#this boat runs on happy faces.............
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mayanneaa ¡ 3 days ago
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"golden cove" series - ᴊᴊ ᴍᴀʏʙᴀɴᴋ.
001. - beginnings
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PAIRING : jj maybank x fem!kook!oc
WARNING(S) : swearing, kinda not proofread, if you spot any errors please lmk
A/N : might re-do it later on. there goes my babyyyyyyyy
WC : 0.7k
golden cove masterlist. | jj's masterlist.
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"Do you know where's Sarah?"
Rafe looks unhappy when he takes his sunglasses off and stares at me. I know he notices the changes in my looks: the light blonde hair, always wavy, is now falling into a deeper shade. The freckles, once subtly scattered all over my nose, are almost gone, and, well. I am pale, which does not happen often.
"Cove, why would I know that?" He frowns and throws his head back on the lounge, not paying much attention.
Whereas he didn't change at all. Still the grumpy, annoying Sarah's older brother. I sigh, "I mean, you are her brother? You know what, forget it." I turn around, and before I leave the porch, I murmur, "Helpful as always."
I was happy that I could be in the Outer Banks after spending almost three months in New York. Even if it meant putting up with Rafe's bullshit most of the time, but for me, it didn't matter. I came back home.
Well, almost. Because coming back to your lovely hometown and not having a clue about where the fuck is your best friend doesn't mean anything good.
As I storm out to my bike, I crash into poor Wheezie. "Shit, I'm so sorry..." I apologize, but Wheezie doesn't seem too concerned about herself. "Are you looking for Sarah?" Now she's squinting her eyes. I know what's about to happen: Wheezie will ask for some money, or make me give her rides anywhere she wants. But, none of this happened.
Weird.
"Well, I heard she might be hanging out on the cut, y'know-" She doesn't even get to finish, because I throw a quick "thank you", jump on my bike, and leave.
Sarah Cameron. Hanging out with Pogues? Obviously, I didn't have any problems with them. It might be the other way around. But Sarah? The Kook Princess?
I am riding down the road, with the wind in my hair feeling so good I am almost grateful the cut was so far away. I go by some familiar houses, waving at my smiling neighbors. So far, the worst consequences of the storm are just fallen trees on people's perfect lawns.
The view slowly changes as I enter the Pogues' side of the island. Many people are on the street, talking with concern written all over their faces. But I know damn well where to go.
The Chateau.
I speed up near John B's, even if it's quite hard with all the branches and leaves under my wheels. I know something was pulling Sarah close to this guy. Being her best friend, she was with me most of the time. That means I saw all the stolen quick glances when John B. was doing something on the boat.
I jump off my bike and go around the house, following familiar voices. I turn around the corner and there she is - Sarah Cameron, talking with John B.
"Uhh, hi?"
"Cove!" Sarah breaks the killing silence, running up to me and closing me in a hug. "I didn't know you're coming back today! I've missed you so bad!" she muffles into her neck, and I can smell her sweet vanilla perfume.
I whisper, not letting the boy hear it, "Since when do you hang out with John B.?" Sarah hums in the response, "Long story..."
I pull away and look my best friend in the eyes. "Sarah, what's that supposed to mean?"
"We started talking after her dad fired me..." John B. says, bringing the attention to himself.
"Oh, well... nice to know," I say with a small smile creeping up my lips. Except, I do not believe it at all. There has to be a reason. I know both John and Sarah, and they wouldn't just become friends out of the blue.
"Uh, alright, I'll catch up with you later," Sarah says to John B., who just nods his head with a smile. He's so into her it almost makes me laugh in his face. "You have to tell me about New York! Did you meet anyone hot there?"
Sarah waved goodbye to her "friend" and dragged me to my bike. "Sleepover at yours, how about that? I will tell you as much as I can there!"
"Aw, I've been waiting for this for so long."
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hauntingblue ¡ 10 months ago
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Zoro was about to tell luffy off for making a scene but luffy just says some guys spilled red bean soup and he starts to make a worse one. Amazing
#broon took robins place.... so is she just gonna walk????? damn....#zoro fucking people up for making fun of hungry people..... yeah yeah yeah#now it's luffy's turn.... THEY SPILLED THE RED BEAN SOUP ON LUFFY IT'S GOING DOWN#everyone looks so good with these outfits.... horns really do compliment anyone....#episode 984#kaido wants to marry yamato to one of big mom's sons.... or she wont consider them allies i know it....#kid has kimg's haki too??? and zoro... they do really give that to anyone....#drops of red bean soup on luffy's face to look like tears... (to me)#luffy eating all the soup..... he should take it outside back to the boat akdhsksjk OKUBORE PEOPLE WE ARE EATING TONIGHT!!!#oh jesus.... elephant gun in the middle of the party.... zoro going to the conflict ahdkajs of course#they turned on the lights and everything... WHY did zoro slice the building??? 😭😭#episode 985#talking tag#watching one piece#they are gonna show that scene of tama eating soup 84 more fucking times#'are you happy now?' 'yeah' 'let's run then' INCREDIBLE#APOO TURN THAT SHIT DOWN!!! WHAT IS THAT!!! BOOOOO!!!#THAT DOESN'T EVEN RHYME!!! GET DOWN OF THAT STAGE!!#luffy biting that dog akshakskq#zoro fucking!!! slash him!! do a projectile slash or whatever!! you know how!!#FUCK HIM UP KID YEAAAH!!!!!! NO ANOTHER ONE FOR GOOD MEASURE!!! JUST IN CASE!!#episode 986#do kaido and the others not hear all this???? its right on their castle door akdhsksj#his ass is not uncoscious yet!!! quit the yapping and hit him again kid!!! SEE WHAT HAPPENS!!! SUCK THE BLOOD OUT OF HIS VEINS!! ENOUGH!!#he needs to pull some magneto shit right now!!!#sanji seeing shinobu ball crush some guys and sanji wondering if he would want to try it too!!! I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE SANJI!! 🫵🏻🤨#a tobi roopo has a burdel..... sanji is dying this fight.... this is his final arc.... goodbye sanji... what a shame...#nvm the brothel is empty... sanji gets to live another day#killer ate the fruit to save his captain!!! omg!!! ORICHI WHEN I GET YOU!! Exactly kid kill them all.... fuck em and apoo too.#episode 987
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lilislegacy ¡ 10 months ago
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i love how in heroes of olympus, there’s a boat full of couples (+leo☺️). and yet even if you didn’t know when each couple started dating, it’s so blatantly obvious that percy and annabeth have been together the longest, and are the most serious
cause frank and hazel are still pretty nervous/unsure with each other. they JUST started dating, and are so pure and adorable. they just haven’t quite figured out the romance part yet
and jason and piper have their moments, but they’re just so… distant. like not physically, of course, but they just don’t really seem to connect on a deep level. and they aren’t super affectionate, at least not physically or openly. piper is constantly unsure about where they’re at, and while jason has thoughts about how great piper is, he doesn’t openly show his feelings too often.
but percabeth? they’re the oldest in age (physically), have known each other the longest, and have been romantically committed to each other for the most time. they act like they’ve been together for eternity, which is funny since they were technically only dating for 4 months before percy got abducted. but they just have such a deep history together and such an intense connection. they’re in it for the long run. there’s no doubt or uncertainty - and it shows. like…annabeth is so wife girlfriend. there are so many funny/cute little moments, like her scolding him for putting too much syrup on his pancakes, and telling him to take a shower when he smells bad. and when percy suggests him and jason should go on a dangerous quest instead of annabeth and piper, instead of being like “omg he cares so much about me😍” (which hazel and piper would have done) annabeth is like “what seaweed brain?? you think two guys can do better than two girls??” and percy is immediately like “uh uh NO nope i definitely do NOT think that!!” he knows better. the immediate fear is so husband boyfriend of him. they simultaneously have the most disagreements (remember when percy called annabeth out when she thought she should navigate through rome alone, and basically called her stupid for thinking it was a good idea, and then they argued and had a face-off, which percy won) - while also being the most lovey dovey (they’re constantly putting their hands on each other - annabeth putting her hand on his chest to calm him down, putting their hands on each other’s arms for support, percy having his arm around her when they’re at the edge of the ship, always giving each other a kiss on the mouth or the cheek when they separate, etc). and they have no issues sneaking off in the middle of the night to do some talking and kissing. and quite frankly, making out in front of piper in BoO (remember that? when piper got super uncomfortable at how long their kiss was lasting, and then annabeth let out, and i quote, “grunt-whimpers”). they are just so natural and comfortable with each other. piper says it herself.
i just think it’s so funny. little frazel being adorable and blushing when they hold hands, jiper is happy to be dating but they’re also a little angsty and uncertain, and then there’s percabeth just being the old married couple they are. (and leo is being cute and fixing stuff)
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lizziesangel ¡ 7 days ago
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AN ANGSTY ASS REQUEST, I wanna cry and I know you are gonna do amazing. Love your writing. Kind of backstory: So.....Reader is the love of Rafe’s life and the only person who has shown him kindness and given him affection. They are kidnapped for some reason, perhaps kept on a boat, and she falls overboard. Rafe escapes. A BODY (not hers, but can’t be certain) gets washed up at some point and she is determined to be dead. So just kind of as back story....you don't need to write that part if you don't want to <3 So present/and well....the request really: Funeral is held and everything. He is walking around for about 2 months, mourning her, being an ABSOLUTE WRECK. He has nightmares constantly about her and when he’s awake, she haunts him still. He is drinking all the time because he can’t cope. UNKNOWN……she survived but was still held captive. She manages to escape and breaks into his house. HE THINKS HE IS OUT OF HIS MIND, DRUNK but it’s such a teary felt reunion when he realizes that she’s real. Maybe he gives her a bath (cus lets be real) and takes care of her (and again, let's be real, she is probably really weak) and is just shaking with relief, happiness and is so soft with her :(
wow, this is such an amazing request, i absolutely love this!!
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the salty air was sharp and cold, biting against your skin as the boat rocked beneath your feet. it wasn’t the gentle sway of a calm ocean—it was erratic, violent, as if the sea itself mirrored the chaos that had unfolded in the past few hours.
rafe’s face was bloodied, his lip split and bruises already blooming along his jaw. his wrists were bound behind his back, the ropes digging into his skin as he struggled against them. he was glaring at the men surrounding him, his usual cocky bravado barely masking the sheer terror in his eyes.
“look,” rafe growled, his voice low and dangerous, though it cracked with desperation, “you’ve got me. i’ll get you your money. just let her go. she doesn’t have anything to do with this.”
one of the men, a grizzled figure with a jagged scar running down his cheek, barked out a laugh. “you don’t get it, do you? you think you can screw us over and just walk away? nah.
“you’re gonna feel what it’s like to lose everything.”
the words sent a shiver down your spine. you’d known rafe’s life wasn’t clean—he carried the weight of bad decisions and even worse company—but you never thought it would come to this. the fear in his eyes, barely veiled beneath his fury, was enough to make your heart clench.
“please,” you interjected, your voice trembling as you stepped closer. “please, just let us go. we won’t—”
the sharp crack of a slap silenced you, the force of it sending you stumbling back. rafe surged forward, his shout of rage muffled by the gag they shoved into his mouth.
“enough talking,” the scarred man said coldly. “you want to play the hero, cameron? let’s see how much you care about her.”
before you could react, multiple strong hands grabbed your arms. you thrashed against them, your heart pounding as you looked back at rafe. his eyes were wild, his muffled cries growing frantic as the men dragged you toward the edge of the boat.
“no!” you screamed, your voice raw as the dark water loomed closer. the waves were fierce, crashing against the sides of the vessel, the moonlight glinting off their surface like shards of broken glass.
“rafe!” you cried, your voice breaking.
he was struggling so hard now that blood began to seep from where the ropes cut into his wrists. his muffled shouts were desperate, pleading.
“throw her over,” the scarred man commanded.
“no! please—” you begged, but it was too late.
the cold hit you like a thousand needles, stealing the air from your lungs as you plunged into the frigid ocean. the world above became muffled, the boat a distant silhouette against the black sky as you were swallowed by the waves. you fought to stay afloat, the current pulling at you like unseen hands.
above, rafe was a man undone. he thrashed violently, his screams muffled and his face twisted in agony. “let me go! i’ll kill you! i’ll kill you!” the men barely paid him any mind as they turned the boat, leaving the spot where you disappeared into the water.
“you better hope she’s a good swimmer, cameron,” the scarred man sneered. “and you’d better figure out how to pay us back.”
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the funeral rafe held was a quiet affair, not because you deserved anything less, but because he couldn’t bear the thought of it being a spectacle. the small, secluded chapel was filled with the scent of lilies and a suffocating weight of sorrow. he sat in the front row, shoulders hunched, his trembling hands clutching the edge of the pew.
he couldn’t look at the casket, though it was empty.
the minister’s words were hollow, background noise to the storm raging inside him. “a kind soul, taken too soon…” “beloved by all who knew her…” every word made his chest ache. rafe clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white, willing himself not to break down in front of the small group of mourners.
afterward, when the empty coffin was lowered into the ground, he stood motionless, staring at the fresh mound of earth. a few people offered condolences, their words shallow and meaningless. he didn’t respond, barely even acknowledged them. what could they say? no words could bring you back.
once everyone left, rafe stayed behind. minutes turned into hours as he sat on the damp grass, staring at the grave as though he could will it to undo itself. he whispered apologies to the air, his voice breaking. “i should’ve done something. i should’ve stopped them. i’m so sorry, my baby.”
the days that followed bled together into a haze of grief and self-loathing.
rafe couldn’t stand being at home. every corner of the house reminded him of you. the couch where you’d curled up with a blanket and a book, the kitchen where you’d danced with him to music only the two of you could hear—it was all too much. he turned to the only thing that numbed the pain: alcohol.
whiskey became his constant companion, the burn in his throat a welcome distraction from the ache in his heart. he barely ate, barely slept. the nightmares wouldn’t let him. every time he closed his eyes, he saw you falling, the cold water dragging you under while he screamed your name. he’d wake up drenched in sweat, his chest heaving, the echo of your voice fading into silence.
he stopped answering his phone. friends tried to check in on him, but he pushed them away. he couldn’t face their pity, couldn’t stand the thought of them telling him to “move on.”
how could he move on when the love of his life was gone?
the two-month mark came and went, and rafe was a shadow of the man he used to be. his once meticulously styled hair was unkempt, his clothes rumpled, his face hollow from lack of sleep and too many sleepless nights spent drowning in liquor.
he spent most of his days wandering aimlessly, haunted by memories of you. he would catch glimpses of you everywhere—in the stranger who had your laugh, in the perfume that smelled like yours. his heart would leap, only to crash when he realized it wasn’t you.
one evening, he found himself on the beach, the waves crashing against the shore. he sank into the sand, letting the cold wind whip against his face. he stared at the horizon, the sun dipping below the water in a blaze of gold and crimson.
“i don’t know how to do this without you,” he whispered to the empty expanse of ocean. his voice cracked, and he buried his face in his hands, the weight of his grief crushing him.
for rafe, the world had stopped the moment you disappeared. time dragged on, but he remained frozen, lost in a limbo of regret and longing. he didn’t know if he could survive without you.
he wasn’t sure he even wanted to.
his nightmares were relentless. every second he closed his eyes, he was back on that boat, watching helplessly as you were thrown overboard. the icy waves swallowed you, your desperate cries for help echoing in his ears. he’d wake up gasping, drenched in sweat, his chest heaving as he reached out for you in the darkness—only to find cold sheets and empty space.
you weren’t there, and the realization gutted him every time.
the only way he knew how to cope was to drown himself in alcohol. bottles littered the floor of his house, their contents his only escape from the crushing weight of his grief. the whiskey blurred the edges of his pain, but it never truly numbed it. instead, it left him hollow, stumbling through a life that felt meaningless without you.
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the storm outside was fierce, rain pelting against the windows and wind howling like a wounded animal. rafe sat slumped on the couch, a nearly empty bottle of whiskey dangling from his fingers. he stared blankly at the television, though he wasn’t watching it. the sound was muted, the images flickering across the screen as if mocking his apathy.
the sharp sound of glass shattering upstairs jolted him from his stupor. for a moment, he froze, his foggy mind struggling to process it. he shook his head, muttering to himself, “you’re losing it, rafe.”
but then he heard it again—a faint creak of floorboards. His heart began to race, adrenaline cutting through the haze of alcohol. grabbing a nearby lamp as a makeshift weapon, he stumbled toward the stairs, each step heavier than the last.
he pushed open the bedroom door, his breath hitching at what he saw.
you were there.
at first, he thought it was another cruel trick of his mind. you stood by the window, your body bruised, your clothes torn and soaked from the rain. your hair was a tangled mess, your face pale and gaunt, but it was you.
“rafe…” your voice cracked, barely more than a whisper.
“n... no,” he muttered, shaking his head. his grip on the lamp tightened. “you’re not real. you’re not—”
“i am,” you interrupted, taking a shaky step toward him. “i got away. i—i’m here.”
the lamp fell from his hands, clattering to the floor as he stared at you, his chest rising and falling rapidly. when your knees buckled, he lunged forward, catching you before you could hit the ground.
the moment your weight fell into his arms, he knew. you were real.
a sob broke from his throat as he held you tightly, his fingers digging into your sides as if afraid you’d disappear again. “you’re alive,” he choked out, his voice raw. “oh, my God, you’re alive.”
“i am,” you murmured weakly, your hands clutching at his shirt. “i am.”
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rafe carried you to the bathroom, his arms trembling with relief and adrenaline. he set you down on the edge of the tub, his hands shaking as he turned on the water, testing the temperature to make sure it wasn’t too hot.
“i... i need to—you need to get cleaned up,” he said, his voice unsteady. he avoided your eyes, his movements jerky and unsure. “you’re freezing. God, you’re so cold.”
you didn’t protest, too weak and tired to do much more than nod. he helped you out of your soaked clothes, his touch gentle, his eyes filled with guilt and tenderness.
once the tub was filled, he eased you into the warm water, his heart breaking at the way you winced. he knelt beside the tub, his sleeves rolled up as he carefully washed away the grime and salt from your skin. his hands trembled as they ran through your hair, untangling the knots with a tenderness that brought tears to your eyes.
“i thought i lost you,” he whispered, his voice cracking. “i thought—i thought you were gone forever.”
“i almost was,” you admitted, your voice barely audible.
tears streamed down his face as he leaned forward, pressing his forehead against your damp hair. “you’re safe now,” he murmured, his voice thick with emotion. “i’m not letting you go again. i promise.”
after the bath, rafe wrapped you in the softest towel he could find and carried you to his bed. he brought you water, food, anything you might need, though you barely managed a few bites. he sat beside you, his hand never leaving yours, as if reassuring himself that you were really there.
that night, for the first time in months, he didn’t have nightmares. Instead, he fell asleep with you in his arms, the steady rhythm of your breathing the only sound he needed to finally find peace.
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ceilidho ¡ 2 months ago
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take me home, country road
[ao3]
You have nothing on your person apart from a hastily packed suitcase and the dress you came into town wearing, on the run from trouble back home. Too bad John's missing a bride that matches your description. Or: the 1800s (mistaken) mail order bride au (chapter 20 / epilogue)
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Black trees against a yellow sky at evening time. 
It’s late when you finally reach home. Dark enough to almost be night—a full day longer to return than it took to leave, but then you hadn’t ridden as hard coming back, too sore and sleep-deprived to manage the same pace. Even the meager sleep you got on the road was hardly sufficient.
Then the shape of your house appears on the horizon and you nearly break down in tears. The sight of it fills you with such relief that you nearly lose your balance, your head slumping forward. Too long. Days that felt like weeks, your body and mind weary from the long trek home. Against the gold of the horizon light, it appears like a boat arriving at port. 
You throw yourself off your horse and to the ground before John has even had a chance himself to dismount and come help you down. He stomps over when your foot nearly catches in the stirrup, nostrils flared and mustache twitching with his scowl. 
“Don’t go breaking your leg before I’ve even gotten you home,” he growls when he reaches you, fitting his hand around the nape of your neck and giving it a squeeze. You’d shiver, but your body is too exhausted for your libido to manage more than a half-hearted twitch. Instead you nod, head bobbing like a baby doll. 
John takes the horses to the stables while you clamber up the stairs on wobbly legs, headed straight for your bedroom, passing out the second your head touches the pillow. Your growling stomach will have to be addressed in the morning.
You aren’t conscious for when John comes up to join you, but you swear even in sleep you can sense his presence in the room. Certainly when he curls himself around you, the wall of warmth at your back briefly making your eyes flicker open before sleep claims you again and they slide shut. 
In the morning, you eat a big breakfast before letting John rub a liniment onto your inner thighs and bandage the cuts on your hands and face. The doctor he takes you to see after breakfast for the shoulder that Graves dislocated prescribes bed rest and light stretching for recovery and laudanum for any lingering pain. 
“What did you tell him?” you ask when the two of you head out for a light lunch in town before heading back home. 
“Told him you fell off a horse.” He shrugs. “Not that uncommon around here.”
All you can do is roll your eyes. 
Still, it’s as good an excuse as any. No one questions your story when you tell it to them over the following days, when your shoulder is still too tender for you to move it too vigorously. Only Kate lifts a brow knowingly, all but cornering you for the real story when you finally get a moment alone. 
“That sonuvabitch,” she hisses when you finally break and tell her what happened. 
“It’s fine,” you insist, shushing her. “John… Well, John handled it.”
She nods approvingly, then looks like she might say more before thinking the better of it. Silence falls between the two of you. 
“He—” you pause in the middle of your sentence, unsure of how exactly to say it. “It wasn’t so bad. Telling him, I mean.”
Kate must catch the slight inflection in your voice because she stares at you expectantly, waiting for you to say more. “…I’m happy to hear that.”
You inhale as if gathering your breath to say more, but nothing comes out. You know what it is you want to say, but it’s getting it out that’s the tricky bit. What you want to tell her is that your trust wasn’t misplaced in the end; all of your fears that the truth would shatter the affection and trust that had finally been shown to you after a lifetime of nothing were unfounded, proven ultimately wrong. 
“Was there something else you wanted to add?”
You chew your lower lip. 
“No. Nothing else,” you say in the end. There’ll be a time someday to tell her that her trust wouldn’t be misplaced with John or Kyle either; perhaps that day will come sooner than you expect, but for now it remains on the distant horizon. It’s not your place to lecture or admonish; your place in her life is to offer the same feeling of security and companionship as she’s offered you.  
Today, you loop your arm through hers and join her for lunch. 
In town, people greet you like you never left. Only one person asks you about the man you were walking with the previous day, and Kate covers for you when you stumble over your answer, throat constricting in your panic. There’s no suspicion in the question, but still you anticipate it because life has conditioned you to expect pain as a response to any action or inaction. 
You are surprised when pain doesn’t come this time. But still, you are wary.
When you get home, John fills the tub with hot water for you and lets you wash up on your own while he tends to the horses, the third now unofficially his. You lean your arms over the side of the tub and drift in and out of your daydreams, ears attuned only to the sound of his voice and the owls calling from the trees just beyond the house. Eyes fluttering shut until slipping deeper into the water kicks you back into wakefulness. 
“You falling asleep in there?” he asks when he stomps back inside, the door slamming shut behind him and nearly giving you a heart attack. 
“No,” you deny, discreetly wiping the rheum from the inner corners of your eyes. “Just resting my eyes.”
“Of course,” he snorts. Amused as ever by seemingly anything that comes out of your mouth.
A telegram comes in to the sheriff's office some weeks later asking about a missing bounty hunter, and though you pitch forward in your chair when John tells you this, he’s quick to remind you that as far as anyone else knows, Graves moved on after his first visit a month or so back. 
It takes time to reassure you, but slowly your hands unclench from the edge of your seat. 
Still, you make yourself scarce for a week after that. It takes some time for you to feel safe again. You spend those first few days after hearing about the telegram constantly looking over your shoulder, plagued by the worry that you’ll be found out. Sharing your worries with John doesn’t go a long way towards alleviating them because his confidence never wavers. It’s almost infuriating. 
“Would it kill you to just pretend?” you huff, cracking an egg into the skillet. 
“Nobody’s gonna come looking for him here. ‘Far as anyone knows, he made his way west a long time ago,” he says, dismissing your concerns while clipping his fingernails at the kitchen table. You scrunch up your nose when you glance over your shoulder.
“You better not think I’m sweeping those up.”
He barks out a laugh at that, shaking his head at the same time. 
True to his word, the front door stays shut. No one comes knocking looking for an errant bounty hunter. Perhaps that is a lesson that you can take away from all of this—that there is no reward for isolating oneself. Your safety has only ever been assured in community, in putting your trust in others and safeguarding their secrets in turn. Only love has ever held out its arms for you to fall into. 
And now the days pass like clouds in the sky. 
Tranquility hovers on the periphery of your life with every intention of calling out your name. It’s waiting for you with open arms. 
In the evenings, John takes you upstairs to the bedroom and pries you open enough to fit himself in. His mouth blazes a trail across your body, sucking your nipples until they’re beaded, wetting his beard with the essence of your pleasure, and bringing you to the brink of completion time and again before pushing you over. 
After a while, he leaves a piece of himself behind. 
Weeks pass and the seasons change. The changes you notice in your body are physical as well as emotional. At some point since coming home, you must have started to unwind. Shoulders loosening up, knots melting down your back. Is it just you, or does the air smell fresher too? 
You pin the laundry up on the clothesline and wait for your husband to come home. The sun sets earlier these days with autumn just around the corner. Already the leaves have begun to redden and brown, some breaking off from the branches altogether and floating to the ground where you know eventually they’ll rot and dissolve into the earth, starting the cycle of death and rebirth all over again. 
Winter is fast approaching and you know this one will be tough with a little one on the way. You’ve already started preparing for the winter months—canning and storing corn and potatoes and other root vegetables harvested from your garden, making preserves from the fruits of autumn—apples and pears sealed in jars of thick syrup—and filling the cellar with barrels of salted and cured meats. In town, you visit the seamstress for clothes of thicker material and leave with an armful of wool flannel petticoats, fur-trimmed bonnets, and corsets of a heavier cotton coutil. 
You rest a hand on your belly as you stare off into the distant mountains. Even the sky darkens earlier these days. When all of the laundry is pinned on the line, you pick up the wicker basket resting by your feet and bring it back inside, shuffling into the kitchen to get started on supper. 
There’s still much that needs to be done before winter arrives. Firewood to be chopped, furs and blankets to be hung on the walls, the fireplace to be swept, and more. Enough to keep you busy and your mind occupied when you aren’t bent over a book because that’s also your reality these days. The librarian in town now knows you by name and knows to set aside a few books a week for you to pick up when you pass by with Kate. 
You don’t think much of the knock at the door at first, absent-mindedly thinking that it must be a neighbor come to visit. Only when you open the door to an unfamiliar face do you pause. 
It’s a woman, not too dissimilar in looks from you. A bit taller, but otherwise if someone were to describe you from looks alone, they might be tempted to use the same words for either of you. She stands on your porch with a suitcase held by her side, a light sheen of sweat on her forehead from the short trip from town. She dabs her forehead lightly with a handkerchief before pocketing it again.
“Hello there,” she greets, a bright smile on her face. “I’m looking for John Price. I was told he lives here?”
For a moment, all you can do is stare at her nonplussed, not understanding why a strange woman might be at your door asking for your husband in such a familiar way. It takes a moment for it to sink in. Then the light goes on and your confusion shifts to disbelief with a twinge of rage. 
“We’re engaged to be married,” the other woman hurries to explain, taking a step closer, foot wedged in the door almost as if intending to barge right in. 
Her gall nearly makes you lose your temper. Months ago, you might’ve welcomed her arrival, eager to prove to John that you weren’t the woman that he mistook you for so that you could be on your merry way. But that time has long since passed. There isn’t anywhere else in the world you’d rather be than here. You’ve put roots down, entrenched yourself in every way.
Your lips pull into a hard line, face set in stone. “You must be mistaken. He’s already married.”
She blinks, uncomprehending. “That’s…—are you sure? We’ve been corresponding. I know I’m a few months late, but I was held up back in—”
You cut her off by sticking out your hand, topaz ring shining bright on your third finger. “I’m sure. But thank you for stopping by; I’ll let John know you send your apologies.”
And with that, you shove her foot out with yours and shut the door on her face. On another day, you’ll allow yourself to feel guilty for your rudeness; for now, this is your happy ending to enjoy. 
And savor it, you will.
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maybanksbaby ¡ 3 months ago
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warnings: none really
summary: jj really loves his new boat and shows it off to his girlfriend
a/n: he looked so cute in the comercial, i love him so much. please let him be happy this season 🙏🙏
⋆ ౨ৎ ˚ ⟡ ˖ ࣪
JJ Maybank was practically vibrating with excitement as he waited on the dock, a wide grin plastered across his face. His brand-new—well, new to him—boat was tied up right behind him, and he couldn’t wait to show it off to her. His pretty girlfriend and number one fan, the one who made everything in his life feel like it was coated in sugar and wrapped in a pink bow.
The sound of soft footsteps on the weathered wooden planks jolted him from his thoughts, and he whipped around to see his girlfriend, the absolute light of his life, making her way toward him. She looked as cute as ever, dressed in one of those sweet knitted tops she always wore, paired with a short skirt that twirled with each step. Her hair was bouncing with the sea breeze, and she had her usual pink gloss that smelled like strawberries, making him weak in the knees before she even said a word.
"J!" she called out, her voice making his already sky-high excitement bubble over.
Before she could even finish her next breath, JJ was already running toward her, grabbing her hand and practically dragging her down the dock. "You’re here, you’re here, you’re here! Okay, close your eyes!"
She blinked, giggling at his enthusiasm. "JJ, what are you—JJ!” she squealed, letting out an adorable little laugh when his hands covered her eyes from behind, her body relaxing into his. “What are you doing?”
“You trust me, right?”
“I do, yeah…”
“Then close your eyes,” he whispered, pressing a quick kiss to her cheek, which instantly sent her into a new fit of giggles.
She sighs, her shoulders slumping down. “Can i at least get a hint of what it is?”
“Nope! Eyes closed, no peeking! This is a surprise!” He placed his other hand over her eyes too for extra insurance.
She let out a playful sigh but complied, trusting him as he eagerly led her down the last stretch of the dock. “Okay, okay! I’m closing them!”
JJ could barely contain himself as he guided her close to the boat, careful not to let her trip. “Alright… three… two… one—ta-da!” He whipped his hands away from her eyes and bounced on his heels as she finally saw it.
The messy panting, that if you narrowed your eyes read 'MAYBANK'S' on the right side, didn't let much to the imagination. Now, she understood.
Her eyes widened, and she let out a surprised gasp, her hands flying up to cover her mouth. "Oh my gosh, JJ! Is–Woah. Is this… this boat is yours?"
“Yup!” he said, puffing out his chest and throwing his hands up proudly.
Her gaze swept over the boat—a charming, beat-up thing, but it was perfect for JJ. The paint was chipped, and the motor looked like it had seen better days, but it had a certain rugged charm, just like him. “JJ, it’s—”
“Beautiful? Amazing? The best thing you’ve ever seen?” He interrupted, unable to contain his excitement.
She giggles, nodding along. “Yeah! How did you even manage this? We're... literally broke right now.”
JJ let out a short awkward chuckle, scratching his wrinkled eyebrows, “Uh, well... that's not really important. What is important though, is that she's all mine–Ours! It's not really new but, with a couple of technical adjustments, a little more of my girl's style right here and—boom! Meet 'The Maybank!”
She stared at him for a moment, eyes twinkling, before bursting into giggles. “The Maybank?”
“Okay, okay, it’s a work in progress, name-wise” he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck with a sheepish grin. “But who cares about the name? Check this out! Come on, come on!" He grabbed her hand again and practically sprinted to the back of the boat, pulling her along with him like an overexcited puppy.
“JJ!” she laughed, trying to keep up with his energy.
“Look at this beauty of a motor!” he exclaimed, leaning over to pat the engine like it was some prized race car. “She purrs like a kitten! Well, kinda more like a sick kitten, but once I fix her up—purring.”
She smiled warmly, her heart swelling at how proud and happy he looked. JJ had been through so much, more than most people could handle, and yet here he was, smiling like a little kid on Christmas morning, showing her the boat he’d worked so hard to get. “A sick kitten? Oh, it's... Yeah, probably fixable. Without any more costs...”
“Oh, it is, princess!” JJ said, completely missing the uneasy tone. “You haven’t even seen the best part yet! Come here!”
He tugged her to the front of the boat, showing off the seats with grand gestures, talking a mile a minute. “These seats? Top-tier comfort. I mean, okay, there’s a rip or two, but it’s vintage, y’know? Character! Like–Like you say. Aesthetic.... And this right here—” He pointed to the tiny built-in cooler. “Boom! Cooler for all our drinks. You, me, the Pogues? Ice-cold sodas, beers, whatever we want. Fancy, huh?”
“Very fancy,” she giggled, nodding along.
“And wait, wait, there’s more!” He led her to the very front of the boat, practically skipping at this point. “See this space? Perfect for you to lay out and tan while I drive. Like a little sunbathing queen. Plus, I can park us in all the secret spots around OBX.”
She couldn’t stop laughing at how eager he was, and her heart swelled as she watched him ramble on. “You’re really proud of this, huh?”
He stopped mid-gesture and turned to her, his grin softening for a moment. “Yeah. I mean… it’s not much, but it’s mine. I can finally take you out on adventures, like we always talked about.”
Her heart melted at his words, and she reached up, cupping his cheek with her hand. “JJ, it’s perfect. I love it. I’m so proud of you.”
He leaned into her touch, his heart thudding in his chest. But before the moment could get too soft, his energy snapped back, and he grabbed her hand again. “Come on, I haven’t shown you the captain’s seat yet!”
He practically dragged her over to the helm, hopping into the driver’s seat and patting the spot next to him like an excited puppy. “Check it out! You wanna drive? You totally gotta drive.”
She shook her head, laughing again, but took a seat next to him, watching as he fiddled with the controls like a seasoned pro. “I don’t think I’m ready to drive a boat just yet, JJ. Can't even drive the HMS Pogue”
“Pfft, you’ve got me! I’m a captain now, baby. I’ll teach you everything. Plus, there’s not much to it—steering, not hitting rocks, easy peasy. You got it.”
She leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder. “Maybe next time, Captain Maybank.”
“Next time, I’ll hold you to that,” he smirked, turning to plant a quick kiss on her forehead.
With one swift movement, JJ started up the boat, and they pulled away from the dock, the boat chugging forward at a steady pace. The wind whipped through her hair, and JJ was practically glowing beside her, his smile as wide as the ocean they were heading toward.
“See? Easy!” JJ exclaimed, beaming from ear to ear as they coasted along the water. “This is just the start. I’m gonna take you everywhere, baby—secret beaches, hidden coves, the works. We’ll go places no one else even knows about. And just then, we'll be traveling all over the world. Like pirates”
She watched him, her heart practically melting as he rambled on, his energy so infectious that it made her feel like they were the only two people in the world. His joy was her joy, and she couldn’t help but beam at how proud and excited he was. “JJ, this is… amazing.”
He shot her a playful smirk. “I'm telling you, just wait until I fix the motor. Then we’ll be flying across the water, like those fancy Kooky boats. But better.”
She leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder as the boat slowed to a gentle stop in the middle of the water, the sound of the engine fading away to leave just the soft lapping of the waves. The sun was beginning to dip below the horizon, casting the sky in a beautiful mix of orange, pink, and purple. It was serene, and perfect.
As they glided over the water, JJ kept up his constant narration, pointing out every little thing about the boat, from the condition of the steering wheel to a small patch he’d made on the deck with duct tape. She soaked it all in, giggling at his over-the-top enthusiasm, and her heart swelled at how happy and free he seemed.
After a while, JJ slowed the boat to a stop in a quiet, serene spot with a perfect view of the setting sun. The water around them was calm, reflecting the orange and pink hues of the sky.
“And here we are,” JJ announced, throwing his arm over her shoulders as if he’d just revealed a million-dollar mansion. “Not bad for a first trip, huh?”
She snuggled into his side, her fingers tracing little patterns on his arm. “Not bad at all. I think I could get used to this.”
JJ grinned, leaning in to whisper conspiratorially, “You'll see, pretty girl. ”
She laughed, tipping her head up to kiss him on the cheek. “I can’t wait, Captain Maybank.”
JJ wrapped both arms around her, pulling her close as they watched the sunset together. His excitement from earlier had finally settled into a comfortable warmth, and for the first time in a while, he felt like everything was exactly where it was supposed to be. He places his chin on his shoulder, eyes twinkling with mischief. “You know, I’ve been thinking…”
“Uh-oh,” she teased, gentely tilting her head go look at him. “That’s never good.”
“Hey!” he laughed, then shook his head. “Nah, but seriously. You, know, the name of the boat? ‘The Maybank's’?" The way he pronounced it, slowly and with a twich of his eyebrows, managed to get a giggle from her. "It’s got a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?”
"Mhm, yeah. Really... characterized"
His grin softened into something a little more serious but no less JJ—playful yet full of warmth. He stepped closer, the arms around her waist gentely tighting. “Well, I was thinking… It’s perfect for when we get married too, you know? You’re gonna be a Maybank one day. Well, if you want. You can keep your last name though, not sure how it all works up these days, but... I wouldn't mind to share, you know? Just saying”
Her heart skipped a beat, and she felt her cheeks flush as his words settled in. Instead of being flustered, she melted into him, her smile only growing wider, softer, and so full of love. “No–I... You really think so?” she whispered, gazing up at him with that sweet, adoring look she saved just for him.
Her breath caught, the realization washing over her in a wave of warmth. They both knew it, had known it for a while now. The thought of marrying JJ felt like the most natural thing in the world, like it was already written in the stars.
“Of course! You’re my girl,” he said, his voice steady, almost serious, as if he was laying down the law. “When we get married, it’s going to be you and me, officially. Just picture it: ‘Captain and Mrs. Maybank’—how cool is that?”
A dreamy smile spread across her face, and she bit her lip, feeling giddy at the thought. “Mhm, sounds amazing, Jayj. Like a dream.”
His eyes lit up, and he pulled her closer, their bodies practically melting into one another. “See? It’s meant to be. I’ll show you the ropes on this boat, and then we can plan our future adventures as a married couple. Our honeymoon even” He flashed that goofy grin that always made her heart race. “You’ll make the best wife ever.”
Her cheeks flushed at the sincerity in his words, and she felt her heart swell with love. “I would love to be your wife, Mr. Maybank,” she said earnestly, her voice a soft melody. “I can’t imagine anything better.”
“Mhm. You, me, and this boat—just sailing off into the sunset. It’s perfect.” He pointed to the sea vaguely, his eyes gleaming with mischief. “And, hey, we can even practice the whole captain and first mate thing. We'll be the king and queen of these waters”
Her heart is about go explode in her chest, her eyes hurting from how much love they're holding while looking at him.
“Do you think we can take it out soon?” she asked, turning around in his arms to be face to face with him.
“Oh, absolutely. I already imagine us cruising around the island, just the two of us,” he said, a dreamy look crossing his face. “And then, in a few years, we’ll be out here with our kids, teaching them how to sail. It’ll be perfect.”
Her heart swelled at the thought, and she wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her head against his chest. “I can’t wait for that, JJ. You make everything sound so fun and exciting.”
“Because it is! Especially with you!” He grinned down at her, and she could see the love and enthusiasm shining in his eyes. “You and me, forever, right?”
“Forever,” she echoed, her voice barely above a whisper, but filled with all the certainty in the world. As they stood there together, she knew without a doubt that one day, they’d be sailing through life as Mr. and Mrs. Maybank, and nothing could be more perfect than that.
With her by his side and the open water ahead of them, JJ Maybank couldn’t imagine life getting any better.
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camilyscove ¡ 5 months ago
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DAD!RAFE HEADCANNONS . ꩜
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DAD!RAFE who would definitely get home from work to hear the footsteps of your kids running down the stairs. they’d hug his legs, all giddy that their daddy is finally home, laughing when he’d swoop them up into a big hug.
DAD!RAFE who would be extremely overprotective of his kids. they fell and scraped their knee? shit, he’s about to call 911. oh, and the moment one of your kids gets into a relationship? his face literally pales. your kid has to assure rafe 24/7 it’s going okay.
and when they get into an argument, the entire family has to hold rafe back from storming out the house and beating the shit out of the boyfriend/girlfriend for hurting his baby.
DAD!RAFE who would accidentally swear under his breath, causing your kids to spin their heads around, the expression of complete shock on their little faces. rafe would immediately try to gaslight them into thinking that he didn’t. “don’t tell your mommy. i swear i didn’t say anything.” and when that didn’t work, he’d bribe them, saying he’d get them any toy or candy at the store.
(spoiler alert: they took the gifts and still proceeded to snitch on their daddy.)
DAD!RAFE who would take your kids boating, sitting them on his lap as they placed their small hands on the wheel. “there you go! you’re a natural, aren’t you?” he’d say, their faces lighting up as he complimented them.
DAD!RAFE who would make dinner one time, all happy and giddy to present his cooking to his family. you taste it first, your eyes widening. it tastes like absolute ass, and you have to reassure rafe that it’s great, but he’s not buying it.
your kids taste it, and they immediately spit it out. rafe frowns, and once he eats it, he does the exact same. “what the? i used the recipe!!” he’d whine, and you’d have to comfort him as your kids scraped the food off the plate and into the trash bin.
DAD!RAFE who would be so fucking supportive towards your children. one of them has a sports game? shit, he’s always there, cheering them on at the top of his lungs. one of them upset about something? he doesn’t even have to ask what’s wrong, because no matter what it is, he’s wrapping his arms around them and whispering warm affirmations in their ear.
DAD!RAFE who would brush your daughter’s hair, careful to be gentle and not to tug on any knots. he’d scroll through a bunch of tutorials, letting her pick which one she wanted every time. at this point, he’s a professional.
DAD!RAFE who would hold your kids hand any time they had to cross the road. and when they pulled away from him, instead going to you, he’d get all offended. he’d huff and frown, shaking his head.
DAD!RAFE who would be on the verge of tears as you dropped your kids off on the first day of kindergarten.
“are you..?”
“im not crying, you are!”
DAD!RAFE who would take your son golfing, a big ass smile on his face as he sees how well he catches on. he’d pat your son on the back, trying not to jump up and down at the sight of his son exceeding at his sport.
DAD!RAFE who would feel bad when he yelled at one of your kids. he’d apologize immediately, mumbling how he doesn’t wanna be mean to his babies. :(
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lucysarah-c ¡ 5 months ago
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Levi's horrible flirting skills part 6.
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Masterlist link to all the previous parts.
“I simply do not understand… we were talking so well and all of a sudden—!”
“You called her stupid.”
“And naive,” Hange added after Erwin, almost tired, while taking a messy sip from his tea, not bothering to raise his head properly.
Levi clicked his tongue, running a hand through his hair and almost tugging at it out of frustration. “I was just trying to tell her I was worried about her!”
“You’ve a very peculiar way of expressing your concerns,” Erwin remarked, raising one thick eyebrow at his friend's illogical actions. Unlike Hange, he raised his cup to his lips with elegant, measured movements.
“UGH!” Levi bent over the table where they should have been having a tactical meeting, but instead were having a catch-up moment as friends. His forehead hit the polished wood covered with glass, and he scoffed against the surface in frustration, fogging it up.
“You should have known,” Erwin said softly, shaking his head with closed eyes as if the outcome was easily predicted, like a palm reader foretelling your life. “When a woman asks you to repeat something, it’s not because she hasn’t heard you. It’s because she wants to see if you have the guts to say it to her face. That’s the precise moment you should buckle up, fold the imaginary paper where you wrote your speech, smile, and say, ‘nothing, honey.’”
Hange frowned deeply, even curling her lip in disdain. “Since when are you such an expert on how to keep a woman?”
The blond put down his tea and looked at the squad leader, almost offended. “Excuse me, I had a very long relationship with Marie before we broke up. I learned a trick or two.”
“Whatever, I fucked up and it’s all wasted now,” Levi said woebegone, his cheek resting on the surface and his eyes looking to the side, completely bereaved. He couldn’t complete a single sentence without clicking his tongue or sighing in resignation.
“Oi! Come on, shorty! You just have to go and apologise. Don’t be such a coward,” Hange tried to raise her friend’s spirits.
“Yeah… but give her a couple of days. Let her cool down a little bit,” Erwin added, fearing that Hange’s enthusiasm might cause Levi to make another mistake.
But perhaps waiting a couple of days became weeks. Between work and each time he tried to lock eyes with her, she either completely ignored his presence or didn’t seem particularly happy.
While it was still freezing cold, certain trees began to bud, and the sun warmed more than usual on some days. Early one morning, he saw her again, walking on the front sidewalk with five friends, each holding something from a nearby pastry shop. Her face had the softness and lethargic appearance of someone who had just woken up.
Clenching his teeth and with hopeful eyes, his body naturally straightened from his slouched position against a wall. He thought of taking one hand out of his pocket and waving at her casually, worried, and timid as he was that time on the boat.
“Good morning, Captain,” three youthful cadets passed by and bumped into him with suspicious dorkiness. Their rosy cheeks and shining eyes made Levi slightly uncomfortable.
He hadn’t even noticed them, and the loss of focus on his main objective made him turn back frantically to where he was looking. She was already gone.
“Morning,” he replied disinterestedly to the girls who still wore their training ground jackets with swords on their backs. Levi returned to his slouched position, head down. He quickly heard the little girls giggle enthusiastically, muttering among themselves as they hurried away, thinking they were far enough for him not to notice.
“Did you see how he looked at me?” one whispered. Levi grimaced uneasily; he knew better than anyone that at their age, having silly little crushes on higher-ups was normal. ‘What are you, 13? You should be worried if I looked at you like that.’
He sighed loudly. ‘What would it take for you to look at me like that?’
Not that he daydreamed of her being like them, but he wished for the enthusiasm. Sparkling eyes, rosy cheeks, nervous chuckles, and rushed steps to tell a friend.
‘I can’t just keep spying on you from afar like a creep. I’ve run out of innocent excuses to pass by your workplace.’
“Well, it’s decided. On the 2nd of March, we leave again,” Erwin announced as he exited the building with signed papers.
‘I don’t want to die without having at least something with you.’
Such a simple thought. For a split second, which lasted days, he wondered if it was a sort of fetish he hadn’t added to his list. But as another nurse, with the same uniform and the same soft touch, stitched up a cut he got when he came back and looked up at him from his left side, he felt nothing.
It reminded him so much of when she had tricked him into getting a vaccine, but it had no power over him. With her, it was like he couldn’t get her face closer without fighting the overwhelming need to grab it and kiss her.
‘Once again, do I really need to tell you that I’m dying to have a single silly chance with you?’
Something that feels utterly humiliating, like apologizing or confessing, really fades into oblivion when you’re visiting cadets half your age who are either dying or won’t be able to live a standard life after walking beside you to near-certain death. Levi looked at his soldiers in immaculate rooms and whitish beds, their bodies and faces blending into the sheets as they were covered in bandages the same shade as the rest of the room.
“Did I do good, Captain?”
Levi’s eyes opened slightly wider as he came back from his mental storm. “Yes, you did great, soldier. Your sacrifice won’t be in vain.”
He wondered, only sometimes, if his words really held any real power. But they always muffled cries of relief and pain.
‘I’m being a fucking coward, that’s what I am.’
As the family members arrived in the room or fell asleep, Levi left. ‘Even a kick in the ass pushes you forward.’
He took secure steps down the halls. It was very late, and there was no security that she might be in the staff area. Or perhaps there was; he had learned which days she was on duty. Was it a bit on the stalker side? Perhaps. But Levi took pride in knowing her and wished to know much more.
It was stupid, but he held on to that information. Sometimes he was miles away in his office doing paperwork late at night, looked up at the clock on the wall, noticed the time, and something clicked in his mind. He would check the calendar and worry. The huge hospital, empty corridors, or long hours of staying up helping women in labor or taking care of the ill. Perhaps returning home when the sun hadn’t completely risen yet. He was miles away, but he worried.
‘I just need to know… I need to know if she’s alright, if she’s safe.’
That had been the reason for this whole issue, but this time he was confident in solving it or at least trying to.
He pushed open the door to the staff area. The room was freezing, either because it was in the basement or because the heating budget was spent on the patients. He froze momentarily when her pitched scream and little jump echoed in the room.
“DEAR Shenna! You scared me!” she exclaimed, raising one hand to her chest to calm her heart and sighing loudly. She had a cardigan over her uniform and rubbed her arms to keep warm.
Her body was next to the stove where she was warming up a kettle, her frown haunting him across the room. She said nothing, only scoffed and kept silent.
‘This seemed ten times easier in my mind five seconds ago.’
He pushed the door closed with his body, giving serious thought to the words he was going to use.
“Look, I didn’t mean to insult you. That was just me bitching,” Levi said, raising a white flag in the mental no man’s land they held. It earned him a sidelong glance, but her body language showed she hadn’t completely given in. “Tch, what I am trying to say,” he scratched the back of his head, feeling the sensation of his undercut beneath his fingertips, “You’re not stupid, but you’re too nice, and assholes like him abuse that.”
This time she turned to him slightly, still folding her arms to hold in the warmth, looking tired. “I’m not naive. I know my boss can’t keep his hands to himself,” her voice was hushed, either because it was late or because she seemed exhausted. “But not all of us are Humanity’s strongest, held in such high esteem by the military. I could lose my job. He could make my life a living nightmare. Plus, I prefer he bothers me rather than the new girls who are too young and too impressionable. No, Captain, I’m not stupid.”
Levi wondered if his admiration was as palpable in his features as he felt it. ‘I’m not stupid,’ his mind repeated. ‘Yeah, you’re right. The stupid one is me.’
A young woman who held her own, whom he met having fun with her friends at a party, all of them keeping each other safe, who lived on her own. She wouldn’t have survived the Capital if she was stupid. Levi knew firsthand how those environments shaped you: either you blend with them or you break.
She sighed once again, “The last thing I need this week is to argue with you.”
It made him want to ask what else had happened, but he didn’t want to push his luck. Instead, he rose from his slouched position against the door, walked to the countertops next to her, and rested there.
“It’s fucking freezing here,” he said, hoping the little shaky fire from the stove would warm the air more.
“Yeah… I can’t feel my feet,” she replied. “You look good, though.” This time, she managed a side smile, perhaps too tired to smile fully.
Levi quickly assumed she was referring to his recent return. “Yeah, it was a shitty mess of an expedition, though.”
She hummed. “I heard. A lot of rain, I’m sorry.”
Levi shook his head, dismissing her apology as she held no responsibility. “Tch… about your boss, someone should put him in his place.”
Her eyes rolled as she chuckled. “Who is going to do it? The MPs who go to men-only parties with him?” she joked, though her words carried no humour.
Levi, unable to stop looking at her face, said, “I could cut his balls off for a modest price.”
She giggled, tilting her head to the side and biting her bottom lip to suppress her chuckles. But he felt his chest warm up. ‘Holy shit,’ he thought, feeling pride at making her laugh genuinely for the first time. ‘I wish I knew another fucking joke to pull off.’
“You’ll go to jail if you do that,” she replied, entertained. As the conversation flowed easily, her sleepiness slipped away. “You’ll go to jail, and Erwin will kill me for losing his best soldier.”
“No, I’m the stupid military board’s favourite, didn’t you say that? They’re too scared because I’m the only one who could kill the titans if they break another wall. I’ll just pull off a shitty excuse,” he replied, bending slightly forward and closing the space between them.
“And your excuse, Captain?”
The way his title rolled off her tongue, it was just not holy what it created in his system.
“He’s fucking tall… maybe I confused him with a weird titan who has balls… or should I say had?”
This time she laughed, the corners of her eyes crinkling as she showed her teeth. She tried to cover it with her left hand, and Levi was tempted to hold it down so he could still see her laugh.
The little slap of her hand against his arm caught him off guard. It didn’t hurt, but the proximity surprised him. “Stop it, you’re going to get me punished. This is a hospital; we should keep quiet,” she whispered.
She was so close, both bending forward. ‘Maybe I should just fucking go for it. Go big or go home,’ he thought. But she straightened up, pushing the sleeve of her cardigan further into her hand to use it to grab the kettle that was already whistling.
Back to being slouched against the countertop, he lost his chance. Hands in pockets, he couldn’t help but watch her as she walked to the cup with the tea ready for her to pour the water.
“You want one?” she asked, and Levi tried to hide the fact that he was mesmerised by the way her hips moved in the skirt. He just nodded. “So, what’s your modest price, Captain?”
“Huh?” The question confused him, as his mind couldn’t think of two things at once. He tried to remember his own words while thinking that she had the best ass inside the walls. Men’s brains have limitations.
“You said,” she began, pulling another cup out of the cupboard and filling it with water, “that you would do it for a modest price. What’s your modest price?”
His brain was still recovering from seeing her laugh next to him about a joke he made, the cute little swing of her uniform as she walked, her cheeky smile as she looked at him. It was hard to come back from that and reply as he usually would. No actual thoughts, no consequences.
“You going out on a date with me.”
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writersmacchiato ¡ 7 months ago
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Three Years | Edmund Pevensie x Reader
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Summary: You see Edmund and Lucy again in the most unexpected of places after their departure three years earlier.
Warnings: kissing (between Edmund x reader)
. . .
Salt.
It was misting over your face, tangy as it melted on your tongue.
The sun was just rising over the horizon, the endless blues of the sea turning golden and pink as they reflected the light.
Besides the creaking of the ship, and the shuffling of feet below deck as the crew began to stir and rise for the day, all was silent.
You had been waking up early every day since the voyage had begun. Without any reason, drawn to the crow’s nest in the misty grays of dawn before the rest of the world awakened. Watching the sunrise from the perfect spot.
The day would be like any other that had come before.
When Caspian, in all his kingly charm, had requested that you accompany him on this trip to the ends of the world you had been expecting more dangerous conquests. All you had battled so far was seasickness.
“Good morning. See anything?” The aforementioned king called up his usual greeting to you, hair ruffling in the cool breeze.
“Sea and more sea!”
You don’t hear it but can imagine the chuckle he releases through the rise and fall of his shoulders as he walks away to resume his check of the ship.
The sun continues to rise higher and higher into the sky, a cloudless day stretching away. You had snuck away to catch a moment of quiet in the crow’s nest.
Watching the empty waves was beginning to bore you.
When.
It couldn’t be-
“Caspian!” You yelled, jumping over the wooden beams that held you aloft. Grabbing hold of the rope to slide down, all the while yelling Caspian’s name.
“What is it?”
“There on the eastern starboard, I saw something. Someone.”
Caspian runs to the railing, quickly yelling orders at the crew to begin a rescue.
Rescue?
You’re too stunned by the possibility of a rescue to react when Caspian himself dives into the water. You’ve been watching the waters - there have been no sightings of any boats or ships for days now. Not even a rowboat.
The creak of the pulley grabs your attention, dragging first Caspian into view and then the young girl huddled against his side.
It couldn’t possibly be-
Lucy Pevensie. Daughter of Eve.
She shouts your name and crashes into you with little grace. You don’t care that she’s dripping water everywhere, returning her fierce embrace.
“Oh Lucy.” You can’t help the wide smile.
And then you see him, standing besides Caspian with his own smile looking at you.
“Edmund.” You breathe so quietly you aren’t sure you say anything, but Lucy pulls away and beckons her brother over.
He says your name just as quietly and gets close enough for you to touch him but he doesn’t make the first move, just looking and looking.
“Well come here!” You wrap your arms around him, relishing the way he grabs onto you gently. Almost shyly.
He whispers your name again, to himself, committing every bit of this to memory. He thought he remembered everything; but now he realizes how much he’s forgotten. The way you felt against him, the feel of your hair against his face, the way you smell.
A piercing scream cuts your reunion short, and Edmund has even more reason to despise his cousin when he feels the loss of your warmth against him.
“Welcome aboard the Dawn Treader.”
. . .
Edmund tried to fall asleep, he truly did.
The creaking of the ship and the swaying of his hammock made of his stomach roll, but he could’ve adapted to it if it wasn’t for the snoring of Eustace. He also couldn’t stop thinking about you and how much his heart swelled, almost painfully, when he thought about the look on your face when you saw him. Like you were happy to see him.
He’s sitting outside now, on the eastern stern of the ship, giddy at the feeling of the wind against his face. Narnian air.
“Edmund.”
His gaze cuts from the endless water to your form, seemingly materializing out of nowhere. Like a dream. It feels too much like the many dreams he had back home, wanting nothing more than to see you again.
“Mind if I join you?”
He shuffles over on the bench, trying to contain his grin when you open the blanket you brought and drape it over your shoulders and his.
“Tell me about your world.”
You play with his hand, tracing over the lines on his palm. Edmund doesn’t know how to describe it to you; he’s fought battles by your side, danced with you under the Narnian sky while fireworks flashed across the sky. In England, he’s no one.
“There’s nothing exciting there. Nothing like what we did.”
“Isn’t that a good thing?”
“I suppose so.”
You can tell there’s more he isn’t saying, something that is eating away from him. But you don’t pry. Not yet.
“Tell me. What have you been doing since I left?” Edmund asks.
You hum, fingers still tracing over the lines on Edmundo’s palm. Trying to reconcile three years worth of memories into something amusing or daring, but the truth is… that without Edmund, dealing with his sudden departure had left you in misery.
“Can I be honest with you, Edmund?”
He doesn’t answer right away, shifting slightly so he’s turned toward you instead of side by side. Hand gently squeezing yours.
“Of course you can.”
“The past three years have been amazing, theoretically. Caspian has managed to restore peace and order to the lands, Narnians have been rebuilding their lives and I… I missed you. I kept thinking to myself, ‘Edmund would love this’.”
“I missed you too.” Edmund says quietly. “Lucy had to drag me out of bed most days, because at least in my dreams I might get to visit you again.”
“Edmund?”
He hums in response.
You turn your body so you’re facing him too, the blanket you’d brought slipping down to your waist. Even with the chilly breeze from the ocean you don’t feel cold, feeling the warmth radiating from Edmund. From where his thigh touches yours. His hand still in yours.
You ask the question that you’ve thought about every night since he and his siblings walked through the tree back into their world.
“Why didn’t you kiss me?”
You don’t have to specify - when, where, what? Edmund knows exactly what you’re talking about.
The night of Caspian’s coronation, the sky lit up with fireworks. The way the colors flashed over your face, the whizz and crack of the fireworks vibrating through his chest. Your hands on his shoulder, his on your waist.
It felt like a moment torn out of a fairytale, the only thing missing was a twirl and a dip in the dance that ended in a kiss.
Instead, once the majority of the merriment commenced, the fireworks fizzled out and the food and drink all gone, Edmund walked you to your room. You remember the way your heart beat, so fast, feeling more nervous than you had on the battlefield days earlier.
“Goodnight,” Edmund had said, pressing a kiss to your hand and then he was gone in the castle shadows. The next day he was gone from Narnia.
“I did kiss you.” He has a hint of a smirk on his lips, but you can see the flush on his cheeks.
“On the hand does not count! Did you not want to kiss me?”
“Of course I did. I’ve spent three years thinking how foolish I was not to.”
“Then why didn’t you?”
“I knew Susan and Peter had spoken to Aslan and that they seemed upset. I had a suspicion of what they discussed. So, that night with you… I felt that if we got closer than we already had, I wouldn’t be able to bear it. Knowing how it felt and then leaving. I’m not sure I would’ve gone with them.”
“I thought I misread you.”
“I’ve spent three years regretting that night. I should have kissed you.”
“I think it’s time we rectify that, hm?”
You kiss him, and you’re struck by how warm he is. Slow and languid, the kiss is sweet. Filled with years of pent up longing finally being released.
Shaking your hand loose, your hand slides up to his neck, gently guiding his eager mouth closer to yours. He breath hitches in his throat, biting back a moan.
It gets messy, clumsy. Noses bumping against each other. His hand finds it way to your waist, your own hands slipping into the loose hair at the nape of his neck. You pull him closer and closer until he’s pressed right against you.
You pull away with a heaving breath, Edmund chasing your lips.
“I need a breather.” You huff out.
“I’ve thought about doing that every single night since Caspian’s coronation.”
“Oh, you mean after you chickened out and didn’t kiss me? And then left for three years?”
Edmund rolls his eyes, pulling away in his stubbornness. “I didn’t see you making a move either, oh fearless one.”
“I think I just did.”
“Three years later.” He mocks.
You shut him up with another kiss, this time finding a rhythm with your lips that makes your toes curl.
The voyage ahead was certain to become more dangerous with each passing day, but here, wrapped in a king's embrace, you think of nothing else but him. Edmund.
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stevie-petey ¡ 3 months ago
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episode six: the dive
“You do realize Skull Rock is a super popular make out spot? It wasn’t popular until I made it popular, alright? I practically invented it.” The words slip from Steve’s mouth before he can really understand the consequences behind them. He stops dead in his tracks and stares at you, eyes wide in fear. “Nice one, Steve.” You pat his chest sarcastically, sharing a disgusted look with Dustin.
Summary: dustin rejects the pity pringles you offer, eddie is straight up not having a good time, nancy does some investigative journalism about you and steve (gossips with robin), and steve suddenly decides he wants to take up scuba diving. for some reason. but hey ! title drop time !
Rating: general, some swearing
Warnings: fem!reader, use of y/n, cursing, mentions of death and violence
Words: 7.4k
Before you swing in: HI !!!! HAPPY ONE YEAR OF COME HOME !!! weve reached the scene everyone has so patiently waited for ;) can yall believe it took a full year before we finally reached the fated title drop ??? i can ! anyways, pls enjoy. i love this chapter and you guys so so so much :')))
–
“Want some?” 
Dustin smacks the pringle that Steve dangles away from his face. “Get that away from me.”
“But you love Pringles,” your hand waves in front of his face, holding yet another chip. You’re sitting in Nancy’s trunk with Steve, eating leftover pringles from the supply run from this morning for Eddie. Dustin sits in the middle, squished between Max and Lucas. “Here, take one as a peace offering.”
“I’d rather be stuck between Lucas and Max than you and Steve, Y/N.” Dustin huffs, though he does eventually take the chip that you offer him.
Steve chews another chip. “Totally harsh, dude.”
The car turns and you’re suddenly pressed against your boyfriend, knee bending at an uncomfortable angle. “Cozy car, Nance.” You quip, repositioning yourself so your ribcage is no longer in your lungs. 
“Sorry, guys.” She glances back at you. “I know this isn’t ideal, but Eddie is almost definitely low on food and he’ll want to hear what we found.”
“Not to be a wimp, but can I sit in the car for this visit?” Robin asks from the passenger seat. “‘Cause this is gonna totally and royally suck.”
You toss a chip into your mouth. “I agree. Especially after his weird broadcast yesterday.”
Dustin whips his head to look at you. “Eddie contacted Cerebro?”
“Did I not tell you?” 
“No!” 
“Shit, sorry.” Yesterday was a blur. After the lights exploded in Victor Creel’s attic, you’d all driven silently back to Nancy’s. Hardly anyone spoke afterwards. You all had gone to bed quiet, reeling from the implications of what you’d found. “It was weird. I couldn’t really understand him, the signal was weak.”
Dustin gestures wildly at you. “Okay, but what did he say?”
“Something about Jason? And holes in a boat?” You’d been recovering from your panic attack when Eddie’s voice came through the radio. The details were fuzzy. 
“A boat? Why the hell would Eddie need a boat?”
You shrug. “No clue, but I feel bad for the guy.”
The entire situation is grim. Eddie has been accused of murdering at least two Hawkins students, he apparently runs a cult, and now the only way of clearing his name involves El and the Upside Down. Both of which are currently out of reach. 
While you can barely tolerate the guy, it’s a shame that he doesn’t stand a chance.
“It’ll be fine.” Nancy insists, but Robin shakes her head. 
“I can’t stand to see those doe eyes of Eddie’s break again. I really, really can’t.”
“‘Doe eyes’ is a little much.” You scrunch your nose in displeasure. Steve snorts and Dustin glares at you. “Just saying.”
“At least he can drink himself into feeling better.” Steve offers, picking up the six-pack of beer and waving it around.
Max looks out the window. “That’s what my mom does.”
Lucas catches your eye. No one catches what Max has said besides you two. He looks upset, but you shake your head at him. Now isn’t the time. If he says anything to her, Max will close back in on herself. 
Robin and Nancy return to their conversation while you sit quietly in the back. Steve notices your change in demeanor and frowns. Unsure what’s caused it, he holds up a pringle and winks at you. “Bet you can’t catch this with your mouth.”
It’s a welcomed distraction. You sit up, eyes alight. “You’re on, Harrington.”
And the game is on. Steve tosses a chip into the air and you duck your head, angling your mouth so that you catch it just before it lands. Eyes wide, you throw your arms in the air and cheer. “I did it!”
Steve claps, whooping. “That’s my girl!”
Reaching for the bag of pringles, you grab one and don’t even give Steve a warning before you’re throwing it at him. He yelps, surprised, but with ease he catches it. He cheers again and chews triumphantly. “And you tried to cheat!” 
You roll your eyes. “Technically it wasn’t cheating, I just didn’t warn you.”
Steve pokes you side, eliciting a giggle from you. “I’ll get you for that, Henderson.”
“I’d like to see you try–” The sight of a police car stops you. 
Nancy sees it, too. “Oh, shit.”
You’re just outside of the boathouse Eddie is hiding out in. There are cars everywhere, cops walking along the perimeter, controlling a crowd that has formed. A news station van blocks your vision, but you get a sickening sense of deja-vu anyways. 
This is exactly how it’d been when Fred’s body was found.
Nancy ushers everyone to the side of the van, ducking down so you aren’t seen. Officer Powell is giving a speech to the press. He stands before the frightened audience, voice stern, but also tired. You can’t imagine what it must be like, being chief of police without having any idea of the horrors that Hawkins hides. 
“The Roane County line received a call a little after midnight, reporting a homicide here on the lake.”
Everyone freezes. Another body has been found. 
“That’s three deaths in three days.” You can’t breathe. This is all happening too fast. Faster than anything you’ve ever had to deal with before.
Chief Powell continues. “It was here that we found the body of the victim, an eighteen year old senior from Hawkins High, Patrick McKinney.”
Lucas stiffens next to you. Patrick had been his teammate. His friend. Numb, you rub his back, offering whatever ounce of comfort you can give him. 
“We have also identified a person of interest.” The chief holds up a photo of Eddie, showing it to the broadcasters before him. “Eddie Munson.”
You suck in a breath. The only thing Eddie had going for him was that no one knew he was the main person of interest. His identity had still been concealed, buying him a little more time while you tried to find answers for him. 
But now it’s too late. 
“This is not good,” Steve mumbles as officer Powell encourages the town to come forward with any information they may have about Eddie. “This is really not good.”
“He’s fucked.” You whisper. The crowd standing before Powell is large. Nearly half the town leans into his every word. They’re angry. All of them. Another one of their own has been taken. Another child. 
And they’d do anything to save Hawkins’ children.
The manhunt has begun. 
“Dustin, can you hear me? Hendersons?” Eddie’s voice cackles through the walkie.
Everyone scurries around your brother while he fumbles with his bag, anxious to respond. When he finally finds his walkie, he breathes out a sigh of relief. “Eddie. Holy shit. Are you okay?”
“Nah, man.” He sounds exhausted, seconds away from completely breaking down. Something within your chest tightens. No one deserves this. “I’m pretty goddamn far from okay.”
Robin prods Dustin to ask where Eddie is. No one wants him to be alone right now. Not when he’s become Hawkins’ most wanted.
“I’m at Skull Rock. Do you know it?”
Dustin nods eagerly. “Uh, yeah. That’s near Cornwallis and–”
“Garrett, yeah.” Steve is already running towards Nancy’s car. “I know where that is.”
You grab Dustin’s shirt. “Tell Eddie we’ll be there soon, alright?”
“Yeah-yeah I will.” The urgence in your voice scares him a little. He knows you’d do whatever to protect someone, but he never thought you’d extend this protectiveness to Eddie. Bringing the walkie to his lips, Dustin delivers your message. “Hold tight. We’re coming.”
The walkie clicks off. 
All you can do is hope that you make it to Skull Rock in time. 
– 
The last time you trekked through Hawkins woods, you had to endure Steve and Dustin constantly arguing as you all threw down chunks of meat onto the train tracks.
Now, over a year later, they’re still arguing.
At least this time there isn’t the stench of raw meat.
“I’m telling you, we’re going the wrong way.” Dustin nags Steve, holding his compass in one hand and a map of Hawkins in the other. “Skull Rock is in the other direction. You’re totally wrong.”
Steve shoves him, causing the teen to trip over a tree root. “What’s up with you always thinking I’m wrong these days?”
“Because you’re always wrong.”
You flick the brim of Dustin’s hat. “Steve has had a few good ideas from time to time. He’s taking us the right way.”
“No, he’s not. It’s north.” Dustin points behind him. Steve rolls his eyes in disbelief. “I’m positive. I checked the map.”
“You do realize Skull Rock is a super popular make out spot? It wasn’t popular until I made it popular, alright? I practically invented it.” The words slip from Steve’s mouth before he can really understand the consequences behind them. He stops dead in his tracks and stares at you, eyes wide in fear.
“Nice one, Steve.” You pat his chest sarcastically, sharing a disgusted look with Dustin.
“Okay, I didn’t mean it like that.” Steve trips over his words, nearly falling flat on his face as he struggles to keep up with you. “I mean, I did kiss a lot of girls there, but-but that was before I enjoyed kissing you!”
Your brother gags. “Real catch there, Y/N.”
“I’m ignoring you both,” you tell the boys, continuing down the path Steve pointed out earlier. The gaps in the trees start to become familiar. The rugged terrain smooths over from excessive use, creating an unmarked trail that you’ve walked before. “More importantly, I think we’re getting close to Skull Rock.”
“See? I told you, little Henderson–” Steve starts to cheer, happy to be right. Then the joy on his face quickly dissipates. He’s realized something. “Wait, how… how do you know where Skull Rock is, Y/N?”
A twig snaps beneath your shoe. “Used to go there all the time with Jonathan.”
“What?” Steve and Dustin balk at you, nearly toppling over the other in shock.
Quickly you realize the horrific implications of your words. “Jesus, not like that! We would only go there to read together and listen to music!”
It was your way of escaping life together. Just the two of you, early mornings before the rest of Hawkins woke up. The dew would still be on the grass. Everything was easier, then.
You miss those days more than anything. 
Dustin’s suspicious eyes linger on you, though he seems content enough with your explanation. Steve, however, still looks uncertain and utterly mortified. His distrust makes you sigh in annoyance. 
“I have never once kissed Jonathan.”
“Right!” Steve snaps back to himself, coughing and wiping his hands on his pants. “Yeah. Totally already knew that. For sure.”
Dustin hits his shoulder. “Dude. Learn when to shut up.”
“Working on it.” Steve mumbles bitterly, trying to catch your eye, but you ignore him. 
Behind you, Nancy and Robin walk silently together. They’d been the odd ones out in the group. You had paired off with Dustin and Steve to try and quell their arguing while Max and Lucas wandered off alone.
Neither girl speaks. There’s not a lot to say between them. When you come across a fallen log, they watch silently as Steve extends his arm to you, helping you jump over it. His grip is delicate on your arm, though firm enough to guide you. After you’ve jumped, his eyes instinctively go to your ankle, the same one you sprained years ago, to make sure you aren’t limping.
It’s a subtle, easy to overlook action. But Nancy and Robin see it, and they both understand how painstakingly sincere it is. Your ankle never quite healed right. Some days it bothers you, particularly after walking long distances or jumping too much on it. 
And Steve knows your body well enough to understand this. 
“Ugh,” Robin’s scoff breaks the silence, happy to voice what she knows Nancy is thinking. “They’re so adorable. I just wanna squeeze ‘em, ya know?”
Nancy smiles at her, although it’s strained. “Steve is very… sweet. With Y/N.”
“‘Sweet’? More like tooth-rotting, Nance.”
And Robin’s right. The way Steve is around you, there almost isn’t a word for it. Nancy has never really seen the two of you together. By the time Steve finally asked you out, it’d been only a week before Joyce told Jonathan they were moving.
Steve had stepped back after that. He allowed you and Nancy to spend as much time as physically possible with Jonathan before he moved. He recognized the strained history between him and Jonathan; he hadn’t wanted to spoil the little time you had left together. 
When summer ended and senior year began, Steve had already graduated and Nancy had thrown herself into the school paper by then.
Now, after spending the last few days around you and Steve nonstop, Nancy can’t help but notice all the nuanced ways the two of you are together. She’s picked up the small cues between you, the quirks in your relationship. And she feels a strange sense of curiosity about it.
“Steve and Y/N,” Nancy pauses, unsure how to phrase her question. She doesn’t want to sound intrusive or rude. “How, um. Serious are they?”
Robin is slightly surprised by her question, but the flush of Nancy’s cheeks tells her that it’d been hard for her to even ask it. “Oh, they’re very serious. Like starting a life together serious.”
“A life together?” Nancy doesn’t believe it. She doesn’t understand how the two of you could already be at the point in your relationship. You’ve been together less than a year. 
A lot less longer than Nancy has been with Jonathan. 
“Yeah, Steve has this crazy idea of following Y/N to NYU.” Robin almost doesn’t think she should be telling her this, but Nancy seems to be hurting and she feels bad for her. Nancy wouldn’t be asking about this if there wasn’t a reason to. “His heart is like, totally set on it. It’s crazy and all, but it’s sweet in his own Steve-ish way.”
“It is sweet.” Nancy affirms, a far off look in her eyes. The same far off look in her eyes from the other day in the library. Robin had asked about Jonathan and suddenly Nancy’s entire demeanor shifted. 
Robin clears her throat. “I’m guessing you and Jonathan haven’t figured out the whole life thing yet?”
“That isn’t any of your business.” Nancy responds coldly.
“Well, you did start this entire conversation asking about Steve and Y/N’s relationship.” Robin points out, though not unkindly. “All I’m saying is that someone in a happy relationship wouldn’t ask about another person’s relationship and look totally depressed while doing so.”
Nancy shakes her head incredulously. “Jonathan and I are fine.” 
“Okay.” Robin says, but it’s obvious to them both that she doesn’t believe her. 
“We’re good.” Nancy tries again, but not even she believes her own words. Defeated, she turns away from Robin and sighs heavily. “It’s just, he was supposed to be here for the break and then he backed out at the last minute for some vague, mumbly Jonathan reason.”
She doesn’t know why she’s confiding in Robin about this. They’re barely friends, Nancy has never spoken to her outside of party related stuff. But Robin remains quiet, listening, Her attention is all it takes before the dam in Nancy’s chest collapses. 
“And, to be honest, I’m not that surprised because I’ve been feeling him pulling away lately.” All the hurt and anxiety and insecurity Nancy has pent away finally unravels as she speaks. She can’t stop. “And I don’t know if it’s because we’re 2,000 miles away or if he met someone new or-or if Y/N–”
Nancy stops herself, aware that Robin is your friend. Not hers. Looking away, she hopes Robin didn’t hear her slip. “And now I can’t find out why because apparently he’s blown up his family’s house phone or something, so yeah. If the mention of his name caused a slight muscle spasm or curiosity over another person’s relationship, that’s probably why.”
She swallows down tears. Her chest feels lighter, emptier. The frustration is gone, though the bitterness remains. 
Robin is quiet for a moment. The resentment Nancy has been exhibiting makes sense now. While Steve would follow you anywhere, Jonathan doesn’t seem to want to follow Nancy. “Feels like a perfectly reasonable reason to flinch or be nosey.” 
Nancy smiles at her, eternally grateful. “Does you accepting my nosiness officially make us friends?”
Robin immediately agrees, albeit in her own shy way, and Nancy laughs alongside her. It’s a nice moment, one Nancy hadn’t known that she needed. Your friendship with the girl doesn’t seem so strange now. 
Steve’s distant cheer alerts the others that he’s found Skull Rock.
“Oh, boom!” He crouches beneath a shrub and swats away a spider web. He’s too excited to gloat that he doesn’t even care that there could be spiders in his hair yet again. “In your face, little Henderson. In your stupid, cocky little face!”
“Who’s the fifteen year old here?” You ask your boyfriend, looking at him pointedly. 
Dustin looks down at his compass and frowns. “Doesn’t make sense.”
“You hearing him, Y/N?” Steve waves his hands in front of the giant boulder. “Even with it staring him right in the face, the kid can’t even admit that he’s wrong! And you’re saying I’m the immature one? He’s such a little butthead.”
“Sure, because every nineteen year old says butthead as an insult-fuck!” A body lands next to you with petrifying force. You fall back in panic, heart pounding in your chest.
“I concur,” Eddie smiles at you wickedly. “Your brother, Dustin Henderson, is a total butthead.”
Dustin is hugging Eddie before you’ve even caught your breath. The relief on his face is evident. “Jesus, we thought you were a goner.”
“Yeah, me too.” Eddie clutches your brother tightly, the weight of the last few days bearing their toll on him. Still, the glint in his eyes hasn’t left yet. Winking at you, Eddie’s mischievous smile is back. “Never thought I’d see precious Hawkins’ sweetheart at Skull Rock. Sorry for the fright, by the way.”
You glare at him. “I hate you.” 
Eddie pulls away from Dustin and nudges you with his shoulder. “To be fair, you were kinda useless when I needed you yesterday. Isn’t your whole shtick helping people?” 
Sheepish, you duck your head. “In my defense, the signal was shitty. You kept breaking up, I couldn’t really do anything about holes in boats.”
“It’s okay, you’ll just donate your liver to me the next time I need one.” Eddie nudges your shoulder again, eliciting a begrudging laugh, breaking any remaining tension between you two.
Steve stands next to you, his arm wrapped around your waist in a protective manner. His eyes never leave Eddie, distrustful. “You’re not taking Y/N’s liver.”
“No one’s taking my liver,” you roll your eyes at him fondly before turning to Eddie. “But I can bake you something as compensation.” 
Eddie clicks his teeth. “Even better.”
Nancy hands the bag of food over to him and he takes it eagerly. He rifts through its contents while everyone else gathers around him. You all allow him time to adjust, to breathe for a moment. 
But eventually the overwhelming need to know outweighs the guilt. Nancy, always the one to get straight to the point, finally breaks the silence. “What happened yesterday?”
Eddie’s face darkens. “Jason and his goddamn goons. They were at the lake house and I was cornered. Didn’t know what to do. The fuckers were angry.”
Your eyes wander his face, noting the lack of bruises and cuts on it. A fight hadn’t broken out, which means Eddie escaped somehow. “And when they found you?”
Eddie takes a swig from his flask. He winces at the taste, but it seems to settle his nerves. “Turns out, the boat didn’t have holes.”
“So Patrick’s body, was it…?” Nancy can’t bring herself to finish the question. 
“Found in the lake? Sure was.” Eddie smiles venomously. “He tried swimming after me, so did Jason. Only one of them made it back to shore.”
Lucas looks away, grief clouding his expression. You mumble an apology to him. You hate that there isn’t anything else you can do to help him. He’s lost so much already.
“It was the exact same thing that happened to Chrissy. Patrick’s body shot out of the water like a fucking rocketlauncher.” Eddie says bitterly. His teeth are clenched, the memories from last night are gruesome to recount. “Then his bones started snapping and Jason lost his mind. He thought I was the one doing it.”
Dustin paces next to you. He’s mumbling to himself, every detail Eddie reveals only worries him more. Vecna has made his third kill. You and Max are next. There’s something that he’s missing. He just doesn’t know what.
“I ended up falling into the water and swimming to shore. I tried calling, but my walkie was busted, man. Drenched.” Eddie drinks again. He shakes his head curtly, scoffs to himself. “So I, uh. Did the thing that I now, apparently. I ran.”
The condescension in his voice, the cold laugh, upsets you. He’s disappointed in himself, he hates what he’s done, but no one blames him. There was no saving Patrick. Anyone who witnessed such a cruel death also would’ve run away. “You had no choice, Eddie.”
He ignores your comfort and instead answers Nancy’s question of what time the attack took place. “Yeah, I know exactly what time it was.” Eddie unclasps his watch and holds it up. “My walkie wasn’t the only thing that got soaked.”
Nancy catches the watch he throws her at and quickly reads the time on it. “9:27.”
You and Robin look at each other in surprise. She raises her eyebrows, thinking what you are. “That’s the same time our flashlights went kablooey.”
“That’s one hell of a coincidence.” You mutter to yourself, but Steve hears you anyways and squeezes your side. 
“That surge of energy had to be Vecna attacking Patrick.” Nancy pieces together, tossing Eddie his watch back. 
It isn’t a comforting realization, but at least it’s information you can use. You now know where, how, and when he Vecna attacks. The only piece missing is what to do with the information you have.
Dustin continues to pace back and forth. He’s hunched over, and when you look closer, you realize he’s scowling at his compass as if it personally offended him.
“So now we just need to sneak into his lair in the Upside Down and drive a stake through his heart.” Max says, as if it’s the most casual sentence in the world.
You look at her like she’s crazy. “We’re not going to the Upside Down!”
But no one is listening to you. Instead Steve, Robin, and Max begin a philosophical debate about whether or not Vecna has a heart or if he’s a vampire. 
“It was a metaphor.” Max informs Steve, slight disappointment in her voice.
“A bullet should work on him, right?” Eddie asks the group.
You shake your head at him. “Bullets never work.”
He stares at you, somewhat terrified. “How… how do you already know that?”
“We’ve had a lot of practice.”
“That’s actually even more upsetting to hear.” 
Lucas and the others start spewing creative ways to kill Vecna. They’re graphic and violent, but you already know that none of it will work. You’ve fought creatures from the Upside Down before; they’re notoriously difficult to kill, oftentimes requiring fire, bullets, knives, and bear traps. 
None of which you currently have.
Nancy knows this, too. “We can’t do any of that until we find a way into the Upside Down.”
“Why are we all suddenly okay with going there?” You ask incredulously. They’re all suggesting the Upside Down as if it’s fucking Disneyland. “I mean, haven’t we been trying to cut any connection to that goddamn place for the last four years?”
“What other option do we have, Y/N?” Nancy pushes. “You know there’s no other way to stop this.”
Max sighs in exasperation. “What we need is for El to get her powers back.”
“I miss her.” You sigh as well. You’re worried that there’s something wrong. You’ve called the Byers’ home a million times now, but no one is answering. Despite the weirdness between you and Jonathan, you still want him to be okay. He’s never gone this long without talking to you. 
And with Jonathan’s silence comes silence from El and Will, too. You hope they’re okay as well, especially knowing that Mike is supposed to be with them this week. You figured by now that Will would’ve called you to complain about Mike’s obsession with El. 
Instead all there’s been is silence, and their silence unnerves you.
Steve voices that he also misses El, turning to Eddie to explain how she has powers, but Eddie isn’t paying attention to him. 
“Hey, Henderson’s not cursed, is he?” His eyes follow Dustin’s pacing figure, nervous. 
“No, but I am.”
Eddie chokes on his spit and Steve snaps his finger at you. “That’s so not funny, Y/N. You’re in danger.”
“My point exactly. I feel that I’ve earned the right to joke about my demise.” You say, though you do grab his hand and squeeze it softly to voice your unsaid apology. As much as his concern warms you, you wish he didn’t have any at all for you. Worry has never been kind to Steve. Trying to brighten the mood, you turn to Eddie. “Don’t you agree?”
Eddie raises his hands. “I’m not a part of this.”
“Boom!” Dustin’s loud screech causes everyone to jump. He points his finger at you, a manic glint in his eyes. “Bada… bada… boom!” 
You shove his finger out of your face. “Are you done yet?” 
“I was right.” Dustin is smug, the mania in his eyes has yet to settle. “Skull Rock was north.”
You want to strangle your brother. You love him, you really do, but he can be very egotistical sometimes. He’s spent the entire conversation obsessively searching for a way to be right, rather than figure out what to do next about Vecna. 
He’s insane. 
Steve throws his head back in annoyance, equally as fed up with Dustin as you are. “You’re serious? This is Skull Rock!” He points at the giant boulder behind him. “You’re totally, absolutely, 100% wrong. Right now!”
“There’s literally nowhere else Skull Rock could be, Dustin.” You back Steve up. 
Dustin smiles. “Yes… and no.”
Steve has to step away, and you can’t blame him. You’re also seconds away from bashing your head against a tree. You’re in a forest. There are plenty to choose from. 
“This worked correctly when we left the Wheelers’.” Dustin holds up his compass. “It was correct when we got in the car on Kerley, but it started to slip the further east we went. Now it’s way off. When I was leading us here, I wasn’t wrong. The compass was.”
Steve insists that the compass is merely faulty equipment and that it still makes Dustin wrong, but you start to remember another time a compass started acting up. How it almost caused the party to split apart.
El had been the one controlling the compass, leading them in circles because she hadn’t wanted them near Hawkins Lab. 
Which would mean…
“It isn’t a faulty compass.” You look up at Dustin, now understanding. 
His face splits into a proud grin. “Correct. Lucas, do you remember what can affect a compass?”
The teen is startled by the question. Lucas’ face is masked with confusion, but suddenly everything clicks. “An electromagnetic field.”
Robin questions what any of this means, prompting Dustin to explain what Mr. Clark told you at Will’s funeral. He explains the electromagnetic theory and how the presence of a stronger field can make a compass stop working. “So either there’s a super big magnet around here, or…”
“There’s a gate.” You finish, ice washing over you. The idea terrifies you, but somehow it makes perfect sense. “Maybe even multiple gates.”
Everyone looks uncomfortable with this new information, but Dustin cuts through the tension. “It’d have to be smaller, way less powerful.”
“A snack-sized gate.” Robin adds, and you appreciate that she’s trying to make you laugh.
Steve asks how multiple gates can even be possible, and all Dustin can do is shrug. He doesn’t know, but it’s the furthest you’ve gotten to any semblance of an explanation. “The last time we’ve seen anything like it, it was a gate. And I hope it is, because then we’d have a way to Vecna. And a shot at freeing Y/N and Max from this curse.”
It’s the most hopeful you’ve seen Dustin all week. He’s optimistic, endlessly proud of himself for figuring out the missing piece of the equation. 
“Okay, but there’s still the Eddie problem. What do we do about him?” You remind your brother.
Steve nods. “Yeah, he’s still a wanted man. We can’t just go hike the woods.”
Dustin is already several feet away, eager to start following the compass. He’s so close to finally lifting the curse. He’s going to save you. He will. “This little capsule might be the key to saving all three of them! Max, Y/N, and Eddie.”
You don’t have the heart to tell him that even if you do find a way to kill Vecna, it’d be almost impossible to clear Eddie’s name. No one else knows about the Upside Down. Legally speaking, you aren’t even allowed to know about the Upside Down. 
But Dustin bows to Eddie and pretends to tip his hat. “What say you, Eddie the Banished?”
Everyone turns to the older teen. It’s a lot to ask of him. This entire time he’s been hiding, fearful of shadows and people. You wouldn’t think any less of him if he declined. And yet, Eddie surprises you. “I say you’re asking me to follow you into Mordor, which if I’m totally straight with you, I think is a really bad idea, but the Shire… the Shire is burning.”
Dustin bounces up and down in anticipation. You cross your arms, rolling your eyes at him, but his childish glee makes you smile anyways. It’s cute, as much as it pains you to admit. 
Eddie stands up. “So Mordor it is.”
He marches towards Dustin, no ounce of hesitation within his movements. He has complete and total trust in your brother. He’s following him into what could very well be Hell, and yet Eddie does so with a brave face. They really are close.
And Eddie has chosen to join, not run away. 
“No more running?” You catch his arm.
Eddie smiles at you. “No more running.”
“What the hell is Mordor?” Steve cuts in, lost.
You giggle at him and grab his hand. “C’mon, Harrington. To Mordor we go.”
– 
Dustin’s compass leads you back to Lover’s Lake. 
You and Steve walk quietly behind the others. Your fondest memories together are at the lake. It’s where Steve finally asked you to be his. That night, underneath the stars, you kissed for hours and felt as if you were the only two people in the world. 
As if reading your mind, Steve brings your hand to his lips and kisses it softly. 
The small moment between you is ruined when Dustin suddenly starts to speed up, practically running away from the group. Eddie shouts at him to slow down and the thought of your brother alone in the woods frightens you. Pulling away from Steve, you run after him. 
“I think we’re getting close!” Dustin calls over his shoulder, not seeing the water in front of him.
Eddie grabs the back of his hoodie and saves him before he can fall in. “Watch your step, big guy.”
“This is confounding,” Dustin is breathless, utterly in awe.
“There’s a gate in Lover’s Lake?” Max is skeptical.
You hum, thinking. “Unless there’s somehow another reason for Dustin’s compass going haywire, I’d say there’s a gate here.”
“Whenever the Demogorgon attacked, it always left an opening.” Nancy slowly says, her eyes scanning the water as she studies it. “Maybe Vecna’s the same way.”
Dipping the tip of your muddied mary janes into the water, you look down at it thoughtfully. “Guess there’s only one way to find out.”
You hate the Upside Down and all that it’s taken from you. Hopper, Will’s childhood, Max’s brother, El’s life. You hate all the violence and pain it brought into your life. The scars that litter your skin and the nightmares that will never leave.
But Max comes first. You have to save her. It doesn’t matter what it’ll cost you as long as she’s safe.
Eddie guides everyone to the boat he used to escape from Jason. Though its engine doesn’t work, he reassures the group that it’ll be fine. At the very least, it’ll get you deep into the water. Steve helps him push it to the shore’s edge.
Robin steps onto the boat first, using Steve and Eddie’s heads for balance as they hold the boat steady. They scoff at her, but she doesn’t care. Eddie goes next, then Nancy. When you go to step inside, Dustin pulls you back. 
“Have you lost your mind?” His hand doesn’t leave your arm. “In case you’ve somehow forgotten, you’re also marked. You’re not going anywhere near a goddamn gate.”
His voice shakes with fear for you. Your heart twists. “Dustin, I haven’t had any visions yet. Just the headaches. I even have my walkman on me. I promise I’ll be fine.”
“I’m coming with you.” Dustin juts his chin out, trying to appear brave before you.
But you see through him anyways. “You’re not. I need you to stay with Max and Lucas for me, okay?” Before he can argue with you some more, you kiss the top of his head. “I love you.”
Just as Dustin can’t stand the idea of losing you, you can’t stand the idea of losing him, either. 
Dustin snatches your walkman from your pocket. You lunge at him, but he’s fast. In a heartbeat he’s at his backpack, grabbing an old plastic bag, before he starts frantically wrapping your walkman within it. He ties the plastic tight around it, making it airtight. 
“I hate what you’re doing,” Dustin gives the walkman back to you with contempt in his voice. “But I’m not losing you to a waterlogged walkman.”
The pressure of tears builds behind your eyelids. You love your brother endlessly. Kissing his head again, you pull him into a bone crushing hug. “You’re never losing me.”
“I better not.” He mumbles, sinking into your embrace. “And I love you too, by the way.”
You laugh wetly, and Eddie takes it as his cue to finally speak. “Not to ruin this tender sibling moment, but this boat only holds like three people tops. Dustin wouldn’t be able to come anyways.”
Dustin sticks his tongue out at him and Nancy extends her arm. “Compass?”
Reluctantly, your brother hands her his compass. After he’s given it to her, Steve finally turns to Dustin. He lowers his voice, trying to give him some privacy. “Listen, I’ll keep Y/N safe, alright?”
Though he doesn’t want to, Dustin nods. Steve is the only person that he trusts your life with. If it were anyone else, Dustin would’ve thrown himself onto the boat and demanded he be next to you. But you’re with Steve and your walkman is safe. That’s all he can ask for now. 
“You better.” Dustin warns, but his heart isn’t really in it.
Steve claps his shoulder and kicks off the shore’s edge, sending the boat into the water. It’s a small boat, Steve has to wrap his arms around you to fit. You’re pressed tight against his chest while Eddie, Nancy, and Robin are squished on the other side of the boat.
“Bedtime at nine, kiddos!” Robin shouts as the boat floats away, giggling.
You hit her shoulder. “Be nice, they’re worried about us.”
She shrugs, indifferent, and starts helping Eddie steer the boat. Nancy guides them with the compass while you and Steve hold up the flashlights. It’s eerily quiet on the lake. The only sound that infiltrates the night is the soft crash of the waves against the shore. 
About halfway into the lake, Nancy orders Eddie and Robin to stop rowing. “Woah, woah, woah. Slow down.”
The boat comes to a stop. You shine your flashlight over the compass and watch as it spins wildly. It can’t seem to decide on a direction to point in. “Definitely not just faulty equipment.”
Nancy nods, her face grim. 
“Guys, what’s going on? Talk to me.” Dustin’s voice crackles through the walkie. He must’ve seen the boat stop.
“Your compass has gone from wonky to wonky with a capital ‘aah!’” Robin tells him, eyes narrowed at the instrument. 
You take the walkie from her. “I think we found the gate.”
“Steve, what are you doing?” Nancy’s concerned voice causes you to turn.
Steve has taken his shoes off and he’s already stripping his socks by the time you process what the hell he’s doing. “Steve Harrington I will drown you before I let you close to any goddamn gate.”
“Somebody’s gotta go down and check this out, angel.” He says hastily, taking his other sock off. “Unless one of you can top being a Hawkins High swim co-captain and a certified lifeguard for three years.”
“What, did the swim team train you in dimension hunting?” You grab his arms, struggling against his strength to stop him. He fights back, overpowering you easily. You’re starting to panic now. “I-I’m not letting you down there!”
“It’s gotta be me.” He’s speaking to you in a hushed, understanding tone. Steve’s eyes find yours, and he pleads with you to listen. “Let it be me.”
Let me save you. 
“I…” You don’t want Steve to go; you’re scared you’ll lose him if you do. 
“Y/N, please.” 
Don’t make me beg for your life again.
Last summer Steve had been torn away from you by Russians. You watched as they took him from you, pried him from your grasp. The fear, the overwhelming sense of despair you’d felt back then had almost strangled you. 
You’ve already almost lost him once.
It would kill you if it happened again. You know it would. He’s your lifeline. Steve is the air you breathe and the flesh on your skin. He’s your constant, your home. 
“Come home to me, okay?”
They’re the same words you screamed to him the last time he was taken from you. It’d been the only thing you could think of, the only way to encompass all that he is to you. But Steve hadn’t been able to swear his oath to you. Time had run out. 
But not tonight.
“Always,” Steve promises. 
Then, ignoring everyone around you, Steve pulls you into a bruising kiss. His kiss, his promise, they breathe life back into you. The assurance that he’ll come back to you fills honey into your bloodstream. The taste of his lips coats your tongue in dandelion oil. 
Someone clears their throat aggressively, not so subtly reminding you and Steve that you’re still on a boat surrounded by three other people. 
Breaking apart, your cheeks burn when you see Eddie’s kissy face. “Romantic.”
“Shut up.” 
You help Steve undress. It’s intimate, tender. You would do anything for him. Pulling his sweater gently over his head, you kiss him again. “Good luck, honey. I love you.”
Steve rests his forehead against yours, breathing you in for the final time. His hands cup your face, warm and rough. “I love you too, angel.”
Eddie hands him a flashlight wrapped in a plastic bag. “Hey. What Y/N said. I mean, without the love confession. Um. Good luck.”
Taking the flashlight, Steve thanks him. Robin grabs your hand, both of you needing the other for comfort. She’s terrified, Steve is her best friend. Nancy looks at him with a look in her eyes that you can’t quite decipher.
“Be careful.” She finally tells him. 
Steve nods, looking back at you one last time, before taking a deep breath and diving into the dark water. 
The seconds drag on like hours. The moment Steve dives in, you feel every second he’s under the water like a knife cutting into your lungs. Your legs shake, Robin’s grip on you is so tight that it threatens to cut off circulation, but you don’t let go of her. 
“Where we at, Wheeler?” Robin asks after what feels like a decade. 
“Closing in on a minute.” She sees your shaking body and rests a kind hand against your shoulder. “Steve can handle it. I know he can. He’s strong.”
You bite your nails anxiously. Blood fills your mouth. You know Nancy is trying to comfort you, but her words only make you feel worse. Steve is strong, but he’s still only human. 
A horrifying thought crosses your mind: you’ve dreamt of this before, only it’d been Billy drowning you in the pool. Your body goes numb. Tonight can’t end that way. 
Almost another minute drags on before Steve’s head miraculously resurfaces. He inhales sharply, splashing water all over you, but you don’t care. You’re leaning over the boat’s edge the second his hands reach the surface. 
You can finally breathe again.
“Steve!” You kiss his soaked hair, grateful to feel his skin against your lips again. 
“I found it,” he gasps out, spitting water out of his mouth. He reaches for your hand, anxious as well to feel your touch. “I-I found it.”
Robin cheers, quickly alerting Dustin that he’d been right about the gates. You go to help Steve back into the boat, but he waves you away and goes back to holding your hand. He doesn’t want you getting wet, it’s cold out and you could get sick.
“It was wild.” Steve rubs his finger over the back of your hand. He’s smiling, adrenaline coursing through him. “It’s more a snack-sized gate than the mama gate, but still, it’s pretty damn big–”
Suddenly he’s back underneath the water, pulled so deep below that he almost drags you down with him. You scream, shrill and terrified. Nancy and Robin rush to your side, holding you back so that you don’t fall into the water as well.
Steve resurfaces again, but he must sense that this isn’t the end, because he rips your hand from his. He does it to save you, to ensure you don’t get taken with him. But you fight against it, you don’t understand why he wants you to let go of him. 
Steve pries your hand away. “Y/N–”
And then he’s gone. 
Everyone screams as Steve’s body disappears into the water. 
“Steve!” You’re dizzy with blind fear. He had protected you. He had spent his final seconds making sure that you wouldn’t get hurt, and now he’s gone.
Robin’s arms are around you, holding you back as you scream. She knows what you’re about to do. “Y/N, you can’t–”
“Let go!” You throw your shoulder back, prying your arm away. She screams at you, Nancy and Eddie do as well, but you’re already tearing your sweater off. 
You’re going in. You don’t care. Steve needs you. 
He needs you.
The water is cold. It shocks your system. Eyes burning, you struggle to make out where Steve is. Faintly, in the dark water, you see his body being dragged down. There’s something twisted around his ankle, pulling him towards a red light. You can hear his muffled screams. His arms flail, bubbles escape his mouth as he struggles against it, as he’s pulled through the red haze.
Lungs burning, you will your legs to kick as hard as they can. You’re both running out of time. 
The closer you get to the red haze, the colder the water becomes. Your ears pop at the depth. As the murky water settles, you realize that the red that illuminates is a crack in the earth’s surface. Vines encase its edges. 
Breaking through it, air hits your body as you fall to the ground. Your back scrapes against the rough ground beneath you, leaving you gasping for breath. You barely have time to gather your bearings before you hear Steve’s pained screams.
You stumble onto your feet, desperately searching for him. 
What you find is Steve’s body on the ground, vines choking him as he writhes in agony, demonic bats gorging on his stomach. 
-
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saphirafoxgirlspost1 ¡ 5 months ago
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(Open Rp) Alternate Love Story in "The Fox princess and the Monkey King"
Long Ago, In the Kingdom Of Sakutopia Ruled by The Kind and Compassionate Emperor Of the Celestial world Connected in Every beautiful Kingdoms.. including The Jade Palace.. but There's One Land that was Forbidden and the New parts of hell was Known as "The Shadowland" Home of the great Shishagami who is a ruler of this Barrens of Decay, No one dared to go there because the entrance was Guarded by the Great Orc who will Attack anyone that tried to go in or Going out. Then There was a Kingdom Nearing this Waste land was Known as the Dark Kingdom Home of the Demonic Bats and Decay itself.. His name is "Koumori" The Son of the Great Shishagami and He was Known as the "Bat King", He's been Watching The beautiful Kingdom with his crystal ball hating all the beauties and Living until he Spotted The Princess Of the Sakutopia Name "Saphira Lorraina Fox" The daughter Of the emperor himself, He began to Fell in love with that beauty and he wanted her as a Trophy wife, His queen. He decided to Plan to marry his Daughter and taking over the kingdom Turning the celestial Realm into Darkness and decay, Then the Next day The Bat King arrives at the palace as the Emperor Demands an explaination why the bat King enters the kingdom uninvited Himself, Then The Bat king Told The emperor that He wanted a hand In marriage to His daughter.. The Emperor was furious and Shouted," You will Never Marry My daughter! She Sees you that your Not worthy for her hand! Begone you Vile Demon! Your Not Welcome to my kingdom!" The Bat King was Seething in rage..and Then He said," Fine but mark My words Your Majesty, Your Daughter will be Mine Either she Likes it or not! She Will be My Queen!" Then The Bat King Vanished from the kingdom.. The emperor was Worried about Saphira's Safety and Now, She is in Danger and So, He began to sent His daughter to the Jade palace where the Jade Emperor will Protect her Until the Bat king is being dealt with.. Before Saphira Head to the golden Carriage, her Father Stopped and handed her a Jaded Box, he said," My dear Daughter,, if the bat King is coming after you and ambush you.. You must go to the Human world and go to the Peach Flower Mountain, remember I told you about the Monkey king?" "Yes Father, you told me all about it..including his Life, the peaches, everything else. Why?" She asked.. then her Father answers," There you will find him.. He'll protect you from The Bat king." Then he hugged His daughter goodbye with tears running down on his cheeks. When Saphira got into the Golden Carriage and took off heading Down to the Jade palace but suddenly The Army of the Demonic Bats Ambushed them.. Then the Coach knew this would happen, So he summon the Portal to the human world and went through it..as the Portal Closed, Saphira Change into her Human Form.
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Her hair is White as snow, Her eyes is Blue as a sapphire Sea and her skin is Pale as a moonlight.. While the carriage was taken her to the lovely area..it stopped by the docks and she comes out..and got in..and little does she know..she notice the beautiful Butterfly with a monkey face on the wings as she smiles, She knew that this Butterfly is rare to find it but little does she knows that this butterfly is the monkey king watching over her..When suddenly..She hears the bats screeching from the new portal..as she landed on sure and saw the mountains..and she began to run like hell..and saw the path to the top of the mountain.. Then She began grabbed her horse when it got out from the boat..she rides up there and made it to the cave.. she enters it..and sees the bolder is closed to be protected…The army of demon bats retreat after failing to enter the cave..The Bat king is Not Happy about it..So he Decided to Change into His Human form and Hides in the Big City waiting for her to Come to the city.. Meanwhile Saphira Saw the Ruines on the wall showing the life of the monkey King, every place turns gold as it shows it until she sees the monkey king and she said, "You there!" She sees him running and began to chase after him.. and when he stops and she said, "Wait I-" when she touched it..it went passed her.. and the gold faded as She gasp.. Then The Small Monkey face Butterfly appeared and She said, " I Should've Swore He was here.." Then Suddenly.. She sees the Monkey Face Butterfly Landed on the back of her hand and She looked at it and saw the golden eyes..and then The Butterfly said….
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twoidiotwriters1 ¡ 9 months ago
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My sisters in christ I am begging you for a Luffy smut where everyone thinks he's got no clue of how sex works cause he's Luffy and he doesn't mind the teasing UNTIL he hears the reader thinks the joke is actually true and he decides to show her he's not so innocent 😮‍💨😮‍💨
I didn't know I'm so good at this until now...-Val
I'll Show you (Monkey D. Luffy x fem!reader)
Warnings: SMUT... just-... your welcome!
Words: 2,181
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After another successful battle, as always, the straw hats wanted to have a big party to celebrate. Unfortunately, the Marines appeared to ruin the moment. So, they had to run back to the Sunny before it was too late. But not even that could take away the festivity out of the pirates.  
Sanji takes care of the food, Brooke and Franky the music, and Zoro the drinks. After a few hours (and many drinks), the conversation takes different turns as they keep digging. 
“I can’t believe you, Luffy,” Zoro says with incredulous laughter and shaking his head. 
“What? Why not?” Says Luffy with a frown. 
“Me neither,” says Usopp. “How come you were on an island with just women for two years and didn’t do something?” He scoffs. 
“Well, it’s the truth. Why would I lie? And what do you mean by ‘do something’?” Luffy’s confused by his friend’s question. 
“You see, Luffy,” says Sanji with a smile. “It’s quite hard to think that you left that wonderful paradise!” He chuckles with his flushed cheeks as he lights a cigarette. 
“Uh, I had to. I made a promise to you, guys,” he smiles.  
“But you didn’t have a girlfriend? Or you didn’t want to do… fun things with them?” Usopp chuckles. He doesn’t know how to talk to Luffy about this kind of thing. It always has been a mystery how his captain’s brain works. And he’s drunk too, so he can’t think straight. 
“Fun things?” Luffy thinks. “I mean, we played, and they showed me some defense techniques, I think that’s funny,” he shrugs. 
The three men laugh at his words. Sanji sighs leaning against the boat’s mast. “Oh, I would pay anything to be with the most beautiful woman in the world, Boa Hancock.” 
“Oh, she’s nice!” Luffy adds. 
“You bet,” Zoro chuckles sipping his sake. 
“I would never leave that island,” says Sanji. 
“You’d probably be dead by now, cook,” Zoro snorts. “How much blood would you lose by being there for five minutes?” 
“Shut it, Moosehead,” Sanji grunts. “It would be the best way to die.”  
“Why?” Luffy asks. He tries to understand but every time he speaks, his friends just laugh at him. So, he lets it go and eats more. 
“What are you guys talking about?” You ask arriving on deck with Robin and Nami with a drink in hand. 
Luffy looks at you with a big smile. “I don’t know, I got lost,” he informs as Sanji, Usopp, and Zoro talk now between them and in whispers. 
You shrug at them and sit on Luffy’s lap, getting comfortable and caressing his black hair. His hand travels to hold your waist and his head rests on your shoulder. 
“See!” Usopp points at Luffy and then laughs with the others. “Just look at him! He’s so oblivious. He has his girl on his lap and her tits are practically on his face and he doesn’t do anything. Do you think he did something in Amazon Lily?” 
“Uh?” Luffy’s confusion returns when he hears that. 
“Yeah, he has no clue,” says Zoro. “Even if Y/N asks him.” He chuckles. 
“Shut up,” You roll your eyes getting closer to your boyfriend.  
“C’mon, Y/N,” Usopp moves clumsily to stand before you two. “Tell me, Luffy. Did you even want to kiss Boa Hancock?” 
“Uh–no. She’s a friend, why would I want to kiss her?” 
“Good boy,” you kiss his cheek and smile proudly. 
Even though you weren’t together back then, you feel happy that Luffy didn’t fall for Hancock’s tricks.  
“God, you’re so lost,” says Nami. “Even I want to kiss her.” 
“They say that she’s the most beautiful woman in the world,” Robin informs them. “I would kiss her too,” she giggles. 
“One night stand,” Zoro informs with a firm nod.  
“Yeah,” Sanji scoffs “Like you could have a chance with someone as beautiful as her, Moosehead.” 
“Hey! If Luffy has her wanting to marry him, I think I have a better chance than you, shitty cook.” 
With that, they all start to discuss who would have a real chance with the woman.  Meanwhile, Luffy has been thinking about what his friends have been laughing about in his answers. He raises his head to look at you. “What do they really mean, Y/N?” 
“Uh–what Zoro said?” Luffy nods. “One-night stand is when you… uh, want to sleep with someone, but without a relationship or romantic feelings, and it’s just for one night,” you shrug.  
Luffy takes his time to think about that, mixed with his friend’s comments. Finally, his brain’s cells connect and understand. “Oh!” He exclaims making the others stop talking and look at him. “You’re talking about sex!” He laughs. 
“So oblivious,” says Nami shaking her head, and everybody bursts in laughter again.  
Luffy smiles proud of himself for now, understanding their conversation, but his smile stutters when he feels your body shake in laughter too. “Wait, why are you laughing?” He raises an eyebrow. 
You frown. “Oh! It’s okay, baby,” you kiss his forehead. “I know sometimes it’s hard for you to understand this… topic.” 
“Hah! Really hard, right, Y/N?” Zoro barks and laughs. You look at him with a deadly glare of warning. 
“What?” Luffy asks getting a little annoyed. 
“Shut up, Zoro!” You warn him. 
“I swear I’ve tried everything, but Luffy can’t take a hint!” says Zoro, making an awful sharp womanly voice that makes everyone laugh. 
“I’m gonna kill ya’!” You groan standing up from Luffy’s lap and attacking Zoro’s good eye. 
“Uh...” Luffy leans to Robin. “Are they still talking ‘bout sex?” 
 Robin giggles. “Yes, Captain.” 
** 
When you enter your shared room, you see a very serious Luffy sitting on the bed.  
“Luffy?” He raises his head, but his expression is the same. “Are you okay?” 
Luffy’s jaw is tense, and his hands are fisted at his sides. “No.”  
“What’s going on?” You sit next to him as you take off your shoes. 
“You want to have sex with me.” It’s not a question. 
“I-uh. I mean, y-yeah...” as Zoro revealed, you’ve tried with soft touches, lingerie, and hot make-out sessions, but there’s always something distracting him. 
“Why didn’t you tell me?” His tone makes you more nervous than you expected. You’ve never seen him like this with you.  
“I-I try, but...” 
“No, you don’t,” he stands and turns to you with his arms crossed. “Are you scared or something?” 
“What? No! It’s not that!” 
“Do you think you won't like it?” 
You shake your head, standing up. “No, Luffy-” 
“’Cuz I know that you’ll like it,” he smirks at you. His voice’s deep and his eyes linger on your body making you shake. 
“I-uhm...” you sigh. “Luffy, it’s just that… You can be a little… oblivious about sex and I just thought...” 
Luffy chuckles. “Yeah, maybe. But I choose to be like that. I don’t care if the others think that,” he steps closer to you. “But you are more important,” he slowly grabs your waist and pulls you up to his body.  
You put your hands against his chest. “W-what do you mean?” 
“I’ll show you,” he whispers and then crashes his lips to yours in a hungry kiss. 
You moan when you feel his tongue enter your mouth, his hands go down to grab your ass and squeeze it, wrinkling the fabric of your dress. “Luffy!” You gasp, ending the kiss.  
“I gotcha’,” he giggles as he gets behind you to unzip your dress, leaving you in just underwear. 
He picks you up confidently and you wrap your legs around his waist. He walks with you to the bed and drops you carelessly making you complain. Luffy laughs as he removes his vest, shoes, and pants at great speed. 
He crawls up your thighs without taking his intense dark eyes off you. You tremble with anticipation. “Maybe everybody thinks I’m dumb, maybe I am,” he shrugs. “But I know you, Y/N...” he starts to kiss your skin. “And I know your reactions to my touch.” 
Luffy makes you open your legs, and he doesn’t wait before he’s kissing, licking, and biting the interior of your thighs. You sigh, feeling a shock from his lips. Luffy pulls away a little and smiles proudly, having left hickeys all over you. He grabs your thighs again to put them over his shoulders and have better access to your clothed pussy. 
“Luffy!” You squeak at his proximity. 
“My favorite part...” he says, ripping off your panties. 
You want to scold him, but your scream evolves and turns into a moan from your lips when his mouth attacks straight to your core. Your back falls against the mattress and you hold the sheets. 
You’re surprised at his enthusiasm to eat you whole and even feel a little embarrassed to hear the wet sound he’s making. “Luffy!” You moan. He drowns his moans in response and his grip on your legs tightens. 
It doesn’t take you long to recognize the sweet sensation of an orgasm, but you also feel overwhelmed because you’ve never cum so fast. “Luffy… wait!” You try to breathe. “Slow down a bit!” 
He decides not to listen and continues his work by running his tongue over your clit. That alone is enough to make you moan loudly, your body trembles and your legs want to come together crushing Luffy’s head. Your hand tangles in his hair tightly to pull him closer to you. “F-Fuck, Luffy!” You groan as you try to breathe after that intense high.  
Luffy keeps licking but now lowers his speed to just get slower laps until he’s satisfied. Then he crawls higher up to be close to your face, his smile no longer shows any innocence, but pride in his good job. 
“T-That was...” you sigh. 
“I know. I told you I’d show you,” he giggles. He slowly moves to be completely between your legs, and you gasp when you feel his boner. “I ain't finished, though.” 
He leans to softly kiss your lips and his hands travel all over your skin. “Soft...” he whispers. “So pretty.” 
Now it’s your turn to touch him, feeling his sweaty and strong muscles, then you lower your hand to his still-clothed cock, and Luffy moans. “Take ‘em off,” you order, and he nods.  
You touch again his hard member and move your hand up and down. “Y/N...” he calls you in a trembling voice. 
“Y-yeah?” You don’t stop. 
“Did I–Did I do well?” He sighs. “Did I eat you well? You liked it?” He thrusts at your hand. 
“Yes,” you moan. “I liked it very much, love.” 
“Was I a good boy?” He whines. 
You understand what he wants to hear. “Yes, such a good boy, Luffy,” you praise. “My good boy...” 
“Fuck, you’re perfect,” he kisses you. “So soft, so pretty,” he smiles, “and so fucking delicious, the best thing I’ve ever tasted.” He laughs as he leans over and sucks on your nipple, firmly holding your breast. 
“Lu!” You scream, grabbing his dark locks again.  
He lets go of your nipple at holds the hand you’re using to caress him. “I-I want to be inside you, please... Can I?” He asks desperately.  
“Yeah, I need it too...” 
He smiles and moves, taking his member directly to your entrance eagerly.  
"Slow, Luffy..." You warn him. 
"I'm sorry," he laughs a bit. 
Both of you moan with his slow thrust, and Luffy buries his head on your neck when he's all the way in. You can feel the soft kisses on your throat as your body gets used to his intrusion, but you can't wait too long, so you grab his ass and pull him into you. 
"Move, baby..."  
He obeys, increasing the speed of the thrusts more and more until the sound of skin slapping skin floods the room along with the screeching of the bedframe against the wall. 
"Good boy."  
"Yeah, your good boy. Only yours..." 
After a while, you feel your body reaching a new climax and notice that Luffy's thrusts are harder and a bit sloppier. "I'm close," you moan. 
"Me too," he groans. “You first...” He raises his head to look at you. “I bet you look so pretty when you cum.” If your skin isn’t flushed by now, his words make your body feel like it’s on fire. “Cum f’me...” 
You squeal hitting your release and Luffy holds your waist like you might go away from him. “Fuck!” He grunts, and you feel him cum inside you. 
Your bodies shiver a little from the adrenaline, Luffy slowly pulls out of you, and his body falls on yours. You can't help but giggle and caress him. 
“I buv u,” he says, with his face buried on your tits.  
“I love you too.”  
After a comfortable silence, you remember the party happening on deck. “The others can’t laugh at you now, huh?” 
He giggles. “I don’t care. But maybe they heard your screams...” 
“YES, WE DID!” Someone yells upstairs. “WE GET IT!”  
You two laugh.  
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pretzel-box ¡ 5 months ago
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I need Sebastian's reaction to some divers flashing little octo boy🙏🏼🙏🏼
SQUIDDLE ME THAT
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words: 2,1k
tags: octopus hybrid reader, platonic relationship with sebastian, sebastian gets protective
authors note: I wrote the part before the flashing scene yesterday and had to add your request at the end, hope you don't mind some extra content!
Having a little octopus hybrid running loose was a challenge on its own. God forbid that Sebastian take his three eyes off you for even a second—you'd either wilt from loneliness or start creating a mess in a bid to reclaim his attention.
One such instance involved you folding his newly sorted files into funny little paper boats, which you then gently rocked over a random puddle that had started to develop in the corner of his shop. The first time you did this, Sebastian was initially impressed that you'd found something to do on your own. He even joined in, taking a sheet of printed paper and folding it into a rather shoddy boat, chuckling until he realized—these were his important assets!
Sebastian learned quickly from that incident. He made it his mission to keep you occupied, providing you with paper and pencils to draw pictures instead. Soon, his shop was filled with your artwork, pinned up on every wall. He couldn’t help but find your efforts endearing—most of your drawings were of the two of you, and they filled his heart with a warmth he wasn't accustomed to feeling.
“You know, I think you're starting to develop an eye for ar—” Sebastian began to say, but as he turned around, you were gone. You had simply vanished from sight. However, the trail of suction-cup marks on the floor was a clear indicator that you'd slipped through the vent and were now somewhere outside the shop.
Panic surged through him as he quickly made his way out, calling your name and checking every room. You were small and had a short attention span—surely, you couldn’t have gotten far.
And then he saw it. You were standing face-to-face with a Squiddle. The scene was bizarre: the Squid Monster hovered slightly above the ground, its ‘eyes’ locked onto you with what could only be described as confusion. You, on the other hand, were trying to mimic the creature, leaping up and attempting to hover in the air, only to be defeated by gravity each time.
Sebastian froze for a moment, his panic shifting to a mix of concern and disbelief. The Squiddle seemed more perplexed than hostile, perhaps unsure of what to make of this smaller, more enthusiastic "squid" that was now mimicking its every move. You, in your innocent curiosity, were completely absorbed in your game of imitation, oblivious to the potential danger.
Sebastian approached cautiously, not wanting to startle either of you. “Hey, buddy,” he called softly, trying to get your attention without alarming the Squiddle. “What are you doing over there?”
You turned to him, eyes wide and full of excitement, as if proud of your new friend. Sebastian's heart skipped a beat seeing how happy you were, but he knew he had to get you away from the creature before anything went wrong.
“Come on,” he coaxed, holding out his hand. “Let’s leave the big guy alone, okay? We’ve got plenty of drawing to do back at the shop.”
Reluctantly, you took his hand, casting one last curious glance at the Squiddle before allowing Sebastian to lead you away. The creature watched you go, still floating in place, before it finally drifted off, no longer interested in the odd encounter.
Back at the shop, Sebastian let out a deep sigh of relief. He knelt down to your level, ruffling the top of your head gently. “You’ve really got a knack for finding trouble, you know that?”
You gave him a sheepish grin, and he couldn’t help but smile back. “Alright, how about we stick to drawing for a while, huh? Maybe we can work on some more pictures of us. Just... let’s keep the paper boats on hold for now, okay?”
You nodded eagerly, and Sebastian led you back inside, silently vowing to keep an even closer eye on you from now on.
Sebastian! You there?” a male voice called out as a customer clambered through the vent. Sebastian, already familiar with the type of people who usually wandered into his shop—rude pricks deserving their prison sentences—acted quickly. Without a second thought, he wrapped you in a blanket and gently but hurriedly stuffed you into a spacious locker, hiding you from the potentially mean human.
“Ah, welcome~” he greeted the customer with an air of nonchalance, shifting into his usual role as a shopkeeper. He led the man through a small conversation, maintaining his outward calm even though his thoughts were with you.
Meanwhile, inside the locker, you pressed your arms and tentacles against the metal walls, trying to push your way back to Sebastian. The dark, cramped space fueled a growing sense of anxiety. You didn’t understand why he’d suddenly hidden you away like this. Did you do something wrong? Did he stop liking you?
Fear and confusion spiraled in your little head until they became too much to bear. The only logical response, as far as you were concerned, was to scream. Tears streamed down your face as you wailed loudly, feeling abandoned and terrified. The darkness was cold, and being alone felt like the worst punishment imaginable.
Sebastian, who was busy trying to offload some junk onto the prisoner, froze when your piercing scream cut through the conversation. The customer blinked in surprise, glancing toward the sound. “What the hell was that?”
Sebastian’s mind raced as he tried to think of a plausible excuse. “Uh, faulty alarm system,” he lied, forcing a smile. “This place is falling apart, you know? I’ll get it fixed. Now, about that flashlight you were interested in…”
But the scream came again, louder this time, filled with pure distress. Sebastian’s heart clenched with guilt. The customer raised an eyebrow but seemed more annoyed than concerned. “You might want to take care of that. Sounds like something’s dying in there.”
“Yeah, yeah, I’ll handle it,” Sebastian muttered, barely containing his irritation as he hurried the man toward the exit. “Thanks for stopping by, and don’t forget to tell your non-existing friends about the shop!”
As soon as the customer was out of sight, Sebastian practically “sprinted” back to the locker. Your cries were breaking his heart—he hadn’t meant to scare you, but in his haste to protect you, he’d overlooked how you’d feel being stuffed in there.
He flung the locker door open and immediately pulled you out, wrapping you in his arms. “Hey, hey, it’s okay,” he murmured, holding you close as you continued to sob. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”
You clung to him desperately, burying your face in his chest, your tears soaking into his shirt. Sebastian felt like the worst person in the world for making you feel this way. “I was just trying to keep you safe,” he explained softly, rubbing your back in soothing circles. “I didn’t want that guy to see you. But I shouldn’t have locked you up like that. I’m sorry.”
Gradually, your sobs began to quiet, though you still held onto him tightly, afraid he might push you away again. Sebastian continued to whisper apologies and reassurances, promising that he would never do something like that again.
Finally, you lifted your head, looking at him with tear-streaked eyes. “You’re okay,” he said gently, wiping away your tears with his thumb. “I’m not mad at you. I could never be mad at you.”
Your grip on him tightened, and Sebastian could feel the tremble in your small body slowly subside. He stood there for a long moment, holding you close, letting you know through his actions that you were safe and loved.
After a while, he carried you over to a cushioned seat, sitting down with you still wrapped in his arms. “You’re my little partner, okay?” he said, his voice softer than usual. “I’m always going to take care of you. Just… no more screaming like that, alright? You almost gave me a heart attack.”
You nodded weakly, sniffling but feeling a bit better now that you were back in his comforting embrace. Sebastian gave a small, relieved smile, brushing your hair away from your face. “That’s better,” he said, rocking you gently. “Let’s just stay here for a while. No more hiding, I promise.”
——
It was an unusually busy day in the shop, with a steady stream of prisoners coming through the vents, all of them more obnoxious than the last. Sebastian had been on edge, keeping a close eye on you as you busied yourself with drawing on a scrap of paper behind some boxes to hide you out of the sight from the visitors. He didn’t want a repeat of the locker incident, so he made sure you were always within arm’s reach.
But even Sebastian couldn’t anticipate everything.
As a particularly rough-looking prisoner stomped into the shop, his eyes darting around suspiciously, you instinctively curled a little closer to Sebastian. The man was big, with a scarred face and a sneer that made your skin crawl. Sebastian noticed your discomfort and subtly shifted his body to block the prisoner’s view of you.
“What do you want?” Sebastian asked, his tone curt and to the point.
The prisoner didn’t answer right away, his gaze flicking over the various items on the shelves. “Just browsing,” he muttered, though there was a malicious glint in his eyes that set off alarm bells in Sebastian’s head.
Sebastian’s grip tightened on the counter. “We don’t have all day. Either buy something or get out.”
The prisoner’s sneer widened, clearly enjoying the tension he was causing. As if on a whim, he suddenly reached into his pocket and pulled out a small device—a flashbeacon. Before Sebastian could react, the prisoner activated it, directing the blinding flash of light straight at you.
You let out a terrified yelp, your sensitive eyes overwhelmed by the sudden burst of light. Instinctively, you tried to shield yourself, curling up and covering your eyes with your tentacles as best as you could. But the damage was done—the intense flash had disoriented you, leaving you scared and vulnerable.
Sebastian’s protective instincts kicked in instantly. Without a second thought, he lunged forward, shoving the prisoner hard against the nearest wall. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?!” he snarled, his voice dripping with fury.
The prisoner barely had time to register what was happening before Sebastian’s hand was around his throat, pinning him to the wall with a strength that belied his usually calm demeanor. “You think you can just walk in here and pull something like that?” Sebastian growled, his three eyes narrowing dangerously. “You’ve got some nerve.”
The prisoner, now realizing he’d severely miscalculated, struggled to speak, his face turning red as he choked out, “It… it was just a joke!”
Sebastian’s grip tightened, making it clear he wasn’t amused. “That ‘joke’ could have seriously hurt them,” he spat, nodding toward you. “You don’t mess with my shop, and you sure as hell don’t mess with them.”
With a final shove, Sebastian released the prisoner, who staggered back, clutching his throat and gasping for air. “Get out,” Sebastian ordered, his voice low and menacing. “And if I ever see you here again, you’ll regret it.”
The prisoner didn’t need to be told twice. He scrambled for the vent, shooting one last fearful glance at Sebastian before disappearing as quickly as he’d come.
Sebastian took a deep breath, trying to calm the anger still coursing through his veins. Then he turned to you, his expression softening as he saw you huddled on the floor, still reeling from the flash.
He rushed over to you, kneeling down and gently pulling your tentacles away from your eyes. “Hey, hey, it’s okay,” he said softly, his heart aching at the sight of you trembling. “It’s over now. You’re safe.”
You blinked up at him, your vision still blurry, but you could see the concern etched on his face. Slowly, you uncurled from your protective ball, reaching out for him. Sebastian didn’t hesitate—he scooped you up into his arms, holding you close against his chest.
“I’m sorry,” he murmured, his voice filled with regret. “I should’ve protected you better. But I promise, I won’t let anyone hurt you again.”
You clung to him, your small body still trembling slightly, but his warmth and the steady beat of his heart began to calm you down. You knew Sebastian was strong, and as long as you were with him, you felt safe.
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deadghosy ¡ 11 months ago
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Can u write more of hc enderman reader? like one of the resident of the hotel spilled water on them bc enderman hate water and it hurts them, like how would the others react to seeing enderman reader get hurt by water😅
ENDERMAN! READER GETTING HURT
prompt: reader accidentally gets splashed by water. No one knew what could harm you until now.
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CHARLIE
Charlie had told you a pipe busted in the bathroom as you nodded sighing with a slight croak teleporting. Leaving a bit of purple pixels behind as Charlie.
I’m not gonna lie, you didn’t know the pipe bust was so ugly. You scrunched your face up as you grabbed your tool box and opened it so you could grab your wrench and other needed.
As you worked in the damn pipe, the pipe fully combusted as water spills all over your body making your eyes widen. A huge screech erupts from your mouth as you spazzed out teleporting from the water as the water in your skin sizzles. You grip your arm and mostly body as Charlie runs to the room to see you panicking with glowing purple eyes.
“[READER]?!” Charlie yells shocked and concerned for you as she sees your skin practically boiling. She rushes to you and grabs a towel to dry you off as you screech having your jaw unhinged as you look away from her.
After she dried you off, you had to change clothes and stop working for 2 days as you had bandages on your arms mostly.
You still looked badass it’s just you had a frown like pout as Charlie apologizes a million times about how she didn’t know you could get harmed by water like that. But you calmed her down saying she didn’t know
And now every water duty was now alastor’s duty.
VAGGIE
I feel like vaggie would try to give you water not knowing it could harm you.
Idk how to explain this but she felt your head as you don’t feel well and she wanted you to drink water to cool down your heat from your body.
So what did she do? She grabbed you some water hoping you would take it but you didn’t want to as you shook your head no.
VAGGIE got tired of you “being stubborn” as she shoved the water in your face like she pushed the glass of water to your chest making the water spill onto your lap as you screech teleporting with a spazz.
You were teleporting left and right as vaggie then noticed your lap bubbling as you screeched with an unhinged jaw. Vaggie cover her shocked with her hand as you teleported away at least.
Vaggie then goes to Charlie as she tells her girlfriend what happened with you and how you let out a piercing screech that broke her heart.
She left terrible to harming you, but Charlie comforted her and was saying how she can fix this
Charlie takes vaggie to the kitchen as sir Pentious was there making something for the egg boiz who are hungry. She tells Vaggie, “how about making some cookies? I remember seeing them happy at some cookies.” And Vaggie nodded a bit
Few minutes later, vaggie had grabbed the cookies with a smile face on it. The smile faces were kinda ugly but they had effort as she walks to your room and knock on it. You open the door having your blindfold on as you stare intensely at her.
“I’m sorry I didn’t know that water could harm you like that…I was being a pushy bitch wasn’t I?” She says awkwardly as you stand over her. It was a weird silence until she heard a deep chuckle
You laughed with a croak and nodded, taking the cookie. And everything went well after that
LUCIFER
For Lucifer, I feel like he would try to get you inside his duck boat because he just appreciates it as much as he appreciates you.
It all started one day when you were in the workshop with Lucifer as was making a captain and sailor boy duck when he remembered the duck boat you built for him.
“ENDY!” You jolted looking at your hyperactive friend as you stopped working on a box. Lucifer’s smile shows off his teeth as he had a pose that says “I HAVE AN IDEA!🤓☝🏾” Lucifer grabbed you by your broad shoulders and got close to your face.
“We should do a boat ride..like, like AN AMAZING ONE!” Lucifer was excited to hang out with you since you are his first friend that’s similar. You looks side to side as if you were in a cartoon and nodded for Lucifer to continue. He told you how cute and fun it would be to be in a boat ride with you as he just wants to hang out.
So imagine Lucifer picking up a 6’5 tall person who has a neutral face while the other has a gremlin happy face. He literally had a sailor hat on with a fit excited as he gets in the boat that’s ready to be sailed in the water. He waits for you as you just stand there shaking your head no.
“No.” You said flatly as Lucifer just sits there like. “What….” Lucifer was shocked as he raised a brow confused
It’s so cartoony as Lucifer is trying to drag you in the boat while you screech with an angry face “>:(“ LOL A SHORT ASS MAN AND A TALLER ONE FIGHTING😭🦆
Although Lucifer is stronger than you since you are quite just a creature and he is the king of hell. He pulls you but too hard as you fell in the water screeching in pain as your mouth unhinged. You literally start tweaking as you twitch before teleporting out the water and shaking.
Lucifer’s eyes widen as he immediately runs to see your body bubbling as you grip the ground in pain as you screech in pain still. Lucifer actually gets concerned as he uses his hand that has fire in it to warm you quickly as you are in pain.
After you dried off…it was an awkward moment as Lucifer had a sorry look, like a puppy that had just been kicked as he looks down ashamed at how you got hurt because of him. You looked at him through your blind fold and wrap your arm around his smaller figure close to yours.
His eyes widen as he feels your slight cold body as he still looks down. “I’m sorry for hurting you…”
“I’m okay..thanks to you.” You said as you teleported both of you and Lucifer back to the hotel so you can heal.
ALASTOR
You were walking with Alastor for a stroll when a sinner had poured out water from their window.
Alastor had asked you to do a stroll with him as you were working all day fixing things around the building. You didn’t want to at first but Alastor assured you he wanted you to be by him as he literally grabbed you by your lanky yet muscular arm and dragged you along the streets of pentagram city.
“Tell me my fellow specimen, do you like jazz?” He says as he smiles at you waiting for your answer. You thought about it as you remembered a person named “Steve” playing jazz once….it was quite catchy. So you nodded as Alastor nods with a hum.
As you guys walk a sinner had seen you by the radio demon and wanted to be a asshat as they grabbed some water and aimed steady seeing you and Alastor close to the window.
With the sinner having the balls to pour water, they poured it on you. Missing Alastor completely as he jolts shocked to see you covered in water. Immediately when the water hit your skin, you screech loudly gaining attention as a static ring in the sinner’s ears as your eyes glow purple.
You teleport and start to take blocks and piece of the house angrily as you were in pain. But the pain was so much in your skin you passed out before you could harm the sinner.
Alastor’s shadow catches your body with a frown as it takes you to the hotel while Alastor had worry in his eyes with his smile still there.
Alastor looks up at the sinner’s window with radio dials for eyes as the sinner cowardly hid from the sight of the radio demon but Alastor smiles sinisterly and walked ahead.
Alastor had hoped you were in your room regaining your strength.
It was the next day as you woke up feeling better as purple pixels surround your body as you see Alastor in your room watch tv. You sigh grabbing your working clothes ready to iron them and go in with your day.
You just stood there as the person’s house was on fire and on the news next day while you were ironing your clothes. Literally your face was like “:0” as Alastor sips his tea with a evil smile.
ANGEL DUST
I feel like for Angel, he would bring you to a club because you told him you never been to a club before. And some asshole poured water on you thinking you are ignoring them because they liked you.
You were walking to your room as your hair was disheveled from working as you were tired, accidentally bumping into angel who was on his phone. “Hey watch where you’re goin'…” you grumbled at him as you kept walking only for angel to grab your wrist concerned as you would usually screech when he pissed you off or even annoy you.
“Hey…somethin wrong buddy?” Angel says as you turn to face him. He sees your tired form and he puts his hand on your cheek. No fever. “Hmmm…” angel hums as you stand there not wanting to deal with his bullshit as you almost teleported away.
“Wait. How about you hang out with me? Maybe you could see what’s fun other than slavin' away and being tired all day babe.” You thought about it but then nod as you followed after the spider demon who smiles grabbing your hand.
As you guys go to a club Angel is dancing has he has a shot in his hand while you just stand there awkwardly staring at your formal friend who seemed to be having the time of his life. Angel sees you not dancing and pouts grabbing your hands and making you have a dance with him as you have your hands on his waist as you let out a soft croak confused
Angel and you had fun as you smiled for once and Angel smiled seeing you happy. You guys were thirsty so Angel had asked if you wanted anything. You paused and said probably [anything but water] and Angel nodded and left.
As Angel left, you start to think about how you didn’t feel icky and less motivated tonight as you had fun with Angel dust. It felt like you needed this. You need fun. And this is the best night of your life.
A female sinner had been staring at you from afar, liking your dark handsome body as she licks her lips and goes over to you. “Heyyy~” the demon says as she tries to look seductive to you. You didn’t even hear the lady as you couldn’t even hear shit from the blasting music.
The demon lady got mad a few seconds later, not hearing you say anything back and assuming you are just being a rude person not wanting to be talked to.
“JERK!” The female demon throws the water in your making you back away as it splashes you on your face. You screech gaining Angel’s attention as he sees the female sinner snickering walking away as he runs to you concerned seeing your face bubbling.
Angel panicked either comforting the damn bitch, or comforting you. He sucked in his breath and ran after the bitch who poured water on you…..
You can imagine how the fight went as the next thing that happened was Angel grumbling helping you stand up as he enters the club again. “Up you go bud…” Angel says as he walks limping a bit by your body mass against his.
You guys get back home safely as angel patches up your face a bit and lays you on your bed as you groan. Purple pixels surround your body as a static sound softly vibrates around the room. Angel sighs tired realizing how much he partied with you.
Later that night, Angel was beside your sleeping body as it heals with purple pixels surrounding your face. Angel sighs with slight concern as he snuggles against your body. Using your arm as his pillow.
HUSK
Kinda like Angel’s, a person spilled water on you because they a hater fr and they can’t help but be jealous 🤓🦆.
So what I have in mind is that there are residents in the hotel after the battle with the Angels, and like so you being the handyman you are. You were trying to fix the shower for a resident who had a drug problem.
Like you were just sitting at the bar when you get a notification from room 102 that there is an error with the shower head. You said bye to husk as he nodded staring at you with dilated eyes before his eyes went back to slits as he cleans glasses.
As you rolled up your sleeves ready to get down and dirty for your job, you had an uneasy feelings seeing how you heard pacing steps back and forth. You knocked on the door for it to only open to see a sinner who seems to be slightly uncomfortable.
They let you in as their head twitched a bit as you just stand there with a broken English sound, “hello.” You walked into the bathroom and started to see the shower head. It looked a bit sideways as you walked around the bathroom.
The sinner gets more nervous as you sit your tool box on the sink. Almost by their medicine bottle which made them tweak out at you.
The drug addict started to yell at you, accusing of you spying on them as they grip their hair and push you out of their bathroom. They even threw the pill bottle at you as you were just shocked seeing them spazz out at you like a bipolar disorder.
Husk must’ve heard some sounds of the yelling and you letting a Enderman sound as the cat demon grumble going up stairs concerned got you.
The next thing husk sees, was you getting thrown with water as his eyes widen with yours as you screech out loud holding your bubbling arm you used to cover your face.
Husk immediately rushed to you as he tries to dry it off only for you to let out soft groans in pain. Husk turns to the sinner angrily as a slight cat growl erupts from his throat seeing you hurt.
“Get the fuck out of here before I shove my foot up your ass…” Husk says as it seemed like he wasn’t joking as he pulled out his cards and gripped his fists.
The sinner jolted as they ran off with a scoff glaring at you and leaving the hotel for good.
After the sinner left for good, husk grabs an aid kit that’s in every room of the hotel and wraps your arm as you sigh confused by what you could’ve done to the person…..“Am I ugly?” You asked husk who scoffed
“You’re anything but that pal…cmon get up. You still got a place to chill at.” Husk says helping you up as you both go to the bar to chill.
PENTIOUS
He was trying to show you a weapon he that had water in it…
Like one day you were fixing a clock because you wanted to know the time, but Pentious wanted your attention as he grabbed your waist and took you to his room to show you his new weapon he was gushing over about.
You didn’t understand what was happening as you let out a slight croak with your face being like “😐”
As you got dragged to his room his egg boiz surrounded you liking your tall frame as Frank climbed to your head. You patted the pure egg as sir Pentious slithers through his room and runs through it to find the weapon.
Pentious explained how the egg boiz wanted a bigger water gun, so he gave them one. You could tell he was confused between real gun and a toy water gun as you stood there and nodded with a thumbs up.
He pulled out the gun which seemed to be some type of ray gun, but in a colorful summer way as you just tap it not knowing what else to think of it as frank hops off your back.
“Issssn’t it pretty?” Pentious says happily as he spins the ray around. “With my brains I didn’t think of anything else bu-”
Before he could even say anything else, he knocked into the button that activates the ray having the water hit you in the middle of your chest as your eyes widen at the burning sensation.
“SCREEEECHHH” you let out a painful scream as Pentious’s eyes widen with his egg boiz as they surround you worried about you.
Pentious sees you holding your chest as he unbuttoned your shirt to see a painful bubbling spot of where the water weapon had hit you.
He gasped as he immediately got up and yelled for Charlie to come help you as the egg boiz kept you company
Tbh I can imagine a funny moment after this of Enderman! Reader sitting up still having a blank face having wrapping around their chest as pentious sniffles with teary puppy eyes.
“It’s okay…..” you said in a quiet broke English voice as it was raspy as well. You patted his head as your chest had the wrapping bandage on it. Sir Pentious wraps his tail around your waist as he snuggles up to you
NIFFTY
She was dust cleaning and accidentally knocked a cup of water on you. Like you were basically relaxing after a hard day of working.
You was by the bar and so was she dusting away with her wide smile. She said hi to you as you nodded acknowledging her presence as you just sat relaxing.
As you sat there, she accidentally knocked over a glass of water or so and it splashed all over your hand which made you jolt with a screeech. Husk looks over to see you hissing at the burn your skin got as she get an aid kit for you. This made husk not phased a little as nifty moves away from you ashamed that she harmed you.
After husk had fixed your hand a bit, you had to go to your room to recover as it is was build by you to help you heal better. It is filled with some blocks where you are from so you could heal better.
As you stayed in your room, nifty sniffled sad that you left to your room thinking you were mad at her
She went to Charlie or Alastor and asked for advice as she didn’t know what to do next as she couldn’t just walk in on you trying to heal.
So she went to both and they both gave her a different response, “Maybe you should apologize and give them a get better card?” “Hmm…I’m not good at these kinda things.”
So nifty got to work as you slept off the pain in your hand as you didn’t know what was happening down stairs.
At the end of the day, nifty made you a get better card as you picked it up with your bandaged hand with a soft gaze of your purple eyes. You let out a soft Enderman croak as you pinned it to your wall
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woso-dreamzzz ¡ 6 months ago
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Treat You Better V
Laia Codina x Reader
Summary: Sometimes, Laia can't understand you
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When Laia first joined Arsenal, she studied English hard.
Arsenal was a big change and she wanted to hit the ground running and she did for the most part.
The only issue she had was understanding everyone's accents.
You and Katie are very Irish. It leaks from your every pore, right down to the way that you both decorate your cubbies at training.
Your accent is a little softer than Katie's, more tempered by the English people you surround yourself with.
It's softest at home with Laia, when you're both curled up on the sofa together, watching some mindless tv show to help Laia with her English.
But your Dublin accent comes out when you're around Katie.
It's thick and throaty and Laia is always shocked when it suddenly switches back to your softer one when it's just you two again.
Laia loves your accent, she really does. It's different to everyone else's she's heard and it's so unapologetically you that she can't hate it.
But, god, does it make you difficult to understand.
Laia can barely follow along as she sits at your side at the breakfast place you've dragged her to. Katie's there as well, opposite you in the booth.
You're both talking at a mile a minute and Laia just can't keep up. Your words jumbled into each other and it's like you don't even need to come up for air, your accent mixing with Katie's until it's all just a jumbled mess in Laia's ears.
She'd be a little bit annoyed if it weren't for the fact that you're still holding her hand under the table and the look on your face is so happy that clearly she isn't missing out on much by not being able to understand.
It also helps that Caitlin, who sits opposite her, looks like she's in the exact same boat. That helps a little, that a native English speaker also can't keep up with the fast paced Irish accent that's filled the booth.
"Honestly," Caitlin whispers over the table, leaning forward so you and Katie can't hear her," It's like listening to the radio in another language. I can never tell what they're saying."
"It's easier when it's just me and y/n," Laia confesses and Caitlin nods along.
"Yeah. Katie always slows it down when it's just us. I don't know what it is about those two being together that brings out this side of them."
"Side of who?"
It's impressive the way your accent switches back to what Laia normally hears when you're not addressing Katie, the way it softens and goes smooth.
"No one," Caitlin says.
You look at her in confusion for a moment before shrugging and turning back to your conversation with Katie.
It's not just with Katie that your accent switches though, Laia notes as she sits next to you on the sofa one night.
You're on the phone to your parents and it goes all thick and throaty again. You're not talking quite as quickly and you're not talking quite as hard but your accent does turn back to what Laia supposes it must be like at home in Ireland.
She has no idea what you're saying but she could listen to you waffle on forever.
You're talking to your mother about something, Laia can only catch a few words here and there but she can't help but stare, a small smile on your face as you laugh at whatever your mum has just said to.
"Yeah, yeah," You say," I've got her here. Do you want to talk to her?"
Laia sits up a little bit.
"Laia, my Mam wants to talk to you."
It's in that moment, when Laia takes the phone from you and greets your mother, that she realises your accent was a much more tame version than everyone else's.
Your Mam speaks fast and without her being here in person, Laia can't attempt to lip read to fill the gaps. She talks fast and it seems like she's asking questions that Laia stumbles through answering, hoping that her hesitation is put down to English not being her first language.
Somehow though, with her head reeling and a little more stumbling over her words, she makes it through the conversation and you both say goodbye to your Mam.
"She approves," You preen, puffing out your chest like her approval of your girlfriend is the greatest thing you've ever done," You really impressed her."
"I did?"
"Yeah. She's super impressed. She said that she'll come over to visit us soon. You haven't lived if you haven't tried my Mam's roast. Perfect every time."
You relax back on the sofa, arm flung over Laia's shoulder.
"I...But how? I-I stumbled over my words. I couldn't under-"
She catches herself but you seem to know exactly what she was going to say.
"Understand her? Yeah, Mam does that whenever I date anyone that isn't Irish. She really exaggerates the accent but you really pushed through."
"Wait, that was on purpose?"
"For sure. Mam won't accept anyone who doesn't try. She was really impressed with you."
Laia grins, feeling pretty proud of herself.
"It's why me and Katie have been training you." You grin at Laia as she looks at you in disbelief. "If you could handle us together then you can certainly handle my Mam."
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bamsywrites ¡ 3 months ago
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And Comes Dawn.
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Pairing: sauron/halbrand x reader, more pairings in the future to be tagged
Summary: In all beings, there exists darkness. when the deciver finds one who seems to defy this, he becomes obsessed with finding it within her. and if he can't find it, he will ruin her himself.
Tags/Warnings: clichĂŠs abound, opposites attract, sauron being evil but also hot but also evil, no use of y/n. This is pretty barebones. There's not much to tag, I don't think.
Notes: there was a lot of interest in this when I made a post. This is not super duper long and a Lil choppy but I wanna see what people think. Lemme know if you like it. If I should continue it. I have a lot of ideas. It's all written and edited on my phone so I'm sorry if it looks bad or mistakes were made.
Series Masterlist
The wind from the sea felt nice on his face. After so many years spent as nothing more than mud and slime, it was nice to feel. Feel anything. Freedom, independence, revenge. His plan to create order and heal the world would come to fruition. Being stuck on a ship with these men was worth that price. They were like bugs. If he wanted to, he could squash them and feel nothing. Though there was one who spoke to him kindly as a mentor would, and there was the ever so slight stirring of emotions he presumed were long dead. The old man was enough to make him question what it was he desired. Did he want to be good? Did he want a fresh start? What about his plans? The desire for order was there, the want to heal the world and bring peace, but would he get that through evil, through deceit and violence? Or could that be obtained another way? He continued to stare over the vast ocean as the wheels in his head turned, and he waged a war inside himself.
"It's beautiful, is it not?" A voice broke through the silence of the night.
He turned sharply, greeted by the image of a young woman. You were beautiful. He noticed it right away. Never had he looked at a human and thought they were beautiful. The thought was usually reserved for elves, but you were different. He could tell just by looking. You were soft, gentle, pure. There was a light to you that permeated all of your features.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to intrude. We have more food tonight than expected, and you had been on your own so long before finding us. I supposed you might be hungry." You held up a bowl for him, which he accepted with a nod.
"Thank you. I don't think we've been introduced. I'm Halbrand."
You smiled softly back at him, giving him your name and taking a few small steps towards him. "It's a pleasure to meet you."
He watched you. It was curious. Everyone here was gruff and rude, not wanting to help a stranger, yet you brought him a bowl of soup instead of keeping it for yourself. He watched as you looked up at the stars and how they were reflected back in your eyes. Humans didn't often intrigue him, but you did.
He leaned back against the railing of the boat with his arms crossed, but before he could speak to ask his question, you spoke.
"The stars are beautiful, aren't they? The light against the immense darkness. It reminds us that there is light in all things. Even in the darkest of times, there is hope."
"Your people were just slaughtered by orcs. You're on the run. Hope in the stars seems pretty useless." His eyes watched you with keen interest.
"Hope is never useless. Without it, all is lost." The earnestness in your voice further fueled his curiosity.
"And what do you hope for in times like this?"
"A new start. A place to start fresh..."
"Yes," he interrupted, "That is what all hope for, but what do you hope a new place or fresh start will do? What do you want from it?"
"I want a safe place to lay my head. I want to live without shame. I want fresh air and to grow my food and I want music and I want laughter. I want to drink tea with my friends. I want to love and feel the wind on my face. I want happiness. I want peace." You smiled and closed your eyes as you pictured this serene future.
He watched you, his brows furrowed. You were odd, but he wasn't sure if that was a bad thing as of yet.
"You have a lot of this hope. It's almost oozing out of you. I can almost taste it." He took a step towards you. "As if there is no evil out there."
"There is evil, yes, but there is good. Do we despair because there is evil or have hope because there is good? I do not think there is truly anything that is created evil. Evil is only when the good is taken from someone, and if you're able to take it, then it's able to be taken back." Your eyes had opened, and you looked up at him.
"I doubt you'd believe that if you knew the evil I'd done."
"Thousands of years ago, the people of the southlands sided with Morgoth. Our ancestors fought alongside the most evil being to ever exist. Most would say that the things our people did were deplorable and worthy of the worst shame. But I look upon my home, I look upon the people I have grown with, and I do not see evil. The people here, I am but a stranger to them. I have yet to meet most of them, but they took me in, as they did you. If my ancestors were evil, they could not have created such good."
“Whatever evil you did, it can be forgiven. You can do good, be good.” You moved closer to him, placing a gentle hand on his arm. The feeling brought a sense of warmth that he had not felt since before he joined Morgoth, when he went by a different name. His eyes traveled down to where your hand rested, and you dropped it back to your side. He'd found himself missing the feeling.
"Your ancestors did do evil, though. They did plenty of evil things. Just as I have."
"Did they do evil out of the desire to be evil? Or did they do evil to protect those they loved? Were they born that way, destined to be only evil? Were you made evil? Or was it thrust upon you in a moment of hopelessness? Does every being have the capability to do both good and evil?"
He was left stunned at what you said, it took longer than usual for him to come up with a response. He wet his lips, looking over the ocean for a moment before looking at you once more. Your hair was gently blowing in the breeze of the ocean and he found the sight captivating. His intuition told him you were telling the truth, that you believed the words you were saying with your whole being. How could that be? There had to be some darkness that motivated you, that tainted your soul.
Everyone had darkness.
His mind played over the interaction long after it had happened. He wanted to feel that warmth again. You were a puzzle, a mystery. He would not know peace until he figured out what darkness was inside you because surely there had to be something. It was one of the many things that plagued his mind late at night. He watched as you slept peacefully. You were rows and rows down from him, but he could zoom in on your form. He watched your chest rise and fall, the calm of your features. You were a mystery that he had to solve.
This was what was on his mind when the worm attacked. He needed to know you. Even now, he watched as you attempted to help an elderly woman stuck under a beam instead of rushing to safety yourself. He couldn't bring himself to save the old man, but his fingers wrapped around the relic, and as water rushed the ship, he lept over and shielded your body with his.
He couldn't let you die. He had to understand you, to know you, to find out what motivated you, he would find your inner darkness.
And if he couldn't, he'd ruin you instead.
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