#she still would have had Rory. And without the crack

[transmasc-rose]

I'm thinking about the horror of the Doctor from the perspective of non-companions again, especially as it relates to people those companions know.

Rose? "Ran away" (not wrong) for "a year" (a week) with a "man" (alien) "twice her age" (approximately 50 times her age but yeah, he is Time Lord middle aged), and then gives absolutely no explanation for how or why that happened, except that she was "travelling".

Then when her mum does get an explanation (which, frankly, is only comforting because of the unfamiliarity of the alternative given. The devil you know.), Rose barely checks back in.

She almost dies for him. When she thinks he's dead, she's changed in a way her family doesn't know how to handle. Then she's gone for who knows how long and comes back with the Doctor wearing a new face.

When her original tenure as a companion ends, and Rose lives in Pete's World, she works for Torchwood/UNIT (they become the same organization). She volunteers for the Dimension Cannon. She explains to the alternate earth how to rig up a time machine.

She's changed in ways that no one else can really understand.

Amy? There's everything with River Song of course (though I'm still not there in my viewing), him running away with Amy the night before her and Rory's wedding, and also the connection between the Doctor and the Time Crack being the reason all of Amy's family's dead. Obvious stuff.

However he's also the strange man who broke into this child's house and made a mess of her life that she never got over, that promised to take her away from here, that she wrote about and drew and carved and made her friends dress up as.

And they sent her to psychiatrist after psychiatrist without any help. In their perspective, to work through what she imagined. In her perspective, to tell her that her reality wasn't real.

And then he comes back.

And to some extent, later, when he shows himself to everyone, isn't that more frightening? That the story your child told you, of the strange man she met as a child, of time travel, of nearly being stolen away, hadn't been a lie, or a misinterpretation, or an imagining?

And so he shows up at her wedding. And steals her away again.

Donna I feel like has the least horror until her final episode. I think exploring the in between section of her meeting the Doctor and finding him again would be interesting, but not exactly horror. More an exploration of how obsessive the companions can get about him, how it eats their whole lives with even one encounter, even as it makes them better people.

And then, obviously, the horror of having your mind altered and erased against your will by someone you trusted. For your own good, of course. Because he knows best. How could you know better than him? He's ancient. He's practically all knowing.

Shouldn't you be grateful?

(And he's forgiven.)

[steddieas-shegoes]

eddie's 1st xmas

for @steddieholidaydrabbles prompt 'ornament'

all of my holiday drabbles will be from the bear hugs universe. many of them could probably be read standalone, but will make the most sense and be enjoyed best if you read that first!

rated t | 940 words | cw: mention of character death in the past | tags: established relationship, sentimental, christmas fluff

🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄

The ornament is hung in the back of the tree when Steve first notices it. He’s sweeping the pine needles up when he sees it glittering between the lights, pushed back so it’s almost hidden from view.

He recognizes it immediately, even though it’s been 12 years or so since he’s seen it.

He’s careful when he touches it, knows that it’s already broken at least once and has been glued back together with gorilla glue and patience by Wayne. He sees one of the cracks as he tilts it closer to one of the lights on the tree, smiling sadly when he remembers exactly how devastated Eddie had been when it fell and shattered into pieces. Luckily, only a couple of the pieces couldn’t quite fit back together, and they were small.

Eddie’s mom’s handiwork deserves a better place on the tree than facing the wall.

Steve sets the broom down and gently lifts the ornament off the branch. The glitter on the top of the ball is nearly gone, and what’s left is dull. Steve thinks he has this exact color in his craft bin, but he wouldn’t dare touch it without asking Eddie.

Unless…

Eddie won’t be home for hours. Rory’s at practice. He already caught up on his lesson plans for the week.

All he has to do is touch up the glitter. It’ll make it look brand new, might even distract from the cracks.

He walks carefully to the spare room that’s mostly used for storage and sets the ornament on the table. He finds the glitter he needs, the clear liquid craft glue he saves for his own projects, and gets to work.

It’s a simple task, but he can’t risk the ornament falling or even cracking further.

When he’s done, and he manages to set it up to dry properly, he smiles.

Eddie’s 1st Xmas is painted in red around the middle, glitter covering the top.

Wayne explained to Steve why this one ornament meant so much while he was fixing it years ago. Eddie had been so upset, he locked himself in his room and wouldn’t even let Steve in.

“She made it while she was still pregnant with him. Before things got hard for her. It’s the only thing he really has as a reminder that she loved him.”

Steve knows he probably kept it hidden in the back so there was no chance Rory would accidentally break it while playing knee hockey, but they can set new rules for Christmas. Eddie deserves to have something special on display just like they do.

Steve finishes up with his chores and starts to head back into the spare room when the front door opens.

He walks to the living room and suddenly feels nervous.

Eddie is removing his jacket and shoes at the door, hasn’t even noticed Steve yet. He may not even realize Steve’s home since he insists on Steve being the one to park in the garage.

“Hey baby,” Steve greets him.

Eddie turns and gives him a small smile. “Hey, sweetheart.”

“Everything okay?” Steve asks. Something seems off.

“Yeah. Just a long day.”

Steve nods and plants a soft kiss on his lips. Eddie kisses back, but it’s not his usual enthusiastic response.

“Can I show you something?” He asks, hoping it will cheer him up to see his ornament with a makeover.

“Sure, Stevie.”

Steve leads him into the spare room and tells him to close his eyes and hold out his hands. He places the ornament in his palms as carefully as possible, leaving his hands there to catch it if Eddie accidentally drops it.

“Open your eyes.”

Eddie is silent. It’s alarming. The strange mood, the quiet, it’s enough to put Steve on edge. He tries to stay positive though.

“I saw it on the tree earlier and thought it could use a little fresh glitter. I hope it’s okay,” Steve is ready to start apologizing for touching it when Eddie bursts into tears. “Shit.”

Steve takes the ornament from him, or tries to, but Eddie holds it to his chest instead.

“Today’s the anniversary of her death,” he sobs.

Steve pulls him close, wraps his arms around him and squeezes as tight as he can while keeping space between them so he doesn’t crush the ornament. He didn’t even realize the date, and he’s not sure he would’ve remembered anyways. Eddie doesn’t talk about her much.

“I didn’t realize,” Steve whispers against his hair, kissing the top of his head. “I’m sorry.”

“No, this is-” Eddie takes a shaky breath. “This is amazing. Thank you for doing this. I’ve been so scared to touch it up.”

“Do you wanna hang it up in the front of the tree?” Steve asks.

Eddie shakes his head. “No. I don’t want it to break.”

“We’ll make Rory play in her room if she plays while the tree is up. I think it deserves to be front and center.”

Eddie pulls back and tries to wipe his eyes on his own shoulder. It’s useless as more tears fall.

“Okay. As long as we’re careful.”

“You wanna tell Rory about her?” Steve asks. He knows Eddie doesn’t remember a lot of his mom, that she was sick from the time he was a toddler, and died before he even started school. He knows most things Eddie can tell are things Wayne’s told him. But maybe it will help to talk about her, especially today.

“Yeah, if she wants to hear about her.”

Steve takes the ornament from him and leads him out to the tree. “I’m sure she’ll love it.”

[thegodcomplcx]

Please write that Amy’s choice essay

amy's choice is an elevenamy episode masquerading as an amyrory episode and in this essay i WILL be addressing that.

the whole concept of the episode is deeply interesting to me. this is one of the first instances of amy actually not really having a choice at all. at this point, halfway through season, we've decently established amy and the doctor's relationship, and the hints we've gotten of rory have been. uhm. crazy.

rory is introduced to us as amy's bumbling boyfriend, who, while well meaning, is ultimately not someone that is seriously compatible with amy. amy has experienced some childhood trauma (her parents were eaten by a fucking crack in spacetime and then the only guy she could sort of trust disappeared on her for 12 years. yeesh) that has stunted her emotional growth and leaves her in a state of sort of perpetual adolescence. rory is a band-aid to the solution. rory is representative of someone that amy could have wanted to be with if she didn't carry this trauma. but that's not what happened to her.

the major appearances that rory has had when we start amy's choice is the eleventh hour where amy does not want to admit they have a serious relationship (she calls them just friends still. idk if this is in general, or just in front of the doctor, but she does not want to be perceived as in a relationship with rory. lmao) and then at the end we see amy actively using the doctor to run away from her obligations to rory. then she cheats on him with the doctor in flesh and stone. and then they meet up again in vampires in venice where amy basically avoids making a choice by dragging rory into the tardis, even when rory himself expects that they will just go on a break or something. i would argue that this in and of itself is amy not choosing rory. she is not ready for marriage. she still wants to explore herself and who she could become if she doesn't settle down.

amy's choice starts off with amy and rory in domestic bliss with amy barefoot and pregnant. the show makes a deliberate choice to frame being a wife and mother as the only thing amy will be if she chooses this life. there are plenty of women who find enjoyment in being a mother and women who continue to have rich lives in addition to being a mother. but amy doesn't get this. being a wife is a cage to her. it will only trap her.

then, when they flash back into the tardis, the doctor describes this vision as a terrible nightmare and even hugs amy to reassure himself that that won't happen to her. (elevenamy crumbs. as we know, eleven and amy are one entity, so we can assume they have similar views on the matter). then we meet the dream lord who we know is the manifestation of a dark part of the doctor's subconscious. and he sets up this entire game of choosing. the fact that dream lord knows this is the sensitive spot to poke shows that the doctor is aware that amy has feelings for him that are actively stopping her from fully committing to rory. (and the dream lord knows about amy's sex dreams. which could mean nothing.)

amy and rory have a conversation in the fake tardis world where rory wants the leadworth life to be real and amy can't fathom ever "giving up all this" (traveling + the doctor). she also says she never wants to grow up. when she is blatantly asked by rory if she still wants to get married, she says "someday" which is another nonchoice! she wants to keep both these men in her back pocket and avoids doing anything that will lock her into a choice, lest she regrets it later.

the main part of the episode that people point to as "amy choosing rory" is when he dies in fake leadworth. when he turns to dust, amy demands that the doctor fix it, and when he can't, she says this must be the dream and insists on elevenamy joint suicide. what i find interesting about this is that amy has "chosen" rory in a way that still leads her back to the doctor. she says she can't exist in a world without rory, so the one where they're still traveling with the doctor must be the real world. i also think this is another example of amy being strong armed into a choice. rory is clearly very important to amy, but i don't think that means he's whats best for her, or that his values align with hers. amy not wanting rory dead does not fix their incompatibility.

amy insisting that the doctor fix it and saying "whats the point of you" when he can't is also deeply interesting to me. amy is so aware of the doctor's otherworldliness. she turns him into a god in many ways and i think she almost has to view him like that. he's never allowed to be flawed. he saved her when she was a kid and he came back for her and he took her to see the stars. amy literally views the doctor as a panacea. in any situation, the doctor has an obligation to save her. in this instance, it's stopping rory from dying, but in most of their relationship, the doctor is saving her from having to marry rory.

i don't think amy ever fully chooses rory. she's never put into a situation where rory explicitly (and without the threat of death) asks her to leave the doctor for him. (i think he doesn't ask this because he knows amy won't choose him.) rory comes along with her and the doctor because amy is not capable of making a choice.

(TATM is...interesting. once again amy is forced into a choice by the narrative; if the weeping angel wasn't there, amy would not have left the doctor on her own volition. i also think the narrative itself guilts her into choosing rory, but we can talk about TATM somewhere else. this is getting long.)

and if this whole episode is a metaphor for amy choosing between rory or the doctor, what does it mean that it's revealed that both the realities are false? that there was never a choice? it's about the lack of choice and agency that amy has. it never mattered what she actually wants, because she will not be allowed to make a choice. everything will happen around her, or the doctor and rory will make choices for her, but amy doesn't actually get to choose. this episode is ostensibly about her choosing rory or the doctor and she does choose the doctor. it ends the exact same way it started, with amy continuing to travel with the doctor (and rory on their heels), because amy doesn't get to choose. the plot moves along and takes her with it, not the other way around.

(also dying in a fiery car crash w someone (on purpose) is the most romantic thing in the universe argue with the wall)

[deanoheartspie]

SUNSHINE 6

Pairing: Cowboy Sheriff Dean x female City Gal Reader

Warnings: None

Summary: After your family cut you off, your great-aunt Laura invited you over to her ranch you often visited when you were just a child... You drive through the beautiful town until you accidentally graze a horse that just so happens to be the sheriffs...

A/n: Hello! I've been slowly going back and fixing up my past chapters ( still editing and such but ofc it'll take time! So beware of all of that!) ALSO CLOSED MESSAGES I've gotten a crap load of bots spamming my inbox so if ya need me send me an ask and I'll get to you!

Edited?: fixing up

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•

DEAN'S POV

~Weeks went by and surprisingly enough I became more close to Y/n, we have a somewhat friendship now.

I sat in the stands alongside Rory and Lisa, watching Ben during his baseball game. I had invited Y/n but in all honesty, I didn't think she'd show... Yet she did, she hadn't met Ben yet but here she was making her way to sit near me.

She wore a beautiful sundress... That showed off her curves and god her smile... Maybe I had been staring too long but Lisa smacked my arm pulling me back to reality.

"So which one is the little guy?" Y/n asked looking at all the boys on the team as they sat out. I pointed to the little boy who had spikey hair... Even though the kid wasn't biologically mine I still took care of him as one of mine own since he didn't have a father.

Rory shyly walked towards the woman and sat between her and me, holding each of our hands. That caused Lisa to give me the 'You better fix this' type of look. "Rory baby... Momma wants you to sit with her you don't want her to be lonely right?" I asked the little girl scooping her up, she frowned shaking her head before hesitantly sitting with Lisa.

I felt bad. Of course, I did. The last thing I needed was for Lisa to go off on me later.

Y/n searched my eyes, giving me a reassuring smile and hand squeeze before tugging her hand away, without a care in the world I held her hand tighter not wanting the warmth of her hand to leave. I noticed the way she blushed and looked off at the field.

"Woohoo! Go Bears" She shouted standing up, I snorted gently pulling her down "Sweetheart... Wrong team" Her face grew redder, clearly embarrassed.

"S'okay. I'm sure they appreciate your support" I teased wrapping an arm around her waist, kissing the top of her head.

Why was I being so... Touchy-feely? What is going on with me? Goddamn Y/n what have you done to me.

-------

"Dad, did you see me? The practices after school helped more! I hit the ball farther" Ben stated throwing his fists up into the air, smiling happily.

"Yea-" I was immediately cut off by no other then Lisa.

"What do you mean after school? You have piano after school?" Lisa looked Ben and I up in down, trying to see who'd crack first.

"We mean after Piano practice" I lie, during the years I've seen how miserable the poor kid was, the moment Lisa found out he had some musical talent she forced piano, and voice lessons down his throat. So when Ben came to me, a year ago saying he wanted to try baseball, how could I deny him something he wanted? Lisa and I came to an agreement that he stay in piano, but... Ben would flash off those adorable puppy dog eyes each time and I always found myself driving right past the studio.

"Hmph good." Lisa huffed and sighed, gathering the kid's things which I helped put in her trunk.

-------

When I arrived back at the ranch, Y/n was already waiting there with a small smile. If I'm being serious, my mind kept going back to the day she said she was a runaway bride. It didn't bother me, it just made me a little worried.

"How the hell did you beat me here?" I mutter taking off my baseball cap and walking up onto the old porch that's going to need to be repaired sooner then later.

"Because I've seen fast in furious"

I quirk a brow and walk past her, "Sure sweetheart. Let me guess you got lost and went the muddy route?" I state seeing the mud on her tires proving that I have solid evidence.

"Yeah... Yeah, I got lost! I can see why no one takes the quick route... It's sorta scary"

We both walk in tossing our boots off, I nod and smile a little "Thanks for coming to the game...even though you cheered for the other team twice" I playfully smirk and walk over to the kitchen making us some sandwiches.

"Anytime, I surprisingly had a good time. I've never seen baseball before but it was cool to see the boys get happy whenever they hit the ball." She softly smiled and turned around raiding the kitchen for whatever she must be looking for.

I learned very quickly not to ask what she's looking for, even if it's to tell her that it's right in her face. Especially at night when she's raiding the fridge, with her messy hair she looks like a raccoon which I also learned not to call her that when she's half asleep.

She pulled out some leftover chocolate cake from last night, hell fuckin yeah.

"Are you gonna' share that?"

She holds the container closer to her chest "Nope."

"Oh, c'mon! I made you a sandwich, it's only fair" I try my best to mock the kids' pouts since they always seemed to work.

"Fine fine, one slice only because you ate all the pie yesterday"

"I asked you if you wanted some" I muttered, going off to the back porch and setting down our plates, this became our ritual. We'd eat and talk, every damn day we did this. I didn't mind it on bit.

"After the fact that you were almost done with it" She followed behind with the two slices of chocolate cake, she sat down her hair flowing in the wind.

"I still offered" I argued with a small smile digging into the piece of cake first before taking a bite of my sandwich.

I looked at the view in front of me, and god I loved it. I couldn't imagine living anywhere else, the way the birds chirped and how the flowers looked in the field. Beautiful, this time though. My eyes weren't on the field they were on her

"Hm, back to our subject from yesterday." She whips out a clipboard from under the chair, she was trying to be funny as she showed me her fake 'file' she made of me with all the things I like, etc.

"Would you ever leave?"

That question caught my attention.

"What do you mean? Leave the ranch?"

Y/n shook her head “I mean leaving this town. It never gets boring?”

I've never actually given it much thought before. Living here all my life, what was the point of leaving a place that you have it easy in?

"Nope. I did go to New York once. Never again, way too many people for my liking, I also got my younger brother around here so I don't plan on being far from him and his little family."

New York was a shit show, way too many people with attitudes, and too crowded. In my opinion, it was like hell. Though did have cheap hotdogs which were a nice plus and some of the views, besides that, it all was way too expensive and not worth it.

"Would you ever move back...?" I question, wondering how long she was planning on staying.

She stayed quiet, fiddling with the ends of her sundress as she kept her head down low.

We sat in total silence until she spoke.

"Maybe. It has been my home... But I like it here too so it's a little confusing." she admits running her fingers through her hair.

"So as of right now your staying?" I look at her, I feel those god forsaken butterflies in my stomach.

"Yes sheriff you don't have to worry about me up and leaving without two weeks' notice" she teased bumping her shoulder with mind, she smiled.

The way she smiled always made me melt... I liked seeing it. Seeing her happy. Without a thought second I blurt out "Will you go on a date with me? As friends...or y'know?" The moment I realized what I had said it was too late to take it back and didn't want to seem like a jackass for taking it back anyways.

I saw her thinking with a faint blush on her face, maybe she was thinking how to let me down slowly so it wouldn't be awkward.

Y/n lifted her head up and nodded "I'd like that Dean."

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----Tag list----

@deans-spinster-witch @leigh70 @mrsjenniferwinchester @ladysparkles78 @hobby27 @khaleesihavilliard @foxyjwls007 @lucidlivi @jc-winchester @globetrotter28 @beskarfilms @the141bandicoot @alysinwonderland-at-tea @randomgurl2326 @ambergoddess444 @westernwinchesters @lemmons1998 @julie04090 @nic-kolas @raisinggray @alternativeprincess94

[agaypanic]

Okokok bbf!(brothers best friend)Benny Weir x Morgan!male reader where reader is Ethan’s brother/twin (you pick). Reader having a crush on Benny and Ethan trying to prevent them from dating but failing miserably. <3

His Best Friend's Brother (Benny Weir X Male!Morgan!Reader)

Masterlist

Request Something!

Summary: After finding out his brother has a crush on his best friend, Ethan does whatever he can to keep them separated. But he soon finds out all his efforts are futile.

A/N: I would’ve made that title “Brother’s Best Friend” but apparently I’ve already written a benny fic with that title lmao

***

You don’t know why Ethan’s so surprised right now. You had been playing a little game of truth or dare with Sarah and Rory to pass the time while you all waited for Benny and Erica to come over. Sarah asked if you had a crush on anyone, and you shrugged and said Benny. Sarah and Rory just nodded, commenting about how it made sense, and you continued with the game.

Ethan looked like a fish out of water.

You couldn’t tell if it was because Benny was a boy or Ethan’s best friend. But either way, he shouldn’t have been surprised. You thought he noticed how you always looked at Benny or how you went to him first after taking down a bad guy to make sure he was okay. Or the way you did anything you could to be near Benny without being too weird about it.

“You guys are just gonna brush past that?” Ethan asked your friends in surprise. Sarah and Rory looked at each other, then you, and then Ethan.

“Yeah. Why?” Sarah asked. 

“Why? Why?” Ethan looked like he was about to pull all his hair out. “He likes Benny, my best friend. We’re all in the same friend group; it’s weird.”

“Being in the same friend group hasn’t stopped you from having a crush, E.” You reminded your brother, rolling your eyes. He turned red, looking anywhere in the room but at Sarah. “Are you acting insane because Benny and I are both guys?”

“Of course not!” Ethan looked offended that you would even suggest that. “Y/n, I could care less about that. But he’s my best friend, and you’re my brother. It just feels… Icky.” You couldn’t help but laugh at his choice of wording. Sarah and Rory joined in, and soon all three of you were cackling at your brother’s ridiculousness.

“What are you guys laughing at?” You all jumped at Erica’s sudden presence. Sometimes you hated how sneaky she was.

“Ethan’s throwing a fit because Y/n likes Benny,” Rory answered, earning a slap in the arm from Sarah for exposing your secret the second someone new came into the conversation. But you didn’t really mind. You knew Rory would tell someone eventually, and you probably would’ve told Erica anyway.

“You’d throw a fit, too, if your brother had a crush on your best friend!” Ethan whined.

“Ethan’s right.” Erica nodded, turning to look at you. You all knew there was some kind of joke leading up to this, because there’s no way in hell Erica would actually agree with Ethan. “Y/n, you could totally do better.”

You all laughed at the serious tone in her comment. Even Ethan cracked a smile.

“Okay, ha ha. But I still don’t like it.”

“No one said you had to, Ethan.”

“No one said he had to what?” Your friends had to stop coming into your house unannounced. Benny stood in the living room looking at everyone, holding a few boxes of pizza and a bag that was probably filled with drinks and candy.

“Y/n said that no one said Ethan had to like that- Ow!” Rory was interrupted from spilling truths again by Sarah, who hit him harder than last time. Benny gave the two a strange look but brushed their behavior off.

“Whatever. I got pizza, pop, and sweets to make our teeth rot. What are we watching?” Benny asked as he set everything on the kitchen island. Erica smirked, reaching into her purse to pull out multiple DVDs. Catching sight of the titles, Benny whined, and Sarah squealed. “No, please.”

“Oh, yeah. All three Dusk movies.”

“I’m surprised you don’t have the fourth.” You muttered, standing from your spot on the couch and going to the kitchen to grab plates and food.

“Only because it’s not on DVD yet.” 

You grabbed two slices of pizza from one of the boxes when Benny slid to stand next to you.

“I grabbed you your favorites.” You looked at the stuff he pushed toward you, and indeed, he had gotten you your favorite drink and a couple of your favorite candies.

“Thanks, Bens.” You gathered it all around you before looking up at him. It was crazy to you that he was leaning on the countertop and was still taller than you. “You didn’t have to get me all of this.”

“It’s no problem, really.” He smiled at you, and you wished you could look at him forever. The little twinkle in his eye he had when he looked at you made you giddy.

“Oh, nice, pizza.” You were pushed away from each other by an annoying force, more commonly known as your brother. He stood between the two of you, piling his plate with food. After one last look at Benny, you gathered everything in your arms and went to sit on the couch.

When everyone had gotten their food (you, Ethan, and Benny had food. Sarah, Rory, and Erica had some blood bags, and you didn’t want to know where they got them.), you all settled in the living room, either anticipation or dreading the movie marathon that was about to be put on.

Benny sat next to you on the couch, and you were about to offer him one of your sweets when Ethan stood in front of you two.

“Benny, move over a bit, will you?” Ethan made a waving motion to get him to move away from you. You and Benny looked confused. “You’re in my spot.”

“Since when has this been your spot?” You asked. Ethan started to look flustered, trying to come up with an answer.

“Shut up and sit down!” Erica demanded. “The movie’s starting.”

Knowing it’d be better to listen to Erica than continue fighting with Ethan, Benny scooted over, albeit reluctantly. Ethan sat between the two of you, subtly spreading himself out on the couch so you were further away from Benny. You leaned over to Ethan.

“I know what you’re doing.” You whispered to your brother. “Stop it, baby.”

“I’m not doing anything,” Ethan muttered back, ignoring your glare to focus on the movie.

You suffered through the first movie in silence. Your brother was acting like a child. Anytime Benny tried to make a joke about the movie to you, Ethan got in the way by constantly “assuming” he was talking to him. You understood that he was uncomfortable with the fact that you liked his best friend, but that didn’t mean he got to separate you and get in your way.

Getting up and stretching, you told the others you were going to go change into something more comfortable and went up to your room. Although that was true, you also needed a minute away from your brother to avoid losing your mind on him. You changed into sweatpants and were about to change your shirt when there was a knock on the door.

“Oh please, don’t stop on my account,” Benny smirked when you opened the door and saw you drop and smooth out your shirt. You rolled your eyes and let him in, closing the door behind him.

“I’m surprised Ethan let you up here.” You said, taking your shirt off to pull on a loose hoodie. Benny sat on your bed, staring at you.

“I told him I was going to the bathroom, so I bought myself a few minutes.” He hooked his finger in the waistband of your sweats and pulled you close so you were standing between his legs. You smiled down at him, hands resting on his shoulders.

“Let’s make them worth it then.” You murmured before leaning down to kiss Benny. He held you closer to him, arms wrapping around you.

What your friends didn’t know about you and Benny was that you had been secretly dating for a few weeks. It wasn’t that you were scared to tell your friends; you just didn’t feel the need to. Plus, you had a bit of a feeling Ethan would react weirdly. You two had confessed to each other at a party, and the rest was history.

“We should probably go back down.” You said as you pulled away. Benny groaned in disappointment.

“Just a couple more minutes.”

“I mean it, Benny. Ethan will get suspicious.”

“Fine.” He stood up, still holding you. “One more kiss before we go?” You leaned in, unable to say no to his puppy dog eyes.

“What the hell are you doing?!” Ethan shouted, and the two of you jumped apart, startled. He stared at you in horror.

“What?”

“You were kissing him, Y/n!” Deciding to play dumb, you looked around your room like Benny wasn’t there.

“Kissing who?”

“Don’t play dumb. How long has this been going on?”

You and Benny looked at each other, knowing there was no way to escape Ethan and his questions. 

“Since your Halloween party….” Benny said, looking anywhere but at Ethan.

“What?!”

“What’s going on up here?” Erica appeared behind Ethan, scaring the crap out of all three of you. Sarah and Rory stood behind her, watching the scene.

“I just caught Y/n and Benny making out,” Ethan said. The three vampires stared at you and Benny in silence, trying to formulate a response.

“Y/n, I told you that you could do better!” Erica whined, pushing everyone away to go back downstairs.

“Hey!” Benny shouted in offense.

“How are you guys not freaking out?” Ethan asked, looking at Rory and Sarah. They shrugged.

“Who cares? It’s their lives.” Sarah answered, grabbing the back of Ethan’s collar to drag him down the stairs. Rory, you, and Benny trailed behind them. “Come on, let’s watch Dusk.”

“Can Y/n and I stay in his room?” Benny asked, wanting to get out of watching the franchise more than anything.

“No!” Sarah shouted at him. “We’re watching Dusk, and you’re gonna like it!”

[dominimoonbeam]

To The Edge - 9

This work is mine and I do not give consent for my works to be used, copied, published, or posted without my permission. I am sharing chapters as I work on this story but it is copyrighted material that I plan to rework and publish when completed.

story tags: scifi romance, hijinks in space, rogues learning to trust, violence, blood, guns, death, explicit language, so much kidnapping,

Works organized and easily found over on the patreon. <3

TO THE EDGE - CHAPTER 9.

They were almost there. Almost to the hub station where the mercenaries they’d contacted had said to meet them. For a second, before he patched them up, Stardust had considered trying to buy Cosmic’s help. They needed to get someplace and they needed a ship. From what they’d learned on Styx, buying a jet this far out was nearly impossible, but hiring transport was easy. Just about everyone with a ship was looking to make easy money.

…It wasn’t going to be easy money, though. There was a good chance their cousins would send more bounty hunters and, even if they didn’t, if Cosmic betrayed their contract he’d end up with a price on his head.

There was no way they could trust him to help them at his own risk, and if he was willing… there was no way Stardust could do that to someone. Especially not someone that had patched them up.

The console lit up in a strobe of bright yellow.

Incoming—

They tapped the console.

Call declined.

Cosmic sighed loudly. “That’s the third time that L-class yacht has tried to call, Stardust… Maybe you should just answer.”

They scoffed, swiveling side to side in their seat and watching the stars rather than their captive. Why answer? To hear Tansy’s terms of surrender? Or to have Genesis list the ways he’d make them pay when he got his hands on them? No. They’d rather not know which one it was.

They spun around to face their bounty hunter, smirking when a thought occurred to them. “Wouldn’t that reflect badly on you? You should be begging me not to answer.”

“Yes, it would look bad for me if you did and someone found out I’d lost my ship to my bounty…but I don’t think that’s why you’re avoiding the call.”

Stardust felt their smile sag. What if it wasn’t Genesis or Tansy? What if Illya was involved? Or Galileo herself? Would Stardust have to return if they called? How could they not? Solinoh knees only bent for the family and those were the names that brought them crawling.

No. It couldn’t be Galileo. If she knew, it would be over. If she knew, the others would have scattered and pretended they’d never had their eyes on the prize.

“Did you really run away from home? Is that what you were doing out here when you got picked up by pirates?”

Stardust looked at him. Rory Antilla. They still thought Cosmic suited him better. They’d had time to sift through his ship logs. He was a jack of all trades and had been to just about every corner of the edge, flirting with the border to the Court but not quite crossing. He was a smugglers, a thief, and a bounty hunter with an impressive log of successful jobs. No wonder he’d been the first to find them.

He laughed when they didn’t answer, the sound frustrated. “It is, isn’t it? Why? What cracked plan led you to think that life out here would be better than on some luxury resort planet back in the prime?”

They wrinkled their nose and tried to push away thoughts of Lu-Pan and Cory’s offer to hide out on a beach. There was no way to explain it to Cosmic—definitely no way without giving him enough information to get him killed. “What do you know about it?” they snapped off instead.

“Yeah, I don’t know anything,” he agreed. “But you could tell me. I mean, I am a captive audience. Emphasis on captive…”

They scrubbed a hand over their face, hating how much they did want to tell him. “My family can be… dangerous.” Fuck. That was nowhere close.

“Yeah, I know your family is dangerous, Stardust,” he started with a scoff but slowed, his eyes reconsidering them in a way that made their skin feel exposed. “Is that… I mean, why would that matter to you? Are you…scared of them?”

Their chest tightened. It was so much more complicated than just being family. They were blood. They were Solinoh. But not every branch of their tree was equal and not every branch loved the others. Stardust was a Solinoh Fairvell, a line of the family that had swung back and forth between trying to rule and trying to leave. It had not inspired closeness.

“Is that why you ran?” he asked, trying to understand.

They flinched at that honest effort—at what sounded dangerously close to caring in his voice. “I didn’t run,” they retorted. “I just left.”

He huffed, rolling his eyes. “Oh, you didn’t run?” he asked, words dripping with amusement. “Like how you didn’t faint?”

They set their jaw. They would absolutely never admit to having fainted.

Cosmic dragged a breath and slouched back in the chair, having long since stopped trying to pull his arms and legs free of all that duct tape.

“Okay,” he tried again. “Just tell me what you’re doing and maybe I can help. Was your family after you before the pirates tried to ransom you?”

Stardust swiveled side to side. He was smart. They felt like if they didn’t get off that ship with him soon, he might actually figure out what was going on.

“Damn. You do have bad luck, Stardust…” he laughed, like their silence was answer enough. “So, why are they after you? Did you steal something?”

They laughed before they could think better of it, shrugging and leaning back to look up at the ceiling. “I guess you could say so. I stole myself.” And now they were in deep.

“…You…You stole yourself? What does that mean?”

They pressed their mouth shut and shook their head. They shouldn’t have said that. They shouldn’t be talking to him at all. So, why hadn’t they just taped his mouth shut? With a sigh, they sat upright and swiveled forward again, back to him.

“Wait! Wait! Come on, we can figure this out. You don’t want to go home? Fine. I’ll drop you someplace else. Cut me loose and I’ll forget about the whole stealing my ship thing. Promise.”

They smiled despite all effort not to but refused to look back at him again. “Really?” they asked, doubtful. Hadn’t he been promising to make them pay an hour ago?

“Yeah, I mean, if I wasn’t taped to this chair, I could even make it a pinky promise.”

They ignored him.

Cosmic groaned, kicking at the floor. “Come on, Stardust! You don’t have a plan! You’re going to get us both killed.”

They tsked at him. “I have a plan.”

“Oh, you do have a plan? Fantastic! What is it? I’m all ears.”

They watched the stars. “I’m hiring alternative transport. We’re going to some station called Carina where you will get your ship back and I will be on my way, out of your hair.”

Quiet stretched with only the hum of the ship for so long that they had to look back just to make sure he was still there. He was. Still taped to his seat and staring at her.

“You… No. That’s not a plan. That’s like jumping out of a ship without a helmet and calling it a plan, Stardust.”

They rolled their eyes and turned their attention forward again.

“Going to another station to meet—”

“I’m hiring alternative transport,” they corrected. “I’ll let you go after!”

“Oh,” he said with sarcastic cheer. “Oh! You’re going to hire some mercenaries to take you where you want to go and then you’ll cut me loose. Well, thank you, but that’s not going to work.”

“Really? You think I can’t find someone with a ship willing to take me where I want to go?” They’d already found someone, but he didn’t need to know that.

“Logistics aside, you don’t stand a chance. There is a bounty out for your return. You think I’m the only one that got wind of it? Why do you think I was hauling ass to get you home? Every hunter on this side of the galaxy is going to be looking for you.”

They shrugged. How many could there even be out on this side of the galaxy? There was nothing out this way but abandoned settlements and stations.

“Stardust… Have you ever heard about Baron?” he asked.

Baron? They almost rolled their eyes. They’d known plenty of people who called themselves Baron, half of them legally named it. Royalty names were always popular in the prime. Cornelius had been middle-named Contessa. Admittedly, it was cooler than the affinity for space names like Stardust.

“He was some high-born primer like you that roamed too far from home and got kidnapped.”

Stardust shot Cosmic a lifted eyebrow. He was bullshitting now.

Only, nothing about his expression hinted at a joke. “It was a while back… but things didn’t go smoothly. Hunters started killing each other to be the one collecting that bounty. If anyone realizes who you are, things are going to get ugly. Shit, Stardust, even if they don’t realize who you are, they’re going to double-cross you. You’ll get yourself killed.”

They tore their gaze off him. He could be right. What insurance did they have that these mercenaries wouldn’t double-cross them? Payment. Part now and part later. It wasn’t like they had any other options. “So why did you do it?” they asked the stars, not turning to look back at him this time.

“What?” he asked, confused, and then he laughed darkly. “You want to know why I took the job if it was so dangerous?”

They nodded at the window, his reflection there in the glass, like he was out there in the stars.

“Because I’m the best,” he said, so smug that it sent a chill right down their spine. “Because it’s a huge payday and because…” He stopped short, the words and thoughts catching on something else. Some memory or terrible truth? The bounty hunter sighed, his eyes finding theirs in the reflection. “Because last time, that rich kid didn’t make it back… The hunters were so busy fighting over the bounty that he just… He got caught in the crossfire. That’s what happens out here. Things go wrong and people die. People like you are dangerous because everyone else around them gets hurt too.”

Stardust stared back at him. “That’s no different than back in the prime.” People like them, Solinohs, were dangerous everywhere.

“When that high born died, even though half the hunters that were fighting over him had died too, his family sent one of their yachts out here armed to the teeth and shot down everything they laid eyes on. They blew a whole station off the map.”

Stardust refused to wince, because of course that was what would happen. When a Solinoh died, even in the prime, even in the house of other primers, someone had to pay for that loss—someone had to learn the lesson so that everyone else would remember the value of their lives above all others. Why wouldn’t the primers do the same to others? It was ugly and wrong, but it was exactly what they would do.

Cosmic nodded at their reflection, lip curled, and they knew he saw it in their face—saw the lack of surprise. “So, you, Stardust, are going home. Right back where you belong. I am getting that payday and that’s going to be the end of it.”

Stardust pushed their boot along the floor, twisting their seat around to look at him. “I don’t think anyone but my relatives have ever tried to command me, Cosmic. It’s honestly adorable, especially considering that you’re still taped to that fucking chair.”

He grinned, and it looked like he’d bite them if he could. “Yeah, I can see why you think you have the upper hand right now, but we both know you’re not going to leave me here to die. So, you will have to cut me loose eventually.”

They bit back a laugh. He was so clever but he still hadn’t figured out how this was going to go down… “I know you really wanted that bounty. How about this, I’ll send you the money myself when I get someplace. It’s only fair for you getting me out of that situation with the pirates and letting me borrow your ship.”

His teeth clicked angrily. “Whatever tiff you’re having with your bloodline, you can sort out after I drop you off.”

The ship beeped and then announced, Approaching station.

The bounty hunter glared. “You’re not listening to me at all, are you?”

“Never have, no,” Stardust admitted, getting up from the captain’s chair and pulling their jacket back on.

“Stardust, you are going to get us killed,” he implored, all serious and big eyes now.

They fixed their collar, the ship jostling a little as it neared the station. “I’m saving you, asshole. You’ll realize it eventually. Or you won’t but, by then, I’ll have wired you some cash and you’ll feel better.”

“Saving… Stop! You’re not saving anyone! Least of all me.” He kicked at the ground, struggling against his bindings anew. “Fine! Go! Just cut me loose and get the hell off my ship!”

Preparing to dock.

They grabbed onto the edge of wall near him, the ship jerking to the side when it coupled with the station. Gears and valves hummed as it connected.

Stardust reached into their boot and pulled out the little weapon they’d kept since they first tied him up.

Cosmic tensed, staring at them. “What are you doing with the stun gun?”

Stardust bit back a guilty smile.

“No. You don’t have to knock me out before you cut me loose. I’ll let you go!”

“Oh, right, I’m definitely going to believe that…”

“I’m not lying!”

They waited, raising an eyebrow.

He snarled. “…Okay, I’m lying! But if you stun me with that thing again, I swear, I’m going to make you pay. I don’t care how far you run or how many mercenaries you hire, Stardust. I’m going to get you back, I’m going to steal your jacket, and I’m going to drag your ass all the way back to your cousins.”

Stardust stepped closer, grabbing the back of his chair over one shoulder. “You’re not the first to threaten me or even the first to hunt me.”

Docked.

They flicked the safety off the stun gun.

He stared right into their eyes. “Don’t do this…” It was more of a warning than a plea.

Stardust had had a lot of enemies and rivals over the decades of their life, but they thought they might like him the most. “I am sorry,” they admitted because it was true. They didn’t want to hurt him. If there was a better way to knock him out, they would take it. They hadn’t been familiar enough with the drugs in his med room to risk using one of those.

“Don’t apologize! Just don’t do it!” he yelled.

Stardust tased him. Again. They didn’t look away, because they wanted to. They didn’t like seeing his body seize and his eyes roll back like that. It looked painful and it felt cruel, but it was their choice to do it—so they’d witness it too. That was how they’d been raised. They could do bad things, but they had to look.

When he was out, they made quick work of cutting the tape, not enough that he’d fall out of the seat but enough that he’d be able to get loose when he came too.

“Thanks for the ride,” they said to no one before leaving.

[crimsonlyinglilly]

Day 4 “Does that hurt?”                              

 | Impalement | Fracture | Punishment | also alt Whip

Still with Caged Founder and another day for @juneofdoom,

Tristan thinks in the aftermath of stress relief for him.

Both Tristan and Elijah need therapy and to talk.

Set around the same time as Nightmare

----

“Tristan, why aren’t I healing?” Elijah asked calmly, his voice carrying nothing more than faint curiosity.

He’s not sure if Elijah’s new acceptance, almost enjoyment of pain is a development from what they once shared when he was human, Elijah had taken what he dealt and returned it with a smirk when all his past fleeting playthings had winced or teared up, or Elijah grasping at any control he can after they-Tristan had striped so much from him.

Whatever it was Tristan wasn’t going to deny it or fail to enjoy himself with the opportunity. 

“I’ve soaked the whip in vervain, do you wish to stop?” He asked in return, this wasn’t a punishment, this was something Elijah had offered once he noticed Tristan’s growing tension, too many pointless hold up in several of the Strix’s plans in short notice.

“No point since I'm already here, it’ll heal.” Elijah shrugged

—

Later as he sat beside Elijah’s sleeping body, Tristan reminded himself that Elijah had offered, he had noticed Tristan’s rising tension and anger and asked him about it, offering him an outlet before he slipped up.

Perhaps accepting that was the slip up.

Aurora was going to be very angry at both of them but mostly him, unless her night of research kept her away long enough for the lashes to heal, he wasn't sure if she was looking up myths and gods or looking up another university course in psychiatry.

He traced the wounds, they would heal and be gone by the morning, yet now they remained the only marks on flawless skin.

There weren't as many as he was better known for, few had truly broken the skin too deep, he attention hadn’t been on the damage he had inflicted but Elijah’s reaction going just only enough to get his reactions before he slowed and stopped.

In his sleep Elijah’s face twitched as he grazed a nail along the edge on one of the few open wounds, no attempt to hide it in his sleep.

Elijah still kept so much of himself hidden, so rarely allowing himself a moment without rigid control but he had been letting them see more since Aurora had made her intentions clear and started speaking about it, telling and warning Tristan when he went to far where Elijah wouldn’t.

Elijah had proved surprisingly good at dealing with Aurora’s mood and finding ways to manage them, it should be surprising given what Elijah is like.

Tristan knows if they hadn’t come together, he would have accidentally pushed Elijah past breaking point, in a way he couldn’t fix and he would have been forced to lock Aurora away instead of getting to see her flourish.

Elijah’s face twisted in his sleep and Tristan's hand paused before he could reach out, never sure how he could sooth nightmares like he could with Rory when he was half the cause of Elijah’s.

He had been sleeping more, some days refusing to leave the bed, others even when he did dress and leave their rooms, exhaustion clearly weighed on him.

Tristan was well aware that the demons of the mind didn’t solely affect humans, that the depression that now haunted Elijah was his doing, and was about as simple to fix as the ritual that now bound Elijah’s ability to protect himself.

Elijah Mikaelson had once been a marble statue, Tristan’s actions had cracked the facade, just as they had fractured his mind but cracks and fractures could be filled with molten gold and become a far greater piece of art.

This Elijah wasn’t the marble statue and even when Tristan wished he could erase all the damage he had done it was too late, but this Elijah was his.

And he treasured what was his.

[ghostofafruit]

ElevenJackRose Prompt: After losing the Ponds' the three are trying to cope in their own ways, not wanting to burden the others. But forgetting that the other people are always there for them, eventually one of them just cracks and it leads to the others cracking as well. The three finally letting themselves rely on the others again.

Ooooh, you are my new best friend now.

No tentoo, Jack reunited in Journey's End not mentioned in the fic but important to know. Also posted on ao3, under the name Doctorjackrose Tumblr Fic #1. This is 1234 words long, I couldn't have managed that if I tried. Enjoy! (I'm still open to prompts for doctorjackrose, just be aware that I'm working on a lot at the moment and it may take some time.)

The Doctor had let himself openly mope about losing the Ponds for a total of a seven Earth days, one week. That was all he allowed himself, and it seemed that Jack and Rose had managed to get over it in a week. He must have guessed the correct period of time to mope over friends then.

He hadn't much been one for reading aloud to his partners this regeneration, but he started doing that more often. It was especially calming to do while Jack and Rose worked on their own projects. Jack had taken up knitting, although he really wasn't very good at it, and Rose had started painting more. They certainly had more time now they weren't travelling with the Ponds every chance they got.

Sometimes he wondered if he was too attached to Amy and Rory because Jack and Rose were getting on just fine without them. He still missed them, and he still blamed himself for loosing them. Surely he could have done something to save them, anything. He couldn't think of anything he could have done, but it still hurt.

Jack had let himself openly mourn the Ponds for a week. He was used to grief, he was old now and he'd lived on Earth for a good couple of hundred years while he waited to find home again. The Doctor was fine, he had to be too. Especially if Rose was ok too. He'd tried knitting back when he was stuck on Earth as a way to help him process the grief, he started it up again.

The Doctor hadn't really read to them in this body. He'd liked doing it in both his past regenerations, but not so much this one. He loved books and reading, but not so much reading aloud. However he'd started up again. Perhaps, Jack reasoned, he hadn't wanted to read with Amy and Rory on board.

He knew he was awful at knitting. It was obvious, and it always had been. The point of his knitting though was not to make something good, but instead to give him something to do while he thought. The lull of the Doctor's voice and the strokes of Rose painting helped him relax and think too.

He wondered if he was perhaps too attached to Amy and Rory. If perhaps he had convinced himself they would get to have a good life after the Tardis. Perhaps they still where, but he wouldn't know. They could never visit them. Not even if they convinced the Doctor to actually go.

Rose gave herself a week to mourn. She'd given herself two when she left the other universe. That had been her mum, her dad, and her brother. As well as the few friends she had let herself make there. This was just two friends. There where still ways she could see them, complicated and ridiculous ways, but still ways. Still, she stopped showing it effected her after a week.

With Jack and the Doctor being fine after a week she figured it was the right thing to do. She'd have to get used to this, loosing companions. Both her partners were familiar with the lose, both the dying and impossible situations. She wondered if the pain they felt had been numbed from the familiar experience of if perhaps they were still hurting too but hiding it. Or maybe she had gotten too attached to them.

With nothing else to do, Rose threw herself further into her painting. It helped her process in a way. It gave her something to focus on as she let the feelings flood through her. The Doctor had finally started reading aloud to them again. She'd missed it, and now it provided a soothing background noise as she worked.

Jack had, for some unfathomable reason, picked up knitting. He was awful, but the clacking of the knitting needles provided a nice background noise as well. Whatever he was attempting to make, it didn't look like anything. It was sort of lumpy and uneven. She didn't say anything about it though.

Now it had been three more weeks, a whole month, since they had lost the Ponds. Their routine was still get up get food, do their limited activities, go for a quick hopefully relaxing trip, and get on with life. The Doctor still read aloud to his partners, Rose still painted more than she ever had, and Jack still failed miserably at knitting. The Doctor slammed his book suddenly and groaned.

"I'm going to get food," he told them.

"Ok love," Rose said.

"Bring me back something sweet?" Jack asked.

"Sure," the Doctor agreed before he sulked out the door.

"Somethings up with him," Rose muttered. Jack hummed.

"Where you listening to what he was reading?" he asked.

"No, it was more soothing background noise," she admitted.

"Same here, maybe it was something with the book," Jack suggested. Rose put her paintbrush down, wiped her hands on the cloth she kept by her easel, and went over to the book. The book mark was easy to spot, it was like a mini scarf and it dangled out both ends of the book.

Jack come up behind her and grabbed the book from the Doctor's favoured chair. He flipped it open to the pages the doctor had been reading and read through the two pages aloud. There were mentions of ponds and a ginger girl.

"He was reminded of Amy," Rose realised.

"It's a fairy-tale too," Jack added as he read the back cover.

"He's still mourning them," she muttered. Jack hummed and grabbed Rose's hand.

"We should go check on him," he said. Rose nodded and let him pull her from the library and towards the galley. Their partner was sat at the table, his head resting against it and a cup of tea next to him. The oven was on, presumably cooking up some fishfingers. Rose slipped into the seat next to him and took his hand as Jack slipped around to start on the custard the Doctor enjoyed with his fish fingers.

"I miss them," the Doctor admitted, though it was muffled as his face was still against the table.

"I do too," she admitted.

"I also miss them," Jack admitted. Rose gave him a sad smile over the Doctor's head.

"It's normal yeah, missing people we lost. It's a sign we have hearts," Rose said.

"It's a sign we're good people," Jack added on. The Doctor nodded, which looked strange against the table. Rose gently removed her hand from the Doctor's and wrapped her arm over his back.

"We're here for each other, it's what we do," she said. The Doctor hummed and shifted so he was sat up. He leant into Rose's side then, and smiled weakly over at Jack.

"Can we," the Doctor started though he huffed and shook his head.

"Can we what?" Jack asked softly, briefly turning round to squeeze his hand.

"Go settle somewhere and just have a life for a while?" he asked. Jack and Rose looked at each other.

"I think it's a good idea," Jack said.

"Me too, where have you got in mind?" Rose asked.

"Remember Madame Vastra?" he asked, they both nodded. "Somewhere near her."

"We'll set off after some food," Jack promised.

They weren't ok yet. But they would be with some time. And support from each other of course.

[lifeofkaze]

Milagro Navideño

What would this Christmas be without a word, a present and the biggest of hugs to my favourite person, my most cherished friend, and the person who awes me both with her kindness and sheer force of talent? Who else could I be talking about other than @the-al-chemist?

Al, thank you so much for another year of friendship, laughter, exploring, trading book recommendations, tearing each other's projects apart to make them better (lovingly) and getting completely soaked in the rain because if the outdoor museum doesn't close for another hour we're going to go in, no matter what.

I can't wait for next year's adventures. Merry Christmas. I love you. 🌻🎄

Warning: Plant abuse. Plant parents, look away.

December 22nd

“And you’ll promise to behave?” The smile on Dante’s face was soft as he spoke. “You’ll be a good girl and be extra pretty for me when I come back.”

“Are you quite done yet?” came a snort from somewhere behind him. With a decidedly more mischievous smile, Dante glanced over his shoulder.

“I wouldn’t mind you looking pretty for me, too, but I know better than asking you to behave.”

Reva snorted again, this time with laughter, as she pushed herself off the doorframe and joined Dante’s side. She pointed at the big plant he had been talking to.

“What’s so special about this one, anyway?”

“This is Milagro Navideño,” Dante said proudly. “That’s Spanish for -”

“Christmas Miracle.”

He nodded. “She is very rare and only blooms every few years at Christmas. I’ve been waiting forever for her to get these.” 

He affectionately looked at the tiny buds peeking out from between fleshy, green leaves. Reaching out to touch them, Reva chuckled at Dante flinching.

“If you want me to take care of them while you’re having a ball in Spain, I’ll have to touch them. You do know that, don’t you?” 

“I’m aware,” Dante sighed. “I really wish you could come.”

“So I can meet your family, or so someone else can water your flowers?” An indignant expression passed her face when Dante didn’t reply. “Oh, how hard can it be? I was a crack at Herbology.”

“You barely even got your O.W.L.”

“I wasn’t trying.”

“In any case, I made these for you,” Dante said diplomatically, pulling out a stack of colour-coded flashcards. “Black ink are daily tasks, the green ones have to be done every three days, and the red ones are emergency measures.” He gave Reva a look. “Please make sure there won't be any emergency measures.” 

“Who do you take me for?” 

Reva reached for the flashcards, but with a flick from Dante’s wand, they fluttered away and stuck themselves to their designated pots.

“Are you sure there aren’t any questions?” he asked again. “I can still ask Dana to do it.”

“Dana won’t arrive until Christmas Eve. Some kind of barkeep you are, wanting your plant buddies to go thirsty until then.”

“I need you to be serious about this, Reva.”

“I am.”

“No, you need to -”

“The only thing I need is for you to leave,” Reva said, turning Dante by the shoulders and marching him toward the door. 

“And you really -” 

Before he could finish, Reva grabbed him by the collar of his jumper and pressed her lips against his.

“Just go!” she laughed. “We’ll be perfectly fine, you’ll see.” 

December 23rd

The Montrose Magpies’ last match of the year was approaching fast. It was scheduled for Boxing Day, and if they were able to win against the Wigtown Wanderers, they’d be one step closer to the top of the League. 

When Reva returned from the training grounds after a long day of practice, it was all she could do not to fall asleep on the sofa. Across from her, her team- and housemate Rory McTavish slumped into an armchair, cracking his neck from side to side.

“Who knew your mum could be such a drill sergeant?” 

Reva sat up, wincing at her aching back muscles. “You know how she is when we’re playing Wigtown. She can’t handle the idea of losing to the Wanderers.”

“One thing’s for sure, the flat would have to go up in flames for me to move again.” Rory raised one eyebrow at Reva. “Not giving you ideas, I hope.”

“No, too tired for arson. The sofa and I are best friends now.”

“Rude.” Rory tilted his head at her. “Don’t you have something to take care of before you become one with the furniture?”

Reva frowned. “What would that be? Shit!” she exclaimed a moment later, almost falling off the sofa in her hurry to get up. 

“Wait with dinner,” she told Rory as she grabbed her coat and wand, “I’ll be right back.” 

Dante’s flat was quiet when Reva entered it. She switched on all the lights and looked around, not sure what she had expected. This was silly, she chided herself, they were only plants. She had left them unattended for just a little over twenty-four hours; not like they would wilt and perish from a bit of alone-time.

Humming a song she had heard Dante sing the other day, she set to work, watering the plants in the guest rooms, the kitchen, the hallway and the living room. She had never realised just how many plants Dante had actually accumulated, but she diligently checked each and every pot for instructions. By the time she reached the bedroom, her already tired arms were aching. 

She looked at the remaining plant pots thoughtfully. Surely they would be fine without that extra bit of water until the morning? Reva shook off the thought immediately. It didn’t matter whether she found all of this redundant or not. Dante cared about his plants, and she cared about him; she would do as he had asked her to. 

Adjusting her grip on the watering can, Reva worked her way along the shelves. When she turned to refill it, she misjudged her momentum and heavily bumped against a tall rack filled with succulents. She watched with wide eyes as it swayed, the plant pots on it sliding towards the edge. The shelf teetered, seeming to stop in mid-air for a moment, and came crashing to the ground with a mighty slam.

Her heart hammering in her chest, Reva took in the mess of splintered wood, ceramic shards and soil littering the floorboards. Her throat grew tight as her eyes fell on the colourful remains of what had been the pot of Dante’s Christmas plant, now buried beneath the upper edge of the shelf. Of the plant itself, nothing could be seen. 

Reva hastily took out her wand, repairing everything as best she could. Most of the plants looked worse for wear, but there was nothing to be done about it now. She inspected the broken leaves of the Christmas plant with a worried frown before turning it around so its good side was facing the room. Maybe Dante wouldn’t notice right away.

The only problem that remained was the flashcards. They had fallen off during the crash, and Reva had no idea which one went where. Eventually, she shrugged it off. There was no way to fix this without messaging Dante - which was out of the question - so she watered each of the plants ad libitum, with a little bit of extra to make up for the commotion she had caused. 

Satisfied with her day’s work, Reva switched off the lights and left. 

December 24th

When Reva opened the door to Dante’s flat on the morning of Christmas Eve, she found her hopes of finding the repotted plants up and well crushed.

There hadn’t been enough pot saucers for all plants, so she had distributed them at random. Now, puddles of water were covering the floor, while most of the plants were either hanging their heads or had collapsed onto the rims of their pots altogether. 

With a curse on her lips, Reva’s eyes settled on the Christmas plant. Because it was so special to Dante and she had been sorry for crushing it underneath the shelf, she had given it an extra generous amount of water; as a result, its leaves were now a yellowish green and hanging limply from the stem.

Panic was rising in her chest. She needed to do something, and she needed to do it now.

Once she had calmed down, Reva carried all of the leaking pots into the kitchen, magically desiccated them and picked the correct soil for each of them with the help of Dante’s books and her buried Herbology knowledge.

By the end of the day, Dante’s flat was clean, and most plants still a bit ragged but otherwise upright and well. Reva breathed a sigh of relief as she put the last of them onto the shelf. The feeling disappeared, however, when she turned to face her problem child. 

Milagro Navideño hadn’t appreciated Reva’s efforts at resuscitation. It had looked sickly before, but now its colour had changed from yellow to almost grey. It was on the verge of dying, even Reva could tell that much, but she refused to give up just yet. 

She had to save this plant, no matter what. 

***

The light coming from her parents’ windows was warm and golden when Reva Apparated to their front door. She paused to listen to the mix of voices and laughter drifting outside, a smile forming on her face that wavered only slightly as she adjusted the plant pot in her arms and entered. 

After a round of hugs and hellos, Reva’s brother Dylan nodded at the plant in Reva’s hands.

“Who has been naughty enough to get that thing for Christmas?”

“No one,” Reva said defensively. “It’s Dante’s.”

“I didn’t know you wanted to break up with him.” 

“What’s the matter with it?” Dylan’s girlfriend Dana asked sympathetically, after elbowing Dylan into the side. 

With a deep sigh, Reva handed Milagro to her and recounted what had happened. Nodding every now and again, Dana inspected the sickly plant, prodding and probing it carefully. 

“I don’t even know where to start with this,” she sighed eventually as she handed Reva the plant back. 

“Is there nothing you can do at all?”

“Nothing that would help short term. When is Dante coming home?”

“The day after Boxing Day.” 

“That won’t be enough time, I’m afraid.”

Reva hung her head. “Can’t we just give it a Growth Potion or something?”

A look of alarm flickered over Dana’s face. “It might work, but…”

“Let’s do it then!”

“No, there’s no saying what a Growth Potion would do after everything you’ve done with it. It might kill it for good.”

Dana wasn’t to be swayed from her resolution, so Reva let the topic drop. When the rest of her family had gone to sleep, she took the small bottle from Dante’s personal storage from her pocket. Holding the potion into the light coming from the window of her old bedroom, Reva thoughtfully tilted it this way and that. 

Then she shrugged, unstoppered it, and upended the whole thing into the plant plot.

It wasn’t like it could get any worse. 

December 27th

Like so often, Reva had been wrong.

On the morning of Christmas Day, she had woken to something repeatedly brushing her cheek. Thinking that Vega, her mother’s one-eyed calico cat, had snuck into her room, Reva had tried to push her away without opening her eyes.

By the time she had realised that whatever was bothering her didn’t feel like Vega’s fur at all, half her room had already been covered by thrashing Milagro vines. Almost falling out of bed in her hurry to get up, Reva made short work of the proliferating plant and hexed it back to its original state.

She hadn’t told anyone about her little mishap with the Growth Potion, and since she was now thoroughly fed up with Dante’s stupid plant, Reva had dumped it into his bedroom and decided to forget about it for the time being.

On the day Dante would return from Spain, she couldn’t push her bad conscience away any longer. She nervously waited for his Portkey to arrive, trying to keep her face straight when Dante took her into his arms and kissed her. 

After finding their way back to the flat above the Hogshead Inn, Reva’s joy at Dante’s return had turned into a nervous flutter in her stomach. As they were about to enter the door, Dante paused. 

“Are you alright? You’ve been very quiet.”

“Just the match yesterday,” Reva fibbed. “It got pretty late.”

Dante raised eyebrows ever so slightly, but didn’t comment any further. When he dropped his bag in the hallway and turned to her with a smile, Reva stifled a sigh of relief. He hadn’t noticed anything yet; another moment of calm before the inevitable.

“It’s good to be home,” he said with a content look around. His eyes settled on her. “I missed you over Christmas.”

“I missed you, too,” Reva sighed. “You have no idea how much.”

“So sentimental, that’s new.” The corners of his mouth twitching, Dante pulled a neatly wrapped gift from his bag, the paper as outrageously patterned as his favourite shirts. “I’ve been looking forward to giving you this. Merry Christmas.”

Seeing the present in Dante’s hands, Reva froze. She had gotten him something as well, of course, but over the drama of the past few days, she had entirely forgotten about it. Her thoughts racing, she took her gift and kissed Dante on the cheek. 

“I didn’t know we’d exchange gifts right here in the hallway,” she mumbled, frantically trying to come up with a plan. “I’ll just go and fetch yours. It’s… in your bedroom. Yes, that’s where it is.”

Dante laughed and placed his hands on her hips. “Shouldn’t I come along then?”

“It’s not that kind of gift.”

“Shame.”

“Just wait here, will you?” Reva begged, slowly backing away. “I’ll be right back.”

The moment she closed the door to Dante’s room, she had to fight the urge to scream. Resting her hands on top of her head, she turned in the middle of the room. She had no idea what to tell Dante about why she hadn’t brought - or even wrapped - his present. She was still trying to find a proper conclusion when there was a knock on the door.

“Reva? Is everything alright?”

Nothing was, in fact, alright, and Reva had a mind to tell Dante so, but before she could, he had already entered the room. His eyes widened as he looked not at her but the spot where she had put his overwatered, desiccated, magically-grown-and-cut Christmas plant in a fit of rage.

“What have you done?” he whispered, taking a hesitant step into the room.

Reva screwed her eyes shut. “I can explain.”

“I hope so,” Dante said as he moved past her, “because you’re a bloody genius.”

Baffled, Reva opened her eyes again. When she looked at the source of all her plights, her mouth dropped open. 

It seemed like the supposedly delicate Milagro Navideño had appreciated Reva’s desperate mistreatment, because what had formerly been a cut-down ruin of sickly green leaves now stood lush and tall. The leaves had regained their shine, new buds sprouting in place of the old ones, and there, right on top, the biggest one of them had opened.

Reva moved closer, touching her fingers to the velvety petal. It was dark red with white tips, looking like someone had dipped it in the snow. The blossom’s centre emitted a sweetly smelling sap, which sat in tiny drops on the petals and sparkled in the light coming from the window. 

“Unbelievable,” Reva whispered. 

“A veritable Christmas miracle,” Dante smiled broadly and put his arm around her shoulder. “Tell me your secret. How did you get her to bloom?”

Reva swallowed, hoping he wouldn’t notice the colour rising to her cheeks. “I took good care of it, I guess.”

Dante’s laugh was warm as he pressed a kiss against her temple. “That you did, mi vida. You’re full of surprises, you know that?”

At last, Reva’s lips curved into a smile. Chuckling to herself, she rested her head against Dante’s shoulder. 

“It looks like I am.” 

[mycreativewritingjourney]

Day 1

Rory's Story Cubes - Classic : footprint, smile, book

The boy went running through the forest, wolf cubs at his heels. In no time they were next to him, the largest moving to overtake him. He saw the movement in the corner of his eye and jumped, the wolf cub lost its footing and fell into some brush while the boy landed back on his feet and kept running. His feet hitting the dirt, "thump thump", like his heartbeat, "thump thump". Well ahead of the other cubs that had stopped to check on their fallen brother, he saw the large red tree that marked the den.

"Aawooo!" the boy let out a howl as he approached. The attention of a full grown female wolf was on him. As he slowed the sound of the four cubs chasing him became louder. When they reached the tree a cacophony of growls, whines, howls, and pants filled the air. A authoritative snap from the female was all it took to silence the cubs and the boy, they turned and entered the den.

***

Evangeline had been part of the search party that walked through the woods six years ago when a little boy, Antony, went missing after his parents had been killed in a robbery gone wrong. She still thought about him and where he might be, if he survived. The Colden family had been her neighbors for four years, Antony born a year after they moved in, and Evangeline would watch Antony when they went out each week.

She was lost in these memories when the sound of tires screeching outside her home woke her back into reality. Evangeline lived alone and had for almost twenty years, now in her late thirties she worked from home as a virtual assistant for the large law firm in town. The sound that came from outside belonged to the new neighbors now living in the Colden home, the first ones to move in since the murder.

Being on her lunch break Evangeline got up and looked out her front window to see the teenager getting out of his well used car. She gave a small knowing smile to herself thinking back to her younger years, remembering them fondly. Heading into her kitchen to make lunch she passed the little den that Antony had played in. The door cracked slightly and a few toys still laying on the ground. Evangeline hadn't cleaned it out, she still had hope, some would say, that Antony would come back. Her house was the first place she and then officials looked when the boy wasn't found with his parents or in their house. For the week following Evangeline would sit in this little den surrounded by the toys and books that Antony had loved. One book had been his favorite, Jamberry, making Evangeline read it every time he came over and then more than once each visit, it was the hardest for her to look at.

As she was finishing her lunch the phone rang. Evangeline answered without looking at the caller ID, "Hello, Miss Eve speaking."

"Evangeline, Officer Walter calling, we've received reports from some campers. We think Antony may have been spotted." the voice of Officer Walter seemed to fade away as what he said registered in Evangeline's mind. It came back, "We have to approach cautiously they were also reporting a wolf sighting. The captain wanted me to call you when we were ready to move out. We have you listed as the caretaker for the child if it is him. If you want to meet us at the north trail head off old Highway 16, that's where we will be."

"Are you sure a boy has been spotted in the woods? Alive?" Evangeline didn't want to get her hopes up quite yet.

"There are multiple reports, we wanted to wait and verify the sighting with others. And we now have five separate reports with multiple people sighting a boy about 10 running through the woods in torn lightning mcqueen pjs."

There was a flutter in Evangeline's heart.

***

Standing at the trail head with six other officers and the captain Evangeline took a deep breath and crossed her fingers. They headed north east and walked in a line each person about eight feet from another. Evangeline had a change of boys clothes, some toys, and Jamberry in her backpack amongst the snacks and water. She wanted some way to know it was Antony if they found the little boy that had been sighted. Each officer had a rifle the wolves were also sighted and had been known to be territorial.

Three hours of walking passed before an officer two spots away yelled out, "I've found something! I think it's socks!" The captain ran over and bagged the little sock that had been covered in mud and dead leaves.

"Let's keep walking in this direction!" The captain hollered so all could hear him. "Start calling out for Antony, and keep an eye out for the wolves."

"ANTONY!" Evangeline wasted no time. She walked and every few steps would look around her in the distance then back to the ground.

"FOOTPRINTS!" Officer Walter stopped he was next to Evangeline. She and the Captain came to see the footprints.

It was clear as crystal, a little footprint was perfectly left in the dirt. They followed it and in a wildlife trail there was a path of footprints, but they weren't alone. Paw prints could be seen around them heading in the same direction.

"We've got footprints! Everyone move closer together and we continue eastward." The captain called out and they all moved in only three feet from each other.

The sun was starting to set, they needed to hurry. Evangeline felt her chest start to tighten, her anxiety making her thoughts run. She noticed a dark spot next to a tall thick red tree. Brush had grown up around the entrance but it looked like a den. Officer Walter, the captain, and another officer saw it too, they looked at each other and went silent, signaling to the others to do the same and close in.

A deep growl reached their ears before their eyes saw the two yellow spots of light looking back at them. Officer Walter and others raised their guns, loaded with tranquilizers as the captain moved forward, Evangeline close behind him. Once an officer had a clear shot it rang out and the growl stopped, only to be followed up by a whine. There were cubs in this den. That's when a little boy's figure stepped forward just into the light.

Evangeline caught her breath, "Antony? Antony Colden?" There was no reaction at first from him, Evangeline stepped out from behind the captain to look at Antony straight on. Recognition flashed across his face and he stepped completely out of the den. Evangeline dropped her backpack off her shoulder. Slowly, keeping an eye on Antony, she pulled out a package of fruit snacks and Jamberry. Every fiber of her being wanted him to run to her, wanted Antony to know who she was, wanted him to cry out her name.

"Aawooo!" Antony howled. Evangeline's hair stood on end and all the officers had jumped at the sudden loud noise. More howls came from inside the den, off in the distance a howl was returned.

"We need to go." The captain said to Evangeline in a low gruff tone. The officers around them turning their attention to the forest.

She nodded, "Antony, do you remember me? Eve. We played with toys and read books." Evangeline opened the book and started to read.

A smile spread across Antony's face, he started reciting the lines as Evangeline read them. He ran forward a threw his arms around her. Tears welled in her eyes and she held him tight.

"Let's go. Now." The captain glanced around them and in unison the officers turned and they started to run the way they came. Evangeline ran too, with Antony clinging to her.

[flawedxshatteredxsouls]

@prophecid

Jess had left Stars Hollow the way he always did — suddenly, without a word. He could still recall the first time he ran; Rory had gotten on a bus to find him, her eyes full of determination he didn't think he deserved. That was when he knew their bond was something deeper. Sure, from the moment he met Rory, there’d been a spark he couldn't shake but guys like him never got the girl. Until she chose him, he'd forced himself to accept that.

But this time, it was different. Just before leaving again, the words had slipped out —words he never imagined himself saying. I love you. He hadn’t meant for them to escape, hadn’t prepared himself for how heavy they would feel. But Jess didn’t stop to see her reaction. He couldn't. His heart was already cracked from screwing up so many times and facing Rory was more than he could handle.

Now that he was back, the quiet of the town pressed in on him. Stars Hollow was always dead after 10 PM (unless there was some lame-ass town event), with nothing but empty sidewalks and an occasional car driving through the streets. Jess let out a small sigh as he walked with his hands deep in his jacket pockets. He then stopped under a familiar lamppost right next to Luke’s Diner.

The weight of everything he'd run from pressed against his chest: the mess he made, the people he hurt. Why did I have to say it? The question ran through his mind as he lit a cigarette. His thoughts scattered when the diner door opened and Rory stepped out. His eyes met hers and for a moment, everything else fell away. He took a small step forward. "Hey," Jess said with his voice barely above a whisper — the only thing he could manage.

[dreamyourselfxbackagain]

Look who just woke up- is that CARLOS MIRANDA? No, I must have been mistaken, RORY WILLIAMS from DOCTOR WHO. I heard they are 35 and stuck here just like everyone else. Even in the 20’s, he still gives off a wiser than his years, patience of a saint, greets death like an old friend, putting others first, family oriented  impression. But here, they are working as a DOCTOR They’re known to be quite PATIENT & COMPASSIONATE, but have a tendency to be STUBBORN & RESENTFUL on their bad days.

Gender/Pronouns : Male / he/him

How long have they been in Sydney : In his memories, 5 years. In reality, 7 months

Which suburb do they live in? Parramatta

Personality description : 

Strangers - dependent on the situation. Normally he will try and be nice, but if he feels any sort of threat that might change.

Casual friends - he probably has a lot of them as he's pretty friendly. With his life not constantly in danger he is pretty laid back, although can be a little sarcastic.

Loved ones - Rory cares deeply about the people he loves, and would do absolutely anything for them. However he will call them out if he needs to

Memories of their real life : 

Rory Williams was born in Leadworth, in a perfectly normal life. He was childhood best friends with Amy and Mels. After Amy's interaction with the Doctor, they were often playing games surrounding him, even though he didn't really believe he existed.

Whilst everyone else believed him to be a freak, he did also have a friend in Alec. They'd often play in a willow tree. Alec knew of his crush on Amy, and would tell him to move on. But Alec died of a heart attack, and Rory did what he could to support his family, it was also the moment he knew he wanted to go into medicine and help people, but he never liked willow trees again.

Amy eventually realised that Rory liked her, after Mels pointed it out, and the two of them started a relationship.

Then one day, the Doctor showed up, and he finally learnt that the man had always been real and not just in Amy's imagination. The Doctor left again for two years, and in this time he and Amy got engaged. Despite knowing of the Doctor's existence, he thought their adventures were over, he hadn't realised it was just the start.

It was at his stag party when the Doctor jumped out of his cake, that led to him first travelling in the Tardis. The adventures were cut short when he was shot, and swallowed by the crack, removing his existence from everyone's memories but the Doctor.

In a trap for the Doctor, an auton was made of Rory in Roman England. Not realising he wasn't himself, he approached the Doctor and Amy, though soon realised Amy didn't have her memories of him. Though he tried to get her to remember, the trap was sprung, and he was activated, shooting Amy. However the Doctor had a plan, and escaped the trap, putting Amy into the Pandorica to heal. The Doctor offered to take Rory to the point the Pandorica would be open, but instead he decided to stay with it, to protect it and Amy. Two thousand years, and without sleep.

Near the end of the time, the Pandorica was placed into a museum, and Rory became a guard there, eventually reuniting with Amy and the Doctor, and meeting River Song for the first time. The Doctor saved the day, and Rory was restored to his humanself. But his memories didn't return until his and Amy's wedding day.

After their honeymoon, they went on further adventures with the Doctor. But at some point, Amy was replaced with a granger, meaning Rory was unaware she was pregnant. By the time they realised, she was nine months pregnant and soon gave birth to a baby girl, Melody. But their baby was taken from them, and they then learned that River was an older version of Melody.

After being back on Earth, they eventually managed to get the Doctor to come to them to learn if he had any news. Mels turned up, threatening them to take her with them. However she was injured and soon regenerated into River, making them realise their childhood best friend was actually their daughter.

Amy eventually left Rory, wanting a divorce. He hadn't known the reason why, until a further adventure with the Doctor she revealed that she was sterile and couldn't have kids. They ended up reconciling and going on further adventures. That was until they ran into the Weeping Angels. In the end, a lone Angel got to him, sending him back in time with Amy soon following. They would never see the Doctor or River again.

What was their fake life like:

Open for plotting. He would have served, and does have all his memories including the 2,000 years he was protecting the Pandorica

Optional, please pick at least three and interpret them however you wish ::

Location they work in: Hospital

Quote: I'd Forgotten Not All Victories Are About Saving The Universe

Wanted Connections: Fake life family Co-workers Friends Ex-military connections

[hellonexrth]

Everything sucked. He'd had a pretty easy life, jobs handed to him, wealthy parents, a best friend that he loved more than anything else. But this, turning into a monster? It had cracked everything open so easily, made him feel like his life was crumbling around him. Because who was he without her? Without Rory? They'd always been together, always been a package deal. If he couldn't grow up with her, what did that mean? What would it look like to watch her have a life while he remained stagnant?

Because in all honestly, she was all of the best parts of him. Without her, he was just another half-grown up frat boy with a drinking problem and a materialistic outlook on the world. What would he even do with his time without her? Who would he sit around in expensive robes with on the weekend, who would drag him along to brunch while he complained even though he both obviously and secretly enjoyed it? Living without her, even the idea, it didn't seem like living at all.

"You can't," he said, voice cracking with all the pain he'd been holding in since he turned, everything he'd been afraid to think about, pushed to the back of his mind like it didn't matter at all. Unfortunately, it turned out that it did matter, and now he didn't know how to move past it. "There's no fixing it. This is just what I am now." A monster. "And I could hurt you. Kill you," he said, shaking his head, releasing his hand from hers and standing up to pace back and forth the length of her living room. If he didn't move, he'd go insane. "What else am I supposed to do?" he asked. "If not push you away? You think you're going to want to be friends with me when you're fifty with kids and I'm still drinking myself under a table? You'd be better off without me. Cut ties now, spare us both the pain later."

SHE LISTENED TO HIM, because that’s all she could do, but every word that fell from his lips, it now felt like she was the one being stabbed with that same knife she’d pulled out moments ago. except this hurt wasn’t temporary, it wasn’t physical at least not in that way ⸺ no it was worse, because it was a broken reality that would never really repair itself.

“ i don’t know how to fix it.. “ her voice died out and more tears fell from her dark eyes. she didn’t want want to see him this way, this wasn’t the man she knew. the boy who’d grown up beside her, been her protector ⸺ he’d always been there, and so had she in the world they moved in FAKE was the default. nothing or anyone was genuine but somehow, the three of them, she.. piper ( oh no, piper how would they tell her? ) and beck, there wasn’t a truer trio of friends. they were each other’s family, like pillars in a pyramid they held each other up.

“ i don’t know what to do, how do i make you better? “ was that childish? the answer was a profound yes, but maybe if she held on to that magic from childhood that has always protected them, she’d find a way. she squeezed the hand that held on to hers, wincing a little from the pain from the knife cut but nothing she couldn’t ignore, not when he so needed her. “ but i’m right here okay? if you… and even if you don’t “ talk, or wanted her there, whatever it was ⸺ she meant that promise they’d made when they were twelve and they exchanges ‘ ring pops ‘ before either of them had any concept of just how much money either of them had. “ and we don’t have to figure anything out tonight, we can just SIT here. “ she pulled him further into the couch. “ just… don’t push me away, please? not you. “

[azsazz]

Thawing a Frozen Heart

Azriel x Reader

Summary: Request from @azrielsbitxh :Hey could you make write a fiction of azriel x reader where she has to choose between azriel and kallias-viviannes son? The line or smth like that could be-"please don't choose him and break my heart because it literally will kill me. And I do not want to die without being able to call you mine at least once" you can make het choose whom ever you wants it's your choice

LOVE YOUR WRITING BTW

Warnings: None

Word Count: 2,129

Notes: Day 2 of Azriel week whoop whoop!

_________________________________________

The party was in full swing.

You’d visited the Winter Court often enough, each and every time you arrived was better than the last. Sparkling snowflake decorations hung from the expensive crystal chandelier, the shimmering faelights hung in perfect rows above you, reminding you of the city lights of another favorite spot of yours, Velaris.

You were a traveler, originally hailed from the hot, humid lands of Day, it had never quite felt like home to you. You’d worked hard growing up, so intelligent that you’d managed to land a job by the High Lord’s side.

Helion often thought of you as more than an assistant, often a daughter figure to him. You’d grown close with him over time and he’d learned of your love for traveling when you were more enamored with the courts that you visited rather than the conversations to be had with the other High Lord’s and their emissaries.

“Go,” he had urged you with a soft nod. You were still so young and there was so much to see. Helion sent you away with tear-filled eyes to follow your dreams.

You were welcome in most courts, and had made close friends in many, including Winter. You’d run into Rory at the last High Lord’s meeting. You still worked with Helion as his emissary, but he’d allowed you the option of traveling while you worked, and you had a place to stay in nearly every court you went to.

Rory was full of life and happier than most Winter Court folk you’d met. Being the son of Kallias and Vivianne, the heir to the Winter throne was more than a pretentious male waiting for his turn in the spotlight. He was caring and soft, funny yet could put on the mask all of the High fae wanted to see from him, intelligent and thoughtful, you knew he’d make a great High Lord when the time came.

“Rory, stop,” you squeal, ducking behind a planter to avoid the onslaught of snowballs he was throwing at you. Neither of you cared about the party raging on inside, opting instead for a little bit of fun, a friendly wager of who could win in a snowball fight.

Of course it would be the Winter native. Your Day Court powers did nothing to help you form the thick snow into a sizable weapon to toss. You cursed under your breath as more of the pacted snow crumbled on top of you.

“Not until you surrender,” he calls, cackling. His voice is filled with such joy that you can’t help yourself from smiling.

“I surrender,” you yell back, peeking around the corner of the planter, only to receive a facefull of snow. “You dick!” You fall back on your ass, laughing and spluttering.

“(Y/N)!” Rory winces, racing over to your side. The terrace is slick and the princling slips, falling directly onto his back next to you.

“Oh my Gods,” you gasp through your laughter, tears cold as they gather in the corner of your eyes. That had to have been one of the funniest things you’ve ever seen and it makes you glad that you decided to come to the party tonight.

He groans,”Shut up, it wasn’t that funny.”

“Oh but it was,” you giggle, helping him sit up. He looks at you from the side of his icy blue eyes, cracking a grin.

“Okay, I guess it was. But what about you eating snow? What a good arm I have,” he gloats playfully.

You roll your eyes, “Whatever.”

He leans his head back against the potted plant, staring up at the sky sparkling with dancing waves of light. It really is a sight to behold.

“We should go clean up,” he says eventually, looking down at you, “Before the cake comes out.”

“That’s right,” you sigh, letting the Winter heir pull you to your feet, “You can’t miss blowing out your own candles.”

He hums, taking your hand to winnow you to the section of the palace his room is located in. He’d let you get cleaned up in one of the guest rooms before returning to the party.

“What are you going to wish for anyway?” you ask. He keeps your hand loosely in his own and it’s nice, warm, even though the both of you had been out in the snow.

He hums in thought as he admires the large paintings he’s seen for the past few centuries. Gods, his parents need to redecorate.

You don’t think he’s going to answer when you come to a stop in front of one of the large white doors to a guest room. You reach for the knob but he spins you around with the hand he’s still holding and takes a step into you, towering over you while you lean back against the door.

You rest a hand on his hip, staring up at him. The two of you had fooled around on more occasions than one, but it was never serious. You weren’t one to date, didn’t want to, as it wouldn’t be fair to your partner while you were away.

He leans down, pressing his forehead to yours, his icy breath cascading down your face, causing your eyelashes to flutter. 

He murmurs all too quietly, “I can’t tell you, or it won’t come true.”

__________

“Hello, Azriel,” you greet, taking a sip of the warm cinnamon liquor in your cup. It’s a Winter Court staple and one of your favorite drinks ever.

The shadowsinger greets you with a nod, his own glass in his siphon clad hand, looking like he hasn’t had a sip of it yet. You force yourself to look away from those hands, remembering how they’d been all over you, inside of you. You blush, clutching your drink tighter in your hand.

You were here for Rory, shouldn’t be thinking about other males when the one who was celebrating was so clearly interested in you.

He’d left you pressed up against the door upstairs after his admission with your skin burning anywhere he had touched, his lips pressed quickly to your head before he’d retreated down the hall to his own room with a playful, “Race ya,” called over his shoulder.

You hadn’t had it in you to race him, instead taking your time to calm your heart and warm yourself by the fire, your mind in overdrive. Rory had made it clear multiple times that he wanted to be exclusive, and your stomach burned with guilt at the thought that you weren’t ready for something like that. You liked the Night Court warrior next to you too much to decide.

You’d fought alongside him during the war with Hybern, taking an instant liking to each other both during training and planning. You were the light he’d been needing all of his life, brightening the shadows within him, making him feel as though he belonged somewhere in this wicked world, whether it be between your legs or in your heart.

He’d preferred the second but the first was an added bonus.

You knew what him being here meant, and as much as you tried to play it cool, like there wasn’t a looming decision about to slap you in the face, he still saw through you.

His free hand came as a gentle caress on your lower back and you know if someone glanced your way they'd see you standing alone, his shadows a cloak of darkness around him.

“Are you alright?” Azriel’s voice is low, smooth like molasses, crawling down your spine in the same sensual way it does everytime he speaks.

There’s just something about him that makes you weak in the knees and your heart warm in your chest. He’s truly a good male, handsome and hard-working, and it would be an honor to be loved by him.

You shrug, avoiding his concerned gaze, staring out into the center of the ballroom where they were bringing out Rory’s cake. The Winter male was scanning the crowd looking for you, but hidden in the back of the room next to the shadowsinger from the Night Court, it wasn’t likely you’d be found.

There was no point in lying to him. He knows you better than most, knows your tells, and has studied your body language more times than you could count.

“What is it?” Nearly a plea for you to answer, or to at least look at him.

You shake your head, staring down into your drink instead, “Not here.”

And so he melts away into the shadows, leaving you standing there alone with nothing but the empty glass in your hands.

__________

You hadn’t stayed long after that.

Instead, you’d made your way over to the Dawn Court, in need of some time to get your head straight…and maybe hide away for a while.

A beautiful court with beautiful views; buildings so tall they touched the clouds, the skies always so colorful and filled with peregwyns. You wished that you could fly, as you propped your chin on your fist, leaning across the balcony to watch.

“There you are.”

The voice startles you and you jump up, spinning around, your heart racing in your chest. It’s Azriel, of course it is, it wouldn’t be hard for him to find you.

“What are you doing here?” you exclaim, hand pressed over your racing heart. You’re dressed in only a thin silk robe and you pull it tighter around yourself when his eyes flicker down for a second.

“Why are you running?” he asks, voice calm as ever. He’s trying to look unfazed by your attire and you narrow your eyes at him before pushing past him and into your room.

“I’m not running,” you reply, making for the wardrobe. Being barely covered in his presence would give him the advantage of using that wicked tongue as a way to persuade you, and as much as you wanted to, you really couldn’t have that. “It’s my job to travel the courts.”

“Then how come you’ve been here for months?” he asks, knowing for a fact that you never stay in any one court longer than a few weeks, “Are you hiding from me?” 

“Clearly not,” you wave your hand in dismissal, glaring at him over your shoulder. He averts his eyes with pink tinted cheeks and steps out of the closet.

He snorts like he doesn’t believe you and you know that he’s rolling his eyes from beyond the door. You slip quickly into something more covering, still relaxed because you didn’t plan on leaving your room today, instead thinking of curling up on the cozy lounder out on the balcony and escaping into a good book.

He stops you as soon as you enter the room again, blocking your path and towering over you.

He’s nervous, you can tell by the way his shadows jitter around the two of you and his hazel eyes scan your face as if it’s the first time that he can’t read the facial expression on your face.

It scares him.

“Are you in love with him?” His voice is heartbreakingly soft and you can’t even look at him, turning your head away. How did he know?

Tears well in your eyes but he’s placing a gentle hand on your cheek and turning your chin so you’re facing him again. His face is a mask and it breaks your heart further. He’s hiding his feelings from you and that’s the last thing that you want from him.

“Please,” he pleads, tracing your jaw with his thumb, and you know what he’s going to say. “Please don’t break my heart because I don’t think that I can go on without you.” You squeeze your eyes shut and tears roll down your cheeks. “I do not want to die without being able to call you mine at least once.”

“Az,” your breath catches and you look up at him, bottom lip trembling. His eyes are so wide, so truthful that he doesn’t need to speak the words you know to be true, you can feel it like his shadows, winding around your heart and pulling tight. You stumble into him at the feeling, the raw emotion tethering you to him. 

You pull him into your arms, hugging him closely, “The bond,” you breathe, a question, “Mates.”

 Azriel nods, he’d known it all along.

And there’s no more decision to be made. He was the one made for you and you for him. You’d found each other at last.

You roll up onto your toes and he holds you tighter as your lips meet in a searing kiss, better than all of the ones you’d shared before, the tether between the two of you thrumming with love.

[choiwrites]

kth | i.c.y.m.i. (m.)

Words: 4k Genres: crack, roommate!taehyung, f2l, smut, taehyung is a horndog, sub!reader Warnings: language, masturbation, degradation, voyeurism, big DICK tae :P, sexting Rating: 18+ Summary: Your roommate Taehyung is on a cruise trip and you're home after a long day from work and he is asking for a favor.

A/N: This was heavily inspired from @/parkmuse’s Lower. Sorry for being inactive, college has been hectic, but I’m working on my writing and many stories. :) I love you.

It is much more relaxing without Taehyung's constant blasting of Bing Crosby's music. It was good, but after a few weeks or so of his repetitive playlist, it got old. He would also put the LED to a bright yellow as though to "lighten the mood". But it was clear as day that he only does it to cover up the sounds of him fucking himself next room.

He's gone for a three day trip to Monterey Bay and today was his second day in the cruise he had been bragging about on his Instagram story. You might've pressed on it hundreds of times and the story still has more slides to go. Whatever though, today has been the most relaxing day since you moved in with him.

Before the repetitive six-song playlist of Bing Crosby, Taehyung spends the time of your being home yelling at some show on ESPN. And before that phase, he often invited Jimin and Jin to the apartment and the traces of their having fun reeks 'till morning. It was gross the way they acted like boys. They would fight over his PS5 and then get drunk right after, during those mornings, you had to endure the smell of unfinished Cheetos and salad dressings left open.

You told him to never invite his friends over on Fridays, because that was your long bath day where you get all fancy and bring some wine into the bathtub and play quiet music. It wasn't easy convincing him, he had always been kind of a self-absorbed asshole whose personality got stuck in high school.

"Hey, I'm kind of tired of hearing you and your friends play loudly whenever I'm trying to sleep on Fridays... so could you maybe lessen their visits here?"

He blows a raspberry. "What do you mean? We whisper for the sake of you. We weren't being loud."

"Oh, right. Why am I aware of noobangel79 having the hottest voice for a Fortnite player then? Care to explain, Tae?"

He licks his lips trying to come up with an excuse. "Well, if you would stop being a killjoy, maybe you could play with us and finally hear her voice. She sounds so hot."

This time, you blow the raspberry but keep your cool. "I don't really care, Tae. Just please don't invite them on Fridays because Friday is my scheduled long bath and sleep day."

He gives a lengthy sigh. "Okay, you win."

"I wasn't really competi-"

"You win. I won't invite them anymore." He shuts his door with a loud thud.

After a successful week of not inviting his friends over, he had invited a girl. And God, did you regret ever telling him to never invite his friends again on Fridays. When Taehyung brings girls home, he is carefree and he is reckless. The worst part, he is fully aware of your presence, but to your luck, you were always too tired to notice or bother.

There was Demie, Ally, Daisy, and Rory. He has his ways with the names of his lady encounters. Every week, you'd play a game with yourself if you could guess the name of the girl he's bringing home for that week. So far, you haven't gotten any name right.

The only good thing about him bringing home women is that it never occurred on Fridays. Mostly, it happens during Wednesdays and on Wednesdays you do overtime quite a lot. The only reason you know these girls' names is you meet them in the mornings as you prepare your Thursday breakfast. 

Taehyung would come out half-naked while his one night stand in a cliché oversized white shirt get up. How many shirts have he lost? You're not entirely sure.

There was this Wednesday you were sent home early and you were too excited to tiptoe into the apartment. You had just changed your sheets during that Wednesday morning, you had to really try it tonight. You open the door and squelching noises enter your ears.

It was that kind of night.

To your stupidity, you had to make sure of what those noises were. It could either be the grossest thing you'll ever know of Taehyung or a murderer is literally inside the house and is stabbing Taehyung as you arrived. You tiptoe, completely forgetting about your new sheets, and now intrigued by this unknown sound.

"Oh, please," a high-pitch voice murmurs. 

Then there was a deep chuckle coming from his room and you knew it was his, but you were already peaking before you figured it out.

Taehyung with both his palms against a girl's asscheeks as he pushes her to the mirror, gently fucking her from behind. Her face has desperation painted all over with mascara smudged around her eyes. She was a writhing mess while he was focused on the expression of her face. You're not sure why you kept standing and watching, but he kept the show interesting when he pulls his phone from his nightstand and, you guessed it, films the whole thing through the mirror in front of them.

"Smile for me, baby," he whispered.

One of the most unforgettable Wednesdays in your life and Wednesdays are supposed to be boring. You never told him about your finding out because you knew exactly what he would respond with: "You enjoyed it?" Arguments with Taehyung never end well on your part.

The playlist transitions from Money Trees to Streets and you are brought back to reality, taking another sip of your pink moscato. It feels weird without his heavy presence in the house, it almost feels lonely. Everything he did has always been so loud that now it's quiet, you couldn't make yourself exactly comfortable.

You continue playing with the faucet with your toes, Ally from The Notebook style. Your phone rings, interrupting the beat from the speaker. It was Taehyung, his cheeky face popping up on the screen, ruining your mood.

When you accept the call, his deep voice sends vibrations all over the walls. You probably shouldn't have answered with the speaker connected to your phone.

"Hey." His voice lingers with a hint of huskiness in it, what he usually sounds like when he finishes drinking in the morning. You've always admitted how dangerous Taehyung sounded, but there's a big difference when he just woke up from a long nap. It's calming, but intriguing.

"What do you need?" Rolling your eyes hoping he would see how much he had just inconvenienced you.

"Why are you giving me that tone, missy?" He chuckles and with that you feel yourself shake. It felt like the walls that surround you just laughed.

"Seriously, Taehyung, you're interrupting my bath time."

You hear him sigh on the other line, more like a hiss. And then there was the sound of fabric shuffling like he had just laid down on a bed.

"Right, you're doing your long baths." 

You reply with a hum.

"Can you show me?"

You were taken aback. Was he flirting or was he dead serious? You didn't take much time in responding, he might think that he won by making you uncomfortable. Taehyung's flirting like a frat boy wouldn't work on you. You're better than that.

"No. What do you need?" 

He snickered. "I forgot an important piece of paperwork in my room and I need you to take a picture of it."

"What do I have in it?" It was your turn to chuckle.

"Hmm," the bass in his voice travels to your body, "I do the dishes for a month."

"You're lying. You're gonna leave them piling up for a month is what you mean."

"You know me so well." There was silence, but his constant breathing lets you know the line hasn't ended. "How 'bout I give you a plus one ticket next month?"

"Ticket for what?" 

"Knicks. Finals are in the second week of next month."

"Holy shit," you exclaim realizing, "no way, though."

"What?" he stammers.

"No way you have a ticket."

"But I do. Now be a good girl and take a picture."

You froze, not because the water's starting to become room temperature, but because you didn't understand. His judgment is clearly clouded, there is no way he means what he said. 

"Get over yourself," you chuckle, shaking your hands of sweat.

"What? Do you not want the Knicks?"

"Sending a picture of myself? Piss off."

Before ending the call, he laughs out loud and explains himself.

"You're an idiot. Take a picture of the papers I left, not you."

"Oh,"

"But I'm open to receiving both."

"Shut up, I'll get it now." You hop off the tub and dry yourself with a towel nearby. Proceeding to Taehyung's room without covering yourself, not like anyone's going to notice anyway.

"Which one here?" You say to your phone.

You hear him think. "Bottom left, it's in a blue folder." Then he coughs. "Are you fucking naked?"

Frowning, "No."

He chokes on his own spit. "Then I guess I have to alarm you, a naked stranger just entered my room."

"Tae! What the fuck? How are you seeing me right now?" You yell, running out of his room.

"I might have installed a hidden camera in case you steal my earphones again."

Your first instinct was to protest, but you did break his first airpods and put it back in his drawer. You can't blame him.

"Well, stop watching."

"What can I say? You made me hard."

In your many encounters with men, you don't find that sentence at all arousing. This was Taehyung where it's coming from, however, you have your thighs close tight naked in the middle of the living room in front of his room.

"Do you want your files or not?"

"I do, chill. Just put something on."

"You're hassling me." You roll your eyes hoping he'd see it.

"You're rolling your eyes right now, aren't you?"

"Yes," as you wrap a towel around your body, still water trickles down on the floor creating a small puddle.

Taehyung shuffles again, you could hear it faintly from the speaker. And then he sighs.

"What are you doing?"

Taehyung exhales through his nose, close to his phone.

"This fucking vodka my boss gave me, it's killing my head."

It was your turn to chuckle.

You proceed again to his room, trying your best to keep the towel together with your body. 

"It's in the drawer bottom left."

"Yes, I didn't forget."

"Alright, alright, just making sure."

The blue folder peeks out as if it knew it was forgotten. 

"So, which one here? There's too much paper."

"Look for one with the title 'March Report'."

Once you had found it, you immediately took a picture and sent it to him. 

"Thanks, noodles."

"Noodles?"

"For being nude in my room."

You fake a laugh and gave him a finger on the camera on top of his computer.

"I'm ending the call," you tell him.

He obliges and there was this deafening silence in the room that you kind of hoped he would retaliate when you said you would be ending the call.

You return to your bath, this time feeling a little empty and in need of a conversation. Bryson Tiller resumes playing on the speaker and you sip your wine, waiting for something to occur.

To your subtle surprise, your phone dings again. Then again. And then one more time.

TAEVIL doesn't seem fair. Taevil sent a photo. r we even?

You quickly, too quickly, place the glass on top of the corner of the tub. Rubbing your hand on a nearby towel before sliding it open.

It was him, topless on his bed, his phone covering his face as he took the picture on a ceiling mirror. It's exactly the way you remember it, every single detail. The subtle abs straining from his stomach, he hasn't always been jacked like his friend Jungkook but he was toned and gracefully perfect. Both his hands hold his phone with his belt undone and his pants brought down just a little, the shy reveal of the base of his cock weakening you.

Pulling your knees to your chest, you think of a reply. There's no exact response for that. Like they say, the reply is in the eye of the receiver. You bite your nails, bite your lip, grit your teeth, desperately trying to come up with just as scandalous of a response.

YOU smol boy

You mentally slap yourself when he types and holds back twice. But he responded soon enough.

TAEVIL i havent talked to u ab whenu caughtme fkng rory

You could hear the slur in his speech with the way he types as though he was painfully drunk, not sure in what though. In vodka or heat?

YOU wdym?

TAEVIL dont play prtend now ik u saw mefuck rory

YOU idk what ur talking ab babe

TAEVIL my dicks not smal 

YOU :)

TAEVIL ur angering me love

YOU the only big thing you have is your ego

TAEVIL u saw me fckedtheshit out of rory u kmow hwyat u saw babe

YOU and what did i see?

From here you could hear Taehyung's guttural laugh.

TAEVIL icymi Taevil sent a video. mythird leg

He sent the exclusive homemade film and to your surprise, it was more intimate than how you remember it. They were fucking like Nate and Maddy, yes, but there was a lot of whispering, things that feel a little too personal to describe.

It didn't take long until his dick slips out of her, full glory, and he wasn't lying about the third leg, because he could walk with that dick alone. Shades of rosy pink travel toward the head of his cock, he's throbbing and shaking as he pumps himself only to cum on his mirror, making Rory giggle to herself as though it was a victory for her to make Taehyung cum as much.

It does feel like a victory to make a guy as good-looking as him to cum so hard only for you.

And you had just made him hard.

YOU hmm

TAEVIL is that an agreeing hum

YOU whatever good night tae <3

TAEVIL good night <3 Taevil sent a photo.

You regret opening that picture because now you might just do it, fuck him over the phone. His hand gripping tight the girth of his massive cock, with veins that make you wonder how they'd feel as he pounds himself in and out of you. You clutch your knees tighter to your chest, fingers typing the worst things you'll ever say in text.

YOU Id sit on u<3

TAEVIL wheres ur jk

YOU I would sit on you, no joke

TAEVIL what else would u do

YOU I'd ride you until I'm dripping of cum and get your whole thigh wet I'll fuck myself onto you tae

TAEVIL Asnwer

You couldn't laugh at the typo, he was already calling, his face flashing on your bright phone and you had made the mistake a while ago to use a screenshot of him shirtless from his story one time as his caller ID.

"Hey," his voice once again vibrates through the walls as the volume blasts from your speaker.

"Hi?" you reply in your most incompetent tone.

"Now you're shy?" He sighs, almost in a desperate way but he earns back his confidence when he grunts.

"What are you doing?" you lie again on your back after pulling the drain plug. The pink lake surrounding your body now disintegrating with your pride and shame.

"You wanna know, hm? Want to see me fucking myself?" 

Your voice will break if you try now, and even in the silence that follows after his statement comes your internal cry. Holy fucking shit.

Kim Taehyung might just ruin you.

The phone rings again, this time it's a FaceTime request and you were quick to accept. You place your phone right on the level of your chest, shyly peeking at him with a soft smirk on your face to hide your embarrassment.

He, on the other hand (no pun intended), holds his phone in an undistinguishable angle, sitting up the head of his bed while breathing raggedly.

"You're still in the fucking tub?" He frowned, disappointed.

"I'm draining it," you say cheekily, and he surprisingly finds that endearing. "Where did you expect me to be?"

He laughs in disbelief. "On my fucking bed, I was hoping?"

"Why would I get on your nasty bed?" you teased.

"It's not nasty."

"It'd be a Jackson Pollock painting in there once I shine a black light."

"Not true. I'm a big fan of creampie."

"You're so disgusting." Laughing, you get off the now empty tub and put on a robe. "Where do I go now, Tae?"

He's got a troublesome look on his face, a bellow sunken deep in his throat trying so hard to maintain his composure. The sheer innocence of your response urging his hard cock to cum undone.

"In my room," he replied, smiling at the way you obeyed when your phone shook as you walked. "You're so adorable."

Giggling, you slump down on his bed and finally face him. "What now?" 

"Put your phone somewhere I can see you."

"You can see me."

"I want to see all of you."

You take a second and place your phone on the rack at the end of his bed. "Like this?" You put both your hands on the knot of your robe and he hums in agreement.

"You ever done this for anyone before?" 

And you smile, seeing the effect you have on him. You hum back, shaking your head.

"I haven't." You pull the knot. "Are you screenrecording?"

"Do you want me to?"

"Fuck no." You embrace your body. "Also delete this from your hidden cam."

"Alright, alright. Just..." He sat up on his bed, head resting on the headboard with interest building in his eyes. "Get naked for me already."

"You're so eager."

He had a shy grin, even through his broken mess of hair, he looked beautiful. Scrunching his nose at being teased, he pulls down the camera and shows you his hand pumping his dick, slow and steady as he takes his time.

"That's how eager I am." He goes back to his face, licking his bottom lip waiting for you to strip naked for him. "Please don't give me a hard time." He fakes a pout, and then smiles in content when you start untangling your robe.

You come to think of it, he's drunk and might consider this a mistake later in the morning. He had never shown interest in you until now and you had never shown interest in him either. What would happen when he comes back home? Wouldn't that be just a total awkward disaster if you both chose to pretend it never happened?

Yet, you just tell yourself 'fuck it' as your robe falls to the ground. 

He lowers his phone, biting his lip, examining you like he was in front of you. The heat of his gaze warming you up, and the flick of his tongue when he wets his lip has you drooling. You've never felt this naked before, so bare and grounded. Never been stared at like you were the most beautiful person to ever exist. 

"You're so fucking gorgeous, fuck," he whispers in ragged breaths. His chest weaving while he struggles to keep the camera on him.

"I feel uncomfortable being the only one... Naked." You tuck your hair, hoping he gets the idea.

Taehyung doesn't waste a second and he's walking toward the end of his bed. The dim lighting of his room intensifies the shadows of his body. He places his phone on the nearest stand, sitting at the end of the bed with his cock standing with pride as he kicks his pants to the floor.

You take a deep breath. "Do you workout?"

He frowns at the question. "Is it not obvious?" He sits back, body resting on his hand trying to show off his toned abs. 

Huffing, you sit at the end of his bed and cross your legs. 

"If I was there, I would have you crying my name." He strokes himself one more time. "Fuck, could you open wide for me?"

You lay back like he does, spreading your legs to the camera and his mouth agapes at the sight. 

"Just like that." Groaning, his body flexes, pouring all his energy into fucking himself. "When I get home, I will fuck your brains out. Just you fucking wait, y/n."

"I don-"

"Stop talking and touch yourself," he demanded.

"Oh," you stutter. Fingers already circling your clit, thinking of him going down on you with his tongue lapping on your juices.

"You've always wanted this cock, don't you? Want me to fuck your mouth until you're crying like the cunty whore you are."

Moaning at his words, you set your knees upward, giving him a better view of your soaked entrance, glistening under the pale lampshade near his nightstand.

"Look at how wet you are, hm." He moves closer to the camera, his huffing chest taking your sight, the shakiness in his breathing covering your ears, the thought of him clouding your judgment. 

"Put a finger in, babe. I want to see how easily I could slide into you."

On his demand, you got a digit in with no problem, moaning the moment you reached your palm. "Fuck, Tae. I need you here right now."

"I'm gonna cum undone seeing you like this, y/n."

Groping your breast, you make sure he sees the show you're putting on by smiling at him. Charming him with a sweet façade. 

"You wanna see daddy cum for you? Just thinking about bending you over on our kitchen counter, fucking you until I break you? Cumming at the thought of your skimpy shorts that you wear at home." His hand speeds up, occasionally he would run his thumb over the tip of his cock. 

 "I swear to god, I'm not gonna last long," he moans out, stopping his hand which gets you confused.

"Could you bend over for me? Shake your little ass on the screen."

Now if you weren't as horny as you are now, you would be cracking up at what he said. Taehyung's desperate tone led you to do what he wanted though, you had your back facing your phone as you bent over on his bed, showing off your damp thighs.

"Hu-uh," his moan dismantled as he tried to reach for his high, "can you say my name?"

Pumping yourself as fast as you can, your fingers sliding in and out of you catching up to his rhythm. "Oh, my God, Tae... Tae, I'm going to..."

He grunts in response. "Yes, fuck, keep going. Close. Y/n..." his voice trails off along with you rocking your hips back and forth trying to ride out the euphoria.

He whimpers as spurts of cum spill on his stomach, releasing a dark laugh once he recovers from the high. "If you were here, I'd have you lick this of me."

You return to sitting on the bed, putting the robe back on to cover yourself. "If you were here, it wouldn't have to end now."

Giggling once again, you end the call before he could retort. Resuming the music, the house felt lonelier than ever. Taehyung's scent from his sheets only started to make the room colder by the second.

Your phone rings at another text.

TAEVIL you better be ready be when i get home

YOU :p not in another 24 hours

TAEVIL pft like you wouldn't miss me.

[jacklynchh]

Cold swept through him like a tidal wave. That particular pain he did know. A part of him regretted prying, the obvious stiffening in Rory's posture riddling him with guilt, but another and much louder part surged forth with a strange sense of relief. This was somebody who understood. This was somebody who likely knew how it felt to hear 'I'm sorry for your loss' one too many times. He wondered if Rory felt the same emptiness at those words that Jack did.

Eliza. There was a long moment of silence while he processed it all. The tension, the anger in the man's voice. A car crash, something completely preventable. How must that feel, to know that somebody else's selfishness had taken someone he'd loved so much? Jack had always considered the worst part of his wife's death the fact that there was no direction in which to point the finger. Nobody had thrust cancer upon Grace like a curse and the doctors had done all they could, thus it was easy to blame himself. Why hadn't he seen the signs sooner? Could she have lived if he'd just been more observant? Asked more questions? But now, looking at Rory, he wondered how much worse it would be to know that the situation truly was preventable. An unimaginable kind of torture.

"I-me too. That's why I'm here, I mean. I lost my wife a couple years back too." God, he hated to talk about it. It seemed necessary now, though. He couldn't leave Rory's admittance hanging over them without return. "Grace." His voice cracked a little as he said her name, uttered quietly like a prayer. It still hurt to say. "Cancer, you know."

➥ tagging @rorysanderson

Rory freezes only for the smallest of moments before forcing himself to relax and finish with the chicken. As he transfers the cooked product over to a clear bowl, he replies, “Not exactly.” It’s hard, to put into words exactly why he’s here. Yes, technically Eliza’s death had brought him to Blue Harbor. But it was mostly the unfortunate series of events that followed that were the culprit. He’s no idea how to explain any of that without sounding insane, however.

He tries to stick to the facts as he begins shredding the chicken, carefully avoiding Jack’s gaze. “She passed two years ago,” he says. “Head-on collision. The drunk arse that swerved into her didn’t have a scratch on him, though,” he mutters darkly. “Seems they never do, do they?”

When he finally finishes shredding the chicken, he meets Jack��s gaze again, forcing it to remain steady. “Her name was Eliza,” he says, because he feels like she deserves the introduction. Her presence is all around this house — her paintings up on the wall, her books tucked into the shelves, the colorful blanket she never finished crocheting thrown over the back of the couch. “The move was, uh — related. Change of scenery.”