#please i promise i'll get better at drawing faces soon

[rejectedaffection]

proportions (insert gif of crying emoji disintegrating)

[montimer]

Please please if you could..can you make

self aware!Deadpool x gn!reader that got suddenly transferred to the marvel universe?

Like the reader is trying to survive while Deadpool just knows this specific person has a crush on him or.. something else? Your choice!

>insert this anime girl gif as a signature

Mhm sure sounds good! Hope i did good

Self aware!Deadpool x reader who got transferred to marvel universe

Gn!reader

You've been a big fan of him since a long time. You could say you even had a lil crush on him. Smiling so widely whenever hes on screen. Excitedly reading his comic books and buying other merch. Drawing him, perhaps even writing fanfiction.

One day your phone started glowing and you panicked that this old piece of crap is gonna explode or something. Turns out it did not blow up instead when the bright light that made you almost blind stopped, you were in a complete different place. It looked like you were in a middle of a street.

Never been here before, what just happened? And what is that noise? Sounds like someones getting hit, no-shot?

You shaked ur phone trying to do the same affect but stopped as you heard someone coming closer.

"Hmm, whats this? My chimichanga senses are tingling" you turned around upon hearing the familiar voice. There not too far standed deadpool himself. You would be happy if you weren't to notice the dead body as you looked down to his legs.

"Oh uh, don't worry about that. He was a bad guy anyways ya know? Plus as long as you aren't one of those guys, which you don't seem to look like then you'll be fine!" He tried reassuring you. You just stared at him. He squished his eyes into a smile, you seem so adorable when you are surprised.

"Anyways mission completed! And i need my money to take this hot stuff one a hot date!" You still quietly standed there, confused. Is he still talking to you or to himself?

He came up close and you tried your best not to sound too nervous.

"W-wait, before you go can you tell me where am i and how do i get home? I mean my phone flashed and now im here i-" he put a finger to your mouth "shhh, calm down sweets, talk slow" you shut down from this, it made your face feel a bit warm

"I know you aren't from around here. You are a lovely fan of mine!" his eyes turned into hearts and he put his hands together with one of his legs up in the air.

Oh right, he is very much aware. That is rather embarrassing..but wait

"How do you know that?"

"Oh you know when you look at me on tv i kind of look back. And if you want more juicy details then you better accept my invite to this great restaurant that i found!"

He sounds like as if he knew you were gonna transport here..oh well its better to stay with him then all alone for now. Maybe he can help? You don't mind that much anyway

"Fine fine, i'll go if you promise to help okay?" He nodded happily, took your hand and dragged you with him.

Then he quickly grabbed the dead body by the arm and started dragging that too.

"Wha-" "I gotta show evidence that i did the job. I have to get paid first to actually take you out. We'll be quick"

Now holding hands with him you just walked where he did hoping this to be over soon. He did not shut up on his way and he definitely won't keep quiet any time soon either. Stuck with him you accept your fate (secretly you very much enjoy this)

Should i make part too cuz this got a lil too long? Or just a shorter ver explaining more

[lousypotatoes]

What A Glorious Feeling

This chapter takes place after the pilot but before the first episode of the series.

Reader is a falcon demon, doesn't have a beak, wings drape over her kinda like Valentino's (i want him dead), reader has gray skin, usually wears a black tube top, black and white pinstripe pants, black boots, and has a daisy in her hair. Reader has the eyes and ears of a falcon and is also slightly cannibalistic.  Reader can summon any weapons at will and can move things with her mind, whenever she does this, her eyes glow red. Like Alastor, reader can also summon anything at will. If you had something else in mind for how the reader looks, you are more than welcome to imagine something different. 

I know Alastor is canonically aroace, but obviously, in this story he is not. Also, in this book, nobody knows the Radio Demon's name unless he decides to tell them. Sorry I should of said this earlier.

Song Recommendation:

I Did Something Bad - Taylor Swift

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12

Present day...

"Ah Dustin," Y/N said, walking over to the man, who was cowering in the corner. "You broke our deal. You know what happens to people who don't keep their word with me, don't you?"

"Please," he begged. "Give me one more month I promise-"

"You said the exact same thing six months ago," she spat angrily, her wings unfolding. 

"I swear-thi-this is the last time," he stuttered. "I just need-"

She summoned red chains, that latched onto Dustin's neck. Tugging the chains over to him, she grabbed his face, digging her claws into his cheeks. He let out a yelp of pain. 

"The deal was that if I killed your pathetic wife, I'd get your soul, and you would get me what I needed from that idiot overlord who thinks he's the shit, just because he's a pimp!" Y/N snarled, digging her claws in harder, drawing blood. "I have been more then generous towards you, and this is how you repay me?"

"I'm trying!" he cried out, tears running down his face. "Please just don't kill me!"

She had a small frown on her face. "I should rip you apart limb by limb," she said, calmly but in a deadly voice. "But I'm not goin' to do that," She removed the chains from his neck and put him down. 

"Thank you so much Assassin," Dustin said, wiping the blood off his cheeks. "I swear I will-"

He never finished his sentence. As fast as lighting, she summoned an axe and chopped his head clean off. 

"Instead, I'll make this is as quick and painless for you," she giggled, licking off the blood from the axe. "I'll have to thank Carmilla for the angelic steel at the next overlord meeting."

Using the axe, Y/N chopped up his limbs and stuffed them in a trash bag she had brought with her. 

"Cannibal town here I come," she smiled once she was done.

"Knock, knock," she said, knocking at the parlor door. 

"Y/N!" Rosie exclaimed upon seeing you. "What are you doing here so soon?" 

"I brought you a little somethin' to snack on," Y/N said, holding up the trash bag. 

"Oh you spoil me so much, my dear," Rosie said, licking her lips. 

"Anything for my closest friend," Y/N said, handing her the trash bag. 

"This is the fifth one this month," Rosie said, opening up the bag. "Sinners know better than to break a deal with you."

"They'll never learn, Rosie," she giggled as she took a seat on the couch. "Did you see the news the other day?"

"The Princess sure does have her hopes up for this hotel," Rosie answered, pouring herself a cup of tea. "Tea, Y/N?"

"No thank you," Y/N answered. "Do you think anyone would actually check in to that hotel?" 

"Who knows at this point," Rosie said, sipping her tea. "But judging by how people reacted, I don't think it's going to work out," 

"Shame," Y/N said. "It's a good idea, if it's actually possible."

"Say Y/N," she said, setting her cup down. "A friend of mine just recently got back into town. He's staying at this hotel," 

"Oh yeah?" Y/N asked curiously. "Who is it?"

"The Radio Demon," she said simply. 

Y/N's eyes widened in surprise. "He's been gone for seven years," she said. "Why on Earth would he return now? And why would he be stayin' at the Princess's hotel?"

"Satan knows," Rosie replied. "Y'know, you and him would really hit it off."

Y/N's eyebrow rose up. "Sorry my darlin'," she said, lightly chuckling. "The Radio Demon is most certainly not my type."

"You don't even know him," Rosie said, a slight frown on her face. 

"I don't need too," Y/N said curtly. "From what I know, he seems like a self-absorbed prick."

"Oh c'mon," Rosie nudged you. "The both of you have so much in common! You both like whiskey, you both like jazz, you both like killing people-"

"Why all of a sudden are you tryin' to play matchmaker?" Y/N interrupted. "And why The Radio Demon out of people?"

"Because you need to get out there!" Rosie said, smoothing out her dress. "Ever since I've known you, one of the main things you talk about is how in love you were when you were alive. What was his name again?" 

"His name was Alastor," she said, her heart hurting. "I've searched all of Hell Rosie. Either he's up in Heaven, or the Exorcists got to him."

"That's why I want you to meet him," Rosie said, patting Y/N's shoulder. "Please? Do it for little ol' me?" 

"I suppose so," she sighed. "I was already thinkin' about checkin' out the hotel anyway."

"Marvelous!" she exclaimed, clapping her hands together "I promise, you won't regret it!"

Landing in front of the hotel, she knocked at the door, feeling nervous, her wings fluttered behind her. 

"I'm coming!" chirped a feminine voice from behind the door. 

Fiddling with the hem of her top, Y/N waited until the person opened up the door. 

 The princess herself opened the door. "Hello! And welcome to the Hazbin Hot-"

Upon seeing your face in the doorway, she immediately slammed the door shut. 

"Vaggie!" Charlie cried out. 

"What is it?" Vaggie asked, coming down the staircase. 

"The Assassin is at the door," Charlie panicked, pointing at the door. "What do we do?" 

"Really? Another fucking overlord?" Vaggie angrily said, walking over to the door. "I'll handle this."

The door opened up a second time. Instead of the princess, a girl with a large X over her eye appeared in the doorway. 

"What the hell do you want?" she asked suspiciously. 

"There's no need to be so hostile," Y/N said, putting up her hands. "I'm here to simply offer up my services."

"We don't need you to kill anyone,"

"Not those kinds of services," she laughed. "I want to help with your hotel."

"Thanks, but we already have an overlord helping us," Vaggie said, eyeing her up and down. 

"The Radio Demon, yes I know," she said, crossing her arms. "I still want to help,"

As Vaggie was about to close the door, Charlie popped up beside her. 

"Wait Vaggie, we could use her help," she said, smiling. "With two overlords helping us, we can get a lot more done!" 

"You have a point," Vaggie grumbled. "But I'm keeping my eye on you," 

Charlie beckoned you to come in. "Thank you, Princess Morningstar," Y/N said, stepping inside.

"Oh please, just call me Charlie," she waved off. "This is Vaggie," she gestured to the girl with the X.

"It's a pleasure to meet you both,"

"Thank you!" Charlie gushed. "Welcome to the Hazbin Hotel-er-"

"Y/N," she said. "My name is Y/N."

"Right! Welcome to the Hazbin Hotel Y/N! Would you like a tour?"

"Of course,"

"Why does the bar look like that?" Y/N asked after the tour was over. 

"Someone blew it up a few days ago," Charlie said simply. "Our facility manager fixed it up so it's nothing to worry about!" 

"Oh-uh-" Y/N didn't know was to say. "I'm glad it's all fixed."

"Oh my gosh!" she exclaimed. "I have to introduce you to everyone! C'mon!" Charlie grabbed her arm and dragged her away. 

"This is Nifty, our maid," she said gesturing to the small demon, cleaning the floor. "Nifty, this is Y/N, she'll be staying with us 

Nifty turned around and her eye widened and she smiled in a scary way. 

"Ooooo! I've never seen a bad girl before!" she said menacingly as she crawled up on you. "Do you want to punish some bad boys with me?"

"Just give me the time and place, sweetie," Y/N said, putting Nifty down. Nifty quicky ran off.

"She's mostly harmless," Charlie said nervously. "Just don't let her bite you."

"I'll keep that in mind," she laughed. 

"This is Husk, our bartender," she said gleefully. 

Husk was drinking from a bottle, he nodded at Y/N but didn't say anything. 

"It's nice to meet you, Husk," she said politely. 

Husk recognized her at second glance, almost spitting out his booze, he decided not to say anything about it, though. 

"Oooooo heya Y/N~" said a voice. 

Y/N turned around and grinned. "It's nice to see you again Angel Dust,"

"Ohhh it's nice to see you too baby~" he said seductively. 

"Oh that's wonderful!" Charlie exclaimed, her eyes sparkilng. "You two know each other!"

"Yeah, we met at a party a while back," Y/N explained. "He kept wantin' to look at a sword that I had just got."

"Y'know babycakes," Angel said, walking over to her. "I could show you my sword, if you want~"

"Another time, Angel," Y/N laughed, Charlie laughed awkwardly with her. 

"Well, I think that's it!" Charlie said, clapping her hands together. "I'll show you to your room and if there's anything you need, just-"

"Oh, we have a new guest?  Heavens, why didn't anyone tell me?" said a staticky voice. 

Y/N turned and saw the infamous Radio Demon standing right behind her. Upon closer inspection, there was a look in his eyes that seemed familiar. 

Too familiar. 

Y/N had loved looking into those eyes, it had brought comfort to her. 

"Oh my gosh! How could I forget!" Charlie said. "Y/N is going to be helping us around the hotel just like you!" 

At the mention of her name, something pulled at Alastor's heartstrings. 

"Well, we need all the help we can get, that's for certain," Alastor laughed.

That laugh, Y/N had imagined it every single day when she arrived in Hell.

"Y/N, this is our facility mana-"

"Alastor?"

Her voice, it sounded like an angel. Alastor remembered the first time he heard it. Everything clicked into place for the both of them.

"Y/N?"

Sorry if all the characters are a little ooc. I need to rewatch the show lmao. 

THERES AN ECLIPSE TODAY!!!

stay safe out there you little rascals <33

xoxo, Izzy

[we-were-born-to-be-free]

Mattheo being h0rny and needy

A/N: My input on Kinktober this year. Whoa, I didn't think I had it in me to write something so filthy, honestly. But enjoy!

"Sit between my legs princess," Mattheo drawls as he opens his legs for you. The sight of him made you wetter as you try to rub your thighs together, seeking some sort of relief. You crawl onto the bed and kiss your boyfriend passionately. He grabs you hips and guides you to sit on his lap before he pleases you too much.

You grind down on his thigh as he kisses you with need. He breaks the kiss to say, "Look at you princess, getting yourself off on my thigh. You're so needy baby."

You moan softly as Mattheo moves your hips faster, your clit rubbing against his clothed thigh. You could feel yourself getting closer to your release.

"Mattheo, don't stop! I'm close," you moaned loudly. He took notice of you using his name, and not the nickname he's given to you. He smirked to himself as he lifts you off of his leg just before your release. "Mattheo! What was that for, I was right there," you ask without knowing you pissed him off.

He chuckled quietly at your frustration. "What happened to your memory, baby girl? Have you forgotten what my name is in moments like these, hmm," he asks while bringing you close to him so he can kiss your neck.

You flush a deep pink when you remember that night. He made you promise to call him daddy. "Sorry daddy. Won't happen again," you promise.

"Better not baby, or daddy won't let you come," he says, biting your neck. You whine softly, trying to rub yourself on Mattheo's thigh again. "No princess, turn around and let daddy make you feel good," he commands as his hands help guide you to sit between his legs, facing the mirror.

He looks at you through the mirror smirking when he sees your hard nipples through your silk night gown. He wraps his arms around you, pulling you as close as possible. His veiny hands wander around your body, groping your breasts, squeezing your throat and undoing the bow on your night gown.

He continued kissing and biting your neck, leaving bite marks you'll have to cover up in the morning. You squirmed as his hands went lower down your body, brushing your inner thigh softly.

"Open your legs for me baby, let daddy see how wet you are for him."

You push your legs apart as Mattheo's hand travels lower until he's started stoking you softly. You press yourself against his hand, needing more from him. He dipped a finger into you, making you moan at the feeling. He started pumping in and out of you at a steady pace, already building up your orgasm.

You started to rub your clit while Mattheo was pumping his fingers into you. "Did I say you could touch yourself, baby," he asked. "No. So quit acting like a fucking brat, or I'll fuck you like one."

His threat should've scared you, but really it just turned you on even more. You could feel yourself coming closer to your release as Mattheo fucked you harder. "Ah, daddy! M'gonna come," you moaned.

Mattheo brought his other hand down from your breast to your clit. He started massaging it as he felt you clench around his fingers. "Come on daddy's fingers, baby," he whispered in your ear. "And scream my name when you do."

As soon as the words left his mouth you were screaming as you rode out your high. Mattheo's fingers still pumped into you, drawing out the pleasure until you couldn't take it anymore and grabbed his hand to move it away from you.

He held you against him as he kissed you softly. You leaned closer into him, thinking you were in for a hot bath with him. "What do you think you're doing, baby," he asked, a small smirk playing on his lips. "I've got to take care of myself too, you know?"

Your face fell when you realised this was going to be a very, very long night.

[rukkiya]

promise me

(wriostesley x reader)

୨⎯ his worst fear becomes a reality, but you promised him you’d be safe ⎯୧

“Wriothesley listen, Lyney wouldn't let that happen. Not again, I trust him.” You turn to the tall man behind you, seeing the uncertainty in his eyes making you feel bad for stressing him out so much.

“That's the thing, I don't. You trust people too easily, you have to be– I just don't know what I'd do if….” Wriothesley exhales, dropping his gaze from yours when he so much as thinks about the worst. He can't stand it, since the primordial sea water incident, the latest trial put him on edge.

“Hey Wrio-” you feel your heart tug, you know he's worried. Your legs move closer to the tall man, your hands reach up to his face, gently laying upon his cheeks. “It won't happen, whatever you’re thinking about, erase it from your mind.” you move your hands from his face and reach for his hands, grabbing them and placing them both over your heart.

“I’m here, ok? I won't leave you, no one can take me from you.” you squeeze his hand in yours when he drops his head.

“You have to promise me if someone, anyone tries to take you from me, you’ll put on one hell of a fight for me.” He pulls you close by your waist, resting his head on your shoulder. “Please say it for me darling.”

“You know I won't let someone try and separate me from you that easily right? I'll stay safe, you have my word.” you promise him, feeling his arms wrap around your torso pulling you up to him.

He has every right to be this wary, the cases of missing people have tripled since the trial and the whereabouts of who is involved is still very much a mystery.

“I promise.” you repeat, the feeling of unease rising in your chest. The thought of having Wriothesley taken from you that way makes you sick.

I promise

Your own voice rings in your head as you stir, hissing when you move your head to the side in the slightest.

Promise me

You hear Wriothesley's voice, close yet far. Something feels off.

You open your eyes only to close them immediately, the surrounding light too bright for your eyes making you groan.

‘-/n….” you hear someone whisper next to you.

“Y/n, wake up!” the voice is louder, making you turn and open your eyes again.

You blink a few times at the figure laying next to you, then your eyes widen.

“L-Lyney?” you ask, brows drawing together seeing his hands tied together. You feel him bring up his hands to cover your mouth to stop you from speaking anymore.

“Shhh.” He brings one of his hands to his mouth and looks to the side, making you look down the same direction.

You couldn’t see much but you were in the building where Lyney and Lynette usually practice for their shows.

They had asked you to be a part of their upcoming performance soon so you had accepted the offer to get out of your comfort zone.

“They’re here.” Lyney whispers from beside you making you look back at him.

“Who is? Where’s Lynette? Is she ok?” You ask, more and more confused as you try and think back to what exactly happened.

You recall this morning, Wriothesley being worried and telling you to stay safe. Warning you about the primordial sea water and the uprise in missing people cases.

“Stay calm.” Lyney whispers, catching your attention. “I won’t let them do anything to you ok? Lynette left before they broke in. I’m sure she knows better if she feels something off when coming back, she won’t get caught, she’ll get us help.” He assures you and you feel your heart drop, it can’t be.

“Is it them?” You ask barely above whisper, Lyney looks away from you for a second, the look of dread when you come to realize who was here was making him feel horrible.

“They won’t do anything, I won’t-“

“Well well Mr. Lyney, I'm a big fan of your work!” A man's voice makes you freeze as he appears in your peripherals.

“A big fan huh? Then why would a person who admires my work treat me in such a way, it really pains me you know?” Lyney fake pouts, keeping his usual facade up though you know he was just as panicked as you.

“Why? Well you see, you’d never let me perform such a trick, even if I had approached you and asked you’d deny me on the spot. I had to take matters into my own hands.” The man hums, kneeling down in front of you two.

“What trick were you thinking of? I’m sure I would’ve been inclined to hear, having people being part of the show is what makes it better after all!” Lyney smiles, his eyes closing as he does so.

“It’s similar to the one you had performed in the court house you see, except. It involves a certain substance that can truly make one disappear!” The man smiles wide, hands clasping together.

Lyney goes quiet, you look back at him and see no smile left on his face.

“Surely you're not indicating that primordial water, us magicians have other means as to where the people we make disappear are still here afterwards, it’s all part of the act!” Lyney lets out a laugh.

“Ours is more of an experiment you see, just testing something. We’ve made some modifications to the primordial water so it can be part of the act, we won’t know if the person will come back or not but we need someone to test it on.” The guy looks between you and Lyney and smiles again.

Wriothesley stares at the file of missing people reports on his desk while Sigewinne was busy decorating his iron fist in stickers.

Five people have gone missing in the past week. Ever since the trial of the primordial sea water the cases have gone up and finding the culprit has been harder than ever.

It’s an organization in the works. Who is involved remains a mystery to many. Wriothesly and his officers have been working non stop only to be back to square one.

He needs to put an end to this madness, he hasn’t been able to rest properly every time he leaves you he thinks the worst.

The sound of running down the hall makes Wriothesley tear his eyes from the file to glance up.

An officer and a familiar looking young girl run in the office breathless.

“Lynett? What’s wrong?” Wriothesly sits up straighter, looking at the young girl whose face looks paler than he’s ever seen, she looks scared.

“Sir Wriothesley we have a problem.” His subordinate speaks up and Wriothesley holds his breath.

Another missing person? Did they find the culprit? He thinks a thousand thoughts per second.

“I-It’s about my brother and y/n, t-they’ve been taken hostage.” Lynett stutters, her eyes blown wide.

Wriothesly stops, his thoughts, his breathing, his heart.

“Sir, they are being held hostage at the place they always practice, Lady Lynette came here and explained how she was walking back to the house with lunch and saw signs of struggle and men she didn’t recognize in the building that she didn’t recognize before she entered so she came straight here.” The officer beside her explains.

The room grows colder in seconds, making Sigewinne jump off her chair, rushing to Wriothesley’s side.

“Wriothesley it’s cold, don’t lose your temper.” The small girl whispers, making his jaw clench uncomfortably. He knows he can’t act out in front of them; it'll only make things worse.

“Call backup to the location asap, surround the building and make sure no one acts until I get there understand?” He grits through his teeth, fists clenching on the table as he takes a deep breath through his nose.

This morning, just this morning he warned you and this happens? But why? How? It’s has to be a setup if anything.

The one thing he’s been fearing, what’s been keeping him up at night has happened.

“You see I chose you two specifically, the famous magician of Fontaine won't it be fascinating for you to be the one on the other end this time? For you to do your part and see where you send people that you make disappear?” His smile on the man’s face is almost terrifying by how wide it’s become, his eyes hold no emotion as he explains to Lynney.

“That’s not how it works, I don’t actually-“

“And you…” the man cuts off Lynney, shifting his attention to you. “Your boyfriend has been making things oh so hard on us lately you know? If he wants to find us so badly, wants the details on what exactly we’re doing, no better person to show him with than you, I’ll give him a real life example on what exactly we’ve been planning.” His hands clap together and you feel sick again.

Promise me, please?

Wriothesly’s voice rings in your head, you can't leave him like this.

“No, I'm sorry but Lynney and I can't be a part of this.” you explain, seeing the man in front of you stop smiling instantly.

“This water only works on Fontaine natives right?” you clear your throat looking at Lynney, he only nods his head, already knowing what you're about to say. “Well you see, Lynney and I are both not from here, we were not born he-”

“NONSENSE!” the man screams standing up making you back away. “Don't play that card with me, both of you are-”

“They're not playing any cards, it's true.” Lyney plays along with your plan, shuffling in front of you.

“What you're saying is true?” the man turns around, walking behind him to one of his other men.

The man he walks to brings up a small briefcase and the older man opens it swiftly, laughing when he looks inside.

“Then prove your case, yeah?” he turns back to the two of you, a small vial with clear liquid inside.

You feel chills run down your spine, seeing lyney’s figure shuffle in front of you wide eyes turning to look back at you.

“Don't panic, ok? I won't let him touch you, I promised Wriothesley when you agreed to be a part of my show, he talked to me for hours making sure I ensured your safety." Lyney whispers and you feel your eyes burn.

“L-Lyney I can't let him pour that on you.” you whisper, hands moving to pull him back so he can be behind you.

You tug his arm back but he doesn't budge much.

“Who should I test it on first?” The strange man walks back to the two of you.

“You young man, or….” He looks over at you and his smile widens. “You.”

“You’re not going near them-“

A soft knock at the door makes the three of you look in the direction the door is at, everyone in the room goes quiet.

“Don’t move.” The man points at the two of you and turns around. “Hold this.” He tells the man that brought him the briefcase.

“Sir Lyney, come with me.” He reaches for him and grabs his arm, you hold onto his other.

“I don’t have time for this, let him go.” Tha man threatens you and you feel Lyney wiggle his arm.

“Hey, I’ll be alright ok? Just listen to him please.” He says calmly, giving you an assuring look.

You reluctantly let his arm go and the man walks Lyney to the door.

“Answer them.” The man pushes lyney forward.

“Hello, who’s there?” Lyney calls out.

“Brother it’s me, the door was locked, why is that?” Lynette answers and your heart sinks, she’s going to be dragged in this too now.

“Oh Lynette sorry….” Lyney looks back at the man and pauses.

“Bring her in, she’ll be useful for this too.” The man says untying the binds around his wrists.

The sound of the bolts unlocking was the only thing heard, you couldn’t see her, you were sitting behind the door.

Lyney hesitates but opens the door wider stepping to the side, his eyes averting to his side where you were behind the door and back to the open door.

The man behind the door looks at Lyney confused, why was he just standing there? Why wasn’t Lynette coming in?

“Come on in.” Lyney bows.

You watch in confusion as he does so, why is he welcoming Lynette into here like that.

Though, Lynette doesn’t walk through the door.

As Lyney steps to the side, the door is shoved open a bit wider and a head of scruffy black and silver hair is the first thing you see peek in.

You hear your heart beating in your ears, everything goes quiet then his eyes land on you.

His face visibly softens as he sees you awake. There.

“Hey, what’s going-“

In seconds a loud crack was heard and the man behind the door went flying past where you were sitting. Wriothesley’s iron fist dematerializing when the man behind the door foot the wall behind you.

The other man holding the briefcase runs to the man on the floor.

Then the officers rush in seconds after, the men behind you getting put in cuffs.

You feel the tension on your shoulders and fists loosen, feeling all the tension melt away just from looking at the man who came to your rescue.

Seeing Wriothesly felt almost unreal.

He wastes no time, long legs walking to you and kneeling down in seconds.

His hand brushes your hair out of your face seeing blood run down from your temple he immediately reaches into his pocket pulling out his handkerchief.

You only look at him, feeling your lips wobble with how tender he was being. How soft his hands felt against your skin.

“What did they do to you?” His voice is barely above whisper, he feels his throat all scratchy and he can’t stand it how bruised you look.

He wants to make the one who made you bleed pay.

“They didn’t touch me while I was-“

“You're bleeding, you have an open wound on the side of your head, you can’t tell me that.” His hands gently tilt your face up a bit to look at him. “You got hurt, what would’ve happened if I didn’t arrive this-“

You feel the tremble in his hands, the look in his eyes as he looks at you makes your heart ache and eyes burn even more.

You lean forward, your head hitting his chest as your binded hands reach for his shirt. You need to hold him, feel him there.

“I'm sorry Wrio, I don't remember them hitting me but I promise from the moment I woke up until you got here, I didn't let them touch me.” you grip his shirt, breathing in his familiar scent as you feel his arms wrap around your shoulders, bringing you into him.

He knows he can't even be mad at you, you didn't plan this, and as mad as he is a Lyney he knows he wouldn't put you in this situation either.

“You…Just who do you think you are, you've been meddling in my business for far too long, you're the one I need to get rid of.” you pull back when you hear the voice coming from behind Wriothesley.

The same man who was just thrown across the room by Wriothesley minutes ago was standing crookedly a few feet behind him, the same vial from earlier in his hold

You feel time slow down when you see him take the top off, everyone started to move at the same time.

He was going to throw the water all over Wriothesley.

He was going to pour the water on him and make him disappear.

Wriostesly was going to disappear.

You push yourself back from Wriothesley and see his face drop into one of realization and horror.

From the corner of your eye you see Lynes' silhouette coming closer but you don't hesitate. You can't.

The man throws the water in Wriostesley's direction and everything goes quiet once again, your legs move then the noise comes back.

Different voices calling out to you but then you feel it, the feeling of water making contact with your skin.

Wriosthesly stumbles on his feet, he was so close to pulling you back, what did you do?

Everyone stills, waiting for the worst to happen.

Some look away. Lynette and some other officers cover their eyes but Wriostelsy waits, holds his breath, he can't take his eyes off you.

But it never happens, you don't disappear like the man in court.

“What is this?! Why aren't you disappearing-” Before the man could finish talking Lyney had snuck up from behind him and knocked him out cold before he could make another move.

It’s just like you told the man earlier, you weren't a native of fontaine. The only thing is no one else here besides Lyney knows that.

‘Y-Y/n?” Wriothesley steps forward, confused and shocked.

“I'm sorry I never told you Wrio, I'm not from Fontaine. The water has no effects on me as it does to you, I couldn't let it touch you, no I couldn't take the chances.” You turn back to him, head hanging low. It's not that you didn't trust him with this information. Your past before you met Wriothesley isn't one you're fond of; you couldn't tell him but now he needs to know.

You can't bring yourself to look at him because you're afraid of what he'd say, would he look at you differently now?

You hear footsteps approaching you and back up.

“N-No please, you can't. I'm drenched in water i don't want to take the chances of you getting-’

Wriostesly doesn't listen, he can't. Not after you've gone and done something like that.

He grabs your wrist and pulls you towards him, not caring about the water residue on your skin one bit. He pulls you impossibly closer to him and holds you not caring about him in a room full of his fellow officers and acquaintances because you kept your word. You put up a fight against it all.

You freeze for a second but feel your bottom lip start to wobble as it all comes crashing down on you. He's not mad. After all the fear you’ve felt the thought of letting him know scared you but that's the last thing he cared about.

Since Wriostesly met you he always knew there was something about you, more to you than what you put on the surface. He was always interested in you and was attracted to your kind heart though in his opinion you're too kind, even to those who dont deserve it. Throughout the time he started getting to know you he had always wanted to ask about your past since you’ve never brought it up but he soon started to forget about it as time went on.

He ended up forgetting to ask because he fell in love with you in the present, the you now and he knows. You don't talk about it for a reason, he won't pressure you, even now, with you in his arms after admitting some part of it he won't pry. The you now, the you here in his arms is what he cares about most, when you're ready to tell him he’ll listen but for now, he'll hold you for as long as he wants because you fought for not only yourself but for him as-well.

_______________

author’s note: hello lovelies!! \(≧▽≦)/<3 ITS BEEN SO LONG T^T ohmygosh im so sorry for not posting for so long but i just had to stop for a while, things got busy and i was writing but wasn’t satisfied enough to post BUT im back with a oneshot im happy to share :D one for….SIR WRIOSTHESLEY HE SO AHHHH im so excited to share this one, ever since I finished the Fontaine archon quest this has been sitting in my mind SPECIFICALLY for wriothesley hehe. anyways i hope you have all been well! I’ve missed you all dearly but i hope you’re all taking care, eating well and drinking water im glad to be back mwahhh enjoy!! ^~^<3 (also this isn’t proof read so apologies for any errors!!)

[flameunquenched]

as promised, a silvergifting moonlit balcony kiss! just the start of what i fully expect to be a long, smutty fucknasty fic of these two. i'll be posting excerpts but the whole thing will eventually go on ao3. if you would like to be tagged in excerpts/alerted to when it gets posted, please let me know <3

this specifically is for @saubrimbor

burn like stars - a rop!silvergifting fic

In silence together they stand at the balcony that offers a commanding look across the Elven city of Eregion. The Elf holds a half-drunk glass of wine; the Maia has nothing, his hands resting upon the white marble of the balcony’s railing. Now and then, Celebrimbor sips the wine, savoring the taste of it, as well as the more subtle taste that is victory, for earlier this very day they had completed the Seven and the Dwarves would be coming to fetch them soon. Celebrations for the younger Elves who work as smiths occurred earlier but now the evening is fading towards night in earnest and the Lord of Gifts and master smith are alone.

Annatar tips his head to the side to watch Celebrimbor, a faint smile playing at his lips. “The Seven are a wonder, my Lord, as were the Three.” The temptation sits upon his tongue to once more bring up the desire to forge Rings of Power for Men but he withholds it for the moment. Better to allow Celebrimbor to bask in the glory of the Seven, at least for now.

“Oh, well…yes, they are.” A pleased little smile tugs at Celebrimbor’s lips and the Maia ducks his head to hide his own smile as the Elf takes a sip of his wine. The scent of it wafts over towards his nostrils, rich and deep.

Modesty is not Celebrimbor’s way but Annatar rather likes it. Turning to better face the slighter male, he offers Celebrimbor a full smile, full of warmth and appreciation. “I knew I made the right choice.” Annatar extends his hand until he can rest it, lightly, ever so lightly, over the hand of the Elven smith that yet rests on the railing. 

“Not,” he continues, voice low, “that I ever had any doubts at all.”

Celebrimbor has frozen, lips slightly parted, wine half-way to his mouth, eyes wide as he gazes at Annatar. His heart beats a touch faster in his chest and a flush that has nothing at all to do with the wine he has imbibed begins to creep into his cheeks. Whatever intoxication he might have felt from the wine fades swiftly in the wake of the touch. Annatar’s gaze electrifies him and Celebrimbor swallows.

When Celebrimbor neglects to withdraw his hand, Annatar lowers his hand until it rests fully, palm flush against the skin of the back of Celebrimbor’s hand. The touch is heavy with promise and though the glance offered holds a touch of something almost demure, almost coy, the glitter of interest within the Maia’s eyes.

Celebrimbor has seconds to process that touch before Annatar is reaching for him; long fingers curve around the Elf’s jaw to gently draw him closer. The fingers slide further back until they sink into the short strands of copper-kissed blond. Then lips find lips upon that moonlit balcony. Seconds trickle by as the Elf remains rigid, stunned; finally, he softens, lips returning the kiss.

The hand holding the wine glass loosens and then releases entirely; the sound of glass breaking far below goes ignored by both Elf and Maia.

[iouinotes]

"The Cole Effect" | Cole Walter

pairing: Cole Walter x female!reader

show: My life with the Walter Boys

warnings: smut, but just a little (I had to after seeing him in that last scene)

word count: 4k

summary: Cole asks the reader out on a date and after he convinced her, they spend a fun (if you know you know) evening together.

a/n: please pretend that his restored car has backseats...thanks (also I'm sorry for the way this ff ended. I wanted to write smut all the way, but it just didnt feel right anymore after the first half. So please enjoy the rest of it and bear with me...)

"So, when do I pick you up?"

He leans against my locker, looking over my shoulder and reading my notes. "Cole, how many times do I have to tell you? I dont have the time and patience, I'm sorry-" sighing I look at him, studying his smug grin.

"You have the chance to get to know me better. In my opinion, that sounds like the perfect way to spend the afternoon." He smiles at me, his eyes scanning my face.

The fact is, I didnt want to fall in love with him and I knew, if I would let him take me out, it wouldnt turn out for the best. Well, mostly for me. He would probably date the next woman, that would catch his eye. And I would be on his list, sitting at home on the weekends and waiting for him to call. No, that wasnt how I planned to spend my time.

I mean, he obviously is very handsome, blonde hair, dreamy eyes, pink lips that somehow always look kissable. And to be honest, sometimes when I get lost in a daydream, forgetting about the math class, he appears in my head. Always smiling as bright as the sun. I dont know what it is, but something about him is so attractive, I dont even know how to discribe it.

Of course, I'm not the only one who feels that sort of attraction. His magical appearance, how he talks, walks, smiles, flirts.

It´s called "the Cole effect". For most of the time, I didnt really get it. But as soon as his eyes landed on me, as soon as he talked to me, trust me, I got it. He is charming, enchanting, funny and he has a way with words that makes it addictive to hear his voice.

It´s crazy, but it is reality.

When I look at him now, I feel another pair of eyes watching me. Erin. The girl, who is in a on-off realtionship with him. Cole has many women, who want him, not just because he is popular. But because he is what every girl dreams of. Thats the problem, he is a dream till he gets bored and then you find yourself in your own nightmare.

"Its just- I cant. Also, there is a really pretty and wonderful girl, standing right next to you, thats been waiting for you to notice her." I never unterstood how Cole could want someone else, when Erin existed.

"Well, Im currently talking to her, so I know when to pick her up." His eyes stay clued to me. Confused, I draw my eyebrows together. "But Erin is this way-" I turn my head to look at her, but at the same second I feel a finger tenderly turning my head back. I freeze, butterflies awake in my stomach and I have to keep myself from looking too flustered by his gesture. Of course, my body has its mind of his own, so I feel my cheeks turn red.

At that, he grins. "I know you feel it, beautiful. One date, thats all Im asking for. I promise, you will have a good time." Im too caught up in my emotions to think reasonable. So I quietly nod and feel myself holding my breath, when he leans down to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. His finger again, linger slightly on my cheek.

"See you then, 9 o'clock. I'll be on time, you have my word." Winking, he turns around and walks down the aisle.

Finally I get to breath again.

☀️☀️☀️☀️

Why the fuck did I agree to this? Standing infront of my mirror, I look at my summer dress, warm yellow colour with beautiful, little sunflowers on it. It was the dress, I got a lot of compliments for. But then again, what was my intention with wearing this dress? Im not sure.

While I pick out a golden necklace in the shape of a sun and put on a few bracelets, I leave my hair down and the way it always is. I don't want him to think that I'm trying too hard.

He knows the truth anyway.

A few minutes later, I hear the doorbell ring and with one last, deep breath I open the door. If I'm honest, I would have liked to close it straight away. Because there's no way to avoid staring at him the whole time when he looks like that. Wearing blue jeans, slightly oversize, a white tank top and his red jersey. He looks hot, in a way I want to spend the rest of the day, riding something other than his car. God, help me survive this.

To my suprise, he is quiet the gentleman. He compliments my dress, he holds the door open to his car, he lets me pick the music and as I sit in the passanger seat, listining to Taylor Swift, I smile to myself. Unfortunetely I´m not very subtle about it, because he asks me right away about my good mood.

"I dont know, Im just having a good time, I guess." I look at him, while he is focusing on the road. I see one of his hand rising, so he dramatically holds onto his chest.

"I'm hurt. Did you think, I was that boring?" Laughing, I shake my head. "No, its not that. To best honest, I didnt expect myself to enjoy today." I turn my head and look at my lap, fiddling with my fingers. "Why not?" I see his head looking in my direction, a curious tone in his voice.

"I´ve had a hard time this last year, everything with school and you are- I mean, I dont know what intention do you have with me? Im not a one night stand type of person, I want something real. You know, like in the love songs, the real feelings, a real relationship. With a person, who wants me the same way, I feel about them. I think, thats the reason Im not sure, if this-" I gesture between us "is a good idea."

He´s quite for a moment and I feel more embarassed, the more seconds pass.

"Im sorry. I didnt mean that we´re going to be, you know like a thing. I respect your decision to spend your time with other girls, I didnt mean it is something bad. Its just-" He finishes my sentence. "-not for you. I know." His eyes are on the road, but I see his hands nervously tapping the wheel.

"Sorry, if I just crashed the vibe. I didnt intend to do it." I look at my hands. "No, its okay. Dont be sorry. I like your honesty. You know, you state your point. Thats good."

We look at each other and I try to search in his eyes for a sign, that he´s pissed. But he just lightly smiles at me, reaching out and holding my hands. While one of his hands is still on the wheel, of course. I feel myself blushing.

"Look, lets not pretend that I´m the best choice for a relationship or boyfriend material. Because I´m not and you knew that, even before you agreed to spend the afternoon with me. So, I´m just curious. Why did you change your mind?"

His thumb is massaging the back of my hand and I try not to settle with this warm feeling in my chest. "Because you dont give up that easily and it's hard not to give in to you." I see a smile tuck at his lips. "You think so?" I role my eyes.

"You know the affect you have on people, Cole. It wouldnt suprise me, if you run for president and won. People like you." He laughs at my comparison, turning the wheel and driving into the driveway to a nice restaurant. When he parks the car and turns of the light, he turns in my direction and looks at me.

"Do you like me?"

The question suprises me. "What?" I laugh quietly. "You said, people like me. So, do you like me too?" His eyes search mine.

"Well, if I would hate you, I think i wouldnt have agreed to go to dinner with you." He leans forward.

"Well you could just be here for the food?" I grin at him. "You got me, Im just hungry, sorry. Can we go in and be silent the entire time?" His hands are still holding mine, but now one of them is caressing my arm, leaving me with goosebumbs.

We sit in silent, but when he opens his mouth to break the comfortable atmosphere, Im shocked by his honest words.

"Well, I like you. You´re funny, endearing, honest and smart. You are nice to everyone, even if you have do deal with a guy like me, who gets on your nerves, so you agree to go on a date with him. It´s something about you, that is special and I would like to get to know you better. If you do, I promise you´ll get more food."

I smile at his last sentence, even though I dont know what to say. "God, you´re making me speechless." He leans even closer. "I can do many other things, that can make you speechless." At that I look at his lips. I see him grin and when I look up again, he is even closer than before.

"There are two choices now. One, we go into his lovely restaurant and talk about god knows what or two, we test whether the seats can be tilted backwards." At his voice I feel myself getting flustered. God knows, I would love to test what the car is capable of. But we´re out in a driveway, infront of a restaurant and people could see us. And even though I´m not really against the idea, its to early.

"Or three, we eat first and maybe later, you show me why I need to hate you less." He rises his eyebrows. "So you really are just here for the food." I laugh. "I guess, I am."

The time we spend in the restaurant was wonderful. I didnt expect us to connect this way, its like he just gets me. We ate a huge meal, in the end we almost forget to pay and I feel myself being so entchanted to him.

Even though the waitress tried to flirt with him (which by the way is rude, because what about girls support girls?), he kept his attention on me, also reaching out infront of her and taking my hand. I really couldnt tell myself to stop imagining, what it would be like, if we were a couple.

I mean, its ridiculous, because he made it very clear, that he didnt want to be in a relationship. But still, a girl could dream, right? Right.

After we did pay (much to the relief of the waitress), we went outside and walked a few minutes along a path, our hands entangled by the time we got back to the car. I didnt want to admit it, but he managed to make me fall in love with him in one day.

And even though I was scared, he made me feel alive. I couldnt concentrate on anything over than him, his sweet compliments, his eyes that kept looking at my lips, his arm that went around my shoulder to keep me warm.

He was so caring, it made me loose my mind. I didnt want the night to end. So when we were back in his car on the way home and he asked me, if I wanted to see his new car, I agreed.

We talked on the way back about our interests. He told me about his passion for football, even though he didnt get to play anymore and about his fascination for restoring cars. I told him about my love for books and that I would rather spend the day waching a new Netflix series, than doing sports. We talked about our goals for the future and that we both want to get out of this town, finally seeing something new.

By the time we arrived at the ranch and he parked the car outside the door, it felt like I knew his past selve, his present and future self. I never had a date like this before, something so honest and great.

But I mean, I also never knew a person like Cole before, so maybe that is the reason.

☀️☀️☀️☀️

When we arrived, it was dark outside, but because it´s summer, neither one of us felt cold. "Is it okay for me to be here? I mean, are your parents cool with you, bringing a girl home?" I look to the house, checking if some of his family members are still awake, but no lights are seen. "As long as they dont know about it, they´re cool." He grins at me and I shake my head.

"Come on, I want to show you what I´ve been working on for the last months." He leads me, one of his hands on my back to the garage, opening the door and letting me in. Its dark inside, but I hear him shifting around to find the switch to turn on the light. When I hear a click and the light flickers on, I look around and at the tools, all the stuff standing around and finally at the car.

He´s standing next to it, a proud smile on his face. "So, what do you think?" Im walking towards him, inspecting his work. "I mean, I dont have a clue about cars, but it looks really good and like it was restored by a proffesional." My fingers run over the open hood.

When he carefully closes it a few seconds later, I look up and see him watching me. "What?" I say, starring back. He takes a step towards me, searching in my gaze, trying to make out if I want this the same way, he wants to feel me. But as I stand still, waching him get closer, centimeter by centimeter, until our faces almost touch, I feel myself breathing heavily.

His hands sneak around my waist, pulling me gently closer to him. He turns around, so he leans onto the car, directing me, so I stand between his legs. I feel myself getting hot, I hear his breath and watch his eyes trailing down to my lips and finally to my eyes. I do the same. And before I know it, he leans in and catches my lips in a captivating way. I feel myself melt.

One of my arms sneak around his shoulders, so I get closer to him. I feel butterflies fly around in my stomach, smiling in the kiss and when he breaks apart, he looks at me.

"Hate me less now?" He wispers.

"Not really, try again."

So he does. Our lips meet, our breath gets taken and I feel my knees weaken, when one of his hands capture my face. He holds me still and I feel every touch, my skin burns.

The temparature rises and when one of his hands travel down, first to my neck, then to my collarbone and lastly to my shoulders, his fingers hold the straps of my dress. Again, he breaks apart, so I open my eyes and immedialy want to kiss him again. Although my hands wander over his shoulder, Im not sure what to do now.

"Are you nervous?" His hands caress my sides, his question leaves me uncertain. I nod, not in the right state to use my words. At that, he gently smiles. "Then I will help you relax. You can do that for me right?"

His words make me clench my thights and I feel myself getting wet. When I nod again, he leans forward and wispers in my ear. "Good girl." That and that his lips nip at my ear and leave a wet trail at my neck, makes me whimper slightly. I feel him smirk, so he earns a light smack on his arm. He laughs quietly and when I open my eyes, his ones are shining with a hidding mischief.

"You enjoy this too much." I say it as a joke, but he takes it seriously. "I do, actually. I dreamt about you making these sounds a lot more often, than I would like to admit."

At that, I gasps. "You what?" I try to concentrate on his words, but his wandering hands dont help with that. He kisses me, but now he turns us around and presses me against the car. Helping me sit on it, so he can get between my legs.

"I said" he beginns to speak and his lips find a certain spot, that makes me moan. "I want to hear all the little sounds, that escape you." My hands wander to his hair, holding it and messing with it. His hands again find the straps of my dress and when I kiss him more passionate, he slowly beginns to pull it down. First the right side until he lets go of it, so he can pull the other one down. All that, while still kissing me.

I feel myself getting lost in him, his lips are like a drug and I feel myself getting addicted. When I feel the air hitting my skin, I break apart. He looks at me, checking if I’m still okay with what we´re doing. "What do you want to do?" he holds the straps of my dress, gesturing that he wants to get me out of it. I breath, trying to know, what I want.

I come to the simple conclusion, that I do want him. Even if its just for now. So I kiss him and try to strip him out his jacket. To do that, he lets go of my dress and it falls to the floor, leaving me in my underwear. His eyes scan my body as his hands caress my skin, his finger going from my shoulders to my breasts.

Breathing heavily I look at him. "Your turn." His hands leave my body and with a teasing smile he takes off his jacket, leaving me starring at his muscles.

One of his fingers turn my head to look at him. "You like what you see?" His grin says it all. My hands find their way to touch his arms, going further down until i tuck at his shirt.

"I would like you more without it." His eyes turn dark. Swiftly he strips off his tanktop, leaving us both starring at each other. Before I can do something else, his arms direct me to him.

"You´re having second thoughts about this, sunshine?" He´s touching my necklace.

"Have you?" I look at him, seeing him smile.

"Never." His hands go to my legs, so he can lift me up and my legs hold on to his hip. I lean towards him, kissing his neck and stopping by his ear.

"What do you want to do to me?" At that, he stands up, still holding me, while opening the door of his restored car and lays me gently on the back seats. He´s hovering over me, a look in his eyes that makes me shiver. When he leans down and presses a kiss on my chest, near my neck, I try to focus on my breathing.

"I want to do so many things to you." His hands tangle in my hair, lightly tugging on it while he leans down, his lips ghost over my own.

"I want to-" his voice goes quiet, I feel his hands touching my legs, breaking them apart, so he can sit between them. "-take of your panties first. Alright?" I nod, looking up to him. Slowly his fingers find my underwear, so he can slide them down and I get out of it.

When he holds them in his hands, he puts it in his pocket, because he still wears his jeans. He starts to kiss me, leaving my mind with a relaxed feeling, going further down, kissing my chest and my stomach, eventually leaving a kiss above the one spot, thats been dying to be touched.

"I already have you this wet, how sweet of you." When his hand comes down and touches me, sliding one finger gently over my folds, I try to hold myself together.

"You dont need to be quiet. Nobody can hear you." But when I keep holding in my moans, he takes it as a personal challenge. As he leaves kisses all over my body, his finger carefully begin to speed up and I feel my walls clenching.

"God, you´re so tight. How long havent you been touched?" His mouth his hot on my skin and when he adds a second finger, I moan loudly. My eyes squeeze shut at the feeling that consumes me, I cant concentrate on a word he says.

"Already too turned on to answer me, huh? Thats a shame, because Im curious to know the answer of my question." He stops the movements of his fingers, leaving me with a needy feeling. And when I try to move, he stills my hips.

"As much as I like to see you sqirm, I want you to answer me. Can you do that for me?" I try to remember his question. "I-I havent." He rises his eyebrows in confusion. "You what?" His fingers leave my body. When I open my eyes, I realise what he has been asking me.

"I-I havent been touched like that before." His mouth opens in disbelief. "You never had a boyfriend or someone you´ve been intimitated with?" I look at the ceiling of his car. "I mean, not really. I´ve dated someone once, but we didnt reach a level, where we got to this point. So, I never did something like this." I can see the conflict in his eyes. "You´re sure, you want me to be your first?" Its sweet, that he cares.

"I- I guess so, Im sure it wont be a bad experience with you." He quietly laughs. "I hope so, but I cant get my head around the fact, that this is your first time. I mean, youre beautiful and fun to be around." He´s silent for a moment. "You know, we dont have to go all the way, right? I wont be mad, if we stop here."

I think for a moment and while my hands trace his muscles, I try to sort out my thoughts. Now that his fingers are no longer distracting me, I try to understand my feelings.

"We should maybe take it slow? I do want to get to know you better, before-" I dont have to finish the sentence, he just nods and when he smiles at me, I feel myself relax.

"That´s okay, don´t worry. I can drive you home, if that is what you want?" My eyes are searching for a sign, that he is mad. But he just gently brushes my hair aside and kisses the side of my mouth.

„I like you. That means, so we are clear here, that I want you to want me. And if thats the case, which I hope so, then we dont need to rush anything. If the time is right, who knows what will happen. Even if that means, I need to beg you to go out with me again.“

I raise my eyebrows, laughing at his words.

„You would do that?“ He shrugs, smiling at me.

„For you, I would.“

[never-ending-fanfic]

Hey

Remember this post?

Here's the promised inside of this "get well soon" card

🤎 Dark brown: "For Alex"

💜 Purple: "Can't wait for you to wake up. Miss having you around" with hearts and the Fulcrum symbol, signed by Sabine and Rex in navy 💙

💛 Yellow: "Kick that coma in the ass" with a heart, signed with a stamp of Chopper's wheel

💚 Green: "You're in all our thoughts and we all hope you come home soon" with flowers and hearts from Hera and Kanan

🧡 Orange: "I don't normally do that, but I'll take all your turns of washing dishes that you miss until you feel better. Please, wake up soon" signed by "Jabba" with sun, clouds, Loth-cat head, stars and the drawing of their ship, signed "Ghost" and added purple "No." from Sabine

❤️ Red: "Since you've been away, we've all realized how much you actually do around here. Please heal up quick!" with a sign from Cassian, with a heart and smiley face

💚 Dark green: "Please, just wake up" from Zeb with a heart

[tokoyamisstuff]

Run Rabbit, Run.

3,6k. words | Alexander Anderson x f! goth! Reader | enemies to friends | open-ended | slow-burn | hurt-comfort | not proofread

Synopsis: While investigating supernatural murders in a small town, Anderson jumps into wrong conclusions.

Warnings: Blood, injury, stockholm-syndrome?

A/N: inspired by some guys in our town that would always call the cops on us goths, saying 'dark figures are doing satanic rituals' (we were literally just chilling)

"Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil."

You run as fast as you can, but he keeps pace easily, merely strolling as he wears you out.

"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness..."

A bayonett pierces the tree next to your skull and you let out a bloodcurling scream.

"...against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places."

The woods are swallowed by a pitch black tonight, eventually making you trip and fall. Blood runs down your calf, the sharp pain in your leg numbed by the adrenaline rushing through your veins. You try to get up, to keep running, but it's too late...he got you.

"Amen."

The man in front of you was wearing the robe of a priest, looming over you with a manic grin stretched across his face.

When he started his chase you had thought him to be insane, a mass murderer who was merely disguising himself as a man of faith.

That theory would soon prove to be wrong - and the truth is way worse.

"What a bloody waste of time" he thinks, watching you squirm in the dirt like some cornered animal.

If he had known how pathetically weak you are beforehand, he wouldn't have bothered coming himself. Sending Yumie or Heinkel instead would've sufficed by far, and even that would be flattery for some cheap excuse of a demon like you.

Boring, but now that he's here, might as well enjoy the hunt...

"Please...I have no idea what you want from me!" Countless begs drop from your lips, clinging to the hem of his coat as you try to explain yourself, yet he wouldn't budge. Usually he'd have a violent outburst at such a vile creature touching him, but much to his own surprise, he remained frozen, staring at you with a mixture of irritation and sympathy.

"My, what a sweet voice you have." He looks down to your torn dress, a wound gaping on your leg. So you're too weak to even heal your own injuries. "That must really hurt, little one."

The assassin sees dried blood straining your clothes, skin, fingertips, tainting himself as well. He had found you like this, in an empty alleyway crouched over a fresh corpse, claiming you merely wanted to save them.

How foolish of you to run off into the woods, where he could get rid of you without causing disturbance for bystanders.

"Such a young gal" he looks at you with a stern, almost pitying expression. "Had her whole life still in front of her. What a shame."

Maybe you were turned against your will, left confused and afraid after your bloodrage got the better off you.

Anderson shakes his head, trying to become rational again. He's used to all kinds of deceit, has fallen deaf to any pleads over time. After all, the last time he hesitated, he's got a lesson that's still written clearly on his left cheek.

Ever since then he promised himself to never show mercy again.

Seeing him brace his weapons, you shuffle until your back hit the tree behind, shouting at the man. "Do-on't touch me, you freak!"

"You're one to talk" he scoffs, crouching over your trembling form. He gazes at you without any malice, considering to grant you a merciful death. "But lemme tell ya'...if you behave, I'll make it quick."

A hint of guilt flashes over his face, as he calmly draws his bayonetts, thrill dampened by the tragic circumstances. He carefully, almost tenderly holds it against your neck, whispering "Rejoice, for I'll bring you salvation from this horrid fate."

Just when he takes a swing you seize the opportunity, ramming a sharp branch into his sides, right beneath the ribs. You had hoped to temporarily paralyze him, but much to your horror he didn't even flinch...

...moreso, he easily pulled it out of his flesh, the wound healing in an instant.

"Ye lil' rat..." the man practically growls, pupils dilated and baring his sharp canines at you.

"You...you're the monster here!" you shriek, grabbing a handful of dirt and throw it into his eyes, partially blinding him. He coughs, needing a few seconds to orientate, but when he looked again, you were already gone. "Feisty lil' thing...didn't think she had it in her."

Well, now he's not only pissed that you deceived him - he's downright excited. This mission had just become significantly more fun.

Anderson will relish in tearing you apart...slowly and painfully.

"Come out, ya heathen." His voice echoes through the woods, as if coming from all sides at once. "I can feel your fear."

What an amazing feat for a man of his calibre to move without making a sound. No leaves, not even a stick breaks as he walks, nothing indicating from what direction he might strike.

You see the town's lights at the horizon, limping as fast as your legs can carry you. If only you could make it out of here and call for help, then-

"Gotcha!" The priest's voice didn't even dring to your ear before he grabbed you by the throat, slamming you so hardly onto a nearby tree that all air left your lungs. Your head is spinning and you kick and claw at his arm, but his grip is relentless. He leans close to your ear, breath hot against your cold skin, making you shiver. "Stop resisting and accept your divine punishment."

"How...often...do I need to...tell you?" you wring out, feeling as if you're close to losing consciousness. "I-I am not a vampire, damnit!"

"Silence!" he now screams, sending a violent tremor through your body. "The dead do not speak...and their soulless bodies shouldn't roam this earth."

"Prove it, then" he taunts, "But I doubt ya' could."

Your mind went a mile an hour, scanning for everything you possibly knew about vampires, myth or not. Without any other options, you clasp the cross dangling from his neck. "I-I shouldn't be able to touch this, right?"

Powerful demons are able of many feats, but then again you don't seem even close to that level. Still, he senses some kind of greater scheme behind that innocent demeanour of yours.

Even while being practically invulnerable, Anderson won't let his guard down this time. He throws you to the ground, hurt pride recovering as he enjoys you writhe in pain. "Ye can't fool me again, fiend."

For the fraction of a second he is taken aback, seeing actual tears instead of red liquid escaping your eyes. He grunts in annoyance at this soft spot in his heart he never really could erase, janking you up by the hair. "Look at me..." he orders harshly, a sadistic glint in his eyes. "I love to watch the light go out."

Weighting your options you tackle him out of sheer exasperation, despite his strenght surprising the man enough to make him lose balance. Before he can react you sink your teeth deep into his neck, but without fangs you can't even break the skin. Anderson growls, no, almost moans at the sensation, shocked with the way his body reacted to the sudden proximity.

"See? See?" you point to your dull teeth, but the man is less than impressed by your drastic measurement.

"Bloody hell, woman! Get off of me!" he yells as he throws you away, now being on top and pining you down onto the damp grass, once again rendering you helpless. "I'm a man of god, do you have no shame?"

"What else was I supposed to do?!" you snap back at the man, chest heaving in between sobs. Anderson can barely contain his bloodlust, but beneath it there lies another kind of sensation he doesn't want to acknowledge. He seems flabbergasted by your boldness, contemplating whether to abandon his purge for now.

"Fine..." he rubs his temple, a headache forming as his gaze wanders to your quivering lips. "But I'll chain you up for examination. And don't you dare trying something funny again!"

"Alri-" Your words got stuck right in your throat, seeing red irises gleam in the dark from the corner of your eye. "Watch out, behind you!"

The priest narrows his eyes. "Oi c'mon, yer not really thinking I fall for this-" Your captor's words stuck right in his throat as a sword cut deeply into his neck - not enough to decapitate him though.

"Oh, I see you even brought me desert" a grim voice appeared behind the two of you. "How considerate, Father."

This was your chance, wasn't it? You could just run and leave them to themselves, hoping they'd busy each other in a fight long enough to return to safety.

And yet you don't.

"Shit, wai-wait..." you have to keep yourself from gagging as you pull out the cold steel from his flesh, watching as the tissue repaired itself like it was nothing. You threw the weapon right back at the attacker, though he catched it with ease and scattered it with his bare hands.

Anderson was quick to react, this time not taking any chances to debate if you're trustworthy. If you're really a civilian, he won't be able to fight as long as you're close. He throws some kind of artifact your way, a batch of enhanced bible verses and a flask of holy water just in case. "Run, you fool!"

The real vampire chuckles quite amused at the scene, overconfident and boastful now. "Noble one you are, eh? And I was so careful to set her up, too..."

"Good grace...you made me go after that woman?!" God's guillotine glares at him with a feral wrath, but the demon simply shrugs. "Townsfolk loves to gossip, and it's fairly easy to accuse someone that so deliberately making themselves an outcast."

"Quiet, you wicked hellspawn!" The priest's head cracks as he moved it from left to right, testing the healed muscles. "And my eye will not spare, nor will I have pity. I will punish you according to your ways, while your abominations are in your midst..."

"Amen!" you exclaim, and just when Anderson was about to launch an attack, something pierces the enemy from behind.

The priest gasps as he recognizes one of his own bayonetts, sticking out of the vampire's chest. You had plucked it from a nearby tree, returning instead of saving yourself.

Due to lack of both strenght and experience, you miss his heart by far. Luckily it was enough to distract the abomination, so Anderson set one swift finishing blow.

The otherworldly being instantly dissolves into ashes, and for a while you just stand there, staring at each other in awe.

Anderson is covered in blood now, his own as well as the demons. He's wheezing, breath visible as white fog and he snarls like a damn bloodhound, visibly dissatisfied with the outcome. To grant this creature such an easy demise left a foul aftertaste - he wanted to make it pay for using him to hurt an innocent bystander.

Damn it, he almost killed you!

You are still deeply in shock at the events, heart beating threateningly loud against your ears. Rooted on spot, you dread the worst when the priest approaches you. He reaches out and you wince, but he merely puts a reassuring hand on the top of your head. "That sure was reckless" he scolded, yet his lips curled into a proud grin. "I'm impressed."

In an instant his menacing aura had disappeared completely, being replaced with genuine concern. "Are you alright, lamb?"

You opened and closed your mouth a few times, instinctively moving away from your former attacker but stumbling again. Instead of falling however you were caught in the priest's strong arms, amazed at how fast he could move if he wanted to.

If he had taken you serious, you would never have survived this far. The thought sent a shiver down your spine.

"Come" he lifts you up with ease and you blink up at him between wettened lashes, far too exhausted to struggle any longer. "Let's get you somewhere safe."

Only now you realize that you were freezing, curling up against his body as he carried you bridal style to the motel room he had booked for the mission. A few minutes later you sit on a rundown mattress, knees pulled towards your chest as you tried to process the events of this night.

"Sorry for the wait" his voice shook you up as he entered the room, "Had to make a call and report back to the Vatican." You nod mutely and watch as he picks up a small first-aid-kit, kneeling down in front of you. "Show me yer' leg."

"H-He-e-ey!" you object as he tries to lift your dress out of the way, but he frowns as if you had just accused him of something horrible. "I already told you, woman: I am a man of god. So relax, would ya?" You pout but surrender, pulling the fabric aside yourself. "Just a wee lil' scratch, you're gonna be alright."

Trying to distract yourself from the pain your eyes dart around the room, but then they are stuck on the man himself, taking a proper look at him for the first time: Grey strands were shimmering through his wild blonde spikes, blueish-green eyes glistening behind round glasses. A deep scar adorned his left cheek, proof of his - at least past - humanity.

He had discarded his bloodied robe and gloves, revealing more muscle than his tall build indicated. You shiver as he absentmindedly squeezes your thigh, working with great concentration.

"I'm patching others up all day" he assures, filling the silence with small-talk. "The children at my orphanage hurt themselves quite often. Reckless folk."

"You-ah!" you hiss as he wipes the wound clean with more pressure, and you shudder. "You are working with children?"

"Yeah. What about it?" He furrowed his brows, looking downright offended and you couldn't help but snort. "Nothing, really. It's just...two vastly different professions, dont'cha think?"

"You're lucky I found my conscience today" he half-jokes, half-confesses. "Usually I don't care if a heathen get's hurt. Hell, I'd even do it myself." Wow. Very soothing, really. "But ya saved me and I guess it can't hurt to return the courtesy..."

At least he has some sense of honor.

"You got a foul mouth for a priest" you utter under your breath, but he catches it anyways. "And you got a lotta nerve running through the woods at night, dressed like a damn devil worshipper."

Momentarily, you both scowl at each other before breaking out in refreshing laughter.

"I'm not a satanist" you snort, but he won't have any of it. There's a literal pentagram embroidered on the chest piece of your dress, after all. "Then why do you dress like one?" Rolling your eyes, you cross your arms in defense. "It's a subculture, old man. A fashion style. And to my defenses, I didn't even know that any of the occult is real..."

Oh, if only you knew the true extent of evil in this world, you'd be terrified. Or maybe not? Iscariot could always use people with your guts, but he doesn't voice that thought.

If anything, you deserved a long and safe life.

"Hopeless task, making sinners see the light. That's why I prefer gutting them." He makes a dismissive wave of his hand, plummeting down on the bed right next to you. "All done." You smile as you let one hand run over the bandage, expressing your gratitude.

"...m'sorry, little one" he's not meeting your eyes anymore, forearms resting on his knees. "And thank you for helping a wrench like me despite my transgressions. Let's hope the lord will reward such actions."

"Yeah, maybe..." Actually you weren't that much of a believer - but hey, everything you just witnessed might make you pick up a bible soon.

"Do you want me to bring you somewhere?" You mentally consider an answer, but find no sufficient one. To be honest you didn't want to be alone right now. But there was no one you'd be comfortable to bother so late at night in case of friends, and no relatives lived nearby either.

But what's the alternaive? The man at your side surely has better things to do than babysitting you, even if he wasn't a stranger you just met...and almost got murdered by.

Noticing your distress, he wordlessly stood up, the mattress creaking as it was relieved from his massive weight. "Take the bed, I'll sleep on the sofa."

"Bu-but I couldn't possibly-"

"You can, and you will " he protests, "It's the least I can do to make up for what I've done."

"N-No!" you then shout, grabbing onto his sleeve. "I'd be damned if I let a holy man sleep on that small couch." He looks at you baffled, as if he cannot think of the obvious alternative. "Lay down, there's...there's enough room for both of us."

The man looks at you dumbfounded, making you chuckle. "What's the matter? You said you're a man of god, right?"

"...lil' brat."

Anderson sighed deeply, hesistant to do as you told him to. But eventually he gave in, lying on the other side of the bed so far away from you that he threatened to fall over the edge. Just the mere thought of this indecency made his heart beat uncontrollably loud in his chest. "What's your name?" he asks, so you don't notice.

"Y/N" you breathe out in a whisper, "Y/N Y/L/N." He repeats it, tasting the name on his tongue. It's as sweet as the sound of your voice. "What about you?"

"Anderson. Paladin Alexander Anderson" he corrects himself with his proper title. You smile to yourself, an oddly safe feeling encoating you with him at your side. "Well, despite everything, it was nice meeting you, Father Alexander Anderson."

"The pleasure is all mine."

Surprisingly, you had quickly drifted into a deep slumber, body desperate for rest. For a moment you thought it was all just a dream, an obscure nightmare, but then you realized where you were...and with whom.

"Alex- Father?" Your voice is husky and small against the sound of his soft snore in your ear, and instead of waking he shuffles even closer. The feeling of his broad chest against your back makes goosebumps raise on your skin, yet you refused to enjoy cuddling with a literal celibate.

Not wanting to embarrass him you try to scoot away, but the tall man has got you perfectly secure in his hold, an arm and leg wrapped around your much smaller form, tightening his embrace each time you moved. "Umm..." you turn to face him and dare to cup his cheek, gently caressing it to wake him up. His eyes snap open and he reflexively grabs your wrist, breathing heavily. "Hey, big guy, it's okay...good morning."

"What the-" Noticing the delicate situation he stumbles so far back that he lands ass-first on the floor, making you break out in boisterous laughter. "I'm so sorry" you wheeze, lending him a hand. "No idea how we ended up in that position."

Anderson lets out a low growl, stretching his back as he stood up. "I don't know about you" you teased, "But I've slept very well." He'd rather die than to admit he hasn't rested like that in years, if not decades. "...I'll make us breakfast" he announces grumpily, "Bath's on the left."

Shortly later you sit at the small kitchen table across each other, munching on stale toast. Since your clothes were torn and bloody Alex got you a spare shirt of his, long enough to cover you up to the knees. Gosh, if his superiors would see him being with a woman like that they'd probably excommunicate him.

"So..." you adress the elephant in the room, "When are you supposed to be back?"

"Already contacted the order while you were showering. Will be picked up in 30 minutes." Hearing this made you somewhat woeful. You'd wish to stay and riddle him about that amazing life of his, but were pretty sure he wasn't allowed to answer either way. You bite back the burning question if you'd ever meet again, simply answering "Oh...great."

"Promise me ya' will stay outta that devilish business, a'ight?" he grins almost mischievously, "Next time I see ya' tryna seduce innocent priests, I'll think you're a succubus."

You blow a raspberry at the man. "Me?!" You point a dramatic finger towards him, "Maybe you're the one enticing innocent maidens after saving them."

You both exchange smiles and meaningful looks, talking so carefree and enjoyable that time passed faster than you wanted.

"Here ya' go." He pushes some money into your palm, hand lingering on yours as long as he could allow himself to. "Call a taxi. The roads are dangerous for a sweet lil' thing like yerself."

"Thank you, Alex- I mean Father. For everything."

Six months later, Anderson was currently back at the orphanage from another mission, reading a novel in his room. He'd find his thoughts wandering back to you more often these days, having given up on his hopes that this feeling would ease over time.

Letting his free hand run over his neck where you bit him back then, a smile tugs at the corner of his lips. What a woman you were. He's glad to have met you, and he'll at least allow himself to keep those memories locked in his heart forever.

"Father Anderson?" One of the nuns knocks on his door, tearing him away from those silly thoughts. "I'm here, yes."

"Someone wants a word with you" the woman explains as he sticks his head outta the slightly ajar door. She points towards the window in the hallway, whispering "Apparently about joining Iscariot. She's waiting outside in the garden."

"Understood. You may leave." Anderson was left confused but not for long - because as soon as he looked outside, he saw the last person he ever expected to see again. You timidly looked around, dressed in a black robe like usual, yet adorned with a silver cross instead of pentagrams and the likes.

Coincidentally you notice him standing at the window, eyes lighting up and waving eagerly at the man. It takes everything inside of him to not rush outside and pull you right into his arms after such a long time - at least in public he wouldn't.

Oh, he always knew you were special.

[jackhues]

im sorry i love delilah

imagine matthew putting her in little panthers gear for some event, and for some reason she wants to wear bobs jersey not matts and matthews like, sorry pickle you dont have a bob jersey and she goes on the ice all pouty, but then when she comes back theres a little bob jersey in mattys locker

do not apologize, i love lilah too! [takes place before the 23/24 season]

"c'mon, my del," matthew ushered her along, down the halls of amerant bank arena, and towards the locker room. "we gotta get you in your jersey if you want to be in the video."

"coming daddy," lilah gripped her stuffed panther 'kitty' in one hand, and held matthew's hand with her free one.

people rushed in and out of rooms, up and down the hallways, trying to get everything sorted for media day. delilah wanted to be in one of the challenge videos, but she was supposed to wear some sort of panthers gear if she wanted to be in it. although no one was going to enforce that rule with her, delilah wanted to wear her jersey and matthew was perfectly fine with it too.

"here, arms up please, let's get your jersey on," matthew held out the smaller 'tkachuk' jersey that hung in his stall, coming along with the other jerseys.

"can i have a bobby jersey?" she asked. "bobby played really good last time, and he gave me a chocolate today, did you know that? he's a goalie too, goalies are really cool. i think i want to wear a bobby jersey."

"aw, sorry pickle, but you don't have a bobby jersey," he reminded her. "you can wear the tkachuk jersey right now, and the bobby one when we can find one."

"aw, i wanted to wear it now," she pouted.

"matthew!" someone poked their head in the door. "matthew tkachuk, it's your turn for solo shots!"

"yeah, one second," he said to the assistant. he turned back to delilah, who'd taken a seat in his stall, and was kicking her feet dejectedly. "tell you what my del, why don't you go and help them take pictures and videos? maybe you'll convince one of the guys to give you their prize."

delilah continued to pout, but allowed matthew to lead her to where the other panthers were doing challenges and playing games as they waited their turn.

"i'll be back soon, pickle," matthew promised, kissing the top of her head.

he made his way to where his solo shots were going to take place, unable to get delilah's little pouty face out of his mind. the last thing he ever wanted to do was make her sad.

"and you're done," the photographer smiled, letting matthew leave.

his first thought was to stop by the waiting room where delilah would be, but then he remembered how sad she was... and so he took a little detour. not far, simply to the panthers' shop in the arena. luckily they had what he was looking for, and in the right size.

he stashed it in his locker, before stopping by the waiting room, where challenges and games were taking place. delilah was sitting on the floor, multiple drawings, and even more chocolates around her. apparently, she was giving out her drawings to her favourite players (all of them, but especially bob), and they all gave her chocolates and candies in return.

"hey del," matthew knelt next to her, a little surprised to see that she was still upset. usually, she got over things quickly.

"hi daddy," she responded, continuing her drawing.

"why don't you come with me to the locker room, huh? i got a surprise for you," he held out his hand.

delilah looked at him, but they both knew she'd never say no to matthew's outstretched hand.

"okay," she took his hand, allowing him to lead her to the locker room.

on the way there, matthew realized he never did anything special for her. there were no chocolates or candies or drawings in his locker waiting for her. just one simple thing, something he didn't even have to pay for.

but then delilah squeezed his hand as she followed him, and all of his nervousness flew away. this was his del, his little pickle: she'd be happy with a can of worms. this was better than that, at least.

as soon as her eyes landed on matthew's stall, she gasped. she couldn't read perfectly yet, but she'd seen that name on bob's jersey tens of times.

"is that a bobby jersey? for me?" she looked up at her dad.

"for you," matthew agreed. "you wanted one, so i got you one."

delilah tilted her head at him, unfamiliar with the idea of getting anything she ever wanted. even though matthew tried to spoil her, there wasn't much she wanted. and before matthew, there was no one giving her what she wanted. so it was still a little new to her.

but then she smiled, her toothy little grin that made matthew's heart melt every time, and she gave him the biggest hug she could. "thank you, daddy! you're the best!"

"even better than bobby?" he joked.

"hmmm, i don't know, but you're better than uncle brady," she decided.

matthew laughed, "alright, i'll take it. now, arms up, let's get your bobby jersey on."

[smolmakerel]

Sam turned over on the couch, burying her face into the throw pillow beneath her head. She could faintly hear Danny speaking to her from the kitchen as he stumbled and hissed.

"Don't hurt yourself," Tara called out.

Danny didn't answer.

Sam was pissed, but any energy she had to put into being pissed off evaporated. Her exhaustion weighed on her shoulders like thousands of bricks.

Sam shook her head and sat up. Her arm cast shot out to catch herself when she wobbled and threatened to fall off the couch.

Tara watched her struggle with sad eyes. "Sam, you're not getting better."

"I don't need to get better," Sam whispered to her sister. "I have to take care of you. Don't you understand that?"

"By killing yourself in the process?" Tara stood up in anger. Her hands grasped at the air in frustration, face twisting. "You can't help me, Sam. Help yourself for once. Please."

Sam looked away with the clenching of her jaw showing her frustration.

"Help me help you. I love you! Te amo mucho, Sam, but you stopped going to therapy -"

"They never help," Sam weakly said.

"- and you're wallowing in guilt. It was an accident and there's nothing you can do about it now," Tara said. Her eyes closed, shoulders relaxed, and she sighed. "You promised me you'd keep going."

"B-But I can't - I'll stop -!"

"Sam?"

Sam frantically stood up and ushered for Tara to return to her room. Danny watched the movement with sadness and didn't react to the slamming of Tara's door. He never reacted, not anymore. It was like Tara wasn't one of his priorities like she used to be.

He walked over and sat down on the couch, placing a fresh plate of eggs and toast on the coffee table.

"Sam... you should sit down," Danny told her and she hesitantly sat, hugging the throw pillow to her chest. "I know things haven't been the same since what happened, but you know I'm always here for you."

Sam huffed. "You don't have to be. You could leave, get out while you still can."

"And leave you all alone? Sometimes I think you want me to leave." Danny smiled without humor. When he noticed the blankness of Sam's face, he furrowed his eyebrows. "Have you been going to therapy?"

Shame lit a torch to Sam's face. Leave it to Tara to accidentally tell Danny about Sam's terrible adventures in therapy. And here she thought the two would never speak again.

She studied his face and saw nothing but concern for her. Her eyes drifted up to his hairline where the cut on his forehead was just beginning to heal. The stitches would dissolve soon. Her eyes drifted to the left where she was blinded.

Sam quickly snapped her vision back front and shuddered a sigh. Her thigh was gently grabbed for her own reassurance.

"No use for therapy," Sam spat. "I don't need licensed professionals telling me how I fucked up."

"Sam -"

"Can you just - Please leave."

"Sam, please, this isn't what -"

"Thanks for breakfast," Sam droned on, losing the spark of energy she once had, "but I want to be alone."

Danny nodded. He stood and left a thoughtful kiss to the top of Sam's head before leaving. The front door closed, and Sam slumped.

She stared down at the cast on her arm, tracing the words and the drawings of multiple cartoonish penises.

"You had to push him away, didn't you?"

Sam put her face in her hand. "You know I had to. He -"

"- was being too nice, but he's pushy sometimes about your health. I know, Sam, I know better than you think I do."

Sam twitched.

"Sam, come on! I know better than you think I do! Just once without a Ghostface threat, please!"

"Fine fine! Let me -"

"Sam!"

"Don't tell me that. Don't you dare tell me that!" Sam yelled at Tara. The guilt immediately hit her in the chest, but Tara didn't appear fazed at all. She didn't react anymore. Both her and Danny have been acting weird.

"Go to therapy. You promised me that you'd keep going."

"That was before -"

"I know," Tara interrupted her again, voice soft. "I know."

Sam nodded and looked down. "I'll go. For you." Her stiff words did little to change Tara's facial expression. "I still have Wren's number, so I don't have to search for another therapist."

Tara nodded. "Good."

"And please change your clothes, you've been in that same outfit for days now," Sam teased her.

Tara only quirked her lip and began to go back to her room. Panic sparked in Sam's chest.

"Wait!" Tara stopped. She didn't turn around. "Can - Give me a hug first?"

Tara glanced back at Sam and smiled. Her eyes showed nothing. "Good night, Sam."

Sam breathed shakily as she plopped down so she was laying on the couch. She wiped at her wet eyes. It seemed like she wasn't ready to quit crying yet.

■■■■■

"Sam! Long time no see! Come in, come in!"

Sam shuffled into her therapist's office. She wished she could've taken Tara with her for support, but Tara never wanted to leave the apartment anymore.

"Sorry I haven't been by in a couple weeks," Sam apologized with a smile. It was crooked and awkward, but Wren wasn't disturbed by it. "Life, you know?"

Wren nodded. "I understand. Would you like to sit by the window today?"

Sam looked nervously at the window. The bright sun was shining through, but all Sam could see was -

"Sam, come on, open your eyes!"

She flinched.

Wren didn't comment when Sam took them to the seating away from the window. Usually Sam enjoyed the fresh rays of light warming her up, but now all it brought was dread.

"So," Wren started with a smile, "how's life been treating you?"

Sam shrugged. "I mean, it's been hard. I hit my head, broke my arm. You would've thought I was invincible with how many Ghostfaces I've dealt with."

"Five now, isn't it?"

"Yeah." Sam shifted in her seat. "Tara shouldn't have had to deal with either of them. I'll make sure she won't have to even hear about the next one."

"What makes you so sure there'll be a next Ghostface?" Wren asked to which Sam snorted.

"They always come back. I'm kind of used to it already."

Wren scribbled something down on his notepad while Sam drummed on her fingers on her leg. Words burned in her throat. This was for Tara. She had to do this for -

"I was in an accident a few weeks ago."

Wren looked up, surprise coloring his face. It was one of the first times Sam brought something up that didn't have anything to do with Woodsboro, Ghostface, or Tara.

"I um, I was driving us back to the apartment and we just. You know how accidents work."

"And did everyone get out okay?"

"Yeah. We're all fine." Sam picked at her cast.

We're all fine.

■■■■■

"Sam - Sam, stop, you're drunk."

Sam shook her head at Danny's words. She pushed him back to lay on his mattress and climbed on top of him.

"'M not drunk, jus' a lil tipsy," Sam slurred.

Danny sighed. "Sam -"

"Danny..." She grabbed his hand and dragged it to the hem of her shirt. His breath hitched at the way she easily guided his hand up to her bra. "You make me feel so good, I jus' wanna be happy."

"Sam, I want you too." He pulled his hand away and sat up, dragging Sam further onto his lap. "I want you so much, but you're drunk and I won't do that to you."

Sam's face twisted in anger. Her flushed cheeks became hotter from the embarrassing dismissal of her failed seduction attempt.

"But Wren told me - he told me to find a way to be happy! Sex makes me happy!" Sam's bottom lip wobbled. Her emotions switched from anger to immense sadness. "Do you not love me anymore, is that why you won't fuck me?"

Danny pressed a chaste kiss to her neck and hugged her. "I do love you, princess."

"Then why won't you make me happy..?"

"This isn't something sex can fix. You're hurting and looking for a way to fix it, but, Sam," Danny said, pulling back to stare into Sam's glossy eyes, "I promise this isn't the way to do it."

Sam began to cry. Loud and trembling sobs fell from her as Danny swept her up and wiped her tears away as best he could. She was apologizing, begging to be forgiven. She wasn't a monster, she wouldn't force Danny to have sex with her. Danny shushed her, he forgave her. He was the good one between the two of them. Sam didn't know why Danny was still there when all she did was destroy everything she loved.

"Te amo mucho... I'm sorry... I love you..."

"I love you, too. I forgive you, it's okay."

Sam wasn't talking to Danny.

■■■■■

Sam anxiously stared at Tara's closed door. It wasn't opening, Tara wasn't going to come out for game night. She even invited Kirby so the two of them could team up and pick on Gale who she also invited.

"Okay... Okay! 4 words!"

Sam drew her attention to Chad and Mindy who were continuing the game with the others. Mindy was holding up 4 fingers and shaking her head at Chad's words. She waved her hand and enunciated the 4.

Chad snapped his fingers. "Oh! Oh, I know!"

Mindy groaned.

"4 words!"

Gale gave Chad a look of disappointment. "Kids these days are unbelievably stupid."

Mindy nodded to Chad's dismay.

Danny noticed Sam's attention being drawn back to Tara's door. He leaned over and squeezed her knee. "You gonna join us?" Danny whispered in her ear.

"In a minute," she muttered. "Tara hasn't even come out to say hi."

"... Maybe she's tired. We should let her rest."

He was right - Sam knew he was right - but it was her protective instincts kicking into overdrive. Maybe she should just go check on her.

As she stood up, Mindy groaned. "Seriously, we only got one in a minute?!"

"It's not my fault you suck at the game, Minds."

"Chad, I swear I'll kick you from being my partner!"

"And replace me with who? Kirby?"

"Sorry, you two," Kirby said, relaxing into her arm chair with a smirk, "I'm already taken."

"You can have her." Gale eyed Kirby up and down with distaste. Kirby looked offended.

"Sam, maybe we should go next," Danny suggested as he stood up next to Sam. Sam worriedly eyed the door again, but Danny grabbed her uninjured hand and gave her a mischievous grin. "We can take the win easily. What do you say?"

Sam licked her lips. "I don't know how Tara would feel if we played without her."

Danny's grin shrunk to a soft lift of the corner of his mouth. "I won't tell her if you don't."

Sam's eyes slid to the door. She could sense Danny's concern for her, but all she could think about was how alone Tara must be. She could knock on the door and invite her, then she could linger in the room if Tara said no. Tara always laughed whenever Sam dramatically flopped next to her to cheer her up for game night.

But maybe she wanted to be alone. For now.

■■■■■

"Where have you been?!" Sam screamed at Tara when she finally appeared from her room for the first time in a week. She couldn't be guilty for screaming because she cared. "You haven't called, you haven't texted! What if you needed me and I wasn't there?!"

Tara watched Sam pace in front of her. She was still in that same outfit despite Sam asking her to change. Her eyes were still blank, and they made Sam slightly uncomfortable with how closely they followed her.

"You know I don't need you anymore," Tara claimed. "And you know it, too. Why do you keep doing this to yourself, Sam?"

Sam squeezed her eyes shut.

"I don't need you. You need me."

"Stop it. Tara, please -"

"It wasn't your fault. I know what you've been telling your therapist and even Danny - about what happened being because of what you did - but you need to stop. It's time."

Sam squeezed her hands into fists. Her fingers bunched awkwardly on her cast.

"I-I can't - stop -"

"You need to move on. You can't help me anymore."

"Tara..!"

"You want proof? I know where it is. You told nobody else where it was - nobody - but I want you to look under your bed."

Fear rose in Sam's chest. She knew what was under there. She tried to deny it.

"I-I can't! Tara, please, don't do this! Let me have this a little longer, please!"

Nothing.

"Tara?"

Nothing.

"T-Tara..?"

Nothing.

■■■■■

Sam and Danny stared down at the box in silence. Sam's throat was thick, and her eyes were dead.

"Are you sure you're ready to do this?" Danny asked hesitantly.

Sam nodded. She didn't trust herself to speak.

Nodding to himself, Danny slowly reached into the box and pulled out the carefully tended to urn. He unwrapped it and gave it to Sam.

Sam stared at the urn in her hands. It was light. Sam knew it would be.

"I'm still not ready to say goodbye yet," Sam choked out.

Danny squatted down by the couch. He searched for the right words to say. "It doesn't have to be goodbye. It can be... see you later."

Sam passed her thumb over her favorite picture of Tara. It was one she took with her when she ran off after her 18th birthday. Tara was 10 in this picture and wearing Sam's old clothes. She was smiling, big and wide, and posing for the flash of the camera. She remembered this birthday as clear as day.

Tara had begged Sam to take her somewhere fun for her birthday - a happy birthday for once. Despite her angst, Sam couldn't say no. They had ice cream and went to the zoo. Tara bragged about how she wanted to go to a bigger zoo when she was older and work with the animals. She had a soft spot for snakes for whatever reason. Sam laughed it off and took her home so Sam could get high and spend the rest of Tara's birthday in bed.

She was ashamed that she did that for the last few birthdays Tara had.

"She was so young." Sam's throat was burning with held back emotion. The urn shook in her hands. "She didn't deserve that. I should've been more careful."

Danny shushed her. "Wasn't your fault, remember? That guy was drunk."

Sam growled as she remembered stumbling from the car. Danny had received the least injuries, only a small concussion and some bruising. He went to Tara first before immediately going to Sam to pull her away from the upside-down car.

Sam had a broken arm and a concussion. She was still healing in a cast, and her headache sometimes comes back in her grief. She had to lay down on the dirty New York street in shock as many different responders got the her.

Tara...

Sam never actually saw what happened to Tara, but Danny said it was bad. She didn't suffer, that's what the doctors told her.

Sam stood. She walked around the coffee table and to the TV stand. She placed down the urn and turned it, deeming it the perfect spot.

Danny came up behind her and hugged her. All Sam could think of was Tara doing that with her.

But Tara was gone now.

Sam broke down and allowed herself to be put back together by Danny. Some of the pieces were missing, some she'd never get back, but she could find a way to fill the space.

That's what Tara would want.

[prismatica-the-strange]

If It Hurts You Bad, Put It On My Tab, I Can Pay It Back Ten Fold | Death By Anyone's Hand but His Would Never Taste as Sweet

Warnings: 18+, fluff, angst, jealousy, hurt/comfort, no smut but hints of a sexual relationship, slightly inappropriate use of the force

Another one that took on a life of its own. I reference lore I haven't talked about yet ie. Jeintians have purple blood because I said so

Word count: 4.4k

Only Place I Call Home by Every Avenue | Dividers by @saradika-graphics

Freida groans when Anakin rolls on top of her, away from the sun beaming in through the skylights.

"I should get going soon," He mumbles, burying his nose in her hair, "They'll be expecting me back soon."

"No," She argues, her arms wrapping around him.

"Precious," He chuckles when she nuzzles closer, her claws sinking into his back just enough to sting, "Freida, I..."

He pulls back just enough, or he tries to anyway, to look down at her, but she surges up to press her lips to his throat.

"I love you too," He sighs, "But sweetheart-... Frei..."

The whine she gives him when he pulls her arms away breaks his heart, "Don't want you to go..."

He swallows hard and pulls her close again, muttering against her hair, "I know."

He doesn't want to leave either, he'd gladly spend the rest of his life wrapped in her arms.

It's an hour later that he finds himself pulling on his cloak and she stops him by gripping his arm.

"Freida-"

"I know," She rises to her toes to kiss him. Her fingers running through his curls as she pulls away, "Come back safe to me."

"I always do," He assures her with a small smile.

She nods but the quiver of her lip gives her away, "I love you, Ani."

"I love you more, Precious," He says teasingly, trying to keep her from crying, "Sweetheart, it's okay, please don't- How... How can I make it better?"

She just shakes her head as he wipes away her tears.

"I'll be back as soon as I can, I promise," He insists, cupping her face, "Come now... I knew you had a crush on me, but I didn't know you were obsessed. "

She laughs through her tears and pulls him into another kiss.

Cria seems flustered when he comes strutting in like he owns the place four months later.

He greets her with as warm a smile as he can muster, "Is Freida around?"

The recent sieges have been taxing on him both physically and emotionally and he wants nothing more than to fall asleep in her arms.

"N-no. Her eminence has been off-planet for nearly a month and just extended her trip for another week," She explains, thinking her last-minute detour to Coruscant was to see the Jedi here now.

The whole situation sours his mood. He'd carefully planned his visit to Jein'ta to see her without drawing unwanted attention from the council, and she didn't even have the common courtesy of being there.

By the time he gets back to Coruscant, he just wants to collapse in his quarters, but something inexplicably pulls him to the Senate building. The whole place is swarming with politicians as a soiree goes on around him.

He doesn't know what he's doing here but just as he resigns himself to leave a familiar laugh pulls the very breath from his lungs. He whirls around, his eyes following the sound to the balcony on the far side of the hall. There she stands, beside Padme, giggling shyly at another senator.

His feet move before his brain can even register what he's doing.

As he crests the top of the steps she glances in his direction, her body freezing when their eyes lock.

Normally, he'd be delighted by the easy, loving smile that lights up her face, but he's too distracted by man across from her blatantly vying for her affection.

The displeased scowl doesn't leave him as he approaches. He holds his hands behind his back, his fingers flexing as he keeps himself from using the force to pull her to his side.

"Senators, your eminence," He greets coldly with a small bow.

She tries to hide her disappointment at his lack of enthusiasm, reminding herself they can't let anyone know about them.

"Ani," Padme grins at him, "I haven't seen you is ages, please, join us."

He agrees and Freida immediately feels as though she's drowning with him in reach but unable to hold him.

He suddenly inhales when he feels the force wrap around him like a warm, weighted blanket, tendrils of her love twisting between his ribs and around his heart. For a moment he forgets his annoyance, his weariness taking it's place until-

"Any man would be beyond lucky to have someone as sweet and beautiful as you by his side. How has no one snatched you up yet?"

Anakin's jaw clenches at the question as the senator takes her hand in his.

Her discomfort is palpable when she pulls away from him with a nervous chuckle, "I have more important things to worry about for now."

The soothing pressure around him dissipates as her anxiety rises and he decides to step in.

"If you'll excuse us for a moment," He interjects, taking Freida's elbow in his hand as gently as he can muster, "The Priestess and I have important matters to discuss."

He doesn't wait for an answer, trying to be gentle when he drags her away.

"You're hurting me," She says once they've wandered into an empty office, far away from the party and he instantly lets go with a muttered apology before leaning down to capture her lips with his.

"I went to see you," He murmurs into the kiss, "Why weren't you there?"

She snorts at the question, thinking it was a joke, but he pulls away with a serious expression.

"Anakin," She sighs, her fingers brushing through is curls, "Ever since I was voted to represtent Jein'ta in the senate, I've been pulled in a million directions at once. I was meeting with Senator Amidala on Naboo, she's been helping me understand some of the political goings ons and she asked me to accompany her here tonight. You don't honestly expect me to wait around every day for you to hopefully show up."

"I expect you to stay where I know you're safe," He argues. His rational mind knows she's right, it's completely outrageous to think she'd spend every moment waiting for him, but he's too tired to listen to reason, "The last thing I want is to have to worry about your safety while I fight on the front lines."

"I was with Senator Amidala, I was perfectly safe. I thought you two were friends?"

"We are! I just... Do you have any idea how much trouble she gets into?" He snaps, his worlds are colliding in ways he can't control, "It's just nice to have a warm bed to fall into after fighting for so long."

She knows he doesn't mean it as it sounds, but the implication stings.

"Is that all I am to you?" She frowns, "Something to warm your bed while you're away? Something to fuck when you're pent up?"

Of course not. She's his everything. That's what he wants to say, but his exhaustion and anger permeate the air as he leans down in her face and spits out, "And you're doing a pretty shit job at it by being here."

He regrets his words as soon as they leave his mouth, the hurt in her eyes overwhelming him.

"I-" The words catch in his throat when her glassy eyes fall and she steps back.

"If that's how you feel about it..." Her voice is barely audible, but then her face hardens and her gaze snaps back to him.

"I only accepted Padme's invitation tonight in hopes of seeing you," She seethes, "But if that's all this relationship was to you, then I'm done."

"Wait," He catches her arm as she turns to leave and she wheels back around at him.

"I'm not some distressed princess that can waste her life away pining for a man that clearly doesn't care about her the way she does he, to come and rescue her!" She berates him, "I'm just sorry I lost the time I did waiting on you."

Clearly doesn't care for her? After all he's risked for her? All he's been willing to lose for her.

"You're just a self important brat who thinks she's better than everyone else!" He accuses, "And it's been my absolute displeasure to serve you, Your Eminence."

He bows sarcastically before storming out of the office, brushing off Padme's concern as he exits the building, leaving Freida by herself.

Now alone, Freida covers her mouth with her hand to muffle the sob clawing its way from her throat as she sinks to the floor.

It's been nearly two months and both Obi-wan and Ahsoka have noticed a change in him. He's more reckless, more aggressive, and less like the man they both care about.

It didn't take long for his regret to turn to rage and he takes it out on bounty hunters and battle droids.

The worst part is that it isn't helping. Even as he disbatches the last droid of this battalion with his lightsaber all he wants to do is break down in his love's arms.

He's felt as though he couldn't breathe from the moment they parted ways and he doesn't know how to remedy it.

He deflects another blaster shot before turning toward the next battalion, fire burning in his eyes that scares even the droids attacking him.

He's torn through a large swath of droids when a wave of despair crashes over him, emotions stronger than his own flood his veins, and panic freezes him in place. Freida.

"Skyguy!"

He snaps back to the moment when shot grazes his arm and Ahsoka deflects three more from filling him with holes. They work together to quickly finish off the last of their attackers, but as soon as he beheads the last droid he disengages his lightsaber and starts for his ship.

"Where are you going?" Obi-wan asks as the younger padawan hurries to catch up.

"Something's wrong," He answers shortly, "I need to go to Jein'ta, I'll be back soon."

"Jein'ta?" The Jedi master puzzles, "But- Anakin! That's on the other side of the galaxy!"

They've barely touched down when he jumps out of the cockpit and starts for her townhouse, calling over his shoulder for R2 to wait with the ship.

He barges inside, double doors slamming open in front of him, startling her as she fixes a flower arrangement in the main foyer.

"Anakin?"

He takes hold of her elbows, pulling her in as he looks her over for wounds.

"What happened? Are you hurt?" He asks, worry prominent in his voice, "I felt you from the other end of the galaxy."

She stares up at him with wide eyes and he cups her cheek, "You've been crying, what's wrong?"

"I-..." She flounders for a moment, her lips trembling before she collapses against his chest, her body shuddering against his grit-covered armor.

He doesn't hesitate to wrap his arms around her and pull her close, "I'm here now, it's okay."

She's spent every moment since they parted trying to act as though she didn't miss him or that every second they were apart wasn't killing her. She was exhausted, she needed him more than she could admit.

"I'm sorry," She sobs and the pain in his chest grows.

"Don't apologize," He begs, "You have nothing to be sorry for, Precious. I was the one at fault."

His rough hand buries itself in her hair as he kisses the top of her head and continues, "I was upset and I took it out on you. I hurt you..."

"Freida-"/"Anakin-"

She pulls away just enough to look up at him, her eyes still wet with tears.

"I never meant to," He says quietly, "It's been destroying me inside knowing I did. I love you."

"I love you," he takes her face in his hands and kisses her forehead, "I love you," Her cheek, "I love you," Her other cheek, "I love you."

Finally, his lips land on hers, kissing her desperately. Her hands grasp his wrists, trying to hold him there when he moves to pull away.

"I missed you," She whispers meekly.

He pulls her back against his dirty chest plate, forgetting that he's even wearing it as he holds her tightly, "I missed you too."

"You smell like oil and sweat," She comments after a bit, once she's calmed down.

"I came straight from the front lines," He admits, "I thought you were hurt."

His body starts to ache as though saying it out loud reminded his bones just how tired he was.

"But you're safe... Right?"

Her arms tighten around his waist and she mumbles against his chest, "I am now."

With a heavy sigh she pulls away from him, taking his hand in hers.

"You look exhausted," He melts into her touch when her fingers graze his forehead to sweep his hair from his face, "Come with me, we'll get you something hot to eat."

He's about to trail after her like a dog when Obi-wan, Ahsoka, and a squadron of clone troupers come running in looking about as worried as he had been.

"Anakin, what happened? Where's the danger?" Obi-wan asks, lightsaber brandished.

The younger Jedi pulls his hands away, his face tinting pink, "There wasn't any."

He still doesn't know what triggered her sudden despair, as much as he would like to think it was her yearning for him, he knows something else must have happened.

"This is my fault," Freida steps in, "More of a... misunderstanding, actually."

The group relaxes and looks at her to continue. She swallows hard, her eyes flickering to Anakin nervously.

"It's been three years since my mother died," She starts, squeezing her fingers anxiously, "But this is the first year I've been home since it happened and I-..."

Anakin takes an instinctive step closer when her voice breaks.

"I didn't take being at her memorial well," Her admission breaks his heart, "I must have let my grief overtake my connection to the force and..."

"We're friends," He adds, tilting his head to look at her face, "After our time together we must have a strong connection through the force. I misread the situation."

"Well then," Obi-wan nods after a moment, not entirely buying their story, "I apologize for our intrusion, your eminence."

"No, please," She stops him when he motions for the group to leave, freezing slightly when he turns back to her, "I... You've come such a long way, I would be remiss if I didn't offer you a hot meal and place to stay for the night."

"Sir, the dreadnought does need repairs after that last attack, it might not make it back to Coruscant now," One of the clones mutters to Kenobi.

"In that case, I suppose it's best we take you up on that offer."

Cria on the otherhand isn't especially pleased by the soldiers tracking dirt, mud, and motor oil all over the clean floors.

Dinner is... tense, to say the least.

Anakin and Freida are desperately trying not to act odd in any way that may alert to the rest of the group that they have a long-standing relationship.

But that doesn't stop him from hooking his ankle with hers under the table, an action that makes her cheeks turn a faint purple.

Every touch between them sparks like lightning and this one is no different.

She tries to play it cool and continue any small talk, but she has a hard time seeing them all in Jeintian garb like this.

Cria had insisted they not wear their armor in the house because they were making such a mess, so now the lot of them, save for Ahsoka who wore one of Frei's old dresses, were wearing simple green and blue tunics and pants, which really was a sight. It was strange to see them in something so different.

Anakin especially. She's not sure what Cria was thinking when she handed him those clothes because they were nicer than the rest.

Something her father left behind from his younger days, she's sure. A deep green, well-fitted shirt with a high collar secured around his neck and diamond-shaped cutout along his chest and upper stomach. It's sleeveless and the hems are decorated with silver embroidery.

"Maybe the housekeeper likes me more," he'd scoffed when the the others remarked at the fancier clothes.

He's caught Freida staring at him across the table more than once and it does little other than stroke his ego.

"... isn't that right, Anakin?" Obi-wan's voice pulls his attention back to the conversation. He's so distracted by her hungry gaze and low-cut gown he doesn't know what he's being asked.

"Master Obi-Wan?"

"I was just telling our host about our latest skirmish on Felucia, were you not paying attention?" The teasing lilt to his voice makes the younger man grimace.

The rest of the evening is spent this way, with his companions poking light-hearted fun at him whenever he gets distracted.

He sighs in relief when the meal ends and they can retire to their assigned rooms, knowing it won't be hard for him to sneak out to see her.

They're spread across three rooms, the jedi in one and the clones split between two others.

"I forgot Jeintians forwent more classic beds," Obi-wan sighs at the large arrangements of cushions, one of which Anakin ungracefully collapses into.

He seems far more at home here than the rest of their party. Obi-wan knows he's been here a few more times than himself, but the ease at which he walks around, as though it were his own house, concerns him.

His body is screaming for sleep, but once the sun goes down and the others seem to be asleep, Anakin quietly makes his way back into the hallway.

He effortlessly makes his way to her door, knocking softly and waiting for her to open it.

When she does, she looks up at him half-asleep, and he melts at how adorable she looks.

"I didn't mean to wake you," He whispers, his fingers brushing through her hair.

"You didn't," She mumbles, "'m wide awake."

"I can see that," He chuckles when she yawns, "C'mon, let's get you to bed."

He gently ushers her back inside before anyone can see them, shushing her little protesting whines.

"Don't fight me here, Precious," He warns lightly, "I wanna hold you for a while."

That gets her attention and she pulls him down with her into her nest of pillows.

He hums contentedly into her mouth, moving to kneel above her, "Missed these lips."

He hisses when she grabs at his shoulders and slides her hands down his arms, grazing the burn from his earlier fight.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," He insists, kissing down her jaw.

"Anakin," She huffs, sitting up beneath him.

"It's just a scrape, princess," He assures her, "I'm alright."

"Show me."

He does, sighing she she pouts and gets to her feet.

"Seriously Frei, I'm fine."

She ignores him as she sits in front of him with a small kit. She lets him pull her against his chest and leave a trail of kisses down her neck as she digs through it.

He whines when she pulls away again, but let's her take his injured arm.

His blue eyes stare intensely at her face while she patches him up.

Her fingers are soft as she wraps a bandage around his bicep, tying it off before pressing a soft kiss to it, making him shudder.

"All better," She smiles, and he doesn't know how, but he falls even more in love with her.

His hands tangle in her hair and he pulls her back against his lips, "How did I ever get so lucky?"

He tries not to laugh when he feels a familiar rumble pick up in her chest. Even now, he hasn't quite gotten used to the purring.

He moves her first-aid kit to the side with the force so he can lay them both down as she nuzzles against his neck.

Despite the warmth of her embrace, his mind wanders the look of her tears and pained expression back in the Senate building and he holds her tighter, "Are you sure you're okay?"

"We both said things we didn't mean," She says, "At least... I know I didn't-"

"Of course I didn't," He frowns, "I was just... I was tired and in a bad mood. I should've known better than to take it out on you like that, you're my everything."

He feels her smile against his throat before pulling away slightly.

"This suits you," She grins, fingers toying with the window on the chest of his tunic.

"Do I look as devastatingly handsome as I usually do?" He teases.

"Even more so," She hums, leaning down to kiss him again.

Warm sunlight shines through the windows and her heart sinks when she finds herself alone.

He must have left not long after she fell asleep, knowing they couldn't be caught together like that.

She stretches out in the midmorning sun, her claws digging into a cushion as she does.

She takes her time waking up before strolling out to the kitchen in one of her more casual outfits, thinking their guests would have left hours ago.

"Well, that just isn't fair," The sudden voice makes her jump and knock her mug off the counter, "Careful!"

He catches it with the force, setting it back on the countertop as he steps closer.

"I thought you'd left," She gasps.

"Is that all I get?" He chuckles, "No 'how did you sleep?' No good morning kiss?"

"Oh, how rude of me," She grins, leaning up with her hand on his chest to press a soft kiss to his lips, "How did you sleep, Ani?"

"Terribly," He mumbles into another kiss, "Kept reaching out to hold you but you weren't there."

She hums, nuzzling against his chest.

"My pretty girl isn't awake yet, is she?" He coos.

"Haven't had my tea," She mutters.

"We can't have that now, can we?" He tuts, stepping away.

She watches with soft eyes as he starts her morning ritual for her, "You don't have to-"

"I don't mind."

She pushes herself up on the counter and crosses her legs, "What did you mean when you said this wasn't fair?"

"What was that, princess?" He asks, glancing over at her.

"When you walked in."

"Oh, that... I mean, just look at you," He shrugs, "We're supposed to keep this thing a secret, but when I see you look like that, how am I supposed to keep my hands off you?"

"Cause you're so easy to stay away from in that shiny uniform?"

He chuckles and parts her legs with the force, stepping between them as he hands her back her cup. His fingers graze her exposed midriff and pride ride swells in his chest when her cheeks darken, "Lovely little thing."

"Stop," She whines, trying to hide her blush from him, but he's not having it.

He hooks two fingers under her chin and turns her face back toward him, "Please don't hide from me."

They're just inches apart, his breath fanning over her face, intoxicating her as he presses his forehead to hers.

She sets aside her hot drink and grabs the back of his neck, tugging him into a hard kiss.

"Do you even know what you do to me?" He groans against her lips when she doesn't let up, "Fuck."

"Sweetheart... gotta be careful," He huffs breathlessly, pulling back as far as she'll let him, "You're gonna get us caught."

"Says the one pinning me to the counter."

"I can do more than just pin you to it," He challenges, about to nip at her lower lip when the sound of footsteps comes close to the kitchen. He quickly pulls away, leaving her sat there flustered as Ahsoka walks in.

"Am I... interrupting something?" She asks, freezing awkwardly in the doorway at the sight of Freida's deep purple cheeks.

"Nope," She squeaks, quickly lifting her mug to her face to hide her blush.

Well that wasn't convincing, the padawan thinks before glancing at her master, and neither is that.

He's glaring at their host like a predator staring down its next kill, his chest and shoulders heaving with heavy breaths, like he wants to devour her whole.

"Okay... Well, I'm just gonna take this and... go..." She says, grabbing a fruit from a basket on the island and backing out again.

"I think we may need to work on being less suspicious around other people," Frei mutters into her drink.

"Hey, it's hard to act though I'm not desperately in love with you when you're so close," He admits with a playful smirk. He closes the distance again, their noses bumping, "You've bewitched me, body and soul. Everything I am is yours and I don't care if people know it."

"But I do," She argues and his eyebrows furrow in confusion, "Anakin, you love being a Jedi... I would never ask you to give that up for me."

His face softens at her explanation and he surges forward to kiss her again, careful not to spill her still-steaming tea.

"I promise, someday I'll come back for you and never leave again," He vows, "And we won't have to sneak around like this love we have is wrong."

Anakin wakes with a start when the woman beside him bolts upright, crying his name. Her hand hit his chest, scratching his skin as she feels it's really him.

"I'm here," He says, sitting up next to her and wrapping his arms around her waist, "You're okay, I'm here."

His voice is soft and reassuring as he holds her.

It's been less than a year since he'd been expelled from the Jedi after falling under Darth Sidious' thrall, and only a few months since the Sith lord's trial had ended.

This was still new to both of them, him being within reach every moment of the day, and openly being them.

"I'm right here, Precious," He mutters into her hair. His flesh hand rubs soothing circles on the small of her back while his mechno arm holds her tight to his chest. They both get force-terrors of that night at the Jedi Temple, of the things he did and can never take back.

Freida clings to him as she tries to catch her breath. He's real. He's safe. He's yours.

That thought alone is enough to calm her. He's yours. She holds him tighter and he lets her, kissing the crown of her head.

The force wraps around them like a comforting hug, both isolating them from the world and connecting them to everything in existence.

"It's over," The ghost of a promise whispered in the night, "We made it."

[thebawdybaldurian]

Kinktober Day One: Facesitting

I’m too out of practice and slow at drawing to even get one artwork done in a month, combined with all the writing ideas I have in my brain, so I am using some art prompts to do story snippets. I'll be switching between my Dragon Age and Baldur's Gate fic characters and maybe adding some new ones depending on the prompts. Starting with this prompt list and may switch between a few.

This will be part of the next chapter of Texts from Baldur's Gate, my non-magical human, modern AU. I just posted the newest chapter that leads up to this scene!

Content and Warnings: face sitting, semi-public sex, role play.

Pairing: Femme OC x Halsin

There were already a few other cars parked at the Rivington Overlook this early in the evening. Addy and Halsin were most definitely the oldest couple using the revered make out spot and were trying to be the most inconspicuous as well. Halsin rode in the backseat so he didn’t need to get out and the windows were tinted to the maximum legal limit. Addy pulled the powerful, new muscle car into the furthest spot away from everyone else and turned off the engine. “You might’ve rented something less noticeable,” Halsin grinned, watching a few windows roll down to gawk at the car.

“I was a little pressed for options, Mr. Silverbough…I needed to find a sexy car that was also big enough in the back for you to fit,” she grinned, pulling off her seat belt and turning to face him. “This little role play scenario would end awfully fast if you got wedged back there and had to be cut out.”

“Why don’t you get back here and see how tight of a fit it is then, Clataedre?” He growled, leaning forward to kiss her.

She kissed him back hungry, letting him assist her in climbing between the seats and onto his lap. He reached up her short skirt and gripped her ass tightly as their tongues met and swirled loudly against one another. The heat of their breath and the cooling late summer air made the windows steam up quickly. Halsin was already at half staff, eagerly anticipating what was to come. “Let me see,” he lifted up the front of her skirt, looking at the rapidly spreading wet spot on her innocent white panties. “It looks like you are all ready for that ride I promised you,” he licked his lips, reaching his fingers under the sides of her panties and ripping them off. She let out a quiet whimper, grinning widely at his strength.

“You’re lucky those were cheap,” she bit her lip, feeling a deep ooze of honey slipping down her canal to greet him.

He lifted up her hips so she was crouched on the seat with her back pressed against the roof of the car. He took a hungry lick of her cunt before lying down across the back seat. It was cramped, with Halsin’s knees pushed nearly back against his chest, but it gave Addy a sturdy spot to lean against as she turned and sat down on his face. “Oh gods!” She cried out as his tongue went straight to work, snaking directly between her labia to lick up a mouthful of arousal.

“Ohhh Addy, you’re so wet!” His moan muffled between her cheeks, pressing his nose against her asshole.

“Your tongue better work fast, Daddy, before I get this whole backseat soaked and I have to pay to have it cleaned,” she grinned, bracing herself against his knees and reaching a hand down to rub his cock through his jeans.

He gratefully complied, sucking her engorged lips and licking every inch of her blushing vulva as she rocked gently against him. He teased her clit with his fingers, just enough to make her dribble into his mouth and beg for more pressure. “Mr. Silverbough,” she whined, her legs trembling with need. “Just a little more…I need to come…then I need you to fuck me hard!”

“Ask nicely, Clataedre,” he growled, gently nipping one of her labia and pulling it with his teeth.

“Ahhhhh Daddy….Please…pretty please…with extra honey dripping down,” she moaned, beginning to undo his jeans.

“That’s a good girl,” he groaned, her fingers instantly gripping his cock as soon as it was within reach.

“Oh, you’re awfully wet too,” she cooed, thumbing across his pre-cum and bending over to lick it off.

“Get back down here,” he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her firmly back against his face.

“Oh!” She gasped, the suction of his mouth making her toes curl in her shoes. “Fuck!”

He took long, hot breaths as he sucked every drop of arousal from her cunt, rubbing his fist against her clit as she rocked faster. “Gods! Fuck! Don’t stop! Uhnnnnn…I hope this…gahhhh…car is soundproof!” She punctuated the last word with an echoing moan, her entire body vibrating as she achieved climax. She collapsed against his knees, squeezing his head tightly with her thighs as she caught her breath.

[the-bar-sinister]

Fire in the Belly, Spirits on the Tongue (39404 words) by VickytheSnake, thesavagesabretooth Chapters: 9/?

Summary: Sabo promised that he wouldn't leave the Revolutionary army, but what will become of the three of them now that Ace is awake and alive in his heart, and more importantly, his body?

catch up here

-

I blew it! I totally made her uncomfortable! I don't know why the hell I did that! 

Ace!

She's your partner, not mine. I should have known better than–

Ace!! You're coming completely undone. Calm down, it's not a big deal.

It feels like a big deal. 

"For a while? Ah…" Sabo closed his eyes as they walked and he sighed. "Koala, I'm sorry. Ace feels like he made a mess of things."

Koala ran her hand through her hair "Ace feels like…" She tugged her fingers through it with a sharp laugh. "Geeze, Sabo, I'M the one who made a big mess of things!" 

She made a mess of things? Ace protested. She didn't do anything wrong. I'm the jerk here!

Sabo shook his head. "I'm still putting together what happened but I don't think either of you made a mess. I think you're both just being silly. Why don't we save it to talk about until we've got somewhere private? because I'm tempted to dump Ace right on top of you again to solve this."

Koala looked around with her wide eyes as she felt her heart rate pick up again. "Y-yeah uhm…let's get back somewhere private, please. This isn't the sort of conversation people need to overhear." 

Sabo leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. "No it isn't. But I'll let them overhear me compliment your dancing. You should dance with me sometime soon."

What a ridiculous situation he had somehow found himself in. Playing mediator for an awkward date between his long time partner and his long lost brother. Who was sharing his body. This was not the sort of adventure he'd imagined as a little boy.

I'm sorry.

Oh shut up! I didn't say it was a bad adventure. Just that I didn't expect it.

He was glad at least that he knew Ace could feel the wave of exasperated affection that he wafted in his direction of their mind.

-

Koala was about to jitter herself apart. Her whole body felt filled with bees as she bustled around their rented bedroom, cheap but comfortable, and fell into the same old routine of tidying the place up more than the owners had to get it ready for them. Folding blankets to distract herself—checking the pillows to keep from thinking about how she was going to approach this.

She was sure it looked bad from the outside. 

It must have, because after he'd shed his coat and hat, Sabo came up behind her and folded his arms around her, resting his chin on her shoulder. "Koala…"

"Eeep!" she squeaked as she fell back against him with an awkward grin. "...Sabo, this place is a mess. I'm just getting it livable before we talk." 

"You say that, and Ace might believe you, but I know you well enough to know you're giving yourself busy work, dear." He kissed over her jaw and ear. "Come on, cuddle with me and we'll talk."

"Alright—" Koala sighed and turned to loop her arms around him. The fluttery feeling of his kisses were a comfort— she did love physical affection— and she let herself be eased down into the bed.

"I didn't mean to get him upset, you know." 

"Tch, you didn't upset him, dear, he upset himself." He tugged her into the room's narrow bed– just about big enough for the two of them without either of them falling off, and he nuzzled against her. "He thinks he overstepped."

She nuzzled back against him, both arms looping around him to draw him even closer as she huffed out a soft sigh. He thought he overstepped— it was a natural conclusion from the way she froze up in a panic.

But that was the opposite of the problem. She flushed, and buried her face against Sabo. "He didn't overstep, I–I mean…he tried to kiss me and I just got …" 

Sabo petted her hair. "You got what, dear? Flustered? I'm going to guess flustered. Maybe confused?"

"I got really flustered," she murmured. "and I froze up, Sabo. Even if I wanted to close the gap." 

"Well, that's understandable, I think?" Sabo said softly. "Ace was absolutely sure he did something wrong. He was being melodramatic about it."

"From how I'm getting to know him, that's hardly a surprise!" Koala groaned as she thunked her head against his chest. "Please, please, please tell him he didn't do anything wrong, Sabo!" 

He petted her hair gently as she thumped against his chest. "He's still 'awake' enough to hear you himself, despite what he said about being 'tired'. I'm half tempted to wrestle him up here but I'd rather not make it any more awkward for the both of you than it already seems to have gotten."

Koala gently thumped her head against him again, as she thought through the whole thing. That was what she was feeling, wasn't it? Attraction, and then now—sadness and frustration that she let herself get too worked up in the moment.

"It got pretty bad,"she murmured. "But I can fix it, Sabo." 

"I know you can, dear. Ace's a bit of an idiot, and I know you can handle idiots. You've always handled me just fine."

"I always have, indeed!" Koala looked up and into his eyes with a small smile. The problem was there was so much unknown—this whole situation was so unexpected and new. She'd always been good at adapting—but, this was something new.

She had to admit it— even if a part of her thought it was coming on too quick she was attracted to the man who'd taken up residence inside Sabo's heart. He was charming, fun— and she'd almost leaned into that kiss before that hesitance inside her froze her in indecision.

But there was so much she didn't know. Sabo and Ace seemed close, closer than they'd said straightforwardly—and what did Sabo think of this situation?? What would he think?

She swallowed thickly before she murmured. "Hey Sabo can I ask you something?" 

He cocked his head, warm, dark eyes trained on her. "Anything, dear. You know that."

"First—you and Ace." She looked up into his eyes as she wrapped both arms around him and hugged him closer. "You've never said anything specifically but one could easily get the impression that you were rather—close." 

"Ah, well…" Now it was Sabo's turn to look flustered. "We certainly are close."

Koala stared him down, but she already knew his answer—he never was good at hiding things from her. She could tell just from the look on his face that she'd hit the nail on the head.

-

Why are you embarrassed all of a sudden? Ace asked. Sabo felt like he could feel his own gaze boring into him. Obviously we're close.

Ace, she's asking if there's something romantic between us.

Suddenly both of them were turning over long ago memories. Holding hands high in the branches of their tree fort hideout. Practicing kisses between one another.

"Ah, well," he managed embarrassedly, "we certainly are close."

Koala nodded slowly at him, her eyes never quite leaving his face. "The sort of 'close' that I'm imagining?" 

"Well, you know, we children last time we saw one another, but…"

But there had been the kisses. The clumsy flirtations and experimentations with one another out of the eyes of adults. Sabo felt himself heating up even further. For a long, long time he'd completely forgotten about all of it.

I never did. Ace seemed to gather him in his arms in the shared space of his mind. I know we haven't talked about it since I— got here. But, I always thought of you as the first person I fell in love with.

A choked noise escaped Sabo's lips.

Koala poked him gently. "...Sabo?" 

"Ah, sorry, yes, I," he sputtered, now very much the one flustered in this conversation. He held Koala tightly, sure he looked absolutely ridiculous. "Hold on just a moment, please."

That's a hell of a thing to say to a man in the middle of a conversation, Ace!

You don't… feel that way?

The sudden wave of Ace's disappointment was crushing. Vicelike. Like a wave of grief. Like the sad stares of a thousand disappointed puppy dogs.

if Sabo had been standing upright he probably would have fallen over.

"Of course I feel that way!" he rushed to assure him— so quickly and so intently he realized, mortified, that he'd said it out loud.

Koala was dead silent, her arms loosening as she pulled back to look at him. "...you're talking internally, right? Do–should I…should I take a walk and give you a moment?" she asked with a furrow of her brow. 

Sabo gurgled with frustration, and kept a tight hold on her. "No! No going anywhere! Honestly we should have discussed this before but–"

He hadn't wanted to. Not before he found out if Ace was real, or if he'd just gone mad. At this point though, he almost felt like it didn't matter. Whatever Ace was, the feelings were real. The memories were real. He wanted desperately to believe that Ace was real too.

Sabo held onto Koala in the physical world, and Ace held onto him in the mental one.

Sorry to throw everything into chaos, Sabo.

Don't you dare apologize! I love you, you idiot. Now– now I just need a moment.

He took a long breath, and tried on a smile at Koala. "But anyway. You're right about us being close. I'm happy to elaborate, if you like."

Koala looked at him with dubiously concern—he probably didn't look very alright, honestly. She was clearly picking up on his emotions with none of his internal context. She nodded slowly, tightening her arms again. "Please, if you don't mind." 

-

"Well, ah, I'm a little embarrassed to admit that it turned out that my first kiss with you wasn't actually my first kiss."

"I'll take away the little medal I gave myself," she joked wryly, her smile teasing— honestly though she had expected that. The way they talked about one another and the past, it was pretty obvious that she wasn't his first kiss. 

Sabo rubbed the back of his neck, smiling at her awkwardly. "We were just little kids, you know? We never really talked about what we were doing, and honestly, we kind of had a pretty macho thing going on in those days, so we weren't exactly declaring our love for each other but…"

"But it was young love?" She prodded, hoping to get him to open up— this, this was exactly what she'd expected. Without confirmation though, it felt like a barrier in the way of getting past the sea of awkwardness between them. 

He laughed softly. "It was, yes. If I didn't know in my heart I suppose, Ace just very much confirmed it for me. That was the little outburst you heard. Sorry, he surprised me is all, and well, I nearly hurt his feelings."

"I'd heard," she said with a small smile. "That's really sweet, Sabo—I can see why it was a surprise, but I hope you soothed his feelings?" 

"I did my best," he chuckled sheepishly. "At least now I'm as flustered as both of you are, too. But ah, you asked me if we were close. And we are. Romantically, yes. So that's the answer to your first question."

"Now we're all on the same page, then." Koala laughed, before she hesitated. The next question had just gotten—well. A bit more complicated, but also less at the same time. "Good thing we've got an open relationship then, eh?"

She framed it as a tease, poking his chest with her fingertip.

He turned red as a beet again and pressed his face to her shoulder. "I suppose so! Ah, really, I have no idea how to navigate this, Koala. I mean it seems like things would be obvious if Ace were here well, normally. But having him sharing my body like this certainly presents a new twist."

"It's definitely a bit of a twist, yes… admittedly it makes it a little tricky for me too." She flopped back on the bed, running her hand through his hair as she pulled him with her. "Not impossible, but it's new to everyone." 

"Very new," he agreed, huffing as he lay his head on her stomach, looking up at her. "So, I take it you're ah, interested in Ace, then? Or am I on the wrong track?"

Koala sputtered quietly before she dropped her head on the pillow again with a huff of breath. 

"I was fully prepared to kiss him back in that restaurant, you know. Excited to, until I worked myself up for it to the point of paralysis." She chewed her lip. "I am interested, but i wasn't sure how we'd navigate that." 

"Well, we'll navigate it," Sabo said firmly, laying his head gently against her. "It's not as if I'm against it. Frankly, with the way things are I suppose it makes things easier in some respects! No matter what way the question we're pursuing resolves…"

"No matter what way the question we're pursuing resolves. I think—no matter what he's quite a separate entity! So—no matter what about any of that, I think we'll navigate it just fine!" She pet his hair with a quiet smile "it does make things easier, doesn't it? I mean, at least when I'm not having a panic in the middle of the restaurant and making everyone feel awkward!" 

"If that was a panic attack dear, you're a very calm individual," he chuckled softly. "I think you handled it remarkably gracefully, looking back, considering."

"It was just a little one," she huffed. "...with you, it was that long, slow slide into feelings. You know? I didn't even realize it until we were well and truly together, and I knew my feelings incredibly well."

She reached up and ran her hand through her hair. "I realized in the restaurant that I have no idea how to deal with a 'crush' type feeling at all." 

"If it makes you feel better I think it's the same way for all three of us. Ace is telling me he hasn't exactly been Mr. Normal Relationships either."

Somehow that didn't surprise her either—for a pirate, even an incredibly charming one, he had an air of uncertainty when it came to things like their aborted date, or even talking about this sort of thing.

"So we're all kind of novices at this, huh? That's not reassuring," She teased quietly. He wasn't 'Mr. Normal Relationships'---she knew that his affections with Sabo likely weren't what most would call 'typical' from the stories Sabo told—and she could only imagine what other experiences he might have, and how they didn't fit a conventional mold either. 

"Really?" Sabo teased back. "I think it's very reassuring. None of us has more experience to make the others look bad. We're all making it up as we go along."

"Good point," Koala laughed softly, looking up at him with her wide eyes. "Hey, mind if I ask if I can see Ace for a moment? I've got something I'd like to say." 

"Not at all," Sabo said, shaking his head. He sat up from where he'd been laying on her, and kissed her gently on the lips. "I've been thinking it would be good for you two to talk directly."

"Thanks, Sabo" She murmured as she pressed her lips softly to his. "I think you're right." 

-

Ace nervously shifted forward in their mind past Sabo, his touch lingering on him as they rearranged. Even with all the assurances, even with Koala directly saying she was interested and that he hadn't messed anything up, he still felt like he should have said something first instead of rushing forward.

He guessed now was the time to make that right.

He saw Koala half sitting up on the bed, looking up at him with her big, bright blue eyes. She tilted her head a little to the side. "Do I have the pleasure of speaking to Fire Fist Ace? The look on your face says 'yes' , but I wanna be sure." 

He laughed bashfully and nodded, Sabo's bangs falling in his face. "Yeah, it's me. Wish I could switch faces for you, but Sabo was the pretty one anyway."

Oh don't be like that, I always liked your freckles.

"Oh hush," Koala huffed. "I've seen your wanted poster, mister. You're very cute. And I can say for damn well certain that you've got a pretty smile!"

"You're gonna make me blush!" He laughed, answering both of them at once. It was a nice feeling though, embarrassed as he was. "Sorry about the whole mix up at dinner. I never knew when to slow down in my life. Guess I haven't figured it out yet either."

"It's not a very piratical skill, admittedly, knowing when to slow down I mean," Koala laughed, before her expression grew serious, and she leaned slightly in to stare him down with a piercing look in her eyes.

She was quiet for a moment too long before she grabbed his shoulders and pressed forward to kiss him rather suddenly on the lips. 

This time Ace was the one who hadn't been ready for it. He could hear Sabo laughing at him in the back of his mind as Koala grabbed him. He heard himself make a noise– but as soon as he realized what was going on, he leaned into it, wrapping his arms around her.

Kissing on the bed like this was definitely going even faster than a kiss out for dinner would have been, but Ace didn't mind one bit.

Koala's slight body was pressed close in the cramped little bed, but she didn't seem upset about that in the least—she squeezed her arms around his shoulders and leaned into the kiss with a satisfied hum.

Her lips were soft, and a little tacky with a sweet-tasting lip cosmetic as she held the kiss for a long moment before breaking it enough to smile up at him with an edge of mischief in her eyes. "I'm pretty bad at slowing down, too, admittedly." 

"You know I got the idea you might be." He grinned back, feeling himself a little flushed but relief surging through him. It turned out that was the reassurance he had needed after all.

He immediately went in for another kiss, not content to let her have the 'last word' in the matter, so to speak.

What have I started! Sabo teased in the back of his mind. Ace just grinned through the kiss.

-

That was exactly the reassurance Koala needed to punch past the veil of awkwardness and hesitation and the strangeness of this whole 'her boyfriend and a very handsome pirate who she was getting kind of fond of' sharing a body…thing…

The swift, percussive maintenance of a kiss to finish what they'd started at the restaurant before her nerves had set in.

His answer, told in a kiss, had been a surprise if only because she'd thought he'd want to catch his breath first—but it wasn't an unwelcome one. She clung to him with both arms, flushing brilliantly and grinning behind the kiss.

She and Sabo had an open relationship—Sabo and Ace were already in love—and she and Ace had been getting closer in the moments they'd had—as odd as the situation was, it worked out rather perfectly. 

As perfectly as a relationship with a ghost involved probably could, anyway.

As Ace's kiss finally broke, he nuzzled his nose against her teasingly. "Well, I guess that settles that!"

Koala laughed, her nose brushing against his with a flustered grin. "I guess it does! I wanted to show you, Ace. Even if I'd frozen up in the restaurant , it didn't mean I wasn't interested." 

"I'm glad. I was worried I, you know, misread things, or went too fast. I may have good manners for a pirate but it's, you know, for a pirate," he teased. "I grew up wild, and I'm not really sure how other people do things."

"Admittedly I'm not either, Ace. Like—I can pretend enough to make a good infiltration agent, but I grew up a slave…and then a pirate…and then a child soldier, so like—your guess on how other people do stuff's as good as mine." Koala chuckled quietly as she tilted her head. "I was worried maybe my little crush on you was too fast, and I wasn't sure how to tackle it…especially since I hadn't talked to Sabo or you about it." 

"Well, we're talking now, right? Feel free to quiz me on whatever you want." He smiled quite charmingly at her, and grabbed a lock of her hair gently. "I know you don't have the advantage I do– I've been able to learn all about you from Sabo."

Koala flushed, always happy to have her hair played with. She leaned against him with a quiet hum. She stuck out her tongue teasingly.

"So he's been talking about me, huh? I bet you've got my whole life story. so—I'll have to quiz yours out of you! To start with—" She put her hand to her chin with a soft hum before she asked "This first mate of yours—how early in your adventure did you meet him?" 

"Pretty damn early," Ace said with a nostalgic glint to his toothy smile. "As in right after I left home. Within the month."

Koala shifted up to prop herself up against him with a laugh. "Woah, so he's pretty much been with you since the beginning, huh? Enough that it's not even worth asking how you made it on your own, sounds like." 

"Yeah. The answer to that question is 'I didn't'. I left Foosha island behind and immediately got myself shipwrecked on an island looking for treasure." He curled against her, putting an arm over her waist. "Lucky for me Deuce was there. If he hadn't been? I would never have escaped."

"You were both shipwrecked on the same island?" Koala asked, "that's pretty lucky, alright— especially for a Devil Fruit user." 

"Oh I wasn't a devil fruit user yet!' He laughed and leaned in even closer to her, warm and smiling now. "Here, let me tell you the whole story— if you want it."

Koala was curious–she had questions after questions after questions—but the best place to start was simple.

Right at the beginning. She grabbed around him with both arms, koala-like and snuggly, and nodded her head "Lay it on me, Ace!" 

[qilingxiong]

Having a corpse laid out on your dining table has got to be against the laws of (most) human decency, food safety, and Wei Ying's landlord, but his apartment is too cramped to put the body of a six foot tall man anywhere else so the table it is. Unless he wants to try necromancy in his bed (too creepy), on the sofa (please don't), or the floor (Wen Ning doesn't deserve that). The table is good, actually. Close enough to the kitchen that cleaning supplies are nearby, and the raised surface means when Wei Ying bends down to work he won't worsen his probably already fucked up back from sitting in chairs like a pretzel.

Hmm. Speaking of pretzels. Wei Ying grabs another handful from the bag resting by Wen Ning's waist and crams them into his mouth. "Are you gonna be happy to eat again, Wen Ning?" he says through his food. "I feel bad every time I come back from grocery shopping, you probably miss your snacks."

There's a jumbo-sized children's drawing board propped up on a chair in the corner, one that uses a stylus and little magnetic particles. The stylus moves from its holder and begins to scrawl across the board seemingly on its own, forming shaky words.

Am I going to be able to eat?

They'd tried a variety of methods to get Wen Ning to communicate, back when Wei Ying moved in last year and found he wasn't the apartment's only occupant. Typing or writing with pencil and paper required too much finesse for a ghost. Whiteboards were out since markers rarely were unreliable, and chalkboards activated both Wen Ning and Wei Ying's sensory issues. The drawing board from Toys R Us has been the best solution. Wen Ning has other ways of getting Wei Ying's attention, if he has to, but those usually tire him out faster.

"If food doesn't work out for you when you wake up, I'll make sure it does," Wei Ying promises. His first priority is making Wen Ning's body capable of sustaining consciousness, speech, and motor coordination. The necromancy method Wei Ying has chosen bypasses the need for functions like breathing or having a heartbeat, though having those traits will probably help Wen Ning adjust. There's a whole list of improvements Wei Ying has, somewhere in his notebook pile.

He is entirely making this up as he goes, though, so who knows. Maybe when Wen Ning's spirit is set back in his own body he'll be completely good to go in every capacity. Wen Ning's corpse was in fairly good condition when Wei Ying brought him to his apartment, despite the fact he'd accidentally chosen a very rainy and muddy night to go rob someone's grave (with their knowledge and consent!) and he'd cracked Wen Ning's wrist off the doorframe trying to clumsily haul him in at three in the morning.

Okay, Wen Ning writes. On top of the bookshelf, the haphazardly placed radio clicks on, jumping through stations and songs to string together the words ~~thank~you~again~~ before shutting off.

The first time Wen Ning hijacked Wei Ying's music like that, he nearly scared him to death. Now that they have a better talking system he doesn't do it so often, only when he wants to place emphasis on his words.

"Aiyah, it's really not a problem for me," Wei Ying waves it away. Thank-yous have always made him feel weird. "Okay, bringing you back to life is a problem, but that just means I get to work out how to do it! Besides, you can't stay tethered to this apartment forever. I've had to rid haunted houses of some very nasty old resentful spirits when they were stuck there too long. But you're the nicest, most well-behaved ghost I've ever seen," he proclaims, giving Wen Ning's head a little pat. "And soon you won't have to be one anymore."

The decomposition and other damage on Wen Ning was minimal. It's only taken about a month of talisman application to reverse, and today, finally, his body is back to the state it was just after his death. There's just the hole left to deal with.

Wei Ying rolls his sleeves up to his elbows, yanks his hair away from his face with the frayed hairtie on his wrist. "Okay, it's time for me to sew you up," he tells Wen Ning. "I've had to suture wounds before, but it's been a while. I'll try my best!"

I'm sure you'll be fine. The shy reassurance from Wen Ning, when it's his own corpse Wei Ying is working on, makes him smile.

Wen Ning has been covered with a sheet up to his neck, while his body was restored. The clothes he'd been buried in were grimy and reeked of mold and earth, and Wei Ying needed to assess the quality of the body, so he'd had to strip and clean Wen Ning before throwing the bedsheets over him. Now Wei Ying carefully folds the fabric back to expose Wen Ning's torso, stopping just above his hips. The yellow talismans laid on his trunk and limbs have worked their spells well. If not for his unmoving chest and the pale pallor to his skin, Wen Ning could almost be sleeping.

Well, except for the gaping wound ripped through his abdomen. Wei Ying hasn't directly asked Wen Ning how that fatal injury was caused, as it's quite rude to do so, but based on the information Wen Ning has offered he's pieced together enough of the story. Family gang warfare and a surprise attack meant to send a message. The man had committed no crime other than being born with the wrong surname, and paid for it in this same apartment Wei Ying now resides in. There's a reason why the hallway carpet is obviously newer than the rest of the place.

At least Wei Ying now has a shot at changing Wen Ning's fate. "Here we go," he mutters, preparing needle and thread.

Suturing Wen Ning up requires a decent amount of Wei Ying's concentration. Though since he literally has to brace his forearms on Wen Ning's side and stare in the general direction of his abs, it's impossible not to notice how muscular and toned Wen Ning is. Really, it's unfair. His face is delicately beautiful, even in death with eyes closed, but Wei Ying had been in for another surprise when he'd divested Wen Ning's corpse of his burial shirt.

As an unavoidable part of the cleaning process, Wei Ying has also seen... other parts of Wen Ning. Which also look very nice. But he needs to focus and goddamn, not the time. Instead he thinks about who could have killed Wen Ning, and how brutally, for someone as sweet and built like him to have been stabbed and bled out like a pig. It makes Wei Ying shudder.

The old wound, at least, isn't too difficult to patch back together. Wei Ying doesn't tear anything, and the stitches end up relatively even. Wen Ning stays silent to let him work, although he does turn the radio on to something quiet in the background. Neither of them like long bouts of silence, they've found. It's easier to have something to fill in the empty space.

Once he's tied the thread and snipped off the extra, Wei Ying grabs a calligraphy brush and a mason jar from the fridge (the one that has a 'BLOOD NOT JUICE!!!' label taped to the lid) and scribbles out one last talisman to place on Wen Ning's torso. Dead bodies can't really mend themselves, so the talisman will heal him the rest of the way.

"You'll have a scar," Wei Ying informs Wen Ning, "but I can promise that your guts won't fall out now or anything."

Finding all the right characters and modifications to use for the talismans had been the most time-consuming part of Wei Ying's job. Fortunately, having a day job eradicating tough spirits and monsters gives him enough status to poke around rare and forbidden book collections, and Wei Ying's been inventing his own spells for years. The blood is outsourced from the Nie clan. They've returned to their butcher origins as a front for their cultivation, now that the Jianghu of old is a fantasy to the modern era, and animal blood works just as well as human for talismans. Some people are just dramatic.

The Nie are also among the least likely to ask questions, including whether or not Wei Ying is using demonic cultivation. That's a bonus.

"Now we wait, just a little longer," Wei Ying says. He gets up and stretches, feels his spine crack in about four different places. Ugh. Maybe he can make some healing talismans for himself. "It'll take about two days or so for your body to fix yourself up, and then we'll be at the big day." There's nothing else left to do, so he starts cleaning up the mess around the table. Wei Ying has always been a whirlwind when he works.

A dull wooden knock rings out from the table by Wei Ying's hand, as he's reaching for the pretzel bag. He looks up and watches Wen Ning erase the drawing board, followed by a new question.

Why are you doing this for me?

Wei Ying swallows. "Aha." He grabs the pretzels along with the blood, brushes, and extra talisman paper, and makes an escape into the kitchen.

He tries not to think about the reasoning behind his project, when it's easy to sink into the plans and details of it instead and ignore everything else. The answers that present themselves are never pleasant ones; at Wen Ning's words, the first voice to immediately enter Wei Ying's head is harsh and exasperated. You're using him just to see if you're smart enough to bring him back, Jiang Cheng snaps. What if you hurt him? What if it goes wrong and he becomes dangerous? Who's there to protect you?

Not you, Wei Ying thinks. Not anymore.

Another face takes Jiang Cheng's place. Are you lonely, A-Xian? Jiang Yanli murmurs. Is that why you're doing this, because you think neither Wen Ning or you have anyone?

Maybe.

I don't. I don't even have you, and that's on me, Wei Ying says to her. The voice in his head morphs into Yu Ziyuan, ever critical, ever biting.

Disappointment, Wei Ying.

He's staring into space in the middle of his kitchen. Wei Ying shakes his head out and dumps the things he's holding into the counter. I can do this, he tells himself firmly. And I'm not a disappointment. I won't be one to Wen Ning, at least.

There's another tap, this time on the cupboard near Wei Ying's head. Wen Ning won't give up on an answer, it seems.

"I already told you why," Wei Ying sighs. "I like you, and it's painful for spirits stuck haunting until they turn resentful. I don't want you to go through that. And it's a waste of eternity for you to be a ghost stuck in an apartment." He shoves the blood back into the fridge door, where there are about six other identical jars. "I mean, the ghosts in the old manors and castles get a killer aesthetic and local legends told about them. What's good about being forced to watch me eat ramen from the pot in the middle of the night, or binge Lord of the Rings for the hundredth time?"

The drawing board is in the other room. Wen Ning fiddles with the radio. ~~You're~here.~That's~a~good~thing~~, he says simply, in six people's voices.

"Soon you'll be here too, and that's better," Wei Ying says quickly. Wen Ning is so honest sometimes, in a way that makes Wei Ying want to hide.

~~I~hope~so~~.

"It is! I can't wait for you to be around.", Wei Ying winces internally at his tone. Jiang Yanli was always able to call him out on his emotional bullshit when he used it with her. "Maybe we can watch Lord of the Rings together? I'll make caramel popcorn."

~~That~sounds~nice~~. Wei Ying smiles, a little too widely.

Yeah, okay. He's lonely.

Hello there! So this was part of a WIP I started last year but, predictably, did not see through. I was going through some of my fic drafts and decided I'd release it here, as I liked the concept a lot but sincerely doubt I'll have the mind to pick it up again. Thanks for reading if you got to the end.

[skzhocomments]

THE WHITE LILY (Mafia Book #1 - Bang Chan) - Chapter 5 - An eye for an eye

Story masterlist - please consult it for the summary of the story, trigger warnings etc.

General masterlist

Chapter 4 | Chapter 6

Let me know if you'd like to be on the taglist for this story!

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Chapter 5 - An eye for an eye

chapter word count: 1.1k words

"What the fuck is this?" the man screamed, while the tied girls on the floor let out muffled gasps.

The sound of the door opening forcefully could be heard loudly, but no one was able to see anything.

I started coughing up again when that bastard's grip was completely gone from my neck and air was suddenly getting into my lungs. However, my head was still feeling light and my whole body felt weak.

Was it the liquid he forced me to swallow? I wondered, and managed to turn myself on my left side, trying not to choke on my own blood.

"It's Dark in here!" a loud, familiar voice shouted, bringing a slight smile to my face.

A small pat on my back followed soon after, giving me all the reassurance I needed. I was not abandoned. They came, just as they promised they will.

I didn't get the chance to find out who patted my back that night. The lightness in my head was getting too strong, and I passed out just seconds after feeling relief that I was no longer alone.

~

"Argh. Turn off that light, would you?" I grunted as soon as I woke up between the four walls of the room that became my new home barely a week ago.

"Hello to you too, Shade. Feeling good?"

"No, Sky. If you're really curious, my head is fucking killing me. And I'm called Shade for a reason. So please draw the curtains and bring some shade back, will you?"

"No. Light is way better for you right now. Besides, look at the Sky for once."

"Ha-ha, very funny."

"I'm glad you're awake though, everyone was starting to get worried. Especially Jeongin and Chris. And by the way, you look like shit. That guy really did a number on you, huh?" He chuckled and handed me a mirror, letting me examine the dark marks on my face and neck.

"Yea, seems like I really got a good beating."

"Disadvantages of speaking with no filter."

"You should know."

"Touché." He smiled and grabbed the mirror from my hands, giving me a glass of water and a small pill instead.

"Jeongin said to give this to you. For your headache, so you won't be a headache to the rest of us later."

"Thanks." I drank the medicine and handed Seungmin the empty glass.

"You should thank him personally. He was really distraught when he saw the state you were in. The fact that you slept for 5 full days didn't help too much either."

"Wait, I WHAT?" I asked, trying to stand up from the bed quickly, only to fall back down due to the immense pain in my temples.

"Wowowwo- Take it easy. I'll go let everyone know you woke up. Maybe take a shower and brush your teeth in the meantime, you stink."

"Fuck you."

"No thanks. I'm off!" Seungmin waved and left the room.

I went to the dresser and examined myself once again in the big mirror. The bruises were looking even worse under artificial lighting. However, everything looked very well taken care of. My busted lip wore a small plaster that seemed carefully placed on; there was no blood on me; my arm, that I don't even know when or how I managed to hurt, was bandaged with the same care as my lip.

Seeing how good Jeongin took care of me made my heart sink and made tears slowly form into the corners of my eyes.

Just like San used to do. I thought, but quickly hopped in the shower and brushed the thought aside.

~

After showering, I slowly got dressed. My whole body was aching, but thankfully the pain in my temples stopped.

Thanks for the happy pill, Jeongin.

Walking back into the room, I was greeted by someone I didn't expect to see yet standing on my bed.

"Chris." Was all I could say before he got up and ran to me, taking me into a strong embrace.

He let go of me and looked at the bruises, brushing his fingers on each of them.

"fucking bastard" he muttered under his breath and caressed my face. "But don't worry, baby, I made him pay for daring to lay his fingers on you. In fact, I made sure to break each and every one of his fingers, one by one, for each small bruise you had. I counted them with Jeongin."

"He did great..." I pointed to the carefully bandaged arm.

"Mhm, he did. He's a very good doctor."

"So... what else happened to the guy?"

"Oh, yea. I... personally thanked him for bringing you to this state. I stumped on his arms, his legs, and I finally pulled a bullet through his head yesterday morning when I saw how pathetic he was begging me to let him die." He said with a dark smile. "And after he gave us all information we needed, of course."

Right, he's a mafia boss. I almost forgot that for a second.

"And the girls...?"

"They're safe now. These past few days you were asleep we managed to eradicate the whole Knife Devils. Might still be a few bastards hanging on, but we'll catch them in no time."

"Mhm." I nodded.

"Now to the more important things: how are you feeling?"

Chan closed the distance between us and pulled me in for a kiss, making my knees grow weak again.

"I thought we'd lose you for a second." He said in a low voice.

"But you didn't. I'm here."

"The bastard gave you some sort of drug – Jeongin was glad he found the flask on him, he managed to find a counter for the poison. But you still weren't waking up."

"Thank you for coming for me. I thought you'd left me there for a second." I confessed.

"I will never leave you." He said sternly, before kissing me again.

I gave into him completely, letting him explore my mouth with his tongue, feeling the ecstasy each of his kisses were bringing me.

~Present Day~

Looking back on it, I should've noticed that I was falling way too fast, way too hard, and that this strong urge to have him flushed over me like a tsunami would only drown me. I wanted more.

I should've known then how dangerous that was. I was oblivious that his kisses were poison. How couldn't I notice just by the euphoria they made me feel?

I should've known it was too good to be true.

But the sad thing is, even if I knew, it probably wouldn't have mattered. As long as it was him, I would've been happy to stay oblivious. I would've gladly drunk any poison.

I should've known then that he wouldn't do the same for me.

It was not poison that I was tasting on his kisses, but heartbreak.

I should've wanted less.

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Chapter 4 | Chapter 6