#this made me realize why I’ve avoided blonde hair for my ocs for so long lmao

[jediexile]

I started playing Pillars of Eternity and got massively sucked in and then decided I was going to paint my Watcher’s portrait after not doing art for a long time and finally settled on this portrait, the fourth one I’ve done, as the one I’ll use in game for a new playthrough. Going to do a brand new one for Deadfire!

[twstfanblog]

*~Nasty Neige~*

AN: GOD, I lost control over this fic the second I started it, I didn't mean to make this thing so long. Which is why it took me so long to get everything down and editing. I know I missed something but I can make edits as I put links up on the other entries.

Word Count: 5.3K

Warnings: Neige being a general creepy guy. Obsessive thoughts, stalker vibes. Swears. She/They Yuu OC.

Pairings: Vil/Rook, Vil & Yuu (Siblings), One-sided Vil/Neige, Epel/Deuce?/Jack? (Guess)

Enjoy~!

Starter, Part 1 (Here), Part 2 (Heartslabyul), Part 3 (Diasomnia)

Classes didn’t start for another week and the open house event didn’t start for another day, so Yuu didn’t have any reason to be awake before noon. But she was because her trauma-filled body kept hearing noise downstairs. The first few times she was able to drift back to sleep, not hearing anything after the initial sound and assuming Grim was walking around looking for snacks. But then she realized Grim was still sleeping tucked up against her stomach, more floorboards creaking downstairs with no explanation. She does her best to not jostle Grim, reaching to the nightstand and grabbing her phone, cursing under her breath as she sees it was barely past 8:30 am.

She didn’t change out of her pjs, slipping on her houseshoes while she left the bed. Making sure Grim was tucked into the still-warm covers, Yuu grabbed her golf cub, making her way downstairs and avoiding the loud boards. Even after multiple renovations, there were still floorboards that creaked and on bad storm nights the whole house sounded like it groaned. (A part of her simply made peace with that it wouldn’t be Ramshackle if it wasn’t a little old and creaky). Besides her, Grim was the only one who knew what boards hated being stepped on. Ortho knew them too but he didn’t walk much. Epel seemed to take sick pleasure in stepping on each one whenever he came over, and the rest of her friends were either too naturally loud or heavy to not make noise in the dorm. 

She would have felt more at ease if whoever was in her house was being loud. Her friends were loud, even if they knew she was asleep. But whoever was there was trying to be quiet and failing. Once downstairs she tries to hear where the intruder was, poising to swing. The sound of the toaster popping gives her the element of surprise, rushing into the kitchen.

Both she and the blond intruder scream when they see each other, Yuu just barely stopping her swing. Vil braced himself against the counter, breathing in a forced calm pattern before glaring at her. His hair pulled back in a messy ponytail, face bare besides a tinted lipgloss. Dressed in a modified cropped yellow hoodie, high-waisted black leggings and simple sneakers, “I swear you and Epel are determined to give me gray hairs! Why are you just so ready to deal violence!? It’s 8 in the morning!”

Yuu leans against her golf cub, trying to ease her own adrenaline spike, “Yeah! It’s 8 am, why are you in my house!? Also, are you dying? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you without foundation.” Her anger grows seeing the disheveled model look at her with a pinched face, not answering her as he turns back to plate the food he was cooking on her stove. She opens her mouth to yell again, only to look at the kitchen window and realize, “...Did you close the blinds?”

Yuu had an odd relationship with blinds after meeting Rook. Yes, she kept her more personal areas heavily covered and only opened them for her monthly dorm deep clean, but the more communal areas of the dorm were free to be viewed from outside. It was nice sometimes to be relaxing on her lonesome only to hear a tap against a window. A tap could be Jack and Vil on their morning runs asking her to pass them glasses of water or fruit she had on hand. Maybe Lilia coming to scare her or show her a new melody he’d learned. Ace or Deuce coming to beg her for help after they’ve pissed Riddle off. And Vil knew Rook would rather enter through a window than a damn doorway. Either way, open blinds at Ramshackle had come to mean ‘Come in’. Something that Rook delighted in whenever he wasn’t too busy with his ‘errands’.

“...” She looks around, finally taking note how all of her downstairs windows seemed to have not only their binds but the thick curtains closed, “Are you and Rook fighting?”

“Oh, he’s going to wish we were when I get back in the dorm…”

She laughs, watching the model bite into a slice of toast with a runny egg on top of it, “Oh sevens, the year hasn’t even started yet. Why are you fighting?” 

Vil huffed, rolling his eyes, trying to avoid her gaze. Talking with one’s mouth full was just rude, plus he knew if he started ranting his food would be cold before he was done. If he had to hide out at Ramshackle for the day he would need the protein. Glancing down at Yuu, he openly takes another big bite of toast, just to show he wasn’t going to answer her anytime soon.

“Ok, fuck you too then, I’ll just open the blinds while you’re being a bitch.”

He chokes on a bite, nearly dropping the plate in his rush to shove it onto the counter. Nails sinking into her shoulder to stop her, not caring at the mush of food falling out of his mouth as he shouts, “NO!”

Yuu hisses, a hand coming up to yank Vil’s hand away from her, “OW!? Ok, what is the issue? Is Rook finally coming to shave an undercut on you or something?”

Vil sighs, giving her a small apologetic look before he swallows, “Neige is in Pomefiore. I…really didn’t want to deal with him today so I managed to make my way here to hide out. I don’t think anyone saw me, but I didn’t want to risk someone seeing me from the windows…” He takes another bite of toast, fingers wiping yolk from his lips, “Sorry about your shoulder…”

“...” Yuu sighs, placing her club against the wall and waves his apology off, “It’s fine. I hate Neige too but like- Wait, why is his ass here?” At Vil’s equally bewildered shrug her brows crease, “The open house doesn’t start until tomorrow? Are you sure he’s like here, here?”

“Seeing how Rook was yelling outside my room about his ‘Roi de Neige’ being in Pomefiore and he had to make himself look presentable, I would think so.” Vil scoffs, rolling his eyes at the very idea of anyone liking Neige.

Good ole Rook, scaring the precious wildlife to get them to escape a foreign danger. Might as well send him a text to ask how long he thinks it’ll be until Vil was safe to enter his dorm again.

“Well, get comfy I guess. Idia made sure I was set with cable and various media players, so there should be something on the TV. I’m going to make breakfast for me and Grim.”

Vil moved out of her way, finishing off his breakfast before grabbing a mixing bowl to hand to her, “Sorry, I should have made you two something as well instead of just myself.”

“Please don’t. Your unseasoned pallet would send Grim over the edge.”

The dorm leader, moves the bowl out of her grip, smacking her on the head with it before putting it on the counter, “Fuck you, you don’t need to use salt and garlic salt in the same dish.”

“They are different things, Vil.”

“They’re both salt.”

Neige looked around before fully exiting from the mirror, a hand quickly making sure his wig was in place. It wasn’t hard borrowing a disguise from his friends on his current movie set. Decked out in a mid-length pink wig and pale blue contacts, a simple white shirt, indigo overalls and his dark brown boots he wasn’t the least bit recognizable. Biting into his lower lip softly, he squealed, staring at the castle against the early sky. That’s where Vi slept! The blond had been in this very pocket dimension for years, he walked on these paths, talked in the halls, bathed in the water- He needed to focus. Giving himself one last preening, he calms his breath and walks toward the dorm.

Each step made his heart flutter. Excitement and fear pulsing in his veins the closer he got to the large, pristine castle. He was breaking so many rules; he wasn't supposed to be here for many reasons. The open house wasn't even open for the Seven's sake, he didn't go to this school, and he had no one's permission to be here. But he had to, it was his only chance. The open house would no doubt have people crawling all over the campus. Neige wouldn't be able to walk around as himself, let alone be able to get some alone time to talk with his Vi.

Ah. Just the thought of him alone was enough to make his knees weak. 

He closes his eyes, hands gripping onto his shoulders in a self-hug when he finally steps onto the main area of the dorm. He breathes it all in, nearly missing a figure in an old yellow hoodie race past him to exit through the mirror. 

He opened his eyes in panic, looking to see if the other figure was suspicious of him. He lets out a breath in relief. Whoever they were, they seemed more interested in running to wherever. Vi had made posts about how proud he was of his dorm members taking morning runs, maybe they were simply late for a run with friends. His palms get sweaty as his thoughts start to race at the thought of Vi running with him.

The image of Vi in his black and light purple designer tracksuit, hair pulled back into a wind-swept ponytail. Lips open in a pant as sweat drips down his jaw- FOCUS. He wasn't here to fantasize! He could do that when he went back to his dorm. Hopefully after gaining something to remember his trip by.

His eyes scan the courtyard. It was beautiful as expected, with elegant pathways of carved stones and a large elaborate water feature giving a calming background noise to the area. Apple trees with bright red fruits scattered amongst the deep green grass. The area was so clean and proper he could almost imagine he was back on Royal Sword grounds.

Pulling out his phone he starts to walk on the grass, whispering a small apology for ignoring the very clear sign saying to ‘Stay Off’. Vi had posted a video in late spring. He and a few other students had replanted a number of trees after a mysterious storm had wrecked multiple dorms in NRC. The blond was shown smeared lightly with dirt, a smile on his face as he gently placed a nursery tree into a hole. The video ending on Vi smiling to the camera, air-kissing the leaves of the tree and a message showing up. 'Grow up lovely, little tree'

(Neige won't comment on how he spent an hour in the bathroom connected to his dorm room, trying to hide his sobs as he promised the paused video to grow up to be a big lovely tree. He doesn't think he was successful if Chenya's side-eye was anything to note.)

He wanted to find that tree, he needed to. The urge to simply touch it, feel the bark and soil that were touched by the hands of perfection. Maybe, if it wasn't too tall yet, he could even kiss those same leaves…

It took him nearly an hour, 9 am rolling around and the sun making its formal appearance in the sky, but he found it. Tucked neatly at a distance from two adult trees, small blooms in the branches but no fruits. This was the tree.

Neige takes a picture, walking closer and snapping more as he posed in front of the tree. He looks the tree over and frowns, in such a short amount of time the tree had matured too tall for him to properly kiss its leaves. He couldn't even take a blossom without struggling to climb the still-thin tree. He was light, but he couldn't risk harming the tree Vi had put such love and dedication to. 

Instead, he looks around, making sure there was still no one walking around the courtyard before he gently placed his hands on the trunk of the tree. One last nervous glance around, he licks his lips, leaning forward to lightly air kiss against the bark of the tree. Pulling back he felt his nerves alight, filling him with excitement that pulled him back toward the tree. This time his lips connected against the rough bark, lips stinging from the contact before he pulls away.

An indirect kiss with his Vi. The tree was their shared project now, another creative child they can look back on together. He can barely hold back his squeal, bouncing on his heels before wrapping his arms around the tree in a hug. He even peppers a few more kisses onto the bark.

Rook had only sent a single text to respond to her. Stating he would come for Vil when he was done with his hunt before ignoring her other messages. Even now, as lunch rolled around, there was still no answer from the French man.

"Do you not have anything that's prepacked or frozen to eat, potato?"

Yuu looks up from the kitchen table, glaring at the model searching through her cabinets, "You know, you don't need to be here. You could just go back to Pomefiore and deal with your waking nightmare." She turns back to her phone, ignoring Vil's groan and him slamming the cupboard shut.

"You know I can't. Not until I’m sure Neige is gone anyway…" He sighs, moving to sit beside her at the table, "Well, it's not healthy, but I guess I can afford to skip lunch…"

"..." She huffs, rolling her eyes and standing, "No skipping meals, Regina. How about you let me get you a cheat day snack and we can spend time watching terrible movies?"

Vil raised an eyebrow at her, a single black painted nail tapping at the table as he thought her offer over. Vil didn't take cheat days often, if ever. But…he was probably due for one. While he found her food to be disgustingly overseasoned, Yuu did make efforts to modify her favorites so he'd feel comfortable indulging himself. He clicks his tongue and stands from the table, "I suppose. Nothing too greasy dear, the stress of today is already doing a number on my skin. I'll go pick some movies out."

While Yuu was busy in the kitchen, Vil got to work kicking Grim off of his game system. The cat huffed and yowled, but quickly made his way to the kitchen to beg Yuu for a snack. Once Grim was gone, Vil got to work picking from Yuu's horrid movie choices.

Vil could't blame Yuu for not knowing anything when they first met. As the cover story went, before he spoke to them, Yuu was an extremely sheltered child who hadn't been allowed to interact with society. Their social disconnect and blank references to common knowledge only sold the lie. He remembers talking to Crewel, mildly worried of Yuu's home life and what kind of person would raise such a child.

But now he knew them better and didn't need to hold back his distaste for their movie tastes.

What he wasn't expecting was for them to drag him into these terrible movie-viewing sessions. They were at first just painful, having to sit and watch mid-tier actors do mediocre jobs. Sitting quietly as they flubbed lines or the crew barely performed their duties. 

But at their first viewing session, Vil took notice of Yuu's attitude. They were open on their negative opinions of the films, pointing out the same issues Vil found and even some he missed. Before he knew it, it'd become a biweekly event of picking a terrible movie, new or classic, and ripping it apart together. Sure people could call it 'mean', an A-list movie star tearing into indie films. But they were bad films. And he was free to say whatever he wanted in his private time.

He planned on staying the whole day, so he picked more movies than he'd normally allow for a single session. He hummed a song under his breath as he started to set the TV up, a melody he heard Epel mumbling under his breath over and over. The sound of popcorn popping just barely heard from the kitchen. Soon, Grim returned to the couch, making a point to push against him just to be an annoyance, Yuu following behind him with a tray. A bowl of popcorn with a pitcher and two glasses of juice.

They set the tray down on the coffee table, Vil catching a glimpse before they shut the lights off, “Potato! Why would you make this?”

Yuu sits beside him, also shoving their shoulder into his chest in a mock cuddling position, “Shut up, Mexican- I mean- Xochian popcorn is a perfect cheat day snack! Plus I only used like half the mayo and cheese. It’s basically flavorless, just how you like it.”

Vil glares, taking a single kernel before starting the first movie, “How you’ve survived this long on your diet both amazes and infuriates me.”

Neige kept close to the walls of the dorm. There weren’t too many people walking around, almost all of them simply minding their own business. One even waved at him as they passed in the hallway. He had to pat himself on the back, his disguise was working perfectly!

His nervous walk had slowly turned into his normal skip, eyes roaming along the walls at the ornate architecture and glamorous frames of art. In his bliss, he nearly skips past what could only be the dorm’s lounge. A large seating room with multiple couches and duos of armchairs scattered on polished marble floors. Off in the corner sat an ebony grand piano overlooking the orchard of apple trees. He inhales deeply, the scent of apples and vanilla filling his lungs, with another deep breath, he can pick hints of other notes. Pinches of a flower he couldn’t name and some type of earthly produce. Neige wondered if the smell was something Vi had created or if the dorms naturally smelled this refined.

The lounge was empty, giving him the pleasure to walk and explore the place as he pleased. He took his time to inspect the couches, taking a photo now and again and wondering if he could purchase a matching loveseat for his side of his dorm room. Throw pillow in hand, he walks over to a pair of curtains, lifting them just to peek behind them. The silk pillow slips from his hands, stunned as he looks at a peacock-themed throne. Vi’s throne, the one he sat on. Neige bites his lip so hard he feared he would draw blood. Looking behind him and seeing no one, he stepped into the hidden cove where the throne sat, closing the curtains behind him and hiding from stray eyes.

He drops to his knees instantly, folding his arms under his cheek as he rests his head on the seat of the throne. It was so cozy…Smelling of fresh linens and a dash of lilacs. Nuzzling into the fabric, Neige lets his mind wander. The idea of being in the same school, the same dorm as his Vi, getting to kneel at his feet and rest his head on his lap. His nails dug into the cushion, breathing picking up as he imagined Vi petting his hair while he hummed to him.

After getting his fill, he stood up, phone raised to take a picture of the throne. A dozen photos later he was back in the dorm hallway, smiling at the growing album of photos he’d have for his digital dream board. He pauses in front of a series of photos lining the wall. He then realized it was the portraits of past house wardens, each of them hand-painted with a neutral, regal expression. Neige smiles, looking over each beautiful face. This dorm was made for Vi, a place where only the beautiful and talented could be allowed. Not only had his fellow actor been accepted but he had conquered. His steps picked up speed wanting to see if Vi had a portrait at the end of the hall.

No museum could compare to the masterpiece before him. The portrait of a younger Vi stared back at him, sitting at a 3/4th view sitting on a chair with his hands placed on his lap. His hair was pulled back, a simple updo with the ombre ends curled on top of his head. The crown Vil normally wore tastefully askew was placed on him properly, it looked so odd but still so perfectly Vi.

He looks down the hall, making sure a group of students had gone around the corner before he looks to the other side. Seeing the coast was clear, he quickly stepped closer to the portrait, leaning down and pressing his lips to the painting's hands, kissing at the smooth ivory fingers. Before he could stop himself his mouth opened, tongue peaking out to lick a quick strip against the surface. It didn’t have a taste past the hint of bitter, he wondered if Vi’s fingers tasted bitter. It would make sense, Vi worked a lot with potions and natural cosmetics, Neige would deal with the bitter taste if he could kiss Vi’s fingers for real…

"Why are we doing this to ourselves?"

"How does he just forget the name of his sister?"

"Do you hate me? Is that why you've made me a part of this cursed ritual?"

" They haven't spoken for like only a year! How do you just completely forget your sibling like this!? Did they both sustain heavy brain damage!?"

"This is the industry I've dedicated my life to…"

They were only on their second movie, but both Vil and Yuu were ready to bash the TV as a form of self-defense. That or simply weep at how nonsensical the plot was. Vil couldn’t really believe half the movies he had been forced to watch were from the same studios he had worked with. It felt surreal for him to see ex-costars acting in what were possibly the worst films ever conceived. It scared him at times- was that his possible future? Going from box office hits to acting in direct-to-disk spoof movies? 

Though they joked about him being at least better than direct-to-disk, Yuu was firm on stating Vil wouldn’t ever star in a flop. His fanbase was too devout to him not to buy tickets, even if the movie looked bad. With his acting skills alone, he could at least make a flop into a cult classic.

(“I mean look at me. I love watching shitty movies. It’s even better when an A-List celebrity shows up in one. Like, it’s half the fun to figure out why they’re there than following what the plot is.”)

Vil groans at another scene, lying against the couch with his arm resting over his eyes, “By the sevens, they’re related!”

Yuu groans, snatching the bowl of popcorn from Grim, grabbing a handful before offering it to Vil, “This is genuinely annoying. Do you remember what the plot is?”

Sighing, Vil reaches for the pile of Disk boxes, grabbing their current movie before reading the summary. Mid-read he pauses, staring at the back of the box with a blank expression before he tosses it away, grabbing the remote from Yuu’s hands, “We’re starting over.”

Grim groans, having climbed over their laps to place his head firmly back into the popcorn bowl, “Why!? You guys don’t even like these movies!”

“Never thought I’d agree with Grim, but Vil this is painful I want this to end.”

Vil shushes her as he restarts the movie, “No, they’re not siblings; they’re childhood friends.”

“Wait, what?” Yuu looks between Vil and the screen in confusion, “No…We would have caught that! We would have caught that much of a scenario prompt!”

“Well clearly we didn’t, so now we’re restarting the movie with the proper context. Maybe it will actually save the film…”

Yuu groans, sinking into the couch, “This is somehow a new form of torture, I know it is…”

He was going to be arrested one day, he knew it.

Neige rested his back against the closed door, eyes looking around the room with wide excited eyes. Vi’s room. He was inside Vi’s room. He could die right now and do so with bliss.

He couldn’t tell if he was sad by seeing the room was empty, or relieved he wouldn’t be questioned by his idol and holder of affection. He’s not sure what he would do or say in his disguise under Vi’s critical gaze. Neige feared he’d either crumble and spill the truth the second the blond lifted a perfectly shaped brow, or he’d keep his identity hidden and simply tell Vil everything.

That would absolutely get him arrested though.

But Vi wasn’t in his room, no one but Neige was there to stand and exist in the space. Arms moving to hug his body, trying to hold in the happy bubbles of laughter as his eyes roam around the room. Soon he gathers the courage and pushes off the door to explore. Everything was meticulous, a place for everything and everything in its place. The only oddity was the haphazard way the bed was made. His fingers twitched, wanting to properly make and tuck the covers, he could even fluff Vi’s pillows!

Sighing sadly, he decides against it. No need to make Vi worried about someone weird being in his room without his knowledge…

Instead, he walks around, stopping at the vanity, and allowing himself a single spray of a perfume bottle’s bulb. Fingers ghosting over the color-coded lipsticks in their custom-made container, fighting the urge to use one…Vi wouldn’t notice, right? No…No, he couldn’t. Vi cared so much about his makeup, Neige couldn’t mess with something so precious to his idol.

He walks over to the bright red exercise ball, a smile on his face as he entertains the idea of bouncing on it for a few minutes. Instead, his eyes catch a semi-hidden hamper tucked into the corner. Was…oh by the seven. Was that Vi’s dirty clothes hamper?

Neige stood frozen, nails picking at his cuticles and threatening to break the skin (Don’t bleed here, do NOT bleed here). He looks from the corner of his eye, a bead of sweat threatening to slide down his face. The door was closed, he was all alone in the room with no way of telling when Vi would come back. He bites his lip, stepping closer to the basket as a smile breaks across his reddening face. He could…just for a little while…

Before he knew what came over himself, Neige had his head buried in the hamper, inhaling deep with gasping breaths. Hands braced so tightly on the edges he feared he’d actually break the material under his grip. He pulls his head out, tilting it back with a wide smile on his face as he pants, a manic laugh bubbles out of his lips.

Crunch

Neige freezes, eyes dropping back to the hamper in fear he actually snapped something. The sound happens again, from the door-

He nearly falls from how fast he turned, looking to the open door to see a boy with soft purple hair standing there. He had a nonchalant look on his face, one hand inside an oversized black hoodie with the words ‘TRACK’ printed across the front and the other holding a bright red apple with a few bites taken out of it. Blue eyes met blue and Neige had the brains to try to start an apology. Something to gain enough goodwill to explain…what he was doing, “U-um-” Oh sevens, Neige knew this boy. This was one of Vi’s friends from the VDC! He’d tell!

Epel just shakes his head slowly, his hand reaching out of his hoodie to grab the door handle, “Don’t even wanna know... Whatever the two of y’all are doing, just keep the damn door closed.”

And like that, he was gone. The door closed behind him and it was almost possible to imagine he was never even there. Neige let out a heavy sigh and felt his entire body relax, Epel didn’t seem to recognize him. He was also painfully uncaring of seeing who could only be a stranger in his dorm leader’s room huffing his dirty laundry. Well at least he left…the two…

His heart rate picks up again once he realized what Epel had said. He only needed to turn his head in a quarter turn before he saw who else Epel was talking about. There on the bed, like he was always meant to be there, was Rook Hunt. He sat on the messily made bed in a dull purple and grey plaid flannel, dark grey pants with a strap around one thigh, and mud-stained boots. Short locks managed to be pulled into a small, tight ponytail. One hand resting against his propped-up arm and the other holding an arrow delicately, a bow slung over his shoulder. Neige couldn’t even shake, he felt his blood freeze as he looked in bright green eyes.

Rook tilts his head as he taps the arrow against his crossed leg, “Don’t mind me Roi de Neige. You’ve truly been a lovely hunt for me all day~.”

For a split second, Neige let his eyes dart to the closed door then to the window before snapping back to Rook, “I-I was just-!”

“Shhhh.” Rook stands from the bed, walking closer and Neige realizes with terror the strap around his thigh was holding a knife. The blonde leans down to softly tap the tip of the arrow to Neige’s nose, “Run.”

“W-wha-?”

“Run.”

It was dark when Vil woke up, humming at feeling a heavy hand shaking his shoulder lightly. Blinking awake he sees Rook standing over him with a calm smile, his ponytail just barely contained by an elastic band, “Mon roi, It’s getting late. We should get you some dinner and then a proper bed.”

Vil sits up, stretching his arms and looking around the room. Next to him was Yuu, slumped against his side and sleeping peacefully, the bowl of popcorn knocked to the ground with a few kernels on the carpet. He clicked his tongue softly, did he have time to clean that up?

Rook didn’t give him the chance to choose, pulling him from the couch and steadying his still sleepy body easily. Once Vil was stable, Rook moved to place Yuu into a more comfortable position. Vil stifles a yawn, grabbing the blanket from the back of the couch and resting it over them. He smoothes down their hair, smiling when Rook puts an also sleeping Grim closer to the prefect, both softly cooing seeing the first year instantly grip the cat monster closer.

“Alright, back to the dorm, Rook.”

“Oui!”

Vil barely hisses a ‘shh’ before shoving Rook into the hallway, slipping out after locking the front door behind them. Walking back, Vil huffs and runs his hands through his hair, pulling it free from his ponytail, “So…Did you have a nice day?” He really hoped he didn’t.

“Oui! It was so wonderful. I got to shadow mon Roi de Neige all day! Such a thrilling hunt to remain outside of his eyes until I chose to pounce. It’s why I was so late retrieving you mon Roi”

Son of a- “Great, so happy your day was so fun Rook-”

Vil stumbles, feeling Rook suddenly pressed right against him with an arm wrapping around his waist. A teasing smile on his lips as a hand reaches up to tug at an edge of the yellow hoodie he was wearing.

“It has only become more magnifique seeing you’re fond of my old Savanaclaw hoodie mon chou~. I had always feared you simply threw it out! But to know you kept and made it your own has filled me with such joy!”

“...” Vil sighs, looking away from Rook, ignoring the laugh he lets out, no doubt seeing the soft blush on his cheeks, “It was all I had on short notice…”

[mackeydoodledoo]

Twice the Chaos: Chapter 1

Pairing: Rosalie Hale x (Fem!DemonHybrid)OC: Pandora Barlowe

Summary: You were only passing through. You had nowhere to go; you were the spawn of Satan himself. There was no place in the world for you. Until you met a blonde vampire. 

Warnings: Parental Abandonment, Depression, Chaotic Life

A/n: Listen... I’m just tryna see something here...

Key: Bold/Italics = Telepathic Conversation/Thoughts

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Your mother had left you when you were of age; not wanting to take care of a freak. That was how your mother always referred to you. Your Father? He was never around. Since being left out into the streets, life has been absolute chaos. You try to make a living for yourself; but you began developing new features.

“I’m sorry, we can no longer have you be working at our establishment,” The owner comes up to you

You were just trying to clean tables; next was you getting fired?

“What? Why? I haven’t violated any of your rules,” You try to counter-argue, “More so, I’ve been trying to not violate them...”

“Your... Vibe... Everyone’s giving us weird looks... It’d be better if you no longer worked here,” He doesn’t budge

You storm out of your former workplace. 

That is IT! I’m done! 

You try running your hands through your hair but you felt something knock against your fingertips. 

Stubs?! That can’t be... 

You saw something move from the bottom corner of your eye. 

A tail?! What the absolute hell is happening?

You run off to the woods in order to avoid getting any further attention from humans. You did everything... Just simply trying to get through like at the age of 18. Clearly it wasn’t going to happen... 

You are beginning to become like me...

Who said that?! 

You were beginning to freak out.

Your father...

What are you talking about?! My dad was never around! He could be dead for all I know and care!

You don’t get it do you?... I am your father...

Father? 

You were sure your father just ran off with another woman. But, it wasn’t logically possible to have someone telepathically speak to you. 

Why am I going to believe some voice in my head that’s never been around until now?! 

You just try to get the same voice out of your head.

You’re like me... You can come home. You won’t have to worry about being judged here...

Home?! My mother threw me out as soon as I turned 18... Since then I couldn’t even keep a single job afloat without anyone that comes within my radius getting me fired because of my “bad vibes”! Well, look at it this way-

No! Face it! There’s no place for me!!!!! Heaven or Hell? Doesn’t matter... There’s no damn place for a freak like me...

The voice in your head ceased then. But, the development of new features hadn’t. Your stubs? Grew into small horns. Tail? Resembled a Demon’s tail. Pointed end and everything.. It’s been months since you had your last job... Anyone really. You use a beanie to cover your horns and you shove your tail into your pants or jacket; whichever was comfortable. You mysteriously was still stable enough to create your own little place in the woods. But, it was still depressing for you. You still thought about how your mother abandoned you, getting fired just because of the vibes you give off, despite trying to be a normal human.

“Why me?...” You ask yourself, “Why me?....”

You look up as soon as you felt a single raindrop fall. 

I need a new tarp... But, I’m not in for going back into town... They wouldn’t eve just as so sell me a new tarp... Whatever I guess...

You had passed out while the rain was going on. However, when you open your eyes, you were expected to feel wet. But, you felt warm. You look up to see a brand new tarp draped over your small hideout and you look back down to see a Sherpa-lined blanket engulfing you in warmth. 

Who?...

“Got me these?...” You ask yourself

You crawl out of the hideout and try to look around the woods to see if there was anyone else that had been camping out. But, no such people were there. You scoff but felt thankful that someone was sympathetic enough to give you a whole new tarp to go over your head and a blanket. 

Fortunately it had stopped raining by the time you went out to go fishing to get your fill for the day. To be honest, it didn’t feel so bad when you would be out fishing, you found a big enough lake to see the sun rise and set over the horizon, you were able to catch a handful of fish to get you through each day. 

I see you’ve grown accustomed to living on your own... Nice job kiddo.

What did I say about coming out to “chat”? Don’t try and persuade me to “Come home”.

I’m not. I’m just checking in on you. You claim that there’s no place for you here... Yet, you’ve made a small place for yourself?

Might as well be somewhere off the grid. 

Not to that once blondie...

A blondie?... Who?...

Not sure, but that new tarp and blanket? That’s from her.... She’s been coming nearly every night...

You watch me sleep?...

I do it to protect you so you could sleep. 

Don’t try and act like my dad... I’m fine without him.... 

You still don’t believe me?..

Still haven’t seen you face to face. 

You wouldn’t want to see me face to face....

Good, we’re on the same page then. Don’t think I’d want to meet my old man anyway...

Once dusk had hit, you were putting out a firepit you had set up to cook the fish you had caught not too long before. 

I got you kiddo. Go ahead and sleep.

I said don’t treat me like you’re trying to be like my dad. I never knew him anyway... 

You take the blanket and use a couple of your flannels as a pillow.

Goodnight...

Night.

The same old routine persisted. You felt the off-putting vibes on how you were able to be this stable, especially living in an unused shed of all places that was clearly in a state of decay. 

I think that blondie has taken a liking to you.

She’s still in question? She doesn’t even know me... How could you know?

When she would come check on you, just last night she was lying next to you. I know because she’s been visiting every night. 

And she can’t see you?

No one can. 

That’s a ‘shocker’... But can she not hear you?...

Only you and myself.

“Weird...” You take a deep breath as you sit against the tree 

You were kind of fishing from sitting on a tree branch, decently high from the ground. 

You’ve thought about the last several nights you were sleeping in your little hideout space. You would open your eyes, but still be half asleep. As you were half awake and half asleep; you could have sworn you felt an arm hooked around your waistline. But you don’t think anything of it as you pass right back out. The feeling would be gone in the morning. 

You really think there is someone?

She’s come every night. Who knows? Maybe you’ll be taken to where she lives.

Out here? In the middle of nowhere? I doubt it.. 

Like clockwork, you set up your makeshift flannel pillow and lay across the old tarp you decided to use as a covering form the molding hardwood floor.

You open your eyes and realize the cold morning feeling is no longer around. Your eyes begin adjusting to so much light coming into the room.

“You’re awake now?” A feminine voice asks you

You were startled. Startled to the point where you fell off the bed. You groan at the impact. Trying to gain your vision back, a figure comes walking over to you. You immediately sit up and begin backing away.

“You-you don’t wanna be near me,” You say, almost in a drunken state, “I’m no good around people...”

“Says who?” She asks

“Says the many people that have fired me from jobs because of the vibes I give off,” You groan when you feel the wall against your back

“Well, they just go by the book cover,” She says, helping you back into bed, “You should lay down... You hit your head there pretty hard.”

In your still blurred vision; the woman’s hair was brunette. 

That isn’t her... 

But, she isn’t giving off any bad vibes...

I’ll be the judge of that...

You try to sit up again but a hand is gently pressed against your shoulder.

“My daughter will be here any minute to check on you,” She says, calmly, “You should thank her when you have the chance... She felt miserable watching you every night.”

She... Felt miserable?...

See? She does like you.

But, she still barely knows me. I don’t even know her name and vice versa. 

That could change here.

Will you just stop talking?....

The next time you open your eyes, your vision slowly coming together; you saw a faint color of blonde. 

Could it be?...

“I told you you shouldn’t have brought that... Thing in here. She’ll get us all killed,” A male voice tries to persuade the blonde

“I couldn’t just leave her there,” She argues, “She was miserable. Carlisle and Esme already said she could stay here under my care.”

“If you get us killed it’s your fault,” He replies

You hear him storm out of the room. 

“You’re awake for real now?” She sits at the bedside

“Where?-” You ask, trying to sit up

“My family estate,” She explains

“My-my stuff, some of my stuff-” You begin freaking out

“Already taken care of,” She slightly smiles

You sit up from the lush bedsheets, taking deep breathes as you try to wrap your head around the last several hours.

“How long was I out?” You ask the blonde

“Several hours,” She answers, “I continuously checked on you... You were... Crying, tossing and turning, talked in your sleep...”

“Oh? What about?” You ask

“Does... ‘Why me?...’, ‘What am I?...’ Ring a bell?” She asks

It does for me.

Shut up. 

“I may have had those kinds of panic attacks while I slept...” You explains, “Which is why I look like shit right?..”

“I was going to say that you’ve slept for so long,” She says, cocking an eyebrow at you, “But if you think that too than you do you.”

It was an awkward silence for the both of you. You didn’t know what to make of this blondie.

I like her.

I said shut up. 

What? She’s pretty, she’s looked after you the last serval nights.

That doesn’t mean she’s my soulmate or anything... We barely know each other, let alone each others’ names.

“My name’s Rosalie Hale,” the blondie answers

“Huh?” You ask, removing the bedsheets from your legs

“You... Didn’t know my name so... Thought I’d tell you,” She says, “Now, you must be hungry.”

“Yeah,” You say, in a suspicious tone, “Lead the way blondie.”

“It’s Rosalie,” She corrects you

“Alright blondie,” You continue using that nickname

Rosalie turns to you to try and hit you. You easily block her arm with yours. For the first time since childhood, you laughed. A genuine laugh had come out of your mouth. You stopped dead in your tracks; making Rosalie turn to you.

“You okay?” she asks, walking up to you

A chill runs up your spine as you feel her gentle touch against your forearm. You look back at her with a slight surprise. But, Rosalie didn’t seem phased by your sudden change in expression.

“Yeah,” You sigh, “I haven’t laughed in awhile... It’s.. Been a very long time.”

“How long is a long time?” She asks

“Probably when I was a little kid...” You sigh, “Since then, I’ve never really learned to smile, laugh or experience any sort of positive thing...”

“I’m so sorry,” She says, her expression changing to concern, “Well, what matters most is that you now have an actual roof over your head. You are under my care now.”

“You- don’t do me any favors blondie!” You try to protest

“Too late!” She smiles, letting out a small giggle

Ooooh, I do like her.

Aren’t you a fire spirit or something? Lay off buddy.

Oh we getting jealous now huh? 

What?!- No! You aren’t physically here, so that means you can’t have blondie.

So you can?

That’s not what I’m saying- you know what, shut your trap!

“Your friend there is fond of me I see,” Rosalie blushes

“What? Him?” You ask, “You... Can hear him?”

“He’s in your head no?” She asks you

“Well, yes but- how can you know that?” You ask

“Let’s just say I’m full of surprises,” She smirks 

You watch her walk off into the kitchen as you make eye contact with what looked to be her family members. 

“I hope you’re well rested now sweetheart,” A brunette speaks

“That’s the adoptive mother and father; Carlisle and Esme,” Rosalie explains to you

“I’m sorry you have had a tough time these past few months,” Carlisle says, “But, you are more than welcome here.”

“Oh, just at least I can get back up on my feet,” You say, bashfully, “I wouldn’t want to take up any more space than I already have..”

“Nonsense!” A male voice enthusiastically says

Your feet lose contact with the ground. You let out a yelp as you try to get a vision of who had just grabbed you.

“That is my brother... Emmett Cullen,” Rosalie scoffs, “He’s a little bit... Chaotic..”

“Chaotic is my middle name,” He jokes as he sets you right back onto the ground

“Four of our other kids are somewhere around...” Carlisle explains, “Oh, they must be out hunting. You’ll see them when you see them.”

“Thank you again,” You say

Quite a family...

You’re telling me...

After you had gotten a proper meal for the first time in months, you found yourself in the library. You don’t really read that often anymore as you have come to the conclusion that it would take you a century to read a single book. 

“Looking for something in particular?” Rosalie asks from the doorway

“To be honest... No,” You answer, “I guess I’ve just been wandering aimlessly. Never really been in a house this... Spacious..”

It’ll be much more spacious when you come live with me.

Like I said before. You are not my father and don’t try to have me come to wherever the hell it is that you live in.. Not a chance..

“You don’t get along with your dad very well?” Rosalie asks

“Never knew him...” You sigh, looking out to the forestry that surrounded the estate, “My mother said he left as soon as I was born...”

“Hey, before you go on, do you... Want to talk about it elsewhere?” She asks, placing her palm over your upper arm

“That would be nice,” You slightly smile

“I know a place,” Rosalie smiles

In one swift motion, Rosalie hoists you over her shoulder.

“You better hold on leech,” Rosalie teases

“That should be ME telling you that,” You nervously chuckle

Rosalie hops out of an open window; breaking into an inhuman speed. You weren’t sure where to hold on along Rosalie’s clothing without touching an area where Rosalie wouldn’t want you to touch her. So you just hang over her shoulder. Almost like a heavy weight.

“You doing okay?” Rosalie asks

“Yep!” You sort of lie, “Good as we can be blondie!”

“We’re almost there!” Rosalie announces to the both of you

Chapter 2

[jaceyneedsabetterusername]

KILL4ME

Pairings: Johnny Depp x Reader (and kind of x female!OC but that’s not the main focus of anything) 

Summary: You're a new actress trying to get your start. You end up getting your first role cast in a music video for Marilyn Manson’s “KILL4ME” music video but it turns out to be much more than you expected. 

Warnings: SMUT (male x female, female x female) 

A/N: 1) I made the reader straight with no prior female x female experiences. I don’t know why if I’m being honest but that’s how it is so please don’t come at me for it. 2) This is NOT how the film industry should work. If you’re trying to get into the industry, please stay safe, be responsible, and recognize red flags. Typically, randomly popping up pornographic requests is NOT professional or safe. This is just a fantasy I had while watching the music video and was written this way strictly for entertainment purposes. 

Word Count: 5696

__________________________

This project requires nudity and sexual scenes. If you are not comfortable, do not apply. 

The warning had been clear as day and yet, here you were, sitting in your car at the old mansion that was the filming site, nerves going off the charts and feeling less than comfortable with the imminent nudity and sexual scenes. You were an actor, you reminded yourself. This was the only job you’d landed since arriving in Los Angeles and, despite your promises to yourself and your family that you wouldn’t resort to full nudity for a project, there were bills that needed paying and your waitressing job wasn’t cutting it. 

Besides, shouldn’t you be thrilled? This wasn’t just any music video you’d landed a role in but a music video for Marilyn Manson! He was a goth rock legend and you couldn’t hide your excitement when you’d found out who you’d been booked to work for.

But still, the nudity and sexuality made you uneasy. There hadn’t been a script or anything. Your only instructions were to come looking your best and with an open, ready to work mindset. So here you were, physically feeling like a million bucks but butterflies going crazy within. 

Inhaling a deep, calming breath, you opened the door to your barely working 2008 Honda Civic, feeling even more self-conscious when you saw the other cars that were parked outside of the massive mansion were all beautiful and sleek, most of them black and very expensive looking. 

Crew members stirred around outside, entering and exiting the house with lights and props and sound equipment, everything needed for the production. You walked through the large black door that led into the beautiful white mansion, opening into an equally fantastic interior. You audibly gasped, “This is beautiful…” 

“Y/N?” A woman’s voice questioned from beside you and you spun quickly to face her, snapping out of your amazed daze. 

“Yes.” You answered hastily. 

She checked the clipboard in her hand, “Great, you’re right on time. Come right this way, we’re gonna get you into hair and makeup.” You were about to reply when she’d taken off down the hall without giving you a moment to speak so you followed, avoiding the moving equipment around you. 

Before you knew it, you’d been whisked away into a small room that was full of makeup, hair styling tools, and costumes. Nobody told you what they were doing as they pulled your hair straight and did up your makeup, surprisingly simpler than you’d expected with just light eyeshadow and moderate eyeliner. 

“Alrighty, now I’m gonna have you undress and put on that robe over there.” The man in charge of costumes directed. 

Your brows furrowed, “How undressed?” 

“All the way, sweetie. No panties, no bra. It’s all gotta go.” He must have seen the uneasy look on your face because he gave you an unsympathetic shrug, “You signed up for a nude project, hun. Welcome to Hollywood.” 

**

“Y/N is here. I believe that’s it, Mr. Manson.” The same woman as earlier announced as you entered the room you were supposed to be briefed in. It took everything in your power to remain professional when you saw Marilyn Manson standing there, talking casually with another girl who you assumed to be a co-star.

Like you, his makeup was already done up and he was in full costume. His face was painted pale white with a black loop drawn across one half and his other half blank except for the unnaturally blue contact and dark panda-like eyeliner.  His lips were stained bright red and you almost felt like you were looking at a picture of him online. 

“Thank you, Yolanda.” None other than The Marilyn Manson (and yes, “The” was now an official part of his name in your mind) thanked the woman who you assumed to be an assistant. “Come on in, Y/N.” He beckoned you into the room and you tried to front your most professional, most confident face but the way you held your robe tight to your body gave you away. 

“It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Manson.” You came up, reaching to shake his hand, “It’s a real honor to get to work with you.” Kiss ass, you muttered to yourself. 

Instead of shaking your hand, he simply waved his hand in the air, “Ah, the pleasantries. I hope it will be a pleasure to work with you as well.” 

You retracted your extended hand awkwardly, unsure of whether or not that was a blow off or him just being mysterious and cool, and scuttled to stand with the other girl. She was beautiful and blonde, tall and thin. Model-esque. You felt insecure next to her, especially in front of someone as influential as Manson. You were just you, an inexperienced actress-to-be, on her first professional job with a bunch of people who definitely knew their way around a camera. 

“Alright, so I know you came here with minimal details,” Marilyn began, a weirdly neutral look on his very painted face, his tone flat and low. It was hard to read him with his contacts in. “Hopefully, that’s a good sign this will work well. You’re both willing to take risks. You’re flexible. Well, I’m here to give you the details. As you know, there is nudity and sex required for this video. It will be between you two,” You stiffened up awkwardly as he gestured all too casually between the two of you, “And my old friend here.” 

On cue, none other than Johnny Depp walked into the room. Your jaw visibly hit the floor. There is no fucking way. “Hello.” He greeted with a smile, the same smile that you’d seen millions of times in his movies that you’d binged every so often. 

Were you the only one feeling so shocked? Why the hell was the actress next to you so calm? Why was Johnny so calm? You were about pretend to fuck Johnny fucking Depp! 

Johnny stepped forward to shake your hand, “I’m Johnny, nice to meet you,” He introduced politely. 

Starstruck, you took his hand, “Y/N. It’s nice to meet you as well.” Then he leaned down and kissed your hand, actually kissed your hand like a fucking gentleman, eyes never leaving yours. God, the way he looked up at you through his strands of middle parted 90’s hair… it was enough to make your breath catch. 

Slowly, almost reluctantly, he moved from you to the girl next to you, “I’m Marie.” She responded to his introduction politely. He brought her hand to his lips as well but, maybe you were crazy - just imagining some fantasy, but it felt detached and fast when he did it to her. 

“Great, well now that we all know each other,” Marilyn interjected as Johnny moved back to stand by his friend, “I’ll continue. I’ve already shot my parts so I’ll be here to direct you if needed but I want this as natural as possible. Aside from a few artistic shots, I need this to be raw, primal, and absolutely fucking filthy.” 

You and Marie listened on in intent silence, soaking in his every word. But you found it hard to focus when, out of the corner of your eye, you saw Johnny eyeing you. No, no, it couldn’t be. He was probably just zoned out behind you. 

*** 

A few hours later, all of the artistic shots had been done. There were shots of you pulling up thigh high stockings that clipped onto the garter belts hanging from your nearly sheer black underwear and having a leather corset tightened tightly on your back, cinching your waist smaller than you’d ever seen it. You had put on massively high heels and large, luxurious costume jewelry. 

Even though the outfit could be seen as objectifying, you’d never felt more confident or powerful in your life. After your last shot of just your nearly bare thighs, you were dismissed momentarily so Marie could film her sections. 

You walked over to your bag and took out a water bottle, not realizing how much this took out of you, running the same seemingly simple shots over and over again under blaring lights. “How long have you been acting?” 

Oh God. It was him. 

You turned to see Johnny standing next to you, very close, much closer than was considered polite distance but not so close that you felt suffocated. He looked gorgeous, hair hanging perfect from his beautiful tan skin. Earrings hung from his lobes, dangling just slightly. His white button up shirt was only buttoned half way, showing off his smooth, toned chest that barely showed any signs of his older age (not that he was ancient but he was definitely on your list of celebrities over 45 that you would let rail you). But the cherry on top was the eyeliner. The fucking eyeliner. It took you back to so many of his characters that you’d fallen in love with but with the white shirt and earrings, you were getting almost a refined Jack Sparrow crossed with Sweeney Todd feeling and God you’d never been so turned on by a pirate/ serial killer. 

“You okay?” He asked, and you blinked rapidly, totally horrified that you’d been staring. 

“Oh! Sorry! Um, this is my first real shoot, actually. You know how Hollywood is…” You chuckled awkwardly, reaching your hand around to rub your neck. Of course, he knew how Hollywood was, stupid! You cursed yourself, hoping you didn’t sound as dumb as you felt. 

He leaned a hand up against the wall, “Yeah, I know how that is. But don’t worry, this is a great place to start.” He reassured, looking away at the set oh so casually. Your eyes trailed up his arm that had planted itself just beside you on the wall. Was he really doing what you thought he was doing? 

No! He was Johnny Depp. He could have whichever woman he wanted at the bat of an eyelash. Why would he want you? 

“Y/N! We’re ready for your scene with Marie!” The director called to you from behind the camera and you perked up. 

“I better go.” You nodded over to the set, walking away awkwardly, almost scared that you be perceived as rude for having to do your job. 

He chuckled and waved you on. This made you blush bright red and turn to run off to set. 

You found yourself directed to a bed, “All right,” The director began, Marilyn standing directly next to him, hand on his chin as he watched his vision be brought to life, “Now, first, we’re going to get shots of you making out. I need it hot, I need it passionate. I don’t care if you’ve never kissed a girl before, make it look like you have. Next, we’re going to do totally nude shots of you grinding.” 

Your eyelids fluttered slightly in shock at what he said. Okay, you could do that, you hyped yourself up. 

Before you knew it, you were lying on the bed, Marie on top of you. Her soft lips were against yours and her nails raked gently down your throat, sending shocks down your body. Even though you were acting, it was hard to separate the feelings that arose, regardless of your sexuality. It had been a long time since anyone had touched you like this. Your hands tangled in her hair and your eyes were screwed shut.

“Cut!” The director yelled and Marie immediately pulled back, snapping out of character and back into her over-professional attitude. You, on the other hand, needed a brief moment to pull out of character. After just a second, you pushed yourself up onto your elbows, Marie still straddling you. Your breasts filled the tight push up bra you wore but you felt surprisingly comfortable in it, even around all these people. That was, until you glanced over to see Johnny standing beside Marilyn, at first looking at a monitor and reviewing footage, but then over at you, his gaze stuck on your accentuated chest. 

Your face flushed red as you quickly looked away, not seeing the amused smirk that graced his face. Little did you know, he was very aware of what he was doing and very pleased with your reaction.  

“That was perfect. Now we’re gonna move onto the sex scenes.” He waved you and Marie over and you obeyed once she climbed off your torso.

Marilyn and Johnny too came over, completing the small group. Marilyn spoke, “Now you knew there was sex and nudity and I’m very pleased with how this is turning out,” He paused, giving you both a very serious look, “But now, I’m going to ask something of you that you probably aren’t comfortable with. Usually with sex scenes, there’s fabric in place to hide cocks and shit but I don’t want any of that. It distracts actors from the scene and there’s always the issue of whether or not you see it. I want raw, I want primal, I want absolutely fucking filthy.” 

He was quiet for a moment, waiting for you and Marie to piece together his request, but filling in the rest when he saw both of your professional exteriors crack in confusion, “I want you to all actually fuck. Only if you’re comfortable with it but if you’re not you’ll be paid for the work you’ve done and we’ll find someone to replace you.” 

You nearly choked, “Like… porn? You want this to be porn?” Johnny chuckled to himself, seeing your embarrassed, nervous reaction. You were so cute. 

He looked pensive for just a moment  before nodding, “Yeah, I suppose so.” He answered bluntly, “Like I said, only if you’re comfortable with it but, if not, you’ll be fired for the rest of the video.” 

Oh God, were you really about to agree to porn? Like actual fucking porn? Three way porn at that! But three porn with Johnny Depp…. It was the one thing you told yourself you wouldn’t do. But then again, your rent was due in two weeks and you were $300 short. “I’m in.” You answered, almost regretting it immediately. 

“Me too.” Marie agreed, long arms crossed across her chest. 

“Good. Now let’s get to it.” 

** 

The lesbian sex scene had gone by relatively hitch free, save for a few awkward placement issues. Marie, being straight as an arrow, had no clue what she was doing, and you too were inexperienced in the department but with a little direction, the scene was finished. 

She knelt on her knees, holding your naked hips up and grinding your bare core against her own. Your eyes were closed, trying to remember every previous sexual encounter and porno you’d seen to try and make the sexiest faces and the sexiest form.

Johnny couldn’t take his eyes off you as you writhed on the bed, completely naked and grinding up against another beautiful woman. Everything about you looked so authentic but innocent but dirty. He found himself craving you in the most unprofessional ways as he watched your breasts bounce with every roll of your hips. 

When the scene was over, you nearly jumped off the bed and rushed for your robe. You were embarrassingly wet right now, the eye contact you’d made with Johnny while having your clit rubbed was just absolutely intoxicating and you were just thankful that you were able to control yourself enough to not get your juices all over Marie. 

As they changed the scene around, you stood beside Johnny and Marilyn. “Method actor?” He asked. 

You cocked an eyebrow, “What do you mean?” 

“You looked pretty into the scene up there. Wonder what you were thinking about…” He continued. Your heart was in your throat. His tone was dark and sultry and implied exactly what he thought you were thinking about and boy was he correct. “As a method actor myself, I completely understand your… position.” 

Johnny looked down at you, his dark eyes unyielding as he dove into your very soul and could see you every fantasy. 

“Okay! Everyone on set!” 

** 

Ignore the cameras, you screamed at yourself. You’re not doing porn, you’re just having a threesome with Johnny Depp and some girl named Marie. Yeah, that was a convincing story to tell yourself. Just relax in this totally normal situation. Pfft, as if. 

But you were an actress. Then something occurred to you, the ghost of a voice spoke to you. It was actually words spoken by Johnny in an old interview you’d seen him do, words that had stuck with you as a foundation in your training: “The most important thing that an actor needs to do is not to act, but to react. That's what it is all about, and you do one of the most difficult things in the world, which is to just be--to be in the state of being.”

Just relax. React to the scene. Be in the scene. Hell, this wasn’t even a scene anymore. This was a secret fantasy you’d never known you’d had coming to life. There wasn’t even any acting involved. So just be. 

“Action!” 

Immediately in character, you caressed Marie sexually, hands running along her sides as you nipped along her neck. Now that you were the dominant character, her scantily clad body was putty in your hands. Your teeth raked along her skin and you felt her shudder beneath your touch, brushing her long blonde hair over her shoulder. 

Then a quiet metallic sound drew your attention. You and Marie both looked over towards the ornate door to see Johnny standing there, looking in through the gold grated peephole. 

Marie looked at you, her eyes full of question. Should you let him in? Honestly, you weren’t sure if your characters knew who he was. No! Stop, you’re not playing a character now. You’re you. You are the character. 

You chewed your lip seductively and walked over, legs crossing and hips rocking as your heels clicked on the hardwood floor. You reached down, perfectly manicured fingers gripping the handle delicately and unlocked the door. Before he could even get ahold of his surroundings, you had him by the collar and pulled him in. He could play all the sexy flirty games he wanted, but right now, you were in control and you were going to make him want you more than anything, even if it all was just for the camera. 

His hands found your hips immediately as he attempted to steady himself but, gosh, all he wanted to do was take you here and now, preferably without Marie or the cameras, but he figured that if that’s what it took to fuck you, he was more than willing to compromise. 

You pulled him in, your lips finally crashing against his. At first, he was hesitant but only for half a second, before he returned the kiss with even more fervor than you’d gone in with. Marie came up on his side and nibbled his ear, hands roaming up and down his chest between your very close bodies. 

Johnny pulled back from this kiss and twisted just enough to snake an arm around Marie’s thin body and led her to face you. Then his hands came to firmly hold the back of each of your necks and forced your faces together, pressing you and the other woman to kiss. You both complied obediently, a strange mix of submissively and dominantly, like you were submitting to him but then fighting between the two of you. 

Her lips moved graciously against yours, smooth and soft. It was so much more different than kissing a man. This felt delicate still despite the absolute filth that was ensuing. Her hand shot out to hold you by the jaw and pulled you in roughly, Johnny’s hand almost not needing to do anything. 

He watched in amazement as the two of you obeyed his every physical command, the way you both looked so lost in each other. He knew you were straight just by interacting with you earlier but you could have had him fooled now. 

This wasn’t the first time he’d been in threeway with two other girls but this was definitely the hottest one. Before, it was all just to see if he could pull it off and then just to have the novelty of having girls bend to his will but this was different. You were different. He couldn't really explain it but he was completely enamored by you. An air of innocence surrounded you from the moment he set eyes on your otherworldly beauty but the saw in your eyes a fire that burned with the ability to be more than that. He was determined to see just how hot that fire burned. 

He pulled you and Marie apart before bringing her to kiss him. While he did, his free hand absentmindedly groped your chest, your breasts spilling from the top of your push up bra. A twinge of jealousy went through you as you watched them kiss, although you knew how irrational it was. They were actors. You were too. There was nothing personal about this. But, for some unexplainable, unprofessional reason, there was for you. 

You slinked behind the older man like a cat and ran your fingertips ever so gently across his closed shoulders and down his biceps. They trailed down his sides as his body moved from the intense makeout session with Marie before coming around to tease over his growing bulge. In his black well fitting pants. 

His body tensed ever so slightly, barely noticeable except to you two, when your hand made contact with his erection. You smirked to yourself, a dark, sexy smile, the kind of smile you’d expect to see in a twisted Tim Burton film. You were finally the mysterious gothic beauty you’d always imagined yourself as in all of his stories. 

With swift fingerwork and a quick, almost too skilled, flick of your wrist, you had Johnny’s belt whipped off him and held firmly in your hands. He pulled Marie off of him and shoved her roughly onto the bed, undoing the buttons of his shirt as you walked in circles around him, trailing your gaze up and down his perfect body and dragging the leather of his belt on his torso and thighs as you did so. 

The way you looked at him, like a lioness about to devour her prey, made Johnny feel like he was on fire. You seemed so in control and confident and you had a way of touching him, as if you knew exactly what made him tick. It was intoxicating. 

His shirt was unbuttoned in a matter of seconds and without warning, he had you pressed back against the mattress as well. He crawled over your body, rolling his hips just right against your clothed core. A small, quiet whisper of a moan escaped your lips at the sudden, well placed contact. 

Your hands tangled into his hair as you pulled him down to you, forcing his head into your neck. He kissed and sucked and nipped and licked just right, like he had a map to your body. You were embarrassingly wet from just kissing and you secretly prayed that nobody noticed but you were too lost in the moment to do anything about it. 

Your leg wrapped around his waist and pulled him into you again. “Fuck…” His voice was a raspy, low whisper, said just loud enough for you three to hear. 

Johnny kissed down your neck and across your breasts, moving over to Marie’s chest, which he dove into with full force. She squirmed and moaned beside you as he assaulted her perfect breasts. You rolled over as far as you could and caught her lips in yours, swallowing her moans. 

That was, until Johnny’s hand trailed down to rub your core. You gasped into Marie’s full lips and rolled your hips into his hand, begging for more. Suddenly, he sat back onto his heels and grabbed your hips roughly, flipping you over onto all fours like he’d done it a million times before. “Ah!” You squealed slightly at the sudden action. 

He climbed off the bed and knelt just behind you, palms rubbing over your ass and admiring every inch of you. Marie adjusted to sit just in front of you, legs spread to reveal her bare vagina before you. You weren’t sure when she’d lost her underwear but low and behold here you were face to face with all she had to bear. You’d never eaten a girl out before but you’d seen enough porn and fooled around with yourself enough to know what might work as a good start. 

Cautiously, you started a few kitten licks to her clit, noticing every flinch or shudder that left her lips. Just as you began to get the hang of it, there was a loud rip as you felt the fabric of your panties be literally torn from your body. You gasped loudly, looking back behind you to see Johnny with his tongue between his teeth, admiring your body. 

Johnny ran his surprisingly soft hands up and down your ass before dragging his fingertips through your already dripping folds. You moaned against Marie’s clit, her hands pulling on your hair, as his fingers circled your clit. You pressed your hips back against him, begging for more, and he was more than happy to oblige. 

Before you knew it, the three of you were a tangle of limbs. At all times, you were being touched by someone, whether it was groping your chest, your ass, or your pussy, but it was always a game trying to figure out who it was. The heat was becoming unbearable and you were grateful for the lack of clothing. Your body was slicked in sweat, both yours and Johnny’s mostly. 

He’d taken a clear preference to you and you almost felt bad for Marie but you didn’t feel too bad, seeing as how your lifelong fantasies were coming true. When someone was touching you, it was almost always Johnny, although he didn’t let his bias completely ruin the shot. He was a professional after all. 

Soon, after at least ten minutes of blind fingering and hand jobs, you found yourself straddling Johnny as he lied naked on the bed. This was it, the moment you actually had sex with Johnny Depp. He held his large erection in one hand, guiding it to your entrance and then moved his hands to grip your hips tightly, lowering you down onto this length. 

“Oh my… fuck-” You hissed out, throwing your head back as you adjusted to him. You’d never felt so full before, so complete. Without even moving, he made you feel absolutely incredible. 

He chuckled sexily below you, loving your reaction. This whole scene had been a game with you, fighting for who was seducing who, who was in charge, but here he was finally proving it was him. 

You steadied yourself on his chest, soft hands splayed out against his surprisingly taught, tattooed skin. To look at him like this, you never would have guessed how much older he was than you. He could pass for a very handsome man in his thirties easily. 

You swiveled your hips experimentally and clenched your walls around his cock. Johnny sucked in a sharp breath as his fingertips dug harshly into your skin, sure to leave little bruises in their place. You looked down and locked eye contact with him through your long eyelashes, your hair disheveled and hanging in your face sexily, as you squeezed your muscles around him yet again and moved your hips. 

“Fucking hell.” He groaned out beautifully, short nails digging crescents into your skin. His grip moved to cup your ass cheeks from below, grabbing them firmly and moving you up and down until you found a pace that worked for both of you. 

Marie lied on the bed beside Johnny, one leg strewn across his chest and the other behind your bouncing body, as she toyed with her clit with one hand and fingered herself with the other. 

You reached down to play with her breasts, pinching and rolling her nipples between your soft fingertips but the action was half hearted at best. All you could focus on was how Johnny felt inside you, hitting all the right spots. How you had him at your will just as much as you were at his. His hair was strewn around his face on the pillows like a damn god, his eyeliner smeared every so slightly from the sweat. His eyes screwed shut every now and then but otherwise, he looked at you like no other man had ever looked at you before. 

He reached between your bodies and found your clit, rubbing it in small, tight circles. Your walls began to clench uncontrollably as you felt your orgasm nearing. Your back arched as you leaned back, moving your hands to rest on his thighs as you rose and fell on his length. Marie leaned down, attaching her lips to your perked nipples and biting one gently, licking over the skin to soothe it before doing it again. 

Johnny reached down to finger her roughly as she ravaged your breasts. You continued to bounce, the new angle hitting that perfect spot inside you. “I’m gonna-” Marie whined out, her voice high and seductive. 

You nodded quickly, eyes screwed shut, “Me too!” You exclaimed, trying with all your might to stave off your orgasm for as long as possible but the pleasure was just building up too much. 

“Cum for me.” Johnny demanded from both of you and that was all it took for you to crash over the edge. Hot flashes stroke across your body in electric waves as your body failed to keep moving. He continued to lift your body for you, helping you ride out your high but his fingers dug tightly into your skin when your walls spasmed uncontrollably around him. 

“Fuck!” Marie whined out, her legs shaking against Johnny’s body as she came. 

You reluctantly rolled off Johnny’s body when you felt him lift you off and rested off to the side, breathing heavily while you recovered. He got up onto his knees next to you and stroked himself quickly, aggressively, using your slick to glide his hand across his erection, before painting Marie’s body in white ribbons. 

“And cut!” The director’s voice yelled out, harshly returning you from your daydream. Your eyes suddenly snapped as wide as a deer caught in headlights as the studio lights flicked on around you and the crew was visible again. The reality of everything came crashing down on you. Shit, that wasn’t some secret fantasy in your head. That was a pornographic threesome with Johnny Depp and some woman named Marie! 

You glanced over to the more experienced actress and breathed out a sigh of relief to see her looking the same way you did, completely shocked and a little disappointed at what you’d agreed to, but too pleased and amazed at what you’d just done to care too much before. 

Johnny, on the other hand, looked like he was already recovering with a cool exterior. He’d already begun climbing off the bed to get his clothes back on, leaving you and Marie alone on the bed to register what had happened. 

“Fuck me, that was hot.” Marilyn stepped onto the set, completely comfortable and practically ignoring the fact that he’d just watched his best friend fuck two women. You blushed a bright red. Great, you forgot that Marilyn Manson now would have the image of you fucking in his memories for forever. Not exactly the impression you typically went for in Hollywood… Or was it? 

The director watched over the footage, “They looked like they were enjoying themselves a little too much.” He snorted, pointing out something on the screen to Marilyn and you just prayed that it wasn’t a funny face you made in the heat of the moment. 

Marilyn waved him off, “No such thing as too much fun with sex, Paul.”  

Even though the crew were all doing their various jobs, you were convinced that every eye was on you. WIth a beet red face, you slinked out of the bed, hands covering your breasts and keeping your thighs as close together as you could, trying to shield your nudity from the room. It wasn’t that you were ashamed of your body, it was just the feeling of being so exposed to a room full of strangers that made the blood rush to your face. 

You rushed around, trying to pick up whatever small scrap of clothing you could identify as yours. On the ground, beside the bed, was a crumpled heap of thin stringy black fabric. Your underwear! “Thank God!” You murmured to yourself, bending down to pick it up, only to have it fall in two, rendered unwearable. 

Your face dropped when you saw it and sighed, starting to become more comfortable in your naked skin but more so because you had no other choice at the moment. Could you even request clothing from the crew? Where did your actual clothes end up? Why did you even think that was a ridiculous request to want your clothes back? 

Just as you dropped the shredded underwear, ready to find a crew member and get your clothes back, you heard Johnny chuckle, low and sexy behind you, “You’re a great method actor,” He complimented with a wink and slight smirk, knowing damn well what he meant, the nonchalance of his entire being making you dumbfounded, “Perhaps, we could do this again under less professional circumstances.” 

And with the invitation, said in the most casual way - as if inviting you for coffee, he pushed the last button through the loop of his pristine white button up, and walked to find his best friend, leaving you standing on set, naked, clutching the underwear he’d literally ripped from your body just minutes earlier, eyes on his majestic figure and trying to comprehend what the fuck just happened. 

[somethingpoetichere]

speechless- caliban x reader imagine

a big ole prom cheese fest with some cinderella inspiration thrown in. a little angsty but DAMN will give you the feels. OC is Sabrina’s mortal cousin but a member of the Spellman household. 

you say you'll be down in five

the smell of your perfume is floating down the stairs

you're fixing up your hair like you do

i know that i'll be a mess

the second that i see you

you won't be surprised

it happens every time

it's nothin' new

Doctor Cerberus’s had the best pancakes in all of Greendale- not that you’d ever fess that up to your Aunt Hilda. Dr. Cerberus placed your order down with a smile, patting your head as he raced back to the kitchen.

Your happiness was short lived, though, as Sabrina’s band of younger friends raced into the diner. You groaned as they shouted your name, dropping your fork unceremoniously. Was nothing sacred?

“Have you seen Sabrina? It’s urgent!” Harvey panted.

You moved to answer that no, you hadn’t seen her all day, and really, she ought to start telling someone when she decided to drop off the face of the earth- when someone slid into the booth across from you.

“I just dropped her off at the Spellman residence, she’s likely to be there all day.” Caliban replied, stealing a french fry off your plate. 

Harvey glared. “And what were you doing with Sabrina? Why should I listen to you?”

Roz and Theo rolled their eyes, and you reached out to smack Harvey’s shoulder. “Turn down the testosterone for a minute, Harv. He just told you where Sabrina is- who is capable of making her own decisions, however stupid they may be.” You ignored both Harvey and Caliban’s protests, shooing the trio out with a huff as Caliban and Harvey continued their stare down.

You met Caliban’s gaze as you returned to your long-awaited pancakes. “Miss me, princess?” 

You eyed him drily. “Not particularly. Why are you late?” 13 minutes late, to be exact. Not that you'd been counting. Caliban was usually never late to your daily... meetups? That didn’t feel like the right word. But for the last two months, Caliban had met you here at exactly three o’clock, and in exchange for holding off the infernal trials- or whatever they were called- you told him about your mortal life. Stories, histories, that time Andy Simmons found himself with a slashed tire after he’d dumped your best friend. Anything you could think of, really- and Caliban was easy to talk to. Almost too easy. You didn't really understand his fascination with the workings of mortality, but couldn't really bring yourself to press him too hard.

“Aw, was the little princess worried about me?” He crooned, pausing to order from an approaching Dr. Cerberus.

You took a moment to observe him. He spoke animatedly to the man as he ordered his usual- a burger, chocolate shake, and a side of fries. His blonde hair was artfully tousled, as if he’d just walked off the catwalk and not sprung straight from some hell-bound mission with Sabrina. You were always fascinated by the contrast between his hellish leather outfit and Caliban in mortal fashion. Clad in a simple pair of jeans and california sunshine shirt, he looked fresh off the surf- sunkissed and everything, with a smattering of barely-there freckles on his nose. 

“See something you like?” He teased, drawing you from your reverie as he tucked the menu away and shrugged off his faded denim jacket- a new addition to his wardrobe that you’d selected when he dragged you to the mall last week. 

“You’re avoiding the question.” You huffed, fighting back a blush as you kicked him under the table.

His features schooled into a serious expression, eyebrows furrowing sharply. Caliban’s features were decidedly strong, jaw and cheekbones so angular that even the light shied from them. You rarely liked to be so poetic, but really- did he have to look so effortlessly perfect? 

He deflated a little. “The plague kings have been on my case about the next challenge. An escape is desperately needed.” 

“And I’m the escape?” You arched an eyebrow at him, suspicion evident on your face as you sipped your shake.

“Darling, you are my salvation.” He grinned mischievously. “Now what's this ball Sabrina has been telling me about? Is it a courting event?”

“Prom?” You laughed. “It’s not a ball, so to speak, but it is a formal thing. Everyone dresses up in gowns and suits, spend the night dancing, usually the punch gets spiked, then someone throws a rager somewhere, and then Tommy Michaels gets found in the bushes outside the police station- for the third year in a row. Everyone makes a pretty big deal out of it.”

“And do you go alone?” He continued, thanking Dr. Cerberus as he placed down his order- who paused to throw you a conspiratorial wink that you pointedly ignored.

“Most people go with dates.” You explained. “Why?”

“No reason beyond pure curiosity.” Caliban smiled, “now tell me about your day, princess.” 

it's always on a night like tonight

i thank god you can read my mind

'cause when you look at me with those eyes

“Do you want to go to prom together?” Caliban asked, leaning against the doorway of your bedroom with an alarming air or normalcy that did not suit the question he had asked.

“Prom?” You sputtered. “Why on earth would you want to go to prom?”

Caliban crossed his arms, eyeing you expectantly as he knew you were avoiding the question. “You said it’s a pretty big deal. Sabrina said it’s quite important. Would you want to go?”

You eyed him with barely concealed suspicion. “I mean, I was planning on skipping. I don’t have a dress or a date.” 

“Well, I can take care of both of those things. All you have to do is say the word.” He smirked.

You could hardly believe your own hearing. What was with his sudden interest in a mortal school dance? “Why do you want to go to prom with me all of a sudden?” 

“Can’t I just want to take a beautiful girl to a dance? You’re part mortal, princess. I imagine it would be nice to have one night outside the realms of hell. I realize my experiences outside damnation are... limited.” He spoke softly, and for a moment you could see the vulnerability in his eyes. Caliban, for all his pride and charm, was nervous. To ask you to prom.

The thought almost made you laugh.

“I’d love to go to prom with you, Caliban. But what about tickets? I think it’s all sold out.”

“Like I said, princess-“ he winked, all traces of former vulnerability gone as it was replaced with his usual troublemaker smirk- “leave the rest to me.”

i'm speechless

starin' at you standin' there in that dress

what it's doin' to me ain't a secret

'cause watching you is all that i can do

and i'm speechless

you already know that you're my weakness

after all this time i'm just as nervous

every time you walk into the room

i'm speechless

You’d spent the better part of the next day at the mercy of Hilda and the Weird Sisters, who were all too delighted to wreak havoc on you. Your entire body was scrubbed and perfumed, your hair had certainly never been so clean and tamed- the soft curls cascading down your back, expertly twisted at points with silvery pins- and your makeup looked so effortless that it almost looked like Prudence hadn’t spent nearly two hours on it. You’d been poked, prodded, and pinched to the point where you’d almost damned the whole thing and stormed off to hell.

But it was all worth it when you reached the top of the stairs and met Caliban’s gaze. A giggle escaped your painted lips as he froze, jaw slack in awe. Your silvery blue dress glittered like starlight in the low light of the foyer, just long enough to trail behind you on the staircase as you descended to greet your date. For a fleeting moment you’d wondered how he’d known your exact measurements- but you supposed that was Caliban for you.

You wobbled slightly on the last step- the glass heels he’d conjured weren’t the most practical, certainly. Caliban lunged over, catching you in his arms effortlessly as you nearly tumbled.

“Careful, Cinderella.” Caliban grinned softly, delicately placing you back on your feet without releasing you from his arms. “You look... you look radiant, princess.”

His voice cracked on the term of endearment, and you were overwhelmed with an unexpected surge of affection for the clay prince. 

“How do you even know about that mortal fairytale?” You asked with a breathy laugh, reaching up to fix his tie. Caliban was gorgeous, for lack of a better word. His black suit fit him perfectly, and you smiled at the silvery handkerchief tucked into his suit pocket- a subtle attempt to match your dress.

“It’s your favorite, and I figured if I was going to do this- I was going to do it well. I mean it, though. You look beautiful.” He smiled again, finally retrieving his hands as he ran them through his hair. A nervous tick of his, you’d noted.

Why the heaven was he nervous?

“Thank you.” You blushed, hating yourself for it as he chuckled. “I have something for you. A mortal tradition.”

You pulled the boutonniere from the hidden pockets of the dress (a wonderful touch on Caliban’s part), a simple white rose surrounded by an array of baby’s breath. Caliban eyed it curiously as you reached up to pin it to his lapel. 

“You said you wanted a mortal night.” You whispered, doing your best not to pinch him with the pin. You chanced a glance at him, and his expression nearly took the air from your lungs. There was no trace of mischief or smirk on his face- his eyes were warm and lips tugged up ever-so-softly at the corners. You quickly looked away, fighting back another blush. What was happening to you?

“There.” You grinned victoriously at your accomplishment, gently straightening his coat. “All set.”

“Not yet.” Caliban hummed. “I’m afraid your aunts are here to take pictures.”

You turned to face an exuberant horde of admirers- even Zelda and Sabrina looked thrilled- and fought back a groan.

“The things I let you drag me into, Caliban.”

it started when you said hello

just did something to me

and i've been in a daze

ever since the day that we met

you take the breath out of my lungs

can't even fight it

and all of the words, out of my mouth without even tryin'

“Just to prepare you, I turned down a few guys and told them it’s because I have a boyfriend- so you better stick to that story if you don’t want your face in a punch bowl.”

“Who wouldn’t want such a violent girlfriend?” Caliban smirked, hand moving to rest on your thigh from the stick shift. He’d chosen a blue chevrolet convertible for the night- a decidedly vintage pick that perfectly suited your outdated little town. 

You scoffed, rolling down the windows to let in the cool evening air. “It must be why they’re all in love with me- knowing I could beat them up.”

“It is most certainly a kink of mine.” He wiggled his eyebrows at you, sparking a laugh. 

You reached over to smack him on the shoulder. “That’s because you’re sick, Caliban.”

“Love-sick, princess.” He crooned, gripping your thigh tighter through the dress as you felt your heart rate spike. 

“You better watch those wandering hands in there, or Miss Wardwell might have you exorcised for demonic behavior.” You grinned, not daring to move his hand in the slightest.

“You’d be a horrible girlfriend for enjoying that.” He laughed, and you felt your lungs constrict as he tossed his head back. Caliban was always handsome- you weren't blind- but tonight he’d been managing to take your breath away a little more than normal.

“You’d be a horrible boyfriend for leaving me dateless, but I’m sure I could find Tommy or Vick to console me.” You teased, hand moving to rest on top of his.

Caliban’s gaze went dark. “Good thing you’re mine then, princess.” He spoke firmly, gaze hot on your face as he moved to take your hand in his. He brought your hand to his lips, softening slightly as he kissed them, his words a grazing whisper against them. “If only for the night.”

Damn him.

The moment was broken as he pulled to park at the little reception hall tucked into Moon Valley, and he disappeared in a flash and reappeared outside your door. He opened the door with a flourish, extending his arm to help you out of the car with a brilliant smile. “After you, mademoiselle.”

Caliban was so... different, tonight. While always mischievous and wild, he so rarely seemed so weightless. You had certainly never been so girlish and nervous. It was if Sabrina had plucked you out of your infernal daily lives and tucked you into the pages of your favorite Cinderella storybook.

If only for the night.

and i'm speechless

starin' at you standin' there in that dress

what it's doin' to me ain't a secret

'cause watching you is all that i can do

and i'm speechless

you already know that you're my weakness

after all this time i'm just as nervous

every time you walk into the room

i'm speechless

Moon Valley Estate had been pristinely decorated- the storybook theme the prom committee had picked decidedly less cheesy in actuality than it had seemed on the flyers. You admired the fairy lights and lanterns hanging from the trees as Caliban led you up the carpeted stone steps, stopped only by the lingering prom photographer who informed you that you were late- but Sabrina had called and ordered him to stay put (of course she did).

“How late are we?” You asked with a nervous smile, tugging on Caliban’s arm- that you hadn’t let go of since you’d taken it, not that he’d mentioned it.

“Well-“ Caliban began, smiling as the doors opened to a packed ballroom full of your peers all turning to look at you- “I’d say we’re fashionably late.”

You barely stifled a groan.

Even the music quieted a little as everyone craned to look at the pair of you- whispers and wide eyes following you as you descended the staircase.

“You planned this.” You hissed through your smile. “And you are so, so dead for this.”

Caliban moved his hand to the small of your back, gently guiding you towards the center of the dance floor as he basked in the hushed whispers that followed you. “I’d be glad to continue our night in Hell, princess- I didn’t know you moved so quickly.”

You took the opportunity to elbow him sharply, although your words lacked the bite you'd intended. “I’d like to skip to the part of the night where I ditch you to get really drunk on spiked punch, and then throw up on your tux.”

“Prince Charming is hardly deterred by such things. I’m offended at your lack of faith in my dedication here.” Caliban grinned, extending a hand out to you as he bowed dramatically. “Would you allow me this dance, my lady?”

Your answering laugh was wicked- a decidedly unladylike noise at the decidedly un-Caliban-like behavior. “The perfect opportunity to step on your feet- how can I pass up such an opportunity, my lord?”

Your wit died on your tongue as Caliban placed his large hand on your waist, using the other to gently grip yours. He guided you expertly across the dance floor- and you hardly noticed the floor clear for you.

He spun and twirled you around, pausing for just a moment to dip you. It was fanciful and fast and fun- something that positively took your breath away, and not just from the dancing.

You could hardly contain your giddy laughter as the music died, the song drawing to a reluctant end as Caliban slowed. “I didn’t know you could dance so well!”

“There’s a lot of things you don’t know about me, princess.” He smiled, hand still tightly clutching your waist. “But the night is still young, and so we dance.”

yeah, baby, mmm

it's always on a night like tonight

i thank god you can read my mind

'cause when you look at me with those eyes

And so you danced.

You spent the night in his arms, lifted and tossed and spun to your heart’s content. You’d certainly never felt so carefree- and never so content as you did in his arms.

Caliban never grew tired- you reckoned it was some infernal making, but his smile never dulled nor did his arms loosen around you. He smiled at you and your clumsy feet like you weren’t just Sabrina’s cousin- neither divine nor half as damning. In Caliban’s eyes- you had always been more than enough on your own.

Or had you been?

As midnight drew closer, the couples around you grew more restless- be it the spiked punch or the weed you knew had been smuggled into the bathrooms. Whatever it was- you were itching to make a break for it, and the slow song starting up was a perfect exit.

“One last dance?” Caliban crooned, sensing your readiness to leave before the night got dicey. 

You smiled breathlessly, tucking yourself further into his arms as you rested your head against his chest. He smelled like ocean- something salty and windswept and altogether Caliban. “Tonight has been perfect, Caliban, thank you.”

“Thank you,” Caliban chuckled, burying his face in your curls, “for a mortal night like this. I can see why you love it the way you do- this life.”

“It’s not always perfect,” you mumbled, pulling back slightly as you entwined your hands behind his neck. 

His arms encircled your waist, bringing your face closer to his. His breath fanned your face as he smiled at you- a small one, devoid of all mischief but just as sinful. “No, but you are.”

“So cheesy tonight, clay prince. No smoothness for me- no charm?” You teased gently, playing softly with his hair at the nape of his neck.

“I fear my heart can only speak with honestly tonight, fair princess.” He waxed, voice poetic as it so often was on his dramatic tangents. “Your lips are so quick to scorn and quicker still to wound me- I wonder if such wicked, bitter things could still taste sweet?”

He leaned in closer- if that was even possible- eyes warm as his hands moved to caress your waist. “I wonder....”

And he kissed you, his lips burning as they moved against your own. You responded in turn, brain melting through your shoes as he enveloped you.

Caliban was the first to pull back, smiling softly down at you as he did so. He opened his mouth to say something- when it clicked in your head.

You turned and ran, the clang of midnight echoing behind you.

i'm speechless

you standin' there in that dress

girl, it ain't a secret

'cause watchin' you is all that i can do

oh, i'm speechless

you already know that you're my weakness

after all this time i'm just as nervous

every time you walk into the room

i'm speechless

You found yourself tucked into your favorite booth at Dr. Cerberus’s- ignorant of the curious looks you received at your gown, tear stains, and single shoe. A steaming mug of tea sat before you, but it felt cold in your hands. You felt hollow.

You cursed yourself for falling for the infernal prince- the challenger to your cousin’s throne, the demonic entity surely to be satisfied once he knew your heart was in the palm of his damned clay hand. After all- you weren't Sabrina.

And that had been fine. You loved your foolish, brilliant, damning cousin. You had never been envious of her- even now, even like this. You had never needed to be special- you’d seen what it had done to Brina. But tonight you’d caught a glimpse of that fairytale- and it stung to know that a mortal girl could hardly be enough for a prince. 

Even one of hell.

“You lost this.” A miserable voice filled the air, heavy and soft as the owner slid into the booth across from you.

You glanced up in shock, quickly moving to wipe the tears from your eyes that threatened to fall. It was Caliban- looking similarly disheveled, tie undone and shirt partially unbuttoned and untucked. He ran his a hand through his hair, slouching into the booth.

Caliban held the glass slipper out to you, regretfully placing it on the table when it was clear you would not accept it. It was silent for a moment- the tension in the booth nearly drowning you as you swallowed the hurt building in your throat.

“What do you want? Come to gloat that the game is up? That you won?” You demanded, the anger sounding hollow even to yourself. 

Caliban looked momentarily stunned. “What are you talking about? I’m here because my date left me on the dance floor after I spent the entire night trying to win her heart and- like a fool- believed she could love me back.”

“What are YOU talking about!” You forcefully demanded back, slamming the mug down so hard on the table it spilled over the edges. “I’m here because my date faked this whole night- these whole two months- as some plot to get at my cousin somehow, and I’m here looking like a fool because even though I knew that from the beginning- I went and caught feelings for him anyway!”

“You thought this was all all a game?” Caliban roared, suddenly every inch the infernal prince you knew him to be. Your froze in momentary fear- you’d never seen his eyes burn like that.

At the look in your eyes, Caliban softened ruefully. “See? The worthless demon, going and screwing everything up. How could you love a monster like me? How could I be worth it?”

How could he not be worth it? You looked back on the last two months and the night with a heavy heart. For all his faults, Caliban was always kind to you- listened to all your trivial bullshit with genuine interest. He walked you home after spending hours together in this booth- offering his coat in the cold or rain- and a kiss on your cheek as he bid you goodnight. On weekends he’d let you drag him all over town, and at night he’d sit through the drive in with you, buying too much popcorn and always managing to piss off the cars next to you. He made you laugh until your sides ached, smile until your face hurt, and compliment you “just to see that pretty blush of yours, princess.” You’d never been as happy as you’d been these last few weeks.

And then tonight. He’d gone through all of this trouble to bring to life your favorite mortal story- he’d even conjured glass slippers. He’d been the perfect gentleman- your very own prince charming, you thought to yourself with a watery giggle. There was an unpleasant sinking in your chest as you realized you’d gone and messed up big time.

“You love me?” You asked quietly, forcing yourself to meet Caliban’s eyes. He looked... defeated, almost- and you felt your heart splinter further.

He seemed surprised at the question. “I... I thought if I took this night- the most mortal night I could think of- and made it perfect, that I could show you. That you would see me as something other than the clay prince. I love you. I love how weightless you make me feel. How I don’t have to pretend around you- how you make everything so easy when it’s not. How I’ve lived through so much, but never felt as alive as I do when you lean your head on my shoulder. Gods, I don’t deserve someone as perfect as you- but I’ve been trying to be better. I never wanted you to see this- to see me- as a game.” Caliban trailed off at the end, his words hardly a whisper as he stared down at his hands. 

You moved out of the booth, steeling your resolve as you slid into the seat beside him. He eyed you curiously, the question dying on his lips as you took his face in your hands.

“I love you.” And you kissed him, hard and long and full of all the emotions you knew you would never be able to put into words the way he could. He responded in turn, arms wrapping around you tightly as you smiled into the kiss.

And for once, it was enough.

-------

please please please give me some feedback I was super unsure about this one!! 

[shibarirobot]

Aizawa fic - CH3 - Entrapment

18+ Only! SFW (for now)

Shouta Aizawa x Villain!OC/Reader (?)

CH1

CH2

!!TW!! mentions of abuse, trauma, blood

Above are the links to the first two chapters, but for those that just want to get to it, I will briefly summarize. The main character here(who I choose to keep very nondescript so anyone can enjoy this, that may change as things get more physical between them and our hero. I will continue using they/them pronouns for this, but I have lady parts and will probably end up using those words.) is a villain that has just stolen information, fought Aizawa and made an escape to a roof where they fought with a member of their crew and Maybe(?) probably killed them.

Thank you for reading! 

Enjoy! x

~

Sirens blare behind me as cops start to arrive at the scene. I pull the hood on my jacket up over my head and dip around the corner. I hadn’t tried to stick around long enough for them to show up, but left without a quick way off the roof after tossing that damn bat off the side, I had to take the stairs. It was a long way down, but the stairwell was entirely connected all the way to the ground floor, I would have been seriously pissed off if I had to find multiple sets of stairs. My face is mostly obscured by my hood, but I look down everytime a random citizen passes by. I can never be too careful about being seen. 

I reach into my pocket and feel for my marble, my anxiety is rising quickly as a group of four teen girls walks towards me on the sidewalk. I almost freak out when my pocket turns up empty, but then I remember that I threw it, that it’s the only reason I’m still walking free. This brings me slight peace before I hear giggling and sneer to myself. High schoolers. I look at their uniforms, even better, hero students. I pull the drawstrings on my hood and it scrunches around my face, hiding me further. Anonymity isn’t the only reason I prefer not to be seen, but it’s the most self preserving reason, the one that makes the most sense. The other is because I’m afraid. Afraid of what they could say, of what they could think. I’ve heard it all, but it never fails to sting a little when the unfiltered truth of others thoughts wash over me. 

Weirdo. What. A. Freak.

OMG what are they wearing?

Damn, why do I always have to walk on the outside? Don’t you all care at all if I get grabbed?

Please don’t rob us, please don’t rob us.

Look away. Just look away.

I pull the drawstrings tighter and walk slightly faster, trying to push their thoughts from my brain, but failing grandly as all I can focus on is how much I don’t fit in, how little the rest of the world cares for people that don’t fit in the cookie cutter mold of societal expectations. The girls are having a light hearted conversation amongst themselves as I pass by, a complete confliction to the sour, curdled thoughts that had just slipped out. My eyes are glued to my feet as I take one step after the other, my legs feel like lead as I fight the urge to scream at them and silence their brain functions. I’m so focused on getting myself away from those girls that I barely register the man walking in front of me, talking loudly on the phone. I thump into his back, my eyes still strained down at the tips of my boots. He looks down at me, surprised. I can feel his eyes on me, feel the shock as his words falter into the phone mic. 

Woah. All black, huh? 

Trying to avoid a conflict, I duck to the side and mutter a curt ‘sorry’ below my breath, already shuffling off. He reaches out to me though, reaching for my shoulder. “Hey, wait. Sorry to bump into y-” 

I jerk away without looking. “Don’t touch me… please.” I cough the pleasantry out, it’s hard to hold myself back when all I want to do is swear at him and rip his eyes from his skull, knowing full well this is only a minor inconvenience, not a stopping block for me. I slightly turn my head, looking up at him out of one eye, he looks down at me, stunned. 

Wait… Is this the one?

Who is this man? He looks slightly familiar, but I can’t quite place him. He’s got long blonde hair, pulled into a simple ponytail and a goatee that makes him look like he still thinks the year is 2008. My eyes fall back to my feet as I take quick paces away from him. I don’t know him, but it seems like he might know me, which is definitely a bad sign. My anxiety swells again as I feel the hairs stand up on the back of my neck. This really can’t be good. I can still feel him watching me as I retreat, but his focus shifts back to his phone as someone yells on the other end of the receiver. “Yah, yah! I’m right around the corner. Get off my back, Shouta… I said I’m right around the corner! … No! I’m not in ‘uniform’, it’s my day off!” I let my anxiety roll off my shoulders as I get farther away from him and can no longer hear his shouting. I’m not sure why he threw me off so much, but I’m happy to be crossing the street and leaving his line of vision, turning an extra corner, just to be safe. I can’t afford anyone following me right now.

I’m still a bit rattled as I step down the stairs to the underground train tunnels. The tunnels are old, abandoned years ago after a train derailed and collapsed several tunnels. There were so many casualties, they shut down the entire train system after that, but by then technology had become so advanced compared to the subway that they didn’t even bother rebuilding. The city just closed off the tunnel entrances to the public. Citizens and tourists still come down to the platforms to take pictures and read plaques about the deceased. It’s ridiculous really. They didn’t know any of the people that died, had no connection to them, they would have no clue about the lives lost here if it hadn’t been all over the news. What the news wouldn’t tell the unsuspecting audience of sheep, is that it was actually a hero that crashed the train. The media told the world that a minor earthquake had derailed the train, which was only partially true. A minor earthquake had caused the crash, but a hero had caused the earthquake. A hero was the direct cause of so many shortened lives, innocent and corrupt alike, all dead within seconds. The media just swept that under the rug, not a single news coverage even mentioned his name as they described the tragedy. He continued his hero work as if nothing had even happened, as if he hadn’t murdered the very people he vowed to protect, as if he wasn’t the sole reason those people died. My sister was among those lost. She wasn’t my only family, but the only one I liked, the only one that made life even bearable. A tear rolls down my cheek and I wipe it away in frustration, no time for emotions. No time for tears. No time to let myself wallow, because I know once I start on that path, I’ll never stop. I’ll cry until I can’t breathe, until my eyes are swollen shut, until my lungs give out. So I cut myself short. No tears.

The platform is empty when I reach the tracks, the silence echoing. This is the only place I’m free of everyone else’s trilling thoughts buzzing in my brain, the thick concrete walls jamming their signal from getting to me. I release a long awaited sigh, the anxiety finally subsiding and leaving a slight hunger in my stomach. I had been so worked up I forgot to get food. I pull the hood off my head and hop down onto the tracks, walking them like a balance beam, a habit I picked up in my free time. At this point, I don't even put my hands out at my sides. I’ve done this so much, I’m sure I could walk it with my eyes closed. I do close my eyes, basking in the complete silence that surrounds me. Silence that reminds me of the moments I was fighting Eraser Head, the moments where he took my quirk and my head was actually empty. Even now it’s not quite like that, there’s still a ringing in my ears and a hum in the back of my head like static over a radio channel. It’s never been completely quiet inside my head, it only ever fades to background noise, not like when I was with him, when he was staring at me so intensely. I know it’s because he couldn’t look away, because of his quirk, but part of it made me feel… wanted. No one has ever looked at me like that, with such incredible intensity in their eyes. I shake my head, feeling crazier than usual. There’s no way he could want me, no way that I’m not just pushing my own desires onto his actions, no way that I’m not just famished for someone to hold me in their arms like he had held me in his scarf. 

Now I know I’m acting foolish. His scarf? Really? He was attacking me, he was fighting me, he’s a hero goddammit. I should be hating him and working up ways to bring his demise, but instead I’m thinking about what it would be like to see him without his hostility, to watch his face as he slept, to see tears trail down his face, to see him begging on his knees. I want to see his vulnerability, surprisingly, without any intention of exploiting it. I just want to see him. I have to see him. I look down and realize I’m pacing. I shake myself again and head for a service tunnel that I’ve commandeered to become my little hideout. It’s really not much, but it’s all mine and 100% off the grid. Maintenance personnel don't even come down here. I’m completely alone and I love it. No prying eyes, no unwanted thoughts, just me and the cold concrete. It’s heavenly. 

I moved down here full time a few months after my sister died and it became clear that no one was fixing up the tunnels. My biological carrier, the woman I refuse to call my mother, had begun drinking immediately. Not that she was a stranger to alcohol before, but it had only gotten worse. Her drunk thoughts quickly became her sober thoughts and all of them had to do with me. Why my sister had died instead of me, why she was the one that had to be stuck with me, why she had to have been cursed with such a freakish child. One that cried all the time, one that split her head in two when they had a tantrum, one that couldn't even be put into daycare to protect the other children, one that put her husband in a vegetative state. I became nothing more than a burden to her, if there was any part of her that still loved me, loved me like a mother is supposed to, it was buried deeper in her mind than even I could find. 

The mental abuse wasn’t what broke me though, the neglect hadn’t done it either. It was the night she made me beg. She had drunk so much that I felt drunk, felt drunk off the vertigo thoughts she was pulsing out into the room. She stumbled into my room, slurring speech and telling me how ungrateful I was to have someone like her that would take such good care of me. I should have known better, should have been quiet like usual, but I scoffed at that. The wench barely even knew how to take care of herself, the notion honestly tickled me. That did her in. She lunged at me and threw me to the floor, smacking me in the face once on both cheeks. She rolled off of me and left the room as drunkenly as she had come in. I just layed there and cried, hoping she was done, but knowing she wasn’t. I heard the door creak and felt her grab me by the hair, shoving me into a dining chair. The confusion must have been evident on my face, because she hit me again and made quick work of tying me to the wooden chair. She left me there, tied up, for days. She made me beg for food. Beg for water. Beg to be cleaned after I had pissed myself. She made me apologize for everything I had ever done. She made me admit I was a monster, one that hurt people for fun, because I wanted to, not because I couldn’t control my quirk. I can see now how that narrative would be easier for her to stomach, having a person to blame instead of accepting the shitty facts of reality, but I was her child. I had been pure. She was supposed to love me, protect me.

I stop walking, letting my renewed hatred for that woman settle on my shoulders like a warm, heavy blanket. Resolve hardening my heart and warping the soft emotions I had just been there. I heave a sigh and reach into my jacket pocket again, feeling the flashdrive from before. This is what I need. File upon file of precious documents and information right here in the palm of my hand, information that now exists nowhere else. 

I start walking again, exhausted from today's events. There had been so many close calls. I’m still reeling from a couple of them, my head still not on fully straight. I make it to my little pad and flop down on the mattress I have tucked away in the corner. I unzip my boots and massage my feet a little, pulling them into my lap to sit lotus style. My laptop had been haphazardly tossed into my bed, so I reach over and plug it into the charging cable snaking from the wall, also pushing the little flashdrive into the side port and letting all the documents download. I curl into a ball on my mattress and flop to the side, I’m so tired and so hungry, I’m not sure what to do. I have no food here so I'm going to  have to go back up to the surface level, but it’s still too light out, I’ll wait until the sun has fully set then go stop by a street vendor. In the meantime however, I treat myself to a nap. I hadn’t realized how heavy my eyes were until my head hit the soft material of my bed. 

I’m not sure how much time has passed since I fell asleep, but I wake up to my computer beeping. The download is complete. I smile to myself and close the laptop, removing the flashdrive from the side, again not bothering to eject it. I push myself up into a sitting position and rub my hands over my entire face and into my hair, fully waking myself up some more. I look down at myself, still in my full clothes and sigh, I guess I had been far more tired than I thought. My mind drifts to the dream I was having before my eyes had peeled back open. I only really dream when I sleep hard, which isn’t often since I’ve basically ruined my REM cycles. In my dream, I was with Eraser Head again, but this time we weren’t fighting, not really. He still had me caught in that damn capture weapon, but I was completely naked, my body exposed at all the right points for him to reach out and grab me, hit me, bite me. The memory of how his scarf felt against my skin heats up my face, my body clenching tightly. How does he still do this to me? He’s not even near me. 

I run a hand down my neck, trying to calm myself. I can’t get all riled up because of some hero. Can I? Another flash from my dream breaks through to the forefront of my mind. Eraser Head has me by the jaw, his mouth so close to mine I would be able to feel his breath on my lip if it had been real. That’s when he sensually licks my plush bottom lip, sucking it into his mouth and biting down softly, just enough to drive me crazy. Just enough for me to want more, to feel it in real life. I yell and pound my fist into the mattress. GET!! IT!! TOGETHER!! I launch myself onto my feet, tugging on my boots, determined to get his imagined ministrations out of my mind. I still need to eat anyway. The hunger tugging on my stomach and making it growl loudly, protesting the nap that had zapped away the rest of my evening. I look at my watch and groan, it's already past 9pm. 

I head back down the service tunnel that leads to my little crash pad, there’s a small, unpopular ramen stand I like to go to when it’s late. It's not the best bowl of ramen in the world, but it gets the job done and I’m not too picky when it comes to noodles in warm broth. The stand is right outside one of the stairwells into the underground platforms. The lights from the neon sign flicker dimly, it reads ‘OPEN to Business’. I slink down onto one of the stools and drop my money onto the counter, ordering a beef bowl. The man on the other side of the counter pours the broth and cuts vegetables before serving me the bowl with a small bow of his head. I return his formality before delving into the bowl. The soup smells better than usual, or maybe I’m just insanely hungry, either way the first bite leaves me melting into the bowl, hunched over, consuming the food at such a rate it would appear as if I hadn’t eaten in days. I hit the bottom of the white bowl in record time and slam down a few coins demanding more. The chef raises his eyebrow, but complies, almost over filling another bowl for me.

Hungry, ha? Good! Eat more!

I smile at him, actually warmed by his slight kindness, but it is soon forgotten as I begin slurping down noodles, beef, and cooked vegetables. I finish the second bowl almost as quickly as the first and slouch back, patting my very full belly. I was definitely hungrier than I realized. I sigh, content and sluggish as I slide off the side of the stool. I can’t help the light feeling in my chest as I shove my hands into my pockets. The moon is high in the sky and the night air is cool on my cheeks, it’s almost serene. I decide to take a little stroll, there’s another entrance to the platform a few blocks down, connecting to the other side of the service tunnel. I start my walk with casual steps, I’m not in a rush and I just want to breathe in the fresh air a little bit longer. There’s an empty orange soda can on the ground and I kick it with the inside of my foot, sending it skittering forward a few paces, stopping in a perfect place for me to kick it again. I continue kicking the can along with me as I walk, until I kick it a little too hard and it goes tumbling down into a storm drain. I shrug and round a corner, the can just a distraction anyways, something to fiddle with. I reach into my pocket and forget again that my marble isn't there. A prickle of nerves climbs up my arm and to the back of my neck, making my hair follicles stand on end. 

Suddenly alert, I tense my shoulders and scan the area, looking above me as well this time, I won’t be taken out from the rooftops again, but still I see nothing. The air around me has shifted. It’s no longer peaceful and delicate, it’s eerie and cold, sending a shiver through me again, the anxiety making me even more jumpy as I hear little sounds around me. Nothing out of the ordinary, city sounds, but it all gets to me, sending my heart rate in an upward spike. I start to run, unsure of where to go. I can feel someone, but where? It’s driving me crazy. I know there’s someone. I know it, but the absolute lack of a presence is what’s really fucking me up. An ubiquitous white flash darts out at me from the dark. I dodge quickly, leaning back so far my head barely misses slamming into the concrete below me. There’s another flash and I throw my legs out from underneath me, catching myself in a near handstand before flinging myself backwards again, still unsure of where the flashes are coming from. 

Before I can land back on my feet, I see it, a dark figure blur by me from the corner of my eye. I don’t know what or who it is, but my first instinct is to whip around and try to use my quirk, still only barely sure of the figure’s location. When I spin around, I’m immediately bombarded by two sensations. First, is the clarity in my brain that only comes when Eraser Head is muting my quirk. The second, is the heat that grows in my stomach when I realize exactly who I’m up against. My chest flushes, and my thoughts flash back to my dream, the way he had halfway kissed me. That’s all the distraction he needs to scoop me up in his capture weapon and have me dangling upside down from the nearest street pole. 

Seeing him from this angle is different as the blood starts to rush to my head, making me feel dizzy. I thrash around a little, to no avail, before allowing myself to give up, feeling too sluggish from my meal anyways. Even if I manage to get out of this coil I could barely expect to actually get away. Eraser Head slowly saunters up to my upside down body, rocking from side to side, he looks menacing and my body clenches tight again. Gezzus fuck, this man is hot. “You wanted to see me again. That’s what you said, isn’t it?” He pulls the goggles covering his eyes up unto his forehead and I can see his whole face. There’s a scar underneath his eye that I hadn’t seen before, it marks his skin beautifully and I can’t help but imagine what he looked like with the fresh wound, blood running down his face. I bet it was gorgeous. He’s a striking figure on his own, but covered in blood? I gulp heavily, the downward gravity making it hard. Eraser bends his knees, squatting down so we’re on an even eye level, his are still glowing red and I’m reeling from the proximity. He’s so close. He’s right there. I could reach out and grab him if my arms weren’t strung up to my sides. 

I can’t touch him, but he’s still close enough for me to throw my head back, letting the momentum force me back down to collide my skull with his. I hear a crunch and feel warm blood trickle up my face from my nose, it's in my mouth too. Eraser stumbles back, not prepared for a headbutt. It’s true what they say, no one wins in a headbutt, but it feels like a win as I see a small trail of blood coming from his forehead, it’s so much hotter that it’s my blood. He looks even better than I had imagined, of course he does. My skull is pulsing already and my quirk is returned to me as he tries to steady himself. He does, quicker than I had hoped. My head is still splitting and I don't have enough time to regain myself before he’s taking my quirk again. Damn, he’s good. I chuckle to myself, licking the blood from my lips. This is actually kind of fun. Eraser Head looks down at me again, gripping my hair tightly now to keep me from moving again. His eyes are wild, his jaw tight. It’s taking all of him not to beat the living shit out of me. I can tell. 

Then his expression changes and he looks mischievous, teasing even. The slight confusion I have is short lived before he yanks my head forward, my neck craned at an awkward angle to look directly up at him. “My turn.” He says, dropping my head so I’m swinging back and forth again, only able to see him every couple seconds. He takes a step back and I see him poise himself for a second, spinning into a roundhouse kick that connects with my temple and knocks me out cold.

Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed it!

THINGS ARE DEF GONNA START HEATING UP FROM HERE!!!! stay tuned hehe XD

[mystic-kitten-writer]

Limerence [M] ︳32

Pairing: Zuko x OC

Genre: Romance, mainly fluff with future smut, and if you squint hard enough - you’ll find some angst.

Rating: SFW

Words: 14300+

Notes: It’s here! Get ready for the flood of emotions, sorry not sorry. But it's also crazy to see how far the story has gotten now. Did you know that I passed my one-year anniversary for this story (silently cries by myself in the corner). I'm so emotionally attached to this story it's stupid. But I hope you enjoy the story, and thank you for the awesome love and support!

Please stay healthy and safe, take care~!

Masterlist ︳Bonus pt. 2 [M] ︳ 33

❤ Buy me a coffee? ❤

Limerence: (English/n.) the state of being infatuated with another person.

The moment their eyes locked they knew - the flames within him twisted while the water within her turned. It was a connection, a connection that would lead to love, adventure, and drama.

Tacenda

(Latin/n.) Things better left unsaid; not to be mentioned to the public.

~ Ying Yue Jiang ~

            “You know…you have beautiful eyes, Princess.”

            “Awe, thanks, Sokka.”

            “Too bad your face is ugly.”

            “I swear-”

            The immature hoots that erupted from Sokka were loud and clear. His belly rumbled in amusement, entertained at my exasperated expression as I rested over his stomach.

            We were lounging in Zuko’s and I bedroom, munching on cookies on our bed, despite it being early in the morning. Zuko already rose and went for a morning jog – and I would be lying if I said I didn’t use the excuse of me being under the weather to avoid that run.

            It was as Zuko was leaving that Sokka busted through the grand doors, still in his polar bear pyjamas, with a plate of cookies in hand – “I wanted to check up on Princess, see how she’s feeling.”

            And that leads us to where we were now.

            I grumbled under my breath, stuffing another fresh-baked chocolate-chip cookie into my mouth as Sokka beamed down at me. Despite the pointless banter and teasing, Sokka and I were venting to each other; I was beyond happy. I never realized how much I missed spending time with him – he was my partner in crime, the person who helped me learn to laugh again.

            And while Sokka has been by my side from the beginning – we never got a chance to hang out as much as I would’ve wanted. Appreciate the presence of each other, even though ‘sibling time’ means tons of teasing and humiliation.

            A hand rested behind his head as he leaned against the bedframe, stuffing another cookie in his mouth. His hair has grown so much already.

            Usually, it was up in a messy top knot, but today, he let his hair down. Zuko still had the lengthiest hair out of the guys, but Sokka was starting to prove himself to be a worthy competitor. I was always jealous of how attractive Katara’s and Sokka’s brown hair was. There were natural blond highlights, and it complimented their baby blue eyes.

            “Hey…did Aang bring Momo?” I pondered out loud; brows pinched as I tried to recall the last time I saw that mischievous creature. He was already so infuriatingly elusive, but now that we were in the Kingdom, it was like he vanished.

            “Yeah, but you know how Momo is…” Sokka mumbled under his breath, more focused on chewing the cookie stuffed in his mouth than answering my question.

            “I haven’t seen him once!” I exclaimed, and Sokka snorted, “Join the club. I asked Aang the other day, told me Momo is hiding out in the kitchen.” I couldn’t help but roll my eyes hearing that – of course, Momo is there. Appa would’ve joined Momo if he were here and could fit.

            “Explains why the kitchen staff is panicking. They keep complaining that the food keeps disappearing – scared it could be a ghost.”

            “You know what would be really funny…” Sokka considered, and based off the tone alone – I knew he was thinking of something evil. My mouth opened and closed, fighting the temptation to ask because I knew better. There was a reason why Sokka and I got along; we were the definition of dumb and dumber.

            My lips puckered, and the next thing I knew, I turned on my side, facing Sokka eagerly –“What’s your plan?” Sokka grinned, sitting upright. I yelped, body rolling onto his lap, and in a bold move – he put down the plate of sweets on the bed. He means business.

            “What if we covered Momo in flour – make him look like a ghost? The kitchen staff would lose their minds.”

            “Sokka~! I can already imagine the mess.”

            “And I can already imagine the looks on their faces when they see a ghost.” I huffed, crossing my arms. “No, Zuko will kill me if he finds out it was us.”

            “Keyword, if.”

            “Where is Katara when you need her?!” I groaned to myself. If Katara were here, she would’ve shut down this plan before Sokka could even think of it. She was the mother of the group for a reason – she kept us all in check.

            I grabbed a cookie from the plate that Sokka set aside, shoving it against Sokka’s lips. “Lie back down and eat a cookie.” I pestered, the only way I knew how to distract him. Sokka laughed against the cookie I practically stuffed, trying to chew the whole thing in one go.

            “Aren’t you excited? She’s arriving tonight.” He mumbled between chomps. An enormous smile appeared on my lips, brushing my bedhead hair away from my face. “I can’t wait!” I gushed, body sprawling across the bed as I hugged my teddy bear close to my chest.

            My gaze shifted upwards, staring at the wooden lined ceiling above us, with a silly look. It’s been how long since I’ve last seen Katara? It felt like forever, but I knew it was only a few months. Woah…me and Zuko haven’t been dating for that long, have we?

            It felt like Zuko, and I have been together for years – but not in a bad way. I just felt so comfortable with him. Our routines, how open we are with each other, it was surprising to think that we haven’t been together for that long. But also look at everything that happened, everything we have gone through together…

            It’s no surprise we’re as close as we are. We practically went through everything a couple may experience over their lifetime in a span of a few months. Add in the fact that he’s the ruler of a nation – things get a bit complicated.

            “She’s going to freak out when she hears everything that is going on.

            I pouted, snapping my head towards Sokka, “She doesn’t know?” Sokka grimaced, his silliness gone and face stern, “No. We didn’t want to give too much information via messenger bird or attached to Appa. It could get intercepted. It’s not worth the risk.”

            A blue silence fell between us; my gaze returned to the ceiling, lost in my thoughts. Despite all the smiles, the giggles, the sweet moments of bliss – that didn’t change the current chaos around us. Mai is a traitor, Azula is back, and Yakone-

            It was like someone punched me.

            The mere mention of Yakone had a shiver running up my spine, the hairs on my arms rising in terror. Zuko didn’t mention his name once around me, and I wonder if it was because he knew how shaken up I was after the incident. The worst part of it all was I still had the handkerchief Yakone gave me that night when he comforted me, hidden away in my vanity. Gosh, I should’ve thrown it out, burnt it –anything, but keeping it.

            I didn’t know why I even kept the stupid thing. Maybe it was to remind me that Yakone wasn’t that evil as a man? That there was still a little bit of good left in him. Yakone knew my family’s crane story.

            Dumb luck?

            He’s also a Bloodbender.

            But Aang told me that-

            “Princess…how is your ‘Fire Nation Politics’ lessons going?” Sokka asked, his voice cutting my thoughts in half. I couldn’t help but jump slightly in surprise, and Sokka’s hand fell over my forehead, a soothing gesture spotting my uneasiness.

            “Hmm? S-sorry, I didn’t hear properly.” I mumbled quickly, looking up at Sokka. He rolled his eyes at my aloofness, flicking my head before speaking again, “You’re lessons involving politics. Zuko told me you’ve been learning a few things.”

            I groaned loudly.

            Gosh, bloody Fire Nation politics.

            The moment I accepted that stupid Imperial Consort seal, I’ve had to brush up on my Fire Nation knowledge. From previous Fire Lords, customs, family trees, and laws – I wanted to cry. It wasn’t that it wasn’t interesting, it was just so much information thrown at me at once.

            My hands fell over my face as I internally sobbed.

            “It’s so difficult. I understand the basics, but the system here seems so backwards at times.” I whined into my hands, venting all the annoyance I had bottled up. There were so many things going on; at this point, I felt like I was memorizing words rather than understanding.

            But knowing the rules did help out and gave me the chance to fire that meanie of a councilmember…Maybe I did understand more than I was giving myself credit for. But with everything else going on at the moment, my head hurt tons.

            “Why don’t you ask Zuko to help you out, Princess? He is kind of like, the Fire Lord.” My hands dropped from my face, opting to throw my arms into the air in defeat. “I don’t want to bother Zuko. He has so much on his plate. I want to do this on my own.”

            “But Princess, this is his job. He’ll help if you ask– he wants to help.”

            I huffed to myself, biting my lips in frustration, “I know, but...I-uhh-I don’t know. I don’t want to. Have you seen the book I had to read for this week?”

            Sokka shook his head, and I grumbled to myself, “On my nightstand. See that ridiculously thick book? Yeah, try reading a page and not fall asleep.” Sokka laughed at the evident disgust in my voice, grinning madly as he reached to his side. Just thinking about the book had me shivering in fear.

            But I was trying.

            Watching the way Zuko worked on a daily, it made me want to work just as hard. I wanted the prove everyone wrong – that I wasn’t some arm candy for Zuko. That I knew what I was doing… Sometimes, it felt like Zuko was the only one who believed in me in this kingdom. I won the people’s hearts – now I had to prove to the council that I can do this.

            I closed my eyes, letting my arm rest over my eyes, the migraine that I’ve had still dully throbbing.

            It was strange, for the past five or so days, I kept fluctuating from feeling better to isolating myself in bed. My body was hurting; my head felt like a hot mix of heavy and aching. Was having a cold always this annoying? I usually had Katara heal me; I haven’t experienced a full-blown illness in years.

            “I’m gonna read where you have your bookmark,” Sokka spoke, and I merely nodded.

            Although…I don’t remember leaving a bookmark in my book…I didn’t make it far enough to bother putting one. I could hear Sokka snort as if he was trying to sniffle in a laugh-

            “Yesterday, Zuko used the lounging area after our bath, and I couldn’t be happier! He looked sooooo cute sitting there, reading. He almost fell asleep-”

            “OH MY GOSH SOKKA STOP!” I screamed. This asshole was reading my bloody journal!

            Sokka jumped out of bed, the fastest I’ve ever seen him move. I don’t even think he’s moved this fast or much during his times in battles. His bare feet hit the ground with a loud thud, laughing obnoxiously loud as he watched my expression of pure humiliation.

            My eyes were bulging, cheeks a flaming hot red as I jumped in the bed, frantically trying to grab the notebook from his grasp.

            “I love how when Zuko thinks he pouts like a child and-”

            “Sokka STOP – give it back!” I moaned loudly, embarrassment about to eat me alive and be my cause of death. But my cries fell upon deaf ears, Sokka smiling like the cat that got the cream and sliding away from me. I huffed stridently, flying off the bed and flailing my arms stupidly.

            Toph and I were the same height, which meant that everyone was outlandishly taller than us by two heads, minimum. I hopped up and down, trying my hardest to get Sokka to shut up – oh my gosh, I’m going to strangle him. But he just rose his arms high above him, reading the damn diary loud and proud. Please don’t read more, or else he’s going to-

            “It’s crazy to think that it’s those same pouty lips that left these hickies- OH NO. I’m GOING TO KILL HIM!” Sokka raged, his face matching my red face.

            I lunged forward, digging my shoulder into Sokka’s stomach.

            Both of us went tumbling down on the floor, sounding like thunder during a rainstorm. One would have thought we were doing some training exercise at the amount of effort and roughhousing we were currently engaging in. Who needs a morning run when you have a dumbass older brother reading your diary?

            “Give it back to me!”

            “NEVER. I swear, what else has that asshole done? I’m bringing you back home after we figure this stuff out!”

            “OH shut up, Sokka. I’m staying here!”

            “No, you aren’t! HOLY SHIT – you guys did WHAT in his office!?”

            “Sokka, stop reading!” I shrieked, trying to rip the damn book from his hands. I was puffing brashly, Sokka swinging his arms above him, despite me sitting on his chest, trying to catch his hands.

            “No! I do work on that damn desk sometimes. I’ve drunken TEA on top of there!” Oh, screw this, “I swear Sokka, I’ll choke you out if you don’t give me my diary!”

            “You wouldn’t dare.” He hissed under his breath; blue eyes narrowed – the glare of a warrior. I shot back the same look he gave me – I could be just as scary as him if I tried really-really hard. Sorry, Suki – find yourself a new man-

            “Should I even ask?”

            Sokka and I froze, heads snapping upwards, hearing the gruff voice echoing above us.

            Zuko stood at the end of the bed, his arms across his broad chest, as he watched us with a mixture of confusion and amusement. His face was rosy from running, a few beads of sweat running down his temple and neck. I could see the way his chest rose with every breath, still winded from his workout.

            My cheeks flushed at the sight of Zuko’s sweaty body, and at how silly Sokka and I looked. But Sokka seemed just as startled as me. Taking advantage of the opportunity, I snatched the notebook away from his hands, “HA~!”

            Sokka’s eyes widen, stunned at how fast I stole the book, sticking my tongue at him.

            It was like Zuko never entered the room.

            Sokka and I bickered back and forth like toddlers unable to share a damn toy. Our faces were pink, not taking the time to breathe between words, let alone sentences.

            “For fucks sakes, it’s way too early in the morning to deal with this,” Zuko grumbled under his breath, and I turned my gaze back to my handsome man.

            He strolled over to the closet, patting down his face with the towel dangling over his shoulders. I fought the urge to drool over the sight – let’s not check out Zuko with Sokka in the room. Just as fast as Zuko entered the closet, he walked out, grabbing a set of clothing– those are some extravagant clothing he picked.

            Every piece of clothing Zuko owned was stunning, made of the most delicate fabrics. But as he threw a new outfit onto the bed indolently, I saw the golden shimmers that illuminated under the morning sun and the beautifully sewed dragons.

            Sokka opened his mouth to argue, and I just slapped his head with my notebook, muffling his cries. “Zuko, why are you dressing up? Is there a meeting?” I asked, raising my voice so Zuko could hear me over Sokka’s squeals. He perked up, shooting me a look of disbelief.

            “Wow, won’t you look at that. Now my Imperial Consort acknowledges my existence.” He sarcastically spoke. I rolled my eyes at Zuko, bouncing off Sokka’s chest. Ignoring Sokka and his angry rant, I skipped towards Zuko, “You know I love you, Zuko~.”

            “Mhmm – it seems you love me the most during the night when you need a heater.”

            “…I’m not going to deny that.” I giggled, and right away, Zuko shot me a glare. A harmless glare, because I saw the grin that fought to emerge.

            “I advise you, and Sokka, change soon. I don’t think you want to be dressed in your nightclothes when she arrives.”

            Huh? She?

            “You’re talking about Katara? Isn’t she arriving tonight-” Sokka budded in, and I noticed he had the plate of leftover cookies in hand, chewing away. Zuko nodded his head, his amber eyes settling over me, “I got word they’re at Ember Island at the moment, taking a little break. They should arrive in the next hour or two.”

            My face flushed, clapping excitedly.

            “She’s almost here!” I gushed, turning on my heel to face Sokka. For the moment, the fact that he was reading my diary, and was about to kill Zuko was lost to the wind – both us animated at the thought of seeing Katara again.

            “Sokka, get out so I can change! I need to take a bath.”

            “I know you do, you stink.”

            “I swear Sokka-” I hissed under my breath, and just as quick as Sokka was to tease, he stepped forward, his playful grin shifting to a tender smile. His fingers brushed through the tangled strands of hair that fell over my face, combing them out of the way. My body relaxed and a lax smile of my own emerging at the gentle gesture.

            “I’m glad you’re feeling better, Princess.” He whispered under his breath, and I couldn’t help but let out a soft laugh. “Thanks for checking up on me, and the cookies…I missed you…even if you annoy me.”

            Sokka grinned, flicking my forehead, “I’m always here, Princess...and…I’m taking the cookies with me.” He turned on his heel, shouting his goodbyes to Zuko before I could fight for my right to indulge in those tempting sweets. The pace at which he bee-lined for the exit, the door shutting behind him in one fluid motion, was unmatchable – leaving Zuko and me alone.

            My shoulders dropped, a content sigh escaping me – I’m happy.

            “Love?”

            My eyes widen, turning to see Zuko with those enticing eyes. He titled his head to the side, nudging towards the bathroom. An innocent giggle escaped me, already knowing what my dear Zuko was asking.

            “Give me a minute to grab some clothes-”

            “Already picked a dress for you.” I couldn’t hide my surprised expression even if I tried. “You did? I didn’t see you grab anything-”

            “I will after our bath. Although naked sounds like a tempting option, I must say.” Zuko sheepishly spoke, laughing under his breath as he waltzed towards me. His arms wrapped around my waist, gazing down at me with a broad smile. My hands fell over his chest, feeling his pulse under my touch.

            “Sokka says I stink…clearly; he didn’t smell you.” I teased, and Zuko leaned in, playfully biting my nose. His teeth grazed my skin, and I giggled at his childish behaviour. It will repeatedly take me off guard how utterly spiritedly Zuko could be – a trait that didn’t seem to pop up often, even with the others.

            “Mmm, stinky and stinky.” He muttered under his breath, “We make a good pair.”

            “Soon, we’ll be clean and clean.” I bantered back, enjoying the dimpled smile that shined brightly on Zuko’s face.

            “What were you and Sokka fighting about?” Zuko asked, his lips pecking my forehead, still holding me close to his body – making no move to head to the bathroom. I groaned to myself, letting my head plop onto his chest with a thud, recalling what had happened.

            “That bum read my diary! It was so embarrassing!” I blew.

            “You know…” Zuko spoke, and I heard the dip in his voice.

            My head snapped upwards, and I wasn’t astounded to see that shit-eating smirk flicker upon those sinful lips. The way my heart pounded, expression naïve hearing and seeing the way Zuko licked his lips mischievously, leaning too close for comfort.

            “I must say – my favourite part is when you write about how much you adore my voice.” Zuko mused, and at that moment – my cheeks turned a red that not even Zuko’s flames could match.

            My mouth dropped, babbling nonsense as I slapped Zuko’s chest hard – as if I could slap the awkwardness out of me. But Zuko didn’t seem the slightest bit flustered; instead, he looked down at me with a glowing grin. I can’t believe this asshole-

            “Does NO ONE understand the concept of PRIVACY!?” I squealed, puffing as I grumbled under my breath. “I can’t believe you read my diary! You’re just as annoying as Sokka!”

            “Who said I read your diary, love?” I frowned, staring at Zuko with confusion, “You-you just said that you knew-” Zuko grinned mischievously, the tips of his fingers tickling my jaw, shutting me up.

            “Oh, my sweet love. I didn’t read your diary. Just a lucky guess.”

            “You were bluffing-”

            “Nice to know what you think of my voice, although-” Zuko smirked, planting a deceitfully sweet kiss on my nose, “I can’t say that I am surprised.” I stood there, rattled, cheeks a flaming red - Zuko always seemed to know.

            That prideful smirk of his didn’t vanish, his delicate fingers leaving my face, arm no longer hugging me close. His welcomed warmth left my body, smugly stepping back, taking in my flustered appearance to the fullest.

            “Shall we get into our bath, love?” he spoke calmly, it was maddening.

            “I’m going to drown you,” I complained under my breath, watching the way Zuko confidently strolled towards the bathroom. But being the oh-so-famous man he was, Zuko shrugged off the threat with ease.

            His long fingers untied his loose bun, looking over his shoulder with a playful grin, “I can think of ten other things I would rather do in that tub than drown.”

            “Zuko~!”

            “And that’s exactly what I indeed to hear from those pretty lips of yours, baby.”

            “Everything is set for Katara’s arrival, Fire Lord Zuko.”

            “Including the extra guard?”

            “Yes, Fire Lord. They are at their post.”

            Zuko huffed under his breath, nodding at the servants' words, although I couldn’t help but notice how empty his tone sounded. My eyes shifted from the chaos before me, feeling the way Zuko was moving his arm, which I tightly hugged. The moment I tilted my head upwards, an amused smile painted my lips. What a manchild-

            The golden stings that decorated Zuko’s sleeves seemed to have unravelled.

            I watched as he puckered, failing miserably at tying the adornment with one hand. The fabric slipped from between his fingers, and it may have been the first time, I dare say, that Zuko was unelegant. For a man with such a soft touch and long delicate fingers – you would have thought he had tree stumps as digits at the way he wriggled.

            “Fire Lord Zuko – let me.” I hummed.

            I grasped his arm, tugging him closer to myself as I tied the flimsy strings together. No wonder he was struggling – it was silk. A small huff, and a tongue biting moment later – I quickly began tying.

            Our pace of walking slowed without me realizing, and I couldn’t help but smile pridefully at how adorable my little knot was. While cute was not synonymous with Zuko for the majority of the population – it was in my books. What was there not to label cute about Zuko?

            “Mmm, what would I do without my lovely Imperial Consort?” Zuko droned into my ear, a deep huskiness causing my cheeks to flush. I could hear the teasing tone with every word, but that didn’t change the touch of truth in his statement. The guards and servants around us giggled softly, overhearing the teasing banter, causing my cheeks to deepen in colour.

            I looked upwards, not expecting to see Zuko as close as he was. It reminded me of the events that happened just a few days ago, us laughing like children down the hallway, close and snuggled. That’s right, Izumi was the name we settled on…

            The way his eyes smiled at me, inspecting the way my touch left his sleeves, opting to embrace his arm close to my body. For a moment in time, I found myself speechless. Zuko looked handsome today, breathtaking. Was that unusual? Not at all – but Zuko made my skin tingle, butterflies fluttering, and breath gone.

            “You would be lost – that’s what you would be.” I chirped back, biting my lips with a tone to match his. The way Zuko’s eyes lit up, surprised that I decided to amuse him. His lips began to move, ready to spit out some witty retort, but the sound of a servant clearing his throat beat him to it.

            “Fire Lord Zuko, you have a lunch date planned today with your mother, in the gardens. I assume you wish to cancel?”

            A lunch date? How sweet! It’s been a while since Zuko and Ursa have spent some time together. But rather than lighting up the way Zuko usually does at the mere mention of Ursa, he pinched the bridge of his nose in irritation. I pouted, observing his evident annoyance, not seeming as content to hear of such a plan like me.

            “She’s going to kill me for canceling again- Yes, please cancel-” Zuko hissed under his breath. He can’t be serious-

            “Zuko.” I huffed, tugging on his arm without thinking. In a flash, everyone turned their attention to me – and I mentally slapped myself for doing such an act in public. But I pushed aside the regret, focusing on the matter at hand.

            “You aren’t really going to cancel your afternoon plans with Ursa, are you?” I whisper shouted, looking at Zuko with wide eyes. His lips puckered at my words, shooting me a look that screamed, ‘what else am I suppose to do?’

            I swear- this man really is lost without me at times.

            “We arrived here almost a week ago, and you’ve haven’t seen your family once. They’re worried.” I reasoned, and Zuko sighed, gazing around us in frustration. The guards got the hint. They awkwardly turned their looks away, walking briskly in front of us, giving us plenty of space to talk without anyone overhearing.

            “I know that Yue, but when Katara lands, we need to discuss-” Zuko hissed under his breath, lips pressed as he tried to hush his tone. “Zuko.” I pleaded, shaking my head, tightening my hold.

            The large doors that lead outside, where we landed with Appa, was coming into view. I spotted a dash of green running through the doors, most likely Suki. That means everyone is already there, waiting for Katara’s arrival.

            “I’ve been here for how long, and I only got to share one moment with you in those gardens. One walk – don’t do the same thing with your mom. She misses you.” I begged, and right away, Zuko’s stern look shifted to that of genuine regret. His cheeks flushed, stripping his gaze away from mine, his lips twisted to a frown.

            “You know how to make a man feel guilty,” Zuko grumbled under his breath as he strode forward, but I tugged on his arm harshly. He’s trying to run away from his feelings. We abruptly stopped dead in our tracks, turning on his heel to look down at me with narrowed eyes. Zuko wasn’t upset with me – he just sucks at expressing himself.

            Zuko was more of a family man than he let on. He would do anything for them, but it was like he was afraid to admit how much he cared. How much he thought about them and enjoyed their presence. I wasn’t a fool; I caught the sweet stares he sent to his mom or Uncle Iroh, enjoying their company, even if it was just for a few seconds.   

            “What I’m trying to say is this-” I muttered softly, upset that I caused that frown to rise. “We’ve survived this long without someone attacking us. I think the gang would understand and can wait a few more hours before our meeting. Katara is probably exhausted as well; she could use some rest…” I hummed.

            Out of the corner of my eyes, I could spot the servants studying us, curious as to why we halted. I let my hands rest over Zuko’s forearms, squeezing as I smiled up at him, “You’re a man of work, Zuko. And I love that, but don’t forget that you have a family too...”

            “I knew it was a bad idea to let Uncle Iroh and mom keep you company…they taught you their ways of getting to my mind.” Zuko mumbled under his breath, but I spotted that gentle smile of his starting to shine through – my sun.

            “When are you going to learn that I’m always the one in control?” I teased, and in a flash, Zuko gripped my hands tightly. My heart pounded loudly, blood pumping as I watched as Zuko brought my hands to his lips, placing sweet pecks all over my palms.

            “Mmm, I don’t deny such a truth, I pride myself in it.” he snickered, before stealing one last caress. “Let’s go, baby. Based on the ruckus outside, and dirt flying everywhere, it seems like Katara has arrived.”

            “I’m so excited, Zuko. I missed her-”

            “Oh, I’m very much aware of how excited you are. All night you were squirming around in your sleep. It felt like I was cuddling a worm.” Zuko laughed, and I blushed. This tease- I pulled my grip away, playfully punching his chest, not at all caring that we were not in the private confines of our bedroom.

            “Watch yourself, love – you wouldn’t want to get arrested now.” Zuko grinned, and I scoffed.

            “We both know that the guards love me more than you. So if you, Sir, don’t want to get put into cuffs, I advise you be careful.” I smugly retorted, and it was then and there I knew I was treading in dangerous waters.

            The large gap between us felt far too small, watching the way Zuko’s lips twisted to a naughty smirk that had my stomach in knots.

            He leaned forward, his lips grazing my jaw, his hot breath tickling the skin at the base of my neck. That alone had my breath hitching, and the incontrollable response had Zuko clicking his tongue in amusement. His alluring scent had my head spinning, knees on the verge of buckling at his mere presence. But it was Zuko’s damn voice that had me teetering on edge. Fuck him-

            “Mhmm, we both know that you would look delicious in a pair of cuffs, baby. And while I would never think of using such means, ‘cause you’re such a good girl, I’m not against the idea.”

            “Zuko-” I gulped, my hands bunching the fabric of my dress in my hands. I could feel my palms getting sweaty, realizing I’ve been holding my breath the whole time. And at the mere sound of my voice, Zuko let out a low groan in my ear, tilting his head back as he licked his lips. The way his eyes fluttered closed for a moment, rolling back – was it because of me?

            “There you go again, love. Saying my name in that needy tone of yours – it drives me mad.” He purred, and my eyes widened. Does no one see this, hear this? I anxiously shifted my gaze around us, scared that someone would see what was happening. I can’t continue breaking royal rules. I need just one day. One day where I go without breaking a damn rule.

            But my resolved cracked.

            The guards and servants were far more interested in watching the arrival of Appa through the windows, talking amongst themselves than what was going on between us. They have no clue; they’re completely oblivious-

            “Come on, baby, let me hear the sweet voice of yours again.” Zuko toyed, catching my attention. His lips brushed against my jaw once again, a hand falling on the dip of my back. I couldn’t help it – his lips are so close to mine, and no one is watching.

            One kiss. One kiss is all I want-

            “THANK THE FUCKING GODS I AIN’T THE ONLY ONE LATE.”

            If Zuko wasn’t holding on my waist the way he was now, I would’ve fallen on my face.

            We pushed off each other, the looks of two people who got caught painted on our faces. But just like that, Zuko collected himself. His touch left me, crossing his arms with a scowl on his face as he watched Sokka dash towards us in a mad sprint.

            Why is Sokka-

            Sokka’s thick brown hair reflected off the sunlight, droplets of water flying as he ran like a sprinkler. His hands were desperately working on the white buttons that decorated his navy blue top, flaunting his exposed torso to us. Are his shoes on the opposite feet?

            “Sokka? Why are you-” I whispered, but Zuko blew loudly, finishing off my train of thought. “A bloody mess? Come on, man, you’re leaving a fucking trail of water, and you aren’t even a Waterbender.” I stifled in a laugh because Zuko was totally right. There was a damn pond now in the kingdom, courtesy of Sokka.

            But Sokka grinned largely, not at all bothered by Zuko’s expression of disappointment. Aang and Sokka, I think the only two people who are immune to Zuko’s glares. Even I would cower away from such a stare.

            “I had to shower, and Suki had to shower too, and one thing led to another-”

            My cheeks flushed, and before I knew it, my hands fell over my ears, shutting my eyes and trying to push the mental image away. “Too much details Sokka!” I shouted, twisting on my heels, and Sokka let out a petty laugh.

            “HA. Oh yeah, cause that diary didn’t have too much information, Princess.” I frowned, hands falling on my hips as Sokka came to a halt beside us, closing the last button of his top. Oh, I swear, I’m going to kill Sokka-

            “You didn’t have to read my diary, dummy!” I shouted, and I could hear Zuko sigh beside us.“Why is my best friend, a fucking idiot?” Zuko mumbled, his arm snaking around my waist.

            “AWW MAN, I’m you’re best friend?” Sokka spoke, beaming like a child towards Zuko, and I found my jaw-dropping. Out of everything Zuko said, all he got was ‘friend’?

            “You’re an idiot,” Zuko spoke, a touch of genuine fear in his voice. I couldn’t help but snort, shaking my head as I brushed my hair behind my ears, looking forward. But it still doesn’t explain why Sokka is late.

            “We just saw Suki a few moments ago, Sokka,” I spoke, observing him. He had an elastic between his teeth, his hands frantically brushing his hair to a messy bun.

            “Yeah, well, as I said, we had to shower. I was just getting in, and she was just finishing.” Sokka mumbled between clenched teeth. With a free hand, he grabbed the hair tie, wrapping his hair in a somewhat presentable hair-do. “I still think I have shampoo in my hair…” Sokka grumbled under his breath.

            Who needs a damn child when you can have Sokka? I rolled my eyes, reaching forward as I watched the way Sokka struggled to put on the coat that he had swung over his shoulder. I’m surprised it didn’t fall off during his mad sprint towards us. I reached forward, fingers grazing the rough material, only for an animated shout to catch our attention.

            “Come on, slow-pokes! She’s here!”

            My eyes widen, looking in front of us. Suki’s head was popping through the grand doors. She was free of her Kyoshi warrior outfit, opting for a natural look. Her eyes matched the sweet smile of hers, her green dress flowing in the light breeze outside. Her brown hair bobbed back and forth as she eagerly bounced in her spot in excitement.

            “Some siblings you are – both of you guys are late.” She laughed before shutting the door behind her. Katara is here! In a flash, I gazed up to Zuko with doe eyes, ready to babble in anticipation, but I found myself stopping. The smile on Zuko’s face – it didn’t reach his eyes.

            I’m an idiot.

            “Come on; Katara’s going to give us a damn lecture if she doesn’t see us in the next ten seconds.” Sokka huffed, striding ahead of us. Zuko merely nodded, the arm wrapped around my waist thrusting me forward to match Sokka’s pace.

            Zuko didn’t utter a word; he just kept his gaze forward as we walked towards the doors. His lips were pressed tight despite the smile on his face. It was those fake smiles of his, I’ve seen them before whenever he was tired, or annoyed but had to show face in the name of politics.

            Zuko and Katara.

            I never did ask, but did they ever talk about what happened in the Southern Water Tribe? Things just happened so fast, and as reasonable as Zuko was, he was as stubborn as Katara could be petty.

            Did they make-up, did Katara apologize to Zuko? Zuko flat out admitted he wanted Katara to help heal me, but was it because he trusted her, or because he was desperate to see me better?

            The servants in front of us quickly opened the door for us, and for a split moment, I saw the slight scowl on Zuko’s face.

            Zuko…

            Awkward was a word I would have never used to describe Katara’s and my relationship.

            We were many things – but above all, we were sisters despite not sharing the same blood. It was funny; she was born in November, me in July, the same year, but she was more of a big sister to me than I was to her. She just had this motherly aura about her, even making Zuko seem like a child to us all.

            A silence fell over us as we stood side by side.

            My fingers twirled around each other as we walked along the hallway, me admiring the view of the gardens before us. It was a beautiful day, the sunlight shining, the flowers seemingly reaching their peak in beauty. I could only imagine the sweet scents the flowers were producing should we have been walking outside instead.

            Awkward.

            The others were busy working on their tasks, Aang with his new Nation, Sokka, Toph, and Suki regarding a battle plan. And Zuko- I smiled. I could see him and Ursa, sitting under the large cherry blossom tree that towered above all. The pink blossoms created a blanket-like cover for Zuko and Ursa to sit on, something straight out of a fairytale.

            Even from here, I could see the contentment on Ursa’s face as Zuko poured her some tea. But the same emotion was evident on his, and while I couldn’t prove it, I was certain that those heart-throbbing dimples of his were most likely present on his face.

            Katara carefully brushed a brown braid behind her ear, her fingers playing with the flimsy envelope in her arms. I figured she would’ve used the time Zuko is spending with his mother to rest, but instead, she said she wanted to spend some time with me. I was beyond delighted to hear her say that, but now that she was here-

            Awkward.

            Why were things so awkward between us right now?

            The sound of Zuko’s laughter caught my attention, a tinge of pink dusting my cheeks. His smile was wide as he shook his head in amusement, his mother nodding eagerly as she spoke. The way Zuko studied his mom, listening to her every word like it was gold. He loved his mother to the moon and back; there wasn’t a doubt about it.

            “You and Zuko…you two seem happy.” Katara hummed softly, the first one to speak in the awkward silence that somehow managed to fall between us. I froze, unable to move my feet as I sharply turned to stare at Katara.

            Her blue eyes were round and filled with admiration, a genuine smile on her face. “Suki was right; you do stare at him a lot.” My mouth dropped, cheeks flaring up as I found myself speechless. Katara’s smile soon turned to an almighty grin, laughing at the reaction she got out of me, “Has Sokka declared himself as the ‘almighty cockblock’ yet?”

            I snorted, “The first week.”

            “He’s so overprotective.”

            “Tell me about it, that dummy read my diary today!”

            “He did not.” Katara huffed, her cheeks matching my red ones once I told her the news. But as the words left her mouth, I noticed how close we had gotten. Both of our bodies were leaned towards each other, eagerly talking as if the awkward silence that was consuming us never happened.

            The awkwardness…

            “Yue…?”

            “Katara…”

            “I missed you.”

            At her final words, I found my arms quickly flying over her shoulders, a happy smile painting my face. “I missed you, too, Katara,” I whispered, not at all caring that I was wrinkling the important paper pressed against her chest. Katara let out a giggle as she snuggled her head into my neck, cuddling me back to the best of her abilities without dropping the letter.

            The awkwardness was not because of some ill feelings, but because we didn’t know where to start.

            I’ve never been away from Katara and Sokka before; it was usually them leaving me for work. But now…it was different. This wasn’t a matter or us leaving for a few weeks or months and coming back. I lived here now, forever, this was my new home.

            My new life with Zuko.

            “It’s been so long; I don’t even know where to start.” I gushed as we pulled away. Having her in my arms briefly, I noticed that not much had changed between us despite the time. The only reason difference is that while she wore blue, I wore red.

            But she’s still my exasperating sister.

            “Well, you can start with, you know.” Katara laughed, wiggling her eyebrows towards the window. I blushed, looking over my shoulder, and at that moment, Zuko’s eyes locked with mine.

            It didn’t matter that we were a distance away from each other. The fire that ignited in me the moment Zuko’s gaze settled over mine was undeniable. He shot me a devilish smile as he tilted his head cockily. The way his ember eyes studied me, it was like he was looking into my soul – leaving me gasping and knees shaky. And just like that, he turned back to his mom, resuming his conversation.

            Oh, this man, the definition of sin itself.

            “Where do I even start?” I breathed, hands falling over my chest to get my heartbeat under wraps. But despite the flustered state, Zuko seemed always to leave me in; I couldn’t pull my eyes away. Gosh, Yue. You’re literally creeping him through the damn window.

            Have you really stooped that low? Yes, yes, I have, and I have no regrets.

            The confidence that seemed to ooze from him without a single effort, how did Ursa manage to give birth to such a fine specimen like him? Those pouty lips, long fingers, his hot breath along my neck-

            “Yue, do you love Zuko?” Katara blurted, cutting my thoughts in half.

            I jumped in my spot, my whole body heating up in embarrassment. Not only did Katara just catch me gawking at Zuko within minutes of her arriving here, but she also didn’t know. Everything that has happened between us; the kisses, sweet confessions, she didn’t know a single thing.

            “The way you’re staring at Zuko, the way he looks at you…it’s just like Aang and me; it’s …love.”

            “I-”

            “Do you-do you love him, Yue?” Katara sternly spoke, stepping forward. Her hands fell over my shoulders, her fingers digging into my dress with a serious expression. I nervously bit my lip, trying to understand her sudden outburst, but the expression she wore was serious. I swallowed hard, nodding my head.

            “I love him, Katara. More than anything in the world.”

             “I can’t believe it…” She whispered under her breath.

            I pouted, tilting my head to try to comprehend her words. Was she…was she mad? But Katara just snickered, her shoulders slumping in ease as she shook her head. “Zuko didn’t need someone to break down his walls; he needed someone to help him rebuild.” She muttered to herself. What is she talking about-

            “I’m so happy, Yue; I’m so happy you found each other.” She exclaimed. “Dad has been worried sick about you; I can’t wait till I tell him how happy you are.”

            Hakoda-

            “How is dad, Katara?” I questioned, and Katara shot me a sad smile. It was something that ate away at me. I still remember the look on his face when I told him I was leaving with Zuko. He tried to play it off cool, saying how he was happy that I was leaving the nest, spreading my wings again. But I could still remember the small sniffle that I heard the moment I shut the door behind me to leave.

            “He’s good, but sad…he misses you. Keeps on saying how his daughters are being swept off their feet.” Katara spoke as I let my gaze wander back to the window. Ursa was standing tall, dusting off her dress with a happy smile that reached her eyes. But Zuko was nowhere in sight.

            “But, he has you at home, at least,” I replied.

            “About that…” I frowned at her tone, pulling my gaze away from the gardens and back to Katara. She let out a heavy sigh, shuffling back and forth between her feet. “Dad has been acting weird lately,”

            Dad was always weird; that was a fact, but for Katara to say it spoke plenty. He was a serious man, for the most part, but Sokka got his playfulness from someone. And it didn’t take long to learn from who it was.

            “Dad has been pushing at the thought of Aang and me finding a home for ourselves.”

            “He’s thinking about your future.” I tried to reason, but Katara shook her head. “That’s what I thought, but since you left, he’s been insistent. Keeps saying that I’m an adult now, that I have to think of the bigger picture. And…”

            “And?” I pushed, and I spotted the way Katara’s cheeks flushed.

            Katara was blushing.

            She hugged her body, eyes darting side to side before she finally found her voice. Katara and Aang have been together for years – it took a lot to make Katara blush. This is going to be good.

            “A few months ago, I saw Aang talking to Dad in his office. But whenever I bring it up, Aang says he wasn’t there – when I saw him. I even confronted Dad about it, but he denies everything.” I rose a brow, trying to piece together what Katara was telling me.

            Why Would Dad lie about that, better yet – Aang doesn’t lie. Aang is the definition of purity, never uttering a lie or harming a soul. For Aang to lie to Katara…

            “I think…I think Aang may propose to me, Yue.”

            “Oh my gosh, Katara-”

            “And I wanna say yes!” She blurted, her hands falling over her mouth at her honest confession. I couldn’t stop the squeals, jumping in my spot at the thought of Katara and Aang tying the knot. The first marriage in the gang!

            “Katara, I’m so HAPPY!” I chirped, clapping like a fool at the thought, and that just seemed to worsen Katara’s blush. “I love him, Yue. We won’t have kids for a few years, we agreed on that, we’re both too busy with our jobs. But we’ve always wanted to be married. But maybe I’m overthinking things?”

            “Overthinking? KATARA. He went to Dad, and now Dad is trying to find a house for you~! He’s going to propose!”

            “Have you heard anything funny from Sokka, or maybe Zuko? Maybe Zuko would know what Aang is thinking. Aang always says how Zuko is his best friend; he would know something, right?” Katara insisted, and I thought.

            She had a point.

            Just like how I spilled my guts to Suki or Kima, the guys would do the same with each other. But I never heard anything from Zuko…but he’s good at keeping secrets, Yue. I huffed, that’s right. Which means…if I want to find something I have to do a little bit of snooping.

            I grinned, “Leave it to me. Sokka doesn’t call me a curious cat for nothing!” Katara frowned, shaking her finger at me, “Don’t go doing anything stupid, Yue. I don’t want you to get in trouble with Zuko because of me.”

            I rolled my eyes, crossing my arms, “Zuko wouldn’t dare, I have him wrapped around my finger.”

            “I can’t believe it, Yue. You really tamed the untamable.” Katara spoke in amazement, shaking her head as she watched over me. I smiled proudly, shifting my attention back outside. Ursa was calmly sitting under the tree again, a book in her lap as her eyes scanned back and forth. Smart woman, enjoying the warmth to the fullest.

            But Zuko still wasn’t there. Where did he go? He was just there a moment ago-

            “Looking for someone, love?”

            I jumped, a pair of arms snaking their way around my body. The heat emitted from his touch had me purring, snuggling against the hard torso pressed against my back. Zuko nuzzled his face into my neck, his hands firmly planting themselves on my waist as he hummed pleasantly in my ear. “Mm, how is my baby?” he droned, his lips nibbling my skin before stopping abruptly.

            His body tensed, and I saw the way Katara’s eyes widen in surprise. Zuko pulled his face away from me, standing tall, fingers digging into my skin.

            “Katara.” He spoke bluntly, but I could feel the coldness in his tone. I’m right. He was upset with her still, and Katara seemed to notice it too. Katara’s lips pressed tight, taking a deep breath as she nodded her head, “Zuko.”

            Awkward – this was what real awkwardness feels like.

            The tension in the room was thick, Katara’s blue eyes locked with Zuko’s golden ones. “How was your lunch with Ursa, Zuko?” I blurted, trying to ease the tension, it was unbearable.

            “Great.” He hissed, and I stiffened. This is bad, really bad.

            Do something, Yue.

            Do something-

            “I forgot to give these papers to you earlier, Zuko. These are from the Earth Nation.” Katara spoke, and Zuko’s eyes narrowed.

            “How did you receive it?” He asked, and Katara cleared her throat before answering. “Ember Island. The Earth King sent this there, thinking you were still residing in your vacation home. But I was told it was urgent and they sent it with me. Faster with Appa. It’s to be opened as soon as possible.”

            Zuko merely nodded, not saying anything else. Zuko not speaking was scarier than him yelling. Katara outstretched her arm, Zuko meeting halfway as he touched the envelope. The flimsy document looked small in Zuko’s hands, but as his fingers curled, ready to take it, Katara's voice stopped him.

            “Actually, I thought Yue could take it to your study.”

            “Why? I can do it myself; we’re on our way there now-”

            “I-I want to talk, just us, for a minute, Zuko,” Katara exclaimed, and I noticed the way her voice wavered. Her eyes met mine, almost pleading with me to go along, and I nodded. Before Zuko would say anything else, I reached forward, taking the paper from their grasps. I looked upwards, shooting Zuko a sweet smile, “I’ll meet you at the study with the gang. Be quick!”

            I could hear Zuko click his tongue, and like water, I slipped from his grasp.

            Temptation ate away at me, swiftly gazing over my shoulder at the two, and they were exactly where I left them seconds ago. They stood across each other, a large frown on Zuko’s face as Katara took a deep breath. And as I turned the corner, I found myself stopping for a moment.

            “What do you want, Katara? We have stuff we need to discuss-” Zuko grumbled under his breath, undoubtedly pinching the bridge of his nose.

            I knew it was wrong.

            I knew I shouldn’t listen, eavesdrop. But it was like no matter how hard I tried; I couldn’t move. I wanted to know what Katara wanted to talk so desperately to Zuko about. I wanted to know what Katara wanted with Zuko. Was she going to ask Zuko about the marriage thing? But the words that flew from Katara’s mouth had me holding my breath.

            “I want to say I’m sorry.”  

            Silence.

            I bolted as fast as I could, a goofy smile on my face.

            Katara had guts.

            And while Katara was undoubtedly hard-headed like Zuko, the friendship between Zuko and her was far more important than her ego. Thank you Katara, Zuko really needed to hear that.     

            “What’s taking them so loooonnngggggg~.” Toph complained under her breath, lounging on the rug that covered the floor of Zuko’s office. Her hands were comfortably tucked behind her head; legs crossed over each other as she impatiently blew. Should she have been a Firebender, I was certain there would have been flickers of fire leaving her lips, much like Zuko.

            I giggled, shrugging my shoulders as I happily sat in Zuko’s grand chair. It was super comfy, might I add. The padding was making it feel like I was sitting on a cloud. No wonder Zuko didn’t mind doing paperwork, I would to if it meant sitting on a comfy chair like this.

            My curious eyes wandered about, scanning the array of documents that decorated his study. There were so many projects happening under Zuko’s care, notes filled with his scribbles containing details. But as interesting as everything was, I was more fascinated by the green document that I brought here.

            While it was light, the envelope was thick; the Earth Nation seal prettily stamped in the center with ivory coloured wax. A letter from the Earth King…I wonder what it is about? As if the emerald green hypnotized me, I found my mind wandering.

            I wonder how Kayto was?

             No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t wipe the image of the happy smile on his face as he walked away from me. The cherry blossoms falling around him in the sweet breeze, how clear his eyes seemed that day. Even his steps seemed lighter than air, practically hovering along the ground.

            It was like he was a changed man…but despite the delighted smile on his face, my heart swelled with sorrow. There was something about that moment that had my eyes teary, something that made my stomach rise to my throat.

            “I gotta say, Princess. You look good, sitting there. You look like a real Queen.” Sokka mused. I blushed at his words, pushing myself back in the chair. My gaze snapped forward, watching the way Sokka lounged in a chair that was placed in front of the desk we were currently huddled around.

            “You really do, for someone as cute as you – you can look pretty scary when you focus.” Suki giggled in Sokka’s lap. I whined under my breath, shyly combing my hair in front of my chest, twirling the strands around. Me ruling a whole Nation? I could feel my whole body shaking.

            The thought alone was beyond terrifying. How does Zuko do it? Thousands and thousands of people looking up to you for guidance. You’re the face of the Nation. The person people praise or curse. Overnight you can be the publics' favourite person, their beacon of hope, or their worst enemy.

            “Sorry we’re late.”

            Zuko busted through the door hastily, and I couldn’t help but smile. The tension in his shoulders was gone, his feet light as he beelined towards his study. He looked like a man on a mission – ready to get down to business. Katara coolly walked towards Aang, but even I could tell she seemed more at peace, her breathing calm.

            They’re okay; they talked it out.

            “FINALLY. Can we get this done and over with already?” Toph groused, sitting upright in a flash as she crossed her arms. Zuko rolled his eyes at Toph, merely walking where I sat. He placed a small peck on my forehead, earning a bashful smile from myself, before spotting the green document on his desk.

            “Where do we even start?” I pondered under my breath as I watched Zuko. He leaned against his study, a hand combing through my locks as if to soothe himself, as he swore under his breath. The letter from the Earth King was dense – he’s going to have a fun read.

            “Maybe with Kayto and the Earth King?” Suki proposed, but Toph gave her two cents. “Further. The waterfall. That’s where Yue first saw Azula and Yakone.”

            “Azula? Yakone?” Katara gasped, Aang nodding his head as he ran his hands up and down her, comforting. “You’re all wrong,” I announced before realizing what I had said. Right away, Zuko’s attention shifted to me, eyes narrowed as the grip he had on the paper tightened.

            “What do you mean that we’re wrong? You said you saw Azula at the waterfall.” Zuko spoke, a certain edge in his voice. I puffed, “You’re right, but that’s not the first time I saw her.”

            “You lied? Why would you lie about that-”

            I frowned at Zuko, realizing that he thought I was hiding information. “Yeah, Princess. Why would not tell Zuko you saw Azula?” Sokka butted, leaning forward, nearly pushing Suki off him. Her hands fell against the study, catching herself, shooting Sokka a glare.

            “Because I didn’t know it was her!” I puffed, throwing my arms up in the air frustratingly. As much as I was part of the gang now, they seemed to forget that I wasn’t friends with them as long as they have been. “I didn’t know it was her! You don’t think if I knew, I would’ve said something? She disguised herself as a maid. I didn’t know better.”

            “Did you not tell Yue about Azula, Zuko?” Aang asked gently, and I saw the flustered look on Zuko’s face. His gaze shifted back to the fancy writing of Earth King, grumbling under his breath. “N-no.”

            “It’s not Zuko’s fault; he doesn’t have to tell me about that.” I started, but Zuko slammed the paper on the desk. I was startled, not at all expecting the outburst of anger. His forehead was scrunched together, a scowl on his face as he stared the crimpled paper.

            “It is my fault; I should’ve been smarter; I let my guard down. I figured Azula was no longer an issue – stupid wishful thinking.” Zuko hissed under his breath.

            “Zuko…” I hummed softly. My hand fell over his forearm, giving him a gentle squeeze. “I should’ve told you about the maid. I was stupid…I didn’t want to worry you.”

            “But I already worry.” He ranted.

            “Oh, for fucks sakes, talk about your damn feelings another time!” Toph swore loudly, standing upright as she stomped her feet on the ground. She swiftly shifted her posture, her head in the direction of Katara.

            “Look here, Sugar Queen, this is what is going to happen. I’m going to tell the damn details, and everyone can keep their mouths shut till the end. Got it?”

            I found myself zipping my mouth shut, Sokka nodding his head frantically, hearing Toph’s stern voice. Aang straightened up his posture, Zuko shooting Toph an amused look, seeing her take charge. “Please go on, Toph. Saves my breath.” Zuko muttered, before raising the documents back to view.

            And boy, did Toph tell the story, alright.

            It was an experience I didn’t know I needed to experience until today. I figured Toph would gloss over everything, cutting corners due to her unsurprisingly impatient nature, but I was pleasantly surprised.

            Despite her blunt and quick to the point, attitude, she hit the nail in every aspect. She didn’t leave behind a single detail, Katara’s eyes growing wider and wider by the second. In fact, even though most of us were there to experience the whole ordeal, we found ourselves silent. Who knew Toph could be a fantastic public speaker when she wanted to be? She would make an amazing investigator.

            Zuko’s hand went back to petting my hair, reading the documents sent from the Earth King, as Toph ranted. But his attention wavered when Katara spoke up.

            “Azula burnt Aang?” Katara repeated, her hand softly caressing Aang’s arms. Aang shot her a caring smile, catching her hand with his, “Don’t worry about it, Sweetheart. I’m all healed.” I could tell Aang was trying his best to ease any concern of Katara, but I couldn’t blame her.

            She was thrown into a pit of lions. Everything that happened, we’ve gotten to process one way or another over time, but Katara was learning about everything now. It was a shock, but Katara just huffed furiously at Aang, shaking her head in annoyance.

            “And you- are you crazy?” She shouted; a slender finger pointed towards me. My jaw dropped, face going white as I saw the way her eyes narrowed heatedly. It reminded me of the times she would lecture Sokka and me whenever we got into trouble. “You fought Azula like in that state, you fought Yakone. You could’ve died Yue; your chi is all messed up. This is dangerous!” Katara lectured.

            “I had to save them-”

            “Aang could have gone in the Avatar state.” Katara retorted.

            “He was tired.” I fought back, pushing myself off the chair. I knew Katara had a point. It was stupid of me, and this ‘flu’ I had, which was evidently something else, was worrying. It was dangerous for me to bend, but the thought of any of them getting hurt was scarier. “I had to save them. Yakone was going to kill them.”

            “And this is why Bloodbenders are disgusting.” Katara spat, running a hand angrily through her locks. The outright hatred in her voice had my breathing hitching, not at all expecting those words to leave her mouth. But the way she spoke, it came naturally, like the fact that Bloodbenders were some vial creatures was a truth, not an opinion. Disgusting-

            “Those are some strong words, Katara,” Aang said speedily, and Katara pursed her lips.

            “You know how dangerous Bloodbending is. You can control someone without their consent. Kill them from the inside out.”

            “That’s not true, Katara.” I blurted without much thought. Aang’s eyes widen at my comment, shooting me a warning glance, but Sokka spoke up before Katara could. “No offence, Princess, but as much as you are a lover, you have to admit. Bloodbending, that’s some next-level human shit right there.”

            “If you can even call them human,” Katara grumbled under her breath. Sokka frowned at her comment, but regardless, he nodded his head in agreeance to her words.

            “Honestly, they’re more like monsters to me. Manipulating blood? That’s disgusting and dark.” Suki added, shaking her head as she looked at Sokka. Suki was a warrior, but even I noticed the way her voice wavered at the thought of Bloodbending.

            “Well, once we get rid of Yakone, no more Bloodbenders to worry about. Problem solved.” Toph grumbled, falling back onto the floor with a thud. She crossed her legs, resting her chin on her elbow as she listened to everyone trash talk.

            “We shouldn’t speak ill about Bloodbending; we don’t know much about it…maybe it can be used for some good?” I reasoned, trying to add some positivity to the conversation, but Katara snuffed. “What good could Bloodbending possibility have?”

            “M-maybe you can heal? Right, Yue? Maybe you can do some more powerful healing, better than regular Waterbending?” Aang proposed eagerly. His eyes were light, scanning the room desperately, wishing for someone to work with him. But Sokka shrugged his shoulders, “I don’t know Aang. When you have that much power…it's tempting to do more evil than good, in my opinion.”

            “But Aang is strong; he isn’t evil!” I retorted, hands falling on the study before me harder than I intended. Everyone jumped slightly at the sudden noise, but the beating of my heart in my chest was louder. “That’s like- that’s like saying that everyone with power is evil. That’s not true; there are plenty of good people with power.” I panicked, desperately trying to defuse the situation.

            “Why do you care so much, Princess? Why are you trying to defend Bloodbenders? It’s like you feel bad for Yakone or something.” Toph huffed.

            “That’s not what I’m trying to say.” I whimpered under my breath. What was I trying to say? It did sound like I was trying to defend Yakone. But that wasn’t it – hearing the way they disregarded a whole sub-bending skill because of a bad-bunch? What about all the good that came from Bloodbending during-

            “The next thing you know, Princess over here is going to go give a hug to Yakone, maybe offer him some cookies.” Toph mocked under her breath. My lips puckered, eyes wide hearing the taunting tone in Toph’s voice.

            “Watch it.”

            For the first time, I heard Zuko speak. His voice was low, a deadly tone laced with his simple warning as his hand fell over my shoulder. I could feel the heat radiating from his palms. Zuko didn’t say a damn word during the whole conversation. Did he think Bloodbenders were monsters too? Despicable and less than human?

            “It was a joke, Zuko. Relax.” Toph huffed, her bangs flying upwards for a moment before falling back over her eyes. “This isn’t a time for jokes. We have two wanted criminals, and damn spy inside the kingdom.” Zuko lectured, and Katara stepped forward.

            “We’re just talking about Bloodbenders-”

            “But why? Whether or not Bloodbenders are evil is beside the fucking point. We need to focus on the important things. Healing Yue, so her chi doesn’t kill her, and capturing Yakone to ensure the prosperity of the United Nations.”

            “Zuko is right; we’re falling off track here,” Aang spoke, his voice sounding calmer. Zuko ran his hands through his bun, causing hairs to fall and frame his face. “We can pick up the rest tomorrow; we’re getting nowhere for today,” Zuko muttered under his breath.

            Suki let out a sigh, standing off Sokka and outstretching a hand. He grabbed it, letting her pull his body upwards before wrapping an arm around her shoulders, “Fine. Let’s call it a day then. We can pick everything back up tomorrow in the morning.”

            “Fine with me…” Toph grumbled before abruptly standing up. She kicked the air underneath her before storming out of the room without another word. Aang nodded meekly, bowing quickly towards Zuko and I. I saw the way he smiled at me sympathetically before linking arms with Katara. Pity.

            The sound of their soft voices and feet pattering against the room was the last sound heard before the door shut behind them, leaving Zuko and me alone. The room suddenly felt far too large and lonely, missing the company of everyone, despite them being the cause of anxiousness.

            I let out a shaky breath, hands rubbing my face roughly. Why did I have to say anything? I should have just agreed; I should have kept my mouth shut. They’re right-

            Bloodbenders are monsters.

            Disgusting creatures – less than humans.

            I’m a mon-

            “Love?” Zuko hummed softly, squeezing my shoulder and catching my attention. I jumped, hands falling onto my lap as I looked up at Zuko. I felt so jumpy today, uneasy, even around Zuko. But why? It was like darkness was looming over my head.

            “S-sorry. I’ll go now so you can work. See you for dinner-”

            “Wait.” Zuko breathed, and I noticed how soft his amber eyes appeared. The furious leader that called off the meeting was gone; only Zuko was here, no Fire Lord. “Let’s get out of here, love,” Zuko spoke tenderly, brushing my hair behind my ears as his fingers carefully traced my jaw. His touch had my body easing, breathing relaxing as I weakened under his touch.

            “But your work-”

            “Mother told me some interesting advice today during lunch.”

            I bite my lips. That was random, even for my standards. But the look on Zuko’s face, he was serious. I opened my mouth before shutting it, unsure how to respond to his unexpected statement. “What…did she say” I clumsily questioned.

            The way Zuko leaned into me, I could see my reflection in his eyes. He had such long eyelashes; I never did notice. I figured that the burn would’ve prevented much growth, much like his eyebrow, but that didn’t seem to be the case. His eyes were like endless pools of gold, flickers of sparks scattered randomly. The longer we stared into each other eyes, the larger his pupils dilated.

            His thumb traced my bottom lip, Zuko biting his lips, “She told me to be selfish more often.”

            I rose a brow at his words. “Selfish?”

            “Mhmm…and I think…today I’m going to listen.”

            “Which means…?” I pushed, and Zuko chuckled. “So impatient, curious.”

            A flush coated my cheeks, but I couldn’t pull away from his grasp. Hypothesized by the intense stare, the way he rolled his bottom lip under his teeth as he cheekily studied me up and down. “I’m spoiling you rotten today. Care to go on a date with me? Ice cream for dinner?”

            “Really? You aren’t playing around with me, are you?” I wisely asked, not trusting Zuko completely. He was not only a tease but a high-key sadist. Zuko sniggered, pinching my nose before planting a sweet kiss on my lips, “Of course, beautiful.”

            Beautiful.

            Zuko felt the way my body tensed at the word, and he pulled away. A painful frown suddenly emerged on his face, eyes watching over me, “What’s wrong, love?”

            “Can a monster be beautiful?”

            Zuko’s snorted, rolling his eyes at my unexpected remark. “You think I’m attractive, and I was called a monster my whole life…so I guess so. A monster can be beautiful.”

            But Zuko was handsome – whoever called him a monster, they were wrong. He was a product of misfortune, who rebuilt themself, became something better. Zuko eyed my expression as I absentmindedly nodded at his words, but I wasn’t satisfied. Because that wasn’t the question, I really wanted to ask.

            “Ask it, love. You’re itching to ask.” Zuko mused, seeing right through my act. And I did just that, asked him the question I wanted so desperately to know his answer for.

            “Can you love a monster?”

            “…the better question is, do you think a monster is worthy of love?”

            Is it selfish for me to say yes?

            Waking up to the beautiful smile of Zuko’s was the best way to start the day.

            Our limbs were messily intertwined with each other; Zuko’s arms were hugging me close to his body. My face was flush against his chest; his hands combed through my locks. He was always so careful, not wanting to yank at a tangle, relishing the way the silky strands slid between his fingers.

            “Mm, good morning, love,” Zuko whispered between hushed lips, pressing the top of my head with chaste kisses.

            There was a certain raspiness in his voice that had me mewling, purring as I snuggled against his pec, hearing his steady heartbeat. His voice was low, almost drunk-like, as he let his lips brush by my temple for one last peck. “How did my baby sleep? Feeling better?” He hummed. I felt the way his hand trailed down my hair, following my spine, stopping at the hem of panties.

            “Perfect, warm.”

            “I should start charging you.” Zuko pestered, and I gazed upwards, a grin on his face. “A kiss per half hour?”

            “That’s a pretty steep rate.” I bothered, and Zuko laughed.

            “You’re right, just for you, I’ll give you a better rate.”

            “So, there are others you warm like this?” I pouted, failing miserably to mask the bubble of jealousy that suddenly emerged. I knew that my statement was false; the thought of Zuko sneaking off and having some side affair was more of a joke than a possibility. He was far too devoted, too loyal to be the type to cheat.

            But despite the obvious, Zuko smirked, “Of course not, baby, that’s why I’m giving you the best rate. For my one and only customer.”

            “And what would that be?”

            “Two kisses per half an hour.”

            “Zuko, that’s even worse than the last rate you gave me!” I laughed noisily, snorting at Zuko’s logic. He chuckled, chest rumbling underneath me as he stole another kiss on my head. “You caught me red-handed, love.”

            “I swear, one day I’m going to freeze you,” I grumbled under my breath, trying to hide the fact that I was enjoying this way too much. “Temperature play? You really are a kinky one.” Zuko teased, and I blushed.

            “T-that’s not what I meant, Zuko!” I shrieked, infuriated that I let Zuko get a rise out of me this early in the morning. But the smile on Zuko’s face grew the more flustered I got, cheeks a baby pink as I blew. How can I stay mad at him when he looked so damn cute?

            A knock on the door caught our attention, stopping our tantalizing banter short. Zuko shuffled, and I rolled over, letting him sit up. “Come in,” Zuko spoke loudly, the door creaking open just a bit. I pushed the heavy blankets off me, reaching for my robe and letting my arms slip through before standing up.

            “Good morning Kim-oh.”

            “My apologies, Fire Lord Zuko, Imperial Consort Ying Yue. Kima and Lia took the day off today; it seems they are tied up at the moment.” A lady spoke. My breath caught in my throat, staring blankly at the lady before us.

            Her hair was short, highlighting her sharp angular facial features. Her eyes were tapered, a stunning violet colour, pupils like slits. A tea tray was carefully balanced in her grasp, as she thoughtfully walked forward. The whole time her eyes were locked with mine, a sinister smile on her face.

            “I bring you your morning tea. To help with your illness, Imperial Consort, doctors' orders.” The lady spoke, a deliberate hiss towards the end. I felt myself on edge, unable to finish slipping my arm through my robe as I just stared.

            “Thank you; you can leave it on my side,” Zuko spoke, snapping me out of my haze.

            His coarse voice seemed to catch the lady’s attention, too, shifting her eyes to him, licking her lips without a care in the world. “As you wish, Fire Lord Zuko.” The way she purred out his name, the seductive tone, it had my skin crawling.

            She shuffled forward, letting the tray fall on his nightstand with a loud clank. Hastily, I put on my robe, tying it to my body as if it was a layer of armour. “I’ll take my leave. Enjoy the tea.” She spoke, forcing a crazy smile on her face wicked, matching her eyes.

            I observed her every step. She was light on her feet, and I noticed how ill-fitting her maid's clothes were. They were far too tight, highlighting her toned physic. With one last crooked smile, the door shut behind her, the air filling my lungs.

            “Fucking weirdo,” Zuko muttered under his breath before reaching over his nightstand. He grabbed the ceramic teapot, pouring the hot liquid into a teacup. The steam filled the air, and his large hand cupped the small teacup before eyeing me, “Here, love.”

            “Give me a minute; I’m going to brush my teeth. I feel yucky.” I glowered, and Zuko rolled his eyes. “Come on; I like your morning breath.” He teased cheekily, pulling the teacup back to his chest.

            “Eww, you’re so gross, Zuko.” I giggled; the uneasiness of that maid’s presence long forgotten.

            “Some would call that romantic,” Zuko shouted as I waltzed my way to the bathroom. I look over my shoulder, shooting him a look of disbelief. “The Almighty Fire Lord Zuko a romantic?” I said, biting my lips as I rose my brows.

            Zuko hummed, bringing the teacup that he had originally poured for me to his lips. The way he looked over at me while taking a slow sip, “Mmmm, are you trying to say I’m not?” He challenged. But I saw the way his nose scrunched up for a moment, taking a whiff of the tea.

            “This smells gross…and tastes just as bad.” Zuko muttered under his breath, and I rolled my eyes. “It’s medicine Zuko, my medicine, not some breakfast tea.”

            “Tea is tea, but fuck – this is really gross.” Zuko groused, and I laughed at the way Zuko complained under his breath. Yet to my amazement, he took another swing. “You just said you don’t like it!” I snickered, shaking my head.

            My hands pushed the bathroom door open, letting the natural light from the windows light the space. I winced slightly, feeling the cold tiles against my feet, wishing I made Zuko get ready first. His natural warmth always managed to heat the cold tiles.

            “Yeah, but I don’t want it to go to waste.” I heard Zuko grumble loudly, voice sounding rougher than usual. “Zuko, don’t worry. I’ll drink it all.” I reasoned, searching for the toothpaste. Where was it? My eyes frantically scanned the marble counter, spotting our toothbrushes, face towels, cleansers.

            “Hey, Zuko. Did we finish the toothpaste?” I asked, my gaze darting all over the place. He must have forgotten to tell me we ran out last night. A small pout fell over my lips, hands falling over my hips as I stood tall.

            “Zuko? Hey Zuko-”

            The sound of glass hitting the ground had my blood running cold.

            My feet moved without me thinking, dashing into our bedroom frantically, “Zuko? Are you ok-”

            Zuko’s face was red, hands desperately clawing at his throat. He was heaving, sweating, veins popping as he was hunched over, coughing. I could see the deep red marks etched into his skin as he tore at his throat, “Zuko!” I cried, and at the sound of my voice, his head snapped upwards.

            My heart stopped, seeing how wide his golden eyes were.

            They were bloodshot, tears bubbling up as he wheezed.

            “Help.”

            He’s choking. He can’t breathe- I ran.

            “Zuko, I’m here, Zuko, relax! You need to try to breathe.” I panicked, running to his side. My feet slipped against the wooden floors as I dashed, but I found myself stopping abruptly. Ceramic littered the floor. The teacup was shattered into a dozen pieces, small fragments of herbs littering the floor-

            The tea.

            “Guards!” I screamed, jumping into the bed as I hastily crawled to Zuko. His chest rose and fell frantically, shoving him back as my fingers trailed to his neck. The bedroom doors flung open, the sound of heavy footsteps entering the room, “Imperial Consort- What happened?!”

            “Call the doctors, Zuko is poisoned. He needs help!” I cried, not bothering to turn to face them. I shut my eyes, trying to find his pulse, hands shaking. His heart was pumping, throbbing piercingly as he struggled to breathe.

            He’s dying.

            Something abruptly grabbed my wrist, my eyes snapping open, and I couldn’t stop the sob that erupted from me. Zuko’s eyes met mine, and I could see it.

            “I-I love you.”

            “N-no-no Zuko. You’re not going anywhere.” I sobbed, hands frantically touching his throat. His pulse was dying. I need to do something. I need to do something-

            That’s it.

            If it’s the tea, it’s a liquid. I can bend the tea from his skin like sweat. I yanked my hand away from Zuko’s, grasping his chest and pushing my arms against his heating skin. My eyes shut closed, tears overflowing as I focused.

            I can’t feel it.

            I can’t feel the fucking tea.

            “I can’t bend it!” I shouted in frustration, moving my hands up and down his body, trying to find a fucking drop of it in his system. His body can’t have ingested the tea into his bloodstream. For something like that to happen, a few hours would have had to pass. It’s impossible – unless.

            My arms stiffened, freezing in my spot, hands no longer frantically searching his body.

            The tea wasn’t tea.

            I dug my fingers into his skin, breathless as I realized what was happening. I could feel it, it was there, in Zuko’s body, in his blood.

            If the tea was mixed with someone’s else blood – poisoned, then it’s possible- the poison is already in Zuko’s bloodstream.

            He’s going to die.

            I can’t save him.

            I can’t bend that; I can’t- My heart pounded loudly in my ears, pulling myself away from Zuko’s body. I couldn’t stop the tears that fell down my face.

            I can’t; I shouldn’t-

            My feet wobbled as I crawled off the bed, steps stomping against the hardwood floor as I dashed to the array of dual swords that decorated the wall. A weak sob left my lips as I pulled the guard off the sharp blade, throwing it across the room.

            A quick twist of my feet, I felt my heart shatter, watching the way Zuko withered in our bed. His face was purple, hands desperately clenching the blankets underneath him as he wheezed painfully.

            I shouldn’t-

      ��     My hands were shaking as I slowly inched towards Zuko.

            His golden eyes lined with mine, seeing as I eased my way to him with a sword in hand. “I’m sorry, Zuko- I’m sorry.” I cried, pulling my gaze away from his. I couldn’t face him; I couldn’t look into those sweet eyes. I didn’t deserve it, not a single part of him.

            I winced as I stepped on the shattered teacup, cutting the soles of my feet as I leaned over Zuko’s dying figure. The sharp blade pressed against Zuko’s throat, sniffling as I shook my head.

            “I wanted to tell you, Zuko. I really did. But-but-”

            I pressed, Zuko wincing as the blade easily sliced his soft skin, droplets of scarlet tainting his neck. I threw the knife away, jamming my fingers into the open wound. I sobbed, feeling the pain that Zuko was in, “I wanted to tell you the truth Zuko, I wanted to. But I was selfish.” I cried.

            I shut my eyes, and I could feel it.

            The poison, it was mixing with his blood, and I panted heavily. It was starting to fuse; if I don’t do this now, it’ll be too late.

            I reached the point of no return.

            Fingers jammed into Zuko’s wound, feeling his veins pulsing, blood pumping frantically in the pace of his struggling heart. Zuko’s life was far more important than the consequences I would face.

            I can do this.

            I will save Zuko.

            My fingers twisted, earning a painful groan from Zuko. “Bare with it Zuko, I’m sorry!” I cried. Just a little bit more-almost- got it.

            I yanked my body back, wrist snapping and Zuko inhaled loudly.

            Relief.

            I twirled my hand, panting heavily as black spots flooded my vision. I was pushing myself too much, just a little bit more- I felt the way Zuko’s blood separated from the foreign blood, tainted with poison.

            My eyes widen, taking in the disgusting sight.

            Dark liquid, almost black, floated in the air as I bent. My other hand weaved back and forth, trying to separate Zuko’s blood from the poison. The muscles in his body eased instantaneously, and with one giant huff, I balled my hands, the poison collapsing in itself, freezing into a ball in the air.

            Zuko sat upright, his hands falling over his chest as he dry heaved. Spit fell from his lips as his body shook with each cough, air squeezing past his sore throat and filling his lungs.

            He’s breathing.

            I saved him, and at that moment, I made the fatal mistake of looking at him.

            His eyes met mine between forced pants.

            “You’re- you’re a- Bloodbender.”

            His hand lunched forward as if he was trying to grab me, and I stepped back. With whatever power I had left in my body, I swung my hand forward. His eyes widen, I could feel the way he tried desperately to fight against me, but it was useless. He let out a tired groan, and his body fell limp.

            Letting gravity take over, Zuko’s body fell into the bed with a thud.

            “Yue!”

            The doors burst open, a pair of arms wrapped around me as doctors and nurses flooded the room. A numbness filled my body. Arms falling limp to my side, only noticing then I had Zuko’s blood on the tips of my fingers still.

            Blood…

            “Yue.” Aang breathed heavily in my ear, and I fell to the floor, on my knees. I watched as Katara checked over Zuko’s body, “He’s okay, he passed out, but he’s breathing, he’s okay!” she shouted.

            Aang shuffled in front of me, dropping to his knees with me on the floor as he cupped my face. His fingers brushed the tears that fell down my face before pressing his forehead against mine. “He knows…doesn’t he?” Aang whispered, voice pained.

            “It was the only way to save him, Aang.”

            “He loves you, Yue-”

            “You can’t love a monster.”

Copyright © 2019 Mystic-Kitten, inc. all rights reserved. No reposting, modifying, or translations of any kind allowed. Thank you for your cooperation.

Disclaimer: I do not own any Avatar characters portrayed in this story besides Ying Yue Jiang, Lia, Kima, and any future creations.

❤ Buy me a coffee? ❤

[barrysjumpsuit]

blindsided - oc x rafe cameron (ch. 1)

requested? nope!

word count: 1.9k, others will be longer

warnings: cannabis use, underage drinking, mention of hard drugs, mention of sex, typos probably

synopsis: christy is a lifelong resident of the outer banks. after a series of hookups with rafe cameron, kook royalty, she’s smitten. what she doesn’t know is about what her boyfriend and brother are involved in behind her back

a/n: not much happening here - mostly introducing the oc and the backstory! italics represents flashbacks

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

Christy leaned against the railing, the wind whipping her hair around her face while the sun was warming her skin. She stood on the top deck of the Druthers, holding onto the railing loosely with her fingers while the boat trudged through the choppy surf.

It almost felt like she was flying.

Behind her, Rafe sat in the captain’s seat, one hand resting on the throttle while the other worked the steering wheel of the boat. Christy could feel his eyes on her, devouring her, wanting her. She smiled softly to herself.

“Hey babe,” he said from behind her. Christy turned to face him; a backwards cap tamed his hair, and he wore only his shorts. His skin was tanned, glowing from long days outside in the sun. Rafe was smiling at her, and Christy took a few steps towards him before throwing her arms around him from behind.

“Yes, cap’n?” she said, her chin resting on Rafe’s bare shoulder. She kissed his cheek and he chuckled before replying.

“I just wanted to say I think you’re hot as hell,” he said back, leaning into her hold.

“You’re too sweet,” Christy said, stepping around him to sit on his lap. Rafe let go of the wheel and held her waist instead. She looped one arm over his shoulders.

Ahead of them, the various docks and marinas of the Cut came into view. They were still in disarray due to Agatha. Christy could see people working, scrubbing decks and rebuilding docks and piers. She knew what it was like, living in the Cut over summer with no electricity. Even as the sun set, the air remained warm and uncomfortably humid and sticky.

They followed the coast north, as the houses grew larger and the boats became nicer. Christy stood and stepped back as Rafe brought the boat to dock, and it shuddered as he eased off on the throttle and Rafe was silent as he watched his father’s employees tie the Druthers to the dock.

Once the boat was tied, Rafe grabbed Christy’s hand and tugged her towards the ladder that led down from the top dock. Rafe climbed down first and as she followed, his hands gently brushed her waist as he helped her from the ladder. Once they were on the deck of the boat, they stepped onto the dock, her boyfriend once again holding out his hands to her.

“Babe, I’ve been on boats my whole life, I can get off of one,” Christy said, smiling.

Rafe threw his hands up in a surrender. “Okay then,” he said, laughing.

Christy followed Rafe down the dock and up through the lawn. There were still some branches in the yard, but most of the mess and rubble had already been cleaned up. She felt slightly guilty seeing the lush green turf and perfectly trimmed shrubs, and how the hum of the generator reminded her that so many people in the Cut still lived with leaky roofs, destroyed yards, and no power.

Her guilt was made worse seeing the breathtaking interior of the Cameron house. Rafe had made his way to the fridge, pulling out a six pack of beer before scanning the food packing the shelves. Christy had pushed herself onto a stool, watching him.

“Do you want to stay here tonight?” Rafe asked, his head still in the refrigerator. 

“I should probably make an appearance at home. Just so that my brother doesn’t think I died or something since I’ve been staying here for almost a week now.”

He stood, sighing and crossing the tile floor to lean against the counter Christy sat at. He shook his head, and Christy opened her mouth to say something, but Rafe spoke before her. “Are you sure it’s safe?”

“Rafe, I know you hate the Cut and everything that comes with it, and I know you and my brother have a history, but I promise you, I’ll be fine. He’s an ass, but he’s the only family I have left.” 

“Well why would you want to go there and not stay here? We have power. Air conditioning. The Cut doesn’t have any of that!”

Rafe was starting to get angry, and Christy sat up straighter to look him in the eye. “Rafe,” she said sternly. It was how she had to talk to her brother. “Seriously. I just need to go home for a night and get more of my shit to bring over here. Make sure my brother hasn’t OD’d somewhere or gotten himself shot. Alright?”

She hadn’t realized it, but she had raised her voice at him. Rafe set his jaw before sighing, visibly forcing himself to relax. “Okay. Well, I’m going to go to a party at Kelce’s, if you want to come.”

“I’ll pass for tonight. I really should go home.”

Rafe hung his head, disappointed, so Christy got up from the stool and went around the counter to where he stood. She pulled him to her in a hug, and he wrapped his arms around her. He was still shirtless, and Christy laid her cheek on his bare chest.

“Is something bugging you, baby?” she asked quietly.

“Nah. Nah, I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.”

“Bull fucking shit,” Christy said, looking up at him. “We may have only been together officially for a week but you forget I know you, Rafe. Tell me. Your words are safe with me.” 

“I know they are,” Rafe said, and Christy could feel him take a breath under her grasp. “Which is why I want you to stay.”

“Rafe… you can always call me, okay? I need to go. Please, for my own peace of mind.” Christy reached up, took off Rafe’s hat, and ran her fingers through his hair before pushing his head down to meet her lips.

“I am in love with you,” he murmured, his lips bumping her.

“I love you too,” Christy responded back. Her words were barely audible and she felt Rafe smile.

They kissed, one of Rafe’s hands grabbing Christy’s ass, making her open her mouth in surprise. His lips parted hers and then held on to hers, as if he never wanted her to leave.

Ward Cameron’s voice broke them apart, and they instantly moved so that they were standing side by side. Rafe pushed his cap back onto his head to hide his tousled hair, and Christy averted her gaze to pretend to read a fishing catalogue that was conveniently in front of her. Rafe’s father walked into the kitchen, largely ignoring the two of them.

“Good evening Mr. Cameron,” Christy said. She felt obligated to greet Ward, but he barely acknowledged her.

“Hey Rafe, how are those generators looking?” he asked, pulling a beer out of the six pack Rafe had removed from the fridge minutes earlier. He popped off the cap and took a sip, raising his eyebrows expectantly.

“There’s a high demand, I managed to find some. They should be here in a day or two,” Rafe said. Christy could hear the tightness in his voice, but Ward seemed to accept his answer and left without any more words. The two looked at each other, and Christy leaned into Rafe. “I’ll see you tomorrow?” 

“You bet, baby,” Rafe answered, kissing her once more before Christy stepped outside into the muggy evening heat and began the walk home.

--

Rafe stood between Topper and Kelce. In his right hand, he held a plastic cup full of a cheap, somewhat flat beer. He had barely touched it. Tonight, Rafe wasn’t looking for comfort in the form of alcohol; his mind was preoccupied on something else.

He knew she would be here. From where he stood, he had a good view of the pool in Topper’s yard. People crowded into the water, some in the pool while others sat on the ledge, dipping their feet in. More people stood in the yard, many clutching drinks and some smoking cigarettes. 

Rafe found his eyes drawn to a small group of people – just three of them. They were in the periphery of the yard, standing close together in a dimly lit area, but he knew she was there.

He kept an eye on her all night.

At one point, Topper left to find Sarah and Kelce went to chat with a girl in the basement. “Hey Rafe, her friend is pretty cute too, come talk to her!” he had said, but Rafe just shook his head. 

“Go have fun, Kelce,” Rafe insisted, nodding in the general direction of the blonde and her friend he had been eyeing all night. As soon as Kelce was turned away from Rafe, he started weaving his way through the people filling the lawn, running a hand through his hair before he crossed the turf to the group. 

His nostrils confirmed his suspicions before his eyes could. Her back was turned to him, but the scent of the weed wafted over and Rafe could see a joint pinched gently between her two fingers. It looked like a cigarette, he noticed. A very pogue thing to do, emptying out cigarettes and packing the weed back inside them. 

The two people she was speaking with were standing close to each other, their arms bumping. One guy and one girl. Her friend and her boyfriend. 

“Hey, Christy,” Rafe forced himself to say. She turned to look at him, her lips parted in slight surprise. Her thick dark hair was frizzy from the humid air. 

“Rafe, hey,” she said. “It’s been a while.” 

“Yeah,” he chuckled. “It has.” There was an awkward silence and he continued before she could walk away. “I, uh, I was wondering if you wanted to get a drink?” 

Christy peered at him through squinty eyelids before the corners of her mouth turned up into a smile. “Sure. I was just about to head home, but I could go for a drink.” She brought the joint back up to her lips. It was almost gone, burnt down to the filter. After she exhaled the last of the smoke, she dropped the butt to the ground and stomped it out with the heel of her sandal before turning back to her friends and saying a few words. 

Rafe almost didn’t realize he stuck out his hand for her to take until she gently took it in hers. 

Christy was by his side the whole night, and Kooks kept giving them looks. “Rafe Cameron with her?” they said. Rafe purposefully avoided Topper and Kelce. He didn’t want to have to explain why he was holding the hand of his old pogue fuckbuddy, or why he was taking her home with him. 

That night, before he went to sleep, Rafe stared at the ceiling. Christy was nestled beside him, asleep, the blanket covering her bare chest. Her head was nestled on his bicep, Rafe’s hand gently cupping her bare shoulder. His thoughts were constant, screaming almost. Half of them insisted that this was a bad idea. The other half were more reassuring; that he had missed what the two of them had, and something more should come out of it. It was more than just sex they shared.

Was he going to use her? Probably. But he did have feelings for her. He did feel what he thought was love, once. It had scared him away from her.

Getting with her - for real this time - may have been a bad taste of morals, even by Rafe’s standards. He tried to push the thoughts aside, but they kept assaulting him and reminding him.

Rafe was sleeping with his drug dealer’s sister.

---

taglist @stargazingstarkey @letsgofullkook @macchiatohno @ampanonyg @hoeforpankow @jjsmentalpolaroids 

[otomefoxystar]

The One - Chapter 5

Fandom: Kissed by the Baddest Bidder

Pairing:  Eisuke X OC

Warning: mentions of kidnapping 

Genre: Angst 

Written by:  @otomefoxystar

Neither of them got much sleep that night. Eisuke woke up knowing he had to tell her that the baby could be his. He was almost certain of it. The timing was perfect. Once he was showered and dressed he went to check on Charlotte. He didn't expect to see her awake.   She was lying on her side hugging a pillow staring straight ahead with tears falling down her cheeks. He walked over to her and kneeled on the floor so his face was in her line of sight. Her eyes shifted to him and she sniffled. “ I can’t do this” She sobbed Eisuke brushed her hair out of her face. “ Yes, you can. I know you can, you are the strongest woman I know.” “ If I’m so strong why do I feel so weak?” “ Because you’ve gone through a lot recently, but you’re getting better.” Charlotte sat up and wiped her tears away. She sniffled and Eisuke's lip pulled up forming a small smile. “ Charlotte” He stood up and sat next to her on the bed as he took her hand. “ I have something that I need to tell you, so I’m just going to come out and say it.” She licked her lips and swallowed. Her heart was hammering against her chest in nervousness.

“ We slept together” “ You told me we weren’t together.” He took a deep breath and looked at her. “ We aren’t and never were. It happened once” “ Do I sleep around often?” He knitted his eyebrows together and shook his head. “ No, you’re not like that.” “ So then why?” He pressed lips together, feeling nervous about how she’d react to his explanation. “ Because I told you had to.” She looked at him in confusion not understand why she would listen to something like that. “ This isn’t the point Charlotte.” “ I think I deserve to know” She was starting to get angry and her ears began heating up. “ I’m trying to tell you that the baby inside of you is most likely mine.” “What?” “ I don’t believe you were with anyone else to my knowledge at least.” She took her hand out of his and stood up. “ You need to explain what happened because right now I am really confused!” He looked up at her as he was still sitting on the bed and took a deep breath. “All you need to know is that we slept together and now you’re pregnant that’s what we need to be worried about.” She sighed angrily “ I know that but I need to know why we slept together.” He stayed silent and she was getting frustrated “ You know what?! No, I’m not doing this not now not ever! I’m done being toyed with!” “ I’m not toying with you. I don’t want you involved any more than you already are.” “ No, I don’t want to hear it anymore” She went to the door and slipped her shoes on " Where are you going?" “ Away from you” She stormed out of his suite and into the lounge where Soryu and Baba were standing talking. She stomped out not talking to either one of them just focused on leaving. Then Eisuke came running down the stairs. “ Charlotte don’t leave!” She pressed the elevator button “ Leave me alone Eisuke” “You're still in your pajamas” “ Doesn’t matter” She stepped into the elevator and she glared at Eisuke “ Don’t follow me I want nothing to do with you” She said as the doors closed. If only she could just remember then she wouldn’t have to ask and this whole altercation could have been avoided. Why can’t she remember? She was ready for her memories to come back, She had waited long enough. Not long after she left the hotel when she passed a lightning post she was suddenly grabbed and she smelled a sweet smell and she struggled to stay conscious before succumbing and letting her consciousness slip away. She was carried into the back of a silver sedan by a blonde haired man. Eisuke was angry. Angry at himself, angry at the situation angry at Charlotte for not letting him explain. She always had a bit of a temper, at least that stayed the same. He looked back at Baba and Soryu. “ What did you do Eisuke?” Soryu asked plainly “ I didn’t do anything” he lied. How could he tell them that he had gotten her pregnant and she was so mad that he didn’t explain it properly that she ran out in her pajamas? He didn’t want to explain their whole relationship. How she was sold at the auction and how she belonged to him, and how he only used that against her if he got desperate. This time his desperation had consequences, she was pregnant and she hates him. He had to fix this. “ Find her” Baba arched an eyebrow “ But boss she said-” “ I don’t care what she said. I want you to find her and bring her back here. I don’t care if she’s screaming and kicking.” He didn’t care if she hated him for it, he had to tell her. She was right she deserved to know, even if it made her hate him more. Only if she knew how much everyone loved her. Baba had looked high and low he had even gone to her parents' house, but she had disappeared. It was unusual even if she was angry she wouldn’t just vanish. Darkness had enveloped the sky, and Baba felt defeated as if he had failed Charolette. He feared the worst, his gut told him that something was wrong. He walked back to the penthouse empty handed. “ Where is she?” Eisuke demanded “ I couldn’t find her, I looked everywhere I could think of but I couldn’t find her.” He looked down, and Mamoru came into the room. “ We need to find her! Mamoru I want you to use your detective sources and find Charolette.” Eisuke raked his hair back with his fingers. He felt on edge and was pacing in his suite. What if she had been kidnapped what if she’d been attacked again? She could lose the baby if there’s too much stress on her body. This was the first time in his life that he felt so useless there was nothing he could do except wait. He poured himself a glass of wine trying to relax, she was the only thing he could think of. He had never worried much about other people, but when it came to Charlotte he worried more than was probably normal.   He looked out the window of his suite as he took a drink of his red wine, something Charolette had enjoyed in the past. Why did everything remind him of her? He watched as the headlights of cars flashed by, wondering if she just ran away. She wouldn’t be that angry, would she? He didn’t care what it took he would find her if it ended up killing him. Soon the whole bottle of wine was gone, and Eisuke was quite inebriated. He went into her room and noticed her bed had since been made up and the floors had been vacuumed. This irritated him, he wanted it to look like it did before she left with the bed unmade, looking slept in and he wanted to see her clothes strewn across the floor, but instead they were in the laundry basket. Could someone be trying to hurt him by hurting her? All these irrational thoughts were filling his head. Nothing ever got accomplished by worrying, he needed to do something he had to get his mind off of her. He decided to walk around the hotel casino. He walked around, and soon he was seen and women started swooning over him. On a normal night he would have taken one to his room and had his way with her, but tonight it just irritated him. Charolette blinked her eyes and realized how bad her head was hurting. She put her hand to her forehead and rubbed, but then noticed the unfamiliar setting she was in. She was laying on a bed in what looked like a cabin. She got up and went for the door, but it was opened by a man with golden hair and blue eyes. He was tall, and he looked down at her. “ I’m glad you are awake Charolette, I’ve been waiting for you.” She looked at him wide eyed “ Where are we?” “ You are in my palace milady far in the woods, there is nowhere to run. There isn’t another house for miles. You are to stay here with me.” “ Why? Why did you take me?” “ Wait…I know you. You work at the hotel.” “ Smart girl. Yes, my name is Yuri, we met a little over a month ago. I’ve wanted you since then and now I can finally have you.” She grimaced “ You can’t have me.” He laughed and licked his lips seductively. She started backing away from him as he started in towards her. “ Please no. Stay back” As he pushed forward her back hit a wall and he grabbed her chin. “ You will be mine one way or another, but you will be mine.” He released her chin and backed away. He closed the door and locked it from the outside. She ran to the door and began banging on it and sank to the floor crying when nobody came to answer it. She put her knees up and hugged them as she sobbed. She wished she hadn’t gotten so angry with Eisuke he was just trying to tell her that the baby was his and she threw that in his face. He had been nothing but kind to her. This whole time he had been taking care of her and never once did she stop to thank him. She wished she could run back and tell him that she’s sorry that she doesn’t hate him. She wished that she was back in that hotel where she was safe and loved. She wanted to be in the company of Ota. She wished Soryu was guarding her and Mamoru was napping on the couch while Baba was making a fool of himself. She wished that Eisuke was sitting there quietly, observing everything around him. She sat there with tears streaming down her face, broken images started filling her head. She saw herself breaking something and being forced to be put up for auction. She saw herself being faced by all the guys and feeling afraid, but not more afraid than she felt right now. She saw herself laughing with Eisuke and quietly glancing his way every time he entered the room. She felt heat rise to her cheeks every time their eyes connected. She saw herself meeting Yuri and feeling so happy only to be ripped of that happiness by Eisuke’s demand of her having to sleep with him. She wasn’t unhappy though she was mad but not unhappy. She saw herself and Eisuke at the party and how he kissed her and brushed her skin with his fingertips. The feeling gave her goosebumps. She drank a lot that night, but Eisuke’s gentle kisses and feather light touches lit a fire in her belly. seeing him make love to her and her to him. They were so into each other and caught up in the moment. No wonder she got pregnant, he must have forgotten the condom. Condoms were the last thing they were thinking about, they wanted each other … needed each other. Then when it was over he held her like they were lovers. It was a blissful feeling, but then knowing it was over was painful knowing she would never feel that again she decided to get drunk at the hotel bar. Ota tried to stop her but she got mad and tried to leave and that’s when Yuri attacked her and if Ota hadn’t saved her who knows what he would have done. Now though she was alone with no Ota no nobody but herself. What will he do? How long will he keep her here? what will happen when he discovers she’s pregnant? Finally, her memories had returned but she had to be kidnapped and had no one to share it with. She knew she had to escape. He said there wasn’t a house for miles, but she didn’t care she just knew she had to get out and get back to the guys where she was safe.

Chapter One  Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four

[littlegrrl7]

“The Tiger and the Wren”

Ikemen Sengoku Shingen/OC 18+

Excerpt from Chapter 6 “Pain and Warmth”

Fluff

___

“Rough mission?” Sasuke eyed the bruise on Ren’s cheekbone, another was visible through her kimono collar, her gait was stiff as she walked down the hall. It had been a few weeks since they’d seen each other.

“I’ve had better.” She gave him a half-grin and a wink. “How goes your training under Kenshin?”

“I’m managing to avoid him more regularly, it helps that these cold months keep people indoors.” He lifted the hem of his top. “Look, for the first time in my scientific lifestyle, I have abs!”

Ren laughed, giving him a half hug as they walked down the hall, he noticed her bandaged hand and squinted at her.

“I’m fine. Honestly, my mark had two extremely well-trained shinobi in his employ. I took my lumps, but gave as good as I got.” She gave him a quick reassuring kiss on the cheek, then turned the corner.

 Speaking of abs…

Her face pressed into the heated flesh of Shingen’s bare chest, the edge of his kimono caressed her cheek, unconsciously she inhaled deeply. Ren hadn’t realized how much she had missed the sweet musk of his scent. Coming to her senses, she stumbled backward, Shingen caught her in his long arms holding her against him until she had regained her balance. She felt the heat rise to her cheeks. His hands caressed warmly down her back.

“My Goddess, if you are favoring mere mortals with kisses from your divine lips today, I’ll have the next one.” Holy cats! His voice was like buttered caramel, she gazed upward, his mirth filled grey eyes smoldered, her knees went weak.

 Dammit, girl pull yourself together!

“My Lord, I apologize.” She started to bow, her eyes shifting away from his burning gaze to the ground. Her heart threatened to beat its way out of her chest.

“Unnecessary, “ Shingen cupped her chin, lifting her gaze back to his. A thumb traced the edge of her bruise with concern, then continued to teasingly brush over her lower lip. “You are, as always, a pleasure to bump into Ren.” The tiger glinted in his eyes at the double entendre. He took her hand, playfully kissing the tips of her fingers. Her face burned red. With a smile, he nodded in greeting to Sasuke and continued on down the hall.

Ren gasped.

“Woah,” Sasuke’s lip twitched in a grin “I knew there was some unresolved sexual tension between you two, but I feel like I need a cold shower after that exchange. Is he always so-“

“Every damn time.”

“And you haven’t-“

“No.” Ren swallowed audibly. Sasuke peered at her flushed face then glanced down the hall.

“Ren…I’m straight, and I’d hit that, what are you waiting for? He’s obviously into you.”

She sighed, shaking herself off. “He’s my boss.”

“I don’t think that’s an issue for him.” Ren smacked her friend’s shoulder.

“Uggg, I need a soak. My body is one big bruise. I’ll catch up to you later, ok?”

Sasuke gave her a lip twitch smile and sauntered off down the hall.

It was rare Ren used the onsen as she was one of the few females at the castle with leave to make use of it. It was cold, but still, the light dusting of snow melted far before the edge of the water. Ren had tied a small tag to a scarf at the entrance, announcing the hot spring was in use by her then dropped her towel near the edge, sinking her naked bruised body into the steaming medicinal waters.

It had been a long time since she had taken a beating like that, and it was a sharp reminder to keep her skills honed. She had been sent to Oshu to ferret out some information, on her way out, she encountered two extremely well-trained Shinobi who appeared to be brothers. She was happy she escaped with her skin intact if varying shades of purple. At least she gave as good as she got, the dark-haired one had stayed at range, but the flirty blonde he called “Gen” was definitely hurting as much as she was. She turned to face the edge of the pool, laying her bruised cheek against the cool stone. Everything just ached, it was probably for the best she didn’t have a mirror. At least the wound on her hand was shallow, it was the only cut she took. She let her mind drift in the rising steam of the onsen, her eyes sliding closed.

Familiar steps came close, her eyes snapped back open.

“Hello Ren, mind if I join you? Sasuke said you were going for a soak and would like some company.”

 Shingen…damn, you Sasuke. You are going to wish Kenshin had killed you.

She flitted her eyes to the side, her breasts were pressed to the wall, her back faced him.

“I left a scarf indicating I was using the onsen.”

“I saw,” He chuckled. “Was it not an invitation?”

She turned a little more to look at him. Shingen stood on the other side of the natural pool, wearing only a small towel around his narrow hips. Her eyes traveled upward slowly, every line of his body was perfectly sculpted from his muscled abdomen to his smooth broad chest to shoulders so vast she felt like she’d swoon. Ren had never seen a more magnificent specimen of a male. If he were from her time, he would be a model and not one that needed the aid of photoshop. She let her eyes wander appreciatively back downward. He smiled, dropping the towel to slide into the steaming water.

 Yes, …everything was perfect. Whelp, there’s more fuel for that fantasy…

Ren averted her eyes, her face glowing red. “Just stay to your side.”

Him

He saw the bruises on her face from the last mission and winced internally. He knew the twins she ran up against. That she survived, was a testament to her skill. When Sasuke mentioned to him she was going to soak, Shingen picked up a container of salve to give her to help with the bruising. Seeing her in the onsen, he was sorry he sent her. The white flesh of her back was mottled in all shades of pain like she had either taken a beating or fallen hard. He realized by the way she covered herself, she was unused to casual nudity.

“I’m sorry I sent you.” His voice was sincere, he saw her eyes flash in surprise.

“Was the information I retrieved not what you desired?”

“It wasn’t worth the damage to your pearlescent skin, my angel. Are you ok? I brought you some salve to help with the pain and bruising.”

“Thank you, my Lord. That is very thoughtful of you.” To his surprise, she turned to face him, sinking down into the water. Her arms crossed over her bare chest. An angry blackened bruise striped across her shoulder to her collarbone on the left side, it looks like someone struck her there then it bounced off catching her cheek.

“Just Shingen, please.” He requested softly, “Would you tell me what happened?”

“I got cocky.” A self-deprecating laugh slipped from her lips. “I haven’t run up against anyone else here to match my skills, the other shinobi I’ve run into were sloppy or lacking in discipline, these two weren’t.”

Shingen listened quietly, watching the emotions play freely across her face. She was different today, unguarded. Possibly from fatigue. He found it very human of her, alluring, different than the self-assured cold demeanor she usually projected.

“I had just left the castle with the intel when the dark-haired shinobi started flinging kunai at me, he stayed at range the entire time. I never had a chance to bring out my bow because the blonde immediately closed at melee. We were evenly matched and disarmed each other as soon as he closed. The fight turned into unarmed combat with his brother flinging missiles at me. Thank goodness I was faster, he only managed a graze on my hand.” She gave a small shrug, wincing imperceivably at the roll of her shoulders. He found himself wanting to reach out to her to comfort her but knew she wouldn’t allow it in her current state of undress.

“The dark-haired man called him “Gen”. We beat on each other for some time, I gave as good as I got. I managed to knock him out, and I ran for it.” She paused and then added, “I would prefer not to be sent there again without backup.”

“Understood, again, I apologize for putting you in that position. I did not know they would both be present.”

Ren raised an eyebrow. “But you were aware at least one would be present? A warning would have been nice.”

“My goddess, I knew you could handle it, I have faith in you.”

She splashed him, “Ass.”

Shingen blinked at the unexpected sass then gave her a wolfish grin.

“Next time, warn me.” She smiled, it was radiant, and he felt his heart thump loud against his ribs.

“I promise.” He moved forward to sit by her and saw her eyes widen in panic. Shingen raised his hands.

“Just, keep to your side, mixed bathing isn’t really done by non-couples where I’m from.”

“We could change that.” Her eyes lit warily at his grin. “My angel, I would love to couple with you. "

“Pfffft!” Her laughter made him smile. “You and your silver tongue, do you ever stop flirting?”

“If you desired me to, I would stop. But I don’t think you do.”

“Guilty.” She rolled her eyes, then turned back around, giving him a view of her back to where the water lapped at her narrow waist. Another bruise started there and wrapped down under the water. His lips briefly tightened at the amount of pain she must be in.

“Ren, why don’t we go back to your room and I’ll help you with the salve? I use it when I’m injured. It will actually help more than the heat of the springs.”

She nodded, “would you close your eyes?”

“Hmmm?” He tilted his head.

“So, I can get out, would you please close your eyes?” The tips of her ears were scarlet, it had nothing to do with the heat of the springs. He smiled at how adorable she was.

“My eyes are closed.” He heard her leave the water, imagined it running off her flesh, pooling around her. Soft fabric rustled as she wrapped herself in the full towel.

“I’ll be in my room, thank you.”

Shingen waited until he could no longer hear her footsteps, then opening his eyes, he climbed out of the springs. He picked up the jar of salve and went to retrieve his kimono. He could have just given it to her, but the damage was so extreme she would never be able to reach all of it on her own.

 Tell yourself that old man.

This was not just an excuse to touch her, he wanted to help her.

 mmmhmmmm

He slid on his kimono…maybe he should just stop by and give her the salve, he could send a maid by to help her apply it. Yes, that is what he should do. He started walking toward her room with decisive strides.

He tapped on the door.

“Ren, it’s Shingen.”

“Come in.”

His breath hitched as he entered the room, and all thoughts of simply handing her the salve disappeared like smoke. She kneeled on her futon, her bare back to him. Her sleeping kimono was belted around her waist, but she had slid both arms out and merely held the cloth up to her chest. He had just seen her fully naked in the onsen, and yet this was far more intimate. He took a deep breath steeling himself. He was here to help her.

“I appreciate you helping me. I won’t lie, I’m very sore. It’s been a long time since I’ve been hurt this badly.” Her soft voice was hesitantly vulnerable.

Shingen kneeled behind her scooping some of the salve from the jar, he warmed it in his hands before spreading it gently onto her purpled flesh. Her skin was softer than he had imagined. He leaned in, rubbing the salve into the wound on her shoulder then moving lower down her back. His hands were gentle, reverent on her. The fact she was even letting him touch her so intimately surprised him.

“I saw one lower, near your waist?”

“Hmmm, yes, he hit me in the hip with a log.” She fidgeted a bit then opened the front of her kimono, dropping the fabric to display her purpled hip. He moved his hands over it, and she sighed in pleasure.

A smile tugged at his lips. He leaned in closer, letting his natural warmth roll over her. His hands continued to rub salve into her abused skin, but at this point, it was more of an excuse to touch her.

He slid both hands down her back, Ren let out a rumbling purr that ended in a moan. Then covered her mouth in embarrassment, her skin flushing to red.

“It appears I have discovered a tigress.” Shingen let his lips graze the nape of her neck, he couldn’t resist. The spice scent of her flesh was enticing. She turned her head toward him, snowy lashes fluttering to her cheeks.

“It just felt really good.” She admitted. The blush on her cheeks was beyond charming. He slid an arm around her cupping her chin.

“Let me see that cheek.” He caressed some salve over the bruise on her face. Her violet eyes caught his, he paused. There was desire in the depths of her eyes. She leaned back into his chest. He brought both arms around her in a warm embrace. His lips nuzzled into the back of her neck. He nipped her gently, suckling on tender flesh. Her breath came in short hot pants.

“Shingen, we shouldn’t.”

He grinned against her neck.

“You don’t want me to hold you?” he asked softly.

“I do, it feels nice.”

“Do you want me to kiss you?” his lips trailed against softly on her neck, nibbling at the uninjured flesh.

“I’m too hurt to make this enjoyable.”

He chuckled against her cheek. “I am enjoying you.”

She let out a frustrated little snort, he grinned wider. “You are adorable.” Shingen ruffled her short hair. “How could I not enjoy being close to you?”

She rolled her eyes. “Alright, I thank you for your help, I can get the ones in the front.”

“Or you could allow me to?”

Her

His hands, she was melting into the warmth of them. Everywhere he touched her, it tingled. Ren told herself it was just the medicinal salve, but her heart beating so fast in her chest told a different story. Her body still hurt, but now a different kind of ache was overlaying that. It was not a small effort to lean away from him, sliding her arms back into the sleeves of her kimono. She turned slightly with a wince and brushed her lips softly against his cheek.

“I really appreciate it thank you, I should get some rest.” She tried not to look him in the eye, Ren knew she’d lose her resolve if she did. It was already slipping. Every breath was full of his scent, his warmth, her body was screaming for him. She was holding onto her moral ground by her fingernails and slipping fast.

“It will only take a moment.” His eyes caught hers, concern and tenderness swirled in the soft grey. She was lost. Wordlessly she moved the cloth to the side, exposing the length of her left leg, the bruising on her thigh wrapping around down to her ankle. Shingen warmed the salve again in his hands, then slid them down over her muscled leg. She bit her lip holding back a moan, her eyes sliding closed. She rested her forehead to his shoulder. He made her feel too good to care anymore, the pain was replaced with his warmth. Her entire world focused down to the heat of his hands stroking over her calf, massaging the salve into her skin. Her breath came out in a long shaky sigh. Then to her surprise, he slid the kimono back over her leg, covering her. Shingen’s lips pressed warmly to her forehead.

“Get some rest, little bird. I’ll leave this with you.” He laid the jar next to her futon and stood. Her body hummed in protest at the loss of his warmth.

She let herself slide down into the bed, he leaned forward wrapping her warmly in the covers.

“Sweet dreams, my goddess.”

Continued on A03- long fic

https://archiveofourown.org/works/21712111/chapters/51789976

[oh-no-toshinori]

#1 - Pride Month

Hey guys!  Happy Pride.  I’m gonna write you a story.  It might not make sense, but just know that it has to do with TMNT.  I have a go-to venting OC, and I use her specifically for the TMNT-verse.  If you want more on her, you can go to www.quotev.com/rebellioushufan/published .  This will be written in my OC’s POV

- - -

“Hey, Leo!”  I call out to the blue masked turtle who was walking into the dojo.  Said turtle stops in his tracks and turns around, humming in response.  “Can I talk to you privately for a minute before you decide to train?”  Sweat was forming in large beads on my temples, my hands shaking with anxiety.  My legs could barely keep me up.  God, this was far more difficult than I thought it would be.

“Of course!  Where would you like to talk?”  He asks dapper, turning is full attention over to me.  

“I’d like to walk through the sewers and talk with you.”  I fidget my fingers neurotically and remove my eyes from Leo, moving my sight of vision to my feet.  

“Alright, let’s go.”  He starts walking towards the exit of the lair, gently pressing his hand against my shoulder as we walked.  I’m pretty sure it was a gesture of comforting reassurance, but had he pressed any harder I know I would have fallen.  

Me and Leonardo walk further and further away from the exit until we’re both sure that nobody else would be able to hear us.  

“Soo. . .”  Leo starts, “what’s going on?” He continued to walk on, but he made sure to make eye contact with me as he communicated.

“Well, you’re the most open-minded person I know personally, so I’m really hoping that this doesn’t go south.”  I laugh nervously as the blue masked turtle looks back at me with a look of confusion  covering his face.  

“It’s no secret that I’ve liked Raphael, I think we can agree on that.”

“Well, yeah, but. . . ?”  Leo knew there was more to what I had to say, but I was struggling more than I thought I would have to get the words out.

My mind starts spinning, my heart beat picking up in speed.  I start to subconsciously fidget with the hemming of my sweater.  “Leo, there’s no easy way for me to put this, but. . .”  I stop in my tracks and look up to him.  My face had to be as red as a tomato.  God, this is embarrassing.  I didn’t realize how homophobic I was towards myself.  Why is this so scary?

Leo continues to stare at me.  His concern was unwavering, but I’m pretty sure he knows what’s up - to a degree.  “You don’t like me too, do you?  Because we both know I’ll reject.”

Well that’s cold.  Luckily I don’t like him.  “No, it’s not like that!  It’s actually a girl I like.”  There you go, Evelynn.  Was it really that hard to say?  Yes, yes it was.  

“A girl?  I would have never expected that from you, Eve.”  Immediately, the (unintentional) tension that had been building up between me and Leonardo vanished as if it had never existed.  

“Yeah. . .”  My face starts to heat up more.  A girl.  I really do like this girl.  She’s beautiful, strong, knows how to take my breath away.  She’s hot-headed, but only because of what she grew up in.  It’s so easy for her to learn new things, and that was something I admired from her.  Her short blonde hair framed her face shape perfectly - although it was a buzz-cut, it still did the job perfectly in making her look beautiful.  Her blue eyes kept me captivated at all times.  Her charm had always made me fall for her even more each and every day.  She was downright amazing. . .

“Who is this girl you like?  It looks like she really has you captivated.”  Leo questions as he starts to show interest in my love life.  

“Oh, uh, w-well, it’s. . .”  I don’t think I should admit it.  Doesn’t she like Casey?  I think those two are far too close for me to even get in between them at this point.  Wow, what a fool I am.  It’s whatever, maybe I should try to make my shot anyways.  “It’s Jennika.”  I blurt out on accident.  My thoughts weren’t even done!  How could I do that to myself?

“I think her and Casey Jones are close, actually, but if you want to shoot your shot and at least let her know your feelings, you won’t have to keep holding them in.  It looks like it’s a literal boulder on your shoulders.”  The leader expresses to me.  

He was right.  i don’t like to admit that, but at this point in time I had been thinking the same thing he was.  “Do you really think I should let her know?”

“I think it’s a good idea, yes.”  

“Alright. . .”  Obviously I’m apprehensive.  Literally nobody knows I swing both ways.  I’m scared to tell her.  As my feet subconsciously take me back to the Lair, Leonardo taking the lead, I continue to get lost within my thoughts.  

There is no way Jenny is going to accept me.  It’s so obvious that she likes Casey, but it’s not like I can control how I feel about her.  If I could have done that, I would have never come out as Bisexual to Leonardo.  I internally punch myself in the gut.  It’s no use telling Jennika, but Leo’s right.  Not telling her hurts more than actually telling her my emotions towards her.

Suddenly, I’m knocked from my thoughts.  I come face to face with the back of a turtle shell.  Looking up, I realize that I’ve knocked into Raphael. . . I must’ve really disappeared into my thoughts.  I mutter an apology to him and ignore his snarky remark as I walk myself into the kitchen.

I take myself over to the fridge to get a bottled water.  Once I turn around, I come face to face with the person I have been avoiding all day; Jennika.

“Oh, hey there Evelynn.  I almost didn’t recognize ya.  You don’t always wear sweaters, yanno?”  The blonde female jokes a bit.  She walks behind me to get a peak into the fridge, and she ultimately pulls out a bottled water as well.  “Hey, you good?  You seem frozen.”

I look up to her and notice her eyes immediately.  They were filled to the brim with concern.  I look back down to my water bottle and crack it open, my face heating up once again.  “I’m okay.”  I mutter out, too flustered to say anything else.  

“Anything on your mind?”  Jennika takes a seat at the island and cracks her water open, taking a large swig of the liquid down the hatch.

“Yeah.  I don’t really know how to say it without drawing it out, so I’ll take a simple route.”  She probably has no idea what I’m talking about.  I’m literally speaking in riddles.  Stupid Evelynn.

Jenny swallows her water and looks back over to me.  “Alright, hit me with what you’ve got.”  

“Jennika, I like you.  More than a friend.  More than a sister.  I want to date you, hug you, kiss you, hold your hand, be by your side, support you. . .I think I can even confidentally say that I love you, Jen.”  CODE RED.  THIS IS NOT OKAY.

The blue-eyed female looks at me completely shocked.  “Evelynn. . . I’m beyond flattered, but. . . I don’t exactly swing that way.”

“I- I know.  But Leonardo told me I should just let you know.  I don’t want things to be awkward between us, but just know I’m not going to try anything.  I respect you, and I don’t want you to think any less of me.”  I start shuffling on my feet uncomfortably.  This was heartbreaking.  I kind of want to crawl into a hole, but I know that I shouldn’t wallow in sadness.  It wouldn’t exactly be beneficial.

“I respect that.  And I’m proud of you for being able to tell me.  That’s really tough, coming out like that.  Thank you for telling me.  I’m shocked, and I probably will be for a while, but I’ll try not to allow this to effect our platonic relationship.”

And with that being said, the conversation was over.  There was nothing left to say.  We both went our separate ways.  She went back to Casey Jones, and I went to tell Leonardo about my experience.  Immediately after that, I went to the spare bedroom and. . . well, I cried.  I was genuinely sad about this, but I know I won’t b sad for long.  This was expected, so I know I’ll get over it easily.  Maybe I’ll have better luck on another day with another person of interest.

[issabangtanfic]

[Jungkook] The Windmill House (Chapter 4)

Masterlist

Synopsis: When for once rich doesn’t rhyme with Christian Grey.

Pairing: Jungkook x OC

A/N: Feel free to submit a cover! Tell me what you think in my inbox! Enjoy!

-

Friday comes in a blink of an eye, and before I can really prepare myself mentally I am back at the mansion, where so far nothing good ever happens to me. It’s the end of the week, I’ve had a long day, so I don’t feel like dealing with any of Mr. Jeon's bullshit. Before leaving my car I give myself a mental pep talk. I am not going to let him get in my head, or in my pants, for that matter. Once under the porch, I knock and my client opens the door.

"Miss Fair.” He greets, all navy suit and yummy face. I give him a tight smile. This is going to be difficult.

“Good evening Mr. Jeon.” I reply. He steps aside to let me in and closes the door behind me.

“How was your day?” He asks once we’re in what could be considered the foyer of the mansion.

“Busy. How have you been?”
 I reply. He gives me a playful look.

“Impatient.” He says. Goddammit.

“Can I get you anything to drink?” He proposes, shoving his hands in the pockets of his fin, fine trousers.

“Our barman just arrived.” He informs me, leading me down a short corridor.


“Barman?” I repeat.
 “This is going to be a hotel?”
 I ask him as we walk into a hall with a bar. There’s a counter and four wooden stools.

“I don’t know yet.” He shrugs a shoulder.

“But you have a barman.” I retort.

“I’m the barman.”
 He explains.

“Wine?” He proposes, slipping behind the counter. I’m not against a little something to make this whole thing a tad easier.

“Just a sip. I have to drive.” I agree, sitting my bum on a stool and putting my purse on the counter. I watch as Mr. Jeon pulls out two wine glasses and a bottle of red wine. As he’s open to open in, his phone starts to ring in his pocket. He halts to look at the caller’s ID, and I see his face harden, He stares at his phone for a couple of seconds before looking back at my waiting form.

“Sorry, I have to take this.” He says. I nod, and watch him walk out the room. I sit there, waiting twiddling my thumbs, resisting the urge to open each and every door I see and climb all the stairs I can find.

“Miss Fair?”

I turn my head and see a man walking down the stairs. Tall, dirty blond hair and a light stubble, the man is in a suit with no tie, and the top two buttons of his shirt undone. He radiates with charisma, his eyes green and piercing.

“That’s me. And you are?” I reply, watching him walk to me. He gives me a smile I’m he reserves for ladies. It is as devastating as it is familiar. Where have I seen this fine man?

“Good evening. I’m Eliott, Kook’s brother.” He greets. Eliott… Eliott… Eliott Hargreeves? They don’t have the same last name?

“Oh. I do remember you. Me and my colleague Ava worked on your home in south London, right.” I tell him once he’s in front of me.

“A masterpiece.” He nods, giving me his hand to shake.

“Good evening, Eliott. Mr. Jeon told me you recommended me to him.” I say to him, shaking his hand.

“I did. You did a fantastic job in the penthouse, so I figured you could do wonders in this place as well.” He explains. I wonder if he knows his brother almost gave the project to someone else.

“Well thank you very much, it’s a very exciting project.” I reply, and he hits me with another charming smile.

“You’re most welcome.” He murmurs, almost making me giggle. I watch him as he goes behind the counter, where his brother has left a bottle of wine and two glasses. He takes the bottle and looks at the tag, before making a grimace and putting it away.

“Do you know what mister Jeon has in mind for this building? Surely he doesn’t live here.” I ask him.

“I think he wants to turn it into a luxury hotel.” Eliott explains, pulling out another botte from under the counter.

“I see.” I say, watching him open that second bottle.

“I think he should go for an Italian design, but he wants everything to look like your neighborhood Dubai villa.” He says, shaking his head disapprovingly. Exactly!

“That’s exactly what I told him.” I concur as he pours us some dark red- almost black wine.

“And he accepted?” Eliott challenged, putting the bottle down.

“Well, I’m here.” I shrug, and he chuckles, sliding one glass in my direction.

“Nice one.” He says, raising his glass at me. I raise mine and take sip. This is strong.

“So,” I pipe up while Eliott takes a stool next to mine. “How’s your company doing?”

Mr. Hargreeves tells me more about his fintech company and his new projects. He plans on opening a hotel and is looking into buying cruse ships. He also explains how he tries to make all of his businesses as eco-friendly as possible, which is something I admire. He asks me about my most recent projects, lets me show him some pictures on my phone, and proposes to hire me to work on his hypothetical hotel. The discussion never ends as we bounce off of each other’s subjects to bring up new ones, wine being poured continuously, so much so that we don’t feel the time pass.

“Eliott?”

We both turn our heads to see Mr. Jeon returning after his phone call, eyebrows knotted together.

“Hey, big bro.”
 Eliott greets him.

“I thought you were leaving.” He says, sounding annoyed.


“I was, and then I ran into your lovely guest.”
 Eliott replies with a grin, waving towards me. Oh, flattery.

"Just sharing a drink. Well two, by now.”
 He informs him, bringing his glass to his lips. Two?! I look at my empty glass. I hadn’t realized I was drinking. How did I not pay attention? I won’t be able to drive like that.

“You’ve been drinking Marsala?”


When I look up Mr. Jeon has walked behind the counter, and is holding the now empty bottle of wine. I gape at him, clueless.

“Maya. this is 20 percent alcohol. You’ll be drunk in a few minutes.”
 He admonishes. Oh bloody hell.

“Oh, crap.”
 Is all I manage.

“S’fine. I can get you home after we’re all done.”
 Eliott counters nonchalantly. After we’re done?

“After what-“


“I’ll get my assistant to drive you.” He says sternly, and I feel like it’s more of a declaration than a proposition.

“Elliot, do you mind?”
 Mr. Jeon says to his brother, inviting him- or ordering him I don’t know really, out of the room. Eliott makes a childish sulky face, sliding off his stool. When his eyes land on me, he gives me a dazzling smile, holding his hand out.

“Mrs. Fair.” He says as I take his hand to shake it. He flips my hand and drops a light kiss on the back of it, enough for tickles of his lips to make me smile.

“Pleasure seeing you again.”
 He murmurs as I slip my hand out of his. I giggle softly, finding his over-the-top flirting quite charming and somewhat funny. He has always been like this as far as I remember, both with me and Ava. He is flirty but in a way that says he’s never going go too far, which made our meetings with him super pleasant.

“For me too.” I reply before watching him amble out of the room, all while avoiding the missiles his brother is throwing at him with his eyes.

“Get Jimin to drive you home.” Mr. Jeon says to his back, and he replies with a wave over his shoulder. When Eliott is out of sight, Mr. Jeon sighs deeply, clearing our wine glasses off the counter. Not knowing what to say, I watch him, twiddling my thumbs anxiously.

“While you’re still sober, how about actually getting to work?” He finally proposes, his tone icy. Being tipsy on the job, talk about professionalism. This has never happened to me before.

“I had no idea what was in that bottle.”
 I say defensively. It’s not my fault his brother is an interesting person.

"You’re right. I’m sorry.”
 He sighs again. “It’s his fault.”


He’s in the worst of moods now. I don’t feel comfortable.

“Maybe I should leave. I’ll get a taxi.” I propose, grabbing my purse.


“No.”
 He retorts, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“No, just…” He trails off, thinking.

“Have dinner with me.”
 He proposes. What?

“You’re not going to be that drunk if we get some food into your system.” He explains.

“I’m not sure that’s appropriate.” I mutter.

“It’s not.” He admits. 
“But you know how little I care about that.”

Mmmh. I’m not going to have dinner with him. Ever. It’s just an excuse to spend time with me in hopes to get me to open my legs. It’s high time we started actual work.


“I was thinking maybe you could give me a quick brief about what you want for the rooms.” I counter, and watch his eyebrows become a knot of confusion.

“We have to get to work someday.” I shrug a shoulder. Mr. Jeon sighs, defeated, and fumbles behind the counter once more. I hear the tap open and close.

“Here.” He drops a tall glass of water in front of me.
 “Drink this.”


“Thank you.” I reply, only too glad to drink it. As I start gulping down on my water, I hear his phone go off again. I watch him sigh out of annoyance while he looks at his phone.

“I’ll be back in a minute. Sorry.” He mutters before leaving me once more. As he disappears behind French doors, Eliott peeks from the door next to the stairs.

“Is he gone?” He asks me, eyes dancing with cheeky amusement.

“You’re still here?” I utter, my eyebrows meeting my hairline. He strolls to me, smiling from ear to ear.

“I made our mom call him.” He explains. That’s so childish. I giggle.

“He’ll be back in a second.” I remind him, but he waves a dismissive hand at me.

“What side of the house are you working on? The red room?”
 He asks once he’s next to me again, elbow on the counter.

“The red room?”

“He hasn’t showed you the red room?” He frowns. I copy him. What in the hell is the red room?


“Is that where the previous owner had his large parties?” I take a wild guess. Eliott chuckles at me.


“More like large orgies.”
 He clarifies. I look at him in a mix of shock and wonder.

“There’s an orgy room?”
 I utter, and I don’t know why I am so excited about it. I’m just really curious now. The owner threw orgies not parties in there. That’s why this place used to be so hard to get in.

“It’s a piece of work. Very sexual. Let me show you.”
 Eliott proposes, and it take me everything I have to refuse.

“I should wait for your brother. He’ll be back in a minute.”
 I tell him, not wanting to deal with angry Jeon again.

“It’s right across the room, we’ll hear him come back.”
 He argues, pointing towards the door behind me. It is right there!

“Okay.” I give in, hopping off my stool.

“It’s really something. Jungkook wants it gone but I like it.”
 He says right before pushing the double doors open. I walk into a gigantic, red leather-padded chamber. The first and unmissable thing that catches my eye is the sumptuous chandelier hanging over the center of the room. The walls are covered with all kinds of tools: floggers, whips, cuffs, gags, collars, leashes, canes, paddles and other sex toys. I have never smelled so much leather in my life, not even in my uncle's leather couch shop.

“Oh wow.” I breathe, my feet carrying me further in. There are round beds here and there, desks and chairs in other spots, 4 sex swings, one in each corner of the rooms, two huge wooden crosses with ties on them, and so many other things I can’t describe. This some hard core bdsm dungeon. At the center, right under the chandelier, lies a tailored circular bed propped up on a platform, almost like a stage, with red satin sheets and pillows. On that bed alone could fit 15 to 20 people. I can’t even imagine how many kinky middle-agers used to come here at once.

“You could fit a hundred people in there.” I observe, not knowing what else to say. It is very red, and very sexual. I’m just shocked this is here, but the design itself is beautiful and it would be a shame to remove it. I feel Eliott before I see him, his breath tickling the hair on my nape and making it stand alert.


“Two's just as fine.” He retorts, his voice low and quiet, just as the doors close behind us.

[the-genesis-caveat]

i’ve been listening to way too many creepypastas.

@irrelevant-proxy-bitch as promised, my creepypasta sona/oc origin story. hopefully it meets the standards, heh

Genesis Caveat Origin

or, How I Became a Proxy

That thing is watching me again.

I first noticed it after a particularly boring day of school. I hadn’t paid attention in most of my classes, instead opting to scroll through Tumblr, mess around on Discord, and listen to Creepypasta readings on Youtube. I’m probably failing most of my classes at this point. I can’t bring myself to care. I can’t bring myself to care about much of anything these days. Fiction is the only thing that piques my interest, those made-up worlds are so much more entertaining than the boring one I’m stuck living in. That’s probably why I like writing so much, I can create and destroy whole worlds with no consequence to me, I can control everything and nothing, and it can be as entertaining as I want it to be.

I’m getting off-track. Sorry.

I’d been ignored all day, as per usual, so when I was walking home and felt someone watching me, I was confused and more than a little curious. I normally walk at a fairly quick pace, but I slowed my steps a little when I felt I was being watched. I turned to look behind me, but no one was there. The sidewalk was empty. Actually, the whole street was empty, which is what caused my anxiety to spike. There were no people, no cars, even the storefronts looked empty. I turned back forward and picked up my pace again, walking quickly all the way home. It wasn’t until I’d reached my front door that I realized the feeling of that stare had vanished the instant I’d turned around.

Since then, I’ve felt that stare every time I walk home from school.

After the first day, I didn’t bother looking back. Something told me I wouldn’t be able to see anyone if I did. I was more than a bit creeped out by the whole thing. Why was someone spying on me? How long had they been watching me before I noticed? I was half-convinced I’d been singled out because I’m a textbook wallflower- no one at school would know if I went missing, and they definitely wouldn’t care. If someone snatched me while I was on my way to school, my parents wouldn’t find out until I was late getting home, and by then their frantic calls to the school and police wouldn’t do a thing- I’d probably be long gone.

I guess I was right about that part, heh. Just not for the reasons I thought.

. . .

I’m getting ahead of myself. Where were we? Ah, right.

It’s the seventh day of me being stared at as I’m walking home from school. For the past week, caution won out over curiosity, and instead of trying to spot whoever’s stalking me, I’ve just gotten home as fast as I can. I also made a habit of texting my parents when I leave school- they know how long it’s supposed to take me to get home, so if I get kidnapped they’ll know sooner. Same as when I head to school in the mornings, because I’ve been feeling the gaze on me then too.

I think part of me always knew it wasn’t human.

Shit, sorry. Focus.

Anyway, walking home. Seventh day in a row. Blah blah blah. Only this time, my curiosity outweighed my caution. Maybe I was just so damn bored of the life I had, that I’d do anything to mix things up. Actually, I’m sure that’s what it was. Suffice to say, as I walked down the eerily empty street, this time I slowed my steps instead of speeding them up. Then I slowly turned my head to look behind me. And saw it. The thing that was stalking me. I only caught half a second’s glance before it vanished, but that was enough. The details flashed in my mind. Tall, freakishly so. Black suit, torn sleeves. Something like tentacles raised up behind it. And the face- no face. At least not that my mind allowed me to see.

Then it vanished.

I spun back forwards and sprinted the rest of the way home.

The minute I got home I locked myself in my bedroom, drawing the curtains closed and booting up my laptop. A barely comprehensible entry in the Google search bar was autocorrected in seconds, and with a shaking hand, I moved the mouse to click on the images tab. Photoshopped pictures, fanart, and blurry photos stared back at me.

“I knew it.”

Like I mentioned at the start of this narration, I listen to a lot of creepypasta readings on Youtube. So I’m familiar with some of the stories. Laughing Jack. Jeff the Killer. Lost Silver. So many others. And of course, the one that started it all.

Slenderman.

“Holy fuck.”

I was being stalked by Slenderman. Why? And why hadn’t he killed me? I needed answers. Luckily, the internet is a magnificent place. I curled up in my swivel chair and started typing away, searching up everything I could about Slenderman and his proxies. Even the stuff I already knew, I read or listened to again. I took in as much information as possible. It’s said that knowledge is power, and for some things, the more you know, the more danger you’re in. But in this case, well. I’d seen him. He knew I’d seen him. What did I have to lose?

The next time I look at my clock, it’s nearly five in the morning. I’d done about all the research my brain could handle, even with my hyperfixations running at full throttle. More info probably wouldn’t matter anyway.

I’d made my decision, my plan.

Now, to execute it.

I empty my backpack of school supplies and pulled out a Sharpie. Lowering the felt tip to the fabric on the inside of the backpack, I let out a slow breath. With things like this, power always came from belief, at least that’s what the stories told me. I’d seen him, I knew it was real, it was all real. Now that I knew that, anything was possible. The line between fiction and reality is blurring.

As an author, it’s my job to break it.

I scribble a phrase on the inside of the backpack and capped the sharpie. Then I reach over to one of the books I’d stacked in the ‘bring with’ pile and drop it in.

The book hit the bottom of the bag and vanished.

I grin and reach in, hand passing through a cool sort of veil. I feel around, grabbing the book, and pull it out. It worked. It worked! I giggle, flapping my free hand in excitement. Pocket dimension backpack, success!! I start piling the books into it, all the stories I will carry with me. Then my sketchbooks and drawing supplies. My laptop, chargers, wallet, phone, anything I think I might potentially need. Even some of the food and drinks I’d snuck into my room. My blankets and pillow. Some clothes I’d grown attached too. Hell, let’s bring my stuffed animals and collection of keepsakes too, why not? It can all fit! I empty my shelf of little knick-knacks into the backpack. Nearly everything that I can lift in my room has gone into that pack.

Now… to wait.

7am. I make my move.

I stand in front of the mirror in my room, looking myself over. I’m wearing an outfit I wear almost every day. Grey jacket with a red upside-down heart on the chest, grey shorts with red on the edges, boots, a long red scarf, and a pair of fingerless gloves. The only difference is that now, all my clothes have been altered by my newly discovered ability. I’m calling it “author powers” because that’s the closest I can get to properly explaining it. Now, my entire ensemble is fireproof, waterproof, and much harder to cut through that ordinary cloth. My boots are much more comfortable and molded to my feet. Everything fits just right.

Oh, one more thing. I pick up the blue-light glasses I’d left on my desk. I don’t even have to write on them to alter them, but it’s a fun little gimmick so I might just keep doing it. A couple lines on the glasses, and they’re suddenly much more useful. They’ll function as sunglasses now too, as well as a night vision and heat-seeking mode. And they’ll stay on my face without falling off. I push the glasses up my nose and look back into the mirror.

I guess the function wasn’t the only thing I altered. My ability has a lot to do with intentions.

Instead of glasses, I’m wearing a black mask with turquoise lenses. The mask only covers the upper half of my face. But that’s not the only thing that’s changed. Instead of my hair being the usual dirty-blonde and down to my shoulders, it’s pink, shorter and sorta spiked up- at least that’s the best way to describe it. Not spiked, that’s too sharp. But I can’t find another word right now, so we’ll stick with it. It was a transformation I hadn’t anticipated, but one that I’m sure to keep. I grin, showing teeth sharper than normal.

“This is gonna be fun.”

I hear someone in the kitchen. My dad, getting ready for the day. It’s Saturday, so he doesn’t have work. We don’t have a foster kid at the moment, so mom will be sleeping in. And my sister is still asleep in her bedroom. Perfect.

I raise a hand, seeing the black claws that now extend from the ends of my gloves. I’d been wondering how I’d get to a knife, but I guess now I won’t need one. I tighten the straps of my backpack and step out of my bedroom.

“Heh. Time to raise hell.”

~

Six days later. Thirteen days since this all started.

It took me for-fucking-ever to find the mansion. Even longer to get there with the burden I’m dragging along. But here I am. It looms over me, giving off the same creepy vibe I got from my stalker. I know he’s there, and he knows I’m here. Someone will answer the door soon, I don’t even have to knock.

The smell of blood isn’t as bad as I thought. I’m glad I made my clothes stain-proof, I’d hate to have to throw away my gloves. As I’m waiting, I tap my foot idly and inspect my fingers. I have a nasty habit of biting the skin around my fingernails, which shows even with my claws. Oh, there’s blood on my claws. Not quite dry, so I just lick it off. Huh, doesn’t taste that bad either.

Someone’s moving inside. I straighten up slightly, hand dropping to my side. I nudge one of the bodies next to me with a foot, then take a half-step away when an arm flops to the ground. I look back to the door, arms crossed (carefully, to avoid cutting myself) as I wait. The door finally creaks open, revealing someone I don’t recognize. I assume it’s one of the proxies, but it’s not one that I’ve read anything about. Only one way to find out.

“You’re one of his proxies, I assume?” Even my voice is different, with the mask. I like it.

The proxy laughs. “Fuck yeah, I’m the number one proxy bitch. But you can call me Irre.” She pronounced it like ‘eerie’, which I thought was fitting.

I snort with amusement and take a moment to look the proxy up and down. She has pale blue skin, long hair that faded from black into red, and silver eyes. She’s about my height, maybe an inch shorter, with a healthier-looking build than the almost-too-skinny twig stature I see every time I look in the mirror. She even looks to be about my age too, give or take a year. She gives off a chaotic sort of presence, but in a way that’s almost difficult to perceive. I’m reminded of my school days, blending into the background. After a few people told me my stare was creepy, even though I’d just been looking at them, I didn’t meet anyone’s gaze. Apparently I had an intensity others found unsettling, but only if they noticed me. I’m reminded of that with this proxy, only with chaotic energy instead. I smile slightly. We might just get along.

“Well, nice to meet you, number one proxy bitch,” I respond with a chuckle. “Speaking of proxies. Where do I sign up? I brought a peace offering.” An idle hand gesture draws her attention to the bodies sprawled next to me. Two bodies, carved up with precise markings, and very much dead. What remains of my parents. My claws had marked them, turned their corpses into a work of art. I’d saved the blood, bagged it and put it in my backpack. I might need it later.

Irre looks the bodies over and grins. “I think you’ll fit in just fine here. Course, that’s not my decision.” She glances back at the house. “The others will get curious soon. Last chance to turn back.”

“I’m not going back. Besides, he sought me out first,” I admit. “Took me awhile to figure it out. But I’m here now.”

She nod in understanding. “In that case… what’s your name?”

I grin, showing sharp teeth. “I am Genesis Caveat.”

[socially-awkward-lvl-over9000]

Welcome to RAD

Notes: Continuation of my OC/Self Insert. Part one is here, part two is here. Should I make a master list?

This turned out longer than I had hopped. I forgot how much of the intro was just Lucifer talking your ear off.

That night Satan was summoned as per his request. He noted how she was getting better at summoning him by herself, without him willing himself to be summoned. He was greeted with the familiar sight of the small brunette, though less anxious as she was when they first met. “So, what’s up?” Before he was able to speak the loud sound echoed through the house that sounded like a door opening. He watched the blood drain from her face as she quickly pushed him over to the closet. “Hide now, please don’t make a sound.” Even as a whisper the blond demon felt the pact seal his mouth shut and his body let him be pushed into the closet at the command.

He felt his temper flare up as he wanted to demand what was going on, but his angry thoughts were interrupted by a loud banging of knocks that he could hear from the closet. “Why are you still awake?!” Satan could tell the voice was male, most likely her father.

“I’m just changing, I’m heading to bed now.” Satan looked at the clock on his D.D.D. It was only just after 9 at night, he didn’t understand why a seventeen year old was being told to go to bed so early. She sounded frightened, and Satan started to understand why she hid him.

He heard some more yelling but Satan had already heard enough to understand the situation. His anger was no longer directed at Allie, but the man that was in the process of stomping out of the old house. A good few minutes after he had left, after the brunette was sure her father was gone, he was let out of the closet. “Sorry about that.” He observed how she was still shaking slightly as he felt the hold of her pact order fall from him.

She got out of his way and sat on her bed as he made his way out of the hiding place he was shoved into. “It’s fine, just don’t do that again.”

“Sorry, but if dad had seen you…” She trailed off, thinking he was talking about being shoved into the closet.

“Not that, don’t use your pact on me again.” Satan thought she had found out about how to use her hold on their pact on her own. There was no way she unintentionally used it.

Though her confused look said otherwise. “Used my pact? What do you mean?”

There was no reason for Satan to believe she was lying, plus it wasn’t like he knew everything about pacts. “I didn’t mention this when we first made the pact, and I’ve avoided mentioning it but, as the pact holder you are able to use your pact with a demon to command them. When a command is issued with the pact the demon has to obey, even if they don’t want to.”

Her eyes widened at the implication. “Shit, I’m sorry, I didn’t- but how did I- I didn’t mean to.” She didn’t want to force him to do anything, she just really wanted didn’t want her dad to see him.

There was really nothing that could come from dwelling on it so Satan decided it was best to change the subject to why he was there in the first place. “Here.” He handed her the paperwork that he had been handed before he was summoned. “There is going to be an exchange program in the Devildom, and you’ve been chosen to participate.”

She took the small amount of paperwork and looked it over. “Exchange program?” The paperwork was simple stuff, asking for her name, date of birth, any allergies, medication, etc.

She skimmed over the explanation, how she would be spending a year in the Devildom, while the demon that delivered the news sat down to play with her cat. “What if I say no?” Satan didn’t even have to answer as he casually flipped to the last page and pointed at the last bit of text at the bottom. “Even if you do not fill out this paperwork you will still be summoned to the Devildom for this Student Exchange Program. Thank you for your participation.”

“Signed Diavolo, Prince of the Devildom.” Satan finished. “I don’t believe declining is an option.”

The brunette sighed and accepted her fate, but before she started on the paperwork another worry popped in her head. “How am I going to explain this….” She had just finished senior year not too long ago and her dad was expecting her to get a job, and she doubted her dad would be okay with this. “And I don’t really want to leave Kira alone, my dad hates cats…”

The demon could see why she would worry about those things. Between the scene he heard and the new information of her dad’s opinion of cats, Satan was starting to think her dad might be as bad as Lucifer. “You can put Kira as your familiar, then you can most likely take her with you. As for how to explain all of this, I believe there is some sort of plan, I don’t know if it’ll be an effective plan but I assume they have some sort of plan.”

Most of the night was filled with Satan helping her fill out her paperwork and trying to keep her from panicking. “A week?! I seriously only have a week to prepare for a whole year?! In Hell!”

She was pacing now. Normally Satan would have lost his temper by now, but he was surprisingly calm. His main concern was calming her down right now. “You only need to bring any immediate essentials or things you can’t replace. You’ll be given an allowance to buy other things you’ll need while you’re there.” Most of this was explained in the paperwork, but Satan figured hearing it voiced might reach her panicked state a bit better. He stood up and stopped her from pacing. “Do you want me to help you pack? That way you don’t have to worry about it all week.” The blond felt an unfamiliar emotion bubble in him when the human face planted into his shoulder and nodded. He felt the urge to hold her there, but he didn’t know why. He felt her worry and exhaustion as she fiddled with her pact mark. He had yet to tell her he could feel her when she touched his mark on her thigh, but some part of him didn’t want to for fear of her to stop.

It was almost dawn when the pair was done. She had a Coca-Cola duffle bag filled with some clothes and some essentials. She also had a backpack with a few books, CDs, her laptop, and headphones. Kira’s carrying case was also packed with the kittens favorite toys and a few snacks, though most of her kitten's stuff couldn’t be packed till right before it was time to leave. Satan layed down on the girl's bed. “I’m going to sleep here now.” He was tired, and he knew he wouldn’t be able to get much, if any, sleep before class started.

He wasn’t serious though because the human that occupied the room reacted the way he expected. “Oh no you aren’t. Come on, get up.” He actually let himself laugh a little as she grabbed his hand and tugged on his arm till he stood up. “Thank you for helping me, but I gotta send you home now.”

She sent him back to the Devildom, where he got lectured for being out all night. He couldn’t care though, the blond felt almost… excited to have the small brunette in there, where he could see her every day. All he had to do was wait one week, the entire week he had been texting her and keeping her updated as he found out information on her stay. In that one week he found that she would be staying in The House of Lamentation, like the third exchange student, that Satan was going to be in charge of taking care of her, and that, with the information she gave about ways to keep her calm, she was going to be in Levi’s room until her room was finished. Satan didn’t know how he felt about that one. It made sense though, he knew she had a love for the ocean and the water was calming for her, plus it was only temporary. They only had one guest room ready, so they needed to clear out another one for Allie.

The week passed and after the three angels came Asmo with his pact holder Solomon, then it was Satan’s turn to go get Allie. He sent her a text telling her it was time and he was summoned. It was one of the first times he had been summoned during the day. The white floral wallpaper seemed almost two bright under the light from her windows. Allie stood there, clearly nervous, with her backpack, duffle bag, and cat carrier. This was also the first time she summoned him when she wasn’t in pajamas. She wore a simple blue tee shirt with a butterfly print on it and baggy jeans. “You ready?” She seemed too nervous to speak, but her kitten meowed to let everyone know she wanted out of her carrier. “Hey, I’ll be right there with you.” He held out his hand and had an actual smile as she took it.

“Is that your school uniform?” Satan realized this was the first time she had seen him in his uniform, today was a day of a lot of firsts.

“Yes, you’ll be wearing something similar at RAD.” With a flash of light the timid human found herself in the student council room of RAD in the Devildom.

She was startled at first by the cheerful voice of the demon prince himself. “Hello, and welcome to the Devildom Allie.” She assumed he was Lord Diavolo, since he was the only one in a different colored uniform. His red uniform matched his hair, but everyone else was in black. “I’m sure you know why you’re here.” The small girl nodded, still holding Satan’s hand. Diavolo was intimidating, to say the least. “Well, I suppose I should introduce myself. My name is Diavolo, I am the ruler of all demons. This is the Royal Academy of Diavolo, though we only call it RAD. Right now you’re standing in the assembly hall, where we officers of the student council Gould our meetings. I am the president of said student council.” The demon prince paused, though the human still didn’t seem too keen on speaking. “This is Lucifer, the Avatar of Pride.” He gestured over to a man with black hair with grey tips and red eyes. “He is also the Vice President of the student council and my right hand man.”

Allie had remembered hearing a few stories about Lucifer from Satan, the older demon seemed to be the cause of most of the blond haired demon's anger. Lucifer smiled at her, but it seemed more like a just a polite smile rather than a genuine one. “Speaking on behalf of the entire student body at this great and storied school of ours, I offer you a most heartfelt welcome, Allie.”

Said human was able to mutter out a small, “H-Hi.” With an awkward hand wave. To say she felt out of place and in over her head was an understatement.

The Avatar of Pride continued despite the awkward greeting. “Diavolo believes that we demons should start strengthening our relationships with both the human world and the Celestial Realm. As a first step toward this goal, we’ve decided to institute an exchange program.” Allie remembered some of this information in the paperwork she did a week beforehand, but having it spoke aloud helped her understand it better. “We have sent three of our students to the human world and three to the Celestial Realm, and we are welcoming six students to our school: three from your world and three from the Celestial Realm.” It was nice for Allie to know that she wasn’t the only human going to be here, even if it was only two others. “Since you already have a pact with Satan, you have been chosen as one of the humans to participate in this program of ours. Your period of stay is one year. You will have to work on tasks that you will receive from RAD. After one year, you will write a paper about your exchange here in the Devildom.” The human timidly raised her hand. “Yes, what is it?”

She almost resembled a frightened kitten as she spoke. “Um… what kind of tasks?”

“It’s similar to school work in your world, and speaking of such, here is your D.D.D.” The raven haired demon handed her a red smartphone. “Your cellphone from your world won’t work here, so this will be your new phone for as long as you’re here.”

The brunette let out a polite, “Thank you.” as she was handed the phone.

“You already know Satan, the fourth oldest, he will be the one mainly helping you through your year here.” Lucifer continued.

Before anything more could be said Diavolo stepped in again with his cheerful smile. “But Satan won’t be the only one helping you, why don’t you introduce your other brothers Lucifer?”

The demon in question sighed, he didn’t seem to actually want to do that. “Very well, I suppose I better have to. Mammon isn’t here at the present but I’m sure you will meet him soon enough.”

“You’d be better off if you didn’t though.” The purple haired man that seemed to be playing on his phone the entire time.

Lucifer looked unfazed by the interruption. “That’s Leviathan, though we mostly refer to him as Levi, he’s the third oldest and the Avatar of Envy.”

Levi looked up from his phone for the first time. “I’m a ‘that’? Oh I get it, it’s cause I’m just a yucky Otaku, huh. So not fair.” He seemed to sulk lower into his chair and went back to his phone.

Allie perked up a bit at the word Otaku. She hoped that meant the same thing here as it did in her world, if anime existed in the Devildom it would make staying a whole lot easier for her. Lucifer continued, ignoring his pouting younger brother. “And this is Beelzebub, the sixth oldest.”

The redheaded man he referred to looked grumpy to say the least. “I’m hungry, can I eat yet?”

That reminded Allie of something she had, and she was ever the one to try and be helpful. “Um… I have some chips if you want…”

the tall redhead perked up at that. “Really?” He got up and made his way over to the much smaller human as she nodded and put down her cat carrier and duffle bag to reveal a bag of Sour Cream and Onion chips from her backpack and handed them to the demon. “I like this human.” Said human smiled a bit at the words and the smile that her chips brought to Beelzebub. “You can call me Beel.”

Satan waited till Beel walked back to his seat to ask, “Why did you have chips?”

Allie just looked at his face, not his eyes still he noted, and replied, “My dad doesn’t like Sour Cream and Onion, but I do. I didn’t want to leave them and have them go bad.” It seemed like the most obvious thing to her, but then again Satan had already come to terms that this human was odd.

Once Beel was back in his seat Lucifer opened his mouth to speak but he was cut off by the sound of the door opening. “I’m back~” A blond man walked through the doors and over to them in a way that reminded Allie of Angel from Rent. “Solomon is all set in Purgatory Hall.” His eyes fell on Allie. “Aw~ is this Satan’s pact holder? She’s so tiny and cute! Well... not as cute as me but still.”

Allie could hear the Avatar of Pride huff with exhaustion. “This is Asmodeus, he is the fifth oldest and the Avatar of Lust. Asmodeus, this is Allie, our second exchange student from the human world.”

“That’s me, but you can call me Asmo.” The Avatar of Lust walked over to the human that had only just let go of Satan’s hand. She kinda regretted letting go because she could feel her anxiety rising as Asmo approached her. “Dear, I appreciate your fondness of my shoes but my eyes are up here.” She was able to timidly look up to the man’s chest. “Further.” Slowly her gaze rose but right as she was about to look into his eyes… she blinked and looked at his hair. “Okay, rude, Satan did you already warn her about my gaze?”

Satan himself wanted to laugh. “No, I didn’t have to. She doesn’t look anyone in the eye, it probably has to do with her anxiety. Though I probably should warn you Allie, Asmodeus’ gaze can charm people and he can use that to manipulate you.”

Lucifer seemed to have enough of the interruption. “Sit down Asmodeus.” He waited for his younger brother to make his way to his seat before continuing. “There are Seven of us brothers in all, but not all of us are here. I am the oldest.”

Diavolo took it from there. “During your stay in the Devildom, the brothers will be here to help you along the way. You’ll also be staying in the House of Lamentation with them for your protection.”

The human nodded, she understood that this was the demon realm and that she couldn’t survive on her own, she was grateful they would let her stay with them. “Well, now that that’s done.” The eldest stood up from his own seat. “Satan and I will be showing you the way to the house, we have a few more things to discuss before we welcome our third exchange student. Levi, you come too.”

The purple haired boy looked surprised. “Eh! Why me?!”

Allie grabbed her bags as Satan led her to the door. Lucifer apparently wasn’t too keen on waiting on Levi. “I will explain at the house. Come or I will force you.” That got the other demon out of his chair. Allie held onto the back of Satan’s jacket, a habit of hers when she was nervous. She had no idea how she was going to survive this year.

[twoidiotwriters1]

Pure Blood 9 (Sirius Black x F!Oc)

A/n: Maybe the longest chapter I've written ... for now. 

Words: 3,298

Masterlist

Chapter 8  // Chapter 10

Chapter 9: Lies

"Jenna, please wait," I say, taking her arm. She stops and turns to me.

"What do you want?"

"Sorry, seriously, forgive me for being so abrupt with you the other day, it was not my intention,” She raises an eyebrow waiting for more. I sigh, "Sorry for being a bad friend.”

I pout and try with my best puppy eyes.

“You'll tell me what happened with Lupin?"

Oh, that.

"It's no big deal on its own…" I bite my lip. "He agreed with Evans to be the best in every class, a stupid plan to make me fail my classes. I found out and talked to Slughorn."

She looks at me in confusion and analyzes my pathetic excuse, but seems satisfied.

"Idiots, nobody can compete with the Slytherin princess,” I smile and she imitates me. That was close.

"That's me. We’re fine, then?"

"We are," She locks her arm with mine, "Let's go to Hogsmeade"

“Wait, you’re not going with someone else? It seemed like you had a plan-” I suddenly realize what’s going on, “You knew I was going to beg your forgiveness, right?"

She lets out a laugh.

"I know you very well P," I should have guessed.

We both walked to the carriages and arrived in Hogsmeade in no time. At this time, it was already starting to get cold, it wouldn’t be long before it began to snow. Hogwarts is beautiful when it’s covered in white.

I’m wearing my usual jeans, boots, light sweater and a small scarf, while full Jenn wore boots, gray socks, a pink skirt and a cream sweater. Her blond hair is in a cute ponytail, several boys sent flirtatious smiles and she ignores them all the same.

“D'you know what would be great?"

"Eat?" I answer when I feel my stomach roar. She laughs.

“Yeah, but just before you came to your knees to apologize,” I growl. “A senior boy invited me out. I said no because I didn't feel like it. I want to start studying, I have a herbology test soon.”

"And?" She sighs.

“It's something I had to tell you before but I was angry. The thing is, I don't see anything fun in dating guys anymore”

“Maybe you’ll find someone during our vacations”

"I wish- ah, yes!" She says, shaking me, "I talked to Regulus the other day, will you stop ignoring the poor puppy?"

“Don't call him that, and yes. We're fine, I'll talk to him later,” We arrive at the three broomsticks and sit at a table near a window. A waiter took our order and left.

Jenna updated me with all the gossip at school after being a couple of days apart. When did so many things happen? I have no idea. I’d never been aware of anything, Jenna and Regulus took care of that, even if I didn't ask for it.

"Evans rejected Potter again, but this time he made a whole scene, some say he took all that out of a muggle book, Juliet and-"

"Romeo and Juliet- Shakespeare,” I interrupt her and she seems surprised.

"How do you know that?" I feel my cheeks burn and I shrink in my place.

"I heard it once,” Vile lie, the other night Remus and I talked about the popular Muggles books. He told me the plot and read some lines.

"Anyway, the plan did not work and Evans rejected him, it was fun," In that we heard the bell of the entrance and a group of girls come laughing. They sit a couple of tables away from us. "Talking about the devil…”

Lily Evans was with her friends: Marlene Mckinnon, Alice Longbottom and Elsa Smith. They haven’t noticed our presence.

"Just ignore them," I say without thinking. Jenna looks at me confused.

"That's what I usually say, because you, my dear friend, are the first to get her claws out, especially with Evans." She says raising an eyebrow. I shrug.

"I'm not in the mood to fight,” The waiter brings our butterbeers and our food.

"Wait, I didn't ask for food-“ I raise my head to call the waiter, but Jenna doesn't let me.

"I asked, I know you haven’t eaten well and that should stop.” I grimace. "Now eat, it's just a chocolate croissant, you love chocolate!”

"You play dirty,” She laughs.

The conversation continues smoothly, but something’s changed, I could see Jenna looking at the table where Lily was. She watched, sighed and turned to me with an absent expression.

"You're good? Is the table over there more interesting than my super story about how I plan to be the best Auror ever? ” She is startled.

"Everything is fine, just-" She laughs nervously, "One of the girls has a beautiful blouse, I would like to know where she got it," she says… blushing?

Wait. What?

"You should ask them, they are not far" I say finishing my plate. She shares her head.

"I know you wouldn't be comfortable if I asked, besides, I don't want to bother.” I frown.

At what time has Jenna stopped doing things to avoid making me angry?

“Come on, I know you want to go there, don't worry about me. You're just going to ask them something”

“Sure?”

“You don't have to ask me for permission, Jenn. Just go.” She nods, happier than I thought. She gets up and goes to the table.

She interrupts the conversation, but something catches my attention: they receive her as another one of their group, make a place at the table.

I may be clueless, but I thought she was not welcome in that group either. I remember that Evans also treated her like me. This is odd, but I decide not to intervene and I only watch while I drink my beer, I surely look crazy, but I don't care.

They talk and laugh, Jenna seems in her element, when did they become such friends? I think I should pay more attention, will she ever tell me?

No, I dont think so. I finish my beer and the waiter arrives to collect everything, I pay him.

I think it's my time to go, I don't want to be watching all the time.

I get up and approach the table only to say goodbye to her, but on the way I realize something.

Marlene Mckinnon and Jenna share looks and complicit smiles, both are sitting facing each other and it seems they’re not really paying attention to Alice's story. 

I frown, but it all makes sense before my friend's actions. She takes Marlene's hand under the table and holds it affectionately, then they both laugh, Jenna places a strand of her hair behind her ear and at last, approaches Marlene to whisper something. She laughs.

This can’t be.

This cannot be.

That is the technique she uses to flirt! Actually, she has several, but with Marlene she has put them all together.

Jenna likes Marlene!

“Do you need something, Singh?" At that moment I notice that I’m right in front of your table, just watching and probably with my mouth open.

I shake my head.

"Sorry I just-" I don't know what to say, Jenna looks at me, maybe wondering if I saw her technique and of course I saw her. I share a look with her and bite my lip. "I... I was leaving and-"

I say, and they all just looked at me confused. Jenna gets up and takes me by the shoulders. I thought the surprises were ending, but no. A small glow catches my attention. I look at Marlene's hand and let out a gasp. Jenna quickly covers my mouth and surrounds me with her free arm.

"Well girls, we're leaving," She says as I try to talk about her hand causing only stifled noises. I move to get out of her grip, but it doesn't work.

Jenna drags me through the place until we get out of it, walks to a small alley and forces me to be against the wall without removing her hand from my mouth.

"Persephone!"

"You never call me that!" It's what I wanted to say, but only muffle noises keep coming.

"Stop moving!”

I can't with this. I pass my tongue over her hand and she screams.

”Persephone! That's gross!”

"Yes, good. You should wash your hands more often,” I complain and fix my clothes, “What the fuck was that?” She grimaces.

"What are you talking about?" I'm too tense for this.

"She has your bloody ring, Jenna!" I scream no matter who could happen to hear us, she doesn't try to shut me up, "Marlene Mckinnon! She has the ring that you never take off, the one you don't let me touch, the ring your mom gave you since you were little! Why the fuck does that mudblood-?”

No wait. That’s wrong. Jenna looks down for a moment and when it looks up my heart is shattered into a thousand pieces

"No, I mean-“ I clear my throat "Why does she have it... why?" Yes, better.

This is what I call progress. Her eyes tear up and she fidgets.

“Sorry, I didn't want to call her that. Sorry…” I say hugging her.

She cries a little on my shoulder and then returns the hug.

"What's going on, Jenna?" I say as we part, she waves a hand near her face.

"I didn't want you to know,"She sobs

"Wait, all that speech that you were fed up with all the boys here, was because you wanted to date girls?”

"Something like that,” We’re silent for a few seconds.

"I'm stupid."

"Persephone, I know what you think and maybe that's why I didn't tell you, but I think... I really like her, I don't care if we're girls or Muggles-“

"Stop there,” I say raising my hand "I am processing this.”

“P-"

"All this time, you haven't dated anyone since we came here, and I just told you that you would find another idiot out of Hogwarts?”

"Yes?" She replies.

"I'm stupid. How did I not realize before?" I hit my forehead, "Sure, because you could only be with a boy- ugh,” I growl. "There are also girls-“

I look at her.

"Of course you can be with one of them- well you're with one-“

"Wait, I don't understand. Are you upset that you didn't realize?" It seems like a joke, but yes. I sigh.

"Sorry for not being aware of all this, Jenna" I hold her hands, "I feel like I've been very selfish for many years…”

"Hey, honey," She takes my chin and laughs. "It's okay!”

"No, it isn't" I let go of her grip, "I just thought about my problems and I didn't realize many things -with Regulus or with you- I feel like crap.”

She laughs again.

"What are you laughing at, idiot? I'm having a moment,” Now she laughs louder.

"P, I can't believe it," She says, trying to calm herself down. "I was scared that you might get mad because I like a girl or because she is Muggles' daughter, but it bothers you that you didn’t know."

"I don’t see whah’s so funny,” I pout.

"Quiet, P. Everything’s fine,” She smiles shyly.

"Do you really like her?" I venture and she nods. Suddenly I scream, "My best friend is in love!”

She tries to cover my mouth again, but now I stop her, we both fight as we laugh.

"Don't say that strong word!” I let out a laugh.

"Strong word your ass,” At some point, my leg fail and I fall to the ground, Jenna just laughs.

“It's a pleasure to be your clown, seriously. I live for that,” I say sitting up. I rub my back.

"You're an idiot.”

"You too. An idiot in loooove,” I tease and she blushes “Oh, are you shy now?”

"No, it's just weird to hear you say it," She says, helping me to get up.

“It’s not bad to say it or be it. Besides, you are in love, why would you give her your ring if not? ”

I say brushing off the dirt from my clothes.

"Well, I had to give her something, after being together for so long,” I frown.

"How long have you been dating, Jenna?" She is surprised and realizes what she’d said. “Jenna?”

How is it that a few minutes ago we were laughing and now I'm afraid of what she could say?

"Two years…” she whispers, but I can hear her perfectly.

"What!?" She steps back.

"I can explain it-“

"I hear you…” I step back a little and cross my arms. She opens and closes her mouth several times. "You have been dating her for two years. And you didn't deign to tell me?"

"I didn't know how to tell you!” The tears are coming back.

“When were you going to do it? When we leave school? While living together or would you also hide it? While one of you were expecting a baby!?” I exploded.

“No- I…” I can't do this, I don't want to see her crying, but I can't just say ‘Oh, okay, it was only two years that you lied to me.’

“After the scene you did before coming here because I hid something from you and you had the biggest secret of all…” Now I’m tearing up. "You know? It hurts that you couldn't tell me, I thought we were friends.”

"We are, but... you don't understand” I let out a dry laugh.

“I don’t, you're right- For two years…”

I’ve had enough. I leave the alley and walk through the streets of Hogsmeade.

I may be exaggerating, maybe she really didn't know how to tell me, was she that afraid of me? She thought I was going to be angry about her blood status or her sexuality? How bad have I been? She was wrong not to tell me, but I was worse at creating that insecurity.

My vision is clouded by tears, I don’t see where I’m going until I collide with a man, I step back a little and clean my eyes.

"I'm so sorry, I didn’t know where I was going-“

"My intention was to come to you, sweetie." I look up to meet a tall man, he’s got dark hair and eyes. His face is covered with freckles and a kind smile.

"Alphard?" I say with a smile.

He opens his arms and smiles. I don't wait any longer and hug him as hard as I can.

“This is a good hug, not like Sirius's. That boy is shy for everything,” I laugh in his chest. We break apart.

"Why were you crying, my love?" He says touching my cheek.

"Oh, it's nothing" He stares at me.

"You know you can't lie to me,” I huff.

“I argued with my best friend…”

"Tell Uncle Alphard everything.”

________________________

"Did you talk to Sirius?" The man nods, eating his candy. After going to Honeydukes we sat on a bench near a small bush.

"Yes, he seemed very upset, he told me about the great news of marriage," I shudder, "How do you feel about it, honey?” I sigh.

"Being honest- I'm angry, I didn't think they were going to do it, but at the same time I'm not surprised they did it,” I take a bite of my chocolate frog.

He nods.

“I understand you both. I think the strange thing was that they prepared it so soon, for me they did it at the beginning of my seventh year.”

"But you were never married, Uncle Alphard-“ He laughs.

"Maybe, but that didn't stop them from trying to arrange a marriage for convenience," I look surprised.

"How did you get out of that?"

"Oh, you have the same look as Sirius, but I'm sorry, it's not like I got out of that responsibility, sweetie," I grimace.

"So?"

He sighs.

“I had a girlfriend when I was about to finish school, of course she was pure blood. Not that it was a requirement for me, since I was young I did not share the same beliefs as my family, but I suppose I was lucky to find Endora,” He smiles nostalgic, “she was sweet and affectionate, it was also pure luck that her parents had a Good job in the ministry. We were in love, and we planned to get married. I was willing to leave a lot of broken hearts.” He jokes and I hit his shoulder. We both laugh.

"What happened?" His smile is erased.

“She… she got sick. Shortly after she died- I was devastated, my parents felt sorry for me, they also loved Endora- so they didn't pressure me to get married”

I see the man sitting next to me, looking at the floor, maybe remembering those good moments.

I always thought of Alphard Black as the best uncle anyone could have. He’s funny, affectionate, always helped us with mischief or covered us when we planned something. He made fun of the other adults and didn't take things seriously, he was our best accomplice, the best partner.

"If Sirius dies, I may have a chance," I said half-joking.

“I don't believe it, sweetie. My sister can be hell, I don't think she is as compassionate as our parents,” He says.

We both laugh. He looks at me and puts a lock of my hair away.

“You look as beautiful as ever, I don't understand why Sirius and you aren’t together…” At that moment I feel a knot in my stomach and I groan, causing a laugh from him.

"Don't even joke about it”

“Oh, young people… so stupid. They don't realize anything-”

"Shut up, old man.”

"Do you remember when we stole Walburga's birthday cake?" He says excitedly, like a little boy. I nod laughing.

“You distracted the adults while we stole it. But Regulus was very small and clumsy, the cake fell down getting everyone's attention.”

“The best thing was that we ate it anyway!”

This was what I liked most about Alphard, he always makes the pain in my stomach go away.

"Uncle, I thought you were gone…” The four marauders come to our side.

I settle in my place, uncomfortable because of their presence. Remus gives me a smile and I return it for a brief second.

“Can't I enjoy a day in Hogsmeade with a beautiful young lady, nephew?”

"You can, just that you're missing the beautiful lady.” James and Sirius laugh like idiots and I roll my eyes.

“Don't be a jealous child, Sirius. Behave.” I look at the man. Sirius stops laughing and clears his throat. The only adult he listens to is his uncle.

“It's a pleasure to see you, Mr. Black,” adds Remus, always so polite.

"Yes, it’s cool. Sirius was very selfish in not telling us that you would come,” Potter teases, hitting his friend.

"I had to talk to him about important issues," Sirius mumbles, looking at me.

“I'm glad to see you guys too. But I think I must go…” I can't help pouting, watching his movements, “Come on, sweetie. I promise to have another meeting with you” I nod while Sirius lets out a snort.

Alphard gets up and gives me a hug.

“You know you can write to me whenever you want, Persephone.”

“Okay…” He kisses my forehead and moves away a little. He waves goodbye to the others and puts a hand on Sirius's shoulder.

“I hope our conversations has served you, guys. Although, I forgot to mention something…” He smiles, “You should ask for help from your friends, you’d be surprised of how many unions can be ruined by a good plan”

Everyone sees the man in utter confusion. Everyone, but one person, that understood clearly what he’d meant.

Taglist: 

@treestarrrrrrrr @siriuslysirius1107 @thagreenmoonblack @madmaiden2890 @bloodorangemoonlight​   @ren-ela​   @avipshamitra​  @auroraaawrites   @findzelda

[lenademonn]

All This Time - 3

*Summary: Elena used to be closed off and composed, always in  control of her feelings and actions. She knew how to survive long before  world ended and didn’t need anyone to keep her alive. Because  attachments are liability, make you weak especially in this new world  where dead are walking and living are more dangerous than before.

A slow burn Daryl Dixon x OC; from season 1 forward, ongoing. Angst, Violence, strong language, sarcastic humour and more.

Warnings: Swearing, some anger managment issues.

Chapter 3

Day 45 The next day was quiet; the silence between Daryl and me uncomfortable. He woke me up a few hours before dusk, which meant that he took the long shift, nothing new in this aspect. He laid down without saying anything after waking me up, and I spend the next few hours watching the area and thinking about our conversation from before. Daryl woke up before I even had a chance to shake him awake. So lack of sleep, that's another thing I can add to my list of what I know about Daryl Dixon. We quickly packed what little we had and started trekking through woods, following the tracks we noticed yesterday. Finding them wasn't that hard, especially not for a brown-haired man. What turned out to be a challenge was picking up a fresh trail. We walked around for good three hours before Daryl crouched down to touch a set of hoof prints when I followed his action I could tell that those tracks were fresher than the one we found previously. Next to me, the man looked around the forest ground and pointed the way he thought we had to go. It took us another hour to finally find the animal, we spotted it standing in the middle of a small clearing, nibbling on grass. Daryl stopped and rose his clenched fist, signaling for me to stay still. I stopped dead in my tracks and slowly took an arrow out of my quiver, and lined it up on my bow and stretched the string. Steading my breathing and not taking my eyes out of our game, I was waiting for Dixon's directions. He also prepped his weapon and was watching the animal intensely. "Three, two, one," His whisper was barely hearable, and once he said 'one', we both released our arrows. His bolt hit the deer in its side while mine pierced its belly. Animal yelped in pain and took off instantly, its steps uneasy. "C'mon!" After hearing Daryl's voice, I moved quickly jogging after the animal, to not lose it in the woods again. I was pretty sure that I nicked some significant organs, and even though it didn't go down, it should bleed out soon enough; in that case, we didn't want to lose sight of it and allow geeks a free lunch. We followed the trace of blood left on the ground and leaves for some time when we heard a piercing scream, and I realized how close to the quarry we actually were. It sounded like one of the women or even one of the kids. Oh God, I hope it's not Carl or Sophia and that it's nothing. I quickly looked at Daryl. "That's coming from the camp, hurry up Dixon," Before he could react, I jogged in the direction we heard screaming. It didn't take us long to approach the edge of the camp. Daryl moved in front of me at some point, shoving me behind him when we heard concoction just in front of us. Advancing slowly, we finally emerged into a clearing, and I could see familiar faces of Shane, T-dog, Dale, and others. They all were pointing some sort of weapon in our direction.

"We surrender?" I joked while Shane put his gun down, mumbling under his nose. Dixon, on the other hand... well, he was pissed. And I wasn't surprised when I realized that on the ground just in front of us was a headless geek and half-eaten deer. Our fucking deer, the same we were tracking since yesterday. "Son of a bitch" Brown-haired man moved from in front me, around the bushes towards the deer. "That's mah deer!" His accent deepening signaling how angry he actually was. "Look at it, all gnawed on by this filthy, disease-bearing, motherless, poxy bastard." With each word, he gave a sharp kick to the geeks' side, letting his aggression go somewhere else than people in front of us. "Calm down, son. That's not helping," Oh Dale. Why would you say it to Dixon? Do you have a death wish? "What do you know, old man. Why don't you take that stupid hat and go back to 'On Golden Pond'. I've been trackin' this deer for miles." He pointed a finger in Dale's general direction and moved on to retrieve his bolt. I coughed as a reminder that I'm still here. "We. We tracked that deer for miles, Dixon!" Saying that I finally made my way to the dead animal and crouched down to get my arrow. "And by the looks of it out of our shots, mine was more deadly, so technically this deer is mine, you asshole!" I quickly stood up and wiped the blood off my arrow with my rug, then I put it back into the quiver and made my way back to the camp. On my way out, I made sure to push Daryl out of my way with my shoulder. Who the hell does he think he is? We've been hunting together for months now, and yes, of course, I may not be as skilled as he is, but for fuck sake, I am not terrible. Ignoring the men, I patted Amy and Andrea on the shoulder while walking past them. "Good that you back safe" I gave them a small smile and made my way towards the camp to find Lori. She stood next to the RV with Carol and a few other women. When she saw me she smiled, but I could tell it was strained, and I started to have a bad feeling. I approached them and took the zip bags with meat out of my backpack, watching people in front of me carefully. "That's all the meat we got, it should be enough for a few days. We got a deer as well, but fucking geek gnawed on it before we could get to it." I passed the bags to Lori and Carol, as they were the best cooks out of us, trust me you don't want me to cook you dinner unless you're willing to be ill after eating it. "Thanks, Elena, it means a lot. Listen--" Lori started playing with her fingers, after putting the meat bags on a small foldable table next to the RV's door. So there was something wrong. "There isn't a good way of saying it. Merle was left behind on that run, and we know that Daryl will be so angry, and he is really unpredictable in that state. Can you try to calm him down when the guys gonna tell him?" She sputtered, and for a second there a thought I misunderstood what she said. Merle left behind. What does it even mean? Before I could ask any more questions, I could hear Daryl shouting for his brother, and I felt so bad for him. And angry with everyone who went for that run, how could you leave someone behind?! I mean yeah, sure Merle Dixon is a colossal dick and dumbass, but that's not the reason to just-- "Merle, get yur ass out here. We got us some squirrel." He smirked in my direction when he noticed me looking at him "Yes, I said 'we', women. Merle!" I really hoped that my face didn't show any emotions because that was just heartbreaking. And I was also slightly concerned for whoever will deliver the news to him. "Daryl, slow up a bit. I need to talk to you." Shane was the one to speak, and behind him, I could see the rest of men with a new face in between them.

"Hey, Amy, who's that guy behind Shane?" I asked the blonde woman who was now standing next to me on my right.

"You won't believe it. That's Lori's husband." The fuck? I looked at browned haired women and then at the new guy and tried to hide my surprised face. This is going to be interesting. Making a mental note to ask Lori all about that, I focused on the conversation in front of me.

"There was a problem in Atlanta" Shane touched his face for a second, showing how uncomfortable he was saying it and then moved his hands to rest on his hips. Daryl looked around and hold my gaze for a second before he took a few steps.

"He dead?"

"We're not sure." After that, Daryl moved towards Shane, his voice getting louder.

"He either is or he ain't."

"No easy way to say this so I'll just say it." I could see this new guy move forward, and towards Daryl, he wasn't looking directly at him at all.

"Who are you?"

"Rick Grimes"

"Rick Grimes, ya got something ya want to tell me?" Oh, I could tell that Daryl is starting to lose his patience. Yeah, I know, he doesn't have a lot of it in the first place.

"Your brother was a danger to us all, so I handcuffed him on a roof, hooked him to a piece of metal. He's still there" When this Rick guy answered, I found myself moving forward too, annoyed at what he was saying. What stopped me was Daryl and his face full of tears when he turned around away from the new guy. He glanced at me for a second before wiping his eyes and then clenched his jaw, turning back to Rick.

"Let me process this. So, ya handcuffed mah brother to a roof, and ya left 'im there?"

"Yeah," Answer was short, and I could hear the shame in the new guy's voice, then with anger on his face, Daryl threw a string of squirrels we caught this morning at Rick Grimes and was ready to beat the shit out of the guy. That was until Shane literally tackled younger Dixon to the ground. Shane quickly stood up while brown-haired men was still lying on the ground, but I could see him reaching for his hunting knife, which was secured on his belt.

"Daryl -" I was cut off by T-Dog, who dropped the logs he was collecting.

"Hey, watch out for the knife!" At this same moment, Daryl got up and swang his arm at Rick, who dodged it. That didn't stop younger Dixon, he moved again, aiming at the men in front of him, but Rick managed to avoid it again and get a hold of Daryl's wrist pushing it away from both of them. Shane sneaked behind Daryl and put him in a headlock. With that, Dixon was shoved to the ground, with Shane's arm still around his neck. In the meantime, Rick pried the knife and dropped on the ground away from the fight.

"You'd best let me go!" Daryl was still struggling and trying to get away.

"Nah, I think it's better if I don't" I rolled my eyes and finally made my way towards the three of them.

"Shane, let him go!" Using my stern 'work' voice, it usually worked well with criminals and kids, mainly with kids.

"Daryl stop struggling, please. Just calm down for a second so we can get a full story out of them." I crouched in front of him and looked into his blue eyes, now full of tears and rage, his chest rising quickly and his fists clenched, one by his side and the other around Shane's arm, trying to ease the hold. He looked at me for a while and nodded, making me smile just a little.

"Shane, let him go! You know I can handle him if necessary." Both of them looked at me now, one unsure of what to do and the other with a look of pain in his eyes, even though it disappeared very quickly. Shane finally let him go, so I took the opportunity to turn toward this Rick guy and T-Dog.

"Great, now can someone tell us what the fuck happened in Atlanta, and how could you leave a man behind?" I put my hands on my hips, face blank, but my eyebrows rose slightly.

"What I did was not on a whim, Ma'am. His brother does not work and play well with others. He beat T-Dog and was shooting from the rooftop, attracting more and more walkers to our location." Daryl and I exchanged a look, he was biting his lower lip, a clear sign of anxiety. Yeah, unfortunately, what this man was saying was sounding precisely like Merle Dixon.

"It's not Rick's fault." That came from T-dog, "I had a key. I dropped it." Now my face was for sure, showing surprise and confusion, but it was Daryl who voiced what I was thinking.

"You couldn't pick it up?"

"I dropped it down the drain" I run my hand over my face trying to compose myself, while Daryl just scoffed in disbelief.

"If it's supposed to make me feel better, it don't." He finally stood up and tried to walk away from the group—T-Dog's voice stopping him in his tracks.

"Maybe this will. I chained the door to the roof so the geeks couldn't get at him with a padlock." I looked up at them, confused.

"Are you saying that Merle is alive?" I asked in a low voice.

"Yeah"

"You fucking idiots. Don't you think that's the kind of information you should start with?!" I nearly shouted in Shane's face, seeing as he was the one to start all this show.

"Hell with all y'all. Just tell me where he is so that I can go get him."

"He'll show you." Lori's voice was calm, but when I turned around to face her, she was anything but. Oh, I see how it is. The first day back and the Grimes family already got problems.

"Yeah, I'm going back."

*

As I was getting ready in my tent, I tried to not listen to what else people got to say about all that. I re-checked if my knives were secure and put my short sleeve blue flannel shirt over the reins. I checked if my Glock is fully loaded and put it in the holster on my right side. I put some water and granola bars in small backpack Glenn found in Atlanta some time ago.

I took my machete and made my way to the track I knew we gonna be taking. I could see Glenn already sitting in the driver's seat while Daryl was pacing the truck's back. I walked past Rick and T-Dog and put my machete down on the floor of the vehicle. I pushed myself up on my arms and got into the back of the truck, making Daryl stop his pacing.

He looked at me, his blue eyes narrowing "What the hell ya doing here, women?"

I just looked at him calmly and picked up my weapon "What does it look like I'm doing, Dixon? Did you really think that I would let you go without me?" He just scoffed and mumbled under his nose, something about a stupid woman.

"Hey! Don't go breaking my records now! We went all 15 days without you calling me stupid." At that comment, I could see his lips twitch just a little, and then he made his way to the seats at the front of the car and used his foot to pressed a horn.

"Hurry up, y'all!" Rick and T-Dog made their way towards us, the new guy was wearing a sheriffs uniform, I guess he was a cop just like Shane, before all this.

"Ma'am, I don't think it's safe for you to go with us. The city is completely overrun, and it might be dangerous." I let a small laugh escape my lips, the others following my steps, except Daryl, of course. That guy doesn't laugh.

"Rick, this is Elena, we were telling you about her last night." Glenn introduced me, and it got me really interested in what they were telling him about me.

"SSA Elena James, not that it matters anymore. Trust me, I had my experience with the dead already, and yet I'm still here alive." I spun my machete in a circle, careful to not nick Daryl with a blade. After that, we finally were ready to go, Rick taking the passenger side at the front, T-Dog climbing up to sit with younger Dixon and me.

*

The journey to Atlanta was uneventful, except few snarky comments from Daryl. Glenn finally parked the car, and we all jumped out, making our way to a chained fence, to go through it. The first time I saw the city after that day on a highway and boy let me tell you it was horrible.

The streets were abandoned except for a few geeks - or walkers, as Rick calls them. I could see abandoned cars and here and there we passed burned down buildings, seeing what napalm actually did to Atlanta and how deserted it looked.

It's kind of image you'd only see in a movie, laughing and asking your friends what would you do if apocalypse, of any kind, would hit. And now we fucking living it and it's scary to think about because it seems like humanity lost and what was left of us was in the minority.

"Merle! We ain't even having this conversation." Daryl's gravelly voice pulled me out of my thoughts. It seems as he and Officer Friendly were having a go at each other. Again.

"We are. You know the geography, it's your call" That last part was intended for Glenn, who, in fact, like I mentioned before, is a walking map of Atlanta.

"Merle's closest. The guns would mean doubling back. Merle first." I was so happy when Glenn said it. I didn't know if I could stop Daryl if he'd decide to punch Rick, or I should say I wasn't sure if I was willing to do so. I was pissed too, you don't leave people behind like that, it doesn't matter how fucking annoying they are.

We jogged through the streets for about five minutes before making it to the convenience store they left Merle in. I heard a low growl behind me and T, so I quickly spun on my heel and rose my blade into dead men's eye. He was wearing a suit, now shredded in many places, his stomach ripped open and once-white shirt now deep red and brown from all the blood.

As quickly as I sunk my machete in, I pulled it out, pushing caracas to the ground, making the rest of my group look at me. I gave a quick smile in their direction before advancing to the front, following Daryl through a ransacked shop. He gestured for me to take a right, while he went to the left and we both slowly and quietly moved forward, I heard the swish of Daryl's crossbow and then sound of a body going down. When I rounded the corner, I was met with an arrow pointed straight between my eyes. I used my left hand to gently push it down cocking my eyebrow a little.

"Come on, Dixon, you would be super sad if you'd kill me. Who would make you laugh and complement that sexy body of yours if I'd be gone?" He just rolled his eyes and scowled at me before going in the direction we should be going. I looked at Rick, and he had a weird expression on his face. Like a combination of disbelieve, amusement, and resentment all at this same time.

"Don't worry, Rick," T-Dog said, chuckling. "That's just the relationship they have, she pushes his buttons, and he tries not to kill her."

I sent a sweet smile in their direction and moved after Daryl. We finally made our way up the stairs to where the roof door was. When on the top, Daryl made space for T-Dog to use bolt cutters on a padlock and then kicked the door rushing first to get his brother. We all followed him through a platform to a pipe where Merle supposed to be. Yeah, supposed to be...

"No! No!" Daryl's cries broke me a little, he was pacing, and tears rolled down his face. The handcuffs were still attached to the pipe blood all over them, on the floor bloodied handsaw and... a hand.

Impatient prick cut off his own hand. Fuck.

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