and so intense. His silky brown locks fell haphazardly around his perfectly chiseled jaw.

All her senses flew out the window when he brushed his hand against her cheek, tilting her face up to meet his. His lips brushed over hers, as if asking, testing, waiting to see if she would accept his invitation.

Her hormones were in overdrive the moment she’d bumped into him, so when he silently asked, she wrapped her arms around his neck, desperate for more, pressing her lips hard against his in response. He seemed to growl, pulling her tight against him as he ravaged her lips, then down her neck, over her chin, down the valley between her breasts. She clung to him, panting, her moans urging him further.

Gently he lowered her to the sand, and she was powerless to resist. Any rationality she might have had left disappeared once he kissed her. Her core ached for him, her hips thrusting against his, begging for more. She was barely aware of her subconscious thoughts that she’d never done this before, but she honestly didn’t care. If she was going to give her virginity to anyone, she was glad it was going to be him.

She felt his hands slip the hem of her dress up, skimming over the soft supple flesh, flicking his thumb over her nipple. Her back arched as she moaned into his kisses. Then he was removing her clothing, including her panties. It was only then she realized that he’d not been wearing any clothing.

She still didn’t care. She only wanted this moment, with this man, here and now. Nothing else existed. She felt his hand move between them, sliding down to her most intimate place, finding evidence of the desire that coursed through her. He slipped a finger inside, then a second, his breath catching as he felt how tight she was. She couldn’t find her voice as he started moving his fingers inside her, pumping them in and out, her cries echoing off the water.

She came hard, the orgasm shattering her from the inside out. Then he was lining his cock up with her entrance. He went slow, as if knowing she was new to this, waiting so she could adjust. Then he was inside her. She never imagined it would feel like this, and when he started to move, pleasure gathered at her core once again. His movements were precise, methodical, finding an angle and rhythm she’d only dreamt about. He pulled another earth-shattering orgasm from her before finding his own, grunting as he spilled his seed inside her.

They lay on the sand together, panting, neither wanting to move or speak. Then he withdrew and sat on his knees, his gaze travelling over her, causing her to blush. His strong arms scooped her up and took her to the water to wash off, but couldn’t stop the passion that ensued once they were submersed. He made love to her once more before taking her back to shore and helping her dress.

She pointed to the small chalet on the cove, her rental cabin for the week, asking him if he wanted to come home with her. He nodded, allowing her to lead him to the humble structure.

Two days they stayed in that cabin, making love, eating, sleeping, and making love again. Hardly a word passed between them, and she didn’t mind. She’d never been more relaxed or happy in her life. He was like a magical drug, nothing else mattered but him, here with her, in this moment.

Reality hit on the third day, when she woke to find him gone. He’d left no note. Just vanished. She checked the beach outside her chalet, finding a few footprints leading to the water, then nothing. Her heart broke, but part of that was her fault, after all, for thinking it could be more than just a bit of fun. But the connection had felt so real, so intense. And it had helped her to relax, so that was something. But she would miss him, his touch, his gentleness. A tear escaped her as she fought the urge to break down. She still had three days of her vacation left, and she fully intended to enjoy it.

The rest of the week went by surprisingly well. Despite being lonely, this by choice as no one else even came close to catching her eye, she shops and sees some of the sites. She soaks up sun on the beach, and though she knows he’s never going to come back, she often walks the soft sandy shore at night, hoping and wishing for him to return.

But he doesn’t.

In the whole, the vacation has definitely provided the much needed distraction she was looking for. Perhaps more than she’d hoped for, smiling as she recalls the first two days. But as for the direction she wants to take in her life, she has made her choice, and that involves business school, Pastry Chef courses, and saving some money. And one way or another, she would make it all happen.

~~

Castiel stared at his cousin. He’d been her guardian since she was 10, and had hoped he’d done a good job of raising her. His wife, Hannah, had been a tremendous help also, although Cas still felt he needed to do the majority of the ‘parenting’.

And for the most part, he had. YN had been a phenomenal straight A student, Honor Roll, and had three scholarships handed to her. She’d returned from her vacation Cas and Hannah had given her for her grad present, stating her intentions for schooling and her business goals.

He couldn’t be more proud of her.

But currently he was concerned. She’d been sick all week, refusing to eat or even go to a doctor. Hannah suggested maybe she had the flu, or maybe had picked up some kind of bug from the trip. But she’d been back for over a month now.

Maybe it was the flu. It certainly wasn’t uncommon, but his gut told him it was something else. He just didn’t know what.

Until Hannah mentioned something, a pattern. YN was only sick first thing in the morning, and was usually snacking at night, any traces of nausea and vomiting completely forgotten. Cas was sure it was just her eating rich foods while sick, but if that was true, it would come back to haunt her way before morning.

Hannah also noticed something else, and upon hearing it, Cas’s stomach dropped.

YN hadn’t used any feminine products since she’d been back from her trip.

What the hell had transpired during her vacation?

Anger simmered beneath the cool calm exterior of Castiel’s face as he went to YN’s room. He knocked and waited for her to respond before entering.

YN was sitting on her bed, wastebasket in front of her full of a fresh batch of bile. He glanced from the basket, to her, and laid into her, despite the protests from Hannah.

“What exactly happened in Greece? And don’t give me any BS. I want the truth. You’re pregnant.”

YN’s wide eyes told him she hadn’t come to that possibility yet. Her normally vibrant complexion paled as she absently rubbed her abdomen. “I…met someone? He disappeared after two days. I don’t know his name or where he lives. But I just couldn’t seem to help myself Cas. It was like a magical spell or something. He was like a god. So perfect and so damn irresistible.”

“You gave yourself to a complete stranger?? YN, what the hell were you thinking? And you didn’t use any form of birth control, obviously. I’m very disappointed. I thought I’d raised you better than that.”

She flinched as he read her the riot act. He continued, and it took every ounce of willpower she had not to cry in front of him. “Damn it.” He saw the tears that brimmed at the surface of her soft green eyes. “I’m sorry I tore a strip off you. But, after everything you’ve been through, after everything I’ve done to ensure you become the smart, strong, amazing woman I know you can be, that I know you are. This one thing makes me question if I missed something in your upbringing.”

The tears fell now. Her heart was breaking fast. “Are…are you going to throw me out?”

Castiel softened upon hearing that. He rushed to her bedside and gathered YN in his arms. “Honey I’d never abandon you or throw you out. I’m disappointed, yes, but I’d never, ever toss you out of my home, or out of my life. I’d never forgive myself. I love you. Never forget that.”

She let loose, sobbing uncontrollably onto Cas’s navy t-shirt, mumbling apologies and promising to never disappoint him again.

~~

Sam had to return to the water, otherwise his skin would dry out. He should have woken her, but she was sleeping so peacefully, he didn’t have the heart. Besides, he was planning to return. He just needed to check in with his family and then he’d be back in her arms.

“Where have you been? Do you have any idea how much worry and grief you caused everyone?”

Sam rolled his eyes at his father and brother. He’d known before he even went to the surface that it was forbidden, especially in areas where humans were known to frequent. But that night, for whatever reason, he’d felt a pull, unlike anything he’d ever experienced, drawing him out of the water so late at night.

Then he’d seen her. And he knew right away what the pull was.

“I just wanted to explore. Besides, since when is this an issue? Dean goes out all the time, sometimes for more than a couple of days. You never berate him. So I disappear for two fucking days and everyone goes berserk? What the actual fuck?” He couldn’t tell them yet. Especially his father.

His tail bristled in vibrant shades of hazel and green, to match the fury in his eyes. He hated being treated like a child. He was 21, plenty old enough to do whatever the fuck he wanted. Hell, he wasn’t even first in line for the throne, Dean was.

He wasn’t some guppy who needed constant coddling. He knew the dangers of the ocean, perhaps better than even Dean. He knew the dangers of the human world, what they were capable of. He had encountered sharks and orcas, and had come out unscathed. His speed and dexterity, along with his cunning wits had gotten him out of a lot of potentially fatal scenarios.

He’d visited the human world only a couple of times. That last visit though, that female, Sam had never been so enamored with anyone in his life. He’d had plenty of females here in Atlantis to choose from, but none had ever caught his eye. It wasn’t for lack of trying on their part, females practically flung themselves at both him and Dean. Even his father, widowed when Sam was young, was the target of many single women who’d love nothing more than to bed the handsome sea king.

The human girl had been so enticing, so fresh, so innocent. She had been just as attracted to him as he was to her, no words were needed between them. The magnetism that drew them together had been instantaneous. He had wanted to stay longer, but his skin needed to regenerate in the salty waters of the ocean every 48 hours. What he wouldn’t give to have been able to stay with her, to bring her to his world.

It was possible, or so he’d heard. He knew it was something to do with soul bonding, joining through intimacy and hand-fasting. Personally he’d never put much thought into when he would find a mate, but the instant attraction to the human would make sense if she indeed was his other half.

His father sighed, bringing Sam back to the unpleasant conversation. “I know you’re not a child Sam. But you are still a prince. People can still use you to try and get to me. I just worry, that’s all. After losing your mother…well I just don’t want to lose either of you boys. That would most likely kill me.”

The younger brother ran a hand through his brown locks. “I get it. Really. How about I leave a note next time I venture out. I just hate being cooped up all day Dad. I want to explore, see the rest of the oceans. Swim with pods of dolphins. Watch fish swim along coral reefs, lay their eggs in deep crevices, watch the baby tadpoles hatch.”

“Nerd.” Dean chimed in, earning a glare from their father, and a smirk from Sam.

John shakes his head. “If you do feel the need to go out exploring, at least take a guard with you. I’d feel better if you did.”

Sam rolls his eyes once again, but nods. “Ok. Fine. I’ll take Charlie.”

John opened his mouth to protest, but thought against it. For as much as Charlie was outspoken and somewhat reckless, she was also one hell of a protector. She took her job very seriously. At the end of the day, even the King had to admit Sam’s choice was a good one. “Ok. Just be careful. Please.”

“I will.”

Sam went off to find Charlie while Dean swam up to John, going over the itinerary for the day. He found her in the training grounds, amidst the sea kelp beds and the rock walls. “Hey red, s’up.”

Charlie turned to the voice belonging to her best friend. “Hey beanpole. Where were ya?”

Sam shrugged. “Out and about. Don’t start with the riot act. Dad already got to me first. But wait till I tell you what happened.”

Charlie raised a brow, then grabbed Sam’s wrist and dragged him away from other merfolk, away from the gossips and away from the guards.

“Ok spill Sam. What the fuck did you do?”

Sam looked around their secret cove, making sure they weren’t followed. “I went to the surface.”

Her eyes widened. “Fuck! Are you nuts? You know it’s dangerous.”

“I met a girl.”

“What!!!” Charlie’s hushed scream was followed by her shaking Sam by the shoulders. “Now I know you’ve gone loco. What the hell?”

Sam sighed. It was the sigh of a man in love. Charlie shook her head at her friend as he spoke. “She was beautiful Charlie, just walking along the shore in the moonlight. I made love to her, spent my entire 48 hours with her. There was just something irresistible about her. It was like a magnetic force pulling us together. Leaving her was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life.”

“Wow. Someone finally catches your heart, enough for you to lose your virginity to, and it turns out to be a human. Do you even know her name?”

“No. We, uh, didn’t do much talking.”

Charlie couldn’t help but giggle at her friend’s embarrassment. “Oh my god. Sam is in love. Quick, call the press!”

“Fuck off Charlie. I gotta go see her again. I want to bond with her.”

Now Charlie’s jaw dropped to the rocky bed below. “Shit. You really have gone off the rails. Huh. Maybe she is your fated mate. I mean it’s not unheard of. But your dad and Dean are going to have a fucking field day.”

“That’s why we aren’t going to tell them Charlie. You need to promise me you won’t tell them.”

“Fuck! You know how much I hate lying to your dad and Dean. I’m going with you. At least then I can’t run into either of your family and be forced to lie. I’ll be your guard instead.”

Sam snorted. “Fuck off. You just want to see the girl for yourself.”

“Maybe. I need to make sure she’s good enough for you.” She said, sticking her tongue out at him.

“We’ll need some human clothes, and currency.”

Charlie nodded. “Leave that to me, Your Highness.”

~~

Sam and Charlie made their way to the same shore where Sam had met his mate. After some discreet inquiries, they were able to discover her name, but not much beyond that. She apparently wasn’t from around here. Charlie felt bad for her friend, and decided on a plan that would hopefully help him find her.

The two friends rented a chalet, then got some jobs so they wouldn’t look out of place. At night, every two days, they would go to the water and rehydrate their skin. The chalet provided the perfect location to get away with ducking in and out under the cover of darkness without a lot of prying eyes.

Charlie eventually acquired a laptop and with some trial and error, figured out how it worked. Then she began searching for YFN YLN in hopes that something would pop up. But with each passing day, Sam grew more and more depressed, fearing that he would never see his beautiful angel again.

[author-morgan]

Phobia ☤ Alexios

fifteen - land of beautiful corruption

masterlist

“Be strong, saith my heart; I am a soldier; I have seen worse sights than this.”

Fate decrees two kindred souls from two different empires will find one another, and the spear shall be made whole again.

IRENE EMPTIES HER bag, checking over its contents again since they had stopped at Skandeia Harbor in Kythera. A bronze box packed with dry tinder and kindling. A flint and iron. Fish hooks and animal gut for stitching wounds. Various medicinal herbs –honey, sorrel leaves, yarrow and seeds from the poppy. A roll of linen bandages, needles and hemp thread, and a small iron for cauterizing wounds. Before her is the difference between life and death.

The Adrestia docks in Korinthia after many days at sea. Korinth is a city rank with corruption even under Spartan law. Whispers say the Monger –a brute with lust for violence– controls the city with terror and blood. Others tell them Anthousa and her hetaerae are the true leaders but are stranded at the Spring of Peirene near the Temple of Aphrodite on the Akrokorinth, having fled the city for fear of the Monger and his thugs.

Regardless of who the city's true leader is, Alexios turns his gaze toward the Akrokorinth –that is where he will find answers about his mother. Irene adjusts her loculus after having stopped at an apothecary to purchase silphium and oak gall. The short pause in their pace had allowed Alexios to scan over the vendors and shoppers –what he sees brings a deep frown to his lips. "We're being followed," Alexios notes in a hushed voice, eyes darting around the busy agora.

Irene has felt the lingering gaze of strangers too. She's been at unease since stepping off the Adrestia. "Hunted, more like," she amends, stepping closer to the misthios –their arms brush together with each step. A lifetime of being hunted has made her senses keen enough to spot those who wished to go unseen. "Two on our right," the princess mutters.

"At least three behind us and another to the left," Alexios supplements, slowing to almost a stop. If they continued on their current path the men following them would decide to strike or move forward to set a trap. "Get to the temple," he tells Irene. Only a fool would attempt spilling blood in Apollo's temple with Spartan sentries keeping vigil. "I'll fall back and see exactly how many there are." A jerky movement out of the corner of his eye catches his attention. Their pursuants are quickly closing in. Alexios grips onto Irene's wrist. "Cause a scene," he breathes.

The princess twists around, glaring at him with brows pinched together. "Why do I have to be the one to make a scene?!" She challenges in a low hiss. Though seconds later her expression shifts to heartbreak and betrayal –the effortless transformation can put even the best actors to shame. "How could you?! You swine!"

Irene's arm rears back and then her hand is connecting with his cheek. Alexios has no time to react and the slap echoes through the crowded agora. He stumbles at the sudden and unexpected impact. People stop and stare at the commotion. Those meant to be pursuing them are thrown off by the spectacle. "I loved you!" Irene cries, hiding her tearful gaze as she absconds the market toward the Temple of Apollo.

"Wait!" Alexios shouts, cheek burning with the aftermath of her touch. He gives pursuit but once she climbs the crepidoma of the temple, he slips into the crowd. The men all gather at a warehouse on the western docks. Guards standing at the entrance are neither Spartan or Athenian –but are more akin to bandits. After seeing their meeting location, Alexios turns back toward the heart of Korinth.

Spartan sentries give him wary glances as he climbs the Temple steps. Mercenaries weren't known for their piety. He kneels before the statue of Apollo at the center of the noas. "That worked surprisingly well," he remarks, humor lacing his tone. She'd played the part well and had saved them from a confrontation in the streets.

Irene glances at him and frowns –there's a red mark on his cheek the same size as her hand. She aligns her fingers with the welt and feels guilty for not warning him about her intentions. "I didn't mean to hit you that hard," the princess admits with a grimace. Alexios turns his cheek farther into her hand, a faint smile pulling at his lips. Her fingers unintentionally slip upward, following the scar below his left eyes.

Shouting from one of the sentries breaks them both from the trance. Irene pulls her hand away and glances around the temple to avoid meeting his gaze. "How many?" She asks.

"Nine," he answers, "they're at a warehouse near the docks." The princess glances at him -her deep blue eyes have gone cold with determination. Sooner or later they would have to confront those men. Irene would prefer it be sooner.

IT IS NOT Anthousa who Irene and Alexios come across upon initially arriving at the Akrokorinth, but Alkibiades. By pure luck, he had decided to sojourn there and visit his muses. Athens had been a mess as of late with Kleon continually stirring the mob and publically dissenting against Perikles' will. Irene suspects a courtesan visit is not the only reason he has come to the land of beautiful corruption.

Her suspicions are proven correct when he asks Alexios to bring a parcel to the Spartan named Diodoros at the fort. "I'll deliver it," Alexios says, taking the wooden box.

"Do handle it with care and discretion, misthios," Alkibiades remarks. The two old friends watch him leave on the errand. So long as the Eagle Bearer sticks to the shadows of Akrokorinth Fort, it will not be a hard task to complete. Allie tugs on a lock of Irene's black hair. "I do hope Diodoros enjoys that," he muses after Alexios is out of sight, twirling the same lock around his finger, "-it took me several times to cast one that truly matched my likeness."

Irene scoffs, rolling her eyes. He's done something similar to this before, though he had not gotten the results he'd wished for when the messenger slipped up and said the delivery was from him and not Hylios. She had to take care of the angered general after that in such a manner that it looked as though the gods had struck him down by chance. "I could cast one for you if you'd like," Alkibiades proposes with a sybaritic tone.

"What is Alexios like?" He finally asks -it's a question he's been dying to know the answer to since laying eyes on the misthios at Perikles' Symposium.

Had anyone else asked the question, the princess would have answered honestly. He's a good person, quick to anger but quicker to laugh. But this is Alkibiades and there only ever seems to be one thing on his debauched mind when speaking outside of political matters. Irene's cheeks flush. "You have no sense of decorum!" She accuses, crossing her arms.

"Guilty," he replies. "Now answer the question. You've sailed across the Aegean with him. I know you must have had a taste of his spear." Her cheeks burn bright red under his scrutinizing gaze -and the thoughts that begin to slip into her mind. "I hear Spartans know how to wield them best," he adds with a titillating smile.

"Allie!" Irene scolds. She's never been one to speak openly of such private affairs. And even if she had been with Alexios, she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing those intimate details.

"But you have thought about it haven't you?" He goads, nudging her playfully.

Between the hesitation and the way her eyes widen, Alkibiades has his answer. His smirk is infuriating. "You're unconscionable," Irene grumbles, "asking a woman of her sex life, sending the Eagle Bearer to deliver a cast of your cock to some poor man."

Alkibiades shrugs and takes the hand of one the priestesses leaving the Temple of Aphrodite -it was time he made an offering to the Goddess of Love. "Life's more interesting that way, my sweetling." He winks at the princess before turning his attention to the hetaera.

Irene turns away from the temple and faces the Gulf of Korinth. The sweeping vista as the light of day fades into the west is a glorious sight to behold. Korinthia truly was one of the most beautiful places in the Greek world. A full moon rises over the water and the city below takes on a cold glow.

There's a tug at the edge of her chiton -she glances down and is surprised to see a familiar young face looking up at her. "Phoibe?" The girl grins. "What are doing here?" Irene asks. Korinth was no place for a child to be running about if rumors circulating the city were true.

"Aspasia sent me as an-" Phoibe pauses and thinks hard about how to say the right word "-an emissary."

The princess isn't sure she likes the idea of Aspasia using the girl for her political gains, but Phoibe seems happy with her mission and appears well looked after. "Does Alexios know?" Irene inquires. Phoibe's eyes light up at the mention of the misthios.

"Do I know what?" A deep voice asks from behind a stone column. Phoibe turns from Irene and races toward the Eagle Bearer, launching herself into his arms. The impact causes him to stumble back, falling against the steps of the temple. "It's good to see you too, Phoibe," he laughs. As Irene looks upon the sight, something stirs deep in her chest, though she cannot place what it is.

[90simaginesandfanfics]

Cradle Broken Glass - Chapter Sixty Two

“Do you like it?” Ash asked and Layla could feel tears welling up in her eyes and she looked at the dress that Ash was wearing. 

Ash had picked out a wedding dress with her mother and some extended family. Apparently it was tradition for the women of the family to go with her. Which meant that Layla hadn’t been there when she was picking one out. Ash had complained for a week about it, saying she didn’t think she would make a good decision without Layla’s help, but looking at her now, she knew she’d done a perfect job. The dress was absolutely stunning, but Ash was even more beautiful. It fit her perfectly and was exactly what she could have envisioned for her best friend. 

And she knew that Jeff was going to cry like a fucking baby when he saw her.

“I love it. Oh my God, you look fucking amazing. Fuck me, I’m crying and I never cry.” She said and Ash broke out into the biggest smile, and Layla could see tears build in her friend’s eyes too. She couldn’t believe that her best friend was getting married. Seeing her in her dress made everything real. Ash walked off of the podium set up in front of the three door mirror in the bridal shop and reached down to grab one of the champagne flutes they had been offered by the owner as they walked in. Layla did the same and they both raised their glasses in a toast.

“To finding our soulmates.” Ash said, before knocking back the whole glass, not realising her friend had barely moved after that. After a couple seconds of pause, Layla did the same and drank the liquid that remained in her glass, her pensive stare causing her best friend to look at her in worry.

“You alright babe?” Ash asked and Layla jumped, pulling herself out of her trance.

“I’m fine, sorry. I’m just thinking about everything, you know? But that doesn’t matter because you mean everything to me, and I cannot believe how beautiful you look in that dress. You’re going to make Jeff a very happy man.” She said and the two embraced again.

“Okay, I’m going to get out of this before I spill champagne on it. I’ll be back in a minute.” Ash disappeared behind the curtain and Layla nodded before walking back to her seat. She could hear Ash talking to the boutique owner behind the curtain and knew that this was going to take ages before they finally left the store.

Layla glanced around the boutique and sat back down on the couch she has already spent half the day perched on. She wasn’t going to complain to Ash about it, since it had been such a magical day so far, but all she wanted was to curl up on her bed with some ice cream and then fall asleep for the next week. But unfortunately, being the maid of honour for the wedding meant she did not have that luxury. She started to flit through some of the magazines in front of her when she came across the latest SPIN magazine issue and focused on the front cover. Her luck had it that it was Pearl Jam glaring back at her behind all the headlines on the magazine. Layla stared at it for longer than was probably best for her own self-esteem, but she couldn’t seem to look away. It hurt to look at them all.

It hurt her to see Jack Irons, who had joined the year before. She remembered all the times that Eddie had stayed up late with her, talking about their lives. Jack had been mentioned countlessly not to mention he was the only reason Eddie had ever had the chance to audition with the band. 

It hurt to look at Mike, one of the sweetest guys she had ever known. No matter how bad things were going for him, he always seemed to put a smile on everyone’s face. 

It hurt her to see Jeff, the man who had practically been a brother to her since she had moved to Seattle, yet now seemed like a distant relative you only briefly acknowledge at family gatherings. It pained her to know that their friendship was hanging on by a thread, that thread being Ash. 

It hurt her to see Stone, a man who had been by her side through everything and pulled her through a relationship that had nearly broken her. No matter what he had always been truthful to her, even when she didn’t want to hear what he had to say. He always had her best interests at heart and to know they were barely acquaintances anymore made her heart ache.

But most of all, it hurt her to see Eddie’s face, still as fucking perfect as it had been the day that she had left him. She knew she had made the right decision two years ago, she knew that if she hadn’t have done it things would have gotten worse and it might have even ruined her life. But she still couldn’t stop the regret she had over things going sour. She wished she could go back to the way things were when they first got together. They had battled through so much to even get to that point that it felt like such a waste to throw it all away. But things can only ever look good in hindsight.

Layla sat back and thought of what would have happened if she’d stayed. The two of them would have continued to build resentment towards each other. Maybe it would have all blown up in their faces. Maybe it would have reached such a point that neither of them could have even looked at each other again. Would she have gotten the job she had now? Probably not. She was working for Nine Inch Nails because she had gotten the job, because she had decided what she wanted to do with her life. As much as Eddie had helped in getting her into the industry, she wouldn’t have her job right now if she’d have decided to stay. And what would the fame have done to their relationship if she’d stayed? It had a massive impact at that point already, and she knew it had gotten worse in the past two years. She could barely do anything without hearing about Pearl Jam this, Pearl Jam that. Eddie this, Eddie that. All that extra attention would have been destructive, and maybe he would have found someone else to be with, someone who could deal with the fame, someone who he actually wanted around him. That’s what hurt her the most. 

With a new resolve, Layla turned away from the magazine and simply stared at the wedding dresses surrounding her, deciding to completely expel him from her thoughts. If she had stayed she would have been more damaged than she already was.

*****

wow it’s been one hot minute since I last posted! And speaking of one hot minute, has anyone else heard the news about the chilli peppers? I’m gutted that Josh is leaving the band, but oh my fucking God, John Frusciante is back!!!! Anyway, let me know what you guys think of this and I hope you’re all having an amazing Christmas so far. Happy Holidays xxx

[whatareyousearchingfordean]

Kiss From a Rose

The Witch in the Reunion

Summary: Y/n has been hunting alongside the infamous Winchesters for years now, but when an unexpected case pops up in her hometown, she finds herself struggling not only with her feelings for the eldest brother but with the things from her past that she has been fighting to forget.

Pairing: Dean Winchester x Plus size Reader

Word Count: 5K+

Warnings: Language, angst, character death

Author’s Note: THE BIG REVEAL! Whodunnit? Also, the Seal song that the reader refers to is exactly the one you think it is... 

Catch up with the series masterlist and check out Alexandra’s Library for more works by yours truly!

The case came to an abrupt halt with no new leads, pushing the hunters into the weekend and much to Y/n’s dismay, the reunion. It was their last chance to keep their cover in town and any hope of talking candidly with those closest to the victim. The huntress had hoped it wouldn’t come to this and that she and the Winchesters would uncover the culprit before she was forced to parade her ‘husband’ around to everyone and everything she had run away from. Alas, she could never have been that lucky. 

The huntress spent her morning huddled under the cheap covers of the motel bed, mindlessly flipping through bad soap operas and cooking shows until she could no longer put off getting ready for the evening. Y/n took her time in the shower, allowing the boiling heat of the water to relax away the tension in her muscles. It also allowed for her time to think of some excuse to wrap up the cases without a conclusion, though she failed to find one that would convince the Winchester brothers. 

When turning the temperature control on the nozzle ceased to continuously heat the stream of water gurgling from the showerhead, Y/n reluctantly pulled herself from its confines, drying herself off and tossing her hair into a towel situated on top of her head. 

The steam from the shower billowed out of the bathroom and into the rest of her motel room as she went for her duffle, humidifying the large space with ease. Pulling out the matching bra and panties she had packed specifically for this occasion, she slipped the pieces on and topped them with a button-up flannel to finish her hair and makeup. 

Y/n went back into the bathroom and started up her hairdryer, focusing on her roots as she began. The huntress was about halfway through when a loud banging nearly caused her to drop the tool in her hand. She shut it off and waited, listening closely for the source of the sound. When it came again, she was sure someone was knocking to come in and she rushed out, pulling on a pair of leggings before going to answer the door. 

The opening of her door brought with it a welcomed gust of the cool spring air from outside and revealed the brothers Winchester standing side by side. 

“Hey, kid. We didn’t hear from you this morning so Sammy and I decided to bring you lunch, figured you might be hungry,” Dean held up the brown paper bag he was holding with a grin that matched that of his baby brother beside him. 

“Come on in,” Y/n agreed, stepping back from the entryway to allow the two giants into her room. The brothers went immediately to the small desk in her room, placing the food and drinks on the glossy wood surface. 

“Picked up your favorite, sesame chicken and fried rice,” Dean explained as he began to pull containers from the large bag. 

“Yum,” the huntress drew out her reply with a hum, her tongue darting out to wet her lips as she realized just how hungry she had unknowingly become. “You know me too well, Winchester.” 

Dean flashed her a cocky smile as he handed over the meal, topped off with an iced tea from Sam. She took it and perched herself at the foot of her bed, crossing her legs before digging into the meal. The oldest Winchester followed and seated himself next to her while Sam stayed in the desk chair. 

“So have you found anything interesting since last night?” The huntress inquired after a bite, trying to hide the hopefulness in her voice that she would get out of tonight’s event. 

“Nada,” Dean admitted around a mouthful of his lunch. “We’ve got nothing that strictly points to anyone, just a mountain of guesses. This bitch knows how to cover their tracks.”

“Yeah well in a small town like this, you learn how to get good at sneaking around,” Y/n pointed out. “When everyone knows everyone, you’ve got to be good at keeping secrets.”

“Is that so?” Dean cocked his head at the woman next to him, a devilish thought occurring to the hunter. “You know from experience, Y/n?”

“Yeah, you bet. All those years spent by myself in my bedroom were great for learning how to sneak around,” she scoffed, unamused that Dean was still riding this train. 

“I don’t believe that for a second. I bet you had your share of nights under the bleachers.” The huntress rolled her eyes at Dean’s insistence, the aggravation building inside her. 

“How many times do I have to explain this to you? I was not popular growing up and I certainly didn’t have any guys begging me to join them for some lame-ass tonsil hockey under the bleachers.”

“Bull,” Dean countered once again. The huntress groaned, tossing a pleading look at the younger Winchester in the hopes he could get Dean to let up. 

“Dean, I don’t think it’s any of our business,” Sam spoke up, clearly getting the hint better than his brother. 

“Just ‘cause you didn’t get any in high school doesn’t mean you have to ruin everybody else’s fun.” Dean laughed at his joke, elbowing Y/n in an attempt to get her to join in his teasing and failing miserably. Sam only frowned at his brother.

“You want to know the truth?” The bubbling in her gut had spilled over, turning into word vomit that she couldn’t have stopped no matter how much she wanted to. “I didn’t lose my virginity until I was twenty-three in the quickest and most pathetic night of my life. And it’s not like I was exactly getting much of anything before that either.

“It’s fine though. I wasn’t ready until I was ready and I’ve so moved on from the nightmare that was my early twenties.” Y/n decided to tack on that last tidbit in an ill-conceived attempt to lighten the admission that had slipped from her tongue. Heat flooded her neck and cheeks as she noticed the brothers staring at her in confused awe. 

She absolutely could not believe that she had admitted that in front of either of the brothers, but most of all Dean. There was now no way after this weekend he would ever look at her without pity, only seeing her as the bullied little girl who never so much as received a look from a man until after college. If the floor could swallow her whole at this moment, that would be great. 

“Right… thanks for lunch, guys, but I need to finish getting ready,” the huntress cleared her throat after an awkward moment of silence, her eyes desperate for them to leave for her to save face in one of the most embarrassing moments of her life. 

“Uh, of course. We’ll just…” Sam coughed out the jumbled words as he rose from the chair and went to his brother, gripping his bicep and tugging him alongside as the brothers stumbled from the room. 

Y/n fell back against the mattress with a huff, mentally kicking herself for everything she had ever done or said in front of Dean. The hunter somehow had this hold over her, always managing to get her to admit things she didn’t wouldn’t even say aloud to herself. If she keeps it up at this pace, she will be on the path to permanently removing herself from the Winchesters’ life if she ever hoped of retaining some sort of dignity. 

Silently, she finished up the meal they had brought her before heading back to finish what she had started. Once her hair was completely dried, she curled the length of it into soft curls and then applied some basic makeup. Nothing too showy for a small town class reunion. 

Once she was satisfied with her look, she returned to the main space and took out her dress that she had hung in the closet last night after ironing out the thin material. It was a dress she had stowed away for undercover work, never taking it out of its bag unless desperate. 

The ruby-red material fell snug against her curves and never failed to make her feel more exposed than she was used to. There was a reason she stuck to comfy and bagging clothes, using them as a way to hide the parts of her body that she had a specific distaste for. However, the job occasionally necessitated she appeared more feminine, and this was one of those nights. 

Standing in front of the full-length mirror, the huntress topped off her look with heels and jewelry as she examined her reflection with a pout. Unsurprisingly, she easily picked out all of her mind's flaws, from her hatred of her flabby arms and the rolls that she subconsciously sucked in when she turned to examine her profile. 

A small knock at the door bounced her out of her thoughts.

“Come in,” she called, giving her reflection one final frown before turning to fetch her clutch. 

“Hey, are you ready to--” Y/n turned to see Dean’s eye’s traveling up the length of her body, his emerald eyes intense in their gaze. Heat coursed through her veins under his leering and she had to clear her throat before he snapped from his trance. “Sweetheart, you look incredible.”

“Thank you, Dean. You clean up nicely yourself,” she smiled sweetly, a stark contrast to the racing of her heart knowing Dean had been so intent on her. 

The oldest Winchester brother donned a maroon button-down that he had tucked into a pair of dark slacks. A few of the top buttons had been left open and he had the sleeves rolled up, revealing his forearms. It was a simple look, but enough to get any living being’s mouth watering at the sight. 

“Just need one more thing,” Y/n noted as she went to her duffle and pulled out her pistol. She checked the barrel and magazine quickly before putting the safety on. Raising her heeled foot to the edge of the bed, she hiked up her dress to her high thigh and tucked the weapon into the holster she had hidden on her thigh. The huntress dropped her leg and tugged her dress back into place. “Okay, ready.” 

There was an unmistakable clench in the muscles of Dean’s jaw as she walked across the room to where he stood. His brow was furrowed into a knot in the middle of his forehead as his eyes followed her movement. “Dean?”

“Hmm?” He blinked a few times as if he just noticed she had moved closer to him. “Oh, shall we go?” 

Y/n nodded slowly, confused by his sudden shift but trailed after him from the motel and into the parking lot. Dean helped her into the passenger side of the Impala and then made his way to his spot behind the wheel. 

Soft music played from the radio as they pulled from the parking lot and headed west. Besides the soft melodies of Bob Seger and Neil Young, the inside of the car was quiet. Y/n was lost in thought as once again as the anxiety over the night ahead began to simmer in her belly. The cheap gold band that encompassed her finger felt like a heavy neon sign flashing at everyone and indicating the blatant deceit she and Dean were attempting to portray. 

“Hey,” Dean spoke softly beside her, placing his palm against her bare knee to get her attention. “Sam will be close by, just in case.” 

“Yeah, I know,” she replied with a soft smile. Dean had picked up on the waves of anxiety rolling off of her, but he had read the situation so wrong. 

“Then what’s up, sweetheart?”

“Just thinking about possibly having to face a monster in heels,” she lied, easily squeaking out a fake laugh for him. 

“Well, I’ve seen you kick ass in heels plenty of times before so I doubt tonight will be any different.” He squeezed his grip on her, giving her a flash of a grin before turning back to the road. 

“I didn’t say I couldn’t do it, just that I’m not particularly fond of it,” Y/n pointed out and Dean nodded with a chuckle. 

Neither brought it up again in the final few miles of the drive. When they pulled into the parking lot, it was filled with far more cars than it had been just a few days prior. The party was already in full swing, the music audible as the pair stepped out of the Impala. 

“Alright, shows on.”

Dean took the huntress’s hand and guided her into the school. The two checked in and filled out name tags before entering. The decorations had the gym looking like a cheap prom. A tunnel of balloons shepherded people into the gym where they were greeted by more balloons and streamers strategically placed all over. There hung a disco ball in the center of the room where a makeshift dance floor already had people swaying to the beat. 

“Oh, you two did make it!” The shrill sneer had the hunters snapping their heads towards the dessert table where Janelle was already rushing towards them with a malicious grin on her face. 

“We said we would be,” Y/n replied coldly, unable to hide the roll of her eyes. Janelle ignored her and drew her gaze to Dean then, her eyes hungry as she set them on the green-eyed man without a care about the woman whose hand he still held. Y/n scoffed and stalked off towards the drink table without a word. 

“Mm, are you sure you and jelly belly over there are working out?” Janelle husked out as she stepped into Dean’s personal space. 

“Slow down,” Dean huffed as he stepped back from the brazen woman. The warning was low but the narrowing of his eyes told her she meant business. Janelle frowned as the hunter turned on his heel and followed where his partner had gone. He slinked silently to her side and put an arm around her waist to pull her close before he left a light peck to her temple. 

“Jesus Dean,” the huntress exclaimed as she jumped from his touch, her instincts ready to fight before she caught his grin out of the corner of her eye. “Warn a girl next time.”

“Where is the fun in that?” The Winchester had fallen back into his usual goofy self with ease, opting to steal the glass of whiskey she had poured herself after she dumped the whole of its contents down her throat in one go. 

“You’re going to have to take it slow there, Mrs. Walker, we’re on a case still,” Dean chuckled as he refilled the glass for himself. Y/n grumbled her dissatisfaction though she knew he was right. Instead of fighting, she pulled him back into the crowd of people to continue their intel gathering. 

Not much came from their hopping between groups of Y/n’s former classmates. The women spent most of their time too busy drooling over Dean to answer any questions beyond small talk and the guys simply acted as if the huntress didn’t exist, instead only talking to her partner for a majority of their conversations. It was irritating as hell for her, to be right back into the toxic environment that had scarred her psyche all those years ago. Not to mention, they were not one step closer to figuring out who their witch was. 

When dinner was eventually served, Y/n was more than ready for the reprieve it would bring from having to put on a show for the last people she would ever care about. 

“So, let’s go over what we know?” Y/n spoke up as they sat at an empty table in the far corner of the gym. 

“Damon still makes my skin crawl, I don’t trust him,” Dean answered as he scanned the crowd for the aforementioned guy. 

“I don’t understand why, we ruled him out already.” 

“I just don’t like the way he looks at you.” Y/n scoffed at Winchester’s insinuation that anyone from her high school would look at her with anything but disgust. “Him or Roger, whom, I might add, we have not ruled out.”

“Roger was just a horny teenage boy,” the huntress countered. “I think Janelle or Kate are our best guesses. They were the two closest to the victim.”

“They were all in a book club together, and you know what that could mean,” Dean insinuated. “That is until Janelle had a falling out with the book club which resulted in the vic almost failing to hire her as the caterer for this shindig. People have killed for less.”

“Damn it, we need proof,” Y/n cursed with a frown. “I want to get back to the bunker already.”

Dean nodded in full agreement to her sentiment. The pair finished their meals in relative silence, watching the rest of her class as they moved about the venue, hoping something might pop out at them. 

“Should we blend into the crowd and see what we can see?” Dean offered as he cleared his plate. Y/n cocked her head at him, unsure of what he was getting at. “You know, head out onto the dance floor.” 

“Oh, I am so not drunk enough for that,” the huntress declared as she adamantly shook her head. 

“Come one, we’ll have a better vantage point out there.”

“Fine,” she sighed, offering her hand to Dean as he stood and guided her underneath the disco ball, placing them in the center of all the action. 

The hunter began to move awkwardly to the music that emanated from the speakers surrounding them. It was far from anything he ever would have listened to and clearly that put him out of his comfort zone. Y/n couldn’t help the giggles that slipped past her lips as she watched, causing Dean to halt his dancing, his hands slapping against his sides. 

“Don’t laugh. If you can do better then show me,” Dean huffed, gesturing for her to go ahead. 

“Hell no,” she yelled above the music as the song switched, knowing that there was only one way she could move to the beat now filling the gym. 

“Do it for me, sweetheart.” Y/n chewed on the corner of her lips fighting with her self-conscious ways before quickly shaking away the fear and stepping up to Dean. 

“You asked for this,” she noted, giving him no time to respond before she began to move her hips. His hands flew to her waist as she rolled the length of her body against his in time with the song. The hunter began to grind with her, slipping one of his legs between her own, pressing the two of them closer together. Y/n pushed down the worries bubbling in her chest, focused on the music, and listening to her body. She spun on her toes and pressed her backside into Dean, who paused his movement for half a second before falling back into the dance. 

It was far closer than the duo had ever been and as much as that scared her, she took the time to relish in the feeling of his hands gripping tight onto the soft flesh of her waist and the heat of his body pressed against her own. The song faded out and with it, Dean snapped himself from her form, much to her dismay. There was no denying his abrupt action tugged on her heart. 

With a deep breath, she turned back to him, ready to face the music of having pushed him too far. Dean stood there rubbing the back of his neck as his tongue darted out to wet his plump lower lip. His brow furrowed before he turned to walk back towards their table. 

“Wait, Dean!” He paused and turned back to her. A sheepish smile formed on her face as the notes of the now much slower song began to grow stronger. “I love this song.” 

“It’s Seal,” he countered as if that was a valid reason to not like the song. 

“Please?”

The hunter relented, offering his partner a soft smile as he moved back towards her. Y/n looped an arm over Dean’s shoulder and took his hand in her free one. Hesitantly he slipped his arm around her waist and began to move the two along with the notes of the nineties song filled the gym. 

“What?” Y/n scrunched her nose as she heard Dean chuckle under his breath. 

“Nothing, it’s just-” Dean shook his head, the grin widening on his face. “Are we middle schoolers?” 

The huntress cocked her head, not sure what Dean was insinuating. Without elaborating, Dean took the hand she held in his and placed it around his neck with her other, tugging her body closer to him as he was now able to grip her waist with both hands. 

Her body went rigid as she could feel his breath on her face and the warmth of his body seeping through her dress. The length of his body was pressed against hers, firm and unrelenting. Flashbacks to their moment in the janitor’s closet flooded her brain and she could feel her heart rate picking up in response. 

“Sweetheart, you doing okay?” Dean looked down his nose at the woman he held in his arms. Having sensed her sudden discomfort, he asked, though he could guess why she was now riddled with anxiety. “Listen, I know what you are thinking but to hell with all these assholes and their superficial views. None of them know the real you. The smart, beautiful, and badass hunter that can knock me and my giant of a brother on our asses without even trying. They don’t deserve even one second of your thoughts.” 

Tears welled in the corners of her eyes, threatening to spill over as she refused to look at Dean. Instead, she chose to hold him close, ignoring his words that her mind couldn’t begin to accept yet as she rested her chin on his shoulder. 

“Y/n/n,” 

“Dean, just… stop, okay? I can’t take the pity,” she nearly choked on her words, the emotion building up like a pressure cooker inside her. It was about more than just the nasty comments and glares from her classmates, it was about the man she could never have. Dean had spent the better part of the weekend playing his role as a loving husband so convincingly that at moments she would almost forget that it was all a ruse. He was kind and supportive and flirty, all of it a deadly cocktail that would lead to her ultimate demise, a broken heart. 

“Jesus, it’s not pity, sweetheart. Did these people real fuck you up that bad that you can’t see the effect you have on me?” Dean used his hands on her hips to tug her away from his body, forcing the huntress to look at him now. 

“Yes!” she practically screamed the words, not understanding where the miscommunication was for him. The tears she had been trying to swallow down now traced down her cheeks anyway. “I’ve never exactly been the kinda girl that guys chased after, let alone the kind of girl you chase after. I’ve seen your hookups, Dean. I’m nowhere near the league of women who have gotten to share your bed. So why now?” 

“All those women were nothing but an easy shot. There wasn’t one second about any of those nights that was real. But you and the way you make feel, that’s real,” Dean insisted, his verdant eyes intent on making her understand. “Sometimes I feel like you are my other half. You make me laugh and challenge me in the best ways. Sammy loves you and you love him. You are one of the most selfless people I know and you tackle hunting with the most annoyingly positive attitude that just makes me want to be around you more. Y/n, you are the whole package.”

The huntress stood there, mouth hanging open at his confession. A million thoughts raced through her head but she didn’t get a chance to comment before movement in her peripherals caught her eye. Her eyes flickered towards the back door that led from the gym where Kate was slinking out into the darkness. 

“Dean,” Y/n hissed, nudging his shoulder before pointing towards the door. “Kate just snuck outside.”

“You think?” It took Dean’s brain a second to switch gears, but he didn’t need her to elaborate for him when it eventually caught up. 

“I mean it makes sense, right?” Dean shrugged but it was all the response the huntress needed. She took his hand and slinked through the sea of her classmates to follow their suspect. Once the gym door closed behind them, the pair readied their weaponry. 

“Split up. I’ll go towards the football field, you head that way.” Y/n gestured towards the parking lot. Dean nodded and stalked off in the opposite direction she did. Y/n held close to the building until she hit the corner, moving slowly around the brick to find the space empty. Her eyes scanned the expanse of the open area as she headed swiftly towards the football field. Her heels clicking against the pavement broke the silence of the late-night as she moved. 

As she drew closer, she noticed a light on inside the concession stand. She made herself light on her toes and put her body flush against the dirty brick as she headed towards the open window. Carefully, so as not to reveal her location, the huntress peered inside the shack. 

In the center of the space was a large metal island, the top of it littered with satanic paraphernalia. Kate had her back to the window, but Y/n was able to make out her soft chanting in Latin. 

Without a second thought, the huntress flashed around the side of the building and kicked in the door. 

“Ah, don’t move,” Y/n tsked as she pointed her gun straight at the witch’s heart. “One wrong move and I put one of these witch-killing bullets in your head.”

Kate didn’t seem at all phased by the weapon in her face. “Really, Kate? Witchcraft?”

“Oh, Y/n, you can’t even imagine the world of possibilities I have opened up for myself.” Kate’s lips twisted in an evil smile as she spoke. 

“Oh trust me, I can imagine.” The huntress rolled her eyes, far from amused at the witch’s attempt to make it sound like murder was so glorious. 

“Just eliminating the competition.” 

“Competition? For what?”

“Alec, of course,” the witch laughed. “You see, we made a deal back in high school and Sarah, well she decided she didn’t want to play anymore and it was my turn. So I took care of her. ” 

“Your turn?” Y/n shook her head at the sheer hilarity of it. “God, I have heard some crazy motives but this one, this one tops ‘em all.” 

“I should have known you were a hunter, waltzing in here claiming to be married to that tall drink you’ve had by your side. Well, guess what, we all saw right through it. No way you nabbed a guy like that,” Kate taunted as she took half a step in the huntress’s direction. 

“I swear to god, do that again and I will pull this trigger,” Y/n seethed, emphasizing her intent with a shake of her gun. Her blood was boiling, Kate’s words having the exact effect on her that she wanted. But she refused to give Kate the satisfaction. 

“Do it and see where it gets you, jelly belly.” The nickname rolled off her tongue, and Y/n couldn’t stop the small flinch it inflicted into her bones. 

“Oh, it will get you dead,” Y/n smiled menacingly as she recovered and pulled the trigger. Kate’s mouth fell open as her body shook and dropped to the ground, wasted. 

“Y/n!” The huntress spun around as Dean’s worried scream reached her. 

“I’m okay,” she assured as she stepped out of the concession stand, putting her gun back into the holster on her thigh. 

“Oh thank god.” Dean ran up to her, pulling her to his chest. “You kill the witch?”

“Yeah, the crazy bitch had some sort of pact to share Sarah’s husband back in high school. But Sarah reneged on their deal. So she killed her.” Y/n let out a full-bellied laugh as she pulled away from Dean slightly, though he refused to relent his grip on her. “Can you believe that?” 

The huntress nearly fell over in a fit of laughter. The sheer hilarity of the whole situation hitting her now that she was out of danger. It was like she was in some bad high school drama on the Lifetime network. She supposed she shouldn’t have suspected much from her hometown. 

It took her a second to regain her composure. She stood back straight, wiping the wetness from her eyes when she noticed Dean’s intense stare. 

“Dean, what are you--” her words were stolen from her mouth as Dean captured her lips with his. The huntress smiled into the kiss, her hands gripping Dean’s wrist where he cradled her jaw in his hands. Y/n’s head swam as the Winchester deepened their connection, angling his head just so to open her mouth to him. Their tongues danced together as the pair got lost in the feeling of the other. Only when the need for air became too great did the couple relent their hold on each other, the rapid rise and fall of their chests matching the other. 

“Are you two done? We have a body to clean up.” Sam’s voice startled them both. There was a hint of a grin in his eyes that betrayed the exasperated expression he was trying to portray. 

“Just another minute, Sammy.” Dean turned back to Y/N, a coy smile playing on his lips before he kissed her again. 

Part 6 (Final)

[mynamehan]

Crush Culture - Peter Parker imagine

A/N: Totally got inspired by the AMAZING song called Crush culture by Conan Grey (check him tf out if ya haven’t). 

warnings: none I think? minor swear words maybe. some angst but fluff mostly

word count: idk exactly but a bit on the longer side soz it’s worth it tho

paring: Peter Parker x Reader

summary: Your recent feelings towards Peter have been getting you down lately and when Valentine’s comes around, you feel yourself growing tired of it. Just as you plan on completely ditching your crush something unexpected happens.

.

Valentine’s Day.

A day most people viewed solemnly as a consumers trap. Even though you’d never actually had a proper valentine, you didn’t mind that other people did. Any day to celebrate kindness was a win in your eyes, and you had never had any problems with the slightly gimmicky day. At least, not until now. 

Recently, feelings for the shy, sweet and kinda nerdy guy most people recognized as Peter Parker had surfaced, which put you in quite an unfortunate position. It didn’t take a genius to notice how he felt about a certain Liz Allen, seeing the way his dreamy gaze always seemed to lock on her in the hallway. For an observant person like you it was glass clear, he had fallen head over heels for her. As if that wasn’t enough, you being good friends with Michelle and being Ned’s childhood friend landed you some pretty juicy inside information on Parker’s more private thoughts. 

Now, at Midtown High, Valentine’s Day wasn’t that big of a deal really, only a few decorations in hallways and the cafeteria were hung by members of the student council. A small contest involving guessing the right amount of Hershey’s Kisses in a large jar was an annual thing they arranged. To enter, you could either team up in two or go solo, and after carefully looking at the jar from all sorts of angles, you wrote down your name, class and guess. Last year, you and Michelle teamed up as a joke and ended up winning the entire jar of Hershey's, which you ended up sharing with Ned and Peter. This year though, you weren’t in the mood for sweets, really all you felt was bitterness.

I don’t care if I’m forever alone

I’m not falling for you

'Cause this baby is love-proof

You glanced over at Peter as he stood with Ned by his locker, nerding out over something and you pursed your lips in aggravation. Nope, you were not going to do this to yourself. Crushing on someone who isn’t interested in you is a bad move and also not a very healthy one. 

“Hey loser, why ya looking so cranky?” 

Michelle slammed herself into the locker next to yours, scrutinizing your facial expression. The bang she caused snapped you out of your stare but you continued furrowing your brows as you let your gaze fall on the darkness in your locker.

Crush culture makes me wanna spill my guts out

I know what you’re doing, tryna get me to pursue ya

Your eyes set on nothing in particular as Michelle gave you a light nudge in the side. “Dude, are you in a trance or som-“

“Michelle, I need you to distract me today.”

“What are you tal-“

“Just please.” 

Cutting her off, you subtly let your gaze wander over to the two boys again, feeling your heart flutter as Peter let out a giggle over something Ned said. “Take me somewhere or tell me weird stories, you’re full of those.”

“Oookay, um, I plan on stylishly tearing apart some clothes after school to make them more grungy and I guess I could need someone to help me-“

You slammed your locker shut, keeping your gaze on the sweater wearing boy before abruptly turning on your heel and grabbing onto MJ’s arm. “Great. Let’s go talk about that.”

Oh no, don’t look in their eyes, 'cause that’s how they get you

After lunch and another two periods of trying to completely ignore the fact that all you could think about was Peter, the bell rang signalling the end of class. Scrambling your books, pens and papers into your arms, you got up and quickly started making your way out of the classroom. You didn’t get very far though until you felt a light tap on your shoulder to which you turned around sharply. As your gaze locked on a set of far too familiar brown eyes, you felt the air go out of you. 

“Y-you dropped your, uh, your pen.” 

Peter held up the blue pen with a shy smile on his lips. 

“Hmm. Thanks.” You replied stiffly before turning to walk off but once again Peter stopped you. 

“Hey, uh, Y/N. Are-are you okay? You seem kind of upset…” 

Standing still in your spot, you closed your eyes and took a sharp breath. “I just, I’m not in the mood today, Peter.” 

Your voice dripped with bitterness which made Peter frown slightly. “Well, are you sure, you seem-“

“I’m fine.” You snapped, not looking back the slightest as you hurried away.

And no I don’t want your sympathy, all this love is suffocating

Just let me be sad and lonely

Throwing your books into your locker, you held onto the blue pen just a few seconds longer before throwing it in with the rest. Sighing deeply, you let your head rest against the locker. Why couldn’t you get the stupid crush out of your head? Resting your temple against the metal, you frowned slightly, feeling a mixture of sadness and frustration. 

Grabbing your calculus things and closing the locker you set off to go find MJ in the library where you had planned to meet up briefly before class. Passing by the doors to the cafeteria you couldn’t help but look at the table where Liz and another member of the student council were standing, managing the Hershey’s guessing contest. It was no wonder why Peter found her so attractive, hell, you were sure everybody did. Besides her looks, her all-around kindness and charisma were charming enough to win anyone over.

I don’t care what you’re saying, I don’t wanna participate in your game of manipulation

“Hey, Y/N! Wanna try for a kiss?” Liz’s preppy voice cut off your thoughts and you forced a smile. Walking up to her, you placed a strand of hair behind your ear, swallowing hard. 

“Hey, Liz.” You greeted, taking a look at the nicely decorated table with the jar. “Wow, looks great this year. Have you been here all day?” 

She nodded, giving you a beaming smile as she went on to talk about all the effort she and the others put into it. You couldn’t help but stare at the way her eyes lit up as she talked, which made you think of Peter’s eyes whenever he was excited. 

“Are you gonna compete? Defend your title as the reigning queen of Hershey’s?” The both of you giggled at the nickname she gave you, and after a deep sigh, you bit your lip and took the piece of paper Liz held out for you. 

Taking a close look at the jar of Hershey's you furrowed your brows as you tried to count them. Giving up after reaching 32 you shook your head lightly before scribbling down 68, adding a couple more thinking it couldn’t hurt. Handing back the pen and paper to Liz, she gave you a wink. 

“Good luck, Y/N. Oh, and don’t forget that the winner is revealed at 3:30.” You nodded and said goodbye to her thinking to yourself that you’d probably be well on your way to MJ’s by then. 

A sudden slam hit your body and almost made you lose your balance. A wave of rage boiled up in you and you swore to god that if the universe won’t stop putting you in situations like this, you’d lose all sense of hope. His warm eyes now had a worried and slightly scared look in them and you sighed heavily when you were once again face to face with them. 

“Oh my-my god, Y/N, shit, I-I’m so sorry. I didn’t, I wasn’t watching where I was going a-and suddenly you were there-“

Shut your damn mouth, you’re talking too loud

“It’s fine.” You averted your eyes and tried to push past him, but he caught you by your arm. 

“Hey, is everything okay with you Y/N..? You’ve been so off the entire day, actually a lot lately… Did I do something to upset you? Please t-tell me if I did something wrong because we all know I’m pretty clueless most of the time.”

“More like oblivious…” You muttered out, barely catching his attention. 

“W-what?”

You shook your head softly, dismissing his question. He kept his confused puppy eyes on you and eventually you dared to gaze up at them. Big mistake. 

“Y/N, you can talk to me, you know that. I-I know we maybe aren’t super tight friends. Y-yet! But, um, I’m totally here and up for, uh, for venting-“ He rambled on, worry lacing his stutters. 

You shook your head slowly, gaining solid eye contact with him. “I don’t, I don’t know how-” 

You sighed defeated, filling Peter with an unsettling feeling. His kind eyes bore into yours and you felt trapped in a corner. What the hell were you supposed to say? Confess? You opened and closed your mouth a couple times and pressed your eyes shut before giving him a sad smile. “I can’t.” 

Merely talking to him pained you. How could such a minor thing like having a crush make you feel like absolute garbage? You scurried away to the library only to see Ned sitting with MJ, making small talk. Slamming your book down as you sat next to MJ, you let your head fall to the table. 

“I am having a horrible day today. I feel like I’m being punished.” Your words were muffled by the book, but Ned’s sympathizing hand on your shoulder made you look up. 

Resting your chin on your hand, you managed to sit up just as Peter made his way into the room, cheeks pink and eyes bright. “I thought it would only be us two.” You hissed to MJ, to which she shrugged. 

And no one cares if you two made out

“Holy crap, guys, you won’t believe what just happened. I went up to Liz and we actually had a solid 5 minute conversation. She, a-and me!”

“That’s great, Peter!” Ned uttered excitedly. “Maybe you can ask her out later then?”

“I-I don’t know, may-maybe? I might talk to her as she reveals the Hershey’s winners. Tell her I’m really impressed with the set-up or something.”

You and MJ shared a slightly annoyed look before turning back to the boys. “Congrats, you actually had a conversation with a person. Color me impressed.” MJ muttered out in her normal manner.

Peter rolled his eyes before continuing to blabber on. You couldn’t help but feel sick hearing him talk so fondly of her and not you. 

“I’m gonna go home actually, I’m not feeling good. Sorry MJ but we’ll have to reschedule. Uh, good luck with Liz and everything, Peter. See ya, Ned.” With that you said goodbye to the trio, leaving them all pretty confounded. 

Making your way down the halls and to your locker as fast as you could, you practically ran to the nearest subway station. Locking your front door behind you, you went straight to your room, ignoring your dad’s confused question as to why you were home so early. He knew not to press you on the subject so he let you cool down for a while. Throwing yourself on your bed, you let out a whimper as you felt tears prick at your eyes as you lost track of time. Being too caught up in your thoughts and self-pity, you didn’t even hear the doorbell ring about 30 minutes later or the knock on your door. Suddenly a familiar figure creaked your door open and leaned against the frame. You caught glimpse of him in the corner of your eye and practically flew up into a sitting position. 

“Peter? What are you doing here?” You asked in utter confusion, furrowing your brows together.

He bit his lip gently as he took a step forward, revealing what he carried in his arms. The jar of Hershey’s. 

“Uh, we, both won. They called a tie.” His eyes flickered between you and the floor. His nervous stature almost made you feel nervous as well. 

“Oh, um. Well, thanks for coming here to tell me that. That’s very sweet of you.” He shrugged as you pursed your lips shut in the slightly awkward silence.

“Yeah, no, no problem at all. I-I was going to ask you if you wanted to share them o-over a movie or some-something?” Peter’s eyes met yours and you shook your head lightly, thinking you misheard him. 

“What?”

Peter’s cheeks instantly flushed, thinking you had rejected the offer. He scratched the back of his neck as he stuttered out a response. “W-we don’t have to, I-I just thoug-”

“No!” You exclaimed, a bit louder than you intended which took Peter by surprise as you got up on your feet. “No, of course Peter! I-I’d love that.” 

Putting some hair behind your ear, Peter offered you a shy smile. “G-great! Um, I-I’m free whenever really.”

Your smile grew as you took a few steps closer to him, taking the jar as he held it out to you. “Honestly, I thought you’d be busy, you know, taking Liz out or something...”

I’m sick of the kissing cult

Peter raised his brows momentarily before shaking his head. “Nah, she made it pretty clear that she was off limits, actually.” You gave him a confused look as he continued. “After revealing the winner, I went up to her to accept the prize and as we were chatting, some dude came and kissed her, so...” He shrugged and broke your eye contact.

“Oh, Peter, I’m so sorry... Well at least you have me as a back up.” Bumping your elbow on his arm in a jokingly matter, he looked up at you smiling.

“You’re not a back-up plan, Y/N.”

At a temporary loss for words, you chuckled as your heart fluttered. 

“I, uh, it would an honor to accompany the two-times reigning master actually. Celebrate our victory.” A hint of red creeped its way up Peter’s neck.

As a grin made its way to your lips, you took a small step closer, now seeing the small details of his beautiful brown eyes. “Can’t wait.”

[smutfornerds]

Never Happened // Harry x Reader

A/N: it gets real steamy y’all and I’m not talking about the food!!! This request was so perf I love it. Also it’s pretty long oops. Enjoy babes!!

—

Holidays are always a hot spot for food, but also for social interactions. Neither you nor Harry were ever up for too much of the latter. Thankfully, Caitlin and Iris always made sure that leftovers made their way back to the two of you, via a quick breach from the West house to Star Labs. This year they’d gone all out and practically cooked a separate meal for you guys. Pies, turkey, mashed potatoes with gravy, and of course grandma Esther’s pasta salad. Moments after leaving the blue light shined through the Cortex again as Cisco popped in with a bucket in his hands. “We forgot whipped cream.” He gestured the bucket with a throw towards Harry, who barely catches it as it spirts at him, and he grimaces at Cisco. “Next time don’t throw the white substance at the man in ALL BLACK, Ramon.” With a wave and a nod he disappeared back into the breach.

Glancing at Harry you notice some of the cream has spilled onto his sweater. He’s staring down at the tub of cool whip in his hand with so much anger that could only truly be directed at Cisco. Finally he huffs and sets the tub down, pulling his black woven sweater off over his head. For a brief moment his shirt is caught, exposing his abs and torso. While his face is covered you unabashedly stare. If only you could just reach out and graze him with your fingers.. Hearing another breach open snaps you back to reality, spinning in your chair to quickly see Cisco carrying four more dishes of food, each precariously topped upon the other.

Peeking out from behind the stack of leftovers, Cisco glances between you and Harry a few times before finally speaking. “Cecil told us to get the leftovers out of her house before they end up on her thighs.” You chuckle, finally standing to help put the various dishes on the table. Harry makes his way over, spoon of cool whip in hand and pointed at Cisco. Before anyone says another word you watch as he flings the spoonful directly into Cisco’s face. You cover your mouth to stifle your laughter while Cisco let’s the cream flop to the floor, a trail of it left on his face where it slid off. Slowly he turns to Harry, who is now deliberately and slowly cleaning off the spoon in his mouth. As humorous as the situation is, you can’t seem to tear your eyes from Harry’s lips. Once he pull the freshly cleaned spoon away, he licks his lips torturously slowly. Almost on cue Cisco snaps you from your trance again with his voice. “MINE was an ACCIDENT.” He yells to Harry, who couldn’t be bothered. “Don’t care.” Harry states flatly, walking right past Cisco to your side. Keeping your mouth shut, you started filling your plate with food. It hadn’t occurred to you how hungry you were until there was about eight different kinds of side dishes in front of you.

As the boys keep bickering throughout the room, you set yourself down and finish your meal. From inside the lab you can still hear them going at it. “I’ll HAND WASH the damn thing!” Cisco’s voice carries as they make their way back to the food table. Harry shrugs, throwing the sweater at his face. “Don’t care.” He repeats. Those have been the only words he’s said to any of Cisco’s attempted, half-assed apologies. With a frustrated growl he picks up a handful of mashed potatoes, eyes glistening with mischief. Harry glares daggers. “Ramon... don’t you—“ He’s sharply cutoff by a face full of potatoes. You gasp softly, giggles escaping past your hands this time around. Cisco laughs heartily in Harry’s face. “Now THAT was on purpose.” He beams, wiping the remaining potatoes from his hand on Harry’s undershirt. “And I’m not washing that.” Once he’s done speaking Cisco opens a breach between the boys and yourself. “That’s all folks!” He chimes as he steps in, Harry however already had a full pie in his hands ready for Cisco’s smug face.

A bit late though, as he threw the pie the breach closed, letting it through to you. All you felt was cold, sticky cream and pumpkin guts cover your neck and chest. For a few seconds you sat there completely frozen. Harry was too, looking a bit scared for your reaction. “That— That was not supposed to happen..” he states softly, hands out as if in an attempt to help but he didn’t know how. A low chuckle leaves your throat as you wipe the pieces of pie from your face. Silently you make your way to the food table, thinking you’ll grab napkins or a towel. Just as your hands meet the table though, a better idea sparks in your brain. Taking a deep breath you turn to Harry. “So you’re just gonna stand there basking in the aftermath of your throwing skills? Or lack there of?” Your tone is teasing, with a hint of playfulness that you’re trying to hide. He sighs and walks over with a towel in hand. “I’m.. sorry.” He blurts, eyes darting down to the floor. While he’s not focused, you slip a handful of cranberry sauce behind his back.

“No worries, I’d say we’ll be even..” You pause long enough for him to look up in confusion, as you slowly slide the sauce around the side of his neck and up his chin to his face. His expression is priceless; surprised, shocked, defeated just to name a few feelings he emoted. An eruption of laughter takes over, and you lean against the table to brace yourself for a moment. Your biggest mistake, because it gave Harry just enough time to sling a spoonful of potatoes at your forehead and into your hair. With a dramatized gasp, you begin grabbing fistfuls of pasta salad to hurl at him.

For the first time in God knows how long, you hear Harry laughing. His smile lights up his entire face, the entire room rather. It stuns you for a second and you get a little lost in the sound of his laughter. This gives him more than enough time to put a palm full of cranberries to your cheek. His hand lingers for a moment as he stares at you, his smile even bigger. “Somehow you’re prettier covered in food. Didn’t think that was possible.” Harry huffs out a laugh as he pulls his hand away to lick the fruit juice from his fingers. You’re frozen again, his words rolling around your brain and your eyes fixated on his fingers, his lips, the smacking sound it makes when he slips a finger from his mouth. You’re jolted back when the cranberry sauce from your face falls on your chest. “Ooh that’s cold!” You squeal, grabbing for something to wipe it off with but every towel is dirty now. Harry let’s out a small laugh, hints of a smirk tugging at his lips, before handing you his sweater. “Here. Ramon has to clean it anyway.” His smile is still there, but it looks much more mischievous now. Was it because he enjoyed the idea of Cisco washing his clothes? Or did he have other ideas?

You wipe the food from yourself with the sweater, the soft fabric gentle on your skin as to not scratch it. When you’re done you toss it to him, but he deflects and just lets it hit the floor. “I’m alright, I got it.” Harry shrugs, moving to take off his undershirt. Your face flushes, and you turn away to asses how ruined your clothes are, and to compose yourself. With a sigh you realize your dress is all but trashed. Starting for the door you explain yourself on the way. “I’m gonna see if Iris has anything here I could change into—“ You stop when Harry’s hand grabs your wrist gently, forcing you to turn to his half naked figure. Instantly your eyes go to his torso before his face, which brings a grin to his lips. “I’ve got clothes here, I’ll find you something warm.” He pauses, realizing he’s still holding your wrist, and let’s go abruptly. “I mean, if you’d like.” He adds shortly, same old Harry. You smile softly up at him, nodding. “Yeah, that’d be great, thanks.” Expecting him to move you take a step forward, but he’s dead still, staring at your dress. “Let me go wash that before any stains set.” He states before his eyes move back to yours. Snapping his fingers hastily he motions towards you. “C’mon, off it goes.” For a moment you’re stunned by the idea of stripping in front of him - FOR him - but his snapping snaps you out of it and you nod as hastily as he moves.

“Some help?” You turn your back to him and move your hair aside. There’s a pause as Harry takes in what you’re asking of him. “The zipper?” Looking over your shoulder you barely notice Harry swallow dryly, as if to gain some sort of self control, before he reaches up to pull the zipper down past your rib cage. Once he’s done he takes a step back as you let the dress fall from your body. Along with it you kick your heels off and to the corner. Harry kneels to pick your dress up, and upon standing reaches a hand out to touch your neck. He lingers for a few seconds, his touch warm on your cool skin. Seconds later he clears his throat and brushes a bit of potatoes from your shoulder. “You had, uh.. food.” Harry clears his throat again and holds your dress up in his hand. “I’m gonna get this washing.” Without another word he saunters off into the hall.

While he’s busying himself you decide its best to try to clean the mess the two of you had made. You manage to sweep and wipe down the tables before Harry comes back, but he walks in to find you half bent over and attempting to wipe whipped cream from a white board. You don’t notice him, your back and backside exposed to him. Having trouble reaching one of the edges of the board, you lean further in over the table and let out a frustrated groan. To Harry however, it’s just tightening the knot forming in his stomach. Coyly he leans against the doorframe of the Cortex, simply watching as you’re bent over the table. The ideas rolling through his mind are the farthest from scientific at the moment. As he’s watching you however he notices your foot about to slip on a mound of food, and he then waits to make his presence known.

Silently he creeps closer until you’re about to fall, and catches you swiftly from behind by pinning you to the table with his hands bracing your waist. A gasp escapes you as you’re falling, but is overwhelmed by the feeling of Harry pressed firmly to your ass. You can feel your face light up like a stoplight as he pins you. “That was a close one..” he murmurs just behind your ear. A shiver runs through you and you just nod, the butterflies in your stomach paralyzing your vocal chords. Harry keeps his hands firmly on your waist, his body pressed to yours, his breath against the back of your neck. “You know, you’ve got a little cranberry sauce..” he pauses his raspy voice to lean close to your neck, lips brushing your skin as he speaks. “Right here..” a split second later his lips are on you, suckling your skin gently.

Immediately you melt into him, a soft and appreciative hum slipping out of you as your head tilts back to give him more access to your neck. Feeling his lips curl into a smirk against your skin, Harry moves his lips up your neck, gently kissing and suckling your skin to small, faint hickeys. Another small moan leaves you and that takes Harry from zero to a hundred. His hand moves down past your panties, his fingers gliding to your clit to rub small but deliberate circles. As he does so your back arches, pushing your ass tighter against his growing bulge. Harry groans and lets his other hand find your breast, slipping past your bra to massage gently before flicking his fingers against your nipple in sync with how his fingers toyed with your wetness. Your head leans back against his shoulder with a low groan, and he brings his lips back to your neck but now to nip at your skin. Every sound he elicits from you only drives him crazier and crazier. Your legs start to shake at how he’s playing with you, and Harry takes the cue instantly. His hands move back to your waist to spin you and lift you onto the table. Wasting no time now, you undo his belt and jeans while he continues kissing up and down your neck and chest.

As soon as you have him stripped you notice just how hard he is and it makes your mouth water more than any of the food did. Bringing your hands up to his neck you pull him to your lips, finally kissing him with all the heat and fervent you’ve been saving for this moment. Now Harry groans, slipping his briefs off in a swift movement. His hands fall to your hips again to pull your panties off and fling them away, other hand reaching behind to unclasp your bra. With both of you stripped you pause, to take everything in and admire each other. For the first time you see his expression soften, and he presses a small kiss to your lips before speaking. “Do you.. want to keep this going?” His voice is low and soft, almost like if he spoke too loudly he would shatter this moment. You don’t respond, just smile brightly and pull him to you with another passionate kiss. Thankfully Harry is a smart man and understands, lining himself up to slowly enter you.

Both of you let out labored sighs, the feeling of him filling you taking your breath away completely. Your arms flung around his shoulders you both start to rock your hips in sync to the other. Watching as Harry’s eyes close he groans lowly, a growl in the back of his throat. Without warning he thrusts hard into you, a load and squeaky moan radiating out of you to fill the Cortex. Harry growls again, as if to show his appreciation for the sounds you’re making. Again he slams into you, again you squeal and whine for him. His pace picks up and with every thrust you’re gasping and moaning for him. Bringing a hand down he starts furiously rubbing your clit, a loud and shaky moan falling from your lips. He slows his thrusts just long enough to pant into your ear. “Lemme hear you scream my name..” His voice is raspy and low and unbelievably sexy, and as soon as he finishes speaking his thrusts pick up intensity even harder and faster than before. Again you cry out, this time giving him what he wants. “Ha-Harry! Fuck..” you feel his muscles tense under your fingers, the sound of his name from your lips making his hips jerk out of rhythm. Rubbing tight circles against your throbbing bundle of nerves, he thrusts hard into you twice as he growls at you. “Again..”

Both of your breathing labored, you arch your back as he plays with you, letting your head fall back as you scream his name again and again. “Harry.. fuck me.. I-I’m—“ you’re cut off by your own moaning as he slams into you, but holds still. Harry’s fingers slow, but don’t stop. Teasingly he presses to your clit, rubbing side to side as he simply watches your face contort with pleasure. Minutes go by of him achingly slowly rubbing you before he slowly pulls back, just to slam hard into you again and again.

“Harry!” You exclaim, clutching to his bulging arms as he rails you. A guttural and gritty noise erupts from his chest as he forces himself to pull out of you, to cum into his hand. His free hand still pleasing you, he begins rubbing harder and faster until your legs are shaking and trying to close around his hand. It’s mere moments before he has you sent into euphoria, eyes fluttering closed as you whine and gasp for air. You hear Harry hum affectionately as your juices cover his fingers, and he simply watches you come undone at his touch.

Without another word Harry captures your breathless lips in a passionate kiss. With all the strength you can muster you kiss back, pulling him to you by the back of his neck. The two of you stay there, kissing and reveling in your moment as long as you can. From a distance you hear the washing machine beeping that your load is done, and Harry groans against your lips before pulling away. “Not like I want you to put it back on anyway..” His voice is soft but still as sarcastic as ever. Both of you smile knowingly, and he helps you off the table before handing you your bra. “I’ll let you have this back.” He winks before jogging off, naked, to put your dress in the dryer. You take the opportunity to jump in the lab shower to get the food off you and out of your hair.

Minutes later Harry comes back in a pair of Star Labs joggers, holding a pair and a sweatshirt for you. You smile before taking them, narrowing your eyes at him. “What, no shirt for you?” An eyebrow arched in his direction. Another smile with those beautiful dimples and he shrugs. “You seem to like me like this, figured keep the lady happy, no?” Harry does a little twirl, motioning to his abs with a grin. You roll your eyes playfully as you pull the sweatshirt on, pulling the sweats over your naked bottom half. “By the way, where did my underwear end up?” Looking around the room you can’t seem to find them anywhere in sight. Turning to Harry he’s smirking, but shrugs as if he has no idea. Before you can say another word, you hear voices from the hallway. Harry looks at you and you both mouth “never happened” in sync before you both bust out laughing at the other, just as everyone floods into the food-covered Cortex.

“Oh.. my god.” Iris blurts, eyes darting all over the room before landing on you and Harry. Caitlin and Cisco laugh at the copious amount of food still covering Harry but not you. “So I guess we all can see what you’ve been doing..” Joe mumbles, elbowing Barry. All three boys’ mouths drop for a moment before they compose themselves. “Something you’d like to share with the class?” Harry banters, and you look at him to see a knowing glint to his eyes. With a crooked smile and a stifled laugh, Barry points to the wall behind you both, where you turn to see your underwear hanging from one of the monitors. Caitlin and Iris follow Barry’s gesture and their eyes go wide before directly turning to you, and seeing how beat red your face is, they all just nod. With a polished and contended grin, Harry slung an arm around your shoulder and walked you past the group and down to his lab. “Never happened..” he mused, warranting a sharp nudge and embarrassed giggle from you before wrapping an arm around his waist.

[serenlyss]

Don’t Thank Me Yet Chapter 10

Rating: M (blood, guns, murder, torture, child neglect) Relationships: ritshou, ritsu&shigeo, ritsu&his parents Summary: “Alright then. I’m Shou,” he says, introducing himself more properly this time. “I’m an esper, like you, the first in existence to be forcibly awoken by Claw’s crazy torture machines. They kidnap kids with potential latent psychic powers and break them, over and over, until either their powers emerge or they die. It doesn’t matter either way to them.” His expression hardens as he speaks, clear distaste and outright malice evident in his tone. “I could really use your help here, you know. A partner of sorts, someone to watch my back. What do you say?“ Ritsu hesitates. He isn’t a fighter by any means, and the psychic powers now churning beneath his skin are still very new and frightening. It’s all very overwhelming, but Ritsu can’t help but feel a sort of sickening hope at Shou’s promise for revenge. It did have a sort of dark draw to it. In which Claw is a lot worse than they seem and Shigeo isn’t able to find his brother after he’s kidnapped. Crossposted to AO3: Chapter 10

Chapter 9

Oh god it's finally here, the last chapter. Thank you all so much for reading this and supporting me, it's been a wild, fun ride. I hope you enjoy this ending and that it's satisfying, it's been a long time since I've actually finished a project this long and intensive before so I'm a little nervous but I like how it turned out! Be sure to let me know your thoughts if you like it, and check out my other projects if you're interested!

---

Ritsu goes home.

He’s nervous, really nervous, so nervous that his palms are sweating and his shoulders are quivering beneath the sleeves of his hoodie. It’s summer, and his house isn’t cold, but the hoodie covers his arms and hides the scars he’s still too embarrassed to let be seen by just anyone. He’d been convinced to leave his gloves behind, at least, but now that he knows his parents’ arrival is close he stuffs both hands into his hoodie pocket to hide them. “I don’t know if I can do this,” he stammers, feeling the anticipatory anxiety course through him like a drug.

Shigeo lays a hand on Ritsu’s back, between his shoulder blades, a firm and comforting presence. “It’s going to be fine,” he promises with a smile, reaching up to flick Ritsu’s too-long bangs out of his eyes. He’s long overdue for a haircut, his hair grown unruly without someone else around to tame it for him, all he can think about is how sloppy he’s about to look in front of his parents during their first interaction in more than four months. He’s clean, sure, but he hasn’t been taking care of himself as well as he should have, and as silly as it is he can’t shake the thought that it matters, more than the fact that he’s finally coming home does.

Still, he nods in response to his brother’s words and steels his nerve, and does his best not to pick at the scars on his hands as an outlet for some of his anxious energy.

When his parents walk through the door, rightfully confused that their house is, in fact, not a pile of ashes on the grass, and appears completely untouched, Ritsu is waiting. He’s tempted to turn invisible, just to give himself more time to think, time to rehearse what he’s going to say, but Shigeo squeezes his hand and smiles at him reassuringly, and it’s enough for him to hold his ground and stutter out an awkward, nervous greeting to them.

The moment his parents lay eyes on him, they both freeze, and Ritsu has to suppress the urge to shrink into himself under the weight of their wide-eyed stares. Shigeo’s hand in his is a constant, comforting presence for the few seconds they stand silently, just looking at each other, before his mother finally breaks the trance and rushes forward to envelop him in the biggest, tightest hug he's ever had. And he melts into it, tears in his eyes, because he’s missed this so much, missed them, and the feeling of finally having them back is just a little bit overwhelming.

He doesn’t remember most of what he says, his words a jumble of stuttered apologies and reassurances that he’s here, he’s home, he’s alright, that he isn’t going to go anywhere anytime soon. His mother frets over how thin and ragged he looks, the scars on his face and hands, the still-fresh injuries from his fight again Claw, and he answers with short words and vague responses that he knows he’ll have to flesh out later but there will be time for that, so much time, because he’s home now, and he has no intention of leaving them behind again.

---

Being home is weird, but going back to school is weirder. People stare at him like he’s come back from the dead, and the stares make him itch and squirm in his seat when he’s trying his best to ignore them. The sleeves of his old uniform blazer cover most of the scars he doesn’t want his classmates to see, but he’s long left behind his gloves. The scars on his palms itch and throb when people stare at them, and he takes to hiding his hands in his pockets when he’s not using them for something else.

He rejoins the student council, but it’s… awkward, to say the least. No one knows how to approach him anymore, and it’s hard to pretend that nothing’s happened when his scars give everything away. Still, he does his best to pretend like he doesn’t notice and slips back into old, familiar routines as best as he can. He talks as though he’s never been gone at all, and waves off any questions or concerns his old acquaintances might have for him. He bites his tongue to keep from saying things he knows won’t be taken well and tamps down the rebelliousness that Shou’s constant presence had fed, at least while he’s at school, and only allows himself to relax and breathe once he’s back home, in his room, with the door closed and the window open to let fresh air in.

Shigeo does what he can. It makes the transition so much smoother, to have his brother there to help him, but they don’t see each other much outside of the house. Still, Shigeo offers his support where he’s needed, whether it’s reminding Ritsu to eat or giving him someone to talk to when things get a little too overwhelming. On nights where Ritsu’s nightmares keep him from sleeping safely, Shigeo makes space for him in his room, and they crowd under the same blanket, sharing the same futon, the way they used to when they were toddlers. Ritsu tucks his head against Shigeo’s shoulder and his brother holds him close and it doesn’t stop the nightmares from coming back, but it makes him feel safe enough that just for the night, he can sleep enough to get through the next day. They never talk when this happens, but it’s different from all the times they didn’t talk before, when things would bother them. There are no words that need to be said about it, it isn’t a problem that can be fixed with words. It helps, though, it really does.

Ritsu’s mother keeps a close eye on him now that he’s home. Ritsu can tell that she’s trying not to hover, but it’s hard for her. He understands, but that doesn’t stop him from feeling stifled, sometimes. Ritsu’s kidnapping hasn’t only affected him, it’s affected the whole family, who will never interact with each other the same way they did before.

They skirt the issue. It’s what they’ve always done, and it will likely be what they always do. They try to pretend like nothing ever happened, and it feels wrong, so wrong. After three days, Ritsu gets tired of it. He stops hiding his scars from them, and he stops pretending like his four months away hadn’t meant anything, hadn’t changed him. He doesn’t talk about Claw, it’s still too sore a subject to tackle for more than a few minutes at a time, but he does talk about Shou, and tells stories about the quieter moments, the domestic ones, the times where he’d almost felt like a normal kid again. Slowly, he starts to reconcile the person he used to be with the person he is now, and finds that neither version of himself is better or worse than the other. They’re both him, in different points in time, versions of him that had progressed and regressed in different ways. Though his experiences, he’s come out a slightly different but still recognizable person. It’s an ongoing process, one he’ll no doubt continue to build on until the day he dies, but it’s a start nonetheless, and it brings him a certain inexplicable comfort to know that despite everything, he’s still himself.

He misses Shou. A lot. He’d always known he would, but it doesn’t really hit him until a few days into his return. It’s easy to put out of his mind during the day, usually, but at night, when he lays in his bed and stares at his ceiling, so familiar to him yet still not fully his anymore, he thinks about how he’d really like for Shou to be here with him. He doesn’t feel like he needs to tiptoe around Shou, to try to spare his feelings the way he has to do with his parents. He misses that freedom, the type of relaxation and comfort he can only achieve in a place that’s far away from here. The closest thing he has to that is Shigeo, but as much as he loves his brother, he’s no Shou.

Ritsu texts Shou occasionally: life updates, random thoughts, maybe a photo, when he remembers to take one. He does his best to keep his thoughts brief and mundane, to not let himself get overwhelmed and spill his guts all over Shou’s messaging app, but it’s hard when he has thoughts in his head that he wants to express but that feel too intimate to drop unceremoniously over the phone. There will be time to talk, he reminds himself, and tells Shou about the stray cat he saw on his way home instead of how he wishes his classmates would stop treating him like he’s diseased.

Shou never responds to them, but Ritsu has a feeling that he at least reads them. Each time he hits send on the next message, Ritsu holds out a little bit of hope that maybe Shou will slip up this time and give him something, anything, to remind him that he’s still there, still watching, still waiting for the day he can come back. He’s disappointed every time when he never does.

---

Things never go back to how they’d been before, but there’s some truth to it when they say that old habits die hard. After a few weeks it starts to feel like maybe that entire day is just the remnants of a fever dream, something that becomes increasingly cloudy and unclear with every passing day. Ritsu fills Shou’s phone with messages that go unanswered and hangs out with Shigeo and Reigen whenever he has extra time, distracting himself with whatever random jobs Reigen has for him to do. Having something to focus on keeps him from thinking too much, because Ritsu knows that when he thinks too much, things start to get a little out of hand. Shou’s scolded him for it on several occasions.

Serizawa starts working at Spirits&Such not long after that day, and it’s… uncomfortable, to say the least. Ritsu does his best to let bygones be bygones, but even with a crisp suit and a new, clean haircut, he has trouble segregating this new, “reformed” Serizawa from the one who had attacked him and Shou at the top of the cultural tower. Despite this, Serizawa did save his life, once, and so he still tries, as futile as his attempts feel. He catches Reigen smiling at him, sometimes, and guesses that his attempts are at least  recognized, if not totally effective. He doesn’t think about it too hard.

The only time he gives himself to think is at night, before he goes to bed. Sometimes they’re good thoughts, healthy thoughts, and sometimes… not so much. Tonight is a good night, he decides, curled up under his comforter up to his chin and with the window cracked open ever-so-slightly to let fresh air in. He feels productive, like he’s finally getting somewhere after three weeks of pushing against the current just to feel like he’s normal again. He’d even managed a polite conversation with Serizawa, despite his personal reservations. He thinks that maybe someday he’ll even be able to consider Serizawa a friend, as weird as the thought seems in the moment.

There will always be bad nights, he knows. They’ll never truly go away, but they get better, just a little. The bad nights become fewer and farther between the more time passes, and he’s thankful for the break as he lets himself succumb to sleep that night.

---

Ritsu’s always been a light sleeper, so he isn’t really surprised when he finds himself awake, buried underneath his comforter up to his chin as he stares bleary-eyed at his bedroom wall. Sometimes a particularly loud passing car or a gust of wind will wake him up, but when that happens he’s always quick to fall back asleep. He attempts to do so now, his eyes quickly falling shut again as he turns his nose into his pillow, but then he hears the sound of his window sliding closed and quiet footsteps on his bedroom floor and suddenly he’s wide awake, seized by a sudden panic in his half-asleep state.

His thoughts are racing a mile a minute, his sleep-foggy mind filled with a dozen nightmares of what this scenario might be, and the explanation he lands on is that it must be a member of Claw, come to finish the job, to take him away, to lock him back up in one of their labs or, worse, to silence him altogether.

For a few long, arduous seconds, Ritsu is frozen, wide eyes still glued to his bedroom wall. The footsteps move across his room and halt in front of his bookshelf, and finally, Ritsu moves. He sits up in bed and twists around as fast as he can, one hand snapping out in the direction of the footsteps. He lifts whoever has decided to break into his bedroom off of their feet with his telekinesis; even if it is someone from Claw, they shouldn’t be able to break his hold.

The trespasser squawks in a rather undignified fashion, and Ritsu’s brain short-circuits, because it’s an undoubtedly familiar noise, but his half-asleep brain takes a moment longer than necessary to process it. “Ritsu, oh my god! Chill, it’s just me!” the figure yelps, arms and legs flailing in midair.

Ritsu blinks once. Takes in the shock of red hair and the freckled face and the wide blue eyes staring back at him. Blinks again. Feels the breeze from his open window ruffle his hair and sees it disturbing the shades. Blinks a third time. “Shou?” he says, completely dumbfounded. Across the room, he wills his lamp to turn on, bathing the room in harsh yellow light. He releases his hold on Shou, dropping him six inches back onto his bedroom floor with a rather loud thud. His brain is static, and he can’t tell if he’s breathing enough because his throat is burning, his heart is racing, and Shou is here, in the middle of the night, climbing through his window like it’s no big deal and perusing the books on his shelf.

Shou takes a moment to right himself, looking understandably sheepish about being caught. “Uh, surprise?” he says lamely, shuffling on his feet and holding out his arms as though to announce his presence. “Sorry, I know it’s the middle of the night and all, but I finally got clearance to leave now that we’ve caught just about every-”

Ritsu hardly hears the words that come out of his mouth, filled with a sudden overwhelming urge, and he doesn’t have the strength or the will to fight it. He tosses his blankets off of his legs with one motion and scrambles out of bed, nearly falling onto his face in the process, and launches himself in Shou’s direction. The words in Shou’s mouth die abruptly as the wind is knocked out of him, and he stumbles backward, but Ritsu catches him around his waist and hugs him so tightly that he’s forced to keep his footing.

“Oh god,” Shou wheezes, a laugh bubbling up in his chest, and after a moment he settles his arms around Ritsu’s shoulders and hugs him back. “I gotta say, this is not at all how I expected this to go,” he manages around breathy chuckles. “You’re kinda giving me mixed signals here. I thought you were gonna off me on the spot.”

“You asshole,” Ritsu mutters, pulling back just far enough to punch Shou in his shoulder. “You scared the shit out of me, showing up in the middle of the night after a month of radio silence.”

Shou winces, reaching up to rub the spot that will almost surely be bruised later, and offers Ritsu a grin. “Sorry, sorry, I was gonna wait, but, uh, patience has never been my strong suit. I would’ve tried a different approach if I’d known you’d spook like that,” he laughs, and the sound is like coming home for the first time in weeks.

Ritsu tugs Shou in for another tight hug, and this time Shou’s prepared for it. He hugs back in a way that Ritsu can tell is just a little bit uncomfortable for him, like he’s unsure where he should put his hands, and he makes a mental note to hug Shou more from now on. “I missed you,” he admits, feeling just a little out of breath and giddy from his scare and the rush of emotion he’d felt at finally being able to see his partner again.

Shou makes a noise, halfway between a startled gasp and a laugh. “Yeah, I missed you too,” he chuckles, the words coming out jumbled and stuttery as Shou attempts to reciprocate a feeling he likely doesn’t let himself think about too often. “It’s really good to see you, Ritsu.”

“You too,” Ritsu mumbles, face half-buried in Shou’s shoulder, and reluctantly pulls back after a few seconds after it starts to feel like maybe he’s overstayed his welcome. Shou doesn’t seem to mind, though, just flashing him an amused, crooked smile.

“So this is your house, hm?” Shou comments, glancing around with dramaticized appreciation. “Nice place.”

Ritsu rolls his eyes, drifting over to the foot of his bed and perching himself on the corner of it, leaving room for Shou to join him should he choose to do so. “You said you got clearance to come back. Does that mean…?” He trailed off uncertainly, almost afraid to bring the topic up in case he’s somehow mistaken.

Shou nods his head and follows Ritsu’s lead, sitting down on the bed beside Ritsu close enough that their shoulders touch. It’s not a wide bed, so it’s not like they have space to spread out anyway, but it’s nice to see Shou still comfortable in proximity with him after so many weeks. “Yeah, we finally tracked down Shimazaki a few days ago, and the rest was just paperwork and nonsense, I wasn’t even a part of that. They still made me wait, though, the bastards,” he complains, and Ritsu can’t help the silly grin that tries to break out onto his face. It’s past midnight and he has school tomorrow, but there’s no way he’s going back to sleep now.

“Well, you’re back now,” Ritsu says firmly, leaning forward on the bed and tilting his head up to look into Shou’s face. “That’s the important part.”

Shou flushes pink at this, pleased, and nods. “Yeah.”

Ritsu smiles, something that comes easier and easier with each passing day. “So, what are you gonna do now?” he asks, curious, and wonders if Shou has thought about it much since they’d parted ways.

He’s expecting a casual answer, maybe, something flippant and simple--his ideas are usually simple, after all--but what he isn’t expecting is to see Shou’s face fall, a persistent frown coming to his face where he’d usually wear a grin. “I don’t know,” he admits, uncharacteristically quiet. He reaches up with one hand to rub his opposite arm, fingers trailing over old scars. Ritsu watches the hand as it rubs up and down, an odd form of self-comfort that Shou is exhibiting. “I’ve been thinking about it for a while, but nothing I come up with really… feels right. I could go try to find my mom, but I wouldn’t even know how to begin to explain myself to her.” He sighs, reaching up with one hand to run his fingers through his bright red hair.

Ritsu hums, considers this for a moment, and watches as Shou throws himself back on the bed, his legs still hanging off the edge. He lets his arms flop down above his head, letting out a little noise of frustration. “I still have the house, I guess, but I can’t just keep hiding out there forever,” he continues, glaring up at the ceiling as though it’s at fault for all his tumultuous thoughts. “I’ve never really been a ‘normal kid,’ even before everything went down with Claw and I ran away. I guess I don’t really know what I’m supposed to do.”

He falls quiet after this, staring stubbornly up at the ceiling, and after a moment Ritsu lets himself fall back onto his mattress beside Shou, shoulders bumping once more. “Screw expectations, you’re not supposed to do anything,” he says after a moment, letting slip a little of the rebellious spirit Shou had nurtured in him those long four months together. “It’s not about what the ‘right thing’ is anymore, it’s about what you want to do now that you have the freedom to do it. So, Shou, what do you want to do?” He tilts his head to the side, meets Shou’s bright blue gaze only inches away from him on the bed, and raises a brow at him questioningly.

Shou ponders on this for a moment, his gaze flicking down and to the side before he looks back to Ritsu again. “I want to give school a try,” he says carefully, after a moment of quiet contemplation, “and I want to thank Reigen and Serizawa properly, for helping us out.”

Ritsu blinks in surprise at this. “Serizawa too?” he echoes, and does his best to disguise his caution at the mention of the former Claw terrorist. “He’s been working with Reigen, but I thought… what about the government?”

Shou blows a strand of hair out of his face, shrugging. “I didn’t turn him in,” he admits. “He really… he’s making an effort, I think. To change.”

“I thought you hated him,” Ritsu says. “What made you change your mind?”

Shou just shrugs again with a noncommittal hum, but his ears go a little pink as he tries to hide his embarrassment. “I dunno, he just… I think he realized that what was going on was wrong. Yeah, he knew what was happening, but he didn’t see any other way out of it. I guess he was just misguided,” he explains, his words slow and deliberately chosen.

“Like how you were misguided?” Ritsu guesses.

Shou laughs, quiet and brief, and lets his arms lay open at his sides. “Yeah, like that,” he agrees. “I guess I just felt like maybe he deserves a second chance. Somewhere far away from my old man.”

Ritsu glances away, up at the ceiling like Shou. “He did save our lives,” he concedes with a light chuckle. “If you’re sure, then I trust your judgement.”

Shou hums in affirmation, his legs swaying back and forth from where they hang half off the bed. The silence that falls between them in comforting, and Ritsu finds himself lulled by the gentle noises of the wind outside his cracked-open window and the sound of Shou’s easy, even breathing beside him. He blinks a few times, not sleepy, but content, in a way he hasn’t really felt since coming home.

“Hey, Ritsu?” Shou murmurs, his voice breaking the trance. “Thanks for waiting for me.” His voice is quiet and betrays his vulnerability for a moment, and Ritsu turns and finds himself face to face with Shou’s grateful face. “It probably sounds silly, but part of what kept me going was knowing that I had people waiting for me to come back safe. I’ve never really had that before, so thanks.”

It’s not so rare for Shou to express his gratitude like this, and he’s done it many times in the past, but something about this moment feels potent to Ritsu in a way the others hadn’t. There are other words hidden behind the ones that Shou speaks, words that Ritsu senses but can’t parse. Maybe they’re words that Shou isn’t quite ready to speak yet, or maybe he’s just waiting for another moment, a better time, so Ritsu doesn’t push for answers. “Of course,” he says instead, and reaches between them for Shou’s hand, slotting their fingers together and squeezing gently. “I know you didn’t have a lot of people to lean on growing up, but, well, I plan on sticking around for a while, so you better get used to having me around,” he teases, and it’s light-hearted and freeing to speak like this, in such a carefree way. He hasn’t been able to do this in a long time.

Shou laughs and squeezes his hand back, his free hand lifting from his other side to cover his mouth in an almost shy manner, hiding his smile. “Yeah, alright, you win. Still, it’s gonna be weird. I’ve never done this before. School, a social life, stuff like that. To be honest, I feel like it might be impossible for me,” he admits.

Ritsu hums; he knows the feeling, but he’d also been a part of that world before, had lived in it, and the routines he’d slipped back into had been familiar. For Shou, it would be all new. “I’ll teach you, then,” he says, even though he can’t really seem to imagine Shou in a classroom setting, listening obediently to teachers and turning in his homework on time. He offers Shou a smile, rare and sweet in his half-asleep state, and adds, “You and me against the world, right? Just like always.”

Shou snorts, turning his gaze skyward and lifting their joined hands up to hover between them. “Yeah, just like always,” he echoes, like a promise, and pulls Ritsu’s hand toward his face. He presses his lips against the scars on the back of his hand briefly, impulsively, and the motion sends a thrill up Ritsu’s spine and warms his neck and face. He sucks in a breath, surprised but not uncomfortable.

Ritsu has seen the direction they’ve been tentatively drifting in, has heard the unsaid words clear as day as though they’d been spoken aloud. There’s an unspoken sentiment in the air, one that he’s certain his friends have picked up on if the knowing looks and questions are to be believed. “Shou, do you like me?” he asks, as though it’s the easiest question in the world to ask, as though he doesn’t already know the answer.

He half expects Shou to brush off the question, to pass it off as more innocent than it really is, but instead Shou just stares at him, his mouth open in a quiet ‘o’ and his eyebrows raised so high they threaten to disappear into his hairline. Then he covers his face with one hand, his other still tightly gripping Ritsu’s, and makes a strangled sound somewhere between a laugh and a cough. “I didn’t think you’d just come right out and ask,” he manages, and his voice cracks, betraying his surprise. “I like you so much, Ritsu.”

Ritsu swallows, attempting to suppress the thundering of his heart in his chest as he stares up at the ceiling. “I like you, too,” he says, quietly, like he’s telling a secret, and the warmth of this quiet, private moment falls over him like a blanket, comfortable and safe.

“I’ve never liked anyone before,” Shou says, voice wavering a little in his uncertainty.

Ritsu hums. “Me neither,” he admits, because it’s true. “I don’t know what people who like each other do.”

For a moment, they lay in silence, their legs hanging off the edge of the bed, and then Shou turns onto his side, tucking his feet behind him. “Who says we have to be like everyone else? We should just do what we want to do,” he says.

And Ritsu can’t help but laugh, because Shou’s solutions are always simple, and they’re usually pretty good, too. Maybe, he thinks, he should try to have a little more faith in them. “You know what, you’re right,” he agrees with a grin. “We’ll just do things our way, the way we always have.” And the way we always will, he adds to himself, a promise to himself to make sure Shou sticks around.

They talk long into the night, telling stories of their month apart, their voices carefully quiet to avoid waking up the rest of the house. Ritsu fits his head against Shou’s shoulder, listens to him ramble on about whatever’s on his mind, and the peace of the moment quiets his mind and stills his heart. He doesn’t remember falling asleep, and he can’t bring himself to mind. That night, for the first time in days, he passes the night in a dreamless sleep, comforted by the presence of his best friend at his side.

[fictional-lover01]

Stu/Billy Reaction to Quiet Wallflower being a Siren

@nyx-daughterofchaos98

Im glad you sent in this! I hope its to your liking! & I added quite a bit into the scenario & I changed it slightly

Sorry that it’s so long, the actual request is simple, I just like the idea of a little backstory behind the request:

1. Quiet, wallflower girl who never registers on Ghostface’s radar bumps into Stu a few days before a school camping trip. She’s very polite & kind & even gives him a hug when she leaves. Over the next few days, she gets to know both Stu/Billy, but doesn’t exactly get super close with them, holding them almost at arms length. Both Billy/Stu watch her during the trip, deciding when to go in for a kill. 1) One night, during the full moon, they watch in confusion as she sneaks out to the lake after everyone had fallen asleep, in only a robe, strips, walks into the water, & disappears beneath the surface. Seconds later, they hear a song, hypnotic and sweet. It was beautiful to listen to, and Stu shuts his eyes & just listens. 2) Until Billy hits his arm and points silently, & sees a rude jock that have been bullying the other students over the past couple days. He walks like he’s in a trance to the water, wadding in & then freezing. Reader comes out of the water. A siren (like from the show on freeform) emerges from the water, and holds out a hand as the song gets louder. 3) The jock smiled dreamily & went in deeper, going to her. She grabs him, & disappears beneath the water. There are bubbles, & a struggle & then utter stillness. Then there is movement as reader emerges from the water, grabs her robe, looks around, & heads back into her cabin. 4) Conclusion, how would Billy & Stu react to the quiet little wallflower, who was always content in staying in the background & keeping others at arms length, being a siren hiding on land until the humans she’s staying with decide she needs to head back home. And would they let her know they know? (Bonus if she knows about them too) 5)

Being a quiet wallflower tends to keep you off the radar of many people

And you’d like to keep it that way tbh

Unfortunately life wasn’t on your side; you had accidentally bumped into the infamous weirdo named Stu Macher

Slightly panicked you quickly but politely apologize, giving the tall boy a simple hug & another sorry before leaving

This of course captures their attention; you’re completely on their radar and it was obvious to you (considering they’re likely trying to include you into their activities ex: parties, hangouts,etc)

You trying to ignore them and stay off their radar; unfortunately that doesn’t work as you begin to ease up w/ them. Of course still keeping them a good distance away from your personal space

The more you hangout w/ them the more they’ll likely believe it’ll be easy to kill you

But you’ve come to terms that despite everything, you’ve grown attached to having them in your life

Eventually the school’s planned camping trip is around the corner; everyone was ecstatics. Minus you

This just seemed to increase your anxiety, but considering you now have more than just a couple of acquaintances, people you dare call- friends in your life. You have to go

While you’re at home packing and planning for the trip that’s literally tomorrow, Billy & Stu are coming up w/ a plan to kill you, maybe a few other campers

It would be an easy kill tbh. They knew you’d rather sleep in your own tent and further away from the group, one could be on watch while the other kept you quiet while spilling your guts throughout your own tent

You had completely tripled checked everything; especially the calendar. The trip was gonna last around a week and there was various activities that you were gonna have to do. Luckily the day you were worried over wasn’t until the last night

The next day: As everyone was boarding the bus you were forced inbetween one of the schools jocks and the preppy girls. The prep wasn’t one you’ve talked to considering they were pretty bitchy, however the jock decided to mess around

He was pushing back on all his friends as they pushed him back towards you, you tried to keep far away as possible from the prep while dealing w the jock; however his crew kept forcing him closer

It was getting uncomfortable & annoying

He was more of the douchy jock to so he didn’t really back up, his hands slightly grazing you here & there

“Can you back up please?” You asked desperately

But alas you weren’t heard

As the students piled into the bus you caught eyes w/ Billy & Stu who only grinned at you, motioning for you to sit near them

Billy made a kid move further back and you quickly took that seat considering you wanted to get away from the jock behind you

Billy sat on the outside w/ Sidney on his right, Stu sat by himself considering his girl was talking w/ another friend of hers further up front

You’d thought the group of jocks would go to the back but the douche quickly slid in beside you- squishing you further towards the window

Having gotten closer to the boys they knew you’d rather much have your space than be squished up against other people

But you also didn’t like having the spotlight on you

Billy was gonna shoo the guy towards the back w his group of imbeciles but you shook your head while just pushing yourself closer to the window, resting

The ride to the camp site started; it was ok at first. But the dude kept touching you

Like he’d lean more towards you, try to start a conversation w you, let his hand drift towards your thigh

You’d smack his hand away and curl further into the window side

Lets just say it was a long and annoying ride

But fortunately when you get to the camp site you’re allowed to stretch and pick where you want your tent

Taking your stuff and putting it the furthest but not too far from the group you’re quick to set it up and toss your items into the shelter

It was around 4pm meaning y’all had a couple hours before dinner so you were free to chill or walk around so long as you let a supervisor know & didn’t go too far

You decided to stay at the campsite and relax; in your tent away from everyone else w/ your music/sketchbook/book/etc

Meanwhile Billy & Stu were finishing up their tent; quietly planning your murder

The duo were hoping to catch you either away from the group or in the middle of the night-where they can keep you silent while they spill your intestines all over your tent

Maybe drag you further into the forest and torture you; a slow brutal death

Maybe even make it seem like suicide?

Ahh but the ideas of all those horror movies they’ve watched could help inspire them to make your death...more..grotesque?

Either way as the day continued and nighttime fell the group was quick to settle in for the night after dinner

The boys were still awake when they heard the sound of a zipper

You were dressed in nothing but a robe; quietly making your way out of your tent and to the lake that wasn’t that far off

After the boys deemed it possible they unzipped their own tent, watching the figure stray away from the group- course they took their knives- a kill is a kill

They trailed the figure barely seeing the outline of the person in the dark; they watched as the person had taken off their clothing article- revealing the person to be female

Once the robe was off you slowly walked into the water, the boys watching as your figure disappeared deeper into the cool dark lake

The clouds above slowly moved away, the moon shining down on the lake in it’s full glow. The boys were confused as the person didn’t come back up for air

Soon a sweet alluring tune echoed throughout the forest, ripples stirring the once still lake; Billy & Stu silently argued confused about the situation

Ngl Stu was probably slightly scared

Billy likely is confused & irritable

But the serenity was disrupted as the sound of footfalls thudded nearby, branches shaking and twigs snapping

Stu & Billy watched a tall male stumble out of the woods; w/ the moonlight they could make out who it was- that one douch that kept getting handsy w/ you

Billy made a motion towards the dude to indicate that they could kill this asshole too

Billy was the one to silently step closer towards the dazed jock

However the tune they heard had increased in volume, the movement to his left causing him to pause & watch whatever moved

What they assume to be the person that walked into the lake was now exposed slightly; their hair soaked and sticking to their body, skin having a slightly grey hue, eyes different in a creepy but entrancing way

Tbh they probably were just as enthralled by the person as the jock but it seemed as if the jock was literally in a daze

Stu quietly made his way to Billy; watching the Jock walk into the water, not saying a word nor making any other movements

The duo were likely freaked out- just slightly(Stu a bit more)

As the jock got closer to you, you backed further into the water,hands stretched out which now had webbing between your fingers

Once the dude was in your grasp you dragged him to the bottom of the lake, bubbles rising to the surface as you did your thing

Billy & Stu stood there waiting for anything to happen; tbh they felt like they were hallucinating bc of some serious whack drugs

But the figures didn’t come back up, not for a long while

“Dude I’m kinda freaked”

“Shut up!”

The boys were likely arguing on what to do, it’s not like anyone would believe them nor why one of the campers were missing

About 15-20 minutes later the female came back up to the surface; walking out of the water towards their clothes

W/ the moonlight Billy & Stu are able to see who the figure was- surprised they watched as you quickly got your clothes and started making your way back

Guess they’ll hold off on killing you, for now they need to get closer to you and figure out WHAT you are

They tailed you all the way back to camp- waiting before heading back to their own tent

Throughout the time spent camping they boys seemed to get increasingly closer to you, being more social w/ you and inviting you do do more activities w/ them

This has you confused but you don’t question it rlly

Overall, Stu & Billy are likely confused, curious and considering how you can be of use or if you should just die. Like in all honesty they’ll probably corner you eventually and start explaining what they saw, pestering & threatening you to explain to them. And if they deem you useful you’ll either be part of their scheme of Ghostface or you’ll be their source of blackmail, getting information on others and keeping any evidence from being found by the police or anyone of that matter.