#so um. i fear he may be having a moment of some kind.

[notfye]

my avoidant style may be backfiring in spectacular fashion

[covenofagatha]

A dance with death (and her wife) (Part 1)

@lanfear-is-my-darkmistress

You are a profiler for the FBI when you get called to help catch a serial killer in Westview. (Killing Eve/Hannibal AU)

Word count: 4200

Warnings: descriptions of violence, fear

The phone rings at 7:30 in the morning on your day off and you want to throw it against the wall. 

You had been sleeping – having a very good dream, actually – when the harsh ringtone roughly jolts you out of your slumber. 

“Hello?” you answer groggily, rubbing your face with your hand. If it’s a spam call, you think you might lose your mind. 

“Is this Agent Y/L/N?” A gruff voice asks and you shoot up out of bed into the sitting position. 

You clear your throat and try to sound professional. “Um, yes, this is she. Who am I speaking with?”

“This is Director Hayward,” the man says, and your eyes widen. The head of the FBI is calling you. “Have you heard of the town of Westview?” 

Your forehead wrinkles while you rack your brain for anything that sounds familiar. “No, sir, I don’t think so.” 

There’s muffled sounds from the other side of the phone and then you can hear Director Hayward clearly. “It’s a small town in New Jersey. Nothing special, nothing too out of the ordinary.” He pauses like you’re supposed to recognize it, but after a moment of silence he sighs and continues. “About seven months ago, we believe a pair of serial killers moved into town. Bodies started piling up, seemingly no rhyme or reason to who was killed, only that the victims were all female.” 

“Okay,” you say slowly, trying to wrap your head around all this. If it’s been going on for this long, why haven’t you heard about it? “Are we sure they’re connected if there’s no pattern of victim? Usually men have a type when they do this kind of thing; the women usually look like an ex-lover who broke their heart, or their mom.” 

You can practically hear him roll his eyes through the phone. “They were all killed the same way: poison to sedate them and then their hearts were carved out. And there was a purple azalea left in every single one of the victims’ chest cavities. So we’re pretty sure they’re connected.” Sarcasm drips copiously from his tone and you wince. Way to make a good first impression on the director of the FBI. “And it’s not a man. It’s a woman.” 

This makes you perk up with interest. “Oh?” As a profiler for a branch of the FBI in Miami, you’ve handled your fair share of serial killers. It may make you sound insensitive, but you were only really interested in the female ones. Men were so boring and predictable. Women knew how to make it a challenge, and there was always some deep, underlying motive for why they did it. There was nothing you enjoyed more than piecing together that puzzle. 

“They’re calling her The Witch. The poison used on the victims is like nothing we’ve ever seen before, so we think she must be making it herself. But since female serial killers are kind of your thing–” 

You cut him off before you can think twice, thoughts whirling through your head. “How do you know it’s a woman? Cutting out a heart, that takes a lot of strength. Most female serial killers tend to use gentler methods, like poison, so it makes sense that there’s at least one woman involved. Are you sure she isn’t working with someone though? Lavinia Fisher would poison her victims and then her husband would finish the job.” 

“How quickly can you get to Westview?” He asks, completely ignoring your question. 

“Oh, you want me to go there?” 

He scoffs. “Yes, Agent, we want you to go there. I’ve already informed your boss and he’s given his approval. No one has been better at catching the female killers than you, so we really need you on this. You can take the Miami jet as soon as you’re ready, but they want you there as soon as possible.” 

“Will I be working with the Trenton branch?” 

“Just the Westview PD for now. They’ve assured us that they have their best detectives on the case. But if you need backup, let us know and we can send in some more profilers. Whatever it takes to bring this woman to justice.” He hangs up without another word and you grab your to-go suitcase that you keep packed for times like these. You throw in a few extra sets of clothes just in case it takes longer than expected, and then you’re out the door, driving to Headquarters. 

You walk into your boss’s office and knock on the door. The director of the Miami branch, Tony Stark, looks up at you. “Hope you packed some warm clothes,” he says and you chuckle. You definitely did not.

“Hayward said I could take the jet?”

Tony nods. “It’s out back and already fueled up. Good luck, kid. Be careful, okay?” 

You scoff. “Careful? I’m always careful.” He fixes you with a stern look and you acquiesce. “I promise.” 

“I don’t need to remind you what happened last time you worked on a case like this, do I?” 

It hits you like a punch to the gut and you shake your head. “No, sir, you do not.” But you know he’s going to tell you anyway. 

“That woman destroyed you,” he hisses. “You got so focused on finding her that you stopped eating and sleeping. The obsession completely consumed you.” 

“I caught her, didn’t I?” You mutter, knowing full well that isn’t his point. He slams his hands down on his desk and you jump. 

“She almost killed you,” he almost yells and your face twists at the memory. 

The Scarlet Killer terrorized Miami about three years ago before you finally brought her down. At first, she would sneak into houses of families with twins and slit the parents’ throats and kidnap the kids, but the twins would always resist so she would end up killing them too. 

After a while, she stopped caring about the twin aspect and started killing anyone with children. 

You had spent days in the office, pacing and pouring over the evidence board, trying to make sense of it. There was no DNA anywhere, but there was also no sign of forced entry, so you figured that she was invited into the house somehow. The hunt for children made you think she had lost her own, or had some sort of abusive childhood that made her want to protect kids. She was possibly a twin as well, and very amicable if people were having her over willingly. 

It took two months before you figured out the perimeter of her murders. She was making a hexagon shape with the houses of the victims. Hexagons can represent balance, so you figured she felt as if she was balancing out some score with the universe for something that had happened to her. 

And then one fateful night, you realized where her next target was. A family had just moved into a house perfectly on the border of the hex, as people around the office started calling it, and they had twins. 

You spent almost an entire week camped out in front of their house waiting for the Scarlet Killer to strike. You think during that time, you slept a total of ten hours. Hallucinations plagued you and you would doze off and then wake up babbling something about catching her. Agents would bring food by your car and beg you to take a break, but you kept your eyes strained on the house, determined that you wouldn’t let her get away with it again, determined to prove that you were right about where she’d be.

And you were. 

Except the knocking that should’ve been on the front door of the house, the knocking that would inevitably lead to more death, was on your car window. 

You had jolted awake to find a redheaded woman standing there, looking worried. You opened the door and got out to help her when she had pulled a knife out and stabbed you in the stomach. 

Thank god she didn’t go for her usual M.O. of slitting throats. 

You were able to weakly unholster your gun and take a shot at her as she was running away and by the yelp, you knew you had hit her. A consolation prize as your vision faded to black. 

Somehow, you woke up two days later in a hospital room, Director Tony Stark by your bedside. They had caught the killer a block away thanks to the appendix your bullet had ruptured that rendered her unconscious, a woman named Wanda Maximoff, who had lost her twins in a horrible house fire, and made it a mission to try and replace them.

And her knife had missed anything important, and all you had was a nasty scar and the weariness from everyone else whenever there was a new female serial killer to catch. 

“She didn’t kill me though,” you tell Tony, who rolls his eyes. “I’ll be careful. I won’t get too involved this time.”

He slides open a drawer and takes out a file and a business card that he holds out to you. You reach across the desk to grab the two and you scan the card. 

Rio Vidal, Therapist, Westview. With an email and phone number. 

You hold it up and raise an eyebrow. “You want me to see a shrink?” You already completed your mandated fifteen hours of therapy after the Maximoff incident and you weren’t eager to go back. 

“You don’t have to, it’s just so you have an option. In case you feel yourself becoming too ‘involved.’” 

You purse your lips but you slip it into your pocket and tighten your grip on the file. “Guess I’ll see you whenever we catch her.” 

He salutes you and you make your way to the jet out back. 

It’s a three hour flight and you spend your entire time pouring over the case file. You know there’s still some information that you’ll have to get from the Westview PD, like witness statements and exclusive photos that haven’t been released yet, but what you do have is brutal. 

Photos of shriveled up bodies with barely any skin still on their bones, their cheeks hollowed out, like something sucked the life out of them. Not to be sexist, but you can tell why Director Hayward thought it was a woman. 

Although there’s a gaping hole in their chests where a heart used to be, the cuts are neat, precise. And the blood has been completely cleaned up. What should be the bloodiest crime scene you’ve ever seen is void of any fluid, like the killer methodically mopped and bleached and cleansed the scene of everything. But this also means that the victims are dead before the heart is cut out, from the poison. 

The most chilling thing is the singular, perfect flower placed in the cavity of their chest.

You flip through the toxicology reports but can’t really make sense of anything. One report says one chemical was the cause of death, another report says another. The levels of chemicals in the bloodstream are also different from victim to victim. 

It reminds you of Jolly Jane Toppan, who would experiment with different medicines and chemicals to murder patients at hospitals. 

Is the killer a nurse? A chemist? You’re able to figure out why she’s called The Witch, because it’s like she’s brewing up potions of sorts, but you have no idea why she would bother cutting their hearts out if she’s killing them with poison. 

The precision of the blade also means that her hands are steady. Another reason she could be a nurse. 

You flip through the pictures of all the victims – eleven, so far – and the first victim’s cut is just as accurate as the last victim. This woman is either a natural, or this isn’t the first time she’s killed. 

Pulling out your computer, you search the database for any serial killer cases that match this same type of crime, male or female. You’re still not entirely convinced she’s working alone. 

But there’s nothing. No cold cases, no open cases. She has truly shown up out of nowhere. 

You tap your fingers to the tray table, your mind trying to make sense of the details for the rest of the flight. 

When the plane lands, you’re ushered into an uber and taken to the motel where you’ll be staying. Your rental car is already in the parking lot. Even though Westview is a small town, it means a lot that they’re giving you all these accommodations. 

Your room is complete with a kitchenette, a queen sized bed, and a good sized bathroom. You drop the files on the table, throw your suitcase in the bedroom, and grab your work bag before locking the door behind you. 

The rental car is a small sedan that has a strange smell, but it does the job and you drive through the quaint twisting roads to get to the police station. You park up front, take a deep breath, and walk in. 

No one stops you or asks what you’re doing here (no wonder this case hasn’t been solved yet) so you make your way to the back where you find the Chief’s office. 

He’s a skinny man with a mustache, spots of something that looks like mustard on his shirt, talking to a woman with her back to you. All you can tell is that she has long, dark hair that flows down your back.

“Hi, excuse me?” You say, knocking on the glass door. The Chief stops and the woman turns around to face you and you’re momentarily struck by how attractive she is. “I’m Agent Y/N? The, uh, criminal profiler from Miami? The FBI sent me to help with The Witch case.” 

“Oh, shoot, that’s right,” the man says, wiping his hands on his jacket before standing up. “Chief Phil Jones. This is Detective Agatha Harkness–” He motions to the woman standing there who smiles knowingly, raking her eyes up and down your body. “– our best. She’s been working this case day and night.” 

“Any leads so far?” You ask her. 

“Why don’t I show you what we have so far?” She offers and you nod, following her out of the office and trying not to look at her ass. She takes you into  a different room with a bulletin board filled with pictures and string and post-it notes. You squint at it, trying to take everything in, while you hear more people enter the room behind you. 

“So, Miami, what do you think?” A man taunts and a few others snicker at him. You ignore him, you’ve been used to this your entire career. 

You’re still scanning the board when something catches your eye. The witness statements. They don’t corroborate with each other. From the six people that have seen something, they all agree that the killer had dark hair. But some say it was long, others say just past her shoulders. Some think she was taller and lean, others say shorter and just a little more filled out. There’s a detail from two witnesses that gives you pause though: they say the woman had a mask of sorts on the bottom of her face, almost like a skeleton. The other witnesses make no mention of not being able to see the killer’s entire face. 

You tap the papers. “Why don’t the statements line up?” 

“Surely you know how unreliable eyewitness testimony is,” Agatha drawls, and when you turn around, she’s watching you carefully. 

You frown. “I do know, but it seems like there’s two different people here. So either we have a copycat, which would be unlikely due to there being no change in the level of detailedness from murder to murder, or–” You trail off, chewing on your lip. You’re waiting for someone, Agatha maybe, to finish the sentence, or to tell you you’re being crazy. 

“Or?” She prompts like she’s daring you to go on. There’s a look in her eyes, a look you don’t quite recognize. 

You give the men in the room a glance. Will they laugh? “I really think we’re dealing with two killers here. Working together. One poisons the victims, the other cuts out the heart. I thought it was a man and a woman, but it seems like two women. They’re obviously very close to each other, and they’ve got it down to an easy routine.” 

“Why hasn’t anyone seen two women then?” Agatha asks, but you feel like she’s just guiding you to a realization, rather than criticizing your theory. 

You hum, tossing the question around in your head. “Maybe…maybe because they want us to think there’s only one killer? They’ve fooled everyone, even the FBI. Easy to chalk it up to faulty witness statements.” 

“Why wouldn’t they try to look alike then?” Agatha presses, and your brow furrows. It’s a good point. 

The pictures of the mutilated victims on the board stare back at you while you look for anything you could’ve missed. “Are they toying with us? Do they want us confused? The poison, the cut-out heart, the flower left behind, the different descriptions, it’s like this is a game to them. They’re cocky, they feel confident that they can’t get caught. Maybe both of them are narcissists, but definitely are on the Antisocial Personality Disorder spectrum.” 

“Why do you think they do it?” Agatha says in a hushed voice. You can’t help but notice that she seems excited. 

Is that because she finally might be getting a break in her case? 

“I don’t know,” you admit and she looks disappointed. You spin to face the board again. “There’s no obvious connection or pattern between the victims, so it doesn’t seem like there’s a personal vendetta against them. Nothing stands out about the locations either. It seems like they’re just killing for fun, right now.” 

“That’s pretty dangerous,” she says, and you can feel the front of her body brush against your back. You’ve been so entranced that you didn’t even hear her notice her coming over. “That means anyone could be next.” 

Goosebumps spread over your body at her hot breath on your neck, but her words sober you up. She’s right. You’re not able to rule out potential victims based on how many kids they have or don’t have, like with Wanda, or what they look like or don’t look like. 

“Okay,” you say, nodding your head. “We need to send out a BOLO for two women with dark hair now. Put these descriptions out, tell them to keep an eye out for a skeleton mask? Hopefully we can get some tips and put a stop to this before anyone else gets hurt.” 

“What should we call the other woman?” One of the male officers speaks up and you’re surprised that it’s an actual question. 

Agatha watches you with interest while you think about it. “How about…Lady Death?” You offer and she gives a nod of approval. “Put a BOLO out for Lady Death and The Witch.” 

You make copies of everything that’s on the board and paper clip them together to put in your bag. As you’re packing everything up to go back and leave to the motel (Tony would be proud of you for leaving the station at an acceptable time), Agatha comes over and leans on the table. 

“What do you think their relationship is? Lady Death and The Witch,” she says, amusement lacing her tone when she says their nicknames. 

You shrug. “Sisters, friends, wives? Maybe they’re just two crazy people who met each other and want to kill people.” She chuckles and studies you curiously. 

“You know, we’ve had some other profilers come in, but none of them have been like you. You know your stuff.” 

“Female serial killers are kind of my thing,” you say. “There’s just something about untangling the mystery that’s so much sweeter. Makes me feel…alive. Which I know sounds bad, because so many people have died, and I’m sorry.” 

Agatha looks like she knows exactly what you’re talking about. “No, don’t apologize. It’s exciting, isn’t it? The exhilaration, the moment when you finally get what you want, what you’ve been working toward.” Her voice is low and you nod, leaning in before you can realize what you’re doing. Your gaze drops down to her smirk and then back to her blown-out pupils. “Do you think you’ll be able to find them?” 

“Yeah, I do,” you breathe, and she looks positively delighted. Out of nowhere, the scar on your stomach stings and you grimace. Agatha looks at you, concerned but you brush it off. “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow then?” You ask, standing up and slinging your bag onto your shoulder. 

“See you then, superstar,” she says with a grin and watches you leave. 

When you get back to the motel, you spread all the pictures and notes out, trying to connect some dots. You scribble down Friends? Sisters? Lovers? on a sticky note and press it to the wall. 

Why do you think they do it? Agatha’s question still haunts you. You don’t want to believe that it’s just for fun, there has to be some meaning, some motive for poisoning and then physically removing hearts. There has to be some significance to the flower left behind. 

But what is it? 

Your stomach grumbles so you decide to take a step back and go pick up food from a restaurant in town. As you’re pulling out of the parking lot to come back to the motel with wings and french fries, you get a call from Tony Stark. You accept it, taking a sip from your cup quickly. 

“Hey, Director,” you say. 

“There she is! How’s it going?” 

You shrug even though he can’t see you. “Not too bad. Just went and got dinner. See, I’m taking care of myself.” 

He laughs like it’s the funniest joke he’s heard. “Glad to hear it. Any new leads in the case?” 

“There’s two women, not one. They’re working together.” There’s silence on his end of the line for a second and you wonder if he heard you. “Did you–?

“Yeah, I got that. Shit, so you think you’re looking for partners? I don’t like this,” he says. 

“I’m okay, I promise. What happened with Wanda won’t happen this time,” you reassure him as you turn back into the motel lot. “I’ll check in with you whenever you want. I’ll go see that shrink. I’ll be careful.” You’re worried that he’ll pull you off the case if he thinks you’re too obsessed. Your hyperfixation tendencies almost cost you your life, and you know Tony doesn’t want that to happen to you again. He’s become somewhat of a father figure to you since you started working there, and it’s touching how much he cares.

He hums in satisfaction. “I expect you to eat three meals a day and get at least five hours of sleep.” Before you can protest, he continues. “And I want you to make an appointment with that therapist. Just get ahead of your spiral, maybe talking about the case with someone removed will help you be more level-headed.” 

“I will,” you vow. “Okay, just got back to the motel, I’ll talk to you later.” He says goodbye and hangs up. When you get out of the car with your food, the hair on the back of your neck stands up and your scar tingles. 

Something feels off. 

You get to your door to find it slightly ajar and you frown. You remember locking it. Maybe room service cleans at night? 

“Hello?” You call, pushing it open. Taking a few cautious steps into the room, you scan from wall to wall looking for anything or anyone.

There’s no one there, nothing seems out of place except for your suitcase that is now on your bed. You tentatively walk over to it and unzip it, jumping back like you’re expecting something to pop out. Inside, you find all the clothes you packed gone, and entirely replaced by a new wardrobe. Pulling them out, you gasp when you find cashmere sweaters and silky blouses and comfortable but professional looking pants. There’s a bottle of perfume with the word “Thanatos” printed in perfect calligraphy and you take a whiff. It smells like flowers and wood at the same time and it makes you think of a forest. 

So someone broke into your motel room just to give you some new clothes and perfume? You rustle through the rest of the suitcase and a piece of paper flutters to the floor. 

Heart pounding, you lean down to pick it up. It’s the same sticky note that you put on your wall before you left to get food. 

Friends? Sisters? Lovers? 

Only now, the word ‘lovers’ is circled, with a small heart drawn. You drop the paper like you’ve been burned and run over to where all your case information is and you feel nauseous. 

Nothing has been touched. Nothing is out of place. 

Except for the single purple azalea resting on the middle of the table. 

They were here. 

[writingwrench]

Confession (Stanford x Reader)

 I hope y’all enjoy! If you want me to write another or you have a suggestion, hit me up!

 Stanford glanced at the photo of the cheerful woman on his desk. She had this immutable, meanderous personality that he’d fallen hard for.

 Ever since they were younger, he’d had a type of respect for her enthusiastic and bubbly personality. Ever since high school (maybe even before then) he’d acquired an officious fervor for her. He didn’t really know how to tell her for fear of provoking some kind of rancor. 

 Even so, he ventured from his basement in search of his parsimonious heretic of a brother....

 “Stanley?” he asked,shutting the vending machine door. The twin was found sitting at the register, counting his day’s winnings.

 “Hey,bro!” he said, sea-tanned face splitting into a grin.

 “I need help,” Ford muttered,pulling a chair over to the counter and sitting down. 

 Stan set the money down,giving his brother his full attention. It wasn’t like him to ever ask for help. Even when they were on the Stan-O-War II.

 “I....I have feelings for (Y/N)....” he awkwardly began,hoping Stanley would understand. 

 Slowly, Stan began to smirk,before full acclaim filled the room. 

 “Finally, you admit it. It’s been over thirty years!” he laughed. Ford’s face was set aflame. He knew his brother wasn’t being callous, but he still felt somewhat ashamed for him to take this long to bring up the gall to tell her.

   Seeing Ford’s impression of a tomato, Stanley laughed again quietly,before,”Look,Poindexter, just go out there,hike up your big boy panties,  and tell her. She feels the same way...even though I don’t really understand, I am the better looking twin!” He grinned,winking. Which earned him an eye-roll from Ford.

 Still unsure, Ford, paused before the door, before Stan got fed up and just pushed him out to where (Y/N) was sitting with Dipper and Mabel. 

 “-I’m trying to nail that quack reporter for his actions,” She was saying. Stanford didn’t really understand what kind of conversation  he’d managed to walk into, but just hearing her voice, he’d instantly felt relieved. 

 “Hey, (N/N)?” he asked, nervousness seeping into his pores.

 “Hey, Ford!” she smiled brightly,turning to him. He stared at her for a moment, lost in her (E/C) eyes, before the awkward silence was broken by the angel he’d fell in love with.

 “What’s up?” she asked, not at all perturbed by the awkward silence. (She’d gotten used to it fairly quickly since Ford himself was such a cute, awkward person.)

 “I....um...I have to confess something,” he stuttered out, not meeting her eye for fear of peeing himself. He didn’t understand. He could take on demons and other horrifying creatures, but with a mere glance from (Y/N),his knees would buckle and he’d be a total loss for words.

 The girl raised a brow, signaling for him to continue....so he did.

 “I want...um...I would love.. gah,screw it! I’M IN LOVE WITH YOU!!” he yelled,startling (Y/N) and the younger twins.

 It was quiet until- “OH MY GOSH,GRUNKLE FORD!!!!!”

 (Y/N)’s face tinted pink.

 “Kids,” she said shakily,”Please give us some privacy.”

 They did as told, making their way to the house. It wasn’t long before she saw two heads pop up over the window sill. 

 Rolling her eyes and grinning, she rushed over to Ford,tackling him in a fierce hug. They both landed with a thud,before surprised giggles filled the air.

 “I love you too,Ford,” (Y/N) said, still grinning before pulling him to her by the front of his overcoat. Their lips met. The kiss was sweet and passionate, the  both of them marveling at how long it took for them to get to this point.

 They disconnected, resting their foreheads on each other’s shoulder, and quietly grinning.

 “(Y/N), I’m so sorry it took me so long,” Ford finally said,breaking the silence.

 He was met with another kiss.

 “It’s alright,you dork,” she said, still grinning.

 It may have taken forever, but she finally felt truly wanted.

[honeyblackberries]

imagine teaching him how to dance. he’s never done it before, i don't think his kind even have a concept of it. so he was initially confused the moment you put your hands on him and began to sway side to side as a slow song played.

it’s a uniquely human thing isn’t it? hearing a melody and instinctively pulling someone in close to match the tune with unhurried movements. however all your confidence leaves the moment you meet his gaze and see a questioning look on his face. 

"okay this is kinda stupid let's stop" you falter embarrassingly fast. moving to let go of him and make up some excuse for your actions. 

you don’t expect the large arms that wrap around you as you feel yourself getting held in place. "don't get shy on me little one, this is quite fun" he cracks a wide grin. “you should know me well by now, i’ll never pass up an opportunity to hold you close."

this time he’s the one to begin the dance. it’s clumsy and his movements are more of a shuffling of feet but the look in his eyes is bright. “i fear we may have to stay like this the whole night, i don’t think i can let go of you any time soon.”

A/N: this is very non-specific so you can imagine whatever monster you desire however the girlies (gender neutral) must know that I am imagining him as sakh (Ruby Dixon's big blue aliens) or um... true form Sukuna because yk....

[jasperhaleobsessed]

The Telepath

Charles Xavier x fem!mutant!reader

Summary: Charles recruits you when looking for other mutants. And you become quite smitten, unbeknownst to you he is too.

Warnings: There may be some grammatical errors and some inconsistantices with X-Men First Class/timeline. Talking about awkwardness and not having the best self esteem but pretty fluffy.

Word Count: 1k

Notes: I'm obsessed thats all I can say!! 🙈😊 and I hope you all enjoy!!

Your POV

You leaned forward as excitement bubbled inside of you. The book you were reading was getting to the best part. You could feel it, everything was coming together like in a nice bow tying it all into one. You smiled giddly, as you read the page. You had been engrossed into your book and you hadn't noticed that someone had sat next to you.

You heard shuffling, perhaps someone picking up a book or sitting next to you? You weren't really sure but you paid no mind too excited for the ending. Lately, you haven't had the time to read or pursue any of your other hobbies but now that you could you were savoring every moment. You turned the page and smiled, you loved where the story was going but you needed to get up. You were far enough that it was the perfect time to take a break, you would be finished with your book in no time. Only a few chapters to go. But, you had been at your library for hours and you needed to stay hydrated. And you of course needed to move around, perhaps go out and eat, etcetera etcetera.

You sighed, as you closed your book. You stood up and noticed a man who was sitting next to you. A cute man. Actually you corrected that he was quite handsome. You couldn't help but notice his slick hair and his nice suit, it suited him well no pun intended. But he also had this look about him that said warmth and love. You felt like you gravitated towards him, he seemed kind especially with his eyes. His eyes were so right about how the eyes were the window of the soul. You didn't need powers to know he had tenderness about him. You noticed he looked like he was reading a book on mutations. Interesting. This made you think of how you had a mutation. You didn't like to think about it too much after all the way the world looks at "mutants" it's unfair and cruel.

You knew this personally. When you were younger you discovered you had powers. You could feel others emotions and project your emotions as well as anyone else's onto another person. Great, right? Not! Especially when feeling others emotions constantly can be draining and you don't want to control others or even your emotions. You didn't want your powers or your mutation to be used to do terrible things to good people. Innocent people, they don't deserve that. You could see it and feel how someone would use your powers, how they would manipulate it. You could imagine this fear of yours vividly. Because you wanted to be left alone, your powers felt useless for good, all you could see was the darkness in them. You didn't want that. You trembled at the thought of someone using you, if anything you would want to inspire others and to help them not destroy. But there was no possibility of that. You shook away your thoughts, you needed to leave and get some food.

You hadn't realized you were staring until the cute man with chestnut hair and striking blue eyes smiled up at you as he sat crossed legged in the wooden chair and he asked, "Interested in mutations as well?" He had a smile that could invite and make someone feel warm and cared for. It made you feel warm and fuzzy inside. You could help but feel reassured and calmer. 

"Huh?" You asked. "Oh! Um, I was lost in thought sorry. I mean they're interesting but I'm no scientist, I'm actually majoring in literature, I'm quite the bookworm." You rubbed the back of your neck, nervously. You couldn't help but chuckle awkwardly. You felt yourself blush and he smiled kindly. He didn't seem to mind, usually people do care. You sometimes would feel awkward but somehow with this stranger you didn't, you felt like yourself. 

"Are you sure about that?" He asked, with quirked eyebrow. You felt confused. What kind of question was that? Okay perhaps that wasn't the dumbest question especially for you sometimes you're nervous and you aren't sure. And yet it doesn't change that you're confused. Did he think there was something more going on? As much as you were smitten with this man you couldn't help but wonder who he was and if he was a creep or something? "Umm of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?" You laughed, nervously confusion etched across your face. 

"You just seem nervous. I don't mean any harm." It was as if he read your mind. Crazy, right? He slowly got up and inched closer. He wasn't too close but not too far. "I'm not going to hurt, alright? I'm going to step forward, all I'm trying to do is talk, okay?" You nodded, still feeling unsure but proceeded with caution. 

"I'm just like you."

"Just like me?" Did he mean a mutant? Or something else like in personality? You felt very confused. 

"Yes, I am a mutant. I can read minds, I am telepath."

You felt panicked rush through you, "H-how? A-at least give me something other than blind faith, give me proof!" You gaped at him, looking at him up and down. There was no way right? Right?

He stepped closer and placed his pointer and index finger on your temples, 'Hello, my name is Charles Xaviar and I am a mutant like I said I'm just like you. And if you don't mind me asking what is your gift?'

"Gift?" You pulled his hands away and you felt frustrated as you yelled at him. You felt guilt rush through you and you clamped your hand over your mouth, you looked around hoping no one heard you but then whispered, "My power is not a gift, I control people's emotions! How is that a gift?" You asked, trembling with anxiety. Tears welled in your eyes, "I can't." You murmured, shaking your head. He reached and wiped your tears away. 

"You can do so much more than that, let me help you!" he pleaded, you leaned away surprised by his devotion and passion to help you. You could swoon if this hadn't been such a serious situation. 

"Can you? Can you actually help me?" You asked, feeling uncertain. 

"If you let me and if you agree to help me." 

"Help you how?" You questioned, quietly. You looked down, deep in thought. Wouldn't it be better to give it a shot then live in fear? You looked back up at him as he said, "By letting me train you, I need your help." He paused and intertwined his hand into yours. You looked down and then back into his eyes, "Please, help us we can't do this without you. A mutant named Shaw is trying to end the human race and only mutants will survive. It will be the end of the world as you know it and you can do something to stop it, if you help us that is." He pleaded with you and you closed your eyes.

For a long time you closed out others emotions but for the first time in a long time you let the emotions glide past you, flow through you. You opened your eyes, you felt his hope and his compassion but you also felt his words ring true. He believed what he said and you knew it was the truth.

"Alright, I'll help you..." You trailed off, you bit your lip suddenly you felt confident as you said, "But you owe me a date." You say with a sly smile. 

He chuckled, a smile was evident on his face and he brushed a strain of your hair out of your face, "It would be my honor. How about I take you on one now?" You weren't one to do something spontaneously but you couldn't say no. For too long have you hidden and said no to opportunities in your life that could have benefited you. You were not going to continue to say no just because you were scared of who you were. 

And so you nodded and took his hand. You felt relieved and excited. You were relieved that you had the confidence to say yes and you felt excited to go with Charles. The chance to use your powers for good made you feel hopeful. Charles made you feel hopeful for the first time in a long time. You grabbed your book and left the library, the two of you walked onto the sidewalk, hand in hand. You leaned onto his shoulder as the two of you talked. You traded off disgusting books and other topics that interested you two. He smiled as you went on about your book. And you felt excited and intrigued when he talked about mutations.  You reached the restaurant and walked inside. You had a good feeling. It'd been a long time since you felt good about your gift. 

After all, maybe your gift wasn't a curse at all. Perhaps it was a blessing in disguise.

The End

[sidekick-hero]

(steddie | 1.8k | mature | tags: werewolf!Steve, human!Eddie, domesticity, soft boys being soft, bathing together | @steddielovemonth prompt Love is saving the last bite for them by @acasualcrossfade | Part 2 to Safe Haven | AO3)

It turns out that even their shared body heat and Steve's elevated body temperature are not enough to withstand an extended make-out session out in the snow.

Buck naked.

If he was in his fur it would be fine, but then he couldn't do that to Eddie with his tongue. Or grind in his lap with Eddie's calloused fingers gripping his waist, leaving marks on his flesh.

"You're shivering, Stevie." Eddie says, his big hands rubbing up and down his back and arms to warm him. Steve's wolf purrs at the gesture, as does his human side, for once in complete sync when it comes to his human.

His mate.

Too soon, Harrington. Too soon.

"We should get back inside, warm you up." Eddie adds, moving to sit up, but Steve shakes his head and pushes closer to Eddie, hiding his face at the junction of his neck and shoulder. He doesn't want this moment to end, because what if Eddie changes his mind as soon as Steve lets go of him? Steve can't risk that.

Not now.

Not after losing everything.

Not after just finding Eddie.

Eddie laughs indulgently at his behavior and takes him in his arms again. "You're being ridiculous. Come on, sweetheart, let's go inside. You're still recovering, you can't get sick. Let me make you some breakfast, okay?" And when Steve still makes no move to let Eddie go, Eddie whispers in his ear, "I can still feed you with my hand if you want."

This makes Steve lean back and look at Eddie with big eyes, and Eddie must think it's because Steve is horrified. He hastily backpedals. "I mean, uh, that was... a joke? I don't have to -"

Steve kisses him, partly to cut off his nervous ramblings, mostly because Eddie just offered to feed him. Not the injured wolf he found in the woods, but the human Steve. To continue their routine, to keep Steve so close to him. Eddie may not know what sharing food like this means to his kind, but his inner wolf doesn't care.

It also reminds him that he has brought a gift to his mate. Steve has provided for his mate and he can't wait to show it, even if it means getting out of Eddie's arms and off his lap.

"Come on, I brought you something," Steve says, rising to his feet. It brings Eddie's face to eye level with his cock and Steve would be lying if he said it didn't make him feel smug to see Eddie's eyes widen and his tongue flick out to lick his lips.

"Eddie?" He asks coyly, the grin on his face giving him away. "You comin' or what?"

"Huh?" Eddie asks, sounding dazed before his eyes snap up to Steve's and color rushes up his throat and onto his pale cheeks. "Oh God, yeah, um, I'm comin', yeah, of course I'm comin'," he stutters, scrambling to his feet as well.

Steve turns and leads Eddie to where he left the deer, his hips swaying in a way he knows makes his ass look even better, and he swears he can feel Eddie's eyes on him the whole way.

Eddie's gasp when they finally reach the carcass comes late, proof enough for Steve that Eddie had his mind on something else instead of where they were going.

"Steve, did you...?" Eddie asks, his eyes fixed on the dead deer. Suddenly Steve isn't so sure Eddie would appreciate him doing this because he said he hated the thought of hurting an animal. But they need to eat, and meat is the best way to do that during a winter as long and hard as this one.

"I killed it as quickly and painlessly as I could, I promise, Eddie. I know you didn't want to hurt a living thing, so I did it for you. So you didn't have to."

The silence that follows Steve's statement makes the fear settle heavily in his stomach. What if his mate rejects his offer? What if his mate rejects him?

It would finish the job the hunters couldn't.

"Stevie," Eddie starts and then stops, the anticipation building inside Steve until he's ready to snap, to fall to his knees and beg Eddie. For what he doesn't even know. Forgiveness? Love? Forever?

He's pulled out of his spiraling thoughts by warm arms wrapped around his waist and Eddie's scent enveloping him. "You went to hunt when you're still healing? For me? Just because I said I didn't want to kill?" And when Steve nods, Eddie takes his face between his palms and kisses him.

Deeply. Decisive. Devoted.

Eddie kisses him as if he knows what this means to Steve.

Like he wants it, too.

God, Steve hopes he does.

They keep kissing until another shiver, this time more violent, runs down Steve's body where it's pressed against Eddie's.

"Come on, let's get this inside and I'll make us some breakfast before I deal with this."

"I can help you," Steve insists and Eddie kisses the tip of his nose.

"I know. Later. Right now I need to know that you're not pushing yourself any more than you already have."

And Eddie is right, Steve feels the events of the last few hours catching up with him. The hunt, dragging the heavy carcass back to the cabin, the shift. So he lets Eddie pick up the body and sling it over his shoulder in a display of strength that makes Steve's stomach flutter.

Steve's mate is not only kind and caring, but also strong.

His wolf purrs.

His heart flutters.

His cheeks heat up.

Eddie reaches for Steve's hand, twines their fingers together, and they walk back to the cabin, hand in hand.

Inside, Eddie disposes of the body at the bottom of the stairs to the cellar before making them breakfast, while Steve finds something to wear in Eddie's closet. It smells like Eddie, and Steve's wolf preens at the thought of smelling like Eddie and putting his own scent on Eddie's clothes.

They eat wrapped in a blanket on their mattress, the roaring fire and their shared body heat warming Steve to the core. He runs hot anyway, and Eddie has already stripped down to his underwear under the blanket, claiming it will help Steve warm up faster.

Steve doesn't complain, not if it means he gets to feel Eddie's skin on his own after he follows suit and loses his (Eddie's) shirt as well. Skin on skin, of course, helps him warm up faster after all.

When they're done, they both silently agree to lie down for a while, exhausted from all that has happened. Without having to talk about it, Steve lies down first and Eddie presses himself against his back, his arms wrapping around him and pulling him against Eddie's front. It's the same position they've been sleeping in for weeks.

Only now Steve can feel Eddie's lips against his nape and he can lace their fingers together to press their joined hands against his chest, right over his heart.

It's the safest he's felt since his whole life went up in flames. It's safer than he ever expected to feel again.

As he promised, Steve helps Eddie pull the skin off the dear and cut it up so they can rub it in salt and preserve it. Steve has done this a thousand times at home and knows what he's doing, so after assuring Eddie several times that he feels better after their nap, Eddie takes a big chunk of the fresh meat and goes to work preparing their dinner.

He turns it into a hearty stew with carrots and potatoes and other root vegetables.

By the time Steve is done putting the last of the meat away and cleaning and preparing the skin so they can use it later, he's exhausted again but feels a deep sense of satisfaction.

As the stew cooks on the stove, Eddie joins him to admire his work.

"Wow, Stevie, you did a great job. It probably would have taken me all night. Wayne's usually the one who does this kind of stuff."

Eddie sounds sad when he mentions his uncle and Steve thinks, not for the first time, that something might have happened to him in town. He thinks that soon Eddie will want to go there and check on him, and he will go with him. Even if it terrifies him.

"I heated some water, so how about we let the stew simmer and you go upstairs and take a nice hot bath? You kind of smell like a slaughterhouse."

"Are you saying I stink?" Steve demands in mock offense.

Eddie walks up to him and brings his mouth close to Steve's ear. His hot breath makes Steve shiver as Eddie says, "I'm saying I want to give you a bath if you let me."

It's a losing battle not to run up the stairs to get into the tub.

In the end, Steve convinces Eddie to join him in the small tub. It's a tight fit, but Steve doesn't mind. They clean each other with gentle hands that soon become adventurous.

The smell of their shared pleasure makes Steve's inner wolf roll over with joy, contentment radiating from him. Steve shares the sentiment as he lies in Eddie's arms, sated and happy.

Afterwards, they both change into clean clothes and sit back down at the table to enjoy their dinner.

It's delicious, and soon Steve is finishing his third plate.

Only Eddie's amused chuckle reminds him that Eddie is probably not used to a wolf's appetite. He blushes as he realizes that he has just inhaled the food Eddie has so painstakingly prepared for them like a ravenous animal.

"Oh God," Steve groans in embarrassment and buries his face in his hands.

"Hey, no, don't look like that. I take that as a compliment, Stevie." Eddie assures him as he pulls Steve's hands away from his face so he can look him in the eye. "It makes me very happy to know that you like my food."

Steve gives him a tentative smile and says, "Too bad it's gone," only half joking.

Eddie's answering grin is delighted, dimples carved deep into his cheeks and wrinkles forming at the corners of his eyes.

"Oh, but it ain't. I saved you the last bite, baby."

With that, Eddie gets up from the table and walks over to the stove, pulling one last piece of meat out of the pot with his fingers. Turning back to Steve, he walks back to the table, but instead of sitting in his chair, he sits on Steve's lap.

"I promised to feed you, didn't I?" he says, his voice deep and his tone hungry as he lifts the meat right to Steve's lips. He doesn't let go of it immediately when Steve tries to take it from him, but rather pushes his fingers into Steve's mouth so that Steve can lick the remaining sauce off his fingers.

Steve only lets them slip out of his mouth when the last trace of meat and sauce is gone.

"Fuck, I could eat you alive," he says as he stares up at Eddie in awe.

Eddie smirks down at him. "What are you waiting for, big boy? You can always have the last bite of me."

[nishirikiluv]

The Thrill of the Chase

pairings: yandere!K x reader

warnings: violence (choking, slapping, biting, hair pulling), restraints, threatening, groping, mentions of kidnapping, drugging, kissing, mentions of sex (no actual smut), please let me know if I've missed anything

a/n: I wrote this at literally 5am...

Your feet ached terribly from all the wounds you recieved in your current escape attempt. Sticks and stones digging into your soft flesh while you tried to run as fast and as far away from that nightmare of a house you were trapped in. You honestly can't even remember how long it's been since he brought you there. All you know is you never wanted to go back.

That's why this pain was bareable.

You ran aimlessly through the forest. Not a town or a single trace of other humans in sight. It was freezing out, and you were exhausted. You stopped to rest and it became eerily silent.

But that was a good thing, right?

If he was around you'd hear something. But you don't so it's safe to rest for a bit. You sat under a tree, resting your back against it and panting heavily.

Once you'd caught your breath, and the fear of beeing caught began to cloud your thoughts again, you got up and started moving again. You only walked for a bit when you finally saw a small cabin not too far ahead.

You ran to it, seeing light and what looked like 2 people inside. The cabin didn't look the most inviting but in your desperate need to feel warm, anything was acceptable. You knocked softly on the door. After a short moment, a tall boy with black hair opened the door.

"Hello Miss, may I help you?" You noticed behind him was an even taller boy with lighter brown hair. "Um, I was wondering.. if it would be okay for me to stay here tonight..?"

Neither of them answered, they only looked at you with matching looks of curiousity. "I'll leave in the morning, I just have no where to go right now.." You bit your lip looking down in embarrasment at how insane you must sound to them.

"Hmm.." You looked up through your lashes to see the taller one seemingly studying you. "Yeah you can stay, come on in!" You couldn't help the surprised gasp that escaped you, "really?!" They both nodded and ushered you inside.

They sat you down on the couch and offered you some warm tea. You thanked them and sipped on it, already feeling yourself warm up. "What's your name by the way?" The shorter one asked.

"I'm Y/n"

Once you shared your name, they exchanged a glance with each other. "Wonderful, nice to meet you. I'm Euijoo and that's Nicholas." the taller one flashed a close eyed smile to you as he introduced the two of them.

"Would you like a change of clothes, you look awfully cold in that" Nicholas offered. "Actually that would be really nice, thank you." He left to go grab those for you when Eujioo looked down at your feet. "What happened..?" he asked pointing to them.

"Ah.. I forgot shoes and theres a lot of sharp sticks on the floors around here" you laughed nervously and finished the last sip of your tea. "I'll get you something for that!" He left before you could respond, and Nicholas was back with some clothes.

He directed you to a room you could change in, so you changed and went back to the couch where Euijoo was waiting for you. "This might sting a little but it'll help to clean your feet so those cuts don't get infected." He handed you some disinfectant, "Thank you so much, you both are so kind." You cleaned all the wounds on your feet, they did sting but not terribly.

You yawned suddenly feeling your exhaustion catch up to you. "You can rest over in that room you changed in." Nicholas smiled warmly at you. You thanked them both again and he helped walk you to the room. Once you layed on the bed you drifted off to sleep immediately.

The next morning when you woke up, you were met with Euijoo placing a fresh set of clothes on the nightstand by the bed you were in. "Ah, you're awake! These are new clothes for you. I made breakfast for the two of us." You thanked him, changed into the clothes, and joined him for breakfast.

"Nicholas isn't here?" He shook his head, pouring a glass of juice for you. "He left early in the morning to do something." You nodded your head and thanked him for the breakfast, eating all the delicious food he made.

After a little while of staying with Euijoo you decided it would probably be best to leave before it got dark. "Euijoo I'm sorry I think I should be on my way now, thank you so much for everthing! Please thank Nicholas for me as well." He shook his head, directing you to the window. "You can't go, there's going to be a storm." However, the sky had not a single cloud in sight. "Are you sure? The skies look clear to me." He nodded and insisted it was very unsafe and ultimately convinced you to stay another night.

You and Euijoo had spent the day together watching TV and talking. Once it became later you noticed there hadn't been any storm, the weather was clear as you suspected. It felt too late to roam around now though, so you'd stay just one more night.

"Nicholas is back." Euijoo smiled brightly and went to open the door for him. "Oh, You brought company?" You couldn't help your curiousity, peeking over to see who entered with Nicholas. The man was tall like them and he walked in with a hoodie on and his face covered. Weird.

Nicholas greeted you and whispered something to Euijoo who's eyes widened and he nodded. They both walked outside together saying they'd be right back. You were left alone with the strange man who had been staring at you since the moment he arrived.

You awkwardly shifted on the couch when you saw him walking towards you. For some reason your anxiety began to rise the closer he got to you. He simply sat next to you on the couch, a little too close in your opinion, but it wasn't that big of a deal.

You could still feel his eyes burning into the side of your face, but you refused to look up at him. Instead you looked down at your hands in your lap, fiddling with your fingers awkwardly. It was dead silent when he let out a soft chuckle, causing you to jump slightly.

You finally looked up at him, into his eyes, noticing the familiarity of them. You gasped and shifted away slightly. He pulled down the coverings from his face and you trembled in fear. "N-no... No! W-why are you here?!" You felt tears well up in your eyes and your breathing became heavy.

He flashed a smile so innocent at you that anyone who saw it would never expect him to be such a violent and cruel man. However, you knew him differently. "My precious darling, Y/n... I hope you had fun on your little adventure here. It's time to come home."

You shook your head rapidly and stood up, backing away and putting distance between you two. "I- I'm not going anywhere with you, Kei." You backed away to the front door, not taking your eyes off him so you could watch his movements. "You don't have a choice, baby." The sinister smirk he wore sent chills down your spine, but you weren't letting him win without a fight. You fiddled with the doorknob behind your back and once it opened you ran back into the woods, with no sense of where to go.

Anywhere away from him was okay.

You could hear him chasing not far behind you. "Fuck- ouch!" You stepped on a particularly sharp rock, but you couldn't stop, he's faster and has more stamina than you.

The further you ran, the more you felt it getting harder to breathe. You'd been running for a while, and when you turned back you didn't see Kei there. You looked around while trying to catch your breath. You walked and walked and he was no where.

You spotted Nicholas and Euijoo ahead, so you ran to them. "Guys! Please help me!" They looked at you this time with expressionless eyes, "Where'd you run off to, Y/n" Nicholas asked as Euijoo and him moved to both sides of you, each grabbing an arm. "I was.. what are you guys doing..?" You tried to shake them off but they only held onto you tighter. "We're helping you, of course." They walked you back in the direction you came from.

That's when you saw him. You finally realized this whole setup was a trap. "No- Stop, I don't want to go back!" Tears spilled from your eyes again and you used all your strength trying to get Nicholas and Euijoo off of you but they looked unphased and if anything, slightly annoyed.

Kei walked up to you, caressing your cheek softly, before landing a harsh slap across it. More tears fell from your eyes at the stinging pain in your now red cheek. "You should've never run away from me. I trust you know what's going to happen when we get home."

You couldn't even form a reply, the situation causing you to feel drowned in sorrow. He tangled his fingers in your hair, tugging roughly, forcing you to look up at him. You winced at that and his other hand came up to wipe your tears away. "When will you learn..." he sighed and you closed your eyes sniffling softly. You then felt a sharp poke in your neck, your eyes shot open. He injected you with it and within seconds you were out. Nicholas and Euijoo handed you over to him and he carried you back to your "home".

When you woke up, your hands were tied above your head and your mouth was gagged. He had you lying in bed, wearing his favorite little dress. You struggled uncomfortably, huffing at how tight the restraints were.

He walked in to see you squirming in the bed. "Aw, you're awake my love. That's good, I think we need to talk." He climbed on top of you, his hands on either side of your head. He slotted one knee between your legs and kept the other one to your side. Your breathing became rapid in fear and frustration.

He leaned down burrying his nose in your hair, inhaling your scent and sighing in satisfaction. It disgusted you how infatuated he was with you. "You know.." he trailed one of his hands softly along your neck, "you made me really angry with that stunt you pulled." He wrapped his hand around your neck, squeezing and constricting your airflow. Your protests and whines were muffled by the gag and he watched in amusement at the way your hands tried so desperately to get free and stop him.

He tightened his grip causing tears to spill from your eyes yet again, "What's wrong baby? You can't breathe?" He chuckled, removing the gag from your mouth to hear your cries clearly. He let go after another moment, you coughed and gasped catching your breath.

He gripped your jaw harshly, fingers digging into your cheeks. "You're such a pretty little thing tied up like that, baby." He pressed his lips against yours, sucking on your lower lip. You didn't reciprocate the kiss, feeling nauseous from the thought. He bit down on your lip, causing you to flinch and squirm. He pulled a knife from the drawer by the bed, "If you don't kiss me, I'll slit your fucking throat, darling." You gulped and nodded, so when his lips were on yours again, you leaned into it and moved yours against his.

He set the knife down, sliding his hands across your body. He squeezed your boobs through the fabric of your dress, you whined and shut your eyes tight. You writhed beneath him wanting his hands off you. He pressed his knee that was between your legs up against your cunt, "The more you fight, the more I just want to fuck you." You shook your head, pleading with him not to, of course he only laughed in response. "Your body belongs to me, I'll do what I want with it. Besides, I'm in the mood now to have a little fun with you."

"Don't think I've forgotten about your punishment though, it'll just stay postponed until later."

[manias-wordcount]

Hello!!! I was wondering if you could write one for Howl with an insecure s/o? I absolutely love your Howl!

Monster on Your Shoulder (Howl Jenkins Pendragon x Reader)

𝗔/𝗡: 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗴𝗼!!!!

𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚! 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘃𝘆 𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘆.

𝙒𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚? ⇒ 𝙈𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙩

𝙟𝙤𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙙 𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙚𝙧?

𝙗𝙪𝙮 𝙢𝙚 𝙖 𝙘𝙤𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙚?

All your life, there’s been a monster sitting on your shoulder.

  In some moments it’s small. It’s tiny- puny even. It’s got two curled horns with points at the end, and its skin is your least favorite color and is leathery. It wears a cruel sneer on its face- something you can only see. Its teeth are sharp, and its nails are even sharper. But even so, you can brush it off with the flick of a wrist. You can tune out its whispers with a shake of your head. It may try to hurt you then but with teeth so minuscule and claws that small, you can deal with a few bites or two. But sometimes…sometimes it’s large. 

  Sometimes, it’s big and it’s bad and it does more than just sit on your shoulder. Sometimes it hangs from your neck and forces you to drag it along. Its teeth are sharper now. Its words have more bite with each syllable it speaks. So sometimes it shouts all kinds of things that only you can hear. And its nails are sharper now. They don’t just scratch at your skin- it points too. Sometimes it points out all kinds of things that only you can see. About yourself. About only yourself. 

  All your life, there’s been a monster sitting on your shoulder. And you thought it would remain that way for the rest of your life. But now…

  “I’m sorry my dear, I don’t think I realized this about you until now.”

  …but now you have a feeling that things might be different. That things might change. 

  “Um, Howl…” You murmur, your eyes still downcasted as you keep your gaze rooted to the floor. You couldn’t bear to look up. Not now. Not while Howl's wide and kind stare is burning holes into the back of your head. You’ve been so good at hiding it. You’ve been so good at not telling. No one would hear the monster as you do. No one would hear the monster as you do. But Howl…Howl was a different story. Howl is the first wizard you’ve ever met. The first wizard you’ve ever grown this close to. So you can’t help but wonder. You can’t help but fear. “...you don’t have to do this, you know. I’m fine, I promise.”

  You can’t help but wonder and fear if Howl will be the first person who sees the monster who lives right beside you.

  It’s a scary thought. An ugly part of you that you hoped he never had the displeasure of seeing. But as you grew close to him, you started to grow clumsy. As you grew close to him, you started to grow sloppy. So long were the days of carefully planning elaborate schemes to keep the monster at bay during the day. With Howl along, you were far too busy smiling and laughing and being happy to concern yourself with the monster. It could whisper from your shoulder all it wanted, and you would be fine. You would be free. But then one day, it came back.

  You can point to a whole list of events that helped it grow. You can think of a million and one reasons why the monster is choosing to shout now of all days. You can think of a billion and one things the monster will point out to you as soon as you take a second to look. To just look. At yourself in the mirror. At yourself and all your flaws. But…

  “Oh, but my dear, I have some much to show you.” The warm glide of his voice is so exciting. The way his hands move from his side to have one rest on your hip and to use the other to cup your chin. He doesn’t force you to look up, but his touch sends sparks and shivers up and down your skin. The type of sparks that send the butterflies in your stomach tumbling. The type of shivers that steal away your breath and breathe it for you. And as you look down at the ring-decorated hand now splayed against your torso as he holds you close, you’re not sure who is a harder battle to fight. “I just need you to look up for me first. Just for a moment. Can you do that for me?”

  You want to.

  You wanted to do anything he ever told you to do from the moment you met him. You wanted to listen to him instead of the monster. But sometimes the monster can be loud. Sometimes, it can be so, so loud. It took forever for Howl to convince you to come with him. It took the monster no time at all to tell you how much of a nuisance you’ve been. How much of a problem you serve to be. How much of a pain you are to him. Even now as Howl’s arm starts to wrap around your waist and his thumb starts to rub small circles into your cheek, it’s hard to know whose voice is right. Which hand you should take. Because on the inside, it should be so easy. On the inside, you know exactly what you want to do. But it’s hard. It’s so, so hard. 

  So you keep your eyes down. And you shake your head. In that moment, your throat grows tight. In that moment, your breathing grows tense. And in that moment, a trail of something familiar and wet drips onto your cheeks and trails down ever so slowly. So you lift up your hands, and you lift them up nice slow. It was a mistake to come here, you tell yourself as the monster just told you. Nothing but a mistake. When your hands are high enough, you reach for your torso so you can pull the offending arm off of your waist. Except when you try to go for it…

  …he doesn’t let go.

  “Howl…” You whisper, a crack already forming in your voice. Your hands are now pulling at the fabric of his white shirt. Your grip is feasible. Your efforts are pitiful. And your tears are falling just a little faster now. This is a battle you want to fight. This is a battle you won’t win. Because you don’t want to. Because you don’t want to. “...Howl…”

  Because he won’t let you.

  “My dear.” He’s gentle with you. A voice like honey. A touch like a feather. He’s more gentle with you in this moment than the monster has ever been in your lifetime. So you don’t fight him off as you start to tilt your head up and up and up to face the sight in front of you. “I insist.”

  Because you know deep down that has he already won. You both know that.

So you close your mouth, and you let the tears fall openly. Freely. And without fault as Howl guides your face to look at the full-length mirror in front of you. For there is nothing that he will say that you haven’t seen. Nothing he will see that the monster hasn't already pointed out to you. Nothing. Except…

  “There we go. I was starting to wonder where you went, my dear.”

  …the monster is gone. Right before your eyes.

  Your breath hitches as you blink once. Twice. But only your gaze and the one of a handsome young wizard and all his beauty look back at you through the mirror. You eye your left shoulder. You eye your right shoulder. But the monster you have come to accept as the horrible fate assigned to you has disappeared from view. No, it is not small for it has never been small enough that you couldn’t see it. And no, it has not wandered off from your shoulder- looking for someone else to torment. No, the monster is yours and yours alone to bear. 

  But it is only kind blue eyes that look back at you in the mirror instead of sockets full of hellfire. It is only silk that brushes against your skin instead of leather and poisoned dreams. It is only Howl. It is only Howl. Howl that sees you. Howl that holds you.

  “My perfect little starlight.”

  Howl that loves you. 

  Despite the monster that tries to tell you otherwise.

[obsessedwrhys]

I need some Korin x reader dating headcanons please 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

I just love him so much 😭😭😭

|| KORIN DATING HEADCANONS ||

ᯓ★ just lots of fluff and some angst (maybe?), reader is gn!!

Your relationship is the definition of the grumpy x sunshine trope

He's used to the cruelty of life so when you showed him such kindness, he didn't felt like he deserved it

Even though that's what he tells himself, he can't help but sometimes steal glimpses at what you were doing

There was this one time you caught him staring and his eyes went ridiculously wide, he quickly looked away and tried to act as though he hadn't been watching you but it was too late, you already saw him

You've offered him fruits once and he couldn't deny how much his heart flattered at your kind gesture. You even decorated the basket with flowers and ribbons

Sooner or later, he'll start to connect two to two and came to realise he had feelings for you. Fearing you wouldn't feel the same, he would do almost anything to avoid you but it was hard to do so when you'd always look for him

I'd feel like the confession would happen at a bad timing when you confront him on avoiding you

Scenario ↴

You stood behind Korin who was peeking over the tree, seeming to be keeping an eye out for someone. When you tapped on his shoulder, his body jumped and he turned to face you with a startled look.

"Korin? What are you doing?" You questioned since you never see him act like this.

"Oh uh... sorry I have to get going" He tried to walk away but you stepped in his way.

"I may be nice but that doesn't mean I'm a pushover. I've noticed how you've been avoiding me. Did I do something wrong that offended you?" You asked since that's what you've been overthinking about ever since his behaviour changed.

"Nono...! Of course not, it's more complicated than that"

"Complicated? What's so complicated?? Is it that I'm too kind to you? If it's making you uncomfortable I can stop—"

"Don't...! Ah... um..." He rubbed his neck, struggling to get himself out of the situation.

"You're making me worry..." You frown and the sight of you being upset pained him even more.

"I can't say because I'm afraid you'd hate me for it"

"Why would I hate you?"

"Because I love you..." Your eyes widened at his words but soon you started to glare at him.

"You idiot! Is that your reason for ignoring me?!"

".... I'm... confused...?"

"I love you too you big moron!!!"

When the relationship became official, a lot of people couldn't believe it. They literally had to see it themselves in order to believe the rumours

Despite how scary he looks, he's actually really freaking shy, especially when he's in public with you

That's why he refrains from the idea of PDA because he thinks he might have a heart attack if he does, the only exceptions would be holding hands and hugs if one of you are in need of comfort

Because from his perspective of things, he thinks that's what makes your relationship more special if you guys kept the lovey dovey stuff to yourselves

The kisses would mean so much more, the cuddles would feel a lot more relaxing. Just the two of you sharing the moment

His kisses are definitely soft and tender. He treats you as though you're fragile, that's because he's so incredibly in love with you that he wishes to never harm you in any way

That's also why it took you two a very long time to finally share the same bed together, because apparently he would have nightmares where he'd wake up panting heavily, cold sweat covering his body from head to toe

But after sharing the first night with you, he realised how having you close seemed to make the nightmares better. Ever since then, he'd only have them on some nights and he's super grateful everytime you were able to comfort him and be patient with him

He cherishes you so much.

That's why he'll try to cook you dinner or breakfast when you were too tired to move. He's not that much of an expert at cooking but he did pick up some skills from his experience at survival. Regardless, you were grateful at his actions

Even though you were in a healthy relationship with him, he was still insecure about himself. How could someone as perfect as you be with someone broken like him?

Specifically, he's very insecure of his arms. You've caught him trying to move them out of the way every time you laid down to cuddle with him. It was when you reassured him that you didn't care and proceeded to shower his hand with kisses was when he truly wanted to marry you

He's not much of a tease but if you ever did tease him, he'd lose it, ESPECIALLY if you did it in public

"I'm so happy for you two!! How did you guys even get together?" A refugee from the camp asked

"Oh, well I was actually the one who had to clear things up. He was constantly running away from me like a rabbit!"

"(Y/N)!"

"Just imagining him with bunny ears and a tail makes the memory even more adorable"

"(Y/N)... please..."

Even after the relationship was made official. He'd still secretly watch what you were doing, but its not like he's stalking you, its more like you two could be in the same room and he'd turn his attention to you every now and then to see what you were up to

This is also another of his ways to see what you liked doing

If you happen to like playing musical instruments, he'd be thrilled to have you teach him

Damian is 100% like your son. You guys treat him so well that people think you're both qualified to be parents

When Granny Dahnie said what everyone was thinking, you could see Korin blush a deep shade of red as he was stuttering all over the place when trying to deny her words

Though he had to admit, he did give the idea some thought. He thinks you're the one and he's willing to share those experiences with you

He also hates to see you sad, it always feels like a part of him dies when he sees you cry. You're like the sunshine in his life. That's why he always tries his hardest to comfort you

He'd have his arms wrapped securely around your trembling body as you sobbed on his shoulders, his hands rubbing your back gently to try to calm you down

"Shh... it's okay... I'm here, you're not alone... I'll go through this with you together..."

I feel like his petnames would be more old fashion, the ones he commonly uses are darling and sweetheart

You probably don't know but he actually has a small photograph of you and him that he keeps in his pockets. Damian being the genius behind the invention

He looks at it whenever you were away that he starts missing you, or when he needed a reminder of how loved he was

Honestly? 100/100 SWEET LOVE!!

(Sorry if this was kinda short, I'm trying to do a lot of characters lol 😵)

[mizuki-nautilus]

The Dragon slayer - Malleus Draconia x Reader

So, I thought it would be fun to write a short fanfiction inspired by the popular joke about MC and Malleus having a relationship like Donkey and the Dragoness from Shrek. Of course, this fanfic does not have spoilers from Diasomnia Chapter and is more a parody of Shrek.

The long-awaited apocalyptic event has occurred in this magical realm. Malleus Draconia, the one and only, has finally overblotted, leaving the survival rate of the people living in this world near to 0%.

As the end drew near, all hope seemed lost. But amidst the chaos and the desperate attempts to calm the raging flames of Malleus, Ace's voice cut through the turmoil. "[Y/N]!!!!!! DO YOUR THING!!!" he cried out in desperation. Confused and scared, [Y/N] searched frantically for a safe place to take cover. "WHAT?! What do you mean?!!" she yelled back, barely audible over the roar of the flames. "DON’T ACT STUPID AND DO YOUR THING!!!!" Ace repeated, his voice shaking with urgency.

Despite [Y/N]'s attempts to feign ignorance, she was well aware of what Ace was referring to. She may have tried to act as if nothing was going on, but the truth was that a lot was happening between her and Malleus. Prior to the current catastrophic events, [Y/N] and Malleus had developed a close bond, one that could be described as somewhat cheesy. Though they weren't officially a couple, it was clear that they were for sure a few steps to become one.

And it's not that [Y/N] lacked the courage to flirt with the man of her dreams. Rather, it was the embarrassment of doing so in front of her closest friends. "Sorry, Ace! I didn't hear you!" [Y/N] lied, trying to play it cool. "OH MY GOD, [Y/N], JUST DO AS ACE SAID!!!!" Deuce desperately interjected into the conversation.

“Fuck!” [Y/N] cursed. Amidst the debris, broken pillars, thorn vines, and green flames, [Y/N] sprinted as close as possible towards Malleus, cursing under her breath. As she reached him, she stood before his intimidating frame and trembled before saying, "HEY! Tsunotarou!!!"

[Y/N] stood frozen in fear as his eyes bore into hers, his icy green gaze sending shivers down her spine. The room was enveloped by Malleus's intimidating presence, overshadowing everything and everyone. Tension hung heavy in the air, as he advanced towards her with measured steps that resounded ominously on the ground.

In a voice that seemed to rattle the very walls around them, Malleus spoke to her, his words dripping with anger and disdain, "Child of man…" [Y/N] stammered and stuttered, trying to find the right words to say. "Y-you… um… your teeth… they're… so big!" she blurted out, causing everyone else in the room to facepalm in unison, except for Malleus who remained stoic.

"I MEAN!! White sparkling teeth!!" [Y/N] tried to correct herself, her words stumbled, and her movements became awkward. She even tried to pose seductively, but it only added to the cringe-worthy moment. Grim, unable to believe how bad she was at this, muttered under his breath, "Oh my god, we really are going to die."

After pondering for a moment, [Y/N] spoke up again, "I bet you use some kind of powerful teeth whitening, because your smile is absolutely dazzling." [Y/N] tried to smile back, "And is that a hint of mint I detect? Your dental hygiene must be impeccable." As [Y/N]'s cringe-worthy compliments echoed through the room, everyone winced in discomfort. However, a glimmer of hope emerged as the green flames that had engulfed the college began to subside.

“You are undoubtedly the most HANDSOME dragon in this world,” [Y/N] boldly proclaimed, after that she followed it up with a painfully cringe-worthy joke, "You know if you were a vegetable, you'd be a cute-cumber." but even if words stumbled out of her mouth and caused the room to fall silent with secondhand embarrassment the thing seem to work out.

As they watched in amazement, Malleus's menacing expression softened into a tender and affectionate gaze, thanks to [Y/N]'s miraculously effective but cringe-worthy attempts at flirting. It was hard to believe that the unapproachable Malleus Draconia could be charmed by [Y/N]'s terrible flirting skills, but here we are.

Suddenly, Malleus spoke [Y/N]'s name tenderly and reached out to delicately touch her cheek. As his hand made contact, the thorn vines surrounding them began to bloom, filling the room with a lovely scent and enchanting sight of red roses. Some petals even seemed to float through the air, creating an otherworldly atmosphere.

As Malleus leaned in towards [Y/N], the shattered remains of the building suddenly began to repair themselves, piece by piece, until everything was restored to its former glory. The world around them faded into insignificance as their lips met, and at that moment, time stood still. The air was thick with the fragrance of roses, and petals danced around them like confetti. And then, just as suddenly as it had begun, the world snapped back into focus, and Malleus and [Y/N] were gone, leaving behind five opened-mouth people.

Ace began to speak, but was interrupted by Deuce who interjected with the words, "Yes, Ace. It happened," leaving Deuce himself perplexed. Ortho then chimed in, cutely stating that he had everything recorded on his built-in 4K camera, knowing that the cringe moment they had just witnessed could be of use to Idia some day. "That was like a scene from some underground visual novel. I never thought things like that actually happened in real life," said Idia, still dumbfounded.

And with that, our charming heroine was able to rescue this realm from its impending doom.

The End.

[lostonmyroad]

Moments That I Want Tattooed On My Forehead From S-Classes That I Raised Chapters 70-90

As always, BEWARE OF SPOILERS!!! Future chapters may be referenced!!!

Omg i forgot how much I loved these arcs. Taejinjae squad is forming (i mean they're 5 seconds away from murdering each other but still)

Chapters 70-80

yerim roasting yoojin’s grandpa-like naming tendencies as she should. naming the unicorns black and white???

yoojin wanting to go to an escape room cafe with yerim and yoohyun :))) AND THEN THEY ACTUALLY DO GO LMFAO (with some property damage involved i'm sure)

yoohyun casually checking whether he needs to get rid of (murder) myeongwoo once he finds out that yoojin didn't actually know him

yoohyun and hyuna tag teaming to defend yoojin in front of the Association!!! Squad goals!!!

yoojin worrying about myeongwoo :)) myeongwoo not caring that yoojin lied to him ;)) wholesome as hell...if you can't tell this is one of my favorite relationships in the series

yoojin’s monster protection squad!!

really small detail that hyj thought shj would give myeongwoo a bouquet also. no sir that privilege (curse?) is for you only. 

lmao yoohyun knowing that the way to get to myeongwoo is to be nice to yoojin

myeongwoo praising yoojin on national tv, on a live broadcast the world is watching. as he should!!!

yoojin: please don’t look at me please don’t look at me

yoojin’s fear of the media and what ppl are saying about him :((

fully grown Peace!! love Peace and Yoohyun’s not-friendship

yoojin: let me go in an A rank dungeon PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE

everyone else around him: i’m getting gray hairs

moon hyuna pulling up in her red sports car with the drip is incredible

shj, @ the han brothers: you guys are freaks :)))

yoojin: should i call shj ahjusshi?? (please don't)

shj calling them his kids ajfjejxkwksk

shj and hyj flirting has begun. please reread the chapters and enjoy

not yoojin babysitting 3 s ranks at the same time

"I mean, I'd just wanted to regress and live comfortably. Why was I now in an A-rank dungeon packed with S-ranks? If I'd agreed when Yoohun-ie had said to just live locked up for 3 years, um... would we have gotten an 'end of the world ending?" rip yoojin

they’re all so worried about him :)

“i only had to work myself to the bone for 10 years” if you say so buddy

yoojin being worried about the world possibly ending

hyuna trying to protect? yoojin from hyunjae (or just keep him to herself) either way thank you queen

YOOJIN SCOLDING THEM FOR FIGHTING mom energy off the charts

yoojin telling everyone i love you is comedy gold every. single. time. and also very wholesome

yoojin going full manipulate malewife threatening them (the s-ranks) with myeongwoo

chirpie and it’s wack L rank skill..the mystery

i love seeing yoojin directing dungeon raids. geunseo really knows how to write settings/action!! and yoojin’s perspective is so fun to follow

YERIM GIVING YOOJIN A PRINCESS CARRY YEAHHHH

keyword has been applied to hyuna my beloved

shj making yoojin almost faint and then giving him his coat. they're a mess

shj failed kidnapping attempt. we’ll get em next time. yoojin stop getting kidnapped challenge

yoojin causing chaos every time he enters a dungeon

yoojin fainting like a maiden 10/10

yoojin you’re literally in the hospital. chill out for like five seconds (he proceeds to destroy his hospital room via dokkaebi)

shj: i will buy your love :)) (turns out its kind of effective)

NOAH ENTRANCE NOAH ENTRANCE

chapters 80-90

i haven’t really mentioned the dokkaebi but they’re so cute

yoojin destroying his hospital room lmao. this is not reassuring anyone that he knows how to make good decisions 

SONG TAEWON MAKES HIS DEBUT!!! repressed government worker of my dreams

shj deliberately crashing into song taewon’s crusty ass car and then stealing his job as tour guide. freak 4 freak

yerim and shj: working together on making life more difficult for song taewon

Comet the dragon is so cute omgggg

Kang Soyoung having a million speeding tickets so true bestie

KANG SOYOUNG AND HYUNA GOING TO AN ESCAPE ROOM TOGETHER!!! AND GETTING THE FASTEST TIME BECAUSE THEY BROKE IT LMFAOOO

hyunjae freaking yoojin out by flirting with him. but like yoojin can’t help flirting back i love them

stw joking around with yoojin and yerim about randomly arresting people??? lmao??? comedy king??

yoojin worried yerim is becoming a delinquent (too late bestie this ship has sailed)

yoojin saying he's never commited any crimes and then internally going "...I'd committed murder, threatening, and assault. But I wouldn't get caught for those" we love a self aware king

song taewon casually revealing that he ends up investigating yoohyun every three months. i believe it. yoohyun a certified freak

song taewon: so your brother is a freak just thought I'd let you know

there are so many different people who independently tell yoojin that his brother is a freak. yoohyun be normal challenge

infamous song taewon choking yoojin out to see if he’s truly lost his sense of danger scene!!! honestly yoojin this was necessary

fear resistance and the fourth wall: being absolutely fucked

love that yoojin's solution to this is should i start watching horror movies at home??

yoojin: i cant apply the “i love you” keyword to stw because he’ll take it TOO seriously like yeah that's the real reason you can't do that

YERIM IN A SUIT YERIM IN A SUIT

NOAH NOAH NOAH

yoojin wishing he’d gotten hurt instead of yerim :((

small detail of the healer being Indian! as an indian person woo hoo

"...I stepped towards Noah. But the moment I took a single step...my shoulders were grabbed. Both of them, at that. Sung Hyunjae and Song Taewon looked down at me simultaneously. The duo's expressions were different, but somehow they felt familiar." my longest yeah boy ever

taejinjae squad starting to form!!

yoojin seeing a terrible older sibling: it’s on sight (rip Riette)

"You two seem to get along well. Should I alos strangle you once?" LMAOOO i don’t even know man shj is wild

starting to get reveals of the han brothers past… god their parents…

hyunjae being a shady shit behind the scenes

noah is just a baby boy. he’s a baby dragon. baby boy

yoojin going full mother hen on yoohyun after he comes out of his solo dungeon raid

yoohyun grudgingly accepting others because they’re also protecting yoojin

chapter 89 yoohyun is something that is so so special to me

not shj fueling the violence by sending yoohyun picture of a) the damaged hospital room b) evidence of stw choking yoojin out and c) evidence of noah hurting yoojin

KANCOEDI YOOHYUNS CLOSET FULL OF CELL PHONES BC HE KEEPS BREAKING THEM

yoojin not being afraid of yoohyun or peace with fear resistance off :))

chapter 90 fight between yoohyun and noah is. chefs kiss

yoohyun asking where yerim got hurt!!! i mean it’s partially so he has a reason to beat up Noah but!! he does care!!

I'd say this is where the plot really starts (80+ chapters in lmao), especially with the fight againt the SS-rank babbar.

[lunarflux]

I liked the way you explained Aemond and his approach to a relationship, it's an interesting take! But then do you think that, if he fell for someone, he would genuinely love that person back or it would inevitably be something he'd be able to walk out on if prompted? I'd like to think he would genuinely love his partner, but what are your thoughts?

Also do you have any headcanons you'd like to share for how Aemond would be in a relationship/how he'd approach starting one?

I guess it would depend on how he defines love. I think it would only come out as what the rest of us would define as love if his possession of this person is challenged. If his ownership (I say in a kind way, not like he sees this person as an object, but their connection to him as his possession) is threatened, then he would for sure show some kind of affection in the more classic sense. It might be in the way that only fear drives him to outwardly show emotion.

For some of these things, I have a hard time explaining and can only do it through really outrageous quotes from books that haven't been written yet.

If his definition of love is "you are mine and mine alone, should anyone touch you or threaten you, I will have their head," then it's love.

His love may also be "all that I love, I earned and it is owed. All of me you possess though I owe you nothing because you will only take me as I am."

It could also be "I have my enemies, and I have those who fear me. Be the one who respects me without fear because I chose you above all others."

"You will be the one thing I possess that will not be taken from me. Try as they may, and they will die trying."

"I claimed you, and you accepted me."

"I have seen your worth. You are worth the little of myself that I am willing to sacrifice if only for the sake of my own peace. It is the kind of peace I cannot find elsewhere."

As for headcanons, um.... No, not really. I think Mysaria's personality might be the closest to what would ease him towards a relationship, but I don't think he'd ever trust her. This isn't a shameless plug, but I wrote my OC as someone who I thought would be remotely close to what I feel he'd want. Someone who satiates him physically and knows what he wants without asking. She does not ask for him, but answers when he calls. She doesn't bow unless it's required of her, and she isn't afraid to remind people of their place no matter how high they are above her. And when presented with the idea of being possessed, she fights back because she wants to be able to choose who she gives herself to and not because someone demands it. In my fic, when Aemond finally "claims" her, he tells her that he has chosen to suffer with her than alone, and she can either bear the burden of knowing how painful emotions are by his side or do it alone. I even had problems writing him being jealous because when you're absolute in your bounds to someone, there's little that can shake you.

Edit: I didn't answer that last question properly LOL okay, headcanon Aemond approaching a relationship...

A lot of looks. Subtle looks. Glances. Reading the person's facial cues, seeing what he can figure out just based on physical reactions and less about what they say. It'd be the slowest of slow burns. I almost want to say it's a matter of who caves first. Who is willing to say "I want it" and go for it. I don't think it'd be him either. He's probably find it intriguing if that person approached him without directly asking for anything.

But once they connect, I imagine he'd be the type to almost ignore them afterwards. Like, let's see if this was a one-off or will I eventually want more. Aemond swallows his emotions, so he'd have to reaaaally want it. Like a treat dangled in front of his face, how long can he resist before he needs a fix.

After the initial moment, he'd start to weigh out their worth. Are they only worth a night in bed or are they worth more. What can he show, what can't he show. Will he show if they show first. What's tempting him, why is he tempted. Will the temptation end after another night. What should he do if he craves more. What will he lose and what will he gain.

[randombrambles]

Okay...going to wade into the Sabezra discussion. May the flying spaghetti monster in sky have mercy on my soul...

I guess you could call me a "causal viewer" because, despite being a life long Star Wars fan, I'd never watched an episode of Rebels before watching Ahsoka. I just never got around to it and I've only watched a handful of eps of The Clone Wars too. But anyway once I started Ahsoka I was like "this show will clearly make more sense if I watch Rebels" so I started. I'm almost done season 3 of Rebels as of writing this post. And really loving Rebels btw. Part of me of like "why didn't I watch this earlier?" but on the other hand I don't have to wait for the next episode and I know the major spoilers already so I'm not going to get the rug yanked out from under me.

So back to Ahsoka and Sabezra...the big questions. Did I see the romance "coding" (not sure I agree "coding" is the right word but whatever, that's semantics) in Ahsoka? Yes. Sabine's actions definitely come across as her being in love with Ezra to me. That said I can also see the platonic angle, especially after having watched some of Rebels, so I'm not going to tell anyone they are wrong for viewing Sabine and Ezra's relationship as platonic. These things are subjective and open to interpretation until anything definitively romantic or definitively not romantic happens on screen. And at this point nothing definitive has happened either way on screen. Nobody has been proven right and nobody has been proven wrong yet. Sabezra is basically schrodinger's cat right now.

Next how did I interpret the "like a sister" line in Ezra's holo. Um...full disclosure the first time I viewed that scene I didn't even register that he'd said she was "like a sister" to him. I'd never even seen Rebels at that point so I didn't know Ezra yet. So as a causal viewer my take away from that scene was Ezra meant a lot to Sabine and Sabine meant a lot to Ezra. And I'd be wiling to bet that that was the takeaway for most causal viewers.

So on rewatch do I think the "like a sister" line means that Ezra truly sees Sabine as a sister? No. On rewatch, paying close attention to the body language, and after having watched some Rebels, I think Ezra is both struggling to find the words to tell Sabine how important she is to him and telling her what he thinks she needs to hear in that moment. The problem is that in English we don't have a word to describe someone isn't technically family but who isn't a lover either but who's also way more than "just" a friend. Sister is the best word Ezra can come up with in that moment but you can tell from his awkward body language and his literal scoff as soon as he says it that its not the right word. And yeah I think Ezra thinks that Sabine sees him as a brother so he tells her what he thinks she wants to hear right before he heads of on what very well could have been a suicide mission.

Do I think Sabezra is going to be made canon on Tuesday's final episode of Ahsoka (of season 1 at least). No, but hold on nobody panic!!! I also don't think that means Sabezra is dead in the water either. And frankly I'm kind of mystified as to why Sabezra shippers seem to think that the next episode is make or break for Sabezra when its clearly not? If there isn't a love declaration or a kiss or both (which is what I'm assuming people would interpret can them being made canon) its not like either Sabine or Ezra are going to marry someone else on Tuesday either. And since much of Ahsoka has been set up, meaning not much is actually going to get resolved in the next ep (Thrawn hasn't even left Perida[?] yet! I fear we are ending on a cliff hanger), we'll be seeing Sabine and Ezra again. There's no rush for them to get together romantically (and I know that's hard to hear for people who've been shipping for years but its true).

And further to the "there's no rush" point I actually have to say I that I think its WAY too soon for anything definitively romantic to happen between Ezra and Sabine yet (and again I get how hard that is for those who've been shipping them for a long time). And I say that as both a "casual viewer" and someone who's also watched a good chunk of Rebels now. For the causal viewer who hasn't watched Rebels, which is probably a big chunk of the audience for Ahsoka, they barely know Sabine, have just met Ezra and have only seen them interacting for ONE episode and don't know any of their history. A kiss or a love declaration would seem out of the blue at this point I think. And as someone who's getting into Rebels I still think its too soon. While I agree that Sabine is very likely in love with Ezra I don't think she's admitted to herself yet (that's why Baylan used the word family when he was getting her to hand over the map thingy imho) no way is she ready to tell HIM. And as for Ezra...dude is clueless that Sabine might might have non platonic feelings for him so no way is he going to risk ruining their friendship by blurting out that he's in love with her. And not only that they've been separated for 10 YEARS ffs. They need to get to know each other again before anything romantic can happen, again imho. I want Sabezra to become canon but I want it done WELL. Sabezra is a friends to lovers ship, they are still firmly in the friends stage right now, it needs to be a sloooooow burn.

And finally do I think Sabezra will become canon? Honestly...I don't know. I'd like it to, it would be really nice to have a non problematic ship, especially after the sequel trilogy robbed us of FinnRey and tried to force freaking r*ylo. But I think Filoni and the other powers that be over at DLF (he is NOT the sole person calling the shots here, keep that in mind everyone) are probably testing the waters right now and waiting to see what the audience reactions are like before they make any decisions. I'd be wiling to bet that by the end of Tuesday's episode the door will be left wide open for pretty much anything to happening shipping wise. So we'll just have to wait and see. Time will tell, it always does.

[good-beanswrites]

I've been thinking about alien stage and milgram so

All in (Hyuna and Till) but it's with Kotoko and Fuuta

OOHH I've been going crazy over this -- I've only touched on Milgram/Alien Stage aus a bit but now I'm hooked 👀 I was playing around for a while with how to incorporate the song specifically, and had a ton of fun with this lyric/scene experiment, haha! I was shocked at how well the song would suit them even in Milgram canon... I used gender neutral descriptions for the Mizi-character because I'm not sure who people would picture for that role, and wanted to leave it open. Also um. tw major character death :( sorry.

Your eyes grow wide at my dazzling entrance, and your heart beats fast, OK! There's no point fighting back – this is the march of the fools.

The rebel leader stands proudly on the stage. Her followers practically howl at her arrival. Their gathering spot may have been a secret, but they didn’t bother being quiet about their excitement. The tides are turning, and everyone feels it. It doesn’t matter what kind of front the aliens put up; everyone knows the fear that their leader strikes into her enemies. Every planet, moon, and ship knows what she’s capable of. They know that going up against her brass knuckles will only have one outcome for them. No matter the cost, Yuzuriha Kotoko will come out on top.

Endless cheer and applause – I hear the song grow louder and louder. Fill up the entire nebula!

The contestant brings his guitar down with all the force he can muster, sparks flying out and scorching his hands. The audience roars at the display. He’s tired of all those eyes watching him, but at least he’s making them all watch as he destroys some little piece of them. For now, they only find morbid curiosity in his fruitless rage, but someday he’ll sing loud enough, act loud enough, scream loud enough that the galaxy will be forced to hear him. To alien and human alike, the face of Kajiyama Fuuta is an icon of rebellion.

Just laugh, hey kick and break ya! To the galaxy shining bright, chi-cheers. Change the game with a single action. Trust me and I'll show you, chi-cheers.

Kotoko’s boot cracks bones on impact. It wasn’t even her steel leg that had rendered her enemy into this mess. The alleyway is too hidden and the neon city street too distracted for anyone to hear the alien’s final cries at her feet. Her team catches up with her, breathless with exertion and shock at the victim she leaves in her wake. As soon as she holds up what they came here to get, all doubt leaves them. Their ship will echo with celebration tonight.

We only get one life, so I'm living mine for me, cause I'm the one from your wildest dreams. I'll create a fantasy in this crazy world and change it all, I'm going all-in. 

“Ha-ha –!” Fuuta hasn’t heard himself laugh in a long time. It isn’t a pleasant sound, and neither is the chaos that follows as the fight escalates. But damn, did it feel good. The lights of the paparazzi blind him as he’s yanked out of a magnetic train car. The crowd deafens him. The aliens around him bruise and break him down. But he holds tight to the things deep in his mind. He imagines himself as a shining hero. He thinks of them – his own hero. He conjures up a world that’s better for both of them. It’s for this reason he wrenches his arm away from those holding him back. Though his collar buzzes with electricity, he takes another swing.

A universe brimming with dreams… Who will remain standing at the end of it all? Don't you wanna know? Caught within rules without rules, a bird is set free. I hear the song grow louder, fill up the entire nebula!

As the glass shatters around her, Kotoko can’t help but savor the moment suspended in the air. Given her many escapes over the years, she hadn’t been worried about making it out in one piece. And yet her heart races each time she tastes freedom again. She lands on her feet, pausing to make sure her newest recruit is keeping up. Kotoko flashes a wide, toothy smile at them, and they return it shakily. They seem a bit shaken by all the blood that had been spilled on the way, but Kotoko is proud of how quickly they’ve adapted to this liberated lifestyle. She’s riding the thrill of success, knowing she’s changed the outcome of Alien Stage once again. Another weak human saved from their captors. Another victory.

Just laugh, hey kick and break ya! To the galaxy shining bright, chi-cheers. Change the game with a single action. Trust me and I'll show you, chi-cheers.

Smoke chokes Fuuta’s lungs, but it doesn’t hold him back. The private dinner room is full of the rich and powerful as they eat, smoke, and laugh at humans’ expense. They place bets on the upcoming competition rounds. They harass Fuuta to perform for them, eyes of all shapes and colors boring into him. Through the haze and dim lights, the spark of resistance is burning as bright as always. He dares to talk back at a figure who is not used to being talked back to. Fuuta dodges a few strikes, even getting in a few kicks of his own before he’s overwhelmed with a blow to his right eye. 

We only get one life, so I'm living mine for me, cause I'm the one from your wildest dreams. I'll create a fantasy in this crazy world and change it all, I'm going all-in.

Kotoko tries to hide her snarl at the massive advertisement screens they pass. Even flying by at these speeds, she gets a clear look at the Alien Stage champion and his coy smile. It churns her stomach. She had always wondered why any contestant would willingly stand up there and sing, knowing it would get someone else killed. They were complicit in murder, if you asked her. But this man – his actions were far more than “complicit.” The face of a tiny girl flashes through her mind. For a moment, she’s lost in a vision of the girl by her side – still laughing, still carefree in the world that Kotoko is working towards. Reality returns to her. She discharges her weapon directly into an alien’s face.

Every obstacle in my way, I've crushed them all. Step all over me but I'll rise again. It's you who's in the wrong, bet you had no idea.

The lights go up, and Fuuta sways on his feet. He finds himself instantly winded as he starts to sing. The heat from the show’s pyrotechnics make him even dizzier. His good eye surveys the crowd. He would not let these villains win. They took the people he cared about. They took the people who cared about him. Hell, they even took his guitar. He knows that by the end, they’ll take his life, too. It’s all the more reason to continue. He sees now that his intensity had inspired others, even if it hadn’t saved them. Fuuta refuses to go down quietly. He refuses to stop singing. He opens his mouth:

“Hey!”

Kotoko shouts it after the new recruit, but their mind is made up. She’s left clutching at her injury and frantically typing on the huge machine, trying to complete their original mission. The screen streaming the event flashes with images of the redhead pouring his heart out onstage. Kotoko lets out a strangled sound of frustration and stands to follow.

Just laugh, hey kick and break ya! To the galaxy shining bright, chi-cheers. Change the game with a single action. Trust me and I'll show you, chi-cheers. Whatever comes to mind, give it a chance. Contemplate all you want, won't change a thing. 

Blood pools around the losing contestant. All that shouting and he can’t even choke out a goodbye, now. The intruder stands in the one place she spent her life fighting tooth and nail to escape forever. They lock eyes. They’d only heard accounts of the other, but in that brief moment, they understand. They are just two humans, two loud humans, who had a vision of how bright the universe could be someday. Despite it all, they both ended up here, doomed to die on this stage after singing out to an uncaring audience. Fuuta’s gaze slips away. He offers one last smile to his hero. For the first and last time, he is content.  Kotoko turns her attention away from them, to the audience. She clenches her fists and feels very far from content.

Don’t you dare stop now –

Justice assemble! Till the end –

Ride the waves of passing time, and run with the wind 'til morning, don't stop.

[mysteryshoptls]

SSR Malleus Draconia Masquerade Dress Personal Story: Part 3

"We should begin from the top once more"

(Part 1) (Part 2) Part 3

[Noble Bell College – Lecture Hall]

Mage Training School Student: Ah, Ma-Ma-Ma-Ma-Malleus Draconia-san…!

Mage Training School Student: Um… Th-That performance you just gifted us was spectacular…! That's all I wished to say! S-S-So now, I take my leave!

Noble Bell College Student: We are so blessed to hear a song performed by you, Draconia-san… It is most definitely a great honor for our school to have been able to host this cultural exchange!

Noble Bell College Student: I know that Rollo-kaichō must be just as elated. Thank you very much for your wondrous singing voice!

Malleus: Despite this being a masquerade, they still came up and addressed me by name… Heh, how frivolous.

Malleus: ...It seems the gift was a success.

Malleus: I am certain that explains why there are more folk than usual who aren't attempting to keep their distance.

Malleus: This is all due to Ashengrotto and Shroud's willingness to collaborate. I should thank those two.

Malleus: And also… I should give my thanks to Flamme for providing us this opportunity.

Riddle: Malleus-senpai. Are you taking a breather from the dancing?

Malleus: Ah, hello, Rosehearts, Spade.

Malleus: Yes, just a moment ago, I successfully danced with the one I intended to have dance with me… So now I am resting for a spell.

Malleus: Are you two also here to rest?

Riddle: We were searching for you, Malleus-senpai. Just as we thought to express our sentiments, you disappeared.

Deuce: We already talked to Ashengrotto-senpai and Idia-senpai… But, man, Draconia-senpai! That performance was amazing!

Riddle: I agree. I would certainly be interested in learning how to sing so confidently as you did. May I ask what pointers you would have to help others like me sing beautifully like that?

Malleus: I do not know if this would be considered a pointer…

Malleus: However, from the moment I first heard the song, I was incapable of not feeling emotionally drawn to it. Perhaps that is why I was able to sing it so well.

Riddle: Did you have some kind of special interest in that song, "Let My Wish Resound"?

Malleus: I suppose I did. When Lilia introduced me to the song and sang it for me for the first time…

Malleus: With one rendition of the lyrics, I felt this unforgettable strong sense of empathy resonate within me.

Deuce: If I recall, "Let My Wish Resound" was a song of the Bell-ringer's hopes and dreams to meet everyone he possibly could.

Deuce: Does that mean… Did you sing it with the feeling that you were looking forward to meeting everyone here at the cultural exchange?

Malleus: Of course, there is that as well, but…

Malleus: I believe that this song is not only about hope.

Malleus: The Bell-ringer must have longed for the bright new world, and yet feared it at the same time.

Riddle: Fear? Even with such optimistic lyrics?

Malleus: That is right. Because it takes courage to want to learn of something you have no knowledge about.

Malleus: I've had that same feeling.

Deuce: Eh!? Even someone as confident as you had to show courage somewhere…!?

Malleus: I do not think it is anything that shocking. I am a student, same as you.

Malleus: When I was to enroll at Night Rave College, it naturally required me to muster up some courage.

Malleus: Compared to when I lived in my castle, I had absolutely no experience spending time anywhere there were large gatherings of people.

Riddle: …I think I understand.

Riddle: If that's the case, then I think I might be able to imagine just how it felt for you.

Riddle: He felt an equivalent amount of anticipation and dread…

Riddle: And yet the Bell-ringer gathered his courage and stepped into the crowd of people.

Malleus: Exactly. That is precisely why he was able to gather so many important people in his life other than his mentor, the Righteous Judge.

Malleus: I have nothing but respect for a man who is both kind and courageous.

Malleus: I am more than honored to have been able to perform "Let My Wish Resound" to show my gratitude to being invited to this gathering.

Deuce: Wow… I'd never even thought that there was something so deep hiding in the lyrics of that song.

Riddle: Neither had I. I had memorized the lyrics, yes, but only as the words on paper…

Riddle: I hadn't put any thought into the emotions or context within the song.

Riddle: Malleus-senpai. Your thoughts and emotions truly registered to everyone via that spectacular performance.

Malleus: Your backing vocals were just as good. It was thanks to everyone's efforts that the song was a success.

[[Yuu] approaches]

1. Hey, Tsunotaro, good job out there.

Riddle: Oh, [Yuu]. Did you come here to tell Malleus-senpai how you felt about the song, as well? Riddle: We were just speaking on that matter.

2. Oh, this is where you all got to.

Deuce: [Yuu], weren't you with Grim? Well, I guess you gotta take your break from that noisy furball when you can. Riddle: We were just speaking of that song, "Let My Wish Resound," with Malleus-senpai here.

Deuce: I want to hear your thoughts on it too, [Yuu].

Deuce: What did you think of Draconia-senpai's performance earlier?

1. It was really moving!

Malleus: It moved you? I see… Fufufu. I may have had confidence in myself, but hearing it directly from you is a wonderful feeling. Malleus: As long as my you were able to feel all of the emotions that I poured into that song, I am more than pleased.

2. It looked like you were having so much fun!

Malleus: It looked as though I was having fun? Me? Malleus: …You seem to always have a keen eye when it comes to me. I suppose I truly was enjoying singing from the heart as I did.

Malleus: When the crimson lotuses appeared, I thought of cancelling this… However, I am pleased that we were all able to take part in this masquerade.

Malleus: [Yuu]. Will you dance with me?

Riddle: That's a great idea. Since it was a cultural exchange, I had only been dancing with students from other schools, but…

Riddle: Since this is a rare opportunity, why don't we have a dance together as well, Deuce.

Deuce: I'd be honored! But hey, [Yuu], you better dance with me next.

Malleus: That's right. The masquerade has only just begun.

Malleus: We've met many new people, and connected with them… Let us enjoy this splendid night to our heart's content.

(Part 1) (Part 2) Part 3

[wehaveimagineshere]

You don't have to write anything on this if you don't want to or don't feel comfortable, but how about some smut with Gale and an afab reader where she tells him that she struggles with vaginal dryness and he's like "Well I can think of one way to fix that..." and goes down on her. Bonus points if she's super shy and has a hard time explaining it to him and is super oversensitive because of it

Sorry if this isn't in your comfort zone, I'm going to go crawl in a hole now 🙈

Hi! You didn't specify an admin so little ol' me, Ren, will be taking this. I read this and got so excited. I had to look up more details about vaginal dryness (the name itself says a lot but I wanted to make sure I knew what I was writing about), but like. I love this prompt? So much? Being open and honest about body differences is so good, and communicating about it is just mwah.

I hope you like this piece, anon!

A little note: Google can only tell me so much. If I got something wrong like didn't accurately explain vaginal dryness right, or took the wrong guess on how past experiences could happen, or anything like that, please please tell me! I'll endeavor to fix my mistakes. I want to learn and make sure I represent this right (:

~*~*~

His fingers trailing lightly down your spine, you twine your own in his hair as you draw him closer, deepening the kiss. A soft sound escapes from your lips as his fingers find the hem of your shirt and slip under, fingertips trailing fire as he languidly explores your skin. Gale breaks the kiss only to find your neck, teasing with tongue and teeth as he makes his way slowly to your collarbone, humming as your neck bends to give him more access.

Hearing nothing but your heart hammering in your chest, you let your own hands wander, tugging free the belt around his waist so you can run along the planes of his stomach, marveling at the movement of his muscles when he shifts.

His own hands move lower, cupping your ass and drawing you close as he catches your lips once more. Your move your hands up his back so you can press against him, feeling that familiar mix of longing and anxiety as you feel him straining against his pants.

He won't push, you know, won't try to sneakily slip his hands down your pants or ask you to do something you've already said no to. But that guilt still sits and squirms in your chest, thrashing in the blankets of shame and fear, making it hard to tell him why. Why you keep the clothes on, why you hesitate when things start getting real heated.

You know you have to tell him, you want to tell him, but the shame and fear of rejection has so far kept your tongue glued.

But tonight... Tonight, maybe, you can finally get it off your chest.

Breaking through the haze, the temptation of his touch, you step back and catch his eye. He immediately drops his hands to your hips and squeeze reassuringly. "Too much?" he asks gently.

"No, it's..." Taking a deep breath, you step outside of his reach, bringing your arms up to hug yourself. "There's something I need to tell you."

"Anything."

You can already feel the embarrassment heating your cheeks and neck already, your eyes bouncing from rock to tree to leaf and back as you fight for the confidence and the words you need. "I, um. H-How much of the human body do you know?"

Raising an eyebrow, Gale takes a moment to think. "I'm afraid you're going to have to be more specific. I've read tomes talking about anatomy and biology, though I'll admit recounting what I learned may be difficult."

Biting your bottom lip, you shift as you take a deep breath. "Well, I, um." Pressing your lips together, you try again. "I kind of have a...problem."

"Are you well?"

"Yes! Yes. I-It's nothing that is contagious, or anything. It's." Now you're outright chewing your poor lip. "It's something about me. And, well, i-if we're going to be..." You raise your shoulders up, hugging yourself a bit tighter.

Raising his hands up, Gale says gently, "You don't have to tell me if you aren't ready. We all have our secrets and are allowed them."

"No, Gale, I want to tell you, I just." You sigh. "It's embarrassing, and I don't want you to think less of me, or--"

"I would never think less of you." He tilts his head, a small smile testing his lips. "Unless you go on a murder spree, but even then, I feel I would assume your victims deserved it first." Your smile is more of a painful one and he drops the attempted humor immediately. "Sorry. But I do mean it, whatever you need to tell me, I won't think any less of you."

Rolling your lips together, you say hesitantly, "I...have trouble...getting wet."

He shifts, brows furrowing. "Can you elaborate?"

"It's... Mm. You know how when..." You huff. "Women get wet, right? When things get heated? I... I don't, really." How you wish you could disappear into the ground. "I mean, I do, but, I don't. It isn't, it isn't you or anything, it's just... How. How I am."

His eyes drift as he processes, and you only have the courage to watch for a few seconds before your eyes drop to your feet, your chest so tight it's hard to breathe.

"If I'm understanding right," he starts finally, "I just have to tease you longer."

Your face flares so hot you fear it might melt. "I mean. Maybe. That might help."

Smirking, he takes a slow step forward. When you don't retreat, he draws your arms from vice gripping your chest and holds your hands, bringing one to his lips, eyes studying your face as he says, "I have a tongue, and I'd like to think I know how to use it."

You barely squeak out, "Gale--"

He chuckles, drawing you closer, resting his knuckles against your cheek as his smirk drops. "Thank you for telling me. And as promised, I don't see you any less."

Your smile is wobbly, hopeful. You should've known Gale would be different. Swallowing back the prick of tears, you say, "And I, um. I'd like to..." You gesture between you.

His smirk is back. "Shall I summon the bed?"

A small chuckle escapes. "Please."

So he does just that, setting up a magical bed in the nearby clearing. A four poster bed with elaborate bedding and even a canopy, sheer purple drapes drifting lazily in the calm breeze.

He leads you over, waiting for you to find a comfortable spot on the bed before he follows. Propping himself above you, he searches your gaze and, finding no denial, exposes your tummy and gets to work.

He starts right below your ribcage, tongue trailing the bones and sending a shiver up your spine. Moving up, not down, he drags the shirt up as he moves, exposing your breasts before covering one with a hand and the other with his mouth, tongue circling your nipple as his thumb plays with the other.

Your back arches without your consent, breath stuttering as he nips gently, licking away the sting. Your knees draw up as he opens his mouth to trail back down, his fingers trailing the hem of your pants before hooking underneath.

He glances up at you, and it isn't until you nod that he pulls, exposing your sex to the chill air. You shiver at the sudden change, though his warm hands finding your thighs and his breath ghosting lower takes no time in banishing the cold.

A kiss to your folds as you inhaling in expectation, and the groan that escapes as his tongue dips between would be embarrassing if you weren't already so far in the haze, the pleasure.

Gale wasn't wrong when he said he knew how to use his tongue. Using the tip of his tongue, he teases that sensitive bundle before calming the sensation with the tongue's body, a languid couple licks that has you absolutely squirming.

He goes just a bit lower this time, tip of his tongue pressing just above your entrance before trailing up, his teeth this time nipping and sending your back arching high. He repeats the motion, spending more time alternating between teeth and tongue, and you can do nothing but squeeze your eyes shut and try to breathe as your limbs shake.

He leaves his hands to knead your thighs and hold down your hips, especially as his tongue finally finds its way to your entrance. He circles it lazily as he huffs breaths, and you feel his chuckle as he finally slips in, your hips bucking as you gasp, fingers clawing at the magical sheets.

Gale takes his time. Slow, methodical pumps and licks and putting just the right amount of pressure before backing off, finding somewhere else to tease. It builds that pressure in your stomach so achingly slowly, but you're drowning in the pleasure, both impatient and enjoying every single wet, warm touch of his tongue until you aren't sure how long has passed, aren't sure if you're dizzy from his ministrations or you aren't getting enough air in your lungs or both.

The edge beckons, calling to you, and it becomes almost impossible for Gale to hold your hips steady. So he lets go. He allows you to ride his tongue, as hard and quick as you need, to find your release.

And you find it quick.

It shatters through you, your cry stumbling out of your throat as you simultaneously gulp for air, the sheets held in a death grip in your fists. You don't know how long it takes for the stars to subside, for you to start acknowledging reality again.

For you to look over at Gale, whose chin is positively drenched. With you.

He smiles, lips shimmering with your wetness.

You laugh a breathless laugh as he moves back up, fingers feathering down your jawline. "I believe," he says, smile morphing into that grin, "you are now ready for me. What do you think?"