#pt four? yeah. cannot wait

[neytris]

I AM SO READY. LET'S GO

“sst-ah.” you let out a shaky breath, grimacing as you pull his fingers out of you. they’re covered in your cum, so much so that a thick string of slick connects you to his fingers when you pull your pelvis away.

i can’t really pinpoint why but this is just so hot to me

he stops dead in his tracks, back still turned to you, a hand flying up to his face to pinch the bridge of his nose. “to tonowari, kid. tsireya will teach you from now on.” he heaves a heavy sigh and walks away.

facepalming and shaking my head as i type. what is wrong with daddy. I MEANT JAKE. yeah. what is wrong with him.

you couldn’t help it, you cried whenever you felt overwhelmed with anything. sadness. happiness. anger. frustration.

she is me. i am her. i have never related more to a character before (i'm probably lying. but that's not the case)

you sit up, supporting your torso with your arms behind your back. neteyam. the older, caring bother, always looking out for everyone but himself. of course, he would be the one to care enough to find out what you’ve been through the past day. “you smell gross.” he chuckles breathily, nudging the bowl of fish closer to you. neteyam scoffs, straightening his spine. “gentle giant? he looks like he eats na’vi for breakfast.”

don't do this to me. i love him so much. he's the best big brother. truly. just look at him i wanna kiss his cheeks he's SO SWEET

you were gone. gone like you were never here to begin with. taking a moment to gather his thoughts, he tried not to assume the worst. but what if – what if it was the worst? to be used and discarded like an object. all over again. surely, there’s no way that you would do this to him, not after opening-up to you like that. not after last night. not after the words you uttered to one another before going to sleep. “shit.” he curses, taking another swig. cursing himself for trusting another after he made the vow to never trust again. another swig. for facing the part of him that he’s denied since he came into adulthood. another swig. for letting someone in. another swig. for allowing himself to love you.

I KNEW THIS WOULD HAPPEN. KNEW THAT THE SECOND WE LEFT WITHOUT WAKING HIM UP. I'M RIPPING MY HAIR OFF

with a quick shake of your head, you continue making your way to ralak. the closer you get, the more a giddy smile spreads across your face. though you were the bearer of bad news, you can’t ignore the flutters in your stomach. the same flutters you had when you first laid eyes on him – the day eywa herself told you he’s the one.

girl. GIRL. oh girl. moments before disaster. i feel it coming

his growl grows louder, coming from the pit of his stomach, deep and powerful. lengthy fingers tightening around your arms, he spins you around and tucks you behind him in one swift move. his name slips off your tongue once more, quick, and unsure. he has one hand perched on the dip of your waist, holding you close behind this towering frame. “come out.” he growls gruffly, straightening his spine to present at his full height.

PROTECTIVE RALAK YOU SAY???? AGHHH??? this whole part is just. chef's kiss. why am i jumping up and down in excitement

“because he wants everything that’s mine.” so, i am his. you think, one corner of your mouth curling upwards into a smirk.

GOD SHE'S SO ME LMFAOCNFJBVHY

“i’m not going anywhere. i’m right here. feel me. feel my heartbeat. focus on it and come back to me.” only a bottle could do that for him. bring him back. yet, you did it with the mere sound of your heart.

I LOVE THEM????? SO MUCH???? M'FOLDING LIKE A LAWN CHAIR RIGHT NOW THIS PART IS JUST PERFECT MWAH

your tail had been one of his favourite things about you from the day you first locked eyes, so slender and delicate. nothing like his. it not only fascinated him. it aroused him. it makes him push into you even harder, tip of his cock throbbing against your lower back. he craves to be even closer to you – to be inside you. to rut into you until your voice becomes so hoarse from screaming his name. over and over. again, and again.

my size kink is showing again. someone please send an ambulance. i think i’m in heat

“i can still smell him.” the scent of another so deep into your skin makes him want to mark you. to sink his lengthy canines into your neck for the smell to seep out, only to be replaced by his. “then fix it.” you breathe, head dipping forward to open yourself up to him.

yeah ralak????? fix it????? don't be a WUSS. mygod

“mine. yes?” he growls, thrusting himself against your slippery slit. “yes.” you spread your legs further apart, standing on the tips of your toes to provide him with better access. “please.” you let out a pathetic mewl. he grunts in frustration. he wants nothing more than to thrust himself inside you, stretching your pussy out with his huge cock. and with those little, sweet pleas, it’s almost too hard to resist. but he does.

i swear a tear just ran down my leg and i had to clench my thighs together. ISSY WHY ARE YOU EDGING US. IT'S NOT FUNNY. YOU STOP THAT

“taking my fingers so well, hm?” he praises you with a shaky voice, planting a gentle kiss behind your ear. “mmmn! please!” another plea falls from your lips, a plea for him to move – to make you cum. he sets a relentless pace, stimulating the sensitive spot in your gummy, hot walls, working lengthy moans and mewls from you.

NOT THE PRAISE HELPM E. SERIOUSLY IN THE NEED OF A BIG BOY. SEND BIG BOYS MY WAY

he just wants to hear a little more. to hear how badly you want him. he loves the way you squirm around, sputtering nonsense from being so fucked out by just his fingers. he loves the little noises your pussy makes for him and can’t wait to hear how they’ll sound once his cock is stuffed inside you.

i just fainted like. no joke. my size kink is insane. THIS is insane

“that’s my girl.” he hums proudly, scissoring his fingers open to stretch you out.

THAT'S MY GIRL???? UMMMM SIR???? HELLLLOOOOOO???

“my turn to make you feel good.” to your surprise, he rests a hand on your arm, pulling it away from him. he looks down at you through blown pupils, arousal plastered all over his face. beads of sweat trickle down his temples, wet strands of curled hair stuck to his cheeks, he sighs the words. “not today, tanhì. i must get you back, now.”

SHUT UP RALAK JUST SAY YES PLEASE JUST SAY YES FOR ONCE OH MY GOOOOOD. WE'RE ALL HORNY HERE YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE ROMANTIC IT'S OKAY WE DON’T MIND

issy just. thank you for this. you’re amazing. i have no words

Ralak te Sepawn ieyk’itan: Chapter Three

An Illustrated Collaboration with @zestys-stuff

Masterlist ; Rut/Heat/Knotting Info

🔞 minors, do not interact 🔞

Hyperlinks are attached to specific paragraphs that when clicked on will lead you to its illustration by Ralak's creator @zestys-stuff.

Characters: Metkayina!Ralak (24) x Sully!Omaticaya!Reader (19)

Warnings: nsfw, smut, fluff, angst, ptsd/ flashbacks, profanity, age gap, sexual tension, size difference/kink, praise kink, jealousy, scenting, fingering, recollection of non-con trauma (for the plot), alcohol consumption/drunk character, let me know if i forgot anything?

Word Count: 6.3k

Requested: Yes || No

Author’s Note: Sorry this one took a while, been a hell of a week. It's got a lot of angst, so prep yourselves guysss. Ends with smut, ofc. I hope you guys enjoy 🤍

Synopsis: Your family seeks uturu with the Metkayina in the village of Awa’atlu. You have a difficult time adjusting, and are assigned your own special teacher, Ralak.

<- Previous Next ->

“Y/n. For the love of Christ, you better tell me that the storm held ya up last night.” Jakes voice rings in your ear, waking you up.

Oh shit.

You look to your left to see the first rays of sunlight shining on Ralak’s sleeping, naked body, chest heaving slowly from his unfaltering breaths. Perched on his side, his face sits in his palm, as if he’s fallen asleep partially sitting up. Two fingers still nestled inside you, his facial muscles are slightly tensed, like he’s ready wake up any minute and tend to your every need, just like he’s been doing all night long. 

“Get your ass home. Now.” Jakes irate voice brings you back to reality.

Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit.

What were you going to tell Jake? That the storm did keep you up? He’d never believe that. Not for a second. Either way, if you didn’t go now, this man would skin the love of your life. Unmated, in his bed, all before your second iknimaya? He’d try, at least.

“Sst-ah.” you let out a shaky breath, grimacing as you pull his fingers out of you. They’re covered in your cum, so much so that a thick string of slick connects you to his fingers when you pull your pelvis away. You scramble to your feet, wiping yourself up with the already damp cloth next to his bed.

I’ll be back, my love. You think, looking over at him one last time before rushing out of his marui.

On your way to the cave, you try to assess your state. It’s hard to tell, given the fact that your heart is pounding at a speed only an ikran could attain. Anxiety streams through your veins, but otherwise, you feel fairly normal. Maybe a little bit like you did after your first iknimaya, when you passed your dream hunt and had one too many glow worms. But nothing unmanageable.

Guess it’s over.

Finally arriving at the cave, frantic eyes search the body of water for your loincloth. It’s floating at the far end of the lake, so you dive in. As you’re swimming, you catch a whiff of your own scent, mixed with Ralak’s. You bring your arm to your nose and take a deep breath. “Fuck.” you curse under your breath, submerging your entire body in the water, trying to bathe his scent off you.

You knew you scented each other, but you didn’t know that it would linger this long. You scrub your body, paying extra attention to your chest and neck. Time is going faster than you can move. But it’s like the more you scrub, the more you rub it into your skin – into your essence.

“Forget this.” you huff, grabbing your loincloth and swimming back to sand. You wring it out, slip inside and tie the knot hastily. One last look back on his marui pod, and you’re gone like the wind – quick and silent.

The trek back home is nerve-wracking, you feel so uneasy that you could feel something in your throat. A lump. You swallow repeatedly, trying to get rid of it, but it grows a little bigger for every step you take. By the time you’re at your marui door, you feel like you can’t breathe.

Neteyam smells you first, wreaking of a male na’vi, nose scrunching at the odour. He huffs a harsh breath through his nostrils, attempting to rid the lingering scent from of his lungs. He examines your condition – clammy skin with little colour left in it. Eyes trailing up to your face, he could see the fear written all over it, along with something else. Something like –

“Jesus, what the hell were you thinking?!” Jake hisses through clenched teeth.

“D-dad. I-I can explain.” you stutter, throat so tight you can barely speak.

Jake pulls his head back, eyelids blinking furiously. It’s as if the scent quite literally hit him, square in the jaw. With his suspicions confirmed, his lips stretch into a thin line, his go to expression of disapproval. The type that makes your ears lay flat against your skull, and bottom lip jut out.

“I can smell him on you.” Jake brushes past you. “Stay with your brother.”

“Dad, please.” your voice is strained, fighting against the lump in your throat. “Where are you going?”

He stops dead in his tracks, back still turned to you, a hand flying up to his face to pinch the bridge of his nose. “To Tonowari, kid. Tsireya will teach you from now on.” He heaves a heavy sigh and walks away.

The anxiety quickly morphs into anger, bubbling in your veins and sizzling your skin. Your short fuse blows. How could he take this away from you? You weren’t a ‘kid’ anymore. You had passed your iknimaya back home, and you’re on the brink of passing it here, too. Despite that, he always treats you like this, like the late bloomer you are. He didn’t even care to know what really happened.

“Not a fucking kid!” you shout after him, only for him to shake his head and continue walking.

“Sis.” Neteyam mutters, gently guiding you into the marui pod by your arm.

You shrug him off, storming past him to dive into your bed, burying your face into your pillow – damp from last night’s tears. It only becomes wetter as your fresh tears stream down your face. You couldn’t help it, you cried whenever you felt overwhelmed with anything. Sadness. Happiness. Anger. Frustration.

The sound of your privacy curtain being drawn back snaps your head up from your pillow. It’s Neteyam, standing over you with a face of concern, a bowl of steamed fish in one hand and a cup of water in the other. He sighs quietly, crouching down to come eye to eye with you. “You were in heat, weren’t you?” He states, already knowing the answer. “You should eat and drink something.” He places the bowl and cup on the floor next to you.

You sit up, supporting your torso with your arms behind your back. Neteyam. The older, caring bother, always looking out for everyone but himself. Of course, he would be the one to care enough to find out what you’ve been through the past day. “Yup. Late bloomer finally got her heat.” you speak of yourself harshly, taking the cup of water and chugging it.

“You smell gross.” he chuckles breathily, nudging the bowl of fish closer to you.

“Thanks, big brother. Appreciate it.” you giggle between cries, nudging it back to him. “Not hungry.”

His arms rest on his knees, braids swaying in his face as he looks behind him before dropping his head. “Agh.” he lifts his head, staring at you for a few seconds, as if he were contemplating something. “You should not have done that. Not before your iknimaya.”

“I didn’t! Nothing... like that happened, Tey. Ralak isn’t like that.” your head hangs low as you utter the words. “He’s... a gentle giant.”

Neteyam scoffs, straightening his spine. “Gentle giant? He looks like he eats na’vi for breakfast.”

“Hey –” you sniffle, glaring up at him, “I like him, Tey. A lot. He’s good for me.”

Neteyam’s features soften. As if hearing your words plucked a string of sympathy in his heart. As much as he wants to help you, he can’t. Not with a direct order from his father. He shakes his head, eyes closed, and brows furrowed.

That’s his way of saying, ‘Sorry. Can’t’.

You sigh, bringing your knees to your chest to hide your face. You can smell Ralak’s scent now that your nose is near your thighs. It fills your lungs with every breath you take. His pheromones. His aphrodisiac. His arousal. He left it all on you, rubbed into your skin so deep it seems to have altered your own scent.

Is this what scenting does?  

Soon you’re breathing heavily, trying to savour what left you have of him – of last night. It makes you heavy in the head, like all the strength has left your body. You feel your face warm up, the heat spreading to the tips of your ears. You’re tired. Defeated.

“Neteyam! Neteyam!” Lo’ak’s faint voice sounds frantic.

You hear Neteyam shuffling to his feet to go and check what his brother is on about. “Stay here, got it?”

“Mhm.” you hum, too tired to even lift your head.

The sound of Lo’ak yanking back your privacy curtain makes you jump out of your skin, nearly knocking over the bowl of steamed fish. You stare up at him wide eyed, to see him motioning over to the door of your marui. Your brows kiss in confusion, unsure of what’s going on.

“Heard you were in... hea-a situation. Just gonna borrow big bro for a second, cool?” he raises his brows, nudging his head towards the door in an emphasized manner.

A smile pulls at your lips once you realize what he’s doing for you. You wipe your puffy eyes with the back of your hand and shuffle to your feet. “I owe you, Lo’.”

Ralak’s POV

Ralak rouses to an empty bed. He sits up quickly, scanning his marui for any sign of you. Nothing. The only thing that remains is your potent scent flooding the room. The only proof that you were ever here. “Oh, y/n.” he groans, head slumping into his hands.

You were gone. Gone like you were never here to begin with. Taking a moment to gather his thoughts, he tried not to assume the worst. But what if – what if it was the worst? To be used and discarded like an object. All over again. Surely, there’s no way that you would do this to him, not after opening-up to you like that. Not after last night. Not after the words you uttered to one another before going to sleep –

‘I love you’.

But why does it feel the same? The same as that day. The day he was in a marui pod like this one, young, bare skinned and short haired, kneeling before his own karyu. His chest tightens, the walls of his throat closing in on one another. He can feel it creeping up his spine. The flashbacks. The tremors. The nausea. Rushing to his feet, he makes his way over to the shelf well-stocked with bottles of ‘fermented fruit’ – pxir [beer; alcohol].

A poison to many, but an antidote to him.

Dust had settled on the bottles since the last day he reached for them. The day you became his tanhì. That’s why he had never brought you up here, he never wanted you to see the truth. The way he copes with his emotions – bottling them up and then chugging it down when they became just too much.

The bottle opens with a pop, strong, bitter scent wafting up his nose, replacing the scent of you in his lungs. He takes a quick swig, baring his teeth from the sting of it trickling down his throat. “Ahh.” He sighs a breath of relief, feeling the alcohol already taking effect, loosening his chest, and clearing his throat.  

Yet he can still feel the shiver of his spine, and the churn of his stomach.

“Shit.” he curses, taking another swig. Cursing himself for trusting another after he made the vow to never trust again. Another swig. For facing the part of him that he’s denied since he came into adulthood. Another swig. For letting someone in. Another swig. For allowing himself to love you.

Alas, a clear mind and body – rid of the memories of his past.

He readies himself for his bath, something he often did to relax. Just like he did last time you left him.

----

Time is of the essence. With no idea of when Jake will be back, you move quickly. You weave through the webbing of the mangrove roots, ducking and dodging those that jut out. You take a short cut, bouncing over the netting of a cluster of marui pods on the way to Ralak’s.

Eyes guardedly stuck to your feet, you bump into Ka’ani, the man who replaced Ralak’s role as fisherman – faceplanting into his bare chest. Arms instinctively wrapping around you, he holds you close until you regain your balance. Admittedly, he’s a little too close for comfort, his face nestled in the crown of your head. You hear quick, nasally breaths, muffled by your hair.

Is he... sniffing me right now?

You shove him off you, probably a little too rough to be considered friendly, and take a few steps back. “Sorry, Ka’ani.” you mutter, gingerly walking around him.

“No problem, at all.” he smirks, raising his hands and making space for you to leave.   

With a quick shake of your head, you continue making your way to Ralak. The closer you get, the more a giddy smile spreads across your face. Though you were the bearer of bad news, you can’t ignore the flutters in your stomach. The same flutters you had when you first laid eyes on him – the day Eywa herself told you he’s the one.

Your mate.

Your legs move faster, as fast as they can go, until the sand slackens your steps. Silky, fine sand – always the first thing to let you know that you’ve arrived. You can’t help the excitement bubbling from your tummy and up your throat. “Ralak!” you blurt out, eager to find your love.

A tall figure in the distance catches your eye, it looks as if he were going into the cave. You wave your hands above your head, shouting his name as you lope towards him. “Ralak!”

The figure stops, turning around to acknowledge your calls. He stands still for a minute, before walking towards you with a stagger in his step. Tail perking up instantaneously, your hand flies to your bare hip, searching for your medicine pouch. You’re running on the tips of your toes again, concern and worry replacing the flutters low in your belly.

“Wha-t is it?” you shout, voice wavering as you close the distance between your bodies.

You crash into him with a smack, making the typically sturdy giant wobble. Now your ears art alert, perturbed by his odd behaviour. Gently pushing you away, his large hands grip your upper arms, fingertips touching once another. Blue, hazed orbs peer down at you, extra glossy and lidded.

“Are you sick? Wounded?” you question, resisting his gentle pushes to search his body. 

Nostrils flickering above his pursed lips, he leans into your neck. He pulls back with a huff, blowing hot air through his nose, onto your face. Your eyelashes flutter, face of concern quickly morphing into one of confusion.

Everyone is sniffing me today.

Head snapping to the left, his eyes search the webs of the mangrove roots off in the distance. A guttural growl rumbles deep in Ralak’s chest, thinned lips curling over his canines, flashing them before your eyes. You watch in awe as his brows lower, knotting together to turn his eyes beady. Ears flat against his skull, the scent of another na’vi scrunches his nose.

That’s a new look.

“Ralak.” your voice is breathy and small – laced with fright.

His growl grows louder, coming from the pit of his stomach, deep and powerful. Lengthy fingers tightening around your arms, he spins you around and tucks you behind him in one swift move. His name slips off your tongue once more, quick, and unsure. He has one hand perched on the dip of your waist, holding you close behind this towering frame.

“Come out.” he growls gruffly, straightening his spine to present at his full height.

The two words double-knot your stomach, sending you wiggling into the sink of his back, face peeking through the crack of his arm and side. Your eyes flicker from side to side, looking for whatever – whoever he’s talking to. Meanwhile, your fingers grip the band on his loincloth, the only thing available on his body to hold.

Silence.

“Or I make you.” He rasps the warning through his four, pointed fangs.

Perhaps if Ralak wasn’t here the knots in your belly would have tightened by now, to the point where you would feel queasy. But the hiss fizzling from the back of his throat puts your nerves at ease – your body sensing its safety in his presence.

Out comes a brawny, wide na’vi, from behind the large, thick roots of the mangroves. His hands are splayed out, representing something of caution. No – surrender. He approaches Ralak slowly. Warily.

“Sorry, brother. I did not know she was yours.” Ka’ani says impishly.

Jaw snapping open, his hiss comes out full force. It’s loud and thick, almost grating. Much like a roar. Though you knew it wasn’t for you, it shook you up, tugging at the string in your grip as your body jolts forward into his.

“She belongs to no one.” His top lip twitches as he spits the vile words, stinging your heart in the process. Am I not his? What about last night? You think, tightening your grip on the band of his loincloth.

“It looks as if she belongs to you, Tak.” Ka’ani leans to the left, chin jutting out as he tries to catch a glimpse of you. “Look at her, holding on to your –”

“Lewng! [shame]. Tracking her scent.” Ralak hisses, turning his body to hide you from his predatory eyes. “Leave.”

“Ah. Come on now, brot-” He spreads his arms wide, walking around Ralak towards you.

Ralak takes a step forward on his last word, nearly coming chest to chest with the shorter na’vi. A moment of silence passes between the two, as Ralak stares him down with vengeance in his eyes. A hand flies up to his hip, gripping the knife sheathed in its casing. “Now.”

Ka’ani straightens his back, eyes flickering between Ralak and yours that peek from behind him. His hands retract, hovering either side of his head as he retreats. Ralak maintains his position, with a hand keeping you tucked away whilst the other rests on his hip. Once Ka’ani’s figure is no longer visible, Ralak sighs, and turns his heel to make his way back to his much-needed bath.

“Thanks...” you huff, walking close behind him.

“You women and your heats.” he mutters as he walks faster, ripping his loincloth out of your grip.

“Ex-cuse me?” your words bounce as you try to keep up with him. “You have no –”

“Do you understand what would have happened had I not been here? Do not be so reckless.” He tsks, as his feet come to a halt, balling his hands into fists.

“Reckless? All I did was walk here!” you shout, almost bumping into him again.

“Because you left to begin with.” he whispers through clenched teeth.

“What?” the question is breathy, hands perching on your knees to rest.

He turns around quickly, prompting you to stand at full height. Breathing heavily, he presses his warm body against yours, chin tucked into his chest to peer down at you. Instinctively, you perch on the tips of your toes, eyes lidded in anticipation of a kiss. Instead, he brings your wrists up to his nose, heated lips pressing against your supple skin.

“He scented you.” he mumbles quickly, lips pulling into a thin line before letting go and backing away.  

“Why? How? I only bumped into him.” you walk towards him, watching him turn his heel again. “Hey –” you reach out for his arm to pull him back around.

First you leave him this morning, then come back scented by another na’vi. He shrugs you off, hands now fiddling with the knot above the base of his tail as he nears the entrance of the cave. The knot of his loincloth comes undone, heavy, sheathed hunting knife silently making impact with the sand.

“Because he wants everything that’s mine.”

So, I am his. You think, one corner of your mouth curling upwards into a smirk.

“Oh, Ralak.” You stand at the cave’s opening, waiting in silence for a response.

He continues to keep his back turned to you, dips of his clenched glutes on full display. Despite last night, seeing him naked still makes you shy, cheeks turning red and hot from the blood that rushes to them. You watch him hastily put his hair in a sloppy bun as he submerges himself in the water.

“I need to speak with you about this morning” you mumble, eyes locked onto the ripple of his back muscles.

“No need. I understand.” he answers lowly, shimmying over to the bottle of fermented fruit propped on a rock in the cave.

“Understand what? It’s about –”

“You made a mistake. It was your heat. It is fine.” he mutters quickly, taking a swig at the last word.

A mistake? My heat?

The realization hits you, hard. You’d been so out of it, so delirious from your heat you hadn’t given a second thought about his confession. His trauma that he confided in you, in this very cave. It’s like stones in your heart – no, boulders. Weighing it down so heavily that it feels like there’s a pulse in your stomach.

How could you be so cruel? So thoughtless? So insensitive? To not even wake him and utter the words to his face. To allow him to wake up to an empty bed after letting down his walls and being so vulnerable to you. To be so caught up in your own head you couldn’t even bat an eye at the man who helped you through your first heat.

“Oh. Oh, Lak. No. No, it’s nothing like that.” you sputter out a trembling voice, sliding into the water to rush over to him. You rest your hand on his upper back, taking in the warmth of his skin. He feels feverish – hot to the touch.

What is he drinking?

You rub his back gently, bioluminescent freckles dancing from your caresses. Yet, he’s rigid. Cold. Distant. He’s not the Ralak you know, swaying side to side as he brings the lip of the bottle to his mouth.

“Stop, my love.” you coo, sliding your hand up his raised arm as you walk around him.  Pulling the bottle away from his lips, you cautiously place the pxir on a nearby ledge. “Ralak.” you whisper, staring up at him with worried eyes.

The sound of his name falling from your lips tilts his head back ever so slightly, like it pained him to even look at you. Curly, loose stands of hair frame his face, accentuating his angular features. He attempts to fix his mask of indifference to his face, but you can see through it. You see the anguish glossed over his lidded, inebriated eyes.

Ocean blue eyes.  

tw: flashback

His mind is elsewhere, dissociating back to the day of the incident. The night of his iknimaya celebration, where his own karyu cornered him in his family marui, engulfing him with her pheromones. Manipulating him with her heat to take care of her. To touch her.

He can hear the waves crashing into the shore, the pitter-patter of the rain on the roof of the marui, the roll of the thunder – her whispers in his ear, ‘I’ve been waiting too long for this. You are officially a man now. Make your karyu feel better, right here...’.

The smell of her pheromones is suffocating, more potent than any fermented fruit he’s ever had. It frightened him, feeling like he had no self-control. No way to stop his movements, no matter how much he screamed at his body to move, run – anything.

It is what made him vow to never lose control of himself. His composure.

He can feel the heaviness of his body. The lethargy. The way his lungs refused to fill, no matter how hard he tried to breathe. When he woke, he was alone, sitting in the corner in a pool of his own sweat, curled in on himself. His karyu left, to never return. Leaving nothing but the lingering smell of her heated scent behind. 

tw: end of flashback

“My karyu” you hum softly, placing his hand on your chest.

When you first called him that, he almost grimaced. But as time passed, you made the word bearable. You gave it a new meaning, a new feeling. Eventually filling him with eagerness to hear it fall from your flushed lips. In tones of excitement, frustration... pleasure.

You hold his thumb, and give it a squeeze, trying to bring him back from wherever he is. Your heart weighed even heavier, seeing him drift away and detach when he’s right in front of you. “I’m not going anywhere. I’m right here. Feel me. Feel my heartbeat. Focus on it and come back to me.”

The words echo in his skull, reverberating between the thick bone. He can hear you, feel you. With each thump of your heart, the heaviness of his body lifts, the scent of her fades, the pitter-patter of the storm subdues until nothing, but that thump can be heard. His eyes finally flicker down to yours, ears and brows twitching at the pulse of your heart.

Only a bottle could do that for him. Bring him back. Yet, you did it with the mere sound of your heart.

“I’m sorry, Lak. I’m so sorry. I’m sorry I was so thoughtless. I’m sorry... that happened to you.” the words are shaky, flowing over your quivering bottom lip. “I would never. Ever. Ever. Ever –” you blubber, shaking your head, “Ever, do that to you. I-I had to leave because of my father. He’s punishing me. Forbidding me from seeing you. Having Tsireya teach me instead. I should have woken you.”

Another arm snakes around his waist, bringing him in closer to you. You slump your head into his chest, letting the tears flow and stain his skin. “I don’t regret a thing. I meant everything I said. I-I see you, Ralak” you sputter, breath hitching from the crying.

“Tanhì” he croaks, kissing the crown of your head as he wraps his arms around you to hold you closer.   

“I love you” The three words are said in unison as you cling onto one another.

Alcohol still coursing through his veins, Ralak’s heavy body slumps into you, slowly shifting you both against the cave wall. He presses your back against the rocky surface, unwrapping his arms from your waist to support his body weight with a hand on the wall. He leans in, brushing his cheek against yours.

“I will miss you.” he whispers huskily next to the shell of your ear.

“I’ll miss you, too.” you whisper back, head pulling back to meet his gaze.

Your eyes lock for a moment, an undeniable tension now budding in the air and making your breaths quicken. He inches even closer, lips brushing against yours as you exchange the same hot breath until you’re light in the head.

He kisses you roughly – sloppily.

Tongue slipping into your mouth, you get a taste of what he’s been drinking all day. It’s a little sweet, with undertones of various fruits native to the reef people. But once the sweetness wears off, the bitter aftertaste makes your brows gather. He pulls away, revealing heavy-lidded eyes with thin blue rings for irises, flickering side to side as they stare into yours.

Chests heaving in synchrony, you both struggle to catch your breath. Hands cupping each other’s face, your lips crash into one another again, body language hungry and desperate for each other’s touch. Ralak shoves his knee between your legs, providing you with the friction your body has been begging for. Your body moves on its own, humping at his thigh as best you can in the water.

“I-I want... you.” The desperate words part your bruised, flushed lips, hand sliding up his back to caress his kuru [queue].

He shakes his head, brows gathering tightly. “Not now. Not here. We do it the right way.”

“Then...” you pant, voice laced with desperation as your hands make their way to his hips, dainty fingers wrapping around his hardened girth, “...give me something else.”

Breath turning raggedy, he struggles to maintain his composure. The influence of the alcohol surging through his body proves it to be an even more difficult task. He takes a deep breath, withdrawing his knee from your legs to spin you around in one quick motion. Ralak tries his best to be gentle with you, shoving you into the wall to press his aching cock against you.

A soft moan parts your lips; thin, fuzzy tail wrapping around his thigh in attempts to bring you closer. Eywa, did that push him closer to the edge. Your tail had been one of his favourite things about you from the day you first locked eyes, so slender and delicate. Nothing like his. It not only fascinated him. It aroused him.

It makes him push into you even harder, tip of his cock throbbing against your lower back. He craves to be even closer to you – to be inside you. To rut into you until your voice becomes so hoarse from screaming his name. Over and over. Again, and again. Fingers hurriedly fiddling with the knot of your loincloth, he pants a few greedy, rough kisses along your upper back.

“Oh! Ralak, I-I think –” you moan lowly, his touches throwing you into a daze.

“What?” he huffs, fingers coming to a halt in fear that he’s being too rough with you.

“I think I’m still in heat.” you lie, or maybe it wasn’t a lie. You feel so woozy in the head that you’re not even sure what’s going on anymore. All that sits at the forefront of your mind is him claiming you as his.

“Is that so?” he lets out a breath of relief, a chuckle if you will.

“Yes. Can you help me?” you pant, trembling voice feigned with innocence.

“Ah. Let me check, little one.” He buries his face into the nape of your neck, pulling back with a loud sigh through his nose. A growl rumbles in his chest and up his throat. “I can still smell him.” The scent of another so deep into your skin makes him want to mark you. To sink his lengthy canines into your neck for the smell to seep out, only to be replaced by his.

“Then fix it.” you breathe, head dipping forward to open yourself up to him.

“Oh?” he smiles open mouthed, brushing his pointed fangs against your silken skin, making your back arch on instinct. Submitting to him and his touch. Open mouth lingering over your neck, his jaw closes to graze his teeth against you. He sucks lightly on your skin, puckered lips pulling off with a pop.

Of course, he’d make you wait for that too. He was only ‘helping’ you, right now.  

He kicks your feet apart, spreading your legs for him to settle in closer behind you. A string of your slick connects your thighs together, breaking apart when he rubs his cock against your bare cunt. He begins rubbing his face into the back of your neck, scenting you as his.

“Mine. Yes?” he growls, thrusting himself against your slippery slit.   

“Yes.” You spread your legs further apart, standing on the tips of your toes to provide him with better access. “Please.” You let out a pathetic mewl.

He grunts in frustration. He wants nothing more than to thrust himself inside you, stretching your pussy out with his huge cock. And with those little, sweet pleas, it’s almost too hard to resist. But he does. He pulls away, gaze snapping down to the rope of wetness connecting your most intimate parts together.

Cocking a brow, his hand comes between your sticky pelvises, fingers coiling around the string of slick before they glide over your pussy and spread your folds. Your wetness drips down his digits, pooling in the palm of his hand. “So wet. Maybe you are in heat.” he mumbles, pressing his lips against your back, peppering kisses down the curve of your shoulder.  

Ralak fondles with your puffy clit, rubbing tight circles into it with his slickened fingertips. Your hips squirm around from the white-hot pleasure tightening your core. It’s just not enough. Perhaps it’s just residual heat, but you feel so, so empty. A yearning deep in your womb, to be filled and stretched. Your hips buck forward, slipping his fingertips to prod at your entrance, before pushing back on him to try and sink them inside you.

Needy body language riling up the giant behind you, his harsh kisses move their way up to your ear. “Say it, tanhì.” he groans lowly, positioning his finger at your tight hole.

“I n-need you inside of me!” you cry desperately, shoving yourself back into him.

“You listen so well, paysyul.” he exhales a hot breath into the shell of your ear, sinking his thick finger inside you, twisting his wrist so that he can curl it right into your sweet spot.

“Oh, shit.” you moan breathily, cheek pressed firmly against the rocky wall.

“That is why you learn so quickly.” He fingers you roughly, expertly working out a squelch with each curl of his digit.

The feeling is like heat, shooting down your spine and pooling in your pelvis. It makes your hips spasm, chasing the fiery sensation in hopes to put it out. His finger brings relieve, satiating the itch as your sweet spot swells from pure bliss. He knows exactly where to touch, and how to touch.

Yet, it still isn’t enough.

“More! ‘ts not enough!” you cry, writhing underneath him.

He finds your little cries amusing, letting a chuckle evade his lips. How could something so small act so mighty? He slides another digit in, feeling your tight pussy walls stretch to accommodate him. He hears the little whimper bubbling up your throat, letting him know you need a moment to adjust.

“Taking my fingers so well, hm?” he praises you with a shaky voice, planting a gentle kiss behind your ear.

“Mmmn! Please!” Another plea falls from your lips, a plea for him to move – to make you cum. He sets a relentless pace, stimulating the sensitive spot in your gummy, hot walls, working lengthy moans and mewls from you.

With the way he’s fingerfucking you, it feels as if your nerves are on fire. The coil tightly wound in your core ready to snap any second now. Your brows pinch together in fervour, mouth falling open to allow heavy, hot breaths to escape.

“Close! So close! Gonna! Gonna –” Your words catch in your throat, leaving you breathless and tense around his fingers.

“Make yourself cum.” he orders gruffly, stopping all movement once he feels you tighten around his digits.

You gasp, hips moving on their own to chase the orgasm he just took away from you. “No, no. You know I can’t. Please.” you sputter, pushing against the wall to ride his fingers.

“You can. And you will.” he growls, bending his fingers as encouragement.

You quickly accept your fate, holding on tightly to whatever pleasurable feeling remains and running with it. You push back on him, squirming around as you try to make yourself cum. Closing your eyes, you tune into your body, feeling what feels good and where. But the position that you’re in makes it even harder to do it yourself.

“Just fuck me!” you cry desperately, frustration so pent up you couldn’t help the outburst.

“Language.” he hisses, shoving his fingers so deep inside you that your slick coats his knuckles.

“Fuck! Please.” you beg, reaching behind you to grab his wrist.

“No.” he smirks, looking down at how your cunt sucks in his digits, listening to your pleading and begging.

He just wants to hear a little more. To hear how badly you want him. He loves the way you squirm around, sputtering nonsense from being so fucked out by just his fingers. He loves the little noises your pussy makes for him and can’t wait to hear how they’ll sound once his cock is stuffed inside you.

“Ralak. Please. Please make me cum!” you cry, using his wrist as leverage to fuck back into him.

He slides his hand down your stomach, fingers playing with your swollen, neglected clit. He’s pumping his digits in and out of your dripping cunt, feeling your slick dribble down his hand. It doesn’t take long for you to near your climax, pussy walls clamping down around his fingers.

“Let go. Cum for me.” he groans, swollen tip of his cock oozing beads of precum onto your lower back.

“Oh, fuckfuckfuck!” you let out a hoarse cry, entire body shuddering underneath him “Cumming! Cumming!”

“That’s my girl.” he hums proudly, scissoring his fingers open to stretch you out.  

You let out a high-pitched whimper, hint of pain making your eyes water. Then a wave of ecstasy ripples through you, leaving your legs trembling beneath you. He snakes his arm around your waist, holding you up while you ride out of your high, sprinkling your shoulder with kisses.

Once you come down from your high, you lean back into him, resting your head against his chest. Huffing and puffing, you try to catch your breath as you turn around to cup his swollen balls. “My turn to make you feel good.”

To your surprise, he rests a hand on your arm, pulling it away from him. He looks down at you through blown pupils, arousal plastered all over his face. Beads of sweat trickle down his temples, wet strands of curled hair stuck to his cheeks, he sighs the words. “Not today, tanhi. I must get you back, now.”

[bueckers-babygirl]

I Need You pt.2 (paige bueckers x black!reader

Part one <3

Summary: You and Paige finally unite

Warning: Just cursing

word count: 1757

Three months. It’s been three months since me and Paige went on our “break”. 

The first month was the hardest. Just a lot of crying, bargaining, rants, and Chipotle. I sat in my puddle of despair, wondering what Paige was doing.

What she was thinking, hoping the thoughts were about me.

My worst thought was thinking that she had moved on to someone new, or someone that has always been there.

The second month was the month that I told myself to stand the fuck up.

This month had its ups and downs. I moved in with my best friend who welcomed me with open arms. She’s been more than supportive since the very beginning. She comforted me, fed me when I didn’t feel like eating, and took the remote from my hands every time I felt like turning on a UConn game (I'm healing slowly but surely).

I even picked up a hobby! I started taking a ballet class to keep my mind off of things! My bleeding feet are a VERY good distraction.

The third month is when I felt like a new and healed me. My skin was clear, my curls were popping, my body was giving. I felt better.

However, no matter what I did or how much better I thought I was…I can’t get her out of my mind.

“Come on! You’ve been stuck in this house all day! It’s getting sad Mookie” my bestie, Quenlin, says while ripping the blanket from my body.

“My dance class got canceled today and new episodes of my show came out. I just thought I could lay here and wallow all day” I moan while pulling my hoodie over my face. I turn my head to see Quenlin shaking her head.

“Girl, you smell like ten cans of ass and your hair looks a mess. You cannot let this girl get to you like this” She turns to open the curtains.

The blinding light burns my eyes as I wince and pull a pillow over my face. She rolls her eyes as she lays next to me on the bed.

“Let’s go bar hopping tonight! You love that shit” she yells as she shakes my aching body! She wasn’t wrong, bar hopping was probably my favorite activity. I lay there and contemplate whether I should get cute and have fun or lay in the imprint I have made in the bed and cry.

“I’ll buy you Chipotle” and with those four words, I hopped in the shower, got dressed, and was ready to head out the door.

9:30 Pm

Me and I were on our second bar of the night and I felt alive again. I had flashes of images of Paige in my mind throughout the night but I decided I would deal with that issue when I went home. 

“Girl, can you go order us some drinks? I gotta piss real bad” Quenlin said, doing the potty dance at her grown age. 

“Go ahead, and stop doing that shit” I laugh as she waddles off to the bathroom. I make my way up to the bar and order me and my friend vodka cranberries. 

I twiddled my thumbs waiting for the drinks, when I finally heard it.

“Hey beautiful” My body froze when I heard the voice I had longed for so much but also dreaded hearing. I slowly turned my head to see the beautiful blonde that had been occupying my mind for months.

She looked so good, but also drained.

Words tried so hard to leave my mouth but nothing came out.

“You look good. Like, good. Guess the break up was good to you” She lets out an awkward laugh as I am still in shock but gain the ability to speak.

“Eh. It was ok for me. A lot of crying hehe” I mentally slap myself, who the fuck says that. 

“Yeah, same” She looks down at her feet trying to figure out what to say next.

“Listen, can we talk, please? I wanna fix this. I-”

“Unh Unh! What are you doing here” Quenlin appears from thin air as she jumps in front of me to confront Paige. This breaks me out of my trance as I jump to defend Paige. 

“No, Quen! It’s ok! Me and her are just going to talk outside” I put my hands on my best friend's shoulders to calm her down. She turns to look at me and then back at Paige.

“Fine, but if you try some manipulative shit, it’s me and you” she pokes piage with her finger before walking away. Paige looks back at me “I never liked her. I just want you to know that.”

I laughed as I walked to the door, Paige following close behind. When we get a good distance away from the bar we stop and just look at each other.

I can tell she’s trying to find words to say, I couldn’t find any either.

We stood in silence for a few more minutes before one of us finally spoke.

“I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I made you feel like shit for so many months. You should have been my priority and I didn’t do that” Paige let out a shaky breath before looking down at the ground. I waited for her to continue but….she just stopped.

“Paige…that's not the only reason why I wanted to take a break. Yes, you ignoring me was a big part of it but there was so much more” She finally raises her head to look me timidly in the eyes.

I take a shaky breath before continuing. “It was the petty comments, the constant arguing, and the insecure feeling I always felt” I started choking up on my words, and the memories of me and the girl I love screaming at each other came flooding back.

“I'm sorry! I was just so stressed with basketball, the interviews, and the constant attention that I guess I got stressed” She quickly tried to defend herself, flailing her arms in the air.

“I understand how stressful that could be but…I would've been there for you. I could've listened to your rants, helped you during solo practice, and helped you calm down when you were nervous about an interview…but you shut me out and started bullshit arguments for no reason. I love you so much. I just wanted to help you” I felt a tear roll down my face.

I saw Paige’s face change from defensive to vulnerable in the middle of the conversation.

I let out a sigh as Paige drops her head, tears falling down her pretty face. “Paige, I love you so much. You’re probably the best thing that has happened to me in a long time” I take her hands in mine “but when we have an issue, you can’t just shut me out or brush it off. We need to talk. We need to express ourselves or else it’s just gonna get worse.”

Paige raises her head once more, looking into my brown eyes with her bloodshot blue eyes. “I know…I wanna be better for you baby. I will do anything to make it up to you. I just want things to go back to the way they were” She brings my hand to her lips, placing a tender kiss upon them.

I felt my skin turn hot as her lips connected to my skin, it’s kind of funny how we were together for so long and she still managed to make me nervous.

“I know it seems like an empty promise but I swear I will do everything that I can to make it up to you. I’ll communicate better and I will make sure to do everything that I can to remind you that you're the love of my…I can’t fucking lose you again y/n” she wraps her arms around my body, leaving another kiss on the top of my head.

On instinct, I wrap my arms around her to as I close my eyes to breathe in her perfume.

I was still angry with her but somehow I knew deep down that she was serious about wanting to be better for me. 

She pulls back to look into my eyes before she places an unexpected but loving kiss on my lips. I felt like I was floating on air as my lips touched the ones that they have been craving for three months. With this simple act, she knew that I forgave her 

As we pull away she rests her forehead on mine. 

“Can we just start over please, I miss you so much” Paige giggles while also sniffling. 

I let out a snort as I placed my hand on her cheek “Well we got a long way to go until we are back to the same place but, I think we’ll be ok”.

2 days later

“Ok! I think that’s the last of my shit” I let out a sigh of relief placing the last bit of my clothes back into me and Paige’s shared closet. I fell back into our bed, missing the smell of our sheets. 

I let out a grunt as Paige ran into the room and jumped on top of me. “Jesus Paige! I think you broke one of my ribs” I try to push her off of me as I let out a laugh.

Paige keeps her position on top of me as she puts her face into the crook of my neck. “I'm sorry, baby. I'm just happy you're back” she sighs as she kisses my neck.

“Ew, can yall wait to fuck until after I leave,” Quenlin says as she brings me some more of my stuff in from the car. I laugh as Paige finally rolls off me with a dramatic groan.

I walk over to Quenlin take the box of stuff from her hands and place it on the floor. “Thank you for letting me stay with you,” I say as I hug her.

“Of course, anytime! However, if this shit happens another time me and Paige are gonna have to tussle. You hear me” she yells towards Paige.

“I love you too, Quen” Paige blew a kiss to her.

Quen rolls her eyes before giving me a kiss on the cheek and leaving. 

“Why must y’all fight over me”

“Because you’re the most important thing to us, baby” Paige leaves another kiss on my lips before hopping back onto the shared bed that I will never leave again.

Y'all I am so fuckin sorry this came out so late! But here yall go <3

[lazyneonrabbitt]

Bears on the road

Literal translation of a Dutch figure of speech, meaning ‘to see problems way bigger than they actually are’, usually with a lot of stress beforehand that in hindsight wasn’t needed.

Carmen Berzatto x Reader [pt.2]

Talk of anxiety attacks and getting rid of them. Reader's first three visits to The Beef.

~~☆☆☆~~

You had been at The Beef four times before ending up in Carmen’s apartment.

The first time was years ago on a trip.

Your companion had taken you there and you had the best food of the entire trip that day and the pretty guy behind the counter tried to flirt with you. Mikey, you thought his name was.

The second time was now that you had returned to the area for your studies.

The ratty ass building you live in was horrible, but the only place you could afford for now. You remembered the place and decided to go look if it was still open, and luckily it was.

There was a different guy behind the counter this time, who greeted you ..loudly. Going up to the counter you ordered a sandwich and sat down, pulling out your laptop to get some work done. It sucked that you had to get such a huge file ready to present on your first day, and with you such a perfectionist you started immediately when you got the welcome assignment. You had everything sorted out neatly into folders, your full project file over twenty-five pages long and every bit of source material carefully and properly linked. Since it would be too difficult moving your entire desktop setup across states you had gotten your current, high-end laptop and uploaded every last bit of your project to your Drive account that had been your saving grace more than once over the years. While you waited for your food to be made you decided to read over some parts of your file again to check for any spelling mistakes seeing you didn’t actually have to download the file to preview it. Opening your Drive account and heading over to the right folder and tap the file to open it, only for your reflection in the dark mode text previewer to stare back at you. The small window in he middle of your screen popping up, reading “File cannot be opened. Corrupt Data.”

Eyes wide, the words glare back at you. CORRUPT DATA. No fucking way. FILE CANNOT BE OPENED. You checked the upload, it finished all the way.

You try again. The same error staring at you, screaming at you CORRUPT DATA. FILE CANNOT BE OPENED. Shit. Shitshitshitshit. The words became blurry as tears welled in your eyes, breathing becoming more and more difficult with every count of days, weeks, months even, you spent working on this huge thing that was due in two days.

You didn’t even notice the man at the counter calling out for you to come grab your sandwich. Didn’t realize he had gotten away from said counter with a plastic tray containing your sandwich until he placed it on your table a little too loudly. The harsh, sudden sound caught you so off guard it kicked the oncoming panic attack info full gear.

The man quickly shot into action, sitting down, a hand on your shoulder trying to get you to look at him and tell him ..something, anything. But he really had no clue how to handle this.

“Cousin!” He called out, but not before turning away from you as o not yell directly at you. No response. “Help!” He added after a short, but according to him, too long moment.

His hand kept rubbing small circles on your shoulder, hoping he was at least doing something for you.

“shit,” You heard another voice, slightly further away. “Richie go grab her some water.” And the hand on your shoulder disappeared and the man, Richie, was replaced by the other one with the soft but direct sounding voice. This one didn’t immediately try to touch you, first hovering his hand above yours, carefully giving you a moment to shuffle away if you needed and only after you didn’t, take your hand and slowly move it away from you. “Can you breathe with me?” He was a lot calmer than counter guy. Name, what was it again? Water, yeah he got you water. You needed water? With your hand being moved by the new person, stopping you from completely clenching your arms around yourself you slowly moved your head upwards, breathes still erratic and difficult. You were staring at your hand now, well, a rough, tattooed hand that was holding yours. “Hey,” again that softer voice. “Squeeze my hand if you hear me.” Squeeze his hand. Yes. You did as he said and he took his other hand to the fold of your elbow, placing a single finger on your skin. “Breathe with me,” he took a loud, deep inward breath as he brushed his finger over the length of your forearm down to your wrist, and again a loud, deep outward breath while dragging his finger back up your arm. “Can you do that?” You squeeze his hand to say yes and close your eyes completely again to try and focus. He repeats his previous motions, breathing together with the movement of his finger on your skin. It takes some time but after a bit your breathing has evened out, just some sniffles left that would fade later as well.

You hadn’t dared to look up yet out of embarrassment but you really wanted that water now. The counter guy brought you water. You swore you could drink an entire ocean. Oceans not even as blue as the eyes staring back at you right now. Wow what? Who? You blinked a couple of times to really come back to earth after everything and now those eyes were clearly a part of a very cute guy with messy curls and a smile that could cure anyone’s bad day. “Welcome back.” Already he was holding out the glass of water to you, motioning that you should really drink something now that you calmed down and you did. You gulped down the whole glass before setting it down and seeing your forgotten, now cold sandwich. You frown at the wasted food as your stomach grumbled. The man followed your gaze and quickly figured out the source of your frown, easily coming up with a solution.

“You still hungry? I’ll go get you a new one.” He got up from the chair he had pulled up beside you, straightening out his apron. “On the house, yeah?” With half a turn and a hand motioning towards the door leading to the kitchen he looked at you waiting for an answer before walking off as you nodded, agreeing with the new sandwich.

By the time he came back you had put away your laptop, not wanting to deal with it anymore and focus on the food.

He lingered for a moment, making sure he caught your first bite, and how glad he was he did stay as your eyes widen with that first bite, looking down at the sandwich in your hands in disbelief. You looked up and caught him staring, covering your mouth with one hand holding back a laugh with your mouth still full. You made haste chewing and swallowing it down. “Holy shit,” You exclaim, pointing at the food in your other hand. “This is insanely good.” A small bow as thanks was given before he slipped back into the kitchen.

You kindly bring back your trays and one cold sandwich from earlier and et them on the counter before saying goodbye and making your way to the front door until a voice calls you back.

Moving rom behind the corner, you’re handed back the sandwich, wrapped up in to-go paper. “Take it, i promise you it still tastes amazing when you microwave it.” You accept it and put it in your bag with a thank you. "Oh, by the way," he continued again. "You had that shit on Drive or whatever it's called, right? Why not call whoever has your stuff on their computer and put it up again? That's how that shit works right?" Even though his advice came out as a string op questions you couldn't believe you hadn't thought of that. You thanked his again and this time really make your way out of the door, grabbing your phone and dialing home.

You were definitely coming back to The Beef.

The third time you came in was after your introduction day that went exceptionally smooth after fixing your file issue with Richie’s advice.

You debated going in since you could barely afford rest and instant noodles this month, let alone one of The Beef’s amazing sandwiches that you had been craving all day. You were absentmindedly walking back to your apartment, except somehow your legs had let you to where your stomach craved to be and had you standing in front of the restaurant instead.

With a sign you walked in and were immediately greeted by Richie. He smiled and recalled your order from last time with a raised eyebrow and a finger pointed at you in question. “Hi, yeah that’s right.” You smile back, walking up to the counter. “So, I wanted to thank you for last time. That calling home idea of yours was, it fixed my problem. They uploaded everything again and it worked. So, thanks.” You fished some money from your wallet and put it on the counter, paying for the order he had technically placed for you.

You weren’t sure if he was working today, so you asked Richie to thank Carmen for showing you his way of calming down. Since there was no one at the register you told him how you managed to keep a full blown panic attack at bay with it. Richie only smiled at your story before he was calling over his cousin once again, who had already realized you were there because of the little note that was left on the order receipt and he had taken it upon himself to bing you your sandwich so he could see how you were doing.

You ended up sitting together at your table, you enjoying your sandwich and Carmen enjoying your storytelling. He ended up sitting with you throughout his entire break, sans smoking time and you parted ways again. Him retreating back to the kitchen as you placed your empty tray back on the far end of the counter, Richie sending a knowing wink your way with a nod towards the kitchen. You rolled your eyes at him as you went on your way.

~~☆☆☆~~

A/N: I promise I have no clue how do write panic attacks so I apologise if its all fucky!! Part two is being written already so, hopefully soon~

[seraphiism]

❀ ﾟ. ༄ ┊ 𝐛𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞 ( 𝐩𝐭. 𝐢𝐢𝐢 ) ;

( AT THE END AS AT THE START, & THROUGH ALL THE IN-BETWEENS, I LOVE YOU )

characters : ganyu / childe / itto / yelan / wanderer fandom : genshin impact quote cr : amal el-mohtar and max gladstone a/n : part 3 of 4! each character is limited to 150 words.

pt. i // pt. ii

↬ ganyu ࿐ ࿔

to exist between two worlds tears the soul asunder in liminal spaces and limbo alike. ganyu belongs neither here nor there, and in a gentle heart, there is desire for somewhere to call home.

she gazes upon liyue, feels that lump in her throat, a sorrow profound, and a loneliness she cannot make purpose of.

"you've always belonged." you watch the heartache fade from her visage, place a glaze lily in the palm of her hand. "whether the mountains or city, it's all your home, ganyu."

she inhales sharply. her eyes sting, tongue numb. she grabs your hand, squeezes three times in silent confession of ardor.

"thank you."

it is your smile that is the breaking point, and her tears flow, yet you do not speak. instead, you squeeze her hand not three times, but four in the knowing of a shared love and presence until fate bids lovers farewell.

↬ childe ࿐ ࿔

"don't worry your pretty little head off," childe says, voice muffled as you adjust his scarf, "i'm used to the cold."

"remember how you got sick last time? you were such a baby."

is that your true motivation? the harbinger gasps, and maybe you wrap the scarf a little tighter.

"so you tend to me," he begins, voice cracking, "not out of love, but out of convenience?"

"yeah. how'd you know?"

your annoyed look is a facade; despite how genuine it seems, childe always manages to see through you. how delicate it is, your mask shattering the moment he smiles.

he is your weakness, after all.

"i always know." he hums, taking you into his arms. he pulls down the scarf, presses a kiss against your nose as you sigh in defeat. "besides, i can just hold you like this in case i get too cold. you're all i need."

↬ itto ࿐ ࿔

an oni's life is difficult, prejudice in wait at itto's every step. since childhood, he has always been well aware of his identity, chin held high despite the hardships. with joyous spirits and a boisterous personality, few would know there is a quiet bruising of the soul.

"does it hurt?" your fingertips graze over his horns, note his curious reaction.

"what, that? no."

you both recall previous events from this morning, a grimace crossing his features at the harsh words that ring endlessly in his ears.

"oh." itto becomes uncharacteristically silent, feels your arms wrap around his frame. "that didn't hurt."

of course it didn't. he's used to these things, he reminds himself, closing his eyes, indulging in your hug. it didn't.

"it's not true. you're fine as you are."

"you're gonna make me cry, y'know?"

"i'm going to make that man cry first."

"easy, easy-- you already did today!"

↬ yelan ࿐ ࿔

yelan holds many names and stories and none of them real. from person to person, false qualms and fake tragedies, you remain oblivious to her true self, only knowing that there is a hurt that bores a hole in the heart. you are unsure of this feeling-- harboring affections for someone who could be entirely fictive. anxiety weighs on your shoulders, one she is knowing of yet does not act upon.

she does not fault you ; it is not a terrible thing, the way she lives her life, carries herself in multitudes, and it is one of necessity. yelan is made of certainties, and she is certain that you have become an important part of her life.

she laces her fingers with yours, lips ghosting over your skin in an act of quiet reverence. perhaps one day you will learn the truth of her, but for now, this is enough.

↬ wanderer ࿐ ࿔

vagabonds do not know of refuge ; without a heart, there is no meaning in belonging, no need for emotions.

no, there is no need for emotions, but even the wanderer cannot rid of the ones he feels towards you. he does not wish to identify them, put a name to something akin to love because it has no place in his many lives.

"breathe." your hands ghost over his chest, delicate. "it's alright."

you do not expect to feel anything and you don't ; it frightens him deeply, but there is a kindness in your eyes that he fails to understand.

"why won't you give me a name?"

you smile, still your hand over the place a heart should reside.

"because it is your own, wanderer. you know who you are beneath it all, do you not?"

there is an absence of feeling, a dormancy, and you think it is beautiful.

[thelampisaflashlight]

The Hotel Saturn Pt 1: Welcome

[Welcome to The Hotel Saturn, make yourself comfortable, you might just want to stay forever. Selen just wanted a break from the road.] Below the cut.

Taking in the sights and sounds, and, indeed, smells, of The Hotel Saturn, Selen cannot help but think coming here was a mistake.

The place looks like it hasn't been updated since the 1960's, vintage stains included, and reeks of old, wet tobacco and some kind of generic Lysol-like cleaner.

"Not too late to say fuck it and sleep in the van..." she mumbles under her breath, cringing slightly as the aggressively turquoise -Maybe teal? Cheryl is the one who can tell the difference, it's all just green or blue to her.- crunches under her boots.

Disgusted, Selen glances around the room, looking for her bandmates, but, much to her disappointment, all of them have abandoned waiting in line to be seen at the front desk -and her- in favor of milling about the lobby.

Cheryl, carrying around her fluffy, pink half jacket in her arms, heart-shaped sunglasses perched on the top of her head, is admiring some of the art hanging on the walls, which Selen has to admit is rather lovely... if not a bit macabre.

Aaron, holding half the band's bags and looking quite calm about it, is stood near the front door, looking outside at the virtually empty parking lot, eyes fixed on... something. It's hard to tell from a distance what he's looking, if he's looking at anything at all.

Clair, sat on a strangely patterned couch -Selen thinks it's called... paisley?- is scrolling through his phone, looking tense, and beside him, no doubt the reason for his unease, is Lukas.

Lukas...

Yeah, Selen would rather not look at him right now, or ever quite frankly, so whatever he's doing, she doesn't give a damn, but given Clair's expression, he's probably talking his ear off about something.

Honestly, she isn't even sure why Lukas is here.

This trip was just supposed to be the four of them, and then...

"He's my sister's fiancé's younger brother, they pretty much bullied me into letting him come." Clair had explained, annoyed, but giving a shrug, "He's studying audio engineering or something, I dunno."

"Do we really want some rando with us in the van for the next, like, month?" Cheryl had questioned, "I dunno about you boys, but I'm not exactly comfortable with that. Like, what's he even going to do?"

"He's not a complete stranger, Cherie, he's my future brother-in-law's brother, and, besides, he already knows Selen." Clair pointed out, gesturing towards her, "They went to the same college, they even had classes together, isn't that right?"

"I-"

Selen shakes her head, bringing herself back to the present, curling her hands into tiny fists in her pockets, the bite of her nails into her palm keeping her grounded.

It's no use in reflecting on that conversation or dwelling on the past in general, but...

She looks over at Lukas again.

His attention is still directed towards Clair, who just seems to be nodding along to whatever Lukas is saying, his gaze remaining glued to his phone.

Returning to watching the line, Selen can now see a man in a burgundy track suit with prominent dark circles under his eyes discussing something rather quickly with the person working the front desk, gesturing back and forth between himself and the group of people clustered around him.

Beside the man stands another, much taller, beefier looking man who seems to be explaining things as the shorter gesticulates wildly.

Before too long, the front desk worker grabs a series of keys off of a rack hanging behind them and drops them onto the counter, turning away from both of them to type something into their computer, ignoring the boisterous man and his... bodyguard?

Selen gives the crowd time to disperse slightly before approaching the desk, finding that the counter itself comes up to her chest.

It had seemed so much shorter with the two men standing in front of it...

Her head barely pokes over the back of the computer monitor, and Selen finds she has to stand on her toes to be seen, almost startling the front desk worker out of their seat.

"Sorry." she apologizes quickly, a bit red in the face from embarrassment, "Um..."

The worker sighs and places a hand on their chest.

"It's fine." they say, sounding tired.

Selen tries not to take it personally, especially seeing what they've just had to deal with.

"Welcome to the Hotel Saturn, how may I be of service this afternoon?" they ask, rolling back slightly in their chair to get a better angle on Selen.

"Ah, yes, um... My friends and I would like to..." she briefly struggles to find the word she wants to use, "...rent a couple rooms if at all possible?"

"How many rooms will be needed?" the worker asks.

"There's five of us so... three would be ideal."

"And how long will you be staying with us?"

Selen thinks for a moment.

They have to head to their next show the day after tomorrow, but she's not quite sure how... how this is supposed to work in all honesty.

Do you rent the room for the morning and evening separately?

Would it count as two days and two nights?

"Um..." Selen counts on her fingers, "Well... we, we would like to stay tonight, tomorrow, and the morning of the day after so... um..."

The worker smiles, trying to appear reassuring, but in the back of Selen's mind it only shows her that she's royally flubbing this interaction.

"We can arrange that, yes." they say, checking their computer again, frowning, "Ah... Unfortunately it seems we only have one room currently available, but it does have two double beds and a sofa, would that work?"

"Well..." Selen considers the sleeping arrangements for a moment, so long as Aaron and Clair share one bed, and her and Cheryl get the other, Lukas can sleep on the couch so... "That sounds fine."

"Alright then, I just need you to fill out some paperwork-"

"I am NOT sleeping on the couch." Lukas whines almost immediately upon hearing Selen's proposed set-up, "I already had to sleep sitting up in the passenger seat of the van, I deserve to sleep in a real bed!"

"We've all been sleeping in the van." Cheryl points out, rolling her eyes.

"Guys, I'll sleep on the couch, Lukas can share with Aaron." Clair says, taking the room key from Selen.

"I don't want to share a bed with a guy either." Lukas huffs, then smirks, looking at Selen and Cheryl, "Maybe one of you lovely la-"

"Clair, tell your stupid ass soon to be bitch-in-law that if he even thinks about crawling into my bed at night, I'm going to neuter him on the spot." Cheryl threatens.

"Can we not fight about this in the middle of a hallwa-" Clair starts, but gets cut off by Aaron slipping the key out of his hand and handing it back to Selen, who stares up at him in confusion.

"Cheryl and Selen should get their own bed, Clair and Lukas, you two can either man up and share the other one or one of you can sleep on the couch." he says, sounding rather bored by their antics, "I'm going to sleep outside in the van, keep an eye on our equipment. I know we're out in the middle of nowhere, but that's even more reason to be cautious."

"Aaron, you really don't have to sleep in the van, man, I could..." Clair trails off, then smiles suddenly, "Thanks, man."

"No problem." Aaron waves him off dismissively, then crouches down slightly to whisper in Selen's ear, "...There's enough room in the back if you decide to say fuck it and sleep in the van, too."

Selen shivers.

"D-Don't stay up too late." she stammers.

"No worries, girlie, I won't." he hums, standing back up straight, rolling his shoulders, "Right, you guys get settled, I'm gonna see what this place has to offer in terms of recreation, seeing as we're going to be here for a little while, might as well make use of that time wisely..."

.

.

.

"This room smells funky." Aeon hums nervously, looking down at the tacky yellow carpeting, "Like the cigarettes Swiss smokes..."

"So weed?" Dew snorts, going through his duffle bag, "Yeah, yeah, that and, mn..."

Dew sniffs.

"Dryer lint."

"That has a smell??" Aeon chirps, going over to the window to look outside, "They have a tennis court and... oh, a pool house! We could go swimming!"

"It's probably not super well maintained, and I don't think we'll have much time to play around..." Dew points out, "This is work, even if it feels like a vacation."

"Oh..." Aeon frowns, "R-Remind me what we're supposed to... supposed to do again?"

Dew takes a pouch out of his bag and tosses it to Aeon, who scrambles to catch it.

"You, my young friend, are going to go take pictures of the hotel, and be casual about it so staff doesn't get suspicious and think we're casing the joint...." the older ghoul pulls out a notebook, a roll of tape, and a pen from his bag and throws them onto Aeon's bed, "Take notes, write down anything suspicious you see, tape the pictures into the notebook-"

"Couldn't we just use a digital camera or, like, our phones for this...?" Aeon questions, examining the polaroid camera in his hands, "Why are we going... retro?"

"Physical evidence is more reliable than digital when it comes to capturing these fuckers." Dew says, "Besides, fits the aesthetic."

Aeon fiddles with the camera, holding it up facing Dew, "Cheese?"

Dew smirks, wincing slightly as the flash goes off.

Zzzt...

Fwip.

Aeon waits for the photo to develop, eyes going wide when he looks at it, "Dew, there's-!"

"A weird aura around me, right?" He says, motioning outward, "The camera has a mild enchantment on it, so the lens can 'see' what we can't see with the naked eye... only flaw is that it still needs regular film, so don't just point and shoot at anything."

"What should I take photos of?" Aeon asks, flipping the camera around to take a picture of himself, curious about what his aura looks like.

Zzzt...

Fwip.

"Try to get wide shots of the rooms you pass through, hallways, both ends, and any mirrors that are facing each other, or a doorway."

"Why?"

"Mirrors can act as portals for spirits and other entities to pass through." Dew explains, "Even you could probably do it with some practice, but you'd have to ask Aether about how to do it since it's a quintessence thing."

"Oh." Aeon looks at his photo, "...Is this normal?"

"Show me."

Aeon hands the picture over to Dew, who purses his lips.

"I'm afraid there's something awful in this photo."

"Oh no!" Aeon squirms, "What is it??"

"A dorky little kit."

"Hey!"

After receiving further instructions from Dew, Aeon sets off to explore the hotel. Despite his teasing, the older fire ghoul really is a good teacher and a surprisingly caring mentor in general, even if he could come off a bit snarky at times.

"You have big shoes to fill." He'd told him backstage before his first show, hands firmly on Aeon's shoulders, "Aeth is a fan favorite and you're coming out in the wake of his retirement, so the crowd is going to be rough. It's always hard, but when you're the new guy... it's worse. Don't let the crowd win, give it your all and make the stage your bitch!"

It was Dew's confidence in him early on that let him feel a little less awkward in general.

He's kind of like an older brother in a way, which is why it doesn't feel like too much of a stretch to pretend like he is for the sake of their mission.

"As far as the staff is concerned, we're having a family reunion." Papa had explained as they arrived at the hotel, having all arrived in groups of two to four, spaced out over the course of several hours to make it seem more legitimate that they were all coming from different places instead of coming directly from the abbey together.

"Our goal is to document any and all supernatural happenings at the hotel and, with any luck, find and eliminate the cause should anything... demonic... be lurking within these walls."

"Aren't we demonic things lurking within these walls then?" Aurora had asked, sparing Aeon the embarrassment of asking himself, "Like... aren't we for demons?"

"This is different." Aether chimed in, standing beside Papa, "The entities we are hunting were summoned through unsanctioned rituals and blood pacts, and mean to do harm to the living, ourselves included, as well as bring harm to whatever spirits might be trapped here on the surface."

"More often than not, these creatures seek to create disorder and chaos, but they do not do it to further the dark lord's ideals or to bring forth Hell on Earth, they do so for selfish means and to grow in power in hopes of overtaking the throne."

"...And we have to do this... why?" Aeon had finally asked, looking at the gathered ghouls nervously, "Like, why us specifically?"

"Ghouls are more durable than humans." Aether answered plainly, "If we sent the siblings to deal with possible infestations, the mortality rate would skyrocket, and, crucially, most humans cannot see the things we can. The only exception being psychics or seers, or those granted 'sight' by incantations or prayer."

"I don't know if I'm qualified for this..." Aeon mumbles, back in the present, the camera hanging around his neck bouncing slightly against his chest as he makes his way downstairs and into the lobby again.

He'd taken a picture of the space from above, but something in the corner caught his eye even before the photo fully developed.

Two women, one very tall and dressed in an outfit that Aeon can only describe as "Barbie-esque" -very pink would be another way to put it, but the first thought he had upon seeing it was "Ah, like Barbie."- with a short, brown buzzcut, and another, far shorter one, dressed almost entirely in black, save for the purple sunglasses she's wearing and the bright white boots on her feet, stand admiring a series of framed pictures on the wall.

At first, he hadn't noticed anything off about the pair, but something about the shorter of the two, the thin bubble around her in the polaroid...

Aeon finds himself heading down the staircase before his mind can really process if it's a good idea to approach the two or not.

"This one, the smaller piece here, is a replica of Femmes au jardin, Women in the garden, by Claude Monet, with some creative liberties taken..." the taller says, "And- Oh, hello."

Aeon stumbles over his feet, catching himself on the back of the ornate chair in front of him, "H-Hello, um, I couldn't help but overhear... uh... I..."

"Are you interested in the paintings here, too?" she asks, saving him from his own tongue, "They're impressive, no?"

Aeon nods.

"I... I wasn't sure, or rather, how... how can you tell they're not original works?" he asks, trying to make conversation.

"For some of them it's obvious, you wouldn't find, say this one here." She extends a finger towards a framed painting beside the one they're currently viewing, "This is a carefully painted copy of the Spanish painter Francisco Goya's painting known as, El Perro, The Dog. It's one of fourteen paintings known as The Black Paintings that Goya painted directly onto the walls of his home., hence why this is obviously a replica."

Aeon takes in the image, it seems rather simple, and yet...

"The dog seems so sad..."

"People have debated over the meaning, it really depends on how you view the dog's role in the piece, though none of them are particularly happy... I was just saying it seemed an odd choice for the lobby of a hotel, but I guess it's a matter of taste." she shrugs, then turns to him with a smile, "Almost forgot to introduce myself, Cheryl."

She offers him her hand.

"A-Aeon." he says, shaking her hand, "And your friend?"

The smaller woman hasn't said a thing or acknowledged him since he approached them initially, seemingly lost in the artwork before her.

"Ah, this is Selen, she's acting like she's interested, but she actually finds this sort of talk very boring, don't you?" Cheryl teases, pinching the other's cheek.

"I-I don't... I just don't understand all of the fancy words you wind up using!" Selen pouts, her speech a bit slurred by Cheryl's grip on her face, "...But I do know what I like, and I can't say I enjoy these... hoity-toity pieces, they're too fancy or have weirdly grim meanings..."

Cheryl sighs, letting go of her friend's face, then glances down at the camera around Aeon's neck.

"A bit of a shutterbug?" she asks, and Aeon startles a bit.

"Oh, um, not really, my... my brother handed me this and told me to take pictures of the hotel." he says, holding up the camera, then whispers, "...I think that may have just been an excuse to get me to leave him alone now that I think about it."

Cheryl laughs.

"So, family trip?"

He nods.

"I saw him come in with that big group earlier." Selen says, side-eyeing him.

"A-Ah, yeah, that's my family haha... The Saturn was where my grandparents met, so it's, I guess our Pa-" Aeon coughs, "Our dad wanted to come here since Gramps passed recently."

"Aw..." Cheryl pats his shoulder.

"And you? What brought you here?"

Selen turns and points at a lanky man in a polo shirt with the collar flipped up.

"That douchey looking guy over there."

"Selen, be nice..."

Aeon bites his tongue.

He... the guy does look kind of... kind of...

"A-Ah."

"Ignore Selen." Cheryl says, giving Selen a look before the shorter shrugs and walks off to look at a different painting over on the opposite wall, "We're on a road trip, kind of. We're checking out hotels in on the way to some venues, see which ones are the best bang for our buck, ya know? But so far we've just wound up sleeping in the car."

"Venues... Oh, um, are you seeing a band perform?" he asks, tilting his head curiously.

Cheryl shrugs, "Mn, kind of."

Kind of.

Huh.

"T-That's neat, um, so I..." Aeon taps his fingers on the camera anxiously, "Uhh..."

"Aeon!"

Oh thank fuck.

Swiss bounces over to his side and swings an arm around his shoulders.

"Pops wants us to meet up at the tennis court in an hour, get a photo for Grandma." he says, giving him a squeeze before letting him go, "So get a move on, yeah, kid?"

Aeon flushes.

"Y-Yeah, sure."

Swiss ruffles his hair and heads off, saying something about going to find Rain.

"Is that the brother you mentioned?" Cheryl asks, lowering her sunglasses to peek over at Swiss' retreating figure.

"H-He's one of my brothers, but not the one who gave me the camera." Aeon says, "I... I should get a move on, haha..."

"You do that. It was nice meeting you, Aeon, hopefully we get a chance to talk again before the end of our stays here, and if we do..." Cheryl says, then, eyeing Swiss once more before he full disappears around the corner, "Bring your brother."

Aeon can't leave quick enough.

.

.

.

"That guy was weird." Selen whispers, hanging off of Cheryl's arm nervously, "Did you see his camera? What if he was taking pictures of us before he came down the stairs?"

"I mean it's possible, but he seems like he's on the level. Some people are just awkward like that..." Cheryl says, "Even you have trouble striking up conversations with strangers unless the other person initiates it first."

"Mn, but..."

Cheryl pokes Selen in the forehead with one of her long, pink acrylic fingernails.

"Ow! Cheryl..."

"You have to admit he was kind of cute though." Cheryl hums, "And his brother-"

Selen furrows her brow and frowns.

"He was not..."

"Not your type?"

"It's..." she shakes her head, "He's not cute at all."

"What?? He's adorable."

"Nope."

"Not even a little?"

Selen pouts.

"Haahh... I still have no idea what your type is, your bestie should know these things, you know! I mean, you know MY type!" Cheryl cries.

"Because your 'type' changes depending on who's ass you saw most recently-"

Cheryl gasps in mock surprise.

"That's so-" she pauses to watch a passing staff member walk by, "-true, but don't read me like that in public, Muffins, or everyone will know. Still... if you told me what you like, I could set you up with someone~?"

"I'm not interested in dating." Selen adjusts her sleeves.

"Doesn't have to be anything long term, if you're just looking to get laid-"

"Cheryl!" Selen flusters, "You can't just say that so casually!"

"What? People hook up all the time and it doesn't have to mean anything." Cheryl says, reaching into her pocket for her phone, "I bet if I checked one of the dating apps I have on here right now, this place would be absolutely full of people looking to bang-"

"Don't..." Selen groans, burying her face in her hands.

"Oh, wow, even the tips of your ears are red." Cheryl coos, "You're so shy about this stuff, but didn't Aaron invite you back to the van later tonight?"

"Cheryl..."

"Oh don't be so coy, I saw what you put in your bag before we left the apartment, and I'm fine with whatever you two have going on so long as it doesn't impact the band or our friendship, yeah?"

Cheryl holds out her pinkie, "Promise me it won't?"

Selen blows a stray hair out of her face and links her finger with Cheryl's.

"So is he going to carry you back to the room after he blows your back out or should I not expect to see you until breakfast-"

"Ch-...I wonder if they have pancakes..."

"Noted."

[vulpes-fennec]

Fanservice for Your Fanfiction (pt. 2)

Summary: Gwyneth Berdara is a full-time student, part-time fanfiction writer. When her best friend (who she may or may not have a crush on), Azriel Shadowsinger, finds out that she writes smutty fanfiction, Gwyn cannot imagine showing her face ever again. (Gwynriel Modern AU one (two?) shot)

ATTENTION: MILD CRESCENT CITY HOSAB SPOILERS! A CC SHIP HAS BEEN REFERENCED IN THIS WORK!

For @gwynrielweeksofficial NSFW day

Read: Part 1 | AO3

In the last 96 hours, whenever Gwyn replayed the way Azriel tenderly cupped her face or how he smiled against her lips, she was sent into a blushing, heart-fluttering mess. Friday night had passed with plenty of cuddling and heavy make-out sessions between attempts to study organic chemistry. Despite how well-acquainted they’d become with each others’ mouths, Azriel kept a disappointingly respectable distance from Gwyn as he walked her home. 

The Ruhnlidia elevator makeout session that Gwyn hammered out in the wee hours of the morning was a subsequent hit. Waking up past noon on Saturday, Gwyn found an interesting comment on the chapter she’d just published.  

AzPizzaz: Great chapter! I enjoyed it a lot, can’t wait for more ;)

Thanks to a packed start of the week, she hadn’t spoken to Azriel since Friday night. Save for the comment he’d left, it had also been radio silence from him. That made Gwyn anxious. Especially when they hadn’t discussed what their “relationship” was now. 

Ugh, maybe he is waiting for me to make the next move? Az told me he liked me…you’d think that would be clear enough! Why are boys so confusing?

Gwyn was tempted to seek advice from Nesta and Emerie. But part of her wanted to keep things under wraps, until she and Azriel had a proper “define-the-relationship” talk. Resolving to take action, Gwyn bought four cupcakes from the gardening club’s bake sale, donned a cute shirt and short skirt, and made her way to the boys’ apartment. Cassian answered the door after the second knock. “Cupcakes?!? For me?” he asked eagerly. 

“No, they’re obviously for Azriel.” Nesta appeared behind her boyfriend, rolling her eyes. “Come on in, Gwyn.”

Gwyn blushed at Nesta’s comment. “I actually bought enough for all of us to have one.” She set the box down on the haphazard kitchen counter and looked around the room. Is Azriel even home? 

Cassian smirked. “Azriel’s in the shower right now. Just got out of practice.” 

“Oh…” Gwyn trailed off. Just a few yards away from her, Azriel was probably lathering his hair with soapy suds, the water running down his body in thin rivulets. Would he be stepping into the hallway with a towel around his waist, steam swirling around him? Cauldron, Gwyn, get a hold of yourself! Don’t think about this stuff in public! Gwyn blinked rapidly. This is becoming a problem. 

Cassian strode over to the bathroom door and knocked loudly. “Az! Can Gwyn chill in your room? Nesta and I are leaving.” he called out. 

“What?” Gwyn’s heart inevitably picked up at the sound of Azriel’s muffled reply over the gushing water. Cassian repeated himself. After a longer pause, Azriel responded with a “yeah, go for it.”

“Wait, where are you going?” Gwyn asked, bewildered. “I thought we were planning our spring break trip tonight?”

“Sorry, Cassian and I have a dinner reservation,” Nesta said, not sounding very apologetic at all. “But I’ll still plan with you when we get back. You’ll be okay chilling here, right?”

“Of course I’ll be okay,” Gwyn replied smoothly, trying to hide the fact that she was internally panicking. Because being alone with Az is anything BUT chill. What if he doesn’t want to talk about us? What if he just wants to be friends with benefits? I don’t think I can handle it if he did…

“Have a nice dinner!” she called out weakly as Nesta and Cassian hustled out.

Settling back on Azriel’s bed brought a fresh wave of cheek-reddening memories. Azriel had lavished little kisses on her freckles here just a few days ago. He had snuggled her tight against his muscled body, hands lazily threading themselves through her hair as they lay in comfortable silence. 

Yep, that’s the pillow I was laying on. Oh, and the corner of the bed frame he pushed me up against. Oh gods….Gwyn squared away those thoughts by opening up her laptop and flicking through the open tabs. Anything to get her mind off Azriel. Flights to the tropical beaches of Adriata. Hotels. Rainforest tours. Bikini shopping. And her Ruhnlidia work-in-progress draft. 

I guess I should work on that, since Nesta isn’t even here to plan and I don’t want to do homework. Her fingers tapped out a few sentences:

Ruhn’s brains were disorientingly thick, as if he’d woken up with a hangover. He must’ve been knocked unconscious. How long had he been out for? When Ruhn’s vision swam back into view, he realized he was tied to a large chair in the middle of a storage room, unable to budge an inch…

“Hey.” Gwyn’s eyes snapped up at the sound of Azriel’s amused voice. Her greeting died in her throat when she saw him casually leaning against the doorframe, wearing only a pair of thick black sweatpants. Not quite a towel, but…oh, fuck. Az is shirtless. 

Gwyn had never seen Azriel shirtless, and—sweet Mother help her—he was beautiful. His muscled arms were crossed over sculpted, warm brown pectorals. Which were followed by a toned abdomen that eventually led down, down, down to the low-slung waistline of his sweatpants. Gwyn was vaguely aware of licking her lips, just a little bit. A movement that Azriel had undoubtedly noticed when a reciprocating fire flared in his eyes.  

Gwyn created a little rectangle with her thumbs and index fingers, leaning back so that Azriel fit right in the picture frame. “Actually, take a little step to your left. And put your right arm up against the doorframe.”

Azriel complied with a grin, his extended arm stretching his toned physique. “For research purposes, I need you to give me a smolder, too.” Gwyn blushed when his boyish smile morphed into a smirk, his hazel eyes blinking slowly with a sultry intensity. “Well, well, well. AzPizzaz, you’re a natural at fanservice.”

“Fanservice?” Azriel’s chuckle burst the bubble of anxiety around Gwyn. It was hard to feel awkward around him for long, especially when he made her feel safe and fuzzy inside. 

“Yeah, like doing hot poses or flirty actions that make viewers scream with delight.”

Azriel blinked, as if not quite comprehending what Gwyn meant. “Well, happy to be of service anytime. Mind if I join you on the bed?” 

“Of-of course not, it’s your bed after all.” Gwyn tried to keep her voice light and casual as he clambered onto the bed, his still-damp hair hanging in front of his eyes. Stop thinking about it—nope, I failed already. Gwyn had pictured Azriel crawling to her across the bed on all fours in another context.

To Gwyn’s immense surprise, Azriel situated himself behind her, nestling her between his legs. Strong hands gently massaged her shoulders, relieving some of the very tension she felt leading up to his entrance. He carefully scooped her long coppery hair to one side, and pressed his soft mouth against her neck. Right where her jaw cut just below the ear. Gwyn gasped softly, tipping her head slightly. 

“You okay?” Azriel stiffened, pulling away. 

“Yeah. It feels nice,” Gwyn replied. “I like it.” She leaned back against Azriel’s warm body for emphasis, to reassure him that it was alright. Azriel relaxed, resuming his gentle kisses along her neck. She tried to return to her working document: 

…unable to budge an inch. A flash of upswept blonde hair in the shadows, and then Agent Cervos emerged, stalking towards him like a lioness playing with her food…

Maybe she could arch her neck a little, just to give him more access? Azriel’s hands wrapped almost possessively around her waist. He hugged her close, gently caging her between his muscled arms. 

Concentrate, concentrate. But it was impossible to do so, when Azriel’s callused hands dipped below the hem of her shirt, skating her bare waist in little circles. She shivered. This boy is dangerously good at multitasking. 

…like a lioness playing with her food…

Gwyn lost her train of thought again when Azriel’s warm lips lingered a bit longer than usual. Gwyn tried to keep her breathing casual and steady; surely the thrumming pulse under Azriel’s lips was already a dead giveaway for how her heart raced. 

“I missed you,” Azriel confessed quietly, his breath hot along her collarbone. 

“Me too,” Gwyn practically squeaked as he sucked on her the nape of her neck lightly. Cauldron, did he learn this from reading my fanfiction? Or is this a technique he picked up all on his own?

“What are you up to?” Azriel finally looked up from her shoulder. 

“I’m trying…I’m trying to write a s-scenario.” Gwyn could not speak coherently. The fact that he was reading her writing in real time also made her self-conscious.

“Trying,” Azriel teased, his hands traveling a bit higher and causing her mind to short circuit.

“And you’re not helping,” Gwyn replied hotly. “I want Ruhn straddled while tied up in a chair. But I don’t know what to do next.” 

“How about I pretend to be Ruhn, to speed up the creative process?” Azriel suggested. “If you’re okay with it, obviously. I have a pair of handcuffs.” 

Gwyn turned around to stare at Azriel incredulously. “Is this what Cassian meant when he brought up your kinks?” she gasped. 

“Maybe.” Azriel sheepishly shook his head.

“AzPizzaz, what other kinks do you have?” 

“Let’s save them for another day,” he said quickly. “Today is all about your vision. Also, are you going to call me AzPizzaz from now on?” 

“What’s wrong with AzPizzaz? You’re the one who came up with it yourself.” 

“Nothing. Just making sure you won’t call me that when I’m…helping you out. It might kill the vibe.”

“I have a feeling your ‘help’ is more for your benefit than mine.” Gwyn swatted his arm playfully. “Would you prefer I call you other names, then? Let’s see…babe? Daddy? Az? Sir?” Azriel’s poker face shifted slightly at the last word. Jackpot. Oh, I’m definitely going to use that to my advantage one day, Gwyn vowed.

Azriel rolled his eyes. “If you’re trying to figure out my kinks, you’re not going to have much luck.” Gwyn folded her arms across her chest and pouted slightly. 

“Fine. But your days of keeping your questionable search history private are numbered, Az. Now are you going to get those handcuffs out, or not?” 

Azriel disentangled himself from her and obediently opened the bottom drawer of his dresser. Gwyn craned her neck, trying to see if he had any other interesting things in there. Chains? Whips? Vibrators? Cock rings? Butt plugs?

“Snoop.” Azriel shut the drawer before she could see anything, and grinned as he held up a pair of silver cuffs. 

Gwyn’s jaw dropped open and she laughed. “Gods, you were serious about having handcuffs.” 

Azriel dragged a wooden, straight-backed chair in from the dining table. His ankles were secured to their respective chairlegs with ties, and he allowed Gwyn to loop a longer rope around his torso and the chair’s backing. Azriel’s wrists were cuffed neatly in his lap, the key set down far away on his desk. 

“Okay, ready?” Gwyn asked, feeling all at once excited and nervous. She perched on the far end of the bed, watching Azriel test the security of the ties. It was surreal, seeing her friend—her crush—in a position like this.  

“Whenever you’re ready,” Azriel answered gamely. Gwyn took a deep breath, and when she opened her eyes, she was ready. Azriel met her gaze with a steady stare of his own, and jerked his hands and shoulders for dramatic flair. 

“I suggest you stop struggling before you tip over the chair. I doubt you can do much with your hands tied,” Gwyn observed lightly, though she eyed Azriel’s hands with interest.

“Come a little closer, agent, and I’ll show you just what I’m capable of,” he retorted. Okay, now we’re getting somewhere, Gwyn smirked. Here we go. Azriel’s eyes trailed up her long legs as she approached. “And take off your underwear while you’re at it,” he added, something lean and ravenous awakening in his eyes. 

“I-I didn’t—” Gwyn broke character, suddenly feeling self-conscious. Az literally offered to “help” out with the smut scenes, Gwyn told herself, so he definitely wants this just as me. He won’t judge me, right? Azriel currently appeared cool and collected, whereas Gwyn felt like a fumbling adolescent. “I didn’t shave.” 

“I don’t think Ruhn cares very much about that.” Azriel raised an eyebrow, then lowered his voice. “I know I sure as hell don’t.” 

Gwyn nodded mutely and slipped her underwear down her legs, careful to keep Azriel from seeing anything under her skirt. She grimaced slightly at the plain white granny briefs on the ground, but quickly realized they didn’t matter. Azriel’s eyes had zeroed in on her panties as if they were a delectable piece of lingerie. 

“Gods, what a treat,” Azriel groaned. “Today must be my lucky day.” 

Gwyn took a slow turn around the chair Azriel was bound to, making sure she swayed her hips a little. She was tantalizingly close, so close that if Azriel’s hands were not cuffed in his lap, he probably could have run his hands up her inner thigh or squeezed her ass. He certainly looked tortured, as his chest rose and fell more sharply and as he tracked her stride with the expression of a hungry man.

“Ready for a confession, are we?” she crooned.

“Just come here already,” Azriel growled.

“I suppose I can indulge you a little before you start begging for mercy.” Gwyn gave him a smug smile as she straddled the chair, spreading her legs across Azriel’s stretched thighs. There was a slight strain in her thighs as she hovered over his black sweatpants. He jerked his cuffed hands forward, as if trying to lift her skirt hem, but Gwyn grabbed his wrist before he could. 

“Oh no,” she said. “Only good boys get to touch.” Gwyn pushed his hands up so that they were positioned flat against his abs. The position was slightly awkward, so Gwyn made a silent note of that. “I have a few questions for you, agent.”

“Give me all you’ve got, then,” Azriel smirked. “Why don’t you have a seat on my lap first? You seem a little tired, pretty dove.” 

Gwyn complied, feeling the cool air tingle her bare skin as she settled on Azriel’s spread thighs. She could have stayed in character and asked Azriel questions pertaining to her story, see how he would improvise. But instead, she asked, “How long have you liked me?” 

Pleasant surprise flared in Azriel’s eyes. “Since the last week of school our freshman year,” he responded. “How long have you—”

“Ah, ah, ah,” Gwyn placed a finger on his lips. “I’m the one who gets to ask questions around here.” She winked when Azriel rolled his eyes. “Now. What do you like about me?”  

“Everything.”

Now it was Gwyn’s turn to roll her eyes. “I’m going to need a better answer than that.”

“Fine. You always try to see the brighter side, even in your lowest moments. You are generous, you are hard-working…you make me laugh and you make me feel complete.” 

“How sentimental of you,” Gwyn said coolly, trying to keep herself from smiling like a lovesick fool. “Anything else you’d like to add?” 

Azriel’s hazel eyes flicked up and down her seated position. “I like that you’re sitting on my lap, wearing nothing under that little skirt. And I’m sure I’ll like the noises you make by the time this…interrogation is over.”

“What an indecent thing to say,” Gwyn scoffed, though her blood heated at his words. “I should gag your vulgar mouth until you decide to stop misbehaving.” 

“I think not. Otherwise, how else would you be able to properly kiss me?”

“Who says I want to kiss you?” Gwyn demanded hotly. 

“I think the fact that you blush whenever I look at you is a dead giveaway. And the way you’ve been clenching your thighs around me…who’s really in control of this cross-examination, hmm?” Azriel’s voice was laced with arrogance, though his eyes were fixed on her lips. “I wouldn’t be surprised if I could make you come from my words alone—”

“Shut up,” Gwyn snapped, knowing he was spot on with those observations. “I’m in control, Shadowsinger.” With that, she kissed him hungrily before he could say anything else. 

While one hand kept his handcuffed wrists in place, the other was behind his neck, greedily preventing him from pulling away. Gwyn sighed softly with content as his tongue delved into her mouth. Azriel was right about one thing: kissing him through a gag would not have been as nice. His teeth lightly bit down on her bottom lip between labored breaths. 

“Look at me,” Gwyn ordered, her voice sounding foreign to her ears as she threaded her hands through Azriel’s damp locks and tugged them backwards. His swollen lips, red-tinged cheeks, and slightly glazed over eyes had Gwyn’s stomach fluttering. “Good boy.”

Gwyn released his wrists so that she could tug his head back and trace the strong column of his throat. She shifted slightly in his lap, rubbing her pussy against his hardened erection. And it was Azriel who had to stifle his gasp this time. He tried to thrust his hips upwards, but the limited freedom of movement had him groaning in frustration as Gwyn canted her hips again.     

“Love, you’re making a mess on me,” Azriel murmured, sounding dazed after several moments of deep kisses. 

“Sorry.” Gwyn blushed, breaking character and standing up. A damp patch pooled where their bodies had met. She hadn’t realized just how much she’d been grinding against his cock, which was now visibly straining underneath the black sweats. Cauldron boil and fry me, she marveled, oh his dick is big. 

“No, please…keep doing it.” He gave her a knowing look, and then adjusted his wrists so that they were positioned between his legs. “But on my hands instead.” 

When Gwyn shyly sat down again, Azriel wasted no time flicking his middle and index fingers through her slick folds. He whistled quietly at how wet he found her, making her squirm in his lap. Gwyn inhaled a shaky breath as his fingers stroked her slowly and luxuriously, dipping deeper and deeper with each pass. 

Azriel kept his eyes trained on her face, carefully watching her for any signs of discomfort as he slowly inserted both fingers into her pussy. “How are you doing?” he asked quietly. 

“Perfect,” Gwyn gasped out as he pulled his fingers out and dipped them in again. There had been some tightness at first, mostly due to nervousness, but the soft attentiveness in Azriel’s eyes made her feel safe. “You can go faster, if you want, Az.”

The multitude of sensations that followed made Gwyn’s head spin. The cold metal of the handcuffs was a delightful sensation against her skin, and they jangled slightly whenever she bucked her hips forward to meet Azriel’s thrusts. The scars on his fingers were even noticeable along her walls, something she had never considered, and Gwyn bit back a wail when he tapped a sensitive spot deep within her. 

“I want to taste you so bad,” Azriel groaned. Soft sweatpants chafed the skin of her inner thighs, sending shivers racing up her legs.

“Well I’m not letting you out of those handcuffs, agent,” Gwyn panted out, still bouncing on his fingers. “Not until I finish with you.” 

“Please,” Azriel whimpered. “At least take your shirt off for me.” Gwyn shook her head vigorously. “Please, Gwyn.”

His whine was enough to convince Gwyn. She swept her soft tee off, and even took off her bra, for added measure. She should have gone slowly, could have done a little strip tease in front of Azriel to cause more anguish. But his expression, one of a man who had practically died and gone to heaven, was priceless. 

“So beautiful, Gwyn,” he groaned. “You’re prettiest girl I’ve ever seen.” Gwyn blushed. Azriel’s bound hands boosted her higher, eliciting a startled sound from Gwyn when his face was promptly buried in her chest. 

“Oh gods,” she cried out when his mouth closed over her breast, tongue swirling over her nipple, she cried out. Plenty of one-night stands had executed the same moves before, but it was different with Azriel. Despite her straddling him, he was definitely in control now.

Gwyn had to place her hands on Azriel’s shoulders to steady herself as Azriel continued to finger her deftly. Azriel’s thumb was in the perfect position to rub her clit while she trembled on his hand. Multitasking…yep, this boy is a menace with his multitasking.  

“Do you like that, pretty girl?” he rasped, voice muffled between her breasts. Azriel’s strong nose tickled her sternum, his breath hot and his tongue wet. The slick sounds grew louder and louder.

“Yes!” Gwyn panted as he sucked on the underside of her breast in between thrusts. She ground herself against his hand and shoved up against his face, not caring if she was suffocating Azriel. 

All lines of thought had been chased away by the growing pressure in her abdomen. Gwyn threw her head back in pleasure, chasing the high that was somewhere between the attention Azriel’s mouth provided and the rhythm of his fingers going in and out, in and out of her pussy. 

“Does my pretty captor want my mission intel? Or does she want to come?” The deep rumble of Azriel’s voice vibrated down her body. In her head, Gwyn knew that Lidia would choose the intel. Lidia would get the intel, hop off Ruhn, and then play with herself while making him watch. But Gwyn knew sure as hell what her answer would be. 

“I want to come, sir. Please, Azriel. I’ll let you out of those handcuffs, if you make me come. Please, sir,” Gwyn found herself saying. 

“Fuck,” Azriel choked out as his hips involuntarily thrust upward. The abrupt motion, coupled with his teeth scraping the sensitive side of her breast, resulted in Gwyn clenching down on his fingers. She sagged bonelessly down Azriel’s lap, moaning softly into his neck as his thumb rubbed her clit to prolong her release.

“Cauldron.” Gwyn found her voice again after several moments. She glanced at the floor length mirror on the wall: her short skirt hitched up and showing off the curve of her ass, her breasts littered with small love bites. Azriel’s muscled chest, his freshly tousled hair, his expression of smug satisfaction. “We look kind of hot.” 

Azriel tipped his head back and laughed. “You always look hot, Gwyn.” Realizing his hand must be sore, Gwyn reluctantly extracted herself from them, to find the keys. But before she could unlock the cuffs, Azriel brought both hands to his face and tasted the two fingers that were previously inside her. He released his fingers with a pop, swiping his tongue along his bottom lip. “You taste great, too.” Gwyn blushed, her fingers fumbling with the locks. 

“By the way, how the hell did you know I liked to be called ‘sir’?” Azriel asked indignantly once Gwyn released him. He reached over and gave her ass an affectionate squeeze before she could dart away. 

Gwyn laughed. “I can read you like a book, you know.” Azriel made a disgruntled noise when she slipped her bra, underwear, and shirt back on. “It’s cold, Az!” 

Azriel scowled adorably. “You know I could keep you warm if we just cuddled for a bit longer.” 

“You know I’m not one to turn down cuddles.” Gwyn walked over to where Azriel now stood, and rubbed his wrists gently to soothe any abrasions from the cuffs. A quiet intimacy befell them. 

Azriel tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and affectionately kissed her forehead. “I actually…I actually wanted to ask you something,” he started hesitantly. “Would you like to go on a date? With me? I know we are moving pretty fast. And you don’t have to give me your answer now, but—”

“Yes, Az.” Gwyn smiled at his runaway blabbering. “I’d love to go on a date with you.” Visible relief stretched across his face. “On one condition,” Gwyn added. “What we just did was super hot. I loved it. And I’m down to experiment with new stuff for my smutty writing. But unless I say otherwise, I want you to be yourself. Just you.” 

“Really? Because I’ve got a lot of different ways to provide fanservice for your fanfiction—”

“I’m serious, Az! No fictional man could ever compare to you, okay? You don’t need to change who you are for me.”

“Alright, alright. I promise to be myself.” Azriel hugged Gwyn close. 

“Does that include your kinks?” Gwyn turned her teal eyes up at him hopefully.

“Gwyneth!”

Tags (those who have asked/requested pt. 2 on my original post): @octobers-veryown, @damedechance, @shadowriel, @almosttenaciousmoon, @nymphhazel5

[frankenstein-ate-my-left-shoe]

wip word search!!

rules: go through your wips and look for the words given to you and post a snippet with that word.

i was tagged by the ever-lovely @sidekick-hero, my fellow metaldeputy enthusiast 💟🫶

my words were: breath, hair, smile, fingers, blue, love

putting it under the cut!

breath (from my sailor!steve x rockstar!eddie fic)

Chief Bond speaks up from his spot along the wall. “You assholes are fucked, you know.” and takes a drink from his be-faced cup. The other four boys deflate a bit more. “Yeah, we kn—.”  the shortest of the four starts before getting cut off by the door slamming shut. Harrington's hands go to his hips once the door is closed, his head hanging with the long breath he takes. “Ste–” He whirls around, fury boiling beneath his calm expression. “Whatever extra duty I get for this, you assholes are taking from me after.” he states, glaring at the four younger sailors. That look on his face should not be affecting Eddie the way it is.

hair (from pt. 2 to my summer fanworks challenge fic)

Robin appears in his doorway, arms crossed across her chest. He watches her examine him for a moment, then looks away. She heaves a sigh, “C’mon Doofus, let's get you cleaned up, huh?” Eddie lets her sit him up on his bed, hunching forward with his legs crossed and arms holding his own chest together. Why does this hurt so bad? It wasn’t even real. The mattress sinks with her weight when she sits behind him, poking one of her boney knees into the small of his back. She reaches forward and sweeps his hair back from his face, raking her nails through one side, then the other, slowly detangling it with her fingers at first, before he points out where his hairbrush had been abandoned this morning.  This morning? Was it really only this morning? Fuck..

smile (from my ghost!eddie fic)

“Hi!” the girl says, bouncing to a stop in front of him. “Uh, hi? Who are you?” “I’m Chrissy!” she grins, her smile bright yet slightly crooked. “Hi Chrissy, I’m Steve, uhm…what the hell is going on? Who are you? Why are you in my dream?” “I assume it’s because I died at Forest Hills.” She shrugs, as if it was the most benign news in the world. Steve blinks at her in the darkness, takes in her uniform– “Oh my god, you’re the cheerleader who died! Are you–are you my ghost?”

fingers (from a little thing i'm doing based on a tiktok i saw lmao)

The double doors whir open before him and he grabs up one of the mismatched baskets, nodding politely to the woman manning the one open register as he passes. He wanders the aisles, drumming his fingers on the metal handle of his basket to the somewhat familiar new Fleetwood Mac song that’s echoing down on him from the speakers embedded in the stained ceiling tiles, when he rounds the corner to the most unbelievable sight. He literally cannot believe what he’s seeing. At first Steve thought there was no way. That the frizzy head of unkempt waves before him had to belong to someone other than the one person he wanted it to. But no. The person’s own basket is dropped unceremoniously onto the floor to whisk their dark hair up into a bun.. and there’s no doubt. The scarred cheek, the dark brows, the same strong nose...It’s Eddie. The newest, most bat-chewed member of their party, who sped out of town with his uncle as soon as he could (which is more than fair, honestly; he wasn’t going to get anywhere in Hawkins), is dancing. In the middle of the bread aisle. To Fleetwood Mac.

blue (from destiel!steddie / spn!au pt 7!)

He grabs a yellow colored pencil first, scribbling wildly over the page, then drops it in favor of a blue one, scratching that over the whole page as well. Dustin is watching too, “Where’ve you been that’s blue and yellow?” Eddie thinks for a moment, “Nowhere that I can remember.” Will drops the blue then, picking the yellow back up to add a blob of the color directly in the middle of the page. “Ah.” Dustin says suddenly, “I get it.” No one speaks for a moment, waiting. “Care to share?” Hopper finally asks. “He doesn’t have any more green. He’s just using blue and yellow to make it.”

love (from pt. 2 of my witch!au)

“But there are some that are rumored to be true love spells, soulmate spells.” She continues on when she sees the look on his face. “Rumored, Steven, only ever rumors.” “Okay, so what do the rumors have to say about them?” “Every spell like that I’ve ever heard of of this nature is specific to each caster.” “So I’ve had this spell on me for possibly my whole life, and there’s no way to know anything about it or about the caster.” “...I’m sorry, honey.”

i'm going to tag...@thisapplepielife, @its-steddie-time, @thefatedthoughtofyou, @anthotneystark and @wolfstarendgame!

your words are: ignore, second, road, soil, term, circumstance

[heydorothea009]

Bread on Toast - A Future Man Fanfiction

Warnings: Destiny the sex doll, lots of mentions of dicks, JFUTZ 🫵🫨 (just for you guys)

Chapter 10 (pt. 2): Prelude To An Apocalypse

Just like the video games, Liv was much better at sparring with the creepy doll than Josh. Tiger had hooked the doll up where a punching bag was supposed to be hung and used poles to move her arms. Tiger was thoroughly impressed with Liv, and Josh not so much. Josh seemed afraid to touch the doll, especially after Liv made a comment about thinking it was a sex doll. While Liv would nail the doll right in the face with a punch, Josh would sadly slap it, like in this fight with Karofsky.

“Oh! Oh God, I grazed boob.” He whined as Tiger made the doll slap him.

“Suck it up.” She said.

Liv would snap the doll’s neck, Josh would slap it in the face again.

“Again.” “Again.” “Again.” Was all they heard. Josh finally got brave at one point and put the doll in a headlock, only to have Tiger attack him with the doll’s arms. He shrieked and fell on the ground.

“Yield! Yield!” He cried. Liv stood next to Wolf, who looked on judgmentally.

“Him?” He looked up at her.

“Love is blind.” She sighed, taking a seat next to him.

“This is so stupid.” Josh complained as Tiger let off. “I can’t learn to fight in a day.” He was drenched in sweat.

“Liv did.” Tiger used the doll’s arm to point to Liv.

“Oh, I took some self defense classes. I am a woman living in California.” Liv said.

“Well, Liv, I’m impressed with your improvement. Please participate next time there’s a fight.” Tiger shot her a stern look. She looked back at Josh. “Show me nose-to-brain.”

Josh panted and nodded, readying himself. He took a deep breath before spinning around and shoving the heel of his palm into the doll’s nose successfully. Wolf and Liv clapped politely from the side lines. Tiger nodded approvingly.

“Okay, that’s something.”

Josh panted. “Yeah, that something’s going to come in real handy after I get shot a hundred times.” He said pessimistically.

“You can’t get shot, you're essential to this mission.” Wolf said.

“In order to take down the building, we need to simultaneously detonate bombs in four strategic locations.” Tiger explained.

“Okay,” Josh was still panting. “Well, where are we during all of that?” He pointed between him and Liv.

“At one of the strategic locations.”

“We’re the bombs.” Wolf said.

“What do you mean we’re the bombs?” Liv asked, worriedly.

“L-like what, suicide vests?” Josh’s eyes bugged out.

“We could do belts but vests hold more.” Wolf shrugged. Tiger nodded in agreement. Josh looked at Liv, violently shaking his head. Liv was doing the same.

“No!” He cried. “No, that cannot be the plan!”

“Fine, we’ll do belts.” Wolf rolled his eyes, looking at Tiger. “Jesus Christ.” He muttered under his breath.

“No, I’m with Josh. We cannot be a part of this, alright?” Liv looked between Wolf and Tiger, pleading.

“Well, with only two soldiers and…you guys, it’s our only option.” Tiger stated.

“No! Whatever you guys need to do, you have to find another plan to save the world.” Josh grabbed Liv’s hand and pulled her next to his side. “Joosh and Liv out.” He pulled Liv out of the room.

“Wait, Josh, maybe we can think of something else-“ Liv said quietly as she followed Josh.

“You guys can’t quit on us now.” Wolf followed them out too. Tiger was close behind. Josh let go of Liv’s hand and turned to the three of them.

“Look, I am no savior.” Josh shook his head.

“You’re the reason we’re here.” Tiger said.

“Yeah. And you said it was the worst decision of your entire life.” Josh wiped sweat from his forehead.

“I said that years ago.” Tiger said.

“You said that this morning…” Liv said, looking back at Tiger.

“Time travel is fucked up.” Wolf sipped his smoothie.

“Look, everything that I have tried to do has just made stuff worse. Okay? Can’t you see I am not cut out for this?” Josh put his hands on his head, taking a deep breath as he turned around.

“We can’t make you do this.” Tiger said. “You have to want to do this. You have to need to do this. Without conviction, there’s no self-detonation.” Tiger sounded soft. “Liv, I’m assuming you’ll be with Josh.”

Liv slowly nodded. Tiger nodded understandingly in return. She held out her hands for them to shake. “Well, thank you for your service, Future Man. And Future Man’s friend.” Josh turned around with a surprised look. He thought they would put up more of a fight for him. Liv shook Tiger’s hand, shooting Josh a look that verged on both nervous and surprised. Josh did the same, immediately feeling a twinge of regret.

“You’re letting them go?” Wolf was wide eyed.

“They’re already gone.” She said, making eye contact with Josh. “I hope you stick whatever landing you’re looking for.” She said, quickly glancing at Liv and then back to him as she turned and walked down the stairs.

Wolf lingered, watching Tiger go. “Wow. She’s…really nice now.” Josh mumbled.

“I know what you’re thinking.” Wolf said, turning around to look at Josh and Liv. “Why race into a burning building when I already live in a fireproof palace?”

Josh shook his head. “No, I wasn’t thinking that.”

“I wasn’t thinking that either.” Liv mumbled.

“Well, I used to hide in a palace of my own, but, as someone who’s been to hell and back, I’ll tell you this. There is one downside to cocaine addiction,” Liv and Josh both made concerned faces. “It takes most of the day to kick it, so you lose the day.” Liv slowly side eyed Josh, who looked equally as confused as she did. “Second…none of this is real, your house, your lifestyle, your friends, it’s all an illusion. Except for Liv,” he turned and smiled at Liv. “Hi Liv.”

“…hi Wolf…” Liv sounded confused.

“You’re as real as it gets.” He said softly. He looked between them for a moment before turning and leaving down the stairs.

“Wolf.” Josh said, starting to follow after him. “Wolf!” Everyone in JFUTZ’s crew had left, the house was empty except for them. He caught Wolf at the front door. Liv followed behind him.

“Wolf, somehow fucking up this mission made my life amazing. Okay, don’t you get it? In this timeline, where I never finished playing ‘Biotic Wars’, everything is better.” Wolf looked behind Josh as he talked to see Liv’s face fall. She looked so sad. She clearly didn’t agree with Josh. “This is the universe telling me to stop.”

Wolf looked back at Josh. “No. This is fear preventing you from becoming a legend.” He said gruffly. He looked back at Liv, who was looking at Josh with sad eyes and shuffling her feet. “Maybe you should ask your partner in crime over there what she thinks, this isn’t just about you, Josh.” As Wolf turned and left, Josh looked over his shoulder at Liv.

“Liv?”

“Josh, I think it’s obvious I don’t like this- this JFUTZ lifestyle.” She mumbled, turning away and walking into the kitchen.

“Wait, Liv-“ Josh followed after her. Paul and Tracy opened the back door and stepped inside, holding garbage sacks with cups in them. “…so you’ll get that and I’ll-“

“Hey, hey guys,” Josh stopped when he saw them.

“Hey!” Paul acknowledged.

“Where’d everybody go?” Josh asked.

“Shaun White was doing some kind of fondue thing, so everyone went to that.” Paul said, putting a new sack in the garbage.

“Oh.” Josh felt Liv looking at him. “Hey, you don’t have to do that, I got somebody to take care of that, I told you.”

Paul and Tracy paused. “Yeah. Us.” Paul said.

“You okay boss, you’ve been acting kinda strange?” Tracy asked.

“Yeah, we saw you guys upstairs kicking the shit out of Destiny. It was kinda weird.” Paul said.

Josh looked at Liv. He looked back to Paul and Tracy. He pointed upstairs. “The doll’s name is Destiny?” They nodded, looking confused.

“Yeah, dude, your present? You ordered it?” Tracy tilted her head.

“No judgment, you’re the man JFUTZ.” Paul gave him finger guns. Josh looked horrified over to Liv. “So, the place is all clean and I have a plan to celebrate my birthday with a couple friends, so we’re just gonna boogie, alright?” Tracy and Paul walked past Josh, who still looked shocked and mortified.

“You guys work for me…?” he repeated.

“Yeah, we do- is everything all good? Is he okay?” Paul asked Liv. They both just stared back, processing everything. “Okay…we’re good?”

“Yeah. Yeah.” Josh blinked and nodded. Paul and Tracy exchanged confused looks and waved, exiting out the front door.

“So…” Liv mumbled. “Life isn’t as amazing as you thought, huh JFUTZ?”

“I bought a sex doll?” He covered his face with his hands. “JFUTZ, you can’t possibly be the lonely.” The realization struck him. “I need to- to talk to my parents. I need to see them.”

Josh tried calling both of his parents, both calls when straight to voicemail. They spent 45 minutes looking through every drawer, every cabinet, anywhere they might find where his parents’ condo could be.

“Josh!” Liv came out of the kitchen after finding a brochure for Hidden Cliffs Senior Solutions buried under a bunch of magazines.

“Oh my God…” Josh breathed out and Liv flipped through the pamphlet. “Did I…did JFUTZ…?”

“There’s a phone number, call and ask if they’re there.”

Liv and Josh tentatively walked inside Hidden Cliffs Senior Solutions.

“This is not a sweet condo.” Liv whispered as they approached the front desk.

“You’ve got a lot of nerve showing up here, mister.” Gabe angrily approached them.

“Dad, what- what is this place?” Josh looked around wide eyed. He’d never in his right mind put his parents somewhere like this.

“Very funny, you’re a wisenheimer now?” He didn’t even seem to recognize Liv. “Who’s this, your new girlfriend? Listen here sweetheart, make a run for it now. He’s not one for loyalty, look what he did to his parents.” He turned to Josh. “Why are you even here?”

Josh looked stunned. “I’m- I’m here to see you and mom…”

“Oh, you’re full of them today, you’re a regular comedian. You know what? You’re funnier than the entertainment they have in this prison, which is no entertainment at all.” He spat at Josh. “We can’t even get cable! The thing no one even wants anymore.”

“Wait, dad, wait, where’s mom?” Josh followed after his dad as he tried to leave.

“She wouldn’t want to talk to you and I don’t blame her.” He pointed an accusing finger at Josh. “That house was going to be yours one day. It’s the Futturman house, but you just couldn’t wait, could you?”

“I- I’m sorry. Dad, that wasn’t me-“

“It’s my fault. We never should have named you Joosh. You were made fun of as it hardened your heart. We were inspired by that Latino fellow and his girlfriend who introduced me and your mother.” Josh shot Liv a confused look. “It doesn’t matter. You’re more JFUTZ than Joosh now.” He tried to walk away again, Josh and Liv followed him to a soup dispensing machine.

“No, no, no, no, I’m Joosh, I’m the same sweet Joosh you remember, dad-“

“You got a court order declaring us mentally incompetent and putting us in this place.” Gabe shook his head in disgust at his son.

“Josh…” Liv whispered in shock.

“You don’t get to call me ‘dad’ anymore.” Gabe stated, putting change into the soup machine.

“Here, let me-“ Josh reached into his pocket to give his dad some change.

“I don’t want your money, that dirty money that corrupted you. You used to play video games for fun, and then you got a taste of success and the hangers-on started rushing in, and you liked it.” He said coldly. “You had two best friends, me and your mom, but that wasn’t enough for you.” Josh looked at Liv, who looked up at Gabe sadly. “Oh great,” Gabe huffed. “I wanted turkey chili and it gave me split pea.”

“Let’s just go get mom and we’ll go home.” Josh tried to take his dad’s arm, but Gabe wouldn’t budge.

“No, no-“ his soup spilt all over Josh’s white sweater, the one Liv had had on earlier. “Great.” Gabe rolled his eyes. “There goes the dinner I didn’t even want. Just get the hell out of here.” Gabe seethed.

Josh stared at his dad in shock. “Dad-“

“Do I have to call security? Get out!”

“Josh, let’s just go…” Liv said quietly, pulling his arm. As Liv dragged Josh out, he looked back at his dad as tears brimmed in his eyes.

“Liv, my parents-“

“I know, Josh.” She whispered, tears in her eyes too. It was dark when they got home.

“I’m gonna go take a shower.” Josh mumbled sadly, pressing a kiss to Liv’s temple. “I’m sorry you had to see that.”

“I’m sorry you had to deal with that.” Liv said quietly, hugging him tightly from the side. “…did you leave that scary sex roll down here?”

“No, it was probably Tiger or something.” Josh sighed, starting up the stairs, pulling off the stained sweater.

Liv pulled down Destiny the sex doll’s robe, so that she couldn’t see her fake ass anymore. She curled up on the couch and turned on the TV, flipping through the channels. Josh’s house felt empty without Diane offering her a cookie or Gabe telling her about the latest drama in his sister-in-law’s life. Liv zoned out and didn’t even notice she’d stopped channel surfing on a football game. Her eyes grew heavy as she started to doze off. The day had started out so amazing, only to fall apart like a jenga tower right before her eyes. A commotion in the bathroom made her eyes fly open. She sat up.

“Josh?” She called. No answer. Her heart stopped. What if a Biotic had broken into the house? She rushed up the stairs and threw the bathroom door open. “Josh, are you-“

Through the steam in the room, she could make out Josh, standing naked next to…Josh…who was also naked. Josh, her Josh, spun around, eyes wide. The other Josh, with a nipple piercing and ear piercings, looked at her and quirked an eyebrow, smirking. Liv shrieked. “What the fuck is going on?!”

“I don’t know!” Josh cried.

Other Josh’s eyes slid over Liv. “And who the fuck are you…clone me’s friend?” He raised a can of JOOSH energy drink to his lips. That’s when it hit her.

“Are…are you Joosh?” She clenched the door handle tightly.

Joosh narrowed his eyes at her. “It’s JFUTZ, bitch.”

“Do NOT call Liv a bitch.” Josh demanded loudly.

Joosh cocked his head. “Liv…? Kronish Labs girl?” He chuckled darkly. Josh took a step back, as if he were trying to shield her. “I remember you.” His eyes slid over her unapologetically again. She stiffened, Josh did too.

“You remember a different me.” Liv spat, glowering at him.

“What, you from another timeline too?” Joosh’s voice was condescending as he took a menacing step towards both of them, which wasn’t that menacing considering he was butt-ass naked. Liv and Josh still flinched.

“Yeah, actually…” Liv’s voice was high.

“Don’t come any closer!” Josh held out a defensive hand.

Joosh rolled his eyes. “Or what? We gonna fight? Let’s dance, clone.” He curled his hands into fists, looking as though he were itching to get into it.

“I am not a clone!” Josh cried, flinching again as Joosh got into a fighting stance. Joosh came at him.

Liv, still terrified and shocked, automatically dropped down and ducked, even though the swing wasn’t aimed at her. “Nose to brain, nose to brain!” She yelled to Josh, who was scurrying backward.

Josh spun around and whacked Joosh in the nose, making him stumble back, holding his face. He raised his eyes to glare at Josh, who whipped his head around to look at Liv in shock.

“Did you just hit my nose?!” Joosh snapped. Josh stammered, turning around.

“I- I didn’t- Liv, I don’t have anymore-“ he was scurrying back again.

Joosh wiped a small stream of blood that began to drip from his nose, eyes darkening. “Oh-ho-ho,” he shook his head, smirking. “Big mistake!” Josh backed into Liv, holding onto her.

Joosh reeled back, ready to lunge, but his feet slipped out from under him, tumbling backwards. With a sickening crack, his head slammed against the lip of the shower. There was blood pooling around JFUTZ’s head. Josh and Liv stared at the scene with wide eyes and holding onto each other's arms in stunned silence. Liv started screaming first.

“What the hell?!”

“I don’t know?!” Josh clenched onto her even tighter.

“He- what- what?!”

Josh side-stepped over to the corpse, kicking Josh’s foot with his. When Joosh didn’t move, he let out a horrified sound. “I killed JFUTZ!”

Liv side-stepped to stand over the corpse too. “I…I think he might have killed himself?”

Josh glared up at Liv. “Let me have this one thing, okay?”

“How was he here?!” Liv strung her fingers through her hair as she turned away.

“He must have come home early when we weren’t here? I…I don’t know? He thought I was a clone assassin? Because those exist here? I- I-“ Josh paced around, freaking out. “And then- and then he wouldn’t stop looking at my dick, and then he was perving on you, and- oh my God JFUTZ is dead! What do we do?”

Liv turned around to face Josh. “We find Tiger and Wolf, that’s what we do. I’m willing to bet that they’re in the sewer.” She looked over at him. “Get dressed. We’ll deal with him- you- JFUTZ…in a sec. I’m confused.”

Josh hurried and got dressed and they carried JFUTZ down to the table and laid him there for Tiger and Wolf to see, covering his crotch with a JOOSH washcloth. Bolting to the sewers, they conjured up a plan, thankfully finding Tiger and Wolf down there.

“Guys, guys, stop, stop, stop.” Josh panted as he climbed down the ladder.

“Josh, Liv, out of our way.” Tiger said, not even greeting them or seeming happy to see them. “We got a tower to take down.”

Josh helped Liv down to the ground. “Look, we’re here to help. I was wrong. Liv and I agreed that we belong down here in this sewer with you guys.”

“Yeah, we fucked up this timeline so bad that we’re kind of anomalies.” Liv said. They figured out that if JFUTZ existed another Liv was out there somewhere, and the real Liv and Josh weren’t supposed to be in JFUTZ and other Liv’s 2017.

“Yeah, we should be here and not in some fire proof palace.” Josh said.

“Sweet callback.” Wolf grinned.

“We’re in this with you guys,” Liv swung her arm around Josh.

“Till the end.” Josh wrapped an arm around Liv’s waist.

“Okay.” Wolf nodded, smiling slightly. “I’m gonna whip you guys up a C-4 belt.”

“No- no, no, no. We don’t have to die. Liv and I have a plan.” He said proudly.

Leading Tiger and Wolf back into the house, they introduced them to the deceased JFUTZ.

“How is this possible?” Tiger asked quietly, looking at Wolf.

“It’s like Liv said, we’re anomalies, other versions of us exist here. And because JFUTZ isn’t actually me, he never finished playing ‘Biotic Wars’, so no one has beaten it.” Josh said.

“I realized that while I was finding something to cover JFUTZ’s dick.” Liv said proudly.

“Yes, thank you Liv.” Josh said. He held up a copy of the game. “And we Bloogled it on my Blapple.”

“So?” Tiger picked up JFUTZ’s leg and let it fall against the table. Wolf moved the cloth up slightly to check out what JFUTZ was packing.

“So? That means that there’s another version of you two in the future waiting to come back for me.” Josh explained excitedly.

“Glad you didn’t get this one?” Wolf mumbled to Liv, looking at JFUTZ’s dick.

“Wolf!” She hissed and smacked his arm. “Not right now.”

“This is an entirely different reality,” Josh continued. “Your whole team could still be alive.”

“I also realized that part!” Liv added excitedly.

“I always knew you’d be the genius of this group.” Wolf fist bumped her proudly.

“Look, all I have to do is go and beat the game again and we get another Tiger and another Wolf and who knows who else.” Josh said.

“No. It’ll just be us.” Tiger said. “They’ll all die in the tunnel. Again.” She looked down at the ground. Wolf had told Liv about how they were the last two living soldiers from their time after everyone else on their team was blasted by poisonous DMC gas in a tunnel while they were trying to find the TTD. Liv knew Tiger blamed herself.

“Groundhog Day.” Wolf said, making everyone send him confused looks. “Andie MacDowell. I hit that.”

“No, they don’t have to die.” Josh said, eyes bright with ideas. “We can send them a message through the game and tell them to go a different way!” Tiger and Wolf looked hopeful, but worried. “Guys, we can get your whole team back. Who was there? Uh, Mongoose, Butterfly, Owl before he got that brainworm thing you were telling me about.”

“Myrm.” Tiger said. “He was myrmed.”

“Yes. How would you guys like a pre-myrmed Owl?” Josh shot Liv a big grin. God, he was adorable when he got excited about his ideas.

Tiger and Wolf glanced at each other, not trying to get their hopes up. “Let’s do it.” Tiger said.

“Avoid..the…tun…nel.” Josh spelled out. Instead of Future Man, he decided he would choose a name that would alert future Tiger and Wolf which way to go. “See? Now the future yous will take a different way in.”

“You genius.” Liv gave Josh an encouraging slap on the back.

“I’m Tiger, this is Wolf,” Game Tiger said as Josh started up the game. “You’re our newest recruit.”

“Come fight.” Game Wolf growled.

“Welcome to the Resistance.”

“Look at that handsome guy, huh?” Wolf nudged Liv’s arm and pointed at the screen to his likeness.

It took Josh hours to play through the game. There were 83 levels that were all progressively harder than the last. Wolf got busy preparing food for when their team was transported to 2017, bouncing back and forth from the living room and the kitchen.

Tiger stood by Josh’s side, holding a glass of juice as she watched. “Juice me!” Josh would say any time he got thirsty. Tiger would quickly step forward at let him sip from the straw.

Wolf made food for Josh which he claimed would “enhance his ability to play good”.

Liv helped move furniture around to make room for the people who were about to be standing in the living room. Wolf breezed past them and placed some fancy plates of finger food on a table.

“They’ll be peckish when they arrive.” He said to Liv, as he placed them nicely around the table. “Don’t wanna give them palate shock, so best stick to simple hors d’oeurves.” He turned around and rolled his eyes at Josh, who had his back to them, playing feverishly. “Not sure how I’m going to do that without a melon baller, but I suppose I’ll make do.”

“Not his house, Wolfie.” Liv pat Wolf’s back as he walked past her, throwing his hands in the air all animated.

As the furniture was stacked by Tiger and Liv, Wolf wandered back into the living room. “You got any crème fraîche?” Wolf muttered in Josh’s ear.

“Uh, no.” Josh mumbled back, blasting a Biotic in the game. Wolf huffed and went back into the kitchen. Liv eventually plopped down by Josh’s seat, sitting on the floor and resting her head on his thigh. She was the only welcome distraction, even if she wasn’t really distracting him.

“Ah, Liv,” he said as she rested her cheek on his leg. “My good luck charm. Remember when you helped me beat this level?” Level 69, she remembered. Josh claimed that she helped him beat this level by never shutting up about how it was level 69. At the time he was yelling for her to shut up, but when he beat the level first try he switched up immediately.

“Oh I remember.” Liv laughed.

As Josh continued to play, Liv dozed off every now and then against his leg. It was about 2am. Liv was jostled awake a couple times by Josh moving around while he played. Every time he would repeat apologies to her over and over and lean down to kiss the crown of her head. He really liked that Liv was right there next to him. Liv drifted in and out of sleep as Tiger and Wolf bustled around them.

Finally, around 4:35 am, someone woke her up by tapping her on the shoulder. It was Wolf.

“Wolf, let her sleep.” Josh whispered.

“She might want to be awake for this.” Wolf mumbled. Liv lifted her head, eyes bleary.

“Hey, Liv.” Josh said gently. “I’m on the last level.”

“Grape?” Wolf offered, crouched down next to her, a small handful of grapes cupped in his hand. She took one and popped it into her mouth.

“Just play the level.” Tiger said, sounding antsy.

“Okay, okay,” Josh said, unpausing the game. Liv took two more grapes from Wolf’s hand. “All I have to do is shed all of my armor and weapons,” he muttered, unequipping everything. “Take the secret passageway past the Jizzadrian kill squad, dodge those perfs, that leads directly to the big boss.” Josh muttered as he played through. They all crowded closely around Josh, eyes wide as they watched him. “Okay, here’s Dr. Genocide, slit his evil throat,” Josh made his character slit the boss’ throat. “Hit the detonator,” Josh was growing louder as he got closer to beating the game. “Slide down the fire tube without being burned alive, all before the kill scraper explodes!” Just like that Josh beat the game. Again. He stood up proudly and dropped his controller.

“Boom.” He said, proudly. Tiger and Wolf looked impressed. Liv was beaming from ear to ear.

“God, that was hot.” She grabbed him by the collar and pulled him in for a kiss.

“Congratulations. You’ve achieved the ranking of savior.” Game Tiger said as Josh kissed Liv back.

“Disgusting.” Tiger groaned as she shielded her eyes. Josh flipped Tiger off as he deepened the kiss. Wolf looked at them lovingly.

“I love love.” He whispered, looking emotional.

Liv and Josh pulled away, grinning at each other lovingly. “That should do it.” He said, looking around while still holding Liv close.

“Do you think I made enough food?” Wolf asked.

“You know what Wolf, I don’t but I didn’t want to say anything.” Tiger sighed. “We need to back up,” she pulled Liv and Josh apart and they backed all the way back to the couch against the wall. “There are about to be 45 bloodthirsty warriors up in this piece.”

They saw lightning begin to form, the room even shook and buzzed a little. Josh grabbed Liv’s hand. Wolf grabbed Liv’s shoulders to brace himself and Tiger held onto Josh’s elbow as the lightning got more and more intense.

A/N: There’s only one chapter left RAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!! But! Don’t worry! I’m writing a season 2 installment as we speak!! Everyone say “thank you heydorothea009”!! Fun fact, it was my birthday yesterday! Yay! Contrary to popular belief, (no one has ever asked this) I’m 21, and the 009 in my username is not bc I was born in 2009, but simply bc “dorothea” is a song from Taylor Swift’s 9th album “evermore” (my favorite album by the way), and the 009 is bc heydorothea9 and heydorothea09 were taken. There’s some heydorothea009 lore for you!! Anyways, thanks for reading so far!! You guys mean the world!!!

[bowloficecubes]

Siren, Pt.7.

<previous l masterlist l next>

“Kats, you really are pale dude,” said Akito in a low, concerned voice.

“I agree, you're sweating Bakugo”

Bakugo was sprawled on the couch, after calming down from the memory of Kamino, he was brought back to reality by how lightheaded he felt.

“Shut up ye wet noodle, you’re in position to talk”

Katsuki’s eyes slowly widen, as if he’s just come to an important conclusion.

“Wait…”

“Hm?” Akito knew he was directing the speech to them, a little worried based on the sudden change of mood.

“Tell me why when I asked what kind of food you like, Octavius wannabe told me the only thing he can think of is pears and tomato soup?”

“I- I mean it is-”

“I WASN’T DONE. POWDERED SOUP. INSTANT SOUP. NOT EVEN IN A CAN. DO YOU KNOW HOW FUCKING SAD THAT IS???”

“..........”

“I deserve a fucking apology. I cannot believe I breathed the same air as the likes of you.”

“WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN”

“ICYHOT. WARM UP THE GLASS CONTAINER”

“Ai ai, captain”

“What do you mean? Kats why is he lighting the bowl up..”

A tired sigh was heard through the room, Mezo, who was very much done with his dumb and dumber friends, announced he'd be visiting Eri since he only got a glance of her before getting in the ambulance.

“Absolutely not, your ass is staying right here till they get a taste of my cooking and bow down before me” announced Katsuki confidently, although he did sit back down quickly.

“Um… Okay, I guess. I hope you don’t die,” said Shoji, as he leaned on the door, folding his arms and closing his eyes, seemingly relaxed.

*cough, hey Jirou hand me your phone, quick*

Although confused by the abrupt request, Jirou hands Akito the phone nonetheless.

Mezo’s eyes snap open at the sound of the camera shutter going off. 

Shoji’s eyes open at the sound of the camera shutter, to find a phone angled at him.

Kyoka and Akito quickly looked at the screen, the first blowing a whistle; “dude, you look super hot” said Akito. “No wonder you got second place”.

“Did you get an MRI? I think you hit your head, too”

“What the fuck do you mean with second place?” All of them looked expectantly at Jirou, also having the same question as Bakugo.

Suddenly, Jirou’s face cheeks flushed, and she hid her face in her hands.

“Jirou-San, are you alright?” asked Shoto.

“We had a poll for the most attractive 1-A guy. All of the first-year girls voted and Shoji came in second.”

The four had a cartwheel of facial expressions, till the silence was broken; “ Yeah, fair enough”, “I agree with Bakugo”, “I’m upset he’s not first, I would’ve definitely voted for you, Zo”

“You are all deranged, I don’t trust you anymore. Jirou-san, are you sure?”

“Yeah, here” she handed him her phone after scrolling up the groupchat with the UA first-year girls from different classes.

“In what universe am I better looking than Kirishima? Oh, congratulations Todoroki.”

“Fuck you mean half n half got first” the sudden, fast movement caused the already faint Katsuki to lose balance.

Thankfully, Jirou catches him before he falls, and guides him to sit on the bed where she was a few moments ago.

“My bad, Jirou”

“Don’t mention it, please be careful”

Akito moved, giving him more space so he could lie down. Shoji brought the phone over to him.

“Aw she voted for dunce face… pretty sure you weren’t together yet back in October, too”

He giggled, while the others smiled and Jirou blushed at the mention of her crush on her now-boyfriend. 

“Oh and obviously I’m placed tenth, and Mr. Wet Noodle is 6th. I feel deeply offended.”

“Well, it’s based on overall attractiveness, like the most well-rounded attractive boy. It makes sense to me that you got tenth since you’re a type, not as versatile as Todoroki’s gentleman-ness, or Shoji’s uh. I actually don’t know how to describe you, you're very respectful but also unbothered so maybe that’s it.”

“I'm changing my mind, I would’ve voted for Sero,” said Amagai, leaning over Bakugo’s shoulder, looking at the screen.

“You torture my heart, my dearest, how could you do this to me” Said Shoji, grabbing the fabric of his shirt above his heart, soon followed by his subtle laugh.

“Fucking Sero? That’s your type? Do better.”

“ I’m gonna tell Sero you said that”

“Wait no don’t. Please”

Shoto handed Akito a bowl of warm soup with a spoon, Katsuki perked up, a grin plastered on his face, everyone looked at them, anticipating their reaction.

A few tablespoons in, and Akito calmly placed the bowl on the bedside table next to the lamp, and slowly wrapped their arms around Katsuki.

He immediately started laughing, a warm genuine laugh, not mocking nor belittling, just a laugh of happiness.

“Damn right I know it’s that good”

…

“Hey what. Yeah, it’s good but not to the point of crying, the fuck is going on are you ok?”

Everyone was instantly alarmed at the unexpected change of mood, “Did the painkillers wear off? I’ll call a nurse over” said Shoji, hand already on the door handle. 

“Maybe a hot pack will help till they give you something? I'll get it warm in no time” said Todoroki, panic bleeding into his sweet voice.

“I just, 

I really appreciate you all.”

Silence, Only Akito’s sniffles could be heard as the rest froze up.

“You know, I hadn’t been out of it, well, at least not fully, there was no time for anesthetics, I’ve heard everything since being carried by Selkie till I slept after the Tramadol injection I got post-op.” despite Akito’s soft slow, and albeit muffled voice since they hid their face in Bakugo’s shoulder, everyone immediately understood the hidden meaning of ‘hearing everything’; it means they might as well have lived through the entire experience with absolutely no dimming filters. Now, their reaction to Aizawa-sensei’s lecture made sense . They were so guilty, so ashamed of how much pain and worry they put everyone through, but the others did not see any surprise. The pieces slowly fell into place, Amagai didn’t need their teacher to fill them in, because they have been very much conscious the entire time; and were not simply aware of their surroundings only, but of almost everything. 

“Mezo, as panicked and alarming your heartbeat was, it grounded me in the ambulance. Amidst all the chaos going in and around us, you were like a ground wire. I couldn’t help but listen to nothing but it.”

A few more seconds of silence passed, then they said “Do you remember what we promised?”, they rise from the pillow, a hesitant expression as they await Shoji’s reply, everyone else was confused - except for him.

A tiny crease in his mask indicates that he has smiled a little, but it did not reach his eyes as it usually does when he’s genuinely happy.

“ We swore that we would always be there for each other.

No matter what happens though, I promise that I'll protect you”

The odd harmony confuses the others, but Akito’s smile through their tears seemed to subdue their confusion.

They slowly turn around, facing the dark-haired girl.

Nervously, they start itching the back of their hand, unaware of the scabs they picked in the process, and the little droplets of blood bead up at the surface, before smudging again.

“Jirou, dearest. I heard your scream after settling Eri with the doctors. When he finally told you the truth. I am so sorry to have worried you so much, and from the bottom of my heart, thank you for caring for Eri, and for making her feel comfortable. Heaven knows how worried I was about little Eri”

A sudden, firm grip of your hand stops your nervous tic, you don’t need to look down to know who it is, he was right next to you, after all. 

“There is nothing to apologize or thank me for. I’m glad you’re alright now.”

With a faint smile and a bit of restored confidence, Akito faced Todoroki.

“Todoroki, I-”

He cuts them off immediately, yet still maintaining his soft voice,

“Shoto, please call me Shoto, and I haven’t done anything, really.”

“That’s bullshit, I know you were keeping everyone sane, including Aizawa-sensei. I know you were panicking just as much, it must have been hell” 

………..

“Also, I know you were the one who bought Eri all the clothes and toys. I’m paying you back and nothing can change that”

“I’d love to see you try” Laughed Shoto, a breath-taking smile gracing his face.

Akito giggled, wiping their tears on the miserable excuse of a blanket they were covered in. 

They turned around to the only one left. Bakugo. His grip on their hand did not falter, Akito appreciated it, it gave them strength.

“Baku- OW”

Ok, maybe they don’t appreciate it anymore, since he squeezed your hand in a death grip for a second, how does he have the strength for that now, anyway?

What a cunt.

“It’s Katsuki, dickhead”

“Katsuki. 

Right, um.

you… you really didn’t have to do any of this, you know?”

His eyes widened, expecting everything but that.

“The fuck do you mean? I did-”

“Please, let me.”

That shut him up. His grip weakened, shifting to just a normal hold.

Akito’s voice was shaky again, lip slightly trembling.

“Hey, let’s go check on Eri, maybe she’s awake”

Kyoka and Shoto stand up, catching up on his cue to leave the two alone. 

Akito’s eyes didn’t falter at the movement, still pinned down at the joined hands. After the door closes, Bakugo asks if they’re okay. Voice barely a whisper, threaded with concern.

“I know you don’t see me as a friend. I know it’s Kirishima, Kaminari, Mina, and Sero that you like, perhaps Shinso and  Shoji too, but I know not me. I see the look in your eyes when we train against each other, you never smile as you do with them.

I’m just… I’m sorry for how much of a bother I have been. And for you to go to such far extents with your kindness, I mean, you cooked my favorite dish, Katsuki. And it tastes heavenly, this is genuinely the best thing I ever ate and probably will ever eat”

“And then you jump into the blood transfusion, I was so scared for you, the amount of blood they injected into me is absurd, there’s no way it’s legal or healthy in any form to give so much in one shot. 

“I don’t know, Kats… I simply don’t deserve all of this kindness” they subtly lifted their hands, “I’ll be forever thankful, indebted to you. I hope that one day, I can show you the same level of selflessness, of generosity, too.”

________________________________________________________________

The light of the lamp was faint. Truly. A mere warm glow that was just enough to allow you to see the room, but not enough to disturb a patient’s sleep. This worked in Bakugo’s favor since it wouldn’t allow the slightly clouded eyes of yours to see the reddening of his sclera or the unusual sheen his eyes had.

Unbeknownst to Amagai, the apology opened a wound in the boy’s soul. 

Has he been cruel to Akito all this time?

He values Akito so much, maybe they really hadn’t been friends in their book, but not in his. Has he scared them, perhaps? They have been are his rival, they were nowhere near a match to his raw power,  but their technique and wits made him rethink all the false praise he has received in his life, what truly made had him astonished is that; whenever the two would train against each other, he knew Amagai was at a disadvantage, so he could only imagine how much of a scary demon they must be in their element. Underwater. If they were on par with him on his strongest battlefield, under the Blinding rays of the midday sun, what would happen if he had the misfortune of meeting them in their arena?

No one in the class truly saw Siren in their glory, since a lot of the time, they had special training in the USJ or in a private training pool no one else really saw. That wasn’t unheard of, since Koda and Tamaki-senpai did special training, too, but Akito’s progress -or power- has been the most well concealed.

He tried getting close to them numerous times, like that one time Denki invited Shinso and Akito to their lunch table and the conversation drifted to everyone’s favorite album. That day, he laid down on his bed, quietly listening to The Dark Side Of The Moon, careful not to make the sound so loud as it might leak into your dorm room, which was right next to his. Kirishima offered to trade with Akito so they can be next to Shoji as the two had wanted. It was way past his ‘bedtime’, which was just a social lie he used to ensure he got enough time to mentally recharge at the end of the day. Kirishima and Akito definitely knew this, since he would be on his drum set often till 10 pm -not too quietly, too. The music couldn't be too loud now though, since it was 12:07 am and he was listening to Time, ‘the best song in the album’ they called it.

The next day, he sat on the edge of your desk after class, talking about the songs he liked. He remembers mentioning how he doesn’t get the song ‘Time’ but listened to it a bunch of times nonetheless.

He gets it now.

He gets why it was their favorite song, and in this second, it might just describe how he feels now, has he been chasing behind the sun all this time, to not notice it up behind him?

Akito appreciates him.

Everyone praises him, had it been family, ‘friends’, teachers, or the multitude of girls he had gushing behind him, leaving him notes in his locker in middle school, they all just loved to talk about the power and might of Bakugo, saying he will definitely become #1, that he is so blessed to have such a strong quirk, how lucky he got.

But not Akito, they had called him such a witty team leader after the cavalry race, that he knew how to utilize everyone’s strengths to win, that he will grow up to be such a good hero.

One time in the dorm’s gym, when he was doing some simple weights, they pointed out how well his Deltoids developed, congratulating his hard work. Had it been someone else, they would’ve said he was so blessed to have such good genes to be able to grow muscle as well as he does -The comment humors him because he can’t imagine reaching the might of Akito’s legs, the strongest he has ever seen on a kid his age.

The moment they saw a camera pointed at the pair, they suddenly picked him up on their shoulders, and for once, he didn’t feel like an ornament, like he was in the picture just so Akito could show off their connection to him, or post it on an online board to show the world ‘that kid from the sludge villain attack’,

no, it was a genuine gesture of appreciation. Of celebration.

That simple moment -the picture with his rival- is the only moment he acknowledges from the sports festival, at that moment he was truly the winner, the number 1, and the blurry picture he sneakily got on his phone is the only trophy he recognizes.

But he can’t help but wonder what they thought of him, what did he look like through their eyes? Had he merely been a rude, heartless classmate?

Unlike Kirishima, Mina, or most of his friends in 1-A, Amagai was hardly expressive, he only saw them occasionally frown a little, or curl their lips into a tiny smile whenever one of their classmates did something impressive, like when Deku used his quirk without injuring himself,  or when Mina hit a new lifting PR. They never smiled at their own milestones, in fact, it seems like they don’t even seem to notice them.

He was so used to their monotone face that the fact that he is the cause of such a sad expression, such painful tears, made his stomach turn in regret. 

He only felt bad for making someone cry once in his life, and that has been Deku. The guilt he felt now was different, though, because he didn’t try to hurt them at all… It’s a different guilt when the pain he has inflicted was subconscious. 

An old figment of himself was disappointed in him; how dare he allow them to get under his skin? to make him vulnerable?

“Did I make you uncomfortable? I’m sorry I didn’t ask before touching you”

Ah, that snaps him out of his thoughts, it’s funny how they’re apologizing instead of him.

Akito started to shift away, moving carefully to not agitate their bandages. but he gently placed his hand on their shoulders, very conscious of his every move.

“I’m sorry, Amagai. I never meant to make you feel that way. I’ve just… this is relatively new to me?

As for the fights and never smiling thing, there’s nothing to smile about when I’m continuously getting my ass kicked by you”

Akito’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion “but you beat me 9/10 of the time?”

“Barely, and I’m hardly functioning after our fights, that kick of yours cracked more ribs than I can count after all the battles we had”

“HOLY FUCK! I’m so sorry, I had no idea the damage was that bad, why didn’t you ever say something??”

“like hell, I'd whine about a good fight, I'm no pussy”

“,,, well, if it makes you feel better, I'll let you know your left hook left my entire neck bruised for three weeks, it's a good thing I already never show my neck. and there’s obviously that time you absolutely obliterated my arm, that was so badass”

“… really?”

“yeah dude and the scar is kinda hot” they extended their arm for him to see.

“Woah, I never saw you sleeveless, I didn’t imagine the damage would be this huge…

but the scar is ‘badass’, I guess”

“I KNOW RIGHT”

“so… will you accept me as your friend? I mean we’re obviously still rivals. if you slack off or go easy on me I'll scoop your guts out”

“You have always been my friend, Kats. I was worried you didn’t see me as yours”

“Then I guess we’re both dumb as shit”

The laugh they let out eased his heartache a bit, acting as temporary relief.

But that wouldn’t be enough. not yet.

“What should I call you?” he quietly asked.

“Oh. anything, really. I’d really prefer if you don’t use my last name, since… you know, my folks were a bunch of pricks and stuff. Akito, Siren, or anything you want, really, I’m okay with anything. What about you? Is me calling you Kats ok?”

“Yeah yeah,” he nods immediately, “I’ll come up with one for you, too”.

A few moments later, he realizes that they’re still crying. He wipes the tears off their face using his thumb, as delicately as he could, something relatively new to him.

“You must think I’m weak now, m’crying non-stop”

“Not for a second, you’ve been through a lot, Akito-kun, you can cry all you want, 

….

I’m your friend after all”

And he… hesitantly opens his arms, offering Akito the comfort of his embrace, and before he could second-guess the gesture, they reciprocate the hug with a grip so strong it almost knocks the air out of his lungs.

As they lay down -still hugging even though their grips loosened- the comfort that washed over Bakugo’s entire soul sparked a realization in his mind.

For the first time in the boy’s life, he didn’t ‘make’ a friendship, or naturally get sucked into one;

He earned a friendship.

__________________________________________________________________________________

After 40 minutes of bargaining with Eri-chan to go to sleep (Todoroki and Shoji left with numerous bows and hair clips in their hair, and Jirou with scented marker stripes on her earphone jacks), they returned to the room, about to fall on their faces.

As Shoji opens the door, two of his hands shoot up to cover the mouths of the two behind him, ensuring they produce no sound. After having a good look at the position of their friends on the bed -Bakugo, who had his head tucked under Akito’s chin and used their buff hand as a pillow (certainly cutting off circulation), and Akito, who was leaning into him their other arm wrapped around his shoulder and hand in his hair- they all pulled out their phones simultaneously.

This is definitely going on Akito’s wall.

[mae-gi-writes]

Once Again (PT.4) | Iwaizumi Hajime (Haikyu!)

ONCE AGAIN | PART FOUR

Summary

Iwaizumi’s broken marriage results in his five-year-old son trying to match him up with his primary school teacher, whom he thinks will make a wonderful replacement for a mother.

Genre: fluff, angst, f! Reader x dad! Iwaizumi

PREVIOUS PART | NEXT PART

----

"Miss Y/N, is daddy okay?" Hoisuke peers up at you from the backseat as you pull up to your apartment unit. You glance at him through the rearview mirror and smile, "don't worry, he's fine. He's just going to be slightly late."

Iwaizumi had called you earlier that day, sounding breathless and stressed out as he iterated how slow traffic was moving. On impulse, you'd proposed to bring Hoisuke over to your house to make things more comfortable and after a slight bout of hesitation, he'd agreed to pick his son up in the comfort of your home.

"This is the first time I come to your place, miss Y/N," Hoisuke's eyes are darting back and forth across the tiny kitchenette to your right to the small tv screen plugged to the wall on the left. Granted, your flat is merely anything special and far from ready for unexpected guests. But the sharp curiosity gleaming in your student's eyes holds no judgement and for that you apprrciate him all the more.

"You hungry?" You ask while settling him down at your tiny dinner table compact enough to fit snuggly up to your kitchen counter.

Hoisuke purses his lips in thought and you swear he's learnt this facial expression from observing his father, "hm yeah. A little bit," before throwing you a sheepish grin.

So you whip up something simple; omelette rice with your special Korean chilli sauce as a sudden downpour splatters through the cityscape, the rain dancing to its own rhythm as it splatters over your windowpane. The TV plays in the background, a random cartoon that gets interrupted with Hoisuke's giggles and that ignites an affectionate smile on your lips as you chide himto eat. And you're not really sure why your chest feels tight and filled to the brim with comfort, but you realise you don't actually mind having the small human around that much.

Teachers aren't supposed to have favourites. But you admit to yourself that teachers are only human. And if you are to choose, Hoisuke would be one of yours.

"Miss Y/N, do you have a boyfriend?" Hoisuke's voice pierces through your thoughts and as you blink down at him, you shake your head, "no, I'm single as a pringle."

"You are not married then."

"No I'm not."

"Great!" Hoisuke jumps up on his seat, eyes twinkling with mischief, "then do you want to marry daddy?"

"What?" You laugh out, "it doesn't work that way Hoisuke."

"But I like you miss Y/N," he replies with the seriousness of a child wanting his way, "You'd be a great mum. Can you be my mum?"

"Oh gosh kiddo," your hand reachea out to ruffle his hair, heart twisting at how easily he leans into your touch, "I'd love to be your mum, but--"

"Then marry my dad," Hoisuke's mumble is muffled against your side. He unconsciously snuggles up to you and you caress the top of his head down to his nape, "daddy likes you too. He really likes you. You make him happy. He laughs a lot when you're around, and he doesn't get sad like he usually does when Mama is here."

"But that would be unfair to your mum wouldn't it?" You say softly, "you can't have two mums. She'll be upset."

There's a slight pause where you can see the cogs turning in his brain, "yeah," he says eventually, "but I don't really like going to Mama's anyway--"

The sound of your doorbell jolts you both to attention. You give Hoisuke's head one more ruffle before getting up to unlock the door.

Only to come face to face with none other than Hoisuke's mother.

You blink. Once. Twice. Unconsciously taking a step back.

She's pretty. Prettier up close, with those feline cat eyes and that full mouth that renders any man crazy. Standing a few inches higher than you, there is no doubt as to why Iwaizumi had fallen for her charms in the first place. She looks like the kind of woman that would still be elegant even dressed in a mechanician's uniform.

"H-Hello," your eyes dart from hers to a blank spot on the wall opposite, "can I help?"

"Where's Hoisuke?" Her voice is smooth, yet hard enough to make you wince.

"I--" your mind races. Isn't Iwaizumi supposed to pick him up? And how the hell does she know where you live?

She seems to read your face as she says, "I saw you with my son leaving the school. You're his...teacher, aren't you? I was waiting to pick him up."

"I thought Iwaizumi-san--"

"I don't need a reason to see my son," she arches her brows at you in a way that makes you want to crawl under a carpet and hide.

"Mama?" Hoisuke's voice floats from behind you, a tentative waver of nervousness as you hear him pad up to the door.

"Does Iwaizumi-san know you're picking him up?" You hope your tone is diplomatic, but the way her body tenses proves you otherwise, "You can tell him Hoisuke's with his mother," she nods at her child, "now come on Hoisuke. Let's go home."

Maybe feeling the tension in the air, Hoisuke merely shrinks back, "but it's Daddy that picks me up."

"Yes well, Daddy's not here now is he?" She gestures aggressively towards him, "now come on."

"Maybe we should wait until Iwaizumi-san gets here," you try to smooth things over, "he's on his way--"

"Don't tell me what to do with my child," Mizune snaps and without warning, grabbing hold of Hoisuke's arm before pulling him out of the flat. He resists.

"Mama no, let's wait for Daddy--"

"Daddy isn't coming. Now stop being so difficult," she doesn't relent against the way her son twists and kicks at the ground while you stand there, mind blind with panic because you've never actually had to deal with such a situation before.

"Mama please!" Hoisuke cries out with a sob.

You want to move. You urge yourself to. But your feet won't budge. It's like you're rooted in place.

Hoisuke has started crying at this point and in an attempt to smoothen things out, you try again by saying, "I'm sure we can all calm down and talk this out. As a teacher, I cannot--"

"That's right," Mizune's feline pupils narrow down on you, making you flinch at the rage simmering through those dark orbs, "you're his teacher. And as a teacher, you should know how to keep your boundaries. You're not his mother and you never will be. So fucking stay out of my family's life."

The words burn as they etch themselves into memory and you can only watch, hand clutched to the door as Mizune drags her crying son away. His cries are loud enough that they bounce throughout the corridor and keeps resonating even when he's long gone, as you try to comb through the last fifteen minutes where everything has turned upside down.

Fucking stay out of my family's life.

Your brain reels. Your heart feels heavy. You don't know what to do, what to say.

And Mizune's words are as sharp as a knife.

Don't tell me what to do with my child.

A sob slowly catches the back of your throat, eyes slowly brimming with an onset of tears.

You're not his mother.

The truth hurts. You know that Hoisuke is not your child, know that all this time it's merely Iwaizumi and his son, and then you watching on the sidelines. But hearing the cold rejection thrust in your face hurts more than you'll admit.

You aren't quite sure how long you stand there gazing into the empty corridor as if if you will it hard enough, Hoisuke will come running back to you. It is only when a familiar alto reaches your ears that you snap back to attention:

"Y/N?"

Jerking at the sound and looking up to see none other than Iwaizumi, drenched and breathless, standing a few feet away from you, your breath hitches in warning.

He closes the distance between you, frowning upon noticing the tears at the corner or your eyes, "what's wrong? Where is Hoisuke--"

"I'm..." your eyes drop to the ground, "I'm sorry," your whimper is barely above a whisper and you feel him move closee, his hand gently grasping your arm.

"Y/N?" His voice is gentle, though ragged and breathy, "what happened?"

It's probably the gentlest he's ever been with you. Turning away to cup your mouth with your hand, your teeth clamp down onto your lower lip in hopes of keeping the emotion from spilling over.

"Mizune came," you murmur out, "she took Hoisuke home."

There's a sharp intake of breath on his part. A pause, "how did--"

"She followed us."

Iwaizumi lets out a sigh as he moves towards you and you stagger back to hide your tears, but it proves useless when his hand grasps your arm to pull your hand away.

Deep brown mocha meet yours. Your throat tightens.

"Sorry," you breathe out a forced chuckle but it's clear from Iwaizumi's face that he's spotted your tears, and that he just knows that there is something bothering you.

But he doesn't ask. Doesn't question your intent or your feelings.

Instead, he pulls you close, close enough you're stumbling into him, before his hand wounds around the back of your head and presses you against his shoulder.

It shocks you, the sudden intimacy of his touch. His citrus smell once again invades your space and you can't find it in yourself to keep on holding on before you break down.

Maybe it's because you had felt-- at this point in time -- that you were someone significant in Hoisuke and Iwaizumi's life that you're not crying into Iwaizumi's shoulder as if everything is going downhill in your life. But you're comforted by the casual way he holds you with his head turned away so that you can bury yourself in the crook of his collarbone.

"Sorry," you manage to mumble out after you've managed to calm down. He's moved you back into your flat and has sat you down onto your kitchen chair, having rummaged through your utensils to bring you a cup of water that you sip on gratefully, if only to act as a distraction from the way he's gazing at you.

Iwaizumi shakes his head silently, looks away and clears his throat, "I'm gonna call her. You good?"

You nod and after searching your face for a few more seconds, he slides out of his seat and walks away with the device already presses to his ear. Bowing your head and gulping down the rest of the water, you manage to block out his angry alto resonating through the compact space as you focus on regaining control of yourself. You rarely fall to pieces like that, rarely give in to the downward pull of your emotions because the nature of your job obliges you to.

"Y/N."

You jump involuntarily and look up to see the said man sporting a frown, "is Hoisuke okay?" You ask.

"He's fine," a sigh escapes his lips as he slides back into the chair as if there's a weight pressing down onto his shoulders, "I'll pick him up tomorrow after school."

You nod. Good, the last thing you need is for Hoisuke to be disrupted by problems that don't concern him.

When he speaks next though, his alto is hoarse and thick, "I'm sorry Y/N. You don't deserve to get in the middle of all this."

"It's okay."

His eyes pierce yours with burning hot intensity, causing your gaze to drop to your fists laying across the table, knuckles so tight they're turning white.

A bout of silence ensues, lest for the pounding in your heart while your thoughts take on a tumultous turn for the worse. What if Mizune is angry? What if she stops Hoisuke from coming to school altogether? What if she makes her child move just for the sake of keeping him away from his teacher who can't seem to keep her nose out of anyone's business? What if--

Warmth floods your hands so suddenly that it interrupts your train of thought. Head jerking up in surprise to see Iwaizumi's hands clasp yours, your blood suddenly pulses through your limbs upon feeling his thumb gently stroke over your knuckles.

Iwaizumi is not a man of words. That much you know, but this evening has been full of surprises for you both. So you force yourself to relax, almost enjoying the gentlest of his touches fluttering across your skin.

"How," your words are choked, "how angry is she?"

"That doesn't matter."

"But what if--"

"None of this is your fault, Y/N," he replies firmly, followed by a gentle squeeze, "whatever you have cooking in that head of yours, stop."

Nodding and sighing in defeat, you lapse into a more comfortable silence as the time dwindles on. It's different to have someone else occupying your flat, considering that you've gotten so used to living along after your horrible breakup. A good kind of different.

When you bid him goodbye that evening -- granted you shall wake up with dark circles and puffy eyes the next day -- he suprises you with another casual, one-armed hug which signifies so much more for the usually reserved man, Hoisuke's bag hanging loosely from the other. He holds you close, his grip strong and secure and making you wish you can melt in a puddle of warmth at his feet, while his cheek pillows atop your temple against the side of your head. You lean in, cozy and warm, while his heart beats underneath your ear like a gentle drum easing you of today's worries and you wish you have the willpower to keep yourself away, in vain.

He pulls away slightly, mutters a soft "night" before a ghost of a kiss imprints itself on your temple.

Your breath hitches but the moment is gone all too son. He's already swivelling around and making his way down the corridor, leaving you to stare after him with a wild, raging heart.

You know, without a doubt, that you're already a little too skin-deep.

----

Iwaizumi is furious. Filled to the brim with a rage that's threatening to bubble over his insides.

He'd gone round to fetch Hoisuke in the morning as promised, just managing to keep himself from knocking his ex-wife's double mahogany doors down only to be greeted by that stupid bastard who'd stolen his wife away.

Todoka had always roamed within the same circle of friends as Iwaizumi and Mixune, having met under the same dormitory roof and sharing common sports interests. So imagine how big of a slap it was to hear that he'd been the one stealing kisses and sharing soft subtle touches with his wife behind his back.

"I could've driven him if only you'd let me," Mizune had told him as they waited for Hoisuke to finish brushing his teeth. is ex-wife's familiar soprano made him tense. Her face was a cold mask of indifference that covered up her silent anger. She'd folded her arms, chin jutted out and lips pursed, "he's my son too, you know."

"Was he still your son when you went and fucked Todoka?"

She'd sighed. As if dealing with the tantrum of a child, "Why are you bringing this up again?"

"Because you never put him first. Not when he threw his tantrums, not when he cried for you. Not even when he was sick," Iwaizumi spat out, the words tasting bitter upon his tongue.

"I had issues Hajime, you know that--"

"Like what? Like we weren't good enough for you? Like I wasn't pulling myself apart while you were out for nights on end?" Iwaizumi would've continued with an onslaught of pent-up statements if his son hadn't spoken out:

"Daddy?"

"Hey bud," Iwaizumi's anger had deflated like a hot air balloon, "you ready to go?"

And so he packed his son up in the car, his ex-wife watching his every move, and just after he'd closed his vehicle door did Mizune mention something about you.

"Do you like her?"

He'd bristled, "none of your business."

"Hoisuke is my son," Mizune's eyes had hardened into steel, "I don't need anyone else filling up his head with stupid ideas, nor do I want him to get hurt--"

"Like you did?" The words were fire burning upon his tongue. His shoulders were squared as he faced her fully, "stop beating around the bush, Mizune. We both know you hate the fact that Hoisuke loves spending time with Y/N."

"That's not it, I--"

"Y/N has spent more time with Hoisuke in a week than you did in a month. She's wiped his tears more timesthat you've seen him cry," he swivels towards his car then, "are we done?"

"You're acting like a child."

"I'm not the one picking a fight because of some petty jealousy," Iwaizumi had snapped.

"I'm not jealous!" Mizune burst out, her patience finally wearing thin, "I'm trying to look out for him, for you! She's not right for you--"

"Don't. Talk about her like that,” Anger had flared at how dismissively she spoke of you, visible as his knuckles tightened and a vein throbbed in his forehead, "and if you know what's good for you, you'll stay the fuck out of my life."

He'd driven off without looking back, knowing full well he'd shocked her into silence and if he were to be honest with himself, that outburst had eased some of the knots in his stomach. Dealing with Hoisuke's anxiety after witnessing yet another argument though, that was something else.

"Daddy, I don't understand why you and Mama fight so much," Hoisuke finally finds his voice when they stop inside the school gtounds. His small chubby hand, fitting into Iwaizumi's large one, cling to him with more force than necessary as they make their way to his respective class.

"Your mama and I...have different opinions on things," Iwaizumi tries to explain, suddenly guilty that his son has to pick up all the broken pieces. Impulsively, he ruffles Hoisuke's locks, "don't worry."

And that's when his son stops in mid-walk, looks him dead in the eye, and tells him, "Mama doesn't like miss Y/N, does she?"

It's a different kind of slap, but he shouldn't have understimated the little five year old. Children know much more than they let on snd here's the proof of it.

Iwaizumi allows both his hands to clasp Hoisuke's shoulders and bends down until they are face to face, "hey," dark mocha meets lighter caramel tinged with a fear of a child desperate for a family that all his friends can take for granted, "that doesn't matter. Do you like miss Y/N?"

Hoisuke nods, eyes wet.

Iwaizumi's heart swells and he swears he doesn't ever want to see that expression on his son's face, not if he can help it.

"Then it doesn’t matter what your Mom tells you," he squeezes the child's shoulder for good measure, "no one can boss you around and tell you that you're not allowed to like who you like," he brushes a few hairs off Hoisuke's forehead, "not me, not even your mom. Got that?"

“Will we be able to invite miss Y/N again?” Hoisuke asks with a trembling bottom lip. 

“If you want to.” 

“Do you want to, daddy?” 

That question takes him by surprise, the familiar guilt lurching through his stomach as he tries to comb through an excuse to hide his growing feelings. 

Except, why does he have to hide in the first place? 

It takes a moment, before Iwaizumi nods, “yeah,” he murmurs gently with the softest of smiles, “I want to.” 

Hoisuke nods once more, which is shortly followed by lurching into Iwaizumi's arms as a sob echoes from his throat. His father holds him close, glad that the earlier tension from Hoisuke's has dissipated into relief for now.

What he doesn’t know though, is that you stand just a few feet away, body tucked into the corner of the wall and holding up your racing heart against your chest. 

------

The more you spend more time with the Iwaizumis, the more your heart gets invested in the coaxing warmth that makes up their family. You try to dismiss what you've overheard back in the school corridor but it's an itch you can't quite erase now that you've been exposed to Iwaizumi's feelings, which does nothing to stop the way your heart skips a beat whenever his gaze lingers upon yours for too long.

And you've taken notice. Or you think you do. Of how he sounds more gentle whenever he talks to you, how whenever you play hands they drift towards each other for a few extra seconds that causes your skin to tingle with warmth. How it is so goddamn easy to fall into this familiar routine of playing families with Hoisuke around like a human sunshine.

But there's still one thing nagging you. Which is why you corner him once you have tucked Hoisuke into bed on Saturday night, seeking him out on the small terrace tucked beside his kitchen that overlooks the glowing city lights.

"Can I ask you something?"

His gaze flits to yours. He nods.

Swallowing back the sudden knot of anxiety in your throat, your question comes out more like a soft proposition rather than a demand fot answers.

"I know it's none of my business, but-- I overheard you and Hoisuke a few days ago in the school corridor," your words are rushed and quick as you fold your arms over your chest, "did you and Mizune have a fight...about me?"

Iwaizumi shifts in your peripheral to face you, but your eyes adamantly find purchase onto the cement ledge splattered with dirt. For a split second, you wonder whether it wouldn't have been better to keep your mouth shut.

"What did you hear?" He asks quietly.

With a slow breath, you tell him what you've heard, underlining that this whole encounter was an accident.

"And from the way she acted when she saw me...well, it's not hard to put two and two together," you finish off in a mumble, then quickly adding, "look I--I don't want to come in-between you and your family. I just don't want Hoisuke to get hurt."

Surprise flits through his features. He regards you for a long moment, long enough that you feel like squirming underneath his gaze.

Then, taking you by surprise, he chuckles softly and shifts his elbows onto the edge of the terrace, "No wonder he likes you."

You blink at him. It suddenly feels a little too warm.

"None of this is your fault, Y/N," you wonder since when have the formalities dropped from Miss Y/N to just Y/N and decide that you like the way your name rolls off his tongue, "Mizune gets jealous over stupid shit and if she can't see someone else making her son happy then that's not our problem."

Your teeth unconsciously find purchase onto your lower lip, which he notices. That doesn't stop him from reaching over to press his thumb against your lower lip, "don't."

You freeze at the touch. His thumb is warm against your mouth, calloused and sending a series of tingles down your spine.

He must realize the intimacy of his touch, for he drops his hand away and mutters, "he's...livelier. when you're around. Happier, even. I've never seen him like that with his Mama."

"What about you?"

You feel like slapping yourself. The audacity coming out of your mouth surprises you and you swear your cheeks burst into flames.

Iwaizumi looks at you almost at the same time your pupils focus on his, causing your breath to hitch.

Why the hell can't you just keep your mouth shut?

Iwaizumi's voice is merely a murmur when he speaks next, deep and laced with a roughness.

"What about me?"

Your brain seems to turn to mush, "do you like having me around?" You hope you don't sound too pathetic.

Your heart almost stops at his next set of words.

"I do."

And there's that smile, barely there but enough that your own lips stretch to mirror his action. Until you realize you are smiling at him like a fool and quickly look away like you've just been burnt.

Something shifts in the air between you, spurred on by the way your eyes keep searching each other's with a growing tension that makes your skin rattle. Iwaizumi's frown is present, yet not unpleasant and you're not quite sure who moves, just that he's suddenly a little closer. Close enough you get a whiff of the citrus smell you've come to recognize as his own.

"Miss Y/N?"

Hoisuke's voice suddenly snaps you out of your daze. Quickly whipping around to see the said boy rubbing his eyes, a hand unconscioudly scratching his tummy, your entire countenance softens as he blinks up at you sleepily.

"I can't sleep," he mumbles out with sleep still in his eyes, "can you come back to bed with me?"

"Yeah sure," you're already on your way over to him, scooping the child up in your arms. He takes this chance to bury his face into the crook of your neck, sighing contently.

You turn back to his father, a dark silhouette against the bright landscape, "I'll be right back."

But Hoisuke surprises you by saying, "you too, Daddy."

Iwaizumi stills, "what?"

"Come to bed too, Daddy."

For one single moment, it's like time stops. You can't see Iwaizumi's face but a moment later he straightens and walks over, nodding at you when he's close enough. You don't realize your heart is besting like a hummingbird until you hear it throbbing through your chest as you try squeezing into Hoisuke's bed, you in the corner and his father barely hanging onto the edge, Hoisuke squished in-between.

It's like an instinct for the boy to latch onto your shirt. He turns to burrow himself into the curve you've made with your body, facing Iwaizumi who is half-sitting, half-lying down in an angle that surely isn't comfortable.

So you decide to point it out to him, patting the bed for good measure in hopes that he doesn't notice the warm flush of your neck.

"It's okay," your whisper tickles Hoisuke's hair, "it's only until he falls asleep."

He hesitates, before you see his head nod and he slides his body a little closer, chest curving into Hoisuke's back and close enough for you to get bathed in his warmth.

He smells good. He looks good. God. Why does he look so damn good?

Stop! You squeeze your eyes shut aa if that might help your racing thoughts, and you are so caught up in your own head that you almost miss the gentle brush of Iwaizumi's fingers against your shoulder.

You tense up right before realizing that his action is intentional. Your shoulders slowly relax, a shaky exhale escaping your lips as he takes the chance to linger over your arm a little longer, before falling away onto the mattress.

You fall asleep that night listening to not just Hoisuke's, but Iwaizumi's heartbeat. 

----

Taglist: @multi-fandom-fanfic, @168-cm-png, @bakugouswh0r3, @yatoatyourservice, @ayocee, @marvel-ing-at-it-all, @astrolcve, @lilith412426, @elianetsantana, @schleepyflocci, @oohlalie , @kaashikoi , @tendo-sxtori , @iwaroses , @its-the-aerieljeane , @lalalemon101 , @lanaxians-2 , @dora-the-grownup , @sharin-gone , @nekomavsnohebi , @crayonwriting , @imafan , @random-fandom-girl-24 , @bucinhajime , @izumikunmy , @iwaoioioi​ , @evesmores​ , @meri-soni-meri-tamanna​ , @paintedstarres​ , @okadaxo , @michaki , @archiepudding​ , @ysatrap​ , @cringe-freak​ , @thatprettybunny​ 

[c-e-d-dreamer]

AHHHHH DEMON NESSIAN PT 2 PLEASE!!!!! It’s such a fun idea, I love it!!!!! And I need the angst of Cassian making a deal for Nesta 😭

Thank you so much! I'm so glad you liked it. But I have to be honest, I don't know what Cassian's deal is. Like in my head, I know he makes one, but try as I might, I cannot get my brain to think of something clever and/or creative. The obvious answer is of course a soul for a soul, but that feels counterproductive to them living happy and in love sooooo. I even tried to crowdsource with my two besties but they were equally stumped. I mean happy to crowdsource here on what people think Nesta's soul is worth... Anyways! All this to say, this isn't quite what you asked for, but I hope you will enjoy each member of Cassian's family finding out about Nesta. I did throw some angst in at the end for ya ;) TW: for mentions of death

Part One

Another sigh has Cassian’s attention being pulled away from his laptop. He glances over the screen to where Nesta is lounging on his sofa. She had finally given up on her dress, instead opting for an old pair of Cassian’s sweats and a t-shirt. He can’t help but notice how at home she seems to look in his space, legs tucked up under her, her hair down from it’s usual intricate style and pulled back in just a simple braid that falls down across her shoulder. Her eyes snap to his, and he knows he’s been caught staring, so he goes back to the email he was writing.

“If you’re bored,” Cassian starts. “You’re welcome to any of my books.”

“You mean your books that are almost entirely nonfiction?”

“You don’t like my books?”

“What kind of person actually reads and enjoys nonfiction?”

“I find the history interesting,” Cassian defends. Nesta merely rolls her eyes with a scowl in response, crossing her arms across her chest. “You’re not exactly threatening dressed like that, you know.”

Cassian knows he’s made a mistake when he watches Nesta’s eyebrow raise, the way her chin raises just slightly. Her face is a cool mask of unimpressed. Dangerous. Before Cassian can even formulate an apology in his brain, let alone speak it aloud, his laptop slams shut, almost taking his fingers with it.

“Now, that’s just rude,” Cassian quips, but the way the left side of Nesta’s mouth tilts up in a teasing smirk and the glint in her dark eyes almost has him forgetting to mean it. “Look, my last meeting is at 3:00, then we can go to the bookstore and you can get some better books.”

“Fine.”

Luckily, the bookstore is quiet and mostly empty, just a few customers milling about. Cassian lets Nesta lead the way, following behind her as she weaves between the stacks, her hand outstretched and fingers dragging gently against the spines of the different books. She stops in front of one of the shelves, her head tilting as she reads the different titles declared along the spines. The motion leaves a few wisps of her hair falling across her brow, and Cassian shoves his hands in his pocket before he does something stupid like try to brush them aside. She just looks so soft nestled amongst the books, pulling out different ones and reading the summaries on the backs before settling one in the crook of her arm.

“Wait. If I’m the only one who can see you, does that mean people will just see a floating book?” Cassian asks, stepping forward to pluck the book away. “How about I just hold on to the ones you want.”

“Works for me,” Nesta replies, holding out another book for Cassian to take. Soon, he has five books stacked in his arms.

“The full moon is in a week. Are you really going to read all these books in that time?”

“Cassian?” a voice cuts in before Nesta can reply.

Cassian turns toward the end of the aisle to find Mor standing there, a book nestled in her own arms and her face a mask of confusion. She steps closer, eying the books he’s holding.

“Oh uh hey, Mor,” Cassian greets her.

“You know this is the romance section, right?”

“I... thought I’d branch out. Try a new genre.”

Mor reaches forward, taking the top book off the stack. She stares at the cover before flipping it over to read the summary with a snort. When she holds the book up for Cassian, she has her eyebrows raised, an expression that clearly reads ‘seriously?’ Cassian can’t help but grimace, the cliche shirtless man on the cover staring back at him. Maybe she has a point.

“That’s what I thought,” Mor smirks, setting the book back down on the stack. “So, what’s her name?”

“Her name…?”

“Who you’re actually buying these books for?”

Cassian can feel himself floundering as he stares at Mor with wide eyes. He glances over his shoulder to where Nesta is still standing, but the demon just has an amused expression painted across her face. Not helpful. Cassian turns back to Mor who is still looking at him expectantly, but then her features soften.

“Look, you don’t have to tell me, but I fully expect to meet this girl soon.”

~ * * * ~

Cassian is just finishing pulling his hair up and away from his face when the knock on his door echoes throughout his apartment.

“It’s open,” he calls.

He hears the opening and then subsequent snick of his front door, and when Cassian walks out of the bathroom, he finds Azriel standing in his living room. His brother’s eyes are stuck to the floor, his eyebrows pinched and a frown tugging down his lips.

“Why do you have an air mattress out?” Azriel asks.

Cassian’s eyes snap to the offending object, the mussed sheets and pillow making it clear it’s been slept on. At the snort from the sofa, Cassian’s eyes find Nesta’s where she’s curled up with one of her new books. The expectant look on her face and the smirk tugging up the corner of her lips is all teasing, and Cassian narrows his eyes at her in response before turning his attention back to Azriel. Apparently, Azriel saw the entire exchange, or Cassian’s side of the exchange, and his expression has turned from confusion to concern.

“Cass, is everything alright? You know you can talk to me.”

Cassian rubs a hand against the back of his neck awkwardly before letting out a sigh. “Az… what would you say if I told you… I met a demon?”

“A demon? As in…”

“Demon. Like dark eyes, does biddings. Demon. Her name is Nesta.”

Cassian expects Azriel to ask more questions, maybe even call him out for the absurdity of it all, but instead his brother just steps closer, settling a hand on Cassian’s shoulder.

“Are you getting enough sleep?” Azriel broaches carefully.

“You know what,” Cassian cuts in. “Just forget I said anything. Let’s just go.”

Azriel looks like he wants to say more, but luckily, he doesn’t, and the two make their way to the gym, Nesta trailing behind them. Cassian tries to keep his eyes to himself as they start their workout, determined to avoid any more confused or concerned looks from Azriel. It’s easier said than done, though, and Cassian’s eyes keep drifting to where Nesta has perched herself on one of the lifting benches. It especially doesn’t help that her eyes are decidedly not on him.

Cassian grabs a set of weights and makes his way over to the bench beside her, trying to look inconspicuous as he starts doing chest presses.

“Do you mind?” Cassian mutters.

“It’s not my fault your friend is so attractive,” Nesta remarks dryly.

Cassian doesn’t deem the comment with a response, keeps his expression cool and unbothered. But if he takes off his shirt to finish his workout? It’s just hot in the gym. And if he pushes himself extra hard, doing the exercises that he knows really flex and pull on his muscles? Well, no one has to know.

~ * * * ~

Cassian isn’t sure if Azriel said something, Mor said something, or they both said something, but he tries to push it all out of his mind as he pulls into the driveway at Rhys and Feyre’s house for a declared ‘family dinner.’ He takes a deep breath and turns to where Nesta is sitting in the passenger’s seat of his truck.

“Alright. I don’t need my family thinking I’m crazy, so if we both just play it cool, we should be fine.”

“I’m not the one you need to worry about, and you know it,” Nesta reminds him, throwing open the door and hopping out.

Cassian barely reigns in a sigh as he opens his own door. Mostly because he knows she’s right. But he puts all his focus and willpower into it, and he doesn’t look at Nesta as he greets his friends and family and settles at the table. He loads his plate up and eats, and he doesn’t look at Nesta. He listens as everyone around him talks about their weeks and what’s new, and he doesn’t look at Nesta.

“Cass, are you alright?” Rhy’s voice interrupts Cassian’s thoughts, and his head snaps in Rhys’ direction.

“What? Why would you ask that?” Cassian tosses back, trying to keep his voice light and teasing.

“You’ve been quiet,” Rhys points out. “And we all know you’re never quiet.”

“He’s probably too busy thinking about his new lady,” Mor pipes up.

“New lady?” Rhys asks.

“Oh, yeah, apparently it’s a ‘demon named Nesta,’” Azriel adds, throwing up air quotes.

Cassian is about to tell his family off with a well placed retort, when the loud clatter of silverware hitting a plate echoes through the dining room. All four sets of eyes snap to Feyre who has suddenly gone very still. Her face is pale and her eyes seem to have glazed over, like she’s seen a ghost. The look has Cassian’e eyes darting around the room, but Nesta is nowhere to be found.

“That isn’t funny,” Feyre says, her voice barely above a whisper.

Rhys reaches over, comfortingly squeezing Feyre’s hand in his own. “Nesta was the name of Feyre’s sister.”

“You have another sister?” Mor asks quietly.

“Had,” Feyre explains softly, her hand tightening on Rhys’. “She died a few years back. She was dating this… guy. Tomas. We could never prove it, but I know he was at fault. I know he did it. The one bright spot was some freak accident that happened to him.”

The silence that follows is heavy. It presses against Cassian’s chest and threatens to shatter his ribs until he can’t take it. He stands, the legs of his chair scraping against the hardwood, as he excuses himself. He wanders through the hall until he sees a door slightly ajar, light bleeding into the hallways in a single soft white beam. Feyre’s art studio. He pushes the door open slowly, finding Nesta standing at the easel, staring at the painting perched there.

“She painted me,” Nesta says, her voice hushed and awed. “I know all sisters fight, but sometimes it felt like we were on another level. I didn’t think she’d ever paint me.”

“That deal you made,” Cassian starts, keeping his voice equally quiet. “It was for revenge, wasn’t it?”

Nesta turns then, her dark eyes settling on Cassian. With her spine straight and face set in a cold, hard line, it reminds Cassian of the demon she is. The one he first met standing in his apartment. Power rumbling off her in waves, tendrils of darkness and fire licking at Cassian’s skin until goosebumps break out in their wake. It leaves him breathless.

“Yes.”

[leahblackk]

second part of fic rec please?

Yes! Of course. I just have to say that most of these fics are angst but here we go;

Don’t thank me for loving you by @samuel-de-champagne-problems (This fic was so beautiful and I love the way it’s written and everything. 20/10 and I love your username)

Professor Reid by @avenging-fandoms (I have a soft spot for professor Reid and I loved the chapters where he was in being a professor and reading this was a really good idea besides that I love how it’s written)

Plan on you by @reidsacademia (I’m out of words with this one, one of my favorites of course and its because I love angst so much so please if anyone here write angst tag me cause I love getting my heart mashed. I loved your writing so much, please never stop doing it and if you ever write more angst tag me, and I love your username ;)

Twenty-Four by @hercleverboy (Oh my god this is really good I don’t know, I have a thing for this type of fics where two people who are in pain or trouble met each other is something that does things to my heart. I loved it) and The waiting room (please I love this one I cry every time and it’s so beautiful)

Well this is one of my favorite writers here as well, I love her page and I read them constantly. I will be adding my favorites though, but mostly of them are angst, as it’s well known that I love angst so this is @mggpleasedontlookhere and my favorite fics. By the way I love the username so so much! People are so creative. Call out my name pt.1 and pt.2, Liar liar pt.1 and pt.2, Pascal pt.1 and pt.2, Jealousy MGG

Sealed with a kiss by @megankane (this is really beautiful I love it I really don’t have words enough to say how much I loved this)

Gentle man by @spookydrreid (I’m not a fan of “throwing something in the wall or floor” type of thing but this is so beautiful I loved it so much. I love angst and it’s so beautiful. I love the way you write) And Like us (✨✨✨)

When loving you gets hard by @railmereid (okay this is really beautiful and I don’t know how explain my love for this fic and there’s something that makes my heart go crazy, maybe is the way is written or maybe my love for Reid but this is amazing)

Sweet by @plutocrd (Just like the title this is really sweet. There’s two things I love in writing more than enemies to lovers and it’s angst and worship and the worship here it’s amazing)

Can’t be your secret anymore by @shemarmooresfedora (alright I was constantly thinking this was a crossover with Grey’s anatomy for some reason but I loved it and I loved soft Reid and this is really beautiful) and Daises mean “I’m an idiot” (god I loved this fic)

Spencer Reid taking care of you after a hard day and A not so good day by @ssa-m-187 (this is really beautiful and I loved it besides that the writer here has a beautiful way to express and write things that makes your heart go crazy so this is amazing)

Alright another person who I love more than one fic of them, this is @reidsnose and my favorite fics. Starting with Hair tie (beautiful, masterpiece 20/10 chef kiss) Defining features (Beautiful, amazing, great. This is ugh this is so beautiful and I don’t know how to describe my love for these fics) and Tally Marks (again, chef kiss ✨✨)

Illicit Affairs by @klinenovakwinchester (this is beyond beautiful and amazing that are the two words I use the most to describe something I love so much because my brain cannot think anything else so you probably have an idea how much I loved this one)

Silent Treatment by @i-understood-that-reference (I love everything that has to do with silent treatment because I don’t know ITS BEAUTIFUL so thank you for doing this masterpiece btw does anyone ever noticed how alike Lila Archer and Ashley Seaver are?) And having your baby (I usually cry reading sweet things but this is made me cry in a way I cannot explain. Thank you for these masterpieces)

Need you by @reidsghost (please to say I loved this it’s just little. This is really beautiful and the angst mashed my heart in a beautiful way)

Spencer and Nicknames by @tweedlydumbtweedlydoo (I have sweet and soft spot for nicknames as well so this is a masterpiece and made my heart go real fast)

Hints by @secret-rendezvous1d (Oh my god this is really sweet and beautiful, thank you for sharing this masterpiece. I loved it so much)

Morning Reluctant by @willowrose99 (I- this is a masterpiece, so beautifully written)

Darling you’re the one I want by @luvspence (I love Spencer Reid and Taylor Swift so this is a perfect combination)

The best way to wake up by @reidscanehand (please this is amazing. I love everything you write but this is a soft spot for me. You’re amazing and I love your writing so so much)

Scatterbrained Nights by @anaagraceeberr (beautiful, amazing, masterpiece ✨✨✨)

Every single one of you are great writers and I hope you don’t stop doing what you do and what you love because believe me, you might just think “oh yeah, she liked one of my fics. Cool,” but mostly of these fics (and by mostly I mean all of them, the fic rec I did before and the ones that are really deep in my likes and I haven’t found yet because I like everything I see) means so much to me and I know how hard it is to write and sometimes don’t have your work recognized but believe me I see you and I love what you write.

I wish I can put every single one of the people who writes and don’t get too much attention because they deserve it! And I hope everyone who is gonna read those fics, give all the love to the authors because they take so much time (and if they don’t still) to make something that make us happy. And I appreciate every single one of you who is writing and sometimes it get frustrating, and I know that because I do too. Sometimes I feel like giving up because my fics don’t get enough likes or I just think people don’t like what I write but then I read something someone said about my fics or my way to write and that motivates me so please do that with these amazing people and those who are not in my fic rec because I haven’t found their fic. And if you don’t get enough attention please feel free to tag me and I will give all the love I can for you because you deserve it! Please don’t give up on something you love, and please if you write angst TAG ME!!!

[sunkisseddaffodils]

reunion- pt 2 (final)

Pairing: sherlock x fem!reader

Request: 'hi! can i pls request a sherlock x fem!reader fic in which reader is kinda john's childhood bestfriend, but they were separated when reader with her parents moved somewhere (to united states, for instance). so now when she is in britain again, she sort of struggles with finding a not very fancy place to stay. fortunately, she meets our johnny boi and he immediately proposes for her to stay in 221c, baker-street. so reader moves there, meets sherly and they sorta starting to fall in luv with each other'

Summary: Sherlock accidentally drags up some old unwanted memories for the reader

Genre: reader insert, angst

A/n: this is the final part of the above request. Sorry, I didn't exactly follow the request but I mostly tried to. Thanks to anon for requesting though! Enjoy!

Read pt 1 here.

-

The following day, after a restless night’s sleep, Y/N sat nervously in Mrs’s Hudson cosy kitchenette. Mrs Hudson had switched on the kettle and was preparing to make both of them a cup of tea. From what John had told her, she was perfectly lovely but she couldn’t help but be anxious. It was in her nature; she worried about everything. She made sure to bring papers to prove to her that she had a monthly income. But what if that wasn’t enough and Mrs Hudson had already decided that she wasn’t good enough to stay in her upstairs flat? The sound of china cups being placed on the table brought her back from the depths of her mind.

‘What brings you to London? John tells me you moved all the way from the States?’

John was right, Mrs Hudson was delightful. Y/N felt more relaxed at the sound of her comforting voice.

‘I’m starting my training next week to be a dentist in Harley Street ’

Mrs Hudson’s eyes genuinely glistened with interest.

‘Oh? John told me you already completed dental school in Seattle? Aren’t you already qualified?’

‘Yeah in the States. To work here, I have to do an extra year before I’m qualified. I don’t mind though, I wanted a fresh start in the UK.’

A door closing behind them interrupted their conversation. Both Y/N and Mrs H turned to where the noise came from but couldn’t see who or what made it. The latter called out.

‘Sherlock? John? Is that you?’

With no response, they returned to their conversation.

‘Y/N, you seem like a lovely young woman with a bright future. Of course, you can stay in the upstairs flat!’

She smiled widely, uttering a thousand ‘thank yous’. Y/N grabbed her important documents and handed them to Mrs Hudson.

‘Thank you. I’ll take a look at these later.’

Tomorrow, Mrs Hudson gave Y/N a tour of 221c. She fell speechless as she looked around. It was the same layout as Sherlock’s but had recently been renovated to have a more modern look. The apartment was already furnished so all she had to do was move her belonging's in from storage. She couldn’t believe that she was able to afford this apartment! Especially, as it was in central London. Promptly, she strolled over to where her new landlady was waiting by the front door.

‘So I get all this for this price? That’s insanely cheap for London.’

Y/N commented while pointing to the tenancy agreement Mrs Hudson was holding.

Simply, she just chuckled.

‘I do special rates for Sherlock and John. If you’re a friend of John’s then you’re a friend of mine. I’ll do the same for you.’

She continued.

'I met Sherlock in Florida when my husband was sentenced to death. He was able to help out so I owed him a favour. ’

Her face was completely serious yet it sounded so implausible. How could a lovely little lady like Mrs Hudson have such an impossible past like that? Adding to that, Y/N wondered that Sherlock really must be a genius if he can stop someone from being executed.

‘Wait, are you saying that Sherlock stopped your husband from being executed?’

‘Oh no, he ensured it.’

And with that bombshell of a statement, Mrs Hudson disappeared downstairs leaving Y/N utterly astonished in her new apartment. She made a note to herself to remind her to ask John about Mrs Hudson’s past. There was so much she wanted to know about her life.

A few days passed and the time finally arrived for Y/N to move into 221c. She was standing outside the cafe with Mrs Hudson, waiting for the moving company to arrive along with her possessions. She glanced at her watch, anxiously. The moving people were already five minutes late. Meanwhile, Sherlock and John were upstairs having carried three boxes between them that Y/N had brought herself. John was busying himself, tidying up the flat, waiting for a text from Y/N so he and Sherlock could help her move in and set up the place. He had told Sherlock to make himself useful but looking over his way, he hadn’t. Sherlock was staring intensely at the three boxes they had placed on the dining table by the windows. John marched over there to tell him off.

‘Sherlock! What are you doing? If you’re not going to make yourself useful up here, then can you at least go downstairs to check what’s taking the mover’s so long?’

Sherlock completely disregarded everything he just said.

‘Look at these three boxes, John. What do they tell you?’

He just groaned.

‘Nothing, they’re just boxes.’

‘Fine, if you’re not going to play ball then I will just tell you.Y/N has made sure she took these boxes here herself. Why? That suggests they’re private and she doesn’t want strangers, i.e the movers, to touch them. The first two boxes are labelled: electronics and toiletries. Makes sense then for why she would want to move them herself: one’s valuable and the others personal.’

He pointed towards the last cardboard box.

‘But why hasn’t she labelled this one? I’m sure I’m right to assume that she would have labelled every single box from what I’ve seen from these two. So what’s in this box that separates it from the rest?’

John stepped away from the dining table and started fluffing some pillows on the couch.

‘Sherlock, I really couldn’t care less. There’s nothing weird going on. She’s not part of some underground crime syndicate. Just leave it alone. You can’t know everything.’

However, the crinkling of tape being peeled off from the box told John that Sherlock, was in fact, not going to leave it alone.

John raced back over to the table and seized the box from Sherlock. Soon, a tug of war for the box began between them.

‘You are not going through Y/N’s private things!’

He yanked the box harder.

‘But John, I have to know what’s in there.’

John glared at him, pulling the box back towards him.

‘Tough luck. Once again let me spell this out: you cannot go through other people’s belongings. It’s rude.’

Sherlock’s grip remained firm, however.

‘Don’t you want to know more about why she’s moved back here? The answer could be in this box. It’s strange that she just packed up and left her life back in Seattle. She obviously doesn’t have any family here. Otherwise, why would she come to you for help? And there’s also the fact I heard her tell Mrs Hudson that she has to do extra training to be a qualified dentist in the UK. Why go to all that effort when she’s already qualified back in the US? Aren’t you in the least bit curious?’

John once again dragged the box back to him.

‘Oh so now you’re not only going through her stuff, you’re also eavesdropping on her?’

Sherlock was offended even though there was a hint of truth to what John was saying.

‘It wasn’t eavesdropping! I just happened to overhear her.’

What Sherlock was saying did make John curious, but still, Y/N deserved her privacy. It was up to her if she wanted to them the real reason she moved back to the UK. John was about to tell Sherlock this when the door burst open.

‘Hey, guys! The movers are here now if you wanna come down.’

Y/N’s voice staggered when she saw the scene before her.

In a moment of alarm, both Sherlock and John had dropped the box. Its content spilt out onto the floor. An off-white ornate picture frame smashed onto the hard wooden floor, glass spraying everywhere. The picture in the frame was of Y/N and a man in front of the Seattle Great Wheel. Y/N stood in surprise as the said man was knelt down holding a rose gold diamond-encrusted ring. The picture frame was custom engraved and it read ‘For my love.’

Oh.

It all made sense now to Sherlock.

However, there was no time to think more about the picture. Sherlock and John stood like a deer in headlights

‘It was Sherlock!’

John pointed accusingly towards Sherlock.

Y/N didn’t say anything, simply walked over to where the box had fallen, glass crunching under converse trainers. She knelt down to pick up the photograph. She remained there for a moment, an expression of profound anguish on her face.

John tried to help her up, but she refused. She practically ran out of the flat, trying to conceal her pain. John didn’t even have time to tell her that she had cut her knees on the glass from the floor. He grabbed a broom from the kitchen and started cleaning up the mess on the floor. He looked at Sherlock who was still in the same place. He had a look of regret on his face.

‘Sherlock there’s no point making that face now! You’re cleaning this mess up too. We’re going to make it up to her by making this apartment look really nice before she comes back.’

As he shifted the box back onto the table, he thought of his own way to make it up to Y/N.

-

Y/N was falling asleep at her desk, she was now four hours into writing her essay on dental hygiene. She placed her head in her hands, thinking she would just have a quick nap. Her phone ringing ended that plan though. She saw that it was Sherlock and hesitated. She still hadn’t forgiven him for trying to go through her things and bringing back unpleasant memories. It had been a week into ignoring him and giving him the cold shoulder. She let it ring out. Sherlock still didn’t get the hint and texted her.

‘Y/N meet me here. I wanna make it up to you. S.H’

That text was accompanied by a GPS location.

Y/N couldn’t think of any possible reason why Sherlock had asked to meet her here. Her uber ride had stopped outside of a manor house just on the outskirts of London. She quickly checked with the driver to make sure she was at the right place. To her bewilderment, he answered yes. Hesitantly, she strolled up to the door. She didn’t even have to knock when Sherlock opened the door. He motioned for her to follow him.

‘Sherlock, what the actual fuck? Do you live here?’

Sherlock led her through a ton of rooms. Y/N swear she could have counted there were at least five formal living rooms.

‘Nope.’

He opened a set of French doors and led her out into the back garden of the estate. Not that you could call it a garden. It was massive. In the distance, she saw stables as they walked through a formal botanical garden. Sherlock was more like running though, but Y/N didn’t know what was so urgent.

‘So if you don’t live here. Then who does?’

An undesirable thought entered her mind.

‘Don’t tell me you broke in here?’

Sherlock turned around just outside of the exit to the formal gardens, jangling keys in front of her face, a childish grin on his face.

‘It’s not breaking in if you have a set of keys.’

They had finally reached their final destination. Y/N saw that someone had set up a bonfire in the middle of a field. A can of petrol and a box lay adjacent to it. That box seemed really familiar. Sherlock picked it up and brought it over. It was hers!

‘Sherlock, you’re going through my things again. You know what, I’m done here!’

She began jogging back towards the house. Sherlock grabbed her arm.

‘Wait! Y/N. Let me explain.’

She gazed back at him intensely, waiting for an explanation.

He placed the box down.

‘I know you haven’t told me about what happened. But unfortunately, I am good at deducing things. Those things in that box came from a bad past relationship. I’m pretty sure I can guess what happened.’

He started to stammer, not sure of how to word what he wanted to say next.

Y/N wasn’t sure where he was going with this but could see he was trying.

‘John will be the first to let you know that I’m no expert on love or on relationships. But I can see you haven’t moved on. I thought it might help if you chucked all of the old stuff from the relationship on that bonfire and set it alight.’

She looked down, knowing that Sherlock was right. He had guessed everything perfectly. He had read her like a book.

‘You’re right. But I took running away from your problems to the extremest.’

She sat down on the grass, wrapping her arms around her knees. Sherlock shortly joined her.

‘He was my world. Or I thought he was until one night I returned home to see him shagging my best friend on the sofa.’

There was a moment of silence before she continued.

‘I just felt so foolish. I had to get away from Seattle. The place was full of memories of my time with him. I couldn’t stand it any longer.’

Sherlock got up and picked up the box.

‘And that’s why you should burn this stuff. He doesn’t deserve to have this much hold on you when he never cared about you in the slightest. We don’t have to do it if you don’t want to. But please just think about it.’

Y/N stood up with determination. Sherlock was right. She had to burn all of this stuff to finally move on. Together they placed the contents of the box around the bonfire.

Y/N stood back as Sherlock poured the can of petrol over the bonfire. He asked.

‘One more thing. Do you have that picture with you?’

She grabbed it out of her bag as an answer and showed it to him.

‘I thought you would', he stated.

She placed the picture in the centre of the bonfire.

They walked back a safer distance from it and Sherlock got a box of matches from his pocket. He lit one up and handed it to Y/N. He could see that she was having trouble actually lighting the bonfire. He reached out and held her hand to comfort her. Y/N greatly appreciated that. She took the final step and with her other hand, threw the match into the bonfire.

The bonfire went up in ablaze. It was oddly beautiful watching the embers rise up into the sky. Standing there in hand in hand with Sherlock, she felt the weight that had been on her shoulders for months slowly lift off. The whole experience was cathartic.

Out of the blue, they heard the distant sound of alarms ringing from back at the house. Y/N looked to Sherlock for answers. He just told her to:

‘RUN!’

They sprinted, holding onto each other, seemingly heading towards a gate at the end of a stone wall surrounding the estate.

‘Sherlock! What’s going on?’

Sherlock tried his best to explain as they were running.

‘Technically I did break into this house. But it’s my brother's so it should be fine. There should be a cab waiting just outside this gate.’

‘Oh my god!’, she exclaimed worrying about the consequences to come for their actions.

When they had reached the road outside the gate, they stopped to catch their breath. Then they looked at each other and burst into laughter.

She hadn’t laughed that like in months. And it was all thanks to Sherlock.

-

[futurewriter2000]

If I can't have you, nobody can - pt. 9 - final part

A/N: I know it's kind of a shitty ending but I just wanted to end it without all the dramatic affects. Like, let's be honest. This is how it would go because all men are pu**ies.

XX

James walked in his apartment drained. He felt his limbs go numb as soon as he stepped on his threshold. He could barely put the key in but when he did, he opened the door with force, kicked off his shoes and threw himself onto his bed.

The image of Lily's tears haunted him. It wasn't as horrible as he imagined. It was worse, far worse but he couldn't keep deceiving her. He couldn't pretend to love her when he loved you. It was that easy. You can only love one person at the time. Loving both makes him selfish.

There was no doubt on he was to choose. There even wasn't a choice for him. He knew exactly who he wanted and that person was you.

He deserved the slap. Definitely deserved it but Merlin did she had to hit so hard? His cheek was still burning from her hand and it wasn't any less redder than it was before.

He didn't want to see you today either. Tomorrow and for the rest of his life, yes. But today? Today he just wanted to sleep through and get it over with. Despite everything, he still cared about Lily and the time they were together was not just wasted time for him. He cared... cared enough to feel pain in his chest as he did so but that didn't mean he loved you any less. He just needed to grieve a bit for he had lost an amazing woman but love is love, and you can't really choose for who you fall in love with and with you he was head over heels.

"PEEK A BOO!" came a loud voice from the living room. "Prongs?"

"Ugh, noooo..." James grumbled into the pillow. Apparently this day is far from being over.

"Oh, there you are." Sirius smiled as he popped his head into the bedroom. "Alright there, mate?" he jumped on the bed and started bouncing off.

"No." he mumbled into the pillow.

"Hell, who hurt you today? Was it Moody? Was he a bit harsh on you today? Oh wait, we're not Aurors yet." Sirius laughed sarcastically and slapped his forehead. "Must have been-"

"I broke up." he mumbled into the pillow but Sirius couldn't quite hear him.

"You're worker?"

"No, Pads." James turned around to face him. "I broke up..." he paused, watching Sirius' eyes furrow. "... with Lily."

Sirius kept watching him in silence, replaying thoughts and words in his head. "I thought you wanted to marry her?" he stood up and crossed his arms over his chest. He knew the reason why, stuck far back in his head but he wanted James to say it. "Weren't we ring shopping four days ago?"

"I know. I know." James sat on the edge of the bed and rubbed his eyes. "I just... I talked to Remus-"

"oF cOUrsE!" Sirius threw his arms in the air. "And he gave you some Yobe Kenobi wisdom about love and commitment when a man cannot even commit to the fact that he turns into a wolf every full moon."

"Pads, that's not fair." James scolded him. Every one of them knew how much Remus suffered. It wasn't fair of Sirius being ignorant about his friend and Sirius realised that.

"I know..." he looked down in regret. "But can't you- why? You know what don't tell me why. I know why? It's because of (y/n) isn't it?" he glared at James.

"Yes but-"

"I bloody knew it! She's not for you James!"

"How in the bloody hell would you know that?! Huh?! Why aren't you just happy for us?! Why are you pissed?!"

"Because if I can't have her, you shouldn't either! Nobody should!"

And if words could have physical strength, they would push James back a few steps.

"You git!" James stormed to Sirius and pushed him against his chest.

Sirius stared at him for a moment and when James started to push him again, he pushed back first.

"You were selfish all this time!"

"So what if I was?! You and her would never work out because she still has feelings for me!"

"Don't act like a child, Sirius! She's not a 12 year old girl and you're not all mighty God! She's a grown, sensible woman, who doesn't wait for you just to crawl back at your feet. If she would, she would have done it a long time ago but she didn't, did she?!" he shouted. "She moved on and she got her life together or did she sent you a letter or called you that I do not know about?" he continued but Sirius just stared at him, defeated. "She doesn't love you. She doesn't love you because you had rejected her YEARS ago but she does love me. She always loved me because if she didn't, she wouldn't have given me a second chance! So you have no right to be jealous, mate, when you're the one that pushed her away! Not only from yourself but from us too! And there was no reason for that except today that you were just too selfish about it!" he pushed Sirius through the door. "Now, bloody leave! I don't want to see your face for a couple of days because I am furious at you!" James stared at Sirius and Sirius pouted like a little child.

He stomped away and disapparated into thin air.

---

You had laughed when James was telling you this story. He was laying in your lap and angrily complaining over Sirius as a little child as well. He threw his hands in the air and started to get heated as he explained the argument.

"After all I've done for that git!" he turned to the side and furrowed his eyebrows. "That little asshole." he continued to pout as you had continued to laugh.

"Come on, Jamie." you gently caressed his cheek. "We were all just kids when everything happened. We didn't know better, especially Sirius. You were just as stubborn and arrogant as he was."

"I know but still!" he sat up and looked at you, not angry but sad. "If I didn't know better now, I wouldn't have been with you."

You cupped his cheeks and awed at him. "But you are and Sirius is just being dramatic. You know he wouldn't hurt a fly, let alone hurt his best friend."

"I bet you five galleons he will knock on that door tomorrow, if not today with Fizzing Whizzbees and ton of Chocolate Frogs just to apologise."

"He had never apologised in my entire time of knowing him."

"Oh, he doesn't really say it but you know what he's meaning to say."

And just as James was about to answer, there was a knock on the door.

You smiled coyly at James. "Get your wallet, Potter."

James rolled his eyes and smiled at you. He walked to the door and opened them to see a tall man with regretful puppy eyes and candy in his hands. "You just made me lose five galleons, mate." he said and gestured to let him come inside.

"What do you mean?" Sirius smiled as he walked after James, later seeing you sitting on the sofa.

He stopped in his tracks and stared at you. No second movement or proof that he was breathing appeared. He just stood and stared like a linden tree.

"Hello, Sirius." you waved at him.

"Hi." he said than quickly regained his saneness. "Oh, so you're the thief behind the five galleons."

"Guilty." you laughed. "You had always done this whenever you and James had got in the argument. James was ranting to Remus, Peter and I, meanwhile you were out there sneaking to Honeydukes for sorry candy."

"Which always worked in the end." Sirius winked and sat down on the arm chair in front of you. He rubbed his hands together and looked away from you, before facing the uncomfortable topic. "So... he told you..."

"Quite passionately, might I say. I felt as if I was there when he was telling me the story." you teased as James filled himself with Chocolate Frogs and laughed.

"I'm really sorry, (y/n)." he said, causing James' eyes to widen. He had never heard Sirius apologise before but now that he did, it must have been sincere. "I really didn't know what I was doing... or saying... you were just so fun to be around and I guess I didn't want to share you with anybody."

"I get it..." you said, letting your hand fall behind James' neck and looking at him with awe. "We were all just stupid kids and I always wanted us to stay friends." you smiled back at him.

Sirius smiled back. "So you're not mad?"

"I was never mad, Siri. I was just disappointed but everything turned out for the best in the end." you looked back at James, who didn't take his eyes off you since the moment your hand touched his skin.

"Yeah." Sirius said, then stood up and patted his jeans. "Best I leave you two love birds alone then." he said and both of you looked up at him. "I really am happy for the two of you." he said before disapperating away.

Though he said it to the two of you with a smile on his face he never meant it. Why not? Because seeing you with James was the most painful thing he had to witness.

Seeing you there, so grown up, so different from when he last saw you was torturing. He just wanted to pour out of himself the why's and the because's. Oh, how he wanted to hug you and tell you everything but he couldn't. He couldn't have done it because of James.

He had messed up so much for you, for James and for himself that all he had to do was restrain himself of his own emotions. He can never tell you now.

He had his chances and now he doesn't. He would think it was not fair when everything made sense. It was fair. He did have chances, opportunities to tell you the truth but was too late for him now.

James was right. You didn't wait for him. You moved on and everything he made you feel was now gone but everything you made him feel was still inside of him.

You were happy. James was happy and him? Sirius? He was miserable because he had let you slip through his fingers forever.

[drwhitefox]

Full resident evil village review: SPOILERS

So, let us start from the beginning. We began with Mia telling a fairy tale to Rosemary Winters (Rose). The fairy tale coincidentally falls in line with the four houses, Dimitrescu, Heisenburg, Benevento and Moreau. However, Mia cuts off the fairy tale in mid-sentence when she sees Rose had fallen asleep, leaving the fairy tale unfinished until the end of the game. There, the gameplay begins. We know that it has been three years since the Dulvey incident, and it had been covered up as a gas leak. After some shenanigans, Mia is gunned down from multiple points and killed by Chris Redfield. He takes Ethan and Rose, and the game begins. Ethan finds himself stranded alone beside a corpse, and he began strolling through a snowy path until he reaches the Village.

Ethan reaches the castle and meets the Dimitrescu family, which they proceed to torture him. For the rest of the castle gameplay, you will sneak past Lady D and take down the daughters one by one as they try to kill you. By killing them, it will anger Lady D in which she will turn into a Bloodborne type dragon. It was so fucking cool. After killing Lady D (;´༎ຶٹ༎ຶ`), Ethan will find a jar not knowing what it is, he shows it to the Duke and tells him that Rose was not at the castle in which Duke answers that he is holding his daughter, specifically her head. DUN DUN DUUUUUNN. That revelation hurt my head and made me not care about Lady D, to be honest. So, Ethan now has to collect four yellow jars containing Rose’s body parts for all other houses to assemble his daughter back. (Poor Ethan)

So on to the best part for me. The scariest part. I don’t want to spoil this, but that Baby was fucking nightmare fuel, like who in their twisted mind could create such an atrocity. The Benevento house reminded me so much of PT which was fucking amazing. It would be best if you played it yourself to feel what I’m saying. While at the Benevento house, Ethan hears Mia on the radio pleading with Ethan to forgive her, which was weird because she’s dead, right?

The Moreau house, or swamp, I have to say it’s one of my least favourite gameplay, though it’s still far better than Heisenberg gameplay. Salvator Moreau and Ethan’s interaction was hilarious. I loved how Ethan cannot see past this guy and kept underestimating him. I loved their interaction. And that’s all good, I have to say about that battle.

The Heisenberg, Ughhhhh. The part of this scenario dragged on, and I wouldn’t say I liked any part of it at all. I think the reason had to be the strip of the gothic aesthetic and villains variants that made this part not good. Heisenberg’s character arc felt rushed or just unfulfilling. Either, I had more enormous expectations for him.

After beating Heisenberg, Ethan faces Mother Miranda as she began teasing him. There we learned that Rose was perfected Evelyn or E type. And mother Miranda, by shapeshifting into Mia, wanted Rose to resurrect her Daughter Eva that died hundred years ago by Spanish Flue. She then rips out Ethan’s heart, seemingly killing him.

There we switch to Chris bolder punching Redfield. We found out that Miranda kidnapped Mia and turned into her, and took Rose, He no longer works for BSAA for some reason that is still unknown, and Canine began racing with BSAA to Miranda. Chris goes through a many Lycans hoard, stumbles upon Miranda’s lab; there, we got a bunch of lore dump.

Ozward E Spencer, you’ll remember him. Yeah, Miranda, on the path to reviving her daughter, invited young Spencer to the village to work with her. However, their ideology clashed, and Spencer thought that he should work to further human development, not for one person like Miranda. There Spencer revealed that he found “the Progenitor” in Africa and began developing the viruses and Founding Umbrella logo that was carved in the cave, creating the Umbrella Corporation. The village is the origins of the Umbrella and everything that follows.

Chris finds Mia (the real one)

Ethan wakes up in a wasteland, incredibly cold and suffering. Evelyn appears out of nowhere and reveals that Ethan shouldn’t be walking. She was indicating that Ethan died three years ago in the Baker mansion by Jack Baker. By unknown means, the mold consumed his dead body and revived him, making him a perfected E type. (irony with his name starting with letter E)

Miranda resurrects Rose from the mould, and Ethan fights Miranda, killing her and killing himself in the process. Ethan and Chris take Rose, trying to flee, but a giant mutation is heading their way, and the only way to stop it is to blow the whole village sky high. Ethan, already dying, couldn’t move forward, takes a detonator and gives Rose to Chris, telling him to take care of her and (teach her how to be strong)(ᗒᗣᗕ)՞. Chris, Mia and Rose, along with Canine, escapes the village before detonation. Ethan dies a hero. (;´༎ຶٹ༎ຶ`) Then time skip happens, IDK how long, but we see a girl who is merely identical to Ethan exited the bus onto a graveyard; it’s Rose visiting Ethan’s grave. A man in a black suit was waiting for her in a black car, and he makes a joke calling her Evelyn, which angers Rose. She enters the car, and the man tells her that she’s a lot like Ethan. While the vehicle droves away but suddenly stop beside an unknown person that we will not see. It ends with a cliffhanger, setting up the next entry.

During a credits a woman finishes the fairy tale.

I didn’t go to up most detail in this, trust me when i say you have to play the whole thing to experience what I’m saying. I loved it, yes there was some flaws but it was in a sense minor.

Welp, there was a lot of plot twist and a gut-wrenching revelation that I didn’t expect from this game. I loved Ethan not as a character but just as the protagonist in the Resident Evil game. I always felt that when Re goes back to the og characters, it becomes an action game. Ethan was to be a breath of fresh air. Even though he has gone through a lot, he endured every single pain thrown towards him and pushed forward. He isn’t Leon and Chris or even Jill and Claire, but I think that made him more unique.

I gave the game 8/10 hahah.

[cedricslover]

Troubled (final)

Pairing: Cedric Diggory x Fem! Reader

Pt.1 Pt.2 Pt.3 Pt.4 Pt.5 

Series summary: A very unfortunate situation happened and it resulted in very unfortunate events. You had everything, a good boyfriend that everyone dreamed of, best friends that you got in a twin pack, and a loving school. It was a calm before a storm and in your sixth year the storm came. You faced the consequences your deceased parents run from, you were only left with your only family, your little brother. What would you do in order to save him? The answer is, everything, even if it means joining a terrorist group of wizards, joining THE DEATH EATERS…

Chapter Summary: Death is inevitable 

Note: there is no specific house:))) I would like to thank everyone that kept waiting and was patient enough, I started this series around March and now it is May. This is my very first series and I hope you all liked it! Again thank you so much❤❤

Warnings: angst, death, little bit of violence

Word Count: 4.2k

You stopped in front of a headstone. Your hair brushing your cheeks as the wind blew it. "Hey" you started talking, through the years the big lump in your throat slowly fades whenever you visit. "It must be nice there" you smiled and placed the flowers that you were holding down to the ground. 

You breathed in the familiar smell of the field. The smell of the countryside was really different from London. Closing your eyes, memories of the past came flooding in. 

[5 years ago]

"WHAT?" Phoebe, one of your roommates looked at you with shock, "what?" You chuckled as you ate a chocolate frog. 

"What do you mean "what"? So we're just going to act like we didn't see Diggory in front of our dorm earlier" Alice rolls her eyes as she brushes her blond hair, "Oh yeah we got back together" you shrugged and sat on your bed. 

"You really won't tell us what happened that broke the two of you?" Phoebe's voice became wary, she was trying not to say something bad. You shake your head and smile apologetically. "I'm sorry girls" you felt bad. You wanted to tell them of course, but even your best friends since first year don't even know. And surprisingly didn't even nag you about it. 

"It's alright doll, we understand. Besides, Diggory is a great guy, you two are both smart enough to know what is right and wrong" Alice looks at you, there is always comfort in her eyes. Like she always knows what is going on even if you don't talk. She was the perfect example of the person that you can vent to and she will just listen. 

"How about you girls, anything going on with your lives? Why is it always mine?" You laid down and stared at the ceiling. Silence filled the room. For about 10 minutes only the brushing of the tip of the quill to a parchment, breathing, and the noise from the common room are the only sounds you heard.

"Nothing much" you heard a bed squeaked, it was probably Phoebe's. "My life is the most boring one yet" Alice mutters and sighed,  you can see her sitting on her bed. "I don't think so. Each of our lives have different stories. I don't think that's boring" you replied before you pulled your blanket and be completely eaten up by darkness. 

Weeks have passed, it seemed to be doing great. Everything was falling back to pieces. After the school found out that you and Cedric got back together, George and the Beauxbaton girl also publicized their relationship, both of them explained that it really wasn't you in the photograph-which you completely didn't want them to do because you didn't owe anyone any explanation- but they still did. 

Fred and Angelina seemed to be also doing great, well, especially how Fred is under Angelina. 

Of course Barty Jr.-that's disguising as Professor Moody was always giving you 'the look'. Everytime and everywhere, even at class, even your classmates find it strange why Professor Moody always calls you, and then gets mad. They feel bad but you just let it all go, because you knew what his true colors are. 

"Fred" she warns

"Frederick Gideon" with her scary tone

"Frederick Gideon Weasley" that's when you all know Fred was in trouble. 

"Hello darling" you smiled and kissed Cedric's lips before you sat beside him at the library. You both have free time, especially him, tomorrow was the final task, he was trying to study spells that he might use.   

"Hey" he stops reading and wraps his arms around your waist, "Tired" he murmurs while he buries his head on your neck. "You want to eat sumthin'?" You asked while playing with his fluffy hair, running your fingers through his scalp. "No" you can feel his breathing on your neck, it sends shivers down your spine. 

After a while of complete silence, Cedric's breathing seemed to follow a pattern, that's when you knew he was asleep, in your arms. 

You started humming a song that your mum used to sing you to sleep. You can't see his face, but felt it instead, his nose, his lips, his forehead, it felt peace. It felt like home. 

And later on, you also found yourself getting sleepy, your eyelids drooping down. And before you give up on the warmth, your eyes found the book-or more like a magazine that Cedric was reading earlier, you didn't notice it earlier until now. You let out a smile before you closed your eyes.

'Real Estate Magazine, Countryside Edition'

You woke up early, dressed up early, showered early, and went to get breakfast early, and you didn't expect that a lot of students were up early too. Earlier than usual.

"Y/N!" You turned your head while you chewed a toast. It was the trio. "Hey" you greeted them as they sat in front of you. "You alright?" You looked at them while your forehead creased, "yeah" they all answered in unison, that caught them off guard. 

"Harry's going to be fine don't worry" you shake your head and smile as you reach for another toast. "It's just that-" Harry stopped and his hand went to his forehead, where the scar is. 

"His scar's been hurting ever since he woke up" Ron told you, his face was screaming with worry, just the same as Hermione. 

"You should take a rest Harry. You still have til before dusk. I think that would be enough time to prepare and rest" you said, trying to cover the worry in your voice, and of course the fear. 

You four continued to eat, the Great Hall was starting to get more crowded, noise, banners, cheers, they were all anticipating who will win the triwizard tournament. Although you should be joining this crowd, wearing shirts with the one they support, cheering, waving the banners at 8 am. You can't. You were filled with worry, Harry's scar was hurting, and it seemed strange that the Dark Lord wasn't doing anything the whole year. 

And as you walked by Moody's office, it seemed like your suspicions were answered. 

"I already handled it, Dark Lord. Yes, yes, but how about the girl?" You heard Moody, he was rather loud, obviously he used the opportunity as most of the students would be either outside or the Great Hall.

"She wouldn't be a nuisance, we have his brother. She will be extremely useful for the next few years. She has much more potential than her parents. Let her bloom Barty" a faint voice answered him, that was the reason Harry's scar was hurting since this morning. Mere communication can still cause it, you knew he couldn't possibly be physically here. 

"What if Harry wouldn't be the one touching the cup?" Moody's voice was filled with excitement but at the same time, fear. 

"I'll kill them. And you next. Better do your job Barty." The voice disappeared. Your eyes widened as you heard footsteps slowly approaching the door. You ran to the closest hiding spot and peeked. 

"Better handle that girl then" Moody looked around before he drank again from his flask. "Polyjuice Potion" you whispered as you observed him. 

He walked away, to the direction you came from, you waited until you made sure he was gone. 

"Mad-Eye Moody!" You started banging the trunk where Moody was prisoned, your hands shaking as you got the key from one of the drawers. 

"Moody!" You banged again, panting, your sweat started dripping. Your heart was beating fast, you have to do something. You sure don't know anything, but Moody surely does. 

You finally opened the last layer of it and saw that he was there, peering back at you, he was thinner than the last time you saw him. And he lost a lot of hair too. 

He seemed mad, of course, you were the only person inside the castle that knew the Professor Moody that was going around the school the whole year was an imposter, well aside from Cedric who was suspicious.

You started explaining to him, now this was the person that deserved your explanation, not the gossip people. 

It took a while before he finally understood. He must be thirsty and hungry, but you didn't bring any food but only your wand. You looked for any container and luckily you saw a flask, it must have been a spare Polyjuice Potion, you threw the insides away.

"Aguamenti" you chanted and the flask started to be filled with clean water. You cleaned the mess you made and returned it from what it was when you entered before you slowly dropped the flask to Moody who was now drinking it like he hadn't drank any water for a whole week.

"I cannot hear clearly, but I heard Little Hangleton. You know that right?" You nodded at his question. "I don't know what and how, but they would try to bring the Dark Lord back. In power" he looks directly at your eyes, his gaze was piercing, he was expecting you to do something. And you will. 

"I'll be back" the last words you said to him before you slowly closed the trunk, he nods slightly for a response, there was also something in his look, the same look you saw with your parents when they were about to die, the same look you saw with the people of the Order, it was a look of hope and pride. 

"Hey hey" you stopped on your tracks and it snapped you back into reality, you didn't know what to do, "Y/N?" Cedric cupped your face, you looked at his eyes, his questioning eyes. "What's wrong, love?" He tucked strands of hair from your face to behind your ear. Your breathing started to calm down. 

"They're moving Ced, I have to do something" you admitted, there was no point in keeping it a secret to him. His jaw dropped, he was now looking everywhere, trying to be cautious. 

"What can I do to help?" He asks, you felt bad, and it seemed like he noticed it. "Don't feel bad, Y/N. You already carried too much burden, at least let me help you carry it" his mouth curves as he assures you. "It will all be okay" he whispers, still not letting go of your face.

You were still doubting, but he was persistent. "Protect Harry. Help me protect Harry, Ced" your eyes darted to him, both of you knew this was a life and death situation. This wasn't just those silly games you played before, you both only had one chance to save a life, and this was it. 

"I will" he nods, there was more than just the tournament in his mind now. And that is to protect Harry. At all costs.

You observed Harry the whole time before the task, ofcourse, not being so obvious. You would join the three of them at some point, or drag Harry with you and the twins as they show the fireworks that they made and plan to light up when he wins or Cedric. 

It was a win-win, Harry forgets that bloody scar while you keep an eye on him. 

And now, it was Cedric's turn. 

He kissed your forehead and gave you a little smile. "You did well. Let me take over" he said before he turned his back and let go of your hand. Amos waited for him and waved in your direction. The corners of your mouth turned up, trying to be nice to him, despite how you somehow despised because of how he always pressures his son, he always has to do this, reach this, be like this. It was not healthy. 

You knew he was trying to be a good parent, but you wished he had taken lessons from your father before he died. Thankfully Mrs. Diggory was nice enough to appreciate Cedric's achievements, small or big. 

"You alright?" Alice asked you as you sat at the bleachers. "Quite" you smiled at her and returned your gaze to the champions. You were with Alice now, well long story short, the twins were with their girlfriends, even Phoebe, and Alice invited you to join her so here you are now. You know Alice is beautiful, she is also great in academics, even she and Luna Lovegood could really pass as siblings, they have the same interest in things that were believed to be not there, and even their way of clothing were the same. But they both confirmed that they were not related. Still, you were still quite confused as to why she was not out there, having a partner. 

"You know that guy?" She pointed to Gregory Goyle's older brother. "Yeah?" There were lines forming between your eyebrows. "He asked me out" she giggled and covered her mouth with her hand, her shoulders started shaking, you also laughed. "What really?" You asked in disbelief, you tried your best not to laugh out loud.

You hated Goyle, he always bullies the ones that he believed was weaker, even Alice. He always made fun of Alice and how she always tries to get people's attention. Now look how the tables have turned.

"He asked me out with those cheesy pick up lines, doll. I tried my best not to laugh and just rejected him immediately" you were both still laughing. She stated some of the pick up lines that made you laugh so much but you still tried not to be loud so in the end, you choked on your own saliva while she stifled a laugh as she pats your back.

The laughter seemed to be a curse, bad luck, or just joy before a disaster. Because right after that you all saw a yellow light sparked to the sky, it was from someone in the maze. 

You were the only one who was not confused, because as that yellow spark flashed, it was a message for you.

'He is safe. Cedric's with him' 

Red sparks were seen earlier, it must have been a marker for the injured ones, but the Yellow ones, the audience and judges didn't know what it meant, only you.

You started praying to the higher ups, if they were ever there, listening to you. You prayed that they would be fine. Only a few scratches, but still good. After just a few minutes another yellow spark was seen, the people decided to shrug it off, but you, you were beyond happy and relieved. The second spark should mean that they got to the cup. They should be arriving any second now. 

You anxiously waited for them, ten seconds, twenty, thirty, and then a minute and they weren't still here. 

'Little Hangleton' 'Back in power' ‘Dark Lord’ 'Coming Back' 'Do your job' 'Kill' 

Voices started to cloud in your mind, Moody, Barty Jr., Voldemort, memories, you patched up the information you got. 

And without even thinking twice you disapparated, thankful that Dumbledore lifted the anti-disapparition charm because there were a lot of outsiders anticipating the third task.

You grunted as you stumbled, you hated how apparition makes your insides like they were being squeezed. It was convenient of course, but you didn't like it. 

"Kill the spare"  you heard, your vision was still dizzy, but you knew that voice. Your vision was blurry, the world was spinning and it felt like your intestines were spinning too. It was the after effect of apparating. 

You stood up, still feeling nauseous, “NOOO!” you shouted as you ran, there were figures and you knew who they were. “Avada Kedavra!” it was definitely Pettigrew, no, not Cedric, not me, not Harry, don’t kill us, please, the words repeated in your mind. The few steps felt like a hundred, you wanted to stop time, and as you rushed towards the figures your vision was slowly being clear. And by the time you can entirely see clearly, you wished, you hoped, that someone blinded you, you wished that this was a dream, hallucination, but as you collapsed on your knees, as the rough ground kissed your legs, it was all real.

“Alice...” tears started to fall from your face as you looked at her face. Her reddish cheeks was now white, her lively eyes was now soulless, her warmth, 

It’s gone, she’s gone. 

“YOU!” You stood up, picking up your wand, Cedric stood beside you, “Free Harry” You commanded him, your nose was now flaring, glaring at the two figures in front of you, Peter Pettigrew carrying the weak Voldemort. 

“Expulso!” you incant, in a snap, Voldemort was now dropped to the ground while Pettigrew was far away, “I’ve had enough of you. You and your values” you stared at Voldemort who was now crawling away, he was so weak, and this was the only time you could do it. The only time you could take revenge from all the lives he took.

“You’re so weak, and you should stay weak” You stepped on his thin legs, he screeched like a creature tortured, “You deserve, every, single, pain” now you stomped on his hand, you felt the bone touch the sole of your feet despite wearing shoes. 

“Sectumsempra!” you cried at his pleading face, you thanked that potions book you saw in the classroom. You watched as so blood just came out from the child like figure in front of you, for a second you thought you were doing something beyond your morals, but you remembered, the images of people that this person-no- monster killed, the mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, and friends, he took away so many lives, he made the world like his playground, killing whoever he felt to kill, and that justified what you did. Regret was not even near. 

“Incarcerous” Cedric’s voice echoed, the tense was back again, Pettigrew was still here, “We’ll take care of him” he told you, giving a second to glance at the lifeless Voldemort that was on the ground, curled, you nodded as an approval. 

And like a vase dropped, or someone threw a big stone to your head, you remember Alice's bleeding body, her opened eyes but why? Why is there a ghost of a smile plastered on that doll-like face?

You slowly walked to her lying body, you never expected that this would happen, that she, she would do something like this. Did she just suddenly hold your arm as you disapparated? Is that why she splinched, her arms, even her legs were bleeding. 

“Dumbass, did you even know where I was going.” you kneeled, reached for her face and removed the strands of hair that were blocking her face. “You’re so dumb. Who’s going to call me doll anymore” you blinked and a tear fell straight to her cheek, you blinked again, another tear fell, you blinked, again and again, and at the same time, tears fell on her pale face, you cried, wailed, even shouted while hugging her body. 

She was there when you needed her, she was there to understand you. She was there when you cried, laughed, even if you were sick, she was there. 

“Doll, come here.” Alice called you while you were packing your things, you were a mess, you just heard that your mother was ill, you have to go home. You sighed and let go of the clothes and walked towards her, she tapped the seat in front of the mirror. 

“You know, you should always look tough in front of the people you have to protect. That’s what my parents told me before. The people that saved them from the Death Eaters, they were tough, I told you about that right?” she started brushing your hair, you examined your reflection, your eyebags were visible, you were also definitely thinner than usual, you felt drained. 

“Before my ma died, she told me information about those who saved them. My ma and pa owe their life to them.” even if you didn’t look at her face, you know she was smiling. “She told me that when they were being saved, the woman was pregnant” you can feel the gentleness from her touch. 

“And?” you asked, she was now tying your hair, “and she told me to protect that child, a token of gratitude for giving my ma and pa another tomorrow” she placed the flower accessories in your hair. 

“Did you protect the child?” you turned to her and saw her eyes twinkled, “I still am doll” she replied to you before she handed your bag. Alice used magic to help you pack, you laughed and hugged her, “Thank you” your mouth curved into a smile. “Aww it’s nothing” she waves her hand and rolls her eyes, acting shy. “Shut up” you chuckle before you turn your back and step outside. 

“You impulsive lady, how about that child you should protect. How can you protect them if you’re dead” You were still crying, thinking about all the memories you had with her, and how you would tell Phoebe, she would be heartbroken. 

Was it really necessary? Are sacrifices really necessary? You just wanted to stop a war, a cycle, you wanted to follow the path your parents took, are deaths really necessary? In exchange for peace, a life should be taken. A meaningful life, someone's daughter, friend, and stranger. 

[present]

“Y/N!” a woman’s voice called you, you turned your head and saw a woman, her hair was now just above her shoulder, brown curls jumping as she walked the hill. “Phoebe” you greeted and opened your arms, she sprinted and hugged you. 

“Oop, be careful with the tummy” you grinned and touched your tummy, there was already a big bump, you were pregnant. “Hello there little one” she lowered herself and talked to your bump. 

“It’s her death anniversary isn’t it” she straightened herself and was now staring at the headstone. 

     Alice Constance O’Brien

March 12, 1978 - June 24, 1995

“Hmm” you answered, peace and silence enveloped the both of you. “It was Alice all along.” sadness took over your face as you remembered what Alice has done for you. 

  Loving daughter and friend

                A hero 

“Ced that night when you saw me following the man. Why were you still roaming?” you asked Cedric as he sat at the library.

“I haven’t told you yet? It was the Head Boy, well technically it was Alice actually, she told me that the head boy couldn’t find me so he asked her to tell me. My schedule changed that time” he muttered as he chewed a pumpkin pasty. Your eyebrows shot up and just shrugged. You owe Alice an acid pop at Hogsmeade.

“She was the one who told me about your situation. She must have known about the dark mark but never told us. She wanted to help you, but in the shadows.” Remus admitted as you talked to him about Alice’s death. He was shocked, the whole society members actually. They are now taking care of his subjects that were lurking around. 

“Hello ladies!” George and Fred suddenly appeared, both of them wrapped their arms around each of your shoulders. “Fred. I prefer women, thank you” Phoebe removed Fred’s arm and even tried to dust it off, “Rude” Fred squinted his eyes at her while she just smirked and flipped her hair.

“Where’s your husband and brother?” George asked and also placed flowers at the ground. Now there were a lot of flowers for Alice. “You’re liking that aren’t you?” you talked to the headstone, you were all just silent. Even the loud twins fell in silence, they liked Alice, not romantically, they admired her, how she was unique, always had a voice, and how she stood up for herself. 

“I love it doll” you heard a whisper as the breeze came by, you knew it was her, it had always been her. She was still there, watching. 

“Oh Alice” Phoebe started crying, the twins tried to offer her a hug but she went to you instead, you sniggered as you saw their offended face. 

They all felt her. 

“Hey!” two voices called all of your attention and there it was, Cedric your husband, and your eight year old brother. Theodore hurried to the twins that immediately picked him up, he liked them. “We bought snacks.” Cedric raised a basket and spreaded out a cloth to the grass. 

“Are you crying?” Cedric inspected Phoebe who still has her nose red from crying. “Yes. What about it” she rolled her eyes and got bread from the basket while Cedric was still arranging the cloth. “I’m just asking.” Cedric chuckled and shook his head. 

You observed each and one of them, they all changed, with their own careers and life, of course they will change. Cedric was now working at the ministry, he did once think about being a professional quidditch player, but he felt like a work at the ministry would be better, and he liked it. The twins and their joke shop was still going, stronger as it was before, they’ve built quite the reputation, and Phoebe, she was now a Herbologist, she always had an interest in plants. 

And you, you also built your career, with your dream job. 

Are you seeing this Alice? I made it. We made it. 

You carefully sat at the cloth and they all asked you what you would name the child inside of you. Your eyes gleamed, you always knew that if you had a chance to name your child it would be…

“Alice”