#pull-out pantry systems

[singhmanvi510]

Maximize Storage with Kitchen Accessories in Jaipur

Discover the best kitchen accessories in Jaipur to maximize storage and enhance your kitchen's organization and functionality.

[sunderwight]

Scenario where Yue Qingyuan and Luo Binghe both pick up on and independently confirm for themselves, a few years into the matter, that Shen Qingqiu's soul has indeed been replaced with someone else's. But they have polar opposite reactions about it. Yue Qingyuan keeps trying to figure out how to get SJ back (alone, since it's nothing he can prove and also he sucks at asking for help), while Luo Binghe is doing everything in his power to make sure that Shen Qingqiu stays the new version or doesn't have his soul replaced again. The two of them each entirely unaware of the other's knowledge or actions, basically cancelling one another out.

Yue Qingyuan finds an item that should loosen the current occupant soul's hold on the body, potentially allowing Shen Jiu's soul to come to the fore again (if it's still in there somewhere) or regain control. Luo Binghe, around the same time, discovers a rare herb that is said to help reinforce the connection between the soul and the body, to help with individuals who have troubles with dissociation. Yue Qingyuan gifts the "rare artifact" and gets Shen Qingqiu to put it in his study, Luo Binghe mixes the herb into a medicinal tea and serves it to him every day. Net zero impact.

[mockiatoh]

My biggest frustration with the left has always been the inability/unwillingness to work on making progress inside of the system while advocating for greater change.

I remember the first time I came to this realization.

I was nineteen, pregnant. We couldn’t afford to heat the house because we couldn’t afford the deposit to turn the gas on. It was miserably cold. The duplex we were renting was old and rickety and drafty. The window frames were messed up and there were cracks you could stick your finger through that were open to the elements.

Just, like, to give you an idea where we were financially. And this was better than we’d been doing before!

Anyway, I had recently started going to DSA meetings. And that month, they were talking about how a moderate democrat had successfully gotten a small increase in WIC benefits monthly. It came out to, like, $10 a month.

The members talking—mostly male, almost all doing decent—were scornful. The democrat should have pushed harder and gotten more, refused to accept anything until everyone else caved to their demands. I remember sitting there, quietly drinking the latte in the smallest size they had that I had bought with scrounged quarters, listening. Wishing it wasn’t held in an indie coffee shop because it was a luxury I really couldn’t afford, but it would be rude not to. Enjoying the coffee anyway.

I was one of the lucky ones who was getting that additional $10 a month through WIC. Even more exciting, we were now getting a voucher for the farmers’ market. I casually mentioned that WIC recipients would now be getting farmers’ market vouchers, too.

The guy who organized the meetings was a hard worker, passionate guy. Did something in tech.

He was like, “That’s the thing! These people don’t want farmers market vouchers. They want—” and he went on to describe a bunch of pie in the sky desires. That, yeah, sounded good.

But one. I was one of those people! A lot if the tamiles were super excited about it, myself included.

I had never been to a farmers’ market before. I tried arugula for the first time, a piece pulled from a bunch by the grower as he explained the flavor difference. I hadn’t known before then that different lettuce greens had different flavors, that it was more than just the texture and shape. I tried pesto, which delighted me. Goat cheese. I got three full pounds of strawberries for two dollars, since they were closing soon and the old man selling the berries got a kick out of me.

Anyway. It was like, you have a decent life. Not great but decent! The things that are life changing for me, for us… you already have.

The ten dollars at the grocery store made the difference between a meal of broken-noodles-with-some-half-horrible-pantry-scraps and a meal. It kept me full and healthy! And the additional farmers’ market voucher was world changing for me.

The democrat who worked for those things barely got them through. And it was means tested to hell and back. They weren’t able to get everything they wanted. But what they got made such a huge difference for me, for people like me.

[athenamikaelson]

Klaus Mikaelson X Soulmate!Reader x Elijah Mikaelson Ch. 23

Word Count- 5k

Warnings-Swearing, sexual innuendos, Elijah being a little asshole, mention of blood

“Damon if you don’t move your foot, I swear to whatever holy power is out there I will tase you,” I growl into my pillow as I feel Damon’s foot land on my upper back. 

After waiting a moment and not getting a response, I turn around on my back, grab Demon’s foot, which is now resting on my upper chest, and throw it off of me.

Damon, who is currently passed out at the end of my bed at the Salvatore’s, releases a groan but doesn’t wake up.

I rub circles into my temple as I look around my bedroom which is currently trashed with an assortment of empty alcoholic beverages and junk food. After Damon and I left the party last night, we made our way back here and while Damon found alcohol to mend his worries and broken heart, I turned to Twinkies, chocolate, and the shitty pancakes a drunken Damon made me. While Damon cooked for me he went on a love-sick 30-minute about his heartbreaks over the past century. When he was done, we tried tackling my problem but a drunk Damon wasn’t much help. Well…a sober one isn’t either but y’know.

Flashback

“Alright,” I watch from my stool at the kitchen island as Damon pours the entire package of chocolate chips into the pancake batter, “Sooooooo, what you’re telling me is that,” He points his spatula at me, “Not one, but two of the Original brothers claim to be your soulmate and that you have a piece of each of their human souls in you?”

I throw my head onto the counter and groan, “That’s what the masses have said.”

“Interesting,” I lift up my head slightly to peer at Damon who is tapping his chin with the batter-covered spatula, resulting in batter covering his lower chin, and seems that in his drunken state, he doesn’t seem to notice or care, “And Klaus was actually the one who gave you that necklace you’ve been wearing all this time, and Elijah is like head over heels for you as well as his brother,” He pauses and then talks to himself, or babbles to himself, “I mean it was pretty obvious, I mean a blind person could see how either one of them look at you. Especially Elijah, dude has that lovesick puppy dog look on his face since the moment he pulled out those two guys' hearts,” He taps his chin again, “Or was it three?”

“Demon, seriously, not helping,” I exhaust and he shrugs turning back towards the pantry. I watch as he grabs yet another bag of chocolate chips.

“Dude, seriously? That’s the third bag. I think we have enough.”

Damon looks up at me with a glare, “My kitchen my rules. My chocolate chips.”

“And my stomach ache,” I mutter to myself as I watch him pour in the chips.  

“So what do you think I should do,” Hopelessness clear in my voice.

Damon sighs, wipes his hands on the apron he’s wearing, and walks around the island to me. He stands in front of me places his hand on my shoulders and leans down to my face. 

“Fuck them both. Get them out of your system. We’re planning on killing them anyway so the problem will fix itself momentarily. In the meantime, go to Poundtown,” Damon smirks and then nods his head to himself as if he just gave me the greatest piece of advice ever. 

“You’re disgusting,” I glare at him and he smiles. 

“And you’re a prude.”

A knocking on the downstairs door shakes me out of my head and I send a kick to Damon’s stomach.

“Demon, someone’s at the door,” I hiss and Damon rolls over onto his side but doesn’t wake up.

“Damon!”

Damon whips around and glares at me, but the sunlight protruding from my window makes him close his eyes again, “Then go answer it,” He hisses.

“What if it’s someone trying to kill us,” I whisper and he runs a hand over his face.

“Pukey…If someone was here to kill us, do you really think they would knock first?”

I think about Damon’s question for a moment then realize he’s probably right. 

“Fine but if I get killed, I’m haunting you,” I say to him as I put on my slippers and head out the door.

I hear Damon mutter a sarcastic “yay” as I descend the staircase. 

I get to the door and cautiously open it and when my eyes meet dark brown ones I release I low swear.

“Good afternoon to you too, Elskan,” Elijah’s eyes trail from bedhead and my makeshift pajamas which consist of Damon’s button-up shirt from yesterday and a pair of sleep shorts that barely cover my ass. 

“Or should I say good morning,” Elijah’s eyes move back up to Damon’s shirt and I watch as his upper lip seems to morph into a snarl but after a split second returns to a forced smile. 

“What are you doing here, Elijah,” I grip the handle of the door as I wait for his answer.

“I told you yesterday that I would answer any questions that you had for me,” Elijah gestures behind me to the living room, “May I come in?”

I glance at the living room for a moment before turning back towards the suited Original, “Don’t you have your family to deal with?”

“My siblings have lived with themselves for a thousand years, I’m sure they can go one hour without getting themselves killed,” He smirks but something in his tone makes it seem like he doesn’t believe anything he just said.

I pinch my temple and move to the side, “Ya, fine. Come on in.”

Elijah’s smile doesn’t falter as we walk into the living room and he places himself in a leather chair while I sit on my favorite sofa, tugging my knees under my chin. 

“Are you dead?”

I turn around at Damon’s sarcastic voice and roll my eyes. 

Damon enters the living room with a blood bag and hand and no shirt on.

“Ew, gross. Put on a shirt,” I gag and cover my eyes.

“I would but you’re wearing it, Pukey,” Damon snarks back and I move my hand away and look down at the white button-up I’m wearing.

“This is quite literally your house. Go find another shirt,” I exhaust and Damon just shrugs his shoulders and then looks over at Elijah. 

I turn back towards the Original who is watching Damon and me with a flat expression. His usual smile is no longer present. 

“Good morning, Elijah,” Damon smirks at him, “Funny you're here. Y’know since last night you were such a present figure in Y/n and I’s girl chats.”

I whip my head around and send daggers at Demon but he doesn’t seem to notice and if he does he certainly doesn’t care. 

“Is that so,” Elijah says and I back to see him glancing at me with a raised eyebrow. 

“Nope,” I grab an empty root beer can that is placed next to me on the couch, from Damon and I’s movie night last night, and hurl it at Demon. Sadly, he dodges it.

“Oh that’s odd,” Damon looks down at me and taps his chin, “Because if I’m not mistaken there were talks of a certain suited Original and going to Poundtown with him,” Damon turns to Elijah, who lets out a cough, as I watch on in horror, “Hmm, must’ve been someone else then. My mistake. You two enjoy your little chat,” Damon says with a final wink to me as he practically skips into the kitchen.

I’m frozen in horror as I stare at Elijah who is staring back at me. Elijah's face appears a tinge redder than before and I can’t even imagine how fucking uncomfortable I look to him. 

“I can explain,” I chirp out quickly.

Elijah raises an eyebrow and seems to have collected himself as a shit-eating grin comes over his handsome features, “Please do. I insist.”

“Well…well,” I try to think but come up with nothing, “I got nothing.”

Elijah’s smirk deepens and if it didn’t make him appear even hotter than he already is, I’d probably slap him.

“Well, you’ll just have to enlighten me on the conversation later on. I’m quite interested in learning what this, “Poundtown” place is,” Elijah says as he does air quotes around Poundtown.

“I’m going to kill myself.”

Elijah’s smirk drops and he frowns, “I’d prefer if you didn’t.”

I nod, “I’m never going to be able to show my face ever again,” I pause, “Well first I’d have to kill Damon. Mutual destruction. But that could take some time, so it appears I’ll have to postpone it,” I say sadly and look back to Elijah who looks incredibly confused.

“I can’t quite tell if you’re being serious or not?”

I just shrug, “Who knows? Anyways… you said you came here to answer my questions?”

Elijah leans forward to unbutton his suit jacket, “Yes, that is correct. But,” He looks back towards the way Damon went and I swear I saw him roll his eyes, “Perhaps there is somewhere we can talk, away from listening ears.”

“Don’t mind me!” I groan at Damon’s loud voice coming from the direction of the kitchen. 

“We can talk in my room,” I stand up and gesture for him to follow.

—

“I didn’t realize you had a room here,” Elijah says as he stands at the doorframe of my room. Glancing around at the trash littered on the floor along with the bottles of alcohol. 

I quickly make work of gathering the littered trash and bottles, “I moved in here over the summertime and Damon gave me this room. He let me pick out the decorations and everything,” I pick up an empty bottle of bourbon and look back to Elijah, “The alcohol isn’t mine. Damon was in here last night, drinking away his sorrows.”

Elijah lets out an almost annoyed sound, “You and the eldest Salvatore brother seem to be rather…close,” He practically spits out the word as I place the trash in my pink trashcan.

I shrug, “He’s alright company, y’know when he’s not being a cunt.”

“Language, Elskan,” Elijah chastises and I roll my eyes. 

“Umhm.”

Elijah takes a few steps in and starts inspecting my room more. I don’t have much in here other than some summer clothes, makeup, and other little knick-knacks that I picked up over the summer.  

“Did he sleep in here last night,” Elijah questions as he picks up a glass mouse I have sitting on my mantel. 

“Uh, ya. We were watching season 3 of Supernatural and his drunk ass fell asleep, why do you ask?”

Elijah sets the mouse back down and then turns to stare at me. Or really the shirt I’m wearing, “I don’t mean to intrude. But, are you and the Salvatore brother…something more,” Elijah asks the question like he’s afraid of the answer.

I stare at him for a moment and then let out a huge laugh, “Damon and I!? Never! Ew! As if! I’d rather take a hot poker to my foot than let that Neanderthal anywhere near my lips,” I laugh disgustedly and I watch as Elijah’s tense shoulders drop.

“Why? Are you jealous,” I squint my eyes at him, and his upper lip twitches?

“Jealously isn’t something I’m quite accustomed to,” Elijah walks over to me and runs a finger along the sleeve of my shirt, “But, I must admit seeing you in another man’s shirt has stirred up many unpleasant feelings, and thoughts in me.”

I bite down on my inner lip as I listen to Elijah’s deep voice.

“What kind of thoughts?”

Elijah pulls lightly on the collar of my shirt making me stumble at bit into him, “Thoughts like how much I’d like to rip this shirt off you and burn it and never let another man’s clothing touch you ever again.”

Oh Good Lord. 

I open and close my mouth, “I’ll go umm… change if that’s what you want?”

I gesture to my closest and Elijah smirks proudly, “I’d appreciate that highly, Elskan.”

I nod and quickly run to my walk-in closet throw off Damon’s shirt and grab one of my dark blue Henleys.

I exit the closet to find Elijah lounging in my armchair, strumming through “The Duke and I.”

Shit. 

Elijah, noticing my presence, lifts his head from the book and eyes my new attire.

“Good girl.”

Jesus Fucking Christ I’m going to-

“Stop doing that,” I stutter out as I point a finger at him.

Elijah tilts his head, quite adorably, “I’m not sure what you mean?”

I sit on the edge of my bed, across from the chair, and glare at him, “You know exactly what you’re doing. That whole smirking, flirting thing you’re doing.”

Elijah leans back in his chair, crossing one leg over the other, “Once again, Elskan,” He locks eyes with me, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

I glare at him until a shit-eating smirk comes back onto his face.

“See! There it is,” I turn around and grab a pillow and throw it at him, “Jerk!”

Elijah catches the pillow easily, and a warm laugh escapes him.

“It appears I’ve got to work on my flirting skills. It has been quite some time since I’ve tried wooing a woman,” Elijah tells me and I try to look anywhere but him. 

“You don’t have to woo me,” I say as I play with the hem of my shirt.

“On the contrary, my love, yes I do. Not just as your soulmate,” I pick up my head at his words, “But as a man who is hugely infatuated with you.”

“You’re only feeling things for me because of our bond, or whatever it is. If there wasn’t a bond you wouldn’t have even looked in my direction that day with Rose.”

Elijah stands from his chair and comes to stand before me, he reaches his hand down and grabs my chin, so I have to look up at him.

“Let me assure you, bond or no bond, that a beauty like yours is one that not even the darkest of nights can hide away. You are the sun to me, Elskan. And maybe, yes,  the bond is what led me to you, but the woman you are is what has made me wholeheartedly obsessed with you. In my many years of living, I have rarely come across a soul like yours. One so…pure. You’re full of this light that somehow has kept shining even when everything around you has tried to snuff it out. I have seen the heart you have with others and can only hope that one day I may be given the opportunity to be let into it as well.”

I stare up at the breathtaking man before me. My mind seems to go blank as I stare into his deep brown eyes, eyes that are filled with such longing and heartbreaking devotion. 

“You truly can’t think all that of me. You’ve only known me for a few months, Elijah,” I shake my head out of his hold and he lets out a sound of disagreement. 

“Elska-...Y/n,” Elijah draws my attention to him as he comes to kneel in front of me. Now it’s my turn to look down at him as he reaches his hands up and gestures for me to take them. I release a breath as I place my hands into his. 

“For one thousand years, I have fought with my humanity. I have done horrendous things in the name of my family. For years I lived with this self-hatred, never thinking that one day I might be able to calm this storm I feel inside of my mind,” Elijah looks to be in pain as he seems to be thinking back to something, “But then,” His scorned look lightens as he locks eyes with me and his upper lip lifts into a smile, “I felt my heart lighten. I locked eyes with a beautiful y/e/c the day Rose-Marie called me about the doppelganger, and for the first time in a millennium that storm settled. All my mind could focus on was the angel in front of me. Seeing you gave me this sense of, calmness. As if everything I had ever done before that day meant nothing. I’d lived for a thousand years, but the moment you looked at me,” Elijah lifts my hands to his lips and presses a kiss to my inner wrist, “I became alive. That is what you are to me, Y/n. You are my life. My immortality.”

Elijah continues, “And you may say I don’t know anything about you, and you may be right. But here are some things I do know. I know that you love learning and reading,” Elijah smirks to himself, “Even if the literature you read is just sex,” Elijah releases a laugh at my horrified expression, “After I had seen what books you have in your collection. I spent my time buying my own copies and reading each of them.”

I shake my head, “Why, though?”

Elijah stands up and squeezes my hands, “What other reason do I need other than that you enjoy them? You were wary of me, but I still wanted to know everything I could about you. When I saw your stack of books I thought the closest thing to you, would be your books.”

I release a shaky breath as I look up at the man before me. 

“I also know you love your family and friends more than you love yourself. Theodore is incredibly lucky to have an older sister who puts herself and her feelings second when it comes to him. I also know how you’re able to find the best in people,” He makes an annoyed face, “Clearly since you spend your time with the eldest Salvatore brother. I dislike you being around him, but even I can see how you’ve changed him. Yes, he’s an irrational insolent little child,” I send him an eye roll and he smirks, “But even I can admit his change since you’ve come around. That’s the kind of person you are, you insight goodness in others. Being around you changes people. Y/n, you are an amazing human being and I intend to show you how much I appreciate fate for blessing me with you.”

I smile up at Elijah, “You really have a way with words, y’know?”

Elijah lets out a deep chuckle, “Yes, I’ve been told this a few times before,” Elijah reaches a hand down and brushes a piece of hair behind my ear.

“How do you intend to show me?”

Elijah’s upper lip twitches and he brings his fingers down and lightly pinches my cheek, “As much as I’d love to show you, I don’t think I have enough time. And I promised to answer some of your questions.”

I let out a startled cough and nod my head, trying to act chill as hell. Oh lord, this man is freaky deeky. 

“Oh ya, um, totally,” I stand up quickly and almost knock Elijah in the nose while doing so. He takes a quick step back in time and releases a chuckle. 

“Okay, let me just collect myself real quick,” I take a deep breath as I start pacing my room, “Lots of emotions going around right now.’

“Take your time, Elskan.”

Elijah sits back in my armchair and I watch him. He’s back to his composed self and I wish I was able to be as calm and nonchalant as he is. 

“So how old are you exactly?”

“Approximately, 1,200 years old.”

My mouth drops open.

“You’re old as fuck,” I blurt out.

Elijah raises an eyebrow, “You and that language,” He mutters while shaking his head, “But…yes. I am old as fuck.”

A loud snort escapes me and I quickly slap a hand to my mouth. I stare wide-eyed at Elijah, who appears to be quite entertained by my outburst. A light pink tinge covers his cheeks as he stares at me with a soft smile. 

“Moving along…what’s your birthday?”

Elijah gives me a confused look, “Why do you ask?”

I put my hands on my hips, “Didn’t you agree to answer all of my questions,” I give him a pointed look and he smirks. 

“Yes, I did. My apologies. But birthdays weren’t a big thing when I was born. So all I know was I was born sometime between November and January.”

A sense of sadness fills me, “So you really don’t know what day you were born?”

Elijah shakes his head. 

“Alright…,” I tap my chin, “Then we’ll just have to give you one,” I squint my eyes and stare at him. He watches me with an unphased look, “Hmm. I don’t think you’d be a Sagittarius so that leaves either a Scorpio or Capricorn. Scorpio sounds better for you. How about November 15th?”

Elijah places one leg over the other and nods his head, “November 15th it is.”

I nod happily and then sit down on the floor across from him, “Next question…Klaus said that he was able to tell I was his soulmate by my eyes and that the soulmate thing works because I got your human soul. Is all this true?”

Elijah nods, “Like my brother I had dreams of your eyes. They gave me a sense of comfort in my moments of weakness. I knew that when I meant the person who they belonged to I would be wholly devoted to them. And I know for certain now that I was correct,” He smiles down at me but I can’t keep looking at him because I know if I do I’ll let out a stupid giggle. “Cool. Cool. Cool.,” I fiddle with my fingers, “So what exactly comes with this thing,” I gesture between us, “Like, I don’t feel like drinking any blood so I don’t think I’ve developed your hunger. And I’m not like super strong or fast so…that sucks.”

Elijah leans forward in his seat, “From what I’ve read over the years about the bond, you will not have to worry about developing a taste for blood. Nor, will you experience my speed or strength. There isn’t much about soulmates but what some witches have suspected is that when one of of feels a strong emotion, such as pain, our counterpart will also feel it.”

At his comment, I frown. 

“Wait. Pain?” Elijah frowns deeply, “I would never want you to feel any pain because of me, Elskan.”

“While you were daggered…I got these strong pains in my chest. It would hurt so bad that sometimes I would pass out. Was that because of the bound?”

“Why did you never tell me about this?”

At Elijah’s concerned tone, I shrug. 

“It’s not like we’ve had much time to hang out since you’ve been undaggered, dude.”

Elijah sighs and nods, “It is possible that is the reason.”

“Oh my god,” I jump up slightly, “During the ritual when you guys were trying to kill your brother,” Elijah slightly flinches at the recollection, “I felt like I was having a heart attack and I had blood gushing from my chest. Alaric said it was like I was dying, and honestly it felt like I was,” I cringe, “Was that the bond with Klaus?”

Elijah has a look of horror on his face, “I didn’t know I caused you such pain,” He stands up and rubs a hand over his face, “Elskan, I understand if you never forgive me, but you must know how truly sorry I am. I never wanted this to-.”

“Woah, Elijah. Chill,” I stand up and hold my hands up, “I don’t blame you for what happened. Like at all. I’m just relieved that I have an explanation for what was happening. You have no idea how many medical bills I racked up on Damon’s credit card for all the doctor’s appointments that we went to. I thought I was like actually dying from some unknown disease.”

Elijah looks at me with an odd look, “So you don’t hate me? And also…Damon went with you to the doctor’s?”

I nod, “Ya…it was a weird summer. Many trips upstate. Many diner stops with him as well. If you think his presence is a lot when you’re out in public with him, imagine being stuck in a car with him for hours,” I shiver.

“I will make sure to talk to him and have him send me the bills for your medical expenses so I can take responsibility for it.”

I shake my head and laugh, “Don’t worry about it, Lijah. I like draining him for his money, it pisses him off. Which gives me joy.”

Elijah’s dark mood seems to lighten at my joke. 

“Do you have any other questions for me?”

“Ummm. Nope.”

Elijah raises an eyebrow in skepticism, “Really? You don’t seem so sure.”

“Well…there is one question that has been nagging at me,” I look at the wall in front of me and pretend to find the wood interesting.

“And what question would that be?”

“Um, well… I know you like to flirt or whatever, but um…soulmates is kinda a big thing if you didn’t know,” I look back to him and he nods.

“I did know.”

“Well, what exactly do you expect to happen here,” I gesture between him and I. 

A look of realization comes over Elijah’s face as he realizes my apprehension.

Elijah releases a breath and stands up. I stand silently as he walks over to me with a soft smile on his face.

“I understand your confusion here. But, I want you to know this, Elskan,” Elijah uses his hand to brush my hair off my shoulder, “I will accept whatever you want. I have waited for you a thousand years, to be in your presence is enough for me. If you want a friend, then I will be a friend. Or,” He lets out a soft breath, “If one day you decide you would like to explore something…deeper. Then I’d be incredibly happy as well. I don’t want you to feel rushed or uncomfortable. So, whatever you decide, I will agree.”

A warmth flows through my chest at his confession.

I try to push back my smile but I can’t seem to help it as I look at the nervous look on his face. 

“I’d like a friend,” I say and Elijah seems almost a bit upset.

“Then a friend I will be,” Elijah agrees.

“But…if in the future, after we get to know each other better,” Elijah's eyes widen slightly at what I’m saying, “Maybe we could revisit the idea of something…more.”

Elijah’s smile widens enough to where I can see his slight dimples, “I would like that…very much.”

“Great,” I bite my lip nervously.

“Great,” Elijah responds.

Elijah and I seem to be stuck in a staring contest until a chime from my phone interrupts us. 

“Sorry,” I mutter as I pull my phone from my pocket. I frown as I read the text from Matt Donovan. 

“What’s wrong?” I look up at Elijah after hearing his concerned voice.

“Someone called in sick for work and Matt needs me to come in and cover her shift,” I groan at the thought of going to work today. 

“You have a job?”

“Sadly. But, if I want to pay for college I’m going to need to save up money,” I sigh as I walk over to my desk and start putting some mascara on.

“I’d pay for your college. You don’t need to worry about work,” Elijah’s comment has me turning over my shoulder to look at him.

“Like a sugar daddy?”

Elijah looks incredibly confused, “A what?”

I think it over a moment before shaking my head, “Never mind. But, I would never take your money.”

Elijah shakes his head, “You’re the only one I’d want to spend it on.”

I roll my eyes trying to hide the effect his words are having on me.

“That’s usually not how one friend talks to another,” I jest. 

I turn back towards my mirror, that sits on my desk, and I put on some concealer. In the mirror I see Elijah behind me walk up towards me. 

“And how exactly do friends talk to one another,” Elijah says and I smirk as I continue blending in my makeup. I feel him stand behind me and pull slightly on a piece of my hair that is hanging down my back. I turn to glare at him and see him smiling at me like the devil.

“Now I see where Kol gets it from,” I snark and Elijah releases a sound of annoyance.

“Please never compare me to my younger brother again,” Elijah says as he wraps a piece of my hair around his finger and twirls it. 

I finish up my makeup, stand back up, and face Elijah who smiles down at me. 

“Ok…first rule of us being just friends. You’ve got to stop looking at me like that.”

Elijah tilts his head, “Like what?”

I point at his face, “Like that! That handsome smirk you’ve always got on your face.”

“Handsome?”

I let out a frustrated noise, walk over to my sweater, and begin to put it on. 

“You’re impossible.”

Elijah comes up behind me and takes my sweater from my hand and helps me put it on.

“Thanks…”

Elijah smiles at me, “What else are friends for?”

I let out a laugh, “Whatever. But…a friend would also give me a ride to work?”

Elijah smiles at me, “I’d be delighted to.”

[ubeb0nes]

hiiii could you also do pitfighter reader with sevika next?? i loveee your writing!

HECK YEA, i was lowkey pulling for this one to win on the poll anyway (i'm definitely invested in bar owner!reader now that i've written for her, though!)

Silco goes through henchmen like water through a grater. And of course- like everything else- it falls on Sevika to keep his forces topped up.

She gets a lot of the dumb bruiser types from the Pit Ring. Easy to come by and even easier to hire once you wave just a little bit of money and status in their faces.

The higher in the rankings you are though, the less likely you are to take Silco's second's deals. Life as a Pit fighter is never easy, but the top percent definitely make more than they would as lackeys.

You were one such. Sevika had seen you a few times in the ring when she'd come down to pick up new blood.

You swung like somebody had taught you with intention. There was the charming roughness of Zaun ingrained in your style, but you had clear skill. Every time Sevika came back, your name was a little higher in the rankings.

She always got good seats due to her social standing. Close enough to see the look in your eyes. Controlled, if a bit empty.

You'd made eye contact with her once, right after toppling the second-ranked fighter. You'd given her a once-over that nearly offended her, like you wanted to get in the ring with her. Sevika scoffed at the very notion.

She couldn't lie though, even she felt the buzz of excitement permeating the crowd leading up to your face-off for the champion seat. This time, she was just here to watch.

It was the first time she'd seen you struggle. First time anyone had. She could tell from the moment you walked into the Pit, something was wrong.

The champion is killing you. Literally. It stirs something in Sevika as she watches him pin your head to the gritty ground with one hand, and beat on your skull with the other.

She jumps in before she even realizes what she's doing. What the hell was she doing?

The whole arena held its breath as someone who wasn't nameless, wasn't just some violent nobody presented themself.

Sevika knew what it looked like. She knew that word would get back to Silco and he'd ask her what the hell she was doing in the very center of a place like the Pit. But all she could do was spit on the ground, and square herself to the champion as if to say "Come try it with me, I dare you."

And he was about to, until he saw the whirring glow of her metal arm beneath her cape. The champ shrugged her off, taking his own leave while Sevika slung one of your arms over her shoulder.

It's not like he had anything to gain from fighting her. You were the only one he needed to beat.

"Why the hell did you do that?" You muttered out of a broken jaw.

"Yeah, it was no problem, don't mention it."

She starts to help you towards the locker room, until you tell her to take you to your apartment since it's only a little walk away.

It was definitely nicer than a lot of other units in Zaun. It looked untouched though, like you barely spent any time in there. She… lets you kinda crumple on the couch, before rummaging a bottle of alcohol from your pantry and removing a vial of Shimmer from her holster belt.

"Get that shit the fuck away from me."

"You done it in the past?"

"Hell no!"

"It's not gonna trap you after one dose. Trust me, you need it. You look like shit."

You give her some more shit, but eventually take the vial and the shot of vodka. Something about her is undeniably warm. Honest. You had no reason to give your trust out freely, but she seemed to have gained it without your knowing consent.

A part of your heart clung to it, the authenticity and honor she possessed that hadn't existed in so much as a whisper in the Pits.

Even as your entire nervous system seized the moment the Shimmer touched your throat, you were wholly conscious of her hand gripping the back of your neck with gentle, grounding firmness.

Her thumb subconsciously massaged into your trap muscle, and you heard her smoky voice urging you to "breathe, it'll be over soon". When had someone last touched you without the intention to hurt?

Still, after the Shimmer had passed through and you were feeling much better, you gave her a similar once-over to the one you once had before.

"Bet I could beat your ass."

"And I bet you'd die. Actually, this time." Yeah, that shut you up.

"So… what do I owe you for this?"

"Hm?"

"I still get a share even though I lost. C'mon, what percent's your cut?"

"I don't need your prize money. Or consolation, I guess."

"Rub it in, why don't you?"

She's ignoring you now though, electing to peruse the not so short row of books on your wall. "A well-read Pit fighter, huh? Well, you're number one in something in the Pits."

"Okay, what the hell do you want? Why'd you step in to help me?"

Her silence says she doesn't know, but you don't know that. You just think she's being an ass. Before you can tell her such though, she speaks up. "You know who I am, right?"

"Everybody in the Pit knows who you are. I saw the champ almost shit his pants."

"Then you know why I come to the Pits at all?"

"To play superhero, apparently."

"No. To recruit."

[nekomanager]

WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND! ♡

- ONE of TWO -

ATSUMU's blood boils hot for the MSBY Jackal's Road Manager. Your ignorance towards him riles him up irresistibly and he's equally determined to get on your nerves. [Part TWO here!]

🔖 f!reader, pwp, hate to horny to lovers, fingerfcking, squrting, blowjob, 69, pussyeating

Woke up to an amazing breakfast, got a smooth commute to the gym and hit a perfect serve—Atsumu's day was going well, that’s until he saw you.  

His brows automatically knitted together. There you were, walking in your denim pants and hoodie that made you look like a big sack. It’s not as if you were hiding something fantastic underneath and most especially, it’s not as if he’s even curious to undress and unravel you.  

A vexed smirk appeared on his face. Testosterone just surged through him whenever he saw you, and it’s probably because you really piss him off.

You’re MSBY Jackal’s Road Manager for a year now. You assist them with their needs and make sure that they’re well taken care of for every game. You’re attentive, hands-on and very nurturing with the team, except for Atsumu. Yeah, that’s what he thought.  

You laugh with Bokuto, joke around with Shoyo, and speak sweetly to Omi Omi, but you were very hostile with him. You don’t make eye contact, and you barely speak around him. All the interactions you’ve had with Atsumu are because he’s tried to get a reaction from you by riling you up and you coldly ignoring him.  

Now, you’re rushing to the pantry, greeting everyone else except him. Pissed, Atsumu followed you with a plan to ruin your day with his usual dramatic mouth.  

Opening the door, he saw you watching the percolator and waiting for the water to boil.  

“I see...tea, huh? For Omi again?” he asks with an annoyed tone.  

You just looked at him without saying a word then instantly retrieved your gaze back to the percolator.  

Yes, he knew he had quite a reputation with the ladies. Not his fault though, he couldn’t help being so damn attractive. His face and abs are enough proof. However, everytime you’re giving him that snobby dismissive stare, he feels like he’s just a player with nothing good to do. It’s making him to wanna prove you wrong by letting you experience how fucking with him feels so good it’s a gift. Also, maybe he just needed to get you out of his system. 

Tsumu clicked his tongue. “Won’t ya even ask me if I want one too?” 

You sighed and offered without sparing him a glance, “Okay. Tsumu, would you want one?” 

“Forget about it. I’ve long accepted yer favoritism.” 

You opened the packet of tea that rested on the table. “I’m not having any of that now.” The water boiled and you poured some of it in the papercup you prepared. 

Atsumu looked extra handsome today. He’s not wearing the Jackals’ uniform but that of the Olympics’. Anything looked good on him though that’s why you could never look his way. It’s much of a dead giveaway how many hearts would fly to your eyes once you’d lay them upon him. The smallest of interactions you had with him were you trying to survive your nervousness—the nerves you got whenever he’s around.  

You knew he’d never take an interest in you, so you were content with what you both have. Just being able to care for him through the team was enough.  

With your eyes glued on the cup in your hands, you made your way to the exit, but Tsumu blocked your way with his body.  

“Uh-uh not a chance, woman,” he teased and demanded, “Not until you look at me.” 

You gulped. Oh, god no.  

“Y/N” His name on his lips made you voluntarily glance up.  

Your eyes were dewy innocent, and he’s instantly pulled in. His throat ran dry. You were so breathtaking looking up at him like that his dick twitched.  His breath and every inch of his patience were running thin. All he wanted to do now was slam your body against the nearest wall and show you how good he could make you feel.  

The nerves kicked in again and you reflexively stepped sidewards in an attempt to get past him, but he beat you to it. You went for the other side, and he still managed to stop you.  

“Ya can’t run away from me,” he said with a challenge blazing through his eyes.  

You still stepped away, but he took hold of your wrist, causing the hot tea to spill over him.  

“Aw–!” he flinched and panicked.  

“T-Tsumu!” you worried, hurriedly putting down the cup at the nearest counter. You grabbed his wrist and took him away. “The clinic’s just next door.” 

You looked around and the doctor’s not in. “Does it hurt?” you asked. “Well, there’s got to be a Neosporin here somewhere.”  

Tsumu sat in one of the curtain-covered beds just watching you through the gap. A certain warm feeling was rising inside the pit of his stomach. This was the most care you’ve shown him so far and there’s something so special and rewarding about it. It’s a feeling he hadn’t felt with anyone else. 

“Oh, here it is!” you cheered, seeing the tube. You went inside the curtain and turned to him but instantly realized what you were about to ask him to do.  

Tsumu grinned, cheekily. “Would ya like me to lift my shirt?” he asked, teasing you a bit. 

You were just looking away not saying a word, so he did the honors.  

Your breath got caught in your throat at the sight of his muscular torso. You dry gulped and sat beside him.  

“Can- C-Can I?” you asked, still too shy to look at him. Goodness, just the reality of touching him in one of his sexiest places was just too hard to believe. Sparks flew all throughout your body and they subsided between your legs.  

With an ample amount of the burn cream, you dabbed your fingers over his abs. He felt sturdy to touch and you couldn’t help but squeeze your legs together as the funny feeling started to get stronger.  

Tsumu’s breath hitched. Your light touches against his skin were making him feel some typ’a way. He was heaving, trying to control his urges but failed to do so. His crotch already built a tent, a huge one in a hot second and you didn’t miss it. Your eyes immediately took in his breathless lustful expression while he pinned your equally needy gaze. Your breathing started to match his and your chests both rose and fell rampantly.  

Tsumu closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. “Fuck!” he cursed before cupping your cheeks and devouring your lips in a starving kiss. He’d been wanting to do this for a long time. He’d been wanting to ravage your mouth like this everytime you’d throw some sassy remarks back at him. His lips were wild against yours and he smiled through it. You liked it too. You liked him too. You’re just as needy as him.  

He pulled away just to make sure you’re on the same page. “I thought you hate me.” 

“Tsumu...” you murmured under your breath. You had no idea what he was talking about. 

“Push me away now or I'll mess you up so good if ya don’t,” he whispered against your lips sliding his tongue across your lips which made you open your mouth.  

Oh god. You’re not pushing him away at all and that made him lose all control. His tongue entered your mouth, roaming, exploring, playing.  

How could you even run away now when you’re so weak for him? All this time, you’re just weak for him. Too weak to even catch a glance. Now, his mouth was claiming you, both of your saliva was getting mixed up in your mouth.  

His hands couldn’t stop touching all over you until he began to travel under your pants. The pad of his fingers massaging your pussy right where your clit was. You squirmed in his touch, making you crave more of him. “Tsumu~!” 

“Mhmnn-” his dick got harder. Who knew you could moan so sexily like that? He couldn’t stop himself from grunting as he breathed so hard. “Shit! Y/N...” He was panicking and all over the place as he pulled your pants and panties down in one go. “Oh shit...oh shit...oh shit...” Tsumu hissed upon seeing your yummy pussy. You’re making him wanna put his mouth all over you.  

“Y/N, c’mere,” he said with hands on both side of your hips, dragging your lower body up on his face as he lay down on his back.  

“This- This is! Atsumhm- ahhh--!” Your head tilted back as soon as his tongue met your pussy. With his thumbs parting your lips, he circled, sipped and drank your juices. “Mhmm...Tsumuuu...” 

“So yummy, so beautiful...” he said with a mouthful of you. As if you’re a fruit, he had to suck you so good while his tongue swiped languidly along your clit. Your fluid dripped at the side of his face as he ate you like he couldn’t get enough. You’re just so damn delicious he just wanted to bury his face and feed himself with your pussy forever.  

You just kept on moaning and clenching your jaw in pleasure. Your face falling straight to his crotch. Oh god, he’s so hard. You could feel him poking your nose. With every bit of strength and courage, you freed his desperate and erected cock.  

Goodness…he felt so hot against your hand and you pumped his length just as hard as he already was. “Oh fuck, yer so good~” he moaned against your dripping cunt.  

His reaction encouraged you, taking in your lips around the tip and swirling your tongue around it in the manner he was doing to your pussy. Tsumu was girthy and long. A part of you wondered how he’d fit inside you.  

You bobbed your head taking him in your mouth as deep as you could, while your hand kept doing its best, stroking him up and down.  

“Y/N, you...” he whimpered. Not allowing you to defeat him, he inserted two of his fingers inside you, fingering your hole real fast. “Fuck, fuck you, fuck you...” Your arousal was spraying all over his face. His other hand slapped your ass cheek and squeezed it tight as he ruthlessly pumped you.  

Your mouth let go of him and was now replaced with endless whines, while his fingers filled you. Your legs shook, body trembled as you came around him. His mouth quick on your pussy, drinking you down as you squirt.  

“Fuckin’ tasty,” he said, getting himself up until he’s kneeling behind you. “We’re just gettin’ started.” 

His hands were on your hips as he slid his length in between your legs but not inside of you just yet. He grazes his cock across the lips of your pussy before aligning the tip along your entrance.  

Slowly, he eased himself in. “Sh– goddammit!” Oooh...you feel so good. Your walls were so mushy you’re caving in on him. He’s so close to cumming. 

Your lips and body trembled. He’s so big, his cock stretched you out in ways unimaginable. 

He started moving his hips. His pace was controlled like he was being careful or else he’d cum right away.  

“Y/N, Y/N, fuck...Who knew...who knew you’d feel this good...” he chanted while plowed you with forceful jerks. “Gah-- yer makin’ me crazy-” His strokes were now getting faster and his grip on your hips tighter. He didn’t want this to end so fast but your pussy was eating his cock up that he kept on wanting more more more—! 

“Tsumu, Tsumu, I’m gonnahh...I’m gonna cum again,” you moaned, your fists clenching the sheets. “I-I’m coming!” 

“Cum...give it to me, cum!” he hissed through gritted teeth until the door opened. 

“Tsumu, are you here?” Bokuto asked, footsteps nearing where you were.  

“Stop!” Tsumu groaned, slamming hard against your pussy to finally meet his release. “Yes! Yes! I’m coming! Just- in...a...bit- ugh-!” He popped out his cock, busting his nut all over your ass while you bit your own climax down, careful not to make any noise when the tremors ran across your head and body.  

Your body caved into the bed when drowsiness hit you and your eyes triggered to close. Tsumu sat down beside you, admiring how pretty you looked like all soiled and messed up because of him. His dick was getting excited for another round. He pulled up the blanket to cover you up, turning away from temptation.  He leaned down close as if he was about to kiss you until Bokuto interrupted once more. 

“Tsumu!” the silver-haired called out, finally sliding the curtain. “Hurry up! Wait- Is that Y/N? Is she alright?” 

Tsumu stood up. “She got a li’l under the weather, so I watched over her.” 

Your eyes forced open, trying to get a good glimpse of Tsumu before he goes. He stole another glance at you, leaving you with a promise that sounded more like a warning, “Ain’t done with you yet.” 

@pixelcafe-network

[punkshort]

What did a day in the life look like for Joel & reader, during the peak of their relationship, before her accident?❤️‍🩹💘

Never Enough

An I Know Who You Are drabble

Pairing: Joel Miller x f!reader

Warnings: smut (18+ MDNI), fluff

WC: ~800

A/N: At the peak of their relationship, they were very soft for one another. It took a while for them both to get there, each of them pretty hardened by their own traumas. So when reader lost her memory and Joel had to start over with her, he took it really hard but tried to hide it as best he could. Obviously, suppressing his feelings didn't work out too well but let's take a look back at a simpler time.

Joel usually woke up before you, his internal clock way too finely tuned to allow himself to sleep in. You normally didn't like to sleep touching him because he ran hot as it was, but if it was winter and you were cold you always found your way into his nook.

Coffee was a must for both of you in the mornings. Most of the time you barely spoke on the days you had patrol until you had at least half a cup of coffee in your systems. You didn't like heavy breakfasts but you needed something or else you got too lightheaded, so you kept it simple. Maybe some fruit or a piece of toast. And if you were making yourself something, you always made sure to make some for Joel, too, because he was terrible at taking care of himself.

You didn't mind. You actually liked taking care of him.

On the way to the barn you would talk about which routes you were assigned that day, or you would ask how his back was feeling, or he would ask how you slept the night before.

Always before parting ways, you would make sure to kiss him. You never rushed that part because you never took a single day for granted.

It was rare you got paired up for patrol together. Both of you were seasoned and your roles were to mentor the younger groups, so typically you were paired with someone greener.

Whoever got back first always waited for the other to return, then you would walk back home together. Usually it was in the afternoon so sometimes you cleaned up around the house while Joel restocked the fireplace with wood. Sometimes you would go to the warehouse and restock your pantry, other times you would help Maria watch Violet.

Depending on the day, you might go to the dining hall with Ellie, but if you were particularly tired or if Joel didn't feel like being around people (which was often), you would stay home and cook something together.

Usually both of you ached after a few days of patrol in a row, so sometimes you took a bath together. He would sit between your legs and rest his back against your chest while you washed his hair. His eyes would close as he got lost in the feeling of your nails gently massaging his scalp, all the stress and tension melting away under your touch. He would skirt his fingers lazily over your soft curves under the water, making you shudder. He adored being the one to get those reactions from you.

Admittedly, your sex life wasn't as wild as when you first met. Over the years it became more intense and loving rather than frantic and needy. He made sure you felt every inch of him while he dragged in and out of you, slow and deep, pulling the sweetest sounds from your throat. Little whispers of his name in his ear, murmurs of I love you against his throat, whines warning him you were close and don't stop and you feel so good.

No matter how many times he fucked you, it was never enough. Each time set his heart on fire. The feel of your soft skin under his rough hands, the taste of your wet heat all over his mouth and beard, the feel of your hips grinding against his while you bounced on his cock. He never felt more close to you than in those moments where he was buried deep inside you, doing everything in his power to make you feel good and give you everything you needed. He loved watching you fall apart, your perfect face contorting in pleasure before you stilled and your eyebrows relaxed with a sigh. He loved the feel of your cunt squeezing him when you came, fluttering and pulsing around him. It always brought his own orgasm to the surface within seconds, pulling out of you feverishly, usually without a moment to spare, and spilling his release all over your thighs or ass or stomach or breasts.

Afterwards, he would clean you up, but he would be lying if he said he didn't take a moment first to admire the way you looked: all satiated and relaxed and covered with his spend.

You curled up against him and wrapped your arm around his stomach while his hands wandered over your shoulders and back, soothing you to sleep with kisses pressed into your hair.

You brought out a softnes in him. No one else got to see that side of him. He reserved that just for you.

[just-some-thoughts-maybe]

All I want for Christmas is you.

Summary: Quiet mornings are somewhat normal in your shared apartment, so why does this one feel different? why does this one feel a little...softer?

WC: 1.7k Part 2/6

"Quiet Mornings"

Part 1

 

The morning came quietly. the TV had long since entered its idle screen when Simon finally awoke, his legs tangled with yours and his arm still around your shoulder. He closed his eyes and let himself rest. It was only 6 in the morning. Damn his internal clock. The sun fought to peak through the windows, fighting the soft glow of the Christmas tree and the soft patter of rain on the windows.

These quiet moments were something he rarely allowed himself and never shared with others. So how he carefully extracted himself from the couch and left to ready himself for the day was no surprise. What was a surprise, even to him, was the way he softly placed your head on a pillow and pulled your favorite fluffy white blanket over your shoulders.

He crouched next to the couch and waited there for a few moments, watching the steady rise and fall of your breaths. It was oddly reassuring, that in a life of uncertainty, a life where he didn't know who he’d come home with, he always knew who he'd come home to. That there’d always be someone waiting on him, even if not in the context he desired. 

Perhaps that's why he kept himself from saying anything about his feelings. In the end, he was too scared to lose his one tether to normalcy. The one reminder he had that his life was more than violence and suffering. That his hand were capable of soft and caring touches. That he was more than the violent, horrifying monster he was revered as by his colleagues.

 He placed his hand on your shoulder, brushing his thumb there in a steady rhythm, mimicking your breath, allowing himself this last moment of closeness.

You stir, he startles. He removes his hand from its place quickly, internally wincing at the loss of warmth before standing. When he sees you're still asleep, he brushes the hair from your face allowing his hand to linger there for another breath before making his way back through the freshly decorated apartment and into his bedroom.

It’s almost two hours later when you wake up, groggy and rubbing sleep from your eyes- The poster child of bedhead. You glance at the clock on the stove and realize it’s almost 8. With a groan, you pull yourself up, grimacing at the cold. The blanket on the couch is thrown onto your shoulders and you begin your day.

The first thing you do is put on music, connecting your phone to the speaker kept in the kitchen. You flip through playlists until you land on one and play something soft. Not quite Christmas music, but something close. You hum along for a few minutes, switching between perusing the pantry and the fridge before deciding to make pancakes for breakfast. 

Usually, you didn't cook breakfast, but it was your day off, so why not take a little more time to enjoy something?

You get out the ingredients, mix the batter, and begin cooking. After a while, you became acutely aware of the intentional shuffling behind you and the eyes boring into your back. 

Simon made it a point to make you aware of his presence after a series of incidents right after you moved in. It wasn't his fault that he was so quiet, but it wasn't yours either. So you both devised a system so you became aware of his presence before you punched him.

You turn around to see Simon, fresh out of the shower, sitting on a barstool. He shifts under your gaze, pulling his mask a little higher on his nose. You chirp out a “Good morning” and he nods back. 

You turn around and continue cooking, still humming along to the music when he finally speaks up. “You think it's a good idea to be cooking while wrapped in tha’ ridiculous blanket?” his voice is still gruff from sleep and disuse, but it suits him.

“I think it's fine- but if it bothers you, I'll take it off-” You flip a pancake before walking back to the living room and unceremoniously dropping it on the couch. “We’ll call it a favor, huh?” 

He laughs quietly and shakes his head. “You're not getting away tha’ easy.”

“Is that so?” you ask, scrunching your nose when you get back to the pancakes to see one burned. “I could always just withhold your food until you consider it a favor.”

You turn to look at Simon with a huge smile on your face. His eyebrows are nearly in his hair and his eyes are crinkled in the corners with a smile. You wish you could see his smile, but he's always worn the mask around you. Never once showing his face. Once you asked about it, about six months after moving in, he simply replied that “Someone like you shouldn't see that.” You dropped it after seeing how uncomfortable the comment made him. You never found out what ‘someone like you’ meant. You didn't know if you wanted to.

“You really wanna play tha’ game? Because I don’ think you do.” he chortles “You want a cuppa?” he asks getting up to put the kettle on. You hum in the affirmative.

You turn around, tending to the food. A few minutes pass before you put the last pancake onto the plate and serve yourself and him. He thanks you for the food, hands you your cup of tea, and heads to his room to eat at his desk. Before you, yourself sit down to eat, you knock on Simon's door. He opens it and looks down at you questioningly. You only ask if he’d fed the cat.

“Yeah, love, I got it this morning before you woke up, go eat.” he brushes the hair off your shoulder, letting his thumb brush over it much like it had done this morning, and looks at you before shutting the door. 

You stare at the shut door for a few moments, wondering when you'd become “love” or when these quick touches had become normal. You walk away, pressing the palms of your hands to your cheeks, willing away the burning heat on your face. This was your roommate for heaven's sake, get it together. Maybe you needed a date- 

On the other side of the door, Simon was also staring. Wondering what had possessed him to touch you like that. He replayed the moment over and over again when he sat down to eat. The feeling of your hair, the look on your face. Your eyes were so wide, were you uncomfortable? Did you like it? He couldn't tell. He quietly scolded himself for his actions. The thought of making you uncomfortable hurt almost as much as the thought that you may not like the touch. 

He tried unsuccessfully to push his thoughts of you to the side and eat his breakfast, his mind flooded with the image of you making it. There was something almost domestic about it. Him making his pretty girl tea whilst she made his meal, serving it to him with that lovely smile on your face. God, he could look at that smile all-day- 

Wait- 

his pretty girl? 

Where did that come from?

He comes out of his room after clearing his thoughts and sees you on the couch, a discarded plate, covered in sticky, sweet syrup, and your half-empty tea mug sitting on the coffee table in front of you. You're swiping on your phone staring intently at the screen, completely ignoring the movie playing in the background. When he grabs your plate off the coffee table, you look up at him, your phone dipping just enough for him to see the screen. You'd been swiping on a dating app. “Wots all tha’ then?” he asks, sounding almost offended when he sees it.

“Oh!” you flip your phone. “Nothing- just a dating app-” He nods, you nod back. Even after this mutual understanding, you still both stare at each other. You break first. He meanders away to do the dishes.

After a few minutes of the TV and running water being the only sounds in the incredibly tense apartment, Simon speaks up. 

“Why?”

Only one word, but the weight is almost suffocating. There’s no right way to answer this question. Hell see right through a lie… and the truth. The truth. “I find you attractive and I know you don't feel the same, so I'm distracting myself with other men.” 

You settle for a half-truth. “I just want to meet new people.” you smile. It feels only a little forced.

He stares at you, gauging the truth in your statement. When he's satisfied he hums. “Well, I got some people for you to meet. We’ll go out tonight. Don’ need none of that datin’ app shite.”

Your mouth drops open. “I- wait- what- Simon-”

“Unless there's another reason?” he asks with a pointed look, almost challenging your answer.

You shake your head a little. “Nope, not at all.”

He grunts and goes back to doing the dishes. You pull the blanket back around your shoulders, walk over to the bar, and sit on the stool. You watch him wash the dishes, noting the way his sleeves are rolled up and the way his tattoos peak out beneath them. He gets a call and wipes his hands on his sweatpants before grabbing his phone and going to his room. He shuts the door so you can't hear what he's saying.

You sit there by yourself, trying to listen in on the conversation. In the end, you don't hear much. Something about a pub tonight.

When he gets out of his room, he comes back to the kitchen. He glances up where you're sitting and scrolling on your phone again, this time it's only Instagram. His hum is almost one of approval when he sees that. “You're coming with me to the Pub tonight, ‘m gonna have some mates there.” it's a request, you know that, but the phrasing has a commanding undertone.

“What time?” is the only thing you can think to ask.

“7, I'll drive.” he responds. The finality in his voice silences you, even when you know you should argue about the latter point.

You continue sitting there until Simons’s done with the dishes, silently watching how he moves, precise and efficient. Almost militaristic. You mentally slap yourself when you think that. You laugh to yourself. He glances up at you and you see the way his eyes scrunch again in a hidden smile. 

You smile a little wider and glance at the clock. Only 10:15. 

You couldn't help but love quiet mornings. Especially when they're spent with Simon.

Thanks for reading!

Next Part

[loveharlow]

SEVEN - 004

PAIRING ‧₊˚ JJ Maybank x Fem!Reader

SYNOPSIS‧₊˚[2.9k] based on 1x04.

WARNING(S)‧₊˚ swearing, mild violence, detainment

NOW PLAYING‧₊˚

A/N‧₊˚ The shortest and most boooooring chapter to date but it's for a reason :(. And to make up for it (and the late post). I'll post chapter 5 much earlier than intended (AND THAT'S THE MIDSUMMERS CHAPTER WOOO).

˗ˏˋ series masterlist ˎˊ˗

AND WITHIN MINUTES ALL THAT HOPE DIED. There was no gold. Just a shipwreck. The drone passed over the entire thing three times and nothing. The metal detector didn’t make a single sound.

“Just pull the damn thing up.” John B said, frustrated. “Somebody beat us to it.” 

“Or it was never there.” JJ muttered, steering the boat back in the direction you’d come.

WAKING UP TO MARLEY LICKING YOUR FACE WASN’T AN UNCOMMON OCCURRENCE, you assumed it’d just felt so unfamiliar because of the fact that you hadn’t slept in your own bed the last few days since this whole gold rush started. You groaned, lightly pushing the dog away from you with your palm.

“I’m awake, Marls…” You groaned out sleepily, rolling off of your bed with a grunt as you hit the floor, your side still sore from the events of yesterday. The pain was mostly gone, all that remained being a tenderness and slight redness surrounding the area.

Rolling onto your back and sitting up, you pet the chipper animal as she snuggled up under you. “Jesus, your morning breath is worse than mine.” You said, face twisting. Reaching for your phone as you scratched the top of her head, you saw that it was close to noon, you sighed, getting up and walking downstairs to get your day started.

You were surprised to find your mother shifting through documents on the kitchen island when you got there, slowing in your steps. “Hey, mom…” You said, eyeing the woman as you opened the fridge to pull out the milk. She merely glanced up at you, before averting her eyes back down to the documents in front of her.

“Morning.” She muttered. You faced away from her, hearing the pen she was writing with hit the counter as you walked to the side and grabbed the cereal from the pantry. “Did you hear about Topper’s boat?”

You bit your lip, completely forgetting about that. Realizing you hadn't responded and stood frozen in place, you cleared your throat and continued making your breakfast. “No, what happened?” You asked, faking obliviousness and pouring the cereal into a bowl, now facing her again. She had the papers in her hands, reading glasses sitting low atop her nose as her eyes scanned the pages as she spoke.

“He and Mrs.Thornton found it sunken this morning. What a waste of money. I hear it was brand-new.”

“Yeah, well, it’s Topper.” You remembered, pouring the milk over the colorful pellets of food. “Him and his friends aren’t exactly known for being careful.” You muttered with disdain. 

“Speaking of caution,” The woman began, clasping her hands in front of her. “I had an interesting meeting with Sheriff Peterkin and Shoupe. They said John B was being chased through town by some dangerous men earlier in the week and he apparently ran from his social worker when she went to pick him up this morning. Do you know what’s going on with him?”

“I don’t know, Mom, maybe the fact that his dad went missing and DCS has been trying to drop him into the system ever since?”

All she could do was sigh. “John B’s father is gone. It’s been almost a year. He needs to accept that and move on.”

“...He needs to just accept the fact that his dad is gone? Do you hear yourself, right now?”

“Listen, I don’t have the energy to argue with you, right now. If you see him or know where he is, it’d be very much appreciated if you could tell Shoupe or Peterkin so they can alert his social worker-”

You scoffed, looking your mother in her eyes. “I'm not doing that. You're crazy if you think I'm going to help you and your cop friends put one of my best friends into foster care-”

“Excuse me?” Your mother was baffled at your tone. But it seemed like everytime you came home recently, on the rare occasion that you did, she always had questions. Scratch questions, accusations. And in your mind, either she knew something or she just wanted reasons to be on your ass. “I don't know what's gotten into you recently. If your father could see you now-”

“No, mom,” You cut her off shortly. “If only he could see you.” You spat, making your way back up the stairs, bowl of cereal in hand, slamming the door behind you.

“AREN’T YOU GLAD I MADE YOU COME?” Kie asked cheerfully, carrying a cooler full of snacks and drinks while you laid out a blanket on top of the grass, JJ and Pope unfolding lawn chairs to sit in. Kie had rounded you all up to see a movie in the park with her. You’d already informed them of the reason for John B’s absence, seeing as this isn’t his first marathon from DCS. If he got away successfully, per usual, you all would be seeing him by tomorrow.

“My couch was pretty comfy, I’ll be honest.” JJ replied. While Kiara was preoccupied, Pope whispered to JJ, but you could still hear them.

“We are in enemy territory. Way out of the green zone, man.” He was visibly anxious, eyes fleeting all across the crowd of people that littered the lawn. 

“Dude, tranquilo, okay?” JJ tried to calm him.

“We are in the middle of Kooklandia.” He hissed. “This is the last place I wanted to be.” He ranted, the two boys not even noticing when Kiara got up to go get drinks.

“Shut up. Both of you.” You reprimanded, sternly. “God, you have the worst poker faces I’ve ever seen.”

“They could be lurking in the bushes right now, we don’t know.” Pope tried to make you understand.

“Dude, just chill out.” JJ said. Just then, Kie had come back, four cans of soda in her arms that she distributed evenly amongst the group of you.

“Just saw Rafe,” The name alone sends a small wave of chills down your spine. “He said to ‘tell your girl that we know what she and your boy did’. What does that mean?” Her eyes fleeted towards you for the most part. 

“Where is he?” You questioned without hesitation.

“Right there,” She motioned behind her, prompting you to whip your head around to where Topper, Rafe, and Kelce stood menacingly by a tree, sipping on beers. Even from that distance, you could tell he was staring dead at you. It brought back so many unwanted feelings and memories, so badly it made your head hurt.

“Great, the whole death squad.” Pope’s voice cracked. 

“Hey,” Kiara’s voice called from beside you, just loud enough for only you to hear. You turned back to face her. “What’s going on? Is he still bothering you? Is it about what happened-”

“No, it’s not.” You were quick to cut her off in case the guys were listening. “It’s not about that.” You said sternly, tuning back into JJ and Pope’s conversation.

“If they corner me, I’m comin’ out swingin. I’m on edge right now.” JJ spoke seriously. “If that doesn’t work, I got this right here.” He assured, holding up his backpack that looked mostly empty but oddly heavy.

“JJ, please tell me you did not bring a gun here. JJ, there are kids!” Kie started, being oddly loud for not wanting people to know that JJ may or may not have brought a gun.

“I didn’t bring the gun, Kiara. Everything’s fine.” He tried to calm her. 

“That’s really convincing.” She said, voice full of sarcasm. “...What happened? What did you guys do?” She asked, eyes going back and forth between the three of you that remained quiet. “Founding principle, no secrets among pogues. What is Rafe talking about?”

“Kie,” Pope started, voice low. “It might go down tonight.” 

YOU ALL WERE A GOOD WAY INTO THE MOVIE AT THIS POINT, the sun had gone down and the air had cooled. The only sounds filling your ears were the movie playing and crickets in the trees. You were sitting in between JJ’s legs, using the base of his lawn chair as a backrest to ease the pain on your side from trying to keep yourself up. You’d heard him and Pope whispering but paid no mind until the blonde was tapping your shoulder, signaling that he was getting up.

“Where are you guys going?” You questioned, looking up at him and adjusting the chair from where it had slipped behind you once he got up.

“We gotta wring it out.”

“Together?” Kie asked.

“It’s bro code. Bro’s who piss together…” He struggled to find a rhyme with the made-up honor code. “...stick together. We’ll be right back.” You watched as the pair of boys crouched, creeping through the crowd and over to a tree next to the projector screen. You questioned why they didn’t head to the actual bathrooms but quickly got your answer with a quick glance back, seeing Rafe and his goons blocking it.

“Now, do you want to tell me what’s going on?” Kie whispered.

You sighed, curling in on yourself slightly. “Trust me, it’s better if you don’t know.” The girl scoffed and shook her head. 

“Do the guys know? About what happened?”

“No. Why would they?”

“Do you ever plan on telling them?” You rolled your eyes, starting to get frustrated. 

“No, Kie, I don’t. I’d like to forget it ever happened, if that’s okay with you.” You snapped, silence falling over the two of you as the movie continued to play.

You assumed maybe a handful of minutes had gone by before you noticed the guys hadn’t come back yet and one weary glance behind you told you all you needed to know — Rafe, Kelce, and Topper were gone, too.

You immediately shook Kie’s arm, startling the poor girl.

“What? What is it?”

“We need to go. Now.” Was all you said before you got up, taking JJ’s bag with you as you and Kie swiftly walked in the direction the guys had gone earlier so as to not alarm any movie viewers. Coming around the back of the projector screen, you were met with a brutal scene in front of you — Kelce held JJ by his arms as Rafe delivered blow after blow to his face while Topper beat up Pope.

“Let go of him! Fascist asshole!” Kie yelled as she whacked Topper in the back over and over. You made a b-line for Rafe, throwing JJ’s bag down and jumping onto the boy’s back, wounding your arms around his neck, allowing JJ an open opportunity to push Kelce off of him.

“Leave him alone, Rafe!” You screeched.

“You don’t wanna do this, sunshine!” He yelled back, throwing you off of his back and onto the grass. Just like yesterday, you were on your back as he stared down at you, breathing heavily. “I’m being nice. Only ‘cause you’re my favorite.” He smirked, huffing with blood in the corner of his lip before turning back to JJ. 

You rolled on your side in the grass to see Topper choking out Pope only after having seen him throw Kiara to the ground. JJ had Rafe handled. You reached for JJ’s bag that had been abandoned, flipping it open to reveal the gun and a lighter. Your eyes went back and forth between the gun and Topper, who had Pope in a deadly chokehold at this point.

You wanted to do it, so bad.

But a gun to a Kook's head was what caused all of this in the first place, so you dismissed the thought, kicking the lighter over to Kie, the object hitting the sole of her shoe.

The girl looked down at the lighter and then at you, you motioned towards the projector screen and she caught on quickly. It wasn’t long before the projector screen was going up in flames, scaring the movie guests and breaking up the fight, spooking the guys. Topper released Pope as JJ pushed Kelce back once more, Rafe stood off in the middle of the four guys, staring directly at you as you got up.

When he snapped out of whatever trance he was in, he gathered up Topper and Kelce and fled the scene. Kie helped Pope up as you turned your attention to JJ. He was fixing his clothes but you didn’t miss the scars on his cheek and bottom lip.

“Are you okay?” You asked frantically, eyes roaming his entire face for any more cuts.

“Fine, I’m fine.” He calmed you as you laid a hand on his shoulder before trailing it up to the back of his neck, but he looked like he wanted to say something. Like he was thinking extremely hard.

“C’mon, let’s go.” You urged the rest of your group, leaving before the fire department and cops inevitably made their appearance.

“I JUST ACTED OFF INSTINCT, MAN. I WAS A CORNERED ANIMAL.” Pope told JJ as he restocked some items on the shelves inside of Heyward’s. It was the next morning but you were all still on edge about the fight last night. It was clear now that Topper knew Pope and yourself were the ones who sank his boat and you were just waiting for the other shoe to drop.

“Don’t feel bad, dude. It was three of them and two of us.” JJ tried to remedy it. “That’s some typical Kook shit right there.”

“Hell yeah.” Kie agreed. 

“Hey Pope,” Heyward’s voice rang out in the small crab-shack, towel slung over the older man’s shoulder. “There’s someone here to see you.” He motioned behind him, Deputy Shoupe making his appearance.

Pope’s posture immediately straightened, his eyes going wide as the shop went silent with Shoupe’s arrival. “Evening, officer.” He barely got out. Shoupe’s eyes went between you and Pope before replying.

“You’re both here. Great.” He said, reaching into his holster. “I have an arrest warrant for felony destruction of property. For both of you.” 

“Woah, woah, woah…” Heyward was stunned as he stood back and watched the scene play out in front of him.

“Keep your hands on the counter where I can see ‘em.” Shoupe handcuffed Pope first, the boy putting up no fight in his daze. He looked like he’d faint any moment.

“Shoupe, what’d they do?!” Heyward tried again.

“Look at the warrant.” Was all the deputy offered in response, remaining stoic. Once Pope was secure, he moved onto you, looking you in the eyes somewhat pitifully before beckoning for you to turn around and put your hands behind your back. Heyward, Kiara, and JJ were causing commotion, talking over one another as he secured you in handcuffs.

“Anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law. You have the right to an attorney…” He continued but you could barely hear him as he single-handedly guided both you and Pope out of Heyward’s Seafood. Pope’s father, JJ, and Kie follow close behind.

“Shoupe, it was just me.” You tried, craning your neck to look at the officer. “Pope didn’t do anything.”

“Nice try, kiddo. But there were two people on that boat, caught it on camera. And your face is as clear as day.” He dismissed you.

“It was me!” JJ yelled, causing Shoupe to stop in his tracks. The three of you turned around to look at the blonde. “...Pope tried to talk us out of it. But Y/N and I were just too mad because they’d just been beaten up. I was so sick of those Figure Eight assholes." He spoke convincingly, eyes landing on Pope's ashamed figure. "I can’t let you take the blame for something I did.” JJ was now right in front of Pope, looking the boy dead in his eyes. “You’ve got too much to lose.”

“JJ, what’re you doing?” Pope said hushed but still aggressive.

“I’m telling the truth, for once in my damn life.” He said without much hesitation at all. “I took his old man’s boat, too.”

“What the hell…” Heyward looked crazily at the blonde boy.

“He’s a good kid.” JJ told Shoupe. “...You know where I’m from.” Shoupe nodded lightly, agreeing with the statement before his attention was on you and Pope.

“That the whole truth, Pope?” Shoupe inquired, cocking an unbelievable eyebrow.

He seemed to ponder on it before gulping heavily and nodding his head shakily, looking at JJ one last time. “Yeah…that," He huffed. "That covers it.” 

YOU’D NEVER SEEN THE INSIDE OF A JAIL CELL, not that you ever planned on it. It was suffocating. The walls, the color of the walls, the dingy bars, the stale air. You felt like a caged animal, an unwelcome chill making the experience that much more unbearable.

You and JJ sat across from one another — on the floor, legs bent underneath with your heads thrown back.

“Why’d you do it?” You questioned, your voice echoing out within the cell. "Take the fall, I mean..."

“I couldn’t let Pope go down for it.” His raspy voice replied. “I would’ve taken the fall for you both. But I heard Shoupe, they had footage of two people and your face was ‘as clear as day’.” He mocked the older man’s southern twang.

The action made you chuckle, craning your head down to look at him, not aware that he was already looking at you.

You sighed, shaking your head and running fingers through the base of your hair. “I should’ve never suggested it in the first place. I knew it was a stupid idea, I just wasn’t in the right headspace…”

“Because of Rafe?” The question made your heart stop, eyes jumping up to his before fleeting to the ground. “It’s not hard to notice. He clearly knows you, knows you. But I just…can’t put the pieces together. What happened between you two?”

You looked down at your hands that were now wound around your knees, your fingers fiddling with each other. “A lot of things happened, when I first moved to Figure Eight and fell in with Kiara and I’s old friend group. Let’s just... leave it at that.”

The blonde was looking at you like he wanted to press for more information and you knew one day he would, and with the way recent events have played out? That day might come sooner than you were comfortable with. But for right now, you just couldn’t wait until you got out of this cell. Somehow.

next chapter >

feedback is appreciated! thanks for reading.

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[minniesmutt]

♱ ━━━━━━ 𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐋: 𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐏𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐏

♱ ━━━ CONTENT: EXHIBITONISM, THIGH RIDING, DIRTY TALK, FINGERING, MIRROR SEX, PET NAMES, BITING, UNPROTECTED SEX, BIG COCK BINNIE, CREAMPPIE, LINGERIE, STRENGTH KINK, CLOTH GAG, MULTIPLE ORGASMS, HAIR PULLING ♱ ━━━ WC: 2.4K ♱ ━━━ PAIRING: CHANGBIN X READER ♱ ━━━ 18+ work!! minors and ageless/blank blogs DNI! you will be blocked, put an indicator on your blog somewhere that you are 18+ before interacting with this work/blog ♱ ━━━ a repost from my old blog

     One more thing Y/n was happy the boys did for her was stock her pantry. Definitely made her life easier in the morning. Sleepily she walked into her kitchen to get some food in her system and some coffee. She had taken a short nap in the tub with Jisung after their round yesterday. The two ended up going a couple more rounds before falling asleep in her bed. Y/n had wound up just putting on Jisung’s shirt when she walked out of her room this morning. 

     She started the coffee first, then opened her fridge to see what she could make for breakfast. Then she felt arms wrap around her waist and a head lay on her shoulders.

     “Mmmm,” Jisung groaned behind her.

     “Morning sleepy head,” Y/n smiled as she reached up and scratched the top of his head.

     “I’m buying you black-out curtains. Did not appreciate waking up to the sun, and alone.”

     “I’ll look for some when I go out today and I’ll stay in bed with you next time,” Y/n told him

     “Or you could come back to bed with me,” Y/n felt his lips on her neck, placing kisses along the side of her neck whilst his hands moved to grab her hips, pulling the material of her shirt up as well.

     “Ji,” Y/n sighed

     “Yeah, doll?”

     Jisung turned her around to face him and closed her fridge before backing her up into the metal. Lips finding their way to hers in a second. Y/n moaned against his lips as she draped her arms over his shoulders. Tongues making their way into the other’s mouth.

     “How many times are you going to fuck the poor woman Ji?” Changbin’s voice tore the two apart. 

     “As many times as she’ll let me, cockblocker,” Jisung replied as he looked at his friend. 

     “I'm sure you got your cock taken care of enough last night,” Changbin told him

     “What are you doing up here anyways? it’s early.” Jisung groaned

     “It’s almost noon.”

     “It’s early.”

     “Besides bringing coffee, taking our angel shopping.”

     “Coffee you say,” Jisung said as released the women and walked over to his friend

     “Not for you,” Changbin scolded him as the man pouted

     Y/n giggled as she walked past the younger one and Changbin handed her the to-go cup.

     “You can grab the mug I was gonna have Ji,” Y/n offered as she felt Changbin wrap an arm around her

     “At least someone here loves me,” Ji dramatically turned around and went to her coffee machine

     “How many times have I saved your ass?” Changbin asked

     “When was the last time you brought me coffee without me asking?” 

     “To early to fight,” Y/n reminded them as she sipped her coffee

     “Sorry,” both said before she turned to Changbin. 

     “You're taking me shopping?” Y/n smiled

     “Yeah. Jeongin was gonna take you but he had something come up last minute so I volunteered.” Changbin smiled back. 

     “Let me get ready then we can go.” 

     Y/n kissed his cheek and went to her room to get ready for the day. She grabbed some clothes as her shower heated up, discarding Jisung’s shirt as she hoped in the shower, the warm water cascading down her body.

     “My shirt in here doll?” Jisung called from the door.

     “Yeah,” Y/n called back.

     Jisung walked into the bathroom and grabbed his discarded shirt. He was going to walk straight out but then stopped and turned to the shower. He pulled the curtain back and Y/n looked back at him.

     “Just want a kiss before I leave,” Jisung smiled and pulled her over to him placed a kiss on her lips, and quickly pulled away, “Have a good day, doll. I’m sure I’ll see you later.”

     “See you later Ji,” Y/n smiled as he left the bathroom.

     Y/n finished up her shower and got ready to go out. Once she had finished she found Changbin waiting for her in her kitchen still.

     “Ready?” Changbin asked as she walked up to him.     “Yeah,” Y/n answered

     Changbin smiled, placing a hand on the small of her back, and led her over to the elevator. He kept his hand on her the whole way to the car. Changbin opened the passenger door for her. Y/n thanked him as she got inside and buckled up as he came around to the driver’s side and got in as well. 

     He started the car and took it out of park and into drive before laying his hand on her thigh, the other holding the wheel. Changbin pulled the car out of the garage and took off. Y/n smiled as she watched the city go by. Occasionally, Changbin squeezed her thigh, both making conversation till they pulled up at a shopping mall. Pulling into a parking spot in front of the building and getting out of the car to her side. 

     Y/n got out of the car and Changbin closed her door behind her and wrapped an arm around her waist; the two walked into the mall, looking around the stores. Going through a few high-end boutiques— Dior, Louis Vitton, Versace, etc. Changbin was ready to buy whatever she said she wanted. The associates helped the two out when needed, complimenting them on how good of a couple they looked. Y/n thanked them with a smile. 

     Y/n only got the things she actually liked and knew she would use or wear often. Changbin kept her close by, arm around her as they walked through the mall. Making their way from boutique to boutique. 

     Walking through Chanel, seeing what caught her eye. Changbin stood behind her with his arms around her waist as they stood in front of a display of bags. 

     “Could buy all of them,” Changbin suggested, kissing the side of her neck

     “I don’t need that many bags Bin,” Y/n sighed 

     “Why not?” He chuckled 

     “You’re going to do it anyway, aren’t you?” He had done it in a couple of boutiques they had been in. 

     Her being indecisive about which pair of heels or what color dress she liked better. He told the associate that they were talking both. Y/n glared at him just for him to smile and peck her lips. 

     Y/n walked away from the bags and over to the clothing. Changbin followed her and wrapped his buff arms around her again. The arms she’d been eyeing in the car. She looked through the clothing before an associate offered to grab some items for her to try on. 

     Some items were picked out and the associate brought them back to the fitting rooms. Changbin sat in one of the chairs outside as the associate put the items in the room letting them be. Both thanked the associate before he walked onto the main floor. 

     Y/n tried on a few of the pieces. Stepping out of the room to show Changbin. Not missing the way his eyes followed her as she went back into the fitting room. 

     “Bin,” Y/n called 

     “Yeah?” He asked 

     “Come help me,” She beckoned 

     Changbin smiled as he got up, walking to the door. He opened the door and stepped inside, locking the door behind him. Y/n smiling at him in the mirror. She’d started peeling off the outfit already. Changbin stepped forward and finished taking the clothing off. Letting it drop to the floor and picking it up, tossing it to the bench before turning her around and pushing her up against the mirror. 

     “Naughty thing,” Changbin chuckled as he ran his hands up her sides, fingertips barely touching the lace of her bra strap, “Would have fucked you back in Dior if I knew you had this one underneath all that.”

     “Well, fuck me in the back of Chanel now.”

     Changbin pushed his lips onto hers. She grabbed onto his arms and rolled her hips into him, feeling his cock growing in his slacks. Changbin moved his thigh between her legs. Hands grabbed her hips and rolled her hips against his thigh. 

     “Shit,” Y/n pulled away from the kiss and looked down. Watching him move her hips against his thick thighs.

      “Like getting fucked in public?” Changbin asked as he leaned forward, kissing her neck. 

     “Not even fucking me yet,” Y/n told him

     Changbin pulled his leg away and turned her around to face the mirror. One hand dipped into her panties and two fingers pushed into her. Her jaw dropped open, his fingers weren’t as long as the others, but they were thicker. That was for sure. 

     His palm rubbed against her clot as his finger thrusted in and out of her. Y/n grabbed his forearm as she tilted her head back. “Feels so good binnie,” she moaned

     “Keep it down. Wanna get kicked out before you get to cum?” Changbin asked. Freehand lay across her stomach and pulled her closer to him as his fingers opened her up for him. 

     Y/n bit her bottom lip, feeling Changbin’s hard cock on her ass. His eyes watched her in the mirror. He was barely breaking a sweat yet she could feel the little bit of wetness rolling down her skin. Her legs slightly shook just before he added another delicious finger.

     Y/n covered her mouth as quickly as she could as he stretched her open more. Almost screaming. Praying the associate didn’t hear her.

     “Think you’re almost ready for my cock baby?” Changbin whispered in her ear before biting her earlobe. 

     “Yes,” Y/n whined through her hand. 

     Changbin chuckled as he picked up his pace with his fingers. Y/n rocked her hips against his hand as her walls pulsed around his digits from pleasure. She tightened her grip on his arm as her orgasm shook her whole body. Changbin pulled his hand away and kept her upright. Kissing her neck as she came down from her high.

     Y/n leaned back against him as he snuck his arms between their bodies and unbuckled his belt and slacks. Y/n caught her breath as he pulled her soaked lace panties down and off her legs before wrapping one of her arms behind his neck. 

     Y/n gasped as he picked her up and spread her legs, cunt on display for both of them via the mirror. She was more shocked by his strength, turning her on more. Then her eyes trailed down to his cock standing upright under her. Changbin was thick girth-wise. Not as long as Chan, Jisung, or Minho, but the girth alone could make up for it. He was going to do some damage to her mental state with that thing.

     “Fuck,” She whispered and he lowered her a bit towards him, cunt already clenching around nothing in anticipation.

     “Hold on tight baby,” Changbin chuckled. He let go of one of her legs to line his angry tip up at her dripping entrance.

     Y/n gripped the back of his head, taking a handful of curls as he got the tip inside her. Changbin seemed to not trust her to be quiet and it showed. He had stuffed her mouth with her panties before grabbing her leg he had let go of and pushed in further. Y/n watched his cock disappear inside of her. His cock stretched her open more than his fingers but it felt so good. She grabbed onto his arm again with her free hand as her eyes trained. Moaning into the fabric just as he pulled out to the tip. 

     Changbin met her eyes just before he slammed into her again. Her scream was muffled by her panties. Changbin watched her reaction as he thrusted up into her, it was slow and rough due to the position he had put them in. But he loved it just for admiring her body, all spread for him. Her sensitive pussy clenched around him with each thrust he dealt her. From what the others said, he knew she liked it a little faster, but he would get to that soon. Right now, he was content with giving her hard thrusts slowly.

     Though soon enough he started understanding her whining for more. He pulled out and set her down on the ground. Her legs shook under her but Changbin kept a hold on her hips. Slowly he sank himself back into her. Y/n moaned as he sat in there then bent her over, pulling her arms behind her back and grabbing the back of her head to make her look in the mirror.

    The grip he had on her hair made her dizzy before he started pounding into her again. More speed in the new position. Y/n desperately moaned against the fabric in her mouth. 

     “Gonna let Binnie fill up your little pussy? Carry my load around this fucking mall the rest of the day?” He asked behind her.

     “Mhm!” Y/n replied, unable to give him a yes or a head nod but he understood. Especially as her walls were clenching around him. 

     Changbin smiled at her through the mirror and continued his pounding pace into her. Her walls pulsing around his thick cock till she finally clamped down and her second orgasm soaked his cock. Changbin twitched inside of her as she shook under him. Letting her ride out her orgasm on his dick as he got closer to his own high. 

     Snapping his hips into her one more time before he filled her up. He slowed his pace gradually as she milked him. Giving her every ounce of cum he had in him at the time. Y/n whined when he finally pulled out and pulled her upright. Changbin pulled her panties out of her mouth and slipped them back onto her body. Patting her hip and looking at her in the mirror. “Few more places and we can go home, ‘kay?”

     “You expect me to walk after that?” Y/n asked as he grabbed her clothes and started dressing her.

     “You���ve got me to lean on baby. Plus, I didn’t go that hard on you.”

     “That wasn’t hard?”

     “Show you more back home.”

     Changbin fixed up the room and hung up the clothing before walking back out with her and having the associate package a few purses up for them before paying and sending a message to the group’s underlings to pick up the items.

      They went to a few more boutiques and got a few more items before Changbin made true to his word and took her back to his part of the building to show her more like he promised. All the items they bought were dropped off at her place.

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[singhmanvi510]

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[misguidedasgardian]

Wildcats (part VIII)

VIII. A time to embrace

MASTERLIST

Summary: You negotiate Beth’s release

Pairing: Daryl Dixon x Fem!Reader

Warnings: Zombie apocalypse AU, living dead, zombies, guts, blood, guns, injures, cannibalism, 

+18, MINORS DNI

Notes: A tame chapter, writing slowburn is just… not what I usually do, arrange marriage is my favorite trope, that’s all I’m saying

You woke up groggy, and with a muscular ache that barely let you get up from the comfortable carpeted floor

“Hey”, you greeted the archer, who had barely changed positions

“Hey”, he greeted back. By the light… you could tell its been hours since you started your little nap, and you frowned when you realized it

“You let me sleep for hours!”, you chided gently, rubbing your forehead

“You fell through the floor!”, he said simply, “it’s fine”, you ate something you scavenge from your old “base”, as you kept watching that hospital

“Anything interesting?”, you asked

“A car jus’ came and went, and a doctor went to tha roof”

“A doctor?”

“White robes”, he muttered, you only hummed.

. . . 

You were actually a bit relieved when you saw the others pulled up, although the team wasn’t complete. Rick hugged Daryl tightly, and then he hugged you

“I thought you had been taken by the Terminus people”, he said angrily, looking at your eyes

“They’re back?”, you asked with urgency, “where…?”, fear settled in your gut

“We dealt with them already”, he said calmly. “we need a bigger place, let’s take some distance before they spot us”, he commanded, and you all got up inside the car and abandoned the office building. “Abraham took Maggie, Glenn and Tara to go with him to DC”, he explained, as you all met in a big room. “We will be meant to follow, after we get Beth”, he said. You nodded, “it's our best shot”

“You are right”, you assured him, “so… what’s the plan?”

If according to Daryl, your plan was so idiotic, you didn’t even shared it with Rick, instead, of course, he took the lead, with the help of Noah, you all hid in a warehouse and started planning the abstraction plan

“We take down those at the office, and then Daryl moves to take out this guard”, he said as his plan involved killing everyone in the hospital

“We were going to be seven, eight once we get a gun to Beth”

Who was Beth anyways? Maggie’s sister and Daryl’s partner? he was the most motivated to get her back, so you’d think she was his… girlfriend or something.

“So you’re just gonna kill everyone?”, asked Tyresse, and a discussion ensued. You also think this was a bit much, to kill them all, they were trained as cops and that made them a good rival.

Daryl grabbed RIck and took him to the side, 

“She thinks we should buy her way out with supplies”, he said quietly, “and medicine”

“She said that?”, asked Rick, with a frown on his face, Daryl looked at his friend and leader, his chosen brother

“Yeah”, he said. Rick saw the reason behind your suggestion, but he shook his head. “It’s too late now, besides, where would we find said things?”, he asked, “the city is completely sacked by now”, Daryl only let out a short growl as an acknowledgement 

You had killed people by now, four, by your counts, did they deserve to die? You had to believe they did, There was no justice system anymore, no religions, nothing, there was only you, and you enemies.

Rick didn’t want you anywhere near the operation, unknowingly to you, because of what Daryl told him, so you had a simple job, which was coming back to your safe house and grabbing everything you could use, including a car.

And it's exactly what you did, you gathered everything, cleaned the pantry and the rest of the weapons, and put it all together in a car you hijacked. 

Carol was with you, watching you intently, as Daryl was needed with Rick, he specifically requested it

“The journey to Washington it's going to be a long one”, you said, to make conversation, it would be an understatement to say Carol really made you nervous.

“Mmm yeah”, she muttered, without much thought, putting everything together, with this you had a couple of day’s worth of food.

“Do you think it’s real… the cure?”, you asked her, she looked at you, frowning

“Maybe”, she said, looking at you with her sharp blue eyes, a woman of few words. You understood her to certain points… you were a stranger, and by your counts, Rick, Daryl, Glenn and Carol went back the furthest, you are talking weeks or days even after everything went to shit, so yes, you’d understand if she was being weary of you, someone who she just met. So you tried not to take it personally. 

“You think they are going to get Beth back?”, you asked her

“I hope they do”, she said, “they will”, she said with determination

“Have her and Daryl… been together long?”, you tried, and you might as well drop a bucket filled with icy water on her, by the way she looked back at you

“You don’t know what you are talking about”, she said, with a somber tone in your voice

“You are right”, you said softly, but surprised, “I have no idea”

“They are not together!”, she said quickly, “Beth is barely eighteen!”, she said then, and you opened your mouth in an “o”

“I didn’t know, by the way Daryl talked about her… I just assumed…”, you said

“He feels responsible because she was with him when they took her, that’s all”, she said, but you didn’t know if she was trying to convince you or herself

You kept working after that, very uncomfortably.

She hated your guts

Now there weren't many personal possessions of yours left in the safehouse, you had tried to take everything with you, but still, you managed to keep some bullets, and a couple of t-shirts and jeans, so that’s that.

When you returned to the group, car loaded, the thing was done, they had taken two policemen as hostages and they were ready to make the trade

You were glad that Rick wanted to spare you from the mess, one of them had tried to escape and got killed by walkers, and Sasha had gotten a bad hit in the head.

You were preparing for the trade in the hospital. The plan was to enter through the main door and make the exchange there. Daryl, Rick, Carol, Tyresse and Sasha were ready to go with him, so was Noah

“Noah”, you called, he looked back at you, “stay here”, you commanded, forgetting yourself a bit

“I want to go”, he protested, Rick had that cray cray look in his eyes, looking back at you for explanations

“They are looking for you”, you said, “they had send men out in a real manhunt, they want you back… men had died because of it, if they see you… they will demand you stay”, you explained severely, “if they ask about you, we should say you ran away from us, that we don’t know where you are”, Rick shook his head, like he couldn’t believe what he was hearing, and how much sense it made

“She is right”, he said, “Noah stay here” 

“But…”

“They want you to keep working, you owe them some sort of debt” you said, he only nodded. 

“You too”, said Rick, looking at you, “stay here, if you hear gunshots…”

“Go in, guns blazing”, you completed, he looked at you quizzically, but didn’t say anything.

You stood with Noah outside, and hid in one of the tents near the entrance, in case they had prepared a surprise attack and jumped them from behind in the entrance hallway.

“It's taking too long”, you muttered, looking inside the hospital. 

You heard an engine coming, and when you looked, a huge fire truck, and descended Maggie, Glenn, Abraham, Rosita, Eugene and Tara.

You came out of your hiding place and received them

“Rick is inside, trading for Beth”, you said, Maggie squeezed your arm with a soft smile and a nod.

The doors opened at that moment, and here they came, the entire group. led by Rick Carol and Tyresse and behind them came Daryl having his arms around a pretty girl with blonde hair and big blue eyes with a big smile on her face. 

And here came all the rest.

Maggie ran to meet her, and engulfed her sister in a big hug.

They were all so happy, and relieved, and you were so happy that everything worked out

For the first time since you knew him, you saw Daryl smile, like… truly smile.

“We are going to DC”, said Rick with a pleased smile on his face, as he watched all of you together 

But the faces of the crew that was supposed to be on their way there said it all 

And they wasted no time in filling you in…

Eugene was lying, he was no scientist, there was no cure, there was nothing in Washington for you all, not that you knew of.

it was childish of you to think there ever was a way out of this.

There was none, there was only one way to stay alive… to lean into your group, to survive, whatever it takes.

The realization dawned on all of the group as you gathered in that warehouse again, luckily for the morale in general apparently there weren't many of those who believed in it in the first place, including Rick and Daryl they never believed it existed said cure in the first place.

“What are we going to do now?”, asked Sasha

You caught Daryl staring at you, he was relieved but stood stuck to Beth’s side like a guard dog, you looked back at him

“(y/n) had a plan”, said Rick pointing at you, all eyes were on you, “she knows there is an island, on lake Lanier”, he said. “close from here, if we can take it, we can be safe there, an island is where more safer”

“According to the map I found…”, you said softly, “there is only one road leading to the island, if we can close that and control it, we can take control of the island, but I don’t know many details of it.

“Noah is from a safe community in Virginia”, said Beth immediately, you looked back at her. “I was going to accompany him there, he says there are tall walls, a thick gate, good houses..”

“It’s true”, he said, nodding enthusiastically, “my family is still there, my mother and brothers”

The group seemed divided. Rick looked at you, but you only shook your head. Your plan was a dot you saw on a map and hers seemed a bit more solid, but oh the pictures you had seen in that catalog, if it was intact, it seemed like a great opportunity

There was a huge hotel, and in the other side of the island you saw small cabins with lots of privacy, you could all live there, plant your own, even get some animals, like cattle, if you get a hold on a boat you could really just just anywhere around the lake and scavenge, it was a good idea.

But you remained quiet, because what if the island was overrun? what if it was a complete bust, what if someone died because of you and your plan?

Rick saw your doubts, and nodded

“Let's get out of this city first”, he said, “let’s go get Michonne, Carl, Judith and Gabriel, and let’s go”, he offered, you all nodded, and started the journey.

Decided to let Beth live, this is supossed to be a happy fic, so...

@crazyunsexycool

[secret-smut-sideblog]

It Happened Quiet

(a short lucanis x f! rook drabble. cause I'm normal and not impaled in a spike pit 👍)

PG-13 - developing feelings, drug use (weed), sloppy makeout yesss, spite being a shit, yearning, pining, the works

Masterlist

-

"You're kidding." Rook's eyes stayed on the ceiling. Taking the royal elfroot cigarette as he offered it back.

"Cross my heart." Lucanis edged a smile, his body heavy and still.

The herbs had been her idea 'Old elf remedy,' she claimed. Something to help him sleep. Rook had offered to stay in case he had a bad reaction. And he had been planning to sleep, but they had fallen in loose limbs on the pantry floor. Just enjoying each other's proximity and pleasantly lost in deep winding conversation.

It was all very new to him. The imbibing herbs, sure, but moreso, the pleasure of her company.

He liked her voice, the way her Nevarran accent softened and fluttered over words. He liked how easy it was to be near her. Like she had always been there, he just hadn't looked up at the right moment yet.

How the conversation had landed on intimacy, he wasn't sure, but talking with her proved to be a journey led with many delightful detours. But the herbs had taken most of the shame out of him, so he didn't mind.

She propped her head on an elbow, peering down at him good naturedly. Pointing with the two fingers holding the cigarette.

"All that suave and you've been with 'two, maybe two and a half' lovers?" She appraised him, but then seemed to really consider it. To consider him. "Well, I guess you were probably not afforded a lot of private time, huh?"

He tapped the tip of his nose, confirming her. He liked how intuitive she was. Explaining himself was often a shameful exercise. One he was always in fear of failing, somehow.

"Hmm, I mean, I don't have much room to talk." She mused, falling back in a flop. "I'm only experienced from my little impromptu trip from Necropolis." She waved her hand above her head.

"Is that so?" He led.

Keep talking. Talking to us. Talk all night.

Spite's distant, hazy voice demanded. He couldn't even refute it. He wanted the same.

"I mean, for the most part. I'm still not used to all the touching. The living are so warm." She offered the word almost in disgust, and Lucanis couldn't help but laugh. Finding his own hangups not that strange in her disclosure.

"Gloves help." He offered.

"True. But people usually aren't into being fondled with gloves that have handled the dead."

"My gloves are blood-soaked, too, cariño."

The endearment slipped out before he could catch it, but she took it without breaking her stride.

"Oh sure, but the whole assassin thing, it's romantic, no?" Her accent picked up, lilting through words. Setting his foolish heart fluttered under the calm of his limbs.

"Eh, whose to say." She sighed as if he had verbalized his disagreement. "I should let you sleep, anyway."

No! Don't let her leave!

"Goodnight, Lucanakis."

His heart fully shuddered in his chest. Bolting up onto a forearm to pause her gathering her things.

She stared wide-eyed at his sudden intensity, but didn't pull away from it. Appraising him more with curiosity after a moment.

Panic hot in his belly.

Now what, little man? Spite cackled. Tick, tock! She's waiting!

But he was wrong. Cause it was her.

She smiled sweetly, seeing his intention. Sitting cross-legged across from him. Only taking his hand.

Her touch was a shock to his system. Skin cool and rivaling a petal, curling his fingers over hers. Thumb gently grazing his knuckles.

Just that small intimacy was overwhelming. Spite hissed demand after demand in his ear to let him in. But Lucanis narrowed his world to just the sweet of her caressing. Staring at their joined hands in astonishment.

He wondered how she learned this. This tenderness. Was it inherent in her? Was it in him as well, somewhere deep and dormant? Or is this how she touched corpses as they were tended?

The thought sent no disgust through him. He imagined the peace of being still and cracked open down the middle in her care. Her kind hands soothing him on a gurney. No longer there to feel her touch but given softness regardless.

Such a silly thing. To be gentle with a corpse.

He liked her so much.

Oh. Oh no.

His hand reached out tentatively to her knee, watching the appendage as if it was foreign to him. Cupping the curve under his palm. Strong and solid beneath his uncertain grip. Testing that same sweeping of his thumb, looking up to gauge her reaction.

Her lips had fallen in a soft part, hazy eyes seeking his own reaction. Darting over his lips in turn.

She leaned toward him, the air softened in anticipation. A warm and heavy miasma surrounded them. A pocket of the world where only they lived.

His hand trembled on her knee, frozen in place as she drew ever closer. Heart crashing into his ribcage. Eyes darting over every inch of her beautiful face. So near him that he could feel the breath leaving her.

Her hand raised and slid over his cheek. Fingers splaying and holding the tender of him. Pressing her cool balm into the frantic skin.

He nearly whimpered as his eyes closed, leaning his cheek into her palm like a hopeful stray rubbing against a leg. Basking in just one fleeting moment of comfort.

This was more than enough to last him for months. Years, even. Then the plush of her lips slid against his mouth.

He moaned, a small sound. Maker, she felt like lightning. Arcing across him in urgent pulses. His body fired on all cylinders as he gathered her to him, grasping into her sides. Kissing her back with rising fervor.

No, closer. He needed closer.

He crushed his lips into hers, moaning in earnest from deep in his chest. Rising onto knees, pulling her up with him. Smearing his need into her perfect mouth.

Fuck, more. More!

More!

Spite's roar pulled him away. Gasping and reeling back from the animal hunger he hadnt even known had been coiled inside him. Shame flipped in his belly.

But Rook only found his eyes again.

"You okay?"

"It's Spite." He shook his head mournfully.

"I could entertain him for a while, give you a break." She rose back to feet, smiling down at him with her cardigan folded over her arm.

"No!" He shuffled to feet.

Yes! YES!

Spite danced gleefully around her.

She gave a little jump and laughed, feeling him there.

"I have a lot of experience with spirits, Lucanis. All kinds. I'll be okay."

Yes, she's fun! You're never fun!

"Don't go far." He urged in a solemn hush.

"I won't. Get some rest." She smiled as Spite had already started playing with her hair, surely in an effort to annoy her. But she seemed to find it endearing, appraising her invisible tormentor with the teasing scowl you give a misbehaving child.

Spite seemed delighted by this turn of events, fully devoting his attention to her. Following as she left the pantry in a quiet sweep of feet.

Lucanis closed his eyes, settling in a slump against the wall. Alone. Maker, he hadn't been truly alone in so long.

Reverent in the silence.

A gift. A moment of peace.

He leaned his head into his palms. Groaning out through fingers.

"Mierda..."

He really liked her.

~

[funeralhomewifi]

do not go gentle - a rook fanfic

*shakes treat bag* I come baring more Hemlock feels and more Viago/Rook dynamic.

Hemlock decides to try to take the hard way out of the fade regret prison.

warnings: suicidal ideation

There was a certain irony to a girl named Hemlock becoming the ward of the Crow’s most master poisoner. 

Failure. Failure. Failure. 

Forgotten. Forgotten. Forgotten. 

Hemlock could only take so much beratement as she paced through the fade. Each corner presenting her with her worst moments, an endless barrage reminding her how unwanted and unneeded she was. Viago’s endless disappointment. Lucanis avoiding her in the pantry. Varric… Tears prickled her burning eyes… Varric dying. He’d taken a chance on her and Hemlock paid him back in his death. 

She rolled the small vial between her fingers. Hem wasn’t sure what would happen if she died in the fade, but she wasn’t getting out any time soon. She’d screamed, stabbed, dug, stabbed, cried and cried some more…

Hemlock had plucked the poison from Viago’s collection during her last visit.

She was tired. 

Hemlock uncapped the poison. She picked one that would remind her that it was working, one that wouldn’t have an adverse reaction to the poisons she’d built an immunity to. 

Knocking the vial back, the liquid burned as it hit her tongue and slid down her throat. Seconds and it seized her breathing and slithered through her blood system. 

Rook, Rook, Rook… Failure… Disappointment….

Hemlock slid to her knees on the edge of a formless cliff… 

Hem!

Dazed, Hemlock straightened, eyes heavy as she glared into the abyss. 

Open! Hem! Eyes! 

“Spite?” Hemlock slurred, shaking her head. Yeah, she would get haunted after death. 

“Hemlock!” Lucanis and Spite’s graveled voice prickled her ears. “Hem! Rook!”

Cologne and coffee wrapped over her as darkness and light prickled her vision. 

Grab her! That’s Hem! Rook! 

Hemlock was being moved. Why was she moving? Backwards away from the ledge.. No… No…No…

Then Hemlock was in the lighthouse again. Her remaining team hovering over her. 

Lucanis pushed through, “What did…” Spite’s purple eyes took over. “HE DO. TO. OUR! HEM! OURS!” 

“Oh dear.” Emmrich’s soft grasp checked her pulse. “She’s not–”

“POISON,” Spite snapped, sniffing. “POISON. HEM.” SNIFF. 

Emmrich picked up the vial in her fingers. 

“Oh, Hemlock.” Bellara whispered. “The antivenom? Surely she has–”

“MOVE!” Lucanis shook away Spite’s influence and pulled Hemlock into his arms. “The eluvian… We need–”

Hemlock let out a whine of protest before her vision blurred. 

Seconds later, Lucanis fell through the Eluvian into the Cantori Diamond, snapping at Fledgelings gawking and frozen over the Demon of Vyrantium emerging with the Fifth Talon’s favorite protege limp and eerily pale in his arms. 

“Luc–” Teia emerged from the office first. “Did you get… Oh…”

Viago towered after her, jaw tense as he took in the scene. “What did you do?”

Lucanis’s explanation caught in his throat. Hem was growing colder, limper. “POISON! SAD! ANGRY!”

—

“Stop lingering!” Viago snapped at the Fledgelings, he pulled Hemlock from Dellamorte’s arms and carried her to his office. She was so light. “What poison?” 

Teia rifled through the drawer of antivenoms. 

Viago steadied Hemlock’s head from rolling back. Her lips were blue, eyes glazed over, pulse slowing. “Hemlock?” 

No answer, no acknowledgement in her eyes, no snark. 

“This… this was found in her grasp.” 

Viago examined the bright poison, even missing the label… 

“You aren’t getting out of this so easily–” Pushing his fingers to the back of her throat. 

“Vi!” Teia admonished, quickly turning Rook over as a shudder racked through her body before vomiting weakly. “Oh, sweet girl.”

“Hemlock?” Lucanis tried. “Viago—”

“Get out!” Viago snapped, “This is not a Dellamorte issue any longer.”

“I–” 

“Lucca,” Teia murmured. “Go. Go to her room and start the fireplace.”

Viago glared up briefly, tilting an even brighter vial of antivenom into her mouth. “We’ll discuss why you know where her room is later.”

—

Hemlock sluggishly opened her eyes. 

There was a heavy weight on her chest. She was too warm. Too achy. 

A meow invaded her ears. 

“Coco?” It hurt to speak, her voice was raspy. 

The black cat meowed and kneaded her paws on Hemlock’s sore stomach. 

How was she back in the Cantori Diamond? In Treviso? The fade… was the fade… 

Heat bubbled up in her throat and Hemlock launched herself up, puking on the floor before wheezing horribly. Moving made everything worse. 

“What were you thinking, Hemlock?” The darkest corner of the room questioned. Viago leaned into the light, dark circles under his eyes, jaw tense. “Why would you–”

“Viago?” Hemlock squeezed her eyes shut to keep the room from spinning. “Stop.”

Viago moved to sit on the edge of the bed. He swept back her light pink hair stuck to her forehead and Hemlock almost nuzzled his hand. He handed her a cup of water. “You’ve been gone for weeks.”

Hemlock winced as the water tickled her throat and made the fire in her belly worse. “What’s a few weeks on top of a couple years?”

“And you were meant to always come back home. Unpoisoned.”

“Wish it worked,” Hem deadpanned, forcing herself to the edge of the bed. “How did you…” She motioned to the vomit and herself. 

“Because when the Demon of Vyrantium comes into the casino carrying the half-dead body of my favorite–”

Hem scoffed. “I’m no one's favorite, Vi.” 

Viagos's gentle grasp moved to snatch her hair back, baring Hemlock's neck, leaning in close enough that he could rip out her throat. “What have I said about self-depreciation?”

“Right. It’s only valid if it's from you.” Hemlock huffed, deflating. Slowly, Hemlock sunk back down, any fight slinking away as she rested her head on his leg. 

Viago froze, unraveling slowly to comb Hem’s hair back. They hadn’t sat like this since Hemlock was in training, since before Viago being Talon was on the horizon. When she was just the chaotic ward of the de Riva master poisoner who was his little shadow. 

“You need to get back to your team.” Viago managed softly as possible. “Teia has managed to keeo up them from crowding your bed for as long as she can. Specifically Lucanis and his… demon… thing.”

“Right,” Hem sighed, rolling back to stare up at the ceiling. She couldn’t the twinge in her heart that desperately wanted Lucanis at that moment. They hadn’t said everything they wanted before Tearstone Island. Now… “Vi… I don’t know how to continue…” 

“Same way you always have, Hem.” Viago rose, picking up Coco and placing the cat beside Hemlock. “You still have a contract to complete.” 

***

Viago walked Hemlock back to the Eluvian while Teia kept a safe distance. 

“I don’t need an escort,” Hemlock sighed. 

“Do I need to remind you–” 

“Tone,” Teia called from the end of the catwalk. 

“Rook,” Viago scowled. Then amended. “Hemlock, you were gone–”

“Okay, okay.” Hemlock swallowed, “Don’t bust an artery, Vi.” 

Viago pinched the bridge of his nose. “I gave your Crow blades and armor to Lucanis.”

Oh. Hemlock blinked back the potential tears in favor of a wry grin. “I mean, that’s another way to get him in my pants.” 

Before Viago truly did have an aneurysm, Hemlock let out a laugh and went through the Eluvian. 

[sweetbutpsychobutsweet]

I Wasn't Completely Nude

Chapter 2

Thorin Oakenshield x AFAB!Reader

Summary: You and the company are off to reclaim Erebor. But how long will you and Thorin be able to last until you're back at each other's throats?

Warnings: angst, implied sex work, no use of y/n

author's note: I already wrote the first 8-9 chapters of this series so there will be a lot of frequent updates while I'm editing those!

Word count: 1506

The sun has barely started to rise over the hills of the shire when you are awoken by a gentle shake to your shoulder.

 “Rise and shine, lass,” Dwalin’s voice pulls you further from sleep.

You groan and pull the blanket over your head. Your head is pounding from the ale and you’d love nothing better to slip into a death-like sleep for at least another week. 

Unfortunately, the leader of your company has other plans for you.

“If you aren’t ready in the next five minutes we’re leaving without you,” Thorin calls.

You peek your head out from under the blanket to see him packing his things back into his bag. “Everyone else is already up,” he glares at you.

You shove the blanket onto the floor and reach your arms up overhead in a good morning stretch. “Yeah well, not everyone else drank their entire body weight in alcohol last night.” 

“No one asked you to do that,” he reminds you with a grunt.

“Well if you’re going to spend the entire journey to Erebor talking down to me like that, I think I’m going to need a lot more alcohol in my system.”

“If you’re going to have a problem with being under my command, you are more than welcome to stay behind with Master Baggins.” He reminds you. 

You push yourself to your feet ready to tell him exactly what he can do with his command, when Balin appears between the two of you before you can continue. 

“Honestly you two, we haven’t even stepped foot on the road yet and you’re already at each other’s throats!” Balin redirects Thorin’s attention to going over the map again in the dining room before you can continue bickering.

You let out a huff of annoyance as you stomp off to the spare room to change clothes. 

You are determined to not let Thorin’s presence distract you from the excitement of being able to wear pants again. Of course, your mother never let you wear anything other than dresses growing up, and although your dwarven blood has always drawn you to all things sparkly and beautiful, you have always been a warrior at heart.

Fighting in a dress, while not impossible, is both impractical and extremely frustrating. When you aren’t working or traveling you try and wear them as often as you can. Traveling as a woman wearing anything other than a dress and corset attracts too much unwanted attention to make the freedom of movement worth it. 

But you figured traveling with a company of 13 dwarves and a wizard was already going to make you stick out, so you might as well be dressed for the fights that will inevitably be waiting for you.

You sigh in relief as you finish unlacing the corset, slipping it and your dress into your pack for now. You replace it with a form-fitting pair of trousers, a flowy blouse, and some comfortable riding boots. You decide to let your hair hang down around your shoulders for now, the braided strands by your face keeping it out of the way enough for now. 

There are still a few hunks of bread and fruit left in the pantry for you to munch on while gathering up the last of your things from the hobbit’s home. You regret that you aren’t able to thank your host before stepping out the front door but after last night's excitement and the early hour, he must be dead asleep.

Your pony, Onyx, is waiting for you outside, whimpering happily when she sees you approaching. You whisper sweetly to her as you stroke her mane, letting her nibble on some of the fruit you set aside for her.

She is a beautiful creature, with a strong frame and hair as dark as the night. If it weren’t for her small stature and sweet disposition you’d think she had galloped right out of hell’s gate. You pat her side affectionately as you start securing your things to her saddle. 

You feel a pair of eyes on you and you turn slightly to look over your shoulder at Thorin, who is openly staring at the curve of your rear in the pants.

He abruptly turns away when he sees that you’ve caught him staring. And it suddenly occurs to you how long it’s been since he’s seen you in pants, since the battle at Moria, where his grandfather, your King, Thror, was lost. But even then you had been wearing heavy layers of Dwarvan armor. Unlike now, where only a few layers of fabric cling to your form, revealing the silhouette of your curves.

You slowly bend over at the waist, pretending to fix the laces on your boot with a wicked smile on your face. You could swear you hear his jaw clenching behind you. It would seem you’ve found a way to pass the time on the road. 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Despite the nip in the air, you decide to forego wearing a cloak. Preferring instead to feel the air whispering against your skin and running through your hair. Even as the rain starts pouring down above you, you ride on. Despite the fact, that your white blouse is now completely soaked through, revealing your chemise underneath.

The other dwarves are very polite about it, if they notice they don’t stare or draw any attention to the amount of skin you now have on display. The same can’t be said of your leader.

You feel a heavy cloak gently come to rest on your shoulders and you turn to see Thorin has moved ahead to ride beside you.

“I’m fine, thank you,” you say, pulling the warm furs off of you and handing them back to him.

“That wasn’t a request,” he replies curtly. Tossing the cloak back to you, more assertively this time. “I won’t have you catching cold and slowing down the entire company.”

You roll your eyes in annoyance and toss it back to him. “I appreciate your concern,” you reply, voice dripping with sarcasm, “but I’ll be fine, I don’t mind the rain.”

He grunts and picks up the cloak again. “If you try and hand that to me one more time I’m going to let it fall in the mud,” you warn him. 

He believes you, of course, but isn’t ready to let it go. He growls your name in a low warning. You keep your eyes directly on the road ahead, pretending to be completely oblivious to his frustration.

“I can see your underclothes,” he whispers as if you didn’t already know. You shrug your shoulders nonchalantly. Giving Onyx a gentle kick to pick up the pace, but Thorin stays right alongside you.

“I can see your breasts,” he elaborates. Again you shrug, and that only seems to irritate him more. 

“Just be glad I’m not making you pay for it, how do you think I made a living all these years?” you tell him with a wink. He looks at you in confusion for a moment, before it all clicks. 

“Did you? Are you a?” you laugh at the panic in his eyes.

“Oh relax, it’s not what you think. I was just a dancer. I kept my clothes on. Most of them anyways…” The legendary Thorin Oakenshield is left speechless as he stares at you with eyes wide, before narrowing them at you in annoyance.

“I went to great lengths to ensure you wouldn’t ever have to do anything like that. And you’re telling me you just threw it all away to dance naked in front of countless men for money?” you scoff at his accusation. It’s true that he secured you a respectable job in a quiet town and a long term room at an inn, but only so he could leave you behind to continue on with the rest of your kin. With a few halfhearted excuses and harsh words he turned his back on you when you needed him the most. He had been your closet friend, the one person you trusted most in all of middle earth and he let his pride get the better of him. All you had left after you watched him ride off towards the blue mountains that day, was a heavy grief and a burning anger that has never fully extinguished. 

“Were you even listening? I said I wasn’t completely nude. And don’t pretend like you made some big sacrifice for my benefit. You went to those great lengths just so you wouldn’t have to put up with me anymore.” you snap.

You wait for him to counter with a jab of his own but it never comes. 

When you look over at him he’s looking back at you with a sad look on his face.

“Is that what you think?” he asks in a low whisper, “ that I was trying to get rid of you?”

You force yourself to look away from him. And this time when you urge Onyx further ahead of him, he lets you go.

Next Chapter

[kyywritess]

CHAPTER 3: KNOW ITS FOR THE BETTER

pairing: aged up!katsuki bakugo x fem!reader

summary: After six intense years in Japan, YN LN has firmly established herself as a renowned gym owner. She's known by many pros for her charm, strength, and boxing abilities. She has a strong support system and amazing friends... her life in Japan was everything she dreamed it would be.

But everything changes one fateful night when a mysterious package appears on her doorstep. No note, no return address—just a plain box wrapped with a single pearly pink ribbon. As she unravels the contents of the box, she’s drawn into a dark, twisted mystery that seems to reach deep into her own past—a past she thought she had buried when she left her old life behind.

wc: 1.8k

an: This is basically a continuation from the last chapter, but I was already 5k words in so I figured I should split it up. The past two chapters were essentially intro chapters, just to help put a few things into perspective. This chapter is where things really start to begin.

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The sound of your phone buzzing on the coffee table pulled you from the haze of sleep. Your head throbbed, a dull, insistent ache that made you wince as you tried to sit up. The world tilted slightly, and you pressed a hand to your temple, feeling the faint stickiness of dried blood beneath your fingers. It took a moment for the events of the night before to filter back in—the pantry, the fall, and then…Bakugo.

Your eyes flicked to the neatly folded note propped against an ice pack, the bold, familiar scrawl of Bakugo’s handwriting catching your attention. You reached for it, unfolding it carefully as if the paper might somehow carry the weight of his presence.

Call me the minute you wake up.

A small smile tugged at the corner of your lips despite the lingering pain. He wasn’t one for sentimentality, but the message spoke volumes in its simplicity. Just below, another line caught your eye, and your heart gave an unexpected lurch.

I’m not always gonna be around, so don't go falling again. 

You stared at the words, your chest tightening. For someone like Bakugo, who rarely voiced his feelings outright, this was the equivalent of shouting from the rooftops. It was equal parts comforting and unsettling, a reminder that he was only a friend. 

The phone buzzed again, dragging you out of your thoughts. The screen lit up with Bakugo’s name. You hesitated for a moment before answering, the roughness of his voice filling the silence before you could even get a word in.

“Took you long enough,” he muttered, the usual gruffness tinged with something softer. “How’s your head?”

“Still attached,” you replied, trying for levity. “Thanks for the note. And the ice pack.”

There was a pause, just long enough for you to picture him on the other end, probably leaning against some random alley wall mid-patrol.

“Yeah, well,” he said, his tone dropping into something more serious. “Don’t scare me like that again, got it?”

You blinked, caught off guard by the unexpected softness in Bakugo’s tone.

“Don’t get soft on me now, Bakugo,” you teased, trying to lighten the mood.

“Katsuki,” he corrected, his voice firm but quieter now.

“What?”

“Stop calling me that stupid shit,” he muttered. “I’ve known you for five years. It’s Katsuki.”

You hesitated for a second, the weight of his words sinking in. “Okay…Katsuki,” you said, testing the sound of it on your tongue.

He’d be lying if he said hearing you say his name didn’t do something to him. The way it rolled off your tongue so naturally, so sweetly—it sent a rush of warmth through him, a flutter in his chest that he’d never admit to. He cleared his throat, forcing himself to focus.

Before he could say anything, you spoke again, your voice softer this time. “I’m sorry I scared you. I forgot to eat breakfast, and I think I just got dizzy.”

It was a lie, and you both knew it. The pause on the other end of the line told you as much, but he didn’t call you out on it. Instead, he let out a low grunt.

“Stop skipping breakfast,” he said, his tone gruff but tinged with concern. “Can’t have my favorite training partner weak.”

The line fell into a quiet lull, the kind of silence that wasn’t awkward but heavy with unspoken words. Lately, something has been shifting between you. There was a strange, charged energy in the air whenever you were around him, something that neither of you could quite name.

You and Bakugo had always been close—everyone knew that. Your bond was solid, built on years of trust. But it had always stayed firmly in the realm of friendship, never crossing the invisible line that separated friends from something more. Or so you thought.

But now, your mind couldn’t stop replaying the way he’d cradled you earlier, the tension in his arms as he carried you like you were the most fragile thing in the world. The way his hands, so often rough and unyielding, had been soft as they tended to your injury. And the way his voice, usually sharp and biting, had softened when he spoke to you.

You shook the thoughts away. Your mind was playing tricks on you. Falling for Katsuki Bakugo was a dangerous idea, one that could only end badly—for both of you. It was better to leave things as they were.

“You still there?” his voice cut through your thoughts, pulling you back to the present.

“Yeah,” you said, your voice barely above a whisper. “Just thinking.”

“Get some rest,” he said after a moment. “I’ll check on you later.”

“Okay,” you replied, a small smile tugging at your lips. “Bye, Katsuki.”

You ended the call before he could respond, the familiar anxiety creeping back into your chest. You couldn’t afford to think about him right now, not when there were bigger issues at hand—like your quirk. What had happened earlier wasn’t normal, and the way it had activated on its own left you shaken.

You pushed yourself off the couch, the pounding in your head intensifying with every step. It felt as though your skull was caught in a vise, the pressure building with each movement. You stumbled slightly, catching yourself on the edge of the couch before making your way toward the bathroom.

The cool tile beneath your feet was a stark contrast to the heat radiating from your skin. Flicking on the light, you winced as the harsh glow illuminated your reflection in the mirror. The sight wasn’t pretty—a faint trail of dried blood ran from your temple, cutting through the pale sheen of your skin. Dark circles hung under your eyes, making you look more like a ghost than yourself.

You gripped the edge of the sink, steadying your shaky hands as you splashed cold water on your face. The shock of it jolted you slightly, but it did little to chase away the lingering unease. Your thoughts drifted back to earlier—standing in the kitchen, the box of noodles at your feet, and then...the fall. But it wasn’t the fall that unsettled you most. It was what came before.

Your quirk had activated on its own.

The memory sent a chill down your spine. It wasn’t like before, when you had control. This time, it had felt alive, like it had a mind of its own, surging forward without your consent. You didn’t know what triggered it or why it left you feeling so drained. But one thing was certain—this wasn’t normal.

A sharp, deliberate knock shattered the fragile silence, slicing through your thoughts like a blade. You froze, heart pounding, your breath caught in your throat. No one was supposed to be here.

You moved cautiously toward the front door, your steps slow and soundless. Peering through the peephole, you saw nothing. Not a shadow. Not a flicker of movement.

Unease prickled at the back of your neck as you unlocked the door and opened it just enough to glance outside. There, on the doorstep, sat a package—a plain white box, tied with a delicate ribbon of pearly pink. Its quiet elegance felt out of place, an unassuming presence that carried an ominous weight.

You hesitated, the stillness around you deepening as your gaze locked on the box. Time seemed to stretch, your instincts screaming that something wasn’t right.

Taking a slow breath, you knelt and picked it up, its weight deceptively light. You brought it inside, closing the door with a quiet finality.

The package now sat on your kitchen table, an unwelcome guest in your home. You circled it warily, your mind racing. It wasn’t unusual for gym members or grateful parents to leave tokens of appreciation—a box of cookies, a heartfelt note. But this felt different. Too personal. Too precise.

You forced yourself to sit, hands hovering over the box. The ribbon was pristine, tied with a meticulousness that made your skin crawl. There was no card, no return address, no sign of who had left it.

With a deliberate tug, you pulled the ribbon free. It fell away soundlessly, a soft coil of silk on the table. You lifted the lid, your breath catching as the contents revealed themselves.

A single orange lily rested inside, its pink-tipped petals vivid and perfectly preserved. The sight was arresting, almost hypnotic in its beauty. But a cold shiver ran down your spine.

To most, a lily was a symbol of purity, love, or renewal. But to you, it was none of those things.

To you, it was a harbinger of the past you’d worked so hard to bury.

Your stomach churned as memories clawed their way to the surface. The scent of lilies had clung to the air on that day. The day your life had shattered. The day you swore you’d never look back.

Your fingers curled around the edge of the table, gripping it tightly as the room seemed to close in around you. This wasn’t a coincidence. It wasn’t a thoughtful gesture.

It was a message.

Your quirk hummed beneath your skin, a low, warning vibration. Heat prickled at your fingertips, and you clenched your jaw, trying to wrestle your emotions under control.

“Not now,” you muttered, and with surprise, the tingling subsided, your quirk retreating to dormancy.

But the unease refused to dissipate. Your eyes moved to your phone, sitting on the counter. You knew what you had to do. With trembling hands, you picked it up, scrolling through your contacts until you landed on a name you hadn’t dialed in years.

Your thumb hovered for a moment, but the weight of the flower and its silent threat pressed down on you.

You tapped the name.

The phone rang once, twice. Each ring seemed to stretch into eternity, the anticipation twisting your nerves tighter and tighter. Finally, the line clicked, and a voice you hadn’t heard in years answered. It was low, steady, and sharp with recognition.

“I was hoping you’d never call.”

You swallowed hard, your throat dry. “He’s back,” you said, your voice barely above a whisper. “And he knows where I am.”

A tense silence stretched between you, the gravity of your words sinking in. Finally, the voice on the other end spoke, calm but charged with urgency.

“I'm on my way.”