#theo you understand the vision .

[ddarker-dreams]

"he's showing you his interests!" Bless you for the imagery of Feitan doing things like hovering over you while showing you trays of torture tools that he's meticulously organized just before you got there so he can show them off, just sort of... breathing on you and expecting you to be impressed while you're terrified, wondering if he's making a threat or showing you what will happen if you misbehave, when in reality he's doing the equivalent of proudly showing off a nerdy collection.

'he's doing the equivalent of proudly showing off a nerdy collection.'

LMAO this is the perfect way to sum up the behavior. chrollo encourages you to try and engage with feitan "since it's in your best interest." whatever that means. the next time he brings you down for the apparent bonding session you try to do more than sit there and squirm. randomly pointing at some macabre instrument, and asking him what it is.

"bone saw," he tells you.

"what does it do?"

"saws bone."

"... ah."

"..."

"..."

(never have you wanted chrollo to magically appear and save you from this purgatory more).

still, you're nothing if not determined. you focus on the object next to it.

"and this?"

"ice pick."

"hm?" you blink. "but it's summer."

the chair he's sitting on scrapes when he gets up. he stalks over to you, hand raised. his sallow pointer finger taps your nose.

"goes up," he says.

"..."

"..."

"so, um, what's your favorite color?"

[sectumsempraaa]

More Than a Gut Feeling

Pairing: soulmate!Theo Nott x fem!reader

Word count: 2.5k

Based on this request! :)

TW: none, just unlawful amounts of fluff

Featuring: Theo, Draco, Mattheo, Pansy, Lorenzo, Blaise

Summary: Transferring schools in your fifth year is overwhelming enough. But when you find yourself seemingly tethered to a Slytherin boy, you start to wonder… Did you come to Hogwarts by choice? Or did someone lead you here?

“And there was fog, and dust, and all I could see was this hand reaching out for me-”

“Bloody hell Theo, please, we get it. You smoked before bed and had trippy dreams,” Pansy complains, cutting him off from his hazy explanation. She turns to you and rolls her eyes, expressing her disdain.

It’s a typical Monday breakfast in the Great Hall for the Slytherin lads, except they have you now. They’ve recently (and graciously) taken you under their wing after you transferred schools in your fifth year.

Though you’re still adjusting to your surroundings at Hogwarts, your new friends have made the transition easier.

“I didn’t smoke before bed, bastardo,” he replies, lunging slightly towards her in annoyance.

Your eyes linger on Theo for a moment, his dream piquing your interest for some reason. There’s something about it that feels… familiar.

But you shake it off as deja vu in order to move past it. The last thing you want right now is to stand out amongst your new peers.

It’s only been a week since you arrived, but the connection you have with Theodore is unlike the others, and they are starting to notice.

Like when you first met, and the both of you were each holding a hardcover copy of your mutual favorite poetry book.

And a couple days later, when you turned your head to greet him as he was several yards behind you in the hallway, before he even called your name.

And yesterday, when you watched him win the first quidditch match you’d seen because the golden snitch hovered over you the entire time.

“I wish I could remember my dreams like that,” you respond, adding a touch of understanding to the conversation.

Theo’s head turns in the direction of your soft voice, like his gaze is attached to it somehow.

Blaise looks between the two of you, eyebrows raised in suspicion.

Suddenly and smoothly, Mattheo nudges you with his elbow and leans in close to your ear.

“If you dreamt of me, you would.” He smirks, laughing to himself and earning a light smack on the chest from Lorenzo. You notice Theo’s expression turn a smidge darker, something new looming in his eyes.

Lorenzo comments. “You really do ruin everything. You’re like, the king of ruining everything.”

Draco scoffs at Mattheo’s quip and places his hands on the table to signify that it’s time to leave for class. “Come on, Mattheo. Let’s not traumatize the new girl.”

Draco throws an apologetic glance your way.

“Please don’t listen to this child.” He spits out the last few words with haste.

When you look at Theo, you find him still staring at you with a hint of wonder and confusion.

You blush, feeling the crimson warmth spreading from one cheek to another. You reach down to grab your bag and make your way to potions class with the rest of the group.

—

Today’s lesson is, surprisingly, something you’ve already learned at your previous school. And thank the gods, because something about Theo’s dream has your attention caught like a fly in a web.

You imagine his vision, the fog and the reaching. You look down to your own hand, your brows furrowing as you continue to rack your brain. The longer you look at your hand, the more convinced you are that…

No. You just met him a week ago… there’s no way.

But that’s not it. It’s the other dreams he’s mentioned in the past few days, too. One where he’s at Durmstrang looking for someone, another where he’s trying to find them on the Hogwarts Express, but he doesn’t know who he’s following.

Who he’s looking for.

You can’t help but compare them to your own dreams, strikingly, eerily similar.

You recount images of them, scouring through empty train cabins and following the sound of alluring footsteps in your former school.

A tug on your ponytail pulls you out of your distraction, the slight pain guiding your stare. A sea of giggles spreads through the class as you watch Professor Snape’s hand return to his side.

“Miss Y/L/N, I suspect you were the potions teacher at Durmstrang with the way you ignore my curriculum.” Snape retorts, his stern voice closer than you were expecting.

But one particular laugh catches your ears, the corners of your mouth turning up at the sound of it. Your eyes land on Theo, and something about his expression makes your heart skip a beat.

“Tsk tsk, bella,” He whispers, and you bite your lip in response, turning back to your textbook as that damn blush creeps back onto your face.

There’s no denying how unfathomably handsome this man is when he smiles at you, because of you.

Your desk partner, Draco, looks to Theo and then back to you in bewilderment.

“I can never get him to joke around like that,” He says to you. “I’ll be damned if he fancies you more than me already.”

You smile back to Draco, returning the playful demeanor. “Oh, I bet he just adores you.” You respond loud enough so Theo can hear behind you.

You don’t have to turn around to see the bashful smirk on Theo’s face.

—

That night, you toss and turn more than usual. A wild dream keeps you trapped in slumber, unable to relinquish you from it until your roommate, Pansy, physically shakes you awake.

“I’m right here, you oaf!” Pansy yells, her hands squeezing your shoulders as you urgently sit up in bed.

“What? What are you doing? Why are you yelling?” You ask, genuinely lost. The beads of sweat trickle down your temple.

“You don’t remember just now when you were asking ‘Where are you?’ a thousand times in your own sleep?” She responds, her eyes widening with each word.

And then it hits you, the images of your dream. That laugh, a gentle breeze, and a-

“Paper crane?” Pansy asks, looking down into your lap with eyes like headlights.

You slowly look down, afraid to reveal to yourself what lays in your grasp. In your palm is a small, crumpled paper crane. Your baffled stare freaks her out, her hands retracting from your sides.

“What the filthy fuck is that?!” Pansy yells, but her voice sounds quite distant to you as you try desperately to get a hold on reality.

But you know. You know what this is, and you know how you got it. Accepting this fact is like swallowing glass.

“I brought something out of my dream,” you whisper, your breath picking up in pace and weight. The thought is sending you reeling, your brain suddenly racing yet devoid at the same time, unwilling to connect the dots.

“How is this even possible?” You ask yourself.

Pansy continues rambling on, asking you endless questions.

But you can’t seem to shake the idea that this item didn’t exist before you fell asleep last night.

—

After long deliberation, and a real pull back to reality, you manage to get yourself dressed and out the door. But the mental picture of this thing takes up most of the space in your mind that day, haunting you each time you think of it.

It’s not until Divination class, your last period, that things somehow become even more unsettling.

Professor Trelawney begins a lesson about the influence of dreams in real life and the messages they can send to the dreamer.

“Dreams, they can be so powerful. They can point you in specific directions, impact your decisions, make you see the truth.”

Her shakey, ominous voice echoes through your head, her words bouncing off the walls of your skull as you feel around in your pocket for the mysterious object. When you feel the edges of the paper graze your skin, you gently pull it out and place it on the corner of your desk.

From the table over, Theo absentmindedly observes you, your movement guiding his trailing eyes. He sees the object in front of you, but it takes him a second to register what it is, that curious little thing.

He squints, then performs a stunning double take. And when he’s finally able to identify it…

Everything changes.

“Oh… my… god…” Theo whispers, his heart dropping into his stomach like an anchor. His body goes into a state of utter disbelief and stillness. His eyes piercing white and his face ghostly pale as he struggles to grasp the scene in front of him.

Mattheo notices Theo’s knuckles white against the desk and chimes in to check on his friend.

“Mate, you alright? You look like Enzo after a Friday night at the Three–”

But before Mattheo can finish asking, Theo suddenly stands up and gains the attention of everyone in class by the sound of his bench skidding backwards on the floor.

Professor Trelawney’s gaze shifts from Theo to you as she locates the focus point of his unrelenting stare. She offers to take him to the infirmary as he looks “unwell.”

But Theo shakes his head, places his hand over his heart, and silently dashes out of the classroom.

Pansy’s head slowly turns to you with a look of complete perplexity.

“Better go check on Rome, new girl,” she mutters under her breath, referencing Theo’s hometown. She gestures her head in the direction of the door.

You nod hesitantly, soon following in his footsteps and ignoring any questions from your teacher.

—

When you make it to the hallway, you find Theo pacing back and forth, his hand still placed over his heart as if to stop it from exploding. But when he sees you, it only gets more difficult.

You open your mouth to speak, but he cuts you off before you can even inhale.

“Where in seven hells did you get that paper crane?!” He asks, stopping in his tracks. The conversation continues in bouts of interrupting each other.

“Theodore, I-”

“Don’t call me that, that’s not what you call me in-”

“In what?”

“In my-”

Then a pause. A tense, incredible pause. A stare down.

He continues. “Nothing, it’s mind numbingly mad,”

You take a step towards him, but something in your chest suddenly becomes achingly heavy. In response, you place a hand over your heart, just like Theo is.

In your free hand, you unfold your fingers to reveal the paper crane. His eyes land on it, the shock of it still trapping every fiber of his being.

“You…” you start, the weight in your chest transforms from a brick to a block of anvil with each word.

When you’re within arms length of each other, he manages to reach out, the struggle evident on his face. He fights to finish your sentence for you.

“Made this. Gave this… to you, last night.” He explains, his voice dragging as you notice his hand now gripping his shirt in a fist from the sheer pain in his chest.

“Theo… I think we aren’t dreaming of each other,” you suggest, taking time to breathe between thoughts. The weight on your heart is now seemingly unbearable.

“We’re dreaming with each other,” you say, and just as you finish the thought, Theo’s fingers touch the paper crane in your hand, a graze that feels like lightning.

And just then, as the object fuses the touch of two destined souls, a small clad of thunder emits from between you that only you two can hear. The pains in your chests implode, a knee-dropping sensation of light and warmth replacing it.

Like dynamite in your hearts.

“Bella,” Theo’s hoarse voice is laced with a sincerity that sounds like liquid gold to your ears. There’s no way to describe the feeling inside you right now, this fantastic blend of energies and desires.

The only thing you do know is that it’s burning at both ends, like a charring rope.

“I think… I was meant to find you, cara mia. Gods I sound mental,” he shakes his head, embarrassment written all over his face. To his surprise, he finds your hand gently caressing his cheek, guiding his gaze back to yours.

“Then maybe we both need to visit the infirmary, because I’ve only just arrived here and for some reason I can’t fathom a minute away from you.”

Relief washes over him as he drinks in your words, and the stunning sight of you confessing the very same sentiment he, too, harbors.

Your heart rate quickens as you feel an arm snake around your lower back, out of your line of sight. This feels strangely comfortable, like you’ve felt it for a lifetime already.

“Y/N…” he beckons, his forehead dropping to rest on yours. “I can’t ask you to be mine, because I think someone, or something, else already decided that.” He jokes, the huff from his laugh hitting your face.

The sight of both your smiles is what shifts everything into place. Everything, all at once. And then, your fists are the ones gripping his shirt, pulling his lips onto yours.

The paper crane falls to the ground between you as your lips move against each other, his hands exploring your back like they’re hunting for treasure. The magnitude of this kiss surpasses any other you’ve shared in the past.

Chills run up and down your body, like it’s finally found its home. Its match. His fingers grasp your hair lightly, keeping you in place as he kisses you with vigor.

He pulls away, looking at you like you’re his most prized possession.

“You’re more than a gut feeling, tesoro.” He confesses, earning another kiss from you. This one feels like an aftershock, the aftermath of the impact of your newfound, yet momentous intimacy.

You nod your head in understanding, barely able to form a coherent sentence at the moment.

“Did you… feel that, Theo?” You question, sending a glimmer of hope his way.

“Yes, like… fireworks?” He asks back. He takes your hand and places it on his chest once again, and you swear you could feel the butterflies erupting from inside.

Behind you, a mess of rushed footsteps make their entrance, accompanied by a couple of stern voices.

“These two, I swear…” Blaise complains, shaking his head and catching his breath.

“What in the Merlin-loving fuck is going on here?” Lorenzo sneers, his expression a mix of urgency and frustration.

But you two never broke that stare, that ruthless, solid stare. Instead you beam at each other as you scramble to put the answer into words.

“Fireworks.”

—

That night, you wander the grounds of Hogwarts together as Mattheo, Draco, and Pansy watch you from the Astronomy Tower. The three of them convene to discuss.

“You reckon she used a love potion?” Mattheo suggests, earning another smack on the arm.

“No, you bloody fool. They’re like, tethered or something.” She attempts to convey the notion to the boys, but they just don’t get it.

“Are we tethered then, doll?” Draco jokingly asks Pansy.

“In your dreams, mate.” Mattheo responds, taking a drag from his cigarette. She responds while picturing the paper crane she found in your lap that one fated morning last week.

“You’d be surprised how accurate that is.”

🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍

[weasleyreidstyles]

on a night like tonight

wrote this for @thatdammchickennugget's hogmarch challenge using the dialogue prompt!! just a fluffy (debatable) one shot for my favourite slytherin boy🫠🫠🫠

prompt 2: "are you speaking parceltongue or am i really drunk?"

pairing: mattheo riddle x fem!slytherin reader (although its not that important to the one shot, honestly)

warning(s): slightly suggestive (towards the end), alcohol consumption

~∞~ i love writing for mattheo😫 idk how i feel about this one but i enjoyed writing either way lol. and yes i titled this after a niall song (im still not over the fact that i saw him in the flesh like a whole week ago!??!?!) also happy international women's day to all of you sexy, beautiful women xxxx

The Slytherin common room was ripe with activity. The Quidditch team had beaten Gryffindor by an utter landslide (250-110), so it was only appropriate for them to throw a huge party to celebrate. The team were in the middle of the room, surrounded by their most loyal band of lovestruck followers, as they drowned in all sorts of alcoholic beverages.

Spheres of magical light littered the high ceiling, glittering like stars and creating an eerily green glow as they reflected off of the murky waters of the Black Lake. The seating areas had been cleared, and in place was a makeshift dancefloor of sorts, filled to the brim with students dancing, singing and laughing to whatever music was playing on a stereo that Blaise had brought in from his Ravenclaw friends.

You were stood against a wall beside Pansy, who was busy glaring at the girl who had draped herself against Theo's arm as he laughed heartily at something Enzo had said. Your best friend was seething with jealousy, but she was far too stubborn to do anything about her feelings for your Italian friend.

The two of them had been dancing around their feelings for months; it was downright infuriating.

"I don't understand why you won't do something about it, Pans!" You say to her loudly, so that your voice could be heard over the earshattering bass music. "I'm getting sick of the back and forth between the two of you!"

Pansy finally takes her eyes off of the floppy haired brunette, who is now whispering in the ear of the girl, with a suggestive smirk on his face. "I'd say the same for you." She scoffs and you turn to her with furrowed brows.

"Oh don't act dumb." Pansy says with a laugh as she turns towards you fully, the drink in her hand sloshing over the rim of the cup as she does. "I see the way you look at Matt. You're very obvious. Both of you are."

"I don't know what you're talking about." You say reluctantly, taking a lengthy sip of your firewhiskey to avoid her knowing look.

Had your affections for your friend really been so blatant?

And did he really return them?

You turn towards the middle of the room and the liquid in your cup is suddenly drained to empty as you watch Mattheo dance closely behind a pretty Hufflepuff girl.

You and Pansy return to your mutual solitude, letting your friends revel in their win against their greatest rival, while simultaneously becoming more and more drunk, the more you watch as Theo and Mattheo obliviously break your hearts some more.

~∞~

It's much later into the night, and the party has not died down. In fact, it only seems to have gotten busier as more and more people from the other houses joined in on the debauchery.

You are so drunk. Practically stumbling along behind Pansy as she drags you to and from the dance floor to get more drinks. The two of you are dancing on each other, her hips grinding against your's to the beat of the music as you both giggle tipsily. You're unaware of your surroundings and have surely pissed off many other partiers with your drunken moves. But it doesn't bother either of you, content to enjoy each other's company, until there is a presence behind you that has Pansy smirking cheekily at you.

You narrow your eyes at her, vision hazy as you feel hands cradle your waist, almost possessively. Looking up, you come face to face with the underside of Mattheo's sharp jaw as he says something to Pansy that you don't comprehend. Whatever he says has her disappearing into the crowd, leaving you to his mercy.

"Hello, Princess." He mumbles lowly, mouth brushing against the soft shell of your ear, causing a shiver to run down the length of your spine.

"Matty! Hi." You say, voice slightly slurred and you grimace at how drunk you sound. He only smirks before he's gently spinning you to face him.

"Haven't seen you since the start of the match. 'S been ages." He replies, voice raspy from how much he'd shouted and cheered during and after the match.

"It's not been that long." You say with a teasing smile as you take in his appearance. In place of the emerald quidditch robes he'd been sporting that afternoon, he's wearing a dark, black t-shirt which stretches tightly across his torso, emphasising his Beater physique and a pair of dark trousers drapes over strong legs. Your observation is slow and purposeful and the smirk on his face widens even further as you admire him more openly then you ever have before.

He's chuckling to himself and then says something that you can barely hear over the loud music that reverberates through the room. But the cadence of his voice and the way they almost seem to have been hissed out in a way you do not understand, makes you tilt your head to the side as he smiles.

"What did you just say?" You ask him, or rather shout so that he can hear you. He copies you with a tilt of his head as he looks down at you with his captivating onyx eyes.

He repeats it again, his hands tightening against your waist when you stumble slightly as someone jostles you in an attempt to get past, smirking when your face scrunches in confusion.

"Are you speaking parceltongue or am i really drunk?" You ask, your hands coming to rest against his firm chest when you were pushed into him.

"Gods, Princess. How much have you had to drink?" He asks with gleaming eyes. It's the mischief in them that has you opening your mouth in feined outrage.

"You were speaking parceltongue!" You accuse and he lets out a laugh as you lightly whack his chest. "What did you say!?"

"Now why would I tell you that?" He replies, his face leaning closer to your's. You can smell the alcohol on his hot breath, mingling with your own and you can feel every breath he takes as it fans across your face.

"Because I'm your best friend?" You say with a smirk as you unconsciously wrap your arms around his neck, leaning on your tip toes slightly so that you can be at eye level with him. The move has your hips brushing against his. You swear his eyes darken as you do.

"Theo's my best friend." He says in a tone of faux obviousness, mischief laced in his rough voice.

"But I'm your favourite, right? If you admit it, I promise that Teddy will never know. It can be our little secret, Matty." You tease and he's laughing again, before he says something else in that strange, reptilian voice, eyes flicking from you eyes to your lips.

You've always been my favourite, darling.

The ways his eyes sparkle, despite the harshness of the sounds against his tongue have you acting upon instinct as you surge forward and press your lips to his. It's as magical as you've always imagined, despite it being tainted by your twin inebriation. But you'll take what you can get.

Because Mattheo Riddle is finally kissing you and you reckon you could fall into a abyss of happiness as his pillowly lips caress your's with loving grace.

~∞~

The next morning, you wake up in an unfamiliar, yet familiar dorm room and Enzo is smirking at you with glee. A tanned, muscular arm is draped across your middle and you're using the other as a makeshift pillow. Your face warms as you recognise the large, veiny hand that stretches across your stomach.

"Fun night?" Your friend asks with a snicker and you flip him off in response. He leaves the room after he's done teasing you, his loud laughter echoing in the corridor. You move to stand but an arm tightens around the skin of your waist.

"Where do you think you're going, Princess?" Mattheo mumbles, his voice low and raspy from sleep.

"Well good morning, sunshine." You reply, a smile spreading across your face as you turn to face him, to find that he is already staring at you, with adoration in his onyx eyes.

"Am I still dreaming, or are you really in my bed right now?" He asks as you trace a finger lightly over his naked chest.

"Oh it's very real. And I'm sure Enzo has already told the others what he just discovered." You reply with a giddy laugh.

"About bloody time, don't you think?" Mattheo's question is muffled against the skin of your neck as he nuzzles his face there. You smile in response, giggling as pieces of his curly hair brush against your soft skin.

"I'd still like to know what you said last night." You say but he doesn't give you the answer. Instead, he rolls the two of you so that you lie beneath his toned body, strong arms caging you in.

"That's my little secret, Princess." He mumbles as he presses languid kisses down your neck and chest, travelling lower until your rendered a moaning mess beneath him.

[juniperskye]

Let’s start over.

Sneak peek: Aaron and Reader were together back when she was finishing her bachelor’s degree. It went on for a bit until Aaron started to pull away – after confronting him, you called things off. Years later you return to Quantico to streamline the new child crimes unit which will work directly with the BAU. Aaron is surprised to see you and asks you to dinner…some shocking secrets are revealed. (There are timeline edits to this story to fit my vision okay?!)

Aaron Hotchner x (Fem) Reader

Angst/Fluff

Word count: 5301

Part 2: bonus scenes

REQUESTS ARE OPEN - not edited - please be kind. Requests are open and feedback is welcome if it's constructive!

Warnings: My blog is 18+, minors DNI, age gap (reader is in their 20’s and Hotch is in his 40’s), explicit language, keeping a child a secret, Hotch not being the best partner (past), description of BAU and other FBI units – some canon typical subject matter, OC’s Nora (child) Theo and Leila (agents), mention of hospitals, and mention of febrile seizure, mention of Jack, mention of Haley (their relationship timeline was adjusted to make this work – they separated when Jack was like 2-3 y/o) let me know if I missed any!

I do not consent to having my work translated or reposted to any other site. That being said I do not own the characters portrayed in this story.

** 5 Years Ago, **

“Aaron would you please just tell me what’s going on!” You pleaded.

“Nothing. I told you to just drop it. Nothing is wrong.” Aaron snapped.

Things had been like this for the past few weeks. Aaron was being short with you, snippy about menial things that had never bothered him before. You couldn’t figure out what was going on, it had truly begun to weigh heavily on your relationship.

“We both know that’s bullshit. Why won’t you just talk to me?” You were practically begging him at this point.

“Jesus Christ, would you just let it the fuck go. I said I don’t want to talk. Why is that so hard for you to understand?” Aaron shouted. “Maybe Dave was right.” He mumbled.

“Right about what?” Your voice came out much smaller than intended.

“Maybe you’re too young, too immature. You just don’t understand the stress I’m under.” Aaron huffed out a sigh.

Aaron and you had been together for nearly two years. Initially it had been more of a fling due to the fact that he was teaching a course you were taking to complete your bachelor’s degree. He and you took things to the next level once you’d graduated and now you were about to complete your master’s degree. You loved Aaron, but with how things had been going for the last few months, you couldn’t help but wonder if that was enough.

“I don’t know if I can do this anymore.” You whispered.

“So what?  We get in a little fight and you’re going to throw a tantrum?” Aaron spat pure venom.

“A tantrum?” You said, exasperated. “Aaron I’m not a toddler kicking and screaming because I am not getting my way. I’m a grown ass woman asking for some healthy communication in our relationship. We haven’t had a real conversation in months, and I don’t think I can go on like this.” You gasped, the realization finally hitting you…this had to end.

“Sweetheart, we can work this out. I’m sorry okay?” Aaron reached for you.

“No…” You took a retreating step, your back making contact with the back of your sofa. “I think it’s too late Aaron. And honestly it’s rich that you called me immature, when you are so emotionally stunted. You refuse to act your own age and talk things through. Instead, you bottle things up and push away anyone who cares about you. I won’t be your punching bag anymore, I have too much respect for myself.” Your tears had finally broken free, trailing down your cheeks clouded with black from your mascara.

“So that’s it then? We’re done?” Aaron scoffed.

“I guess that’s it.” You gasped.

With that, Aaron grabbed his bag and left. Pausing for a second, before shaking his head and making his leave. The moment you heard the lock click, your knees gave out and you collapsed to the floor as sobs ripped through your body. You laid there for what felt like days, broken and devastated by the loss of what you presumed was your forever. He was gone and you’d have to move on, something you weren’t sure was possible in that moment.

** Present Day **

“Hello? … This is she … Oh! Director Cruz … yes I am getting everything ready. … I can’t thank you enough for this opportunity, truly. … Of course, thank you. … Alright, I will see you Monday. … Thank you … Bye.” You were practically buzzing as you hung up the phone.

“Was that bossman?” Hestia questioned.

“Yes it was! He was checking in and making sure I have everything I need before I start on Monday!” You gushed.

“I can’t believe you are moving back to Virginia. I am going to miss you so, so much!” Hestia whined.

“I am going to miss you too! But it’ll only be like a month until you join me…right?” You inquired.

“Yes! My lease is up then and as long as you’re still cool with us staying with you guys until we find our own place, we will be there!” She explained.

“Ummm of course you guys can stay with us! Free childcare…I’d be an idiot to pass that up!” You laughed as Hestia threw a pillow at you.

You were actively packing up your life and preparing to move back to Virginia. You hadn’t been back there in nearly five years. After breaking things off with Aaron and completing your master’s degree, you’d looked into PhD programs around the U.S. and had ultimately decided on the child psychology program at Colombia University, and while New York wasn’t too far from Virgina, it at least put space between you and Aaron. 

About eight months after you and Aaron had broken things off, Nora had come as quite a surprise. Despite the shock that was brought on by your pregnancy, Nora had become the greatest gift you could’ve asked for. Having Hestia around to make up for your lack in baby daddy had brought the two of you incredibly close together.

You had met Hestia in a pretty unconventional way, she was one year into her residency for general surgery, and you had appendicitis. So, she worked hand-in-hand with the surgeon who removed your appendix, and well, the rest had been history. She’s been with you through everything in the last four years, most importantly, she’s helped you raise Nora. You’d been sure to repay the favor, especially within the last year…Hestia’s mom had passed, leaving her 15-year-old sister in her care. The four of you had become your own little family.

“So, what’s your plan tomorrow?” Hestia asked.

“Oh, my parents flew in last week and they drove most of my stuff down on Tuesday. My mom said she wanted it to be set up for us, so we’d be able to move right in, especially since I start work immediately. So, I am just getting the last few things together today and we will head down tomorrow, and I guess we will finish getting everything set up this weekend. They’re staying with me, pretty much until you and Selene can come out. They don’t want me to have to put Nora in daycare.” You explained.

“Aw, I’m so glad they’re able to do that! I know by then you’ll be ready to have them out of your hair, but it is nice that you won’t have to leave her with strangers right away.” Hestia patted your leg. “I do have a question for you though…are you at all worried about running into your ex?”

“I don’t even know if he still works there Hes, it’s a huge place. Who’s to say we even see each other at all?” You shrug.

“You are so full of shit!” Hestia laughs. “Don’t act like you didn’t check to see if he’s still there.”

“Ugh! Yes he’s still the unit chief of the BAU! Of course I looked. And yes. I am terrified, Director Cruz said my unit will most likely work with the BAU more than any other team and I’m not sure I can handle that.” You groaned.

“You can’t avoid him forever babe. Are you going to tell him about Nora?”

“Hes, I don’t even know how I would begin to tell him.” You shook your head. “We ended horribly and she’s four now. What if he freaks out?”

“I mean he might. Hon, you have to tell him, she’s his daughter you know… I don’t think there’s an easy way to do it. Like it’s gonna be ugly no matter what. But at least you’re telling him.” Hestia reasons.

You knew she was right, you had to tell Aaron about Nora, but honestly it could wait. You had an entire unit to run, and you couldn’t let your fear of seeing him and having that conversation distract you from the important work you’d be doing.

Monday came far too quickly. Your parents had been a huge help, and the house was almost completely unpacked. Nora had settled in well with them being there with you both, and you were incredibly grateful to them for supporting you.

You had gotten up early to make breakfast and eat with Nora before heading into the office. When you walked into the FBI building, you made your way to the front desk to get your ID and then headed to the director’s office.

“Welcome! We are so glad to have you and your team joining us at the FBI. Child crimes is something that has needed an official unit for far too long, I am just happy to have you leading it.” Director Cruz greeted you.

“Thank you Director, it is truly an honor to have been asked to lead this team. From my understanding, Theo and Leila will be here tomorrow to begin officially.”

“That’s correct. I want to go over some logistics with you before I show you to your office. As of right now your team will just be the three of you, if we see a need to expand, we will. I am going to assign you and your agents each a specific unit for if you are needed in more than one place. You will be the point person for the Behavioral Analysis Unit and the Sex Crimes Unit, Leila will take point with Violent Crimes and Theo will take point with Cybercrimes. I anticipate that your team will work closest with the BAU and SCU.” Director Cruz explained.

“That all sounds good sir. Are the Unit Chiefs of these departments all aware of our arrival? I just want to ensure they will be prepared to work with us and that there won’t be too much pushback.” You posed.

“I understand. Yes, they have all been informed of your team’s arrival and I have made it very clear that their cooperation is nonnegotiable. At the end of the day, we all have the same goal, so hopefully there will be very little pushback from our agents.” Director Cruz reassured you. “Are you ready to see your office now?”

“Yes sir, thank you.”

Stepping off the elevator onto the sixth floor, you immediately took note of the directory sign listing that the BAU was housed on this floor. It made your stomach churn, knowing that you would most definitely see Aaron every day… not to mention in like the next few minutes.

“Okay so, through this door here is where the BAU is, as I mentioned before. There are two open desks down in the bullpen there for Theo and Leila, and your office is just there. You will be between agents Hotchner and Rossi.” Director Cruz noted as you entered your office. “I’d like to introduce you to agent Hotchner before I let you settle in; I think it is important given how frequently you’ll be working together.”

“Of course, sir.” You nodded.

The ten steps it took to get from your office to his felt like an eternity. You felt sick knowing that you’d have to face the man that had broken you all those years ago. You may have ended things with him officially, but he had truly ended it when he decided that you weren’t worthy of communicating with. At this point you were just hoping that he’d grown up in that area, because you really needed him to take the news of Nora well.

“Agent Hotchner, I have the new child crimes unit chief here for you to meet.” And before Director Cruz could give Aaron your name, it escaped his own lips, framed by his shocked expression. “Oh, you two know each other?”

“Agent Hotchner was a guest lecturer for one of my undergrad courses. He was my inspiration for entering this field.” You supplied.

It wasn’t a total lie…

“Yes, she was a bright student. I’m not surprised to see that she made it to the FBI.” Aaron added.

“Alright then, I will leave you to catch up then.” With that, the Director made his way back to his office.

“How um…how are you?” Aaron inquired.

“I’m well Aaron. I don’t really think anymore small talk is necessary. I should go get settled into my office.” You huffed out a breath before exiting the room.

You made sure to take your time getting settled. Placing some personal things out on your desk and shelves. You had a few plants, some of your favorite pens, some file folders, you hung up your degrees, you organized your psychology books on the shelves along with some law books, and the last, most important detail was a framed photo of you and Nora that you sat next to your lamp.

The day had sped by as you made yourself comfortable on the couch in your office while reading through some emails from other units and some case files of theirs from previous cases to see how they typically ran things. You had been trekking along just fine until a quite knock broke your concentration. Looking up, you weren’t entirely surprised to see it was Aaron standing there.

“I just wanted to check in and see how you were doing. It’s almost eight.” Aaron informed you.

“Oh shit! I didn’t even realize!” You scrambled to check your phone.

“I know that you said small talk wasn’t necessary, and I agree. I would however really like to take you to dinner to catch up, and maybe I can explain some things.” Aaron requested.

“Oh, I um. I’m not sure that’s a good idea…I uh-”

“Please. I really need to explain myself, for how awful I was back then. No excuses, just maybe it’ll help you see my point of view. I’ve worked on myself a lot since then.” Aaron pleaded.

“I have to make a call first.” You conceded.

“Of course. I’ll give you some privacy.” He exited your office.

You quickly called your mom, letting her know that you were going to dinner with a coworker, asking her to take care of the remainder of Nora’s bedtime routine. You also had to inform her you wouldn’t need to be picked up. After which you spoke to Nora wishing her a good night and giving her a kiss through the phone. You then gathered your belongings and met Aaron in the bullpen.

“So, I don’t have my car. My parents are in town, they helped me move, so I left my car with them.” You explained sheepishly.

“No worries, if you’re comfortable with it, I can drive us. I can take you home after as well.” Aaron offered.

“Yeah, that would be great. Thank you.” You offered a gentle smile.

Aaron gestured you to the elevator and you made your way down to the parking garage. Aaron, ever the gentleman made sure to open the car door for you, both in the garage and again at the restaurant. There was a tinge of sadness that flooded your mind as you noticed where Aaron took you.

It had been your go to for date nights back when you were together. It was a recommendation from Dave – who you couldn’t help but feel a bit of resentment toward given the “too young” comment. You wondered if Aaron brought you here on purpose, and he must’ve picked up on your thought.

“I’m sorry, I don’t know why I drove us here. I guess it was muscle memory.” He shook his head.

“It’s okay. I’ve missed the food honestly.” You let out a little chuckle.

“I have too. I uh, I haven’t been here since we ended.” Aaron’s voice trailed off toward the end of his statement.

You were relieved that the night hadn’t been filled with awkward silence. It had, however, been a lot of catching up while Aaron avoided the main reason he brought you here and you avoided talking about Nora. You were both saved by the waiter when he came by to get your order.

“Would you like to see the wine list?”

“No thank you. I’ll just have water.” You were quick to answer.

“Water is fine for me also.” Aaron added.

“Are you ready to order your entrees then?”

“I will have the Mezzi Rigatoni, and she will have the Ricotta Cavatelli.” Aaron declared.

The waiter nodded and walked off. You couldn’t help but look at Aaron with a bit of shock. It is what you always ordered, so you couldn’t be mad, but it felt foreign and all too familiar at the same time. He always ordered for you when you used to go out, he used to know you better than you knew yourself…but that was then.

“I’m so sorry – I don’t know why I did that” Aaron was quick to apologize “Maybe coming here was a bad idea. It’s all too familiar.”

“It’s okay Aaron. I was going to order it anyway. Maybe we should talk about why we’re here.” You suggested.

“Of course. I want to explicitly state that I am not trying to make excuses for how I acted then, because I know I was horrible to you in the end. I do just want to give you some insight as to what I was going through at that time. I really want to communicate now what I didn’t then.” He began.

You nodded for him to continue as the waiter brought your food and drinks.  

“So, you know that Haley and I divorced before you and I got together officially. Well once you and I became serious and my time was either spent at work or with you and Jack, Haley didn’t seem to like that. She uh, she tried to fight me for primary custody of Jack.” Aaron explained.

“What? Aaron why didn’t you tell me?”

“Honestly, because I knew you’d take a step back in our relationship. I knew that with how selfless you are, you’d offer to back off and give me more time with Jack and I didn’t want that. I wanted to have you and Jack, so I kept it to myself. Which broke us anyway.” He concluded.

“I really wish you would’ve told me; things may have been different Aaron. I am glad you’re telling me now though.” You desperately wanted to reach for his hand but ultimately decided against it.

Now was as good a time as any, you had to tell him about Nora. He confessed something and it was your turn. And just as you were about to open your mouth, a shrill ring sounded from Aaron’s coat pocket.

“Hotchner. Yes…CCU as well? Yes – I’m with their unit chief now. We’re on our way.” Aaron hung up the phone and looked over at you. “Is your team here in Virginia?”

“Yes, they’re not meant to start until tomorrow.” You provided.

“Call them in, we have a case. Time is of the essence.” Aaron signaled for the check.

The two of you contacted your respective teams as you made your way back to the car. Aaron once again opened your door for you and drove you back to the office. You texted your parents and informed them of the case and asked your mom to let Nora know you’d be home as soon as you could.

30 minutes later you were on a private jet to Chicago with your team and the entirety of the BAU. You had unintentionally sat beside Aaron and began going over the case details with everyone. Aaron had begun explaining the preliminary profile, and you couldn’t help but chime in. Everyone was watching how the two of you riffed and bounced ideas off of one another so naturally.

“Just a reminder, there are new protocols for entry into the crime scene when we are locating the children. We need to follow those exactly to ensure we don’t harm these children more so than they are already. If you have any questions about those procedures feel free to ask me or my agents.” You instructed.

“Right. Now for assignments, Dave, JJ and Theo I’d like you to interview the family of the latest victim –”

“Molly Leland.” You corrected.

“Apologies. Dave, JJ, Theo go to the Leland’s and find out anything you can. Morgan, Prentiss and Leila, you three go to the abduction site, I want to ensure CSU didn’t miss anything. And Reid you’ll be with us at the station to start on the geographical profile.” Aaron finished, gesturing to the two of you.

Six days. It had been six days, and you still hadn’t made any progress on this case. Another child had gone missing, and things were incredibly tense. Both teams had been in the designated room within the precinct going over theories.

“I think we’re looking at this all wrong…” Leila began, “I think the person abducting these kids is younger than initially profiled.”

“Given their disorganization and the lack of consistent victimology, I’d say that’s a pretty plausible theory.” Spencer validated.

“Okay, Leila what were you thinking?” You inquired.

“What if it is a teenager? My thoughts were a kid who grew up in foster care – hence the random victimology. They just want siblings, and that’s why there aren’t any bodies.”  Leila suggested.

“I think she’s onto something. If it was a young adult who was newly alone in the world, they’d be looking to find people to surround themselves with.” Morgan continued.

“Garcia, run a search for kids that just aged out of group homes and foster care.” Aaron called to their technical analyst.

“Within the geographical limits I just sent over to you.” Spencer added.

When your phone rang, you excused yourself from the room, answering the call from your mom. You could immediately tell something was wrong given the slight lilt to her voice.

“Mom, what’s wrong?...Why do you need the children’s Tylenol. … Fever? What’s her temperature? … 103? MOM! You need to take her to the ER. … I’m serious! … I’m coming home. … Yes! … I’ll be there as soon as I can. … Take her straight to Bethesda. …Ok. Bye.”

You turned and jumped in surprise at Aaron standing there behind you.

“I just came to let you know we’re splitting up to check out a few leads. Is everything okay?” He asked.

You could tell he had more questions and that he’d more than likely heard the entirety of your conversation but was holding back in asking them.

“Um no. My daughter is sick. She has a pretty high fever. I uh, I need to get home.” You panicked.

“Okay. We will get you home then. I’ll send the teams out and I will make some calls. For now, just try to stay positive okay?” Aaron had always been the calm in the storm.

He sent three separate groups out to find the unsub and had made a few calls back to the director to get you on an emergency flight home. He went as far as to drive you to the hotel and then to the hangar.

“Aaron.”

“Get home to your daughter.” He offered a small smile.

“Thank you.”

Leila had texted to update you that they had caught the unsub and would be heading home in the next hour or so. You had been grateful that the team had successfully closed the case. What was killing you, was the state of your baby girl. She had an excessively high fever, and it just wouldn’t break.

“Miss, there’s someone here to see you.” The nurse informed you.

You looked over at your mom who gave you a nod and you exited the room. Following the nurse to the waiting room, you were surprised to see Aaron standing there.

“I just wanted to see how she’s doing, and how you are.” He declared.

“I um. I’m…” You couldn’t help but break down.

Aaron immediately pulled you into his arms and moved you both over to a couch in the waiting area. He let his hand brush over your hair and whispered reassurances to you. The two of you sat like this for a while before you slowly pulled away.

“Sorry. She just has this fever, and it won’t break, and they don’t know what’s wrong.”

“Sweetheart it’s okay. She will be okay.” Aaron grabbed your hand.

A moment went by and then an alarm sounded. Your gaze shot up as you watched medical staff make their way to Nora’s room. You got up and ran to her room, with Aaron hot on your heels.

“What’s happening? What is going on? Somebody tell me what is going on!” You were practically shouting as Aaron pulled you from the room.

Your mom was pacing in the hallway as Aaron held you back from storming back in. It was killing him to see you this distraught.

“It was a febrile seizure. This can happen when children have such a high fever. We’ve given her a sedative to try and help her rest and we pushed some more Tylenol to aid in breaking the fever.” The doctor explained.

“Is she going to be okay?” You questioned.

“We’re doing everything we can. A nurse will be by soon to take her temperature again.” The doctor walked away.

“I’m going to go find your dad. That way you two can have some privacy.” Your mom said pulling you into a hug.

“This is Nora.” You told Aaron as you ran your hand over her forehead, brushing her curls away from her face.

“She’s beautiful.” He complimented.

You sat in silence for a bit with him just watching Nora. You could tell part of him was itching to ask, but you also knew that Nora was a bit small for her age so he couldn’t be sure that she was his. This moment of avoidance was terminated the second the billing staff came in to get all of your information.

“Hey there, I wanted to confirm all of the info for billing. Do you have your driver’s license and insurance card?” The staff requested.

“Yes, here it is.” You passed her the card.

She filled in all of your information, clicking away on her keyboard while the rest of the room sat with a looming silence. You could feel the question coming. You had been an idiot to give Nora her father’s last name.

“Okay and can you confirm the patient’s name and date of birth for me?”

“Yes, it’s uh…Nora Leigh Hotchner. That’s H-O-T-C-H-N-E-R. Date of birth is 10/4/2019.” You could feel Aaron’s gaze burning into you.

“Alright, here are those cards back. Thank you.” She made her leave.

“Seriously?”

“Aaron, let me explain.”

“Not here.” He motioned toward Nora.

He swiftly made his way out of the room, and you were quick to follow. In noticing your parents, you signaled for them to sit with Nora as you practically chased after Aaron. He didn’t stop until he was in a private waiting room, it was only then that he turned to face you.

“Are you fucking kidding me? She’s mine? And what, you didn’t think to tell me…I don’t know, FOUR YEARS AGO?” Aaron was fuming.

A part of you understood his response, but another part of you was furious that he wasn’t allowing you to explain before flying off the handle.

“Don’t yell at me. If we’re going to do this, we will talk like adults. I will not sit here and allow you to berate me.” You held your ground.

“Okay.”

“I found out I was pregnant after I left for New York. And at that point Aaron, I was so devastated by our breakup, and I just didn’t think I could be around you. I know that’s not fair, but I had thought you and I were forever and then we’d just ended. I was going to tell you last week at dinner, but then we got called in. Aaron I am so sorry, and I know that doesn’t make up for the time you’ve lost, but I also need you to know that I did what I felt like I had to do.” You let your gaze fall to the floor in guilt.

“I understand. I’m not happy, but I get it.” He reached for your hand.

You accepted the gesture and furthered it by pulling him into an embrace. He wrapped his arms around you and rested his head atop your own.

“I’ve told her about you.” You whispered.

“What?”

“I’ve told her about you. She’s seen pictures and heard stories. She knows you Aaron.”

He held you a little tighter and you nuzzled a little closer. After a few moments he suggested that you both get back to your girl. You both sat with her all night, letting your parents go home. At three in the morning, the night nurse gave you the good news, her fever had finally broken. The next day, Aaron drove the two of you home, leaving with a scheduled family day where you would introduce Jack and Nora. You had also discussed talking to the kids about their birthday party (since their birthday’s are only 3 days apart). With Jack turning seven and Nora turning 5 in a little more than a month, you wanted to plan something big for the two of them.

** One Month Later **

“Okay, the bounce house is set up and the petting zoo guy just arrived. Where should he set up?” Penelope asked.

“On the southeast side!” Dave hollered.

You were setting up the last of the hors d’oeuvres, while the members of both the CCU and BAU helped get Dave’s backyard set up for the kids birthday party. You were so incredibly grateful for this family you’d come to have.

“We’re here with cake!” Hestia announced.

“Hes! Selene! Hey guys, you can set that up on that round table over there.” You pointed.

Selene came over and gave you a hug, you snuck a snack into her hand and nodded over to your bag.

“My iPad is in there with the Twilight movies all downloaded. Dave has a sitting room down the hall to the right.” You winked at her.

“Thanks mom!” Selene said hugging you once more before heading off.

“Do you have another kid I don’t know about?” Aaron joked, wrapping his arms around you from behind.

“Ha ha! No, Selene just calls me mom. We’ve both taken care of her since their mom passed, but it became an inside joke that I acted as the mom to Nora, Selene and Hestia.” You huffed a laugh.

“It’s true!” Hestia confirmed, before taking a case of juice boxes outside to the cooler.

“You know, I wouldn’t be opposed to it.” Aaron murmured, pressing a kiss to your neck.

“Opposed to what?” You giggled.

“More kids.”

“Aaron! We only just got back together, and we are at our children’s birthday party! Behave yourself.” You hissed.

“I know, but this time around, I’m not letting you go. I plan on marrying you and I just want you to know that I’m open to more children, one day, when and if you’re ready.” He punctuates it with a kiss to your lips.

“Well, I’m open to it too. And whenever you ask, my answer is yes Aaron. You’ve proven to me that you’ve grown since we ended before and I can’t stand the thought of going without you again so, I’m in this, for as long as you’ll have me.” You kissed him once more before carrying a tray outside to the party.

Aaron smiled and grabbed his phone, opening it to check the status of his order. There on his screen was confirmation that your ring had been customized, made, sized, quality checked, and would be shipping out soon.

He couldn’t wait to spend forever with you.

[athenamikaelson]

Klaus Mikaelson x Soulmate!reader x Elijah Mikaelson Part 12

Warnings- 4.2k

Word Count- Swearing, violence, mentions of sex

“Is he my father or not,” My voice seems to echo throughout our family's little living room as I glare at my mother. 

“It’s not that simple, Y/N,” My mother raises her hands in surrender as she begins to take a step closer to me. The dark glare on my face seems to halt her movements and she closes her eyes and sighs.

“He’s the man that raised you, he-”

“You. Know. What. I. Mean,” I cut her off, biting out each of my words, “I want the truthful answer. Is Y/F/N Y/L/N my biological father?”

I seem to lose all the air in my chest as I watch my mother drop down onto the couch and look up at me with tears running down her face. And that’s all I need to have my answer.

“Oh my god,” I cover my mouth as my chest starts concaving on itself. Tears cloud my vision as I stare at my mother. Her tears mimicked my own. And a wave of anger flows through my body. She was crying as if she was the victim here. She was crying in front of her emotionally and physically wounded daughter as if this wasn’t her fault. 

I sit on the dark coffee table in front of my mother, our knees touching as I stare at her, “You’re going to tell me everything. And don’t even try lying to me.”

My mother looks up at me and nods as she puts her head in her hands, “Eighteen years ago your father and I were having problems. We’d been married 3 years and still couldn’t conceive. It took a toll on both of us. I got depressed and well… you know how your father gets when he is upset,” She looks up at me and I slightly nod as a wave of nausea passes over me, “Your father was out of town for the night and so I thought I would go down to a little bar outside of town. I was there for about an hour before I thought of leaving. But right when I was about to,” she pauses in thought for a moment then continues, “The most beautiful man I’d ever seen approached me. We talked throughout the night and then,” She looks at me to see if I understand where she was going and I nod disgusted.

“After I did what I had done I had never felt more disgusted with myself in my entire life. You have to believe me Y/N,” She reaches out to take my hand but I flinch away from her.

“Does Dad…or your husband know,” I ask but a part of me already knows the answer.

“When I fell pregnant with you soon after, you have to understand how happy your father was, I had never seen him that in love with something in the time I’d known him. You saved our marriage, Y/N. But… as you got older and you developed more of your own features and personality, neither of which were like me or him… I think your father realized or suspected that you weren’t his.”

My eyebrows furrow as I try to hold back my tears and sobs, “Is that why he…am I the reason he left?”

My question has my mother quickly shaking her head, “Your father and I had our own problems and even if it was because of that, it still isn’t your fault. He is still your father, he is the one who raised you.”

I stand up quickly, making sure not to move too much to upset my wounded arm, which is currently in a sling, and I huff out an angry laugh, “Raised me! Raised me?! I saw that man maybe once or twice a month for 16 years and in those few moments, all he caused was torture and heartbreak in my life. That man didn’t raise me! And looking at you now… I realize that you barely raised me too… I raised myself. Just like I’ve raised Theo,” I walk backward out of the living room as I shake my head at my mother, “I’ll never forgive you for this. Never.”

I hear my mother call out to me as I grab my keys and run out of the house. Rain pours down on me, dampening my clothes as I throw open my car door and turn it on. 

I drive around trying to decide my next move, and somehow I end up in the Salvatore’s driveway. 

I’m practically on auto-pilot as I walk up the stairs to the front door, I bring my hand up and knock, and within a moment it slams open and Damon stares down at me.

“What the hell do you…Y/N,” He pauses as he stares at my tear-filled eyes, “What happened? Are you hurt?”

I just stare at him and he takes a step forward and brings a hand to my arm. His touch seems to bring me out of my stupor and tears explode from my eyes as I throw myself into Damon’s arms. He doesn’t react for a moment as I cry into his shirt, but after a moment I feel his arms come and wrap around me.

“You want to…um, talk about it,” Damon asks quietly as if he’s not really sure how to comfort a teenage girl.

“My dad,” I hiccup out a sob, “Isn’t my dad!”

I feel Damon nod and he hums, “Um, sure, ok. Not entirely sure what that means,” He says the last part under his breath.

“I can’t go home. I can’t see my mom,” I pull away from Damon and I wipe the tears away from my face with my t-shirt sleeve.

Damon looks down at me for a moment before he turns sideways and gestures to the living room, “Then you’re going to stay here. For as long as needed.”

—

-2 months later-

“Hurry up hoe! This party isn’t going to decorate itself,” Caroline’s cheery voice calls up to me as I leave my bedroom at the Salvatore’s. 

“I’m coming Caroline, chill out,” I laugh to myself as I descend the stairs to where Caroline is standing. She shoots me a bright smile that rivals the sun when she sees me. 

“I can’t believe you’re still living here,” Caroline says as she grabs my hand and pulls me down the hall. 

I laugh awkwardly, “Ya, I guess I just like the bed here better than the one at my house.”

“And your mother really doesn’t care,” Caroline asks and I flinch at the mention of the woman I haven’t talked to in two months. 

“Um, ya. Theo’s away at some football camp until school starts and my mom’s always working so she doesn’t care.”

“You’re so lucky that you’re mom is so chill,” I laugh at the irony of that. My mom being “too chill” is the reason I’m not living at home right now. Caroline doesn’t know that though so she shoots me an odd look as she must’ve heard me laughing to myself.

After finding out about my paternal issues and moving in with Damon I made up a lie to all my friends that the reason I was living with him was that I needed a little vacation from my life, and not that I’m pissed off at my mom and scared to go home because it means I’ll have to face the reality of my life now. 

Damon is currently the only one who knows of my new “bastard” status. Even though sometimes I feel like strangling him, he has honestly been kind of a great friend these past two months. He’s gone along with my lie, not even telling Elena, who he is totally in love with. Damon and I have even started our own movie nights. Right now we’re bingeing the TV show Supernatural. He and I both like Dean, but our reasonings are a little different. God, I love Jensen Ackles. 

We’re postponing our movie night tonight because Caroline and I, mostly Caroline,  are throwing Elena her 18th birthday party. Elena told me to promise her that we wouldn’t make the party too big, but I kind of had to cross my fingers behind my back when I made that promise because when it comes to Caroline Forbes, no one will get in the way of her party making plans. 

“Good morning,” I look over to see the birthday girl smiling up at me as Caroline and I enter the living room. She and Tyler, who nods hello at me, are going through boxes upon boxes of party supplies.

“It’s 1 pm,” I say back to her and she frowns and checks her watch.

“Oh… Good afternoon then,” She laughs sheepishly.

I walk down the steps and bring her into a hug, “Happy birthday, Elena!”

I can hear Elena sigh and she pulls away from me, “Thank you,” Her vision goes from me to the boxes surrounding us, “I thought you said this was going to be lowkey?”

It’s my turn to smile sheepishly at her as I gesture towards Caroline, who is currently bitching to Tyler about hanging a streamer wrong, “You try getting in the way of her planning something. I love you Elena, but I’m more scared of her.”

Elena turns to look at Caroline as well and we both cringe when she hits Tyler over the head with a hard plastic plate.

“Good point,” Elena whispers out. 

—

“I feel like I have to fight Damon every single time we get a lead on Stefan,” Elena’s complaints have me side-eyeing both Caroline and her. I try to busy myself with unraveling some string lights, trying not to seem suspicious in any manner. I’m the only one here who knows really just how much Damon knows about Stefan’s “activities” this summer. 

About 3 weeks ago I found the articles about Stefan and he who shall not be named in Damon’s closet when I was going through Damon’s things. He’d gone through my things so I thought I’d return the favor. 

When Damon found out I knew he made me promise to keep it to myself. Only he, myself, and Ric could know. Damon didn’t want to worry Elena about all the killing Stefan had been doing. So “The Squad,” as I like to call us, have been researching different “animal killings” around the US this summer. Unfortunately, Damon and Ric won’t let me go on any of the road trips with them so I’ve been stuck at the Salvatore house this summer. 

“Maybe he doesn’t wanna find him,” Tyler’s comment makes me cringe slightly at the irony.

“Tyler!”

“What? He’s into you. Isn’t he” He asks Elena.

“The only reason Stefan left with Klaus was so that he could save Damon’s life,” Elena explains as she takes the supplies Tyler handed her, “I mean, trust me Damon wants to find him.”

You have no idea.

“But…you kissed him. Probably screwed with his head,” Tyler says and Caroline and Elena whip around to look at him while I hover a hand over my mouth to keep me from giggling. I’ve made fun of both Elena and Damon on multiple occasions this summer about the “kiss of death,’’ as I like to call it. 

“Tyler,” Caroline exclaims and Elena shoots her an “Are you serious” look. 

“I’m sorry,” Caroline apologies wholeheartedly. 

Elena raises her hand and shakes it, “I…Don’t worry about it. Look, yes, I kissed him, but it was a…”

“Kiss of death,” I say under my breath, but Elena still hears me and shoots me a glare.

“It was a goodbye kiss. I thought he was gonna die,” She tries to explain herself but Tyler shoots me a look and I have to fight off a laugh.

Elena fishes her phone out of her pocket, “I just missed a call from Bonnie,” She says.

At the mention of my witch friend, I perk up, “Tell her I say hi!”

Elena nods in agreement as she leaves the room. As soon as she goes, Caroline groans and whips around to stare at the werewolf.

“Just because I tell you things, doesn’t mean you’re allowed to know them,” She exclaims at him to which he apologizes. 

“I gotta run if I’m gonna change and pick up Sophie in time,” He says as he waves goodbye to me.

“Wait, you’re bringing a date? Slutty Sophie is your date,” Caroline asks and I frown at the nickname she gave her.

“Hey,” Tyler turns around, “It’s been kinda slow in that department. And… I’m horny all the time now.”

“Ya, tell me about it. Sometimes I feel like I’m gonna explode” Caroline agrees and I gag out loud.

“Ok, has no one here ever heard of too much information,” I say as I make a show of covering my ears. I go back to decorating trying to block out the obvious sexual tension between the vampire and wolf as they talk about their sex lives, or lack of. 

“Bye Y/N,” Tyler’s voice calls out to me and I just wave him off, which makes him laugh.

I turn around and watch Tyler walk out of the room and then I turn to my blonde friend, “Well, that was painful to watch…and hear.”

Caroline groans and throws the cups she has in her hands back onto the table in front of us, “Tell me about it. I just…ugh, I don’t know,” She groans in annoyance again as she picks up some streamers and tape.

“Can we talk about something else, please?”

I laugh slightly at her pleading tone and nod, “Sure, what about?”

Caroline thinks for a moment before turning to me and smirking, “About the guy you’re bringing tonight.”

I roll my eyes at the insinuation in her voice, “It’s not like that at all. Alastair is a work friend. He’s new to town and I thought he could use some more friends.”

“Is he cute,” She raises her eyebrows suggestively and I shoot her a look.

“Some might say that but I’m not into him like that, and he’s definitely not into me like that either,” I respond.

“And how would you know that,” She questions.

I think back to all the times I’ve seen him ogling the male customers at work and smile to myself, “Just a hunch.”

“When did you meet the guy again?”

“Around the start of the summer when I started working at The Grill. He got a job right after me and we’ve been put on the same schedules at pretty much the same times, oddly enough. He moved from Louisana, I believe.”

Caroline nods, “And he doesn’t know about…you know what?”

I shake my head, “As far as I can tell he’s a perfectly normal NON-supernatural guy.”

“Unlike Elijah right,” I glare at Caroline because of her comment which only makes the smirk on her face deepen.

“And unlike Tyler, right,” I smirk back at her and we both drop the subject on both of those men. Caroline got the jist about my little “friendship” or whatever it was with Elijah when she, Elena, and I, accidentally got into Jenna’s wine supply a few weeks ago. He also told me about her confusing feelings about Tyler. 

“Okay fine, changing the subject again,” She thinks to herself before frowning and looking at me, “Wait…when did you say your birthday was again?”

I frown at the question, “I didn’t say it.”

Caroline shoots her hands up in the air like a mad woman, “Well then tell me, hoe!”

I fight back a groan at her question and I don't want to answer but knowing Caroline she won’t stop bringing it up unless I tell her, “It was a few weeks ago.”

Caroline stares at me in shock as she drops the streams she currently holding. A wee bit dramatic might I add. 

“Excuse me! Why didn’t you tell anyone,” She practically screeches at me.

I shrug as I go back to untangling the lights I’ve been working on, “Elena has asked but I always just brush it off. Damon also knows, but he doesn’t celebrate birthdays either so I didn’t have to worry about him throwing me a party.”

Caroline’s eyes practically fall out of her head at my words, “So you did absolutely nothing for your birthday!?”

I just shake my head as if it’s nothing, “I don’t ever celebrate my birthday, Care. I haven't in years… I mean Damon and I had a pizza night, but other than that, no not really.”

Caroline continues to stare at me in shock as she comes over to me and throws her hands onto my shoulders, “Y/N Y/M/N Y/L/N I solemnly swear I will be throwing you a huge 18th birthday party very soon. And it will make you change your mind about not celebrating.”

I go to argue but she puts a finger to my lips, “Hush hoe. I’ve already started planning in my head.”

Someone kill me now.

—

“Well, don't you just look Darling,” Damon's sarcastic voice sounds from behind me as I flatten out my dark blue dress. 

I turn around and see him wearing the same color top, “We’re matching!”

Damon looks at his top and then the color of my dress and groans, “You really need to move out. We’re starting to become the same person.”

I frown slightly at his comment and I think he notices because he clears his throat, “That was a joke, Pukey. You practically have already made this entire place yours I doubt you’re moving out anytime soon.”

“And yet you still won’t let me paint the walls,” I gesture to the wooden walls of my bedroom. 

Damon shoots me a glare as he raises his arm for me to take, “The wood on these walls costs more than some of the houses in this town. I’d rather die than let you paint them.”

I walk over and grab his arm and he leads me out of my room and down the hall where I can hear dozens of people yelling and music blaring.

“Did you find anything about-” Damon shushes me before I can finish my sentence.

“No talk about that tonight. Only happy drunk thoughts tonight,” I want to argue but I notice the tension in his shoulders and drop the topic for a later time. 

“Where’s the birthday girl?”

Damon slightly glares at the young teens that surround us, “With Blondey. Somewhere.”

“Y/N!”

The sound of someone calling my name has me turning around. I smile once I’ve found the caller. Alastair’s bright smile shines at me as he pushes through the hordes of people. His dark skin contrasts beautifully with the white button-up shirt he’s wearing. Dark slacks cover his long legs and I have to fight back a laugh at how put together he looks compared to the rest of the people around us who look like they picked out the first piece of clothing they could find in their closets.  

Alastair slightly grabs me out of Damon’s arms and brings me into a hug, “You look beautiful.” 

His compliment makes a warm feeling coat my cheeks as I look at him. “You don't look so bad yourself,” And I’m not lying either. He’s shaved down his hair again since the last time I saw him so he’s rocking a buzz cut that makes him appear even more striking and his dark brown eyes sparkle against the bright lights that Caroline and I had previously hung up around the house. 

“I fear I might’ve overdone it a bit. It has been awhile since I’ve been to a highschool party” He jokes as he gestures toward his attire.

“You think,” Damon’s sarcastic tone has me turning to glare at him.

“Alastair this is Damon,” I gesture to the man beside me.

Alastair who is usually all smiles seems to glare at the vampire next to me for a moment before brightly smiling at him, “Pleasure to meet you, Damon.”

Damon just stares at him for a moment, “Y/N lives here with me. So if I find you in her room later I will kill you,” He threatens and then shoots him a fake smile, “Other than that, enjoy the party.”

My eyes practically fly out of my head as I watch Damon’s retreating figure leave the room and I quickly turn back to Alastair to apologize.

“Don’t worry about it. It’s good he’s protective over you,” He smiles at me and reaches out his hand for me to take, “Want to get a drink?”

“Oh definitely,” I sigh dramatically as I put my hand in his. 

We start walking but I catch Alastair and a blonde guy staring at each other as we walk by him. I smirk to myself and then look up to my friend with a raised eyebrow.

“Not a word,” He laughs out.

“I didn’t say anything!”

Alastair rolls his eyes as we approach the refreshments table and he hands me a bottle of water and I shoot him a questioning look.

“We’re so not drinking whatever is in that punch. Who knows if someone spiked it with something? Water is a safe choice,” I begin to laugh thinking he’s joking but at the serious look on my friend’s face I stop.

“A little worried are you?”

“There’s nothing wrong with being a little cautious,” He opens up my bottle of water for me and smiles, “Also what’s with the text I got from your blonde friend this afternoon about you having a birthday party?”

I groan loudly and I can hear Alastair laugh, “How did she even get your number?”

He shrugs his shoulders, “I’d like to know as well,” He looks down at me for a moment then frowns, “You really didn’t tell anyone about your birthday?”

I just shrug, “I told Damon. But other than that no. I don’t celebrate it, and whatever Caroline is planning you definitely don’t have to come.”

Alastair shakes his head defiantly, “Oh you bet your ass I’ll be there. Going to get you a pretty present with a bow and everything.”

I put my head in my hands and sighed, “I hate you.”

Alastair laughs and takes my hands away from my face, “You love me and now you’re going to dance with me.”

I’m surprised at the strength of my friend as he leads me to the dance floor that's filled with teens dancing and grinding together.

“You sure you don’t want to go and find that blonde guy,” I yell to him over the music and he rolls his eyes.

“You’re stuck with me, babe. I’m not going anywhere” 

—-

“Call me if you need anything alright,” Alastair says to me as I walk him to his car. After dancing for about an hour the party started to die down when people couldn’t find the hostess or the birthday girl. 

“I’m going to see you tomorrow at work. I think I’ll be fine until then,” I smile at him as he gets into his car.

“I know, just making sure you know you can call me for anything,” He says through his open window as he starts his car.

“I know.”

“Ok, I’ll wait for you to get back inside before leaving,” He nods towards the front door.

“Ok, bye,” I wave to him and start walking to the front door, I turn to look over my shoulder and find that he hasn’t taken his focus off me for a second it makes me unnerved but I shake it off and open the front door. 

As soon as I step a foot inside I hear the squealing of tires and I turn to see Alastair peeling out of the driveway. Guess someone’s in a rush.

I walk into the living room and sigh as I see the damage that was done by the hordes of kids. Bottles and trash line the walls as streamers and the decorations we had worked so hard to put up are lying all around the floor. I start to walk down the steps to start picking up when a loud bang comes from upstairs. 

I frown as I start walking towards the stairs, but as soon as I hear another loud bang I start running. I find myself in front of Damon’s bedroom as I watch the vampire throw and break anything he can get his hands on. I call out to him but he seems to be in his own world of destruction right now. I start to approach him like someone would a rabid animal and I freeze as he turns to look at me. Dark veins appear under his eyes as he glares at me. He starts walking towards me and I put up my hands.

“Damon, what’s wrong? What happened,” He gets closer and I’m about to run off but he grabs me. I shriek escapes my mouth before I realize what he's doing. He's hugging me.

“Damon? What’s wrong,” I slowly wrap my hands around his waist as he holds me tighter. Almost tight enough to bruise, “What happened?”Damon is quiet for a moment before he whispers out a growl, “Stefan.”

[viperify]

Drabbles | ᴛʜᴇᴏ ɴᴏᴛᴛ x ꜰ!ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ

ೃ༄Little Tease.

Short summary: teasing Theo in public will get you nowhere.

Warnings: 18+ only! rough oral m!receiving, slight degradation, jealous!Theo

A/N: just throwing this out here. First time writing for Theo, be nice, thanks.

wordcount: 0,5k

“Yeah, ‘s too much? Can’t breathe? Too fuckin’ bad, amore.” Theo mocks, fingers tangled in your hair as he pushes you down on his hard length, your nose flush against his lower abdomen.

What he is giving you is messy and rough, a not-so-gentle reminder on why you shouldn’t tease your boyfriend, especially not when you are out together with Mattheo.

You are well aware Theo’s got a thing for oral and you had used it against him today. Licking on your ice cream almost seductively, you kept eye contact with your boyfriend, watching him as his expression changed.

By the time you were done, the brunette was blatantly staring you down. Theo soon got up, excusing you two before he grabbed your wrist, dragging you with him. He didn’t speak to you the entire way back to his dorm, even when you tried getting yourself out of trouble—something that wasn’t possible either way once you had pissed him off.

That is also how you ended up in this situation—his cock hitting the back of your throat repeatedly, a mix of low groans, coughing and gagging sounds echoing around the walls of his dorm. “Fuck— open up wider f’me. Gotta feel all of you,” he says, and you obey best you can, relaxing as you let him slip even deeper.

A tear rolls down your cheek at the intensity of his thrusts, mixing with the saliva that has gathered on your chin, dripping down onto your white blouse. This doesn’t go unnoticed with Theo, who pulls out of you, grinning as his gaze lowers to the now more or less see-through fabric. “Dirty girl. Look at the mess you are making of yourself.” 

“Y-Mmph” is the only thing you manage to get out before he is back inside of you, shoving his thick length in and out of your mouth.

You look up at him through your lashes with teary eyes, though even with a blurred vision you can make out his slightly drawn-together eyebrows, lips slightly agape as his chest rises and falls. You feel his cock twitch just slightly, sensing he is closing in on his release.

“God— stay like this, let me have you,” Theo growls, his thrusts growing erratic, grip on your hair tightening as he leaves no room for protest from your side. “F-Fuck—“ his hips stutter, and with a low groan, he spills himself down your throat, letting you taste the familiar saltiness of his cum.

“Take it and swallow. All of it, bambina.” The brunette instructs, slowly pulling out of you. You do as he says, all while maintaining eye contact, sticking out your tongue afterwards. Without him having to ask you, you wrap your lips around his still half-erect length, cleaning him off. 

His palm wipes over your tear-soaked cheeks then, and he helps you back on your feet. “Never do that again, you understand?”

A subtle grin forms on your face, and you nod, knowing that next time would go just the same way.

[sadnymi]

angsty / fluff fic ab mattheo like going on about how nobodys gonna love him n shi to y/n, n she says like but i love u, and hes like u js playing then she kisses him and wow yay happy ending

「 ✦ Apocalypse. ✦ 」

Mattheo riddle x reader

Summary: ( request)

Warnings: angst, fluff

Words : 2k

I saw it in his eyes, the darkness creeping in as he struggled to maintain control. The fight had escalated into pure hatred, with both Theo and Enzo unable to pry the boy from Mattheo's grip. The damage was evident; the boy was bleeding, a clear indication of Mattheo's brutal impact on his face.

His gaze met mine briefly, pushing the blood away from his features as he swiftly made his way out of the school grounds. I glanced at the unconscious boy, then back at Mattheo disappearing into the distance.

Ignoring Pandora's warnings and calls to give him space, I bolted through the oak doors of Hogwarts. The downpour that had been threatening all afternoon had finally unleashed its fury, the wind whipping the rain into a stinging wall. My hair plastered itself to my face, and my robes clung to me like a second skin, already heavy with the deluge.

Mattheo was already a dark blur disappearing into the Forbidden Forest. My heart hammered a frantic rhythm against my ribs, a war between reason and a deep, primal need to be with him. Reason screamed at me to turn back, to let him cool down, to respect the boundaries he was so forcefully setting. But the thought of him alone, consumed by whatever darkness had gripped him, was a terrifying prospect.

With a deep breath, I plunged into the forest. Thick branches clawed at my robes, and gnarled roots snagged my feet.

"Mattheo!" I called out, my voice swallowed by the din of the storm. Each step forward felt like an eternity.

"Mattheo, please stop," I shouted, desperation tainting my voice. He didn't glance back, didn't acknowledge my presence.

"Mattheo," I called again, and in that moment, everything escalated. Rain began pouring heavily, adding to the chaotic atmosphere.

"Riddle, I swear to—"

"Go back to the fucking school, Y/N," his voice sliced through the rain, sharp and commanding, leaving no room for negotiation.

"Mattheo—" I tried to protest, to reason with him.

"I said go back!" he screamed, his anger palpable as he turned to face me.

I stood there, speechless, meeting his gaze with wide eyes, refusing to blink even as the rain blurred my vision.

"No," I whispered defiantly, shaking my head and attempting to step closer to him. But he instinctively took a step back.

"Are you stupid or something? I said leave me the fuck alone! What part of that don't you fucking understand?" His voice echoed in the rain, filled with frustration and anguish.

"Don't shut me out, Mattheo," my voice trembling with emotion. "You don't mean that, and I'm not going anywhere." Tears streamed down my face, mingling with the rain as I desperately tried to convey my feelings.

A string of curses erupted from Mattheo's lips as he took forceful strides towards me. "Don't cry," he rasped, his eyes squeezed shut in a struggle with whatever inner demons gnawed at him.

I sniffled, wiping at my face with a damp sleeve. "It's not tears," I lied, my voice thick with emotion. "Just the rain."

He stared at me for a long moment, his dark eyes searching mine"Fine, whatever. Just get back to the castle." He pivoted, his cloak billowing in the wind as he prepared to walk away again.

My mind raced. I had to stop him. As I moved towards him, an idea – a desperate and slightly reckless one – sparked in my head. With a feigned gasp, I stumbled, collapsing onto the rain-slicked ground.

Mattheo reacted instantly, spinning on his heel and rushing back to my side. A flicker of genuine concern crossed his face as he crouched beside me. "Hey, hey, look at me , what happened?" he demanded, his voice sharp with worry. His hand gently brushed the wet hair from my face, a touch surprisingly tender.

"Ankle," I whimpered, milking the act. "I think I twisted it."

He didn't seem entirely convinced. But the worry in his eyes was unmistakable. He offered his hand, and I hesitantly took it, wrapping my fingers around his forearm. "I think I can walk," I muttered, testing the waters.

Instead of letting me stand, he scooped me up in his arms with surprising ease. It startled me, but there was no time to dwell on it. wrapping my arms around his neck not tearing my eyes off his face.The rain hammered down relentlessly. He navigated the downpour until we reached the shelter of a large oak tree, its broad leaves offering a meager shield from the deluge.

Settling us down I clung to him, my heart pounding a frantic rhythm against my ribs."I know you're lying," he said softly, his voice devoid of anger. My breath caught in my throat, his words cutting through my facade.

The shock momentarily stole my breath, but I held his gaze."Then why did you carry me?" I whispered, barely audible.

"Because the possibility of it being true terrifies me," he confessed, catching me off guard.

A surge of warmth spread through me despite the chill of the rain. "If you weren't pushing me away, I wouldn't have to lie," I said, my voice gaining strength.

"And maybe if you were smart, you'd have listened and left when I told you to."

Ignoring his words, I reached out, cupping his cheek with my hand. My thumb brushed away a stray raindrop that clung to his lash. "Don't let whatever that boy said get to you, Matt." I said softly. "You know he's wrong."

His eyes held mine, a storm swirling within their depths. "No, he wasn't wrong," he choked out,. Before I could offer a counterpoint, he surged forward, his voice rising with each frantic word.

"It's the curse of the name I carry," he spat, desperation lacing his tone. "No matter what I do, history will repeat itself, They'll pretend to care, to love me, if it's just out of fear. It's a gilded cage, this life , It's a curse of being the heir. We think we own everything, that we can have everything we desire. But then..." He trailed off, his voice cracking, his eyes flitting to the rain-slicked ground.

A heavy silence descended, broken only by the rhythmic patter of raindrops. I yearned to reach out, to comfort him, but I won’t dare to stop him not after he finally opened up to me , sensed the raw vulnerability pulsating around him like a volatile aura. Finally, with a shuddering breath, he continued, his voice barely a whisper.

"Then the darkness creeps in, whispers promises of power in exchange for a sliver of your soul. It's a seductive song, promising control, promising to silence the doubts, the fears. And before you know it, you're drowning in it, the darkness coiling around you, suffocating the light."

A surge of protectiveness washed over me. I reached out, my fingers brushing against his cheek. The contact seemed to ground him, the storm in his eyes calming just a fraction.

He slumped back against the rough bark of the tree, a defeated sigh escaping his lips. Rain trickled down his face, My heart ached for him, for the pain he carried like a heavy cloak.

"Mattheo," I said softly, gently brush a wet strand of hair away from his forehead. "That's not true."

He scoffed, a harsh, humorless sound. "Easy for you to say.You don't live under the shadow of a name that breeds fear."

"Maybe not," I conceded, "but that doesn't mean the people who care about you don't see you for who you truly are."

He met my gaze, a flicker of doubt warring with the cynicism in his eyes. "Do they?" he challenged with a smile his voice barely a whisper.

"You're kind," I said, my voice firm despite the turmoil within. "You're loyal, protective, and funny when you try to be." A small smile tugged at the corners of my lips. "And deep down, Mattheo, you have a good heart."

He stared at me for a long moment, searching my eyes for any hint of deception. Then, a spark of something, perhaps defiance or maybe a sliver of hope, flickered within their depths.

"But what if that's not enough? What if love is just another game—“

Before he could say another word , I leaned forward and cupped his face in my hands. My thumb stroked his cheek, a silent plea for him to listen. Our eyes locked, a silent conversation unfolding between us.

I whispered, my voice husky with emotion. " for what it's worth, Mattheo Riddle, I don't play games, I love you "

Then, with a boldness that surprised even myself, I closed the distance between us. My lips met his .My kiss was soft, hesitant at first, a question mark pressed against his lips. Then, a spark ignited, a fire that burned away his doubt, his fear. He responded with a fervor that mirrored the intensity of the storm raging around us, his arms pulling me closer until we were one tangled mess under the shelter of the oak tree.

When I pulled away, his eyes were wide, a mixture of shock and something else I couldn't quite decipher flickering within them.

He pulled me close, his thumb brushing away another stray tear that had escaped my notice. "You say you love me," he murmured, his voice barely a whisper.

"I do," I confirmed, leaning into his touch. "More than anything ."

A ghost of a smile played on his lips, a hesitant bloom against the pale canvas of his face. Then, with a shaky breath, the words I longed to hear spilled from his lips.

burying his face in my neck leaving a soft kiss before whispering in my ear “ I…love you too Y/N”

In that close embrace, the rain seemed to lose its roar, replaced by the frantic drumming of my heart against Mattheo's chest. His words echoed in my mind, a melody sweeter than any song.

"You... love me too?" I breathed, needing to hear it again.

He chuckled softly, a sound that sent shivers down my spine. "Like crazy in love with you "

A choked sob escaped my lips, and he tightened his hold around me.

"Don't cry," he said, his thumb gently brushing away the tear that escaped down my cheek. "This is a good thing, isn't it?"

I nodded, unable to speak past the lump in my throat. It was more than good.

he closed the gap between us. Unlike the tentative kiss before, this one was filled with a raw, desperate urgency. He poured his emotions into it.

When we finally pulled apart, breathless and shaky, his forehead rested against mine. He stared at me for a beat, his chest rising and falling rapidly before a genuine, unguarded smile bloomed across his face.

"So, " he drawled, a teasing glint in his gaze, "about that ankle of yours?"

My cheeks burned with a blush that had nothing to do with the rain. "Oh, it's miraculously healed," I mumbled, looking away playfully. "Must be the magical properties of this particular oak tree."

He laughed , a sound so rich and warm that it chased away the remaining chill from the downpour.

"Right," he said, a playful edge to his voice, "and I suppose the boy I pushed magically turned into a harmless bundle of sunshine too?"

I couldn't help but grin at his teasing. "Perhaps," I kissed his cheek . "Maybe the rain washed away his bruises ."

He feigned offense, clutching his chest dramatically. "Everyone knows the only thing rain washes away is a good hairstyle , Also about that…maybe I owe Theo and Enzo a massive apology, and maybe that boy a new nose."

“ I would have said a new face “

“Merlin knows what McGonagall will say if she finds out. Detention for a lifetime, that's my guess."

A giggle escaped my lips as we settled back a playful glint back in his eyes, "does this mean I have to carry you back to the castle... or can you miraculously walk again?"

I swatted him playfully on the arm, a smile tugging at my lips. "Flattery won't get you anywhere, Riddle," I teased, a light laugh escaping my lips.

"Actually," he countered, his voice dropping to a husky whisper, "it already has."

He dipped his head, his lips hovering tantalizingly close to mine. The rain continued its rhythmic drumming on the oak leaves above, creating a secluded world for the two of us.

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ── ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ── ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆

[suugarbabe]

[chapter 6]

Warnings: mentions of blood, mentions of parental death, mentions of physical abuse with description, SMUT, 18+ content MDNI!!

Word count: 5.5k

An: sorry this chapter took so long to come out. There’s probably going to be a week between each chapter moving forward. Feedback and constructive criticism is always welcome. Also no Enzo this chapter sozz:(

Crawling on the floor you tried to gasp for breath only to start choking on the blood that kept filling your mouth from the split in your lip. You saw your wand in the corner of the room, trying to quicken your pace only to be flipped to your back by a heel kicked into your ribs, the little wind you had left knocked out of you.

You peered up at the looming figure above you. The smirk on Damiano’s face showing he was not anywhere near done with torturing you. “Godric you’re so bloody pathetic, Sunshine. I don’t know why I give you so many chances when all you do is disappoint and betray me. I really should just put you out of your misery shouldn’t I?”

He pointed his wand directly towards you. Your breaths were shallow, a sheen of sweat covering your skin from fighting and trying to defend yourself. You outstretched your hand toward the corner, Damiano’s gaze flicking towards where your vision strayed from him. “Oh sunshine, there’s no use, it’s out of reach. I’ve won.”

You mustered the deepest breath you could, mumbling a faint ‘accio Acacia wand’. Damiano went to laugh at your efforts until your wand started vibrating against the ground before shooting straight into your open palm. His eyes widened as you pointed your wand towards his feet, a small mumbled “bombarda” leaving your lips and causing him to launch into the air and into the wall behind him.

Damiano fell to the ground, body limp and seemingly knocked out, dead if you were lucky. You crawled to your feet. Doing your best to get out of the house as quickly as possible with the injuries you’d sustained. You tried to run, tried to get as far away as possible when you heard him calling your name. You tried to hide but he was faster it seemed, you couldn’t see him but you felt his grasp on your shoulders, shaking you, calling your name over and over.

“Uccellina! Wake up, love!” Your eyes shot open, grabbing hold of the person in front of you as your chest rose and fell, trying to slow down your pulse and gain your normal rhythm of breath back. “Gesù Christo, are you okay? You’re fucking drenched in sweat, c’mere.” You were pulled against his chest and immediately you held on, closing your eyes and breathing deeply. But the scent was not Mattheo’s, it was cigarette smoke and…patchouli?

You pulled back immediately, looking into the eyes of a raging ocean of concern. “Theo..?” His name came out as a question, you were genuinely confused by his presence, “W-what are you doing here?” Theo looked behind himself sheepishly, scratching the back of his neck, “I was told to, erm, keep an eye on you.” Following his gaze you saw a blanket on the floor next to the sitting chair in the corner.

Realization of what Theo was implying hit you & you shoved his chest harshly before scooting back toward your headboard, hugging your knees to your chest. “You were fucking watching me sleep?” Theo reached a hand out to you but decided to immediately retract it, letting out a long sigh. “Technically, no. I was also sleeping. But Mattheo told me you get nightmares and that it’d probably be better if I slept in here.”

“And where is Mattheo? If he’s so concerned why is he not the one ‘watching’ me?” Your mind was reeling, trying to understand each bit of information you were consuming. Theo stood up now, reaching his arms above his head to stretch, his voice straining slightly as he spoke, “Gone for a few days, gave me strict instructions to watch you and keep you out of trouble, so,” his mouth upturned to the most shit eating grin, “we’re attached at the hip until boss man comes back.”

You groaned, flopping down on your side and covering your head with your pillow. Theo only laughed at your reaction, “C’mon, uncellina, time to get up anyway. Gimball’s made us a fruit breakfast, thought we could eat by the garden.” You sat up on your elbows then, giving him a curious look, “Taking me on a breakfast date, Teddy?” Theo scrunched his nose up at the nickname you gave him, shaking his head, “Merlin, no. Mattheo would have my head if he thought I would even look at you with more intention than protection.”

Sitting up fully, you slid off your bed with a huff, “I’m getting tired of people acting like Mattheo has some sort of shield over me that no one else is allowed to penetrate.” You walked toward your closet, rummaging through your clothes. Theo made a noise behind you that sounded like a mix between a laugh and a grunt. You turned to him, slipping on a jumper as you walked towards your dresser drawers, “Something to say, Teddy?” Theo shoved his hands in his pockets, “If you can’t see it, love, I’m not enlightening you.” You held up your middle finger as you grabbed a pair of leggings from your drawer, Theo leaving the room so you could finish getting changed in peace.

The sound of your boots echoed off the marble floor as you walked through the foyer towards the back of the house. You stood, looking out the back sliding windows, taking in the vastness of the manor. “Ready?” Theo’s voice caused you to nearly jump from your skin, turning around and slapping his shoulder, “Fanculo! Do not sneak up on me, Theordore!” Theo wore a rather amused smirk, “Pali italiano?” (You speak italian?) You crossed your arms, mirroring his facial expression, “Sì, un po’. (Yes, a little) Impressed?”

Theo opened the door, motioning for you to lead the way to the garden, “I am actually, where did you learn?” You and Theo fell in step easily and you both made the walk along the path, “Ehm, my mother. She grew up in Rome, met my father in school. Then they moved to London afterwards, had me.” You shrugged your shoulders like it was any other information being shared. “What’re they up to now?” Theo asked curiously. You stiffened slightly, approaching the table by the garden and sitting quickly, “They, erm, died…in the war.”

You glanced down at your plate, a gorgeous array of colorful fruits that Gimball arranged along with flutes of what looked like orange juice with a pitcher between them. “I…I’m sorry, uncellina, I didn’t mean-” You shook your head, cutting him off, “S’okay, Teddy.” You looked up, meeting his eyes. He was chewing on his lower lip, looking like he was holding back words, “Don’t fret, Tesoro. It’s over, done and forgotten. S’not even my biggest trauma,” you let out a small laugh, trying to make light, but you caught Theo looking at you still, now adorning pity eyes.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Theo was doing his best to sound comforting, which you could tell was foreign to him. You smiled softly, shaking your head, “We’re not quite there yet, maybe nearer the end of your babysitting duties, hmm?” Theo nodded, chucking softly and smiling along with you. You picked up a flute of juice, spinning it slowly in your fingertips and holding it up to the sun, “Do you think Gimball was kind enough to make these in to mimosas for us?”

The two of you spend the next three mornings like that, having breakfast at the garden. You were slowly breaking down Theo’s walls with each conversation, allowing yourself to grow fond and build a bond with him. You learned of how awful his father was, a devoted follower of the Dark Lord to the point of nearly ignoring Theo’s existence if it wasn’t beneficial for him. You learned that Theo’s mother passed when he was young, early on in his Hogwarts years, but that Theo’s knowledge of plants and gardens came from her as she used to show him how things that looked so small and un-intimidating could be so powerful and useful.

Theo learned how your father taught you potions work and that your mother was a healer, which made sense to him after what you did to save Enzo. Theo found that you were actually quite funny, very witty, and probably too smart for your own good. He would joke that ‘you could be the boss instead of Mattheo’. You laughed, assuring him that you did not want the responsibility and you were glad to be whatever it was you were to them, of which you admitted you weren’t quite sure.

When you said that on the third morning, Theo couldn’t help but look at you endearingly, “Do you really not see your purpose here yet, uncellina?” You cheeks flushed red as you avoided eye contact, shaking your head. Theo clicked his tongue at you, a small smile forming on his lips, “Darling…you are the glue. You keep us together, never let us get too big of heads, certainly reminding us when we do.” This earned a small smile from you and Theo continued, “There’s been something missing from our dynamic as a family for a while. I won’t lie, when you first showed up I was skeptical.”

“I could tell,” you huffed a small laugh. Theo continued, “I know, I know, I wasn’t the kindest. But I’m protective. Hex me over it,” he shrugged his shoulders, “but you came and it’s like whatever we were missing was fulfilled with you.”

You were smiling, but your eyes were brimming with tears, “How can I be the glue when I’m still so broken inside, Teddy?” Theo got up from his chair, sitting down on the bench beside you. He wrapped his arms around your shoulders, pulling your head to his chest, “Darling, we’re all a little broken inside, that’s why we're a family. A bunch of misfit witches and wizards, yeah?” He held you back by your shoulders, giving you the goofiest grin. You choked out a small laugh, wiping your face with the back of your hand.

“There she is, there’s our little badass, can’t let Malfoy see you cry now, he’ll never let you hear the end of it.” You couldn’t stop the laugh that tumbled from your lips again at Theo’s words. You’d grown so close to him over the last couple of days you couldn’t stop the next words from falling out of your mouth. “Fuck, he just… he hurt me so bad, Theo. I dunno how to get over it. I relive it nearly every time I close my eyes and try to sleep, I don’t know what to do, how to get better from it.”

Theo looked back towards the manor, “Who hurt you? Malfoy? I’ll hex him, I swear it, he’s just in his office, I can probably do it from here.” He took his wand from his pocket, pointing it towards a set of windows. You grabbed his wrist quickly, “No, Teddy, not Draco. That’s not what I mean….it was…” you trailed off, but Theo was able to finish your sentence for you. “Damiano.” You tensed at the name, facial features wincing and eyes shutting like just the mere mention of him would cause him to appear in front of you, despite knowing of all the protective features of the manor.

“Wait…,” you looked up at him now, “how do you-”

“Mattheo asked all of us if we knew who he was after that first session, when you told him,” Theo cut you off, giving you your explanation. “I’ve heard of him before,” Theo was looking just past you now, into the flowerbed on the outskirts of the garden, “comes from a very prominent Italian wizarding family, very very dangerous.” Theo looked you in the eyes now, “How did you manage to even get caught up in that, love? I thought you said your family left Italy.”

You shrugged, looking away from his stare, “After my parents died, I wanted to feel close to them again. I went to both places that they came from, my father’s first, then my mothers. When I was in Italy he…he came up to me. I was in a pub, by myself, stupid now that I look back on it. He approached me, told me I was beautiful,” you shook your head, “Actually, the little manipulator said to me ‘Eyes like yours belong to the most beautiful of Greek goddesses, so what is a goddess doing in Italy all alone’. Sounds cheesy in English but in italian…”

Theo let out a low whistle, “Quite the charming sentence I’m sure.” You nodded. “So what happened? How did it turn in to…” Theo trailed off, not even really knowing how to ask as he didn’t really know how bad it had gotten before you left. You sighed, closing your eyes as you responded, “Maybe a month later it turned into chaos. He must have known about my mother, or someone in his family knew of my mother’s side or something? I knew I came from a long line of healers, but I guess I just didn’t know how prominent they were in Italy. But he did, his family did.”

You opened your eyes, Theo frowning at the gloss over them, knowing tears were about to come and he had no power to stop them, “I lied when I was healing Enzo.” Theo’s head titled in confusion, his mouth opening to ask what you meant but you continued too quickly, “I didn’t get practice in removing dark spells from the war. Nearly anyone hit with that kind of magic during that died instantly and I was too shell shocked from my own parents death I barely healed anyone that day.”

Taking a deep breath, you let it all flow out of you, “He used me Theo. D-Damiano and his family. He enticed me that first month, making me feel like he was falling for me, I was certainly falling for him…so stupid,” you chasiszed yourself, “I was the healer for their family. They kept me in the house, I was essentially on their beck and call twenty four seven. I don’t know exactly what they were doing but they would come back with deep, horrific wounds, edges caked in black, dark magic. Just like Enzo’s. That’s how…”

“That’s how you knew what it was, how to handle it,” Theo finished for you. You nodded, “I couldn’t mess up, not ever. Godric, Damiano would beat me if I did. Grant it he kind of beat me anyway. I tried to leave once, tried to tell them I was done. That was the first time Damiano really beat me. Took me two weeks to fully heal myself.” The tears were falling freely now as you bore your soul to Theo, “What Mattheo saw was near the end, when I kept getting fed up and finally started speaking up for myself. That’s what the dreams are, what you woke me up from before.”

Theo looked at you, his own ocean eyes glossing over hearing your story, “You’re safe now, you know that right?” You nodded, resting your forehead on his shoulder. Theo rubbed up and down your back, not wanting to disturb your moment of peace for a while. After a few beats, he pushed you up by your shoulders, “C’mon, uncellina, let go back. Boss should be back soon, I’m sure you wanna freshen up for him.” He gave you a playful wink before you slapped his chest, “Teddy! How many times do I have to tell you, there’s nothing going on. He’s my boss too, you know.”

You stood up with Theo, hooking your elbow in his as you both began to walk back towards the manor. “All I’m saying is Mattheo has never looked at any of us the way he looks at you. I’ve never had to watch over someone while he’s been gone before either.” You shook your head, letting out a laugh, “Well I hate to break it to you, Theo, but I think I just have a nicer ass than you, that’s probably the difference. And as for watching over me, he’s probably just still being protective since that one night with that fucking slime ball, Monti.”

Theo tensed slightly at the mention of that night, “Don’t remind me. And don’t mock my ass, darling. I get plenty of my own compliments from many a ladies, thank you very much.” You threw your head back in laughter and Theo smiled at you enjoying yourself. As you approached the back doors to the manor, they swung open on their own. Theo led you all the way to the stairwell. You took two steps up before turning back, grabbing hold of this shoulder. At this angle you were nearly the same height as him. You leaned forward, placing a chaste kiss to his cheek, “Thanks for listening this week, Theo. I really needed it.”

Theo smiled at you, “Anytime, sorella,” he tapped his temple, “Just give me a shout and I’ll be there for you.” You nodded before turning around and heading up the stairs to your room. Once inside you went to your top drawer of your dresser, digging deep into the bottom. You may have fibbed a little to Theo when stating there was nothing between you and Mattheo.

Honestly you didn’t know what was happening between you and Mattheo but his words still rang in your ear, crystal clear if you concentrated too hard on them. “I own you.” Merlin, you wanted to know what he meant, and to what extent. You rummaged through your drawer, picking out a black set. You were going to find out just how far Mattheo would let you go, and just how much control he’d let you have.

As you threw on your robe, folding and tying the strings around your waist you heard a pop behind you. This time it didn’t phase you, you fully expected who it was. You turned to see Mattheo standing at the foot of your bed, white dress shirt slightly splattered with a painting of red. He saw your eyes roam his face, taking in the small cut on his cheekbone before taking in the rest of his appearance.

“Bloods not mine,” Mattheo started walking toward you but stopped when you held up your hand. “Take it off,” you words were sharp, precise. Mattheo tilted his head down slightly, smirk adorning his face. You repeat yourself with more instruction, “Take off the shirt, keep on the trousers, sit in the chair.”

You watched as Mattheo slowly raised his hands, starting at the top button of his shirt. Your eyes were glued to his fingers pulling and pushing the buttons from each hole, the veins in his hands and forearms prominent with the movement. He slowly slid the shirt off his shoulders and down his strong biceps once the last button was undone. You bit the inside of your cheek as you drank in his strong chest and the array of scars littered there and down the ridges of his abdomen.

Once he was free of his shirt he followed your instructions, walking over to the chair in the corner of the room. He eased himself down, a hand on each of the armrests. Once he was fully seated he spread his legs open, pushing his crotch up slightly as he did so. You sauntered over to him, eyes raking over his body once more and Mattheo sat in anticipation.

“I just thought I should show you some appreciation,” you twirled your wand, a slow and seductive song now playing lowly in the room. Mattheo’s eyebrows shot up slightly, “Appreciation?” You nodded, dragging your fingers up your thighs, your silk robe pulling up slightly, giving Mattheo a peak of the thick of your thighs. His jaw clenched ever so slightly, but you noticed, and it only encouraged you further.

Your hands came up to the bow you had tied early, Mattheo found it fitting, wrapped up like a present just for him. You placed a hand on each arm rest, leaning close to whisper in his ear, “If I’m going to be a slut, it can only be for you, right boss?” His jaw clenched again, a low growl emitting from his throat. “So let me show you just how good of a slut I can be for you.” Mattheo’s only response was a grunt, his hands flying up to untie your robe. Your hands were quicker, grabbing hold of his wrists and halting his movements, “Ah, ah, no touching until I say so, can you handle that, boss?”

Mattheo’s mouth upturned ever so slightly, “Usually I’m the one giving instructions.” You mirrored his smirk, “Well let’s see how good you are at listening, then maybe you’ll get a reward.” You stood up slowly, allowing him a view down the front of your robe before you stood up fully. You swayed your hips back and forth as your hands came to the knot at the front of your waist. You pulled at the drawstring slowly, Mattheo’s eyes intensely watching every movement your hands made.

As the knot became undone you turned your back to Mattheo, relishing in the low growl that left his lips as you opened your robe yet still denied him the visual access to what he wanted. You let the silk slide down your shoulders, revealing the black straps along your shoulders and across your back. You let the robe fall down to the floor, giving Mattheo a full view of the lace that barely covered your arse. You placed a hand on each arm rest, swiveling your hips just over his crotch, hovering just where you knew he’d like you, but not giving it to him fully.

“You’re playing with fire, Princess,” it was a warning, one that you chose to ignore. Instead you turned around, settling a knee on either side of his strong thighs, now straddling his lap. Mattheo’s eyes ravaged the front of your outfit, how the lace delicately hugged your breasts, the intricate design of the straps crossing over your ribs. His hands were fists on the arm rests, making you only smile more at his torture. “What’s wrong, Matty? Having trouble controlling yourself?”

He let out a huff of air through his nose, not trusting his voice in this moment. Your slowly trailed your hands up your sides, tracing the criss cross pattern of lace across your ribcage before cupping your breasts, giving them a light and playful squeeze as your threw your head back, sinking slightly lower on his lap, but not quite making contact with him.

Your hands ran up your chest, into your hair as you pressed your body closer to his, sitting up on your knees and allowing your chest to be at his eye level. You could feel his breath fan over your collarbones in short bursts, a sign that he was losing his patience. You sat back on his thighs, painting on the most innocent face you could muster.

You let your hands roam his bare chest, fingers dancing over scars before lacing them behind his neck. You toyed with the curls at the nape of his neck, his eyes fluttering shut at the sensation. What you did next Mattheo wasn’t expecting, especially not from you. Flattening your tongue, you licked along the cut on his cheekbone, cleaning the blood from his cheek. You felt Mattheo’s thighs stiffen beneath you and the excitement you got from this reaction only spurred you further.

The copper metallic taste was new on your tastebuds, Mattheo’s eyes flying open the moment you grabbed hold of his chin, sticking out your tongue to display the scarlet red painted across it. In that moment his eyes flashed darker than you’d ever seen. You brought your tongue back into your mouth, then brought your lips to his. You were soft at first, nearly ghosting your lips across his before grinding your hips down. You could feel his hardness against your barely clothed core, the roughness of his trousers providing the perfect amount of friction on your swollen clit.

You could feel him tense more with every roll of your hips, lips never quite touching his again, lips feather light over the skin of his cheek, along his jaw. You nipped at his ear, teasing him further now, “You’re being such a good boy for me, fuck, letting me use you like this.” You rolled your hips again, feeling his hardness strain against his trousers and seeing his jaw clench made you feel powerful and you were getting drunk on the feeling. You knew the next sentence was pushing it a little too far, you knew he’d likely snap from it, but it was exactly what you wanted to happen. A low moan left your lips as you dragged your pussy along his length before you whispered in his ear, “Who owns who now?”

A growl and a low, “Fuck this,” was all that left Mattheo’s mouth before his hands roughly grabbed hold of your arse, his lips attaching themselves to your neck as he began harshly sucking and biting at the sensitive skin there. You gasped, clutching onto his shoulders as he stood up, walking you both over towards the bed before throwing you down. You bounced against the mattress, sitting up on your elbows as Mattheo stood at the edge of the bed.

Your eyes watched as Mattheo’s fingers slowly undid the buttons of his trousers, teasingly sliding down his zipper as he spoke, “Seems like I wasn’t clear enough the last time.” He slid his pants down until they pooled at his feet. He ran his thumb along the waistband of his briefs, “But I promise you Princess,” he pushed his briefs down his legs, his length slapping the underside of his stomach, the head of his dick red and leaking, “after tonight you are never going to forget who you belong to.”

He kneeled on the bed, tracing his fingertips along the outsides of your calves, slowly trailing up to your thighs where he began kneading the flesh. His hands roamed towards the inside of your thighs, goosebumps rising on your skin in his wake. He slowly pushed your legs open wider, gripping the underside of your knees and yanking your body towards him.

Hooking your knees over his elbows he leaned down to capture your lips in his, a moan leaving his lips as he rutted his hips into yours. You could feel his length slide along your folds, the tip of his dick catching your clit and making you gasp. Mattheo took the opportunity to slide his tongue into your mouth, exploring and deepening the kiss as he slid one of his hands between your bodies.

You were so encaptured by his mouth that the feeling of his two fingers slipping inside your hole caught you off guard, your breath leaving your lungs as he curled his fingers, hitting deep inside you and making your legs twitch. “So fucking tight, Princess, not sure if I’m gonna fit,” he moaning against your neck, nipping and bitting your skin, sure to leave a trail of bruises for the others to see.

“Merlin, I’m going to wreck this tight little cunt,” Mattheo’s lips trailed down your neck, over the swells of your breast before he took his other hand to rip down your top. Mattheo wrapped his lips around one of your taut nipples, one hand palming and massaging the other as his fingers continued to work your cunt, scissoring and pumping inside you to open you up.

You felt the familiar build up in your stomach, heat pooling at your core as Mattheo continued his ministrations. “Please, Matty, fuck-” His thumb swiped over your clit, a smirk pulling at his lips, “Yeah, you like that Princess? C’mon, give me one before I fill this cunt. Show me how much of a slut you are, just f’me, just like ya said.”

His fingers continued their assault, thumb circling your clit in perfect rhythm. His words were the last encouragement you needed before you were falling over the edge, hand grasping his forearm and nails digging into his skin as you saw white. Mattheo continued to pump his fingers into you as you rode out your high, hips bucking into his palm as you became sensitive.

He slid his fingers from you slowly, a whimper leaving your lips at the empty feeling he left. He brought his fingers up to your mouth, sliding them past your lips. You sucked his fingers eagerly, holding eye contact as you swirled your tongue around his digits. He slipped his fingers from your mouth, capturing your lips with his as he slid your panties down your legs and tossed them aside.

He rut his hips against yours again, his cock easily sliding through your slick folds from your previous orgasm. He sat back on his hunches, grabbing hold of your knees and keeping your legs spread wide. He bucked his hips slightly, teasingly knocking his length against your clit sloppily just to earn pathetic whimpers and begging from your lips.

Lining himself up, he teased you further, pressing just the head of his cock inside your hole. You whined, trying to buck your hips and feel more of him. “Patience, Princess,” Mattheo growled before pressing your knees to your chest and sinking fully into you.

You moaned in unison, Mattheo stilling momentarily to allow you to adjust to his size. He filled you completely, more than anyone before him. You could feel all of him, his length, his thickness, every vein against your walls. He pulled back slightly before slamming his hips back to yours, “Oh, fuck, Matty.” You could feel his cock pulsing inside you as he repeated the motion, pulling out father and slamming into you harder each time.

Mattheo placed a hand on your lower stomach, applying pressure as he continued to rut his hips into yours. The new sensation had your eyes rolling, but Mattheo didn’t like that, his free hand now gripping your throat at the sides, “Eyes on me, Princess. I wanna see you fall apart all over this cock.” You comply, struggling with hooded eyes as his hips pound into you. Snap into you harder. Faster. Your jaw slacks and it’s all the encouragement he needs to keep going.

Your hips meet his thrusts, chasing your second high. His stubble catching your clit at just the right angle as your hips meet. You’re practically drooling as Mattheo babbles praises against your skin, telling you how well your taking him, how pretty your pussy looks filled with him and each word tightens the coil in your stomach as you’re chanting his name. Your nails rake down his back as he hits that particular spot deep inside and your walls clench around him like a vice.

His moans are deep as he grabs hold of your leg, hiking it over his shoulder. The new angle sending you over the edge, babbling his name as you release all over his cock. He doesn’t stop though, continuing to pound into you, chasing his own high. Your chest is heaving, rising up and down as you try to catch your breath to no avail as Mattheo doesn’t slow down.

“You can take it Princess-fuck-bloody hell you feel so good-you’ve got one more in you, know you can do it for me,” he growls, pulling your hips to his. He captures your lips with his own as your fingers dig into his shoulders. You can feel his hips stuttering, his thrusts becoming more sloppy as he chases his own high. His thumb finds your swollen clit, rubbing tight circles as me mumbled against your lips, “Who owns you, huh, Princess? Who owns you and this tight fucking pussy? -Gods- Who is it?”

Your thoughts were a white hot blindness of bliss, head shaking back and forth as you were unable to form words. Mattheo slapped the outside of your thigh, “Answer me, slut, who owns you?” You moaned at the lewdness of it all, stuttering dumb over the pleasure, “Y-you, Mattheo, you own me. Fuck-I b-belong to you.”

“Good fucking girl.” With a few more swirls of his thumb your legs were quaking as you cried out his name, cumming hard before you felt Mattheo spill his seed deep inside your walls. His hips still, chest rising and falling with panting breaths before slowly pulling out of you. He leaned back on his heels, watching as the mix of both your juices seeped from your hole.

Mattheo swiped his fingers through your folds, gathering the mixture before pumping his fingers back into you a few times. Your body jerked at the motion, Mattheo only laughing before pulling his fingers back out and pushing them past your lips, “Taste that Princess? That’s what I do to you.” You moaned around his fingers, making obscene noises as you sucked them clean. “Mmm, you really were a slut for me, Princess,” he kissed sloppily along your neck, “next time I’m gonna taste you.” You moaned at the thought, wishing you weren’t so sensitive so he could cash in that promise right now.

You watched with half hooded eyes as Mattheo climbed down from the bed, digging in to his discarded trousers. He grabbed his wand, waving it quickly over both of you and cleaning you up. You pouted slightly, having quite enjoyed the feeling of both your messes on you. You half expected Mattheo to leave as it seemed he was headed toward the door. Instead he opened one of your draws, grabbing shorts and a shirt and tossing them on the bed in front of you before pulling his own briefs back on.

Pulling back the covers, you nestled into the bed, Mattheo climbing back in and pulling you close to his chest. You intertwined your legs with his, relishing in his body heat. Your head rested against his chest as his fingers danced over your shoulder and up and down your arm. Your eyes were heavy, lids falling shut as the rise and fall of his chest gave you calmness.

Mattheo pressed his lips to the crown of your head, words tumbling from his mouth in a whisper, “You’re so important to me, Birdie. One day I’ll tell you how much.” You heard his words, ever so faintly. Not being able to fully register them before the chasms of sleep overtook you.

[emthephantom]

No One Noticed-T.N

Theodore Nott x F!Reader In which Theodore Nott saves your life and spends the next week convincing you there's good things in life- In which you realise someone noticed your pain and you let him in Warnings: Talks of suicide and self harm (Nothing in depth just brief mentions) Words: 810 A/N: Hey ghosties, I hope you had an amazing holiday! Apologies for the lack of posts I've been working on this series but I am back for now so enjoy this silly project. This series is very mental health focused so just a reminder that if you are struggling it is okay to talk, my messages are always open <3 Series masterlist

Your eyes stung from the tears, the cold wind freezing them to your cheeks. The astronomy tower had become your refuge for times like this, and you were there often. The pain of your hardships lay heavy upon your heart, and you wonder if any of this is worth it. Your feet mindlessly kick as you sit on the edge, temptation filling your veins. No one noticed your pain, who would? You had nobody, nobody that cared. Every day was a constant battle, one you always lost and there were no signs of winning.  

The wind continues to blow your way, a silent invite to join it and finally be free. Letting go of the present was the forbidden fruit and you couldn't resist. More tears fell from your face, drops landing on your clothes and the floor beneath you. Your fingers trace over the scars that lay on your wrists, reading them like a story. Your eyes drift towards the open sky before you, absorbing the ethereal beauty of the stars and moon- how can something so simple behold such beauty, such mystery? 

You release a deep breath and stand to your feet, moving closer to the railing. Would anyone notice if you left without a trace? You swing your legs over the railing, sitting gently atop of it, your fingers curled around the bar. Tears masked your vision again, a reminder of the reason you were there. No one noticed, so why bother staying? You look down at the ground, taking in the vast height and fear gnaws at your brain. You’re scared but accepting, you’re weary but trusting, you’re ready but hesitant. 

You spare one last glance at the sky, you wish to shine that brightly after this. The wind is still dancing around you, begging you to join the freedom it possesses; and you accept its invitation. Your fingers release the grip they had on the railing, and you fall... 

Theodore Nott noticed. He always did. He saw how you shield your watering eyes with your hair. How you tug on your sleeve to conceal the scars. How you chewed on your lip and bounced your leg when it was the end of the day. Theo often confided in his two closest friends, spilling his worries about you and surprisingly they listened to every word, encouraging him to talk to you despite their confusion about his sudden interest in the girl who sat alone in class. A quiet understanding permeated the dorm when he spoke, all three knowing the position you were in. They began to take notice of your shattered frame and shared knowing glances, wishing they could convince you that people cared-that they cared. So, when Theo saw you walking to the tower, he followed. 

Theo’s hands wrap around your body frantically, pulling you off the railing. You sobbed in response, begging the person to let of you. Theo said nothing but brought you into his chest, letting your tears seep through his shirt. Moments after, you raise your head to see your saviour and shock consumes you. Breaking away from his embrace you begin questioning him, ‘Theodore? What-what are you doing here?’ You had only spoken to the boy briefly, so seeing him with his eyes full of concern and sympathy confused you.  ‘I followed you’, he says sheepishly. Fresh tears roll down your cheeks as you harshly respond,’ Well, you shouldn't have, I don’t need your teasing.’ 

Theo’s eyes soften at your exclamation as he considers his next words. ‘I know how you feel,’ he takes a deep breath and comes closer, capturing your hand with a touch so gentle you wouldn’t know it was there,’ but this isn’t the answer tesoro.’   You bit back instantly, ‘Why shouldn’t I do it, I don’t know you, you don’t know me, there’s nothing for me anymore!’ Theo’s cold hand cradles your cheek, clashing with your warm skin.  

‘There’s me. Let me show you why there’s things to stay for, please.’ Your defensive image breaks at his sincere tone, you’ve never heard him speak with such softness, 'Just give me a week.’ he pleads.   ‘But you don’t know me.’  ‘I was scared of ambushing you, but I've noticed your heavy heart. I want to help Y/N.’ You sigh and nod, ‘Fine, one week Theodore, but it won’t be easy.’ 

A gorgeous smile places itself on Theo, ‘You can call me Theo, no need for formalities.’ You smile shyly at him, a feeling so foreign you almost forgot what it feels like. ‘Let me walk you back to your dorm.’  

He leads you down the tower and along the corridors before stopping at the common room. You both step in, immediately faced with the warmth and comfort. ‘I’ll see you tomorrow for the first day bella.’ And for once, you were excited for the next day. 

[kiquebi]

I was yapping to @pineconnie abt Parrot making Wifies cookies the other day and this thing spawned in my docs. Hi Connie :D.

This was supposed to be small drabble but it turned out to be a 1140 word monstrosity instead lol. As usual, feel free to drop any constructive criticism if you have any, I’m still pretty new to writing fanfics. Have fun!

———————————————————————

“So you’re saying this Wifies guy left you stranded in the middle of nowhere after traveling with you thousands of blocks from spawn?”, Theo asks as he swipes at Parrot with his netherite sword. Parrot blocks the heavy blow with his shield, chest heaving. Theo didn’t hold back, casual spar or not.

“Well, he did say he wanted us to hide from the mafia. But don’t you think that’s useless?”. Parrot tries to get a hit in, but Theo just weaves around and takes another swipe at him. “And this is the same guy that helped you win Capture the Flag and get your council seat?”. There’s a hint of bewilderment in his voice, but Parrot doesn’t have time to dwell on it before Theo sweeps his legs from under him.

Parrot hits the ground and he feels his body go slack. He groans. Theo had beaten him in every round so far, but he didn’t seem to have any intentions of stopping until Parrot actually managed to get him down on the ground today. His arms burn from exhaustion and he squints against the bright sun. A shadow blocks the blinding rays and his vision clears to see Theo holding out his hand to him. Parrot takes it and Theo hauls him up with one arm, a satisfied smirk on his face.

Theo takes off his shades to wipe the sweat off his brows. There’s a look in his eyes Parrot can’t decipher as he faces him, “He’s that farmer in the purple, right? Can’t exactly blame the guy for not wanting to go head to head with all those diamond players like we did.” He puts his glasses back on and pats Parrots on the shoulder, “From what I’ve seen, he seems like a half decent guy. The way he looks at you all the time, I don’t think he meant much harm. Why don’t you two talk over lunch or something?”. The familiar flames of anger begin to lick at Parrot’s heart, but he finds that what once was a burning inferno of rage was now a tamer flickering ember.

Parrot doesn’t say anything to that, merely looking down and shifting his weight from one side to another, but Theo seemed satisfied enough with his reaction. He moves back into position and Parrot goes back into stance and their clashing begins again. But Theo’s words continue to ring in his head after their spar no matter how many times Parrot tries to forget them.

They continue to linger even as Parrot laid in bed that night, pondering over the past few days. He didn’t understand what Theo had meant about the way Wifies looked at him, but it has been different without Wifies at his side. Wifies did help him in that fight with the ice, so he supposes that he should thank him for that. He’s not completely forgiving him, but a gift wouldn’t hurt right?

And that was how Parrot found himself in the kitchen the next day with a bag of flour, sugar and a couple eggs in front of him. He remembers that Wifies mentioned liking red velvet cookies once but he didn’t have a clue how to make those. Surely, Parrot reasoned, chocolate chip cookies were close enough, containing chocolate and everything. He didn’t have any luck finding chocolate chips in the pantry but luckily, he managed to get a chocolate bar off Ratrick. He did have Parrot fork over most of his strength pots, but Parrot figured he could just get more at the farmer’s compound later.

Baking the cookies went relatively well, all things considered. The first batch Parrot made had come out burnt at the bottom but the second only came out a little misshapen. The chunks of chocolate he had cut out looked the right amount of melty and the cookie itself was just a little past golden brown. Parrot couldn’t afford to taste it but it smelled okay, so he decided to wrap that batch up.

It’s late-afternoon judging by the sun outside, so he figured Wifies should be free right about now. He pulled out his communicator and sent Wifies a message, 'Meet me in front of the statue’.

Having messaged Wifies, Parrot threw the cookies inside a bundle and flew over to find Wifies sitting at the base of a stair in front of the statue. Wifies seemed to perk up at the sound of him landing, and he quickly stands to face Parrot. Standing face to face with Wifies again after all that’s happened, Parrot looks at him. Really look at him this time.

He notes that Wifies’ hair seemed unkempt and under his eyes were bags even deeper than the ones he had that time when they were confined in Proton. There’s a weariness in the way his shoulders slumped and how his eyes just barely fail to meet his and Parrot’s heart aches.

There’s a festering emotion in his chest he can’t identify as he pulls the bundle out of his inventory and practically shoves it at Wifies. “I made something for you”. Wifies fumbles to catch the bundle, eyes wide in disbelief. “For me?”, his hands are shaky as they reach in and pull out a cookie. His eyes lit up at the sight of it and Parrot can’t seem to remember the last time he saw that expression on Wifies. Parrot watches as Wifies’ face breaks out into a tentative smile and he quickly adds, “This doesn’t mean I’m completely forgiving you though”. The sinking feeling in his chest grows as the words leave his mouth, but there’s no point in taking them back.

Wifies huffs and his eyes crinkle as they move towards the ground. The smile on his face is smaller now, but it’s there if Parrot looks closely enough. “Yeah, of course Parrot. Of course”, Wifies softly murmured as he brings the misshapen cookie to his mouth.

Parrot’s eyes follow the cookie as Wifies brings it up to his mouth, but he looks away just before Wifies could bite into it. He finds himself shuffling his body to face the setting sun instead, it’s light giving the buildings around them an orange hue.

It’s silent for a while, just of two of them and the rustling of the trees. But Parrot was never one for patience and he breaks the silence, “So, how are they?”. He hears the sound of Wifies moving to face the sun as well, and his voice is soft as he responds: “They’re delicious. Thank you Parrot, I really appreciate it”.

The silence returns, but this time it stays as they both move to sit on the stone stairs. It’s a comfortable silence, occasionally broken by Wifies munching on his chocolate chip cookies, but that’s enough for the both of them for now.

[stargirlv0id]

Theo Nott HCS :)

info: this is based on my vision on him, considering the fact that Lorenzo is italian. also it if you don't agree, that's okay, just move on.

warnings: smoking

a!n: english isn't my first language, so sorry for any mistakes.

- Theo has some trouble with english, and says stuff nobody understands sometimes. He even replaces words he can't remember. Annoys everyone, cause they think he is doing it on purpose.

- Theo loves muggle stuff. Especially books. He enjoys reading them at night when he's alone at the Astronomy Tower.

- Theo has a really bad handwriting because he always writes fast, wanting to finish his work already.

- Theo smells really good. And always has the cleanest look ever.

- Theo is very polite, but when he's irritated, he'll completely forget about manners.

- Theo is McGonagall's favorite slytherin student, because he always does his work and she thinks he is charming.

- Theo pays attention to the smallest details, and always remembers them.

- Theo has a very good memory.

- Theo's love languages are quality time and physical touch. He just loves spending time with someone he cares about. And always finds way of having physical contact with that someone.

- Theo never fell in love, but he still believes in it.

- Although people say Theo is a living chimney, I don't think so. Yes he smokes, but occasionally mostly when he thinks about his mother or feels stressed out.

-  Theo is makes the funniest jokes, especially when the mood is tense after a small argument between Draco and Pansy.

- Theo likes to party, but doesn't love it. Most of the time he stays sat in the couch, with a drink in his hand, talking to Blaise.

[tul1p3]

I'm not her

Summary: Your sister went missing about a year ago but it seems anywhere you go, her name follows.

Theo Nott x Reader

warning: fluff, ooc people, implications of sex, mentions of loss of a parent/sibling, google translate, very fast burn/ lack of real plotline, very rushed ending

Wc 6.8k

a/n: My first piece of work, hope you like it ;)

Prologue (3 years ago)

Aaliya was late - really late. 

“She was meant to be here about-” Theodore began, however Tom Riddle cut him off abruptly.

“An hour ago,” Tom quickly cut in, his eyes burning a hole in the wall. The seven of them sat there wondering about Aaliya’s whereabouts. She wasn’t ever late and if she was she’d let them know. 

Another hour went by before the boys finally left Matteo’s dorm room to search for her, with the conclusion that something terrible had happened to her . What if we don’t find her? The thought ran through every single one of their minds; although none of them dared express it.

The boys had been searching for an hour; they thought of all the places she could be but to their frustration she hadn’t been found - yet.

Dumbledore’s office was composed mainly of hardwoods: oak, mahogany, balsa, the list went on. Theodore leaned against one of the many shelves in the office, his eyebrows furrowed and eyes etched with fear. The boys all stared at Dumbledore hoping he had a solution as to what to do.

“So -” Dumbledore tactfully began.

“Yes, we believe she’s missing,” Regulus impatiently muttered as if saying it louder would make it any more real. Dumbledore looked worriedly between the seven boys. In all of his years teaching, a student had never gone missing with no traces.

 “I’ll send out a search party to look for her.” Dumbledore spoke in a composed manner despite the angst he felt within him.

“A search party?” Anger was beginning to overcome Tom at Dumbledore’s pathetic attempt to search for Aliyah. “We’ve already searched everywhere that's going to be of -”

“Thank you, Dumbledore,” Enzo looked threateningly at Tom. They couldn’t afford to get angry at Dumbledore when he was really their only chance of hope. Enzo guided Tom out the door as Theo, Reggie, Matteo, Blaise and Draco followed swiftly behind. Once successfully out the door, Tom broke from Enzo’s grasp. Looking betrayed, he began to speak:

“Why wouldn’t you let me finish? Don’t you understand? We are not gonna find her like this,” he spoke irritatedly.

“Because getting angry at Dumbledore is totally going to bring her back,” Enzo replied sarcastically, accompanied by an eye roll.

She was never found. Never confirmed dead. Never confirmed alive. Just missing. 

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

Zara

After a long day at Hogwarts, I placed my books in my locker. Charms had gone well, and astronomy and herbology helped gain me a few new friends. Just as I was about to close my locker, in my peripheral vision I noticed a group of boys eyeing me warily - one of whom I recognised as Draco Malfoy. Fear began to consume me as all their eyes remained fixed on me for what felt like an eternity. As the group got closer, I froze in my spot waiting for the worst to happen. 

“You look oddly familiar,” one of them stated cautiously as he examined me.

I laughed nervously, unsure of what he wanted me to say.

“You remind us of a student who used to attend here.” Another one chimed in, he was tall and lanky, his brown hair falling perfectly on his face. Thankful that they weren’t attempting to bully me or something, I engaged in the conversation.

“What was her name?” I asked curiously not expecting to know who they were talking about. I mean there could be thousands of people that share a resemblance to me.

“Aaliya Bellrow,” Draco answered immediately. Colour drained from my face, as recognition washed over me. For a brief moment, I shut my eyes. I prayed it wasn’t obvious that I’d been affected by the name. Abruptly, I turned on my heels before walking away ignoring the confused looks I was leaving behind. When I rounded the corner - out of anyone’s sight - I broke into a quick run, desperate to get away.

My sister. My sister. My sister. Ever since that unfortunate night, it’s like she followed me everywhere. At home, it was painfully explicit the gap she’d left. My parents were silent, hardly ever asked about me - and if they did it was often something to do with her. Aaliya took that class as well, right? I was constantly reminded of my uncanny resemblance to her and annoyance flared inside me every single time; however, this time it just hurt. The boys had meant no harm - just like everyone else. But just because they hadn’t meant to cause upset doesn’t mean they didn’t.

The door of the stall was cool against my bare back. Chatter sounded lowly on the other side of the small cubicle I had locked myself in. Gradually, my breathing returned back to normal and my chest heaved at a calmer rate. Inevitably, I stood up on my two feet, straightening out my blouse and skirt. I opened up the stall, the door swinging back as it revealed two girls whom I recognised. Pansy and Astoria.

“Are you okay?” Pansy questioned quietly, eyeing me dubiously.

“Yeah, I’m perfectly fine,” using all my effort to do so, I attempted to give a reassuring smile but it seemed my response had fallen on deaf ears as well as my smile on blind eyes. Astoria reached aggressively for my hand before pulling me away, and out the bathroom. Determinedly, she dragged me across a series of hallways before we finally arrived at a stop. The sign above read:

SLYTHERIN’S COMMON ROOM

As we entered, people turned to look at us before returning to whatever it is they were doing before. Although, one group in particular did not. Once again, their eyes fixated me; they were probably wondering why I’d fled so suddenly. Astoria and Pansy walked ahead towards them with me trailing a small distance behind the two. Smiles adorned their faces as we approached. Astoria subsequently introduced me to them like I hadn’t seen them just under half an hour ago - but obviously she hadn’t known that and I still didn’t know their names to be honest. Interrupting Astoria’s quick debrief before she’d been able to say my name, Tom sharply turned to me and asked:

“Why’d you flee so quickly?”

 I eyed him, contemplating whether I should reveal the reason I’d had to leave. Upon quick thinking, I replied:

“I had a panic attack and needed air.” They all seemed sympathetic and ready to let it go, however Tom seemed adamant on getting the full truth out of me.

“What was it that triggered it?”

My jaw slacked slightly, astounded at his direct and blunt tone.

“I’m not obligated to tell you,” I gave back, equally as harsh.

The others smirked as if it wasn’t a regular occurrence that someone would answer back to him.

“But…since you’re so desperate to know,” their ears perked up in anticipation, “Aaliya is - was - my sister, hence the uncanny resemblance.”

Immediately, their smirks dropped and their eyes filled with confusion. Astoria and Pansy who had previously seemed engaged in their own conservation also turned to look at me. Everyone looked at me in a way that willed me to elaborate:

“Umm Aaliya was my older sister; she was amazing. She was kind. She was everything I hope to be one day. Presumably you already know what happened. But yeah I miss her and I wish everyday she were still here,” I ended with a nervous chuckle, the change in atmosphere made me uncomfortable.

“You speak like she’s dead,” Tom eyed me irately, as if I didn’t have the right to do so. This evidently affected the rest of the group too as their eyes seemed to agree with him.

“Because she is.” I replied confoundedly. Collectively, they all began to shake their heads and Enzo said something that had me thinking maybe they didn’t know the whole truth.

“You don’t know that, Aurors never confirmed her dead so until they do so- she’s just missing,” he released a sigh at the end like he’d been holding his breath while he’d spoken. Now it was my turn to sigh and as I did a small tear slid down my cheeks as I was forced to tell the group what they clearly didn’t know.

“The Aurors did confirm her death though that’s the thing; she was found three months later, we had the funeral a month after and well… yeah,” I trailed off not knowing what to say to them.

 “I don’t know who didn’t tell you but I’m sorry because she is most definitely…dead, I saw her with my own eyes.”

“You’re lying.” Tom stood up abruptly before leaving the room. I looked around at the others who seemed to be in a state of shock; sadness filled me as I realised while their friend had been taken literally a year ago, I’d just taken her from them the second time - and for good. Unexpectedly, everyone stood up, leaving the common room - everyone except Theodore Nott.

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

The section of the common room I was in fell silent. I looked solemnly at Theodore, the look on his face was unreadable. Feeling bad, I went to sit beside him leaving a little gap between us. Gradually, I turned to look at him, his eyes pinched shut and I almost regret saying anything about Aaliya. Eventually, he opened his eyes and turned to look at me. He was silent for a while before lowly saying,

“What’s your name?” A hint of an accent came through as he spoke.

“Zara,” I mumbled, the name almost foreign on my lips considering I didn’t get time to say it during the earlier introductions. Silence fell once again as I waited for him to say something - anything. But he didn’t.

“I’m guessing you guys were all very close to her?” I continued to stare at him, noticing his sharp jawline and greenish eyes. He chuckled faintly beside me - so weak I almost didn’t hear it. Slowly, he began to nod his head.

“Yeah,” he trailed off before starting up again, “she is - was - an amazing person, always put everyone before herself and never failed to make any of us laugh.” Though he looked as if he wanted to continue, he trailed off again. For the first time, he turned to look at me. His eyes burned daggers into the side of my face. 

“Tell me about you,” he said nonchalantly. Confused, I turned to look at him - since Aaliya had died no one had taken much interest in me; how I was coping, if I missed her, even a mere are you okay proved to be difficult. Presumably my shock was visible because subsequently Theodore nudged me with his knee, reminding me I needed to answer.

“Um, I don’t really know what you want me to say,” I chuckled nervously under his unwavering gaze. He didn’t push after that so we fell into a comfortable silence. 

Unanticipatedly, he stood and began walking away; he reached into his pocket to pull out a lighter and a pack of cigarettes before turning to me to ask:

“You coming or what?”

The autumn breeze of the early evening was refreshing against my cheek. With Theodore beside me on the astronomy tower, the air smelled like a mixture of nicotine and peppermint. None of us were talking, so silence penetrated the evening sky. I liked the calm, the serene view, and the chill atmosphere. It’d been ages since I’d felt like this: free, without the weight of expectations to carry. After a few prolonged moments of silence, I finally caved and broke it,

“Can I call you Theo, or better yet Teddy?” I raised an eyebrow as I finished my question knowing that I was damn well pushing my luck with the last part - considering I’d only met the guy about an hour ago. Briefly, he paused what he was doing and turned to look at me oddly. I tilted my head to the side slightly in an attempt to subtly encourage him to answer my question and explain the look on his face.

“My mother used to call me Teddy; no one knows that so I don’t know...hearing someone even ask is just strange.” Hesitantly, he resumed his smoking, not taking his eyes off of me. I nodded, debating silently in my head whether to ask my next question.

“You say ‘used to’, does she not anymore?” Finally, he removed his eyes from my face and pinched them shut tightly like he did earlier. 

“She’s dead.” After the direct response, he let out a puff of smoke before he dropped the cigarette to the ground and stomped on it to force the flame to die. Following this, I looked forward; I remained mute as I knew all too well that sometimes words needn’t be exchanged after such admissions. As the minutes went by the quietness seemed to stick even more, we stood there occasionally glancing at one another but mostly just deep in thought. 

After approximately an hour, Theo backed away from the edge of the tower and began walking away. Consequently, my eyes followed as he walked away and out of the blue I heard,

“The answer’s yes.” 

Clearly, he must have sensed my confusion as he turned back around, smirked and reminded me of the question I asked earlier.

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

I found myself back in the common room again. Everyone had dispersed and it remained just me. At the front, the fire crackled unstably; it radiated a nice warmth towards me. From the slightly ajar door, I could hear the sound of footsteps and hushed voices fast approaching. As expected, Astoria and Pansy walked in with the boys who followed close behind. They gathered around the sofa I was sitting on and all got comfy. Teddy came to sit beside me, his arm slung lazily behind me to rest on the sofa edge. Glancing carefully around, it seemed as though nobody was still affected by the shocking news from earlier however I knew better - it was just a facade.

“Let’s play truth or dare,” Astoria suggested thoughtfully. Nods came from around the room and I too found myself agreeing. Astoria turned around in her seat to look directly at me.

“Truth or Dare?” She questioned. I contemplated my options carefully before settling on Truth.

“Who are you the most attracted to in this circle?” My heart rate picked up a little bit at the question, knowing immediately who I was going to choose. Sharply, his green eyes cut to me - watching me intently. His mouth turned up in a smirk like he knew it was going to be him. Inwardly, my eyes rolled at his cockiness but nonetheless I said his name,

“Teddy.” At that, I got a few perplexed looks before everyone figured out I meant Theo. Astoria and Pansy gushed over the fact I had given him such a cute nickname while Teddy himself continued to stare at me but his smirk had dropped completely. Worried, I gave him a brief smile to which he unexpectedly returned with his own smile - lasting only mere seconds though. It was now my turn to pick on someone ; I turned sharply towards Tom. 

“Truth or Dare?” I asked smugly hoping he would pick dare so I could suggest something embarrassing. Unfortunately for me, he didn’t.

“Truth,” Tom raised his eyebrows as he looked at me, clearly knowing I’d wanted him to say dare.

“You still think I’m lying?” I hadn’t hoped to bring up Aaliya again but I couldn’t help but fixate on Tom’s words from earlier. You’re lying.

Warily, I eyed Tom and to my surprise he uttered the words that sent a wave of relief through my body.

“No.” Tom didn’t waste a second before he swivelled round to face Mattheo. As anticipated, as the game went on arguments were caused and in some cases previous disagreements solved. Within the hour, I had been dared to leave an anonymous love note for some random Hufflepuff, dared to steal Enzo’s file from Dumbledore's office, and asked what the biggest lie I had told had been. Much to my dismay, it was now Tom’s turn to ask truth or dare and something in my gut told me he was going to choose me. As expected, Tom turns to face me and asks:

“Truth or dare?”

Neither option appealed to me however I didn’t feel like putting my life in the hands of Tom so I concluded Truth was the safer option.

“Truth,” I stated, hoping that Tom was merciful with his question.

“Did Aaliya talk about us a lot?” Although his eyes were almost impossible to read, I knew he was holding back and I needed him to ask what he truly wanted to know.

“Ask your real question.” For a brief second he seemed astounded that I’d said that, but he quickly recovered and rephrased his question.

“Did Aaliya talk about me?” There it was. At this, I shifted uncomfortably in my seat as memories of our numerous late night talks where we’d laugh and it’d be us against the world forced their way into my head.

“Um…I don’t know honestly,” He appeared skeptical so I elaborated, “I vaguely recall her talking about some “guy” she had liked, but she never mentioned him again - said he was cold and would give her mixed signals so that was that. She never gave a name so I don’t know if it was about you but if the shoe fits.” I shrugged my shoulders and gave an accusatory look to him.

Something dark seemed to take over Tom’s expression and like he did earlier he stood up promptly and left the room.

“Does he make a habit of that, or is it just me?” I asked the question to no one in particular, and based on everyone’s silence something told me it was the latter.

 Our game ended with his sudden departure and everyone said their goodnights and left for their rooms - me included. However, Teddy lingered with me and made no move to go to his own room. Undeterred, I carried on walking to my dorm room with Teddy trailing closely behind. After a few minutes, I stopped outside a large rustic wooden door; Teddy too halted. Confused, I glanced up at him wondering if he was going to explain what he was doing. Despite his indifferent and unemotional face, the words he uttered next didn’t mirror his expression.

“I liked the nickname,” he admitted nonchalantly, “reminded me of my mum…it was comforting.” Touched by what he’d said, I nodded and smiled at him.

“Goodnight.” I whispered before slipping silently into my dorm room and shutting the door gently. 

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

Light shone through my blinds as the sun rose and the unbearable brightness seemed to effectively wake me up. I lay on my bed doing nothing as I prepared myself for my second day here. Shortly after, I headed to the shared girls’ bathroom and got ready for breakfast. On my way to the canteen, I sighted Astoria and Pansy who were giggling excitedly amongst themselves; feeling lonely, I decided to approach them. Astoria noticed me first, pulling me into a hug and asking how I slept. Pansy followed suit - except she left out the question part. Assuming she was doing so before, Pansy carried on making jokes about the teachers in our school while Astoria and I laughed uncontrollably. Finally, we reached the canteen where we could see the boys were already sitting down at a table in the far corner. When we reached the table, Teddy subtly moved over an inch allowing me a place to sit down. Softened by the gesture, I took his invite and sat beside him. A few at a time, we got up to collect our breakfasts before returning back to the table to eat. The time was 8:00 and the bell didn't ring until 8:30 so that gave us 30 minutes to eat and discuss whatever amongst ourselves. 

My first lesson was potions which I’d managed to get lost to on the way there twice. However, thankfully a prefect had guided me to the classroom, preventing a third time.

After potions, I had a double period of herbology, which I learnt I shared with Enzo Berkshire when I walked into the classroom and found him sitting in the back. He waved me over to sit on the empty seat beside him. A loud blaring bell rang soon after I took my seat signaling the beginning of class. Professor Pomona waltzed in and began assigning everyone partners for a project;  since I was sitting beside Enzo he was assigned as my partner. The project was to fuse two existing plants and do a 5000 word write up about it. While the task may have seemed simple - I mean how difficult could it be to fuse two plants - writing 5000 words would be long and tiring.

Professor Pomona Sprout gave us the whole time of both periods to work on our projects; occasionally she’d give us breaks. By the end of the two hours, Enzo and I had successfully managed to fuse the Moonwart and Rue plant. 

“We should work on the second part soon,” Enzo suggested as we exited the classroom; I nodded in agreement. Enzo sharply turned to me, and gave me a huge grin before offering a high five.

“We make a pretty good team.” He announces as I returned the high five giving him my own smile as well. When I turned back around I saw Teddy leaning against a pillar eyeing us coldly. Enzo and I approached where he was standing,

“Hi Teddy,” I said gently, aware from his facial expression that he was mad and not wanting to do anything to worsen it. Seemingly, the nickname had an effect on him as his jaw seemed to relax and his eyes evidently softened. Enzo said something as well but I was too occupied with reading Teddy to notice. A moment later he returned mine and Enzo’s greetings before he finally straightened. Collectively, we all headed to the canteen to meet up with the rest of the group for lunch.

Enthusiastically, Astoria dragged me down to sit beside her as I joined the lunch table. She began to rant about a girl in her class that had annoyed her endlessly last period. Periodically, she’d quiet down but then she would start up again as she remembered something else. Across the table, I made eye contact with Mattheo and Enzo who seemed to notice my disinterest in Astoria’s words. They both laughed amongst themselves when I yawned; this thankfully went unnoticed by Astoria. However at the sound of their prolonged/ laughter, I smiled attempting to resist laughing too however that didn’t work. Even Tom who sat at the head of the table had the faintest smile on his face. Confusedly, Astoria looked around, likely wondering why we'd broken into fits of laughter. I just slightly shook my head as if to say ‘don’t worry’ and surprisingly Astoria just resumed what she was doing.

It was the last period of the school day and today everyone had a revision session - I’d decided to go to the library to get some peace, even if it had only been for a few minutes. Enzo had spotted me, joined me and now we were working on the second part of our herbology assignment. Profesor Pomona had given us a list of questions we had to answer in our write up so Enzo and I equally divided up the questions. I was nearly done with my questions when I saw Teddy and Mattheo making their way over to us. Mattheo had a dubious smirk on his face as they reached where we were. Accordingly, I scooched over, allowing room for either Mattheo or Teddy to sit down - Mattheo got their first. Teddy’s jaw tightened at his friend’s move but he went to sit beside Enzo anyway. Theo was the first to break the silence.

“What are you guys doing?” He asked - almost uninterestedly.

“We were working on our herbology project before you guys came,” Enzo replied accusingly. Mattheo at least had the decency to look apologetic, however Teddy clearly did not.

“It’s fine, you came at the right time. I was almost done anyway.” I directed my words mainly at Mattheo. With that, I slammed my laptop shut before packing up my bag and standing up.

“Umm…I’ll leave you guys to it, I think I’m gonna go find Astoria and Pansy.” 

As I left the table, my eyes lingered on Teddy before I finally exited the library.

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

It was silent at the astronomy tower with just me there, the sky was getting darker and I could see various students down below heading to their dorm rooms as school ended.

“Didn’t expect to see you here,” a voice said from behind me.

Terrified by the sudden words, I jumped back clutching my chest. Hesitantly, I turned around to see who the mysterious person was. Theodore Nott.  At the realization that he was avidly staring me down, I became self conscious.

“Why not?” I asked curiously.

“I don’t know, Aaliya hated this place so I guess–” Teddy abruptly cut himself off realising how it sounded. “And It’s just that you said you were going to find Astoria and Pansy so I thought I’d be the only one here.” 

I don’t know if the last part was genuine or if it was to save face.

“Oh - I’ll go if you want to be alone.” The Aaliya part hurt a bit - the assumption that we’d liked or disliked the same things as if we were the same person. I started retreating back to the staircase, however Theo’s hand grabbed my wrist instantly pulling me towards him.

“Stay.”

With that single word his hand released my wrist although he remained where he was standing. My breathing became heavy as I was hyperaware to our close proximity. Teddy studied me, lips tipped up in a smirk. Ensuingly, I pulled my bottom lip into my mouth, nervous due to his unwavering gaze. His head tipped up slightly, eyes shutting as if he were in hurt. “Are you okay?” I asked, genuine concern etched into my voice.

“I can’t…I can’t think straight when you bite your lip like that.” Teddy spoke, pain evidently laced into his voice.

“Oh.” My voice came out light and airy. Gaining back some confidence, I gently lifted my hand up to bring Teddy to look back at me. He finally looked down again to me while I subconsciously stroked his cheek. Then in the space of a few seconds, Teddy’s lips were on mine.

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

Teddy traced delicate circles across my stomach as he spooned me from behind. After our kiss on the Astronomy Tower we’d talked for a while before coming back to my dorm to cuddle. It was peaceful considering we were laying in complete silence. Then a few seconds later, Teddy broke it. 

“My mother would have liked you.” Although he had not said much, the six words touched me in a way that no could ever understand the gravity of. It was warming to know that, and unfortunate that I’d never have the opportunity of seeing her.

“You’re Italian, right?” I really hoped he was, otherwise I’d seem like a fool. Although, I was pretty damn sure he was as that would explain the accent.

“Good ears cara mia,” Teddy replied, confirming that he was indeed Italian.

“What does ‘Cara mia’ mean?” Instead of answering my question Teddy just laughed and switched off the lights. Knowing that I wasn’t going to get a reply, I closed my eyes and went to sleep feeling the light touch of Theo’s hand.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Hurriedly, I entered the canteen with Theo behind me. We’d accidentally overslept and breakfast was due to finish in 20 minutes. Enzo and Mattheo were the first to see us as we walked towards the table.

“Well well well.” Mattheo announced, a smirk evident on his face. The rest of the group turned to look at us - their empty breakfast plates laid out in front of them. 

“Morning.” I rushed out hastily and took my seat - Teddy beside me. Everyone looked at us interested; conveying a thousand questions with their eyes.

“Where were you two?” Pansy questioned first.

“Sleeping.” Teddy replied before popping a piece of toast in his mouth.

Pansy raised an eyebrow suggesting she didn’t believe us. “It’s true, we just overslept.” I stated, defending Teddy.

“Where’d you sleep then Teddy cause you sure weren’t in your dorm?” Astoria asked.

“Zara’s dorm.” Teddy answered smoothly.

“Where were you guys yesterday evening then?” The next question came from Enzo. Unaffected, Teddy continued to eat however I paused very visibly.

“We were at the Astronomy to–” my words were cut off harshly by Tom.

“Aaliya hated that place.” This seemed to finally make Teddy halt, realising he’d basically said the same thing earlier. Tom saying it probably made him hear just how ignorant it sounded assuming we would hate the same thing.

“Well luckily I’m not Aaliya then.” I mumbled annoyedly, irritated that I’d been told the same thing twice. 

“Lucky for you, unfortunate for us because I guarantee that everyone at this table would much rather have Aaliya sat where you are and not you.” The words were spoken low but firmly and each one seemed to achieve exactly what they intended to do so.

I looked upwards attempting to fight back the tears but Tom knew what to say to hurt me so it proved to be no use. The rest of the group were staring at me, clearly shocked by what Tom had said. Instantly, I jumped up from my seat and began to walk out the hall ignoring the calls for me. I could hear someone’s footsteps behind me so I turned around to see Teddy had followed me.

“Just don’t…please.” And with that I turned back around and hurriedly exited the canteen alone. 

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

The quidditch grounds were eerily quiet. After I’d left the hall, I had decided to skip first period and come here as I knew it’d be quiet. A lone tear lingered on my cheeks as my mind continuously replayed Tom’s cruel words: ‘everyone at this table would much rather have Aaliya’.  No one at the table had disputed this - they hadn’t needed to, considering I’d only met them a few days ago. 

I’d found sanctuary on a bench near the top of the stands. In the distance, trees and plants blew back and forth calmly; meanwhile birds flew enthusiastically across the sky leaving the echoes of their chirps and tweets. Without warning, I felt a light tap on my shoulders as someone took a seat beside me. I turned gradually to face the person only to meet eyes with Hermione Granger. Quickly, I wiped the tears still present on my face before giving her a half-hearted smile.

“You’re Zara, right? I believe we share potions together.” Her words were gentle as she spoke then she proceeded to place a comforting hand on mine.

“Yeah and herbology - which we actually have right now,” I added on, before continuing “Why aren’t you in class right now? I know that sounds hypocritical but you don’t really seem like the type to skip.” 

She didn’t seem to take any offense to this as she just laughed and explained,

“Don’t worry, you’re right. We were assigned the task of finding a rare plant on school grounds and, well, I spotted you up here alone so I thought I’d come up.”

“Oh, thank you, that’s very kind of you. What plant is it you're looking for?”

“Aglaoph–” Hermione began, however she didn’t get to finish.

“Aglaophotis. I know where we can get that.” With that, I grabbed her wrist and pulled her up and out her seat before leading her away from the stands. I broke into a run across the quidditch fields with Hermione sprinting behind me. After what felt like an eternity, we reached a part of the forest that I’d not seen anyone visit yet. 

“It’s somewhere around here.” I stated, before pacing around in an attempt to find it; Hermione did the same. Then suddenly, she yelled out;

“Found it!”

And just like we did coming here, we both began bolting. Breaking into fits of giggles on the way, Hermione kept relentlessly thanking me, talking about how she owed me one. As we entered the classroom, our hopes were crushed as everyone seemed to already be back here. Professor Pomona paused what she was saying and looked towards us expectantly before commenting,

“No one else was successful in finding the Aglaophotis girls, are you the same?”

A grin graced both mine and Hermione’s face as we both proudly held up the plant while Hermione mouthed another ‘thank you’ at me.

“Well done, that’s ten points for Slytherin and ten points for Gryffindor!” Professor Pomona declared while the rest of class collectively cheered and clapped.

In the back of the classroom, I sighted Enzo looking regretfully at me, reminding me of the events from this morning. He looked towards the empty seat beside him, as if inviting me to sit on it. However, Hermione also had a spare seat beside her and so I took that one. She grabbed my hand and squeezed it appreciatively as I sat down. There was about 20 minutes left of herbology and everyone had gone up to present their projects from last lesson - Enzo and I were last. I avoided any attempt at eye contact with Enzo through our presentation and focused solely on getting it done; We scored an 18/20 on our project. Finally, the bell rang signifying the end of the lesson. Enzo tried to follow after me as I left class however I just ignored his attempts. 

On my way to potions, I saw Theo at his locker and he coincidentally turned around at the right time to see me walking past. Instantly, he slammed his locker shut and followed after me. I picked up my pace not wanting him to catch up to me. Although, the universe didn’t seem to want the same thing as I felt Theo wrap his hand around my wrist pulling me into the janitor’s closet.

My body pressed against his, as the janitor’s closet seemed to be very cramped and small.

“Let go of me Theo.” I whispered while I attempted to pull my hand out of his unwavering grip.

“Don’t call me Theo…please.” If I didn’t know better, I’d almost say he was begging but Theodore Nott doesn’t beg.

“Look, I’m sorry about what Tom said this morning, è uno sciocco.” he continued, his eyes conveying the sincerity of his words. I turned my face away from Theo not wanting to look at him right now.

“It’s true though, no? I mean no one said anything because you and I both know he’s right.” I rushed the words out not wanting to cry again.

“No, it’s not tesoro. You left in such a hurry you didn’t see but trust me, I definitely put Tom in his place, okay?”

Teddy brings his palm to touch my cheek and brings me to look at him. Reluctantly, I oblige rotating my face to look at him directly. Teddy’s arms then engulfed me in a hug and I nuzzled my head into his neck seeking comfort before rising up on my tiptoes to kiss him to which he immediately responded.

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

After mine and Teddy’s encounter in the closet, he kindly walked me to my next lesson which was a double period of potions. For lunch, I’d eaten it with Hermione and her friends: Harry Potter and Ron Weasley in the library so I didn’t have to face Tom, or the rest of the others for that matter. The rest of the day went by quickly. 

The slytherin common room was quiet apart from the few hushed voices around the place. I was sitting on the couch studying for my first potions exam since joining Hogwarts this semester. Then to my right, I saw the slytherin common room door swing open; in waltzed Astoria and Pansy who appeared to be gossiping about something. They evidently paused as they spotted me sitting on the couch. Astoria was the first to break the awkward silence that had surrounded us three.

“Hi, I’m sorry about what Tom said earlier - he was way out of line - and we’re sorry for not speaking up.” Astoria looked nervous as she approached where I was and sat next to me. Pansy, who sat on the arm of the couch, then chimed in agreeing,

“Yeah, I mean Tom is…well Tom but he was wrong for what he said. Even though we only met you a few days ago, we really like you and love having you as a friend.”

I finally put down the book I was pretending to read while they talked to me, and rotated to look at them.

“Thank you, that actually means a lot.” I replied genuinely. They  both nodded in sync and started up their gossip again after catching me up. 

During Astoria’s passionate rant, Tom Riddle - the one and only - stormed up to where I’m sitting before staring me down long and hard. Scanning his face closely, I realised he has a purple bruise around his eye that seemed somewhat fresh. Taking away my attention from his face, he then muttered the one thing I’d never expect to hear from his mouth: an apology.

“I’m sorry.” He grunted out quietly like it was hurting him. Before I had time to reply he’s already turned back around and exited the common room. In the corner of the room, I see Enzo, Mattheo and Teddy laughing at what just occurred. My eyes narrowed at the sight, meanwhile I suddenly recalled Teddy’s words from earlier ‘I definitely put Tom in his place, okay?’  Anger bubbled inside of me as I registered that the bruise must have been Teddy’s doing, no doubt.

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

“What the hell is wrong with you Theo?!” I exclaimed. 

When I had understood what he’d done, I had dragged Theo away from Mattheo and Enzo and back to his dorm room immediately to scold him.

“Ugh, please stop calling me Theo.”

“Is that really what you’re choosing to fixate on? How about you explain to me why the HELL Tom has an f-ing bruise near his eye.” I was pacing around the room briskly in an attempt to work out my irritation; this did not appear to work.

“I already told you earlier that I’d dealt with him. He doesn’t get to go around saying rude things, especially like that, to you.” Teddy quietly admitted. I took a deep breath before gently saying,

“And you don’t get to go around hurting other people just because they were mean to me.”

Teddy’s face clearly expressed he strongly disagreed however he made no move to voice it. Tired of arguing with him already, I crawled into his lap and wrapped my arms around his neck. I leaned forwards to kiss Teddy and I felt his body relax under mine. His fingers toyed with the hem of my skirt and my fingers found their way into his curly locs. 

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

It was the middle of the night; I, however, couldn’t sleep. Although Teddy seemed to have no trouble sleeping peacefully. On the floor, my uniform lay scattered as I now sported one of Theo’s t-shirts instead. The view from his window was beautiful: the moon was bright in the sky which was a deep blue. In the distance, I saw an owl approaching swiftly. A message for Theo. I was about to wake Teddy up, however the owl seemed to halt specifically in front of me. Consequently, a white scroll was then dropped by the owl right into my hand before it left.

Dear Zara,

I didn’t think there’d be a day where I’d be able to write this to you but it seems a miracle has been performed. Your father and I received a call from a lab that there had been a mistake with some data processing a while back. The young girl we buried is not Aaliya. DNA samples got mixed up and, well, Aaliya has been found. We’ll send transport for you, first thing in the morning. I love you darling and we’re gonna be a complete family again.

                                                                                                      Love Mother xoxoxo

Tears streamed down my face as I read the final sentence ‘we’re gonna be a complete family again.’ In my peripheral vision, I saw Teddy making his way towards me.

“Are you okay, Cara mia? What are you doing up?” Theo questions as he rubbed his eyes trying to fully wake himself up. Lost for words, I carefully handed him the letter to which he opened and silently read. Instantaneously, Teddy turned to me and buried me in a hug. To the wildlife outside, we seemed like just two innocent silhouettes sharing a warming embrace. However, Teddy and I knew that life would soon change. It’d be complex, but it’d be better.

[goldielia]

surprise me

a part of: temporary fix au

anastasia had her shot perfectly lined up. wine red nails wrapped around the cue on one hand and propped up on the green table cloth on the other, chocolate coloured curls pulled up into a black claw clip messily, stormy grey eyes focused on the single striped ball left on the table.

“stas, i need you at the bar!” ava’s voice sounded through the room. “one second,” anastasia mumbled into the arm she was leaning on to aim. she held her breath, pulled her arm back and took her shot, successfully sinking the last striped ball. grinning she straightened up, gave theo, the regular who played games of pool with her sometimes, a fist bump and made her way over to where ava was pouring beers with a smile “good game, theo, i’ll see you around!”

ava blew a strand of her black hair out of her vision, nodding her head towards a group of men occupying a corner booth. “a round of tequila and beers for those guys, and if you have time sarah needs a refill. the boyfriend cheated again” anastasia nodded in understanding and started pouring the shots, placing them on a tray and carrying them along with the first beers over to the booth in the corner.

“alright, gentlemen, here you go” she smiled, settling the trays down on their table, waiting for them to start handing the drinks all the way to the guys in the back so she could take the trays back to the bar. while she waited she watched the guys in the booth, trying to figure out which kind of group they were, until her eyes stopped on one. “quinn?” she asked, tilting her head to the side.

quinn had been talking to two guys further in the booth, so he probably hadn’t seen her until now. he did look up when she called his name, though, eyebrows scrunching together before he realized who she was and relaxed his mouth into a gentle smile. “what are you doing here?” the guys who were here with him looked between them confusedly, some whispering to each other at his question.

“i work here” she grinned, “university doesn’t pay all too much” she grabbed the now empty trays again, smiling into the booth one last time before she made her way back to the bar, crossing ava on her way to deliver the last of the beers. after anastasia had brought sarah her refill (she’d become a regular when her boyfriend first cheated on her, claiming that their espresso martinis could cure any heartbreak) and listened to the kind of girl he’d sought out this time, she was meeting up at the bar with ava again.

“who’re they?” she asked when they were leaning against the counter, nursing their own drinks during a quiet minute. “who? the boys in the corner?” ava asked, sky blue eyes twinkling with amusement. “yeah, one of them’s my neighbour” ava set her glass down, a look of pure astonishment on her face when she turned towards anastasia with wide eyes. “yeah, quinn just moved in across from me in like, march?”

“dude, are you serious? i thought you said you grew up in vancouver! those are the canucks, they come here after most home games. i think their owner also owned this bar at some point?” anastasia took another sip of her mocktail, they weren’t allowed to have alcohol during their shifts, before she answered. “i grew up on soccer, though. like i knew we had a hockey team but i have no clue about hockey at all”

ava shook her head with a laugh, swirling the lemon in her water around with her straw. “you’re so cute.” anastasia rolled her eyes, downed the rest of her drink and then made her way over to where sarah was waving for another espresso martini. when she’d delivered it and just made her way back to the bar she was greeted with quinn leaning on the bar in front of her with a timid smile.

“oh, hey” she nodded before she set sarah’s empty glass in the dishwasher and fully turned towards quinn. “what can i get started for you?” quinn smiled, nodding at ava quickly, who was moving around the bar behind anastasia, “surprise me?”

anastasia raised an eyebrow, “surprise you?” quinn nodded, smile on his face turning shy while stas’ eyes flicked towards his booth. “only you or something for all your friends?” her hands were already reaching out for different bottles and her favourite glass to serve a cocktail in.

“just for me, please. you can put in on their tab, though” her eyes met his across the bar, a mischievious smile pulling on her lips. “you got it, quinn” he quietly watched her from his spot, the way she reached for ingredients, poured the mixture in and out of shakers and the way the messy strands that had fallen out of her clip bounced when she mixed his cocktail.

he got a little lost in watching her work while quietly singing along to the music playing in the small bar, fascinated by how easily anastasia and ava were able move around each other behind the bar. he’s just started analyzing the way brock and thatcher have been trying to flirt with a girl in the booth next to theirs when a class clinked onto the bar in front of him quietly.

immediately his eyebrows raised and anastasia watched amusedly while his eyes flickered between her and the glass on the counter. “okay” he cleared his throat, “what exactly is that?” she grinned at him while redoing her claw clip. “that is a DTLA. congrats on your win” leaning back onto the counter she watched as quinn took a sip of her drink, nodded to himself and then shook his head at her with a smile, “thanks, stas. it’s really good” and made his way back to the booth, drink firmly in hand.

[ksbbb]

I think we need to talk about teen wolf season 5 again. The lack of communication throughout season 5a is insane. It was done on purpose and it drives me crazy because if someone stopped and had an actual conversation to explain what was going on in their head, I don’t think Theo would have been able to manipulate the pack the way he did.

I love the season and it has its flaws, and it’s not perfect by any means, but it also makes me think about how people can become so caught up in their own world. They become lost in their own thoughts that they fail to realize they’re not seeing things from a clear perspective or vision.

It’s wonderful to use in writing because it’s something we all experience, but when it comes down to it, Theo wasn’t the only cause of the pack’s shift to being broken. The cracks that were being made in the McCall pack all throughout season 5 was complex and it was a multitude of factors that caused the pack to become disconnected from each other.

The miscommunication and lack of understanding caused a ripple effect that led to everyone’s inability to make clear and informed decisions.

That’s why you have the Stiles and Scott feud, Liam almost killing Scott, the Malia and Stiles break up, and Theo’s fight with Scott by himself in the library.

I love this show. That’s all.

[writingwhimsey]

Whimsey's Naughty or Nice Event

This is the last part of a three part ask from @tooold4thisish. Featuring ikevamp Leonardo (ay papi!). I hope you all enjoy!

Prompt: Working Christmas- Naughty

Suitor: ikevamp Leonardo

Warnings: NSFW 18+ content, fingering, PIV

Lonely for Christmas

It was Christmas Day and as usual, Comte was hosting a party for all of us in the mansion. Sebastian and I had spent the day cooking and baking for the event. After we had finished, Comte was telling me to head up to my room to get ready.

Comte had purchased a new dress for me for the occasion. It was a beautiful crimson dress of satin and lace. When I came down to join the party, Comte smiled at me. “Ah, you’re a vision, ma cherie. I knew that dress would suit you the moment I saw it.”

I smiled. “Thank you, Comte. You really didn’t have to.” I told him. He always wanted to dress me up. I appreciated it, but of course, I wanted to hear a compliment from my beloved. “Where’s Leonardo?” I asked after looking around a moment.

“Still in his room working on that clock, I believe.” Comte answered. “It’s such a shame that he’s missing seeing you like this and on Christmas of all days.”

“He promised the shopowner in town he’d have it finished.” I replied, knowing how Leonardo was. He could easily got lost in tinkering and toying with things. But he also genuinely wanted to help others and the people in town really depended on him.

“Still, I think the people in town would understand. It’s Christmas after all.” Le Comte replied.

“Nor would they want him to neglect spending any time with his lover.” Arthur said, coming up beside me and putting an arm around my shoulders. “It’s a shame to leave a lovely bird such as yourself alone on Christmas.”

I rolled my eyes and shoved Arthur away. “How much have you had to drink?”

“Not much at all.” Arthur replied.

“He’s already drank half the eggnog.” Theo said, coming up to Arthur and dragging him off. “Come on you pervert. Leave her alone.”

The party continued on with no signs of Leonardo coming out of his room. I decided to slip away with a glass of wine and a plate of food for him. There was no sense in him completely missing out. I made my way to his room.

I knocked on the door before opening it and stepping inside. I found him sitting on one of the few clear spaces of floor, bent over the clock with tools and pieces of it spread out around him. “You’re still working on that clock, I see.”

Leonardo looked up at me, a smile coming to his lips. His golden eyes went wide for a moment as he looked at me. “Comte did good when he picked out that dress for you, Cara.”

I felt my cheeks flushing at his praise. “It is a lovely dress.” I replied. “And the food Sebastian and I made is pretty good. I didn’t want you to miss out on all of the fun…besides, you should take a break. You’ve been working on that clock non-stop for days now.”

“Alright.” Leonardo agreed, setting the clock and tools aside. “I guess I could use a little break.”

I made my way over to him and started to sit down beside him, when he pulled me into his lap. “Wha…”

Leonardo smiled at me as he lifted a hand to caress my cheek, golden eyes looking into mine. “Have I been neglecting you, cara mia?”

“I wouldn’t say that.” I replied. 

“You’ve been feeling a little lonely for me, though.”

“Maybe…a little…”

Leonardo smiled. “Well, that’s something I’ll have to fix. Can’t have my cara feeling lonely for long.” He took the food and wine from me, setting them aside before pulling me in for a deep kiss.

The taste of the sweet cigarillos he smoked lingered on his tongue as it hungrily slipped past my lips to tangle with my own. I found myself moaning into the kiss as I wrapped my arms around him and pressed myself closer.

Leonardo’s hands were moving over my curves, and I could feel the heat of his hands even through my dress. He broke the kiss only to trail his lips along the side of my neck, sending shivers down my spine. “Mmm…Leonardo…”

“Mmm…Cara mia…” He kissed his way down my neck and over my collarbone. His hand slowly moved up under the hem of my dress, gently caressing my thighs before moving higher.

I let out a moan when his fingers reached my heat. I felt his lips quirk into a grin against my neck. “Mmm…someone didn’t wear anything under her dress. Were you planning for this, cara mia?” He then punctuated his sentence with a stroke of his fingers against that pleasure pearl.

“Ah…ngh..m-maybe…” I answered.

Leonardo pulled back to look at me, his fingers still working their magic between my legs. “Such a naughty girl.” He said, grinning at me.

“Y-yes…and you…like me…this way…”

Leonardo smiled at me. “No, cara. I don’t like you…I love you.”

The next thing I knew, we were on his bed, his dexterous fingers, deftly undoing the thousand tiny buttons at the back of my dress. His hands were roaming over my body in appreciation as his lips captured mine. I ran my own hands over him, taking in every line and curve, appreciating every piece of him. It really had been too long.

Leonardo trailed kisses over my neck and chest, his fingers once again finding their way between my legs, stroking me and working me up. I could feel my body growing hotter and my heat growing wetter with each stroke from his skilled fingers.

“Ah…ngh…Leon-ardo…”

“Mmm…you ready for me now, cara mia?”

“I…I’m always….ready…”

Leonardo grinned at me as he pulled his hand away from between my legs and licked his fingers clean, the sight making me heat up further. The next thing I knew he was flipping me over, lifting my hips up and sliding inside.

I let out a moan as he filled me. “Ngh…Leonardo…”

“That’s right, cara…” He told me as he reached for me and pulled my back against his front. He kissed along my neck and nibbled at my lobe. His hands grabbed my breasts, fingers toying with my nipples as he began to move. “Let me…make you feel good, huh…let me take care of you…”

“Ah…I…” I could no longer form coherent thoughts or sentences as Leonardo made love to me.

He continued to thrust and one hand moved down to toy with that pleasure pearl between my thighs. It was all too much and soon, I was toppling over the cliff and falling into the waves of pure ecstasy. My walls clamped hard around him, pulling him into his own release and causing him to cry out my name.

As we slowly came down, Leonard gently kissed me on the cheek. “Hope you know, cara, that I’m just getting started. I left you lonely too long. Got a lotta time to make up for.”

Taglist: @zulablaise @tele86 @kisara-16 @otomewonderland

@lovely-bubb1es @lucyw260 @queengiuliettafirstlady

[thelonelyshore-if]

Hi, hello! You've hinted that you'd like to read about people's MCs, so I decided to stuff my terrible shyness into a shoebox for a moment to ramble. Hope it's not too long aaa

My MC Theo (it took me an awkward amount of time to realize I accidentally made him your namesake lol) is a tall, handsome firefighter, because it's not an option you see that often, I feel like, so I had to go for it. And just because I can, I also have him wear these thick, black glasses, as he's a far-sighted, blind bat. Now I realize they were probably swept away by the lake, so the poor guy's vision is twice as fucked due to the fog. Overall, I imagine him to be this super chill dude everyone generally likes because even if he gets beaten down to his knees he still chooses kindness and respect.

He adores his sister Wills and he was totally the "okay, fine, just don't tell mom and dad" kind of brother. Their childhood was full of good-natured teasing (he swears Willow just makes it so easy). Nowadays he finds he's more worried for her but tells himself that she's an adult now and that if things really went south she'd reach out. (In the light of recent events, he no longer thinks that.) He needs to find his sister asap and give her the longest hug ever, both for her and his sake.

Upon waking up in Easthaven, he chose to stay at Ravi's, though he's not so sure about his decision anymore. Sometimes that man gives him the creeps for reasons he can't yet understand. Unnerves him, but not entirely in a bad way. You know, the "A chill just ran down my spine, but I kinda liked it??" He thinks Ravi has pretty hands.

He used to be kind of a nerd in school lol he was ridiculously good at math and chemistry and all that, and for this reason he's very set on finding logic behind everything, no matter how absurd it may be (or so he thought). Which is whyyy at first he thought nothing of this whole "inescapable" Easthaven shebang. Very much "People here are just quirky like that, there's nothing wrong with that."

However, his stance on this takes a radical turn after he (and Jay and Ravi who he dragged along because he wanted company) nearly gets killed in a cursed, endless forest (??). He was keeping his marbles together quite admirably up until that point, but after that experience his thoughts started a war in his head. One side is adamant that there simply must be an explanation to all of this, while the other is slowly but surely turning against him, going "But what if? What if there's more to this?" which then makes him go eerily quiet. He's starting to have doubts, and that terrifies him more than he's ready to admit. At the moment, he's not necessarily angry with anyone, just very "don't touch me or talk to me for a while please and thank you," probably because he's still trying to piece together what the hell just happened. (Also, that new chapter sneak peek was great! "Oh, that gas station that literally teleported from across the town? Sure, let's go in. We might even get to buy a slice of Invisible Pie.")

He very well might choose to stay at Jay's for a change if given the chance, mainly because right now, even despite everything, she appears to be the sanest out of the trio. Plus, he finds he's drawn to people who are especially caring and would do anything to help others, since he feels the same way. It's the reason he chose to save people for a living.

Can I just say the Jay/Ravi/MC poly is going to be a blast? Yeah, I love my girlfriend--she saved my life, she's so selfless and drop-dead gorgeous; and I love my boyfriend. He… genuinely scares me sometimes, but it's also kinda hot, so.

And lastly, while MC's magic powers have not been really brought up in the story so far, I imagine that once they start manifesting, my MC is going to be absolutely terrified. "I don't want this. Why is this happening to me? How do I make it stop?" I can see him fighting and resisting it every step of the way, at least at the beginning, but then something just snaps and it takes over. Currently I'm thinking The Fog has called dibs on him first, but I might go for something else in the future. Whatever happens, it'll probably be perfectly fiiine =)

Thank you for taking the time to read all this yapping! Take care!

thank you for sharing omg it isn't too long i love this ask.

Theo sounds delightful!! I love love love MCs with a close relationship with Willow, and his sounds so sweet. I have a soft spot for firefighter MCs too tbh (I will allow myself this one bias) I think they're fun. And oh noooo not the glasses 😭 His poor eyes.

One of my favorite things is seeing what the breaking point for skeptic characters is. Like...at what point is it just too much to keep refusing the supernatural?? And the forest is definitely a good one lmao. (also losing it at invisible pie thank you for the laugh)

Eating up all of the details about him and Jay and Ravi, and your thoughts on the future magic development!! The idea of 'here's my beautiful wonderful girlfriend. here's my boyfriend who legitimately scares me' is delightful ty for sharing it.