#the fall part 2: unbound

[ziracona]

Every day I wake up and have to face no one I know has or likely ever will play stellar Indie game The Fall Part 2: Unbound, which means I have literally no one to talk to about this fantastic work of art, and EVERY day I force myself to get out of bed and face the agonies regardless

[spewagepipe]

Spewage Litmus: The Fall Part 2: Unbound

Like its predecessor, The Fall Part 2 is a land of contrasts. The story now more closely involves metaphors for human psychology, which it absolutely nails – but this is not as mind-blowing as the evolving robotic perspective of the original. Also, some of the choices around sexual topics strike me as dubious – there were probably less lecherous ways to convey the same themes. The interface remains as terrible as ever, and the shooting combat still feels utterly pointless. The inclusion of melee combat ripped wholesale from One Finger Death Punch is a welcome diversion, at least. The puzzles now revolve around abstract psychological concerns instead of deliberate breaches of logic, so the solutions tend to be more coherent – but it’s no easier to work out which specific objects need to be clicked on in order to fulfill them. The overall impression, then, is that the worst qualities of The Fall Part 1 have been mitigated somewhat, and while the new story is still superb, it is far from having bottled the lightning of the original.

APPROVED

[rabidhiss]

The Fall 1 and 2: Unbound

I love indie games, especially games within the cyberpunk world with a sense of humor.

[kanzgamesandtrailers]

The 25 best video games of 2022 | video 2023

Hello everyone, here is a new video from my YouTube channel, I invite you to watch it, like it, and subscribe to the channel if possible, thank you for your understanding.

Here is the channel link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCyc3_VX1zAsuivHf5fwcBw

[lady-of-tearshed]

My rugged Illyrian male

Cassian x Reader

Cassian week 2024

@cassianappreciationweek

Day 2: Hair

Summary: Cassian is about to meet your parents for the first time, and he is skeptical that they'll appreciate his rugged Illyrian's features as much as you do...

Warnings: Mention of a razor blade.

Word count: 627 words

“Cass! Are you ready to leave?”

You shout out from downstairs, looking all over your shared house for your favorite red sparkly heels. You were to attend an important ball thrown by your parents, some important Lords from the Spring Court, with Cassian. Your parents hadn't met Cassian yet, well, not as your boyfriend. And you could sense how nervous the male was in making a great first impression.

“Yeah! Uh… One moment, my love.” He stutters from the bathroom on the second floor.

You halt at his suspicious tone, immediately giving up your frantic heel research, instead sneaking upstairs.

You peek your head through the half opened bathroom door, and your eyes widen in horror at the sight of the razor blade in Cassian’s hand.

And at his beautiful beard now half removed from his face, scattered all over the counter.

“Cassie! What-”

He instantly drops the blade, putting his fists on his hips. “What part of “one moment” do you not understand?” He scowls.

You were now standing right in front of him, your hand tracing the newly shaved part of Cassian’s right cheek. “Why would you do that?” You whisper, already knowing you'll miss his beautiful, sexy beard.

Cassian’s arms fall from his hips, and his shoulders slump. “I… I wanted to not look like a…” He paused, “I didn't want to look too rugged.”

He didn't want to look like a rugged Illyrian bastard, was what he didn't say. Your eyes narrowed. “Cass, Illyrians are rugged. And hairy,” You hold his hand, your eyes dead serious. “That's part of the things I like about you.”

“But what if they don't like that about me? What if they think I'm not good enough for you?” He hisses through clenched teeth, running his free hand through his long, unbound hair.

Your eyes soften, and you take a step back with how distressed Cassian sounded about meeting your parents, your hand still firmly holding onto his. “They don't have a say about who I decide to love. I chose you, Cassian. And I'd do it a thousand times again, despite everything anyone has to say.”

Cassian stays silent, but nods. You sigh, and pull him towards the edge of the bathtub. “Sit here,” You mumble, ordering him around. Cassian does what you ask of him, but raises a questioning brow. “Well, we can't just let you have a half-shaved beard. I'll finish the job. It'll help me… grief.”

It might sound quite dramatic, but you would truly be missing your Illyrian’s beautiful thick beard.

Once you're done, you rinse the shaving blade clean, and wet a towel to wipe away any mousse or facial hair remaining on Cassian's defined jaw. He stands up to stare at his reflection into the mirror, all while tying up his hair, the only step left before being completely ready to meet your parents.

“I'm banning any kind of blade from approaching your face.”

Your dramatic complaints make Cassian snorts. “I'm going to let it grow back in peace… Don't worry, love.”

You playfully slap his butt cheek before cowering away, fleeing to the front door before he smacks yours back.

You both slip into your shoes, and before you leave the house you both share, you kiss his cheek, and lean your lips to his ear. “I love you just as you are, my rugged, sexy Illyrian,” You yelp as a brightly smiling Cassian scoops you into his arms, wings spread, ready for take-off. “I love you with a beard the most, though.”

He rolls his eyes and laughs, before taking off to the sky, ready to fight any battles, even if it was just meeting your parents, if you were by his side, loving him for who he is.

Taglist: @mybestfriendmademe @lilah-asteria

[ninthcircleofprythian]

Unbound

Part 4 - Dancing With Your Ghost

Series Summary - Not having a mating bond didn't stop the love Azriel and Celeste have for each other or their commitment. When an unknown magic lingering from Celeste's past causes her to lose all memories of the last century, will they be able to rebuild their life without a bond tethering them together?

Word Count - 7.2k

Warnings - arousal scents, mention of wing amputation, mention/description of scars, implied SA (offpage), character in pain, hurt/comfort, flashback dream, sexually suggestive dialogue.

Author's Notes - We've made the jump into present time. This chapter takes place 100 years after the previous chapters.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

Present Time (100 years later)

The sky was still gray with watery light as the townhouse slowly began to show signs of life. This morning began like most of them did, breakfast as a pair while the rest of Velaris was mostly in slumber, this morning especially. The weekend had brought the revelry and chaos of Starfall with most residents probably just having found their beds only hours ago after two days of stargazing and alcohol. 

Azriel’s normal routine had him heading off to training just as the sun was making its ascent over the horizon. Slow to wake and not really a morning Illyrian, he needed the extra time before leaving to get his mind working in tandem with his body. The effects of a barely cured hangover from two nights ago didn’t help. He allowed his wings a wide spanning stretch to shake off the effects of sleep before taking his usual place at the expansive round table. The shadows ringing his arms and shoulders seemed to follow suit and shake off their own doze and then took a zooming lap through the room. 

Celeste glided easily into the room carrying two steaming mugs, placing one next to his already filled plate at the table. Azirel’s gaze flickered to hers as she settled into the chair beside him. Her perfectly coiffed dark hair twisted into a tight bin at the nape of her neck. His shadows responded to her presence immediately, leaving behind his scarred hands and taking roost along her chair back before slipping down and settling like a fine mist along her shoulders. 

“Busy day?” Azriel questioned over the rim of his steaming mug.

“Mmhm.” Celeste nodded through a bite of eggs quickly swallowing. “Two new mothers to check in on and a surprising number of fairly impressive injuries to assess and redress.” As the official healer of the Night Court after Madja’s retirement not quite a century ago, most of the serious calls fell to Celeste. “Starfall falling on a weekend always adds extra to the schedule. No one can resist an extra day of celebrations.” A small smile lit up her face as she gave a sly sideways glance at his classically beautiful features. 

Azriel’s mind immediately went to their own added day of celebrations. After spending the whole night of Starfall with their family and the usual formal party, he and Celeste had chosen to spend the extra day alone. His own smile slowly crept across his face and a strong hand settled on Celeste’s thigh under the table. The memory of her in that dress a couple nights ago in the forefront of his mind. 

“No, they certainly can’t resist.” A rolling rumble left his throat as he turned back to his breakfast. Yet before he could shovel in the next bite, the sounds of Cassian pounding on the front door vibrated through the space.  

Azriel moved to let him in, giving Celeste’s thigh a gentle squeeze before standing fully. The sight of her in that lovely velvet dress dimmed in his memory, quickly replaced by the memory of her out of that dress. She flashed a sly smirk in return as Azriel’s scent thickened in his wake leaving her with her own memories of this past weekend. The misty shadows swirled around in the space he left behind but did not follow, instead staying behind clinging closely around Celeste. Rising from the table, she began plating up another breakfast for their guest. 

“I still don’t understand why you can’t just let us winnow inside like Rhys does at his townhouse.” Cassian’s griping echoed from the entryway. “Have me standing out there in the cold just waiting like a stray dog.”

Cassian’s mood was no doubt due to his celebratory weekend going awry. Nesta had spent most of the formal Starfall party glaring daggers at him through the crowd. Cas on the other hand spent the evening using poor attempts at humor to right whatever wrong he had committed. Nesta had already filled Celeste in on the details days before regarding the argument that had occurred leading up to the party. 

“Have you ever thought we might not want to be disturbed at all hours, Cassian?” Azriel’s deep voice carried strongly ahead of him before they made their appearance in the dining room.

“Here. Eat.” Celeste commanded as she slid a heaping plate into Cassian’s usual spot at the table. The shadows darted from their perch along her skin and quickly inspected the newcomer. Determining him of no interest they returned. “It will make you less grumpy. It’s far too early for that.”

“Cauldron bless you, Celeste.” he sighed and practically fell into the plate ready to devour it. “Tell that to Nesta,” he grumbled through an already full mouth. “Apparently the House takes her side in all our arguments now. I can’t even get it to conjure a decent meal anymore!”

Azriel rolled his eyes as he settled back to his own plate. Celeste stifled a giggle into her coffee mug at the thought of the House of Wind holding a grudge on Nesta’s behalf and refusing to feed poor Cas. 

“Have you tried apologizing perhaps?” Az drawled.

“I HAVEN’T DONE ANYTHING WRONG!” Cas bellowed in exasperation, rolling his eyes.

“Of course not.” Az’s sarcastic reply echoed from the bottom of his mug as he finished the last dregs of his tea. Celeste wisely kept her mouth shut, lips pressed into a thin line to keep an amused smile from appearing. Of course she had only heard Nesta’s side of the whole scenario, but she did make a compelling argument. And knowing Cassian as well as they all did, it was no stretch of the imagination to believe he could be incredibly dense at times. 

With a quick pause in his ravenous eating Cassian looked up, piercing his brother with a knowing look while making a not so subtle sniff at the air. “What exactly did I interrupt?”

Celeste started back to reality at the question, her mind had already wandered back to what had been brewing before Cassian arrived. Picking up on the tension, the shadows began a cycling track between the spouses. Az’s face snapped to her with a darkened look in his eye instead of returning Cas’s questioning gaze. A single stray wisp curled around his ear seemingly whispering. Whatever the secret entailed brought a flash of brightness to his eyes and a blush of color to his cheeks. 

A similar blush had already bloomed on her own face when a sudden flurry of noise caused Celeste to jump. She evaded answering the question as enchanted slips of paper fluttered to the table in a pile. She quickly gathered them and began to shuffle them into some semblance of order. 

Apparently Cas was only incredibly dense when it came to his mate as he shot out a disgusted noise at the assumed answer to his question. “Ugh. Gross. We eat here you know!”

Az’s stoic face brightened with amusement. “You’re one to talk Cassian,” quickly reminding his brother of his time as Cas’s chaperone in the House of Wind during his courtship with Nesta.

The notes had arrived from one of the enchanted pads of paper Celeste left for her patients and fellow healers. They allowed correspondence during her off hours if the need arose, although there were never truly “off” hours as a healer. She had enchanted them to deposit wherever she was present in order to be reached immediately. 

“Mmm,” she started as she swallowed the last of her bacon and gulped a final sip of coffee. “I should go. One of my new mothers is convinced the babe isn’t feeding enough. She’s panicking a bit being a new mom and all, but I should see her first thing.” Before she could slip past his wings to round behind his chair, Azriel reached out and grabbed her wrist, pulling gently to halt her movement. Reaching out with his other scarred hand he cradled the side of Celeste’s face and tilted his head back, leaning in for a kiss. 

“I’ll see you tonight.” he crooned, pressing another soft kiss to her lips and drawing his thumb behind it, lightly tracing the line of her scar that crossed through her top lip. The raised skin along his fingertips caused a shiver to dance up her back.

“Yeah,” she responded in a whisper before standing upright again. Even after all this time, Azriel’s kiss never failed to leave her a little breathless. “And go easy on him today.” She tilted her head toward Cas across the table with a little smirk before rushing to the entryway for her things. 

“I DIDN’T DO ANYTHING WRONG!” he shouted at her as she pulled the door closed to leave. 

Celeste paused for a moment on the top step to bundle against the cold wind that told her winter wasn't ready to let go just yet. Her hand brushed against the spot on her scar where Azriel had just kissed as she pulled her scarf around her neck. The memory of the lingering touch causing her to smile into its folds. The injury had not always been associated with thoughts of affection. Its origins were brutal and the recovery had been hard. It had taken many years after her escape to even look at herself properly in a mirror again. Over time she had grown to accept her new face. Fleeing her birthplace was the first step in her recovery, but it was the chosen family she had gathered in her new life that had helped heal the scars beyond the physical. 

Thoughts wandering absentmindedly to other scars, she unconsciously stretched the muscles of her back. Two more deep wounds had closed there long ago, their skin rippled and pale, unlike the bright red one on her face. Directly between the shoulder blades, the tight skin eased a bit from the movement and Celeste was reminded of a time when they had ached constantly. It wasn't just from the injury itself but from the absence of their purpose. At one time those muscles had powered an expansive set of feathered wings. A magnificent relic of distant Seraphim ancestors in her bloodline. They had been sandy in color with deep flecks of velvety brown that had once matched her eyes. 

Rolling her shoulders once more, she brushed off the memory of those aches that belonged to another life. Her life before Velaris. The time between then and now had transformed Celeste into a different person, unrecognizable from the scared and trembling thing she had been arriving in a strange new land, similar in ways to her own birthplace but at the same time so very different. She had been born in a land on what the fae of Prythian called the Continent. Settled high up in the northernmost section was a region called Valhallan. Filled with snow capped mountains and harsh, cold winters, much like the ones of Illyria. 

Celeste had had the misfortune of being born into a broken family with no wealth to their name. There had been little time for anything that could bring joy into their household. Celeste’s brother worked into the night most of the time in order to bring in the meager wages to feed them. Her mother was off raising other families' children so that she could provide for her own, which left Celeste alone the majority of the time. With no signs of magical abilities ever developing, Celeste had resigned her days to the domestic chores that kept their household running. By the time she had reached maturity, her mother’s charges had grown up themselves and her brother’s life had been claimed in an accident while working as a bounty hunter. When the chance to leave poverty behind had arisen, Celeste had taken it. 

It wasn’t just the desire for more that had Celeste running from her poverty although it was a considerable factor. She wouldn’t have just jumped into bed with someone for money or else she would have sold her body long before then. It was the desire for love and affection that also drove her decision. And there seemed to be just that in her happenstance romance with Tyrik, at least at first. 

When a respectable looking male Fae had crossed her path in the market one day, she had taken an appreciative glance and carried on. Looking at a handsome male didn’t hurt anyone. Tyrik apparently had other ideas. He was enamored at first sight, weaving through the crowds behind her in order to trail along. Finally approaching her at a market stall he had offered to carry her baskets before insisting on paying for her wares. Celeste had refused politely at first. Then more insistently as Tyrik shoved the coin into the merchant's hands. Tyrik wouldn’t take no as an answer. It was much too late before Celeste realized that Tyrik never took no for an answer.

He had wined and dined her in the days following. He delighted in her astonishment and enjoyment of all the pleasures she could normally never afford. After a whirlwind courtship during his brief stay in Valhallan, Tyrik had insisted on carrying her with him back to his home in the center of the continent. Leaving her mother behind wasn’t easy, but seeing the same opportunity that Celeste did, she had insisted it was for the best and gave her blessings. Over the journey Celeste had convinced herself it was indeed for the best. It wasn’t just about leaving behind her hard life, it was about love too. Of course Tyrik could be pushy. So incredibly pushy, but he had shown her affection and care. She could imagine those feelings blossoming into something deeper over time if she gave it a chance. 

It wasn’t until a couple months after her arrival at his estate that Celeste had realized her mistake. By then it had been too late. She was subjected to his brutality for wrongs he was convinced she had committed – and attempted escape was the ultimate wrong in his eyes. Rumor had it that he had ‘run off’ a number of potential love interests, although where they ran to wasn’t clear. Their whereabouts were never questioned after, no mention of them was ever made. 

Celeste shook off the memories of the past with a shudder, instead choosing to focus on Azriel’s promise of “I’ll see you tonight.” With a small smile she refocused on organizing her thoughts to the hectic day ahead and carried on towards her first patient.

The day passed at a decent pace and progressed productively with no major incidents among her charges. Celeste distractedly rubbed at her temple as she rounded the corner to her final patient. The headache had been building all day and was threatening to reach its boiling point soon. A weekend of strong spirits and little sleep apparently had a longer recovery time than she had remembered in prior times. Before she could glance up to track the path ahead, she inadvertently slammed full bodied into another pedestrian. 

“Oh! Oh gods! I’m so sorry - I wasn’t paying attention. Are you-” Celeste stammered out.

“Ah! Oh-Celeste! Good, I’m glad I caught you.” The figure righted herself into the lithe and willowy healer that she knew as Marin. “I was just hoping to catch you before you trudged all the way up to see Khalen.” Marin tossed her thick, shockingly blond braid over her shoulder as she readjusted her tote and nodded toward the imposing hill ahead of them. “Would hate for you to hike all the way up there just to find out I already saw him.”

Relief washed over Celeste and bloomed evident on her face. “Ah, what a nice surprise Marin, thank you. A good excuse to make an early night of it.” She continued to rub at her temple as a touch of stronger pain radiated down her face. 

“Long weekend huh?” Marin winked and gave Celeste a gentle hip check as she smiled. “I saw you and Az at the party before I had to rush off. I tell you, I wouldn’t mind a male dressed like that keeping me up all night that’s for sure.” 

“Marin!” Celeste cracked a wide radiant smile as she let out a sharp laugh. “It’s not that,” she chuckled, “but two days of drinks, dancing and hardly sleeping isn’t as easy as it used to be.” 

Marin held her suspicious smile. “Yeah, hardly sleeping,” she retorted, winking again. 

Celeste barked out another laugh before wincing in pain at the throb it produced. “Anyway,” she continued. “Thanks again for offering to take my on-call night on Starfall. I owe you.”

“No problem, you know I’ll cash it in sooner than later. My camp rotation is coming up.” All the healers that Celeste managed rotated on a schedule, taking turns with on-call nights and week-long rotations once a month through the Illyrian camps. 

Marin flipped open the top of her canvas tote. “Hey, do you happen to have more of those message pads? I would have written to you but I gave my last one earlier this morning.”

Celeste rummaged in her own bag finding a banded bundle of 3 pads neatly tucked in a pocket, handing them over to Marin and turning to make her way home. “Thanks again, I’ll see you!” she concluded.

Tucking her scarf into her bag as the early spring weather had changed its mind once again, Celeste began the long journey home. Silently she wished for the use of her wings to make the trek quicker. Normally she didn’t mind the walks home. It gave her time to decompress and unwind after long days and enjoy the sights and sounds of the city she had so lovingly called home for so long. Today however the sights and sounds were grating against her already taut nerves caused by this headache. It had now pushed past the boundary of her temples and carried down into her eyes and along her nose. She brushed a cool hand along her brow pressing against the bone for relief, feeling along the rounded edge of her scar as she did. 

She kept her eyes cast downward trying not to catch glances of the sunlight sinking lower in the sky as the light was beginning to send throbs of dull pain through her eyeballs. She was taking quick squints of the path ahead to keep herself from accidentally body slamming someone else when she saw him. Just ahead, leaning sedately against a lamppost, he waited. No longer in his fighting leathers but instead a simple dark shirt and loose pants, wings tucked neatly with one broad shoulder pressed against the post with arms crossed, watching Celeste make her way over the cobblestone. Thin tendrils of shadow swirled low to the ground and snaked out over her boots. 

“Well, if it isn’t my wife.” Az purred lowly. “Lucky meeting you here,” he added, a feline smile spreading across his perfect lips before it hastily dropped and he hurriedly pushed off the post. “Are you okay? What’s wrong?”

His worried eyes followed the movement of Celeste’s hands as she pushed against her brow bone once more and then shielded her eyes from the glaring light behind him trying to peek up at his face. Noting concern, his shadows changed route and slunk up her arms and circled around her neck.

“Just a headache. I’ve had it all day. I think the festivities finally caught up with me.” She tried to flash him a weak smile and ended up wincing instead. This recent burst of pain covered her whole face and made her draw in a sharp breath. 

“Did you take anything?” Azriel’s damaged hands slipped smoothly along Celeste's jaw gently cradling her face. In one smooth movement, he flared out his wings behind him to block out the glaring sun from her face, peering down into her dark eyes, concern pulling down his brow. 

“Yeah, I took something a couple hours ago but it didn’t do much. I think I just need to lie down.” His chilled palms felt almost heavenly against her skin and the errant shadows were now floating along her hairline in a soothing caress. Closing her eyes, she leaned into his touch and savored the small relief. 

“Let’s get you home then.” Az’s hands pulled away, taking their relief with them but the shadows lingered. 

“I know winnowing is faster but could we fly instead?” she requested meekly. Rhys had once described winnowing as just like taking a giant step through darkness. While Celeste had winnowed plenty of times with Az and Rhys, it never felt like a big step to her. It felt a little like dropping too quickly in flight and your stomach flopping and always left her slightly dizzy for a second after, which she was certain her poor head couldn't handle right now. At least not without vomiting.

He nodded solemnly before scooping her up into his arms ready to take flight. The kickoff from the ground rattled her brain painfully and she stifled a paltry cry in her throat before nuzzling against his neck and relishing in the darkness it provided. 

Azriel gently pulled her tighter to his chest and whispered an apology into her hair. He didn’t like seeing her feeling unwell and especially not in pain. Thankfully the instances of Celeste being injured or ill had been few and far between but for her to cry out from a headache he knew the pain must be pretty intense. A seed of worry settled between his ribs. 

Arriving at their modest townhouse Azriel circled the upper balcony along the backside of the house making a slow descent. Easing into a landing he touched down as gently as he could without jostling her. Her head was still buried against his neck, breath warm against his skin. He could feel the rapid exhales coursing over his collarbone. Without a word he carried her into the room they shared through the balcony door and headed toward the bed. 

“Bath now? Or later?” he asked as he sat her on the edge of the luxuriously large bed.

“Now please.” Her eyes were now open but she sat there with her shoulders held stiffly and not making any effort to look up at him. The seed of worry wiggled in a little deeper. 

Az regarded her now with the hardened gaze of a true spymaster. “What else hurts?” His eyes roved over her frame noting any tic or tell and collecting the information. The fist she held gripped in her lap with her thumb tucked between her middle and ring finger gave it away. Her thumb rubbing there always gave away her anxiety, but clenched in her fist meant she was trying to hide something. Pain.

“Celeste. Tell me what hurts.” It wasn’t a request. She heard the soft command of his voice and pulled in a pained breath and held it before releasing it slowly.

“My neck. My head and my neck. It hurts to turn. And it’s so bright in here. Can you close the curtains?” Her brows were pinched as she relayed her answer.

“The bath can wait.” He directed her as he released the shadows in silent command so they could draw the curtains closed. “Lie back. I’ll get you some tea and headache powder.” He moved to help ease her down against the pillows. Grabbing a blanket from the foot of the bed and draping it over her fully, she curled onto her side and squeezed her eyes closed. 

“No. The powder didn’t help earlier. In the bottom of my bag, the green sachet, brew that in the tea. And hand me the bottle of papavera too.”

“Sweetheart, maybe I should call one of the healers.” The worry had escaped into his tone. Azriel had been married to a healer long enough to understand that papavera was a strong choice for pain. He had used it a couple times himself, once being when his wings were shredded in a storm. 

“Selah is on-call. She’s going to tell you the same thing I am. Besides, she was heading to a birth when I saw her this afternoon so I’m sure she’s still there.”

Az liked Selah. She was quiet and contemplative and quick to learn. She had come to a few training sessions with the priestesses before being recruited into being a healer by Celeste. She said she had shown a lot of promise with a natural inclination to healing. Az knew she was competent and trusted her. Knowing that Selah would have done exactly what Celeste was asking still did not settle that seed of worry that was now taking root. He handed her the bottle of tonic without countering her argument before slipping downstairs to brew the tea. 

The effects of the papavera were almost immediate. Slipping into a blissful darkness of sleep Celeste barely registered the dulling ache that was slowly leaving her body. She felt as if she were spinning. Slowly around in not quite a circle. Over the thump of her steady heart she thought she heard music. Not spinning, dancing. 

The music gradually lowered into an easy tempo. Soft and low against the backdrop of chatter and glasses inside. The band was seated just to the left outside the open double doors leading to the dining room of the House of Wind. 

“Care to dance Shadowsinger?” she murmured, leaning her head back and settling into his chest. Azriel was pressed up against her back, hands making lazy, idle circles along her hips as they both leaned up against the railing on the neighboring balcony. His attention was fixed up in the twilight sky, watching the hundreds of flaming bright stars sweep across the expanse. 

“With you?” He brought his gaze to meet hers tortuously slowly. Meeting her line of sight she swore she saw the reflection of the shooting stars twinkling back at her. “Always.”

She spun in his grasp to face him. One of his siphoned hands laid her delicate fingers over where his shoulder met his chest and then with a smooth caress, slid to the small of her back. With his other hand he slipped her remaining palm into his. 

He beamed down at her hand in his, admiring the matching blue gem she had fashioned to fit the back of her own hand. “That really was a nice touch,” he added modestly, watching the glowing flicker inside. She knew he was being a bit reserved in saying that, but then again that's just the way Azriel was. Reserved. She had seen the gleam of silver tears lining his eyelashes when she made her appearance for the first time to him at the start of the party. She knew what it really meant to him even if he couldn’t quite say it. 

Celeste had planned this dress nearly all year. She had worked diligently with an associate of Amren’s agonizing over the stones cut and color to perfectly match the siphons Azriel normally wore. Each one, all seven, had been carefully measured and set to match exactly. The one on her chest she had settled right on the neckline of the low cut front so it lay perfectly between her breasts along her sternum. Along her shoulders she had them strung on velvet cording to match the dress and hung delicately in the opening of her split sleeves. The same cording threaded through her fingers and tied to a velvet band around her wrist to affix the gemmed siphons on the back of her hands. But the most scandalous of all were the garters she had specially made to hold the brilliant blue stones securely above her knees. Feyre had debated with her whether cutting the hemline short enough to make them visible was entirely appropriate for such a formal party. The hemmed edge grazed just barely to the middle of her bountiful thighs making it nearly impossible to bend at the waist without losing coverage over her backside. After trying on the sample, Nesta and Mor sided with Celeste.

“It’s daring. I love it.” Mor had exclaimed excitedly. “Wear it!”

Nesta had laughed with a sparkling glint in her eye at the first look. “Oh yes. Absolutely. Az is going to combust when he sees you in this.”

And he very nearly did. Celeste had insisted she wanted to get ready in the House of Wind with Nesta and her sisters and told Azriel she would meet him there. They timed their entrance perfectly with the first swings of the party ramping up. As she descended the stairs alone after Nesta and the others had gathered at the bottom, she caught sight of him. His shadows reacted first, racing up the marble steps nearly creating a cyclone around her feet and then zooming between each siphon almost as if inspecting their authenticity. He barely took any notice of them as they returned back to his side, ever loyal, and began whispering around his neck and ears. 

Azriel’s glare darkened as he took her in, his mouth popped slightly open. She could almost feel the heat burning each body part as he raked his vision from one siphon to the next making his way down her curves. Catching sight of the blue jewels tapping lightly against her knees with each step she could almost predict his growling request of ‘Keep those on later.’

Reaching the bottom landing she stood before him at a distance to allow him to take it in further from a closer angle. 

“Celeste, sweetheart” he said roughly. “You look — stunning.” The words were having a hard time finding purchase in his brain as he stumbled along. “Did — did you make this?”

“With some help.” She beamed up at him, noticing the moisture gathered on his lashes and watching him swallow slowly. “It’s not every day you get to have your 100th Starfall with your husband. I figured a memorable year needed a memorable dress.” 

A wide smile crept across his face. “Memorable indeed.” He paused, taking her hand in his and looking over the whole outfit again. Pulling her into his body he murmured through her loose curls into her ear. “Wear it again. Wear it every year. But especially tonight.” She shivered against his hold at his words, scenting night air and fresh cedar rolling off of him.

“There’s one more thing.” Celeste brightened with anticipation. Leaning back in his grip she rapped a gentle tap to the siphon at her breast and studied Azriel’s face as he watched with rapt attention. Slowly the center began to glow a brilliant blue, casting the light over his own outfit. The other gems quickly followed suit until they all carried a gentle flicker of blue light inside them. “They will respond to your touch too,” she added.

Eyes widening with rapture and delight, Azriel threw his head back and laughed a deep full laugh. The sound captured her breath and she stole away the memory to replay later. His laugh was one of the most magnificent things she could ever hear and she never got enough of it.

“Oh, that's brilliant!” Cassian howled, tossing his head back in laughter too. He and Nesta were standing off to the side taking in the show along with the rest of the family. 

Nesta, with a proud warmth on her face, met Celeste’s eye with a knowing look. “I told you.” 

Celeste let out her own burst of laughter. 

Centering herself back into Az’s embrace she peered up into his eyes again. Without another word he moved swiftly to graze his lips against hers, only a slight hesitation before he sank in for a lingering kiss. 

The music was only just a throbbing ebb in the background now. Unable to make sense of the notes anymore, Celeste tried to concentrate on them harder, willing them to take shape into song again. One, two, three beats later she lost them completely until they were just replaced by the steady  thrum of her own heartbeat in her head. Her head. 

Oh yeah, my head. It doesn’t hurt anymore.

She peeled her eyes open carefully expecting the light of morning to assault her senses, but was met with only gray dusk — and shadows. Swirling around her head and spinning through her vision. Their quick movement quickly corrected her earlier thoughts. Her head did still hurt but not as badly. Hesitant to make a move just yet she scanned the bedside to find Azriel lounging back a tufted chair, his long muscular legs propped up and crossed on the ottoman, elbow propped on the arm with his head leaning against his fist. His wings spilled gracefully over the low back of the chair and Celeste had an urge to drag the pads of her fingers across their webbing. He was reading reports of some kind as she studied his face in the deepening twilight before he became aware of her consciousness. 

“Did you know you have really nice lips?” Her voice croaked with sleep as she brought her fingers to her own lips still feeling the lingering memory there.

His head jerked up at the sound of her voice and in the instant it took for him to register her words his eyes brightened and he tossed out a laugh. The sound echoed through Celeste’s head in tandem with what she recollected from her dream. 

“I’ve had a few compliments on them,” he responded smoothly. Bringing his feet to the floor and righting himself, he searched her face for signs of distress. “Feeling better?”

Even though she heard his question she remained silent for a moment. His laugh just now and the one from her dream squeezed at her heart in echo and she mentally squirreled them away deep into the recesses of her mind to savor later. The sound of his joy was something she never tired of.

“You have a nice laugh too,” she said wistfully, her voice croaking once more. 

A lopsided smile hung on his face, reaching his eyes and causing them to wrinkle a bit. “Are you feeling better?” he asked genuinely.

“A little. Yeah. It’s not as bad but it still hurts some.”

He shifted his body, easing himself on the edge of the bed by her knees, pulling his wings into a tight tuck so as not to hit her. “Drink this.” A mug balanced in his wide, textured palm with the handle facing toward her. Celeste shifted and slowly pulled herself to sitting, Azriel’s free hand steadying her with a grip to her upper arm. Settling back against the headboard she claimed the mug with both hands, soaking its warmth into her palms. She sipped the scalding liquid slowly, Az watching every swallow. Unease furrowed his brow as he watched her face pinch and he laid the back of his hand to her forehead feeling for a fever. The shadows bled off his skin and furiously began circling around her face and through her hair.

“I’m fine, really Az. This stuff just tastes awful.” She forced down another large gulp of the drink, knowing it would only taste worse as it cooled. She hoped that this, along with the earlier dose of papavera would knock out the pain that was lingering. Not nearly as pervading as it was before but the pain still pulsed along the bridge of her nose and along her eyebrows. “But can you rein these things in a bit,” she gestured toward the still circling shadows. “They’re making me dizzy.”

Azriel pulled on whatever source of power commanded them and a small trickle returned to his skin. The rest had slowed their circuit but still continued around and around. Narrowing his eyes he attempted again without success. A look of contemplation tightened his features as he reached out toward Celeste. 

“I don’t have a fever Az,” she moved to lean away. “I told you I feel a lot better.” 

“What you actually said was ‘a little’,” he said neutrally, grasping her shoulder to still her. Cupping his hand in front of her face, he placed the side of his palm to her forehead and gathered the misty filaments like dipping a cup into a river. They collected there as they collided with his palm, seemingly reluctant to disobey again. As he pulled away and they slithered back to their master’s arms, one single tendril snaked out from Celeste’s hairline and lazily floated in the space between them. 

Celeste snorted a laugh. “They don’t listen very well do they?”

“No. They don’t.” Az replied distractedly. He scrutinized the errant shadow with a withering look. Halting its lazy drift through the air between them it then returned towards Celeste’s face. Ever so slowly it grazed her forehead again and then quickly shot down the full path of her scar before zipping back to Azriel.

She hissed a sharp inhale through her teeth as she clutched at her face. “Ow! What the hell was that?! What did you do?”

Az made to grab her wrist to pull it away from her face intent on inspecting the damage. “That wasn’t me.”

 As she pulled her own hands from her face he saw nothing amiss. The same bright red, smooth scar in the same state it had always been. Suddenly, that wayward wisp curled around his ear and Azriel’s face shifted to darkened surprise. Celeste wasn’t paying either of them any attention as she ran her finger along the length of her past injury and inspected her hand.

Celeste was now the subject of his scrutiny. He didn’t fully understand the meaning of the shadows message, it spoke not in a true language but more in the way of feelings and intuitions and very occasionally images. Over the centuries he had come to be fluent in the emotions they used most often, especially when it came to his loved ones. But this shadow’s message was too complex without words. It felt like a warning but of what he didn’t know. He held his searing stare as he sat still as stone.

“I think I’d like that bath now,” Celeste tossed the blanket away from her legs and poked at Azriel’s back with her toes. “Scooch.” 

Rising from the bed and turning to assist her, he grabbed her elbow for support as she shimmied off the side of the bed. 

“I told you, I’m fine.” A smile tugging at the corners of her mouth but accepting the help anyway. Her bare feet hit the cool wood and as she unfolded herself to stand, the floor seemed to tilt sharply to the right, her body correcting the shift by careening to the left. Az clamped down on the grip he had of her elbow and encircled her waist with his free arm, wings flaring out to balance them both. 

“Yeah,” he huffed out. “So you said.” Before she could test her balance again, his arm slipped up from her waist and he bent to scoop behind her knees, carrying her into the ample washroom and setting her gingerly to sit on the wide rim of the tub. 

“Stay,” he commanded as he leaned over to turn the taps.

“Yes sir,” she giggled. 

“I’m glad you find this amusing,” he retorted with stone faced seriousness. He tested the water temperature before closing the drain and held up two bottles of bath oil for her to select. 

“You,” she tapped the spearmint one with her nail. “I find you amusing.” She began shedding her clothing from her seated position as he added the oil to the filling tub. Once fully undressed she remained perched on the tub edge and craned her neck back to look into Azriel’s face. “I’m fine.” 

He arched his brow and twisted his mouth into a disbelieving look. “So you said.” 

Wrapping her arms around his waist and leaning her cheek against his middle, she inhaled the scent of spearmint as the vapors filled the room. His hands wandered to the sides of her neck, thumbs swiping gently in an arch along her jaw. Ever so gently he began locating the hair pins in her bun at the nape of her neck, nimbly pulling them out one by one. As her hair unraveled, he gathered it in his palm before letting it unfurl down her back. Celeste shivered and made a hum of contentment in her throat. Her dark tresses skimmed the skin at the very bottom of her ribcage. 

“Will you braid it for me?” she tugged at his shirt, untucking one corner, and pressed her lips to the skin just above his waistband. “I don’t feel like washing it tonight. Too much work.” 

He didn’t answer because she knew she didn’t really have to ask. He always braided her hair for her. Noticing the tub was full he leaned sideways, her arms still encircling his waist, and turned off the taps. “C’mon. In,” he said as he untangled himself from her grasp and bent to lift her again. 

“Join me?” she questioned, desire brightening her eyes. 

Azriel lowered her into the steaming water, shadows spreading over the surface like an oil slick. She made another low sound in her throat at the heat enveloping her body. “Please?” 

Now fully seated in the tub she had hooked one finger through the opening between the buttons on his shirt and began unfastening them. 

Az softly stilled her hands with one of his own. “Lay back. Relax. Let me take care of you.” He had gathered her hair in his other hand, holding it above the water and as she laid back he flipped it over the back of the tub. 

“Did you know endorphins are a natural pain reliever?” she quipped, head tilted back against the tub with eyes closed. “You’d be doing me a favor.”

Settling himself on the stool he had grabbed from the vanity, he released a deep rumble of a laugh. The sound caused a broad smile to erupt on Celeste’s face. 

“You have a nice laugh,” she said wistfully, popping open her eyes to meet his sultry hazel ones above her. 

He leaned over her, releasing her hair from his hands and bringing them up to massage her temples. He rested his lips against her forehead and planted a tender kiss. “So you said,” he whispered. 

Following his request to relax, Celeste melted deeper into the tub. She let the warmth of the water ease her aches and lull her into a doze. Azriel had begun brushing through her hair, sending delicious chills over her skin. 

“Not too tight,” she requested as he started to gather her locks into three bundles, her eyes still closed. “It makes it hard to sleep.”

She felt his hands pause for just a fraction too long. He knew what she said wasn’t true. Out of the thousands of times he had braided her hair over the years, tight or not, he had never known her to lose sleep over it. Celeste could practically feel the concern seeping into her scalp. 

“I’m fine,” she said, her voice as limp as her body felt. He didn’t acknowledge her statement, working slowly and smoothly at plaiting her hair, having already decided to get one of the other healers to drop in. 

Taglist - @mybestfriendmademe @lilah-asteria @chairofchaos

@weekendlusting @pit-and-the-pen @sarawritestories

[whereisten]

Late Night Adventures with a Green-Haired Kingpin

*Wildcard Ending*

Part 1 | Part 2 Intro | Part 2 | Part 3 Intro | Part 3 | Part 4 Intro | Part 4: Yuta Oneshot! | Part 4 | Part 5 Finale (Happy Ending) | Part 5 Finale (Sad Ending) | Part 5 Finale (Wildcard Ending)

Summary: You couldn’t quite explain how you, a normal office worker that didn’t even have a traffic violation, ended up in a gang leader’s bed, but here you are.

Genre: angst, fluff, smut, mafia

Pairing: Gang Leader!Taeyong X female reader (who is also a gang leader now)

Warning: violence, graphic descriptions of death and murder, cursing, cheating, toxic relationship, gun and knife mention, possessiveness, manipulation and blackmail, alcohol and cigarette use, character death, smut (unprotected (be safe!), rough sex, impregnation k!nk, dirty talk)

Word Count: 12.2K

(a/n: wow wow wowww we have finally reached the end of this series, I can’t believe it, I’m actually kinda sad to say goodbye. Greenie, I will miss you :( anyway! I hope you enjoy the finale, both endings start off the same for about 1k words, then veer off to two completely different scenarios, so I hope you’ll consider reading both. let me know what you think about them! I had fun writing both! its been some time so my writing style has changed, hope thats okay. Thank you for your support <3)

“Do you think not eating will make me pity you?” Jaehyun stares at you sitting across the table from him sternly. 

You look down at your now unbound wrists in your lap then up to the guards standing in all four corners of his dining room. You couldn’t escape if you tried. 

“What’s your plan here? What’s your goal? You’ve already killed Yuta…I’m willing to give you everything we owned..and yet..you don’t want it.”

You sniffle as you think of your last moments with Yuta. As frustrating as he was, you didn’t want him to die. You never wanted him to feel pain. He was just a young, insecure guy whose downfalls could’ve been redeemed if given the chance. And in just under a minute, all that was taken from him.

You sit there, stitched up and still in pain as tears fall onto your hands.

Jaehyun carefully cuts the fat from his steak. “Oh..you misunderstand me..I do want everything, and I will take it when I please..but I also want Taeyong to pay for his, and his father’s, wrongdoings. You also must pay for your wrongdoings. You chose to protect your men, I chose to avenge my sister. With each choice comes a consequence, wouldn’t you agree?”

You don’t nod, you only cry harder. A slight feeling of shame hits you and you think of how Yuta would scold the shit out of you for showing weakness if he were alive to see it.

“Hmm?” Jaehyun places a finger on your chin and tilts it upward. You were too lost in your tears to notice he had walked over to you while carrying a piece of steak on a fork.

The annoyingly handsome man smiles slowly while tilting his head. “I have no doubt that Taeyong will find the whereabouts of your men and bring an end to this chapter, I always get what I want.”

You chuckle and brush his hand away. “You’re a fool, he knows I’d never forgive him for revealing that.”

You wince as a sharp pain cuts deep into you again, reminding you of the accident that occurred just hours prior.

“Me? A fool? Hmm and yet you’re in this situation with no Superman to save you..your other hero lay dead, headless, and covered in bugs as the first stage of decomposition starts and-“

“Fuck you! Don’t talk about him like that! You think you’re better than him, but the truth is your daddy gave you everything! You’re nothing but a spoiled brat struggling to fit into his big man pants for the day!” You stare into his eyes and curse him through gritted teeth. Before you can take another breath, he grabs your chin and tightens his grip, then stabs your wound with the opposite end of the fork.

You scream at the sudden pain while trying to escape his hold, but you can’t get away from him. He laughs as you squirm in pain.

“And are you so different? Fucking a kingpin on the first night of meeting him? Learning all there is to know about this business just so you can fuck another man and become work buddies?” 

Your eyes widen as your eyes slowly drift up to his.

Jaehyun pouts. “Oh..you didn’t know that I know you’re a whore, a smart whore, but a whore nonetheless. You spread your legs for Taeyong and it got him all googly-eyed and stupid, so stupid he gave you everything. Fuck, pussy must’ve been that good.” 

He laughs as he shoves the utensil in deeper. You groan. “Stop!”

“Inheritance is inheritance, who cares how it’s gained..isn’t that right, honey?” The wild look in his eyes reassured you that he was having fun with this.

“Fuck you! You know nothing about me! You’re lucky your dad worked his ass off so you don’t have to lift a finger, you fucking asshole!”

“You know so much, honey. You’ve also got a dirty mouth. Be careful or I might start to like you.”

Your nose flares as you breathe heavily.

He uses his hand on your chin to pull you upwards into a standing position. You try to fight him off, but he overpowers you easily. Something about him makes his strength feel unlike anything you’ve ever felt before.

He releases his grip and moves to stand behind you. He then holds the piece of steak up to your face. “Now, eat.”

You turn your head away, letting out a huff. Jaehyun pushes two fingers into your wound, making you scream again and bend over. “Stop! Please!” You grip the edge of the table, still trying to fight him off.

He only chuckles and pushes his fingers in deeper. “Just open your mouth and I’ll stop, it’s pretty easy.”

You cry harder, but do as he says, opening your mouth as he places the fork inside. 

“There you go, good girl.” He smiles again as you chew.

He lets you go and walks back to his seat at the table, leaving you a crying mess. It takes you some time and strength to sit back in your seat, your hand over your wound as blood begins to pour out. 

“You and your men are starting to piss me off, but as I said before I always get what I want.” He cuts into the steak slowly, the fork and knife held by his fingers still covered in your blood.

You feel weak, his face becomes a blur and you pass out within seconds.

[5 Hours Later]

With only a few hours left, Taeyong arrives at Jaehyun’s mansion. He sits on the couch and waits for Jaehyun to show up.

He hadn’t slept all night, he’d been working with Taeil to figure out where your men were. He immediately knew he was going to find them and give their location away to save you. As he said before, he didn’t give two shits about them and didn’t care if that offended or upset you. Yuta was killed and he needed to save you before it was too late. He lost his best friend, he couldn’t lose his true love too. Furthermore, you could help him find Haeju.

Jaehyun arrives after about 5 minutes, walking towards the love seat facing him. You walk in after him. Taeyong’s eyes follow the leash connecting Jaehyun’s clenched fist to the collar around your neck and nearly loses it. Taeyong is saddened to see you like this, your shirt stained with blood, your eyes low and red from crying, and your face drained. To make matters worse, the collar has chrome letters decorating it to spell out ‘JAEHYUN’S’.

He truly was a petty and sick man.

“Kneel.” Jaehyun commands while pointing to the spot beside his feet on the floor.

Taeyong’s eyes grow. How dare he, he’s out of his mind. His heart starts to race as he grows angry. “N-“

“It’s okay, Taeyong..I’m okay.” You kneel quickly, ignoring the fact that Jaehyun was hell-bent on breaking you down and putting you below him. He was exactly as you told him, a spoiled brat.

“Good girl.” He smirks as if hearing your thoughts.

Taeyong grits his teeth when he sees you clutching your stomach and wincing.

“She needs to rest.” He says to Jaehyun sternly.

“Oh god, I hope that’s not what you came here to tell me.” Jaehyun rolls his eyes, leaning back and taking in Taeyong’s irritated appearance. He knows he’s practically two seconds away from lunging at him, and he loves it. 

“Taeyong..you don’t have time.” You whisper through a strained breath. Kneeling in that position puts more pressure on your wound.

Taeyong swallows hard. “Fine..here..the coordinates of where their men, along with my own will be meeting. I faked a message from Yuta’s number calling for an emergency meeting at 12.”

Your eyes grow, you shake your head. “No! What are you-“

He continues. “It’s a warehouse, so there will be approximately 5 exits your men will have to cover. Do what you will, they mean nothing to me now, let y/n go so I can save my sister.”

“Taeyong, don’t do this.” You start to cry once you see the paper Taeyong places on the center table.

“Oh? It’s that easy, is it?” Jaehyun crosses a leg over the other, his dimples showing through as he grins.

Jaehyun’s right hand man grabs the paper and leaves the room to make preparations for an attack.

“I gave you what you asked for, now let her go.” Taeyong doesn’t look at you, for the sight will drive him mad if this takes any longer.

Jaehyun nods. “Sure. Go on.”

And it’s a little too easy. No catch? No pause? Just freedom? Oh no..you both knew Jaehyun better.

You start to crawl towards Taeyong, and once you’re within an arm's reach away, Jaehyun tugs the leash hard and snatches you by the collar back towards him. You yelp and grab at the collar once it tightens.

“But..I didn’t get what I asked for, did I?”

Taeyong stands up. “Stop with the fucking games! Let her go!”

You cough and gasp for air.

Jaehyun shakes his head while laughing. “I think she can stay beside me for a few more minutes..at least until my guys confirm yours are dead. It’s only fair. Or…you could stay here and let your sister die.”

Taeyong sighs and sits back down.

After a few seconds, he says through gritted teeth. “You’re an asshole.”

Jaehyun nods. “Yes..well, it’s just another day.”

“Just…five minutes..give me five minutes then.” Taeyong looks into his eyes, trying to hide his embarrassing tone of desperation.

Jaehyun scoffs then eyes him up and down. “You don’t need five minutes, you probably finish in two..”

“You broke your own rule and lied..the least you can do is give us that…I don’t even know if I’ll see him again.” You growl at him.

Jaehyun looks down at you. “Ahh..and the bitch makes another demand.”

Taeyong's eyes narrow, he never thought he'd feel such a burning urge to kill anyone as strong as this.

“Two minutes and bring my toy back unharmed.” Jaehyun lets the leash go.

Taeyong quickly kneels to the ground with you and holds you in his arms closely. He helps you up to your feet then quickly walks you outside.

“Listen, we don’t have much time but trust me, okay?”

You sniffle and shake your head. “Taeyong, you bastard, I’ll never forgive you for this.”

He holds both of your arms and holds you firm towards him, his eyes growing as his grip tightens. “Y/n, just trust me!” 

You nod, but don’t look into his eyes.

“I’m..sorry I couldn’t save you, but I know he won’t kill you, he needs to have something over me and as of right now, he knows it’s you..it’s you above everything..look at me.” He uses his finger to bring your chin up towards him. 

Your teary eyes finally meet his, melting him where he stands. Had his mind not been in a million places at once, he would’ve kissed you until the sun set. “I love you.”

“That’s not enough, Taeyong..what are you going to do?”

“First, I’m going to save Haeju, then I’ll come back for you, just wait for me, I promise..”

You nod. For a moment, you had forgotten that Haeju was running out of time. “She’s probably at the pit, it’s a house in the middle of nowhere..here take this.” You hurriedly hand him your smart watch. While getting stitched up, you remembered that it was connected to a tracker you left inside a vase at the house. The watch could pinpoint where it was once the app was activated.

“Follow it quickly, it’s just a guess, but I doubt Yuta would leave her in a place that I don’t know of.” 

Taeyong nods. “Thank you, do whatever he says, give him whatever he asks for..just until I get back, okay?”

You nod. “Please…be careful.”

He can’t hold back any longer. He leans down and kisses you deeply, drawing you in as your eyes shut. Your heart starts to race and tears flow down your cheeks as you think this will be the last time, if not for a while, then for forever.

Taeyong feels himself tearing up as well. He remembers all the moments you spent together and the times you made him happy. He remembers when you lived together like a normal couple and how your smile brightened every day for him. Losing Yuta was too much for him to bear, he knew he couldn’t lose you too.

You finally pull away and press a hand to his chest. “You have to hurry.” You swallow hard and look away.

He nods and hurries out of the mansion.

You watch him walk away and it feels like everything moves in slow motion. You’re being dragged back into the room by the guards, your arms ache, but all you can do is watch Taeyong leave. Your heart breaks slowly as you know it will be the last time you see your green-haired lover. You don’t feel the guards tightening rope around your wrists once more.

Jaehyun places an arm along the top of the couch, watching you sit still on the couch across from him.

About 30 minutes pass as you stare at the ground and Jaehyun checks his emails and calendar on his phone.

He finally places it down and grabs your leash.

“So…How does it feel? To be used and thrown away like nothing?”

You chuckle and look up to him. “He isn’t throwing me away, he’s saving his sister..then he’ll kill you.”

Jaehyun only laughs. “Why do you even care for that freak?”

You sigh and rest your back against the cushion. Maybe if you visualize yourself choking the life out of Jaehyun, you’ll be satisfied enough.

“It doesn’t matter to you.”

“Well..do you love him?”

“If I say yes, will you leave us alone?”

Jaehyun laughs again, his dimples showing through even in the dim lighting of the gold-lined room. “Now, you know I can’t do that.”

You laugh. “Of course…coward.. are you scared you’d have to keep looking over your shoulder?”

He smirks, tilting his head as he observes the collar around your neck. “You’re lucky I need you.”

“And you’re lucky I’m tied up right now! You bastard!”

“Hey hey hey..” he yanks the leash, bringing you to the edge of the couch. You steady yourself on your knees to avoid falling off.

“No need to yell, you’re funny, but don’t push your luck with me..” he stares into your eyes and there’s a dark glint in them this time. For once, you genuinely feel threatened and it sends shivers down your spine.

“Boss!” One of his henchmen bursts into the room.

“It was a set up!” 

Jaehyun lets the leash go and stands up. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

The man hands the phone to his right-hand man. You strain your ears to listen and hear they were unable to make contact with the team that set out to kill your members at the meeting. The back up team arrived at the location Taeyong told him about and discovered that Jaehyun’s men were victims of a building bombing. Bombs were set up and detonated when the clock struck 12, killing all of Jaehyun’s men. Your guys were safe, the meeting was faked. 

Taeyong must have met with your guys and devised the plan while he was gone. He knew it was risky, but took a chance anyway, knowing that Jaehyun would trust him if he left you behind.

You smile in relief, but know you’re about to see a side of Jaehyun you’d never seen before.

You can’t help but laugh when you see his face become drained of all color while listening to the person speak over the line.

He throws the phone to the floor, watching it break into several pieces. He stomps over to you quickly and grabs you by the collar, raising you off the couch as you whine.

“Did you fucking know about this?” He takes a knife out of his pocket and presses the tip into the space just below your jaw.

However, you don’t stop laughing, it was about time the bastard felt pain like you did.

“Maybe I did, maybe I didn’t, maybe I don’t even know what you’re talking about.” You chuckle and the knife goes in deeper. You could care less what he did to you, you just wanted your guys to be safe and Haeju to be found before it was too late

He growls then throws you back down onto the couch. “Fucking bitch!”

“What’s the problem? Daddy can’t fix this for you?” You say in an annoying high pitched voice. Jaehyun slaps you hard, making you split blood onto the couch. You go dizzy for a moment, but resume your laughing fit.

“First, I’ll tear him limb from limb, then gonna kill him in front of you!” Jaehyun growls.

You chuckle. “You idiot. You killed him the moment you killed Yuta and took me away, you killed him the moment you made him choose between his sister and me..”

Jaehyun stops his pace and smiles slowly. “Hmmm..you’ve given me an idea actually.. what’s worse than killing someone quickly?”

You sniffle while sitting up slowly. What is he getting at?

He sits beside you, making you slightly nervous with the close proximity. Would he kill you now? “Killing them slowly..what if I *did* marry his sister?..he’d have to see my face, always next to his poor, innocent sister’s, and regret being alive every single day.”

You turn to him, shaking your head furiously. “No..it’s not what Haeju deserves..leave her out of this..”

Jaehyun looks down at you with furrowed brows, taking the leash up slowly into his palm. “Now..now, you’re in no position to be making demands..unless..you’d like me to marry you instead?”

You knew what he wanted. To not only hold his marriage with you above Taeyong’s head, but to gain complete access to your money and assets now that Yuta is dead. 

You chuckle. “You’re insane.”

He stands up. “Fine. Haeju it is.”

You jump to your feet. “No! Neither of us..you won’t hurt him this way, you’ll only dig a deeper grave for yourself if you marry either of us in front of him!”

“Well, sweetheart, I’m quite the daring person, I’d love to see how deep the grave gets…so what- or who- will it be? You or her?”

[10 Days Later]

You’re getting dressed when a notification pops up on your phone screen.

[BREAKING] Body of Young Woman Found, Mutilated by Knives

Your eyes widen. You unlock your phone and read through the article quickly. “No..no, it can’t be.”

“Are you ready?” Jaehyun opens your door and walks in.

“No..this..this can’t be happening..” tears flood your eyes, it was your worst nightmare playing out in real time. The body was confirmed to be Haeju’s. You feel your heart break into pieces. You stumble back and sit onto the bed as everything turns gray. Jaehyun didn’t let you have a phone so you couldn’t get in contact with Taeyong. His guys were also unable to find him. This is why.

He must’ve lost it when Haeju died. There’s no way he’d be back for you now, the one person he truly loved was gone. You wish you could apologize to him, you wish you could console him as he cries.

“Let’s go.. and don’t make me come back.” Jaehyun leaves your room, ignoring the fact that you’re sobbing into your hands after hearing the news. He’s cold-hearted, cruel, unfair, and now, you’re stuck with him forever.

Guilt eats away at your heart for the entire day. You can’t focus on the new responsibilities you’re tasked with as Jaehyun’s wife. You were able to save your guys after everything, begging Jaehyun to allow them to live as they had nothing to do with you and Taeyong’s choices. He could use the men to replace his that passed, and you proved that they were valuable by highlighting their accomplishments. 

You even surrendered everything to him once you married, combining your accounts and giving your businesses to him so he’d take the title as the owner alone. You knew Yuta would’ve cursed you out for giving him everything, but it was all you could do to save everyone. 

Now, with not a penny to your name after all these years, you were reduced to being the wife of a kingpin, a woman whose only duties were to provide a man’s needs while sitting quiet and pretty. It upset you, to feel like just an object after all you’d been through. But this was your punishment after letting Yuta and Haeju down. You deserved this, you deserved to be unhappy for the rest of your life.

Jaehyun was just happy to own you. Taeyong was nowhere to be found to pay for his crimes, he knew sooner or later, he’d be back for you. He awaits the day he gets to kill you both, not until after inflicting so much pain that you beg for death of course. Until then, he’d have to keep you alive.

In the meantime, both you and your men pledged allegiance to him and he couldn’t be happier.

[Three Months Later]

As time goes by, you worry for Taeyong, but you also feel as though you’ve been abandoned again. Could you blame him? You let his sister die. Why would he want to see you? You’re also a practical death trap for him here with Jaehyun.

But still, you wondered why he didn’t care about what happened to you.

“Hey..everything okay?” Xena leans over and asks as you both get pedicures together. If it were up to you, you wouldn’t have taken care of your appearance, but Jaehyun said that he’d never have a disgusting woman by his side for his business partners to see. If you wanted to be claimed as a luxurious handbag for a man, you needed to look expensive like one. And that meant getting all sorts of treatments done to your body daily. It was tiring, but it meant pleasing Jaehyun and in turn, staying alive.

You turn to her. “Not really, but it’s okay.”

Surprisingly, Xena was nice to you. She ended up falling in love with a doctor from the underground hospital she stayed at while healing. You realized it didn’t take much to get her to be head over heels though. She told you she thought she loved Taeyong, but she didn’t, she just liked the attention and his smile.

She knew you were stuck here in this never-ending loop of life while being a wife to Jaehyun of all people. She could see that it was hard and that you missed Taeyong, and the pain in your eyes was satisfying enough. After all, you did cause her to be shot.

Then again, Jaehyun was harsh and she couldn’t imagine being with someone she didn’t truly love.

“Okay..” she nods.

Later that night, you, Jaehyun, Xena and her new boy toy, Doctor Kun, have dinner together. They laugh and have a great time, while you give a small smile and nod. How could you find joy like some regular housewife?

After about two hours, you say your goodbyes and start to clean the dishes.

Jaehyun leans against the counter and looks at your sad face. “It’s been months..when are you going to get over it?” He says sternly as he crosses his arms in disappointment. 

He eyes you up and down in the lavender colored spaghetti strap silk dress he chose for you.

You chuckle. “Get over it? That’s funny.”

He raises his brows. “If you don’t want to do the job of a wife, then I could just kill you and get another, would you like that? How about I relieve you of your duties?”

You look onto him with empty eyes.

“Taeyong would be sad though..” he tilts his head, his mouth tilting upwards once he realizes he’s said the words that will spark feelings in your heart again.

“Oh fuck off, Jaehyun, you need me.”

He steps closer to you. “What I need is for you to smile and stop being a self-indulgent bitch. You make people uncomfortable when you act like that.”

You suddenly throw a dish to the floor and look up at him. He isn’t startled, only amused as he always is when you get upset. It’s like seeing a dog run wildly through the house because he caught the zoomies.

He chuckles.

“Uncomfortable? Jaehyun, I’m in a fake marriage! Oh, I’m sorry if I look miserable, but maybe it’s because I fucking AM! Have you ever thought about that?!”

“And how did you get into this position? Your memory isn’t that bad, is it?” He says smoothly.

He steps closer and you can feel the heat in your cheeks rise. He’s so intimidatingly close, he towers over you and you back away, but the edge of the kitchen counter hits your back.

“All I want is for you to smile..I give you everything, your life is grand and expensive..look at this mansion you can prance about in.” He stands directly above you, eyes staring intently into yours as he smirks.

You can’t help but look away, feeling the intensity might burn right through you if you stare any longer. Jaehyun can practically feel your heart racing.

He wraps an arm behind you and reaches to the back of your head, grabbing your hair clip so it falls loosely to your shoulders. You look back up at him through wide eyes, slightly scared by him in this moment.

He places it onto the counter then leans down. He’s intoxicating as his movements hypnotize you, your mouth opens on instinct. He presses his knee in between your legs, making the fabric of your dress rise. His lips just centimeters from yours, you feel his hot steamy breath enter your mouth. 

But he doesn’t kiss you, instead he places his hand onto your neck and squeezes. You whimper at the sudden sensation of his finger tips digging into your throat. He leans back and looks into your eyes. “Smile.” 

You shake your head, causing him to tighten his grasp. You hold his wrist in an attempt to stop him. “Smile or I’ll kill you right now.”

His knee presses into you harder, giving you friction that you so desperately need in between your legs.

“No.” You grumble out.

He turns the stove top on the oven beside you on. “Don’t push me, y/n.” His husky voice enters your ears.

“I hate you.” You look into his eyes.

With that, he spins you around, grabbing the back of your head and forcing you down onto the stove. You place your hands on the counter on either side. “Stop!”

“Smile!” He presses you down harder against your resistance.

You’re just centimeters away from the stove, feeling the heat decorate your cheeks as it gets hotter with each second.

“Okay!” You cry out, tears now falling out of your eyes.

He lets your head go and spins you around. 

You smile and wipe away your tears for him. 

He finally smiles back and rubs the back of your head. “Good girl.”

He kisses you for the first time, it isn’t nearly as magical as it was with Taeyong, but you welcome the embrace. It has been some time since you last felt lust like this and you needed a release.

Jaehyun wasn’t kind and he wasn’t gentle, but he was handsome and good at winding you up.

You take his shirt off over his head and unbuckle his pants.

He rips the straps off your dress, allowing your chest to be free. He then kisses your neck and shoulders as his hand holds the back of your head. You moan, chills running wildly throughout your body before he takes one of your nipples into his mouth while caressing the other. 

He pushes the bottom of the dress up so you can wrap your legs around his waist as he kisses your neck. He enters you quickly and easily, noting how you were turned on just as much as he was by his actions. He grunts and curses as you cry out his name. Your nails scratch his broad shoulders then his back, drawing out blood as he fucks you against the kitchen counter for the first time. 

“Fuck..” you whimper and shut your eyes tightly. He’s rough and unforgiving with his thrusts, you nearly cry from the feeling of being stretched out to fit him, but within minutes you reach your climax together. 

Jaehyun pants as his head rests on your shoulder. “He’s never coming back, y/n.”

You look down at the knife set to your left, you have him right where you want him. So why don’t you do it? You could end it all now, but you know that stabbing him will only lead to your death.

You had to follow Taeyong’s orders. You had to wait for him. Surely, he’d show up.

You never made love again after that day, you were only lustful for that moment, but never again. Jaehyun wasn’t Taeyong, he’d never be him.

You did, however, help Jaehyun make business decisions and even caught when partners were trying to sell him short.

One day you meet with property owners looking to sell a nightclub. They inform Jaehyun they only wish to receive 30% of the profit from the club, leaving Jaehyun with 70%. They call it a fair deal, but you notice something is wrong.

Jaehyun’s advisor agrees with it at the meeting, but you stop Jaehyun from signing.

“I’m sorry..it’s just, something isn’t sitting right with me..” the men turn to you, their sharp eyes exposing their disgust at you opening your mouth in the first place.  

“Go on.” Jaehyun looks at you and nods. 

But you didn’t need his permission to. You continue. “The club is located in a city with a diminishing population, folks are getting older and leaving to calmer places once they retire. By investing in this club, Jaehyun would be losing more than what he would gain, resulting in immense negative profit for us, and minimal loss for you as you would no longer have the responsibility of upkeep and creating appeal.”

The men are stunned silent, two shift in their chairs and look down.

Jaehyun smiles slightly then looks back at the men. “Well..is my wife correct to assume you are setting me up?”

“No..sir, we’d never do that, please believe us-ah-we just..” one man scrambles to come up with an excuse.

Jaehyun raises his hand. “That’s enough, get out.”

They move quickly, knowing that Jaehyun has a short fuse and would easily end their lives if he felt the need to.

Afterwards, it’s just the two of you in the room. He is impressed by you and even turned on by the way you talk, he wishes he could take you right then and there, maybe even while the advisor watches. Nonetheless, he knows you’ll never touch him again so he chuckles and stands up to leave with his advisor.

“You’re talented and smart, I’m happy I kept you.” He says over his shoulder as you bow.

You grimace while feeling like some sort of pet for the man.

“I was only stating my findings. It was pretty obvious what they’re trying to do.” You stand up straight and meet his eyes, the ones of Satan himself. He never let you have a phone, but he did get you a computer to do research. Of course, he also made sure to track every website you went on.

Jaehyun smiles then closes the door behind him.

[Two Months Later]

You were sitting at your desk when you heard Jaehyun call you downstairs.

You enter the dining room and feel an overwhelming sense of shock when you see him.

Taeyong.

He smiles when you walk in, making your heart melt. You feel a mix of emotions. Happiness, regret, and fear all flood you at once. You wondered why he had dared to enter the lion's den, but you also felt relieved to see he’s still alive and well. 

His hair is an intense raven black color now, but makes him look more mature and just as handsome as he was from the very first day you met him. You want to hug him, to cry with him, to feel his heart against yours once more.

“Sit.” Jaehyun interrupts your thought, he feels ill seeing you happy at the sight of Taeyong.

You do as he says, sitting in the seat between him and Taeyong.

Taeyong is overwhelmed when he sees you. Just as pretty as ever, you look healthy and gorgeous in your lavish jewelry. They weren’t you and he knew that, but he figured Jaehyun would dress you up like a doll just because he owned you. He wanted to kill him so badly, for many reasons. Behind all the glamour, however, he could see the emptiness in your eyes. They were now a dark abyss that had lost hope and he felt bad for being the reason for it. Soon, he’d make it up to you.

“Well..should I kill you or her first?” Jaehyun places his hands on the table and leans forward while smiling.

Taeyong looks away from you and back to Jaehyun with an evil glare. “I’ve come to talk..after some time away, I’ve made the decision to leave everything to you…Jaehyun.” 

You gasp. Was Taeyong really willing to give everything up?

“You expect me to thank you? Why shouldn’t I just kill you and take it? It belongs to our family anyway. Haeju is dead so there goes the idea of our families merging.”

Taeyong shows his irritation at the mention of Haeju and clears his throat. “I guess I should explain the benefit behind keeping us both alive..”

“I’m losing my patience, Taeyong.”

“My businesses are still gaining value with interest as time goes on. Everything imported into my account will automatically be put into yours, but only while I am alive. It is not until I die that the value of these investments will be frozen and assessed by a special agent. Long story short, I’ve made it so that my assets will increase drastically over the next few months and years…so if you killed me now..you’d lose a lot. And no one likes to lose, isn’t that right Jaehyun?”

Jaehyun chuckles. “You sly bastard..”

Taeyong slides two stacks of papers across the table to Jaehyun.

“Just sign it and my earnings become yours forever…”

Jaehyun leans back in his chair. “What’s the other contract for?”

Taeyong’s nods and crosses his arms. “Oh that? Those are just divorce papers for you and y/n.”

Your eyes widen. Taeyong was insane if he thought this would actually work on Jaehyun, but then again, has he ever proven to be sane in the time that you’ve known him?

You look up at Jaehyun whose smile slowly turns downward. Why did he seem to be more upset about the divorce? 

“The papers state that everything y/n owns now belongs to you and she leaves with nothing. Although, I suppose she’s already given you everything, so in that case she will have to pay a certain percentage of her income for the rest of her life to you. 90% to be exact.”

Your brows furrow. You open your mouth to protest at the absurd request, but you trusted Taeyong to have a plan. 

Jaehyun shows his disapproval with the request with his facial expression alone.

“Both contracts state you agree to let us live freely while still benefiting from our hard work.”

You knew Taeyong was smart, but you didn’t expect this sort of courage. Who was this Taeyong in front of you? Maybe Yuta and Haeju’s deaths changed him. Maybe the absence of green hair dye allowed him to think clearly. 

After a moment of silence, Jaehyun laughs like a maniac at the table. You swallow hard. It wasn’t going to work, he was going to kill both of you.

“Guards.” He waves a hand and every guard in the room points their shotgun at you, some point theirs at Taeyong.

“You’re pissing me off, I like having y/n by my side, I own her..” he says the last three words with a snarl.

“Jaehyun!..Please-“

“You don’t have to beg him, y/n, not anymore..and definitely not while I’m here.” Taeyong reaches into his pocket, pulling out a ziploc bag and placing it into the table. 

“When’s the last time you’ve seen your sister, Jaehyun?”

You look closely and find..a finger.

But not just any finger.. one with the initial’s ‘XK’ tattooed onto it. 

Xena. You were with her when she got the tattoo to prove her loyalty to Kun. You draw in a sharp breath. “Taeyong..”

He slides the bag across to Jaehyun who stops laughing and looks closely. 

He holds the blood-stained bag up and realizes it’s his sister’s ring finger. 

He slams it down and stands up. “Where the fuck is she?!” He takes his own gun out of his pocket and points it to you. “Tell me now or she fucking dies!”

Taeyong only laughs “I’m the only one that knows where she is, kill her and you’ll never know where she is..all I can tell you is she doesn’t have much time.” He smiles wickedly.

Jaehyun cocks his gun. “Do you think I’m fucking playing with you?! Tell me now!”

Taeyong leans forward, staring into Jaehyun’s soul like Lucifer readying to claim.  “Sign both contracts and I will tell you. Should the contracts be broken, my lawyer has the right to take all of your assets and put them into a private account.”

Jaehyun grumbles. “Why the hell would I trust you after what you did last time?!” 

Taeyong tilts his head to the side. “Yes, what I did was shitty, wasn’t it? This time, I will go with your men to her location, but first..you must let y/n go.”

You shake your head, knowing that they’ll just kill him after Xena is found. “No..Taeyong, come with me please.” You start to cry. “Don’t leave me again.”

Taeyong continues to impress you, but the biggest surprise of all is that he is willing to give everything up for you, even after you unknowingly aided in Haeju’s death.

He turns to you and reaches his hand out on the table. You take it and sob. 

Taeyong rubs his thumb over it slowly. “It’s going to be okay..he won’t kill me, he’d lose too much, and Jaehyun is too smart to make a mistake like that, isn’t that right?” He turns to look at Jaehyun who still holds his gun out furiously.

After being pushed into a corner, Jaehyun has no choice but to agree. “Fuck..fine!” He signs both contracts quickly and puts his gun down. 

“You better not fucking die quickly.” If there was anything Jaehyun loved more than himself, it was money. From birth, he had access to everything because of it, he was greedy and would do anything to have it. He couldn’t love you, he wouldn’t even try, but he did love the idea that you belonged to him at the end of the day. 

You were just another item for him to have access to because of his wealth and status. The fact that Taeyong was actually able to take something out of his hands like a spoiled baby losing a toy pissed him off. More than ever, he felt the urge to kill him.

“Get her out of my sight!” Jaehyun yells. Some farewell that was.

The guards drag you by both arms from the table and out of the dining room. “Taeyong! Don’t do this! They’ll kill you!”

“Don’t worry, we’ll be okay, I’ll know where to find you, just remember what I told you.” Taeyong yells back before the heavy doors close with an echoing bang.

[The Next Day]

With the help of public transportation and a few nice strangers, you found your way back to Taeyong’s old mansion. You traveled with tears overflowing you during some moments. Taeyong risked everything for you, even harming Xena in the process. How would you see him again? 

You also had nothing but the clothes on your back, no phone, no purse, no money. How would you survive? You’re free from Jaehyun, but at what cost?

You brushed your thoughts away and headed to the only place you felt was home. You hoped he’d pop up one day if you stayed there. You’d persevere no matter how long it took.

Taeyong’s house was now abandoned, and with no gate guard, you walked in easily.

You hoped you had some old clothes there in good condition. You push the heavy doors open and walk in, wiping tears away after the long journey. His mansion was vastly different from the very first night you entered it. Much like your life, it quickly lost its charisma and beauty.

You gasp when you see someone in the shadows. It couldn’t be..

“T-Taeyong?”

You walk closer.

“I’m sorry, love, it’s just me.”

Taeil turns to you. You sob harder as he pulls you into a hug.

After pulling yourself together, you sit down at the table with him.

“Taeyong wanted me to give this to you.” He slides a briefcase on the table.

You furrow your brows. “What..what is this?”

You open it to see wads of cash under a passport. 

“We created a new one for you, he told me to tell you to leave..go somewhere you’d both go and don’t look back.. don’t tell anyone where you’re going, don’t even tell me..” Taeil says lowly.

“B-but I can’t leave, not without him..”

“Y/n..I know it’s hard, but you have to trust him. You already know where he’ll meet you.”

You look down at the passport. 

If you left now, just how would Taeyong find you? You nod towards Taeil and tell him thank you. 

Before he leaves, he turns to you. “I’m sorry.”

You nod, but you aren’t sure why he was apologizing. Did he think Taeyong wasn’t going to make it?

[One Month Later]

When the first two days passed, you were okay. “It’s only been two days, y/n, calm down.” Then days turned into weeks and weeks turned into a month.

Taeyong never showed up. You sit on the beach and take in the sight of the crystal blue water of the Bahamas. You’re right back where you started, regretting the night you met Taeyong and let him turn your life upside down. He put business first, he always has and always will. 

He probably stayed to take care of things with Jaehyun. But then again, what if he was killed? There was no way of knowing now. You didn’t have a phone, you couldn’t risk being tracked. You only had your shack that was adequate for you and the small amount of things you had.

Day after day, you engaged in your routine of having breakfast at a nearby cafe, going to the library to catch up on the news, getting dinner items from the supermarket, then watching the sunset. Oh, and your nightly cry, it was at night that you missed him the most. You missed being in his arms and feeling his warmth around you as you fell asleep. You missed feeling safe and happy.

[One Month Later]

A few more weeks pass and one day, while in the supermarket, you glimpse someone with green hair.

“I must be seeing things, plus his hair isn’t green anymore.” You mumble to yourself and continue shopping.

Then minutes later, you turn the corner to get to the aisle with eggs and collide into someone, making your basket drop as you yelp.

“Oh! I’m sorry.” You bend down and pick your basket up.

“It’s fine, y/n.”

This person somehow knew your real name, and not the fake one from your passport that you told to everyone. Did Jaehyun find you?

You look up slowly to see wavy green hair touching the man’s shoulders. Your eyes shift to his.

“Taeyong-“ you gasp, dropping your basket before throwing your arms around his neck.

He runs your back and smiles while breathing in your scent. “Y/n…my baby.” 

You start to sob into the crook of his neck. “I’m so sorry..I’m so sorry about Haeju.” You sniffle.

Taeyong pulls away and smiles softly. “Let’s go home and talk.”

Taeyong takes you to his home, a new house he purchased with cash he withdrew before leaving. 

You enter it and stare in awe. “It’s so beautiful, Tae.”

“It’s perfect now that you’re here.”

You put your hands on your hips and turn to him. “What took you so goddamn long?” You manage to get out while choking up. You missed him so much, you couldn’t believe you were actually with him.

“Y/n..” he pulls you close and kisses you deeply, you close your eyes and fall into him while he caresses your back. 

“I thought you died.” You cry harder, but he kisses your cheek and wipes your tears. 

“I know..I know, I just had to make sure you were okay first.”

“You don’t get it Taeyong. I’m never okay when you aren’t here.” 

He looks into your eyes, holding back his own tears. You’re more beautiful than ever in his eyes. He wants to kiss you for days, he wants to caress you until he takes his last breath.

“Come with me..” he takes your hand and leads you to his patio where you sit down together in front of the beach. 

He runs his fingers over your hands and swallows hard. “I haven’t..been honest with you..mainly because I haven’t found the time until now..but I need to explain what happened in the time that I was gone.”

Taeyong was different, he spoke more maturely and he was gentler. His hair was green again, but he wasn’t the maniac you met on the first night.

“Okay..”

“Haeju didn’t die..I was able to save her in time at the pit thanks to you, and the private account I told Jaehyun about is actually hers.”

Your eyes widen. “But..I saw it in the news.”

He nods. “I know..I had my guys “burrow” a female body from a morgue, they placed it in the trap after we got Haeju out. The body was so badly destroyed with the bomb Yuta set up, we only had to leave her wallet and belongings there for investigators to confirm her identity. Taeil forced news stations to release the article so Jaehyun could believe her death.”

Your mouth falls open. Haeju was alive after all. You felt relief.

“I dyed and cut my hair, then Haeju and I went to Japan. We both changed our names and she enrolled in a different college while telling her closest friends what happened. She wasn’t too happy about it, nor the fact that Yuta used her, but she’ll be okay…I’m sorry, y/n, I had to protect her.” He looks into your eyes as the reflection of the sun setting hits them, bringing out the depthness of the color. A truly beautiful work of art is in your eyes right before him.

“I see..I’m so happy she’s okay..I wish you could’ve found some way to tell me..but I get it, Tae. I’m just glad you’re here.”

He smiles and hugs you close, bringing you into his lap as he resumes your kiss. You hold his face in your hands and turn your head to give him more access. Being this close to him, feeling his heart race as his hands grip your body, it still isn’t enough.

You pull away. “Before we continue, I still want to know what took you so damn long.”

Taeyong gazes down at your lips, wishing you’d kiss him again. 

He licks his own. “Okay..” he drags his fingers down your arm, making the hair in the back of your neck raise. He had changed since you’d last been together, but he still knew how to make you weak.

[Before Taeyong’s Meeting with Jaehyun]

Xena is in the kitchen cooking when she here’s a knock on her apartment door. “Kun, baby, can you answer that for me.”

Since being shot, she decided to live a “normal” life, while still indulging in expensive things of course. She just didn’t need the drama that came along with the money, and Jaehyun was doing a great job of running their father’s business anyway. When she first decided to work for him, she had her eyes and heart set on Taeyong. He was her incentive, but once everything happened, she discovered that she didn’t love him, she only wanted his attention and with you still around, that would never happen.

Kun made her happy though. He lived a simple life and showed her what true love was.

Kun walks out from his office room and does as she asks. “Who are you?” He eyes the strange man up and down.

“I’m here to see Xena.”

“Who is it?” She shouts out and looks toward the door.

She nearly drops the spatula when she sees him.

“Taeyong” comes out in a faint whisper.

He walks in. “I’m sorry to interrupt you, I won’t take up much of your time actually.”

“Wait..did THE Lee Taeyong apologize?” She crosses her arms and walks toward him. “Kun, can you finish that for me?”

Kun nods and walks into the kitchen, leaving her and Taeyong to talk alone.

“How did you find me?” She asks as Taeyong makes himself comfortable on her living room couch.

He smiles. “Come on Xena, you know how this works.”

“You should be apologizing for putting me in the fucking hospital. You never even visited me. Were you too busy dyeing your hair a normal color?” She sits down across from him.

Taeyong nods. “I’m sorry..it wasn’t supposed to happen that way..”

She rolls her eyes. “So..you disappeared, your girl is married to my brother, I’ve clearly moved on…what is it you want?”

“Haeju..was murdered..I couldn’t save her..” Taeyong shakes his head, his eyes well with water.

Xena leans forward. “Haeju..your sister? No..she-“ memories of Haeju flood her mind as she thinks of when they met for lunch. She was sweet and they bonded well. She had nothing to do with this world and shouldn’t have suffered because of it.

“She was being held captive, but Jaehyun didn’t allow me to get to her in time.”

“I’m..so sorry.”

“I need you to help me.”

“Taeyong, if this is about the merge of our families, I can’t do it anymore, I love Kun and-“

“No..no, it’s not about that..I need to get Jaehyun to let y/n go.”

She chuckles and leans back into the couch. 

“Wow..” she rubs her temple. “You are a man with a serious deathwish. You do know who my brother is, right?”

Taeyong nods and leans forward. “It’s exactly that..he’s your brother, you’re his only weakness.”

“He will never let y/n go, Taeyong. I’ve seen it myself..”

“Seen what?” Taeyong’s brows bunch together. Jaehyun couldn’t possibly be in love with you. He’d kill him on sight if that’s the case. He was already upset with the fact that it was a business marriage and you now carried a last name that wasn’t his.

“Jaehyun is infatuated with the idea of owning her. He watches her like a hawk and doesn’t even let her hang out with anyone but myself. It would be like taking a toy out of a two year old’s hands..”

“Well..it’s not impossible..” Taeyong persists. 

“I don’t know..he’s still my brother after all-“

“Xena..listen to yourself right now. Haeju is dead because of him. None of this is her fault. And y/n being a prisoner for the rest of her life, I know you never cared for her, but do you really think she deserves that?”

She looks to the floor while thinking. “Just what is it that you want me to do?”

Taeyong explains his plan to fake her kidnapping. They “borrow” another body from the morgue, but this time, only cut off a finger and tattoo it to match Xena’s ring finger.

Once the plan was set in motion, Taeyong led Jaehyun’s men to Xena who was in a hotel room sleeping safe and sound.

Taeyong then escaped to the pit to prepare for his departure from the country again. He had to lay low and untraceable once Jaehyun discovered he was tricked again.

[Present Day]

“That’s it?” You look up into his eyes.

He scoffs. “What do you mean “thats it?” You should be thanking me or telling me how smart I am right now, do you know how much planning when into saving you from that obsessive asshole?”

You only smiled while Taeyong went on and on. It was nice to have him back.

“Speaking of..are you sure he won’t scour the world for us?”

Taeyong looks to the water. “He won’t..he’s too preoccupied with other things.”

You lift your head from his chest. “Wait..what DID you do during those months?”

Taeyong’s mouth pulls into a sly smile. “Don’t worry, baby, I took care of everything.”

“Taeyong..”

“No more questions for today.” He puts a finger to your lips.  “Kiss me or I’ll leave for a few months again.” 

You gasp. “Lee Taeyong! Are you insane? Threatening to leave me? Oh you’ve really pissed me off.”

You lift yourself up completely and stop into the bedroom. “I’m going home!”

He runs in after you laughing. “You’re already home! Come back here!”

He spins you around and drags you back to the bedroom, pushing your body into the wall. Your shoulder blades collide with it, but you’re too distracted by his smooth lips and wandering hands to care.

You wrap your arms around his neck and pull him closer as you kiss. His hands rest on your hip, fingertips digging in deeper and deeper as your tongues tangle around each other.

He leads you to the bed as you moan, laying you down before leaning over you and taking your shirt over your head. It has been way too long since he felt you, he was going to go crazy if he waited any longer.

You feel the same way, shimmying off your sweatpants so you can finally feel his skin on yours.

He places his jeans below his hips and kicks them off. He then resumes your kiss while still leaning over you.

You unbutton his shirt, revealing his beautiful tattooed body little by little.

“Tae..I need you.” You whisper into his ear, feeling his fingers release your waist then float down to your apex.

You widen your legs more as he groans.

His eyes leave your face to focus on your pointy nubs begging for his attention.

He licks around both of them as his finger massages your folds slowly but purposefully. Your hands find his hair, combing through his emerald locs while he works both nipples in his mouth. He pushes his fingers in, moaning when he feels how wet and tight you are for him.

Your head falls back into the bed as you grind onto his hand. “Fuck..” it feels good to have him touch you after all this time. His thumb flicks against your clit while he lays sloppy kisses onto your neck.

His lips graze your ear. “It’s been so long, baby, but you still feel so good. I’ve been thinking about you and how you feel around me…” he uses his other hand to play with your nipple in between his thumb and index finger.

You draw in a sharp breath as his fingertips press onto your sweet spot. “Tae..”

“You’re so pretty, I just want to fuck you all day and night long..can I do that? It’s been a while, right?”

“Yeah..” you whimper. He can feel you clenching after hearing his proposal.

“I’ll take you in any position and in every room in this house, would you like that?”

You nod and close your eyes, preparing for the climax of your life.

“This pussy is mine, right? It’s so good, I had to come back for you.” His fingers move fast, he moves his other hand downwards to tap away at your clit. 

You clench even more and grasp his arm. “Yeah..right there.”

“I’m gonna fuck you until you’re round with my kids, we can finally fill this house, what do you say?” His husky tone makes you lose. 

“Yes!” Your nails dig into his arm as your body contorts below him. Your head falls back into the bed while he slows his fingers and kisses your neck.

“Hmmm..it’s been so long, you don’t even remember the rules..”

Your eyes open. “Rules?”

He nods. “I didn’t say you could cum, did I?”

“No..but Tae, it’s been so long I-“

“Shhhh..it’s okay, we have a lot of making up to do..I just hope you’re ready.”

You swallow hard and look into his eyes as he moves further down your body.

“Now..let me taste you.”

He grabs both legs by the crooks of your knees and pulls them apart. He wastes no time and begins licking up your essence. He uses the tip of his tongue to lick in-between your folds and then your clit.

You let out a mewl and place your hand in his hair.

He licks all over, his tongue going deeper and deeper with each swipe. He teases you with light movements from his tongue for a few minutes, making you breathe heavily and curse under your breath. “Tae..please.” You whine.

You try to push him closer but he resists.

“I’m so hard, but I still want to take my time.” He smirks then maintains eye contact while flattening his tongue against you.

You throw your head back. “God..I missed you.”

With that, Taeyong moves faster. You start to ride his face, moving back and forth until you see stars.

He stands up and flips you over so you’re on your stomach with your ass up. “You’re lucky I’m too fucking hard to play with you more.”

“What’s the rush? We have an entire lifetime to play..” you chuckle, but it’s interrupted when he slams himself into you. The breath leaves your body before you groan. “Taeyong!”

“You’re right, I’m gonna enjoy ruining you every night.” He pulls out slowly, enjoying the way your tight opening quivers with him inside it, struggling to adapt to his length fast enough.

He grabs your hair and snaps your neck back. “Ow!” You yelp.

He pushes back in again. “Did you miss this?”

“Of..course..fuck.” You shut your eyes tightly. Taeyong was fucking you to fit him, you couldn’t focus on anything but the grinding sensation of him finally in your body.

Your ass hits his hips as he goes deeper with each thrust. You can’t keep yourself from moaning, listening to how he pants and whispers curses.

“This pussy is so good..I’m going to fill it until you leak all over me..”

His fingertips dig into your hips, leaving a burning sensation and you’re sure you’ve started bleeding.

“Tae..I’m going to..”

“Let me see your pretty face as you do, baby.” He pulls out and lets you turn over on your side.

He kneels and then straddles your leg while curling your other leg around his side.

He holds his hard cock in his hand, brushing the tip against your dripping folds.

He pushes in while looking into your eyes.

His intense eye contact and the way he clenches his jaw makes you even wetter than you were before.

He thrusts into you, watching as you grip the sheets beside you and whine.

This position allowed him to go even deeper while still maintaining eye contact with you.

Your clit was perfectly stimulated and he could watch every cry escape your mouth as well as your breasts.

Here you were, looking perfect as ever for him during the sunset. You always took him well while still looking so pretty. He falls in love with you all over again, gazing at your face, then your neck, your breasts, your stomach, and your thighs. If he could paint you in this moment he would. But he knew he was blessed to have you all to himself. You’re all his finally and falling apart on his cock once more. He had no plans to let this sight go for the next few days. He really did plan on fucking you everywhere and every day.

“Fuck, it’s so deep inside you..” his tongue darts across his bottom lip.

He thrusts harder than pulls out completely. 

“Faster..please.” You beg him while looking at his beautiful body above yours. The way his veiny hands roam your body and keep you in position for him drives him crazy. You can clearly see the base of his dick disappear inside you now, the sight makes you dizzy.

“Of course. Anything for you.”

And with that, Taeyong drills his cock into your pussy, whimpering as it swallows him, begging to be emptied into.

“Taeyong!” You cry out while watching his abs flex and his beautiful body glisten in sweat above you.

He moves fast and places a hand around your neck, knowing that you preferred being quieted this way.

He squeezes your throat and starts to choke you.

Your body moves up and down on the plush bed, your breasts bouncing up and down while he destroys you.

He throws your leg up on his shoulder, his cock his your g-spot repeatedly and you silently go insane. His thrusts are fast, but his sturdy length slides in and out of you easily, never failing to press against your extremely sensitive areas.

“Good girl...take it just like that.”

His tone is low and husky, he continues to choke you while looking into your eyes deeply. The dark glare turns you on even more. Of course you were his, no one gets you to the edge like he does and no one is as beautiful when they try.

And with a few more thrusts, you come undone just as he does, your body shaking once again.

Your eyes roll in the back of your head as he kisses you through it.

It feels like minutes pass by while you experience your most intense orgasm. He ensures you are stuffed with him completely before pulling out.

He lays down beside you and kisses your forehead. “Rest for now..we have a few more days of this to prepare for.”

You laugh. “Still greedy as ever.”

He runs his fingers along your back. “Mhmm.”

“You’ve changed, Taeyong..how could you leave the business behind? You were a kingpin.”

He smiles and kisses your neck. “I guess I have changed, I’ve been too easy on you..”

“I’m being serious..why did you choose this life?”

He sighs. “Well…we never got a chance to talk about it, but…when Yuta died, I realized that I didn’t want that anymore. I didn’t want the pain.. I only wanted to be with you. I need you to be happy and alive. In just a few seconds, all that was taken from Yuta…how could I let that happen to you too? It’s tiring.”

“What is?” You run your hands through his hair.

“Having to watch my back all the time..having to dominate all the time..so I did what my father failed to do..I put love first. I don’t want to lose you and the chance to live happily.” 

You tear up at his confession and kiss him again. 

You made love several times that night after taking a shower. Taeyong made true to his promise to make love in every room, making you cry out his name until your voice became hoarse.

A few days later, you get a job at an insurance agency while Taeyong buys supplies for his craft. He starts painting and selling some of his works, but most of his money is made from investments he executed while staying in Japan. These were done under his fake identity, so technically Jaehyun didn’t have the rights to them. You both live a normal life and just a few weeks later, you hear the good news.

[Five Weeks Later] 

You’ve been feeling ill for the past few days, so Taeyong takes you to urgent care. When you describe the news to the doctor, he states he suspects you’re pregnant.

Taeyong’s eyes widen. “P-pregnant?”

You roll your eyes before looking at him. “Well..you did say you’d make it happen.”

You take the test and confirm your pregnancy.

To Taeyong, you are the most beautiful woman he has ever seen while you grow throughout the months. He takes care of you and makes sure you have everything you need. Massaging your feet and giving you warm showers whenever you asked.

“We’re naming him..Cerulean right?” Taeyong rushes you to the hospital after your water breaks.

“We are NOT naming our baby after a color..oh God this hurts.” You wince in pain as Taeyong speeds through traffic. “Be careful!! You’re going too fast!! You’re driving like a maniac!” Some things never change.

You give birth to a healthy baby boy and name him Cyan. Your hearts grow even more when you become pregnant again soon after, giving birth to a healthy baby girl named Dahlia.

Taeyong is the most attentive father you’ve ever seen, rocking the babies to sleep and feeding them whenever they cried. Of course, it’s the bare minimum, but the man before you blew your mind away. You love him so much.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” He says before taking his shirt off and crawling into bed beside you. He had just put the babies to sleep.

“Oh..nothing.” You chuckle.

He snatches your book away from you. “Hey!” You call out while leaning over him to get it back.

He places it on the nightstand beside him and turns to you with a mischievous smile. “You look like you wanna have a third one so let’s get started..” he tickles your side and nuzzles your neck while you giggle.

[6 Years Later]

You’re heading home after picking the kids up from pre-school.

“How was your day today?” You turn to face them in the backseat of your car.

“It was good, mommy! How was yours?” Dahlia calls out.

“It was good, thank you for asking. Cyan, honey, how was your day?” 

Cyan pouts and looks out the window.

“Cyan got into a fight with a boy because he made fun of his name!” Dahlia swings her feet.

“Oh…Cyan, it’s not good to fight. Solve your problems with words next time, okay?”

Cyan nods, but still pouts while looking out. He couldn’t be any more like his father, could he?

“With that being said, did you win?” 

He flicks head towards you and smiles while nodding. “Yes, mommy!” 

You smile brightly and give him a hi-five. “Good job buddy! But don’t do it again, okay?”

He nods. “Okay, mommy.”

“Alright, let’s go home to daddy.”

Taeyong was out at the supermarket picking up pasta for dinner when you entered the house. The kids run off into the living room as you place your purse down.

“Hey! Who are you?!” Dahlia calls out. Your brows furrow as you walk in after them.

You see Dahlia looking up at a man with long black hair. You gasp when you recognize the person.

You step in front of the kids to block him.

“W-what the hell are you doing here?” You panic. How did he find you? Your home phone is too far away to grab.

Jaehyun maintains eye contact with you, then kneels down and looks at Cyan and Dahlia with a smile. “Hey, little kids…go play in your rooms now. Your mom and I are gonna have a little chat.”

Cyan looks up at you with wide eyes. “Mommy, who is he?” 

Jaehyun smiles widely, but it gives Cyan a bad feeling. “A friend.”

“Y-yes, go to your rooms and lock the doors. Don’t come out until I call for you, okay?”

They do as you tell them. You breathe a sigh of relief once they’re out of sight, then look back at Jaehyun. “He’ll be home any minute now.” You say through gritted teeth.

The man you once saw in freshly tailored suits every day now wore a simple white t-shirt and jeans. His hair was also messier than usual. Dark rings settled under both eyes. He didn’t have any guards around him. Something was definitely wrong.

He steps closer, making you trip and fall into the couch behind you. “I could care less, y/n. I’m here for you. Did you think you could escape me? Taeyong tore you away from me, and that’s never happened before..I always get what I want, y/n.”

You reach behind you to see if you can fish out the hidden gun. “Jaehyun..you have to let it go..it’s been years.”

“Oh trust me…I know how long it’s been, I’m the one who lost everything..Taeyong set me up, he rewrote contracts and by the time I realized it, it was too late. I lost everything…” he looks towards the kids’ rooms. 

“I think it’s time you lost everything as well..I’ll take care of them and we can get going, y/n, just you and me. I don’t have nearly as much money as I did before, but I’ll have you.. rightfully.” He smiles and turns to walk, but you quickly pull the gun out.

He turns swiftly, leaping back to you to get it out of your hands. “Get off of me!” You yell during the struggle.

Then suddenly, you hear a sharp pop echo in your house.

Taeyong speeds towards you as you stare at Jaehyun who stops moving. “Y/n! Are you okay?! Where are the kids?!”

Jaehyun spits blood out and onto your face as you stare in horror. He chuckles before falling to the side and bleeding into his hand from his abdomen.

Taeyong grabs you from the couch. “Y/n! What did he do?!”

You shake your head. “I-I’m fine..the kids are in their rooms. He-“ you breakdown into tears after feeling horrified at Jaehyun’s sudden drop in. 

During the time that you waited for Taeyong, he executed a plan to destroy Jaehyun and it worked. He rewrote percentages behind Jaehyun’s back, causing a negative spiral in profit. Jaehyun’s business partners turned their backs on him, becoming his enemies one by one. He was left with nothing after slowly losing his profit over the years.

Taeyong puts the kids to sleep while you wash your face off. You then burn his body on the beach and sit beside the fire. “Why..didn’t you tell me?”

“Because I didn’t think he’d find us..I was sure someone would kill him once they found out “he” changed their contracts.”

You look towards him, tears in your eyes again. “We could’ve..” you sniffle. “We could’ve lost them, Tae.”

“No..that will never happen, I’ll always protect you, the bastard is dead and no one knows where we are..we’re free.”

You nod, still shaken up by what happened, but he was right. With Jaehyun dead, you didn’t have to look over your shoulders everywhere you went. It was finally over.

Taeyong takes your hand in his and kisses it. “I love you, let’s live happily.”

You give him a small smile. “Ahh Greenie..an entire lifetime with you? What a headache this is gonna be.”

The two of you laugh before heading back inside to your sleeping kids

And so, you raised them together and lived an honest life, enjoying the simple things like beach days and amusement parks as well as teaching your kids about art, how to drive, your responsibility of course, and eventually, how to apply for scholarships. 

Haeju visited every now and then too. The world of underground crime was no longer part of yours. 

Taeyong didn’t think it was possible to escape and be happy with a normal life, or rather he didn’t think he’d feel the need to, but he was wrong. He found someone worth leaving it for. He found someone worth living for. 

[intercosmicc]

cosmiccs fic recommendations

A/N: none of these stories belong to me, all credit goes to the original authors! if you don’t want to be on the list, please just let me know! also please be sure to always read warnings <3

(there will most likely be a part 2 i have a bad habit of not liking fics lmao)

.·͙*̩̩͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩̥͙　✩　*̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩͙‧͙ . .·͙*̩̩͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩̥͙　✩　*̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩͙‧͙ . .·͙*̩̩͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩̥͙　✩　*̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩͙‧͙

daryl dixon

peak-a-boo by @starlessea

miss me by @cultofdixon

withering flowers by @ficnation

daryl dixon masterlist by @r66dus

laying on daryl’s frame by @dixondeliria

masterlist by @daryl-dixon-daydreams

jealous daryl dixon by @e-m-christina

eyes on me by @dreamingdixon(warning for description of SA)

we used to share a bed by @twdeadfanfic

big brother by @starlessea

speak up by @weretheones

din djarin/the mandalorian

family head cannons by @dameronology

security by @dindjarindiaries(OC story but has a self-insert on ao3)

moments in the dark by @talesofesther

in time by @221bshrlocked

ibac’ner by @unbound-space-trash

tasm peter parker

remember me by @softlymellow

second chances by @wondergotham

dating andrew! peter parker by @bowieandqueen11

let me help by @nina-corpsewitch-zenik

coming home by @mads-weasley

are you ok? by @lenaswritingandstuff

crush by @ptersparkers

the first fall of snow by @godlessandwrecked

relief by @lipstickbisous

fluff alphabet by @kaylawritesfics

steve harrington

loving you is a full time job by @wolfstarlvrs(wouldnt let me tag)

providing protection by @captainhotch

of caresses and care by @bejeweledmastermind

nuggets by @spideystevie

[resslawx]

I never thought I’d do this, posting keenler in 2024 but here I am.

In my whole fandom life, I’ve experienced some really painful stuff. But Keenler was the biggest heartbreak I’ve ever had to face in this hobby. I know people outside these bubbles can’t understand but we do. The love, the energy, the emotions I poured into this, the pure devotion; I’ve never given as much of myself to something before them. Content creation for this fandom was second nature, loving this ship felt like breathing. Woven into my life in a way only you guys can understand.

In roughly 2 months, it’ll be 3 years since it all broke down. But if we’re honest, we knew it was falling apart in the months leading up to it already – we just didn’t know it’d be *this* bad.

Keenler, you will forever be my once in a lifetime. Thank you for one of the greatest times I’ve got to have so far. Thank you for connecting me to so many people on such a deep level. Thank you for being my greatest comfort during tough times.

You are what fueled my passion for editing and creating. Wherever I go, whatever I create – there will always be a part of you in it.

I will never forget the day it finally came crashing down on us. I’ll never forget June 23. I’ll never forget the pain that made us feel like there was no breathing anymore. How everything we poured into this, for years, was trashed and our unbound loyalty betrayed in the worst way a fandom can imagine. How they acted as if we, the support that made them big, had never existed.

It took me weeks to be able to look at anything fandom hobby related again. It took me months to try to edit again (and failed). Loosing keenler had made me numb in a way that made creating impossible, while before, creating was where I felt the strongest emotions ever. I truly thought I had lost the hobby I loved so dearly. It took me 8 months in total until I could somehow continue it. It was a long process with many ups and downs but today, 3 years later, I am incredibly grateful to not have given up on it. While there were multiple factors at play, I must owe most of it to rollisi.

So thank you, sonnshine and georgia peach. I cannot put into words how thankful I am.

[lastofthemadones]

Long Live Evil has me by the throat and I made a Key playlist

(I don't have a spotify account so it's on Youtube Music don't hate me) find it here

Take Me to Church - Hozier

Take me to church, I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies, I'll tell you my sins so you can sharpen your knife

2. I Love You Like an Alcoholic - The Taxpayers

One last kiss, I love you like an alcoholic, One last kiss, I love you like a statuette, One last kiss, I need you like I need a broken leg

3. Oceanographer's Choice - The Mountain Goats

Look at that, Would you look at that, We're throwing off sparks, What will I do when I don't have you, To hold onto in the dark?

4. Howl - Florence + The Machine

The saints can't help me now, the ropes have been unbound, I hunt for you with bloodied feet across the hallowed ground, And howl, Be careful of the curse that falls on young lovers, Starts so soft and sweet and turns them to hunters

5. From Eden - Hozier

Honey, you're familiar like my mirror years ago, Idealism sits in prison, chivalry fell on its sword, Innocence died screaming, honey, ask me I should know, I slithered here from Eden just to sit outside your door

6. Bad Things - Jace Everett

I don't know what you've done to me, But I know this much is true, I wanna do bad things with you

7. It Will Come Back - Hozier

Don't let me in with no intention to keep me, Jesus Christ, don't be kind to me, Honey, don't feed me, I will come back, It can't be unlearned, I've known the warmth of your doorways, Through the cold, I'll find my way back to you

8. Pumped Up Kicks - Foster The People

All the other kids with the pumped up kicks, You better run, better run outrun my gun

9. Hurt - Johnny Cash

Everyone I know goes away, In the end, And you could have it all, My empire of dirt, I will let you down, I will make you hurt

10. We Will Commit Wolf Murder - of Montreal

Something's terrorized my psyche to get even, Lately, you're the only human I believe in

11. Get Busy Living Or Get Busy Dying (Do Your Part To Save The Scene And Stop Going To Shows) - Fall Out Boy

I used to obsess over living, Now I only obsess over you

12. Fever - Magpie Cinema Club

Romeo loved Juliet, Juliet she felt the same, but when she put her arms around him, He said, "Julie baby you're to blame, Thou giveth fever"

13. Seven Devils - Florence + The Machine

See, I was dead when I woke up this morning, I'll be dead before the day is done, Before the day is done, And now all your love will be exorcised, And we will find you saying it's to be better now

14. Dust Bowl Dance - Mumford & Sons

There will come a time I will look in your eye, You will pray to the God that you always denied, Then I'll go out back, and I'll get my gun, I'll say, "You haven't met me, I am the only son"

15. Monster - Ron Pope

Make me a monster, Make me a beast, Prey on my weakness, Become my disease, I've been lovesick and empty, Cold and I'm trembling

16. Dirty Little Animals - Bones UK

It makes your blood run hot, It makes your spit taste sweet, It makes you feel more alive, Than you have ever been

[minticecodes]

[ID: 2 Digital illustrations of a female DMCV Vergil in a dark space, lit from below. The first is a closeup of her face as she wipes blood off it with the back of her hand. Her eyes are slitted and electric blue. The second image is the fullbody. Blood's splattered on her clothes and hair, and soaks her forearms, hands and face. She glares up while swiping her bloody, gloved hand across her mouth, other hand gripping her sword, Yamato, by her side. Blood drips down the sheathe. Vergil's lit from below, casting eerie shadows on her face. Design: She wears trousers and a vest. The highcollar vest's altered so the midsection curves across the chest like a corset. Her matted hair's waistlength, unbound, and falls across her face and arm. Her arms are toned, and her fingers taper to clawlike points. The image is grainy, and encased in a square pink border; only Yamato's hilt pops out over the border. End ID.]

Read more for second version without blood.

[ID: The same image of fem Vergil as above, but sans blood and with a subtler grain effect. End ID.]

I was listening to Familyjules/Lollia's Bury the Light cover for some of this. I like their different approach to the more growly parts of the song. The vibes of that cover influenced this piece a decent bit.

[achaotichuman]

Bravery Is In Spite Of Fear

Day 2 of Feylin Week!! I hope you guys enjoy the feels in this one!

Prompt- Protection

Read on Ao3 or below the cut!

“Will you be okay?” 

Her hands on his arms, eyes glaring into his. Feyre attempted a staredown with the male towering over her. Tamlin raised an eyebrow as Feyre slowly sucked in a breath, nostrils flaring. An intimidation tactic that she slowly realized was working very poorly. 

Tamlin put his hands on her waist and leaned down to whisper, “I will be fine.”

“You cannot be sure.” She countered with, “Hybern is dangerous and I-”

“Feyre I swear.” Tamlin took her hand, the hands with black swirling tattoos. She turned her glaring eyes to stare at it in disgust. Feeling the Night Lord’s hands on her bare body once more, she shuddered, eyes falling closed at the memory. 

A part of her was still closed off the male standing before her. Still left in that pit of utter despair and hopelessness. Every night was a struggle to not fall into it, to not go back to living in that dark cell in her dreams. 

Tamlin wasn’t any better, staying in beast form when he could not sleep, and pacing the grounds when the walls became too much like the rocks of the Mountain. 

The same coin, two different facings. They struggled at the start, but with the past only getting further behind them, new trouble lay ahead. With Tamlin now being requested to visit the Court that witch originated from. 

The thought of him back in a scene like that again. Back at her mercy. Back in the darkness. Back in that danger. 

Feyre grabbed his wrist and forced him closer, standing to the tips of her toes to harshly say, “I will not let you be hurt again. I will not let you be taken from me again.”

She said it, and she clamped her mouth shut after she did. Broaching the topic she had been keeping locked inside her. How it felt like torture to see him leave every morning. To not be close, to be gone, to not be around. Like at any moment, claws of red would emerge from the darkness and whisk him away, to where she would never see him again. 

To lose him again… it would break her. In a way she didn’t think she could possibly recover from. 

Tamlin had gone silent, he watched her with those deep green eyes that seemed to bore into her soul. Saw past the exterior and into a part of her she had been keeping locked up tightly. 

Everything she kept locked up, the chains loosened at the look in his eyes. She screwed her eyes shut because she couldn’t, not yet, she couldn’t face what was underneath her yet. 

“Feyre.” He whispered, not a question, just acknowledgement. Still keeping her eyes tightly sealed, she felt a soft, tender kiss to the crown of her head. 

Just like the loosened chains in her soul, her eyes gave away from the tension, against any will of her own. Like it all crumbled before him. 

She held onto his hands. Grasping his fingers tightly, “Please. I can’t lose you again.”

“You never lost me.” He murmured, pressing another kiss, this one to her brow, “You have never lost me.”

A tear, hot and wet slid from her eyes and down her cheek. Burning into her with the sensation. One hand released hers and he wiped it off with his thumb. Catching her chin between his fingers, Tamlin coaxed her into looking up at him, so she did. Meeting those spring green eyes with her stormy blue. 

It was strange the things that mirrored each other in them. If he was the soul of the land, Feyre felt like the wind and sky, the storm that rained down on the Earth. Unbound and wild. Though she tried to keep the wildness down, if only because it was another form of protection in the newly bloomed Prythian. 

“Swear it to me.” She demanded, “Swear you will be okay.”

“I swear it.” Tamlin said, with all the sincerity in his words as the day he had said those beautiful and still dreadful words, “I love you, thorns and all.” That day had always signified the change in their relationship, she couldn’t help but love it, but hate it all the same time. If only she had whispered it back, instead of pretending to sleep. 

She released a breath, then launched forward, sending him sprawling to the ground as she wrapped her arms around his middle. 

“Feyre!” He shouted, but unable to hide the laugh behind the words. 

“I will not let you go!” She said, despite herself a smile bloomed on her face, “You will have to pry yourself from my cold, dead hands.”

In an instant, Tamlin flipped them around, pinning her to the soft carpet of their bedroom. Staring down at her with a satisfied grin, “Cold and dead? You seem very alive to me.”

She huffed as she struggled against his hands. But was no match, even if Tamlin had lost some muscle due to the stress of the days after the Mountain, he was far stronger than her. That did not mean Feyre would not, or could not, put up a fight. 

She kicked up into him, causing Tamlin’s breath to whoosh from his lungs as she quickly scrambled and flipped them back over. Straddling his waist, she grinned with victory. Tamlin laughed, as he let his hands drift to her waist. Seemingly content to remain put. 

“Alright then, my thorn, you have me beneath you, what will you do with me?” The words were amused, meant to incite whatever Feyre had next planned. 

She considered him for a moment, hands drifting down the planes of his chest. Touching and feeling. One hand tangling in the waves of blond before her. Finally she said, “I want you to be safe.”

The grin slowly slipped away from his face, replaced by a tender softness. He gently took her hand and kissed the skin of her wrist, before pulling her gently down. His lips meeting hers. Feyre hummed softly, a sigh escaping her throat, as she kissed him back. The fire between them burning with their intimacy. Whilst it was not the hours long, moaning mess they both became at night, it was something deep and fiery nonetheless. Just as, if not more, intense than any long night spent together. 

Memories bore into that kiss, and Feyre felt another tear slip from her eyes. Tamlin brushed them away with ease, leaning back just enough to whisper, “I never left, and I am not leaving now.”

She nodded, she knew he wouldn’t. Knew with his full magic back, Tamlin was stronger now and could protect himself with ease. Protect himself in a way Feyre never could. But still the worry and anxiety festered in her gut. 

“I know, I just…” It was hard to forget, she wished to say, but words were stuck in her throat. She wasn’t a poet, and did not know how to conjure up the way of conveying perfectly to the male beneath her how she felt. 

“I am afraid.” She said, and nothing more. She could barely say those small three words at all. 

Tamlin looked at her, that strange look that she couldn’t understand. But then he wrapped his arms around her back and pulled her close. Feyre laid her head down on his chest, pressing herself tightly against him, keeping him as close to her as their physical bodies allowed. Like if she just held on tightly enough, he wouldn’t leave. 

He kept his big arms tightly around her. His warmth seeping into her, pushing back something horribly dark and frozen, like a cold front beginning to press in. Something about the steady beating of his heart, his breathing, his skin touching hers, it all felt like it was thawing something frozen in her chest. Feyre felt her body relax against his, becoming a puddle in his arms. 

“I’m afraid too.” He whispered, which caused her arms to tighten, but he quickly continued, “But we’re brave for it.”

She blinked as she looked up at his eyes, gold flecks gleaming. Cutting through the striking green. The small traces of color and detail in his eyes that she had been unable to see until he received this new, strange body. 

“How? How are we brave, Tamlin?” Her voice was small, a hushed whisper, unable to speak louder for fear of breaking into a sob. 

“Because we are still moving forward in spite of fear.” He said, his voice harsh but solid and true. Like he was telling himself it as well as her. Tamlin cupped her face, “We are still going.”

She nodded, closing her eyes, “We are.” 

He pressed their foreheads together. Just remaining close, feeling the heat of the other, until he finally maneuvered them to stand. Feyre went easily. Standing before him as she had stood firmly the day she steeled herself to enter Under the Mountain. Despite the fear, despite the thoughts that begged to go back, despite the instinct to now pull him close and never let go again. Feyre remained upright, and strong. Her back like steel, her hands clasping his. 

“There is not a soul in Prythian more brave,” He whispered, “Then you, Feyre. Then the woman who won back Prythian.”

“No.” She said, voice ringing true, like thunder in a storm, “I did not win back Prythian, that is not what I set out to do.”

Before he could refute, before he could continue to praise her as if she were better than any God in the sky, she cupped his face and brought him close once again, “I won back you. That's what I set out to do. That is what I will always set out to do, you will never be taken from me ever again.”

For once Tamlin appeared utterly speechless, and Feyre smiled. A pure genuine smile. All at once the chains over her heart loosened and she did not tighten them again. 

She kissed him again and fell back into that warmth. Into that wonderful bliss. 

@feylinweek

[thatfoxnamedfinley]

LET'S BURN aka Morning Star thoughts

YOU KNOW HOW WE DO

SPOILERS UNDER THE CUT lets GOOoOooooOooooooOOO

Trigg was a gay icon "Stay close. Nut to butts here, dont be shy."

RAGNARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

I cried UGLY TEARS on my drive home from work. The only time I cried during the book. Ragnar talking about how he will build him a house next to his but don't come to the Veil too quickly because it will take him a while to build it. Telling his sister to live for more. Smiling even at the end.

PB, why bro. You have damaged me by doing the following.

1.) Killing Pax (THE ENDING DONT TOUCH ME, WELL GET TO IT)

2.) Killing Pax's archetype replacement

You make me like Pax, you take him away. You make me LOVE Ragnar and you take him away. Ragnar UNDERSTOOD, he understood the Rising and what it all meant more than most and you TOOK HIM AWAYYYYYYY. *Slams fist on table*

Ok ok ok ok also small side note when they crashed and encountered Cassius and Aja (i love to hate this bitch) and Mustang has her bow drawn on Cassius and is like

I WILL PUT YOU DOWN

and in my brain I'm like "nah she wouldn't"

and then she FIRES the shot into Cassius' neck

((the plot armor on this man is actually crazy))

And I had this amazing moment when listening to the audiobook that I got goosies...I imagined the snow around her and her hair blowing around her face and DETERMINATION in her eyes as she fires the shot

I was so PROUD of her

I was like

Sevro and Darrow's fight was awesome. Sweet, even. Talking about how he can see the protectiveness in Darrow's eyes when he was looking at the refugees on Tinos. His head on Darrow's knee. Talking about Eo & Sevro talking about how all he wanted was to cause wrath in the wake of his father's murder. He questions his leadership abilities and doesn't want it. I understand because he was the one that was still looking for Darrow. Saved him from torment and torture. He came back different, broken and defeated. Sad. ANGRY. Then how quickly leadership fell back to Darrow when he was the one that worked during that year that the Rising wavered when everyone thought The Reaper had been killed.

OH OH OH

one of my favorite parts of this book was The Reaper's speech. Because he wasn't Darrow, he was REAPER. He's also dramatic as fuck and I love him. He was standing up there in front of Refugees and I got GOOOOOOSIIESSS bitch when the people were like, reaching out to touch him, I was like THIS SHIT IS CRAZY. He has no branding and he's like

"I STAND BEFORE YOU A MAN UNBOUND" and people are gasping in shit cause he's like the first person in hundreds of years to bear no sigils of color.

"I speak now to Golds, to the Aureate who rule. I have walked your halls, broken your schools, eaten at your tables and suffered your gallows. You tried to kill me. You could not. I know your power. I know your pride. And I have seen how you will fall. For 700 years you have ruled over the dominion of man, and this is all you have given us. It is not enough."

I could see why people wanted to follow him. That speech was fucking EPIC.

Other thoughts. Romulus us gunna be a problem. I also think Lysander is going to have a big role. Idk what but my spidey sense is tingling. After all that trauma he was just TOTALLY OK to talk to the Ash Lord and help get the plan moving...?

Pls dont tell this little boi is about to be Jackal 2.0

OMFG THE JACKAL

BOIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII this man is inSANE!

Nuclear warfare because he wasn't getting his way??? Wanting Darrow to kill himself LIVE? DARROWS HAND GETTIGN CHOPPED OFF

BRO I THOUGHT CASSIUS BETRAYED THEM I WAS SO FCKING PISSED. I was like YO CASSIUS IT IS ON FUCKING SITE THE NEXT TIME WE SEE YOU BRO COUNT ON IT COUNT YOUR DAYS

Then I was like oh ok nevermind

All because of that little fucking holocube, the GOAT of GOATS. Showing Cassius' family being disposed of.

I have a few GOATs of this book.

(secret GOAT is Sophocles. i want to give him a jellybean)

1.) Mustang. Firing that arrow and in the discussion with Romulus she was KEY.

2.) The defiant Pink that opened the bay on the Moonbreaker. Shaking but defiant, angry at her overlords. Amazing moment.

3.) Victra. Her moment when she saw Darrow having to make a hard decision and blowing the stuff on Ganymede to cripple Romulus and The Rim. "Share some of the load, darling. This is on me." What a fucking GOAT.

4.) Sevro. CRUCIAL to taking Aja down. That shit was 3 v 1 and they would NOT have won without him. Him low to the ground moving like an animal smirking like "YOURE GUNNA DIEEE TODAY BITCH" im like

Because Aja was such a THREAT bro. I was so NERVOUS someone was going to die and they almost did!

OH OH OH (im so sorry i was up all night until like 9am finishing the audiobook so Im kind of delirious) Darrow rushing Octavia on LIVE TV and going like *shink shink shink shink shink shink shink* in her stomach with his teeth bared and I'm like YAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS BITCCHHHHHH

Finally, I was oddly, ODDLY uderstanding of why Mustand kept baby Pax a secret. For a split second I was like "WOAH WAIT WTF-" But then I was like ".....Yeah, no that makes sense." She understood what Darrow wanted but wasn't sure if the Rising would be like the genecide of Golds, her people. So she wasn't sure she couldt rust him. I get it. Nodding in understanding. Valid. She wanted to see if he was capable of BUILDING. She knows he can destroy. But can he follow up the revolution by actually building a better future.

Now she knows he can, and he has a BABBBBYYYY

I do know there is a massive time jump in the next book and multiple POVs. I'm nervous but ready.

*Random side side note

Sevro and Victra came out of nowhere for me and was something I didn't get at all

*side side side note

The Telemanus' are also GOATs

Kavax and Daxo are babies

*side side side side note, one of my other favorite moments was before they drilled with their clawdrills intot he Moonbreaker and Darrow says

"Drills hot. Helmets up. LET'S BURN." GOOOOSSSIESS

audiobook narrator performance was FANTASTIC

[browneyedgirly93]

Like An Autumn Breeze (Part Two)

(Part One) (Part Two) (Part Three)

Summary: You are the youngest Archeron sister only 16 years old when you are shoved into the cauldron along with your two eldest sisters. You quickly learn that you are mated to the heir of The Autumn Court. 

Eris x Reader

Warnings: None. Word Count: 2029

A/N: Part 2 is here! I hope you all enjoy it <3 I included pictures of what the dress I incision Y/N wearing to the Court of Nightmares!

Dress Front Dress Back

Part Two

I stood in silence looking in the mirror one last time I stared at someone I didn’t recognize, I was wearing a floor-length gossamer dress the colour of red wine. It was so unlike anything I had ever worn before, with a plunging neckline and two slits that exposed my legs. My back was exposed, with just the smallest of straps tied keeping the whole thing on. I wore matching red lipstick and kohl-lined my blue-grey eyes making them look even bigger than normal. My hair was in a half up half down style, and the top was braided into a coronet that held a small tiara that Rhysand had suggested I wear it was gold with tiny rubies the colour of my dress shimmered in the faelight. The unbound section of my hair was set in loose waves that flowed down my back. I was beautiful, and I knew it. With one last glace at my reflection, I took a deep breath and walked out of my room.

Taking a deep breath and stepping into the main room of the House of Wind where everyone was waiting, silence fell over everyone as they looked at me. Cassian was the first to acknowledge me by letting out a wolf whistle causing me to blush. “Don’t you clean up nice” he said with a wink. My face heated with a blush. 

“Thank you” I smiled at him as everyone else nodded in agreement.

“You look beautiful baby sister” Feyre smiled walked over to me and taking my hand, Mor was trailing behind her.

“Where did you get that dress Y/N?” her eyes wide while running her hands along the fabric of the skirts.

“I have no idea, Rhys gave it to me” I said looking from Mor to Rhys.

“Why must you keep all the beautiful dresses hidden from me” she pouted while crossing her arms over her chest and swinging to look at her cousin. 

“I’ll never tell” he smirked while picking a piece of lint off his jacket. The room erupted in laughter as the High Lord beamed with pride at making everyone laugh. “Shall we get this over with?” he asked once the laughter had died down and the entire atmosphere shifted in the room. Everyone partnered up as we all began to winnow to the Court of Nightmares.

I was standing near the throne with Azriel beside me, taking a large sip of my wine and letting my eyes wander around the room. The doors to the throne room were pushed open and my gaze landed on the most beautiful red-headed male I had ever seen. Confidence radiated off him and he strode into the room, hands in my pockets. He was tall, lean and extremely well-dressed. He wore a deep green jacket with gold detailing, a simple cream-coloured shirt underneath and pressed black pants tucked into knee-high brown leather riding boots. My gaze drifted to his face causing my breath to hitch while I took in his strong jaw, sharp straight nose, and high cheekbones that were peppered with freckles. Daring a glance at his pink lips causing me to wonder just how soft they’d feel pressed against my own. Finally, my gaze landed on his beautiful amber eyes, making eye contact I felt familiar warmth blooming in my chest absent-mindedly placing my hand against my chest I felt another tug. 

Eris’ POV

Walking through the nightmarish halls of Hewn City I was heading to the throne room, Rhysand had requested my presence to discuss our alliance in the oncoming war against Hybern. I was informed I would have the company of Feyre’s youngest sister Y/N for the night. I was experiencing the weirdest sensation tonight, fearing I might be falling ill I wondered if I should have stayed home instead. Shaking the thoughts away, I approached the large black doors to the throne room. Taking a deep breath, and letting the mask slip into place I pushed through the doors. The party was already in full swing as my eyes drifted around the room landing on the most beautiful female I had ever seen, I felt a tug in my chest. “Mate. Mate. Mate.” the word danced around in my brain, and my heart began racing as I watched her. She was so beautiful and tiny and she looked so innocent. Her wide blue-grey eyes locked onto mine and I felt the bond snap into place and I let myself smile, a real smile for once.

Hello Little One I purred down the bond that had just formed.

Hi she squeaked back at me, I couldn’t help myself as I began striding towards her when I noticed Rhysand beckoning me to the throne.

“Eris, welcome” he said. “There is someone I would like to introduce you to.” He extended his hand in the direction of my mate. Taking a single step towards us she smiled at me. “Eris meet Y/N, Y/N meet Eris.”

“Hello beautiful” I purred at her outstretching my hand for her. She placed it gingerly into mine as I delicately bowed my head to place a gentle kiss on it.

“Hello Eris” she fluttered her eyelashes at me. My heart squeezed at the sound of my name on her lips I couldn’t help but smile at her.

“Would you like to dance?” I asked and she nodded taking a step towards me, I led her towards the dance floor. Placing my hand on her hip and pulling her close to me. “Hello little mate” I whispered in her ear.

You’re my mate I felt confusion and curiosity laced in the statement she sent down the bond. I began tracing circles on her hip with my fingers as we danced, she was a wonderful dancer. 

“Shall we go somewhere quiet to talk?” I asked her after a few more dances. She nodded gazing up at me with such intrigue. Grabbing her hand I lead her through the doors and out into the hallway.

Y/N’s POV

We hurried through the dark hallways of The Court Of Nightmares and found ourselves standing outside, the air was cool on my skin. I looked towards Eris and our eyes met again.

“Hi” I said, it was the only word I could think of to say. 

“You keep saying that” he teased while placing a hand on my waist and looking down at me. His amber eyes locked onto mine we stood in silence staring at each other, his hand was moving in small circles on my hip. His gaze drifted to my lips and then back to my eyes as if asking permission. I could feel my cheeks flushing even more, as my heart began thudding in my chest. “Are you okay?” he asks sensing my panic. 

“I’ve never kissed anyone before” I blurted out smacking my hands up to my face and turning away from him to hide my embarrassment. 

“Y/N” his voice soothed as he began gently prying my hands off my face. “We can take this as slow as you need to, I will not do anything you are not comfortable with.” 

“Th… thank you” I shakily whispered, looking back at him. 

“Why don’t you tell me about yourself?” he suggested taking my hand in his and leading me along a path.

“Uhh, what do you want to know?” I furrowed my brow not knowing what to say.

“Tell me about your life before Prythian?” 

“Not much to tell, I’m the youngest of four. My father was known as the Prince of Merchants and we were very wealthy and happy. When I was six my mother died, and that’s when everything started to fall apart. A year later he took a risk with all of our money and it ended badly. He was attacked by debt collectors and was never the same after that, he turned into a shell of a man.” I spoke quickly, he squeezed my hand encouraging me to continue. “I was lucky enough to have Feyre though, she took it upon herself to start hunting when we had no food left. I took on the responsibility of cooking whatever she could bring home while Nesta and Elain wallowed over the life we once had. Everything was as good as it could be until the day Tamlin showed up.”

“I’m sorry,” he said and I shrugged not knowing what to say next. After a few moments of silence, he asked “What were your interests?” 

“I enjoyed cooking and always wanted to learn more about baking.” 

“I’m quite the baker myself, my mother and I used to bake together when I was younger. I can teach you”

“Really? You don’t strike me as a baker” I laughed.

“I’m a male of many talents Little One” he smirked down at me. “Tell me more.”

“I love animals, when I was younger I used to chase stray cats and dogs around trying to pet them. I always wanted to bring them home and feed them but my sisters always got mad at me saying we couldn’t afford another mouth to feed.”

“I have 12 dogs” he said proudly.

“12?!” I shouted as my steps slowed, clamping my hands over my mouth to quiet myself. He laughed.

“Yes 12, they are ghost hounds and they are all going to love you.”

“I can’t wait to meet them” We stood together my back pressed to his chest while his arms were wrapped around me holding me close and staring out at the sky before us. We continued chatting about our lives and getting to know each other, it was so easy to talk to him. It felt like I had known him forever.

“Eris?” I murmured spinning around in his arms he hummed in response. “What are we going to do?”

“What do you mean Little One?” I blushed at the nickname.

“We’re mates and we live in different courts.” I said sadly, looking down at the ground. His fingers gently lifted my chin up so I was looking at him.

“We will figure this out Y/N, one day you will live with me in the Autumn Court. As long as that’s what you want” he watched me silently, I don’t think he was even breathing.

“I would love to, Autumn was always my favourite season” I beamed up at him, and he smiled back at me. I couldn’t help but stare at his lips the lovely pink tone contrasted with his creamy white skin, they looked so soft taking a shaky breath and looking up at his eyes I sent the words he’d been waiting to hear all night through the bond.

Kiss me, please

His eyes widen in shock for a split second and with a simple nod, he brought his hand up to my cheek gently running his thumb down my jaw towards my chin. Lifting it ever so slightly as he slowly leaned down he placed his lips to mine. My eyes fluttered shut as I felt how soft and warm his lips were, he pulled me closer to him deepening the kiss. I could feel how much he was enjoying this kiss against my stomach. I gasped in shock and felt his smirk against my lips. We pulled away from each other panting, I watched him with lust-filled eyes as he seemed to stiffen and his composer changed.

“Get your hands off of her!” Azriel’s voice bellowed from behind me, spinning around I was expecting to see my friend Azriel but was met with The Shadowsinger, Spymaster of the Night Court. 

“Azriel” I gasped, taking a step away from Eris. Azriel didn’t say anything and I could tell he was having a silent conversation with Rhysand. 

“Rhysand and Feyre would like you to have a discussion with both of you” he said looking at me, then cocking his head to the side and glaring at Eris. Taking massive steps he began stalking towards the entrance of the door back into Hewn City, his shadows gently pushing me to follow.

Tag List:

theravenphoenix26 baebeepeach

[aswallowimprisoned]

Restless far from a Wine Dark sea - Day 29 Extended Hospital stay

After 5 months of being restrained in hosptial beds or the obeservation tank, Nathaniel is well enough to be discharged and released into a swimming pool

I wanted to fit some more actual mer feeling into mermay and @medwhumpmay by going for a later point in the narrative than most of this

Tw Captivity, Traumatic apathy, betrayal of self, mental breakdown, medical whump, captivity, religious whumpee, dead dove Jewish vampiric whumpee 

masterlist

≪ °❈° ≫

Nathaniel blinked awake to an unfamiliar ceiling, high vaulted and white.

He shook the fuzz of sedatives from his head, and listened for the sound of humans nearby.

He was alone.

Wow.

He tilted his head to the right. An expanse of cold water glittered just an arm’s length away.

He had spent 2 months tied to a hospital bed, then a further 3 restrained in an observation tank, allowed to float but never swim. Being out in the open was almost surreal, being able to move for the first time in 5 months, and not having doctors or guards or his strange interrogators hanging over him constantly.

He ponderously raised a hand to touch his face, slowly, just in case the movement angered someone and they were about to swarm back in and he would lose the privilege of being unbound. No one came. He traced the bridge of his nose, the junction between skin and the perspex muzzle they had put on him as a condition for his new freedom of movement. 

But back to the pool. He let out a long breath and slowly rolled onto his side towards it. His back ached a little and he wondered how long he had been lying on the rubberized floor.

Nothing could ruin the sight of the water in front of him.

He reached out with his left hand to touch the water, fingers skimming, feeling the pull of the surface tension, then dipping below the surface. The water felt like religion, gliding through his fingers, cold and smooth. He savoured the moment before lifting his hand out to appreciate the drops on his skin, before dragging his body to the edge of the pool.

He lingered only a second more before slipping in face-first, diving, submerging himself completely.

The water enveloped him. He could finally move.

And move he did.

Joy overtook him as he flicked his tail, stretching, and he jolted forwards, unrestrained, he moved, motions of swimming returning to him in a way he had feared it would never again after so long in the cramped observation tank with its restraints, after being so badly injured before his capture. 

He twisted out of the way of the opposite wall, pivoting with ease despite his speed, and started doing circles, rising and falling through the water as the fancy took him. He twisted almost like dancing, feeling his body respond to the water, fully submerged and completely in the element that bore the mer. 

He ran out of energy faster than he used to, gills rippling to supply his overstretched muscles. He took a moment to catch his breath, grinning after his joyride. He wasn’t surprised; the doctors had put him through physical therapy tests to make sure his muscles hadn’t atrophied before they discharged him, and he could feel the difference even as he flapped his fin ineffectively in the tiny tank. He couldn't be disappointed in this moment. He rubbed the deep ache out of his arms, careful of the bruises left by the IV that had been resident in his inner elbow for the past months.

It was as cold as the deep sea, blessedly so. A part of him wanted to sleep again, wrapped in the sweet chill, but mostly he was excited to just move under his own power again.  He stretched out on the bottom of the pool, fanning his tail fins out as far as they would go. His scales were slightly dulled, and his fins could do with a bit of maintenance to help them fold more comfortably. Lord, this was the first time he was able to actually touch his own tail since his capture.

He hadn’t been able to touch his own body at all in the months since his capture.

The realisation was like stepping off a cliff. 

Fuck, what had he done? Letting them tie him to a bed, letting them sedate him and take him to he knew not where, months under medical observation barely able to move.

The water was very cold around him, colder than the observation tank. The sweet perfect chill reminded him of his ocean home, of the mer he used to live with, all that he had been taken from.

The feeling of loneliness was dizzying, the loss of everything, everything that made Nathaniel a person, with his own hopes and dreams, his autonomy, the ability to touch his own fucking body. He felt like he was on the edge of oblivion, nothingness stretching away beneath him, sickening and overwhelming and utterly terrifying. His sidefins were fully extended ready for flight, and his gills rippled frantically, trying to draw enough oxygen from the water to fuel his racing thoughts. A pain so deep it defied comprehension, impossible to process, swallowing him whole in its attempt to make him see the stark bland clarity of the world around him. 

 Why was he here? why did he let them why why why him why was he here why did he let them why did he let them why why why him why was he here WHY DID HE LET THEM.

Stop.

Unreality blossomed.

No.

No…

It was actually fine. Nathaniel knew that all that data they collected from him was being used to save human lives. After all, being vampiric, mer had to hurt people to live, and that was wrong. At least if the information Nathaniel’s body contained led to the capture of mer were captured they could be fed without having to kill humans. And that was a good thing. 

Nathaniel had a purpose here. He was here because if he wasn’t here he would have to hurt people and he didn't want that. And he did have control - if he genuinely didn’t want to do a test he wouldn’t. They just didn't ask for many tests that he hated enough to be worth giving up the rewards they gave him for cooperation. Rewards like this swimming, or a cup of hot weak tea, or 15 minutes playing those brightly coloured games on an ipad after tests. They valued him.

Here, he could make a difference.

The water was cold around him, his scales smooth under his fingertips, his muscles aching after his burst of movement.

He put all the bad feelings in a little box, and trapped them deep deep down where all his guilt laid to rest.

For now he could just exist, in this larger tank of cold cold water, and pretend the ocean would embrace again after all the things he had done.

a/n Welp both my swimming pool ones have ended up about the trauma realisations you start having when you are finally somewhere that feel safer.

Anyhoo Medwhump May is coming to an end but I do hope to continue posting about this character if there is sufficient interest. Let me know if you want to be added to a taglist? If you have enjoyed these 31 posts, please like and reblog so I can decide if I want to continue.

[gaiuskamilah]

I want your input, as a Bloodbound expert. As I replayed Bloodbound (and I'm always thinking about Blades of Light and Shadow, which you helpfully pointed out had the same lead writer, Andrew Shvarts), I kept thinking:

these two are incredibly similar, right? 

"That sad little boy, cowering behind his shield, desperate to be loved. He was nothing but a tool, begging for me to break him."

Not quite mind controlled, but heavily manipulated by a dark god-like figure. While under that figure's control, they make people like them, putting them under the same influence. Once freed, they're unhappily dragged along by the heroes to a forest where they ask to be unbound so they can participate in the fight. They'll both roll their eyes at you as you threaten to kill them. Both secretly hoping to redeem themselves, but shocked when MC offers a path to redemption.

There is a big difference in time scale. Gaius is an immortal vampire who did questionable shit for centuries and Aerin is an early 20-something who did questionable shit for a couple years. Relatedly, Gaius kicks way more ass. And while Aerin seems devoted to the Dreadlord, I don't get the sense that he's horny about it. (Which I'm personally grateful for, but no judgment)

But generally, it feels to me like the writer liked the idea so much he made two different version of the same character. What's your take?

Ps, I'm utterly obsessed with this note from the wiki, which I now see you have definitely read. "In Andrew's mind, human Gaius was soft, sweet, and quick to fall in love but quicker to be heartbroken. He describes him as, 'Just this trusting naive little castle guard, eager to be liked, too gentle to send Rheya into the cave without a knife, always pining for that love of his who died.'"

yeah! i think there are some general similarities between them as you've mentioned, and also a pretty significant overlap between their fanbases (though i have seen some aerin fans who vehemently dislike gaius, and some gaius fans not really care about aerin). the manipulated by dark figure aspect and the shaky alliance is definitely some of the similarities that stand out. however because of the difference in gravity in things they've done i like to joke that this is gaius and aerin LOL

while aerin does share similarities with gaius, i don't think aerin's the only one in the cast who does! i'm specifically thinking about valax, who similarly kidnapped MC at the beginning of book 2 for MC's abilities (blades MC being a realmwalker, bloodbound MC being the bloodkeeper), the "creation" and most loyal follower of their mother-goddess, the same mother-goddess who initially had good ideas for how the world should work, but over time that vision was tainted by their need for revenge. gaius thinks he's working for the better of vampirekind by enacting what he believes to be rheya's righteous will, while valax does similarly with the ashen and the ash empress. MC eventually shows them that their mother-goddess doesn't really have their best interests at heart and that's what makes them switch sides. also, well, they're both immortal old as dirt beings lol. character archetypes galore!

speaking of character archetypes, andrew tweeted about another one of his favorite character archetypes (i promise he tweeted this but his twitter's gone and i can't find a screenshot of it lol), namely the rebellious do-gooder snarky figure with a troubled past. he specifically posted flynn o'malley from veil of secrets, jake mckenzie from endless summer, and of course, mal. though with him also working on bloodbound and crimes, i think jax and luke are definitely part of this collection.

and YESSS oh my god that note from choices secrets: revealed drove me insane when it first released. the man loves talking about gaius... born to be a lover, forced (not really forced but y'know..) to be the worst man the world has ever seen. gaius augustine you will always be famous!!