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[heart-of-the-morningstar]

Angel!Lucifer x Human Reader: Second Preview

Hey hey! This is for all you night owls out there! I call this a preview but it's pretty long lol. The people in my community already read a part of this but there's new stuff too! Let me know how you enjoy it so far! And again, thank you for being so patient with me on this one <3

No active warnings!

You looked down and began to fiddle with your hands, unsure if your reason would upset the angel. "It's Adam..." you began, "He's...so needlessly demanding and harsh. He doesn't see us as equals, he believes himself to be superior to me. I've tried explaining to him that he shouldn't be acting this way, but he refuses to listen! Finally, I had enough of him...so I ran..." You felt the tears well up in your eyes once more, small whimpers escaping your throat as you tried to hold yourself together. "I know we're meant to be partners and I've sure heaven will not be happy b-but..."

"Shh, it's alright." Lucifer cooed as he wiped away the tears the fell down your cheek. "Please, no more tears. You were right to stand up to him. Adam should know better." You sighed and let your head rest in Lucifer's small yet tender hand. You glanced over at the pound when you heard an unfamiliar noise emanating from the center. You noticed some feathered creatures you didn't recognize swimming on the lakes surface. There seemed to be one that was much larger than all the others. You looked back at Lucifer and saw his face light up with delight. "Do you see those little ones over there?" You nodded. "Heaven may not have wanted my input on creation, but that doesn't mean I didn't have any."

"Are those your creations?" you asked.

Lucifer smiled and then sighed. "One of very few. Do you want to get a closer look?"

You looked back out to the water and saw the group of animals flap their wings, splashing the water in every direction. They seemed so full of life and energy, watching them play filled your heart with warmth. You nodded, albeit a bit nervously. Lucifer let out a melodic whistle; you watched as the little creatures made their way towards the lake bank. You saw them use their small wings to help them onto land and waddle towards the two of you. Initially, you stretched out your hand to touch one of the smaller ones but pulled back in hesitation.

"Don't worry," lucifer reassured, "they are harmless, I promise! Watch!" Lucifer cupped his hands together and laid them down in the soft grass. A few of the small ones happily chippered and hopped into his palms. "Want to give it a try?"

You copied Lucifer's motions exactly and watched as the same thing happened with the remaining babies. Their feathers were bright yellow and soft to the touch. You were in awe of the little lives you held in your hands. "They’re so small," you said aloud to no one in particular. "What are they, Lucifer?"

The angel lowered his hands and let the little ones go back to what you now assumed was their guardian. "I named them ducks," Lucifer answered. "The little ones are ducklings; not fully formed yet but they will grow!"

You nuzzled your cheek to the handful of ducklings; their little peeps made you chuckle. "They're beautiful!" you exclaimed, letting them down so they could join their family once more.

"Yeah, beautiful..." you heard Lucifer murmur. You looked over to see his lovely blue eyes staring straight back at you, a tint of yellow now colored his cheeks. "Uhh, I mean, umm...here! Watch this!"

A sudden flash of sparkles left you dazed, but only for a second. Lucifer had disappeared in front of your eyes.

"Lucifer?" you called out, looking to either side of you but seeing no one.

"Down here!" you heard his voice respond. You looked down and saw a small little white duck in Lucifer's top hat. He smiled at you and wagged his feathered tail. You couldn't help but laugh.

"Oh, what an adorable little creature," you fawned playfully, cupping your hands once again and allowing him to hop in them. You brought him to your cheek and nuzzled him as you did with the others. Lucifer quacked in excitement. "I didn't know you could change forms!"

"It's not something I do often," he admitted. By the tone of his voice, it almost seemed like it was something that had been discouraged. "But I don't mind making a special exception for you!" You noticed the sun began to dip over the horizon, the fleeting sunlight shimmering off Lucifer's pristine white feathers. It would be night soon, and in that moment you realized you didn't have anywhere else to go. Lucifer noticed the change in your demeanor, tilting his head. "Is something the matter?" Before you could open your mouth to speak, a bellowing call could be heard from the tree line.

"Where the fuck could she be?!" you heard the voice ask, filled with annoyance. Adam. You saw the man push past the foliage and make it to the clearing. His eyes immediately found yours, and you felt as though your heart had nearly stopped. You let Lucifer down gently before standing up.

"Stay here," you whispered to him. "I'll talk with him."

"But-" Lucifer tried to refute, but you shook your head intensely.

"I don't want to risk angering heaven," you responded. "The last thing I want is for you to be punished for my choice. Please?"

Hesitantly, Lucifer nodded in agreement, making his way to the water to join the other ducks in an attempt to blend in. His little hat vanished as he started swimming. You sighed and turned to meet with the brute of a man who was already towering over you. His chest heaved; his breath was short. You could already tell this may not end well.

"Where the FUCK have you been?!" he began to shout, raising his hands in the air out of frustration. "I've been looking for you for way too long, you know that? Making me walk everywhere to find you? Fucking ridiculous!"

You took a deep inhale and let it out slowly before responding. "I'm sorry, Adam," you feigned an apology.

"Whatever," the man spat back. "You've had your temper tantrum, now let's g-" Adam paused, his eyes staring at the length of your body. "The fuck is this?" he asked grabbing the sleeve of the cloth that hung off your body. In your worry for Lucifer, you'd forgotten about the gift he had given you. You smacked Adam's hand away and wrapped your arms around yourself.

"It doesn't matter," you answered curtly.

You watched as the man's eyebrows furrowed at your non-compliance. "I don't have time for this," he reached out once more and took a firm hold of your wrist. "We're going back. Now!"

You slipped your wrist out of Adam's grasp and took a few steps back, your feet at the end of the lake. "I..." you started, your voice threatening to crack. "I'm not going back with you! I'm tired of your behavior and your disrespect. I'm not your servant, Adam, and I refuse to live the life I was given as your slave."

Adam snarled at you, stomping closer and closer to you, forcing you back into the water as you tried to avoid him. But it was to no avail. He was quick to grab your arm and yank you from the lake pulling flush against his bare chest. "That wasn't a suggestion," he spoke through gritted teeth. You tried to pull away but his grip on your arm was far too strong. "Like it or not toots, we're the only ones in this place. You have nowhere else to go and you know it! And frankly, I'm tired of these stupid games! Now, quit acting like a bitch and move your-"

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" a booming voiced roared. You felt a hand take a firm hold of the one that was trapped by Adam and watched as another tore Adam's own hand away from you. Lucifer appeared in front of you after separating you from the man. The angle floated off the ground, his wings spread out wide as he moved swiftly towards the startled man. "How dare you!" Lucifer growled. "How dare you put your hands on her like that! How dare you speak to her like that! You have no right!"

Adam held his hand in pain, shooting daggers in Lucifer's direction. "Who the fuck are you?!" He took a step closer, not waiting for an answer. Even as Lucifer hovered over the ground, Adam still towered over him easily. "You know what, I don't care! Listen, short stack, I don't know who you are or why you're here, but you need to get the fuck out of my way. She's my wife and I can do whatever I want to her. She's mine, got it?"

Adam curled his uninjured hand into a fist and took a swing at Lucifer, only for him to fall flat on his face as Lucifer easily dodged his attack. "Nice try," the angel taunted, "and by the way, the name's Lucifer." You let out a small laugh. Fire burned in Adam's eyes as he lifted his head.

"Shut the fuck up!" he yelled at you. But Lucifer would not accept this response. He latched onto Adam's arm and lifted him of the ground like he weighed nothing.

"What did I tell you about speaking to her like that?" Lucifer threatened. He tossed Adam against one of the trees that stood at the edge of the clearing. The man groaned in pain, attempting to pull himself up and lean his aching body against the tree. Lucifer quickly swooped down, acting as a barrier between the two of you. "You've shown me who you are, Adam. You are a monster, a disgrace. You treat this woman like the dirt you walk on and you expect her to stay with you? To love you?" Lucifer hoisted Adam up, pinning him against the trunk. "You will never see her again; do you understand me? You're going to leave this place and never come back. She is under my protection now. And if you ever so much as come within a mile of her, I will not hesitate to turn you back into the dust you were formed from." Lucifer released his grip on Adam and watched as he took a few steps back into the forest. "Leave. Now!"

Adam wiped the small amount of blood that dripped from his lip and laughed darkly. "Fine, keep her!" he yelled. "She doesn't mean anything to me! Who would want a slut like her anyway!"

"GO!" Lucifer bellowed.

Without another word, Adam took off into the trees. Lucifer flew high up in the sky within seconds, his arms stretched out on either side. The ground beneath you began to shake violently and you wanted to call out for Lucifer before you realized that he was the cause. Seemingly out of nowhere, large rock formations began rising from the earth, rock tumbling down as the mountains grew. As soon as they reached Lucifer's height, they stopped.

And then there was silence.

[pierrotwrites-hc]

sneak peak: part III chapter 2

The hatch above sliced the weak light like a cutting wire, casting a grid on the damp stone walls below. Connell watched through half-closed eyes as two water droplets slid down the wall toward a patch of light. He wasn’t betting on any droplet in particular; simply observing their progress.

Doran spoke, his voice raspy from dehydration. They weren’t quite thirsty enough to start licking the walls, but it was only a matter of time.

“Hey, Con,” he rasped. “What time d’you think it is?”

The first dozen times Doran had asked this question, Connell had tried to make out the hour by the subtle variation in the darkness. The next dozen times, he’d responded with sarcasm. Now he didn’t even bother to reply.

“I’d wager it’s lunchtime,” said Doran. “Hey, Con. What’ll you wager it’s lunchtime?”

“Doran, we’re in a pit. What do you expect me to wager, rat bones?”

There was a pause.

“I don’t think all of these bones belonged to rats,” said Doran.

Connell had been trying not to look too closely at the pitiful heap of bones against the far wall. Now it loomed hugely in the corner of his eye, a portent of a future he didn’t want to contemplate. He turned back to the water droplets, but they had already been absorbed into the stone.

“Hey, Con.”

When Connell didn’t reply, Doran kept repeating his name until he snapped.

“What?”

“D’you think Toby and Luca made it to Fleetside?”

There was a long silence. This time Doran didn’t try to break it.

The top of the pit opened with a scream of metal. Piercing sunlight streamed down. Connell and Doran scrambled to their feet, squinting up through watering eyes. Connell could just make out dark figures high above. He had the image of hunters looking into a trapping pit to see what they’d caught for dinner.

There was a muffled discussion, too far up for Connell's straining ears to hear. Then something was thrown down. A rope ladder. It unrolled as it fell before jerked to a stop a few feet above the damp ground.

“They can’t seriously expect us to climb up,” said Connell.

Doran was already testing the ladder’s bottom rung to see if it would hold his weight. He cast Connell a scornful look.

“What else are we going to do? Stay here and starve?”

He had a point. Still…

“What if they cut our heads off once we get to the top?”

“It’ll be a better death than that poor bugger got,” said Doran, nodding to the heap of bones.

That was all the convincing Connell needed. If he was going to die, he wanted to die on his feet, under the sky, with the gods as his witnesses. Not here in a hole like a rat.

Doran was already scaling the ladder. Connell took a steadying breath and pulled himself up after.

They emerged several long minutes later, sweating, panting, dizzy with hunger and vertigo. After so long spent in the dark of the pit, even the pale gray sun was blinding. Connell wiped his streaming eyes on his sleeve. The figures swam into focus—not Dogs of Guye but a dozen armed men who wore no uniform. Still, Connell could tell they were soldiers. It wasn’t just their weapons, but their air of casual menace and the readiness with which they held themselves.

Gods above and below, Connell was sick of soldiers. Nearly as sick as he was of waiting to die. He almost hoped this lot would just kill them and have done with it.

“You’re the freedmen they call Connell and Doran?”

The question was asked by a wiry, weathered, quick-eyed man in a dark orange greatcoat. He had no symbols of office on his breast, but it was clear from the way his fellows regarded him that he was the leader here.

Connell and Doran shared a speaking look. They had no friends in this place. Anyone who was looking for them by name meant them harm.

Their fear must’ve shown on their faces. The soldier held up his hands.

“We’re no enemies of yours, lads. Got you out of that pit, didn’t we? I’m to bring you to Robert Black. Orders from the man himself.”

“Why?” asked Doran, only remembering to add “Sir” when Connell elbowed him.

“Something to do with his boy,” said the soldier, shrugging. “Anyway, you ought to be thanking your lucky stars Black spared a thought for you, busy as he is. The Dogs meant to leave you down there. They were taking bets on how long you'd last.”

Connell and Doran shared another speaking look. This time it was horror that echoed between them like the sound of a scream too deep in the earth for any living soul to hear.

“How long were we down there, sir?” Doran asked.

“Two days,” the man replied. “And no wonder you’re jumpy as cats, you must be bloody starving.” He took some bread from the inside pocket of his greatcoat and tossed it to them. “Thought so,” he said, as they fell on their portions like wolves. “I’m Tyburn, by the way.”

The name was vaguely familiar. From Doran’s reaction, he knew it.

As they followed the man—away from the pit, thank all the gods; Connell would be glad to have no more dealings with pits for as long as he lived—Doran leaned in and hissed, “Willy Tyburn, Con! He’s the Terror of King’s Road! His gang held up Lord Ambrose’s carriage, remember? The Duke wouldn’t leave the grounds for months without an armed guard.”

As usual, Doran had spoken louder than he intended. Tyburn cast an amused look over his shoulder.

“Belonged to the Duke of Chesten, did you?”

Connell and Doran exchanged guilty looks.

“Yes, sir,” said Connell. He turned his forearm to show the Duke’s mark branded there. He was so blanched from the cold that four-ringed annulet stood out like a blood-blister.

“We aren’t runaways, sir,” said Doran quickly. “The Dogs freed us.”

“I’m in the business of taking collars off slaves, lad, not putting ’em back on,” said Tyburn. “Whether in the Dogs’ camp or ours, you’re free men.”

Doran didn’t try to hide his relief. Seeing it, Connell had to tamp down a searing flash of anger. After everything Doran had put them through—after what had been done to them, to Toby, to Luca—even now, after all of it, the only thing he cared about was his precious fucking freedom.

Toby and Luca. Could they have run into Robert Black on the way to Fleetside? Luca had been a spy, after all, however difficult it was for Connell to get his head around; he and Black were on the same side. And they’d known each other in Lyonesse, hadn’t they? That brute Arkwright had said as much. Black had been one of Luca’s clients when he was still posing as a lord. But maybe that, too, had been a ruse, a cover for their meetings. Maybe Black and Luca were better acquainted than anyone knew.  

The same thoughts were going through Doran’s head. In a voice too low for Tyburn to hear, he whispered, “Something to do with his boy. You don’t think…?”

Connell didn’t know what to think. But he hoped. He hoped more fiercely than he’d let himself hope for anything in a very long time.

They passed through the vast gates and emerged onto the moor. When Connell was here last, it had been an expanse of damp mist drifting over earth so barren even the snow seemed to wither as it fell. Overnight, a city had sprung up. It was a city of tents, thousands on thousands, vanishing into the far distance. Within those tents and bustling between them were twice, no, three times as many men—soldiers, Connell supposed, though few wore anything like a uniform, and some of those uniforms were in Ademar’s colors. At least half looked more like Midland peasants than battle-hardened rebels.

“Con, look!”

Connell followed Doran’s pointing finger to a group of men distinct not only for their richly-colored skin but their military bearing. These must be the Enkaaran mercenaries he’d heard about. They were certainly easier to imagine in battle than the peasants. Still, in their pale uniforms against the backdrop of gray tents and grayer sky, they looked lost, even a little forlorn, like a flock of birds blown off-course in a storm.

“Poor buggers came all the way to Castle Guye just to camp on the bloody doorstep,” said Tyburn, shaking his head. “That’s Northern hospitality for you.”

He brought Connell and Doran to a tent that would have been indistinguishable from any of the others except for its size and the sense that, somehow, the rest of the camp had been built around it. A line of people queued outside, all with that air of self-possession particular to freeborn men. They reacted with varying degrees of indignation as Tyburn pushed Connell and Doran past them and into the tent.

Judging from the bustle of activity within, they’d just entered the center of operations. These soldiers were clearly among the more seasoned. Connell even spotted a few faces he recognized from Redditch. Others were familiar from the wanted posters he’d seen in Lyonesse and along the King’s Road.

And at the center of it all was Robert Black.

He would’ve stood out even if he hadn’t been half a head taller than everyone but the barbarian who loomed at his right side. There was the red hair, of course, unnervingly similar to the color of dried blood, and the eyes that stared out of deep hollows, as hard and bright and calculating as a carrion bird’s. Connell had seen drawings of Black’s face on wanted posters—bad drawings, he’d thought at the time, but seeing their subject now, there was some truth to the depictions. He might not have the cartoonish menace of the posters, but Robert Black was the most dangerous-looking man Connell had ever seen.

Robert looked up and saw them. It was like being pinned under a glacier.

“That will be all,” he said.

He didn’t even need to raise his voice. In a moment the tent was empty. Even Tyburn melted away. The only one who stayed was the barbarian. Black’s bodyguard, Connell assumed. His was not a comforting presence.

Robert Black came around the desk and leaned against it. There was a silence; Connell measured its length in heartbeats. When at last Robert spoke, his voice was chillingly devoid of feeling.

“So you’re the so-called friends who abducted Luca.”

[pixelglam]

Hi Amelie! I have a random question! ☺️

With which countries do you associate each world of the sims?

Hello! These are what places I associate the worlds with.

San Myshuno | New York Newcrest | Not sure but I use it as San Myshuno's Suburbs Windenburg | Germany & Austria Mt. Komorebi | Japan San Sequoia | San Francisco Brindleton Bay | New England Del Sol Valley | Los Angeles Oasis Springs | Arizona Sulani | Tahiti Willow Creek | New Orleans

[kristannafever]

Second Chances - 2

Kristanna Modern AU Rated: Explicit WC: 4769

Chapter Index

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

Kristoff walked into the crowded coffee shop and spotted her head of copper hair right away.  It was like that at the bar the other night too.  She had struck him initially with her beauty, and he certainly recognized it again now.  Only this time he was guarded. 

She’d been watching for him and waved as soon as they made eye contact.  Kristoff went over and sat at the other side of the table that was against the window.

“Hi, Kristoff.  Thank you so much for meeting me.”

“No problem,” he muttered, adjusting his large frame on the uncomfortable metal chair.

“I took the liberty of getting you a coffee.  Please tell me if I didn’t guess right and I will buy you whatever you want.”

Kristoff blinked and looked down at the cardboard cup he just realized was sitting on his side of the table.  Slowly he reached forward and pried the lid off.  “It’s black?”

“Did I guess wrong?”

He looked up and was met with some of the widest and most gorgeous eyes he’d truly ever seen.  “No, actually.  This is how I take it.”

Anna visibly relaxed in her seat.  “Oh good.  I wanted to have it ready in case you just want to hear what I have to say and then bolt.”

He found himself smiling.  What the hell was it about her that was so… charming.  “Thank you.  And don’t worry, I won’t be that rude.”  He winked, trying to take some of the tension out of the situation that she was clearly feeling.  What he did not expect, was the delightfully beautiful pink hue that immediately spread out over her freckled cheeks as she smiled back at him.

“I deserve that,” she said through a bit of a nervous giggle.  “So I will start out by saying I am deeply sorry for all those awful things that I said to you.  You absolutely did not deserve that and I was way, way out of line.”

“It’s okay, Anna.”

She shook her head forcefully.  “No.  It was not okay.  I was thinking back and you did nothing at all to provoke me being so mean to you.  As I said, I have-”

“Issues?” he finished for her.

She nodded and looked down at the table, blush deepening.

“Well, you aren’t the only one,” he offered.  “And I get it.  We all have those moments when we just have too much on our plate and we maybe don’t act…”

He was fishing his mind for the right word when Anna said it for him.  “Appropriately?”

He nodded.  “Yeah.”

“So, is it safe for me to assume that you accept my apology?”

“I do.”  He smiled.  “And I really appreciate you giving it to me.  But please don’t worry about it too much.  I have thicker skin than you think.”

Her demeanor relaxed further.  “I can’t thank you enough.”  She sighed.  “I was actually a little worried that you weren’t going to show or something.”

“Hmm.  You assume a lot, don’t you?”

He’d meant it as a quip like the one he used earlier, only it got the opposite reaction that he was expecting.  She frowned and averted ger eyes.  “One of my issues,” she muttered.

“Anna, I am sorry,” he said softly.  “I was just trying to kid around.   I try and make jokes when I’m nervous.  One of my issues, I guess.”

She looked back up at him and the side of her mouth turned up in a soft smile.  “You’re nervous?”

“Um, yeah.  A little,” he said, running his hand through his hair.  “I really don’t date much and sometimes I struggle to think of the right thing to say to someone when it’s one on one.  When in doubt, I make a joke.”  He gave her a sheepish shrug which elicited a bigger smile from her.

“I do that too sometimes.  And if I’m honest I was nervous to meet up with you today again after…” her voice died off with her smile.

He reached across the table and patted her forearm that was resting on top of it.  “It’s fine.  Water under the bridge now.”

Kristoff retracted his hand, curious that Anna watched it as he slid it back to his side of the table.  Then her eyes met his, sincere and beautiful.  “Thank you.”

“So, uh,” he cleared his throat gently, “how do you take your coffee?”

She lit up.  “I love these Caramel Macchiatos.  So good!  I don’t like too much extra floof in my coffee, like all these added pumps of syrup and whatnot, but this one has caramel, which is delicious of course, and whip cream and who doesn’t love whip cream.  And if I have a plain coffee of course I put cream and sugar in it, I don’t think I could drink it black.  Too bitter for me.  I barely like coffee enough for the taste, you know?  Which is silly because coffee beans smell sooooo good!”

The more she talked the more his smile widened, and their conversation carried on to other things, which was exactly what he’d been hoping for when he met her at that bar the other night.  Someone who was real and honest and easy to talk to.  And it did not hurt that she was absolutely stunning. 

They ended up just talking about anything and everything for the better part of an hour and Kristoff found himself thinking he was going to do something that he had no intention of doing when he headed to the coffee shop that morning to meet her. 

He waited for a natural lull and went for it.  “So, Anna, I have to ask if maybe you would like to give a first date a second go?”

She blinked at him.  “Despite what I said, you would give me a second chance?”

It was his turn to blush.  “Well, I’ve had a good time talking with you.  If you are interested, I’d like to take you to a proper dinner?”

Anna was still for a moment and then slowly nodded.  “I would like that.  But only if you allow me to pay for the meal.”

Kristoff smirked.  He really liked her.  “No way.  I have a rule I always pay on dates.”

She shook her head at him, a real smile spreading over her face for the first time.  “Why do I feel like you are going to be trouble…”

His eyes narrowed playfully.  “Funny, I was thinking the same thing.”

~   ~   ~   ~   ~

Anna was nervous.  Holy Hell was she ever nervous.  She paced her apartment shaking out her hands, trying to calm her rampant anxiety.

She did have a wonderful time talking to Kristoff.  In fact, he as the first person she actually felt herself opening up to since her ex had left her.  Aside from her disastrous first impression, he was the first man that she didn’t have immediate reservations about, and yet he was also the first man since her ex that she worried about actually disappointing for real should they begin to start dating.

Grinding her teeth, she cursed her asshole ex for the millionth time.  She’d flip flop with having courage – lacking it way more than having it – and every once in a while, she’d look at herself in the mirror and tell herself that she was pretty, smart, and that her dirtbag ex had no idea what he was talking about.  Then memories would flood her mind of him being lackluster in the bedroom and she’d remember that there was a reason for saying the things he had said.

Her buzzer scared the living hell out of her and she rushed over to the intercom to let him in.  It wasn’t long while she took deep breath after deep breath until he was knocking at her door.

Anna opened it with what she hoped was a natural smile and was met with a bouquet of flowers.   “Oh, Kristoff.  Hi.”

He smiled.  “Hi.  Got these for you.”  He offered her the flowers. 

Anna took them, even though she didn’t feel like she deserved them.  “They are beautiful.  Thank you.  Come on in.”

His cheeks went pink and he stepped into her apartment as she went into the small kitchen directly across the front entrance to fill a vase.  She thought she had one under the sink but it wasn’t there.  Puzzled, she looked up and spotted one on top of the fridge pushed to the back.  Rushing over, she was about to pull a kitchen chair to assist her when he loomed over her.

“I can grab it,” he offered, and reached up to pluck the glass off the top of the fridge.

Anna looked up as he moved, impressed all over again with the size of the man.  She had never been out with anyone of his stature.  He was so broad and thick in the neck it was not a hard stretch of the imagination to think about what the rest of him might look like, and heat spread through Anna’s core in a way that was very foreign to her.

“Here you go,” he said, handing her the vase.

“Thanks!” she squeaked, and went to the sink to fill it with water, ignoring the way her body was suddenly tingling to be so close to someone so imposing.  And hot.

Anna resisted the urge to run her head under the cold water and set the flowers in the vase.  Kristoff was waiting patiently and she rushed to get her shoes on so that they could leave even though he wasn’t giving her any inclination that he wanted her to hurry.

His truck was very clean, like him.  He was in a similar outfit as the first time she’d met him.  A button up shirt with some dark jeans and black Adidas.  Anna was glad that she’d opted for a similar look.  She was always comfortable in jeans and a sweater, although she’d chosen a pair of ankle boots to be just a little bit taller.

They chatted as they drove.  Anna learned that he was in construction and she told him that she worked reception at a local publishing company, which led to asking each other questions about what their jobs were like and before she knew it, they were at the restaurant. 

It was an Italian place, dimly lit and romantic.  She had to wonder this sudden change of first date location from that of a crowded Pub.  Maybe that was his way of meeting on neutral ground before?  Anna was thrilled that he had given her another chance and maybe he was showing her more of him since they’d had their talk at the coffee shop.

They were sat at a table for two tucked away in the corner so that they could talk without too much noise.  The place was packed, and it was ideal for them to be able to hold a conversation.  Which they did remarkably easily.  He was such an easy guy to talk to, Anna found herself thinking of things that she knew she should not.  Like what a body like his would feel like pressed against her own.  She may be bad at it, but she was still a flesh and blood woman who wanted things.  Needed things.  It wasn’t until this handsome and massive man appeared in her life that she realized just how much she needed them.  How much she had been missing them.

They got to know each other a great deal, and when Anna found herself in his truck being taken home after he had insisted on paying like he said he was going to, she had to wonder how she was going to end the evening.  Did she want to kiss him?  Hell yes.  Was she nervous?  Extremely.  Did she think she was unworthy of a man like him… Yes.  No.  Maybe?

He parked on the curb and whisked himself out of his seat to get her door.  He’d done the same thing at the restaurant, actually telling her to wait as he got out.  It was old fashioned and cute as hell.  Was there a chance that maybe Kristoff would be acceptable of her naivety in the bedroom?  Would he be someone who could teach her the ways of lovemaking?

Anna felt herself hoping and praying that this was not going to end in a disaster as she rode up the elevator and walked down the hall with him to her apartment.  

He paused, stepping back to give Anna room when they reached her door.  “I had a really nice time, Anna.  Thank you.”

Her cheeks lit up.  “Thank me?  No I think I need to thank you for giving me a second chance.  I had a really nice time too.  Great time.”

He smirked.  “Mine was actually great too.”

Anna blinked at him, heart hammering away in her chest.  She had no idea what to do next.  She wanted to kiss him, badly.  Would the fact that she was bad at it turn him off?  His eyes regarded her while she stared at him stupidly.

“Would you like to go out again sometime?” he asked softly.

She nodded quickly.  “Yes, I would.”  Would you though?  Even though you know you are going to disappoint him?

“That’s awesome.  How about next Saturday?”

“Sure, sure.  Sounds good.”  Anna was practically vibrating with indecision and worry.  Was he going to kiss her?  Was she going to kiss him?  Would he hate it?

He smiled slowly.  “Can I ask that we take this a little slow though?  I really don’t want to rush into anything.”

Her entire body relaxed.  “I would like to take it slow too.”  Relief washed over her to know that she was going to have some time to figure things out before she was faced with the potential problems that would arise with her complete lack of sexual prowess.

“May I give you a hug goodnight?” he asked.

Is this man real?  Anna nodded.  “Of course.”

She tried not to sigh too much into the hug when he pulled her body against his, but it was hard to restrain.  The sheet size of him made her feel like she’d might have to hold on for dear life if they were ever tangled together in the sheets. 

He let her go after a moment and did a little bow.  “Have a good night, Anna.”

She bid him a goodnight as well and shut the door, turning and leaning her back against it.  “Wow,” she whispered to her empty apartment. 

~   ~   ~   ~   ~

Kristoff regarded himself in the mirror by his closet.  “What do you think, Sven?”

He turned to the grey tabby cat who sat on the edge of his bed, looking at him with his curious feline gaze. 

“Is it too much?”

Sven lifted his front paw and began licking it. 

“I’ll lose the tie.”

The cat ignored him. 

“Okay, yeah, lose the tie.”

Kristoff yanked the knot loose and whipped the tie off his neck.  This was stupid.  He’d already taken her to a romantic kind of place.   What he needed to do was take her on something that was fun.  Like a movie or bowling. 

He worried that he had overstepped in the reservations that he had made.  What was it about her that made him just want to dive in like they had known each other for months instead of weeks?  He had no idea, and he had a lot of time to ponder it on his way to pick her up.

Without flowers this time, she greeted him at the door, slipped on her shoes – heels this time – and followed him out into the hallway without asking him in.  Not that it mattered.  She was still absolutely as stunning as last time, only in a knee-length black dress.

They made small talk as they drove and Kristoff soon pulled up to the tiny hole in the wall place that he was deeply familiar with.   It was something he initially figured would be a while before he showed her, but with Anna things were different.  Everything was different. 

Nervous, he got out and hurried over to her door to open it.  She gave him a brilliant smile and he offered her his elbow as they walked up to the restaurant.

He knew the inside like the back of his hand because he’d grown up here.  It was his parents’ restaurant, and before he’d gone off to get his ticket for constriction, he worked almost every job there was in the place, including that one time he had to take over cooking.

They walked to the Matre’d, and to the man’s credit, he did not give away in his mannerisms that he knew Kristoff very well.  He was there as a customer, after all.  They were greeted and then seated at the best table in the place, a two-seater that was tucked into a little alcove beside the gas fireplace that afforded the little eatery a very romantic feeling.

“Kristoff, this place is lovely,” Anna said quietly after the waitress had given them menu’s and told them what the specials were.  She must have been a new hire because Kristoff had never seen her before.

He nodded.  “It is.  It’s my favourite place.”

Her eyes widened excitedly.  “It is?  What’s good here, then?”

He shrugged one shoulder.  “Pretty much everything.  The pasta is all home made, the steaks are always cooked the way you want them, and despite the fact that we don’t live near the ocean, the fish is always fresh.”

Anna seemed intrigued and eagerly looked down at the menu.  Kristoff held his in front of him and watched her.  He didn’t need to look at the menu; he had come up with half of it.

“I can’t decide,” she mumbled to herself, eyes still scanning the page and the corner of her lip pinched in her teeth.

Kristoff couldn’t take his eyes off her mouth.  The way she’d been so clearly distraught over how to end their first date spoke volumes to him about some of her self mentioned issues, and he really did want to take it slow with her.  For him just as much as her, because Anna was the first woman he’d been out with in a year that he felt he could have something with.  Except, those soft lips of hers… he had to admit to his more primal side that it was going to be hard to take their time.

Anna set the menu down and looked up at him.  “I really don’t know.  There are so many things I want to try.  What are you having?”

“Whatever the chef feels like making me.”

Her eyebrow raised.  “You know the chef?”

“I do.  He’s my dad.”

Her eyes widened.  “Your dad?”

He nodded, smiling despite himself.  “Yup.  This is my parents’ place.”

Anna set the menu down slowly.  “Oh, that’s… wonderful.  It’s a very nice place.”

His smile faded to see that there was suddenly tension in Anna’s movements, like she was nervous.  He realized then that to her this was not taking it slow.  It had never crossed his mind that she might take it that way.

“It’s not like we’re here to visit,” he said quickly, setting his own menu down.  “I just like coming here to eat.  The food is excellent.”

“Oh… yes, I am sure.  Of course it is.  This is...”  Her mouth floundered without words.

He let out a deep sigh.  “Anna, please don’t read anything into this.  I feel comfortable here, and I just wanted to share it with you.”

A slow smile spread on her face and she began to relax.  “Okay.”

He smiled back and the waitress slid up to their table.  “Can I get you some drinks to start?” she asked.

“Um…” Kristoff looked back to Anna.  “You feel like some wine?” he asked.

“Sure.” 

Kristoff ordered them a bottle of red and said that they would take an order of their bruschetta to start.

“Excellent,” the waitress said, committing the order to memory.  “And would you like some more time with the menu for your entrées?”

He was about to ask Anna if she wanted more time when a thought occurred to him.  “Do you mind if I order?” he asked her.

She shook her head.  “Not at all.”

He turned back to the waitress.  “Can you please tell the chef to prepare us whatever he would like this evening?”  She looked at him a little confused, so he cleared the air.  “Don’t worry, he’ll know who’s asking.”

The waitress took the menus as Kristoff handed them to her.  “Alright.  I will have the wine and appetizer out to you shortly,” she said, and walked away from the table.

They started to talk about something random – Kristoff couldn’t remember how it started, only that Anna had said something to get the ball rolling – when the topic of conversation naturally turned to their previous relationships.

“So your sister told my sister you haven’t been in a date in a year?”

He nodded.  “Yeah, I tried but the dating scene is kind of awful so I had to give up for a bit.  I was in a serious relationship that ended badly.  You were too, I hear?”

Anna’s cheeks flushed with pink.  She tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and he could see this was directly linked to one of her ‘issues’.   “Our sisters spilling our secrets huh?”

Kristoff chuckled. 

“Yeah,” Anna continued.  “Three years and one day he tells me he’s been seeing other people and we were done.”

He frowned and felt genuine anger that that had happened to her.  “Wow.  That’s awful.”

She nodded.  “How did yours end?”

He sighed.  He thought back to having to end it with his high school sweetheart.  She had never desired to get married as her parents had a brutal divorce, and at the time Kristoff didn’t care one way or the other, as long as they planned to have kids some day.  Which she said that she did.   Then when the timing seemed right, she wanted to wait another year, then had excuse after excuse after excuse.  She became increasingly hostile every time Kristoff would bring it up and then one day he realized that he hadn’t asked in nearly two years and there was a gaping hole in his heart that was missing the family he’d always wanted.  He didn’t even bother asking her one last time.  He ended it instead.

“You were hurt?” she asked quietly, and he realized he’d gotten lost in his own thoughts. 

He nodded.  “Eight years.  I was with her for eight years.  Then one day I realized that she was never going to commit to the things she said she wanted with me.  I had to move on, and it was the hardest thing I have ever done.”

Anna was quiet for a moment.  “Can I ask, what it is that you wanted?”

He looked at her, wondering if he should say something so early into their relationship.  Although, he supposed it would be good to get it out there.

“I wanted a family,” he said simply.  “She said she did and then kept putting it off.”  He shrugged.  “I just had to move on when I realized she had changed her mind.  Clean break.   And I didn’t tell her that it was the only reason.   I just didn’t want her saying she did want kids to try and salvage the relationship, you know?”

She didn’t answer, only nodded with understanding as the bruschetta he’d ordered was placed on the table.  They both helped themselves and began eating without a word.  It wasn’t until the plate was half finished when Anna broke the silence.

“That certainly sounds like a hard break up.  Probably more on you than her.”

That surprised him for the fact that it was absolutely true.  He nodded slowly, heart ramping up. 

“It kind of makes me glad I only wasted three years with my ex,” she said.  “Eight years is a long time.”

“It is.  And… you know, I do still want a family.”  He left it lingering and knew Anna picked up on what he meant right away by the way her eyes widened as she stared at him.

“Kristoff… I…”

He reached across the table and put his hand on her arm.  “Anna, I’m not asking you to tell me right now or anything.  I just wanted you to know.  If you don’t want a family, I don’t want to waste your time.”

She visibly swallowed and turned her eyes to her glass of wine.  “Ever since I was a kid, I’ve known I wanted to get married and have kids.  And… I still do.  I just… I am having a hard time picturing it for myself right now.”

“I understand.  And I’m sorry, I did not mean to spring this conversation on you tonight.”

She laughed nervously.  “You didn’t, we just kind of got there, didn’t we?”

He agreed.  There was something in the way Anna reacted that he feared there was more to her breakup than she was letting on.  It made him angry all over again to think of someone mistreating her.

*****

Anna had the leftovers sitting in her lap as Kristoff drove her home.  The meal had been excellent; surf and turf, with a side of pasta in a creamy lemon sauce.  And Kristoff had paid for it, chuckling that he knew his parents would always let him eat free, but to him it was a business and he a customer, so of course he was going to pay the bill.  If he went in the back door to just mooch in the kitchen though, he told her with a wink, that was a different story. 

He’d gone into the kitchen to say goodnight to his parents, leaving a relieved Anna at the table.  It felt a little too soon to her to meet his parents, and she was glad all over again that Kristoff wanted to take things slowly. 

He parked on the street outside her building and shut the truck off.  She expected him to get out but he remained still behind the wheel.  Anna was about to grab her own door when he looked to her.

“Would it be okay if I asked why you you’re having a hard time picturing a family for yourself?”  He looked over at her, eyebrows furrowed with worry.

It gave Anna pause.  “I don’t know,” she stammered.  There was something in the way he was looking at her that gave her the feeling that he perhaps figured out more than she had wanted him to know. 

“He really hurt you, didn’t he?” he asked quietly. 

She couldn’t look him in the eyes anymore and turned them down to the cardboard box in her lap.  She had no idea what to say to him.  Instead, she swallowed the lump in her throat unable to help thinking back to what her ex had said to her.

“I’m sorry that happened to you, Anna.  I hope you know that I am not like that.  I could never cheat on someone.”

Anna nodded down at the leftovers, tears forming despite the fact that she did not want to cry.  Then a moment later the cool night embraced her skin and she looked over to see that Kristoff had her door open and was holding his hand out to her.  She took it, and let him help her down to the curb.

They walked into the building and rode up the elevator in silence.  Anna was thankful she had reigned in her tears and that she was able to turn and finally look at him when they stopped at her door. 

“Thank you for the wonderful dinner, Kristoff.  Your dad is a fantastic cook.”

He didn’t say anything at first, he only looked at her like he was trying to figure something out.  Then he tilted his head to the side, appraising her closely, as his hand came up slowly and he cupped it to her cheek.

Anna’s eyes went wide and her body instantly coiled with tension as soon as he touched her face.  She stepped back and his hand instantly let go. 

He lowered his arm slowly, his face morphing with understanding as she looked at him like a deer caught in the headlights. Then he pursed his lips, said goodnight, and disappeared down the hallway.

---

Previous Chapter

Next Chapter

[random-other-shit]

If you’re patiently waiting on me for chapter 2 of Make a Catastrophe Seem Romantic, I appreciate you, and I promise I’m working on it. There’s one part I can’t quite get right, but I think I’m close.

In the meantime, I humbly offer you this snippet… (below the cut)

Read the first chapter.

A flicker of doubt steals across Harvey’s face. It happens so fast that if Mike had blinked, he might have missed it. But he saw it clear as day.

Mike’s prepared to push, but Harvey surprises him. “If this is some kind of reaction to what’s happening with Rachel — ”

“It’s not.”

Harvey looks at him with that raised eyebrow Mike is far too familiar with and says nothing.

“It’s not. What I had with Rachel has absolutely nothing to do with how I feel about you,” Mike says, emphasizing his use of past tense. “If anything, half the problems in my relationship with her were directly caused by the feelings I have for you.”

“What?” Harvey says. It’s barely a question, and even as he says it Mike clocks his expression shifting from confusion to disbelief to open shock. It’s rare to catch Harvey this off guard — so rare that Mike’s not sure he’s ever seen him look this taken aback.

“Harvey, I’ve been in love with you for… god, years, maybe?”

It feels like a long time passes without Harvey saying anything to that. That doesn’t surprise Mike. The dangerously fragile look on Harvey’s, face, though… he isn’t expecting that.

“Shouldn’t be that surprising,” Mike says, teasing himself a little in an effort to bring Harvey back to solid ground. “You can’t tell me any of my decisions make sense otherwise.”

It works. Harvey smiles a little. “Oh, but mine do?”

[nickkkdoesstuff]

ill be out for the weekend :P so dear commissioners, im still working on your orders, work has been taking up most of my time but progress has been made 🫡💕 i appreciate your patience and ill be back on you as soon as possible

[wintrwinchestr]

wip... thursday

i know i had said i would try to post chapter 2 of tk&ts this month, i'm still trying to make that happen but i can't promise anything :( but it is very close to being done!! i promise i've been working on it, but my real life job has been pretty busy and high stress recently and i've found it hard to use my brain each night.

please accept another snippet in the meantime <3

“Good girl… So beautiful, baby, you know that?” he praises softly, tucking a stray lock of hair behind your ear before lightly rubbing his thumb across your pouty bottom lip. He presses it downward against the pillowy skin, and pushes the digit inside with ease when your mouth parts so eagerly. You close your lips around him and swirl your tongue along the calloused skin a few times, and he looks like he wants to eat you alive as he watches you fall apart for him so easily. Joel pulls his thumb from your mouth, dragging it down your spit-slick lip so that it bounces back into place when his finger leaves your skin. He wears a satisfied grin at the way he has you completely at his mercy now, looking up at him with your glazed-over doll eyes. They scan back and forth between his glowing amber ones, awaiting your next instruction. “Gave you a compliment. What do you say, babygirl, hm?” “Thank you, Da– unh…” The word starts to come out before you can catch it in time, shove it back into his cage. Your face runs hot, embarrassed at your slip-up. “‘S okay, sweetheart. You can call me that, if you wanna, say it real pretty for me. Don’t got it tattooed on me for nothin’,” Joel soothes, still-wet thumb rubbing across your cheekbone in placating strokes. “C’mon, finish your sentence, baby.” “Th– thank you, Daddy,” you repeat, so lost in this saccharine headspace he’s coaxed out of you that you don’t even feel ashamed anymore. “There we go… c’mere, baby. Lemme feel you.” He uncrosses his legs, returning them to their trademark spread so that he can pull you into his lap and situate you into straddling his hips. The position makes your dress ride up so far that your panties are exposed to him, soaked-through gusset and all. His fingers make to tease the wet spot there, but change course to pay attention to something else first instead. Something scrawled in uneven black linework, peeking out from underneath white silk. He pushes the hemline of your dress further up your bare thigh to fully unveil the shoddy little illustration, tracing around it with a roughened finger.

[sunshinemage]

i feel like i'm being so slow omg

but i'll be able to work more on sketches tomorrow afternoon!

[hyuckmov]

bro, i just finished reading both parts and I'm begging to see this part 3. just tell me it's still coming out this year lol 😂😩

YES it'll come out this year !!!! i'm still working on it... to be upfront i have the outline (but it'll probably keep changing as i write it) and as of now i have 5k words ! i'm estimating the fic to be about 20k so i'm 25% done ish

[risustravelogue]

Announcement re: EBG afterparty

Okay, I have to say it: I'm so very, very tired. I've been napping all day. orz

Moreover, I have a 1-week training workshop to attend from January 28 to February 3. Aghhhh. I'll have to be on work mode for almost the whole day...

Therefore,

the EBG afterparty will commence on Monday, February 5, 2024 (GMT+7)!

I need to rest my brain after the 1-week creation grind >.<

Until then, this blog will be on break. Feel free to ask for clarification on released plot points or theories, though!!

I might release chapter 5 during the course of next week since the art is ready, but no promises.

[threeletterslife]

Pls legends of darlaria chapter 36 its been a while u ok???!!!

Thanks for your concern :') I'm alive LOL and as the people have voted, I'll post LOD chapter 36 this Friday 7/19 4 p.m. PST. We're back on schedule!!

[strawberrybuni]

I promise I'm gonna get to writing pt.2 of the amnesia thingy 😭 I got really busy unexpectedly and the only time I've had to write is for smau's atm, BUT I'll have some time to write finally the next few days. I also have a choso series I will be starting soonish, as long as some other thingsssss :3

I have a loooot of ideas of things I wanna write, a special smau series I'm working on, as well as doing crossover stuff (gojo x reader x levi anyone? I think YES), and various aus(I wanna have a yandere au smau series, would y'all like that?) and just lots of stuff!! so stay tuned to everything I've been think thonking, I hope you all enjoy what I have to give 🫶🏻

[thefixer]

out of chara ,  also this coming monday  ( nov. the 6th )  is ,  as some of you may know -  an extremely difficult day for me .  it's the three year anniversary of my father's passing and lately it hasn't been easy at all for me to focus .  it's usually about this time of year and a month or so before it that my brain just ...  doesn't want to work with me .  so firstly thank you for sticking with me ,  i know i say this a lot but i totally mean it .  secondly ,  i have work on monday but i'll def try to keep being active despite it because i've actually been on a roll with things  (  and i feel good about it .  )

[frau-line]

I will get a summer break which I did not initially plan…so maybe a come back?

[facesblind]

𝗦𝗢𝗠𝗘𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗘𝗦  𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘  𝗔𝗥𝗘  𝗧𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛  𝗗𝗘𝗖𝗜𝗦𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦  𝗧𝗢  𝗕𝗘  𝗠𝗔𝗗𝗘  𝗔𝗟𝗢𝗡𝗚  𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗦𝗔𝗖𝗥𝗜𝗙𝗜𝗖𝗘𝗦  𝗢𝗡𝗘  𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗠𝗜𝗧𝗦  𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗧  𝗠𝗨𝗖𝗛  𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗛𝗨𝗦𝗜𝗔𝗦𝗠,  but  they're  good  for  the  time  being  —  or  at  least  somewhat  decent.  when  there's  devil  on  one  side  and  a  deep  blue  see  on  the  other,  sometimes,  there  are  drastic  measures  to  be  taken.

like  getting  involved  with  pieces  of  shit  with  their  fists  heavy.

small  price  to  be  paid  for  a  sense  of  safety.

it's  not  like  fate  wouldn't  be  able  to  protect  herself  from  punches;  her  man  can't  even  fight  properly,  and  she  has  to  forcefully  stop  her  instincts  from  kicking  in  —  as  her  body's  taught  well  to  react  without  thinking.  years  of  self  defense  and  self  worth  disposed  of  down  the  drain.  such  a  waste.

of  all  things  expected  from  the  gang,  houston's  sudden  touch  was  not  something  fate  presumed  he'll  initiate.  big,  grey  eyes  immediately  snap  to  his  face,  unable  to  see  the  concern  on  his  countenance,  but  still  pretending  to  do  so.  she  reminds  herself  to  wince  when  his  fingers  brush  against  her  bruise;  let's  out  a  pain - filled  hiss.

fate  lied  to  him  plenty,  telling  stories  she  came  up  with  on  a  whim  when  he  was  in  the  mood  for  listening  rather  than  talking;  he  has  never  touched  her  without  her  persmission.  how  she  adored  this  little  awkward  guy,  treating  their  time  spent  as  a  break,  as  it  certainly  wasn't  work.

now,  another  half - truth  is  pushed  past  her  lips,  in  order  to  calm  the  worried  man  down.  with  first  question  ignored,  she  immediately  answers  the  other  one.

❝  i'm  treated  well,  really,  ❞  she  assures,  pretty  smile  curling  at  the  edges  of  her  lips.  ❝  are  they  treating  you  right?  you  seem  tense,  dear.  ❞

what  a  perfect  wording  from  houston's  side,  ideal  to  redirect  his  concerns  onto  something  else  —  his  coworkers  he  often  complains  about.  building  up  his  self - confidence  is  a  long - term  goal,  but  maybe  the  seeds  she  already  sowed  onto  her  favorite  clown  are  bearing  fruit,  even  the  tiniest  ones?

continued:  from  here. @clownfile  for  houston.

[hvbris]

@muses-inn . Carrion & Violet

Violet had followed the trail of breadcrumbs, all the clues. And it all led to this place. It was an abandoned warehouse, decrepit and dilapidated. I should have come with some backup, she thought to herself, glancing at the summoning circle drawn around the room, so big that it almost covered the entire floor. She was only supposed to be here for reconnaissance, but she had a bad feeling about this. She looked behind her shoulder, glancing at the large front doors, and finally looked away.

Then, she tied her hair with a ribbon. Even now, as an adult, the habit stuck. It helped her focus and made the world go silent around her. She scanned the room. There was enough debris to find cover, and she was armed. The mission came first.

And with that, she carried on, walking deeper and deeper into the bowels of this place. A creaky metallic staircase led her downstairs, and she turned on her torch. Do the scary things first and be scared after, she reminded herself as she explored further. Of course, she had no idea how terrifying it would all be. But when the light of her torch hit something that looked more like flesh than a wall, she stopped right in her tracks, feeling a cold drop of sweat rolling down her back.