#so that's what i told her and she said that she's really glad i was this honest and that she thinks my bravery is really cool

[smutoperator]

After The Photoshoot

Kwon Eunbi x Male Reader

Tags: A2P, anal, (lots of) choking, couch sex, degradation, erotic photoshoot, facial, (lots of) facesitting, foot play, head stomping, mating press, passionate fucking, photographer, quickie, rimming, rough sex, stool fucking, titfucking

Word count: 4671

You had been rising up the photographer ladder quite quickly. Today, you were going to make your first photoshoot for a brand: taking pictures of Coralique's new muse, ms. Kwon Eunbi.

"Good morning, ms. Eunbi, get yourself comfortable," you said as the beautiful short girl with big boobs arrived for the photoshoot. "Thank you," Eunbi answered, getting herself comfortable and striking a pose for your first photo of the day.

Eunbi kept switching outfits and your camera kept clicking all day long. You really felt like this was the opportunity of your life, taking countless pics of every move she made and asking for her feedback. "These are such beautiful pics," Eunbi said as you captured her sexiness to the fullest. "I'm glad you like them," you answered her.

The photoshoot kept going for hours and hours, you never getting exausted of capturing the best angles of Eunbi's beautiful body in countless colorful outfits. "You're such an incredible hard-working woman," you praised her, making her blush. "Wow, you're such a kind guy, I love the way you praise me," Eunbi answered.

"I think that's the last one for today," you told Eunbi, taking one last pic as she switched to her final outfit, wearing a blue bra top with a white skirt. "I don't think I've ever like a photoshoot like this one before," she said. "I was glad to help," you replied to her.

"I should reward you for such a good photoshoot," Eunbi said. "Reward me? I was just doing my job," you said to her. "Well, you did such a good job I feel like I need to reward you," she replied. "And how would you reward me?" you asked.

"Let me show you," Eunbi said, pulling her bra to the side and showing you her massive tits. "I want you to play with them, play with my whole body, I saw how excited you were taking all those pics of me," she said.

"Are you sure?" you asked Eunbi, trying to keep it professional. "Of course," Eunbi said, pushing her in your direction and starting kissing you. Despite the massive gap in height between both of you, Eunbi was the one dominating the action, taking the initiative and showing her the insatiable animal she was.

"Damn, you're such a fire woman," you told Eunbi. "Well, let's say my humble beginnings made me proud of my assets," Eunbi said, refencing her long path to stardom. It didn't take long and Eunbi was already pulling your pants down to suck your cock. "My cock, you're such a hungry woman," you told her. "No, I just respond by you guys being so hungry for my milk," she replied.

Eunbi beautifully sucked your cock, licing your shaft from top to bottom. "Let me see if you can take it all," you asked her, Eunbi quickly seetting the pace and throating your hard shaft to the fullest. "I saw how erect you were taking my photoshoot, must have been really hard, if you know what I mean," Eunbi said. "Quite the opposite, it made it easy for me to keep going," you told Eunbi.

It didn't take long for you and Eunbi to get completely naked in the room, you kissing her as she wrapped your cock between her big tits for you to bang it. "Confess it to me, you wanted to do this all day long," Eunbi said. "Yes, I did, those big boobs can steal any man's attention," you said to her.

Eunbi behaved like a hungry animal, pushing you against the couch she had just filmed the photoshoot as she throated your cock like a demon, jerking it off really fast. It didn't take much long and she was already sitting on it, moving her hips hard and grinding fast against your pole.

"Damn girl, slow dowm, you're moving too fast," you told Eunbi. "Am I? You really seem to like it?" she said, bouncing her big tits in front of your face and riding you fast, you grabbing her ass as she kept moving up and down your cock. "That is just the warm-up, baby," Eunbi said, jumping out of your cock and deepthroating you, before climbing back on top of you and totally dominating you with her hot body.

"Damn, you're such a fucking animal," you say to Eunbi, sitting on the couch and letting her spin on your cock. She teased you, switching between her pussy and her ass and turning the set of the photoshoot into her bed. "HOLY FUCK, YES," she moanned, you watching her big tits bounce hard as she rode your cock. You spread her pussy, her licking your feet and then climbing back to suck more of your cock. You got on top of her, fingering her pussy as you got on top of her.

You bent Eunbi over, taking her and stretching her mouth, trying to tame her as she spreads her cheeks for you to fuck her ass. "OH MY GOD," she screams, feeling your big cock tease in and out of her asshole before you start pounding it hard and choke her. "Yes, baby, fuck me like that," she says, you then turning to clap her cheeks hard. "AHHHHH, AHHHHHH," she screams.

Eunbi laughed as she hugged you. "Seems like you can be an animal too, how about you take me home and fuck the shit out of me?" Eunbi asked, tasting her ass from your cock. "Let me fuck a bit more here," you tell her, making her big tits bounce against the couch with your hard thrusts. "AH, AH, AH, AH," she moans, licking your feet in the couch.

"GOD DAMN IT, FUCK, FUCK, HOLY SHIT," Eunbi screams as you show her you can fuck hard too. "FUCK, FUCK, FUCK," she continues to scream, you not holding anything back and pounding her ass. "You really like to fuck that ass, don't you?" she asks. "Yes, I love it," you tell her, offering your cock to Eunbi to taste it.

"Let's go home and fuck like animals," Eunbi said, putting her clothes back on and showing you the directions. You two soon arrived at her apartment. "Let's take the next step," you say to her. "But first, I wanna have some more memories of this special day," you continue. "Sure, anything you want," Eunbi says.

You put your camera in a tripod in Eunbi's living, room, programming it to take pictures of both of you as you two engage in an erotic photoshoot, the camera capturing her sucking and licking your shaft, your cock between the strings of her panties, you sucking her beautiful big tits. You then sat on the couch, Letting Eunbi slide in a 69-esque pose as you grabbed her body and she sucked your cock, the camera capturing everything.

Eunbi pushed her tongue to the side and put your cock in her ass, adding more pics to the photoshoot while you licked her high heels, bouncing on your cock for the camera as her big tits jiggled, before switching to a reverse ride. "You're enjoying this photoshoot, aren't you?" Eunbi said as she shaked her ass and you spanked it, her then tuning around and ripping your shirt off.

"I think we can startd for good now, let's turn the camera off" Eunbi says, doing it and then taking your pants off once again and diving to lick your asshole like a mad woman. She grabbed your toes and start licking them too. "You're so obsessed with my feet, such a nasty girl," you told her. "Yes, I love licking some dirty feet and ass," she answered.

Eunbi gets on top of you in the couch, overwhelming you even though you're a tall guy and she's a short girl. She shoves her big tits straight into your face. She takes her panties off, wrapping it around your shaft and bobbing her head on it using no hands. "So you want to get nasty?" you ask her. "Yes, give me all of it," she answers, you pushing your cock as deep as possible down her throat.

You give Eunbi's ass a little spank as she continues to choke herself on your cock, giving you some insane deepthroats. You then take her bra off and wrap it around her neck, choking it. "I'm gonna take it as a trophy after we are done," you said.

You shove Eunbi's little body against the couch, sitting on top of her face as she starts to lick your asshole right after. "Your slutty body is 90% tits," you say to her. Eunbi fingers her pussy as you suffocate her face with your ass, then brings her big tits togeher for you to slide your cock between them.

"OH FUCK YEAH," Eunbi moans as you reach your fingers into her cunt, plowing her tits from up top while a water bomb comes out from the bottom of her body. "I can't hear you," you say to her. "OHHH YEAH, AHHHHHH," she screams loudtly, her legs trembling as your cock fucks her boobs, your hands fuck her pussy and your ass suffocates her face.

Eunbi gets out of your face, sucking your balls in the process. You qucikly shows her who is in control now, thwarting her attempts to kiss you as she gets back on her feet and shoving her on all fours into the couch. "Yes, yes, yes," she whispers as you dive your face into eating her asshole and spank it. "FUCK BABY, LICK THAT DIRTY ASS," she begs.

"I'm gonna do much more than lick that dirty ass," you tell Eunbi. "Spread those cheeks for me," you continue, Eunbi obliging as you pin her against the couch, pressing her huge tits against the furniture. You tease her first, taking your cock slowly in her ass before putting it all in. "OH YES, PLEASE, GIVE IT TO ME, AH, AH, FUCK," she screams.

"HOLY SHIT," Eunbi screams as you kiss her and destroy her ass, her big tits jiggling hard. She moves her hips to meet your thrusts, you soon get on top of her to tame her. "OH DAMN IT, THAT'S SO DEEP," she screams. "Is it? Because I'm just starting," you say.

You mount on top of Eunbi, drilling her ass as hard as possible. Eunbi closes her eyes, putting her ass up and sticking her tongue out. "You're really a proper slut," you tell her, clapping her cheeks hard and pinning her tits against the couch. You push her face up, stretching her mouth as you choke her with the bra wrapped around her neck. "FUCK FUCK YES, LIKE THAT, LIKE THAT, SHIT," she screams, almost valling down the couch as her boobs now bounce in the air. "YES, YES, MORE, MORE," she begs, you grabbing her shoulder and treating her like a ragdolll.

"Come here," you tell Eunbi, taking a break to sit in the couch and letting her suck your cock. Eunbi makes groaning sounds like those of an animal, deepthroating and stroking your shaft like crazy, before taking her bra off her neck and wrapping it around it. "Is that my cock ring?" you ask her. "Hell yeah," she says, smiling as she circles her tongue around your balls, before another hard session of fast cocksucking and extreme deepthroating.

Eunbi spits on your cock and takes it deep in her mouth, sticking her tongue out. "You love to throat that cock," you say to her. "It's because I want to get it wet for you to fuck my ass," Eunbi says, kissing you as she gives your cock another good titfucking.

Eunbi sits on your lap and impales your cock in her ass. "YES, YES, FUCK," she moans, moving her hips rather quickly while her tits are all over your face. "You love riding it like a good slut, don't you?" you ask her. "Yes, I love it," Eunbi says, getting your cock deeper and moving up and down your shaft. You hit her face, Eunbi laughing and only pushing hard, turning you into her personal playground as she starts squatting on your cock. "FUCK, FUCK, FUCK, FUCK," she moans.

Eunbi teases you, swtiching between her ass and her pussy before she lets you carry her and take back the commanding position. "HOLY FUCK, OH MY GOD," she screams as you grope her tits and then start choking her. "Please choke me," she begs, you pressing her legs against her big boobs and taking possession of her small body, Eunbi barely able to move as you strangle her, making her cough a bit with how rough you treat her.

You push Eunbi's body against the couch, taking turn betweens her pussy in her ass.. "Look what you're fucking doing to me, yes, please, use me like your fucktoy," she begs, your hard thrusts. "YES, YES, HOLY FUCK," she screams. "PLEASE, BABY, USE ME," she begs, you attacking both her holes hard and spitting in her mouth. "I love the way you fuck me," Eunbi says, you going back to choke her and spank her.

"HMMMMM," Eunbi tries to breathe but you don't let her, covering her face and watching it turn red while your hard pounding make her big tits bounce like pinballs. She reaches to finger her pussy, you spanking her face. "Fucking nasty slut, give me those tits," you say, pulling out and pushing her head against the couch, fucking her boobs hard and then slapping your cock all over her face.

"Turn around, let me show you how a bull fucks a titcow like you," you say to Eunbi, getting on top of her as she gets on all ours with her ass up in the couch. "OH YES, OH MY GOD," she screams as you fuck her ass like a raging bull destroying his cow partner. "FUCK, FUCK," she cotninues to scream, you giving her no rest and fucking her ass balls deep, your arms wrapped around her neck as her boobs get pinned into the top of the couch. "YES, YES, YES, SHIT, SHIT, GOD DAMN IT," Eunbi screams as she gets used hard, the sex getting more animalesque each second. "You like that" you ask her. "Yes, baby, I love being used like a slut," she answers.

Eunbi gets up and licks your torso and armpits, smashing your cock between her body before going down to suck it, jiggling her huge tits as she chokes herself on it. You two share a pair of hot kisses. "COME ON, COME ON, GIVE ME SO MUCH MORE," she begs. You give her what she wants, grabbing Eunbi's hair and sticking your cock in her ass, Eunbi promply riding in a reverse cowgirl while she looks at you and you push her tits against her face. "FUCK, FUCK FUCK, FUCK," she continues to scream.

"Stay right there," you tell Eunbi, grabbing her waist and letting her shake and spin all over your cock. "Take all that cock inside, up and down" you tell her, Eunbi opening her ass as she bounces on your cock, you enjoying watching the bouncing of her tits from the side. You push Eunbi's body against yous, lying on the couch. "Oh my God I love this, keep puuhing deep inside, up and down," you tell her. "YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, FUCK," Eunbi moans, twisting and turning all over your cock as she gets it deep in her ass, alternating soft and hard bounces.

However, you feel like Eunbi is having too much fun bouncing on your cock, grabbing her neck and pushing her back into your torso. Eunbi gives you a naughty stare and keeps bouncing, laughing as her boobs jiggle. She moves to ride you sideways. "YES, YES, FUCK, FUCK," SHE MOANS, spinning on your cock and giving you a full view of her tits bouncing at their full glory.

Eunbi stops bouncing and both of you now share a spitting contest between each other. "So nasty," you say to her as she sticks her tongue out. "Who told you to do that, slut?" you then ask. "No one, I just wanted to," she answers. "Well, now I'm gonna punish you, stupid titcow," you tell her.

You pin Eunbi against the couch, getting completely on top of her body and stomping on her head as your cock finds her asshole one more time. "YES, YES, PUNISH ME LIKE THAT, BABY," she begs, her face already completely ruined. "OH MY GOD, YES, BABY," she continues to plead, you choking her neck so hard you could kill her. Heck who cares if she taps out, you'd just keep fucking her. You get really rough with Eunbi. "Open your ass," you command, pushing your cock hard and deep against it while pushing your hands against her head.

"YES, YES, YES, CHOKE ME, CHOKE ME, CHOKE ME," Eunbi screams as you turn her into a begging mess. "AHHHHHH," she continues to scream, you tying her arms bahind her back, spanking her face. "Such a nasty baby begging to be punished," you say. "I LOVE BEING CHOKED, PLEASE, KEEP GOING," Eunbi begs, but you have different plans.

You drag Eunbi's body to the floor, spanking her butt and then lifting it up before taking it for one more round. "OH FUCK, YES, YES, YES," she screams. Eunbi carries you into her kitchen, you spitting on her face and hitting it nonstop. "Did you take me to the kitchen because you want more sausage?" you ask her as you keep hitting her face. "Yes, baby, I did," she answers.

Eunbi gets hit countless times in her face, you treating her like a completely useless slut. "You took that endorsement because you're nothing without reminding us about your big fucking tits," you say to her. "That's all you are, a stupid horny titcow taking advantage of our lust for your milk bags," you continue, degrading her as Eunbi can't really deny it.

You slde Eunbi's body up and down the floor, before shoving your cock into her throat, enjoying her head-bobbing and tit-bouncing as she sucks it. You sit in ons of the kitchen's stools, jerking your cock off as you stomp in Eunbi's massive boobs, showcasing your domination over her. "Finger that pussy, show me that water bomb," you tell her, Eunbi franctically reaching into her clit as she squirts hard on the floor.

"That's what I want to see," you tell Eunbi, putting one of your foot in her neck the other in her pussy. She gets up and bobs her head on your cock. "Suck it, bitch," you say, Eunbi's red face deepthroating it like crazy. She laughs as you spit and spank her face, "Keep going, show me the cock slut you are, suck it until you gag," you tell her.

Eunbi then turns and spreads her ass, indicating she wants more of your cock inside it. "Come here," you tell her, Eunbi moving in your direction until your cock sinks deep inside her asshole. "YES," she screams, bouncing on your cock as her tits turn into loose pinballs. You grab her hair, pushing her into she stool and spanking her ass hard. "AHHHHH," Eunbi screams almost crying, you plowing her from behind and groping her big tits.

"YES, YES, YES, HOLY FUCK," Eunbi screams. "Open your ass for me, stretch it" you keep telling her, Eunbi fisting her butthole and then letting you dive to eat it while she shakes her ass in your face. You stick your cock in her ass again, Eunbi moving her hips and begging for more. "Harder, harder," she pleads, pushing her head agaisnt the kitchen table. You tease her, thrusting a couple times into her pussy.

"Sit down and turn aroud," you tell Eunbi, flipping the stool and putting her into eye-to-eye contact with you as you grabbed her head and thrusted into her pussy, setting your sights right at her big boobs, kissing her and groping them as Eunbi enjoyed your hard pounding. "Yes, baby, keep going," she begged.

"I've fucked your ass for so long I forgot you had such a good pussy," you told Eunbi, increasing the pace and making her cheeks clap and boobs shake. "Yes, please, keep fucking that pussy," she begged, kissing you and looking you in the eye as you passionately attacked her cunt, getting needier the more you fucked her. "Come here," you told Eunbi, sticking your cock in her pussy in the couch and continuing the romantic session while spitting all over her face. "Please, please, I need more," she begged,

You wrapped your arms around Eunbi's hot body, getting her under your complete control. "I love that," she said, kissing you as your cock kept madly thrusting inside her pussy. You now have total control of Eunbi's small body and her huge tits, her becoming completely submissive and cock-drunk for you. "I don't want you to stop, I want you to keep fucking me forever," Eunbi says, kissing you and showing her vulnerability as she gets pounded like never before.

You turn into use Eunbi's pussy like a fleshlight, attacking it at a straight angle without even looking. "OH YESSSSS," she screams, you making her squirt hard. You reward her for her orgasm by sitting on top of her face and banging her huge tits, Eunbi reaching to jerk your cock off as you plow her tits and finger her wet cunt. "HMMMMMMM," she screams, her moans muffled by your ass in her face as a geyser of squirt comes out of her cunt.

"Look, it's the waterbomb festival," you say to Eunbi as you finger-fuck her pussy at the same time that you fist her mouth. "OHHHHHH," Eunbi screams as she keeps squirting, falling onto the floor. "You're all mine, you fucking big tit slut," you proclaim.

Eunbi pants on the floor as you keep making her pussy squirt and choking her. She coughs, her face completely ruined as you spread her saliva all over it before stuffinf your cock back in her mouth. You drag her back up, Eunbi barely able to stand on her feet, you putting her upside down on the couch as you shove your cock back in her ass on a pile driver. "AHHHHHHH," Eunbi screams, you attacking her asshole really hard. "Open this ass," you tell her, Eunbi spreading her legs and pinning her knees against her big tits. "HOLY SHIT, OH MY GOD, FUCKK," she screams, your cock relentlessly pounding her ass, her body at a fetal position and completely dominated.

"OH FUCK, YES, YES, YES, HOLY SHIT," Eunbi moans as she gets turned into a fleshlight. Her skin is red, her face ruined. You pull out and stick your cock back in her mouth, Eunbi bobbing her head hard on it as soon as it gets down her throat. "Oh yeah," you say as Eunbi gags on your cock. She tilts on the couch, sucking your cock as you push her head against.

"My nasty little big tit girl," you tell Eunbi. "Put this dick inside your ass again," you command to her, Eunbi sitting back on your cock and squatting hard on it, making very loud clapping sounds against your hips. "FUCKKKKKK," she moans, making sure to ride it as hard and fast as possible, pushing you to the edge even though she is already completely wasted. "YES, YES, FUCK," she screams.

Eunbi teases you, jerking your cock off. "I know what you want, put that ass up," you say to Eunbi, placing her back on all fours and drilling her asshole in the couch. "YEAH, YEAH, AHHHHH," she screams, spreading her cheeks for you as your cock destroys her guts. "DON'T STOP BABY, YES, FUCK THAT ASS," Eunbi begs, you stomping on her head as your cock plows her butt hard. She can barely move at this point, completely tapping out as you just use her as a training ground to your pleasure: spanking her, choking her, fucking her, using her.

"Oh yeah, you're such a naughty big tit girl," you say to Eunbi, taking a little break to look at her ruined beauty. "Beg for more," you tell her. "Yes, please," Eunbi follows, you opening her legs and hitting her face and tits, spitting on her body as she fingers her cunt and squirts all over you. "Horny slut," you say to her, choking Eunbi and then putting her legs over her head for a mating press, locking her body except for her massive tits, which you let bounce freely.

"FUCK ME, FUCK ME, FUCK ME," Eunbi begs as her pussy gets destroyed. You keep choking and spitting on her. "I want you to use my pussy and let me taste your cum," she begs. "You do?" you ask her, increasing the pace and plowing her pussy a bit, before shoving your cock in her mouth for a little round of facefucking that makes her gag.

"Oh fuck," Eunbi moans as she jerks your cock off and sucks it. Her face is completely red now, her barely able to think straight, all she wants to be now is your cocksleeve and you deliver it to her, passionately fucking her pussy while wrapping your arms around her body. You treat her very rough, but also show her how much you love her, Eunbi getting overwhelmed by her emotions as she keeps receiving the fucking of her life.

You hug Eunbi as you keep fucking her pussy. "Yes, please," she begs, your passionate thrusts driving her crazy. You spread her legs and fuck her pussy one last time, Eunbi turning into a beggar. "Please, please, please," she repeats as she keeps getting her pussy plowed on a mating press. Your urge to breed her grows the more time you spend in her pussy, but you won't deny her wish to get your cum in her face.

You pull out of Eunbi, fucking her tits just as you start getting close. She sticks her tongue out, ready for your cum, panting as she can barely breathe, your load hitting right in her face and dripping down her tits. You give her a massive cumshot, built up from all those hours you spent taking pictures of her and holding how horny you were the whole time. "A white rain of cum for the silver rain," you say to her.

Eunbi rewards you with a nice kiss of your cock, twisting your balls. "God, you fuck me so hard it felt like I just got gangbanged by 5 guys," she says. "Ms. Eunbi, you're such an insane woman, fucking her was amazing too" you say to her, praising her skills. "Thank you," Eunbi says, hugging you and feeling a little emotional. You truly owned her and she loved it. "Just one session and you're already my faovirte big tit woman ever," you say, declaring your love for her.

However, you love moment with her suddenly gets interrupted by the door of Eunbi's house ringing.

"Eunbi unnie, we are coming for dinner," a girly voice says behind the door. "Fuck, I gotta hide you," Eunbi says as she shows you her dorm while getting herself dressed to receive her guest.

"Eunbi unnie, why are you taking so long?" another girl's voice comes in. "Sorry, I was busy" Eunbi says as she opens the door, just getting enough time to wear a robe. "No problem," Yena answers her.

"Did you make dinner for us, Eunbi unnie?" Minju asks. "No, I just came home," Eunbi answers her. "You're looking very sweaty," Chaewon says to her.

"Come to my room, I have something way better than dinner for you," Eunbi tells the girls. "If you say so," Minju says. Eunbi guides the 3 girls to her dorm, letting Yena open it as the girls find you naked in Eunbi's spatious bed.

"Oh that's much better than dinner," Chaewon says.

[helen-with-an-a]

Nerves pt 2

Hiiii, so here is pt 2 of Nerves that came out last week.

Part 1 : Part 2

Ingrid Engen x Reader

Description: It's R's first time

Word Count: 5.7k

TW: Smut, 18+, cunnilingus (R receiving)

Ingrid felt like she was going to have a heart attack. Well, that may be a slight exaggeration, but she definitely felt her heart hammering away against her chest, threatening to burst. She had never done this before. You had come to her a few weeks ago, all innocent eyes and soft smiles and whispered in the most adorable way that you were ready to go further. To go further than just a steamy make out session on the sofa. Why was she so terrified? She had had sex. Lots of sex. She was good at sex. But something about being your first. She told you she didn’t care about it being your first time, and that was true, she honestly didn’t. But it was just the fact it was you. She might have had sex before, but she had never had sex with you. And she was terrified.

She was glad you both still had your separate flats. No matter how much she loved waking up with you resting on her chest, or seeing you wearing one of her shirts as you cooked up a storm, or driving to training with you, one hand perched on your thigh, she was glad that she was able to kiss you goodbye so you could both get ready for your date in private.

Ingrid felt more nervous than your actual first date. She had spent over an hour in the bathroom, shaving, waxing, plucking every unwanted hair. She had used not one, not two, but three different body washes, two hair masks and a body scrub. She had busted out her old blow dryer and spent far too long with her head flipped and her arms hurting as she waited for the mass of dark hair to be dry. Ingrid had agonised over her outfit, stressed over the neatness of the flat and fussed over her makeup.

Little did she know that you were just as nervous. What did you wear? Should you shave? What about lotion? Did you pack an overnight back? Would she be expecting some fancy lingerie? Would she be wearing some fancy lingerie? How would it work? You were only going to hers, not some fancy restaurant or anything. Both of you, in her flat, having a meal … and then … other things.

God, you couldn’t even say it. Sex, it was only sex. People have sex all the time. But you weren’t people. You were you. And Ingrid was Ingrid. And you were going to be having sex. Together. You were going to have sex with Ingrid. You blushed at the thought.

You had seen her in a bikini before. Her long legs and pale skin, water trickling down her chest as she climbed back on board … you swallowed at the memory.

Before you knew it, it was 7 pm and you were walking up the stairs to her flat. You had done this walk countless of times, even before you started dating. 10 steps from the parking space, 13 across the welcome area, 27 steps up the stairs, 14 down the corridor. It was all familiar, all a part of your routine. Butterflies stirred in your tummy.

“Hei, kjære.” Ingrid’s voice was smooth as honey. You looked up, staring straight at the beautiful green of her eyes.

“H-hi,” you whispered, a blush rising to your cheeks.

Settling into the sofa felt normal. And it felt odd, that it was normal. Everyone had made this big thing about losing your virginity. Yes, alright, you were really nervous about it, but more so because it was the first time anyone would see you in that way. You had no doubt that Ingrid would be soft and sweet. That she would guide you and do exactly what you wanted. That she would …

“I was thinking we order food?” Ingrid smiled, relaxing next to you.

“S-sounds good.” You hated that your voice was so quiet. God, this was just a date. A totally normal date. You had had dates before. Had dates that never led to sex. This was your girlfriend for fuck’s sake.

“So what-”

“What are you want-” You both said at the same time, breaking off into giggles.

“What do you want to order?” You asked, leaning into her side.

“Sushi?”

“No,” you whined. “We had that like, two days ago.” Ingrid smiled at you, a love-sick expression on her face.

“Ok, Thai?” She suggested, knowing that the Thai place down the road was your go-to place, claiming that it refused to do deliveries for your flat so you just had to come to hers to eat it.

“Ooh, yeah. Can we get the spring rolls too, and the curry. And what was that thing Olga said we had to get? The skewer things?”

10 minutes later and the order had been placed, the idea of a quiet night with Thai food and Ingrid sounded fantastic. “Sorry, kjære. They said it’ll be like two hours before it gets here.” Ingrid winced, slumping back against the sofa.

“That’s ok. We’ve got a movie. And it’s not like I don’t wanna talk to you.” You teased, staring up at her.

“Oh, really? I’m important enough to talk to, am I?” She smirked down at you, her eyes flicking between your and your lips.

“Uh huh. Incredibly important.” You kept up the teasing tone, but the words could not have been more true. She sighed happily, pushing you down to lie back against the arm as she settled on your chest.

You stayed like that for maybe twenty minutes. Twenty long agonising minutes where you kept flitting your eyes down to look at her. She looked comfortable, cozy even, yet perfectly dressed all at the same time. Soft trousers made from some stretchy fabric that just exuded quiet elegance and a plain top that screamed sophistication. God, why was she with you? Out of everyone on the planet, she had chosen you?  You knew you weren’t ugly, not by any means. You were a professional footballer on the top of your game. You knew you looked good, but it was more the undertones that Ingrid gave that set you worlds apart. She was elegant and gentle and wonderful and had this confidence about her that, even when lying here, curled up on your chest, gave her a glow the radiated from within. You had none of that. You were just an anxious girl. Shy, awkward, timid girl who had somehow managed to catch the attention of the most perfect person in the world.

You felt Ingrid’s lips move against your neck, placing a few careful kisses, testing the waters. “Stop,” Ingrid whined gently.

“Huh?” You struggled to look down at her, torn between your inner monologue berating you and the feel of her lips against your skin.

“I can hear your brain working overtime from here, stop it.” She pulled back to stare into your eyes.

“I-I didn’t mean,” you stammered, a blush rising to your cheeks.

“Hey, it’s ok. I know you, your mind is running a thousand miles an hour, you’re overthinking everything. And that’s ok. We don’t have to do anything. Not tonight, not ever if you don’t want to. It’s just me and you.” She pressed a kiss to your cheek.

“I’m just nervous,” you breathed.

“So am I.” The confession was a hushed whisper, so quiet you barely heard it.

“Y-you’re? You’re nervous?” You blinked, what could she possibly be nervous about?

“Of course, I am. We might have sex tonight.” She rolled her eyes.

“But you’ve had sex before.” You looked at her, confused.

“Yeh, but I’ve never had sex with you. It’s new for both of us. This is our first time. I know what I like, but I don’t know what you do. I don’t know if I’ll live up to your expectations, y’know.” Ingrid looked down shyly. Your heart swelled, a small smile dancing on your lips.

“Oh,” you paused. “Well, I know I like kissing you,” you stated matter-of-factly. She let out a melodical laugh. “What?” You couldn’t help but join in.

“I like kissing you too.” She said, emphasising her point by planting a swift peck on your lips.

“Why don’t we start there?” You suggested, eyes wide.

“That sounds like a fantastic place to start,” she whispered, leaning in and giving you a slow kiss. The first touch of her lips against yours was everything – so soft they felt like silk. Her lips moved against yours with an aching tenderness, igniting a charge that left you dizzy. Her teeth grazed your lower lip, sending a thrill through you, and you leaned in closer, unable to hold yourself back. You could feel her smile against your mouth, the way her body pressed against yours.

You weren’t quite sure how long you made out on the sofa … long enough to feel like teenagers, making out on their parents couch when they finally had the place to themselves. “Do you want to go to the bedroom?” Ingrid whispered against your lips, breathing shallow.

“Can we stay here?” You asked, confused as to why the couch wasn’t a perfectly good space.

“I mean, we can. It’s just more space on the bed. We can spread out a bit, and there’s not a giant window.” She jerked her head back towards the large window where the light from the street below was streaming into the living room.

“Oh, yeah.” You blushed, feeling embarrassed.

“But, I am totally down for a quickie on the couch, whenever you want it. Or in the kitchen, or the bathroom, or the shower, or the changing rooms, or the cupboard next to the medical room that no one uses.” You let out a laugh, arching into her at the thought of all the places she wanted to have sex.

“Let’s just conquer the bedroom first?” You suggested, smiling up at her.

Ingrid paused, her eyes blinking slowly as she looked down at you. “You are so beautiful, especially when you laugh.” You felt your cheeks warm.

Ingrid’s bed was wide and welcoming, her soft scent enveloping you as you settled against the pillows. She kissed you softly again, her lips like velvet as they moved against yours. You felt her hands move up your body, her nails scratching against your stomach. “Is … is this ok?” she asked timidly.

“More than,” you breathed, arching as her hand reached your bra. She squeezed gently, smiling into another kiss.

Kissing Ingrid was magical, when her lips were against yours, the voices in your head quietened, leaving only happiness running through your veins. You let your hand tangle in her hair. She moaned gently as you tugged at her roots, your legs looping around her waist. With a soft sigh, you shifted your hips against hers, testing the waters, moving in a way that felt natural, instinctive. The movement brought a warmth to your cheeks and made your breath hitch, and from the soft gasp that left Ingrid’s lips, you could tell she felt it too.

“Please, Ingrid,” you whined, the words slipping out in a soft, desperate tone when it became clear she wasn’t letting you set the pace. She was holding back, making you ask, making you wait – and it was driving you crazy.

“Please, what, kjære?” she teased, her lips brushing close enough that you could feel her warm breath against your skin, her hand squeezing your breast again.

“Please,” you whimpered again. You captured her lips again in a kiss, soft and insistent, hoping it would convey the plea that words couldn’t seem to express.

“Please, what?” Her voice was maddeningly patient, eyes warm and soft as they met yours, but there was a glint in her gaze – a playful edge that hinted at just how much she was enjoying this, watching you unravel.

“Ingrid, baby,” you murmured, your voice trembling, nearly breathless, “I’m begging you here…”

She arched a brow, her lips quirking up in a teasing smirk. “Kjære, if this is you begging,” she said, her voice a low purr, “we’ll have to work on that.” The flush that crept over your cheeks only seemed to amuse her further.

“Please…” you whimpered again, voice barely a whisper. You could see the exact moment her resolve softened, her eyes gentle as she took in your expression.

With a sigh, she rolled her eyes affectionately and cupped your face in her hands, her thumb tracing soft circles over your cheek.

“Say the words, kjæreste,” she murmured. “Say it, and it’s yours.”

“Ingrid…” Your heart was racing, a frantic drumbeat against your ribs, your breath catching as you tried to form the words. “I want you … I need you. Please, make me yours.” You shocked yourself. You had never imagined that you would be able to say anything in the bedroom, let alone something so … well it wasn’t exactly dirty talk but it was definitely more than you were expecting.

“Good girl,” Ingrid smirked, kissing you again. Warmth flooded your body, you hips lifting against hers.

“How do we… how do we do this?” you asked, he nerves creeping back in despite how much you wanted this.

“Well … have … have you ever touched yourself?” Ingrid questioned, her voice gently. You swallowed, feeling warmth rise in your cheeks as you nodded.

“I’m not that much of a prude,” you replied, trying to hide the flush with a little humour, though it came out more vulnerable than you’d intended.

She chuckled softly, her fingers tracing a soothing pattern along your ribs. “I didn’t mean it like that, kjære,” she murmured, her tone gentle. “I meant… do you know what you like? Or what you don’t like?” Her lips brushed the shell of your ear, sending another thrill down your spine, and you felt your fingers unconsciously fidget with the fabric of her top, holding onto it like a lifeline.

“Oh.” You felt your blush deepen as you realised what she was asking. “Yes,” you whispered, finding her gaze with an honesty that felt liberating.

“And what do you like?” she asked, her voice low and velvety

Your voice faltered for a moment, but you pushed past the nerves. “I… I have a vibrator,” you admitted, words a shy murmur. “I like that.”

She hummed in approval, her hand continuing its gentle exploration across your body

“What about… inside?” she asked, her question as natural as if you were talking about a favourite movie.

You bit your lip, giving a small shake of your head. “I’ve tried… but I couldn’t get the angle right. It felt… weird.” You watched her nod and felt her press a kiss to your cheek.

“W-what about you?” you managed, your eyes tracing the curve of her cheek, her jaw, marvelling at how beautiful she was from so close.

“Don’t worry about me, kjære,” she replied softly, her gaze tender. “Tonight is all about you.” She leaned in, capturing your lips in a kiss that made your heart stutter.

As the kiss broke, you couldn’t help but murmur, “I still want to know…”

A smile tugged at the corner of her lips “Well, I definitely prefer being on top… or at least in charge.” A smirk danced across her face, her eyes flickering with heat as she held your gaze. “And I’ve definitely pictured you beneath me,” she added, leaning down to press a kiss to your cheek, her lips lingering as another blush rose on your skin. “But for me, I like more attention on my clit… penetration alone doesn’t really do it.” Her words were so matter of fact, yet her eyes softened as she watched you take them in.

“But,” she murmured, her voice gentle again, “we can explore that another night.” Her thumb brushed your cheek as she spoke, her expression filled with a love that took your breath away. “Tonight, I want you… in every way you’ll let me.” The heat in her voice sent a rush through you, your breath catching, and you felt yourself grow wetter, the ache of wanting her growing with every word, every touch.

“O-okay.”

“Good girl,” Ingrid smirked, pressing a kiss to your cheek. Your hips bucked involuntarily.

“If … if it’s alright with you.” She took another steadying breath. “Ireallywanttotasteyou … please.” You blinked, her words coming out so fast you missed it.

“Huh?” You laughed at yourself, the bluntness of your confusion breaking through the heated moment. Your laughter mixed with Ingrid’s, her head flopping down against your shoulder as she buried her head in embarrassment.

“Ask me again? I missed it. Slowly, this time,” you smiled, hand brushing her hair out of her face. She blushed heavily, but her eyes remained light and smiling.

“I really want to taste you.” She whispered.

“Louder,” you cocked your ear towards her.

“You are mean, kjære.” Ingrid raised her eyebrows. “I’ll get you back for this.” She teased, leaning down and pressing a kiss to your lips.

“Not … not tonight, though, right?” You double checked. You quite liked the idea of Ingrid maybe punishing you for something … but that was a bridge to be crossed at a later date.

“No, baby. Not tonight.” She reassured you. “Tonight, I want to taste you, if that’s ok with you, of course.”

“Good,” she said, her tone low and sultry, and she wasted no time. Her lips pressed a trail of soft kisses along your body, each touch igniting a fire within you. The world around you faded away, and all you could focus on was her – her warmth as she moved along your body, her touch as she shed both your and her clothes. As she moved, her hands slid along your sides, caressing your skin, memorising every inch of you. Your heart raced, every nerve ending alive with need.

It was an odd sensation, the way Ingrid's tongue moved against you was electric. The warmth of her mouth was more intense than you had anticipated, the way her fingers gripped at your hips added something you never knew was missing.

Your breath hitched a little as she circled your clit, her movements both teasing and deliberate, as if she were savouring every moment. “Down,” you gasped, your hands twisting in the sheets beneath you, gripping them tightly as a wave of pleasure coursed through you.

Ingrid listened intently, her tongue inching down just a fraction, perfectly attuned to your body and your needs. “To the left – there,” you directed, your voice breathless and trembling with anticipation. And then, as her tongue finally ran over your clit, a gasp escaped your lips, the sensation sending shockwaves of pleasure rippling through you. It was as if she had found the key to a door you never knew existed, unlocking a flood of sensations that had your body arching toward her, craving more. The way her tongue moved, skilled and confident, sent you spiralling closer to the stars.

Ingrid’s mouth was warm and inviting, her rhythm steady as she explored, each flick of her tongue sending you higher and higher. You could feel the tension building within you, coiling tighter, threatening to break free with each tantalising stroke. The world outside faded away, leaving only the delicious heat between your legs and the sweet sound of your breaths mingling with the soft, wet sounds of her pleasure.

“Just like that,” you managed to whisper, your voice a mere tremor as your body responded instinctively to her touch. The way she focused on you, her eyes flickering up to meet yours, filled you with an overwhelming sense of intimacy. It felt surreal – raw, tender, and utterly consuming.

Your body was alive, electric with need, and you could feel the tight coil of pleasure winding tighter, ready to snap. With each flick and stroke, she guided you closer to that edge, and you knew you were teetering, ready to fall into bliss.

“Please,” you whined out, the word slipping from your lips in a breathless plea, desperate for release. Ingrid showed no sign of stopping; instead, she responded with a low, approving hum that sent shivers down your spine. Each stroke of her tongue had you creeping closer and closer to that sweet, euphoric edge.

“Oh, my god, Ingrid,” you gasped, your hips grinding wildly against her mouth, seeking more friction, more sensation. You could hardly contain the wave of pleasure building within you. Instinctively, your hand flew to her hair, fingers tangling in the soft strands.

“Don’t, don’t stop. Holy shit,” you groaned, your voice thick “Just like that,” you moaned again, feeling your back arch as each flick of her tongue sent electric pulses radiating through your core.

Ingrid’s movements were relentless, her focus unwavering as she worked to bring you closer to that blissful release.

“Fuck, shit. Fuck, I’m cumming,” you announced, the words spilling out before you could even process them. The bubble inside you burst, a wave of pleasure crashing over you like a tidal wave, enveloping you completely. “Ingrid,” you shouted.

You felt your body tremble as the intensity washed over you, your back arching higher as you surrendered to the bliss. The room around you blurred, and all that existed was the exquisite sensation of Ingrid’s mouth and the intoxicating connection that enveloped you both. You had had orgasms before, but never one like that. Never ones that had you shaking, your thighs quivering around Ingrid’s head.

“Holy – ” you gasped, as the waves finally began to recede, you collapsed back onto the bed, panting for breath, a soft smile playing on your lips as you basked in the afterglow.

“That… was fucking hot,” Ingrid announced as she moved back up your body, her voice dripping with satisfaction. “You were so loud, holy shit. I didn’t think you had it in you.” Her eyes sparkled with mischief and delight as she smoothed your sweaty hair back off your forehead, a tender gesture that sent a rush of warmth through you. “S-sorry,” you stammered, mortified at the noise you’d made.

“Kjære,” she paused, her tone shifting to something softer, more serious as she waited for you to meet her gaze. The warmth in her eyes was undeniable, and you couldn’t help but feel a flutter in your chest. “Don’t ever apologise. That was so unbelievably sexy.” Her words wrapped around you like a comforting embrace, and you felt the tension ease from your body. “Herregud, I thought I was going to cum from the noises you were making.”

Ingrid leaned closer, her lips brushing against yours in a gentle, lingering kiss, tasting yourself on her lips. “You don’t know how hot you looked, completely lost in pleasure,” she continued, her voice low and sultry. “It’s one of the sexiest things I’ve ever seen.” You couldn’t help but smile at her words, a wave of warmth flooding through you. “I… I didn’t mean to be so loud,” you admitted, though the embarrassment was quickly fading.

“Good,” she replied, a playful grin spreading across her face. “I want you to be loud. I want to hear you. I want to know just how good it feels.” Her fingers traced delicate patterns along your arm, sending little shivers of excitement through you.

Ingrid settled down next to you, her hands smoothing soft patterns along your stomach.

“So …” You smirked. “All of that and I wasn’t even wined and dined.” You teased, your laughter mixing with hers.

“Just you wait, Kjære. I’ll wine and dine you for the rest of our lives, don’t you worry.”

“Rest of our lives, hey?”

“If you want,” She shrugged non-committally, but you could see the nerves in her eyes.

[emeraldserenade]

As a request, Reader finds out she’s expecting a baby with Joaquin but is scared to tell him. She hides the pregnancy from everyone but his sister until something happens that can’t keep it hidden anymore (angsty but ultimately happy)

Only if you’re comfortable with writing it 🩷

Baby Baby ~ Joaquín Torres

synopsis: You hide your pregnancy from Joaquín

tw: fem!reader, morning sickness, reader has longer hair, abortion is mentioned (not considered), bombing, barely edited.

fic, ficlet, drabble, request

This was a nice challenge to write, I've never been around someone pregnant before (or at least at a time I can remember) so I only know what I've learned from school, movies, and some articles I've read.

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You knew Joaquín had a breeding kink but as you stared at the word, pregnant, you were washed with a sudden fear. You weren't sure if Joaquín saying those things were true or his aroused brain speaking. You shoved the test back in it's box and the box into your bag, you would hide everything.

You called Joaquín to tell him you were headed out for some errands and probably wouldn't be home when he got home. You had to lie to lie to him, you could't bring yourself to tell him, not yet. You ended up at his sister's house, she moved to DC not long ago and you had become very close.

"Y/n, I wasn't expecting you," Cassandra let you in right away. You didn't say anything, you just made your way to her couch and sat down. "Is everything ok? Do I need to talk to Joaquín?"

"No!" You rushed out and reached into your bag. "I'm," you couldn't bring yourself to say it, you just handed her the test.

"Oh my," she gasped but stopped when she saw your face. "You aren't happy?"

"I am, I am," you clarified. "It's just, Joaquín and I haven't actually talked about having kids. What if Joaquín doesn't want this baby or isn't ready?"

"Oh," she breathed out. "I want to help but I actually don't know what Joaquín's stance on kids is," she told you and you solemnly nodded.

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You threw the box away at Cassandra's house but kept the test in your purse. You had the morning sickness since before you took the test, it's why you took it. You had been lucky enough that Joaquín has been at work or stayed asleep every time you threw up. Joaquín caught you this time though, he woke up at a particularly loud retch.

"Sweetheart, what's wrong?" Joaquín held your hair back for you.

"I think I ate something that didn't agree with me," you lied smoothly, having this lie planned out for weeks.

"Do you think it was the food from the truck yesterday?"

"Could be," you retched at the end of your sentence but nothing more happened. You blindly reached for the bottle of perfume that you could smell, you felt that it was plastic and threw it out the bathroom. Joaquín said nothing and you were glad, you didn't have a lie for that one.

✧°˖ . ݁˖︵‿❀‿︵˖ . ݁˖°✧

Joaquín started to suspect you being pregnant, you were wearing bagger clothes and turned down all his advancements. You kept throwing up in the morning and you were more sensitive to smells. Joaquín didn't want to say anything, he believed that you would tell him if you were.

You, on the other hand, cried almost everyday at the fact that you were going through it alone by your own doing. You were absolutely terrified about what Joaquín would say, especially since you were past the point of abortion. You took away Joaquín's choice to choose if he wanted the kid and you felt horrible. You didn't want to baby trap him, but you wanted your baby. Even if that meant you lost Joaquín fully.

Cassandra had been going to all your prenatal appointments with you, holding your hand and taking photos and videos for when Joaquín does know. It was another thing you felt horrible about, if he did want your child, he wouldn't be there for all of this.

✧°˖ . ݁˖︵‿❀‿︵˖ . ݁˖°✧

Sam and Joaquín were at work when the phone rang and a security guard came rushing. "I'm sorry, but you should really look at the news," he rushed out before leaving. Sam and Joaquín turned on the TV and both rushed to grab their suits.

"The downtown plaza today was the target of the newest supervillain. The unnamed villain placed a bomb that went off at noon, there has been at least three confirmed casualties and twelve injured," the news anchor spoke. Joaquín's personal phone went off as he waited for Sam to finish.

"Joaquín, y/n and I were at the plaza. I'm ok but y/n, she's in the hospital," Cassandra told him and Joaquín's heart stopped.

"What? How bad is it?" Joaquín questioned and Sam looked over.

"I don't know, they won't tell me since I'm not family," Cassandra rushed out, the sounds of the hospital could be heard in the back.

"Joaquín, go, I'll go handle this myself," Sam put together what happened.

"Ok," Joaquín nodded at Sam. "I'll be right there," Joaquín told Cassandra.

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You were in the room alone, Joaquín was out in the hallway with a doctor. Your heart rate picked up and alerted both of them, they came running in to sooth you.

"Y/n, you were in an accident," the doctor told you. "You luckily didn't get any to severe injuries," he looked down at the chart in his hand. "And your baby girl is perfectly ok, a healthy nineteen week baby," he told you and you sobbed.

"It's a girl?" You questioned, hands landing on your stomach. It was definitely bigger than it was before.

"Did I just ruin a gender reveal?"

"No, I haven't had my gender appointment yet," you assured him and he nodded before leaving. You refused to look at Joaquín yet, you were sure he was mad at you.

"Angel," Joaquín called for your attention. "Please look at me, I'm not mad," he assured you and you finally looked over at him.

"I'm sorry," you sobbed as you looked over at him. "I was worried you wouldn't want her and I didn't want to lose you. Then it became too late and Cassandra kept telling me to tell you but I'm just so scared. I am so sorry," you sobbed even harder as you spoke.

"Sweetheart, I'm not mad. I'm a little disappointed that I missed everything so far," Joaquín gently ran his thumbs over your cheeks as he spoke.

"Cassandra has lot of videos and photos," you informed him. "You're happy?"

"I am more than happy," he assured you, kissing your forehead.

"Then when we get out of here, will you stand behind me and hold my stomach up?" You tried to make a joke to stop crying.

"I'll do anything you want and more," he kissed your forehead again.

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"Hi, you must be the father, Joaquín. Y/n here talks about you every time," your prenatal doctor, Jenny, shook Joaquín's hand.

"Hi, I am," Joaquín affirmed and took the seat next to you.

"Well, let's find out what your baby's gender is," she smiled and you grimaced slightly.

"We already know," you broke the fact to her. "I was in the plaza bombing, the doctor at the hospital said that she was fine," you said.

"Well then, let's take a look at your baby girl," Jenny took her seat and you took Joaquín's hand. You smiled when he kissed your knuckles, you finally felt better about this whole thing.

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Masterlist | Requests

[brain4stew]

I was wondering if u could do something with this post https://www.tumblr.com/brain4stew/776674413350404096/forsaken-killers-with-a-deceased-so-perchance

But make it like a part where boom their body's are suddenly gone and now there suddenly alive but the killers don't believe it at first!! if possible then just a lil fluff.

I really wonder where you people get ideas from… 🧍‍♀️ DID YOU STEAL MY BRAIN JUICE?! 😦😦 /J

But yes, I shall make this for you, anon. 🙂‍↕️

Those that do not know what post the anon is referring to, it is,

This one.

(Note: Characters may be ooc, since I do not know how the characters actually will work/be like!)

That being said, here is your request under the cut! ;

1x1x1x1 (1x4).

We all know that this creature is the embodiment of hatred, right? And he had you as their lovely s/o.

However, you were dead. You were a minion for a while, a special minion.

But after a round where 1x4 was the killer, and she killed every survivor, and won. Imagine her shock, when you’re gone.

Now just imagine, his hatred but now tenfold.

Way more relentless in rounds, bringing actual hell on their victims. (Survivors.)

But one specific round, she sees you alive.

He doesn’t believe it of course, and kills you for a few rounds. Before he notices that very same look you always have, when you were alive, and didn’t die.

Another round, and they immediately starts rushing to find you. Ignoring every and all survivor now, surprisingly.

When she finds you, oh, when she finds you again… She won’t leave you be alone ever again.

He’s practically growling at any and all survivor and killer within your vicinity. He just doesn’t want you to die again…

In private, they’ll be scared to touch you, let alone hold you. But as you reassure them that you will be alright, they can’t help but hug you, hold you close, and pepper your face with kisses.

You both fell asleep with each other again, cuddled up with each other. 1x4 obviously is the big spoon, scared that you’ll be gone the moment she wakes up again.

John Doe.

This poor, confused and corrupted guy…

His corruption was far too bad when you were dead. That his corruption ended up corrupting the killers and survivors a bit.

He doesn’t notice that you’re alive, as he kills you for many rounds, until a survivor yells out your name, to warn you of him.

He pauses his hand, mid-strike, stiffening up.

Did he hear that correctly? His s/o? Alive again? Couldn’t be…

When he glances down at you, he is arguably… Shocked and confused.

He lowers his hand, hesitating for a while-

You ended up tackling him down into a tight hug. He’s shocked by your sudden strength, how did you manage to tackle him down?!

He’s glad you’re alive however. So each round where you’re in it, he searches for you, and stays by you everytime. His corruption gradually becoming stable again.

(The survivors and killers that were affected by his corruption also became free of the corruption.)

He glares at anyone, everyone and anything near you. He quite literally does not trust anything near you, afraid that you’ll die once again.

In private, he’s clingy as hell. He always has to have at least one singular claw on one of your fingers.

He’s hugging you, and cuddling you quite a lot. He missed you, a lot.

Jason.

Jason was still and is still killing each and every survivor, until his mother tells him that your body, is gone.

He’s scared, livid also! Did your body get taken? No, because then someone would have to go inside his room, and search for both you and his mother’s head…

He’s more feral this time, killing anyone and everyone. He doesn’t notice it, as he kills you for a few rounds, until…

His mother, recognized you. She immediately tells him to stop, and to look closely at you.

He does as told, stopping his attacks, and looking at you closely. Oh. My. MOTHER. (😇)

He drops his machete, and chainsaw, before rushing to you, and hugging you closely. Not caring at all that the survivors are looking.

In private, you and him will be making diy’s, knitting, learning and listening to his mother. Listening to what she has to say about her youth, and learning how to do and make things.

He also hugs you a lot, tensing up whenever a survivor or killer is nearby you.

Mafioso.

He’s relentless in rounds. Killing any and all survivor, in debt or not, he does not care.

He always watches over his goons, practically glaring death daggers at them, if they ever are close to your capsule.

Imagine his shock and horror when his boss, Eunoia, tells him that you are gone. You disappeared. Your dead body, gone, vanished.

He immediately rushes back to your capsule and his boss after his round of being the killer, and sure enough… You’re gone. Eunoia has already sent some goons to look for you, whilst having trackers on each and every one of them.

The more rounds he is in, the more frustrated, angry and mad he is. Where did you go? Did one of his goons betray him again? Did a survivor take you? Did a fellow killer take you away? No, Eunoia would have seen, heard and taken care of them.

So imagine his reaction, when you tackle him from behind, hugging him tightly from behind, and calling him that lovely and sweet nickname you gave him that he remembers dearly.

He stops in his tracks and turns around to face you, taking his hat off, and placing it on top of your head, as he hugs you back.

He holds you, hugging you for a while, before he calls his most trusted goons. (Soldier, Contractee, Consigliere and Caporegime.)

Their shock when they see you again, they immediately ask Mafioso if they can hug you too. When they get a confirmation from Mafioso, and he backs up from you.

You’re immediately tackled down into a group hug. The guys crying and hugging you, as you smile, and hug them all back, telling them that you’re okay and safe. And how you missed every and each one of them.

You look up at Mafioso, and grin, you reach up an arm, and pull him down into the group hug. (He’s surprised by the unexpected gesture and strength, so much so that he actually stumbles.)

In private, you and his goons are making bracelets, items and everything you all can make together.

You, Mafioso and his goons listen to Eunoia, occasionally asking questions, and giving advice.

(Whenever you’re supposed to be sat on the ground, you’re instead sat on Mafioso’s lap. He put you on his lap.)

Mafioso’s bunnies squeak and whine when they finally see you. You’re immediately swarmed with bunnies, and Mafioso sat behind or beside you.

In private, Mafioso will hold you like you’re something fragile, afraid that you’ll die and disappear again.

He doesn’t show it much, but whenever he’s with you, or Eunoia, he lets his bunny form show. You and Eunoia are the only ones he trusts to be able to help groom him in his bunny form/state.

He’s also cuddling you a lot, even nuzzling you a bit too, he’s glad you’re alive and back again, but he’s still scared it’ll happen again.

Eunoia also treats you like you’re fragile glass. She knows how vulnerable people are, and she’s afraid she’ll damage you.

(Anyway, thank you for requesting this, anon! 🫶)

[zepskies]

Oooh I've been hearing so much about this and I'm so excited to dive into another Beau series, let alone more omegaverse from you!! 😍😍

And oh God, you're really dropping us right into the action with this opener. Running away from a psycho killer??

A predator hunting it’s prey knowing it was now or never.

Maybe it was from the pain, the fear, whatever drug that fucker in the park had stabbed in your neck. Your stomach cramped and you winced at the flush wave of warmth that rippled. Fuck, your heat was three months early on top of it? This was not an adrenaline rush. Something was severely wrong.

She was drugged, her heat's come early, and she's being surrounded by what seems like a bunch of feral-like alphas? I'm starting to desperately look for Beau now. 😬😬😬

And they're a gang trafficking omegas? Dear lord, she really stepped in it today!! 🫣

“I need an ambulance at 947 Main Street. Female omega going into some kind of exacerbated heat. Looks to have other injuries,” said a strong voice, a handsome face and green eyes to match appearing above you. Your body tensed when you smelled him. All Alpha, so fucking delicious but so…White hot pain exploded behind your eyes as his scent consumed you, the man cursing into a cellphone. “Yes, that’s her screaming. It’s the heat. What could…”

Awwww hell yeah, there he is!! 😏

Two fingers grazed over your bonding gland, the man looking at you with serious eyes as you gripped his wrist.

Something tells me this is the moment they both realize they're meant to be mates. 🤭 What a fun and romantic "meet cute"! 😂

It grew and grew as the strange man wrapped his arms around you, letting you squeeze his body in a death grip. “Shh, breathe. Try to breathe through it for me. That’s it. Just breathe. I got you.”

Oooh my God, I'm so scared for her! What did he just inject into her?? Hopefully something to counteract whatever trailer park guy did. 😭

I sighed, giving her a simple nod. “Autopsy on previous vics shows off the charts levels of heat inducers and heat markers in the bloodstream. We got some big wig doctor at the university hospital to look at the data. Cassie, he keeps them in a never ending heat for anywhere from two to three weeks until their hearts literally stop from the exertion.”

Holy shit, this is horrible. I'm so glad Beau saved her before she was caught 😭

“I’m not leaving.” I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, Emily straightening her own back in response. “Don’t pull your Alpha crap. I. Am. Staying.”

lol it's like she wants to get herself in trouble. I get that she doesn't want to let fear rule her, but maybe she should listen to her dad when there's a literal serial killer on the loose. 😂 But I love the dynamic of stubborn daughter and equally stubborn/protective Alpha father Beau. And I'm honestly relieved that she ultimately agreed to go to Seattle for a couple of days. 😅

“No!” Her scent flashed with fear she couldn’t hide, eyes darting back and forth between you and your stubborn Alpha. “We’re going to leave her here, in that chair, and that’s it. Okay? Ma’am, I’m sorry for him. He’s in a bad mood because I was attacked and he doesn’t let shit like that go.”

omg this is a huge twist!! When she says her alpha, is she already mated to this guy? 😲

However, love that she told him to back off of Jenny. She really is just trying to do her job. ❤️

You frowned, looking at your lap. “Okay. Is that man your Alpha?” You shook your head. “Boyfriend?” You couldn’t hide your snort, Beau humming. “He was putting out some major signals in his scent.” “He’s not my boyfriend,” you said, staring out the window.

Ah ok, my rom-com heart is relieved lolol. But another great twist! Finally Beau (and us readers) is gonna get the story here with these two. What an exciting, action-packed opener! Rich with so many worldbuilding details, omegaverse science, a serial killer on the loose, and a mysterious reader. Consider me freakin' hooked, Michelle!!

Primal (Part 1)

Summary: The reader is out for a simple run in the streets of Helena, Montana when she's attacked. After making her escape, she runs into Sheriff Beau Arlen who knows she's his first lead on catching a killer. But there's something more to her than meets the eye...

Primal Masterlist

Pairing: Alpha!Beau Arlen x Omega!reader

Word Count: 5,600ish

Warnings: language, angst, violence, drugging, serial killers, death, kidnapping, mention of human trafficking

A/N: Here we go! I'm so excited to finally be sharing this one with you guys! It's got action, drama, romance, familial relationships all tucked under the pretty bow of ABO! This series follows the events of Big Sky season 3. This series is told in split POV between multiple characters.

Reader POV

Run. Keep running. You breathed hard as you sprinted through the park gates and down the sidewalk. You wanted to desperately look back but you weren’t about to be that idiot that tripped and fell that you’d make fun of during a horror movie.

Oh god, the sympathy you now had for those poor people. Running away from a psychopath was harder than it looked. Clichés were clichés for a reason, right? 

The air in your lungs burned as you kept running, searching for anyone that could help. But of fucking course the construction on Main meant a detour that had made the far side of town far, far quieter than it should have been. Footsteps still pounded pavement behind you. Loud. Threatening.

A predator hunting it’s prey knowing it was now or never.

Summoning the last bit of adrenaline in your wrecked body, you ran full speed where a ditch lay in the dug up road, a wide one exposing sewage lines and bundles of cables all underneath the thick asphalt above. 

You kicked off with one foot in the air, pushing yourself off the edge and propelling yourself forward to the other side. Hot pain hit your shin as it scraped broken road but you rolled away to solid ground, staring back at your pursuer as they came to a skidded halt on the other side of the ditch.

Part of you wanted to gloat that you’d made the jump and he was too chicken shit to even try. But another part very quickly understood why he’d hesitated, why he was turning tail and running back towards the park.

You’d jumped right in front of the infamous faded green building with a piss yellow name stamped over the doorway. Stormy’s Bar. 

You hadn’t been in town long but you knew this was not good. Very, very not good. Quickly, there were about six different Alpha’s coming outside, their noses twitching as they caught your scent.

You scrambled to your feet, body fiercely cold and drenched in sweat all at once. Maybe it was from the pain, the fear, whatever drug that fucker in the park had stabbed in your neck. Your stomach cramped and you winced at the flush wave of warmth that rippled. Fuck, your heat was three months early on top of it? This was not an adrenaline rush. Something was severely wrong.

Standing there for a beat you caught your breath as the cramp passed, skin prickling as the group of Alpha’s approached like you might run off if they startled you. Shit, shit, shit.

“Smells ripe,” mumbled one, your eyes drifting to his neck and spotting a tattoo that made you physically recoil. Omega Tamer. More like gang member that was less than ten seconds away from taking what he wanted.

First some crazy man grabs you and stabs you with a syringe, than you run into a gang known for trafficking omegas? Whoever said running was good for your health was so full of shit.

You didn’t wait around for them to make a move and ran down the street, jumping over a temporary construction barricade and another, leaving them behind. You could hear them follow but it went quiet when you finally saw foot traffic appear on the sidewalk again. The Alpha’s scent dissipated as you got further away and you fought off another wave of intense heat in your core. All you could focus on was some guy fifty feet ahead carrying a pizza walking over to a red truck.

His head whipped in your direction before you could even reach him, a cramp hitting you, sending you to the ground. A door opened nearby, someone stepping out from a bar. By the scent it was another Alpha. Great. A strange Alpha. Just what you needed mid-heat laying on the sidewalk.

“I need an ambulance at 947 Main Street. Female omega going into some kind of exacerbated heat. Looks to have other injuries,” said a strong voice, a handsome face and green eyes to match appearing above you. Your body tensed when you smelled him. All Alpha, so fucking delicious but so…White hot pain exploded behind your eyes as his scent consumed you, the man cursing into a cellphone. “Yes, that’s her screaming. It’s the heat. What could…”

Two fingers grazed over your bonding gland, the man looking at you with serious eyes as you gripped his wrist.

“Send me every available officer we have now. Hunter is in the area. North end of Main. I repeat, Hunter is in the area.” He grabbed your cheeks, getting right in your face, watching you choke on air you couldn’t get in your lungs. “I will be right back, sweetie. I’m not leaving you, understand? I need to get something to help.”

Your body shuddered when he left, the sky above you turning dusky, the faintest of pinks swirling in the deep blue sky. God, was this how you were going to die? Body on fire as you watched a brilliant sunset high above? Suddenly, his face was there again, a scared smile on his face, his scent triggering your heat further but tethering you back to earth for a split second.

“Be brave for me because this is going to hurt like hell.” You nodded once before a syringe hit your bonding gland for the second time tonight, his thumb pressed down on the plunger.

He was right. For a blistering a moment, all you knew was burning. Burning in your veins, fire in your guts, acid in your bones.

It grew and grew as the strange man wrapped his arms around you, letting you squeeze his body in a death grip. “Shh, breathe. Try to breathe through it for me. That’s it. Just breathe. I got you.”

In a blink, the fire consumed you and everything went cold.

Beau’s POV

“Good girl,” I murmured when she finally went lax in my arms, her broken body so hot to the touch. I gently rested her on the cooling sidewalk, grateful any warmth from the sun was long gone. I heard two different sets of sirens in the distance as the man from the entrance to the bar along with a few others gathered around. I snapped my fingers at a tall, if somewhat skinny, young Alpha that looked barely old enough to drink. “You. Go in the bar and ask if there’s a doctor. Now.”

The kid took off, the small crowd growing larger, a distinct correlation being made with the omegas and Alphas over twenty five versus the young bucks. 

“Any Alpha that’s been through rut before, get your ass back in that bar. Omegas, I highly suggest you go home.”

“What bout the rest of us?” asked a guy that smelled like Beta as I removed my jacket and tucked it under the head of the out cold omega on the ground.

“Damn, she’s in heat,” said a younger Alpha, his scent shifting so swiftly a group of omegas all went wide eyed. He took an instinctive step forward before one of the Beta’s grabbed his arm.

“Betas, you get the pups the fuck out of here before they all go into their first rut and escort the omegas to their vehicles. Now everybody clear out.” I knew my scent was wildly dangerous, a dark edge in my voice that had them all compiling, even to the Alphas that had decades on me.

“Jesus fuck,” said Jenny, pushing her way past the departing crowd, putting her arm over her nose. She stared at me and then the omega on the ground. “Arlen. Get away from her.”

I glared back, showing my teeth to her displeasure. “I’m fine, Hoyt.”

“I can smell her heat from three blocks away. You’re going to go into rut-”

“Hoyt! If I was going to go into rut, I would have done it when she smelled…” I trailed off, putting my hand to the flush omega’s forehead. “Her scent was worse before. I gave her a shot of Blaze.”

“Good thing for her you have a teenage omega.” Yeah, and thank God I’d picked up her prescription before grabbing pizza or this poor omega would be a dead woman walking. Jenny looked around before crouching near the woman’s head, putting her hand to the back of her cheek. I turned her neck gently, showing the red splotchy mark on the omegas neck.

We shared a look, Jenny’s gaze suddenly darting all around the street. I stared down at the omega breathing rapidly, eyes moving behind closed lids. 

“Stay with her. Where she goes, you go. I’m going after Hunter,” I said.

“Wait for backup,” she said as I stood, already turning towards the direction she ran from. I pointed at a patrol car that pulled up, jogging over to it. “Beau! Wait-”

“You watch her, I’ll…” My vision swam as I stared at my palm that was turning red. I tried to shake it away, blame it on being so close to an incredibly in heat omega. But I’d been around plenty of omegas before and never felt my body get hot like this, like…

“Beau!” Jenny rushed over when I lost my balance and fell down onto my side on the sidewalk. I watched two officers rush over to the omega, Jenny whipping her head around. “Do not touch her neck without gloves! She’s got heat inducer on her skin.”

“Jenny,” I said, tugging at my buttoned shirt, ripping it open, desperate to get to some cool air. “Fuck, I’m boiling. Jesus fuck. It’s so hot.”

“Sorry boss.” I barely flicked my eyes upwards in time to see an EMT standing over me with a syringe filled with blue liquid. 

“No, no I don’t need…” I couldn’t fight the wave of sedation that overwhelmed me, eyes fluttering closed before I could get out another word.

“Hey big guy.” I groaned, coming to on the sidewalk and noticing a hell of a lot more officers around. I pushed away the hand that reached for me and glanced at my watch. Huh. It’d only been five minutes but the omega was already gone, along with Jenny’s scent.

“What the hell are you doing here, Cassie?” I grumbled, sitting up and pouting. “Where the hell is my shirt?”

“You sort of tore it off, sheriff,” said an EMT from next to me. “The Rutcan did it’s job.”

“I wasn’t in fucking rut,” I snapped, too many voices going quiet around me. I took a deep breath, closing my eyes. “I’m forty three years old. Believe me. I’ve been having ruts for nearly twenty years. I know what they feel like and that…that wasn’t a rut.”

“Heat inducer in it’s rawest form has been known to have side effects on Alphas that can mimic…” The EMT shut his mouth as I glared. “You should probably go to the hospital just to be safe.”

“Pop,” I said, getting to my feet reluctantly with Cassie’s help. He appeared from near a SUV with a Helena PD t-shirt in hand. “This is why you’re my favorite employee.”

“I don’t think you can openly have favorites,” said Cassie, raising her brow. I frowned. 

“Blame it on the Rutcan,” I said, shoving the shirt on, looking around for my jacket. Screw it. It was probably at the hospital. “Cassie, I don’t know what the hell you’re doing here but you need to go home. Now.”

“Uh, there’s only a million cop cars on the street. Jenny texted, said you needed help so of course I came.” I sighed, nodding as I checked my pockets, grateful all my gear was still there. “So what’s going on to make downtown look like the end of Die Hard?”

“Pop, status?” I asked, ignoring her. He shook his head, wincing when I didn’t bother to hide my curse. “What, he slipped out of the net?”

“Looks like from what we can tell is the omega got away from Hunter somehow further up the street.” My gaze drifted down the sidewalk to the last block where Stormy’s Bar sat beyond the construction area. “Think she came from there?”

“Those scumbags are twisted motherfuckers but they aren’t stupid enough to shit where they eat. It wasn’t them.” I ran a hand through my hair, putting my hands on my hips, both of them looking where I was. “She was in workout clothes and sneakers, had a smart watch on. My gut says she was running over at the park or near there and ran into Hunter in there.”

I spun around, both of them looking at each other. Cassie crossed her arms, biting her bottom lip. “Okay, putting aside the fact I still don’t know what is happening, why the hell would she be running in Cartridge Park? I thought it was permanently closed. The gates have been locked for months since that body was found…oh please don’t tell me what I think is happening is happening.”

“That we have a serial killer lose in Helena? Fine, I won’t tell you,” I said. Cassie smacked my arm. Hard. Pop pretended to take a call, leaving me along to rub my arm. “Cassie, I couldn’t tell you.”

“I’m one of your best friends! And I-”

“You were not in danger, neither was Noah,” I cut her off, her anger fading a sliver. “He only goes after female Omegas.”

“I thought that omega had a heart attack,” she dead panned. 

“...Not a natural one,” I mumbled, pulling her around the side of brick building to the side street, Cassie’s face hard. “Cassie, I cannot have a public panic. You know that. Swear you keep this quiet.”

“Fine. But you’re telling me everything starting with how many victims have there been so far.” 

“Seven.” She tilted her head like she heard me wrong. God, I wish I was. “He has a type. Female omega. Age range is pretty big. Youngest was twenty two, oldest forty seven. Single. Recently moved to town. He started with the older ones first so we didn’t even realize until two vics ago that these weren’t heart attacks in seemingly healthy women. We think he got annoyed with us and made it obvious.”

“Okay but that woman they just took to the hospital, she was in heat.” I breathed deeply, rubbing my temple. “Heat inducers can cause a heart attack?”

“No, they can’t.” I crossed my arms, tilting my head back to stare at the darkening sky above. Here I thought I’d be halfway through a slice of meat lovers pizza and watching Love Is Blind with Em right now. “Basic sex ed. An omega’s heat passes either naturally with time or by mating. Heat inducers help omegas with hormone issues stay on a regular schedule, right?”

Cassie leaned back against the brick wall, her eyes closing in realization. “He gives them the heat inducer to force a heat to slow them down and grab them. Then he keeps giving it to them.”

I sighed, giving her a simple nod. “Autopsy on previous vics shows off the charts levels of heat inducers and heat markers in the bloodstream. We got some big wig doctor at the university hospital to look at the data. Cassie, he keeps them in a never ending heat for anywhere from two to three weeks until their hearts literally stop from the exertion.”

“He doesn’t need to restrain them,” she said, my head nodding. “The heat turns their own bodies into prisons.”

“And he watches them suffer. For fun. He put a note on the last girl telling us so. That is who we are chasing and that omega at the hospital is the first real lead we have.” She glanced down the quieter street, making a face.

“Does Emily know?” I pursed my lips, looking away and beyond at the darkening mountains beyond. If we didn’t catch Hunter and soon, he could easily slip away into the forest or hills. Damn it, I should have pout on gloves before I touched that omega’s neck. I knew about the heat inducer. Stupid, stupid. If someone else got hurt- “Beau. Does she know?”

“She’s not even capable of getting a heat for at least a few more years.” Cassie eyed me up and down, looking right through me. “...She’s known for a few months.”

Cassie gritted her teeth, breathing deeply to calm down. “Do you think she’s in danger?” I scoffed.

“After all the shit that happened last year, fuck yes I think she’s in danger. Constantly. But I can’t get her to go down to her mother’s. She’s a stubborn as hell seventeen year old.”

“Is an officer keeping tabs on her?” 

“Who’s the cop here, Cassie? There’s always one within fifty feet of her which has earned me a whole lot of brownie points.” I tilted my head, Cassie sighing. “You really think she’s a target?”

“I was headed down to Seattle to visit my sister next week…I could do that early, take Em with us if you want. Give you some peace of mind.”

“I don’t want to go to Seattle.” My head whipped around fast, eyes wide when I saw Emily approaching with a very remorseful looking Officer Jergens. I started for him, Emily cutting me off. “You said all hands on deck and I told him you’d fire him if you didn’t show up. Whoops.”

“You and I are going to talk,” I said to the officer, his head nodding quickly. My gaze turned on Emily, her eyes narrowed. “And you? You’re getting out of town until this situation is resolved. End of story.”

“I’m not even able to have a heat for a few more years. I don’t fit the victim profile at all.”

“You’re the Sheriff’s daughter though,” said Cassie before I could respond. Emily frowned, Cassie taking a few steps towards her. “This guy is bad news, Em. It doesn’t matter if you’re presented fully or not. He might not care about that or he might try to use you to get to your dad.”

“I’m not leaving.” I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, Emily straightening her own back in response. “Don’t pull your Alpha crap. I. Am. Staying.”

“Would you back me up?” I said, Cassie shrugging. “Cassandra. You’re a parent. Talk to her.”

“Emily, I’m booking Noah and me a flight for the morning. You are more than welcome to come to Seattle with us. Beau…maybe she wants to stay because something bad happened to her last year and she wants to face it this time, not let it rule her life…or yours.” 

“Some friend you are,” I grumbled, crossing my arms, Emily doing the same. I stared her down, Emily giving it right back. Damn stubborn child. “Emily-”

“Two days. Then I’m flying home. Got it?” she said. I exhaled slowly, her face softening at the relaxation in mine. “Be fucking careful, dad.”

“Thank you,” I said, kissing her temple. “Now Officer Jergens is going to take you out wherever you want for dinner and then take you home to pack.” I gave him my attention, Jergens swallowing thickly. “Anything happens to her, they won’t be able to find pieces of you. Understand?”

“Yes sir,” he said, Cassie giving me a smile. 

“Come on, Em. As long as Jergens is paying, lets go grab Noah and go all out,” she said. My officer sighed, getting them both out of there as my phone rang.

“Arlen,” I answered.

“Sheriff, this is Dr. Olson at County Memorial. We were asked to give you an update on the omega that came in.”

“Yes, you’re that specialist we’ve been working with,” I said, heading back up the sidewalk where my officers were scattered all over the street, some talking to people, others doing a gride search. “Is she still alive?”

“Yes, the Blaze you gave her slowed the heat inducer. She had a very atypical reaction to the inducer. We can’t be positive until we get results back but we belive your Hunter suspect has increased the dosage which causes additional strain on the omega. We gave her a high dose of heat stopper in the ER which pulled her out of it. She was being moved to a room to rest but…” I could hear him move around, footfalls against linoleum. “We can’t seem to find her.”

“Excuse me?” I shook my head. “I sent a detective with her. Jenny Hoyt. Blonde, always wears a leather jacket-”

“We can’t find her either.” 

“Lock that hospital down now,” I said, snapping my fingers at Pop and a trio of officers he was talking to. “County Memorial. The victim and Hoyt are missing.”

Reader POV

You woke up with a headache and the taste of cinnamon in your mouth. You sat up from the stretcher you laid on, spitting onto the linoleum floor. 

“Fucking Blaze,” you grumbled, holding a hand to your head as you looked around. You jumped as you realized the room you were in, eyes wide as the door opened. “The morgue? Really?”

“I improvised.” You spotted a familiar face, relaxing slightly. He turned his head the same direction as you when you heard a grunt. Your eyes landed on a blonde woman taped to an office chair in the corner, a sticky piece of medical tape over her mouth. She looked between the two of you, her eyebrows raising. “Can you walk?”

“I don’t know,” you said, swinging your legs off the table. You touched the ground, legs wobbling hard before you started to go down. A strong arm wrapped around your waist, helping you back up on the stretcher. “Do you know what they gave me?”

“Some kind of heat stopper I’m guessing,” he said, going into a room off to the side, returning with two pairs of new blue scrubs. “Change.”

He stripped down to his boxer briefs and had his pants up by the time you managed to reach behind and pull off the tie on the back of your gown. 

“You didn’t happen to find a bra back there, did you?” you joked as he went to your back, pulling away the gown from behind. He dropped a bra in your lap, catching your smile over your shoulder. “Always the boy scout.”

You got your arms through the loops, his large fingers attaching the clasp in the back before he helped to tug your scrub shirt. 

“What are you going to do with her?” you asked. He came around to your front and knelt down, pulling up your pants and shoving a pair of cheap sneakers on your feet. His gaze darkened as he looked past you. You touched a hand to his cheek, a waft of angry hormones coming off him. “She’s just doing her job.”

“She’ll know our faces,” he said, standing again, putting his own tee on. He reached under the stretcher and pulled out a backpack, releasing a gun and holster from the front pocket. He tucked it in his waistband before tossing it on the stretcher. “You. Alpha girl.”

You watched him go to her, lean down in her angry face with a lifted chin.

“Listen very carefully. I did not hurt her tonight. End of story,” he said, pointing back at you. “I will die before I let something happen to her and I’m going to beat myself up over what happened this evening for a very long time so I can guarantee that doesn’t happen again. Go hunt down who did this to her and I will keep her safe. If you come looking for us, you jeopardize her. I will kill anyone who does that. Am I clear?”

The blonde woman’s gaze travelled over to you, eyes snapping back when he grabbed her chin.

“Do not come after us.” You rolled your eyes, shifting on the stretcher, rubbing out your thigh and hoping to get some feeling back in it.

“Don’t be a dickhead. Let go of her. Now.” He grumbled but listened, her eyes softening when you gave her a half-there smile. “I promise he’s not holding me against my will. It’s complicated is all.”

He turned around, putting his hands on his hips. “You think that’s going to make her think I’m not the guy who attacked you?”

“Oh, she already knows that. Anyone could smell your protective Alpha shit all over this room. All she’s trying to do is figure out what’s going on so like I said, back off of the police officer.” He breathed hard, closing his eyes like he often did when you frustrated him. 

“Fine. We’ll toss her in a morgue drawer.”

“No!” Her scent flashed with fear she couldn’t hide, eyes darting back and forth between you and your stubborn Alpha. “We’re going to leave her here, in that chair, and that’s it. Okay? Ma’am, I’m sorry for him. He’s in a bad mood because I was attacked and he doesn’t let shit like that go.”

“Don’t apologize for me,” he said, pushing you to lie back on the stretcher. 

“Don’t be a dick and I won’t have to.” He rolled his eyes and grabbed a sheet from a nearby table. “You really think you can roll me out of here?”

“I think you let me figure that out. Now be quiet and don’t move.” He tossed the sheet over top of you and tucked the backpack between your legs, the stretcher moving somewhere. You tried to stay calm, eyes squeezed shut. 

“Sh,” he murmured, reaching over top of the sheet and squeezing your hand for a fleeting moment. “Ninety seconds and we’ll be in the car nice and safe. Just breathe nice and slow for me.”

You didn’t answer as he turned down a corner, a tiny flash of annoyance in his scent you recognized instantly. Crap.

“Sir, the hospital’s in lockdown,” said a new voice. You caught two new scents. Double crap. 

“Shit man, can’t I just get this body outside? The funeral home should be here any minute to pick it up. My boss’ll kill me if I fuck up and make them wait again,” said the Alpha, his grip on the stretcher tightening. 

“Sorry sir but no exceptions.” You swallowed, feeling a hand tug the end of the stretcher near your feet. “We’d be more than happy to turn over the body to the funeral home for you.”

“Nah man, I can’t do that. No offense but I can’t let a body go unattended. Appreciate it though,” he said. You felt him try to tug you backwards, the hand on the other end of the cart tugging it back. 

“What’s the rush? I’m sure this’ll clear up in a minute.”

“You want to leave a dead body in a seventy degree hallway? Man, my boss would really kill me then,” he chuckled, the tension in the air rising. “I got to get it back to cold storage.”

“Lift up the sheet.” Two seconds later you were on the ground, the stretcher tipped over by who you didn’t know. You blinked, a strong arm around your waist, yours instinctively finding the backpack and bringing it to your chest. You could see they were hospital security guards, one with their hands raised, the other with his hand on his holster.

“Don’t do it,” you said to the guard, seeing an arm outstretched, glock in hand in your periphery. 

“I’d listen to her,” said the Alpha holding you up. The guard debated before holding his hands up.

“The cops are already on their way,” said the guard as they both got on the ground.

“No shit,” said the Alpha, dragging you with him and out the door. Your legs were still weak but you could stumble along with his help. 

“I ever tell you how good you are at making friends?” you said when the door outside shut behind you. He scoffed, finding a piece of plastic from some kind of tray on the ground and shoving it under the door, jamming it, at least for long enough to get away.

“I’m amazing at making friends,” he said, bending and scooping you up bridal style. “I thought I told you to stay quiet.”

“I got to keep you on your toes,” you said. He jogged as fast as he could with you for the parking lot, cursing when two black and whites sped through the lot entrance in the distance. “Company.”

“I see them.” You both froze when a gunshot rang out from nearby. 

“Put her on the ground.” You leaned your head back, wide eyed when you recognized the Alpha from the sidewalk.

“You’re the guy that gave me Blaze on the street.” Your eyes drifted lower, spotting the badge on his hip. Your gaze travelled back up, his gun aimed at the Alpha carrying you. Your eyes met the Alpha’s green ones, a reassurance to them. “Thank you for everything but you need to let us leave.”

“He can’t hurt you anymore,” said the cop. You looked away and up at the Alpha that held you as you were set down. 

“What the hell-” you mumbled, his arms holding you upright.

“Make a run for the car. It’s one row back on the left. I’ll hold him off. You know what to do,” he whispered against your ear. “Now.”

You didn’t even make it a step when you fell forward without his support. He reached for you instinctively, the cop taking advantage and tackling him straight to the ground. The glock went scattering from the Alpha’s waistband on the pavement as all three of you went down.

You flinched when the cop punched him square in the jaw, the two wrestling as you slowly tried to inch yourself towards the black sedan in the distance.

But it was too late. More cop cars flooded the lot, there were at least three hospital guards surrounding the two men fighting on the ground and you backed straight into an officer’s legs.

“You’re okay, ma’am. You’re okay,” he said as you locked eyes with your friend as he got cold clocked in the face. The cop rolled away and there were multiple guns aimed at the Alpha on the ground breathing hard. “He won’t hurt you.”

“Stop!” you shouted as someone kicked him in the ribs, rolling him to put him in cuffs. You wracked your brain, squeezing your eyes. “Beau! Beau Arlen, right?”

“Yes,” said the green eyed Alpha, voice gentle as he came over to you, kneeling down. “I’m surprised you remember. It’s all going to be alright now. He can’t hurt you. He is going far away-”

“The fuck he is,” snarled an angry voice. You swallowed when the blonde cop, Jenny Hoyt you’d thought her name was, stormed over with tape stuck to the sleeves of her jacket. She leered down at you, venom in her eyes. “Neither is she. She’s fucking working with that guy.”

“You’re wrong. She’s clearly…” trailed off Beau when you looked away. His heated gaze didn’t leave your skin, his gaze drifting over to the cuffed Alpha, surely catching the look of concern you shared. “Did that man over there attack you tonight?”

“No,” you sighed, closing your eyes. “No, whoever that was is still out there.”

Beau looked you up and down again when you managed to face him, biting his bottom lip. “I want these two brought into the station for questioning. Hoyt, Pop, go back to the manhunt. Ellis, Berks. Take him to interrogation A. Discretely. I’ll follow with her. I need to have a word alone with our new friend here first.”

You swallowed as he came around behind you, wrapping an arm around your waist, the other taking your backpack and slinging it over his shoulder. He walked you away from the commotion slowly, letting you take your time on your shaky legs. Everything in your head said you had to get away from him but something about his scent had you trusting him. Maybe if you played along, you could get the Alpha out of police custody before they realized what had happened.

“So,” said Beau two seconds after sliding in behind the wheel of his truck. You reluctantly sat in the passenger one, swallowing as you watched the other cars leave the lot. “Let’s start with the basics. What’s your name?”

You frowned, looking at your lap. “Okay. Is that man your Alpha?”

You shook your head.

“Boyfriend?” You couldn’t hide your snort, Beau humming.

“He was putting out some major signals in his scent.”

“He’s not my boyfriend,” you said, staring out the window.

“Either you tell me what the hell is going on or I’m going to have to charge him with kidnapping, assault on an officer-”

“Then charge him. Now as far as I see, I’m the victim. You can’t know that I wasn’t playing along with him back in that morgue just to survive. So charge me or let me go.” Beau licked his lips, smirking. “What?”

“That being held against your will doesn’t really work when you were on your own earlier tonight and your man was so adamant about not being your attacker. I saw it in the way we fought. He wasn’t concerned about winning. He was buying time for you. So. Let’s try this again. Tell me your name.”

“And what do I get if I do?” He scoffed. “I’ll make you a deal. You don’t put my guy in the system and we’ll tell you everything. Only you.”

“You got a deal.”

___________

A/N: Part 2 is coming 5/18!

[wlwsoccerfics]

Not the Plan(BethMeadXMcCabeReader)

A/N: Happy Birthday to our Meado.🎉🤍 (Yes i am now a day late)

Warnings:Type 1 Diabetes.

Summary: you and Beth have Plans for her birthday but your health has other plans.

You were celebrating Beth's Birthday at practice today. Things were really great and you Guys had lots of fun. This morning you had given your fiancee a necklace with a picture of the two of you and Myle engraved in it. She really loved it alot.

You currently were running laps at practice. Things have been fine, well they were okay but your blood sugar kept dropping and you were lacking energy cause of it. Your fiancee and your sister both noticed.

"y/n...sit down, now!" Your sister Katie said. She walked over to you, helping you to sit down. Same with Beth. She was walking over, with her phone. Checking her App to watch your blood sugar.

"let me grab a juice Box for you." Beth answered after seeing how low your blood sugar was. It was not in the danger Zone yet but it was still quite low. Low enough to give you a hard time.

Renée walked over too, looking quite concerned.

"maybe you need to get some rest and try to get your blood sugar back to normal. Because i know you want to Play tomorrow against Manchester United." Renée stated.

"she is right." Your sister said.

"i will take her home soon." Beth promised.

"Babe, No. We have Plans. We wanted to celebrate your birthday at your favorite dinner place." You told her.

"i care more about keeping you alive to be honest!" Beth told you. Handing you a juice Box. The other Girls looking over to see what's going on. Good thing they were used to Situations like this one at this point. So they weren't panicking.

"agreed. Your health is more important sis." Katie replied. You finished your juice Box and closed your eyes for a short moment. Having to wait a bit to see If the juice has done it's Job or If you needed more.

"fine, altough i feel bad about ruining your birthday." You admitted.

"Love, you didn't ruin anything. I actually enjoy when i get to take care of you. Cause otherwise it's mostly the other way around, since someone is quite stubborn." She told you.

"i am Not stubborn. It's a McCabe thing." You let her know .

"true. we are just...strong willed." Katie stated. Renée had to smile at that.

"some say stubborn, some say strong willed. It still is the same Outcome!" Beth let you know.

Beth took you Home a few minutes later after Katie went to grab yours & Beth's stuff from the changing rooms. She then walked you two to Beth's Car before making her way back to the trainings pitch.

"what would you like to listen to?" Your fiancee asked, while driving the two of you home.

"Babe it's your birthday. You decide." You said softly. Sipping on another juice box.

"i want to listen to TaylorSwift." She told you. Which made you smile. Taylor was your favorite Artist, Not hers. Yet she still told you she wanted to listen to her. Well she also liked TaylorSwift cause it's basically all you listen to so it was all she heard for the last few years.

"okay." You just said, looking at her with so much love in your eyes. Which she quickly returned when you Guys stopped at a red light.

"what i love Taylor." She stated and smiled.

Soon you reached Home and your blood sugar was almost back to normal by now. So you and Beth laid down on the couch. Cuddling. Beth really gave the best cuddles. Maybe because she was the love of your Life. Or cause she just knew how to comfort people. Probably both.

"i am glad you start to feel better. And this right here is very nice. If it was up to me all i would do was Football and cuddles with you and Myle." Beth stated and sure enough Myle joined in on your cuddles.

"that does sound wonderful." You admitted and kissed her softly. She kissed back. "Happy Birthday, my Love!" You told her.

"thank you love." She replied and gently stroked your arm. Which resulted in you falling asleep in her arms. Myle in your lap. That's how you stayed for most of the day. You did Order Pizza and ended the day with a bit more then just cuddling.

[darling-devil2099]

A confession under the starry sky - Elderlily (Elder Faerie x White Lily)

I love them sm aoiabzhevzoquzfoha

Anyway have some fluff my pookies ______________________________________________________________

Another day has passed, the sun was already gone hours ago, letting the moon take its place. It was a beautiful night : no clouds to hide the stars and a full moon. The brightness of it was reflecting on the water of the small pound in the Faerie Kingdom.

A faerie was standing on the bridge of that small pound, watching the night sky. He rarely has the occasion to see such a scenery.

Elder Faerie couldn’t take his eyes off of the shiny stars. He always loved them, they were mysterious and captivating. The king saw them like guardians who watch over the world and its fate. The more he kept his gaze up there, the more he thought that nothing could make him look away.

-Your majesty ?

A soft and familiar voice called. At that moment, he realized he was wrong. There was a thing that could make him turn his gaze. After all, anyone would look away from something beautiful if it means looking at something even more beautiful.

Elder Faerie’s eyes leaved the starry sky to meet hers. -White Lily ? What are you doing at this hour of the night ?

He asked, quite curious and also surprised to see his friend.

-I couldn’t find sleep... So I thought of going for a walk. What about you ?

White Lily replied, walking to him so they could stand next to each other. She liked this place, it was calm and peaceful. The faerie knows that if she isn’t around, he’ll sure find her here.

-I was simply watching the stars. The sky is clear tonight and so we can see them perfectly.

Elder Faerie replied, watching her beauty.

The ancient hero surely had no idea of how often he thinks about her. He couldn’t stop seeing her in his wildest dreams or even imagine how her lips could feel against his... He knew he shouldn’t think like that but he couldn’t fight his own feelings.

-Yeah... I always liked to watch them. I didn’t expect you to have the same hobby as me.

White Lily approved with a gentle smile. She then looked up at the sky and putted her hands on the barrier of the bridge. The king simply nodded and gazed over the stars again.

They both stayed in a comfortable silence for a while. The silver haired man, who had his hands on the bridge’s barrier too, was hesitating to move them closer to hold hers. In the end, he didn’t and decided to speak again.

-May I ask you why you can’t sleep ?

The silence that came after wasn’t really as comfortable as before. White Lily didn’t know if telling him would be a good idea...she never told anyone about this. She looked down, avoiding any eye contact.

-I’m sorry. It’s probably too personal, you don’t have to tell me...

Great... Now she felt uncomfortable. Elder Faerie would have slapped himself right now if he could. What an idiot he was to think she would say something personal.

-Don’t apologize. I do want to tell you but... I just worry about what you could think...

She then said, her eyes meeting his again. The woman knew he won’t say anything bad so why being so scared ?

-I just... I miss my friends... I mean...it’s been a while that I miss them. But being here in the Faerie Kingdom makes me feeling less lonely than before. Of course, I do sometimes still feel a bit down like tonight.

She explained. It felt good to tell this to someone.

-I understand... Being away from loved ones is painful. But I’m glad that my kingdom can offer you comfort.

Elder Faerie said, his expression soft and caring. He cared about her deeply and didn’t want to see her feeling bad. He was also here to help her feeling better.

-Thank you, your majesty. You truly helped me remember who I am and I will forever be grateful. You also are one of the rare people who listen to me and understand me... I’m lucky to have met you.

Her words were coming from the heart, that was sure. White Lily took the king’s hands in hers, was it the first time they held hands ? Maybe but she wasn’t sure.

-White Lily...

The faerie’s heart skipped a beat when their fingers intertwined. He felt quite touched by her words. They both were facing each other, the moonlight shining on their face and the stars reflecting in their eyes. The atmosphere was worthy of a romantic film.

The white haired woman’s heart was fighting against her mind. She wanted to listen to her feelings but her reason was telling her not to... What should she do ???

-Sorry... Am I killing the mood ? I mean... You were just here to watch the stars after all...

-No, not at all. I’m glad you told me that. You’re not alone, Lily. There’s people who loves you, never forget that. I’m sure you’ll see your friends again soon.

White Lily blushed, she knew Elder Faerie was including himself in these people. He didn’t have to say it. Her expression was more peaceful, like she was relieved from some sort of weight. She moved a bit closer, her hands moving up to rest on his shoulders.

Everything happened quickly after. Their faces got closer, a tension clearly building up. They looked into each other’s eyes again and before they realized, there was no space between their lips anymore. It was a gentle and quick kiss but it meant a lot for both of them. The silver haired man thought it was a dream, even after the contact.

It was the loving look on the ancient hero and her words who made him realize that he wasn’t dreaming.

-And I love you. I love you more than anything else.

These words meant so much right now... Elder Faerie smiled back at her, his shocked look fading away.

-I love you too. You mean the world to me, White Lily.

They both were smiling like young teens in love but who cares. White Lily had confessed to the man she was in love with and he reciprocate her feelings. That was the first time someone loved her like this and she really liked that. Another kiss then came up, this time it was the faerie who initiated it. It was still gentle but this one was a little longer than the first one. The ancient hero wanted this moment to never end.

It was truly a perfect moment...them kissing under the stars, on this bridge, over the small pound...

And now Elder Faerie knew, her lips were sweet and almost tasted like honey.

[zepskies]

lol Totally tracks that she'd be questioning her life choices of how she got to this point.

A huge fucking pile of steaming hot shit, basically.

Again, couldn't help myself on the JP references 🤣

But what about Ben? Were you leaving him behind, too? Realistically, you knew it was the smartest choice. As wonderful, otherworldly, and addicting as that newfound, blooming feeling in your heart was, you knew it wouldn’t lead anywhere but into turmoil. This relationship didn’t have a future. Period.

Aw man, I get why her instinct is to flee -- and how ironic that relationship line is 😭 -- but I also get the feeling that her instinct in tough situations is to run from them rather than face them. There was a line in the previous chapter of like, "you hated facing consequences," and in a way, her powers kind of help her do that, even if they have consequences of their own. Reminds me of the old Once Upon a Time theme, "Magic always comes at a price." Feels very similar when we talk about V in The Boys world.

Dottie gifted you a warm smile. “Yeah, I’ve heard how you talk to him. I also overheard what you said that night about me at dinner. You stood up for me. Just wanted to repay the favor.”

Idk why, but here I almost worried that Dottie was setting her up for a future vindictive fakeout somehow, but I'm so glad that she was genuine here and reader earns her support. 💛

“And Grace got with a Kennedy?” you asked, not resisting the curiosity bubbling inside of you and seeing Dottie nod. “Which one?” “I think it was the oldest – Jack,” she replied. You gaped at her. “John F. Kennedy?!”

Still cackling over this and all subsequent Kennedy references! 🤣🤣

You shook your head, forcing yourself to look at him. “‘Cause you’re not a bad guy, right?” you said a little louder, feeling the drops of venom like castor oil on your tongue. And Ben picked up on it, his brows drawing together, facial muscles twitching as he tried to solve what triggered the change in mood. What happened between now and the moment you’d shared in the drawing room only a few hours ago? You knew you were being indecisive. You knew you were being unfair. But you couldn’t let go of that feeling. That tiny, tingling thing that kept gnawing at every bit inside of you. The feeling that kept screaming at you that something was amiss. It was there – right there.

Aw geez, it's like it's getting harder for her to distinguish between future/present and past/present, which, fair enough. 😭 On one hand it is unfair to current Ben, but in his words and behavior are early shades of what he'll become, and it's really hard to set that aside, especially when she can't explain any of this to him.

“Look, I don’t know what the fuck Dottie told you, but this-… this isn’t some game to me. You think I do this with everyone? That I’m using you because I’m bored? That I’m just some spoiled rich kid who gets whatever I want?” He stared at you, disappointment, incredulity, and betrayal swimming in his eyes. You shook your head, your heart thumping painfully in your ribcage. “I didn’t say that. But Ben... I don’t know what I am to you… what this is.” “You don’t get it, do you?” He scoffed bitterly, running a hand through the disheveled, dirty blond locks. “I’ve told you things… things I’ve never told anyone before. I’ve let you into parts of my life that I don’t show anyone else.”

Ben's not "wrong" here, but she also has a really valid point that he hasn't made it clear what they're doing, other than having fun and going on dates. This argument is just so damn compelling on both sides 😭😭

Ben rubbed his mouth with his fingers, head bobbing in thought. “Look, maybe I haven’t made my intentions clear enough with you, but I care about you. I don’t know everything, but I know that I want you. I want this. All of it. The whole damn mess, alright?”

Aw there we go! The first real confession...albeit drunk, but I can live with that. 😂

Ben cupped your cheeks, the kiss on your temple an oath. “I’ll make it work, okay? I don’t know what else to say, but I promise I will. I’ll find a way out of all this... for both of us. But I need you here. I need you with me. I can’t do this alone. I don’t wanna go back to that life without you in it. I just need you to trust me, okay? I need you to believe in me.”

Ok, he would've broken me there for sure 😭😭😭

“Well, thank fucking God you didn’t sleep with him,” Ben muttered as he tightened his arms around you. “I hate that guy. Total fucking pussy.” “Didn’t he graduate Harvard?” you muttered, feeling Ben’s jaw grind on top of your head. Yeah, you weren’t doing JFK any favors now.

lmfao how did we go from crying and heart-wrenching to teasing jealous Ben? I love it so much 😂😂

“Not everything is so simple, Dottie. Mrs. Brooks has always been a lady – always. She’s tried for years, but the man she married–” She sighed, her voice dropping. “It broke her. And now she watches the boy becoming just like him. It’s no wonder she retreats.”

I forget if we ever learn how Margaret met Richard in the future chapters, but it makes me wonder if it was arranged for her, or if she genuinely loved him at first. Or at least, the idea of him, or maybe a facade he used to charm her. Though he strikes me as a man to get married for duty's sake and not for love, considering all his side pieces. 🙄

“You’ve never been?” she asked, her tone a mixture of surprise and mild disbelief. You shook your head. “Oh, my dear, it’s almost a must for a young lady to experience. A proper tea room, with all the delicate china and the soft music in the background – it’s simply marvelous.”

I love her lol. She's so classy and lovely. And I love that we're already seeing the sparks of life in her returning! 💖

She had imagined, for so many years, that one day she would have a daughter to share these moments with. Unfortunately, that hadn’t come to pass.

Hmm, I wonder if it wasn't for lack of trying, or if Richard just couldn't be bothered to be with his wife. Both make my heart ache for different reasons, if only for Margaret's potential happiness to have a daughter. ❤️‍🩹

“Well, that’s nice,” Grace pressed through her teeth, her polite mask finally crumbling. “But you don’t get it, do you? You’re just the latest distraction, darling. Someone to amuse himself with, and as soon as this little rebellion ends, he’ll come crawling back to someone who knows the rules, and you’ll be just another notch in his belt.” Jesus fucking Christ, why did he always have to date the biggest bitch in the room? And you’d once thought Crimson Countess was a piece of work. But you grew up in a trailer park in fucking Jersey. If a girl like Grace thought she could scare you off with a few words, she had another thing coming.

lol honestly feeling scared for Grace at this point. Classic rich bougie bitch meets broke cutthroat city girl. 😂

Mrs. Brooks gave a gentle laugh, her gaze growing even more distant. “I was just a girl back then. I had no idea what awaited me. But when I met Richard, everything changed.” She paused, her voice darkening slightly as she pushed away the memories of her childhood, like the warmth they brought was something she couldn’t bear to hold on to for too long. “He was everything I’d never known. He was wealthy, educated, and had the kind of connections that I could only dream of. He swept me off my feet. He promised me a life of comfort, luxury, and security. And I thought, ‘This is it. This is everything I’ve been working for.’”

Ahhhh here we go!! It's so fucking sad. You'd think this would be her Hollywood happy ending, but it was just the beginning of her nightmare. 💔 I find it interesting that Richard pursued her, even though she wasn't part of the upper class. Makes you think that he had a glimmer of a heart once too (doubtful), or maybe he was just attracted to her and wanted her, thinking he could mold her into the woman he needed at his side, just like he's trying to mold Ben. His "love" is hard and cold as steel. 😥

Also we've talked about how heartbreakingly sad it is, how she talks about Ben as a child here, and how she's essentially given up on her own son due to Richard's influence.

Her eyes softened, her hand reaching over to clasp yours on the table in a sad understanding. “I know you do. But that’s the problem, dear. When you love someone like him, you’ll always be fighting a battle you can’t win.”

Out of everyone, Margaret's warning to the reader rings the hardest. That she doesn't want him to put out the reader's fire like her own husband has for herself -- it's really not fair to Ben, or to Margaret herself. I love that we see her later "reclaiming her fire," in a sense. 💕

Just so you know, I have read ch. 11 and have THOUGHTS. I will comment over on Patreon soon (and catch up with the latest chapter of Somebody I Used to Know because I need to know what happened after that awful "surprise" 😭), but I just want you to know that I love how much depth you've layered into this story. I'm getting something new with every reread, friend! 💛🩵

Time After Time – Chapter 7

Summary: Unable to control your abilities, you’re stuck in the present with Billy Butcher, his team, and America’s first asshole. At this point, you’ve become Soldier Boy’s personal punching bag. But when an accident leaves you stranded in 1942, you run into a familiar face and suddenly rely on your future tormentor’s help as your only hope.

Pairing: Soldier Boy x supe!Reader

Warnings: 18+ for language, reader is a supe with chronokinesis (time manipulation), 1942 says hi, SB being a nice and kind human, freely invented historical gossip, major angst alert & a bit of fluff

Word Count: 10.5k

Posted on Patreon April 11, 2025

A/N: Three angsty converstions in this one, three women, and one very upset Ben! Plus, a deep dive into Mrs. Brooks! If ya can't tell by the word count again, I clearly loved writing this part 😂🫶 ✨ Chapter title comes from The Wizard of Oz (1939)

Main Masterlist || Series Masterlist || Tag List

Chapter 7: Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!

It had been an agonizing hour of pacing, second-guessing, and questioning everything that had led you here – to this strange, impossible life you had stumbled into.

A huge fucking pile of steaming hot shit, basically.

You hadn’t been able to sit still since Ben’s parents returned, your thoughts racing in a thousand different directions. Each time your footsteps neared the door of the guest bedroom, they became anxiously quiet and soft, however, not wanting to alert anyone to your presence. Every moment in this mansion felt like a misstep, a mistake you couldn’t undo.

The knot in your stomach twisted tighter.

You should’ve left a long time ago, but you had gotten too comfortable here – too cozy and snuggly with Ben, like he was your goddamn security blanket. But you cared about him and cared about what would happen to him, so the last thing you wanted at this point was to cause any more trouble for him, especially with his father.

So, you decided to leave.

You started throwing a few outfits from your closet onto the bed, only wanting to take the most necessary items before realizing you didn’t even own a bag big enough to stuff it in. But you had your magical remote control back, so your plan was to hit pause on the whole fucking mansion, grab a suitcase from somewhere, sneak out, and maybe rob a bank for some pocket change on your way out of dodge.

Yup, good plan.

But what about Ben? Were you leaving him behind, too?

Realistically, you knew it was the smartest choice. As wonderful, otherworldly, and addicting as that newfound, blooming feeling in your heart was, you knew it wouldn’t lead anywhere but into turmoil. This relationship didn’t have a future.

Period.

Either you’d lie to him for the rest of both your lives – however long that would be – or you’d hurt him. There was no other option.

Could you tell him? Could he handle the truth? Vought didn’t even exist yet. Right now, the Nazis were working on Compound V. To Ben, people gaining superpowers would be an alien concept.

‘Hey, uh, by the way, I have superpowers that let me control time, and I’m also from the future, and we don’t actually like each other there. And oh, yeah, you’re still alive in 2023 because some crazy Nazi geneticist will inject you with this serum that turns you into an invincible asshole.’

Nope, you couldn’t imagine that conversation going over well. He’d be either incredibly mad or not believe you at all. Then what?

Fuck.

With fingers trembling, you moved toward the window, glancing out at the muddy street, knowing the path to your escape lay beyond the mansion’s high gates. You were in a mess of your own making – a mess that had to end before you caused any more disruptions. His father was back, and that in itself was a disaster waiting to happen.

It had all been doomed from the start.

But then, just as you were about to gather your courage to finally get the fuck out of here, a knock at the door startled you from your thoughts and broke the tension in the air. Cautiously, you approached it, hand hovering on the knob as you braced yourself for the inevitable.

However, as you twisted it and opened the door a crack, your eyebrows shot up in surprise as you spied your visitor. It wasn’t Ben, his father, or even his mother.

“Dottie?” Your brow furrowed in confusion before you noticed the silver tray with a plate of food and a cup of tea in her hands.

“I brought you something to eat,” she said as she stood in the doorway, her expression one of tentative curiosity. You quickly wiped your palms against your skirt, standing a little straighter as she entered and set the tray down on your nightstand.

“Did Florence or Frances send you?” you asked warily. You knew you weren’t her favorite person, but she shook her head.

“No, just figured you were hungry since you’re missing dinner. I didn’t think Florence wants you starving up here,” she replied, her lips curling into something between a smirk and a sigh. “You dodged a bullet there, by the way. Family dinner is a bit… tense tonight. Lots of awkward silences and judgmental glares. Not that it’s something new per se…”

You were close to a migraine the way you strained your brow, blinking at the young maid in bemusement and shaking your head. “Thank you, uhm… I honestly didn’t think you cared about me… or even liked me,” you noted with an uncertain smile.

Dottie eyed you with a hint of mischief and approval in her gaze, a secretive smirk playing on her lips. “You’re not like the other girls who have come and gone through here. They fall over themselves trying to impress Ben, you know? But you don’t play that game. It’s… refreshing. You’ve got some fire in you. I respect that.”

“Fire?” You cocked an eyebrow, sitting down on the edge of the bed to nibble on your food. You were almost too nervous to eat with your ever-knotted stomach.

Dottie gifted you a warm smile. “Yeah, I’ve heard how you talk to him. I also overheard what you said that night about me at dinner. You stood up for me. Just wanted to repay the favor.”

Your lips hiked a smile. “You’re welcome. And thank you… again.”

Your head bobbed, your fingers playing with a piece of bread roll. You were unsure if you should be flattered you were considered special or uncomfortable with the apparently long list of girls that had waltzed through this house.

Dottie seemed to notice your unease and plopped down on the mattress next to you. “Anyway, I thought you might need someone to talk to. We all like you, you know? The whole house. Especially George. He thinks you’re the smartest woman he’s ever met. You’re different.” She shrugged and sent you another encouraging smile.

Cheeks blushing, you swallowed thickly and met her gaze. “So, things are tense downstairs?”

“Oh, yeah. The old man is furious because Grace’s father called him in upset, saying his daughter had been crying all night because of what Benjamin did to her,” Dottie told you and rolled her eyes back, scoffing. “All fake, of course. Charlotte, the maid of the Du Pont’s, said she was completely fine and consoling herself with one of the Kennedy boys when they were visiting in Cape Cod.”

“Whoa, hold on…” You vividly shook your spinning head and held up a hand, blinking at Dottie’s waterfall of information. “Du Pont? As in the chemical industry empire?”

“That’s the one,” Dottie sang in bitter nonchalance, a bit of judgment swinging in her voice. She clearly wasn’t a fan of the people she worked for – the elite families that not only excluded people like her and you but also disregarded you as human beings altogether.

“And you guys talk among each other? I mean, the staff?”

Dottie snorted a laugh, heavily nodding. “Yes, we gossip a lot. These people always think they’re better than us, but they got more shit on them than you can find in a pigsty.”

You weren’t as shocked by the revelation as you probably should’ve been. In this house, the gossip was as much a part of the walls as the portraits and velvet curtains.

“And Grace got with a Kennedy?” you asked, not resisting the curiosity bubbling inside of you and seeing Dottie nod. “Which one?”

“I think it was the oldest – Jack,” she replied.

You gaped at her. “John F. Kennedy?!”

Dottie giggled at your reaction. “Yes, I believe so. Do you know him, too?”

Innocently, you pursed your lips and shook your head. “No, no, not all. Just heard of him, you know?”

Jesus fuck, Kennedy might have gotten around as much as Soldier Boy. And if those rumors of The Legend were true, did Soldier Boy kill the future president for personal reasons?

Now you understood why the Kennedy assassination had attracted so many conspiracy theories. Well, you could check, theoretically, and see for yourself…

Nope. Don’t open that Pandora’s box!

“Look,” Dottie said after a pause, chewing softly on her lower lip in thought, “I’m sorry if I’ve been a little cold toward you. It’s not personal. I just don’t like the way Ben’s been acting recently. It’s... complicated.”

Your brows drew together as you watched the young woman next to you. “Complicated?”

She let out a dry laugh. “Honestly, complicated doesn’t even begin to cover it. You don’t know the half of it. You’re not the only one who feels out of place here, you know?”

“What d’you mean?”

Dottie leaned in slightly, her voice dropping to a quieter, more intimate tone. “Ben’s a good guy, but he’s got a bit of a soft spot for… the wrong things. Florence talks about him like he’s still that little boy who needs his daddy’s approval. I know how it happened, you know – how he ended up with Grace? It wasn’t his idea. It was his father’s. And you know what? Grace wasn’t exactly an unwilling participant in that either. She begged her father to arrange the engagement.”

Her words hit you harder than you expected. You’d known about Grace, but you’d never heard the full story. “She begged?”

Dottie’s lips twisted into something halfway between a grimace and a smile. “Yeah, she begged,” she confirmed, hazel eyes glinting with a mixture of bitterness and amusement. “She thought she could change his mind, get him to fall for her. They had a fling, sure, but she knew Ben didn’t want her like that. They had a big argument about it a few days before. She stormed off, screaming he’d regret it.”

The weight of Dottie’s words pressed down on you, but before you could respond, she carried on.

“His father then announced the engagement at one of his parties here before even telling Ben about it. I mean, he didn’t even ask,” Dottie shared in exasperation. “Ben couldn’t stand it, so he rebelled in the only way he knew how. He found me, we got drunk and pissed off and then ended up in a closet together,” she said matter-of-factly, her tone flat and almost casual, but you could hear the bitter undertones of a scorned woman. “Ben had always been nice to me, you know? We’d gotten along, so when he came to me that night, I thought it was different. But he started ignoring me after. Couldn’t look at me – like I didn’t even exist... So yeah, I guess you could say I’m a little mad at him.”

You hesitated, studying Dottie’s face, looking for any hint of malice. But there was none – just brutal honesty. And you knew what this was by now. Just like Florence on your first day here, Dottie was warning you before you stepped off the ledge and fell.

“Don’t get me wrong,” Dottie said when you still sat in silence, “I’m not trying to paint him as a bad guy. I’m telling you because I care, alright? I just think you should know what’s going on around here. Ben’s got his demons, and his family is a nightmare. He can’t escape what his father’s set up for him. He’s got a leash on Ben, and the pressure’s never going to let up.”

Her words cut through the haze of your thoughts like a sharp blade. You nodded slowly, unsure how to respond. You’d seen bits of that pressure already.

“No, I get it. I appreciate it, Dottie. Thank you,” you said softly. “But Ben’s not like his father. At least, he doesn’t have to be.”

Dottie shrugged, as if the truth was somewhere in between. “Maybe. But Mr. Brooks got a tight grip on him. The kind of grip that can make anyone do things they don’t want to. Even Ben.”

A pang of sympathy reminded you of Florence’s story once more – and all the other cruel acts you’d witnessed in your dreams. Were you blind or just foolish for believing he could change the path he was on?

“Ben’s not as immune to his father as he pretends to be. He’s not as strong as he thinks. Don’t get it twisted. His father’s got his claws in him,” Dottie emphasized. “You’re not the first distraction Ben’s found. Just-… be careful, alright? You don’t know what you’re getting into, but if you’re going to be a part of it–,” she paused, her eyes flicking back to your scattered clothes all over the bed, “–you better be sure about it.”

“Thank you, Dottie.” You nodded with a heavy lump in your throat.

She gently clasped your hand on the bed in a comforting manner and then sent you a kind smile, pulling out a deck of cards from the pockets of her apron. “How about we distract you for a little while, huh? You know how to play Gin Rummy?”

Your lips rose to a smile. “I haven’t played before, but I’m willing to learn.”

Dottie giggled, shuffling the cards in her hands. “Alright, how about I teach you the rules if you tell me about college?”

“Deal.” You grinned.

The clock read past midnight, the only sound coming from the shuffle of cards and the occasional giggles and whispered stories between you and Dottie. The minutes stretched on as you tried to forget what was happening downstairs, Dottie’s words of warning still running on a loop through your mind.

It couldn’t be a good sign that two people in this house have warned you now, could it? Shouldn’t you listen at some point?

An abrupt knock at the door ripped the two of you from your game and disrupted the fragile peace, Dottie’s eyes widening in panic. You both knew who it was.

“Shit,” Dottie muttered and hurried to gather the cards from the bed, stuffing them back into her apron. She hid in a blind corner of the room as you moved to answer the door, not opening it more than a crack.

“Hey,” you said softly and feigned an innocent smile as you met Ben’s gaze, noticing immediately he wasn’t alright. His usually shining emerald eyes carried a glaze, his smile turning lopsided as he took you in with a leer, but the distinct smell of whiskey that clung to him like a second skin was the dead giveaway.

“You’re still awake. I was hoping you’d be. Came to check up on you, sweetheart.” He smirked with shaky pupils.

Before you could stop him, he stumbled forward into the room on unsteady legs and fell straight into your arms. His large hands found purchase on your hips, dragging you closer against his body. He captured your lips, eager, hungry, and with a sloppiness that told you he had a few glasses too many.

You were close to pushing him away, hands already softly pressing against his chest before noticing Dottie trying to sneak past him, so you deepened the kiss instead, your arms winding around his neck, causing a groan to rumble through him. But on her last step, the door creaked on its hinges, and Dottie froze as Ben’s head snapped up.

Glassy eyes wide, he warily turned to the young maid, brow wrinkling into more creases than a crumpled letter. “Dottie? The fuck are you doing here?”

You placed your hand on his arm, forcing him to look at you and ground him at the same time. “She-, uh, she brought me dinner. Florence sent her. She didn’t want me to starve. You know how she gets about food,” you deflected with a giggle.

“Right.” Ben nodded, eyes flickering back and forth between Dottie and you.

“And you know, I guess I got a little nervous, so she’s been keeping me company. We’ve been playing cards,” you added with a reassuring smile, already anticipating his next question as you watched the cogs in his head turn.

“Oh.” Ben licked his lips for a moment and then looked at Dottie. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Dottie said, sending you a quick look of gratefulness.

“And, uhm, Dottie?” Upon Ben’s call, Dottie halted in the doorway, shoulders tense on her way to freedom. “I’m sorry…” he said, surprising you both as you shared a raised look with the maid. “About what-, uhm… what happened, you know?”

“It’s-, uh, it’s okay,” she replied, eyes flicking toward you, clearly unsure of how to respond. You gave a slight shake of your head, and she subtly cleared her throat. “I mean, it’s not okay… but I-, I forgive you.”

You gave her a quick thumbs up, and as Ben looked over his shoulder at you, brow knitted in suspicion, Dottie quickly fled down the hall and closed the door behind her.

Yeah, you might’ve been coaching her a little in those last few hours on how to deal with assholes like him in the future (which you realized was super ironic). But if you couldn’t save yourself from that man’s charm, at least you could save the rest of your gender.

“Didn’t know you and Dottie were friends,” Ben noted, turning his full attention to you now.

“Oh, uhm, it’s a new thing,” you said quickly, and it wasn’t even a lie. You gave a shrug of your shoulders. “I like her.”

“Yeah? What’s she been whispering into your ear, huh?” His voice was rough, his fingers gentle as they brushed along your cheek.

“She didn’t say anything, okay?”

Ben’s lips curled, clearly not believing you. “You know, I didn’t mean to… hurt her.”

“I didn’t mean to hurt those people.”

“Heard that one before,” you muttered, scoffing under your breath. You averted your eyes to the floor, the motion causing Ben’s hand to drop from your face.

“What?” There was no anger in his voice, only confusion.

You shook your head, forcing yourself to look at him. “‘Cause you’re not a bad guy, right?” you said a little louder, feeling the drops of venom like castor oil on your tongue.

And Ben picked up on it, his brows drawing together, facial muscles twitching as he tried to solve what triggered the change in mood. What happened between now and the moment you’d shared in the drawing room only a few hours ago?

You knew you were being indecisive. You knew you were being unfair. But you couldn’t let go of that feeling. That tiny, tingling thing that kept gnawing at every bit inside of you. The feeling that kept screaming at you that something was amiss. It was there – right there.

And you still couldn’t fucking grasp it.

Ben contemplated, then smacked his lips, taking a step closer to you and ironing out his brow a little. “No, I-… Well, I’m no Boy Scout, but you know me.”

Your mouth opened and closed, lips trembling. You didn’t know how to respond. He was both right and wrong. But it all sounded too fucking familiar. It was that maddening feeling of déjà vu all over again.

One long stride of bow legs, and Ben was only mere inches away from you, warm palms cupping your cheeks like you were a precious gift, rough thumbs stroking along your cheekbones, and hot breath tickling your skin like a whispered breeze in summer heat. You melted in his grasp in a matter of seconds like an ice cube on hot asphalt.

“I didn’t mean to freak you out earlier,” he said, deep voice only a low murmur against the shell of your ear as he tucked a strand of hair behind it, careful like you could break in his hold. “Just hadn’t exactly broken the news yet that you’re staying here, y’know?”

“Ben–” You sighed, trying to clear the fog from your mind with a shake of your head.

“But I did now, okay?” he cut through that first brick in your wall of defense. The tip of his nose dragged against yours, coaxing. “I want you here, alright?” His lips ghosted over yours, a faint brush, barely there but enough to make you feel the heat crawling into your lower belly. “Had kind of a rough night. Thought you could make me feel better.”

He claimed your lips with a bruising force before he’d even breathed out his last word. The scent of expensive whiskey and nicotine enveloped you and clouded your mind. He smelled like he drank a liquor store and smoked a pack, but you couldn’t resist the pull – the desire, the chemistry. Your head was floating, but doubt still kept your feet tethered to the ground.

“Ben, don’t,” you said quietly, trying to keep your voice steady, but it wavered despite your efforts. “Not like this. You’re drunk.”

“Don’t give a damn. Maybe I need to be drunk to feel something real for once. I need this. Need you,” he muttered, words slurred, voice rough.

He leaned in then, plump lips sinfully trailing down the column of your throat. The world seemed to stop spinning on its axis, your heart racing in your chest as he slid his hand to the back of your neck, tugging you closer.

For a moment, you gave in and almost let yourself go, forgetting every drop of worry and fear that plagued your mind. His hands moved to your waist, grip tightening as he pushed you flush against his blazing body. But the blinking red alarm inside of you reminded you of the lines you didn’t want to cross.

“Ben…” Your hands pushed against his chest, gentle but firm.

He stopped then, breathing ragged and confusion gleaming in the lush green of his eyes. His gaze drifted to your face, lingering there, as if searching for something he wasn’t sure he’d find. “I want you. Don’t you want me too, hm?”

The air thickened around you, sharp and overwhelming, threatening to suffocate you as you wrung for words. His thumb traced over your bottom lip, heavy against the soft, pink flesh. His pull was magnetic, his need evident.

“I don’t wanna be just another distraction for you,” you said quietly, voice shaking slightly, heart hammering in your throat. You tried to sound firm, but the way his eyes held you made your breath hitch.

Ben stepped back, hurt flashing across his freckled face like you’d just knocked the wind right out of him. His presence felt too large in the room, his emotions pressing down on you.

“A distraction?” His eyes hardened, his expression twisting with frustration and something darker. “That what you think you are? What Dottie told you? She’s been filling your head with this shit, hasn’t she?”

You flinched at the mention of Dottie’s name, not wanting to drag her into your mess. You hesitated with a thick swallow, tension creeping into your shoulders. “It’s not about her.”

“Damn right, it isn’t,” Ben huffed, shaking his head. And then, his eyes landed on the bed – on your clothes spread out, half-packed. He froze, demeanor shifting immediately, color draining from his face. “What the hell is going on here? Are you fucking leaving me?” The baritone voice was suddenly sharp now, carrying an edge that cut through the haze of his drunkenness.

“I don’t wanna cause more trouble for you,” you confessed quietly, panic rising in your chest.

“So that’s it? Just like that? You’re just gonna fucking walk out on me?” His voice was jagged with emotion, gripping a handful of his hair in disbelief.

“No, but I-… I don’t belong here, okay?” you argued, your tone laced with desperation. What else could you say?

“Dammit, you think I don’t fucking know that?” His jaw tightened, and for a heartbeat, there was an unsettling silence between you two. “Look, I don’t know what the fuck Dottie told you, but this-… this isn’t some game to me. You think I do this with everyone? That I’m using you because I’m bored? That I’m just some spoiled rich kid who gets whatever I want?” He stared at you, disappointment, incredulity, and betrayal swimming in his eyes.

You shook your head, your heart thumping painfully in your ribcage. “I didn’t say that. But Ben... I don’t know what I am to you… what this is.”

“You don’t get it, do you?” He scoffed bitterly, running a hand through the disheveled, dirty blond locks. “I’ve told you things… things I’ve never told anyone before. I’ve let you into parts of my life that I don’t show anyone else.”

“I know. I just–”

But Ben cut you off, his frustration spilling over. “I’ve been nothing but honest with you. And this is how you repay me? By fucking running away? You’re not walking out on me. Not like this.”

Your heart stuttered, the words cutting deep and tightening your chest, aware he was right in a way, knowing he’d put himself on the line for you – more than you’d ever expected him to. But you couldn’t ignore the doubts that rose inside you.

“I’m scared, okay?” you admitted, your voice only a whisper, and it made his eyes soften slightly. “I don’t know if I can trust you.”

Ben shook his head, huffing a humorless laugh, almost amused. “Oh, you think I can’t be trusted? That I haven’t given you enough reason to?” He stepped closer, his look pointed. “Kinda ironic, don’t you think? I don’t even know your real name. I don’t know a fucking thing about you, and yet, here you are, accusing me of being dishonest. You really think I’ve been fucking lying to you?"

You didn't respond. Silence.

"If you want to walk away, then go. But don’t you dare tell me you’re just a distraction. That’s insulting. I’ve been nothing but honest with you. I’ve given you everything I can, and you think I’m just trying to fuck around?”

You stood there, speechless, caught between the weight of his words and the fear that still clawed at your heart. Ben stepped closer again, his features softening just slightly, as if trying to calm the storm inside both of you. The promise of something more, something different with him, tore at the part of you that had been holding back.

“How do you know I’m the right person for you? You don’t even know what you want. And you’re right, you know? You don’t know me. Not in the way it matters. Not in the way you should,” you said, barely above a trembling whisper, the tears pricking your eyes.

“Then tell me,” he demanded, voice softer now, almost pleading. “Tell me who you are. Tell me your real name. Anything, really.”

Your breath caught in your throat, head shaking. “I can’t. I never meant to keep things from you, but I can’t tell you either. I’m sorry.”

Ben rubbed his mouth with his fingers, head bobbing in thought. “Look, maybe I haven’t made my intentions clear enough with you, but I care about you. I don’t know everything, but I know that I want you. I want this. All of it. The whole damn mess, alright?”

The raw emotion in his voice made you falter, but you couldn’t let yourself be swayed. You looked up at him, meeting his gaze, and for a moment, you let yourself believe that maybe, just maybe, he could be telling the truth. That there was something worth fighting for here. The vulnerability in his green eyes made your knees weak, cracking both his armor and your walls.

Ben stared at you for a long moment, the hurt, confusion, and anger warring on his face. Then, without warning, he took a step toward you, closing the space between you two for good, and you swore you could even feel his wildly beating heart in his chest. He searched your face for something, a connection to hold onto, his hands slightly outstretched like he was reaching for you.

“Maybe it’s not meant to be.” The words stung as they left you, the first tear slipping down your cheek.

Ben’s resolve crumbled then and there. He pulled you into his embrace, softly kissing the top of your head as you sobbed into his chest. And then he just held you like this for a moment. You’d never felt fucking safer while your heart was breaking.

“Hey, look at me.” Gently, he lifted your chin, wiping your wet cheeks with his thumbs. “You think this is easy for me? You think I don’t want to change things?” He held your gaze, eyes intense as the weight of his words hung between you. “I can’t just walk away from everything, but I’m trying. I swear, I’m trying to figure this all out, but you have to let me.”

“How?” Your voice cracked, the fear of getting too close, of falling too hard threatening to crush you.

Ben cupped your cheeks, the kiss on your temple an oath. “I’ll make it work, okay? I don’t know what else to say, but I promise I will. I’ll find a way out of all this... for both of us. But I need you here. I need you with me. I can’t do this alone. I don’t wanna go back to that life without you in it. I just need you to trust me, okay? I need you to believe in me.”

You could see it then, clear as day – he was afraid of losing you, the desperation brimming in the green seas of his eyes. You were his lifeline, the last thing that held his head above water and kept him from drowning in his father.

“I swear I’ll take you with me, wherever that it is. I’ll take care of you. I’ll fight for you. I’ll protect you. All I need is a little more time. Can you give that to me? Can you do that?”

The heaviness of a decision almost decimated you, but for the first time since you’d entered his world, the fear of losing him was stronger than the fear of staying.

You nodded, hesitantly at first before it became stronger – certain. “I’m not leaving you. I’ll stay.”

The space between you evaporated then as he closed the gap, pressing his lips to yours with a force that left you breathless. His mouth was desperate, clinging to the assurance that you were still here. Still with him.

The kiss wasn’t just a kiss – it was everything. It was apology and regret. It was yearning. It was fear.

Ben was kissing you like he never wanted to lose you again, as if each second was a prayer that you’d stay. He pulled you even closer, his hands threading through your hair, his body so tightly against yours like he was trying to make sure you were real. To make sure he hadn’t just imagined this moment.

You melted into him, your hands gripping his shirt, your heart beating faster than it had in days, weeks, months, maybe years. The kiss deepened, grew more urgent, as if he was trying to tell you everything in the language of touch, in the frantic meeting of lips and breath – everything he could never say out loud.

You felt the warmth of his skin, the blazing heat of him, and you realized you both were clinging to the fragile thread that held you together, afraid to let go.

When he pulled back, both of you panting, there was a quiet between you that spoke louder than any words ever could. His eyes searched yours, his thumb caressing your cheek, forehead resting against yours.

Ben licked his lips, still holding onto you as he shut his eyes for a beat, his chest still rising and falling with the remnants of the kiss. “Look, uhm, I hate doing this to you right now, but my father wants me to leave with him for two weeks,” he told you, voice heavy with exhaustion before a dark scoff escaped him. “Wants to show me how business is really done.”

You cupped his cheeks softly, looking up at him. “Don’t let him get to you, okay? You’re smarter than him.”

Ben’s lips twitched with a small smile, nodding like he understood. “My mother’s staying here with you, but don’t worry about it. I doubt she’ll bother you. She doesn’t really care about anything. I told them you’re a friend from school, so just go with that.”

“What school did you go to?”

“Choate. It’s in Connecticut,” Ben replied, a hint of amusement in his smile, noticing how carefully you were solidifying your alibi. “But it’s an all-boys school. You would’ve gone to Rosemary Hall.”

You grimaced. “So, total sausage fest, huh?”

Ben snorted a loud laugh, throwing his head back. “Oh, you have no idea, sweetheart.” He chuckled and pulled you against his chest, resting his chin on top of your head. “You know, sometimes I wonder what school taught you all those words.”

You giggled, burying your face into his dress shirt. “Oh, college taught me those. You would know if you’d gone.”

“Ouch.” A deep and amused laugh rumbled through his chest.

“Didn’t John Kennedy attend Choate as well?”

Ben’s head tilted slightly. You could feel the movement atop of yours. “How do you know Jack?” He inched back slightly, peering down at you with a raised look. “Something you wanna tell me, sweetheart?”

You snorted into his chest, shaking your head. “No, nothing like that, I swear. I just heard of him.”

“Oh, so it was just me you were immune to, huh?��� Ben retorted, but you recognized the playfulness in his voice. It was your favorite side of him.

“Guess so,” you teased, giggling.

“Well, thank fucking God you didn’t sleep with him,” Ben muttered as he tightened his arms around you. “I hate that guy. Total fucking pussy.”

“Didn’t he graduate Harvard?” you muttered, feeling Ben’s jaw grind on top of your head. Yeah, you weren’t doing JFK any favors now.

“Well, he didn’t make it into the Army. I can tell you that much,” Ben blew right past your point, making you stifle a chuckle. “Heard he got a placement in the Navy, though.”

“Huh. Kinda sexy,” you quipped. Teasing. “He’ll probably learn a lot of sailor talk.”

Ben’s lips pursed in amusement as he looked down at you and was met with your grin. “Yeah, also probably gonna be a real sausage fest on that boat.”

You let out a crippling laugh, burying yourself in his chest as he joined you. Of course he’d only learn the things you didn’t want him to learn.

Ben’s fingers then snuck under your chin, lifting your lips to meet his. The kiss was soft, gentle – a goodbye. “You’re gonna be okay here?”

You nodded reassuringly. “I’ll be fine. I’ll be here when you come back.”

Ben didn’t say anything, but his Adam’s apple bobbed with a thick swallow, eyes gleaming with a mixture of relief and gratitude before he pressed a kiss to your forehead. It was a tender, almost reverent gesture, and it made your heart swell.

Exhaling a long breath, he let go of you and turned to leave, his shoulders slumping more with every step he took toward the life he didn’t want. He paused at the door, his hand on the knob, and for a moment, he seemed smaller, more fragile, like the weight of everything he’d been holding in was finally starting to break him.

“I’ll never stop fighting for you,” he said with conviction as he looked at you one last time, raspy voice laden with words he couldn’t say. A promise. “Never.”

And deep down, you knew then that no matter how hard things would get over the next decades, you’d never let go, either.

The door closed for the last time that night, and then, Ben was gone.

The mansion felt quieter the next morning, Ben having left with his father for DC before the break of dawn. After getting dressed properly for breakfast for once, you descended the grand staircase, your footsteps quiet on the polished wooden floors.

You spied Margaret Brooks, Ben’s mother, sitting in the sunroom, but before entering, you decided to make a quick pit stop in the kitchen, where the faint murmurs of the staff seeped through the door.

As you stepped inside, the three women were busy at their tasks. Florence was bent over a pot on the stove, her movements brisk and efficient. Dottie was humming to herself as she arranged flowers on the counter. Frances, a bit more weathered and stern, was dusting the shelves, her eyes darting disapprovingly at Dottie, who had a tendency to daydream more than work.

“Good morning, ladies,” you said softly, your voice low enough not to carry too far.

“No breakfast in the kitchen, young lady,” Florence reminded you swiftly, which you countered with a knowing smile.

“Don’t worry, Florence. I’ll be outta your hair in a minute,” you said, making Dottie snort a giggle. “Just-… Before I go in there, can you guys give me the down-low on Mrs. Brooks?”

“The down-low?” Frances cocked a brow at you.

“Yes, the details,” you corrected. Half of your vocabulary was practically useless in 1942. “What’s her deal? Why is she so… withdrawn?”

After Dottie’s revelation last night, you thought you might as well make use of the love for gossip in this house.

Florence didn’t look up from the stove, her hands moving quickly with purpose. “She’s always been quiet,” she replied, her voice neutral but not unkind. “But over the years... well, she shut herself off. Hard to blame her. Her husband isn’t a good man, not to her or to Benjamin.”

Dottie, who had been nervously twisting the flower stems in her hands, let out a little sigh. “Yeah, Mr. Brooks is awful. He treats her like she doesn’t matter. And now she’s kind of… well, I think she just gave up. You know, stopped trying.”

Frances, who had been listening intently, fixed Dottie with a sharp look. “Not everything is so simple, Dottie. Mrs. Brooks has always been a lady – always. She’s tried for years, but the man she married–” She sighed, her voice dropping. “It broke her. And now she watches the boy becoming just like him. It’s no wonder she retreats.”

You could feel the undercurrent of sadness in the house, a grief that wasn’t just tied to the past but to the present, too.

“I see,” you said quietly, your mind racing as you thought of what you could do. You glanced at the three women. “Well, I think I’ll go see if I can say hi to Mrs. Brooks this morning. She must be lonely.”

Florence gave you a distracted nod, her attention still on her cooking. Dottie shot you a hopeful look, while Frances simply grunted in acknowledgment, not sure how much help you’d be.

You sauntered into the sunroom, the air cool inside and the glass panes still thick with the chill of winter. Outside, patches of snow clung stubbornly to the ground, a few spots melting into sluggish pools. However, along the edges of the garden, the first hint of spring dared to show – croci pushing up through the soil, small and defiant against the lingering cold as they waited for the thaw.

It only reminded you of how long you’d already been here. It felt like an entirely different life at this point. Had Ben been serious last night? And what did it even all mean?

He said a lot, but you weren’t sure your head woke up any clearer this morning.

The future was an unknown, and you weren’t used to that feeling.

As you entered, Mrs. Brooks sat at the small round table by the window, her face drawn, her green eyes distant as she stared into the steam rising from her cup of tea. She didn’t seem to notice you at first, and when she finally lifted her gaze, it was with a quiet recognition.

“Good morning, Mrs. Brooks,” you said, smiling softly. “I’m not sure if your son has mentioned me. I’m a friend from school. Benjamin’s been kind enough to let me stay here for a while.”

“Oh, I believe he mentioned something like that, yes,” she said in a soft, tired voice, her lips curling just slightly at the corners. “You’ll have to excuse me. I wasn’t listening to everything last night. I was quite exhausted after the long travel, and that boy never knows when to stop.”

“Yes, I know what you mean. Ben does have a way of going on, doesn’t he?” You smiled gently at her words and sat down across from her. “Ben did tell me a little bit about all your wonderful tea parties, though. He said you liked going to tea rooms as well. What are they like? I have to admit I’ve never been to one myself.”

At the mere mention, Mrs. Brooks’ posture seemed to shift ever so slightly. Her eyes sparkled, and you saw something like life stir behind them, as if your words had opened a door she hadn’t realized was there.

“Oh, tea rooms,” she repeated, her voice soft and reflective. “I used to love them. So charming. So civilized, you know? A proper place to spend the afternoon with a good cup of tea. I haven’t been to one in ages, not since...”

She trailed off, her gaze becoming distant again, but then something changed – her eyes brightened just a little, like a light flickering on.

“You’ve never been?” she asked, her tone a mixture of surprise and mild disbelief. You shook your head. “Oh, my dear, it’s almost a must for a young lady to experience. A proper tea room, with all the delicate china and the soft music in the background – it’s simply marvelous.” She sat up straighter in her chair then, the flicker of a genuine smile appearing on her lips. “I should take you, shouldn’t I? There’s one in the city I adored. It’s been years since I’ve gone, but I’m sure it’s just as lovely as it was. Would you like to go? This afternoon, perhaps?”

You couldn’t help but feel a spark of hope inside of you, seeing that flicker of light in her. “I’d love that. Thank you, Mrs. Brooks,” you said with a warm smile.

“How wonderful! Then it’s settled. We’ll go!” She clasped her hands together with joy. “Do you have something to wear? I could call my seamstress, Ms. Vivian, for you.”

“Oh, that won’t be necessary. Benjamin already did that,” you replied, hoping for dear life you didn’t have to endure another makeover. You were already sacrificing yourself like a lamb for slaughter by agreeing to this.

“Well, good.” She nodded and sipped on her tea, muttering, “Seems like I’ve done something right with that boy, after all…”

Well, judging by that statement, you were surely in for an interesting afternoon.

The soft tinkling of porcelain cups and quiet chatter filled the air of the elegant, well-lit tea room as Margaret Brooks looked across the table at you, her plump lips curling into a rare smile. She had almost forgotten how much she enjoyed these outings – the delicate atmosphere of the tea room, the soft hum of conversation. She had imagined, for so many years, that one day she would have a daughter to share these moments with.

Unfortunately, that hadn’t come to pass.

Instead, you sat across from her, eager eyes wide as you took in the ambiance. Mrs. Brooks noticed the nervousness in your posture, the way you clutched your teacup a little too tightly and stared at the other girls, feeling utterly out of place.

“Isn’t it charming?” Mrs. Brooks said, her voice light, almost affectionate. “I’ve been coming here for years. There’s something about the smell of the Earl Grey and the clink of silver spoons that makes you forget the world outside. You’ll grow to love it, I’m sure.”

You gave a nervous nod, your lips curving upward in an awkward imitation of a smile. “I’m not really used to places like this.”

You hesitated, glancing around the room at the white-gloved waitstaff and the carefully arranged plates of scones and finger sandwiches, wondering how many distractions Ben had found here and hoping you wouldn’t run into any of them. You could certainly feel the occasional looks and quiet whispers directed at you.

Mrs. Brooks chuckled softly, her gaze warm as she met your eyes. “One gets used to it. It's like breathing. I’ve been doing this for years, and there's nothing wrong with forgetting the world in here, just for a moment.” She leaned in slightly, her tone dropping conspiratorially. “Don’t be nervous, Cindy. It’s only tea and gossip, and we all need a little of both.”

Something in Mrs. Brooks’ tone calmed you slightly. It was as though she was slowly pulling you into her orbit – offering more than just a tea outing, but a sense of belonging, of understanding.

“Look over there,” Mrs. Brooks continued, gesturing subtly with her gloved hand, clearly eager to share more. “Do you see that woman sitting by the window? That’s Mrs. Berwick. She’s very fond of trying to climb the social ladder, always inserting herself into the right circles. Her husband’s a banker, but don’t let that fool you – he’s a dreadful bore."

You snorted a laugh and leaned in, intrigued despite yourself. You couldn’t help but feel a little lighter. Mrs. Brooks had a certain warmth now that softened her more formal edges.

“And there,” she carried on, “that’s Mrs. Hadley. She’s got more money than God, but she’s also got a tongue that can cut glass. No one dares to cross her, but I’ve never cared much for her. She’s the type who never forgets a slight.”

“Seems like they all have their… quirks,” you noted, amused, remembering Dottie’s words.

“Quirks,” Mrs. Brooks repeated with a smile. “Yes, one might call them that.” Her eyes twinkled as she leaned in closer to you, lowering her voice. “But there’s one thing they all have in common: They love to gossip. It’s their favorite pastime. And I’m sure,” she added, giving you a knowing look, “they’ll be more than eager to talk about you.” You stiffened, but Mrs. Brooks, oblivious to your discomfort, sipped her tea and continued. “Don’t mind them. They’re all still talking about Benjamin, I’m sure. The whole lot of them think they have some sort of claim on him. But they don’t, do they?”

At her little wink, your heart almost dropped to the sparkling marble floor. Did she know? But you figured it was easy to suspect if she knew her son even a little.

“Well, if it isn’t Mrs. Brooks! I haven’t seen you here in ages.”

Your breath caught in your throat as you recognized the familiar voice. You’d heard it once before, even if it had been louder and more upset than now.

Grace.

Mrs. Brooks’ expression flickered momentarily before settling into something more controlled. “Grace, dear,” she said with a polite smile, turning her head toward the speaker. Her tone was cool, masking any warmth. “You’re looking well.”

Your stomach dropped when you saw the woman standing at the table: tall, blonde, impeccably dressed in a way that screamed money and status – poised and perfect. By now, you’d heard plenty about Ben’s destined fiancée, but seeing her in person was another matter.

Her blonde hair was sculpted into a flawless wave. She wore an elegant dress with the subtle sheen of luxury and a sharp gaze that seemed to take in every detail of you with calculating precision.

Grace gave a sly smile, icy blue eyes flickering to you. “I couldn’t resist coming by. I simply had to see Benjamin’s current project.” She tilted her head slightly, a deliberate gesture, and leaned down to examine you like you were a specimen under a microscope. “Interesting choice.”

Did that bitch just call you a fucking project?!

You didn’t flinch under her scrutiny, however. You’d been dealing with bitches like that your whole life. The only tragedy about this was that you couldn’t rant about her to your friends – the hot blonde, the gay redhead, and the mute Asian chick.

Fuck. Why the hell couldn’t you remember their names? You swore they were on the tip of your tongue. Was it Andy, Mabel, and Kim? No, that sounded wrong. Dammit!

“I think I’ve seen you before, right? And you are?” Grace asked, her voice dripping with feigned sweetness as she looked at you.

“Cindy,” you replied with a slight edge.

“Ah, Cindy,” Grace repeated, like she was tasting the name. “Such a... simple name. How quaint.” She smiled then, a thin, shark-like smirk, and you were blood in the water. “I must say, I’m surprised to see you out and about. Benjamin has always been so... difficult to predict. But I suppose you already know that, don’t you?”

Unbothered by her baiting, you took a casual sip of tea. “Oh, I know exactly who he is, Grace. Better than you.”

Grace’s smile tightened. “How refreshing,” she said, then looked over at Mrs. Brooks. “I do hope Benjamin’s settled down by now. I hear he’s been a bit of a... free spirit lately. He always had a rebellious streak. He gets bored rather quickly.”

Mrs. Brooks stiffened slightly, but she recovered quickly, placing her teacup down with a slight clink. “My son is a grown man, dear. He’ll make his own decisions, as he always does.”

“Of course,” Grace replied smoothly, though there was a clear, sharp edge to her words.

“‘Sides, aren’t you a bit of a free spirit as well?” you quipped with an innocent smirk. “I heard about you and Jack Kennedy in Cape Cod. How’s that going?”

“Oh, you are seeing Jack?” Margaret chimed in with delight, but you could tell her smile was as taunting as yours was.

Grace’s face fell abruptly. “Yes, it’s… going,” she replied quickly, subtly clearing her throat. Her eyes narrowed slightly, her lips twisting into a smile that didn’t reach her eyes as she leaned in, her tone almost too sweet. “I imagine you must be enjoying the novelty of being with someone like Benjamin. Here you are, in the lap of luxury. It’s a bit of a thrill, isn’t it, darling? But you know, I should warn you – Ben isn’t exactly the most reliable partner. I do hope, for your sake, you’re not just a phase.”

You were about to slap her harder than she’d slapped Ben at that diner. Would it matter to history if you choked her right now?

You forced a tight-lipped smile as you ground your teeth. “Thank you for the warning, but I’m not here to judge him for his past.”

If anything, you were judging him for his future.

“Well, that’s nice,” Grace pressed through her teeth, her polite mask finally crumbling. “But you don’t get it, do you? You’re just the latest distraction, darling. Someone to amuse himself with, and as soon as this little rebellion ends, he’ll come crawling back to someone who knows the rules, and you’ll be just another notch in his belt.”

Jesus fucking Christ, why did he always have to date the biggest bitch in the room? And you’d once thought Crimson Countess was a piece of work.

But you grew up in a trailer park in fucking Jersey. If a girl like Grace thought she could scare you off with a few words, she had another thing coming.

“You think you know everything, don’t you?” You looked at her challengingly, not an ounce of fear in your voice. “Here’s the thing – Ben’s not a puppet for his father. He makes his own choices. You’re not his future, Grace. You’re the past. Trust me on that one.”

Grace’s eyes blazed with a venomous glare. “Well, we’ll see how long this lasts, darling. I do hope you won’t make a fool out of yourself.”

You were about to open your mouth again before Mrs. Brooks cut in, her tone suddenly sharp, a protective edge in her voice. “Enough, Grace. We all know about Benjamin’s history. You’ve made your point, and it’s getting tiresome.”

Grace’s eyes fixed on Ben’s mother, a muscle twitching in her jaw. She clearly hadn’t expected that. “Well, it’s so lovely to see you two getting along. I mustn’t take up too much of your time, Mrs. Brooks. It was nice running into you both. I’m sure we’ll meet again soon.”

With that, Grace stormed off, her heels clicking on the sparkling marble. You exhaled a slow breath, slumping back into your chair. But as you glanced at Mrs. Brooks, you saw the faintest glimmer of approval in her eyes.

“You handled her beautifully, dear,” Ben’s mother said, her tone soft but genuine. “Don’t let women like her make you question yourself. They thrive on making others doubt their worth, but you’ve got something she doesn’t – confidence and a damn backbone.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Brooks,” you said, your heart swelling with gratitude. “That woman really knows how to lay it on thick, doesn’t she?”

Mrs. Brooks rolled her eyes in exhaustion. “She’s always been like that. Charming when it suits her and venomous when she feels threatened. I’m almost glad Benjamin’s been so awful to her. God knows I couldn’t have endured another dinner with that girl in my house.”

You snorted under your breath, chuckling.

“You know, I was just like you when I first arrived here – someone who didn’t quite fit in.” Margaret leaned back in her chair with a faint smile, the faraway look in her eyes sharpening, a subtle sadness creeping into her voice. “Before I met Benjamin’s father, I came from humble beginnings, you know? My parents were good, hardworking people. We didn’t have much money – just a small house in the lower part of town. My father was a carpenter, working long hours, and my mother would sew clothes for other people, often staying up well past midnight, just to make sure we had enough to get by. But there was a beauty in that simplicity. I used to take walks through the alleys, admiring the flowers growing between the cracks in the sidewalks. We didn't have wealth, but we had love, you know? And we had each other.”

You listened intently, your heart breaking a bit for her, knowing that wasn’t what she had now with her own family.

“I remember,” she continued, a slight smile tugging at her lips, “how we’d all gather in the kitchen at night. It was small, but it was ours. My mother would hum while she worked, and my father would tell me stories about how he built his first house with his own two hands. He was proud of that. And I was proud of him.”

You couldn’t help but notice the way Mrs. Brooks’ voice softened when she spoke about her parents. There was a sadness there, a longing for something simple and real that had been lost somewhere along the way.

“I can’t imagine you like that. It sounds so different from who you are now,” you said softly.

Mrs. Brooks gave a gentle laugh, her gaze growing even more distant. “I was just a girl back then. I had no idea what awaited me. But when I met Richard, everything changed.” She paused, her voice darkening slightly as she pushed away the memories of her childhood, like the warmth they brought was something she couldn’t bear to hold on to for too long. “He was everything I’d never known. He was wealthy, educated, and had the kind of connections that I could only dream of. He swept me off my feet. He promised me a life of comfort, luxury, and security. And I thought, ‘This is it. This is everything I’ve been working for.’”

Your brow furrowed. “But it wasn’t?”

Mrs. Brooks shook her head slowly, the distant melancholy returning to her features. “At first, it was. But over time, I realized something. The life Richard offered me was a gilded cage. It wasn’t freedom – it was control. I was expected to fit in, to play the part. When I married him, I entered a world where every inch of my life was dictated by money, status, and image. It’s strange how quickly you can forget yourself when you're surrounded by wealth. People like this–,” she gestured with a faint nod around the room, “–don’t care about character. They care about who you know, where you’ve been, and what you wear. And even then, it’s never enough. You always have to be more.” She leaned forward then, her expression softening as she saw you swallowing thickly. “I know it sounds harsh, dear, but it’s the truth. High society is an illusion. People want you to smile, to wear the right clothes, to speak in a certain way, but it’s all just a performance. Your soul gets lost in it.”

“So, you never wanted this life?” you asked quietly, your heart breaking for her.

“I didn’t know what I was getting into. These women here, they’re not your friends,” she replied, her fingers curling around her tea cup. “They’re rivals. Each one of them trying to prove they are the best at being the most perfect version of a woman they can be. It’s exhausting. And no matter how hard I tried, I never truly fit in.”

“You said Benjamin was different when he was young,” you said gently, wanting to know more. “How was he before everything changed?”

Mrs. Brooks’ eyes softened, and for a moment, you could see the mother she had been – a woman who adored her son, who once had hope for his future.

“Benjamin was always sensitive,” Mrs. Brooks said, her voice full of tenderness. “He was a sweet little boy who loved to ask questions about the world. He was curious about everything. He’d sit with me for hours, just asking me how things worked, why things were the way they were. And he had this soft smile that would light up a room. I’ll never forget how he used to look at me, with such trust in his eyes. He would bring me flowers and tell me stories from his little world, and I would see the softness in him, the kind of softness a mother always hopes for in a child. People always said he was a ‘dreamer,’ and I thought he would always stay that way. I loved that about him. But Richard didn’t. Richard thought it was a weakness.”

Mrs. Brooks’ voice cracked slightly, as if the memories were too painful to recount. She looked down at her cup.

“Richard did everything he could to ‘toughen him up.’ He took him hunting, made him go to boarding school at an early age, sending him far away from me,” she continued, her voice drowning in sadness. “He wanted to shape Benjamin into something he could control. He had a vision for his son – one where Benjamin was a carbon copy of him. Strong. Cold. Ruthless. My husband’s world is one of steel, and his love is just as hard. My sweet boy never stood a chance.”

Your heart sank. “And Ben – he didn’t want that?”

“No,” Mrs. Brooks said, a slight bitterness creeping into her tone. “Benjamin didn’t want any of it. But he was young, and he couldn’t fight his father. So slowly, he started to change. He stopped asking questions. He stopped dreaming. And one by one, the things that made him unique faded away. I watched my son slip away from me, and there was nothing I could do about it.”

You wanted to reach out to comfort her, but you felt helpless. How could you fix this? Could you fix him?

“I’m so sorry,” you said softly. “I had no idea.”

Mrs. Brooks gave you a wistful smile. “It’s not your fault, dear. You’re not here to save him. You can’t save him, not from himself. But you might be able to remind him of who he was before the world changed him. I think that’s why I like you so much.”

Your heart tightened as you listened. You could see the sadness in Mrs. Brooks’ eyes, a depth of loss that you hadn’t expected.

Ben’s mother let out a sigh, soft and weary, as though she had been holding it in for too long. “You know, from the moment I met you, there was something about you. Something I never had the chance to share with Benjamin.” She paused, gathering her thoughts as if she hadn’t shared this kind of honesty in years. “I’ve always wanted a daughter for many reasons, you see? I dreamed of having someone who could see this world as I see it. A confidante. You remind me a lot of myself when I was younger. You have a fire in you – a light. And I don’t want my son to put it out.”

Your heart halted its beats abruptly. You were taken aback by her blunt honesty, shaking your buzzing head lightly, trying to make sense of her words. “What d’you mean?”

“You don’t know what your getting into, either. You’re not like them. You’re not meant for this kind of life. That’s why I want to warn you, dear,” she said, her gaze sharp.

Oh no, not another warning… How many was that now? Three? Four, if you counted Grace?

Great.

“Benjamin might love you now, but he’ll be just like his father in the end. Cold. Hard. Empty,” she said harshly, the weight of regret in every line of her expression. “The man you think he is, may not be the man he turns out to be. Benjamin isn’t the boy I once held in my arms anymore. He’s not the man you think he is. I see his father in him more every day. I can see it in the way he looks at the world, in the way he reacts to the people around him. I don’t want you to end up like me. You’ll be the one left behind. Trust me.”

You felt a knot in your throat, your heart pounding with an ominous sound like an ancient war drum. You didn’t know how to respond. Your thoughts spiraled in every direction.

You swallowed hard, tears pricking your eyes like salt in a wound. “I don’t know if I can walk away. I think I love him,” you confessed quietly, barely audible over the chatter of the tea room.

The words shocked you. You’d never said them out loud before, but they didn’t seem to rattle his mother at all.

Her eyes softened, her hand reaching over to clasp yours on the table in a sad understanding. “I know you do. But that’s the problem, dear. When you love someone like him, you’ll always be fighting a battle you can’t win.”

▶️ Chapter 7: Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My! – MAY 9

Ooof, looks like not even Ben's mother has much confidence in him... What did you think of all the warnings? And if Ben was already this upset now, then well, imagine what he feels like when it really happens. Choo-choo, all aboard the angst train! Get ready to meet the man of the hour next week 😉

(Fair warning: Chapters never really got any shorter. I don't know what to tell ya, but half of the next one is smut, so there's that 😂🤷‍♀️)

Coming Up:

“I remember you mentioned a girl from school staying here.” The patriarch of the steel empire carved into his roast with casual violence, sipping his wine like it was penance, a pair of almond-shaped, glacier blue eyes zeroing in on his son. “Didn’t think you meant still staying here.”

You managed a polite smile. “It’s lovely to meet you, Mr. Brooks.”

He gave a short nod that might’ve been a grunt, reaching for the wine glass before saying, “Likewise.”

Ben’s mother – composed in a deep jade green dress that complimented the glint in her eye – broke the tension with a dry, almost teasing, “She’s been keeping me company. And sane.”

You glanced at her in grateful surprise, but she didn’t look at you. Her gaze was squarely on her husband, almost daring him to challenge her.

Oh fuck. You had a feeling that dinner would derail soon enough. You still remembered how your own mother always looked when she wanted to pick a fight with your father. You could see that same desire in Mrs. Brooks tonight.

Richard’s eyes flicked to you as cutting as a scalpel. “Rosemary Hall, was it?”

You smiled, knowing your alibi by heart. “Yes, sir. We, uh, crossed paths with Ben’s group at Choate once or twice. We’ve stayed in touch.”

“Mmm.” He sounded unconvinced, like he already had a list of questions and was working through them in his mind. “And what is it you do, exactly?”

You gave an innocent shrug of your shoulders. “A little of everything. Read a lot. Try to keep busy.”

Mr. Brooks leaned back with a hum, wine glass in hand. “You read. Anything useful?”

Ben’s hand tensed slightly on the table. You felt it even without looking.

🚀 Read up to 4 chapters ahead on Patreon now

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[hana-bobo-finch]

i hardly ever mention Glad for some reason. you. you know the one. the cousin. the mouthless one. bellona’s cousin that I have probably only mentioned once but she does actually do stuff in the plot. yknow. i only have concept sketches of her but uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

[nomidreams]

god i finally watched new episodes my honest reaction is jgiwoaoKzmxmkwkakkak

[userpironi]

i saw my best friend for the first time in a year today and it was so nice to walk and talk and catch up. we sat on a swing overlooking a forest and talked about everything under the sun like we used to do in college sitting on the patch of grass next to the pond. it did a lot to assuage my anxiety and remind me that there are people out there that love me. i love her :)

[elphabaathropppp]

Elphaba was so happy to see Galinda this happy. She was even hugging her book. She was thrilled to make her friend this happy. “I’m glad you’re happy” she told her as they left the restaurant hand in hand,all her shopping bags in her free hand. Once outside she let Galinda pull her along in the correct direction back to campus as she thought about their evening.

She’d really enjoyed herself, even while doing things she didn’t think she would like, like shopping for new clothes or makes up. But she knew it was all because Galinda was there with her making it better and easier for her to do things she didn’t know how to do.

“Thank you for bringing me here” she said for what had to be the third time tonight “this was probably my favorite evening ever” she added in soft but honest voice. “No one has ever taken the time with me to show me how to do things like clothes shopping or applying makeup, I really appreciate it”

Shopping Trip

Elphaba promised Galinda they could go to town after classes on Friday. She had been doing so much for Elphaba by going to the library with her and studying with her and spending meal times with her. Elphaba was surprised by just how much time Galinda was willing to spend with her. She assumed even if they were friends Galinda would still want to spend time with her other friends or with Fiyero, but to Elphaba’s surprise she wanted to spend all their time together. Elphaba loved it. She’d never had anyone prioritize her in this way and want to spend time with her and want her to be comfortable and happy. It was very nice, it made her feel good.

So now that classes were over she was heading back to her room after sorcery seminar she had to admit to herself she was a little nervous. Not to spend time with Galinda, but to leave the safety of their little bubble here in school.

Coming into the room she found Galinda waiting trying her best to look like she wasn’t anxious to go. Elphaba smiled at her as she closed the door “I’ll be ready in 5 minutes. Let me use the restroom, wash up a tiny bit then we can go i promise” she assured Galinda as she hurried to set her stuff down.

[jocelynships]

Anyways super fucked up that I’ve gotten more compliments and encouragement on my art from total strangers I talked to for 5 mins than I ever did from my family over 25 years (not counting my sister)

Just. I know I’m separating myself from them but god it fucking hurts I have to find comfort in fictional characters and embarrassing I turn into a sobbing mess in front of their VAs lmao

[zaidshair]

"But d'you reckon it's getting easier for you? To quickly, erm, to consciously shift." Zaid glanced over towards the treeline. "Like what if some robot-hornet came pelting out of the forest again. You'd just be able to shift into your big gorgeous wolf-form, easy as instinct?" Zaid sucked his teeth; whatever Una's measured reply, he looked wondrous. "Marvelous, just marvelous. As if you couldn't get any more cooler, darling."

A compliment that Zaid meant, although he said it in a teasing way so it wouldn't put Una on the spot.

Technically, raw protein didn't have to mean terrible. Granted, Zaid was thinking of a fully cleaned and dressed animal. Halal even, if one wanted to go there. A wolfy-Una likely had no time to field-dress her...meals, before she'd crunched into them. Skin, bones, guts and all. Zaid made a matter-of-fact 😬face as he inhaled, then stated, "Takes the raw foods and nose-to-tail movements to a whole new level, innit."

He was glad Una didn't mind his curiousity. "So what about human food? Still appetizing?"

Zaid shrugged, not really finding shame in not getting along with others. He hardly did; he told himself it never bothered him. As long as they could work together; and since he and Baskar didn't work a kitchen, there was little need to play nice about their mutual disdain.

But he did pay attention to the nature of these messages, from Una's more holistic view. "I'd...never thought of that. Mean-spirited messages. And - oh! And how - who - how did anyone know these secrets, yeah? Baskar's secret wasn't from their past, but mine was, before the island. Yours too? A secret on the island, or before?"

Productivity: a keyword in his old online sessions with Una Thorne. Like any word, 'productivity' had positive and negative aspects. In this case, Zaid felt everything they'd done and chatted about was productive, extraordinarily satisfying. And Una's delight in response to the welding efforts skyrocketed Zaid's confidence.

He started to see the potential for artistry, in what he'd done. Welding-wise, he'd basically made his first grilled cheese. Messy, quick, uncomplicated. But all crafts could be fine-tuned, with practice, practice, failure, practice, and more failure.

Was there really much difference? Sure, his powers were dangerous. But a hob could also burn skin off flesh. A knife could slice through hands and arms.

Through Una's enthusiasm, Zaid started to see...potential.

"Lightening glass...how do you know so much about so much," he chuckled, the question rhetorical. Riding that wave of success-euphoria, Zaid wasn't prepared for Una's next question.

Meant to be casual, curious. But all Zaid could think about was -

-- Ash, her arm completely melted away, half her face and side gone as she lay seemingly dead in Zaid's arms --

-- the Florida-man, smelling of charred pork, a blubbering mass of black and pink and red and - and Adarsh, healing him --

-- the fear in Tej's face, when Zaid blew apart everything in the forest around him - and very nearly destroyed Tej himself.

"I destroyed a table," Zaid blurted, feeling like he'd just bitten raw rabbit. "At the Hub. No one - no one was hurt."

Zaid dropped the metal, and started looking for more. "Right - well experiment done, yeah? Now we should try actually making the thing we wanted to make. I can do it, Una. I promise you, I'll - I'll..."

Responsible Una, protecting others by building her own jailcell. A horrid thought occurred to him. "You're not building this to...live in it, are you? It's just for when your - the monster, erm. Happens, right?"

"When I'm in one form or another, certain things feel instinctual... But the shift between the two needs more of a focus to - uh - trigger it? And this 'partial' thing certainly takes a whole lot more effort to sort of... Transform bits. Way harder to hold without either going all the way or snapping back. A lot of practicing. And quite a few failures."

She admits with a shrug. She had been careful about it though, making sure that during her experimentations, none of the 'other' form had crept in. Dancing a line between human and wolf was skirting a little close to the monster form and Una absolutely doesn't want to tempt any of that to the surface.

But then Zaid seems to catch up with her somewhat hinted at dietary requirements that have been rather modified of late. The wolf wasn't so inclined to a nice sweetcorn soup. Or a carb rich platter.

"Mmmhm."

She agrees softly as the revelation hits.

"Definitely a lot more... Uhm... Raw protein on the menu. I suppose, on the plus side... I seem to be able to digest it easily."

After the 'rabbit' thing... Una had been somewhat concerned about how her very 'human' stomach might deal with what the wolf had previously consumed, but rather than making her ill, she'd felt perfectly fine. No feeling sick. No adverse reactions. No bouts of gastroenteritis. Which makes her wonder how much her different forms were actually impacting each other.

She is a little taken aback as Zaids rather immediate reaction to the mention of Baskar. And at the notion of the two of them butting heads. But again, it's not her place to judge. Not everyone was going to enjoy the company of everyone else. And on the island, were people were forced into somewhat more immediate proximity, the things people found abrasive in others were likely to be amplified.

"Oh, well that's a shame."

She responds quietly to the notion of them not seeing eye to eye. But there's no judgement cast. Una, for her part - really does enjoy the company of both.

"I'm not sure anyone likes having their private and personal things laid bare for others. No matter what they are. Or perhaps just having them revealed before they have the chance to work up enough trust with another to speak of them openly themselves."

"I'm sure many of them would have made their way into the light naturally at some point. But the forced nature of this feels... Somewhat mean. Horribly spiteful."

A twist of lips and a sigh. The old Una would have reveled in the chaos and conflict... Likely finding some way to manipulate things in her favour... This Una though just feels awful for those who were finding the whole thing difficult.

"I can only hope that whatever cruelty people feel might have been done to them with these revelations, they can rise above it. Be honest and open and put all of this 'secret' business behind them."

Only a small huff of breath, dropping the subject as Zaid does. Stepping back as she's instructed and looking on with no small degree of fascination as Zaids gloop plasma spews forth. Having not been witness to Zaids ability before, she's quite - stunned... Having to turn her head at one point to shield against the bright white flashes of searing metal, feeling the heat even from here. And even in the aftermath - as Zaid goes to examine his 'work', Una has to take a minute to even comprehend...

...Even though she can change her shape, bones and muscle reforming - she's still amazed that in Zaid appears whole and well and is not in any way singed or apparently worse for wear.

"Wow... That's.... That's quite something."

A quiet huff of words as she approaches slowly. Not examining the metal, rather looking at Zaid's hand. No burns. No damage.

"Are you okay? Do you feel alright?"

It worked. He did it. Una suddenly rounding to the success of Zaids achievement.

"Oh, Zaid - this is wonderful!!! There's no way the... (beast)... That it... That... I... Could break through that. Look at what you can do! You're amazing!"

It's a note of hope that had been lacking in Una's voice for a while now. But this is it!!! They can keep people safe! From Una, at least.

Then Zaid draws her attention to the substance formerly known as 'sand'.

"It's like lightening glass. Enough heat and, it melts... I... Have no idea how hot sand needs to be to turn into glass other than... Very. My goodness. This is remarkable."

She resists the temptation to touch. Even though the rising steam clouds are dissipating, the metal is still cooling from white to red - scalding to the skin... With small 'tink-clink-pings' clearly audible as the sheets of steel cool and contract.

"What else have you managed to do?"

[yamujiburo]

A few months ago, some of you might know if you keep up with this blog, I went to Collect-A-Con LA. It was truly on a whim. Literally the day before my girlfriend and I had just come back from our Europe trip. Normally I'd be so tired and jetlagged but for some reason I was feeling really antsy and energized and just needed to go somewhere and get out of the house.

I found out that Collect-A-Con LA was happening the following day and that a lot of the original Pokemon voice cast would be there. So I bought a ticket, drew/printed up a picture that I wanted to get signed and got up early to drive to the convention center (you have to understand that I hate driving in town and also very much never wake up early). I don't know what possessed me to do this but I'm so glad I did.

I ended up having the privilege of meeting Eric Stuart, Veronica Taylor and of course, Rachael Lillis.

She was masked up, looked tired, and a bit sick. And at the time, I assumed she might've caught a cold over the weekend of the con. I went to her table and she still smiled and gave me all of her attention and time. I paid her assistant for an autograph, gave Rachael the drawing I'd done and she got to signing it. Her assistant said the print I had was cute and asked where I got it. I told her that I drew it myself and that I spent a LOT of my time drawing Team Rocket and other various Pokemon fanart. When I said that, Rachel stopped mid-sign and looked up and squinted at me and asked "are you Kiana Mai"? My heart skipped. I had no idea she knew who I was and was surprised that, given how many Pokemon fanartists there are in the world, she was able to pick me out. I left that interaction so happy and felt so seen. Soon after, I went to get my print signed by Veronica Taylor and while in her line, noticed Rachael had left her table; presumably not feeling well and had to leave the con early. I remember thinking how lucky I was to catch her before she left.

A couple months later, I saw the gofundme that her sister posted, detailing what Rachel was going through for the past few years and her battle with cancer. It put that convention day in such a different perspective for me.

All I could think about was how much she cared about her fans and how in touch with her community she was to go to a convention while being in so much pain and suffering in silence. I obviously don't know her personally, but based on how other fans who've met her, as well as her colleagues have spoken about her, I got the impression that she was an amazing, thoughtful person who cared about the people around her. That was only solidified for me based on this singular interaction a few months ago.

Rest in Peace Rachael Lillis. You've touched so many lives with your voice and so much of us grew up listening you. Thank you for everything!

[lususnatura]

❝ well, 'turn of phrase' itself is a horrible way of describing things, ❞ blamore stuck his tongue out at harley just a bit to joke around with her, crossing his arms over his chest all the while. it only blinked at the way she mentioned licking windows, because it wasn't really thinking about how badly some things translated from french to english; his head cocking to the side in confusion as he gave her a look that said 'what does that mean?'

blamore listened to the other speak about how she didn't feel entirely comfortable with calling the creature 'it' because of how it could technically be used in a demeaning way. and he understood that, so he wasn't going to start an argument with harley about that right now — though that was a topic that blamore maybe wanted to put a 'pen in' to talk about more later. there was a side of blamore that wanted to tell harley though that, yeah, it might feel dehumanizing to tell it that but in a kind of abstract way... it actually liked that part of it. because it separated him from having to abide by any specific human roles, or gender norms.

all that ended up coming out of blamore's mouth was this however, ❝ ahh. i understand, harley, and i appreciate you at least being willing to try do it. i'm not really a fan of using they/them, but you could use that in the interim for me until... well, you may or may not feel like you can call me it. because i love you too and of course that means i'm willing to make compromises with you. i'm just glad that you don't look at me any differently for it, really, as that's mainly why its taken me so long to bring it up; because i wasn't sure how you'd react to it. ❞ it shrugged slightly but offered the other a small smile after she told him she'd try to do it for him.

that's all he desired and more, to tell you the truth: to have someone in his corner who would make an effort to help him practice being his most authentic self. blamore tapped his fingers in thought along the IV pole providing him with pain-killers and such once he got back within distance to it then. even if it didn't end up working because the seed could somehow differentiate between someone who was alive and dead, or something of the like, maybe it'd be worth it? blamore hummed as he nodded while looking away from her, ❝ alright, chère (dear). ignoring the fact that you have connections to a clean-up crew, i guess finding that out might be beneficial. but now you've got to promise me you won't obsess over whatever result you may or may not get from it. ❞

blamore noticed he felt chilly now, so after grabbing one of the blankets off of his hospital bed and wrapping it around himself, he pulled the IV pole over to his side. that way, it could walk with it as the two of them walked across the hospital. blamore honestly didn't mean to get irritable but because he hadn't eaten anything, a low whine left his lips as his stomach growled. ❝ okay, okay. i don't know if i'll be able to keep to the rooftops in general for forever but i won't go on any glass roofs. can we get some japanese food, please? dumplings and sushi sound freaking amazing right now... and sushi has a higher chance of making you land right in bed next to me. ❞

blamore winked at harley even though its stomach felt spectacularly empty, and its mood itself, on the hangry side. he began sauntering to the door before opening it and holding it open for harley, saying 'after you' like a true gentleperson would to her.

"I know yer' turn of phrase is just horrible," she said sarcastically knowing well he was bound to smirk. Feeling the soft push Harley turned her body to look back flirtatious towards Balmore. "What's my punishment then ... licking windows," she said wrinkling her nose. Having known the language she loved that things didn't always translate well, and window shopping always translated to licking windows.

As things mellowed and the conversation on gender got brought up more than she had expected, the blonde began to think that she was missing out on something. Curious as to why she stayed silent taking part as the listener. On some aspects she understood well and had even dropped or distanced herself from groups due to negative radical ideas, that she couldn't possibly understand. It was when she was asked to change her terminology for them she paused and looked worse than the moment she saw the branch limply hanging from the sink.

" I... its not something I'm entirely use to or comfortable with. They, them I can do. It.. or it's is hard cause I would normally like use that on a bad day. Like if I was havin' a bad day 'en Bud 'en Lou ruined tha' livin' room I'd call them it. So fa' me it's like a negative condonation honey. I don't wanna eva' feel that I'm downgradin' you or saying yer' less than me. I get that yer' also dealin' with something I sure as hell have no idea about... but I would neva' say it because yer' a person I hold in tha' highest regard.

... Yer my partner, my love, my boyfriend when you wish, but using it... kinda hurts. I'll work on it but... I can't promise I can..."

The clasped hands made her feel the weight of her answer and she sighed feeling like she failed. Even worse she had brought up doing her own experiments as though he were a lab rat. Smoothing her hair back with both hands she looked as though she needed to pull her hair to ease the tension in her body.

"I have connections... one is in clean up. Just a calf muscle from a deceased person. I could then track from the time I imbedded the seed to how it changes the structure. When does muscle get ingulfed in vine, if the seeds multiply unda' the same conditions... to help you unda'stand what can happen so you can process what can come."

Looking back at her knuckles she smirked half heartedly almost surprised Balmore didn't tell her to leave.

"I love you... but I mean it no more roof hopping on glass structures. Also goes for rooftop heists, that I sadly have... neva' taken you on. Hmm... Walk sounds nice now? Not to worry dinner is on me. I'll even let ya' pick. Bonus points if I get food poisoning 'en have to stay in bed next to you. "