#this is only a suggestive little ficlet but it's under a 'read more' just in case

[shares-a-vest]

@steddielovemonth Day 10: Love is... Missing each other (Prompt by @lihhelsing)

wc: 723 | Rated: T for suggestive language & flirtacious banter | cw: None

Tags: Phone Calls, Rockstar!Eddie, Homesick, Eddie Misses Steve

Stevie, what are you wearing?

Eddie flips onto his stomach once he finally hears a dial tone. He didn’t think it would take this long, calling the concierge to transfer him to an international call, confirming his credit card and then waiting eons for a connection.

But fuck it, he misses his not-legally-binding husband.

It’s only been a week and the band has been killing it so far but…

Call him selfish, but Eddie misses the hell out of Steve, he is desperately resiting the urge to flee back to the airport and fly home. And he feels like a pathetic sap about it.

Maybe next time he should force the boys, their management and basically everyone around Corroded Coffin to set their touring to fit in with Steve’s school schedule. Yes, that could work – certainly much better than admitting how much he wants to be snuggled up in his comfy bed with Steve, drifting off to sleep together, hopefully without their cats bothering them too much.

The ringing continues and he worries that it is going to run out entirely. He bites at his thumb nail in anticipation – it’s not like he pre-organised this phone call and god knows what time it is in Hawkins.

“Hello?” Steve grumbles on the other end.

He sounds groggy with sleep, his voice a little far away as he likely fumbles for his glasses. Eddie grins and crosses his ankles, giddy like a goddamn schoolgirl calling her crush.

“Hey, sweetheart,” he beams, earning a whine at his equitable lack of volume control.

“S’early,” Steve mumbles, “Miss you.”

“I miss you more,” Eddie coos down the line. 

Steve huffs a laugh and echoes, “Miss you so much…”

There’s a rustling sound that follows and Steve hums.

“What are you doing?” Eddie wonders aloud.

“Getting comfy again,” Steve replies, “Closin’ my eyes and pretending you are next to me.”

“That so?”

Steve hums in the affirmative.

“Stevie…” Eddie purrs as he flips onto his back, “What are you wearing?”

“Sweatpants,” Steve replies, a smile evident in his voice.

“Nothing else...” he wonders.

“Nope!” Steve sounds a little more awake now.

“The barest chest,” Eddie continues, squirming around, feeling a teasing tingle at the thought – 

– Until the phone cord almost cuts off his air supply.

He palms around (though if anyone were to see him, it would probably be better described as a full-bodied flail) and tugs at the cord enough that something topples off the nightstand.

Whatever. As long as he can still hear Steve’s quiet and even breathing on the other end.

“What about you, Elvis?” Steve soon teases.

Eddie grimaces but responds nonetheless.

“I’m in my jeans,” he supplies, trying to remain at least a little coy, “And a t-shirt.”

“So, you aren’t ready for bed?” Steve teases, giggling out a little tee-hee that makes Eddie’s heart flutter – god he loves this silly man.

“Not until after I speak to you, precious,” he deadpans.

There’s another sound – like Steve is moving around amongst the bedsheets again. Eddie wiggles his brows and hastily hooks a finger under his waistband. But he soon scrunches his nose. He probably should have removed his belt and unzipped his fly during the never-ending dial tone.

“Shit,” Steve curses before groaning in a very unfun manner, “Oh no, buddy, c’mon!”

“What is it?” Eddie asks, propping himself up on his elbow.

“Go on, scram!” Steve commands, ignoring the question before whining again – one that sounds like whatever he is doing is an exercise in futility, “The cat won’t get off the bed.”

Eddie sinks back down.

Goddamn it.

“Which menace is bothering you, my darling?” he sighs, scrubbing his free hand over his face.

“Freddy.”

Eddie stifles a whimper as his heart swells. Of course, it’s the most adorable, scruffiest, wide-eyed and mischievous cat that’s annoying the heck out of Steve. A cat Steve himself only barely tolerates. Eddie can only imagine what Freddy must get up to when he touring.

“Fredrick?” he can’t help but beam, “Put him on the phone!”

“Eddie!”

“Please?” he begs, “I want to talk to him.”

“But what about…” Steve says, “Well, y’know?”

Eddie waves Steve’s worry away (even if he can’t see him).

“Keep it in your pants, Big Boy. We’ll get to that. Now put my son on the phone this instant!”

[ink-and-dagger]

What if Astrid find a pic of young Silco by accident hehhehehehhehehehehhe

Snapshot

A Drink With Me ficlet

870 words || Established relationship || Silco x Astrid (but can be read as gen f!reader) || SFW but suggestive || MDNI

“Oh my Gods.”

“What?”

“Oh. My Gods.”

Time has stripped the photograph between your fingers of its glossy sheen and has left the edges blunt and frayed, but you would recognise those features anywhere; no less sharp nor striking through the faded sepia.

“This is you.”

It had slipped from between two ledgers as you’d perused Silco’s bookshelves – an activity more to entertain your idle hands than a genuine search for reading material. The image itself is simple and candid: A young man, seemingly oblivious to the fact his portrait is being taken, sat at a familiar bar, with eyes downcast toward a spread of papers.

That same man looks up at you now from a very similar spread of papers. “What is?”

“This.” You drift over to his desk and perch on its edge, all the while unable to tear your gaze from the photo in your hands. The pitch dark hair swept back into a low bun. The familiar strays – the same ones that even now will always be the first to escape any styling under the combing of agitated fingers – falling forward into his face, only far longer and thicker than you’re used to. His skin, unblemished and smooth, save for the chronic furrow between his brows – etched there long before time and tragedy ravaged the rest.

Silco hums absently; an indication that he acknowledges your discovery but finds little interest in it. You can imagine the man in the photograph making the exact same noise, were someone to distract him from his paperwork for a reason he deemed benign. You flip the photo over. No date.

“How old are you here?”

Silco exhales through his nose, places his pen down with a pointed clack, and extends his hand wordlessly toward you.

“Hah! Do you think I’m wet behind the ears?” you hold the photograph out of his reach, “You can tell just fine from over there thank you very much.”

He cuts you a scathing glance, before leaning forward in his chair with a foreboding creak to peer more closely at the image. His scarred lips purse slightly in thought.

“Mid–late twenties. I can’t say for certain.”

“You were hot.”

“Were?”

“Were and are,” you coo, reclining backwards over the desk into his space, one elbow pitched on his paperwork to hold your weight whilst you flap the photograph in front of his face, “Can I keep this?”

“For what reason?”

“Dirty ones.”

“Hardly necessary,” Silco says, the very corner of his mouth creasing upwards as he catches your wrist to halt your photo-flapping, “You have access to the real thing.”

“True, true, and you can be sure I’ll continue taking advantage of that.” You grin, shoving your captured, photo-wielding arm a little closer to him in emphasis, “But right now I’m talking about some alone time with this guy.”

Silco scoffs under his breath and releases your wrist. You twist onto your front, weight propped on both elbows as you admire the photograph in your grip. You trace a finger down the slender throat of the man in the photo, over the generous wedge of chest exposed by his open crimson collar.

“D’you think he’d notice me? If I came into that bar?”

“Oh I’m certain he would.”

“Yeah?” You lift your gaze from the man in the photo to the one before you – as equally breathtaking. More so. You catch your lower lip between your teeth. “What line would he use?”

Silco hums, low and thoughtful, leaning forward in his chair, closing in on your space. He picks up his abandoned pen, briefly twirling the implement until it’s poised between his elegant fingers like a cigarette. Nib safely facing his own palm.

“After downing the dregs of his drink for courage... he would have approached you.”

With sensual tenderness, he brushes the barrel of his pen along your cheek, warmed metal against warmer skin. Catching at the curve of your jawline, and tracing over your pulse in a way that makes it fumble a beat.

“Cast his gaze over each of your pretty, pretty features. One by one,” he murmurs, slowly drawing the end of the pen down your jugular, down the slope of your collar bone, to leisurely trail through the cut of your cleavage. The corner of your mouth hooks up. The warmth low in your belly coils a little tighter.

“He would have leaned in close,” Silco whispers, demonstrating just so, “Close enough that you’d almost taste the whiskey on his breath.”

Blunt metal drags a purposeful line up your throat, and your lips part softly as he tilts your face toward his with the barrel of his pen flat and firm beneath your chin.

“And asked you – very nicely – to stop leaning on his paperwork.”

You press your tongue against the inside of your cheek while Silco’s dual eyes sizzle with smug mirth. It’d be unthinkable, really – to forfeit either one for the sake of a matching pair.

You straighten and push off his desk, hips swaying as you saunter over to the bedroom with the photograph in hand.

“Well,” you say, pausing in the threshold and turning to him with a smirk, “If you need us, you know where we’ll be.”

[galeorderbride]

Good lord! That Gale fic?! I made a GRAVE error and read it at work and now I have to concentrate while doing business things?! 10000/10 no notes! Thank you so much!!

What if Gale used Invisibility with a consenting Tav?

Ohhh you’re a gem for saying that thank you <3 and I hope you recovered from workplace smut (I have definitely made the same mistake lol)

You put a thought in my brain, anon. I made this little ficlet based on what you suggested :)

18+ MDNI for smut, including: inappropriate use of invisibility spell (consensual), surprise intimate touching, fingering

I wrote this with F!reader as the subject, hope that's ok <3

Words: 1164

Gale wasn’t a man to do the expected. When you permitted him to use an invisibility spell in your—private moments—he wasn’t going to simply sneak up on you while doing dishes or writing letters. He decided to take the time to make things elaborate, unexpected to the nth degree. Which is why, when he finally did execute his plan, you figured he’d forgotten about the conversation. You couldn’t deny your slight disappointment, anticipating a playful surprise as days went on. Never knowing when he’d take action. Only to have nothing happen. 

He was a busy man lately, now that he was a full time professor at Blackstaff and midterm season was peaking. Locking himself in his office for hours at a time, missing dinner if you didn’t bring him a plate after you’d finished. Followed by copious amounts of ‘thank yous’ and kisses on your cheek. Making sure you knew he hadn’t forgotten you, even if he holed himself up for so long. You tried to remain resilient, trust that he was preoccupied and once this time of the semester was complete, he’d be back to his attentive self once again. 

Self care was a good distraction from the hollow silence of the tower. Tara wasn’t even there to lift your spirits, visiting Morena for the night. Instead, you ran yourself an indulgent bath, using extra honey scented bubble bath and rosehip oil. Frothy suds blanketing the top layer of the hot water as you sunk your body into paradise. Letting yourself fall under the spell of relaxation as you tried to get your mind off the isolation. 

The dripping tap and gusts of wind against the glass windowpane were all that could be heard. Humming to yourself your favourite tunes from the bard performance you and Gale attended a week ago. Eyes closing as you became lost in the warm water, the perfect temperature for you. 

Until a shift in the formerly still water catches you off guard. A smooth, tranquil wave of the bubbles splitting in two, as if a hand broke between. Teasing through the gap of your spread knees. You hardly noticed at first, just thought it was a twitch of your leg or stretch of your foot. But the light flow around your skin becomes a soft but evident caress from ankle to calf. Someone is touching you, but you are completely alone. 

You unleash a shaky breath, a fearful but intriguing jerk within your muscles as the invisible touch hastens to move further between your legs. Ripples of water now waving in full force, sizeable enough that you pieced together just what—or who—guided such spontaneous magic. 

“Is that you, professor?” You say, voice hitching with captivated breath as the formless hand brushes against your cunt. Featherlight to the point where you wonder if you even felt it. 

No response, the typical verbosity of your wizard masked for effect. Part of you fizzled with fear, a tiny threat of a question in the back of your mind that asked if Gale was the one touching you or not. But you were more than familiar with the way he circled around your clit, the patterns of which he teased even though he’d swear there was no routine. After months of living with him in Waterdeep, when he’d seldom go a day without ravishing you, you found little trouble recognizing the force to be him.  

You giggle flirtatiously, head lying back against the ridge of the tub as invisible fingertips went from tickling to softly rubbing your clit. Letting your ankle lift through the steamy bubbles and hook over the edge. Opening further for him, biting your lip in sinful satisfaction as you catch the desirous sound of his shaken breath in your ear. Definitely him, drowning in the essence of your soaked up pleasure. You moan a little louder for him, a sign for this new ghost lover of yours to keep going as you climb further toward climax. 

Splashing increases around you as your lower body jolts with pleasure. Gale slides one finger inside, curling upward in the perfect way. Your skin runs red in a lusty blush as you picture what your pussy might look like as an invisible finger thrusts into it. Getting penetrated by nothing yet filled even further as he slips a second finger inside. 

Your moan is almost guttural, ferally chasing that high. You say, “Are you going to show yourself or am I gonna cum all by myself?” 

With his free hand, he snapped his fingers with a loud flick. Gale appeared behind you, resting his arm around the tub as your eyes stared upward at him. Strands of hair hanging around his face, the circles under his chestnut eyes darkened even further with incurable lust. Finished by a smirk so irresistible you’re sure you could explode just by looking at him. 

Moving his free hand to your breast, prodding at the plush flesh, he says, “I’d hardly be able to concentrate if I tried. Watching you come undone for me…I can’t think of anything else.” 

Gale smashed his lips against yours, passionate and fiery. The same pace as his thumb rubbing your clit, fingers thrusting assertively up. His other hand worked your nipple, pinching and twisting in just the right spots to get your entire midsection in tingles. Slipping his tongue into your mouth just as you let out a pleasurable yelp. Bringing you closer and closer to the edge of paradise. 

He doesn’t miss a beat, maintaining rhythm even as your body writhes in ecstasy. Your kiss slips away, mouths still hovering over each other, drinking in your air. You shudder out, “D-don’t stop…nearly there…”

His breath is hot, keeping your foreheads together. Leading you up and up that hill of no return. He growled, “Yes, good. Do it for me, do it now.” 

The crackle of his voice is enough to fully tip you over the edge. Your sex blossoms with a wet, intense orgasm that spreads throughout your lower body. Gale laughs quietly, taking in the satisfaction of finally unravelling you after so long waiting to strike with that invisibility spell. Days of thinking about the perfect time, now coming to fruition as you fall apart around his fingers. He can’t wait for the rest of the evening. 

Your body calms down, settling into the lukewarm water filled with soap lines and sweat. Gale gives you no time before he scoops both arms under you, lifting you from the tub in a bridal style carry. You giggle as you hug his shoulders, rubbing your nose against his. 

“Thank you for lifting me,” you say, “My legs are like jelly after that.” 

He chuckled, “Well, it’s the least I could do. Considering I’m about to take you to the bed and make the rest of your body—like jelly.” 

“Oh? Invisible or not?” You asked. 

As he flipped you onto the mattress and climbed over you, he said, “Why not both?”

[cillyscribbles]

initially started a ficlet, drew this to accompany it, then took 3 months to finish said ficlet. joys upon joys! ☺️

When the little ones suggested she get the best of her old dancing wardrobe and throw together the costume of a fortune teller, Cassandra had initially thought it’d be a fun spin on her usual Halloween get-up – which was, admittedly, not much more than buying a sack’s worth of candy and putting on a witch hat whenever the doorbell was rung.

In spite of feeling a little breezy in the cold October evening and swiftly abandoned by her gaggle of sworn companions, she turned out to be quite popular among the neighborhood kids. Few could – or would – resist the show she made of looking mysteriously about an old, overturned glass bowl. She was slow and deliberate in her choice of candy to present to them, and did so with an air of utmost importance, delighting in the way they would accept it as carefully as one might a glass dish.

As the sky darkened and the evening went on, the littler ones began to be drawn back inside, and she had less and less cause for her playful routine. Still, for a while, she remained, exchanging candy with some and thanking others for their compliments of her costume. Finally, once she’d received a couple comments about being too old for this from a few of those sorts of people, she figured she’d fish the last of the candy out of her bag at last and go back inside; evidently, the folks who thought they were too good for playing a little dress-up were beginning their portion of the night.

Just as she tied her bag closed, though, she lifted her head – and just there, on the edge of the pavement as though they’d risen right out of the asphalt in the street, stood two – grown adults, from what she could tell, and watched her point-blank. And as soon as she locked eyes with one of the figures, they smiled identically uneven smiles and made their way to her bench, as though her acknowledgement had been all they’d been waiting for.

As they stepped under the light of the streetlamps, Cassandra found their smiles weren’t the only thing identical about them; in fact, she found it hard to differentiate between the two at all, with only perhaps half an inch of difference in height. They were dark cats, though spotted, with their fur clipped short and rounded at points. Entirely orderly, and, as far as she could see, woefully underdressed for the occasion.

It did not impede the apparent enthusiasm she could read out in their faces. They seemed, for a reason she couldn’t be certain of, delighted.

“Do you seek the future or fortune?” A quiet, fairly low voice came from them – one of them, Cassandra realized, was a queen, and so it took her a further moment to register that she was asking a question.

She cleared her throat – and, half-to prompt them again, asked – “Beg pardon?”

“When you look into the glass, do you watch for the broad strokes of a future?” the queen asked again, and the one next to her imitated the snapping beak of a bird with two fingers.

“Or do you pick at the thread of only a single person’s path?” He was a tom, if she was to go by the voice, but both of them were a proper enigma.

She cleared her throat again – it stung, this time – and fidgeted with the bowl and the bag, trying discreetly to get a better look at them without meeting their still-peering eyes.

“Oh, I’m not sure which way I’m supposed to do it,” she admitted – they seemed odd enough for her to wonder. It would’ve been just her luck to meet a pair of genuine fortune tellers the one day in her life she was out masquerading as one. Sheepishly, she explained – “This is just a costume, I don’t really...”

“There is no wrong way to do it,” the queen interrupted, and glanced with some restrained excitement from Cassandra to the tom, whom Cassandra thought would’ve been strange to assume was anyone other than her brother.

“No such thing as a wrong way,” he seconded – and they sounded alike, too, in an uncanny, complimentary harmony.

Cassandra raised her eyebrows and looked down at the bowl she held on her legs. The bowl, which was indeed only that, did not offer any crystal ball-worthy advice for the situation. She wondered what was behind the question; what was the difference – what did it even mean?

“I suppose I’d focus,” she guessed, carefully, and looked up at them. “Wouldn’t that be easier?”

The queen only smiled wider, and, as her brother nodded his head in that strange manner people did where they may have been better off just shaking it, she said, “Oh, no, not at all.”

“On the contrary,” the tom agreed, and Cassandra hummed in what she hoped was polite listening. They certainly took it as such, and the tom gestured with fluidity as strange as the rest of them as he explained: “To crystalize meaningfully the path of a chosen individual is grueling work.”

“You must blow away the fog of uncertainty... and pick out a reflection from the puddles it leaves behind.” The queen was nodding, now, but at least she had something to nod about, Cassandra thought. The queen brushed her hand against the tom’s with some intent and added, thoughtfully – “It is thankless.”

“Agonizing,” the tom said, and they twined their hands together without so much as looking at each other.

Cassandra chuckled – she’d expected most of the things that happened throughout the evening, but this was quickly and unequivocally taking the cake. Still, she looked at them, gazing down at her with smiles brighter than the lamplight, and felt just a little embarrassed at her whip-stitched costume and her faded bowl. “Perhaps I should go with a theme I’m better-versed in, next year.”

“No, no, it wasn’t our aim to heckle you,” the queen said quickly, and glanced at her brother, whose expression had been suddenly tinged by worry at her words.

“We don’t mean to upset. We only so rarely get to discuss this.”

“Few will listen for even the time you have,” she said to Cassandra, who, at her appreciative tone and gentle expression, felt less soothed and moreso a little touched. Suddenly, though, the queen’s expression shifted – she looked as though she had remembered something, and touched the tom’s arm with some insistence. “But we have trapped you.”

“Yes, we will go along, leave you to a lovely evening,” he agreed, covering her hand with his own before they both let go as though coordinated. As she turned, though, he stayed her decisively with a hand against her stomach, and his smile widened at her curious expression; it seemed the first time, to Cassandra, that they were not so eerily in sync. “Would you consider reading my sister’s fortune, beforehand? Since you prefer it.”

Before Cassandra could remind them that she didn’t really prefer anything of the sort, and was indeed woefully inexperienced in the field they seemed so well-versed in, the queen all but gasped in quiet joy and scratched at her own chest with short-trimmed claws.

“I’d be ever so delighted to have it read; when was the last time?” She looked at the tom for confirmation. Cassandra had, without too much surprise, apparently assumed correctly in the two being siblings. “We were nine...”

“We were nine.” The tom smiled at her, very fondly, and here his expression was quickly mirrored again. Cassandra hated to disappoint them, truly, and they seemed quite sweet, but there was not much she could offer them.

“I can make something up, if you like,” she said, a little helplessly, and tapped at the sides of the bowl idly with the tips of her claws. She stopped when the sound made them both scowl, even as they refrained from saying anything about it and fixed more pleasant expressions back onto their faces before she could react. She chuckled to herself, glanced down again; she wasn’t even doing anything yet, and apparently she was already doing it wrong. “Again, I don’t know the technicalities of this.”

To her surprise, the queen nodded eagerly, and took a step closer to the bench – just one small, restless step, followed immediately by her brother. “Yes, that is, of course, a way to do it as well.”

“No false manner of doing it, none,” he assured her, and she wondered if they did any horoscope writing in their free time. Then she felt a little mean about it. “It is through unconscious association.”

“The things your mind sees before the eyes do,” the queen said, a little dreamily, and Cassandra nodded along. No, they had to have been writing horoscopes in their free time. “You don’t have to be clairvoyant.”

Something in her expression made Cassandra feel a little too perceived. She shifted to meet the tom’s eyes instead, only to find there, predictably, exactly the same sharpness to the sensation as he seconded his sister – “Simply observant.”

Everlasting – she hoped thought-reading wasn’t a part of their repertoire. She would’ve been terribly embarrassed if they were to learn from her that they sounded like the folks that wrote horoscopes.

To be fair, clairvoyant or not, bills needed paid.

“All right, well,” she said, finally, and, with one last burst of fiddling with the bowl, she lifted it from her lap and put it on the bench beside herself, looking up at where they stood expectantly. “You could show me how to do it? And then I could try myself.”

They shifted quick, and looked between each other. Cassandra tried not to crack a smile at the clear mortification that passed between them, albeit she wasn’t sure why that was.

The queen turned first, nodding as seriously as though they’d broken some untouchable rule of etiquette. “Ah – that would be most polite.”

“Yes, we overlooked our manners again,” he said, a little as though he was already used to it and so did not overthink it; he urged his sister forward gently, touching at her back. “Tantomile would read your palm.”

Tantomile, Cassandra thought. Before she could think anything else – anything other than That’s a really nice name, or, Wow, I’ve never heard that one before, Tantomile saved them both the embarrassment with the quickness of someone more than used to it – “It is my favourite. Coricopat’s is cards.”

“And dice,” Coricopat added. The name – fit him, she supposed. He looked like a Coricopat. Perhaps because neither of them looked like anyone else. Except each other, Cassandra noted. Naturally.

”And dice,” Tantomile conceded, and gestured lightly to the space beside Cassandra. “If I may sit beside you?”

“Right, yes.” She was moving out of the way before Tantomile had finished her sentence, her smile quirking up sideways as Tantomile lifted her tail to sit down. Cassandra glanced at Coricopat, and, surely enough, found his tail raised carefully as well, even as he stood still. She hummed, “I feel like you’re better suited for this spot anyway.”

”She is,” Coricopat said for her, and, when Tantomile raised her head, they looked wordlessly between themselves for a reason Cassandra could only begin to guess. They broke their gaze together, but Coricopat’s was the first to return to Cassandra, along with his smile. His sister, with no time to waste, took Cassandra by the hand. “But this is the night to play pretend. We can hardly pretend to be that which we truly are.”

”It would be silly,” Tantomile agreed, and, after casting just one exploratory glance at Cassandra’s palm, chuckled herself. Albeit Cassandra would never have known what for, Tantomile did not seem bothered by her confusion. She only idly patted her on the wrist and she glanced up for a moment before focusing on her palm again. “See – you’re a natural, Cassandra.”

She traced gently the lines in Cassandra’s skin, and Coricopat watched closely, and they treated her as carefully as they might a statue of glass. As Cassandra laughed, the wind carried away some of her inhibition – and, among other things, even the quiet, prodding thought that she had never told them her name.

[steddieas-shegoes]

saturate me, i can't get enough

rated e 4,066 words cw: please read full note below the cut in regards to terminology used in this ficlet/warnings A really big thank you/shoutout to @patchworkgargoyle for proofreading this and giving me a few great suggestions to make sure this was absolutely perfect for @steves-strapcollection's birthday! Also available on ao3.

This labor of love (and smut) is for my favorite transmasc Steve truther, Gerry. I am so grateful for your contributions to this fandom, and I am even more grateful that you welcome me into your chaos (Tig threads I'm lookin' at you 👀). While I may still not think my writing could be a gift to anyone, let alone a talented writer like you, I will just be positive that you'll enjoy this for what it is which is soft and tender fuckin'.

A VERY SERIOUS NOTE FOR EVERYONE ELSE: I am very much a cis woman. I spoke with Ger before even starting on this because I wanted to make sure he was comfortable with me even attempting to write transmasc Steve. I am using masculine and feminine terms for lower anatomy that he uses in his own fics and his own life with his express permission to do so. If you think this might be a trigger for you, please don't read. I wrote this specifically for Ger, and realize that it may not be for everyone. Taking care of yourself is the most important thing!

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If Eddie had known what exactly he was getting into when he asked Steve on a date, he probably would have done it a lot sooner.

He tugged on the silk ropes around his wrist, just tight enough to keep him in place on the bed, but still loose enough that he knew he could pull out of them if he had to.

Steve refused to tie them any tighter.

“Need you to feel safe with me, Eds,” he’d said with a soft kiss to his lips.

As if he could feel anything other than safe with him. As if he hadn’t spent the last five or so months falling in love with him, learning what makes Steve Steve, figuring out how he could fit in Steve’s life.

Somehow, Eddie ended up naked first, tied up in his own bed, breaths heavy with anticipation of what was to come.

And he had very little idea of what was to come.

He’d already been surprised at how quickly Steve took charge of their date, their first kiss, the torturous ride back to Eddie’s apartment where Steve’s hand just brushed against his cock every minute or so.

Now, he was at Steve’s mercy entirely.

Just the thought of Steve leaving him like this while he touched, and kissed, and bit every part of his body was enough to have him leaking.

“Can’t believe how good you look like this,” Steve groaned from his spot between Eddie’s legs.

Oh, his shirt was off.

Finally.

Eddie whined as he saw Steve’s one and only tattoo, a baseball bat with nails sticking out of it, on his left side just under the scar from his top surgery.

He wanted to trace the outline with his tongue, maybe mark it up so that it wasn’t just black ink, cover him in purples and blues that would take days to heal.

But he wouldn’t be able to do that now, not with his hands tied above his head and his legs spread wide enough that he couldn’t get leverage to pull himself up or Steve down.

Next time.

“Steve, please,” Eddie begged, though he wasn’t sure what he was begging for at this point other than touch.

“Sorry, baby. You’re just so distracting.”

Eddie knew he was blushing, could feel the heat on his face and neck, on his chest.

His hands were sweaty where he had them clenched into fists, somehow already overwhelmed before even being properly touched.

Steve’s fingers glided across his chest, pausing to pay attention to his only nipple, laughing to himself when Eddie jumped.

“Sensitive? Maybe this one got all the nerves from the other one being gone,” Steve smirked as he leaned down to flick his tongue over the soft, pink flesh of his one remaining nipple.

It was like an electric shock, a fire burning through his veins and Steve’s tongue was the match that lit it.

He arched his back, chasing the feeling as far as he physically could, pouting when Steve pulled away.

“Hey,” Steve touched his cheek, smiling when Eddie relaxed into the touch. “I know we’re moving fast, but I kinda wanna take my time with you. Is that okay?”

Eddie nodded, thankful that Steve said it first.

It wasn’t that he didn’t like the idea of going as far as they could as fast as they could, not at all. Eddie would be happy with anything.

But taking their time?

He would take all night.

“Wanted this for so long, baby. You have no idea,” Steve whispered, breath hot against his lips as he leaned back in.

“Me too,” Eddie’s voice trembled.

Steve’s palm settled against his chest, no doubt feeling how hard and fast Eddie’s heart was beating, but not saying anything about it.

Eddie could feel his pulse in his fingertips, in his toes, in his hair.

“You like being tied up?”

Eddie nodded, biting his bottom lip between his teeth and letting his mind drift to thoughts of being like this hours.

“You want me to do what I want? Not let you pick?”

Eddie didn’t even care about his teasing tone, his knowing smirk.

He wasn’t asking for an answer, he was asking for control, and he already had both.

“I think you want me to take over, ride your face maybe? And then your cock?”

Steve was spot on.

Eddie couldn’t count the amount of times he’d pictured that exact scenario in his head. Just last night, while he was cooking dinner, he thought about the way Steve would taste, how he would look while Eddie took him apart with his tongue, his fingers.

He hadn’t even gotten to picture his cock inside him when the fire alarm started beeping to let him know he was burning his supper.

“Yeah, that’s what you want. Don’t even have to say it, I can see it all over your face,” Steve teased.

He could only imagine.

Steve got off the bed, shushing Eddie’s whines with a quick kiss to his forehead.

“Just getting everything else off, Eds.”

It was said to calm him down, but it just caused him to cant his hips upwards, seeking any type of friction on his leaking cock.

Steve’s eyes never left him as he stripped his jeans and boxers off in one fell swoop, his feet stepping out of the pant legs as quickly as he could without tripping.

He joined him on the bed again, settling between his legs and staring down at him, eyes holding so much affection that Eddie wasn’t sure what to do with it, where to put it all.

When they made eye contact, Steve smiled softly down at him.

“You okay with this?” He asked, wanting to be sure before they got too carried away.

“More than okay,” Eddie nodded. “Wanna taste you so bad, Stevie.”

“I can make that happen.”

Steve untied one of his hands from the bedframe, but didn’t let it touch any part of him yet.

“This is only so you can tap out if you need to. You’re not allowed to touch anywhere except my leg. Three taps if you need to stop, okay?” Eddie nodded. “Show me.”

Eddie waited for Steve to climb up a bit, straddle his chest, the warmth between his legs enough to make him forget for a moment what he was supposed to be doing.

“Eddie. Show me,” Steve’s voice was stern enough to grab his attention again, and Eddie focused on making his shaking hand tap his thigh three times. “Good boy. You can keep your hand there if it’ll help you remember, but no moving unless it’s to tap.”

Eddie’s head felt cloudy already, something he so rarely experienced with anyone, something he hoped he’d get to keep experiencing with Steve from now on.

Steve shifted back down for long enough to leave a kiss on Eddie’s lips, tugging his bottom lip between his teeth as he let out a laugh.

“I can feel your heartbeat between my thighs. A bit excited, aren’t you?” Steve teased him again, but Eddie wasn’t complaining. If anything, it just made his heartbeat louder with anticipation at what he was about to get.

“Need you,” Eddie managed to say.

Steve didn’t wait any longer, scooting his body up so his pussy was level with Eddie’s mouth.

Eddie groaned, lifted his head an inch so he could be even closer.

He needed it, needed him. He couldn’t wait any longer to get a taste.

Eddie’s tongue lapped at Steve’s hole, the only part he could reach at the moment, but it was enough.

Steve let out a long moan, gravelly voice letting out a long “yes” as he rocked his hips forward to get Eddie’s tongue inside.

Eddie closed his eyes and let himself be surrounded by Steve.

His slightly musky smell, the sweat that was rolling down his thighs, the surprisingly sweet slick dripping from his pussy, all of it was better than Eddie could have possibly imagined.

The noises got louder as Steve adjusted himself directly over Eddie’s face.

He pulled away just enough for Eddie to catch his breath, but Eddie didn’t want to catch his breath.

“Need your cock, please,” Eddie begged, not caring if he was breaking an unspoken rule, not caring if he suffocated for it.

But he didn’t get in trouble. In fact, he got exactly what he wanted when Steve settled back down, his dick rubbing against Eddie lips in silent instruction.

Eddie opened his mouth wide, stuck out his tongue, and moaned.

“God you’re so good,” Steve grabbed Eddie’s hand on his thigh, squeezing as he rocked back and forth, taking things slower than Eddie expected him to.

Eddie whimpered, letting out what little breath he had as Steve rested more of his weight on his tongue.

“You made me so wet just laying there, all tied up for me, hng,” Steve groaned.

The hand squeezing Eddie’s moved to the headboard, giving Steve just a bit more leverage to bear down and chase his own release on Eddie’s tongue.

Eddie could feel his fingernails digging into Steve’s thighs, but he couldn’t, and wouldn’t, stop unless Steve made him.

He could feel slick and drool dripping down his chin, his cheeks, his neck, probably making a mess of his hair and the pillow under him, but he couldn’t find it in him to care. Steve was making low groaning noises now, his pace getting faster every few thrusts back and forth.

Eddie opened his eyes, wanting to try to see what Steve looked like from this angle.

He wasn’t disappointed.

Steve’s head was thrown back, his arm muscles straining as he held onto the bed, leg muscles and stomach tensing as his pleasure started to crest.

The flush that Eddie had barely gotten to enjoy before was now covering his hairy chest and his neck, a few drops of sweat dripping to his stomach.

Eddie hoped he could lick them up after Steve came.

Steve let out a loud whine and one of his hands fell to Eddie’s hair, his fingers tugging at his roots in a way that reminded him he had no control over any of this.

Eddie decided to take matters into his own hands the best that he could, curling his tongue into a sharper point so that on the next thrust, Steve’s dick was given more pointed pressure.

“Fuck!” Steve yelled out. He looked down at Eddie, hair flopping into his face. “You wanna suck it, baby? You can if you want.”

He sounded so close, breathlessly framing his own wants as something Eddie wanted. And Eddie did want those things.

He was starting to realize he wanted everything with Steve.

It should have been a scary thought, especially when this was just the ending of their first date, but instead of worrying about it, Eddie used all the energy and muscle he could to lift his head up and start to suck on his dick.

“That’s it,” Steve panted, holding Eddie’s head against him, not giving him a chance to move away again. “You’re so good, baby. Gonna make me cum so hard, fuck.”

Eddie started to nod, and the extra movement seemed to set Steve off.

He felt Steve’s thighs clench, then loosen, then clench again, his hand tightening in Eddie’s hair, and a long moan left his body.

Eddie moaned too, and the vibration sent Steve over the edge.

Steve slowed his pace, but didn’t get up, letting Eddie slowly lick along his folds, gathering up the slick dripping out of him.

When Eddie’s tongue brushed over his cock again, he flinched, but let out a huff of a laugh.

“Sorry, baby, you got me so oversensitive already. You’re too good at that,” Steve said, still trying to catch his breath.

“Good at what? Being used?” Eddie managed to ask, voice hoarse.

Steve looked down at him as he moved down to settle against his stomach instead.

“Good at being good for me,” he finally said, seriousness ruined by the hint of fondness in his tone and smile.

“Always wanna be good for you, Stevie,” Eddie admitted.

Steve looked at him for a moment, searched his face for any sign of him lying or being too sex-drunk to be realistic.

But whatever was on Eddie’s face must have shown him that he was serious.

“Yeah, baby. I think you could be,” Steve leaned down to kiss him, licking into his mouth like he wanted to taste himself on Eddie’s lips and tongue, like he wanted to know what they tasted like together.

Eddie felt his cock pulse, felt the tug in his stomach that let him know he was probably much closer than he should be just from eating Steve out for five minutes.

He didn’t have time to be embarrassed though; Steve was moving down his body further, reaching a hand back to touch his cock.

“Wait!” Eddie leaned his head away.

Steve pulled his hand away and looked at him, frowning as he took in the panicked look on Eddie’s face.

“I just, um, I’m close. Like, pretty sure if you touch me, I will cum all over your hand and probably never be able to look you in the eyes again.”

Steve snorted out a laugh.

“What’s wrong with that?” Steve asked, slowly tracing his fingers across Eddie’s waistline, not even looking as he got closer to his cock.

“I…I don’t know?” Eddie admitted.

And truly, he had no idea why he shouldn’t cum. That was the goal of this, and Steve was making it pretty clear he didn’t mind if he did, might even prefer if he did.

The only thing stopping him was that he didn’t want any of this to end.

“Eds, you’ve been so good for me, I kinda want you to feel good, too. Unless you really don’t want to-”

“No! I do!” Eddie ignored the way Steve was trying to cover his laughter. “I just thought you wanted to ride me.”

“Ohhhh. I see. You’re being selfish.”

Eddie’s mouth snapped shut, teeth audibly clacking together.

No one had ever called him selfish in bed, not even jokingly.

But Steve’s tone wasn’t joking. His face wasn’t joking.

“I guess you think I don’t wanna see you squirming because I’m wringing the third orgasm from you in less than an hour? Is that it?”

“Uh…”

Steve clicked his tongue.

“I planned on you begging to stop soon enough. Unless you want to stop now? Seems like it might be hard to go to sleep like that, though.”

Steve’s brow raised as he glanced behind him for a moment at Eddie’s red and dripping cock, then looked back at Eddie.

“No, please don’t stop. I…can I be inside you?” Eddie was desperate, and didn’t care if he sounded like it.

“You wanna cum inside me? Fill me up good, make sure I feel who I belong to?” Steve asked as he slowly moved back further, his hand firmly grasping the base of Eddie’s cock.

Eddie whined, bucking his hips up, but not making the contact he needed.

“You can if you promise to clean me up after,” Steve’s hand slid up Eddie’s dick slowly, the pressure not nearly enough to satisfy him, but enough to make him whine.

“I promise. Please,” Eddie nodded, his one free hand making a fist in the sheets while his still tied up hand tugged on the binds.

Steve didn’t respond with words, just sat back and guided Eddie’s cock along the inner lips of his cunt, moaning at the sensation.

“So warm,” Eddie groaned.

“Gonna get me all wet again, baby,” Steve rocked his hips slowly, teasing the tip along his folds and against his entrance. “You’re leaking worse than I am.”

Which may be true at this point. Eddie had spent enough time licking up as much of his mess as possible.

Steve sat down on his cock with no warning.

He hissed, clenching his fists and curling his toes to fight off the impending orgasm.

Absolutely nothing could have prepared him for the way Steve’s pussy sucked him in, clenching around him in a way that left him shivering and panting.

“Good?” Steve asked, smug grin the only thing keeping Eddie from losing it completely.

“Yes, yeah, so good, fuck,” Eddie threw his head back, arching his back as Steve slowly lifted himself up and dropped back down.

Fuck, Eddie wasn’t gonna be able to hold off. He’d just have to live with the embarrassment.

Steve reached up to untie his hand, grabbing his wrist and massaging it in his own hands as he moved his hips in circles.

“Wait, you didn’t-”

“Yeah, I did.”

“When?” Eddie knew his brain hadn’t been working for a while now, but he was certain his eyes had been. Steve hadn’t stretched himself on his fingers this entire time, and going from just Eddie’s tongue barely breaching his entrance to suddenly sitting on his cock, no matter how wet he was, had to be at least a little painful.

“Bathroom when we got home,” Steve shrugged.

Steve had been fingering himself in the bathroom not even an hour ago. Without Eddie. Without even making a noise.

God, Eddie was so fucked. Literally.

“You okay, baby?” Steve asked, smug grin back in place as he guided Eddie’s hands to his own hips. “Think you can do this part or do I have to do everything?”

Eddie gripped his hips, hoping his fingers would leave bruises, and let himself have this. It may only last for another minute, but he was going to make it worth every second.

He lifted Steve up, then dropped him down, smirking at the loud yelp Steve let out.

“I’m gonna fuck you so hard later, this is just a preview,” Eddie growled out.

“Promise?” Steve gasped as Eddie shoved his hips up as he pulled Steve down.

“Swear. Every night you want me to from now on, Stevie,” Eddie slowed his thrusting, felt the tension building in his abdomen.

Steve groaned as he placed his hands on Eddie’s chest and started lifting his hips up on his own, clenching as he moved up Eddie’s cock.

He quickened his pace, little whimpers leaving him every time his ass met Eddie’s thighs.

“You feel so good, Stevie, gonna cum,” Eddie whined as his thighs clenched.

“Yes, yes, please. You’ve been so good, Eds,” Steve nodded, not pausing for a second.

Eddie’s eyes closed without his permission, Steve’s words hitting him right in the chest, making his breath leave him in one long, drawn-out moan.

Steve didn’t slow down, lacing his fingers with Eddie’s and pushing them backwards onto the sheets as he rode Eddie through his orgasm.

“Kiss me, please,” Eddie begged, opening his eyes to look up at Steve’s flushed face. Sweat was beading along his hairline, bangs flopping into his eyes.

Steve’s lips hovered over Eddie’s, not quite making contact, but close enough for their breaths to mingle together, for the small whimpers Eddie was unintentionally letting out to be swallowed by Steve’s hungry tongue as it grazed against his own.

Eddie was coherent enough to pull one of his hands loose, reaching up to cup Steve’s jaw as he chased his second orgasm of the night.

“Can I?” Eddie asked, moving his hand down his neck, tracing a finger along his collarbone. He looked up at Steve’s wide eyes, felt his pace slow to a stop.

“Can you…?” Steve asked, breathless as he tried to figure out what Eddie was trying to ask him.

“Can I touch your cock? Want you to come on mine.”

Eddie felt Steve clench around him, his cock almost over sensitive enough for it to be painful.

“Yeah, I’m close,” Steve admitted, pulling his other hand away to sit back so Eddie had easier access to his dick.

He was dripping, and Eddie’s cum was leaking from his hole now that he’d stopped moving and Eddie was starting to get soft.

Eddie’s fingers gathered up as much as they could, gliding down to where his cock was still inside him and away a few times, just to tease.

“Eddie…”

“Sorry, sorry. Just like touching you,” Eddie smiled up at him, at the way Steve’s back was arched, at the way his thighs were trembling with the effort of holding himself up.

Steve grabbed his wrist and guided his hand to his dick, impatience finally taking over.

“I like you touching me too, but if I don’t get to come again soon, you won’t touch me again for the rest of the night,” Steve snarked.

Eddie loved him.

He didn’t hesitate to curl his fingers so his knuckles rested against the sides of his dick, still teasing, but at least where Steve wanted it now. He didn’t move for a moment, wanted Steve to be desperate enough to rock forward.

“Eddie, please,” Steve whined.

“Look who’s begging now,” Eddie teased. “You’re so hard, sweetheart. Should’ve told me you were this close earlier. Would’ve taken care of you.”

Steve whimpered, shaking his head as Eddie’s knuckles started dragging up and down his dick.

Watching Steve fall apart above him like this, making him fall apart, especially when he’d been the one in control all night, was making Eddie feel unstoppable.

This was all he ever wanted: making Steve feel good in any way Steve wanted or needed.

Eddie started jerking his fingers faster, watching as Steve’s eyes fluttered closed.

“Fuuuuuck,” Steve groaned, shifting his hips up for more pressure, for anything else he could possibly get.

“That’s it, Stevie. Wanna make you feel good. Wanna be good for you.”

And just like Steve’s words had done for Eddie before, Eddie’s must have been the final straw for Steve.

Steve’s thighs shook as he came, his fingers digging into Eddie’s shoulders as he fell forward, trapping his hand against his pulsing dick.

“Hmm,” Steve moaned out as his grasp loosened, leaving half-moons in Eddie’s skin.

Eddie knew he would be hard again soon. At this rate, he wouldn’t be surprised if he got hard while still inside Steve.

But Steve’s eyes opened, and Eddie somehow fell further.

“I don’t wanna stop,” Steve whispered, leaning in to kiss along his jawline, letting his teeth gently brush against his chin before pecking his lips.

“I’ve got perfectly good fingers. Or…” Eddie leaned up to kiss him, smirking when he felt Steve grind against him. “You could also fuck me.”

Steve’s responding groan was muffled by Eddie’s chest, a laugh immediately following.

“As much as I would love to, and will as soon as I have energy, I was thinking maybe we could just…stay like this?” Steve looked up towards the end, a pink blush coating his cheeks unlike anything Eddie had ever seen on him before.

Steve didn’t get embarrassed or nervous, he didn’t get flustered, at least not where others could see him.

He was Mr. Charming, the smoothest guy around, the one who always knew how to respond in a flirty situation.

But right now, all Eddie saw was vulnerability, his eyes mirroring back the love Eddie felt but hadn’t put into words.

“Like this or on our sides?” Eddie whispered, not wanting the moment to be broken.

“Like this for now.”

Eddie gave a single nod, not mentioning that they should probably clean up a little, or the fact that Robin would be home soon and the bedroom door was wide open.

Steve kissed his chest before he settled with his head in the crook of his neck, breath hot against Eddie’s pulse point.

Eddie’s cock was hard again inside Steve, but both of them ignored it, savoring the feeling of finally having each other.

Steve was asleep quickly, and Eddie let his mind wander as he traced his fingers up and down Steve’s back.

This first date felt a lot like the beginning of a long future.

–

When Eddie woke up the next morning, his cock was in Steve’s mouth, and Steve already had two fingers in his hole, lube slowly dripping between his cheeks.

“What a way to wake up,” Eddie moaned.

Steve pulled off of him, already smirking, lips red and glistening with spit.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, Stevie. Keep going,” Eddie’s voice was rough from sleep.

“You got it, baby.”

[lipzlipzlipz]

Coping

After the second task, Fleur wanted someone to blame, knowing full well who really deserved her ire.

765 words, rated G

Takes place in the same world as my fic Tender Is The Night which you can read here on ao3. I’m not totally sure but I don’t think I’ll be adding this ficlet to ao3 so it’ll just live here for now.

For the Ladies of HP Fest Monthly Mini: 1 Feb 2024 - Fleur Delacour @ladiesofhpfest

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“This is outrageous and an affront. I demand to file a formal complaint against whoever is responsible,” said Fleur upon bursting through the door of Olympe Maxime’s office in the Beauxbatons carriage. It had taken time to make sure Gabrielle was cleaned, fed, and napping in her room, but once she was convinced of her sister’s warmth and safety she’d marched straight towards the office.

From her chair behind her desk, Maxime watched for a few moments as Fleur furiously paced back and forth, then said, “Calm yourself, Fleur. You should’ve known the song wasn’t meant to be taken literally once you realized what was stolen from the champions were actually people. You should’ve known Gabrielle wasn’t in any danger.”

“How? How could I have known that?” Fleur asked, coming to a stop and glaring at the older woman. “People have died in this tournament. No matter what protections they used today, the risks for the hostages – for any of us – have never been zero.”

Was she the only one who knew this? How could anyone think this was acceptable?

“Gabrielle is not old enough to have consented,” argued Fleur. “It’s also clear my parents were not told the full extent of her requested involvement because they certainly would not have given their permission either. And why her, for that matter? The other champions had friends, a couple of Yule Ball companions – Gabrielle is my blood! The only one brought in from outside the school.”

It wasn’t fair. Granted, the other champions had undoubtedly been unnerved at the thought of their friends under threat, each of them having to cope with that turmoil as they braved the task. But what was taken from her had been her family. If her dalliance with Hermione Granger were known and she’d been selected instead, Fleur was certain she would’ve been less rattled by it. While the girl’s participation as Krum’s hostage still filled the young Veela with an odd mix of fear, concern, and jealousy, Hermione was fifteen and a capable witch, and Fleur would’ve been on more equal footing with the other champions in her search for her.

Now that she thought about it, another thing the hostages had in common was that neither of them was of age. It was absolutely barbaric that the age limit put on champions had not been a limit for their hostages as well. And Gabrielle wasn’t even in school yet. Her little sister… immobilized and tied down under that horrible lake. The thought sent a frightening chill down her spine.

“Whose idea was it to choose her? Was it yours?”

“Of course not,” replied Maxime in a placating tone. “The organizers and headmasters consulted together. I suggested your friends Odette and Paolo, even the boy you took to the Yule Ball since it was apparent that’s where they were leaning for Krum and Diggory. It was Mr. Crouch who’d sent a message through his subordinate to suggest your sister… hm… in hindsight, the note was curiously adamant about it.”

Her eyes narrowed. Fleur didn’t like Crouch. It hadn’t bothered her that he’d skipped the Yule Ball and the second task. But now she wanted him here so she could give him a piece of her mind.

“But regardless of Mr. Crouch’s motives,” continued Maxime pointedly, “you as a fully-grown witch and champion of Beauxbatons were expected to maintain your composure no matter who was chosen. You faced the same obstacles in the lake as the others.”

Fleur frowned and clenched her fists. Unsaid, yet loud and clear, were the criticisms at her performance against the grindylows, creatures a fourteen-year-old boy had bested, and she felt those criticisms as if they were lashings across her back.

Not wanting to let Maxime see how she’d been cut, she stormed out of the office. Only when she reached her bedroom did her face fall and her shoulders sag. Fleur opened the door and silently entered her room, collapsing onto a chair facing her still-sleeping sister.

The innocent girl who idolized her would never cast blame. Neither would Hermione. And later, Fleur would seek out the brunette and take comfort in her arms, but right now she wanted to wallow in the painful truth of her shortcomings.

The issues of fairness in the tournament didn’t matter. What mattered was her.

Her wits and skills. Her ability to overcome her emotions and accomplish her task.

Which she hadn’t.

In the end, when challenged with the belief that someone she loved was in danger… Fleur Delacour had failed.

And she would never forgive herself for it.

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Note: I didn’t originally plan to contribute to this fest but then yesterday I had an idea of how this conversation between Fleur and Maxime could’ve gone, taking inspiration from Tender and how I kept her canon tournament performance, and I typed this up.

Thanks for reading!

[lala3244]

Obsession Part 4 (end)

~Hi! I finally finished this story. This last part is a LOOOOOOTTT longer than the other ones. I just couldn't decide when to stop it so here you have it... I went a little crazy there but hopefully, it'll be to your taste. It actually turned out how I wanted even though I am sure I should have improved it more. I actually enjoyed writing the story as a whole. It got to live with me every day for a few weeks so I might do some ficlets about it. So good reading!~

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Actual warnings this time : Blood, injury, kind of suggestive, craziness, fluff and kissing.

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Part 3

I was sitting down near the lake for a few minutes when I heard footsteps. I looked at the person who was now walking towards me, a bit worried but I realised it was Jake. I smiled at him, relieved and he sat next to me. We stayed silent, enjoying each other’s presence. After a few minutes of contemplating the waters, he turned his head towards me and I could feel his eyes watching me. I started to blush under his scrutiny so I brought my hand to my face to try and hide my rosy cheeks. I heard him chuckle and he laid down. I glanced at him, he had a hand behind his head and he was staring at the sky. “I couldn’t find Amelia.”

I laid down too. “Does that worry you?”

He tilted his head so he could look at me. “Yes. I didn’t know she felt that way about me. I am worried she might go after you.” 

I shrugged. “Why would she? We are not together. Unless… She knows something else…”

He cleared his throat and went back to staring at the sky. I giggled and we fell silent again. His phone beeped and he looked at it. “It’s Amelia.”

I propped myself on my elbows and quirked an eyebrow. “What is she saying?” He glanced at me then back to his phone as he was unsure if he should tell me. As he took too long to answer, I got curious so I approached him and grabbed his hand that was holding the phone. What I read chilled me to my core. 

*Now that Angela is out of the way, we can finally be together! I know where you are. I am on my way and we can finally seal our relationship.* 

“Wow. That’s scary. She’s really into you and now she is even stalking you.” I was rereading the message while he still hadn’t moved or said anything. I swung my head to see what was happening to the man next to me and I realised how close we actually were. His face was inches from mine, our shoulders were almost touching and he was watching me with that unreadable look, a hint of darkness glinting through it. I let go of his hand but I didn’t move, I liked the closeness and he didn’t seem to mind. I looked away as I started to get shy under his gaze. I did not know what he was thinking and it was a bit intimidating to be looked at like that.

He was still studying my face when we heard a whisper. “Jake?” We both looked up and saw Amelia in front of us. She had walked up to us without us noticing. Sadness was etched on her face, you could see she was heartbroken. “Jake? So that is the person you said you were in love with.” She pointed her finger at me as if I was not actually there. 

He only nodded. The sadness morphed into fury when her eyes fell on me. She swallowed hard, still staring me down and if looks could kill, I would be dead by now. Jake got up and put himself between us as we both could sense she was about to jump me. He grabbed her elbow and walked her away from me. I could not hear what they were saying but she seemed agitated then she left Jake and walked past me. She turned her head and with a devilishly smile, she said. “It is not over.” I shuddered at the threat and even if I did not know her, I trusted her words. 

I looked at Jake who had joined me. “Should I worry?” He grimaced which was weird as he usually always wore more of a stoic face. “Yes.” I frowned. “Okay? That’s not comforting at all.” He sighed, his eyes staring at the lake but he still did not speak. I was slowly starting to get annoyed at him. “What’s wrong?” He finally looked at me. “I don’t know how we got there.” He rubbed his face with his hands, my annoyance faded away. I put a hand on his arm and squeezed gently. He looked at my hand for a while then smiled fondly at me. “This is not how I thought our first meeting would be like.” I rubbed circles with my thumb on his forearm. “No. Me neither.” He moved a bit and grabbed my hand with his. He intertwined our fingers together and put them on his lap. His thumb stroked the back of my hand in a soothing motion. I smiled at the gesture and squeezed his hand slightly. 

I watched the water, trying to think of something else to say. “What did you imagine?” He chuckled and touched my shoulder with his as if he were to tell me a secret. “Do you really want to know?” I leaned my head on his shoulder. “Of course, I want to know.” He wrapped his arm around my shoulder while still holding my hand.

“First, I would let you know that I made it alive.” I giggled and hummed for him to carry on. “Then I would find a way to get my freedom while still talking to you and when I were free, I would have come to see you.” I lifted my head with raised eyebrows. “You would have come to my house?” He stared in my eyes, anxious. “Would you have opened the door?” I grinned. “Maybe. I don’t know if I would have let a stranger enter my house, especially if I haven’t given him my address…” He laughed. 

I beamed at him, I liked hearing his laughter but a thought crossed my mind and I became serious. “Why didn’t you then?” He exhaled loudly and squeezed my shoulder. “I was scared and afraid that, even though you said you wanted to meet me, you wouldn’t want to meet me anymore. And the thought of meeting you was actually making me anxious, the reality of it, the fear of disappointing you, I don’t think I could have handled your rejection.” I pulled away from him and shook my head. “Do you think I am that shallow?” 

He pulled me back onto his chest and wrapped his arms around me. “No, not all. That had nothing to do with you. When it comes to computers and anything electronic, I know my way around it but when it comes to relationships, any kind of relationship, I freeze. It took me a while, too, to talk to Hannah and Lilly…” He stopped talking again. I could hear his heart pounding in his chest, I put a hand on top of it and the beatings got even faster. I closed my eyes, I was getting lulled by his slow breathing even if his heart wasn’t reflecting his outside demeanour. 

“You know… I was scared to meet you, too. It’s easy to talk and open up by messages but maybe you wouldn’t find me as interesting in real life or I just would be a disappointment or you just wouldn’t want to be in my life… Which you actually did.” I felt his breath being caught in his throat and his arms tightened around me. “You could never disappoint me and if you knew you would know I still want you in my life, always have.” I looked up at him. “What does that mean?” He chuckled and kissed the top of my head. “Nothing.” I frowned. “Right.” I let it go even if my imagination was going bonkers. He laughed and I could feel the vibrations through my body. A smile lifted my lips at the sound again. “You know you will tell me one day, I will make you.” That made his laughter louder and after a few seconds, he calmed down. “I am sure you will.” 

I smirked, proud of myself at his answer. I snuggled even closer to his chest. It felt normal to be in his arms. It felt like I was being home. He rubbed a hand up and down my back and I nuzzled my face into his shirt, I smelt his perfume. It was exactly the kind I adore and I could feel his muscly but still comfortable chest under my cheeks. We had fallen back into that comfortable silence we kept falling into. I closed my eyes, listening closely to his calm breathing and his now calm heartbeat.

He cleared his throat and I opened my eyes. “Would you be able to forgive me?” He shifted a bit but made no movement to pull away from me. “I mean, for not contacting you?” I giggled. “It’s already forgiven, I was just teasing you.” He sniggered and tightened his arms around me. Since I realised I had feelings for him, I had dreamed of this and I felt content even with the impending threat looming over me but my insecurities kept pulling me back. When will he have enough of me? I will bore him to death. I just could not understand how he, someone so intelligent, so handsome, so intense would be infatuated with me. A nobody, a bland person. Especially, after having met the two women who had been in his life before me. I was falling down that rabbit hole of self-deprecation hard and fast.

It kind of startled me because I haven’t done that in years so I peeled myself away from him and stood up to stretch my legs. I thought I heard him sigh in frustration but when I looked back at him, he was staring at me, his intense gaze back. “What are you thinking about?” I shook my head while stretching my back. “Nothing.” He stood up and stopped before me. He slowly brought a hand to my face and froze for a second. As I did not move away, he put it delicately on my cheek. My breath hitched in my throat at the tender gesture. I looked in his eyes and I saw him scanning my face in search of what was really happening. 

I avoided his eyes with mine, I did not want him to see the truth behind them but in the corner of my eyes I saw a flash of recognition crossing his handsome face. I closed my eyes and wondered how he could read me that easily. His other hand moved to my waist and the other tilted my head, he stared into my eyes and he gave me the most charming smile I had ever been given. “I don’t think you know how much of an impact you made in my life.” He stepped even closer, watching any reaction. 

He lowered his head and touched my forehead with his. “You don’t know how much you have been on my mind. Constantly.” He slowly stroked my cheeks slowly, I felt his warm breath on my skin and I realised I wanted more of that man. I put my hands on his forearms and slid them both up simultaneously. I smoothed over his taut muscles then I left them on his shoulders, stepping in closer. My voice lowered, betraying my thoughts slightly. “Constantly?” He chuckled darkly. “Every second of every day. When I wake up, when I eat, when I work, when I go to sleep and in my dreams.” I could feel my cheeks slowly heating up at the implication of his words as I could see a darkness in his eyes arriving when he pronounced the last ones. 

He leaned in and softly pressed his lips against mine. I felt like my heart exploded and I moved my hands from his shoulders to his neck then I tangled them in his hair. I deepened the kiss and he brought me flush against his chest, rubbing his hands up and down my sides. I had been kissed before but it had never felt like that and I always thought that was a myth when people said that noises faded away, the world faded away but at that moment I understood. I couldn’t hear the birds that were singing seconds earlier, the only noises I could hear were our breaths mixing together. 

We pulled away to catch our breath and smiled at each other. We stayed longer contemplating each other and what that kiss meant. I cleared my throat and looked away. He chuckled and wrapped an arm around my shoulders. “Shall we walk?” I nodded and grabbed my stuff from the floor. We started to walk towards the town’s centre. We made small talk, and we were finally getting to know each other. 

He accompanied me to Jessy’s flat. I stopped at the steps in front of the building and faced him. “That was nice.” He hummed, his eyes scanning my face and a small smile appeared on his. He leaned down and brushed his lips on mine. “It was.” He cupped my cheeks and pressed a chaste kiss on my open lips as I was about to talk but it cut me off. He pulled away with a smirk and straightened up. “Right. I hope you don’t have any plans tonight as I am taking you out.” Then he left without waiting for an answer. I was watching him walking when I heard a car arriving fast in the street, I saw Jake turning around, frowning.

It worried me so I turned too and I saw a van stopping in front of me. A guy wearing all black got out from the side door and grabbed me to then throw me into the van. He jumped behind me and closed the door. He pinned me onto the vehicle’s floor so I could not move anymore. The guy hit the ceiling of the van with his hand and I felt it start rapidly. The whole ordeal had lasted for only a few seconds, I did not have to react to anything that had happened and now I was face down on the floor. The weight of my kidnapper on me made it difficult to breathe. I could feel my heart pounding in my head and it made it difficult to think.

After what felt like hours, the van stopped and I heard the door open. The man got off of me and I took a deep breath. It was painful to breathe as he had stayed his knees on my back the whole trip. Just the movement of my chest was painful so I decided to not move more than I needed to. He was out of the vehicle and he grabbed my arm violently. He threw me on the floor, in front of someone. My head was at their feet and I looked up. I immediately recognised that face. Amelia. So it was not over, indeed. I froze and she smiled sweetly while leaning down. She cupped my face, her face inches from mine. “So we meet again.” My eyes widened. I knew she would try something but I did not think it would be that quickly after her threat and even Jake did not seem worried when he left me earlier. She laughed, her breath on my skin made me shudder. “How was kissing MY boyfriend?” 

She did not wait for my answer and pushed my head violently to the side. She spoke to her bodyguard who pulled me up and pushed me inside a building. It looked abandoned and far from any civilisation. My chest tightened at the realisation that no one would find me or if they did, it would be too late. We entered a huge hall with a chair in the middle of it. I was fighting the painful grip the man had on me but I stopped when I saw that chair. What a weird thing to have only in a building! 

I was sat on the chair with my hands tied behind my back watching the woman pacing in front of me. She was mumbling to herself, laughing like a maniac. I was looking at the scene and I only started to realise what was happening. What the?!! Had I just been kidnapped? On the street? In front of Jake? In broad daylight? What the?! I struggled against the rope holding me, panic coursing through me. “SHUT UP!” I jumped in my seat and I looked at her, bewildered. I saw her hand going backward and she pulled a knife out of her back pocket. 

She was now close to me but this time the tip of her knife was going up and down my face. Her eyes were wild, madness transpiring from them. I gulped hard. She looked unpredictable and quite frightening. I glanced towards the guard who was now standing by the door, not quite facing us. He looked afraid and disgusted by what was happening. “I told you it wasn’t over.” She pressed the knife into my skin and I felt a sting as the tip pierced my skin. She dragged it along my cheeks, smiling happily as my blood started to swell on the wound and then ran thickly along it. I winced and groaned at the pain. She took the knife off, jumped and clapped her hands like a little girl. Her voice became high pitched and she twirled around me “I know you think Jake loves you but he doesn’t. No, no, no, my sweet, naive little girl. He is manipulative and calculated. He plays a silly, little game with me, I know it. He wants me! But really, he doesn’t need to play to have me! He already had me the moment we got together.” Her eyes became vacant when she recalled her memories. “His skin on my skin, the noises our bodies made together…” 

I tuned her out, I really did not want to listen to her and I tried to find a way to escape. I tried to get the guard’s attention but he was not looking at us. I groaned in frustration and it seemed like it brought her back to reality. “But the next day, he left with just a note to thank me. I knew then that the game had started.” She approached me again and cut through my shirt. She stared into my eyes, gliding her knife dangerously on my chest. “He talked to me about you. I know he did it because I would get jealous. See? Always a silly little game with him.” She pushed the knife into my skin again. This time, I screamed and I breathed heavily. She giggled, so pleased with herself. I heard a thud while she was giggling. 

I briefly glanced over at the noise and I saw the guard on the floor, unconscious, then he was pulled back, out of my sight. I held my breath and looked back at her to see if she had noticed then a shape appeared in the corner of my eyes. She was still giggling, her eyes closed, clearly satisfied with herself so I glanced again at the door and saw Jake. He was watching the scene, an unreadable expression on his face. 

He took a step but it made some noise and she stopped giggling. I knew I had to do something to distract her. “Do you think he loves you?” Her crazy eyes widened and she smirked. “Of course, he does!” I nodded. “Did he tell you he loves you?” She shook her head. “No but I know he does. You can’t make love to someone without loving them.” I let my laughter take the better of me. She was so naive or in another world, I did not know which one. If I was not tied up to a chair right now and bleeding because of her, I would have felt pity for her. She clearly needed some help. Her face morphed from innocence to anger in a second and she pointed the knife into my chest again. I stopped breathing. “Why is that so funny?” I shrugged slowly, trying to not cut myself on the knife. “Humans have needs and in that case, you were there at the right moment, that’s all.” She let the sharp object pierce me and slowly, excruciatingly slowly she sliced through my skin. I screamed while closing my eyes at the pain blossoming from my chest then the pressure suddenly left me and I opened my eyes.

Jake was in front of me while Amelia was on the floor, unconscious. Jake bent over me to untie my hands. I sighed loudly and closed my eyes, relieved that he had found me. We did not talk, there was nothing to say. I finally opened my eyes and I saw Amelia standing up, a hand high up holding the knife, aiming at Jake. I felt the rope falling down my hands and I stood up to grab her knife. My brusque movement destabilised her and she fell. I fell with her, carried by my momentum. She screamed until her back hit the floor, her breath knocked out of her lungs. I found myself on top of her, my hands holding the sharp object. The feeling of powerlessness and fear gave place to a rage and fury I had never experienced in my life. She wanted to hurt me, fine but Jake. I could not take it.

I plunged her knife in her chest, putting my whole weight into it. I took it out and started to plunge it again when I saw her already lifeless body, the fury that had been ignited my body had left me as quickly as it came. I dropped the knife on her and scrambled away from her, from Jake. I could not believe what I had just done. I looked at my hands and I started to shake. What would Jake think of me now? I just killed someone in front of him. Someone he knew, a friend? Did he consider her as a friend? I was on my knees now and I put my head down. I could not face him. 

I heard his footsteps getting closer to me then his feet appeared in my field of vision. I did not move, staring at his shoes. He called my name but I still did not move. How could he still pronounce my name after what I had just done? I felt his hand on top of my head and he caressed it gently. He whispered my name, I could hear he was getting worried now. How could he be worried after what I had just done? His hand left my head and went to my arm. He pulled me up easily and brought me to his chest. How could he touch me after what I had just done? He wrapped his arms around me and put the side of my face that was not wounded on his chest. How could he embrace me after what I had just done? He rubbed my back soothingly up and down. How could he try to comfort me after what I had just done? 

He called my name again and he pulled away slightly. He brought a hand to my chin and tilted my head so he could look into my eyes. That intense dark look was back on his face but it was even more intense than before. His voice was low and commanding. “Talk to me.” I could not look away from his eyes, they were drawing me in and the only thing I could squawk was. “Do we call the police?” He chuckled darkly. “It’s been taken care of.” His voice sent shivers through my spine. I could only nod as slowly his presence and his voice made me come out of my mental state. I was too inside my thoughts to ask what the “taken care of” meant. 

I finally moved and I wrapped my arms around his chest, nuzzling my nose into his shirt. “I am sorry” My voice was muffled but he understood anyway. “How are you feeling?” I tightened my grip around him. I knew I could tell him how I felt. “I…” I took a deep breath because saying would make it real. “I just killed someone.” He hummed and slowly swayed us back and forth. “How can you still be here? Taking me into your arms?” He sighed and he pressed his cheeks on the top of my head. “You saved my life and even if you had killed her just for the fun of it, I would still hold you.” I giggled despite the situation. “You are weird.” He chuckled and kissed the top of my head. We fell silent and as the situation started to become real so did my wounds. The pain came with a real revenge and I let out a groan. Jake pulled me away and looked at me, concerned. “What? What’s wrong?” I touched the cut on my face and winced. “The cuts. They are starting to be painful.”

He looked at my face then at my chest. I was covered in blood and not just mine. I looked at his shirt and touched it with my bloody hands. “I am sorry about your shirt.” He shook his head, a glint in his eyes I could not identify then took one of my hands. “Can you walk?” I looked at him and my brain decided for a moment to forget what I had just been through. “What if I can’t?’ He chuckled and came closer to me. “I’d have to carry you to my car.” I smiled brightly at him. “Okay then I can’t walk.” He smiled and put his arms around my shoulders and the back of my knees. I wrapped my arms around his neck and I leaned my head on his shoulder. I could smell his perfume, I adored it, I could not remember the name of it but… I brought my face closer to his neck and sniffed his skin. I thought to myself that I would do anything to actually not think about what went on earlier and I thought that I would deal with it later. As I was taking in his smell, I saw his carotid pulsing and an urge to kiss it took me by surprise. I indulged my urge and pressed my lips on it. I felt him falter and his breathing went faster. I smiled and put my head back on his shoulder. 

He opened the passenger’s door and gently bent down to help me sit in the car. I smirked at him. “Thank you so much my knight in shining armour!” He glared down at me and closed the door. I watched him walk around the car to the driver’s side. I admired his body, how he was walking, his back straight, a confidence and arrogance exuding from him. He sat on his seat and started the engine. The roaring of the car made me shudder which made him snap his head. “Are you ok?” I nodded. “It is a nice sound” He snickered. “So where are you taking me?” He started slowly to drive away from that awful place. “My place.”

I raised an eyebrow. “You have a place?” He had a half smile while he glanced at me. “Yes. What did you think? That I still lived in motels?” I stared at him, not knowing what to say. “I didn’t really think about it actually. Maybe you were living with Angela? I don’t know.” He glanced back again and shook his head. “How are your cuts?” I brought the visor down and looked at myself in the mirror. I winced at the sight but at least it was not bleeding anymore. “They still hurt but I think they aren’t bleeding anymore.” He put a hand on my thigh and I put mine on his, squeezing it softly. “We are almost there.” I nodded and closed my eyes.

I woke up in Jake's arms. We were in front of a door and he gently set me down on my feet. He left an arm around me and with his free hand, he looked for his keys. He entered first to turn the alarm off and I followed, a smile on my face thinking that I was not surprised by this installation. He grabbed my hands and led me to the bathroom. He still hadn’t said a word since the car. “What are you doing?” He was starting to take what was left of my shirt off then he kneeled down to take my shoes off. “You’re getting into the shower and after you are cleaned I will look at your wounds.” I nodded and hummed as I put my hands on his shoulders to steady myself as he helped me take off my shoes. He stood up quickly to open the water and I started to take my pants off. 

He quickly undressed too and I could not help but to enjoy the view in front of me. A smirk appeared on his face but he did not say anything. He pushed me gently under the water and I gasped as the hot water splashed on my face, making my wounds sting. He got inside the shower and he stood behind me. I could not see him but I could feel his warmth on my back. He reached over to the rack where his shampoo and shower gel were and grabbed the bottles. He put them on the side next to him and he grabbed me by my shoulders to turn me around so I could face him. I squeaked at the sudden movement. 

He poured the product in his hands and lathered them up. He took a step closer, his chest now touching mine, giving me butterflies in my stomach when I felt his muscled abdomen. He proceeded to wash my body, avoiding my cuts with the product. The gestures were sweet and gentle. He got out of the shower and he grabbed a towel. He unfolded it then I wrapped myself in it. He turned the water off then he grabbed his towel and quickly dried himself off. I stood there watching him, appreciating the droplets running down his skin. He left the bathroom, still without a word and he came back holding fresh clothes. 

I got dressed with the help of the hacker and he took my hand. I followed him to the living room and we stopped in front of the sofa. “Take a seat.” I giggled and sat. He left the room and came back with a first aid kit. He sat next to me to check the cut on my face. “It’s not too deep.” I nodded and I let him take care of the wound. Once he was down, he pulled away. “Can you lift your shirt?” I did as he asked me and treated the second injury. It stung but at  least they were cleaned now and even if I looked weird with a bandage on my face, it felt better. 

He was done with putting the bandage on my chest when his bell rang. He stood up and opened the door. “Hello Jake.” I turned around to see Angela standing in front of him. “Angela. What are you doing here?” She smiled and entered the apartment. “I want to talk to you.” I stood up. “I’ll leave you two alone.” I started to walk to a door I have not gone through yet and before I could close the door behind me, I heard Angela talking. “You never invited me to your house but…” I sighed, I did feel bad for Angela. She was sweet, she did not deserve that. 

I looked around the room. On the wall in front of me, there were pictures upon pictures of me. I took the few steps I needed to get in front of the wall and stared closely at them. At first, I saw pictures of my social media but then there were pictures I had never seen. Photos of me at work, at a bar, walking somewhere, with my friends, with my parents… I took time to process what I was seeing. Has he been… stalking me? I did not know how long I stood there but I got pulled to reality when I heard the door close behind me. I did not turn around but I heard his footsteps coming closer and I felt the heat radiating off his body on my back. I was too stunned to talk or do anything really. 

After a few minutes where none of us said anything, I turned to face him. I watched his face, as usual, it was unreadable. “I don’t know if I should be worried or flattered?” He half-smiled. “That’s for you to judge.” I hummed as I remembered what he said at the lake. 

-You could never disappoint me and if you knew you would know I still want you in my life, always have.- 

I moved around him looking at the photos around the room. “So a whole room dedicated to me then? Isn’t that a little obsessive?” He chuckled. “Yes it is.” I stopped in front of one where I am inside my house. I took it off the wall and brought it to Jake. As I said, I did not know if I was creeped out or flattered. I showed him the photo. “So you actually know everything about my life, don’t you?” He nodded, his eyes following my every movement. “Hmm, I see.” I moved away from him, still looking at the photos. I turned my head slightly and I saw him fidgeting in the corner of my eyes. I smirked to myself and I went back before him. “So someone gives you a little attention, flirts with you by text message and you become obsessed that easily, huh?” 

He stopped his fidgeting and his eyes widened. I stepped closer. “It’s a good thing I actually like you a lot and that I trust you because that would definitely freak me out.” I was about to walk away when he grabbed me by the waist and pushed me against the wall. He kissed me with such force and passion, it literally took my breath away. I gasped when he pulled away with a smirk. He left the room, leaving me panting and wanting more. I shook my head and sighed. 

After a few seconds, I followed him out of the room into the kitchen. I looked at the man who with a few words was making me fall in love with him hard and fast. A knock at the door startled me and he opened it. He took the bags from the person at the door and closed it. He then put the bags on his kitchen counter and started to pull stuff out of them. “There is delivery here in Duskwood?” He frowned. “Yes, Why?” I shrugged and approached the counter. “Because I live in a town bigger than Duskwood and we don’t have food deliveries.” He chuckled and passed me a box out of a bag. “I hope you are hungry. It’s chinese.” I beamed at him and my chest swelled at the fact that he had not forgotten. “Do you really think I would forget anything about you and us?” I raised an eyebrow and thought back about that room. “I guess not.”

We spent the whole evening talking about our childhood, our lives. I was seeing him in a new light. Not the mysterious hacker but a boy who had, his whole life, searched for recognition, any recognition at all from virtually anyone… After a few hours, I yawned. It had been a long day. “Shall we go to bed?” I nodded and I followed him to his bedroom. I was so sleepy, I did not take the time to look around and I just went straight into the duvet. I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow. 

I woke up with a start, my nightmare already a faded memory but the emotions were still raw, overwhelming my thoughts. I felt a body moving next to me and a hand touched my back. “Hey. What’s wrong?” I snapped my head, ready to attack whoever it was when I realised it was Jake, that I was safe here. I plopped down on him and wrapped an arm around him, my head nuzzling his chest. “Had a nightmare.” He wrapped his arms around me. “Want to talk about it?” I shook my head. “Can’t remember it.” He stroked my back. I kept my eyes open even if it was pitch black in the room but I was afraid to fall back asleep and having a new nightmare. The stroking on my back and Jake’s calm breathing quickly lulled me back to sleep. 

I woke up, alone. I sighed and stretched. I looked around and I realised that it was not a dream. Everything that had happened yesterday was real. My heart beat faster at the thought. I had killed someone. It was self defence but I still killed someone. How would I ever be able to get over it? Tears started to well up in my eyes. I relived the whole day. It was the best but also the worst and I did not know how to feel. My breath became shallow as the emotions started to overwhelm me. I could not believe how reckless my behaviour was after the kidnapping, with Jake, how I made jokes or flirted with him. It did not faze him apparently. I remembered the room and all the photos. Jeez. I still did not know how to feel about it and we did not talk about it after. Maybe we should not yet? 

I heard noises coming from the kitchen so I got up and joined Jake. He heard me walking to him and he turned around from cooking, smiling at me. “How did you sleep?” I shyly smiled back. “Better after the nightmare.” He turned around to his cooking. “It’s done, I hope you are hungry.” I nodded and went to sit at the table, waiting for him to serve me breakfast. I was watching, but I could not help it. He was charismatic and you could not just take your eyes away from his form. I saw it happen at the bar too. He brought a plate in front of me as well as my phone. I looked at him, intrigued. “It kept going off. It was Jessy. I answered. She was worried about you and I told her you were fine. I hope that’s okay?” I nodded and looked at my phone. I saw dozens of texts and missed calls. I quickly ate the breakfast and called her back. 

“Could you give me a lift at Jessy’s?” He stared at me and I saw his jaw clench. “Sure.” I tilted my head. “What’s wrong?” He shook his head and ran a hand in his hair, his face relaxing a bit. “I just thought you would spend the day with me.” I smiled and took his hand. “I’m sorry. Jessy needs me and I need to clear my thoughts. I… I have a hard time processing all of that.” He looked at me, concern etched in his gorgeous features. He stood up and cleared the table without another word. I sighed. It seemed it was always like that with him. He could not say what he thought at the time. 

I left the table and went to the bathroom. I saw my pants lying on the floor, they were dirty but I put them on after taking off Jake’s shorts. I went back to Jake. “Can I keep your shirt? As mine is kind of destroyed?” He just nodded his head and I sighed again. “Jake…” I stepped closer to him and I lightly touched his back. “Jake.” He turned around and faced me, an annoyed look on his face. I ignored it even if I felt a pinch in my chest. “I… I don’t know what to say. I am overwhelmed and staying here with you it’s too much. Right now, I need to be in the presence of someone who doesn’t know anything about it.” Jake was taller than me so I stood on my toes and kissed him. At first, he did not move but after a few seconds, he moved his hands on my hips and pulled me closer. He was first to pull away and he leaned his forehead on mine, closing his eyes. 

He exhaled loudly. “I just… Now, that I have kissed you, that you slept in my arms…” He opened his eyes and the darkness was back. I realised what it was now. Obsession, want and need all together. “I can’t let go of you anymore.” I pecked him on the nose. “You know in two days I have to go back home?” Still with eyes closed, he frowned and shook his head. “I know and I don’t want to think about it.” I caressed his cheek then I hugged him with my whole body. “Can we go?” He reluctantly moved away from me and grabbed his keys. “Yeah…” 

I was in front of Jessy’s door. I had said goodbye to the hacker when he finally let me go. I smiled when I thought about him. He was so sweet and still mysterious. I could not wait to know more about him and to spend more time with him. I did not know how but I did not lose anything when all of these happened. I still had my phone, my wallet and my keys. So I took the keys and opened the door. I could hear Jessy being in the bathroom so I hurried up and went straight to the guest room to change before Jessy saw me. I kept Jake’s shirt on, it felt nice and it smelled like him. 

When I came out of the room, Jessy was in the kitchen. “Hey Jessy.” She jumped and turned around. “Hey! You’re back!” She looked me over and gasped when she saw the bandage on my face. “What happened? Did Jake do that to you?” I laughed and shook my head. “No, don’t worry about it.” I walked over to her. “Are you making coffee?” She stared at me suspiciously but did not make any more comments. “Yes.” She gave me a cup. “What do you want to do today?” I thanked her and grabbed the cup. “Anything you want.” She looked at the window and smiled. “Shall we go to the lake? It’s nice outside! We can have a picnic and sunbathe!” 

The day went by quickly. It was so nice out there and being here with someone I could now claim as my best friend was a nice change compared to the day before and I was so grateful to her for not pushing about what happened to me. I received texts, normal texts from the hacker during the day. I was surprised he used a normal way to communicate but I was glad. It felt like a somewhat normal relationship. I answered sporadically as I wanted my focus to be on my friend and not on him. I would do that when I would be home, overthinking every action I made that brought me where I ended up. Jessy had started to open up. She confided in me a lot. I could see that slowly a weight was lifting off of her shoulders. 

We went back home late in the afternoon. We put our pjs on and spent the rest of the evening watching TV and drinking wine. We woke up both on the sofa and got ready for the day. She had planned a day with the group as I was leaving in the afternoon. My vacation was finally over. I felt sad as we walked down to the coffee shop. All of them were already there, except Jake. I was sad. I wanted to see him before I left but I put away the sadness and smiled happily while I hugged my friends. They all asked me what had happened to my face but I lied saying that while I was walking in the forest a branch had grazed me and they moved on. I texted Jake. 

*We are at the coffee shop. Are you coming?*

I locked my phone and joined the conversation. A few hours passed and Jake finally answered.

*I’ll meet you at the bus station.” 

I smiled and I realised it was time to leave if I did not want to miss my bus. I stood up. “Well… I have to go. I wanted to say… I am glad I could finally meet all of you and I hope we can still be in touch even though we are far away. I would have loved to stay longer but I need to go back to work but know that you are always welcome in my house and I actually have the space for all of you together! So please do not hesitate to come whenever you can!” They all stood up and we went for a group hug. 

Jessy dropped me off at the station after we went back to her flat to get my luggage. The trip was in silence, both of us in our own bubbles. When she stopped, I got out of the car and grabbed my bag. I hugged her with all my strength. “Thank you for having me Jessy. I’ll miss you so much.” Tears were running down my cheeks, it broke my heart to leave her, especially after she confided in me, knowing that she had not told anyone else what she was going through. “You could come with me?” She cried and laughed at the same time. “I’d love to, but thanks to you I decided to move to Colville. I have an opportunity for a job there so I think I will take it.” I grinned, I was so proud of her for trying to move on. “Alright, Thank you for the lift and I want to know everything about your move!” She sniffled and wiped her cheeks. “Yes I will if you promise to tell me what really happened to you. I know it wasn’t a branch who hurt you.” I blushed. “Right. I promise you.” She giggled and got back inside her car. I waved her goodbye when I felt someone standing next to me. 

Jake grabbed my bag and my hand without a word, as usual. We walked towards the station, still in silence. We stopped and faced each other. He cupped my face and leaned in to kiss me. His kiss was soft, the opposite of what was written on his face. He looked sad, in pain. I put my hand on his chest and smiled. “Thank you for coming, Jake.” He smiled and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close. He buried his face in the crook of my neck. “I don’t think I can let you go.” I also wrapped my arms around him and kissed his neck. “I am going to miss you too but I can’t just quit and leave everything.” His grip tightened around me. “I know” My hands were moving up and down, I was trying to comfort him as much as I could when we heard the bus arriving. 

He kissed me again and again. The kisses became more and more desperate and needy. I had to stop him because the bus driver was about to close the door. I did not want to but I had no choice. “I have to go.” I took my luggage and entered the bus. I found an empty seat where I could see Jake. He had that blank face again and I realised that face was the one where he felt a strong emotion but he did not want it to show. I waved at him, tears started to form in my eyes. I wanted to stay. I could have stayed actually but I just could not uproot my life for people I just only met. 

I closed my eyes as I did not want to see the hacker slowly moving further away as the bus moved. I was finally alone with my thoughts. All the events that happened the week before came rushing back all at once and I got overwhelmed. I opened my eyes and looked outside. That was a crazy week. I still did not know what happened to Amelia’s body. Will there be an investigation? Would I be suspected? Why did Jake say it was taken care of? What does that mean? I forgot to ask him. I sent him a text with that question but as usual he ignored it.

*Is it really the first thing you are sending me?*

I laughed to myself. Always so mysterious. I put my phone away and carried on watching the outside and without realising it I fell asleep. I woke up, feeling lost. It took me some time to realise where I was and I chuckled. I looked at the time and I realised we were almost at my stop. I slept for the whole trip! Incredible! 

I descended from the bus and looked around, sadness took over me. There was no one to greet me back home. I walked back home. I decided to relax at home for the day as the next day I had to go to work. Before I left for my holidays, I had cleaned the whole house so I did not have to do it when I came back and I was glad and thanked my past self for the huge service! I spent the whole day watching TV, trying to drown my overwhelming thoughts. I binge-watched a new series I always told myself I should watch and I did not regret it for a second. I am looking forward to the new seasons! I looked at the time as I was getting so tired. I made myself something quick to eat then I got ready to go to bed. I had texted Jessy and Jake that I had arrived and I was glad to be home. Jessy answered me and we carried on texting during the day but I had no answer from Jake. 

Next day arrived and the routine fell back into place. Woke up, made myself a cup of coffee, ate breakfast, got dressed and went to work. I loved my job but it was hard to get back to it. My mind could not stop going back to Duskwood and the people in it. The day was over before I knew. My coworkers asked me about my holidays and I told her a few things that had happened. I had taken off the bandage by that point and the cut was clearly still visible but, unexpectedly, no one had asked me about it! I was glad about it. 

I went home and put on something more comfortable. I had the rest of the afternoon off as usual, I liked that job and having the afternoon off was one of the reasons. I was going about my business when I heard a knock on my door. I frowned. Who could that be? I did not usually have any visitors so I was really surprised about it. I opened it and I stood there frozen. There, in a different town, in a different country, stood Jake. He was staring at me, a half smile and a hand running through his hair. “Hi” I unfroze. “Hi Jake. What… What are you doing here?” He let his arm fall down his side and tilted his hair. “Can I come in? I am not a stranger anymore, am I?” I laughed and moved aside so he could get in. He had two bags with him. He entered the living room and looked around. “Nice house.” I shrugged. “It’s okay I guess.” He approached me and stopped in front of me. “I told you I couldn’t let go of you.” And he kissed me, with so much passion that it took my breath away again. I did not know how he managed that but I was becoming addicted to his way of kissing. He pushed me against a wall while kissing me. He grabbed the back of my thighs and made me wrap them around his waist. I put my arms around his neck and scratched his scalp. He pulled his head away. “Where is your bedroom?” I smiled and pointed towards the stairs.

================================================

THE END

I am sorry for the long story... I just couldn't decide when to cut... So I didn't write the smut part as I'm not confident in doing it and I have no one to beta read all I write... I might do it... I don't know yet... I also did not write more about the day at the lake with Jessy at the end because I didn't see any purpose to it. I might do it too. We'll see with the response :).

You can find this story in its entirety in AO3 :)

[quitealotofsodapop]

Any plans or ideas on how Reborn!Wukong meets his LEM? He's the only one left who hasn't met his other half yet.

Accidentally tuned an ask into a little ficlet that continues under read more;

It all starts after the pilgrims leave the tree of Longevity Mountain, the Ginseng tree now healed by Lady Guanyin and the remaining power of Qi Energy.

Unbenknowst to the pilgrims; that small piece of Qi Energy still had a mind of its own.

And it still wanted to go on the Journey.

To be like the demon it so adored in it's short time on Earth; the little piece of energy reforms itself into a little stoney egg.

Not realizing that they're a little late.

The patrons of Longevity Mountain are not pleased. Pure Wind and Bright Moon in particular believe that the Stone Egg was directly formed from the chaos wrought between Monkey and Yuandi. Great Immortal Zhenyuan, however, opposes the idea of destroying the egg; instead suggesting that the creature within be given to the gods to be raised as a loyal servant.

The Six Earred Macaque meanwhile is busy collecting the demonic souls left behind in the bloodshed of Yuandi's battle. Using his Lantern, he collect lost souls for transport to the nearest holy sites so that they may pass on in peace.

Encountering the injured, but alive Gold and Silver demons; Macaque learns of the Ginseng Tree's destruction, Yuandi's release, the battle, and the deaths caused by Tripitaka's diciples. He decides to make his way to the Five Village Abbey to drop off the collected souls, and to inspect the damaged caused by a mere group of monks.

When the shadowy being approaches the Abbey, they are roughly turned away by the Daoist Lads; only to push past them to release the Lantern's souls at the altar. The demons' souls rise and sink into their next plane of existance.

Macaque continues inspecting the temple, notably the Ginseng tree itself, which has since begun healing and producing a new round of fruit. Macaque has no interest in the fruit - thinks they look gross.

Macaque is however; very interested in the Egg-shaped rock containing the sounds of a crying baby monkey deep within, hidden within the sancutary altar.

The Stone Egg begins hatching the moment it detects a similar creature to itself nearby. However, newborn and without memory, the soul within is completely helpless. To the Macaque, the soul looks to be a completely normal (albeit oddly created) infant monkey demon.

Macaque steals away with the half-hatched Egg before the Daoist Lads can stop him - helped by a pair of annoying loyal twin demons who declare him their new sifu.

The new group then makes their way along the path westward, following the trail of the pilgrims who caused so much pain to demonkind.

Macaque's little stowaway is just happy to be finally joining the Journey to the West.

[helianskies]

reflecting on my 2023 in this fandom, i wanted to share some observations, reflections and projections for 2024. it's a little mix of positive and negative stuff so, and as this will be something mostly only mutuals will read (if at all), i just wanted to give you that heads up. i have some bits to get off my chest.

so, to start with, some little observations about myself as a writer:

i tag it 'nationverse' because i don't tend to write nationverse (the odd bit of historical, but not consistently), and i think it's useful to signpost to my readers 'oh btw they are actually nations in this one, in case that's not what you want to read today'. that is okay.

i will always call it 'engspa' to distinguish it from 'spuk' because i have a preferred dynamic for them and i grew up in a fandom space that tagged things as such to help readers know what they were getting into. that is okay.

i prefer having a ficlet collection to posting small works separately because it helps me manage my fics, see what i have and haven't done, navigate my profile, keep the request fics in one place, and maintain my drive to write small things compared to posting them all separately. that is okay.

i block people in order to curate my online enviroment, to avoid topics or content i'm not interested in or that i don't want to be in my happy space, and to manage my own emotions - and i am allowed to do so. that is okay.

i don't like every ship under the sun and so won't fulfil every request or suggestion i receive into my inbox, no matter how many times i am asked to. that is okay.

i just feel a need to address these things that have cropped up in my year. at a few points i've felt like a 'bad writer' for doing certain things or have been made to feel like a 'bad writer' for... essentially having preferences. at various points i lost confidence and contemplated throwing the towel.

thing is, we all do things differently, and we all have our own systems, preferences, and needs. i wish we'd stop putting each other down for that.

while i don't doubt my insecurities won't shift much next year, in 2024, i'll be in my eighth year writing. that feels like an achievement i ought to be celebrating. and it reminds me how important writing is in my life - because that's a third of my lifetime i will have been writing for. and mostly for this fandom, haha...

.°˖✧

looking on the fics i've written and finished this year, if i had to pick my favourite three, they'd probably be...

'Let Me Go' - i'm still patting myself on the back for this one. it's my favourite piece of nationverse i've written to date, and i could do so much with it...

'Want' - begging myself to write a sequel that i probably won't, but i can dream!

'Smokescreen' - ...it felt good to be bad, just for a little bit!

if i then think about my favourite aus in general from this year, then it's got to be:

the zoo au, from 'Lovebirds' because it's just CUTE, okay?

the RNLI au, from 'Swell', in which Arthur and Antonio are lifeboat volunteers (10/10 would write more)

the dragons au, from 'Scales' because worldbuilding is fun but also,, Rhys, my boy! :D

the school au, from 'The Note', for the memories it brings back and the reminder that i can write fluff, dammit!

and if only you guys knew the aus happening in my messages with maiva,, we are so smart we are so cool we are constantly drowning in cats :)

to conclude these little reflections on my year in fandom, things i'm a bit sad about:

i've given up on 'Bound' as a series - i just haven't been able to get anywhere with the plans or drafts i have, and i've lost my love for it, so it's officially parked.

'Hopeful Waters' will also definitely not continue - i will, however, not delete it as i have stopped myself from doing a million times this year. i may write snippets of 'what would have been' but my relationship with the fic is... largely negative, so i make no promise.

hetaween fics slipped through my darn fingers this year and i didn't write as much as i wanted. next year, i will return with vengeance... ùwú

and things i'm happy about or proud of from this year:

romespa ✨everything✨

i've written now well over a million words on ao3 which feels,, just surreal, honestly. 16 year old helia would never

i finally cleared out my ao3 inbox and stopped hoarding comments for months and i'm keeping on top of it!

i've continued to write dialogue prompt lists! it always makes me happy when i see others using them as well <3

.°˖✧

and so, looking at 2024...

next year, what i'm hoping above all else is that 'For Me?' reaches its conclusion. it's been slow-going this year with updates, and it's nearly two years old (ouch), but i'm now finally getting the plot back on track and i know my direction. i hope the wait will be worth it! i'm excited about what's to come for Antonio, Arthur, and the others :)

i also hope 'Bitter Teeth' keeps going strong. i hope i let myself take breaks without feeling so guilty. i hope i get more into historical hetalia again. i really want to explore the implications of the events of 'Let Me Go'. i hope i learn to love my unfinished works or abandoned wips. i hope i start sharing more of my ideas. i hope i learn it's okay to not always want to write the same characters over and over, even if they are my favourites.

really, i just want to keep moving forward. i want to keep writing. i want to keep loving writing. i want to keep exploring. i want to not succumb to negativity as much. i want to indulge even more in what i want and what i feel like.

oh, and i want more cat aus. sorry maiva. we're not finished.

.°˖✧

to finish, i just wanted to leave a little thanks to the friends i have here who read my stuff, who encourage me, and who give me the confidence to continue forwards. i treasure you. i hope you know who you are. and i offer you cookies, hugs, and well wishes for the year ahead 🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🫂🫂🫂🫂🫂

thank you guys for everything <3

[silkling]

So I had a chat with @pastelpaperplanes, and got inspired to wrote this little scene set in the same AU as THIS piece I wrote for them. It takes place a couple years later, I’d like to think. If you haven’t read the first fic, I suggest you do since this one bounces directly off a lot of the concepts set up in that one. But for now, on with the show! (Hope you like it Pastel. It’s short but it’s a fun.) Also, this ficlet was loosely inspired by this piece Pastel drew of Sadie and OP.

———————————————————————————————————

The battle had been routine. Keyword: had. It had supposed to have been routine enough that Carrier and Starscream had felt comfortable enough sending their Heirs into it. But then partway through, comm chatter had picked up and Soundwave’s Cassettes were reporting that the Bots had lured them out here as a trap, and that they were looking for the two Decepticon Heirs.

The news had frozen Crusade in place, and Carrier had roared over the line for them and Prowl to get back to the drop ship and stay there, Starscream’s voice following shortly after to back the warlord up. They’d shaken themselves from their stupor and made to obey, when they’d been tackled from the side and before they could even think to struggle they were pinned on their back under a heavy pede with an axe held to their throat.

They looked up, optics blown wide, and saw Optimus Magnus standing over them with an equally stunned look. Oh. Oh no.

Carrier! They shrieked over the comms. Help!

Across the battlefield, Megatron’s helm snapped in the direction of his creation. Upon seeing the scene, he roared and lunged, only to be met with more Autobots coming to intercept him.

Above them, the Magnus’s face shifted, understanding lighting his optics. Primus. He knew who Crusade was. Still, he didn’t move to kill them, and they didn’t understand why.

But then it didn’t matter, because another mech was shoving the Magnus aside and taking his place, pinning Crusade under his own pede and pointing the sharp end of a lance at them.

“Optimus!” The mech spat. “I should have known you’d be too much of a coward to pull it off. If you won’t, then I’ll terminate Megatron’s spawn.” He smirked. “Who knows? They might even demote you and make me Magnus!”

And then he was lifting the lance to drive it through Crusade’s spark. They screwed their optics shut, ignoring the Magnus’s voice rising to call the mech back.

“Sentinel! Stop!”

They heard the lance whistle as it was driven down, and prepared for the end, but then there was a brief scuff to the side and the sound of thrusters activating for just a sparkbeat.

Their optics shot open, seeing the lance mere inches from their chest, but they also saw Prowl. He melted from the shadows as he always seemed to, and then he was tackling the mech–Sentinel, the Magnus had called him–away from Crusade.


The Seekerling clung to Sentinel’s face, pedes braced on his stomach as he quite literally tore into him. The mech screamed, so loud and long it caused the battle to pause around them, mechs from both factions stopping to see what was going on.

Crusade sat up, finding themselves staring as well. Around them, the Autobots seemed too stunned to react. Meanwhile, Blitzwing had collapsed on his back and was cackling as Prowl tore at the staggering Autobot, many other Decepticon sniggering and chortling at the scene as well.

Across the field, Crusade could see the sheer relief in their Carrier’s optics. A few paces a way, Optimus Magnus was frozen and staring open-mouthed. A few paces behind him, the old Magnus was also staring, though there was something odd about his expression Crusade couldn’t place.

They didn’t have long to ponder it though, because a thump drew their attention to where Sentinel had fallen to his aft while Prowl still ripped into his face and chest.

Thrusters sounded above them, and then Starscream was dropping from above. He reached out, grabbing his creation by the scruff bar and plucking him up.

“That’s quite enough now, flitterling.” He purred.

Off to the side, Optimus Magnus made a startled noise and a quick glance showed another bloom of realization before Crusade’s attention was brought back to the two Seekers.

Starscream looked amused, reaching for something in Prowl’s mouth. Wait. Was that-

It was.

A look to Sentinel showed that one of his finials was severely bent, and the other was missing entirely and currently clamped between Prowl’s fangs. In addition to that, one of the mech’s optics was gone, and Crusade could already see that the damage was deep and he was unlikely to recover vision in that optic. Ever. There was also a deep, bleeding gash cut into the other side of his face, from his forehelm to his chin. They knew the with damage that severe, and carved into his face, those wounds were going to permanently scar. Beyond the major damage though, there were also countless scratches marring his face, as well as…was that a bitemark on his cheek, under his missing optic?

Yep.

It definitely was.

A snarl from Prowl’s engine brought their attention to to their friend. Starscream was tugging on the removed finial, lips quirked.

“Let go.” He ordered. A growl and a refusal. “Flittering.” He paused, then his voice hardened. “Nightprowler.” Another pause, and Prowl released it.

Starscream tossed it to Sentinel, then turned to the Magnus, still holding Prowl up by the scruff bar. Optimus Magnus stood his ground, but his predecessor behind him didn’t. Ultra stepped back, and Prowl’s attention snapped to him. Both mechs went rigid, and the youngling made a sound Crusade had never heard before but recognized quickly as distress.

Starscream frowned at him in concern, then understanding dawned and he snapped his attention to Ultra. “You.” He snarled, his engine hissing and his armor rattling.

Crusade had never been scared of Starscream before, but in this moment, they felt fear freeze their limbs.

The Magnus clearly realized the danger, because he lunged, grabbing Sentinel and shoving him at Ultra, then spinning to hurry away from the furious Seeker.

“Autobots, retreat!” He roared, then transformed and drove away, his Bots following suit.

The Decepticons let them go, and soon enough it as just them on the battlefield. Prowl was set down, only for him to shuffle closer to his Carrier and press against him. Crusade felt a servo on their own scruff bar, and then they were hauled up and set on their pedes by Carrier.

Megatron’s voice crackled over the comms a moment later. Everyone, well done. Return to New Kaon. he ordered.

The Decepticons obeyed, and soon it was just the four of them left on the empty battlefield. Over their head, the two Carriers exchanged a look, and after a moment Megatron shifted his gaze down to Prowl.

“Thank you, little one.” he rumbled. “You saved my creation. For that, I’m grateful.”

Prowl didn’t respond, just leaning heavily into his Carrier and staring at the ground. Megatron didn’t seem to take it personally, just exchanging another look with Starscream. Crusade didn’t understand. They knew a little of what had happened to their friend when he’d been a sparkling, but they hadn’t been told everything. Prowl’s reaction to Ultra…was it something to do with why he’d had his wings clipped and his thrusters mutilated when they’d found him?

Starscream sighed, starting them from their thoughts. He crouched, then swept his creation into his arms instead of lifting him by the scruff. “Come now, flittering.” he cooed gently. “Let’s get you home.” Then he crouched and leapt up, thrusters activating as he rocketed away.

“Carrier…” Crusade hesitated. “What was that about?”

Megatron looked down at his creation, gaze somber. “It is not my place to say, little one.”

“Oh.” They were silent, then wrapped their arms around themselves.

They knew they shouldn’t be, but they were shaken from their near-death experience. Their frame shook faintly, the shock of it finally hitting their systems now that there were no more distractions. An arm wrapped around them and tugged them to their Carrier’s side, and they leaned into the larger frame.

“Carrier?”

“Yes?”

“I know I’m a bit big for it, but…do you think I could fly back with you?”

Megatron relaxed, chuckling. “I’d like nothing more, my little one.” he said.

Crusade let themselves be tugged up against the warlord, and their frame relaxed into the familiar embrace. All would be well, now. In the next moment, the two were gone, leaving behind the dusty, energon-stained dirt and the revelations that were sure to come back to bite them.

———————————————————————————————————

And that was what! What did y’all think? I think it was fun. Sentinel got his comeuppance, I tell you that. Now Starscream just needs to teach his feral gremlin child to NOT rip off body parts with his teeth and they’ll be golden!

Also, poor Sadie. The kid can’t catch a break. At least they’re not dead!

Until next time, folks!

[drarrily-we-row-along]

Day 20: Roller Coaster

Following the war, Hogwarts instated a new policy. Everyone (regardless of their upbringing) who attended the school would be required to take a Muggle Studies Course.

Muggle Studies was not terrible, much to Draco's surprise and relief. In fact, Draco found that he actually rather enjoyed it. Especially the classes on Fridays.

On Fridays the eighth years had no classes except for Muggle Studies in the afternoon and their Professor always took them somewhere fun. They'd been to a pub, a bowling alley, a movie theater (Draco had especially enjoyed that one), a fancy restaurant, a few cafes, art museums and history museums, they went to see parliament, and Big Ben, and even a place called a 'science center'.

Today they were going to a muggle amusement park.

Potter (his assigned partner since he'd been raised by muggles) found him in the crowd once they arrived. "Hey."

"Hey yourself," Draco replied, raising a hand to shade his eyes.

"Where should we start?" Potter asked, nodding to the expanse of oddities in front of them.

"Umm," Draco said, shading his eyes once more to look around, seeing only unfamiliar things.

"Come on," Potter said, apparently making the decision for them. "I think you need some sunglasses first."

(Read more below the cut)

Potter tugged him over to a stand off to the corner where they bickered about which sunglasses suited Draco best before finally agreeing on a pair of wayfarers with pink frames. The other boy's smile and encouragement were enough for Draco to slip them on.

"Very handsome," Potter said and Draco could feel his cheeks heat under the praise. Fortunately, Potter seemed not to notice as he turned to pay for the sunglasses.

After that they wandered around, Potter took him on a carousel, then down a giant slide that they had to climb into burlap sacks for, before dragging him over to the carnival games.

"Here," Potter said, paying the man at a booth and taking six ping pong balls from him. "You just have to sink them in the fish bowls and you win a prize."

"That hardly seems difficult," Draco replied.

The man behind the booth snorted, "Good luck, kid."

"Would you like to go first?" Harry offered.

Draco nodded and squared his shoulders before tossing the first ball. It pinged off multiple bowls before falling to the ground in between. "What?!"

"It's okay," Potter said, "try again. If you get two in, you still win a small prize."

"Right," Draco said, blowing out a breath and focusing. He tossed the ball more gently this time and it bounced once before sinking into one of the bowls. "Hah!" Draco shouted triumphantly.

"Good job," Potter replied, and there was a time when those words would have been tainted and sarcastic, but the two of them were long past that at this point. He knew the other boy was simply genuinely happy for him.

"Alright," Draco said, "Last chance little ball." He nodded once and tossed this one as well, it bounced once, twice, three times, before catching the rim of one of the bowls at an odd angle and flying off.

"Better luck next time," the man said. "You're up specs."

Potter nodded, let out a little huff of breath and tossed them right in a row; one and two sunk straight in, the third bounced once before sinking into a third fish bowl.

Draco's jaw dropped and he looked over to see that the man behind the booth looked equally stunned.

"Plushy unicorn or dragon?" Potter asked him.

"What?"

"Unicorn or Dragon?" he prompted.

"Dragon," Draco replied without real thought.

Potter nodded, "We'd like the blue dragon, please."

The man grabbed the dragon and handed it over to Potter, "That was well done."

"Thanks," Potter replied before turning and handing the dragon over to Draco. "For you."

"For me?"

Potter nodded and stuffed it into Draco's arms before walking off, "Come on," he called over his shoulder, "Roller coaster next."

It took Draco a moment to catch up with him, "Why did you give this to me?"

The other boy looked over at him and shoved his glasses up on his nose, "Do you not want it?" he asked, reaching for it.

"No," he said, turning away so he couldn't take her, "I want her."

"Alright then."

It wasn't really an answer but he didn't want Potter to take the delightfully soft and fluffy dragon from him so he kept quiet and mulled over the possible reasons. Pansy would say that Potter liked him, too, but Pansy was gay so he didn't trust what she had to say about boys.

Potter led him over to a tall, monstrous metal contraption and Draco watched with a small amount of horror as the muggles riding it were sent speeding off as they screamed bloody murder.

"Are you serious?" he asked.

Potter glanced over, "Yeah, it'll be fun. Like riding a broom," he added soft enough for only Draco to hear.

"Sure if someone else were in control of it!" Draco hissed.

"That's part of the appeal," Potter said as he stepped into line and tugged Draco after him. "Letting go, just flying without the work."

"You're insane."

"We'll see," Potter replied with a shrug and a secret little smile at the corner of his mouth that made his dimple show.

Draco waited, his heart pounding, palms sweating, as he got closer and closer to the front of the line. "Are you sure about this?"

"As sure as I am about anything," Potter replied with a sardonic grin.

They stepped up to the front of the line and the man told him, "You'll need to leave your dragon here."

"Might as well leave your sunglasses, too," Potter said, "wouldn't want those to go flying off," he added with a wink. A wink. And Draco was so off kilter that he did as Potter suggested before he climbed into the seat next to him.

The lap bar was pulled down and secured, "Potter," he started, sure that it wasn't healthy for your heart to beat this fast.

"It's okay," Potter assured. He'd taken his glasses off and folded them over the collar of his shirt.

"But-"

"Draco," the other boy said, turning to look at him and putting his hand over Draco's. "Seriously. No one has ever died from riding on this roller coaster."

"Are you sure?" Draco asked but it was too late, the roller coaster was already starting to pull them upwards.

"98%," Potter called.

"What?" he asked, trying to make sense of his words over the pounding in his ears and the rush of adrenaline he was experiencing.

"I'm 98% sure no one has ever died on this roller coaster."

It was not really the answer he'd wanted to hear. He opened his mouth to reply but the cart tipped over the top of the first hill and his words turned into a scream, one of his hand's clenching the lap bar, the other crushing Harry's.

He screamed as they were dropped and flipped, as the cart whipped around corners and he was knocked into Harry and Harry into him, all the while his heart racing. And Harry was right, it was a lot like flying but without the predictability.

As the roller coaster glided to a stop, Draco couldn't help but laugh; he felt lighter than air, freer than he could remember feeling in a long time. He turned grinning at Harry, "That was amazing."

"Yeah," Harry replied, giving his hand a little squeeze.

"Oh," Draco said, looking down at where he was still clenching the other boy's hand. "Sorry-"

"I'm not," Harry replied softly, a little shy.

"Please exit the cart, lovebirds," the man running the ride called. "We have other people waiting."

"Right, sorry," Harry apologized and he clambered out before holding out a hand for Draco to take.

Hand in hand, they made their way around to collect the dragon and Draco's sunglasses. "Where to next?" Draco asked, smiling so widely that it made his face hurt.

Harry swung their hands between them as he replied, "As long as it's with you, it doesn't matter."

Day 19: Ice Skating | Day 21: Scars

Thanks so much @gaygirldrarryblog for the prompt! I hope you enjoyed this little ficlet! <3

[neonponders]

Read this ficlet and am thinking about tattoo artist!Steve.

Billy’s first thought: intern. The guy has too much naked skin to be an established tattoo artist. Billy had been flipping through the flash book, mostly just to get a read on the new tattoo shop in town.

Except the flash selection was really good. And the decor wasn’t like any other tattoo parlor. Most places have solid-colored walls nearly covered with flash sheets, or art prints so old they’ve faded beyond caring.

This place had plants. Like....lots of plants. Lots of natural lighting coming through the front windows, which made the place more approachable than a shady, blocked out storefront. Clean, light wooded floors. Freshly painted, white baseboards that gleamed in the light. Thrifted Tiffany knock-off lamps that added color to the place that was otherwise green, white, and wood themed.

Like a spa or something. The Orchid Parlor.

The whole place was a long rectangle, and one of the longer sides had been painted into an accent wall of....elephant ear plants? Billy didn’t know plants, all right. But he knew good art when he saw it, and a pretty face even better.

“Are you one of the artists?” he asked, peeking up from the pages of stylized flowers and Japanese/Korean fusion pieces.

“Yeah. And one of the owners,” he declared jovially. “We’re having a grand opening bash this weekend if you want to come? All flash proceeds will be going to charity.”

That sounded...great. “Aren’t the first three years of a business the hardest? That’s really generous of you.”

The guy tilted his weight onto one leg while he shrugged behind the counter. “We have a good financial backer for our first year. My goal isn’t really financial success.”

Billy had to guffaw at that. “Does your backer know that?”

“My dad has low expectations, so anything I do is a step up.”

Oh.

“Oh. Sorry.”

He smiled kindly. “It’s okay. But seriously, if you see something you like - this is my book, but my partner’s is right here - and if you see something you like, come by on Saturday. There’ll be food and music - and a line, probably, so I’d suggest coming a half hour early.”

“Partner,” Billy singled out on. “Where are they? You’re managing opening week alone?”

The guy rolled his big brown eyes at the ceiling. “Her lesbian lover had some catastrophe and she had to rush out of here. She’s been trying to surprise Robin for weeks with adopting a chinchilla. She could only really do it if Robin was too busy with our shop, so...”

He nodded, those arching brunette tresses bobbing over his forehead. Billy felt his features soften with intrigued warmth. “And you? No gay lovers to surprise you with pets?”

He laughed - win for Billy. Nice smile too.

“No. I’ve been single for a while now. But I wouldn’t suggest getting a tattoo just to flirt with me.”

“Hmm,” Billy hummed to himself. “What’s the charity?”

The man tilted his head as if the charity operated right next door. “The Upside Down Hostel on 31st street. It’s a safe house for queer kids.”

The flirtatious warmth melted off of Billy’s face. “Yeah. Yeah, I’ll be here Saturday.”

The owner reached for the stack of fliers as well as the little display of business cards. He wrote something on the back of the flier, stapled the card to it, and passed it to Billy. “I look forward to seeing you. Do you have dietary stuff?”

Billy looked up from the card reading Robin Buckley and Steve Harrington. “Stuff?”

“Vegan. Celiac. Allergies.”

“Oh. No. I don’t do a lot of dairy, though.”

“That’s fine. We’re getting an unreasonable amount of vegan doughnuts and dim sum. I can hold onto your favorite flavor so you won’t have to fight anybody.”

Billy laughed and appreciated that Steve had noticed his hard work under his tank top. “Maple glazed. I’ll hold you to that.”

“You don’t get to cut in line, though.”

“Oh, well then there’s no point.”

They shared a moment of laughter, finished with Billy tapping his paper goodies on the counter. “Saturday, then.”

“Wait, what’s your name?”

“Billy,” he held his hand over the counter, and Steve shook... “Hargrove.”

The long stem of an orchid peeked out of Steve’s t-shirt, tucked inside his bicep. The upside down orchids were black with pink highlights, curving back underneath his tricep and sleeve.

“Steve. Nice to meet you, Billy.”

Before he left, Billy ventured, “Can I ask...why all the plants?”

“I’m claustrophobic, but not as much around plants. Cubicles are...not an option for me, but a wall of plants gives clients the privacy they need and I can hold a needle steady.”

“And if I were to bring a drink to keep my artist going, what would that be?”

“Are you expecting me to answer cactus juice?”

“Are you really going to send me to the most expensive grocery store in town so I can bribe my way into flirting with you?”

Steve laughed. “No, just a flat white with oat milk. Or a passion fruit lemonade. Or -”

“I’m leaving,” Billy sassed on his way to the door. “See you on Saturday, pretty boy.”

[stolen-pen-name23]

Yay Prompts! :D Congratulations again Katie! It was really hard to choose between them, but I decided on 12. “It reminded me of you.” for Obi-Wan and Anakin during the early years of their Padawan & Master time. (maybe with Obi-Wan bringing something back from a mission?) Thank you! <3

Ahhh thank you for the prompt! I love it! // from these prompts

So this is the spiritual sequel to this ficlet, but you don't need to read it to understand it. Here ya go!

---

It is the middle of the night on Coruscant and Obi-Wan is wide awake.

For once, he is not being kept awake by his own thoughts or anxieties. This time around, Obi-Wan is awake because his ship has just landed in the temple hangar after returning from Alderaan where the time is currently mid-day. Obi-Wan’s body believes it is time to go get a mid-day meal, but he resists the urge. He knows he needs to get adjusted to Coruscant time sooner rather than later — especially with a rambunctious padawan on his hands.

Obi-Wan smiles at the thought of seeing Anakin. They’ve been apart for two weeks now, and while Anakin has gotten more used to Obi-Wan going on solo missions every now and then, he still didn’t like it. Whenever Obi-Wan returned from his missions alone, Anakin tended to act even clingier than normal for a few days. Not that Obi-Wan minded too much.

He missed Anakin too.

He hopes Anakin isn’t too angry with him. Obi-Wan was supposed to be back at the temple in the afternoon, but he had slept through his alarms on Alderaan — his body exhausted from two weeks of travel and negotiations and pretending like he enjoyed the company of the politicians around him. Still, he can’t help but feel a little bad about his tardiness.

A spring bounds itself to Obi-Wan’s steps and he rolls his eyes at his own energy. Of course the one time he’s well-rested, he’s adjusted to the wrong time zone. A group of nocturnal Jedi conversing together in the hallway stare at him as he passes them by. He offers them a wave and ignores their questioning stares.

Despite his unexpected energy, he is relieved when he gets to his apartment. While Obi-Wan loves to travel beyond the smog-saturated atmosphere of Coruscant, he is always most content within the walls of the temple.

Quietly, he waves open the front door and takes soft steps through the foyer. With a flick of his wrist, a lamp switches on, bathing the entire living room in a warm glow and revealing golden hair peeking out of a bundle of blankets.

“Anakin?” Obi-Wan questions in surprise. “What are you doing on the couch? It’s the middle of the night. Why aren’t you sleeping in your own room?”

Anakin blinks at him tiredly. The childish part of Obi-Wan that still remains can’t help but feel some sort of smug satisfaction at being the one to wake up Anakin for once. Normally, Anakin is the one hell-bent on keeping Obi-Wan awake. But the feeling does not last when he gets a closer look at his padawan. Flushed cheeks, unfocused gaze, sweat-soaked hair. Obi-Wan kneels down next to Anakin.

“Hey,” Obi-Wan says gently. “Are you feeling okay?”

Anakin shakes his head no.

Obi-Wan grimaces. “You should be resting in your room. What are you doing out here?”

“Waiting for you. You’re late.”

Guilt swells in Obi-Wan’s chest. He rests his hand on Anakin’s forehead and winces at the heat.

“That’s a pretty bad fever,” Obi-Wan murmurs more to himself than to Anakin. He moves his hand down to cup Anakin’s cheek and the boy leans into the touch. “I thought Master Plo was supposed to be checking on you twice a day?”

“He was. He came by this morning. I felt fine this morning.”

“And not this afternoon?”

“You were supposed to be here this afternoon,” Anakin states, blinking big puppy dog eyes up at him. The sticky feeling of guilt intensifies.

“Why didn’t you call for Master Plo? He would have come back and helped you.”

“I thought you were coming.”

“I know,” Obi-Wan sighs. “And I’m really sorry. But I’m here now okay? I can take care of you now.”

Anakin nods. “Okay.”

Obi-Wan gets up and starts rooting around the kitchen. “I should make you some soup. When was the last time you ate? I bet you haven’t eaten today. Oh Force we have nothing here. Okay, okay let me go find you something, and then we can—”

“Master,” Anakin says, cutting him off from his ramblings. “You’re doing that thing again.”

“What thing?”

“The thing where you start thinking out loud.”

“Oh,” Obi-Wan says sheepishly. “Well, have you eaten?”

“I ate this morning.”

“That was a long time ago,” Obi-Wan says. “I think.”

“Don’t care. Not hungry. Don’t feel good.”

“You might feel better with something in your stomach,” Obi-Wan suggests.

“Don’t think so. And isn’t it the middle of the night? No one eats in the middle of the night. It’s not a meal time.”

“Time is made up.”

“What?”

Obi-Wan shakes his head. Maybe now is not the best time to bring up his existential musings. “Nothing. Sorry. I’m still on Alderaan time. It’s throwing me off.”

Anakin narrows his eyes at him and shakes his head. “I don’t want any soup,” he declares.

Obi-Wan sighs. “Fine. But I’m making ginger tea and you will drink it.”

“Ugh,” Anakin grimaces. “I don’t like it.”

“I don’t care.”

Obi-Wan begins making the tea, his hands going through the motions on their own accord while his thoughts linger on Anakin. He was only a few hours late. Still. Guilt continues to coil around him like a snake. Obi-Wan can feel Anakin’s distress still clinging to his Force presence. He was probably scared and he was definitely disappointed. Obi-Wan frowns at the thought.

The high-pitched whistle from the kettle makes him shake those thoughts away. He brews the tea and returns to the couch to find Anakin half-asleep and shivering.

“Oh, Anakin,” Obi-Wan murmurs. “Let’s get you to your actual bed. It will be warmer there.”

Anakin nods but makes no move to get up.

“Come on, Padawan,” Obi-Wan says, setting the tea down on the side table. He pulls the blankets off of Anakin and he shivers even more.

Obi-Wan guides Anakin to his bedroom and he slides into bed. Obi-Wan starts to pull the blankets up over him, but the Anakin pulls them away on his own. “I can do it,” he says sharply.

“Oh, can you now?” Obi-Wan says with a raised eyebrow.

Anakin huffs in reply, already tangling himself up in the sheets.

“Are you still mad at me?” Obi-Wan asks.

Anakin gives a petulant nod and it takes everything in Obi-Wan to smother his laughter.

“That’s too bad. I got you something while I was gone.”

Anakin perks up slightly. “You got me something?”

“Mhmm,” Obi-Wan hums. “But since you’re so mad at me, I know you probably won’t want to accept any gifts from me, so I’ll just hold onto it.”

“Wait,” Anakin says, sitting up. “I’m not that mad.”

“Oh really?” Obi-Wan teases. “You can forgive me for all my transgressions?”

“Some of them,” Anakin says tentatively.

“I guess that will have to do for now, huh?” Obi-Wan says as he digs through his robe.

Anakin nods his assent and watches Obi-Wan with bright eyes.

“Do you remember a few weeks ago when you brought home that loth cat?”

Anakin perks up even more. “Did you get me a loth cat?”

Obi-Wan cringes. He probably shouldn’t have led with that. “Kind of,” he says.

Obi-Wan presents the stuffed loth cat he picked up on Alderaan to Anakin and the boy’s eyes light up.

“Thank you, Master!” Anakin says, giddy with excitement at the prospect of being given a gift. He probably hasn’t received too many gifts in his life, Obi-Wan thinks a little sadly.

“You’re most welcome, Anakin.”

“Why did you get this for me?” he asks, his eyes not leaving the stuffed animal.

“I don’t know,” Obi-Wan falters. “I saw it and it reminded me of you.”

Anakin pulls his eyes away from the loth cat to give Obi-Wan a disbelieving look. “Really?”

“Really.”

At that, Anakin jumps forward and throws his arms around Obi-Wan’s neck. Obi-Wan smiles at the reaction, but worry creeps back in when he can feel the heat still emanating from Anakin’s body.

“I’m glad you like it,” Obi-Wan says. “But I think this is enough excitement for one night. You need to get some sleep if you want that fever to go down.”

“I’m not tired.”

Obi-Wan sees the lie for what it is, but he indulges him anyway.

“Well then, why don’t you lay down, and maybe you’ll start to feel tired?”

“I don’t think I will, Master,” Anakin says, even as he starts to settle back into bed. He lets Obi-Wan pull the blankets over him this time. The stuffed loth cat is held tightly in his arms.

“Wait here then. I’ll go get you your tea.”

Anakin groans. “I don’t want it.”

“It will make you fall asleep,” Obi-Wan insists. He ignores Anakin’s protests as he ducks out of the room and finds his way back to the living room where he left the tea.

“Anakin,” Obi-Wan groans to himself as he notices for the first time all the droid parts littering the floor and the coffee table. He takes a moment to straighten everything out before grabbing the mug of tea and heading back to Anakin’s room.

“Now, I know you don’t like it, but I promise it will—” Obi-Wan cuts himself off when his eyes land on the form of his Padawan. His breaths have evened out and his eyes are closed. The blankets are pulled up to his shoulders and the stuffed loth cat is nestled under his chin.

Obi-Wan stands in the doorway, smiling softly and sipping on lukewarm tea.

[haus-seeblick]

Suptober Day 1! “Harvest”

My first ficlet for Suptober! Read under the cut :)

Pairing: Castiel/Dean Winchester

Rating: Mature 

Word Count: 2,218

Tags: Fluff, Disaster Bi Dean Winchester, Daydreaming about hot farmers, Some suggestive language (and swearing), Angelic wheat harvest assistance, The Dom Brow makes an appearance, Sam Ships It, Mini Case Fic  

On AO3 here.

“All right,” Dean announces as he stomps into the hospital room, trailing mud with every step. “You’re not gonna have a problem anymore, Randy.”

The man propped up on the hospital bed cushions glares at Dean from under bushy eyebrows. “Well, it’s about time,” he snaps. “First these-- these things terrorize my fields for weeks, then y’all show up and are so useless that they maim me after you’re already on the case, and now I’ve lost the prime window to harvest a year’s worth o’ growth ‘cause I’m laid up in this godforsaken facility. So don’t you tell me I ain’t gonna have a problem anymore.” 

Dean sinks down onto the rickety plastic chair next to the bed, moving gingerly to avoid jostling his (probably) dislocated shoulder, courtesy of some extremely vengeful spirits. He fixes Randy with an even gaze. 

“Man, I’m sorry about your leg. I am. The spirits had a wider range than we thought and we figured you’d be safe at the house.”

Randy snorts in obvious derision, his scruffy mustache fluttering comically. Dean presses on.

“But, we’ve put them to rest. Your great-grandparents aren’t gonna give you any more grief.”  Even if the rest of your family did totally fuck them over.

He stands again, awkwardly, and pats Randy’s good knee. “Sorry about your harvest, though. Can anyone help out? Neighbors? Friends?”

Randy glowers. “I ain’t takin’ no charity.”

Dean quirks his lips and nods. “Right. Take it easy, Randy.” He leaves the still-grumbling farmer behind, following his own trail of mud back down the hallway. A tall janitor lurking around the corner sends him a death glare and Dean tries for an appropriately apologetic smile. 

It’s been a real headache of a night. 

The pair of spirits haunting Randy Johnson’s wheat fields ended up being way more pissed off than Sam, Dean, and Cas had anticipated. By the time Cas located the heavy brass key to the farmhouse that was apparently tethering the property-line-obsessed spirits to the material plane, Dean and Sam were long out of rock salt. In their retreat, they’d ended up waist-deep in a pebbly creek, splashing and wobbling as they beat off the screeching spirits with crowbars. Dean has an unfortunately-placed boulder to thank for his dislocated shoulder -- he went down hard and clumsy just as Cas reappeared next to the stream, the old key melting dramatically in the bright glow of his palm. 

The spirits burned away in a shower of sparks, along with Dean’s dignity.

To top it all off, Dean drew the short straw to go tell Randy the case was closed, and he may have stomped off in a sulky huff before thinking of asking Cas or Sam to put his shoulder right. 

Oh, well. At least it’s dealt with. One more night in their more-stained-than-usual motel room, and first thing in the morning they’ll get the hell outta Dodge (almost literally - they’re up in Osborne County). 

Dean thinks of a bright July morning on the open road and sighs in relief.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He doesn’t get his wish.

“I just feel bad, Dean!” Sam protests as Dean gesticulates incredulously at him. (His shoulder was very pleasantly healed by Cas the night before, and if Dean noticed that Cas’ warm hands lingered a little longer on his skin than was technically necessary for a cursory dislocation repair, he didn’t mention it.)

“God, Sammy, yeah, it sucks about the guy’s leg, but maybe if he wasn’t such an asshole to everyone he knows, somebody’d help him out! It’s not-- it can’t be our problem.”

Sam crosses his arms stubbornly. “It’s not about Randy. His fields are part of a huge supply that feeds a ton of people. Do you want people to go hungry, Dean?”

Castiel chooses that moment to materialize directly next to Dean, his nose inches away from Dean’s cheek. He’s holding two steaming cups of coffee and Dean immediately grabs one. Cas squints and tilts his head. “Why does Dean want people to go hungry?”

“Oh my god.” Dean throws his free hand up. “Fine. Fucking fine. We’ll find someone who’s willing to plow the dude’s fields. That’ll be easy.”

Sam opens his big mouth, probably to say something about having faith in humanity, but Cas beats him to it. Still planted firmly in Dean’s bubble, he sends a puff of warm air against Dean’s face as he speaks.

“Oh. I can do it.”

Dean and Sam both look at him. Dean shuffles back a couple steps and wills his eyes away from the guy’s lips. He really spends too much time staring at them.

“Um--” Sam clears his throat. “You can harvest Randy’s wheat?”

“I can plow, yes.” Cas nods firmly. Dean’s first sip of coffee comes spraying back out. He pounds his chest and wheezes. 

“Like-- like-- with a combine?” 

Cas furrows his brow. “Is that a machine? No, I don’t require machinery. This is a very basic task.”

“Plowing,” Dean says weakly.

“Harvesting,” Cas corrects, tilting his chin down and narrowing his eyes. “Humans have been doing it for a very long time. I used to help, now and again. I can’t imagine the process has changed much.”

Sam slaps his thighs as he stands up from his bed. “Well! Look at that, Dean. Cas doesn’t want people to go hungry.” 

Dean flips him off, but it lacks the usual heat.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

An hour later, they find themselves on the edge of a vast, lazily undulating expanse of gold. They’d skirted the north edge of the field extensively while working the spirit case, since the activity was strongest there along the creek, but in his single-minded focus Dean hadn’t really paid much attention to the field itself.

It’s big. Like, squint-into-the-distance-and-you-can’t-see-the-end big. 

“You’re really gonna plow all that?” Dean asks, glancing at Cas. The morning sun is turning the tips of Cas’ hair a chestnut gold. 

“I will cut down the stalks, separate the grain from the chaff, and deposit the edible grain into a large truck, which apparently takes it where it needs to go,” Cas says matter-of-factly. “I visited Randy early this morning to make sure I knew which truck it was.”

Sam laughs. “Oh yeah? How’d good old Randy take that?”

“He seemed dubious,” Cas says. “And rude. I assured him that despite his unsavory attitude, he would come home to harvested fields.”

“Very angelic of you,” Sam remarks. 

“So how’s this gonna go?” Dean lifts a hand to block out the steadily-rising sun. “You gonna be flapping back and forth? Probably not smart to let the locals clock an angel doing the harvest.”

Cas arches an eyebrow at him, somehow gazing down at Dean despite being an inch shorter. “I don’t flap, Dean. I may have wings, but their movement in the ether is beyond your comprehension.” 

Dean rolls his eyes and turns his face away in a show of studying the field to the north, but mostly to conceal the flush of his cheeks in response to that eyebrow. 

For Christ's sake, keep it together, Winchester.

“I can’t explain to you how it will look,” Cas continues, oblivious. “You’ll just have to watch. Anything you see will be for your eyes only. I guarantee no locals will ‘clock me.’”

Dean looks back just in time to see the tail end of the finger quotes. Cas is staring right at him, that damn eyebrow still up, a subtle challenge, daring Dean to make a move.

Maybe not so oblivious. Asshole. 

Dean smiles sweetly and gestures at the wheat. “All right then. Have at it, buddy. Show us what you’ve got.”

With no further ado, Cas is gone. Dean’s left staring through the previously-Cas-occupied space at his brother, who’s grimacing with an air of great suffering. 

“What?” Dean demands. 

Sam sighs heavily and gazes out over the field. “You two are so weird.”

Dean’s about to respond with something really witty when Sam perks up and points into the distance. “Holy crap, look!”

Dean follows the path of Sam’s outstretched finger and his mouth drops open. On the horizon, at the far end of the field, there’s a cloud. No-- a mini tornado. A golden tornado. A… sparkly tornado?

“What the--” Dean cups his hands around his eyes like blinkers. Even with the glare of the sun blocked out, though, the tornado is just as bright -- a swirling, racing funnel criss-crossing the field way faster than a combine, or even Baby, could drive. 

“Why is it-- what’s the sparkly stuff?” 

Sam’s squinting too. “I think it’s the pieces of the stalks he’s separating? And they catch the light as they get tossed around.” 

The tornado’s already halfway across the field, approaching them steadily. It’s about as tall as an oak tree, and as it gets closer Dean sees that Sam was right: thousands of little stalks and bits of grain and -- what had Cas called it? -- chaff are whirling and flitting amid the twisting golden dust of the tornado. The effect is a bit dizzying, kind of like that ocular migraine Dean had one time as a teenager, when an aura of tiny flashing spots obscured his vision, right there in his eye yet impossible to focus on. 

He steps back instinctively, Sam mirroring his movement, when the tornado grows close to them. It whips past, blowing Dean’s jacket open, and where there was once chest-high golden grain, there’s now just dirt littered with aborted stalks. 

“Damn,” Dean whispers. He’s seen Cas do all kinds of badass things, of course, but they’ve been more of the smiting and heavy-lifting variety. This is a new level of cool. In a farmer-y way. This, of course, leads Dean’s traitorous brain directly to images of worn flannel stretched tight over biceps; of a blade of hay dangling jauntily from chapped lips; of long, strong fingers gripping a pitchfork--

“--Dean!” 

The pleasantly-evolving bubble bursts. Dean twitches as Sam elbows him in the ribs.

“Dude! Cas is done, come on.”

Dean blinks a few times to bring himself back to reality (a reality with wheat-harvesting angel tornados) and realizes that Sam’s heading north along the field to where a normal-sized, non-funnel-cloudy Cas is standing, brushing off his trenchcoat. Dean follows his brother and takes in the scene; the whole field really has been reduced to nothing -- just a flat, dappled expanse.

“Damn, Cas,” he says quietly as he reaches Cas’ side. His voice comes out strained and a little breathless. “That was some good plowing.”

“Thank you, Dean,” Can replies gravely. He tugs on his cuffs and some wheat dust puffs out. “It was an effective harvest. I disguised myself from mortal eyes -- including yours -- as I transported the grain to the truck, but I trust you saw the rest?”

Sam nods enthusiastically and launches straight into a barrage of questions about the physics and techniques and yadda yadda before Dean has to come up with a response. Yeah, I saw it. Yeah, it got me all tingly. That’s normal. He takes a few deliberate, slow breaths to calm the pounding in his chest.

Still tuning Sam out, he zeroes in on a single piece of wheat still stuck in Cas’ hair. It’s poking up toward the blue summer Kansas sky -- a tiny, trembling link between earth and heaven. Dean sidles up to Cas before he can overthink it. He slips his fingers into Cas’ wild, dark hair and plucks the wheat out. 

He throws it on the ground. It belongs to the earth. 

Sam falls silent with a choked-off laugh and Cas turns his trademark unblinking stare onto Dean. But this time there’s a slight crinkle to the edges of his eyes. A quirk of his lips. 

“Thank you, Dean,” Cas says again. He reaches out and -- Dean stops breathing -- brushes another piece of wheat out of Dean’s collar. His warm fingers graze Dean’s throat and all Dean can do is watch the little stalk flutter to the ground. 

Well. So much for a steady heartbeat. 

“Hey, I’ve got stuff in my hair, too,” Sam announces, voice thick with amusement. “Anyone gonna help me out?”

Dean tears his eyes away from the enlightening piece of wheat and points a finger at Sam, leveling him with his sternest shut the fuck up face. He prays his cheeks aren’t flaming. 

“If you need assistance, Sam--” Cas says, starting toward him.

“--He’s fine,” Dean interjects hastily. Maybe a little loudly. He coughs to cover it up. Smooth. “Let’s go. I wanna hit the road.”

Sam’s already jogging away before Dean’s done speaking. “I’ve still got the keys,” he calls over his shoulder. “I’ll warm up the car. You guys can catch up!”

Cas and Dean are left at the edge of the empty field. Dean rubs his neck and shuffles his feet, acutely aware of Cas’ piercing gaze. It’s nearly warmer than the morning sun. “Uh-- that was really cool, Cas. Thanks for letting us see it.”

“Of course, Dean,” Cas replies, measured and deep. “I enjoyed sharing that with you.”

Wow. All right. Dean needs to get moving or he’s going to explode. But not before filing that particular comment away for extensive mental perusal later, in the privacy of his bedroom. 

He flashes a grin and punches Cas’ shoulder. “Come on, farmer angel. Let’s go home.”

[twiddle-dee-twiddle-dumb]

A/N - I was bored in the office. There’s nothing much to do and an idea for ficlets, drabbles for Haikyuu Boys came into my mind. So here it goes…

WAS SUPPOSED TO ADD USHIJIMA HERE BUT I'M ALREADY TOO SPENT. HAHAHAHAUHSHSHAJSSAJSJK (TT-----TT)

HAIKYU! BOYS & S/O ARGUED BEFORE AN IMPORTANT EVENT

Toru Oikawa

Warning: slightly suggestive (???); jealousy, jealousy; provocation

It's something petty, honestly. It's just because you didn't hear what he was trying to say since you are busy making dinner in the kitchen. And that you made him repeat what he said three times. THREE TIMES. That is enough to make Toru feel neglected. You knew that there's a change in his demeanor so you apologized but he ignored you all through out the dinner. He's stubborn and you knew better than to push further. You both went to bed not speaking to each other. I mean, Oikawa not speaking to you.

The next morning, hours before the event, he went to work early. He just left a note on the fridge. "I'll go to the party. I brought my party clothes in the office. Attend if you want to." you crumpled the piece of paper you're holding and you're gritting through your teeth. You are seething with anger that Toru chose war—he chose to prolong this petty drama, so be it.

It's time to change the plans. He already knows what you're gonna wear. Well, since it has come to this point, you decide to go to an emergency shopping. You bought a red open back dress with a low neckline paired with a white gold chandelier earrings and chandelier choker necklace. Show-stopping, attention-grabbing like he wanted.

You drove to the venue, not informing your husband that you're gonna dang see him at the party. You arrived earlier than him. You greeted everyone you know at the party. They were complimenting you, men and women alike. However, people can't help but ask where your husband is. "He is still quite occupied but he'll arrive shortly." is what you tell them and try to swerve the point of the conversation to them.

Not moments later, Oikawa entered the scene as pointed out by someone in your circle. You see him greet everybody who comes in his way. Looking at him right now, he's still as popular and handsome as before (too bad, he's being a real bitch to you). You turned back you attention to your social circle before he could see you looking at him.

It was not that long when you felt a scorching gaze from across the room. You feigned indifference. You knew who it was. Your phone kept on buzzing. Taking your phone out of your purse, you checked who it was thinking it was an emergency at home or your parents' house. It was just Toru—bombarding you with messages and missed calls. Trying to get my attention I see, you thought. You glanced at his direction, for mere seconds, before turning your attention to back to your phone. With no intention to reply, you returned your phone back inside the pouch. Two can play this game.

Until you caught a whiff of his cologne and felt something being placed on your shoulders, covering your back. You eyed him, expression unreadable. "I'm afraid we're going to go home early, sweetheart.", he whispered in your ear as you feel the pressure of his grip on your side.

"So, we're talking now?", raising an eyebrow, you can't help but retort, pushing his buttons even more, even though you know that you're going to pay the consequences for the rest of the night.

Tetsurou Kuroo

Warning: suggestive; provocation; innuendos

Kuroo informed you that the company anniversary is coming up and he's bringing you along for the party. The day before the event, you decided to go to the dresser to get your hair done. It was going well until the dresser made a mistake which resulted to your hair a tad shorter that it was. The dresser apologized profusely. The poor girl was nearly in tears. You just laughed it off, reassuring her that it's fine. Not really making a big deal out of the nagging feeling that your husband might react. Oh please, hair grows back. Plus, it doesn't look bad. You looked more glowing so maybe that mistake isn't bad after all.

When you got home, Kuroo was acting weird. He kept on glancing at you like you're someone unfamiliar. When he saw you at the door, he just stared at you with his brows furrowed. When you were eating dinner, he was awfully quiet. Usually, he would tell you about his day at the office but to day, he's painstakingly silent.

"Babe, is there something wrong?" you asked again for the umpteenth time. Because clearly, something's wrong. He just evades or refuses to answer. But, this time, you pressed further. "Come on, tell me."

"Your hair!" he answered, voice slightly higher than the usual with a slight anger undertone. Of course, you we're expecting some reaction but not like this. You were surprised. You know how much he adored your long hair. You were even more surprised that he's noticed. Oh my dork, baby.

"Well, the dresser kind of made a mistake so we end up cutting it." you reasoned which he responded with a grunt. He's really sulky about this. "I apologize for the accident. But love, it's just four inches long and it's going to grow back in time."

"NO." he said. you gawked at him. Shocked at his response.

"Ruru, you're being a baby about this."

He proceeded to ignore you. He isn't usually like this. Most of the times he listens to actual reasons. You just shrugged it off, thinking that he'll come back around in the morning.

Oh boy, he's still that sulky little kid with a cold reception. He ate the breakfast you made him though but he went to work in haste. Guess, you really need to do something to rectify your situation as you start to get annoyed. He's smart but he's acting like a dummy right now. It's just hair and he perfectly knows that hair grows back.

It's only hours before the event, you're rummaging your closet for something to wear. You settled with a salmon pink pantsuit with a white chiffon string strap as an innerwear. you brought out your cream faux leather block heel sandals. You also laid out all the accessories you want to wear for this event.

You start prepping up for the event. "Testu, babe. I'll be a bit late.", you texted him but this motherfucking child had the guts to purposely leave you on read.

You put your hair in a messy half bun adorned with cute pearl accent hairpins whilst curling the remaining hair into soft waves. (Makes your hair a bit shorter, heh.) You're going for the Smokey eye look and those cat eyeliner is popping. you put on the accessories. you even wore ear cuffs for some additional swag.

All satisfied with your vibe, you took a cab to the company. When you arrived, you were greeted by the people you know while they ushered you to where your husband is. When you arrived at the table, he still hasn't spoken a word. Trying not to get the silent treatment under your skin, you excused your self to socialize with the people you know. As you kept on chitchatting with them, someone pointed out that your husband is sending weird glares to your direction. You told told them to pay him no mind.

You occasionally push your hair behind your ear or play with your hair like subtle flips while laughing with your friends. Partly provoking, trying to get Kuroo to look at the angle of your jaw and neck with your new hairdo. You got compliments because of your more fresh and glowing look.

Your phone kept on vibrating in your pocket. It was Kuroo. Ranting about what you're doing. You can't help but play with fire so you replied only with "Oh, so now we're talking?" inwardly smirking, you think you had the upper hand.

"Party's over. We're going home. There are things we needed to discuss." he replied back. Not long before a hand touched your lower back and the voice you badly want to hear was murmuring excuses and goodbyes to the people at the party while casually leading you to exit.

Oh sweet, you've never been more excited to go home than tonight.

[killemwithkawaii]

Announcement: October Event! 🎃🍁🍬🔪

Hello, my darling kouhai~

I hope all of you are doing well and looking forward to the upcoming spooky season. I know I post a lot of fluff and spice on this blog, but I think it's time all the fresh new kouhai are made aware that I don’t call myself “Killemwithkawaii’ for nothing~ October gives me an excuse to change things up a little, so I will once again be participating in Goretober this year. This is your official heads-up about the change in content: 

The majority of content posted during October will feature my S/Is, OCs, SF characters, and/or [Y/N] in graphic, violent, disturbing and/or grotesque situations- and you, the audience, will have some major say in what those situations are! Please feel free to send in prompts for gore/horror you’d like to see me depict, since I won’t be using a specific prompt list for goretober. Instead, I’ll be referencing multiple lists, as well as your suggestions, and drawing whatever strikes my fancy each day. Please read my ask box and writing rules before submitting your requests.

(If you'd like to see the art and to get up to speed on all the shenanigans from last year, you can check out the masterlist here.)

For any of my followers who may become concerned for my mental health or physical safety during this time, please rest assured that i am in no way a danger to myself or others and am not encouraging the actions depicted. The events that will take place on this blog during October 2021 are all in good fun, so please rest assured that your Senpai is safe and sound! ^^

I won’t be posting any screamers or jump-scares, but only very long posts will be put under a ‘read-more,’ so please look through the blog at your own discretion. I WILL NOT BE OFFENDED IF YOU UNFOLLOW OR EVEN BLOCK ME TO AVOID TRIGGERING CONTENT!! I know many of you follow my blog to find a distraction, and I completely understand if you need to skip all of this stuff for your own mental well-being.

The following is a list of trigger warnings (in alphabetical order) for things i might be posting about during this event, though triggering content not included on this list may appear and tags will be added accordingly. All of my goretober prompt art will be tagged as #goretober2021. Please block any of these tags that may trigger you, and let me know if you see I’ve missed a tag or if you would like to request a tag to be added to the list. (all tags will begin with 'tw'):

-Animal death 

-Blood

-Body horror

-Bondage

-Cannibalism

-CNC (Consensual Non Consent- any scenarios with this will have a lot of mentions of it being pretend, having a safe word, previous discussion of limits, the participants having fun, the dom checking in, etc.) ex: two willing participants acting out a kidnapping, roleplaying being hunted down by a 'slasher', etc.

-Death (including homicide, suicide, accidents, natural death, etc)

-Disembowelment

-Dismemberment

-Drug use (including tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, sedatives, psychedelics and hard drugs, implied or explicitly used)

-Eye trauma

-Gaslighting

-Impalement

-Injury (major and minor)

-Kidnapping

-Necrophilia

-Needles

-Organs

-Religious sacrilege

-Self-harm

-Somnophilia

-Stalking

-Suicide

-Surgery (major and minor)

-Torture (Physical, emotional and mental)

-Unreality (feeling you are unreal or doubting the truth of reality, trouble with memories, mentions of multiple realities or universes, etc.)

-Unsanitary (bodily fluids, unwashed hands, dirty environments and generally not-clean things… just anything that might be considered kind of gross)

-Weapon (including knives, guns, improvised weapons, etc.)

-Yandere (Generally unhealthy behavior toward a love-interest. These posts may contain dubcon and other more extreme yandere themes I don’t usually post about)

—-

The vibe of the blog will be back to normal starting in November. I won’t be posting for general ficlet prompts or taking on new commissions during October, but will continue working on those that I’ve already accepted and will be (planning on) opening a few new commission slots on November 1st.

If you would like to treat me to a little somethign during the event, you can support my redbubble shop or buy me a ko-fi here c:

Thank you so much for reading! I hope you're forward to having some 'killin' with your 'kawaii' very, very soon~