#stay tuned for me immediately posting the next chapter too

[miniscule-meow]

Isabell and the Lads: Unfortunate First Meeting (5)

Word Count: ~1.8k

Masterpost

First Part | Last Part | Next Part

“Hey.” The word rumbles around her, dragging her from her sleep. His fingertip nudges lightly against her shoulder. She lets out a small yelp as her eyes shoot open. It is darker in the room than it was before. A small light illuminates from the living room, silhouetting the gargantuan being before her. His hand is far too close, one fingertip still resting against her shoulder. He’s leaned in to look at her, she can see his smile glint in the darkness. Maybe it would have been reassuring if he was properly lit, or if they were the same size. But as it stands, his shadow is stretched over her, covering her completely. It feels quite menacing. She painfully pushes herself to a sitting position and shoves herself back, trying to create some more space between herself and the human looming over her. What a wakeup call. She groans, immediately wincing at the movement. She feels absolutely wretched. Her body is sore and aching, she feels stale from crying and her head rings with a dull pulse left over from the alcohol.

“Hey, you’re okay.” He says softly, “I’ve got you, it’s okay.” His hand slides forward again, finding it’s way behind her. His warm fingers press into her back, offering- no, insisting their support. She cringes away from them. Marcus is obviously ignorant to the fact that he is exactly her problem. “You were asleep for a couple hours. Zeke went to bed, and I’m here to watch over you. I figured you could use something more comfortable than a paper towel to sleep on, so…” he draws out the word as he produces a shoe box, setting it on the counter next to her. “I put this together for you. I think you’re gonna like it.”

The hand that rests against her back shifts. His thumb snakes around to her front, gently pinching her in his grasp. His other fingers curl in around her, offering their support. Her heart hammers in her chest, she can’t breathe. His fingers aren’t squeezing the air out of her, it’s her own anxiety doing that. Though, his fingers do press into the myriad of bruises decorating her ribs. She cries out in a mixture of alarm, discomfort, and panic. “Relax, I’ve got you.” Against her will, her body lifts from the counter, and she is placed inside the box. “There.” He withdraws his hand. “Nice right? It’s like your own little bedroom.” He grins at his cleverness, wanting her to be pleased. Her head whips around seeing no doors, only walls.

“L-let me out.” She turns up to face him, wide eyed.

“Listen, Zeke is already asleep, and I have to go to bed soon too. I don’t want you running off and hurting yourself in the middle of the night when neither of us are awake to help you. Okay?”

“Let. Me. Out!” She shouts up at him, more insistently this time. Her voice is tight with panic.

“In the morning.” He says again, she gets the feeling that he's not going to budge on this. “Get some rest, okay?” With that, he disappears from her sky, leaving her to helplessly look around her cardboard prison.

There’s a bottle cap of water, and a folded up paper towel with some fruit on it that captures her interest. In the other corner of the box there’s a plush rectangle with some squares of fabric draped over it. A bed. Or at least, an attempt at a bed.

Isabell makes a b-line for the food first. Part of her thinks that it might be a bad idea to trust food given to her by a human, but it’s just a passing thought. She is so hungry, and it all looks so perfect. If somehow this food is going to kill her, at least she will die happy.

She hasn’t been able to get her hands on fresh fruit in a very long time. And when she was able to get it, it was typically just a small crushed berry. But now she has apple slices, and banana slices, strawberries, and blue berries.

She feels better once she’s eaten her fill. She carefully wraps a small chunk of apple up in some of the paper towel it was sitting on and stows it away in her pack. For later, because she is getting out of here and she might not ever get to have apples again. Hopefully she can make it home before it gets too mushy. Though, things aren’t looking good for her considering they put her in a box.

She moves awkwardly with the bandage on her leg, limping over to the wall. If she had any of her climbing equipment on her she might have been able to scale it. But without it, she is trapped. She goes over and flops into the bed. It’s soft, she’ll give it that. Though she feels just as tired, it takes longer for her to fall asleep this time. Her mind just keeps spinning, trying to form a plan. But she’s too tired, and everything seems too helpless. She drifts off into an uneasy sleep.

She wakes up several times. Eventually, the light in the room has shifted enough that she figures it’s almost morning. When she moves, she feels like death warmed over. She wants to just drift back to sleep until the humans get up and decide what to do with her. But that feels too much like giving up. She’s not about to ride the slippery slope from shoe box to proper cage. She forces herself to get up, and look around again for anything she can use for an escape.

The base of the bed was a sponge, wrapped in cloth. With great effort she shoves the blankets off and stands the sponge-mattress up against the wall. It isn’t quite tall enough. She tosses the water out of the bottle cap, after greedily drinking from it one last time. Then she uses the cap as a final step on top of her makeshift staircase. Stepping back, she admires her handywork.

It is... precarious to say the least. If she wasn’t injured, she might be less weary. But she’s been left with little choice. Her legs shake as she pulls herself over the side of the box. She takes extra care in making sure that she lands only on her good leg when she drops down to the counter below.

Now she just has to get down. She frowns, looking over the edge of the counter and seeing the long drop to the floor. She looks across the counter for anything that might be helpful, and she sees her rope! One of the humans took it down from the cabinet, but left it on the counter in a heap. She’s saved!

She begins the long and arduous process of scaling down to the floor. It’s a familiar journey, it just takes more than twice as long to complete. She can’t afford to burst a stitch here. She picks her way to the floor, being as slow and methodical as possible.

Once she gets to the bottom, she pulls the release on her knot, and it falls down to her. She coils it and attaches it back to its rightful spot on her pack. She just has to get across the apartment, under the entertainment stand and through the baseboard to get home. Her heart soars, but she doesn’t let herself celebrate for too long, that’s still a lot she needs to accomplish. She walks through the kitchen, hugging the wall just to be safe.

The kitchen opens up into the living room. The door to the apartment is to her right, there’s a hallway to her left. She’ll have to cut across the gap in the hall, but then she can hug the wall the rest of the way to freedom. Marcus is out in the living room, asleep on the couch with a controller in his hand. Whatever game he was playing is paused on the screen. This is just too easy.

Until it isn’t. She swears she hears fate itself laughing at her as a door down the hallway opens, then shuts, the other human stepping out into the hall. Zeke is awake.

She slams herself against the baseboard, hoping that the overhang of the cabinet is enough to obscure her from his view. Maybe he won’t even look down here. She feels like she jinxed herself as soon as she thinks that. The human pauses next to her, his socked feet falling still, close enough she could lean out and touch him. Thankfully, he doesn’t catch her, he looks over to his sleeping roommate.

“Marcus.” He pauses, no response. Zeke sighs and walks over to the couch, nudging him awake. “Marcus.” He repeats.

“Ah- What?” He mumbles groggily, screwing up his face, blinking at the dim light of sunrise hitting his eyes.

“Where’s Isabell. You said you’d keep an eye on her.”

“I am, I am.” He insists groggily.

“You were obviously sleeping," Zeke retorts, unamused.

“No, I know. She’s in the box on the counter.” He slurs through his words, falling back asleep as he speaks them.

“You put her in a box?! Damnit Marcus.” Zeke huffs, sounding incredibly frustrated. Marcus jolts at his tone, rubbing his face in an attempt to wake himself up.

“What? I wanted to keep her safe while we were both sleeping. You would have done the same thing.” He says, defensively.

“No. I really wouldn’t have.” Zeke’s footsteps thunder past her as he quickly steps across the room. Alarms go off in her mind.

Things are much more complicated now. Marcus gets up and goes to mess with the game systems in the entertainment stand. He’s crouching right over where she needs to go for her escape. But more alarmingly, Zeke is checking the box that she has notably, escaped from.

“Shit.” He says quietly. “Marcus, your stupid plan didn’t even work.” He grumbles, looking back to his friend.

“What?”

“She’s gone.” He says simply.

“What?!” Marcus repeats obviously flustered, leaping to his feet.

“Stop! Marcus don’t move.” Zeke raises his voice, freezing Marcus in his tracks. She gets the impression that that isn’t something he does a lot. “Listen to me. Be. Very. Careful. Watch where you walk, okay?”

“What do you think I would-” Marcus begins, but Zeke must have flashed him a pretty severe look, because he stops. “Never mind. Uh. I’ll just… I’ll just stay here.” He carefully settles back down onto the floor. Placing himself unmoving right in front of where she needs to go. Damn it. “She probably didn’t get far, right? She might be on the counter still. I don’t know how she could have gotten down. Check behind stuff, maybe?” Marcus rambles, trying to be helpful.

“Thank you. Marcus.” Zeke says in a short clip. Obviously annoyed by Marcus’s chatter. Marcus takes the hint and shuts up. Zeke carefully beings picking through the countertop.

“Isabell.” He calls her name gently, sending eerie chills down her spine. “Please don’t hide. It’s a lot safer if we can see you.”

This is as good of a window she’s going to get. He’ll turn his attention to the floor when he’s done with his search of the counter. She has to get moving. Small bump in the plan, not a big deal, she tells herself. She’ll just have to take a detour.

[worldofkuro]

Painted Smile

Painted Smile XXIII

<- Previous Chapter I Next Chapter ->

Summary: You couldn't wait to meet new friends. What you didn't expect was this smiling little boy, only one year older than you, that would take such a big place in your life.

Notes: Well, folks. This is the end of Painted Smile season I. I think this is a good way to end the first arc. No worry, Season II is already on it's way, nothing is going to change. I'm still going to post as randomly as I'm doing right now! But please, enjoy today chapter, I liked it.

You were singing in the car with the biggest smile you had on your face. Alastor was behind the wheel, smiling, humming the same tune as your voice. 

You were the next day after your wedding’s night. It has been fantastic. Whenever you were watching there were smiles and laughter. You saw most of the guests having a hangover the morning before you left with Alastor for your honeymoon. 

Alastor didn’t tell you where you were going but from the changing weather you knew you were going south, surely toward the beach. He was holding one of your hands on his lap. Since you have been married, you couldn’t stay away from each other, you wondered how it was going to be once your soul would be bond. 

You fell asleep in the car, waking up when Alastor kissed your lips. You blinked slowly before smiling at him. He stroked your cheeks before going to take the luggages. You got out of the car and looked around with a big smile, you could feel the sun and hear the sounds of the waves not too far.

You watched at the little house in front of you and saw a grandma coming out with a big smile.

“ You must be Mr and Mrs Sanglar, nice to meet you, I'm Paulette.”

“ Nice to meet you,” you shook her hands,” my husband was the one with whom you discussed, I guess..?”

“ Oh, yes! The gentleman rented this lovely house for four days! You are near the beach, not too far away from the city, there are beautiful landscapes to be seen!”

You felt Alastor’s hand on your waist as he shook the old lady's hand with his charming smile.

“ Exactly, nice to meet you, I’m Alastor Sanglar. I came here two weeks ago so everything would be perfect once I brought my wife. I believe I made the right choice when choosing you, right?” asked Alastor, looking at Paulette.

“ Of course! Here the keys, put them on the mailbox when you leave! Have a lovely time here, you are such a lovely couple!” said Paulette as she hung the keys to Alastor.

You waved her goodbye as she left. You turned toward Alastor with a beaming smile.

“ You took me to the beach?” you asked with glee as he nodded. You jumped on his arms as he laughed, spinning you around. You always wanted to go to the beach, feeling the sand under your feet, watching the sun’s reflection on the waves, oh you couldn’t wait! 

Once Alastor put you down, you ran toward the house. It was cozy, not really your kind of decoration but who cared, you weren’t going to stay much inside if not for sleeping. You looked at Alastor who put your luggages on the floor, smirking at you.

“ What do you want to do first?” He crossed his arms on his chest, looking patiently at you as you thought out loud about all the possibilities. You moved your hands toward the luggages and telekinesied them toward the bedroom.

“ I want to see the city ! No, the beach!” you clapped your hands as your eyes returned to their usual color. He smiled before stretching his hand toward you which you immediately took before leaving the house.

You let Alastor guide you and you smiled even more when you saw the beach. It really was close to the house Alastor rented. You took off your shoes, Alastor already holding them for you. You touched the hot sand with your bare feet. The feeling was strange but grounding. You made a few steps before looking at Alastor with a big smile.

“ Come with me !”

You walked toward the water, and stopped in front of the ocean. You weren’t afraid of the water but knowing you didn’t know how to swim, seeing such a large amount of water kind of made you uncomfortable. 

You felt Alastor behind you, hugging you from behind. You touched his arms while staring at the water, yelping when you felt the water touching your toes.

“ Come on my love, are you still afraid of water after all we have done together ?” he mocked you as he spinned you around.

“ I’m not afraid!” 

“ And I’m not married to you. There, now we are both liars.” he smirked at you.

You stuck your tongue to him before looking at the ocean. You didn’t have a lot of good experience with water, you almost drowned two times. You were afraid of dying after finally obtaining happiness.

You flinched when you felt Alastor pinched your waist and before you could scold him he gave you a beautiful seashell. It looked like a rainbow had been painted over it. You carefully took the gift and immediately tried to look for another one, you wanted to give one to Alastor.

You both walked on the beach, taking seashells you found pretty or funny. You watched as the sun was beginning to get down on the sky, the light reflecting on Alastor. He looked divine.

You smiled softly before smirking. He was your husband but also your special person which meant you could be a brat if needed. You carefully took a fistfull of sand as he was looking at seashells. 

“ Dear husband ?”

“ Dear wife?” he said, still not looking at you.

You smirked as you walked toward him. You saw his shadow looking at you, tilting his head. You made a sign for him to stay silent. You saw it grinning before throwing the sand at Alastor who took a step back.

“ Oh, are we already playing?” he said as he slowly lifted his head, looking at you.

“ Don’t we always?” you grinned before taking off. You laughed as you heard him running after you. It was a little difficult as you weren’t used to running on sand but a few seconds after you screamed as Alastor tackled you on the floor. You laughed as he tickled you with a mocking smile. “ It’s because you forget rule number one!” you shouted as you trashed underneath him.

“ Well, it seems like you forgot rule number two.” He kissed your forehead before standing up. You caught your breath as he tried to clean himself from the sand. You looked on the side, as you felt water shyly touching you with its waves.  You stood up and smiled when Alastor kissed your hand before walking back to the old lady’s home. 

“ What should I make ?”

“ You don’t touch anything, darling. Let me handle it.” He said once you entered your rented home. “ Go take a shower, you have sand all over you.”

“ Whose fault is that?” you smirked as he tilted his head, innocently. You went to take a shower and came back in the kitchen when you smelt the delicious scent. You looked as Alastor chopped down the meat with deadly precision.  You decided you wanted to tease him, today. 

You held your hand toward the knife and smirked when you saw the knife moving off Alastor’s hands, rushing toward you. Alastor turned toward you, with an annoyed smirk when he saw you.

“ I’m trying to cook, dear.”

“ I don’t see what is stopping you.” you smiled sweetly at him. He walked toward you, sliding his hand on your shoulder until he touched your hand where you were holding the knife.

“ We both know we like it more when I’m the one with the knife, right?” he smirked when he leaned toward you, taking the knife from your hand. You bit your lips as you remembered when Alastor cut you when you were in your, now soon to be, home. You let a shaky breath as you saw his pupils dilated, staring at you. “ Right?”

“ Right.”

“ Good.” he said before going back to his cooking with a satisfied smile. You pouted before turning on the radio to have music in the background. You sway to the music, singing when you know the lyrics. You approached Alastor, your hand behind your back.

“ I want to help…”

“ Well… Can you dress the table?” he pointed toward a cupboard that was too high for you to get. “ The plates are there,” he said with a smirk.

You gave him a smirk as you easily opened the cupboard with your telekinesis but frowned when you saw Alastor’s shadow trying to keep the plates inside the cupboard.

“ Come on now, bad boy, let go !” you said as you force on your power, the shadow mocking you as he kept the plates in its grapes. You heard Alastor chuckling which made you even more agitated to have those damn plates.

“ Having some trouble, darling?” he sneered at you.

“ No!” You could feel power getting stronger in your eyes but then the shadow smirked at you before letting the plate go. You gasped before crouching, avoiding the plate that flew toward you. You bit your lips as you heard the crash against the wall behind you. You lifted your head toward Alastor who was trying to suppress his laughter.

“ Well?”

You turned around and winced when you saw the plates in pieces on the floor. You pouted as Alastor took the pieces in his hands, laughing  . You stuck your tongue at the shadow which was pointing at you while laughing. You turned toward Alastor when you heard him wince and looked at the cut he made because of the broken plates.

“ Do we have bandages ?” you asked as you took his finger to see the blood pouring out the cut. It seemed like a deep cut…

“ No need, darling. It’s going to stop soon.” he smiled at you, ready to move on.

You didn’t know what happened but you licked the wounds.

You licked his blood.

You closed your eyes as your tongue moved around the cut, collecting his blood and only stopping when you couldn’t feel the cut anymore. You opened your eyes, feeling strangely aroused before looking at Alastor who was staring at you with red eyes.

Your eyes widened, taking a couple steps back before being tugged back against him.

“, I’m sorry ! I didn’t–!”

“ Well done, my love, you healed me.”

You looked at his finger and freezed when you saw his hand was as good as new. You winced when you felt a little pain on your finger and looked at your hand. Alastor and you looked as you saw your finger being cut, just like Alastor a moment before, without any weapon around. 

“ I see… You can heal me because you took the injury yourself.” he mumbled, not seeming happy with the news.

You stared at the cut and a few seconds after, the cut disappeared. You looked at Alastor with a smile.

“ I think the injury stayed on me the same time it has stayed on you. Which means, if you ever have a serious injury, I need to heal you as quickly as possible, if I don’t want to keep the injury for too long.” 

You tried to find Alastor’s eyes, he seemed to be in deep thoughts. You knew he hated the thought of you being hurt, but if you decided to have this power, it was to be useful, to be there when needed. You would still use this power, he couldn’t control you on that.

“ I see… Well, I just have to not get injured, right?” he smirked at you as he kissed the place where was the cut moment before. “ You are pretty in purple, but I like them better in red.”

You tried to find a mirror and once you did you find that your eyes had a purple hue. You did know that Baron Samedi 's colors  were black, red and purple, you didn't expect your eyes to change color. Well, it did happen in the basement…

“ Well, darling, would you please set the table?” you rolled your eyes at Alastor's cunning voice.

You ate as you both talked about everything that would pass through your head. You were talking about your new home, how you should decorate it, how were you going to go to town if Alastor was already out?

You jerked your head up when you remembered something.

“John came to our wedding.”

“ I saw. What did he want?” he said as he bit into the meat.

“ He gave me a letter.. Wait, it should be in my bag.” You stood up and walked toward the bedroom before going back to your husband with the letter. “ He said it wasn’t from him but from his parents. We used to be good friends and they loved me. I'm a little touched that they thought about me on my wedding day…” 

You sat on Alastor’s laps and opened the letter. Your eyes widened when you saw what was inside. You knew the family Felleur was healthy but you didn’t expect them to give you 1,000 dollars!

You showed Alastor who frowned when he saw it.

“ Oh my god, Alastor…!” you gleed as he took the money from you as you jumped off his laps. “ Isn’t it amazing? After all he puts us through!” you screamed in joy, jumping in the kitchen.

“ Mhn.. Well, if it was from John himself, I wouldn’t take it. But if it is from his parents and they cared for you, who am I to refuse it.” he smirked as he put back the money in the letter and gave it back to you.

You smiled happily and looked at the clock. It was almost nine.. You turned toward Alastor who was finishing his plate.

“ Let’s take a walk.” he chuckled at your words.

“ Going outside, at night, in an unknown town? Are you looking for trouble?”

“ Aren’t we the trouble?” you smirked at him.

He groaned as he tugged you toward him and kissed you feverishly, making your legs shaking. He let you go before standing up.

“ Put on your shoes, love, we are going for a walk.”

You smiled as you put your shoes on after clearing the table. You went out with Alastor, holding upon his arm. You decided to follow a trail that seemed to go away from the city, feeling adventurous, you begged Alastor to follow it.

He sighed but accepted your supplications. You smiled as you walked on the trail that was made of sand. You could still hear the waves so the ocean shouldn’t be far off. The trail began to be a slope. Once you reached the top you looked down the hills and saw the ocean, you weren’t too high but you still gulped.  You looked at the scenery that was beautiful, the stars were reflected on the water, making it seem magical.

“ Alastor–” You turned before flinching when you saw Alastor jump off the hills, falling into the water. You looked as he threw his head backward, getting rid of the water inside his ears. “ Are you crazy?” you shouted at him which made him laugh. “ Stay here, I’m going to take the trail to–”

“ Jump!”

You froze when you heard his words. You felt like you were taken back when you were eight years old and Alastor has asked you to jump off the swing. 

“ Alastor…” you bit your lips, that time when he asked you to jump, it was on the floor, not in the deep ocean, you could see Alastor wasn’t touching the bottom of the water which meant it was already too deep for you.

“ I’ll catch you.” He said it loud enough for you to hear.

You looked at him as he was watching you with a boyish smile. You already fell for Alastor on time, the second time should be easier, right? You took a deep breath and then.

You jumped.

You could feel excitement in your belly, the air slapping your face as the water was coming closer and closer. You wanted to close your eyes all the way down but they were focused on Alastor but once you saw the water too close you shut your eyes.

You felt Alastor’s arms as you hitted the water. You wrapped your arms around his body before he swam the both of you toward the surface. You gasped for air and looked around before laughing as you stared at your husband with a wide laugh.

“Wow! Did you see that Alastor ! I did it ! Haha ! That was super amazing !” You looked at him with a wide smile, you did it! You actually jumped! 

You looked as Alastor hand cupped your face before kissing you. You closed your eyes as you kissed him back. You were in heaven. You were kissing him, with everything you have. You wrapped your legs around his waist as your breath began to get heavier. You leaned back with a shy smile.

He was looking at you with so much emotion, it was almost driving you crazy.

“ Let’s go back..”

—----

Next morning, you woke up in Alastor’s arms, both of you naked as the day you were born. You looked at Alastor’s sleeping face which was rare to come by. You kissed his lips before leaving the bed, taking a nightdress and began to prepare his black coffee. You flushed when you saw your reflection in the mirror.

Your neck, chest and thighs were bruised with bite marks and hickeys. You shook your head and decided to make waffles. You smiled when you heard Alastor leaving the bedroom, his footsteps coming toward you. You sighed in bliss when you felt him hug you from behind, he seemed still half asleep.

“ Why are you here…?” he asked in his deep voice.

“ I wanted to prepare breakfast.” You kissed his cheek and showed him what you prepared. He didn’t look, he just hugged you tighter. After a few minutes, he kissed your neck before leaning back and sat on the chair. You brought his coffee, looking at his face.

“ Are you alright, Alastor?”

“ I’m doing great, I was just thinking of the ritual, no worry.” he drank his coffee as you sat next to him. “ Why not go shopping today?” he asked you which you reply with a happy grin. 

You quickly took a shower and dressed up in a summer dress. You met Alastor outside the house and went to the city by foot, it was a 30 minute walk. You looked at the shop and smiled when you saw a sofa.

“ We should take it to our house, for the living room!”

“ My love, the house is big, remember? Bigger than the house we are staying at, right now. This seems a little small for the living room.”

“ What about the room that could be your office? If I remember there are three bedroom, one office room, the living room with a kitchen–”

“ Darling, I wouldn’t want this color in my office.” he grimaced as he looked at you.

“ But in the living room, yes?” you smirked.

“ … Please, no.”

You laughed as you kept walking, looking for things for your new home or for yourself. You find new clothes, a new hat for Alastor and some souvenirs for your family and friends. You ate lunch in a small restaurant that was delicious! Alastor didn’t like it much but he smiled when you said you could help him finish.

You walked back home, still full of energy! You looked at the full moon as Alastor was taking a shower. He came back to you, cleaning his glasses with a tissue.

“ Are you ready, my love?”

“ Mhn?”

“ Well, to bond yourself to me.” 

You stood up so fast you almost lost your balance. Was today the day? You nodded and followed Alastor in the bedroom. You looked around when you saw the symbols written on papers with ink.

“ I have everything we need.” He said with a confident smile. He walked back toward you with a blade. “ First, I need a place to mark you, if you don’t mind, dearest, I’ll choose your heart. I already carved an ‘A’ here, but you know I’m greedy. I’ll place my runes here…”

“ You have a rune for yourself ?” you asked him, curiously.

“ I created one, yes.” He tilted his head as you took off your dress, baring yourself at him. He walked toward you and cut you between your breasts. All you felt was pleasure, you held on his shoulder as you sighed in bliss. You could feel something sipping inside of you, it felt oh so pleasant.

“ Every time your heart beats, it is for me. This life is mine… “ He whispered against your skin. “Now,dear, unfortunately, you can’t carve  rune but you still have energy. Where do you want to place yourself on me.” he smiled at you with a teasing expression, watching you as you put your night dress on. “ My heart already belongs to you–”

“ Your forehead.”

“ Pardon?”

“ Well, we both know you always stay inside your mind for hours sometimes. I want to be the one who owns every single one of your thoughts.” You said confidently even if you could feel warmth on your cheeks. You advanced toward him, feeling power inside you. You kissed his forehead, closing your eyes. “ This twisted brain of yours will never work if my heart isn’t beating for you.”

You took a step back, looking at your husband who was staring at you with red eyes.

“ This is really cute, I don’t remember the last time I performed this curse!” you looked at Baron Samedi who was smoking his cigar.

“ Let’s finish this.” you heard Papa Legba. “ You need something that would be the material bond in the human world. “

You looked as Alastor took something of his luggages.

“ Eamon!” you shouted in surprise. 

“ Of course, dear. What is better to represent our bond than our fawn?”

“ He is a deer!”

“ Fawn. Now! Let’s begin.” he placed Eamon on the floor between the two of you. 

You felt Papa Legba energy coming inside you, you could hear your bone moves as he took place inside you. You watched as Kalfu slid inside Alastor easily. Your husband was now smiling in a humanly impossible way, his teeth yellowish. You watched as your body cut itself, letting the blood dripping on Eamon, Alastor doing the same thing.

Your mouth opened and you began to speak a language you didn't know, Alastor doing the same. You could see the symbols Alastor has written, moving in the air. They were glowing in a green light as the wind was moving the paper around you. 

You watched as Eamon began to light up in a reddish, greenish light. You hoped your deer wasn’t going to be destroyed…

You then felt a horrible pain in your chest. It was like something sharp was stabbing you, the blade always going deeper and deeper. You couldn’t move your body but the pain was real. You looked toward Alastor who seemed in pain as well. You could feel every beating of your heart, and each beating was sending knives in your veins. What was happening ? Were you dying ? 

You watched as Baron Samedi came toward you and wrote something in front of you which you didn't understand. He did the same with Alastor before stepping back.

You fell on the floor once you felt Legba leaving your body. You touched your chest, the pain was slowly going away but it hurted so much you were scared that if you moved it would come back.

“ Well, the curse is done. Congratulations, Mr and Mrs Sanglar, you are now bound forever and nothing can separate you, in the human and in the spirits realm.” you heard Kalfu smirked, clapping sarcastically. “ I can’t wait to see what you are going to be able to do, please, do not disappoint us.” Kalfu smirked before vanishing.

“ Both of you, be careful. With this, little lady, Alastor, see you again.” you heard Legba said before vanishing.

“ Please, enjoy what this bound has to offer!” laughed Baron Samedi before vanishing as well.

You lifted up your head and saw Alastor holding his head, his hands gripping his hair almost strong enough to tear it off. You crawled toward him and took one of his hands. You felt so tired you couldn’t talk but you needed him to know you were here for him. You were going to make it …

“ I know Darling, I just need a moment. My head is killing me.”

You blinked and touched your lips. Did you speak out loud? Sometimes you weren’t aware of it. You would just be thinking out loud and Alastor would tell you he could hear you which would make you blush.

But this time, you were sure you didn’t speak… Well, you could try, it could be funny at best.

Alastor, can you hear me?

“ Of course, you are next to me, but please, love, don’t speak so loud. My head hurts.” He groaned as he kept his hand on his head, gripping his hair while you were dumbfounded. No way… No fucking way ! You forced him to look at you, making him groan once more. “ What? Are you not okay?”

You kept his stare on you as you thought to him.

You tell me. I’m freaking out right now because I think you are hearing my thoughts.

You watched as his eyes widened, his eyes moving from your lips to your eyes. Then, while you were trying to not freak out, something almost made you scream.

You heard Alastor voice in your head saying ‘ No fucking way..’. You stood up as you stared at him, he stood up at the same time as you.

“ Alastor…”

His smile widened before he rushed toward you and hugged you. He spun you around, laughing happily. You stared at him, lost but happy. He put you down and took Eamon with a smirk.

“ I don’t believe it. There aren’t a lot of archives about this spell but I sure didn’t know we could share our thoughts that way.” He put Eamon with care on the bed. “ My love, now Eamon is the material bound between us, nothing must happen to him, it could weaken what is linking us.” 

He laughed like a mad man, that should scare you but you just smiled softly, looking fondly at your husband.

“ Oh my love, curse of my sanity, I can’t wait to kill while hearing all of your thoughts!” he laughed, bending his body backwards, his hand hiding his eyes. “ I have a list of new victims, it only needs us to erase them from earth!”

You didn’t think about it, but if it meant hearing Alastor thoughts when he was killing or making love to you.. You flushed as bloodlust and lust took over you. You began to giggle as your husband kept laughing.

What a good day !

You walked toward him as he lifted you up in the air. You laughed as you both danced in the small bedroom while laughing. You stopped when you saw something.

“ Alastor…”

“ Yes?”

“ My shadow…”

He turned his head and both of you watched as your shadow was waving at you with a hideous smile, Alastor’s shadow next to it.  You tilted your head and the shadow did the same. You smiled.

Did the bond make you ‘steal’ one of Alastor's powers? You looked at your shadow, who was looking at Eamon with curiosity.  Alastor’s shadow was following yours, tugging at your shadow's hair before rushing somewhere else while your shadow was running after him.

“ Well… If you want it to go back to your shadow, just think about it.” Said Alastor, his red eyes shining with a teasing smile.

You did what he said and your shadow came back to you without a fuss, going back to normal. You looked at Alastor, your eyes as red as him. He tugged you toward him, the both of you smiling widely at each other.

“Oh this will be fun.”

Tag List: @lukneetoonz @martinys-world @littlepoetnova @sirens-and-moonflowers @eris-norwega @tiredflame132 @mo-0-o @vvollerie @sodavizz @boogiemansbitch @tessemerick @slytherin4ever @kammsinn @alastorssimp @t0xic1vi @diamond-almond @fangirlbitch02 @saccharine-nectarine @thenorthnightingale @bibliophile-yomna @itzjustj-1000 @mothraantics @yourdoorisunlocked @phamtasic @karmakillz @holographicage @sarcastic-sourwolf @akuraluna2468 @everwolf-20 @thesunandmoons-blog @songbrita @noraunor @fandomsbookclub @hokkaido97 @catticora @gasiacos

[shegatsby]

The Last of Us

Warnings; Post apocalyptic world, mention of suicide. Men being predatory.

Words; 1.684K

A/N; Hi guys! I've been watching this show and i loved it so far and i want to take you guys on an adventure! Stay tuned for more. Let me know what you think. :) Smut in the future chapters ;)

TAG LIST IS OPEN!

Summary; Ever since childhood you had to survive, you were born before the disease so you kinda remembered what was it like, to have a hot shower, clean food etc. You didn’t know what happened to your parents because they were on a vacation and left you with your grandma who passed away during the chaos. You were 10 when it happened, a child who had to be a woman over night. What happens when you are a brink from killing yourself and find purpose again?

Chapter One- Introduction

‘’Hi sweet cheeks.’’ Y/N had to raise her head to meet the man who addressed her in a vulgar way, it was a soldier, she remembered him. Every week he would bring his uniform for a fixing up, she was a seamstress, that was her job in today’s new community. Her salary was few pieces of papers and it wasn’t enough, and this soldier knew that. She just smiled as usual, took the FEDRA uniform, it was obvious that he ripped that space on his own just to see her, ‘’Will be ready tomorrow.’’ FEDRA soldiers’ things had to be taken care of quickly, it was an unwritten law. ‘’Are you free after work?’’ he asked as if he had a chance, ‘’No, maybe next time.’’ She didn’t want to piss anyone off so she always refused with politeness. She knew what happens to the girls who make a huge scene, ‘’Hey! We’re waiting here.’’ The man behind the soldier said aggressively, the soldier turned to the man, ‘’You know I could arrest you for that right?’’ it was a rhetorical question, the man behind the soldier didn’t say anything more and the soldier left few papers on the table for her as money and left.

The man approached, she recognized him immediately. Him and few others were doing the hardest task here, cremation of the infected people. One could smell the smoke and burnt flesh every single day, from morning to night. Maybe that was one of the reasons why she was nauseated every time she woke up, the man was middle aged, he had a worn out green button up shirt, blue jeans that looked older than her, he had a scarf on his neck it looked dusty and as soon as she realized it was the ashes of people he didn’t say anything and his big hand went to his neck to remove it and put it in his pocket, they were having a nonverbal conversation, she smiled, saddest smile he had ever seen in his entire life. Joel came to this seamstress often because he had old clothes –as did everyone- and he needed to keep them intact not because she had pretty eyes and a gentle manner. It was a rare thing in these days to talk to someone who is gentle and kind, a thing he missed the most…

He placed his old jeans, they were two. Joel noticed her eyes leaving his warm brown ones and to the soldier who was standing at the door of the building, ‘’Does he bother you?’’ Joel found himself utter the question in his mind out loud. It was too late now, ‘’Why do you ask?’’ she asked, because this world was cruel and these days if someone were to offer help they also expected a favor in return, with men, that favor usually was a private event and she didn’t want that, even though he was attractive…

Y/N took the jeans and looked at the places she had to fix, he shrugged his shoulders, ‘’Just wanted to help.’’

‘’I can hold my own.’’ She placed the jeans carefully at the back, his wandering eyes travelled on her body when she stood up, she had a long dress which covered her body but it was an old dress and it was obvious that she grew into it. He didn’t say anything else just left, didn’t forget to look at the name tag of that soldier.

She was  a hardworking woman and in order to earn her place in this new society she had to work hard. Under the dim yellow light she kept fixing clothes for hours, till her Y/E/C eyes got blurry and weary, till her hands started to shake. It was late night when she lifted her gaze from that middle aged man’s jeans that she was holding, he seemed nice but she wasn’t sure, this world thought her to be cautious. She finished her job and rubbed her eyes, she could hear the speakers saying something about curfew, she had to be quick to go to her home so she placed the clothes back to the dusty shelves, if she had time she was planning to clean the place but she had to be quick right now. She picked up her backpack and left the shop, her hands were shaking when she was locking up the place because she heard nasty things about what happens when FEDRA soldiers take citizens during curfew.

She threw the keys into her backpack and decided to use the back road to go to her home. Her sneakers were comfortable enough to climb the half broken wall, there was no one, and it was dark. The only source of light was the full moon, she knew it was full moon in Leo, things were intense lately because of it. Her mother and grandmother were into astrology and guided her when she was a child and after the world turned into a huge chaos she was managed to find books about astrology, no one needed books other than wiping their asses but she had a deep thirst for knowledge. She placed her feet to climb the wall when she heard two people talking. She stopped in her movements and focused, two men were talking about something… car battery, and drugs… she wasn’t suppose to be here.

She slowly backed away from the wall and turned, too bad her keys in her backpack made sound, ‘’Wait, someone is here.’’ One of the men said and she ran immediately.

The streets were surrounded by the soldiers, she had to run in the shadows, thankfully she got back to her place before someone saw her. She had to lay on the bed which was placed on the wooden floor to calm her racing heart. Everyday was a struggle, lately she got really bored of things, like she was fed up with the treatment she got, her life and the world’s situation. That ran sparked something in her, a curiosity which died during the night. She thought about suicide many times and those thoughts were occurring a lot more than she wanted. How would she do it? She didn’t have access to medicine so going peacefully wasn’t an option, she thought about jumping from her window, she had no gun so shooting herself also wasn’t an option but she had a lot of knives, and those knives were looking at you from the dusty kitchen counter… she had to clean her place soon. She was proud to say that her flat was the cleanest because she liked keeping things organized and shiny, when her neighbors see her cleaning her floors on her knees they silently judge her but she thinks that even if the world has come to an end there must be some rules to keep a civilized society. Her rules were simple;

Number one, be clean and organized. Always know where things are.

Number two, do not engage in any heated arguments. –she saw a man kill his friend because of disagreement.-

Number three, keep it low, do not attract attention.

Number three was hard to keep because she was a beautiful woman, she got attention from everywhere.

It was almost 3 at night and she had to be awake at 6 so she took off her clothes and slept.

Joel Miller had to be careful walking home, even though the deal he made with that soldier kept him some what safe he couldn’t rely on anyone. He reached his house safe and sound, closed the door silently and poured himself a drink. It was hard for him to sleep so he stood in front of his window and looked at the street, the grass was cracking the roads, the street lamps weren’t working for few days and it gave an almost literary view. His weary brown eyes went to across the street where she stayed. The first time he saw her was when she first transferred here, she was from a QZ where collapsed and there were few survivors, he remembered the day, the doors opened for them, Joel was on a lunch break, it was a sunny day. FEDRA checked them to see if they were infected or not. She was so silent, almost not wanting to attract any attention but it was impossible, he heard two soldiers suggesting disgusting things about her. He rolled his eyes in anger, her hands were in front of her, entwined, head low, eyes fixed on the sand ground. After that first day he kept seeing her, walking back home or leaving, helping elderly, he saw her carrying water to their houses. Whenever Joel heard her soft voice he couldn’t believe it, she was so calm and gentle while speaking that it seemed impossible to him, he even paid attention to caught her say something in anger or even curse but she didn’t she either kept the conversation short with those pervert soldiers or just listen to the person who was talking to her.

Sometimes he would see her getting food from cafeteria, he would unconsciously stand close to her and then realize what he was doing and back off, he didn’t know if she noticed or not but he never liked those men talking to her predatory, all these years he had to suppress his emotions down to survive but whenever he saw her there was this pressure on his chest, as if something is pushing his ribs, he didn’t want to dwell on it and focused on his work, the most devastating and saddest job in the new world. He had nightmares every night, nightmares had variety of scenarios but the theme was the same, death. He already lost his precious daughter and now his brother wasn’t returning his calls, he was hoping for the best but the boney grasp of death was on his thick neck, chocking his words.

He had to get out of here and find his brother before it’s too late but the thought of leaving her behind ate him up at night.

Thank you for reading. :)

[hairstevington]

Freaky Friday (Steddie's Version) - chapter 2!

Eddie Munson x Steve Harrington

Summary: Eddie and Steve have swapped bodies. They have to shower and it's weird. Time to set some ground rules, I guess. Chapter 1, Link to Ao3

Word Count: 3K, more chapters to come

Warnings: Enemies to lovers, slow(ish??) burn, canon universe (more or less) set before season 4, me adding in lore than the show didn't touch on such as how Eddie and Steve met etc, body swap, ANGST, revenge, POV switching, honestly just tons of fun lmao

A/N: WOW this got so much attention and that makes me happy because I love writing it. I will definitely keep this one going, I have soooo many ideas. Stay tuned for next chapter, because it's going to be a wild one!

“I gotta get out of these clothes, dude,” Eddie said, itching at the stiff material of the vest and Steve’s jeans. “I’m gonna shower, I promise I won’t ogle your naked body or anything, I just wanna get clean.”

“Yeah, me too,” Steve agreed. “Why do you wear these chains? They’re weighing me down, I keep having to pull these goddamn pants back up.” He said this as he demonstrated what he meant. Eddie had never really thought about it much. Staring at himself was making him feel weird. 

“Okay, well you have a shower at home, don’t you?” Eddie asked as he took the vest off and threw it to the floor. “Probably something voice activated with a robot butler who hands you a fresh towel.”

“Jesus, Munson, you’re so dramatic,” Steve groaned. “My bathroom is normal.”

“Whatever you say,” Eddie dismissed. Steve’s shirt came off next, joining the vest on the floor. Eddie walked back down the hall to the bathroom. He felt like he wouldn’t be able to think until he was dirt-free and in his own clothes. 

“I can’t go home like this!” Steve shouted from the living room. Eddie smirked, then turned around. 

“Why not?” he hissed. “Is Daddy Harrington gonna beat you up for looking like that? No, sorry. Would he beat me up for having the audacity to enter his perfect home?” Steve’s jaw clenched, and there was a look in his eyes that made Eddie immediately feel like he’d gone too far, and not in a fun way. 

“Watch it,” he warned. “My dad’s out of town, but my mom would probably call the cops, yeah.”

“Charming,” Eddie replied as he turned back around and continued his journey to the bathroom. He unfastened the jeans and shimmied himself out of them, leaving him only in Steve’s boxers. 

Steve’s body was far more toned and muscular than Eddie’s was. It was clear he worked hard to keep himself looking good, even post-graduation. It was the kind of body that probably hadn’t so much as seen a carb in the last ten years. 

Eddie didn’t really care about any of that, of course. But also, almost everybody wanted to look like this, deep down. 

As he stood there in boxers alone, he began to feel the trepidation that Steve referred to about seeing each other naked. It definitely felt like a weird, nonconsensual line to cross, but what other option did they have?

Eddie heard his own rough hand clamor against the doorframe, the rings making a distinct noise against the wood.

“Hey, asshole, I'm serious,” Steve said. “I’m trying to be a good guy here, and you just -”

“I see what you mean,” Eddie interrupted. He also in that moment realized that Steve was right in pointing out the amount of times Eddie cut him off. Oops. “About the showering thing. It’s weird. Let’s talk about it.”

Steve was clearly stunned by Eddie’s rapid turnaround into compliance. 

“Y-yeah, okay,” Steve stuttered.

“You have, like, a lot of chest hair,” Eddie said, looking at the newly exposed parts of him in the mirror. 

“Is that what you want to talk about? Seriously?” Steve balked. Eddie smirked. 

“No, just an observation. I don’t have much chest hair. I mean, you’ll see.”

“Okay, I think talking about it is making it worse,” Steve said, leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed. 

“Well soooorryyyy, I’ve never done this before!” Eddie exclaimed, throwing his hands up in exasperation. Steve chuckled. “What? Is my misery fun to you?”

“I mean, yeah,” he replied. “I’m laughing because this whole thing is, like - I mean, you know. It’s funny.” Eddie would never have chosen that particular word to describe their situation, but whatever. “Okay, so when I take this shirt off am I gonna see a third nipple or something?”

He wasn’t expecting Steve to make a joke like that. It caught him off guard so much he genuinely laughed. 

“I don’t have a third nipple, but are you afraid of spiders?” Steve raised one eyebrow, confused, then shook his head. “Good. I have a big one tattooed riiiight around here.” Eddie took a step forward and pushed his index finger into Steve’s chest - his own chest, really - at the approximate location of the tattoo. It was a bit of a mindfuck to make physical contact with his own self and not be able to feel one side of it. 

“Why a spider?” Steve asked with genuine interest.

“Because it looks badass,” Eddie responded. There was a far more meaningful reason, but Steve Harrington didn’t deserve to know it. He may have had Eddie’s body, but Eddie still had his mind, and thank god for that. It was dark in there sometimes. “Okay, so I’m gonna go in there -” Eddie pointed at the shower, “- and I’m gonna shut my eyes and just not think about it. Then you’re going to do the same thing, and then we’re gonna bury the whole experience deep into the depths of our souls and never talk about it ever again. Poof! Error message. Memory does not exist. Deal?”

“Works for me,” Steve agreed with a shrug. Eddie sighed deeply, then motioned for Steve to leave so he could shower in peace. 

Okay, maybe not in peace, but at least he was alone. Just him. Eddie. 

In someone else’s body. In Steve Harrington’s fucking body. 

What a nightmare.

-

Steve waited on Eddie’s couch and stared into space, the sounds of running water through the wall. He tried to wrap his head around the entire sequence of events that had led him here. If I had just let Eddie rescue Dustin, and stayed at my goddamn job, none of this would have happened.

His father really would have been so disappointed in him.

Steve thought about his first time interacting with Eddie, way back in middle school. Steve was a seventh grader, but he still hung around with the popular kids and had a decent reputation. He was funny and didn’t take things too seriously. At the school talent show, he and some buddies did a choreographed dance to the song I Will Survive, and everybody loved it. A real crowd pleaser. 

Steve sat in the audience and let the next act go, still high off his own performance, and saw a 13 year old Eddie Munson walk up on stage with his band, Corroded Coffin. His hair was buzzed, and he was a lot smaller than he was now. 

They played alright, considering they were a bunch of kids. That didn’t stop Steve’s friends from making fun of them, though. 

“Freaks,” Tommy coughed loudly into his hand. The rest of Steve’s group laughed, making other similar comments. Steve laughed with them, because that was the thing to do. Something uncomfortable stirred inside of him, but he chose to ignore it, as he continued to do throughout the rest of middle and high school. 

That was his first brush with Eddie, but it wasn’t the last. 

Yeah, he’d been a douchebag. Robin had reminded him of this enough for him to come to terms with it. He did and said a lot of shitty things, and watched in silence as his so-called friends said and did even shittier things. 

He hadn’t even noticed that the water had stopped running until Eddie poked his head back out into the living room. Steve’s jaw dropped as he watched Eddie absolutely manhandle Steve’s well-kempt locks. 

“Dude,” he announced, offended. “Fuck, I - I didn’t even think about-”

“What?” Eddie asked, concern flashing across his face. 

“My hair,” Steve explained. “What did you even use on it?” Eddie stared at him in disbelief as he stood up from the couch and reached out to feel the damage. “Jesus Christ, man, have you ever heard of conditioner?” His fingers grasped a few strands and rubbed them together, before Eddie swatted his hand away. 

“Don’t touch me.” Eddie warned, his face gravely serious.

“Technically, I’m touching myself,” Steve replied, before immediately regretting it. Eddie opened his mouth to say something, but Steve wouldn’t let him. “Stop. Whatever you’re about to say, don’t do it. I’m gonna shower now.”

So, he did. He went into the bathroom and stripped off Eddie’s shirt, seeing the spider and skull tattoo underneath for the first time. It did kinda look badass, he realized. Steve had no tattoos - although he’d thought about it a few times. He just couldn’t commit to anything he’d really want on his body forever. He continued removing clothing, placing the rings on the counter and pants on the floor. Here goes nothing, I guess. 

He tried to do what Eddie had proposed - he kept his eyes closed as often as he could and did his best not to think about it, but it was damn near impossible. He was washing a body that was foreign to him, and running his hands through hair with different length, texture, and style. The skin he was in felt completely different. Softer, in some places, like on the stomach. Rougher in others, like on the fingertips. The stubble on his chin was courser than what he’d been used to.

Same parts, different sizes and shapes.

There was basically just a bar of soap and some cheap drug store shampoo in there. Steve shuddered at the thought of his own hair being a victim of that shit - he wondered how many times his hair would have to be washed to really mess up what he’d carefully crafted over the years. 

With any luck, Steve wouldn’t have to find out. He hoped and prayed this was the first and last shower he would ever have to take in Eddie’s body. 

He dried himself off and opened the bathroom door once he was done. 

“Eddie?” he asked, unsure whether he should just walk out in the towel. It’s what Eddie had done before, but he still wanted to tread lightly. 

“In my room.” Steve followed the voice towards the sound. “I didn’t say you could come in here.” 

Apparently, Eddie had heard Steve’s approaching footsteps.

“Okay,” Steve said, backing up again. “Should I…put your clothes back on?”

“Nah,” Eddie said. Steve noted how his voice sounded from outside of himself. It was higher than he thought it would be. Eddie was speaking in a much less angry tone than he had before, which made Steve even more uneasy. “You’re in luck. Everything in here is in your size.” Steve heard shuffling of drawers before Eddie resurfaced in his doorway with jeans and a t-shirt bundled in his hands. 

The light from the bedroom shone behind him, casting shadows on his face. Steve’s face. He was only wearing pajama bottoms, which hung low on his hips. Steve’s eyes locked in on the lit cigarette resting in Eddie’s mouth. 

“I quit years ago,” he noted. 

“Yeah, well I didn’t,” Eddie responded. Steve frowned, thinking of all the times Robin had rambled on and on about the dangers of smoking and the health complications it leads to. He had promised her he wouldn’t smoke again. 

“Just -” Steve hesitated, knowing he sounded whipped. “Don’t smoke in front of Robin, okay?”

“What’s your deal with her anyway?” Eddie asked, the snark in his voice returning. 

“Friends,” Steve said with a shrug. 

“Sure. Friends.” Eddie repeated the word sarcastically, then handed the clean clothes to Steve, who didn’t have the energy to argue. “I don’t plan on seeing her, but sure. I’ll refrain from smoking in her presence, your honor.” 

“You’re gonna see her,” Steve countered, “because we work together tomorrow.” Eddie scoffed. 

“Are you seriously suggesting we just pretend to be each other? Cuz I gotta say, Harrington, that idea is pretty stupid.” 

“You got a better one, super senior?” Steve snapped. He’d been cold stepping out of the shower before, but the anger within him was keeping him warm, now. Eddie chuckled darkly. 

“Jesus Christ,” he muttered. He threw his head back and groaned. “I can’t believe this is happening with you of all people.” 

“Look, man,” Steve began, trying to express what he’d been thinking about earlier. “I know I was an asshole in high school, but a lot has changed since then.”

“Oh, I’m sure,” Eddie replied with a roll of his eyes.

“I’m serious!” Steve insisted. “And there were so many other people who treated you worse than I did.”

“You mean your friends?” Eddie countered, his words like venom. 

“They’re not my friends anymore.”

“That’s great for you, Harrington. Juuuust great. Really makes up for all the times you hung around and brushed off the shit they did.” The conversation was getting heated again, and Steve started to feel his heart pounding in his chest. “Get the fuck out of my trailer.”

Steve could have hit him. He still had pent up anger from the assholes that had hurt Dustin, and then there was the ever-growing frustration that his body and life was entrusted to someone he despised. He didn’t want to hate him - no, Steve was trying to be nice now, but since when had Eddie shown him the same effort?

“Fine.” Steve spun around and headed back to the bathroom so he could quickly slip the clothes on. They were, of course, a perfect fit. The pants were well worn and shaped to his body, the shirt soft and loose. The two men were about the same size, Steve noticed. 

“Fuck!” Eddie exclaimed from his room. Steve peeked out from the bathroom only to see Eddie trudging back out to meet him again. “I can’t miss school or I won’t graduate. And I have to graduate okay? I have to. So fine, Harrington. You win. I’ll work at Family Video tomorrow so you can keep your stupid job, and you’ll go back to high school for me. Sound good?”

Shit. Steve had no interest in going back to school. He wasn’t that good at it the first time around. 

“None of this is good, Munson.” Steve sighed, suddenly feeling very tired. Irritable. He felt a craving for cigarettes. God dammit, I have his fucking nicotine addiction. The residual smell of smoke in the trailer didn’t help. “Okay, yeah. You’ll work, I’ll go to school. We both have shit at stake.”

“Seems that way,” Eddie admitted. “Not that you’ll be any better in school than me. Maybe I should have body swapped with Nancy Wheeler or something -”

“I’m leaving.” Steve turned around and headed down the hall, picking up his car keys on the way to the front door. He paused, then turned back around. “People are gonna notice if I show up to work in your red van.”

“Yeah, like I wanna be seen showing up to school in your prissy car, Harrington,” Eddie called from out of sight. “I don’t care if people notice. Don’t let the door hit me in the ass on your way out.” 

Steve chuckled dryly at the humor and shook his head in disbelief. This was ridiculous. This was going to end in disaster. But what other choice did he have?

He got in his (nice, perfectly normal car) and drove back to his house. The light in his parent’s bedroom was on, which meant his mom had turned in for the night and would be sleeping soon. This was good, because he could sneak in without being noticed - which would surely have caused commotion. Steve wasn’t that close with his mom, but he was closer with her than he was his dad. She was just kind of distant. She didn’t really know Steve at all. If he tried to convince her of the body swap, he wouldn’t even know what he would say to prove his identity. 

Robin and Dustin on the other hand? Easy. Steve figured he could convince any of the Upside Down gang, if he had to. It was something to keep in mind when this whole thing inevitably got worse. 

He had to wake up early and go to goddamn high school in the morning. Jesus. At least he’d be leaving before his mom woke up. That crisis was averted, for now, but if this lasted through the next day he wouldn’t be so lucky.

He hoped as he crawled into bed that night that he would wake up in his own body. He wondered if this whole thing was payback for all the stupid shit he’d done years before. 

He thought that maybe, this is what he deserved.

-

Eddie hated Steve, and he hated being in Steve’s perfect, chiseled body. He hated that he had to wash the stupid green vest and put it back on in the morning, then act semi-normal at Family Video. He had to, because he did have something to lose after all. 

Wayne Munson had taken Eddie in a few years prior, and he’d been more than kind despite the amount of trouble Eddie frequently got into. Wayne didn’t ask questions about Eddie dealing drugs, or coming home after school with swollen knuckles and a chip on his shoulder. He supported Eddie through his failing senior year, then failing it again. 

But Wayne had made it abundantly clear that this year was Eddie’s last chance. If he didn’t graduate, he was cut off. 

It made sense, of course. Eddie didn’t blame Wayne for that decision. Eddie had grown complacent in high school, running Hellfire and avoiding all the future responsibilities he desperately wanted to avoid. He didn’t have much of a future anyway, so why hurdle himself towards it?

He wasn’t even bullied so much in school as much as he was avoided and hated. People thought low of him, but it was manageable. They feared him too, at least. 

He wanted to stay in his weird bubble, but if he did he’d end up on the streets, and probably be found dead somewhere. 

He wondered how he’d be treated in the world now that he looked like Steve. He imagined the difference would be vast. Of course it would be. Society was a prison for which there was no escape and no bail. 

Eddie hated Steve, and rightfully so. Steve had always been popular, charming, and adored. It was silly to think that years ago, Eddie had hoped that maybe Steve would be different. He hoped that Steve would be better than the others who looked down on anyone who didn’t come from money or who maybe looked a little different. 

The first few times Eddie had been the victim of harsh stares and rude comments, he’d looked for Steve’s face in the crowd and hoped he would speak up. Eddie gave him a few chances, and then he realized that Steve wasn’t better than those other assholes. If anything, he was worse. 

Eddie wanted to burn his whole world down.

(next chapter)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

@thegoatscoat @ao3screenshots @stevessluttywaist @tartarusfairy @croatoan-like-its-hot @mightbeasleep @ofherscarlettwitchways @livvyshmiv @paintballkid711 @abraca-fxckyou @allbimyself26 @jellybabiesforall @allbymyselfexceptformycactus @justaloadofgarbage-blog @alliemunsonsstuff @undreamingscatworld @thefruityfours @hobbitnarwhal @calivanus @wreckmyplans-thatsmyman @antheia @goodolefashionedloverboi @lillemilly @missmagillicuddy @steviesbicrisis @gamerdano @menamesniall @eyeslikewildflowers111 @callmesirkay@stringischeese @eds-trashmouth @mnl-enuh @redfreckledwolf @itsanarrum @soulsofstarsliveinyourveins @gregre369 @stevesbipanic @momotonescreaming @aryakanojiaa @wrenisflying @comicmadlover @lilacrobin @itch-my-b0nez @anonymousbandgirl @disastardly @Dang_Dirty_Demons @daisyellsong @val-from-lawrence

[catreginae]

Thou Shalt Not Fall - The Past: Homecoming

Link, Mask, and Tune all return from the final battle with Cia, but Link doesn't seem to be feeling better. TW: somebody intentional his hands, although the reason has nothing to do with emotional distress or mental illness. To skip this paragraph, it starts with "Mask could only watch in stunned silence". Just jump to the next paragraph and you should be okay (but do tell me otherwise!). This is the start of something I call 'The Past Arc' because I am Very Original and Very Creative. This was what the people on Tumblr voted for. It's slated to have four parts but I am not good at estimating. Also, sorry in advance for typos - I've been working on this chapter on and off for like six months and I'm a little tired of looking at it.

[Previous] - [Next]

View the Master Post here!

When Time was a child, a child who was simultaneously a mature adult who saw too much of the world and a child who felt too small for it, he met two other Heroes named Link.

The first kept his name, since he and the other Link, an older kid in blue, were unintentional guests and that was putting it mildly. He was dubbed Mask, for the masks he carried, and the other was called Tune, as he was a conductor and liked to hum or sing to himself when he was bored. Mask became close to both of them. He viewed both of them as the Hylian brothers he never had and even though he tried not to become attached to people he would have to leave, he loved them both.

But much to his annoyance, those bonds had to be tested, because after his final battle with Cia, Link started acting strangely.

Mask didn't notice anything until a few days after the fight, when they first returned to the castle. Zelda let the three Links stay in the castle, as Tune and Mask didn't have a way to return home as of yet and Link said the barracks were his home and Zelda decided that wouldn't do. Tune and Mask shared a room and Link stayed in a separate one down the hall, somewhere between their room and Zelda's office. The room was far too large and lavish for Mask's taste, with two of the biggest beds he ever saw, covered with blankets that seemed too precious for him to use. There were chests that he and Tune could fit inside of just for clothes, some giant table with an attached mirror that was painted white, and there was even an balcony outside. Although he couldn't see himself spending much time in the room, he picked a bed as soon as the room was offered the room and slept through the morning, staying in bed until about nine in the morning. Tune woke up a bit earlier than he did.

Link on the other hand, didn't get up until well past three in the afternoon.

Mask and Tune found him with his face buried in the pillow, his hair sticking up in all directions. Mask was pretty sure he was drooling, surely a sign of how deeply asleep he still was. Tune started laughing while Mask just huffed at him, deciding to try to shake Link awake. Proxi came out from a pile of fabric on the beside table that Mask soon recognized as Link's scarf and went straight to him.

“I'm glad you two are here! No matter what I do, I just can't wake him up! Impa thought he needed the sleep since hasn't fully recovered from the battle, but this seems... excessive,” she mumbled, her glow dimming slightly.

That made Tune stop laughing. He went over to his bed and climbed on it, since the bed was fairly large and Link was sleeping right in the middle of it. Even with Tune being surprisingly tall and lanky, he wouldn't have been able to really reach without going on the bed. “Hey. It's time to get up,” Tune said, putting a hand on his bare shoulder and shaking him. He didn't respond at first, so Tune did it again.

“Hey! Link!” Mask called out as Tune continued to shake him. Finally, Link opened his eyes, squinting in their direction.

“Link?” Proxi asked.

“Hmmmm. Whatimeisst?”

“Past three in the afternoon,” Mask mumbled.

If nothing else, Link heard that, and immediately bolted up. “Why didn't anyone wake me? And why is it so damn bright in here?” he asked as he rubbed aggressively at his eyes. Eventually, he seemed to just settle for digging the heels of his hands into his eyes and keeping them there. Tune scrunched his face, studying Link closely.

“Impa thought you must have needed it,” Proxi answered, fluttering by his head. He lowered his hands and just stared into the covers, his eyelids beginning to fall.

“Are you sick?” Mask asked. He never saw the captain so out of it before. As far as Mask knew, Link's wounds weren't that serious and he was able to walk most of the way back to the castle by himself, but that could change and change quickly. “Maybe we should check your wounds.”

Link didn't respond. Instead, he collapsed against the the pillows, his breathing already deepening.

“I guess he must be,” Proxi muttered.

Link thought he knew what exhaustion felt like. He knew what it felt like to wake up after after losing a lot of blood. He knew what it felt like to be up all night trying to plan and fight with barely any sleep. This... this felt different. It felt like sleeping wasn't helping at all, that there was something deeper to his exhaustion than amount of sleep he was getting. He never needed so much sleep before and yet, it wasn't enough. It was never enough.

Sleeping until well into the afternoon, sometimes sleeping until dinner, wasn't the only thing that was new.

Mask and Tune were in the kitchens, helping out the chefs as they cooked dinner. Their way home had yet to appear and while they didn't want to say goodbye, it was making the two of them antsy and eager to just do... something helpful. They both agreed that it couldn't be good if they were still around, especially since most of the time displaced heroes already went home. For some reason, it was them, Ravio, and a nice girl named Marin that was still sticking around. If their work was done, surely they would have been allowed to return like the others.

Tune was singing what he called a shanty to himself, not at all shy about who was listening. He was the only one in the room who knew the words but Mask and the chefs hummed along to it. It was actually kind of fun, even if Mask had to stand on a stool to reach the counters and all he was allowed to do was stir the pot. Usually, he would be more bothered but considering he never did learn how to cook after all this time, he was actually perfectly happy stirring the pot. The only thing that bothered was the fact that at one point, he could have reached the counter without the stool.

Suddenly, the door opened and Link wandered inside.

“Ah, Link! What can we do for you?” one of the chefs, an older lady with her greying hair tied into a bun.

“Mind if I just look around?”

“Sure!” She sounded happy but Mask didn't miss the confusion laced into her voice. “Just don't get in the way.”

He nodded and entered the room. Mask, making sure he was still stirring the pot, watched as Link opened cabinets, dug through the pantry, and even disappeared into the cool room. He was clearly looking for something and apparently, he couldn't find it. That was until Link suddenly emerged from the cool room with a slab of raw meat in his hands.

“Mind if I take this?”

The chefs looked at him as if he grew a second head. He took their stunned silence as a 'yes' apparently, because he thanked them and walked away.

Mask later learned from Proxi that Link actually just... ate it like that. Raw and chewy.

Tune was strangely calm about it. In fact, he had the same look on his face that Link usually did when he was trying to figure out a plan.

The raw meat helped. It wasn't exactly what he was craving but it was a lot closer than anything else he tried to eat. Still though. It wasn't right. It wasn't what he wanted needed. What was it though? What did he need? Why was he always hungry? It didn't matter how much he ate, he was never full. His stomach became a never-ending pit.

He was hungry. So hungry...

Link suddenly had a lot more sun burns than usual.

During those days where Link was awake in the afternoon, Mask, Tune, and Proxi always tried to take him out to spar to get some exercise and fresh air. He was starting to spend a lot of time cooped up inside, spending most of his time in his room scrutinizing documents and notes, looking for something that was off although what that could be, Link didn't say. Mask didn't know what he was looking for and not even Link seemed to know what he was looking for, aside from 'something not right'. However, with some careful phrasing and appeals to the tactical side of him, they managed to get him outside to practice a couple of hours a day.

And at first, it went great. Link didn't go easy on either of them. If anything, he seemed a little stronger than usual, putting more force behind his attacks than normal. Oh, he hated the idea of them being on the battlefield but in a spar, he went all out.

After the first day, his cheeks were bright red and Mask' face hurt just looking at him. It was like they were sparring in the Gerudo Desert and not in a military ground with soft grass and dirt. After a couple of days, his face was peeling and strangely bumpy and it was at that point that Tune dragged him into Zelda's office. She quickly disappeared and then came back with a bottle full of something green, which she smothered all over her hands. Link winced as Zelda started rubbing some type of lotion all over his face.

“Ah, Zelda-” he started, hissing in pain as he did so.

“This will help, trust me. How did this happen though?”

Link merely shrugged.

“I'm worried about you, you know. You hardly visit. I barely see you anymore even though we're both in the castle.”

“Sorry.”

“Don't be. You know you can talk to me about anything, right?”

Finally, Link offered a smile. “Yeah, I know.”

Link went through every medical document he could find but nothing matched up with the symptoms he was feeling. The exhaustion, the sudden sensitivity of his skin, the craving he couldn't figure out, the constant, gnawing hunger... he couldn't find anything that linked them all together. Why was it so hard to find what was wrong? He supposed he could visit the healers in the castle, but something in his gut told him not to.

Proxi sat on the top of his head, peering down at the documents on his desk.

“Did you find what you were looking for yet?”

“Not yet.”

It got to the point where Link refused to leave his room and only Proxi was allowed in. He locked the door to keep everybody out, and he just kept his window open, so Tune and Mask made sure that their window was open to give Proxi another way back into the castle. They were sure that Link wasn't trying to lock her in there, but he was definitely anxious about something.

“He isn't well,” she mumbled as she sat on Mask's shoulder. It was a clear night and Mask wasn't ready to go to sleep yet, so he decided to admire the world from his window. Although there was a bit of space between the castle and the rest of Castletown, like the way it was like in his own era, he could still see lights coming from the town. Or city. It was more like a city. It kind of reminded him of Clock Town.

“In what way?” Tune asked, squaring his shoulders. He had the face that Link would use he was thinking, his eyebrows knitting together and mouth pulled into what Mask thought looked like a thoughtful frown. He couldn't help but to think that maybe Tune knew more about Link's odd behaviour as of late than anybody else. It was almost like he was waiting for something.

“He seems to be in pain and I don't think he's had anything to eat since the raw piece of meat,” she answered. “He's either asleep all the time or awake and fidgety. He's definitely out of it too.”

“Hmm... is he making any unusual noises? Like hissing or growling?”

He definitely knew more. How?

Proxi nodded solemnly. “And his magic feels weird too, like it's tainted or corrupted somehow. Well, it felt like that since we came back from the Valley of Seers but I thought it was because he was exposed to so much of Cia's magic and it would go away after a bit! It's only gotten worse though.”

Suddenly, there was banging down the hall.

“Mask, go get Impa and meet me at Link's door, alright? Make sure she's armed.”

Mask nodded and left the room, ignoring the continuing banging coming from Link's room. He knew Impa wasn't hard to find, she was always with Zelda and Zelda was either in her room and in her office these days. He went to the office first and he was happy to find that the door was open, letting light spill into the hallway. Impa was just beside the doorway in the office as Zelda worked at her desk.

“Mask? What is it?” she asked when she spotted him standing in the hallway.

“There's something wrong with Link,” Proxi answered with a frown. He wished he knew what was wrong but at least Tune seemed to know. Impa looked to Zelda, who turned in her seat to look at them. “He isn't well but we think there's something more serious going on. Tune said that Impa should come armed.”

Zelda bit her lips but she didn't need to be told twice. She was instantly out in the hallway, following Mask and Proxi back to Link's room with Impa hot on their heels, hand on the handle of her giant sword. It didn't take long to reach his room, where the banging ceased but the loud noises inside didn't.

Tune was standing outside with what looked like the curtains in their room, cut into long threads.

“Tune? What's going on?”

“We don't have a lot of time so I'll explain later. We have to make sure he can't hurt himself or anybody else first. Impa, you're the strongest here so you have to hold him down. He'll probably try to attack us.”

Zelda's eyes were glued to the door. She looked completely distraught but took a deep breath and looked to Impa.

“Try not to hurt him too badly.”

“I'll do my best. There's no promises, though.”

“Mask, open the door. Impa, are you ready?”

Impa nodded. Mask gulped and turned the door knob slowly, then pulled the door open. The effect was instantaneous. Mask looked into the room for all of one second before Link was practically flying at him, his eyes a glowing yellow, lips pulled back into a wicked snarl and revealing canines that were far too large. Tune pulled him out of the way just as Impa raised her foot, her foot landing squarely in the middle of his chest. He hit the floor, clearly stunned.

Tune and Impa didn't hesitate to take advantage of it either. Impa sat on his back, settling her legs on either side of his hips and twisting his arms behind his back. He snarled and hissed, trying to buck her off as Tune tied one of his curtain strips around his wrists with some sort of complicated knot. Tune then moved on to his feet.

Mask could only watch in stunned silence, wringing his hands together as Tune withdrew a knife from his boot and used it cut his palm open. He shoved his bloody palm over Link's mouth. Link stopped moving, his eyes now completely focused on Tune's hand.

“Zelda, Mask, tie him up more. Leave one for later,” Tune commanded. Zelda was the only one who moved to follow his instructions, leaving Impa to help her. Mask found that he couldn't move though and he couldn't fight the tears welling up in his eyes either. Dammit, he hated crying, he hated being reminded that he looked like a child, but he was so worried. What happened to Link? Where did the man he regarded as his older brother go? What replaced him?

Thankfully, the snarling and hissing ceased completely as Tune pulled his bloodied hand away.

“What... what happened?” Link asked, his voice hoarse and quiet. His eyes were still yellow, pools of yellow encased in a red ring that Mask hadn't noticed before, but he could recognize the Link he did know within them. At least Link wasn't gone, but who knew how long he would be around for? “Where's Proxi? What's going on?”

Proxi flew, hovering in front of his face. “I'm here Link, don't worry!”

“Link... you're a vampire,” Tune mumbled. “This isn't your fault but we still have to restrain you for the time being. That wasn't nearly enough blood for you. I'm sorry.”

“A what? Somebody tell me what's going on!” he said in a low growl.

“We'll figure out the details later!” Zelda answered, raising her voice slightly. “Link, try to remain calm, alright? Impa, please summon a wagon and a soldier who can keep a secret. There's a noble family made up of vampires and I'm sure they can help.”

Impa nodded and jumped to her feet, stepping over Link and running past Mask, who was still just standing there, his feet glued to the ground. He was a hero, he should be able to act under pressure, to move forward even though he was scared. Link needed help and support and Mask just froze.

“Zelda... I'm scared.”

More tears welled up in Mask's eyes. Link sounded so small and vulnerable.

“We know, Link. We know. Just hang in there for us, okay?” Proxi said, pressing a delicate hand on his forehead.

“Impa, I'm trusting you to safely deliver Link to House Donte. Take Tune along with you, he seems to know what's going on. Make the preparations and come back for Link and Tune. Finally, make sure that Donte house knows that we are aware that they have nothing to do with what happened to Link.”

Impa nodded and took off running. Tune stayed behind and moved to sit beside Link, who turned his head away to ignore all of them. Mask almost joined them but instead, he found his eyes focused at the upturn furniture, the documents Link spent the past week studying tossed carelessly on the floor when the desk was flipped over. The curtains were torn, as were the bed sheets. A chair was smashed into pieces. Mask took a deep breath and turned to Zelda.

“I want to go with them.”

She frowned. “I need you to stay here. With Link and Tune gone, we'll need a hero to stay here in case something happens in their absence. The fact that you haven't gone home concerns me. There must be something brewing in the background. We can't afford to relax just yet.”

Mask frowned. As much as he wanted to be there with Link, who was definitely going through one of the scariest and most confusing moments of his life, he could understand Zelda's reasoning too. In a rare moment of clarity in the adults around him, they were seeing past the child-like frame and seeing him for the hero he was and they needed him. It would be tough but he needed to be at the castle.

Link would have Tune, at least.

Proxi left Link's side and zoomed to Mask's side. “Don't worry, Mask! I will stay with you and help keep an extra pair of eyes on the kingdom.”

“What about Link?” he asked.

“I know he would be worried about you and Tune.”

Mask took a deep breath. “Okay. Tune, you have to take good care of him until he gets there, okay?”

Tune nodded and threw up a salute. “You got it!”

“Zelda, what is a vampire?”

Tune and Impa gagged Link and hauled him away two hours ago and Mask found himself unable to sleep. How could be expected to try and sleep now knowing that Link was struggling and scared? Mask found himself in Zelda's office where Zelda was busy shifting through all the books in her shelves, seemingly trying to find one in particular. Proxi kept her promise and stayed by his side, sitting on his shoulder like she often did when she decided to hang out with him instead of Link.

“They are beings who survive by drinking the blood of other beings,” Zelda answered simply. “They're very rare in Hyrule but they're more common in other kingdoms. They can be very dangerous when they're starving or if they simply don't care about people, but plenty of vampires coexist peacefully with people in other kingdoms.”

Hmm. Interesting. It would explain why he hasn't heard of them in Hyrule but he did travel outside of the kingdom before, and hadn't heard of them there either. He wondered what kingdoms she could be talking about.

“So that noble family then...” Proxi mumbled.

“They are vampires, yes. Vampires can live for centuries so they've risen to the status of nobles simply by staying alive longer than any other family. They share their wealth and title with a Hylian family to hide though, so most people in Hyrule wouldn't know that vampires live there.”

“And you're sure they can help Link?”

“They have no other choice. Both of us want to keep the existence of vampires away from the public, so they will have to help him if they want him to keep their secret,” Zelda said quietly as she finally seemed to have found the book she was looking for. “This is a book about vampires, although this was written from the perspective of getting rid of them... but it might still be helpful. It came from Holodrum but it was translated into Hylian.”

“You just have a book on vampires just sitting on your shelf?” Proxi asked.

“I got this library from my grandmother,” Zelda said with a shrug. “I'll go through it tonight and see if there's anything in here we should know about. Of course, Impa and Tune might also have insights from House Donte. We'll meet up and discuss this when everybody is back.”

Tune and Impa returned three days later without Link. Mask expected that. There was no way that Link would learn everything he needed to know to navigate his new world in a span of a couple of hours. Neither Tune or Impa said much of the trip, just that the family did take him in and that Zelda's message was delivered.

When two weeks passed though, Mask was starting to worry.

“I'm sure he'll be back!” Proxi said as she spun around his head before settling down on his shoulder. “He wouldn't abandon his friends and he wouldn't abandon the kingdom.”

“I suppose.”

He looked to Tune, who was busy polishing his sword in the room they continued to share. He didn't seem worried at all. Quieter than normal, sure, but he didn't seem to be worried like Mask was. It reminded Mask of how the fact that he didn't seem all that surprised that Link was a vampire. In fact, he was the reason why they could properly restrain Link with minimal injuries to Link. It was like he knew what to what to do before he even saw Link, like he done it before.

“You have future knowledge, don't you?”

Tune sighed. “Yeah. I just don't know how much I can say. This is my present but I know his future.”

Time travel could be strange like that.

“He does come back. I can promise you that. I know this isn't over yet. He won't leave the job half finished.”

“Thank you,” Mask mumbled. It did make him feel a little bit better.

[ghostgorlsworld]

Okay, so that last chapter gave me an idea. Hear me out..

*****

Y/N wakes up slowly. The first thing she notices is the steady chirping of crickets carried by a cool breeze. Night. Then the light sound of distant conversation accompanied by the crunch of gravel and sand. Patrol. The painkillers are doing a wonderful job at keeping her mind muddled enough to allow her heavy eyelids to stay closed. But something doesn't seem right.

Where is the sound of drug induced snoring? The murmur of patients too antsy to sleep? The boots scuffing the ground as medics make their rounds? Last thing Y/N remembers was passing out in the medical tent after Ghost helped her lay on a vacant cot and proceeded to take a seat in front of her.

Y/N's eyes reluctantly open up to scan her surrounds when they startle to the size of dinner plates at the immediate sight before her.

Werewolf. Ghost. It had to be him. He didn't seem the kind to abandon his post, especially if a werewolf were to be involved.

Wait. Did Ghost carry Y/N from the medical tent over to 141's tent?

*****

Just a little something I wanted to share with you as I have become obsessed with this story. Thank you so much for bringing this delicious crossover/AU into the world! ❤

Gah I love this!

The visual especially is hitting me right in the creativity, it’s exactly how I see them. I’m halfway through the next chapter and now I’m reconsidering some things 😂 stay tuned

[cjsinkythoughts]

The Conversation

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Avenger!Reader

Word Count: 7661 (Don’t come at me - you guys asked for it)

Warnings: !FATWS Spoilers!, Cursing, Fluff, Feelings, I Dunno What Else, This One’s Pretty Chill, Except The Ending, But You’ll See When You Get There

A/N: Here it is! I was hesitant about posting it because that means we’re getting closer to the end and I’m such a nostalgic bitch! I’m definitely gonna cry next week when the last episode comes out! Anyways, I’ve got a few things to talk about:

I think this is one of the most important chapters I’ve written and I’m excited to see your reactions to it. It is longer, but you guys asked for that, so you got it! Also, I’m loving the Asks, Comments, and Reblogs. I try to respond to all of them. I have work in a little bit, so I won’t be able to until after, but I’ll get back to you as soon as I can. Ask me anything; about my series, the show, any of the movies, personal stuff, I really don’t care. If you’re not comfortable, that’s totally fine! Every like means so much to me!

I know it’s not the end yet - we’ve got one more episode and a list of One Shots to get through - but there’s a definite feeling of this series coming to an end, and I just want to thank you all for the support and love you’ve been giving it! I’ve really enjoyed writing these characters and this story! It’s very, very special to me and I’m glad I’ve been able to share it with you lovely people!

On that note, be kind to yourselves and others! Thank you again for reading! Excuse any mistakes - this isn’t beta’d! Enjoy and stay tuned!

FATWS Masterlist

cjsinkythoughts Masterlist

!SPOILERS UNDER CUT! (Sorry for the gifs I just love them so much and he’s so pretty and this part is technically two parts so...you get four!)

“Louisiana.” Bucky hummed, looking around the airport.

You rolled your eyes. “You’re not gonna find anything interesting about Louisiana in here, doofus. Let’s call an Uber.”

“An Ooper? What the hell is an Ooper?”

You giggled, shaking your head and grabbing his hand and pulling him towards the luggage carousel. “Uber. It’s like…a taxi service. But there’s an app on your phone to get a driver instead of waiting for one on the street.”

“Oh.” He blinked, tilting his head. “That’s…helpful.”

You laughed again, stopping in front of Carousel 3, where your flight from New York was assigned. You went back to New York to grab a bag with clean clothes and other necessities, along with taking a real shower for once. It was nice to be back in the States, as much as you loved traveling. It’d been a crazy few weeks and you were ready to just relax.

“Do you think there were any problems with Sammy’s present?”

Bucky shook his head. “Nah. Especially considering they know who we are.”

You snickered at his slight grumble. They had had…problems at the other two airports - first the one in Sokovia then JFK in New York - considering Bucky’s entire arm was metal. It’d taken a full hour before they actually let you go, and by that time they had to give you a new plane because yours had left.

“Seriously. Who else has a fucking metal arm and has 1917 listed as their birth year on their Driver’s License?” You giggled again. That was also true. They thought he was messing with them. It wasn’t until you stepped in a few minutes after they asked Bucky to step to the side, seeing Bucky get frustrated, that they realized Bucky wasn’t pulling their legs.

“Well, we’re here now and that’s all that matters.”

He nodded in agreement, watching for your bags, his hand finding yours when he realized how many people there were. “Do you know where he lives? I didn’t even think about it.”

“Yeah, don’t worry. He invited me over once. I declined, but I saved the address.”

“He…invited you over?” Bucky frowned.

You gave him a look. “I’m sure he invited you, too. You just never checked his texts.”

He licked his lips, tilting his head. “Yeah, no, I know, but I mean…why didn’t you go? Weren’t you two just talking about how you wanted to meet his nephews the other day?”

“Yeah, but I had gotten a tip on Wanda at the time and I didn’t want to miss the chance that she was there. He told me it was fine. I still felt really bad. I could tell he was a bit disappointed. I think it was one of the boys’ birthdays. Or something. I don’t remember. Is that bad? Yeah, probably. I really should remember. Maybe I should keep track of birthdays on my calendar or something.”

“Doll.” You looked up to find him giving you a magnificent smile, teeth and all. “You’re rambling.”

“Oh. Am I? Sorry. I didn’t realize.”

He shook his head quickly, squeezing your hand. “Don’t apologize. It’s cute. I’m just not used to you talking so much. You kinda did on the phone sometimes.”

You shrugged, pushing down the heat crawling up your neck at his words. “I rambled a lot to Steve.”

“Oh.”

His face fell, making you scrunch your eyebrows up in confusion, nudging him slightly to grin at him. “It’s nice to have someone to ramble to again, though.” There was that smile again. You were stopped from saying anything more when you noticed some kids pointing and chattering excitedly at a gleaming silver box coming around the corner on the conveyor belt. “There it is.”

He looked over his shoulder, dropping your hand and stepping over to grab it, lifting it effortlessly. You didn’t know what was in it or how heavy it was, but you were sure it felt like a feather to him.

“Alright. Got our bag, sweetheart?” You lifted up the duffle in answer and he jerked his head towards the doors. “Let’s get outta here, then. Call that Booper or whatever.”

“U-B-E-R! Ub-er!” You threw your hands up, following him as he started walking towards the exit. “What’s so hard about it?!”

He just gave you a little smirk over his shoulder.

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

Bucky kept asking the Uber driver questions about his job. The guy was super nice and patient the whole time, a thick southern accent lacing his answers. Southern hospitality was no joke and apparently had no limit as Bucky asked about his experiences, listening intently and telling him his own stories of taxi drivers in NYC.

When you got to Sam’s sister’s house, Bucky, being Bucky, tipped the driver half of what you paid for the ride, thanking him for his time and energy, before getting out.

“You’re so adorable, you know that?” You teased him as you stepped up the porch stairs and knocked on the door.

He rolled his eyes, a tint of pink dusting across his cheeks. “He was nice.”

You hummed at his defense, the smile never leaving your features. After a moment, Bucky raised his fist to knock again. “Jesus Christ! Don’t fucking knock their door down!” You grabbed his wrist and lowered it.

“Sorry. I forget sometimes.” Bucky informed you absentmindedly,  tilting his head to peek in the window. “I don’t think anyone’s home.”

“They’re probably at the docks, then.”

Bucky raised an eyebrow. “The docks?”

You nodded, gesturing for him to follow you. “Yeah. They have a boat, remember? He talked about it last week.”

“Oh right. The one he’s trying to convince his sister not to sell.”

“Yeah.” You confirmed. “I’m pretty sure it’s that way. I don’t know how far, but we can call the Uber back-”

Bucky scrunched up his face and shook his head. “Nah. I don’t wanna bother him again. We can walk.”

You gave him an incredulous look. “It’s literally his job to drive people around.”

“Well, yeah, but what if he’s got other people to drive?”

You lifted his metal knuckles to your lips. “Trust me, Buck, I’m sure he’d rather drive you than anyone else.”

“Thank you?”

Swinging your now linked hands, you gave a firm nod, letting him know it was, in fact, a compliment. “You are so very welcome.”

The walk was a lot longer than you thought it was, and you ended up on Bucky’s back after he kept complaining about how you “shouldn’t be walking this long” and you were “injured” and you “needed rest’”. You’re not sure how a shoulder wound affected your ability to walk, but you relented and let him carry you the rest of the way to stop his whining.

“You forget, you did pull your thigh.”

“That was, like, three weeks ago! Yeesh!”

You finally got to the docks, which were bustling with people. Bucky set you down and raised an eyebrow which you shrugged in reply to, before heading over to where you spotted Sam with a few other older men.

“How do we get it off the truck?” You heard Sam ask, pointing to a large boat engine part in the bed of a beaten up truck. Scoffing as Bucky lifted it up without breaking a sweat, you leaned against the truck. Bucky grunted and set it down, looking at Sam.

“You’re welcome.” What a punk. “Just dropping this off.” Bucky lifted the case and set it where the engine was previously, Sam coming to stand on the opposite side of the truck as you. “You can sign for it and I’ll go.” You snorted, shaking your head, making Bucky shove your shoulder - the uninjured one - playfully. “I called in a favor from the Wakandans.”

Sam looked at you curiously. You shrugged and shook your head. “Don’t look at me, Sammy. He wouldn’t tell me what it is. He’s all hushy hushy about it until you say so.”

Before Sam could reply, there was a squeak and hissing over at the boat where steam was coming from a few pipes.

“Sam!” You knew that was Sarah from pictures Sam showed you. You stayed up by the truck, pulling yourself onto the bed while Sam tried fixing the pipe, Bucky butting in to show him how to do it properly.

“Why didn’t you use the metal arm?”

You saw Bucky lift up said metallic limb. “Well…I don’t always think of it immediately. I’m-I’m right handed.” Letting out a laugh, Bucky turned around and scowled teasingly at you. “And what’re you laughing at?!”

“Nothing!”

“Well then get your ass over here!”

You rolled your eyes, hopping down from the truck as Bucky asked if Sam wanted help with the boat. You leaned against a wooden post, grinning when Sam looked at you.

“I don’t have any plans.”

Sam gave a small smile, jerking his head back. “Yeah.”

You jumped down onto the boat to follow him, looking over your shoulder and stopping with an amused eyebrow raised as Bucky introduced himself to Sarah. “I’m Bucky.”

“Ah…Sarah.”

“Sarah.” Bucky repeated her name, before walking towards you, a grin still on his lips.

“Careful, Barnes. That playboy Steve warned me about is coming out.” You nudged him with a smirk, ignoring the feeling of your stomach dropping.

He rolled his eyes, kissing your head as he passed you and Sam to go where Sam was gesturing. “Don’t worry, Y/N. You’re still my doll.”

Sam raised an eyebrow, falling into step besides you and lowering his voice. “Conversation?”

“Hasn’t happened.” You informed him through clenched teeth as he groaned.

Sam gave you a list of chores that needed to be done to clean up the boat, giving you a quick tour and letting you know where all the tools needed where. You set to work immediately.

Sanding down, replacing old parts, cleaning, polishing and painting over the things that didn’t need replacing. They didn’t let you do any heavy lifting because of your stupid shoulder, but you were still able to help.

Sam had turned on some music for you to listen to, so you danced around the boat while cleaning. Turning your head when you felt a pair of eyes on you, you smiled when Bucky snapped his head back down to the wood he was sanding down.

“Gonna dance, Barnes?”

He looked back over, shaking his head. “Nah. I’m good watching you.”

Rolling your eyes, you got back to work, continuing to bop to the music, fully aware that he was watching you now.

A little while later, you were repainting the edges of the boat orange, when you looked over and noticed Bucky playing around with a paint scraper…sitting right on the edge that you had just finished repainting a few minutes ago.

“Buck!”

He looked over, eyebrows raised. “Yeah?”

You bit your lip, trying to hold back your mischievous grin. Shaking your head, you waved dismissively. “Never mind!”

He gave you a confused sort of pout, before shrugging and continuing to fidget with the tool. It wasn’t until later when he got up to help Sam tear the metal plating off the edge that it came to light with Sam chuckling and raising an eyebrow.

“Sit in something there, Barnes?”

“What?”

Bucky craned his neck back, eyes widening when he saw the orange paint on his ass, contrasting with his jeans. You let out a cackle and he whipped towards you, pointing at you accusingly, although the small uptick of his lips let you know he wasn’t really mad.

“Y/N!”

“No, no, no!” You laughed, sprinting across the deck, shrieking when he grabbed your waist and spun you around. You gasped when he grabbed a paint brush and painted an orange stripe right down the front of your shirt. “James!”

“Justice, sweetheart.” He breathed in your ear with a chuckle.

You shook your head, wiggling out of his hold. “This is a nice shirt!”

“You should’ve thought about that before.” He smirked, crossing his arms. Your eyes caught sight of Sam behind him, who raised an eyebrow and the bucket of paint he was holding. You nodded with a little giggle, making Bucky’s eyes narrow. “What’s so funny over there, do - holy shit!

You guffawed as orange paint dripped down his head, Sam standing innocently behind him with the now empty bucket behind his back. “Samuel!”

“Oops?”

“I’m gonna kill you!”

“Try me old man!”

“Fuck!

“Doll!”

“Oh my God!”

Paint, orange and white since those were the only cans they had out, flew across the deck, paint brushes being used like fencing swords.

You found out too late that wet paint was a little bit slippery and you slid on a huge puddle, sending you, not onto the ground below, but over the side of the edge into the water. 

“Doll!”

“Cher, you good?!” 

The three of you looked at each other, stunned for a moment, before bursting into fits of laughter and you nodded. “I’m good!”

The boys helped you get back up onto the dock, Sarah appearing with towels she conjured up out of thin air. “Let’s get you into dry clothes. Do you have-?”

“We’ve got some. We got a bag.” You told her with a grin, facing the guys. “You two should clean up some, too. Sammy, you’ve got a little something right there.” You pointed to your cheek, his own having a giant white splotch from his temple to his jaw. “And Buck?” You sniggered, gesturing to the whole of him. “You’ve got a lotta something right there.” 

“Ha. Ha.” He looked down. His top was practically tiger print, drenched in orange with white here and there, and his ass still orange as well. His hair, which had been plastered to his forehead, was starting to dry now, and it only made you laugh some more thinking about what a pain it’d be to get it out. For him, at least.

“God. Can’t even have a relaxing day on the boat with you two.” Sam jested once you finished up and joined him and Bucky, who had just finished dumping out some water buckets. Bucky had changed his shirt and it looked like they tried wiping their faces, but Sam still had small lines of white down his face. ��How ‘bout a couple of drinks? Surely you can’t ruin that too.”

“Ruin?” You gasped in mock offence. “Sammy! I just made the day more…interesting.”

Sam chuckled, ruffling Bucky’s hair, which still had orange streaks in it. “Let’s go get some beers.”

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

You chatted for a bit, mainly you and Sam with you asking how Sarah and the boys were while Bucky with your legs in his lap, just listening to you two and sipping at his bottle. You had his hand in your own lap, wiping it down with a rag due to the paint that got on it.

“You’re lucky this is vibranium, you know.” You commented off handedly. “If it was your other one, it’d definitely get stained.”

“And who’s fault is that?” Bucky shot back with a teasing grin.

“Sammy’s.”

Sam spluttered. “Wh-what?! You started it!” You laughed, shaking your head.

Falling into a comfortable silence with just the water and birds chirping as your soundtrack, you downed the rest of your drink, which Bucky took as finished. “Well,” you moved your legs to let him stand up. He leaned forwards to clink his bottle against Sam’s and you stood up and stretched. “Gotta catch our flight tomorrow. Get a hotel room for the night.” Sam gave you a look to which you rolled your eyes at as Bucky set down his bottle and grabbed his jacket. “Crash, you know?”

“So you’re just gonna set me up like that, huh?”

“Well I don’t wanna make it weird for your family.”

“Just stay here.” You laughed as Sam babbled on about how nice the people were here, grabbing the jacket Bucky handed to you. It was getting a bit chilly from the breeze on the water and the sun going down. Plus, that water was cold.

“But don’t flirt with my sister.”

You cackled at Bucky’s face, that turned serious, his head shaking. “No.”

“‘Cause if you do I’ll have Carlos cut you up and feed you to the fish.”

“Can’t hold back the dog, Wilson. It’s been stuck in a kennel too long.”

Bucky turned to you, grabbing your jaw and squishing your cheeks together. “You know what? You need to shush. You’ve been snippy all day.”

You just smiled as innocently as you could with your lips being held by his metal fingers. “You’re too fun to mess with.”

He pecked your nose. “As long as I’m the only one you’re messing with. I’ll be right back.” He let you go and spun around, maneuvering around the boat in a way only a trained assassin could do.

“Oh my God, please! Please just put me out of my fucking misery! You’re killing me, cher.”

“What?” You gaped at him.

“Don’t act innocent!” Sam huffed, giving you a pointed look. “If I have to watch you two make googly eyes at you one more fucking day with neither of you doing anything about it-”

You rolled your eyes. “Oh come on, Sammy-”

“Don’t ‘come on, Sammy’ me! And don’t come at me with that ‘he doesn’t like me back’ bullshit. If you think for a second that boy wouldn’t follow you to the depths of the fucking ocean, you’re blind as a bat, woman.”

You shrugged, pushing up the sleeves of Bucky’s too big jacket. “It just…hasn’t come up.”

He deadpanned, shaking his head and standing up. “That’s it. I’m done. You two are driving me insane. I’m gonna lock you in a room until you have the conversation that needs to be had the next time either of you does something stupid.”

“Yikes. That’s gonna be quick.” At his look, your smile dropped and you nodded. “Okay, okay. I’ll…I’ll bring it up later.”

“Tomorrow or nothing.”

“Sam-”

Sam tilted his head, brow creasing. “Is it still Steve? Is that what this is still about? Because he’s gone, and he’s been gone and you need to get over it-”

“No. It’s not…” You sighed. “It clicked the other day. When we were hanging out. Steve left and, yeah, I might always love him, but Bucky…God…I love Bucky, Sam.”

The man grinned proudly. “I’m glad to finally hear you admit it. So what’s the problem?”

“It’s still complicated, right? I mean…he’s his best friend and I’ve never dealt with stuff like this before and-”

Sam’s smile dropped and he groaned again. “Imma head out. I can’t take this. Dumbass and dumberass. I swear to God.” You sniggered a bit as he grumbled, walking towards the ramp to climb off the boat, just as Bucky reappeared.

“Hey-”

“Nope! Not right now, Barnes! I can’t handle it! I can’t!”

Bucky gave you a weird look. “What’d you do?”

You chuckled, shaking your head. “Nothing.”

“Well, c’mon, doll. Sarah said she’s gonna make gumbo for us, whatever that is.” He held out his hand as you walked over. 

“You’re such a city boy.” You teased lightly, taking his hand and letting him help you pull you onto the dock. You shoved the sleeves of his jackets up again since they slipped from the first time. “Let’s go get some dinner. I’m starving.”

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

“We have the couch and a mattress we can pull out, I just have to make Sam get it from the attic-”

“That’s alright. The couch is fine.” Bucky waved dismissively while you nodded in agreement.

Sarah raised an eyebrow at you two. “For both of you?”

You blinked, exchanging a look with Bucky, before shrugging and turning back to her. “Yeah.”

“Don’t fight it, Sarah.” Sam peeked out from the hall. “They’ve got a weird relationship.” You stuck your tongue out at the man while Bucky rolled his eyes, dropping your duffle bag by the couch. “How mature, Y/N.” Sam mimicked your action.

“Uhm…okay. Let me set up the couch for you then.”

Once everything was set up, you and Bucky thanking her for dinner - delicious and you’d never seen Bucky smile so much, the boys having kept him highly entertained throughout the meal - and for letting you crash, Sam and Sarah headed to their rooms, the boys already having been tucked in for the night.

“Are you gonna sleep on the floor?” You asked quietly, sitting down on the couch and doing the things for your night routine you didn’t already do in the bathroom.

“I think I’ll be okay.” He sat besides you. “I’ve been doing fine the past week or so.”

You smiled at him. “That’s good. Alright.” You stood up and stretched. “Let me just make sure everything’s in the bag and ready-”

You yelped when his arm wrapped around your waist, pulling you into his chest, shifting down to lay against the couch’s arm. “Do it in the morning.” He yawned, looking up at you tiredly. “I wanna go to sleep.”

“Then go to sleep, Buck. I’ll be right back.” He shook his head, his hold tightening as he sunk deeper into the couch.

“No. I fall asleep better with you.”

You rolled your eyes but grinned, settling down with your legs between his, your chin resting on his sternum so you could still look at him. He beamed, but you could see the exhaustion settling in, and he grabbed the blanket Sarah left over the back of the couch and draped it across your back, over both of your legs, before his arms crossed snugly under the covers at the small of your back.

“Dinner was nice tonight. I haven’t had a meal cooked like that in ages.” You hummed.

He nodded in agreement. “I think that’s the first time I’ve sat around a table with a family since the 40′s.”

You raised an eyebrow. “Did you like it?”

“Yeah...kinda makes me wish I had my own.”

“Your own what?”

“Family.”

You bit your lip, shyly avoiding his gaze. “You’re my family, Buck.”

A light kiss was pressed to your forehead, his fingers bringing your gaze back to his. “There’s no one else I’d rather have.” The room lapsed into silence again, the clock ticking on the wall, the low sound of crickets outside.

“You have really pretty eyes.” You mumbled, tilting your head slightly as you studied them. They always held so much emotion in them, especially in contrast to when you first met him as Soldat. They matched the water you fell in, and you wouldn’t mind falling over and over into them.

“Yeah, well, you’re just really pretty inside and out, so I think you’ve got me beat, doll.” He whispered back.

“You know who else is pretty? Sarah.”

He nodded with a hum. “That’s true. But I meant what I said. You’ll always be my doll.”

“So you’re not gonna ask her out?”

He gave you a weird look as you traced his sharp jawline absentmindedly. “Nah, sweetheart. It’s just…some harmless flirting. Except on Sam’s part.”

You gave a soft huff of laughter. “Yeah…he’s gonna strangle you. It is nice to see you like that, though. Flirty. Relaxed. Happy.”

“You make me happy, sweetheart.” He hummed, nosing your temple. “The road trip helped. I’m learning everything from you. Maybe not the flirting, but the carefree part.”

You blinked at him, finger stopping for a moment as you thought. “Oh…”

You felt his fingers dance up your spine, making you shiver slightly. “What I would give to know what’s goin’ on inside that pretty lil’ head’a yours, doll.”

“I just think it’s funny you’re learning how to be carefree from me…when I just started learning how to do it myself.”

“Oh yeah?”

You nodded, your finger continuing its path down his jaw. “I think it started with the goats.”

“The goats?”

You nodded again, resting your cheek on his chest, watching your finger move up from his chin. Once you got to the end of his jaw, you lightly scratched his scruff. “In Wakanda. Our goats.” You weren’t looking at him, so you didn’t see the way he physically melted at your words, his eyes going soft, his lips turning up slightly.

“Our goats, huh?”

But your tired brain wasn’t really processing what he said, instead focusing on the features your finger was now tracing - over his lips, up his nose. “You’re pretty too, Buck. Did you know that? Inside and out.”

He craned his neck to kiss your forehead. “Go to sleep, cuddle bug.”

Nodding, you nuzzled into his chest, finger feeling over the bumps and indents on the dog tags resting near your head. You tried going to sleep, but you kept shifting, your mind not shutting off.

“Hey, sleepyhead, I’m trying to, you know, sleep.”

“Sorry.” You apologized meekly. “I just…I dunno. I can’t.”

“Are you comfortable?” He peeked open and eye to look at you questioningly. You nodded. “Is it too hot? We can take the blanket off. I know I’m a walking furnace-”

You shook your head. “No. I don’t know why. I just can’t sleep.”

He licked his lips thoughtfully, before cradling your head and guiding you back down to his chest. “Lay down, sweetheart. Relax.” He stroked your hair, moving his head down to rub circles in your back muscles, pressing down harder when he felt knots. 

You hummed, your eyes closing. “That feels good.”

“Shshsh. Just go to sleep.” His lips pressed against your head once more, lingering a bit longer than they usually do, as you felt yourself drift off. You cuddled his side, throwing a leg over his waist, before nodding off, only barely hearing his words. “Attagirl. There we are.”

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

“Doll?” You felt a shift underneath you and groaned, your eyes barely cracking open. “Hey, sleepyhead…it’s okay. I’m just gonna slip out from under ya, alright? Gonna go help Sammy with somethin’.”

You raised an eyebrow, letting him move you against the cushions as he sat up on the edge of the couch. “Sammy?”

“Yeah.” He bent over and kissed your cheek. You stretched out your limbs, about to rub your eyes, when he stopped you, kissing the inside of your wrists. “No. Not you, doll. Go back to sleep.” 

“Bu’...’m gonna help.” You slurred out, looking at him with confused, squinty eyes.

He chuckled, shaking his head. “It’s okay. Rest. You can help when you wake up again. Okay?” You mumbled out an “okay”, bringing the covers up to your chin and snuggling deeper into the cushions. “There ya go, cuddle bug. Good girl.” There was another kiss, one to your temple this time, before you slipped back into unconsciousness.

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

The next time you woke up was because of a clatter in the kitchen. You yawned and sat up, stretching, eyebrows furrowing when you realized Bucky wasn’t with you. It took you a moment to remember your conversation, which you half thought you dreamt.

“Boys!”

“Sorry!”

You chuckled at the shouts, rubbing your eyes. “I am so sorry!” Sarah apologized, looking over at you from the stove. Trying to make the boys breakfast before school. Do you want anything? Eggs? Cereal? Toast?”

“Uh, cereal’s fine.” You stretched out your back again, before throwing back the covers and standing up, a little shakily.

“You wouldn’t happen to know where Sam went, would you?”

You raised an eyebrow. “Uh, I think him and Bucky went to fix something on the boat. I don’t for sure, though.”

Sarah groaned. “He probably went to fix the stupid water pump which doens’t need fixing. Dumbass.”

You chuckled, padding over into the kitchen. “Yeah. I just work with him. I can’t imagine growing up with him.”

“Trust me; some days you want to throw him in a box and send him out to sea. Bowls are in that cupboard.”

You snickered, moving over to grab a bowl from the cupboard she pointed to. “That’s how I feel with Bucky. Sam is less often, but when those two get together…it’s a full zoo.”

She laughed at that, nodding as she got out the milk and a few boxes of cereal for you to choose from, handing you a spoon. “That I believe.”

“Thank you.”

“Of course.”

You started pouring your cereal, watching in slight amusement as she got the boys ready for school. “Bus is here! Get out the door! Bye! Love you! Make sure you take those extra lunches to-!”

“Yeah, mom! We know! Love you too!”

You gave a slight smirk as she huffed, looking around the kitchen at the pans and dishes left out. “Kids, huh?”

She gave you a smile. “Yeah. They’re a handful, but I wouldn’t trade them for anything. How about you? Any thoughts of kids?”

“Me?” Your eyes widened, nearly choking on your food. “Oh God no. Not right now, at least. I don’t even have a solid house right now. My life’s too off the walls for that.”

“And Bucky?”

You raised an eyebrow as she leaned on the counter. “Bucky? What about Bucky?”

“Does he want kids?”

“Uh…I dunno.” You shrugged, clearing your throat as you remembered your talk last night. “Kinda makes me wish I had my own.” You quickly pushed his words aside. “He hasn’t told me.”

“Wait, wait. You two…aren’t together then?”

You blinked, your eyes widening again. “Together? Me and Bucky? No…why? Did Sam say something?”

Her expression morphed into one of disbelief, crossing her arms. “Sam didn’t say anything. You guys did. Are you seriously expecting me to believe you aren’t together?”

“We’re not! I mean - he was flirting with you yesterday-”

“Right, okay. Honey, that’s flirting. And it’s harmless. The way he follows you like a puppy and you look at him like he hung the stars? That’s feelings. And that’s a lot more impactful than flirting.”

You frowned in contemplation. It was really that obvious? You were really that blind? This whole time? You knew Sam knew - but you just figured that’s because he’s been there since it started. And Sharon knew for the same reason. But Sarah? The woman you just met the day prior and had barely had a conversation with?

“It’s, uh…” You chewed on your cheek, swirling your cereal around. “It’s complicated.”

Sarah didn’t look impressed. “Do you like him?”

“I’m kinda in love with him-”

She shrugged, not letting you finish your bashful statement. “Then I don’t see what’s complicated about it.”

And that was that. She turned to clean up breakfast, leaving you alone with your thoughts.

You thought it was more complicated than that. I mean…you were in love with your best friend. Who left you. With the guy you had feelings for who just so happened to be your best friend/crush’s best friend. And now you were completely in love with your best friend’s best friend, but your best friend still had a piece of your heart.

But…you loved Bucky. And he was here. And Steve was not. And when you put it that way…you guess it wasn’t so complicated after all.

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

You snickered as you walked up behind Sarah, the woman berating the men for not leaving the water pump along like she asked.

“Hi, Sarah.”

Sam shot Bucky a warning look, who grinned, but you were surprised to see Sarah ignore him, sending you a knowing glance instead, before turning back to Sam. “I told you specifically that the water pump was not the problem, and yet, here you are.”

“Yep, Samuel.”

You chuckled, Bucky shooting you a wink. “Yeah, Samuel.”

Sam narrowed his eyes at you, turning to Sarah. “In our defense, you were supposed to be done long before you woke up.”

You nearly facepalmed at his “defensive” and you were trying so hard to hold back laughing as she told Sam off, sending them away.

“I don’t wanna hear a peep from you.” Sam pointed at you, but that only made your chortles come out, and you didn’t even bother hiding them. “She’s a very mean person.”

“It’s tough love.”

You giggled as they started arguing, slipping an arm around their waists, their arms instinctually coming up to your shoulders.

“Oh my God. A prowess?”

“Yes, Y/N. A prowess.”

“You know, maybe if you someone let me help-”

“Hey, woah! You were tired! I let you sleep! I was being nice!”

“Too late now. I’ll be lucky if Sarah lets me within a hundred feet of it!”

“She got you so good, Sammy!”

“I agree with Buck for once! You’re too snippy right now! And c’mon man! Stop flirting with my sister!”

“It’s my natural charm.”

“Charm? What charm?”

“Ouch, doll! That one hurt!”

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

“Okay.” You stepped out of the bathroom, walking over to the couch and setting the bag down on it. “I’ve got everything packed. We’ve got a little over an hour until we need to head out which gives you two time to go set something up for Sammy and maybe even a bit or training before we leave.” 

Bucky frowned. “You’re not gonna come out?”

“I will in a bit. I just got a phone call I need to take.”

Sam narrowed his eyes. “Government call?”

You gave a mocking smile. “Can you guess what they want to talk about? It’s okay. I’ll survive. It’s only a phone call, so I can always hang up. Pretend I didn’t have good service. I do it all the time.”

“I’m sure you do.” Sam chuckled. “In that case, I’m gonna go grab some stuff and get the shield.” As he walked out, he made sure to mouth at you behind Bucky’s back ‘conversation’ making you swallow thickly. You were planning on talking to Bucky anyways, and with Sam’s insistence…

“Okay, so, I was thinking when we get back-”

“Can I talk to you?”

Bucky stopped digging through the bag, blinking at you in surprise at your sudden burst. “Uh…well, we already are, so yes.” He chuckled, straightening and crossing his arms.

“I wanna have the conversation.”

He was left stunned, once again, his mouth opening and closing and his weight shifting form one foot to the other. “Like…that conversation? R-right now? Are you sure?”

You winced at her nervousness. “Sorry, sorry. I know it’s kinda…I just…I need to talk about it. Now.”

“Okay, okay. No, that’s fine. Don’t apologize. I just wasn’t expecting it.” Bucky cleared his throat. “That’s all.”

“Okay…” You breathed with a small nod. You opened your mouth, but Bucky shook his head.

“I hafta say this first; I didn’t mean to hurt you by telling you about Steve. I-I dunno what I thought. That it’d give you closure or something. I dunno. But it hurt you and I’m sorry. That wasn’t my intention.”

“Buck-”

“I was jealous. And guilty. And mad. And upset. I still am. Kinda. I guess. I dunno.” Bucky shook his head, running his hand through his hair and all you could do was gape at him as he started confessing to you. “Remember when we danced? In Madripoor? Doll…I don’t wanna dance ever again if it’s not with you. I fucking love you, Y/N. And not in the way we’ve said it before. I’m in love with you. I have been for-for a while now. I just - you were Steve’s. Steve loved you and you loved Steve and that was that and I was just the broken childhood best friend. But Steve left and he told me to take care of you and I didn’t know what to do with that, because you still love Steve. I think. I dunno. And I didn’t want to break what we have because you’re all I have left of him. You and that stupid shield. You’re my family. My home. I really meant it when I told you that. And that’s why I couldn’t tell you. Because it means too much for me to break what we have because I fell in love with my best friend’s girl. You know?”

He looked at you with pleading eyes, begging you to understand, but your brain was still trying to process what he was telling you.

“Oh God…” He groaned. “And now I just told you everything and you’re looking at me like that wasn’t what you wanted to hear and now I’m thinking this wasn’t the conversation you were thinking it was going to be-”

You were moving across the room before you could stop yourself, pulling him by the teal Henley you knew was comfortable having worn it to bed before when you visited him in New York, and slanting your lips over his.

His breathing hitched and he froze, and for a hot second you thought you made everything worse, but then he was kissing you back and his hands were on your hips and he was pulling you closer and it felt so fucking good you didn’t want to pull back for air.

“Shut up.” You muttered when you finally did pull back, your forehead against his, your eyes clenched shut. “Shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up.” You pulled back to look up at him, chests heaving against each other, your eyes prickling. “I’m not good at this. I’m not good at opening up. I only ever was good at it with Steve but Bucky…I’ve been doing it with you. This whole time and I didn’t even realize it until the conversation in the car.”

He reached up to cup your cheeks, wiping away the relieved tears that were falling from the weight you were finally getting off your chest.

“I love you. I’m in love with you. How could I not be? After all that time in Wakanda? I was never Steve’s girl, Bucky. I wanted to be. Dammit, did I wanna be, but I wasn’t. Not really. And he’s gone. But you’re not. And I don’t know why it took me so long to see that. That you’re the one in front of me. You’re the one who held me when I needed it once he left. You’re the one that would listen to my rambles that I’m just realizing was most of our phone calls. You’re not just the broken childhood friend. Don’t ever think that. I don’t pick up the phone at five in the morning after searching for a friend until two for just anyone. Even Steve’s best friend. And I’m such an idiot because I’ve been pushing away my feelings all these years for Steve and then I let them out with you at the wrong time, because I love Steve, Bucky, but I’m not in love with him. Not since I fell in love with you. And I know it doesn’t make sense, but Steve was the first one I cared about and that’s just how I feel and I can try to explain, but-”

His lips crashed onto yours again and you could taste the salty tears that were pouring down your cheeks, but you didn’t care. He was holding you and he was kissing you and it was even more perfect than you thought it’d be.

“You’re adorable when you ramble, but Jesus Christ, shuddup, doll.” He breathed. “Just tell me you love me. Tell me you love me just a fraction of how much I love you.”

You looked up into those ocean eyes, your own shining with earnest affection. “James Buchanan Barnes. I love you.”

“That’s all I need to know.” He murmured against your lips, holding your head against his, still wiping away your tears. It felt like with each one that fell, you felt lighter and lighter. Like they were taking away every fear and anxiety you held within you for the past six months.

“Alright! I was thinking we could just set up in these trees out here - holy shit! Is it done? Did you do it? Did I miss it? Has the conversation been had?”

Bucky chuckled as you giggled. “He has the worst timing.” The last two words were loud enough so Sam could hear, although the man heard the whole sentence. 

“I’m gonna take that as a yes!” Sam cheered. “Halle-fucking-lujah! Finally! I was that close to locking you two in the attic.”

You shook your head at Sam’s personal celebration, drowning the rest of his words out as you looked at Bucky, who swept his thumb over your cheek catching one last tear, before pecking your lips.

“I finally get to kiss where I really want to.” He spoke softly, kissing your lips again. “Are you mine, doll?”

“I thought you said I’d always be your doll.” You answered cheekily. He grinned, kissing you again, pulling you against him by the hips.

“Okay, okay! That’s enough! We get it! You’re in love, finally, but I don’t wanna see it anymore! Now will you come help me with this shit?”

Bucky left one more lingering kiss on your lips, before you pushed him away reluctantly. “I’ll be right out.”

He nodded, moving over to help Sam carry the things he’d gathered.

You watched them put it all up from the window, gnawing on your cheek as you spun your phone in your hands. Coming to a decision, you tossed your phone in the duffle bag and walked out with it just as the boys finished.

“That was a quick phone call.” Sam raised an eyebrow.

You shrugged. “Didn’t call them. If they really need me, they’ll find me.”

Bucky grinned as you set the bag down under a tree, pecking your lips when you got close enough for him to grab by the waist to hold you against him. You rolled your eyes, shoving him playfully away and giggling as Sam let out a groan.

“Alright. Let’s see what you’ve got, Sammy.”

~

><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><

Bucky knew he needed the tough love talk Sam was giving him. He needed to hear it. Because, deep down, he had known it all along, he just refused to believe it. He tried doing it. Making amends. He knew he wasn’t though. And of course he knew immediately who that one person would be.

“And hey.” Bucky looked at him. “Let me tell you what. Telling my girl all that you told her? That’s a good start. I’m proud of you. Both of you. You’re already happier. I can see it in your eyes.”

Bucky chuckled, shaking his head as he thought of the gorgeous woman he nearly let slip through his fingers. He looked over to the house, where she was inside somewhere getting ready after suddenly deciding she needed to shower before they left. “I was stupid.”

“Yeah you were. You both were. I’m so relieved it’s over.” Sam nudged him. “Treat her right, Buck. She deserves it.”

“I know…I just hope I can.”

Sam shook his head. “Uh-uh. Don’t do that. You were just starting to use that cyborg brain of yours! She chose you. And before you say anything,” Sam cut Bucky off from speaking as he opened his mouth to object. “She chose you before Steve left. It just took her dumbass this long to realize it.”

Bucky nodded, a small smile on his face. “Yeah…okay…” Before he could say anything, the goddess herself stepped out, jogging over, looking absolutely amazing in her jeans and his t-shirt. “Good talk.”

Sam laughed at his quick ending of the conversation as she came up besides them. “Talking about me?” She asked cheekily, eyes shining. Bucky couldn’t help but take her under his arm, pecking her lips. Now that he could, he didn’t think he could stop. He was addicted to say the least.

Throwing Bucky a wink, Sam shrugged. “Just all the things that get on our nerves.”

“Ha ha.” She rolled her eyes. “We better get going.”

Bucky and Sam clapped hands. “You know Karli won’t quit.”

Bucky smiled. “Ah. You call us when you have a lead and we’ll be there.”

Y/N stepped forwards to give Sam a hug. “Anytime, Sammy.”

“Eh. Anytime between noon and midnight.” Bucky corrected. “Or noon and ten. Noon and five…you better just call at noon to be safe.”

Sam rolled his eyes. “Sure, sure.”

“Not necessarily as a team.” Bucky continued, grabbing the bag, getting Y/N back in her spot at his side under his arm.

“Nope!”

“We’re not that good.”

“Definitely not.”

“We’re professionals.”

“Definitely.”

“And, uh, we’re partners.”

Sam snapped, pointing at him. “Coworkers.”

“But we’re also a couple of guys with a couple mutual friends.”

“Ones now gone and you’re dating the other.”

“So we’re a couple of guys…with a badass to help out.”

“I can live with that.”

“Perfect.”

“Oh my God.” Y/N let out that laugh Bucky could never get enough of, shaking her head at the two of them. “You forgot dumbasses.”

Sam shook his head. “Nuh-uh. That’s your couple name.”

“Dumbasses?”

“Oh yeah.” The three of them came to a stop, Bucky and his girl - God he loved confirming it now - facing Sam. “Thanks for the help, guys. Meant a lot.”

Bucky patted his shoulder. “Of course.”

Y/N shot him a wink. “Until we meet again, Sammy.”

“Until then, cher.”

Bucky couldn’t stop his grin as she wrapped her arms around his waist, the two of them starting to walk to the main road where she already ordered an Uber. He looked down at her, kissing her lips for the nth time in the past hour.

“I wish I didn’t wait so long,” he told her seriously. “But I’d wait a thousands more centuries if it meant I get to call you mine.”

She giggled, shaking her head. “You’re such a sap! But…” she moved up to kiss him and his heart stuttered. He knew he had a goofy grin on when she pulled back, but he couldn’t help it. Especially when she laughed again. “I have to agree with you on that, Buckaroo.”

[tahanann]

𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬: 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮

❝ To whoever finds these letters, I hope they reach you well ❞ ✎▫✧⭒....

Fandom: Hetalia Relationship: F/M Pairing: Alfred F. Jones (America) / (Female) Reader Chapter list: 00, 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 Also posted on: AO3, Wattpad, Quotev

Chapter 01: " Hi Babe! " ✎▫✧⭒…

It was (Y/n)'s third day in her new home, and thankfully it was a bright Sunday morning. The woman has work tomorrow, and she couldn't help but feel horrible at the thought of it. She only had two days to rest? Ugh. She learned this back in college, but honestly, it felt so much worse when people are out of college and are immediately hit with adult responsibilities. 

(Y/n) was just scrolling through her phone, sipping a warm beverage, with the tv talking in the background. Everything was peaceful until she was interrupted by a telephone ring. It was her realtor. He probably has some information about the Jones person she had called him about. 

"Hello?" (Y/n) spoke.

"Hey, so, in my records, there has been one family with the last name of Jones during the early twentieth century. The property was under a family name actually, but no one was actually using the home until the family had sold it off. After that, it's kind of hard to look for the Jones family, since they're probably living in another home. They're not really under my business line so I can't just go into the records for them," the realtor spoke.

"So there's no way to contact the family?" (Y/n) asked. The realtor gave her a simple no. The woman pinched the bridge of her nose, frustrated that there was no way to give the family their letters back. She sighed quietly to herself, mumbling a soft thank you to the man over the phone. She hung up after that. 

The young woman walked to her bedroom where the box of letters was. She supposed that there's no harm in opening the letters then. They were no names on them, other than scribbles, so she guessed that she could open them. 

(Y/n) gently pulled the lid off from the seal, damaging it just a bit. There was no other choice...the seal was in the way. The envelopes probably have no use anyway. It's the letter that has value. She picked out the letter and placed its torn casing on the bed. The letter was written in cursive, but it's nothing that (Y/n) couldn't decipher. 

Hi babe!  This is one of the first letters I'm writing back home! Yeah yeah, I actually wrote some back to Mom and Dad, but hey! Aren't you glad that you're getting one too? Anyway, how have you been? How are your hobbies going? I heard from my folks that you've picked up sewing. It's a neat skill to learn. I'm proud of you! I hope you're doing well over there. I hope you're thinking about how I'm doing. Honestly, ever since I've been deployed here, it's kind of boring. Well, Aside from me bonding with my friends and writing a ton of letters, there's nothing else we could do unless we're put into battle and things like that. There's the radio, sure, but all it's been playing are the same tunes. Always Bob Crosby and The Bob Cats. I wonder if we can actually get some variety here. Well, I guess if you start thinking about the generals' yells as a form of song, then that's some variety. I suppose I did pick up a new hobby, which is writing. I haven't written this much since college, actually. I hope in the future, I'll start writing poems to you. I'll probably learn them from Charles or something. You know how he is. He's super romantic and all. I'm a bit jealous that he could write good love letters to his beloved.  Maybe I'll start doing that too! Just stay tuned for the next one okay? My battalion hasn't been given a task yet, so, Charles, Alex, James, and I are waiting to be given something. I guess while we wait, all I can do is think about you and the songs that play on the radio. I'll even think about my ma and pa too! Don't think I don't do that already! You're just in my mind all the time, that's all.  I will write as much as I can to you. I hope you're actually getting these letters.   From your super awesome and super handsome future husband, A. F. J

(Y/n) stared at the letter in her hand. Goodness...this sounded personal. The letters she had in the box were...filled letters sent to someone special. If that was the first letter, it's got to be like that for the rest right? The woman reread the words again. Yeah...this was for Jones' girlfriend. He never wrote a name in there though and there was no name in the envelope. Just who was this guy's girl?

The woman sat there on her bed, a frown appearing on her lips. She folded the paper to its original shape and placed it back in its envelope. She reached for another letter in the box but hesitated to open it up. What if there were more personal things in these letters? Oh goodness. She was prying into someone's personal life.

Well, she already knew that she was doing that, but, honestly, it felt worse knowing that the letters are laid out like this. They were for this person's girlfriend at the time. She wasn't that...she wasn't his girlfriend at all. The desire to open them all was strong though, but (Y/n) had to do this once at a time. She had already opened a letter today, she'll just have to continue it tomorrow and read it then.

(Y/n) placed the opened letter in a drawer next to her bed. Her eyes looked back at the box again. Perhaps she should see how long it would take to read all of the letters. Gently, one by one, she counted all the letters she had at her disposal. She had excluded the letter she had read today. 

"Three-hundred-and-sixty-five," the woman told herself. That was enough to read one letter a day for a year. 

"Huh," (Y/n) sighed. Looks like she would be reading these for an entire year. She wondered how things would go. She placed the unopened letters back in their container and stashed the box under her bed. She had to be patient, or there would be no reward to this. She could last a year of just reading those letters. If she didn't know who this Private Jones was, and there was no means to contact his known living family, she might as well get to know him. 

These letters seem to be dated for World War Two. The man might just be dead now, really. 

The woman pitied the dead who had no one to remember them. Maybe Jones had someone who remembers him, but she would never know. For now, she should assume that there wasn't anyone who had him in their thoughts. (Y/n) figured that maybe, just maybe, she could be the one that remembers this poor soldier.

(Y/n) sighed as she walked away from her bedroom. Perhaps she should roam around today, maybe get to know the town a little more. Does the library have something that has this man's name on it? Perhaps she could find some sort of yearbook from the old times if they ever had those back then. Maybe even college photos that had him in there.

She wasn't desperate to find anyone who might know this man yet. There was actually a small part of her, that selfish part of her, that asked her to keep this man a secret. To keep him all to herself. That wasn't right, though, was it? It's always a question of morality with (Y/n). 

Her lips twitched to a smile as she dismissed her thoughts. She needed to stop thinking about the man right now. If she did, she might get pressured to actually do work, when she was supposed to rest today. A sigh leaves her mouth as she walks to her living room. She pressed the power button on her tv remote and watched whatever she found interesting in her favorite streaming service. 

The day would go on like this, with the woman lazying around in her own home. The house was silent for the most part, with no creeks or noises within the walls. The house wasn't haunted, as far as she knew. She knew that opening that box of letters wouldn't really bring ghosts to her home. 

They didn't exist, of course, they would never appear. 

The woman cooked dinner for herself that night. With nothing distracting her, the letters occupied her mind. 

"Jones...Jones," (Y/n) mumbled to herself, "Just...who the hell are you? Can I even find you anywhere?" The woman was hoping that she wasn't dealing with a John Doe. It would be hard to find someone like that, especially during the war. There are a lot of John Does in the war, especially those who have already lost their dog tags and have no means to identify them. 

She wishes that this man at least has a gravestone somewhere in this place. 

(Y/n) walked to her bedroom once more, her body immediately going to her bed. She peeked underneath, her eyes staring at the box. She wants to pry another one open, but ultimately decided against it. She fell on her mattress, her gaze now at the ceiling. There was nothing she could do right now. Tomorrow was her workday...maybe she should just sleep.

Her consciousness would stay with her for a few more moments until darkness surrounded her. The moon would stay active for a while until it eventually fell into its own slumber. The day brought light into the world, indicating a new day.

That new day would be (Y/n)'s workday. The woman edged out of her bed, wandering to the bathroom to get herself ready. Once changed into proper working attire, she went back to her room to get shoes. She had hidden her shoes under the bed, right beside the box of letters. As she looked for a pair to wear today, her eyes went to the box. 

Maybe she could read a letter today and see what Jones had to say. 

She put on her shoes before picking a letter from the box. The envelope was the same color as before. It either must have been made either the same week or the same month as the first letter she read. Gently she ripped the seal and pulled out the letter. 

Hi Babe, I hope you're doing well over there, wherever you may be right now. You might be at home, actually, since you're reading this letter. Anyway! I just wanted to say that finally, after a week of sitting around in a base, we're told to do something. Honestly, I hope this war isn't going to be that bad. I mean, since you know, America is here and all, I hope things are going to go well for us. I don't want to suddenly die on you, you know? We have so much planned! Did you know that earlier this morning, Charles caught me writing a letter to you today? Well, he caught me writing this letter to you, actually. I know he's a nosy bastard, but I didn't think he would actually read some of the words here. He asked me earlier if I actually had a sweetheart, since, you know, the last time he talked to me, he didn't see me with you. I guess I kept our relationship a secret huh? I must be that good!  How is your sewing going by the way? I hope it's going well. You must be very busy over there. Once I get back there in the States, we can start a family. You can maybe sew things together for the kids and I can probably provide enough to feed us all three meals! Of course, if you wanted to help too, you could! I know you're a strong woman and I don't want to limit what you can do. I think helping out in the war would give us some funds you know? Besides! I can put my college degree to good use! Once this all blows over, I can probably help you.  For now, since I'm away, I'll just be sending you letters, as much as I can! There's not enough paper to go around for everyone, so I can't really write to you all the time. Hopefully, I'll send enough letters to give you news. From your heroic future husband, A.F.J

(Y/n) couldn't help but laugh at his mannerism in the letter. He seems young, honestly, and had the innocence too, somewhere in there. He doesn't know the hardships of war just yet. There are a few things she knows about him. He spilled more info in this second letter than the first one she said. He's a young man who had a college degree somewhere. He talked about plans with his babe, and he appears to be a family man. Jones was a hopeful man, eager to meet his sweetheart again.

She smiled to herself as she placed the letter back in its home, tucking the opened envelope on top of the one she read last night. (Y/n) placed the box under her bed and went on with her day. After breakfast, the woman heads for work. Throughout the day, she thought about Jones and how she would have loved to befriend him if he were ever alive in her era. 

She can't wait to read more letters from him.

[gashinabts]

Camera Boy (m)| Part I

Words:4.5k

Pairing: Jungkook x Reader, Yoongi x Reader

Genre: Smut, Fluff, MATURE, 18+

Summary: Jungkook loves filming. Jungkook takes up your offer on filming you throughout the day...and night.

Warnings: Unprotected sex, hair pulling, sex filming, slapping tits and ass, degradation, humiliation kink, mention of public sex, teasing, slut is mentioned a lot. 

A/N: I haven’t posted in like months. I’m sorry for the lack of posting I haven’t been in the right mental state at the moment. I promise I will be posting more!! Thank you for the people who comment and like my fics.  It really means a lot for me!!!! Yoongi, Jungkook, & Reader are the same age (18). There will be THREE parts to this :))))

Part 1 2 3

*** This is my work, no reposting this and my other works on any other platforms. I do NOT take plagiarism lightly.  

Jungkook is a quiet guy, who spends his time filming and editing videos. He is in the audiovisual club and was always seen around school with his Panasonic Lumix gh5 filming the school events since he was also part of the year book club. Not many of his classmates knew him by his name but as JK, even during roll call teachers would call him by JK. His fashion taste was dark, often dressing in all black and wearing bucket hats. Sometimes he would just fade away in the background but he didn’t care. 

Jungkook was editing a video for the cheer team in the audiovisual club classroom, but his fingertip halted at the mousepad when he felt a presence entering the room. He sees you walking in with your white tennis skirt and pastel green cardigan. He doesn’t understand why you would dare walk in this room. You’re Y/N, the school’s sweetheart, nice to everyone and everyone wanted to be your friend. He watches you smile and come closer to him, grabbing a chair and sitting next to him. “ Hey, Jungkook. What are you up to?,” you lean over to see his laptop screen.  He smells the light floral perfume and he feels like he shouldn’t have the privilege of smelling your floral scent. 

This wasn’t the first time you spoke to him, a couple times you would say hi to him during the events he filmed. But you did that to everyone saying ‘hellos’ and ‘how are yous ?’, because you didn’t want anyone to feel left out. “ Uh-editing this video for the cheer team. This would be my last video I would do for this school,” he scratches the back of his head. In the next three days he wouldn’t be a high schooler anymore. He would leave this place and major in film in a college in California. 

“ Cool, I really like your videos. I heard that you were going to UCLA and doing film. That’s pretty exciting, maybe we’ll bump into each other around campus,” you smile gently. 

Jungkook was shocked to hear that you knew what school he is going to attend. In the back of his head he wished that you guys would bump into each other and become friends. “ Maybe...so what’s up?,” he closes his laptop to face you. Which he regrets since he won’t be able to focus on anything you say since you are so pretty. 

“ I want you to film me...I want to give it to my friends as a goodbye gift,” you cross your legs. “ I’ll pay you for your hard work,” you reach into your bag grabbing your wallet. 

“ No, it’s fine you don’t have to pay me,” he stops your manicure nails from grabbing some bills. 

You shake your head and he watches as your diamond earrings sparkle, “ No, I insist. I would feel really bad about it, Jungkook. Your work is top quality, better than those shitty Youtubers, even better than some of Quentin Tarantino works,” you proceed to take out the money. 

Jungkook eyes widen at your statement. No one has ever complimented his videos like you did. The closest compliment he has ever gotten from someone is ‘Looks good.’ Your soft hands brush his as you hand him the money, “ Thanks. We can start after I’m done with the cheer video,” he quickly puts the money in his pocket. 

You get up, tugging at your skirt since it rose up when you sat down. “ Great! I’ll see you later,” you gave a small wave and left the classroom.

----

“ I’m going to start filming, alright?,” Jungkook asked as you throw some things out of your locker in the trash can. 

“ Go ahead,” you smile at him. “ Look at how much stuff I have. It’s all useless stuff now,” you throw some more math tests away. He films you walking around the halls and greeting some people. Along with some chit chat, he admires the way you genuinely care about what your friends are talking about. He likes the way your hands move while you talk, and how touchy you are with your friends. He notices that you playfully hit your friends’ shoulder when they make you laugh really hard. Jungkook learns more about you when you answer the questions he gives you. He learns about what you love about your friends and how much you are going to miss them. 

You invite him to your house and he films you baking a cake for Mina’s birthday. You tell him the story of how you and Mina became friends. The fondness of your voice can be heard at spreading the strawberry icing on the cake. “ Want some?,” you ask, showing him the leftover frosting on your index finger. He looks confused by what you're asking. “ The frosting. Have some,” you bring your finger closer to him. 

Jungkook wonders if you know what you are doing. He could have not possibly licked the sweet frosting off your fingers. “ I-I uh no, it’s okay,” he fumbles with his camera, turning it off and hastily putting it in his bag. “ I think this is it for today,” he puts his backpack on. 

“ Okay...see you tomorrow,” you walk him out of your house.

----

The cafeteria is filled with the tune of Happy Birthday, Jungkook films you as you bring the pink cake in front of Mina. Zooming in on Mina’s face, he sees the evident rose blush that turns brighter as all the attention is on her, your lips kiss her cheek as you wish her a happy birthday under your breath. 

“ Jungkook, you can stop filming and have some cake,” you say as you slice a cake for him. His eyes widen and you chuckle as hand him the cake. The lunch table is filled with laughter and he feels like he’s almost part of the friend group. Some of your friends ask him questions and bring him in some of the conversation. Jungkook starts filming again and asks more questions towards your friends on what they are going to miss the most about each other. By the end of lunch he feels like he’s got good content and wants to start editing. 

You walk with him towards the AV room, and you hug him just outside the classroom. He feels your slightly smaller body engulf him in your warmness. His arms are awkwardly staying by his side and his heart rate quickens as seconds pass. You pull away and smile at him, “ Thank you Jungkook. It really means a lot for you to do this.”

“ No problem. You did pay me for this…,” he awkwardly states. He wants to slap himself for always being too abrupt with you. “ I mean it was kinda fun filming you. You radiate this wholesome energy,” he tries to compliment you. 

Laughing lightly you hit his shoulder, “ Wholesome, huh? I was thinking maybe we should keep in touch so we can have eachothers back while in California…” you quirk your eyebrow, shrugging your shoulders nervously. Jungkook face blanks and you quickly retract your words, “ Nevermind, we don’t have to-”

“ No, I’d like that!,” his voice raises at the end. He rubs his head, “ Yes, let’s keep in touch.” Your phone pings and you smile at a text message quickly typing away. Jungkook clears his throat causing you to look up at him, “ I feel like we have everything for the video. I should be done editing by the end of the week.”

“ Cool, I’ll see you later,” you wave at him and watch him enter the classroom.

At home Jungkook is meticulously working on the video not wanting to disappoint you. He’s in deep entrance of you talking in the video, he jumps when he feels a hand on his shoulder. Taking off his headphones he sees his mom staring at his laptop and he closes it immediately. “ Mom! Why did you knock?,” he whines. He doesn’t know why he feels embarrassed, it’s not like he was watching porn.

“ I did knock but there was no reply. Who’s that your girlfriend?,” she gleefully smiles wanting to peek more at the video.

Jungkook groans and leaning his head back,“ No, just a girl. She paid me to do this video for her friends.” 

She hums lightly brushing her son’s slightly long hair, not wanting to bother her son anymore she quickly states that dinner is ready. 

----

Jungkook thinks you're going to ignore him the next morning since he was done filming you but you don’t. Instead you walk towards him snapping a polaroid of him and laugh at his surprised expression. “ This marks the end of a chapter to the beginning of a chapter in our life,” you tell him waving the polaroid. 

Jungkook rubs his eyes from the sudden flash, “ What do you mean?,” he asked for more information for your vague providence. 

 The short white dress you wear waves in a similar fashion as gold hoops dangle from your ears, “ We are ending our chapter of highschoolers today but I’m now beginning a chapter with you...as in the beginning of our friendship,” you look closer at the photo smiling at his doe eyes.

“ Y/N!,” your name is called out by Chaeyong. 

“ I’ll talk to you later, yeah?,” you watch him nod and walk towards Chaeyong.

Jungkook sighs and puts his headphones on and plays on his phone as he walks to his locker. He bumps into someone and he is about to say sorry but the words couldn’t come out. Yoongi stands in front of him with a glazed expression. Never in his time of attending this school has he come this close to Yoongi. Yoongi is a quiet kid, he can’t be described as a delinquent since he doesn’t start in any trouble but he does voice his opinion from time to time and teachers hate that. Afterschool he watches the football team on the bleachers smoking cigarettes with his friends. The teachers don’t say anything because it’s after school hours and honestly they couldn’t care less if he would end up getting lung cancer in his mid thirties. 

Yoongi’s skin is soft and pale, and his eyes are dark, he has this intimidating aura that Jungkook didn’t feel comfortable with. “ Sorry,” Jungkook finally mutters out. Yoongi doesn’t say anything but walks past Jungkook, lightly brushing his shoulder with his. He can smell the dark cologne trying it’s best to bask the nicotine scent. Even though this may be the last time seeing Yoongi, he does not want to get on his bad side. 

---

Jungkook just got out of the shower when he sees that he got a missed call from you, he calls you back curious to what you have called him for. You immediately pick up,“ Hey! Are you busy right now?” 

Jungkook puts his phone on speaker, “ No, not really...why?,” he answers while putting on his boxers. 

“ Just bored...wanna hangout?,” you let out a sigh. 

Jungkook fingers combs through his damp hair, looking at his appearance through his bathroom mirror. He’s wearing comfortable baggy clothes and he wonders if he should dress up. “ Sure, what are we going to do?”

“ You ask too many questions. Just come over and bring your camera!” Jungkook wasn’t able to say anything afterwards because you hung up. His father was shocked to hear that his son wanted to borrow his car because Jungkook wasn't the type to hangout outside of school with his friends. Jungkook’s father was actually happy to hear this and asked if he needed any money and he politely declined his father. When arriving at your house he saw that no one else was parked on the driveway, his anxiety getting the best of him. He decided not to park in the driveway since he didn’t want to seem rude. He shoots you a text upon his arrival, and you open the door for him, greeting him with a smile.

“ My parents are visiting some family members and my sister is probably gonna spend the night with her boyfriend...so it’s just us,” you lead him to your room. He looks around your room and easily spots a minimalist aesthetic “ Sorry I just exercised. I’m going to take a quick shower,” you tell him, urging him to make himself comfortable. 

Jungkook gulps and sits on the chair by your desk. He sees makeup products and some old homework assignments that you yet to discard. There are several manga volumes and decide to read one hoping that you don’t mind. He’s a couple chapters in when he hears someone calling your name and coming upstairs, he freezes staring at the door wondering if your parents came home early. The door opens and he jolts when he comes face to face with Min Yoongi. 

“ What the hell are you doing here?,” Yoongi walks straight to Jungkook grabbing at the collar of the shirt. 

“ Uhh-I-I Y/N-,” Jungkook stammers out, cringing at how stupid he sounds. What the fuck why is Yoongi in your room? 

“ Yoongi!,” you yell at him. You come out of the bathroom only wearing a large t-shirt that covers just about to your mid thighs, your hair is still wet dripping on the shirt, and you come between the two men before Jungkook ends up with a black eye. Yoongi calms down as soon as you touch his wrist and he rolls his eyes at Jungkook gaping at the sight of him in your room. “ I didn’t expect you to come this early, Yoongi,” you look at Yoongi. You look nervously at the sight of Yoongi fuming ready to tear Jungkook's head.

“ What’s he doing here?,” Yoongi points at Jungkook. 

“ I’m just as confused as to why I’m exactly here…,” Jungkook is picking up his camera bag ready to leave the house. 

Your hand touches Jungkook's arm to cease him from leaving without your explanation, “ Stay please. Just let me explain,” you make eye contact with Jungkook. Nodding he sits down on the comfy chair, while waiting patiently for you to explain. Yoongi continues standing up despite you telling him to sit down too. “ I want you to film me and Yoongi,” you say confidently but there's a nervous shake near the end of your sentence, tugging nervously at the hem of your shirt, you look at Jungkook to see his reaction. 

Jungkook heart races,“ Doing what?,” his voice shakes, he knows what it is but he needs to be absolutely sure.

“ Me fucking her, you idiot,” Yoongi grunts looking at Jungkook. Yoongi looks at you with concern, “ You are not doing this because of last week. Baby, I was half kidding of doing a sex tape,” he comes closer moving some of the wet hair strands out of your face. 

Grabbing gently at his hand you kiss the back of his hand, “ I want to do it. When Jungkook was filming me I thought it wouldn’t be so bad for him to film us...just as long as no one else sees it, right?,” you look between Yoongi and Jungkook. Yoongi nods his head immediately in agreement but Jungkook looks hesitant scratching at his head.

“ I’ll do it. You can trust me, Y/N,” Jungkook finally says. Jungkook thinks to himself that this is the only opportunity he’ll ever see you naked so he’ll be an idiot to say no. The thought of him filming you in such a vulnerable way is erotic yet beautiful to him. 

“ Really?,” your eyes widen in excitement. Walking towards Jungkook you grab his hand giving him a comforting squeeze. Yoongi sighs at your actions but you ignore him looking at Jungkook’s pretty eyes. 

“ Yeah of course, Y/N. Let me get my stuff ready,” Jungkook feels your hand leave his and he goes through his camera bag. He watches you go to Yoongi and he hears Yoongi talking softly to you, caressing you as nod cutely to him. “ I’m all set,” Jungkook speaks clearly, interrupting the conversation that you and Yoongi had. “ Just do whatever you guys are comfortable with,” Jungkook gulps when Yoongi leads you to the bed.

Yoongi brings you on his lap, not hesitating to bring his lips to yours. You sigh at the feeling of his hands massaging your bare thighs feeling them move closer to your ass. The kiss grows more messier with each second, and you start grinding on him trying to relieve yourself. His hand grabs the back of your neck and he hums while forcing you to look at him. “ Who said you can do that?,” he tsk at the sight of your desparation. Yoongi turns your head whispering, “ Look at the camera.” Listening to his command you see Jungkook behind the camera and you feel more shy at Jungkook looking at you in a desperate state. “ Don’t act so coy. You like the thought of someone watching us,” he laughs lightly, his hand going under your shirt rubbing your stomach up and down not going anywhere you need him the most. “ Camera boy,” Yoongi sardonically calls Jungkook. 

“ Yes…,” Jungkook replies with hesisitance. 

“ Come closer to us,” Yoongi continues touching your body. 

Jungkook slowly walks closer to you and Yoongi, he has the camera focus on your face and smile shyly at him. Yoongi kisses your neck leaving a few love bites, finally letting his reach to your breast fondling it as you stare at the camera. “ Yoongi, I want more,” you squirm when he pinches your nipple at your plea. “ I’ll be good for you,” you beg and turn your head so you can kiss him again. It seems like he’s done with the teasing when he pulls your shirt over your head, quickly wrapping his mouth on your nipple. Tossing your head back you moan at the feeling, Jungkook brings the camera closer to your face. It turns you on more that he’s watching you in this state. 

Yoongi's mouth leaves your nipple and lets out a dark laugh, “ Look at her, she’s a whore for attention,” he slaps your breast causing you to hiss in delight.  Yoongi stares into the camera “ Did you know she would beg me to fuck her behind the bleachers?” The question is more posed for Jungkook rather than the camera. If Yoongi is honest he doesn’t like Jungkook. His distaste for Jungkook started when he noticed that his girl was taking an interest in Jungkook. Yoongi would see all pretty and perfect for the camera boy around school. He wanted to punch Jungkook when he sat too close to you during lunch looking at you like a kid in love. 

“ Yoongi don’t,” you whine at him for not to spill more stories about your devious sexacpades. Yoongi manhandles you, taking your panties off, throwing it to the side, and commands you to get on all fours. You love when he gets serious and mad since he takes all his emotions on you as he fucks you. His hands rub your folds spreading your wetness, the pleasure gets the best of you and you slightly drop your head down. 

He grabs your hair forcing you to look at the camera, “ Look at the camera,” he holds your hair tighter. He inserts two of his fingers in your entrance preparing you and you just want him to just shove his dick in you but he always makes sure you are completely prepared. “ Fuck, look at you soaking your sheets like a slut,” he laughs trying to make you feel more humalited. “ Always making a mess. Remember when I fucked you in the boys restroom at school,” he asked. Of course you remember he fucked you from behind and he gagged you with your own panties. You shake your head not wanting to let Jungkook know that you weren’t the model student in school. Yoongi let’s a boisterous laugh, “ Really? C’mon Camera Boy won’t tell anyone, right?,” Yoongi looks at Jungkook. 

Jungkook is all lost with words, he didn’t know you had this side of you. It was just twenty minutes ago he found out that he were dating Yoongi and now he finds out that you would have sex on campus. The thought of you getting fucked in the bathroom turned him on, he envisioned you trying to keep your cute little moans quite. He wondered if you went back to class as if everything was normal with cum inside you. A small part of him wished it was him doing those things to you. He finally answers Yoongi, “ I won’t tell anyone,” he gives you a look of comfort.

“ Good because I would kill you if you do. See Y/N, no need to deny how much of a slut you are,” Yoongi kisses your shoulder. Your cheeks redden despite how much of his statement is true. He lets go of your hair and you hear him rustling with his pants, turning your head you see him stroking his cock. You have the sudden urge to want to taste him in your mouth. He makes eye contact with you and you can’t help but feel butterflies in your stomach. Turning your head back you stare at Jungkook, noticing his pants gone tighter. You wonder if Yoongi would be open to having Jungkook join. Maybe have him jerk off at the sight of you getting fuck by Yoongi. Or have him fuck your mouth as Yoongi takes you from behind. The options are endless and you get more wetter at the dirty thoughts. Your thoughts get interrupted when Yoongi slides his cock into you. His hands grab your hips possessively fucking into you deep and slow. 

“ Fuck Yoongi,” you moan his name. His thrust is getting deeper and his hands tighten as you clench around him. “ Do I feel good?,” you look at the camera.

He groans and his thrust are faster, “Shit-yeah. I could fuck you all the time,” he slaps your ass. Nodding your head in agreement, “ Your gonna miss me fucking this tight pussy? ,” he slaps your ass again. You can’t answer because he spreads your legs further apart trying to hit you deeper. Making you land face first onto the mattress. Your face is probably not in view to the camera but you don’t care, you just want to get lost in the feeling of Yoongi fucking you to obilivion. 

Jungkook comes to the bed and Yoongi watches him carefully as he pushes some of the hair that completely covers your face. Pushing the hair back he can see your pretty eyes that swarmed with lust along with your plump lips leaving out moans. “ Her face was covered. I just wanted a better shot,” Jungkook tries to defend himself.

Yoongi scoffs, “ Whatever man,” and he continues to fuck you at a faster rate. Causing you to moan his name louder. “ Such a fucking slut. Prancing around in your short skirts around school knowing guys would stare at you,” his hand finds your clit and pinches it. “ My little slut,” he whispers.

You feel your approach coming “ Can I cum? Pleaseee,” you whine more with each thrust. He rubs your clit faster, and you cry at how good he is fucking you. 

“Come for me,” he slaps your clit. Your eyes roll back as you moan loudly as he keeps hitting the spot that makes you see stars. You can tell that Yoongi is about to cum as his movement gets sloppier, squeezing your waist. He groans your name as he cums in you. Yoongi slumps down on you, “Fuck, you’re so pretty,” he whispers in your ear. You smile dumbly at his compliment. Yoongi gets up from your back, pulling himself out of you. Yoongi looks at Jungkook still holding his camera, “ You can stop recording,” he looks down and sees Jungkook sporting a boner. 

“ Sorry,” Jungkook turns off the camera. 

“ You’re good,” Yoongi disregards the needless apology. Yoongi hastily pulls up his boxers and pants, bending down he helps you turn around so you are now laying on your back. Leaning down he kisses you softly on your cheeks making his way to your lips. You sigh happily into the kiss. “ I love you,” he kisses you one last time. 

“ No, I love you,” you smile cheekily. 

Yoongi smiles pinching your nose,“ Brat.”

Jungkook stands in your room not knowing what to do just simply watching the interaction you have with Yoongi. “ I’ll have the video sent to you by tomorrow morning,” he interrupts the scene. He makes his way to his camera bag.

“ You should stay,” you tell Jungkook. Yoongi gives you a look, getting up from his position and going to your bathroom. You hear the water faucet and you assume he is getting a wet towel for you. Jungkook eyes widen, not knowing to accept or refuse your proposal since Yoongi is against the idea. “ Stay. I’ll order pizza and we can all watch movies. You know as a thank you for filming us,” you give him a hopeful smile. 

Yoongi comes back with the wet towel, grabbing your shirt on the floor along with new panties.“ Jungkook, you can stay,” he looks at Jungkook. “ Spread your legs for me baby,” Yoongi kisses your knee. You do as you're told and he cleans you.

Million things are going inside Jungkook's head.  Should he stay? Would that be weird? Wouldn’t it be more weird if he declined, he did see you and Yoongi naked already-- “ Jungkook what pizza toppings do you want?,” you ask while scrolling on the delivery app. He must have been spaced out for a couple minutes since you have clothes on. Yoongi is combing your hair through his fingers while looking at your phone. “ As long as it is not pineapple,” Yoongi comments.  

“ Anything is fine,” Jungkook finally answers. He hears you hum and you order whatever topping you want. Jungkook puts his equipment on your desk, he decides to sit at the end of the bed not wanting to cross the line. 

You finish ordering the food, laying your head on Yoongi’s chest, you stare at Jungkook awkwardly sitting on the bed. “ Come closer, we don’t bite,” you tell Jungkook. You pat beside you so he can come forward. Jungkook looks at Yoongi for permission and you roll your eyes. Looking at Yoongi, he nods his head as if to say okay. One Punch Man is playing and surprisingly there is no more tension in the room, but filled with careless laughter. The doorbell rings, “ Pizza is here, I’ll be back,” you kiss Yoongi on the cheek. 

Jungkook prayed that you didn’t leave him alone with Yoongi but you already left. “ Jungkook, you’re going to the same school as Y/N, yeah? ” Yoongi asked but he still continues watching the anime.

“ Yeah,” Jungkook answers nervously.

“ Take care of her for me,” Yoongi finally looks at him. 

Jungkook feels like Yoongi's words hold a deeper meaning but regardless Jungkook nods, “ Uhh-yeah okay.”

Yoongi moves his attention back to the anime once he hears your footsteps.  

[jrob64]

For the Sake of Henry (Sneak Peek of Chapter 11 - Life Unimagined)

I truly hoped to have this chapter (and the story) completely finished and ready to post this weekend, but a stressful week at work and home wasn’t conducive to being creative. Plus, any of you who are writers know how difficult it is writing the final chapter of a story you’ve put so much time and care into.

The chapter is nearly finished and I hope to post it within the week. For those of you who would like to catch up on the story, the links are below. If you prefer to wait until a story is complete before reading it, rest assured this one WILL be finished within the next few days, so feel free to get a head start on reading it!

Tumblr posts: Ch1  Ch2  Ch3  Ch4  Ch5  Ch6  Ch7  Ch8  Ch9  Ch10

Also on Ao3 & ffn

*********

They celebrated Henry’s tenth birthday the weekend before Thanksgiving by taking him and his friend Nicholas Zimmer to an indoor waterpark hotel in Augusta. For two days, Emma and Killian watched the boys go down waterslides, attempt to surf in a small wave pool, and get water dumped on them by a huge bucket. The couple thought the boys would go to sleep immediately after the first day of being water rats, but they could hear them laughing and talking for quite a while after climbing into their pullout sleeper sofa in the small living room area of the hotel room. 

Killian and Emma wanted to have Thanksgiving at home with their friends, Mary Margaret, David, Ruby, Jefferson and Ingrid. They invited them for a late lunch, and spent the morning preparing the turkey and making side dishes. Their guests all brought something to contribute to the meal and by the time they sat down to watch football in the afternoon, everyone was stuffed. It turned out to be a fun and successful day.

They began decorating the house for Christmas the following day. Since Killian never felt the need to decorate when he lived by himself, the three of them had fun purchasing wreaths, garland, and lights, and went to a local tree farm to select and cut down a live Christmas tree. As they did, Henry had one of his rare moments when he shared a memory of his parents. “I remember having a real tree one time. I think it was the last Christmas with my mom and she wanted one, so me and my dad went and got one, but we didn’t cut it down ourselves. It made her really happy, even though she was too sick to help us decorate it.” 

Emma put her arm around his shoulders and pulled him against her side. “I’m sure that was a special Christmas for all of you.” 

“Yeah. I don’t remember any of the presents I got that year, though. I just remember how much my mom liked watching us decorate the tree while we listened to Christmas music and ate gingerbread cookies. My dad bought them for her because they were her favorite.” 

That evening, they decorated their tree, while the fireplace crackled, Christmas carols played through the bluetooth speaker, and the house smelled of the gingerbread cookies they made together that afternoon. 

*********

Stay tuned for the FINAL chapter!

Tagging: @xsajx @hookedmom @kymbersmith-90 @kmomof4 @lassluna @pirateherokillian @teamhook @stahlop @elizabeethan @whimsicallyenchantedrose @resident-of-storybrooke @therooksshiningknight @jennjenn615 @lfh1226-linda @ilovemesomekillianjones @killianswannn @stories-enchanted @eleveneitherway @withheartfulloflove @kday426 @lyssapup27 @swanlovato @djlbg @kristi555 @laschatzi @xarandomdreamx @lkles08 @wyntereyez @bubblegum1425 @xhookswenchx @yasbio2015 @tiganasummertree @winterbaby89 @wefoundloveunderthelight @hollyethecurious @let-it-raines @jonesfandomfanatic @searchingwardrobes​ @dreamingdreamsalways​ @oncechicagolove @andiirivera​ @vvbooklady1256 @gingerchangeling​ @everything-person @klynn-stormz​ @qualitycoffeethings​ @vampcoffeegyrl23​ @enchanted-swans @cassy1511 @ohmakemeahercules​ @donteattheappleshook @bluewildcatfanatic​ @the-darkdragonfly​ @demisexualemmaswan @lavenderbudd​ @grimmswan​ @spartanguard​ @flslp87 @ultraluckycatnd @sarahpaq08 @thisonesatellite​ @captainswan21​ @zaharadessert @mariakov81​ @snowbellewells​ @xouatxcs​ @kiwistreetswan​ @batana54 @nadine200179​ @probalicious17​ @courtorderedcake​ @julesep3026 @jackieorioncat​ @whatthehell102082​ @jarienn972 @sthonour​ @linda8084​ @carpedzem​ @pirateprincesslena​ @daxx04 @winterbythesea​ @artistic-writer @cocohook38 @chrisilybrooke @pcrcabcth @captainswan4life85 @molly958 @kingofmyheart14 @badwolfreturns @itsfridaysomewhere @chamomileandmint @fallingforthecaptain  @onceratheart18 @strangestarlighttree @omgmarvelous @justanother-unluckysoul @mrs-potato-but-likes-tomato @anothersworld @deckerstarblanche @purplehawkcaptain @betweengalaxies2 @superchocovian @k-leemac @citygirlscowboy @laughterandbooks @sotangledupinit @apiratewhopines @huntressandlioness1 @cosette141  

[chasingpj]

𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞

"You’re really sweet, water boy.”

pairing: percy jackson x child of hecate!reader

words: 5,379

warnings: angsty, mentions of breaking down, one curse word

timeline: post sea of monsters

if you want to be tagged every time I update this story click here

a/n: hi hi! I hope you guys like this chapter. If you have any feedback let me know. i've read this chapter over like 1,000 times while editing so i can't even give my own opinion on this chapter lol. i hope someone likes it at least cause i'm a little iffy about this one.

Part One Part Two Part Three Part Four Part Five Part Six

“Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? Caught in a landslide, no escape from reality!”

The singing voices of the Apollo cabin harmonize as Atticus stands in the middle of their cabin, eyes closed with his arms swaying side to side in the air. You sit against the window frame at the end of the room, your lips curl in a soft smile as Harvey prances around his feet, enjoying the spotlight as much as Atticus is. You were glad that Atticus was still up for karaoke night despite his mood. Although you didn’t plan on coming yourself, you had hoped that he would as he needed it as an outlet to let loose. A part of you wasn’t surprised when Atticus was begging you to come with him, insisting that your plan of staying in and sleeping early was too lame for a Friday night at camp. You didn't want to make him upset so you decided to suck it up and go with him. Besides, you did need to get out.

The past few days, you’ve had your nose in books, drowning out your thoughts with everything from studying demonology to enjoying fantasy novels. You’ve been keeping an eye on Lou Ellen as well, noticing that she too was avoiding her feelings by drowning herself with books back to back. And now, as a result of your similar coping mechanism, you two have an exclusive book club where you spend hours reading and mercilessly criticizing Twilight. Meanwhile, Atticus has been up and around, constantly surrounding himself with people to distract him. He seemingly was doing fine on the surface, but it was a facade. Sorrow was radiating off of him like never before. Even if you didn’t have the ability to sense his emotions, his song choice for tonight was a dead giveaway. Bohemian Rhapsody is his comfort song.

“I’m just a poor boy. I need no sympathy!” Atticus sings passionately into the microphone. Cheers break throughout the cabin, and you giggle, joining in, cupping your mouth as you whoop for him. You look over at Lou Ellen, talking and laughing with a few girls across the room. You smile, content that for right now, the two of them are occupied and happy. You, however, couldn’t get into the mood. Sure, the chaos of the Apollo Cabin easily entertained you, but you were having trouble shaking off the heavy feeling in your chest. You frown, your hand coming down to pet the top of Ambrose’s head, the other nuzzling his snout against your leg to comfort you. You look down at him, smiling softly as a silent thank you, and you sigh, hoping to lighten the feeling in your chest, but to no avail, it remained.

A nudge on your shoulder draws in your attention, and you turn to face the boys standing to your left. You meet Lee Fletcher’s bright blue orbs, a smile plastered on his flushed face.

“You’re next!” He shouts over the music, pointing his index finger at you in the same hand he held a red solo cup in. You scrunch your face, moving a little closer to him and the group so they’ll be able to hear you.

“I’m not really in the performance mood tonight,” you say, and the immediate protests from the boys around him made you smile. They insisted that you had to sing tonight and that they were going to make sure you went after your brother. On any other night, you would have agreed, gladly taking the mic. You weren’t a stranger to singing karaoke, and you had to admit you did enjoy it just as much as Atticus did. Last week, you sang an interesting rendition of Wannabe by the Spice Girls with Lou Ellen, Silena, Katie, and Sage. You were Scary Spice, of course; you wouldn’t have been anyone else. But tonight, you were unable to see yourself singing. Now that the boys returned to whatever they were talking about, you were planning your escape. You tune back into the song, realizing that Atticus was almost finished.

“Nothing really matters; anyone can see. Nothing really matters. Nothing really matters, to mee.”

You take a deep breath for a moment, accepting your fate. It’s only one song, you tell yourself; it’ll be quick. You cringe, expecting to be pushed up to the front by the others any second now. Suddenly, chanting fills the cabin,

“Encore, encore!"

Atticus smiles, bowing like a Broadway actor as the crowd cheers. You sigh, relieved, and you hoped whatever he picked would be able to conceal your exit. There was no way Atticus was going to pass up the microphone, and over the chanting, he announced his next song choice: Dancing Queen.

He’s so depressed.

You didn’t want to miss your opportunity, slowly scooting yourself away from Lee Fletcher and the others. As the instrumental of Dancing Queen fills the cabin, a chunk of people get up from the bunk beds and the floor to dance and sing along. You take your chance now that everyone is distracted, and you walk into the crowd, carefully weaving through bodies.

The cool summer night air was refreshing on your skin compared to the stuffiness of the crowded cabin. The collective singing of Dancing Queen becomes faint as you make it across the camp. You didn't realize how loud the song was while you were in there, and you could just imagine what the other cabins were doing. You couldn’t help but smile at the idea of an annoyed Ares' cabin, all of them with pillows covering their ears in an attempt to drown out the music and screaming.

By the time you reached the beginning of the woods, the disco instrumental was long gone, and you took in the stillness of the night. There was barely a breeze tonight; the only sounds were the faint chattering of campers hanging around the hearth and taking walks. You stare into the forest, uncertain if you should venture by yourself. You hear a soft whine come from Ambrose, signaling you that it was a bad idea. It was a couple of hours away from curfew, and you can already hear the faint roars of monsters. That wasn’t enough to turn you away, though. Your desire to be somewhere silent was more prominent than your fear of the monsters.

You walk in without another thought, your pace slow and slack, and Ambrose unwillingly follows close behind you, checking around to make sure you are safe. As you walk farther in the forest, the thoughts you had sent to the back of your mind were returning with a vengeance.

The departure of your siblings felt surreal. When you had woken up to their empty beds the next day, you had chosen to believe they had left for breakfast earlier than usual and that everything that happened was a dream. Yet, as the days went by, the absence of your siblings became more apparent. A part of you refused to grieve. You had wanted to declare your brothers as monsters and convince yourself that you didn’t care. You had hoped that deciding to hate them would allow you to move on, but even that came with a desolate aftertaste.

You had blacked out in your thoughts, allowing your feet to take you where they wished, and you find yourself at a familiar boulder. You look to your left at the picnic table, staring longingly at it. It was quiet for a moment before the sight of your brother and sisters sitting on the top of the picnic table, their feet resting on the bench, appeared. They sat quietly, Atticus frowning as he looked out in the forest.

“Focus on your breathing. You won’t shift if you’re impatient.” Your gaze snaps in the direction of the voice. You saw yourself slouched in defeat as Alabaster’s hands gripped your shoulders. His green eyes peered into yours.

You were the only one that hadn’t become ethereal after trying for the past 30 minutes. Atticus had transformed on his second try, Lou Ellen on her third, and the others followed close after. But you had lost count, growing more tired and discouraged after every failed attempt. Alabaster noticed you were on the verge of tears, your lip trembling, and he easily saw that you were crawling into a bad headspace.

“I can’t do it,” you sniffled, feeling embarrassed as your siblings waited for you. You were aware they weren’t judging you and had instead been encouraging you the entire time, but you still felt ashamed. The voices in your mind taunted you, making you forget any positive feedback you received that day. You were the weakest link of the group. You were never going to be powerful as your brothers, and so you’ll never be recognized by your mother, it said.

“You can, Y/n. You’re getting too in your head,” Al reassured you, his hands falling to his side, taking a step back. You were confident that he had given up on you, and you didn’t blame him. You looked down at the ground and fiddled with your fingers. It was silent for a moment before you heard him sigh.

“Try again,” he said softly.

You groaned and rolled your eyes at yourself. You were drained from trying so long, and you were ready to accept your defeat and stomp away. You looked at Alabaster again as he patiently waited for you.

You swallowed hard, and you closed your eyes as you heard the encouraging words of your siblings. Their words failed to cancel out the negative thoughts in your own head, though. You were already bothered by the little voice that said you would never transform. You dwelled on being the last one and what made you feel worse was that it was nighttime - when your magic is at its strongest - yet you still hadn’t transformed. Maybe you weren’t as powerful as your brothers gave you credit for. Disappointment swirled in your stomach, clouding your brain, and your fist clenched as you tried to shake off the thoughts in your head. You were well aware that your mindset was holding you back. You inhaled deeply, somehow finding the will to set aside your negative thoughts.

You decided you won’t allow yourself to be the only person who couldn’t transform. You weren’t going to let your insecurity of being the “weakest link” get to you, at least not on that night. You huffed out and felt a tug in your core before your fingertips and toes began to vibrate. You gasped, and your eyebrows furrowed tightly, the vibrating sensation gradually becoming more intense to the point where it almost hurt.

You heard an excited cheer come from one of your sister's lips as the feeling crept up your arms and legs. It finally met your core, and it was as if a ball of warm, electric energy sat right in the pit of your stomach. You opened your eyes, immediately seeing the bright smile on Alabaster’s face. A relieved laugh came from your lips as a few tears ran down your face from your previously pent-up anger.

“I told you.”

You snap back to reality, looking around you to see that you were still alone. No one was at the picnic table other than Ambrose, who was laid down at the foot of it, watching you cautiously. You swore you heard the sound of Al’s voice as if he was right in front of you, but that wasn’t possible. As much as you wished for it to be, you knew your siblings were long gone.

Though you were incredibly grateful for Atticus and Lou Ellen deciding to stay, the dynamic that your siblings had as a whole was something that you wouldn’t be able to get back. Now it was the three of you, left to figure things out on your own. It’s not as if you three were incapable of figuring things out, but you’ll miss your brother's guidance.

You think perhaps if your mother didn’t give them the okay to leave, they would have never left. You couldn’t help but be mad at her, and lately, you’ve been a little petty towards your mom. Tonight, you had decided to go to dinner and dedicate your burned offering to Hestia instead. You’ve been praying to her every night as well, hoping that maybe she’d be able to bring your siblings back to you.

You hadn’t noticed anything out of the ordinary to inform you if your mother was aware of your silence or if she cared. You also found yourself wondering what she thought of you for not leaving. How could she not visit you? Were you really not worth, maybe, five minutes of her time? Did you have to prove yourself worthy? If so, how? You were yearning to know, but even for that, you were unable to find the answer.

Your jaw clenches, feeling your sorrow shifting to rage in your core. Take a deep breath, Ernest would say, and you do, filling your lungs to their capacity, and you hold it. Think of your surroundings. Meditate on the question: If I erupt, will I hurt someone? If the answer is yes, take a step back, breath in for 10 seconds, out for another 10 until you’re calm. If the answer is no… well, fuck it. Everyone needs to be angry sometimes.

Your head tilts slightly, taking in the clear night sky for a moment. From your peripheral vision, you can see your green aura wildly swirling and flickering around you. You close your eyes, and your chest expands, ready to release the air you’ve been holding. There was no rustling of the trees or grass, no monster screams, no sounds of the surrounding camper. The forest was still until it wasn’t as you let out a deafening scream.

After hearing the news of your siblings running away from camp at the counselor's meeting a few days ago, Percy had made a mental note to check up on you. In the time between his activities, he had checked the strawberry fields, the arts and craft center, even the arena in an attempt to find you. For a moment, he had thought you had left with them, but when he saw that Atticus was still at camp, he knew you had to be somewhere. It wasn’t until he passed by the Hermes dinner table the other day did he decide to ask your brother where you were. By then, you had not shown up for your meals for two days straight. Atticus told him that you weren’t doing too good, deciding to isolate yourself in the company of Lou Ellen. He had offered to let Percy come with him to drop off your dinner, but he had decided not to go.

He figured that you needed time for yourself, and he didn’t want to intrude. He was also worried if it would have been weird to check up on you. Surely, you were friends? You considered him as a friend, right? He hoped so since he had considered you one. He thought maybe he was overthinking it but then he began to worry that you would blame him. He had to do some mental gymnastics to come up with a reason why you would be mad at him, but he was able to come up with something. He would understand if you were mad at him since he is, well, suspected to be the child of the prophecy. So obviously, none of this would have happened if he wasn’t born? Right? He had told Annabeth about it, and from the way she blankly stared at him, he knew that the reason wasn’t solid, but still, he was nervous.

He was surprised to see you walk out of the Apollo Cabin. After hearing that you were hiding away, he didn’t expect you to attend one of the most lively events tonight. From afar, you seemed upset, but you also glinted with determination as you walked with purpose. He was seated with Annabeth, Grover, and Thalia by the campfire, listening to Annabeth ramble about the architecture of the Palace of Versailles to Thalia and Grover. It was her newest hyper fixation, and Percy had been listening though he got a little lost at some point. He didn’t want to lose his chance to approach you, not sure when the next opportunity would be so he quickly finished up the s’more he was eating before getting up from the bench.

“Um, I’ll be back,” he says. The only person who had heard him was Grover, who nodded to acknowledge him while Annabeth didn’t miss a beat in her ranting.

He checked in the usual places you would hang out in, but you were nowhere to be found. He found himself walking along the gravel road in front of the forest. He slows down, turning toward the trees and he hums,

“Did she go in there by herself?” He mutters softly, becoming concerned. It was kind of an unspoken rule that campers shouldn’t venture out on their own.

He looks over when he hears chattering, the wood nymphs slowly making their way out of the forest. They seemed to be gossiping about something as they huddle in a circle right outside of the trees. Percy found it strange that they were away from their homes, especially at this time, and he noticed they all looked a little stunned.

“Hey,” he smiles as he walks over to them. He halts hesitantly, the girls becoming quiet as they turn to him. “Have you guys seen, y/n?”

They exchange looks with each other, Juniper shifting on her feet as she stands in front of him. “Yeah…” she trails off, facing the dark trees. “Just keep walking. You’ll hear her.”

Percy furrows his eyebrows, unsure what they meant by that, but he takes their advice anyway. It didn’t take him long to find out what they meant, hearing your yelling before he saw you illuminating in the dark. He had imagined that you would be upset, but he definitely did not expect you to be yelling at the sky, rapidly throwing blasts of energy at a boulder.

Seeing you like this was odd. It was so different from the calm and collected demeanor that you gave off. He had considered you as the quieter twin. Compared to your brother, you weren’t as out there. He hadn’t seen you have many interactions with Atticus, but he could tell that you took on the big sister role. You just seemed more mature.

“How could you- how could you offer something like that?! I’ve never seen you once an- the first message I get from you is to join his stupid army! You took them from us!” You ignore the burning in your throat and the trembling of your arms. You felt lightheaded, and you didn’t know if it was due to how hard you were yelling or the amount of energy you were burning out. “I HOPE YOU KNOW WHAT YOU’RE DOING!” You shout weakly, looking up at the sky, hoping that your mother was listening to you. You wanted her to know how you felt betrayed, angry, and heartbroken.

Despite your anger, you still held back on what you said. You were wary not to push too far, preferring to not meet your mother's wrath the first time she visited you. You wanted an explanation; you wanted to hear the orders and the promises she made from herself. But you doubted she would appear.

Hot tears roll down your cheeks, your breath ragged, and you wail, blasting the last long beam you were able to muster at the boulder. You stumble from your own force, a sob leaving your lips, and your forearm wipes your tears.

“I really hope you know what you’re doing,” you strain in a whisper.

You gasp as you hear a twig snap behind you. You freeze in your spot, your heart beating hard in your chest. You were confident that you had summoned your mother. You took a deep breath, ready to face her, but to your surprise, you were met with Percy.

Percy's body tenses the moment you snap your gaze to him, swallowing hard as your glowing eyes bore right into his. He was hoping that his speculations of you being mad at him were wrong. The burning smell from your beams filled the air, and he definitely did not want to be charred up like that boulder. To his relief, he watches your clouded expression soften. He shifts, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Are you okay?” He asks, immediately cringing at himself afterward. Of course, she isn’t okay, why would you ask her that?

You sniffle, and you nod, “Yeah, I’m just doing my nightly prayers.” Though you tried to lighten up the mood, your voice was sad and hoarse.

Percy frowns, and he steps over a log in his way. He walks over to you as you plop down to sit on the grass with your legs crossed. Ambrose comes to your side, resting his head on your thigh, and you pet him softly.

“I heard what happened,” Percy’s tone is soft as he hesitantly invites himself to sit beside you. He wasn’t sure you wanted to be comforted right now, but you didn’t tell him to go away, so he took that as a good sign. He hums, looking down at his hands, “Travis reported it during the counselor meeting the day after,” he mentions. “Atticus told me you weren’t doing too well. I can’t do much, but if you want to talk about it, I’m listening.”

You didn’t want to dump everything on Percy, but the genuine concern in his tone made you feel comfortable enough to consider laying all your thoughts out on the table.

You haven't had the chance to discuss your feelings yet. There was a silent understanding between you, Atticus, and Lou Ellen that none of you were ready to bring it up and would rather go along your days pretending it didn’t happen. But as you continued to avoid it, it began to fester like an infected wound.

You were so lost in your thoughts, you didn’t realize for how long you were quiet. In your silence, Percy waited patiently, not wanting you to feel pressured. Every once in a while, he would look over, noticing the flickering of your aura slowing down until it’s absorbed into your body, leaving you both with the soft white light coming from Ambrose’s body. If you decided not to talk about it, he told himself he wouldn’t pry, but he would be worried about you for keeping everything in.

You didn’t know how much Travis had said at the counselors meeting. Your mind was rushing with thoughts, asking yourself where you should start while also deciding if you should be completely honest with him. It wasn’t until now that you were faced with all the conflicting feelings you’ve had in the past few days. They came at you all at once, and a sniffle cuts through your silence. You sigh shakily, resting your head on Percy’s shoulder.

Percy looks down at you, able to make out some of your features in the dark. Your eyelids were a little puffy from crying, and you look exhausted. He frowns as a small sob leaves your lips, shifting to wrap his arm around your shoulders. He debated if he should say anything to you. He didn't find that this was a situation where an “it’s okay” was appropriate. Kronos was rising, war was on its way, and Luke was recruiting campers, 5 of those campers being your siblings. None of that was okay. He felt a pang in his chest, grasping on to the fact that you’d be fighting against them when it was time for battle.

“I’m sorry,” your voice quivers. You hated feeling as if you were losing control of your emotions. You didn’t want Percy seeing you like this, and you began to feel embarrassed.

“Don’t be sorry,” he shakes his head, and he opens his mouth to say something else but is too stunned when you pull away abruptly. Your gaze is fixed in the opposite direction as you try to catch your breath, hiccuping and gasping softly for a bit. “Y/n?”

“I almost left, and I feel guilty because a part of me regrets not leaving,” you blurted out the confession that was eating you up the most. It was what you were afraid to admit out loud, especially to Atticus and Lou Ellen. You didn’t want to admit that you, the one who found the courage to voice your opinion to your brothers, the one that declared she was staying at the camp, had begun to regret her decision. As much as you wished to not regret it, the what-if questions that filled your mind were hard to avoid. Were you actually missing out on the opportunity to be taught by your mother? Was it true what James said? Was deciding to stay a death wish?

You refused to look at Percy. You were wondering if he thought he was talking to a potential traitor to the camp. You were wondering if he would think of you differently now that you have confessed to having the slightest thought of joining Kronos.

Percy was lost for words, his face flashed with surprise, and he was glad you weren’t looking at him. He didn’t want you to think that he was judging you because he wasn’t; he was just taken aback. The tension between you started to thicken the longer he stayed quiet. His eyes scan the ground, frantically searching for something to say.

“Why did you stay?” He asks hesitantly.

Your teeth chew on the inside of your lip, and you now regret saying anything. You didn’t know if the shift in the air around the two of you was in your head, but either way, it bothered you.

“Because…” you trail off. The list of reasons why you stayed was long, and you didn’t want to go through all of them. You were determined to keep this conversation short, afraid that if you keep dwelling on this situation for too long, you will find more reasons to be angry.

“Because I’m not going to die for a cause I don’t believe in,” you declare. “I understand their side. I understand why they decided to leave. Alabaster was always saying that he wished things were different for us here at camp. I mean, so do I. They also had the approval of our mother, and they were promised to be taken care of if Kr- the Titan Lord wins. I can’t blame them for not giving that up because even I was hesitant to give it up,” you confess.

You sniffle softly, peeling the skin around your fingers before continuing, “But… for the change they're looking for, I don’t think this is the way to do it. Like really? Allying with him? Yeah, the gods are big jerks, but I don’t understand how he would be any different of a leader.” You sigh, “I considered leaving just to be with them, but I couldn’t go through with it. I wouldn’t feel right. I tried to convince them to stay, but they were set on leaving.”

Percy was quiet for a moment, and you found the courage to look up at him. His vision is fixed on the forest ahead before he meets your gaze. “I don’t think you should blame yourself for regretting not going. I think if I were in your position, I would have thought about the same things. They mean a lot to you. They’re your family.”

You nod, relieved that he understood where you were coming from. “Atticus was my last straw. If he had decided to leave, I would have left despite everything.”

“Understandable. He’s your twin,” Percy shrugs. You sigh shakily, your chest feeling a little lighter after being able to voice your thoughts. You felt more satisfied with yourself now. Your challenged morals felt solidified, and you decided with confidence that your choice was right for you.

“I give you a lot of props, Y/n. You were in a tough situation, and it must have been hard to stand your ground, especially since most of them decided to leave.”

“Yeah…” you say softly, and you realize that maybe you should have been kinder to yourself for having that feeling of regret.

“I think it’s really awesome what you did. Doing something like that takes a lot of guts,” Percy says, and you can hear the smile in his voice.

“Thanks…” you say shyly.

A soft smile plays on his lips, and he can tell you were starting to feel better. He was glad that he could help because he understood what you were feeling. He didn’t exactly go through the same thing, but he knew how it felt to second guess your choices and how it was easy to spiral when you dwelled on it for too long.

“You’re really sweet, waterboy. Thanks a lot," you say playfully as you return the smile. Your heart flutters as Percy’s face brightens before sheepishly looking away from you for a second.

He didn’t get compliments like that often. Well, he has, from his mom, but he didn’t count that. It wasn’t the same as getting the compliment from a girl, a girl as pretty as you are.

“I-it was nothing,” he moves his hand in a dismissive wave, and you giggle. “Well… I don’t know if you were done with your ‘prayer,’ but I think you should go back to the party in the Apollo Cabin. I’ll come with you. It sounded like a lot of fun in there."

"Ugh, but they’re going to make me sing,” you slouch, and Percy laughs at the slight pout on your face.

“I’ll sing with you,” he says, and you furrow your eyebrows, surprised at his offer. You’ve only seen him at karaoke a few times, and he always stayed on the sidelines.

“You can sing?” You ask, amused. Percy definitely didn’t seem like the musical type.

“Nope, I’m pretty much tone-deaf, but I’ll embarrass myself for you since you had a rough day," he nudges you softly before standing up. You look up at him as he pats down his pants, and you lean back on your hands.

“I’m gonna pick a ballad so you can embarrass yourself even more," you smirk at him, and he stops patting his clothes, squinting at you.

“Don’t make me take it all back,” he jokes. He reaches his hand out to you, and you grab it, letting him help you up from the ground.

“You know, I’d kill to hear you sing a Britney Spears song," you mention as you pat your own clothes down and begin to walk out of the forest, Ambrose acting as your guide by trotting ahead of you.

Percy is quiet for a moment, and you glance over, positive that he's starting to regret his offer to sing with you.

"Please don’t do that to me.”

You laugh at him; the thought of Percy singing a Britney Spears song was way too funny to you. Percy gave you a cautious look, not sure if you were serious or not. “Fine, fine! I shouldn’t take advantage of your kindness,” you admit as your laugh ceases. Percy nods, playfully agreeing with you. “You listen to My Chemical Romance?” You ask, and he scoffs,

“Of course, I listen to My Chemical Romance.”

“Let’s sing Teenagers then,” you suggest. “It’s a crowd favorite. Everyone sings along, so no one has to suffer through your singing. What do you think?” you tease, and you take in his bright smile as he nods his head,

“Sounds good to me.”

masterlist taglist: @nct127bee @xxyrr @mochabreezeee @minamisulemisa @yanfeisluvr

[fanimesenseiwrites]

So here it is, the thing that I've been working on for so long that I haven't posted anything else, My magnum opus of fanfiction. I had to write it all at once or I knew I would never finish it lol.

Warning: This fic is quite angsty. There's some sex in later chapters and a little violence and I will tag those chapters as necessary, but mostly there's just a lot of crying and emotions and being dumb.

Kidnapped to Hell (pt. 1)

Lucifer shot up in bed, startled awake by the sound of Hoshiko screaming for him and for his help.

He looked around his room frantically, certain that their scream had come from right inside his room. Upon finding no one else present, he poked his head out into the hall to see if anyone else was awake. It was then that he finally gathered his thoughts enough to remember that Hoshiko wasn't even supposed to be in the Devildom at the moment.

He sighed and shook his head as he climbed back into bed, suspecting that he had just had a nightmare. He looked at his DDD, sighing again when he saw that it was nearly a quarter until 5 in the morning. He sent Hoshiko a quick text message: - Thinking of you. I love you.- before putting it down and trying to go back to sleep.

While he had rested, he never fully fell back asleep by the time he had to get up to get ready for school.

Lucifer checked his DDD again and while he was not terribly surprised to find that Hoshiko had not responded to him yet, there was a feeling of unease that he was unable to shake.

Lucifer left for RAD that morning without bothering to eat breakfast before hand, the feeling of unease leaving him without an appetite.

He constantly checked his phone for a reply from Hoshiko throughout the day, to the point that even Diavolo was curious about what he was looking at.

The demon prince snatched Lucifer's phone from him while they were having lunch together.

"Hey! Give that back," Lucifer accosted.

"What are you looking at?" Diavolo asked, totally ignoring Lucifer's demand.

Lucifer sighed. "I texted Hoshiko this morning and they haven't responded yet."

Diavolo looked at the time stamp on Lucifer's text. "Why did you text Hoshiko at... 4:44 in the morning?"

"Because I was thinking about them at that time."

Diavolo gave him a disapproving look. "Why were you awake at that time?"

"I had just woken up... I thought I had heard Hoshiko scream, it must've just been the residual of a nightmare though."

Diavolo frowned.

"I just wanted to check on Hoshiko without making it too obvious." Lucifer admitted, unable to look Diavolo in the eye.

Diavolo hummed thoughtfully and handed Lucifer his DDD.

Lucifer took it and slipped it back into his pocket.

Diavolo crossed his arms. "Are you worried about Hoshiko?"

Lucifer sighed and looked away from Diavolo. "I understand that I may be overreacting, but I just can't help it when I don't know exactly where Hoshiko is or what they're doing."

Diavolo shook his head. "You're all antsy today."

"All? Who do you mean by all?" Lucifer looked back at Diavolo.

"You and all of your brothers. I've seen most of them this morning and they all seemed out of sorts; none of them were acting like their usual selves."

Lucifer frowned. "That's not good."

"It's not, and I'm actually worried too."

"About my brothers or Hoshiko?" Lucifer asked for clarification.

"Well, both. But I meant Hoshiko. You see, I've got this..." He sighed and motioned to his chest with his hand, struggling to find the right words. "... Feeling. I woke up this morning and I thought Hoshiko had come down here..."

Lucifer paled. "Do you mean-?"

"Oh no, not like that," Diavolo assured. "But when Hoshiko and Solomon arrive, I know even before I'm told. I know when the angels come and go too. It's just part of being the crown prince."

Lucifer nodded. "I forget all the things you can do sometimes."

Diavolo nodded. "I just thought that Hoshiko had come to visit us but you've confirmed to me that they're still up in the mortal realm, as far as we know at least."

"So, what? Do you suspect that Solomon and Hoshiko have snuck down here and are plotting something?"

Diavolo shook his head. "I don't sense Solomon's presence, and Hoshiko isn't the scheming type."

Lucifer rolled his eyes. "As far as you know."

Diavolo chuckled. "Anyway... I can't say for sure, but I have an uneasy feeling. I wonder if your nightmare was an omen of sorts."

Lucifer pressed his fingertips to his chin and furrowed his brow in thought. "Who could we talk to that would know about omens and dreams?"

"Your brother," Diavolo answered plainly.

"Satan?" He asked, barely hiding a grimace.

"Yes. There's no one who's as well read as he is, and he has some of the best grades in the entire school."

"Yes, I'm aware. However, it's still a habit to him to not fully cooperate with me."

"I'm sure his tune will change if we tell him it has to do with Hoshiko," Diavolo assured him.

Lucifer nodded with a sigh. "I don't want to tell him that we're worried about Hoshiko... but you're right, it may be the only sure way to get him to cooperate with me."

Diavolo nodded. "Let's go find him then."

They both left Diavolo's RAD office and went to the dining hall in search of the middle brother.

Satan was sitting at a corner table with a book in his hand as he ate.

Diavolo and Lucifer made a beeline for his table as soon as they spotted him.

Lucifer sat down right in front of Satan. "Hello, Satan."

Diavolo sat down next to Lucifer.

Satan sighed and sat up straight. "What do you want?"

"What do you know about omens and dreams?" Lucifer cut straight to the point.

Satan raised an eyebrow. "Dreams? Like, by way of divination?"

"Yes, I suppose."

"Well, it's not exactly a reliable source of divination. Most people don't even know a dream they've had has foretold the future until said future has already happened."

Lucifer nodded. "Well what about omens?"

Satan narrowed his eyes, now suspicious. "Why are you asking me about this?"

Lucifer glanced at Diavolo.

Diavolo motioned for him to continue.

Lucifer sighed and looked back at Satan. When he spoke again in was in a hushed tone.

"I believe I had a nightmare, but all I remember is Hoshiko screaming my name."

Satan's expression was akin to a grimace, but still conveyed a feeling of concern. Satan matched his volume to Lucifer's. "And they sounded scared?"

"They sounded terrified, they were calling to me for help. And it sounded so clear, I thought Hoshiko was actually in my room this morning."

Satan frowned. "What if Hoshiko was actually trying to contact you?"

Lucifer tilted his head slightly. "Pardon?"

"There's an old spell that allows the user to communicate with an intended target via telepathy. It's not used much anymore because of the rise of technology though."

Lucifer frowned at the thought of Hoshiko trying to contact him and only being able to scream. "Does Hoshiko even know that spell?"

"You know there's only one person besides Hoshiko who knows the answer to that question," Satan told him smugly.

Lucifer pursed his lips, suddenly annoyed. "I suppose I'll go call Solomon then."

"You can use my office for privacy," Diavolo offered.

Lucifer looked at him and nodded. "Thank you." He stood up.

Satan and Diavolo stood up as well.

Lucifer headed back to Diavolo's office and Satan and Diavolo followed him.

Lucifer looked back at them. "Are you two going to follow me and listen in on my phone conversation?"

"It is my duty as crown prince to know about everything that transpires in my kingdom," Diavolo told him diplomatically.

"Your concerns now have me concerned about Hoshiko," Satan told him.

"Right..." Lucifer responded to them, not fully believing their intentions to be that pure.

They all went back to Diavolo's office where Lucifer called Solomon, much to his chagrin.

Solomon answered cheerfully. "To what do I owe this pleasure, Lucifer?"

"Hello Solomon," Lucifer greeted politely. "I was hoping for some information about Hoshiko's magical studies."

"Hmm, that depends on your exact question," Solomon answered cryptically.

Lucifer rolled his eyes. "Right. Well I know of a spell that allows the user to speak with another telepathically. I was just wondering if Hoshiko had been taught that spell."

"Ah, yes. I have taught them that. I thought it could be useful in case of emergencies. Why do you ask?"

"I believe that Hoshiko may have tried to contact me in that fashion early this morning."

Solomon immediately dropped his cheerful demeanor, and took on a far more serious tone. "What did they say?"

"Nothing specific I'm afraid; they called my name and were asking for help. It woke me from my sleep."

"I see." Then Solomon hung up.

Lucifer looked at his DDD when the line went dead and scowled. "Well that was barely helpful..."

"What?" Diavolo asked.

"He hung up on me," Lucifer told him.

"But does Hoshiko know that spell?" Satan asked Lucifer.

Lucifer nodded. "Solomon told me that he taught it to Hoshiko in case of emergencies."

Satan nodded. "So now we just need to figure out where Hoshiko is."

"I think Solomon would be the best person to assist with that task," Diavolo commented.

"Then why did he just hang up on me?" Lucifer asked, clearly annoyed.

"Perhaps he went to go check on Hoshiko himself," Diavolo suggested.

"It would be nice to know if he was," Lucifer huffed.

Diavolo opened his mouth to say something else but stopped, pursed his lips and looked toward the door.

Then Barbatos and Solomon both entered the office.

"That was quick," Diavolo told Solomon.

Solomon only nodded in response and then looked to Barbatos.

Diavolo looked at Barbatos as well, suddenly noticing how shaken he looked.

"Barbatos, what's wrong?" Diavolo asked, voice laced with empathy. He couldn't recall the last time he had seen Barbatos appear any way besides calm and collected.

Satan and Lucifer turned their attention to Barbatos as well, finally noticing what Diavolo had noticed.

Barbatos took a deep breath, willing himself to stay calm. "I apologize, my lords," he started, addressing all three of the demons present. "I just recently had the thought to check and see where Hoshiko was- is," he corrected himself. He looked Diavolo straight in the eyes. "Hoshiko is down here in the Devildom..."

"I knew it-" Diavolo interrupted, but Barbatos was quick to interrupt him in return.

"Diavolo," Barbatos spoke with urgency.

Diavolo was stunned silent, as far as he could remember, Barbatos hadn't called him by his first name since he was a young boy, and even those moments had been rare.

"Hoshiko was kidnapped and taken down to the eight circles," Barbatos told them all solemnly.

Everyone was quiet for a moment, shocked but otherwise unsure of how to react.

Diavolo crossed his arms and breathed deeply in a manner that commanded attention, and he got it from everyone in the room.

"Barbatos and I will travel to the eight circles to find and retrieve Hoshiko." He looked at Solomon. "While we are gone I want you to prepare every potion, salve, and tincture you know of that can heal physical wounds."

Solomon nodded. "I can do that. Where may I work?"

"You may work in the House of Lamentation, we generally keep supplies to create such potions," Lucifer told him.

"That will work," Diavolo approved. "Hoshiko will probably be most comfortable there anyways."

Lucifer nodded in agreement.

Diavolo looked at Satan. "You want to come with Barbatos and I, dont you?"

Satan nodded quickly, anxiety fueling his actions. "Yes, I do."

"You may go if, and only if, you can keep your temper in check. We are going there to retrieve Hoshiko, they are the priority."

"I understand. I can focus on that."

"Be sure that you do, I will not hesitate to send you back if you lose your cool," Diavolo warned.

Satan only nodded, understanding that the gravity of the situation didn't allow for any argument or mistakes.

Diavolo looked at Lucifer, an apologetic look suddenly painted his face.

Lucifer looked at him and frowned. "You don't want me to go," he said, seemingly having read Diavolo's mind.

Diavolo shook his head. "I need you to prepare your brothers for how Hoshiko may return and to keep them from following after us. They're too reckless to allow them all to go down there when Hoshiko is involved."

Lucifer nodded. "I understand completely, I will do that."

Diavolo gripped Lucifer's shoulder. "Thank you. I greatly appreciate it."

Lucifer nodded.

Diavolo looked at Barbatos and Satan. "Alright, let's get going."

"Ah, wait!" Solomon asked as he pulled off his cloak.

Everyone looked at him.

Solomon closed his eyes and whispered an enchantment into the folds of his cloak, then looked at Barbatos and handed it off to him. "When you find Hoshiko, wrap them in this. It might not help much to shield their psyche from... down there, but it should help."

Barbatos nodded as he took the cloak. "Thank you."

"Thank you, Solomon," Diavolo told him. He looked at Satan and Barbatos again. "Let's go."

They nodded and left with Diavolo.

Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18

[whatifxwereyou]

The Oncoming Storm Part 27: Untangling

Liu Kang x Reader and Kung Lao x Reader (gonna do both, two paths!)

Relaxing(?) with Chen and taking some time for yourself... and things are uh... interesting, to say the least.

The choice is like 3-4 posts away- and I just wanted to give you a heads up that it won't be an overt "i choose so and so" choice. It will be a... seemingly monotonous choice that will lead you, dear reader, down a path to end up with one or the other! Do you guys want me to label which choice goes where? I mean it'll be obvious after the next parts are up which one is which SO I guess it doesn't matter?? Just figured I'd ask! Smooches.

Part 26 Part 28 Chapter Index

You left Kung Lao to rest and decided afterward to relax in the hot springs. Your body was sore, even more so after having gone toe to toe with a second monster. At least the second monster hadn’t tossed you around like a ragdoll the way the first one had. Still, you were sore. You made your way to the springs, rinsed off in the changing room, found a towel, and then walked inside. It was peaceful and there were only a handful of other people there.

You explored the pools a bit further back in hopes of finding some peace and quiet. Thankfully, your time in the springs in Huangshan hadn’t ruined this for you. They were so drastically different.

Peace and quiet were exactly what you’d been granted for a time.

Resting your head back against the natural stone formations, you let your sore body bask in the warmth of the water. It was enough to clear your thoughts of the word ‘monster’ being so frequent in your vocabulary and both the men that you’d left with fevers in their respective rooms.

It was no wonder that you drifted to sleep so quickly. Your sleep wasn’t restful though. You kept seeing flashes of the nightmare you’d had before you’d crawled into Liu’s bed that night. Then you saw the man with the horns, his white eyes staring into yours, and you felt the pain of his hand in your chest.

There was a splash next to you and you sat upright quickly, fists clenched at the ready for a fight. Chen was looking at you in surprise. You sighed with relief and relaxed. Chen and a few of the other women from the infirmary, as well as two of the cooks that you’d met a handful of times were getting into the water alongside you. You had tried to get to know the people you interacted with every day if not just a little bit. They worked hard and you wanted them to feel appreciated.

“It’s good to see you back, Y/N!” One of the younger girls chimed in and then went about chatting to the woman next to her animatedly. You greeted them politely and then rested your head back against the stone. Chen sat close to you. So much for peace. Even so, you smiled. Chen pestered you sure, but she was also a delight to talk to. Your smile faded quickly as you remembered the last conversation you had.

“How are you feeling?” Chen asked discreetly. You sat upright and covered your bruised neck as Chen made to poke at it. It was still sore. “I’m guessing that’s not from anything fun, huh?”

“Definitely not something fun.” You sunk down so that your neck was in the water, to hide, and Chen giggled. “I’m fine, by the way. Just tired. I haven’t been sleeping well the past few nights.” You hadn’t, you supposed. There had been nightmares and then you and Kung Lao had gotten about four hours of sleep before you’d had to roll out of bed to go and meet Raiden. The women stared at you with rapt attention as if expecting an exciting reason for you to have not been sleeping.

“Because…?” Chen urged you onward hopefully and you splashed at them.

“I am so not in the mood, Chen.”

Chen and the other women laughed. “It’s all in good fun, Y/N. I know that things were crazy for you in Japan. I’ve heard you had quite the adventure.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah! One of Raiden’s scribes overheard Kung Lao recounting your adventure with that tar thing.”

“Are you all gossips?”

“Look, it can be really boring here sometimes while those with the marks are off going on adventures and protecting the world. We’re here to protect you so I feel like in return we get to live vicariously through you. Is that so much to ask?” Chen had her chest puffed out proudly and you bowed your head and gestured toward her friends.

“My apologies, gossip away.”

“I was promised more information after you’d ditched Liu Kang. Define complicated please.”

The eyes of the other monks were on you, as curious but less forward than Chen. You bet it was so they could all update their little betting pool appropriately and you narrowed your eyes at them. “I will no gossip about myself. Especially not in front of everyone. No offense, guys.”

“Boo! You’re no fun, Y/N! There must be something steamy you’re not sharing with me. I swear that I interrupted something that morning with Liu Kang. I’ve thought about it on repeat since you left.” Chen poked your shoulder and the other women agreed with her, so you held your face in your hands to hide your embarrassment. Your skin was officially hotter than the spring water. They were whispering about what Chen had seen and it was much more dramatic than what had actually happened.

If they only knew that Chen hadn’t been completely wrong with her assumptions. Liu had asked you to stay in bed with him. Ugh, you wished that you had.

“Oh, stop picking on Y/N, guys. We have plenty to gossip about and she deserves to relax. She’s all bruised up, look at her.” One of the younger girls came to your defense and you were relieved.

They seemed eager to talk about whatever other gossip they’d picked up in the temple. You tuned most of it out as much as you could. You’d always struggled with gossip. Most of your life you’d been gossiped about, and it had never been in a good way. You didn’t like making other people feel like they were being talked about behind their back. You supposed it made you bottle everything inside which wasn’t exactly healthy either. No one was perfect. The kind of gossip that these monks were involved in didn’t bother you as much. It seemed harmless. No one’s feelings were getting hurt.

You listened to the hum of conversation. Apparently, one of the groups of monks who had gone into the closest town to pick up goods had gotten themselves into a bit of trouble with one of the women there. The story was ridiculous, and you wondered if this was how they talked about you when you weren’t around. It probably sounded just as absurd. It was funny. At least the gossip seemed distant from the truth. Unless this was the truth and, in that case, you felt terribly sorry for the woman and the monk who had gotten into trouble with her husband.

They were terrible monks.

The group drifted in the water until they were out of earshot, and you were grateful for the peace. You almost managed to fall asleep again but instead you felt Chen lifting your arm out of the water to check your pulse. You peeked one eye open and found Chen smiling at you.

“Still feeling okay? You’re pretty pale.”

“You can relax, Chen. You don’t always have to be on call. I’m fine. Really.”

“I work extra hard to make up for all the gossip.”

“I’m really okay. Just tired. I’m probably going to go back to my room and sleep soon. Less risk of drowning if I pass out there.” Only marginally less, you thought. You’d almost drowned yourself in ink the other night.

“Aww, not going to regale me with any stories of danger and romance?”

“I don’t know if I’m emotionally up to discussing the danger and romance, as you call it.”

“Why not?”

“It’s… a lot. It’s escalated in complication. I’m mixed up right now. I think my discussion needs to be more… mental.” You realized, suddenly, that Chen had weaseled you into talking about it.

“Oh? Going to make a decision soon?”

“You’re such a sneak. You know that, right?”

“Do go on.” Chen batted her eyelashes happily, resting her elbow against the stone.

“Yeah, yeah. It’s time to make a choice. I’ve got to… sort it out. I have to talk to them about it or just… make an honest move. It scared me for a while, but it needs to happen. No matter what happens next? I have to stop kissing both of them but there’s so much conflict in my heart…”

“Oh, hold on, excuse me? You’ve kissed them both? Y/N! You have been holding out on me!”

“Could you please lower your voice.” You sat up higher in alarm. “You’re completely missing the point that I was making.” You scooted further back from the other monks and Chen followed you. Your face was on fire again and the water was too hot.

“I need details immediately.” Chen’s eyes were filled with glee. “Which one of them kisses better? Are they good kisses? When did this happen? Has this happened more than once? Was there tongue? Did you do more than kissing?”

“Oh, for the love of all that you believe in, please stop!” You laughed and held your hands out in a panic to try and silence Chen. “I’m begging you to lower your voice.”

Chen cackled with laughter and pointed at your red face in amusement. You waited for Chen to get herself together. It took an awkwardly long amount of time. Chen cleared her throat and then straightened her posture as if she had to prepare herself to have a conversation. “Okay. Sorry. Yes, continue. That was delightful. What is it that has you so mixed up?” Besides the fact that they were both gorgeous? Besides the fact that their kisses and their touches literally took your breath away? That they both filled you with a deep and desperate longing that made you want to rip your insides out and offer them as sacrifice?

Liu Kang was the proverbial spark. You’d never once been drawn to another human being the way that you were drawn to him. It was like your bodies called to one another and as silly as you felt for thinking it, it was also true. Kung Lao, however, was your childhood love, but all grown up and while he was a complete mess, he was also romantic as hell. It wasn’t the same attraction you shared with Liu, but your attraction was different and just as wonderful.

“You’re just going to make fun of me.”

“You were quiet for a long time there. Getting lost in memories of kisses?”

“See?”

“Of course I’m going to make fun of you, Y/N, but I will also try to be a good friend.”

“You’re also going to just tell everyone else about it.”

“…true.”

“Ugh.”

“You could still tell me. I promise I’ll twist it enough that no one will quite believe me.”

“I’m… I just…” You sighed in frustration, mussed your hair, and then decided to just go for it. It would make Chen happy to get something of substance from you and maybe putting it out into the universe would offer you some reflection. Chen was hanging on your every word. “I have this crazy attraction to Liu. Plus, he’s so sweet and funny and smart. He holds me in such reverence and it’s going to sound so crazy cheesy but he’s made of fire in just about every way and… ugh he calls me beautiful and…” You whined and leaned your head back against the stone and felt your insides tighten up just at the thought. This hadn’t helped.

Chen was fanning herself.

“Hard to beat that. When was this steamy, fiery kiss…?”

“You are fishing for more information than I’m willing to give you.”

“You can’t blame me for trying. So, what’s the hang up with Lao then? I’ve seen you with Liu. You two are natural together.”

“Like I said, it’s complicated. I… ugh, I am bad at this. I hate this, Chen. I hate talking about it.”

“I know. It’s the worst. I wish you were drunk. You’d go on about it.”

“I kind of wish I was drunk too.”

“Raiden said no liquor for now.” Chen was disappointed. “Focus. Lao. Tell me.”

“We… it’s complicated, okay? We butt heads but he’s so damn nostalgic and surprisingly sweet when he’s not… trying to be. It’s hard to explain why I’m hung up on it because it’s… emotional? When he kissed me? The world disappeared. It makes me think that maybe if we hadn’t lost touch, if he hadn’t disappeared, then we probably would have been together from the beginning. It’s not any less magnetic, just different. Lao and I are very alike. Liu balances me out.” You sighed and briefly forgot that you were talking to the biggest gossip that you had ever met. “I care deeply for them both. I don’t want to hurt either of them, but I can’t take the emotional turmoil of bouncing back and forth between them anymore. And it’s not fair to any of us.”

“Wow, this is actually eating you up inside. I thought you were just being ridiculous to avoid telling me dirty details.” Chen seemed impressed and you turned your attention to her in surprise. Of course, it was eating you up inside! How could it not? “You’re really not going to just get them super drunk and then get spit roasted by both and have a wild night none of you will remember?”

You choked on your own spit and then coughed, leaning out of the water and onto the stone to escape the heat of the springs. Chen patted you on the back but laughed. “I have to look at and talk to them every day, Chen!”

“Have fun picturing that for the rest of your life.”

“Oh, I hate you right now.” You laughed, but the mental image was there, and Chen was right. It would live in your brain rent free for the rest of your life.

“You’ll be fine, Y/N. Just follow your heart and please get laid. Then get drunk and give me all those dirty details.”

“I’m so glad that I’m asking you for advice.” You managed to clear your windpipe, finally. “That was sarcasm. Sorry, choked up.” You shook the mental image away again. Your morning with Liu Kang hadn’t helped that mental image at all. “I’ll figure it out. I’m at a point where I’m ready to figure it out. But I think you’ve teased me enough. I’m going upstairs to get some rest because I am hotter than the springs now.”

“Good. Rest. You’re still pale when you’re not as red as I made you.”

“I plan too.”

“I hope you run into one of them and you can’t shake the mental image!” Chen called to you as you started out of the water, and you nearly slipped and fell back in.

“Goodbye, Chen.” You waved back to her and then bowed to the other monks before returning to the changing room, getting back into your clothes, and heading back to your room. Thankfully, you didn’t run into Liu Kang or Kung Lao. You hoped that they were still resting.

You threw yourself into bed and laid face down for a while, contemplating your options. It was kind of nice to think of how it might wind up. What were you complaining about? There were two incredibly attractive men chasing after your heart. Even so, it filled your stomach with anxiety and dread. You didn’t want to hurt either of them. You wished there were a reality where you could have them both but knew that would end messy too.

After changing into a nightshirt, you went to bed. You really were exhausted but your sleep wasn’t restful. You tossed and turned throughout the night, plagued with nightmares. When you opened your eyes, there was a silhouette of a horned man standing at the side of your bed. You struggled to move, to blink, but you were paralyzed by fear. Breathing was difficult and he leaned over you and reached for your throat. His face was shadow with the exception of a wicked white smile. You felt like he held you down, pinned to your bed, pushing you further into it.

Your body ached.

You were seeing spots, unable to breathe. No matter how you tried, you couldn’t fight it. It was like sleep paralysis. You’d read about it, but it also felt real. He was closer to you, inches from your face, and his clawed hand rested over your cheek.

Then suddenly you were free of the grip that held you prisoner, that had trapped you in bed. You were alone and gasped for struggled breaths. Panicked, you crawled out of bed, collapsing onto the floor and bursting into sobs. Ink spilled from your hands, staining the floor. You struggled to stop shaking and push yourself up, catching your breath.

Then you froze in horror.

Strands of ink were spread across your room from wall to wall, floor to ceiling, creating an elaborate and dangerous web.

What the actual hell?

What had you done?

How had you done it?

Reaching out with a shaky hand, you brushed your fingers over the thick web of ink and pulled your hand back immediately. It had been solid and sharp, slicing the tip of your finger.

You trembled with fear and leaned as far against the bed as you could press your body. You tried to get up, to will yourself to move, but instead it felt like your lungs were being squeezed by invisible hands. Your fingers were curling up and you pulled them close to your chest. Closing your eyes, you tried to take deep breaths to calm down but you could barely exhale.

You’d filled your room with ink in your sleep.

That had to have been a vision, but it hadn’t been the future or the past. It had been of that thing in your room with you, hovering over you. What, was this some Catholic-style possession? Maybe finding the artifacts had been a mistake.

You laid on the floor, stretching out into child’s pose to try and help yourself calm down, to breathe. This moment mattered. Not the nightmare. Not the vision. Not the fear.

Just the moment.

You would be okay.

After an agonizingly long time, you felt your heart finally slowing down. Your fingers uncurled and you were able to sit upright. Your head was spinning but you could at least think without the screaming adrenaline of panic.

You couldn’t get out of your room with the ink like this.

The strands were too closely knit together. Pushing your hair back, still shaking, you held it away from your face and tried to think. You’d trapped yourself in the room. But you’d made the ink so maybe you could unmake it too. Holding your palm close to the nearest strand of ink, you closed your eyes and focused. It wouldn’t move and your whole body was shaking.

Your brain was buzzing with panic still. You tried again and were thrown back against the bed, but the ink was gone in a blink. Your hands were aching like you’d been punched right in the palms. They were dark and bruised. But you’d done it. The ink was gone.

Wrapping your arms around your knees, you pressed yourself against the bed.

You had to get a hold of yourself.

What the fuck had just happened?

There was a knock at your door, and you whined, buried your face against your knees, and then took a deep breath. You felt like you could vomit but you managed to get yourself up, vomit free, and made your way to the door. Shaky on your feet, you recognized the monk on the other side. He kept guard outside of Raiden’s chambers. He bowed to you politely as the monks often did.

“Lord Raiden requests your presence.”

“I-I’ll be there in a few… few minutes. I just… I need to get dressed.” You tried not to sound like you had been hysterically sobbing only a few minutes ago. The monk didn’t seem to notice. He bowed and walked away to deliver your message. You leaned against the door after he’d left, taking shaky breaths. You had to calm down.

Liu Kang would have had you meditate so you decided to do just that. You sat on your prayer mat and closed your eyes. Deep breaths. Grounding exercises. You could hear his comforting voice in your head, guiding you along.

In truth, you just wanted to be held.

[inonibird]

Sahuldeem/Kaleesh Q&A #6

Holy shit, a backlog of asks to address! Let’s DO it! (questions bold; answers italic) — I love all your Kaleesh stuff so much aaaaaa. Have you ever played Star Wars the Old Republic? Thoughts on Xalek? Thank you! I’ve never actually played it, but I’ve watched clips of Xalek interactions and he seems like a swell fellow, all [Sith] things considered. Curious if anyone’s written in-depth about him, fanfic or otherwise! More Kaleesh content, please and thank you. <3

Who’s your favorite original character from Sahuldeem? Ooooh, that’s a doozy. Hmm. Can’t pick just one. In terms of characters y’all have met so far in the story, I’d say Jindra is a personal favorite, if partially for the fact that she’s one of the most-developed. There’s another enjoyable minor Kaleesh original character who will arrive in the next part. We have quite a while before we meet my favorite original character overall, who we will not see until Part SIX of Sahuldeem (and who plays a rather important role for such a late showing). And then, yeah, okay, not an ORIGINAL character, but I think my absolute favorite character to write for is the insufferably snarky sassy smugness that is Chairman San Hill of the InterGalactic Banking Clan. God I want to punch him so badly. He’s great. Can’t wait for him to show up.

I noticed Sahuldeem hasn't dropped the name Qymaen just yet... Does he ever formally forsake it, or does it just get to the point where he doesn't have anyone to be on a first-name basis with and his forename just... fades into irrelevance? Short answer? No. Long answer? No, and also sort of yes, but not really, because it’s sad and complicated and you’ll just have to wait and see.

So, Huk is also the home planet of the Yam’rii. How did the Kaleesh even hear the word, much less come to associate it with the Yam’rii themselves, to the point it means soulless insect? Oh, boy. Yes. Exactly. It is the most ridiculous part of Kaleesh/Yam’rii “established canon” and something I almost immediately said “yeah no” to; it’s one the few flat-out changes I made for this fic. Within the universe of Sahuldeem, “Huk” is purely a Kaleesh word meaning “soulless bug” and NOT the name of the Yam’rii home planet (which I haven’t referred to by name in the story, but might as well simply be “Yam’rii”). And that’s it. Otherwise you’d have to assume that somehow Huk is a word both in Yam’rii and Kaleesh and just happens to mean what it means in Kaleesh and—yeah, no, that’s nonsensical. I don’t care. No. Bad.

Is fashioning kakmusmal from the skulls of other Kaleesh unheard of? I’m sure it’s taboo, but has anyone ever crossed that line? Way, WAY back in the day such things were done (like prehistorically speaking, before certain theological practices were finessed and upheld), but at least for the past few thousand years, yes, calling it “taboo” would be accurate. That’s not to say it HASN’T been done recently, but such a person would be considered a sociopathic monster.

Something something, Ronderu is taller than Qymaen, something something, I wonder how often Grievous thinks about how that wouldn’t be true anymore You assume Grievous thinks about such things post-crash…

Were any Force-sensitive Kaleesh discovered by the Jedi during the Bitthævrian War? Personally, I think that the relatively small number of Kaleesh that the Jedi would have encountered/exploited during the Bitthævrian War would mean that the sample size simply wouldn’t be enough to include a Force-sensitive individual, since such a thing IS pretty rare on Kalee. But that would be a heck of a fanfic. ;)

We know Shahulla was taken alive— is it possible she’s survived this long? Certainly possible. But I can confirm she’s out of the picture.

How did you go about designing your (iconic!) versions of Qymaen and Ronderu, since they differ visually slightly from the only canon images we have? I don’t think I changed them TOO much, but, uh, thank you for thinking of them as iconic! I took cues from the official Kaleesh art out there + the only art of Ronderu we have + various concept art of Qymaen, made my own lazy shortcuts when it came to costume design (since I was thinking this might end up being a comic, aka, oh-god-simplify-this-shit), and picked out some clear key colors for each of them (bluish-grey + red for Ronderu, gold/beige/brown for Qymaen). Ah, and I think I mentioned before that I was just looking to design something “different” than what we saw in concept art when it came to Qy’s hair. Still probably my favorite part about drawing him!

(oops, made myself sad)

When is Part Three coming? Haha, joke’s on YOU, no one actually asked me this!! …I’m still answering. Part Three is the hardest part to write (it was also originally the hardest part to script), and I’m STILL struggling to get past the more challenging aspects (between staging space battles and the overall more grim tone). I’ve got a schedule drafted up to see how long it will take to post what I have already written, and…though part of me is worried I’ll catch up to myself too quickly, even with a biweekly posting schedule, I also recognize that giving myself deadlines is going to help me push forward instead of wallowing in the uncertainty of some of these chapters. So, ASSUMING I can haul myself out of this rut, it’s possible I may start posting by the end of the month. And possibly no longer on Friday. Stay tuned and thanks for your patience. Hopefully it will be worth the wait~

[tinyboxxtink]

"...So I Married A Monster" *Chapter 6*

Note I was going to put a 'rough sex' gif under the cut for Lewis's shot, but I don't know if people want that. So here's a scared Rafael for your...pleasure?

Chapter 5

Chapter 7

Alright SO I posted a warning post earlier, but obviously I'm gonna put one here too.

This is probably the most graphic, dark chapter I've ever written for any story. With rape.

Please read at your own discretion.

Also it's a pretty short chapter, but trust me-- you wouldn't want it any longer. But I wrote another sweet short fluffy chapter after this one to make up for it.

@madamsnape921

@lolliepopsicle

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@milkshqke

@wanniiieeee

@gibbs274

@sassyada

@aprildecker-blog

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

You did your best to keep calm and keep Billy happy as he aggressively groped at you with his hands, ripping off your shirt and then your bra before tossing you on the bed. Before all of this, you would have been super excited about the events transpiring. If there was one thing you and Billy were great at, it was sex. But somehow, this time it felt...different.

You didn’t know why, it didn’t make any sense to you. This was the same man, it was the same situation, he knew all your special places and you knew his. There were so many nights after he left you and the girls that you would dream about this moment, wishing for it so badly. But now that it was here, it almost felt...wrong.

“What’s wrong sweetie, you look like you’re somewhere else,” Billy stopped hungrily nibbling your neck to look into your eyes.

You used to look into those eyes and see such warmth and comfort, such lust and wanting. You had even told Rafael that you were still in love with Billy, so why didn’t you feel like it? Had they just been words? Words to hurt him because he hurt you by choosing Olivia?

Right now, that’s sure what it felt like. It felt like you were...cheating, on Rafael. Which was stupid, because you had literally just broken up with him. Didn't you? That’s what ‘done’ meant, right? Surely you had meant it in that moment; surely you meant it.

But now you weren’t sure.

“Hello, earth to Y/N!” Billy’s voice grew more agitated as he flicked you across the temple. He had never been so quick to anger before, you didn’t like this one bit.

“S-Sorry, baby,” You quickly put on a smile as your hand travelled down to his jeans, unhooking his belt. “It’s just been a day,”

“Oh, I know sweetheart,” He quickly changed his tune as soon as he felt you fondling with his belt. He helped you undo it and pulled off his jeans. You could feel his throbbing erection against your thigh.

“But daddy’s about to make it all better, I promise,” He gave you a sly grin.

You felt one hand wrap around your head and pulled it into his face even more aggressively than before. He began tugging at your hair as he attacked your neck and shoulders with hard, assertive bites. You remembered the sex between you two being rough, but you didn’t seem to recall it ever being this rough.

"Don't you like that, babe?" He asked as his mouth moved down your torso, pulling off your jeans this time.

"Mmmhmm…." You tried faking it as well as you could, feeling more and more uncomfortable the lower his mouth moved.

"Y'know, you used to be a LOT louder than this when we'd get down and dirty, baby girl," he observed while he moved to the end of the bed, ready to plunge inside you.

"Well Billy, the kids are in the next room," you thought of a plausible excuse as to why you weren't your "usual" self.

"Oh, makes sense," He nodded with a smile as he started chowing down on you like a sloppy dog.

You wanted to enjoy it, you tried to enjoy it, but you were accustomed to Rafael's sweet love making, he was so gentle with his tongue along your folds, taking time to enjoy every little moan and pleasure noise you made.You could often feel him smiling inside you while he gently lapped you up. You wished so badly you were with him right now. How had you fucked this up so badly?

Why didn't you listen to Rafael when he told you about Billy? Why had you not trusted him more? Why did you just react erratically just because you were mad at him? You should have thought it through, you should have heard him out. You should have--

"Alright now you're not even reacting Y/N, where the fuck are you?" Billy demanded.

"O-Oh I'm sorry Billy its just been--"

"A day. I know. You know I had a stressful fucking day too Y/N, having to deal with that prick ADA--- Wait," His eyes suddenly narrowed, he moved his face away from near your opening and looked you in the eyes, his glare in full effect.

Shit.

"Is that who you're thinking of right now? That fucking beaner?" He asked in an accusatory tone.

"He's Cuban not Mexican…." You muttered with a roll of your eyes.

"You really wanna get fucking cute with me right now, bitch?" He acted as if he was going to back hand you, but stopped himself.

"Billy!" You gasped. He had never been vulgar to you before.

"No, no Billy," He growled, pulling your naked body towards him.

"You're gonna stop thinking about that asshole right FUCKING now. I'm your goddamn husband, NOT him. I get to have you whenever I want and I want ALL of you. All of your attention, all of your fucking body. Do you understand me?" He snarled, practically drooling with rage.

"Y-Yes Billy," you tried not to start crying, now fully scared out your mind

"Good. Now flip over, I can't fucking look at you right now," He ordered you.

You flipped over to let him do doggie style but he started going in the wrong hole.

"Billy! What the fuck?" You tried not to yell.

"Well if you're gonna act like a whore thinking about other men than your husband, then I'm gonna fucking treat you like one. I'm gonna do what I want, and you're gonna shut up and take it. Got it?"

"B-Billy, please…." You pleaded with him. "Y-You know the last time we tried…"

"I don't give a FUCK, Y/N," He barked angrily. "I stopped last time because I didn't want to hurt you, because I loved you and you loved me. But now you've hurt me, so you're gonna hurt. REAL BAD," He barely rubbed some spit on his dick before he rammed it up your asshole.

You grabbed a pillow and screamed in pain, howling and trying to wriggle free from him. But he kept his hands wrapped tight around your stomach as he pumped rough and hard as fast as he could, getting off on the pain he was causing you, both mental and physical.

You tried to think of anything other than the pain, but it was so bad you could only cry and continue to scream into the pillow. It was worse than both times you went through labor, and that was saying something.

You prayed to God it would stop soon, he seemed to go on forever and ever. He was cackling softly as he felt you vibrating from the pain.

"Yeah, bet your fucking ADA didn't do you like this did he? What would he do if he saw you now? Hmmm….maybe we should find out,"

Your head snapped from out under the pillow at his threat. You saw him reaching for your phone that he had dropped next to your bed as he carried you into the bedroom.

"Oh God" You practically choked out, unable to speak from the pain. "N-n-no, Billy d-d-don't…"

"Oops would ya look at that I already did," Lewis shrugged with an evil smile.

----

Rafael was busy helping Olivia plan a rescue mission/battle plan when his phone went off. A FaceTime call request from you. He was absolutely terrified to answer it, but he had to answer it. He had to. As soon as he did, he wished he hadn't.

"Hey there Barba'' Lewis panted, a maniacal smile on his face. "You're missing all the fun!"

He could see Lewis had you pinned to the bed, shoving in and out of you forcefully. Your head was shoved into a pillow, to keep from screaming he imagined. He didn't know if he wanted you to look at him or not. He was watching you get raped, and he wanted to vomit.

Olivia noticed the horrified look on his face and stopped talking with the squad.

"Rafa are you-- ohmygod!" She instantly saw the revolting scene on his phone and immediately started pushing him into an interrogation room.

"Nobody needs to see this," Olivia started to shut the door but not before Lewis got to shout "NICE TO SEE YOU TOO DETECTIVE!!" At her.

Rafael was trying his best not to start sobbing; he didn't want to give Lewis the satisfaction. But the more he heard your muffled whimpers and screams of pain, the more he couldn't hold it back anymore.

"Lewis let her go," he begged. "Please I'll do anything you want, just let her go…."

"Well see Barba that's the problem," Lewis smirked. "I want Y/N to--" he suddenly stopped pumping you, feeling your body go limp. He angled the phone downward to reveal blood coming out of your anus and starting to cover the bed. You had passed out from the pain.

"Sorry Barba I'm gonna have to call you back, I have a situation," Lewis half laughed while wiping your blood off his dick.

"What the fuck-- LEWIS!!!" He screamed. "You better be calling a FUCKING ambulance!"

"Chill Barba, I'm sure she's fine. Just a little boo boo. I'll shove some toilet paper up there and she'll be good as new!" Lewis dismissed it, taking a pillow and putting it under your legs so the blood would at least attempt to stay in.

“Good ol’ RICE,” Lewis smirked, thinking of the old term they used in gym class back in the day. ‘Rest Immobilize Cold Elevate’.

“Now if I can get an ice pack from the freezer and tape it there…” Lewis thought out loud.

"Fuck you if you don't call one I will send one, I know exactly where you are" Rafael was losing his patience with him.

"NO, you're not," Lewis warned. "I'm not about to scare my girls by having cops and ambulances showing up here with all the bells and whistles,"

"She's going to DIE, asshole!!!" Rafael continued to scream. "You think your daughters won't notice THAT?"

"Look if she doesn't wake up in a few minutes I'll take her to an Urgent Care, tell 'em she liked it a little TOO rough, Kay?" He said flippantly.

"The fuck you will--" Rafael started to tell again but Lewis put the phone up to his face real nice and close.

"If you send ANYONE here Barba, she'll bleed out before you can touch her," He warned.

"Lewis…" Rafael was shaking. "Don't you love her? You told her you did, don't you care about her at all?"

"Of course I love her!" He snapped. "I'll always love her, she's the mother of my children. That creates a bond, greater than the two of you will ever have,"

"So why are you---"

"Because she needed to be reminded of that bond." Lewis explained. "She was thinking about you while WE were being intimate. I can't let shit like that slide, Barba," Lewis explained while gesturing to your unconscious body. He removed the pillow from your head so Rafael could the tear stained splotches on your face from screaming and crying so hard. Your face was almost white, he wasn’t even sure you were breathing.

"No…." Rafael's voice fell soft.

You had been thinking of him? Wishing you were with him? While Lewis was...having his way with you? He had caused this, he had caused your pain. You were being punished for simply loving him, and that broke his heart even more than it already was.

"You have a nice night there, counselor, ta!" Lewis's evil chuckle came through the screen before it went black.

The image of your body laying there unconscious and bleeding was going to be forever burned into Rafael's mind. He had to do something. SOMETHING.

He bursted out of the interrogation room where the team was still discussing strategy. Olivia immediately went to his side, knowing what he had just been through.

"Liv we--" he tried to stop from crying and compose himself. "We have to go there. We have to get her. We HAVE to,"

"Okay, Okay Rafa," Olivia tried to calm him down while the rest of the squad looked on in shock. They had zero idea what was happening.

"We'll go get her, it'll be okay," She assured him while trying to get him to calm down.

He hoped they wouldn't be too late.

[spine-buster]

The President Wears Prada (William Nylander) | Chapter 35

A/N:  Alright folks...here she is: the last chapter.  To say that I love all of you so much and appreciate with my entire life every like, reblog, comment, tag comments, canon question, ask, etc. would be an understatement.  You guys TRULY make my stories what they are and encourage me to write and post every single week.  From the bottom of my heart, thank you thank you thank you ❤️

Like with all my stories, there will be epilogues for Aberdeen and Willy so we see into their future.  I’m not sure how many I have planned -- probably three right now, thinking of four, depending on how I split things up.  

After the epilogues are posted, I will be starting my new Brock Boeser mini-series “Peaceful Easy Feeling”.  Stay tuned for a post date -- check my Masterlist for future reference.

Without further ado...

August 31st, 2020

Aberdeen Bloom was looking into William’s eyes.

They were getting Korean walnut cakes from Hodo Kwaja.  They were out in the open.  Alone on Bloor Street West, in Little Korea, where no-one would recognize him.  He convinced her.  She couldn’t hold back anymore.  She’d tried so hard and she’d succeeded for months – fuck, the better part of a year at this point – and now, she just wanted to have a date out in the open with her boyfriend instead of having to drive to some park on the lakeshore in Etobicoke to secretly hook up in his car.  

“These better be good,” William said as he looked away briefly at the shop owner making a new batch of cakes behind the glass wall.  Even though they were both wearing masks, Aberdeen could tell he was smirking.  “When you say bean paste…”

“I promise you,” she stressed.  “They’re amazing.”

“You wanna bring them to Christie Pitts after?” William asked, reaching for her hand.

Aberdeen nodded.  This was the first time he’d reached for her hand in a public place.  She’d always remember Hodo Kwaja as the place now.  They could never close or tear this bakery down.  “We can eat them under a tree or something.”

“Romantic.”

“I try to be,” she said.  “Especially with my boyfriend.”

“Especially when we’re out in public.”

She crinkled her face.  So did William.  He pulled her into his body and wrapped an arm around her.  They were silent for a few moments before William decided to speak again.  “You should try calling Beth,” he whispered, his voice low.  “You said Alec wouldn’t get back to you, but Beth might.  She’d let you know whether or not they chose to publish the article.”

A shiver ran up Aberdeen’s spine.  “Maybe I’ll email her or something,” she said.  “Alec’s silence speaks volumes though.  I don’t think—”

“Fuck that guy,” William interrupted.  “Call Beth.  Call her.  Maybe she rooted for you.”

The shopkeeper handed Aberdeen the brown bag full of walnut cakes, and she paid for them.  She grabbed at William’s hand and their fingers intertwined before leaving the shop.  “I just think I would have known by now,” Aberdeen mused.  “I mean, the new issue will hit newsstands soon.  Usually they’d tell the writers.”

“Call her,” William urged.  “You’ll never know if you don’t call.”

They walked down the street hand in hand.  It was dusk outside, the hot and humid air of the city finally giving way to a nice breeze that cooled everything down.  Aberdeen’s dress swayed back and forth as they walked towards Christie Pitts, switching subjects to the next bakery they should try.  William made Aberdeen laugh recounting the story of how much Cam loved the Swedish pastries he brought the family during his surprise Christmas visit.  Aberdeen’s heart swelled when William brought her hand up to his lips and kissed where the ring was – the ring he got her, which she’d been wearing ever since.  

As they passed by all the different storefronts – most closed, saved for a few convenience stores or 24 hour laundromats – they both noticed a loading truck parked by the curb with two men going in and out of it, hauling new magazines and the next day’s newspapers into the shop.  William made them stop.  He watched them for a few seconds.

“What are you doing?” Aberdeen asked him.

“Excuse me, sir?” he ignored her, instead calling out to one of the men hauling in the newspapers.  The man looked at him.  “Are those next month’s magazine issues?”

“Of course they are.”

“William—”

“Do you have the new issue of Toronto Life?”

“William—”

“We’ve got everything in the truck, bud,” the other man said, setting down a huge stack of Vogue magazines all bundled together.  “Either you wait or you jump in there yourself to get it.  

William looked between the truck and the men.  He let go of Aberdeen’s hand abruptly.  Her eyes bulged out of their sockets.  “William what are you doing?!” she asked as she watched him climb into the back of the loading truck.

“What do you think?!” he called back out.  “It’ll be a good off-season workout finding the stack!”

“William!” she repeated for what felt like the umpteenth time.

“Oh!  They’re right here!  They’re covered but…” he trailed off.  Aberdeen held her breath.  He emerged hauling a giant wrapped stack – you couldn’t see anything besides the white paper covering it and the plastic ties tying them all together.  He jumped off the back of the truck.  The two men were just watching him.  “You got scissors?” he asked them.

One of them handed him an exacto knife.  William cut off the plastic zipties.

“William, stop,” Aberdeen pleaded.  She wasn’t ready.  She wasn’t ready to know yet.  She had to psych herself up for the inevitable disappointment of not seeing her name on the cover, not seeing her article anywhere in the magazine, and she wasn’t given ample time to do that.  She knew William was being William – proud and spontaneous and excited on her behalf instead of riddled with anxiety and doubt and all the bad things one could be riddled by when their dream job was in their midst but definitely out of their grasp because of an asshole editor – but she needed time to process that she was going to be faced with a huge disappointment.  She needed time to process that she would have to keep looking for a writing job.

William could hear the fear in her voice.  He could sense her uncertainty and her anxiety about it all.  He stood up from his crouching position.  “Hey…” he said softly, taking a step towards her.  He grabbed her hand again and held it in his.  “Minskatt, don’t be nervous.”

“I need time to psyche myself up for not seeing my name on there,” she said.  She felt her phone buzzing aggressively through her purse but she decided to ignore it.  “It’s gonna hurt, Willy.”

He squeezed her hand tighter.  “Are you listening?”

The question they’d always ask each other.  “Yes.”

“Remember what you told me before and after the bubble?  That no matter what happened, you’d love me no matter what?” he asked.  Aberdeen nodded her head.  “Whatever happens here…whether you got it or not…minskatt, I’ll love you no matter what.”

His words were so soothing.  And as always, they were so simple, but so perfect.  They immediately put her at ease despite all the anxiety she was feeling, that had rushed upon her within just minutes.  She nodded her head slightly as she squeezed his hand back.  “Can I open it?” he asked.

She nodded her head.  

He crouched down again and ripped open the packaging.  Aberdeen took a step forward and looked down to see the iconic red rectangle header.  And then the headline.

The Bubble Diaries: Aberdeen Bloom explores the characters, stories, and all-too-real tribulations inside the NHL’s Eastern hub.  

Aberdeen’s entire body jolted up, and she let out a short and quick scream as the bag of walnut cakes went flying.

Then she realized what this meant.

And she screamed at the top of her lungs.  

William’s eyes lit up as he heard the shriek – the entire city heard the shriek.  He watched as she started jumping up and down through more shrieks before he got up himself.  Aberdeen jumped on him – just fully and completely jumped into and onto him – and he caught her expertly in his arms as she shrieked in his ear.

“They did it!  THEY DID IT!” she screamed as he set her down.  She bent down to pick up a copy of the magazine and shrieked again as she held it in front of her.  Maybe this was a fever dream.  Maybe she was delirious.  Maybe the gratuitous walnut cake the bakery gave her to try before ordering was laced with some hallucinogenic and she was imagining things.

No.  That was her name attached to the article.  That was her name on the cover of Toronto Life magazine.

“You did it, minskatt,” William said as he reached up to her face to pull her mask down, planting a giant kiss on her lips.  The energy was radiating off of her.  She was a ball of sunshine, a star radiating energy bigger and better than anything in the universe.  “You did it.  I’m so proud of you.”

“I can’t believe it!  I can’t – oh – oh my GOD Willy!” she was still shocked.  “I—they—I’m published!  I’M PUBLISHED!”

“Your name is on the cover of a damn magazine, minskatt!” he giggled.  

“My name is on the cover of a damn magazine!” she repeated more emphatically, kissing him again.  “I can’t – I – oh my God – oh my God my phone is…” she trailed off, feeling her phone buzzing violently from her purse again.  

She pulled it out and saw Beth Zadakis’s name flash across the screen.  She immediately picked up.  “Beth!”

“Surprise,” she practically purred into the phone.  “I’m assuming you saw it just posted on our website?  Alec was overruled.  He knew he would be.  The way you wrote about the boys, Aberdeen…there’s no way we couldn’t publish it.”

“Thank you.  Thank you,” she stressed, putting her hand over her heart.  “From the bottom of my heart Beth, thank you.”

“You should celebrate, Aberdeen.  We’ll discuss the logistics of your new position with Toronto Life later,” she said.  “It’s not every day that a novice writer gets the lead cover story.  Pop a bottle of champagne.  I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

Aberdeen hung up.  She looked into William’s eyes.

She did it.

***

September 4th, 2020

Aberdeen walked into the MLSE offices like she was going to work.  Except she wasn’t.  

Brendan had called her in for one last meeting.  He didn’t say it would be their last, but both of them knew it would be their last.  It was bittersweet, of course.  Aberdeen had walked these halls for a year.  She’d walked in on the team nearly naked on her first day.  She’d tried to pick up a hockey bag and fell over.  She’d taken countless calls from very important people she had no idea existed before this job.  She’d gotten called out by her boss for being an idiot.  She’d walked Niklas Lidstrom through the halls to impress her boss.  She’d waited countless hours for jersey proofs.  She’d made friends.  She’d made enemies.  She’d learned the game of hockey.  She’d travelled countless miles up and down the steps and up and down the elevators to the ice, to the locker room, to the offices, and back and forth and back and forth and back and forth. 

She ran into her summertime hookup in the elevator on her first day.  She’d fallen in love with him in these hallways.

It all happened here.

When she approached the doors of Brendan’s office, and looked at her desk – well, now her former desk, she felt her heart flutter.  This was it.  She stepped into the doorway and saw him looking out his window.  She knocked.

He turned around, giving her the proudest smile she’d probably ever received from a boss.  She took off her mask so he could see her smiling too.  “Hi Brendan.”

“Aberdeen.  Sit,” he nodded towards the chairs.  This was where she cried and told him she’d been sexually harassed in the kitchen.  This was where he fired Ethan.  This was where he’d bared his soul to her after the Leafs lost to a Zamboni driver.  She took a seat.

“I’m so incredibly proud of you,” he said after looking at her for a few moments.  “What you’ve been able to accomplish in a year is outstanding, Aberdeen.”

“I would be remiss if I didn’t thank you,” she began.  “You had the biggest role to play in this by setting up that meeting in the first place.  None of this would have happened if it weren’t for you.”

Brendan shook his head.  “I didn’t write that article, Aberdeen.  You did,” he said sternly.  To think that he had the faith in her to put the meeting together in the first place, knowing she could pull it off, spoke volumes.  He was definitely her most powerful supporter.  “I keep reading and re-reading it and I find new things to admire every time.”

She smiled humbly.  “Thanks.”

Brendan paused for a moment.  “You know, Aberdeen…most people would have sold us out,” he said.  She nodded her head, understanding what he was getting at.  He knew – he knew the demands Alec put on her.  Beth must have told him, because she certainly didn’t say a word about it.  “It…it speaks absolute volumes to your character that they demanded that scoop for you but you refused to give it and instead relied on your talent to get you the job anyway.”

She nodded.  She could read between the lines.  “Thank you.”

“You’ve got some fucking guts on you, kid.”

They both giggled.  “I guess being around some gutsy hockey players did me some good this year,” she joked.

“I’ll say,” he said.  “All the boys know.  They love it.”

“I know.  I got texts from pretty much all of them.  Travis sent me a picture of his dogs reading it too.”

“That last night in the bubble, when I told you that you were the soul of this team, I meant it,” he said.  “And I don’t think…I don’t…well, I don’t think it was a big secret that William had a thing for you since that first day in the elevator.  And I know…well, I think we’re all aware the feeling is mutual.”

Aberdeen gulped.  She felt like she already died and got rigor mortis in that tiny amount of time.  So they were going to go there.  Brendan was bringing it up with absolutely no shame.  On her last day.  Last meeting.  She looked him in the eye.  “Am I safe to assume that nothing happened between the two of you in the year you were here?” Brendan asked.  

She could do it right now.

Be honest.  

She was leaving, after all.

And she had the job already.  

She looked Brendan right in the eyes.  

“No sir,” she shook her head.  “I…it was clear to me at the beginning too, and…and the feelings did grow on my end as well, I will admit that.”

“So the feeling is mutual, then.”

“Yes sir.”

“And I’m also correct to assume that once you leave these doors and employed by Toronto Life, you two will get together?”

She was already lying to the man she respected most in this world; there was no use in lying even more.  “Y—Yes.  I—I…” she hesitated.  She took a deep breath.  “William waited for me, Brendan.  He waited for me this entire time.  I don’t want to make him wait any longer.  I don’t want to wait any longer, either.”

Aberdeen didn’t know what she was expecting, but she definitely wasn’t expecting Brendan to smile.  “Understandable,” he said.  “I could see it at the Christmas party – William’s crush on you.  And I kept wondering to myself if he ever…well, you know, acted on it.  Told you, at least.”

“Didn’t need to tell me.  It was pretty apparent,” she smiled slightly.  “He wears his heart on his sleeve.  Well, at least for me.”

Brendan nodded his head.  There was a moment of silence between them.  “You’re welcome here whenever you want,” he said.  “In this office, in the arena, in the back – whenever.  You’re family now, Aberdeen.  And you’ll always be family.  I’ll make it a clause in the contracts all the future presidents sign that Aberdeen Bloom can come in and do whatever she wants in this building.”

She giggled slightly.  “Who are you kidding?  You’ll be the president of this hockey club ‘till the day you die.  Tanenbaum won’t let you leave.  There won’t be any others.”

“Are you going to write my biography when it’s time?”

“If you let me.”

Brendan stood up from his chair.  He extended his hand across his desk.  Aberdeen hadn’t touched another human being since March 13th besides her family and William.  She extended hers to shake his hand.  “Aberdeen Bloom, my Etobicoke girl, it’s been a pleasure,” Brendan was proud, so proud of her.

“Brendan Shanahan, it’s been an honour,” she replied.  

He side-stepped around his desk, and Aberdeen knew what was coming.  She knew she wasn’t going to be able to leave the offices without one.  It was another thing that she’d only given to her family members and to William since March 13th – a hug.  But in that moment, she wrapped her arms around Brendan, and he wrapped his arms around her, and they hugged each other tightly.  Aberdeen could smell his cologne.  She heard him sniffle.  She closed her eyes so she wouldn’t start crying as well.  “Thank you, Brendan,” she whispered.

“You’re welcome.”

She sighed.  When he let go of her, he kept his hands on her shoulders as he looked down at her.  “William’s coming to pick you up?” he asked.  She smiled and nodded her head.  “Jason’s around the building somewhere.  For negotiations.  You should find him.  He’ll want to see you before you leave.”

Aberdeen nodded her head.  “I’ll find him.”

She left his office, closing the door behind her.  She felt a heavy feeling in her heart, knowing it would be the last time she’d exit Brendan’s office, no longer his executive assistant.  Now, she was a writer at Toronto Life magazine.  And before she could process that thought, she had to find Jason.

As she wandered through the building, popping into rooms and asking whoever she saw if they knew were Jason was, she felt her phone buzz in her pocket and knew, like a sixth-sense, that it was William.  She stopped walking so she could look at the message.

i like this one

He’d attached a quick video Aberdeen had taken the other night.  The video couldn’t have been more than four of five seconds long.  In the first second, the video showed hands being held, one hand dragging forward the other.  In the second second, the camera panned upwards.  In the third second, the video showed the back of a figure, with increasingly long blonde hair, broad shoulders, and a stupidly expensive designer t-shirt on with the CN Tower in the background at sunset.  In the fourth second, the head turned, and the face smiled at whoever was behind the camera.  It was all a bit blurry.  It was all a bit fast.

It was William looking at her.

She promised him she’d post whatever he wanted to her Instagram feed once they could be official, and out in the open, not having to hide anything anymore.  He wouldn’t dare post anything on his feed, so Aberdeen would.  She understood why.  Even now, even though they could be out in the open with their friends and family, with William’s teammates and Aberdeen’s extended friend circle, William wanted to keep their relationship out of the spotlight.  Judging by what she’d gone through with the media and what she’d seen herself in the year she worked for the team, she understood completely.

She found the video in her own camera roll, editing the colour tones slightly before uploading it to her own Instagram feed with a simple caption: ❤️

She continued to look for Jason.  And in looking for Jason, her phone kept going off.  It was almost annoying, but she knew it was all the guys probably commenting something on the photo.  After a particular string of constant notifications when she walked into the trainer’s room hoping to find Jason – which at this time last year would have been filled with shirtless, half-naked hockey players with their thighs and bulges out rolling on foam rollers, but was now empty – she couldn’t help but take her phone out again to see what the hell they were commenting.

@austonmatthews: FUCKING FINALLY

@travisdermott: awwwww s’cute

@tysonbarrie4: look at you lovebirds!

@rasmussandin: he likes lasagna!!!!!  gotta make sure u learn how to make it

@1jackcampbell: you guys!!! What a bunch of beauties <3

@morganrielly: i second what @austonmatthews said

@buzzinb0831: YOU GUYS ARE THE CUTEST

@marner_93: finallyyyyyyyyyyy

@aleidacasillasandersen: Cute cute cute!

@kasperikapanen: cn tower…shocker

She couldn’t help but smile at them all.  Especially Auston’s.  That twerp.  

Without warning, William’s name flashed across the screen for a phone call.  She immediately picked up.  “Hey.”

“Hi minskatt,” his voice was sing-songy.  “Did you talk to Brendan?”

“Yeah,” she said, looking down at the floor.

“Was it bittersweet?”

“Mhm,” she nodded her head.  “I know this is what I’ve dreamt of for the longest time, but I can’t picture myself not coming into this office every morning during the new season.  I haven’t quite wrapped my head around it yet,” she admitted.

“I get it.  It’s okay,” William said.  “The team’s gonna miss you.  Brendan’s gonna get a new assistant and he or she is gonna have some huge shoes to fill.”

Aberdeen couldn’t help but smile.  “He asked about us, you know.”

“He did?”

“He said it wasn’t a big secret that you had a thing for me since the first day in the elevator.  He also said everyone is pretty much aware the feeling is mutual.”

“And?”

“And…he asked if anything had happened between the two of us.”

“What did you tell him?”

“Well I didn’t exactly tell Brendan fucking Shanahan that we randomly hooked up the night of my graduation.  And I didn’t exactly tell him we’ve been secretly hooking up and in a relationship since January,” Aberdeen said.  “But I told him the feeling was mutual, and that we’d both waited long enough, and the second I walked out of those doors I wasn’t going to make you wait anymore.”

“Okay…” she could hear William exhale.  “Okay.”

“I lied to him, Will.  I know.  I lied to him about the last nine months.  Hell, I’ve lied to everyone these past nine months about us being together.  About our feelings, about your late-night visits to my hotel rooms and us hooking up.  About loving you.  About being with you.  I’ve lied about everything.  Everything.”

“We’ve lied to everyone about everything in the last nine months,” William corrected her sternly.  “You’re not alone in this.  You know that.  We lied to everyone.  We kept it a secret.  But none of that matters, Aberdeen.  What matters is that we get to be open about it now.  That’s all that matters.  That’s it.”

Aberdeen nodded her head.  She knew he was right.  She collected herself so she didn’t get emotional on the phone.  God knows if she shed at least one tear and then found Jason, Jason would automatically be able to tell.  “I just have to find Jason to say goodbye and then I’m out of here.”

“I’m actually already waiting outside, so take your time,” William said.  “I’ll be here whenever.  Take as long as you want.”

“I love you, William.”

“I love you too, minskatt.  I’ll see you soon.”

Aberdeen locked her phone.  She took another deep breath, replaying the conversation in her mind, before resolving to find Jason.  She turned around to keep searching.

Only to find Jason standing a few feet behind her.  

When she saw the look on his face, she knew immediately that he’d heard every single word of the conversation she’d just had.  Her heart dropped to the pit of her stomach.  No – her heart dropped into the depths of hell.  Her breath caught in her throat.  She felt like her entire body was on fire.  “Jason,” was all she could say.  

“January,” was all he said.

Her hands began to shake.  She reached out to him.  “Jason—”

“Don’t,” his tone was harsh, and his entire arm flinched away from her.  She tried to say something but nothing would come out.  “Since January, Aberdeen?  January?!”

“Jason, please—”

“I don’t – I – late night visits to hotel rooms?!” his voice kept rising as he verbally began to piece all the information together.  “How – how could you?!”

“Jason, I can explain—”

“No!  No you can’t explain!  There’s nothing to explain in a situation like this!  You lied to us!  You lied to all of us!” he kept saying, his voice strained.  He couldn’t believe what he’d just heard.  He couldn’t believe the words that had come out of Aberdeen’s mouth.  “Aberdeen, I went to bat for you time and time again.  I looked out for you this entire fucking year and this is what you were doing behind my back?  Hooking up with William Nylander?!”

“Ja—”

“You promised me, Aberdeen.  You promised me that day that guy stalked you that there was nothing happening between the two of you.  I took your word for it, Aberdeen.  And William – William promised me nothing was going on that night you got stitches.  And now you’re telling me this has been going on since January?!”

“Since the Night With the Blue and White,” she said, voice strained, tears welling in her eyes now.  There was no use in lying to him.  He was Jason Spezza.  “The first time it happened was that night when I got home.  When we got home.  I can’t – I couldn’t…”

Jason was quiet, but she could hear how heavy he was breathing through his nose.  She knew he was trying to calm himself down so he didn’t blow up at her.  At this moment in time, though, she wasn’t so sure he’d be able to do it.  “I can’t believe you’d do this to the team.  To me.  To Brendan,” he stressed.  His voice was calm.  Eerily calm.  “I never want to speak to you again.”

Aberdeen’s cheeks flushed red with emotion almost instantly.  No.  It couldn’t end like this.  It couldn’t.  She tried reaching out to touch him again, but he flinched once more and took a few steps back to distance himself from him.  “Jason—no—please—let me explain—”

His next words cut Aberdeen like a knife.  He looked her dead in the eye.  “I’ve never been more disappointed in you.”

A sob escaped her and she covered her mouth, but it was no use.  Tears were streaming down her cheeks like Niagara Falls and her heart was sliced into a million pieces as she watched Jason turn around and walk out of the room, not bothering to look back at her.  

What hurt most of all was that so much love goes into disappointment.  Someone can still love you but be disappointed in you and that was infinitely, infinitely worse than someone hating you.  It hurt so much more.  Jason wasn’t wrong when he said he’d looked out for her this entire year.  He wasn’t wrong when he said he’d went to bat for her this year.  He’d done all those things out of love, because he cared for her, because he wanted to see her succeed in an environment that was, historically, not kind at all to young women.  He’d done it to look out for her, to make sure she didn’t get hurt, to make sure she got where she wanted to go.

Jason Spezza was disappointed in her.  And that hurt more than anything else.

Aberdeen sat down in the middle of the room and began sobbing.

***

William was scrolling through his phone when he noticed Aberdeen walking speedily towards his car.  He unlocked the doors and slipped into the passenger seat, taking off her mask and throwing it onto the dashboard.

He immediately saw that her entire face was red, and her eyes were practically bloodshot.  “What happened, minskatt?” he asked.

She looked like she was going to cry again.  She turned her head towards him.  “Jason overheard our conversation.”

William stopped breathing momentarily.  “So he knows.”

She nodded her head, face scrunching up to stop tears from falling.  “He said he never wants to speak to me again.  And he said he’s never…he’s never been more disappointed in me.”

“Hey—hey, c’mere,” he said, grabbing her chin and leaning over the centre console to give her a loving kiss, feeling the tears stream down her face.  He continued to kiss her for as long as he could.  “It’s gonna be okay, minskatt.  It’s going to be okay.”

“No it’s not,” she shook her head vehemently.  “It’s not going to be okay.  It’s not.”

“Yes it will.  He’ll get over it.”

“No he won’t,” she was steadfast.  “He hates me William, and he never wants to speak to me again and he’s disappointed in me.  He’s not gonna just get over me lying to him for the past nine months.”

“We lied to him,” William clarified for her again, like he did on the phone.  “We lied.  He’ll be madder at me than you.  He’ll get over it.  It’s going to be okay.”

Aberdeen shook her head.  She wanted to believe him – she really did, but her mind was all over the place right now.  “But what if it’s not?” she asked.

“Are you listening?” he asked.

She visibly calmed down at the question.  “Yes.”

“It’s going to be okay because I love you, minskatt.  Because we love each other.”

She nodded her head.  He loved her.  She knew he loved her, and that he would for the rest of their lives.  And she’d love him too.  That brought her more solace than anything.  “I love you too, William.”

He gave her one last, long, lingering kiss before he put the car in drive.  He fiddled with his phone to start the music, the opening notes of “Quitting You” by the Arkells playing through the speakers.  He grabbed Aberdeen’s hand and held it in his enormous one, bringing to his lips and kissing it tenderly and holding it against his heart momentarily before settling it on his lap.  She looked out the window at 50 Bay Street, saying goodbye.

She looked at William.  The man she loved.