#she probably eat me at some point but its fine i can fix her

[winterzsurprise]

Change My Mind [2]

Pairing: BTS x reader

SUMMARY: As a make-up artist, you were expected to glamorize your clients with brushes and products that cost a week-worth of food, not to befriend them outside of work, let alone have them save you from dates yet here you are five years later as one of their closest confidants.

Being a stylist of the world's biggest boyband is no easy feat, someone is doing flips, someone can't stay still and one's asleep but its fine, you can work around their chaos but then one day, you find out they're all your soulmates, a whole different can of chaos you don't think you can handle.

Tags: Soulmates AU, Friends to Lovers, Eventual Smut, Not Beta Read, Slow Build, Polyamory, Attempts at Humor

Words: 8.6k

I posted this a day later than the one on ao3 because I forgor :''DD

Seeing the support and comments from both website got me off my ass to fix the storyline, even made a lot of changes on the chapters I've had preserved.

this chapter got rewritten a LOT, and was longer than it initially was so I hope y'all don't mind long chapters.

<<<Prev || MASTERLIST || Next>>>

__________

There's been times where your heart has truly fluttered for a man throughout your lifetime. Too many times has it been because some of your bosses (read: Jimin) flirted with you but you have never felt anything remotely giddy for anyone else outside the group.

Except for the man now sitting in front of you, flashing you a dimpled smile after handing out his card with an ease you only see in your friends and male leads in dramas. An action more attractive than any kabaedon or flexed muscles.

He's attractive but you don't like like him.

Yoo Guwon came to you as a bashful giant, rubbing the back of his head whenever he’s flustered and a constant sheepish smile featuring his deep set of dimples indented on both cheeks. He’s charming and articulate with his words just like a lawyer would be. Everything about him reminds you of another gentle and clumsy giant probably hunched over his music equipment back in the BigHit building.

It’s only been a few hours but you surprisingly covered most of the basic grounds of first meeting conversations during the short time you drove around Han River in a two seated bicycle. From the meager questions of ‘what dreams do you have?’ to the more complex and deeper ‘If the world falls into ruin, will you burn my body when I die?’. 

Too graphic for a first date but you wanted to test the waters and you concluded that he’s too perfect.

He knows the right words to say, the proper way to act and it makes you suspicious. Your mother has never recommended you to a good guy before, having a track record of ten shitty suitors who all ran their mouths about their mediocre achievements, and dared to ask you about your purity before ranting about how dirty you are for not saving yourself for your husband the moment they find out you're not a virgin anymore. Then all of a sudden, she led you to good boy Guwon.

And it makes your skin crawl.

What did that woman eat? Has your father fed her something bad this time? What is she planning? It’s scary how she has finally advocated for an actual nice guy.

After taking you to a museum you're sure Namjoon has visited once, he drove you both to the Han River to rent a double seated bike to drive around with before ending the night with a nice reservation somewhere in the Seocho district.

The place is as sophisticated as fine dining areas usually are. With an intimate lighting, marbled tabletops matched with soft cushioned seats and high ceilings to make space for modern glass chandeliers, the restaurant was no doubt expensive, the type you have to reserve a spot two months prior to be able to experience its greatness. The point was driven home when you saw the amount of zeros it cost for one can of soda. 

You asked him how he managed to get a table and he went down the rabbit hole of the many advantages he got from successful cases, ranging from a free monthly subscription to fruit baskets to a free week-long voucher to a five star hotel somewhere in Busan. 

Going back to the butterflies, while not as wild as it got when Hoseok possessively wrapped an arm thrown around your waist to pretend as your boyfriend to ward off a persistent suitor, they're there, albeit subtle.

Very subtle.

Maybe it's in the way he didn't think twice to hand out his card towards the waiter in the most suave way with the thick golden watch decorating his wrist, sleeves neatly folded up to reveal the thick cords of veins on his forearms with his hair strewn messily and a dimpled smile that made you react like that.

You ignore the voice comparing his uncannily similar traits to someone else.

Meeting Guwon wasn't like how the movies illustrated love at first sights. They talked of fireworks exploding in the background and hearing the sweet chimes of wedding bells upon eye contact but for him, it's just that. A meeting far more formal than you'd like. He has a lot of qualities that check your list of husband material traits yet instead of butterflies, you could only feel an echoing hollowness in your chest as you listen to him list out his future plans. 

It felt like surrendering to the fate the divinities had weaved out for you which is being an untethered forced to love someone you don't even feel any spark with.

He's a nice man who’s offering a comfortable future and you're just a woman who wishes to live a lavish life at home while your husband wastes his years away in the office. You might be a hopeless romantic who wished for soulmates and the like but you're not blind to the opportunity Guwon offers you.

You haven't texted the gc anything during the date other than the selfie you took before you left for the date but there's been constant vibrations in your purse and it's no doubt the guys asking for updates but for a moment you wanted to try to focus on the man before you.

Not that it wasn't hard to try with Guwon anyways.

Whenever the man spoke of his achievements and hobbies with a humble approach, he never forgot to ask you for your opinion or input on the topic. You also noted how he has never cut you off and let you speak whenever you wanted, listening with an eagerness only your friends usually show. He asked relevant questions with a genuine curiosity, eager to know more about you. 

So when he asked if you wanted to go on a second date that night, it came to no surprise for anyone when you accepted it albeit the heaviness in your heart.

It was funny how eagerly you searched for a husband you could bring to your parents' doorsteps but the moment someone with all the qualities you seeked came, it felt disappointing. Boring even.

But you can learn, this man is your ticket to living without working anymore.

It came to no one's surprise that your mother was overjoyed, she wasted no time calling you before you could even change to squeeze the memory of today out of you.

The shrill scream of victory she let out that night was unforgettable because finally, a suitor you actually liked. Your dad even congratulated her off-screen for her matchmaking achievements before telling you to bring Guwon home to meet them.

Logically, you’re aware you've won the love roulette—Guwon has it all, he checked every box on your list, yet it felt like defeat and it tasted foul, bitter on your tongue.

You couldn't tell them that it was you deciding to settle, that would break her heart.

Tapping the end call button felt like the dam breaking and all the water held onto for so long flowed out. You fall lifelessly on your bed with a heavy sigh. Taking a couple evening breaths, you finally opened the group chat with an overwhelming number of unread messages.

[Today, 08:49]

[08:49] Mimi: I'd run my bank dry to take you on dates if you'd dress so pretty like that, noona~

[08:49]Tete: We're really seeing this for free when the poor guy has to pay for it. #livingapriviledgedlife😁👍

[08:49] Hobi: Wow noona🤯

[08:50] Yoongs: 👍

[08:55] Tete: Wait, I don't think those shoes fit you, go back home and change it😁

[08:56] Jinnie: Hey, you're showing too much skin on the first date! Go back and change!

[08:57] Joonie: Ignore these haters noona, I hope you enjoy your day😊

[Today, 21:48]

[21:48] Jinnie: are you home yet? You haven't seen our messages in HOURS.

[21:48] Tete: NOONA DID YOU GET MURDERED?!😱

[21:50] Joonie: Let's be rational guys, don't jump to conclusions. The date might just be going great if she's busy enough to not check her phone😊.

[21:51] Mimi: doing great? don't scare me like that hyung😵‍💫

[21:51] Tete: BUT WHAT IF SHE GOT KIDNAPPED HYUNG????

[21:51] Hobi: please reply soon, we're worried🥲

Jungkook's absence from the conversation didn't come to you as a shock, the kid doesn't even reply to you for a week despite being one of the people who raised him. Nonetheless, you sat up from your bed to record a quick video of you giving them a thumbs up and turning the camera to show your room.

The latter was an assurance to Taehyung that no, you also didn't get kidnapped into someone else's house to be someone's housekeeper, and no, it wasn't a clone either.

The moment your message gets sent, the replies blow up your phone almost instantaneously.

[22:28] Mimi: noona you're alive!

[22:28] Joonie: How did the date go?😊

[22:28] Jinnie: how nice of you to remember to update us PEASANTS.

[22:28] Mimi: How was Guwon?

[22:29] Tete: I KNEW WE SHOULD'VE WENT WITH YOU ANYWAYS

[22:29] You: Shockingly, he's a pretty nice guy. Not too bad on the eyes, and pretty smart. I think you'd get along well with him, joon. He's a lawyer so he covered most of the expenses today😁

[22:29] You: Overall, it was great, we're gonna go on a second one. He's pretty cool.

Instantly, messages from the members, even Jungkook’s to your surprise, flooded your screen.

[22:30] Tete: Noona you've been cursed! We need to bring you to the nearest shaman to break it!!

[22:30] Mimi: don't joke with us noona

[22:30] Mimi: I just got goosebumps!

[22:30] Joonie: Congratulations are in order then? Will we be expecting him around you soon?

[22:31] Yoongs: I need to meet him, need to know if he's good enough

[22:31] Yoongs: men are trash, I need to see him for myself before I decide

[22:32] Yoongs: and you know what they say about lawyers, they LIE. I wouldn't trust him 

[22:32] Jinnie: WE need to meet the man who managed to steal your heart! I want to talk to him😊

[22:32] Mimi: don't use that emoji again, hyung

[22:32] Hobi: SCARY JWANN😱

[22:32] Joonie: Let’s not threaten anyone please.

[22:32] Joonie: But I'm really happy for you 😁.

[22:33] Tete: Those periods really scares me hyung…

[22:33] Tete: Somehow, I don't think you mean it…

[22:33] Joonie: What makes you think that, tae?😁.

[22:33] Tete: 😰

[22:34] Ggukie: a few drinks will fix you up, noona😁

[22:34]  Mimi: you'll invite me this time right?

[22:34] You: I don't know, you already used your mischief hours this week, I doubt Sejin would be so kind next time.

[22:34] Hobi: if he does that right now during practice, I also wouldn't be so kind to him😊

[22:34] Mimi: you are scaring me hyung…

[22:34] Hobi: good😊

[22:34] Tete: Hyung, are you just gonna ignore Jungkook leaving?!?!!?

The messages continued for a good five minutes, mostly consisting of holding Jimin back from leaving practice and him sending pictures of the infamous Hoseok death glare from across the room before your doorbell chime rang, making you shoot up straight.

A beat. Then it continues in three quick successions, the knocks almost in sing-song and sounded like two hands were used to produce the tune, giving you an inkling on who might be visiting you at this late hours of night.

Padding out of your room, the front door suddenly swings open without warning and you yelp. By the doorsteps stands the intruder, a tall man in a black coat with his face hidden by a mask and a cap. Your body would've frozen a thousand times over if you didn't know this stranger who's hugging two paper bags, one overflowing with snacks and the other a breeze away from tearing apart from the weight and water drenching the material of the bag.

"Hi noona!"

After today, seeing Jungkook felt like a cure, his presence alone repelling the heaviness in your shoulders and you ushered him inside and he wandered into your home with ease, approaching the coffee table to place down the shopping bags. 

Suddenly you remembered what he had scheduled prior.

"You're putting me on Hoba’s punishment rotation, what are you doing here?" 

He giggled. “We both know he won't, hyung loves you more than me.”

He falls on your couch with the ease of someone who has visited your space numerous times throughout the years, propping up his feet on the back support and folding his arms underneath his head before staring up at you, expectantly.

"Anyways, I brought us food and drinks, don't I deserve a little praise?" 

Sometimes it's easy to forget how young Jungkook really is, forced to grow and act mature to blend in with his surroundings, you've always seen him stand with pride alongside his hyungs. Seeing him awaiting for your praise so eagerly like a pup fills your heart with awe.

"Yeah yeah, good job. Now move over, let me sit down."

You tapped his arm, motioning him to move over so you could sit next to him, something he obeyed without resistance, busying himself in removing the contents from the soiled paper bag instead.

“Couldn't you have put some effort into it? At least sound grateful.” He pouts. Placing down the cluster of beer cans, you turned to him and pinched his cheeks.

“Oh my dearest darling, thank you for saving this noona of yours. Such an amazing baby I have here.”

Despite being the one who asked for it, Jungkook only rolled his eyes with a barely held back grin as he slapped your hands away, making you laugh, and turned to the bag holding the snacks he bought. You didn't miss the redness dusting his cheeks or the cheeky grin that tugged his lips wide as he spilled the contents of the last bag onto the table.

There's a significant amount of sweets and snacks laid before you, as well as stacks of canned beers and you turned to him with furrowed brows.

"Wouldn't this ruin your diet?"

He waved you off with a huff. "I work out enough to eat all of these in one sitting."

Instantly, your mind brings you back to white walls and gray furniture, faced with manager Sejin who warned you about interfering with the idols' diet at the start of your career. If it wasn't for Bang PD waving off their concerns, saying they needed to be rewarded for their hard work anyways, you would've been long booted out of the company.

It's a matter long settled yet it remains to weigh heavily in your head.

Seeing the hesitation in your eyes, Jungkook continues.

"I can show you proof of my efforts," 

He then reached down to the fabric of his shirt tucked into his jeans and tugged it up, flashing you the tightly corded muscles in forming on his abdomen and the thin happy trail you often see when patting his sweat down during concerts and you hastily pulled it back down with a yelp, cheeks growing hot while he laughed.

As he throws his head back in his mirth, you couldn't help but notice the way adulthood has taken away the fullness of his cheeks and has sharpened his features. A far cry from the sensitive young boy who cried his eyes out every time his hyungs got hurt. 

There was no denying that Jungkook had grown without you noticing and it makes your chest swell with pride knowing he's been raised well by the others, in extension, although not so much, you as well.

"Don't worry so much about me, noona. I can handle the consequences now, you leave the reprimanding to me."

Under the warm overhead light of your living room, even with the exaggerated puff of his chest and his nose turnt up high, Jungkook's shoulder had never looked sturdier, reliable, in your eyes. You smiled, reaching to pinch both his cheeks making him grin wider than he already was.

"Look at you acting so cool, when did you grow so much?"

He rolled his eyes, pulling your hands away from his cheeks and entangling it with his. “I've always been cool, you just don't pay attention to me, noona.”

Before you could reply, he's already moved to reach for the beverages on the coffee table, popping two of them open and handing you one can, immediately you take a swig.

The beer fizzled in your tongue and left a trail of burns down your throat. The sensation is refreshing nonetheless and you place it down next to him before picking up the large bags of chips and standing up.

"I'll go put these in a bowl, go put something on the tv."

"Can I play anime?"

You waved at him dismissively, unable to find it in yourself to say no to him as you head towards your kitchen to transfer the junk into a bowl when a shrill tune from your bedroom cuts through the air, someone was calling you. You look over to Jungkook, scrolling through his phone, no doubt looking for a movie online.

"Gguk, can you pick up the call for me? My hands are busy right now."

There's a shuffle of feet behind you and in a moment, your phone quietens down. Finished with filling one bowl, you turn to find Jungkook leaving your room with a deep look and your phone in hand. His jaw set tight as he stood there with furrowed brows, eyes lit with irritation.

Looking at his reaction, you asked about your mysterious caller.

"Who was it?"

When he turned to you, the tick in his jaw dispersed. All of a sudden, he's smiling at you with mischief twinkling in his eyes, the change giving you a whiplash.

"It was the others, didn’t answer their calls cause I want you for myself tonight, noona."

(Later on, you'd find yourself staring at the many unread messages and two missed calls from Guwon, wondering in your drunken state if you've muted your phone at some point earlier.)

Hearing it from his lips now, your body locks, heart stuttering in your chest and butterflies exploding in your stomach, spreading a tingly feeling throughout your body and you laugh. 

"Where did you hear that line from, brat? You just activated my fight or flight!"

"Taehyung says that and gets thanked but when I do it, I'm punished?" He pouts, stomping as he approaches the island counters and crossing his arms on the marble surface.

It reminded you of a bunny you saw from a video on the internet, angrily thumping their feet at their owner when it was being purposely ignored.

“In his defense, he does it while he’s acting like my crazy ‘exes’ and saves me from dates.”

“That’s just favoritism! I saved you once from a date!”

You threw him a deadpan stare. "Throwing me over your shoulders and kidnapping me isn’t the same as Tae and Jimin acting crazy enough to make the other guy uncomfortable to save me.”

Hoseok had your favorite troublemakers kneeled on the floor with both their hands up and facing the wall at the time, punishing them for being an hour late to their practice. He had called you in, asking if they had been accompanying you during —they weren’t. 

Long story short, you didn't risk sharing Hoseok’s wrath with the two and took Jungkook instead, a decision you quickly regretted later on in the night when instead of approaching to act like one of your exes when you gave him a signal, he hoisted you up onto his shoulder and ran away while your date only watched in terror.

“Now that’s blatant favoritism! I didn’t kidnap you, we ran away together into the sunset! It was romantic!"

"Not for the other guy, no! He was shitting bricks when he called my mom. She got me squatting the entire afternoon when we met again."

Mentioning it alone made phantom pains throb in your knees and thighs, you shivered. If torture wasn't a socially unacceptable and punishable offense in the modern world, you were sure your mother would have stripped you down to your underwear and made you squat under the sun in front of your family house instead. 

The absolute fury she unleashed on you that day is enough proof that she would've done it with no hesitation if it was lawfully appropriate.

"That's too much for a failed date."

"No reason to dwell on it. Main point is, don't take notes from dramas anymore."

With a last roll of his eye, Jungkook then picked up the bowls and brought them to the coffee table following you who had returned to your seat ahead of him. Once the two of you are situated back on the couch, he navigates through the streaming app for an interesting title before eventually settling on the romance anime he claimed to have heard amazing reviews about.

Without hesitation, Jungkook navigates himself into a familiar between your legs and leaned back on your chest, head finding his rightful space under your chin with a precision gained from doing so for years.

It goes without saying that Bangtan is affectionate. With the pressure they had during their rise to fame, it wasn't shocking that they comfortably seeked each other's comfort and spared no skinship. As one of the only staff within constant exposure that's close to their age, you too became one of their pillars of serenity. 

It was the reason you had crushes on everyone at least twice during your time as their make-up artist, not that any of the boys knew nor does it matter.

Stability and work takes precedence over something as shaky as love.

There's only so much comfort another man can offer, your mother says from years before.

Jungkook more than anyone else in the group. 

As a boy who sacrificed his childhood and time with his parents to pursue his dream, you felt more inclined to watch over him than the others who were adults by the time you joined. You were there for his first heartbreak, his first drink, his high school graduation; the point is, you were there and you held him every time he struggled with problems—mostly girl problems—he's too shy to seek his hyungs for.

But now with his growth spurt, cuddling up to you like he used to when he was younger with his gangly legs awkwardly hanging from the couch, carelessly leaning his head in between the mounds of your breast while his large hand mindlessly drew circles on your knee, you found yourself wondering about the appropriateness of it all.

A man and a woman alone in a room at night in close proximity, body leaning against each other. Society would argue they wouldn’t end the night as friends anymore after the encounter.

You paused mid-drink and grimaced.

It must be the beer talking.

"Noona."

"Yeah?"

"Wrap your arms around me, it's cold."

You raised an eyebrow at him. "It's not though? I always keep my house warm." 

He let out an exasperated groan before reaching behind to grab your arm and roughly slinging it on his shoulders.

As time continued its cycle and episodes started to fly across the screen, the pile of opened beer cans on the table expanded. You really tried to focus on the movie but the feeling of his fingers tracing stars on your bare thigh left you oddly bothered. Jungkook has shifted his position higher at some point during the movie, his body now turned sideways, successfully squeezing himself into the small space between you and the back of the couch, legs entangling itself with yours while an arm is thrown across your body.

This position puts his nose closer to your ears and it makes you shiver. The feel of his hot breath fanning across your skin has given you more goosebumps in under an hour more than you've had throughout your life.

Even drunk, you could feel the building tension thickening around you and the will to tell him to off ebbs away with every caress of his fingers.

Gone were the innocent traces of stars and hearts on your thigh, his hand now grabbed onto your waist almost possessively, thumb rolling slow circles on your bare stomach; the motion conjuring the most unholiest of thoughts known to mankind.

When the credits started rolling, you knew you had to draw the line before you lost yourself to intoxicated thoughts and end the night with regrets.

"Time for you to go home now, your hyungs must be looking for you."

You tried prying his hand from your waist so you could reach for your phone on the table only for him to tighten around you, stopping you from moving away. He groaned, head nuzzling closer into your neck and his lips grazed your skin. 

Instantly, electric jolts shoot through your body.

"Jungkook, I need to get my phone and tell someone to fetch you from here."

"Can't I just stay the night? I'm too comfortable right now…"

The gruff in his voice and the sensation of his lips moving on your skin has your stomach fluttering and you're too drunk to address the growing heat in your abdomen but thanked the sense of professionalism seeping through the fogs of your intoxicated mind.

Managing to pry him off, you reached for your phone and opened up SMS to tell Jin to pick their youngest up.

           [01:21] You: Jwannn

           [01:21] You: can you pick up your kid from my house? He's drunk and stinkyyy

           [01:23] Jinnie: your knight in shining armor is on the way!

“Just let me stay the nighttt,” he whined into your skin.

"I don't have any more spare beds other than this couch for you to sleep in, Gguk. I turned the other room into a closet, remember?"

"I can just sleep with you on the bed, we used to do that, didn't we?"

He attempted to reach around you again but you pushed his limbs away once more before slapping his arm.

You tried not noticing how thicker and harder the muscles felt, you really did. 

"But it's different now, Gguk. Come on, go wash up and drink water, I've already told someo—"

The moment you rose to stand, his arms shot around your waist in record speed and pulled you flush to his front, nuzzling his nose on the back of your neck before he sighed. When the first hot exhale hits your skin, you flinch away but the limbs wounded tightly around your middle restrict you from moving.

You try to ignore the heat simmering under your skin but it was hard when you felt the press of his plush lips on your nape as he leans closer into your skin. 

“You always smell so nice, noona.” He whispered breathily, the sensation of his moving mouth sending shivers down your spine and you shivered.

“I-I can give you my lotion brand later, let me go so I can get it.”

“But I'm comfortable here…”

Mustering every strength left in your body, you manage to pull an arm out of the death grip he had on your body and slapped his hand. Jungkook easily ignores it.

“Come on Gguk, let me out now. This isn't appropriate.”

"How is it different now?"

The alcohol intoxicating your system loosened your grip on your inhibitions and your lips regrettably moved faster than your brain.

"You're a man now, Gguk. Honestly, we shouldn't be even doing this right now. It's inappropriate."

You try to stand once more, managing to pry him from your waist and standing up before his arms hooked around you once more and tugging you back down, this time on his lap as he burrows his head onto your back.

"Gguk?"

"Yo-you see me as a man, noona?"

As a child your mother has taught you how words could heavily influence and drastically change a situation, now as an adult, you've mastered the art of speech. But as you sit still on his thighs, body warm and inhibitions blurred by the alcohol, your loose lips have led you back to the very thing you try to avoid.

"It's hard not to think so when you've grown up this much."

In a flash, Jungkook is now hovering over your face as he places you back down on the couch, his nose a hair's width from touching yours and his hands planted on each side of your head. 

There's a feral hunger swimming in his eyes as it stared into yours, desperate and intense before it fell to the plush of your parted lips and his gaze darkens. All of a sudden, you're a prey pinned down by an apex predator who's ready to devour you at any given moment.

Fire alarms blared in your mind and you regained control over your senses.

“Jungkook.”

"Noona."

You tried wriggling out of his grasp but it was no use, he's stronger. "Get off of me, kid."

“How many times do I have to tell you that I'm not a kid anymore?”

“I'm not hearing anything out when you're acting like this, Gguk.”

He scoffed. “I just want to sleep here, in the same bed, nothing else is gonna happen. Why is it such a bad thing?”

“It's different now, Gguk. Come on, let me go.”

“How is it so different? You and Jimin hyung cuddle sometimes, I've seen you fall asleep next to Hobi hyung once, why is it different with me?”

“It's different because we're both drunk and things could happen.”

“I wouldn't mind it.” Jungkook responds with a cheeky smile. His grip on one of your wrist loosened enough that you were able to hit his arm and he giggled in response.

“But I do. It wouldn't be fair.”

Even something as small as letting one member stay at your home without the others can be the loudest announcement for the rest of the group. All those times you've rejected your friends, with reasons like ‘I don’t want to risk everything’, and ‘I don't want to hurt the others’, to turn back around to accept their youngest would be hypocritical of you.

He scoffs. "You tell us about all your stupid dates, don't you think it's more unfair for us?”

A familiar weight grows in your chest. Guilt tasted like rust on your tongue and dug into your heart with a ribbed knife. Your own late night thoughts manifesting before you and you pushed him away.

After everything, you were all friends, you trusted them more than you do with your other circle. There's not a secret left undiscussed between the eight of you so it was no surprise that you had indulged them with the details of your quest for a husband. Nobody ever raised any complaints with you sharing your days so you never thought twice about it.

It's been five years since Jin had confessed, three for Taehyung. Their eldest had confessed for the sake of him finally being able to move on after your rejection and with how he acted after, you had believed him. It was different for Taehyung who had continued to act like normal after his confession, neither dejected nor did he show signs of letting go but he did introduce a date to your group once, a year later, so you had assumed the same.

Were you wrong after all?

“Jungkook, we're drunk. Let’s talk about this tom—”

“I've never been more sober in my life than I am right now, noona.”

You didn't respond, couldn't reply.

What were you supposed to even say?

Jungkook usually obeyed you and his hyungs without hesitation, happily offering his aid whenever he could. He's the type of friend who's run himself dry just to fetch you a cup of water from the other side of the world but now as he hovers over you, he became a whole new person.

Greed has always been an irritating parasite that eats away at a person's morals but somehow in your drunken mind, you thought it looked so good on him. It fits him and his generous character the way one light clothing molds well with the dark fabrics. His familiar scent of vanilla and coconut clouded your senses, calming your panicking mind into a hush, leaving nothing but the thoughts of how his lips tasted and wondering if he’s as sweet as he smelled.

He let out a shaky exhale from through his mouth as he watched your parted lips with a rapt attention as if hypnotized by the way they subtly trembled with every breath that passed through.

In the pregnant silence of your room, his voice cuts through like a knife.

“Can I kiss you?”

He whispers against your lips, voice breaking in the middle from the weight of his request, honeyed and pleading, as if your kiss holds the answer to the problems of the world and holds the power to break him.

His hand travels up to cup your cheek oh so carefully like you're fragile china yet you feel yourself shatter under his touch.

You are losing grasp on your sober thoughts as lust starts to cloud your already compromised judgment, his request far too tempting to ignore.

Maybe a kiss wouldn’t hurt. 

But wouldn’t it be unfair for the others who have expressed their romantic intentions to you since years ago? 

It was a last ditch effort to reason with your mind and your body froze from the cold wave of realization. In the short time after his question, you recall the confessions you turned down to not ruin the relationship Bangtan has established for themselves and the bitter taste it left on your tongue.

“Jungkook… we can’t.”

Watching his expression contort into confused hurt almost made you want to take your words back, but your mind takes you to memories of apologetic and understanding smiles you’ve received throughout the years and the aches from those moments resurfaces, squeezing your heart in a tight grip.

“I-I’m sorry I can’t control my feelings, I just wanted to tell you about it… Thought that maybe after this, I could move on.” An apologetic voice whispers, the memory of premature confessions in the middle of a cleanup resurfacing.

“I can’t—I can’t do it to them, it’d be unfair.”

You pushed him back and he relented, letting himself be sat back onto the other side of the couch defeatedly. Despite it, his tight grip on your waist remained, pulling you flush to him and burying his face in your chest as if trying to hear the lie in your words through the beatings of your heart.

“I’m also seeing Guwon now.”

“Then don’t let me meet him. I-I don’t know if I can take it.”

It was heart wrenching and at the same time, left an uncomfortable twist in your stomach. Jungkook never had to beg since you first met him, everything he could ever want was given to him by you and his hyungs without hesitation. Hearing him plead for you to never bring Guwon around if fate had actually paired you both, it was a different kind of pain.

It felt like thorns growing and rooting its stems of pointy ends into the deepest parts of your heart. You hated this, but you don’t want to hurt any of your boys by accepting one.

Relief comes in the form of Taehyung when he busted into your apartment while Jungkook has excused himself to your bathroom to sober up just a moment before. Seokjin trails behind him, calmer than the younger man who declared his arrival with a deep voice and a loud bang of the door. You immediately thought of the elderly couple and the new family of three living next to you and internally facepalmed.

“Noona! We’ve come to take Jungkook away!”

Kim Seokjin’s face has never been more handsome when he closed the door behind him, and you verbalized your thought, leading his ears to glow red in embarrassment.

“Am I only handsome to you when I’m closing the doors?! This face that people fawn over all over the world?!”

“It’s your true calling, door guy.”

“Oh shut it hyung, you’re making my head hurt.” Jungkook mutters as he reentered the living room, looking far better than when he left.

The tension was palpable, the effect of a rejected profession still raw and thick in the small joined space of the living room and kitchen and you caught Jin's eyes as the two youngest bickered, there’s a knowing look passed between you, an unsaid ‘let’s talk later’ hanging in the air.

“Hey, just because you got to escape Hoba’s practice without scratch doesn't mean you're hot shit, show me some respect!”

Seokjin scolds, accompanied by a playful kick to their youngest’s butt. Immediately the stuffy air dissipates and Jungkook responds in kind; by kicking him in the shin, hard enough to launch Seokjin into another lengthy nag.

It was a quick retrieval after his rant. Jungkook lets himself be towed out of your apartment by an oddly enthusiastic Taehyung who's going on about a new game trailer he saw online while Jin has offered to be left behind to clean up the mess. It was no doubt obvious, the familiar awkwardness and tenseness brought by a rejected confession lingered in the air when they arrived, it only took him one look at you and he already knew. 

The moment the door slams shut behind the boys, he immediately began:

“Did he admit it?”

His voice was soft yet it rang loudly in the pindrop silence of your living room. The sigh he let out echoed more when you nodded.

“I told him to not do it, you know? But you know how stubborn he gets.”

You didn’t reply. You simply move, walking to the trash bin to put the empty beer cans in and Jin follows close with the bowls stacked on top of each other to place in the sink. It was a brief moment of reprieve. He let the moment from earlier simmer in your stomach, let the smoke from it fill your lungs and weigh your heart till you burst.

Out of the seven boys, you've always turned to either him or Yoongi as they're older than you, so it came to nobody's shock when you break and told him.

“It just never gets better, I always feel guilty even if I didn’t choose. I’m just lucky I didn’t have to suffer through seven of these, I don’t think I could take it and just quit.”

It was a thought you’ve entertained when Taehyung came to you with his heart in his hand, giving it to you carelessly despite knowing how you’ve handled the other confessions. He was all dopey smiles and flushed cheeks, it continued even when you’ve pushed his heart back to him with an apologetic look.

Seeing the happy creases in his eyes iron out despite the huge boxy smile continuing to play on his lips, the existing pressuring guilt reawakened. Taehyung’s heart that gleamed and glowed gold, vulnerable for you to take and use from where it settled in the middle of his offering palms. You could’ve taken advantage of it all as they were rising in fame, when they were facing discrimination from the other companies and had found comfort in you but you didn’t.

Even with the attraction you've felt for them, you were nothing but a makeup artist to the company. Another asset to deploy and replace if it got annoying to handle. You couldn't risk your career on uncertainties, this is your dream job.

You loved them all equally and held them in the same regards as the others, they’re your best friends, chosen soul companions even without the marks to solidify it. 

They loved you and you loved them all but you wouldn't bet your life on an uncertain future.

“You should give us more credit, you know?” 

He says from the kitchen sink, the sound of water slowing into a halt. Seokjin didn’t move for a while. When he did, it was to place down the plates, washing his hands before turning around to face you.

“We’re grown adults now, we can handle rejection so don’t feel too bad about it. You can choose and we’d even help you keep it a secret from everyone besides us eight.”

It was genuine. Even in the haze of your intoxication, those words felt like a cool balm for your aching heart. While Namjoon’s words were cited research, formal and factual and Yoongi’s were calming droughts to ease the discomfort of sadness brought by gloomy thoughts, Seokjin speaks from the heart, true and unbiased but says it with a gentleness and care. 

Guilt sets like a boulder on your heart. Being able to feel, to experience such a privilege when all you've done is break his heart since your hunt for a husband, the weight in your chest multiplied and tears sprung from your eyes.

You wanted them but you couldn't risk your dream job, couldn't risk a friendship as precious as theirs for kisses and hugs that eventually has its ends.

You didn’t even notice it when he crossed the distance between you both and pulled you plush to his chest but you recognized the familiar sensation of plush lips pressing against your forehead.

If it lingered a few seconds past what's platonically allowed, you didn’t mention it.

Seokjin’s muted scent of freshly baked cakes brought silence to the rampaging waves of thoughts in your mind and if you pressed your nose flush to his chest to bury yourself in his fragrance, he didn’t say anything, bringing one hand behind your head protectively.

“I'm sorry to put you through this pain, Jinnie. I-I didn’t know.”

“I knew you didn’t know but I'll be fine... eventually.” He breathes out before leaning down to bury himself into the nest of your hair. "As long as you're happy, then I am too."

It was heavy, being loved and held so preciously even after you’ve turned him down, it felt cruel, sadistic even. But like the selfish woman you are, you accepted it. Soaked in his affections greedily.

“You know, he asked me to never show Guwon around you guys.”

He sighed. “I knew he would.”

“Do you want that as well?

Silence followed but you heard his answer loud and clear.

The second date happened after the first leg of the tour in Seoul.

Although planned suddenly, you appreciated the downtime after being lost in the haze of rushed outfit changes, reapplying makeup, and patting sweat from foreheads. If anything, you were thankful you could loosen up after earlier. The awkward tension didn’t go amiss, it only took Namjoon and Yoongi one look between you and Jungkook before taking charge on how the night progresses.

Yoongi didn't waste any time waving you over to ask for help for his makeup, even when he was already being prepped by one of your older colleagues, Ji hae. Thankfully, the woman lets you take over, saying she wanted a snack anyways.

The man didn't bother asking you what happened and settled comfortably in his chair but not before offering you the snack he bought earlier and was laying neglected on his lap. Yoongi asked about Guwon in a hushed voice, because while you were living in a reverse harem with most of his brothers, he was genuinely curious about your boyfriend-to-be.

Maybe it was the fact he has never admitted his affections for you that made it comfortable to discuss topics you could never talk about with the others with him, but you let your tongue a little loose.

And he listened.

Yoongi has always been a man of action not words, his love language has always been opening water bottles, blankets appearing from nowhere when you're passed out on their couch, and listening attentively. Despite what the world says about his nonchalance and silence, in your eyes, he's the sweetest guy on the roster—not that you'd tell Jimin that of course, he'd riot if he were to find out.

By the end of the concert, Guwon asks you on an impromptu date. A simple late night walk on a market nearby because there's apparently a food fair, and as usual, the expenses are on him. Hungry with a principle of never turning down free food, of course you accepted. 

Though you had a long time deciding whether to go or not with Jungkook’s confession still fresh.

Minutes later, he's waiting for you by the exit. The scene of him leaning on his Mercedes, waiting for you to reach him at the bottom of the stairs looks like it was pulled out of a kdrama.

Oddly enough, they didn’t question your lack of updates in the group chat but Jimin reached out later on and you suspect he told everyone your whereabouts instead, hopefully minus the date part to spare the others (read: Jungkook) from heartbreak.

The fair looked like a mirage of a paradise in the night hidden away in a small gently-lit up alley. The path was lightened up with gentle lanterns hung above you, the warm colors setting a more intimate scene. It wasn’t as luxurious as dinner from yesterday or as calming as the bike ride around the Han river but you appreciated it nonetheless.

You’re ready to drop dead but you pushed through, you wanted this relationship to work. Because then, maybe the monsters—your mother and her wide selection of personalities as well as aunties, her friends, trying to refer you to their horrible sons—haunting you from under your bed will finally leave you alone.

It was cruel that you’re using someone else to erase the memory of being professed to by one of your best friends.

Guwon was happy enough to take charge the whole date, leading you from food stall after food stall, ordering whatever your eyes lingered at which is half of what the fair offers. He understands your lack of responses as it is, tired from work, and talked enough for the both of you. Which you are grateful for.

He talked about his job and what happened that day, willingly telling you about the story of how he and his co-workers clicked back in College, never to part till now in the field they wanted. He spoke of his dreams, how he envisioned his dream home by the province surrounded by nature and the cat named Nabi waiting for him at home.

There's nothing more blatant of a signal than the last part, whether you accept it or not depends on you.

Normally, you would've frowned at the thought, immediately thinking of running away but as the night deepens and stalls start to close, the idea grows more and more tempting despite the logical voice in your head disagreeing. Seeking a distraction and possibly leading on a kind man is cruel, both to him and you.

But at the end of the day, it’s just an escape from the reality you're stuck in, a temporary answer to a long time problem. 

How harmful can it be? 

People had hookups before, you’ve had hookups before your mother has started a hunt for your husband this year so what are you so reluctant for? 

If this man is to be your husband, you should check your physical compatibility right?

You shivered. God, you sounded like one of those shitty guys you’ve dated before.

"Hey, the stalls just closed. Are you fine with me driving you back to your house?"

His voice cuts through your deep thoughts and you turn to him. Even in the dimly lit corner of the alley, Guwon looked attractive as ever with his dimpled smile and laid back attitude, his soft eyes gleaming under the lanterns, affections overflowing from his gaze and you. shuddered from its weight. 

Staring at the man, you wondered if you'd ever fall in love with him as he seemed right now.

Soon enough, you both arrive in front of your apartment building. However, not every plan goes through as you thought it'd go and you find two familiar figures rushing down to meet you. 

Taehyung didn't hesitate to run up to you with open arms and a wide smile. He didn't even care that you both almost toppled over if it wasn't for Guwon hand supporting you from the back.

"Wh-why are you two here? Shouldn't you guys be resting?"

Jimin shrugged but you caught the mischievous glint in his eyes as a small smile tugs his lips. "Hyung got so worried and wanted us to make sure you got home safely."

"Even a thumbs up would be great but you ignored every text and call! Jin hyung panicked and sent us out, if you didn't come home, he would've had a huge manhunt for you." Taehyung chimed in, pulling away but keeping his hands on your shoulders as he stared deep into your eyes, as if trying to hypnotize you into believing them.

Jimin snickered. “Yoongi hyung was an hour away from declaring you missing so the good dongsaengs we are, we decided to camp outside your apartment.”

You would've accepted his explanation, it was logically sound yet the dark glint of mischief and something else in his eyes as his gaze bounced from you to Guwon told you a different story.

They've always had to interrupt your dates when it becomes sour but this was the first time they've confronted a potential partner outside the intentions of ruining a date because you wanted it to suck.

This was them laying their claim over their own, a silent statement. A declaration you try not to think so much about, fearing you'd dig yourself deep and fall to your death.

“These must be one of your kids?” Guwon asks from behind, reminding you of his presence and you turn to him with an apologetic look.

“Yeah, Taehyung and Jimin. I practically raised them.”

Jimin scoffs and your head snapped to him, widening your eyes in warning to which he ignored. “Just because you’re a year older, doesn’t mean you could say you raised us you know?”

“See what I deal with everyday?” 

Guwon laughs lightheartedly before patting your head to get your attention. “Since your kids are here to protect you, I should get going now.”

“Drive safely.”

“See you soon?”

“Definitely.”

Then he placed a haste kiss on the edge of your lips, catching you off guard and you froze. Guwon was already in his car by the time you realized what happened and turned to chastise him. You couldn't even knock on the passenger window when the arms coiled around your shoulders tightened and tugged you close.

Letting Guwon kiss you in front of one of the men who confessed to you once was the first mistake, second was looking up at Taehyung whose hug is starting to hurt.

Gone were the usual giddiness and child-like enthusiasm that would pour from his eyes. It was replaced by a colder glare, almost blank and emotionless as it narrowed behind you and jaw locked tight. There was something primal in the way his hand behind your head was pushing you closer to him as if he was hounding over his game from another predator.

Goosebumps prickled your skin awake.

If butterflies exploded in your stomach and ignited a molten heat in your abdomen at that very moment, it's a secret you’d take to your grave.

“Tae?”

“Noona, I think we should head inside. It's getting cold.” Jimin’s sweet voice sounded forced and you resisted the urge to look at him.

While their reaction to being challenged is obvious, you couldn't, for the life of you, figure out why he should feel like that when he’s been seeing other people since his confession. From your past dates where he attended as one of your escape plans, he’s  never expressed such an intense show of displeasure so you thought his fleeting crush had passed.

Until tonight.

When Taehyung pulled away, the traces of his hostility were gone and you had to double take at how vastly different he's appearing now. He has his lower lip pushed out into a pout, eyes wide with mirth as he reaches up to cup your cheeks, his warm palms heating your cold-nipped skin.

“Aigoo, you're so cold noona. Let's go in and binge that foreign show you've been following.”

With hands now intertwined, he leads you inside the building where Jimin was already standing inside and was holding the door open for you both. You were being tugged into your own home yet you couldn’t help but feel tense as Taehyung and Jimin welcomed you back in with the same dark look you saw earlier.

[slutforreginageorge]

Wtf, my eyes?!

Ship: Regina x Janis

Warnings: sexual content, Damian getting traumatized

—————————

“Baby, don’t start something we know we can’t finish,” Regina moaned gripping the back of her girlfriend’s head as the brunette kissed her neck.

“I’m always able to stop, I just don’t want to and you don’t let me,” Janis answered hand moving under the blondes shirt gripping her hips before going further up and resting on her breasts. They were in the schools janitor’s closet making out. It was the period before lunch, they both had it free since their teacher was sick.

Regina threw her head back giving the smaller woman more space to kiss, Janis was just about to leave a mark when Regina stoped her giving her a warning look. Janis smirked pulling the shirt down her girlfriend was wearing kissing her collarbone, nibbling and sucking on it.

Regina released a shaky breath grip tightening on Janis head, left hand moving down to grip her butt. She could feel her smiling against her skin licking the fresh mark that laid just beneath the collar of her shirt.

Janis was about to slide the hand, that had made its way down Regina’s abs, into her pants when the bell rang.

Janis pulled away immediately fixing her cloth before pulling out her phone to fix her makeup. Regina was still out of it, still feeling Janis’s hands on her body even tho they were long gone from her, a kiss on her cheek ripped her out of it. Janis’s hands were on her hips again squeezing them slightly.

“You good, babe?” She asked smirking. Regina nodded leaning in to kiss Janis again but her lips never came.

“Nope, not going there! The others are probably waiting for us at lunch and to be honest I am quite hungry,” Janis leaned back trying to step away from Regina. “You could also eat me for lunch,” Regina smirked pulling Janis back into her grasp. “Haha very funny you know i would love to but I am sure at some point they are going to figure out why we are both not at lunch and we both said, that we are not ready to tell our friends. So get cleaned up and I will se you in the cafeteria, okay?” Janis kissed her on the lips one last time before letting go and stepping out of the small room after checking who was outside.

—————————

They were making out again, this time in Janis’s garage. Janis was sitting on the blondes lap hands in her hair, when a hand made its way down to her ass gripping it before making its way to her front unbuttoning her Jeans, sliding it down a bit to get better access.

“No hickeys babe, you know the rule. I really do not feel like lying to Damian about where I got them from,” Janis moaned body tensing when her girlfriend slid her hand into her pants and underwear putting pressure on her clit.

“You know makeup exists, you can just cover them up and no one would ask questions,” the blonde shot back, playing with the smaller woman’s clit smiling when her body relaxed against her chest before tensing up again, when her girlfriend slipped a finger inside without warning.

“Fuck, Regina!” She moaned trying to get more friction.

The blonde was about to give Janis just that when the door to the garage flew open revealing Damian.

“Janis! I found the perfect mov…,” He spoke before stopping in track taking in the scene and turning around to go out of the door with in seconds.

“My eyes, WTF!!!” He screamed. Regina pulled out as fast as she could helping Janis - who was still in shock of what had just happened- put her top back on and button up her pants again.

“It’s fine, it’s going to be fine. It’s Damian not your mom or someone like that,” Regina kissed her cheek and standing up to check on Damian who she predicted was still on the other side of the door.

“Damian?” She opened the door to find him in a state between laughing and shock. “Do you want to come in?”

“Is my best fried dressed again?”

“She is wearing all of her clothes again, I’m sorry that you had to see that.” Damian stepped inside and moved to hug Regina before stopping himself looking at the blonde and then at her hand shaking his head smiling.

Janis sat on the couch looking slightly panicked not looking Damian in the eye and playing with the ring on her thumb

“Janis it’s fine, I had my predictions that you guys were canoodling in secret for a while now and this,” he made a hand movement gesticulating around “It’s fine. It actually is one of my life goals you know,” Damian smiled sitting down in front of Janis reassuring her that it was fine.

Janis smiled looking up at her best friend before hitting his arm.

“Soooo? What is this? Is it just canoodling or is there more to it?” He smiled.

“There is more to it we just decided not to tell any of you because we decided it was too fresh and we did not want to tell you just so we would tell you a few weeks later that we are actually not in a relationship with each other any more,” Janis said still playing with her rings.

“Okay that makes sense, and just to make sure I am so happy for you both and I support this but please I don’t ever want to see you guys fucking ever again or i might need a lobotomy,” the guy smiled giving Janis’s knee a squeeze.

“Can’t promise anything you know, maybe just learn how to knock,” Regina remarked laughing.

“Or you guys just don’t fuck anywhere you can,” Damian shot back.

—————————

“Omg my eyes, Gretchen help!!!” Janis heard her best friend scream as well as the door of the closet slamming. Pulling her out of the scene she and her girlfriend were in. Regina burst out laughing and so did she, then moving her finger again, which made Regina’s laugh turn into a deep throaty moan.

“No one go into the hallway closet! They need to get send into rehab . . . Sex rehab!!” She could still hear Damian scream in the background which then got tuned out by the sweet sound of her girlfriend’s moans as she got close to her high.

“You close baby?” She whispered into Regina’s ear as the tall blonde gripped her biceps biting into the muscles of her shoulder.

In the past mother of their relationship Janis had learned how incredibly obsessed Regina was with her muscles and how much she loved gripping and biting them during sex.

“Yes, so close! Please let me cum, I can’t take it anymore,”Regina moaned walls closing around her girlfriend’s finger as her thumb massaged her clit.

“Such a good girl already begging. I didn’t need go say anything,” Janis praised sucking another mark into the blondes porcelain skin. “Cum baby, cum for me,” Janis told her girlfriend who needed just those words to come around her finger. Walls cramping making it almost impossible for Janis to move her finger to help her ride out her Orgasm.

“Good girl, it’s fine. I got you,” she whispered as Regina fell against her chest relaxing fully, breathing heavily while Janis combed her hands through her hair loosening knots.

Regina looked up into the deep brown eyes of her girlfriend, smiling softly.

“You good pretty?”

“Mhh, just fine. But i think we should check up on Damian,” she said not moving from her spot on her girlfriend’s chest.

“He’s gonna be fine, we told him that he needed to learn to knock,” Janis smiled kissing Regina’s forehead.

“You are right but still that poor man,” she smiled kissing a few spots on Janis’s chest and shoulder, where she had bitten a little too hard, some of them had even drawn blood.

“Regina i love you with all my heard, but please don’t ever mention my best friend again while my finger are still deep in you, okay?”

Regina braked out a laughter making Janis giggle before pulling out.

“Okay come on let’s check up on the oh so traumatized patient.”

I hope you like it :3

[rurikredwolf]

Icicle's Choice:

“Are you seriously going to leave !?” Winter turned to Icicle, barely keeping his voice even. Now that he was alone, all of the hurt and anguish he felt at this betrayal threatened to consume him.

“We’re going to die if we stay,” Icicle responded coldly. “Especially you in your condition.”

“Alright, you know what, you’re right,” Winter flapped his wings in frustration. He immediately regretted it. “You’re absolutely right. There’s almost no chance that any of our letters will bear any fruit until we’re lying in the sand breathing our last breath. But you know what’s worse? Abandoning civilians to be butchered or worse by some of the evilest dragons I’ve ever met.”

“We can’t win, so what’s the point?” Icicle spat. “That group will live. That’s fine enough for me. I’ll never understand why you can’t take that victory.”

Now Winter understood what this was all about. It was the one thing he never could drill into her head. His face relaxed slightly.

“Icicle, do you really think this is about winning ?” Winter scoffed. “There is no winning here! We lost! Possibility is gone, and even if we miraculously survive this, Sanctuary is on its own again. These dragons lost their home, and guess what, chances are they’ll head to Sanctuary after seeing us here. Then we have a food crisis and no place to put these refugees. But if we can get them prepared to cross the sands to Thorn’s place, hey, that’s fine with me. We’re probably not going to save all of them. Moons , we’re probably going to be able to send one more group before it all comes crashing down. But it’s the best I can do, so I’m doing it.”

Winter paused, catching his breath. Icicle simply stared at him with an emotionless expression. Yet, something in her eyes shifted. There was a spark that wasn’t there before.

“You’re right about me.” Winter shook his head. “I’m a failure to Icewing nobility. I’m a failure to our family. But you know what? I don’t care anymore. I care about the things I can fix, not the things that I can’t. So if me thrashing on the ground as I die saves one life, that’s okay with me. I’m not afraid of dying, Icicle, I never have been. I’m afraid of everything I hold dear dying with me. I’ll share with you a quote I heard: ‘Doing good is not about recognition or fame. It is standing up for your beliefs, without witness or reward.”

Winter gave her a moment to reflect on his words. She shifted, unable to meet his gaze. His tirade was getting through to her, he could see it. The mask was peeling off. The sister he knew was locked up deep inside was breaking free.

“So I ask you, again, what are you willing to die for?” Winter locked his eyes with her, staring her down. “If not this, then what? Where will you go? You’ll be labeled a coward for leaving. You’ll never be welcomed back, and the guilt I know you’re feeling will eat you alive. You won’t live, not if you run now.”

-Anywhere, Chapter 18. Link here: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2854606

[lordkingsmith]

Heads up seven up

I got tagged by three people over the last few months but I’ll start with @skyland2703 thank you 😁😁

Post the last seven lines you’ve written and then tag seven more people. Let’s gooo~ it’s a power rangers and just dance crossover.

The Blue grimaced as Jack brokenly laughed, sitting up and falling back down with a higher pitched keening whine. “More or less” the Blue said. “It’s a little like…a sister to the Grid.” Which piqued Billy’s interest, but he figured he could ask about that once the young man on his floor was taken care of. It made sense, the grid was one step off from the internet, which had its own kingdoms and denizens. So this was…well. It made sense, though raised its own questions.

“Hey Jack can you stand up?” Minh asked, drawing Billy out of his thoughts. She pulled the red head to his feet, and while his swayed he managed to stay upright. Billy turned back to the ranger team.

“Why are you here?” Billy asked finally. “What’s going on?”

“My mother is evil and turned my friends evil.” Jack cut in, simple and matter of fact. “And then when I tried to go help them she put me in her prison because I continued resisting her influence.” Billy flinched as Minh’s face went from confused to horrified at the implication. “They helped break me out.”

“Oh we didn’t do too much” said the pink with a modest little laugh. “The performers who escaped before gave us the blueprints, and there was still some damage from when they blew the prison up. Wes visited us a few years back, but we couldn’t use the dimension thing he gave us.”

“We had to get Cygnus to mess with it.” Said the red, sourly. “The only inventor who can fix something ranger related to be on our frequency and it’s-”

“I’m going to be sick” Jack groaned, and Minh grabbed the room’s wastebasket to hand it to him. Billy rubbed his face as the young man proceeded to be sick.

“Did you bring him here to be safe and regain his strength to try to take on his mother and friends again…later?” He asked. The four nodded. “We can’t use Flow in the real world. Not unless we’re morphed. Even if his friends came here, only Wanderlust could even do anything.” Said the Blue. “Being a demigod.” Billy nodded slowly. Now things were making more sense.

“I can make sure your morphers work out here, if you’d let me tinker with them while you’re all here.” He offered. “This is fascinating, and I’m always willing to help a fellow ranger in need.” The four looked at each other before nodding.

“We can spare a few days, and then we’re going to leave. We need to make sure to lead the Just Dancers far away from Jack’s area.”

“How’s he going to get back in, then?”

“Cygnus made me a copy of the tech” Jack croaked. “So unless I’m dragged back in, I’ll use that. It’s only got one use, unfortunately.”

Billy nodded slowly, sighing through his nose. Looking at him, he didn’t look good. Exhausted, the pale skin making every single bruise and scrape stand out. The prison break probably hadn’t happened too long before they’d showed up. Jack looked pushed to his limit, frayed around the edges. Bedraggled, tired, afraid.

“Minh, can you show Jack the guest bedroom?” Billy asked finally. “I need to call Zack.” He looked over at the four rangers who’d rescued the kid and sighed again. “And set up the living room for you four.”

“We can help!” The pink chirped. “Just give us pillows and blankets, we’ll go from there.” Billy hesitated. She smiled at him. “Yes we sleep, it’s fine. The game is just a connection point to the danciverses. We can sleep, eat, get hurt. We don’t want to be more of a problem than we already made ourselves.” Billy nodded numbly as he stared are the four.

“I take it you’ve left your uh. Danciverse. Before?”

A long hesitation. “We…think so?” Said the fellow Blue hesitantly. “Kind of hard to remember the details. We remember uh. Leaving. And then waking up in our rooms. So you know, we kind of assume we got memory beamed.”

Billy nodded. “If you remember what team you got pulled out by to help, I’ll call them.” He gestured. “Did the grid send you here? After all none of you seem even mildly surprised or confused as to whether or not you’re in the house of fellow rangers?”

The red grinned, cock sure and chest puffed. “Yea. We trusted the Grid and we got led here.” He deflated a little. “Sorry if we scared you, things are dire.”

And I tag; @ajgrey9647 @augment-techs @shepardsherd @regaliasonata @thebejeweledwatercat and anyone else who’d find it fun and want to :)

[arxxq]

"TREAT MY DAUGHTER/SON LIKE THE PRINCE/PRINCESS THEY ARE.." ♡

"I'm way ahead of that sir...I've already treated more than that"

≡;- ꒰ Where Mikage Reo meets his lover's family lovely family꒱

ׂׂૢWhat could go wrong right? [PURE FLUFF] [WRITING ON MY TABLET] [MISTAKES WILL BE FIXED LATER ON] [IF I ACCIDENTALLY DID SMTH WRONG WITH THE PRONOUNCE I APOLOGISE]

A/N: its been a while, sorry its just my pre exam or smth has been bothering me but I'm doing good so far, I hope you enjoy this :) I'm sorry if its bad I'm getting rusty

Mikage Reo, a rich boy who loved you so much. He loved you alot because well you never saw him for his money but you loved him for who he is. The boy loves you so much that sometimes he wish he didn't have to leave your side. He loved how you supported him for every decision he makes and that includes his dream in football.

You see you loved him too, yes you absolutely did but there was a slight problem. Although you have been in a relationship with him for so long now...you never told your parents nor anyone in the family and well you never told him how well known you were actually. But you're glad that Reo never cared of so.

Now back to original topic, you absolutely avoid talking about relationships with your parents. Why you ask? Well your parents are okay their absolutely the best but your father, he well isn't the best to talk to when it comes to romantic situations. After all your mother and him fell in love due to an arranged marriage.

Your father is also quite over protective of you. You don't mind but it can be a bit embarrassing from time to time. He still sees you as the princess/prince he raised from when you are little.

Your mother meanwhile, she's great to talk to about these but you know she won't be able to keep it in from the family, she would most likely be the one to tell everyone and your father would look at you dead in the eye.

Your brother? Nah he is not the best person to tell it too, man you would probably die from his teasings and you will never get the end of it. Lastly your sister. No absolutely not. That sounds like an even worser nightmare. Your sister is just as overprotective as your father and knowing her she'd probably some sort of loyalty test by trying flirt.

So yes, no one in the household was there for you to tell this too...well maybe there was. Your personal maid. She was the person you told everything and she even suggested you that you should probably just ask them and well you were quite hesitant but you did it. It went sort of like...

[FLASHBACK]

Everyone were just eating on the dinner table as normal and well it was very very awkward. There was nothing but silence and well you were intimidated and you were thinking to tell it another day until your maid interrupted.

"Uhm madam I'm sorry to interrupt but I think your son/daughter has something to tell you all," everyone looked at you now and you were starting to get anxious since your brother was smirking, your father and sister had a confused face and your mother looked well delighted as always.

"Really..Why didn't you say that earlier honey?" Your mom asked and you sighed. "Sorry mother..but I'll just get to the point," you apologised. You are completely frightened but you knew you can't keep it for too long. "I'm in a relationship with someone and I'd like you all to meet him.."

The sound of your mother's fork dropped and the way you can feel your father and sister's eyes practically piercing into you soul. Your brother meanwhile kept cooing "oooo"

"Sure love we'd love to see him right (d/n).." now there's a thing about your mother, she may seem sweet but everyone has a dark side and currently your mother was giving the face that says "you better say yes"

Your father sighs in defeat. "Fine..we'd love to meet him at 7.00pm sharp tomorrow right in the living room,"

Based on his tone it was not going to go well.

[BACK TO THE PRESENT]

You were now pacing back and forth in the kitchen of your house that is until you heard the doorbell. You wonder who it could be afterall it is still 6.30pm in the evening and Reo wasn't supposed to be here till 7.

You opened the door and it was none other than your beloved. "Reo...you're early," you were mesmerised, you told him he didn't have to wear such formal attire but he did and he looked absolutely beautiful. Reo chuckled. "You like what you see love?"

"Like it? No I love it dear, I'm so glad you're here," "well I knew you would like it if I came early than told..heh,"

So for the whole 30 minutes you and reo managed to spend it together alone. It was now 7.00, your mother entered the house along with your father and your mother was absolutely surprised.

"My my you must be our prince(ss) lover, you came very early early than told I'm sorry if we kept you waiting !"

《TIMESKIP》

Sadly your brother couldn't make it so it was just you, your sister, your father and mother. While you can't help but notice that your mom had already loved reo so much so you weren't worried about her but your sister and father it wasn't going to well.

"Mikage reo..as in the heir of the mikage corporation?" Your sister added on. Reo looked at her and smiled. "Yes ma'am,"

Your father than joined the conversation. "That doesn't but what matters is that is that have you treat my daughter/son like the Prince/Princess they are?"

This question stunned everyone in the dinner table but reo seem unfazed by it an laughed and you were really scared. "Are you mocking me young sir?"

"No no not at all, with all due respect sir I have never treated them in that way," your father was about to burst out but reo continued. "Wait before you get mad you should let me finish, that's quite impolite you know.."

"I've never had the need to treat them like you say so because..."

"I've already treated them like a Queen/King they deserved to be."

You were absolutely shocked with his response and you weren't the only one. Your father looked speechless along with your mother and sister.

"I had doubts but I guess I was wrong...what do you think father...do you accept it?" Your sister questioned. You held in a breathe very afraid. "I approved of this relationship...from now own I trust that you will treat her right like no man will ever do so, not even me her own father could do so.."

And you burst into joy while embracing reo in a hug full of joy and relieve. "See I told you didn't I..I goy it all under control" he whispered..softly.

This was one of the happiest moment's of your life especially since it was with the love of your life.

Reblogs are highly appreciated

Do not plagiarise any of my works without permission

All works of Arxx/Hasinah

[kolour-me-kourt]

Chapter Seventeen: It’s 10:10 where you been?

They had finally made it to the point where Jayson didn't want her around anybody else . Everytime she was about to go out with friends he had something planned. She finally started getting frustrated. She planned a phone call so she was waiting for him to call and finally he did.

"Hey sexy how you doing?" She asked him smiling "I'm good I'm just tired bout to get in this ice bath" "I wanna do one with you next time" "that'll be fun can't wait to see you do that" "I'll be a thug" he slides into the water  "I bet but um what you wanted to talk about?" "I'm going out tonight with my friends" "oh okay I was hoping we could watch movies tonight" "bae this kinda what I needed to talk about I need some time with other people too ... okay? I still love you but" "you need some space?" he seemed sad she felt bad "I don't like how that sounds" "that's what you saying though?" "I like the texting and calling and finding movies to watch together but when I wanna step out I want your blessing to do it I don't wanna go out with my friends and then all I can think about is hurting your feelings " "ok I get that...just cause I like being in the house don't mean you should have to be glued to your bed when I'm not there ...I get it" "you promise?" "yes...so who you going out with? "a few of the girls" "going out to eat?" "yeah food and drinks..." "you know the restaurant?" "No why bae" "Im just asking...you'll be out late?" "possibly" He didn't like the way she was answering. She was being to vague and it pissed him off. "ight I'll hit you later" he hangs up "Uhhhhh no he didn't" yn stood there confused before she could call back her friend was calling.

Hiiii yn

hey boo

Im hype for tonight ...but what's wrong with you?

nothing just me and Jay...nothing

hmmm well fix that and ill see you later right?

yes I've been looking forward to this night

oh yeah so since we all gon be drinking can we just meet at your place and uber to the restaurant from your house

yeah ...do y'all wanna spend the night too? just leave tomorrow so everyone is safe

My man will probably pick me up unless y'all want a sleep over

I don't care just um ask everyone else....either way its fine

okay well ima let you go so you can get hype cause you not hype right now

yn slightly laughs my bad by the time yall get here Ill be ready.... I promise

mhm see you soon

see ya

                      call ended

Do I call Jayson back? or just wait.... yn thinks that was so strange for him to do and this was entering into toxic territory. She decided to put her phone on dnd and take a shower blasting her music and letting her phone charge. Once she got out of the shower she grabbed her phone taking it off of do not disturb and reading the notifications 5 missed calls two from her mama three from Jayson and several text messages after calling her mama back she read the group chat messages first the girls are on their way...that was ten minutes ago so that leaves her twenty. That's the good thing about meeting at her place she didn't have to be ready. When she went to Jayson message she got teary eyed so she decided to call back he answered on the first ring.

"I love you and im sorry that was so fuckin stupid" yn tears began to fall "Jay you make me not wanna go out" "I want you to go out I like when you to have fun...I just enjoy it more when Im with you or I get to come pick you up...or Im in the bed waiting for you that's all." "so fly down here...meet me in my bedroom so when I get back...I'll have something to look forward too" "bae..I can't just fly down there in two hours" "yes you can You're Jayson Tatum you can do anything baby....get yourself down here to me...and I'll show you how grateful I am" "... I can't do that tonight Bae .... But please go out and have fun" "okay I will" "let me know what you wearing" "you just wanna see?" "Yeah talk me through it while I'm in this Ice bath" she smiled going to her closet to pull out options.

"Soooo I have these black distressed jeans from fashion Nova .... Then I have this shirt to go with it..... but I didn't know if I wanted to dress up a little more so I also have this dress .... Or this shirt and skirt" "all those are fly bae idk... what everybody else wearing you don't wanna be under dressed compared to your friends" "you right im gonna wait until they get here to decide" YN sits back down staring at him slightly shiver it made her smile. "Wish I was in there with you.... Trying my hardest to warm you up" she smiled

"you so sexy..." "I'm not trying to be.... I just miss my man" "your man misses you too.... Don't get it confused" YN hears her doorbell so gets up going to the door. "When am I gonna see you next?" She opens the door letting her friends in "heyyyy girls" Asia and May come in "heyyy ... where your clothes" " on the bed ... im on the phone with Jay" "hey ladies!!" He says waving so YN let's them see the phone "heyyyy Jayson what you doing there?" May asks laughing making him shake his head

"my ice bath" "oh okay nice" "I was trying to see what y'all were wearing before I chose .... But it's on the bed" they take their shoes off going back to her room. "I like the jeans..." may said "I like the shirt you put with the skirt .... But I like it with the jeans" Asia says "that's fine can you find me some comfortable shoes too..." "yes you wearing heels though"

"Ima let you go bae... everybody be safe and I love you" Jayson says YN pouts "I love you too" "why you making that face" "I really really really miss you" "make sure she drink and have fun tonight ladies!!" "Oh trust me we will" "send me your outfit with the shoes I wanna see it on your body" "okay baby " "I'll see you later...bye" "byeee" she hangs up smiling

"Where's Trin?" "On the way she should be here in like five minutes" "okay and are y'all staying?" "Yes both of us" "okay go get your stuff then and y'all can sleep in the other room together"  as they head back to the living room for them to grab their stuff. Trin is at the door so they let her in. "I have a blow up mattress if you wanna spend the night" "yes I'll spend the night no point In making my man drive all the way over here" "okay bet we can do that when we get back so that it doesn't deflate" "okay .... Ima get the shots going" "okay let me go change real quick y'all can go ahead to the kitchen"

YN goes to her changing into her jeans and t shirt grabbing her heels and purse. Bringing it all down stairs. "You two shots behind" Trin says smiling. "Okayyy... pour me up" YN laugh taking her first shot and then the next.

"You feeling better?" "Yes me and him was beefing before my shower" "about what" "I don't wanna talk about it yall let's just go have fun" "who calling the Uber?" Asia asks "got you" may says "everybody spending the night?" "Yupp" "oooou okay let's go have fun" "the Uber only five minutes away.

"Everybody take two more shots" "lord" YN laughed they take their two shots and YN heads to the door to put her shoes on because she had to lace them up. "Uber arriving In two minutes.... Everybody got everything?" "Yesss let's stand outside everybody walks out YN sets her alarm and locks the door. Walking with her friends to the Uber.

"I forgot to take my full body picture for my baby" YN pouted "he checks your outfits?" Asia asked "he likes to see what I have on he likes the way I dress" YN smiled "nasty ass" trin said laughing "anyway somebody take my picture in front of the restaurant please."

"How is your night sir?" Trin asked the Uber driver "good real nice night" YN giggled "yeah she's drunk already" "it was four shots back to back and I can't name one thing I ate today" "bitch you knew we were going out why you ain't eat" "I said I can't name what I ate that don't mean I didn't eat" "you so damn annoying ..." "likewise" they arrive to the restaurant. "Take my pictures Asia please?" She laughed " yeh I got you" "ima check the reservation" trin says "okay I'll go with you" May says

YN poses for her pictures as Asia takes them sending them straight to Jayson.

"Okay your man texting" "thanks Asiaaaaaaaa....he so damn sexy look at how he hypes me" "you do look good friend.... Let's go"

When you get them shoes? You look so pretty baby

I got these a lil while ago Just never wore them

Well have fun tonight .... I'll talk to you when you get in

Okay baby I love youuuuu

I love youuuu

YN and Asia walked into the restaurant and then they were seated. "Can I start you guys off with any drinks?" "Lemon drops all around please" "drink or shot" "one of each "okay great I'll get that in for you guys.

           * time skip*

"Damn how long we been waiting for the checks?" May asked YN laughed at least 10 minutes the waitress walks back by "excuse me" "yes?" "Yeah we were asking about our checks" "oh sorry your bill was paid I can bring you a receipt" "everybody bill? Or just hers?" Asia asked "everyone's bill it was all on one ticket" "did you get a tip too?" "Yupp" "oh great okay then yeah a receipt would be great" "alright I'll be right back" "who Tf paid for us?" Trin asked "idk but call that Uber so we can get tf out before they realize" YN laughed soon the waitress brought the receipt back out and they all got up heading outside and soon the Uber was there.

Heading homeeee with the girls

Okay be safe

Always daddy💕💦

Mmmmm you gon show me later

You asking?

Did you see a question mark?

😂😂😂 no

Exactly stop playing with me

I don't know who you think you talking to but this is your girlfriend

Nah

.... This my wife

😂😂👀 wait until I get alone ... you can see whatever you wanna see.

Oh wow.... You like that huh?

Stop playing with meeeeeee

After getting out of the Uber. "Who's car is that YN?" "I can't see that far tbh" YN laugh unlocked the door and turning the alarm off. "Im gonna go change and then I'll meet y'all back down here. "Everybody take fifteen minutes" "okayyyy" YN walked to her room and screamed

"baby!!!!!" "Mmmm hey sexy" Jayson picks her up "you made it" he kissed her lips slowly "I did... and you're not alone" "it doesn't matter" "it does though" "why?" "I'm not fuckin you when you got people in the house" "my friends don't care I promise .... I can suck your dick in front of them and they wouldn't care" "oooou let's do that" she rolled her eyes "that was just an example don't play" "you don't wanna share me?" "Never" "let me go say hey to your people"

"Wait they getting theirselves together I gotta make sure everybody decent before you go down there" "y'all just be walking around naked?" "Hate to kill your fantasy but no😂😂" "no fantasy .... I only think about you. In fact I was thinking about what was gonna happen when you saw me here..... but we can just chill tonight I did miss you" "bae we're having sex tonight .... And I mean that" she smiled "only if you sure nobody will be mad" "first of all it's my house secondly they're gonna know you're here .... And when is the next time I'm gonna see my baby? And have time to get some? They care about me they know I need this" he laughed

"you need me?" "Mhm but since I love them so much I'm not on my knees yet" "when you tell everybody you was coming back down?" "Trin said everybody come in like 15 minutes it's already been like 8 tho" "that gives me time.... Let me eat it real quick ... so I know you'll still want me later" YN didn't hesitate she removed her jeans getting on the bed "I missed you baby" YN says looking up into his eyes he pulls her body closer kissing her lips and sliding a finger inside of her.

"You stay wet for me" he kisses down her body as she gets excited to feel his lips and tongue ... he kisses her thighs she whined causing him to smirk. "Baby?" "Hmm?" "Can you eat my pussy... please?" "Of course baby girl" and with that she felt his tongue lick in between her folds still not focusing on her clit but at this moment it was okay cause it still felt good he glanced at her and then placed her clit in his mouth sucking softly.  "Ahhhh" her hips started to move up and down as she began to lose her breath.

"Mmmmmmmm" he moaned against her really causing her to shake. "Oh Jay.... Feels so good" she says softly "you wanna cum for me? Or you wanna see your friends?" "I wanna cummmm" her breath was heavy she was so close he smiled

Let's get real for a second Jayson has no intentions on sharing YN with anyone right now maybe ever.... If his tongue and lips are what's gonna get her to stay in her bedroom then that's what he'll use. "Ride my face bae" he lays on his back she hovers over his face and he pulls her closer "ahhh" "I don't know why you like to play ... suffocate me" her hips begin to rotate against his face the closer she got the harder it was for her to stay on his face

"wait Bae....." his fingers slide inside of her. "Oh gosh oh goshhhhh" "YN YOU READY?" ".....ONE SEC GUYS" "don't stop baby pleaseeee" her legs began to shake around his head "Jayson yes yes yesssss oh baby I'm cumming" she whined softly releasing on his face she heard him slurping her juices up.

"Jay please please pleaseeee" he let go of her and she slowly slides off his face down his chest and to his waist "torture" he groaned she kissed his lips "bae I loved this surprise but I have to make sure every one is good ... come say hey and then you can come back up here" "my dick is hard" "I'll ride it later .... I promise" he laughed slightly "give me a second go head down" "okay Bae"

She gets up grabing her pajama shorts going down stairs she left the door slightly open. "What took you so long?" May asked "well ... Jayson came and surprised me ... he's upstairs" "oh he not gon come say hey?" Asia asked "he is ... soon" "well shit I guess we can all just go to sleep" trin says "why? I'll stay out here with y'all" Jayson comes downstairs smiling bright his basketball shorts lowkey revealing all that belong to YN she bits her lip standing in from of him. He instantly wraps his arms around her,

"Hey ladies sorry to intrude I didn't know you were spending the night" "have you met everybody?"YN asked looking up "Umm no" he laughed YN shook her head "Trin, Asia, and May" "hey I'm Jayson"

"Treating our girl right?" Trin asked "you gotta ask her that I think I'm doing a pretty good job" he kissed the top of YN head making her smile "he ight" he slaps her ass "ima let y'all chill I'll be upstairs... pleasure to met you all " Jayson says walking off "she'll be up soon too Jayson" trin says

"Are you sure?" "You never get to see him ... go enjoy your man" "thanks girls... I'll keep it down... or try too" YN laughed loudly "we got headphones shit" trin says YN gives them a hug while laughing "see y'all in the morning" they all say bye as YN walks back to her room.

"Damn that was quick" he was laying in bed on his phone he glanced up when she walked in "they said I should enjoy you being here.... And I agree" "I ever told you I love your friends?" She laughed "I'll make sure they know" "come here" she walks over to him slowly. "Right here?" He pats his lap "nah .... Up here .... Trying to see something" she smiles straddling him "I do wanna thank you for coming Fr.... I know you had to go out of your way and you'll probably have to leave hella early" "nah you got me..... don't worry about me leaving" she bits her lip "hard not too" "hmmm... come back wit me then it's Friday night" he kissed her lips softly grabbing her ass squeezing.

"For how long?" "Sunday night ... I know you gotta work Monday" she smirked "convince me🫣😉" next thing she knew she was on her back pinned down. "You talk all that shit over the phone... you forget it's different when I'm here" "maybe I want this reaction" "one of these days you're not gonna get it" he slides inside of her making her gasp he doesn't move  "why not?" "Why would you?" He laughed moving his hips slightly  "fuck" she says softly "nah you gon have to make some noise for me...." she laughed slightly

"Jayson please" "please what?" He kissed her lips "go slow I'm tipsy" "you wanna stop?" "Did I say that?" She smirked "YN what did I ask you" she rolled her eyes he stops "I don't want you to stop Jayson" she whined "you really a big ass brat" she kisses his lips as he pulls out "Jay—" "shhh I got you" he slides back in deeply going slow she closed her eyes "that feel good?" She opened her mouth but couldn't say much "hmm?" He asks "-Y—e-ssss"it came out broken but he liked when she couldn't speak.

His thrust were slow and deep as he continued to kiss her. The kissing was just as intense as his hips moving she moved her legs to wrap around his waist but they were already shaking. "Fuck" he groaned in her ear. "Baby?" She asked he bit his lip focusing on anything but her soft moans and how good she felt but naturally his hips started to go faster "Jaysonnn—- fuck" his hand began to rub her clit because he knew he wasn't gonna last much longer "hmm? What you want?" "Don't cum yet" he took a deep breath pulling out his face was quickly in between Her thighs eating her out again

"ahhhuuhghgh" she moaned loudly slapping her hand across her mouth his big hands grabbed her boobs stimulating her nipples. "Hold and spread your legs" slowly but surely she lifted her legs spreading them she watched  as his tongue placed patterns all over her clit. "Yesss baby yess"

He hummed bringing her closer to his face. Two fingers slipped inside her massaging her g spot as his thumb rubbed her clit. He kissed up her body to her lips "cum for me likes this okay?" "Yesss yesss" "I want you to squirt all over this fuckin bed you hear me? Cum for me" "ahh!!" "YN do what I fuckin said" her body shook as he brought her closer and closer and closer and then she lost it completely.

A shaking moaning mess  he kisses her sliding back inside he places his hands on the backs of her thighs so that her legs can stay up and pinned to the bed. "This dick is so good.... It's deep" "yeah? I'm deep" "so deep baby" "you can feel it?" "Yesss daddy I feel it" "ooou where you feel it?" "In my stomach fuck....don't stop" he was hoping that orgasm was gonna keep her at bay but ... he was wrong she needed more she wanted more.

"I can feel you... squeezing me ... you holding it" "I don't want you to stop and you keep trying to" "why you don't wanna stop" he slows down "Jayson please" "I'm asking" "it's feels good I ju—-ughhhh fuck oh fuck oh fuckkkkkkkkkkkk yessssss right there right there" " don't hold nothin unless I tell you to ... do you hear me?" "Fuckkkk" he feels her relax and immediately after her juices start to flow out of her. Then he pulls out flipping her over and pulling her hips to him teasing her a little bit and then sliding back inside her.

"Yes yes yessss" "still deep?" "Yesss Jayson so fuckin ughhhhh" "your arch is amazing don't lose it" "oh fuckkkk" "bounce that ass on me" he pauses his movements so she could do exactly what he said "look at me when you do that shit" she glanced back and as soon as she did he grabbed her hips fucking her again. She burried her face back into the mattress. "Uh uh... gimmie that pussy baby" he pulls her hair "fuckkkk Jayson I'm about to—-" "you can't beg for me to stay in you if you don't know how to take my dick..... take it" he spanks her ass making her lose it completely.

She slides his dick out of her turning around to suck him. "You want me to cum?" "Mhmm daddy I want you to cum in my mouth" he grabs her hair as she continued to suck him slowly while stroking. "Look at me baby" he said softly his voice sounding horse from all the groaning. She continued to moan as he finally released in her mouth he held her head until he was finished. She slowly removed her mouth swallowing. She sits looks up at him. "I'm ready for bed" he shook his head kissing her forehead. "Let's go to sleep then. "Turn that fan on please" she says and then rolls to the side of the bed she usually lets him sleep on.

"What you doing?" "I figured you would wanna sleep in the wet spot cause I don't" "you made it wet you sleep in it" "no" she smiled Jayson walks over picking her up placing her on the floor and then getting in the bed. "Lay on top of me then" "to sleep?" "Yeah... come here" "I don't wanna crush your little frame" "stop playing with me" "just sleep bae" "tell yourself that ... cause I know that" YN gets on top of him pulling the cover over both of them. "I could've just changed the sheets and comforter" "I think you got the mattress wet" "I didn't though" "mmm okay" "sucker" he grabbed her face kissing her slowly "goodnight big head I love you" " I love you too"

      *the next Morning*

YN felt guilty for leaving her friends so she got up early fixing everyone breakfast. French toast bacon and hash browns. Trin was the first one up and out then Asia sauntered out eventually May came too.

"Surprised you up and walking around" Trin says "of course y'all heard me dammit" YN laughed "I didn't think you was trying to be quiet" Asia said "it don't matter regardless though" Trin jumps back in "I was ... but y'all know me the sex is actually really good and I'm already extra so you put two and two together" everyone laughed "he had to leave?"

"No he's still upstairs I'm trying to decide if I was going to with him when he leaves today" "I mean when would you come back?" "Sunday night... which seems pointless right?" "Not if he wants you there I feel like if you can you should" Asia says YN bits her lips "I get that too" Jayson comes in on que

"Goodmorning ladies" "Goodmorning Jayson" they say in unison YN laughs while rolling her eyes. he walks over to her kissing her slowly "Goodmorning to you especially" "Goodmorning ... you wanna eat with us?" "Yeah I'll eat with y'all what's going on" "welll I was talking about you" YN smiled "yeah I'll take my breakfast in the living room" he joked sitting down YN brings his plate "nooo I want you here" "so what about me?" "Nothing too bad just im coming with you today" "good"

Everyone continues to eat and talk until one by one the girls left. "You cooked so I'll get the dishes" Jayson looked down at her kissing her forehead "you can just rinse and put them in the dish washer .... I'll go pack" "okay sounds good to me..." "you sure?" She smiled he look like he was pouting "gimmie kiss" she licked her lips slowly. "When you get done" "mmmm no now" she smiled walked over to him kissing his lips quickly.

"That's good?" "One more" She tried to kisses him quickly again but he added tongue so she started kissing back and then he pulled away. "Go get packed" she bit her lip walking away going up the stairs.

One thing she didn't wanna admit to her friends is the perspective she's gained from last night to tonight ....she's noticed that he honestly doesn't wanna share her and it's not just something cute he likes to say. Of course she invited him last night. But he got the plane and made it to her within 3 hours meaning he got his pilot and staff to the jet in a hour.... He was ready for the invite in other words. Did he have them on call? He walks into her closet staring

"do I need anything nice for dinners? Or are we just staying in?" "You should bring a few outfits for dates" "conservative?" "Not too conservative... but maybe one or two we are having dinner with my mom and her boyfriend" "am I invited?" "I just told you what to wear? Is that not obvious" she laughed slightly "I guess I'm just a little confused .... you didn't know I would be there tonight so how are you making plans for me and you ... and other people?" "I was already having dinner with them and now you're coming home so of course you're coming what's wrong?" She walked over to him holding him close "baby I am home" "you know what I'm saying" she walked away sighing "Maybe we need some space?"

[ironwitchau]

The Trials

Ok, I'm tired, so I probably won't be posting this to AO3 until tomorrow or something but tumblr people get a treat. Anyway this connects to chapter 47 of A Hero Forged. The AO3 version will probably be a bit more polished or something. I'm too tired to be doing that right now.

---

“I want to get Amity her job back.” Luz crossed her arms as she glared at Malphas. She had to look serious if she had any hope of this working.

“Ok.” He shrugged.”

“I don't care what you-” she faltered. “What?”

“Amity’s, like, one of my best librarians. I’d love to, like, rehire her.” The bird demon said nonchalantly.

“Then why did you fire her?”

“She needs to know that her actions have consequences.”

“Oh… Then can I have her ID back?”

“No.”

Luz blinked. “But you just said you wanted her back!”

“It must be earned.”

Luz was going to strangle him. She didn't care that he was the head librarian. They could find someone else, but (now that she thought about it) that someone might not rehire Amity.

“Fine,” she huffed, “how do I earn her her job back?”

“Through trials!” The lights in the library flickered dramatically.

“Of course.” Luz groaned. Everything in the Isles was through trials.

“First task, feed the electric bugs. Gary didn't feed them this morning and we can’t have the lights flickering.”

Seems easy enough.

---

Luz yelped and ducked as a book flew at her head. The book had sharp teeth that could easily tear through her. Malphas caught it and held it by the spine as it snapped at her. “These are carnivorous books.” He told her. “They used to be harmless.”

“I think you mean ‘man-eating’ books.” She corrected.

“Only because Alan gave them a taste.”

She couldn't help but gulp.

“Is Alan ok?”

“He’s in the Conformitorium now.”

Was that better or worse? Luz couldn't decide.

“Oh.”

“Your task is to organize them by publication year and Author name.”

“Sounds easy enough.”

“That’s, like, what they all say.”

He began to float away.

“That would have been more ominous without the ‘like’!” She called after him. He let go of the book, which channeled its inner predator and leapt at her. “Weh!”

She lifted her arms up, her suit covering them. The book sank its teeth into it with the strength of a clamp. She barely felt it.

“Oh.” She blinked. “This will be easy.”

---

Luz hummed to herself as she pulled the book off her arm. It took the elbow piece with it but the suit fixed it rather quickly.

“What a unique method.” she turned with a jump.

“Christ, Gary! Give a girl a heart attack, why don't ya?” She put the book on the shelf with some of the jerky Malphas left her.

“Sorry.” The nervous wreck of a witch fiddled with his thumbs.

“It’s cool. You need something?”

“No, Malphas just wanted me to check up on you.”

“Well, I’m doing fine.”

She tore the book from her shoulder, checked the author’s name and put it back. Wrong letter.

“I could help if you wanted.”

She grabbed one from her knee, checked and nodded to herself. There it was.

“Nah, I’m good. I've got a system.”

“You have a dozen or so books biting you.”

Now was the one on her shoulder.

She shrugged, “if it works, it works.”

“Where’s the rest?”

She pointed to the side where Spot was chasing various books.

“It’s a good workout.”

“O-ok.”

“Tell Malphas that he’s got to try better.”

“What?”

“No outside help.” She smirked.

Gary sputtered as Luz ignored him in favor of organization.

---

“Next is like a bit of a pest that the library has had.”

“Did the pixies get in the library too?” She joked. Malphas gave her a blank stare.

“No.” He opened the door to reveal a large mountain of paper. “Do be careful of the fire breath.”

“The what.”

---

Luz had given Spot her jacket after the mention of fire breath. Even if she had the Mark 6, she didn't want to risk it getting ruined in the time it took for her suit to fix itself.

She entered the room alone and wondered where the ‘pest’ was. It could be fire bees, but she couldn't see the nest anywhere. Before she could look around more, the mountain of paper rumbled and began to stand.

It had a long serpentine body that seemed to fill the entire room. It had four horns, two at the top of its likely head and two at the end of its narrow snout. Its face flared out in what could have been whiskers, she wasn't sure. Its legs were rather short when compared to the rest of its body and ended in a five clawed foot. The paper seemed to intertwine with another, creating a scale-like pattern. Over all it reminded Luz of the depictions of eastern dragons.

“Oh, fuck me.” She muttered as the dragon, which took up much of the room, stared down at her with oddly purple eyes.

It opened its mouth, revealing two sets of large, sharp fangs, and roared. Her arms rushed up as the nano-machines formed a large shield between them to block the fire that spewed from its maw. She was so fucked.

She lowered her shield when the fire finally stopped. She smiled nervously, “You wouldn't happen to be like Toothless, would you?”

It jolted forward in an attempt to bite her in two. Luz leapt back, her armor forming, the propulsion system finishing first to give her an extra boost.

“I’ll take that as a no!”

The dragon hissed at her as she regained her barings.

“I’ll add fighting a dragon to the list.” T.I.T.A.N. laughed.

“What list? And is now really the time?” She fired a repulsor beam at the dragon’s side.

“The ‘Hero Cliche’ list.”

The dragon didn't even seem bothered by the beam. It didn't even singe the paper. The dragon whirled around so fast Luz couldn't react in time. Within seconds the tail crashed into her midsection and she was being embedded into the wall.

She groaned as her back was lit on fire. It felt worse than that time Belos slammed her into a statue. “Ow.”

“A healing glyph has been formed on the left shoulder.”

“Thanks, T.I.T.A.N.” She pushed herself out of the wall. She pressed the glyph and was met with a wave of energy. “That’s better. Now, let’s fight fire with fire.”

She brought her hands together and the nanites shifted to form a large fire glyph in the palms.

Simultaneously, the dragon opened its mouth, embers building in the back of the throat.

“Fuck you, Oragami!” She screamed as a steady stream of fire flowed from her hands. The dragon met it with fire of its own. She could feel the heat start to permeate the suit and warm her palms.

Neither seemed to want to give up, creating a battle of wills. She refused to close, more glyphs formed. A half fire glyph formed between her fingers so that when she brought them together she had four additional glyphs, two on each hand. Another one formed on the leftover space on her palm.

They activated and it seemed Luz’s fire was beginning to win. She grinned. She didn't care if her hands were uncomfortably warm.

She overpowered it and her fire forced its way down the dragon’s throat. It coughed violently as she finally deactivated her glyphs.

She took this chance to land and pressed her palms onto the ground. Nanites rushed to the floor, spreading out. A circle surrounded the creature, lines began to form under it.

“Time for you to chill out.” She smirked as the ice glyph activated. A giant glacier encased it and Luz let out a sigh of relief as it froze.

She let her suit fall away. “That ought to have done it.”

God, she could use coffee at that point. Malphas first, then Amity, then she could go get coffee. That should have taken care of the ‘pest’ problem.

She didn't notice how the ice began to crack until it was too late. The glacier shattered into a million tiny pieces as the dragon released a mighty roar. Blunt and sharp bits of ice peppered her skin. “Shit!”

The Mark 6 reformed as quickly as she could get it. Something in her buzzed. She was tired and more than a little annoyed at this point.

She dodged another bout of fire as the annoyance turned to anger. That buzz, which was close to a bee, grew into a rapid stream. Her eyes burned as the dragon tried to impale her with its horns.

“Leave me alone!” She screamed. It was like the nanites had a mind of their own as they formed some new glyph. She didn't get a chance to look at it but it glowed blue, not unlike the ice glyph.

Water crashed down onto the dragon, soaking it. Any fire it had left died as the once white paper took a more gray color. It whimpered.

The anger faded and she blinked. “What in the…”

“I see you, like, tamed the paper dragon.” Malphas said behind her.

Had she? And what was that glyph? “Huh.”

[poolsidepanic]

Blondies, Brownies, and Kitchen Catastrophes

4,595 words | read on AO3: here

Chrissy Cunningham/Heather Holloway | Fluff | Humour | Baking | Chrissy Cunningham is a Sweetheart | and lots of little background details :)

.

Chrissy has flour all down the front of her jumpsuit, across the kitchen counter and in her bangs when she finally decides to call in reinforcements. 

She should have relented earlier, but she had been determined that she would make this work. How hard could it be to bake some brownies, after all? It’s supposed to be simple; mix the ingredients, all into one tin, then cut into slices. Turns out, Chrissy is really not made for baking.

The phone is only ringing for a few seconds before it’s answered.

“Steve?” Chrissy asks, eyeing the state of the kitchen behind her. “I need help.”

“What? Is everything okay? Are you alright? Do I need to bring the bat? Because I can bring the bat—”

“No! It’s nothing like that, I promise. I just…”

She sighs, letting her head thump back against the wall as embarrassment flushes her cheeks. It feels ridiculous to admit now, in the face of everything they’ve all survived, that Chrissy Cunningham has been defeated by brownie batter.

“I’m trying to bake and it’s going really badly, and I could use some help. Please?”

“Oh,” Steve says, and Chrissy can hear the sigh of relief. “Yeah, sure. I’ll be over soon, Carol and Tommy are here but they won’t miss me for a few hours. I’m pretty sure Tommy’s passed out in my bed after challenging Billy at basketball when the kids were around and Carol is either sunbathing or plotting the downfall of man.”

“Probably the latter,” Chrissy says with a smile, thankful that Steve’s happy just to move on from the fact that Chrissy called him for something so silly. “See you soon?”

“Yep!” Steve affirms and then hangs up.

A smile works its way onto Chrissy’s face. They can definitely fix her mess of an attempt, this is all going to be fine. After all, two heads are better than one.

—

“How did it get worse?” Chrissy frowns, looking down at the grainy mess constituting their batter.

Steve has been at her house for forty-seven minutes and the kitchen is in more of a state than before. The chocolate they managed to get into the pan is burnt, the rest is scattered in unevenly-cut chunks across the tabletop, and there is a concerningly misplaced knife from the chopping board. 

“You were supposed to help me, Steve,” she whines, looking over at him pathetically as he tries to get the sugar and egg out from where it’s stuck between his fingers.

“Yeah, well, I don’t know how to make food.”

“You worked at an ice cream place the summer before last!”

That makes Steve’s head jerk up to look at her, a baffled expression firmly in place. 

“I didn’t make the stuff, Chris! I just scooped it” he tells her, before miming a scooping motion with one hand. “With my scooper. And do you even know how many cones I snapped? The floor behind the counter crunched when you walked.”

“Okay, but what about when your parents go off on business trips? You have to cook for yourself, right? You must be at least a little better than me.”

Despite waitressing the last few summers, Chrissy hasn’t really done much cooking up until this point in time. Anyone should be a better cook than her—or baker, in this instance—especially someone who has definitely had to cook for themselves in the past. Her whole hopes of baking something actually decent hinged on this hope. Yet here Steve stands, crushing all her poor little baking dreams by somehow managing to be worse than her, who has never done any of this stuff before.

“I’m the king of chicken nuggets and fries– or just potato chips, sometimes.”

“How are you alive?” she sighs, defeated. “That’s almost worse than Eddie.”

“Hey! No, that’s unfair; I’ve seen what that guy considers a meal. At least I can make nuggets, and pasta sometimes. I’ve seen him just eat sticks of raw spaghetti and— Wait— Hey, where are you going?”

Chrissy looks back over her shoulder from where she has started making her way over to the phone once again. The expression on Steve’s face is betrayed, but at this point they’re left with no choice. If the two of them plus a written down recipe isn’t enough to manage to make the damn brownies, maybe a third person can do it better.

“To call someone else.”

—

Billy’s “Hey, pretty boy” is met by a groan of despair from Steve as Chrissy leads him from the front door into the kitchen.

“Play nice,” Chrissy warns, a teasing smirk on her face.

“I could have played nice with anyone else, Billy’s just going to be a dick.”

When Steve’s face flushes bright red, she looks over her shoulder to see the other waggling his eyebrows. She’s not sure she wants to know what that means.

“No foreplay in my kitchen,” she warns, making Billy cackle and Steve splutter out a choking sound. “Or dying, Steve,” she adds on as his choking turns into a hacking cough. “I want to get these brownies done so I can give them to Heather when she gets home and you’re supposed to be helping me.”

“I’m not sure he’s been helping as much as sabotaging,” Billy grins, looking over the state of the kitchen.

Steve just flips him off, still doubled over and gasping. Neither of them pay him any mind. Instead, Billy turns back to Chrissy, face saying exactly how much of a waste of time he thinks this all to be.

“Why are we even making brownies for Heather?” 

“Because,” Chrissy explains, trying in vain to sweep a clear spot onto the messy countertop for Billy to work at, “she made me blondies a few days ago, and it’s the sweetest thing that’s ever happened to me.” 

Steve finally seems to have stopped trying his best to asphyxiate in the middle of Chrissy’s tiny kitchen space. He glances up at Chrissy—and technically also Billy since the taller blonde has settled himself in to lean against the now somewhat-clear counter space—with a thoughtful frown on his face.

“Wait— did she make you blondies because you’re blonde or is that a coincidence?” 

Billy makes a face like that is the stupidest thing he’s ever heard. Which, when said like that, it does sound like a bit of a leap in logic. In Steve’s defence, though, he is actually entirely correct.

“She made me blondies topped with white chocolate and strawberries, because I’m her strawberry blonde.” 

“And she said that?” Billy asks.

“Yep.”

“Those words came out of Heather’s mouth?” 

Chrissy frowns at him, utterly lost. Isn’t that exactly what she had just said?

“Yes?” 

“What a dork,” he snorts.

“Hey!” Chrissy whines. “That’s my girlfriend you’re talking about.” 

“I don’t see the problem.” Steve interjects.

Chrissy thinks she sides with him, too. It had been incredibly adorable—as Heather is any time she does something nice for Chrissy, because Chrissy knows it’s just for her. Heather only ever does considerate, sappy things like that for her and remains her usual, wonderful, bitchy self towards everyone else. That fact has turned Chrissy into a blushing mess on more than one occasion. So, yes, Chrissy doesn’t see what the problem is with her girlfriend being a sweetheart.

“It’s lame,” Billy deadpans, face so utterly unimpressed Chrissy would almost want to laugh if she didn’t have the moral obligation to defend her girlfriend. “She made a pun. With cake.” 

“Are brownies cakes?” 

“It was sweet!” Chrissy squeaks, petulant, ignoring Steve’s question.

“Lame.” 

This time it’s Steve that laughs, a sudden, mocking sound. Billy’s eyes glint in warning, not that his boyfriend seems to pay any mind.

“Like I haven’t heard you use the word heebie jeebies,” Steve fires back at him. “You’re the dork.”

“That’s not a pun, though.” 

“Please,” Chrissy jumps in, before the two of them can get too out of hand; “just help me with the brownies.”

—

They do not help with the brownies. 

Despite Billy being adamant that they needed more moisture and so adding milk to the mixture, despite Chrissy and Steve’s protests that there was no milk in the recipe, it doesn’t help. The batter ends up concerningly runny but at this point, after a partially-entertaining partially-exasperating food fight—

“It was not a food fight, Chris.”

“It was a food war.”

“Okay, no. Food implies more than just ingredients. And we’re not kids; we're adults now.”

“You’re just bitter that you lost.”

—they’re just too fed up to do anything about it. It’s worth a try, right? 

So it goes into the oven, at the temperature that the recipe said. When the timer goes off and they stick it with a skewer, though, it is obviously still raw inside. After a quick discussion, they pop it back in for a little while longer.

When it next comes out of the oven it’s shallow, stodgy, and burnt.

“Well this is a disaster,” Carol observes from where she’s perched on the edge of the kitchen table, swinging her legs and watching them all with a spark of mild interest in her eye.

The girl had shown up and let herself in about ten minutes after Billy had arrived. Chrissy doesn’t know if Heather gave her a spare key to their place or if Carol just took one for herself, either way she doesn’t usually mind.

The only problem is that, right now, Chrissy is halfway to overwhelmed and the kitchen is starting to get a little cramped; her and Heather’s place isn’t huge, after all. The apartment is actually pretty small, though it does have the necessary two bedrooms that… probably aren’t all that necessary.

“Who even invited you?” Billy snaps, glaring over as she surveys her nails.

“I was on the other phone when Chrissy called Steve,” Carol explained. “And I got bored of waiting for Tommy to wake up.”

“You were eavesdropping?” Steve accuses.

“Duh.”

“And you came to help?” 

“I came to witness the devastation,” she simpers back, expression unrepentant even when Chrissy groans in misery.

“That isn’t helpful,” Billy says

“Did I say it was?” 

“So, what, you’re just going to stand there and look pretty? That’s my job, why am I not doing that?” 

“Chrissy is your friend,” Carol points out to him.

Chrissy frowns at that, looking up at her with sad eyes.

“Are you not my friend?” 

“Yeah,” Carol sighs, “but I just got my nails done. Plus, none of you expect me to be nice.” 

“People don’t expect me to be nice, either. Even Steve doesn’t and he’s screwing me.” 

“I’m dating you, asshole.” 

“Yeah, but Chrissy’s your exception,” Carol dismisses with a wave. “She bats her sad eyes at you and you come running. It works on everyone.” 

“But not you?” Steve asks.

“I’m the exception.” 

“You’re a bitch,” Billy grumbles, wiping off his hands as he plops himself down into the dining chair.

“Hey!” 

Chrissy groans again.

“Guys, please. What do we do now? Do we call someone else?”

Billy shrugs and Carol kicks him in the shin.

“How about Vickie?” Steve asks, which makes Chrissy perk up a little.

“Oh!” She smiles. “Her and Robin might be back from their grocery store date by now.”

“Gag,” Carol says, rolling her eyes. 

“Hey,” Chrissy defends, “they’re sweet.”

“You have to say that; Vickie is your cousin.”

“And her and Heather are just ridiculously sappy, as well,” Billy throws in.

“It’s… cute…” Steve tries.

“It’s gross.”

“You guys shut up,” Chrissy huffs, “I’ll call them.”

—

Everything goes wrong. Again.

Chrissy is— Chrissy is trying so goddamn hard and none of this is working. It seems that every new person they bring in just makes things worse and crowds the limited space in her kitchen even more. No matter what she’s tried this isn’t working, so maybe she should just give up.

It makes her feel almost pathetic, really, that Heather just easily made something for Chrissy and was so caring… and when Chrissy tries to reciprocate she has to call on all their friends—minus Eddie who is sleeping off a night shift, and Argyle who’s back home visiting his family—and still manages to screw everything up.

The arrival of Vickie and Robin also brought along Nancy, the three of them arm in arm and looking ridiculously happy. At first their addition had seemed like a blessing; they helped wrangle the others into some semblance of peace for at least a minute, and Nancy was quick to step in and organise the process of starting over again. 

With the way everyone, all seven of them, were loitering in the kitchen space, there wasn’t enough room to move around and properly clean up. But, despite that, they cleared a little space and were ready to tackle everything again. 

Inevitably, that seemed to be where the good luck ended.

Working in a cramped little space, knocking elbows with everyone else, is no easy feat. At some point Carol goads Steve and Billy into an arm-wrestling contest for her own amusement; Billy wins, easily, every time. Steve is petulant enough to get grumbly and start up a fuss, which ends in him and Robin bickering like siblings with Vickie and Billy somehow getting involved on their partners’ behalf.

So, after showing Chrissy how to set up a double boiler properly, Nancy ends up having to step away to wrangle her girlfriends. With the argument winding down, Carol moves over to start something with Billy instead—Chrissy doesn’t really understand how they’re friends when the pair of them seem to manage a maximum of two seconds before they’re insulting each other in increasingly indignant tones.

At some point, Chrissy can’t say when for sure, Tommy shows up (apparently having slept off his exhaustion) with Jason in tow. They, as expected, do not help in the slightest. Everything gets more and more out of control, and, at this point, Chrissy can’t take half a step without knocking into someone. She even ends up burning herself a little on the pan when someone else bumps into her.

The chaos of the kitchen is distracting, and overwhelming. She can hardly hear herself think, let alone make any sense of the instructions when Nancy has had to abandon her in the fruitless attempt to stop her ex and her girlfriend from causing more of a mess and destroying the room. 

The second attempt at brownies are no better than the first. In fact, they may be worse; that is the last thing Chrissy can take.

Which leaves her here, sitting on the edge of her bed with her head in her hands. Her head is pounding and her eyes sting from the salt of her tears but she can't seem to calm down. This whole thing has been a disaster—a catastrophe—and even having experienced it in the company of friends hasn’t helped. It may even be worse because she feels upset at them and feels guilty about that, and the fact they’ve seen her fail so spectacularly is humiliating.

There’s a knock at the door and then Vickie is slipping inside with a sympathetic look on her face.

“Hey, Chris,” she greets softly. “You okay?”

A sniffle.

“No.”

“Right, stupid question. I wouldn’t be okay in this situation, I can’t imagine why anyone else would be. We’re all very sorry, by the way, and we want to make this right–”

“There’s no fixing this,” Chrissy huffs. “The whole thing was a disaster, I don’t know what I was even thinking.”

“You were thinking about being a good girlfriend, because you are. For what it’s worth, you could come up empty handed and the effort would be all that matters, y’know? To us and definitely to Heather. She’s scary as hell but I’ve seen what she’s like around you; absolutely besotted. The fact you even wanted to do this for her will make her day.”

“How’d you know they were for Heather? I didn’t tell you that.”

“No, but you told Carol and Carol told me. She’s worried about you in here by yourself, by the way. She’s doing the whole unimpressed face, snarky voice routine—complete with the ‘this is why I think romance sucks, I’m not jealous of any of you losers’ thing—but she keeps glancing at the door to your room. She’s not as subtle as she thinks.”

“That’s sweet of her but I’m—” Her voice cracks. “I’m gonna be fine. No need to worry.”

“Every need to worry,” Vickie corrects, sitting down beside her and curling an arm around her shoulder. “We all love you, of course we worry when you’re not happy. Not– I mean– it’s fine that you’re not, we just want to be here. That’s why all of us came today, to help. We’re so sorry we made it worse.”

“It’s fine,” she dismisses. “It wasn’t going to turn out anyway, it was a lost cause from the start.”

“Which is why we’re going to do it right this time.”

That makes Chrissy’s head snap upright.

“This time? What do you mean this time? Vickie, I can’t do this again; it’s not going to—”

“Ah ah,” Vickie chides with a smile. “None of that. Nance pulled me aside—not like that, don’t make a face!—and we’ve figured this out. It’s all going to get sorted out and work fine cause, like, we’ve handled it. Nancy called Jonathan to fetch in more ingredients because we’ve used up all the stuff in your kitchen by this point—and no we will not let you pay us back, it’s only fair since we all made a huge mess trying to cram into your kitchen while you were working so hard (and I’m so proud of you for trying so much, by the way, cause I always seem to give up when things get to difficult unless it’s, like, band).

“And for everyone else, me and Nancy are going to keep them entertained and hopefully not killing each other in your living room—we don’t want another mess to clean up but if there does end up being a murder we’ll deal with it, you won’t even know about it cause Nancy is wildly scary when she wants and can blackmail the witnesses into silence and I’m so good at cleaning messes. Anyway, the point is that we’ll keep the noise out of the kitchen, Jonathan will be here in ten minutes with new ingredients, and Patrick’s just shown up to help you bake. You remember that his aunt is a baker, right?”

“Obviously,” Chrissy smiles, expression still watery.

Vickie smiles back, squeezing Chrissy a little tighter before standing up and making her way back out.

“Whenever you’re ready,” she tells Chrissy before shutting the door behind her.

—

Jonathan drops a kiss to Nancy’s cheek as he enters and only stops in the kitchen long enough to drop off the bag of ingredients before he’s dropping himself down on the sofa next to Robin. When he glances her way, Chrissy offers him a little wave hello before slipping into the now-clean kitchen.

“Hey,” Patrick smiles. “You ready to get started?”

“Not really,” she offers, but obediently moves to re-wash her hands.

“I’ll do my best to help you through it, yeah? We can get these to turn out real nice now the idiots are distracted and it’s just us two.”

“Thanks.”

Patrick doesn’t actually end up doing most of the work. Instead, he just guides Chrissy through the process as the instructions state. He helps her set up a double boiler on the stove, and makes sure she keeps an eye on it and keeps stirring so the chocolate doesn’t burn while they wait for the butter to melt in. 

The sugar gets spilled a little, but it’s easy to ignore that when Patrick doesn’t make a fuss. He simply nudges Chrissy aside and swipes a wet cloth over the surface of the counter to brush it all away as Chrissy moves onto weighing out the brown sugar.

“You want to beat the eggs for longer than that,” he tells her, guiding the hand holding the electric whisk back to the now combined sugar and eggs.

“But… all the eggs are in now – one at a time, like you said.”

Patrick claps her on the shoulder with a grin.

“Yeah, and you did great, just trust me. You want to beat more air into them, that way they’ll turn out better. You keep whisking for a minute and then I’ll add in the chocolate and butter as you keep going.” 

The batter comes together right this time. Under Patrick’s guidance Chrissy ends up feeling a lot less stressed and has a lot easier of a time. She still doesn’t really enjoy baking, but she doesn’t think she’s going to cry again so that’s good as far as she’s concerned.

When the brownies are finally in the oven, Chrissy has time to sit with her friends in the living room. It’s a little cramped with so many people piled in, but the overwhelming feel in the kitchen isn’t here. Nancy and Vickie have seemingly ordered everyone else into some semblance of control so it’s actually… fun.

Chrissy is having fun.

A smile breaks easily across her face, knowing Patrick is ducking in and out of the kitchen to keep an eye on the baking goods. Now she can just enjoy the company, laughing with everyone else as Robin and Steve fight over what actually happened in Back to the Future—which they apparently watched together once while stoned and only half-remember. It turns out Carol has seen it too, her and Tommy having gone out to see it together, but she’s tight lipped on the actual plot.

If Heather were here, Chrissy is sure they’d start bickering good-naturedly over whether her silence was because she just couldn’t remember. The thought makes excitement buzz under Chrissy’s skin. Call her a sap, but she just can’t wait for her girlfriend to get home. The look that Carol sends her is painfully knowing and her cheeks flush a brilliant pink that everyone politely ignores.

“If Tommy went with you then why can’t he clear this up?” Jonathan asks, sat on the floor in front of the armchair Nancy has curled into.

Steve pauses at that.

“Wait, where is Tommy?”

Billy grins, all sharp teeth and shark-like. Carol groans—actually groans—in dismay. Vickie, bless her heart, turns bright red.

“Uhm,” her cousin starts. “I think him and Jason are in the bathroom.”

“Still?” Robin asks from beside her, finally turning away from Steve on her other side.

Billy cackles.

“Think you told your no foreplay warning to the wrong person, shortcake.”

Robin opens her mouth, then closes it.

“I don’t want to know,” she says, shifting to press closer into Vickie’s side.

“Know what?” Patrick asks, poking his head back in from the kitchen.

“Nothing!” Steve squawks, and Billy laughs again, head tipped back in joy and eyes sparkling.

Patrick looks dubious for a second, but then he shakes it off.

“C’mon Chrissy,” he tells her instead. “They’re ready to come out.”

—

Eventually, the flow of visitors ebbs away. Nancy, Vickie, Robin, and Jonathan all depart together; apparently Vickie and Nancy are having a much deserved night in after the chaos they had to deal with. Jonathan and Robin, however, are going out drinking. Chrissy almost wishes she could be there to see the inevitable chaos of a drunk Robin Buckley.

Billy leaves next. He appears behind her as she’s washing up, hands dunked in the sudsy water in the kitchen sink. Two arms circle her waist and she screeches in surprise.

“I’m off now. Bob insists on meeting Steve since I’ve been talking about him so much since I moved in, so we’re doing dinner together. Should be awkward.”

Chrissy snorts at that.

“Yeah, right. Bob’s great, you and Steve are great, you’ll have a fun time.” She dries her hands and wraps up some freshly-cut brownies. “For dessert,” she explains with a smile.

Billy grins at her and then ducks in to press a quick kiss to her cheek.

“Later short stuff!”

Rolling her eyes, Chrissy helps Patrick with the last of the cleaning before he dismisses himself. 

“Thanks,” Chrissy tells him, earnestly as possible. 

He waves her off and makes her promise to call him first next time. Chrissy promises, on her childhood pet cat’s grave, that there will never be a next time for her baking. Patrick laughs and jogs off down the road, heading home.

When Chrissy turns around, she jumps.

“Carol! Fuck, I didn’t know you were still here.”

“You swearing feels illegal.” At Chrissy’s glare she shrugs, amending: “Fine. Maybe not illegal. Sacreligious.” 

Chrissy huffs.

“You hanging around?”

“No,” Carol scoffs, but her expression is teasing. “I’m just waiting to see if I get any of the spoils.”

“The brownies you mean?”

“No, I meant the scrapped batter.”

Chrissy rolls her eyes, but can’t help the grin worming its way onto her face.

“They’re for Heather, Carol. You know, my girlfriend?”

“Is Billy your girlfriend too? Wonder how Heather feels about that.”

A laugh escapes before Chrissy can bite it down.

“The ones I gave him were more for Bob; he let me come over plenty after Billy moved in with him. You can have one though. And I mean one, Carol.”

She just waves a hand and makes a detour to the kitchen on her way out--the shape in her hand when she leaves looks suspiciously like two brownies. Then Chrissy is alone, waiting for Heather to get home from work.

—

She isn’t waiting too long before she hears the front door open. The excitement under her skin sparks into a vibrant display, shining along her nerves and making it hard to fight the impulse to run straight up to the other girl and display her successes. 

They’re just about under control when Heather steps into the kitchen and meets her gaze with a fond smile. Chrissy melts, and then she’s in Heather’s arms before she even realised she lost the battle with her self-control.

“Hey,” she grins, smile smushed into the other’s shoulder.

“Hey yourself. You have company? The living room is a state.”

Chrissy laughs, pulling away to smile up at her.

“Maybe one or two people came over.”

Heather looks doubtful, but then her eyes land on the plate of brownies. They’re laying pride of place in the centre of the kitchen table, and despite the messy edges Chrissy thinks they came out pretty damn good. More Patrick’s influence than her own, but she’s still pretty proud despite the exhaustion. 

It was all worth it, anyway, from the way Heather’s eyes widen and then soften. They turn back to her with adoration.

“You’ve been busy,” she says, and Chrissy flushes. Again.

“Surprise!” she tries, feeling a little embarrassed by the fondness plain for the world to see on Heather’s face. Or, if not the world, just the two of them in their little kitchen. “I wanted to make something for you after you did for me.”

“I love you,” Heather mumbles, leaning down to press a kiss to the corner of Chrissy’s shy smile.

And that’s when Jason and Tommy appear in the doorway, looking a little dishevelled. The four of them blink at each other.

“Have you been in the bathroom this whole time?”

The pair turn bright red.

[berenwrites]

Beyond the Battle - Chapter 9 - Stranger Things - Steddie

Beyond the Battle­: Action & Consequence

Click here for All Posted Chapters

Summary: Steve hits things with a bat or gets hit depending on who you ask. He definitely does not have anything to do with the psychic stuff. That is El’s domain. However, as Vecna is defeated, the rules change.

Pairing: steddie (Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson)

Other Relationships: Steve & Robin, Steve & Dustin, Eddie & Dustin

Rating: Teen

A/N: Multi-chapter story, updated regularly. Honestly not sure how many chapters it will have yet because it's still a bit hand wavy in the middle, but definitely more than 12. Thank you to my beta for find my mistakes and to all those who read/like/reblog.💖 Follow #st:beyond-the-battle for updates.

Also on AO3

Chapter 9. Verdicts

Dustin got told off by just about everyone but seemed mostly unrepentant. By the time lunch was over, Steve wasn’t sure whether to be pissed or thankful. Dustin’s little experiment had proved a valid point, a useful one too. It didn’t really help Steve’s peace of mind, however.

El and Will had been up for helping him figure out if he had other powers too, and possibly the other way round, but Joyce and Robin had ganged up and point blank refused to let him. Robin had gone on a long rant about hypothermia and its aftereffects, and she’d been building up to dissect bringing Eddie back from the Upside Down as well, so he’d caved.

He was feeling much more with it and even Eddie seemed to be managing to stay awake, but he could occasionally be made to see sense.

“Sorry about earlier,” Dustin said quietly as El and Eddie had a talk a few feet away. “Maybe I should have waited.”

“It’s fine,” he said, bumping their shoulders together. “Kind of good to know, but at this rate I’m going to have to go on another grocery run because I’m eating enough for three people.”

“You’re not pregnant, are you?” Dustin said with a grin.

“Do not even joke about shit like that, Henderson,” he replied. “With how plain weird everything is at the moment, I refuse to take the risk.”

“It’s not weird, it’s cool,” Dustin told him.

“It’s weird,” Steve insisted.

“You have powers, dude,” Dustin insisted right back, “that is awesome in my book. You can heal people. Do you know how next level that is? Even El can’t do that.”

“She can, kind of,” he disagreed. “It’s probably just she hasn’t used that part of what she can do much.”

“Steve, you’ve had powers for three days and you already brought Eddie back from the dead,” Dustin said.

“Eddie wasn’t dead and El brought Max back too,” he pointed out.

“The way El tells it, she restarted Max’s heart,” Dustin said, “and what Eddie told me is he was nearly dead a second time when you fixed him. You fixed my ankle too. It’s like brand new.”

It seemed Steve was not going to win this discussion.

“Still weird,” he said, even though Dustin’s point of view kind of helped a little.

The kid was so upbeat and passionate about everything. Some of that spark had been subdued ever since Eddie died, but it was clearly back with a vengeance. No doubt, when Dustin thought he could get away with it, Steve would find himself bombarded with questions so he could be analysed by the young genius. It was as inevitable as taxes and dying.

“May I?” he heard El ask, dragging his attention to the conversation she was having with Eddie.

“Have at it, Supergirl,” Eddie replied, placing his hands in hers.

Both of them closed their eyes and sat there, perfectly still for a while. Steve hadn’t caught what they were doing, but they looked serene doing it. That was until El smiled and then giggled. She opened her eyes at the same time Eddie did.

“You are funny,” she said, still smiling.

“I do my best,” Eddie replied. “So, what’s the verdict?”

“There is no trace of Henry left,” El said, expression turning serious again, “but I sense something other, something from the Upside Down. It is very faint, but it is there.”

“Forever tainted then,” Eddie said as if he had been expecting something like that.

“It does not feel bad,” El told him. “You are just different now. Like I am different, and Will and Steve. We can be different together.”

“Not like anyone ever called me normal anyway,” Eddie replied, giving El a smile, but Steve could see the tension in the other man’s shoulders.

He could understand that completely.

~*~

Nancy, Jonathan and Argyle stuck around until mid-afternoon before taking their leave once it was clear, much to Steve’s chagrin, that Robin and Joyce had everything covered. It took another meal, some quiet talking, and El yawning widely for Joyce, Hopper, El and Will to call it a day, along with Dustin who they were going to drop off at his home.

Joyce made Steve promise that he wouldn’t do anything strenuous until at least the next day. Hopper stood there all but glaring at him over Joyce’s shoulder until he gave in.

“It’s almost like they know you, Steve,” Robin said and laughed at him.

“You’re supposed to be on my side,” he complained.

“She is,” came from the direction of the couch where Eddie seemed to have almost taken root, “that’s why she’s ganging up on you.”

“There’s nothing left to do,” Steve pointed out.

“Just give it up, Dingus,” Robin said. “You can reinitiate mother hen mode tomorrow. After all, at some point there are going to be at least one more delegation descending on this place as soon as Dustin spills the beans.”

“Hey, I promised to wait until Eddie said it was ok,” Dustin protested.

“It’s okay,” Eddie piped up, “just wait for tomorrow. I know what the rest of you gremlins are like. Midnight visits will be met with disdain.”

“Thanks for everything,” Steve said as everyone filed out the door.

“You are welcome, Steve,” El said and swooped in for a hug. “Do not worry, we will all figure this out together.”

She squeezed him tight, so he squeezed back.

“You give the best hugs,” he said. “Thank you.”

“We’ll give you a call in the morning,” Hopper said and placed a hand on his upper arm.

It was just as normal, warm gesture, but he full body shuddered.

“Steve!” Robin yelped, grabbing for him before he could fall over his own feet.

His eyes met Hopper’s and the momentary panic was obvious.

“Sorry, I’m okay,” he assured Robin, “just moved too fast. Not quite back to full speed yet.”

“You’re sure?” Robin asked.

“Perfectly, just taking after you for a while,” he replied.

“Next time I’ll let you fall on your face,” she grouched back, but did sound happier about the whole situation.

“Get some rest, all three of you,” Joyce said, “and if you need anything, call.”

“Thank you, we will,” Steve assured her.

“See you tomorrow,” Dustin said and also dived in for a hug. “I expect a proper handshake next time.”

“As long as I am not wrapped in a towel when you arrive, I promise,” he replied, playing up to Dustin’s tone.

It felt good to hug everyone before they headed to their vehicle and climbed in. Steve smiled and waved as the group departed with Robin beside him, doing the same.

“Okay,” she said the moment the Byers et al disappeared down the driveway, “spill. What was that really about?”

“Let’s go inside,” he said, turning and leading her back in.

“Why do you two look worried,” Eddie asked from the couch.

Eddie might have been awake, but he was still wrapped up like a burrito.

“Steve, what happened out there?” Robin insisted.

Steve sat down, going over it in his head. Robin let him get away with it for a few moments.

“Steve,” she said in a low tone.

“Give me a sec,” he said, because he was still parsing what had happened.

She sat down next to him, but he could tell she was impatient. Given what he had put her through over the last day, he was not surprised.

“Okay,” he said eventually, “y’know how you think I’m bad at asking for help, even when I’m hurt?”

“You’re the worst,” Robin said.

“Yeah, no,” he replied, “I think Hop has me beat.”

“He looked fine,” Eddie put in.

“Yeah, I know,” Steve replied. “that’s what makes it even more worrying. I think whatever happened to him in Russia left him in pain, like permanently.”

“You mean you felt that when he touched you?” Robin asked.

“Kind of,” he did his best to explain. “It was more whatever this instinct I have is, when Hop put his hand on my arm, it sat up and took notice, like big time. I didn’t have time to really feel it or even figure out what it really is, but I know it was there.”

“Are all jock types martyrs?” Robin asked with a shake of her head. “It’s gotta be a genetic defect, right?”

“Alpha male shit,” Eddie said.

Steve groaned and put his head back on the couch cushions because he could tell Robin and Eddie were about to go off on one. Sometimes he wondered what miraculous deed he had done in another life to deserve Robin and at others he wondered which deity he had pissed off.

~*~

Steve was mostly asleep when someone tapped on his foot. He’d made sure Robin and Eddie were comfortable in the spare rooms before heading to his own. It had taken quite a while, probably a good hour and a half, to convince his brain from going over everything from the day, even though he was tired. Opening his eyes, he looked to the end of his bed and saw a familiar silhouette.

“Can I come in?” Eddie asked in a shaky, small voice.

Steve didn’t hesitate, lifting the far side of the comforter and shuffling towards the wall.

“If you snore, I will smother you with a pillow,” he said into the awkward silence.

“I would expect nothing less,” Eddie replied in what Steve was pretty sure was supposed to be a nonchalant tone but didn’t quite hit the mark.

Once Eddie had climbed in, Steve turned his back on the other man, but scooted a little closer until they were just touching. He knew the sound of night terrors in someone’s voice, and he also knew the best cure. Robin and he had shared a bed on more than one occasion since Starcourt and it was human touch that worked, more than anything else. For a moment Eddie froze, but when Steve didn’t move again, Eddie slowly relaxed.

They both needed the sleep and Steve drifted off pretty quickly after that, Eddie’s presence a help in quieting the turbulent thoughts in his brain. “Jesus Christ, oh shit, oh shit, oh shit,” were the words he woke up to being hissed like a mantra.

End of Chapter 9

Chapter 10

[justmybookthots]

Once Upon a Broken Heart / A Ballad of Never After

1.5/5 stars

What can I say about this series except that it was so terribly disappointing? 

The most vexing part was that I actually found the first book decent - not very good, but it was decent, and I enjoyed it. Also, a lot of people said that this book was much better than Caraval, so I’m kind of scared of / morbidly fascinated by how bad Caraval must be now.

But anyway, that is beside the point. The first book is decent, with a very pretty writing style and a simple but engaging plot. The writing was very redolent of a fairy tale; it actually reminded me a little of Enid Blyton’s writing in her children's stories. However, it did give me the feeling that the story was a little vapid at times - maybe I just needed more grit, blood and strife, and less focus on true love ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Not that there wasn’t any in the story, but the conflict rang kind of hollow, and I can’t exactly pinpoint why. I felt as if I were reading a series of tropes and mechanisms rather than an actual person going through all those things.

I must say that I disliked Evangeline, even in the first book. Here is a picture of her:

Before I elaborate on why she looks like that, let's start with the early parts of her I disliked. She was naïve and stupid, and had some real Main Character Syndrome (to be fair, she is the main character, but she's not supposed to know that). I cringed when she entered the North and immediately dreamed of marrying Prince Apollo, when she didn’t even know him yet, all for the expectations of a happy ending for herself. The secondhand embarrassment was at its peak when Apollo stepped towards the girl he would choose for the first dance, and she stepped forward, thinking he was about to choose her.

He didn’t. 

:)

I should probably talk about Jacks, who is arguably the heart of the story. Or the broken heart, because he, uh, is the Prince of Broken Hearts. 

I hate him. 

See, it's a pity because I actually liked him in the first book; his characterisation was intriguing, clever and to my taste. I thought he still had a lot of untapped potential, though, because I’d barely scratched the surface with him in Book 1. And with BookTok wanking him to oblivion - someone chose him over a gazillion book boyfriends - I had hopes that the sequel would blow my socks out of water. (Yes, yes, my misplaced faith in BookTok's credibility is my own vice)

Well, it did! Without a doubt, the sequel certainly blew all my hopes that this story would ever be decent 👍

Jacks is a coward. That’s all he ever is, and does. How does one do cowardice, you might ask? Well, you run and hurt the person you’re supposed to love, over and over again. Because he’s afraid of hurting Evangeline, he, uh, hurts her. Yes. And he spends the sequel being an ass - he flirts with girls frequently, while rudely barging in the moment Evangeline strikes up a conversation with another man. My teeth were grinding when she caught him in that deserted corridor with that girl, about to kiss her after spending the evening constantly sabotaging Evangeline’s attempts to get over him with other men.

If you don’t want her, fine. If you’re too much of a wuss, whatever. But what you don't do is stop her from starting something with someone else. You can’t have your cake and eat it, too.

And Evangeline? She actually started the book writing a letter to herself as a reminder that she must never fall for Jacks because he was dangerous. And how does she spend the last half of the book? Spoiler: Mooning over Jacks and acknowledging she’s fallen for him (which I was… very unconvinced about because the build-up to their romance SUCKED) and telling herself she was going to save him from his fear of love.

My dear, you are not Bob the Builder. No woman should be for any man. I think you should go fix your head first.

The last nail in the coffin for me was when Jacks revealed that all along, he was planning to turn back time to be with another girl (whom he didn't even love, but hoped to score a second chance with). 😂 Hilarious. You could turn back time to before the curse befell you, and you choose to go back... for some chick you didn't like? I get his theme is wanting to find true love, but I always found that so frivolous, and of course, so insulting to poor Evangeline. And after she “died” and he decided to turn back time to save her life - which, by the way, does not redeem anything for me. This girl practically risked her life to help you get the stones to help you find your true love. This is the least you can do, loser - he was such a rude ass to her to “protect her”. 

For once, Evangeline grew enough balls (it lasted for about as long as the dialogue went before she lapsed back into Bob-the-Builder mode again) to tell him this after he yelled at her:

EXACTLY. 

Anyway, I have ranted enough about this book. I don’t want any part of it anymore, and will not be abusing myself by reading the next book. I MAY read Caraval, mainly because I want to see just how bad it is. And also, I want to be sure Stephanie Garber is really a lost cause before I write her off completely. 

- 15 July 2023

[taboo-night-xxxx]

new f/o attained! banica

[cqsuanla]

fury shakes the rafters

pairing: dark!nat/f!reader

summary:

Aside from the cannibalism, Nat is mostly the same. Still ridiculously strong and stupidly hardheaded. And that face — flinty, cold, mean. Nat’s always been mean. 

(inspired by jennifer’s body)

additional notes: mommy kink, dom/sub, bloodplay(?), dacryphilia, uhh pussy spanking, choking, unhealthy relationship, terrible aftercare

title from a song suggested by an anon: nobody by the crane wives

(ao3)

The light in the stairwell flickers, but it doesn’t make a difference, dim and dirty as it is. It buzzes distantly in your ears. You’re too focused on taking the steps two at a time to notice. You hold your groceries to your chest and fish your keys out of your pocket. If you were strong like Nat, you might just have knocked the door clean of its hinges with the force of your body. Instead, it crashes loudly into your wall, and you nearly fall on your face from the momentum. 

In a bid to gain purchase on your wall, you sweep your coat rack over, and you stumble over it. The clatter makes you wince — you hope she’s in a good mood. It’s hard for her to process stimuli when she’s weak. You scramble onto your hands and knees, shoving scattered boxes and cans into the grocery bag. 

Then, the rhythmic thud-thud of footsteps. You pause, exhaling as your eyes close. 

“Drink?” in a monotone. 

Yikes. You open your eyes, biting your lip. Steel-toed boots. You’ve told Nat a million times that this is a shoes-off apartment. She never listens, and you never argue more. Nat stays; she’s the only one who’ll stay. You can’t drive her away. 

Her right boot rises, scraping against the floor, and you flinch. It just kicks a cereal box away so it can nudge at the shopping bag. The way she says your name, evenly, firmly, has you blinking rapidly, has your hands automatically shooting to the bag, following her prompt. Thank god the bottles are fine. You don’t know what you’d do if they had shattered. 

You wiggle a beer out of the pack, and only then do you dare to make eye contact. 

“Hi,” you murmur. 

She gives you a brief glance, impassive, before snatching the bottle from your hand and returning to her spot on the armchair. “That fucking coat rack.” She flicks the cap off your side table, grungy and scratched up for this very reason. The cap bounces off the wall and disappears under the couch. “Just move it further in. You never listen.” 

You did, weeks ago. You don’t say so. 

The coat rack came with the place, and it was nice, so you refused to get rid of it. Nat hated it, hated that it was so close to the door in your already bite-sized entryway, but never enough to throw it out herself. But you did move it because her complaints were valid, and you wanted her to like being here with you, living here with you. Anyway, she stopped complaining afterwards. Not that you think she noticed — you supposed it was a minor inconvenience to her, the way a fly was, annoying when it was in your face but non-existent once it stopped bothering you. 

Quietly, you move your groceries to the kitchen island, putting everything but your new medical supplies away. There are dirty plates in the sink, which you’ll wash after you make yourself dinner. You wonder what she’s eaten – you’d just bought two new steaks, but Nat likes a bowl of strawberry ice cream now and then.

The TV channel switches in the background. Nat snorts, and you peek around the wall to catch a report on the gruesome series of murders that have been happening lately. People in the neighbourhood hardly went out anymore, too afraid of the dark now. It would scare you too if you weren’t well aware you’d never fall victim. Nat was with you, after all, and you were with her. 

You would be with her for as long as she’d let you. So, what if she was the monster in the dark? So what? It was Nat. Your Nat. She came back to you, talked to you, fucked you. It’s not like she was disembowelling you in some grimy alleyway. She kept most of the violence away from you because she cared. Anyway, like everyone else, she had to eat. You couldn’t fault her for that. 

You’re pulling the gauze out of its packaging when Nat scoffs loudly at the news. They must’ve insulted her because she clicks the TV shut, practically inhales half her bottle and flings the remote onto the couch. 

Then, she sets her sights on you, meek behind the counter, and raises an eyebrow. “Honey, the hall’s a mess. Clean it up.” 

You frown. “You’re still hurt.” 

She rolls her eyes. “I’ll eat tomorrow, and it’ll be fine.” 

You don’t think so. The longer Nat doesn’t eat, the worse it gets. It’s how she’s in this mess in the first place. Nat’s ethereal after a feeding, next to omnipotent. But the guy she picked to eat last week turned out to be some sort of track star because he had booked it at the first sign of trouble, and she’d been forced to retreat when the sirens started blaring. The day after that, she picked a local thug as her next meal, and she’d been caught off guard by the switchblade. So, here she is: slumped on your couch and stitched up sloppily. 

Her hair is limp, skin wane and dry, and in a bad enough mood that you can basically feel it every time you’re within a two-meter radius of her. 

Her physical weakness emboldens you a little, makes you think you can get away with a bit of stubbornness. You pick up the gauze and tape and round the corner. A car speeds by, high beam making Nat’s eyes glint a deep green in the dark. The green follows you the whole way until she has to crane her head around to watch you slip her tank top off a shoulder. 

Those eyes weren’t like that before when you first started dating. You don’t mind the changes, though. Aside from the cannibalism, Nat is mostly the same. Still ridiculously strong and stupidly hardheaded. 

“You don’t want to listen?” she asks, almost conversationally. 

You know better. You clench and unclench your fist. Shakily, you lift it and tuck a hair behind Nat’s ear, hoping foolishly that it will placate her. 

“Baby,” says she, like a gentle mother to a misbehaving child, “you should really listen.” 

You trace the bumps of her stitches, staring hard at her shoulder so you won’t have to see that face — flinty, cold, mean. Nat’s always been mean. 

“At least answer me.” 

“No, Nat,” you mutter, undoing the bandages on her bicep. “I don’t want to listen.”

To her credit, she lets you fix her up. Methodically, silently, you clean her wounds and rewrap them in new bandages. She doesn’t get in the way unless it’s to take a swig of her drink. 

When you’re done with her arms and back, you move to her front. She’s got an ugly gash on her calf, bruised midway from where the man had kicked her bleeding leg. You imagine this is causing her the most pain, not just physically. Nat’s not great with sitting still. She’s independent to a fault, enjoying control to the point that it’s probably some sort of diagnosable complex, and this restriction on her mobility has her restless and irritated. 

Looking down at her, at the space between her knees, you wonder if she’ll cooperate with you. The last time you tried to clean her leg, she’d torn your duvet in half and has since refused to let you look at it. But Nat tilts her head, coy, and gestures toward the space in front of her with her bottle. 

“Scared?” she whispers.

You glance at her face just in time to catch her tongue tracing the jagged end of a canine. Mutely, you shake your head. She smiles wide.

“Liar.”

Of course. You’re always scared of her. For her, too. But you don’t think it matters; it doesn’t change anything. You just want to help her, be good for her. Anyway, she’s trying to get a reaction out of you. You refuse to take the bait, raising your eyebrows and wiggling the bandages in your hand.

“Fine.” With a roll of her eyes, she parts her legs. 

As if dealing with a feral animal, you move slowly, cautiously, afraid to make sudden movements lest she starts getting violent. You squat down and reach for the cuff of her sweatpants. 

“Ah, ah.” She slides the leg back, staring down her nose at you. You pause. “Kneel, baby.” 

Her eyes — did the ring of green get thinner? Your lips part, anticipation beginning to seep into your body, and you comply. Once you’re settled, looking up at her, she makes that same careless gesture with her bottle. A go-ahead. 

As you work, she shifts to put her beer on the table and then combs a hand into your hair. You tense, eyeing her nervously, but she only watches you, imperious, intense, and remains silent. Nevertheless, you pick up the pace, tossing the antiseptic aside and winding the gauze around her pale calf. 

She’s startlingly warm under your hands. Ever since… whatever happened to her — she wasn’t exactly forthcoming with the details — she’s run hotter than ever. You can’t sleep under a blanket with her anymore unless you’re shirtless; the heat would be unbearable. Not that Nat has any complaints about that. 

“All done,” you murmur. 

The lack of reaction from Nat gives you the courage to lean forward and press a sweet kiss to the top of her knee. The hand in your hair rewards you with a gentle scratch, and you can’t help melting into a smile. She’s still got that air of arrogance about her when you look up at her, but she’s not glaring. Which is why it comes entirely as a surprise when she clenches a fistful of hair in her hand, yanking your head back, and slaps you clean across the face with her other hand. 

You take the full brunt of her palm with a cry, almost toppling over were it not for the grip on your hair. Your cheek burns, and so does your eyes. Mostly from pain, partly from the shock of it, maybe a little from shame when you realize you’re getting wet from the rough treatment. 

Nat tuts. “Crying already?” 

You imagine you look pretty pathetic on your knees for her, eyes glassy.

“Don’t give me those eyes, baby; you know I can’t help myself.” 

“I just wanted to help.” 

“I know,” Nat says gently, tipping your head back again so you can see the false sincerity on her face. “You can fix this, you know?” 

Your eyebrows furrow, thoughts racing a mile a minute to puzzle out what she means. 

“Don’t think so hard. You’ll hurt yourself. I’ll show you how, dumb baby,” she coos as she nudges your chin with the knuckle of her finger, and you can’t help flushing deeply at that. Then, she offers a hand, and you take it, and she tugs you up into a straddle on her lap. “Come here.” 

You instinctively wind your arms around her neck, clinging on. Beneath you, she tenses and lets out a low rumbling sound that resonates deep in her chest. You inhale sharply. 

Teeth. Sharpened to deadly points. Poised over your neck. Nat’s breath comes short and hot against your skin, and her tongue, when it peeks out, drags wetly across your skin. 

This has happened once before; the first night she’d come back changed. Like before, she noses at your flushed skin, teasing you with the possibility of damage, and trails her teeth down to your traps. Back then, she hadn’t bitten you. She won’t now, you think, you hope. 

She sighs again, hovering over the meat of your shoulder and prodding her teeth against you. Doesn’t break the skin. 

“Don’t make it worse for yourself. Are you scared?” 

This time, you nod. Nat’s lips curve into a smile, and her hold on your thighs tighten enough to bruise. 

“You should listen, sweetheart,” she says against you. The front of her teeth scrapes over you when she speaks, leaving red marks behind. “I hurt you less when you’re good. Don’t you know?”

“How can you be in the mood?” you wonder, burying your face into the crook of her neck. “You’re half dead.”

“Barely.”

It would take a lot more to kill Nat like this. Anyway, how could you be in the mood when your girlfriend’s cut up like this? 

Nat stands abruptly, ignorant to your yelps and complaints, and dumps you back onto the couch in quick succession. Before you can even register what’s happened, she’s yanked your bottoms down to your ankles and has climbed between your legs. 

Even after that, you don’t get the chance to speak. She wraps her hand around your throat and pins you to the cushions. You grab onto her wrist.

Her body bears down, and you break into a sweat, in small part due to nerves, some part because she’s shoving her hand up your shirt to grab roughly at your bra, but mostly because she’s near scalding. You’re convinced her blood runs at a constant boil now. You’ve grown to love the heat, though. With her, pleasure comes white-hot, and you’d want it no other way. 

“Nat-”

“No,” she growls, and you get an eyeful of her monstrous teeth. She flexes both hands, cutting off your airway and squeezing your breast painfully. You whimper, wound tight as a coil. “Listen to me, baby.”

You look at her through hazy eyes. 

“Those eyes again. God, I love you like this.” Foolishly, your heart clenches at those words. She rucks your shirt up and claws her nails down your front. Beads of blood bloom from the thin scratches she leaves behind. “You’re beautiful when I hurt you.”

Her hand nearly crushes your throat closed, but then she releases you, and you suck air in desperately. Your hands, shaken off her arm, reach for the sides of her head. “Nat,” you croak, tasting the salt from your tears on your lips. “Nat.”

She shakes her head, descending on your chest. It hurts – badly. “Be good for mommy.”

“Mommy,” you gasp out, arching into her mouth. She ignores your pert nipples, electing instead to lick and suck at the burn between your breasts. “Please, please.”

“Shut up,” she hisses. Oh, her teeth are still out. “Hands above your head.”

You obey, another sad sound crawling out of your abused throat. 

The dark pits of her eyes drink in the sight of you, face crumpled in pain and need. A thumb wipes up the last of your blood, and she delights in smearing it across your cheek. 

“Messy baby, clean up after yourself. It’s basic,” she chides, thumb still rubbing at your face as if she were fixing up some runny mascara. “Be good now.”

You don’t dare to speak, just nod and look pleadingly up at her. Your core aches from neglect. 

She makes quick work of that, reaching down to feel the slick between your thighs. Humming, she smirks and very deliberately rubs her middle finger over your clit. You jerk up into her, mouth falling open even as you strangle your moan. 

“I could do anything to you, and you’d still want me.” 

Again, you nod. 

“Where did my little liar go?” she baits. You shake your head. “Say ‘thank you, mommy, for letting me breathe.’”

It takes you a moment to gather the brain cells and say: “Thank you, mommy.”

Her smile widens, teeth back to normal. “Again, for the lesson.”

“Thank you, mommy.”

She brings her hand down on your cunt, full strength. You scream, jolting away from her. Well, you would have if she hadn’t pressed you down by the chest, entirely uncaring about the wound she’d left there. Tears leak out the sides of your eyes, trickling into your hairline. 

“Thank me for that too,” she demands.

“Thank you,” you cry around a hiccup. 

One more spank, and another, and another. Your legs kick uselessly against the cushions, body twisting after every awful smack.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

Your hole clenches around nothing, slick leaking onto the couch. Then, two fingers dip into you, and Nat thrusts them up hard and fast. She’d shoved them in on a contraction, and it hurts for a second before she’s curling her fingers into the velvet of your walls. 

She makes a pleased sound. “Tight as always. Makes me want to tear you in half, baby.”

You stare up at the ceiling. “Th-” She starts up a fast pace, digging her fingertips into your front wall. “Thank you!”

Her cheek rests on your chest, listening to the thunder of your heart. “We should try that big one.” Impossibly, your heart rate quickens at the thought, and you manage to shake your head. She laughs, the sound sharp and cruel, and music to your ears. “Maybe another time then.”

She sits up then, still working her fingers into your cunt, and moves her other hand to your mons. She pets gently over your labia, a sharp contrast to the vicious pace she’s keeping up. Your head spins. 

“My baby,” she breathes, “good enough to fucking eat.”

But she parts your folds to press her fingers into your clit, circling them once, twice, thrice, and you’re so close. So desperately close. 

She leans down, near delicate in her movements, and licks into your mouth. You taste copper and beer and the faintest sweetness. Urgently, you try to kiss back. 

If she’s mean, she’d pull back and deny you the chance to come with her mouth on yours. 

She must think that you’ve suffered enough, though, because she rubs her thumb at your clit and drives her fingers deeper into you, and you push up as far as you can into her body with a scream. You’re swallowed in molten heat, pleasure stripping away at you until you’re just bones on the couch. 

When you come to, Nat’s pulling out some bandages for your chest. You’re too tired to do or say anything, forced into silence by her dominance. 

She smiles at you, still not kind, but it doesn’t look bestial like before. Maybe just self-satisfied. She strokes your sweaty hair as she fixes you up, shushing you if you moan quietly from aftershocks or pain. You are in a lot of pain, bruised and scratched up as you are.

“Good girl,” she says when she’s done. 

Finally, you muster the energy to grab her hand and say, “Thank you.”

She lets you hold on for a few seconds before pulling away. “Sure.”

You wish she’d hold you for a bit, but you don’t vocalize it. She’s been through too much in the last few days; you shouldn’t burden her—

“Don’t be fucking needy,” she says, suddenly and harshly. Your face must have given you away. 

“I don’t mean to be,” you mutter, bringing your arm up to cover your eyes. Feeling stupid, feeling mad that you feel stupid, you say: “It would just be nice if you’d stay for a bit.”

A hand grabs your arm, yanking it away from your head, and you’re treated to a view of her scowl. “Where would I go?”

You didn’t mean it that way, but you don’t know how to get out of this hole you’ve dug yourself. “I-I don’t know.”

Out of nowhere, her hand slaps your cunt again, overstimulated, sore, puffy. You groan, curling in on yourself and hugging your knees to your chest. 

“Fuck, Nat.”

She takes the opportunity to sit down on the end of the couch, where your legs once were. The TV turns back on, and you hear her take a sip from her can of beer. “Clean up the hall later.”

At least she stayed.

[wizkiddx]

hiiiii !!! if you are accepting requests at the moment, can i ask something about reader and tom expecting a baby, one day while he’s drunk she sees him flirting with another women and when she confronts him he snaps at her and tells her he’s not ready for this “shit”. So they broke up and broke contact for months, until he shows in her apartment regretting his words and they talk but she suddenly at that moment gets into labor?!? I remember seeing a concept similar in a movie but I would love if you couldn’t bring it to life! Thank you so much in advance, appreciate your work a lot 🧸🤎

right so I loved this so much it has become a multiple parter and im not even going to apologise. so thanku so so much anon for getting me out a little rut!!!

summary: when toms caught out all hope looks lost - probs part 1 of 3 but it could get a bit longer too lol

warnings: serious angst, reference to abortion, cheating, a whole lot of swearing (im British sorry not sorry)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Hi babe, just to let you know Yamna’s invited me out for dinner this evening so don’t worry if you get home early and im not back! I love you x”

It was a spur of the moment plan, which was a rarity recently. The past 5 months since you’d found out, you could name barely 5 occasions you’d been out past 8 oclock- trading your heels for fuzzy slippers and dresses for massively oversized tops and joggers. It wasn’t how you had expected to be spending the summer before your 25th birthday but it was now your life. The rooftop bars, the wild nights, the get aways had all sort of been cancelled for… for the rest of your life.

Because an 8 month pregnant belly isn’t something you can ignore.

Sure…. it wasn’t the plan. Not the plan to be pregnant with your boyfriend of only 6 months, who at the time you didn’t even live with. But you were making it work. And now, you were just excited. It was the start of a new story with Tom, and you’d got past the phase of being sad and mourning your youth. Because the little bubba inside of you, she was pretty awesome and you really couldn’t wait to meet her.

So yes, you had been home alone eating ice cream from a tub when Yamna knocked on the door. She’d been one of your best mates for as long as you could remember so when she’d turned up unannounced with mascara smeared under her eyes you’d cancelled your plans of a pathetic alone evening. Her boss had just given her the sack - which was no surprise. He was a backwards tory old git who couldn’t handle the fact Yamna was a woman doing the job better than he could ever dream of.

So yes, you’d suggested going out to the fancy new bar down the road - to celebrate the fact she no longer had to put up with the arsehole. Obviously you couldn’t drink and neither did Yamna, but you go to a bar for the atmosphere - and the selection of mocktails they had was insane.

Your boyfriend Tom was already out, he said he had a meeting and then dinner with some execs he needed to shmoosh. Of course you didn’t mind, but he had been working a lot recently, in order to be able to have the time off when your baby girl arrives.

So after sending a little text and giving Yamna another hug to try and turn the evening from disappointment to celebration you walked out the door with a smile on your face. Maybe you could pretend, just for an evening to not be pregnant and whale-like?

///////////////////////////

The bar was just a 10 minute walk so it wasn’t long before the two of you were soaking up the atmosphere. It was all decorated in a rustic fashion, with old exposed wood and dangling lightbulbs from the ceiling and the drinks were incredible. The type that have dry ice or flames or some other sort of fantastical display of edible decorations. Even Yamna had perked up, especially when a guy from the table across had bought you both a round of drinks.

“I’m just gonna pop to the loo.”

“Do you really need the toilet or do you just want to parade infornt of the fit rich man who keeps looking at you?”

“ Is both an option?” You laughed as Yamna slipped off her stool, winking rather dramatically as she did so. She was unbelievable - but at least this way she wasn’t thinking about her work, or lack thereof, anymore.

Happily you sat scrolling though your phone, seeing that tom had messaged you with an okay, before flicking through instagram.

And that was where the happiness ended.

For in a hurried manner, with a face looking a lot more ghosted than when she left, Yamna took her seat again.

“Are you okay?” Immediately your worry took over, the way she was biting her lip and not meeting your eyes not helping.

“I um yeh-yeh. Just I think I saw Tom.”

“Tom as in my Tom?” Her almost guilty looking nod had your scrunching your eyebrows, why was it such a big deal Tom was inside?

“He didn’t see me I don’t think but er… he just looked pretty close to a girl and I-“

To be honest you stopped listening at that point, heart dropping out the bottom of your chest. Because it made sense, he had been so distant recently and even if you’d been lying to yourself that it were work - this seemed much more likely. Whilst nodding along, pretending to listen to Yamna, instead your attention was solely focused on fiddling with the promise ring he’d got you after the two of you decided to keep the baby. He’d been so committed, so ready for this unexpected news. He’d said he was in for the long haul.

“Y/n?”

“sorry I um… it’s probably just a work colleague he needs to sweet talk. I’ll um-I’ll just go say hello.”

“I’m coming with you.” She spoke astutely, very much forcing herself into the situation.

“No no I’ll… I’ll come back if I need you, just wait here.”

Her face was so grim and destitute, as much as you were pretending it was okay - you knew it wasn’t. Before Yamna could protest further, you slipped off your seat ( clumsily thanks to the elephant belly) and walked with fake confidence back inside.

It took you barely 3 seconds to hone in on Tom, call it mothers intuition. He was on a booth in the corner with 5 others on his table but none of whom you recognised. It was 2 other guys and 3 girls - the six all paired off in mathcingly initimate conversations. Apart from that you payed almost zero attention to the others, attention solely focused on your boyfriend and the girl he had his arm round.

She was everything you weren’t. She was skinny - you, as previously mentioned, looked like you had a beachball stuffed under your top. She was blonde with sleek and perfectly styled waves at the tips of her long her - yours was thrown into a messy bun due to the last minute plans.

Most importantly - right now she was wrapped in Toms arms, whilst you stood alone watching.

God knows what came over you, but with confidence you never normally had you marched up to the table, just waiting at the end. One of the men you didn’t recognised, arrogantly asked you ‘can I help you’ - but you completely disregarded it, eyes solely fixed on Tom. He took a moment more to look away from the leggy girl, but as soon as he did his eyes grew massively wide.

“Y/n I-I-“

“Fancy bumping into you, I thought you were out with work executives?” Frantically casting his gaze across the table, you could see the cogs whirring to try and come up with an explanation.

“No I-I was but then Charlie here came over, we used to be mates at school and-“

“Oh fuck off Tom., I cant deal with this right now.”

You didn’t even have the energy to listen to his clearly fake excuses as to why he’d landed himself in that situation. You also certainly did not have it in you to maintain the strong face, you could feel everything shattering inside of you.

Because it was so blindingly obvious by how he had acted. You’d caught him out and you both knew it.

And it fucking hurt like hell.

So you exited the bar as fast as physically possible, hearing the shouts of both Yamna and Tom behind you. You didn’t know what you needed in that moment - except that neither of them were the answer. Tom though, presumably the faster of the two, managed to catch up - grabbing your arm to make you halt in the road.

There was this moment between the two of you that time almost seemed to freeze. The two of you, in an otherwise pretty empty residential street, at 9:30 at night, in a moment that you would never have again. From your point of view, you saw the slightly bloodshot and bleary eyes, widened with panic and fear. For Tom he saw the floods of tears down your cheeks, which you hadn’t even noticed were freely streaming.

But in that moment there was, at least, the slightest bit of peace. The slightest bit of hope - that he could explain, that he had some ludicrous but valid reason for the situation you had walked in on. Just a smidgen of hope that this were recoverable.

But then he had to open his bloody mouth.

“Y/n I swear nothing-“

“That didn’t look like fucking nothing!”

“It was I swear! We just-“

“Tom this is your one and only chance. I don’t care if your off your face, if you don’t give my a miracle of a reason as to what the fuck THAT was - then I’m gone.”

“Don’t say that Y/n, you don’t mean th-“ He tried to grab your hand which you snatched away, like you had just scalded it on a hot plate. Like he had hurt you.

“I swear to god I’ve never meant anything more. So cut the shit.”

“FIne-fine! Um so we were at the meeting and then on the way out I bumped into George and hes been a good mate of mine for years.” All you did was hum, arms crossed and making sure you had a metre of distance between the two of you.

“So he said god you look like you need a drink and I agreed because its been stressful as hell recently.”

“Oh its been stressful; for YOU has it? I’m so sorry Thomas, has it been hard for you while i’ve been throwing my lungs up with morning sickness? Has it been stressful that I’ve been running on zero hours sleep because she kicks me all bloody night? ” Your words were laced in a posioned sarcasm, to which Tom just stammered to.

“Please just let me.” Given he was supposed to be fighting for you, he sounded pretty darn defeated already.

“I said yes to the drink.” He skipped out the bit that had angered you, to which you rolled your eyes at. “And one turned into two and more and then I don’t know-“

“Your going to have to try a lot harder than that.” You deadpanned, taking a small step further back still.

“I mean it! The girls were all his friends and we were just talking.”

“Just talking? All pressed up and arms round her?”

“Yes!” As indignant as he retorted, it didn’t not make up for what you had seen with your own eyes.

“Your such a bullshitter Tom!”

“God why wont you just listen to me?” He cried, wobbly doing a little 360 on the spot, in what appeared to be exasperation.

“Because your just spouting fucking lies! And you try and blame it all on poor little tommo being stressed which is-“

“I HAVE BEEN! Running round after you! I’m just tired of this shit!!! So kill me, for having one night of freedom!”

Tom was too deep in his angry lecture to take any notice of you. Which is why, once finished, he waitied, breath heavy and nose flaring. He was waiting for you to scream back at him. To give it back. He was too drunk to notice the change in your demeanor.

“I’m tired of this shit.”

It was just reverberating round your head. Again and again and again. He was tired of your relationship and you hadn’t even become parents yet. He was at his wits-end and the baby was still unborn. What the fuck was going to happen when baby arrived? Clearly there was no hope. It was dead. Your relationship was dead with no chance of revival.

Because he’d said it. Your relationship was shit, and nobody can put up with something they hate for that long. Not 18 years. Not while bringing up a child.

So with a new sense of dread and fear and complete and total isolation you uttered three single words before hysterically running away.

“Don’t follow me.”

Not now, not ever.

?to be continued?

~~~~~~~~~~gahhhh I hope u enjoyed! I also REALLY CANNOT THINK OF A NAME FOR THIS MINISERIES --> if anyone can think of something pls inbox me!!! ~~~~~~~~

tom taglist: @lovehollandy12 @hollandlover19 @thefernandasantana @hunnybunimdun @hallecarey1@cedricdiggorysimpp @msmimimerton @hollandfanficlove @pandaxnienke @crossyourpeter @thegirlwiththeimpala @tom-softie @sunwardsss @spiitfiiires @radcloudenthusiast @ladykxxx08 @prancerrparkerr @wildxwidow @Elishi03 @arctic-monkcys @Ownbauer13 @tomhollandlol

[secretobsessionstuff]

Maybe a Blair appendicitis one?

And Another Anon requested: could you do an appendicitis fic for blair where she mistakes it for bad period cramps but eventually dakota forces her to the emergency room? i love your fics!!

Because it's Thanksgiving weekend for all us Canadians, I figured I'd post this now since it's relevant.

CW: Major medical problem, mentions of hospital, and graphic description of vomiting!

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

The pain rose steadily throughout the morning and into the afternoon. It rose in intensity but sank deeper into Blair’s belly the more she moved. By noon, she had to waddled to the bathroom to change tampons. Every step there made the throbbing worse. Blair managed to make it out of the bathroom alive. She had lots of practice in dealing with the nauseating sensations. Yes, it was hell, but a familiar hell—the kind of hell she had to walk through nearly every month. By this point in her life, she was best friends with the ruler themselves.

Still, she couldn’t help but wince and hug her stomach as she walked down the hall. Dakota’s sudden presence in the narrow space made her jump. Being startled caused all the muscles in her stomach and back to tense up. More shooting pains, yay! She held onto the wall for support. 

“Ah God, Kota, you scared me,” she said through clenched teeth.

“You’re the one scaring me,” he said, taking in her hunched over posture, “I can hear you moaning in pain from the bedroom. I’m guessing the heating pad didn’t work.” 

“Yeah no,” she wheezed out. 

“But it’s shaped like an elephant.” 

“Surprisingly—” she paused to breathe and curse her uterus, “—that had no effect on its usefulness.” 

“Well, did you see that the elephant has polka dots on it?” He smiled, but it was forced. “Maybe that’s the key to making it work.” 

Blair patted his arm and waddled passed him. “I don’t think humour can fix this one.” 

He followed after her. “This is a bad one, Bee. I’ve never seen you in so much pain.” 

Blair fell back onto the bed and assumed the fetal position. “That’s because you didn’t know me in grade ten.” 

“Regardless,” Dakota said as he came to sit on the edge on the bed, “You’re not doing well, babe.” He wiped the sweat from her brow with the washcloth he left on the bedside table. It wasn’t cold anymore. Her skin was warm, probably from lying in bed all day. The sheets were damp with sweat as well. 

“Should I let Micah and Alexi know we can’t make it tonight?” he asked, trying to forget about the comforting meal that all their friends would have without then. 

It was Thanksgiving, but Blair couldn’t find anything to be thankful for in that moment. She kept telling Dakota to be thankful that he didn’t have a temperamental organ that tore down its walls each new moon.

Despite her current mood and pain level, she shook her head. “No, don’t cancel our plans. Period cramps or not, I am eating some fucking mashed potatoes tonight and nothing can stop me.” 

“Honey, there’s literally a puke bucket by my feet right now.” 

“And it’s empty, isn’t it?” Blair was happy that she hadn’t needed to use the bucket, but she wasn’t thrilled that it had to be there in the first place. The nausea remained a dull constant. It hadn’t pushed her over the edge, and she planned to keep it that way. 

Thanksgiving meant good food, and nausea wasn’t about to ruin that. There was going to be six of them at the dinner. The hosts, Micah and Alexi, were making the turkey and a green bean casserole. Madix and Riley were bringing the stuffing, glazed carrots, and apple pie. And Dakota and Blair were bringing the mashed potatoes, the gravy, and pumpkin pie. Fine, fine, Thanksgiving was also about appreciating loved ones, yeah, yeah. But potatoes! That was something to be thankful for. 

So much food and Blair’s stomach was a tight ball of knots. She wanted to scream into her pillow. As much as she tried to play it off, this was a bad time for cramps. But it was also a really weird one. The pain was sitting higher than usual and seemed to favor one side over the other. But Blair was in too much discomfort to compare and contrast her period pain from the last decade. All she knew was that her belly was throbbing like every other time that this retched week came upon her. 

“We’re supposed to be there in three hours, right?” she asked. 

“Yeah.” Dakota watched her curl into a ball of misery. “But we don’t—”

“Yes, we do,” she interrupted, “I’m going to nap for two hours and then I’ll be good.” 

“But—”

“Wake me up an hour before we have to leave.” 

Dakota sighed, defeated. It wasn’t as if he could put up a fight. It was Blair’s body, and she knew what she could endure. The closest he ever came to understanding was when he had appendicitis. That had been the worse pain of his life, so he hoped Blair’s pain was nothing like that.

…

By 3pm everybody had arrived at Micah and Alexi’s house. The space was warmly lit and smelt like pumpkins from the candles burning in the living room. That was where they found themselves once everyone had set their dishes in the kitchen. 

Madix and Riley looked dashing, sitting next to each other on the smaller couch. They both wore nice shirts for the occasion. Alexi had gotten dresses up as well and forced Micah to do the same. Of course, Micah didn’t last twenty minutes before throwing a hoodie over his better clothes. 

“What?” he said when Alexi shot him a look. “I’m cold and this isn’t church.” 

“Right, what did you call this?” Alexi asked. 

“Friends-giving.” Micah said happily. “No homophobic relatives here.” He met Riley’s gaze on that last part. 

“The house looks amazing, by the way,” Riley added, eager to move the conversation towards something light-hearted. He was right. The pumpkins outside greeted them at the door, and autumn themed decorations added warm colours to the interior. 

Alexi rolled his eyes playfully at his boyfriend. “Micah went a little crazy at the décor store.” 

“We’re glad you did,” Madix said to Micah. 

Dakota was having trouble concentrating on the conversation because he could smell the food that his friends had prepared. Blair was having trouble as well because a knife was twisted into her abdomen. The two of them were being oddly quiet. 

Blair did not have much energy to partake in the festivities. She felt guilty about huddling in the corner, but she couldn’t focus on anything other than the pain that radiated from her belly button. The nausea that had seemingly disappeared after her nap was back. And it was sharp. The pain too was no longer dull, but piercing. 

There came an opportune moment when everyone was looking at the pictures from Micah and Alexi’s recent road trip, that Blair could shuffle to the bathroom. This way no one would ask her why she walked like the hunchback of Notre Dame. 

She cradled her stomach, careful not to make big movements. She slowly lowered herself onto the floor by the toilet, certain that she wasn’t going to succeed at keeping the nausea at bay. Her vision swam as ripples of discomfort lapped at her insides. She imagined someone had dropped a stone in her belly and now rings of pain undulating from that sore spot. 

The nausea spiked when an intense spasm of pain took over. She gagged over the toilet, feeling faint and hot. Sweat prickled at the back of her neck as she retched. The vomit splattered into the water below. The sound of her own heaving echoed in her ears, which morphed into a high ringing. Another gag tore up her throat. With each throbbing pulse, more of her stomach’s contents rushed up her throat. 

Blair wanted to text Dakota, but her aching stomach made that impossible. The only thing she could do was whimper on the floor. The fact that no one came to the bathroom meant that they couldn’t hear her suffering. 

But back in the living room, Dakota sensed that something was wrong. Blair had been gone too long. He was just about to check on her when Alexi stood up. 

“Shall we start eating now?” he asked. 

The fact Dakota wasn’t the one to mention food showed just how worried her was for his absent fiancée. “Blair’s not back from the bathroom yet.”

“Oh, no worries,” Alexi sat back down, “we’ll wait.” 

“Actually,” Dakota was the one to stand now, “I think I’ll go check on her.” 

Dakota’s heartrate sped up when he neared the bathroom. The sound of heaving came from the other side of the door. He knocked and let himself in. She was, as he expected, vomiting over the toilet. “Oh Bee, I’m here. I’m so sorry.” 

He was sorry for all the mashed potatoes that she wasn’t going to be eating. He was sorry for the tears streaking down her face. He was sorry for the protective way she wrapped her arms around her torso. 

“Gah,” Blair let out a thick sigh. The taste of sick filled her mouth. She spat into the water. “My belly hurts so bad, Kota. I can’t.” 

“Shh, shh, I know.” He brushed her hair away from her face. Her skin was on fire. He was going to say something when she cried out in pain and fell back against his chest. “My God, Bee. What can I do?” 

She just whimpered and hugged herself. 

“Aw, baby,” Dakota enveloped her in his arms. 

The only thing he could think to do was rub her stomach. He started low, knowing that was where the pain radiated from. When she didn’t protest his touch, he kept going. He pressed his palm and his fingertips into the soft skin of her stomach, moving back and forth across her midriff. He pressed his fingers into the left side, the middle, and the—

Blair gasped out loud and went rigid in his arms. Her cry was so loud that Dakota froze. The sudden outburst had terrified him, and he was scared to touch her again. 

“Blair, I don’t like this,” he said, his tone more serious than it’s ever been. “I think we need to go to the hospital.” 

“No,” she whined. “I can’t go to the hospital for cramps.” 

“This can’t just be cramps.” 

Dakota shook his head. They had to do something. Her face shone with sweat and seemed to hold a permanent grimace. But she didn’t move; she stayed curled on his lap. 

“Maybe we should—” he began but was interrupted by a knock at the bathroom door. 

“Is everything okay?” It was Madix. “We heard a yell.” 

Thank fuck, Dakota thought. He called for Madix to come in. 

Madix took in the scene: Blair whimpering in Dakota’s arms, shivering and tensing in pain. The smell of vomit in the air. Dakota’s terrified look in his eyes. 

“Tell me what’s happening.” Madix knelt on the floor with them. 

“She’s in so much pain, Mads.” Dakota looked to his friend as if they were drowning. “Please help. I think we need to go to the hospital, but Blair thinks it’s just cramps.” 

“It is just cramps,” Blair insisted weakly. 

Dakota shook his head so fast he thought his head would fly off. “I pushed on her stomach, and she yelled, and, and I think—I think she has a fever. She’s burning up, Mads, what do we do?” 

“Alright, slow down,” Madix said calmly. “Take a deep breath. Kota, I’m talking to you too.” 

Madix forced them both to inhale deeply. He waited until they finished their slow and controlled exhales before getting closer. “Good,” he said, reaching a hand out. “Blair, can I touch your stomach?” 

She hesitated, but then nodded. 

Madix lifted her shirt to expose her belly. He started with light palpations, moving around the area. “I’m going to press a little harder, okay?” When she nodded, he continued. 

Without rushing, but with a knowing look in his eyes, he moved towards the right side of her belly. He pressed into her abdomen and quickly removed his hands, glancing at her expression as he did so. 

But Madix did not need to watch her expression for signs of pain because as soon as he stopped applying pressure, she cried out again. “Stop, stop,” she pleaded, her voice cracking. 

“Okay, no more. That’s it.” He raised his hands as if in surrender. He watched Blair’s body relax as much as it could with the pain still pulsing throughout.

He rubbed his hand over his mouth out of habit as he thought. He glanced up at Dakota who still looked helpless. The two of them had scars on their abdomens that Blair very much did not. “Blair, you do need to go to the hospital,” he told her. “It’s likely appendicitis.”

"Ugh God," Blair moaned, burrying her face in Dakota's lap.  

“Right. Okay,” Dakota looked down at his poor fiancée. “You ready to stand up, babe?” 

“No.” But she lifted herself off Dakota’s lap anyway. Her arms and legs wobbled. “Help me.” 

“Oh, I’m not letting you go,” Dakota said obstinately. “You’re going to be so tired of my help by the end of this.” 

Madix helped her stand as well and guided the two of them out of the bathroom. “We’re taking my car. I’m driving.” 

“You don’t have to—” Dakota started, but Madix put a hand on his shoulder. 

“Dude, you’re shaking.” Madix shook his head. “I swear, you two are the most stubborn people on the planet, and somehow you ended up together.”

[wisteriashouse]

irresistible.

pairing: rengoku kyoujurou x reader

genre: fluff, nsfw, fuck or die troupe (i can’t believe i did this)

word count: 5015

remarks: a commission by the lovely @sburbanjumble​!! i hope you enjoy sweet and spicy kyoujurou <3 this is a rewrite of desire, but if kyoujurou were the one hit by the demon instead!

This demon is unlike any other you’ve ever faced before.

“Kyoujurou, follow up on my attack!” You shout as you press forward with your blade, putting all your strength in your arms as you aim for the demon’s neck. Eyes widening as your nichirin blade descends in a gleaming arc, the demon barely manages to throw up her arms in time to shield herself, and there’s a couple of wet thumps as her limbs fall to the grass, sliced clean off by your sword. Behind you, Kyoujurou leaps down, his sword held high as he swings.

“Flame Breathing, Third Form, Blazing Universe!”

You have to leap out of the way to dodge the shockwaves from Kyouojurou’s strike, so powerful that you feel the ground under your feet tremble for a second. Unfortunately for the both of you, the demon is just as fast as well - before Kyoujurou’s sword can cut clean through her neck, she vanishes in a cloud of sickly smelling smoke.

Your eyes dart around the darkness of the forest, blade already held up in an offensive stance for the slightest signal to attack, but Kyoujurou lands nimbly in front of you, holding out one hand to pull you back and the other gripping his own sword tight.

“We still don’t know what her abilities are or what her smoke does. Don’t be too hasty,” he warns you, voice low. Adrenaline is still pumping through your veins, but at your partner’s stern words, you force yourself to take a few breaths to calm yourself down. Breathe in, breathe out. Calm down.

“Okay, I got it.” Adjusting the grip on your sword once more, you let out a breath and hold up your blade. “I got caught up in the moment for a bit. Sorry about that.”

The battle hardened expression on Kyoujurou’s face breaks for just a second to beam at you warmly, and its familiarity puts you at ease. “It’s no problem,” Kyoujurou smiles. “You know I’ve always got your back no matter what-” his eyes widen for a split second at something behind you. “Watch out!”

Out of nowhere, however, five shining claws erupt out of the shadows straight towards you - only your reflexes, honed from years of training, allow you to dodge by jumping back right in time, the trace of a sickly sweet scent tickling your nose. Its regeneration speed is fast. Behind you, Kyoujurou slashes at the demon once more, but it vanishes into the darkness of the forest before the blade can connect. Disoriented and senses thrown into disarray by the sudden attack, you almost don’t notice fangs bared at you until it’s too late.

“[name]!” There’s a forceful tug on your arm and you’re sent stumbling forward a few steps, clouds of fuschia pink smoke erupting into the air right where you’d been standing less than a second ago. You’re left coughing and hacking as a sickly fragrance, but through the murky haze clouding your mind, you remember Kyoujurou, who was left standing in the spot that you’d been in prior.

“Kyoujurou!” Gripping your sword tightly with one hand and waving the residue smoke away from your face with the other, your eyes dart about the clearing, searching for Kyoujurou. “Are you alright?”

You find Kyoujurou surrounded by thick clouds of smoke and his hands clasped over his mouth, the demon responsible for it all cackling madly as she raises her claws, pointed tips glinting in the dim light of the moon. Before she can bring them down, however, you lunge forward with your blade with a forward strike, the tip of your blade piercing clean through her shoulder and pinning her against a tree. The pained scream that she lets out must have been heard for miles around.

You take this brief moment to glance back at Kyoujurou, heart hammering wildly in your chest with concern. “Kyoujurou, are you alright?” You call, voice urgent. Kyoujurou does not reply, instead shaking his head firmly as he hunches over, clearly in discomfort. Poison, perhaps? Anxiety floods through you, but you steel yourself and turn back to the demon.

“What did your smoke do to him?”

The demon only laughs at your demand, even as blood trickles down the wound on her shoulder. “Did you really think I would tell you? Think again! As if I would ever tell an accursed demon slayer like you-”

Gripping your sword by the handle, you wrench it with all your might and the demon lets out another shriek of agony, so shrill you can feel your ears ringing. “Maybe you didn’t hear me the first time,” you say icily, teeth gritted. While you take no pleasure in causing another creature’s pain, even demons, there’s only so much dallying you can take when Kyoujurou is suffering behind you. “Tell me, and I will speed your passing. If not...” You raise your sword in a wordless warning.

It is brief, but you catch the faintest flicker of fear in the demon’s eyes as she stares up at you. For good measure, you tighten your grip on your sword once more, ready to drive it into her flesh a second time, but she speaks.

“Fine,” she spits, her glare so venomous you can almost feel it eating away at your skin. “My smoke causes an... arousal of the human senses, sending them into overdrive and consuming the mind. If that man doesn’t lie with someone...” her smile is fanged with wicked amusement, “his mind will go insane with lust and he’ll suffer in agonizing pain!”

At her words, your breath is caught in your throat. As much as you want to say that all demons do is lie, from the look in her eyes to the triumphant grin on her blood stained lips, all the signs say that she is telling the truth. Unfortunately, you don’t have the time nor luxury to ponder over this too much, not when every second counts now.

“Then, just as I promised.” Yanking your sword from her flesh, you decapitate her with one swift strike - too fast for her to even let out another scream. Even before her severed head has hit the ground, you’re already running to Kyoujurou’s side, the man having sagged to his knees and only kept upright by the sword he’s driven into the ground to use as a crutch. Crouching next to him, you support his weight as gently as you can, but the heat radiating off his skin takes you by surprise. “Kyoujurou, you’re burning up!”

“I… I’m sorry,” Kyoujurou barely manages to make out between laboured breaths, his face twisted from the discomfort. Quickly, you raise a hand to wipe the sweat from his brow, but his hand latches onto your wrist before you can so much as touch his bare skin. He’s trembling faintly, as hard as he tries to conceal it from you, and it almost scares you to see him like this. “Don’t… Not when I’m like this. You should probably leave.”

“What?” You hiss at him, equal parts angry and baffled. “This isn’t a matter of pride, Kyoujurou! I know that you’re a Pillar, but you’ll most definitely not be fine like this. We need to get you to the nearest village, then we can think about what we can do from there. Maybe they’ll have strong enough painkillers that will be able to knock you out for a while, or something to help alleviate the pain-”

“The nearest village is at least a day’s travel from here,” Kyoujurou cuts you off, shaking his head urgently. “And besides, it’s not safe for you to be here with me right now.” You catch him glancing at you for a second before his gaze leaves you, but is that a hint of… desire you see flickering in his eyes? “The state the demon has put my body in is an unprecedented one… I don’t know what I’ll do to you like this. It would be safer if you put some distance between the two of us… I can already feel it growing worse.”

At his words, you frown in confusion for a moment before realisation descends upon you. So that’s what the demon had meant by arousal of the senses…

“But I can’t just leave you like this,” you begin to protest, anxious, but Kyoujurou waves you off.

“I’ll be fine.” Even though he’s the one in this state, he’s still trying to reassure you. “The blood demon art should wear off when dawn comes, so I need only endure this,” he shudders, body tensing up for a second, “until morning. There’s no need for you to worry.”

Even as Kyoujurou says these words, you can see his body starting to shake almost violently, his jaw clenched so hard that you can see the veins protruding along the side of his neck. It just makes you feel even worse when you remember that he had only gotten into this situation trying to save you, or else your roles would be reversed right now. Sunrise is still hours away. Chewing on your bottom lip, you force yourself to concentrate. Think, think, think! What did the demon say about his condition earlier?

If that man doesn’t lie with someone…

You falter for a moment. By lie, she can’t possibly have meant…

There’s no other meaning for the word lie that can be applied in this context, is there?

You glance worriedly at Kyoujurou, but the man only shakes his head. He must have heard the demon’s words from earlier and already made up his mind, without so much as consulting you, no less. Stupid, selfless, self sacrificing Kyoujurou. When will he learn to put himself before others for a change? Does he have any idea how you’ll feel leaving him to suffer like this until sunrise comes, all while knowing that you could have done something to fix this?

For some reason, that thought only frustrates you to no end, and making up your mind with that, you reach for the top button of your uniform.

Before you can begin undoing your shirt, however, Kyoujurou’s hand grips latches around your wrist, so hard you can almost feel the beginning of bruises forming on your skin. Kyoujurou is always careful whenever it comes to you, so it’s a testament to the extent that the blood demon art has affected him, his self control slipping away with each passing second. When you look up at him questioningly, his brow is furrowed with confusion, lips parted.

“What are you doing?”

“What does it look like I’m doing?” You hiss back, but you can feel your own fingers trembling slightly from the nerves. “If you… lie with me, it should relieve the pain brought about by the demon’s blood art. Friends would do this for each other, wouldn’t they?”

Would they, though? The thought just makes you uncomfortable, so you simply shrug it aside. You can think about that after you’ve solved Kyoujurou’s problem. However, Kyoujurou’s answer takes you by surprise.

“I cannot,” Kyoujurou says immediately, voice so firm you’re taken by surprise for a second. Is he perhaps worried about your discomfort? In comparison to the pain he seems to be in now, body wracked with shivers and teeth gritted so hard you can almost hear his jaw creak, it will be nothing.

“I really don’t mind,” you begin to say, but Kyoujurou cuts you off once more.

“No.”

“Kyoujurou, this is not the time to be stubborn,” you try to shrug him off, but the grip he has on your wrist is too tight. Frustrated, you glare up at Kyoujurou. You want to help him, but you can’t do anything if he insists on being like this. “Why do you reject me? Is it because I’m not good enough for you? To the point that you’d prefer to suffer like this?”

The more you shout, the more frustrated you feel, tears starting to escape the corners of your eyes. His rejection does sting, yes, but more than that is the helplessness you feel when you see him in pain, yet are unable to do anything to alleviate it.

“So you’re telling me to just walk away?” You continue to shout, voice breaking. Your throat feels thick. “Well, curse it, Kyoujurou, I can’t just do something like that. I-”

A gentle pressure on your lips cuts your words off, and you look up in surprise through wet lashes to see Kyoujurou’s finger pressed against your mouth to silence you. There’s a conflicted expression on his face, caught between a pained frown and a tender smile.

“Don’t say that,” he rasps quietly, managing a smile to comfort you even through his own pain. “You shouldn’t give your body so easily to me... it should be saved for the person that you want to give your heart to. Didn’t you tell me before that… there’s someone who you hold feelings for?”

You stare at him in shock. Why is he still thinking about something like this even now? And besides…

“I cannot possibly let you do that knowing that you have feelings for someone else,” Kyoujurou continues. He’s struggling to get the words out now, his breaths shallow. “So, there is no need to worry about me, I assure you that I will be fine-”

“What if,” your words come out a whisper, “I told you that someone is you?”

For a moment, nothing but those words hang in the silence between the two of you. Kyoujurou’s eyes are wide with shock, but you force yourself to hold his gaze, unwilling to back down. You’re determined to convey every bit of genuinity in your heart and make it known - perhaps the demon was in fact a blessing in disguise that created the circumstance to put aside your cowardice and reveal your true feelings to him now.

“I understand if you don’t return my feelings,” you say firmly, before Kyoujurou can say a word. “However, I too, assure you… that doing this with you…” it feels strange, saying it out loud like this, “it wouldn’t be a bad thing… to me at least. So please, let me help you.”

Kyoujurou is still staring at you, but then he lets out a pained groan and crumples over, unable to keep himself upright any longer. Frantic, you race over to help him up, but the second you touch him, you feel a pair of hands grip your waist before the entire night sky above seems to flip over your head. The next thing you know, you’re on your back in the grass, Kyoujurou straddling your hips. You can’t see the expression on his face, his breath ghosting the side of your neck.

You swallow, but raise a hand to rest it on the top of his head comfortingly. “You okay, Kyoujurou?”

“Ahh… this wasn’t how I wanted to do this,” Kyoujurou murmurs against the shell of your ear, and you almost yelp when you feel teeth roughly scrape the delicate skin.

“W-what, what do you mean?”

“It should have started with my confession,” your momentary shock is cast aside when you feel a large hand sliding up your side, up your ribs to the collar of your uniform shirt, playing at the top button as if to distract himself. “I would have brought you out to dinner, perhaps some flowers… and yet here we are, doing everything backwards. On the forest floor, no less. It is not the place I would have chosen for our first time together.”

All you can manage is a laugh, something akin to warmth burning in your chest as quiet joy overflows. “As long as it’s with you, I don’t mind,” you whisper. Taking his hand, you place it firmly against the top of your collar, the brass of your button cool against your joined hands. “So please, Kyoujurou.”

You can feel it, the deep breath he takes before he descends, mouth kissing along the bare skin of your neck while his hand deftly undoes the buttons of your uniform. Before you have time to be nervous, Kyoujurou’s lips are already on the slope of your collarbones, nipping and sucking lightly as you gasp. “Beautiful,” he whispers against your skin, and you have to fight back your blush.

As your top slips off your shoulders, leaving you exposed to his gaze, you shiver slightly as the cold of the night air leaves goosebumps on your skin. Kyoujurou, ever attentive, notices right away. “Don’t worry,” his fingers trail down your side, before they’re replaced by his lips, hot against your bare skin. The sensation is foreign, a little ticklish even, but strangely welcome, and you have to try not to squirm. “I’ll warm you up in a moment.”

His hands tug at the buckle of your belt even as he continues to map out your body with his mouth, leaving little bruises and marks on you. They sting pleasantly, and with each new one Kyoujurou adds to your skin, you fight back a little moan at the feeling, pressing your legs together to alleviate the strange ache there. Although the night is cool, you feel hot, burning up together with Kyoujurou as he makes good on his promise to warm you up. Perhaps the demon’s blood art is contagious? You wouldn’t mind...

There’s a metallic clink, and the belt around your waist loosens before it slides off you, falling to the ground with a soft thump. Your uniform pants follow soon after, slipped down your legs together with your undergarments, and it’s then you feel cool air brushing against you right there.

Suddenly shy, you press your thighs together, unable to bear the way Kyoujurou’s eyes rake over your body almost hungrily. Still, for all his desire, he remains patient with you, coaxing your legs open carefully with a gentle touch that you can’t help but obey. Fingers skimming up your legs, first from your ankles up to the crook of your knee and finally to the sensitive skin of your inner thighs, you bite back a whimper the closer his touch comes to where you need it most.

Slowly, almost carefully, Kyoujurou runs the tip of his fingers along your damp folds and you shudder, the seemingly light touch intensifying ten fold and sending little shockwaves of pleasure down your body. It feels strange, but your body chases it of its own accord, pressing against his hand in a silent plea for more.

“Does it feel good?” Kyoujurou whispers, and you nod urgently. Anything to get rid of that aching, sudden emptiness in you.

“Please,” your voice comes out as a whine, and if you weren’t so aroused you would be mortified by how needy you sound. Isn’t it supposed to be Kyoujurou who is affected by the demon’s spell? “Touch me, Kyoujurou.”

“Mmm, don’t be impatient,” his thumb rubs circles over you, its glide made effortless by the slick now coating his fingers. The pressure relieves you for a second before an even more intense need crashes hot on its heels, unrelenting. When you whine again, all composure now thrown to the wind, Kyoujurou bites his lip and probes, his finger parting your folds to sink into you slowly. Your gasp catches in your throat, and all you can do is let your head fall back as your walls tighten around him, as if trying to keep him inside you.

“More,” you plead, nearly begging him now. One finger isn’t nearly enough, and Kyoujurou proceeds to press another into you even as you squirm on his fingers. A short, bitten off moan escapes you when he starts to move his fingers at a leisurely pace, pumping them in and out of you with an obscene squelching sound. “Kyoujurou, don’t tease.”

“I need to make sure I don’t hurt you,” you tremble under him when he begins to scissor you carefully, making sure to stretch you out so that you’ll be able to take him more easily later. Eager for more but unable to complain, you move your hips towards his hands so that his fingers can press deeper into you, shuddering when his fingers crook against a certain spot. Reaching up, you curl your hands at the nape of his neck and tugging him down towards you so that you can kiss him.

His tongue licks into your mouth, hot and wet, as his fingers still continue to move in you. Arching your back in an attempt to draw closer to him, you suck on his tongue lightly and Kyoujurou lets out a groan, a rumble from deep within his chest.

“Ready, ready,” you break the kiss to tell him, helplessly fucking yourself on his fingers. Pleasure sets every nerve ending alight, from the tips of your fingers to your toes. “Please, Kyoujurou.”

Kyoujurou’s eyes gleam, but you too, can see how badly he needs it. He’s trembling, almost feverishly now, but still he manages a smile as he looks down at you. “Always so impatient with me,” he dips down to plunder your mouth once more, rough and forceful this time, curling his fingers in you and causing you to pant into his mouth. This draws a slight laugh out of him. His fingers slip out of you, and you let out a long, keening whine in complaint.

“Don’t worry,” he squeezes your thigh and you shiver at the look in his eyes. “I promise I won’t leave you wanting.”

Even through the feeling of Kyoujurou’s body on yours and his lips of your skin, you faintly hear the clink of a belt being undone. A moan of anticipation leaves you, and you can’t help but part your legs in response. You need more, more to alleviate the burning ache in you that just doesn’t seem to abate.

Something presses against your entrance, hard and heavy, and your hips press against it involuntarily, demanding more. To your confusion, Kyoujurou doesn’t enter you immediately, instead taking a moment to run his length up and down your folds, and you let out a pathetic little moan when he denies you. Kyoujurou laughs, but it’s rougher, lower this time.

“Impatient,” he repeats, leaning over you. You look up at him pleadingly, sure that tears are gathering in the corner of your eyes from how badly you need it, but Kyoujurou leans down to press a soft kiss to your lips. “Tell me you want it.”

You gape at him, words leaving you for a second at his sudden demand. “Wha-”

“I need to know that you want this as much as I do.” Kyoujurou’s hands trace the spot over your heart, littered with bruises that will probably turn into dark red blooms tomorrow morning. “Tell me with your own words and your mouth that you want this.”

“I-” You flush, biting your bottom lip in embarrassment. The words feel almost shameful on your tongue, but you remind yourself that this is Kyoujurou. “I…” Your voice comes out hushed, barely above a whisper. “I want you, Kyoujurou. I really do.”

Kyoujurou smiles in response, kissing you gently. His hands slide down to your knees, parting your legs and coaxing them to wrap around his waist, which you obey immediately. That’s when you feel him begin to press into you, parting your folds and slowly sinking into you. At first, the stretch is still bearable, but the further he slides into you, you can’t help but let out a little cry as you stretch more to accommodate his length.

“Too much?” Kyoujurou presses kisses to your hair, the crown of your head. You shake your head determinedly, tightening the hold your legs have around his waist.

“N-no, keep going,” you say, clinging to his form. Kyoujurou looks over you with concern in his eyes, before he nips comfortingly on your lower lip.

“You can bite down on me if you want,” he whispers, kissing the side of your neck. “I’ll try to be gentle.”

With those words, he begins moving again, and you fight back another sob as he stretches you open further. Unable to stand the pain, you bury your face in the crook of his neck, teeth latching onto his shoulder. True to his word, Kyoujurou doesn’t even flinch when your teeth break his skin. Instead, he only rubs soothing circles into the bare skin of your thigh in a silent bid to comfort.

You’re no stranger to pain, and you’ve trained in many ways to dull it in your years as a demon slayer. Taking a deep breath, you focus your mind and instruct your body to relax, allowing Kyoujurou to slip deeper into you. After a few moments, the pain begins to abate, and you carefully regulate your breathing before you grip his hand tight.

He glances down at you and you nod wordlessly. With a gentle squeeze of your hip, Kyoujurou begins to move once more, and although the ache still lingers, it has already started to dull, replaced by that feeling of fullness that you had experienced earlier with Kyoujurou’s fingers in you, only this time magnified a hundredfold.

When he finally sinks in you all the way to the hilt, you pause for a moment to adjust to the near overwhelming feeling of being filled so completely, busying yourself with sucking marks into Kyoujurou’s neck like he’d done for you earlier. Kyoujurou groans lowly in his throat, murmuring words of encouragement with each mark you leave on his skin - he seems pleased about it. When your teeth latch on to the lobe of his ear, Kyoujurou begins pulling out of you, much to your despair, but before you can whine about it once more, Kyoujurou slams back into you with a smooth, forceful thrust, and your words turn into nothing more than a choked gasp trapped in your throat.

After that, he doesn’t give you a second to breathe, hips pistoning in you with fervour, and all you can do is lie back and take it, eyes rolling to the back of your head as Kyoujurou runs his mouth over your shoulder, your forehead, your collarbone. Faintly, you feel Kyoujurou’s hand work its way between your bodies, coming to a stop at where your bodies are joined. Before you can ask what he’s doing, his fingers slip down to worry your clit roughly and you let out a cry, nails digging into the skin at his back and arms as you cling to him. Kyoujurou hums, a pleased, satisfied sound and only redoubles his efforts, causing your body to tremble with sensation.

The pleasure builds up in you, almost overwhelming, a wave of pleasure surging straight for you. Before you can warn Kyoujurou, it crashes over you and a high pitched sob works its way out of your throat, your body trying to curl up on itself as if that will alleviate the intensity that’s overtaking your body. Above you, you distantly register Kyoujurou’s low groan as his thrusts lose their rhythm before he pulls out of you completely, something warm splattering on your thigh.

Too tired to form words, you simply hold out your arms and Kyoujurou instantly moves into them, tugging you into his hold so that you can rest your head on his shoulder. Already, you can feel the beginnings of an ache in your legs and arms, and from what the older demon slayers have told you before, your… abdomen would probably feel the same way as well tomorrow. Still, you think, looking up at Kyoujurou’s flushed but content face, you think that this was completely worth it.

A gentle kiss to your temple pulls you out of your thoughts, and you look up to see Kyoujurou with a slight smile on his face as he gazes down at you. “Are you feeling alright? I might have been a bit too rough there.” His fingertips trace your bare shoulders, the love bites at your neck, and finally your lips. You shake your head, content to go limp against him as he cradles you carefully.

“No, I’m fine.” Glancing up at him, you wonder if the flush on his cheeks is from the earlier exertion or if he’s still affected by the demon’s spell. You try to raise a hand, but overestimate your strength - your hand falls back to your lap before it can even reach halfway to his forehead. Still, Kyoujurou only picks up your own hand with his and presses it to his forehead for you, and you’re relieved to find out that although his body temperature is running warm, it’s nothing like the unnatural heat that had been burning him up from before. “It’s good that you’re alright now.”

“[name]...” The solemnity of Kyoujurou’s voice takes you by surprise. When you glance at him, you see him looking at you with a slightly furrowed brow, hesitation flickering in his golden eyes. “The words you spoke earlier, about the person that you had feelings for being me… was that the truth?”

You blink at him, slightly confused. Had you not been genuine enough with your feelings earlier? Determined to put this doubt to rest, you grab him by the cheeks with a strength that you certainly didn’t have earlier, pulling him close so that your foreheads are pressed against each other’s and you can feel his breath dancing over your skin.

“You, yes you.” You repeat, punctuating each word with a kiss to his lips, which helplessly turn up in a smile under your affections. You can’t help the smile on your face that mirrors his own, his happiness palpable and all too contagious. “I can’t believe that it took a situation like this for me to confess. You better make it up to me, you hear me?”

Kyoujurou laughs, nuzzling your neck. “Okay, okay. The sequence is out of order now but,” he smiles at you, “how about I bring you out to dinner? My treat, of course.”

You have to press your face against his shoulder to hide your smile.

“That sounds lovely.”

[heyiwrotesomethings]

It’s Been Too Long

Shinobu Kochou x She/Her Reader

A/N: Alright Shinobu Community, take a fuckin’ sip babes. It’s kind of a long one. My brain was like, friends to enemies to friends to lovers? To which I replied, this is going to be simultaneously too long and too short. I love me some slow burn but also I can’t justify putting that much time into something like this lol. While writing this I learned that one becomes a Hashira by killing a demon moon OR killing at least fifty demons. I didn't know that before, but I was in too deep to fix things. Y’all are a Kinoe rank that probably should be a Hashira given how much slaying you’ve done, sorry! As far as warnings go, I think we’re good. Unless fighting and misunderstandings aren’t your thing. It’ll all be better in the end though!  Word Count: 15,088 

The estate was dark and bleak. It had rained for nearly a week straight, the patter of water against the solid structure of the tiled roof was a near constant companion to the blank static of despair that clouded everyone’s minds.

Kochou Kanae had died of lethal injuries bequeathed to her by a high ranking demon who had left her to bleed out as the sun made its appearance. Perhaps if it had risen even just a few minutes prior, she could have evaded such a cruel fate.

Shinobu had found her of course, the world is just that cruel, or perhaps kind in giving her sister that closure, to be able to see her one last time before she took her last gurgling breath.

It was appropriate, the rain. After the funeral it was a temporary reminder of the warmth that had been reaped from the estate, never to be felt again in this lifetime. Not that (Y/n), Kanao, Aoi, or the youngest residents of the estate needed a reminder. Shinobu certainly didn’t either.

“Shinobu, you didn’t come to dinner. Please try to eat something.” (Y/n) coaxed, sliding the door open. The only light came from a small lantern inside the swirling gloom of the room, highlighting Shinobu hunched over her desk with her head in her hands. “Shinobu?”

“It’s only been a week.” (Y/n) strained to hear the taut whisper of the girl who had grown to be her closest friend. The girl who had given her a second chance at life when she had nowhere else to go. It hurt to hear her sound so broken. “It feels like time is standing still and going too fast at the same time.”

(Y/n) set the light meal in front of Shinobu and leaned against the desk, the wood creaked slightly as she did so. “I know what you mean. I feel the same.”

It wasn’t the first time they’ve talked like this. To be survivors of such unthinkable atrocities, one could go crazy keeping it all locked inside. The guilt, fear, helplessness... sometimes the memories played on loop night after night, waking up to the screams in their minds making sick harmonies with their own.

“I don’t know what I’m supposed to do.” Shinobu spoke tentatively after a moment of drizzling static tapping against the roof. She raised herself just enough to wrestle a paper out from under her arms and slid it to (Y/n). “Oyakata-sama has sent me a summons to meet with him and the Hashira. He intends for me to take,” Shinobu’s voice grew tighter and she could not bring herself to finish, instead a painful sounding intake of air was all that was audible.

(Y/n) took the paper, holding it close to her face as she squinted, the dull light of the lantern made the letter a bit difficult to read, but the message was clear.

“He wants you to take her place.” (Y/n) frowned, a pained gleam pricked at the corners of her eyes.

“It’s been too long, but yet, not long enough,” Shinobu’s fists tightened, “I know the world hasn’t stopped spinning, demons haven’t stopped killing, but why do they want to replace her so quickly? Why are they willing to toss her aside? I don’t...”

“Shinobu,”

Shinobu finally looked up at (Y/n), angry and mournful tears tracked down her face, “I’m not my sister, I’m not Hashira material. I can’t fill the hole she left, (Y/n)!”

(Y/n) abandoned her perch on the desk to crouch beside Shinobu, enveloping her in her arms. Shinobu tightly grasped her back, watery gasps and sharp inhales fell from her lips as she tried to gain control of her breathing once more.

“Oyakata-sama knows you aren’t Kanae. You’re strong in your own right, Shinobu. He wouldn’t breach the subject if he didn’t think you could succeed by your own merits.”

“I have to keep the estate in order, the infirmary, the girls... I can’t take all this responsibility—“

“You don’t have to,” (Y/n) cut her off, the words came a bit sharper than she meant them too, “you’re not alone Shinobu. We can all have our own parts to play. You don’t have to shoulder this all by yourself.”

“Thank you.” Shinobu’s voice cracked.

They had stayed up well into the night. They hardly talked, the two young girls sat huddled together, holding each other tightly. No matter how much they’ve been hurt, time continues moving forward. Just because a boat has been shredded against a reef, that doesn’t mean the waves will grant reprieve from their assault. No, one is expected to keep swimming or to swallow the salty brine and drown. The Butterfly Estate’s allotted time for grief had passed. Now they were being given the not so subtle command that it was time to get back to work.

***

“I wish you could come with me.” Shinobu said the next morning as she sat on the engawa to put on her shoes. “Even if they made you wait outside I would feel a bit better.”

“You’ll be okay, we’ll be thinking about you all day and waiting for you to come back home.” (Y/n) assured, resting her hand on Shinobu’s back. She was almost afraid to touch the haori Shinobu now adorned, as if her hand would pass right through the material.

(Y/n) was surprised when she saw Shinobu wearing it instead of her usual short white haori, though she supposed there was comfort in holding this piece of her sister close. Perhaps the butterfly patterned haori could comfort Shinobu where (Y/n) and the others could not.

(Y/n) must have been staring too long because Shinobu leaned away from her hand, catching it with her own before (Y/n) could withdraw it completely. Shinobu squeezed the hand a moment, (Y/n) swore her heart froze upon seeing the ghostly smile painted over Shinobu’s lips.

“You’re right. No point in fretting over it, is there?”

“...Right,” (Y/n) blinked, “yeah. You’re going to do great.” (Y/n) managed a smile in return but she could feel the corner of her lips tremble at the effort. She wasn’t sure why, but this smile Shinobu was sporting sent chills down her spine.

“I’ll be off then,” Shinobu stood, releasing (Y/n)’s hand as she stepped away from the engawa, “Do make sure to keep everything in order while I’m away.”

“Of course!” (Y/n) winced at her own volume and Shinobu exhaled a quiet chuckle before turning away to make her way down the path. (Y/n) watched until the haunting haori could no longer be seen between the wisteria trees.

***

It was rather late when Shinobu returned. (Y/n) had just helped the youngest girls of the estate get ready for bed and was heading to the kitchens to prepare some tea to help her sleep. She had jumped in her skin when she saw the back of the butterfly patterned haori in the dim lantern light. Shinobu turned at the sound and sent a small, tired smile (Y/n)’s way.

“I thought I’d catch you here before you turned in for the night.” Shinobu spoke. “You almost always take a cup of tea to bed. I hope you don’t mind having some of what I’ve already prepared.”

It wasn’t the first time Shinobu caught her going to the kitchen to make tea. Though usually it was much later in the dead of night when nightmares and grief kept sleep at bay. (Y/n) wasn’t sure what kind of leaves or brewing Shinobu did, but her tea always managed to knock (Y/n) out cold into deep, dreamless bliss. Something about the way Shinobu was speaking was rubbing (Y/n) the wrong way however. There was none of the familiar attitude. The bashful bitterness that came with the sweetness of the tea. (Y/n) decided to shake it off and returned Shinobu’s tired smile. It would take time for things to seem normal again.

“You know me too well. Thank you.” (Y/n) graciously took the cup, relishing in the cup’s warmth and the relaxing scent that wafted off of the steam. “How did today go?”

“It was... fine.” Shinobu’s smile faltered and she quickly disguised it by sipping her own tea. “I’m officially a Hashira. Insect Pillar Kochou Shinobu.”

“It has a nice ring to it.” (Y/n) put in after a moment’s consideration hidden behind the guise of her clearing her throat. She didn’t know if a ‘congratulations’ would be what Shinobu would want to hear give the circumstances that led up to her new title.

“And how was holding down the fort?” Shinobu asked. It seemed she wanted to shift the topic of conversation away from herself. Not that (Y/n) could blame her.

“Everything went smoothly. Well, Aoi did get a bit aggravated with Kanao about one of her coin decisions but we worked it out. Sumi, Kiyo and Naho are picking up the recovery training lessons quickly and are doing very well. The Kakushi have been taking great care of the infirmary. All patients were still stable last I checked in.” (Y/n) reported.

“Thank you for keeping up with all of that.”

“I have to pull my weight around here somehow.” (Y/n) replied, hiding a yawn behind one hand.

“It’s getting late. You should get to bed before the tea kicks in any further.” Shinobu said, putting her own cup down.

“Aren’t you getting tired too?”

“I made myself a different brew, actually. I’ve got more work to do.” Shinobu allowed herself a little sly smile at the tiny frown (Y/n) wore as she looked into her own empty cup as if it had betrayed her somehow.

“Well, don’t forget you need to sleep too. Don’t overwork yourself.”

“Goodnight, (Y/n).” Shinobu called over her shoulder. She was already walking out of the kitchen.

“I mean it Shinobu. Promise me you’ll sleep tonight.” (Y/n) gently demanded, slipping into the hall to fall in step beside Shinobu.

“I’ll promise to try. Is that acceptable?” Shinobu asked, a bit of familiar snark came through and it made (Y/n) relax a bit and nod.

“Alright. Goodnight, Shinobu.”

At the end of the hall they broke off in different directions. Shinobu to the lab and (Y/n) to her room.

***

(Y/n) went through most of her morning routine before going out of her way to find the newly appointed Hashira. She hadn’t seen her since they parted last night. (Y/n) groaned inwardly, already assuming she’d find the young scientist still balancing equations and mixing beakers.

(Y/n) adjusted her butterfly hairpin before knocking her knuckles against the door, waiting for a reply.

“Shinobu?” (Y/n) had called out after another knock led to no reply. (Y/n) frowned and slid the door open of her own volition, closing it behind her once she was inside. It didn’t take long for her to find the exhausted girl hunched over an array of papers, dead asleep.

“When I told you to go to sleep last night, I had your own bed in mind, not a desk.” (Y/n) sighed quietly.

(Y/n) startled at another knock at the door.

“Who is it?” She asked, keeping her voice soft as to not disturb Shinobu.

“It’s Hayato, miss.” The muffled voice called. Ah, one of the Kakushi. “Kochou-sama has guests to attend to.”

“Set them up in the garden with tea, please. Kochou-sama will meet them just as soon as she finishes these papers.” (Y/n) said. It would not do to have news of the young master of the estate sleeping so late in the morning, and at her desk no less.

The Kakushi dismissed himself to carry out his orders and (Y/n)’ shoulders relaxed as his footprints faded down the hall. (Y/n) didn’t want to wake Shinobu, but if her presence was required, then the meeting must be important.

“Hey, Shinobu,” (Y/n) called softly, gently shaking Shinobu’s shoulders, “you have guests that need to see you.”

Shinobu managed to curl further into herself, mumbling a few curses under her breath that (Y/n) couldn’t help but giggle at.

“Maybe you’d feel better if you had actually gone to bed instead of passing out like this.”

“Who is it, what do they need?” Shinobu grumped, sitting up to stretch her abused spine.

“I’m not sure. A Kakushi came by to tell you about them. I asked him to set them up in the garden with tea.”

“Thank you for taking care of that,” Shinobu rubbed her eyes and stood, her chair scratching against the floor, “I should get going then.”

“Let me fix your hair quick at least.” (Y/n) said, already freeing Shinobu of her own butterfly clip. “Hold still.”

“It’s a little hard when you keep tugging your fingers through my hair.” Shinobu winced.

“Sorry, just a second.” (Y/n) spoke around the butterfly wing that she held between her lips as her fingers worked to gather Shinobu’s hair. Once Shinobu’s hair was neatly clipped back into place, (Y/n) circled her and smoothed out the wrinkles in Shinobu’s clothes the best she could before finally backing away with a satisfied nod.

“Are you done yet?” Shinobu asked, a faint dusting of blush powdered her cheeks.

“Yeah, you still look tired, but at least you look a little more presentable.” (Y/n) said, opening the lab door and ushering Shinobu through it.

“Presentable.” Shinobu scoffed. “Come with me to the garden?”

“I don’t know if that would be appropriate. I’m not sure who is visiting.”

“Just make yourself busy in the blooms. You live here, you can go where you please.”

“Okay, I’ll come.”

The young girls made their way outside, it was warm and sunny, a bit humid as well after all the rain the week before. The sweet smell of the flowers invited deeper breaths to swallow up the scent into every bronchiole of their lungs.

(Y/n) broke off from Shinobu with a little wave, giving a respectful acknowledgment to the people waiting with their tea before busying herself with the flora. Checking on the quality of the plants as Kanae had taught her. The memories spent with the older girl who had taught her so much made (Y/n) shiver despite the warmth of the sun beating down.

(Y/n) would on occasion, discreetly observe the progression of the meeting. The smile Shinobu wore as she spoke to the visitors unnerved her. Even just the way Shinobu was holding herself now, prim and proper, (Y/n) wondered what they could possibly be talking about.

Then the familiar cawing of a crow circling over her head broke (Y/n) from her thoughts. She released her gentle grip over the flower she had stopped to smell and craned her neck to see her crow calling out to her. A mission, her heartbeat picked up in pace. She hadn’t been on one since a few days before Kanae’s death. How out of practice could she be?

“Pardon the noise,” (Y/n) bowed. The meeting had paused in their hushed conversation to observe the bird as well. (Y/n) hardly gave Shinobu a glance as she past. Her fingers trembling slightly as she made her way back inside to retrieve her nichirin blade from her room. (Y/n)’s mind buzzed and her crow’s caws sounded muted and muffled, far away. She kept walking, willing her breaths to remain controlled. Her concentration broke as a hand reached out from behind her and tugged her back.

(Y/n) turned to meet Shinobu’s eyes. Though more subdued, the concern she saw there was genuine.

“(Y/n), I kept telling you to stop. Are you listening to me?”

“I’m sorry, I guess I was just focusing on the mission ahead.”

Shinobu breathed deeply releasing the air in a shaky exhale before gripping (Y/n)’s face in one hand, surprising her.

“No you weren’t.” Shinobu’s grip was firm, “You need to concentrate on your surroundings. I was almost yelling at you just now. I need to know you are going to be able to keep your head about you out there.”

(Y/n) tried to nod her head but Shinobu’s hand kept her head in place.

“I need to hear you say it.” Shinobu said.

“I can keep my head. I will.” (Y/n) swallowed uncomfortably.

Shinobu searched (Y/n)’s face, slowly releasing her grip from (Y/n)‘s jaw and instead grabbed at the neck of (Y/n)’s uniform pulling her so close their noses bumped.

“You better,” She spoke softly.

“I will,” (Y/n) repeated.

Shinobu untensed, her fingers released (Y/n)’s uniform and she wrapped her arms around her in a tight hug that (Y/n) quickly reciprocated.

“Your meeting,” (Y/n) recalled after a moment.

“I asked to be excused. I’m the master of the estate, I can get away with escaping for for a few minutes.”

“I wouldn’t make a habit out of it if I were you.” (Y/n) attempted to joke.

“Only when it matters.” Shinobu nodded seriously, causing (Y/n)’s heart to leap.

(Y/n)’s crow cawed impatiently and the girls parted. (Y/n) left to retrieve her blade and Shinobu watched her back as she left, her hands clenched into tight fists beneath the sleeves of her sister’s haori.

***

Night after night, the missions kept coming. (Y/n) had begun to wonder if she’d ever get to go home again as days became weeks. Scattered letters between waves of demon slaying were the best she could manage to make sure everyone back home knew she was alright.

Another night, a new moon. A few more nights and it would be a full month since she’d last seen everyone. She was glad she took the time to say goodbye before she left. She never imagined she’d be asked to work for so long without reprieve.

Another well timed flower breathing technique beheads another demon and (Y/n) falls against the trunk of a tree breathing hard. She is uninjured but greatly fatigued. The thought to sit and rest hardly enters her mind before her crow commands her eastward to eliminate another threat before dawn.

Breath after breath, technique after technique, night after night (Y/n) fought until everything ached and beyond. When she saw the the sun peak out over the horizon it was almost enough to bring (Y/n) to tears, but she never faltered. She had to stay strong. This was the life she chose to pursue. To save people from the same fate that befallen so many people she had cared about.

It was during an exceptionally hot day when the sun was at its highest point that (Y/n) flinched awake at the shrill squawks she had grown to loathe.

“What?” She hissed between her teeth, her fingers knotting in the grass that had served as her bed for the day.

“Return home to the Butterfly Estate! Return home to recover and rest! Await further instruction!”

(Y/n) lifted herself to rest on her elbows to stare wide-eyed at the bird sitting in the tree branch overhead. For the first time in that very long month, she allowed the tears to finally fall.

***

(Y/n) felt nervous coming back after so long. She opted to return from the rear entrance in an attempt to not garner too much attention. She allowed herself a tentative smile as the gardens came into view. Her fingers skimmed across the colorful blooms as she walked, freezing up only when she saw Shinobu collecting herbs in the distance. Her foot snapped a twig, alerting Shinobu to glance behind her.

“Hi, stranger.” Shinobu simpered, getting to her feet. “Oh!”

(Y/n) forgot all her previous worries and jogged up to Shinobu, picking her up with the added strength that she had built up in her month long absence and twirled her around with abandon.

“(Y/n)?” Shinobu chuckled with surprise, bracing her arms around (Y/n)‘s shoulders as she was flung around.

“I missed you!” (Y/n) sniffled, finally putting the girl down but still holding her tightly.

“I missed you too.” Shinobu said, rubbing (Y/n)’s back. “What took so long getting back, hm?”

“Mission after mission after mission.” came (Y/n)’s bitter reply. “I actually cried when my crow told me I could come home... I don’t know why I told you that. That’s embarrassing.”

Shinobu laughed, pulling back from (Y/n) to get a good look at her. “My, (Y/n), I can tell your time away had made you stronger. Even if you are still a bit of a crybaby.”

“Hey!” (Y/n) pouted.

“(Y/n) is back!”

“Woah!”

(Y/n) was sent stumbling backward a few steps by three blurs of white. Naho, Sumi and Kiyo spoke a mile a minute filling in (Y/n) on all the goings on of the estate. Aoi and Kanao came by soon after and gave (Y/n) their own greetings, expressing their happiness over the slayer’s return in their own ways.

It was good to be home, it was. But after a few days, (Y/n) really got a chance to see how different Shinobu had become.

The tone of her voice carried like a soft breeze and a polite smile could always be seen on her lips. Aoi reminded (Y/n) more of the Shinobu she remembered than the current Shinobu before her. It unnerved her. The way Shinobu would tilt her head just so and giggle daintily into her hand... it was like staring at a ghost.

(Y/n) thought she could get over the change, but she simply couldn’t. Not when staring into those dark, purple eyes. Oh, how they swirled with anger and despair. If Shinobu couldn’t fully believe in the persona she had crafted for herself, then (Y/n) wouldn’t either. Late one night while helping Shinobu in the lab, (Y/n) finally decided to confront her.

“Why do you keep smiling like that?” (Y/n) frowned, worrying the page of the textbook before her between her fingers.

“Hm? I’m afraid I don’t quite know what you mean.” Shinobu replied casually, smile still firmly in place as she crushed some herbs under her pestle.

“You do too know what I mean,” (Y/n) eyebrows furrowed slightly in aggravation, “why do you keep smiling like you’re okay when you’re clearly not?”

“What have I said or done that makes you think I’m not okay? I’m perfectly fine, (Y/n),” she chuckled, “you worry for nothing.”

“That mask might have everyone else fooled... or maybe they’re just complacent, but I’m tired of pretending nothing is wrong. Talk to me, Shinobu.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Shinobu shook her head, “there is nothing to discuss. Perhaps I’ve kept you up too late.”

“You shouldn’t have to hide what you’re truly feeling,” (Y/n) persisted, “not from me at least. I thought we were friends.”

“We are.” Shinobu’s tone was nearly clipped as she crushed the herbs a bit more vigorously.

“Then stop acting so, so fake!” (Y/n) spat, wincing almost immediately as fast has the words came out. There was probably a better way she could have said that. Before she could apologize and try again, Shinobu put the pestle on the table with a harsh clink and stalked over to where (Y/n) was sitting. Fighting to keep her tone in check, she stared (Y/n) down with that plastic smile and spoke in a low, hushed tone that filled (Y/n)’s veins with ice.

“So I’m fake, is that right? People change, (Y/n). You were gone for a month, you can’t expect everyone to wait for you, to not change or grow in your absence.”

“People change, yes,” (Y/n) swallowed tightly at the proximity, “but whatever this is Shinobu, I really don’t think it’s healthy. I can tell you’re bottling something up. Kanae—”

“Leave.”

“...what?”

“Leave,” Shinobu closes the textbook in front of (Y/n) and although she does so with care, the sound is deafening in (Y/n)’s ears, “I don’t care where you go, just get out of my lab. I’ve had my fill of this mindless chatter.”

“Are you being serious right now?” (Y/n) clenched her fists and stood from her chair, the legs slid roughly against the wood below.

“Yes, I don’t have time for immature children right now I’m afraid.” Came Shinobu’s airy reply.

“Immature— stop acting like you know better than me, we’re both kids, we’re fourteen!“ (Y/n) seethes, “I’m worried about you! I care about you! Don’t you get it?”

“Your worry is unfounded. It’s late and you are being of no help to me like this so I’ll ask you once more, leave.”

(Y/n) felt heat pricking the corners of her eyes. “I feel like I don’t know who you are anymore.” She breathed. “But fine, I’ll leave if that’s what you want.”

“At this moment in time, I couldn’t ask for anything better.” Shinobu replied, turning her back to (Y/n) to continue what she had previously been working on.

Once (Y/n) shut the door with finality and her quick footsteps became softer as she ran down the hall, Shinobu exhaled harshly, gripping the pestle tightly in her hand as she mercilessly pounded the dried herbs into dust.

“Only immature people don’t control their emotions... only immature people...”

As Shinobu repeated her mantra, (Y/n) burst into her room and looked around her. With trembling hands she changed into a fresh uniform and packed a small bag of belongings and slinging it over her shoulder. She grabbed her haori and attached her nichirin blade to her hip.

She looked around the room once more and caught her reflection in the little hand mirror on her desk, catching the bright colors of a wing that secured her hair in place. She reached back, freeing her hair from the clip and stared at it. She ran her thumb over the decorative clip before setting it on the desk. She reached for a plain hair band and tied her hair back with that instead.

(Y/n) left her room, sparing one last hurt glance at the butterfly clip before exiting the estate grounds. Before long, her crow circled overhead and (Y/n) held her arm out for the bird to take perch. The crow cawed at her expectantly, questioning her.

“If she wants me to leave, then what else is there to do?” (Y/n) shuddered in the wind. She turned away from the estate, willing herself not to turn back.

“Where will you go?” The crow asked.

“...I don’t know.”

With every step leaving the warmth of the estate farther behind, (Y/n)’s heart grew heavier in her chest.

***

“Have any of you seen (Y/n) today?” Shinobu asked the girls once they had come back in after hanging the laundry out to dry.

A chorus of negatives and head shakes met her and she sighed inwardly. “Very well then. Thank you.”

Shinobu traveled through the maze of hallways that made up her home, easily finding herself in front of (Y/n)’s door, knocking politely. With no reply, Shinobu forced herself not to roll her eyes and opened the door.

“(Y/n), if this is about last night...” Shinobu blinked at the empty room. Futon made, clean floors, not a thing out of place, but no (Y/n).

“Perhaps she’s out training.” Shinobu said to herself. She was about to close the door and head off into the gardens when a glint from the desk caught her eye and she approached. A soft gasp left her lips as she picked up the hairpin. Cradling it in her hands, Shinobu forced her breaths to remain controlled. (Y/n) had never gone a day without wearing the pin since the Kochou sisters gifted it to her.

In the safety of the empty room, Shinobu allowed herself to slump over the desk. She held the discarded hairpin close to her chest, immediately understanding what this small symbol meant. Yes, she knew what it meant, she just wished to know why. She fought against the waves, against the feeling that she was drowning again.

***

Four years was a long time, and if you asked (Y/n), the demon slayer would say that was especially true with her line of work. The demons were never the same, but the routine in between was lonely and dull. Kill a demon, settle down at an inn or in the trees for the day, move to the next village and repeat. Sometimes the stays were longer, but that was the gist of it.

(Y/n) kept to herself most of the time. There wasn’t really a point in making anything more than loose acquaintances with the constant traveling and dangers her work presented. Even on the few missions she had been paired up with other slayers in the area, she focused on the job at hand before quickly making her way to her next assignment. That started to change after she met Kamado Tanjirou and his demon sister Nezuko.

They did not get off on the right foot to say the least.

(Y/n) had been sent to the same location as the young slayer for a mission and knew something was off about him right away. Something off with that box he carried around anyway. (Y/n) opted to let him be for the time being, focusing on the mission ahead. Skip forward to the heat of battle, and (Y/n) could hardly believe her eyes when a demon burst from the boy’s box to attack another demon that had snuck around Tanjirou’s back.

(Y/n) had no time to watch and focus on this new development at the moment, she had her own demons to take care of. Her flower breathing techniques weaved through her enemies and heads went flying. Before long, the mission was completed and (Y/n) turned to the boy breathing heavily in the dirt with the demon from the box hovering over him looking at (Y/n) with curious eyes.

“You’re really skilled, (Y/n)-san!” Tanjirou praised, somehow unaware of the danger his sister was in, “You don’t even look like you’re out of breath.”

“I’ve been doing this for years. I know a lot. For instance,” (Y/n) spoke, her face stern as stone as she readied her blade, startling Tanjirou, “every demon must be destroyed.” She went in with a quick slash aimed at the demon’s neck  only to pause at the last second when the foolish younger boy leapt to his feet to shield the demon from the blow.

“What are you doing?” (Y/n) asked sternly.

“Wait, she’s my sister! She’s a good demon!”

“I shouldn’t have to tell you that what you are doing is against corps rules. I can sympathize with wanting to hold onto your loved ones, but there is no such thing as a good demon. Step aside.”

“No, Nezuko has never eaten a human and she never will!” Tanjirou held his ground while his sister growled at (Y/n) from behind him.

(Y/n) rolled her eyes. “Alright then,” she said with a sarcastic sweetness, “prove it.”

“What?” Tanjirou blinked.

“Prove it, take off the muzzle. Let’s see if she has as much control as you claim she does.”

“But—“

“It shouldn’t be a problem, right? If she’s as docile as you claim what’s the issue?”

Tanjirou grit his teeth and gently pulled the muzzle to rest around his sister’s neck. (Y/n) stepped forward, her face inches away from the demon. She wasn’t worried, if the demon lunged for her she was confident she could slice its head the moment the air changed.

“Well demon?” (Y/n) sighed, surprising Tanjirou by slicing the pad of her thumb on her sharp blade, “hungry?”

To Nezuko’s credit, she hardly flinched. However, her eyes followed the path of the blood and a small trickle of drool slid past her lips. (Y/n) taunted her a bit further, waving the bloodied hand in front of her nose, still Nezuko held strong and even went as far as turning away.

“...I must say, I’m rather impressed,” (Y/n) finally spoke, stepping back from the demon and licking at her own wound, “marechi blood such as my own usually makes the demons go crazy,” she turns back to Tanjirou, “still, you must know that keeping a demon alive like this, especially as a slayer, is dangerous for both of you.”

“I know,” Tanjirou bowed his head.

“Well,” (Y/n) stretched and sighed, “as long as you know I guess it’s your own problem.”

“Huh?”

“Yeah, just don’t call me out if a Hashira finds you out. I don’t feel like dying a disgrace.” (Y/n) waved him off. “You’re going to have to work even harder and be more discreet. That’s my advice to you.” And (Y/n) was going to leave it at that and walk away, but then her crow chanted in tandem with Tanjirou’s, calling them to continue forward together. (Y/n)′s eye twiched at the grating sounds.

“It looks like we’ll still be working together for some time, (Y/n)-san!” Tanjirou smiled, catching the older girl off guard by the sincerity behind it. You’d think he’d be more put off considering (Y/n) was planning to kill his sister not five minutes ago.

“I suppose we are.”

“Say, (Y/n)-san, you’re strong. You can help me get stronger too, right?”

“Mm!”

“Hey, get her off of me!” (Y/n) momentarily panicked as the demon wrapped her arms around her waist.

“Nezuko, manners!”

(Y/n) wasn’t sure what she had done to get saddled with the strange siblings, but she could tell her job just went above her pay grade.

***

As it turns out, the Kamado siblings weren’t so bad. In fact, (Y/n) was starting to get really attached to the two. It was when Inosuke and Zenitsu were pulled into their little group, that was when (Y/n) realized she didn’t know what true pain was.

“(Y/n)-san, marry me!”

“Flower Girl, fight me!”

All damn day and night.

(Y/n) thought she’d finally have reprieve once Tanjirou had healed up at the Wisteria House, but of course the two boisterous boys were being sent with them to their next mission, Natagumo Mountain.

Zenitsu cowered at the forest edge and (Y/n) felt no remorse in leaving him behind as she sprinted ahead of Inosuke and Tanjirou, freeing the puppeted Mizunoto slayers.

Eventually they had been split off from each other to fight their own battles. (Y/n) was tired but otherwise unharmed, surprised when a small Nezuko came barreling into her.

“Nezu—?” (Y/n) gasped as the air shifted above her and she dodged the quick swipe aimed at the tiny body that clung to her. She quickly pivoted, blade in hand, and crossed swords with the assailant her eyes blowing wide at the placid face in front of her.

“Kanao?!” (Y/n) yelled out, the nostalgia and adrenaline coursing through her body was an odd, slightly terrifying combination.

Kanao tilted her head, her lips parted ever so slightly as recognition gleamed in her eyes. Despite this, Kanao did have a mission to complete and (Y/n) was keeping her from completing her orders. She continued swiping at the older girl she used to know, trying to behead the demon she could not fathom why she was protecting.

(Y/n) parried and blocked best she could, taking a defensive approach while she tried to talk Kanao down. She didn’t want to hurt Kanao, but she didn’t want Nezuko to be killed either.

Finally a saving grace, a crow swooping by with a message that saved Nezuko’s neck. (Y/n) sighed in relief as Kanao pulled back. Still looking at (Y/n) she pointed to the small demon that had wrapped herself tightly over (Y/n)’s back.

“Is this Nezuko?” She asked looking for a positive ID on the demon in question.

“Yes.” (Y/n) easily replied.

“Come with me then.” Kanao said, already corralling (Y/n) and her demon backpack in the direction of the forest edge.

(Y/n) walked alongside her a bit begrudgingly. If she made a break for it, she could have probably gotten away, but it was very likely Tanjirou and the others were already in custody. The best chance they had now was to do as they were told and hope Nezuko’s resolve would stand firm.

So (Y/n) hid Nezuko in her haori as the sun began to peak over the hills and followed Kanao to the clearing of bustling Kakushi. On the way, she began preparing her story for the trial she was sure her little team was bound to endure.

She was immediately broken from her thoughts at the ethereal sight of the Insect Pillar emerging from another point of the woods with the Water Pillar and a badly beaten Tanjirou on his back.

(Y/n)’s breath caught in her throat as those deep, dark eyes found hers at it was like time was at a stand still. At least it would have been if not for Shinobu steadily making her way towards her, her expression painfully impassive beyond the small upturn of her lips. Shinobu kept coming until she was directly in front of (Y/n).

Nezuko stirred in her sleep, clutching at (Y/n)’s back as if she could sense anxiety in the slayer’s heart. The demon was the only thing grounding her at this point as Shinobu tilted her head, an almost sinister look in her eye as she observed the small demon bundle protected by (Y/n)’s haori. All too soon, her cold eyes found their way back to (Y/n)’s and she spoke.

“I’m not going to have to tie you up, am I?”

(Y/n) closed her eyes briefly and tried to take a calming breath. With a short, almost imperceivable shake of her head, she hoarsely replied.

“No.”

“Let’s try to keep it that way then.”

Shinobu and Kanao had let (Y/n) help Nezuko into her box, but then they immediately separated the two, having a Kakushi carry the box with a wary look in her eyes. (Y/n) did her best not to look behind her where Kanao and Shinobu walked, no doubt watching her for any sign of flight.

She gulped, eyes nervously shifting to the Water Pillar walking beside her, and the Kakushi who was now carrying Tanjirou in his stead. The Water Pillar spared her an emotionless glance as he forged ahead.

“Is he going to be alright?” She asked in a hushed tone.

Enough time had passed after her question that (Y/n) had figured the man wasn’t in the mood to talk, understandably so, but (Y/n) was worried about the state Tanjirou was in. She nearly jumped out of her skin when he actually answered her minutes later.

“That will all depend on how the trial goes.”

(Y/n) felt dread pool in her stomach as they continued to march down the mountain.

***

The garden of the Master’s estate would have been lovely on any other occasion, but (Y/n) could only bring herself to stare at the pebbles below her knees and Tanjirou passed out at her side. They had taken Nezuko somewhere else in the meantime, she could only hope they would let the demon be, let her prove herself in front of them instead of killing her on principle.

(Y/n) could feel that Shinobu was standing just behind her but she dared not engage. Four years of silence between the two and a trial for treason in the highest regard had brought them together again. (Y/n) wanted to scream.

Finally Tanjirou began to stir and (Y/n) allowed herself to push away her turmoil to rouse the younger boy gently. The last thing they needed was for him to be all up in arms before the trial even officially began.

“(Y/n)-san,” Tanjirou winced, “where are we? Where is Nezuko?”

“We’re at the Demon Slayer Headquarters,” (Y/n) replied, her voice was hardly above a whisper as she felt the pressure of all the Hashira’s eyes boring into them, “I don’t know where they’re keeping Nezuko, but right now you need to focus on the trial ahead.”

“The trial?”

“For harboring a demon, Tanjirou.”

“I wouldn’t bother trying to justify it! A crime as heinous as yours only ends one way!” Rengoku Kyojirou loudly proclaimed, rallying a range of replies from his fellow pillars.

“Now that he’s finally awake to witness his punishment, let’s behead these traitors and the demon and get on with our lives.” Uzui Tengen added.

“Please,” (Y/n) forced her voice not to waiver, “allow him to explain the situation at least—“

“You’re in no position to be asking for favors, girl.” Obanai Iguro cut her off, glaring down at her from where he lounged on a tree branch. “You had best hold your tongue. A slayer at your rank should be ashamed. I’m surprised you haven’t already sliced yourself open for the embarrassment you’ve brought to the corps.”

“Iguro-san!” Kanroji gasped at the harsh words.

“Who are these people, (Y/n)-san?” Tanjirou groaned, noticing for the first time that his hands were tied tightly behind his back.

“Tanjirou, are you serious?” (Y/n)’s tone was hushed and urgent, “they’re the Hashira! You know, best of the demon slayers?”

“I don’t know, umph!” (Y/n) hastily covered his mouth, a nervous sweat gathered at her brow.

“Just try to be respectful, will you? You already broke the thin ice you’ve been traveling on, let’s try not to drown as well!”

“This isn’t right, (Y/n)-san! Where is Nezuko? Zenitsu? Inosuke? Murata?” Tanjirou spoke out, his voice heavy with emotion as he fought his way up to his knees.

“What I want to know is why we haven’t tied Tomioka or the Kinoe ranked slayer.” Obanai sneered from his tree, ignoring Tanjirou’s desperate tone. “They are both part of the boy’s schemes and should be punished as such. How are we going to teach them a lesson?”

“Oh they’ll be fine,” (Y/n) shivered hearing Shinobu speak above her from where she knelt in the pebbles, “we’ll come up with a penalty later.”

(Y/n) froze, her eyes refused to look up beyond the feet that stood before Tanjirou and herself.

“What I’m interested right now, is hearing this boy’s story.” Shinobu said. “He’s been traveling with a demon all this time, and I wish to hear why. It must be quite the tale to have Tomioka-san break ranks,” the feet take a step closer and Shinobu’s voice dropped in volume, “and you as well, (Y/n).”

(Y/n) tightened her grip over her pant leg, still refusing to look up. She could imagine an array of expressions her old friend could be wearing right now that could cut her deeper than any blade. Pity, anger, disgust, smugness, apathy, that blank smile... no, (Y/n) couldn’t bear to look up.

“So why, Kamado Tanjirou?” Shinobu asked.

“Who cares?” Uzui scoffed from a few yards away, yet he waited for the boy to explain himself.

“She’s my—“ he broke into a fit of coughs and (Y/n) tried to soothe his back, telling him to breathe.

Shinobu stooped down, a gourd of water in hand, offering the water to Tanjirou and finally catching (Y/n)’s eyes as the boy drank the medicated water. When Shinobu’s eyes returned to Tanjirou, (Y/n) remembered how to breathe.

“She’s my little sister!” Tanjirou proclaimed. “She’s never hurt anyone and she never will!”

A few of the Hashira began casting their doubt, but Tanjirou powered through.

“I became a slayer to find a cure for her! In two whole years since she became a demon, she’s never eaten a single person! Let her continue to fight by my side!”

“Well, well, looks like the fun’s already starting.”

(Y/n) turned her head and her breathing hitched. Of course the Wind Pillar of all people would get his hands on Nezuko’s box.

“Is this the boy who has been traveling with a demon? Just what the hell do you think you’re doing?” Shinazugawa asked with a sinister grin.

“Please put down the box Shinazugawa-sama!” The Kakushi (Y/n) recalled to have prior possession of the box pleaded.

“Shinazugawa, please do not act out of line.” Shinobu warned.

“Nah, run that by me again, kid?” Sanemi jeered, holding the box precariously in one hand, “fighting alongside a demon? Impossible, you idiot!”

Tanjirou and (Y/n) called out in horror as the Hashira rammed his blade clean through the box, skewering Nezuko.

Tanjirou scrambled to his feet and lunged at Sanemi, (Y/n) was about to get to her feet as well, but Shinobu held her firmly in place, clutching (Y/n)’s arm tightly while shooting her a warning glance.

(Y/n) could only watch, mouth agape, as Tanjirou head butted Shinazugawa to the ground.

Mitsuri attempted to stifle a snort, covering her face in her hands.

“If you can’t tell the difference between good demons and bad ones, then you don’t deserve to be a Hashira!” Tanjirou yelled.

“We’re doomed.” (Y/n) whispered weakly. She felt as if all her blood was sinking to her knees, sinking as fast as their chance of forgiveness down the drain.

Before Sanemi could retaliate, a couple of Oyakata-sama’s children announced the Master’s arrival. (Y/n) was quick to follow Shinobu in a bow, wincing when she heard what could only be Sanemi pounding Tanjirou into the rocks, forcing him to bow.

“Hello everyone,” Oyakata-sama addressed the garden, his voice carried in the warm breeze, “how good it feels to have you all here.”

Sanemi greeted the Master, formally asking for an explanation. If not for the seriousness of the moment, (Y/n) would have rolled her eyes.

“The Kamado siblings have been sanctioned, you see. I request you all respect that.” Oyakata stated simply.

An array of mostly negative objections arose at this ending with Sanemi calling for punishments for Tanjirou, (Y/n), and Giyuu.

The Master stood silently for a moment before asking one of his children to read a letter aloud. A letter from a previous Hashira, detailing Nezuko’s history. The letter also revealing that should Nezuko fail; Urokodaki, Tanjirou, and Giyuu would atone through seppuku.

A few of the Hashira were still willing to speak against such a plan, swearing that it was not a risk worth taking. Once there was a lull in their heated remarks,  Ubuyashiki saw fit to address (Y/n).

“(Y/n), my child.”

(Y/n)’s head jutted up at the sudden call of attention to her presence. “Ye— yes, Master?”

“Why do you think that of the squad that has been built around you, only you are here?” Oyakata-sama asked with an warm smile.

“I would suppose it would be because I should know better than a ragtag group of Mizunoto, Master.” came (Y/n)’s subdued reply.

“I would hope so.” The Master chuckled, causing heat to bloom across (Y/n)’s cheeks. “Why didn’t you kill the demon?”

“I was going to, but she proved herself to me,” (Y/n) began speaking more evenly as she recalled the moment, “I presented her with my blood, my rare blood, and she turned away. I have traveled with the Kamado siblings for weeks and not once had Nezuko hurt anyone. She protects people, she sleeps to replenish energy. Based on everything I have observed, I believe in Nezuko. I believe in Tanjirou.”

“Would you stake your life on this along with the others listed here today?” Oyakata-sama asked.

(Y/n) breathed in, firmly nodding her head. Her eyes meeting Ubuyashiki’s milky blank one’s despite his lack of vision.

“Yes, I would.”

Shinobu’s hold on (Y/n)’s bicep curled. (Y/n) hadn’t realized she had still been holding her down.

“And here we have three, now four, people willing to take responsibility for this demon. What say you, my children?” The Master asked the Hashira warmly.

“Forgive me Master, but this is not a matter of numbers!” Sanemi yelled, “Demons are sick creatures that need to be put down and I’ll prove it to you now!”

Sanemi sliced his arm, much more blood than (Y/n) had conjured with the small cut to her thumb that she had presented to Nezuko. She and Tanjirou watched as the blood dripped to the box, staining the lacquered wood.

“No good doing this in the light.” Obanai said, “it won’t come out unless it’s dark.”

Sanemi dashed to the shaded engawa, enticing Nezuko to come out with another stab at the box.

“No!” Tanjirou yelled, he made to scramble to the engawa, but was quickly subdued by Obanai.

“Stop!” (Y/n) echoed Tanjirou’s sentiments, pulling against Shinobu’s hold. “Why are you being so needlessly cruel?”

Sanemi ignored them, a wicked grin on his face as he watched Nezuko emerge from the box, growling lowly.

“Well then, demon?” He sneered, holding out his arm.

(Y/n) could tell Nezuko was straining against the pull of the marechi blood. With all of the injuries she had sustained working against her as well, it couldn’t be easy for the demon to hold back.

“Nezuko!” Tanjirou wheezed as Obanai was pincering his lung painfully with his elbow.

“Kamado-kun,” Shinobu addressed, “don’t struggle too much while in that hold, your lung might burst.”

Tanjirou only struggled harder, surprising everyone when he broke through his rope restraints and stumbled towards the engawa. Tomioka stopped Obanai from pinning him again.

“Nezuko!” Tanjirou called again.

His voice seemed to finally break through to Nezuko and after a few tense moments, she turned away from Sanemi in disgust.

(Y/n) couldn’t help the relieved smile that overtook her lips.

Once the scene was relayed to the Master, he seemed pleased with the report. He told Tanjirou that although Nezuko had done well to prove herself, they would need to grow even stronger before they could be fully accepted by the others. With that wisdom, he said they were free to go.

(Y/n) startled as Shinobu finally let her go, raising her arm to speak. “If all is well then Oyakata-sama, allow me to provide lodging for them.”

Both (Y/n) and Tanjirou seemed a bit wary of this sudden hospitality, (Y/n) even more so, but if Shinobu noticed or cared she didn’t show it, signaling the Kakushi who had been standing by to gather the injured boy and the demon.

The Kakushi tasked with carrying Nezuko seemed a bit frightened of the little demon kneeling in her box, so naturally (Y/n) rose to carry her instead.

“I’ve got her.” She smiled kindly and reached for the box and secured it shut, but not before giving the demon girl a few well earned head pats that rose Nezuko’s mood greatly.

Another Kakushi picked up Tanjirou then (Y/n) and the two Kakushi quickly made their retreat. That is, until Tanjirou bursted back into the garden asking to headbutt Sanemi.

“Please excuse us!” (Y/n) and the two Kakushi bowed deeply once they got him back under control and sped off twice as fast. (Y/n) and the Kakushi running beside her berated Tanjirou from where he sat on the other Kakushi’s back for such a disrespectful display after being allowed the impossible. 

When they reached the Butterfly Estate, (Y/n)’s heart squeezed in her chest. The grounds looked to be near the same as the night she had left. No one was there to greet them at the door, so they went around the gardens and found Kanao standing amongst the butterflies.

“Hi, Kanao.” (Y/n) greeted the younger girl bashfully. Now that they weren’t battling over keeping Nezuko’s head, (Y/n) finally took in how much she had grown in four years.

Kanao stayed silent, a serene smile on her lips as she merely observed the group that had approached her.

“What are you all here for?” A sharp voice called from behind them, causing the Kakushi to jump and spin to quickly explain they were here to put Tanjirou in the infirmary.

“Well then come with me...” Aoi’s words trailed off a bit once her eyes found (Y/n)’s face.

“Hi Aoi,” (Y/n) gave a nervous half wave, “you’ve gotten a bit taller.”

Aoi marched straight up to (Y/n) and berated her with a barrage of small fists pounding painlessly against her chest. “What would you expect after being gone so long!” She sniffed, “Four years without a single letter or visit? We thought you were dead, idiot!”

“(Y/n)-san? Do you know these people?” Tanjirou asked from Gotou’s back.

“Yeah, I uh, sorta used to live here.” (Y/n) replied, allowing Aoi to continue hitting her to her heart’s content.

“‘Sorta used to live here’, you’re family! You have always had a place here! Now come on, I’m sure Kiyo, Sumi, and Naho will have a bone to pick with you as well. And Shinobu-sama!” Aoi’s fist struck especially hard at the thought, “Shinobu-sama is going to have some choice words for you when she gets back I just know it!”

Aoi led them all inside, occasionally throwing a few more jabs into (Y/n)’s side to make sure she was really there. She didn’t admit that was what they were for of course, she played it off more as a punishment for disappearing for so long.

There was screaming coming from the infirmary and (Y/n) would have been worried if she hadn’t recognized the sound almost immediately.

“Zenitsu!” Tanjirou called excitedly.

While Tanjirou and poor Gotou were dealing with the sobbing, snotty boy, Aoi had dragged (Y/n) over to Kiyo who had been tending to Zenitsu only moments before.

“Look who finally decided to come home.” Aoi told the younger girl who looked up, tilting her head. (Y/n) almost thought Kiyo hadn’t recognized her. Being as young as she was, she wouldn’t have blamed her, but then she burst forward and hugged (Y/n) tightly around her waist.

“What’s going on in here? Hm, Aoi-san, Kiyo?”

Naho and Sumi had made their way into the infirmary with a basket of fresh linens and paused at the entryway for a moment before they realized who their friend was hugging and ran over to join her with tears in their eyes.

“(Y/n)-san, where have you been all this time?” Naho whimpered.

“Why didn’t you say anything before you left?” Sumi cried.

“I’m sorry,” (Y/n) knelt down to better hug them all, “I know it’s not enough to make up for anything, but I’m sorry for leaving like that. It wasn’t fair,” she looked up to meet Aoi’s stern blue eyes, “to any of you.”

“Well, make it up to us by sticking around from now on.” Aoi said, crossing her arms. “No more running away.”

“But...” (Y/n) was conflicted. Had Shinobu not told the girls why she had left? (Y/n) mustered up the best smile she could and nodded feebly. “All right.”

“(Y/n)-san, your box is... humming?” Sumi pointed at the wooden box.

“Oh, um, you see... in this box is my friend, Nezuko,” (Y/n) treaded carefully, not wishing to startle the girls too badly if she could help it.

“You have someone in a box?” Aoi barked, “well let them out for goodness sake!”

“It’s a little bright in here...” (Y/n) shifted her vision to where Tanjirou and Zenitsu were talking, catching sight of Inosuke as well. Poor boar boy looked like he’d seen better days. “And I’m not sure that Shinobu-” should she still speak of her so informally? “-would be pleased if I let her out without her blessing.”

“Why wouldn’t Shinobu-sama allow you to let someone out of a box?” Aoi rolled her eyes.

“It’s complicated. I’m sure she’ll want to talk to you all about it once she comes back. Until then, Nezuko will be fine in here.”

The girls, though incredulous, let the subject drop for now. Although, they couldn’t help but eye the box with suspicion. Once Tanjirou was settled in the infirmary, the butterfly girls dragged (Y/n) away to talk about the goings on of the last four years which soon devolved into hounding (Y/n) for her own stories to share, even Kanao had come by to sit and listen.

“...And that’s how I helped the fishing village take care of the demon that was lurking in the sea.”

“Tell us another one, (Y/n)-san!” The youngest girls pleaded, kicking their feet in the air behind them. They had migrated to lay flat on their stomachs as the stories progressed and watched (Y/n) recount her adventures with their heads propped up on their arms with rapt attention.

“I’m afraid that will have to wait for another time, it’s quite late you know.”

Everyone turned to the door to find Shinobu staring down at them. The youngest girls pouted a bit, trying to get a bit more time to stick around, but Shinobu held firm and directed them to their rooms.

“You’ll still be here tomorrow, right? (Y/n)-san?” Sumi asked from the doorway.

“I...” (Y/n) pulled at the sleeve of her uniform and subtly pursed her lips while trying to figure out how to proceed, to her surprise, Shinobu spoke up on her behalf.

“I promise you’ll see her in the morning. Now of to bed. (Y/n) and I have much to discuss.”

The thought of having a prolonged conversation with Shinobu sent shivers through (Y/n)’s spine. Once all the girls were well out of sight, Shinobu redirected her attention to (Y/n).

“Let’s drop off your cargo first,” Shinobu said, motioning to the box sitting beside (Y/n), “I’ve arranged a room and Kamado-kun has been wondering where his... sister, has been.”

“Of course.” (Y/n) stood, shouldering the box.

Apparently the room was rather far. (Y/n) felt as if the silence between them was slowly eating at her until she finally decided to speak. For better or for worse.

“You’ve taken all of this extraordinarily well,” (Y/n) commented, testing the waters.

“Mm, I’d like to hold off on any conversation until we drop off the demon. Use this time to gather any thoughts, if you have them that is.”

(Y/n)’s brow furrowed slightly, eyes narrowed. She was sure that was some kind of dig at her intelligence, but she held her tongue.

They dropped off Nezuko, (Y/n) and Tanjirou bid each other good night, and then (Y/n) was led to an all too familiar space, the lab.

Shinobu motioned for (Y/n) to sit at one of the less cluttered tables while she closed the door firmly behind them. (Y/n) would have been lying if she said she wasn’t even just a tad bit concerned by the setting of this ‘talk’ that was about to unfold. Finally, Shinobu took the stool across from her on the other side of the table. She laced her fingers together, using them to prop up her chin as her endlessly amethyst eyes bore into (Y/n)’s. That ghostly smile seemingly perfected after four years of separation, had (Y/n)’s hands clench into fists under the table.

“So,” Shinobu began, her voice deceptively sweet, “when exactly do you think it was when you completely lost your mind?”

“Excuse me?” (Y/n)’s eye twitched.

“Defending a demon, offering up your own life for a demon to live... how insanely idiotic. I thought you were smarter than that. I suppose it had been.. four years, was it? Four years since you ran off. And I thought that was the most careless thing you could ever do. You really have outdone yourself!”

“Stop,” (Y/n) had heard enough of these little jabs and she new well enough Shinobu could go all day as long as she hadn’t changed too drastically in their time apart. However, Shinobu powered through.

“Everyone was devastated when you left you know. We were a family and you just up and left in the middle of the night without a word so soon after—“ After Kanae, “Now you’re putting everything on the line for some demon? You’re a coward. A selfish coward.”

(Y/n) was really angry now. She stood up so fast her stool clattered to the ground behind her. She slammed her hands against the table and stared furiously into Shinobu’s placid expression, though she could detect a hint of a heated spark in those deep purple eyes.

“Don’t act like you’re so innocent in all of this! You told me to leave! You want to judge me for trusting Nezuko with my life, fine! But I only did what you commanded of me when I left. You don’t get to say I just fucked off because you think I didn’t care enough!”

Shinobu had the nerve to chuckle, though no trace of humor was there, as she slowly rose to her own feet and assumed a similar stance over the table as (Y/n).

“Did you really think when I said that, when I told you to leave the lab, I meant I wanted you to walk out of my life?” Shinobu asked seriously.

“I didn’t know what you wanted! You weren’t the same person anymore! Don’t try telling me that it wasn’t what you wanted either, you never came looking for me. You never sent your crow. Tell me you weren’t ecstatic when you woke up that morning and didn’t have to deal with me anymore!”

Shinobu slapped her own hand against the table, a vein pulsed painfully under the skin of her forehead. She opened her mouth to retort, poisoned words ready to lash out with a flick of her tongue, but as luck would have it, a Kakushi nervously called from the other side of the door.

“Kochou-sama, the treatments for the, uh, despiderfication of the slayers from Natagumo Mountain are ready to be carried out with your supervision.”

Shinobu closed her eyes, breathing in deeply before opening them again and looking significantly more drained.

“I see. Please inform the others that I’ll be there in a few moments.”

“Right away, Kochou-sama.”

As the footsteps pattered away, (Y/n) fixed her stool upright before heading in the direction of the door, assuming she and Shinobu were done talking, or screaming rather. (Y/n) was surprised to feel Shinobu grasp her hand as she tried to pass by.

“You remember where your room is, right?” Shinobu asked, the undertones of her voice still taut with anger.

(Y/n) too tired to fight on, responded simply with a mute nod.

“I had the Kakushi clean it earlier today. Everything should still be as you left it.”

Shinobu let go of (Y/n)’s hand and it immediately felt cold. The Hashira opened the lab door and stepped out into the hallway, her back to (Y/n) as she made her last parting statement.

“If you know what is good for you, you won’t step a foot outside of estate grounds without speaking to me first.”

“And if I don’t?” (Y/n) asked just to be obstinate.

“Then I guess I’ll have to hunt you down for sport.” Shinobu quickly replied, turning to face (Y/n) just to show her how serious she was.

(Y/n) couldn’t help the weak guffaw that left her lips. To hear such a threat delivered by such a soothing tone was practically oxymoronic.

Shinobu lingered for a moment longer before gliding off to see to her patients while (Y/n) turned down the opposite end of the hallway and traveled down a few more to find herself standing outside of her old room. She opened the door, the space was clean as Shinobu promised. She closed the door softly behind her, blocking off the light from the hall. There would be time to be sentimental in the morning. Right now, between the Mountain, the trial and the emotional battle with the Insect Hashira herself, (Y/n) was exhausted. She scooted her way into the freshly made futon and fell asleep with the nostalgic smell of wisteria petals drifting through her airways.

***

(Y/n) awoke around mid-morning to the sun shining through her window. She stretched and got dressed, her fingers pausing over the last few buttons of her uniform as she glanced over the desk.

The butterfly hair clip she had once worn with pride sat in front of her. It appeared to be left untouched by time. Not even a speck of dust adorned the colorful wings. She reached out to it, but her fingers curled just before she touched it. She pulled her hand back as a knock sounded on the door.

“Yes?”

“It’s Aoi.” A voice called from the other side.

(Y/n) quickly took the last few steps needed to reach the door and slid it open to greet Aoi but before she could, the stern girl stepped inside and pulled the door shut again.

“Were you and Shinobu-sama fighting last night?” She asked hurriedly.

“Where did you hear that?” (Y/n) answered the question with one of her own.

“The Kakushi are partial to gossip. Now what did you do!” Aoi huffed, jabbing (Y/n)’s shoulder.

“Why does it have to be me? Shinobu was the one who started it!” (Y/n) backed up, rubbing her shoulder.

“You two better make up soon. It will hurt Naho, Sumi and Kiyo if they find out you’re still mad at each other,” Aoi crossed her arms over her chest.

“It’s not that easy, Aoi. It’s been four years. It’s not all going to go away overnight.”

“Do I have to do everything around here?” Aoi grumbled to herself, passing a hand over her face. “I’ll help you, but you better try to be civil.”

“Aoi, I don’t need help. I’m sorry that fight got back to you. If Shinobu and I talk again, I promise I’ll try harder to keep my temper in check, okay?”

Aoi sighed and shook her head, “Fine. That wasn’t what I had come to talk to you about anyway.”

“Oh,” (Y/n) tilted her head, “then what is it?”

“Your friends,” Aoi pinched the bridge of her nose, “they’re driving me crazy. I need you to get the blonde and the boar to participate in recovery training.”

“I’ll see what I can do.” (Y/n) answered with slight reluctance. She knew just how difficult those two could be.

Aoi and (Y/n) arrived at the room that was being used for the boys’ recovery training. Tanjirou was already working hard, trying to catch Kanao in a game of tag, while Zenitsu and Inosuke watched from the corner with bitter disinterest.

“Hey,” (Y/n) addressed the younger teens, “what’s the problem? Don’t you guys want to get better? Stronger?”

“It’s pointless.” Inosuke weakly answered.

“(Y/n)-san, this training is too difficult!” Zenitsu cried.

(Y/n) dodged the weepy blonde’s attempts at hugging her and bonked him on the head with the side of her fist.

“I feel no sympathy for you. Aoi and the others are working really hard to get you back in fighting shape, the least you could do is put a little bit of effort in!” (Y/n) crossed her arms, “before you know it, Tanjirou will leave you both in the dust. Do you really want that?”

Zenitsu and Inosuke grunted, still refusing to budge. (Y/n) motioned for Naho to hand her a cup of medicated water and promptly splashed its contents all over the boys.

“What was that for?” Zenitsu screeched.

“Want revenge? Come take me on.” (Y/n) motioned to the table of cups.

Naho, Sumi and Kiyo made small sounds of excitement, trying to encourage the boys, but they just grumbled and walked back to the infirmary.

“You guys are going to regret walking away!” (Y/n) called after them. “Let me know when you are done moping and want to get back to work!”

“Oh my.” Shinobu giggled as she walked in, watching Zenitsu and Inosuke sulk past her.

Shinobu turned to observe the room, pausing at (Y/n). Her eyes flickered down at (Y/n)’s chest and stayed there long enough for the other slayer to notice.

“What?” (Y/n) had grumbled mostly to herself as she followed Shinobu’s gaze downward. Heat shot to her face immediately as she realized she had forgotten to finish buttoning her uniform after Aoi distracted her. It wasn’t showing a lot, just her collar bones and a bit of her chest, but it was still jarring. With a strangled chirp, she quickly buttoned her uniform the rest of the way.

“Oh please, no need to cover up on my account.” Shinobu easily teased, though she felt a bit embarrassed to have been caught staring. She wasn’t entirely sure why her vision gravitated there to begin with.

After a few false starts, (Y/n) finally choked out, “what do you want?”

“I need Kanao and Aoi to help me gather more herbs for spider demon antidotes, not that it’s any of your business.”

“Kochou-sama,” Aoi interjected before (Y/n) could retaliate, “Kanao and I are helping Tanjirou complete his recovery training for the day. I’ve asked (Y/n)-san to fill in for us and she has readily agreed to take our place.”

(Y/n) gave Aoi a look, prompting the younger girl to pinch at (Y/n)’s side discreetly. A message to keep her mouth shut. Kanao simply blinked, twisting on the ball of her foot to dodge another one of Tanjirou’s lunges.

“Very well then, keep up (Y/n). I hope you still remember a thing or two about plants in that thick skull of yours,” Shinobu glided past (Y/n) to step out onto the engawa, “though I wouldn’t be too surprised if all of that knowledge fell out of your head along with your common sense.”

(Y/n) opened her mouth before shutting it firmly closed. Remembering that the younger girls were there and what Aoi had asked of her, she pursed her lips and silently fell into step beside the Hashira, walking with her to the nearby forest where the herbs they needed flourished.

“You recall what Aralia Cordata looks like, correct?” Shinobu asked once they were well within the trees.

“Yeah, kind of hard to miss that shrub if you know what you’re looking for.” (Y/n) groused.

“Fine, fine. Don’t come crying to me if you touch something poisonous.”

“I won’t. Won’t touch anything poisonous I mean. Because I know what I’m doing.”

“Are you telling me that or are you just trying to reassure yourself?”

(Y/n) chose not to reply, instead she split off from Shinobu to one of the shrubs in question and began harvesting a few leafy tendrils from it. Before long, her basket was filled and she turned just in time to see Shinobu turn back to her own bush, pretending to examine one of the tendrils she had cut.

“You know,” (Y/n) sighed as she stood back to her full height, “Aoi only made me come here in her stead because that fight we had last night got back to her. She expects us to make up.”

“Mm, I figured it was something like that,” Shinobu hummed, “I do believe that for once, she is too optimistic in that regard.”

“Well, you never did like admitting when you were wrong,” (Y/n) shrugged, “or saying you’re sorry. It’s comforting to know you haven’t completely destroyed your old personality.”

“And what exactly have I been wrong about, (Y/n)?” Shinobu’s forehead pulsed, “what exactly have I done that requires an apology?”

“You lie to everyone Shinobu. You hide behind plastic smiles pretending to be someone you’re not to fill a void. Saying your fine and shrugging everyone off while holding them at arm's length. When I tried to talk to you, you pushed me away and told me to leave. You were dismissive, cold.”

(Y/n) wrapped her arms around herself as if a chilling wind overcame her. Continuing on, she spoke lowly before Shinobu could speak her denial.

“Not to say that I don’t have my own fault in all of this. Even if I thought you really wanted me gone that night, I should have fought harder for you. I knew you were hurting, but I gave up and left anyway. That is something I’ve thought about a lot in our time apart and I regret it every day because you were worth fighting for.”

(Y/n) blew out a harsh breath of air, running a hand over her scalp she made her closing statement.

“If there was one thing you were right about last night, it’s that I’m a coward and I’m sorry that I didn’t try harder.”

(Y/n) chanced a look at Shinobu’s face. The Hashira’s eyes rounded and her mouth was ever so slightly agape. The silence hung in the air until a sweet wisteria breeze swept through the trees and (Y/n) cleared her throat and looked away.

“So if we could at least pretend to get along for the sake of the girls, I think Aoi would appreciate it.” (Y/n) added before reaching down to collect her basket. A sudden noise, like air being rapidly released through one’s nose, came from behind (Y/n) and she paused in her movements to glance back at Shinobu who was looking down at the leaf she was worrying between her fingers.

“I... apologize, for pushing you away in such a way that made you think you had to exile yourself. It was also cruel of me to say you didn’t care about us when I knew that you thought of this place as your home. I was trying to hurt you back and that was wrong of me. I’m sorry.” Shinobu solemnly said.

Now it was (Y/n)’s turn to stare. Soon, Shinobu leveled a cocky smile and stood with her basket of leaves and a few other miscellaneous plants she gathered.

“Looks like you were wrong about my ability to apologize, hm?” She said.

“Shut up. Don’t ruin the moment.” (Y/n) smiled, reaching for her own basket.

The atmosphere surrounding the girls leaving the forest felt a lot more relaxed than it had upon entering.

***

Days turned into weeks and everything seemed so much better after. It was still awkward at times, but (Y/n) and Shinobu were finding their rhythm again. There was still a little hostility at times, but rather than avoid each other, they talked it out. It was almost frightening how in sync they were when they were working well together.

(Y/n) split her time between helping Shinobu with the slayers turned spiders and helping the younger girls train Tanjirou. She was elated by the boy’s progress as he finally managed to catch Kanao. She had noticed Zenitsu and Inosuke lurking nearby and gestured to the room. Now that they knew recovery training was possible and Tanjirou was leaving them in the dust, the rambunctious boys finally felt the need to catch up with their comrade’s progress.

Before long, the boys were well enough to continue the training on their own and (Y/n) found herself spending more and more time with Shinobu. They would spend hours talking or saying nothing at all, just enjoying each other’s company while they worked away on medicines and poisons.

It didn’t take long for (Y/n) to notice the difference. How Shinobu took up more than her fair share of space in (Y/n)’s thoughts. Even just catching sight of her across the garden was starting to make (Y/n)’s heart leap. On the occasion Shinobu would spot her she’d smile and wave, making (Y/n)’s heart stop all together before kicking into overdrive. The lingering touches and whispered words Shinobu would share with her as they worked in the lab certainly didn’t help either. Just when (Y/n) had thought they finally found their dynamic... Why was it changing again already?

(Y/n) was telling Naho, Sumi and Kiyo the story of how she met Tanjirou and Nezuko while she patted the demon’s head. Ever since Nezuko had woken up, the younger girls, though skittish at first, had grown to be fascinated and even enamored with her. As (Y/n) retold the tale, Nezuko humming happily at her side, Shinobu happened upon the group.

“I’m afraid we’ll have to cut this session short. Tanjirou and the others are ready to get back out on the road now. Something about joining Rengoku-san on his next mission.”

“How did I not here about this plan sooner?” (Y/n) frowned.

“That’s a question best suited for Tanjirou to answer I suppose.” Shinobu replied rather emotionlessly, concerning (Y/n).

So while everyone else was getting ready to leave, (Y/n) pulled Tanjirou aside and asked him what was going on.

“I didn’t tell you we were leaving because I hope you’ll stay and continue to rebuild the relationships you have here, (Y/n)-san. I appreciate everything you’ve done for Nezuko and I, and now I hope to return the favor.” Tanjirou smiled brightly.

“And how do you figure you’re doing that?” (Y/n) crossed her arms.

“Because the longer you get to stay here, the more time you get to spend with Shinobu-san! I can smell that you two want to be together more now than ever.”

“You and your nose I swear,” heat radiated off of (Y/n)’s cheeks, “I think you have intuition and that sense mixed up.”

Tanjirou merely laughed in response.

“So, you guys think you’ll really be okay without me? You’ll stay out of trouble?”

“Don’t worry, (Y/n)-san! We’ll see each other again soon!” Tanjirou beamed.

(Y/n) smiled in return and they rejoined the send off.

“Where did Shinobu-san go?” Tanjirou wondered.

(Y/n) looked around and sure enough, the Pillar was nowhere to be seen.

“She must have had something urgent to attend to,” she answered, making a note to search for her later.

(Y/n) stood out in the garden until the loud group disappeared into the trees and their shouts could no longer be heard over the rustling of the leaves. She took a moment to stare out into the clear blue sky before returning inside.

(Y/n) was going to go look for Shinobu, but she wanted to go to her room to change her uniform first since Zenitsu had snotted all over it in his tearful goodbye.

She opened the door and was surprised to find Shinobu already inside. Shinobu’s back was turned to her as she quickly ran a sleeve over her face. She cleared her throat before facing back with a weak smile.

“(Y/n), forget something?”

“Huh?” (Y/n) blinked, still trying to process why Shinobu might have just been tearing up in her room of all places.

“The others must be ready to leave now. You better pick up what you needed so they don't have to wait too long.”

“They already left, Shinobu.” (Y/n) explained. “I hadn’t planned on going with them.”

“Oh.” Shinobu turned to look outside the window of (Y/n)’s room, hoping the blood that buzzed in her cheeks hadn’t burned its way to her ears as well.

“Shinobu, is something wrong?” (Y/n) tested.

“I just feel a bit silly now I suppose.” Shinobu admitted, bringing a slight smile to (Y/n)’s face with her honesty. “I thought you were gone again.”

“Well, I wouldn’t leave without a proper goodbye, not again.” (Y/n) came up beside Shinobu, intending to give her hand a comforting squeeze when she felt something other than skin instead. Looking down she saw her old butterfly clip in Shinobu’s hand, a quick look at the empty spot at her desk confirmed it.

Shinobu noticed that (Y/n) had noticed and rose the hairclip up between them with a subdued exhale.

“You know, every morning I wonder if it will be the morning you feel comfortable enough to wear this again.” Shinobu said, twirling the insect in her fingers. “When I thought you were gone and I saw this still sitting on your desk, it brought me back to places I’d rather not think about.”

“I’m sorry,” (Y/n) rested her hand over the back of Shinobu’s haori, “I just haven’t felt... I don’t know, worthy of it? I didn’t intend to make you feel bad.”

A small puff of air left Shinobu’s nose at the words. “It isn’t a matter of worth, it’s about whether or not you feel like you belong here again. Whether or not you’re comfortable here.”

“Agree to disagree.” (Y/n) joked. “But if it makes you feel better, I’m glad I get to spend more time here. I’ve been happier in these last few weeks than in the last few years.”

“I’m glad.” Shinobu watched a couple of butterflies flutter against the window before turning back to the garden. “And if you insist on it being a matter of worth, you are more than worthy. It’s not even a question to me.”

“Thank you.” (Y/n) simpered. Her breathing hitched slightly when Shinobu reached up to run her fingers through a loose lock of (Y/n)’s hair.

“Would you let me do your hair?” Shinobu asked softly.

“I’d like that.” (Y/n) whispered.

Shinobu guided (Y/n) back to the desk and sat her down on the chair. She freed (Y/n)’s hair from its plain hair band and quietly ran a brush through her locks with such softness that (Y/n) felt like she might fall asleep. Shinobu gathered the hair in her hands and styled it as she wished, clipping it together with the butterfly hair clip. Shinobu checked over her work, her hands resting on (Y/n)’s shoulders.

“You look perfect.” (Y/n) shivered. She hadn’t expected Shinobu’s lips to be so close to her ear. Neither had she expected the lips to ghost over her cheek in a light kiss.

“I just remembered I have a meeting I need to attend. You’ll help the girls with the infirmary won’t you?”

(Y/n) had almost forgotten how to speak but managed to pull it together. “Of course! I’ll, um, see you when you get back?”

“Perhaps,” Shinobu removed her hands from (Y/n)’s shoulders, “I won’t be back until late though.”

“Okay.”

A shy hug (in slightly awkward positioning due to the gross state of the Kinoe’s uniform, courtesy of Zenitsu) and Shinobu parted ways with (Y/n). (Y/n) met up with the girls in the infirmary and was almost immediately met with a chorus of cheers from Naho, Kiyo and Sumi when they noticed her hair. Aoi and Kanao smiled at the sight as well. A full day of caring for the infirmary made (Y/n) excited to finally get into bed for the night.

She awoke with a scream caught in her throat. Old demons had visited her in her sleep. As she worked to calm her heart, she noticed the light of the full moon streaming through her window. With a few more deep breaths she sat up from her futon and wrapped her haori around her shoulders.

Quietly exiting her room, she padded through the halls until she found her way to the kitchen, a smile pulled at her lips when she found Shinobu already there boiling water.

“Rough night?” Shinobu asked. She was also in her bed wear, her hair hanging loose from its usual style.

“Yes,” (Y/n) moved to stand beside her, “it’s been awhile since the last one I had.”

“How did you deal with that when you were on the road?”

“I would buy little sacks of tea leaves as I went. On bad nights or whenever sleep eluded me I’d boil up some water and try a new blend. Yours was always the best though.”

“I was already going to make you a cup, no need for flattery.”

“No flattery here. Just the truth.” (Y/n) swore, making Shinobu’s smile just a tad fuller.

Shinobu finished preparing the cups and as (Y/n) took hers about ready to leave, the Hashira asked her to wait.

“It’s a full moon tonight. Want to watch the stars for a moment?” Shinobu asked.

“I’d love to.” (Y/n) nodded.

The pair walked outside along the engawa until they had a pleasant view of the full brightness of the moon. They sat along the engawa’s edge, letting their legs dangle as they sipped their tea in the drowning noise of cicada and cricket songs.

(Y/n) chanced a glance at Shinobu in her periphery and marveled at how the moonlight highlighted her skin to the point where she almost appeared to be glowing. The way it reflected off of her eyes was absolutely enchanting. (Y/n) forced her attention back on the sky. Though beautiful it seemed to pale in comparison to the girl next to her.

As her eyes traced over the larger craters of the moon, she thought back on an old saying she had read at one of the inns she had frequented. An old, battered collection of pages that she read through when sleep didn’t come. She had read that particular work quite a few times.

She wondered if perhaps Shinobu had read it too. Though more likely the girl had her face buried in medical texts than anything else. (Y/n) then wondered, if perhaps she could get away with saying it. A confession without consequence, but on the off change that Shinobu was knowledgeable on the old text it could damage the progress they had made in healing their relationship. Perhaps it would be better to just enjoy the moment. (Y/n) took another sip of tea.

“The moon is beautiful, isn’t it?”

(Y/n) nearly choked on her tea, spluttering and coughing as she tried in vein to stop herself. Finally she managed to calm down only to notice how intently Shinobu was staring at her.

Had she meant that literally? Shinobu was looking at (Y/n) so expectantly, but it could easily just be because she had nearly blacked out from inhaling her tea!

“...It is.” (Y/n) finally answered hiding her face in her cup, looking at neither Shinobu nor the moon.

Another long silence filled by the chirps of insects enjoying the humid night air. (Y/n) had finished her tea and set her cup to her right, her free hand that had been resting between Shinobu and herself was soon covered by a cool and calloused touch.

(Y/n) shyly turned her head to meet the Pillar’s gaze and jumped a bit when her nose unexpectedly brushed against Shinobu’s.

“The moon is beautiful tonight, isn’t it?” Shinobu repeated barely above a whisper. She was not pulling away.

(Y/n) felt her throat dry and she wished she had just one more swallow of tea left. With a slight quiver in her lips, she responded. Doing her best to stay focused on the purple irises before her.

“Yes,” she answered with a slight nod, careful not to bump head with Shinobu, “it is.”

“(Y/n)?” Shinobu called to her, cupping her face gently with the hand that wasn’t already resting on top of (Y/n)’s.

“Y.. yes?”

“Would you kiss me if I asked?” Shinobu murmured, filling (Y/n)’s senses with a dizzying wisteria scent. The slayer didn’t even try to talk herself out of answering such a query as the thumb of Shinobu’s hand swiped the corner of her lips.

“Yes.” She replied, nearly breathless already and her pupils blown wide.

“(Y/n), please kiss me.”

It was all too easy to lean in when they were already sitting so closely. The hand Shinobu had been using to cup her cheek weaved through the hair at the back of (Y/n)’s head, pulling her closer yet as their lips met a bit clumsily in buzzing, mind numbing bliss. (Y/n)’s free hand, the one not currently being clutched in a near death grip over the wooden floor, found home at the back of Shinobu’s neck, lightly massaging the skin there.

They broke apart a few times but the breaths they took were quick and few. Eventually they rested against each other while their abused lungs burned with a hunger for oxygen.

“I have wanted to do that for longer than I’d like to admit.” Shinobu quietly confessed, twisting a lock of (Y/n)’s hair though her fingers.

“Even when we were fighting?” (Y/n) joked, rubbing the back of Shinobu’s neck with her thumb.

“Strangely enough, yes. There were times when I thought about doing it just to shut you up. Though I didn’t dare allow myself to entertain the thought for long.”

(Y/n) chuckled and leaned in to steal another kiss, much less heated then the last few and much quicker as a chorus of surprised gasps made them pull apart and turn around.

“They kissed! They’re kissing!” Sumi cheered while Aoi tried to quiet her and push her back into the mansion.

Sumi and Kiyo emerged from the doorway that Shinobu had left open when she and (Y/n) first came out into the moonlight and were immediately hounding them for confirmation.

“We missed it! Do it again!” Kiyo pleaded.

“It’s like a fairy tale!” Naho cheered.

“You three!” Aoi grumbled with embarrassment. “Kanao, help me out here!”

Kanao looked between Aoi, the rowdy girls, then her sister and senpai, before settling on a nice golf clap of congratulations. This made Aoi lightly smack herself in the face and completely give up on trying to rein in the younger children.

“My, what are you all doing up I wonder?” Shinobu smiled.

“We wanted to watch the moon too Shinobu-sama! Aoi-san even made tea!” Naho clapped.

“But it’s clear you’re, busy, with something and we should go back inside.” Aoi rushed.

“Nonsense, it’s a lovely night. These things are best experienced with those you care about, don’t you all agree?”

“Yes!” Three excited voices readily agreed before wiggling in between the older girls with light blankets and their tea.

Aoi grumbled a half hearted reminder to be careful with the tea before sitting down beside (Y/n) with her own cup. Kanao took a seat beside Shinobu, lightly kicking her feet over the engawa as she started up silently at the moon.

They stayed up for hours, naming constellations, spotting shooting stars, and listening for the occasional loud croak of a far off frog in the thick of the cicadas and crickets.

Dawn wasn’t too far off when Naho, Sumi and Kiyo fell asleep. (Y/n), Shinobu and Kanao each picked one up and returned them to their rooms. Aoi gathered the discarded cups and helped with the doors before bidding the older girls goodnight, Kanao trailing behind her.

“What a lively night. I’m afraid chores will suffer tomorrow.” Shinobu mused as she walked (Y/n) back to her room.

“We’ll figure it out.” (Y/n) said, shyly brushing her hand against Shinobu’s and smiling when Shinobu laced their fingers together.

Once at (Y/n)’s room Shinobu raised (Y/n)’s hand to her lips with a smirk, planting a kiss on battle worn knuckles.

“This is where I leave you. I’ll see you in a few hours.”

“Why does that feel too long?” (Y/n) laughed quietly.

“I’m not sure, you’d think after four years of bitter silence a couple of hours would be a walk in the park.” Shinobu chuckled in return.

“I guess we just have a lot of time to make up for, huh?”

“Mm, that is a plausible line of reasoning,” Shinobu hummed, a spark growing in her eyes, “might I trouble you for one more kiss before I retire to my room?”

“I was hoping you’d ask.”

(Y/n) hardly got the words out before Shinobu was on her. Four kisses later and they pulled away with matching grins.

“I’ll see you in my dreams.” Shinobu added one last peck before pulling away.

“As will I.”

***

Well into the next morning (Y/n) awoke energized and ready to fight the world. She changed into a fresh uniform and pinned her hair with care, straightening the butterfly pin before rushing out of her room to begin her day with the young woman who had gifted it to her.