#since i'm here and my muse for everyone is kicking !

[xxwritemeastoryxx]

Intertwined

Author: xxwritemeastoryxx

Pairings: Elijah Mikaelson x Fem!Reader - Soulmate Au!

Word Count: 6.1K

Warnings: Angst, arguments, Elijah being overly protective but denying himself happiness as always, canon typical violence, a bit of fluff at the end.

Author’s Note: Because I'm apparently on a sequel kick, here's another. I promise I'm getting to the requests that I have and all the things I still need to work on from last year. I'm going where the muse takes me in my writing flow. So there's that. Also please note that you need to read Hidden Marks before reading this one.

I do not and will not ever give permission for my fics to be copied and posted on other sites. Don’t do it. Don’t be that person that ruins it for me and everyone else.Feedback gives me life and motivation for future things. While likes are appreciated, reblogs are gold. Seriously, if you enjoyed this in the slightest, please reblog ♥

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It had been months since Elijah had seen the three intertwined circles on the middle of Y/N’s back that made up her soul mark. The first and only time he'd seen it, he'd been pulling a wooden bullet out from her back when she asked for his help. From the moment Elijah helped to remove the bullet, the mark haunted him. 

Seeing her mark should have been a great thing. It should have brought him some peace and happiness to see her mark. That her mark matched the very one he had just below his left clavicle. A perfect pair that made sense for how close they had become as friends over the century. If anything, since seeing her mark he's been conflicted on his feelings. 

Part of him wants and tries to be protective of her. His soulmate that had come into his life when he least expected it. The woman that had become his best friend over the century had been the one thing he never actively searched for. He now knew why she stepped into his life and never left. But it was the other part of him that caused him to fight daily with his feelings. 

Y/N would be in danger because of him. She would soon become a target if even the slightest word had slipped about who his soulmate was. An endless cycle he'd force her into if an enemy ever came knocking. Threats and being captured for the sole purpose of being leveraged against him. 

Not to mention if his brother had ever lost his temper with him. Klaus wasn't one to spare the women in Elijah's life before. What difference would it make this time? All it would take was one action that made Klaus feel the slightest ounce of betrayal and he'd take it out on her. 

Elijah was willing to take on the devil himself if Y/N was in danger. He was reminded of it any time she recklessly put herself in harm's way. An argument he had with her plenty of times during their friendship, but held a deeper meaning as of recently. 

He was also reminded daily how easily she could bend him to her will with a simple smile as she walked into the room. Or the occasional knowing look she'd give him when he or his siblings said something she didn't agree with that would almost instantly change his mind about the situation. Especially if she added in her details that would make it reckless on her part. 

But no matter how many times that feeling of comfort and love started to grow for the woman he believed he could only care for platonically, he could never voice it. He could never bring himself to mention the details that he knew. And because he chose to keep it to himself, it began the yoyo effect of wanting to keep her at a distance and keep her close for his own sanity. 

It hadn’t gone unnoticed by Y/N either. From the moment she offered him a night out to deal with the humans who had put the bullets into her back, she noticed something different. She noticed the way his demeanor changed around her. He grew worrisome over the smallest of things he never had before. And even fought with her longer over details of plans to help take down the threat the Mikaelsons had been faced with. 

She found herself frustrated on the days that he brushed her off and all but ignored her. He had never once been cold to her in the time that she had known him. They had pushed each other’s buttons on occasion, but Elijah had never once pushed her away like he had been doing now. Every time he did, it hurt more than Y/N had ever expected it to. 

They were close friends, she knew that. She knew there would always be moments that Elijah would pick his family over her. That there would be moments where he would keep his family safe and do anything he could to also keep her safe. She knew she was not the highest priority. But why did it feel like someone had staked her when he walked away from her when she felt she really needed him for a few moments?

That's when the thoughts of doubt had been planted in her head. Doubts that were formed and fueled to drive her insane for most of the night that made it almost impossible to sleep. What had she done to earn such coldness from someone that she was close with? Had she crossed a boundary that she had suddenly been unaware of? 

The final straw that broke her had been moments ago when she offered to go with him to deal with the beginning of a threat. It was always something they had done together. A way to have Elijah’s calm and calculated approach and her glimmer of chaos that would always work out in their favor. But when he told her to stay behind, she could no longer keep anything at bay anymore. 

The moment Elijah had told her to stay behind, her face fell at his words. And as he walked past her to leave his expression hadn’t changed. And as she turned to face him, she let it all out. 

“What have I done?” She asked, causing him to stop in his tracks. “Have I wronged you in some way that makes you no longer want to be around me?”

Elijah heard the way her voice cracked towards the end. He had hoped that his actions wouldn’t hurt her. But here she was asking what she had done to him when in reality it had been him to do it. He turned to face her and shook his head slightly. 

“No.” His voice was composed in comparison to hers. “You have done nothing at all.”

She shook her head as she crossed her arms. “I’ve known you for over a century, Elijah. I know well enough to know you are lying to me. If I’ve done nothing wrong there wouldn’t be this shift between us where it feels like you suddenly want nothing to do with me.”

“I assure you that if I had wanted nothing to do with you, you would not still be standing here.” It was as close to the truth he could go to without coming out right with it. “We are facing a potential threat that I feel as though I need to do this with my siblings. We have no idea what they are fully capable of and the last time I checked, you are not as indestructible as you believe.”

Elijah had no idea how this threat would continue to play in their lives. He had no idea what knowledge they planned to use against them in an attempt to try and take him and his family out. That was why Elijah wanted to do this without her. He wanted to make sure that she would remain safe. 

He didn’t want to take Y/N with him with the possibility of allowing them to get an inkling that Y/N had now meant more to him than he let on. He didn’t want her in danger from something he didn’t fully understand. This was the part of him that was willing to do anything to protect her. He just had to slightly push her away in order to do so. 

“That never stopped you before.” She noted as she took a step towards him. “I may not be an original, but I am still a whole lot older than a majority of the threats that walk into the city. I have proven myself over and over that I can handle my own. I’m even better by your side. But ever since you’ve seen my mark, it’s like you don’t want to be near me. All I want is the truth from you. Did I do something or did my mark tell you something that you haven’t told me?”

Elijah looked at the ground for a moment before looking back up to her. He could see the hurt in her eyes as she expressed everything. But he couldn’t bring himself to tell her even though every part of him wanted to. To bring some peace to her mind on his reasoning instead of making her feel as though she wasn’t wanted. 

“I’m going to try to make this as clear as I can." His voice was still even, almost void of any emotion. "This threat is not to be taken lightly. While we do not have the full specifics on who they are or why they are here, I do know they have come close to harming the people I care about." His eyes met hers. "While our normal plan pairs perfectly with the riff raff we deal with, at this moment it does not. So no, you will not accompany me tonight. I need you here." 

After taking in his words, all she could manage was a nod before he was gone from her sight. He didn’t even give her a chance to respond or fight him on what he was telling her. And it left Y/N feeling defeated. 

Her mind still tried to make sense of the changes that had come over the last few months. Every push and pull that happened between the two being analyzed as if it had been some rather important document or experiment being worked on. She was trying to find something, anything, to show what caused Elijah’s sudden change. No matter how many ways she thought about it, it only came back to one starting point: the night Elijah saw her mark. 

Had seeing it really thrown him off to not want to be near her like he had used to? Not showing them their marks had been a preference they decided on early in their friendships. If there was ever a day they felt comfortable in showing what it was, they would have. And that night, with a bullet in her back, it hadn’t mattered if Elijah had seen it or not. 

She ran a hand along her face, trying to shake off the thoughts that had kept her pacing her room for hours after he had left. She no longer cared about the mark or who she may have possibly shared it with. Why did that change now that Elijah had seen it?

It made her wonder if he had seen the mark on someone else. If there was a possibility that he felt guilty in some way after seeing it. There had been plenty of enemies in his existence. At some point he could have easily come across it and not realized it until he saw it on her back.

Did it belong to someone who had betrayed him? Had he seen it on someone that he had taken their life out of necessity? Or had this person been a victim of the many spells he had endured? 

Deep down she knew it was the fear of losing Elijah. Something she had thought about over the century and a half she had known him. Friendships can only last so long before one reason or another comes along. She knew plenty of people who had left her on the back burner after finding their soulmate, even during her human years. 

She had grown used to having Elijah in her life. It would take her longer to find a memory that didn’t involve Elijah versus the ones with. Over the years she had become dependent on the fact that Elijah had always been there for her just as she was for him. He was a constant and part of her hated the thought of her ever losing that. 

At the thought, Y/N had felt her heart sink. A simple thought putting everything into perspective to her. The idea may have been formed from past experiences, but it all made sense. Elijah must have found his soulmate. And if that was the case, she was sure this was the beginning of being put further back on the burner.  

“Y/N?!” Rebekah’s panicked voice had broken her from her thoughts, causing her to move quickly to find Rebekah. 

Upon reaching the courtyard, a gasp left her lips as she found Rebekah dragging a half standing Elijah towards the couch. The majority of his clothing had been covered in blood. Parts of the fabric had been torn in several places. It was as if Elijah had picked a battle he couldn’t win. 

“What the hell happened?” Y/N asked as she moved to help get Elijah settled on the couch. Her eyes had still been taking him in, accessing his injuries. 

“Witches.” Elijah breathed out as he tried to get a hold of reality. He had lost enough blood and his mind had been a distorted mess from the magic he had been subjected to. 

“Everything had been going according to plan but whatever spell they used on him, it threw him off course.” Rebekah took the moment to leave the room to get items they needed to help Elijah for the time being until Freya could get back there. The moment she was back she continued. “The others are still there dealing with them.” 

Seeing the items Rebekah had brought, Y/N reached for the towel that had been sitting in a bowl of water and began cleaning off the blood from Elijah’s face and neck. “I can understand the disorientation, but what the hell ripped into him?” 

There was panic rising within Y/N. She hated that he had made her stay behind. She could have been there to help him in some way. Been there to help prevent him from being hurt as he was now. 

"Between the spell and some of the wolves within the vicinity, he couldn't watch his back." Rebekah said as she picked up another towel and folded it before placing it on Elijah's forehead. Afterwards she began picking up little containers of what Y/N could only assume were herbs and salves that Freya had instructed her to use for the time being. 

As Y/N ran the towel over his neck, Elijah lifted his hand to her hand, stilling her movements. It caused her to look up at him. His eyes had been looking over her face, before they settled on her eyes.

"You're safe." His voice was barely above a whisper. 

She nodded her head. "I am safe. You made sure I was." She wasn't sure if that was what he needed to relax more as she attempted to help clean him. "Freya will be here soon." 

With that, Elijah seemed to relax his hold and it allowed for her to continue wiping up the blood. So far it looked as though any of the injuries he sustained were healing. It may have been at a whole lot of a slower pace, but his wounds were healing. But the moment her hand moved to remove the shredded fabric stuck to his skin along his left shoulder and chest, his hand grabbed a hold of her wrist, not wanting her to continue. 

"I need to make sure your wounds are healing Elijah." She said softly as she brought her eyes up to his once more. "Or to at least give me the peace of mind that this looks way worse than it is." 

"For once let someone take care of you." Rebekah added and pulled his hand away from Y/N. It had been too easy to remove his hand. His strength is almost non-existent given what he'd been through. 

Elijah hated that he couldn't get his mind to process the protest he wanted to give. He hated that he couldn't give a strong enough response to say he'd deal with it later. But the spell within his mind made it difficult to think clearly for more than a second or two at a time. 

Elijah’s eyes never left Y/N’s face as she began to move the fabric away from his chest. He didn't care about the wounds he was facing. He didn't even care that Y/N and Rebekah were caring for him. It was what laid just under the layers of fabric she was removing, that had him worried. 

Quickly dipping the towel into the bowl of water between her and Rebekah, Y/N brought it back up to his chest and began to rid him of the drying blood. There was a part of her that was relieved to not see some gaping wound that he was trying to prevent her from seeing. 

That relief soon turned into curiosity as the blood was being wiped away. The beginning of Elijah's mark became clear as day. With each wipe of the towel the mark continued to grow. And as last of the reminisce of blood was removed from the mark, she all but dropped the towel. 

Just below his left clavicle had been three intertwined circles. It ran horizontally across his skin in the exact same way it ran across the middle of her back. And for a moment she fought herself on reaching out just to run her fingers along the mark. A need to make sure it was really there. 

Elijah had watched her the whole time. Even through his hazed mind he could see the way relief had flooded her eyes before her brows began to furrow. The curiosity in her eyes had been evident and there was nothing Elijah could do to fully protest in his current state. All he could do was watch her as she learned what he had months ago. 

Her soulmate had been right there in front of her for over a century.  

Her eyes snapped to him and Elijah could see several emotions flash through her eyes. He could see the way there was a sliver of excitement before hurt filled them as she tried to stop the tears from welling up. 

"What is it?" Rebekah asked as she caught on that Y/N had stopped her movements. 

Y/N shook her head slightly before looking away from Elijah. "Nothing worth noting." She said as she went back to wiping the blood. 

She kept her eyes away from the mark and as best as she could from keeping them from looking up at Elijah. She could feel his eyes on her. But she refused to look his way. 

All of her wild thoughts that had been going through her head earlier had only been partially right. She honestly never thought this was the case. And if she was being honest with herself, this felt worse. 

He had found his soulmate like she thought.  But she hadn't expected it to be herself. Not with the way he had pulled himself away from her during the course of the last few months. Not with the way she felt that she was losing her best friend. 

Elijah knew that he was her soulmate and he didn't tell her. There wasn't an excitement at knowing that the person they spent decades with had been the one person they both chose not to actively look for. Their life had been great just as it was. Until Elijah saw her mark. 

She tried to stop the spiral of thoughts that began to form. It was already too late to try to spare her heart the pain it was currently feeling. No matter how hard she tried to focus on helping Rebekah take care of him, one single thought played in her mind on a constant loop. 

He knew they were soulmates and he tried pushing her away. 

The moment Freya came running into the courtyard with Klaus and Kol behind her, Y/N pulled herself slowly away from the side of the couch. It was a way to not only keep the now unwanted attention of her facial expressions away but to give the necessary space Freya would need. 

When she moved a little too far for Elijah’s liking, his hand grabbed a hold of hers. This time his grip was tighter in comparison to earlier. He was getting better, stronger. The venom from the wolf bites was leaving his system while the spell kept a tight hold over him.

Y/N's eyes met his one more time. She could tell he was pleading with her to stay there with his eyes. Almost to say that once Freya helped him he'd explain everything to her. That he needed her to stay there.

There was something in her eyes that changed a moment after his words had pierced the air. “Would you tell me if you saw the mark on someone else?” 

“Of course.” He said even though it had been a lie. He knew he wasn’t going to speak of the very mark that was on his chest. 

Her heart ached at the sudden memory that filled her mind. She wanted to break down. She wanted to run to get fresh air. Do anything that would allow her to process the information she had been given in the last few minutes. 

Freya came over and knelt down beside Elijah, giving Y/N the chance to pull her hand away from Elijah. She took several back as she tried to decide if she wanted to stay or leave the area. But a heartbeat later she was mumbling some excuse and left the courtyard. 

It was only when she was safely behind the door of her room, she felt more clarity than she had downstairs. The wave of emotions she felt calmed in comparison.  While silent tears had begun falling, it hadn't felt like her world had come crashing to a halt as it had. 

"For as many times as I've come here to hide away, there's never been another person here." Y/N said as she took in the stranger. "Might have to find a new one if this one is compromised." 

"I can assure you, I've known about this place for a lot longer than you." The stranger looked towards her. "I may have been out of the city for some time, but I will know more about the history than you ever will.”

A laugh passed her lips causing a smile to form on his lips. “What if I told you I watched that town in the distance be built?”

His eyebrow raised slightly before he looked towards the town she had been speaking of. “I’d then ask if you knew what was out there before the town was built.��

“A small village.“ She responded.  “One that was destroyed just a few years after I was born. There are stories of a creature that roamed the woods that surrounded that village. A creature that was hunted but never killed.” She shrugged her shoulders before looking back towards the stranger. “Though I’d love to hear what you have that can top that.”

He laughed for a moment before he placed his hand out between them. “I’m Elijah. And I assure you, I can surpass any story you’ve been told about the area.”

“That’s a challenge I’m willing to take.” She said as she placed her hand in his. “I'm Y/N.”

That year Y/N needed to get away from the life she had found herself in after being a vampire for a few centuries already. The mountaintop just above the town she was born in had always been her go to place to reevaluate her life as a human and as a vampire. That night, Y/N had been debating on watching the sunrise for the last time. 

But Elijah had been there to pull her thoughts away from the sunrise and into a life that she had now thrived in. Elijah had been there when she needed him the most. Her soulmate had been the one to pull her back from the edge and she never knew it until now.

Elijah had saved her that night. He saved her and it wasn't long after he paid off a witch to create a daylight ring for her. A friendship shouldn't be had just in the dark. Those had been his words as he held up the daylight ring for her to take a few minutes before sunrise a few weeks later.

Her heart picked up in pace as her mind continued to accept everything that happened. The details of their meeting to this current moment made sense from a soulmate perspective. No matter how many times the flashes of memories played through her mind, there was no changing the facts. 

"What if I don't want to marry my soulmate?" A young Y/N asked as she kicked her shoe at the dirt. 

Her mother's laugh filled the air. "You don't always have to marry your soulmate. Sometimes it depends on what best suits the both of you. Your soulmate can be a best friend or even a lover. Sometimes they're both." She knelt down to Y/N's height. "There's one thing I know though. Having them in your life in any form is a whole lot better than not having them in your life or losing them. So when you are able to meet the person that knows your soul without needing to try hard, fight as hard as you can. Fight with them, for them and alongside them as needed." She ran her hand along Y/N’s cheek. "I know this doesn't make a lot of sense right now, but I promise one day you'll understand. "

The sound of the knock on her door followed by the door slowly opening had pulled her out of her thoughts and memories. Without even looking she had already known it was Elijah. She quickly wiped at her cheeks before she turned towards the door. 

The moment she had, Elijah could see that the whirlwind of emotions he saw earlier in her eyes had shifted. Even as her eyes welled up, he could see the hurt along with acceptance. And if he was being honest with himself, the acceptance is what scared him. 

He took a few steps further into her room before he came to a stop. "What I've done was-" 

"Cowardice?" She finished for him before he got the chance to even form the next word. It made him raise his brow. "Because whatever reasoning you have for not telling me was the worst decision you have ever made. And I know there have been plenty of questionable decisions you've made." 

"I know I should have told you that night." He gave a slight nod. "For a brief moment I wanted to. But then I realized the danger you would be in because of me." 

She had already begun shaking her head before he finished speaking. "Danger that I haven't already been in from just being close with you. Or to your siblings for that matter." She watched as he opened his mouth to speak but she quickly continued to stop him. "I know it's not the same. Putting it out there makes it more real and practically puts a target on both of us. I know what that target looks like. That just means we'll be better prepared for it." 

She knew from experience how easy it was to use a soulmate as leverage. How easy it was to threaten them to get someone to bend to their will. There was a dark decade in Y/N's existence where she had once toyed with humans and their soulmates. A time where her humanity had been switched and she hadn't cared. 

She knew the tricks that could be played. She knew how much damage someone could take before they snapped. The emotional torment that could be played on both parties to get the point across was something she lived for during that dark decade. 

At least that was until her humanity had been forcefully switched on. She tormented herself afterwards on how she could carelessly manipulate people by using the one weakness they all had. It was part of the reason she found herself heading back to the mountaintop. 

"If today has taught me anything it's that you were safer without me near." He watched as her eyebrow raised before he continued. "While having you by my side would have been beneficial for many reasons, I watched as my worst fear played through my mind because of a spell. A spell that provided sufficient reasons on why I was right on my decision to not say anything." 

"A spell that was used to distract you.” She noted. It explained why he had seemed so relieved at seeing her safe. "And a fear that we could have worked out beforehand if you simply had told me. I spent the last several hours wondering how and when I had become the problem. Part of me knew that you had found your soulmate and that was why you were pushing me away. That maybe you were trying to distance yourself from me to make room for them." Her eyes began to well up. "I just never thought you'd be pushing me away because I am your soulmate."

Elijah shook his head slightly as guilt filled him. He could see in that moment how hurt she had been by it. The emotions she had displayed when he first came into the room broke down bit by bit. And the thought that she believed she was the problem stung him in ways he never believed it would. 

"I don't know if I can be what you need me to be." He said a moment later. "It has been proven time and again that whenever I let an ounce of happiness into my life, it's quickly taken away. I refuse to have the same thing happen to you. And if that means keeping you at a distance or even you leaving the city-" 

"Nothing has to change!" She cut him off as she shook her head. "We have been by each other's side for over a century without even knowing we were soulmates. We have been through hell and back together without even questioning how it was possible. I have fought by your side not caring if I died in the process." She wiped at her cheeks as more tears escaped. "I will continuously be by your side even after this. I don't care if it is as something more or keeping things as it has been. But don't you dare for one moment think that I would be safer with you pushing me away or even deciding that it's better without you in my life." 

He sighed softly before taking a few steps to close the distance between them. "If anything were to ever happen to you because of me, I'd never be able to forgive myself." His hand came up to her cheek before using his thumb to wipe away more of her tears. 

"It's going to happen with or without you in my life." Her eyes met his. "I am no stranger to being threatened by your family. I have had Klaus's hand on my heart and I'm still here in front of you." She placed her hand on top of his as she leaned into his touch slightly.  A way to prove that she was there. "I am not even a stranger to having a witch use me as leverage or even used to fight against you. I can leave tonight and what's to stop anyone from coming after me once it's actually figured out?" She watched as he took in her words. "This isn't just one sided either. I am afraid of what each new threat could mean for you. I want and need you to be safe, maybe even for my own selfish reasons. But I will not let you push me away without at least fighting to stay. I will continue to be by your side no matter how much you push. I will stand there by your side and face the enemy with you and die there with you if it comes to it. I will continue to be your friend or more if that is what you need and you'll never have to worry that I'll leave you. But I will not let you try and push me out of your life for the fear of what could possibly happen to me just because you're afraid to let yourself be happy."

Elijah's eyes never left hers as she spoke. He couldn't bring himself to look away from her. Not when he was seeing everything play through her eyes. Every emotion, every piece of history and hopeful future had been displayed within them. And he could no longer ignore what he'd been trying to avoid. 

He knew everything she said was right. He would hate himself if anything happened to her while she was gone. He couldn’t even begin to imagine how it would feel if he ever learned the news that something had happened to her. He couldn't ignore the fact that throughout the years and even now she was fighting for her place to stay no matter how hard he tried to keep her at bay and safe in his eyes. 

The same safety that he had been trying to provide her since the night they met. How broken her eyes had looked from the moment she took a seat next to him on that mountain top. And how everything within him had told him to protect her from anything. Even himself if it ever came to it. 

But as he looked into her eyes now, he could see the woman that had become his best friend.  The woman that stood there beside him as threat after threat came. How she cared for him in his moments of need even though he fought her on it. The one person he couldn’t go more than a few days without speaking with. It was why the thought of losing her scared him even more than he ever believed. 

After a moment, Elijah nodded his head. “I give you my word that I will not push you away or ask you to leave.” His thumb gently moved along her cheek. He watched as something changed within her eyes. “I don't believe I could actually watch you leave, let alone be alone out there in the world. Nor can I picture a day where you are not in my life in some form or another. You have your selfish reasons and I have mine. But I have never wished for you to look so hurt as you have today and I will spend as much time as needed to make up for it. ” He looked elsewhere for a moment before looking back at her. “I just don’t know how things will change from here.”

The part of Y/N’s heart that expected the worst had felt relief. Relief that he wasn’t going to continue to push her away. Relief that he was willing to accept that they were soulmates and that she wasn’t going to go down or leave without a fight. And if anything, there was a small tug of a smile at her lips at his words. 

“We continue as friends, just as we have.” She offered. “If in the future things change, we’ll go from there.”

A hum of agreement passed his lips as he pulled his hand away from her. As he did, He maneuvered his hand to take a hold of her’s, finding comfort in just holding her hand within his. Her offer of nothing needing to change played in his ears.

There was something within him that agreed with that. Mixed within the agreement was the hope that things would change for the better. But for now this was a step in the right direction. A step that meant he wasn’t going to push her away as he had planned to. It was in a direction that he strongly believed he’d never lose her in the way that he feared.

“We’ll handle things as we always have.” He nodded his head, a small smile pulling at his lips. 

“Together?” She asked as a small hopeful smile pulled at her lips. 

She could joke about how they would work together as she always had in the past. She could have added in how reckless they could be. How the calm and chaosbetween them would keep things interesting. But at that moment, she only needed the confirmation that it would continually be them against everything else that came at them.

“Together.” He promised with no intention of ever breaking that promise. Even when the world learned of the mark they share, he’d keep his promise and keep each other close to their sides. As a friend, as a potential lover, but most importantly as soulmates that would never have to live without the other. 

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@dpaccione @thatweirdoleigh  @charli123456789

[washeduphazbin]

Could I get a one shot of, y/n is like Adam’s life ex gf she left after getting tired of his shit.. ended up falling in love with Lucifer.. (Mr. Steal yo girl thrice) and during the Adam and Lucifer battle Lucifer taunts that he stole all three of his lovers

YES. YES. I'm in love with Lucifer. Your wish is my command.

Sorry it's so short if we like maybe part 2

Also, poly luci x reader x Lilith (sorry, not sorry)

———

“Little duck?” Lucifer asked softly, nuzzling his face into the crook of your neck. You were holding onto one of his plush ducks rather tightly,

"I can't help but think...that this extermination is my fault." Lucifer let out a gasp and wrapped his arms around your shoulders, "Lulu-"

"I won't have that negative self-talk in my house." Your brow furrowed in distress,

"But-"

"No buts."

"Lucifer! Adam's absolutely moved up the extermination to spite Charlie and us!" You argued, "I...what if I go back to him."

"Excuse me, what?"

"I don't want to!" You moved away from him to the portrait of Lilith, you and Lucifer hanging in the corner of the room. "I really don't want to..." You raised your hand and brushed against Lilith's horns and Lucifer's staff in the portrait. "You know I don't belong here; I'm not a demon, a sinner, or an angel either. I'm just a human who fell because I fell in love with you and your family." You smiled sadly over at him, holding out your hand. Lucifer squeezed it tightly, "What if I can solve all of this by just going back with Adam."

"That's not happening; I'm not letting you go back to that fuckwad;" He scoffed, brushing a hand through your hair, "Do you think you'll be happier with him? Without us? Without Charlie?"

"No." You laughed bitterly, "Of course not, Charlie would kill me."

"She absolutely would. You're like another mother to her; she wouldn't let you go back to that hellscape without a fight. Neither will I; I have a few words I'd love to share with Adam."

"Oh yeah? What would you say?"

"I'm sure you'll get to hear it eventually," he mused, leaning closer to kiss your cheeks. "Just stay safe and stay away from the Hotel until Charlie or I give you the okay, okay?"

"Okay." You whispered softly, bending down to plant a kiss on his lips,

"Did you really have to bend down like that," He huffed, hitting you gently with his cane.

"Oh, absolutely."

---

"Stay home? STAY HOME?" You roared, grabbing Lucifer's shoulders, "Everyone dying, and you want me to stay home!"

"For your safety and everyone's safety. Yes." He squeezed your shoulders tightly, "If it's between you and Charlie, I-"

"You choose Charlie every time."

"I love you-"

"I know. I love you too." You smiled softly, "Kick Adam in the dick for me?"

"It would be my pleasure, my lady. Here," Lucifer handed you his phone, "It'll live stream the battle; I hacked a VoxTech drone." He puffed his chest out proudly, and you beamed, taking his phone from his hands.

"I can't wait to see Adam get dick punched in HD!"

"There's the bloodlust I love so much; if I didn't have to go save Hell, I'd totally fuck you right now."

"Then you better leave now so you can come back and fuck me as soon as possible."

"Yes, ma'am!" He gave the dorkiest salute before teleporting out of the room.

---

"I am going to FUCK you!"

"It's fuck you up...dad."

Your face palmed, curling up on the bed, Lucifer's phone in your hand, watching the live stream.

"What? What did I say? Oh Shit-" Lucifer burst into laughter as he transformed into a snake to avoid being hit by Adam, "So this is what you've been up to since Eden, huh? I gotta you really let yourself go, buddy."

"Are you judging me?" Adam snarled in a disbelieving laugh, "You're the most hated being in all of creation!" Lucifer snickered as he turned into a bird,

"Well, your first wife didn't seem to hate what I had to offer, or the second bow chica. Wow, wow!" He splayed his fingers out in a V shape and stuck his tongue in between his fingers, "Not to mention your third."

"I'm sorry what!" He snarled,

"Oh, you didn't know? (Y/n)'s a doll, the tightest pussy Lilith and I've EVER shared!"

You made a horrified sound at the phone, wanted to absolutely curl up into a ball and die, Charlie didn't look any better.

"Dad!"

"You are so dead!" Adam shouted, "And I'm gonna find that bitch, and I'm going to make her pay!"

"Sure you are," he snorted, "I'd like to see you try."

[melancholiaincarnate]

hell-bent

warnings: brief descriptions of pain and injuries

note: helloo :3 this is another little ficlet to this fic . im going to make a series masterlist - eventually - but i cannot be bothered to do so right now. anyways - if u wanna see more of them lmk or send in requests hehehehehe

"oh she is the cutest!" feyre swoons, her arms extending towards the child that's hiding behind temperance.

"say hi, piper." you look down and behind your legs to where the girl is clutching onto your pant thighs. though she's got a small fear in her eyes, she still peeks out slightly, taking in the view of your family. five very intense pairs of eyes stare back at her. "it's okay, pip." you whisper, "they're my family."

"hello everyone." she says softly, her voice no higher than the squeak of a small kitchen mouse. "where's azzy?" she questions, looking up and big eyes stare at you.

rhys looks at feyre, a knowing smirk playing upon his face, and a matching one on hers. they've both got that look in their eyes that they get when they're communicating through the bond - you roll your eyes knowing that they're never going to let azriel live down the nickname.

"he'll be here soon. he's just a little busy right now." you smooth down her hair with a gentle hand and she frowns, stepping behind you more as cassian approaches, a grin on his features.

"since when do you have a kid?" he questions, crouching down to eye level with piper. he cranes his neck to attempt to see her but she tucks herself behind you even more. "ooh! lemme guess the father. lemme guess - it's az, isn't it! i always knew you two were fucking."

"she's not mine. and watch your mouth." you huff, kicking cassian lightly and he topples over. "remember the mission rhys sent me on?" cassian nods from his spot on the floor. "i found her." you wince at your choice of words - you definitely could've phrased that better. piper seems to be unaffected by your words, instead choosing to let her shadows sniff out cassian.

"what do you mean you found her? you can't just take people's kids, dude. that's super illegal." cassian scoffs, "how do you 'find' a kid and just take her? rhys, that has to be illegal-" he sits up, but his eyes furrow as he sees little tendrils of black whirling around his arms. "isn't that-"

"there's another shadowsinger in velaris." rhys muses from his spot at the table. "we thought it best for her to come here and train here with our shadowsinger."

"so you just.. took her?" cassian looks bewildered, "dude.. this high lord shit has to have some rules to it. you can't just take kids!" he stands up, stretching, before peeking around your legs to see pip staring back at him. "hi." he grins, "i'm cassian." then, he bends down to whisper, "i'm kind of the coolest one here. everyone else here sucks."

"pip, don't listen to him. he's a moron." you sigh and hear little giggles from behind you, whispers of shadows trailing up your arms. there was one shadow though, that stayed nestled in your neck. it didn't belong to the girl, no, it was one of azriel's shadows that had seemed to take a strong liking to you and preferred you over its master.

"you're very silly mr. cassian." she comments, peeking out a little more. you're grateful for cassian's resolve and the things he's seen - you don't know what you'd do if he made piper feel any worse about her current condition. you don't know what azriel would do if he found out that someone dared look at piper with disgust.

piper steps out and the inner circle holds their breaths. her left eye has a deep scratch on it that stretches from her eyebrow to right underneath her eye. it seems to be healing well, but it settles painfully in everyone's gut to see such a large scar on a pure face.

the rest of her face is filled with smaller scratches. thankfully ones that won't scar. no one's seen it yet - but if piper turned around there would be a missing pair of wings on her back.

no one comments. based on the way cassian and rhys look - they're ready to kill whoever did this to this girl, and they'd only known her for less than an hour. even nesta, normally cold-faced, looks full of anger.

piper pulls on your pant leg and points to the table. you hold her hand and her limping does not go unnoticed by your family. she's relearning to walk without the weight of her wings - and feyre's eyes widen once she realizes.

piper's movements are stiff and the table is silent. for the first time in years, the entire house is silent.

conversation starts up as you help pile food onto piper's plate. despite her condition, her eyes still sparkle with glee. as soon as she puts her first spoon in her mouth, the door to the dining room opens and piper turns quickly,.

"azzy!" everyone is blown back by how loud her shriek is. they're even more surprised at how fast she manages to sprint across the dining room and into azriel's arms, despite her condition. "you came back!"

he picks her up, balancing her on one hip with ease. "told ya i would, pip." his voice is soft as he pats the top of her head. their shadows intertwine and zip around the two of them, as if they were doing their own catching up. "did you do your training today?"

"i did!" her movements have caught up to her and she leans against his legs for support, her breathing becoming labored. he notices, and shadows come to swirl around her legs, ready to catch her if she falls. "i walked all the way down the stairs today! by myself!"

the inner circle watches in awe as the shy little girl they'd just seen exploded into personality at the sight of the quiet and stoic spymaster. rhys smiles to himself - he knew that bringing the girl here was a good idea.

"that's great progress, pip." azriel's voice is laced with exhaustion. his eyes finally catch yours - but only because he felt the pool of your emotions in his chest. he nods softly at you, once to tell you he's okay, and he watches your shoulders relax. "tomorrow we're going to go to the healer's again. she wants to -" azriel glances at the inner court, "she wants to check up on you."

"okay." she smiles, "maybe we can walk there! and i can do it by myself this time!"

"i think you can do it, pip." azriel hums, "how about we go eat? i'm starving." he looks up at you, and smiles again, "and then we can go back to your room and finish that puzzle." "yes!" piper nods quickly, "yes, please!" she holds onto azriel's hand for support, and doesn't flinch when her hands touch his marred ones.

azriel sits between you and piper, his eyes watching every single person at the table as they interact with the girl. they may be his family, but if one person - even his own brothers, made a wrong move, he'd flip the table over. his protection for the girl ran deep - so much so that it worries him.

his shadows whisper that it's alright - his protection is justified. they whisper he'll never have to act to protect her, they'll do it for him. and they whisper that if he does have to act, it'll be justified. they whisper to him that the carnage he'd bring for this girl is justified.

so azriel lets his worries go. they're right.

[get0sfav]

RENT? RENT | toji f.

↳ toji fushiguro x f!reader

your loser roommate can't even pay the rent had finally crossed the line, and despite being best friends, it was time you kicked him out.

18+ Minors DNI!

Warnings! SMUT, porn with little plot, canon divergent, p in v, unprotected sex, hair pulling, slight degradation, praising, pet names (princess, doll), one (1) ass spanking, impact play, spitting, breeding kink, oral (f!receiving), creampie, teasing, cuss words, toji is a soft meanie for the most part, one or two parts are kinda cliche, toji is obsessed with reader's bazoongas (I apologize), sloppy writing, first time writing smut, not proof read!

wc; 3.5k

Your breath came out as short and sharp breaths, as you stared daggers at the oblivious man sat on your couch, watching the cable you paid for and eating the takeout you ordered for yourself, all while laughing loud enough to disturb everyone in his surroundings.

Yes, Toji has been your best friend for as long as you can remember, and it was you who allowed him to crash at your apartment for what he said were 'a few weeks' but it has been three years now, and he was still here. Not that you minded, of course you didn't, you loved his company and it was nice having him around. But that was a year ago.

Since last year, you haven't been, well, to be clear, your financial status isn't the best right now. You have enough money to support yourself, but him? Nah, you had to work extra hours after office, working on Sundays and holidays to have enough money to support the two of you. As much as you hate it whenever you approach Toji to help with the bills or rent, he'd manage to come up with some lame ass excuse as to why he couldn't. The truth was simple. Toji Fushiguro couldn't hold a job for more than a month, and whatever cash he got, he used to spend on gambling (he'd end up losing all his money every time) or he'd bring home something stupid, something none of you needed.

Even though you loved having your best friend around, you couldn't help but think that you wanted a stable financially stable roommate.

"Toji." you called his name in a firm tone, but he didn't listen, his eyes focused on some stupid movie he was watching, while you stood there, overworked and stressed. You called his name again, to which he finally listened and paused the movie, lazily turning around to look at you. "Where's your half of the rent, Toji? It's due the day after tomorrow" you asked him with your arms crossed.

He simply looked at you, puzzled. "What do you mean 'my half of the rent' doll?" He mused over your words, looking at you intently. "I meant, as you live here, you're supposed to pay half of the rent, so, I'm asking, where is it, where's your half of the rent?"

A chuckle escapes his mouth, and oh, how your blood boiled at that. Did he think you were joking? "I'm short on cash right now," he said through a lazy smile, "I could uh, clean the bathroom or something if you want?" He continued, hoping you'd agree like you did every other time.

"No, Toji. I need the cash, if you can't pay the bills, then I don't have any other option than to kick you out." Your heart stings at the last line, but you knew it was necessary. You wouldn't have said that if you weren't in a bind yourself. His eyes widened at your words as he slowly got up from the couch, walking towards you. "You okay? Did you work yourself so much that your brain stopped working?" he chuckles as one his hand raises to knock on your forehead, and you swat his hand away. "I'm serious." You look at him with the same expression, not entertaining his jokes or whatsoever.

"You're serious? You kidding me or what? I've been living here f' three years and now you want me to pay rent? How am I supposed to take you seriously doll?" He mused, a lousy smirk on his face. He imitated your posture, standing with his arms crossed as he towered over you. "Don't go all strict on me now princess, y'know I don't have the cash."

Your blood boiled at his nonchalant attitude, giving him a warning glare. "I don't care if you have it or not. Arrange it from somewhere, steal it. I. Don't. Care. I need the cash." You asserted, trying to sound tough and all, doing your best to look intimidating. He looked at you for a minute, before bursting out into laughter. "Oh! Are you trying to be t-tough?" He barked between chuckles, clutching his stomach in over exaggeration. "It's not working princess you look adorable rather than intimidating" He tries to contain his laughter, pinching your cheeks as you started to get more and more frustrated.

He made fun of you for about another five minutes before you had enough. You slapped his hand away, walking towards his make-shift closet (which was supposed to be storage for your extra essentials, but whatever) and throwing out his stuff in a fit of rage. You were fully aware that you were acting like a child, but it brought some inner satisfaction to you, as you furiously threw out his clothes.

Toji raises an eyebrow, watching you toss his stuff out of the drawer, which he had organised just yesterday. If he was being honest, he was kinda pissed. "What the hell're you doing?" I ignored the slight annoyance in his tone, throwing everything I found that was his in the first bag I saw, "kicking you out myself."

"Woah, woah! Hold up! Slow your roll! What the hell is your problem, princess?! Can you stop being a pain in my ass for one second?" Toji says in his usual unbothered tone. He can't help but chuckle at you.

"Do you ever take anything seriously?!" You yell at him, already frustrated about financials on top of his annoying ability to not take anything seriously. Toji looks at you with a raised eyebrow. He can’t help but laugh at you, which infuriates you even more. "You sound like a grumpy old grandma. You sure you aren't a Zenin after all?" You continue to look at him with a distasteful expression, "Oh, calm down. I'm not gonna bite. Besides, where am I gonna go?"

"That's your problem to figure out" You glare daggers at him, way too pissed at him to have a normal conversation. “What if I don't figure it out?” Toji asks mockingly, throwing his hands up. “Where's your pity now, princess?”

“Oh, who am I kidding? You've got no pity for me at all. I get it, really. But hey, if you got rid of me, you'd miss getting yelled at.

“oh please” you roll your eyes and try to calm yourself, before huffing, “just- can you arrange some money for the month, I'm switching jobs next month so it won't be a problem.” You couldn't understand why you said that, after all you came in fully prepared to kick his sorry ass out.

Toji thinks carefully, “Hmmmm...”

“I'll figure it out,” he finally says. "But you owe me one, alright?"

The two of you have your little agreements and arrangements. You hate that you're not so mad anymore, that you're actually starting to enjoy this banter, that his stupid, handsome face is making you laugh...

Damn it.

“Hey, come here!”

“I have work to do, just get the money okay?” You whisper, apologizing slightly for making a mess of his clothes and all, rubbing your forehead.

“You've always got work to do,” Toji says, walking over and grabbing your arm to get you to stop cleaning. “But do me a favor and look at me, would ya?”

Toji can't help but flash you his charming smile. “Do you always put yourself first?”

“You're kinda cute when you're mad ya know?" he chuckles with that annoying smirk of his. "what the-” Now it was your turn to look at him confused, not used to such affectionate words from him “are you drunk?”

“I wish,” Toji sighs with a small chuckle. “But no, really, you're cute. And you're acting tough, but I know you don't want to kick me out. Hell, you'll miss me.”

Toji pauses for a moment and looks at you with those same warm, green eyes. “Why do you think I chose to come here when I could've gone anywhere else? What do you think I'm coming here for?”

“Because you have nowhere else to go, loser” You roll your eyes once more. You were still kinda pissed at him, but it was hard to stay mad when he looked at you with those warm green eyes which somehow always managed to calm you down. “Nowhere else to go, sure, but you know what else?” Toji says, taking a step closer to you.

"I could stay with my cousin, or a whole bunch of other people, but I decided to come here. Because being with you means more to me.” His hands cup your chin.

"Besides, if you get rid of me, you'd come crawling back to me crying your ass off and begging me to come back, right?" He grins. "Would suck to miss out on this... view.” He points at himself with a shit eating grin, and at the back of your mind, you can't deny his words. *"oh shut up Toji" You can't help but chuckle at his words. He truly was something else, and you enjoyed every minute of it.

"You know, you're still looking away," Toji says in a cooing tone, he smirks, taking your chin in his hand and tilts your head back to look into his smiling face. "It's alright. I'm used to ignoring all the attention I get.”

"Besides, I've always wanted to know one thing." He smirks at you, eyes glistening. “What would happen if I kissed you?”

Your words get stuck in your throat when you hear him say that. To say that you've never fantasized about his lips on yours, and much, much more, you'd be lying to yourself. You'd be lying to yourself if you didn't get jealous when he brought home all those women, hearing them moan out his name wishing it was who was doing that. But you refused to admit any of it out loud. You had always thought you weren't his type, the girls he brought home were the stark opposite of you, and you couldn't tell anything to him, thinking it'd ruin your friendship. Well, maybe you were wrong.

Toji stares at you for a moment, waiting for an answer. The sound of your breath fills the room in your silent moment, his eyes taking everything in. Then, his lips meet yours in an instant.

They're soft. So gentle. Almost chaste—almost. He pushes you back against the wall, pressing his body against yours as he slowly runs his fingers through your hair. The feel of your fingertips against his skin, and more importantly, the taste of it, is enough to make your knees want to buckle.

Toji takes it slow, his hands wandering, brushing against your neck and shoulders. He leans his body against yours, keeping his lips locked with yours. Each kiss makes you want more, your body heating up quickly. He pulls away after what feels like an eternity, and looks you in the eyes, your fingers still interwoven with his, your eyes still glazed with lust.

"You feel it right? The way I fit against you? Just like I'm supposed to." His voice is low and husky, making you lose your breath.

If someone held Toji at gunpoint and asked him to name everyone he cares about, the only name that would pop up in his head would be yours. In all honesty, Toji could've gone anywhere else when he had gotten evicted three years back, yet he opted to come at your doorsteps, which was far away from where he had worked. He wanted you. He'd always wanted you. He'd be lying if he said he didn't have a boyish crush on you ever since he'd known you. The way your hair was always tied in a bun, despite their fluctuating length, how you nibbled on your pen or whatever was in your hand when you concentrated on something, and oh- how perfectly yours tits sat on your arms whenever you crossed them.

His imagination ran wild whenever he saw you in those tiny, flimsy tank tops, which could barely contain your tits, and whenever you opted to not wear a bra, the way your tits bounced with every move you made, how the thin material displayed the imprint of your nipples. He'd often wondered whether you did it on purpose, wondered if you enjoyed him trying to hide the massive tent in his pants, and now it was all in front of him, you were in front of him and everything for him to devour.

Your eyes stayed on his own while his hand traveled underneath your sweatshirt, grazing softly at the skin of your stomach. His touch was cold against your warm skin, as his skilled fingers carefully made it up their way to the clasp of your bra, snapping it open within a second. His hands found the hem of your sweatshirt, ripping it off along with your bra, the cold air hitting your skin, hardening your nipples. Toji sucked in a breath, before latching his mouth onto one of your nipples, licking it and biting it while his hand massaged your other breast, causing you to let out a moan.

"Fuck-" Toji hissed, the erection in his pants growing harder and harder, straining against his sweatpants painfully. He lifted you up in a single arm, mouth latched around your nipple as he made his way over to your room, throwing you on the bed. His hands quickly tugged under the waistband of your shorts, taking them off. The sight in front of him made his mouth water, you weren't wearing any panties.

"tch, tch, look at that. You were trying to kick me out without any panties on? What a slut" He chuckled darkly, slipping his hand between your thighs to push them apart. You pleaded him, "please-" he started kissing up your inner thigh, moving painfully slow. "Please what doll?" The vibration of his words shot straight to your core, a whimper escaping your lips. "Please, please fuck me" You whined, which earned you a slap to your thigh, which only made you wetter.

After what felt like a thousand hours, his mouth was so close to where you wanted it. He took a deep breath, marveling at the sight of your pretty little cunt, all dripping and wet for him. Two of his fingers dragged against your folds, collecting the slick, sucking onto his own fingers. You almost came then and there at the sight, throwing your head back. Without a warning, his mouth latched onto your clit, ripping out a moan from the back of your throat. It had been so long you had fucked now, which made you even more sensitive.

"Fuck- so wet for me yeah?" he whispered against your pussy as you nodded your head, to which he smiled, continuing to pleasure your sensitive bud. Carefully, he put two of his skilled fingers inside you, making the feeling all too intense. "F-fuck!" You moaned at the pleasure as he worked hia fingers in your cunt, all while stroking your clit with his fingers.

The familiar sensation started to build up in the bottom of your stomach, as the noises you let out became more lewd. You were probably going to get noise complaints, but you couldn't care, not even one percent. You moaned out his name, "I'm about to cum!" That only encouraged him to work faster, and as you were about to reach your orgasm, he pulled back. Your eyes snapped shut as you looked at him, your pussy clenching around nothing. "Why did you-" A pout forms on your lips. He simply chuckles, wiping your juices from his lips and god- was the sight delightful. He crawled in between your legs, using his hand to pinch your cheeks open, spitting a mix of your juices and his saliva in your mouth. He taps your tongue with his finger, ordering you to swallow.

"Can't let you have all the fun now can I?" He chuckled, removing his worn down white wife-beater, working to open the knot that tied his sweatpants, pulling them down with his boxers. Your eyes blew out of your head at the sight of his cock, the tip angry red leaking with some pre-cum, and it was your turn to marvel at the sight. He was bigger than anyone you had taken, both in size and width and it only made you think one thing. how the hell would it fit??

"Like the view huh doll?" He smirked, his tone cocky as usual. He made his way on top of you, easily flipping you over so your ass was up in the air, to which he landed a harsh smack, causing you to yelp, while he kneaded the area. His hands found their way to your hair, tangling in between the strands as he aligned the tip of his cock with your entrance, slowly pushing in, erupting a moan from the both of you.

"a-ah! too big, 's too big" Your whines filled the room, "Shh, relax doll, relax. you're doing soo good" He cooed into your ear, slowly pushing in further. He was an impatient man, and this was by far the most patient he had been while fucking, only because it was you, and you had a special place in his heart. He wanted to savour every moment, he wanted your walls to remember every curve, every vein of his cock.

(also because he knew he'd cum in a minute if he bottomed out all at once)

Carefully enough, his entire cock disappeared into your pussy as he gave you time to adjust to him, whispering profanities into your ears, "yeah, c'mon, take it all in, take it all in like a cute little slut" he cooed, moving painfully slow. Once you had adjusted to his length, the hisses of pain turned into moans of pleasure as he kept a firm grip in your hair, moving in and out of your pussy.

"So good and tight for me, fuck you're taking me so well doll" His pace picked up, moving faster and faster with each thrust, working his way into your tight pussy, the curve of his dick hitting all the right places. "F-fuck take it all like a good little slut." He picked up his pace, thrusting harder and harder. Your moans also picked up their pace, getting louder and louder with each of his thrusts.

He flips you over once more, picking up one of your leg to place it over his shoulder, the new position making his thrusts hit harder and harder, perfectly against your sweet, spongy spot. It also gave him the perfect view of your bouncing tits, one of his hands stretching out to fondle one of your breasts, which only increased the pleasure in your bottom stomach.

You clench around him, causing him to grunt "Toji, I'm close- I'm close!" Your hands grip the sheets, "Fuck, gonna come cum all over my cock you slut? Want me to fill you up nice and good with my cum?" That made you clench harder as he chuckled, lightly slapping your tit. "Yeah, yeah you'd want that. Well, cum all over my cock then, c'mon, do it." His hand, which previously played with your tit came down to massage your sensitive clit as you inched closer and closer to your orgasm, and then it hit, the most blissful feeling that you had ever felt in your entire life, and for a moment you could've sworn you saw the pearly gates waiting for you.

"A-Ah!" With another thrust, you were cumming all over his cock, as helps you ride out your high, chasing his own high. "Want me to fill you up?" He asks, pressing his palm over her stomach, your head frantically nodding. "Your mouth doesn't work anymore? I fucked the sense out of your brain? I wasn't even that harsh." He snickered, "And here I thought you never stopped talking." An encouraging slap meets your thigh, as his thrusts get sloppy, he was close.

"Y-Yes, want you to cum in me toji- pleasepleaseplease, want your cum" The words slurred out of your mouth, and that was all he needed before releasing sticky white ropes of cum into your cunt, collapsing on top of you, careful not to crush you under his weight, his cock softening in your pussy, which was still clenching around him.

Toji slipped out of you, his cum leaking out of your cunt, which he pushed back in, bringing the thumb to your lip. You absentmindedly opened your mouth, licking it clean. He smiled at you and patted your head, laying down beside you.

"Still gonna kick me out doll?"

[thoughtfulchaos773]

Carmy the Artist

I was up this morning reading more on this vibrant collaboration book. It's a very specific thing, Richie says. So i'm offering a positive perspective. Consider this: in the first teaser, Carmy arrives early, has a notebook, unravels knives, looks into the distance, and then at the screen.

In the second teaser, Carmy has a cigarette in his mouth and puts his foot on the chair. I don't think he kicks it; I think his foot lingers and plays with it, as if once again he's in his head, thinking. The two shots above remind me of an artist being thoughtful, ready to work, ready to brainstorm.

As I've written previously, Richie mentions "Vibrant Collaboration," and this could be from the book by Heinz Robert that delves into unconscious attraction and deep eros in the workplace. Here are some quotes that inspired the book Vibrant Collaboration.

Here's some quotes from Ayo and Jeremy about Sydney and Carmy.

Passion and intimacy, Sydney delivers something different...

Here's my guess, Carmy will have cold feelings for everyone except Sydney. With Sydney, it will invoke a certain feeling that we've seen since season 1, and that's passion. It's a passion for each other and its unconscious consequences for the rest of the team, as the book explains.

The teaser could be misleading. Sydney isn't in the trailer because with her, the scenes are different. I think that even showing the two of them together could reveal spoilers.

Because we can't know they're going to spend a lot of time together, creating a menu and Carmy thinking of her, and doing things for her.

Get ready for a deeper look into Carmy's intimacy and honesty, as well as the things that hold him back. Last season, we discovered why he struggles to truly connect with Sydney (i.e. he holds back and delays, fixing himself(the fridge), as well as self-hatred, but that's a different meta). in the season finale, he vows to never be absent from the restaurant or, in other words, from Sydney.

There's going to be different explorations for what love is, what passion is and how it can lead carmy to his true purpose.

They've already co-created The Bear, and now they have to co-create the menu. They may be so deeply involved in each other that Carmy can't worry about anyone else but Sydney. The show mentions inspiration, and I've written along with a few others about Sydney being his muse. He's going to need to figure her out in order to create that perfect dish.

See, the psycho Carmy that he talks about no longer exists. It's a different kind of Carmy. Psycho Carmy existed and was driven by being hurt by Mikey as he disappeared into work. But this time, he dives into work because he believes he hurt Sydney. He wasn't there for her. This drive, this life force behind being 'focused' Carmy, is from deep feelings of love this time around.

And this love that he can't feel for himself, love that exists only when he thinks of Sydney will be explored.

[sydsaint]

Ilja Dragunov supremacy <3

Summary: The reader starts to have doubts about staying with Imperium after the incident with Giovanni and Gunther's change in demeanor after losing the Intercontinental championship. Luckily for her, Ilja, who's an old friend, is starting fresh on Raw.

The SUV has barely pulled into the arena for RAW and you are already tired of being there. Ludwig is busy on the phone talking with his girlfriend Tiffany. And Gunther never bothers to talk much with any of you before the show. Ever since Giovanni got kicked out of Imperium and moved to Smackdown you've been feeling more and more left out.

Ludwig finally hangs up the phone and acknowledges you for the first time since the group left the hotel.

"YN, what's with the face?" Ludwig asks you.

"What face?" You reply blankly and pull your bag higher up on your shoulder.

Ludwig shrugs and grabs his bag from the back of the car. "You look like something is bothering you." He explains. "Come on. You think I haven't noticed you moping around these past few weeks?" He adds and falls into step with you.

"Gunther hasn't seemed to notice anything wrong." You scoff, staring ahead at your leader striding through the hallway. "So maybe you're just being paranoid, Ludwig." You joke with him.

"Yeah, okay." Kaiser drops the subject for the time being.

The three of you head down to the Imperium locker room and get ready for the show. Gunther has a match scheduled for later against Otis, but you and Kaiser aren't scheduled for anything. That doesn't mean Gunther won't want the two of you out there with him though.

You drop your bags off at the locker room and decide to grab a bite to eat from catering since you aren't wrestling.

"I'll be back in a bit, guys. Gonna go grab a bite to eat." You announce your plans to the room as you head for the door.

"Don't be long," Gunther warns you. "I want you and Kaiser both out with me in case Gable and Maxxine are with Otis." He explains.

You nod and pull the door open. "Will do, boss." You muse playfully and head out.

You make your way down to catering and peruse the selection of food and drinks set out for everyone. You decide on a snack wrap and a bottle of water before settling down in an empty seat to scarf down your meal.

You are in the middle of eating and scrolling through your phone when someone approaches your table.

"YN LN?" A male voice catches your attention.

You peek over your phone, still chewing a bite of food, and nearly choke on said food when you see who's standing in front of you.

"Ilja?" You choke back your food and swallow hard. "Hey! How are you?" You ask and gesture for him to take a seat.

Ilja sits down across from you and you take a moment to observe him. It's been over a year since you've seen Dragunov. Not since your NXT UK days. He looks slightly older of course, but there's still that same fire in his eyes. He's dressed in a nicely tailored suit, like usual.

"I'm great, thank you." Ilja smiles at you. "Tonight is my first night here on Raw." He explains.

"Right." You nod. "Pearce snagged you from NXT." You recall Ilja's name being called last week during the draft. "Well, welcome to Raw, Ilja. I'm sure that you'll thrive here." You match his friendly smile.

Ilja nods in thanks. You feel your phone buzz in your pocket, probably Ludwig warning you to get back to the locker room. But you chose to ignore it. At least for a minute.

"And how have you been, YN, my dear?" Ilja asks you right back. "I heard that Giovanni recently left Imperium?" He asks you.

"Left, yeah." You scoff. "You could say that I guess." You shrug. "I've been good, Ilja. Thanks for asking." You assure him.

You and Ilja chat for a bit until your phone buzzes again. You begrudgingly take out your phone and check your messages. Ludwig has been blowing up your phone, warning you to get back to the locker room.

"Something wrong?" Ilja notices the annoyed look on your face.

"No, just work." You sigh. "It was wonderful to see you again, Ilja. But I've got to get back to work." You stand up from your seat.

Ilja does the same and walks around the table to you. He holds his arms out for a hug and you gladly accept.

"Of course. I won't keep you." Ilja pulls you into him for a hug. "It was a pleasure seeing you again, YN. I hope we can talk again soon." He adds as he lets you go.

"I'd like that." You nod. "I'll see you around, Ilja." You flash him one more smile before you hurry back to the locker room.

You hurry back to the locker room and manage to make it back just in time. Gunther and Ludwig are waiting for you when you arrive.

"YN. There you are." Gunther stares at you once you're through the door.

"I'm cutting it close, I know." You reply. "I'm sorry. I ran into an old friend down in catering and lost track of time." You explain.

Now that you're back with the group, everyone files out to the ring for Gunther's match with Otis. Ludwig falls into step with you behind Gunther, and he's got questions.

"Who'd you see in catering that was so important?" Ludwig asks you.

"Ilja." You reply, a smile creeping up on your face. "I ran into Ilja."

Ludwig's pace falters a bit at the mention of Dragunov's name. "Right. I forgot he was drafted to Raw." He suddenly recalls the draft. "What did the two of you talk about?" He asks you.

"We were just catching up." You shrug. "Ilja and I used to be friends. Remember?"

Ludwig nods. You did use to be friends with Ilja. The two of you started in NXT UK at the same time. You got scouted by Gunther to be a member of Imperium almost immediately. But Ilja remained his enemy. Despite the differences in factions, you and Ilja always remained civil. But the two of you lost touch when Imperium left NXT UK before him.

"Gunther isn't going to like talking to Dragunov," Ludwig warns you.

"I don't really care." You admit. "I'm a grown woman, Kaiser. I can talk to whomever I please." You huff, gaze fixed on Gunther walking ahead of you.

Kaiser nods and drops the subject. Everyone files out to the ring and Gunther has his match against Otis. You and Kaiser help keep Maxxine and Gable at bay for him. But otherwise, you are stuck on the sidelines for the majority of the match.

After Gunther beats Otis he decides to do a bit of showboating. He obtains a microphone and stands in the middle of the ring to address the crowd. You stand off to the side of the ring with Ludwig and roll your eyes at Gunther's ego rearing its ugly head.

"This again?" You sigh and turn toward Kaiser.

"Shh." Kaiser hushes you sharply. "Don't let him hear you. It'll only cause problems." He whispers to you.

You roll your eyes again but stop talking for the moment. Gunther finishes his speech and everyone heads back to the locker room. Kaiser once again falls into to step with you behind Gunther. And he's got more opinions to share with you.

"YN, are you going to tell me what's bothering you?" Kaiser asks you. "And don't tell me it's nothing again. I'm not an idiot." He insists.

"This doesn't bother you?" You gesture to Gunther walking ahead of you. "This new attitude from him?" You ask Kaiser. "He's always been tough, sure. But this? The speeches? What he did to Giovanni? None of that bothers you?"

Kaiser shrugs and glances forward at Gunther as well. "Gio was losing his edge. It was messed up, yeah. But it had to be done." He insists.

"I guess." You blink a few times, unnerved by Kaiser's lack of empathy for attacking his former best friend.

Everyone makes it back to the locker room area and are headed for the Imperium locker room. When you turn the corner Ilja is there loitering in the hallway.

"Ilja!" You greet him first.

You step forward and past Gunther who is now staring a hole into Dragunov.

"Hello again, YN." Ilja greets you. "Gunther, Ludwig." He nods to your companions. "I don't want any trouble friends. I just came to talk to, YN."

You walk over to Ilja and set a hand on his arm. You glance back at your comrades before leading Ilja away from them. The two of you step into a less-populated part of the backstage area so you can talk.

"Ilja, what's going on?" You confront Dragunov. "I didn't think you'd want to talk again so soon. It's only been like an hour or so." You add.

"Yes, I apologize for the intrusion." Ilja replies. "But I watched you out in the ring with Gunther and Ludwig." He explains. "And forgive me if this sounds a bit odd and uncalled-for, but I couldn't help but notice how uncomfortable you looked out there. So I wanted to check up on you."

You wear a look of slight surprise upon hearing Ilja's confession. "That's sweet of you to be concerned about me, Ilja." You fidget with your hands, the incident reminding you of back when the two of you used to be friends. "I'm alright, though. Really." You assure him, despite the fact that Gunther and Ludwig are obviously on your nerves.

Ilja nods, glad to hear that you seem to be alright. His worries are about to be put to rest when Ludwig steps into the room looking for you.

"YN? Hey, Gunther's worried about you." Kaiser makes a b-line for you, not giving Ilja a second thought.

"What? Worried about me? Why?" You turn around to talk with Kaiser.

Kaiser makes it over to your side and you don't notice that he puts himself between you and Ilja subtly.

"You're out here being all shady and disappearing with him." Kaiser looks at Ilja pointedly. "The fact that you trust him astounds me. And Gunther as well." He adds.

"Disappearing with him?" You scoff. "We're having a friendly conversation, Ludwig." You scold him.

Ludwig huffs and shakes his head. "YN, come on. Have some sense. Are you trying to end up like Giovanni?" He asks you.

That's the last straw for you. "Excuse me?" You raise your voice at Ludwig, which catches Ilja's attention. "You know what? I'd be happy to end up like Giovanni if it means I get away from you and Gunther's pretentious bullshit!" You step away from him.

Ilja steps up next to you, ready to defend you if needed.

"YN." Ludwig reaches a hand out to touch you.

"Don't." You swat his hand away. "I am done with this, Ludwig. I'm doen with you. And I'm done with Gunther." You insist. "I just can't do it anymore."

Ludwig tries to reach out again but is met by Ilja grabbing him with a firm grip. "I believe it is time for you to leave, friend." He warns Kaiser.

"Fine." Kaiser rips his hand away from Ilja's grip. "I'll set your bag out in the hall for you." He scoffs before storming off.

You watch Ludwig walk off in a rage. A part of you feels bad. He's been your friend for a long time. You're even getting close to his girlfriend, Tiffany as of late. But you simply can't do it anymore.

"Are you alright?" Ilja checks on you once Ludwig is out of sight.

"Yeah, Ilja. I'm okay." You nod. "Actually okay, this time." You muse. "I don't suppose that you're looking for a new compantion to join you on Raw?" You ask him.

Ilja cracks a small smile and nods. "I'd love to have you at my side, YN." He leans down for a hug. "Come on. I'll come with you to retreive your things."

"Thanks, Ilja." You nod and thank him for his support.

All this time has gone by since you've had the pleasure of being aqauinted with the one and only mad dragon. And yet he's still the same man you once knew. A fiercy loyal, good man.

[jakes3resin]

Ran My Fingers Through Your Hair

Curls Fic is finally finished, @getinthefuckingjaeger here you go, the finished thing. I'm going to go lay down and wail now.

John's curls are a mess.

Well, technically everyone's hair is a mess right now. Buck can't even imagine what his own hair looks like at the moment, but Buck can only focus on John, has only been focused on John since the man walked in looking like he'd been kicked to hell and back nearly a week ago.

It's just... John's curls are tangled. They're dirty, and Buck isn't completely sure they actually managed to wash out all of the blood. He'd been too focused on keeping John alive back then. He still is, but now with John's fever finally breaking, Buck can focus on other important things.

Like John's curls.

They're the prettiest shade of chestnut that Buck's ever seen. Never seen anything half as pretty. John says his hair's just brown, maybe a coffee brown if he's feeling poetic, but he doesn't know what Buck's talking about when he says they shine in the sun. There are pretty hazel and auburn undertones that you can see when Bucky stands just right in the sun if you look, and Buck always looks.

That pretty chestnut is hidden now. No hazel or auburn in sight. Buried even. Under dirt, blood, and grease like Buck's never seen. John's hair is a mess.

And don't get him started on John's curls. Buck can barely bring himself to see them as they are now. They're usually movie star pretty without John even trying. Buck had heard more than one girl lamenting how such pretty curls ended up with John, who doesn't grow them out or spend too much time on'em. He doesn't need to, Buck muses as he reaches out for one such curl. They just spring to life, beautiful and perfect. John grumbles more often than not that they're annoying under his crusher cap, how they're always falling in his eyes if he doesn't gel them back. So why can't he cut them off, Buck always gets asked, big blue eyes staring up at him with light and laughter.

Because I love them, Buck always answers. And that's that. John always let's Buck have his way and keeps his beautiful curls even when he moans and groans about them. He doesn't mind them too much really, just complains so that Buck turns to stare at him. He loves it. He let's Buck pet them and preens when Buck helps style them.

Buck's curls are limp now, weighed down and unwashed.

It's silly to be so hung up about the state of John's curls, this Buck knows. But, there's something in him that needs to see those curls healthy and full of life. A clawing, desperate thing that refuses to budge out of his chest whenever he looks down and see dark, dark blood and dirt burying those precious curls.

Where did it all come from? Buck brushes more dirt off. Why won't it just go away? Why is it there? What happened to John to cover him like this?

"Buck," Brady's voice cuts through Buck's thoughts, and he stares up at the other. He clears his head, tries to show Brady that everything's fine, that Bucky's on the mend.

Brady looks worried. Buck understands. Even though John's fever had finally broken late last night, they're not out of the woods yet. There's still the concussion to worry about, the barely healing wounds on his face and body, not to mention the general peril of living here in this camp that could end up killing John. Worrying about all of that is exhausting, and Buck hopes the boys can at least take some hope and solace that John's doing a bit better today. Some hope would be good for them.

"I brought dinner." Brady lifts his hands, showing off the bowls full of what passes for food round here. Buck presses his lips together, trying to calculate just what he'd have to bargain to get John something healthier. "How about I help him eat? Give you some rest."

Rest? Buck turns back to stare at John. He's still sleeping thankfully, but can Buck afford to rest right now? There's so much to do still. He can't leave John.

"I'm fine Brady."

Buck doesn't turn to look at the other man, but he hears him sigh and turn away. Plates clang together, and Buck just lets that noise fade away to check on John again.

He's still sleeping. Doc says it's good that he's sleeping, that it means his fever and concussion are healing. Buck hasn't seen those pretty blue eyes in so long, but he tells himself that it's okay. That rare fevered glimpses will be enough if it means John's here, that he's healing like he should be.

Buck doesn't think about those first few awful days. John collapsing into his arms. Brushing dirt off only to find dried blood and deep wounds. His temperature rising and rising without end. Of John's screams as the fever dragged up memories Buck couldn't understand. How John had stared through him, treating him like a ghost.

Perhaps Buck is a ghost. Perhaps he...

"Major, please."

Buck jumps when he feels a hand come down onto his shoulder. He whirls around, placing himself between John and whoever dared get this close.

"Brady," Buck breathed out once he recognized the other man. Brady stares at him, face pale.

"Please, I'll wake him up and help him eat. You can sit right there and eat too."

"I'm fine," Buck brushes the other off. Brady clenches his jaw and steps closer. Buck reaches down to bury a delicate hand in John's curls. Despite the grime, they ground him, keep him in the moment.

"Sir," Brady's eyes dart from John to Buck and back. "I'd like to help. He wouldn't want you working yourself to the bone like this. He needs you Buck, and if you collapse because you wouldn't rest, I'm not sure the boys and I could take care of both of you."

Buck presses his lips into a fine line. His fingernails scratch at John's scalp. John stirs.

Brady turns back towards the table. Buck looks down at John. His eyelashes flutter, but sleep still seems to have him in its grasp.

"We could wash his hair after we eat."

Buck whips back up to look at Brady. Brady meets his gaze evenly. His fingers curl up, strands of hair caught in their grasp. John shifts under him. He breathes out, forcing himself to calm down.

"It's not right leaving his hair like that. Doc said we could try washing it once his fever broke, right? I'm sure Bucky would love to wake up to clean hair."

Buck stares at him. He slowly extracts his hand from John's curls. John murmurs something just as Buck takes one stumbling step away, but Brady rushes in before Buck can move back. He smiles at Buck, but it's not as calming as it should be

"I'll be over here then." The words taste bitter.

Buck gestures to the table. Brady seems to deflate ever so slightly, but Buck can understand that. Watching over John can't be good for the men. John's usually so full of energy, and watching him sleep and sleep and sleep has to be taking it out on the others. Buck should say something.

"Boys," Buck greets as he drags out a chair next to Benny who greets him with a quick nod. Benny gives him room, but his presence is grounding as Buck sits. The others stare back over their plates. "Mind if I join you?"

"Course not Buck," Murph slurps up his broth.

"Take a seat."

"Thanks."

Buck barely tastes the food, which on any other day he'd be glad for. The Ritz this was not, but the longer he sits, the more he wishes to go. He can hear John’s voice murmuring something, but it quickly stops. The boys all talk, discussing what's happened that day, guard rotations, and any news they've heard from the new arrivals. Important things, but Buck can’t focus on them. Their voices fade into a dull drone falling into his ears. Buck takes it in and tries not to turn around.

He stares down at his hands and tries not to flinch when he sees how dirty they are. Dirt, John had said something about shovels. Why shovels?

"Buck?" Benny nudges him.

"Hmm?" Buck scrapes his spoon against his bowl for lack of anything else to do.

"Crank says there's an extra jug of boiled water if you'd want to wash Bucky's hair."

A jolt runs through him. Buck looks up. Crank stares back, a tentative smile on his face.

"That's mighty kind of you," Buck drawls. "Thanks."

"I'll go grab it." Crank rushes towards the window.

"How's ole Sleeping Beauty over there anyway Brady?" Benny calls out. Buck clutches at his spoon.

"Sends him compliments to the chef. What do you think he's doing, Benny?" Brady calls back, a sarcastic bite to his voice that sends the others laughing.

"Just asking Johnny," Benny's leg presses against Buck's, and he tries to smile as everyone seems to take this as a cue to settle down.

Crank comes back with the water, sets it down right in front of Buck with a satisfying thud.

“Should be enough in there to get him up to grooming standards, right?” Crank laughs as he says it.

Buck’s stomach rolls. His meager dinner barely settled before it turns over. He says something, he’s really not sure, but the boys all laugh and turn back to the last of their food. Buck turns his head and catches Brady tucking a curl behind John’s ear. Its the one that likes to hang right in John's eyes. It flopped back nearly a second later, stubbornly refusing stay.

Brady looks over and sees him watching. He smiles, but Buck can see how tired the other man is, dark shadows under his eyes. None of this was easy for them. John was a pillar for every man here, had been since the war began, and watching him struggle like this couldn’t have been easy.

Buck excuses himself from the table, unable to bear it any longer. His exit is quietly accepted as the boys start to gather up plates. Crank takes his and exchanges it for the jug.

Normally, Buck would protest, but the water plays some kind of siren song on him. The idea of cleaning John’s hair is too tempting. He’ll have to get Crank back for it another day.

“How’s he doing?” Buck sets the jug down next to John’s bunk. Brady’s hands quickly gather up their dishes. John doesn’t stir.

“Ate most of the broth, hates turnips though,” Brady gnaws at his lip. “Wasn’t fully lucid, but he recognized me which is something right?”

“Sure, it is,” Buck pats him on the shoulder. “Doc said that it’s a good sign if he comes around like that remember?”

“Right Buck,” Brady holds up the plates. “I’ll take these, and then we can wash his hair. Wait for me?”

“Sure,” Buck says. The lie falls off his tongue without any remorse.

John’s hair… It doesn’t feel right letting someone else wash his hair. Not when he’s like this and doesn’t know who it is. Brady disappears from view, and Buck grabs a rag from his own bed. Its not much, but it’ll do for now. He dips it down into the water, he really was going to have to thank Crank. Buck hadn’t even thought to save some water.

Buck turns and looks at John. His curls lay limp against his pillow, gnarled and greasy. There’s dirt and blood streaked across the pillow. Buck desperately misses John’s shampoo. Some dame had recommended it to him once, and it worked wonders on his curls. Left them soft and springy when John didn’t style them.

Buck runs the rag gently across his head, careful not to tug on any of the curls. It comes away spotted with dirt, and it kills him that he has no idea where it came from. None of them were this bad when they came to camp. Just John. Just John with his dirt and blood.

“You said you’d wait Buck,” Brady sighs from behind him, and Buck can’t find it within himself to feel guilty. “Fine, I brought a bowl. We should be able to soak most of the blood out.”

Brady helps him maneuver the bowl under John’s head. Buck tosses the pillow aside, a vindictive pleasure running through him at sending the dirty thing flying. John flinches when they pour the water over his hair, but Buck is quick to calm him.

“Stop,” John grunts, restless. Brady freezes next to him, but Buck just pets at his curls. More blood blooms bright red in the water.

“Just me, Bucky, just me.” Buck whispers even as John clutches at his blanket. He mumbles his name, and Buck smiles. “Don’t worry, just washing out your curls for ya.”

Brady stays silent but tense next to him until John settles. Buck reaches over for one of the aid kits they’d kept at the foot of John’s bed since his arrival. There’s not much left having been picked clean while John’s fever raged, but there’s some soap that had been left alone thankfully. Buck had bartered for it before John’s arrival, and hopefully it’d do the trick here.

“Its not shampoo, but we’ll make do right John?” Buck runs a hand over John’s curls. Brady jolts next to him, and Buck spares him a glance. Right, he’d forgotten that his John wasn’t the only one here. “Run the suds back and forth over the curls. Don’t tug on’em, alright?”

John’s curls still feel stiff in his hands as he washes them. The blood had clumped and matted the hair on the back of his hair together, but letting it sit in the water seemed to be the trick. The water turns a deep murky brown, but a weight lifts off Buck’s shoulders the more he washes away.

“Hand me that comb.” Buck points, and Brady jumps to follow.

Brushing through the wet curls calms him. He’s done it hundreds of times. John pliant under his hands as he works. All that’s missing is John’s running commentary. Buck carefully works around the cuts on John’s head. They’d spot cleaned them to the best of their ability days ago, and Buck wasn’t going to risk reopening the wounds now. Doc could take a look in the morning if John felt up to it.

Wounds like these don’t just appear on a person’s head. One cut, Buck could chalk up to maybe the bail out hadn’t gone smoothly, but there were three cuts on John’s head all of them crisscrossing. Something has to happen to cause these. Someone has to be responsible for this. John had said something about German towns, calling out for guards to stop something. The pieces weren’t connecting.

There’s no towel to dry out John’s hair, but Buck grabs his spare shirt. He’ll be fine. Brady disappears with the bowl and jug.

“Buck?” John’s voice breaks through his concentration. His voice sounds lucid this time, and Buck scratches his nails through the now clean curls. John hisses at the sensation. “That you?”

“Got it in one.” Buck can’t hide the relief in his voice. “How you feeling?”

“Like shit.” John grunts. Buck can’t help the laugh that bursts out of him at that. God he’d missed that voice. It hadn’t been the same during those fevered days. John hadn’t… John hadn’t been there, not really.

Buck puts away his now sodden shirt and comes round to face John. Clear blue eyes greet him, and he can’t help the smile that fights to appear.

“Tell me I look better than you do?” John’s eyes trail over Buck’s face, and Buck drinks him in.

“Never,” Buck grins. John laughs and then groans as pain no doubt spikes through his head. Buck rushes forward cursing himself. He grabs his pillow off his own bed and gently lifts John’s head to place it underneath. “How’s that feel?”

“I’d say better, but this is worse than any hangover I’ve ever had.” John murmurs, eyes pinched tight. “How long have I been asleep?”

“In and out for about a week,” Buck shifts putting himself between the light and John’s eyes. The soft sigh of relief from John tells him everything he needs to know. “What do you remember?”

“Germans,” John shuts his eyes trying to concentrate. Buck cups his cheek, and John practically melts into the touch. His cheeks feel too warm against Buck’s cold hands, but its not high enough to be a fever. “Brits actually hit something.”

“What?” Buck’s heart leaps into his throat. Had John been in a bombing? The question bursts out of him before he can stop it. A dish clatters behind them, the sound as loud as a bomb in Buck's ears. A bombing could make sense. That would explain the head wounds.

“No,” John murmurs, eyes shut as if the memories are hurting him. “Sorry, that wasn’t it. After. Was there after. Germans were there. So much pain.”

“John,” Buck tried to soothe him. “Its okay. You’re not there anymore. You’re okay.”

“Terroflieger, that’s what they called us.” The German falls clumsily off John’s tongue. His breathing speeds up. His hands twist in his blanket. “The guards didn’t stop them. Shot the others”

“Stop John,” Buck begs. He doesn’t want to know this. “Just breathe, okay? Breathe for me.”

“They asked about you,” John stares up at Buck. His eyes are wild, and Buck’s not sure John’s even actually seeing him. He’s a ghost again for John. “Asshole seemed smug about it. Shooting down all the good pilots.”

Buck didn’t know what to say. He pulls John into his arms, allowing the other to bury his face into his shoulder. He murmurs quiet platitudes as John shakes. He wishes he could stop those memories from hurting John. Wishes he could wash them away like dirt and blood and dirty curls.

But all he can do is bury his hand into wet curls and curl himself around the one person he has to protect. His fingers tug and pull at the curls, destroying all of Buck’s hard work as John shakes in his arms still talking. Still listing horrors that Buck can't piece together. Voices fade in and out behind them.

“Its okay,” Buck murmurs, pressing a kiss into John’s curls. They’re a mess again.

“We’ll be okay.”

[starwarsmum]

And we're going into the final ten days of Maribat BioFamily September! The prompt from @maribat-calendar-events today is Meet My Partner

Marinette was excited for the gala. It was her official introduction to Gotham society and she was ready to mingle. Telling the rest of the Wayne family about dating Damian had gone better than she could have expected, and she was optimistic about the gala.

As soon as she was dressed, she skipped her way along the hall to Damian's room. She knocked lightly and he opened the door almost instantly. She gave him a once over, marveling at how well the suit fit him. She forced herself to be critical for a moment, checking the fit against his shoulders and around his waist.

Damian smirked down at her as she ran a hand firmly along his back and she faltered slightly. She smoothed her hands down his lapels before pulling him down into a kiss. They pulled apart after a few minutes and Marinette felt like she was walking on air as she pulled him along the corridor to meet with the others.

Now that they were officially a couple as far as the others were concerned, she took a lot of pleasure in simply holding his hand, or cuddling with him while watching a movie. The others had accepted it with a lot of grace and now it was time to introduce Damian to the only person who hadn't given his stamp of approval - Adrien.

She had invited him to the gala and he had responded with an enthusiastic yes. She had hardly seen him since defeating Hawkmoth, other than at the trial and she missed him. They had been best friends for so long, and now that she didn't even have the semblance of a crush on him, their camaraderie was easy.

“Alright lovebirds,” Jason said when they finally joined the rest. She rolled her eyes at him but didn't move away from Damian. “Are you ready for tonight? Because it's one thing to find out Tim has a little sister but the minute they sniff out your relationship it'll be a free for all.”

“Surprisingly yes, I'm ready for it,” Marinette said, smiling up at him. “I'm actually just really happy to be going public with it, especially since all of you are cool with it. And it'll be nice to actually wear some of the formal wear I make.”

“With how much Jagged Stone raves about you, I'm surprised he hasn't dragged you to a party like this before now,” Tim mused, pulling at his hair.

“Oh, he tried but he's not exactly discreet? I reckon my identity as MDC would have lasted three minutes total before he blew it. Anyway, it doesn't matter because I'm here for this gala, and we're going to be late if we don't get moving soon.”

“Aw, it's fine Mari,” Dick grinned, pretending that he was going to muss her hair. She slapped his hand down and glared at him with enough ferocity that he held his hands up in surrender. “The party can't kick off properly until we get there, and there's a reason people say ‘fashionably late’.”

After several more minutes they made their way to the cars waiting for them. Marinette was bundled into a car with Damian, Tim, Cass and Dick while everyone else piled into the other.

When it came time to exit the cars at the other end, Marinette felt all of her nerves crash into her at once. She was going to tell the whole world that she was a Drake. And because Tim was adopted by the Waynes, it was going to be huge news.

Stepping out into a crowd of reporters and flashing lights made her flinch, but Damian had a hand on the small of her back and she let the warmth of it strengthen her. He smiled at her encouragingly, a small secret thing and she felt her heart lift. She managed to smile weakly at the crowds, waving a hand to wave before Tim offered her his elbow.

The following hour or so was a blur of meeting people, introducing herself and smiling. She was exhausted by the time she was asked to give a short speech about who she was. And by the time that was over, she was ready to call it a night. 

But the doors opened again and a familiar blond boy stepped into the room. Marinette squealed and rushed over to greet Adrien with Damian trailing slowly after her. They had been inseparable all evening and he didn't seem willing to let her out of his sight. 

“Adrien, I'm so happy to see you!” Marinette cried out as she flung her arms around his middle and squeezed. She only relented when he gave a mock-gasp and gave him a stern look. “Har har, very funny. How are you? How's everything been at home over the summer? Are Amelie and Felix still settling in well? And, mon dieu, who on earth put you in that suit.”

“I'm fine, everything's going well - the gang misses you but they know you're getting to know your brother and his family - Amelie and Felix are the same as ever and I put me in the suit. Given everything my dad put me through, I should be allowed to dress badly if I want.”

“But I'm your best friend! You wouldn't be dressing well for him, you'd be dressing well for me!” Marinette pouted, looking distastefully at the suit Adrien was wearing. “I can't believe you would do this at my own gala.”

“I do not understand,” Damian said, frowning. “He is dressed appropriately; his suit is black, he is wearing a shirt and tie and his shoes are not heinous. Why are you upset with him?”

“Dami, please, I love you, but don't,” Marinette said sternly, continuing to glare at Adrien. The glare got even fiercer when Adrien raised an eyebrow at her. “No, you knew I would hate the suit when you put it on. If you wanted to do a massive middle finger to your dad, why didn't you ask me to design a suit for you?”

“I didn't want to take time away from your new family! But since we're on the subject of clothes, why aren't you matched with your actual brother if you're going to match with Damian here? It gives the wrong message and you should know that.”

“It gives precisely the right message,” Marinette snarked back, slipping her arm into the crook of Damian's elbow. “God, what is it with people thinking I don't know what colour matching means? I live and breathe fashion. If I want to match with my boyfriend, I damn well will.”

“Whoa, hold up, seriously?” Adrien looked stunned, but not unhappy. His eyes moved back and forth between the pair for several seconds before a grin split his face. “Maribug, did you seriously snag your brand new brother's youngest adopted brother as your new beau? Not only that, but the most notoriously difficult to impress teen in Gotham?”

“Oh please, Damian's a sweetheart,” Marinette scoffed. She laughed at Adrien's disbelieving look, snuggling in closer to Damian. “Honestly, you can't believe everything you read in the news, Adrien.”

“Oh yeah? What about the fact that he threatened to stab Chloé when we were thirteen because she dared to greet him with une bise?” Adrien rebutted, face completely deadpan. Marinette blinked at both boys before he continued, “Pretty sure he called her a harlot, too.”

“I mean…” Marinette trailed off, suddenly inspecting her shoes. Adrien let out an exasperated groan and she got defensive. “Oh come on, she was an absolute brat, you know she was horrible to me all the way through collége. I can't fault Damian for being a good judge of character.”

“Mari, that's not being a good judge of character! Ugh, fine, whatever. But as your best friend, I invoke the right to speak with him privately,” he said, motioning his head for Damian to follow him. When nobody moved, he gave another exasperated sigh and looked pointedly at Marinette. “Bugaboo, come on, you know I'm right. Tell him to leave you alone for five minutes so we can talk.”

Sighing and letting go of his arm, Marinette encouraged Damian to follow Adrien to the drinks bar. She smiled at them as they walked away before allowing Adrien to have the privacy he wanted and glancing around the room.

She knew there were more people she had to greet, but she didn't move from her spot. If they wanted to meet her then they were going to have to make their way over to her themselves. Apparently this approach was the right one because a boy around her age broke away from the group he was with and made his way over to her.

“It's so nice to finally meet you!” The tall dark haired boy said, making Marinette squint up at him. He didn't look like the rest of the stuffed-shirt, pompous brats who had approached her so far, looking to rub elbows with her to get in with the Waynes, but she wasn't sure. “I'm Jon, Damian's friend.”

“Jon? Oh! Jonathan Kent, right? I've heard so much about you,” she said warmly, thinking about all the anecdotes that Damian had told her about his best friend. They were often told in a deadpan tone, but Marinette could tell he cared about the other boy. So she was determined to make a good impression on him, so that he wouldn't think she was no good for Damian. “I didn't know you were coming tonight, or I'd have introduced myself sooner.”

“It's no big, I don't think I mentioned to Dames that I was coming, and he never brought it up either. He's been very tight-lipped about Tim's little sister coming to stay with him,” Jon said, giving her a one hundred watt smile. “But because he didn't mention the gala, I wanted to come over when he broke off and introduce myself without him here.”

“Yeah, he's been really sweet, sticking by my side this evening. He knows big crowds make me a little anxious and he's doing his best to keep me calm,” Marinette admitted. “But I'm glad you came over to say hello! Dami said that you've been friends since he was, like, ten?”

“Yeah! Wow, so he actually talks about me?” Jon looked a little starry-eyed and it made Marinette giggle softly. “Sorry, sorry, it's just that he doesn't often admit that we're friends so this feels pretty huge.”

“Tt, I continue to deny any friendship on my part, Kent, particularly when you wait until my back is turned and you decide to insert yourself into my personal business. I was unaware that you were planning to attend this gala.”

Damian and Adrien had returned and Marinette turned and smiled at them both before turning back to Jon. Damian made a point of placing himself between the pair, glaring at his friend mutinously.

“Yeah, well, you've been kind of busy this summer,” Jon said drily. “But dad's here reporting, you really thought I'd miss it? Plus, it beats working on ma and pa Kent's farm for the next couple of days.”

“You're an honest-to-god country boy?” Adrien asked, his face lighting up with enthusiasm. Jon nodded and Adrien grabbed his hand to shake it. “Oh thank god! Not that I haven't enjoyed getting back in touch with everyone I've met in Gotham before but…honestly, it's always tired me out. I'm Adrien, Adrien Agreste.”

“Nice to meet you, Adrien, I'm Jon,” Jon said cheerfully, before his eyes slid back to Marinette. “And I totally get it, galas are filled with some of the absolute worst of Gotham's upper crust. I'm only here because Damian's my best friend and our dads get on.”

“Wow, so you have a friend?” Adrien said, a snarky grin directed at Damian. Jon tensed but Damian merely glared daggers at the blond boy, instead of pulling one of the ones Jon knew had to be hidden on his person somewhere. “At least I won't be third-wheeling all evening then.”

“Third…” Jon's eyes widened and his head whipped around to stare at Damian. “No way. You're telling me that the reason you didn't introduce me to Tim's new sister is because you've been too busy dating her?”

Damian sighed and gave Jon a pointed look. “I knew you would be insufferable the moment you discovered the nature of our relationship. It cannot truly be that shocking that I chose to keep it from you. Besides which, we have only just informed my family of it.”

“Yeah, but I'm your best friend!” Jon said indignantly, pouting. Damian kept a completely straight and unamused face. Eventually Jon made a dramatic sigh and stared off into the distance. “Besides, she's great! It would've been nice to get to know her sooner.”

“Tt, obviously she is wonderful, but I was not prepared to share her attention with you until now.” The tone of his reply was much milder than Jon would have expected, and he hoped that this girl stuck around for Damian because she was clearly a good influence.

[vaguesxrrow]

Heyy! Love your writing! Now that we got bisexual buck, I was hoping you could do buck from 911 x male!Reader, who is a Korean model?? I don't know, maybe they'll meet because of chimney but I will let you decide what you wanna do with it!

hii thanks sm for the request, it's been a while since ive written for 911. and tysm for your patience in getting this done - it's been like 10 days so oopsss 😅

buck / male korean model reader

a/n: background is that reader is friends with chimney and works as a model, but other than that there's nothing else specific

wc: 1335

tags: male reader, korean reader

what happens when you fly from korea to help the 118 shoot photos for the firefighter calendar?

"GUYS!" chim yelled, bursting through the walls of the changing room.

eddie flinched, muttering an exasperated 'mierda' as he picked up the shirt he dropped. ravi shrieked, covering it up with a deep cough. buck, who had been busy tugging on his shoes, fell flat on the ground with a resonant 'thud'.

"seriously, chim?" he said, rubbing his hip.

"my famous model friend is coming here!" chimney announced, oblivious to everyone's consternation. "he's from korea. his name's [name], and his team and him are gonna be doing the firefighter calendar photoshoot with us, and also a few photos for his personal project," he relayed, reading from his phone.

"wait a sec, when was this decided?" buck asked. "i don't know how i feel about an outsider coming to pose with our precious engines."

eddie rolled his eyes fondly and clapped buck across the shoulder. "buck up, buck. i think it's cool!"

ravi chimed in. "yeah, me too. when's he flying in?"

"tomorrow!" chim said chipperly.

eddie whistled. "that him?" he said, clicking on the profile picture. "he is one fine specimen of a man. i get why he's a model."

"buck, you should totally tap that," ravi agreed.

buck scowled. "he's hot, but not, like..." he groaned at his teammates' unconvinced looks. "okay, fine! he's hot. but he's not even a firefighter!"

⌦ --

you looked in awe at the firehouse, and its multiple engines and trucks parked out front, gleaming. maybe there was cleansing in the flame, you mused, as you marveled at how spotless everything was.

"it's so... clean," you told your photographer, lily. she murmured in agreement.

a laugh sounded. "yeah, that's cause we have a few clean freaks in the house," chimney said, ambling over to you. he gave you a hug, patting you on the back. "long time no see, man!"

"yeah, it's been forever, right? someone hasn't visited in a while," you teased.

chimney shrugged. "gotta take care of my family, you know?" he wiggled his fingers, showing off his wedding ring. "happily cuffed down now. what about you? found a hot guy that's struck your fancy?"

you shook your head in half bemusement, half wishfulness. "nope. not yet."

"ooh, what's this about a hot guy, chim? cause you've got one right here." a man gestured to himself up and down. his grey eyes sparkled as he grinned boyishly, clearly amused at his own joke. he had a birthmark on his temples, with ashy blonde hair, and god, wouldn't you like to run your hands through it-

"that's buck, ignore him," chimney said, shoving buck gently as he approached.

"hey!" he - buck - protested, turning to you. "definitely don't - oh wow.." his eyes scanned you up and down "i'm buck."

you smirked. "hi, buck. i'm [name]."

"no, yeah, i know," he breathed, then cleared his throat when chimney snorted, seeming to catch himself. "so, uh, you're here for the photoshoot!"

"i am," you affirmed. "thanks for having me." you smiled sincerely. it genuinely was cool to be here, in a firehouse with all its american glory.

"happy to have you here, brother," chimney said. "especially buck over here."

not so subtly, buck kicked him in the shin and chimney yelped.

⌦ --

cameras flashed, shutters clicking rapidly. you stood against the firetruck, a fireproof jacket draped over your bare shoulders, revealing your equally bare abdomen. the trousers you had on were baggy. you definitely looked nothing like a real firefighter in your impractical (and incomplete) getup, but you were excited anyway. secretly, you hoped you'd be able to try on the helmets.

"why are they going so fast?" buck questioned, disgruntled.

you laughed. "it's just how they do it. more shots means more good pictures."

"easy for you to say," he grumbled. his eyes swept over your body, not for the first time. "all your shots must be good."

"you calling me hot, evan?" you challenged.

"i think you know the answer to that."

you resisted the urge to respond with another flirtatious comment as your photographer instructed you off the set. she approached you, studying the photos in her camera intently. lily had been your photographer since forever, and you trusted that her work would be amazing as always. despite this, though, you became breathless at the sight of the first picture. buck was the focus of this one, the camera being more angles towards him than it was to you. he was wearing the unreasonably tight LAFD shirt, with the firefighter pants that were a size up than what he usually wore (as he had complained).

he looked perfect, you thought. his head was tilted back in a half laugh, and his bicep muscles were prominent from the way he had his hands poised on the back of his waist.

"it's really good, lily," you said.

"really?" she asked. "i was asking what you thought of getting rid of this one."

"oh." you flushed. "um. i'd kind of like to keep it. even if you don't use it."

she looked at you inquisitively. "sure..." she said. "well, why don't you go take a break, and we'll do another set of photos in 20 minutes?"

you nodded in affirmation, shooting her a thumbs up as you walked away to where you saw buck, chimney, and hen conversing, sipping from coffee cups.

"hey," you greeted as you walked up to them, a bit hesitantly. "mind if i join?"

hen smiled at you, maybe a bit too widely. "of course not!"

"no more photos you gotta pose for, supermodel?" chim teased.

you chuckled, ribbing him playfully in the side. "nah, 20 minute break."

"well, have you had a tour of the firehouse yet?" hen asked.

"unfortunately not."

"me!" buck blurted. "i mean, uh, i'd be happy to show you around."

"awh," you said. "thanks."

hen and chim exchanged knowing looks. "you go do that, buck." hen shooed him away.

"come on, [name]." buck took you by the hand. "time for the grand tour."

honestly, you would've given up the grand tour if it meant getting to hold evan buckley's hand for the rest of your life. it was as if your fingers had been molded perfectly for each other. his rough, calloused palms contrasted your soft ones. they juxtaposed each other, you noticed, looking down at your joined hands.

buck led you through the firehouse. annoyingly (pleasingly), he kept hold of your hand throughout the whole tour. it was only when you climbed the stairs and reached the communal bedroom that he let go to hold open the door for you, and you thought you might swoon then and there.

"leading me to your bedroom already? that's very forward," you joked.

buck chuckled, ducking his head in a way that made you want to tilt his chin right back up again. "if you ask my teammates, they'll be sure to tell you i usually bring people to the fire engines themselves, not the rooms."

you raised your eyebrows in surprise. "and when do you plan on... bringing me somewhere?" as you spoke, you inched closer and closer to him, almost unconsciously, as if there was some magnetic force between you.

buck's breath hitched audibly. "i wasn't... i mean, i wasn't sure if you were interested in me the way i'm interested in you."

"i am."

his eyes darted to your lips, then back up to meet your intense gaze. "then can i...?"

you leaned forward, just enough for your lips to brush. "yeah," you whispered.

buck surged forward to kiss you. your hands came up to his forearms, as his settled on your waist. he was so close, that you thought it might send your heart into overdrive, but at the same time it felt your heart may shatter if he didn't get closer.

when you pulled apart, both of you were breathless, and had a slightly dazed look about you.

"we should go out for coffee," buck said. "i mean, if you want to."

"evan," you laughed. "of course i want to.”

[niennaerso]

i might be a little late to this bc it's past midnight here but i just wanted to celebrate some things in my life that happened because of dan and phil:

1. literal joy, i've been living vicariously through them since 2015 lmao, their videos were a a dose of happiness and hope through the darkest part of my teen years, so i'm glad i never stopped watching them, maybe less intensely but hey i rewatch the sims and golf with friends at least yearly

2. friends! one of my closest internet friends i met through the phandom big bang in 2018 and our fandoms have drastically changed now but we still talk regularly. another friend i met was through a gc that started here on tumblr but moved to whatsapp, and then when we found out we were from the same country we got so excited we started talking in spanish for a bit and the admins kicked us out lmao, anyways she's not on tumblr anymore either but i'm staying at her place when i go to london for tit next year (hopefully) yay

3. muse... oh god they introduced me to muse and i couldn't escape, bc i'm a music nerd they became one of my top 5 fave bands. the time i saw muse live was a milestone in my life, buying a concert ticket with my own money, and going alone, i might have struggled to avoid being trampled in the circle pit in knights of cydonia but i got out of it alive and it's now one of my favorite memories

4. this community ! i've been a lurker since forever and just this year i've been turning this blog into mainly dnp, i never wanted to make a sideblog bc i didn't make much og content so there was no point... look at me now actually using this blog as a blog for my thoughts and shit about dnp, so turns out the point was to feel like an active part of the phandom, and i do. i really do. thanks everyone (especially my mutuals i love y'all so much even if we don't ever talk)

so yeah, i'm really happy <3

[anxious-witch]

holiday prompt you say? well well well, totally not based on my experiences

aheeem heeem

good ol’ jance (everyone’s favorite)

one of them offering a hot beverage, the other declining the offer. first one constantly being like “are you sure? you look cold”

I know I keep combining these, but some just fit so well! And I don't want to writing anything too short or repeat myself so! I hope this is fine, since I included both

Jan was having a bad day. His insomnia kicked in last night, which meant he didn't get much sleep. With Jere being over and Bojan's apartment for the holidays, the two of them kept constantly dragging the rest of them somewhere.

Because God forbid Jere didn't get the full experience with all of them around.

So here Jan was, after barely a few hours of sleep, standing by the ice rink. Freezing.

“Janči,” Nace said gently, “are you sure you don't want something to drink? Maybe mulled wine? Or hot chocolate?”

Jan set his jaw.

“No.”

Nace pursed his lips, giving him a worried once over. Jan knew he wasn't happy about how he dressed for the weather. He wore only a leather coat and a scarf that Nace wrapped around his neck at the last moment.

He wasn't that cold though. It was just sleep deprivation.

“You look cold.”

“I'm not.”

Nace sighed.

“Janči. Com'on.”

Jan crossed his arms over his chest.

“I'm tired, not cold.”

Nace reached out, tucking a strand of hair behind his ear. Jan felt an overwhelming fondness wash over him, despite his annoyance.

“I am just trying to help.”

Jan grabbed his wrist when he tried to pull his hand back and kissed his palm. Nace's cheeks colored slightly.

“I know. Sorry, I am just tired.”

“Coffee might help?”

Jan snorted at his weak attempt.

“No. Unless you are offering to whisk me away from these idiots,” Jan quickly glanced at the ice rink, “I think I'll pass.”

Nace chewed on his lip and glanced at the ice rink. Bojan, Jere, Kris and Jure were there, Nace and Jan didn't join them due to Nace pulling a muscle in the gym recently. Jan didn't want to leave him alone and frankly, he felt like he'd be completely uncoordinated anyway.

Nace got up from their table and Jan curiously watched him as he got to the rink and waved their friends over. He saw him talk to Kris-Bojan and Jure were currently being chased by Jere across the rink-and then quickly come back.

“What was that about?”

“We are leaving. You are clearly tired and I did pull a muscle so…how about we just drive around and look at the lights? And then go home and watch a movie or something.”

Jan smiled warmly.

“I would like that.”

So they did. Nace drove, not trusting him not to get drowsy behind the wheel with the little sleep he got, and simply drove around.

Jan felt slightly like a cat, looking at all the bright lights and Christmas decorations of the houses. Nace drove slowly, so he could steal glances as well, but also the streets seemed to be mostly empty. Like that lull of the day where everyone was just content to stay where they were.

“Maybe we should buy the rooftop Santa for next year,” Nace mused, looking at one of the houses.

Jan laughed.

“And put it where? We live in an apartment!”

Nace shrugged, a fond smile tugging at his lips.

“Maybe in a living room. Igor would love him.”

Jan rolled his eyes.

“Yeah. Would love tearing it apart.”

It was Nace who laughed this time. They continued driving and commenting on the decorations, either approving or disapproving of the choice.

After a while, they both got tired and Nace began driving them home. Jan looked at him as they passed all the colorful lights and decorations once more, suddenly struck by how lucky he was. How thankful he was for Nace.

For the fact that they got to spend the holidays together.

“Nace?”

“Yeah?”

“I love you, you know that, right?”

Nace carefully parked the car before turning to him and taking his hands in his.

“Of course I know. I love you too. Is everything okay?”

Jan nodded.

“Yeah-yeah I just. Maybe I don't say it enough. But I really do. Thank you for this. Everything, actually.”

Nace kissed him. Jan was almost started by it, not expecting it. He kissed him back, melting into the kiss. Then Nace gently pulled away.

“You don't have to thank me for that. And I know you love me, you just express it in different ways and that's okay. Although I won't complain if you say it more often, either.”

Jan snorted.

“Alright then. I love you.”

Then he kissed him again. He could say many more things. He could tell him that he loved him and he loved spending time with him every day. That he couldn't wait to spend every holiday and special occasion with him, along with all the ordinary days and love him throughout all of them.

Jan might still tell him another day. For now, he'd be content kissing him and accepting the fact that despite all of it, he likely knew all that already.

[oddlyunaware]

Fixing Wish (2023) In My Sleep - Part 1

So, a few nights ago I had a dream. No, like, I was asleep and literally had a dream.

The dream was simple. I was explaining Wish, that new Disney movie, to my parents, and ranting about how it should have been better. Then I began to give my actual ideas for how it could be fixed... and I woke up, those ideas fresh in my mind.

So, here's part one of how I would fix Wish, and do it better asleep than Disney ever did awake.

First off, Asha is an attendant in the Royal Court. Specifically, she's a member of the Camarería, who acted as attendants to the Spanish Queen- since Rosas is meant to be based somewhat on Spanish and Mediterranean Culture, I decided this would be an applicable position! This would also give her a reason to discover Magnifico's "dark secrets" later on and begin to doubt him. She's also very close to Queen Amaya, and the two often exchange advice.

Second- Asha is no longer "adorkable", like the dime a dozen protags we get these days. She is, to be rather blunt, a bitch. Yes, a bitch! Asha will have great character development, going from a stuck-up, somewhat prejudiced woman to learning the true value of being good for the sake of others, and not just yourself.

Magnifico and Amaya, also, are a power couple. The thing about Amaya, though, is that you don't know she's in cahoots with Magnifico until act three. Basically, she takes on the role of a happier Simon, and to a much better established degree.

Speaking of Simon and the others, they're kicked out. Nope. Not having that. The cast is already bloated, we don't need six more crazy teens to worry about. I'm keeping Dahlia, because she's decent disabled rep (and God knows we need at least that nowadays), and she's the one with the most character in the group.

And of course, Starboy is a thing! Of course he's gonna be a thing, how could he not? He's a semi-shapeshifting being made from stardust and good vibes, and is usually seen with a smile and a wink. He's rather smitten with humanity, and Asha, but slowly becomes more disillusioned as the film goes on, and luckily a more developed Asha will pull him out of his funk.

Now... how does this all fit into the plot?

The Plot of the Film

The film begins with a storybook opening, telling the story of Rosas. It remains relatively the same, with Magnifico suffering loss and wanting to create a kingdom where that could never happen again. A proud, strong foundation for generations to come. He is joined by his wife, Amaya, in making this happen.

However, he doesn't just "learn magic" out of nowhere, no- he wishes on a star so long and so hard, that star "wanted to listen closer", so it fell to the Earth and imbued him with stardust. A magical substance, stardust has the ability to change reality and make dreams come true, so he began to do so for other people and created his kingdom with literal hope as the foundation.

Rosas, a kingdom of inspiration for a better tomorrow, sprung forth! Heralded by Magnifico and Amaya, once a month they have a ceremony to grant three people's wishes- after all, if they granted everyone's wish, chaos would ensue. Even the most out of loop person would understand that, after all. Anyway, people are selected, and their deepest desire made a reality.

Magnifico soon discovers that this is an excellent way to keep people at ease, and listening to him. His kingdom- he can't lose it to chaos! He will only grant the wishes that have the kingdom's best interests at heart. It's for the good of everyone... right? Amaya certainly agrees.

Asha, a somewhat arrogant attendant, is helping Amaya prepare for the monthly ceremony. Amaya muses about the importance of knowing what your heart wants, and then states she doesn't know where her pen is to write out the names of the ones chosen. Asha offers to get one for her, and searches Magnifico's office for a pen and parchment too (because she's that helpful, of course). However, she stumbles into the Wishing Chamber, where Magnifico is... muttering about something.

Asha listens in, curious. Magnifico is staring off into space, saying something about how "wishes these days are so senseless", when he sees Asha, and questions her presence. Asha states she's trying to find a pen for Amaya, and Magnifico chuckles, whipping one up from a splinter of wood and some ink.

Asha returns, a little frazzled from Magnifico's demeanor, but quickly changes her tune when she sees the kingdom, and sighs longingly at its view. Asha starts to sing, the first song of the movie: "Life in Rosas". It's upbeat, but has an air of prejudice, with Asha noting things like how she climbed to the top and deserves the best, and otherwise acting indifferent to most of the plights in the kingdom in favor of her good mood. Think "Candy Store" from Heathers- it's catchy, fun, but isn't about a well-meaning person in the end.

At the end of the song, she walks by a child who is chasing a ball down the street, and she initially thinks nothing of it. But Amaya walks by, and she instantly changes her tune, helping the kid catch it. The viewer now understands she likes to help when it directly benefits her- in this case, staying in Amaya's good graces.

Amaya questions about her quest to find the pen, and Asha gives it to her, hoping she didn't seem too foolish. Amaya, however, commends her for being distracted by the "good of the kingdom", and happily states that she couldn't have a better confidant. Asha grins, feeling validated by her idol, and Amaya announces the ceremony is to begin soon.

Well... that's where I'll end this first post! It's super long already, and I'll be sure to add the second post and continue the story- we haven't even gotten into the meat of it yet!

PART 2 - will link when ready :)

[nerdalmighty]

For the Tav/Durge Ask Meme

4. Hiding/sneaking/hidden movement

11.Sending them to talk to their romanced partner (or best friend if not romanced)

36. What are some situational dialogues they would say when something happens to another companion or you talk to them while in a quest-specific location (such as commenting on Karlach's heart, Elminster visiting Gale, visiting Cazador's mansion, etc)?

39.If romanceable, what lines would they say if a player character prompted them with, "Can I kiss you?"

25-34* party banter with (romanced companion) and/or (best friend)

*Dealer's Choice/Choose one you'd like to answer*

Oh I'm so excited to do this one 🤩 (Thanks for being patient with me, I've been busy but thinking about this the whole time!!)

Original post/questions can be found here.

AHEM! Here's stuff my Tav, Birdie, a silly bard with mermaid/siren qualities, would say as an NPC (this is kind of a long post so I'll drop my answers below the cut):

4. Hiding/sneaking/hidden movement

I feel like a lot of her sneaking dialogue would be related to not talking/keeping your voice down since she's a bard and singing is normally a bard's jam. Birdie's got a complicated past with singing, but I think she'd still say things along the lines of...

"Keep your voice down," "Shut up, shut up, shut up!" "Keeping my mouth shut," "Quietly now."

She sounds a little like Astarion but I think that's okay! He can't have ALL the good lines lol

11. Sending them to talk to their romanced partner (or best friend if not romanced)

Birdie is currently romancing Astarion, so I think lots of the dialogue I imagine she'd say would relate to him BUT as an NPC, she'd probably say stuff like...

Romanced: "There you are, my love!" "When an idiot loves an idiot..." "A word, muse of mine?" "My favorite melody..." Best friend: (Humming some sort of jaunty tune), "Time to cause a ruckus," "Yoo hoo!" "Stopping by for a chat."

She's silly and she likes to keep things silly, but I believe she'd be more earnest with her romanced partner.

36. What are some situational dialogues they would say when something happens to another companion or you talk to them at a specific location (such as commenting on Karlach's heart, Elminster visiting Gale, visiting Cazador's mansion, etc)?

This one's tough. Birdie's silly so I think a lot of the things she'd say would be similar to Karlach who's hilarious and has a huge heart. Birdie is just as sweet and loves to cause trouble when she knows it'll get a laugh and not harm anyone in the process (unless they deserve it). I think the most unique dialogues she would have would be at the Water Queen's House. In my head, she was raised there and was looking for an escape when the mindflayers got to her (Which you can read more about here). She'd probably have a scene like this:

Birdie: You guys go ahead. I'm going to hang back for a moment. Tav: Are you alright? Birdie: The music... It's our mourning song. I can't go in there. Tav: What do you mean? What are they mourning? Birdie: This is a Temple to Umberlee, the queen of the depths. I was raised here. When we sing that song, it only means one thing - a drowning. Death.

I think like Astarion, her plot wouldn't be integral to the main story, but it would be rewarding to players who want to help her. I think you'd either be able to help her get revenge on the servants of the Temple or gain closure. There's probably an ascension plotline in there somewhere, lord knows everyone else has one 😂 I also think the Harpies in Act 1 would really spook her. That would probably be what kicks off her personal quest.

39. If romancable, what lines would they say if the player prompted them with, "Can I kiss you?"

Interesting! I love this idea. I think she'd probably get giddy or bashful about it and occasionally get serious. Maybe like...

Asked for a kiss: (Smiling and humming a happy little melody before going in for a kiss), "Who, me? Oh, alright!" "Have we met? Kidding," "Get over here, you," "Please do." After the kiss: "Don't be a stranger," "I really like you, did you know that?" "You're good at that," "The bards could write songs... oh who cares" "Come back, my love."

That's my favorite one so far! I think there's a lot to play with with those interactions. Astarion ALWAYS has something to say, but Gale doesn't say anything which is a shame! (I can't speak for the other romanced NPCs, I only know Ass and Gale because my roommate romanced him lol)

25-34. Party banter with (romanced companion)/(best friend)

SO MANY OPTIONS! Since in this scenario Birdie is an NPC, I don't think she and a romanced Tav would be able to banter (since that's not really something that happens in game, they more or less just comment on the situation). While yes, in my game she's romancing Astarion, there aren't really any banter sequences between them besides the ones I make up in my head lol. Therefore, I'm picking Gale, since I think they'd be besties:

[How to trigger: have the two of them in your party in Act 1] Birdie: Have you ever written a song, Gale? Gale: Not a song, per say, though I have been known to try my hand at poetry. Birdie: Is that so? Got anything for me off the top of your head? Gale: There once was a wizard from Waterdeep... Birdie: Sing it for us! Gale: (Clearing his throat and inhaling as if he's about to do it) No. Birdie: Booooo. BONUS! (Because I love them) [How to trigger: Find Skittle the rat in the Heapside Prison in Act 3] Birdie: (Gasps) Gale! Come look at this! Gale: What is it? Skittle: Step up! And marvel at the spec-rat-ular wonders on offer! Gale: Oh. My. Gods. This is rat-solutely amazing. Birdie: May we have a squeak at your wares, sir? Gale: That's good. A rat merchant. What sort of work does that en-tail? Birdie: Careful Gale, he may not want to let you in on his squeak-rets. Astarion: Would you two shut up? [Beat.] Astarion: And Birdie, you said "squeak" twice. Birdie: Rats. Astarion: (Groans loudly)

I could banter all day ladies and gentlemen. I'm constantly rotating these guys in my mind. If you LIKE banter (and are 18+) please check out my fic that I posted on my writing account! It's got banter FOR DAYS. And is sweet too or whatever. You can find that here and on AO3!

~~~~

Anyway, THANK YOU @the-pale-elfs-love for tagging me in this!! It was such a blast to think about Birdie as a character I was writing for in game :) I'M COMING FOR YOUR INBOX NEXT!

If anyone wants to answer these questions for their own Tav or other ones from the original post, feel free! Tag me in them so I can read them too!

[serialeclipse]

happiest opening, i'm so excited to meet everyone! i'm pom ( 21+, s/h ) & this is jeong domi, the girl who wouldn't have made it if not for terra, but now she's really flying high as the two time iron fist champion... though it's come with some strange side effects! jumped in with no pages prepared yet but info / plots are under the cut, pls like to plot or ask for my d/scord & i’ll be there! 💗

info

domi’s born with a ticking clock from the moment she arrives—the doctors tell her parents to brace themselves for the worst, because while her baby avatar can't feel pain, or illness, they warn that there's something wrong with her physical body

but the worst won't come, if they pay for extra care on outer world. and so they do, because what other choice could they have?

she’s on the cusp of it, but terra always comes through for her. at least, that's what they say. everything's worth it to her dad, who pays up willingly, but love isn’t enough in the face of all of this, and her mum leaves & never looks back, tired from the constant reminders of her daughter's imminent almost-death. domi has pictures, but doesn’t rlly remember her face

domi gets used to the thought of dying, but maybe it's less scary bc she can't feel any pain or any real concept of death? is she still here? what if she's just an npc and her physical body's gone kaput ages ago? all questions with no answers, so she whittles her time away with as much as she can

it's kinda relieving when she realises she can feel pain in iron fist. there's something there about grappling w mortality in a game where you can die, & maybe it's the wrong sense of mortality, except she keeps playing, & then she keeps winning, & suddenly she's signed onto orbit with her own fighter & her ranking's climbing up & she's actually winning one tournament, then two, and now it's been 8 years since?

not to mention that she didn't actually think of the consequences of being signed so domi never hid her face or did anything to protect her privacy lmao. she has a side gig as a broadcast staffer for a late night podcast even tho she has big gamer money just to fill up her time

but as of late, she's been noticing that something's up with her. specifically, she keeps phasing through things like she's actually shadow, when she's... pretty sure she's not. unless she is? it's more a minor inconvenience bc it doesn't happen often, but when it does, she can't touch anything around her & gravity starts acting up, so she goes floaty!

her chart: gemini sun ( go fast ) aries moon ( & go big ) virgo rising ( & you’ll get to the terra moon! ) she’s been living like she never knows when she might kick it so she sits and smells the roses, but doesn’t know where else to go. domi says she’s content but it’s a lie she tells herself. in her existential crisis era rn bc she keeps being told she'll die & then she doesn't & maybe she has died but is a cookie? and the glitches don't help either... the conspiracy theory board is real! big What Do I Do Now energy all the time bc she’s never had to think about the future & still doesn't, not really. doesn’t think ahead & will pay for it in the future ( that she still has, can you believe it! )

i think i have everything important here but this might get updated later!!

plots

iron fist / shadow fans who've followed her career! or are just bandwagoning for one of the most successful players currently?

people she works with due to her gaming career! fellow gamers, orbit developers, maybe even offshoots of marketing campaigns or stuff that comes with her famous person ranking

she also works for a late night podcaster, mostly due to wack sleeping schedules and being used to staying up in fear of her own mortality. your muse runs the late night radio sessions, & she works for them!

she doesn’t have a lot of forward thinking experience, she’s easily tricked—so your muse figures this out and makes good use of it

new residents at one of the gated districts who came here for the privacy and quiet… so why is your next door neighbour trying so hard to befriend you??

someone she found via gaming & treasures very much ( potentially one-sided )

a friend who's in a similar situation ( bad physical body, keeps getting fleeced by terra ), who understands her situation really well

someone who doesn’t get her situation, but she appreciates them all the more for it. they don’t treat her like she's fleeting, like everyone else does

someone who’s tired of mourning her before she goes. something complicated and ancient and maybe codependent, relationship fraying at the seams

someone who’s her guide to living! bring her out let her experience life. touch grass ( not literally )

she falls in love easily, but doesn’t bother taking it seriously bc the long-term was never viable for her... she owes u an apology

ofc the usual suspects: besties, childhood friends, enemies, fwbs, exes! i also love a brainstorm too we should do that 💗

[lola-andheruniverse]

WIP Saturday - Caryl Fanfiction Rec

Dear fellow caryler, today's WIP is an old but gold fic from 2014. A fic this old is almost surely abandoned (but never say never). Sad but that's okay. It happens. Sometimes the author's muse simply doesn't collaborate anymore. Sometimes the fic doesn't get enough reviews to keep the author motivated. Sometimes canon kills everyone's vibes. My point is that it doesn't really matter why an author doesn't finish a fic. What matters is that old fics deserve the same amount of love and praise that new fics get. They shouldn't be forgotten - finished or not. Kintsugi by @jaibhagwan has six chapters posted on 9Lives and AO3. It deals with what could have happened to Carol after Rick kicked her out if the Governor never attacked the prison. Summary: S4 AU. Carol was everything to him and then she was lost. When Daryl finally finds her again, everything has changed except his feelings for her. Can he help her remember the goodness inside of her the way she once did for him? Kintsugi is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery using gold to mend the seams. Is there a better metaphor for Caryl? I think not. Rating: E / Explicit Chapters: 6  Word count: 26286  Published: May 23, 2014 - WIP

This fic is a beautiful one. It treads carefully but realistic through the very difficult and emotional place both Carol and Daryl are after he finds her and gets her home. Characterizations are on point and every prison era character has a chance to shine (Michonne fans will particularly love this story). It's been a few years since I read it for the first time and I'm still curious to know where this story could go. Here's a little excerpt to get you interested to read this one. Rick realizes what he has done: With both hands, Daryl grabbed Rick by his shirt and pushed him roughly against the wall. He wanted to strike Rick in his face to make him feel how much his actions had hurt him. Maybe he could knock some sense into the man. But despite what he'd done, Rick was still family, and Daryl cared about him. He didn't want to be like his father and take his grief out on the people he loved. He was a different kind of man. He was Carol's man of honor. She had suffered enough, and he was damned if he was ever going to let her down again. [...] Hearing the commotion, Glenn and Michonne approached cautiously from the cellblock as Rick stared at the photo.

"Everything alright?" Glenn asked.

"How could I have missed it?" Rick wondered, pulling his eyes from the picture.

There was a long pause as he reflected on his interaction with Daryl.

"How could I not see that he loves her?"

Please, dear fellow caryler, give this fic a try. Leave a review while you're at it. I'm sure our dear author will appreciate it and maybe even feel inspired to write again. Who knows? *fingers crossed* Love you all! Caryl on!

[edogawa-division]

ヒプノシスマイク -Rhyme Anima- (Fatal Four Ver.)

In honor of Season 2 premiering soon here's this!

Bring the Beat!

[Wicked Requiem:]

Wicked Requiem!

[Yuriko:]

I'll only say this once to any enemies who appear 

Dare threaten my family, and the only thing left of you will be a bloody smear

[Kaoru:]

Think you can hide your secrets from me? 

Oh, please! Nothing can be hidden from my sight! 

[Kanra:]

With the face of an angel and the rage of a devil 

Try your luck, I’m just itching for a fight 

[Silent Tragedy:]

Silent Tragedy!

[Kanon:]

How amusing, scurrying around my lab like rats

You won't get very far, I can assure you of that 

[Reika:]

A girl can get used to this, you know? 

The feeling of having the world in the palm of your hands 

[Sakura:]

A blood-stained crown rests on my brow

Who are you to give me a command?

[Death Row Block:]

Death Row Block!

[Akihisa:]

Call it a desire for vengeance and strife 

But I still have more to do before heading to the afterlife 

[Touya:]

Think you can leave me all alone? 

Just for that, I’ll make sure to give your throat a slash 

[Rintaro:]

What a pretty picture-perfect life you live

Makes me want to burn it all to ash!

[Valor Guard:]

Valor Guard!

[Seiji:]

Tough as steel and stronger than any shield 

Even against the entire world, I will never yield! 

[Lyall:]

For those who commit the worst of crimes 

I’ll see you judged by Anubis the Jackal! 

[Ayumu:]

The life of a medic isn't for the faint of heart 

You’ll find that it's a constant uphill battle!

[Fatal Four:]

Hypnosis action ends corruption

Lyrics that kick away verses

Nautilus diving into your mind

Attacking by surprise, ignition!

Beyond this endless game

Even if the world ends

We'll continue to fight

At the Division Rap Battle!

[Wicked Requiem:]

Deadly song!

[Yuriko:]

I can see it in your eyes that you’re afraid 

Fear not I’ll sing your final serenade 

[Kaoru:]

Even if I pray to the Muses for guidance

It's to the goddess Athena whom I dedicate my win 

[Kanra:]

Inhumanly born from the deepest pits of hell 

The masses would call my existence a sin 

[Silent Tragedy:]

Fierce blade!

[Kanon:]

Begging for mercy from a maniac? 

Fool, my heart has long since turned pitch black

[Reika:]

How can you say I'm horrible for being evil? 

At least I do it with stone-cold style 

[Sakura:]

Locked and loaded with my finger on the trigger 

I'll gladly put a bullet in your head with a smile

[Death Row Block:]

Execution!

[Akihisa:]

Opposing us is the quickest way to die 

Perhaps you ought to say your final goodbyes 

[Touya:]

Just the sight of you gets me all hot and bothered 

Come on, let's go a few rounds

[Rintaro:]

Think you can run the fuck away?

I’m hot on your heels like a hellhound!

[Valor Guard:]

Duty bound!

[Seiji:]

A warning for all there is very little I fear 

Especially when dealing with threats to all I hold dear 

[Lyall:]

With eyes that see everything like an owl 

I’ll catch you even during the darkest nights 

[Ayumu:]

Even when everyone else has long given up 

I'll keep on going with all my might 

[Fatal Four:]

Hypnosis action ends corruption

Gimmicks that burn synapses

Nobody can stop this now

Ignition!

Now we invite you to catharsis

Rhyming all over the place

Carving into history

With this Division Rap Battle!

[Kaoru:]

Mind racing faster than you can comprehend 

Even now it's plotting your bitter end!

[Reika:]

Even decked out head to toe in jewels

I’ll destroy anyone who tries to overthrow my rule! 

[Touya:]

Seems like you’re someone no one will miss 

How about I seal your fate with a kiss? 

[Lyall:]

Hidden like the dark side of the moon 

Your doom approaches soon! 

[Kanra:]

I’m quick to anger and, with my strength enough said 

So careful, or else you’ll end up dead!

[Sakura:]

Don't even think about trying to be brave 

You'll only just dig your own grave! 

[Rintaro:]

A battle between divisions, call it a nuclear winter!

Leaving nothing but ash and cinder!

[Ayumu:]

I might be here to heal 

But that doesn't mean I'll kneel! 

[Yuriko:]

That's it I’m done playing nice 

It's time I leave you in agonizing pain! 

[Kanon:]

A verbal barrage rains upon the psyche 

Let's see you undo the damage to your brain!

[Akihisa:]

This is our reality now 

One where words have all the power! 

[Seiji:]

Opponents stand all around 

The Division Rap Battles are no place to cower! 

[Fatal Four:]

Hypnosis action ends corruption

Lyrics that kick away verses

The Nautilus dives, invading the brain

Ignition!

Even if what results from this endless game

Is the end of the world

We'll keep resisting

With this Division Rap Battle!