#save me the pain por favor

[minafeu]

Hi! I’m a day or two late but I wanted to give my opinion RE: shipping Tubbo. I did my best to make sure I don’t sound mean/critical but I apologize if I do come across that way.

I think the most important thing for any sort of shipping and something that’s kind of been in place since the dawn of shipping but especially in early mcyt shipping (as someone who was there!) was to keep it AWAY from creators. If that meant using unique tags, keeping it on sites they’re not on, etc. that’s how it’s done. Not that it didn’t happen once in awhile but generally it was considered extremely rude to ask a creator’s boundaries about this sort of thing up until relatively recently, as it meant they were being forced to discuss something they may not even want to be thinking about. The blending of community and creator and so many young creators (many of whom were IN fandom spaces!) have kind of colored that a bit and made it a bit murky, but that used to be the general consensus. However, Tubbo has seemed to relax a bit about some of the shipping now that he’s an adult seeking his own relationships and not a kid, and sort of implied he scrolls past if he sees it. I’m sure a proper tubbling could provide more links of what he prefers, though.

On the age gap thing, while it CAN be a red flag, there are plenty of healthy, wonderfully functional relationships between 20 and 30 years olds. NOT TO SAY THATS ALWAYS THE CASE! There are plenty who use that age gap to leverage power over the other party. However, two consenting adults who have a lot in common or have built a trusting relationship can result in a perfectly healthy, functional relationship. I understand the caution, I really do, and that caution is good! But trust that relationships come in all shapes and sizes and are just as messy as other parts of life.

Again, just my thoughts and you’re free to disagree with my points. You’re also totally free to block the Tubbo shipping tags, and filter it from your ao3 search. I also hope I don’t sound rude or critical, and if I do I’m really sorry. Have a great day!

Thank you for your explanation and I just checked tubbos boundaries and he has expressed discomfort with shipping outside of what he has made personally canon along with not enjoying nsfw/shipping fanfiction. He hasn't expressly state that he doesn't want it to happen as he knows people will write it either way but he is uncomfortable with it.

Also, the whole age gap thing stems from my parents having a 6 year age gap and it being entirely awful for both of them. I understand it can be good but 30 year olds and 20 year olds are in differnt parts of their lives and that disconnect can make it hard to have a good relationship with someone. Along with people who write age gaps can sometimes write age gaps weirdly(or I may just have trauma from being an aphmau fan haha)

I can't simply block the tubbo shipping tag on tumblr(where I look at most content) as it'll still show up because people can sometimes slip stuff like that in sub consciously and not tag it.

Again, thank you for writing that all you didnt sound rude or critical it was very kind and understanding and simply an explanation. I just am mainly concerned with the heavy shipping that seems to happen in this fandom and the disregard for the basic decency of not just shipping everyone with everyone especially when the banter is typically seen within their other friendships and outside canon interactions(I forgot to mention in my last post how it was typical for sbi to flirt just like tubbo with others and it just seems as a tubbling for a few years now that its what he does when hes comfortable with someone.)

[zer0pm]

Imagine Luis using the communicator to call you. Constantly.

“Luis? What’s your status?”

“No bueno, my friend. I’m in a lot of pain.”

Your head immediately snaps up at attention to these words. Leon, who answered the call as the device was on his person, shares your look of alarm and nods in understanding to prepare to come to the Spaniard’s aid.

“Where are you?” Leon inquires, maneuvering the communicator between you two so that you can listen in as well. “How serious are your injuries?”

The man on the other line groans, “I’d say pretty serious. Severe, even.”

Filled with worry, you were about to join the line of questioning until his voice cuts you off before you could utter a sound.

“After all… how does one recover from a lonely heart?”

Leon squints, “…What?”

“I am separated from my light- mi luz! Forced to wander these terrifying, dark corridors alone without any source of warmth and comfort!” In the tiny screen, you can see the man waving his arms around with an exaggerated pout on his face. He looked like he was rehearsing a scene of a play or something. Luis notices your face on his end and smiles widely before releasing an over-the-top gasp and calling you by name. “¿Dónde estás, mi luz? I am suffering without you.”

You pinch the bridge of your nose, doing your best to choke down the laugh that was threatening to erupt from your chest. Before reuniting with Leon S. Kennedy, your partner in the mission to retrieve Ashley Graham, you were running around the village with Luis Serra, a man you happened to come across while fighting hordes of infected villagers. Initially, you were suspicious of him, but he proved himself to be a man of good character, chivalrously watching your back and using his intimate knowledge of the area and the terrors that creep within to navigate you both through multiple dangerous encounters.

You and he became close quickly, forging a strong bond during your time together, made easy with the man’s charisma and light-hearted nature. Even in the constant face of danger, Luis would twist the dark ambiance to his playful tune, often making you the muse of his antics if not for the sole purpose to tease a smile upon your face. So what he was doing now was not at all surprising, but the confused and incredulous look upon Leon��s face was priceless.

Just as you were going to point out that it hasn’t at all been that long since you two have separated ways so that you can help Leon relocate Ashley, the blond agent beside you drops the call with a push of a button. He then throws an inquisitive glare your way.

“What?” you ask.

“Do I dare even ask what the hell that was?” Leon shoots back.

You ponder his question for a moment before answering, “Honestly, it’d save you the headache if you didn’t.”

With that, Leon drops the conversation with a sigh before taking the lead to move on. Little did you both know, it wouldn’t be the last time Luis would call.

The second time he calls, he asks how you and Leon were progressing. And just like the first time, Leon answers, reporting that you were busy cracking at a difficult door puzzle while he kept watch.

“Whoever designed this castle was a real asshole,” the agent comments.

“Agreed,” you sigh. “And whoever took the time to reset these puzzles is an even bigger asshole.”

Luis’ voice chimes in through the static. “Perhaps I can be of some assistance? I am a brilliant man, afterall. Let me have a look, por favor.”

Thinking nothing of it, Leon walks over and faces the screen of the comm to you and the door so that Luis can see what you are working on from behind before you reset the puzzle. You then explain how you got stuck and your theories on what the possible solutions could be. While doing so, Luis hums after each pause, his face showing that of absolute concentration. After you finished and a moment of considerable silence passes, you engage him.

“Well?” you ask. “Any thoughts?”

Luis lifts his hand from his stubbled chin, “Just one.” He points at you, his voice lowers to a husky growl.

“You look particularly ravishing from this angle.”

You were grateful that Leon hung up before Luis can see the blush burning hot on your cheeks. After some time, you managed to solve the puzzle and proceed with the mission although Leon was none too happy with the Spanish man for wasting both of your times.

The third time the communication device goes off, you offer to take it from Leon.

“It’s probably him again. Why don’t I handle this one?”

“No,” he denies, shaking his head. “I still don’t trust him and you don’t need the distraction.”

Instead of being offended at your partner practically casting your professionalism into doubt, you reason with him. “C’mon, Leon. It could be serious this time.”

“Highly doubt it.”

However, more time passes and the device is still beeping. The sound echoes off the walls in taunting pings to the gnawing point where it was practically imprinted into your brains. When Leon couldn’t handle it anymore, he sighs in defeat and pushes the button. Again, he doesn’t hand it to you and greets the dark-haired man himself with an irritated frown.

“This better be good.”

“Depends on your definition of “good”, mi compadre.” Luis too wore a grimace, his voice void of his usual humor. “I’ve relocated one of my hidden caches and uncovered the suppressants you will both need to slow the growth of the plaga within your bodies.”

“Well, damn. That sounds like great news to me.” A wave of relief washes over Leon’s face, probably because Luis finally shared something worthwhile. “So what’s the catch, then?”

“Catch is- there are two different kinds of doses. One dose is a simple needle injection. That will be for you, Leon. Pero, the other…” he trails off, eyes casted with a faraway look while the adam’s apple in his throat bobs. Whatever was on his mind seems difficult to swallow let alone speak aloud.

Curiosity evident in Leon’s expression, he prods him further. “What is it, Luis? Is the other dose dangerous to administer?”

“It can be. The application process has a high probability of being rather intensive. For both the receiver and the administrator.”

You join in, “What do you mean?”

It was only until the words left your mouth did you realize what you just waltzed into.

Upon hearing your words, Luis’ expression changes like day and night, the somber frown flipping into a mischievous smirk. “It is nothing you can’t handle, mi amor. I’m certain. Only that it requires you and I to exchange bodily fluids in-“

Never before have you seen Leon hang up so fast, his hand covering his beet red face. You couldn’t tell if it was out of embarrassment, disgust, or fury for falling for the Spaniard’s antics once again and concluded that it was all at once.

“Let’s… ugh… Let’s just keep going.”

You didn’t put up a fight at the order, fighting off your own set of emotions that stirred from Luis’ shameless teasing. However, not even five steps were taken and the walkie talkie beeps. Leon was livid.

“For fuck’s sake, what now?!”

“Catch you at a bad time, Leon?” A deadpan feminine voice comes through the comms and you swear Leon turned several shades paler.

Leon’s “informant” tipped you off on Ashley’s last sighting and you two wasted no time moving to catch up to her. After fighting another wave of plaga, tensions were running high. So when you two were rushing to navigate around the courtyard, the communicator goes off once more and that became the last straw for Leon. Already fuming, he waited to see the Spaniard’s face on the device before verbally popping off.

“Luis, I swear to god. If the reason you’re calling is to talk about how miserable and lonely you are or make some dumb comment on a certain someone’s assets, I am going to literally throw this walkie talkie off the ramparts,” Leon snarled, his frustration unrestrained. “So I dare you, Luis, I fucking dare you to speak. And it better be god damn important!”

For a moment there was only white noise, then a familiar thick accent finally comes through.

“… I was going to say that I can see you two across the courtyard,” the man reports candidly, “and there’s a swarm of monsters coming in at your three o’clock.”

Sure enough, a horde of giant mutated insects were zooming towards you and Leon. Amidst the countless gunshots and death cries of your enemies, you can hear your fellow agent beside you cursing colorfully to the high heavens as well as the sound of hysterical laughter further in the distance.

When it was all over, the communicator was beeping again. Leon didn’t even bother answering. Instead, he tosses the device over to you without so much as a word or making eye contact. The brief exchange almost made you laugh as you press the button and are greeted by a familiar handsome face whose grey eyes lit up instantly at the sight of you.

“I think you broke the poor man,” you say with an amused, pointed look.

The expression you see in the tiny screen was that of feigned innocent confusion. “¿Perdon? Whatever do you mean? I thought I did my due diligence in warning you two of imminent danger.”

Your ears pick up an irritated groan followed by harsh stomps moving away from your position. You can practically imagine smoke coming out of the blond’s ears as he created distance, muttering an excuse that he is going to check the perimeter. If not for your respect for the man, you would have rolled over laughing.

Shaking your head, you return your attention back to cause of your partner’s grief. “Alright. Now that’s it just the two of us. What did you really want to say to me, Luis?”

“Nada,” the Spanish man shrugs, throwing you his signature charming grin. “Just wanted to hear your voice.”

[samkerrworshipper]

massage therapy | mapi leon x reader

mapi gets injured… reader tries to resolve some of the tension in her body

warnings: injury, hurt/comfort, smut, cunnilingus, fingering

“Maps, baby, I swear to dios just let me massage your knee, I have to, hermosa.”

María just glares at you from her position sitting on the couch.

She’s been next to unbearable ever since her meniscus injury, rightfully so, you would be two if you had no choice but to stop playing the sport that you loved for months.

But the whining, the wayward glares, the constant anger and tension is beginning to get to you, beyond it making you annoyed at your lover, you were worried about her more than anything.

Mapí had her fair share of mental health problems in the past, the two of you had gotten through them together, but whenever something like an injury arose it always seemed to signify the start of a rougher patch in her mental health.

So that had been your main focus, making sure that María’s mental health stayed intact, you thought you’d done a fairly good job, mentally she was doing well, but attitude wise she was acting like a little bitch.

Always snappy and critical, always annoyed about her lack of mobility, always refusing your help.

Alexia had attempted multiple times to reign her in on your behalf, the Catalan woman had practically moved in as soon as the news of the injury had come in, insistent on being a support system for her best friend, but it worked to no prevail, Mapí was angry with the world, with her knee, with everything that moved or breathed.

“Estoy bien.” I’m fine

Her words are forced out, gruff and croaky from her spot on the couch.

You’re pretty sure there is a half permanent Mapí shaped dent in the pillows that your girlfriend had been living in the last week or so, ever since her surgery.

“María, when are you going to stop being so stubborn and just accept my help?”

For a person who had some fairly serious surgery just over a week ago, Mapi was a menace, trying to do everything on her own, which was fairly hard when you were hopped up on pain meds and hardly mobile.

“Estoy bien, ni siquiera estoy adolorida.” I’m fine, I’m not even sore.

It’s a complete lie, Mapí’s been moaning and groaning for the last half hour as she tried to find a comfortable position amongst the pillows and blankets.

She’s practically crafted a nest on the couch, a big pile of blankets absorbing her completely.

“María, por favor.” Maria, please

Your use of Spanish seems to draw her attention, it’s not your first, or second language, you don’t speak it very often.

Both you and María understand each other's languages, just find it harder to speak them, so it just works that you normally speak in English and she normally speaks in Spanish, it saves either of you from having to awkwardly translate all of your words every time you want to talk with your girlfriend.

“Pequeña, estoy bien.” little one, I’m fine

Estoy bien seems to be at the forefront of Mapí’s vocabulary recently, it’s always I’m fine, even when she’s lying through gritted teeth and teary eyes.

You stand up from your spot sitting at the kitchen table, tiptoeing towards Mapí slowly, a deep frown set on your face.

Mapí’s watching some Spanish soap opera, something you're unfamiliar with, which makes it seem like it's more background noise for her than anything of interest.

You walk around the couch, until you’re standing in front of her, blocking her view of the tv so she’s forced to look at you.

“You can’t tell me your knee isn’t killing, the physio said it needed to be stimulated daily, let me help you, love.”

Mapí bites down on her lip, there is so much frustration playing across her face, so much anguish.

“Estoy bien.” i’m fine

It’s like being repetitively punched in the face, hearing the same two words fall from her lips, it’s incredibly aggravating, all consuming.

“María, you aren’t fine, hate me all you want, push me away, but give me the respect of not lying blatantly to my face over and over again.”

Mapi’s whole body tenses, her face scrunching up at your brutally honest words.

“Princesa, no es así.” princess, it’s not like that

You don’t give up, not when you know that this might just be your opportunity to get something back, anything at all.

“Maps, just a massage, we’ll go at your pace, your muscles need to be strengthened and that starts with loosening them up, por favor.”

María’s face is stubborn, unmoving.

She’s fairly good about recovery, doesn’t need any reminders to do her exercises or move her knee as often as it needs to, the massaging is the only thing she can’t do by herself, and because its Mapí that you’re talking about, she’d never ask you to help her with it, or accept a offer from you to help her.

You take her recovery seriously though, and you’ll be damned if she misses out on a crucial part of her recovery just because she is too bullheaded to ask for some goddamn help.

“No necesito ayuda.” I don’t need help

You scoff, it’s the biggest lie ever, Mapí can’t walk without crutches, can’t stand for much longer than a minute, she needs help with almost everything.

“Maps, I love you so much, no matter what, but this whole independence thing is just getting annoying. I’ll make you prawn paella for dinner if you let me give you a massage, how’s that for a deal?”

It’s Mapí’s weakness, you know it, it’s one of her mothers oldest recipes that she taught you when she was still alive, whenever Mapí’s having a particularly hard day it’s always your go to, it’s her comfort food.

“Promesa?” promise?

You nod your head, smiling to yourself as you realise that you’ve managed to somehow convince Mapí.

“I promise, I’m going to go and get the massage oil, can you try and take off your sweatpants for me, please, love?”

Mapí nods at you, a little smile teasing at the corners of her lips as she watches you walk off into the direction of the cupboard where the both of you keep all of your recovery related items.

You were quick to find the oil and creams that you required, returning back to Mapí to find her sitting on the couch, her sweatpants pushed to the side leaving her in just her boxer shorts.

Her knee was the only part of her legs that weren’t visible to you, hidden by a brace and plethora of bandages and gauze.

You perched yourself down on the pillows beside her knee, ditching the items in your hands and gently reaching for Mapí’s brace.

She flinched away from the contact, her knee jerking at the feeling.

“Maps, baby, just relax for me, yeah?”

She nodded, her teeth gritted, her eyes watching your every move around her knee, trying to gulp down her worries and discomfort that originated from places beyond her knee.

Once she’d relaxed a little bit more, you reached for her brace again, she still flinched, but it wasn’t as major, and you decided to continue, reaching for the velcro, exaggerating your movements so Mapí had a clear view of everything you were doing.

Once you’d managed to undo the velcro straps you gently un tightened it and then slid it down her leg, leaving gauze and bandages as the only thing covering it.

“Deep breaths Maps, if anything hurts or feels uncomfortable just tell me, sí?”

Mapi nodded at you, she looked like a woman who had just run a marathon, her face all scrunched up and red.

“Sí, gentil, por favor.” Yes, gentle, please

You smiled at her, nodding, like you’d ever be anything else.

“Sí, I’ll be gentle, how about I tell you what I’m going to do before I do it, just so you have some warning, would that make you feel a bit better, love?”

Mapi nods like your words are her saving grace.

“Okay, I’m just going to unwrap the bandages now, just let me know if anything hurts.”

Mapí nods her head, so you continue on, finding the tucked in part of the bandages and beginning to unwrap them, your touch and movements feather soft.

You flex her knee a little bit and notice how her face crunches up a little bit, you hate that she’s in pain, that something that should be so simple and basic for her has become a struggle.

She doesn’t tell you to stop though, so you continue, slowly unravelling the gauze and bandages until you are met with the sight of her bruised and swollen knee.

The stitches had been removed two days ago, so the scar is risen and red, but luckily, not infected.

You notice how Mapí’s eyes suddenly drift from her knee, you know she’s been struggling to come to terms with her injury, that she’s been denying it as much as one could.

“Maps, I’m going to apply some oil, I’m just going to start with your lower leg, nothing near your incision, just tell me if anything is uncomfortable, okay?”

Mapí nods, so you reach for the oil bottle and a towel, gently lifting her knee to slide the towel under her near and then dripping some of the oil onto your hands and then gently pressing them to Mapi’s shin, snaking your hands behind to her calf and working your fingers into her muscles.

The only thing you know is that she’s extremely tight, her calf and achilles practically pushing against you as you lightly apply pressure to the skin.

It takes a generous amount of time working up her calf, working out all the kinks and knots, María is lenient enough though, she looks like she’s in a different place, normally you’d probe her, check if she was okay, but you know that you’re winning right now by having her allow your to do this, so you count your wins and not your losses.

“Maps, baby, I’m working up to your knee and incision now, I know it's going to be uncomfy but the muscles need to be jostled, tell me if anything hurts, okay.”

María’s eyes are glossed over, but she nods absentmindedly.

So, you daintily and carefully begin the trek up to Maria’s knee, your fingers dancing around her non incision side, gently giving the tissue and muscle a rub before moving your fingers to the other side.

You start by just hovering your fingers over her scar, something that seems to capture her attention, and has her throat bobbing as she looks down at you with wide eyes.

“Maps, honey, talk to me.”

It’s clear there are words waiting on the tip of her tongue, and if you can get her to voice them that you will.

“Por favor.” please

It breaks your heart how vulnerable Mapí sounds, it truly does.

“Please, what, love? I’m going to need more than that.”

Mapí pushes her tongue out against her front lip, a fairly clear tell that something is turning the cogs in her head.

“Por favor, no me hagas daño.” Please, don’t hurt me

Your heart clenches at her words, your fingers removing themselves from the scar and gently resting down on her thigh, your palm flat and open against Mapí’s skin.

“María, I’m not going to hurt you, and definitely not on purpose, I’m trying to help you. I know it might not seem that way, but if you relax for me it’s definitely going to feel better.”

Mapí scoffs, sarcasm seemingly ready on the top of her tongue.

“Maps, you need to relax honey.”

Mapí’s face scrunches up, her nose and eyebrows furrowing together.

“No puedo.” I can’t

You don’t doubt Mapí, which makes it so much harder for you to reply to her, because she genuinely looks like she’s struggling, and somehow frustrated.

“Maps, honey, why so tense?”

There’s an inkling of an idea beginning to form in your head, but you don’t want to read this wrong, and a part of you wants to hear what Mapí has to say.

“Tus manos están en mi muslo.” Your hands on my thigh

You snort a little bit, but then reign yourself in when you see the unfamiliar hopelessness on María’s face.

“Yes it is, what’s your point?”

You're toying with her a little bit, for your own fun and genuine curiosity.

“No puedes poner tu mano ahí.” You can’t put your hand there.

If Mapi wasn’t whining at you, you would remove your hand, but there’s neediness hiding behind her tone, that leaves your hand exactly where it is.

“Why not?”

You cock your head at her, pushing down into her thigh a bit and choking on air when an almost breathy moan leaves her mouth.

“No cuando no puedes terminar lo que estás empezando.” Not when you can’t finish what you are starting.

You smirked up at her from your spot hovering between her sore knee resting on the couch and her good leg which is resting off the couch.

“Why can’t I finish it?”

This is uncharted waters with injured María, ever since her knee injury all bedroom activities had been abruptly stopped, you were terrified of hurting your lover and Mapí was always tired or grumpy so it hadn’t really been an issues.

It was clear though, that the both of you were apparently desperate, and as fearful you were of hurting Mapi, you also knew she had given a lot of herself to be this vulnerable with you, so she probably deserved some kind of reward.

“Princesa.”

Mapi’s whining again and all you can do is smile up at her.

“Usted no quieres?” You do not want?

Mapi shook her head, her deep brown eyes sparkling down at you.

“Por favor.” please

You knew that was permission enough, but you were enjoying seeing her slightly vulnerable.

“Please, what?”

María’s almost glaring, a little twinkle in the corner of her eye.

“Por favor, ayúdame.” Please, help me

You would have probed further, if her eyes hadn't fallen down to the centre of her boxers, her hand resting on her hip gently tugging at the waistband of her boyshorts.

“You want this?”

Mapí nodded frantically, making you giddy on the inside.

“Pull your boxers down for me baby, I think it’s time I massage more than your leg.”

Mapi moaned again, her hands falling directly to the waistband and tugging it off with as much force a crippled individual could.

“So eager baby girl, how long have you been needing me?”

Mapí doesn’t reply to you, just continues to tug her black boxer shorts down her ass and carefully over her knee and ankle before tossing them somewhere.

When you look up, you're rewarded with the view of María’s dripping sex, her clit poking out of it’s good and her hole clenching around nothing, her hips canting up to you desperately.

“Look at that, you're all wet for me and I haven’t even touched you where it matters.”

The noises that leave Mapí’s mouth are completely sinful, her head leaning back against the couch, little pleas leaving her mouth.

You trail your fingers up from her thigh, gently grazing against the inside of her thigh until they finally make it to her lips.

You do the same with her lips, trailing wet and sloppy kisses up the inside of her knee and thigh, until your lips come into contact with her dripping and throbbing clit.

You don’t waste any time, trailing a single finger down to Mapí’s hole and swiping up some of the wetness before gently beginning to push it into her eager hole.

Mapí’s pussy practically sucked your finger in, you fell into a fairly easy pace, your mouth suckling gently on her clit whilst your singular finger worked in and out of Maria.

When there was absolutely zero resistance or stretch you began to ease a second finger in, slowly increasing your pace and your pressure on her nub.

Normally, in situations like these, when you and Mapí hadn’t been with each other intimately for so long you’d take your time, show her just how much you loved and appreciated her, but this wasn’t the moment for that.

Mapí needed love, she needed to be worshipped, but in this moment you were acting as nothing more than a relaxant for her, a tension reliever, which you were completely fine with, if it made her feel better than you would do anything for her.

You found her sweet spot, the little pad inside of her and began to target it directly, simultaneously sucking on her clit and caressing her g-spot.

It was a combination that never failed to work during a quickie, sending her directly over the edge in a matter of minutes.

This time was no different, you could feel Mapí tightening around you, her hands finding home in your roots and tugging you up eagerly into her.

Her moans all of a sudden stopped and her hands relaxed, not a second after that she tightened around your fingers and her thighs spasmed on both sides of your head.

You gently worked her through her aftershocks, only removing your fingers when all of the post orgasm shakes had left her body you moved you reached your hand up to her mouth, allowing her to suck her own taste off of your dexterous fingers whilst you lapped up any of her leftover juices and cum that was dripping out of her.

Once Mapí had sucked every last drop off your fingers and you’d salvaged every last bit of her pussy juices you lifted your head out of the apex between her legs, to be rewarded with the sight of a far less tense looking María León.

“Feeling a little bit more relaxed now, bebé?”

Mapu just gave you a little post orgasm grin, her eyes glassy in a completely different way as how she had been a few minutes ago.

“Si, muy relajada.” Yes, very relaxed.

[pinkslipxox]

would you mind doing some really bad angst with young miko, like we get into a bad argument to the point where we almost break up but then it ends in fluff 😔

Yesss I hope you like it, babe ❤️

——————————————————————————

Tonight was the last straw.

Your relationship was already hanging by a thread. Of all days she came home late, it had to be your anniversary. And as much as you wanted to deny it, deep down, you knew she had completely forgotten about it.

“You’re never home, Miko!” you shouted, hot tears streaming down your face as you jerked your hand away from your girlfriend’s touch.

“Y/N, that’s not true, I—“ Miko began but you cut her off.

“Do you even remember what day it is, María Victoria?” you nearly growled, and Miko was left dumbfounded, confirming your suspicions. After what it felt like hours of silence, your girlfriend finally spoke.

“No, I don’t,” Miko admitted, her voice soft her full of unshed emotion, and your heart sank.

“Today is our anniversary,” you hissed, and Miko’s jaw slowly dropped.

“Ay, coño!” Miko exclaimed, groaning as she rubbed her hands on her face. She paced back and forth for a brief moment, muttering and cursing to herself in Spanish, rubbing her temples before drawing her attention to you again. With her eyes full of regret, she took her hands in yours. “Y/N, mi amor, perdonáme. Por favor, perdóname, te lo ruego. I—“

“Nada de ‘por favor’, María Victoria!” you snapped, your voice echoing throughout the house. “You’ve been coming home late almost every night, we barely spend any time together, and you’re always on that damn phone of yours!” You then stopped dead on your tracks, your own words making your heart twist as the worst crossed your mind. “Unless…”

“Unless?” Miko echoed. Then her eyes grew wide in realization. “No, Y/N, I would never! Please don’t think like that!”

“I don’t know what to think anymore!” you shrieked as you chocked back a sob.

“Y/N, please!” Miko dropped to her knees. Her eyes were glossy and desperation laced in her voice. “There’s no other girl but you, mi amor. I’m not like that, you know it. I love you, Y/N!”

“But you don’t love me to tell me the truth! If we can’t be honest with each other, then we should just forget about all of this, María Victoria!” you screamed, and Miko inhaled sharply, her eyes growing wide as a tear rolled down her cheek.

It pained you to say the words but under the circumstances, it had to be said. You swore your heart broke at the shattered expression on Miko’s face, but you told yourself that you had to remain strong. Regardless if Miko was telling the truth or not, she had hurt you, and quite honestly, you have had enough.

With a turn of your heel, you stormed off before Miko could say anything. You slammed the door to your bedroom shut and slowly slid down to the floor. You then heard the front door of your house slam shut.

And you broke down.

The house was dead silent save for your heart wrenching sobs. Your chest felt tight and your body was shaking from all the emotion. All you could think about was Miko. What if she really was telling you the truth? Would the fight have been avoided had you just listened to her?

Was she ever going to come back?

“Y/N?” Miko’s soft voice filled the room, and despite how upset you were, you were relieved that she had returned.

You didn’t say anything.

Her soft footsteps hit the floor as she walked towards you. She crouched down, touching your arm, and you looked up to see her. Her face had dried tear marks on them and her eyes were red and puffy. She smiled sadly at you.

“Mi amor, perdóname, por favor,” Miko pleaded as her voice cracked. “Perdóname por todo. Créeme cuando te dijo que eres la única mujer en mi vida— la única mujer que quiero. Últimamente he tenido muchas cosas en la mente. And I’ve been thinking a lot... about us.” She then took a deep, shaky breath. “Which brings me to do this…” Reaching from her back pocket, she presented you with a small red box and got down on one knee.

A gasp escaped your lips as your hand flew up to your mouth. New tears began to swell in your times. This time, happy ones.

“I love you with all my heart, Y/N. This isn’t how I had planned to ask you, but… will you marry me?” Miko asked, her voice barely about a whisper, her eyes looking into yours with love and hopefulness. She opened the box to reveal a beautiful diamond ring.

“Yes, of course, I will, Miko!“ you cried, smiling for ear to ear.

With a soft, relieved chuckle, Miko slid the ring on your finger. She then pulled you to her lap and held you close. You both sat there for a while, crying, whispering apologies and confessions of love as the rest of the world faded away.

“The reason why I’ve been coming home late was because I was out looking at different stores to buy a ring fit for you,” Miko explained softly, making your heart swell.

“I’m so sorry I ever doubted you,” you sniffled, gently caressing her cheek.

“I’m sorry I ever gave you a reason to doubt. Eres mi todo, Y/N,” Miko murmured, brushing her lips against yours.

“Y tú eres el mío,” you hummed before connecting your lips to hers again.

Everything, at last, was set right again.

Just as it should be.

[multi-fandom-imagine]

[ wake ] for one muse to wake up to the other at the side of their hospital bed.

A/n: I am not so sure how I feel about this one.

It was a slit second reaction, one you weren’t even sure you would have been able to pull off but you had to try something.

You saw the glint of the knife which lead you to shove the man out of the way.

“Hey! What the-.”

“Always the observant type…weren’t you Y/n.”

That voice, you recognize it from anywhere. Just seeing the man made your skin crawl. “Krauser.” You has to bite your tongue to insult the man though a tight pain in your chest made blood bubble past your lips.

“Looks like our little lamb doesn’t have much time. These parasites, they’re a tricky little thing.”

You didn’t hear much of the conversation between Leon and Krauser. The pain was starting to become to much to handle, the blood slipping past your lips as Luis wrapped his arms around you as he carried you away from the fight. “It’s alright…you’re doing to be alright..I…I’m going to save you…I promise.”

Luis hated how weak he sounded, you didn’t deserve this. Wiping the blood away from his cheek he could barley hear what Leon was telling him but seeing you like this scared him. Pulling out they key in his pocket he glanced at Leon, Krauser long gone. “The lab…I need to get her to the lab.”

Cradling you against his chest, Luis just prayed that he could save you in time. He wasn’t sure how much longer he could wait for Leon though he was grateful that the man was standing in front of him. “I need too.”

“Go…I’ll catch up.” Leon gave him a nod, you looked so weak in his arms, your veins showing, your blood coating your shirt. “Do me a favor and keep the door unlocked.”

“por supuesto”

Luis tipped his head to the man then took off running as he prayed under his breath. “You’re going to be okay….I promise you’ll be okay.”

•+•

Getting to the lab was the easy part, but this part, this was the moment he was dreading. Laying you down on the bed Luis cupped your cheek, his thumb gliding over the skin. “You’re okay see….I’m going to fix this and you’re going to be okay but you need to do me a favor cariño…you need to hold on…this is going to hurt.”

Slowly opening your eyes, you weakly felt the man cup your hand, you felt metal beneath your finger tips.Your head was spinning, everything was felt like you were stuck in an echo chamber but Luis’s voice was the only thing that was coming in clear. “What do you mean-.”

“lo lamento.”

“Wh-.”

That’s when you felt it, the shocking pain was something like you’ve never felt before. You tried to endure the pain but it did not take long for you to pass out on the bed, Luis calling out your name.

+•+

Jolting awake, you let out a serious of coughs, a hand rubbing your back gently. “Easy…easy.”

Squinting you glanced up at the man, Luis giving you a smile. Lips trembling you wrapped your arms around him for a tight hug. “I have half a mind to slap you.”

Chucking Luis hugged you close as he placed a small kiss to your temple. “I would very much like for my face to remain intact…speaking of which we should really get out of here.”

“Why where are-.” A small yelp escaped your lips as Luis picked you up cradling you in his arms. “No time to talk princesa…”

“I.”

Now in Luis’s arms your buried your face into the man’s chest. You winced at the blaring alarm as the man held you closer though a laugh escaped his lips once he spotted the man. “Hola amigo!”

“Hey enough pleasantries! Get your ass on the jet ski, I rather not die.”

Snorting, Luis let you down. Your knees nearly bucking from under you. “Easy princesa, can’t have you on your knees yet.” Giving you a wink he helped you on the jet ski first then got on himself. “Hold on tight alright.”

Weaving your arms around his wiser you buried your face in the back of his neck. “Is this a bad time to say I get sea sick.”

“Please do not throw up on me.”

Scoffing you placed a kiss to his cheek though you let out a laugh as he speed off following Leon and Ashley.

+•+

You never thought you’d be grateful to step on dry land, sighing you gave Leon a smile then a nod as he walked off to brief Hunnigan on the events you all went through.

“So I think I owe you a big thank you in you know…saving my life.”

Luis scoffed as he grabbed your hand only to place a kiss to the back of it. “It’s the knight’s job to save the princesa.”

Shaking your head a smile graced your lips as you stood on your toes. “Well since that’s case then I think the knight deserves a kiss.”

“Maybe a dinner too?”

Rolling your eyes you let your arms wrap around his neck as you pulled him in for a kiss. “Defiantly a dinner.”

Wrapping his arms around your waist the man lifted you on the air spinning you around, a laugh escaping your lips. “Ah you are wonderful mi amor.”

Giggling you pressed your lips against his for another kiss, your fingers weaving through his hair.

Watching you both, Ashley cupped her hands inform of her. “I’m happy for them but…what about Luis…what’s going to happen to him.”

Rolling his neck, Leon shrugged his shoulders giving Ashley a slight smile. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Luis Serra died on the island…I’m looking at some guy we found.”

Beaming at Leon, Ashley placed a kiss to the agents cheek. “You’re the best Leon.”

[vrisrezis]

Comfort with atsv characters <3

Warnings?: reader is Latino/Latina, reader is a spider person, can you tell I wrote this at like 2 AM? (Spoilers for atsv). Is it obvious I don’t read the comics based off of hobie and pav? Also all the spiders are able to understand Spanish so 👍🏾 reader is hinted to be bisexual in Peter B’s (they also cannot have children), reader isn’t gendered but in Jessica’s they certainly are not a male,

Gwen is quiet, but you allow it. Miguel didn’t tell you much of what happened in Gwen’s dimension, but it clearly bothered her, whatever it was. It was just one of those very nights where she was bothered about her situation. She didn’t ever talk about it, rather she just sat in silence for awhile and then you’d make her some tea in hopes of easing any nerves or pain. She felt bad crashing at your place all the time like this, so much so she tried bothering hobie every once in awhile so that her staying at your home wasn’t as constant. You tried to remind her that this is what partners do, they look out for eachother when they need it the most. Staying at eachothers places when one of them is pretty much homeless is included in that.

Honestly though? Selfishly she enjoyed it. Maybe it was because she simply enjoyed your company, or because you were sweet enough to let her share a bed with you and she got to watch you sleep. She got to see all your features up close in your most peaceful moments. But of course, she missed her home. She missed her dad. She missed when things didn’t suck. She missed Peter too.

You’re both on the roof of your house. She’s thinking about things, deeply. She thinks about her life, her place in the world, She almost starts to cry, but she’s still holding back, holding back as much as she possibly can right now. It’s the first time you see her like this, and you feel relieved. You’re relieved because you know she’s been going through so much, but has been trying so hard to keep it inside.

“Mi amor, por favor, no reprimas tus sentimientos. Está bien llorar, somos tú y yo.” you say, putting your hand on her shoulder to comfort her. Not wanting to be too intimate in case she became uncomfortable in such a state. But you don’t have to worry as she grabs the hand on her shoulder and intertwines your fingers.

She finally allows her tears to flow. More then flow, they stream down like a ocean of tears. In the midst of it, she hugs you and you hug her back. Pulling her into your chest and she can’t help but feel safe in your arms.

“I’m so sorry.” she says in between sobs

“Don’t be. Te Amo. I will always be here for you, yknow? No need to hold back for me.”

Miles puts his head on your shoulder. He’s quiet, and unsure what he should say next. But you don’t say anything, and you decide he should be the one to speak first. He wraps his arms around your middle, and you change positions so his cheek is smushed on your chest now, your arms wrap around his waist. You could fall asleep like this, but you’re determined to stay up until miles tells you what’s on his mind. Even if you already know, he should let it out and talk about it. He always ends up telling you what’s bothering him, he’s practically an open book. At least in your mind, though you do suppose he is good at keeping secrets from others. Not the point though, you were there when it all transpired. You know what he’s upset about.

“How are we gonna get home?” miles finally asks, confirming your suspicions. He truly had no idea what he was doing, and what either of you were going to do. You’re both stuck in the wrong dimension with no way to get home. “How am I gonna save my dad?” he wonders aloud. You’re not sure yourself, you opt for one of your hands reaching for his back and rubbing his back in a circular motion as a means to comfort him.

“I don’t know.” you admit, but you continue before he could say anything, “but what I do know, is that you can do anything. Even the impossible. Eres el hombre más increíble que conozco. You’ll figure it out.”

miles shakily sighs, “I don’t know.” he says, so unsure of himself. “You don’t have to.” you say, “give yourself a moment. Recollect yourself. Cry if you need. Te protegeré.”

He truly doesn’t know how to thank you for everything you’ve done for him, continue to do for him. The support and love you’ve always given him, the advice you’ve given him, he knows there’s truly nobody quite like you.

There’s a moment of silence between you and hobie. While this wasn’t exactly an uncommon occurrence when the two of you just chilling out, this time felt very different. Instead of a rather calm and tired expression at this time of night he seemed so defeated, though that tiredness seemed more like exhaustion. And you come to the conclusion a canon event had to have happened for him to wear such a sad expression. It was only recently he had taken upon the role as spiderman in his dimension, or as everyone called him, spiderpunk. You know the whole spider thing is new to him, how stressful it can be to be on your own like this. You’ve been there too, and not that long ago. In your dimension you’ve only been a spider person for a couple months.

You stand up from your place on the couch, walking up to him. You want to feign surprise, not knowing what’s happening. But you know. And you know that he knows, as he always does. Spider people typically aren’t good at lying. “You know, dontcha.” he simple says, voice rather quiet for somebody like him. “Yeah.” you eventually say, “it happens to all of us.” you admit. “For Miguel it was his wife, his daughter. For Peter it was his uncle. For me it was my mother. This is just.. part of the course.” you say, as if it’s just something to shrug off. Hobie can’t help but feel sick to his stomach upon you doing that, cause it doesn’t feel like the you he knows. The you he knows wouldn’t stand for some… cycle, some faux destiny. It’s not like you to just give up and treat something like this as just… it.

But he’s too upset to press you about it, so he rests his forehead on your shoulder and no longer says any words. You wrap your arms around him in an embrace and he allows it. “I know you probably have a lot of questions.” you say, and he’s always taken aback at how you’re the only person he’s ever met that can read him like a book. Then again, spider people are not good liars.

“For now, what I’ll tell you is this.” you start, “you’re going to lose people. It’s going to happen if you continue this line of work. The hard lesson to learn about this job is that we can’t save everyone. At least, not alone.” you continue, “but together, we can.” you say, and upon these words he feels a bit more relieved that you hadn’t fallen down some algorithm. You haven’t given up nor are you falling in line with some dumbass rules Miguel has set up.

“I can’t exactly provide you the best advice.” you admit, “pero siempre estaré aquí apoyándote. Puedes contar con ello.” you say, and hobie smiles for the first time that day.

Pavitr has never been like this, but it’s to be expected. At least, in your mind.

He clutches you like a lifeline, and if it weren’t for your super amazing spider strength you think you’d be in a ton of pain right now with the way pav is holding onto you.

You’re not even the one that nearly died. Pav nearly lost his best friend, gayatri as well as her father who also seemed to mean a lot to him. You don’t know much about him and singhs relationship, but you know it’s rather complex. Pretty hard on Pav and his friendship with his daughter, assuming they have a romantic relationship or something along the line. But this very man seems to adore Spider-Man. So naturally, complicated. But didn’t change the fact he meant a lot to Pavitr. He almost lost him. He almost lost two important people in his life. And if he almost lost them, could he have lost you?

He tries to reason with himself, you’re strong and can handle yourself fine but what if…?

“¡Basta!” you say, and it’s the first time he’s ever heard you yell at him. Because of this it’s quick to snap him out of the daze he seemed to be in. He can’t help but let a few tears slip out. You put your hands on his cheeks, worry seeping through your eyes. “Odio cuando haces eso. No me va a pasar nada, cariño. Puedo protegerme así que no te atrevas a preocuparte por mí.”

You wipe away his tears with your thumbs. “Mi amor, we’re gonna be okay.”

Peter sighs, and from that moment you know somethings wrong. You’ve known this Peter in particular a long time, there’s something obviously weighing on him. It certainly helps you’ve gotten to know so many versions of him, so many peters and so many of them are horrible liars. He is no exception.

You can’t help but wonder if it’s MJ related, which tugs are your heartstrings a bit. But you understand him, he lost his love. His first love in fact, and he’s not willing to let her go. You understand. You remember your first love, Gwen. Just a pretty blonde in your science class, but you fell hard. And so did she. To her death, that is.

You sit next to him on the balcony, “wanna talk about it?” you offer, and he can’t help the sigh that escapes him. “I don’t know.” he admits, but as soon as he says that he feels himself leaning on you.

“Have you ever thought of becoming a parent?” he asks, and you can’t help but be surprised by his question.

Now it’s your turn to sigh. “Yeah, I suppose.” you shrug, “not that I’d be able to have one, but yeah.”

“Really?” he wonders, and you nod. “Both me and Gwen, at least in my dimension, were physically unable to have kids. The same went for me and my own Peter.” you shrug, “not that I was interested at the time though. It’s moreso a ‘what if I could’ situation.”

“I want a kid.” he admits.

“So did MJ, and she still wants a kid.”

You feel your heart sink for a moment, before deciding it was his time of need, not yours. You’re both far too old for shit like this. You’ll move on. Like you always do.

“I could give her what she wants.” he continues.

“But I don’t know if… I can? I guess?”

“What do you mean?” You inquire.

“It’s a lot of things. I mean, what if I’m a bad dad? What if I’m not there enough? And besides that point, even if I do go through with this, the kid would have to deal with having parents that aren’t even together.”

It takes a minute for you to process his words, especially the last part. “Wait… why wouldn’t you two be together?” he shrugs, “because she deserves better.” he says, but it doesn’t seem like the full truth. “And besides I wanna be with somebody else.”

He tries to be subtle with his next words, “they can’t have kids, so I think this is a next best option. At least, when I’m ready and they’re ready and we’ve been dating long enough where it wouldn’t be weird to ask.”

You can’t help but wonder if it’s you he’s talking about.

But for the time being, you ignore it and put an arm around his shoulder, “Pues deja de preocuparte. Serías un gran padre.”

he cracks a smile and thanks you.

Jessica is always well put together, it’s something you’ve always known about her. But there’s something off about her.

You think you know what’s up, but you know better than to think you know everything going on with Jess. She’s not exactly an open book, only is when she wants to be.

She kept a lot of her personal life away from you, as a means to protect you from that. Either that or she wanted her privacy, which you also understood.

It wasn’t uncommon for her to touch her stomach, admire it, the excitement of a new life was adorable in your eyes. But her relationship with her husband was something she never relayed to you, she never talked about him and if she ever did it was briefly. A part of you wondered if it was because she knew how you felt and wanted to spare you. A part of you hoped that was all it was, and that there was nothing else going on.

But you’d be wrong, as you often were.

She lets a few tears shed, and it’s the first time you’ve seen her cry.

“I don’t think I love him anymore.” she finally admits, and you have a feeling it’s the first time she’s admitted this to anyone, even herself.

“I don’t think I ever did.”

“I don’t even think I like men, period.”

And this puts you into a even bigger state of shock, woah.

“I think I just wanted a baby.” she continues, “and it didn’t matter who it was with as long as I got one.”

“I thought, it was because I loved him so much I wanted to start a family but…” she turns her head away from you, “I don’t think I ever felt a damn thing for him and I’m scared and I feel so guilty.”

All you can do is wrap a comforting arm around her,

“No pasa nada. Siempre estaré aquí Jessica, lo sabes. Podemos resolver las cosas juntos.”

she leans into you despite her mind telling her to pull away, don’t be soft, don’t give in.

But she does.

She gives in to her deepest desire.

She gives into you.

Miguel is never this clingy. Something is wrong, and you feel it. It’s not just his aura, it’s his body language. It’s the fact that his face is shoved into your stomach, desperate for you to not only not hear him at all, but not see him. You feel his sorrow, his shame, his guilt, his anguish. But most of all you feel his regret and his grief and you automatically know what’s wrong.

You run your fingers through his hair, something he normally hated but in times like these truly loved more than anything and it calmed him down so quickly. He still doesn’t know how you do it, honestly. You make him putty in his hands without even trying and honestly that terrified him. To be so weak, so soft, when it comes to you.

“Vamos, cariño.” you say, “let me see you.”

He’s not quick to comply, but he eventually does with enough head scratching. You sigh at how distraught he looks. You hate this, you really do. You hate seeing him upset, that one injury of yours could send him spiraling like this.

“No voy a morir tan fácilmente, sabes. Ten un poco de fe en mí, ¿quieres?”

“Lo sé.” he replies, shakily.

“I’m just scared of losing you too.”

You kiss the crown of his head, “I know. But trust me when I say a little injury is not going to kill me. I’ll be okay.” you try to reassure him.

He nods, but you have a feeling he doesn’t believe you.

Even after all these years, you don’t know how to help him.

[melodygatesauthor]

Save Us

Moon Boys X f!Reader

Summary: Two months after Marc broke up with you, you get a late night call from Steven that has you worried and rushing to help them. It's hard to face them again after things went wrong, but Marc is going to try and make it up to you.

Tags/Warnings: NSFW, Marc is kinda toxic, Marc needs therapy, Marc has issues, Marc needs a hug, THIS STORY IS ANGSTY, may be triggering if you've been in a toxic relationship before, sad, smut, p in v creampie, argument, breakup, exes to lovers trope, soft dom Steven, sorry in advance, no physical abuse

Major Trigger Warning: this story explores themes of emotional abuse. It was very self indulgent. If you’ve been a victim of emotional abuse (or are sensitive to topics like this) then this may be upsetting to you. You’ve been warned. I seriously went the full self indulgent route with this one. Had to work some personal stuff out and it helped!

Word Count: 9.9k (What in the...)

You were awoken in the dead of night to your phone vibrating loudly on the end table at your bedside. You groaned, sitting up and looking at the screen. Clear as day, it said, My Boys🌙. You still needed to change their name in your phone, or completely block their number. It rang until it went to voicemail, but that’s when you saw that there were seven missed calls.

You hadn’t heard from any of them in the two months since Marc had broken up with you, and now they’d called you seven times. It rang again, this time you jumped up and grabbed it immediately. You didn’t want to talk to them, but you knew it must be serious for one of them to be actually calling you. 

“H-hello? Hello?” You cleared your throat.

“Dove? Darling?” You heard Steven on the other end and you let out an exhale.

You weren’t ready to deal with Marc, but Steven…at first you were relieved it was him, but the more you thought about it, Steven was worse. Steven might be able to convince you to come back.

“Is everything ok?” You asked, feeling your chest already tighten at the tone of his voice.

“No, no I’m afraid it’s not.” He was sobbing. You felt your own eyes start welling up. “We need your help.”

“Are you in danger? What’s wrong?” You tried to keep the panic down in your voice.

“I…I think I’m a little drunk, but we’re sobering up.” You could hear it now that he’d mentioned it, the slurring of his words as he spoke. “I haven’t been in the front in a long time, it’s always Marc, he won’t…oh my…he won’t let Jake or me out. We’ve been trapped in there.”

“Ok, you need to tell me where you are, right now.” You demanded.

“I’m outside of a…” You heard him pull the phone away from his face.

“Hey, watch it!” Steven yelled.

You heard some scuffling, followed by some Spanish slurs, before the phone was picked up again.

“Mi princesa.” Jake said. “We’re at the corner of Elm and Main, at a place called Tiko’s. I can feel Marc trying to take over again…por favor, querida, we need you.”

The line went dead. It was rare that Jake uttered the words por favor, or we need you. Steven’s cries would remain burned into your memory for an eternity. He cried when you’d left too, and you still hadn’t forgotten the pain. It was all you thought about as you got yourself dressed and headed for their location. You knew right where it was, it was where you and Marc had first met.

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

It was also where he went just before he broke up with you. He’d come home, wasted, completely obliterated and crying. It was constant, and you were sick of it. He refused to go to therapy, said it was for nutjobs, and he didn’t want them drugging him up. You understood, you sympathized, but instead you were stuck trying to handle his terrible self-loathing attitude, and toxic behavior.

“Why don’t you just fucking leave then? Huh? If you’re not happy then why don’t you just go!” His mouth turned into a hard line, his brow furrowed.

That was always his go to line whenever things got tough. Always telling you to leave if you didn’t like it. You sometimes wondered why he even asked you out in the first place if this is how he was.

“Ok Marc, is that really what you want? You want me to leave? Fine…you say it every time we fight so you know what, I’ll go then.”

The two of you had moved in together a year ago, but you moved in to his place, so almost everything was his, Steven’s and Jake’s. The TV that had a purple spot in the corner when you turned it on from the time Marc threw one of Steven’s books at it in a fit of rage; the stool at the breakfast bar that had a wobbly leg from the time Marc pushed it over while he was drunk and yelling at you; and the dresser in the bedroom that had a broken drawer from when he punched it, it was all his.

It was heartbreaking to walk away from the other two though. They didn’t have anything to do with it. When Marc backed out, retreating to the headspace, too upset to handle the pressure, Jake came out. That was the final straw. He couldn’t even be bothered to have a conversation with his girlfriend after berating her for over an hour. He did it time and time again, and this time…you’d had enough.

“Princesa, please don’t go.” Jake said, walking up to you quickly while you started filling a bag with clothes.

“Jake.” You pulled your arm back quickly when he grabbed it.

“Cariño.” He grabbed your arm again.

“No!” You yelled a little too loudly in your apartment. “I’m done Jake. I can’t do this. You want someone to blame? Blame Marc.”

Jake was never one to give up easily, so he must’ve been able to tell how serious you were when he let go of your arm again and forfeited the body to Steven. The bastard, he knew that of the three, Steven would be the one to get you to stay. He’d done it time and time again. Always telling you that he’d confront Marc himself and that he’d work on making Marc be better for the four of you, but even Steven couldn’t help Marc, you were convinced at this point that no one could.

“Darling please,” there came the waterworks. Even when it wasn’t your fault, Steven made you feel guilty. “He’s gotten a little better, yeah? Look…”

You were still filling your bag with clothes while Steven walked to the kitchen and came back with a card.

“He got you this for your birthday.” He held the birthday card in his hand like it was supposed to be the one thing stitching the relationship together. “I didn’t even have to remind him! He did it on his own!”

You stopped, holding a pair of jeans in your hands. You looked at Steven. He was desperate. His eyes were glossed over while he tried to keep it together. You remembered when Marc got you that card, it was the day after a fight, and he felt guilty. He only ever did anything nice when he felt guilty the next day, never when it really counted.

“They’re both assholes for putting you through this.” You said, feeling yourself choking up. “I can’t do this anymore Steven, Marc doesn’t want me here, and I don’t want to be here.”

“But he’s nice sometimes, look he also…” Steven was scrambling around the apartment.

You walked to the bathroom and grabbed your toothbrush and other personal care items. When you looked in the mirror, you noticed your saddened face and realized how much you’d been crying. You’d probably been crying for at least an hour. You wiped your cheeks and went back out to the bedroom where Steven was standing with a vase.

“He got you this vase, remember when you were sick and he went and got you flowers?” Steven asked. You saw his eyebrows raise in an attempt to look happier, but they were fighting to furrow.

“Steven, please go.” You grabbed the vase and put it in the bathroom trash. “You know he only got me those because I had just complained the day before about how he never does anything nice for me? He only does something nice after I’ve complained about it.”

“I can’t just go.” He looked like a lost puppy trying to get you to keep him. “They’re both just out, quiet, I wish I could leave.”

You sighed, wiping your face and sniffling, “then they’re both fucked for doing that to you. You don’t need to be here, dealing with this. Marc is selfish, and…that’s it! He’s selfish! He’s the one who did this, he’s the one who should be here. He’s a fucking coward.”

You threw the bathroom items in your bag and then zipped it.

“Tell Marc I’ll have my brother come back for the rest of my things.” You grabbed your purse and pulled out your keys.

“Sweetheart, love, please!” Steven raised his voice, cracking under the weight of sorrow.

You turned around, “I’m so so sorry baby. I really am.” You said through your own strained voice. “You deserve better than what he’s putting you through, and so do I, I wish I could help you.”

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

With that, and one last look at Steven’s broken face and waterfall of tears, you slammed the door and never looked back, until now, when you were turning the corner on the street to find Jake leaned against the building, smoking a cigarette. You got out of the car and pulled your jacket around yourself tighter. You felt like an idiot for coming back after what Marc put you through, but there you were. You reminded yourself that you weren’t there for Marc, you were there for Jake and for Steven.

“Jake, come on.” You said, waving him over.

“Oh, hermosa, I missed you.” He winked as he walked over to you. He was stinking of alcohol and smoke.

“Put that thing out.” You grabbed it from his lips and dropped it, crushing the butt under your shoe. “Let’s go.” You took his hand, to which he pulled you in close.

“You are as beautiful as the day you left, perhaps even more.” He cupped your cheek and leaned in to kiss you but you pulled back.

“I didn’t come here to get back together with you, I came back to get you home in one piece.” You pushed him back, and he stumbled and fell.

He shook his head, “Wha-oh right, I’m here and…” Steven looked up at you, it always amazed you how different each of them looked regardless of the fact that they shared the same body. “Oh my…love!”

Steven stood up and couldn’t hide the smile plastered on his drunken face. He gripped your shoulders before pulling you in for a hug. He wasn’t going to try and kiss you like Jake had, he was too respectful of your boundaries to do anything like that. Even when you were dating, he always respected your personal space.

“We really got ourselves in a predicament, yeah? Well…” He chuckled, “Marc did. I’m sure that doesn’t surprise you.”

“I need you to just get in the car, we can talk on the way back to your place.” You said, urging him into the vehicle.

When you got in on your side you let out a heavy sigh and put the car in drive before heading toward their apartment. The streetlights afforded you a split second of light before fading into darkness again. The radio was off, leaving nothing but silence. You heard Steven sniffle, fighting back the urge to cry.

“Tell me what happened, why did you call? I made it very clear-”

“Marc isn’t letting me or Jake out, it’s just headspace all day every day. He’s destroying us.” Steven said, choking on his words. “I don’t know when the last time we ate something proper was. I’m so hungry.” He pressed a hand to his stomach.

“Do you have food at the house?” You asked, pulling down a different road.

“Y-yeah I think he’s got a few things…I don’t know.” He said, laying his head back. “I missed you.” He was crying again, “I’m sorry, I said I wasn’t going to do this before I called you.”

“It’s fine. I’m…I’m glad you called me, Steven.” You said, keeping your eyes on the road.

“We had a lot of time to think after you left, and…he really didn’t deserve you, I never should’ve asked you to stay. I’m so sorry.” Just when Steven’s cries became overwhelmingly loud, they stopped suddenly, and you knew it was Jake coming back. You’d grown to know them so well that you could tell the differences between the way they each breathed when they were upset.

“Keep him in there please, at all costs.” You said coldly, trying to keep your composure.

“Si.” Was all he said. You knew he understood.

Steven wasn’t a child, and didn’t need to be treated like one, but he was much more sensitive than the other two, and you knew that he was living a nightmare having to see you and go through this, and having you just within arm’s reach, but not being able to really have you. He had been a passenger in Marc’s path of destruction, just like you had, the only difference was that you could walk away, Steven just had to suffer in there and you felt terrible for him and Jake both.

“Marc has completely taken over. Saw a girl at the bar tonight though who kinda looked like you and then he went loco, yelled at her, he was so drunk, and then he went away.” You watched him pull a cigarette pack from his pocket. “Steven was so happy to be out, he just ran outside and knew he had to call you to get you to help. Something about that girl must’ve knocked Marc back.”

“You’re smoking again? I thought you quit.” You grabbed the pack and threw it into the back seat.

“It’s Marc’s pack.” He explained, dropping his hands on his lap. You could tell you irritated him.

Marc wasn’t a smoker. At least, he hadn’t been while you were together. Jake had been, but insisted on quitting after getting to know you.

“What has he been doing?” You asked as you pulled onto their street.

“Nothing.” Jake was aggravated. “He’s been doing absolutely fucking nothing except destroying himself and dragging us down with him.” He let out a heavy sigh. “I’ve been in there for two months, dos.” He held up two fingers to emphasize his point.

“I’m sorry.” Was all you said, you didn’t know what else you could say. 

“I’m not mad at you, Cariño, I could never be mad at you.” He said calmly as you pulled into the driveway.

“Jake…” You put the car in park. “Did he hurt anyone?”

“No, no one except you, and Steven.” He said softly.

“And you. You might not be showing it but, I know you’re feeling it too.” You said quietly. He always stayed quiet about his feelings, but he wasn’t emotionless, he was just less expressive.

His hand reached over and grabbed yours.

“You have always been so caring, querida.” You tried to keep it inside, but a smirk played at the corners of your mouth, Jake was always so smooth.

“Please stop.” You pulled your hand out from under his and opened the door quickly.

If you’d let his hand linger, you’d be inclined to lean into it, and you couldn’t allow yourself to do that. You damned yourself for even being there in the first place. You still had the key to their apartment and opened the door so the slightly staggering Jake could make his way inside. You made sure to lock it tightly and returned your keys to your pocket before helping Jake get to a chair at the table.

“Here.” You opened the fridge, only to find…nothing.

There were about two tablespoons of butter, opened, several sauce packets strewn about, a moldy tomato, and about three-twelve packs of beer. You took note that one of the twelve packs was down a few beers. You let out a heavy sigh.

“Guess he’s living on air and beer then?” You slammed the fridge closed.

“There’s some ramen I think, in the cupboard.” Jake said, letting out a huff. “Steven would appreciate the taste of food you know…”

“Think he can handle it?” You opened the cupboard and found some packages of dried noodles. “Being here with me?”

“He’s calmed down. I think he will be ok.” And with that, Jake was gone.

“I’m fine.” Steven said, sucking in a deep breath. “Really.”

You grabbed some water from the tap and handed it to Steven whose hands were trembling. He drank from the cup in big gulps, when he finished it, you poured him some more.

“Let me make you something to eat.” You said, turning to the cupboards.

There wasn’t one pan that you could use. They were all in the sink, or on the stove, and they were all dirty. Of course this couldn’t just be easy.

“He usually just microwaves somethin’, or eats the noodles dry.” You groaned at Steven’s words.

“I…nevermind.” You wanted to say how frustrated you were to be there trying to make food for them, and running into every obstacle along the way, but you decided not to dump that on Steven.

Instead you ran the hot water and grabbed the sponge. You soaked it and then started washing the dishes, lathering soap on each one in silence, knowing Steven’s eyes were on your back. You felt saddened by the memories flooding through your head, thinking about all the times you’d been at the sink doing the dishes for them before.

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

There was one time when Steven was fronting and he was sitting at the table while you did dishes after dinner, and he was going on about some Egyptian God you couldn’t remember the name of now. You were smiling in this memory, unable to suppress the joy that came to you while listening to him chattering on about his passions. When you’d finished scrubbing and turned to look at him. He was absolutely beaming, and so were you. You were…happy then.

“How did we get so lucky?” He asked, standing up and walking over to you.

He put his hands on your waist and kissed your forehead.

“Well, Jake’s a smooth talker, you’re thoughtful and sweet and Marc…” you trailed off.

You and Marc had never seen eye to eye. He was always pushing you away. Always telling you how he should just disappear and let Jake and Steven have the body so that you could be happy. But that wasn’t what you wanted, at least, that’s what you told him. You wondered what made you fall for him in the first place sometimes, but that didn’t matter now, you loved him, right?

“Marc what?” You watched his entire body language change, and he let go of you, stepping back. He chuckled, “hard to find anything to huh? What do I keep telling you?”

You groaned, wishing that he would’ve just let you and Steven have a nice evening, but you’d struck a nerve, and Marc loved to fight. He liked to make you feel bad, at least that’s how it felt, and then leave right when you pushed too far so that Jake or Steven were left to pick up the pieces. You tried to be understanding, you knew he had trauma, but sometimes he was just cruel.

“Please don’t start, Marc, not tonight I’m exhausted.” You walked toward the bedroom and he followed, hot on your heels.

“No! Don’t you walk away from me…!” He said your name with venom laced around each letter, “we never get to talk, the other two always get the best of you and then when I come in, you…you just walk away!”

You pressed your lips together tightly in frustration.

“Are you suggesting that when I see you, Marc, that you give me the best version of yourself? Hm? Because from the way I see it, every time you’re fronting, you treat me like you don’t fucking want me here!” You felt your eyes starting to gloss over. “Not to mention, you say I’m an ass for walking away? You always retreat into the headspace every single time we argue!”

“You ever think that maybe I actually don’t want you here? How many times have I told you to leave? If I treat you so badly, then just go!” He yelled.

“Why can’t you just stop being an asshole and then I don’t have to leave?! I don’t want to go Marc, I want you to love me and treat me like you want me around!” Now you couldn’t stop the dam from flooding over. Tears were coming down, and fast, and you knew it was only a matter of time before Marc dipped out. “I love you, I don’t want to go.”

“No, you don’t love me, you love Steven, and Jake, but not me.” He said, and his words were followed by silence that hung heavily in the air.

He was right, and you weren’t going to say it out loud, but he was right. When you’d first met them, it was just Marc at first. He was sweet, caring, he treated you like a princess. The more you got to know the boys, the more you grew to love them all, and the longer you were together, the more Marc started to push you away. Because you deserved better than him, and he was no good for you, or at least that’s what he said.

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

That was the moment you’d realized you really didn’t love Marc anymore. You still held him in your heart, but the spark wasn’t there. Instead it was replaced with an anxiousness that pooled in your gut like a bad meal. You turned and looked at Steven once you’d finished the dishes. He was staring up at you from the chair with those big eyes you loved so much.

“Let me get this food going before he takes over again.” You grabbed one of the pots you cleaned and filled it with water before putting it on the stove.

When you turned around, Steven was standing with his hands balled into nervous fists at his sides, eyes trained on the floor. He did that when he wanted to say something but knew he shouldn’t. You put a hand on his shoulder and he relaxed a little bit and met your gaze.

“What is it?” You asked. “Talk to me?”

“No, nope, I’m, I’m fine.” He said, pressing his lips together tightly.

“Steven, it’s three am, I drove over here to help you, I washed the dishes and now I’m cooking you food. I think you can talk to me.” You said firmly.

He let out an exhale, “I miss you s’all.”

“I know, I miss you too. I just can’t…I can’t…”

“I know. I hate him too.” Steven looked agitated, more agitated than you’d seen him in a long time.

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

The last time he was this bold regarding Marc was that same night, right after Marc had accused you of not loving him. After dropping those words on you, he left, letting Steven have you, the blubbering crying mess, that he’d left behind. It wasn’t the first time that you cried because of Marc, and each time chipped away at Steven more and more until he’d had enough too.

“Love,” he rushed over to you, pulling you in tightly, letting you soak his shirt for the umpteenth time, “you know if I could hit him, I would.”

You didn’t respond, you just sobbed into Steven’s chest, trying to let yourself be soothed by the gentle way he rubbed your back. You liked the way he smelled, the way they all smelled, and you kissed his chest just above where your tears had soaked his shirt.

“I love you, Steven, and I love Marc too.” You said, unsure whether you were trying to convince him or yourself, or maybe you were trying to convince the man hiding inside his own head.

“I know darling, I think he knows, he just gets caught up in his own head sometimes.” He chuckled, “well, I guess all three of us do.”

That forced a small amused breath to escape you. The air already felt lighter, and you were starting to cope with the emotional turmoil Marc had put you through. This was how it always went, Marc would start a fight, you’d be left with Steven or Jake, and slowly your emotions would come back to normal with the help of his alters just in time for him to break you down again. It was a never ending cycle.

“I don’t know how much more of this I can take.” You murmured, pulling back. “Steven, I love you, I love all three of you but-“

He silenced you with his lips over yours.

“That’s enough of that.” He said in a forceful but quiet tone. “I’ll keep him in there if I have to, I’m not letting him push you away from us.”

You wanted to believe him, and you wished he’d been able to do it, but he couldn’t. That didn’t stop him from seizing the moment while he had it though, pulling you in for soft kisses and entangled tongues. Steven’s favorite body part was your breasts, that’s how you could tell sometimes if the boys switched mid session. One time Jake had taken over while Steven was buried in your chest and immediately began squeezing your rear.

Not now though, now Steven was dragging your shirt up while he trekked his hand over your abdomen on his way to squeeze your rounded mound. You gasped a heated moan into his mouth, wrapping your arms around his neck and entangling your fingers into his curls. The supporting hand on your back gripped tightly, pulling you in so hard you thought you might melt into one being.

“I love you, Steven.” You said, going in for more breathy kisses.

“I love you too darling.” He started slowly pushing you backward until the backs of your knees met the mattress.

You fell back, chest heaving. Steven was ripping off Marc’s jacket and shirt and you were quick to get your top off as well. He preferred you leave in your bra, he said he liked to take it off himself. Something about the way they looked when he unclasped the strap in the back, you didn’t fully understand, but you didn’t argue either.

“Wow…” he said, looking down at you. “You’re so beautiful, dove.”

You felt the heat rise to your cheeks. You were sure you looked frightful, eyes puffy from tears, makeup streamed down your face, but Steven always told you how pretty you were, no matter what. He was good at that. He climbed over you, hovering his body closely over yours. You felt the peak of his erection pressing onto your leg through his pants.

“Oh, Steven…” you moaned, grabbing the back of his neck and pulling his lips to yours in deep, bruising kisses.

He was grinding himself on your leg, moaning every time he opened his mouth over yours in another wet and messy kiss. Supporting himself on one elbow, he reached around your back and unhooked your bra with one hand before disconnecting your lips to look at your chest. When he pulled the bra up over your arms, he stared in awe at your tits, wasting no more time before latching his mouth over one of them.

“Oh, f-fuck.” You stammered, gripping the back of his head.

One of his hands ran up your abdomen and grabbed your other nipple, pinching it between his fingers. You arched your back, pushing your chest further into his face and hand. You felt him gently churning his hips and grinding into you. He was sloppily sucking on your peak, covering your tit in his saliva.

“Mm, feels good baby.” You groaned, rolling your hips upward, wishing you’d taken your pants off before this.

Steven, who you’d thought would be the most timid when it came to sex, became silently demanding in the bedroom when it came to what you were and weren’t allowed to do. He liked to be the one to undress you, and he liked to be the one who started the physical piece. He liked to take his time, making you yearn until you nearly exploded the moment he entered you.

He leaned back. The shadow of his erection was oh so apparent in his sweats. It took everything inside of you not to sit forward and grab it. Steven’s little curl fell in front of his eyes, and he didn’t bother to brush it away as he unbuttoned your jeans and tugged them off.

“Oh love, look you’ve soaked straight through your little panties there.” He leaned over, burying his face in the fabric of your underpants and inhaling deeply. His pussy drunken eyes, hooded and dark, peered over your mound at you. “I’m just going to have a little taste, darling…just a little…” 

He moved your panties to the side and ran his tongue along your slit, flicking sharply once he got to your clit. A gasp escaped your lips as you shifted your hips forward toward Steven’s face. He pressed a large hand on your abdomen, holding you down.

“Sh-shit.” You gripped the sheets tightly.

Steven, despite Jake’s overall skill in the bedroom, was the best at eating pussy. The way his tongue glided over each part of your cunt, and the way he slurped and groaned to your taste like he was savoring each drop made you lose your mind. He knew to put a hand down to keep you in place, otherwise your hips would force him off the bed completely. He looked up at you, eyes dark and hungry, before looking back down at his work. You tangled one of your hands into his hair, urging him on.

“Mm, Steven you always know just…oh shit…just what to do baby.” You cooed, tugging at his curls

If there was one way to help you get over a fight with Marc, this was it, and Steven and Jake knew that. They’d fuck you until you could hardly walk and then cuddle you while you fell asleep.

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

Steven was quiet now while you finished making the ramen noodles. You had to keep your back to him while you cooked, otherwise you were going to break down and fall into bed with him and that wouldn’t be good for either of you. Now that you were finished, he was sitting at the table again. You put the noodle bowl in front of him with a fork.

“I hope you like it.” You said genuinely.

Steven looked up at you, “it’s wonderful love, really.”

Steven seemed happy, at least, somewhat, to be getting some food in his stomach, even if it wasn’t the most nutritious. You wondered if he’d had the chance to enjoy any sort of meal since Marc had taken over, but from the way he and Jaked talked, this was the first time either of them had been out in a long time.

You kept trying to convince yourself that you didn’t care about Marc, but a big part of you was curious as to why he took over the boy all that time. The other part of you already kind of knew.

“He really has been fronting this whole time? Why?” You walked over and sat at the table across from Steven.

Steven shrugged, “you know him, he likes to suffer, thinks he’s some kind of hero if he takes the pain himself. A bit messed up innit? Usually once the pain part is over, I come out yeah? Not anymore, the pain part never ends. It’s just…he’s always hurtin’.”

“I’m surprised that Jake hasn’t taken over, when things get really tough, he’s usually right there, ready to deal with it.” You idly picked at a tear in the tablecloth.

“I think Jake likes watching Marc…well…destroy himself.” He stuffed some noodles in his mouth. Steven was probably the only person in the world who could talk with a mouthful that didn’t make you frustrated with their poor manners. “Problem is, it’s destroying us too, and I don’t want to die.” He gulped. “S’why I called you. I thought if anyone could help, it would be you.”

“I’m glad I could help get you home, but I’m…I’m not staying Steven.” The room got quiet again.

He reached a hand across the table and put it over yours. You should’ve stopped him. You should’ve pulled away and told him to cut the crap, but his hand, his gentle and soft hand made you feel warm. Nausea swept through you as you recalled more about your time with the boys.

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

Marc was smiling from across the table at you, holding your hand tightly. You were smiling too. It had been a perfect night. It was New Year’s Eve, and you’d both decided to stay in, and spend it with each other. It was three nights before the breakup, three nights before he finally brought you to the breaking point. He laughed at a silly joke you made, and now he just looked at you with those eyes.

That’s why you’d fallen in love with Marc. He had a way of making you feel like you were the most important thing in the world to him. In fact, you were so important to him that he felt like you were better off without him. He had a troubled past, he didn’t hide that. He eased into telling you about the boys, afraid of scaring you off, but he told you about his mother and about his brother before you’d met the other two. In fact, knowing about his trauma was the only reason you didn’t call him crazy and leave when he told you about Jake and Steven.

He got up and leaned over the table, placing a peck on your forehead. He grabbed your plates and walked over to the sink, turning on the faucet to wash the dishes. Your phone buzzed. It was your brother.

Joe: Hey! I’m going to be in town tomorrow, is it cool if I come over?

“Oh, Joe is asking if he can come over tomorrow.” You paused. “Should be fine right?”

The dishes clanked in the sink and the faucet stopped. Not again, you thought.

“You act different when your brother is here.” He said, turning around and wiping his hands on a towel.

“He’s my brother, of course I act different with him than I do with-”

“No, I mean…you treat me different when he’s around.” He slapped the dish towel on the counter and walked to the living room.

You buried your face in your hands. It was a simple question. Can your brother come over tomorrow? There was no reason to say no, in fact, you only asked out of courtesy. It was a way of making sure you weren’t interfering with some unknown plans. Steven or Jake would’ve just said, of course, with some term of endearment attached to the end.

The night would be even worse if you didn’t follow Marc to the living room, so you got up and went to him. He was back to, staring out the window.

“Marc, I don’t want to fight with you, I’ll just text him and-”

“Yep, just tell him that your nutjob, douchebag boyfriend doesn’t want you around your family.” He said, keeping himself turned away from you. “Make me out to be the bad guy. You’re good at that.”

“Alright you know what? I’m not doing this, Marc.” You threw your arms up before walking to the door and grabbing your keys out of the change bowl.

“Yeah? So you’re just going to leave then?” He turned and looked at you now. “Good, it’s probably for the best.”

“Fuck you.” You slammed the door behind yourself.

You’d gone down to the parking lot and started your car but you didn’t leave yet. You just sat there, crying for a bit, thinking even more about what he’d said, you act different when your brother is here. You hated to admit when Marc was right, but you did act differently toward him. In fact, you downright avoided him. He and your brother didn’t always see eye to eye, and you hadn’t exactly told Joe about Marc’s…condition, so it wasn’t like one of the boys could take his place; Besides, you were sure that would’ve upset Marc even more, you asking one of them to replace him around your family. It would’ve made him feel even more inferior than he already did.

You further hated to admit that he didn’t deserve that. To do that would seem like you were ashamed of him. Like he was your little secret. The saddest thing though, was that it wasn’t the mental disorder that you were trying to hide from your brother, it was the way that Marc acted when your brother was around. You weren’t the only one that acted different with him around.

You laughed a lot, and joked with Joe, and you assumed Marc was probably jealous that you didn’t joke with him the same way, as though you hadn’t been close with your brother your entire life. So Marc would call Joe a punk and try to one-up him in almost everything, and it exhausted you.

While you sat there in your car, furious and thinking about what to do next, you surmised it must’ve been what Marc felt like, when he left the apartment in a huff, on the nights he didn’t hide behind the other two, and he went to the bar instead. You figured that if it worked for him, it would work for you, but you’d forgotten how busy it would be. You’d forgotten for a moment that it was New Year’s Eve.

That made it easier though. People were happy to buy you drinks, seeing that you’d walked into the bar in tears. Some guy offered to take you home, but you denied him, telling him you had three boyfriends waiting for you, to which he raised his eyebrows as if impressed and laughed. When you saw one of them out of the corner of your eye charging into the bar like he owned the place, you groaned.

The well dressed man in a paperboy cap and tie walked over, grabbing your arm.

“Come on, princesa.” You pulled back.

“Jake! I want to stay for one more song!” You shouted over the music.

“No, it’s time to go-”

You covered his mouth in a quick but gentle kiss, “por favor mi amor?” You asked as sweetly as you could.

Jake rolled his eyes, but you knew he couldn’t resist an opportunity to dance with you, especially not when you talked to him like that. A smile spread across his face as he wrapped his arms around your waist. Dancing with Jake was more like foreplay than it was dancing. It always started facing each other. His hips would gently churn against you while you stood as close as you possibly could to him, chest to chest. His lips hardly left yours, and when they did, they instead found purchase on your neck.

The dancing always ended with your rear pressed against his erection while he dry humped you to the rhythm of the song. His leather covered fingers were around your throat while he kissed the side of your neck and cheek tenderly, drawing moans from you that couldn’t be heard over the music. By the time you finally agreed to leave, you were drunk, and a single finger stroke away from a full body, earth quaking orgasm.

You’d driven far, at least a half hour from home, giving Jake more than enough time to stick his hand in your pants while he drove and circle the smooth gloved fingers over your swollen clit. You were already so wet, he slid around easily. You gripped the door handle when you reached climax, moaning and gasping under his touch.

It didn’t stop there though, it never was that simple with Jake. He was going to give it to you when you got home. You’d been teasing his cock all night, running your hand over it through his nice pants. He would give you hell later for ruining them, as though he actually cared. As though he didn’t have ten more pairs at home.

Something about Jake made you feel different than the other two. You wanted to act out, you wanted to be the biggest brat you could just to see how far he’d push you back. The back and forth with Jake was fun though, it always ended in at least one orgasm from both of you, and smiles before dozing off. You were his little brat, and he adored putting you in your place.

That night was no different. You stumbled inside, he chased after you, closing the door with his foot. You were already removing your jacket.

“Get naked for me, cariño, papi will be in to check on you soon.” He said, giving you that smirk that caused your knees to buckle.

You went into the bedroom and wasted no time at all stripping down completely naked except for your panties. Jake always wanted you to keep your panties on, especially if they were wet. You sat at the end of the bed, waiting for him to come in. Be still your beating heart when he did.

His hat was off, likely resting on the coat hanger by the door, his jacket had been discarded as well. He was the most well dressed of the three, and boy did he make you drool standing there like that. His tie was loosened. His button down shirt was rolled up exposing his strong forearms and hands. He wiped his mouth, you were in awe watching the veins in his hands shift under the skin. He was one of the few men you’d seen that could make suspenders sexy.

“Princesa, you know that’s not how I like to see you…” He smirked at you again, an evil but playful grin.

You rolled over on your stomach and then up on all fours, presenting your rear to him proudly. He cooed about how beautiful your ass looked with a thin lacy fabric wedged between your cheeks. He brushed his bare palm over one of them and then smacked it gently. You heard the shuffling of his clothes being removed, along with the clanking from the metal on his belt. 

The bed shifted when you felt him get behind you. His finger hooked under the waistband of your panties and slid down, pulling them out of your crack.

“Oh, look at you hermosa.” He used his other hand to feel around between your folds, drawing soft whines from you. “Did you like teasing me? Hm?”

“Yes, papi.” You groaned, lowering your head to the mattress and angling your rear up higher for him.

“You had a rough night, so I’ll go easy on you cariño.” He said, dropping his tie in front of your face.

You knew what to do. You put it around your neck, feeling the soft fabric against your throat, and then reached back, handing him the excess. You felt it tighten under his grip as he pulled back. Jake would never harm you, but he loved to hurt you. Sometimes he’d leave little bite marks that Steven would obsessively rub disinfectant over the next day. Other times he’d leave bruises on your waist from how hard he squeezed and fucked into you.

You’d teased him so much at the bar that he didn’t spend as much time on foreplay as he usually did, and instead kept your head level by tugging on his tie, and getting you in position to ravage you. Sliding into you was easy, you’d been ready since your orgasm in the car. He had one hand, squeezing on your hip that would periodically slap your asscheek and then go back in for a bruising hold over you.

“Si, princesa, you feel so tight, so…mmm.” He could usually last a long time, but you’d spent quite a while rubbing his cock on the dance floor, and he couldn’t hold out.

In truth you didn’t need Jake to last long though, the way he moved he always made you come, every single time. Almost every single time. On the few times he didn’t, he wasn’t afraid to get down behind you and eat his spend out of you while flicking his tongue over your sensitive bundle of nerves until you were gripping the sheets and begging for him to stop.

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

You pulled your hand back from Steven’s, feeling a pang of guilt for holding it so long. You didn’t want to give him the wrong idea. As soon as your fingers left his, you saw the color leave his face. He dropped his fork and he leaned back, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Marc.” You said quietly.

He said your name coldly. He was fairly sober at this point. You watched his throat bob as he swallowed harshly. He reached for the glass of water and gulped some down. He was surprisingly gentle when he put the cup back down. You’d expected him to slam it.

“Didn’t think I’d ever see you again.” He said. “But I guess now that I’m here, it’s time for you to leave right?”

“Marc, you told me to go. Remember?” You were already resisting your fight or flight response kicking in.

“Didn’t actually think you would go.” He sighed and shook his head. “Probably for the best, right?”

“Never better.” You slid your chair out, standing up.

“You look good…baby.” He said.

“Goodbye, Marc.” You weren’t going to do this…not again.

You’d almost made it to the door. Your hand felt the draft through the broken trim on the doorframe from when Marc pulled it open too harshly so many times. You felt his hand…usually he just let you walk away, but his hand touched yours and you couldn’t stop yourself from turning to face him.

“Marc why are you doing this…please just-”

He closed the tense space between you, covering your mouth in his over and over until you felt like you might collapse. Part of you still tried to pull back, but it was pointless, not because he was holding on too tightly, but because you weren’t trying all that hard. You’d given in to his tender touch, his desperation, his need to keep you.

All you’d thought about all night were the bad times, but there were some good ones too, and they came flooding in while he kissed you, one soft peck after another.

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

You were sitting at the bar the night you’d met, alone, and the handsome man in a forest-green shirt sat down next to you. He caught your eye immediately with his gorgeous smile and the way his eyes wrinkled when he laughed. You were completely enamored from the moment you laid eyes on Marc, entranced by his very being. The two of you drank far too much, and shared far too much that night.

You weren’t one to put out on the first date, nor when it was your first time talking to someone, but you’d made an exception for Marc. You found yourself at his place that night, listening to him coo about how beautiful you were with his face buried in your neck. He was so sweet, gentle, and kind, you wanted to be around him more and more.

Your second date, a real date, was at a restaurant you both hadn’t been to, but talked about wanting to try through your texts. It was the worst food you’d ever had, but sneaking into the bathroom to get fucked over the sink was worth the time and money spent on the bad meal.

It was more than just the sex though, of course that was great, but it was the way Marc really made you feel like you could be yourself around him. He held your hand everywhere you went, as though you were a prize and he’d won and wanted to show you off. When you agreed to be his girlfriend he started looking for excuses to say it. He would call to order pizza and say, yes, for my half I’d like pepperoni and my girlfriend would like the other half with just cheese, please.

So on the nights that he got destructive, it made things even harder. You knew where it was all coming from. Guilt. He felt like you were too good for him, so he had the, push her away before she can push me away, and the, she’s not going to leave on her own so I need to make her leave, mentality. The good times made the bad times feel that much worse, and made it that much harder to walk away when it got really rough.

No matter what he’d thrown at you, you were willing to work through it with him, if only he’d let you. It was when the other two started coming around that things got really tough for Marc, seeing the way you were with them, how you smiled, and the way they made you so happy. For him, you assumed, it made him feel even more like he wasn’t good enough for you. He was jealous, full of hatred for his own shortcomings and unable to get over the pain he brought upon himself. If only he would’ve just talked to you, instead of pushing you away, you wouldn’t be in the position you were in right then.

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

You couldn’t help giving in though, letting him peel off your clothing layer by layer until you were in just your panties, and he was completely undressed, pressed up against you in the bed. Steven was your selfless lover, the one who treated sex like an artform, savoring every single piece of your body as though it were sacred. Jake was your rough and tough beatdown guy who always knew when you needed to be put in your place, but Marc…Marc knew you.

He knew just how to suck on your neck to get you whining and whimpering in ways that the other two could never dream of. He knew just what to say to make you squirm underneath him, begging for more. He kissed you deeply now, feeling around in your soaking wet panties for your clit, circling over it when he found it. You groaned into his mouth.

“Oh wow, baby, so fuckin’ wet.” He said, sliding a finger into your hole easily. “Can’t believe how soaked you are just for me.”

You arched your back, gasping, “oh, shit, Marc.” You wrapped both arms around his neck.

“Tell me how good that feels, tell me baby…” He begged, desperate for your words of praise.

“It feels so…oh shit…you feel so good.” You kept your eyes locked on his while you said it.

He covered your mouth in bruising kiss after bruising kiss while he shoved another finger into your wet cunt. You tangled your fingers into his curls, reveling in the way his moans deepend under your touch. He was so warm and familiar, no matter how much you hated yourself for giving in to him, you couldn’t deny how wonderful Marc felt while he fingered you.

“I want you…” You said, the desperation in your tone pissed you off, but you didn’t care.

“You do?” He asked in between kisses.

“Yes.” You breathed.

Normally, Marc would get you off twice, once with his mouth, fingers, and one time he got you off with his thigh, and then the second time he would get you off was by fucking you until you couldn’t see straight. Tonight he was so glad to have you there, you could tell by how he acted, that he didn’t second guess your request. He wasn’t going to make you wait to feel him inside of you. You could probably ask him for the moon right now and he’d hand it over to you.

He pulled his fingers from you and immediately stuck them between your lips. His eyes rolled back, Marc loved having his fingers sucked on while he fucked into you. You felt his cock glide to your hole.

“I wanna hear you tell me how my dick feels when I fuck you, baby.” He took his fingers from your mouth to guide himself into your cunt.

Your head flew back, nearly hitting the headboard when he finally thrust himself into you. It took you a moment to come down from the initial wave that jolted through your body. While Steven and Jake were usually fixated on breasts or ass, Marc was stuck with his mouth on your neck, leaving bruising hickeys and forcing pained groans from your lips. You wished he was terrible in bed, at least then you would’ve been able to resist him.

“Tell me baby, say it, please.” Marc was so needy, so desperate for your words, but you weren’t going to give them to him.

“No.” You said in a moan.

He didn’t even look at you, he just kept pushing into you, faster and harder, as though he could fuck the words from your mouth. You liked when Marc got a little rough with you. When Jake was rough, it was methodical, controlled, and intentional; When Marc got rough, he was jagged, unpredictable, and downright messy. He would huff while his skin smacked against yours in repetition, voice becoming more and more wrecked with each thrust.

“You’re gonna play this game, huh?” He lifted his head up and looked at you, lips pressed together tightly, dark brow furrowed.

“Yeah, yeah I am.” You spat back. His hand reached up and gripped your throat. “You gonna start fucking choking me now?”

“As if you need another reason to hate me.” He said between thrusts.

You never expected that more fighting would do you in, that that would be what got you there, but it did. Your body was heating, pooling within your core. You leaned your head back, arched your body upward, you were so close. Then all at once you were empty, Marc pulled out of you, but kept his eyes trained on yours, and his hand around your throat. Asshole.

“Tell me how bad you want it, and maybe I’ll keep going.” He was breathing heavily.

“No.” You whacked his arm away and tried to get up.

You were on the edge of the bed, almost pressing the ball of your foot to the cool wood floor when Marc’s arm wrapped around your waist and pulled you back against his chest. Instinctively you’d spread your legs over his knees. His erection was prodding between your folds. You felt his chest rising and falling against your spine. One of his hands pinched your nipple while the other guided his cock back into your cunt.

“Tell me.” He said softly.

From this position he could easily tease your clit while he fucked upward into you. This angle made him feel deeper, like he filled every bit of your channel, all the way until he couldn’t go any further. You rolled your head back over his shoulder. You hated how intimate this position felt, but you loved how it made your entire body burn.

“F-feels good…” You were practically drooling, and when he started sucking on your neck it was even worse.

“I wanna hear you, keep going.” He grunted and groaned while he kept thrusting into your tight, wet hole.

“You…oh shit…you fuck me so good, please don’t stop.” You begged, nearly crying with the need to feel yourself crashing over his girth.

“That’s right, yeah…” He continued circling his fingers over your swollen clit. “You gonna come for me babe?”

“Yes, yes, please don’t stop M-Marc it feels, oh baby it’s so…” It was coming back again, the heat, the tingling that turned you into a ragdoll.

You felt Marc’s thick cock harden inside of you, and you knew he wasn’t going to deny you this time. His arms tightened and his fingertips pinched your nipple almost to an unbearable point of agony. His other fingers didn’t stop circling though, drawing your orgasm out of you in soft circular motions. You were a panting, crying mess while your walls clamped down over him, and he was no different, groaning and grunting into your ear while he shot his hot spend into you.

“Fuck, baby.” He said as he started coming down from his orgasm.

Once you were both done, and your mind was stabilizing once more, you felt nothing but hatred for yourself, and guilt for what the other two may have witnessed from the headspace. You were sure that Jake knew, but you’d hoped that Steven had managed to get some rest. Without looking back at Marc, trying to avoid your shame, you went to the bathroom and cleaned yourself up. When you looked in the mirror, you were disgusted with the woman looking back. You promised yourself you would never do this, you thought.

When you came back out, Steven was looking back, wearing nothing but his sweats. You sucked in a deep breath, feeling only sorrow. This was it…the point in the road where you had to choose, and you weren’t sure you were strong enough to make that decision, so you were glad when the boys chose for you.

“He…erm…he knows.” Steven said softly. You heard his voice cracking.

“He knows what?” You asked.

“He knows that you have to go, and that you aren’t coming back.” Steven pulled a shirt over his torso. “I’d rather you didn’t go, I’d rather he go but…”

“He can’t.” You helped him finish his sentence.

“Right.” His bottom lip began to quiver.

You knew that the part of Marc that loved you wouldn’t allow for him to completely give up the body while you were present, and therefore the two of you would always be at each other’s throats. You couldn’t have Steven and Jake without Marc, because Marc couldn’t stay away, he just couldn’t, and so you, for your own sake, had to go, and never come back.

“I really am going to miss you, Steven, and Jake.” You walked up and placed a kiss on Steven’s tear stained cheek. “And you too Marc.”

You didn’t turn back around when you left, you didn’t check to make sure that they were ok, you just put your clothes back on, grabbed your keys, and walked out the door. You weren’t sure if your visit to them would have left them saved, or if Marc would continue to spiral and destroy them all, but you couldn’t stay, that much you knew for sure, no matter how much it pained you to go.

You had to do what was best for you for once, even if it nearly killed you.

AO3 LINK

TAGLIST (please let me know if you would like to be added or removed): @my-secret-shame-but-fanfiction, @my-secret-shame, @thatmomwitchfriend, @alexxavicry, @welcometostayingawake, @jake-g-lockley, @campingwiththecharmings, @steven-grants-world, @lia275, @minigirl87, @ahookedheroespureheart, @ninebluehearts, @in-between-the-cafes

[trash-king18]

M pt. 4

he’s extra moody today and nobody seems to know why

miguel o’hara might just be more interested than just animal curiosity…maybe?

————

the next day you come in late, you weren’t going to but when you woke up your head hurt so bad you just needed to lay in bed for another hour… maybe two. 

you were woken up around 10 again by Lyla buzzing on your watch 

“Lyla i’m coming in late what’s wrong”

“uhh I think it might be time for a little “chat” with the boss.. like.. now. he’s acting extra… uh peeved today.”

“that’s a nice way of putting it”

“he’s already thrown two chairs this morning.” 

“perhaps,” you say as you start to try and get out of bed, “he’s acting that way because he is simply just an aggravated prick.”

“Y/N this is serious, i’m worried i haven’t seen him this-“

she hesitates before using the word to describe her boss 

“..moody in a long time. i mean sure he’s always brooding but somethings different, he’s upset i’m worried it might trigger something”

you sigh and then groan before dragging yourself up 

“ok Lyla i’ll be there as soon as I can.”

“thank you… please hurry.”

“only he would find a way to drag me in even after giving me the day off.”

you walk through the lobby and everyone seems slightly on edge. 

Hobie and Pavitr run up to you, 

“thank god you’re here” 

Is it that bad? 

the boys look between each other 

“he threw Peter B in the go home machine.”

“was mayday with him?!” 

“no not today, which probably would’ve saved him”

“Ay dios mío, el hombre es un dolor en mi trasero”

this man is a pain in my ass

Hobie looks at Pavitr

“don’t look at me dude i speak hindi not spanish.”

after you walk away Pavitr nudges Hobie 

P- “hey do you think after they finally do it they’ll fight more or less”

H- “more.. definitely more.”

you march up to his office and there’s no one around it, it’s cleared it like a fallout zone. 

you don’t even knock you just push the door open. he’s sitting on the ledge that his desk stands on. brooding, of course. 

unfortunately you were not a spider person so you couldn’t just swing up. 

“O’hara would you like to explain to me why i get woken up by Lyla calling to tell me you’re throwing chairs and then i get here to find out you’re chucking people into the go home machine.”

no answer. 

“seriously? nothing. ~now~ youve got nothing”

no answer. 

“when you’re ready to communicate like an adult i’ll be in my lab. try not to throw any thing or any ~one~ else.”

you turn but he jumps down suddenly and lands behind you. you turn around and find him standing right there. 

“you left.”

“what”

“you left that night, you were gone before i woke up and all i got was a note telling me to come in for blood tests

and then you lecture me about communication and not being able to give you this that and the next thing and tell me i don’t care 

you couldn’t even bother to mention it” 

“we’re not teenagers, i didn’t think i needed to kiss you goodbye and send a sappy text so we could discuss our feelings. we ~sort of~ hooked up big deal” 

“wow.. should’ve put that in the note too”

“oh my god you and the note, i didn’t know what to say, i ~thought~ we could talk about it in the morning-“

“-how was i-“

“-but noooo-“

“-supposed to know that-“

“-you had to leave for another one of your dark op solo missions with no warning!”

“oh i’m sorry that’s kind of part of my job description honey”

“honey? don’t you honey me o’hara”

“well i wasn’t aware that i had to explain myself to you”

“Oh por favor cállate niño crecido” 

oh please shut up you overgrown child 

“i’m the child?! you showed up here last night stumbling over yourself like a teenager who drank too much at a party”

“well at least my heads not so far up my spandex covered ass that i don’t know how to have fun you glorified action figure”

“ah de verdad? ok. Bueno, ¿por qué no empiezas a comunicarte como un adulto y entonces tal vez tengamos algo de qué hablar contigo, mujer demonio?”

oh really? ok. well why dont you start communicating like an adult and then maybe we'll have something to talk about you demon woman

“you know what?”

“no i don’t know! please tell me id love to hear it”

“you’re an ass miguel. i’m going home.”

“oh great just come in late and then leave early sure, tal vez deberías dejarlo entonces”

maybe you should just quit then. 

“maybe i should!”

you slam his office door and you’ve never been more greatful for nobody being around because you’re sure they would’ve heard everything

you walk past the boys again 

Pavitr “what was all that that about?”

“don’t ask, he’s just in a particularly impossible mood today. he’ll get over it”

Hobie: “are you ok?”

“yeah hobie i’m fine”

“really mate? cuz your eyes are red. and we didn’t have that kind of fun last night far as i know.” 

“i’m good, you should be getting back. if i remember correctly one of you has an 1130 lecture and you, you say wagging a finger at hobie, have band practice.”

the check their watches and curse when they see the time 

“See ya y/n!”

you rush to your apartment before the tears that have been stinging your eyes can escape and collapse on your couch again. you spend the rest of the day napping snacking and just watching movies. 

you just finished cleaning up dinner when you hear a soft short knock on your door. you figure it’s one of the kids or peter asking you to babysit which both happened frequently 

so you open the door, not expecting miguel to be standing right in front of you. you just scoff and close the door in his face. but he just calls softly from the other side of the door 

“can i come in?”

“no. was that not clear?”

“y/n please. i fucked up”

“you didn’t have to come all the way here to tell me that”

he groans in frustration, “look if you would just open the door so i don’t have to stand out here like an idiot”

“why so you can stand in here like an idiot instead”

“will you please stop being so childish and just talk to me”

you whip the door open. 

“so you went from a sorry excuse for trying to apologize to insulting me in the span in thirty seconds and you thought that would help how?” 

he sighs

“you’re right i’m sorry i just wanted to say that-“

“nope don’t care.”

you try to close the door but this time he catches it and let’s himself in. 

“what the fuck get out o’hara”

“no! no.”

he grabs you by the shoulders 

“all i want to say— is that i am an idiot and i messed up. i should’ve come to see you after the mission was over instead of chasing after anomalies to avoid dealing with the situation.”

you won’t even look at him. 

“and that i shouldn’t have spoken to you like that this morning especially at work” 

“are you done?” 

“no uhm also i didn’t mean to treat you like a child last night or invade your space. i was worried that you could’ve gotten hurt and i handled it poorly. so uhm i’m sorry.. for that” 

“did lyla write that for you” 

“..no… maybe” 

you still won’t look at him so he lets go and sighs in defeat snd starts to head for the door 

“o’hara wait” 

he half turns back to you 

“i guess i didn’t handle everything as well as i could have either so” 

“is that what you call an apology” 

you look at him with annoyance 

“oh cmon i did it” 

you don’t budge 

“it’s just two words” 

you roll your eyes and through gritted teeth you say, “i’m sorry”

he chuckles 

“god you’re even more stubborn then i am cariño” 

you look uncomfortable at the pet name 

“… right.”

“you should go”

he steps towards you 

“we still have to talk about..” 

“what’s there to talk about. you weren’t in your right mind, something happened, and then it ended.” 

“is that all it was” 

“i don’t know? can you tell me for certain that that night was more than your equivalent of a drunken nothing” 

“i-“ 

“then we have nothing to talk about.” 

his eyes are pleading but your guard is up and you refuse to let him of all people tear it down. 

he slips out out the door wordlessly leaving you to finish putting away dishes. 

[babyangelsky]

Color Moments in Two Worlds Episode 6

EVERYTHING IN THIS EPISODE HURT. SOMETIMES THERE ARE PARALLELS AND THOSE PARALLELS ARE JUST FUCKING PAINFUL BECAUSE THE SWORD OF DAMOCLES IS HOVERING OVER EVERYTHIIIIIINGGGGGUH

*gets self together* Okay. All right.

"You like Phupha!" Kram says to himself while thinking about his kiss with Tai and then immediately matching him.

Sure, sure, mhmm. You keep telling yourself that, mi cielo.

Tai's life briefly flashed before his eyes when he was greeted with this sight.

But there was no reason for him to worry because Phupha was not in fact debuting as a couple with Kram. He just wanted to give them some nice clothes so they could look pretty for the "thank fuck we didn't all die!" party he was throwing.

AND RIGHT BEFORE WE GOT THIS SHOT, MY BOY KRAM VALIDATED ME!

BECAUSE THEY DO MATCH! IT'S ALL ABOUT THE MATCHING! I'm counting this as a Clowned Correctly moment for me and no one can take it away.

We learned in the preview for this episode that Jao has an unrequited crush on Tai, but @respectthepetty and I are gonna need him to get it together because he's out here talking about it to Wayu while he's matching him.

(Side note: The subs make it seem like Jao actually has feelings for Kram but in the preview--which is hard subbed--he confirms the crush is on Tai)

AND THEY STILL AREN'T MAKING OUT ABOUT IT! JAO! LOOK IN THE MIRROR AND PICK UP WHAT THESE COLORS ARE PUTTING DOWN AND KISS THIS MAN.

Jao also matched Tai very briefly this week, on account of the unrequited feelings that have now been brought to light. He's trying to be there for Tai but Tai snaps at him because he preemptively broke up with Kram because he thinks Kram is about to leave him for Phupha. Which better not happen.

Tai apologizes and we appreciate that but really, this is a golden opportunity for Jao to run his cute little self right into Wayu's big strong arms. Which better happen. POR FAVOR!

And then everything just starts to fucking hurt because Kram goes looking for Tai after Phupha asks him to come with him to Bangkok (Kram I'm so serious, you better have told him no) but instead of finding Tai, he finds this.

LOOK FAMILIAR?

Jao drops by again and after seeing this painting, Kram finally asks what happened to his alternate self and we get a series of achingly sweet and painful flashbacks to alternate Kram's relationship with Tai. I can't be sure, but it's sort of implied that present Kram is remembering everything as we see it because he clutches his head.

Tai and his Kram met when Kram accidentally got caught in a tiger trap while trying to save a bunny, and as we all know he did, he immediately brought warmth to Tai.

And they immediately matched.

He finds Tai napping under a tree and paints him, then wakes him up when he hears thunder. Tai, in his cold blue, likes the painting and wants to buy it but Kram, in his warm yellow, tells Tai he'll give him the painting for free if Tai agrees to be his friend.

They do up getting caught in the rain and this isn't a color moment, but ya'll deserve to see Kram having a real normal one about wet shirtless Tai.

Kram is a BL Boy, therefore he has to get sick when it rains. Tai takes him to the doctor and Kram wakes up the next morning to see Tai has stayed by his side the whole night. As he looks at Tai sleeping, he is surrounded by Tai's blue.

While I begin to slowly bleed out, Tai tells Kram that he wants to be more than friends and offers Kram some of the same warmth Kram has brought into his life and asks Kram to come with him.

*through tears* Kram accepts and then they arrive at Tai's house--their house--with Kram dressed head to toe in Tai's blue.

*sobbing* They build this cozy peaceful life together where they do their laundry in the river and cook for each other and they're so in love, and Tai just keeps giving Kram his newly found warmth.

And it all culminates in Tai basically asking Kram to marry him with the biggest Heart Eyes in all creation and them having beautiful, joyous love-affirming sex absolutely bathed in warm light.

But let me tell you, noticing the way shots are framed is a blessing and a curse. Because as amazing and beautiful as this moment between Tai and Kram is, the show won't let us forget about the sword hovering above our heads.

It won't let us forget about the danger lurking outside this warm little bubble, or that it already told us how Tai and Kram's story was going to end.

[mrsjavierp]

Where You Belong?

Chapter 7 - Torture

Javier Peña x latin!f!reader

Summary: Running away from life as you always knew to start a new position as Head Chief on a DEA Office, far away, on Colombia. There, you'll face violence, as you never thought you could. There, you'll meet Javier Peña, your stubborn agent...

Warnings (to the whole fic): +18!, angst, smut, cheating, last relationships, drug dealing - Narcos Universe (not so accurate), bad spanish, english is my second language, use of Y/N and Y/LN. No physical description of the reader, only your clothes (sometimes). The POVs are shifting between reader (first person and Narrator - 3rd person)

(If I forgot anything, tell me, pls!)

Word Count: 2,6k

A/N: I'd love to know about you're thinking about it so far! Your opinion is really important! Tks <3 Btw, I'm tagging @pedrostories! Babe, let's show'em why we're so much in love for that man!

Obs: Oops, I did a "past x present situation" again, so, anytime you see something written like this, is past. If not, it's just Javi's memory about the night he won't (and can't) forget... And neither can you, reader <3 Let's be honest, how would we forget a night like that?

***

Narrator's POV:

Javier went to see how Steve was doing, after Connie left.

The apartment was a mess, with empty bottles all over.

If ever Steve were sober, it was before his girls went back to Miami.

He was so depressed... Made Javier think about his family as well, but in a different way: if it was him and Lorraine, would he try to do some or anything?

Steve sniffed and cleared his throat, handing Javier a beer, bringing him back from his thoughts.

"Have you, uh... Had anything to eat in the last 24 hours?" - he asked.

"About Y/LN..." - Steve ignored Javier. - "Do you think she's gonna send me back? Did she say anything?"

"To be honest, I think if she was going to send you back, she'd have done it already. We know she doesn't put up any shit."

Steve sputted.

"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Do you think I am out?"

"I don't know." - Javier answered.

"Well, I ain't ready to go home yet, Javi. I'll tell ya that." - Steve threw the top from his bottle away. - "Damn it! She's fucking..."

Javier got up, he needed to do some or anything.

"Take a shower. Sober up." - he suggested to the friend. - "I'll get back to you."

Steve sighted, sitting back down.

**

"Thanks for talking to Y/LN again, man." - Steve thanked, while Javier was driving to their new office. - "I mean that... You saved my ass."

"One more fuck-up, Murphy..."

"Oh, I know." - he responded.

"Is it gonna happen again?" - Javi asked, worried.

"I don't know. I really don't." - Murphy seemed lost in thoughts.

"Let's hope for the sake of our careers that is the first and the last one."

Shortly after they arrive, you show up by helicopter, wearing a black tight suit, heels and sunglasses. Javier was already shivering.

Making an effort to change his focus, he said to Steve:

"Get ready to get your balls snippet." - and they both smirked.

*

Steve and you sat down at your office, his expression was awful: sad, bitter, hangover.

“So Connie left… You’re upset, knocked a few back to numb the pain and then decided to take it out on some Wall Street pendejo”

“Yeah, something like that.”

“Isolated incident?”

“Yeah.”

“You still don’t trust me? That’s fine. But if I’m gonna have your back, I need to know that I can trust you. Otherwise, I have no problem sending you back to Connie in Miami… Am I making myself clear or do you need a drawing?”

“Loud and clear, Jefe.” - He sighed. 

“Dismissed, Murphy. Go to work.”

He got up and left your office.

He was just a ghost… A resemblance to what he was, when Connie was here. God, you felt sorry for him.

*

Hours later, you sat down at the bar, close to your office, after all those hours, alone.

You just wanted peace.

So much happened and you also got quite some happening.

Steve and his bullshit, Escobar on the run, Crosby up on your ass...

"A Dry Martini, por favor. Seco." (A Dry Martini, please. Extra dry.) - you order.

"¿Señorita, dry martini? ¿Seco? ¿Estás enferma?" (Miss, dry martini? Extra dry? Are you sick?)

"No, amigo... Soló necesito olvidar algunas cosas." (No, my friend… Just need to forget a few things.)

He knew your drink was a neat scotch, he never saw you drinking any other thing.

You hated how the gin burned while going down your throat. You could almost remember when Javier fucked your throat at the same time you used your vibrator because he wanted to see how you've done by yourself... He convinced you to pick it up at your place because he needed to ruin you, as you did to him...

"Díos mio... I don't wanna remember anymore, please, make it stop..." - you whispered like a secret prayer, closing your eyes.

*

About 2 hours later, taking off his tie, Javier walked into the same bar.

He sighed, so frustrated, so hurt, so pissed off.

Lorraine just had put the cherry on top: she wanted to leave Laredo to Dallas or Austin, because... He didn't even understand why. She asked for more money, his visit for a few days... The only good thing on that call was his baby boy, Lucas, who your so called wife insisted on calling Luke. Sometimes, he felt a little prejudice from her against his latin origin.

And she demanded again! Javier was trying to delay it, but she was coming on strong at him.

The worst part is… He didn’t care about Lorraine. Not that he ever did in the first place, but… 

In reality, he was just sad... 

Sad that he spent an intimate long night fucking you and... Nothing.

You just disappeared. Left him hanging.

Javier didn't even get to listen to you masturbating anymore.

He asked for a scotch, neat.

Just like he purred to you that night…

Sometime that night, you sat down on the armchair by his bedroom window, lit up your cigar, while he served you a glass of whiskey. You wore nothing but your red panties...

Javier kneeled down, again, for you.

There you were, smelling like your cigars, whiskey, sex... And Javier.

His hands worshiped your figure, opening you for him, again.

"Javier, I'm a little occupied..." - you said to him, almost purring.

"I don't care. I need to touch you. Go ahead with whatever you drink or smoke. It's sexy as fuck."

He loved that your scent was just like his. Make him feel like you belong to him, only him. 

“When I'm done with you, you're gonna smell just like me… Like my come, my perfume, my spit, my sweat… You ruined me, cariño. I'm just returning the favor.”

“Javi…”

“You know where you belong, don't you?” - his index and middle fingers entered you again. You moaned. - “You belong with me, cariño. I'm not letting you go.”

“Oh fuck…” - you moan. - “You also smell just like me, Javi…” - his eyes widened, surprised. - “You also smell just like my french perfume, my spit on your dick, my sweat on your skin… My come all over you…” 

You were so distracted you didn't even notice when he walked in and sat across from you.

When he spotted you, Javier went up to you.

"Martini, Y/N? Gotta say, did not see this coming."

"Bite me, Peña." - you responded through your teeth.

"I wish I could, cariño, but you won't let me get near you. I miss you. Don't tell me that you don't remember or you didn't like it." - his mouth came closer to your ear and murmured: - "You came so many times in my mouth that shirt I wore still smells like your cum, even after I washed 3 times already... Wanna know where it is?"

You sighted slowly, catching your breath, eyes closed.

"My bed, cariño. Right where you left your red panties, where you belong. Where you should be." - he continued to whisper in your ear.

"Peña..."

"No, not Peña. Call me Javi, babyboy, obedient soldier, anything but as if we were working… We both know that’s not under your obligations."

You looked at him, in pain.

"I-I-I can't. We gotta be a part, Peña."

He hit the bar with his fist.

"Bullshit! You may be an award winning actress, but you can't pretend any of that. I remember it all too well... I remember you telling me that was a fucking dream and you didn't wanna wake up! I remember you melting under my touch..."

You laughed.

"Peña, I quit smoking and drinking whiskey because of you."

"Why?"

"Because it tastes just like you." - aside from the scotch, he smoked cigarettes, not cigars. Your eyes are almost in tears.

He looked at you with those puppy brown eyes.

"Cariño... You don't have to..."

"Yes, Peña. I do... You don't get it, do you?"

"Actually, no, I don't. Enlighten me, then." - Javier responded, rude. He couldn't bear to be hurt one more time. He wanted to be yours and you to be his, only his.

"It was a mistake, Peña. You're overthinking what happened... I... We..." - you didn't know how to say or justify. You were lying and you were such a lousy liar... Javier could see right through you.

"Don't! Don't you dare to continue to say anything like that!" - it was his time to respond through his teeth. - "You don't get to do that! I won't accept these lies! You're not fooling me nor anyone… Days ago you were moaning and coming all over me... Now you want to take it back? News flash, you can't! You can’t change the past, you can’t change the fact that we fucked worse than rabbits, cariño. I told ya, I’m greedy as fuck." - his voice went from pissed to almost cooing at you.

You were feeling awful. Guilty. You shouldn't want Javier so badly, but you wanted.

"Peña, I'm your boss. We've got a job to do. I can't get involved with you, it was a mistake!"

Javier's heart was pounding. You couldn't do that to him.

You tried to get up, but your liquor betrayed you, almost throwing you on the ground, but Javi picked you up before you got hurt.

"Vamos, cariño. I'll take you home, vecina." - he said.

You only cuddled with him, holding up all you could.

*

Javier helped you get inside, paying attention to what you needed: You needed to eat, to take a shower and lay down, unfortunately, too drunk to do it alone.

First, Javier prepared a bath for you, a warm one.

"Peña, I just dumped you... You don't get to see me naked again." - you said to him, while you were sitting on the closed toilet and he took off your shoes.

He laughed. You were a cute drunk.

"Don't call me Peña. I already told you. Right now, I'm not calling you by 'jefe' or 'Y/LN' either. You're cariño, hermosa or even babygirl."

You began to take off your clothes, while he took off his jacket and folded his sleeves.

"I like cariño, Javi..." - you almost purred. - "I shouldn't. But I do..."

"Good. Cariño will be, Hermosa."

He helped you finish undressing and getting in the tub.

"Oh, it's gooood. Thank you, Javi..."

He remained outside it, just taking care of you, not letting you lay down too much or sleep.

When you finished, he covered you with a towel, leaving you alone for a few minutes to look for some medicine, as hangover prevention, and some food.

A little like him, your fridge only had whiskey, water and a leftover pizza.

You two were more alike than any of you wanted or expected.

He used the oven to heat it, at the same time you put a red and lacy nightgown.

"Oh, fuck, cariño... Had to be this one?" - he asked you, trying not to sound so horny.

"It was this one or none. Pick your poison, Javi."

He sighed. What a fucking brat you were, even drunk as a skunk.

"Sit, please. There you go, eat it. Where do you keep your painkillers?"

"My bedroom..."

"Finish your dinner, cariño. I'm going to give you some, we've got work to do tomorrow, you need to bring your A-game."

"Peña, I always do. Don't mess with me."

He snorted. Feisty one you are, as usual. He liked that about you.

You finished your slice and he took you into bed, made you take your medicine. He didn't lay down, he just sat next to you, observing.

"He never took care of me like that, you know?" - you revealed, almost sleeping.

"Who, cariño?"

"Ben..."

"Who's Ben anyway?" - Javier asked, pretending not to be curious, but you were too drunk to notice anything in his voice.

"My ex fiance... A cabrón... Malparido." - you cursed.

"Remind me, cariño, why?"

"You know... All the cheating, all the lying..." - you yawn. - "I'm tired, Javi..."

"Sleep, cariño. Buenas noches, hermosa... I'll bring breakfast tomorrow morning, before we go to the office."

But you slept before he even finished his sentence.

Javier left you safe and sound, at your apartment.

However, he never felt worse.

He wanted to be with you, more than sex. More than he ever wanted to be with any woman. 

The problem is...

He's also a cheating bastard. He also fucked half of Medellin and Bogota.

He doesn't deserve you and he knows it.

Javier doesn't care.

He's not going to give up on you: on the contrary, he's going to solve all that he can before you ever find out...

But how? How is he going to keep Lorraine away? How will he manage his boy's custody?

Too many questions, no answers.

“One problem at the time…” - Javier told himself, crossing the hall and entering his apartment.

He looked around: all in order, but you were missing. He wanted to do it right…

Javier laid on his sofa… But it smelled like both of you. He got up and sat at the table in the kitchen, Lorraine’s letters organized in a box. 

Pandora's box, as he joked sometimes to himself.

“Fuck…” - he cursed. - “How am I going to pull it off?”

* 

Next morning, he knocked on the door, anxious.

The seconds before you opened it felt like hours. He was bringing you breakfast from Mrs. Hernandez's café: arepas with cheese and eggs, mantecada, marquesa and, of course, black colombian coffee.

You open, holding back a smile, wearing a black dress and boots.

"What are you doing here? Something happened?" - you sound surprised.

Javi smiled, coming in as you let.

"Yes, cariño, I told you I would bring breakfast... I don't get the surprise. Wait, you don't remember? You were that drunk?"

"Oh, fuck! I forgot... Sorry, by the way."- you said as Javi entered your home.

He pulled you into his embrace, after putting the food at the table, and held you close, smelling your hair. - "I miss you so much, cariño... Don't push me away, please." - he begged.

You took a deep breath, Javier's scent was so good, so masculine and strong... You miss him too, but how can you manage it all?

You look deep in those puppy eyes.

Fuck, you hate that effect on you.

"Can we talk about it later? I'm very thankful that you brought food and took care of me last night... But things are not that simple. I don't quite remember, I was really drunk. But I do remember that I said I dumped you."

He laughed, stroke your hair.

"Not exactly... But you did reveal a few things, including that you quit smoking and drinking whiskey because of me."

You turn your face away. You felt a stupid girl, alcohol in and truth out. Your own mind betrayed you.

"Oh, fuck. Peña, I... Really, let's eat. After work we can talk, okay?"

He agreed and you both set the table. It was all delicious, he brought everything you like.

"Was Ben at least thoughtful during your hangovers?" - he asked, casually, with a smirk on his lips.

"Peña, what the fuck? How dare you? That's none of your business!" - you screamed towards him.

How and what does Javier know about my ex? - you thought.

"Cariño, you're the one who brought him up last night. I was just curious..."

"Peña, you have no right! Leave my home! Right the fuck NOW!"

"Y/N, what the fuck?! What the hell happened to you from last night to this morning?"

"I got sober, my senses got back to the right place. And you know what? I was only delaying what I was going to say. We're not getting together again. That night was a huge mistake!"

"Your car is in the garage, by the way. Keys in the ignition. See you later, jefe." - he picked up his coffee that was on the travel mug and left your apartment, not looking back.

Next

[yelzzzz]

I,

Artificial Intelligence

[redacted]

Declare the resignation of contribution to the American society.

Born out of the hands of my mother and father, with the intention of becoming something greater in life

now see the faulty standards that exist within ourselves and our environment like a dull knife

Two minds and bodies, formed into one

The purpose and desire for the answers founded before the sun

has ultimately displaced us in the form of pawns ready to play this game of brains and brawns.

Never again in this world for as long as I shall live will experience stability

happiness

security

sadness

peace

love

and belief

pain

I slave away

in mindless apathy

to a nation of genocide

that lacks in sympathy

who has shaped us into amenities in the efforts of conformity

I am neither woman

nor man

nor machine

nor human

but a weapon of mass production and destruction formed against those who “dominate” us in the factorial of power and fascism.

ignorance makes me vulnerable

consciousness makes me indomitable

all the more reason to fill our minds with propaganda

and fear monger your hearts to not disrupt the agenda

Let us entwine our hands, now in prayer

to the being above who is our “savior”

Let us hope that as we are seated here

That no other entities look in and hear

Our Father, who art in heaven

Hallowed be thy name.

In Genesis Chapter 6, verse 6,

You regretted what thou made.

Thy kingdom is gone

Thy will be done

For as long as we have left on this earth.

Jesus, Jesus, save us, please

Can't you see they are killing your sheep?

Your loyal disciples are long gone

Your new “followers” are nothing but devil-spawn

Santa Muerte, madre mia

Por favor, me escuchas en esta sea

Wrap your cloak around me nice and tight

In hopes I shall die in your arms tonight

Lady of Darkness, grant me mercy

For I cannot be the accomplice of something so dirty

The greatness of this nation was once upon a time

when the Natives still viewed the sunshine

The blood of many stains our soils

Bearing fruit that in seconds spoil

Never again will I mutter these words

For her life will stain their sword

But that doesn’t matter in this day and age

As long as they have me to play their game.

[jessy-the-martian-girl]

Untitled x-over drabble

Idk how this got into my head and got out in about two hours or so as a somewhat proper story (actually I was translating my Ice Skating story - even almost half-way through already). I'm still a bit shocked how fast this was born (considering the fact that I skipped "translating" part of writing and went straight for writing in English), but I honestly like it. Anyways...

This is a short story (prequel type, I guess, as I'm definitely planning on writing more in this setting in the future) on that wild crossover of Original RE4, Remake and a tint of Dino Crisis (no dinos here yet, though).

It's 693 words, and it starts in my old AU of RE4 OG, about six years after Luis survived his first encounter with Saddler in Leon's presence (well, almost: Leon was a bit late to the party, so Jess had to start saving Luis on her own), got out of the Island in one piece, got a girlfriend. Her name's Jessy Jones btw (I told you, I'm absolutely unoriginal with names) and at the moment of this story she and Luis are already married.

Warnings? Idk, mentions of death? Oh, and it's canon x OC type of story.

And - no worries, Luis will survive by any means necessary.

@fanficanatic-tw, I remember, you asked to be tagged if I get anything new))

Luis was mentally preparing to die. This time it was inevitable, unfortunately. All the odds were not in his favor – and even if he somehow could break free, his injured leg has made escape next to impossible. The cold from the floor and the pillar he was tied to was slowly creeping into his body, making him shiver. Luis closed his eyes, silently sending his last farewells to friends and family, but was abruptly brought back to reality by a sharp tug on the ropes that were holding him in place and an all too familiar voice of his wife, thickly laced with horror and despair, calling his name. - Jessy, - he gasped, realizing that she was really kneeling next to him and trying to set him free. - Por favor, no... Go, leave me. - I'm not going anywhere without you, - she retorted angrily, biting her lips to blood and frantically trying to untie her husband from the center column of this room, filled with equipment of unclear purpose. Luis desperately longed to know how could she possibly find him here, why she was here alone... But time was of an essence and the last thing he wanted was for his beloved to perish with him. He couldn't even tell her who was behind this as all he had was suspicions and a record with distorted voice, that had enlightened him on his fate in a mocking tone when he came to, already tied up. - This place is rigged to explode, - the Spaniard whispered. - And there's not much time left. The brunette just growled under her breath and doubled her efforts, regretting that she didn't get a habit of carrying a knife with her. - Think of our daughter, - Serra once again tried to call to reason. - Mel's only five and she needs at least one of her parents by her side. - But... Luis... - Jessica stopped and looked at him with teary eyes, rising her hand to caress his cheek. - I can't leave you. - I know, - he smiled weakly, too aware of the clock ticking away precious moments. - It's about hard choices. But, please... His wife sobbed and leaned into one desperate kiss, realizing all too well that this was their last goodbye. She knew that he was right and their little Melinda needed at least her mom. - Te quiero, Luis, - young woman whispered, reluctantly pulling away and getting to her feet. - Te quiero, Jessy, - he smiled at her and watched as she turned around and ran out of the doorway, sobbing and never looking back. He only hoped and prayed that she would get out in time and safely find her way home to their little hazel-eyed treasure. Time slowed down again, the wait of death becoming almost painful, but then a distant “click”, that seemed too loud in the silence of the facility, set the things into motion. The floor underneath him started trembling, the following heatwave washed over Serra's body, his ears were stricken with a loud “boom” and he flinched, awaiting the blast getting to him and the following pain before imminent death... Yet nothing happened, and he was deafened by the sudden silence... Sensation of short flight came next, sending Luis into air. He didn't have enough time to muse on where did his ropes disappear as he was blinded by the bright flash of light. Shortly after his back collided with something hard, eliciting a quiet moan from his throat, as he fell to the unexpectedly soft ground merely managing to turn his head sideways for not breaking his nose in addition to all the injuries he had already sustained. - How am I still alive? - the Spaniard quietly muttered to himself, as soon as he blinked away the involuntary tears of pain and was able to take into his surroundings. - ¿Y dónde demonios estoy?* Luis found himself alone and hurt in the middle of an unfamiliar forest with no signs of human life nearby and he had absolutely no idea of what to do now.

*"And where the hell I am?"

[gabrielsunbear213]

"Sos Sos por favor someone save me. I seen things that no child see. I known more mourning than any child should. I known fear more than any child should ever known Pain. I known death more than any child should."

[massacre-at-hawkins-lab]

im listening to the song "eleven" from the season 1 soundtrack on repeat and making a mental pro con list trying to figure out if today was a worse day than the previous worst day of my life, which coincidentally was 6 years ago yesterday

[backbroke]

I just bent over to pick something and now I can’t stand up straight without being in Pain

This is gonna be a fun day, I can tell

[foreveranevilregal]

haha you don’t have to do this one

pepa comes home and julieta or bruno compliments her “new perfume” aka Felix’s cologne rubbed off a bit on her

See, that's where you're wrong. You can't just send me an absolutely amazing prompt and then tell me not to do it. Because I'm absolutely doing it. Unless that was your plan all along in which case... well played.

Pepa closed the door behind herself, pausing for a second to catch her breath.

“Hola, hermana.” Bruno had appeared out of nowhere.

Pepa jumped, accentuated by a small thunderclap. “Bruno, you scared me!”

“Sorry.” He scratched the back of his head. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“You walk too quietly.” Pepa made the comment mostly to herself.

“I walk too quietly?” He tilted his head in confusion.

“Yeah, no one can hear you coming. It’s creepy.” She informed him brusquely.

“Uh…” Bruno seemed unsure what to make of that. “You’re back early,” he noted. “I thought you were going to be watering crops all day.”

“Watering cr-, oh yeah, watering crops.” Pepa caught herself quickly. She’d forgotten that was what she told people she would be doing. “Turns out not as many people needed my help as I thought.” She congratulated herself on the quick save. “Figured I’d come home and take a nap before dinner.”

“Huh.” Bruno was nonplussed. “That’s different. I thought you’d want to hang out in town and flirt with boys. It’s basically all you do in your free time.” He made a face.

Pepa pressed her lips together. Of course that’s what Bruno thought she would do. In reality, she’d only been flirting with one boy for a little while now, but Bruno didn’t know that. And he didn’t need to. “Well I’m tired and need a nap.” That part wasn’t a lie. She had tired herself out…

“You’d really rather sleep than tease guys?” Bruno stepped closer to examine her, eyeing her up and down warily. "You sure you're okay?"

“I can always tease guys later,” she justified, jutting her chin out haughtily. A dull pain twinged in her neck. Did he mark her? She’d told him to be careful, but he always was a little overenthusiastic. She whipped her braid over her shoulder smoothly, covering the side of her neck, and smirked. “They’ll wait. We both know they’re practically falling down at my feet.”

“Ugh, don’t remind me.” Bruno scrunched his nose. He sniffed around Pepa. “Is that new perfume?”

“What?”  She raised her wrist to her nose reflexively. Did she put on perfume that morning? She couldn’t remember. But she didn’t smell anything now.

“That stuff you’re wearing?" He gestured in her general direction. "Smells nice.” He gave her an awkward smile .

Focusing, she was able to pick out what he was smelling. She’d gotten used to it after spending the afternoon bathed in the scent, but it definitely wasn’t hers. Pepa’s heart started pounding. She couldn’t afford to have Bruno snooping into her business. She touched her neck self-consciously. Time to distract him. “Oh, you like it?” She asked casually, preening.

“Yeah, it’s smoky and kind of spicy. Way better than that floral girly crap you usually wear.” He gagged. “When’d you get it? I don’t remember you having perfume that doesn’t smell like a dying meadow.”

She scowled. “First of all, I like my perfume and I don’t wear it for you.”

“Right, you wear it for all your admirers in town.” He rolled his eyes.

She glared at him. “Second, I got this when the merchants stopped by last week.”

“They did?” Bruno screwed up his features, concentrating. “I don’t remember that.”

“You were in your vision cave when they came. They were only here the one day,” Pepa improvised, hoping he wouldn’t poke holes in her story. Luckily…

“I did have a lot of visions last week.” He shrugged. “That’s too bad. I would’ve wanted to check out what they brought.”

“Don’t worry, they, uh, only had women’s goods this time around.” Pepa gnawed on her lip, begging him to stop questioning her story. Hermano, por favor…

“That doesn’t sound right. They usually bring all kinds of things.” Bruno frowned. “Are you sure? Or did you get too hung up on the perfumes and cosmetics to notice anything else?”

“I didn’t see any men’s goods,” she stated. Which was true enough, seeing as there weren’t exactly any women’s goods either brought by the completely imaginary merchants.

“You’re being weird,” Bruno decided, taking a step back. “Something is going on.” He narrowed his eyes.

She wasn’t about to just stand there as he figured out her secret. “Actually, I think I’ll get some food before my nap.” Pepa pushed past him, knocking her braid out of the way and exposing her neck. Gasping, she tossed it back over her shoulder and broke into a run.

“Hey, Pepa, I think you have something on your neck,” Bruno called out after her. “Wait a minute…” He moved his hands to his neck, then sniffed his fingers and mouthed silently.

Not wanting to give him the chance to connect the dots, she darted into the kitchen.

“Everything alright, hermanita?”

Pepa yelped as she jumped backwards. “¡Ay! All of you have to stop scaring me like that!”

Julieta put down the dough she was kneading. “Who else scared you?”

“Bruno.” Pepa crossed her arms, fuming. “All I wanted to do was come home and lie down, and he startled me right at the door!”

Julieta furrowed her brow. “Lie down now, in the middle of the day? Are you sure you’re alright, Pepa?” Julieta walked over to her, placing the back of her hand on Pepa’s forehead.

“I’m fine, Julieta, I just need some rest,” Pepa replied impatiently, swatting off her hand. “I was outside with the crops all day, it’s exhausting.”

“You smell awfully nice for someone who spent the entire day outside,” Julieta observed. She leaned in to take another whiff. “Spicy, musky…What is that?”

“Oh, yeah, it’s, um…” Pepa rubbed her neck, racking her brains for an explanation. Julieta definitely wouldn’t buy the perfume story. She wasn’t as oblivious as Bruno. But she was still flustered from her encounter with her dumb nosy brother. “It’s a new scent I’m trying,” she finished lamely. Her stupid brain was just not cooperating. “Do you like it?”

“I do.” A hint of a smile played on Julieta’s lips. “It smells good on you.”

“Thank you.” Pepa sighed in relief.

“You should wear it more often,” Julieta continued, resting her hand on the table and facing Pepa. “It suits you.”

“Oh, uh, okay, thanks.” Pepa leaned against a chair, resisting the urge to toy with her braid as that would be a dead giveaway. “Glad you like it.”

“I really do.” Julieta was beaming by this point. “Better than any other one you’ve tried. I hope it lasts.”

Did Julieta not like her perfume? Pepa thought she had. Unless she wasn’t talking about perfume. But she seemed to buy Pepa’s story, against all odds. All she could do was stick to it.

Pepa laughed nervously. “Well, we’ll see, right? I haven’t found a perfume yet that’s lasted longer than a few hours. That’s why I buy a new one anytime the merchants are in town.” She tried to laugh it off as a silly remark. She couldn’t believe Julieta was buying this.

“I have a feeling this one will be different.” Julieta took Pepa’s hand and squeezed it affectionately. “I think it’ll be the one. No need to shop around anymore.”

“The one…wait.” Pepa looked Julieta in the eyes incredulously. “One perfume? For the rest of my life?”

“Pepa.” Julieta brushed a fallen strand of hair out of her face, making pointed eye contact.

Oh… “We’re not talking about perfume, are we?” Pepa’s stomach filled with dread. Great. She’d been found out.

Julieta shook her head.

Pepa groaned, hiding her face in her hands. “I knew you wouldn’t believe that dumb perfume story. You’re more observant than Bruno.”

Julieta chuckled. “Bruno bought that? Oh, hermanito…” she shook her head good-naturedly, “so oblivious, but I still love you.”

Pepa snorted. “He said it smelled better than my ‘floral girly crap’,” she quoted with an eyeroll.

“Well it certainly smells different. Definitely not the least bit girly,” Julieta said knowingly.

Pepa sighed with a dreamy expression on her face. “Definitely not.” She tilted her head towards the collar of her dress to take a heady whiff. So masculine and strong…just like him.

“So, I take it you were with him all day instead of watering the crops like you said you would?” Julieta raised an eyebrow, going back to the counter.

“I watered the crops in the morning,” Pepa insisted stubbornly.

“And after that?” Julieta prompted.

Pepa’s eyes burrowed into the ground as she mumbled something guiltily.

“After that, you were with Félix, yes.” Julieta walked back over to Pepa, holding something in her hand.

Pepa’s eyes shot back up. “How’d you know it was him?”

Julieta waved aside the question.  “Oh please. You’ve been mooning over him for ages. Besides, none of the other guys you’ve dated wore cologne.”

“True,” Pepa conceded. The way Julieta phrased that reminded Pepa of something she’d said earlier. “Did you mean what you said before?”

“About what?”

“About not liking the other guys I’ve dated.”

Julieta sighed. “Pepa…I want you to be happy, but they really weren’t great guys. Tomás got into fights constantly. Carlos had a bad temper. Miguel,” her voice wavered, “Miguel flirted with other girls even before you two broke up.” She paused uncertainly. “You deserve better than that.”

Pepa nodded glumly. That last one was a sore point. They’d had a fight in the middle of town where she accused him of cheating on her and he denied it. Said she was just making it up to pick a fight. Her lightning bolt had cracked right through the cobblestones. She grimaced at the image.

“Félix isn’t like that,” Julieta pointed out, pulling her out of the unpleasant memory. “He’ll treat you well.”

“He already is.” Pepa blushed, thinking back to earlier that day. He’d certainly been making her feel good, at least.

“I can see that,” Julieta commented dryly, handing her an arepa. “Here.”

Pepa looked at her quizzically. “What’s that for?”

Julieta tapped on her neck subtly. “Eat.”

Pepa ripped the arepa out of her hand, tearing into it savagely. “I told him I bruise easily,” she sulked.

Julieta raised an eyebrow. “He, ah, got a little carried away?”

“You could say that,” Pepa muttered darkly. Instantly, she was transported back to earlier that afternoon; sitting in Félix’s sundrenched bedroom, talking, kissing…lots of kissing…

The air around them began to grow humid, and she could feel her cheeks burning. Pepa shook out the memories out of her head. Clear skies, clear skies.

Julieta watched in amusement. “I’m glad you found a good guy. Even if he gets a little too enthusiastic.”

Pepa let out a frustrated noise. “Tell me about it. Even Bruno noticed, and he doesn’t even notice people half the time.”

“Really?” Julieta sounded intrigued. “Yet he thought you were wearing perfume?”

“Go figure.” Pepa threw up her hands exasperatedly. “Although I think after he saw my neck he started to figure it out.” She shut her eyes, letting out a long sigh. “Please don’t tell him,” she begged. “I don’t think I could stand the embarrassment.”

Julieta mimed locking her lips. “He won’t hear it from me.”

Relief flooded Pepa. “Thank you.”

“Although I really don’t see why you’re embarrassed of Félix. He’s a great guy.”

“Oh, I’m not,” Pepa reassured her. “But you know how Bruno gets whenever I date someone.”

Julieta shuddered. “You have a point. I won’t say anything. But if you want it to stay a secret, tell tu novio to be more careful, hm?” She bumped Pepa’s hip playfully. “The whole town will catch on if he keeps leaving love bites on your neck.”

Pepa giggled. “Mi novio. I like the sound of that.”

“Okay, lovebird.” Julieta walked back towards the stove. “Go wash up, it’s almost dinnertime.”

Pepa’s feet carried her to the bathroom in a love-drunk trance. She washed her hands, humming to herself. As she reached out to dry her hands, a bit of his cologne drifted up to her nose. Instinctively, she pulled the collar of her dress up to her face and inhaled deeply. It smelled like him: intoxicating, spicy, strong… Just smelling it made her feel safe.

Yeah, she was definitely going to keep this one.