#sorry this like took forever to some of you who tagged me a bit ago but i kept forgetting and then my portable hard drive died last weekend

[wholoveseggs]

I looooved Stains! Thank you so much for that and all you do for our mental health in these turbulent times.

Here's another request for your very long list of requests :) Reader and the Mikaelson family are very close friends. She used to have a little fling with Klaus maybe, best friends with Rebekah and so on. Elijah is always shy and Rebekah and Reader are trying to set him up after realizing he's been a monk since his last relationship ended. Elijah is failing hard at all the set-up attempts because he is madly in love with Reader. Eventually, smut ensues :)

Inevitable

18+ ---- {Masterlist} {Tag-List}

{Elijah Mikaelson x f!Reader} A playful night of banter leads to Elijah's siblings setting him up on a dating app, but the only match he wants is you...

♡♡ Ahhh!!! Thank you so much, @originals23, for this amazing request! I’ve been stuck in a bit of a writing slump lately (I even scrapped my New Year’s fic... I’m so sorry, I just wasn’t happy with it). But your ideas always light a spark of inspiration for me! Thank you, and I hope you enjoy this! ♡♡

6.9k words - Warnings: smutt, dating apps, drinking, mutual pining, Elijah in a vesttt (hot & underrated), teasing, kissing, oral (m!receiving), super sappy and romantic, mild jealousy, Kol being such a little shit, Klaus being Klaus, Rebekah always trying her best, Elijah being shy and sweet, && some good old-fashioned Mikaelson bullying...

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From the moment Kol walked in with a giant bottle of scotch, you knew that tonight was going to be a late one. Rebekah had called you, inviting you over for a drink and some girl time. But Kol and Klaus decided to insert themselves into the mix. You weren’t complaining; the company was good. The Mikaelsons were your closest friends, having met them years ago. Klaus had been a brief fling, but the friendship was what truly stuck.

The playful atmosphere was infectious as you all sat around the living room, laughter bubbling at some joke Klaus made. Kol poured drinks with dramatic flair, teasing Klaus about his awkward blunders with his crush, Camille. Klaus’s glare didn’t faze his younger brother in the slightest.

"I hardly think you have any room to speak. What is the state of your love life? It seems quite nonexistent," Klaus shot back, his tone laced with mock indignation.

Kol, unfazed, chuckled and took a long swig of his drink, shaking his head. "I'd like to think it is quite thriving, thank you very much," he retorted, settling onto the couch. He leaned back smugly before adding, "In fact, I had a date yesterday."

The rest of you murmured in surprise, exchanging knowing looks.

"With who?" you asked, curiosity getting the better of you as you sat next to Rebekah. She arched an eyebrow at you, clearly already anticipating Kol’s response.

"This pretty little-" Kol began with a grin, only to be cut off by his sister’s wicked smirk.

"Witch," Rebekah finished for him, and Kol’s laugh was one of agreement rather than embarrassment.

"I suppose I have a type," he admitted with an exaggerated shrug, unbothered by the teasing. His gaze flicked to you, eyes gleaming mischievously. "What about you, love?"

The sudden attention caught you mid-sip, and you glanced at him with a raised brow. "What about me?" you asked, setting your glass down and wiping the excess liquid off your lips.

Kol’s wicked grin widened. "We all know Niklaus has thoroughly disappointed you, so I’m sure you’ve found someone more worthy to keep your bed warm."

Klaus scoffed loudly before you could respond. "Hardly disappointing. We had a grand time," he insisted, smirking at you with a glint of pride.

This time, your playful grin faltered for just a second. The memory of your fleeting fling with Klaus still lingered, though it was far behind you. While the chemistry between you and Klaus had fizzled into camaraderie, you couldn’t help the pang of something unspoken when your thoughts drifted elsewhere…toward another Mikaelson.

You shrugged, masking your thoughts with a casual smile. "Nik did just fine. Better than most of the men I find myself with," you quipped, winking at Klaus. His dimples deepened in a smug grin, clearly satisfied with your answer.

Kol, never one to let a moment slide, laughed heartily. "Those dating apps not doing you any favors, darling?" he taunted, causing you and Rebekah to share a knowing chuckle.

"Here, Kol, see for yourself," you replied, tossing him your phone with a grin that was a mix of challenge and resignation. Kol’s eyes lit up with delight as he caught it effortlessly.

He immediately began swiping through your dating app, his expression shifting between mock horror and glee. Rebekah leaned over his shoulder, giggling at the profiles and messages he unearthed.

"Men these days," Kol lamented dramatically, "back in my day, we wrote poems and courted properly. This is far too impersonal."

You raised an eyebrow, unable to resist. "Is that how you charm all the young witches? With poetry?"

Kol grinned, unabashed. "Oh, I hardly need to do any charming. They fall over themselves for me. It’s quite endearing."

"You are such a womanizer," Rebekah pointed out, shaking her head at Kol. Klaus, surprisingly, nodded in agreement, raising his glass to emphasize the point.

"You know who isn’t?" Kol mused, still swiping through the dating app on your phone. "Elijah."

The mention of Elijah caught your attention, and your curiosity piqued. "When was the last time he was in a relationship?" you asked, genuinely intrigued. You tried to recall, but nothing serious came to mind. Elijah had always seemed… reserved in that regard.

Before Kol or Rebekah could answer, they glanced behind you, their faces lighting up with amusement. You followed their gaze and felt your stomach do a little flip. Elijah had appeared, clad in a crisp white button-down and a tailored vest that seemed to fit him too perfectly for your peace of mind.

He greeted everyone with a polite smile before effortlessly slipping into the seat beside you. As he leaned over and stole your glass, his proximity made your pulse quicken. He took a sip, closing his eyes briefly as if savoring the taste, and then turned his attention to you. 

"It has been a while," he replied smoothly, finally answering your question. "Why do you ask?"

For a moment, you were distracted. Not just by his words, but by the way his shirt hugged his frame and the way his sleeves were rolled up just enough to reveal strong forearms. You realized he was waiting for an answer, and heat rushed to your cheeks.

"I-I… we were wondering when you were going to get back out there," you stammered, your usual composure faltering under his steady gaze. Elijah had a way of doing that, making you nervous in the most exhilarating way.

"It has been a while," he admitted, his voice calm and measured as he shrugged. His siblings, however, were far less composed, their expressions brimming with mischief. "What?" Elijah asked, his tone tinged with suspicion.

"How long? Weeks? Months?" Kol asked, his grin widening. Then, raising his eyebrows with mock disbelief, he added, "Years?"

"None of your business," Elijah replied, a small but unmistakable smile tugging at his lips. His usual composure didn’t falter, but there was a flicker of exasperated fondness in his tone.

"Oh, it's definitely years," Klaus exclaimed with a bark of laughter. "That is quite a long time. I am shocked you have not gone mad." He took a long sip of his drink, smirking over the rim of his glass.

Elijah rolled his eyes, brushing off their jabs with practiced ease. "It hasn’t been that long," he insisted, though his siblings’ skepticism was palpable.

"Sure, sure," Rebekah teased, sharing a conspiratorial glance with Kol. You couldn’t help but laugh, shaking your head at their antics. The Mikaelson siblings were relentless when it came to teasing each other.

"I have an idea," Rebekah said suddenly, a devilish glint in her eye. "Let’s make you a dating profile." Before Elijah could protest, she was already reaching for his phone.

"You are not putting me on a dating website," Elijah said firmly, his brow furrowing as he attempted to grab his phone back. Rebekah, ever the quick one, held it just out of his reach, sticking her tongue out like a mischievous child.

"I think it’s a great idea," Klaus chimed in with a smirk. "You could use the release. Perhaps it will even help dislodge the stick in your ass." His laugh echoed through the room as Elijah retaliated by tossing a throw pillow at him.

Rebekah ignored the commotion and began typing on Elijah’s phone. "Let’s see… what should your bio say?" she mused aloud. Kol leaned over her shoulder, already snickering as he threw out suggestions.

"How about, 'Hi, my name is Elijah Mikaelson: your next regret. I specialize in brooding, being a bore, and eating pus-'" Kol’s suggestion was abruptly cut off by Rebekah’s sharp interruption.

"Too far, Kol!" she scolded, though she could barely suppress her own laughter.

Elijah shook his head, his expression a mix of amusement and annoyance.

Klaus, having recovered from his own laughter, chimed in, "You forgot, 'Hi, I’m Elijah. Chivalry isn’t dead because I refuse to let it die. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for anyone who crosses my family.'"

For a moment, Elijah gave him the sternest of looks, but then his lips betrayed him, curving into a reluctant smile. You caught the faint crinkle at the corners of his eyes, and it made your heart skip a beat.

"I do just fine without any of this nonsense," he said, gesturing to the phones.

Kol was quick to retort, "Well, clearly that’s not the case if it’s been years since you’ve been laid," his cheeky grin earning a round of laughter from everyone except Elijah.

"Let’s see here," Kol continued, unabashed. "What are you into?"

"You know the answer to that, Kol. It'll be something boring like books and classical music," Rebekah quipped, not even glancing up from the phone as she continued crafting Elijah’s profile.

"Those things aren't boring," you interjected, your tone firmer than you intended. You glanced at Elijah, catching the way his gaze softened in response. He offered you a small, grateful smile, the kind that made your stomach flutter despite yourself.

"Okay, I'm almost done," Rebekah announced, clearly pleased with herself as her fingers danced over the screen. A triumphant grin spread across her face. "There we go! Your profile is all set," she said, tossing his phone back to him.

Elijah caught it effortlessly, letting out a resigned sigh. "This is ridiculous," he muttered, though he dutifully swiped through the profiles, his brows furrowing slightly as he took in the absurdity of it all.

You leaned over his shoulder, your curiosity getting the better of you. His proximity sent a wave of warmth coursing through you, but you focused on the screen. "Look, you’ve got a message already!" you exclaimed, pointing out the flashing notification.

"Oh, please no," he said with a weary shake of his head, clearly dreading whatever awaited him.

"Read it aloud," Rebekah urged, pouring herself another generous glass of scotch, her eyes alight with amusement.

"What’s the point? He’s going to turn them down anyway," Klaus drawled, swirling his drink lazily.

"I’m curious as to what she’s going to say," Kol added, his grin positively wicked as he leaned in for a better look.

"She’s really pretty," you observed, noting the woman’s profile picture. Your tone was meant to sound detached, but a trace of something else…envy?..slipped through. Elijah let out a heavy sigh, his finger hovering over the message before finally opening it.

His cheeks turned a faint shade of pink as he read the text, his usually composed expression betraying a flicker of embarrassment. "You can’t be serious," he murmured, his voice low as he kept his eyes fixed on the screen.

From your angle, you caught enough of the message to know it was... bold. The woman wasn’t shy about what she wanted, and she was eager to meet him later that night. Your chest tightened, an unwelcome pang of jealousy sparking before you quickly brushed it aside.

"Oh, I’m dying to know what it says," Rebekah pressed, leaning closer in her attempt to sneak a look. "What’s her name?"

"Amanda," Elijah muttered, still scrolling through the message as if hoping it would suddenly become more tasteful.

"I bet it’s kinky," Kol teased, his voice dripping with mischief. His grin only widened when Elijah shot him a sharp glare.

"I will not dignify that with a response," Elijah said, slipping his phone back into his pocket with a firm finality. "Besides, I have no desire to go out tonight," he added, finishing his drink in a single, graceful motion.

"Oh, come on," you found yourself saying, nudging him lightly. "She’s gorgeous and looks like a lot of fun. Just meet up with her."

The words felt foreign as they left your lips, like they belonged to someone else entirely. Why were you encouraging him? Perhaps it was the alcohol clouding your judgment, or maybe it was a feeble attempt to appear unaffected. But deep down, the idea of him spending the night with another woman gnawed at you.

"As much as I appreciate the effort, I have no interest," Elijah said, his tone firm but calm. He poured himself another glass of scotch, his movements graceful and unhurried. "Besides, I've never been one for one-night stands."

"Why not? You should live a little," Rebekah mused, her gaze flickering between you two as if sensing the unspoken tension.

"It's not that I don’t enjoy life," Elijah countered, his voice steady. "I simply choose not to act on every impulse."

"So, you've never had a fling? Just for the hell of it?" you asked, genuinely surprised. The thought of someone as composed as Elijah letting go of his control intrigued you.

"I highly recommend it," Klaus interjected, a smirk tugging at his lips as he gave you a knowing look.

You quickly averted your eyes, heat creeping up your neck. You didn’t want Klaus to think his past fling with you still lingered in your mind. Clearing your throat, you forced a casual tone. "Well, it’s just not healthy to go without some kind of release. That’s all I’m saying."

Elijah’s lips curved upward, his expression almost teasing. "I’ve been alive for centuries. I think I’ll manage," he replied, taking a deliberate sip of his drink.

"Alright, alright, well, we tried," Rebekah said with a laugh, effectively steering the conversation elsewhere. Yet, as the banter continued around you, you found it impossible to focus.

Your mind was spinning, refusing to let go of the idea of Elijah… with someone else. You tried to dismiss the thought, but instead, it spiraled into something entirely different. Unbidden, an image of him shirtless, his composure unraveling, flooded your thoughts. The heat that crept up your cheeks was undeniable now.

You attempted to shake it off, but every glance in his direction seemed to pull you deeper. The way his tongue flicked to catch the remnants of scotch on his lips, the slow bob of his Adam’s apple as he swallowed, the way his sleeves were rolled just high enough to reveal strong, lean forearms. It was all maddeningly distracting.

But what captivated you most was his smile. Those faint creases around his eyes when he smiled. That smile that was both rare and disarming…made him impossibly handsome. It wasn’t just the smile itself; it was the way it softened his otherwise sharp, controlled features. Those creases hinted at warmth beneath his stoic exterior, and every time you saw them, your heart fluttered.

"(Y/N)?" Rebekah’s voice jolted you out of your thoughts.

"Huh? What?" you asked, blinking rapidly as you looked around the room.

"You’re flushed. Are you alright?" Rebekah asked, concern furrowing her brow.

"I think I’ve had a bit too much," you said quickly, forcing a nervous laugh.

You reached for your phone, desperate for a distraction. Scrolling through your notifications, you tried to focus on something, anything, that wasn’t Elijah. But when you opened the dating app, you froze.

There it was: Elijah’s profile. Rebekah had chosen a group photo for him, zooming in on his face, because the man had never taken a single selfie in his life. He looked effortlessly perfect, dressed in a three-piece suit, his hair slicked back, dimples on display, and his eyes warm yet piercing. Without thinking, your thumb swiped right.

The realization hit you like a freight train when Elijah’s phone buzzed almost immediately. He ignored it at first, leaving it face down on the table as he continued chatting with his siblings. Panic bubbled in your chest. Had you really just… matched with him? With him sitting right next to you? 

Your hands were clammy, your heart racing as another buzz sounded. Elijah reached for his phone casually, swiping it open. His brows furrowed slightly as he read the notification, his expression shifting from confusion to stillness. Then, as if in slow motion, a small smile crept across his face. Those familiar creases at the corners of his eyes deepened, and your breath caught in your throat.

"Well, what does it say?" Kol asked, clearly reveling in the suspense.

Elijah didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he slid his phone into his pocket. His eyes met yours, and that small smile widened into something warmer, something that made your chest tighten and your pulse quicken. "Looks like I might have some fun after all," he murmured, his voice low and velvety.

Your heart skipped a beat, and a rush of heat coursed through you. Despite yourself, you couldn’t hide the grin that tugged at your lips. What had you done? And why did his reaction make you feel so… giddy?

"What? Who messaged you?" Rebekah asked.

"It’s nothing," he said dismissively, finishing his drink with a calmness that belied the electricity sparking between you.

"Oh, come on, just tell us!" Klaus pressed, a smug smile tugging at his lips. "Did you receive some nudes?"

Kol chuckled, leaning forward eagerly. "Please say yes."

Elijah rolled his eyes, his expression a mix of exasperation and fond amusement. "No, I did not," he replied, his tone calm but laced with dry humor. The corner of his mouth curved upward ever so slightly.

"You are impossible," Rebekah huffed, crossing her arms. Her annoyance at being left in the dark was clear.

Elijah straightened, adjusting his sleeves with characteristic precision. "This has been fun, but I have to go. Some of us actually have work to do tomorrow," he said smoothly, rising to his feet.

Rebekah rolled her eyes, muttering something under her breath as he moved to leave.

"Goodnight," Elijah called, his voice steady as he glanced at each of his siblings. When his gaze finally settled on you, the rest of the room seemed to fade into the background. That magical smile returned, his features softening as his eyes lingered on yours. Your stomach flipped, a warmth spreading through your chest.

"Goodnight," you managed, your voice barely above a whisper. There was a tightness in your chest, an anticipation that left you breathless. He lingered a moment longer, his eyes holding yours as if trying to convey something unspoken. Then, with a faint smile and a slight tilt of his head, he turned and disappeared upstairs.

One by one, the remaining Mikaelson siblings retired to their rooms until only you and Klaus were left. The silence between you was comfortable, broken only by the occasional clink of glasses as you both sipped on scotch.

"So," Klaus began, his voice soft as he broke the silence. "Want to go up to my room?" His tone was casual, but there was something thoughtful in his gaze as he regarded you.

You couldn’t deny the pull of his charm or the familiarity between you. It would have been so easy. To let yourself fall into old patterns, to escape into the comfort of his arms and forget everything else. But tonight, something was different.

"Not tonight," you replied with a sad smile, brushing the back of his hand affectionately. "Cami wouldn’t be very happy with you," you teased gently, hoping to lighten the moment.

"Fair enough," he relented, though a flicker of disappointment crossed his features. After a pause, his lips curved into a wry grin. "I guess Elijah wouldn’t approve either."

You blinked, startled by the mention. Before you could respond, Klaus continued, his voice quieter this time. "If there was ever anyone worthy of my brother, it’s you. You two deserve each other," he mused, his tone tinged with an unreadable emotion.

The sincerity in his words left you momentarily stunned. "Thanks," you murmured, your voice soft, unsure of what else to say.

Klaus chuckled, draining the last of his drink. "Now, get out of here," he said, his tone turning playful. "And tell my brother I said hello."

His wink was mischievous, and you couldn’t help but laugh. Just as you stood to leave, your phone buzzed in your hand. Glancing down, you saw a message from Elijah. Your breath caught.

Klaus leaned over with unabashed curiosity, catching a glimpse of the screen. His brows lifted, a smirk spreading across his face. "He’s not wasting any time," he quipped, earning an eye roll and a glare from you.

"Shut up," you muttered, though a smile tugged at your lips despite yourself. As you turned to leave, a wave of nervous anticipation washed over you. You had no idea what awaited you upstairs, but the thought of seeing Elijah in private sent a shiver of excitement through your body.

"Goodnight," you called over your shoulder, already halfway out the door.

"Good luck," Klaus called back, his laughter following you as you ascended the staircase.

The walk to Elijah’s room was a blur. Your pulse quickened with every step, your mind racing with possibilities. When you finally reached his door, your knuckles felt shaky as you knocked. The moments that followed felt endless until the door opened, revealing him.

Elijah stood there, his hair slightly disheveled, his sleeves rolled up to his forearms. He looked less composed than usual but no less striking. His gaze flickered over you, a faint smile curving his lips.

"Hey," you managed, your voice catching in your throat.

"Hey," he replied, his voice low and warm. His eyes roamed over you, his appreciation evident, and for a moment, the space between you seemed to disappear.

"So," he began, his voice steady, his eyes searching yours. "Did you get my message?"

Your heart fluttered, each beat reverberating in your chest. "Yes," you murmured, suddenly breathless under the weight of his gaze.

He tilted his head slightly, his lips curving into a faint smile, his eyes never leaving yours. "And?" he prompted, his tone soft but teasing.

"And... I'm here," you said, your voice trembling, the words escaping more unsteadily than you intended.

That smile deepened, his eyes twinkling with amusement and something far more intense. "Would you like to come in?" he asked, gesturing inside.

You nodded, unable to find your voice, your pulse hammering in your ears. He stepped aside, his gaze still locked on yours as you crossed the threshold. The door clicked shut behind you, and suddenly, the air between you felt heavier, charged. The tension was almost tangible, a magnetic pull keeping you rooted to the spot as he moved closer.

The silence stretched, the tingling warmth of his presence washing over you. For a moment, you were paralyzed by indecision. Should you kiss him? Was he about to kiss you?

Then, as if reading your thoughts, his lips met yours. The kiss was soft at first, tentative, his hands coming up to cradle your face with a tenderness that made your knees weak. Your fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt, pulling him closer, desperate to close the gap between you.

He broke the kiss first, his breathing uneven, his dark eyes fixed on yours with an intensity that sent a shiver down your spine. "I have to admit, I’m surprised," he murmured, his voice low.

You blinked, trying to focus despite the lingering sensation of his lips on yours. "About what?" you asked, your voice barely above a whisper.

"You. This. Everything," he said, his expression softening, though his gaze remained searching. "I thought you only had eyes for Niklaus," he teased gently, though there was something deeper in his tone, as if he was testing the waters.

You hesitated, hyper-aware of how close you were standing. The heat radiating off his body, the faint scent of his cologne, the brush of his breath against your skin. "It wasn’t anything serious," you said quietly, your words tentative but honest.

His thumb brushed along your jawline, the gesture achingly tender. "So, you're single then," he murmured, his voice dipping lower, the sound a mix of relief and desire.

"Yes," you breathed, the word barely audible.

"Good," he whispered, his lips ghosting over yours, so close you could feel the warmth of his breath. "Because I have no intention of sharing you."

The possessive edge in his tone sent a thrill down your spine, igniting something deep within you. Before you could respond, his lips were on yours again, this time with more urgency. The kiss was deeper, hungrier, his tongue parting your lips and exploring, tasting you in a way that made your knees buckle.

You groaned softly, the sound muffled by his mouth, and began fumbling with the buttons on his vest, desperate to remove the barriers between you. He smiled against your lips, his hands sliding down your back to cup your ass, pulling you against him with a boldness that surprised you.

You had expected his gentlemanly demeanor to carry over, but his touch was insistent, his movements deliberate and confident. His grip tightened, and before you knew it, he had lifted you effortlessly, your legs wrapping around his waist instinctively.

Your heart pounded as he carried you to the bed, the world narrowing to the feel of his body pressed against yours and the heat building between you. When he laid you down gently, his weight above you, the realization hit. You wanted this. Every moment, every touch, every kiss.

This was happening.

Your fingers tangled in his hair, pulling him closer as he trailed kisses along your jawline and down the sensitive column of your neck. You continued to fumble with the buttons on his vest, the task made more difficult by his mouth, which was now exploring the sensitive skin below your ear.

"Impatient, aren't we?" he whispered, his lips grazing the shell of your ear, the sound making your skin tingle.

"Maybe a little," you gasped, arching your hips into his as he bit down gently, his tongue soothing the mark immediately after.

You felt his weight shift as he shrugged off his vest, the sound of fabric falling to the floor making your heart race even faster. His hands were everywhere, firm yet gentle. As though he couldn’t decide whether to savor or devour you.

His hands slid down your sides, tracing the curve of your waist and settling on your hips. His grip tightened, pulling you flush against him, and you couldn’t help the soft moan that escaped you at the contact. Every move, every touch seemed to stoke the fire between you, the heat building to an unbearable intensity.

You tugged at the collar of his shirt, urging him to remove it, the need for his bare skin against yours overwhelming. With a low chuckle, he pulled away long enough to comply, discarding the shirt onto the growing pile of clothing.

You had always suspected he was hiding an impressive physique underneath his suit, but the sight of him still managed to catch you off guard. Toned muscles, smooth skin, those broad shoulders… and those arms. God, his arms.

You traced the outline of his bicep appreciatively, your fingers moving upward to follow the lines of his collarbone. He watched you explore, the way your eyes moved over his chest, following the faint trail of dark hair leading to his abdomen. A hint of a smirk pulled at his lips, clearly enjoying the effect he was having on you.

You felt your cheeks go warm, and you reached down and pulled your dress up and over your head in one fluid motion. It was his turn to blush, the look on his face shifting from amusement to unmistakable desire. His gaze trailed over you, taking in the sight of your newly exposed skin, his eyes darkening with need.

"You are so beautiful," he whispered, dipping his head to plant kisses along your collarbone, his lips brushing against the tops of your breasts.

He shifted his weight, rolling you both onto your sides. His hand lifting your thigh and hooking your leg around his hip, and his fingertips grazed the soft skin on the inside. Your eyes met his, and the heat pooling between your legs was impossible to ignore.

His fingers gently grazed the edge of your panties, the fabric already soaked through with need. He let out a soft groan at the discovery, his thumb moving steadily over the little nub of nerves through the thin cotton.

A sharp intake of breath was all you could manage as his deft fingers continued their torture. He was drawing patterns against the fabric, sending jolts of pleasure through your body with every stroke. Your hips rocked against him, your hands pressed into his chest, nails digging into his skin.

He hummed softly, a hint of amusement in the sound. He was enjoying this. Seeing you squirm beneath him, reduced to a mess of desire. Your eyes met his, and his gaze was filled with a mix of fondness and lust.

"Don't tease," you managed, your voice hoarse with need.

"As you wish," he murmured, slipping his hand inside your panties.

He was nothing like Klaus, who was rough and urgent, taking what he wanted and giving just enough to leave you wanting more. No, Elijah was a different beast entirely.

You felt his fingers trace your entrance, slick and ready for him, before finally easing inside. He groaned, a sound so low and primal it made your toes curl. You arched into his hand, the feeling of his thick fingers filling you completely.

"'Lijah," you gasped, your words trailing off into a breathless moan as he began moving inside you with deep, slow strokes.

He continued his unhurried pace, smiling as he watched you squirm and pant beside him. His thumb returned to circle your clit, the combination exquisite. He seemed to know exactly how you liked it. How much pressure to apply, when to quicken the pace, when to slow down. All you could do was cling to him, your head spinning as wave after wave of pleasure coursed through your body.

You felt the familiar pressure building, and you closed your eyes, lost in the sensation. His free hand cupped your cheek, tilting your chin up. Your eyes fluttered open to meet his, dark and intense.

"Eyes on me," he whispered, his voice commanding but tender.

You couldn't look away, caught in his spell, as your release began to crest. You felt him increase the pressure, the rhythmic stroking of his fingers pushing you over the edge. A sharp cry left your lips as the tension snapped, ripples of pleasure spreading through your body.

Your fingers curled into his skin, nails leaving crescent-shaped marks on his shoulder. He looked down at the marks, a small, satisfied smile curving his lips.

You kissed him slowly, lazily, your body still humming with pleasure. He wrapped his arms around you, pulling you closer, his erection pressing against your thigh, a silent plea.

You reached between you, cupping his length through his pants, he let out a soft hiss, watching you through hooded eyes, his breath coming in shallow gasps. His pupils were dilated, his cheeks flushed.

"Let me take care of you now," you whispered, palming his length.

He nodded, his lips parting in anticipation as you reached for his belt. You made quick work of it, freeing his erection from its confines.

You hummed appreciatively, admiring the way he filled your palm, so hard and smooth. With your other hand you pushed on his chest, guiding him to lie flat, his head on the pillow.

Your heart thudded as you positioned yourself over him, taking in the sight of him, laid out before you. His eyes were filled with anticipation and need, his expression almost boyish. He looked almost... innocent? Nervous? It was hard to read.

With a wicked grin, you bent down and wrapped your lips around him, sucking gently. A guttural moan tore from his throat, his hands finding their way into your hair. He didn't push, but held on as if his life depended on it.

You swirled your tongue around the tip, teasing and tasting. You took him further, relaxing your throat to accommodate his length. You moaned around him, the vibration eliciting a gasp from him.

You pressed a hand into his hips, keeping him steady, as your head bobbed up and down. Your other hand stroked the base of his shaft, coaxing him further, deeper. His hips jerked, trying to gain leverage, but your grip was firm.

His breathing was ragged, his chest rising and falling in short bursts. You had never seen him so disheveled, so undone. It was a heady feeling. Knowing that you were responsible for making the most refined man you had ever known fall apart.

You continued working him, using every trick you knew, drawing him closer and closer to the edge. He was murmuring things, his words tumbling out in a string of barely coherent compliments.

You hummed, enjoying his incoherence, the way his fingers tugged at your hair. The pressure was building, his breath becoming shorter and shallower. He was so close, you could taste it. You pulled back slightly, your tongue swirling around the tip once more.

He let out a low groan, his hips stilling as he spilled into your mouth. You swallowed him greedily, savoring the taste of him, the sounds he made.

You looked up at him, taking in the sight of his parted lips, the sheen of sweat covering his forehead. He looked beautiful. Wild and untamed. And completely yours.

The realization washed over you, sending a jolt of something unfamiliar through your body. Before you could examine it, he was pulling you underneath him, taking back control. His lips found yours, kissing you deeply, his hands sliding under your hips, pressing you closer.

The two of you just kissed for awhile, unhurried, enjoying the feel of each other. Your fingers explored his body, learning every dip and curve, committing him to memory.

"I must confess, it actually has been years," he said suddenly, breaking the silence. His words were spoken into the crook of your neck, his voice slightly muffled.

You couldn't help the laugh that bubbled up, his confession so unexpected.

"It's alright, I won't tell anyone," you teased, carding your fingers through his hair.

He leaned back, his eyes shining with amusement. "That would be preferable," he agreed, planting a kiss on the underside of your jaw.

"The wait was worth it," he whispered, his voice low and full of promise.

You couldn't stop the blush that crept up your neck, his words sending a fresh wave of heat through your body. He had that effect on you. Making you feel things you had never experienced before. He was so commanding yet tender. So confident, yet vulnerable.

You tugged him closer, wanting to be engulfed by his scent, his warmth. He obliged, slowly parting your legs with his knee, his erection pressing into the apex of your thighs.

He leaned down, his lips ghosting over yours, his breath warm against your cheek. "Is this okay?" he whispered, his question genuine.

You nodded, not used to the way he was taking his time. You had never had someone take such care, treating your body like something delicate, precious. It was an odd feeling, and you found yourself craving it, eager to see what he would do next.

He brushed his nose against yours, a tender gesture, his hands lifting your thighs, pressing them against your stomach. You could feel his hard length against you, but he remained still, his gaze searching yours.

You realized he was waiting for an invitation. "Please," you breathed, unable to say more, your mind too focused on the feel of him, the heat building inside you.

His fingers gripped the back of your thighs, the pressure enough to bruise, as he eased into you slowly. Your eyes fluttered shut, his thickness stretching you, filling you completely. You moaned, your fingers digging into his biceps.

He began to move, his thrusts slow and deliberate, each one sending waves of pleasure coursing through your body. He set a perfect rhythm, his hips rolling against yours in a way that left you breathless.

Your hips rose to meet his, colliding in perfect harmony, his breath warm against your cheek. He murmured words of encouragement, his voice hoarse and low. Your name escaped his lips in a breathless gasp, the sound almost a prayer.

You could feel his love, his admiration, in every touch, every kiss, every stroke. It wasn't just sex. It was Elijah pouring every ounce of his devotion into you. You understood why he wasn't a man for one-night stands. He couldn't separate the act from the emotion. And for some reason, you couldn't either. Not with him.

His hands slid to your hips, steadying your movements as he slowed his thrusts, savoring the way you fit together. "Perfect," he breathed, his lips grazing the side of your neck, his breath hot on your skin.

"Elijah," you whimpered, his name escaping in a gasp.

He was unraveling you, piece by piece, every thrust bringing you closer to the edge. You could feel the pressure building, the familiar heat pooling deep inside you. You closed your eyes, your fingers curling into his skin as the first waves of your orgasm washed over you.

"That’s it," Elijah whispered, his voice like velvet against your ear, low and intimate.

Your body trembled, a moan escaping your lips as the waves of pleasure crashed over you, your body tensing, then relaxing. He rode you through it, his own release following yours, he groaned, his forehead resting against yours.

For a moment, the world around you faded away, your thoughts only of him. You breathed each other in, the two of you still joined, hearts racing.

When the fog cleared, and reality came rushing back, all you could think about was the way his skin felt against yours. His body, warm and solid above you. You had never had sex like that before. It was intense, almost spiritual. You couldn't explain it, but there was something different about him. Something you had never experienced with anyone else.

"Well, that was..." you trailed off, looking up at him through your lashes.

He met your gaze, a hint of amusement in his expression. "Indeed," he murmured, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

You let out a soft giggle, your cheeks warming under the weight of his stare. You snuggled into his chest, his strong arm wrapping around you, holding you close.

You stayed like that for a while, enjoying the feel of his bare skin against yours. Your fingers absently traced patterns along his chest, his heartbeat steady and strong. You had never felt more content, more at ease.

"You're welcome to stay," he whispered, his lips brushing against the top of your head.

You hummed in agreement, letting him pull the blankets around you. You couldn't remember the last time you had felt so comfortable. So safe.

The soft buzzing of his phone pulled you both back to reality, a reminder that the world outside still existed. Elijah sighed, the sound half-amused, half-irritated.

"Who is it?" you asked, the question partially muffled by his chest.

"It doesn't matter," he replied, his voice soft and reassuring.

You lifted your head, looking at the screen, and noticed all the messages notifications from the dating app. You chuckled.

"Someone is popular," you said, teasing him lightly.

He shrugged, a sheepish look on his face. You reached out and opened a message from one of his many suitors, a blonde woman who was unafraid to get right to the point.

‘My place? ;)’, the message read, along with a very provocative picture.

"I don't understand why people think sending a photo like that is appropriate," Elijah mused, his tone indignant.

You burst out laughing, the thought of Elijah, in all his old-fashioned glory, unable to comprehend the dating app culture, was too much.

"Oh come on, don't tell me you didn't expect this," you teased, poking him gently in the ribs.

He caught your hand, bringing it up to his lips, the gesture so intimate, you could feel your cheeks flush.

"I'm aware of what dating apps are for, I'm just not interested in the kind of attention she's offering," he replied, his eyes meeting yours, the warmth in his gaze making your heart race.

"It's not all bad, you know," you said, a hint of mischief in your voice. "It worked for us," you pointed out.

He arched an eyebrow, his expression thoughtful. "I suppose you're right," he conceded, his lips curving into a small smile. "But we would have ended up here regardless," he added, his confidence unwavering.

"Is that so?" you replied, trying to hide the way your heart was hammering against your chest.

"Yes," he said simply, the certainty in his voice leaving no room for doubt.

"And why is that?" you pressed, enjoying the way he was looking at you, his gaze full of adoration.

“This,” he murmured, his voice low and steady, “was always meant to happen. You and I… we’re inevitable.”

You smiled softly, your fingers brushing along his jawline. “Inevitable,” you repeated, the word tasting like a promise on your tongue. Whatever doubts or fears you had melted away in the warmth of his gaze, the quiet certainty that seemed to anchor you to this moment. As his arms tightened around you, pulling you closer, you realized that this was exactly where you were meant to be.

Wrapped in his embrace, your future unfolding one shared heartbeat at a time.

[shomixremix]

HERDING THE CATTLE ♥︎

i saw something about this prompt on here like two years ago and it's been stuck in my head ever since ♡︎

tags: Arataki Itto, afab! reader, cow hybrid! reader, smut, fluff, marking, mating, rough sex, petnames, cowgirl, breeding, creampie

-> you are a small cow hybrid auctioned off to a slaughterhouse since you couldn't produce enough milk and were never calm. the arataki gang saved you, and your new master - the one and oni Arataki Itto - knows just how to keep you in check.

reqs open ♡︎ | minors DNI

"Ahh!! Itto! Itto-ooh! Mh! I-Itto!"

You whined as the Oni bounced you on his cock like you were weightless, watching in amusement as you cried in overstimulation. What was this, your ninth, tenth time cumming? You lost count. Itto never let you rest, not even for a second, bouncing you on his lap through every orgasm.

"Aww, you'r' so cute, love bug... Such a cute little cow, ain't ya'? Don't cry now, sweets, this is what ya' wanted, yeah? Only way I can tire you out, baby~"

Your master cooed, teasing you about being so restless. Oh, how you wished you could take everything back! No, you weren't bursting with energy like you said earlier, no, you couldn't go on forever - your legs were practically jelly at this point, your limp body completely at mercy to Itto.

He used you like a cocksleeve, dragged on his dick whenever he wanted and for however long he wanted - and you loved it. Life was good in the Arataki gang: you always had food, a place to sleep and protection provided to you, at all times. You also had a very tall, very strong and very handsome demon filling you up and breeding you almost daily, making sure your cushy womb was never empty.

The space where you connected was a mess. A glorious mess of both your and his juices seeping out of your hole, being fucked back in each time Itto would trust back. Just as every other day, your gummy walls pulsed around his length, making him shoot yet another load inside you.

"Fuck, baby... Makin' me lose my mind and shit..... So good.... Give me a little taste of that milk, will ya'?"

His large palms left your hips, greedily grabbing at the fat flesh of your boobs. As soon as he squeezed down just a tiny bit, a small stream of milk burst out, hitting Itto in the face. You were instantly mortified. Itto was your master, he saved you from certain death, and now you embarass him like this-

"I'm s-sorry Itto-! So sorry! Didn't mean to, I r-really didn't mean to!"

Instead of scolding you like you were sure any other owner would, the Oni burst out laughing. His laugh was like a roar, shaking his entire body - and with him, you as well.

"Hah, those jerks at the farm jus' didn't know how to milk ya', sweets, 'cause you look full of milk to me!"

It was true - even though you were sold to a slaughterhouse for failing to produce milk, you started leaking like crazy the moment Itto took you as his. That vet back at the farm you grow up on always said that you'd start producing milk if they paired you with a bull, and what better bull than a large, demon one?

Their loss, anyway. Now, all your milk belonged to Itto and his warm mouth, and not to some sketchy farmers who were only interested in selling it.

Your thoughts were interrupted by the feeling of his sharp fangs on your nips, greedily sucking at the flesh and gulping down the sweet drink. His dick twitched inside you as he continued feasting, your own arms tightening around his head to pull him closer.

The second he detached himself from your chest he thrust out harshly, in the process accidentally completely pushing you from his lap. Even though Itto was mighty and strong, he wasn't exactly the sharpest. There was a slight possibility that he was so occupied with whatever he was doing that he forgot you were on him.

You watched as he stood up, leaving you sitting on your knees on the ground. The Oni spit a bit of your milk on his palm, then using that same hand to roughly jerk his cock. It was more than obvious that milk was one of his kinks.

Oh, but why would he jerk off with milk as lube when you were right there...? On your knees, right next to him, ready and waiting and... Oh, Archons, were you not enough for him anymore..?

When Itto first saved you, the deal was that you'd stay in the Arataki gang until they found you a new home. However, Itto insisted they keep you, even proclaimed you as his own "pretty girl that no one can touch!" He kept you all to himself, fell asleep with you in his arms at night, brought you any awesome flowers he found, even took you on good, honest dates when he'd get a little Mora! He even acted on his demon urges and sunk his fangs into your neck, mating you!

But what if he didn't want to spend the rest of his life with a little, useless cow? What if that wasn't even enough for his sexual urges any more..?

"I-Itto..." You cry, big tears pooling up in the corners of even bigger eyes, threatening to spill at any moment.

At the mention of his name the Oni turns to you, shocked to see you crying.

"Hey, hey, hey! Baby, what's wrong?!"

"Need you.... P-please..."

Not another word needed to be said. Itto immediately reacted, grabbing your soft, much smaller body and seating it once again on his lap, entering you in one swift trust until his tip was snuggly kissing your cervix.

"Shhh, sweets... Let your Oni take care of ya', hm? No need to cry! I thought you couldn't go on, love bug, that's why I stopped! But you really are a restless one, huh, calfie?"

You smiled warmely at the nickname as your head went fuzzy. You laid your pretty head on Arataki's chest - like always - and let him have complete control of how he fucks you.

Each one of his thrust was faster and more brutal than the last. Your pussy was already crying out, threatening to cum just from the first few thrusts. Itto noticed, pinching your puffy clit between his claws and rolling it around.

"OH, ITTO!" You scream in ecstasy, riding your high.

Your master wasn't going to be able to last much longer. With you bouncing on his cock the way you were and how your sweet little cunt was so tight that it was milking him dry, Itto lasted only a couple more thrusts.

"Hah... Haaah... Fuck, love bug... Really wanna milk me too, don't ya'? Ahh... Mmm.. Gonna breed you.. Hah... Gonna breed ya' so good, sweets.. You'll be all nice and full, and you'll get pregnant with my calfs, yeah? Put all that milk to good use, hm? Yeah, yeah!"

He started cumming as well, shooting rope after rope after rope of his sweet release inside you. You were filled to the rim, juices leaking out of your satisfied hole. Arataki didn't let any of it go to waste, his fingertips catching whatever's left and pushing it in.

As soon as you were filled, your hands reached for him, seeking comfort in his warm arms. Itto obliged instantly, carrying you like you were weightless, to the nearby camp they set up. Your master entered his tent, the biggest of the bunch, wrapping your body in a soft blanket and once again settling you in his arms.

"There ya' go, love bug. Comfy?" You nodded, which made Itto break out in a toothy grin. "Well, of course it is! The great numero uno Itto is at your service, baby, of course everything is awesome!"

You chuckled at the way he tooted his own horn, kissing his cheek and hiding your face in his large neck and shoulder.

"G'night, Itto.. Thank you..."

The Oni found your actions adorable, cooing at you: "Awww, sweets, no need to thank me! You know I always gocha. Thank you for being so good f' me, yeah? You're such a good, pretty little cow... I don't know how I got so lucky!"

He pressed a loving kiss on your forehead, caressing your legs with his large palm.

"G'night, baby.."

[hivemuthur]

What was that? - Ch. 1.

viktorxfemale!OFC mature! (for now, I will mark later chapters as explicit when the time comes

friends to lovers, co-workers, sexual tension up to the wazoo, pinning and banter that got me frustrated when I was writing it, attempt at humour, some angst and a slow burn with a happy ending and a classic Viktor for once

Ch.2. | Ch.3. | Ch.4. | Ch.5. | Ch.6. | Ch.7. | Ch.8. | Ch.9. | Ch.10. | Ch.11. | Ch.12. | Ch.13. | Ch.14. | Ch.15.

word count: 4,6K

tag: #what was that

summary: A romance that explores two insecure people growing closer together through snippets of their time at work.

author’s note: Can I post three things a day? Yes. This is the first fic I've written and I love it dearly. It connected me with @rennethen who has been beta reading it patiently and helped me create significant parts of it, and for that connection alone it was worth to write it.

Cross-posted on AO3

—

“Renly, are you being serious right now?” John stormed into the lab’s kitchen visibly flushed with anger. Renly only blinked at him, a question in her eyes.

“I guess? Didn’t you get my note?” She definitely remembered sending the note asking John to take a raincheck. She even made a song about it to not forget, like the last time. Viktor had mocked the song at first but later grew annoyed with it.

”Please stop, this song is now rotting my brain. I get it, John is a nice guy,” Viktor rotated on his chair with a groan that has clearly been building up for at least one minute.

“Sorry, it’s the only way I don’t get distracted and forget!” to Viktor’s demise, Renly sang this line as well.

“Well, didn’t you get my note?” John said, already huffing, seemingly offended. He did get her note, he did see the little heart she drew on it and a coffee stain that suggested she wrote it hastily, while doing something else with her other hand. So, he sent a passive aggressive jokey note back stating that it’s tomorrow or he doesn’t know when, because he is also oh-so-busy.

“I can’t make it otherwise,” he laid his hands apart in apologetic gesture.

“Like… this week? Or ever?” light mockery in her voice, she said with her back to John, while pouring coffee into two cups. “It’s okay, we can have breakfast here. Do you want coffee?” Renly pulled out the third cup from the sink and waved it at John expectantly.

At which point, Viktor entered their tiny lab kitchen, scrunching his wet hair with a damp towel, his cheeks flushed and clothes slightly dishevelled, clinging to his hot-after-shower body. “Do I smell coffee? Hi John,” he said, waving at the doorway.

“Nothing will hide from you. Crisis averted?” Renly asked referring to fifteen minutes ago, when Viktor banged viciously on the bathroom door, demanding shower access immediately, as he spilled suspicious fluid from Renly’s workstation all over himself.

She said it was punishment for snooping. He said she’d taken his favourite pen, and her workstation was planned ridiculously, making moving around risky. Also, she took showers that lasted forever. She said her shower was only fifteen minutes, which is perfectly within bounds of morning toilet routine. He said she should shower at home and sleep at home; otherwise, she would end up a social pariah like him and Jayce. She said it’s a bit late for that as night is a perfect time for quiet work and she is one person away from the social pariah status. She meant John. So right now, it really did look like she was close to adding it to her work signature. She had to evacuate from the bathroom before she had the chance to dry off completely, which is why her hair was wet.

“Did you shower together?” John’s tone gained additional pitch to it as he asked his ridiculous question, visibly getting more and more distressed.

“Yes, John. We also have occasional orgies that I forgot to mention,” Renly couldn���t help about the snarky comment but when she turned around to take a look at her… boyfriend? They went out about ten times and slept together twice, so she guessed he was her boyfriend already. Well, he looked hurt, and she immediately wished she didn’t say it, no matter how ridiculous it sounded.

“Please, don’t be like that. I pulled an all-nighter again, and it was too late to go home. We showered separately, obviously,” she said in a softer voice as the cups were placed on the tiny table in the middle of the kitchen, only three chairs.

“I will give the two of you some space,” Viktor swept his cup with Jayce’s face on it and gave both of them polite smile as he walked out faster, than Renly thought he was able to.

“So… are you very cross with me?” she waited for Viktor to leave the area and asked reaching out to place her palm on top of John’s forearm, but he winced away.

John had always been good at making himself seem indispensable. When they first started seeing each other, his charm felt effortless—little gestures like remembering her favourite tea or distracting her with a ridiculous joke when she was too stressed to focus. She had let her guard down with him in a way she rarely allowed herself to. It had felt safe, comforting even. But lately, the cracks in that façade were harder to ignore. He got offended easily and threw some stupid accusations at her when he was out of arguments. She did admit, she was quite oblivious to some of relationship savoir-vivre, but it was also discussed priorly! And he said he doesn’t mind, so the next part caught her off-guard.

“I… don’t think this will work out this way,” he said with a sigh and waved his hand around making her question if he meant them, or breakfast with Victor in near vicinity. “I didn’t know this is what I was signing up for frankly,” he finished and gave her a sad puppy glance. This made her… angry? Of course, he knew what he was signing up for. She told him from the very beginning how important her work was. And how bad she was at this, but he just called her cute. Surely, this was enough of a warning. Or maybe it wasn’t but John really didn’t seem like he heard anything of what she ever said in the long run.

He was a Piltie, and she was from Zaun. He liked posh places that were trying to pass as casual, she liked to hang out by the riverbank in the evenings and sneak into The Undercity to look at street art and eat street food. He always seemed to pay attention to what she was telling him about her lab work and how many lives it could potentially change but at the end of every test presentation and heated one-sided conversation (it was hot on her side only) when she looked at him expectantly, he praised her with a you are so smart or you look pretty when you get excited about science and it left her empty of all air like a sad balloon in the aftermath of a party. He probably had a politician’s career ahead of him, so in the future, he would be the person to decide whether she does or doesn’t get funding for her research and in her mind’s eye John was a person that would probably happily fund something else than the medicine for long term Grey exposure symptoms. But he was a good practice for that. And despite everything else, she did like him. He had his moments, as they say.

In a few seconds, that took very long in the pocket dimension of her brain, Renly tried to calculate how much fault in this situation was hers and if it was worth to back down and give him a peace offering in form of a dinner at her place, that she would cook, and they would be alone, and it would be romantic, and he would probably get to fuck her on the dinner table.

The plan started forming itself, when John said “I mean… you spend all your free time here, or you drag me around the lanes. Also, this Viktor guy? I got over Jayce, recently he is barely here. So…” he dragged his huge eyes across her face looking for a sign of understanding that wasn’t there “…you understand how I feel when you spend most of your time with another man.” It came out weak, but he decided to stand by it.

“Another man? It’s Viktor,” she scoffed. “Not even a day ago he stated how much I disgust him with Zaunian food in fridge. He works all the time. We sleep in separate rooms. He…” Renly inhaled, exasperated by this accusation. It’s ridiculous, how insecure John was to even suggest that.

“He is a friend. And that’s all. I assure you he is not interested in me.” She had a dead serious certainty about this. If something was fixed in this universe, it was the fact that Viktor wasn’t interested in her. And she didn’t think of him that way either. Except the one time she let her mind wander, and she did. Which was a lie, because she thought that at least twice.

Once, when they met for the first time. She already knew Jayce, who made her gasp the first time she saw him. The impression passed, but friendship remained. Jayce and Viktor, freshly acquainted, were passing her classroom when a quake shook The Uppercity. It caused one of her test tubes to fall into the vial she was working on, breaking and triggering a teeny-tiny exoenergic reaction (it exploded). The hero within Jayce’s body drove him straight in to help any casualties, of which the only one was Renly, face full of colourful goo. From the floor, she glanced at Viktor walking in shortly after his partner, and she gasped, even more than when she had met Jayce. She immediately knew it was wrong to look for so long. Her suspicion was confirmed when Viktor’s expression shifted from amusement to the realization that his brief chance to present himself as more than the guy with a cane had passed. From that point forward, he was very formal with her, though he occasionally joked about history repeating itself within the academy walls.

It was a lie though, as well. She first saw Viktor by the riverbank in Zaun, as a child. She had been maybe seven, and he could have been slightly older. Her eyes, round and curious, followed him trying to chase down his mechanical ship taken by the stream. She tried to shadow him that day, but he disappeared in the mouth of a cave she was afraid to walk into. He had a smaller cane then and she thought him a magician. So, she only lingered in disbelief that their paths crossed once more and that he was, indeed, real. And also, in awe of how beautifully he has grown up. But overall, Renly counted it as a one time.

Second time, after she decided to stay at university to continue her research and teach students, they were copying the notes together and Jayce was growing more and more bored, so he kept trying to start random topics.

"I wonder if all of them are as pretty as Mel,” he said, trying to trace down beautiful Mel Medarda’s heritage while fishing for reassurance from his friends about their imminent romance.

“But maybe it’s not a rule. I mean, looking at the both of you I would say the rule for Zaun is to be full of attractive people as well,” Jayce was waffling on, and Renly grew tired of it.

“And ugly people. And short people. And tall people. And fat people, and skinny people, Jayce. It’s all just people, like in Piltover, there is no rule to here or Zaun. Initially, it’s the same city, and we all come from different places,” she said harshly not lifting her sight from the notes she was copying.

“Oh relax, it was a compliment! And I am looking for reassurance from you guys, yes,” he traced his finger down the blackboard, wiping some of the old equations away.

“Not very progressive of you, the Man of Progress. I can give you reassurance – Mel seems fine. You will be fine. You are a big boy, Jayce. But I do not need compliments, not because I’m from The Undercity, nor because I’m a woman,” Renly’s dead stare made Jayce look for help from Viktor. She gave him a pass and went back to scribbling.

“Vik, any help?”

“I’m afraid with this one I have to place myself in Renly’s corner. Even though of the two of us, I probably am the one that needs compliments,” Viktor also didn’t glance up from above his paperwork.

“No, you don’t,” Renly didn’t notice she now got the attention of both of her friends.

“You are, yourself, quite…” her mind was absent at this moment, so it was probably the other part of her that spoke the rest “…dreamy.” A second past, in which her brain caught up with her mouth and a deep shade of red bled into her cheeks and chest. She cleared her throat, stood up quickly and threw barely audible excuse me leaving the boys to exchange their looks and make their fun of her. Jayce snorted when Renly was out of hearing range and Viktor only mouthed a what was that? That was the second time, infinitely more mortifying than the first one.

“You put a lot of effort into assuring me of this, but you never once said if you are not interested in him. From where I’m standing, you are definitely not interested in me,” John’s voice broke her out of reminiscing.

Renly’s face went into stupid mode, twisting her features with disbelief. How dare he.

“Are you really saying what I’m hearing? Are you accusing me of infidelity based on your own insecurity? Have I truly given you any reason to believe I’m involved with anyone else but you? When do you think I would have time for that? Or do you actually not listen to me when I tell you about what I’m doing here and how much of my time and energy it consumes?” John’s expression grew more and more panicked as he saw how far he has overstepped.

“This is not… I didn’t…”

“What you didn’t do is think. You are the one who is not interested in me, John. You listen to me, but you do not register, nor remember anything I tell you. What do you want from me? Should I drop everything I’m doing just to dangle from your shoulder at the parties? Should I change the way I speak? Should I cut all my friends and relatives loose because they are from The Undercity? Would that make you feel secure enough?” she spat at him, becoming more and more angry with every sentence, self-winding regret fuelling her.

“Gods, this is not what I want, and you know it,” John brought his hand to the back of his neck, his voice gentler this time. “I just don’t feel like you want me around, is all,” he whispered, his words making Renly’s shoulders drop and her chest sink.

His fingers tapped an idle rhythm on the table, his eyes darting toward the adjoining lab room. It wasn’t the first time she’d caught him stealing glances at her colleagues’ workspaces, but she had always dismissed it as idle curiosity or stupid jealousy, first over Jayce, then over Viktor. Now, though, every stolen glance felt like a clue she should have picked up on sooner.

“I do,” she hesitated. “I did. I invited you to meet my people, come to my home, my work, my bed,” at which point, in the other room, Viktor—who was doing his absolute worst not to listen—squeezed a piece of chalk a little too hard, causing half of it to disintegrate into dust with a loud, whiny, bone-chilling sound that gave him goosebumps at the back of his neck. So, they slept together, great. Just great. It didn’t bother him at all, and yet… it bothered him greatly for some reason. Probably just because she will be a nightmare to be around for the next week or so.

Ridiculous, Viktor thought, though the word didn’t carry the weight he wanted it to. What did it matter who she invited into her bed? It certainly wasn’t his concern. The tightening in his chest wasn’t jealousy—it couldn’t be. No, it was irritation, that’s all. Irritation because she was so impulsive, so reckless, letting herself be distracted by someone so undeserving of her attention.

Why did it bother him? It wasn’t the first time she’d been entangled in some personal drama, and usually, he had the patience to tune it out. Yet here he was, bristling at every raised word, every pointed jab from John. It wasn’t his place to care. He had told himself years ago that people like Renly—bright, chaotic, and distractingly beautiful—were nothing but a complication. And yet, he found himself gripping his cane tighter every time John’s voice rose.

“Just realistically, I don’t think this is what you want. So, the obvious choice would be to put a pin in it until we both decide what we want,” her voice faltered. Breaking things off with John hadn’t been part of her plans for the day, and she could never have been emotionally prepared for this—especially not before breakfast. She wasn’t really breaking things off with him, either. Maybe a short, temporary break would do them good, cool things off. She fidgeted with her fingers under the table, becoming increasingly self-conscious about how much of the conversation Viktor had overheard.

“Really? So now it’s about me not respecting your Zaunian heritage, instead of you blowing me off at every opportunity?” at this point John knew that guilting her into giving it one more shot was probably his only chance. His father really wanted those hextech blueprints, and he would be very disappointed if John didn’t manage to get them. “Look, I don’t mind if we hang out here at all. But truth be told, you don’t really invite me here very often,” John said, his voice softer now, but there was an edge beneath it, like a scalpel disguised as a pen.

He had a way of twisting her words, making her feel like the selfish one for not prioritizing him more. It was a skill he wielded well, and for a moment, it almost worked. But the memory of all those little disappointments—the times he had brushed off her work as "just another experiment" or barely listened when she explained her progress—bubbled up like a pressure valve ready to burst. He did actually like her. She was his type – pretty, quirky, talented and driven. She could be a bit more elegant, but that would be polished with time. “We could make a schedule, meet here when nobody is around? Maybe you could even show me some hextech, hm?” with this, he knew he probably pushed a little bit too far, as her expression grew weary.

There it was again, that same calculated curiosity masked as casual conversation. At first, she had chalked it up to natural interest—what Piltover scholar wouldn’t want to know more about hextech? But now, with his eyes lingering too long on the blueprints and his questions steering the conversation in predictable directions, she couldn’t shake the feeling that this was about more than idle fascination.

“I… you know I don’t work with hextech,” she shook her head while her brain was glueing the pieces together. “Why would you…,” and it hit her gently, prompted by the guilt painting her soon-to-be-ex-boyfriend’s face. Unbelievable. When she thought about it longer, he did usually snoop around innocently while waiting for her to wrap up work. He would wander between the lab rooms, seemingly just killing time, but she saw him linger on the blueprints more than once. When she told him about her experiments, he always drove the discussion towards Viktor and Jayce’s work. How are they doing? So does this hextech actually work? And what do they want to use it for again? And he tried to pin it on her sleeping with Viktor. The audacity.

Renly wanted to believe the relationship had been real, that it hadn’t just been about her work or her connections. But as she stared at him now—his charming smile just a little too polished, his words just a little too well-placed—she realized how many times she had ignored her instincts. How often she had pushed aside the nagging thought that he didn’t see her, not really. Just the parts of her that were useful.

“So… you come here and make a scene about the note that you seemingly wrote for me and that I didn’t get. You accuse me of cheating on you with my colleague,” at which point Viktor scoffed to himself in the other room. The idea of Renly and him being a thing was laughable. She was too stubborn, too unpredictable, too... distracting. And yet, John’s misplaced jealousy had struck an uncomfortable chord. Absurd, Viktor reassured himself. If anything, she deserves better than someone like me. She deserves better than both of us.  

“You propose a solution – let’s hang out here,” Renly exhaled, and her eyes rested on her hands with the realization of being used all this time hitting her hard. She didn’t think she cared that much. Frankly, having a normal secure relationship also with someone normal and secure was a hope she didn’t dare to entertain very often. It was mostly work and friends for her. So, when John came along, she just let it happen, as maybe, she thought, it was a good thing happening to her. Realizing there was no love in it, left her feeling numb.

In the other room, Viktor stopped pretending to work and simply sat on a stool, his hands and chin resting on his cane. That was new territory, a kind of danger they hadn’t anticipated. Also, he did feel angry for Renly – annoying as she was, she really didn’t deserve this. He wondered if he should intervene and kick John out, but the act would have to be based on his authority, which as a fellow Zaunian in John’s eyes he had none. Any show of force would need to be purely verbal—calculated and precise enough to leave the boy speechless and make him back down without a fight. While he was negotiating the terms of this heroic act with himself, he heard Renly’s voice echoing across the corridors: “I think it’s best you go.”

“Can we talk this through?” one last desperate attempt on John’s side as he covered Renly’s palm with his. She slid her hand from underneath his, threw a quick no over her shoulder and stepped through a heavy metal door that separated living area form the laboratory. She locked it behind her with a loud crank and immediately sank to hug her knees. Well, shit. This wasn’t part of her plan for today. And she didn’t want to cry in front of Viktor. If Jayce was here, he’d make it better, but he was with the beautiful Mel Medarda having breakfast in her quarters, which was a secret. Viktor would make fun of her—or worse, he’d get cross for endangering their life’s work. On one side of the door, her mean ex-boyfriend, on the other her mean niggling friend. She could just stay here.

“Do you need help getting up?” Viktor’s voice made her gasp and release the tears that were gathering under her eyelids, now streaming down her cheeks. And just to be clear, they were angry tears, not sad pathetic tears.

“Maybe,” Renly said, wiping her face with a sleeve, unable to bring herself to look him in the eye. She accepted his offered hand, which was about to pull her up. Unfortunately, the sudden movement sent a cramp shooting down Viktor’s calf, leaving Renly standing while he folded in half.

“Oh shit, Viktor I’m sorry, let me grab a stool!”

“Ah, no need. It’s fine. Just a cramp, it’ll stretch,” he panted, sliding down the corridor wall. She crouched down by him, question in her eyes about what to do.

“Well, where is it? I can… rub it out?” she heard herself saying and a darker shade of pink flushed her already enflamed cheeks. Viktor noticed. Her hands were faster than her brain this time and she already had his calf in her grasp, looking for the knot.

The warmth of her hands startled him, a flicker of something unwanted creeping into his thoughts. He shut it down immediately. She’s just helping. Don’t make it into something it isn’t. But the gentleness of her touch lingered longer than it should have, and when she looked up at him, her face flushed with concentration, he had to look away. Focus, Viktor. This means nothing.

“How did you get this so bad, Viktor?” she gasped at the state of her friend’s muscle, contracted like a rusty hinge. Her eyes full of concern, and some guilt. She made him uncomfortable in his own lab, because of some stupid drama. Stupid, yet it tore a hole in her heart.

Viktor remembered this look. He remembered the way she had looked at him back when they first met—not the awestruck gaze she reserved for Jayce, but something deeper, sharper. It had unnerved him. People always noticed the cane first; it was a fact he had come to accept. But she had looked past it—no, she had lingered on it, and he wasn’t sure whether it was curiosity, pity, or something else entirely. It didn’t matter now. He had decided long ago to keep her at a polite distance.

“Too much sitting down, ah!” he gasped when more pressure was applied “I tried to work through your… quarrel,” Viktor’s voice grew breathier, his eyebrows pinching together. Absent-mindedly, he placed his right hand on Renly’s shoulder and closed his eyes, letting his body relax into her touch. She was very careful, almost… affectionate.

“I guess this would fuel John’s theory,” he chuckled slightly, forgetting himself. Did he just admit that something was possible? Renly was too focused on getting rid of the knot to notice the awkward grunt following this sentence, and without much thought to it she said, “don’t be ridiculous.”

Something sunk in Victor’s chest hearing that. Of course, it was ridiculous. He was ridiculous. All of it. He was about to figure out how to run away, take his leg with him and tell her this is good enough, when she continued.

“I mean, we are not responsible for someone’s insecurities. I refuse to be. Also, as I presume you heard all of it, you will know that it was all a play,” she put so much attention into rubbing Viktor’s calf that the words just went out of her mouth. “Just to get his hands on hextech. So, I’m guessing this accusation was also fabricated to guilt me. Or he was obsessed with you. Which I understand… gotcha!” she exclaimed as the muscle relaxed under her fingers, and Viktor gave an involuntary moan, making both of them flush slightly.

The tension in his calf eased, but his chest felt impossibly tight. He was about to thank her—briefly, formally—when the look on her face stopped him. She was glowing, not with the self-satisfaction he often associated with Jayce, but with genuine care. It was infuriating. No, not infuriating—irrelevant. Why do you even notice these things? he scolded himself, rising awkwardly to his feet and turning away before the warmth in her eyes could undo him further.

“Forgive me, I… thank you,” was all he was able to say.

“That’s… it’s nothing, no worries.”

“I believe you know this, but in case you don’t—he’s a donkey, and you’re brilliant, yes?” Viktor tossed over his shoulder. “Ah, I’m not… thank you,” she said, standing in the corridor, confused, her face burning. What was that?

[myg-butterfly]

Nothing New

Ot7! BTS x Choreographer! Reader (Seokjin x Reader focused)

Summary: You get hurt and have to find a replacement. You just didn't think that replacement extended to your relationship with the BTS members. Will they still want you when you're nothing new?

Tags: ANGST (sorry), eventual fluff, Injured!Reader, Fem!Reader, Bangtan are kind of assholes, this isn't really proofread sorry, I also don't know how this shit actually works with Idol groups so I'm just making shit up lolsies.

A/N: HI omg sorry this took FOREVER. I was gonna have this done this weekend but we went to go visit family so I put this aside omg, but it's finalllyyyy here! I hope this lives up to your expectations. Thank you for all the love on the teaser, and remember, comments and feedback are always soooo appreciated!

Taglist: @bangteezbaby @thelilbutifulthings @hoshi-is-ult-bbg @juju-227592 @kikz165 @plexcaffeinate

All the members had just gotten home from rehearsal, and immediately went to find you just so they could throw silly little tantrums about you not being there.

The way they were pouting reminded you more of kicked puppies than world-wide sensations.

"It's fine guys, I know someone who can cover for me until I get better."

"But we like your choreography better." Taehyung whines into your shoulder and you pat his head in comfort.

"It's just a month or two, Tae."

You had broken your leg about a week ago, and consequently, you couldn't continue choreographing for the group until you were fully healed.

Which meant either the boys paused their learning, or you brought someone else in to cover for you - and you're all aware that pausing isn't really an option.

"But I'll miss you." Your boyfriends were overly dramatic, acting like you were leaving even though you all lived together.

"You'll still see me at home, it's not like I'm dropping off the face of the earth."

He huffs into your shoulder and rolls over so he's sitting next to you normally now.

"Anyway, how have you been? Have you felt okay?" Seokjin sits down on the other side of you and you feel yourself growing a bit shy under his caring stare.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

•••

"Hi! Thank you so much for covering for me. We're on a reall-"

"Save it, it's whatever. I always told you you'd need my help again at some point."

You don't like the implications in her tone but you pass it off with a small chuckle.

"Okay, so they already know 2 out of the 5 numbers for this album, and we were in the middle of learning the 3rd one. I taught it to Hoseok in advance so he can take over for that one. So you wouldn't need to be at the studio until next week. I'll send you the videos I took of the foundation of the other 2 numbers so you can learn it and then teach it."

She looked so uninterested in what you were saying, but you had to be professional.

You called her here in the first place.

"Kay, cool, got it. Also, can I get the guys' numbers? You know, just in case."

"Oh uhm, you can ask them when you see them next week… I'm not sure if they want me giving out their numbers to people they don't really know."

"Well they're gonna know me soon right? Don't be greedy, trying to keep all of them to yourself."

She giggles but you can feel that it's not really one of genuine giddiness and you hope that your discomfort isn't apparent.

"I'll ask them when I see them later today."

You plaster on the best smile you can and she gives you an equally forced one back.

"Okay. Bye!"

She basically struts away and you're left standing there; maybe calling her was the wrong move.

•••

Yep. Calling her was probably the wrong move. But it depends on which side of Y/N you ask.

On the professional side, this is absolutely great. They hit it off right away, all the boys growing comfortable with her rather quick (something HYBE valued a lot), and she was great at her job. Talented, bold, confident, friendly, the whole package.

On a more personal side, this was putting you on edge. How suddenly, all the guys would talk about was 'Joanna said this a rehearsal' or 'Joanna invited us out to eat'. It was always Joanna this Joanna that, and you knew they were just excited to have a new friend, to have someone who shares their passion, you couldn't help but wonder if their feelings for you were simply out of excitement. And now that you're not the newest thing around, would they still want you? Would they still talk about you with the same sparkle in their eyes as they do with Joanna? It left a pit in your chest.

And — yeah, calling her was the definitely the wrong move.

Finally, a long-awaited date with all of you. They were filled with energy, talking and joking on the ride there, and you felt your heart growing lighter, you still had them.

They even helped you get off the car with all the gentleness in the world, helped you get in your seat and made sure you were completely comfortable.

The lightness quickly weighed down into something much heavier when you saw Joanna walk in and make her way to the table.

And the weight felt like it had been dropped to you feet when the guys scooted to make space for her, Namjoon even standing up to hug her and letting her sit first so she'd be in between him and Jungkook.

How long has it been since they hugged you with such happiness?

"Oh my god, Y/N, hi! The boys didn't tell me you would be here."

Something about the way she said "the boys" made your hands itch, almost as much as your throat itched to say 'likewise'.

"Welp. I'm here. Haha."

Dinner wasn't fun, to say the least.

Joanna was blatantly saying shit to embarrass you the entire time, and it even worse, your boyfriends seemed to be soaking up her every word, laughing whenever she pointed out something embarrassing about you when she knew you in high school.

"Yeah! And when we choreographed together, she would always forget her parts." She lets out a giggle and Hoseok laughs too: what's so funny?

"It was only once or twice." You groan, mostly to yourself, but Joanna hears it.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night."

Everyone laughs at her words again and suddenly, you start to think that staying home was the better option.

"I've always said she has the memory of a goldfish. Sometimes it felt like I was doing all the work because i constantly had to step in and help when Y/N froze up."

She turns to you when she speaks her next question:

"How are you doing now that I haven't been here to clean up after you? Are you making Jimin do it?" She laughs and nudges Jimin, who's sitting next to her, on the shoulder, and he happily shoves back with a bright smile on her face.

"I'm fine, it's rare that I forget stuff lately."

She gasps in a dramatic manner, you wish she would just disappear already.

"You? Not wasting time in rehearsal? Because you forgot? That's unheard of!"

You hate the way pretty much all of the guys laugh at her words: they know how much work you've put into being a good choreographer. Why were they laughing at you?

Suddenly, you feel the person next to you pressing up closer against you: Seokjin.

You look at him and he has a soft smile on his face, but not towards Joanna; his entire focus is on you.

"You have a really good memory darling. We can tell you've worked on it." The knot in your stomach softens its grip after hearing Seokjin's words, and for the first time since you got here, your smile is genuine.

"Anyways, how'd you injure yourself?"

"Oh, we were doing some cardio and I tripped. Fell at an awkward angle and it twisted my leg. Haha."

Joanna laughs a little too hard at this.

"I've always also said that for a supposed dancer you sure are clumsy as hell."

Some of the guys giggle at her comment, and you look down at your lap: why were they laughing at you?

Out of the corner of your eye, you see Seokjin sit up a little straighter, and you suspect he's gonna say something.

"Supposed dancer?" He raised a brow and to most people, it would've seemed like he was just egging onto the joke, but you and the rest of the table could tell that there was a serious undertone to his question.

It was no secret in your relationship with the guys that Seokjin had a specific soft spot for you – in a relationship as big as yours, its bound that all of you will have your weak spots for one another: Jungkook and Namjoon, Jimin and Taehyung, Hoseok and Yoongi, you and Seokjin.

So you were more than relieved when he met your gaze from across the table; he knew you were uncomfortable.

And as everyone knows, he's not one to stay quiet.

"I just mean it's surprising that for someone so clumsy she went into the professional world where coordination is crucial."

Jungkook uses this point to tease Namjoon, and thankfully the attention is taken off of you. You catch Seokjin's stare again and this time it's accompanied with an apologetic smile and him reaching out his hand to hold yours.

As your hands meet on top of the table, you seem to be the only one who notices the look Joanna sends you at the display of affection.

•••

More days pass by and everyday they get home later and later until you're left going to bed on your own.

You'd made it a habit to wait for each other if one was out late, but it didn't happen often since you had almost the same working hours and when you went out, it was usually altogether.

You'd tried to keep that habit after your injury, but they were coming home later everyday, and you weren't sure you had it in you to keep staying up for them.

Especially on nights like this one, where when they do get home, you're dismissed almost entirely.

The door opens and you sit up, ready to greet them one by one with a hug and kiss, but most of them just mumble a "hey" or "hi Y/N" and walk straight to their rooms.

Only Jungkook and Seokjin genuinely acknowledge you, Jungkook giving you a hug and a peck on the forehead accompanied by a soft "Hi baby." before going to his room as well.

Seokjin also hugs you, but he picks you up while doing so: shifting you in his arms so he can carry you to bed with him.

As he begins to walk, your eyes meet and he sends a soft smile your way.

You barely start to relax in his hold when you realize that he's walking into your room, and you slightly panic at the thought that he's going to leave you alone in there.

Your slight panic turns into franticness as he sets you down and steps away from the bed.

"No! Don't-" Jin whips around at the sound of your voice, and you feel immediate guilt when you see his startled expression.

"Sorry, I- I know you're tired. Sorry, you can go."

Your attempts to decrease his worry don't seem to work, because he's already making his way back towards your bed.

"No, no. What happened? Whats wrong?"

"Its nothing." Seokjin gives you a stern look, you both know that lying to him is impossible.

"It's not nothing. Is it your leg? Or is it something else?"

"Its stupid" you mumble.

Noticing that you're unsure of yourself, he sits closer to you and brushes you hair out of your face in attempts to comfort you.

"Its not stupid if its bothering you" you feel your tears welling up again at how soft Seokjin's voice is. How soft he is with you.

"I just- I don't think I can be alone right now." You lean into his touch as you finally get at least some of the truth off your chest.

"You don't have to be. I was going to shower, do you want to join me?"

"I don't want to bother you."

"You won't."

"But my leg, I won't be able to stand for long."

"It's okay, we'll bring a stool in and I'll help you."

"But you're tired-"

"Never of taking care of you."

Something in your heart settles through the rest of the night, there is no other intention behind Seokjin asking you to join him.

He washes your hair and even dries it once you're out, he helps you get dressed and he goes to sleep holding you, and even if it's just for one night; all is right in the world again.

The next morning, Jin wakes you up and asks you if you'd like to come to rehearsal with the 7 of them. You're elated, to say the least. You knew it was a minimum thing, but your heart couldn't help but flutter at the thought that they wanted you around.

•••

Jin on the other hand, is pissed. Not at you, (never at you), but at his 6 boyfriends and how absolutely dense they could be, this being one of those moments.

He'd mentioned that you were coming with them, and all of them responded well: "I hope she likes the choreo!" "Yay! I want to hear what she has to say."

Their response to you tagging along wasn't the problem, no.

It was their response when he tried to tell them about how you were feeling that pissed him off:

"Wait guys, before we leave, I need to talk to you about something real quick."

All of them were attentive towards him immediately, so he thought they'd receive this better.

"It's about Y/N. And partially Joanna."

"Okay?"

"I talked to Y/N last night and she seemed upset. She didn't really want to talk about it but I'm almost completely sure that she's feeling left out, and I think it may partially be because of Joanna."

All of them begin to speak at once, until Taehyung's voice cuts through everyone else's.

"Why do you think it has something to do with Joanna?"

The 6 boys settle down and stare expectantly at Jin.

"Have you guys not noticed how backhanded all of Joanna's comments are towards her? Even when Y/N isn't present, she always makes a joke at her expense. And not to mention, we've been spending a lot of time with Joanna, much more than we've been spending with Y/N. I know if I were her I would feel hurt; being injured and spending the whole day cooped up alone while my boyfriends are spending all their time with someone who treats me like dog shit."

Jin wasn't sure what he was expecting the boys' reactions to be, but it definitely wasn't the outraged faces they were all giving him.

Jungkook is the first one to respond:

"I mean, I noticed the comments but I thought they were all in good fun? You know, since Y/N and Joanna have been friends for such a long time."

Taehyung cuts in next:

"And if Y/N is feeling left out, I mean I understand but what does that have to do with Joanna?"

Almost as if on cue, there's noise coming from the kitchen, meaning that you're awake.

Jin quickly gets up to go to you, but not before leaving the 6 boys with one final word, "Just pay attention to how she speaks to Y/N, you'll see what I'm talking about."

•••

It's hard to describe – the knowledge that you're being left behind without any obvious evidence surrounding you.

It's not something that everyone outside of your point of view might see, but you can feel it cutting through you deeply.

Not being able to do what you love, and on top of that, not being able to spend time with the people you love, it's a shattering feeling that claws through your chest.

Which leaves you where you are now: in the car with the rest of the boys on your way to rehearsal.

You thought that maybe being back in the studio would relight the spark that made the 7 men drawn to you in the first place, but even the car ride there felt cold and almost uncomfortable.

•••

The atmosphere changes the moment you step foot in the studio. It feels lighter, somehow. You don't know how to feel, not with the voice in your head insinuating that this lightness is because of Joanna; the guys are more at ease with Joanna than they are with you.

You usually hate being wrong: but now, you wish you could say the voice in your head was being irrational, yet you can't. Not when you turn around and see everyone besides Seokjin and Yoongi - who are off conversing to the side - gathered around Joanna, happily talking to her.

When did they stop looking at you like that?

Finally, she takes notice of your presence and makes her way over to you.

"Y/N, girly! Hey! Are you here to learn?"

You don't respond, confused as to what she's trying to ask you.

"Ya'know? Learn from the best! We've been so productive with this number."

She responds like it's the most obvious thing in the world, and you almost feel offended at what she's insinuating.

"Oh, um- I'm here to see what the guys have done."

Joanna blinks at you, as if your answer threw her off, before continuing.

"Oh. Ok then. Cool! And are the boys cool with that?"

You can tell, she wants this to sound passive aggressive. Kind on the surface, but a clear jab at your insecurities.

Jungkook quickly cuts in;

"Of course. Why wouldn't we be cool with that?"

Joanna stutters through her response, being caught off guard by Jungkook as she thought no one had heard her remark.

"Oh! I don't know, you might get distracted? You know?"

"We'll be fine."

This time it's Jin who answers, and even if it's a little selfish, you're glad that his tone towards Joanna is automatically cold.

"Okay thennnn!"

She turns to you:

"But if you start being a distraction I'll have to ask you to step out. Heh, step out. That's funny."

She giggles at her little joke (at your expense), and makes her way into the practice room.

Rehearsal continues as usual, and you feel a bit lighter as the boys all make jokes and include you while they stretch and warm up.

They start to run through the choreography, and your heart swells with pride seeing them dance; all their hard work really does pay off.

As much as you wish to get up and dance with them, or even get up at all, you know you can't. But just seeing them perform will do.

Once they finish, you start to clap and Jimin and Jungkook turn towards you with a playful vow.

"Its looking really good guys!"

All of the boys respond with a 'thank you' and a smile.

"I do have a couple pointers about some things I noticed-"

"Okay, let's run it again!" Before you could finish your sentence you're cut off by Joanna's squeaky voice.

Thankfully, Hoseok cares about what you have to say, and the rest seem to agree as well.

"Wait, I wanna hear what Y/N had to say."

"Yeah! It's felt weird learning a brand new number and not having any of your input on it."

"Y/N, go on." Seokjin is the one who speaks last, and the look in his eyes tell you that things will be alright.

"Ok, so first thing make sure you guys are agreeing on your directions, make sure that it's either a complete diagonal or if its a slanted move so you all move the same direction-"

"Oh yeah, I explained that to them already, they know." You're once again cut off by Joanna.

You use this as a chance to tease the boys, as you always normally.

"Oh, then why are y'all making that mistake huh?" Your tone is playful, and you see Hoseok step towards you with all the intent of playing along, when a gasp coming from your right stops you both.

"Did you come in here just to criticize?"

Of course it's Joanna.

"Wha- no. I was just teasing them. The dance looks grea-"

"I told you you were gonna distract them, and what did I say I was gonna do if you got them unfocused?"

"I didn't mean to, I was just giving pointers-"

"I've been teaching them for the last few weeks, I know what they need to focus on right now."

"But I know that it can look cleaner than it did right now."

"Well this is my choreography! I know what's best! You don't get to come in here and just start shitting on my work because what? You're jealous?! You think you're better than everyone else?!"

You're taken aback when Joanna starts to scream at you, so much so that you try to step back, completely forgetting that one of your feet is injured.

As you place your foot down, a soaring pain strikes from your foot all the way to your thigh. A sob escapes you and that's when Jin's protective nature kicks in full force.

In the blink of an eye, he's crouching next to you and picking you up while everyone else in the rooms stands frozen in place.

The ice is shattered when a wail comes from somewhere else in the room: it's Joanna.

Everyone's head whips to her direction, but for very different reasons.

Jin, for one, is beyond disbelief that she'd go as low as fake crying to get the attention back on her.

The rest of the guys seemed concerned, but not because of her. Rather because they just saw her true colors, how Jin was right, how they'd neglected you.

Seokjin picks you up and rushes out the door, leaving everyone else in the room frozen.

•••

You don't really process anything that happens afterwards. You just know Seokjin is with you as you go to the doctor to get your foot checked out, and that's enough to push you into a state where you know you can space out.

You couldn't comprehend it, how you were hurt and the rest of them weren't there.

Did they even care you were hurt?

It didn't make sense, that you were asking yourself this. When had things gotten this bad? How could they have let thing get this bad? It left you aching more than your injury, and you think that shouldn't even be possible.

When you get home, you find all the boys kitchen, a mess everywhere -much to Jin's despair- attempting to decorate what you assume is a cake. They're all focused to the point where they didn't hear you come in, and if they did, they're really good at acting like they didn't. You want to hide in your room, maybe ask Jin to hide with you, play into their ignorance, but the petty part in you is much quicker.

"Joanna doesn't like cake."

You speak without thinking about it first, and it's clear that none of them were expecting a comment like that, not even Jin, because their heads whip around instantly to you.

You panic for a little, thinking they'll get mad, but Hoseok and Yoongi start laughing at Namjoon's terrified face, at the maknae line looking like they're deer in headlights, and at Jin's round eyes.

Before you know it, They're all running up to you, and Seokjin has to grab you by the waist to make sure they don't knock you over.

They all speak at once, and you can only make out some things like "are you okay? what did the doctor say? im sorry." What cuts through all the rambling is Namjoon's smooth voice, sounding a bit exasperated as he speaks: "The cake is for you Y/N. We were making the cake for you."

Oh.

"Joon! You ruined the surprise!" Jimin stomps his feet, but you know he's not actually upset.

"Well we couldn't just let her think that we were baking a cake for fuckin Joanna!" Namjoon defends himself.

Yoongi steps in front of the two and turns to you, "It was supposed to be a 'Surprise / I'm sorry / We love you / Get well soon' cake but you got here before we finished."

His genuinely dejected demeanor makes you giggle, he looks like a sad cat.

"It's okay-"

"No it's not. Cake or not, we're all really sorry- hold on, we should sit down for this." Jungkook grabs your hand and leads you to the couch, the rest following suit.

You all sit in silence for a second before Hoseok speaks up:

"Well I guess I'll start." He sits up a little straighter so he's facing you directly, and you feel nerves run through you: was he upset? Was he going to scold you?

The guys seem to notice how you tense up, because Hoseok's face falls a into a small frown, while Jungkook scoots closer to you and Jin places a hand on your thigh.

"Y/N, I am so so sorry for the way we've been acting, and the way we haven't been acting. You got hurt under our watch, we should be the ones taking care of you, no questions asked, and we've failed to do that. There's really no excuse for how inattentive we've been. In our heads, or at least my head, I didn't really see you all day, so I thought that everything was okay because I still got to wake up to you, I still got to come home and feel comfortable knowing that you were here: we had your company. But I failed to return that company, we all failed to give you the bare minimum, and I truly am so sorry."

For the time you've know Hoseok, you've only seen him cry once or twice, so when you see tears start to fall from his eyes, it shakes you up and down. Before you can go console him, Jimin speaks up from where he sits beside Hoseok.

"Hobi's right, Y/N. We didn't pay you enough attention. We were too worried about ourselves to consider how our actions looked to you. The whole thing with Joanna, we did spend a lot of time with her, but even then, all we did was talk about you. Not in a bad way, obviously, but you just always came up in conversation. I don't know why I thought that talking about you would translate as 'we're still giving you our attention' as if you could read our thoughts or something. But again, we were selfish and careless, and I can't apologize enough for how we acted."

You appreciate Jimin's attempt at lightening up the mood, and you appreciate his words overall.

The next hour goes by in the same manner. The boys apologize one by one, not to just you, but to Seokjin as well, and before you know it, there's no one in the room that isn't crying, all of you a teary and snotty mess.

"We love you so much, Y/N. Please let us make it up to you. I love you so much." Yoongi's the last one to speak, and he finishes while walking up to you and bowing at your feet.

The rest of the guys join him, even Seokjin, and you don't know what else to do except throw yourself on the floor with all of them and cry.

The night ends with all of you cuddled up on the floor, until Namjoon and Jin make you all get up so you could go lay down properly.

They guys don't let you walk, no, Jungkook carries you while Taehyung and Jimin squish at his side in an attempt to stay close to you.

You all manage to squeeze into a single bed with you in the middle, hands everywhere trying to keep you close.

You feel warmer than you have in weeks, and meanwhile the guys do have a lot to make up for, with arms wrapped around you and sweet nothings floating in the room, you think this is a great start.

[impactdial]

möbius, forever (2/2)

Ship: Sanji/Usopp

Rating: T

Warnings: Alcohol use

Tags: Feelings Realizations, Jealousy, Denial of Feelings

“Are you mad at me?” Usopp asked suddenly as he lifted his head slightly, his voice slow and a bit somber. The stark difference between his behavior from just a little while ago versus now made Sanji’s stomach drop. “No,” Sanji said without hesitation, maybe too eagerly, pushing himself closer to Usopp to double the warmth between them. Some of Usopp’s stray curls brushed the hollow of his throat, and something compels Sanji to add, “Why would I be mad?”

Note: Thanks for reading! Sorry it took a minute, I actually ended up rewriting a lot of this chapter lol. I'd love to know what you guys thought! <3

AO3

It was relatively easy to guide Usopp through the cabin door, physically speaking. He did lament, albeit very briefly, that Sanji was “robbing the party of its guest of honor”, to which Sanji (lightly) kicked him in the back of the thigh to usher him inside. After that, Usopp resorted to theatrically jutting out his bottom lip and whining in the deliberate, exaggerate tone he uses when he’s trying to appeal to the cook’s kinder tendencies (such as grilling pike for dinner or, seas forbid, obliging a dessert request). Sanji, already thoroughly pissed off, just barked at him to put his dirty overalls in the dirty laundry pile while he rummaged through his own locker for a spare shirt.

(He purposefully avoided looking inside the locker’s door, where the old charm was still carefully taped beside some scribbled recipe cards.)

Once he’s found something suitable, he quickly changes and then sets upon the task of finding Usopp something as well, which is easier said than done. Usopp’s neighboring locker is, perhaps not unlike its owner, organized chaos at its finest. Sanji eventually got frustrated rifling through piles of hastily folded overalls and grabbed something from Franky’s locker instead; an older floral pattern top, something that he knew for a fact Usopp could wiggle into easily. In all honesty, they both probably need a shower to properly rinse off the heady smell of beer, but Sanji was not going to attempt bathing someone who’s intoxicated and likely to slip and bust his ass anyway (and then Sanji would have to explain to Chopper why he felt the need to go to the trouble of rescuing Usopp only to leave his drunk, clumsy crew mate unattended in the showers). He decided that was something that could wait until morning, at least.

The cook then pivots on his heels to turn towards Usopp, only to get an eyeful of the younger man in the middle of stripping down to his skivvies, kicking off the rest of his ruined overalls. The sound that leaves Sanji’s mouth is so high pitched that nothing manages to come out at all.

“The hell are you doing?!” Sanji snapped incredulously, quickly turning away again and wondering why in the world he felt strangely lightheaded for a moment, like he did when Nami’s displaying a more than generous amount of cleavage. The mental image of Usopp’s broad, bare thighs and the tantalizing line of dark curly fuzz that trails down his overhanging belly lasted every time Sanji rapidly blinked. He heard Usopp make a confused sort of noise, sucking in a breath between his teeth.

“Y’ said to get naked–” the sniper began before Sanji whipped towards him again and quickly interjected, “I said put your clothes in the dirty laundry, not strip down while I’m still in here, dumbass!”

Sanji shoved the oversized hand-me-down in Usopp’s hands on his way out the door, fuming.

“Stay here! Do not move, or I’ll kick your ass so hard it flies across the Grand Line twice.” The blond ordered firmly, but Usopp didn't seem to take it to heart as he’s barely holding back boyish tittering at the mental picture Sanji’s painted for him. Sanji stormed out without waiting for a reply, briskly making his way to the galley while he fumbled to light a cigarette. He scrubbed at his face, hating how warm to the touch it felt. Fuck. Damnit. Shitty long nose.

Sanji knew this is what he karmically deserved for fussing over Usopp in the first place, but even so, the quieter, shittier part of him got what he wanted too, and seas, if that wasn’t a fucked up thought. Squirreling away Usopp from any potential danger. The same selfish thoughts that invade his mind whenever the Strawhats encounter trouble. That maybe he could forgive himself for failing to protect Usopp on Saboady that fateful day, that maybe if he tried harder these other times, he’d finally be forgiven–

The cook hissed in pain, batting away the sting of hot ashes on his skin where what remained of the filter dangled in his grasp. Sanji swore, pitching the finished cigarette over Sunny’s railing, and fished in his pockets for another all before he finally reached the galley door. He doesn’t dawdle in the kitchen. The blond poured a tall glass of cool water and grabbed a clean dish rag from the cabinet before wetting it thoroughly. He wrung it out once, then with both his items, returned to the boys’ room. His walk was again thankfully uninterrupted, and somehow no one seemed to notice him slipping by. If anyone saw that he and Usopp were hidden away while the swell of Brook’s violin sang high over the evening waves, nobody questioned it anyway.

Usopp was dressed this time, thank goodness, except now he’s lying on the floor in the middle of the room, sprawled out against the cool flooring. Sanji wondered briefly why he’d chosen the hard floor over the cushioned bench, but figured it would be pointless to argue over it. Regardless, if he blacked out on the cushions or the floor, Sanji would be carrying his sorry ass to bed either way. Sanji nudged the younger man’s leg with a mumbled “Here,” muted by the cigarette in his mouth, coaxing him to sit up. Usopp hummed a questioning sound before he squeaked in surprise at the cold, damp rag being unceremoniously tossed at the exposed portion of his chest where he’d presumably lost the coordination to button the rest of his oversized shirt.

“Clean yourself up. I’m not going to bed with you stinking up the bunks.”

Usopp, to his credit, obliged. He took his sweet time sitting up though, the concentration of wiping himself down apparently too much to achieve vertically. Finally, after a minute or two, he hauled himself upward and took the offered water with overly complicated hand gestures that Sanji assumed meant he was grateful. As Usopp chugged the water, Sanji sank to the floor and watched him, one hand in his pocket as his thumb flicked over the shape of his lighter thoughtfully, ascertaining his crew mate’s sobriety.

It’s not the worst Usopp’s ever gotten trashed before, but it’s enough that Sanji couldn’t say for certain just how miserably hungover he’s going to be tomorrow. Something simple and light would probably be best for breakfast, then—toast with almond butter and sliced banana perhaps, served with a mug of black coffee sweetened with cinnamon–

Sanji was suddenly pulled out of his thoughts when Usopp loosely grasped his chin and gives it a small, playful shake.

“You’re so good to me, Sanjiii.” The cook’s name drawled sweetly out of his mouth, and Sanji’s about to tell him off again but his temper cooled considerably when he saw the way Usopp’s grinning at him so dopily, affection brimming full in earthy brown eyes. He tolerated the treatment instead, nose wrinkling irritably.

“You drank too much, shitty long nose,” Sanji huffed, trying hard to sound annoyed, brushing Usopp’s hand away. It’s a half hearted attempt at scolding, and they both know it. The sniper’s hand doesn’t stray far, bracing now on Sanji’s arm, the warmth scalding. The cook twitched involuntarily, but didn't move away.

“Maybe you–”Usopp poked a finger into Sanji’s chest to demonstrate his point, “haven’t been drinking enough! S’what a party is for!”

Sanji frowned. He never really found that much fun in drinking alcohol to begin with. Zeff threatened to skin him alive if he ever caught Sanji drinking on the job, and between sneaking smokes or sampling the Baratie’s wine selection, he’d always choose the former. Still, he’s not a mother hen, so he said nothing in retaliation.

There’s a stretch of silence between the two men, the quiet only briefly interrupted by Usopp taking gulps of water one mouthful at a time. Sanji took the moment to shift into a better position, figuring if he was going to be on the floor he might as well be comfortable. He can faintly hear the commotion from outside, if he concentrates hard enough, muffled through the wood. Sanji breathed in deep through his nose, then outwardly sighed likewise. His temper has simmered, finally feeling the relief of stillness, even if for just a moment. Usopp’s ok. Nothing's wrong. All the possible scenarios that Sanji’s mind had conjured were quieted because Usopp was right here with him, safe.

Usopp adjusted himself, having finished his water, and Sanji startled a bit when the younger man leaned against his side, head heavy on his shoulder. The cook went rigid, the subtle tickle of Usopp’s thick curls brushing his bare skin causing his nerves to sing. He’d never been the best at accepting physical affection, and although the Strawhats had brought him well out of his comfort zone, he hated his own awkwardness. But he does like this. Craves it, sometimes, but can never bring himself to voice it. And even if he didn’t, he’d still endure it for Usopp, who he knew deserved it more than he did. If it soothed the ache of loneliness, even just temporarily, Sanji would keep him close all night.

“Are you mad at me?” Usopp asked suddenly as he lifted his head slightly, his voice slow and a bit somber. The stark difference between his behavior from just a little while ago versus now made Sanji’s stomach drop.

“No,” Sanji said without hesitation, maybe too eagerly, pushing himself closer to Usopp to double the warmth between them. Some of Usopp’s stray curls brushed the hollow of his throat, and something compels Sanji to add, “Why would I be mad?”

It’s a stupid fucking question, of course, especially since it feels like he’s done nothing but laid into Usopp verbally, and Sanji willingly acknowledged he has a short shitty temper; but–that’s the thing, once Sanji’s blown off some steam (sometimes quite literally), he doesn’t linger on those feelings. 

Usopp didn’t reply, and the silence made Sanji anxious, not wanting to be misread, but then the sniper’s head settled back on his shoulder, Usopp’s calm puffs of breath so close they’re giving him goosebumps. He couldn’t tell if Usopp believed him or not, possibly too tired to argue otherwise, but it seemed to satisfy him.

Then, Usopp said in a distant voice,“Y’know, ‘Guin said somethin’ funny. Said, ‘Here comes the guard dog’ when he saw you comin' earlier. What’d he mean by that...?” 

Sanji’s heart was sent into a full gallop.

Something Zoro had said to him once before, which resulted in an especially volatile brawl between them, came to mind: “Don’t be so jealous, cook.”

It was said in response to Sanji allegedly shooting Zoro a particularly sour look all because Usopp had ducked behind the nearest crew mate after being startled by sudden Marine canonfire, which happened to be their vice captain’s hulking presence.Sanji could’ve punted the shitty swordman’s head right off his shoulders for the accusation. Jealous of what , exactly? Not being Usopp’s personal bodyguard? It was stupid. Even worse to get so pissed off about.

He remembered how Zoro had looked at him, an almost pitying expression to parry Sanji’s explosive anger, a huge fight breaking out when the cook argued on the contrary. Like he knew something Sanji didn’t. As if the answer had been clear to everyone except him.

Almost as if to insinuate–

Usopp’s breathing had finally evened out, the sag of his body letting Sanji know that he had finally surrendered to sleep. He snored softly, nestled practically under the older man’s chin. Sanji released a stuttering breath that he wasn’t even aware he’d been holding. Just like that, the moment had passed and there was none left to witness the trembling revelation that had just struck the cook. It was too much, too enormous of a feeling to simply ignore and yet, Sanji felt too afraid to name it. 

So he didn’t. Wouldn’t. Not yet, anyway. He had to examine it later, more thoroughly, because if he went and hurt Usopp for the tangled mess that was his own heart, he would never forgive himself. He allowed himself one terrible, selfish moment: just closed his eyes and buried his nose into Usopp’s hair, lip trembling as he tried to memorize the smell, just in case. 

Of all the things Sanji promised himself he’d protect Usopp from, he never could’ve imagined that included him, too.

[softshrimpy]

How To Woo A Hot Principal

Step 12: The Start of Recovery

Summary: Working at the Weathervane was exactly what you needed. The routine, the people, your co-workers. It certainly helped that a certain tall, blonde, fucking gorgeous woman happened to frequent the cafe. Now some may call hopelessly flirting with your customers inappropriate behavior.

But truly, when it came to Larissa Weems, who could blame you?

I'm so sorry this update took forever, life has been hectic. But! Here we are. 🦐✨

Tags: @variant-2402 @the-bagel24 @eveymay @kimiinou @muffintopxs @h-doodles @bbykens @lilfartbox1 @bigolgay @winterfireblond @gela123 @i-like-reading @hopelessly-sapphic @alder-saan

(pls let me know if you want to be tagged/ I missed you!)

Chapter 11

Cross Posted to AO3 Here

HWTAHP Masterlist

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Someone was screaming.

This time you could tell it was a woman. The scream was coming from somewhere behind you. You turn, confused and slightly annoyed. It was your mother. She looked terrified. You were staring up at her, reaching your arms out for her and frowning when she took a step back. She wasn’t looking at you though. She was looking at something behind you. You turn around then, eyes searching for whatever has your mother so freaked out.

Oh right.

There on the ground lay your babysitter. You couldn’t remember her name, you think it was something like Lily? Lauren? Anyway, that didn’t matter currently. No, what mattered was that she was very much not moving and alarmingly pale. It's then that you realize you can taste blood. You bring your hands to wipe your mouth and notice they’re covered in blood along with your shirt. You lick your lips, confirming that your mouth is also covered in blood, and find yourself surprised when the taste doesn’t make you nauseous.

You tentatively crouch down by her body noticing the small bite mark on her neck that’s got a bit of blood smeared around it, but it’s not bleeding. You poke her arm, getting progressively more freaked out by her lack of movement. You're turned around by strong hands, coming face to face with your father. He’s saying something but his words feel so far away. You start crying, the gravity of what's happened finally hitting you.

You know the two of you were watching something a few moments ago. And then you remember being starved. And then you had just…bitten her neck. You remember the feeling of your teeth digging into her flesh, the way her blood had gushed into your mouth and your hunger had slowly left. It had tasted so good. And you had been so, so hungry.

You had killed her.

——————

You wake with a start, gasping as you half sit up. You don’t make it very far however thanks to the tight restraints around your wrists. You tug frantically at them, your panic from whatever hellscape of a nightmare you had just had being made oh so much worse by the idea of being tied down to a hospital bed. You’re so busy freaking the fuck out that you didn’t notice James until he’s right in front of you, gently squeezing your shoulder and offering you a sympathetic smile.

“Hey, hey. Deep breaths hon. You’re okay.” He soothes.

“What- Where am I? Whats-Whats going on? What happened?” you question.

“Woah, woah, slow down bestie. I’ll explain everything in a moment you just need to calm down a bit if you can yeah?” he says.

You manage to take a few breaths and lay back against the bed. You close your eyes, taking one last shuddering breath before opening your eyes and staring at James expectantly. He scoots his chair closer and sighs.

“What’s the last thing you remember?” he asks.

“I…I was uhm….I was in the woods I think? I was crying I remember that… and then someone yelled I think and then I remember being in a fuck ton of pain in my chest. That’s the last thing I remember.” You explain.

He nods and hums at that before continuing, “Yeah uh, so you were attacked. You were pretty close to uhm to-“ he chokes up at that shaking his head.

“You uh you almost died. And uh you’ve been-you’ve been in a coma for like two weeks now. Larissa was here every day actually. She was camped out in your room the whole time, I don’t think I’ve ever seen her so frazzled-“

“She was here every day?” you ask, your voice much more fragile than you wanted it to be.

“I know you two got into an argument the night you got uh…attacked. I don’t know what it was about but I’m sure you two can work it out. I mean she was really worried about you, would barely leave your side the whole time. She isn’t even upset that you bit her-“

“What?” you interrupted.

“It’s really no biggie babes. I mean I’m a little miffed you didn’t tell me you were a vampire but if you hadn’t even told Larissa about it-“ he explains.

“I-What?” you so eloquently repeat. “I'm not a- What the fuck do you mean I bit Larissa?? Is she okay? What the fuck is going on here James???”

He pauses for a moment, staring at you as he connects the dots. He squints at your very obviously freaked the fuck out expression before he mutters a drawn-out ‘oh.’

“You didn’t know you were a vampire before I just told you, did you?” he asks.

“I’m not a fucking vampire dude! Surely I would fucking know-“ You stop, suddenly remembering the dream you had.

It had felt so real and so familiar. You had thought it was just a really shitty and vivid recurring nightmare but now you weren’t so sure. But surely there would have been physical signs? You sure as shit didn’t have fangs. And you didn’t drink blood. Although you did like your steak borderline raw and as bloody as it could be. And you remember Yoko saying something about you smelling weird. Holy fuck were you actually a vampire?? How the fuck hadn’t you known? How the fuck had you survived without drinking blood for as long as you had?? What-

“I honestly know very little about this whole thing. I’m sure Larissa and your three kids will have answers for you when they get here. But yeah babes, turns out you’re not as boring as we all thought.” He grins

You very lamely flip him off, the restraints around your wrist making it hard to do so. The two of you sit in silence for a bit as you sift through the mess your brain is in. Eventually you sigh, flopping back against the hospital bed and staring up at the ceiling.

“So I bit Larissa huh?” you murmur.

“Yeah, the doctors said it was probably just your body’s reaction to waking up after having blood for the first time in years. They said it was almost like bloodlust? Luckily your girlfriend is one strong woman so she managed to throw you off soon after the shock had happened, and then shortly after the doctor arrived and sedated you.” He says.

“I don’t know that she’s my girlfriend anymore.” You mutter, closing your eyes against the nausea and fresh wave of tears.

“Don’t say that babes, she understands it wasn’t your fault. The only reason she’s not here right now is because they’re stitching her up and making sure she’s alright. She wasn’t even remotely upset with you.”

You simply shake your head at his words. His reassurances are sweet and you are confused about why she would have been visiting you every day if she truly hated you. But a large part of you keeps replaying her words from that night on repeat. You know you’re not the ‘hyde’ she had spoken of, that much was clear now, but you weren’t human. You had attacked her after she had been kind enough to stay by your side. And you couldn’t be sure you hadn’t killed or attacked anyone else. If your lovely resurfaced memory was anything to go by you had certainly killed at least one person. Did that not make you every bit the monster Larissa had accused you of being? Were you not the monster she thought you were?

You're broken from your endless spiral of misery by the sound of the door to your room being opened. Your gaze snaps towards the sound, finding none other than Larissa standing in the doorway. Her eyes are scanning you over, brimming with tears as she rushes towards you. You flinch at her sudden closeness, doing your best to sink back into the thin hospital mattress. Your eyes land on the bandage wrapped around her neck. It covers a fucking huge area and is slightly dark from blood. Your heart squeezes painfully in your chest at the sight, knowing that you’re the one who hurt her. She reaches your side and reaches out to touch your arm, frowning when you rather poorly wriggle away.

“Darling…?” she questions, a hurt look crossing her face.

“I don’t- I don’t want to hurt you again please-“ you let out, your voice wavering.

“Darling I’m fine it wasn’t your- what on earth…?” she mutters, her gaze fixed on your hand that is tied down at your side.

Her expression quickly morphs from concern to anger, her whole body going rigid. She swears under her breath before shooting you a soft smile and saying she’ll be right back. She then exits the room rather quickly leading you and James to share a look of confusion. The confusion is soon answered by Larissa’s angry yell from the hallway outside. You then witness a very heated conversation between her and who you assume is a doctor during which Larissa angrily gestures towards you.

“She’ll be returning to Nevermore with me so that she can receive the help she actually needs. If she goes to whatever institution you plan on sending her not only will that be removing her from the place and people she knows but you’ll almost certainly be locking her up like some kind of criminal? Absolutely not. She is leaving with me and that’s final.” Larissa hisses.

“Miss Weems, with all due respect, she did attack-“ the doctor tries.

“No, she was attacked. And truly thank you for everything you did to keep her alive. But I am taking her home with me today and that is final.” She utters, levelling the poor doctor with a look that would make the strongest person wither and die.

The two exchange a few more words before the doctor leaves. Larissa stands there for a moment, her posture softening as she takes a deep breath. She then comes back into the room, her severe expression softening further. She comes back to your side opting not to touch you and instead resting her hand on the rail of your bed.

“The doctors sorting out a few more things and then you’ll be free to go. I-If you would like you are more than welcome to stay at Nevermore. Not-Not with me of course. I just- It may help to be around other outcasts and there are a few other vampires who may be able to help you with your situation.” She explains, not making eye contact with you and instead focusing intently on the floor.

“I can just go home if it would be easier-“ you murmur.

“I would rather you stay with me- with us at Nevermore. If that’s alright with you?” she asks.

“I think you should go to Nevermore,” James butts in, “It would give me peace of mind knowing you’re not all on your own.”

You nod, agreeing that it would probably be best if you had some help figuring out what you should do going forward now that you know you’re a vampire. And it would seem the students at Nevermore knew a fair bit more about your condition than you did. Larissa seemed relieved by your answer, her shoulders relaxing. James left a few minutes later, saying he was going to pick up some stuff from your place and would bring it round to Nevermore later.

A little while later a nurse comes in, undoing your restraints and explaining what your recovery process should entail. Larissa seems to be paying keen attention to what she’s saying, asking questions that you know you should be paying more attention to. Honestly, you’re feeling far too overwhelmed and tired to listen to what she’s talking about. Your head actually hurts trying to process everything that you’ve learned in the last hour.

You snap back to the present when Larissa gently touches your shoulder, telling you that you’re leaving. You sit up, absentmindedly rubbing at your aching wrists. You turn to stand, swinging your legs to hang over the side of the bed. You attempt to stand up, keyword attempt. The moment you put some of your weight on your feet you all but collapse. Luckily Larissa is there and she catches you, her arms wrapping around your waist and making your stomach flip. You stare up at her, your heart somehow both racing and aching terribly at the same time.

The nurse brings round a wheelchair, explaining that this sort of thing is very normal in patients who’ve been bedridden for as long as you have. She says something about you being back to normal in a few days, simply needing your body to readjust to everything. Larissa gently squeezes your hand, thanking her for all her help before wheeling you away.

You don’t know what the fuck has happened in the last two weeks. You don’t know how you’ve been a vampire your whole fucking life and had no clue. Suffice to say, you don’t know much. But you do know that even after everything that’s happened, you still love Larissa Weems. And you’re willing to do whatever it takes to make things right between you.

——————

Your recovery was going well, all things considered. You had been out of the hospital and at Nevermore for about a week now. The day after Larissa had brought you back from the hospital you were introduced to Coach Vlad, apparently, not only was he rather skilled in physical therapy but was also a very old vampire. He had essentially taken you under his wing so to speak, telling you an awful lot about vampire history and teaching you about where most vamps got their blood from, how much they needed each day and all that.

Yoko, Enid and Wednesday had taken to visiting you in the evenings. The first night they had explained everything they knew and how they found it out. You were slightly disturbed Wednesday had been keeping such close tabs on you but were ultimately grateful. Yoko had explained that she had only ever heard of the practice you had been subjected to and was quite horrified it still happened in this day and age.

When they had left you then spent the night laying in your rather godddamn comfortable bed staring up at the ceiling as you essentially screamed internally. You were quite honestly flipping the fuck out. You kept asking yourself how you had missed it. How you could have possibly gone for so long not having any fucking clue. And that led to questions like how much your parents knew. They had to know you were a vampire and they had to have been the ones to…well try and change you to be more ‘normal.’ And if that wasn’t an extra large dose of parental trauma to add to the ever-growing list. What fun times.

You had booked an appointment with Dr. Kinbott the next morning.

You were currently deep in conversation with Vlad, taking a walk around campus to get your legs working again. You were taking a break in the quad when you turned just a bit too far and ended up wincing as the scars on your chest throbbed. Ever the attentive friend Vlad immediately checked you over and started asking a million questions.

“Vlad, I’m fine its just the scars. No big deal.” You huffed.

“Hmm, your healing should get better overtime. You have been without blood for a very long time. I’ll chat to Mari and see if she can’t whip up something with those plants of hers,” he comments.

“Mari?”

“Yeah, that’s what most of us call Marilyn. She’s a bit odd that one but a great teacher.” He hums.

“Oh…OHHH. OH wow, I am serving hella dyslexic right now. Oh my god.”

“I’ve been exposed to your silly words for a week now and yet you still come up with things that confuse the shit out of me,” he sighs.

“I thought you spelt her name like Mary – Lin. This whole time. I look dyslexic as fuck right now.”

“…Are you not dyslexic as fuck?” he grins.

You slap him, snorting and grumbling. The two of you take a seat on one of the benches, basking in an amicable silence. You turn when you hear a set of heels echoing against the stone of the hallways, You catch a glimpse of white hair disappearing around a corner and slump in your seat. Vlad notices and nudges you, raising a brow at your sudden down demeanour.

That was the one fuck up in your otherwise stellar recovery; Larissa was avoiding you. She had helped you settle in on the first evening but soon left you to your own devices. Part of you was relieved, if she was around you two would have to have a super difficult conversation or multiple difficult conversations. And you honestly didn’t know if you could handle that on top of everything else. On the other hand, you missed her dearly, you wanted to talk to her and just be with her. You wanted to share your worries with her, talk to her about everything that was going on in your mind. And know what was going on in hers. Know how she was feeling if she was upset with you or hurting. You missed her so much.

“She misses you too,” Vlad comments, breaking you from your silent musings.

“I’m not sure she does. I’m not sure I blame her if she doesn’t,” you sigh.

“Look, I don’t know what happened between the two of you. But I have worked with Larissa for a long time. She definitely cares deeply about you, anyone can see that. She’s just withdrawing to protect herself, and she probably thinks to protect you. She is a remarkable woman but she has been hurt so deeply by so many. She truly believes she is the cause of everyone’s problems. Take some time to figure out your feelings, but don’t give up on her, on the two of you.”

“Wow…I didn’t know you had it in you to do the deep and meaningfuls.I had assumed you were the ‘I don’t talk about my feelings, I am a rock’ type,” you joke.

“Yeah yeah, you can keep your feeling masking humour. Just promise you actually listened to what I said,” He snorts.

“I’m listening, I promise.” You huff, crossing your arms, “But if she does hate me then you’re buying me fuck tons of ice cream.”

“Deal,” he smirks.

“So, am I ever going to get a pair of sick fangs or…?” you grin.

“They should come back after some time, due to the enhanced healing,” he remarks, “I for one can’t wait until they come in and you sound like an even bigger dumbass trying to talk around them.”

“Yeah that’s sic- wait what?”

[georgie-weasley]

Hi! New follower here! I love your writing!

Can I request a something post Azkaban Sirius? Anything would be ok but if there’s angst it would be spectacular! Keep up with the good work, you’re amazing and talented! 💖💖

This is so sweet! Thank you so much! I'm sorry this took me a bit to post but I hope you like it!

Moving On

Warnings: its really sad, werewolf Remus, mentions of Sirius's body and weight loss because of Azkaban, reader it whacked by werewolf Remus and hits their head, talks of death and murder, again its really sad

Word Count: 3.9k

Pairing: Sirius Black x Gender Neutral Reader, Remus Lupin x GN!Reader

Summary: You and Sirius were a couple during Hogwarts but when he was sent to Azkaban, you could only wait for him for so long. Now that you've started to move on, he's back and he might have been innocent all this time

A/N: The story very loosely follows the events of Prisoner of Azkaban but not exactly so some things might be different. Also in terms of tags, I did not tag the people who wanted to be tagged in Remus stuff but not Sirius because I don't know this is both and I don't know how to handle that so sorry about it

Masterlist Taglist

Remus sat next to you by the lake in silence. You both watched the still water and occasionally looked around to watch the students, like you were supposed to. Remus was given the job as the Defense of the Dark Arts professor this year and Dumbledore was kind enough to give you the position of the Muggle Studies teacher. Everything was so different compared to the last time you were sitting here.

The warm air was a promise of the coming summer and now that exams were finally done with, school would be over soon and then you would all be out in the real world; seventh year was coming to a close.

Sirius walked down the small hill, a small bounce in his step. Two weeks ago he had been busy avoiding class and getting detention for skipping class. Then he had exams and he couldn’t avoid those even if he wanted to. He had hardly seen you and now that it was finally Saturday, he wasn’t going to let you out of his grasp. He was going to be the clingy boyfriend today.

He spotted you lounging by the lake with a book in hand and without thinking, he started running. The sound of footsteps pounding on the grass caused you to look up from your book and see your boyfriend barrelling toward you. You threw the book to the side and flailed around, trying to get to your feet to run away but it was no use; Sirius was faster. He tackled you to the ground and wrapped his arms and legs around you, pinning you beneath him. Sirius nuzzled his face into your neck, sighing happily as he held you.

“Remus, help.” You called out to the scarred boy.

He only snorted and shook his head, his eyes remaining on his own book. “You shouldn’t have gone out with him if you didn’t want this happening Y/N.”

You turned your head a little to look at Peter, James, and Lily but before you could ask for their assistance, James spoke. “Really, you signed up for this one.” James laid his head in Lily’s lap as she played with his hair.

Despite your words, you loved this. Everything about this moment was perfect. All of your friends were here with you and Sirius was holding you. The small breeze kept the air from being too hot and the rustling leaves could have lulled you to sleep. You could have stayed there forever. If only that moment could have lasted forever.

Remus stood and held out his hand to you, helping you up. It was colder and soon the first snow would fall. 15 years ago you were finishing your seventh year at Hogwarts and while there was a war on the way, things were good. Everyone was alive and together and happy. Now it was just you and Remus. James, Lily, and Peter died while Sirius was in Azkaban. Just the thought of him rotting away in the cell brought tears to your eyes. You shouldn’t be sad for him; you should be happy knowing he was locked away for the last 12 years. He was the reason all of your friends were dead. He was the reason Harry grew up without parents. He was the reason there was no Uncle Moony, Uncle Wormy, or Uncle Padfoot.

You and Remus walked hand in hand toward the castle. It was against the rules for teachers to show any public display of affection but the rules didn’t matter now. If Remus was thinking about the same thing you were, and you were almost certain he was, you could both use some small comfort. A few months ago, Sirius had broken into Hogwarts for the first time and since then, he was all you could think of. The cool wedding band on your finger made you feel guilty but Remus would understand. After all, this marriage only happened to help Remus. Life wasn’t easy for a werewolf and no one wanted to hire him. With your income helping him, Remus was able to afford basic things like food and clothes. Maybe things were a little less than just friendly now and it hurt to think about. It hurt to know your heart fluttered when Remus held your hand, just like it would when Sirius did the same.

Harry approached you both and reluctantly, you dropped Remus’ hand but by the way Harry was eyeing you, he clearly saw. “Professor Lupin, I was hoping I could talk to you about dementors.”

Remus nodded and reached over to give your shoulder a squeeze before he gestured to Harry to follow him. As they walked away you heard the young boy ask about fighting the horrible creatures.

On your way to your office, you passed by Snape. You were intent on ignoring him but he never made it easy. “On your way to let your murderous boyfriend back in the castle? Or are you going to let your monstrous husband do that?” Your hands clenched into fists; Snape was lucky there were students wandering around otherwise you would have broken his big nose.

“Actually I’m on my way to shower. Perhaps you should try it Snivellus.” You could feel his glare as you pushed past him and continued on your way.

---

A few more months had passed and Harry was doing very well producing a Patronus. You didn’t ever get to teach him as he elected not to take Muggle Studies but from what Remus said, he was very bright. His parents would have been so proud of him and the person he was growing up to be.

Exams were starting and there had been no new sightings of Sirius. Each night you and Remus studied the Marauder’s Map, hoping to see Peter’s name. Not long ago Remus took it from Harry who told him it must have been broken since he saw Peter Pettigrew’s name. Despite being made by a group of teenage boys, the map was never wrong and if Harry had seen Peter, something wasn’t adding up

“I just don’t understand.” Remus mumbled as he rubbed his eyes. “Harry saw Peter and he should be dead. How could he have seen him?” He had the map laid out on his desk and you moved to stand behind him, rubbing his shoulders.

“All they found of Peter was a finger. I don’t think he could have survived that explosion unless…” You trailed off and started rummaging through his desk drawers.

“Are you looking for something specific?”

“Yes, an old copy of the paper. Remember when we saw the picture of the Weasleys in Egypt? Ron was holding a rat and maybe it’s a stretch but Peter was a rat. Maybe… Aha!” You grabbed the old paper out of a drawer and laid it out on the table. “Luckily someone is a bit of a hoarder and decided to keep this.” Remus blushed a little as he looked at the picture with you. There in Ron’s hands was a rat and you could just make out that it was missing a toe.

Neither of you spoke as you stared at the rat in the picture. “Y/N, do you really think—”

“I do.” You continued for him. “I think that’s Peter.” You moved the paper to get a closer look while Remus stared at the map. He watched with wide eyes as the names Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ronald Weasley, Peter Pettigrew, and Sirius Black all struggled toward the Whomping Willow. Sirius, Ron, and Peter moved into the secret passage beneath the tree while Harry and Hermione were left out.

Remus took the paper out of your hands and grabbed his and your wand off of the desk. “We need to go.” You saw Sirius’ name on the map and without another word, you two rushed out of the castle.

As quickly as you could, you both ran to the tree and used a spell to freeze the tree so you both could crawl into the tunnel. While you knew all about the tunnel that led to the Shrieking Shack, you had never been in it. Remus was forced to use it all the time as a child but now with the help of the Wolfsbane Potion, he could just hide in his office until the passing of the full moon.

Carefully and quietly, you both moved through the tunnel and into the house. As soon as you came into the house, you could hear Harry yelling at someone. A soft voice answered back, almost taunting Harry to hurt him. You would have known that voice anywhere. Remus moved into the room first and disarmed Harry. The wand flew from his hand and clattered to the floor. As soon as the threat was gone, Remus rushed over and pulled Sirius in for a hug. You stood in the doorway and watched the two embrace, your eyes never leaving Sirius’s face. He looked so different and yet exactly the same. His face and body were skinnier and he looked haunted in a way but his eyes were still a warm gray. Sirius pulled away from Remus and saw you for the first time. He stood frozen and no one moved until Harry spoke up.

“You’re friends with him! He killed my parents!” He pointed at Sirius, his hand shaking.

Remus slowly walked over to Harry with his hands in the air. “Harry, let us explain. I promise we will tell you everything.”

“Don’t listen to him Harry! He’s a werewolf.” Hermione spoke up and for the first time, you took your eyes off of Sirius and looked at Remus, your husband.

Remus didn’t take his eyes off of the kids as he stopped in front of them. “How long have you known Hermione?”

“Since Snape made us write the essay.” Of course she would be the one to figure it out. She was smart.

You could see Sirius watching you out of the corner of your eye but you couldn’t look at him now, not when Remus was trying to diffuse the situation that Sirius caused. “I will not deny that I am. Please, let me tell you everything. It will all make sense.”

It was then that Snape made his appearance. “Well, well, well. Looks like the little lovebirds have been reunited. How… sweet.” Snape pushed past you into the room, knocking you off balance. Sirius was quick to catch you as he wrapped an arm around your waist and grabbed your hand. As he steadied you, his finger brushed the wedding band on your finger. Before he could even think about asking you about it, you moved away from him and further into the room.

“Hello Snivellus. Why don’t you run along and play with your chemistry set?” Sirius hissed.

“Why don’t I call over the dementors now? They’ve been waiting to meet you.” As Snape spoke, your hand gripped Sirius’s arm. Harry lunged for the discarded wand on the floor and shot a spell at Snape, sending him back and crashing into the bed.

“I want to hear the story.” Harry said, looking at Remus.

He told them about how he was bitten and when he went to Hogwarts, the tree was planted and the tunnel was created so he would have a safe place to transform each month without becoming a danger to other students. As he got older, James, Sirius, and Peter all became unregistered Animagi. James was a stag, Sirius was a dog, and Peter was a rat. Between the three of them, they helped Remus each month for a few years until they graduated. When the Potters went into hiding, it was Peter who told Voldemort where the family was and Sirius knew. He went after Peter and he cut off his own finger and turned into a rat and was never seen again. Sirius was thrown in prison and Peter lived as a rat, eventually becoming the Weasley family pet.

“This is absurd. There’s no way it’s real.” Harry scoffed.

“Give me the rat and I’ll show you.” Sirius grumbed and stomped over to Ron, ripping the rat out of his hands. With some effort between Remus and him, they were able to make Peter turn back into a man. You remembered him from your Hogwarts years and he was always shorter and much more awkward than the other three boys but now he was hideous. It was said that a person who stays in their animagus form for too long will start to look and act like the animal. Peter was quite the rat.

Peter groveled on his knees, crawling around the floor. “Remus, my old friend. How long it’s been.” As he approached Remus, he pushed him away with his foot. Peter only turned to Sirius and when he saw the murderous look in his eyes, Peter quickly moved on to you. He crawled over and put his grubby hands on your feet. “Y/N! It’s so good to see you my dear friend. We’ve always been friends haven’t we?”

“Don’t touch them!” Sirius yelled and grabbed Peter by the back of the shirt and yanked him off of you. Remus held out his hand and you took it, gratefully standing next to him. Sirius threw Peter to the ground and looked over at Remus with a wild smile. “Let’s kill him.”

To your shock and horror, Remus let go of your hand and walked over to Peter with his wand raised. “No!” Harry shouted, causing Remus to stop moving.

“Harry,” Remus looked at the young boy as he spoke. “This man is the reason your parents are dead.”

Harry, who looked so much like James, shook his head. “I know but I don’t think my father would have wanted his two best friends to be murderers. We’ll turn him in to Dumbledore and then the dementors can have him.”

Agreeing. Remus grabbed Peter and started to lead him out of the shack and down the tunnel. Silently, you and Sirius grabbed Ron, helping him to stand. As you took the kids down the tunnel you could feel his eyes on you the whole time. The only time he looked away was when he apologized to Ron for biting his leg. As you all came out of the tunnel, you let Harry hold Ron up for you as you stepped away to try and get your thoughts straight.

Part of you always hoped that somehow Sirius would be innocent and he could come back to you but after so many years, you gave up and started to move on. You married Remus only five years after Sirius was put in jail but somewhere along the way, maybe five years into the marriage, things changed. You gave up on Sirius and found yourself looking at Remus less like a friend and more like a husband. Now everything was crashing down and sooner or later, you would have to figure this out.

Sirius moved to stand next to you. You could see his hand move to try and grab yours but the sight of your wedding ring made him stop. “You got married. Who? When?”

“Remus, seven years ago.”

Sirius didn’t speak for a moment and your lungs grew tighter and tighter as the seconds passed. “At least it wasn’t Snape.”

You let out a small laugh and finally turned to look at him. “I’d rather die than marry him.” Sirius smiled at you but you could tell he had many more questions. Afterall, the last time you had talked to him, you were both thinking about getting married when the war was over. “I married him to help him out. The world has never been kind to a werewolf and I could hold a steadier job and help pay bills and pay for food.”

“Is it still just to help him?”

“I don’t know.” You whispered, unsure if he even heard you.

“I didn’t expect you to wait for me but I guess part of me always hoped you would.” Sirius took the plunge and grabbed your hand, intertwining his fingers with yours. His hand was practically skin and bones but feeling his hand wrapped in yours still made your heart flutter like it did all those years ago. His hand fit perfectly in yours. How you’d longed to hold him and touch him and see his face but now it felt wrong. Did you still love him? Of course you did. There would always be a part of you that loved him but not all of you. Not anymore. Not after you’ve spent the past seven years married to his best friend and especially not after you’ve started to fall for Remus.

“Sirius, I hoped that one day you would be found innocent. I waited and I begged the universe to bring you back to me but days turned into weeks and then weeks became months and then five years had gone by and I was still sitting and waiting. I couldn’t keep doing it. I was a shell of a person and I needed to move on.” He slowly pulled his hand out of your grasp and the sudden cold that followed practically sent a knife in your heart. “I’m sorry.”

Sirius shook his head and looked at his feet. “Don’t be. The world doesn’t stop when you’re falsely imprisoned. Too bad it doesn’t work like that because for the record, I would have loved the chance to marry you.” When he looked up at you again, there were tears in his eyes. Without thinking, you surged forward and planted a kiss on his lips. Just as quickly as it happened, it ended and you pulled away.

You turned on your heel and walked away, wiping your own tears from your eyes. Once you were gone, Harry moved over to talk to Sirius. Not much time passed when the clouds moved away from the moon, bathing everyone in pale light. “Remus.” Both you and Sirius ran over to Remus who had begun to double over in pain.

“Remus, did you take your potion tonight?” When there was no answer, Sirius looked at you. Shaking your head you took a step back. You could see Peter take the wand from Remus and turn into a rat but there was no way to stop him now. With a howl of pain, Remus began to transform and a monster stood where your husband once was. You stood in front of the kids, throwing your arms out to keep them behind you. “Y/N, take the kids back to the castle!” Sirius shouted before he transformed as well. The large black dog launched itself at Remus who easily flung him off.

You started to try and move the kids away but it was impossible with Ron’s leg. Remus turned his attention to the four of you and stalked closer. His giant claw reached out and batted you away from the kids, flinging you against a tree. Your head slammed on a tree and the last thing you saw was Sirius trying to protect the kids. Then everything was dark.

---

When you woke up, Remus was by your side clutching your hand. He saw your stirring and carefully ran the thumb of his free hand over your cheek. “How do you feel?”

You squinted as you tried to adjust to the bright light streaming in from the windows. “Like I hit a tree. Are the kids ok?”

Remus let out a breathless chuckle and kissed your forehead. “They’re fine. Y/N, I’m so sorry. Harry told me what happened.” Any joy left his face as he recalled exactly how you got into the hospital wing in the first place. “This is all my fault.”

You started to shake your head but stopped when it got to be too painful. “It’s not your fault Remus. We both forgot about the potion and I was the idiot who forgot to use my wand instead of stand there and take it. Can we argue about this later? What happened to Sirius?”

For a moment you thought he was going to argue and continue to blame himself but he didn’t. “After I chased him, something drew me away and the dementors came and started to attack him and Harry. They almost performed the kiss and sucked out his soul but Harry, a different Harry, cast a full patronus and stopped them. He and Hermione used her time-turner and saved them. They broke Sirius out after that and he took the hippogriff and left.”

Your body sagged with relief as soon as you heard he was safe. “And Peter?”

“Gone. He slipped away during the chaos of the night and no one knows where he is.” Remus continued to run his thumb over your cheek. “Also, Snape has told the parents and the school board about me and once the school year is over, I’ll be out of a job.”

“He’d better watch his back because once I break out of here, I’m taking him down.” 

Remus laughed and grabbed an envelope off of the little table next to your bed. “This is for you. I have to pack but I’ll be back soon.” He kissed your cheek and walked away.

On the front of the envelope was your name written in an all too familiar handwriting. Before you even opened it, you had tears in your eyes.

Dearest Y/N,

By the time you get this, I’ll have made my great escape thanks to Hermione and Harry. He’s just like James and I regret that neither James nor I got to see him grow up. I’m writing this as Miss Hermione taps her foot on the ground urging me to hurry up so I can leave but I can’t go without making sure you know this.

I love you. I always have and I always will. You were the best thing that has ever happened to me and I just wish I got to spend more time with you. I regret taking our time together for granted. I always assumed there would be more time. You were the only thing that kept me going in Azkaban. It was horrible and the worst 12 years of my life but I remembered you and when I thought of your smile and your laugh and admittedly, your kiss, I could go on one more day. I needed you to know that just in case I never get the chance to see you again.

I also need you to know that I don’t hate you or hold anything against you. I know I wanted you to wait for me but I could have never asked you to put your life on pause for 12 years for me. Especially now knowing that I’m still on the run. You deserve to be happy and I’m glad Remus makes you happy. Merlin knows that man needs someone like you in his life.

I know it does nothing to say this but really, don’t feel bad. We were fantastic while we lasted and I would never change anything, except maybe give myself just a few more moments with you.

Take care of Moony and Harry for me.

Sirius

Taglist

@100gaysnails @george-weasleys-girl @weasleybuns @andy200700 @asuperconfusedgirl @jsjcue

[luwritesomething]

Imma need a part two on that chad story. (When ever you can ☺️)

Chad Meeks-Martin x Reader: are you a scorpio or not?

Warnings: swearing (i think), (bad) flirting, chad is so fine, i still have no idea about college life.

Tags: fluffy, part 2 of if it’s meant to be…, reader can be read as plus size reader or non white reader, (bad) flirting.

Reader pronouns: Non stated.

Word count: 1009

Summary: Reader’s path and Chad’s cross again.

Author’s note: it took FOREVER, but here it is!! part 2!! part 3 anyone? lmao. help i’ve fallen for this man and can’t get up. graphic is mine and i dropped my chad playlist in case someone wants to take a peak!

taglist: @shisuishoe @15byrinth

criticism, comments and reblogs are always appreciated! requests are open, especially for scream! hit that anon button and tell me your ideas.

College was… intense. It was nothing like high school, people were right on that, but sometimes you were doubtful about which one you really liked more. As you made your way out of your classroom and started walking through Blackmore University’s campus, your mind was already busy with all the assignments, projects and research you would have to do during the weekend. Halloween had been less than a week ago, and although short, you had already gotten used to being rather free although there wasn’t a specific break, so going back was really crushing you.

Hordes of students crowded the campus, some of them talked loud about their plans for the weekend — frat parties, private gatherings —, and others did just the same as you, walking quietly and with their mind set to something, like the humdrum around them didn’t exist. You would have continued walking that way if you hadn’t had to forcefully dodge a group of people who didn’t even try to make a little bit of a way for you, ultimately making you lean too much to the left and bumping into what felt like an immovable rock.

“Oh, watch it!” You exclaimed, as your hand came to your shoulder to rub the slight pain away, but when your head lifted to see who you had bumped into, all the ugly words waiting to be said disappeared and your mind went blank for a whole second. You knew him — hell, you had flirted with him. “Chad?”

Chad’s eyes widened as he realized who you were — that beautiful and funny person who had stolen all his attention during the Halloween party, to only be met in the end with a mysterious and too forward quote when he had asked for your number. He had bumped into you completely out of accident, too focused on what Mindy was telling Anika to realize you were there too; but as soon as his eyes laid on you he stopped walking. “Hey!”

Anika and Mindy only turned slightly when they realized Chad wasn’t following, and after taking a look at the way you two were looking at each other, both of them tried not to roll their eyes and continued walking.

You felt yourself getting a little bit embarrassed, after all, he had only asked for your number and you had gone on to say that if it was meant to be, you would meet again. You had cringed for a full day, only calming yourself to the thought that you would probably not see each other ever again. But there he was, with his school bag hanging from his shoulder, a calm smile, looking at you and with his friends walking away from him. It looked unreal.

“Sorry, I wasn’t paying attention.” He said, as soon as he realized you hadn’t said anything.

“No, no, it’s alright.” You shook your head, and you forced yourself to stop rubbing your shoulder. After all, the bump hadn’t hurt that much — he must have some good muscles under that hoodie, you found yourself wondering before you could stop yourself.

Chad only raised his eyebrows, teasingly. Oh, was he worthy of being the front page of a male model magazine. “You didn’t sound like it was alright.”

“That’s because I thought you were some jerk.” You explained, letting your feet shift slightly. 

You glanced at his group of friends, almost impossible to see considering how further away they were, but you held yourself back from telling him about it — maybe it was selfish, but you didn’t mind talking to him for a bit more, so you didn’t say anything. It wasn’t like he looked worried about being left behind.

“So you’re saying I’m not a jerk.” Chad grinned, while tilting his head to the side. Ah, there it was, that damn smile. It warmed your heart, childishly.

“Well, duh.” You chuckled. “I wouldn’t be talking to you if you were, would I?”

Chad hummed slightly, before he shrugged. “No clue, it’s not like I know you that well, y’know? Not even your zodiac sign…” And his grin came back.

You could only laugh at the way he was mirroring what you had told him during that Halloween party, and for some seconds, you looked away as a big smile made its way into your face. Chad watched you closely, still smiling, tenderness filling his eyes — you looked really pretty, and that thought crossing his mind made his grin turn into the sweetest smile, almost pure adoration dripping like honey.

“Yeah, but see…” Shrugging, you looked back at him. “That can actually be fixed.”

“Glad we’re on the same page.” Chad said as his smile grew even bigger, something you didn’t expect to be possible. He took a look around you, watching how the crowd of students coming out of their classrooms was already disappearing. “Do you happen to be free for a coffee? Because, I don’t know if you remember, but I owe you a drink.”

“Oh, I do remember.” Suddenly, all the things you had to do weren’t looking as important as they did. They certainly weren’t more important than that smile before you, and this time you hoped your friend wouldn’t come completely drunk to stop you from going further with him. Still, you glanced at your watch before saying, “Sure, I have time. Know any good places?”

Chad nodded, and as he passed by your side, his shoulder brushed yours to encourage you to get closer to him. “Just the perfect one.”

You got the hint and made sure to walk on his level, without bothering every time your shoulders brushed him; until he shamelessly let his hand touch yours. Your heart made a little bit of a jump at that, but after smiling, you allowed that touch to happen again. Maybe your quote hadn’t been so cringy.

“So, time for the truth.” Chad said as he looked right ahead, but his gaze dropped to look at you watching him curiously. “Are you a scorpio or not?”

Laugh spilled from your mouth.

[ircnwrought]

respond to the following prompts out of character, then tag others you'd like to get to know a little bit better.

Roleplayer name: miranda

Roleplayer pronouns: she/her

Muse name: bear with me i have a lot here: morgan le fey, violet sorrengail, harmonia, astoria greengrass, annie cresta, clove kentwell, éponine thénardier, aelin galathynius, amaya danaan, elide lochan, feyre archeron, natasha romanoff, wanda maximoff, and allya zaldas are all on the roster (currently testing visenya targaryen and lysandra ennar; disco muses are bryce quinlan, francesca bridgerton, and sif asyjursdottir)

Preferred communication: i like disco the most bc i find that tumblr eats dms

Experience: i started rping here on tumblr 12 years ago ? (oh god ... ) in hunger games simulators. i moved to my first rp group about 11 years ago to write annie cresta (my oldest muse) and got up the courage to join the indie community 10 years ago with morgan's predecessor blog (a bbcm morgana)

Preferred roleplay type: i can jive with anything, but i think my sweet spot is about two paras with no icons. they just tend to be the threads i can get to fastest based on my work schedule

Pet peeves & dealbreakers: generally being pushy or being a dick ? look this is a hobby and we're all here to have fun. respect other people's opinions and their right to set their boundaries. i took a two year writing hiatus because of how icked out i got after being forced into very uncomfortable shipping situations i made clear multiple times i wasn't okay with. i think we just need to remember that there's a real person on the other side of the screen who deserves our kindness and consideration

Plots or memes: both !! memes are such an easy stress-free way to test the waters or even new dynamics. if we've never written ? send a meme. if we've written forever but you want to explore a ship ? send a meme. i'll love you forever either way. same with plots. i'm easily excitable in disco when you get me talking about my muses and i'll just throw ideas out into the wild. they don't all have to turn into something, but i LOVE fleshing out dynamics and scenes

Best time to write: generally the time between my evening shower and going to bed. i'll write a thread or two to relax before falling asleep

Are you like your muse? i don't think i'm exactly like any one muse, but i choose muses that i relate to in some aspect, so in that way i'm in all of the characters i choose to write. i'd like to think i'm studious like vi/astoria/elide. i believe in kindness above all like harmonia/annie/amaya. i aim to be crafty like morgan/aelin/feyre/nat. i struggle sometimes but always try to right my wrongs in the end like clove/ép/wanda/allya. i also choose muses of a certain archetype, typically those who face massive amounts of adversity, but still come out on the otherside. idk what that says about me, but maybe a psych major out there could tell me xD

Tagged by: my loves @ofanswereddreams and @meaercies

Tagging: i'm late in responding to this so idk who has and hasn't done this yet but i WANT TO KNOW ABOUT ALL MY MUTES SO MY ENTIRE FOLLOW LIST IS TAGGED (sorry no cheating you've been tagged)

[actualbird]

hi zak! I saw the tags you left on a reblogged post about Luke and suffering in relation to catholicism and that made me think. one of my classmates used to mention "the catholic guilt" (particularly about having desire), and I just thought it fits Luke so well. He felt so guilty about loving Rosa (and leaving her alone...) for so long T-T. Also, I'd love to hear more of your thoughts about catholic and filipino luke if you'd like to write about it!

irt to these deranged tags i left on this post abt suffering as salvation and luke forever ago, screencapped below for reference

hello hello! sorry this response took Ages but now im finally down to answer this so....

//steeples hands.....is luke pearce catholic coded? to Me, yes, and ive been casually throwing around this concept ever since 2021 HAHA. the filipino bit is actually just me projecting, so i wont go too much into that, but the religious bit Is something i wanna talk about. and i apologize in advanced for how long this response is gonna end up being

quick disclaimer b4 i start tho: im Not a theologian or an expert in religious theory, im just some guy who went through over a decade of catholic school and lives in the philippines, a primarily catholic country. this whole response is not saying "catholicism bad." it's more the institutions from where we experience catholicism from can twist it into something harmful, and i got to experience that first hand and how it affects one's view of themselves

ANYHOO, LET'S START FROM THE BEGINNING

like....the Beginning beginning

part 1: in the beginning, adam and eve did an oopsie so now we're all saddled with original sin (i swear this is important to luke pearce, bear with me)

quick recap on those who are unfamiliar: in the book of Genesis, god told adam and eve not to eat from the tree of knowledge. and then they did. this was the first ever sin in the history of humankind, and it is inherited by all humans through birth. so like, yay, happy entrance into the world, newly born baby child! you are guilty of sin already. this original sin is most usually absolved though through baptism, so it's not too much of a problem. but what im interested here is less of the nitty gritty semantics and more of the concept this all puts forth:

that under catholicism and similar denominations, a child, somebody who has not done any wrong at all, is inherently tainted by sin

now, the Good reaction to sin or any wrongdoing one has done is to recognize it and to atone for forgiveness. and within the "recognition" part is where guilt lies. functionally, guilt has a purpose. it makes us realize that we had done something wrong, it makes us feel remorseful, and it adds motivation to atone, to turn a new leaf, and to be better. in healthy amounts, guilt is useful and a natural part of being conscious over the things you do. and in unhealthy amounts, guilt is agonizing.

but thats for stuff you actually Did.

if the thing you are guilty for isnt actually something you were responsible over, the guilt cant do anything to make any of it better. you cant be a better person from it, because you didnt even do it. it just sits there, making you feel horrible for something that was out of your control. but because guilt is a Good thing to do, it doesnt matter if it's functional or not. it needs to stay. because it's Good, and the sin youre saddled with (whether or not you were responsible) is Bad

now let's bring in luke

luke's parents died when he was very young. this led him to living with mc's family, and a huge insecurity and fear he had from the beginning was that he felt guilty for burdening them, for stealing the love and care from mc's parents when that shouldve been for mc alone. the story SSR Shape Of You goes into this particular childhood experience extensively (and i highly reccommend it to anyone who hasnt read it yet), and tells us that his guilt was so bad that he wanted to run away and even erase himself from existence.

but luke didnt even do anything wrong

at the time, he was a child. he had no bearing whatsoever in the accident that killed his parents, he had no sway over who wouldve ended up looking after him, he had no control over the situation. like a newborn baby born under catholic doctrine, luke finds himself inherently tainted by and guilty for the circumstances that landed him to where he was.

this kind of pattern is going to follow him for the rest of his life, and the concept of inherent sin and inherent guilt begins to evolve. if luke can find himself guilty for things out of his control, then he can also find himself guilty for things that arent even sins in the first place

key example: love

like you said, luke feels immense guilt over loving mc. but why? love is the opposite of a sin, afterall.

it's just a sin when luke does it. because luke sees himself as inherently bad, and sees mc as inherently good. he sees himself as unworthy of her or someone who will just bring pain into her life, and causing pain someone you love is bad. if love is the knife he uses to hurt someone he loves, then that love is bad. that love should not be realized, and luke should feel guilty for even yearning for her.

by this point i think it's obvious that original concept has become twisted and overly punishing, even cruel. and thats because:

a lot of institutions teach catholic doctrine in an unhealthy and harmful manner. this is why many catholics and lapsed catholics experience The Catholic Guilt(TM). what was originally a pretty reasonable thing gets blown out of proportion from the places we learn these things from, and then getting exposed to this for majority of our lives lets it worm its way into our brain where it'll tend to stay

and if one's brain also has a tendency for self hatred and/or mental illness........well. it all gets worse.

it's clear in canon that luke is uhhhh not the most mentally well individual. his guilt is so overwhelming that it's the driving force in so many of his choices, stories, and experiences. which is big reason #1 for why luke just seems so catholic to me, because of the sheer intensity of his guilt and how he sees himself as inherently bad and unworthy.

but in the roadmap of sin, thats only the beginning. because the process goes:

sin (bad) -> recognition of the bad aided by guilt (good) -> atonement to become better (good)

which leads to big reason #2

part 2: suffering, pain, and misery as atonement

it's important to note that catholicism does not posit that "suffering is good", but there is a clear pattern of veneration for people who endure suffering under noble causes. many, many people in catholic history have been martyred (and many also sainted), one of the biggest examples being jesus himself.

pain is not good, but someone who chooses to take it on for good reasons (self-sacrifice, martyrdom, putting others above one's self) or stays good in spite of all the pain they experienced (unwavering faith, a heart of gold), well, THAT person is good.

however, like a lot of stuff in catholicism, things get twisted into extreme variations because of how it gets taught or experienced. it doesnt take a genius to see how "people who endured pain for good reasons were brave and devoted people" can transform into "to experience pain is inherently noble" when you take into consideration that many sins (like, of the seven deadly sins variety, pride, sloth, lust, etc etc) are variations of indulgence.

specifically over-indulgence, yes, but there's a dichotomy now. here, in the list of Good Stuff are things that feel not-so-good, and over in the list of Bad Stuff are things that do feel good

bad stuff is a sin, and from part 1, sins are things you should be guilty for

and now, to feel good is also bad, so you should be guilty for that. which reinforces the concept that to feel bad is good.

congratulations, you've unintentionally glorified suffering and demonized pleasure! //sad trumpet noises

you can see this kind of thinking pretty clearly in luke pearce. there are the big examples like the previous one i brought up, where he feels so guilty for his feelings for mc. but it appears even in smaller casual situations, like in his 1st birthday event story. this moment was seared into my brain

"can i look forward to this?" is indicative of hesitating in the face of happiness. even something as mundane as anticipating a birthday surprise is something to be approached with caution, feels too good to be true, to be allowed, because feeling good is bad and luke doesnt see himself worthy of it

but okay, we're all guilty now of the horrible sin of enjoying life. what comes next? atonement, becoming better, growing from the bad to become good, right?

and what better way to cleanse one's self from the sin of feeling good but through the nobleness of enduring pain?

luke is guilty over the sin robbing burdening mc and her family -> thats okay he's leaving for college anyway! wont be able to burden them there -> oopsie the NSB happens but hey at least this lone wolf suffering is a great way to atone for his past sin -> oh god the guilt of abandoning mc though -> oh GOD the mission that killed everybody but him -> NEW ACHIEVEMENT: SURVIVOR'S GUILT ON TOP OF THE CATHOLIC GUILT! -> oh GOD he's even guiltier now of his feelings for mc because of his illness, he'll only bring pain to her, how selfish of him to have feelings like this, bad and wrong -> the best way to handle this is to stay away from her to let her live in peace (lacking the pain that luke will bring) and deprive himself of her who brings him joy (inflicting pain of separation onto sinner as punishment) -> the path to salvation (to being good, because only in being Good is someone worthy of love) is through constant suffering and endless self-deprivation

kinda insane how luke's self-perceived sins and self-inflicted sufferings gain compound interest of misery, but his spiral into self-loathing is littered with this kind of nonsensical "because i did [THING], i should deserve pain/NOT deserve happiness"

for luke, suffering became the mode of atonement, it became the solution for sin and guilt.

part 3: conclusion

to wrap this all up, i wanna make it clear that i dont necessarily think luke is like, catholic in the story. nor is even it a headcanon i have. it's more that the intensely self-punishing thought patterns luke has in relation to guilt and suffering are very, very familiar. it resonates in a way that is horridly relatable to people who have experienced these specific catholic experience woes, but it can also resonate in completely different ways to other people as well.

but given that....yeah. based on my own experiences, all this //gestures at too-long response, is why i keep using catholic language and imagery whenever i talk about luke. it's so familiar. he's so familiar. luke would not be out of place in a filipino catholic high school crying during a 3 day retreat

thanks for the ask!!!

[another-heroine]

9 Ship Songs 2.0

Some time ago I was tagged on this one, and by that time I have had no enough songs for any of my beloved ships.

Now that my brain is spinning Lann and Katya like a rotisserie chicken, I am finally able to list nine songs for them at least lol

(And I just followed the shuffling order of Spotify. Check on their playlist here)

Be There (Seafret)

You've got me surrounded

It feels like I'm drowning

And I don't want to come up for air

I lost everything

I threw myself in and you took me when no one was there

Well you can take what you need, take the air that I breathe

And I'll give away all that I own

Whatever I lose, is put back by you in a way that you'll never know...

Sunlight (Hozier)

I would shun the light, share in evening's cool and quiet

Who would trade that hum of night?

For sunlight, sunlight, sunlight

But whose heart would not take flight?

Betray the moon as acolyte

On first and fierce affirming sight

Of sunlight, sunlight, sunlight

I had been lost to you, sunlight

And flew like a moth to you, sunlight, oh, sunlight

Oh, your love is sunlight

Oh, your love is sunlight

But it is sunlight...

Honeylight (Amber Run)

There's nothing to it

You just exist

Then you die

I'm under no illusion

That things get better

But I'II try

'Cause you know it goes down like honey (honey)

So open wide, open wide

You don't have to say you're sorry (sorry)

You only tried, you only tried

It comes in waves, it's red like rust

And in the stream you see the dust

I would like to bathe in honey (honey)

In honey light, in honey light...

Creep (Radiohead)

When you were here before

Couldn't look you in the eye

You're just like an angel

Your skin makes me cry

You float like a feather

In a beautiful world

I wish I was special

You're so fuckin' special

But I'm a creep

I'm a weirdo

What the hell am I doin' here?

I don't belong here...

Hello My Old Heart (The Oh Hellos)

Hello, my old heart

How have you been?

Are you still there inside my chest?

I've been so worried

You've been so still

Barely beating at all

Oh, don't leave me here alone

Don't tell me that we've grown

For having loved a little while

Oh, whoa, I don't wanna be alone

I wanna find a home

And I wanna share it with you...

War (Poets of the Fall)

Do you remember standing on a broken field

White crippled wings beating the sky

The harbingers of war with their nature revealed

And our chances flowing by

If I can let the memory heal

I will remember you with me on that field

When I thought that I fought this war alone

You were there by my side on the frontline

When I thought that I fought without a cause

You gave me a reason to try...

Colours (Billy Raffour ft JJ Wilde)

It's the smartest thing I ever did

Opening my heart to let you in

You taught me that despite the evidence

I'm still worth a damn, you'd still take the risk

Oh, stay with me, don't ever leave

Where I was broken, you made a home in

Where I had nothing, you gave it all

Where I was hardened, you grew a garden

Your love, it hollers down my halls

I've got your colours on my walls...

Golden (Harry Styles)

Golden, golden, golden

As I open my eyes

Hold it, focus, hoping

Take me back to the light

I know you were way too bright for me

I'm hopeless, broken

So you wait for me in the sky

Browns my skin just right

You're so golden

You're so golden

I'm out of my head

And I know that you're scared

Because hearts get broken...

Sirens (Pearl Jam)

Hear the sirens, hear the sirens

Hear the sirens, hear the circus so profound

I hear the sirens more and more in this here town

Let me catch my breath to breathe then reach across the bend

Just to know we're safe, I am a grateful man

The slightest bit of light and I can see you clear

Oh, had to take your hand, and feel your breath

For fear this someday will be over

I pull you close, so much to lose

Knowing that, nothing lasts forever

I didn't care, before you were here

I danced in laughter, with the ever after

But all things change, let this remain...

[kattahj]

Rules: List 10 of your comfort shows, then tag 10 people

Tagged by @katiekeysburg about a month ago. This took me forever, sorry!

Tagging some mutuals from my notes: @minutia-r @sorry-bonebag @re-bee-key @theendofcake @beccaelizabeth315 @anotherlovr @lotesseflower @morathicain @firlalaith @lena221bee

Interpreting this as shows I watch when I want to feel happy and warm and cared for. I don't often rewatch shows, so some of these are ongoing and others are just ones that made me feel good when I did watch them.

Apologies to all the other feel good shows I've had along the way thst didn'tmake the cut. :-)

What's My Line: A game show from the 50s/60s where the panel guesses people's occupations, and also who the celebrity guest is (they're blindfolded for that one). If you want to watch light banter, low-stakes games (extra points are frequently handed out), and hear about jobs you didn't even know existed, this is perfect. Available on YouTube for free, too!

Taskmaster: Another low-stakes game show, this time with celebrities having to perform absolutely ridiculous tasks. This frequently involves not so much thinking outside of the box as thinking outside of the planet. Also, the two hosts have an amusingly dom/sub thing going on.

Queer Eye: Five gay people come to a person, or sometimes a group of people, to fix up their appearance, home, and personal lives. The results can be quibbled with sometimes, but for the most part, this is like a warm hug.

Ghosts: A young couple move into a house that turns out to be haunted. Since they're now so deep in debt that they can't move, they have to make friends with the ghosts. Exists in two versions, UK and US. The UK fans will swear up and down that theirs is the only good version, but the truth is that both are good, and as a comfort show specifically, the US version may be more effective, since it's softer and cuddlier.

Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts: In the future, humans live underground, mutated animals ("mutes") roam the earth, and everyone is at each other's throat. Until a girl named Kipo accidentally ends up on the surface and decides to make friends with all the animals, which she turns out to be surprisingly good at. Also, there's lots of singing.

Press Gang: Childhood favourite show that still holds up, about a group of teenagers making a newspaper together. Good drama, good humour, and also, the editor is a smart, ruthless girl named Lynda, who has lots of Belligerent Sexual Tension with Spike, one of the reporters and resident rebel, in a classic 80s/90s romantic trope. In case that's your kind of thing. :-)

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power: Girl who was stolen by the Evil Horde as a child discovers that she's actually the destined hero of the Princess Alliance, their enemies. Sweet story, very queer, and with surprisingly nuanced villains. Doesn't quite measure up to Kipo in my book (I know most people disagree), but almost.

Julie and the Phantoms: Musically gifted teenager discovers that the ghosts of a dead rock band "lives" in her garage. From the creator of High School Musical, but so much better. Sadly cancelled after only one season (very unfortunate timing with covid).

And since I've been watching all these Asian QLs lately, naturally I need to add the softest of those:

She Makes My Heart Flutter: Short and sweet about a lesbian bar owner who gets her routine changed when her niece comes to work for her. Only takes a little bit more than an hour to watch, and it's lovely the whole time.

Old Fashion Cupcake: Office romance about a 39-year-old manager whose midlife crisis is interrupted with the help of the 29-year-old working for him, who dares him to try new things and experience life like a young girl would. Lots of tasty food in addition to the romance.

[cassynite]

Top Artistic/Creative Influences in My Life

Tagged by @randalltier for this new meme--I gotta admit it took me a second because I'd never really considered what pieces of media have influenced my own work. This was really cool to do tbh!! Though no one is allowed to make fun of me for the basic bitch answers included 😤

Modern Faerie Tales series (and its sequels/offshoots) by Holly Black: So this isn't super present in my fanfiction right now but in my original works I really like to engage with creatures or forces that are very inhuman in their thinking, where one of the struggles is understanding or working with forces that inherently have deeply different values and morality than our own. I won't say Holly Black does it best I've seen (or even, like...well) but the Modern Faerie Tales was the first time I really saw characters like that, where the faeries really felt like they were deeply inhuman and in some ways unknowable. It's also led to just a lifelong love of faeries in general that constantly shows up in my work lol.

Poetry by Eavan Boland: Easily my favorite poet, there's something about how Boland utilizes nature as an expression of emotion that really gets to me in particular--how water is grief in "Atlantis: A Sonnet" and "And Soul," how nature is indicative of healing in "How We Made a New Art on Old Ground." That's bled into my writing as well--a lot of my favorite bits of writing, where I really feel like I nailed trying to show character's emotions, comes from reflections in the environment and I draw a lot of it back to how her poetry has made me feel.

The Ones that Walk Away From Omelas by Ursula Le Guin: "Nothing is truly good that makes even one person suffer" is a really important theme to me and the story of Omelas is one that's stuck to me for ages. That theme shows up in some form or another in a lot of my stories--one that I published a long time ago is literally just a pastiche of the story--and its implications regarding colonialism and what makes a just society are pretty integral to core beliefs of mine in general!

The Gone World by Tom Sweterlitsch: I am a fan of time travel stories. But I became a fan of time travel as a double-edged sword, about the erasure of impact that it can have, about choice vs inevitability and what truly matters when things can literally be undone, because of this story. I've got a whole roster of OCs that fuck with time solely because of this and honestly it's a super well-written book beyond the time stuff, and honestly if you've played PWOTR and you like the implications of Aeon and the True Aeon end this is a really good read in general.

...Tolkien: Sorry for the basic bitch answer but. Yeah. Fantasy that has left behind a much brighter age and grieves it, things that are gone but not lost forever, the presentation of evil as seeming large and unstoppable but ultimately being so small and petty and miserable, and how the smallest of things (small people, small acts of kindness, small defiances in the face of the dark) can mean all the difference! It's really important to me! That message of hope and healing just matters a lot to me and a lot of my characters consciously feed into these arcs; like I really dislike making characters are stories with completely destructive scorched earth ends and I do think that comes from Tolkien.

Anyway!! I'm no pressure tagging @silversiren1101 @dujour13 and @dmagedgoods and anyone else who might be interested to talk about the things that have influenced or inspired their art!!

[riggerbison]

tagged by @leedongwok, @milfmas, @thiansong, @winmon, & @i-got-the-feels, thanks for the tag ya’ll! 💛

so it really kind of depends on what i’m trying to do, for gifs i’m just making a generic set for, i don’t tend to go through as much work in coloring them unless it’s like a parallel set or a set that contains multiple scenes from a piece of media because than i want them to match. the gif of carlos is really just curves, levels, color balance, & a gradient map layer to help with his skin. which gradient map layers have become my best friend and that’s how i colored the max, nick, & eyewitness gif. my goal is always just just get rid of whatever ugly filter was put over it and to brighten since i don’t keep my own screens very bright.

tagging: @pranink, @birthdaysentiment, @nick-nellson, @lutavero, @maxbegone & whoever wants too, i know this has gone around a few times now and i can’t remember who has done it

[imgoingtofreakoutnow]

Those who are left behind

Summary: Steve finds a connection while helping as a volunteer at Hawkins High

Pairing: Steve Harrington x gn!reader (can be seen as platonic or pre-romantic)

Warnings: mentions of death and mourning

Words: 1k

A/N: Hey, I hope you like this! I had fun writing it so yeah... sorry if it's a bit sad tho :D

Tags: @hellotvshowtrash @yn-ymn-yln @auroracalisto

Steve had been folding clothes for what it felt like forever. The moment he finished one pile, another appeared in a neverending cycle. He was more than surprised by how many clothes people could spare the moment disaster happened.

At some point, as he folded an oversized shirt or some worn jeans, his mind wandered off, haunting him with visions of everything that had happened in the last few days.

He wished he could help more, that he could do something more than folding clothes and occasionaly sewing holes in socks. He wanted to go back in time to stop all that destruction and pain, fix everything that went wrong...

And save those who got hurt, he thought, closing his fists around the fabric of a shirt.

"Hey, you alright?"

A voice coming from the side made Steve turn around toward Y/N. They started helping in the "clothes and toys" section the previous day, around the same time he did, but Steve knew them long before that day.

Steve used to sit behind them in biology class and, when he wasn't talking behind the teacher's back, he looked in a weird, bored awe at how neatly and closely they took notes. However, they had never spoken to each other before this.

"Not really, no" Steve scoffed, quickly folding the shirt as he tried to iron the creases that had appeared on it.

Y/N nodded, going back to sorting the different clothes by size and age. Then, eyeing carefully Steve, they asked softly: "Have you lost someone in the earthquake?"

"It wasn't-" Steve stopped as those words left his mouth. Of course they didn't know what really happened. They didn't know Hawkins – if not the entire world – was about to change.

No one did.

Except him and a bunch of highschool kids.

"Yes. Yes, I... I did." He nodded slowly, his eyes stuck on the printed logo of the shirt he had just put to the side. "We did."

"We?"

"My friends and I. We... we lost a friend," he murmured. "A good friend."

"I'm sorry for your loss." They paused for a good minute. "I know how hard it is to lose someone."

Steve glanced at Y/N. "Did you lose someone as well?"

"Not yesterday, no." They shook their head, fidgeting with a ring on their middle finger. "I lost my grandma, five years ago. And I know it's not the same: your wound is still new, mine had a while more to heal; but sometimes my heart aches because I can't run to her and tell her what good or bad happened to me during the day."

For a moment they stopped moving, clenching their hands to their chest, breathing slowly in and out.

"Sometimes I just wish I could hug her one last time, tell her how much I love her and just... you know... exist there with her, for a little while longer."

Y/N raised their eyes from their hands and found Steve staring at them, eyes wide and speechless. They quickly lowered them, passing a hand through their hair.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to make you feel worse with my words..."

"It's okay." Steve cut them off with a joyless smile. "I understand all too well what you're saying."

Silence fell again and the two went back to their jobs, a synchronised and perfectly working machine made up by two broken souls.

Then Y/N spoke again.

"You don't have to answer me but... how did they die?"

Steve considered ignoring the question. He hadn't really talked about it with anyone else outside the group and he wasn't sure what to say or how to say it.

But the need to tell someone else, someone who could understand, was stronger than his doubts.

"He died saving us, that fucking idiot..." He scoffed, shaking his head. "As if him dying a hero would make his loss any easier..."

He took a deep breath and he felt his throat burn with the sensation that anticipates tears.

"Does it ever get better? The weight... does it ever ease?"

He knew how he sounded: desperate, like a beggar or a dying man begging for Death to either take him or let him be.

He expected pity but there was none in Y/N's eyes. Just recognition. They understood.

"It needs time. A lot of time. And just as much patience. But it does. It gets to a point where the pain of losing them and the joy for having known them mix, and thinking about them doesn't feel so..."

"Heavy?"

Y/N nodded. "There will still be bad times though, and their absence will feel like drowning in a cup of water... and no matter how much time passes, it still hits like a fucking truck."

"Wow," Steve scoffed again, this time with more light in his eyes. "Is this supposed to make me feel hopeful or scared for my life?"

"Oh gosh, I'm so sorry..." Y/N covered their face with a teddy bear they were putting away. "I didn't mean to sound so pessimistic..."

"You didn't." Steve laughed softly. It had been a while and that sound felt weird on his lips, however it fit just as it used to. "You were just realistic. And I was trying to be funny and deflect my grief." He shook his shoulders. "Didn't work that well..."

Y/N nodded, a small smile on their lips. "At least you folded that shirt like a pro."

Another scoff as Steve passed them the shirt. "Thanks? After all, this could be my vocation."

Y/N raised their eyebrow. "What?"

"Being a housewife."

They unexpectedly broke out into laughter, leaving Steve slightly taken aback. That sound was strangely soothing and warm to his ears.

"Yeah" Y/N nodded, "I can totally see you wearing an apron!"

It was Steve's turn to laugh now and when they got back to their respective jobs, he knew something had switched. In him and between them, and despite the pain still there, he couldn't help but smile at the new-found connection.

[moonykat]

Hi I’m a bit new in this space and I love your art and your posts! Do you have any stucky fic recommendations? Don’t worry if not! Have a great day!

Hi!! and welcome to this beautiful fandom filled with lovely people <3 aww thank you, you're so nice. Sorry this took a bit of time, I had to go into my bookmarks to rec my faves. Here they go, don't forget to always check the tags in case something is not your cup of tea

the classics I always reread:

The man on the bridge by boopboop the fic that made me ship them romantically back in the day :')

Indelible by MMXIII destroys me to this day

G.I. Joes and 2AM Diners by OhCaptainMyCaptain my fave AU and tbh the one I reread whenever I feel sad

Circling Back by chaya

Here's a Conspiracy by castiowl CHECK THE TAGS THO *cries*

despite the threatening sky and shuddering earth (they remained) by praximeter (Zimario) I think I've read this like more than ten times fr

Sticky notes by oceanicfeelings

Falling Back on Forever by ftmsteverogers

Revenant by stele3

let me be buried under your name by tempestaurora UTTER HEARTBREAK MY HEART

Anamorphosis by radialarch

This Sunlit Land, Far Strayed and Yet Unconquered by eyres EVERYTHING THIS AUTHOR WRITES IS PAIN BUT THE GREAT KIND *cries again*

Into That Good Night and Motion training by Nonymos ahhh nonymos by beloved. They've been here for so long, and to this day keep posting new stuff. Love them. Check the tags for Motion training tho

recent ones I've read:

drowning in the night by mcwho (they have like some great explicit stucky fics omg)

On The Other End of the Line by velleities

Dream A Little Dream Of Me by unicornpoe

And now this group of fellas who keep posting the best of the best in 2022 <3 All their works are simply amazing, here are just some of them, seriously we are so lucky to have these people around and posting actively.

All These Things That I’ve Done by @not-withoutyou *cries*

you're not my homeland anymore and Spelling Out Desire by @between-a-ship-and-a-hard-place *cries again*

I was alone, I took a ride by the amazing @otp-holic stunning wip, can't wait to see what's gonna happen next but it's already one of my favorite fics TnT

My puzzle piece by @marvelousescapism (nsft hehe)

Stripped Bare by @turtle-steverogers (nsft <3)

Reckless Serenade and Coming up easy by @musette22 *clutches heart*

Marry me and Misplaced Pencils by @somanywords *clutches heart* *cries*

Gold, silver and virtue by @gfawkesphoenixchokingonashes

In the New Light of Dawn by @dontcallmebree

it's not like a tree (when the roots have to end) by @ixalit

I answered an ask similar to this one a while ago with some other fics. This post is way more organized but hey :D Hope you have fun, and enjoy!!!