#they were on the floor of my sisters room

[redflagshipwriter]

Snatching Snitches pt 3: Danny

Masterpost

Danny threw his bag on the sofa and kicked the front door shut without looking. His bag went too far and flipped over the side of the couch. It landed on the floor with a loud thump.

He groaned. “Come onnnnnn.” Danny trudged across the room to fix it and then yelped as a barrel appeared from the ceiling, humming with murderous power. It was aimed right at him. He hit the ground in a roll and dodged the laser blast. The scorched carpet immediately stank.

The next hit seared a hole through his sleeve, missing his arm by a hair’s breadth.

“Ah!” Danny screamed and flung himself behind the kitchen counter to find cover. There was no way a Fenton laser was getting through the marble countertop, right? He scrambled to pull the trashcan out to clear up a place to cower.

The basement door opened with a bang. 300lbs of screaming warrior flew up the stairs, bristling with guns and a grin. “Behold, the might of science!”

“Hi, Dad,” Danny said, contorting himself to fit in the nook where the trash bag was meant to be.

“Hey, Danno!” Dad rapidly changed positions, pointing his ghost guns in different directions to try to catch out the intruder he was looking for. “New sensor went off! Didja see something?” He was excited like a little kid.

Danny poked three fingers through the smoking hole in his shirt and wiggled them. “I saw the new laser,” he said dryly.

Dad’s face fell. “Oh, did you trigger it?” He sadly trudged over to disable the laser, which was furiously vibrating in place as it tried and failed to locate his ecto signature through the signal dampening over granite.

Danny felt his face twitch. “Yep.”

‘Thank gosh my parents can’t figure out how to get a good lock with anything but the boomerang. I would be toast if that thing got me.’

“Well, uh, thanks for testing that.”

Dad’s weapons somehow disappeared, which was great for Danny’s passive level of anxiety. He crawled back out into the kitchen itself and then shoved the trash can back into place. Footsteps thumped down the stairs and Jazz swung into view, already frowning.

“Dad, you didn’t install something new up here without telling us, did you?” She crossed her arms. “Don’t you think that’s hazardous?”

“Nonsense!” Jazz yelped and unsuccessfully dodged as Dad ruffled her hair. “It’s only harmful to spooks. Stay safe!” He trotted back down the stairs to the lab. The door slammed with finality.

Jazz looked at Danny. Danny looked at Jazz. He shrugged.

Her face fell. “I wish he wouldn’t do that,” she sighed. Then she pulled her hair band off with a grimace to begin untangling her hair. Strands stuck out and were wrapped around the accessory, so she only lifted it a few inches from her head before it jerked to a stop.

Danny huffed out a breath and then patted the kitchen counter. “Come here, where there’s cover,” he offered. “I’ll get that out for you.”

“Thanks.” Jazz came over and leaned down enough that he could disentangle her hair band. He did his best not to snap any of her hair strands. But he didn’t want to be too nice, so when he was done he yanked the hairband down to cover her eyes and then threw himself back with a giggle. Jazz shrieked and flung her arms out to smack him. She missed and flailed, fuming. “Ugh, Danny,” she complained. “You’re such a twerp!”

“Loserrrr,” Danny jeered.

Jazz pulled the hair band off and gave him the stink eye. “Turn on the TV. I wanna hang out.”

Wait, what? Danny squinted at her, caught off guard by the sudden change of direction. His sister gave him a smile that looked somewhere between sinister and mild. “No,” he said, not sure what was going on but sure that it wouldn’t be good for him.

Jazz huffed and put a hand on her hip. “If I’m right, you’re going to want to see it.” She sailed past him to grab a carton of juice from the fridge and then went upstairs.

He couldn’t help it. He followed her, caught in her gravity. Danny even knew he was springing her vile sister trap, but what else could he do?

It had been an error.

“Oh no,” Danny said, choked up. He put a hand over his mouth and watched in horror as iconic television host and book club archbishop Poprah leaned over her desk to shake the hand of a tiny little guy in a prim suit. He felt, not saw, Jazz curl her lips up like the Grinch.

“Thank you for having me,” Damian said. He used his hands to get onto the adult-sized chair and then folded them on his lap.

“It’s my pleasure,” Poprah beamed, her teeth very white. She looked as perfect and polished as Damian did. “It’s not every day that a Wayne goes on the record! I feel like I should treasure the opportunity, maybe ask some sneaky questions.”

Damian regarded her impassively. “Perhaps,” he said. “However, I cannot be led astray by your journalistic wiles, ma’am. I am here with a singular purpose.”

The crowd loved that. Poprah paused to let them react with laughs, blinking and smiling as she eagerly waited for the hubbub to die down. “Okay, okay,” she said, waving her hands around to gain the attention back. “No journalistic wiles. You’re too clever for that, I gotcha.”

Damian nodded briskly. “I appreciate your restraint.” That set the crowd off again.

‘I can’t tell if he knows what he’s doing.’

Danny stared bleakly at the tv, where his little boy was sitting with his feet dangling in the air. Surely that had to have been purposeful. The multimillionaire Poprah could have found a smaller chair if Damian had wanted to minimize….

‘Maybe he thinks that sitting in an adult sized chair makes him look more like an adult.’

Danny unsuccessfully hid his mouth further behind his hands, using both of them now. He couldn’t look away. It was a train wreck. He was grieving. He wanted to laugh.

“Well, Poprah,” Damian said in response to something the woman had said. “I am searching for my kitty cat. Might I use your projector?”

The crowd collectively said awwww. Damian must have been fuming, though he hid it well.

“I think I’ve heard something about this,” Poprah said gravely. “Go ahead.” She waved a hand and a ten foot projection of Danny as a scrungly cat appeared on the wall of the set.

The crowd did not say awww.

“Hey,” Danny muttered.

“Kinda cute,” Jazz said idly.

He perked up, and then realized that she had done this on purpose. He looked over and made eye contact. She knew. Jazz smiled again. He knew that she knew, and she knew that he knew she knew.

“How!” Danny leapt to his feet and flung an accusatory finger at his sister.

She regarded him calmly. This was her victory, he saw that now. “Danny, there is only one person in the world who would publicly tell Tucker that he had worms. I knew that you were with the Waynes, safe, and someone had taken you to get a checkup thorough enough to discover worms. It was the Nasty burger, wasn’t it?”

He stared at her, wounded by being perceived so clearly.

“You shouldn’t eat raw fish from anyplace with a black mark and DNI order from the food safety organization,” Jazz chided, not for the first time. “Anyway, no one takes teenage boys to get checked for worms unless they have a lot of self awareness.” She crossed her arms victoriously. “But they take a new cat to the vet!”

“What’s wrong with you,” Danny said, awed. “Your dark genius is terrible to behold.”

She brushed it off. “It was simple reasoning, Danny,” Jazz said, towering in her modesty. She was so scary. He leaned away. Then towards her, torn. “And of course it was obvious when poor little Damian Wayne started looking for his lost kitty cat.”

Oh. This was the knife. Danny leaned away, helpless to avoid the blow.

“It’s so sad,” Jazz said plainly. There was no need for dramatics. It was sad.

Danny considered the virtues of going ghostly enough to sink through the floor in abject shame. “…yeah.”

[just1cefor4ll]

A rare kind of love

Kang Dae-ho x fem!reader

warning. I don’t really know the reason of Dae-ho’s debt so I made something up other then that no warnings

genre. hurt comfort

Shadows stretched across the floor, where the sleeping figures of players shifted in their deep slumber, the tension in the room never ceasing, not even in their sleep. But being next to Dae-ho, keeping watch for the night as everyone else slept was something that brought you a bit of comfort even in these tough circumstances. Dae-ho sat a few feet away, his elbows on his knees, eyes quietly sweeping over the restless forms. You watched him for a moment, his calm and steady presence oddly warm in a place like this. It was strange how much trust you’d built with someone you barely knew—someone you’d met under conditions that could kill you both.

“You know,” you said finally, breaking the silence, “I used to stay up late like this back at home. Not for anything important—mostly just lying in bed, stressing over things I couldn’t fix.” You laughed softly, shaking your head. “Guess that habit didn’t really help me in the long run.”

“I could say the same thing about myself. The marines made me develop insomnia so I never really slept after i got back— but I guess I’ve gotten a bit better with the help of my sisters” He replied, giving you a soft smile which you returned with a hint of curiosity in your eyes. “You have sisters? How many?” “Four. All of them are older and I’m thankful to them for being who I am now.. though I can’t say everyone in my family is proud of how I turned out.” It was like his mask had faltered for a split second, his shoulders slumping and eyes looking like a disappointed child.

You didn’t push further, staying in comfortable silence, only the soft snores os players and shuffling of those who were having nightmares in their beds.

“Sorry uh—“ “[Name] [Last Name]” You cut him off with a smile but make a shh gesture with your pointer finger. “Don’t let the others know my name, only you and Jun-hee are the ones I trust to the fullest with this information.” You wink playfully before letting him go on— his face starstruck as you looked at him with a face no one has ever looked at him with. “Right, [Name]. How’d you end up in here? I mean you seem pretty smart to me so proper education is something you have no doubt.. so?”

You hesitated, wondering if you should even say it. But what was the point of holding back now? It wasn’t like secrets mattered in a place like this. “Debt.. a lot of it. Just like everyone here I made bad choices, bad timing… one thing snowballed into another. And then—” You paused, gesturing vaguely to the room around you. “Well, here I am.” You smile sheepishly, but your once beaming energy did die down a bit. “I was a psychologist.. It payed very well but with my poor choices and actions I lost my job and I fell into the arms of gambling where I lost it all.”

He didn’t interrupt, letting you keep talking.

You let out a short, humorless laugh. “I figured I’d win back just enough to cover everything. I thought, ‘What’s the harm in trying?’” You shook your head. “Turns out, the harm is a mountain of debt and a bunch of very angry people coming after you. Then my mom got sick, and the hospital bills started piling up. Insurance only covered so much, you know? So, I started taking out loans to keep up.” You leaned back against the rail, staring at the ceiling as the memories came rushing back

He didn’t say anything right away, just nodded slowly, his expression was sympathetic and no hint of judgment was evident either which you appreciated.

“I was out of options,” you continued, your voice softer now. “So when this… game showed up, I thought, ‘Why not? I’ve got nothing left to lose.’”

For a moment, the two of you sat in silence. Then, Dae-ho spoke, his voice calm but edged with something you couldn’t quite place. “It’s easy to fall into, isn’t it? Debt. Mistakes. Feels like one bad move and your whole life spirals out of control.” “Yeah,” you said, glancing over at him. “Something like that. What about you? How’d you end up in the marines is my first question.. I mean why’d your sisters let their precious brother get into the hands of such a traumatic thing? Respect to you though! I wouldn’t be able to handle it any better than you so I’m very proud of you for serving the country, soldier.” You teased, looking at him with a big smile.

He hesitated, his eyes dropping to the railing, though a slight chuckle did manage to escape his lips from your silly nickname. For a moment, you thought he might brush off the question, but then he let out a soft sigh. “My dad,” he started, his voice quiet. “He wanted a ‘real man’ for a son. Someone strong, someone tough. But I wasn’t what he wanted.” You frowned. “What do you mean?” “Like I’ve mentioned before, I grew up with four older sisters,” he said, a faint, almost wistful smile tugging at his lips. “They were the ones who raised me, really. Taught me how to cook, how to listen, how to be patient. I guess I turned out too… soft for my dad’s taste. He’d look at me and see failure. Said I’d never make it in the real world unless I ‘toughened up.’”

You could hear the bitterness in his voice, even though he tried to hide it.

“So he sent me to the Marines,” Dae-ho continued, his gaze distant. “Said they’d make a man out of me. And I guess they did. But they also…” He trailed off, shaking his head. “They took the parts of me that my sisters had built. Replaced them with someone who could fight. Someone who could kill. And when I got out, I didn’t even know who I was anymore. The marines take your spark.. or at least dim it with all they got.”

“What happened after that?” you asked gently.

He hesitated again, his fingers curling loosely around the railing. “When I got back my sisters were more than happy to see me but they knew I was different. It was a bit awkward at first but they got through to me and got me to go to therapy for a while but bills started piling up. I tried working—construction, private security—but the flashbacks made it impossible to hold a job."

He looked down at his hands, as if trying to remember a time they weren’t shaking. "I kept borrowing money to keep my head above water, but no matter how much I tried, it was never enough. My dad called me weak for struggling. Sisters tried to help, but I couldn’t let them. Too much pride, too much of him in me, I guess."

“I came here,” he said finally, “because it felt like the only thing left. At least here, I could do something. I could try and make my father proud.” For a long moment, neither of you spoke. Then you reached out, placing a hand on his arm. “You didn’t deserve any of that,” you said quietly. He looked at you, surprised, and for a moment, the guarded expression fell away. “Maybe not,” he said softly. “But it’s done now. All I can do is try to keep moving forward, survive this place and get my life together.”

You nodded, your grip on his arm tightening slightly. “We’ll figure it out. Together.” You said and squeezed his hand, laying your head on his shoulder. “We’ll get out and open up a small shop.. we can sell whatever we can think of and buy a small house on Hyepjae beach. I’ve always wanted to visit Jeju, haven’t you?” You rambled, completely forgetting the fact how you were just mere strangers a few days ago. He nodded, putting a over your shoulders, holding you close. “I’d love that.. more then anything.”

You looked up at him, and his heart nearly stopped in the process. “For the record, I don’t think you’re weak at all. You’re one of the strongest people here, and considering what you’ve been through in your past, the fact that you’re still such a kind-hearted soul is rare in a place like this. You’re one of a kind, Kang Dae-ho.” You spoke softly, pressing a gentle kiss to his forehead before standing up to switch places with Jung-bae and Gi-hun, who were just waking up so you could get some rest.

He could only stare, his cheeks flushed as a quiet chuckle escaped him. Heading toward his own bed, which was a bit farther from yours, he suddenly paused. Kneeling down beside you, he gently brushed your hair behind your ear. “You’re one of a kind too, [Name] [Last Name],” he murmured, his voice soft but full of meaning, your name rolling naturally off his tongue. Leaning in, he pressed a soft kiss to your cheek. “Sleep well.”

As your eyes fluttered closed, a faint smile curved your lips. “Good night, Dae-ho.”

He lingered for just a moment longer, his gaze lingering on your peaceful expression, before whispering to himself, “How could someone like you exist?” Then, with one last glance, he quietly made his way to bed, his heart still racing.

© just1cefor4ll— I don’t consent to my writing being reposted to other platforms or fed into AI. Translating it is also strictly prohibited. 🚫

[nickeverdeen]

Home | Platonic!Vi x teen!fem!reader x sister!Caitlyn

Pairings: Vi x reader (platonic), Vi x Caitlyn (romantic), Caitlyn x reader (sisters)

Type of fic: Fluff, Comedy

Warnings: None

Ps: Reader is mute

Summary: Domestic life with Vi and Caitlyn is something everyone enjoys

————————

The sound of laughter echoed through the spacious sitting room, a stark contrast to the soft music wafting from Caitlyn’s study. She had retreated there an hour ago with a mug of tea and a stack of reports, leaving you and Vi to your own devices.

What started as a quiet evening had quickly devolved into playful chaos.

“Alright, kid,” Vi said, grinning as she crouched slightly, hands raised in a mock fighting stance. “You think you can take me? Let’s see what you’ve got.”

You stood a few feet away, sizing her up with a smirk. Vi was intimidating, sure—she had the strength of a freight train and the confidence to match—but you knew her well enough to recognize that the playful sparkle in her eyes meant you were safe.

You feigned a charge, darting to the left at the last second. Vi followed your movement with surprising speed, catching you gently around the waist and lifting you off your feet.

“Gotcha!” she said triumphantly, spinning you around.

You kicked your legs in mock protest, your laughter silent but contagious. Vi set you down a moment later, her grin widening when you lunged at her again.

“Oh, you’re not giving up? Brave,” she teased, sidestepping your attack. “But you’re gonna have to be faster than that.”

You narrowed your eyes at her, the corners of your lips twitching as you tried to suppress a grin.

From the doorway, Caitlyn’s voice cut through the commotion. “Vi, if you break anything, or my sister, you’re sleeping on the couch.”

Vi straightened immediately, holding her hands up in mock surrender. “Relax, Cupcake. I’ve got it under control.”

Caitlyn stepped into the room, arms crossed but lips twitching with amusement. “I highly doubt that.”

“She’s fine!” Vi insisted, gesturing toward you. “Aren’t you?”

You nodded, your shoulders shaking with silent laughter.

Caitlyn sighed, shaking her head as she moved toward the couch. “I leave you two alone for five minutes…”

“More like fifty,” Vi said under her breath.

Caitlyn raised an eyebrow at her. “What was that?”

“Nothing,” Vi said quickly, turning back to you with a conspiratorial wink.

You rolled your eyes, motioning for her to focus. She tilted her head, pretending to be thoughtful. “What, you’re ready for another round?”

Before you could respond, Vi lunged forward, wrapping her arms around your waist and lifting you off your feet again. This time, though, she was careful to set you down immediately, releasing you with exaggerated caution.

“See?” she said, glancing at Caitlyn. “Careful as can be.”

Caitlyn, now seated on the couch with her tea in hand, gave her a skeptical look. “You’re impossible.”

“And you love me for it,” Vi shot back with a grin.

You couldn’t help but smile at their banter, the warmth in their dynamic something you’d grown to treasure. Caitlyn and Vi’s relationship had initially surprised you—they were so different in so many ways—but it worked. And more than that, it made the house feel more like home.

As Vi flopped onto the floor beside you, she nudged your shoulder lightly. “You’re not too bad, you know. Quick on your feet. Could make a great fighter someday.”

You gave her a skeptical look, raising an eyebrow.

“Okay, fine,” she said, laughing. “Maybe not great. But decent.”

From the couch, Caitlyn chimed in. “Don’t encourage her, Vi. I’d prefer she didn’t pick up your bad habits.”

“Bad habits?” Vi gasped, feigning offense. “Cupcake, I am a model citizen.”

You and Caitlyn both gave her identical looks of disbelief, and Vi cracked a grin.

“Alright, fine,” she said, leaning back against the couch. “But you’ve gotta admit, life would be boring without me.”

Caitlyn rolled her eyes, but there was a softness in her gaze as she looked at Vi.

You reached over and lightly shoved Vi’s arm, earning a playful shove in return. The three of you fell into an easy silence after that, the warmth of the room a stark contrast to the cold Piltover night outside.

For all its chaos and noise, this was home. And you wouldn’t trade it for anything.

[antinousletmehit]

୨୧┇more early palace for you guys

────୨ৎ──── ────୨ৎ──── ───

Y/N’s feet pounded against the stone floor of the palace halls as she ran, her chest tight and her vision blurred with tears. Antinous’s harsh words rang in her ears like thunder, each one cutting deeper than the last.

“I wish I wasn’t your brother! I regret even bringing you along with me!”

Her heart ached, and the lump in her throat grew unbearable as she burst into eurymachus’s room without knocking. He was lounging on his bed, sharpening a dagger lazily, but immediately sat up at the sight of her tear streaked face “Y/n?” Eurymachus asked, his usual smirk replaced with genuine concern. “What’s wrong? What happened?”

She didn’t answer right away, instead collapsing onto the floor beside his bed. Hugging her knees to her chest, she buried her face and sobbed. Eurymachus awkwardly set the dagger aside, unsure of what to do at first. “Hey, hey, calm down,” he said, sliding off the bed to crouch beside her. “Did someone hurt you? Was it one of the suitors? Because if it was, I’ll—”

“It was Antinous!” she cried, looking up at him with red, puffy eyes. “He said—he said he wishes he wasn’t my brother! And that he regrets taking me with him!” Eurymachus’s brows shot up in surprise, and for a moment, he was at a loss for words. He’d seen Antinous get angry before, but this? It wasn’t like him.

She sniffled, wiping her nose with the back of her hand. “I—I don’t want him to be my brother anymore. I wish you were my brother instead!”

Eurymachus blinked, then let out a dry laugh. “Me? Your brother? Gods, y/n, you’re setting the bar pretty low if you think I’d be better.”

“No, you wouldn’t say stuff like that,” she muttered, her voice cracking. “You wouldn’t… you wouldn’t make me feel like I don’t belong.”

Eurymachus sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Look, Antinous is an idiot. A big, loud, overly dramatic idiot. He probably said something stupid in the heat of the moment, and he’ll regret it later.”

“I don’t care!” She snapped, though her tears betrayed her. “I’m done with him! I’ll stay here with you, and he can go off and be king or whatever he wants without me!”

Eurymachus smirked faintly, though there was a softness in his gaze as he reached out to ruffle her hair. “As tempting as that sounds, I don’t think Antinous would survive without you around to drive him crazy. He’s probably already pacing the halls looking for you.”

She scowled, swatting his hand away. “I don’t want to see him!”

“Fine, fine,” Eurymachus said, holding up his hands in surrender. “You can stay here for as long as you want. But just so you know, I’m not exactly ‘big brother’ material. I’d make you carry all the heavy stuff, and I’d eat your share of food.”

She let out a watery laugh despite herself, and Eurymachus grinned. “See? Not so bad, huh? Now, stop crying. You’re making a mess on my floor.”

She sniffled again, wiping her tears away. “Thanks, Eurymachus. I mean it.”

He leaned back against the bed, folding his arms behind his head. “Yeah, yeah. Just don’t tell Antinous I’m the one who made you laugh, or he’ll start thinking I’m stealing his little sister.” She managed a small smile, the ache in her chest easing just a bit. For now, this was enough.

——

She sniffled one last time before climbing up onto Eurymachus’s bed and curling up beside him. Without asking for permission, she rested her head on his chest, her small frame trembling slightly from the remnants of her sobs. Eurymachus froze, his usual smirk replaced with a look of bewilderment. “Uh… what are you doing?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Getting comfortable,” she mumbled, her voice muffled against his tunic.

“Comfortable? On me?” he replied, his tone laced with disbelief. “Y/n, I’m not exactly a fluffy pillow.”

“Don’t care,” she murmured, clinging to him as though he were the only stable thing in her world at the moment.

Eurymachus sighed, staring up at the ceiling. “This is so weird,” he muttered under his breath. Still, the sight of her tear streaked face softened him just enough to lift a hand and hesitantly pat her back.

“There, there,” he said awkwardly, his fingers lightly drumming against her. “You’re fine. Antinous is just an idiot. He doesn’t mean half the stuff he says.”

She didn’t respond, just curled closer, her breathing starting to even out as she relaxed against him. Eurymachus shifted uncomfortably, clearly out of his depth. “You know,” he said after a moment, his voice a mix of sarcasm and begrudging warmth, “if anyone walks in and sees this, they’re going to think I’ve gone soft.”

She let out a small, tired laugh. “Let them think that. You’re nice when you’re not being a dick.”

Eurymachus scoffed. “Nice? Me? Don’t start spreading rumors, kid.” But as she nestled further into him, he sighed again and let his hand rest more firmly on her back, his fingers idly tracing small, absent-minded patterns. For all his complaints, he didn’t push her away.

“Just don’t make this a habit,” he grumbled, though his tone was softer now. “I’m not your personal teddy bear.”

She didn’t answer, her breathing now slow and steady as she began to drift off to sleep. Eurymachus looked down at her, shaking his head with a faint smile. “Antinous is going to kill me for this,” he muttered, but he didn’t make a move to push her off. Instead, he adjusted slightly to make her more comfortable, silently resigning himself to his fate.

——

Y/n had latched onto Eurymachus’s arm the moment she woke up, and no amount of coaxing, scolding, or death glares from Antinous could get her to let go. She clung to him like a barnacle to a ship, walking beside him with an unrelenting determination that even Eurymachus himself couldn’t shake off. “Y/n,” Eurymachus groaned as he tried to shrug her off for the umpteenth time. “What are you doing? I’ve got things to do—important things. You know, like… not babysitting.”

“Nope,” she said cheerfully, tightening her grip. “You’re stuck with me today. Antinous doesn’t want me around, so you’re my new favorite person.” Eurymachus sighed, looking over at Antinous, who stood across the hall with his arms crossed and a murderous expression on his face. His eyes bored into Eurymachus like daggers, silently promising retribution for every second she remained attached to him.

“Can you not look at me like that?” Eurymachus called over, half joking, though he was starting to sweat under the intensity of Antinous’s glare. “It’s not my fault your little sister thinks I’m better company than you.”

Antinous’s jaw clenched. “Y/n, get over here. Now,” he ordered, his tone dangerously low.

“No thanks!” She chirped, burying her face into Eurymachus’s arm. “I like it here. Eurymachus is way more fun than you.”

Eurymachus grimaced, caught in the middle of the sibling standoff. “Okay, let’s not make this my problem, yeah? I don’t want to die today.”

She ignored him, dragging him along as she walked toward the courtyard. “Come on, let’s go outside! You promised you’d teach me how to throw a knife, remember?”

“I never promised that,” Eurymachus muttered, but he let himself be pulled along, casting a nervous glance back at Antinous, who looked like he was about to explode. The day continued like this, with her sticking to Eurymachus like glue and refusing to leave his side no matter what. Whether he was eating, chatting with the other suitors, or even just lounging around, y/n was there, practically glued to his arm.

At one point, Eurymachus leaned down and whispered, “You’re really trying to get me killed, aren’t you?”

She grinned up at him. “If Antinous tries anything, just tell him it’s my fault. I’ll protect you.”

Eurymachus rolled his eyes. “Oh, great. I’m sure he’ll totally listen to that.”

By the end of the day, Antinous had had enough. He stormed over to where his sister and Eurymachus were sitting in the hall, looming over them with a thunderous expression. “Y/n,” he said through gritted teeth, “if you don’t stop clinging to him right now, I swear—”

“What?” She cut him off, crossing her arms defiantly. “You’ll what? Yell at me again? Tell me to go away? You don’t want me around anyway, so why do you care?”

Antinous’s eyes flickered to Eurymachus, who was trying his best to look anywhere but at him. “You’re my sister,” he growled. “Not his shadow.”

She stuck out her tongue. “Too bad. Eurymachus doesn’t yell at me like you do. Maybe you should try being nicer if you want me to hang around you instead.”

Eurymachus winced. “Please don’t drag me into this,” he muttered under his breath, but it was too late. Antinous’s glare shifted to him, sharper than ever.

“This isn’t over,” Antinous warned before storming off, his footsteps echoing down the hall.

She smirked triumphantly. “See? Told you I’d protect you.”

Eurymachus groaned, rubbing his temples. “You’re going to be the death of me, you know that?”

She just grinned, leaning back against him. “But I’m your favorite, right?”

“Not even close,” Eurymachus muttered, though the corner of his mouth twitched upward despite himself.

——

Y/n had been Eurymachus’s shadow for the entire week, much to Antinous’s growing frustration. No matter where Eurymachus went—whether he was lounging in the hall, sparring with the other suitors, or sneaking off to flirt with servant girls—she was always there, clinging to his arm or pestering him with endless chatter.

By the seventh day, Antinous had reached his limit. He watched from across the hall as y/n sat beside Eurymachus at the dining table, stealing bites from his plate and laughing at something he said. Eurymachus, who had long since resigned himself to her presence, simply rolled his eyes and muttered something under his breath.

Antinous stood abruptly, his chair scraping against the stone floor. The other suitors looked up in mild surprise, but Antinous ignored them. His focus was solely on his sister. Striding across the hall, he came to a stop in front of the pair. She looked up at him, grinning. “Oh, hi, big brother. Come to join us?”

“Not exactly,” Antinous said tightly. Without another word, he bent down, grabbed Pandora by the back of her tunic like a mother lion grabbing her cub, and hoisted her off the bench.

“Hey!” She squealed, flailing her arms and legs. “What are you doing? Put me down!”

Eurymachus stifled a laugh, leaning back in his chair as he watched the scene unfold. “Finally had enough, huh?” he said, smirking at Antinous.

Antinous shot him a glare. “You’ve entertained her long enough,” he growled. “She’s my problem now.”

She twisted in his grip, glaring up at him. “I’m not a kitten, Antinous! Let me go!”

“Not a chance,” Antinous replied, carrying her away as if she weighed nothing. Her protests echoed down the hall, but Antinous didn’t falter, his steps steady and determined. The other suitors burst into laughter as the two siblings disappeared around the corner, and Eurymachus shook his head, chuckling to himself. “That,” he said to no one in particular, “was a long time coming.”

Meanwhile, she continued to squirm in Antinous’s grasp. “This is so unfair!” she whined. “I was just hanging out with Eurymachus! Why do you care?”

Antinous didn’t answer until they reached his chambers. He finally set her down, his grip firm on her shoulders as he looked her in the eye. “You’re my sister, y/n,” he said, his tone exasperated. “Not his minion. And definitely not his shadow.”

She crossed her arms, pouting. “You’re just jealous because I like spending time with him more than you.”

Antinous groaned, rubbing a hand over his face. “You’re a nuisance,” he muttered. “Just… stay here for a while, alright? Give Eurymachus a break.”

She huffed but didn’t argue. Instead, she flopped onto a nearby chair, muttering under her breath about how unfair her brother was. Antinous, meanwhile, leaned against the doorframe, wondering how long this truce would last before she inevitably found her way back to Eurymachus.

——

Antinous slammed the door to his chambers behind him as she followed, her footsteps quick and defiant.

“You’re impossible!” Antinous snapped, turning to face her. “Do you have any idea how it looks, y/n? You clinging to Eurymachus like a lovesick puppy? People are starting to talk.”

She crossed her arms, her face red with anger. “So what if they are? Maybe you should have thought about that before saying you wished you weren’t my brother! Maybe then I wouldn’t need someone else to hang around!”

Antinous froze for a moment, guilt flashing briefly in his eyes before he quickly buried it under a scowl. “That’s not what I meant, and you know it.”

“Oh, really? Because it sure sounded like you meant it!” She shot back, her voice trembling with both anger and hurt.

Antinous pointed at her, his voice rising. “What I meant is that you need to start acting like a proper lady instead of running around making a fool of yourself! Eurymachus isn’t some toy you can play with, and people will start assuming the worst about you!”

Her eyes glistened, but she refused to let her tears fall. “You think this is my fault? Maybe if you weren’t so cold and distant, I wouldn’t have to spend time with him! Maybe if you actually acted like my brother, I wouldn’t feel so alone!”

Antinous took a step back, startled by the raw emotion in her voice. “Alone?” he repeated, his tone softer but still defensive. “You’re not alone. You have me.”

She scoffed bitterly, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. “Do I? Because all you ever do is push me away. You’d rather spend time scheming with Eurymachus or chasing after Penelope. And then you have the nerve to tell me not to hang around Eurymachus? You’re such a hypocrite, Antinous!”

Antinous clenched his fists, his jaw tightening. “Y/n, that’s not fair—”

“No, what’s not fair is you acting like this is all my fault!” She shouted, her voice breaking. “You were right, Antinous. You shouldn’t be my brother. Maybe then I’d have someone who actually cares about me!” Her words hit him like a blow to the chest. For a moment, the room was silent, the tension between them thick and heavy. Antinous’s face softened, but before he could say anything, she turned on her heel and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

Antinous stood there, his shoulders slumping as her words echoed in his mind. He ran a hand through his hair, sighing deeply. “What a mess,” he muttered to himself, feeling the weight of their argument settle heavily on his chest.

——

The palace was alive with the hum of celebration for Antinous’s birthday, but y/n wasn’t in the thick of it. Instead, she was sitting cross legged on the floor of a quiet corner of the garden with Eurymachus, who leaned lazily against a column, sipping wine. The breeze carried the faint sound of music, but her scowl was evident as she fiddled with a flower in her hands.

“You look like someone kicked your puppy,” Eurymachus said, arching an eyebrow.

“Shut up,” she snapped half heartedly, ripping a petal from the flower.

Eurymachus smirked. “Ah, birthday blues? Or is big brother Antinous being an ass again?”

At the mention of her brother, her frown deepened. She paused for a moment, hesitating, before blurting out, “He’s always an ass. I don’t even know why I bother with him.”

Eurymachus tilted his head, intrigued. “Oh? This sounds juicy. Go on.”

She let out a frustrated huff, her fingers tearing the flower to pieces. “He acts like I’m just… some annoying little kid. Like I don’t matter. And then he expects me to do whatever he says, like I’m his puppet or something.”

Eurymachus chuckled, swirling his wine. “Well, you are kind of annoying.”

She glared at him, but her shoulders slumped. “At least you don’t make me feel like I’m nothing,” she muttered.

Eurymachus blinked, caught off guard. “Whoa, where’s this coming from?”

She shrugged, avoiding his gaze. “I mean it. You… you actually talk to me like I’m a person. Like I’m not just some stupid kid getting in the way. Sometimes, I wish…” She hesitated, her voice dropping to a whisper. “Sometimes, I wish you were my brother instead of him.”

Unbeknownst to them, Antinous had been standing just behind a nearby pillar, having stumbled upon their conversation by accident. He’d been about to call out to his sister when her words froze him in place. The flower fell from her hands, and she hugged her knees to her chest. “You’re the brother I wish I had,” she admitted softly.

Antinous’s eyes widened as the words hit him like a punch to the gut. He stood there in stunned silence, his usually sharp mind blank. Slowly, his hands moved to his ears as if to block out the words, his lips pressing into a tight line. “y/n… I ain’t exactly…role model material” Eurymachus began, his tone unusually serious, but before he could continue, the sound of hurried footsteps made them both turn.

Antinous, unable to bear hearing more, had bolted from his hiding spot, his hands still covering his ears like a child avoiding a scolding. He didn’t look back, his mind a swirl of confusion and pain as he ran through the halls. Y/n and Eurymachus exchanged a bewildered glance, the latter raising an eyebrow. “What the hell was that about?”

She frowned, watching the retreating figure. For a moment, guilt flickered in her eyes, but she quickly masked it with a scowl. “Probably just an animal” Eurymachus shrugged, returning to his wine.

@simpformoonkight @xo-cuteplosion-xo

[sweetbunpura]

Upendi - The Fierce, Lioness Princess

Chapter 1

“I can tell you’re upset.”

Currently, Yuu and her sister-in-law stood in the lobby of the hotel as they waited for the delegates to arrive. There was an ever present frown etched on Yuu’s face and her arms were crossed over her chest. Thema, Farena’s wife and the Queen of Sunset Savanna, glanced at her from the corner of her eye. Her golden hair was framed beautifully as it was braided back to keep most of it out of her face. Her brown eyes stared warmly at the young woman.

“What gave that away?”

“I felt it coming off of you in waves this morning.” Her tail flicked. “Farena told me of the revised deal King Draconia made last night and how Kifaji tried to reprimand you about it.”

“The bird needs to watch his fucking mouth. I’m not someone you can steam roll over.”

“That implies that you think he does the same to the rest of us.”

“Not you, but he does that to Farena.” Yuu looked at her. “Is he always in his ear like that?”

Thema sighed. “Sadly yes. He has to as the king’s main councilman.”

“He must be fun at parties.”

“You do not know the half of it.” Her brown eyes shifted towards the entrance. “They’re here.”

“You handle them, I got my own guys coming.”

“Who-”

“Ah, Queen Thema.” One of the delegates approached her. “And Princess Yuu, what a wonderful surprise to see you.”

“Mm-hmm.” Yuu looked off as Thema redirected the delegates attention towards her instead.

One of them, which Yuu has coined as the “Sleazy Owl”, looked at her and raised an eyebrow.

“That is rarely a greeting, Princess, hopefully you would’ve understood that by now.”

Yuu harshly glared at him and opened her mouth just as another car pulled up. 

The door opened and Vil stepped out of it, still looking like the fairest Queen in all the land. 

“Potato.” He approached her, heels clicking against the floor as he did, and hugged her. “It’s nice to see you again.”

Yuu smiled as she heard the choked sounds of the delegates behind her. “Hey, Vil. How have you been?”

“Busy.” He took off his shades and moved a piece of his long hair behind his ear. “Movie deals left and right and commercial scripts to go over. I finally have some time to myself and I decided to attend Cloudcalling this year.”

“Well, I’m glad you manage some time aside for little ol me.” She teased.

Vil chuckled. “Please, Potato, after everything you’ve done, I’m more than glad to set some of my time aside for you.”

“S-She knows Schoenheit?” Someone choked out behind her.

“How have you and Leona been?” He placed a hand on his hip. “Surely he’s not causing you trouble, is he?”

“I tamed him years ago and he’s tamed now.” Her eyes glanced behind him. “And here’s special guest number two.”

Vil followed her line of sight as another car pulled up. The door opened and out stepped a familiar face hair down and out of braids.

“Jamil!”

Jamil shook his head and walked over to her as he hugged her in greeting. “Hello, Yuu. How have you been?”

“I’ve been good.” She moved back. “You’re looking good! I guess all that traveling has done wonders for you, right?”

He chuckled. “It has, yes.”

Another choked sound came from the delegates behind them. “She knows the Traveling Chef Viper?”

“W-who else does she know?”

Yuu, fighting down her smile, directed her attention back to Jamil. “I know you just got here and all.” She watched as the bellhops took Vil and Jamil’s bags to their room. “But I do have to tell you something.”

The pair of them made a face as they eyed her with confusion.

“Good news, it’s not for you, Vil. Bad news, it’s for you, Jamil.”

Jamil sighed and stared at her with half lidded charcoal gray eyes as he crossed his arms. “Is it who I think it is?”

“Yeah, but he was a very very VERY last minute edition.” Yuu bats her eyelashes. “And you didn’t respond to the messages afterwards.”

“Yuu-”

All heads moved towards the entrance of the hotel as another car, one more glamorous, pulled up. The door opened and Kalim stepped out, beaming his bright and sunny smile as he made his way over towards Yuu’s group.

“Yuu!” He hugged her. “It’s been so long!”

“It’s been a few years, Kalim.” Yuu chokes out as the man moves onto hugging Vil.

“Vil!”

“Hello, Kalim.”

Kalim paused as he turned to Jamil next, apprehension clear in his body and eyes. With a roll of his own, Jamil opened his arms and the man gladly wrapped him up in a hug.

“Hi, Jamil.”

“Hello, Kalim.”

Yuu watched them with a smile on her face before jerking her head towards the lobby elevators. “I’ll show you guys to your rooms, just give me a second.”

“Don’t keep us waiting, Potato.”

She waved them off as they walked away before turning to the shocked delegates and a surprised Thema with a smirk on her face.

“Y-You never told us that you were friends with Al-Asim!” One of the delegates yelled. “Do you know how many opportunities that could’ve opened up!?”

“Viper and Schoenheit as well! Just their name and presence alone would be astronomical for our kingdoms!” Another one chimed in.

“No.” Yuu crossed her arms. “I’m not using my friends' professions and positions as bargaining chips.”

“At least refer them to us in your stead!”

“I said-”

“You heard the princess.” Thema stepped in, glaring down all the delegates with fury in her eyes. “Continue badgering her about this again and consider your time in Sunset Savanna cut short. Do you understand?”

They nodded and Thema waved over a few guards. 

“Take them to their rooms, we’re done talking here.”

As they watched them depart, Thema sighed and turned to address Yuu.

“A warning would’ve been nice, you know.”

“Sorry, but thank you.”

She smiled and patted Yuu’s shoulder. “In all honesty, they were beginning to get on my nerves as well. They kept running their mouths and talking of ways to get Al-Asim to sign a few trade routes for their kingdoms.” She stuck out her tongue. “Frankly, it was making me sick.”

Yuu laughed. “Well, thanks nonetheless. I mean it, Thema. With how everything has been going, it feels like you’re the only one on me and Leona’s side.”

She gave a small smile. “All I can say for now is stay strong, Yuu. You and Leona have allies around, you just need to find them.” She straightened up. “Now, go off and have fun with your friends. Remember what we have tomorrow.”

“Yeah, yeah. Cloudcalling, I got it.” Yuu hugged her and went over to where the others were waiting. “Well, let’s go!”

“It’s nice to observe the games for once!” Kalim said as he settled into his seat next to Vil, Jamil, Malleus, Sebek, and Silver. “The Arena almost looks tiny from up here.”

“At least it’s nicer this time around.” Yuu sighed as she looked up towards the sky. “Not a rain cloud in sight.”

“I’m almost offended that I was not invited to participate.” Malleus smiles, fangs on display. 

“Wouldn’t have been allowed.” She answered. “Sebek and Silver probably could’ve come, but back then the rivalry was strong.”

“Hmph!” Sebek said as he crossed his arms. “This hardly would’ve been a challenge for us.”

“Was it a challenge for Father?” Silver asked.

“Nah, he was having fun with the whole thing.” Yuu stated with a smile. “Kept going on about how nice it was to just be included.”

“I’m still angry that you included Kalim in the games back in NRC.” Jamil leans forward to glare at a lounging Leona. “I have yet to receive a proper explanation about that.”

“Eh.” Leona waved him off with his tail. “You’ll continue not receiving a proper answer either. Now hush, the final match is starting.”

All attention turned towards the arena where two people entered the ring, a wildebeest beastman and an African wild dog beastwoman with vitiligo. Yuu narrowed her eyes as she watched the beastwoman nearly hobble up to her opponent. 

“Leona-”

“Yeah, I see it. She didn’t get hurt last round, so where did that come from?”

The match started and the wildebeest moved towards the african wild dog. She stumbled back but managed to avoid having her beads snatched. Unfortunately, she had fallen onto her back in the process and the beastman made another grab for the beads. The beastwoman instead wrapped her legs around his arm and used the momentum to fling her and him backwards onto the floor. The impact knocked the wind out of both of them and the woman rolled away with some difficulty.

“Cute move.” The man grunted as a smirk appeared on his face, “But.” He held up the beads in his hand. “You lose.”

The announcer called the match as the woman sighed and got to her feet. She limped out of the arena and to her teammates. The beastwoman placed her face into one of their shoulders, Yuu could see her body trembling from her place on the stands. The announcer called for the next pair to come up and in stepped a Leopard beastwoman and short Serval beastwoman. The match began and the Leopard went on the offensive, trying to sweep the Serval’s feet out from under her.

The woman jumped over with a smirk and did a flip backwards before landing back on her feet. The Serval proceeded to dance around the woman, no doubt angering her.

“Hold still!”

“Nah, not after that shit you pulled earlier.” She straightened up and rolled her shoulders. “But if you want me to fight ya, then...” The Serval slid under the leopard and tripped her up, snatching the beads in the process as well.

“Oh, that was my move.” Yuu blinked. “Or at least a modified version of it.”

“Probably a homage.” Leona said as the announcer called the match.

The Leopard left the arena in a huff, but the Serval lingered and looked up towards where Yuu and Leona sat. She bowed and moved off the ring to allow her next teammate to enter.

“Definitely homage” The others voiced as Yuu gave a soft smile.

Finally, in stepped a mongoose beastman and a hyena beastwoman. The woman had a few scars on her body, but she stood firm as she stared at her opponent. They exchanged a few words that ended in them snarling at one another. Leona, Sebek and Malleus frowned as their ears picked up on what was said.

“Is it normal for contestants to cheat?” Malleus asked as he crossed his arms.

“Not to that degree.” Leona answered. “There are some underhanded tactics but they play them off in the ring. This sounds like it happened out of the arena.”

“Despicable.” Sebek said.

“Mind sharing with the rest of the class?” Yuu voiced with a stare towards her husband.

The match began, but Leona’s attention shifted towards her.

“From the sounds of it, the other team attacked them. Left whoever Nova is with a hurt ankle.”

Yuu’s eyes shifted over towards the African wild dog beastwoman as she leaned on the Serval for support.

“I thought all the tactics were cut out. That hasn’t happened since our cloudcalling back in NRC.” 

“This is your first year as princess and my wife, Herbivore.” Leona’s tail rested on her arm and Yuu relaxed her muscles that she didn’t know were clenched. “They’re clearly seeing this as an opportunity to become your lion guards.”

Yuu crossed her arms and glared down at the arena just as the hyena had her beads taken.

“The match is over! We have a winner!” The announcer called.

“Leona.”

“Yeah?”

“Handle the cheaters. They will never be my lion guards.” She looked at the beastwomen as they hugged the hyena. “I’ve already chosen.”

The event ended and the royal family stood up to meet the winners. Yuu walked the others back to their awaited cars and turned to leave to find the beastwoman team when she heard a yell sound nearby.

“What do you mean we’re disqualified!?”

She poked her head around the corner to see Leona with his arms crossed and tail swaying around in aggravation as he glared at the team.

“You heard me.” He growled. 

“Now, my prince, let us not be so rash.” Kifaji spoke. “This is the winning team, so they’ve earned the right to be lion guard.”

“My wife’s orders come first and for all. She doesn’t want cheaters protecting her.”

“Cheaters?” Farena blinked. “But we saw nothing in the arena.”

“I’m talking outside of it. I’m assuming one of you tried to break someone from the other team’s ankle. She limped her way into the arena and she was fine the match before.”

Kifaji tried vouching for them. “Perhaps, she had gotten hurt between now and then.” 

His ears twitched. “Yeah, by them. I heard the confession, along with the King of Briar Valley and his guard.”

The other team jolted as Leona narrowed his eyes. Farena blinked before standing up straight.

“You’re hereby disqualified and are barred from being in any Cloudcalling from here on.”

With some hesitation, the team turned and left, leaving the royal family standing there.

“Did you hand pick them too, Kifaji?” Leona asked. “Train them to pull that shit?”

“Of course not!” Kifaji defended himself. “Why would I do such a thing as that?”

Thema hummed. “As I recall, you’ve done this in the past.” He gawked and turned to her. “Yuu told me. You had another team come and play against Leona’s back in the day and the nearly broke Schoenhiet’s ankle. So this doesn’t sound too far off from what people trained under you will do.”

“...We’ll talk when we return home, Kifaji.” Farena said as he crossed his arms and left.

Thema and Leona followed after him and Kifaji trailed behind them after a few moments. Yuu nodded her head with a smile and left for the makeshift locker room.

“‘M sorry.” Yuu could hear voices as she opened the door. “If that jackass hadn’t aimed at me, we would’ve won.”

“Nova, don’t beat yourself up.” 

She silently watched the women as they sat on the benches. The african wild dog had her feet pulled up to her chest as the Serval comforted her.

“B-but if that didn’t happen then Jackie wouldn’t have had to work that much harder to win.”

“Gee, thanks.” The hyena beastwoman rolled her eyes. “We’ll just try against next year-”

“Oh, there’s no next year.” Yuu made herself known as the woman shot to their feet to stand at attention.

“P-Princess Yuu!” The woman said in unison.

“At ease.” She smiled. “I’ve just come to inform you of your new positions.”

“....positions?” 

“Yes, as of today or tomorrow, you’ll be my lion guards.”

“....HUH!?”

Yuu smiled as the woman started to ask multiple questions as they tried to come down off of their shock. She is paving new paths even if she has to forcibly make them.

Tagging: @91062854ka @kimdourden

[winchestersisterimaginessss]

Request: Hey okay so I have a request. I absolutely love your writing it always puts me in my feels I can’t I’m so obsessed so thank you for all that you do OKKK can I get a story where she has some ptsd from a recent hunt from being captured by a monster or something and she’s back home in the bunker and safe now but Sam and Dean start play wrestling as like brothers usually do and she just hears a bunch of banging or noise and it sends her into a panic and once she realizes it’s just Sam and Dean messing around she can’t calm down because of her ptsd and no matter how hard she tries she just can’t relax and stop shaking and crying. I feel like many writers just blow over it so simply when in reality it would take so much to coax someone out of this mental state and I’ve read all of your stories and I believe you capture it the way I always thought it should be. Thank you sooooo much I’m so excited for you to write this if you can🤭

A/N: this was such a good request and so interesting to write for me. Thank you so much for your kind words. I agree and I always try to capture all of the emotions because I feel like that would be reality. I hope this is what you were looking for. If not, just send in another request. Requests are always open :)))

Sam and Dean Winchester x sister!Reader

You were sitting in your room in the bunker, curled up under a blanket, staring at your phone without really looking at it. Your thoughts were everywhere, scattered like leaves in a windstorm. It was hard to focus. It was hard to feel safe. You couldn’t feel safe. Not after what just happened to you. Anxiety gnawed at you, as it often did these days, an ever present companion that no amount of distraction could push away.

Then you heard it—a loud bang, followed by the sound of furniture being knocked over. Shouting. Chaos.

Your blood went cold.

You froze for a moment, unsure if you were imagining it. But the loud crash followed by what sounded like frantic voices... That wasn't normal. You were sure of it. Your heart started racing, your pulse pounding in your ears.

No. No, no, no.

Your breath hitched in your throat, and before you could even think, you shot up from your bed. The air around you felt thin, as though you couldn’t get enough of it. The walls felt too tight, the floor too unstable beneath your feet.

They’re back.

The demons.

The memories came rushing back, so fast and vivid that they nearly knocked you off your feet. The night you’d been taken—the screams, the cold metal of the chains, the overwhelming darkness that swallowed you whole. You could still feel the pain of their hands on you, the torment, the terror that ran through you every time they moved in for the kill.

But they hadn't finished.

They were back.

They were here again.

A wave of nausea rolled through you as your body responded before your mind could catch up. You bolted from your room, your feet stumbling down the hallway, the sound of your breath too loud in your ears. You needed to get to Sam and Dean. You needed to help them. You needed to protect them. You couldn’t let them take any of you again.

No. Please, not again.

You needed to help them.

You had to get to Sam and Dean. You had to protect them.

You wouldn’t—couldn’t—let them take them.

No. You couldn’t lose them. You couldn’t let them go through what you went through.

Your legs carried you down the hall, the panic rising in your chest with every step, your vision blurring as your breath came in ragged gasps. You didn’t even think to stop. You couldn’t. Your brothers needed you. You had to get to them.

You reached the library, the door already slightly ajar. The noise was louder now—shouting, the sounds of rough movements, and what sounded like playful grunts.

But when you pushed the door open, your world tilted on its axis.

Sam and Dean were in the middle of the room, tangled up in some ridiculous wrestling match. Sam had Dean in a headlock, both of them laughing. Dean was struggling, giving exaggerated groans as if he were about to tap out.

Your heart, which had been pounding in your chest just moments before, dropped. For a second, you couldn’t move. Your body couldn’t catch up to the reality of what was happening. That everything was okay. That everyone was safe.

The panic hit full force, stronger than ever.

The sounds of them fighting—the thuds, the shouts, the noise of their bodies crashing together—hit you like a physical blow. The terrifying images of the demons breaking in, of them taking you again, of the torment and the loss, rushed back to the forefront of your mind. Your heart pounded in your chest, your breathing sped up, and you could feel the world starting to slip away.

You stumbled back, your legs weak, hands trembling. You couldn’t breathe. You thought they were here, they were here to hurt them.

To hurt you again.

Your head spun. Your vision blurred. The room felt too small, the walls closing in around you. You tried to back up, but your legs couldn’t hold you. The walls seemed to grow closer with every second, the air thicker, more suffocating. Your body was trembling violently now, and you couldn’t make sense of anything.

“I—I thought—” Your voice cracked, and you felt yourself shaking harder. You tried to make your way toward the door, but your body was no longer cooperating. Your hands gripped the doorframe, your vision swimming with tears. The walls of your mind were crumbling, the panic suffocating you.

“Y/N?” Dean’s voice was suddenly in front of you, his tone sharp, urgent, a sound that didn’t match the chaos in your head. But you didn’t hear it the way it was meant. You couldn’t. All you could hear were the demons, the screams, the sharp clang of chains, the mocking laughter of monsters that had torn everything from you.

You gasped, choking on the words you couldn’t seem to form. “I—I heard the noise... the shouting... I thought—they—” You stuttered, your body trembling harder, your knees threatening to give way beneath you. “I thought you were... I thought you were—hurt!”

Tears blurred your vision, and your voice cracked with the weight of the terror inside you. “I thought they were here... again...” you whispered, the words barely coming out. “I thought they were coming for you. For us. I—I heard it. The noise. The shouting. I thought they were breaking in again, and I couldn’t—” You couldn’t control the shaking now, couldn’t get your body to stop trembling. You backed away from Dean and Sam, desperate to get away from whatever was coming.

Dean’s face went ashen, his eyes widening as he saw you. He immediately stepped forward, closing the space between you and him in an instant. He reached out, hands coming to your shoulders, gripping you with a strength that felt grounding.

“No, no, no, kid, it’s okay. You’re safe. We’re all safe. We’re all okay.” His voice was soft, soothing, but there was an edge to it now. You could hear the weight of it in his tone. He understood.

“I thought you were in trouble,” you stammered, barely able to breathe, reaching out to him to steady yourself. “I thought I needed to help. I thought they were—”

“Y/N, hey kid, listen to me. We’re okay.” He gently pulled you into his chest, one hand moving to the back of your head, the other gripping your trembling form against him. “I’ve got you. You’re okay. We’re okay. We’re not going anywhere.”

You gasped for air, your hands gripping his shirt like a lifeline, nails digging into the fabric as your whole body shook. The terror was still burning in your chest, and it felt like you were suffocating under the weight of it.

“I—I’m so s-sorry,” you stammered, your voice shaking uncontrollably. “I didn’t mean to—I didn’t mean to freak out, Dean... I just—I thought... I thought they were here. I thought—” You gasped for air, the words dying in your throat as the panic roared inside your head. “I thought they were coming to—take me again. To take you.”

Dean’s hand stroked the back of your head, his touch so gentle now that it felt like a lifeline in the storm. “Shh, it’s okay, kid. It’s okay, I know. You don’t have to apologize for this. You don’t have to apologize for being scared. We’ve got you.”

Sam stepped forward, his presence solid and calm. “You’re safe, bug. You’re safe.” He placed a hand gently on your back, and you felt the warmth of it seep through you, grounding you in a way you couldn’t manage to do yourself. “We were just being idiots, messing around. We’re fine. Everything’s okay.”

But the panic still hadn’t stopped. Your body was shaking so badly that you could feel it in your bones. You felt your breath hitch in your chest, and your whole body was still caught in that spiral of fear, the past crashing into the present.

Dean held you tighter, pressing his hand against your back, as though trying to keep the world from falling apart again. “You’re okay,” he murmured. “You’re safe. I swear, we’re not going anywhere.”

You buried your face into his chest, clinging to him like he was the only thing keeping you from floating away. His heart beat strong under your ear, steady and calm, and for a moment, you tried to sync your breathing with his. You tried to make it stop.

“I’m so sorry,” you whispered again, apologizing again, your voice breaking with emotion. “I didn’t mean to... freak out. I didn’t mean to...”

Dean’s voice was a low, soothing murmur as he ran his hand up and down your back. “You never have to apologize for that, Y/N/N. Never.” He pulled back just enough to look you in the eyes, his face soft, his expression full of something like understanding and regret. Tears were streaming down your face and he pulled you back into him. Your hands clinging to his shirt like he could disappear at any moment. “I know, kid. I know. We’re here. And we’re not going anywhere.” The weight of the fear was still clawing at your chest. You were unable to escape the feeling of terror, but the warmth of Dean’s embrace, his steady hands on your back, and Sam’s quiet presence were grounding you in a way that nothing else could. “You’re okay, Y/N. You’re safe here. You’re with us.”

Your body was still trembling under their touch. The sobs that wracked your chest weren’t stopping, no matter how much you tried to force yourself to breathe through them.

Dean didn’t let go. He held you tighter, his grip never faltering, his thumb tracing gentle circles on the back of your neck in an effort to comfort you. But he knew. He knew this wasn’t something you could easily snap out of. Not after everything. Not after what you’d been through.

The sobs that escaped you were louder now, messy and frantic, and you couldn’t stop them no matter how much you tried to pull yourself together. “I—I’m sorry,” you apologized for the third time, the words coming out in gasps. “I didn’t m-mean to... I didn’t mean to s-scare you. I j-just... I thought... I thought... they were back.”

Dean’s eyes flicked over to Sam, his face unreadable but his jaw tight, his worry clear. Sam’s hand was still resting on your back, but he looked up at Dean, the unspoken communication between them cutting through the chaos in the room. You couldn’t tear your eyes away from Dean’s face, his expression softening but filled with a rawness that made your heart ache.

“Y/N,” Dean whispered, his voice thick with emotion. His hands moved to the back of your head, his grip firm and reassuring as he gently pulled you closer to him, as if he could shield you from everything that haunted you. “You don’t have to apologize for this. You don’t have to apologize for being scared, okay? You’re safe. We’ve got you.”

But you couldn’t let go. You really couldn’t stop trembling, couldn’t make your body stop shaking. Your fingers were still gripping his shirt with an intensity that had you nearly pulling the fabric out of place, but you couldn’t loosen your hold. You were too scared. Too broken by the moment. What if they came back? What if it happened again?

“I’m so scared De,” you whimpered through your tears, trying to force the words out between sobs. “I am s-so scared... I thought... what if they come back... or... or... or what if they come for you now.” Your breath hitched with every word, and your voice broke, like each syllable was physically tearing you apart.

Dean’s face softened, his brow furrowing in concern. But he didn’t push you away. He didn’t tell you to calm down. Instead, he just held you tighter, his hands soothing as they ran up and down your back, trying to calm the storm inside of you.

“Shhh, I know you’re scared, I know,” he muttered, his voice low but firm. “They’re not coming back. You’re safe. It’s okay, kid. It’s okay. I’ve got you.” He placed a soft kiss on the top of your head, the gesture gentle and familiar, something that always seemed to bring you a little peace when the world felt like it was falling apart. But even that didn’t stop the tears. The panic had dug its claws into you so deep that you couldn’t break free.

You could feel Sam’s presence, feel the steady strength radiating off of him.

“Y/N,” Sam said softly, his voice like a balm against the chaos in your mind. “You’re okay. You’re safe here. We’re right here. You’re with us. You’re home.”

You closed your eyes, trying to pull yourself together. But every time you thought you could calm down, every time you thought your breath might steady, the fear would flood back. It wasn’t something that could be controlled so easily—not after everything that had happened.

Dean’s hands were still running through your hair, the motions so soothing you could feel yourself sinking into his touch. You couldn’t stop holding on to him, couldn’t stop clutching at the fabric of his shirt with all the strength you had left.

You could feel your body shaking against his, your breath hitching with every sob, and you gripped him even tighter. You felt like you were falling apart, like you couldn’t hold yourself together anymore. But Dean didn’t let you go, even as your own body fought against you.

“I’ve got you,” Dean repeated, his voice a steady murmur as you clung to him. “Breathe, kid. Just breathe. We’ve got you. You’re not going anywhere, Y/N. I won’t let it.”

You couldn’t respond. All you could do was grip him tighter, your fingers still twisted in his shirt, the fabric bunched up so tightly you were afraid you might tear it. But he didn’t say anything about it. He just held you, his chest rising and falling with every breath, trying to match your pace, trying to get you to slow down.

Slowly, piece by piece, you let go of the fear. But only because they were there, holding you together.

And for the first time in what felt like forever, you felt safe enough to let go—just a little.

Because they were right there, keeping you from falling apart.

[auraisereigh]

"Conflicted"

chapter eleven

Brennan Sorrengail x Riorson reader Blurb: After her agreement with Brennan, she seeks her brother out to sort her own feelings out wc: 7.3 ☆ SPOILERS FOR THE EMPYREAN SERIES. Talk about conflicted feelings. Grief. Uses pronouns: she/her. i use Star as a nickname as y/n sounds weird, and i'm awful with names.

Masterlist ☆ Dragon guide ☆ Star's story ☆ Empyrean guide ☆ Support me

I find my brother in the mess hall during dinner, he's sitting with Liam, I know Liam from his mother but I've never actually had a conversation with him.

I sit down next to Xaden once I reach their table, he doesn't seem that tense anymore, I suppose the healers gave him some soothing cream or painkillers.

I shift a little closer and lean my head on his shoulder and then it hits me, he's back. He seems to notice the shift in my emotions as his head turns to me, away from his plate. "You okay, little sister?" He asks as he raises a brow. I roll my eyes at the nickname. "Yes, I am, matter of factly okay. Best I've ever been in two months." I say sarcastic and he lets out a small huff of a laugh at my answer.

I look over to where Liam sits and he smiles bittersweet. He has a little sister, of course he would want to see her. My heart aches for him.

I sit back up straight and look at Xaden. "We need to talk." I say quietly. He looks my way and he raises his brow again on question. I give him a pleading look and he gives him.

"Give us a minute." Xaden tells Liam. Liam all but smiles. "Totally fine." He says, his voice understanding.

Xaden grabs my arm and pulls me up from my chair to my feet, letting go once we start walking. We don't speak, I don't even look at him. All I'm doing is going over what I wanna say to him once we're behind closed doors.

We walk up the stair case to the second floor and he opens the door to the family quarters for me, waiting for me to go first as he holds the door open.

I walk through and he follows closely, closing the door behind him. I stop at the couch, not sitting down but leaning against it.

The first time I saw my brother earlier it didn't last long as my anger took over but now I feel calmer, more relieved that he's here.

"How did the healers go?" I ask softly. I don't wanna remember what I saw on his back. The cuts, some healing, some not. "Good, they just cleaned them up again. Told me to come back again tomorrow for a check up." He shrugs. I shouldn't have expected anything else.

He steps closer, his much taller from towering over me. "Are you okay?" He asks with a raised brow. "You stormed out of the assembly room like you were going to light something on fire." I look away. How am I supposed to explain to my brother that the son of the woman who cut in his back is here, living, and that after I stormed out I yelled at him?

"I'm.... Confused- more like conflicted." Even my voice comes out confused. "Why?" It's a simple question yet I stay quiet, searching for the right words to explain it.

"What would you do... If you're friends with someone who you don't know at all, only to find out that he is not the person you thought he is but the person you know think he is isn't him either?" That has got to be the worst explanation the lord has ever heard. His brow stays raised. "You're talking about the Sorrengail." He states. Wait, he knows? "You're aware of it." I state back.

"Yes, they wanted me to know in case I would find out the way you did. Which is, what I'm assuming, your conflict?" He asks but it's clear in his eyes that he already knows the answer.

I stay quiet, not knowing what to say. His mother cut into Xaden's back, yet he seems to have less conflicted feelings than I do.

I take a deep breath. "Naolin died..." I start, my voice instantly starts wavering, emotions building up. His eyes soften. "I'm sorry, Star."

I ignore his apology, it's not his fault anyway. It's dad's. "Brennan was dying and Naolin gave his life for Brennan's. Naolin was smart, he wouldn't just do that for anyone..." I sniff a few times before continuing. "Which let me to trust Brennan. Until I found out who his mother was and ever since i... I can't look at him the same anymore. All I see is the son of the woman who did so much harm to us, to our people..." I feel a few tears fall down my cheek but I wipe them away. "I want to trust him, to know him and his connection to... Naolin. But everytime I try something happens like you coming back and she cut into your back and all the effort I put in to look over who his mother is just crumbles. Shatters in a thousand pieces that I can't put together anymore." I finish. And by the end of that I'm hugging myself in an attempt to comfort myself. I let out a deep breath.

After a moment of silence he speaks up. Unlike him, usually I just vent to him, he comforts me and that's that. Not advice. "And you're judging him because of his mother? Or because your gut tells you something is wrong with him?" He ask patient. He knows there's no point in rushing me.

"His mother." I admit in a whisper. It sounds awful, judging someone based on their parents and their actions even when a child cannot control what their parents do and it doesn't mean that you're your parents child that you're like them. He doesn't even need to say anything, I know where my mistakes lie but how to fix them...

It's like he can read my mind, not so abnormal for siblings to know each other but still. "Talk to him." He says encouraging. "Ask him what you need to know, what you need to start figuring things out when it comes to him." He keeps his voice slightly encouraging and reassuring.

Well Brennan had scheduled a... Date? Meeting? Whatever it is. It's now Wednesday, and he said he'd come pick me up at Friday night. So that means that Friday night I can try again to put the pieces back together when it comes to him.

I nod at him, showing him that I understand what he's saying and that I will take the advice.

☆

Later that night xaden and I sit on the couch of the family quarters, quiet, while we're eating. It's handy that the family quarters has its own kitchen, downside, almost all the food was expired. I still managed to find some things in the kitchen of the mess hall and one of the employees told me she'd bring some food up tomorrow so we could cook here. Not that that's the best idea, I'm pretty sure I would burn down the kitchen if I tried.

I look Xaden's way again, he hasn't said a word. He's just quietly eating his food. I know it's selfish but I need to know. I build up my courage and speak. "Did you still see dad? You know, after... he got captured." My voice is a quiet whisper.

He stops with what he's doing. He doesn't look at me, he just stares at his plate and it's clear he won't say anything. "M' sorry." I mumble. I stare at my plate, my mind hollow. The ache in my heart still hurts and it feels as if the wound in my heart still bleeds.

"I got to say goodbye." Xaden mumbles from the other side of the couch. "It wasn't much, not long but enough." His voice stays a mumble. Tears prick in my eyes and the ache in my heart hurts more. "What did he say?" I ask and my voice wavers over the question.

Xaden sits up straight and places his plate on the table. "Not much, that he loved us, that we had to take care of each other. The stuff you would expect." His voice takes a hint of coldness and I know I'm pushing. I know I shouldn't push him, it's selfish but I need to know. "He told me he has two letters in his office for us." I blink at that, I spend the first week back cleaning almost everything out, just to make sure I wouldn't miss anything for a possible future rebellion. I never found letters. Maybe I put them in one of the sorted boxes? Maybe he moved them and forgot it? He had been interrogated and... Tortured... Xaden probably saw him after that happened.

I can't help but reach out with my hands to his head, like a memory reader would. The red veins of magic appear on my hands. "Don't." He bites and I automatically retreat. "I know what you're gonna do. You don't want to see it." He says, his tone as sharp. I stay frozen in my spot, I'm used to Xaden not being the most emotional person but he was never this cold with me. I pushed too far too soon and the guilt seeps in, my heart starts hurting for another reason, that I had pushed my little brother to talk about things he wasn't ready for, after everything he'd been through and every burden he had to carry because I wasn't there for him. "I'm sorry." It's not enough but it's the only thing I can offer right now.

"I know why you wanna see it, you want to be sure but this is not something you need to see." His voice is a little softer but there is still an audible hint of cold. I can't blame him.

I get up from the couch, putting my plate on the table as well. I walk past Xaden, giving him a small goodnight kiss on his forehead and walk away but not in the direction of my room, but not that far away either.

☆

My hand trembles when I reach for the door handle and open it, the strong scent that I always associated with my dad still hangs in the air and emotions, just like the last few weeks, threaten to overwhelm me. I walk in the room and close the door behind me. Everything about this room reminds me of him, it's why I've avoided this room like the black death.

I don't bother to look for the letter, I'm too tired for that. Finding those letters will be something I'll do another day.

I make my way to his bed, he probably has the largest bed of all of us, the silk, beige sheets are neatly placed on the bed, pillows puffed up. His night stand holds normal things for a nightstand, unlike mine. A few candles, a book, a picture from when we were little. I know he keeps more pictures in the drawer.

I lay down on his bed and my body relaxes immediately. The scent of sandalwood, mint and vanilla hit hard. I pull at the sheets to cover myself. The warmth providing a protective barrier. His window is closed but the moonlight shines through. I stare at it until I fall asleep.

And dream of memories with my dad.

☆

Taglist: @honethatty12 @smashee0789 @awkardnerd @randomperson1234sblog@bangtanxberm@hyperactive-bookworm-0 @littowl @thebreadisthetruevillian

[sunny374940]

I missed you, little brother

'Tis here! Emmrich meets Rook's sister for the first time. This turned out sweeter than I intended, they're all such saps.

It's here on ao3, a snippet is below.

Rest of my stuff is here.

They were enjoying a quiet morning for once. Rook was trying to teach Ellie to crawl on the floor of the living room, choosing to lead by example. He was rushing around on his hands and knees, pretending to chase her and she was shrieking in delight, though not making much progress in the crawling department. Maybe the morning wasn’t so quiet, Emmrich amended in the privacy of his own head, but it certainly was enjoyable.

Though their enjoyment came to an abrupt end, as the front door opened with a bang, followed by a loud bellow.

“Sol Aldwir, where the fuck are you?”

Rook startled, staring wide eyed in the direction of the noise.

“Oh, fuck,” he whispered and Emmrich was rising from his armchair, magic crackling at his fingertips, but Rook was handing Ellie to him, making him sit back down.

“It’s fine, I’ll handle it, we’re not in danger.”

He looked up at the sound of footsteps stomping closer.

“Well, you’re not.”

This did nothing to assuage Emmrich’s growing concern. Rook seemed to know the intruder, but he seemed genuinely nervous. Who could-

Before he could finish the thought, a young woman was rounding on Rook and she was the spitting image of him, down to the bright blue eyes and dark curls, and she was poking his chest with an accusing finger. 

“How dare you not tell me you have a daughter? Did you forget how to write? I had to find out from Bellara!”

“Hi, Willow,” Rook said with a sideways glance to Emmrich, who stood again with Ellie in his arms, ready to intervene.

She seemed to notice Emmrich for the first time and her demeanor shifted to something more civil, if guarded.

“Sorry, you’d be Emmrich, right? I’d say I’ve heard a lot about you, but my idiot brother-” She gave Rook’s arm a light smack as she said it. “-is incapable of communicating with his family, so not really.”

So this was Rook’s sister. She was everything he’d expected from the stories Rook told him about her.

“Charmed,” he said carefully, shifting Ellie to his hip to extend a hand in greeting.

“No you ain’t,” she responded with a chuckle, but took his hand in a firm grip. “I just barged in here shouting, there’s not much to be charmed about.”

Babes, Rook's sister is here. @mercars-musings (ty, your seven sentence tag made me finish this), @lavender-tea-fling, @spinfins, @starfleetteddybear, @sorrowsfallallaround, @redheadsramblings

[andy-15-07]

love your stories! Will you do a fix with readerxpaul maybe with kids or with his brothers kids?

or

one where they cook dinner together?

Home Sweet Home

PAIRING:Paul Mescal x reader

WORD COUNT: 888 | requests are open (send requests, I will gladly answer them all)

Paul Mescal Masterlist

The aroma of garlic and onions sizzling in olive oil filled the air, a comforting scent that always signaled the start of a cozy evening in the Mescal household. Laughter echoed from the living room where Paul, his dark hair tousled and a mischievous glint in his eyes, was engaged in a tickle fight with their two children, six-year-old Finn and four-year-old Saoirse.

"Daddy! Stop!" Finn squealed, his giggles echoing through the house. Saoirse, with her father's infectious laugh and her mother's bright eyes, wriggled free and ran towards the kitchen, her little feet pounding on the wooden floor.

"Mommy! Daddy's being silly!" she exclaimed, her cheeks flushed with excitement.

You smiled, turning from the stove where you were stirring a pot of tomato sauce. "Is he now? Sounds like someone needs a time out."

"No, Mommy! We're playing!" Finn protested, appearing beside his sister, his face a picture of innocent mischief.

"Alright, alright," you chuckled, "But let Daddy help with dinner now, okay?"

Paul, ever the playful father, scooped Saoirse up in his arms and planted a kiss on her cheek. "Daddy's got to help Mommy make the best spaghetti bolognese in the world!"

Finn's eyes widened. "Better than last time?"

"Even better," Paul declared with a wink. He set Saoirse down and ruffled Finn's hair. "You two can be our official taste testers."

The children, thrilled with their important role, scrambled onto their stools at the kitchen island, their eyes fixed on the bubbling pot of sauce. Paul, ever the attentive husband, came up behind you, wrapping his arms around your waist and resting his chin on your shoulder.

"Smells delicious, love," he murmured, his voice a low rumble against your ear. "What can I do to help?"

You leaned into his embrace, savoring the warmth of his body against yours. "Can you chop the basil?" you asked, gesturing towards the fresh bunch on the counter.

"On it, chef," he said with a playful salute, grabbing a cutting board and knife.

As Paul expertly chopped the basil, you turned to face him, your hands finding their way to his chest. "Thank you for being such an amazing dad," you said softly, gazing into his eyes.

He smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "It's the easiest job in the world with these two," he said, nodding towards the children, who were now engrossed in a whispered conversation about the merits of different types of pasta.

"And thank you for being you," you added, standing on tiptoe to press a kiss to his lips.

He deepened the kiss, his hands sliding down to your hips, pulling you closer. "And thank you," he whispered against your lips, "for making this house a home."

The moment was broken by Finn's impatient voice. "Mommy, Daddy, is the sauce ready yet?"

You laughed, pulling away from Paul's embrace. "Almost, sweetheart. Just a few more minutes."

Paul, ever the showman, grabbed a wooden spoon and pretended to conduct an orchestra. "Patience, my young Padawans. The sauce needs time to reach its full potential."

Finn giggled, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "Daddy, you're so silly!"

As the sauce simmered, Paul entertained the children with stories of his own childhood, his Irish accent thickening with each tale. You listened with a smile, your heart swelling with love for this man and the beautiful family you had created together.

Finally, the sauce was ready. You served it over a bed of steaming spaghetti, topping each bowl with a generous sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. The children, their appetites whetted by the anticipation, dug in with gusto.

"This is the best spaghetti ever!" Finn declared, his mouth full.

"Even better than last time?" Paul asked with a grin.

Finn nodded enthusiastically. "Way better!"

Saoirse, who was usually a picky eater, surprised everyone by cleaning her plate. "More, please!" she chirped.

You and Paul exchanged a proud smile. There was nothing quite like the satisfaction of cooking a meal that your children loved.

As the family ate, the conversation flowed easily, filled with laughter and shared stories. Paul recounted a funny incident from his latest film set, while you shared an anecdote about a particularly challenging day at work. The children, eager to contribute, chimed in with their own tales of playground adventures and imaginary friends.

After dinner, Paul took charge of the dishes, while you helped the children get ready for bed. As you tucked them in, reading their favorite bedtime stories and singing lullabies, you couldn't help but feel a sense of overwhelming gratitude for the life you had built together.

Later, as you and Paul curled up on the sofa, a glass of wine in hand, you reflected on the simple joys of family life. The laughter, the love, the shared meals – these were the moments that truly mattered.

"Thank you for tonight," you whispered, leaning your head against his shoulder.

He kissed your forehead, his arm tightening around you. "Thank you for every night," he murmured. "I love you."

"I love you too," you replied, closing your eyes and savoring the warmth of his embrace.

As you drifted off to sleep, the scent of garlic and basil still lingering in the air, you knew that you were exactly where you were meant to be, surrounded by the people you loved most in the world.

[joyofsaudade]

i like to do a very smart and not at all dumb thing in which i set my headphones down somewhere and immediately forget where i put them and then end up sneaking around my house at 1 in the morning trying not to wake anyone up bc i really want to listen to music before bed

[jtl-fics]

Fluent Freshman - Part 20

PREVIOUS

FF had watched more than a few self-defense videos when he believed that Andrew Minyard was looking for a dark alley to stab him in. He had learned how to turn the attacker’s momentum against them. Had learned about disarming the person trying to stab him.

He’d even had Matt teach him a few punches claiming that it was for the dust-ups that tended to happen on the court.

He, naturally, does not use any of that knowledge because his mind immediately reverts into Lizard panic mode the moment Jackson Plank takes another step forward with a knife (HUGE. Is it wild that he is thinking about Crocodile Dundee right now?)

“If you come quietly you won’t get hurt.” Jackson says and he reverts to who he is as a person and he freezes. His bravery was used up maybe it was only ever tied to great pump up songs and now in the silence of the alley he is back to being Stone-Faced Smith.

“You’re going to dial up Wesninski and if you don’t say EXACTLY what I tell you to then I’m going to have you SING in agony.”

Y’know in that moment he stops thinking about Crocodile Dundee.

He thinks about a movie that is far more ingrained in his mind than any number of self-defense videos or one-off lessons with Matthew Boyd where he’d been trying not to flinch. A movie he had watched in better days with his family and had been a favorite of his Grandma’s (and his).

He thinks about Miss Congeniality.

Sandra Bullock as Gracie Hart has taught him everything he ever truly needs to know when he takes a step back and Jackson comes at him.

He strikes right at Jackson’s nose with the palm of his hand.

“SON OF A-“

The knife is dropped and FF kicks it under a dumpster.

FF grabs the single weapon he has on his person.

The McDonald’s Megamind Happy Meal Light Effects Brainbot.

He points the LED light straight at Jackson’s eyes and just like Aaron in the car on the way back, “Shit, that’s bright!” And now completely blinded by a combination of watery eyes and LED McDonald’s toy he proceeds to SING just as Gracie Hart had taught him.

S - Solar Plexus. He punches Jackson there as hard as he can.

I - Instep. He smashes his booted foot down on the inside of Jackson’s shoes (who the fuck wears LOAFERS to a kidnapping?)

N - Nose. He’d feel bad about hitting it again if Jackson wasn’t y’know…a hitman out to hurt Captain Neil.

G - Groin. He may have to give himself just half a second to apologize to all of mankind for what he is about to do. His step brothers had definitely kicked him in the groin plenty of times to try and get a reaction. It’s an art to not let anyone know that your ball has retreated up into lower intestine. He kicks Jackson as hard as he can (collegiate athlete) with the boots that Nicky had let him borrow. He is right on target with the toe of his shoes.

Jackson goes down.

The next thing he does is not something Gracie Hart had taught him but does still feel like the right thing to do in this situation. He kicks Jackson in the head and the man goes limp.

If FF throws both hands up in the air and lets out a “I am Miss Congeniality!” Victory cry into the alleyway well no one is around or awake to know that.

He feels like he deserves a sash and a crown and some flowers.

He looks down at Jackson and then over at the van the man had hopped out of. He was definitely PLANNING on kidnapping Captain Neil so he probably has like…some kind of restraint?

Well, better to completely subdue this guy before he tries to figure out the game plan for Romero. Wait, what’s that next to the Crocodile Dundee knife, are those...?

***

Roland is calling for a second time.

Andrew had let it go to voicemail the first time. It was usually Roland complaining about Nicky, Aaron, or Kevin doing something exceptionally stupid in their inebriated states. They have a system. Roland will call and leave a voicemail detailing the dumb shit his family has gotten up to and then he’ll let it go.

If Roland calls twice then there’s an issue.

Arm still around Neil’s shoulders he answers the phone, “What.” He asks.

“You need to help your new friend. There’s some guy following him, he’s armed and dangerous and looking for someone to grab to get Neil’s attention. He tried to lead the guy outside but he’s standing watching it for now so there might have already been someone waiting?” Roland gets out in a rush and Andrew is up and moving towards the stairs even as he’s closing the phone to disconnect the call.

Neil, of course, is right on his heels. “What is it? Did something happen?” Neil asks and they are up the stairs and pushing past Frank and his stupid pineapple shirt. Andrew spots Nicky and he spots Aaron.

“Get Nicky and Aaron somewhere safe. I need to go help Smith with something.” He says because whoever this is wants Neil and Andrew will not let Neil get within grabbing distance and won’t mention it. Neil, blessedly, does what Andrew asks without question.

Andrew scans the crowd and finds a man whose gaze goes between his phone and the back door.

A face that Andrew had memorized.

One of Nathan’s surviving men.

In the same Zip Code as Neil.

And that man has the audacity to still be breathing.

He looks and Nicky and Aaron (drunk, drugged, and useless because Andrew had wanted them to be) are with Neil and Roland is directing them to the backroom.

Andrew goes out the alley and can feel Romero’s eyes on him.

He’s prepared for a lot of things to see out in that alley. He’s angry that FF hadn’t just come down and grabbed him and Neil (he does not need TWO martyrs) and he wants to know what the fuck FF was thinking (or if he was thinking at all). Even with that anger he does not wish to see FF’s blood spilled all over an alleyway because Andrew’s family needed to be protected and FF was the only one sober enough and aware enough to do it.

He knows what Nathan’s men are capable of.

Knows that Romero was one of Nathan’s best so if there is someone out in the alleyway then it’s likely one of his other bests.

FF doesn’t even know how to use a knife. He had asked and FF had firmly declined every time Andrew had brought it up after the first fainting incident. “I’m not interested in learning that. No.” Had been the standard response.

He knew FF had at least taken a lesson or two from Boyd on throwing a punch considering the one he shot out a week ago when a Striker came at him after the third time FF intercepted a pass.

Still, Andrew had not anticipated coming out into the alleyway and finding an unharmed FF securing an unconscious Jackson Plank’s arms behind his back with fuzzy handcuffs.

“Am I interrupting something?” He asks and FF looks up at him with a flush on his cheeks.

“It’s not my fault this is a weird sex alleyway! They’re the first thing I found on my way over to the van to look for actual restraints.” FF says immediately and Andrew almost laughs at the insanity of it. “Wait, where’s Captain Neil?” FF looks around nervously.

“He’s with Aaron and Nicky in the backroom. Roland gave me your S.O.S.” Andrew says even as he quickly makes his way away from the door and towards FF. “Romero is watching the door. Let’s give him a reason to come out.” He says going over to Jackson and when he rolls the man over he raises an eyebrow at the piss stain on his pants and the blood dripping down his nose.

He looks to FF who resolutely does not look back at him.

It’s a story he’ll get out of his friend eventually. Looks like FF didn’t really need those knife lessons. Something settles a bit more in Andrew, it’s nice to have someone else in their group that could handle themselves in a fight.

Andrew finds a phone and FF rolls Jackson back onto his stomach, “He could choke on his own blood.” He shrugs and Andrew wouldn’t care if Jackson choked on his own blood in fuzzy handcuffs in a back alley but he can understand FF not wanting a murder charge.

Andrew looks at the phone and sees the the swipe pattern clear as day. It takes him two tries to get the order right but then Jackson’s phone is available for him to get over to the texting app.

The texts he reads there make him angry. There were a lot of plans on what the two of them were going to do to Neil before his body was offered up to a different crime family to show that Romero and Jackson had no loyalty left to the Wesninski line.

He types out a text to Romero that will have the jackass come out thinking everything had gone well and they had two hostages. He looks over to FF, “You ready for round two?” He asks.

“There isn’t a tap out option right?” FF asks and Andrew laughs at the joke.

Always cool under pressure it seems.

“No.”

“Then yeah, I guess just hit send.” FF says with a shrug.

Andrew does just that.

MASTERPOST FOR ALL PARTS OF FLUENT FRESHMAN AU

NEXT

Didn’t wanna leave ya’ll hanging on that particular cliffhanger for too long ;)

@i-have-three-feelings @blep-23 @dreamerking27 @andreilsmyreligion @belodensetdust @rainbowpineapplebottle @yarn-ace @iwouldlikesometea @lily-s-world @obscureshipsandchips @booklover242 @whataboutmyfries @sahturnos @pluto-pepsi @dreamerthinker @passinhosdetartaruga @leftunknownheart @aro-manita-muscaria @hologramsaredead @Chaoticgremlinswishtheycouldbeme @tntwme @tayspots @nick-scar @crazy-fangirl2524 @blue-jos10 @stabbyfoxandrew @splishsplashyouropinionistrash @sammichly @the-broken-pen @bitchesdoweknowu @very-small-flower @ghostlyboiii @its-a-paxycab @bisexual-genderfluid-fan @cheesecookie @theoneandonlylostsock @foxsoulcourt @blueleys @adverbialstarlight @elia-nna @can-i-just-stay-in-the-corner @nikodiangel @foxandcrow-inatrenchcoat @hallucinatedjosten @satanic-foxhole-court @vexingcosmos @chalilodimun @insectsgetcooked @angry-kid-with-no-money @queer-crows @lillyndra @themugglemudperson​ @readertodeath @apileofpillows @mortalsbowbeforeme @hellomynameismoo​ @next-level-mess @youreonlylow​ @interstellarfig​ @notprocrastinatingatalltoday​ @percyjacksonfan3​ @queenofcrazy27​ @bsmr261 @ghostlyscares​ @spencellio​ @adinthedarkroom​ @harpymoth​ @sufferingjustalilbit​ @anxietymoss​ @oddgreyhound​ @ohno-myhyperfixation-itsbroken​ @ken22789​ @atiredvampire​ @isoldescorner​ @not--a--pipedream​ @azure-wing​ @bushbees​  @roonilwazlib-main​ @crumplelush​ @foldedaces-paperbirds​ @thesenseinnonsense​ @let-tyrants-fear​ @ketchupfriesandallthingsnice​ @legowerewolf​ @deadlydodos​ @but-we-respect-his-craft​ @cariniqe​ @zanypersonapricotbiscuit​

The requests to be added to the tag list keep being spread out across a few different areas. If I missed you please just ask again in the replies I promise I just missed you.

As stated before if you’re up here and I spelled it  right but you didn’t  get a notification there might be something  switched around in  your settings that won’t let me tag you properly?

[coern]

i have been trying to fall asleep for almost an entire gayass hour

[truckstoptigers]

i remember what you did andrew.

i fucking remember now.

[leisure]

one of my like worst fears is like seeing someone staring at me thru my window or like someone watching over me while i sleep like esp since i live alone lol

[bifuriouswaterbender]

Something I don't think we talk about enough related to kids are some of the reasons their spaces tend to be messy. And thinking back to my own childhood, I think a big part of it is that most kids don't get a say in their own organization systems. Parents will design a space that makes sense to them and dictate where things should go and what being clean and organized looks like, regardless of whether it makes sense.

[ii-zi]

This is gonna sound so extremely pathetic and sad but I met a dear friend today and hugged them and I was so startled by it like the height difference took me by surprise despite not forgetting about it but I have hugged only like my mom n my aunt (and just a couple inches taller than me) and a while ago my grandma for Quite A Long While so I literally lost practice regarding interacting with people 🧍 I cursed within earshot of their parents bc i kept forgetting I couldn't n I had to keep reminding myself to not lay down bc i wasn't at home n to speak to them n not only my sister n the fact that there were more ppl present..