#sorry i took so long to respond! i've been exhausted for a few days so i was waiting until i was awake enough

[phosphoresccent]

A note accompanies the now destroyed disc.

“The worst, deadliest, most monstrous creature you can find - trap it, cage it. Leave it completely alone with only its thoughts and its prison.

Send it right to me, Xephos.”

Xephos' hands grip the note so tightly Barry is shocked the paper hasn't torn. The red marker across the page is easy to read, even as the note trembles with Xephos' own fear. He can feel Lalna fretting behind him, unused to being the source of distress, unsure what he'd done to provoke the reaction.

"What -" He cringes guiltily at Xephos' flinch, but the other man is at least looking at him now. "Do you - do you know what it's talking about?" Xephos looks at him blankly. It made something in his chest twist uncomfortably. "The monster?"

Oh. Oh no. Barry missed the blank look.

It was a lot better than this.

Lalna made a distressed noise behind him, a movement towards Xephos aborted half way through as the flinch rolled through his body like a blow. He was smiling, bitter and scared and guilty and Barry was missing something because why on earth was he so scared of Lalna?

"Me."

The word ripped through Lalna and Barry like a bullet, deafening for how quietly it was spoken.

"He's talking about me."

[r0uke-k4nten]

HUSH MY CHILD

007n7 & child reader

Your beloved father, 007n7, adopted you and c00l kid when as a pill baby, every day he loved you and so is your brother...until he went missing. When everything goes down, he still cares about you, of course, but maybe a bit distant, you're not gonna be mad at him because you know that he's sad, but don't worry, you will help find your dearest brother :D.

x/xx/xxxx

Deer, Diary.

Today, my PaPa Brought me this diaryes book that I really want as a birthday gift  :D.

C00lkid is really really happy after dad brought him a red sword, he can't stop swinging the sword !!

I hope tomorrow is just as great as today.

- (y/n)

"What are you writing?"you've heard a similar voice right behind you, quickly you closed your diary, not wanting for him to see. You quickly turn around as you yelled at him, " HEY! DON'T SNEAK AROUND LIKE THAT." he just rolled his eyes. he quickly gave you a hand as you slowly stood up. 

"What are you waiting for? C'mon, dad is waiting," he said as he excitedly ran into the kitchen, waiting for their dad to get their food. You signed as you slowly walk away from your room, where your brother abandoned you a few minutes ago.

After a while, your father is back from the kitchen, as he brought them a...cake?. You looked at c00lkid as he looked at you before returning our gaze to the cake, before turning up to your dad..."woah..., this-this is the best cake that I've ever seen haha-, right c00lkid?" you asked c00lkid, "uhhh, dad... is that a fire?" you looked at him with a surprised as you looked back into the cake... 

HOLY MOLY, THERE IS THE FIRE. You jumped out, surprised as the fire is expanding, "DAD, DO SOMETHING," you both said as the fire reached the table wood, with a reflect, your dad brought a fire extinguisher, finally pulled the fire out...

007n7, began to sit down into the floor completely exhausted and battered up, "kid, are you okay??" your dad said as your brother responded with that we were both alright. He sighed before laying down and beginning to close his eyes. 

"I'm sorry kid..., I should just buy some instead of making it" he said apologetically, we all stayed quite for a long while until you proposed something "uhhh, how about we watch something on the TV?, yeah?" you said as a thing to forget this...

Remembering that day, although a bit chaotic, but at least you have your family together to share those memories....

You prefer that memories happen again, then having to suffer now..

xx/xx/xxxx

dear, diary.

My brother is still missing after years of searching,

I'm afraid that we won't find him very soon. Dad keeps telling everything is alright, that c00lkid will come back very soon.

I don't believe that.

And I know that he doesn't believe that.

-(y/n)

You finished the writing and began to close the book as you went to the kitchen to find a note on top of the sealed food. You came closer, picking up the note and reading it as you see your father won't be here for a while, and he wants you to know that.

You sighed as you crumbled up the note to the trash bin before eating the food. Your mind began to wonder what would happen if you tried to help your father? Would you find him? If it does, does he remember you? It's been years, is he really gone?

A sound of a phone ringing behind the red telephone, making your thought cut off, you sighed as you stood up and walked closer to the telephone, and picking it up, " hello?"  the caller said before continuing, " is 007n7 is here?" he asked, " no...sorry he's busy,..but I'm his child do you want to tell me something so I can assist you." you answered solemly before contently respond. 

"Uh- no I'm fine kid, I- " you cut him off. " please, I insist." the caller sighed. " fine,but you must talk to your father after this." you nodded even they didn't see you, he took a deep breath "we...we may have find your BROTHER."

You went quite for a moment "...where is he?" you stated....

and that was all you took to find him.

You finished your food halfway done as you began to pack up, 'You do it now or never, ' you thought. You pack your food, medkit, clothes, some essentials into your bag and begin to walk out before looking back...

You pick up the paper and begin to write...

Dear father,

I won't be home for a long time

I know you will be mad,

but don't worry.

I will find him,

and we will be home as fast as we can

-sincerely, (y/n)

You put it on top of the once-burned table, a memory you once cherished. 

The sound of a door closing echoes through the empty house...

You don't know how much longer you stayed in this bus, all you know it was already late afternoon when you see a town where the caller lives, you immediately walked out of the bus after you paid and left you in the bus station, instead of coming to the caller home, you make a sharp turn to the left where there's an abandon park filled with a dead houses and moss...

You quickly sign up for a cheap hotel room and begin to eat at the nearest cafe, waiting for the night to come...

DIFFRENT POV:

It was already dark when I got home...

'Why is the light still off?' I asked myself before shrugging that (y/n) must be tired...

I walked closer and closer to the door and finally unlocked it only to reveal an empty place. I pulled down my bag into the nearest counter before roaming into the kitchen, before realizing that the table had half-eaten food on top of it...

Okay, this is freaking me out I said as I ran into (y/n) bedroom only to reveal an empty room with a few places are now gone...

'GOD, WHERE ARE THEY NOW' 

...

Note: 

Aight that's all I have no idea how to continue it, T<T.

Maybe a sequel if I had the idea, but no promises.

[hughjackmansbicep]

The Seamstress

Contains: Logan Howlett X F!Reader

Summary: Youre a seamstress and he seems to have an endless supply of holey clothes....

Wordcount: 1.2k

Warnings: None :D

a/n: haiiiiii ive always loved this trope in fics !!! tehe!! srry for not writing much recently i got fired from my job LOL anywayssss... i was listening to the smiths writing this unrelated but related.

Most days bled together, the same mundane routine playing out in front of you each day. Wake up, go to work, go home, eat takeout, and pass out to some soap opera. Currently, the highlight of your life was finding out what was going to happen next on The Days of Our Lives. You were a seamstress in the middle of Manhattan; you owned a small shop off 64th, and although you were living out your dream, nothing excited you anymore. Every task felt exhausting; you couldn't even find passion in sewing anymore. That was until he stumbled into your shop.

“Hi, yeah, I was wondering if you'd be able to sew this up for me.” He grumbled, holding up what appeared to be some yellow and blue jumpsuit. You'd almost forgotten to respond, completely captivated by his sheer beauty. His gorgeous face, chiseled body, kitty-like hair, and you can't forget the unusual yet totally working for him mutton chops. “U-um, ahem, yeah, I totally could.” You manage to choke out, reaching for the clothing item. “How long do you reckon it'll take?” You examine the clothing carefully; it's decorated with rips and holes everywhere. He's lucky if I can get this finished by the end of the week, “Tomorrow.” Your mouth moves quicker than your brain can. “Cool, I'll come by at 10? Is that alright?” He asks, slowly backing out of the shop, his eyes never leaving you. ‘10am? I can't begin to do that either; I mean, I wouldn't get to sleep tonight’. “Yep! See you at 10!” Cure that mouth of yours; you give him a smile and an awkward wave as he makes his way out the door.

You blow your breath out as if you'd been holding it the entire time, sinking down into your chair. You silently cursed at yourself for agreeing to such a stupid timeframe, but this meant you could binge Days of Our Lives tonight, so maybe it wasn't half bad.

The rest of the day went just as you expected. A couple hems, a few cinches—nothing out of the ordinary apart from the comic book cosplay you agreed to revive back to life. It was currently 3 o’clock in the morning; you'd been sitting there sewing the garment for 7 hours. Honestly, you'd been making great time; you were so close to finishing, maybe 20 stitches left total. Somewhere between the last stitch and a doctor getting slapped, you'd passed out on your living room floor.

You'd awoken to the feeling of your feline licking your cheek, causing you to immediately shoot up off the floor. Your eyes frantically searching for a clock, the power Must’ve gone out sometime around 5 in the morning because that's all you saw flashing back at you on the stove. In a frenzy, you started throwing random clothes on, praying they'd match, shoving the costume in a garment bag, and running out the door. Thats when you finally looked down at your phone, seeing the time read 10:03, “God damnit.” You whined under your breath. Your shop was only a couple blocks away, but that was still a 15-minute walk, so you sprinted. You probably looked like a complete lunatic, but you couldn't care less right now. The incredibly hot customer probably waiting outside your doors was the utmost important thing on your mind.

Dripping in sweat and hyperventilating as you turned the corner to where your shop was, you saw him just as you thought you would. Leaning up against the door, one arm crossed over his torso as he took a drag from his cigar with his other. God, he looked heavenly, and you... Well, maybe not your best day, but definitely not your worst. “Hey, sorry I'm late.” You breathed out, hands resting on your knees as you caught your breath. “But I've got your thingy.” You hold the garment bag up; he just furrows his eyebrows at you, cocking his head to the side. His silence makes you feel more embarrassed than you already do. You get up to unlock your doors, ushering him to follow you inside.

You check him out at the register; the only words being exchanged were the cost of the repairs and where he can tap his card. He walked out with a smile and a nod, a soft ‘Thanks’ escaping his lips before the door shut. You throw your head in your hands, feeling shame wash over you. You were hoping and praying he was going to leave his number on the receipt, but obviously he did not. I mean, why would you have had him waiting and showed up looking like a complete mess? Not very good looks. You simply had to chop it up as a loss and return back to the mundaneness of your life.

The very next morning, though, he was here again, this time holding an old brown jacket. He'd said there was a small hole in the pocket he wanted fixed. This time it only took you all 20 minutes. You asked him to wait upfront as you brought the jacket to the back to repair it. When you returned, you checked him out the same as before, and he left exactly the same as before. This became an everyday routine for the two of you. Every day he'd walk in with some worn-out article of clothing asking you to stitch it up; you always obliged, even if the clothes looked and smelled like they came from 1987. You always did wonder how this guy had so many ripped-up clothes just lying around, and why wouldn't he just bring them in all at once?

This charade had been going on for 2 weeks now when you finally decided to break from your usual script of ‘thank you, come again’. “Why is everything you own torn apart? Is everything okay back home?” You asked as he slipped his card into the machine. You could see the heat rising to his cheeks as he tried to hide a smirk creeping its way on his face. “You want me to be honest with you?” He looked up at you, pursing his lips together in a thin line. You nodded your head, waiting for him to continue, “I honestly thought you were gorgeous when I first walked into your shop.” Now your cheeks started burning red as your eyes went wide. “So every day since then I head into Goodwill and find anything I can with a hole in it so I can find an excuse to come see you.” This was the first time you'd ever seen this man avoid eye contact with you. You couldn't find your words as your throat had gone dry. He was into you??? And here you were this whole time thinking you ruined your shot (and that he was homeless, but you weren't going to tell him that). 

"Well, say something.” He exasperated, snapping you out of your daze. “I honestly don't know what to say; I’m shocked. I get off at 6 if y’know... You wanted to grab something to eat?” You offer awkwardly, smiling through the pain of how anxious you sounded. He looks up to you finally meeting your gaze, a soft smile painted on his lips. “Ill be here to pick you up at 6 doll.” He grabs your hand, planting a gentle kiss on your knuckle. He walked out the door, leaving you in utter shock and denial for the rest of your shift.

hi ps u can always request me shtuff to write! :3

[the-universal-sun]

in NEED of some sad little stan with ford comforting him.. maybe him telling ford about his past being homeless and regressing from talking about the memories

Thank you for the request and very sorry it took so long to get to it, I hope you're still here to read it! I enjoyed writing it very much, even if Stan doesn't regress until about halfway down. I do have some drabbles in the works that are lil' stan all the way through though...Enough about that, thank you again for the request, I hope it lives up to your expectations! I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! It was a good prompt and I thank you again, Anon, for the ask! Sorry if the tone seems to flip flop around, I took a long break to finish up some chores when writing this.

As always, I'm open to helpful comments and advice, please enjoy!

TW: Stan talks a little about his time in the back of a trunk, but it's essentially just Stan describing his feelings and dropping when telling Ford. If you want to void that paragraph, it starts at "It was about the time I spent in Mexico" and ends at "get his words out without blubbering. "

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

It was a rough night for Stan. There was a storm going on out on the water and the violent rocking of the Stan O' War made him stumble and burn his tongue on the still hot stew was made, then he just couldn't find the right position to sleep in, his back hurting on his side, his front, when he was laying back on his orthopedic pillow, nothing was right. And when he did finally manage to get to sleep, nightmares and memories he wishes stayed forgotten clawed at his mind all night, finally jerking him awake too early in the morning for anyone to function. Anyone but Ford, that is, who seemed well rested and eager to start the day. Stan swears his brother was whistling a tune while he made coffee he was just that damn chipper. Stan wasn't. He wanted to sleep, but he knows even if he could, nightmares would find their way back in, and he cannot deal with those right now, not with how close he was to dropping and regressing-which he honestly wasn't in the mood for right now, his body and mind to anxious and exhausted to focus on that allure. Instead, he just grunted when Ford asked him about how he slept. And he only gave short one word answers throughout the day, his mood souring further and further as the humid sun beat down on them. He thought he was doing well in hiding it from Ford until, around late afternoon, his brother turns to him, arms crossed and an expression that was identical to their mother's when she got annoyed with their attitudes, and demanded an explanation.

"Stanley, what is the matter with you today? You've been crochety and grumpy all day, and it's starting to get on my nerves." He stands there, waiting for Stan to respond. Jesus, can't Stan have a bad day without it being turned into a big deal? He heaves a sigh after a few moments, not wanting to get into an argument with the way he's feeling.

" 'S nothing, Stanford, just had a rough time getting to sleep, s'all. Nothing for you to worry about." He shrugs, trying to keep it casual and not alert his brother to just why he had a hard time sleeping. Stan hopes he'll drop and they can go back to setting up fishing lines. Stan doesn't think he can keep a good grip on his pole today, so he's got the rail grip out for it. He just wants to sit back and relax and not think about bad dreams and phantom body aches.

"Hard time sleeping? Was it the storm, Stanley? It was pretty rough last night, but it ended around 2 am and I've seen you sleep through rougher. Though I do recall hearing you complain and grumble about your back periodically throughout the night..." Stan, knowing his brother will reach some sort of conclusion on his own, whether accurate or not, just sighs again and starts putting up their fishing gear. Once Stanford got started, it took a while for him to finish, and once he comes to his conclusion, whatever it is, he's going to insist Stan go and get some rest or, god forbid, talk about it. Yeesh, just thinking about it made his whole body cringe. He's finished packing everything up and is halfway to the door back inside before Ford pipes up with his conclusion as to what Stan's problem was.

"You had a nightmare! Probably of a memory that just came back to you! Why didn't I see it before! You're always in a dour mood when you have a memory come to you in this form, it should've been my first thought, really! I was too absorbed in writing down my latest findings...that...I..." Ford stops, wincing at the sight of Stanley's blank stare from the doorway, eyebrow raised. Stan only rolls his eyes up, earning another wince, before he gestures to the open door. If they're going to have an emotional talk, Stan would rather do it in air conditioning. He leaves the box of fishing gear by the door and heads to their room, he'll need the comfort of his teddy bear if Ford's going to make him talk about his nightmare. And trust him, Ford will make him talk, probably by sheer annoyance and pestering. He grabs his Teddy and heads to the kitchen, bypassing Ford loitering in the door way and ignoring the stare aimed at him. He doesn't need to feel like he's going to regress to have Poindexter, the stuffed toy has been a comfort for him since he was 19, and it's still one now, no matter his headspace. He settles in the kitchen, grabbing a diet Pitt Cola, more for something to do with his hands and mouth than desire to drink it. He adverts his eyes when Stanford settles down in front of him, staring silently.

"Stanley, you know we need to talk about this, if it was a memory, it needs to go in one of your memory books, just in case you have a lapse. You also need to talk about it for your own mental health, you know what Mabel says, bottling your emotions will only lead to explosions." Stan loves his great-niece, he truly does, but she was all on abord with his brother when he got into his "caring about peoples (Stanley's) emotions and helping them with their mental health." phase, which is seeming less like a phase every day.

"Yeah I had a nightmare, it was about an incident during a drifter days. It was sucky and I hated it, and I'll write it down in the Bad Memory journal later. There, we talked about it, I'll go rest now. We done?" Stan starts to get up from the small table.

"No we are not done! You actually have to talk about it, Stanley, share the details of your nightmare with me. And I know you won't write it down! So we are going to sit here and you are going to talk. And trust me, I can play the waiting game. I can play it all day." Dang it, Ford's stern about this, and Stan knows he means it, waiting for him to talk. He's done it before, they sat there from sun rise to almost sun set before Stan gave in and talked. He sighs, cracking open the soda and setting his bear next to him at the table, talking more to it than to Ford, not wanting to see the disappointment in his eyes. He takes a while to gather his thoughts, to think about the best way to get through this. He grabs his teddy with his free hand, just to hold and pet so his nerves can calm down.

"It was about the time I spent in Mexico, there was an-uh-incident and," Stan blows some air out of his mouth, wondering why it was so hard to talk about this particular memory with Ford. "I had to chew my way out of a trunk." He still refuses to look at him, staring down at Poindexter, his worn but well loved Teddy who's been with him through everything. Stan's amazed he's never lost the poor thing, with how many times he's been on the run and in jail-thankfully they keep the stuff you had when you went in and kept your car impounded if you were in for less than 3 years, so no one was able to throw him away. He keeps his grip on Poindexter tight as he talks about his nightmare, how terrified he felt and how he truly believed, for the first time in his life, he was going to die. He recounts the experience, and not without a few barbs and poor tasting jokes, going from holding Poindexter to hugging him tightly, needing his comfort. Stan can feel his headspace creeping up on him, already so close to dropping and getting even closer to it the more he talks. He doesn't even realize he's started rocking until he knocks into the table, startling him into silence until Stanford quietly urges for him to continue talking about his nightmare, his brother writing down his words in a memory journal. Stan starts slipping further and further as he gets to the part where had to chew through the harsh metal of a car trunk, he can feel the tears sting his eyes, but he can't worry about them, too focused on being able to get his words out without blubbering.

He finishes telling Stanford about his nightmare, was it really a nightmare if it was a memory of his, with a joke about his dentures. Stan doesn't know if it didn't land because of the situation or because it was actually bad, he's still refusing to look at Ford, burying his face in Poindexter's fur, feeling so close to dropping, he's teetering over the edge, and so upset about his nightmare. He wishes he never remembered that situation, he could've gone the rest of his life clueless and he would have preferred that. He flinches when he hears Ford get up and sit next to him, is he going to tell Stan what a disappointment he was for getting mixed up in such a bad crowd? Will he sigh and say he should've taken better care of himself? Stan doesn't know, and he's scared to find out.

"Oh, Lee," Ford sighs next to him, a six-fingered hand curling through the strands at the back of Stan's neck, his gentle touches breaking away the last of the dam holding back his tears and pushing him over that edge. He curls into Sixer, clutching his sweater and sobbing, sobbing over how scared he was, how scared he still is, the nightmare's affects lingering throughout the day. He never wants to think about that moment ever again. Stan's finding it hard to breathe his how hard he's crying, coughing harshly every couple of minutes. His brother slaps his back to dislodge his coughs, rocking Stan's body with his own. He sniffles, wiping his face on Sixer's chest, and wraps his arms around him, making their rocking go faster. Stan likes it when his brother rocks him, it's better than his rocking, it calms him down way faster, too. They just rock together for what feels like eternity, he's stopped crying at some point, but he still clutches Sixer, enjoying the touch and the sensations, the nice a comfy warmth he brings. His brother always knows how to chase away his scary feelings and thoughts, he really loves Ford.

Stan panics when he feels Ford pull away, clutching at his sweater and whining, he's so scared he's going to leave him again, Stan doesn't want to be alone, he wants his big brother to hold him and rock him!

"Lee, it's alright, I'm just getting a warm cloth to wipe your face, alright?" Stan just blinks at Ford, not really understanding what he said. He just stands when his twin stands, he doesn't want to be alone, he has to follow Sixer. Stan holds his hand as tight as he can and follows Ford to the bathroom, he cries when the lights get turned on, they hurt his eyes, they're too bright! He flicks them off, rubbing his eyes, they sting and burn even more now. Stan just wants to go and get out of these itchy clothes and cuddle Poindexter, but Ford's got to be in the bathroom for some reason, which means Stan does too, even though he doesn't have to go potty now. He flinches when the cloth touches his face, it's got but it does feel good, Stan hums and lets his brother pat his face with it, lightly rocking on his feet and clutching his stuffy to his chest.

"There we are, the hot water might help soothe some of the irritation in your eyes from crying, but if your eyes start to swell, I've got an ice pack in the freezer if you're amenable to that." Stan doesn't know what Sixer's talking about, his head's too fuzzy to pay attention to all the details and the big words his brother's using. He hums again as Ford smooths his hair back, he loves it when his hair's played with, it makes his body feel just like jelly-or is it jam that jiggles and falls down? Stan doesn't know, but he smiles at Sixer, he's still rocking away, but it feels nice to do, it's a nice rocking, a happy rocking, not a bad and tight tummy rocking. His brother looks, now that his glasses are back on, sad and all frowny, and Stan doesn't like that, so he lets Poindexter hug him, that's sure to cheer him up. Poindexter's hugs always cheer Stan up, why wouldn't they work on Ford.

"A-ah, thank you, Lee and Poindexter, for the hug. I appreciate it very-um very much." Ford rubs the back on his neck, giving the toy a hand armed hug and hesitant tap on it's "back", still unsure about hugging a stuffed animal.

His brother always looks so awkward when he hugs his stuffies, but, and Stan gives him a big hug, too, he looks happier than before, so Stan was right, as always, his friends hugs cheered up Sixer! His brother is the one grabbing his hand this time, walking them to the bedroom, Stan swinging their joined hands together between them for the short walk. "Lee, how about you go pick out some comfortable clothes while I fix the bed up. I'll help you get dressed when you've got them picked out, yes?" Stan understood enough of that to know that Sixer wants him to get some jammies out, he already knows which ones he's going to pick, his absolute favorite pair. He nods and gives a little salute, giggling when Ford tickles his chin, moving his face to escape the tickling but the hand keeps following him until he pushes it away, wanting to get changed. He watched his brother go to his bed, staring at it for some reason, before he goes to his dresser and pulls out his Special Jammy Drawer, the words capitalized to show how special and important this drawer is; it had all his fun and comfy pajamas and socks. Stan doesn't even need to look for his jammies, his favorite pair is right on top. It's a pair of fuzzy brown footies and it has a hood, but even better than the hood is the ears and tail on it, they look like a bears! Now he matches with Poindexter when he's got them on, that's why they're his favorite! Sixer always gets a kick out of it when he roars and rolls around on these, too.

"Have you got your clothes out yet, Lee? I've got the bed all fixed up with your special blankets and special pillows on it. I've even laid out a heating pad, it should be warm enough to feel once you've gotten dressed." Oh boy, Stan's special blankies are his favorites, and he gets a heating pad! He's got an achy back, so he sometimes needs a heating pad if it gets real bad, his special pillows are for his back and neck, too-Sixer likes to say something about "proper support" but Stan just likes how it makes his body feel like he's a giant laying on hills. But his blankets he can't rest without. One is a giant and heavy blankie with dinos on it, but the other is his tip top absolute favorite. It's a big and warm quilt with so many different patches and patterns-Stan added some teddy bears to it himself and they only made it look better-and some nice old lady gave it to him when he was really cold at a shelter once, it was just before he got Poindexter, which means it's also been with him forever and ever and he doesn't know what he'd do without it.

Stan's snapped out of his thought when his brother takes Poindexter out of his arms, Stan cries out and tries to follow him but calms down when Sixer puts him on the bed, right, he needs to get dressed and can't hold his friend to do that. "Steady now, Lee. Hold on to me." Ford always helps him get dressed, scared he'll fall and hurt himself, it's only ever happened one (or thrice or five times), but Stan likes it, it gives him a warm gooey feeling in his chest and tummy, he likes that his big brother wants to take care of him and soothe his ouchies when he gets hurt from falling. "Step in one leg at a time, Lee, we don't want to fall. Left leg in, perfect. Right leg now." Ford's voice is soft, so are his movements, he gently holds and guides Stan, helping him step in the legs of his jammies and threading his hand through the sleeves, zipping him up almost all the way but not to the top, Stan doesn't like things zipped up or buttoned up all the way, it makes it hard to swallow. "There we go," His hood is flipped up, the bear ears sticking out, "one Big Bear ready to lay down and rest easy." Stan does a little "roar" and makes claws with his hands, but he doesn't think it scares Sixer, his brother just laughs and rubs his head, which makes him pout before a tummy poke brings out his ticklish giggles.

"Alright, lets get tucked in to bed now. Ah-" Ford tuts at Stans returning pout, tapping his lips to usher it away, "You don't have to sleep, Lee, but I just want you to lay down in the quiet, okay?" Stan can do laying down, maybe not quiet, but he can 100% lay down in a comfy bed surrounded by Sixer and Poindexter and his blankies. "Perfect, let's get your glasses...alright, let's get you settled, Lee." As Ford tucks him and Poindexter in, Stan wonders if Ford will get in with him if he asked. Is Ford going to stay with Stan? The thought of Ford leaving makes him whimper, clutching his brother's sleeve. He can't leave, Stan needs him here with him! To protect him from any scary dreams or memories or monsters!

"Lee!? What is it what's wrong?" Ford panics, thinking something, another memory perhaps, caused Stanley's panic. His face crumples when all he gets his a whispered and broken "stay" and teary whines, did Stanley think he would leave? After what his memory was about? He gets on his knees, the joints cracking, before he speaks:

"Oh, Lee, I'm not going to leave you. I'm going to stay right here by your side, I always will be by your side, for the rest of our lives. So please, don't cry, I'm not going anywhere." He rests his forehead against Stanley's, one hand holding his, the other grabbing the pacifier he laid on the side table, bringing it up to his brother's mouth-which immediately latched on and began to chew, the repetitive movement obviously soothing, his body goes lax soon after.

Sixer said he'd stay, he always says that and he always stays, so Stan settles back down, chewing on his pacifier and hugging Poindexter, and lets his brother finish tucking him in, the blankets tights around him, the pressure is soothing. He keeps his head turned to face his brother, needing to see him, to make sure he's really going to stay, snuffling when his hair gets soothed back, the hand resting on the top on his head. Stan doesn't feel tired, not sleepy tired at least, but it feels nice to let his body relax against his bed and brother, just letting himself float in his fuzzy headed feelings, not really thinking of anything, just existing.

It felt nice.

[lookingfts]

Dialogue Game - Prompts #5 and #6

#5 - "I’m pretty much fucked…" (@ottovastra)

Anthony was exhausted. Back-to-back meetings, a hysterical phone call from Hyacinth, plus he’d forgotten to eat all day, so his head was pounding and his energy was sapped. His delivery order arrived only minutes after he did, and he was preparing to tuck in to his Pad Thai when there was a knock on his door.

That wasn’t unexpected – not with his enormous family. But the woman standing on his front steps was decidedly not one of his siblings.

“Hey,” she said sheepishly. “I’m really sorry to bother you, but my car broke down and your light was on and the tow truck is taking forever, and I’m pretty much fucked without a car – sorry, that’s not your concern – but I just really need to use your loo if that’s not too much of an imposition?”

For a long moment, Anthony didn’t respond, thoroughly distracted as he took her in. He wasn’t exactly starving for pretty women, but someone this gorgeous literally landing on his doorstep still felt like a bolt from the heavens. Tall and lithe, glowing deep skin and diamond-sharp cheekbones. Thick winding curls and eyes that seemed to glitter gold.

She arched a brow, and he realized that his silence was probably reading a bit creepy. “Oh, sorry, of course. Please, come in. Second door on the left, there.”

“Thank you so much.” The woman disappeared down the hallway, and Anthony stood there stupidly, unsure what to do. But in the few minutes it took her to return, he’d resolved. “I won’t trouble you any longer, thank you again for-.”

“Do you like Thai food?”

Super smooth, Anthony. The woman stilled, sinking her teeth into her lip. “Um, yeah. I do.”

“Well, I just had some delivered,” he explained, gesturing vaguely toward the kitchen. “And you’re welcome to wait in here for the tow truck and have some dinner, if you would like.”

She simply stared at him for a moment, and then she smiled, sending a surprisingly strong current through his blood. “I- yeah, that would be nice,” she said. “I’m Kate, by the way.”

“Right,” he laughed. They were standing in his living room, and he hadn’t even thought to introduce himself. “Anthony.”

“Anthony,” she echoed, rolling it around on her tongue, and he quite liked the way that sounded. “Well, maybe I broke down in the right place.”

He grinned, all his earlier exhaustion dissipating. Strange, how quickly his day could change. “Maybe you did.”

#6 - "You don't know how long I've waited to hear you say that." "I do-- almost as long as I've been waiting to say it." (@mimix007)

She was such an idiot.

Truly, she didn’t know. All this time, she thought it was Edwina. The way he tried to ingratiate himself into her family; sending them flowers, asking Kate questions about them, inviting them to Aubrey Hall. Why else would he do it, but to woo her lovely, sweet, worthy-of-being-a-Viscountess sister?

And so she hadn’t meant to hurt him, hadn’t thought she was hurting him, when she brought her coworker Ian to the Bridgerton holiday party. She thought he would ask Edwina and Kate just didn’t want to be alone, didn’t want to be heartbroken and pathetic in the corner. Or at least, she didn’t want everyone to see that she was heartbroken and pathetic. Feeling it was probably inevitable.

She didn’t go home with Ian, of course – he was only a friend, and one who had agreed to accompany her for the legendary buffet and gift bags in addition to friendly loyalty. She had been laying on her sofa, relieved that the night wasn’t a catastrophe, when Ben texted her. Are you dating that guy?

Kate didn’t want to admit anything – even to Ben, who would surely understand but might tell Anthony, and then what was the point? Why are you asking?

Look, I know Anthony is an idiot, and a dick most of the time. But if you didn’t want him, you could have just told him that instead of showing up with someone else. That really hurt him.

She read the text seven times before she could stop believing that she’d read it wrong. What the hell are you talking about? Anthony has been chasing Edwina, not me.

Oh, Christ. I say this with love, but you’re just as stupid as he is.

A few seconds, and then another message. He doesn’t want Edwina.

Something tightened in her stomach. If he wasn’t interested in Edwina, then either he had a thing for older women – Mary was still gorgeous, to be fair – or…

Or she’d really fucked up tonight.

She hadn’t bothered changing out of her red sequined dress, and she threw her coat back on before hopping on the tube. This was absurd, completely absurd, but she knew she had to look Anthony in the eye when she asked him for the truth. Even when he lied, she could always tell. His face betrayed him.

He started a little when he opened the door, clearly not expecting her, and Kate swallowed. “I’m not dating Ian.”

There was a dip in his shoulders as he relaxed. “You’re not?”

Kate shook her head. “You didn’t want Edwina?”

Anthony’s eyes widened, and he closed the distance between them by a step. “No, I never- I never said that, why would you-?”

She shrugged, feeling stupid. It wasn’t hard to puzzle it out, if she really thought about it. “Everyone does.”

“I don’t,” he sighed, and she held her breath. They were standing right on the edge of something, the truth that could consume them whole, and the idea of falling terrified her. But a lifetime on the edge sounded even worse. “Your sister is great, but you were the only one I ever wanted. Ben witnessed a pretty embarrassing meltdown when I saw you with that guy tonight. I just…I’m in love with you, Kate. I thought it was obvious.”

All the tension melted from his body, and he looked…free. Kate pressed her lips together, tears pricking hot at her eyes. Maybe it was obvious, or it would have been, if she hadn’t been so blind. “You don’t know how long I’ve waited to hear you say that.”

“Yeah, I do,” Anthony said, a wide smile forming on his face at the confirmation that his feelings were reciprocated, or at least welcomed. “Almost as long as I’ve been waiting to say it.”

Feeling bold, Kate stepped through his doorway, and Anthony took a step back to make room for her. “I’m in love with you,” she confessed, and the joy on his face stole all the air from her lungs. “And it’s not too late to take this dress off me tonight.”

Anthony chuckled, low and rich, shutting the door behind her and backing her gently up against it. “That,” he murmured, sliding her coat off her shoulders. “Is a brilliant idea.”

[lookinghalfacorpse]

Speaking of Em, Idk if I've already sent an ask about this(so sorry if I have!) but I've been wondering, how did Techno exactly find Em? Like iirc then it was mentioned in itwall that techno found her pregnant in the forest, but besides that I don't think anything else was said. What was her life like before? Did she have any previous owners? Was she a wild wolf? How did Techno end up finding her? Like I'm curious to know the Em lore

patience is a skill em learned through many different lessons. life didn't let her move forward without it. if you could ask her (and if she could respond. remember that she's just a dog, after all), she would say that nothing good comes out of rushing things.

motherhood was her first teacher. being a wild dog, she bore puppies for her pack a few times, and putting up with pups requires a calm and thoughtful mind. before her pups could be great warriors and hunters, they had to be stumbling younglings. they had to dig their sharp baby teeth into her breast for their milk. they had to play-bite her ears and tails before they could bite the neck of a deer. they had to learn, often the hard way, that porcupine quills would pierce their noses. and if they survived that trial-and-error period, they would grow into powerful pack members, and she could teach them what it meant to fight and hunt and protect.

she was traveling through the arctic forest with her pack at the end of the spring season. they followed the migration of the deer throughout the harsh weather, and the travel wasn't easy. em's litter from the prior year was old enough to handle the heavy snow, though she still kept an eye on them. her belly swelled with the familiar weight of pregnancy.

but the snow hid traps beneath them. with an explosive snap, a bear trap closed on her front left leg.

injury was her second teacher. the pack had to abandon her where she bled. she watched her babies turn their rears to her, defeated, their pawprints trailing into the distance. she expected to die there. a day or two passed. she was collapsed with exhaustion in the snow when a large, not-quite-human creature plucked her from the ground and carried her to a human shelter. this creature was furred, like she was, and had a long snout like some of her prey, but spoke with a human tongue. a second human took the metal from her leg, and she flailed and bit at him. but they had a pack, too, and she bonded with the new dogs quickly.

she limped for months. they gave her an enclosed pen for her to go into labor, and she taught them-- just like all her pups before them-- to be great warriors.

war was her third teacher. human war was nothing like the occasional brawl over territory that she knew in her past life. she watched fire spread like floods, shelters collapse like hollow trees. she watched humans swing sharp tools at each other-- they rarely ever used tooth and claw. but sometimes they did. it was a violence she'd never known. but with patience, she learned it.

[hexgaywire]

Hi! Could I ask for a short fic (SFW) of Hex comforting his S/O (preferably female) after she gets home tired, from a stressful day of work because she had to stay extra hours? Thanks in advance~ 💕

This is the perfect request I love you 5ever for requesting Hex too. I'd be happy to do this.

»»————-　☾　————-««

Hex comforting his tired S/O

Ft. Hex Haywire

Warnings: Established relationship, mentions of burnout, food mentions, hurt/comfort type beat

»»————-　☾　————-««

It had been a long day at work. You're burnt out having to do overtime, your boss had been nagging you all day and all you wanted to do was go back to your apartment with your lovely boyfriend lay down and die.

When you finally clock out for the day you feel the rest of the weight of commuting home start to cave on you. "Only a little longer." You sigh to yourself. Your eyes feel heavy and your body feels like it could give out at any moment.

-

Finally reaching home you fumble for your keys and unlock the door. The smell of food wafts through your nose as soon as you open the door. "Darling is that you?" You hear Hex call from the kitchen. "Yeah it's me." You responded weakly as you set down your stuff and took off your shoes.

You trek into the kitchen, Hex is a sight to behold. He's in an apron, cooking the most delicious meal you've ever seen. "You've been busy." You smile at him. He sighs at you. "So have you! I mean you must be exhausted darling. I just wanted to help out by making you some food so you wouldn't have to deal with that when you got home." He smiles.

You could cry, and you do. He's just so caring and you had such a long day. You sniffle and sob. Hex shuts off the stove and rushes to your side.

He guides your sobbing form to the sofa and gently strokes your back. Once both of you are sat you immediately crawl into his arms and hiccups out a few more sobs. Hex gently shushes, continuing to rub small circles into your back. "Tough day?" He gently prods. You nod silently. "I've got you, I don't want you to worry about anything else tonight." Hex kisses the top of your head.

After holding you for a while you eventually calm down. "Thank you for being amazing Hex. I genuinely don't know what I'd do without you." He smiles warmly at you. "I don't know what I'd do without you, you're amazing and you do so much. I'm just here to remind you that you're loved and I'm extremely proud of you." You squeeze him tightly. " If you want we can take a little nap before you eat? " he suggested. " I'd like that idea." You say as you cozy up on the couch with him and drift off into a nap.

»»————-　☾　————-««

This was not beta read I literally wrote this at work so if there's any mistakes I'm sorry. Hope you enjoyed it! My requests are still open!

[daughterofthequeen]

Contribution

Pairings: Ezra Bridger x gn!reader

Requested by: @theriseofshin

A/N: I added a little more to the story I hope that's ok. And omg look at the gif I found, Eman is so Ezra coded. THE SHOULDER BOUNCE WHEN THEY SMILE. Ok so this based on season 3 episode 11 of Rebels and also somewhere in between S3 E11 and S3 E13. The idea just popped up in my head, we'll see how it goes. Reader is force sensitive. This is also unedited btw.

Summary: When you, Sabine, and Kanan followed Maul and Ezra to Dathomir, the witches somehow took away your powers. Which should've been impossible, but ever since that incident you've felt like you brought nothing to the team. You felt like you were in the way. Seeing this Ezra quickly took these thoughts from your mind reminding you of who you are.

Translation: kokipa- fear

You were laying on your bed enjoying having the room to yourself for once. I mean don't get me wrong, you and Sabine get along really well as roommates as well as sisters can be anyway, but lately in your spare time you'd ather be alone. After what happened on Dathomir, you rather not be around anyone.

EDIT: I accidentally deleted this when I was trying to make a correction. You guys don’t know how stressed I was.

And HUGE shout to @nubimera for reblogging this story because not only were you the first reblog of this fic but you are the reason I was able to get pictures of my fic so I wouldn’t have to rewrite it. THANK YOU SO MUCH YOURE SO AMAZING🥰❤️🥰❤️🥰❤️🥰❤️🥰❤️🥰and a big thanks to everyone who like my fic in the short amount of time of me posting before I accidentally deleted it🤦‍♀️🫣🤦‍♀️

Few weeks ago on Dathomir

After Ezra threw you out of the cave the spirit left your body, giving you back control of your limbs.

"Why is it every time we work with Maul, weird force stuff happens and I'm always hurt trying to save you?" You said with a small smile while trying to rub away your migraine.

"Wait you're hurt? Where?" Ezra responded reaching towards you looking for any injuries.

“I'm hurt mentally, these experiences take a toll on a person you know." You smirked and Ezra rolled his eyes at your teasing.

"I thought you were injured."

"I do have a heck of a headache if that makes you feel any better." You said as you stood up.

"No, you stay here. I'm going to go get Sabine and Kanan."

"Then I want to help."

"They'll just posses you again."

"And what about you?"

"I have a plan."

"Great, then I can help with that. I'll take Sabine and you can take Kanan." You said walking back into the cave.

Ezra sighed at your stubbornness and followed you in.

"You know you're pretty stubborn." Ezra says.

"I've been told that before."

Sensing something behind you, you quickly ignited your light saber and blocked the one aimed at you. You called out and told Ezra to go help Kanan before focusing back on your best friend.

"Sabine if you can hear me, I'm sorry." You said as you broke the hold of the lightsabers and kicked Sabine in her stomach sending her backwards. Seeing her getting up you pressed on slowly but surely backing Sabine towards the entrance of the cave before a force knocked you over. You opened your eyes to see the spirit that came after you the first time. You quickly dodged it and turned back around towards Sabine and when you did you felt a pair of fingers on your forehead and you hear one word before blacking out.

"Kokipa."

The Next Day

The next thing you knew you were waking up in your bed with Ezra sitting next to you, and it didn't take long to realize the damage that had been done. Once you had woken up completely everything felt quiet. You couldn't feel anything around you. You went to Kanan to ask him about it and he said it could just be fatigue, but you didn't believe it. You have been way more exhausted before and it never affected your powers. It wasn't until a few days later during a mission briefing when you realized your powers were gone. Hera was explaining the mission when you seen one of the cute hermit crab things that were all around chopper base. It was sitting next to your hand on the edge of the holo-table. Smiling softly you reached out to it with the force, well you tried anyway. It was something you would do all the time, but this time you couldn't feel its emotions or its presence. Trying not to panic you looked around trying to connect with any living thing you had seen, but felt nothing. Now it was time to panic. You looked towards Ezra and Kanan. Ezra must've felt your worry and unease because he looked up directly at you seeing your panicked eyes. A few seconds of the two of you staring at each other, he gave you a confused look. That's when you realized he was trying to talk to you through the force link only the two of you shared.

When the two of you met you both instantly created a bond that grew stronger every day. About a month into your friendship you both realized you could use the force to connect your minds and talk to each other telepathically. Kanan explained that it was because of the bond you two share and that it was a rare occurrence and could be dangerous if the two of you weren't careful with your emotions. Over time you both mastered the skill, only this time you couldn't hear Ezra thoughts at all or even feel him through the force. That's when you started to panic. You didn't even hear Hera when she asked if you were ok, or notice Kanan quickly moving to your side while Ezra made his way to the other. All you could hear was your body trying to catch its breath. You couldn't breath, and you could barely hear Ezra trying to walk you through slowing your breathing, but you couldn't. Every thing sounded like it was under water.

Kanan and Ezra walked you to the common room of the Ghost as the others followed, watching worriedly as Ezra was slowly able to calm you down.

"So, you gonna tell us what's going on?" Kanan said.

"Somethings wrong with me." You replied.

"What do you mean?"

"I think I've lost my powers."

Everyone was silent at first, a Jedi losing their connection to the force was so rare it was basically unheard of during the times of old. The only way for a force user to lose their powers was if they stopped using it completely.

"(Y/n), that's not possible."

"Then tell me what it is Kanan! It's not exhaustion, it's something else! It's like everything has gone quiet, if I wasn't looking at all of you right now, I wouldn't even know you were here! Tell me what to do Kanan.”

"I-I haven't seen anything like this before (Y/n). I'm not sure there is anything we can do. Let me think on it, we'll figure it out I promise." You could hear the sadness in Kanan's voice which only worries you more. You said nothing else as you stood up went to your room. You were anxious, angry, sad, and scared.

"What would my contribution to the team be now?" You asked yourself before the sound of the door opening caught your attention. It was Ezra.

"Hey." He said softly.

"Hey."

"How you doin'?" Ezra asked as he sat next to you on your bunk.

"How do you think I'm doing?" The pause that followed was uncomfortable and the guilt you felt caused you to sigh.

"I'm sorry, Ezra. I'm just- I don't know why I’m going to do.”

"Don't worry, we'll figure this out, (N/ n)."

"It's not just that."

"Then what is it?"

"How am I supposed to help the team?"

"What?"

"Without the force, I'm useless to the team."

"That's not true! You are more than just your powers (N/n)."

"Am I? I'm not skilled in mechanics like Sabine, I'm not as good a shot as Zeb, and I definitely don't even come close to flying as good a Hera. You and Kanan, even you guys come up with really good plans when needed. I can't do any of that stuff. I knew how to fight, but now that my powers are gone how am I supposed to do that well." You said looking away from Ezra.

"Woah, woah, woah, let me stop you right there. You are a vital part of this team, this family. And just because you think you don't contribute anything other than your lightsaber doesn't make it true. I can't tell you how many messes you've gotten us out of with your quick thinking, how many problems your creative mind help fix for everybody on this ship, constantly. And you're a fierce warrior with and without your saber."

"Ezra." You sighed.

"You are needed here, and I won't let you think otherwise. And I will repeat myself everyday until you believe it, if I have to." Ezra finished as he softly cups your cheek and turn your head back towards him to look you in the eyes.

"Thanks, Ezra. But-"

"No buts." He said leaning forward pressing a soft kiss on your cheek, then another on your lips. "Now, let's forgive this out. Start from the beginning." And you did. You told him about everything that happened yesterday, and retracing your steps helped you realize the reason your powers are gone. You were still anxious and afraid, but with Ezra there you knew everything was going to turn out fine.

————————————————————

A/N: Finally finished I hope this isn't to cringe or anything. And hopefully this fulfilled your request. Thank you so much for sending in your request, and giving me a chance to bring your idea to life. I will now be heading to bed. Good night, guys.

Edit: But I did discover something from this mistake if you have a iPad and an iPhone you can copy something from said iPad and all you have to do is click ast on your iPhone and it’ll paste whatever it was from your iPad to your phone. I’m late Ik BUT it was such a life saver because I promise if I had to rewrite this whole fic out again without a reference (not that I didn’t enjoy writing it the first time) this fic was going to be my 13th reason. Hope you guys enjoy, toodles👋.

[datingjaeminfr]

+ ONLY FOR YOU + JOSHUA HONG

PAIRING: Joshua Hong x Male Reader

GENRE: Smut

WARNINGS: Mentions of drinking, Rough sex, Dirty talk, Orgasm control

Summary: You told your best friend you weren't a sub for anybody. He made it his goal to prove you wrong in one night.

Note: I might not be able to post in half term if I'm busy but I'll try my best.

You and your friend Joshua had been drunk one night. Well, you had been drunk at least. Joshua was just a bit tipsy. He had asked you if you were a top or bottom out of curiosity, and possibly the crush he had on you. He hid it well however, asking you the question when you were off your head so as not to raise suspicion. You didn't want to tell him that you weren't dominant. It was embarrassing to you, so you lied, praying he couldn't see through it, "Of course I'm dominant. Always have been, always will be. There's not a single person in this world that can top me, make me submissive."

Your current situation was most likely a cause of being too arrogant. A few days later and here you are, getting your soul fucked out. Joshua held you down by your shoulder and waist. His hips slammed into you at a harsh, rapid pace. Your moans were loud and high pitched in tone. They forced themself out of you hoarse throat with every powerful thrust. Your body ached from what Joshua had done to you, flipping you into difficult positions. Your throat was sore from him choking you without mercy. Even when giving you hickeys he hurt you, biting you before or after, leaving deep red marks. You were pretty sure you had actually bled slightly from a few of them.

He stopped pounding you, flipping you over before fucking his dick straight back into you. The new angle allowed him in deeper than before. He began to hit your prostate repeatedly, causing you to bite your tongue to stop from screaming. The bed was rocking back and forth, hitting the wall with loud bangs and squeaking. For a second you were worried about the bed not being able to hold the both of you, but Joshua didn't leave you any time to care for that.

Your eyes were teary, the clear, salty liquid escaping your eyes every second, a new tear always replacing the one that had gone last. Despite all this, you enjoyed it. Your eyes rolled back, lids half closing as a dumb smile stretched across your face. You repeatedly screamed his name, no longer caring who heard you so long as Joshua gave you what you so desperately wanted. Your brain numbed, you could only stupidly say his name over and over as though it was the only word you knew. All you wanted to do was please him, no matter what he did to you to have that pleasure.

Your legs began shaking, signalling your orgasm was close. "Don't you dare cum." Joshua growled, going even faster. You were driven crazy at the new pace, wanting to come undone even more, "B-but-" He cut you off, "Tell me who you belong to and I'll think about it." You knew if you said the answer you were giving the last ounce of control to him. Your body begged you to give into your orgasm and ignore him, release your load against his order. Your sub side wouldn't allow it, instead forcing you to give into his demands. "Y-you, I belong t-to you."

You knew Joshua heard you but the man cruelly got you to hold in your fluids for longer, teasing you, a sadistic, almost inhumane smirk on his face. "I'm sorry, I didn't hear you. What was that love?" You repeated the sentence, screaming it out in desperation, your muscles burning from trying to stop your body shaking. He hummed in thought, taking his sweet time in deciding if he should let you release or not. "Joshua please! I've been good!" You begged him. "Cum with me then," he responded, finally letting your body relieve itself.

The orgasm you held for so long took control, body spasming. Your back arched as he filled you up, white blinding your vision as you released directly after him. Joshua pulled out, collapsing on top of you. You both lay there exhausted, sweating, as you panted heavily in an attempt to catch your breaths back. "You sure you aren’t a bottom?" Joshua got out between gasps of air. "Only for you," You murmured, blacking out as the recent events took a toll on your body. Joshua had done it.

He had proved you wrong in a single night.

[coolbeans32]

Echoes of Destiny: The Serpent and the Phoenix

PAIRING: Tom Riddle x F!Reader (OC)

SYNOPSIS: After an exhausting day, Harry, Hermione, and Genevieve, along with Nagini, prepare a plan to retrieve two crucial Horcruxes—the diary and the ring—by traveling back in time. Over a modest dinner, they discuss the complexities of their mission. Just as they finalize their plans, Ron returns after a long absence, bringing renewed hope and determination to the group. The next day, armed with their Time-Turners and a meticulously crafted strategy, Harry and Hermione journey to the Chamber of Secrets while Ron and Genevieve head to the decrepit Gaunt shack. Both teams succeed and return to the present, narrowly avoiding detection and maintaining the timeline’s integrity. When the group returns, they celebrate their success, having secured two more pieces of Voldemort's soul without causing any ripples in time. Their victory brings them one step closer to their ultimate goal—defeating Voldemort and restoring peace.

WARNINGS: Some violence and danger are present in this chapter, as well as suspense and anxiety inducing sciences, but not too much. Let me know if there are any warnings or trigger warnings that I should add :)

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sorry it's been taking too long for me to update. I've been working on summer research and that takes up a lot of time but never fret, I will make sure to update as soon as I can. Happy Reading :))

WORD COUNT: 2.3k

Previous Part| Next Part

Chapter Fourteen

The Ring and The Diary

The long, mahogany table at Grimmauld Place was laden with a modest but hearty dinner. The flickering light of candles added a warm glow to the otherwise dark and dreary kitchen. Harry, Hermione, and Genevieve sat around the table, finally taking a break after an exhausting day of research. Nagini, an unexpected guest, also gathered around the table, enjoying her human form once again after many years stuck in her serpent form.

"Pass the mashed potatoes, please," Harry said, reaching out to Hermione, who obligingly handed over the bowl.

"Who knew researching Horcruxes would be this draining?" Hermione sighed, rubbing her temples. "We're making progress, though. I can feel it."

Genevieve took a sip of her tea, her eyes twinkling with a mix of exhaustion and amusement. "Indeed. We’re close to figuring out how to safely retrieve the diary and the ring without altering the timeline too drastically."

Harry nodded, his forehead still creased with concern. "It's just... we need to be absolutely certain. One wrong move and we could cause irreparable damage."

Nagini shifted slightly, drawing their attention. Hermione glanced at her expression, a mix of wariness and curiosity. "It's still surreal having you here, helping us. I don’t think any one of us expected this," she murmured.

Genevieve smiled. "Stranger alliances have been formed in times of need. She's proven herself, hasn't she?" Before anyone could respond, the front door creaked open. Harry and Hermione exchanged puzzled glances as the sound of footsteps echoed through the hall. Suddenly, Ron appeared in the doorway, looking weary but determined.

"Ron!" Hermione exclaimed, leaping from her chair. She rushed to him, throwing her arms around his neck. "I've missed you so much! Are you okay?" Ron hugged her tightly, his face lighting up with a tired but genuine smile. "I'm fine, Hermione. Missed you too."

Harry was next, crossing the room to clap Ron on the back before pulling him into a hug. "Good to have you back, mate. We were worried."

Genevieve watched the reunion with a warm smile, her hands cradling her teacup. "Welcome back, Ron. Your timing couldn't be better." Ron, looking around at the gathered group and even sparing a cautious glance at Nagini, grinned. "I see things have changed a bit since I left." Hermione pulled back slightly, her eyes shining with relief and affection. "We've had a few surprises. Come, sit down. You must be starving."

 As Ron took a seat at the table, Harry passed him a plate piled high with food. "We've been working on a way to retrieve the diary and the ring intact. It's been challenging."

Ron nodded, his face serious. "Sounds like I came back just in time, then. I've been doing some thinking too. Maybe I can help."

Hermione reached out, placing her hand over Ron's. "We can definitely use all the help we can get. But for now, let’s eat and catch up." The conversation flowed easily after that, filled with laughter. They shared stories, both old and new, the warmth of their friendship a beacon in the otherwise dark and uncertain world they faced. Even Nagini seemed to relax, her posture less tense as she observed the group. Genevieve, watching the scene unfold, felt a glimmer of hope. As the evening wore on, the exhaustion of the day melted away, replaced by the comforting presence of friends reunited. The challenges ahead were daunting, but for now, they had each other. And that was enough.

In the dimly lit family room, the air was thick with anticipation. Genevieve stood at the center, her eyes fixed on the group seated around her. Harry, Hermione, and Ron listened intently, while Nagini sat quietly to the side, her gaze sharp and focused.

"Thank you all for gathering here," Genevieve began, her voice steady and resolute. "We’ve made significant progress, and now it's time to discuss the plan to retrieve the diary and the ring. These Horcruxes are crucial to our mission, and we must handle this delicately."

Harry leaned forward, his brows furrowed. "So, how do we do this without messing up the timeline?"

Genevieve took a deep breath. "We’ll split into two teams, each responsible for retrieving one Horcrux. The key is to not venture too far back in time. We’ll aim for the most recent moments that allow us to make the switch seamlessly."

Hermione, ever the logical thinker, interjected, "But even small changes in the past can have significant impacts. How do we ensure we don't alter history?"

"Transfiguration," Genevieve replied. "We will transfigure the damaged Horcruxes to appear undamaged. This way, when we make the switch, the timeline remains unaffected as much as possible. The illusion must be flawless. For the case of the diary and the ring, I’ll have to also cast a few spells and rune magic to maintain its dark nature. Therefore, it would still allow the past Harry to seemingly destroy the diary and Dumbledore would still end up cursed, which would still lead to his death…I know this may make anyone uneasy, so I will perform the magic myself, the rest of us will just make the switch. "

Ron nodded slowly, though his expression was still one of concern. "So, who goes where?"

Genevieve unfolded a piece of parchment on the table, revealing a detailed plan. "Harry and Hermione will retrieve the diary from the Chamber of Secrets. Ron and I will handle the ring at the Gaunt shack. Nagini will stay here to monitor our temporal positions and ensure we all return safely."

Nagini, her voice smooth and calm, added, "I'll be your anchor. My connection to Voldemort's magic gives me a unique sense of the Horcruxes' presence. I can guide you back if anything goes wrong."

Harry exchanged a glance with Hermione. "How close to the actual times are we talking?" Genevieve traced a line on the parchment. "For the diary, just a few days before Harry destroyed it in the Chamber. For the ring, moments before Dumbledore retrieved it. Close enough to minimize the risk of detection, but not so close that we can’t avoid our past selves."

Hermione bit her lip. "But what if something goes wrong? What if we can't switch them in time?"

"We’ll have contingency plans," Genevieve assured her. "We’ll carry a small reserve of Polyjuice Potion, and I have a few spells up my sleeve that can buy us some time. But we must stay focused and move quickly."

Ron, though still looking hesitant, finally spoke up. "Alright. But what about the ripple effects? How do we deal with those?"

Genevieve smiled reassuringly. "The ripple effects will be minimal if we do this correctly. By transfiguring the damaged Horcruxes and replacing them at the exact moments, the timeline will remain stable. The key is precision and speed."

Harry nodded, the resolve in his eyes clear. "We can do this. We have to."

Hermione took a deep breath, her determination shining through. "I'm with you."

Ron, though still a bit nervous, squared his shoulders. "Count me in."

Genevieve looked at them with pride. "Then it's settled. We leave tomorrow at dawn. Prepare yourselves and get some rest. This will require all our strength and focus." The group dispersed to their respective rooms, each lost in their thoughts. As Genevieve watched them go, she felt a surge of hope.With careful planning and a bit of luck, they would retrieve the Horcruxes. The clock ticked softly in the background, a reminder of the time that was both their enemy and their ally. But for now, they had a plan. 

The library of Grimmauld Place seemed to shimmer as the group activated their Time-Turners. The air around Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Genevieve swirled with a golden light, the familiar sensation of time travel pulling them away from the present. The room blurred, and their surroundings changed in an instant. 

Harry and Hermione found themselves standing in a dark, damp corridor deep beneath Hogwarts: the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets. The musty smell of ancient stone filled their nostrils as they took in their surroundings. Simultaneously, Ron and Genevieve landed outside the decrepit Gaunt shack. The air was thick with the scent of decay, and the overgrown grass whispered under their feet as they approached the door.

Nagini watched the clock intently, her eyes never leaving the second hand as it ticked. She held her own charm tightly, ready to respond to any signal from the group, or to send a signal the second danger was prevalent.

Harry glanced at Hermione, who nodded. "Let's move quickly," he whispered.

They pushed open the heavy door and stepped into the Chamber. The air was filled with the eerie echo of their footsteps. Ahead of them lay the lifeless body of the basilisk, and on the far end of the room stood the statue of Salazar Slytherin, with the small, black diary lying on the floor.

Harry pointed to the diary. "There it is. Just like we planned."

As they started moving towards the diary, they heard a faint echo of voices from the entrance to the Chamber. Harry’s heart sank as he recognized the voice—his own, younger self.

"Quick, hide!" Harry hissed. They ducked behind the nearest column just as younger Harry and Ginny, accompanied by the shade of Tom Riddle, entered the Chamber. The younger Harry was trying to save Ginny, oblivious to the presence of their older counterparts.

Hermione’s eyes widened. "We can't let them see us."

They watched as the younger Harry ran towards the exit, only to be halted by the menacing figure of Tom Riddle, who began to taunt him. The older Harry and Hermione had to wait for the right moment, staying hidden in the shadows.

As Riddle’s taunting grew louder, the older Harry saw his opportunity. He turned to Hermione. "We need a distraction." Hermione nodded and whispered an incantation. A small explosion echoed through the Chamber, causing younger Harry and Riddle to look towards the source of the noise. Taking advantage of the distraction, older Harry dashed towards the diary. However, as he reached out, the giant serpent began to stir. The basilisk’s eyes flickered open, and it hissed in rage, sensing an intruder.

"Hermione, the basilisk!" Harry yelled, keeping his eyes averted.

Hermione quickly cast a series of blinding spells towards the basilisk, attempting to drive it away without looking directly at it. The basilisk, now enraged, slithered towards the source of the spells, buying Harry precious seconds. He grabbed the diary and swiftly replaced it with the transfigured version. Just as he completed the switch, the basilisk lunged at him, forcing him to dive out of the way.

From the corner of his eye, Harry saw Riddle’s shade notice the commotion. The older Harry had to remain unseen; any interference could jeopardize their mission. He scrambled back to Hermione, who was still battling the basilisk’s attention.

"Let's get out of here," Harry said, his voice tense and urgent.

They moved stealthily towards the exit, but as they approached, the younger Harry turned around, sensing movement. Hermione quickly cast a Disillusionment Charm, making them blend into the surroundings just in time.

The younger Harry shook his head, dismissing it as a trick of the light, and continued his confrontation with Riddle. The older Harry and Hermione edged past them, hearts pounding, until they were finally clear of the Chamber.

"That was too close," Hermione whispered, still shaking from the encounter.

Harry nodded, holding the intact diary tightly. "But we did it. We got the diary." They hurried back to their Time-Turner rendezvous point, ready to return to the present with their prize. Despite the close calls and the danger, they had succeeded in their mission, leaving the timeline intact and the Horcrux safely in their possession.

Meanwhile, Ron and Genevieve crept into the dilapidated shack, the air thick with the smell of rot. The interior was dark and foreboding, with broken furniture and debris scattered across the floor.

"Stay close," Genevieve whispered. "The ring should be hidden somewhere inside." They carefully navigated the shack, every creak of the floorboards making Ron's heart race. Suddenly, they heard a rustling sound from one of the corners.

Ron froze. "What was that?"

Genevieve motioned for silence and slowly approached the source of the noise. She found an old, ragged cloak covering a small box. Inside, the ring lay nestled in a pile of dusty rags.

"I found it," she whispered, carefully removing the ring and replacing it with the transfigured replica. "Let's get out of here before—", A loud crash echoed through the shack as a piece of the ceiling gave way. Ron and Genevieve jumped back, their hearts pounding.

"Time to go," Ron said, his voice shaking.

They hurried out of the shack, the ring safely in Genevieve's possession. As they reached their rendezvous point, they activated their Time-Turners, ready to return to the present.

Nagini’s eyes remained fixed on the clock. The seconds felt like hours as she waited for any sign from the group. Suddenly, her charm began to glow softly, signaling that they were returning.

In a rush of golden light, Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Genevieve reappeared in the library of Grimmauld Place. They were slightly disoriented but relieved to be back. Nagini immediately rushed to their side, her eyes scanning each of them for any signs of trouble.

"Did everything go as planned?" she asked, her voice filled with concern.

Harry nodded, holding up the intact diary. "We got it."

Ron grinned, pulling the ring from his pocket. "And this too. Everything went smoothly."

Hermione let out a sigh of relief, her shoulders relaxing. "No disruptions. We made the switches perfectly."

Genevieve smiled, a hint of pride in her eyes. "Excellent work, everyone. We did it."

Nagini’s tense expression softened into a smile. "Well done. Now, let's secure these Horcruxes and find the last one, so we can get this thing out of me." The group shared a collective sigh of relief, the weight of their mission lifting. They had succeeded in their perilous journey into the past, retrieving the crucial Horcruxes without altering the fabric of time.

Taglist: @wheenerrr @jillian2003 @secretkittydreamland

Tom Riddle Masterlist

© coolbeans32 2024

[sattlite]

Pairing: Jesse X Walt

Format: One-shot

Warning(s): Breaking bad spoilers! Mentions of alcohol, grief, trauma.

Words: 770

English is not my first language, so I'm sorry if there are any mistakes...

It had been weeks since Jesse had shown up for work. Since Jane's death, he hadn't answered calls, hadn't answered the door. But this time it would be different. Walter White was full of it and wouldn't leave Jesse's door until he showed up.

Getting out of his car furiously, Walt marched up to the door of Jesse's apartment, not hesitating to knock on the door sharply.

"Come on, Jesse! I know you're there! I saw your car parked on the street a few days ago!", Walt knocked brutally on the door, but heard no response. Frustrated, he pushed forward and kicked the door, causing it to give way.

The sight that opened before him was bleak. The apartment was dirty and smelly, bottles of cheap beer littered the floor, and Jesse, a mere specter of who he used to be, was slumped under a mattress, surrounded by a sea of empty bottles.

"Jesse... What is this? I've been trying to contact you for weeks!", Walt kicked the bottles away from Jesse. "But every time I knock on your door, you find a way to make me leave. But not today, Jesse. This ends now!"

Walt grabbed the bottle Jesse was holding, trying to stop him from consuming any more alcohol. A silent conflict unfolded between the two, each fighting their own demons.

"Let go, Jesse! Give me that bottle now!", Walt pulled the bottle against his stomach so that Jesse couldn't take it away from him, but Jesse resisted.

Finally, Jesse pulled his hands away from Walt's, exhausted. Walt noticed how thin and dirty Jesse was, a shadow of the man he used to be.

"Oh my God, Jesse! How long has it been since you took a shower?", Walt frowned, smelling the nauseating smell of the apartment.

"Go ahead, throw the shit I do in my face, do like everyone else, Mr. White!", Jesse looked into Walt's eyes angrily, his voice shrill.

"Stop the drama, Jesse. You think everyone hates you, but I'm here now, aren't I?", Walt tried to calm things down.

"I don't need anyone, Mr. Walt. I just needed her... and I screwed up. I failed her!", Tears streamed down Jesse's face.

"Jesse...she wasn't good for you. She needed to go!", Walt tried to comfort Jesse.

"What the fuck are you talking about? She loved me, I LOVED HER!", Jesse exploded with emotion.

"Okay, so let's assume she was still here, but would you still be? Wake up, this toxic relationship of yours was going to end you. I'm just saying what's best for you, Jesse."

"How could you know what's best for me? You weren't even here when I needed you...", Jesse was desperate, pacing from one side to the other, frustrated.

"But I'm here now, aren't I? I always take hours out of my day to help you, Jesse. I've always supported you...", Walt tried to make himself understood, slowly approaching Jesse.

"I-I think you better get out of here... I don't need a babysitter!", Jesse was reluctant, but with Mr. White present, it was difficult not to give in.

"There's nothing wrong with being protected sometimes, Jesse. I never regretted spending hours and hours with you in that shitty lab.", Walt moved closer, feeling the heat of Jesse's body.

"What are you trying to say, Mr. White... that y-you care about me? Oh, please...", Jesse looked away, but was stopped when Walt's hands grabbed his waist, pulling him towards him. close.

"Jesse...I've always cared."

Walt brought his lips closer to Jesse's, introducing his tongue with delicacy and intensity. Jesse, surprised but not resisting, placed his hands on Walt's jaw, responding to the kiss.

For a moment, Walt forgot to maintain the Heisenberg pose. There, in the middle of that dirty apartment, among the ruins of their lives, they found a brief moment of genuine connection. The barriers fell, and they both allowed themselves to feel, allowed themselves to be vulnerable.

When they pulled away, Jesse looked into Walt's eyes, a mixture of gratitude and surprise in his gaze.

"I... I don't know what to say, Mr. White", Jesse murmured, moved.

Walter placed a hand on Jesse's face, stroking his dirty cheek. "You don't have to say anything, Jesse. I just want you to know that I'm here for you, always have been."

They stood there, on the threshold between the past and the uncertain future, but together. For a moment, Jesse allowed himself to believe that maybe, just maybe, there was a light at the end of the tunnel. And Walter, despite all his demons, was that light.

[daydreamgoddess14]

First Impressions - Chapter 6

Thanks for hanging on! I've been away this week, so writing this took the whole time - fresh air and kids are exhausting 🤣

CH 1 | CH 2 | CH 3 | CH 4 | CH 5

masterlist

*******************

The van had moved again after the stop at the services, but not far. After what only felt like a few miles, they pulled up again but the doors remained firmly closed.

“How many d'ya think there are?” Gary asked.

“No idea,” Lexie pressed the palms of her hands into her eyes. “Half a dozen?”

“More than, I bet.” He disputed. “Bet they're gonna put us on a boat and sell us on the mainland.”

“Sell us for what?” Rach sighed. “No offence, Gaz, but I don't think we'd be worth much to anyone. My back's knackered.” He held her eye for slightly longer than needed, until she turned to Lexie. “How about you ma'am, any nifty tricks that'll propel you to sex work stardom?”

“I think in these circumstances, you can just call me Lexie. And no, almost certainly not. I think you're right, we're way out of the age range these idiots go for, by about 30 years.” They grimaced at each other. Lexie watched as Rach's gaze flicked to Gary and then back again, followed by an almost imperceptible shake of her head.

“I'm starving,” Gary grumbled. “Those sandwiches were crap.” Lexie watched him for a moment as he fiddled again with the cable ties on his ankles. She compared them with her own which were beginning to rub uncomfortably against her skin. His seemed far looser.

“Me too, can't remember the last time I ate.” She agreed, keeping the conversation flowing while his eyes stayed on the cable ties. She looked back at Rach and nodded her head toward their feet next to each other's but a small distance from Gary's.

“I'd love a burger.” Rach joined in. Lexie let her take the lead in the conversation while she turned over everything she knew about the support teams.

“I had amazing tapas once at a restaurant in Manchester. God, I wish I could remember the name of the place. It was a good night out though.” Lexie said.

“Oh it's so good, some of the best clubs I think I've ever been to. Bet you love it up there, Gaz?” The question caught him off guard,

“Uhh yeah, yeah. Been a long time since I went out on the town, like.”

“You got a good team up there?” Lexie asked.

“Great bunch, really good.” He concurred.

“Have you met Ben Warren?” Rach asked, curiously. “He moved up there a few year ago, drugs task force I think it was.” Gary looked thoughtfully,

“I do know him, yeah.”

“Proper MET hot shot. Then his daughter had twins and he wanted to live closer to them.”

“He's a gem. Real good copper.” Lexie and Rach both hummed in agreement.

“Remember that operation last year, the blitz on knives?” Rach asked, raising an eyebrow towards Lexie.

“Yeah, we stopped literally every man and his dog, the paperwork was a nightmare for months. We got the idea from your lot, were you involved in that, Gaz?” He floundered.

“Oh ermm, think I might have been on leave.”

“Really? I must have it wrong then, I thought they'd cancelled all leave for everyone.”

“Special circumstances. Me old dad was dying.”

“Oh Gary, I'm so sorry.” Rach sympathised. Silence descended again.

“Nah, fuck it. I can't do this all bloody day. You know, don't you?” Gary said suddenly, his eyes snapping up to Lexie.

“Course we do, it's our job. Ben Warren's been dead five years.” Rach scoffed, all niceness gone.

“So what's the grand plan, Gaz?” Lexie sighed. “Did you always intend to take a couple of us?”

“Nah, that was just an added bonus. We knew you lot was coming. I took myself off to the hotel the Manchester lot were staying in last night and sat in the bar just close enough to hear every word. Then we thought we should respond in kind as it were, so we filled the warehouse an waited for you bunch of dickheads to show up.”

“And now you're scratting around trying to work out what to do with us.” Rach supplied with an eyeroll.

“Oh I've got plenty of ideas of what I'm gonna do with you, darlin’,” he sneered.

“Come near either of us and I'll feed you your own bollocks.” Lexie offered.

“We'll see sweetheart, bet you love it rough. Anyway, fuck this, I've had enough playing nice with you pair.” He whacked the door of the van and sunlight filled the small space. Hands reached in and cut the ties on his feet and hands. The door slammed behind him.

“Ugh, shit.” Rach groaned. “This is just great.”

“This is better than the alternative.” Lexie said firmly.

“How so?”

“We assumed this was always the plan and they intended to take us to the mainland. If this is all done on the fly then they have no idea what to do with us, no plan to smuggle us. It's too much hassle taking us to Europe, whatever they decide it'll be here.” Lexie pointed out.

“So it's more likely that they'll kill us.”

“More likely they'll try. Knowing gormless Gary is involved, we have half a chance of fighting back. They don't know their arse from their elbow and I'm pissed off we didn't get them sooner.” Lexie said, her anger building.

“Gormless is right.” Rach half shouted, hoping he'd hear. “God, these cable ties are killing my ankles.”

“We need a plan for when they come back. God knows how we're going to get out of here with our ankles tied.” Lexie sighed, rubbing the raw skin gently. They leaned against the van, side by side, both lost in thought. Lexie closed her eyes, picturing River’s mournful look from the previous night. She desperately wanted them to laugh together when she ended up proving him wrong. She'd tease him about it and he'd half-heartedly threaten to pin her down until she stopped and then, and then, and then. She thought about how much she regretted leaving, how she wished instead that they'd made up and she could have lost herself in him and how his body felt under her touch. Next to her, Rach huffed and fidgeted, dragging her back to reality and away from the memories of River's eyes gazing into hers.

“Sharp bit here,” she said quietly, moving her hands back and forth. “Nearly got it.” Lexie watched until Rach's hands sprang apart. They both looked over her sore wrists for signs of damage and blistered skin, then she took Lexie's and put them in the same spot, moving them over the jagged piece of metal. It was hard work and Lexie's skin burned under the plastic digging into her skin. Finally her hands popped apart and she felt cool air sting the wounds. They pulled at the binds on their ankles but the cable ties seemed to tighten instead.

“Put your feet here, I'll try and move them over the metal.” Lexie held Rach's boot caps up but it was slow going.

“I didn't know I had this many muscles in my arse.” She complained. “Distract me, boss, what's the plan”

“Get our feet loose, next time the doors open, we jump them. Kick, bite, scratch, whatever we can do with surprise on our side. Make as much noise as humanly possible. I can hear a road not too far away, hopefully we're public enough to get the attention of passing cars.”

“They've got guns.” Rach said nervously.

“So don't get shot.” Lexie said with a wry smile.

“Oh thanks, great idea! I'll bear that in mind.” Rach shuffled next to Lexie. “Think they're looking for us?”

“Course they are. Andy won't rest till he gets us back.”

“Anyone else expecting you today?”

“My …” Lexie paused, the word ‘boyfriend’ on the tip of her tongue. “River. My boyfriend, I guess? We didn't part on the best terms last night.”

“Yeah my kids were not happy about a granny sleepover. And I couldn't exactly go into detail when they asked why I was telling them how much I love them. They think I'm a right sappy git.”

“I've never told River,” Lexie admitted. “I thought I would last night but then I left. I shouldn't have left.”

“I'm sure he knows.” Rach said kindly.

“We need to get out of here. Make a run for it as soon as those doors open again.”

*******************

“Fuuuuuuck!” Roddy and Shirley looked on as River moved away from the group. He kicked his car tire, beat his hands on the bonnet and paced the lay by. They'd only been parked up for a few minutes, most of which he'd spent with Andy and other senior MET officers. He'd shook their hands and introduced the Slow Horses team and they'd swapped knowledge. Once the extent of the mole’s activities became known, River had trouble hiding his anger.

“Anger issues much?” Shirley muttered, mostly to herself. Finally, he regained control and joined them again.

“So, where do we start?” He asked, dragging his hand through his hair. Roddy turned back to his laptop.

“I've got ‘em leaving the services and then… nothing.” He complained.

“Roddy, a van cannot just ‘disappear’.” Shirley insisted.

“Obviously it ain't disappeared, I just can't find it right now. Went through a trading estate after the services didn't they, and there was about 15 other vans driving out at the same time. I've gotta go through them one by one.” Roddy reasoned.

“They've finished interviews with the ones we got at the warehouse. Not one of them had a clue why officers were taken, half of ‘em were only roped in last night.” Andy explained as he made his way to join them.

“So they've been watching you. Waiting for you to make the move.” River guessed.

“Sounds that way, one of ‘em spent last night with our mysterious Gary in the bar of a Premier Inn last night. Guess who else was staying there?”

“Your drafted support?”

“Bingo.”

“You spend weeks watching them while they watch you and when you're ready to go, so are they. They could have been shadowing any of our officers and you know how they all like to talk even when they're not supposed to.” Another detective chimed in.

“So have you got whoever's supposed to be in charge? Do they even know what their so-called security are doing?” River asked, his volume rising with his anger.

“Not bein’ funny mate, but these idiots sound like a shower of shit and you lot can't even keep up with ‘em?” Shirley stood shoulder to shoulder with River and pointed a fierce finger at Andy and the few officers with him. “You expect us to believe that this is some fuckin’ mastermind gang smuggling kids to Europe for sex when really it's Gary from the sodding pub and a few of his mates?”

“I know how it looks,-” Andy interjected.

“I don't think you do, pal.” Shirley finished.

“Look, they have a lot of people working for them, a lot of fingers in a lot of pies. If they've been watching us then they've obviously filled the warehouse with lackeys and nobodies to slow us down. God knows if their top brass even has any idea what's happened this morning but that doesn't matter, we'll pick up the pieces of that later. I just want to get Lexie and the officer with her out of here. Can we please just focus on that for now?” They maintained a silent standoff, River weighing his anger and frustration with his worry for Lexie. Eventually, Shirley aimed a sharp kick at his ankle,

“Shit, Shirley! Yes, fine.” He responded petulantly.

“Right, now the dick measuring is over, shall we find this fucking van, Ho?”

“I am fucking trying, Shirley.” Roddy stressed. “I think I've narrowed down an area to search?” He offered to Andy,

“I'll get a team ready, just let me know.”

*******************

The light filtering through gaps in the van bodywork had faded considerably. Lexie heard shuffling outside the van and pointed Rach to the door. They nodded in agreement and braced for the door to open. As soon as it did, Lexie kicked out, the force of the kick causing the door to swing back out and make contact with the person opening it.

“Ow, fuck!” A voice yelled out in pain. The door moved to close again but Lexie kicked it again. She pushed hard against it and jumped down into a clearing in the woodland. Rach was right behind her and they quickly formed a back to back stance to see around them. The person the door had hit was getting unsteadily to their feet in Rach's eyeline. She moved from her position to aim a knee at their balls before following Lexie into the dense trees.

“Stop, sshhh, need to hear the road.” Lexie stopped suddenly after a few hundred metres. They listened intently then both immediately turned left, “I can hear voices in the clearing.” Rach grimaced and continued towards the road noise.

“S'not motorway, it's not continuous traffic.” Rach breathed heavily alongside her. They tried to put as much distance as possible between them and the voices behind but the terrain was tricky with tree roots and ditches tripping them constantly. It was getting darker and the trees blocked any remaining daylight. Behind them, they could hear branches breaking and voices getting louder.

“They're getting closer,” Lexie puffed, her sides ached with stitch and her lungs burned with effort. She reached for Rach's hand and pulled her along. “C'mon, keep going.”

“Thought this road was closer.” Rach complained, she took another stride forwards and into arms reach of a man coming out from behind a tree.

“You fuckin’ wish piggy.” He sneered, gripping the tops of her arms.

“Run, Lex!” She bellowed before twisting her head to bite her attacker's hand. Lexie lunged for the man, aiming a kick at his knees. Behind her, she felt hands grab at her waist to stop her,

“Yeah Lex, run!” Gary took her arm and twisted it behind her. Rach was fighting her attacker, aiming kicks and punches wherever she could. Lexie stamped her foot down, aiming for Gary's but he turned himself away, taking her with him and leaving her knee in agony at the abnormal angle.

“Dog walker has just called in shouting and commotion in woodland about 4 miles from here,” Andy called out. The sudden increase in activity was staggering, a fleet of police cars joined them in the lay-by along with 3 ambulances and a van with police dogs. “The helicopter is going up now, we'll have confirmation on direction in about 3 minutes.” They all piled into cars and with instruction from the helicopter, all moved out in convoy. “They'll see the chopper and know we're coming but from what we can tell there are 4-5 men holding Lexie and Rach so this should have a straight forward resolution.” Andy said over the radio Shirley had been handed.

“Straight forward my arse,” she muttered in the privacy of River’s car.

“Anyone else think going in so loud and hard is a way to cover up the mistakes from this morning?” Roddy asked.

“Yeah, make it look like the resource was all worth it.” Shirley agreed. River gritted his teeth and followed the dog unit, peering up at the helicopter over their heads.

Rach heard it first, widening her eyes at Lexie who elbowed Gary in the stomach to wind him enough to finally silence him for a minute. The unmistakable sound of a helicopter somewhere above them. With the promise of the cavalry on its way, they both attacked with fresh force. Lexie used Gary’s momentary discomfort to her advantage, turned on her heels and aimed a well placed punch to his jaw. Rach wiggled and kicked her legs until her attacker was forced to drop her then she grasped at Lexie's jacket and pulled her. They ran through the woods until they heard a shot ring out behind them. Rach squealed and they dived for cover along the trees. Another shot behind them made them jump.

“We've got to go, they're getting closer and next time they won't miss.” Lexie warned.

“Fuck! I wish we knew how far away help is. What if it's just the chopper?”

“It can't be, they must know we're here somewhere. We could be 3 minutes from safety or 3 hours.” Lexie looked at her watch, “It's been all day, we have to assume they're close.”

“Ok. Ok, you're right, let's go.” Rach pushed off the tree and ahead of Lexie by a handful of steps when the next shot flew through the trees. Lexie watched as Rach staggered forward a few feet with an anguished look.

“Shit, Rach!” Lexie shrieked, rushing to her colleague. She slipped under Rach's arm to hold her up and half dragged her along. More shots fired behind them.

“Chopper has got two separate heat sources, one getting closer to where our cars have positioned, one further behind and that's a bigger group. Shots fired, repeat, shots fired.” A voice barked over the radio. River's foot inched the pedal closer to the floor.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” he beat the steering wheel with his fist.

“There, on the right,” Shirley pointed out the convening police vehicles and River brought the car to a sudden halt. The ignition was barely off when he jumped out of the car and ran towards the officers receiving their briefing.

“We caught two in the clearing with the van, they've already confirmed three more out in the woods, armed and chasing down our two officers. They waited for the van to open, knocked one of these idiots out with the door and made a run for it. When the other four got back to the clearing, one stayed with their injured mate and the others took the guns and went after Lexie and Rach. Multiple shots have been fired so we are to assume the worst here, expect our officers to be injured at the very least. We've got one team heading into the woods from here, in the direction of the clearing and one team are currently in the clearing heading in this direction.” With the closer distance, more shots could be heard. “We're going in loud and fast, it's getting dark so we need to wrap this up now.” Andy was at the forefront of the group about to leave, he gave River a nod and began making his way through the undergrowth. Without any jurisdiction, River held back with the officers remaining at the roadside. He tried to ignore the looming ambulances directly behind him, desperately hoping they wouldn't be needed.

With her knee in more pain with each step, dragging Rach was beginning to take it's toll on Lexie. Both women were covered in scratches from the branches surrounding them and the woodland seemed to get denser and darker every few meters. Sweat poured from Lexie as she pulled an increasingly pale Rach along with her, the blood from the gunshot wound on Rach's upper thigh covered them both.

“C'mon Rach, nearly there.” Lexie grunted.

“I can't keep going Lex, you should go,” Rach protested weakly.

“The fuck I should. We're really close babe, come on now,” Lexie adjusted get grip and pulled again, trying to keep them both as low as she could and away from stray bullets. The undergrowth meant Gary and his friends could see very little into the distance and were blindly shooting in the hope of hitting something. It also meant Lexie could barely see past the next line of trees and bushes.

“This is the police, get on your knees now!” Andy’s voice bellowed only a few meters in front of them. Lexie and Rach had been crashing so noisily through the woodland that she hadn't heard anyone approach them.

“Fuck, Andy is that you?” She called out coming to a painful stop.

“Lex? Confirm I.D?”

“D.I Alexandria Andrews, MET police, Sergeant Rachel Norman, MET police. Alone and unarmed, injuries sustained.” She shouted clearly, her voice cracking.

“Confirmed. Lex stay there, I'm just a couple of meters ahead of you.”

“Thank fuck for that,” Rach sobbed as Lexie swayed on the spot, tears welling up at the sound of Andy’s voice. As he reached them, Lexie crumpled to the ground with Rach as they clung together.

“God you're a sight for sore eyes.” He beamed as he approached them with another officer. The remaining members of his team filed past them and continued towards the clearing where they'd convene with the other group. “It's OK, Gary and his pals will be surrounded any minute now. There's a lot more of us.” He crouched down to reassure them. “Injuries?”

“Me, shot in the thigh.” Rach shivered.

“Ok, Patrick here is going to help you to the road. I promise it's not far, and we've got an ambulance waiting.” The other officer shook off his jacket and put it on Rach before pulling her to her feet and through the trees. Rach gave a last small smile to Lexie,

“Thanks boss.” She said quietly, letting Patrick lead the way.

“And you?” Andy asked Lexie, helping her up.

“Bad knee, a few cuts and bruises.” He offered her his arm which she gratefully took.

At the roadside, River kicked at the weeds waiting for something, anything, to happen.

“Cartwright,” Ho called out as soon as he saw movement in the trees and people emerging. He watched a young woman he didn't recognise fall gratefully onto an ambulance trolley and then finally saw Andy leading Lexie into the bright headlights and spotlights of the gathered patrol cars and vans. She leaned into him with a heavy limp and all River could see was blood.

“Lexie!” He shouted, dodging people and cars to reach her, his hands cupped her face, searching for signs of pain.

“I'm OK, not my blood,” she assured him, resting her forehead against his. Andy gently let her go.

“You got her, mate?” He asked River who nodded in response.

“I've got her,” he mumbled into her hairline, “I've got you, love.” Everything he wanted to say was on the tip of his tongue.

*******************

Chapter 7

[mimisempai]

All those words I almost didn't say

Summary

After one of the most traumatic days of his life, Greg is about to take a well-deserved rest when the doorbell rings. The day is about to take a much happier turn.

Notes

Mystrade Monday  1.0  #46 - "I thought you were dead"

@mystradepromptsandscenarios

On AO3

669 words - Rating G

"Detective Lestrade, after your bravery today, I want you to take a week's leave."

Greg, too emotionally exhausted, didn't even protest and nodded to the Superintendent before leaving his office.

An hour later, he was finally home, dressed in comfortable clothes, beer in hand, about to sit down when the doorbell rang.

He sighed, put his beer down on the coffee table, and looked through the glass to see who was there to bother him.

Seeing who it was, he muttered, "Damn it, Mycroft, I forgot to call him."

Words of apology on his lips, he opened the door, but he didn't have time to say anything because no sooner had he opened it than he found himself in a powerful embrace, pressed against Mycroft's chest.

"Mycroft, what..." he managed to articulate.

But Mycroft cut him off, saying in a trembling voice, "I thought you were dead. For a brief moment I actually thought I was watching you die live and there was nothing I could do."

Greg had never seen Mycroft like that, shaking, his throat so tight with emotion that he almost choked on the last words.

Greg managed to break free of the embrace and said quietly, "I know... thank my Kevlar vest for that,  I can imagine what it must have looked like from the outside. I'm sorry with everything that happened and the chain of events, I completely forgot to call you and I just got home."

Greg knew there had been a lot of media coverage of the hostage situation, but he'd refused to look at the footage. Who wanted to see themselves shot in the chest, even if it had been stopped by a bulletproof vest?

The bruise that began to form on his chest was proof enough.

He continued, "I promise I'm okay. I'm all right."

But Mycroft wasn't listening and said quietly, "Show me."

Greg lifted his shirt and showed him where the impact had occurred. 

Mycroft ran his finger gently over the small bruise and breathed, "I almost lost you."

Greg interrupted, "But you didn't..."

Mycroft put his finger to Greg's lips and interrupted, "Let me speak. I have to tell you."

Greg looked at him puzzled, but said nothing.

Mycroft took Greg's face in his hands and said firmly, "When I thought you were dead, I realized there was so much I wanted you to know that I hadn't been able to tell you. That these last few months with you have been the happiest of my life. That I don't want to spend another minute away from you. I'm in love with you, mightily, painfully in love. The things you do. The way you think. The way you move. I get thrilled every time I'm about to see you. I feel like I've never felt in my life. You have to know all of that."

No sooner had he finished speaking than he gave Greg no time to react, pressing his lips to his lover's in a kiss filled with the same intensity as the words he'd just spoken. Greg instinctively wrapped his arms around Mycroft's waist, deepening the kiss. 

Every time Mycroft felt Greg trying to pull away, Mycroft would press harder against him and Greg would submit because he knew Mycroft needed it after the fear he'd just had of losing Greg.

He didn't even know how long it had been since Mycroft had pressed his lips to his. But it wasn't until they both felt they couldn't breathe that Mycroft slowly pulled away, just enough for them to catch their breath.

They were panting, mouth to mouth, their breath hot and their pulse quickening from the kiss they'd just shared. Greg swallowed several times before he could speak, finally able to respond to Mycroft's declaration and whispered under his breath, "I love you."

Mycroft embraced him again, holding him close, and they stayed like that for a long time in the hallway of Greg's apartment. 

They'd told each other everything.

The rest could wait.

_________

Still not beta'd

Still not my native language

Still hoping you'll enjoy this story  🥰

Still thanking you for bearing with me 😝

Mystrade masterlist here

Mystrade Monday 1.0 : here

[wouldntyou-liketoknow]

I have a request! Pennsylvania getting trapped when a cave collapses (maybe even injured for extra angst) and Illinois has to get him out. There’s only a small hole they can talk to each other through, and Illinois talks to Penn to calm him down and keep him calm while he digs him out/waits for help (it’s up to you). If possible, can we get at least a few parts (if not the whole story) from Penn’s POV?

If this request isn’t to your liking, you totally don’t have to do it if you don’t want to. If you do want to do it, you have my greatest thanks!

"pRaCtIcInG wItH sHoRtEr FiCs" lmao who was I kidding?

Ah, I've been meaning to try and give Penn a story of his own! Sorry this took so long, but then again, this might be the very first story that I've managed to finish in a single day! I hope you enjoy it!!!

(Trigger Warnings: descriptions of dark and slightly claustrophobic areas, descriptions of puncture wounds, blood, panic/fear, pain and suffering, exhaustion, bruises/scars/scrapes/cuts, strong language. Please let me know if I missed anything.) 

___

Pennsylvania James was many things. A dinosaur tomb-raider was definitely one of them, but he was pretty sure claustrophobic wasn’t. 

Then again, perhaps it would be at the end of the day. . .

He generally preferred to work out in the open. Sure, sometimes you had to wear a few pounds of sunscreen. And sure, no matter how long you thought excavation was going to take, it would always find a way to take much, much longer. 

You got to have plenty of light with outdoor projects.

You got to have actual space with outdoor projects. 

Penn sucked in a sharp breath through his teeth. His eyes burned as fat tears streamed down his face.

Blistering pain wracked his entire body, racing up and down his tendons. He tried to move as carefully as possible, but even when his muscles merely twitched, that pain took it as an invitation to grow worse. 

You typically didn’t find yourself in predicaments like this with outdoor projects.

Should’ve followed Illinois, a voice in Penn’s head chided. Should’ve read the writing on the damn wall!

“Penn. . ?” Illinois’ voice bounced along the craggy walls, but Penn could tell his companion was somewhere nearby. It was accompanied by the telltale sound of footsteps, which grew louder and faster and closer, then skidded to a stop.

And now Illinois had to be right outside the chamber—the entrance of which was now filled with rocks that came in various shapes and sizes—because he screamed, “PENN, OH MY GOD!”

“Illinois!” Penn finally responded. He hated how labored his voice sounded, but he knew he couldn’t exactly be blamed for that.

“I can tell you’re hurt!” Illinois declared. “Is anything broken? Did any rocks fall in there, too?” 

“I-I’m not sure. I only know that I’m bleeding!” Penn stammered. Despite his pain, he felt grateful that Illinois hadn’t bothered asking if he was okay when he obviously wasn’t. “I haven’t been buried, but I still can’t afford to move too much!”

“O-okay, okay! Stay calm!” Illinois’ statement was punctuated by the cacophony of stone scraping against stone. “This pile isn’t too big—the rocks are loose! I can get you out of there! Just hold on!”

“Not much else I can do,” Penn snarked. His voice was dripping with reasonable anxiety rather than sarcasm, so his words didn’t really come off the way he wanted them to. 

Illinois Jenkins (treasure-hunter extraordinaire) called this place Stamina Cavity. For one thing, Penn couldn’t deny how cool a title that was. For another thing, the Cavity consisted of multiple levels, with chambers that seemed to be connected by tunnels that stretched from almost the very top of the rock spire to the darkest depths of its underground bowels. Exploring the Cavity to its fullest would take a helluva lot of energy, even if the explorer in question was going at a casual pace.

Though their journeys together had been sporadic, Penn had gotten to know Illinois pretty well. He knew that Illinois preferred temples and the like, but apparently there had been some miscommunication in his recent adventuring plans. Apparently, it would take much more time and preparation than usual before Illinois could be flown out to the decaying shrine currently on his radar.

 And there just so happened to be a forest on the outskirts of the town he’d been staying at. So, with not much else to do, he’d driven out there a couple days earlier, seeking to clear his head with a simple nature walk. 

And in the middle of his hike, he’d come across the base of a mountain. One that just so happened to boast the yawning mouth of a cave.

Like a moth to a flame, he’d immediately taken the obvious invitation and, sooner or later, discovered that what this cave system lacked in stuff like hieroglyphics and golden trinkets, it made up for in different kinds of fossils. 

One thing led to another, and Penn (who’d also been bored out of his skull due to not being able to dig up the skull of something that had died an odd million years ago) had met up with Illinois for some good ol’ fashioned spelunking. Those who made up the excavation team he usually worked with were all busy with their own errands at the moment. Besides, he’d be lying if he said he hadn’t wanted to catch up with Illinois. 

There were a decent amount of trace fossils adorning most of the chambers here. And while trace fossils were better than nothing, they were still. . .small. Basic. Just not quite enough to sate a curious appetite. 

So, of course, he and Illinois had ventured deeper and deeper. It’d taken some time, but their tenacity had been rewarded.

Not only had they discovered a definite Big Boy (or Girl)—Penn couldn’t tell what it had been right now, but he knew it was some kind of carnivorous theropod—but said Big Boy (or Girl)’s skull was partially exposed! Like the creature had been standing; scratch that, had been practically posing at the time of its death! 

Oh sure, digging the fossil out would still be extraordinarily difficult, but that was very much overshadowed by the fact that tHIS WAS THE FIRST EXPOSED SPECIMEN PENN HAD EVER FOUND! This type of circumstance was so. Damn. Rare!

He couldn’t even remember the last time he’d heard about another paleontology team finding something like this!

But then. . .just as Penn had been pacing around the fossil, listening to Illinois jokingly ask where his “thank you” was, jotting down notes, trying to decide the best way to eventually start excavation. . .an odd, distant rumbling manifested from elsewhere in the Cavity. 

It’d made both of the archaeology buffs give pause, but Illinois had been quick to stroll out of the chamber, promising to investigate. 

The rumbling failed to let up after that. In fact, it seemed to have grown louder and stronger with every second that Illinois was gone.

Things had happened so insanely fast from there. . .Penn wasn’t sure when the fossil had started shaking. . .

But that didn’t matter right now.

What mattered was that part of a huge skull was now on top of him, pinning him to the ground.

What mattered was that a number of large, jagged teeth had sunk into one of his legs, as though the dinosaur’s ghost wanted to bite him and had almost succeeded in an attempt to reanimate itself.

What mattered was that, even with a (admittedly high-powered) torch as his only source of light, Penn could very easily see blood saturating his clothes as it oozed out of his skin.

The stench of iron was heavy, apparently having filled the chamber at breakneck speed. Penn was sure that it’d wafted out through the rock pile blocking the entrance, as Illinois seemed to be gagging between his panicked reassurances. 

The canvas rucksack Penn always brought on trips like this lay just a few feet away from him. The muscles in one of Penn’s arms shrieked as he reached out to claw at the bag. He managed to drag it closer, shakily propping himself up on his elbows in order to open it up and dig through it. 

He was quick to find Old Reliable: a large, sturdy rock hammer that he’d received on his very first expedition. 

Even with Illinois actively working to dig him out of the chamber, Penn wouldn’t be going anywhere. Not unless he managed to get out from underneath the skull—to get the skull’s teeth out of his leg. 

Penn wrapped his free hand around the fossil’s premaxilla; there was just barely any space between it and his thigh. He dug Old Reliable’s claw into the dirt beneath him, then forced the hammer’s face up against the maxilla’s edge. 

THWACK!

The tool reverberated in his grasp, but the skull indeed budged a millimeter or two. Unfortunately, ancient, almost dagger-like teeth shifting while still partially inside his flesh didn’t make for the most pleasant feeling. 

A short scream escaped Penn’s lips before he could even try to bite it down. 

“What was that?” Illinois blurted. From the sound of things, he didn’t pause his movements. “Penn, what’s going on?!”

“I’m trying to pull my damn weight, that’s what’s going on!” Penn replied. “I-I’m fine, just keep going!”

THWACK-THWACK!

Old Reliable had to offer up several more strikes. Which were accentuated by more agonized wails on Penn’s part.

The progress was slow, but it was still progress. 

Yet another howl tore itself from Penn’s throat as the fossil’s ivories were finally dislodged. Thankfully, he was quick to leverage Old Reliable between the fossil and the ground, which allowed him to crawl a couple feet away before the skull could fall back onto him. 

His skin stung and seemed to throb as the Cavity’s cold air met the fresh, deep cuts. The way his blood seeped almost felt like newly-hatched snakes crawling out of his skin. 

Penn floundered in place, his fingertips turning slick and red as he gingerly prodded at his injured leg. After determining which of the lacerations was the worst, he rushed to take off his hiking vest.

He’d just finished tying the makeshift tourniquet when the ground near his head ever-so-slightly shook. He startled badly at what sounded like grinding gravel on steroids, barely able to process the sensation of hands grabbing onto his shirt.

Instinctual panic was just about to start welling up, but was quickly overpowered by relief as Penn heard Illinois’ familiar voice, as he remembered what had been happening on his friend’s end of this.

Penn was quickly dragged into an upright position, and while he gave no resistance, a sharp, hitching gasp still slithered through his teeth. Illinois flinched, quickly bowing his head to allow Penn to grab onto one of his shoulders for extra support.

Way back when the two of them had first met, Penn had been willing to put money on Illinois being unable to make any facial expression that wasn’t at least somewhat suave or suggestive.

Right here, right now, however. . .

Illinois’ naturally tan skin had turned an almost sickly pale shade. His dark brown eyes were full of fear, concern, guilt. 

Of course, that transitioned to partial disbelief when he glanced at the fossil's bloodstained teeth. "Holy shit. . !"

“I. . .I don’t think a major artery was hit,” Penn coughed. “If that was the case, I definitely would’ve bled out by now.”

“Y-yeah, well, there’s still a chance for infection,” Illinois replied, his normally silky voice shuddering. “We’ve got to get you to a hospital!”

Penn raised an eyebrow, possibly more incredulous than he’d ever been before. “What, does it sound like I’m denying that?!”

And with that, the duo began half-sprinting half-limping up the tunnel they’d wandered through no more than fifteen minutes ago. . .

@insane4fandoms 

[agerefandom]

Hey! Are you doing okay?

[sent: April 13th]

Thanks for the check in, I'm sorry it took me so long to respond!

Yes, I'm okay, and I've been doing okay during my hiatus! I'm honestly not sure why I haven't had any energy during these last few months for anything on the internet.

My mental health has been mostly-okay, but my partner has been having some serious physical health issues and has been mostly bed-bound for the past year at this point. Between work and that, I suppose I've been pretty tired, and we actually moved a month ago, which was the MOST exhausting process even with friends and family helping with the actual move-day.

I'm feeling a little bit adrift, and really need to find some in-person community to help ground me. Especially because I've moved to a new town!!

But hey, I'm doing okay. Our new apartment is gorgeous and sunny and I have a nice little work-from-home office, and we're closer to my partner's parents so they can help with the medical things. They've been bringing us food as well, which is so very sweet and appreciated.

That's the life update/check in! Thanks for giving me a little chance to overshare <3

[pinktatertots99]

Hello can I request some Ringo x Mitsuru content ? I haven’t seen them in a looooong time

-blows dust off- ...so...been a while. i have two of these writing requests though in my inbox so, i should give yall something

just an FYI though i've been out of the loop for a while, so idk what all went on in the manga besides some tidbits i learned from friends. anyways i'm so sorry for the long wait:

-------------

the skidding wheels of the bullet train perked ringo from her phone, quickly pocketing it as she walked towards the opening doors. a long but eventful day at work left her almost exhausted, contemplating a nap on the ride back-

"YOOOOOOOO!" exclaimed far off as she turned, the hard hitting boots mitsuru wore emitting as loud of a sound as his voice. "KEEP THE DOOR OPEN YALLLLLLL!"

a part of her did not want to keep the door open. however the good co-worker part of her quickly slapped her hand on the left end of the entrance long enough for mitsuru to get inside; there went her short nap she supposed.

slowly pulling himself up from his half crouch panting mitsuru finger gunned at her, his coat over his shoulder and hat clasped on his belt. "yooo ringo thanks for that!" she shrugged responding despondently "what are co-workers for?"

"right!?" he smacked her shoulder blades with a chuckle as she kept herself from falling. "man y'know i always say that but the guys sure don't reciprocate that."

"i wonder why." she grumbled, walking to an empty seat as he followed flopping next to her. "man i dunno." he feigned tearing up "poor ol tsuru's friends just take advantage of his good will."

"what a semi-convincing display of emotion your pulling."

he turns back sharply with a sharp smile. "ey thanks! been workin on it."

"can you also work on keeping your voice down?"

"heh, guess i do owe ya one for that so sure."

"thank you."

-----

lightly tapping on his phone mitsuru glanced down at the red head currently resting on his shoulder. wasn't even five minutes before she passed out.

another stop another few guards and workers coming on, he almost wouldnt've taken much notice until a pair of legs was standing right in front of them. taking advantage of his shaded lenses he looked up just enough to see the random guard staring at them- no wait- not directly at them but at-

...his smile made mitsuru snear, slowly pulling his glasses down as he looked up, gaining the guy's surprised attention.

"yo." low and dark as he glared. "can i help ya with somethin'?"

immediately he left in embarrassment. mitsuru "tsk"d putting an arm around ringo's shoulder. the creeps they let work at the prison he swore.

-------

"my apologies for the unnecessarily physical response now that i have more context of the situation you described."

the rattling of the train station's vendor stopped as a small pack of ice dropped, mitsuru quickly picking it up to put on his right eye.

"psh nah t's fine. don't blame ya. man ya pack a punch though." ringo loured lightly, mitsuru noticing quickly before her expression shifted to look more neutral.

"ey, how about we get drinks? my treat." she perks up surprised. "wh- why your treat? i hit you so i should be the one to."

"ya bought the ice pack for me so 't's only fair."

"but that makes it uneven compared to your help on the train-" he put a finger in front of her, a smile on his face. "it ain't a competition ring. 't's just what friends do."

"friends..." she mumbled as he took two steps ahead of her, offering a hand. "so what'dya say? can also just escort ya home if ya want." her face felt warmer then she remembered, brushing back her bang before nodding.

"i can fit in a drink before home. thank you mitsuru."

"ain't nothin ringy-dink."

"don't."