#oof last angsty bit

[happi-tree]

Hey Happi!! :D <3 Hope you're having a nice day/night and for the ask meme: 👗❤️‍🔥 for Henry and Mercedes (clothes headcanon + romantic headcanon)

Hi, there, Countless!!! Tysm, I'm doing pretty well. Hope you are, too 💚💚💚!

Hencedes my ABSOLUTE beloveds this is going to be so much fun

👗 A headcanon about their clothes

Henry: Okay I think I've mentioned this once or twice, but in my mind, Henry definitely knows how to make his own clothing. Growing up in Oakvale, I think the fashions there were pretty circularly developed - you had the entire process, from getting the raw materials to finishing touches and clothing trades - sourced entirely within the village, especially since Barry placed so much importance on isolation and self-reliance. Everything was made by hand (perhaps with the exception of things like mending spells and such), and for the most part, everyone knew at minimum how to patch things up. I'd like to think that Autumn, back before things went from bad to worse, taught Henry a bit of her knitting skills. Barry allowed it, since he figured it was something of a meditative task that might help his son to focus and channel his energy. I'd like to think perhaps he also got a bit into embroidery as a teenager (rebelliously, since Barry saw Henry's tiny stitched flowers as childish, ornamental, and unworthy of anyone's time). This habit stuck with him even after he got transported and memory-wiped, and he found himself embroidering plants he didn't recognize along the edges of the bandana he was customizing for his girlfriend, Mercedes.

Mercedes: Roughly 75% of her wardrobe is hand-me-down clothing. I feel like Mercedes has a pretty large extended family, and growing up, she got a lot of cast-offs from her older cousins and relatives. And some of those relatives very enthusiastically allowed her to shop their closets when she was first figuring out her gender (trans Mercedes is REAL to me, ok) so that she could experiment with any style she wanted without committing too hard. She's also a very big clothing thief, and she has pieces from college friends and past lovers that she "forgot" to give back. She's a very thrifty sort of person and just adores the look and feel of pre-worn clothing - it's got character to it, and more often than not it tends to be very soft <3

❤️‍🔥 A romantic headcanon

Henry: I think Henry loves dancing with Mercedes to the songs on the radio. Mercedes is by far the better dancer, but Henry has a pretty good sense of rhythm (I mean. Glances at the Rocks Rock album), so they manage to not step on each other's toes (most of the time). He just adores picking his wife up by the waist and spinning her around on their kitchen floor, even if his back ends up hurting afterwards. His moves are a little dorky and awkward, but it never fails to make Mercedes smile, which is a mission accomplished as far as he's concerned. When they get back from Faerun, one of the first things Henry does is ask her to dance with him after the boys are put to bed. He twirls her around their kitchen, the familiar surroundings that he very nearly lost, the love of his life finally in his arms again, and he thinks that maybe, everything really will be alright :')

Mercedes: Mercedes records voice memos of Henry semi-secretly whenever she can, simply because she loves the sound of his voice. She has about 20 different clips of him laughing alone. This ended up serving her well when her boys all vanished for months on end - she would play the clips over and over, just to be sure she wouldn't forget his voice, wouldn't forget the man she was fighting so hard to rescue. It gave her something to cling to, even if some nights the sound of his voice trapped in time and filtered through her phone speakers drove her to tears.

[hailsatanacab]

frothing at the mouth, two treats??? two treats for me??? an update?? Answer My Call is getting an update tomorrow???? AHH

also oh my goodness, words cannot express how much I love that snippet, holy shit - I'm both incredibly glad that you found it, and yet also incredibly sad that you've only just now found it because... dude, I gotta know what happens. How does Danny explain?? How does everyone else react?? Superman is somehow related to the Prince of the Infinite Realms - a very important ally that they were definitely considering for a position on the League, except now... it sounds like he's a lot younger than they originally thought, where is that going to leave Danny?

ALSO - can just imagine Constantine slowly backing away when he realises he's just dumped the Ghost Prince into trouble BIG TIME and Danny just sending him the biggest glare because what the fuck?? he slaved away trying to get Constantine's soul back for this??? a dressing down in front of all the superheroes he's looked up to for years and a grounding of the highest order??

oh man my mind is running away with this, I'm going to have to stop before I tread on your toes too hard, I'm so sorry - but this is so much fun, I really love what you've done with it!! I can't wait to see more!!

Oooooh, I love the wip ask game!! You know I'm a fiend for your Answer My Call fic, but... Danny is Vlark's Nephew is calling to me, that sounds like so much fun!

Look out tomorrow night (after 9 pm EST) for Answer My Call! Can you tell how much fun I'm having since this chapter takes place in Boston?

As for Danny is Clark's Nephew. I actually kinda forgot all about this one until I was looking through my "Prompt fills" document. And I followed the link I saved and what I wrote doesn't match it at all? So idk if I saved the wrong link or if I just took the barest bones and went in a totally new direction.

Here's the first 350ish words.

-----

Danny was practically vibrating as he followed Constantine through a random junk yard in Chicago and into a shed. He was going to meet the Justice League! And possibly join them! Totally worth the months he’d spent gathering every piece of John Constantine’s soul.

“All right, your highness. This is the Zeta Tube. They’re expectin’ us. After I make this introduction, we’re even, right? You’re not gonna demand anything else from me?”

“Nope! Your soul back for the chance to meet the Justice League with the potential of joining them. You’ve given them the files I sent you, right?”

“Course. Wouldn’t dream of reneging on a deal with the Ghost Prince.”

Danny laughed. “Sure you would.” Before Constantine could protest, Danny continued, “Now, how does this thing work?”

“You just stand right there. I’ll take care of it.”

Unfortunately, Constantine stood in a way that prevented him from seeing what he did. But then it didn’t matter because the room was filled with a strange energy that bombarded him. It tickled. Danny laughed even as the world spun away from him and reality shifted.

When everything came into focus around him again, he was facing a group of people. But his eyes focused on just one. Someone was talking, but Danny could only stare into equally shocked blue eyes.

“—om. Prince Phantom!” Constantine’s hiss finally got through the ringing in his ears.

Danny looked over at the wizard, but then he heard that clearing of the throat. He looked back at the group that had come to greet him. And there was Uncle Clark, dressed as Superman, standing with his arms crossed, foot tapping, and one eyebrow raised.

“I’m waiting for an explanation,” he said as soon as Danny met his eyes.

Danny opened his mouth. Closed it again. Swallowed. “Um…”

And then Constantine was talking again, thank the Ancients. “Superman, this is Prince Phantom, Crown Prince of the Infinite Realms, defeater of Pariah Dark, defender of—”

“Not you, Constantine.” Uncle Clark continued to stare straight at Danny. “I got a Christmas card from your parents just three months ago. I spoke to you on the phone last month on your sister’s birthday. You were alive then. Why do you suddenly not have a heartbeat.”

[keeksandgigz]

hi keeks! just passing by to share some eddie thoughts lolz

lately i’ve been thinking of having eddie be the first guy you give head to so you ask him to talk you through and he does!! (more like tries to) but who can blame him?? he’s trying not to blow his load in seconds while you’re trying to look up at him to see his reaction and make sure he’s liking it (which just turns you on cause he’s just moaning and throwing his head back and you can see him swallowing and and and)

anyway now that i’ve finally built up the courage to send you an ask i might keep sending more so i’m sorry in advance for the spam i might make during christmas break🙏🏻 also i’m sorry if something i said doesn’t make sense, english is not my first language lmao

thank u love!! send me all the asks ur little heart desires i'll have plenty of time to kill during christmas break <3

i honestly have no experience with being talked through my first blowjob lol i just kinda went for it. also this got a lil angsty/ fluffy i sorry.

obviously this is 18+ smut below the cut

"...but what if I like, bite it?" you say, looking up at brown eyes.

You're perched in between Eddie's hairy legs, on your knees in the uncomfortably thin carpet of his room.

Your elbows on his knees, head rested on your arm, looking at him. Fear? Nervousness? A little bit of excitement?

He's a towering mass of smattered curls, eyes shadowed by the bangs hanging low on his lids, covering the black tar pits that his eyes have become.

"You won't bite it, baby. Just keep your lips like this" he tucks his lips under the curve of your teeth, a silly smack of the lips, a quick open- close- like a fish- which makes you laugh.

He's good at this. At making everything seem easy, a lighthearted task. Not like you're giving your first blowjob or anything.

"You still want to do this, right?" he asks, petting your hair, sensing the nervousness vibrating off of you. You nod.

"Alright, sweetheart. Just let me know if you need to stop. Smack me on the leg or something, really hard" he huffs out a laugh. He may seem calm and cool but the truth is that he's literally about to bust.

You, gorgeous thing you, wanting to give him head? He gives himself the grace of five minutes (and that's a lot, still) before he cums all over himself.

So he sits there, dick out at full mast, as you work up the courage to take him into your mouth.

You switch between looking at him, then at his dick, then at him again. A subtle cry for help, as he grabs the back of your neck, cradling your head.

"It's alright, baby. You don't have to take all of it at once. I know it's a lot" he chuckles, helping you inch your head closer towards his pelvis.

You look up at him, and you feel yourself heat up at the sheer cockiness that statement alone had.

"C'mon sweetness. Open up" he whispers, "Baby steps, yeah?" he says, looking at you with the most utter devotion and a little endearment. You look so sweet looking up at him eager to please.

"Yeah" you weakly let out as you open your mouth, letting his tip nudge your tongue. He hisses. He had been waiting for this.

"The lip thing, baby. Like I told you" he says. You follow suit, tucking your lips over your teeth, still looking up at him for a sign, anything to show that what you're doing is right.

"Tongue, sweetheart. Use your tongue, please" he says, voice already strained and clouded by the sheer feeling of you holding his tip in your mouth. Feeling the slow rise and fall and jerks of your tongue under the head of his cock.

You follow his instructions and begin swirling your tongue around his tip, you cringe at yourself for thinking about the comparison your friends told you at school once. Like a popsicle. Oof.

You feel Eddie jerk in front of you. You swell with pride.

"Thaaaat's it, baby. Doin' so good" you shiver at the praise, continuing what you're doing as he takes a sharp breath through his teeth. He's not gonna last five minutes.

After a few seconds more of swirling your tongue, you decide to try what your friends have shown you countless times during sleepovers with a poor banana you didn't end up eating.

You begin to bob your head, taking more of Eddie in your mouth. A loud gasp escapes him as his tip begins to hit the back of your throat.

"Fuck yeah, sweetheart. Jus' like th-that" his hips stutter, making you take way too much of him int your mouth. Using another tip your friends gave you, you tuck your thumb in your fist, trying to not make yourself gag.

The trick reveals itself to be useless, as you feel bitter bile rise up your throat. Your throat makes a gagging noise, alarming you.

You push Eddie out of your mouth as you sputter and cough at the unfamiliar feeling. Tears begin to prick your eyes from the embarrassment.

"I'm s-sorry" you pant, the feeling of humiliation creeping up your cheeks.

He tucks himself back in his boxers and gets off the bed to quickly kneel in front of you.

"Shit, I'm sorry. baby. Should've been more mindful" he cradles your face, feeling your cheeks growing hot.

"I'm just not good at it" you say, huffing defeatedly, looking anywhere that isn't his sad puppy eyes.

"No, baby. That's just not true" he pouts "Baby steps, remember? Next time we can take it slow" he says, caressing the skin of your cheeks with his thumb. All you do is nod.

"Can you show me your pretty eyes, sweetheart?" you raise your head to finally look at him. He smiles, bright and joyful. "There she is" he whispers, placing a kiss on your nose.

"My friends are a bunch of fuckin' liars, I did the thumb thing to not gag and it didn't work" you laugh, resting your head on his shoulder.

"It's okay, baby, you won't even need that trick once you've done it enough times" he smiles against the crown of your head, giving it a gentle kiss.

[atinylittlepain]

Love your writing! I love the Unexpected universe, could I please request a really angsty Joel story where baby Miller gets sick nothing extreme, just a colicky baby but because of what happened to Sarah it just brings all of Joel’s fear to the surface? Please add some fluff spice with reader trying to comfort him and cute baby and dad moments?

aw man, i got a bit carried away with this one, i hope you like it <3

Unmet Expectations

dad!joel miller x f!reader

joel miller masterlist

When baby miller gets sick, Joel gets stuck in the past, leaving her feeling lonelier than ever before.

warnings | 18+ angst, hurt/comfort, grief, sick baby oof, smut at the end

a/n | this one is long, and rather emotionally charged, but with a happy ending of course for our Unexpected Expectings fam :)

....................................

There isn’t much sleeping going on in the Miller household. Except for Ellie, who has the good fortune to be out in the garage, away from the seemingly endless crying. It started a little over a month ago. She had settled Libby down for her afternoon nap, only to be promptly startled by her girl’s shrieking wail, a sound she would become all too familiar with as time progressed and it became clear that they have one very colicky baby on their hands. 

At first, she thought it was just her girl having a bad case of gas, but after a few hours of useless burping and rocking, she started to understand this was something else entirely. Joel came home that night from the stables to find her sitting on the floor of the nursery, tears in her eyes and Libby still screaming in her arms. She wasn’t sure what was worse in that moment, the sound of her girl’s continuous cries, or the look of sheer terror on Joel’s face as he knelt down next to her. He had run across town right then and there to get Suze, who could only advise them to keep their girl comfortable and fed with the reassurance that this sort of thing typically only lasts a month or two. 

It’s been the longest month of her life. Libby is nothing if not consistent, quiet and sweet as a lamb in the mornings, but around one o’clock every day, the crying starts, and it doesn’t stop until late into the night. Ellie has been a saint, and Maria too. Staying with her in the afternoons, keeping her sane as she tries to calm Libby down. Joel, however, is a different story. Since all this started, he’s become silent, unreadable. Much like how he was when they first met.

He takes Libby at night, giving her something of a break when he wordlessly takes her off her hands. She finds him most mornings asleep on the floor of the nursery, pressed right up against the crib, one of his arms usually hung between the wooden slats, keeping contact with their girl who always manages to wear herself off into sleep. It’s the only indication she gets from him of just how much he cares because otherwise, he’s become completely shut off, and it’s starting to freak her out more than Libby’s incessant crying.

They don’t talk anymore. He leaves early for shifts, and when he comes home, usually after dusk, he takes Libby and holes away in the nursery. She had tried to join him a number of times, but the steely look he always gave her kept her hovering at a distance, usually dozing in and out of sleep sitting in the hallway right outside the room. She can hear him in the night, the low thrum of his singing just barely detectable below Libby’s cries, and it breaks her heart that he won’t let anyone else see that part of him, especially not her. She’s grateful for how he takes over with Libby, but it feels like it’s no longer them, no longer a team. She’s surrounded by people who care, but it seems like the one person who matters most is slipping away, and she’s never felt more lonely in her life.

“I’m uh, picking up patrol today with Tommy. Might not be home till later.” Her hands still where she had been scrubbing one of Libby’s bottles in the sink. It’s the most he’s said to her in weeks. She turns around to look at him, his gaze wandering anywhere but to hers.

“I thought you weren’t doing patrol shifts anymore.” 

“They’re down a man today. Just a one time thing.” There’s a lot more she’d like to say, but she can’t get any of it out, not when it feels like she’s talking to a complete stranger. So instead, she just nods, turning back to the sink before the tightness in her throat can spill over into tears. She hears him let out a long sigh behind her.

“I’ll um, see you tonight then.” She sniffs, only answering him with a jerky nod. The sound of his boots thudding away, the open and close of the front door, is a relief that she feels guilty for.

…

“Are you sure you don’t want me to stick around? It’s no sweat, really. Dina will understand.” She offers Ellie what she can of a smile, easier said than done with her other girl screeching directly in her ear as she rocks her back and forth.

“That’s alright, Ellie bean. You’ve been a huge help already this afternoon, but Joel should be back soon. You should go, have fun.” By the furrowed look on her face, Ellie doesn’t seem to buy that, but she nods.

“Um, ok. Well, you know where to find me– i-if you need me or anything.” She nods and Ellie turns to leave, but seems to think twice of it before turning back to her.

“Are you guys– are you guys ok? You and Joel?” Her heart drops at the question, but luckily Libby chooses that exact moment to raise her screaming to a new decibel, effectively distracting the both of them enough for Ellie to offer her one more anxious smile before heading out. 

She sighs with the close of the front door, continuing to try to soothe Libby as she walks upstairs to the nursery. 

“I know, Libs. Tell me about it, huh?” She sits down in the rocking chair, shifting her squirming girl to cradle her in her lap. When she glances at the clock, she realizes it’s at least an hour past when Joel should have been home. She feels terrible that she doesn’t feel much at the realization, too sleep deprived, too frustrated, too utterly hopeless to muster up much more than faint concern as Libby continues to wail. 

She sits like that for a few hours, through Libby’s ceaseless cries, the relentless noise lulling her into a sort of daze. And then, a miracle. For the first time in a month and a half, Libby stops crying before midnight. Her girl lets out a few sleepy coos before dozing off in her arms, and she has to stop herself from laughing in pure relief as she lays her down in her crib. Stepping out into the hall, she slumps back against the wall, but her peace is short-lived when she realizes that Joel still isn’t home and it’s now much later. 

It’s the final straw that finally sends her reeling as she crumples over, her hands on her thighs as she starts to heave in a silent sob. It feels like she can’t get any air in, taking quick gasping breaths that she tries to stifle, not wanting to make any sound and wake her girl up. Her mind is blaring a shrill alarm of two words, over and over again. He’s gone. Under any other circumstances, she might be able to rationalize, to not jump to the worst conclusion. But she’s running on fumes, and her mind can’t shake the thought that she may have lost him tonight. And then she starts to think about that morning, how she hadn’t even said goodbye, and it sends her down to her knees, collapsing over herself in a silent wail. 

She’s completely caught off guard when a warm palm comes to her back, jerking away from the touch and pressing back against the wall.

“Hey, hey. It’s me– it’s just me.” He kneels down in front of her, palms cupping her cheeks as he tries to coax her to look at him, but she’s still inconsolable, a sobbing mess. His face falls when she won’t calm down.

“What’s wrong? Is it– please don’t tell me it’s Libby.” The frantic edge to his voice cuts through the fog enough for her to shake her head.

“No– she– she’s fine– she’s sleeping. I thought– I thought you were gone– I thought I lost y-y-you.” She’s a shuddering mess of words, breaking down in another silent sob before she can say anymore. Joel’s hands slide down to squeeze hers, dipping his head down to catch her watery gaze.

“I’m not gone– we just had some trouble with one of the horses, alright? Just got back a little late. I’m right here.” She’s with it enough to let out a bitter laugh at his choice of words, her sobs finally dying down into breathy shudders.

“No you’re not.” His face crumples in confusion as he sits back on his haunches.

“What?” She sighs, scrubbing her eyes with the heel of her hand.

“You might be here physically. But I have no fucking clue where you’ve been in your head ever since– ever since Libby got sick.” As she says it, she finally starts to connect the dots. Joel has been acting the same way he acted when she told him she was pregnant, when he tried to get Tommy to take Ellie to Salt Lake City, when she got shot back in Boston. Joel’s been acting the way he acts when he’s scared.

Part of her wants to comfort him, to tell him that she knows, that she gets it. But the other part of her is too far gone in the flood of frustration for that, and instead she lets that righteous anger wash over her.

“I told you that I couldn’t do this without you, that we would do this together. We’re not in this together anymore, Joel. You don’t talk to me anymore, and lord knows you haven’t touched me in at least a month. Am I that repulsive to you? The fucking mother of your child?” His eyes are wide, jaw slack at her words.

“That ain’t what this is about.” She scoffs.

“No, I know what this is about. But, jesus christ, Joel, you aren’t the only one who’s scared right now. We’re supposed to be there for each other, that’s what partners do. They do it scared, together. But you won’t let me in, and you clearly want nothing to do with me.” 

“That’s not– I don’t– it’s–” He stops his own stumbling, letting out a ragged sigh. She just shakes her head.

Before either of them can say anything else, a cry resounds from the nursery. But it’s not like the shrieks they’ve grown accustomed to. This cry is quieter, more needy than distressed. She gets up with a sigh, not looking at Joel as she walks back toward the nursery. Joel is right on her heels.

“Let me, I’ve got her.” She whips around on her heel at his words, holding her palm up between them as she tries to steel her expression.

“Don’t.”

He doesn’t.

…

She wakes up the next morning in a crunched tangle on the twin bed in Libby’s room, her girl still sleeping like an angel in her crib. After a diaper change last night, Libby had again stopped crying, another hopeful sign that the colic is finally lifting.  She doesn’t have much room to celebrate it with the way the fight she and Joel had last night is occupying her mind. Though she supposes it wasn’t really a fight, more just her falling apart on him. A cool guilt creeps up her spine. She shouldn’t have lashed out at him like that, but she knows she couldn’t hold it in any longer either.

Libby still asleep, she slips into their bedroom, an awful relief that Joel is nowhere to be seen. She’s not ready to face him yet. 

She gets cleaned up, just barely dressed when she starts hearing fussy coos coming from across the hall. Morning light slides syrupy and gold across the nursery floor as she picks Libby up from her crib. This happens like clockwork, and it’s her favorite part of every morning, sitting down in the rocking chair, Libby’s tiny palm pressing against her sternum as she latches on for her breakfast. Even right now, with her mind swirling in worry, watching the contented flutter of her girl’s eyes as she suckles is enough to soothe her.

He clears his throat, and she glances up just briefly to see him standing in the doorway. 

“I think we might finally be done with the colic.” As she speaks, she keeps her eyes focused on Libby, her ears pricking to the shuffle of his bare feet as he comes closer into the room. He stays silent, but she can feel his eyes watching her as Libby turns her head away. She gets up with a sigh, still not looking at him as she bounces lightly side to side, rubbing her girl’s back after readjusting her shirt. 

“I can burp her if you want. Save you a shirt.” She finally looks at him as he speaks, worry clear in the crease between his brows. Part of her wants to be petty, to tell him that she’s got it and shut him out. But she also knows that this is him trying, so she gives him a small nod, gently passing Libby off to him. He’s been good with her from the start, and now is no different as he holds her to his chest, shushing her fussy whimpers as he lightly pats her back. She can’t help but smile at the sight, leaning up against the crib as she finally holds his gaze.

“Made coffee, if you want some. Pot’s probably still warm.” That’s a peace offering if she ever heard one. She hums, nodding noncommittally in response. It’s clear that Joel has something else to say.

“Could we– could we talk?” He sounds so unsure of the question, his brow all twisted up. She’s already thawing, offering him a smile and a nod.

“That one will conk right out when you’re done burping her. Let’s talk after you get her down, alright?” He sets his mouth in a thin line, his eyes still soft as he nods. She passes by him with a sigh, her palm resting for a moment on his bicep as she presses a kiss to Libby’s crown before slipping out of the room. She really needs that cup of coffee.

Spring is finally thawing out the winter freeze, and it’s just sunny enough to sit on the back porch with a warm mug and a sweater. It isn’t long before he joins her. She notes the way he keeps a sizable distance between them on the bench seat.

“Sarah was colicky too, y’know.” She hadn’t been expecting that, turning to look at him. He’s leaning forward, his elbows resting on his thighs as he cranes his neck back to meet her gaze.

“Was she?” He nods, letting out a breathy laugh.

“Scared the living shit out of me. Her mom– well, she wasn’t much help. Pfft, pretty sure I cussed out the doctor when he told me I just had to wait for it to pass– wait for Sarah to get better.” He studies his hands, fingers flexing as he continues.

“She cried and cried– just like Libby. I stayed up with her every night and just about lost my mind. Knowing she– my baby, my girl– was in so much pain and there was nothing I could do. It was torture.” She brings a tentative palm to his shoulder, feeling him slacken under her touch as he finally looks at her again.

“I’m sorry, darlin. I got stuck in the past and left you here to deal with the present.” She sets her mug down before scooting closer to him to sling her arm over his shoulders, feeling relief when he lets her tangle her other hand with his.

“I accept your apology. I just wish you would’ve talked to me. I know you don’t think I can understand– and I probably can’t, at least not entirely. But I can’t even try to if you don’t let me in.” She rests her chin on his shoulder, feeling the rise and fall of his sigh.

“I know you’re right– I do. It’s just so fucking hard. I just– I’ve gotten real good at running away from it– just shutting it down. Talking like this feels damn near impossible.” She leans back, coaxing him to look at her.

“We knew this wasn’t gonna be easy. And we said we’d get through this together. Joel, you can’t shut down like that– you just can’t. I– we need you too much.” He swallows hard, nodding at her words, and she can’t help but brush his wavy hair out of his face, resting her palm on his cheek afterward.

“You talk to me, huh? And I’m gonna try so hard to understand. I promise.” She stamps her words with a kiss, pressing her forehead against his as they both let out a sigh. 

“Gonna do better by you, darlin. Not gonna disappear on you again.” 

…

“It’s magic, right? It’s gotta be magic.” Joel quietly laughs at her whispers, both of them looking down at their girl who is fast asleep in the settling night time by some sort of miracle. Libby had done so much better the rest of the day. No more relentless shrieking or fussy squirming. It was like a switch had been flipped, and she and Joel are just hoping it stays that way. 

He places his palm between her shoulder blades, head tilting toward the doorway. She gets the hint, both of them quietly padding out of the nursery and across the hall to their own bedroom.

“Are we actually gonna get to sleep in our own bed tonight?” He smiles at that, lifting his hand to brush his fingers along her cheek. He’s being careful, she can tell. All day he’s been quiet, but close, taking the day off of shifts to stick by her side. She knows that this is his way of apologizing, his way of trying, and she’s grateful for it.

Whether or not they’re showering together has become a sort of litmus test to determine how their relationship is doing. They haven’t done this in a month, and she only realizes how much she missed it, missed him, when she finally gets her hands on him again, running her soaped-up palms along the broad expanse of his back as he faces away from her under the warm stream of water. She smiles at the groan he lets out when she presses her fingers into that spot between his shoulder blades that’s always knotted up, working the kink out before slipping her palms further down. A breathy chuckle thrums in his chest when she slides her palms down the strong curve of his ass, stepping in closer to wrap her arms around him and trail her hands up the soft muscle of his stomach.

“What’re you doing back there, mama?” She can hear the smile in his voice, and revels in the shudder that runs through him when she presses a kiss to the nape of his neck.

“Taking care of you. You gonna let me?” She feels the huff he lets out in the rise and fall of his shoulders, quick to turn in her hold and steal one, two, three kisses before she can press on his chest to get him to let up. His hands fall to her waist, squeezing at the swell and pulling her into him, chest to chest. His cock rests hot and solid against her thigh.

“We take care of each other, huh?” His words bloom warm in her chest and the smile she offers him is the biggest relief. He reaches behind her to grab the bar of soap, lathering up his hands. It’s a strange contrast, the roughness of his palms and the tenderness of the press of his skin against hers as he trails over every inch of her body he can reach. She gets both, and she knows it’s a gift.

His touch begins to linger and stutter, squeezes left to his favorite parts of her, his grin growing smugger with each shudder he coaxes out of her. 

“We’re wasting water. Maria’s gonna kill us.” He groans low at that, laying a harsh squeeze to her ass that she yelps at.

“That is the last thing I wanna think about right now.” She breathes out a laugh as he corners her against the tiled wall. She barely manages to flip off the water as he presses against her, licking hotly into her mouth. With a light tug to his damp waves, he pulls away, both of them panting in the humid bathroom air.

“Can we at least get dried off? The last thing I want is one of us slipping and cracking our skull open.” Joel grumbles at that, shaking his head as he steps in closer. However, with the step he takes, his back heel slips out causing him to stumble into her as they both struggle to stay upright. They’re a tangle of limbs as they find their footing, her arms wrapped over his shoulders and his around her waist. Looking at each other, all they can do is laugh.

“Would it kill you to tell me I’m right every now and again?” She teases him, a crooked grin as she stays wrapped up in his arms.

“You’re right– you’re right– you’re right. There, will that do, darlin?” He punctuates each repetition with a chaste kiss to her lips, leaving her laughing as he jostles her in his hold. She hums lightly.

“Hmm, I suppose. For now.” He huffs at that, retaliating with a hard smack to the curve of her ass that has her jolting in his grip, causing them both to stumble about in the shower again. They’re fools for each other, only for each other.

Drying off is made all but impossible by the way they stay glued to each other, and their skin is still damp when they finally make it to their bed, toppling into the sheets still tangled up in kisses and sighs and wandering hands. Joel coaxes her onto her back, settling between her legs as he trails a hand down to her cunt, dragging a brazen swipe through her heat that has her arching up into her touch.

“Joel, please– no teasing tonight. I just– I need you, baby.” He shushes her with a kiss, fingers languidly circling her clit.

“You’ve got me, darlin– not going anywhere, huh? Gonna give you what you need.” She has to bite back a whine at the loss of his touch, but it’s only a fleeting desperation as he presses the throbbing tip of his cock up against her entrance. Though it’s been a while, they move well together like they always do, bodies in complete communion as she draws her leg up along his waist, opening up to him as he presses his hips forward. He stills with his hips hilted into hers, his forehead pressing into her sternum with a ragged sigh. 

“Fucking hell– missed you so bad, mama– s’not fair how good you feel– not gonna last like this–” His voice is hoarse, broken by sweet agony, and she tries to soothe him with a smattering of kisses to his hairline, drawing him to look up at her.

“It’s ok, baby. Just wanna feel you– feel so perfect, Joel. Can you move for me?” She presses a kiss to the crease between his brows and he chases after her lips, groaning into a deep kiss as he rolls his hips back only to snap them forward again. He swallows the gasp she lets out at the deep grind of him, her nails digging into his shoulders as he guides them into that familiar push and pull. 

In just the few months of having their girl, they’ve learned how to keep quiet, all breathy sighs and muffled kisses, but she’s having a hard time holding back her high-pitched whimpers at the way he’s thrusting into her, punctuating each snap of his hips with a hard grind that strokes a spot inside her that’s already tilting her over the edge of pleasure. But it starts to become too much when Joel brings his fingers back to her clit, drawing stuttering swipes that have her spasming around him.

“C’mon, mama– let go for me– want it so bad– that’s it, darlin–” his praises become muffled noise as she comes, her heels now digging into his ass where her legs are wrapped around him, clutching him as he fucks her through the rolling high. Joel is quick to follow, pulling out of her with a harsh groan and sloppily stroking himself a few times before his warmth is smearing across the plush of her thigh. It's a far cry from the heated trysts they used to engage in, hours on end of tangled passion long traded in for these little bursts of love that she cherishes just as much, if not more.

He collapses next to her, slumping on his back, his arm crossed over himself to keep his palm splayed over her stomach. She rests her hand on top of his, tangling their fingers together as they both catch their breath. But, there isn’t much time to revel in the moment when soft cries start to carry from across the hall. She can’t help but smile as she looks at him, and he lets out a sigh.

“Go get cleaned up, mama. I’ve got her.” He punctuates his words with a kiss, leaning over and brushing his fingers along her cheek. They share a quietly murmured “love you,” and she idly watches him get up, the soft pull of his muscles as he slips on a t-shirt and a pair of boxers before padding across the hall to Libby’s room.

They don’t get to sleep in their own bed that night. After getting cleaned up, she trails into the nursery, finding Joel quietly singing to their girl in the rocking chair. He glances up at her, but keeps singing, his voice low and sweet, lulling Libby back to sleep in his arms. With their girl tucked back in her crib, they wind up in a close tangle on the twin bed.

It's the best sleep they've gotten in a month.

[ghosts-bandwagon]

Hi friend! I love your writing!! Could you do a headcannon/blurb for Ghost and Price (not poly) with a reader who has trouble opening up emotionally? When they do open up they feel like a burden and feel like they have to “earn back their love” through facts of service? Just angsty fluff :)

Oof I can kinda relate lmaooo

Simon ‘Ghost’ Riley:

He’s pretty closed off at first, and he’s quite aware of it, so he won’t push you or force you into opening up if you’re not ready

You’re both waiting for the other to make a move because you’re too nervous to make the first move yourself, so he steps out of his comfort zone and decides to make the first move

You two are laying in bed, watching videos on your phone when he starts talking about his family. (His timing is a little awkward with these things) His heart is beating so hard and fast in his chest, he feels like he’s about to throw up. You’ve shut off your phone and you’re hanging off of every word, tears prickling your eyes, chewing over his words as you contemplate sharing your own

He bit the bullet and so can you. So you do. You share some of the things that have been weighing in your heart, thoughts that have been plaguing your mind, but before you share too much, you bite your tongue and put a tourniquet on your heart before you overstepped your (imagined) boundaries

He was so relieved you saw fit to open up to him that he drifted to sleep for the first time in ages, and it was a peaceful sleep. Morning came and he was woken up by the smell of coffee and breakfast, he groggily rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and rolled out of bed

“What’s all this?” He asked walking past you and kissing the top of your head as he grabbed the cup of tea you made for him,

“I just wanted to thank you for listening last night, I hope I didn’t burden you.”

“Burden? Love, you’re jokin’” He held the cup close to his lips but set it down as soon as you said that,

“Well, you’ve got your own stuff to deal with and I’m just adding to it and I feel bad.” You said dismissively as you went back to the eggs in the pan,

“Sweetheart, you’re never a burden.”

“I’ve heard that one before.” You chuckled bitterly with a roll of your eyes,

“You callin’ me a liar?” He turned your head to look at him with just a finger under your chin, and those eyes that you loved so much held nothing but the utmost sincerity

“N-no, it’s just,” the words struggled to form, your arguments suddenly moot as they turned over in your head, “I’m sorry.” He leaned in and pressed a kiss to your forehead,

“Don’t be. I’m here for you. Always.”

John Price:

I’ve said it time and time again, John is a patient man. He’s also known Ghost for years, so a bit of emotional closed off-ness isn’t foreign to him. He’s dealt with it, he knows how to handle it. He also knows that leading by example tends to work best in those cases.

He can see that you’ve been bottling something up, he can practically hear you chewing your lip in an attempt to keep whatever it is inside, he hates seeing the torment in your eyes so he takes initiative, he sees that you’re almost at your breaking point so he pulls you away from your task and sits you down in the living room, he’s holding your hands, deft fingers massaging the tension away

He recalls a time when struggled, when he was falling apart at the seams but felt obligated to keep it together for the sake of his men. It ate away at him until it manifested into poor self-care, almost to a point of causing permanent harm to himself. Until he’d met you and you welcomed him and all his troubles with open arms.

You argued that what you were dealing with was nothing like that, it was insignificant by comparison and you went on and on without realizing that he had succeeded in getting you to open up to him. And then you realized it and gradually managed to reel it back in. You dried your tears and happily returned his kiss.

“I’ll always be here listen, alright?” You nodded and kissed him again

He’d stepped out to smoke until he was cut short by the incredible and enticing smell of your cooking brought him back inside. He walked over to you in the kitchen and wrapped his arms around your waist from behind,

“What’s all this about?”

“Just my way of saying thank you.”

“What for?”

“Well for letting me dump all that on you.”

“Sorry?” Despite pulling away slowly, it felt more like recoiling after being punched in the stomach,

“You’ve got a lot on your shoulders already and here I am adding to it. So I’m just making up for that.” You shrugged, he sighed and put his hands over yours, turning you away from your task at the stove,

“Two things love, one, don’t ever feel the need to thank me for listening, two, nothing you ever do could possibly make you a burden to me. Remember that.”

“But-” a lump formed in your throat and he shook his head, taking the utensils from your hand and gently pushing you to the side. He stepped in front of the stove and leaned over to you to place a chaste kiss on your lips.

“No ‘buts’, love. Now, tell me what to do next.”

[justabigassnerd]

Making You Proud

Pairing - Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell x daughter!reader

Word count - 6,671

Warnings - major character deaths, grief, angst, mentions of being shot down, funerals, just a whole lot of sadness okay? bit of fluff at the end

Summary - you lose the one person you thought you'd never lose and have a hard time coping

A/N - hey y'all it's time for a new fic isn't it? this was an anon request that I absolutely loved like I read it and was like 'this is the most angsty thing I've ever read... I love it!' so I really hope I've done the idea justice. I won't ramble but as per y'all, please send in requests, feedback and enjoy!!!

Growing up, it had just been you and your dad against the world. Your mother hadn’t wanted a baby and so handed you straight over to Maverick almost the second you were born and forfeited any parental rights. You loved your dad; he was the best dad he could possibly be for you. He loved and protected you unconditionally. He also brought his best friend and RIO Nick ‘Goose’ Bradshaw into your small family along with his wife, Carole and son Bradley who was but a year older than you.

When you were little, you, your dad, Goose and his family all relocated to Miramar after your dad and Goose’s training at Top Gun. The two men were offered permanent positions as instructors at the highly regarded Navy school. They accepted, mostly so they’d have a more permanent place to call home but insisted that they still got to go on occasional deployments since their love for aviation was too much to consider giving it up. So you grew up in Miramar, with Bradley as your best friend and a loving group of people surrounding you, especially with the inclusion of your dad’s Top Gun classmates, Tom ‘Iceman’ Kazansky and Ron ‘Slider’ Kerner.

Not long after you turned eighteen, your dad and Goose were given a new deployment, according to the brief it wasn’t going to be any longer than a couple of months and with you due to go off to college just after Maverick’s return he was even more determined to get back on time. With you being eighteen, and Carole just down the road if you needed her, Maverick was fully comfortable leaving you in charge of the house while he was gone. He stocked up the fridge before he left and made sure to leave you some extra money for the next food shops you need to do.

“Alright squirt. I’ll see you in a couple of months.” Maverick said with his ever confident smile as you stood on the pier along with all the other families bidding goodbye to their loved ones.

“You’ll be back in time to help me move into college, right?” You ask looking up at your dad as he softens.

“y/n, nothing is going to stop me from being there. I’ll fly back from the carrier if I have to.” Maverick promises, bringing you into a gentle hug and rubbing a hand up and down your back. When you’re released from the hug you move to hug Goose goodbye, throwing your arms around him as Carole and Bradley move to say goodbye to Maverick.

“You’ll look after him for me, won’t you?” You quietly ask Goose, looking up at him as he nods.

“Been doing it for this long and I don’t plan on stopping.” Goose assures, squeezing you in the hug a little before releasing you. You hear the call for all the Navy personnel to begin boarding the carrier and look at your dad who smiles.

“That’s us.” He says, glancing over at Goose who nods, both men picking up their bags and turning to head over to board the carrier.

“Dad, wait!” You call out, rushing over to your dad as he turns back to face you before hugging him tightly, eliciting a small ‘oof’ from him upon impact. Maverick, of course, did not hesitate to hug back, pressing a kiss to the top of your head as well.

“I love you.” You whisper, hugging him a little tighter.

“I love you too, sweetheart.” Maverick replies, a smile on his face as he presses one last kiss to the top of your head before releasing you to join Goose and board the carrier. After keeping you dad in your line of sight until he disappeared into the aircraft carrier, you watched as the carrier pulled out into the ocean and began its journey across the seas. When the families began to disperse, you turned to face Carole and Bradley.

“I say we get some ice cream. On me.” Bradley says with a grin, looking from you to Carole as you roll your eyes jokingly. Getting ice cream after seeing your dad and Goose go out on a deployment became a tradition when you and Bradley were young, and you never wanted to let it go.

“Oh the ice creams are on him, Carole! Is this part of becoming a fancy college kid? Being able to afford ice creams now.” You joke as you follow Bradley and Carole to Goose’s bright blue Bronco. Your words caused a light laugh from Carole while Bradley laughed sarcastically. Bradley had just finished his first year at college and was back home for the summer, he had wanted to join the Navy straight out of high school, but Carole and Goose had urged him to try college first, to see if he finds something he likes more and to just get a degree under his belt in case after he graduates, he can’t pursue a career in the Navy.

“Just remember, you’ll be a fancy college kid in a couple of months.” Bradley grins as he ruffles at your hair, laughing as you swat at his hand, laughing yourself. The three of you climb into the Bronco and Bradley drives to the ice cream parlour you had frequented in your youth.

“How are you feeling about college, sweetie?” Carole asks, her ever soft smile on her face as you eat a spoonful of the small tub of the ice cream.

“A bit nervous. I’m going to be so far away from here. It’ll be weird not seeing everyone.” You confess, glancing down at the table, eyes fixed on a stain that clearly no amount of cleaning would get out.

“You’ll be okay, sweetie. You’ll be able to visit, or we’ll come and visit you. Either way you’ll get to see us. You’ll end up having so much fun anyway.” Carole says, smiling as you nod lightly at her words.

“Trust me, you’ll have a great time. You’ll make so many new friends as well. As long as none of them replace me.” Bradley says, sending you a wink from across the table as you let out a soft laugh.

“I promise none of my new college friends will replace you if you promise none of your college friends can replace me.” You bargain, getting a nod from Bradley instantly as he holds out a hand to shake on a deal.

“Seems we have a deal. None of my friends could hold a candle to you anyway.” Bradley says, smiling at you as you smile back. After finishing your ice creams, you spend the rest of the day spending time with Carole and Bradley before heading home in the evening to get some sleep.

Over the weeks your dad was away, you spent time with Bradley and Carole, as well as spending some time with some of your school friends to make some memories before you all head off to different colleges. You didn’t get much communication with your dad, only getting rare phone calls when he was granted one. But you had been counting down the days on the calendar that sat proudly on the kitchen wall, you’d been crossing off the days as they passed as they inched closer to the day that had ‘DAD HOME’ in bright red letters.

Four days before your dad was due to come home, you received a knock on the door. Thinking it was Bradley, Carole, or one of your friends you turned the tv off and went to the door. However, when you opened the door, you were greeted by two men in Navy uniform, both with solemn expressions on their faces. The smile you had on your face dropped the moment you registered who was stood in front of you. You were staring at Viper and Jester, your dad’s old Top Gun instructors.

“Please tell me he’s just in hospital.” Your voice came out as nothing more than a whisper as you looked up at the two men, eyes quickly becoming cloudy with tears before you blinked them away rapidly, determined not to cry yet.

“May we come in?” Jester asked, watching carefully as you nod, stepping aside and holding the door open wider so the two men can enter before closing the door behind them and leading them into the living room where they urge you to take a seat on the armchair while they perch on the sofa.

“We regret to inform you that your father, Lieutenant Commander Pete Mitchell, was killed in action earlier this morning.” Viper says solemnly, heart breaking as he watches your eyes become teary, bottom lip quickly being clamped down on so it doesn’t wobble. Viper had flown alongside your grandfather in the Vietnam war and saw him get shot down and now he had to report of Pete Mitchell’s death to his daughter.

“How?” Was all you managed to get out as tears begin dribbling down your cheeks and your arms wind around your middle as if you were shielding yourself from further harm.

“They say the bandit came out of nowhere. Your dad was scouting ahead, checking for anything that may come the carrier’s way. Either Goose or Maverick must’ve only spotted it moments before it struck because I was told your father attempted to report something in before his signal cut off. Chipper couldn’t get there in time to save them. By the time he shot the enemy down…” Viper couldn’t bring himself to finish his sentence, from what he had been told, the image alone of the jet plummeting into the sea in a fiery blaze was too much for even him to handle, let alone Maverick’s eighteen year old daughter.

“Does that mean that Goose is-” A sob cut you off before you could even finish the sentence you were dreading to ask. After wiping your eyes fiercely with the back of your hand you look back at the men and see Jester nod.

“It happened too fast, neither man made it out. There will be an attempt to recover the bodies but we’re trying not to get too hopeful.” Jester says carefully, watching you carefully as more tears work their way down your cheeks, your eyes squeezing shut momentarily to free the tears that are stuck.

“The Navy will take care of any funeral arrangements and are willing to offer you as much support as you need. You can come by whenever if you’d like to clear your dad’s belongings out or if you’d rather someone else can do it and bring them here.” Viper continues, wanting to make sure you don’t feel like you have too much pressure to figure everything out alone. When he saw Maverick’s next of kin list consisting of only your name, he felt awful. He thought to himself that no kid deserves to go through all this alone. You merely nodded at Viper’s words, unable to form any kind of response.

“Do you have anyone who could come over and be with you right now?” Jester asks cautiously, neither man wanted to leave you alone after receiving news this devastating and wanted to get someone to come and be with you for a while. You didn’t respond to Jester’s words, just silently sobbing and hugging yourself. You couldn’t even bring yourself to begin to think of someone who might want to check in on you. Jester and Viper exchanged a worried look when you couldn’t respond, and they started thinking of anyone who may be able to sit with you and check in on you until two people come to mind.

“What about Iceman and Slider? I know your dad was close with Iceman.” Viper then offers, watching you carefully as you give them the slightest nod, giving Jester the ‘okay’ he needed to find the phone and call Iceman’s number. It broke Jester’s heart to stand near the calendar as he dialled the number, noticing the bright red writing on the date four days from now. His heart broke further when his eyes drifted to a day less than a week after Maverick was due to return with, ‘y/n moves into college!’ written undeniably in Maverick’s handwriting. Jester was suddenly shaken out of his thoughts when he heard the voice of Iceman on the other end of the phone and asked him to come over as quickly as he can, and to bring Slider with him.

In the time it took for Iceman and Slider to come over, you excused yourself to go upstairs to the bathroom and to have a bit of privacy. After splashing your face repeatedly and quickly realising it wasn’t going to help the way you were expecting it to, you decided to slink into your dad’s empty bedroom to let out more tears in private.

When Iceman and Slider got to the house, they had been anticipating seeing Jester at the house but seeing Viper as well, both men donning their uniform, set off warning bells in both Iceman and Slider’s heads. The two entered the house and listened carefully as Viper and Jester explained everything about the accident and the deaths of both Maverick and Goose. Iceman and Slider felt their hearts drop at the news.

“Where’s y/n?” Was the first thing Iceman could muster the courage to say, eyes darting around the room in search of you.

“She went upstairs to the bathroom not long before you two arrived.” Viper says, watching as both Iceman and Slider’s eye’s drift to the hallway where the stairs are.

“Can we check on her?” Slider asks, glancing back at his superiors who nod.

“We’ll leave her in your care for now. We called you both over so she wouldn’t be alone. Keep an eye on her and if we can help in any way, let us know.” Jester then says, both he and Viper making their way over to the door while Iceman and Slider follow them, seeing them off before heading upstairs in search of you. Walking past Maverick’s room, both men paused outside the door when they heard the sound of muffled sobs coming from the other side of the door. Slider gently pushed the door open to reveal you curled up on Maverick’s bed, curled into his pillow as you sobbed into it. Both men exchanged a brief worried glance before entering the room. Both of them perched on the other side of Maverick’s bed gaining your attention the slightest amount as you glanced at them out of the corner of your eye before burying your face further into the pillow, inhaling the faint scent of your dad’s cologne that still clung to the pillow.

“You should go and check on Carole and Bradley.” Was the first thing you said, voice muffled by the pillow and thick with tears, but they heard you regardless.

“No, we’re here to check on you. We don’t want you to be alone right now.” Slider says, shaking his head at your words the moment they left your mouth.

“We’re going to help you through this, okay? You’re not alone.” Iceman said softly, hand reaching to rest on your shoulder as his thumb began to rub soothing circles on your shoulder. Inside, Iceman was screaming. He was having to comfort the daughter of the man he had secretly harboured feelings for, since the moment he saw Maverick in the bar before training officially began. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. He wasn’t supposed to be comforting a grieving daughter. He was supposed to be watching Maverick drive with you to your college ready for move in day. He was supposed to finally get the guts to confess how he had really felt after all these years.

“How am I supposed to keep going without him?” You question, another wave of sobs washing over you as Iceman continues to smooth his thumb over your shoulder.

“We’ll help you. You don’t have to be alone.” Slider repeats what Iceman had said just moments prior, doing his best to support you.

You continued to sob and didn’t speak another word to the pilot and RIO duo. You sobbed and sobbed until you cried yourself to sleep, still clinging to Maverick’s pillow. When they had noticed that you had fallen asleep, they exchanged another worried look before Iceman took a deep breath before speaking.

“I’m going to stay. I can’t leave her alone right now. You can head home.” Iceman says, speaking soft enough to not disturb you. Slider nodded lightly, both men standing as Slider grabbed the blanket that lay folded at the end of the bed and carefully draped it over you before the two left the room, heading downstairs and congregating by the front door.

“If you need any help or anything, call me.” Slider says, attempting a gentle smile for his friend but he was sure Iceman could see right through it.

“I will.” Iceman says, patting his friend on the shoulder and watching him leave the house. The second the door closed, Iceman let out a small sigh, eyes drifting back to the stairs before heading into the living room.

When you woke up, at first you were confused as to why you were in your dad’s room but when the memories of a few hours prior returned you were once again holding back sobs, wiping the tear stains from earlier off your cheeks. As you wiped your cheeks, you heard birds singing from their tree branches and you wanted nothing more for them to shut up. How could they be so cheerful when you had just lost the most important person in your life? It was the cruellest irony to have the day be so sunny and cheerful when you had just learnt of this irreplaceable loss.

When your stomach grumbled, giving away your hunger, you debated not even getting up at all. You wanted to just wither away in bed and never see the light of day ever again. Just as you were in the motion of tugging the blanket over your head, Iceman gently pushed the door open, a tray of food in hand.

“y/n/n, I brought you up something to eat, kid.” Iceman says gently, approaching the bedside and setting the tray down on the cleanest of the two beside tables. Why Maverick needed two bedside tables when the room was only occupied by one person, Iceman would never understand.

“’M not hungry, Ice.” You mumble from beneath the blanket, making Iceman sigh lightly and perch on the bed once more.

“I think you should eat something, even if it’s a little.” Iceman gently encourages, watching as you begin to poke your head out of the blanket, looking over at the pilot who offers you a small smile to encourage you out further, like you were a cat he was trying to win over. Before you could reply, your stomach rumbled angrily, giving away your desire for food and Iceman just handed the food over with a raised eyebrow. He watched you like a hawk, making sure you ate.

“I know this is probably not what you want to hear right now but we should probably think about where you’re going to live.” Iceman starts, trying his best to approach the subject. He knew it was better to talk about it now rather than later.

“Where I’m going to live? Here. Dad bought the house if there’s a chance, I get the house I’m keeping it.” You state as if it’s the most obvious answer in the world.

“y/n, you’re going to college in a couple of weeks. Paying for this house would probably be a bit above your pay grade right now. If your dad left the house in your name maybe you could rent the house out to people until you’ve finished college and in a good enough financial place to afford living there. In your breaks from college you can always come to mine if you want. My door will always be open to you.” Iceman says, and deep down you knew he was being logical, but you didn’t want any help. You were sure you’d be able to get through this without the help of Iceman.

“Ice, I’ll figure it out. You don’t need to do this.” There was a slight bite behind your words as you glared over at Iceman.

“But you don’t have to be alone. We want to help you.” Iceman tries to get through to you, not wanting you to feel like you had to do everything alone.

“I’ll be fine Ice. You can go now. Go and check on Carole and Bradley.” You, however, were sticking to your guns and weren’t backing down. Iceman knew you weren’t intentionally being mean. You were going through a lot right now and Iceman was sure he had unintentionally pressed you a bit more than he expected. Respecting your request, Iceman stood from the bed and glanced over his shoulder at you.

“If you need me, I’m just a phone call away.” He says softly before exiting the room, making his way downstairs and leaving the house.

A week later, you were burying an empty casket for your dad. Any attempts to recover Maverick and Goose’s bodies were unsuccessful so you were forced to bury an empty casket. A bunch of Navy personnel had showed up to the funeral, wanting to honour your father. It killed you to see Iceman punch his wingman’s wings into the casket. But the pain was made ten times worse when you were handed a folded flag with a copy of your dad’s dog tags on top. Your dad had given his life for the Navy, and all you got back was a flag. You had slipped the dog tags on as soon as you could. And you let out every tear you had attempted to hold back when you saw the fighter jets flying over in missing man formation. Every step of the funeral was proving to you more and more that you weren’t going to see your dad ever again.

After the funeral, as people began to disperse, most of them made the effort to share their condolences for your loss before moving on. As you glanced around the large military graveyard, you caught sight of Bradley with his arm wound tightly around Carole as she sobbed into his shoulder. You’d seen them at Goose’s funeral a couple of days prior in the same exact position they are now. Like at Goose’s funeral, you couldn’t bring yourself to go over and talk to them, so you just watched them from afar, tears in your eyes as you did. Bradley lifted his gaze and made eye contact with you from across the graveyard and you couldn’t do any more than stare back at him. Talking to Bradley and Carole meant having to remember all the times you’d spend together with them, and your father and you weren’t ready for any of that. Eventually, you tore your gaze away from him when Viper approached you with his condolences and when you looked back, both Bradley and Carole were gone.

A couple of days before you were due to move to college, you had been working hard to ensure everything was ready for when you left. After getting confirmation that your dad had left the house in your name should anything happen to him, you worked closely with an estate agent to put the house up for rent, insisting it doesn’t get sold because once you finished college and got a job you wanted to move back to Miramar and the house. You’d sold some items of furniture and other things you didn’t need but kept most of your dad’s stuff. Anything that wasn’t going to college with you was put into storage until you moved back into the house. You only spoke to one person during this time, and it was to ask Iceman if he could keep an eye on your dad’s beloved motorbike while you were away for four years. You were taking your dad’s car with you, but you couldn’t bear to sell the bike.

As you were packing up some of the last stuff you were taking to college you heard a knock on your door. You didn’t answer it, knowing it was more than likely a member of your dad’s team wanting to wish you well or check in on you. In the days leading up to your departure, you were constantly getting knocks at the door and you didn’t want to see anyone. You just wanted to get out of Miramar and would only get in contact with people when you felt good and ready. You remained silent as there was another knock at the door, when you didn’t answer again, you heard a slight thud as if someone had put something down outside your front door followed by the sounds of footsteps getting further away and the sound of a car pulling away. Curiosity getting the better of you, you crossed to the front door, pulling it open and finding a box sat outside your door.

“What the…?” You muttered to yourself as you picked up the box. It wasn’t heavy, and it felt like there was just a lot of paper or something similar sliding around. You brought the box inside, set it down beside you as you sat on the living room floor and lifted the lid off. On top you found an envelope with your name on it. You recognised the writing instantly to be your dad’s. Only your dad had handwriting that scratchy yet legible. Lifting the envelope out, your eyes were drawn to the pictures below it and you placed the envelope alongside you so you could pick up the pictures. There were pictures of Maverick with Goose, Iceman, and Slider, as well as the rest of his team. Then there was pictures of your dad with you as a baby, as a kid, and as a teenager. Tears filled your eyes as you shuffled through the pictures as you began to realise that this box was filled with stuff your dad must’ve kept in his locker at work. You then noticed patches that must’ve been off his flight suit, and you held them, flipping them over in your hands and running your fingers over the embroidered lettering. After going through the whole box your eyes drifted back to the envelope that sat alongside you and you picked it up, sliding your finger under the sealed flap and easing it open before pulling out the letter inside, opening it carefully and beginning to read.

y/n,

If you’re reading this, then I can only assume the worst has happened and I have died and left you behind.

I’m not the best with words, you know this, but I’ll try here for you. I love you so much squirt. You’ve been the light of my life since I first held you in my arms. I know it’ll seem so hard, but you can get through this kid, I know you can. You’re so strong and I want you to go out there and make me proud like you already do every day. You’ll take this world by a storm I just know it.

I am so sorry for leaving you. Just know I’m with you every step of the way in spirit. I’ll make my presence known, promise.

Show the world what Mitchell’s are made of.

Love,

Dad

You were unaware of the tears that had fallen until you noticed the tear stains on the bottom of the letter, and you were immediately moving the paper away from the line of fire from your tears and wiping your cheeks harshly to get rid of the tears that fell. You then folded the letter up and put it back into the envelope for safe keeping before lying back on the carpet to regain control of your emotions.

When the time came for you to begin the drive to your college. You loaded the car up, sparing one last glance to your house as you closed the door.

“I’ll be back. Promise.” You whisper to the house. It felt weird, promising a house that you’d be back but you had grown up in this house. You wanted to come back to it when you could. It was a way to keep your dad with you a little more. After bidding the house goodbye, you climbed into the car, glancing over at the passenger seat where you’d laid your dad’s jacket proudly over the seat as your hand reached up to the dog tags that sat around your neck.

“I’m going to show them what Mitchell’s are made of, dad.” You whisper, a soft smile on your face as you turn the cars engine on, pulling out of your driveway and beginning the journey to your next step in life.

True to your whispered promise. You showed your college what a Mitchell can do. You aced all your classes, majored in psychology, and graduated with top grades. On graduation day, you looked into the audience of proud parents and wished above all else that your dad could’ve been there to see you graduate. You had no doubt he would’ve been the loudest parent there. You could picture him alongside Goose, Carole, Iceman, Slider, and maybe Bradley as they cheered you on, hugging you once you met with them after the ceremony. Instead you were alone, awkwardly dodging parents and graduates until you decided to just leave the ceremony.

After graduating, you moved back to Miramar, becoming a therapist within the Navy. You served as support for veterans, serving members, and family members of any Navy personnel, serving or retired, alive or dead, you’d provide help the best you could. You even reconnected with Iceman and Slider, apologising for the way you had treated them prior to you moving away but they dismissed your apologies, hugging you tight as they told you how good it was to see you again. You first moved into a small apartment to save up money before you got into a good enough financial place to be able to move back into your childhood home. You visited your dad’s grave at least once a week, filling him in on everything that had happened in that time. Despite everything you had achieved, you often wondered if you made your dad proud.

About twelve years after you graduated and moved back to Miramar, you were still happily working for the Navy. You had just finished a long day of seeing client after client, having particularly been affected by a girl that was brought in by her father after her mother died on a deployment. The girl was a similar age to you when Maverick died so after finishing up for the day you needed to go for a walk around the nearest park to clear your mind. As you stepped out of your office, you saw a person stood outside. The first thing that stood out to you was the man’s Hawaiian shirt, not many people wore shirts like that. When the man looked at you, you could’ve stumbled back in shock, he looked so much like Goose, sandy blond hair, moustache, everything. And when you squinted slightly, you realised who you were looking at.

“Bradley?” You questioned, stepping closer to the man, and stopping when he smiles softly.

“Hey y/n.” He replies, his voice quiet and soft as he watches you. He had grown up so much since you last saw him. He’d filled out with more muscles; he started sporting a moustache like his father’s, but he was still Bradley. You longed to hug him, but you felt you didn’t deserve such a greeting after going no contact with him for so long. Bradley could see the conflict within you and held his arms open, raising an eyebrow with a smile, giving you an invitation that you accept instantly, walking into his outstretched arms and hugging him tight as he winds his arms around you.

“I’m so sorry Bradley.” You whisper against his shoulder, tears stinging at the corner of your eyes as you cling to him.

“Don’t apologise.” He says, resting his chin gently on the top of your head.

“But I stopped talking to you. I never checked in.” You say, squeezing your eyes shut to fight off the tears.

“Hey, communication is a two way street. I could’ve reached out, but I didn’t. I think after what happened with dad there was just too many memories and I backed out any time the thought crossed my mind.” Bradley says, assuring you that there was no bad blood between the two of you. After hugging for what felt like forever, you finally pulled away, smiling up at your old friend.

“How did you find out I worked here? You haven’t been stalking me, have you?” You quip as Bradley lets out a breathy laugh.

“You wish. I’m stationed here now at Top Gun. I completed a mission a week or so ago and it really shook me up and one of my teammates recommended I see you. The second I heard your first name I knew it had to be you.” Bradley explained, his grin never fading.

“So you are a Navy man now. Making Goose proud I bet. Who recommended me? Just out of curiosity.” You ask, wondering which of your clients it could be.

“Hangman. He spoke highly of you.” Bradley said, making your eyes widen slightly.

“Jake’s here too and he hasn’t bothered to come and see me? I have some strong words for him when I next see him.” You had gotten along with Jake well; you were able to see past his strong bravado and help him navigate the loss of a wingman pretty early on in his career in the Navy. The two of you had formed a strong friendship and you tried to check in with him when you could.

“So, you joined the Navy after college. What’s your callsign?” You ask, looking up at Bradley as he takes a breath before speaking.

“Rooster.” He says, watching as you nod.

“It suits you, Rooster.” You say, testing the callsign out.

“Do you want to join me for a walk? If you have stuff to do it’s fine the offer is there though.” You then say, watching as Bradley debates the offer before nodding. You lead Bradley to the park, the two of you chatting the whole way before you settle down alongside each other on a park bench to continue talking.

“How’s Carole? I completely forgot to ask.” You say, the thought hitting you violently.

“Oh… she passed away a year after dad died.” Bradley says and you immediately feel like the worst person on the planet.

“Bradley, I’m so sorry I didn’t know.” You apologise quickly, without even thinking you reach out and give his hand a reassuring squeeze.

“It’s okay. She wasn’t doing great after dad died, I thought it was a temporary illness but one day I got a call saying her heart gave out. I think she died of a broken heart.” Bradley says, making tears fill your eyes.

“She’s with Goose now, and the two of them are watching over you and they’re so damn proud of you I just know it.” You say as Bradley smiles over at you.

“They’re with Mav I bet. And I bet he’s so proud of you as well.” Bradley says, his words bringing your smile back to your face.

“You know, the mission we flew the other week, our instructors kept talking about your dad.” Bradley says, making your eyes widen slightly as you watch him.

“Talking about my dad?” You prod gently, wanting answers.

“It was a rough mission. We thought someone wasn’t going to make it home. Our instructors kept talking about how your dad would’ve been a perfect person to teach or lead the mission. No one understood missions like that the way he did.” Bradley explains, making you nod lightly. Your dad had been reckless within the Navy, but he used his recklessness to do what others were afraid of doing, which put him above the others in the Navy.

You continued to talk in the park with Bradley, catching up with him on everything until the sun began its descent over the horizon, the golden glow dancing through the tree leaves.

“I’m glad I found you. It’s been great talking to you again.” Bradley says, his gaze fixed on the glow filtering through the trees.

“It’s been great talking to you again too Bradley.” You reply, smiling over at him and admiring the way the golden glow of the sun illuminated his face perfectly. Had he always been this attractive? Or were you just noticing it now? Before you could get lost in your thoughts, Bradley turned back to you.

“We should probably head home before it gets dark.” Bradley says, eyes drifting back to the sun before looking back at you.

“You’re right.” You mutter, upset that this moment has to end.

“So, where are you living now? I’ll walk you home.” You didn’t expect that response from Bradley, and it had your eyes wide in seconds.

“Bradley you really don’t have to worry about it. I’m not too far from here anyway.” You say but Bradley was on his feet, helping you up and looking down at you with a raised eyebrow.

“I was brought up to be a gentleman so let me walk you home, okay?” Bradley says, his soft expression melting you down in seconds.

“I live exactly where I used to when I was younger.” You say and Bradley’s eyes light up, remembering the house all too well.

“Let’s go!” He says enthusiastically, practically bounding along like a golden retriever as he walks you home. The two of you continue to talk until you end up outside your front door.

“Well this is it. Hasn’t changed much.” You say sheepishly, thumb rubbing your wrist in nervousness as Bradley grins.

“Still a great house. I’d love to come by one day and see what you’ve done with the place if you’d let me.” Bradley says, making you smile softly before a sudden wave of confidence overcomes you, making you hold your hand out.

“Give me your phone. I’ll put my number in and then we can arrange a time for you to come round.” You say and Bradley instantly dug his phone out of his jean pocket and handed it you, waiting as you made yourself a contact and sent yourself a message so you could add Bradley’s number into your phone. When you handed the phone back to him, your fingertips brushed against his and you could’ve sworn you felt sparks travel up your arm.

“Goodnight, y/n.” Bradley says, bidding you goodbye with one last quick hug.

“Goodnight, Bradley.” You reply, releasing him from the hug and watching as he walks down the driveway before entering the house, sending him one final wave when he glanced over his shoulder. As you entered the house, you made yourself something for dinner before heading upstairs to get ready for bed, exhaustion quickly overtaking you as you clambered into bed, looking over at the picture of you and your dad that sat proudly on your bedside table.

“Goodnight dad. I’ve got a hell of a story to tell you when I next visit. I hope I’m making you proud.” You whispered to the photo, your eyes slipping shut as you allowed sleep to take over.

Little did you know, Maverick had been watching over you ever since his death and as you whispered your little mantra of hoping you made him proud every night, he’d always respond with the same thing.

“You make me proud every damn day.”

[yourstingrey]

do you think you could write a luke x y/n friends to lovers based on too sweet by hozier? Maybe have it be a little angsty like someone tells him he’s not good enough and so he distances himself. I really love your writing and feel like you would write it beautifully.

Too Sweet Pt.1

Thank you so much for this request I loved this idea its so cutie im so sorry it took so long for me to make but hopefully Ive done it justice this one is a bit short but I kinda reallyyyyy wanted to put it into separate parts (which i swear wont take as long but it will be longer cus i gotta get that juicy angst in better!!!)

Hot.

That's all I felt as I was training, That's all I ever feel when I train with Luke. Not because he’s insanely hot himself but he has to put his all into everything even if I ask for practice with sparing. I'm crouched down a bit less like a fighter's stance as Luke has already got me winded but I try to hold up my tough gaze as he stands in front of me mirroring my stance except he's not tired at all it looks like he has even lifted a finger but this is our third go and unsurprisingly he's won every time so far. “Y/N/N are you sure you don't wanna give up? I'm not sure I can watch your face get all sad when you lose again.” He’s smirking as he talks and for a second he puts his hand on his chest to fain sadness about me. In that split second, I take the opportunity to try to tackle him to the ground. 

He lets out a surprised Oof before he hits the ground I try to grab his hands to pin them down “I'm not so sure Luke I think you be pulling your sore loser face” Of course I didn't learn from Luke as my talking got me too distracted as Luke flips us over and now he's pinning me down into the dirt. He simply smirks and does a little tilt of his head pretty much signaling id lost. He stood before holding out his hand for me to get up which I gladly took from him. “Luke, I asked for practice. I thought you were going to go a little easy… I'm gonna have to sleep early or I'm gonna be so sore.”  Discomfort on my face as I brush the dirt off my shorts and shirt “About that…” Luke says with a certain tone I've learned means ‘I'm gonna try really hard to convince you to do something you're really not gonna wanna do’ “Oh god what is it, Luke…?” A mischievous look spread across his face “Apollo kids are having a small lake party tonight and I was thinking I could take you” I let out a taut laugh before squinting my eyes playfully at him “Weren't you already out partying last night! Chris was telling me all about it!” I watched his face flush a bit as he stood there watching me talk before stammering his words “Wait- when did you see Chris today I wasn't with you??” I narrow my eyes at him a bit “This morning I went on a walk and I ran into him yknow you're not denying it soooo i'm right you did go out…?”

He gets up from leaning against a pillar to come put his arm around my shoulders and start walking out of the arena “Well yes.. But! I wasn't hanging out with my best friend so that's why I'm telling you that you gotta come out this time!” 

“Luke you're always out so much lately don't you think YOU especially should rest, oh so great swordsman!” I clasp my hands to my chest whilst looking up through my lashes at him. He lets out something between a laugh and a scoff “You know that I do this all the time you're the one who always stays cooped inside her cabin almost all day usually!” Our steps absentmindedly got slower as we approached my cabin “I don't know Luke… I promised I was going to hang out with my siblings tomorrow and if I party with you I might forget or sleep in'' He opened his mouth to rebuttal me but I quickly cut him off “And andddd! You know I don't like to drink. I'm too nervous about being caught!” 

We finally got to my cabin but I stood outside because I knew Luke wouldn't be satisfied unless I let him try to convince me one last time. “For one, You see your siblings every day you live with them. Plus I know some of your siblings are coming tonight anyway!” I go to open my mouth ready to shut him down already but before I had the chance Luke swiftly made sure to playfully cover my mouth with his hand before tsking at me and putting his finger to his lips shushing me “Ahem as I was saying YN, I'll be with you the whole time you can rely on me the whole time, just go this once for me and if you hate it I'll never force you to come again!” 

He lowered his hand from his mouth to reveal my lips in an exaggerated frown. He let out a loud laugh before huffing out what sounded like ‘Oh c'mon now’ but it fell on deaf ears as his fingers went to my sides to get me to let out a laugh (well more than just one) I laughed so hard at his relentless tickles hunching myself onto him before we heard the laughs of my sibling behind and Luke turned back into a stoic statue practically I let my laughter die awkwardly as he separated from me. Rocking back and forth on my heels I look back at him “Well okay I guess I'll think about it… but this isn't a yes okay!!” He let out a small chuckle before slowly starting to walk backwards “I’ll see you later tonight” he flipped around completely to start walking away I let out a small laugh turning away to walk to my cabin door before something dawned on me, I flip around and yell back out to him “Wait Luke how will I know where to go!!” He turns back to me putting his hands behind his head with a sort of arrogant smirk on his face 

“Don't worry about it, I am a messenger aren't I?” 

[wheeboo]

apartment 218 | hansol vernon chwe

SYNOPSIS. in which living with a ghost is something you consider routine, but it sucks getting too used to his company when your lease is about to expire. PAIRING. ghost!hansol vernon chwe x gn!reader (ft. kinda nosy seungkwan and a mention of mingyu) GENRE. ghost au, fluff, kinda angsty (pls take my laptop away from all the angst i've been writing) WARNINGS. cursing, mentions of death (cuz yk... he's dead), seungkwan playfully calls the reader "honey" at some point WORD COUNT. 3k

notes: shoutout to the special gose ep for giving me ghost vernon lol 💘 i've been writing a lot of vernon lately oof ,, maybe this is a sign

You find yourself fumbling with the keys to your apartment, struggling to not drop the groceries in your hands, and you can feel the plastic bags cutting into your fingers. You take a deep breath, trying to steady yourself. Finally, after what feels like an eternity, you manage to insert the key into the lock and turn it.

The door swings open, and you step into the familiar comfort of your apartment. The cool air inside welcomes you as you shut the door behind you, immediately darkening the inside of your place and muffling the sounds of the bustling city outside. With a sigh of relief, you set the bags of groceries down on the kitchen counter and turn on the light.

However, you freeze for a moment to listen to the silence, noticing how that it's too quiet for your liking. Stepping to the side, you glance down at the floor, eyes catching sight of the empty cat bowl by your feet.

And with that, you call out, "Vernon!" Then you pick up the metal bowl in your hands. "I thought I told you to refill Tofu's bowl when I was gone."

There's some harrowing silence that passes as you tug a bag of nearly-empty cat food from your small pantry, and with a resigned expression, pour the last remaining contents of kibble into the bowl. The clinking sound of the kibble hitting the metal is the only noise in the room, and when you finish, you place the bowl back down on the floor.

You hear a faint rustling sound from behind the couch in your little living room. Tofu emerges, stretching lazily before padding over to his refreshed meal, shooting you a brief glance with his bright blue eyes. His long white tail swishes back and forth with excitement and curiosity as he eagerly begins to nibble on the food.

Then, you hear a voice whisper closer to your ear, practically startling you, "Sorry."

"Shit! I𑁋" You purse your lips together. "I told you not to scare me like that!"

"Sorry," Vernon mutters again, voice barely louder than a whisper. A slight breeze brushes past your ear, and you can't shake the feeling of someone's presence lingering in the room. Then when you glance up, you see him materialising in your direction, flickering translucently under the dim lighting. "I was going to feed him, but it takes a lot of energy to... you know..."

You watch as Vernon's ghostly figure wavers in the air, saddened features traced on his face. It's not the first time he's struggled to maintain a solid form, and you've come to understand that his energy is limited, especially when trying to interact with the physical world.

"Yeah, I... Sorry, I should've thought about that," You say apologetically, scratching at your neck guiltily.

You watch the way Vernon kneels down at Tofu's side and runs a barely-there hand over the cat's fur, as if trying to reassure him. Tofu seems to sense the presence and leans into the touch, purring contentedly, before resuming back to his meal. It's an unusual scene, but it's become a part of your everyday life𑁋coexisting with a ghost in your apartment. Usually you'd hear that kind of story in a horror movie, but honestly, your experience has been anything but scary.

It's unusual, but... also oddly comforting; a bit less lonely.

"It's fine, really," Vernon says as he stands back up, observing as you start to sluggishly put your groceries away. You're probably tired, he assumes. "But I was able to finish the rest of your Nutella sticks𑁋"

"Are you kidding me? You don't need food," You groan annoyingly, yet there's a hint of a smile at your lips.

"Dude, you left it open on the table. Did you want ants to get to it?" Vernon laughs softly, the sound like a gentle breeze rustling through the room. "I'm just trying to be helpful, you know. Sharing is caring."

"Yeah, whatever. Thanks, I guess."

Vernon lets out a little chuckle, and for a moment, you almost forget he's not a living, breathing person. You take a step closer to him, and although you can't quite touch him, you offer an air-high-five. He responds by mimicking the gesture, and you both laugh.

You still remember the first time you met him. The context was... strange: you had just gotten out of the shower, dressed in nothing but a towel and when you had gone out of the bathroom to head to your bedroom, you had spotted Vernon hovering in the hallway and let out a startling scream that echoed through the apartment. In that ungainly moment, your towel nearly slipped from your grasp, and you had scrambled to keep it up.

Vernon, for his part, had looked equally flustered, stammering out apologies and explanations about not intending to startle you and looking away awkwardly as you slipped inside your bedroom and shut the door behind.

(However, you thankfully never caught the way his ears flared a faint shade of pink, as if he were blushing too, despite being a ghost, as he had overestimated his materialising ability. He would bring that secret to his otherworldly grave, or wherever spirits go when they finally move on.)

At first, you wanted nothing to do with him, but you also really had no choice but to get used to him. He's lived here longer than you, bound to the confining walls of your apartment that he used to call home himself, even telling you that you're the only person from previous tenants to stay longer than three months.

To be honest, you find yourself looking forward to his company more often than not. And over time, you both developed an unusual but deep friendship. It was an arrangement that defied logic but... somehow felt right. While you couldn't exactly touch him (you can if he was solid, which was quite rare) or share a meal, you could share your about your day and your thoughts. You'd tell him about your work, your family, the little joys, the frustrations, and he'd listen willingly. He looks to be around the same age as you, despite you being alive and him being dead, and you often wonder about his life before he became a ghost.

But Vernon is mostly tight-lipped about his past, and you've learned not to pry. All you know is that he was your age or around your age when he died, and that he used to live in the apartment you reside in. You didn't mind all that though. It wasn't your place to ask, and if you were a ghost yourself, you probably wouldn’t talk about it as well.

Sometimes there are peculiar incidents that happen in your apartment, like objects moving on their own or lights flickering. There were times where the snack you're eating or the drink you're drinking empties, wondering where the hell it even goes after that. Like does he even digest? You’ve never seen him use the bathroom…

But it's become normal for you, knowing Vernon was just trying to interact with the physical world in his own limited way without trying to disturb you𑁋just to let you know that he's there.

It just sucks knowing that in a few short months, you're moving out.

“And, oh my God, you wouldn’t believe this, Y/N…”

It’s another voice that hits Vernon’s ears, which immediately prompts him to fade away from his spot on the floor where he was petting Tofu as he hears the door unlock. He recognises the voice, knowing it's one of your closest friends who has come to your place quite a lot.

Over the past year of you staying here, he's seen many people come and go out of your place. Whether it was a visit from close friends, family, or the occasional date that you'd have over that would go nowhere, Vernon had become accustomed to sharing the space with them. Yet, he couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy that would occasionally surface when he saw you with other people.

He knew it was irrational to feel that way. You're alive, and you deserved to live your life to the fullest. But the sensation persisted, like an unfamiliar ache that lingered within him.

It's only recently that he's grown to accept these deeper feelings within him, realising himself of how much you captivate him. Like the way your eyes light up when you're excited, the subtle blush that graces your cheeks when you're embarrassed, and the warmth in your smile that even reaches your eyes. He found a strange comfort in simply being near you and watching you from afar.

He often found himself thinking about you, wondering what it would be like if he could hold your hand, if he could brush a strand of hair away from your face, among other things. Perhaps it was just the loneliness that came with being a ghost, but he couldn't deny that he had grown attached to you more than he could ever realise himself. After all, what could he, a ghost, offer you?

You gasp loudly. "No way, I thought Mingyu broke up with that asshole."

"Clearly not! Since I spotted them together when I was getting coffee the other day," Seungkwan exclaims while closing the door to your apartment behind him. "They were all over him, it was so disgusting. Poor Mingyu. He deserves better."

You could only chuckle as you hear Seungkwan's exasperated voice, knowing that his dramatic retellings of gossip always brought a smile to your face. At the corner of your eye, though, you spot the door to your bedroom open slightly, noticing Vernon's ghostly figure reappear with a small wave, to which you give a knowing look and a subtle nod back to him.

"Y/N, why do you have so many cups out?" Seungkwan points out to the three glass cups sitting on your kitchen counter, also noticing an opened Nutella sticks snack standing idly next to them. "Jeez, honey, you're gonna catch roaches!"

Vernon, is all you can think about, and it makes you roll your eyes.

"I guess I got a bit lazy with the dishes," You excuse, and you swear you can feel Vernon's eyes peering in your direction. "I'll clean them up later."

"Yeah, well, whenever you move into your new place, I better not be seeing any of those little fuckers around," Seungkwan muses teasingly, and instantly, the smile to your face fades away.

Vernon is listening. You know he is. And when you shoot a glance in the direction of your bedroom, you watch the way the door quietly and slowly shuts itself. You bite down at your bottom lip, cursing to yourself lowly. You've never told him about your lease expiring and plan to move away, and for some reason, it makes your heart feel way heavier than normal.

"I'll... make sure of it," You respond quietly.

Seungkwan leaves your place when evening starts to settle into night. There's a deep sigh that leaves your lips as the sound of his footsteps fades away and you're left to yourself. The apartment suddenly feels too quiet, a noticeable void in the air surrounding you, a noticeable absence... of Vernon.

You catch your feet heading in the direction of your bedroom, stopping in front of the door with a weight to your chest that feels almost suffocating. You push it open and step inside, finding Vernon sitting on the edge of your bed, his body flickering in the soft glow of the bedside lamp. He's not looking at you when you enter the room; instead, his gaze is focused on some distant point in the room.

"Vernon?" You call out softly, approaching up to him.

He glances up, his glassy eyes meeting yours, and he offers a faint smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes. "Hey."

Another round of silence passes. It's full of anticipation, hesitation, hanging thickly in the air between the two of you. The soft hum of the bedside lamp is the only sound in the room, casting a warm, golden glow that paints shadows on the walls.

"Uh, do..." You pause. "...do you want to watch a movie?"

The question leaves your mouth so suddenly that you're not even sure where it came from. You see the way Vernon's features shift in surprise, his translucent form wavering slightly.

"Sure, that sounds nice," Vernon finally replies, the ghost of a smile playing at the corners of his lips. You can see the flicker of excitement in his eyes, a glimmer of something that resembles joy, and it warms your heart.

He follows you into the living room, a coolness hitting your skin as he settles down on the couch next to you. Tofu jumps onto the couch as well, settling in a cozy spot between the two of you and letting out a contented purr. You select a light-hearted movie that you both have watched a plentiful of times before, but never fails to bring smiles to your faces and laughs cascading out of your mouths.

As the movie starts, you and Vernon fall into a comfortable silence, watching the plot unfold on the screen, the weight in your chest lightening, but the tension is still evident in the air. You occasionally glance at Vernon, noting the way the light from the TV passes through him, yet the features on his face are almost as clear as day.

The movie plays on, and you find yourself absorbed in the familiar storyline, but your mind keeps drifting back to Vernon. Your gaze lingers on his profile for a moment longer than usual, taking in the way his eyes flicker with the light from the screen, the way his lips curve in amusement, just him.

You've spent so much time with him the past year, yet the thought of leaving him behind when you move to your new place carves a bittersweet hole to your chest. You've always been taught to venture out into the world, to seek new experiences and make new memories, but it seems like the universe hadn't accounted for the attachment you would build with a ghost, of all things.

You glance down at his hand, and a fleeting thought crosses your mind. Without thought, you tentatively extend your hand towards Vernon's, your fingers reaching out to graze the faint shimmer of his see-through form, and you swear you can almost feel the faintest tingle of his touch. The sensation is imperceptible, but it still sends a shiver down your spine.

Taking his attention away from the movie, Vernon's eyes widen as your fingers make contact with his hand. The sensation is weird, a combination of a subtle chill and an even more subtle warmth, like a faint breeze brushing across your skin. His physique flickers for a moment, the contact seemingly affecting him as well.

Absolutely no one would understand the kind of situation you've dug yourself in, but that's okay. You like knowing that it's just you and him.

The two of you only share a small smile, before returning your focus back to the movie.

And when the movie ends, with your hands still touching-but-not-touching, you both sit in silence, the credits rolling on the screen. Time seems to slow down as the room falls into a hushed silence.

"I'm sorry," You mumble, voice barely audible in the quiet room. "for not telling you."

Vernon's gaze remains locked on the spot where your fingers had grazed his hand, even though there's no longer any contact. He remains silent for a moment, his ghostly form flickering like a fragile flame.

Then, in a soft, almost hesitant tone, he finally speaks, "It's okay, Y/N."

There's a mixture of emotions in his voice𑁋understanding, sadness, and perhaps a touch of longing. His eyes meet yours, and there's something unspoken there that you both convey.

"I didn't want to tell you because... I didn't want to make you feel alone," You explain. "But I also didn't want to leave without saying goodbye."

Vernon's sheer body seems to soften as he listens to your words. There's a vulnerability in your voice that he can feel deep in his own heart. It's a strange sensation𑁋this longing to comfort you while knowing that there's little he can do in his current state.

"I get it," he says gently. "It was bound to happen eventually."

A wistful sigh leaves your lips as you rest your back fully against the couch, your hand still not leaving its place on (or in?) Vernon's own hand at your side.

"Do... do you ever wish things were different?" You ask almost hesitantly, and nervously.

This only makes a faint smile cross his face. "Yeah," he answers, before shooting a glance down at your hands. "I wish I could touch you without the pain, or just... be with you in a more real way, you know?"

A smile of your own tugs itself at your lips.

"I wish that too," You confess, voice soft, a vulnerability in the room suspending in the air. "But maybe you can... try? It-It's okay if you don't want to, or if it hurts too much. I just... wanted to know."

Vernon's gaze lingers in contemplation on your intertwined fingers for a moment before he closes his eyes, a deep breath escaping his lips. You can see the struggle in his face, the effort it takes to materialise just a little bit more.

And then, it happens. Slowly, almost imperceptibly, his hand becomes more solid, the ghostly quality fading just a bit. Your breath catches as you feel the warmth of his hand enveloping yours, fingers entwined together seemingly perfectly.

A soft gasp escapes your lips as you savour the feeling, your heart beating a little faster than before, the moment suddenly feeling incredibly intimate. Vernon's eyes remain closed, his concentration evident, yet when he opens his eyes, he finds you gazing at him with nothing but wonder. He swears he can physically feel the heat rising up his neck and into his ears the longer you look at him.

When your eyes drift back down to his hand, you let your free one trace light shapes on his knuckle with a finger.

"I... I'm really going to miss you," You let out quietly.

This only makes his grip on your hand tighten just slightly.

"Yeah," he whispers begrudgingly. "I'm going to miss you too."

taglist (open) ʚɞ @enhazen @haowrld @ylliris-hanniehae @icyminghao @slytherinshua @jeonride @lockburn-castle @vrnism @weird-bookworm @mhlsymlysn @ryuwonieebae @yeonjuns-redhair @wonwooz1 @woohaeyo

[sunlightmurdock]

katie, I’m literally so obsessed with apocalypse dbf!jake, like your mind !!!! i wanna kiss your brain 🧡

what about… some passionate, angsty ‘I almost just lost you’ sex with Jake??

- @sugarcoated-lame 💗💕

Kricket!! Can always count on you to enable my wacky ideas, especially when it comes to apocalypse dilfs!! @sugarcoated-lame

And can you just imagine if it was you who almost lost Jake?? If his foot got caught and he just got shoved back by this infected, and the last thing you see before you’re separated is him on his back, fighting to keep this thing off of him?

Smut below the cut

Their group forces you to keep moving, they saw him go down, and you’re distraught. Out of your mind, insisting that no, no you don’t understand, he’s strong, he’s got to be okay.

They get you out of the building and all but you her back to the cars. You’re borderline kicking and screaming at that point, pleading with them to turn back around for him. And, just as they’re considering forcing you into the car and locking the doors, they spot someone burst open the side door of the torn up warehouse.

Covered in blood and guts, limping hard on his sprained right ankle, Jake stumbles into the daylight. And you just can’t keep it together, throwing yourself at him so hard that you almost knock him off his feet in his newly unbalanced condition.

The others aren’t so sure, certain that no one comes back from something like that without getting bit. As much as you grill him in the car, even he’s not sure, maybe he hasn’t felt it. He gets back to the closest thing you guys have to a home these days, and gets whisked off to the closest thing you guys have to a doctor.

It feels like hours before you get him back, wondering if you’ll ever even get him back. If he’s bit, he’s a goner, and you’re not ready to be alone.

Finally, the ‘doctor’ says that you can see him.

And you take the tiniest step into the exam room, and pin your back to the door, trying not to get your hopes up as you see him sitting on the bench with his shirt off.

“Are you…?”

“Clean as a whistle, baby,” Jake tells you coolly, his eyes soft as he reaches one arm for you. And then, you all but tackle him onto the exam bed and leap into his lap, “Oof. Messed up my ankle though.”

His ankle is the least of your worries as you kiss furiously at his face, barely noticing the tears streaming down your cheeks until you’re tasting salt between your kisses.

“I thought I lost you.” You whimper, curling your fingers into his hair, practically bruising his lips with how hard you’re kissing him. He just holds your waist steady and revels in how lucky he is to get more time with you. You grab hard at his shoulders, rocking yourself against his groin. “I wasn’t — I’m not ready, I can’t do it without you.”

“‘M not going anywhere.” He whispers against your skin, closing his eyes as your trembling fingers pull at his belt. I just need you. Need to feel close to you. Please. He nods wordlessly, holding you tight in his arms. “‘S alright baby, go ahead.”

Tears pour down your cheeks, your arms wrapped firmly around him as you cling to his chest, lifting your hips and rocking them down onto him slowly. He’s holding you just as tight, breathless as you fuck yourself on him. You’re so close that it feels like the two of you might just break the laws of physics and become one.

You’d like it that way. No you without him. No him without you.

[onesidedradiostatic]

Do you think Vox arrived in hell with a color or black-and-white tv head? (And would his color vision be the same as his screen output?)

If one of his upgrades was to color, I can imagine both him and alastor geeking out over it together like mad scientists, before the friendship sank. The infatuation/obsession fuel of Alastor being one of the first things Vox sees in color in his afterlife… slo-mo bishie sparkle vision (“why is everything here fucking red?!”)

Or maybe Alastor wasn’t impressed by “living color” at all and it was the beginning of the end. A final dealbreaker would have been the upgrade from film cameras to electronic video cameras in the 70s/80s. Around the time Vox would have buddied up with Valentino. As if Vox’s devaluing of music and audio over video wasn’t already enough yikes

Oh no let’s get poetic, maybe that was the last time Vox saw Alastor without distortion, and MAYBE he still can’t see Alastor unless he’s looking at an image of him captured in the pre-digital days. Wait that’s a bit too angsty actually. Alastor literally being like ‘you have lost the privilege of perceiving me’… oof maybe as a deterrent if Vox got uncomfortably distracted/focussed on Al’s looks instead of the Art of Radio (reminds me of a time a guy I’d never spoken to asked our art prof to ask me if he could photograph me because I’d become his “muse”, and I shifted my setup so a column blocked his line of sight. Vision denied, Martin, no more perception allowed. jesus christ)

hmmm first colour tv came out in the 50s so it's entirely possible that when vox died it was already invented, so entirely possible he just spawned with colour already. idk if I want to begin to understand how vox's sight and his screen correlate with each other, does he KNOW what's on his screen when it's not his face???? I mean he knew velvette was calling when that came up on his screen. what the fuck does he see when his screen is not his face. I don't. I don't know. but I haven't actually thought about it necessarily correlating. but I do kind of like the idea of like him transitioning to colour for the first time and seeing alastor in the bishie sparkle filter that's so funny ksjdfghllf. honestly you can buy me with any context of vox seeing alastor in the bishie sparkle filter it's so funny.

typically I don't think vox's vision counts as video when it comes to alastor, mostly because I just NEED him to see alastor without distortion for the first time in 7 years. but it's definitely a sad idea if it did apply to him especially cause everyone else around him would be able to see him in-person without distortions cause they're not video LMAO, so he'd be essentially the only person unable to see alastor normally. NOT in my usual hcs because damn that's too sad even for me.... but it is something to think about if it was the case

[huh-1260]

I'm looking at Train Crash AU and thinking.

Man what if I injured Wars more for more bandages because I pretty sure I didn't give him enough for his severed arm

So what about an angsty reunion with an Adult Wind with Wars?

:)

The few whumps I have aren't angsty enough for my soul

so imagine you grow up after going away from your found family across time and you don't get to meet your brother again, but a younger version of him that doesn't know who you are and you get to watch him fall apart and you don't get to see how he became the big brother you knew him as. Also your father figure is now a brat. This is how Wind feels, because the moment he saw the portal that the shadow used seven years later. He's was excited to see his brothers again, to see Wars again. But no, it seems that fate fucking hates him, because while his other brothers come out perfectly well, with some differences in time passing for others; Legend: two years, Twilight: nine years, Time a month, Four: 5 years, Sky: 1 year, Wild: 6 months post TOTK, Hyrule: 5 years. Wars doesn't come through the portal at all. So while everyone accidentally calls him the captain (he never really saw how the others said he looked like the captain, plus he's in a different timeline he can't be related to him) and so during Sky's wedding, just right before Sky and Sun are about to kiss, a portal opens from the ceiling, and someone falls through on the ground, splattering onto the floor:

_____________

There's blood everywhere, people are screaming, and with the crowd of people running out on the building. Theres something else that came out of the portal as the person. A fading blue blob thing that screams in gibberish looking at the person and Sun. Sky doesn't have his sword on him. Fuck, fuck fuck fuck- this is what he gets for standing in the back waiting for- Oh fuck that either way he could have came! The person that landed on the floor, is dragging their legs to the blob, with their only other arm that's there and stabs it. The thing screams as it fades to ash. The person drops to the floor, but Twilight catches him before he could hit the ground (again). He doesn't get to hear the mysterious person but he could recognize that voice from anywhere, no matter how weak or scratchy it would be.

"Sorry everyone."

That was Wars, as Hyrule was rushing over to heal him.

_________

Okay that ain't angst enough for me so for a more proper "reunion", like a few weeks, no one let's Wind see Wars because they still treat him like the child he was even though he's as old as the others during the adventure across time! So he tries to sneak into Wars temporary room, while Wars tries to escape his room because he's gone stir crazy and yes Time he's fine! Just because he's gone through another war and lost a few important parts doesn't mean he needs coding! He has to make sure everyone is safe! So they bump into each other for the first time since they really last saw each other. (But that doesn't explain why Wind is crying- SHUT UP AND LET ME COOK) So they chat for a bit, like in a joking manner and Wars slips out that "Hey, another war happen and there was still some people across still stuck there." And Wind is mad that Wars just drops this kind of bomb, because why didn't he let the others come help him. So they end up arguing a bit and:

_________

"Why do you keep ignoring that we could have helped! I could have helped!" He yelled.

"If I dragged you there YOU could have died and Artemis wouldnt exist. I WOULDN'T EXSIST!" Wars yelled back.

__________

Now you see the angst?

So oof on both sides, Wars is internal bashing himself on the head, Wind is panicking because he becomes a dad, he's actually related to Wars- OH MY FUCKING SEA BOAT I MARRY TETRA?! And meanwhile Time is standing in the corner with surprise Pikachu face because oh shit Wars is from the timeline he technically abandoned. And like the fucking legend he came back when they needed him most

So that's uh what I have for now again.

[patrophthia]

idiots to lovers | regulus black

pairing: regulus black x reader

genre: angsty fluff, friends to lovers, confrontations, basically just the idiots to lovers trope oof, not proof read!

wc: 2k

originally posted on wattpad

"i think i can sort who's good for me for myself," i countered, turning to look at regulus with a bored expression.

"are you sure about that?" he asked. there was a distant sound of thunder but neither of us paid heed to it.

"are you implying that i can't take care of myself?" maybe that was a little bit out of pocket but i promise you he deserves it.

"does it seem like i am?"

"c'mon moony it's just a question," sirius groaned as james and lily entered the dorm.

"if it's just a question then why can't you ask her that yourself?" remus retorted, sitting up on his bed. it was clear that he was tired of sirius' nagging.

"because it's me," sirius answered as if it was the most obvious thing, getting onto his feet exaggeratedly. "let's not forget you're the one who shares prefect rounds with her."

"with who?" james asked, curiousity piqued.

"[name]," sirius, remus, and peter answered simultaneously. lily eyes widen in surprise, taking a seat on james' bed. what does a fifth year have anything to do with them?

"what does you being you have anything to do with you asking the question?" remus asked, staring pointedly at sirius.

"because. . ." the ebony haired boy trailed off, glancing at his friends for help. "because . . ." he repeated before sighing defeatedly. "i dunno! because i want to know if it's true and if it is what's she's doing him anyways!"

"who's him?" james asked cluelessly.

"regulus." all the other four presented in the room answered easily.

"what does [name] and regulus have to do with eachother?" the glasses clad boy followed up.

"that's what we're trying to find out," sirius replied, flailing his arms dramatically. "there's been rumors about the two 'dating' and i just- i've known that they've been friends since he was eleven and that he is head over heels for her but what does she want with him? you've all talked to her, she's too nice for a bloody death eater."

"have you thought that maybe she loves him and she wants him to love her back?" lily responded, putting her red hair up into a ponytail. "oh shoot, our rounds starts in ten," she cursed, staring at the clock on the opposite end of the boy's dorm room.

james and remus stood from their respective beds, checking for their wands before looking back at sirius who was pouting with wide puppy eyes; his last attempt at persuading them to ask the questions he needed the answers to.

"just ask her yourself pads," remus muttered, waltzing over to smack the back of the said boy's head.

after muttering a small ow, sirius focused his attention on lily who was disguising an amused smile. he stared at her wordlessly, intention clear in his gaze. lily kept up a neutral look only to then roll her eyes, giving in to his silent request. "fine, i'll do it."

•••

"hi [name]," lily greeted kindly. i smiled at her, masking my surprise as she waved me over. "remus asked to switch rounds, i hope you don't mind."

"oh it's alright," i waved it off before following up with a question, "is he well?"

"he's fine, just got roped into another one of james' plan," she replied, straightening her posture into a more serious one. one she specifically reserved for when she was viewed as the head girl. "you know how the marauders are."

in truth, i knew little about how the marauders are aside from regulus sharing details of how sirius talked about them and the occasional times i helped them hide from mcgonagall. i only nodded, following after lily as she took the first step for our round.

"so ... how's OWLs treating you?" the older girl asked light-heartedly, trying to make conversation as we went on.

"it's been alright, a bit stressful but it's to be expected. how's your NEWTs?" i asked in return, making our way down the stairs from the Great Hall.

"it's as hard as you can imagine it to be, i can barely catch a break," she let out. she then proceeded to complain about how there was way too many assignments and so little time. she went on and on and i nodded in agreement, listening to every word she was uttering. "and it really doesn't help having a boyfriend who's friends are as smart as he is."

"oh i feel you," i laughed. "they don't see the need to stay up all night and study because they already remember what they needed to right of the bat. it's the worst."

"right?!" lily exclaimed, turning to look at me with enthusiasm. "atleast remus and peter understand the stress of it. sirius and james just writes whatever comes into their mind onto their parchment and boom straight O's without even trying!"

"merlin, regulus is exactly like that. he barely takes his times with assignments and would never get anything less than an E while i spend hours on my work and get an A at best." i joined in, giving her my input on the things we could relate to.

"speaking of regulus. . ." lily dragged out, glad that it was a perfect segway to what she wanted to know. "are you two- you know? together?"

i looked at her timidly, mouth twisting into a sheepish smile, and with a nod of my head lily started grinning. "oh that's just adorable!" she squealed, all the while keeping an eye on the corridors as we talked. "i never thought you'd act on your feelings for him."

"what feelings?" i asked as we rounded hogwarts kitchen. "i didn't realize i liked him until he kissed me," i added, recalling the memory of that very kiss. i was lying and lily knew it. "i mean it!"

"oh you really mean it?" she repeated with a look of disbelief. not waiting for what i had to say, she quickly added, "so that time you learned about quidditch despite not having any interest in quidditch doesn't have anything to do with regulus?"

"no! . . . well yes . . . it's complicated," i mumbled. my cheeks growing warm as lily's eyes shined happily. "i just wanted to have something to talk to him about."

"and you did! it was so adorable!" at this point i was more than convinced that 'adorable' was lily's favorite word. "i remember it so clearly, he was so excited when you asked him if you could watch him at practise. i don't think i've ever seen puppy love until you two happened."

"oh and what you and james have isn't puppy love?" i asked, steering the conversation topic towards her love life instead. but lily was persistent, giving me a smile before answering.

"we're more like the enemies to lovers trope whilst you and regulus are idiots in love."

"and how exactly is me and reg idiots in love?" i asked. the pair of us passing the hufflepuff basement and down the toward the dungeons.

"from what i've heard of how you got together, it's as idiots in love as it comes."

"i just don't think he's good for you."

regulus, barty, rosier, and i had just regrouped from our own respective trips to hogsmeade. making our way up the hill towards the castle in a group of four as we recalled about the things we've done through out the day.

i had went out on a date; a date with whom i had no romantic interest in since the person who held my affections only thought of me as their best friend. it was stupid to try and get over someone i was madly in love with and yet, it didn't make me feel as helpless as realizing that nobody else could make me feel the way i feel for regulus.

"i think i can sort who's good for me for myself," i countered, turning to look at regulus with a bored expression.

"are you sure about that?" he asked. there was a distant sound of thunder but neither of us paid heed to it.

"are you implying that i can't take care of myself?" maybe that was a little bit out of pocket but i promise you he deserves it.

"does it seem like i am?" he replied easily. resulting in a groan from rosier —who was way too tired to be hearing us bicker about the same thing all over again.

"seriously reg?" i asked, staring at him. the thunder grew louder and this time we took a second to acknowledge it before going back to our . . . disagreement? argument? "do you expect me to be alone forever?"

"you wouldn't be alone if you're with me," he responded. we were both facing eachother now, standing in the middle of hogwarts lawn under the darkening sky.

it was supposed to be a sweet statement but i had long grew frustrated with his use of sweet talk. giving me false hope on things that would never happen.

"i would only be lonelier when i'm with you."

i took his expressions into account close enough to catch the brief flicker of surprise that crossed his features. regulus frowned, eyebrows furrowing when he stated, "you're mad at me aren't you."

"why are you mad at me?" i kept quiet, moving away to put distance between us. "are you listening to me?" he added, trailing after each of my steps.

"i am," i snapped. their was a pitter-patter on the surrounding windows followed by shrieks of surprised students running for shelter. i could barely register the rain bucketing down on us as i was too focused on the slytherin before me than anything else. "i'm just trying to see if you're listening to yourself."

there was an incredulous look on regulus face, offended by my words but he was quick to mask it. his dark curls were drenched when he swept them back, boring holes into me with unasked questions before he settled on, "what do you mean you'd be lonelier when you're with me?"

"i dunno reg," i muttered blearily, wiping a hand across my face. "maybe because you wouldn't love me the way i want to be loved?"

regulus stood stunned and i took that as a sign to turn on my heels again, heading towards the grand hall open doors. his hand caught my wrist before i'd gotten far, pulling me flush against him. i had barely a second to compartmentalize his actions up until he pinned his lips onto mine.

regulus wasted no time in pressing the inner of his palm against my cheek, holding me as gently as possible. my arms —as if it were muscle memory— reached up and wrapped themself around his neck. my heart raced as i took in the the smell of him, marveling at his closeness and how i could feel the warmth radiating from him despite the cool rain dripping on us. we pulled away.

the rain clouding our vision as we breathed heavily. wanting more, he leaned down and kisses me one more time, lingering as long as he could. his thumb circled around the apple of my cheek, caressing it as he took in deep breath.

"how could you?" he started, boring his grey eyes into mine. "how could you think i didn't love you that way?"

"you think that's idiots in love?" i asked. lily nodded in respond. "so you repeatedly turning down james even when you realized you had feelings for him just because you thought he was only doing it out of habit isn't idiots in love?"

"well that's not- i don't want to talk about this anymore."

—from bee: happy lunar new years to those who celebrate it!!! notes/ask/feedbacks are always greatly appreciated!!

[picnokinesis]

plottier / character focused thirteenth doctor fic recs

Ipseity by WalkerLister (43k, 10 chapters, gen) summary: Eight months since the Doctor sacrificed herself on Gallifrey, and Yasmin Khan is still struggling to move on. However, when she comes across a familiar face who is not acting like herself, Yaz may finally get the answers she has been looking for surrounding the Doctor. However, those answers will be revealed in a way a bit more dangerous than she had been anticipating. //Okay, so no one is surprised that I like the amnesiac!divisioned!13 fic, but in my defence, it's absolutely fabulous. This one was written waaaaay back in mid-2020, so we all knew that 13 was in prison and everyone was pretty sure that Jack was coming back due to some bts detective work, but that was about it - so, for obvious reasons, it doesn't align with ROTD, but it's such a fun one, guys, I love it a lot. Also, y'know, thirteen in a leather jacket and snarling at people? What more could you want?

don't have to make it to the moon by Ymae (28k, 7 chapters, gen/thoschei) summary: After New Year's, Ryan decides to stay traveling in the TARDIS for another little while. Only, the Doctor's rarely alright, and between experiencing the wonders of the universe, Ryan wants to figure out what's happening to his friend, too. //I love Ryan so much. He's such a wonderful character and I always love it when fics focus on him, or have him as the pov character. Unfortunately, fics like that are a bit few and far between, but this is one of them, and it's absolutely fantastic. It really delves into his character, but also his dynamic with the Doctor (especially after he talks to her in ROTD and she admits that she's scared and angry), and it's just auuuuuuugh so good!! And, it's also go some great whump and psychic content, with the Master showing up to cause trouble, alongside some gorgeous world-building, so I enjoy it very very much.

Ghost War by riptheh (25k, 1 chapter, gen) summary: All the Doctor wants to do is pass the time, and help a friendly face. So when a young man with a strange tattoo and a psychic wound shows up, she dives right into the mystery - and finds herself flung far into the future, mindwiped and alone, fighting a war that by all rights, shouldn't exist at all. A war she could help end, if only she could figure out who she is. //Oof, this one. It's absolutely stunning. This author really has a way of taking some absolutely fascinating and mind-bending concepts and just running with it, and just nails it each time. I feel like the less I say about the plot of this one, the better, because it sort of unfolds as you go, but please just trust me when I say that it's absolutely fantastic.

Lifelines by Sue_Denham (40k, 11 chapters, gen, wip) summary: Lifeline: a thing on which someone or something depends, or which provides a means of escape from a difficult situation. Set just after the events of Spyfall, the Doctor has a few things to work through. //Okay this fic is one of my favourites that's been posting over the last year or so - it's a brilliant exploration of Graham and Thirteen, and how different races deal with loss, guilt and death. I honestly think the best kind of sci fi takes concepts that we sort of take for granted, and then shows them in a completely new light. That's what this fic does. Also, Graham is just wonderful for the entire thing - though, as a note, Yaz and Ryan do end up somewhat side-lined, so bear that in mind if you're particularly looking for fics about those two, but I forgive it because it's such a great look at Graham and the Doctor. It feels like a character focused tie-in novel, y'know? Also it's pretty angsty in places, naturally, but that's what I'm here for haha.

Disordered by Echo (44k, 7 chapters, jack/13) summary: Messing with memories is always a risky business. Messing with your own memories, now that's just asking for trouble. The Doctor is very good at asking for trouble. And Jack is very good at finding it. //Ohhhhh okay so. This has been one of my absolute favourite Doctor Who fics for a long while. Definitely the shippiest of this list, but it's so lovely and such an excellent look at the Doctor facing the consequences of trying to get back her Division memories in the aftermath of s12, as well as the relationship between the Doctor and Jack across multiple regenerations. It's just so so good, flowing smoothly from very angsty to very soft, and the Doctor and Jack's voices are just spot on (especially considering that we see different versions of the Doctor, this is a particularly impressive note). Highly recommend!

The Trial of the Doctor by wreckageofstars (20k, 5 chapters, gen/thasmin, wip) summary: Haven is a planet at the edge of time, on the brink of destruction. Ravaged by the Time Lords and a war that time forgot, its people are desperate for justice before it’s too late, and the Doctor might be the only being left in the universe who can provide it — because she was the one who started it. So why can't she remember doing it? //Okay okay so, this one has only recently started posting but I've known about it since about 2020 and ohhhhhhhhhhh my goodness, GUYS. If you're not following this one, you need to be. It's a mix between Doctor Who at it's finest, Kafka at it's most unsettling, and Douglas Adams at it's most absurd, and it's delightful. There's so much in this one, and as always this author is just spot on with all the characterisation - especially Thirteen, who suddenly finds herself being prosecuted for a crime that she can't remember, and is forced into a situation where she's physically incapable of telling a lie. It. Is. Marvellous. Also there's a cockroach lawyer, whom I adore HAHA

lighthouse keeper by BlueLillyBlue (57k, 12 chapters, gen) summary: The Doctor is missing, and the fam is concerned. Featuring Yaz being a badass, Ryan being a cutie, Graham being a granddad, Jack being Jack, and the Doctor's complicated moral code. Also: space prisons, galactic war, the Doctor's time war trauma, the Doctor caring about people in her own weird and repressive way, and, most importantly, Thirteen wearing Jack's coat. //Oh, this one is such a favourite of mine. It's very angsty, so if that's not your schtick then - well, then you're kinda scuppered for all of my recs, to be honest, but this one is a bit on the dark side. Oh, but it's fantastic. Again, this one feels like a tie-in novel, and this author (as I think I've said before) is just incredible at crafting these very vivid worlds and really hard-hitting stories. The situation is pretty dire and desperate, and the Doctor is often faced with the fact that not every plan works out, and sometimes the only choices are bad ones. It's just really excellent guys (also! Thirteen in Jack's coat!!)

angel ellipsis by SleepyMaddy (36k, 8 chapters, gen/thoschei) summary: When the Doctor and Yaz find a planet in ruins, they’re only half surprised to discover the Master is responsible. But when his plan backfires, suddenly they have no choice but to work with him to stop his former allies from tearing the universe apart. It goes about as well as one might expect. //OKAY SO. This one is SO much fun and SO great - in particular, if you like the Master being a tricky bastard, but also getting screwed over by his own plans? You'll love this one. Everything about it is so vibrant and brilliant, and aaaaaahh man it all comes together in such a satisfying way. As with many of the authors on this list, this author just really gets these characters and how they tick, with some absolutely beautiful prose, and it's just such a joy to read.

nothing in the dark that isn't there in the light by river_of_words (6k, 1 chapter, thasmin) summary: Two weeks since Yaz got the most confusing rejection she ever hopes to get and the Doctor seems to have decided to blame Yaz for every single one of her furiously conflicting emotions. At this point she’s sort of asking to get hit. And at this point Yaz is sort of curious to find out what the Doctor is going to say that’s going to make her meet that request. //These next two fics are a lot shorter compared to the others, but I really wanted to include both of them because they're great and SO interesting to me. With this one, it digs into the Doctor and Yaz's relationship in the aftermath of LOTSD, and the ways that the Doctor does not actually talk about anything but does also tell Yaz more than anyone else. It's about the frustration that builds between them and the way that they're still finding more comfort in each other than anyone else. It's also a little feral, which as a thoschei shipper, definitely had a lot to do with why I liked this one haha. Anyway, it's really fantastic - really quick paced and emotional, and packing a LOT of punches with mostly dialogue in a very effective way. Go read it!

we'll do it right by daring_elm (3k, 1 chapter, gen) summary: She's never really noticed Yaz's perfume before. Shoulders relaxing, nausea subsiding, the Doctor inhales again, filling her lungs with jasmine and sandalwood, steel and glowing crystals and her box out of time. She can be back with Yaz within minutes of her leaving. She can save the child, change the foundation of Gallifrey and still return to have a picnic on Soria T4.  //Okay so I loooove love love this one because I just adore it any time someone explores the Doctor's reaction to the Timeless Child stuff after the fact, and this one is just so wonderful. The characterisation is just fantastic, and then just the progressive spiral of the plot as we follow the Doctor on a mission that is doomed to fail by the nature of her own timeline. It's about how by trying to change the past, all you do is mess up your present and your future, and I love that a lot. Augh, it's a gut punch and a half - highly recommended!

[dokifluffs]

Burnout | Sugawara Koushi

Pairing: Suga X Reader (gender neutral)

Genre: angsty fluff, college!AU

"x-whyareyoureadingthis-x asked: Mini Request for college!Sugawara: sitting at your desk at home, studying, and just having a small breakdown, like there's so much work and mid-terms are in full swing and you don't know how to keep up and all that. And Suga just comes from the side, gently taking your head and pulling it against his chest, letting you cry a little. I'm sorry, but this scenario has been stuck in my head for a month now. If you don't feel like writing it don't worry. But I had to tell someone about this 😅"

Author's Note: i took this mini request and made it into a full one so :) I can't resist making this but I know it'll end up too long as a "crumb" anyways T^T but more for you all to be fed hehe also I relate to this feeling so much oof

college

it was the next few years of your life that you always heard would be the "best ones ever" yet here you were

your first ever fall semester and you were miserable

The courses you signed up for were ones you were genuinely interested in based off of what you heard and read about the professor

but now sitting through them, with all their workloads piling up toward the climax of the semester

you sat under your kotatsu and wondered

why were you putting yourself through this?

Were you the only one feeling like this?

Everyone you saw when you looked around anywhere on campus looked like they were handling it well and they were just meeting the expectations of what it meant to be a college student

to become an adult

and here you sat

staring off past your no longer lit computer screen as the leaves fell from your childhood home's backyard

a cool breeze blowing in, through your hair and caressing your cheek but your legs stayed warm under the kotatsu

so why was it just you who couldn't handle it?

you snapped out of your daze, glancing around at all your sprawled-out notes

all the reminders you set around your room of the work you needed to do by when

the reticulate time schedule you created would put you as ahead as you could in terms of work with just maybe a bit of free

only if you were lucky or if your professors had mercy on you and canceled some readings or discussions

your chest felt heavy

your body felt heavy just sitting there on the familiar matted floor of your living room

it was all just so much

everything was just so much

all the material you had to retain

the assignments

the readings

the papers you had to type

and now that things were different from high school

now that things were much more real than in high school, everything was longer

the research you had to do

the articles you had to read

the textbooks you had to read

the prices of everything - tuition, fees, it was all so much

as another cold breeze blew by, your cheek felt even colder

you felt a wet drop on the back of your hand

when did you start crying?

Everything was so manageable in high school

when did high school graduation feel so far away when it was only before this past summer, just a couple of months ago?

when did everything start to feel so heavy?

you took a deep breath, trying not to blink or else you knew your tears would fall

but the tears were blurring your vision

until you saw one sticky note you made weeks ago

it was the schedule of your midterms, three of which were on one day and then the last two were on separate days

you made a list of all the material you had to review

you stared at the note, holding the dulled color little sheet in your fingertips, staring at your own handwriting

when did you start cracking?

A cold gust blew in, forcing the door to open wider

"Y/N~ I brought steamed buns.."

"Koushi.." you broke

his voice died off seeing you in your room, papers floating and being pushed all over the floor around you

you looked like a mess

the bags under your eyes were a lot more present since the last time he saw you just a week ago

the room filled with your stifled sobs as you covered your eyes with the palms of your hands

you could feel how damp they had become

but then you felt the warmth

you moved your hands, your vision blurring but you could feel Koushi

His body was pressed against yours, arms pushing your body into his

as if he was the glue and knew you were falling into pieces

as if he was welding your pieces back together

"I'm here," he spoke, squeezing you a little tighter, his voice saddened seeing you like this

he had a subtle inkling of what was happening to you, seeing the signs but whenever he asked, you would tell him it was just some fatigue a good night's rest couldn't fix

how much he wished he followed his gut

and look at you now

"let it out, Y/N," he caressed your head, brushing his fingers through your hair, holding you close ever so gently

like you were the most precious thing in the world

and to him, you were

you sobbed profusely in his arms

trying your best to tell him everything between gasps and breaths

he nodded, listening, sharing his advice with you

encouraging you

letting you know that he would always be there with you through thick and thin

"You've worked so hard, but you need to rest too," he held your hands, giving them a little squeeze as he looked deep into your eyes

Every time you did try to relax, you felt restless, guilty, like there was more you could've been doing

"you shouldn't feel guilty for taking care of yourself and your health!" he proclaimed

"Now eat a pork bun!" he scrambled, reaching for one from the bag he brought, and stuffing it into your mouth while he scooped up your papers into a neat pile

then finally scooping you into his lap as he pet your head

"we're going to rest today," he smiled at you, pressing a kiss to your temple as you took a bite

"and feed me too," he widened his mouth, waiting to take a bite of the bun

~~~~~ Thanks for reading! Masterlist for more! Please do not repost anywhere else!

[piratefishmama]

Winged! Eddie my beloved!!!!

Your thoughts on angsty pining? Steve and Eddie getting closer and having their regular wing grooming sessions which slowly start turning into something more -

and maybe on one particularly soft night, Steve mentions something particularly vulnerable and honest and Eddie can’t handle it, because why would Steve be hanging out with him, why would he want him??

So he ends up saying something to push him away as a reflex, which has Steve bristling back at him, and it ends in steve hastily packing his things and stumbling out the door with tears in his eyes.

They don’t see each other for weeks after and it’s nearing graduation. His wings are extra unkempt and ruffled since their last time together because despite learning how to do it from Steve, Eddie realizes he doesn’t want anyone else to touch do them.

The kids keep getting Eddie to ask Steve because they don’t know any better, and “they always looked nice when Steve did them” and “Steve’s doing some of the others’ hair too” and “they thought Steve and Eddie were friends now?”

Maybe it’s until Eddie hears that Steve is planning on moving away after Robin graduates, and he finds a carefully put together gift basket of familiar grooming supplies at his door that he can’t avoid it anymore before Steve fully slips away

oof i love a good bit of angsty pining, i'm just wondering as to what that thing could be though, what could Eddie say that'd make Steve snap so badly, or tear up, like, we've only seen Steve really emotionally vulnerable during the "bullshit" scene, other than that he's always been kind of 'action hero' levels of level headed

what could he say to ruffle Eddie's feathers, and what could Eddie say back, it's a whole thing, lots of potential but i think i'd struggle to make it work with my need for healthy communication lmao.

i'm honestly terrible at writing miscommunication fics i rly am, especially if it's via words cause lmao they're talking already, why not just. say the things they mean.

lots of thoughts!! many ideas!!

[misc-obeyme]

Hello, this is the anon about the Lucifer starting the Apocalypse or end of times. I dont really mind it being angsty.

So a bit of background: Nightbringer sends MC to the not distant future back in their own timeline with a message "be patient, a messenger will come.. you choose to save the brothers or the human race."

MC starts noticing the 4 horsemen, and thunderstorms, firey skies, etc. A knock on the door and stands Simeon with a message about The Devil is coming, and only MC can Stop Lucifer or Michael will have to stop them, meaning the world will perish, and God has turned his back on humanity.

MC choice could be to save both

The story is more like avengers type style or anything you like. The characrers if you want to be included could be Lucifer, Satan, Simeon. Gabriel (if you want), Mammon, or Solomon.

Hi there, anon!

Oof okay this is by far the longest request I've ever written. But there was so much happening, it needed to be longer in order for things to get resolved in a way that made sense to me.

I tried to incorporate everything that was in your ask - so Nightbringer is involved, Simeon, and all the other characters listed. I didn't describe Michael or Gabriel so people can imagine them however they like.

I also thought it made the most sense for this to happen in the human world, so the setting is actually Serenity Manor. In case anybody hasn't gotten to season 3 of the OG, it's just a big house basically and the brothers give it to MC when they leave the human world.

I've only ever seen the first Avengers movie and that was a long time ago, so I don't think this turned out to be in that style at all. Hopefully it still turned out okay?

Anyway, I hope this is close to what you were looking for.

Thanks for the request!

GN!MC has to stop the apocalypse as begun by Lucifer

Warnings: general apocalyptic stuff (such as the four horsemen), fighting (with magic), angst, drama, spoilers for season 4 of the OG story, Nightbringer time travel shenanigans

You woke up to find yourself in Serenity Manor, back in the human world. That was odd. Didn't you go to bed in Cocytus Hall last night? What were you doing here in the human world? How did you get here?

You sat up in bed, looking around the room, trying to figure out what had happened. All of your things were here, too. Everything seemed completely normal. And yet you knew something wasn't right.

And then your D.D.D., which was sitting on the bedside table, dinged.

You picked it up and found a message there.

UNREGISTERED Hello.

You groaned to yourself before responding. There was no doubt that this was Nightbringer's doing. What did he want with you now? Why send you back to the human world?

MC What did you do? Where am I?

UNREGISTERED You are in the human world. I have sent you back to your time, though a little bit into the future. Something has changed and your presence is needed here.

MC What are you talking about? Who are you?

UNREGISTERED Be patient. A messenger will come and you will need to choose. Save the brothers or save the human race. I look forward to seeing what decision you make.

You put down your D.D.D. What did this mean? Save the brothers or the human race? Why did you have to choose?

You tried to contact any of the brothers through your D.D.D., but got no response. You tried calling and texting, but there was nothing. You checked Devilgram, but there were no new posts from anybody. You called Diavolo, Barbatos, Simeon - anyone you could think of. But there was no response from anyone.

What was happening in the Devildom?

Nightbringer had said to be patient, but how could you be?

You got out of bed and got dressed. You found the kitchen fully stocked and ate some breakfast. Then you prepared yourself to teleport back to the Devildom. If they wouldn't respond, you would just go find out what was happening for yourself.

You prepared the spell, spoke the words aloud, there was a flash of light and then...

...you were still in the kitchen of Serenity Manor.

Your spell hadn't worked. You frowned. This was not good.

You couldn't just sit around in the house while things were like this, so you left through the front door.

You immediately noticed the dark skies - thick grey clouds with red edges, almost like they were about to burst into flames.

You walked out into the town and found people, but they all had their heads down. Some of them were fighting, yelling or getting into fist fights. People were running around and a lot of them looked scared. You tried to talk to someone, anyone, but nobody would acknowledge you. They just rushed right past.

And then, seemingly out of nowhere, four beings came down the street. Time seemed to freeze as they went past in slow motion - four enormous horses ridden by four ghastly creatures shrouded in mist and shadow. Each horse a different color, each rider slightly different, but all absolutely terrifying. You felt a chill run down your spine as they went by.

You considered what you were seeing. Looking up, you saw the skies had turned ever more red, just another symbol of the darkness you knew was about to come. The people around you were in continual conflict and you were fairly certain you just saw the four horsemen ride down the street.

This was the beginning of the apocalypse.

You rushed back to Serenity Manor. You sat and tried your D.D.D. again, desperately calling and texting everyone and anyone. You mentally begged someone to respond.

You were pulled out of this endeavor by a knock on the door. You practically ran to the door, flinging it open to reveal Simeon standing there.

"Simeon!" you cried out, pulling him inside and shutting the door. You turned to him, clinging onto his hands. "What's going on? Nobody will return my texts or calls! It looks like the end times outside! Nightbringer sent me here and told me I would have to choose - what's happening?"

Simeon was frowning. "I have a message," he said. "I'm here to tell you that you're the only one who can stop Lucifer. If you don't, Michael will have to and then the world will perish as God has turned his back on humanity."

You stared at him in shock. "Where is Lucifer?"

Simeon rubbed at the back of his neck. "I'm sorry, MC. The Devildom is in chaos. I don't think your calls or texts are getting through to anyone. It's just that you disappeared and Lucifer… "

"I can't get back to the Devildom," you said. "I tried to teleport there, but it didn't work for some reason. How can I stop Lucifer if I can't even reach him?"

"Nobody can go in or out of the Devildom right now. But it doesn't matter. He isn't there anymore," Simeon said.

You were about to ask what this meant when there was another knock on the door.

You whirled, opening the door to reveal Satan, Mammon, and Solomon.

You ushered them inside, then glanced outside at the sky which now seemed to be completely on fire before closing the door.

You turned to them. You were relieved to see them, even if they looked grim. "Where is everybody else?" you asked.

"It's a mess, MC," Solomon said. "Lucifer is out there -" he waved vaguely toward the front door "- tearing the human world apart looking for you. Diavolo and Barbatos tried to stop him, but he anticipated that. He's used some sort of spell to put them to sleep. Leviathan and Asmodeus are trying to stop him. Beelzebub and Belphegor are trying to wake up Diavolo. And we came to look for you."

"He's lost his mind, MC," Mammon said. He and Satan were both in demon form, seemingly on high alert because of the chaos happening outside. "I tried talkin' to him, but it's like he's not even there anymore."

"I also attempted to speak with him," Satan said. He was angry, evident by the expression on his face, but he was trying to keep it inside. "And then I tried to use magic to stop him, but he's too powerful."

"You're the only one who might be able to reach him," Solomon said. "If you don't, it could mean the end of everything."

You turned away from them for a moment, taking in everything they had just told you. Lucifer was out there, destroying everything. It didn't make sense. He wouldn't go against Diavolo like that, would he? Not over this.

"I don't understand," you said quietly. "Are you sure this is about me?"

There was an odd light in the room suddenly, which trembled for a moment before resolving into an angel you had never seen before.

Almost everybody else recognized him, though.

"Gabriel?" Simeon asked.

The angel looked around at those gathered in the room. "Simeon," he said. "Mammon, Solomon, it's good to see you all again. And you two must be Satan and MC. I've heard plenty about you as well."

"What are ya doin' here?" Mammon asked. He didn't seem upset, but he did seem perplexed.

Gabriel looked around at them. "Ah, yes, you see, I'm here to tell you that you should not interfere with Lucifer and the apocalypse."

"You can't be serious," Solomon said. "You really expect us to just stand by and let this happen?"

Gabriel looked at him seriously. "The fact is, this is how things are supposed to go. You all seem to think that Lucifer is doing this because he let his emotions get the better of him. But actually, Lucifer is doing this because this is as it is written. He is meant to start the apocalypse. If you intervene, you will be upsetting Father's plans. Leave this to Michael. It is for him to resolve. Stay out of it."

You could feel an unexpected anger welling up inside of you. This was the message from the Celestial Realm? That you should just sit back and let their plans go forward, resulting in the destruction of your home and likely everyone you've come to care about? You couldn't just let this happen. You couldn't watch that unfold. You couldn't allow Lucifer to be used as a catalyst for the end.

And you were done waiting around.

"You can go back to the Celestial Realm and tell them to kiss my ass," you said, turning around and marching out the front door.

The others rushed to catch up to you, Mammon reaching your side first. "MC! What're ya gonna do?"

"I'm going to stop this!" you said. You stood out in the street, looking up at the sky. You gathered all your energy, every ounce of magic you could muster.

Then you took a deep breath and said into the howling wind, "Hear me, and heed my call. In the name of the sorcerer MC, I draw upon my pact with the ring of light. Come forth, Lucifer!"

The wind, which had kicked up tremendously in the time you were inside the manor, became even more wild. The sky split with red lightning and the world became dark momentarily.

There was an aura of shadow concentrated in one spot in front of you. As you watched, Lucifer materialized from out of it.

He was in demon form. His eyes were fully red and glowing ominously. But they were also empty. They seemed to look right through you.

"Who would dare to summon me?" he asked. It was Lucifer's voice, but it was devoid of any real emotion. He didn't yell. He spoke in a normal tone, but it was flat.

The sound of his voice and the look in his eyes caused you to shiver. But you stood your ground.

"Lucifer, you need to stop," you said. You let your voice match his tone - not yelling, just speaking normally. Behind you, you could feel the presence of Mammon, Satan, Solomon, and Simeon - a network of support. You weren't sure what had happened to Gabriel.

"And why should I listen to a human like you?" he asked.

"I think ya should use stay on him," Mammon said from behind you.

"I think that would be a terrible choice," Satan said.

"Be quiet, you two," Solomon said. "Let MC handle this."

You were prepared to continue trying to talk Lucifer out of destroying the human world, but you didn't have the chance. The light that had appeared in the house before manifested again now, this time resolving into two angels. One was Gabriel, but the other one…

"Michael," Lucifer said dully.

Lucifer raised a hand and suddenly all of the avatars of sin appeared. Mammon and Satan no longer stood behind you, now having been dragged to Lucifer's side. Every other brother was there, too, lined up on either side of Lucifer. Some of them blinked dazedly as they were confused about where they were now. But as they realized what was happening, every single one shifted into demon form.

"This is the end of the human world, as it was meant to be," Michael said. "These seven demons must be destroyed. In the process, all of humanity will be lost. Prepare yourselves."

"No!" you yelled, launching yourself at Michael.

Solomon caught hold of you and held you back. "MC, you won't win this fight!"

"I don't care!" you yelled. "I can't let him do this! I can't let him destroy the human world, I can't let him destroy Lucifer and his brothers! I love them!"

"If you try to get in the way now, you'll die for sure and then everything else will get destroyed anyway," Solomon said, his arms squeezing tightly around your waist.

You turned around in his hold to face him. "Then help me!" you cried. "Together, aren't we strong enough?"

Solomon looked into your eyes and saw the determination there. He knew he wouldn't be able to talk you out of this. And he also knew that he couldn't just leave you to do it alone.

Solomon nodded and let you go. "All right," he said. "You have pacts with all of them. Use that. I'll back you up."

You turned back to the demon brothers. All of them now seemed to be under whatever was influencing Lucifer. They all had that dull look in their eyes - as though nobody was home.

Michael was gathering power. He seemed to be glowing brightly with light that was as blinding as the sun.

You had to stop this and it was your last chance. You muttered, "Hear me and heed my call…"

You weren't sure what you were doing, but you could feel the pacts inside you. You reached for that connection, though they all felt far away. You grasped them in your mind, in your heart. And you felt the magic explode from you, rushing through the pacts, filling the air around you.

The ring of light began to glow. At your side, something else seemed to be glowing. You glanced over and saw that Solomon's ring was also glowing and he was feeding magic into you.

Overhead, the skies trembled. The clouds remained dark red. The wind continued to blow through everything at high speeds.

And then everything paused. There was a stillness as the wind instantly died. The magic remained frozen. Everyone was as a statue.

And there was an entity before you, but you couldn't see who it was. They were too blurry for you to make out.

"Are you choosing the brothers, then?" the being asked.

Somehow, you knew it was Nightbringer. "What? No, I want to save both!"

"Right now, that is not a choice," Nightbringer said. "If you save the brothers, the world will still be destroyed. If you destroy the brothers, the world will survive. If Michael destroys the brothers, the world will be destroyed in the crossfire."

"No," you said. "There has to be another choice!"

Nightbringer laughed. "You are so much like your teacher. Always trying to find another option when there isn't one."

"Maybe you're just too narrow minded to see all the possibilities," you said.

"Very well," Nightbringer said. "You're about to send Michael and Gabriel back to the Celestial Realm, effectively removing them from this fight. What happens after that is up to you."

As time began again, you could feel the power of the pacts and the rings running through you once again. And just as they had done once before, the gates to the Celestial Realm were opened. With a mighty push of your magic, you managed to shove Michael and Gabriel back through them before slamming them shut.

You felt yourself wobble as the magic died down. You took one step and fell, but found yourself in Simeon's arms. Solomon stood in front of the two of you, facing the brothers.

Every brother was still in demon form and all of them still had that empty look in their eyes.

"Foolish human," Lucifer said. "Now that you have removed my greatest obstacle, the world is doomed. As it was written, so it shall be."

You cried out, but you were too weak to move from Simeon's arms. "Lucifer, please! I know you're in there! I know all of you are in there still! If ever any of you loved me, please… please…"

Your voice was fading as you were losing your strength. Solomon's hands were balled into fists as he stood in front of you and Simeon. You could see little sparks of magic around him. It wouldn't be long before he, too, would be too weak to continue. He glanced back at you. "MC… won't you choose humanity…?"

You bit your lip. "I will if I have to," you managed to say. "But let me at least try to reach them first."

Simeon's grip on you tightened. You were sure he wanted to do more, but now that he was human, he could do nothing but hold you.

"Lucifer," Simeon said. "You rebelled against Father once before when you believed his decision was wrong. I know you don't want to do this. Why wouldn't you defy him again?"

"Simeon…" you said weakly, amazed that the former angel would say something like that.

And yet, these words seemed to reach Lucifer. He looked at Simeon, really looked at him.

"I don't think this is what Lilith would want," Simeon said firmly.

And as you watched, there was a spark in Lucifer's eyes. A glimmer of something that used to be there.

You felt some little strength return to your limbs. You turned to Simeon and said, "Please help me up."

Simeon stood, pulling you up with him. Your legs were shaky, but after a moment you were able to let go of Simeon and take a few steps forward.

There was a dark aura still around Lucifer. The other brothers appeared to be in a trance, unmoving, unseeing, still in demon form.

You stumbled past Solomon, who called your name, but didn't stop you.

You reached out and touched Lucifer's cheek. "You always tried to make me think that I was the one who belonged to you. But deep down, Lucifer, you know that you are mine."

You watched as recognition seemed to flare in Lucifer's eyes. You hoped this reference to things he said when you made your pact with him would remind him of just who you were. Who he was.

"MC…" he said, voice uncertain.

"I know you're in there, Lucifer," you said. "Come back to me. Please."

And that was all it took. No magic, no bright light, no dramatic auras. Just a few words spoken with all of your heart. You watched as he seemed to come back to himself. The glowing red of his eyes faded away until you were looking once again at the familiar ruby and black. Nearby, you could see the other brothers shaking their heads, as though coming out of their trance.

Relief flooded through you. Your muscles gave up and you felt your knees buckle. You would have fallen to the ground, but Lucifer caught you. He pressed you to himself, cradling you carefully but tightly.

"MC," he said into your hair. "What have I done…?"

"Don't worry about that now," you said, your voice low as your strength continued to drain away. "Please, can we just go home?"

You would fall asleep in Lucifer's arms. When you woke much later, you would find out that the Celestial Realm was not happy with this turn of events. But you would be in the Devildom again, in the House of Lamentation, with the brothers all looking after you. And it would take some time to fix the damage that had been done by this event. But with the brothers beside you, not to mention everybody else, you knew that you would be able to make things right again. Assuming, of course, that Nightbringer didn't plan on sending you through time yet again.

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