#she murmurs in your ear to help you fall asleep while she hugs you

[binah-beloved]

hi mod

ummmmm so do you have Pequod Heathcliff? If so do you pretend that he’s the real Queequeg (I do that to cope)

once i saw a mod that replaced Pequod Heathcliff with Queequeg and i've never wanted something more. other than a Queequeg announcer. i would pay money for that.

[ccsainzleclerc5516]

Mini You

Pairing: Lewis Hamilton x reader

Warnings: fluff, smut! and the overuse of the word “baby” I’m so sorry..

Finally the time has come for the long-awaited family vacation, which was more than necessary for both Lewis and you and your little three-year-old girl, Harper.

Your responsibilities at work and motherly responsibilities at home could not always be coordinated with Lewis's racing, so you and the little girl often spent time alone away from Lewis. Neither you nor he liked it, he hated that he had to be away from you two so often and for so long because he felt like he was missing out on precious time with his family.

He often persuaded you to quit your job, so you can travel with him all the time so that you wouldn't be separated for a second. From the very beginning, he told you that as far as he was concerned, you didn't have to work a day, that he would always and forever take care of you and your family, and he promised that you would never lack for anything and you were well aware of that, but he also knew that your job meant much more to you than just “a job” and that it is something that fulfills you as well as his career fulfills him.

That's why he never took moments like these when the three of you were together, especially longer than just 2 weeks, for granted. He enjoyed every second next to you and Harper.

He always tried to find the best places to spend a family vacation with you, and that was the case this time as well.

Since Lewis was away on business, he sent a private jet to pick you two up and take you to the south of Italy. Since you hadn't seen him in over 10 days, you and Harper were very excited to wait for him at the beautiful luxury beach villa that Lewis had rented just for you for the next three weeks.

“My daddy, it’s my daddy!” Harper exclaimed happily running into Lewis' arms as he entered the mansion.

“My little princess” Lewis’ smile grew from ear to ear as he picked her up and she wrapped her tiny arms around his neck. “I missed you so so much” He said showering her with kisses and your heart melted at the sight.

“Hello handsome” You greeted him as he pulled you into a hug as well.

“Hey, baby. How was the trip?” He asked pressing a kiss to your lips.

“Everything went well, Harper couldn't sleep at all from the excitement. She kept telling me about how you were going to teach her how to swim.” You say pinching her cheek making Lewis chuckle.

“Will you daddy? Will you teach me how to swim?” Harper asked.

“Of course, love” He smiled kissing her cheek.

“Can we go right now?”

“We can, baby. Go put your swimsuit on and we can go swimming”

Her eyes lit up as she clapped her hands. Lewis put her down and she ran into the room to find her bathing suit. Then he turned to you pulling you to himself and giving you a proper kiss.

“I missed you” He murmured against your lips as his hands found your waist pulling you as close as possible to him.

“I missed you too, Lew”

“I can't wait to fall asleep next to you tonight. That's all I could think about for the past few days.” He admitted kissing your neck gently as you smiled tilting your head to the side.

“Mommy, I can’t find it!!” Harper yelled from the room in frustration interrupting your moment making both of you chuckle.

“I'm going to help Miss Impatient” You sighed rolling your eyes before heading towards her. “I’m coming, baby!”

Later that day, you sat on a towel on the beach while Lewis taught Harper how to swim as he had promised. She was both excited and terrified at the same time, and Lewis loved teaching her new things.

“Daddy, please, please don’t let go of me” She said in short breaths. He held her in his arms above the water teaching her how to stay afloat.

“Baby, I would never let go of you, you can trust me okay?” He assured her. “Now keep your head above water and work with your legs” He instructed.

“Daddy..” She struggled a bit, but she wasn’t giving up. Harper was a mini version of you. She looked exactly like you, from your nose, mouth, eyes, even the color of your hair, she was a real little copy of you, but her behavior, her persistence and perseverance was all Lewis.

“C’mon, baby, you can do it. Daddy’s got you. You’re doing so good.” He encouraged her. He was always so proud of her. He admired the fact that, just like him, she enjoyed learning new things, that she was interested in everything, always so curious and ready for new adventures.

After a swimming lesson, the two of them moved to the sand next to you and started building a castle for the princesses, of course.

You didn't help build the sandcastle because you wanted to soak up some sun and enjoy the view of your husband and your daughter playing together and talking about everything Harper wanted to talk about.

“Can we get a real castle, daddy?”

“You mean for your dolls?” He asked.

“Yeah, for my dolls, for princesses, they need a castle”

“Baby, you’ve got at least three doll castles at home that I jump over every day because you leave them all over the house.” You inserted yourself into the conversation.

“Yeah, but, but they’re all small..I would like a bigger one” She explained. “Can we get a big castle, daddy? It’s not for me, it’s for my dolls. Please?”

“Of course, baby” Lewis laughed and you joined in shaking your head at the fact that she had him wrapped around her finger at just 3 years old.

“I'll buy you as many doll castles as you want, we'll fill the whole house with them, love” Lewis promised kissing her head.

You watched as he kept wiping the sand away from her chubby cheeks every time she pushed her hair out of her face only to put even more sand on her face. You softened and felt warmth around your heart at his gestures.

“I love the way you love her” You said softly when he took a break from building the castle and moved to sit next to you.

“She has her own princesses, and she’s mine” He said watching her with an immense amount of love in his eyes.

“I remember when you used to call me that”

“You are too, baby, you’ll always be. My first one.” He assured you kissing the tip of your nose.

“You know, while I was watching you play with her, I remembered the pictures that your mom showed me of you when you were little.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, you were the cutest little kid ever. Makes me want a mini version of you this time.” You whispered the second part glancing at his lips.

He smirked pulling you to him and kissing your temple before whispering into your ear “I’ll keep that in mind tonight.”

…

After a whole day spent at the beach, evening came. You had dinner together and then Lewis went to put Harper to sleep while you cleaned the table.

While Lewis read Harper a bedtime story, you went to the bathroom in your bedroom and took a shower. You enjoyed the feeling of the cold water hitting your burning hot skin. It felt like a relief after being in the sun all day.

When you finished your shower, you wrapped a towel around your body and went out on the balcony admiring the beautiful night lights of the coast of Italy. Not long after, you felt Lewis' body pressed against you.

“Did she fall asleep?” You asked.

“Mhm” He murmured against the skin of your neck leaving wet kisses all over with his tongue. You moaned a little bringing one of your hands up to his braids while your other hand gripped the glass balcony railing. “Thought I could grant your wish tonight” He said into your ear while his fingers pulled the towel down revealing your naked body.

“What wish?” You smirked playing dumb wanting to hear him say it.

“The one where I fill you up and put my baby in you.” Your eyes instantly closed and thighs clenched hearing it from his mouth. You arched your back as he grinded himself against your ass pressing your bare body against the cold transparent glass.

“Lew..”

“Would you like that?” He whispered. “Would you like me to fuck you here on the balcony? To cum inside you?”

“Yes..uh, yes baby. Do it.”

Without breaking the kiss, he turned you towards him and pulled his shorts down freeing his fully hard member. He slid his hand down your belly to your aching bud making you whimper and hold onto him.

You couldn’t resist but grab him in your hand, you wanted to get down on your knees for him, but Lewis stopped you from doing so.

“Wait, wait, baby, we have time. Wanna get you ready for me, it’s been a while, yeah?” He said rubbing your cheek with his thumb while his other hand kept rubbing over your pussy.

There wasn't any need to prepare you because you were so ready. You craved him, you were already dripping wet just by his voice let alone touch, but you decided to completely surrender to him and let him do whatever he wanted to you.

“You remember when I called you on facetime two nights ago, but you didn’t pick up because you fell asleep?” He asked quietly while his fingertips danced around your entrance playing with your wetness. “You remember?” He asked and you nodded remembering that you saw his missed call the next morning.

“You know why I was calling you so late?”

“Why?”

“Because I was so horny, I wanted you to help me get off” You moaned at his confession throwing your head back as two of his fingers slipped inside you.

“You remember when you let me film you that one time? When you were gagging around my cock. Fuck baby, I go crazy every time I watch that.” He groans as he pushes his cock against your belly encouraging you to take it in your hand while he continues pumping his fingers in and out of you.

“You still watch that?” You asked blushing a little as you wrapped both of your hands around his cock.

“Sometimes yeah. When I’m away and I miss your touch too much.” He admitted hissing as you ran your thumb over his red tip.

“Last time I watched it, I got so hard, I came all over myself before I even got to touch myself”

“Fuck, Lew” You were struggling to focus on pleasuring him as well because the things he was saying while increasing his pace in fingering you almost instantly sent you over the edge.

“You love to gag around me don’t you? When I push your head on my cock-fuck-you get so wet when I fuck your throat. When I..fuck..when I cum inside your mouth too oh, baby” He groaned pushing you harder against the glass.

“When you swallow my cum and I wipe the corners of your mouth with my thumb and you suck on it to lick it clean. That gets me so fucking hard all over again.”

“Fuck, Lew I’m gonna cum” You whimpered letting your head fall against his chest.

“Wait, baby, hold it just a little bit longer.” He said pulling his fingers out of you only to start rubbing your clit.

“My baby is so wet. I know you loved to hear that I came to the sight of you without even touching myself. You love when I cum fast, it boosts your ego doesn’t it? Because you know what you do to me, you know that you have me wrapped around your finger you love that shit don’t you.” You couldn't bring yourself to say anything. You were a whimpering mess begging him to let you cum on his fingers.

“Don’t close your eyes, baby, look at me”

“I can’t..Lewis, please” You pleaded.

“You think you’re ready to take my cock?” He asked and you nodded. “Cum, baby, cum all over my hand” And you did, instantly. Your legs started to shake as you fell apart in his arms. He held you tightly pressing your body against his and kissiny your head until your breathing went back to normal again.

“You okay, hm?” He asked making you look up at him. You didn’t say anything but kissed his lips pulling his bottom lip down with your teeth.

“Put your baby in me, Lew”

“Fuck” He abruptly turned you around and bent you over the glass. He spanked both of your cheeks before taking his cock and collecting your cum with his tip. He didn’t tease you for too long because it was torture for him too. All he wanted was to bury himself deep inside you and feel your deepest parts.

He groaned as he slid inside holding his hands on your hips pushing you as deep as it went until you winced.

“You feel so good around me, shiit” He praised you thrusting in and out of you. His grunts and groan along with slapping of your skin filled your ears and it was the hottest thing ever.

He wanted to feel you even closer to him so he pulled you up so that your back was leaned against his chest while his one arm was wrapped around your waist and the other around your neck.

“I’m gonna cum in you baby, I’m gonna cum” He whined quietly in your ear before spilling his cum inside of you. You moaned at the sensation as he buried his head into the crook of your neck groaning as his orgasm coursed through his body. Drops of sweat formed on his forehead as both of you struggled to catch your breath.

“Do you think we did it?”

“I think I got pregnant when you told me what happened the last time you watched that video of me.” You smirked making him laugh and lean his forehead against yours.

“I’ll stay like this for a minute or two just so, you know, it sticks.”

[starcrossed-lov3rz]

The Vow Spoken Through Time - Part 5

Daemon x Rhaenyra x Wife!Reader

Series: Series Masterlist

Warnings: MDNI, description of a panic attack, mild angst, mentions of smut

Tags: marriage, poly relationship, arguments, Caraxes, Daemon being hopelessly in love with his wives, Queen!Rhaenyra is trying her best out here

Words: 2.3K

Description: Y/N is having a rough morning. She's fired. She's hungover. She's in a stranger's bed. She's waking up in a new world? She's married?!

Rhaenyra and Daemon's day started normal. Waking up next to their darling wife before tending to their duties. The difference? Their wife is speaking in riddles and has no memories of them.

Check out more works in my Masterlist!

You shiver, pulling the sheets tighter around your naked form. Warmth clung to the bedsheets from Rhaenyra and Daemon, but as you blindly felt for your lovers…they were nowhere to be found. Sighing, you try to warm up and fall back asleep, but the damage was already done. “So much for sleeping in,” you mumble, wiping your eyes and yawning.

A muffled noise filters into the room, and you slip out of bed to investigate. Hushed voices are coming from the adjoining room. You can make out Daemon and Rhaenyra’s voices, but not their words. A twinge of guilt hits you as you press your ear to the door. You should probably go back to bed, they wouldn’t have left if they didn’t want privacy for their conversation. But some rational voice in the back of your mind rooted your feet to the ground–logically, their conversation had to be about you.

“We cannot keep them away forever,” Daemon hissed. “Sooner or later, they are going to realize that these ‘diplomacy missions’ are simply meant to deter them from King’s Landing.” 

Your brows furrow….who are they sending on diplomacy missions? Rhaenyra had introduced you to the entirety of her small council. They were all well accounted for in the Red Keep. “Daemon, I refuse to have them here while y/n is in this state.”

“My queen, the children have already begun sending ravens. If you wait any longer they will send dragons.” 

“She did not remember us, Daemon,” Rhaenyra’s voice raised. “You remember how you felt those first weeks? How do you think the children will react when they find out their mother does-”

“Mother?!” you throw the door open, eyes wide in shock. Both Rhaenyra and Daemon whip around to see you. 

“My lo-” 

“No,” you hiss, cutting Rhaenyra off. “Don’t ‘my love’ me. When were you going to tell me we had children?!” Your mind races. You had children? With Rhaenyra and Daemon? What if they’re both right? What if your other life is just some figment of your imagination–the result of some traumatic brain injury you sustained in a fall? 

Daemon steps towards you, hands up as if you’re some wild animal ready to bolt. “Breathe.”  

You can’t focus. Your chest is heaving with every breath. Your eyes dart around as you struggle to ground yourself. Tears prick at the corners of your eyes. Fuck, what if it’s not real? What if you’re not real? 

“Daemon-” 

Arms wrap around you, a hand moving to the back of your head to pull you, face-first, into Daemon’s chest. You tremble, unable to even vocalize sobs as silent tears trail down your cheeks. Rhaenyra hugs you, hands squeezing your waist in silent support. “Let it out,” Daemon murmurs. “We will stay as long as you need.” He bows his head, placing a kiss at the crown of your head.

You have no idea how long the three of you stand there. When you finally regain your composure, you lightly push them back. Neither of them speak; they both simply stare at you, waiting for you to say something. “I want to see them.”

“Absolutely not.”

“We leave at once.”

Daemon and Rhaenyra answer at the same time, heated looks exchanged. 

“My love, you’re in no state to meet them,” Rhaenyra says. “How are we to tell the children you do not remember them?”

“They will understand,” Daemon argues. “They are her flesh and blood. Seeing them might even help her remember who she is.”

“How am I supposed to ever remember them if you never allow me to meet them?” you cut the tension between them. “At least let me make new memories.” You grab Rhaenyra’s hands, pleading.

Rhaenyra sighs, kissing your hand quickly. “I cannot go with you, but it is an afternoon’s ride by dragonback to the children.” 

“Thank you,” you whisper, dropping her hands to hug her tightly. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry I don’t remember our family. I’m sorry I remember another life. I’m sorry I can’t be be-”

“Hush,” Nyra says, “it’s not your fault. We should be apologizing for keeping this from you. We thought if we waited, things would return…to normal.” You choke back a sob at that. Normal. 

“What if they hate me?” 

Daemon snorts before Rhaenyra can offer any encouragement. “Hardly. Lucerys threatened to melt the iron throne if he had to go another month without seeing you.” 

“My darling wife, our children could never hate you,” she assured. “Daemon and Caraxes will return you safely to me by the morrow.”

You kiss Rhaenyra deeply, running to get dressed. “What do I wear for a flight?” you call to them.

“Clothes are recommended,” Daemon teases, “but they are always optional around me.” 

“You are such an ass sometimes, my love,” you chide, rummaging through the drawers. You slide on a pair of trousers and throw a thick gown over your head. “Lace me up.”

Daemon rolls his eyes, but laces up your gown anyway. “You are going to freeze if you don’t grab a cloak.” His fingers make quick work of your laces before moving to plait your hair back.

“Then I shall steal one of Rhaenyra’s on the way out,” you shrug. “She won’t mind.” 

Daemon hums as he ties off your braid. “Say your goodbyes and steal your cloak, little thief,” he says, kissing your forehead. “I will meet you outside the dragon keep.”

You nod and begin looking for a sturdy pair of boots as Daemon leaves. “I heard you were looking for a cloak.” Rhaenyra’s voice startles you. She’s standing in the doorway, black cloak in hand. “I have one of my riding cloaks here, it will keep you warm and protect you from the elements.” She walks up, tossing it over your shoulders and pinning it to your gown. Her hands smooth down the fabric gently.

“Thank you, Nyra. Not just for the cloak,” you begin. “I know this isn’t easy for you.”

“No, y/n. Daemon is right. There is no use delaying the inevitable. It was unfair to keep it from you, even if we did it out of love.” She embraces you in a tight hug. 

“Now don’t keep our husband waiting,” Rhaenyra says as she pulls back. 

You practically run to the dragon keep. Even though Rhaenyra and Daemon had shown you through the Red Keep, you had yet to actually see a dragon. Your lovers thought it would be too soon to let you close to the dragons in your state. You could hear Caraxes before you saw him. His screeches were ear piercing, but they were nothing compared to the first glimpse you caught of him.

Instead of fear, you found yourself in awe of the great beast before you. Caraxes towers above everything, his red scales glittering in the light. His wings flap in restlessness, head twisting and turning as if he was looking for something. You watch as his nostrils flare, he had caught wind of you. Caraxes head whips towards you and the second he sees you, he lumbers over. You freeze as his massive head swings into your side, pushing you under his wing. Caraxes releases a cat-like purr that rumbles through you as he nuzzles into you. 

You instinctively reach out to pet his head, gently scratching at his scales. “Aren’t you just a handsome boy?” you giggle. This was the fearsome dragon of war Daemon goes on about? “Such a pretty boy, how could anyone be afraid of you?” you coo at the dragon as you scratch under his chin. Caraxes is trilling and purring, preening under your attention.

“I leave you alone for a moment, and you are already trying to steal my dragon?” Daemon teases as he walks around Caraxes to greet you. 

“It’s not my fault,” you laugh. “This precious baby boy just wanted some attention.”

“He was growing restless after not seeing you in months,” Daemon says. “It will be hard to get him from your side now.” Daemon pats at Caraxes’ neck in greeting, as he pulls you away to mount the dragon. Caraxes lowers to the ground as far as he can, making your ascent easier. Daemon helps you up, climbing up after you and securing you both in the saddle. 

Daemon slides an arm around your waist and whistles for Caraxes to take off. Your breath catches in your chest at the weightless feeling. Caraxes climbs up into the skies with just a few strong beats of his wings. The wind tears through your hair, and you’re thankful that Daemon took the time to braid your hair and make sure you had a cloak. You let go of the saddle, stretching your arms out and leaning back into your husband. A giggle escapes as you move your fingers in time with the air currents. 

“I don’t know how you could ever want to come down,” you yell over the wind.

“It’s hard,” Daemon leans down into your ear. “But when my beautiful wives are waiting on the ground below, nothing could truly keep me away. Not even this.” He kisses your neck, nuzzling into the skin that peeks out of your cloak. His arm around your waist tightens as his other hand slides up your thigh, shifting your skirts up. 

You groan as his hand cups your core, the heel of his palm grinding into your clit. “It is a shame that you have no memories of your first flight,” he purrs. “You were terrified of heights, and demanded I distract you.” Your hips twitch involuntarily into his grip, and you gasp softly.

“There’s no way in hell we are doing anything up here,” you whine. “It’s a long way down.” 

Daemon hums into your ear as he continues to caress you through the trousers. “You truly think Caraxes or I would let you fall?”

“Caraxes?!” you bat Daemon’s hand away. You had forgotten the dragon underneath you for a second. “What the fuck Daemon, he’s going to know what’s going on!”

Daemon goes silent in a moment, shocked, before he laughs. You twist back to see him wiping a tear from his eyes. “My love, you never fail to surprise me.” 

You slap his chest lightly, “don’t tease me, Daemon!”

He simply shakes his head, hand retreating as he smooths your skirts back down to cover your trousers. “Forgive me, dear wife. I only wished to distract you from your worries.”

His words sombered the playful mood as you remembered what waited for you at the end of this flight–your children. “Tell me about them.”

“Well, we have several. There’s Baela, Rhaena, Jacaerys, Lucerys, Joffrey, Aegon and Viserys.” 

“Dear gods, please tell me Rhaenyra took a turn birthing this mob of children.” You wince. How did you manage to have so many children in your five year marriage.

As if sensing your question, Daemon clarifies. “Baela and Rhaena are both daughters from my previous marriage. Their mother, Laena, died giving birth to our third child.”

“Will they be there as well?”

“No. They are both staying at Driftmark with their grandsire for the summer. Aegon and Viserys are both in the nursery at the Red Keep.”

You gasp, “how did I never find out about them?”

“The staff were counseled to keep their silence if they wanted to keep their heads,” Daemon says causally.

“I am rather confused,” you admit. “We’ve only been married for five years, how did we manage five children in that time?”

“Jacaerys, Lucerys, and Joffrey are all children from Rhaenyra’s first marriage. Aegon and Viserys are the only children who survived in our short five years.”

“Survived? What do you mean?”

Daemon sighed, squeezing you tightly before he began. “You….struggled to become pregnant. When you did, it was a hard pregnancy. Rhaenyra and I were terrified of losing you. You barely survived the birth, but-” His voice cuts off. You place your hand over his, waiting for him to find his words again. “Visenya was stillborn.”

You stare off into the skies. It was surreal. You, or at least another version of yourself, had been through so much. The rest of the flight passed with Daemon telling you stories of the children. Moments like these were hard, but precious. Daemon rarely let his guard down to show any vulnerability, but when he did you found yourself drawn even closer to him.

Daemon yelled a command, urging Caraxes to land. The dragon soared through the clouds, gliding down. You peak over the side to catch a glimpse below. The only things you can make out are two dragons laying in a clearing. 

Caraxes lands surprisingly light, but you still jolt forward at the sudden stop. Daemon braces you as he untangles the saddle ties from you. Caraxes lowers, stretching a wing out for you to climb down. You slide down, thanking him with a pat. 

“Mom!” Before you can turn to look for your sons, a figure jumps into your arms. You instinctively catch them. “I missed you.”

“Joffrey, give your mother some space.” Daemon chides.

The figure, Joffrey, wriggles deeper into your arms. You pick him up, setting him on your hip. He was certainly too old for a nursery, but not too old to be carried. You look up to see Jacaerys and Lucerys standing a few feet away. 

“I trust your journey was well?” The tallest brother–Jacaerys–asks. You silently thank Daemon for giving you a crash course on the flight over. There was some tension, as if they both assumed they were in trouble.

“No need for formalities, I’m just happy to see my boys.” Jacaerys and Lucerys sigh in relief before running up to hug you. “We have so much to talk about.”

NOTE: Thank you so much for all the love on this series!! I work a full time job and spend my evenings writing-so all your support makes it so worth it! As you have noticed, this chapter is smut free (alas). Trust me, there are PLENTYYYYYY of scenes ahead (bc I'm down bad for these two). In the meantime, I hope you all enjoyed a little Caraxes content! ~ Lacie <3

Taglist: @syraxnyra , @avalyaaa , @angeliccss , @clocksonthewall79 , @sia2raw , @forma-lina , @lorarri , @imoonkiss , @ba6ysworld , @abaker74 , @aniisbavk1 , @different-tale-student

Want to be added to a taglist? Click HERE!

[ale-wosofan]

tired

Ona x R

R is exhausted after a long day at work.

warnings: none

a/n: this took way longer than it should have, but I'm studying for my exams and I've read this so many times that English doesn't feel like a real language anymore. Anyways, enjoy!

-----

If there is something you hate is having to wake up early. Thankfully your work doesn’t require it unless something important comes up. You love waking up slowly, taking your time to admire your girlfriend’s sleeping form and the way she always looks so calm. You usually wake her up by leaving kisses all over her face and, once you’re sure she won’t fall asleep again, you cook a nice breakfast for the two of you while she gets ready for training.

Sadly for you today you haven’t been able to do any of those things. You slipped out of bed as soon as your alarm woke you up, so you wouldn’t disturb Ona. The hours passed slowly as all you have been able to think about is getting back to your bed and your girlfriend.

Having been awake since six in the morning, when you finally get home you’re more than a little exhausted.

Ona is by your side before you can even close the door.

“Hola, mi vida,” she greets you placing a soft kiss on your lips and opening her arms for you “How was your day?”

You can only grunt in response melting into her arms, not really in the mood to talk. Your girlfriend lets out a chuckle and just hugs you tighter.

“You smell nice,” you murmur burrowing your head on her neck to take a deep breath “I missed you.”

Ona laughs again and you can't help but smile at hearing your favourite sound “You saw me this morning.”

“Exactly. Way too long ago.”

Just when your eyes start to close she takes a step back from your embrace.

“What do you want to have for dinner today? Sushi?” your face lights up at the mention of your favourite food “Sushi it is.”

“Thank you, love. I’m gonna go take a shower.”

You take longer than usual in the bathroom since all the exhaustion from the day is starting to catch up to you, but you somehow manage to shower without falling asleep standing up. Once you’ve gotten into more comfortable clothes you walk over to the couch where your girlfriend is sitting playing with her phone.

You drop yourself on her lap and lay your face in her chest.

“Dinner should be here in ten minutes or so,” Ona says setting her phone down and beginning to run her hands up and down your back.

You hum happily and focus on the hard thump of her heart in your ear. With the feeling of her steady breaths underneath you, you feel yourself starting to drift off. You’re about to fall asleep when the sound of the doorbell rudely interrupts you, forcing your girlfriend to get up and you to try to wake up before eating.

-----

Your mood unsurprisingly improves once you’ve gotten some proper food and drink in your stomach. Normally after dinner the two of you sit down to watch TV for a little while, but today you’re too tired to even concentrate.

You are ten minutes into the film when Ona speaks.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, just tired,” you mumble trying to stay awake.

You frown when your girlfriend turns the TV off and gets up offering you a hand. “Let’s go to sleep then.”

Smiling at her, you take her hand and let her lead you to the bedroom. Once you’re both settled in bed she wraps her arms around your waist, bringing you closer to her.

“Te amo,” Ona whispers in your hair.

You lift your head from where you have buried it in her neck and blink a few times, trying to shake off the sleep a little bit so you can properly answer her.

“I love you too. G’night.”

Before resuming your previous position though, you take your girlfriend’s face in your hands and kiss her sweetly. It’s a pretty short kiss, you can barely see Ona’s face in the darkness and you’re already half asleep, but you are in bed after a really long day in the arms of the woman you love; you couldn’t have asked for anything better.

“Buenas noches, cariño.”

[pearlywritings]

The birth of the Dawn and the Dusk

synopsis: You planned your husband’s birthday months ago and even so something happens to not go according to the script.

pairing and characters: Diluc x fem!reader, your twin sons Rufus and Lucas, Alberich family (Kaeya, his wife and daughter Callie), Adelinde

tw: established relatioships, domestic moment, pregnancy stuff, fluff, a little bit hurt/comfort

word count: 10.8k+ words

author’s note: so late for my man’s birthday,,, But I am happy this one is finally out! Also there is a surprise at the end of the fic~ Hope you’ll enjoy everything!!!

Family AU masterlist

You feel so tired. Body aches and eyes hurt - you barely managed to fall asleep tonight, keeping your husband awake too to coax you into a state of slumber. This also added emotional stress, the clawing guilt for depriving him of sleep right before such a meaningful and happy day, but the man kept lovingly reassuring you that he didn't mind and would support and comfort you always, especially now, when you are so vulnerable, just days away from welcoming your baby into this world.

Diluc was nothing but a saint throughout both of your pregnancies. However, while the first one was challenging for him too, because he was worried about the new role he'd have to fulfill and if he'd do it successfully, this one was easier on his end, so he channeled all his energy to you, being there for every step and every time you got overwhelmed, which, at first, happened way too often. Your other two kids used to be all over you asking questions about their unborn sibling, and while you love your angels to death, you truly do, - your hormones and their vigor sometimes created a bad mix. Luckily, it quickly got better, because Diluc took his time to explain to your boys why their mommy might be emotional or look really really tired, and that she isn't upset with them and they need to be more careful around her. After that, the three of them became your anchor, with boys cuddling to you quietly to soothe and console you every opportunity they had, and Diluc arranging everything for your utmost comfort.

With all of this you were determined to make this year's celebration of his birthday as amazing as every other you two shared. You weren't sure if you would have given birth already or still heavily pregnant when the 30th of April came, but you knew that in any outcome you'd be too exhausted to arrange anything. That is why you started your meticulous planning half-way into your pregnancy. Everything was a secret from Diluc, just as always, and he oh so tenderly smiled, whenever you tried to hide the notes you were making, only teasing you by stepping closer and hugging you from behind. But he was a fair man, he never glanced at your scribbles and plans, only burying his face in your hair and asking to stay like this with you and the baby for a little bit. It actually helped you to concentrate a little bit better.

In March the final version of your plan was already passed to the maids who'd be responsible for organizing and decorating, and you couldn't help but feel pride when they giggled and excitedly murmured upon checking your instructions. You did a great job.

But you must've also done something bad, if whatever gods of fertility above made it their goal to mess with your sleep schedule - the baby is way too active, keeping you awake at an ungodly hour, just like tonight. So exhausting…

You can feel movements behind your back and a moment later a pleasant warmth is spreading all over your stomach and back. A soft whine escapes your lips, but it’s quickly shushed by a quiet murmur next to your ear.

“Shh… My flame, it’s okay, I got you…” You hug a pillow in front of you tighter, burying your face in it, letting your husband cuddle to your back, keeping his palm spread over your bump. He always knows when the baby gets cranky, sometimes even before you feel it, ready to calm down both of you with the help of his presence and vision.

Pretty soon you feel comfy again, surrounded by pillows and a literal heater of a man, who peppers soft kisses along your bare shoulder. His heavy bangs tickle your skin, prompting the corner of your lips to twitch in a shadow of a smile; an arm, wrapped around your middle, doesn’t put any weight on your waist, perfectly controlled by sheer strength of its owner; his whole body becomes support to your back instead of a long pillow he removed previously to take its place and he playfully nudges your feet when you attempt to tangle your legs with his.. Oh, you love this man.

Suddenly a loud noise from the outside worms its way into your lulled conscience, and you flinch. Slowly your eyelids slide open and you groan quietly, ears catching a dissatisfied huff from the male beside you.

“I told them to be careful…” Diluc grumbles under his breath, but doesn’t leave his spot next to you, only lifting his hand slightly and starting to rub your stomach in soothing circles.

“Mmm… What time is it?” Pushing the pillow away you rub at your eyes, yawning. Your husband cranes his neck to look at the wall behind and hums.

“A little past ten.”

“Ten..? Oh no…” With a pout you kick some other pillows (and accidentally his legs) too, stifling another yawn with your hand. “I was supposed to wake up earlier for your special day… I am sorry I slept for so long.”

“Nonsense,” he digs his elbow in a mattress and lifts his upper body to reach for your cheek, smothering it with pecks. “You are nine months pregnant, my love. I would’ve let you sleep all day long, if I didn’t know you worked hard to make today exceptional for me.”

“Oh…” You sigh, finally blinking the sleep, that was clinging to your eyelids, off and throw an arm behind you, rolling your back a little, practically placing yourself on your husband, stretching with a content noise. Diluc sees an opportunity to wrap both arms around you, and carefully draw you even more on top of himself, face hidden in the side of your neck.

“Archons, you are pretty,” the heat engulfs your heart, born from his adoring tone, and spreads in tender waves through your whole being.

“Don’t you dare say having me in your arms is enough of a present for you,” your chiding makes him smile and shake his head.

“As much as that’s true, I won’t, for your sake,” you squint like a cat under the sun, when he places a kiss under your jaw. “Are you ready to get out of bed? Half an hour ago when I came downstairs, and immediately got kicked out by Adelinde, I managed to catch a glimpse of Kaeya and our sons. I am sure Callie and her mom have joined them by now too.”

“Oh, that’s great!” You widely smile, sleep forgotten as if the need in it was always non-existent. “Yes, I want to start getting ready. Please, help me, ‘luc.”

“With greatest pleasure.”

Letting the Alberich family spend the night was one of your greatest decisions made in preparations for Diluc’s birthday. There is no way to guess when throughout the day you might feel light-headed or tired, so them being at the Winery from the very morning till the very evening increases the chances to get an opportunity when all of you can enjoy the celebration together. 

When you descend down the stairs, with Diluc practically glued to your sight, holding your arm to support, Kaeya’s face is the first one you spot among the others. He looks absolutely cozy with his pajama-like-looking pants, matching shirt and a knee-long robe, hanging on his shoulders untied. His face lights up with a smile, when his eye lands on you two, and he hands one of the maids nearby the box he’s been holding previously.

“Aren’t these our dear birthday boy and his lovely wife?” His voice is smooth, never lacking his ever-present teasing lilt, as he makes his way to you.

“Don’t make it look like you see me for the first time today,” Diluc grumbles, letting go of your hand, so you could give your brother-in-law a side hug.

“Oh? I am sorry, Diluc, but could I really tell Adelinde not to kick you out? My charms do not work on this amazing woman.”

“Because this woman raised you and is immune to said charms,” the woman in question appears behind the Cavalry Captain, with a sweet smile plastered on her face. “Come on, go help your wife - I don’t doubt she is skilled, but three kids are still a handful.”

“Haha, aren’t you subtle? If I didn’t know how much you adore me, I’d say you are kicking me out,” the star-shaped pupil twinkles with concealed merit, to which the head maid tenderly scoffs.

“Gotta make it even between the brothers,” she teases him back, and he gasps in pretense hurt, to which Diluc rolls his eyes, but a smug-looking smile doesn’t escape your sight.

“Sure, sure,” Kaeya jerks his chin up, still faking the offense, and turns around to leave. The woman shakes her head at his antics, short blond hair gently swaying, complimenting the fond look on her face. With one of her boys gone, she devotes her attention to the other, smiling apologetically.

“I am sorry for shoving you out the way I did, Master Diluc, but Lady Y/n really wanted to be here when you came to witness what she had planned for you. I hope you can forgive me for forbidding you from the first floor of your own house.”

“I can never be mad at you,” Diluc’s lips form a small smile as well, and he steps closer, gingerly embracing her. “After all, you raised me too.”

The older woman chuckles, patting his back, and your gaze softens. Every year you get lucky to see this display of special motherly affection, the one where you get sad a little, because your child grows older, further and further from the little boy you used to know and take care of, but you still are so happy for how far he managed to come. That’s what Adlinde’s face tells you every single year, those are the tears of joy that are brimming her summer-green eyes.

“Adelinde,” you softly call and she glances at you, with her arms still wrapped around her master’s, her kid’s broad back. “I haven’t had an opportunity to congratulate my husband yet, would you like to be the first this year?”

Vibrant eyes slightly widen, and then unspoken affection swirls in them.

“Thank you,” your heart skips a beat, crumbling under the sincerest gratitude the woman offers you for simply giving her such an opportunity.

She turns to Diluc again, and a small, delicate hand reaches up to brush away the fiery bangs that got even wilder as the man got older. A thumb runs over his cheekbone, feeling a small scar underneath, remembering, comparing to the pouty rosy cheek of a little boy, who used to cling to her skirt and seek her attention and advice, with that adorable sparkle in his warm ruby eyes and a wide grin with a tooth missing. Now a tall man is standing in front of her, who suffered many losses and hardships she couldn’t possibly protect him from, but who eventually found his happiness and found it in himself to fully enjoy it.

And that’s all she ever wished for him.

“Happy birthday, my boy,” her voice trembles with emotions, but she manages to get a hold of herself. The other hand comes to cup his other cheek and tilt his head down, so, standing on her toes, she could place a lingering kiss to his forehead. “Happy thirty eighth year of your life, my dawn. I am so proud of how far you’ve come and I wish for nothing more, but for your happiness to grow. I know your father would tell you the same.”

Oh, Archons. That last phrase made you emotional, hitting your poor heart even harder than the tender exchange between the two. And seeing the look on your husband’s face, the quiet hitch of his breath, the slight tremble of his lower lip and unspoken yearning in his flaming eyes, you have to silently excuse yourself from the scene, too scared to ruin the moment by your very possible waterworks. You’ll let the two have their moment, meanwhile you can see what your sons and brother-in-law’s family is up to.

You find the five of them in a separate room, which was long ago reconstructed and redecorated into something akin to a living room (additional wall was added to divide the hall part from this space to grant you and kids privacy if any partner of Diluc stopped by to discuss the matters with either him or Elzer). Both boys and the girl are sitting on the carpet-covered floor, vigorously discussing something - you even catch the pieces of the argument they’ve been having for months. Ever since the twins’ father agreed to consider getting them a dog, they and their older cousin could not shut up about what name the creature should have. At first it was cute, now it’s the reason for a headache, when the three of them cannot reach an agreement.

But the childish debate is quickly tuned out when you recognize the adorable new two-piece indoor outfits you purchased specifically for today. Your older son has the sleeves of his orange pullover rolled while he wildly gesticulates, the usual unruly mass of his untied hair swaying from side to side like a flame turned upside down. Lucas on the other hand has his cheek supported by his fist with an elbow digging in his knee, clad in yellow pants, and watches his brother and cousin with an 'I am so done with them' look, so uncommon for a six-year old, that it almost makes you snort. Callie, wearing similar in style pants and pullover, but sharing a pretty blue color with her father, is actively arguing with Rufus, however there is something different from the redhead's pure decisiveness. There are clearly some hints of Kaeya's mannerism, especially that quirk of her lips. What a cheeky twelve-year old.

“Y/n!”

Your attention is quickly drawn to the smiling woman, who is rising from the couch she’s been sharing with her husband just seconds ago. Mirroring her smile, you swiftly rub your eyes, getting rid of happy tears, caused by a scene at the bottom of the stairs.

“Are you okay?” Concern is laced in your friend’s tone, as she walks to you and puts her palms on your elbows in a comforting gesture. You only shake your head, making a small step closer, so you can give her a hug.

“Yeah, yeah, I am good, don’t worry. Just saw something very heart-warming.”

“Oh, alright,” she sighs in relief. “Are you hungry?"

Good question, actually. You concentrate on what your body feels and craves, softly rubbing your belly. No, still only the aching and ever-present fatigue.

"Not necessarily, but if you all haven't eaten yet, we can do it now. Diluc should soon join us, and after breakfast we can start our stay-inside party."

Your friend nods in agreement, squeezing your elbows affectionately, and then turns to look at the three kids still sitting on the floor, so engrossed in their conversation that they seem to not have even noticed you enter.

"Hey, kids,” only Lucas perks up at his aunt’s call, while Rufus and Callie keep arguing, ignoring everything around them. “Kids,” is said firmer, but still to no avail. As the younger twin gets up from the floor, you share a knowing look with the woman.

“Callie Alberich.”

“Rufus Ragnvindr.”

And as if by magic the conversation is cut short, two sets of worried eyes staring back at the unamused-looking moms.

“Good, we finally have your attention,” Mrs Alberich hums, taking your hand and leading you to the armchair, helping you to sit down. “Now, who’d be a dear and go to the kitchen to let the maids know they can serve breakfast?”

“I will, mom,” the girl says before Rufus can open his mouth and carefully pushes him and his brother in your direction. “You two, go say hi to your mama.”

Kaeya’s eye twinkles, when he easily guesses his daughter’s intentions, but keeps his mouth shut, watching his nephews practically sprint to their mom and climb onto the armrests.

“She went to congratulate uncle Diluc, didn’t she?” His wife quietly asks, taking a seat next to him, and the man only chuckles, wrapping an arm around her waist, bringing her even closer. Yeah, his girl really likes her uncle, adores even, which has been absolutely mutual from the moment the redhead was handed the small baby to hold for the first time. The Dawn Winery owner has always played an important role in the girl’s life, and before his sons were born, the man was absolutely wrapped around his niece’s finger. She doesn’t remember that, of course, but she does remember how she begged for cousins, and feels very proud of the fact, claiming that it’s because of her request uncle and aunt now have two cute boys, whom she really-really loves and enjoys spending time with, despite being twice as old as them.

But uncle is still her favorite out of the whole Ragnvindr family. So getting first to the man and wishing him a happy birthday is an absolute must.

“I am sure she won’t forget about breakfast,” Kaeya hums eventually, focusing on his sister-in-law and nephews, who, in their orange and yellow costumes paired with the color of their hair, remind him of two little candlelights.

“I love the cozy style you decided on for the clothes,” he comments, drawing your attention from twins, who settled against the sides of your stomach, resting their heads on your shoulders.

“Really?” An excited smile worms its way onto your face. “I am glad you think so! I thought they were perfect for spending the day inside."

"They are!" Mrs Alberich claps her hands together. "I adore this pretty dress and yours looks so wonderful too! The fabric is very soft, when I put it on this morning I thought I was hugged by a fluffy cloud. Oh, what color does Diluc have by the way?"

"Papa has gray" Rufus chimes, before reaching out to your stomach to gently pat it. "Mama, did you get the baby one too?"

"I did, Ru," you reassure him, remembering the cute white onesie you decided to purchase on a whim to match the vibe. "Soon she or he will be able to wear it."

"Speaking of the baby, you've never told us the name you picked. Is that a secret?"

"It really isn't,” your tone is soft, and your gaze is tender, as you look down at your belly. “We do have a small list, but our decision was to choose when the baby is born. We agree on every name on that list, and Diluc believes it's just going to click which one is perfect when we see them, just like it happened with these two," you turn your head from side to side, kissing each boy's cheek, making them squeal happily. In reality it was a little bit different. 

Obviously you didn't expect to have twins, so your list was created on the basis of eventually picking only one name. But when there appeared to be two babies, two little boys, everything had to be reconsidered. You and your husband (surprisingly more him than you) thought it'd be cute if there was something that would show their twinly bond. That's when it clicked quickly - Diluc came up with Rufus and you did so with Lucas, affectionately calling them Ru and Lu. This time you also considered different kinds of name combinations for possible outcomes, but ultimately decided to let the future tell.

"Okay, that's fair," Kaeya smiles, putting his cheek on top of his wife's head - the woman made herself comfortable on his shoulder, watching you and your sons with a sweet smile of her own. "Promise to invite us over when you feel strong enough to have visitors to meet another member of the Ragnvindr family?"

"Of course, I promise, Kae. And you'll be the first ones to kno- aaah!"

Everyone in the room jumps when a sharp cry of discomfort escapes you. Unwrapping your arms from around the twins, you lean forward and clutch your stomach. Surprised, the boys get down onto the floor and move right in front of you, worry evident on their faces. You mean to reach out to comfort your babies, to reassure him, but another surge of pain prevents you from doing so, and you groan, hands still on the stomach. Kaeya is next on his feet, closely followed by his wife, and just a second later the man scoops both redheads in his arms, while your female friend crouches before you, with both palms on your knees.

"Kaeya, boys - out. I'll handle it."

"But mama is hurt-," Lucas tries, not taking his eyes off of your curled figure, as his brother attempts to wrestle his way out of his uncle’s hold. Both look panicked, and the Cavalry Captain has to gently shush both of them, pressing their bodies even closer to his chest..

“Don’t worry, she is alright and she will be alright when we return, okay? Now, let’s go and find your father-”

“Oh.”

The man stumbles over his words, hearing a surprised noise, and immediately glances up at you, met with an expression of total disbelief.

“Archons, what is it? Y/n, please, don’t scare us like tha-”

“I think my water just broke.”

He barely holds himself back from cursing in front of his little nephews. His wife, on the other hand, is as cool as a cucumber, absolutely unphased, with not even an ounce of worry present on her face or in her actions. She rises from her crouched position and turns to look at her husband, who in a second became an anxious wreck, as if it is his beloved who is having contractions.

“Love,” she speaks calmly, “take the boys, find Callie and Diluc and get the kids ready to go out for a walk. Also ask someone to inform the midwife that Y/n has possibly gone into labor. And for the Seven’s sake, don’t dump this information onto your brother as if someone is dying, we don’t need a panicked dad right now.”

“Got it,” his legs start moving even before he thinks about it, and with two boys held in a death grip, Kaeya runs out of the room. He startles a couple of maids in the hall, along with Diluc, who’s just walked out of the kitchen, holding his niece’s hand. The hero of today’s occasion lifts his eyebrows, staring at the disheveled form of his brother, and an uneasy feeling starts rising in his chest when he notices the barely concealed panic in his periwinkle eye.

“Kaeya, what’s going on?”

“Okay, birthday boy, I need you to stay calm no matter what I tell you now, alright?"

"Are you sure you are the one to tell me to stay calm?" Red brows meet together in an alarmed manner. "What's gotten into you? Where are our wives?"

Another sharp cry, easily recognised as yours, is heard from the living room, and in a quieted hall everyone is finally becoming aware of something going on, something very unplanned.

"Um, so, as I said, stay calm, 'luc. However hard it is to believe, your wife might’ve gone into labor.”

“What!?”

Loud gasps of the maids fall almost deaf to Diluc’s ears when he hears the news. Immediately one of the girls chirps that she’ll go find the midwife and quickly scurries away, while two more run upstairs to go and check the room specifically prepared for such an occasion. Someone steps up and takes Callie, bringing her with Kaeya and twins somewhere else, but honestly, the redhead doesn’t notice it. The only thing his mind keeps repeating is that his wife needs him.

When he bursts into the living room you’ve already gotten onto your feet, one hand gripping Mrs Alberich’s shoulder and the other pressed to your stomach. The grimace on your face and heavy breathing is an evidence itself of your state, and Diluc appears at your side in a flash of gray and crimson, wrapping an arm around your back.

“My flame, keep breathing. Everything is alright,” his deep voice is comforting and you lean your forehead into his chest, whimpering.

You nod, letting go of your friend’s shoulder, and Diluc takes it as an opportunity to lift you in his arms - there is no way he’s making you walk, especially when the point of your destination is the second floor. You do not even complain, instead focusing on trying to relax the best you can, exercising proper breathing and counting.

“I am so sorry, ‘luc. I wanted this day to be special and now I am ruining it…”

“No, you are not,” he says firmly, pressing a kiss to the top of your head. “Rather you are making it even more special. I know you worked hard, but I also know that all of it won’t go anywhere and we’ll have a moment to enjoy it properly afterwards. You are much more important right now, so let’s get you to the bedroom.”

Kaeya was right - it is hard to believe. Of course, it’s not clear yet, it still could be just false labor pains, but never in his entire life could Diluc imagine that one of his kids would be born on the same day he was. When he lays you down onto the bed with pristine white sheets and lets the midwife examine you, the heart in his chest is going absolutely crazy. He can’t bear to see that painful look on your face, how your pretty eyes squint and teeth are gritted, but he will rather fall dead in that same room, than leave it, leave you without his support. 

You lift your hand and reach for him. Someone pushes a chair closer and he sits down, grasping your sweating hand with both of his and suddenly a memory flashes before his eyes. It’s been twenty years and he thought he has healed, but the rainy day and a man’s big hand he was clasping in his own come back to haunt him. His mind starts screaming. What if something goes wrong? What if he loses someone dear to him again? What if it’s the last time he feels the warm touch of the person who brought him out of his misery? What if it’s the last time he hears your voice and the distressed tone of it is what he’ll remember you like? Please, no, whoever is listening, don’t do it, don’t take you and the baby away from him, please, don't-

“Diluc,” his eyes snap open and he becomes painfully aware that he is shaking. But it's not about him, despite what day it is today. Right now everything is about you. 

Inhaling deeply and sharply exhaling, he blinks away the images of the past and focuses on your face instead. It’s not twisted in pain now, instead you are smiling at him, the adoration in your eyes unmistakable and the squeeze you give his fingers is sobering.

“Did you hear that? It’s actually happening. My water actually broke. Our baby will be here soon. I can’t promise I won’t curse you back and forth like during the first time, but I’ll really try.”

At that moment, pushing the dread aside and leaning forward to press a sweet reassuring kiss to your lips, the man thinks that if it was legally allowed he’d marry you again.

It’s been a couple of hours since the Alberich couple left the Winery with all of the kids. It took Kaeya awhile to calm the boys down, while Callie remained uncharacteristically quiet, glancing at her mom from time to time, because her mother always knows what is going on, but this time, for some reason, isn't telling her.

Eventually both adults managed to persuade the three of them that they are on a mission to get some lovely flowers for Diluc and you - they made sure to pick different kinds that do not grow together for the process to take more time. Fortunately, it brought smiles back onto those cute little faces, and the couple let out a sigh of relief, watching their daughter and nephews, as the group went from one location to another. Lucas, being a dear he is, suggested that mom and dad deserved the biggest bouquets ever and Rufus doubled it, so now they are indeed on a mission to gather as many flowers as they can.

Making a pretty big circle, the five of them returned close to the Winery - but not quite. Settling near the Statue of the Seven, Kaeya stays to watch over the kids picking up windwheel asters and guard the bouquets they’ve already managed to create. The location allows him to oversee the vast grounds that belong to the Ragnvindr family, but also observe his wife’s figure getting smaller and smaller, but closer and closer to the main building. It was decided that soon everyone would get hungry, so she went to bring some food, but also to check on the situation at hand.

The sun hangs high in the sky and Kaeya squints in delight, letting the warm rays caress his face. Ah, what a wonderful day… With a puff of air he sits down and immediately lays his back on the soft ground, cracking his eye open. Not a cloud in sight, only the magnificent blue hues surrounding the brightest star, that’s the sight his brother deserves to have on his birthday - what a pity he can’t see it, stuck inside due to unplanned, though long-awaited, circumstances.

It is a perfect day for the twins’ sibling to be born, and for a brief moment a thought passes the Cavalry Captain’s mind - that maybe it’s the final step for Diluc to heal from all the pain and sorrow that whole 18th birthday situation caused him. Of course, it’s hard to tell, it was a seemingly endless nightmare after all, but he hopes for it, for this bundle of joy that is the redhead's third child to overshadow the loss of their father on this exact date.

Deep in his thoughts he doesn’t notice how Rufus comes closer, dividing equally the amount of flowers he’s gotten, putting one half in his dad’s pile and the other in mom’s one. Then he steps even closer, casting a small shadow across his uncle’s chest. Kaeya snaps out of it only when he feels a soft nudge, head turning and seeing that the boy carefully pushed the tips of his sandal against the lying man’s ribcage.

“What is it, Ru?” His voice sounds a bit lazy, but at least there is not even a hint of his initial panic - worry would only provoke the twins to feel concerned about the scene in the living room all over again, and he doesn't want that, their parents wouldn't want that. 

The little flame in front of him watches closely with wide eyes, which in combination with wild red hair makes him look like a fluffed up owlet.

Totally Diluc’s kid.

“We picked a lot of flowers… When are we coming home? I wanna see mama and papa. And also I’m hungry…”

“Yeah, dad, me too,” Callie pops behind her cousin, staring at Kaeya with bright eyes. She’s holding a mix of windwheel asters and sweet flowers, and the keen dark eye spots a small ladybug crawling up one of the stems. Equally small white lie wouldn't hurt.

“Your aunt is setting an additional surprise right now,” yeah, that’s literally the best explanation he can give them, “but this one takes time, and we need to be patient for her, okay?”

“But if it’s a surprise, why did Uncle Diluc stay? Doesn’t make sense,” His daughter is too sharp sometimes, but that’s why he is proud of her.

“This one requires his presence, so she doesn’t have to worry about messing up. I believe you’ll like it, so let’s give them time. As for the lunch - our precious Snowflake will soon bring us something to eat.”

“Don’t call mom that in front of me,” Callie grumbles, kicking his hip, and the man gasps, hand immediately flying to grab the assaulted place.

“But snowflakes are pretty!” Lucas, who appeared somewhen during the conversation, stares at the older girl in confusion. “They are very pretty and have unique forms… Your mom is pretty and unique too!”

“I know she is, but sometimes it’s just argh. Oh! Doesn’t your father call your mother ‘my flame’?”

“Yes, he does,” Rufus confirms with a nod, sitting down onto the ground. Kaeya turns onto his side, ignoring the dull pain and supports his cheek with a fist. Well, this is amusing~

“Don’t you find it a little too much sometimes?” Both twins shake their heads, red bangs bouncing with the motion, and the girl sighs in exasperation. “Wait till you are as old as I am, you’ll realize how cringe it is.”

“What’s ‘cringe’?”

Kaeya snorts. It’s funny when a twelve-year old speaks of her age with such intonation. It never ceases to amaze him how well his daughter adapted in the role of an older sibling to her cousins. She quickly realized her leading position and it was and still is very clear in her attitude, especially right now, as she is educating them on the meaning of the word 'cringe'. She cares for them a lot though, so he can hardly find a situation where she abused her power in the dynamic the three of them have. Besides, both Rufus and Lucas are far from stupid - probably ones of the brightest kids he’s ever had encounters with, and already have their opinions, so despite loving and admiring Callie they still can fight her back verbally. The only difference is that this is Rufus’ style of handling arguments with her, while Lucas prefers more tranquil approaches. Watching the three interact, Kaeya can't help but wonder what kind of personality would the baby develop.

Ah, it’s going to get so much livelier~

It’s another half an hour, during which he sneakily stole the spotlight from his girl and entertained the kids with made-up, but attention-grabbing stories. His wife's arrival catches them all by surprise - just like everything else about her, as she shouts their names and waves at them the best she can with a basket hanging off of her elbow. She is not alone though. With delight overtaking their expressions, kids spot the most loving and kind (obviously favorite) maid at her side holding the rest of the baskets Mrs Alberich couldn’t carry on her own. Kaeya hasn't even sat up yet, and the kids are already speeding in her direction.

“Addieeeee!”

Overjoyed, in an instant they are all over her and the woman gently laughs, settling down the baskets and staying in a crouched position to hug all of them. As she is telling them to help her with unfolding the blanket, Kaeya rises to his feet, right in time to put his arms loosely around his wife's waist to press a kiss to the corner of her mouth.

"Thanks for the food and bringing additional help," he murmurs, smooching her again and taking the baskets away. Freed arms encircle his neck and soft lips press against his in return, stealing the man's breath away.

"Don't mention it. Adelinde figured we might need her, and she is right, personally I am at my wit's end," she sighs, glancing behind to make sure the kids are occupied with the task the head maid gave them. "As for the news - everything is going smoothly so far, but it'll take some more hours. Other maids suggested visiting Springvale or maybe going to the City, and I agree."

"Yes, that sounds reasonable…" Kaeya hums, inwardly admitting that some remaining weight has just been lifted off of his shoulders. "You think we'll have to return in the morning or…?"

"No. Before we left, Adelinde checked in with Diluc - apparently he'll send his falcon to deliver a message once everything is over."

Ah, yes… the falcon his brother personally trained once again just a couple of years ago after the passing of his very first winged companion. And once again Kaeya was that one person the bird will always find, no matter where he is.

"Delightful. Then let us have our lunch. What you've got there, hm?"

"What was supposed to be put for the celebratory breakfast we all missed. It'd be such a pity if the food went to waste, wouldn't it?"

"True," the Cavalry Captain sighs and, adjusting his hold on the baskets, leads both of them to the rest of their little group. “What a chaotic morning…”

The drawn together heavy curtains do not let a ray of a settling sun into the quiet room. The crimson painting the sky is undoubtedly beautiful, mesmerizing even, but no one dares to disturb your rest with a blazing color. The smell of freshly cleaned bedding is appeasing, but the fluffed up pillows that have the scent of your husband clinging to them is your main source of comfort - you faintly remember it, but you are sure of nearly snarling at whoever suggested changing the linen for them too before bringing you to the master’s bedroom. Poor maid must’ve been so scared, you’ll have to apologize to her later…

The slight guilt sparked by the memory is what makes you pass the line between dream and consciousness. You force your heavy eyelids open, but immediately squint a little from the light of the candles on the walls. A soft groan escapes your throat and you drop your head to the side, hiding from the light and blinking to make the eyes adjust. Succeeding in it, you take a quick look around the room, wondering if you were left alone to repose, or someone remained to monitor your condition.

That’s when you spot him. Or rather the gorgeous mane of ruby hair, shiny in the candlelight, thrown in a proper high ponytail, streaming down his upper back. He’s changed his clothes too - there is a hazy recollection of someone telling him to go and do so, and what a nice view it is, to see the gray pajama pants and pullover to be replaced with dark cherry - almost blackish - shirt, carmine vest and dark pants. But that’s not the most pleasing sight. Your heart almost melts, when the standing man turns around and you see a bundle of blankets delicately held in his strong arms. Vibrant eyes show every single emotion Diluc feels, looking at your baby. There is pure joy, happiness, bliss, love, promises to protect, to care, to cherish, to make every single day of life important and special. It’s so similar to the scene of nearly seven years ago, but without your husband bawling his eyes out with both arms occupied by twins. Well, maybe he did, a little, when you were resting, but you’ll never know.

You observe them for a little longer, the picture so perfect, you regret not having a Kamera in your hands right now to imprint a moment in a photo. Though you doubt you’d have strength to lift the thing enough to snap one and not make it blurry, so, just watching would suffice for now.

However Diluc’s senses are sharp, and when someone stares at him for longer than a couple of seconds - he knows. The warmth of the tamed flames seeps right through the eye contact, penetrating every cell in your body with welcomed heat. That may be the trick of the light, but his dark pupils dilate upon looking at you, and the blush creeps to your cheeks. Damn this man and him giving you looks like you are the whole world.

“Hey, love,” you softly call, the sound blending into the tender atmosphere, becoming a part of it, becoming Diluc’s source of oxygen for a brief second.

“Hello, my flame,” his voice can hardly mask the adoration and eagerness, with which he takes his next actions, makes it clear how excited he was for you finally awakening. With light steps he moves to the bed and carefully bends down. The touch of his lips is gentle, yet the feeling hidden behind it steals your breath away and your own lips part. Diluc murmurs something about wanting to give you so many kisses to compensate for the hours you spent in labor, and you breathlessly laugh at his adorable confession.

“It’s alright, ‘luc. Besides you are such a beautiful sight for a sore eye, how can I complain when my husband is all dressed up for me?”

“Oh, my flame,” his tone is oh so silken. “You are the beautiful one here. You looked so serene in your sleep, and now you shine like the brightest star.”

“Oh, stop that, I am sure I look like hell.”

“Not at all,” he shakes his head, long and fluffy bangs barely swaying. “You are wonderful. But how are you feeling? Need anything? Maybe you’d like to rest a bit more? I’ll take care of everything for you.”

You know he will, and this is one of the reasons that make him a great husband and an amazing father.

“No, no, I am fine, I feel better. It’s finally over. Our son is here.”

Yes, your son is here. Are you surprised it’s a boy again? Not really, there always was a gut feeling your older sons would have a little brother as their sibling, and by the red hairs you spotted when the baby was passed to you for the first time there is now a solid confirmation that Ragnvindr genes are insane.

“I want to hold him. May I?”

Without answering your question directly, Diluc carefully places the baby on the free space on the bed and helps you to adjust the pillows and sit up. Then the boy is instantly in your arms and Diluc kicks his shoes off to climb next to you. The sides of your heads touch, and you smile when his big hand is placed under yours, to provide additional support.

Your son is sleeping. So tiny and wrapped in all those blankets he is so peaceful. You swallow harshly to fight the tears back and shakily sigh, rapidly blinking. Rough fingers move your hairs away from your face and lovingly caress your cheek, reminding you that everything is okay.

“You did so well, my love… You are incredible, you know that?”

A choked chuckle erupts from your mouth and you sniffle.

“I am, am I not? But it’s also a miracle that he decided to come out right on your birthday.”

The man presses the firmest kiss he’s given you this evening to your temple and wraps his free arm around your shoulders, bringing you even closer. The thumping of his heart is palpable and makes you want to cry again.

“You know…” lifting your head, you come face to face with your husband, and there is a smile playing on his lips, one that is both bright and a bit melancholic. “Now there is one more reason to look forward to my birthday. To celebrate mine with you all and to celebrate his like that too.”

“Oh, we can have two parties!” You beam, closing your eyes and picturing it in your head. “Yours would be obviously in the morning, and his would be in the evening- oh, Ru and Lu would be so delighted to have two cakes to eat instead of one,” you share a soft laugh. Which actually reminds you…

“Have you sent anyone to notify them they can come home? I feel so bad that they had to spend your birthday away from you…”

“Don’t worry, dear. The message has been delivered and they should soon be here. And there is always tomorrow to start with the party all over again. I believe it was a smart decision to get kids out of the house. You know how protective twins are around you - they would’ve worried themselves out of their minds.”

You have to admit that Diluc is right - no need for your boys and niece to hear you scream and curse whoever was present for hours, and you can trust the Alberich family to keep them safe and entertained.

“Well then, if everything else is settled, my heart and mind are at peace… But we still have one important thing to do. The name. And before we go down the list, may I suggest something, please?”

“You are the mother, you have the most say in it,” his words make you lift an eyebrow at him, yet he only smiles. Shaking your head you poke your nose into his cheek.

“What a gentleman you are…"

"That's what my dad told my mom," he says as if in his defense. "And I agree with him on that one - after all, it's you who carried him for nine months and kept him healthy."

"Alright, alright, I could speak of all the ways you provided for me so I could do that, but I know you won't accept this kind of praise. Okay, I will have a say in it," Diluc scoffs, but you only give him a teasing wink. "Speaking of your parents, remember how you told me that your mother chose the name ‘Diluc’, because you were born in the early hours of dawn?” He nods, fondness reflecting in his eyes. “She also did it, because your father’s name means ‘twilight’, ‘dusk’ and she wanted them to match, right?” He nods again, but this time it’s confusion and a bit of hurt that are hiding behind his crimson pools of fire. Still holding the baby, you do your best to interlace your fingers with his, still supporting your hand, and the redhead takes notice of it, helping you, until there is a nice hold on each other's digits.

Swallowing thickly you take a deep breath to calm your nerves. Diluc would never be mad at you, but what you are going to suggest next is pretty huge.

"It's not on the list, but I took interest in this one when we were researching. The main meaning of this name is 'Sun'. However, there were languages that gave it a slightly different meaning, let's say, time-specific? And now, since our son was born on the 30th of April and almost at sunset, I thought that this one might be perfect. It's… It's Cyrus. And it can have the meaning of 'dusk', 'twilight', just like your father's name does."

The clock on the wall is ticking and that's the only sound in the room. You can barely hear your hearts beating or air entering and leaving your lungs, but your mind is in a race against itself, and you start second-guessing that maybe giving him a big reminder about that day was a mistake. Diluc’s been healing, you know that, you’ve been here all these years to witness his progress and be proud of him, but it still must hurt. His silence is worrying, but despite your own nervousness you give him time to process, to let the thought sink in and register what exactly you are implying.

You spend a few minutes quietly. Your husband never loosens his hold on your shoulders, and it soothes you when his thumb starts rubbing over your knuckles absent-mindedly. His warm breath caresses your skin, lulling your alerted senses to the point of tranquility, and you sigh audibly, lowering your head on his shoulder. And then you finally hear him speak again.

“Cyrus… It’s a lovely name. I… I really like it. No, I love it.”

“Yeah?” A soft murmur of your question sends a wave of delight to the man’s swelling heart. “You do?”

“I do. I think it’s perfect. But…are you really sure you want to honor my father?”

“He meant a lot to you, ‘luc,” you straighten up and turn to have a better view of the redhead. There are unshed tears clinging to his thick lashes and he doesn’t even blink, looking down at your son. “Listen, my love,” carefully sliding one hand from beneath the baby’s body you bring it to Diluc’s cheek, making him face you, making him gulp and lean into your open palm, “I too think it’s perfect, and maybe, just maybe, the birth of our son today is your dad’s sign to move on. Master Crepus would want that for you, I am sure, and passing on a small fracture of him to this boy would close this chapter forever. What do you think?”

“I think that I love you so-so much…”

His lips are scorching, kissing yours with feverish urgency. Tears roll down his flushed cheeks, but you brush them away the best you can, not minding the salty taste of the kiss. Diluc Ragnvindr has his chest open for you, for your hands to hold his beating heart, for them to take care of it. This pure joy that sets his soul aflame is overpowering, all-consuming, and he is more than ready to let it swallow him whole, if only you keep loving him the way you’ve been all these many years.

When he parts from you, the redhead nearly chokes and starts coughing from all the sobs he held back. Your fingers are deft, threading through his thick locks, gently scratching his scalp, as his forehead is pressed to yours. You remind him to breathe.

“And I love you too, Diluc. I always will.”

”Thank you.”

You smile, peppering his face with kisses, whispering the sweetest words of affection. He wants to tell you something, he even opens his mouth, but a sudden knock on the door interrupts him. Your eyes dart to the heavy wood blocking the entrance to your bedroom.

“Master Diluc?” It’s hushed, but still audible. “We spotted young masters, Sir Kaeya’s family and Miss Adelinde from the window. They will be here soon, should we ask them to wait?”

Your husband clears his throat, coughing in his fist, and then glances at your figure to check if you look good enough to receive so many people at once. You simply mouth an “I am fine”. It seems enough to assure him.

“No, Hillie,” your husband speaks louder. “Y/n is awake, so once everyone arrives, please, bring them here. And make arrangements for dinner.”

“Yes, Master!” 

Diluc sighs when the hurried steps can no longer be heard and kisses you once more. The baby in your hold starts stirring and you return your free arm back around him, bringing the boy closer to your chest.

“Will you be fine, if I leave you alone with Cyrus for a moment?” Him already using the name reduces your heart to a puddle and you cannot fight the huge grin.

“We will, my love, don’t worry. Go wash your face, I’ll feed him in the meantime.”

With a nod he bends to kiss his son’s forehead and then peck you on the cheek, climbing out of the bed after that and disappearing in the bathroom.

Fortunately, you had a solid half an hour before your sons and guests returned. In that time you managed to feed Cyrus, lull him back to sleep and pass the boy to a much calmer and collected Diluc, who carefully placed him in a crib.

Upon your suggestion, the man steps out of the bedroom to meet everyone downstairs, and warn the kids about being quiet. Every maid he meets on the way beams at him with a smile, congratulating and asking if their Lady is alright and if she needs anything. Their eagerness to assist his wife with anything she might need and excitement they feel for the fact Ragnvindr family has just grown in number is heart-warming, and Diluc allows himself a small smile, as he answers them the best he can.

When he reaches the hall of the first floor it’s just on time to witness Adelinde closing the massive doors and locking them. Two balls of red immediately sprint to him and he barely has time to crouch and catch his elder sons. They start whining and pouting for missing the whole day with their dad and he kisses their round cheeks, promising to hold a proper celebration later.

“Hmph, you better!” Rufus scoffs, lightly punching his father’s shoulder. “But today is not over yet, right?”

Diluc nods, patting their heads affectionately, ruffling crimson locks. Then twins glance at each other and simultaneously inhale.

“Happy birthday, dad! We love you!”

“I love you too, fireflies,” he hums, straightening up and lifting both of them in his arms. “Thank you for your kind words, I appreciate them.”

“We brought you and mom bouquets! Callie helped too,” Lucas chirps, pointing to two big bunches of flowers in Kaeya’s and his wife’s arms. The redhead lifts his eyebrows, to which his brother only shrugs.

“This is wonderful, kids. I love them, and I know your mom would adore them too.”

“Oh, can we go see her?”

“Why isn’t she with you?”

“Dad said she was preparing a surprise, where is it?”

Bombarded with questions, flying from three directions, Diluc is reminded of why he came down here in the first place.

“Kids,” the seriousness in his voice stops the stream of interrogation. Three sets of eyes are glued to his face. “I am going to tell you something very important and I need you to listen, alright? Now we all are going to go to my and mom’s bedroom. There you’ll have to be quiet, okay? No screaming, no squealing, no arguments, no running around, got it? Your mother is very tired, and someone who’s also waiting for you there may start crying if you disturb him.”

Mrs Alberich gasps, widely smiling, and turns to her husband, whispering in his ear.

”It’s another boy!”

Children on the other hand look utterly confused, but they do know when the look on the Dawn Winery owner’s face shows he is not kidding. This sounds so mysterious, and while puzzled they are dying to know what’s going on. And without acting the way their dad/uncle asks they will not find out what it is.

“Okay, we understand. We will be quiet.”

“Thank you,” he bends down again to put his sons back onto the floor and glances behind at his staff. “Someone, take these flowers and put them in vases in the living room. Kids, go wash your hands.”

"Yes, Master Diluc!"

When the door to the bedroom opens, you wave to everyone with a soft smile, cozying among the many pillows again.

"Mama!" Twins exclaim in whispers, tiptoeing to the bed and climbing up to hug you. "We missed you so much… How are you? Why are you in bed?"

"Tired," you simply explain, smooching their cute little noses and hugging them as tightly as you could. Suddenly, Lucas's eyes fall to your stomach - or rather to where it was just hours ago.

"Mom… where is the baby?" He asks, patting around the blanket, and indeed discovering the belly's absence. Rufus lowers his gaze to confirm his brother's words and then looks at you and after that at Diluc, who's just quietly closed the door shut.

"Dad, what did you do to the baby?"

"Nothing."

"When where-?" 

He stops when you tap his shoulder and, once both boys' attention is yours again, point to the crib standing close to the side of the bed. Callie, who's been watching all along, has her interest picked, and steps to the little bed from the other side, as her cousins crawl across the mattress. With six hands grabbing at the wooden edges and six eyes glancing inside, the room falls quiet again for a few moments. Kaeya walks to you and gives you a hug, kissing your forehead and congratulating you with a new addition to the family.

"It's funny isn't it?" He murmurs. "Now you don't need to invite us another time to meet the newborn."

You laugh at that. As he moves away your co-sister-in-law is quick to take his place, embracing you and pecking your cheek, also congratulating you and teasing for once again being a boy’s mom. Diluc meanwhile has taken place by his niece’s side, gently smoothing her hair back, observing the kids’ reaction.

It’s Lucas who opens his mouth first.

“So… this is our sibling?”

“Yes, Lu. This is your little brother.”

“He sure is little,” Rufus drawls, “I’d even say tiny. Were we this tiny too?”

“You were,” Callie butts her way in a conversation. “I was your age when I saw you two for the first time. Though I couldn’t hold both of you in my arms, you were heavy. You are still heavy, hehe.”

“We are not-!”

“Shh,” Diluc presses a finger to his lips, and the kids slam their palms over their mouths. “Remember what I asked you about? No fighting, or he will wake up and start crying.”

“Sorry, dad…”

“Sorry, Uncle Diluc…”

You snort at the little exchange, watching your family fondly, thinking that you wouldn’t have it any other way.

“Hey, brother,” Kaeya joins the other man and grabs his shoulder, squeezing in an affectionate gesture, “Congrats. Both with your and your son’s birthday.” 

Diluc nods, lifting his own hand, patting the one resting on his shoulder. 

“Oh, right!” The older twin’s eyes sparkle at the realization and he stares up at his dad. “Does it mean you share a birthday with him?”

“Yes, I do, Ru. Does it bother you?”

“Are you kidding me? Dad, that’s so cool! Me and Lucas always have each other for our birthday, he would have you for his!”

“Also it means two cakes,” the other six-year old murmurs under his breath, and Diluc nearly chuckles - you do know your boys too well. It also lifts a weight he wasn’t aware of off his chest - it seems like he was a bit worried, if twins would feel jealous of the fact their dad’s and sibling’s birthdays are on the same date. But since they are cool with it - he is more than cool too.

“Speaking of him,” Mrs Alberich manages to take a peek into a crib too, aw-ing at the fact it’s a red-haired baby again, “have you chosen a name already?”

“We did,” scarlet eyes stare right into your soul through yours, and you mirror Diluc’s proud smile. “His name is Cyrus. Cyrus Ragnvindr.”

“Cyrus, hmm…” Kaeya purses his lips in thought, as if examining the name in and out, like some kind of a linguist. “Diluc, Rufus, Lucas and Cyrus… Yeah, fits right in.”

“Not as well as Cherry №3 I bet,” Callie smirks at the twins, to which, keeping in mind the promise they gave their dad, they only stick their tongues at her.

“I told you the name was perfect,” your husband reminds you with a soft chuckle.

“Oh, wait!” The eye-patch wearer snaps his fingers without actually making a snapping sound. “DiLUc and LUcas, RUfus and CyRUs… You now have two Lu’s and two Ru’s!”

“Oh Archons, I didn’t realize that,” with wide eyes you stare back at him. “That’s so cute!”

“Can we call him Cy?” Lucas pulls away from the little bed, and sits back on the mattress properly.

“I think it is indeed a short form for his name,” you nod, feeling so relieved about how smoothly everything has been going. Yeah, surely the birthday party didn’t go as planned, but on the other hand you finally have your boy, and your other boys look pretty happy after meeting their younger brother. So it’s all wonderful. 

Or maybe you are too fast to judge.

“Uncle Diluc, Aunt Y/n,” you are surprised, when your niece calls you both, and glance at the oldest kid in the room inquiringly. To your surprise her face is expressionless, or at least she is trying to keep it this way, because your husband can clearly see barely-hidden mischief lighting up her eyes. She waits when her silence draws attention of the rest of the people to her persona and then, with the same straight face, says something that immediately sends her father choking on a silent laughter.

“Next time I want a girl cousin.”

Dumbfounded, Diluc, you and her mother stare at the girl with jaws going slack, while Kaeya is nearly dying from suppressing his violent coughing, bent in half and shaking. Not letting it crack her act, she holds her head high and heads right towards the door, feigning nonchalance with her graceful posture and slow steps.

“I will go and ask about the dinner. That's all.”

And just like that she leaves you all once again under the pretense of checking on with the kitchen staff. Mrs Alberich is the first one to snap out of the collective stupor and, shaking her head, grabs Kaeya’s elbow to drag him out of the room. Diluc is next, inhaling deeply, wondering why he is even surprised by her antics. He notices how the twins kind of lost interest in watching a baby that is doing literally nothing, so he ushers the boys to a very important mission - to make sure that their dad’s favorite meal is cooked, which they take with all seriousness.

And once more it’s only him, you, and little Cyrus, sleeping peacefully in his bed. You watch thick scarred fingers unbutton the vest and peel it off, hanging it on the back of the chair. Same fingers brush his bangs away and he sighs again, making eye contact with you. He smiles and you smile too.

“As much as I love this girl, I’ll have to disappoint her.”

“I agree, love,” the man is at your side again, an arm snaking around your shoulders and pressing you into him. “I admit, I would’ve loved to have a sweet girl looking just like you, but judging by the looks of our sons... Who knows how many attempts it’ll take, and I am not risking your health anymore.”

“You are so sweet,” you swoon, lacing your fingers together and squeezing his hand. “I love you for that. Are you sure that this is enough?”

“It always was enough. From the moment it was just you and me it was already enough. You simply tripled this happiness.”

“We tripled this happiness.”

“We will.”

“Yes, we did. And we will keep it that way.”

You lean close to kiss him, but, before he can reciprocate, start kissing all over his face, wherever your current position allows you to reach. Your partner keens on your affectionate attack, lowering his head on purpose, so you have more skin to cover with your lips, and since it brings you so much satisfaction, you do not stop until a thought, that you are forgetting something, is at the front of your mind.

“I just realized that I am the only one who has not wished you a happy birthday today. So… Happy birthday, Diluc. I love you very-very much. Sorry I am not very creative this year.”

“I think the little boy sleeping over there would beg to differ,” your husband nods at the crib, making you pout, but is quick to kiss it away. “I love you too, Y/n. Thank you for everything. This birthday was as perfect as any other you spent with me.”

“And I will make sure to make it perfect every single year ahead of us, my glorious Dawn. Should we wish a happy birthday to our little Dusk as well? I think I heard Kaeya briefly congratulate him, I want to do it too!”

You are so adorable when excitement is written all over you, and it's hard not to give in to your sparkling eyes, especially when he wants the same thing you do.

“We absolutely should. Let’s do it together, alright?”

The sky is painted black outside, and the second floor of the Winery is quiet, when in the comfort of one of its rooms three sweet words are spoken in two voices with such love and devotion, only parents can have for their child.

“Happy birthday, Cyrus.”

And maybe the winds would pick these words and carry them through the time to the one, and, stroking his short red beard, he would smile and say that the Dawn and the Dusk were always meant to be together. 

Diluc and Cyrus

[hauntedhowlett-writes]

Title: cruel summer | chapter 6

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5

Pairing: No outbreak!Joel Miller/Female Reader

Rating: Explicit (18+ MDNI)

Chapters: 6/6

Read on AO3 | Masterlist | Join a tag list

Summary: Joel takes a contracting job renovating a master bedroom and bathroom while the homeowners are away for the summer on a cruise.

He wasn’t expecting their twenty-three year old daughter and the thoughts he’d have about her.

Author’s Note: This is the end! Thank you all so much for enjoying this little fic that I have loved writing. Requests are open if you have anything you wanna see in the future 🥰

Additional Tags/Warnings: explicit sexual content (18+ MDNI), age gap (23F and 38M), mild/moderate angst (resolved!), alcohol consumption, discussions of family dynamics, semi-public sex, unprotected p in v, oral sex (f receiving), slight fem dom?, dirty talk, pet names. Let me know if any are missing!

You don’t hear from Joel the next two days, save for the text he’d sent the night he dropped you off at your apartment with a broken heart. He said he’d fix this and god, you want to believe him. But silence doesn’t feel promising.

Your dad has called no less than twenty times since that night. You’ve let them all rot away in your voicemail graveyard. You don’t have the motivation to do much besides sit on the couch for your daytime crying and move back to your bed for your nighttime crying before exhaustion finally wins and you fall asleep.

There’s a knock at your door on the third day, but you don’t make any move to answer it. You hear the key turn in the lock and your mom enters the apartment.

“Oh, sweetheart,” she says gently, setting down an armful of groceries in the kitchen before sitting beside you on the couch, smoothing your unwashed hair from your face with a gentle hand. “I’d ask how you’re doing, but I think I know the answer.”

Tears prick at your eyes. “It hurts, mama.”

“I know, baby,” she murmurs. She pulls your head to her chest. “Have you heard from Joel? Or your daddy?”

“No, I haven’t heard anything from Joel. Dad’s called a bunch, but I…I don’t wanna talk to him, mama. He was so mean.”

“You gotta think about where he’s coming from. You’re his only baby, his little girl. He’s having a hard time separating the baby he used to rock to sleep from the woman who can make her own choices. And he reacted with the heart of a dad, not the brain of a logical man.”

You sniff. “That doesn’t make it any better.”

“I know. You don’t have to forgive him. I’m spittin’ mad at the man myself. But I just wanted you to know.” She presses a kiss to your head. “Now, help me put those groceries away. I have somewhere I gotta be in an hour.”

________

Joel nervously scrapes at the paper label on his beer bottle as he waits for his lunch guest to arrive. He’s been a wreck the past couple of days, trying to keep it together in front of Sarah while his mind wanders to you, your last words to him ringing in his ears.

I love you, Joel Miller. I hope you find it in you to not be a coward and love me back.

That’s exactly what he intends to do. He just needs someone on his side.

Which is why he texted your mom a few nights ago, asking if he could talk to her.

The woman in question approaches the table and Joel stands to greet her, holding an arm out for a handshake. She only rolls her eyes, pulling him into a hug that surprises him. When she seats herself, the waiter swings by and takes her order for a glass of Chardonnay before leaving the two of them to stare at each other.

“So. Joel Miller. You love my daughter, huh?” She asks. He swallows nervously.

“Yes, m’am.”

“And my husband was an asshole to you about it?”

He considers his response. “It..uh..could have gone better.”

She nods. The waiter drops off her wine glass and she takes a dainty sip. “Well. Tell me the whole story.”

So he does. He leaves out the more salacious bits, because your mom doesn’t need to know about what happened in her kitchen, instead focusing on how you drew him in with your sweet disposition and he was helpless to avoid falling in love with you. He tells her about bringing Sarah over and how you played with his little girl like she was the only thing that mattered in that moment. He talks about the trip to the aquarium. He mentions his stupid attempt at pushing you away.

“And I can’t do that again, m’am. I don’t want to. I told your husband that she’s the best thing that’s happened to me since Sarah was born, and I meant every word.”

The whole time, she stays quiet, sipping her wine. Occasionally, a small smile will pass across her lips.

“You know, my own daddy didn’t like my husband when he first met him. Thought he was a no good troublemaker. I think my husband forgets that he’s just as in love with someone’s daughter as you are with mine. And one day someone will love your little girl, and you’ll think they’re not good enough for her, too. It’s the curse of being a father.”

Joel nods, unsure of what to say. Your mom finishes her glass of wine before continuing.

“I think you should join us for dinner tonight, Joel. And I promise to change the gun safe code before you get there.”

________

Joel shows up at your parents house with a bottle of wine and enough nervous energy to power a small city. He feels like he might throw up as he waits for someone to answer the door.

Thankfully, it’s your mom. He hands over the bottle of Chardonnay he brought and she gives him a kiss on the cheek.

“Chin up. You got this,” she says, patting him on the shoulder and guiding him to the living room.

Your dad is sitting on the couch, a glass of whiskey in hand as he staunchly refuses to meet Joel’s eyes. He takes a seat in one of the accent chairs.

“My wife says I owe you an apology,” your dad says. “And that I need to get my head out of my ass before I lose it up there for good.”

Joel has to fight back his laugh, biting his lip hard.

“I just want my daughter to be happy. And she’s right, she’s an adult now. I forget, sometimes,” he continues. “She used to ask me to check for monsters under her bed and in her closet. Hard to believe that same girl is about to graduate college. Become a doctor. Save the world. All the best things I always wished for her. And I also used to wish she’d find someone to love her. And I can’t begrudge you for being that person. So, I’m sorry.”

“What are you sorry for?” Your mom shouts from the kitchen. Your dad rolls his eyes.

“For being an asshole. And ruining your date,” he grumbles. He drains the rest of his drink.

“Thank you, sir,” Joel replies. Your mom enters the living room.

“Excellent. Now, come on, Joel. Let’s talk New Year’s Eve plans.”

________

It’s New Year's Eve and your mom showed up at your apartment just after dinner with a garment bag and a stern expression.

“You are coming to the party, young lady,” she insists. “Now get in the shower.”

You do what she asks with heavy limbs. You still haven’t heard from Joel. Your dad’s phone calls have stopped. You’re not exactly looking forward to seeing him tonight.

When you get out of the shower, your mom is wielding your blow dryer like a weapon. You sit at your desk while she styles your hair for you. You do your makeup under her watchful eye, then slip into the shiny silver dress she brought for you.

“Gorgeous. Come on. Let’s go.”

She hustles you into the passenger seat of her car and drives to her house. There’s a whole line of cars parked along the curb, and you groan at the idea of having to mingle with their friends.

“Alright, in you go, chop chop,” your mom says, shooing you from the vehicle. You enter the bustling house, forcing a smile as some of your dad’s business colleagues and your mom’s friends say hello, pulling you into hugs and cheek kisses.

Your mom brings you a glass of champagne, pulling you along at her side as she talks with her guests. When the doorbell rings, your mom politely asks you to answer the door.

When you do, you feel like you’re hallucinating. Standing on the front porch is Joel, dressed in a suit, his wild curly hair slicked back and his face clean shaven.

Christ, the man can wear a suit.

“Hey, baby,” he says.

Seemingly out of nowhere, your dad appears beside you. “Hey, Joel! Come on in, can I get you anything to drink?”

You look between the two men, feeling like you’ve stepped into the Twilight Zone. Have you missed something?

Your dad shakes Joel’s hand, all smiles, and your questions only multiply. Joel squeezes your hip as he passes by, following your dad to the kitchen for a drink. You trail behind them, confused as hell as you watch them chat like they’re old friends and your dad pours him a glass of whiskey.

“Uh, Joel?” You ask. “Can I talk to you for a minute?”

“Sure, sweetheart,” he replies. He excused himself with your dad and you lead him upstairs to your childhood bedroom, his palm hot on your lower back.

In your room, you shut the door and take a deep breath. “Joel, what’s happening?”

“I fixed it,” he says, setting his glass down on your old dresser.

“You fixed it,” you repeat incredulously. “What does that mean?”

“It means,” he says, stepping closer and slipping an arm around your waist, “I’m all in. No more runnin’. No more secrets. No more bein’ a coward. It means I’m yours, and you’re mine, and nothin’ is gonna change that.”

You blink at him. “But…my dad—“

“Met with him and your mom. Had some good talks. He just wants you to be happy, baby. He did threaten that he knew a good place to hide a body if I hurt you, though.”

“Why didn’t you call me? Or text me?”

“Because when I came back to you on my knees beggin’ for forgiveness, I wanted to have everythin’ squared away.” He drops down to one knee, then the other, looking up at you with those big brown eyes of his as his hands grip your hips. “So, can you forgive me, baby?”

You smirk. “I could probably be persuaded.”

“Naughty girl,” he murmurs, trailing a hand up your calf. “You want me to earn it?”

“Yeah,” you whisper, voice already breathy and your core clenching in anticipation. “I think you owe me a real thorough apology, Joel.”

He grins at you as his fingers reach the hem of your dress, urging it up your thighs until it’s bunched around your waist, exposing your panties underneath. He gently pulls them down your legs, eyes glued to your face as he does. He urges you to step out of them once they’re around your ankles.

Tossing them to the side, he lifts one of your legs and situates it on his shoulder, opening you up to his hungry gaze.

“Missed you so much, sweetheart,” he murmurs, pressing his lips to the inside of your thigh. “Was goin’ crazy without you.”

“Less talking, more apologizing,” you demand, breathing already labored.

He huffs a laugh against your skin before angling his face toward your center, his nose brushing your needy clit as he licks a broad stripe through your folds, his tongue dipping into your entrance. Your head drops back against the door with a groan.

“You gotta be quiet, can’t have all those nice people downstairs knowin’ you’re gettin’ your pussy devoured, huh, baby?”

You bite your lip to hold your noises as he returns to his apology, licking and sucking and biting at you until you’re a writhing mess.

“Joel!” You whisper-shout, tugging on his hair. “Want your cock, baby, please?”

His lips are shiny with your essence as he stands, hands working his belt and fly open in quick succession. He presses a messy kiss to your lips as he frees his cock, an arm wrapping around your waist to lift you up, your legs automatically circling his hips. His hot length slides against your clit and you moan into his mouth, the sound swallowed in his kiss.

He presses you against the wall so that he can use one hand to position his cock at your dripping entrance, pressing his hips forward to drive himself inside you. Your arms cling to his shoulders as you gasp at the stretch.

“Christ, darlin’,” he whispers against your neck. “I’m not gonna last long like this.”

“Don’t care,” you reply, swiveling your hips in an attempt to get him to move. “Come on, baby, you’re not gonna make me cum standing still.”

Joel chuckles darkly, drawing back and slamming harshly up into you, the power of it knocking the breath from your lungs. He pounds into you harshly, his hands sure to leave fingertip shaped bruises on the skin of your hips and ass where he holds you to drag you over his length.

“Touch yourself, pretty girl, I need you to cum with me,” he demands. You slip a hand between your bodies, fingers circling your clit with little finesse as you work in tandem with Joel to reach your release.

It shatters over you in a consuming wave, your legs going tight around his waist as you lean forward to bite your scream into his shoulder. You feel his cock pulse inside of you as he presses in deep, his release warm as it fills you to the brim.

You slump against him, boneless in the aftermath. He presses a sweet kiss to your shoulder before gently lowering you to the ground, an arm looped around your waist to support you as you try to stand on shaky legs.

He tucks his softening cock away into his boxers, pulling his pants up. He locates your panties on the brown and kneels down to help you step back into them.

“Not gonna steal this pair?” You tease. He nips the inside of your knee in retaliation.

“Only because I’m not about to send you out in your parents house with my cum dripping down your thighs,” he replies, situating the fabric on your hips before pulling your dress back down over your thighs. When he stands, he pulls you into a deep kiss, his palms framing your cheeks. “I love you,” he says as he pulls back.

You grin at him, smoothing your fingers through his mussed hair. “I love you, too.”

________

You rejoin the party, your hand in Joel’s as he leads you to the kitchen for a drink refill. It’s nearing midnight, and your dad has turned on the TV in the living room to the ball drop in anticipation.

The man in question is in the kitchen with your mom, the two of them flushed from their drinks and the heat of the full house. Your dad gives you a tentative smile.

“Hi,” he says as the two of you approach. You release Joel’s hand to pull him into a hug, his arms wrapping around you tightly.

“I’m sorry, baby,” he whispers.

“I know. Thank you, dad,” you reply. You don’t miss the shine in his eyes when you pull back and kiss him on the cheek. “I love you.”

“Love you, too,” he tells you.

The noise in the house starts to grow as the ball begins to drop, the countdown echoed in chorus by the party goers. Joel hands you a glass of champagne, pulling you into his side as he starts to join in.

“3…2…1! Happy New Year!!”

Joel tilts your face to his, planting a kiss to your lips, in front of everyone. When you pull away, your mom tugs you into a hug and your dad shakes Joel’s hand, both men smiling.

And you can’t help but think how amazing it is that one summer can change your whole world.

Tag list: @huffle-punk @telepathay @johnwatsn @hopelessromantic727 @caatheeriinee07 @leeeesahhh @whereasport @pedr0swh0r3 @yellingloudly @dragon-of-winterfell @mydailyhyperfixations @liati2000 @endlessthxxghts @fake-bleach @thedeadsingwithdirtintheirmouths @lovebandrry @str84pedro @daddy-din @missgurrl @paleidiot @mattmurdock1021

[sxypnk]

“𝐑𝐨𝐚𝐝𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐩!”

Synopsis; 𝙎𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙘𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙩𝙪𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙖 𝙧𝙤𝙖𝙙 𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙥 𝙩𝙤 𝙖 𝙨𝙠𝙞 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙤𝙧𝙩!

Char; 𝙏𝙤𝙠𝙮𝙤 𝙃𝙞𝙜𝙝 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙆𝙮𝙤𝙩𝙤 𝙃𝙞𝙜𝙝/ 𝙗𝙖𝙨𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙚.

Contains; 𝙋𝙞𝙘𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚'𝙨 (𝙄𝙛 𝙪 𝙨𝙚𝙚 𝙖 𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙖 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙙, 𝙞𝙩𝙨 𝙖 𝙥𝙞𝙘𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚, 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙥 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣.) 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙬𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜. 𝙎𝙁𝙒!!

Wc; 3624

Note; 𝙄 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙬𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙮 𝙖𝙪 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙟𝙟𝙠, 𝙬𝙚 𝙜𝙚𝙣𝙪𝙞𝙚𝙡𝙮 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙩…𝙨𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙨 𝙜𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙖 𝙗𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙨!

"Heey guys!" Gojo waved as he came around the corner, geto by his side as they held their luggage.

"Ynieee you're here!" he exclaimed, lifting you off the ground slightly in his playful embrace, his laughter ringing in your ears as your cheeks heating from the sudden affection. "Missed you!" he added, grinning down at you as you tried to wriggle free, both of you enjoying the lighthearted moment.

"I c-can't b-breathe, Satoru!"

He quickly set you down after your words, then ruffled your hair with a smile, saying, "Whoops, my bad!"

He wrapped Shoko in a similar embrace, but she immediately punched him away, leaving him rubbing his left cheek with a wince of pain.

Geto stood before you with his usual expression, but it softened when he approached you.

He held his arms out wide, and as you stepped into them, he wrapped you in a comforting embrace. Your head nestled against his clothing, the soothing scents of sandalwood and sage enveloped you, bringing with it a deep sense of warmth and safety.

His hug wasn't as tight as Gojos', but it was just right—not loose, yet not constricting. It wrapped around you like a shield, instilling a profound sense of safety and protection that made you feel cherished in that moment.

“Hi, Suguru,” you murmured, your voice soft and warm against the fabric of his clothing, feeling the gentle rise and fall of his chest as he held you close. His presence was a soothing balm, and you could sense his calm nature radiating through the embrace.

"Yn"

As you both lingered in the hug, a comfortable silence wrapped around you, it wasn't until you caught each other's eyes, both slightly flushed, that the realization settled in. With a shy chuckle, you pulled away, the warmth of his embrace still lingering as you exchanged a knowing smile, acknowledging the unexpected intimacy of the moment.

Your eyes lit up with excitement as you exclaimed, “Oh, wait! We're matching!” Glancing down at his outfit and then at yours, you couldn’t help but giggle at the coincidence. Both dressed in complementary colors, it felt like a fun and unexpected connection that made the moment even more special.

"I supposed so, what a coincidence." He said looking at your outfit

You turned to Gojo, and as you did, the smile fell from your face, replaced by disappointment.

"Just look at you."

"Gojo, you're so unserious" Shoko sighed as she shook her head

"Girl, my pajamas are the perfect outfit for something like this."

Everyone else came in actual outfits, looking put together and ready for the occasion, while Gojo stood out in his rumpled pajamas, a carefree grin on his face. With his luggage by his side, he seemed completely unfazed, as if he had just rolled out of bed and straight into the gathering, embodying his usual laid-back charm despite the contrast.

"Alright, everyone, let's get onto the bus!"

It was 7 in the morning, some of you were still half asleep as all of you sighed and shuffled along, dragging your luggage behind you.

Just as you were about to slide your suitcase under the bus, Geto offered to grab it for you after he finished stowing his own.

“Thanks suguru” You smiled before walking onto the bus.

You were one of the first people on so u sat further toward the back to leave room for people up front.

You took your took your sweater off as you sat down comfortably.

“Hey I wanted that seat!” Gojo pouted like a baby as he crossed his arms upset.

“There’s plenty of other seats satoru.” Geto explained as he sat comfortably next to you.

“Ladies, ladies, let’s not fight,” you laughed, playfully surrendering your hands in the air.

Gojo stuck his tongue out at you before sitting down directly behind you, settling in next to Nanami, who rolled his eyes at the playful antics.

"Damn, you just made the whole bus shake" you exclaimed, turning around with a jokingly shocked expression.

Gojo, feigning hurt, placed a dramatic hand on his chest and replied, "Okay, wow," his eyes sparkling with mischief, as he exaggeratedly slumped back in his seat.

“Get up! I want the window seat!”

“But I was here first kugusaki” Itadori whined in front of your seat.

As they argued megumi yelled at them for being childish before moving to the opposite row, leaving them to sit next to each other.

With the seat now vacant, Kugisaki huffed in annoyance before sliding her small bag under her seat. She shot a glare at Itadori, who appeared to be sulking, clearly still affected by Megumi's abrupt departure.

"Quit pouting, you look ridiculous," she teased, crossing her arms as she settled in..

“Children, stop. It is too early in the morning” Principal Yaga called out firmly, his voice cutting through the chatter like a knife. He then made his way to the front, settling into the seat next to Ijichi, who was already focused on starting the bus.

Nobara and Itadori wasted no time in making jokes about Megumi's typical standoffish demeanor, their laughter filling the bus as they playfully mocked him. Megumi, hearing their banter, frowned and shot back defensively, insisting that he didn't have an attitude at all.

"You two are just a couple of bickering kids," he retorted, trying and failing to hide a hint of amusement beneath his irritation, while the others exchanged glances, knowing full well they’d struck a nerve.

Maki, Panda, Inumaki, and Yuta lounged in the back of the bus, their energy a stark contrast to the serious conversation happening towards the front.

Maki leaned against the window, her arms crossed with a smirk, while Panda shifted to make more room, his shoulders brushing against Yuta.

As Inumaki munched on his snacks, he thoughtfully reached into his bag and offered some to his friends, holding out a handful of chips with a playful grin.

"Tuna," he said, his voice always infused with his unique speech pattern, making the simple gesture feel special. Maki took a few with a nod of appreciation, while Yuta smiled and accepted a handful. Panda enthusiastically grabbed a handful, his eyes lighting up as he enjoyed the tasty treats, all while the laughter and chatter from the front of the bus created a lively background to their snacking session.

Ijichi called out from the front of the bus, scanning the group with a furrowed brow.

"Are we missing anyone?" His voice carried over the chatter, prompting a brief pause in the conversation.

Maki exchanged glances with Panda and Yuta, while Inumaki silently counted on his fingers, his brow furrowing in concentration. Moments later, Maki shrugged, "I think we're all here,"

As the bus was about to pull off, you heard banging on the door.

Peeking your head to the front, you saw the door swing open, revealing todo with a wide, goofy grin.

“We’re here!” he announced loudly, throwing his arms out dramatically, which drew a chorus of exaggerated groans from everyone inside.

“We decided to just come to you guys so we can go straight there!” Utahime announced as she settled into her seat towards the front with Nitta and Shoko, a spark of enthusiasm lighting her eyes. Her excitement was infectious, and the energy in the bus shifted as everyone began eagerly discussing the plans ahead.

As Todo started walking towards the back, everyone else followed him onto the bus, their chatter filling the air with anticipation.

The atmosphere buzzed with quiet talking, each person claiming their seats and exchanging playful banter.

As everyone found their seats, some quietly argued about who would get the window or aisle spots, but the discussions were good-natured and brief.

Finally, after a quick headcount to make sure everyone was on board, the bus began to pull away, the early morning light filtering through the windows.

The faculty believed it would be a great opportunity to take a trip with the students during the winter, so a ski trip was suggested as an enjoyable outing for everyone. After some discussion, they chose a destination not too far from the school, ensuring they could easily manage any unexpected events that might arise during the trip.

Some people, like Geto, dozed off in their seats. Even though it was early in the morning, the bus was filled with the sounds of laughter and conversation. Students chatted excitedly about the day ahead, creating a lively atmosphere that made the early start feel much brighter.

The faint sound of chewing persisted, gnawing at your attention despite your attempts to dismiss it as a trick of the mind.

You glanced back to see Nanami dozing peacefully, his head resting against the fogged glass, while Gojo's soft smile suggested he found the scene amusing as he fakingly looked around the car.

However, just as you were ready to dismiss the odd chewing sound as a figment of your imagination, it resumed—this time louder and more insistent—pulling your gaze back to the duo, pondering if perhaps it was Gojo indulging in a snack, or if something else entirely was lurking in the shadows of the car.

The sound seemed to echo directly in your ear, amplifying your irritation as you kissed your teeth in frustration, rubbing your temple.

You couldn't hold back any longer, your exasperation boiling over.

“Satoru fucking Gojo, if you don’t stop, I’m going to rip your teeth out of your mouth,” you warned, partially joking but with enough edge in your voice to convey your annoyance.

The air grew thick with tension, and you half-expected him to chuckle in response, but instead, the chewing stopped abruptly, leaving a heavy silence hanging between you as Nanami stirred slightly in his sleep.

“What I do nowww?” he whined, his voice dripping with exaggerated innocence.

You turned to see Gojo wearing that wide grin of his, a playful spark in his eyes.

You reached back to hit his head as he made an exaggerated huff, clearly finding amusement in your irritation as you turned your head black forward to lean on the cold window.

After an hour into the trip, the atmosphere shifted as most people succumbed to sleep, the soft hum of the bus contrasting with the loud snores echoing around you. It didn’t take long for the cacophony to become unbearable, especially Gojo, who seemed to snore louder than everyone else combined, making it feel like he was right in your ear despite the distance. You shot a glance at Nanami and Geto, who had wisely donned their headphones to block out the disturbance, and begrudgingly decided to follow suit. Reaching into your bag, you pulled out your headphones, grateful for the sanctuary of music that would let you escape the auditory chaos and find some peace, even amidst Gojo's relentless symphony of snores.

As the music flowed through your ears, you gazed out at the foggy window, your view partially obscured but still captivating. The landscape was transformed; the vibrant greens of summer were now buried beneath a thick blanket of snow, softening the harshness of the world outside. Only the occasional flurry that fell from the sky hinted at the life that once thrived in the warmth. The bare trees swayed gently in the wind, their stark silhouettes against the gray sky giving a feeling of solitude that matched your own introspection, creating a serene contrast to the chaotic sounds of slumbering passengers inside the bus.

"GET THE FUCK UP!" You heard a voice scream as jolted up out of your sleep, heart racing.

You turned to the sound, squinting against the light to see Gojo standing above you, his signature blindfold slightly askew and a mischievous grin on his face. "Took you long enough to wake up," he teased, crossing his arms with an exaggerated sigh.

"You're such an ass, Satoru" you called out, as you stood up and stretched. The empty bus echoed your words, amplifying the eerie silence that surrounded you, save for the soft hum of the still-running engine.

Gojo turned, throwing you a smirk over his shoulder as he made his way down the aisle to the front, his confident stride unfazed by the desolation of the moment. "Relax, everyones already off the bus" he replied, his tone light.

As you hugged your body and slipped on your sweater, the cold air bit at your face, sending a shiver down your spine. It felt refreshingly crisp, a stark contrast to the warmth of the bus, and you inhaled deeply, savoring the faint scent of pine and earth that lingered outside.

In front of you stood a modest gas station, its neon lights still illuminated against the crisp morning sunlight. It wasn’t empty, but it wasn't crowded either; a steady stream of cars was lined up at the pumps.

Shoko lit a cigarette by the bus, the plume of smoke curling upwards as she stood casually with the principals, Ijichi, and Nanami.

The morning sun bathed the scene in a golden hue, highlighting the contrast between Shoko's relaxed demeanor and the more serious, composed poses of her colleagues.

Ijichi glanced at the bustling gas station nearby, while Nanami, arms crossed, offered a mild, disapproving shake of his head at Shoko's habit.

Despite the discussions about schedules and itineraries, there was a underlying sense of camaraderie in the air as they waited for the rest of the group to assemble, the slight tension of anticipation mingling with the lingering scent of fresh smoke.

As you and Gojo stepped into the convenience store, the lively buzz of students filled the air, each one scattered around in small clusters, debating over snacks and breakfast options. Laughter erupted from one corner where a group was playfully arguing about the best energy drink, while another pair leaned over the hot food counter, eyeing the questionable breakfast sandwiches with a mixture of intrigue and caution.

The smell of brewed coffee and fried snacks wrapped around you like a comforting blanket.

As Itadori, Kugasaki, and Panda reveled in their playful experimentation with the slushie machines, the vibrant sounds of blending ice and laughter filled the air. Meanwhile, Inumaki, Yuta, Megumi, and Noritoshi stood at the counter, paying for their items and sharing small conversations, contrasting the carefree enthusiasm of their acquaintances.

The scene was a perfect blend of fun and friendship, showcasing their relaxing break from the rigors of the life back home and the light-hearted moments that deepened their bonds.

Gojo ran up to Geto like a lost puppy as soon as he saw him walk out of the bathroom, a wide grin plastered on his face.

"What took you so long? Takin' a shit hm?" he joked, playfully bumping into Geto's shoulder. Geto sighed, of annoyance at gojo's unfunny antics.

"I was in there for 2 minutes Satoru."

As you made your way through the store, the bright packaging of chips caught your eye, calling you over. You reached for a bag of your favorite flavor, the familiar crunch tempting you instantly. Then, you turned to the cold fridges nearby, selecting a cold drink that would perfectly complement your snack. With both items in hand, you headed toward the checkout, feeling satisfied with your impulsive but tasty choice before reaching for your wallet to pay.

As Itadori wiped up the bright pink slushie with a handful of napkins, you leaned against the counter, watching him with a mix of amusement and patience. His concentrated expression and the occasional splash of slushie made it hard to keep a straight face, but you knew he’d want to make things right. Once he finished and flashed you an apologetic grin, you stepped out into the cool air and headed toward the bus, the faint sound of his laughter trailing behind you.

As you approached your seat, you noticed Geto casually scrolling through his phone, his expression a mix of amusement and curiosity when he finally looked up at you. His dark hair fell slightly over his eyes, and a smirk tugged at the corners of his lips. "Took you long enough," he teased, putting his phone back in his pocket.

You chuckled as the statement, "Itadori spilled his drink,"

There was some room between the seats you could squeeze pass so you didn't bother asking him to get up.

As you navigated the narrow space between the seats, you felt a sudden jolt of awareness, realizing just how close your ass had gotten to Geto's face. His brows shot up in surprise, and you could almost sense the laughter bubbling up inside him, though he remained composed. You quickly adjusted, a flush creeping up your cheeks as you tried to play it cool, casting a sheepish glance over your shoulder while feeling the weight of his amused gaze lingering on you.

"So lucky" Gojo teased whispers behind geto to where he could only hear

You sat down in your seat placing the bag in your lap as you took your sweater off.

Geto clearned his voice before speaking to you. "What'd you get?" He asked looking at the bag as u sat down

"Oh, nothing just something to keep me full until we get there."

He nodded before buring his face back into his phone.

Nitta took a head count before we pulled off, her brow furrowed in concentration as she counted each person, ensuring nobody was left behind. After confirming everyone was present and accounted for, she flashed a satisfied smile, signaling that it was time to leave.

Itadori's enthusiastic voice rang out, breaking the light tension in the air as he leaned forward, eyes wide with anticipation. "Are we there yet?" he called toward the front, his tone a mix of eagerness and impatience

Everyone groaned in unison at Itadori's familiar question, the sound echoing through the vehicle.

You couldn’t help but laugh at everyone’s exaggerated annoyance at Itadori’s seemingly dumb question, the collective groans making the moment all the more hilarious. Remembering that you had indeed just left the gas station.

"Brother, we just left the gas station," Todo exclaimed, turning his head behind his seat to assure Itadori.

Kugasaki bonked Itadori on the head after he asked that, her eyes narrowing in annoyance as she quietly cursed him out, the playful smack punctuating the tension in the car. Itadori laughed it off, rubbing the spot where she hit him with an exaggerated pout, while the rest of the group erupted in laughter at the typical antics between the two.

It was around 11 a.m. when the snow started getting thicker outside, the fluffy white flakes transforming the landscape into a winter wonderland while making the roads increasingly slippery. Visibility diminished, and Ijichi focused intently on the road, his grip tightening around the steering wheel as the tires began to struggle for traction. The atmosphere in the vehicle shifted from lively chatter to an attentive silence, everyone instinctively knowing there was caution on the roads.

The bus became quiet again as most of you fell asleep, lulled by the rhythmic motion of the vehicle and the soft hum of the engine. Meanwhile, a few energetic people went to the front and decided to liven things up by playing Heads Up with Gojo, their laughter cutting through the stillness as they took turns guessing words while Gojo expertly offered hilarious clues. The atmosphere shifted, blending the cozy warmth of camaraderie with the fading sounds of the snowstorm outside, making the journey feel like a shared adventure.

Gojo, with his trademark mischievous grin, shortly after hijacked the aux cord, blasting some of the worst songs imaginable—cheesy pop hits and overplayed anthems that seemed to grate on everyone's nerves.

The once quiet vibe quickly turned into a groan-fest, as you felt a headache creeping in from the cacophony.

A mix of eye-rolls and chuckles filled the bus, but Gojo remained blissfully unaware, bobbing his head to the off-key lyrics, while you silently considered if there was a way to rescue the music selection before madness set in.

You shot a frustrated glance at the front of the bus, where Gojo was reveling in his questionable taste in music, and couldn’t help but blurt out, "Oh hell no, please get him off the aux! Who let him on in the first place?" Laughter erupted from some, though a few shared your pain as the chorus of a particularly cringeworthy song filled the air.

The atmosphere turned into a chaotic mix of plea and laughter, everyone weighing their options for reclaiming control of the playlist before the headache turned into a full-blown crisis.

Shoko, with a determined glint in her eye, yanked the aux cord from Gojo's phone as he threw his hands up in mock defeat, a smirk still plastered on his face. "He promised to shut up if I gave it," she said with a roll of her eyes, the rest of the group cheered in relief. The music abruptly shifted to something far more palatable, instantly easing the tension in the air and soothing your throbbing headache, while Gojo grumbled good-naturedly about losing his DJ status, clearly unperturbed by his defeat.

"Cmonnn my music isn't even that bad!"

"Yeah your right, it's fucking horrible, horrendous." You clapped back

"Yn-sensei, I really liked gojo-sensei's music.." Itadori turned around to confess.

"Oh of course you do, Itadori, of course you do," you sighed in disappointment, leaning back further in your chair.

"Seeeee?" Gojo exclaimed, a smile spreading across his face as he happily pointed at Itadori.

"Shut up, and sleep."

"Bu-"

"Now"

"Yes ma'am"

© sxypnk 24’ ⋮ all works are owned by @sxypnk on tumblr , do not repost, translate, or copy my work without permission. 𝐧𝐚𝐯𝐢

[coalswriting]

hair holds memories - natalie scatorccio

summary – bleaching natalie’s hair became routine for (y/n), but things became a bit more complicated the day natalie disappeared. (approx. 1.7k words)

a/n – trigger warning for mentions of weight loss + puking!! i wrote this cos i was feeling a lil down and wanted to vent a little. hope y’all enjoy <3  

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

your (e/c) orbs glossed over the pages of the novel you were reading while you sipped a cup of tea. you were hunched over your crowded desk, notes scattered around as you picked out comparisons between the novel and wuthering heights. you were given as comparative essay as an assignment for english class, and you had chosen to compare the theme of the role of women within society.

your eyelids began to feel heavy, and you swore that you would fall asleep before you could finish the chapter. peering over towards your alarm, your eyes widened when you noticed that it was nearing 1am. sighing, you knew you’d have trouble waking up for school tomorrow if you stayed up much later, so you flicked your bookmark between the worn pages of the book and shut it, sliding it into your backpack.

you stood up with a stretch, grabbing your hairbrush to tidy yourself up before bed. suddenly, you heard a rhythmic clinking against your window. confused, you processed the sound for a moment before peeking an eye out between your curtains. you deflated from your slight shock when you noticed it was only natalie. pulling the curtains open and pushing the window, you called out to her in a whisper-yell.

“it’s 1am nat, what are you doing? and what’s with that hat??”

natalie, in response, grimaced, pulling her beanie tighter over her head. she looked at you with discomfort before whispering back, “i had an accident and i need your help, can i come in?”

you exhaled heavily but smiled, “one sec.”

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

natalie sat on your toilet as you paced back and forth.

“how the hell did you do that?!”

she looked ashamed of herself, her hair practically ginger. “i don’t know, (y/n)! i was trying to go blonde! stop laughing!”

a towel was thrown at you and you damn-near fell over, gripping the sink to steady yourself from your laughter. “okay, okay, hold on,” you chuckled, crouching down to rummage through the drawer under your sink, “I think my mom still has some spare bleach and purple shampoo from the last time she did her hair.”

“i swear to fuck, (y/n), if my hair falls out, i’ll cut all of yours off in your sleep,” your once-brunette-now-ginger friend threatened to ignorant ears.

“yeah, yeah,” you dismissed.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

natalie’s hair had come out perfectly when you did it that time, and since then, you were primarily responsible for bleaching her hair. it became routine, every month, she would come by and sit on your toilet while you would touch up her roots. you both enjoyed it and talked about life whenever it came to that. the last time you did it was the weekend before nationals.

“thanks again,” natalie smiled at you coyly, checking herself out in the mirror. you hugged her from behind, resting your chin on her shoulder. she looked beautiful, the white lighting of your bathroom mirror illuminating each and every strand.

you were engrossed in her as you admired, murmuring, “you look beautiful.”

you swore you could see natalie’s cheeks gain a rosy hue. she cleared her throat, hiding her face with her fist, and you felt butterflies in your chest, tearing your eyes away from her angelic face.  

“uh, anyways,” you changed the topic quickly, flustered at what you had said, “good luck at nationals. i’ll be waiting for your return with the trophy.”

natalie elbowed you gently, smirking, “i’ll see you at the after-party, yeah?”

you nodded, “for sure.”  

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

processing grief was difficult, you came to learn. upon hearing of the plane crash, you didn’t cry. you didn’t scream, you didn’t react in any way. you just lied in bed for days, shackled down by a huge wave of apathy. you lost a lot of weight, nearly puking every time you touched food.

after a few months, you grew hopeful. you knew natalie – you knew she was alive. she was a fighting spirit, and something told you that things would be okay.

when the first winter passed, you finally accepted that natalie was probably dead. the grief hit you in a delayed wave, and your friends held you as you wept in the bathroom that you had routinely done her hair in the past. you tore the polaroids of you and her off your walls, stuffing them into a box under your bed. you didn’t want to see her. you hated her for leaving you alone in this world, and you hated that you had loved her so much. 

you despised natalie scatorccio. you despised the way she would laugh with you, joke with you, the way the corners of her mouth gently rose when she was trying to hide her giggles in history class, the way she drew on your arm when she was bored, and the way she always hugged you after practice when she was sweaty and covered in mud, much to your disdain.

you began to move on after a year; well, that was a lie – you knew that you would never move on from the impact she had left on your life, but college was around the corner, and you knew that you would have to step into this new chapter without her. you still had the leather jacket that she had left in your house one time, and you couldn’t bare to lose it, so you took it with you, and boy, did you wear it everywhere. it became a part of you; it protected you.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

it was the spring of your second year of university, studying (whatever lol). you had come back to new jersey to visit your family and earn some money at your part time job at the cinema. you had tuned out most of the world, listening to music in your walkman, dancing around your family-home bedroom.

the girls had been found and returned home safe and sound – well, most of them. but, when you tried to reach out to natalie, you never received a response. it was difficult to contact any of the girls, really, and you decided that it was probably for the best. she had probably forgotten you; she was probably a different person anyways. you were initially extremely upset, but you pushed it down, focusing on your college assignments.

“you’re out of touch, i’m out of time!”, you sang to yourself as you bopped your head to the music. for once, you felt a little happy in life, things were going smoothly, and your friends were lovely. you imagined what they were doing in this moment – probably studying or out partying. you were excited to return to university.

suddenly, you heard a familiar rhythmic clinking against your window. you stiffened up, tears perking in your eyes. it was probably all in your head, and you stared for a moment, slowly taking your headphones off your ears. the tapping sound didn’t stop. you hesitantly shuffled to your window and, like clockwork, peeked your eye out between the curtains, but this time, you ripped them open almost immediately. your eyes began to pour with a wave of what seemed to be grief and joy as none other than natalie scatorccio stood outside, rain dampening her hair.

you nearly tripped as you sprinted down the stairs in your work uniform, and without a care in the world, you ran outside into the downpour. she caught you as you fell into her arms, holding her tight and hiccuping. she felt so, so warm against the coldness of the stormy air, and you knew in that moment that she was real. she was here with you.

… .. .

natalie wiped her hair with a towel as she sat in your bathroom, your tears still pouring. bringing a hand to your face, she wiped your tears with a thumb, smiling gently. “i’m back, for good,” is all she said.

your hands were shaky as you touched her hair. her roots had grown out, but she still looked like the same girl you had seen every day for years; she still looked like the girl you loved with your whole heart – the girl that had changed your life. she leaned into your touch.

“i thought i’d never see you again, nat,” you whispered, voice shaky, and she pulled you into her, arms wrapping around you. she stroked your hair, and you felt your chest constrict.

“what happened out there,” she began, “was traumatising, and i’m not ready to talk about it yet, but i want you to know that the whole time i was out there, i survived for you. i could’ve died and rid myself of this miserable world, but it was you. you kept me going.”

you dipped your head down a little as she spoke. she was enthralling, and you remembered how difficult processing the grief over her had been.

“i love you, nat,” you suddenly confessed, “and i never stopped. i don’t think i could’ve stopped, even if i tried.”

she looked at you, her mouth open in an o shape before she placed her mouth onto yours. the kiss felt bittersweet, and you could feel your worries evaporate. her lips were soft against your own ones and you tasted undertones of cigarette smoke amongst her cherry flavoured lip gloss. it was liberating. layers of grief began to dissolve, and your chest felt as though it was going to burst.

when natalie pulled away, she smiled at you gentler than you had ever seen. it was like you were porcelain and she was afraid to shatter you.

you both caught up a little longer, her hands lingering on yours with soft, endearing looks of admiration from both sides. your love for each other felt unspoken after the initial confession, and it felt as if nothing had ever split you apart from each other; like you had loved naturally the entire time she was gone.

as you both laid in bed looking at the glow-in-the-dark stars on your ceiling, her ear against your chest, listening to your heartbeat, you finally mentioned the unspoken.

“do you want me to bleach your hair?”

natalie hummed for a moment before shaking her head, “nah, i think i want to cut it all off and grow out my brown again. what do you think?”

your thoughts lingered in the sentence. “yeah, makes sense,” you replied, “hair holds memories and all. it’d be nice to start fresh again.”

“exactly”, she said, sitting up, “wanna do it now?”

you giggled as she pulled you up by the hand, following her to the bathroom.

“alright.”

[raindrop-21]

Scarred Love: Chapter Five: Talking In Your Sleep

A/n: Sorry for the late update, wasn't feeling 100% so I waited till I did so a half-assed chapter wasn't put out <3

Word count: 1,360

Cw: Ghoap x f!reader, soulmates, talk about scars, cuddly Ghoap x reader, nightmares (Tell me if I missed any)

Ch1, Ch2, Ch3, Ch4, Ch5, Ch6, Ch7~ Masterlist

Johnny and Simon shared a look of uncertainty before looking back at you. It takes Johnny two steps, and three extra seconds, seconds, to all but belly flop onto the bed and wrap you in his arms. You giggled as you were pulled into his hug. Simon locked the door of the hotel room, turned off the lights, took off his shoes, and laid on the bed next to you and Johnny.

“Johnny, let the lass go, she needs to get comfortable on her own.” He grunts out gently as he moves some of your hair from your face.

Johnny begrudgingly lets go of you, but he doesn’t move from your side. You roll over to face Simon, and then roll back over to face Johnny. You curl yourself into Johnny, and wrap your arms around him. He wraps his arms around you and hums in satisfaction. Simon scoots closer to the two of you, and drapes his arm over you and around Johnny. Effectively smooshing you between them.

It's a comfortable smoosh, you’re pressed into Johnny and Simon is pressing himself against you. You feel warm, content. Your weighted blanket is nothing compared to this. This. This is much better than your blanket. Johnny kisses your forehead, and Simon kisses the back of your head.

“G’night love.” They sleepily grumble in unison.

You let out a little giggle and mumble, “G’night boys.” Into Johnny’s shoulder.

You quickly fall asleep, content with the warm embrace of your soon-to-be lovers. They follow suit and fall asleep with you. A few hours later, you wake up feeling parched. You slowly wiggle out of their hold, making sure to not wake them. You walk into the hotel room’s kitchen, and get yourself a bottle of water. You open it and take a few sips before heading back to the bed. When you walk back over to the bed beneath Johnny’s semi-loud snoring, you can just make out Simon mumbling in his sleep.

You wiggle your way back into the bed, between the two men. This time you’re facing Simon in hopes to hear what he’s mumbling about. 

“Johnny…. No… Get back here…” He mumbles with a slight tremble in his oh-so-quiet voice.

The tremble in his voice, paired with the small amount of context you have about their job you can tell it’s probably some type of nightmare. You’re unsure if you should wake him up or not. Should I wake him up? No, he could react negatively… Should I wake up Johnny? You wonder what you should do. You decide not to wake Johnny. You wrap your arms around Simon, enveloping him in a hug, you rub slow gentle circles on his back while quietly cooing at him.

“It’s okay, Si, Johnny's here. He’s safe and asleep.” You murmur quietly into Simon’s ear as to not wake Johnny.

You feel how Simon stirs as you speak to him; you can’t tell if you’re helping him or not. You reach one of your hands into his hair, and slowly start scratching his scalp. As you start giving his head light scritches, he lets out a sharp gasp. You halt for a second, wondering if you should continue or not. You decide to continue, and resume your ministrations. 

He lets out another gasp, this time a softer one that’s paired with a quiet grunt. As you continue, his arms wrap around your body. You can’t tell if he’s awake or not, but you don’t question it. Simon’s arms just seem to tighten around you as you continue trying to calm him down without waking him. As his grip gets tighter on you, you find yourself getting pressed more and more into him. You let out a little squeak when he squeezes a bit too hard on your waist. That little squeak just so happens to rouse Johnny.

“Mmm… Lass? What is it…?” Johnny mumbles out, his voice deeper and his Scottish accent much more present.

“S-sorry, didn’t mean to wake you.” You squeak out.

Johnny turns on the light of the lamp on the bedside table, and sees you getting somewhat crushed by Simon’s big arms.

“Did he steal ye from me, Lass?” He asks with a slight chuckle.

“Y-yea… Kind of…” You say sheepishly, “I’m pretty sure he was having a nightmare, and I was trying to calm him down without waking him up.” You whisper, still not trying to wake Simon.

“Oh so that’s what happened.” He acknowledges with a half-smile.

“I-is this normal for him?” You ask, somewhat concernedly.

Johnny lets out a sigh, “It’s normal for both of us, Bonnie. Comes with our job, and part of ‘is past.” 

“Oh.” You say, your voice filled with what you can’t decide if it’s pity or sympathy.

Johnny looks at the two of you, amused at the vice grip Simon has on you. “Seems like you’re doing quite the job of bringing him away from whatever nightmare he was havin’.”

“Ya think so?” You ask, hoping Johnny’s right and you’re helping Simon.

“Yeah, I think so. He’s never looked so content while asleep before…. Well, except for when he’s holding me. I dun know who I’m jealous of, Bonnie; Si for holding you, or you for being held by Si.” He jokes with a laugh.

“Hey… Why don’t you come back to bed, join me in helping soothe Si.” You offer with a quiet smile.

“I think I will.” Johnny says with a smirk before lying down on the bed. This time behind Simon, wrapping him in a hug from behind that only helps to ease him.

You do your best to turn off the desk lamp while still stuck in Simon’s hold. Johnny finds it quite funny, letting out little snickers as you try to roll over and turn off the light. Once you’ve turned off the light, you roll back over, which is surprisingly easy. You kiss Simon’s jaw before falling asleep.

~~ Simon’s Nightmare POV ~~

It’s dark. Too dark. Where’s Johnny? I can’t find him. I round every corner, calling his name over and over like a mantra.

“Jonny? Johnny? Where are you?” 

I check every body I see, hoping to god it’s not him. I get lucky; none of the bodies are him. I’ve searched this building top to bottom at least seven times. I finally give up on searching the building. ‘Maybe he’s outside’ I think to myself. I go outside, the car we’re supposed to be leaving in is right outside.

Inside of it is Price and Gaz... No Johnny. I ask Price where he is. Price points me towards the opposite building… One that we haven’t gone into because all the enemies retreated into there. And Johnny…. Johnny’s running into the building... With explosives wrapped around his abdomen… I knew he could be reckless… But this… I never thought he’d be this reckless. I find myself running after him, shouting at him.

“Johnny! No! Get back here!” 

But, it’s too late; he’s inside the building before I’m halfway there. I try the comms, but get no response from him… He’s supposed to tell us, tell me, if he’s going to do stupid shit like this. I realize that this is a dream; I’ve had it a hundred times over, but it never fails to shake me to my core. I know how it ends: I run into the building right after it explodes along with Johnny, I dig through the rubble until my hands are bleeding, I don’t find any bit of Johnny’s body, right as I’m about to give up, I move one last piece of cement, and right underneath it is Johnny’s head, ridiculous mohawk and all. But that doesn’t happen this time.

I hear a soft voice come from nowhere, telling me it’s all right. That they’re here, that Johnny’s here, that he’s safe. Next thing I know I’m standing in a bar, Johnny’s alive, and next to me. And then there’s a pretty little thing in front of me. On instinct, I grab her, pulling her into a hug, a tight one. She’s soft, so soft I never want to let go.

Taglist: @under-the-dirt @littlebluespoon @actuallyhiswife @cassiecasluciluce @darling006 @cdej6 @whynotbad @kaoyamamegami @oooof-ifellforyou @aldis-nuts

(If your tag doesn't work dm me or send an ask)

[mynameismckenziemae]

She’s a Fire-Chapter XI

Bradley ‘Rooster’ Bradshaw x OFC/Reader (no use of y/n)

Put her out

(previous chapter here, next chapter here)

Warning: light smut, little dirt talk, oral (m receiving)

“Row, wake up sweetheart. Let’s go to bed” Bradley murmurs into your hair. He must’ve fallen asleep too.

“Mmmm,” you grumble, comfy against his chest, his heartbeat lulling you back asleep.

“Oh, wow. Look at that snow. I’ve never seen flakes that big.” He whispers.

You lift your head and smile. Fat, fluffy flakes are falling outside. “Let’s go out there.”

“Now?” He asks, looking at the clock, “It’s like 4:00 AM.”

“Why not, it’s Christmas. We can sleep later.” You say, standing.

“Alright,” he smiles.

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

“Isn’t it beautiful? There’s just something about the quiet snow brings. It’s so peaceful.”

Bradley hums in agreement, looking at you. He’s never seen you more beautiful than now; Bare-faced faced in your thick coat, pajama pants tucked into boots, and snowflakes clinging to your eyelashes.

You walk your old neighborhood hand in hand, taking the time to look at the lights. You stop halfway through the driveway to retie your boot and quickly form a snowball while his back is still turned. You throw it and nail Bradley right in the ass.

“Ouch!” He helps, rubbing the spot where you hit him.

“Come on, I didn’t even throw it that hard!” You laugh.

“No, you didn’t. But you did spank the hell outta me yesterday.” He replies, tugging you to him and wrapping his arms around you.

“Oh yeah, I remember that now. Does it still hurt? Do you need me to kiss it better?” You tease, cold hands dipping into the back of his sweatpants to lightly squeeze his tender cheeks.

He inhales sharply. “Maybe. Or there’s something else you can kiss?” He says, pressing his erection against your stomach before kissing you.

You return it but pull away laughing as the snow tickles your face. He unzips his coat and pulls you further into his warmth and you sigh, pressing your cheek against his chest and wrapping your arms around his waist.

Soon, he’s humming a familiar tune and starts to sway. It’s ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love’

“Why this song?” You ask, smiling.

“It was the song we danced to the first night at the Hard Deck.” He says, picking up where he’d stop to answer you.

“I remember, I just didn’t know if it was a coincidence.”

“Nope, I’ll never forget that night. I hope one day it’ll be the first dance at our wedding.”

Your heart skips and you meet his gaze. “I hope so too.”

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

It’s close to 6 by the time you make it back inside. You’re both wet and frozen.

Bradley warms you up in the shower, lifting you and fucking you against the wall. His hand is pressed over your mouth as he thrusts slowly, shushing you as he groans quietly in your ear. “Shhhhh baby, I’ll make you cum if you can be quiet. Can you do that?”

You nod and he takes his hand from your mouth to circle your clit. You tighten around him and bite the thick muscle where his shoulder meets his neck. That bite of pain is enough to push him over the edge too, and he pants in your ear as he fills you up.

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

Bradley helps you make breakfast and your dad and Laura wake up just as you’re finishing.

“Merry Christmas,” Laura says, hugging Bradley before she turns to you next.

“Merry Christmas, Mom” you whisper as she squeezes you. She tenses in your arms and you panic a little as you feel her shaking. You look at Bradley and he’s smiling.

She eventually pulls back. “I wondered if you’d ever feel comfortable calling me mom. I love you, hun,” is all she says, happy tears streaming down her face.

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

The day passes quickly, as Christmas normally does. Gifts are opened after a late lunch/early supper and everyone takes turns holding sweet baby Carter.

The next day was supposed to be spent with your dad and Laura, but one of his bartenders called in with a sick kid and they were slammed. Bradley offered to help him out as he bartended at the Hard Deck if he was around and Penny needed an extra hand.

You and Laura instead took Carter shopping for the day and let Lyss and Jen have a much-needed break.

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

All too soon it’s time to get ready to head back to the airport.

As you’re getting your toiletries together in the bathroom, Bradley spots that wicked wooden hairbrush and smirks to himself as he gets an idea. He slides it into his clothes in his suitcase, ready to give you a taste of your own medicine when the time is right.

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

That time proves to be just several hours later (thanks to a delayed flight). You’ve got Bradley’s cock in your mouth as he drives back to his place in the Bronco. You couldn’t to wait any longer after having to be quiet and sneaky the past several days.

You’ve already gotten him to the edge twice, pulling off right as he was about to cum. Your underwear was soaked as you listened to his frustrated sounds.

He shifts into park and you pop off of him, tucking him back into his gray sweatpants with a sassy grin.

He hands you his keys with a sigh, “If you wanna head in, I’ll grab the bags. You nod and head for the door.

Once you’re inside, he opens his suitcase, locates the hairbrush, and slides it into his pocket.

You’re on him again as soon as he gets through the door, on your knees, pulling his pants down and sucking him off again. His hands weave into your hair as he’s getting close.

You start to pull off as you sense it too, but he doesn’t let you. “No,” he rasps, using your hair to guide your head back on him. “Not again. Make me cum this time.”

You moan around him, surprised and turned on by his demand. You let him fuck your face, fighting your gag reflex as tears start filling your eyes. You swallow around him and he groans, cumming down your throat.

He releases his grip on your hair, pulling his pants back up and helping you to your feet. He wipes the stray tears that fell from your eyes with his thumb as he catches his breath.

His eyes darken as he watches your hand dip down the front of your leggings but he stops you. “Check my pocket, I brought something back from Colorado I wanna use on you.”

You smile and quirk a brow, wondering when he would’ve picked something sexy up without you noticing.

You reach into his pocket and your stomach does a summersault as you realize what it is.

His hand flies out to grip your wrist. Your eyes flick to his, dark and full of promise.

His other hand comes up and pulls the brush out of your hand. “This is me, prying the control from your pretty little fingers Rowan. Now… we can do this the easy way, or the hard way. What’s it gonna be?” He asks as he drops your now empty hand.

Your heart (and pussy) pound as you slowly take a few steps back.

“Well?” He asks, stepping forward, and slapping the brush on his open palm. You have to bite the inside of your lip to not moan.

You don’t say anything as you turn and run.

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

A/N: sorry this was a shorter chapter. I wanted to set it up for the next one. Excited for Dom!Bradley who has no mercy? Especially for girls who run?

Tagging:

@its-the-pilot

@dizzybee03

@sweetwhispersofchaos

@shanimallina87

@blindedbythelightt

@getmyprettynameoutofyourmouth

@lexixstewart

@phoenix-rising-starbird-one

@mrsrobertfloyd

@charmedkim

@k-k0129

@bellaireland1981

@ingoaliesitrust

@hookslove1592

[multi-fan-dom-madness]

Chapter 29: Yaim'la (Second Chances - Hunter x reader)

Yaim'la. adj. comfortable, familiar, sense of "at home."

Chapter Summary: Returning home to Pabu sets you all at ease, and your family more than deserves a break. 

Chapter Warnings: fluff and feelings, some angst, reunions, Crosshair actually letting himself be vulnerable in his own way, suggestive content so 18+ (as is this entire blog)

Word Count: 4,132

< Previous chapter | Next chapter >

When you wake, it’s with a start. You’d been dreaming of Arien—not of her death, but that time she took you cliff diving. The exhilaration of that controlled plummet lingers in the pit of your stomach now, the dreamscape rush of wind past your ears fading as you surface into consciousness. Leaving your eyes closed, you take stock of yourself, the soreness that still creaks in your joints, the dull throbs of pain in your shoulder and calf, the dried salt on your face. 

You could have sworn you fell asleep still in your Imperial garb (what was left of it, anyways), but as you continue to blindly catalog your surroundings, you realize that you’re in your sleep clothes. Hunter’s left arm drapes over your midsection while his right curls under your head like a pillow, hugging you close to his warm body. His soft breaths puff on the back of your neck. Tears prickle at the back of your throat, and a sniffle escapes you. 

“Mesh’la,” Hunter mumbles, voice thick with sleep. He tightens his hold on you. “I’m here.” 

Eyes fluttering open at last, you find yourself staring at the thin privacy curtain that separates the gunner’s mount from the rest of the ship. The blue light of hyperspace washes over everything from behind you. 

“Didn’t mean to wake you,” you murmur. 

“S’okay,” he says. He buries his head against your back. “S’what I’m here for.” 

With a sigh, you let your eyes fall closed once more as you reach for the hand embracing you. Fresh tears clot in your eyelashes, but don’t fall. To calm yourself, you draw lazy patterns across the skin of his tattoo, tracing the inked lines of metacarpals and distals, stroking the thin scar that cuts across his hand. Hunter presses soft, close-mouthed kisses to the back of your neck, thumbs drawing soothing circles over your own body. A new kind of warmth, one that is cozy and crackles like a hearth rather than stinging like nettles, begins to bloom deep in your chest. 

You shift onto your back to face him. Hunter brushes bent fingers across your cheekbone, featherlight, his gray eyes shadowed as he searches your own teary ones. You rest one hand on his face; his stubble is scratchy under your palm, but his heated skin is a balm. As your breath comes deeper, your lips part, your eyes dropping to his own mouth involuntarily. 

“You’re home,” he says. The catch in his voice makes your heart squeeze. 

Tilting your face up, you press a sweet, chaste kiss to his lips. He cradles the back of your head, his other palm splayed wide over your tummy. 

Pulling back, you rest your forehead against his, breaths mingling. “Was there ever any doubt I wouldn’t make it back?” 

He hums noncommittally. “Wrecker had to restrain me from taking over the ship when you first comm’d.” 

“I appreciate the gesture,” you say with a gentle laugh. “And Echo?” 

“He’s trailing us,” Hunter says. “He stayed back in orbit just in case something went wrong.” 

“Smart.” You thread your fingers through his soft curls, gently detangling the strands as you go. “Thank you for trusting me on this.” 

He breaks the embrace, pulling his face back just enough to make you open your eyes. Searching his gaze, you can’t help the soft sigh of contentment that escapes you. He’s so often hiding behind a mask of strength; but right now, bared to you under the cleansing light of hyperspace, you swear you can read every emotion as it arises in him. He’s still working through the lingering anxiety, if the tightness around his eyes is any indication. The affection that sparkles in his eyes is enough to steal your breath for a moment. But mostly, he looks so much...happier than you’ve ever seen him. Warmth surges within you again. 

“I should be the one thanking you,” he murmurs. 

You blink. “What for?” 

“Giving him a second chance.” You don’t need to ask to know who he means. “For making us—no. Making me see the truth.” 

“I’m all about second chances,” you say with a small smile. 

“Mirjahaal,” he says. “It’s...peace of mind. You’ve helped us all find that. The ability to heal. To have a life beyond the war.” 

“You would have found that on your own,” you say. 

He shrugs with one shoulder. “Maybe. But I prefer it like this. With you in my arms.” 

Heart thudding against your ribs so hard he can probably feel it against his chest, you swallow thickly. “And...is there a word for second chances?” 

Brow furrowing like it always does when he’s thinking, Hunter falls silent. After a long moment, he shakes his head. “If there is, I never learned it. The closest I can think of is jate’kara—luck, or destiny.” 

“Destiny,” you whisper. Withdrawing your hand from his hair, you slide your hand along his face so your thumb trails over his lips, which part under your touch. “I like that.” 

You kiss him again before he can respond. Unlike before, this kiss is needy, desperate. Tilting your head, you lick at his bottom lip, moaning softly when his tongue meets yours. His palm flattens along your back to press you closer, his other hand trailing down your body to hitch your leg up over his hip. You groan quietly against him again. 

He breaks the kiss just long enough to gently shush you. Then his mouth is on yours again, tasting you, consuming you. Tugging on his thick curls, you delight in the shudder that dances up his body under your touch. Heat in your core, already simmering from before, sparks into a low flame. Your hands claw at one another, squeezing muscle and soft flesh, dragging you both together impossibly close, two bodies trying to become one. 

When you shift your hips, his half-hard length presses against your lower belly. 

“Kriff,” you gasp out as you pull apart, panting. Out of reflex, you roll your hips against him. “Hunter.” 

“Mesh’la,” he says, but it’s a warning. One of his broad hands rests on your hips, stilling your movements. “We can’t. Unless you’d like an audience?” 

His tone is playful, but you shake your head, the gravity of the situation quelling the heat in your core. “No. But as soon as we’re able...” 

He squeezes your hip before easing your leg back down to a more comfortable angle. “I promise.” 

Nodding, you tuck yourself under his chin, face half-pressed against his strong chest. For a long while, the pair of you lie there like that, entangled, comfortable. Though still exhausted, sleep eludes you; Hunter stays awake with you, his heart under your ear steady and calming. 

“Cross...told us a bit of what happened,” Hunter eventually says. 

You still in his embrace for a moment. “How much, exactly?” 

“They were trying to experiment on him. He’d tried getting another message out to us and had been sedated probably a few hours before you busted him out.” 

You nod, processing the new information. “It wasn’t just Crosshair they were experimenting on.” 

It’s Hunter’s turn to go absolutely still. His chest ceases its rhythmic rising and falling for a few seconds too long. “What do you mean?” 

Curling in on yourself, you fist the fabric of Hunter’s shirt tightly. “Most of those prison cells held clones. Dozens upon dozens of them are still there. I—” 

“Don’t even say what you’re about to say,” he interrupts, kind but firm. “There was nothing you could have done for them.” 

“I know,” you say, but even to your own ears, your words aren’t convincing. “We did what we went there to do, but was it enough?” 

“I don’t know.” He sighs. “I don’t know.” 

The next time you wake, you’re alone, and hyperspace no longer fills the gunnery windows. Groaning, you push yourself into a sitting position to peer with sleep-filled eyes at the sight out the transparisteel barrier. Mostly, stars drift in the distance, and you catch sight of Echo’s ship a few hundred feet to the port side, but directly below you, a glittering azure planet with dozens of islands and fluffy white clouds comes into view. 

Scrambling out of the gunner’s mount, you rush to the cockpit, the metal floor cold against your bare feet. When the door slides open, each of your family looks up at you with various expressions of welcome, cups of instant caf steaming in their hands. Hunter extends his hand for you to join him. 

You take your place, perched on his lap, and happen to catch Crosshair’s gaze. He simply nods once at you, then blows on his caf, returning his attention to whatever Tech-babble you’d interrupted. 

“—likelihood of this planet being discovered as a refuge is quite low,” Tech says. 

“But not zero,” Crosshair counters. “Not even near zero.” 

“Aw, but it’s so nice,” Wrecker says. “An’ we practically just got here. You should see—”

“Wrecker!” Hunter cuts in. His battlefield voices makes you jump, but Wrecker just rolls his eyes. 

“Yeah, alright.” The big man waves off Hunter’s narrowed glare with a good-natured smile. “But really, Cross, I doubt there’s any planet left in this galaxy that has a ‘near zero’ chance of being found by the Empire.” 

“Wrecker is correct,” Tech says, sounding mildly impressed. “You are, of course, free to make your own decisions, but perhaps there is safety in numbers. At least for now. And especially considering what Hunter shared from your experiences, Nav.” Tech turns, including you in the conversation, his gaze on your left shoulder. 

“Whatever they’re up to in that mountain,” you say, bile rising, “isn’t gonna be good for the rest of us out here.” 

Over the comms, Echo’s voice comes through a little tinny. “Not to mention all the clones stuck there.” 

“Yeah,” you say with a sigh. “Echo, I wanna talk to you about that.” 

“In due time,” he replies. “Let’s get back on solid ground first, eh?” 

“Speaking of,” Tech says, spinning the pilot’s seat around, “we are about to enter the atmosphere.” 

Omega barely waits for you all to debark the ships before she’s launching herself into Hunter’s arms. Behind her, moving at a reasonable pace through the courtyard, are Phee, Shep, and Lyana, broad smiles on each of their faces. You inhale deeply, relishing the warm salty sea air that graces your lungs after so long in the ship. From the top of the ramp, you watch Hunter spin Omega around with a beaming smile, the girl’s giggles music to your soul. Phee greets Tech, the two of them already beginning to step away from the group. Wrecker and Shep shake hands as Shep begins to relay updates from the island. Echo joins the group, letting Omega tackle him as soon as Hunter sets her down. 

Behind you, Crosshair lingers in the belly of the ship. 

“Come out when you’re ready,” you say over your shoulder. “But I promise no one here bites.” 

“Not their teeth I’m worried about,” he replies with a deadpan delivery. Despite it, you think you catch a note of worry in his voice. 

Humming, you shrug. “They only stare when you’re new. And you’re with us, so they won’t  bother you.” 

When he doesn’t answer, you nod and start down the ramp. The warm kiss of sunlight on your skin and the now-familiar cry of gulls on the breeze melts away some of the last remaining anxiety from the mission. Though you hadn’t lied—home is with your family—being back in the safest physical place you’ve ever known certainly feels good. 

A presence at your shoulder makes you turn. You can’t suppress the wide smile that splits your face when you find Crosshair lingering in your personal space, eyes already squinted in a glare. 

“Don’t look at me like that,” he grumbles. 

Raising your hands, palms out in a conciliatory gesture, you face forward again, looking for Omega. 

“Nav!” The girl’s excitement is palpable, her voice echoing off the courtyard walls. She skids to a halt in front of you, eyes shining with tears. “I knew you could do it!” 

Ruffling her hair, you can only chuckle. “Thanks, kid.” 

Her gaze slides from your face to focus on Crosshair behind you. You watch her expression waver between joy and worry, the unintentional half-step back she takes, her fingers nervously fidgeting with a bead bracelet on her wrist. 

“Crosshair,” she finally says. 

“Kid,” he responds. 

Omega’s face settles on joy, and she brushes past you to wrap her arms around her brother. Crosshair grunts in surprise, glancing at you with wide eyes. You jerk your chin at Omega with a roll of your eyes, and only drift away once he tentatively embraces his sister. Tears of happiness well in your eyes. 

Warm arms snake around your middle; Hunter rests his chin on your shoulder. He murmurs, “There’s a nice bakery I think Cross would like.” 

Wrapping your arms overtop his, you huff a laugh. “Won’t Shep be hosting another feast for our return?” 

“Probably,” Hunter says, his warm breath tickling the side of your face. “But last time, he didn’t have those rolls.” 

“Or that meiloorun jelly,” you say, catching onto what his plan must be. 

Hunter hums in agreement. “We could sneak off, go back to our ‘cave’...” 

Excitement thrills in your belly, heart skipping a beat at what he’s insinuating. But there’s something stopping you from agreeing. Maybe it’s the relaxed, contented atmosphere of reunion, or maybe it’s the feeling of really, truly being home, but you don’t want to run off like teenagers and have to rush. You want to take your time. 

“Let me talk to Echo,” you say. “See if he can’t keep them all away from the houses tonight after dinner. We can take a lantern, some sleeping rolls, make a night of it?” 

He kisses your cheek. “Deal. But I still do want that meiloorun jelly.” 

You throw your head back, laughter welling up from deep within you. “Alright, alright. Let’s take Cross with us, though, okay? Need to make sure that when people see him for the first time, he’s not on his own.” 

Releasing you, Hunter comes to stand next to you. His eyes are soft, a gentle smile curling his lips. For a moment, the chatter around you fades away as you gaze at one another, hands slowly twining together. 

Hunter bites his lip. “I—”

“Hunter, Nav!” Omega calls. “C’mon, we have to show Crosshair that thing!” 

Hunter makes a face, but the expression is gone before you can process it, replaced by an easy smile as he leads you over to the rest of the group. “Alright ’Mega, lead the way.” 

She grabs one of Crosshair’s hands and tugs. “Let’s go, Crosshair, come on!” 

He looks like he’s about to protest, but he glances at you and Hunter, and his gaze softens. Letting Omega drag him through the courtyard, the rest of you (except Shep and Lyana, who return home to prepare the night’s welcome home feast) trail behind the two of them through the winding, circuitous footpaths to your small plot of land. Tech and Phee take up the rear of the train, chattering quietly, while Wrecker walks next to Crosshair, pointing out good fruit to eat and the monkey-like critters that play with him sometimes. 

Echo sidles up alongside you, bumping his shoulder into yours. “What were you two planning earlier?” 

Embarrassment floods your body, and you take solace in the fact that Hunter is the only one who can sense it besides you. “Oh, um, just what we want to bring to dinner tonight.” 

With a single raised brow, Echo’s face splits in a devious smile. “That all?” 

“Yes, vod,” Hunter says in a tone that brooks no further questioning. 

Echo ignores the silent warning. “Right. I hope you know how unconvincing that was. So—and I can’t believe I’m the one giving this talk: remember to always use protection and—”

“Echo!” 

Both your and Hunter’s voices ring out, equal parts incredulous and embarrassed, as the man in question simply laughs, moving out of arm’s reach. Probably for the best, you muse, as your first instinct was to playfully whack at his arm. 

“In seriousness,” he says, coming back into range once he deems it safe enough, “I don’t think I said this before, but I’m happy for you guys. Really.” 

You exchange a contented glance with Hunter, a small smile tugging at your mouth. 

“Thanks, Echo,” you say. “And thank you for...well, just being here.” 

“My pleasure.” 

Up ahead, Omega pulls Crosshair to a halt. “Okay, Cross, close your eyes. Yes, it’s necessary. Please?” 

Crosshair heaves a sigh, and you chuckle at the glimpse of the melodramatic man that you’ve heard all the stories about. Nerves suddenly twist your stomach, palms beginning to sweat. Echo hadn’t exactly reacted the way you’d hoped when you showed him your new houses; would Crosshair be the same? 

“He’ll like it,” Hunter murmurs to you, accurately guessing where your mind is going. 

Throwing him a grateful glance, you offer a tight smile. 

“Okay,” Omega says, cutting through your internal worrying. “Everyone else, go ahead, and we’ll follow.” 

You do as requested. Wrecker climbs onto the ledge of the fountain, arms splayed, a massive smile showing all his teeth. With a laugh, you sit on the edge of the fountain on the other side, while Hunter leans against a nearby tree, arms crossed. Phee remains at the edge of the property, letting Tech take his place amongst the rest of you all; he opts to perch on the ledge next to you, pocketing his datapad. 

“Ready, Omega!” you call. 

“Coming!” 

A moment later, she leads Crosshair around the corner. His hand covers his eyes, and from the way his brow is furrowed, you assume his eyes are scrunched shut beneath his fingers. Picking at the hem of your clothing, you watch with bated breath as Omega ushers Crosshair to stand just in front of the fountain, then releases his hand. She scurries to you and crawls into your lap. 

“Okay,” she says, “you can open your eyes now, Crosshair.” 

Slowly, he lowers his hand, then relaxes his face so it’s not so pinched. Finally, he opens his eyes, blinking in the bright, midday sun. 

“It’s a fountain,” he says, deadpan. 

Rolling your eyes, you gesture behind you. “And what else do you see?” 

His gaze flicks up. Watching him as closely as you are, you catch the moment where he stops breathing, expression frozen. “What- What is this?” 

“Home,” Wrecker booms. “Built it ourselves!” 

Crosshair falls silent once more. His piercing, perceptive gaze sweeps over the entire plot that is the squad’s, taking in the central courtyard, the identical stucco houses, the small garden plot that Wrecker has set aside. You fiddle with Omega’s hair, cold worry trickling down your spine the longer he stands there, unmoving. 

Eventually, he takes a step forward. “Which one—?”

“Any of them,” Tech states. “There is sufficient room in each of them for all of us.” 

Crosshair’s gaze meets yours, then darts up to meet Hunter’s eyes. “And I can pick whichever one?” 

“Except for the west-facing bedroom in the leftmost one, yes,” you answer with a lighthearted smile. “Sorry, I got dibs on that one.” 

By the time that dinner comes around, Crosshair has chosen which room he’d like for himself (the west-facing room in the rightmost abode), you’ve all washed up (Shep seems to have gotten the water working while you were all away), Hunter brought Cross to retrieve the rolls and jelly as promised, and the seven of you now settle around the table on Shep’s patio. The sun’s dying rays spill orange across the darkening sky, suffusing the clouds with a comforting palette of colors. Shep, Phee, and Lyana eat at a smaller table nearby, while the rest of you, the entire family, tucks into the meal at your own table. As the food explodes across your tastebuds, head buzzing pleasantly from the berrywine, you simply let the various conversations wash over you. Radiating from deep in your being, where you first started to feel the squad wriggle their way into your heart, comfort spreads a blanket of relaxing warmth through you. 

Crosshair is quiet for most of the meal, but that doesn’t surprise you. He inhales nearly all the food placed before him, but doesn’t touch the berrywine, opting instead for clear, cold water. Echo, for his part, sniffs at most of the morsels on his plate, and regales the table with stories you’ve heard several times now about his time in the 501st. Wrecker and Omega toss food back and forth, trying to get it in their mouths; Tech keeps score. 

Hunter’s hand never leaves your thigh, his thumb smoothing circles over the inside curve of your leg just above your knee. He’s loud, laughing and cajoling with his brothers freely. Every now and then, though, he fixes you with a look so dark, so scorching that your entire body vibrates. Slowly, his hand begins working its way up your thigh—never high enough to arouse suspicion, but the darker the night becomes, the bolder he grows. 

Omega and Lyana had gone inside some time ago, both of them tired and ready for another long day of exploring tomorrow. Phee also bid you all farewell around the same time, retiring to her own abode. Shep kindly offered you all to stay as late as you want before disappearing. 

Berrywine sweet on your tongue, you fidget in your seat. Hunter squeezes your thigh, his strong fingers caressing your skin, and a shiver runs up your spine. 

It doesn’t go without notice.

“Cold, Nav?” Echo asks, a shit-eating grin on his face. 

You stick your tongue out at him. “Not as cold as your heart, Echo.” 

“That’s a low bar,” he says with a laugh, cheeks rosy, clearly as affected by the alcohol as you are. “Considering my heart’s made of metal these days.” 

The table falls silent, despite Echo’s continued grin. You try to stifle a chuckle behind your hand, but it comes out as a very unattractive snort. 

“Oh, yeah, sure, laugh at the disabled guy,” Echo teases. “I could still kick your ass in a fight and you know it.” 

That only makes you laugh harder. With a chuckle, Hunter stands and, pulling you with him, effortlessly dips to hoist you over his shoulder. You squeal. Blood rushes to your head as you hang upside down. 

“I think it’s time to get this one to bed,” Hunter says, his voice rumbling against your legs and chest where you’re draped over him. 

“No fair.” You pout your bottom lip though he can’t see it. “I can walk by myself, you know.” 

“This will be faster,” he counters. “G’night, everyone.” 

A chorus of “goodnight” rises from the rest of the squad, your own squawk a moment behind. Hunter carries you down the mountain footpath until he reaches the main street, where he sets you down. You stagger, dizzy from disorientation and the drinks, giggling. 

“C’mon,” he says, tucking you under his arm. “Let’s go home and get you sobered up.” 

“I am—” You hiccup “—sober!” 

Hunter looks down at you, cocking one eyebrow. 

You roll your eyes. “Fine. I’m tipsy, that’s all.” 

“Well, tipsy isn’t sober, and until you sober up, we can’t go to bed,” he says. 

“Since when?” 

“Since right now.” 

“You made that rule up.” 

He chuckles. “I am the leader.” 

You hiccup again. “Still, it’s a dumb rule.” 

“Oh really?” he says, a grin now spreading over his face. “In that case, I guess I should tell you the real rule.” 

You’re just this side of sober enough to realize that he’s tipsy as well, two spots of color high on his cheeks, his eyes beginning to glass over. But he looks so carefree, so relaxed, so young, that you can’t help but play along. 

So you playfully gasp. “You lied to me before?” 

“Only because we were around other people,” he says, “and I didn’t want to be rude.” 

Brow scrunching, you frown. You don’t recall walking past any other village residents, but maybe you’ve just been too enraptured by the way his mouth moves when he forms words to notice. “Why would a rule make you rude?” 

“Because,” he says in a stage-whisper, “the real rule is that until you sober up, we can’t make love.” 

That sobers you up. Giddy grin spreading over your face, you speed your pace up, eager to get back home and start burning the alcohol out of your system so Hunter can make good on his promise to you from earlier.

List of Ragu: @the-hexfiles @fjordg @idoubleswearimawriter @skellymom @dystopicjumpsuit @clonemedickix @freesia-writes @littlemissmanga @wolffegirlsunite @anxiouspineapple99 @wings-and-beskar @sinfulsalutations @523rdrebel @sunshinesdaydream @moonlightwarriorqueen @sev-on-kamino @starrylothcat @deejadabbles @starqueensthings @mandos-mind-trick @idontgetanysleep @eyeluvmusic21 @wizardofrozz @mythical-illustrator @sleepycreativewriter @bobaprint @thorsterstrudle @droids-you-are-looking-for @goblininawig @cw80831 @dreamie411 @jedi-hawkins @lune-de-miel-au-paradis @9902sgirl if i can't tag you, please check your settings! (if you'd like to be added or removed from my tags, click here!)

[insanitybl00m]

Tales From Under The Wisteria Tree

Chapter 13 - Rescuing the Golden Heart

“Where’s Apa Missa, shouldn’t he be back by now?” Lullah said. She was holding a purple flower crown in her hands and her voice had a slight wobble to it. The sun had set and nearly all the last traces of light were gone.

“I need you to be safe, Lullah. Where can you go that’s safe?”

“I can protect myself in the forest.”

“I am not letting you in that forest, can you do anything with the flowers?”

“The trees will be stronger, and they’ll take more energy, I’ll fall asleep in the tree’s hug!”

Phil sighed. He was desperate. He knew that Lullah could take care of herself but it was terrifying to leave her alone. 

“I’m going to put a spell on the nest though, you can get out but nobody can get in.”

“Deal.”

Philza sighed and picked up Tallulah. “Let’s go find your apa.”

“Hello cutie, do you want anything to eat?” The pixie was floating a bit, barely flapping his wings.

“I’m good,” Missa muttered, looking around. Where the hell was he?

“If you tell me your name I’ll tell you mine.”

“Fuck that.”

“You’ve got a cheeky tongue don’t you? While we’re waiting you can call me Q.”

“Waiting for what?”

“Shit. Nothing.”

“You’re lying, I thought Fae couldn’t lie.” Q’s face contorted into an expression of pure disgust.

“I’m not fae, I’m a pixie, there’s a difference.”

“I thought pixies were a type of fae.”

“They’re not, we’re from a completely different realm!”

“The underdark, is that where we are now?”

“Yep! Home to the deadliest monsters that you could think of! But don’t worry, I’ll keep you safe.” He winked.

He really hoped Phil would find him. He didn’t know if he could stand this pixie for any longer.

“Will Apa be ok?”

“He better be.” Phil could feel his anger bubbling up under his ribs. 

“He isn’t dead, we would have felt it.”

“You can feel it too?”

“He’s a part of our clan, of course I would feel it Papa.”

“Yeah but he’s my beloved.”

“It’s probably not as strong as your bond but I can feel it.”

“That’s good. You’ll be safe Lullah, I promise you.”

“I know Papa, my magic is going to keep me safe and your magic is going to protect my magic.”

“I know darling.” He kissed her forehead. “Just sleep among the branches and roots of the trees.” She fluttered her eyes. 

Murmuring a few words she sat down next to a tree and slowly a branch grew from the nearest tree, expanding slowly until it gave Lullah a little nest. Philza whispered a few words and a soft green shield covered the wooden nest, protecting her.

“Sleep well Lullah.”

“Buenos noches Papa.” 

“So you’re ruled by-“

“We aren’t ruled by anyone, we have factions. Factions go to war for power, but ultimately nobody wins. It’s always a stalemate that results in massive bloodshed.”

“So who’s the main faction now?”

“The duck king!”

Missa paused. There was no way this guy was serious. 

“He’s a duck! He makes the orders and the pixies follow them! Certain pixies have an affinity for ducks.” He looked proud of himself.

“Like you?”

“I’m one of the duck’s princes. I help-“

“So you’re a prince?”

“If that sort of thing is attractive to you, sure! If not, my powers are limited to more of a council situation.”

Missa rolled his eyes, what was this guy trying to do? If it was flirting with him it was NOT working.

“I’m not attracted to you Q.”

The pixies eyes narrowed, his eyes shifted to a shade of blood red. He took a deep breath and a suspicious smile spread across his face. 

“Well, would you like to try some dragon fruit? It’s quite delicious. A true delicacy.”

Missa eyed the strange fruit. It looked delicious but he had his own food. He wasn’t going to trust someone who literally kidnapped him.

“Lullah is asleep, now I just need a way to the underdark.” He muttered to himself before looking around. All the dust was hidden by the darkness. He needed to get red pixie dust. He needed to summon his friend. 

“Fuck is there any other ritual?” Philza asked the empty air.

“To do what?” A voice whispered in his ear.

“Baghera?” Phil whipped around, nearly knocking her out of the air. “How the hell—“

“You do realize you’re standing over the most active portal into the underdark? Just thinking about me would draw my attention, which by the way thinking about me is super sweet of you Philza.”

He sighed, as much as he loved his friend he needed to get to Missa.

“I need help getting into the underdark.”

“Aw, cmon Dadza, you’re no fun—“

“I need to save Missa. I don't have time for fun.”

She grinned. “Missa you say? Who is that? A new partner of yours?”

“Yes. He’s my beloved. And he’s going to fucking die if I don’t get to him!” Phil’s voice was stone but it didn’t hide the fear in his eyes. 

“Oh. Do you know what type of Pixie he summoned? If he summoned a red pixie that should be a lot easier than a—“

“Black pixie.”

“Well you’re fucked.” She said, she paused for a second. “I can try and bring you to where most of them hang out. If a pixie stole a human though it’s most likely they want to bond to them rather than kill them. Did you tell Missa not to eat anything the pixie offers him?”

“I gave him fae food and I told him it would save him if he got into trouble.”

“That could work…” Baghera pondered. “Give me a second to shift I can think if I’m focusing on flying.”

She dropped into the flowers below. She grew until she was half of Phil’s height. A long blonde braid ran down to her ankles. Her wings were slightly damaged, and Phil doubted they could support her when she was this size.

“Stop eyeing my wings!” She tried to cover the pale yellow feathers. “I fucked them up a bit when I was doing a fire ritual. They’ll heal eventually, I can at least fly when I’m tiny.”

“I’ll get you some wing healing potions, I have a vague idea of what helps. It could be a bit though.”

“I’ll just settle for meeting your new human!”

“He’s not— whatever, please just help me, Baghera.”

“Of course Papa!” He sighed at the teasing nickname. “Into the underdark we go!”

Philza was instantly hit by the smell of sulfur. His senses were overwhelmed by the overwhelming sense of danger.

“Loosen up, I’ll keep you safe, nothing is going to attack you around here, you’re under my care now.”

Phil let out a sigh, he hated the underdark. His senses were constantly being dulled by the overwhelming noise and smell. He hated not being aware of the possibilities of danger but he followed Baghera. She could probably summon her chainsaw in mere seconds and slice any potential threat to shreds but he wasn’t going to risk it. He was eyeing everything that moved.

“Ok, so the underdark is split into two layers. The red and black part. The red part is where all the red pixies are and also it has the most pathways between the realms. The black part of the underdark is the most deadly. I can protect you.” She paused. “Probably.”

“Really Baghera? That really eases my anxieties.”

“Just being honest, you and your partner have about a 65% chance of survival.”

“You’re still doing it.”

“Sorry! Everything will be fine!”

“Just explain how we’re going to get Missa.”

“Well you have wings, so the easiest way would be to fly, but you’re a bit big for a pixie, most people would think of you as a humanoid dragon and shoot you out of the sky…”

“I can shift into a bird, Bags.”

“Oh right! Yeah that would be a lot easier. I’ll shift so I can fly again.”

She shrunk down as Philza shifted into a crow. 

Jet black feathers spread from his wings and he grew smaller and smaller until he was staring directly at the small pixie.

He let out a small caw before he tried to mimic the human sounds he had heard so often before. “Ready.”

“Okay, so follow me, there's only a few spaces where someone would keep a human, secluded spots near dragonfruit clearings.”

“I thought dragons weren’t in the underdark anymore—“ Phil’s ‘voice’ wasn’t used to the elaborate sounds that humans made. Full sentences were much harder.

“Don’t strain yourself Philza, you’ll need your energy to transform back and get out of here safely.”

“Understand.” The pixie nodded, she clearly knew what he was trying to say. 

“To answer the question, dragons aren’t down in the underdark anymore, especially since you last visited in the age of the dragon king. The dragons moved with the banished to the west in the sunset caves. Male dragons come down to the underdark to get dragon fruit for their younglings but the mother dragons and the baby dragons are strictly in the human realm. 

The New Underseelie Court forbids any dragons in the underdark but since dragonfruit can’t grow in the human realm the male dragons come down to try and get food for their younglings. The dark pixies often kill them. They’re banished for a reason after all. They did kill generations of pixies under the dragon king's rule.”

“Dragonfruit is the fruit that makes your soul bound to the underdark.” Phil really needed to stop talking, it was bound to make him lose his voice when he changed back.

“Yeah, it’s the fruit that makes you immune to dragon venom and pixie bites. It’s also the fruit that binds humans to this realm. Honestly, the best place to hide a human is probably the most dangerous, so let’s check the other spots.”

“Where? ”

“Where are the spots?”

“Danger.”

“Well, the king and his court rule at the mouth of the river that feeds all the dragon fruit clearings. Anyone willing to steal a fae’s beloved is probably some form of higher power, not just a common dark pixie.”

“Direction? ”

“To the safest place?”

“Direction. Danger.”

Baghera’s eyes widened. “They probably aren’t hiding him there—“

“Where.”

“South. Near the lava pools.”

“We go there.”

“That's the least safe place—“

“He’s south, far.”

“You know where he is?”

“Heart is south. ”

“Awww I love love! But still, it’s not safe—“

“My Missa. South.”

“Fine. We’ll go to the mouth of the river.”

“Lead.”

Baghera leaped in the air and fluttered her wings before looking back at Philza.

“This way!” 

Philza followed Baghera as they soared over the black-red ground.

“Are you sure you aren’t getting hungry? I’ve got fruit that tastes delicious!” Q took a large bite out of a fruit. 

“I’m ok.” Missa ignored the pang of his stomach.

“A bite won’t hurt.”

“I don’t trust you.”

“I'm trying to give you immortality, you just need to take a bite of this and you’ll be immortal.”

“I don’t want to be immortal, I want my son.”

Q’s nose wrinkled. “You have a son?”

“Yes. He’s back home, I need immortality to save him.”

“Well, I can get a pixie child to be our son.”

“What the fuck? No. I don’t like you.”

Q sighed. “You will.”

“You kidnapped me! What do you mean that—“

His eyes turned red, blood red. “Eat. The. Fruit.”

He shook his head. Seemingly shaking himself out of whatever spell had passed over him. “I’m sorry, I don’t know where that came from.”

Missa squinted at the pixie. “Are you ok?”

“Fine. Just a cursed soul thing–”

“A cursed soul?”

“I’m not explaining this to a human.” He sighed, seemingly giving in to Missa’s silence. “My twin is cursed. Sometimes our souls do this thing where they switch when both of us are angry. He tends to get violent…”

“Oh.” Missa couldn’t help but feel sorry for the poor pixie.

“I don’t need your pity. I’m fine.” Q muttered. 

“I’m not saying I can relate to your situation but sometimes you are meant to be brothers for a reason. I wouldn’t be the same person if my brother wasn’t there for me.”

“Ha. You’re funny. I want him dead. And I’ll kill him with my own two hands if necessary.”

Missa dropped the conversation there and hoped that Phil and Lullah were safe.

“Close.” Phil dropped down onto the land, leaning against a dragon fruit plant to steady himself as he shifted back into his normal form.

“Give me a warning before you drop from the sky like that!”

“Bags, he’s nearby. I can feel it.”

“So? Go find your man!”

“Shut up.”

“Never.” Baghera teased as she flitted up to Phil’s shoulder and rested herself there. 

“Where is the nearest structure?”

“Well, there are underground tunnels everywhere but the nearest actual structure should be a turret of the wall guarding the main castle.”

“He’s there.”

“Are you sure? That place is crawling with guards, a tunnel would be more inconspicuous and most pixies would hide a human from other pixies that would try to steal their bond.”

“Nearest tunnel to the actual tower. Maybe with a side passage that leads into the castle.”

“Um… I can only think of one, it’s the tunnel of the rebels. They used to hide down there to try and kill the dragon king, there were tons of offshoots and a few probably lead into the castle. Why specifically ones that lead into the castle?”

“He’s a higher up. Higher than your position.”

“I’ll let you know that I’m a part of the duck council. I’m the representative for the red pixies.”

“Still. I can feel it. He’s not falling for it but there's a pull. Something that is making him think…”

“He isn’t going to betray the bond.”

“I know.”

“You haven’t even fully bonded, I haven’t even met him, but I know you. I know you would never fall for someone who didn’t have a golden heart.”

“Did you just reference the golden heart poem?”

“Golden heart shining bright—“

“Yeah that’s enough out of you.” Philza said, glaring at Baghera.

“Fine. Only because you’re going to need to be silent in the tunnels.”

Baghera dropped from his shoulder and kicked at a pebble. It knocked off an unripe dragon fruit and a chasm opened up at Phil’s feet.

“What the hell was that?”

“Pixies used pathways that would go unnoticed. That means tricks to open the tunnels.”

“Ok so where to now?”

“You tell me, soul bond.”

Phil concentrated on the tug coming from his chest. 

“That way.” He pointed up the tunnel. Baghera took out a chainsaw. “Where the fuck did you get that from?”

“Magic. I like chainsaws.”

“And why are you wielding a chainsaw?”

“I have a feeling I’m about to smell blood.”

“I’m not going to murder a pixie.”

“If he’s making a move on your man?”

“You might smell blood—“

“Exactly, I want to be prepared to fight!”

Missa could have sworn he heard Phil’s voice. It was probably just his hunger. He had food that Phil gave him but he was sparing it. What would happen if he had to stay here for longer? He didn’t trust whatever food the pixie was offering him.

“Nobody should be in the tunnels, what the hell is that?”

“What?”

“I hear voices.”

Wait Q heard them too? 

“Stay here.”

“I’m locked in a literal cage.”

“Shut up.”

“Baghera?” Another pixie with golden wings fluttered over.

“Quackity?”

“The duck king never requested your presence, what are you doing here? And with a fae!” He yelled.

“Well what are you doing here, you said that the duck king was canceling the council meeting.”

“None of your business. Now what’s with the fae.” 

“He’s looking for his beloved,” Baghera explained.

Q glared at Phil. “Get out now.”

Phil realized that Missa’s captor was right in front of him. “Not without him.” 

“I’m giving you a chance to live. If you’re smart you’ll take it.”

“You took my beloved. You want to see an angry fae?”

Glowing red enveloped the tunnel. “HE IS OURS.”

“Oh fuck no that’s my dadza you’re talking to. Your bitch ass twin is not stealing him.” Baghera revved up her chainsaw and charged at the pixie. “GO GET HIM!” 

Missa heard an engine start and screaming.

“Cuervo?” He yelled.

“Wisteria!” The voice echoed before he saw Phil, running towards the cavern he was kept in. 

“Cuervo!”

“Oh my stars, I found you.” Philza rattled the lock. “Fuck this.” He ripped off the lock and threw open the door.

Philza picked up Missa and held him to his chest. “I was worried.”

“Can we get out of here? Please.”

Missa was shaky in Phil’s arms. 

“What did he do?”

“Taunted me, tried to make me eat dragon fruit.”

“Did you eat any?” 

“No…”

“Thank the stars. Let’s go.” Phil held him close as he started to fly. 

“I’ve got Q! Go Philza!” Baghera yelled as the two flew past her.

“I officially hate flying,” Missa said as Phil set him down on the red sand.

“Well, I try to avoid flying unless it’s necessary. It might seem terrible but I swear I don’t fly that fast unless there is actual danger.”

“Why did that pixie want me anyway?”

“Because most pixies like attractive humans.”

Missa’s jaw dropped. “Then why me– Like– I’m not attra–”

“Bullshit. You’re really attractive. Everyone knows it but you.” Missa was silent in shock. “Now let's get back to Lullah.”

“Are you not going to wait for your friend?”

“Bags? No. She can handle herself. Besides, she'll likely pop back up again soon.”

“Oh.”

“The way out should be to go look up for a flower root hanging down– There.” He pointed towards dangling roots. 

“How are we going to reach that?” Phil smiled at Missa with mischief coloring his expression. “No. We are not–”

“I’m picking you up and we’re flying again. Sorry mate.” The blonde picked up Missa, who was flailing in Phil’s arms and flew towards the plant. 

When they reached the flower the ground seemed to open up and spit them back out into the overworld.

“What the hell was that?”

“Portals between worlds are weird, you should see the one into faery land.”

“You’ve–”

“Lullah should be over there!” Phil pointed towards a warped tree. 

Phil knocked on the wood. “Lullah~ I’ve got your Apa back.”

“What’s the password?”

“Lullah–”

“Let me take care of this Phil.” Missa said, nudging him aside. “Hola mi nina!”

“How do I know you’re really Apa?”

“You named the crow I gave you Esperanza. It means hope in Spanish.”

The wood suddenly pulled away revealing a small girl with emerald eyes. “Apa!” She leaped into his arms. 

“I missed you mi querida.”

“Me too Apa! I have a flower crown for you!” She revealed a purple and blue flower crown for him.

“I love it, thank you Lullah.”

“Papa has a matching one.”

“Oh? Where is it?” Missa turned to Phil.

“I left it in my bag. It’s still with Lullah.”

“Oh yeah, all my bags were left up here.”

“We found them Apa! And Papa offered to save you! I wanted to go but he said it would be too dangerous.”

“Well… fae can die from pixie bites… It is probably for the best that it was just your Papa that went.”

Lullah pouted but she quickly moved on to hugging Esperanza. “Are we going home now?”

Missa sighed. “No, we need to go see the sirens.”

“Sirens?” Lullah gave Missa a confused look.

“Mermaids.” Phil explained.

“Oh, my friend Leo is a mermaid! Can we see her Papa?”

“She might be in the deep. I’ll see if Foolish has been spotted near the surface recently.”

“Yay! Will we see my other friends?”

“Maybe Lullah, but we’re going to be focusing on Missa’s mission right now.”

“We can take a break for a day or two… besides I don’t know if I can exactly walk all the way to the southern tip right now.” Missa rested against the tree, his energy seemed to be pulled straight from him when he crossed the portal.

“Eat this.” Phil offered Missa something with marshmallows in it. Missa was too hungry to truly care what it was. 

“How do you always have food?”

“Magic.”

Lullah laughed as Missa continued to eat the food Phil kept offering. 

The smile that was spread across Missa’s face as he continued to eat food warmed up Phil’s heart. He continued to think about the poem Baghera referred to earlier. 

Golden heart shining bright

Golden heart that lights up the night

They love like bleeding ink

Everything they feel pours out,

Smearing the pages of our with ink stained fingertips

I have a black heart. 

Empty.

Only the reflection of their glow can be seen.

Black heart. Ink heart. Gold heart.

Dark. Bleeding. Bright.

How did we meet?

How did we fall?

How have we managed to love?

It’s simple, my lover has a bleeding heart

A heart of gold

One of pure kindness

One that can brighten the darkest hearts. 

One that can brighten mine.

Their love spills free,

Opening my closed heart

The walls of my heart were broken when I saw their smile

The final breath I take 

Will be tainted by the smell of inky tears

Missa really was his lover with the golden heart.

[thisgirlnamedblusy]

Hello!. You could write about laurel and read a normal day married with a child. Please. I love your writing.

Yesss!!! Here it is!!! I hope you like it!!! Sorry about the language mistakes!!! :)))))

Just another day in Paradise

Pairing: Marilyn Thornhill/Laurel Gates x Fem! Reader

Warnings: They have a child, fluff, a lot of fluff, maybe some Laurel’s past mentions

Word count: 3,568

Summary: This is just another day in your wonderful life with your family

N/A: Requests are open!!! Sorry about the delays, I’m working hard on your requests. I love you all!!!

“Laurel…” You whispered in the redhead's ear.

It was early and the sunbeams were coming in through the window. You always woke up before your wife, and you took the opportunity to play a little with her.

“Laurel,” you crooned again, seeing that she didn't move. This time she turned over, still asleep.

“I'll kill you all…” She murmured, asleep.

You rolled your eyes and huffed, caressing her cheek gently. The redhead seemed not to want to listen to you. She turned around with a groan.

You didn't give up, you leaned into her ear again, this time determined to be a little more… Abrupt.

“Wake up!” You yelled, making the redhead almost fall off the bed. She immediately stood up, looking at you with eyes of pure terror and a little bit of anger.

“Have you gone crazy (Y/N)? You almost killed me…” She said protesting. You laughed wickedly. “What time is it?”

“6 am…” You continued humming in her ear. She sighed and shook her head.

“6 am?” She asked, a little disoriented, looking at the alarm clock. “(Y/N)… It's Saturday… Let me sleep a little more,” she said, covering herself with the sheets.

You pursed you lips and uncovered her again.

“Laurel, please... Let's take advantage of the fact that the little beast is asleep... I need some love,” you said, kissing her neck delicately.

“I doubt that Cassandra is still asleep with your crazy screams,” the redhead said, turning around and grabbing the sheets again.

“Crazy? I'm not the one who dreams of massacres of outcasts, Laurel,” you said amused, caressing her legs under the sheets.

“I'm getting over it, okay?” She said, defending herself. You looked at her with raised eyebrows. After a moment she laughed, shaking her head, and she hugged you tenderly. Every morning was like this, loving and funny fights. You couldn't be happier.

“Come on, just a little…” You said, biting her earlobe while you lowered her underwear under the sheets.

“You are so stubborn, (Y/N),” she told you amused, giving you small kisses on the lips. “I give up”

“You know what they say… If you can't beat your enemy…” You said, climbing on top of her.

“Join your enemy…” Laurel said, finishing the sentence for you with a suggestive whisper, beginning to sway.

Soon gasps began to fill the room, but they wouldn't last long.

“Moms?”

A sweet voice came from the door. You looked at the redhead with wide eyes. You quickly moved to the side and Laurel got dressed under the covers.

“Cassie, my baby girl…” You said smiling at your daughter. “What are you doing up so early?”

That sweet voice belonged to your daughter. A sweet and loving 5 year old girl. It was a miracle to be able to have her and watch her grow year after year. It was the only thing that mattered to you.

Cassandra smiled and ran playfully towards your bed, where your open arms were waiting for her.

“I heard you scream, mom…” She told you with her hand on her mouth, with that mischievous look, which was identical to the redhead's.

“You see? You Crazy screamer,” Laurel said, caressing her daughter's hair.

You nudged her and sat Cassandra between you.

“Your mom woke you up... But what manners are those, she has to let people sleep, right?” the redhead said, looking at you mockingly. The girl agreed with amusement. “Come on, Cassie, tickle her. No mercy”

Cassandra immediately complied, throwing herself on top of you and tickling you.

“No! No!” You said between laughs. “Help!”

The laughter lasted for a while, before the three of you fell asleep again.

The beeping of the alarm clock drilled into your head and you lazily opened your eyes.

“Great…” You whispered, watching your wife and daughter sleep peacefully. You were angry not having been able to take advantage of the morning with her, but that tender image was priceless.

You had a fantastic family. Laurel's past no longer mattered to you. She was doing everything she could to forget it. Her mental health improved so much that you decided to stay in Jericho, that she would continue working at Nevermore. She had a pretty good salary, and when you got pregnant, you knew that you needed money. After all, your savings went entirely to fixing up the old Gates mansion.

The only catch was that she had to continue with that false identity. To others she would still be Marilyn Thornhill. You no longer cared, over time you get used to changing her name according to the circumstances. You didn't regret anything. You had a perfect life.

“Hey, you two, wake up,” you said, moving Laurel and the girl around. “You've slept enough.”

“Vengeance will be mine…” The redhead murmured. You rolled your eyes, hoping Cassie hadn't heard it.

“My God…” You sighed, getting up and taking your daughter into your arms. She yawned tenderly. “Look, Cassie, look at your lazy mother. What a shame.”

The girl rubbed her eyes and smiled, raising her arms.

“What a shame!” She yelled excitedly. Laurel groaned, pulling the pillow over her head.

You clicked your tongue while shaking your head.

“Hey, Cassie, do you feel like going to the park today?” You asked, setting your daughter down. The girl nodded profusely. “Do you? Oh, but we won't be able to go if mom doesn't wake up…” You said pouting. Cassandra looked at you with tender concern. “Run, wake her up the way you know,” you said, pushing her slightly.

Your daughter ran to the bed and jumped on top of the redhead, pulling on her shirt.

“Mom, mom, mom,” Cassie said, tugging at your wife's clothes. “Wake up mom! We have to go to the park!”

“What?” Laurel said, frowning. “Sweetie, I'm coming, I'm coming, I'm already awake. Cassandra hugged her enthusiastically. The redhead glared at you, she knew it was your idea, of course.

“Let's go to the park!” Your daughter yelled, clinging to Laurel's neck. She was getting up without much desire.

“Oh, no, no way. First you have to have breakfast and take a good bath,” She said, taking her to the kitchen.

“Ohh,” the little girl protested.

“Come on, Cassie, listen to your mother…” You said, following them.

“We'll talk about this, (Y/N),” she whispered to you with a withering look. You laughed at her crude threats. You knew they were never fulfilled.

Stretching, you went to the fridge, looking for a good breakfast for your family.

“Okay, what do you want?” You asked, as Laurel sat Cassie in the chair.

“Toast!” The girl squealed.

You laughed

“Okay, okay…” You said, looking for everything you needed.

“But I want the ones that Mama Laurel makes.”

You turned around with a frown. Laurel cleared her throat, with a smirk.

“She wants the ones that Mama Laurel makes,” the redhead said, feigning indifference.

“But darling, that's dangerous, you could get very sick,” you said, feigning concern.

“Hey,” Laurel protested.

You smiled and walked away from the fridge, shaking your head.

“Okay, okay… I'm going to dial the number of the poison department,” you said amused.

You sat at the table while your wife, with petulant movements, prepared breakfast.

“My God, Laurel, call the hospital right now, I need some insulin,” you said, taking a bite of that extremely sweet piece of toast.

“Eat it and shut up,” she answered, now looking at your daughter. “Are they tasty, my love?”

“Yeah! Thank you mom,” the little girl said, affectionately.

“Whatever you say, I'm going to take a shower…” You said, drinking your coffee in one gulp and getting up from your chair. “Do you bathe her, Lau?”

She agreed with a smile.

“Yes, take that shower calmly, (Y/N), I'll take care of everything.”

You enjoyed the hot, relaxing water. You loved having some time to yourself. You did not regret having gone to live in that house. It was huge, it had enough space for a big family. It was fabulous, the best decision of your life, even if you had to work overtime to pay for the renovation. It wasn't cheap at all.

You got out of the shower and went up to your bedroom to get dressed. From the bathroom inside the room came shouts and laughter, accompanied by splashing and water sounds.

You peeked out to see the redhead kneeling by the tub, playing with Cassie and her toys.

“Dive!” Laurel said, unaware of your presence.

“Yes, captain!” the girl said, before plunging her head into the water. Within seconds she pulled it out, laughing. She was having a really good time. All you wanted was for her to be happy and she really was, she was the happiest girl on Earth.

“What are you doing?” You asked, scaring your wife, again.

“We are playing sumarines!”

“Very good, very good…” You said looking at the redhead, who was terribly embarrassed. You knew she didn't like to fool around in your presence. “Captain, I'll wait for you downstairs.”

Once dressed, you entered the living room, looking at the photos that were on top of a table. Those photos were very important to you. Your favorite was one you and Laurel made at the park. Laurel hugged you, putting her hands on your bulging belly. That same day Cassandra was born, the best day of your life.

You sighed with happiness, taking the small backpack that your daughter carried whenever you went outside. You prepared everything you needed, water, some fruit and her favorite toys, the ones that weren't in the bathtub, of course.

The sound of quick footsteps down the stairs made you wake up from the dream you were having. A true dream.

“Are we ready?” The redhead asked, letting your daughter's hand go and giving you a tender kiss on your lips. You smiled and nodded.

“Cassie, honey, come here,” you said, putting the backpack on her back. “Run, take mom’s hand.”

The girl obeyed, moving her legs enthusiastically. She loved going to the park.

You locked the door and stayed for a moment looking at the two women in your life. You were very emotional, everything in your life made you cry. Fortunately for joy.

“It's a wonderful day,” you commented, looking at the fabulous sun that covered the streets of Jericho. Laurel nodded.

“It's a perfect day, (Y/N).”

Walking slowly, together with your jumping daughter, you arrived at the town park by the lake. A lot of people were already there, enjoying that beautiful day. Suddenly Cassandra let your hand go and ran away.

“Aunty Larissa!” She yelled, running up to your wife's boss, Larissa Weems, the Nevermore principal.

“Cassie, honey!” The woman said, picking her up and taking her into her arms. Laurel frowned.

“Let my daughter go you damn outcast you scum…” She murmured angrily. You gave her a nudge and a soft kiss on her cheek.

“Hey, Marilyn, calm down... It's okay…” You said, emphasizing her false name. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, nodding.

“Do you have a candy?” Your daughter asked Larissa, who made a face of false doubt.

“Mmm, I don't know… Let's see…” She said amused, rummaging through her bag. “What a luck, here I have one, sweetie. Here,” she said, handing her a jelly bean and lowering her to the ground.

“Look moms!” She said running towards you again. You gave Laurel a little kick out of that "I hate outcasts above all else" face.

“How cool, sweetheart…” You said looking at the candy. “Cassie, what do you have to say?”

“Thank you Larissa,” she said tenderly.

“She's getting bigger every day, she's beautiful…” Larissa said, approaching you with her usual smile. “You have chosen a good day to take a walk.”

 “I was tired of seeing the gray sky,” you commented.

The little girl was leaning on Laurel's legs and the redhead held her affectionately with her hand.

“I'm glad to see the three of you so happy, I must confess that you make me very envious,” Larissa said, sighing, bending down to caress your daughter's cheek. “Oh Marilyn, Cassandra has the same eyes as you… It's amazing…”

You looked at the redhead, who started to blush.

“Yes, what a coincidence…”She said in a whisper.

“Anyway, it’s a pleasure to have seen you here, have a good time in the park, little girl…” She said kindly, waving her hand to say goodbye.

“It hasn't been that bad, has it?” You said, taking your wife's hand. She smiled, dismissing it.

“Honey, with you everything seems easier,” she told you, caressing your hand.

After walking a while longer, avoiding a multitude of families who had the same idea as you, you arrived at a beautiful place, near the lake. You took a blanket from the bag and put it on the grass.

“Done,” you said, taking out the food and drink you had stored. “Now, Cassie, what toy do you want? The Monster High doll, the ball or the dinosaur?”

“The dinosaur!” She squealed happily, picking up the toy and sitting down, starting to play.

You laughed, watching how Cassandra had fun creating funny dialogues between her and the toy.

You lay back in Marilyn's lap, enjoying the good weather.

“She seems happy…” Your wife said to you, while she played with your hands.

“She is the happiest girl in the world, without a doubt,” you answered, looking at your daughter tenderly. “Hey, Larissa is right, you have exactly the same eyes.”

Laurel looked at you and smiled.

“I just hope she doesn't inherit the diopters too,” she teased.

“I like your diopters,” you said, looking at her. The redhead leaned in to give you a soft kiss on the lips, deeper than usual.

“Cassandra is wonderful, (Y/N), we should have another child,” she told you, stroking your hair.

You widened your eyes and sat up.

“What?”

“Maybe just not one. Two, three... Hundreds of children...” She whispered to you, while she kissed you with a smile.

“Stop right there, sex machine,” you said, pulling her away a little. “Don't make me have to hide the Book of Shadows from you.”

She shook her head and pulled you back onto her lap.

“Well, maybe I've exaggerated a bit... But I wouldn't mind having another child,” she said after a while. You opened your eyes, which you had closed to enjoy the tranquility. “You know, our house is big, we both have a job…”

“I don't know, Lau…” You said. You didn't mind the idea, but you were afraid you couldn't handle two little monsters.

“Calm down, (Y/N), I'm not serious...” she told you with a soft, affectionate tone.

You opened your eyes after a while. You had fallen asleep. You got up to watch your wife feed Cassie her lunch.

“Fuck… I mean, wow, how long have I slept?” you said hoarsely.

“Mom, you fell asleep,” your daughter said, as Laurel struggled to get a piece of fruit into her mouth.

“Honey, eat some fruit, come on…” Laurel said, trying to get the little girl to stay still. “Please…”

You took the tupperware out of your wife's hands with a smug face.

“Learn from the real masters. Cassie honey, do you want to be strong like that dinosaur?”

The girl nodded, excited.

“What a cheap trick, good luck with that, (Y/N),” Laurel said, indignant.

“Shut up,” you whispered under her defiant gaze. “Well, eat the fruit then.”

“I want to be tall like Aunty Larissa,” Cassandra said, excited. You looked at Laurel, who was horrified by those words. You had a hard time holding back your laughter.

“What do you say now? I'm the best,” you said when the girl finally finished her fruit.

“I don't know how you do it…” The redhead said, lying down defeated. “You're simply the best.”

After a fantastic day at the park, it was time to head home. Cassandra was exhausted, Laurel carried her in her arms, asleep.

After a light dinner, you took her to the room. It was curious, that same room belonged to Laurel in another time. To her it was like keeping alive her childhood moments, her good times.

“And now little Cassie is going to sleep,” you said, tucking the little girl in, who was yawning next to her favorite teddy bear.

“Can you tell me a story mommy?” She asked. You looked at the redhead, who shrugged. You sighed, kissing your daughter on the forehead.

“Sure, which one would you like to hear?” You said, sitting next to her.

“Mmmm,” the little girl thought. “Tell me the story of Queen Marilyn.”

“Again?”

The girl nodded excitedly, rubbing her eyes.

“Okay…” You said feigning resignation. “Honey, will you join me?” You said to your wife, who nodded tenderly and sat next to you. “Once upon a time, in a far, far away country, there was a kingdom where only thorns grew. No one could go in or out...”

“How dramatic,” Laurel commented.

“Chstt, silence. The evil Queen Marilyn did not allow anyone to cut the thorns, she said that it was the only thing that protected the kingdom from all the evils in the world… The kingdom lived in darkness, just like her queen. She was afraid that the world would be mean to her, that something bad might happen to her. She called the most powerful sorcerers in the kingdom to make the thorns grow even more, so much so that they even blocked the sunlight.

“Wow…” Cassie said. She had heard that story thousands of times, but she always reacted the same way.

“Queen Marilyn felt safe surrounded by those thorns, but the inhabitants of the kingdom felt alone, isolated. No one was happy there, not even the queen. One day, a beautiful warrior appeared, (Y/N), ready to free the population from the horrible thorns and the evil Queen Marilyn.

“Why are you always the good one?” The redhead interrupted.

“Because I’m the one who invented this story. Excuse me, ahem, ahem. The warrior (Y/N), bravely wielded her sword, cutting all the thorns she found. The queen's soldiers went after her, but she was much faster and her horse was the most agile... Without much difficulty, the warrior reached the castle, where the queen was waiting, ready to face her. “How dare you show up at my castle?” The Queen said. “I come to free your people from darkness,” The warrior answered, removing her helmet. Queen Marilyn was captivated by her beauty, but she couldn't see her well, it was too dark.”

“What did the warrior (Y/N) do?” Cassie asked, hugging her teddy bear.

The warrior took her magic bow and aimed it at the sky, shooting a golden arrow that shattered the thorny roof, letting the sunlight in. Queen Marilyn then realized how beautiful the warrior was, she  realized everything she had lost by living in the dark, by fear. She saw the beautiful fields of her kingdom, the beautiful mountains, the mighty rivers. Then the evil Queen Marilyn fell to her knees, remorseful for all she had taken from her people and herself. She thanked the warrior (Y/N), and it didn't take long for them to fall in love and get married. They all lived happily ever after...”

“Nice…” the little girl said, falling asleep. You got up, grabbing your wife by the wrist and discreetly walking out of the room.

“Good night sweetie…” You whispered.

Finally Cassandra had fallen asleep and you were free, but you were exhausted, you let yourself fall on the bed.

“The story is fine,” the redhead sighed. You looked at her and smiled.

“Doesn't that ring a bell?”

“Of course It does.”

You bit your lip and climbed on top of your wife.

“(Y/N), have mercy, this queen is very sleepy,” she told you jokingly. You rolled your eyes and shook your head.

“I know. I just…I've been thinking…Maybe it's not a bad idea…You know…Giving Cassie a little brother or sister.

Laurel's eyes widened and she shrugged you off, opening the nightstand drawer, pulling out the black book from inside.

“Great, let's go, I have to see what the page was…” She said, leafing through the manuscript. You frowned and crossed your arms.

“Ah, you're not sleepy anymore, huh?” You said. She looked at you and shook her head.

“It's funny,” she said, looking through the pages.

“Well, have fun by yourself if you want,” you said, covering yourself with the sheets.

“Didn't you want to have another child?”-

“Yes, honey, but not now… Maybe in a while. I would like Cassandra to grow up a bit. I don't like to abuse Larissa's trust. She always takes care of her when we're not around.”

“You know that I don't like that an outcast takes care of her…” She couldn't continue. You put a finger on her lips.

“Back off, Laurel Gates, don't take the shadows for a walk,” you said. She snorted, but she didn't say anything, just put the book back in its place.

“Okay, later…” She said, also getting into bed.

“Laurel,” you said, getting her attention. “I love you, I love you so much. You and Cassie are the only ones that matter to me.”

“Oh, honey…” She said, turning around and hugging you under the covers. “Me too, more than you think...”

“Good evening, Queen Marilyn…”

“Good night, warrior (Y/N)…”

[zhongrin]

Girl no thoughts just my yan boys pampering me until i turn to mush from all the stress in my being rn,

Like Al haitham reading to me until fall asleep on his lap? Yes(even if he won't let me go from that spot for hours),

Diluc giving the best hugs when its so cold at night? Anything for that(even if he holds on too tight),

Dain threading his hands in my hair while he tells me everything is gonna be ok??? I WANT IT SO BAD RN(even when he threatens to erase anyone who caused me to feel so bad and stressed out)

OFC IM NOT GONNA LEAVE OUT MY WIFE

Ayaka brewing me some tea while she hums a song i like, 10/10 would die for

most definitely yes sis they would spoil you rotten and cater to your every need without question

al haitham reading to you in that voice of his, right into your ears, as he rubs his fingers down your arm and tucks your hair away from your face. no one will ever be able to make you feel this safe and content, he murmurs into your skin as you slip into dreamland.

diluc with his buff arms cradling you close, using his pyro vision to warm your body and entangling his legs with yours so you won't get cold feet under the blanket. he's content to stay like this forever if you let him, and nothing else but your command will get him to move from this position.

dainsleif pulling you close and can't stop himself from staring into your eyes, a galaxy of stars that he swears to protect so it shines for eternity, even if he has to give his own life. his kisses are his silent promises to eradicate anything and anyone that stands in your path, and he's ready to give you thousands - no, millions of those, if you so wished.

and ayaka, shyly offering her lap so you can rest, her smooth fingers scratching your scalp as she plays with your hair, humming your favorite song and lullabies that help you relax. if looks could kill, thoma would have been dead on the floor the moment he stumbles in and accidentally disturbs the tranquil atmosphere. he's put on cleaning duty for the whole mansion for the rest of the month.

[lovehealsandlovehurts]

Mommys Doll

warnings: 18+, mommy kink, somnophilia, nipple play, dumbification, edging, dacryphilia, corruption, shushing, spitting on body parts, finger sucking, pet names & praise, aftercare 

Summary: You wait for Wanda to come home and end up falling asleep, only to wake up to her wanting to take care of you. 

the following material is something not everyone may be comfortable with and is meant for mature audiences

Word count: 3.6k

notes: I imagined a brunette multiverse of madness Wanda while writing this, however stayed away from detailed descriptions in case the reader wants to imagine her otherwise 

gif mine

The room you were laying in started to get a bit cold, so you pulled a blanket over your body and stared at the cracked open window. You were too lazy to get up and close it, already feeling cozy in your bed. You missed Wanda, she was away working and you waited impatiently in her house, hoping she’d come back any minute. You didn’t like her being away for so long, and the more you didn’t see her the more you thought about the woman. You thought about her soothing voice, smile, and the way she kissed your lips, softly and passionately, always pulling you close.  You missed how she whispered in your ear and showered you with praise and affection. You missed staring into her big green eyes, unable to process how beautiful she was. You wanted to text her again, tease her about being alone in bed but you didn’t want to make her upset, or be punished for being a brat. It was starting to get late, the sky went dark and your eyelids began to feel heavy. You felt your body drifting away to sleep. You sighed grumpily, letting your head rest on the pillow as you curled up on your side, realizing Wanda might not come back soon, definitely not before you fall asleep.

Wanda got back home shortly after you closed your eyes. She made her way to the bedroom, happily rushing up the stairs. She opened the door, hoping to see you wrap your arms around her as soon as she entered the bedroom. She loved the way you hugged her after being away from her, tight and not wanting to let go. Wanda moved closer to your bed and noticed you sleeping. She smiled, seeing your head rest against the pillow, covered with your blankie. She turned her head to see the open window and went ahead to close it. She didn’t want the wind to bother you at night, or for you to catch a cold. Wanda went around the room, opening the drawers and looking for pajamas to change into. She decided to wear an oversized blouse instead, she didn’t like to sleep in thick clothes, the material bothered her, and she wanted to feel closer to you. 

Wanda made her way into the bed, laying next to you and making you her little spoon. She missed you so much, she wrapped her arm around you, feeling the heat of your body warm her up. She laid a gentle kiss on your cheek, hoping it would wake you up, but it didn’t.

“My sleepy girl” she murmured, pulling you closer, realizing your mind is far away. Wanda thought about all the texts you sent her that night, telling her to come home and cuddle you, saying you were getting tingly between your legs thinking about her and needed her to take care of you. You looked so pretty laying there, she couldn’t help herself, she allowed her thoughts to overcome her head. She gently slid the blanket off your body, letting it uncover you. She stared at you for a while, admiring every inch of your skin.

You were sleeping in a t-shirt and underwear, she giggled, wanting to tell you wearing something thicker would’ve been better, considering you looked cold before she uncovered you.  Wanda stoked your arm, feeling your skin on the palm of her hand. She ran her fingers from above your kneecaps to your upper thighs, wondering if that wouldn’t wake you up either. She missed touching you so much, she moved closer, whispering sweet things in your ear. 

 “You’re my prettiest girl,” Wanda said, wrapping her hand around your hips, she moved it up to touch your boobs, seeing your nipples poke out through your shirt. She felt one of them after the other, rolling them back and forth with her fingers. You moved your hips closer to her in your sleep and she smirked, knowing even with your mind not fully conscious, you wanted to be hers. You felt so good in her arms, she couldn’t stop herself from touching you. She slid her hand to your panties, feeling the soft material of the fabric. “I missed you so much,” she mumbled, letting her hand circle on your clit.  You were hers, and only hers, she wanted no one but you. She felt you shift in your sleep, moving your hand to wrap around her wrist. “Always so needy… even like this,” she said, placing a delicate kiss on your shoulder. “Wanda?” you mumbled, hearing a familiar voice. You slowly opened your eyes, breaking away from whatever space your brain had entered, you weren’t sure if you were still dreaming. You slightly jerked up, realizing your hand was wrapped around Wanda's wrist. You didn’t have to turn away to know it was her, you knew how she smelled and how her hands felt on your body. Everything about her was familiar and you allowed yourself to calm down, feeling your heartbeat slow down.

“Let mommy play with her baby” she whispered, knowing you were too tired to protest. She knew you liked being her obedient doll,  letting her touch you whenever and wherever she wanted. You felt your body grow hot, the temperature inside the room didn’t matter anymore as you felt yourself burning up. You grinned your hips against her touch, closing your eyes and focusing on the way her finger felt brushing against your underwear. Your brain always felt so foggy whenever she touched you, the whole world didn’t exist, just her, nothing mattered at the moment, just making her happy.

“Mommy?” you whispered, you wanted to tell her to touch you more, but nothing seemed to come out of your mouth. You lost yourself in the way her body felt, pressed against yours, her hips touching your butt, gently brushing onto you, and her strong arm wrapped around your hips. 

“Is something wrong baby?” her voice sounded so sweet, you wanted to turn back and look at her, tell her that you missed her, that you wished she didn’t come home late again. You felt so good laying there, her hand movements only made you want to stay in place, “I need-” you whined as you felt your clit twitch under her touch. You gripped her wrist tighter, hoping she’d press harder against your spot. 

“Poor baby, is mommy making you forget how to speak?” she cooed, you felt guilty for how fluttery the words made you feel. You loved the way she talked down to you; like you were wrapped around her finger, couldn’t think without her, like only she knew which decisions to make. 

“It’s okay baby, you don’t have to say anything, mommy knows what you need, your cunt is practically leaking on my fingers,” her tone was calm and soothing. You whined, not knowing how to answer. She was right, you felt a wet spot that formed on your panties, and you didn’t even notice it till she mentioned it. You wondered if this happened quickly or if she had been touching you for a while. You wanted her to rip your underwear off, and feel you, set her tongue in you, you wanted it so bad you almost started crying. You let soft whimpers escape your mouth as she kept playing with you. “Shh, don’t cry baby, mommy will take care of you,” she said as she watched you bury your face in your hands. 

Wanda moved away from spooning you and sat on the bed.  “No-” you mumbled, grabbing her hand and trying to pull her close. “I need you” you managed to say, looking up at her with puppy eyes. She smiled, her face lighting up, seeing how desperately you look at her.

She cupped your face into her hands, looking into your eyes, “Sweet baby, I’m not going anywhere,” she said, laying a gentle kiss on your lips. You wrapped your arms around her neck and pulled her close, you couldn’t help it. You tasted chapstick off her lips and a scent of coffee she must've had on the way here. Her lips felt so soft, you felt comforted by them, losing yourself in her touch. You started kissing her passionately, every kiss showing how much you’ve missed her. She kissed you back just as lustfully, nubbing on your lower lip. Wanda smiled against your face and pulled away. You whined, wanting to tell her to kiss you again, but you were hypnotized by her, and every move she did. Her hand wandered to your chest, it pushed you down and forced you to lay on the mattress. She opened your legs, seeing them shiver at her touch. “I-” you managed to whisper, pulling on her wrist once again. You hoped your gestures would explain what you needed as you weren’t able to use your words. “Hush baby, mommy knows what you want,”  she said, tilting your panties to the side. Your every thought was lost every time her hands ran through your body. She slipped a finger inside of you, and you felt your walls clench around it, letting out a loud moan. She teased you, moving it in and out of your hole. Your brain was slipping away, focusing on her touch.

She ran her fingers through your folds, coming up to your clit and letting it slide back down into your pussy. You whined at the sensation, feeling your knees snap together, you weren’t sure why that happened, you felt so sensitive under her touch you were losing control over your body. “Open up for mommy,” she said, seeing your thighs shake. You grabbed onto the bed sheets, watching her pull your legs apart, as you struggled to do so yourself. She quickly slid your underwear off your body, staring at your soaked parts. She placed her finger back on your wet spot, teasing you with it, occasionally looking up to look at your face, searching for desperation. You wondered if she could see you get all red, as you certainly felt your head burning up, losing yourself in the way her fingers traced your body. She lowered down and spit on your pussy, rubbing in her saliva against your clit. Your parts felt all sticky, wet from your own juices, and now her. Nothing felt as good as her, her touch was liberating, it made you feel things in a way you haven’t before. 

“Such a pretty girl” she praised you, watching you grow more impatient with every minute. “And all mommys right?” she asked, her finger teasing your swollen clit. She slid it down into your hole again, pushing it hard into you. “Yes…” you whispered so softly, you wondered if she could hear. She moved it out of you again, coming back to your swollen nub. She was insane, you thought, playing with you like with a toy. “Only mommy can touch you here,” she said, making sure that you know who you belong to. She was jealous of you, constantly wanting to keep you all to herself, but there was nothing to be jealous of, she completely owned you.

"Only you" you managed to let out a soft sigh, trying to collect your words with her fingers on you.

“No one can touch you as good as mommy does, not even yourself” she whispered, looking up at your face. You nodded, knowing she was right, there were many times you’ve tried to help yourself without her, and you just couldn’t.

You let soft moans escape your mouth as she touched you, and you couldn't stand the teasing, you needed her now, you needed to cum, you needed to release all the pressure built within you. “Please,” you managed to whisper. You were surprised at how only one word was able to leave your mouth. “I wanna cum” you finally managed to speak, feeling proud for doing so. Her movements were never-ending, she never increased her pace, just kept it nice and steady, driving your body insane.

“Not yet,” she said, scratching your inner thighs with her nails, the movement made your body shiver. She ran them up and down your skin, only making you more deprived. “Why? please…” you cried, grabbing onto her wrist, you needed her so badly. “Because you’re mommys doll sweetheart, and you take everything mommy gives you right?” she asked, you needed a second to take everything in, she sounded so caring yet was so cruel at the same time. You knew she felt satisfaction from your whining and cries, her pupils only got wider every time you begged her to make it stop. You shook your head up and down, agreeing with her. 

She finally pushed two fingers into you, without a warning. You felt them curl inside of you as she moved them in and out of your hole. You gasped quietly, feeling your brain melt away with her every move. “Look at you taking mommy so well” she praised you, climbing on top of your body. She grabbed your chin with her other hand, forcing you to look up at her, as your eyes were closed. She added another finger in and you were surprised at how easily it slipped into you, realizing you always considered her hands to be big. “Your pussy feels so good on mommys fingers baby, so tight,” she said, putting her thumb into your mouth. You sucked on it, looking up at her as you do so, seeing a smile form on her face as you swirled your tongue around her finger. “My good girl” she whispered, increasing her place, you let her thumb out of your mouth, needing to moan as you grabbed tightly onto her arm. “Tell mommy how good it feels,” she said, watching you roll your eyes to the back of your head. “Feels so-” you couldn’t finish your sentence, your thoughts blended together as her fingers rammed into your soaked parts. She pushed into you hard and fast, making your brain all dizzy. Her fingers bent inside you, and you held onto her arm, grinding your hips against her touch. “Dumb little baby, I shouldn’t have asked, I know you can’t think right now,” she said in a condescending tone. You felt yourself getting close to the edge and you wanted to ask for permission, knowing she wouldn’t have it any other way. Luckily she noticed the change in your eyes, and the clenching around her fingers, realizing you were coming close. “Just a bit more, mommy hasn’t had enough of you yet” she sounded so sweet, you couldn’t say no. You did everything you could to hold your orgasm. She increased her pace, hitting the back of your inner wall. You tried to stop moving your hips, hoping that would help control your body but it did nothing as she kept going, holding you still. 

“Mommy-“ you whined, feeling your muscles tense up, your tummy felt like it needed to release. “Shh, you’re almost there. Don’t cum without mommys permission okay?” she said, kissing your lips. You moaned into her mouth, unable to answer. You felt tears form in your eyes, you so desperately needed to let go. 

“Please” you cried against her face, her moves were hard and steady, and you felt your thighs shake, coming closer and closer. “Oh baby” she whispered, a spark lit up in her eyes. You could tell she enjoyed seeing you like this but loved you too much to torture you forever. “Okay, let go for mommy. Let it all out,” she said, kissing your forehead and speeding up her pace even more. You yelled, feeling her fingers thrust into you. 

You pulled her close and buried your face in her neck, closing your legs together. You felt your whole body shake, feeling your muscles release all the tension that’s built up. You wrapped your legs around Wanda, yanking her close, there were still shaking but you didn’t want to let her go, you couldn’t, you needed to hold her close. 

“I’m so proud of you angel,” she said, kissing your cheeks. You wanted to thank her but you needed to catch your breath first, your chest moved up and down rapidly, recovering from her touch. “Oh” is all you managed to let out, your voice sounded shaky. cutting through the air. “Let mommy clean you up, okay?“ she asked, lowering herself down on you. “I need- a minute” you protested, knowing you’re still sensitive. She didn’t listen, she made it clear she always takes what she wants from her baby. You knew if you used the safe word she’d stop but you couldn’t differentiate what your body wanted anymore.

She went down on you, kissing your tummy and inner thighs, her lips brushing against your skin, it made you forget everything you were going to say. You felt her tongue press against your clit, and she sucked it in, wrapping her lips around it. You felt it twitch into her mouth and you tried to pull away, feeling your body needs a break.

“No, mommy” you whined, and you felt her mouth break away from your core. “You want me to stop?” she asked in a whisper. You nodded your head, grabbing onto her stretched-out arm. “You sure? why is your clit throbbing in my mouth then?” she murmured, her hot breath hovering over your body. You didn’t know what to say, you groaned, trying to come up with an answer. 

“I think mommy knows better, doesn’t she?” she asked, setting her mouth back on your clit. You gasped, feeling her tongue sit on it. You cried out, letting her take control over you. It felt so right, to be owned by her, to have her tell you what to do. You were so ridiculously wet, you made it easy for her to work her tongue around your spot. She occasionally switched to her hand, stroking your swollen bud side to side. You let out soft whines as she did so, feeling your brain become a mush. You were completely hers when she fucked you, you felt so fragile in her arms. She sucked your clit in while moving her head side to side, and you felt yourself come close once again. You felt ashamed of how fast it took her to take you over the edge, especially after protesting it. You grinned your hips against her face, feeling her speed up her pace.  You wished you could keep going but you felt your thighs shake, and you let them drop to the mattress and she pressed her head harder against your core. You whined, shifting your body as she kept going, making you dig your nails into the mattress. You felt your muscles tense up and you came with her mouth still glued onto your clit. 

You buried your face in your hands, breathing in heavily. “Let mommy see you, baby,” she said, moving closer and pulling your hands apart. “You did so good,” she said, placing a gentle kiss on your lips, you tasted yourself off of it, moaning against her mouth. “See, mommy knows what’s best for my little girl," she said, pushing your hair behind your ear. “You were so good for me, so good” she praised you, laying gentle kisses on your lips. 

Your face still felt hot, recovering from all the tingles that raced through your body. Wanda laid down next to you, kissing your cheeks, her touch warm and comforting. “Please never leave” you managed to say, staring into her face and admiring her beauty. She frowned her eyebrows, letting worry overflow her face. “Why would you say that angel? I’d never leave you” she assured you, kissing your face. “No… I mean” you took a deep breath in, trying to collect your thoughts. You felt her stare at you as you closed your eyes, trying to think. “Like today, you were gone for so long, I missed you,” you said, finally taking control of your breath.

“Oh baby, come here,” she said, pulling you closer to her. She flipped your body so that you could lay on top of her. You curled into her arms, resting your head on her chest. "I won’t come home that late again, I promise” she assured you, kissing your head. You felt so safe in her arms, like she was the answer to all your problems, a knight in armor protecting you from all evil. “I missed you too bunny,” she said, every pet name coming out of her mouth made your head spin. You were sure one day she’d call you something completely silly and it’d still make you tingle between your legs. “You want to sleep now?” she said, stroking your hair. She realized you must be tired, being pulled away from your sleep. My poor sleepy girl, she thought, only wanted to rest and had to be taken away by Mommy. You were glad you were, your body felt even more relaxed now, after being taken care of by her. “Yes,” you murmured, setting your hands on her boobs. You looked up at her to see if she would allow it, as you were too tired to ask nicely. She took your hand and pressed it to her chest, giving you her permission. You didn’t try to tease her, just needed something to hold onto, you grabbed them into your hand, squeezing gently. You closed your eyes, the material of her shirt felt soft on your cheek, and you snuggled into it, letting your thoughts drift away.

"You can go back to sleep, I’ll be right here," she said before you shifted your body and moved on top of her, giving her a starved-out kiss. You couldn’t help but take a look at her face again before falling asleep. “I love you” you mumbled shyly, even though you knew she did too. Even if she didn’t constantly say it back you’d still know, realizing how she always took care of you. “I love you too, my baby,” she said, kissing the tip of your nose. You groaned softly and put your head back in her chest, closing your eyes. 

taglist: @alssye @gkfsktf @kaiparson @mik3swife @marvelwomen-simp @demiismylord @sandyche3ks @nikkinss @alwaysgoodnight @ageofolsen @jlslvr @simpform1lfs @ripofflizzie @boobiluvr @littlegaypersonsstuff @bananineno @lissaaaa145 @luciiana @lijo-8 @naslt @rogueismymilf @dilfsandtherapy @salvatwh0r3 @riveramorylunar

tags: @ilovehotactresses @bangtanmel @rosie8519 @sweet-q-tea @simp4haiz @nicoledragon @tothisfeeling @natashaandwandasgirlfriend @super-lena @moonlightkiara37 @frescadaydreams @marvell-love @robinsreal-gf @wandasdolly @its-wednesday-my-dudes-ahhh @dykerosies

rest has to have tags off bc I couldn't tag you!

[icallhimjoey]

Hi! Love your content!!! Would you mind writing a Joe x Reader where she has a really awful day at work and he cheers her up?

babe i had three LONG days at work and I need this Joey for myself right now, hope you love! Wordcount: 1.2K ---

Stay For Longer

The second you walked in through the front door, you decided to step out of your shoes, metaphorically feeling as if you were stepping out of your awful day. A hideous eight hours of work had taken up what they could of you and had drained you empty. It wasn’t late, and you should have really been thinking of what to have for dinner, but all you wanted to do was be in bed. Sleep. Forget today had ever even happened at all. 

You didn't even undress, deeming the temperature too low and not to mention the great effort it would take to unbutton and peel off your jeans. You just needed to let your head hit that pillow. Right now. So, you did, still in your regular clothes, unbothered by what they’d bring into and onto your clean bedding. There was no one else there to feel sorry for you, so you indulged yourself and allowed self-pity to fully consume you. Life wasn't fair, and the repercussions of it had been evident all day.

Your bed was cool- cold. Freezing actually, and you knew it was because Joe turned the heating off that morning. You hadn't expected that to allow the cold to overtake your house completely. It was why it took a stupid amount of time for your body heat to stop leaking out of the bed, leaving you shivering with your legs pulled up high and your face barely sticking up above the covers until you managed to eventually drift off. 

Unsure of when he joined you in bed, but so happy to feel him when you rustled awake, you could cry under the warmth of Joe’s touch. You wanted to turn, to sneak a peek at his face, see if he was asleep or not, but his grip on your waist was too strong and your tired body too weak in the moment.

"It's just me," Joe said having sensed you'd awoken, as if you expected anyone else to be responsible for the high temperature in the bed. You could feel the skin of your legs glow with heat, and it was almost uncomfortable. You were sure that the jeans you still had on didn't help, but the comparison to the earlier cold was stark enough for you to welcome it all heartily. You took a deep breath and let it fall out of you quickly in a feeble attempt to sink yourself deeper fast, back into the quiet and dark escape from everything. 

"Are you hungry?" Joe sounded sleepy too, and you gathered he'd napped with you for a while. It's almost a shame you had only just noticed, the feeling too blissful to want to pull out of. 

"Mmmh," was all Joe was going to get out of you, and you were unsure if you'd made your murmur sound more like a yes or a no. But Joe knew.

"Good, 'cause dinner's ready." Joe decided that you were hungry and patted you on the outer thigh that had served as a nice place for him to rest his hand before, signalling that it was time to get up and out now. But you weren't ready to leave the warm nest the two of you had created in your slumber, so you didn't respond to Joe's words or to his taps. It could pass for you childishly pretending you'd fallen back asleep, but Joe knew you well enough and after waiting maybe seven seconds, he pulled you in tighter, nuzzling his face into your neck. He could lay there with for you for a few more minutes if it's what you wanted. Or, seeing as you had snuck into bed in your regular clothes still, needed.

The urge to hug Joe back slowly crept up on you. It was all sweet and cosy being small-spooned by your boyfriend; his breath in your ear, his arm strong around your waist, all warm being pressed up against his chest… but you had arms that needed to engulf and fingers that needed to caress and your face felt too far removed from his, even though you could kiss him by just turning your head. You needed to be closer.

The noises you made turning over in the bed weren’t far off from old-man-getting-up-from-park-bench-after-an-hour-of-sitting-and-feeding-squirrels. Joe helped, guided you with his hands, turning your shoulder, holding covers up until you settled. Your bodies weren’t technically closer than before, but facing him now, it felt like you were.

“Hard day?” Joe whispered, arms clutching, pulling you almost wholly on top of him. You could feel Joe was also wearing all of his clothes still. It was extra cute, because for you it had meant just getting into bed quicker, but for Joe it had meant getting into bed with you quicker.

You just nodded under his chin, the hollow of your cheek pressed up against one of his collarbones, head tilted upwards with your nose buried into the soft tissue of his underjaw. Joe’s scruff and your eyelashes tickled and tangled.

“You were due one,” with the way your face was tucked up into Joe’s neck you could feel his voice box vibrate as he spoke. Joe’s comment could be taken for a joke, maybe even a mean one if you were in the wrong mood, but you knew Joe meant that for at least a month, if not longer, you’d been paddling downstream through life. Just, absolutely coasting. It was all set routines of no-missed bedtimes or slept-through-alarms; you would finish leftovers before they had a chance to grow mouldy in the fridge; you managed to stick to the laundry schedule and had found every clothing item you’d been looking for freshly washed in your wardrobe; all the plants in your apartment were thriving, every single one of them had gotten the right amount of sunlight and moisture at the right time for them; there were no unanswered text messages or e-mails; no birthdays missed or forgotten friends – you’d just been on top of life. A person can only live like that for so long until something goes wrong and completely screws you over.

“I know,” you agreed. Joe’s comment had only made you feel more inclined to feel totally at ease with your reaction to this day. Like he knew you needed some time to be mopey and short, to wallow in gloominess, even if it was just to get it out of your system for the next four weeks. It meant that you knew that Joe would let you if you were going to cry because your boss had expected something from you that he hadn’t specifically asked for, only to tell you today that he was disappointed in you because of his own lack of communication. He wouldn’t just let you, he’d be there to comfort you too, no jokes or pokes, only kind words and kind touches. Because Joe was a supportive boyfriend like that.

“What time is it?” you asked, eyes still closed.

“It’s the weekend.” Joe answered, and you melted as you read in between his lines. Time isn’t of the essence, we have seas of it now, it’s nice here, let’s stay here for longer, I want to stay here longer. So let’s. Truly, the best medicine; exactly what you wanted and exactly what you needed.

---

The Taglisted: @kiwisa @jasminearondottir @josephquinned @cancankiki @sidthedollface2 @dylanmunson @munsonsgirl71 @alana4610 @emmamooney @xomunson @sadbitchfangirl @jssmth5 @bagelofthelord67 @nobody-000 @lluviamg06 @thatonefan-girl @kylakins88 @paola-carter - add yourself