#this was gonna be a joke post but then my 3rd eye opened

[happy74827]

Ice Breaker

[Logan Howlett x Female!Reader]

Synopsis: You start to see your acquaintance/friend in a new light after saving your life.

WC: 6994 (oh, jeez)

Category: Fluff, Eventual Smut (lmfao), Lime/Spice, Slow Burn(ish), {TW: Drowning, Improper Use of Claws (Kinda a joke, kinda not… it’s hinted in the very beginning), P With P, Slight OOC? MDNI!!}

Why am I petrified to post this?? Literally shaking.

So, uh, please be nice to me 😭🫶 Smut is NOT my strong suit. This is like my 3rd attempt at it and the first time I’m posting it. Kinda scary. But I wanted to be that person who wrote all genres (dunno why), so here’s a fic containing mostly all genres? I guess?

@yoursacredqueenmother helped with some parts (mostly the ending) and my confidence so shout out to my queen!! Love you girlie 💞

『••✎••』

Warmth and pain. It’s all you felt. Your lungs were aching, begging for the oxygen that the cold water was denying you. Your vision blurred as your body screamed for air. The feeling of a strong pair of arms wrapped around you, pulling you out of the depths and into a blinding light. You felt the air hit your face as you were laid onto solid ground, a large hand pushing on your chest.

Suddenly, you felt the pressure of a mouth being pressed against yours, and it took a moment before your mind registered what was happening.

It was then a sound of a gasp and a deep, throaty growl sounded from above you, and the warm, comforting weight of the hand was suddenly gone. Only replaced by a sound that resembled a sword being drawn from a sheath.

And then, pain once more. You felt something lodge into the airway, and your body was instantly set into a frenzy, attempting to rid itself of the object. In an instant, the sound similar to a sword repeated itself, replaced only by the feeling of being turned onto your side. Your body began to convulse as a mix of the icy lake water, and your stomach acid spewed from your throat.

When your body finally stilled, your eyes fluttered open to reveal a blurry vision; you began to hear things more clearly. Muffles turned into a voice, which turned into words.

"Shit… Fucking shit," Deep and gruff, almost a growl. You remembered that voice. You knew that voice. "Jesus, you’re ice cold. Fuck!"

The sound of a zipper was heard, and before you knew it, a weight was placed over you, and you were off the ground and in the air.

That’s when you peered up and saw him. The very same man who claimed he was far from a hero. He was carrying you with his arm under your knees and the other supporting your back. He was constantly flickering his gaze to look down at you while you did nothing but stare back.

It was after a moment that your senses were coming back to you, and you began to notice things more clearly.

His jaw was clenched tight, and the look in his eyes was one of concern. You didn't know if it was your imagination, but it looked like there was a tint of red around his iris, which was now a piercing hazel color. The muscles of his face were taut and strained. The furrow of his brow gave him a look of worry while the twitch of his lips hinted at annoyance.

"Lo…" You didn’t realize the impact the water and the ice had had on you until you tried to speak, the sound coming out weak and broken. His gaze flicked back to you, and the red ring around his eyes was gone.

"It’s alright. It’s… You’re gonna…" The cold air hit his face as he opened his mouth, causing his breath to turn into fog. "You’re gonna be fine, Sweetheart. We’re gonna get you somewhere warm, alright?"

You couldn't help but shiver at the term of endearment and nodded in response, knowing that any attempt to speak would probably just come out in a croak.

You didn’t remember much after that, only bits and pieces. You remember the sudden quietness as he ripped open the door of his truck and settled you down on the passenger seat. You remember him securing his jacket around your body, his hands lingering a bit too long on your shoulders.

You also remembered the absolute mental breakdown he had when his truck wouldn’t start.

He had slammed his fist into the dashboard, the impact leaving a dent in the metal, while a loud pang signified the adamantium bones beneath. He was muttering curse after curse and had his head leaned back against the headrest, eyes screwed shut, and a look of frustration and pain upon his face.

It was only when he slammed his head into the steering wheel, clearly aggravated by the failure of his truck, did the it finally decide to work.

You don’t remember the drive, only that the heat was cranked up to its maximum, and he was speeding, his hands gripping the steering wheel a little too tight and his knuckles turning white.

But you remember the look he gave you when he lifted you from the truck, carrying you into some off-the-road motel. For a while, you thought he actually broke into it, but he paid during your trip, both in and out of consciousness.

And now, here you were, completely swaddled in a mass of blankets, in front of a fire that Logan had made as he was pacing the room. His brows were furrowed, and he had his fingers running through his hair in an almost desperate manner. He looked stressed and maybe even a little scared.

Your mind was still foggy, and a wave of pain shot through your head. A wince escaped your lips, and you instantly regretted the noise as Logan snapped his head to you, his eyes wide and his lips parted. He strode over to you, squatting down to your eye level.

"How do ya feel?" He asked, his voice softer than usual.

"F-Freezing," you whispered, your teeth clacking together. Logan looked around frantically, unsure of what to do.

"There’s no fucking hot water in this place," he muttered to himself. "What a shit hole. Fucking cheap bastards. Shit." He continued to ramble, cursing up a storm.

"Logan," you managed to breathe out, your hand reaching out from under the covers and grabbing his bicep. The man was tense as hell. "I-It's fine."

His eyes widened a fraction at your touch before narrowing in frustration.

"It ain't fine," he said, his tone rough. "You’re freezing to the point where yer shaking like a goddamn leaf. How is that fine?"

Your brows furrowed as you tried to sit up, his arms reaching out to push you back down, but you shrugged him off.

"Logan, I'm not… I’m not dying."

He stared at you for a moment, the crease between his brows becoming more pronounced before he shook his head, the muscles of his face twitching in annoyance.

"That ain't the fucking point."

"Then what is the… the point?"

He stood up, beginning to pace again. You watched him carefully as he rubbed a hand over his face, mumbling and cursing to himself. You could feel the frustration practically radiating off him.

You were going to ask him what was wrong, what was the problem, why he was acting so strangely, when his gaze met yours and your breath hitched in your throat.

He looked so… different. You were used to his scowl and his hard features. Quite honestly, his personality was trash mixed with an added dash of salt. But now, even though he held those same hard features, your eyes took it in a whole new way.

His scowl made him seem protective and concerned. His furrowed brow seemed almost endearing, and his clenched jaw gave him a sense of determination.

It made you want to think back on the way he held you and how his arms were secured around you, making you feel all kinds of—

Warmth…

The idea that made you jolt forward, almost falling off the bed.

"Shit!" Logan was at your side in an instant, his arm reaching out and supporting you. "Are ya tryna kill yourself? Lie back down."

"No," you shook your head. "You."

He frowned. "What?"

"You," you repeated, a small smile stretching across your lips. "I need… You."

He stared at you for a moment, his face dropping into a look of confusion. It would’ve been funny if you didn't feel so damn cold.

"Me?"

"Yeah… I n-need heat," another shiver went through you. "And you’re like a furnace. An overheated dog."

"Like a what?" He narrowed his eyes.

"A… just— I'm cold, Logan." You were starting to get tired. "Please."

He blinked at you. Then, he looked at the ground, then at the bed. He was silent for a moment, and you were afraid he wouldn’t do it. But then, his hands were finding the hem of his shirt and lifting it up over his head.

It wasn’t a big deal. It shouldn’t have been a big deal. So, why did you suddenly feel a heat spreading in the pit of your stomach despite him not even touching you yet? Why were your eyes suddenly wide and focused? Why were your lips parting and your mouth becoming dry?

There was just a perfect amount of hair trailing down from his belly button and leading down into the waistband of his jeans. It was almost like a treasure trail but thicker. His muscles were so well defined, their cords protruding from the skin, and he was flexing and twitching as he moved. His stomach was taut, and his hips were slightly visible. His chest was broad, pecs perfectly formed, and the lines between them were the most appealing things you had ever seen.

And right in the center was the all too familiar chain, with the dog tags dangling down, resting just over his sternum.

You couldn’t help but swallow thickly, a strange and unfamiliar heat washing over you. You didn’t really realize how long you were staring until he spoke.

"A lot of girls would pay good money for the view you're getting," he smirked, and the heat in your stomach only got hotter.

You averted your gaze and coughed into your fist. "Sh-Shut up," you mumbled, pulling the blankets back and slipping under the covers.

Logan sighed as he moved the blankets away from your goosebump-covered skin and settled himself in next to you.

Instantaneously, you sighed as the heat emitting from his body enveloped you while he tensed at the contact.

"Shit, you really are freezing," he grumbled.

You couldn't help the slight moan that came from you as his warm arms wrapped around your waist, his chest pressing flush against your back, and his breath ghosting the back of your neck.

You could sleep like this. In fact, you probably would because you were so tired. Your eyelids felt heavy, and the feeling of his warmth made you feel safe.

For a moment, the only noise that was heard was the crackling of the fire, both your panting breath and his, and the sound his throat was making as he swallowed.

"I, uh," his voice was lower and a lot deeper than before. It seemed to rumble through him and into your back. "I thought ya died. When I found you, I thought you were dead."

Your heart skipped a beat, and your mouth went dry. Damn, already with the emotions.

"Well, I'm not," you told him, your voice a lot softer than his. "I'm fine. I’m okay."

You felt him nod against your shoulder. "Right."

And you knew, deep down, that he was lying.

Logan was never a good liar. You knew it from the moment he stepped foot into the mansion. And this, his actions, was living proof of what a horrible liar he was.

"Logan?"

He grunted. "Hmm?"

"Why did you do it?"

You could feel the way his eyebrow quirked in confusion. "Why did I do what?"

"Follow me, and save me," you stated simply. "You had no reason to."

He was silent for a moment. "And, what? I was supposed to leave you there to die?"

"Yes."

"That ain't—"

"But it is, Logan," you said, and he was quiet once more. "You said it yourself. You aren’t a hero. So why did you save me?"

You always knew the answer. But even if you were currently freezing, you wanted to hear it come from him. It was tiringof hearing the same phrase over and over.

And clearly, you poked a nerve because in an instant, his arms were off of you, and you were being flipped over, with all the blankets thrown to the floor, only to find yourself face to face with Logan.

"Is this you pulling my teeth?" He growled, a look of anger on his face. "It sure as hell ain’t a damn good time."

You couldn’t stop the way your eyes kept flickering down his chest, his pectorals tensing as he breathed.

"You say you aren’t, but you are," you told him, not even listening to him. You were too focused on the way the flames of the fire danced along his skin. "Heroes save people. You saved me."

"This isn’t about heroism." He seethed, and the anger was evident. "It’s about you being a stubborn ass and getting yourself in a damn dangerous situation."

"Dangerous situation?" Now it was your turn to get angry. "Are you serious? Are you actually serious?"

"Who the hell just storms off to go frolicking around on top of a goddamn lake? What the fuck were ya thinking?"

"It’s called ice skating, you stupid bastard," you snapped, feeling your body returning back to a chill due to his absence. "I didn't expect it to break, and I didn’t expect to f-fall through. I don’t have f-fucking x-ray vision."

"Any person with half a brain could see how thin the ice was," he spat. "I mean, look at you! Ya, look like a goddamn popsicle."

"I was trying to enjoy myself, Logan. Something you wouldn't know anything about."

"Enjoy yourself?" He barked out a laugh. "You could've fucking died. That isn't enjoying yourself, Icypop, that's being fucking stupid."

"Don’t call me that."

"You are fucking stupid," he hissed. "Do you know what that would've done? Do ya know what it would've done to—"

"Logan," you snapped. "You… This… This is proving my point. If you truly weren’t a hero, you wouldn’t have cared. You would have let me drown and gone on your merry way."

"Anyone would have cared."

"Not anyone," you retorted, "Not everyone."

"You just think that because it's what you want to think."

"No, it's the truth."

"No, it isn’t."

"You saved me, Logan," you whispered, your eyes finding his, which were still burning with anger. "Get it through your head, you idiot. You saved me. I wasn’t even aware you had followed me, but you c-cared enough to keep me from dying. You aren’t a bad guy, Logan; stop trying to convince yourself you are. Because, clearly, you aren’t."

The two of you were staring at each other, neither of you speaking a word. Your breaths were coming out in puffs of air, while his were heavy and almost raspy. The look on his face was intense, and he was practically trembling with anger.

You couldn't tell what was running through his mind, but you had a feeling it was along the lines of, "I'm not a fucking hero. Shut the hell up," or, "Just let me believe what I want to believe."

You didn't know which one it was, but either way, it would be pointless to argue with him.

He would always try to convince himself that he wasn’t a good person. He would try to convince himself that he wasn’t meant for such things.

Even with proving the opposite in so many situations, he still would never take the hint.

And now, with the way he was looking at you, the two of you breathing in the same air, the heat of his body surrounding you, your eyes trying to forget his state of undress, it was hard not to argue.

You didn't mean to do it, but your hand lifted up, and your fingers grazed the chain of his dog tags, sending a shiver through his body.

You couldn’t help but let your eyes flicker down, taking him in for a second time, your eyes trailing down his chest and his abs before finding the patch of hair leading into his—

You swallowed thickly before meeting his gaze again. His eyes were dark, and his pupils dilated. The way his chest was rising and falling, and his jaw was clenching made it obvious he was trying to control himself.

Caught, you quickly dropped your hand and averted your eyes. You didn’t want him to see the effect his body had on you, even if you had no control over it.

"I'm not a hero," he finally whispered, and it wasn’t his words that surprised you, but his voice.

His voice was deep and raspy, and you couldn't stop the way the heat was pooling in the pit of your stomach or the way a strange feeling was taking over your mind. "But, I do care. A hell of a lot."

"Lo—"

"Don’t call me a hero for caring," his arms wrapped around you and pulled you closer to his body. "I care too much for worthless shit like that."

Your throat went dry. He was so warm, so very warm.

He leaned forward and pressed his forehead against yours. Your breathing quickened, your heartbeat hammering in your chest. Not a single coherent thought came to your mind. All you could think about was the way his breaths lined up with yours. The way his skin was brushing against yours. How he smelled so very distinctly Logan, and the way his lips looked so very inviting.

It was taken too far when your tongue slipped out and wetted your own lips, and Logan's eyes darted to the movement.

He stared for the longest time, seemingly frozen, his chest rising and falling heavily, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed. He pulled away only an inch or two, his gaze flicking between your eyes and your lips.

What was he thinking? What was going through his head? You wanted to ask, but you were afraid to break the silence. Afraid to say something and make him come to his senses.

So, instead, you watched his face carefully, the way his lips parted, and his pupils dilated before his eyes found yours once more. Reading him was hard, but this… this was an expression you had seen before.

It was when Jean was flirting with Scott. The way she would lean close and give him that smile, and the way his cheeks would heat, and his eyes would dart down to her lips, then back up.

This was attraction.

And it was an expression you didn't think you would see on Logan. Not for you, at least.

You were one of his close friends, but did you play nice with each other? No. Did you get along? Yes, but those rare arguments the two of you had were heated, and sometimes they didn't make sense.

Did you tease him and mess with him? Definitely.

But never did you think that would lead to this.

Logan was attractive. He was built and tall, and he was very muscular. The definition of a man. His rough, hard features only made him more desirable. And his short temper and bad attitude just drew women to him like flies. They tend to lean towards the bad boys.

You didn’t. You picked the nice ones. The kind ones. The ones who wouldn’t hurt a fly.

You had been with a couple of guys since coming to Xavier's, and all of them had been so nice and so polite, but you did come to the conclusion that they were rather boring.

You couldn't remember the last time you were flustered by a man, or the last time your heart pounded so quickly, or the last time your breath caught in your throat.

But here was Logan, suddenly giving you those feelings and making your stomach do flips. The man who pretended to be the opposite of everything you wanted in a partner was the only one making your heart race.

You didn't know if that was good or bad.

This feeling, though, felt good. Felt so very good.

The way his arm was around your waist, his hand gripping your side, his body flush against yours, his lips just inches from your own, felt too good.

The heat from his skin felt good. The feeling of his warm breath was good. His scent was good. Everything was so, very good.

You were tired, and your eyelids felt heavy. The way your limbs felt like lead and how cold you felt was getting to you. You could feel your body starting to relax.

The only thing keeping you awake was Logan.

He was still so close, and his grip hadn’t loosened. But you couldn't help it when your eyelids started to slip closed, and your body went slack against him.

Logan's grip on you tightened, his arms holding your body tighter, his breath catching, before you felt the softest of touches on your forehead.

Kisses… Kisses were being peppered across your forehead, and it made you shiver.

His lips were so soft. His kisses were so gentle. It was so different from the hard exterior he held. It was like he was a completely different person.

So, you looked up and found yourself nose-to-nose with Logan. His eyes were staring right back into yours, and there was a soft look to his features.

The hand on your waist moved and cupped your cheek, his thumb stroking the skin there.

"You need sleep," his voice was low and raspy. He was whispering as if speaking any louder would break the moment.

"That’s not what I need," you replied just as quietly, not breaking eye contact.

His brow furrowed. "What do ya need, darlin'?"

Words were hard to find and hard to put into sentences. You could’ve said a lot of things. Food, a shower, more blankets, a cup of tea, but the truth was, none of those things would satisfy you.

And the longer Logan's eyes were locked with yours, the more assured you were that what you needed wasn't any of those things.

So, instead of words, you moved your hand to gently grasp the chain of his dog tags. It held the same warmth that was emitting from his skin.

You didn’t know if he knew what you meant or if he understood what you were trying to say.

But the look in his eyes and the way his grip tightened gave you the feeling that he did.

It was silent, and tense. But, it was comfortable, and so, very nice.

You didn’t know if you had the strength to lift your body and kiss him. Or if he had the willpower to.

However, you didn’t need to make the decision. Because when he lifted your hair out of the way and buried his nose into the crook of your neck, his lips just barely hovering over your pulse, you were certain.

So, you did what any other girl would do in that situation.

Your hand tangled itself in his hair, and you pushed his face closer to your neck.

There was a growl, a deep, animalistic growl. One that shook your core from the heat in his voice, and the sound was almost enough to make you moan.

But you were surprised by the feeling of his lips pressing against your neck. You’d imagined with the way he was built, and with his personality, it would be rough and fast. But the way his lips gently caressed your neck, and the way his hands roamed your body made it seem like he wanted to take his time.

His mouth started trailing open-mouthed kisses along the expanse of your neck, his hot breath sending good shivers through your body. He sucked and nibbled, making you shiver, and the way his hand moved to caress your waist was gentle.

It was so unexpected, but it was so very welcome.

His lips traveled up your neck until they were just behind your ear, where he placed a small kiss before nuzzling his nose into your hair.

"Warm enough?"

It was the first thing he had said since your neck began being attacked, and it wasn’t a question that had an answer.

Because, while you were indeed warm, the way his hands were roaming your body and the way his lips were on you was causing an entirely different kind of heat.

And it was obvious that he was trying to get his point across. The way his hips were pressed against yours, and the way his arms were wrapped tightly around you was definitely not helping.

You knew he could smell it, your arousal. And he could most likely hear your racing heartbeat and feel the way your body trembled.

He was waiting for an answer. He wanted an answer.

"Logan," you breathed, your eyes slipping shut and your hands finding his chest. His skin was hot under your touch, and you couldn't help the way you trailed your fingers down his pecs and his abs.

He shook a bit, clearly still not used to your freezing touch, but his grip on you didn't loosen, and neither did the way his body was pressed against yours.

He was hard. Everywhere. His arms were strong, his chest was defined, and his legs were muscular. He was a brick wall, and you couldn't help but admire it.

You couldn't believe how attractive the man was.

Logan Howlett. The guy who was an asshole. The guy who would kill a man with his bare hands. The guy who was working on his temper. The guy who would accidentally pick a fight at the drop of a hat.

The guy who just saved you. The guy who cared about you.

Your hand slid down his stomach, and his muscles contracted under your touch. You were getting closer and closer until you hit the brown border that held up his jeans.

Your hand didn’t stay for long because a hand greeted you, wrapping around your wrist and stopping your movement.

Logan lifted his head from the crook of your neck, and his dark eyes stared into yours. There was a warning in his gaze, and his jaw was clenched tightly.

"Stop," his voice was low and raspy.

Your eyes searched his face, but there was nothing there. No emotion. Just a blank stare. "Why?"

"Don't."

You ignored him and tried to move your hand, but he tightened his grip, making it so you couldn’t move it.

"Logan," you whispered.

"I said stop."

You looked into his eyes and noticed something. His eyes were darker, his pupils were blown, and the look in his gaze was intense.

And it finally clicked.

He was turned on, and he was trying to keep himself in control.

And, you thought about it. If Logan were to lose control, what would happen? What would happen if the man who could slice a man open with his bare hand was in a situation like this, with his hormones raging and his self-control fading?

You didn't think much of it, but when the thought crossed your mind, a rush of arousal surged through you.

You wanted him. You wanted Logan Howlett. And it was a surprise.

He was going to say another word, but your lips captured him, and the hand on your wrist immediately released you.

It was like a switch was flipped. Logan growled into the kiss as you tugged him closer by his hair. The kiss was passionate, and the way his hand slipped under the damp shirt you were wearing was almost too much.

While his one hand was under your shirt, the other was against the bedsheet, his body leaning over you. He was hovering, but his lips never left yours.

Your shirt was gone in an instant, ripped from your body, and tossed to the floor. He paid no mind to the fact that he had ruined a perfectly good shirt, and the only thing he cared about was your bare skin.

Your lips parted, and his tongue darted into your mouth, tasting you. You could hardly keep up, his tongue dominating your mouth and his hands roaming your body.

"Lo," you managed to moan against his lips before his mouth was on yours again.

He didn't reply, but the way his fingers were trailing over the skin of your thighs was answer enough.

It was getting hot, too hot, and Logan knew that.

He pulled away from the kiss, and the string of saliva that connected the two of you broke and landed on your chest. He was breathing heavily, and his eyes were dark.

Your hair was messy, and you were still wet. Your body was shaking, and goosebumps were littering your skin.

You were looking up at him, your eyes searching his face. Your cheeks were flushed, and your chest was rising and falling quickly.

He was staring at your lips, and the way they were swollen from the kiss, and his hands were trailing along the expanse of your stomach, before moving back down to the hem of your jeans.

Logan had undone them, and his fingers were playing with the band.

Your eyes didn't leave his face, but you were surprised when he lifted his eyes to meet yours.

He was waiting for something, and when you nodded, the next thing you knew, your pants were gone. The only thing that remained was his jacket, which you still had on from your lake experience.

It felt like a distant memory, one that was fuzzy and far off. It's odd how something as traumatic and horrifying as nearly dying could turn into something as heated and intimate as this.

Logan was watching your face carefully, his hand resting on your thigh, and his eyes were searching your expression. He was waiting for any indication of doubt.

The only thing indicated was desire.

He seemed satisfied with your reaction, and his hand slowly moved further and further up your thigh before the tips of his fingers reached the fabric of your panties.

His thumb was hooked under the band, and he pulled the black fabric aside, moving his other hand to unbutton his jeans.

He pulled the zipper down, and his hand slid into his boxers.

His head fell back with a sigh, his eyes closing as his hand moved along his length.

You watched, entranced, as he pleasured himself. You didn't realize you were biting your lip until his eyes were on yours, his eyebrows furrowed, and his breaths were shaky.

He let go of himself and leaned forward, his forehead pressing against yours, as he struggled to hold himself together.

He was still waiting, and you couldn't figure out why. Why was he hesitating? Wasn't it obvious that you wanted him?

"Okay, Cowardly Lion, you can do this."

His head tilted to the side, and his nose bumped against yours. His breath fanned over your face, and his hand was gripping the side of the bed.

"Don’t call me that," his voice was gruff.

You grinned and moved your hand to the back of his neck, holding him in place. "Cowardly. Lion."

Logan growled, and you couldn't help the shiver that ran through your body. It wasn't scary. Not even close. It was hot and sexy, and it made you want him even more.

He was hovering over you, and his hand was on the side of the bed, his knuckles clenching the sheets. For a second, you believed he’d let his claws out and slice right through the mattress.

But again, only for a second.

He was watching you, his gaze locked on your face. He was staring, and his eyes were dark, and the way he was looking at you was intense.

You didn't say anything.

So, his hand moved.

And his fingers hooked under the band of your underwear, and he slowly, oh, so, slowly, pulled the fabric down.

He tossed the garment somewhere in the room, and his eyes trailed over your body.

He was staring at you, admiring your body, and the way the moonlight shone through the window made it all the better.

Your legs were spread, and you were completely naked. The only thing that was covering you was his leather jacket.

Logan's eyes moved back up your body, and he swallowed. "You’re pretty great when you’re wet."

A smirk made its way onto your lips, and you couldn't help the giggle that escaped you. "You should see me after I get out of the shower."

He growled, and the hand that was next to your head came up and grasped your chin, tilting your head back, and his mouth was on yours in an instant.

The kiss was heated, and it was a shock. Not a surprise, though. This was the original thought that went through your head. The way his hands were rough and the way his grip was tight.

This is how you expected him to be. Rough and fast. But this was not that.

This was so much better.

Your teeth clashed, and his tongue fought with yours, his body pushing you further into the bed.

You gasped into his mouth as his hand traveled back down to stroke himself a few more times before he was just outside your entrance.

You couldn't stop the whine that escaped you as his tip nudged against your core before his length started to push in.

His eyes slipped shut, and his hands caught him from falling. The bed creaked, and you could feel him trembling as he took a moment to collect himself.

When he had, there were only two things on your mind as the jolt of pain mixed with pleasure hit you.

One, you couldn't believe Logan had been holding out on you. This was amazing, and you could see yourself getting addicted to the way he made you feel.

And two, it was the way he had his jaw clenched, the way he was breathing, his hips pressed flush against yours, and the way his muscles were flexing.

He looked so good, and it was hard to focus on the fact that he was actually inside of you. His cigarette-stained breath fanned over your face, the way every time he moved slightly faster, he became more vulnerable and less guarded, the back of the throaty moans he made, the way his lips were swollen from the kissing and the biting.

All of it was a big turn-on.

His hands were gripping the bed, and his dog tags were bouncing off of his chest, hitting your skin with a cold metallic sound.

The way his hair hung in his face, and the way his eyes were dark, made him look incredibly sexy.

"Lo," you whimpered, and your nails scraped his shoulders, leaving red lines in their wake.

Of course, by the time he had reacted to the slight pain, they were already gone.

He leaned down, his arms wrapping around your body, and he held you close. He pressed his lips against your neck and sucked the sensitive skin.

It was quiet, except for the sounds of the bed creaking and the gasps and pants that slipped out every now and then. You weren’t very vocal, but that was only because you were more focused on how it felt.

And it felt so good.

It was a lot more enjoyable when it wasn’t painful, and you were more than happy that the pain had subsided and was now replaced with pure ecstasy.

He was big, bigger than you had originally expected. So, he had taken his time.

Well, not really. He had tried to, at least.

Logan had tried to hold out, but the way you had squeezed him and the way you had whimpered when he was halfway in had caused him to lose his grip on reality.

But he had tried to take his time. And that was what counted.

Your hands tangled in his hair and pulled his head closer, making him moan into your mouth.

He was moving faster, and he was losing his mind. Your lips were swollen, and the way your chest was rising and falling was amazing.

He was holding himself up, his arms flexing as his hips moved against yours, and the sound of your name falling from his lips in such a way was a sound you wanted to hear more often.

He was close. You could tell by the way his thrusts were becoming sloppy and the way he was gasping.

But you were, too.

It was the first time, the only time, you had ever experienced such an intense high. And it was a rush.

Your head fell back, and your fingers tightened in his hair as your orgasm ripped through your body. You were shaking, and your mouth opened in a silent scream as the intensity of it all hit you.

Logan followed soon after, his orgasm hitting him just as hard. His was more brutal towards you, though, as he full-on collapsed into your body, his entire weight pressing into you as he came.

It was an experience you didn't think you would ever forget. Especially when he accidentally unleaded his claws and sliced through the mattress.

"Ah, goddamn it," he sighed and slowly pulled out. He was still on top of you, but he had turned his head to the side to see the damage. "I'm not paying for this."

You were breathing heavily, and your hands were tangled in his hair, your body shaking from the aftershock.

He turned his head to look back at you, and his dark eyes studied your face.

You were a mess. You had bite marks along your neck and chest, your lips were swollen, your cheeks were flushed, and your chest was rising and falling rapidly.

Logan's eyebrows were furrowed, and his lips were parted. The way his hair was a mess, and the fact that his eyes were darker than usual made him look extremely attractive.

You couldn’t help but notice how completely out of breath he was and all the sweat and the heat radiating off his body.

He was hot, literally.

"You, uh," you swallowed and tried to keep your hands steady. "You want to take a dive in the lake?"

It took a few moments, but eventually your question had registered, and you have never heard this man laugh like he had right now. He completely lost it, and he was laughing.

And it was a deep laugh. One that could make someone feel safe. One that could make anyone fall in love with him.

His laughter died down, and he turned to look at you, the smirk still playing on his lips. "I think I'll pass."

"Oh," you breathed and bit your lip. "You don't know what you're missing."

Logan stared at you, and his hand moved from the bed to trail down your stomach. Blood was coating his knuckles from the five-second fight that had taken place when his claws had popped out, but he didn't seem to care.

You were staring at him, and the way his dark eyes were boring into yours was intimidating.

"How about," his hand slid down further, and the tips of his fingers touched your lower abdomen, "I take a dive in the shower with you instead? Can’t drown in the tub."

Your eyebrows were raised, "Am I that fragile that a simple shower will kill me?"

You were obviously joking; that soft banter had been something the two of you had always done, but there was also a hint of curiosity.

He sat up to look at you. His eyes were darker than before, and the way his hands were running along the expanse of your torso was sending shivers down your spine.

"Says the girl who slipped through ice," he leaned down, his arms caging you in, and his forehead was pressed against yours. "You really are—"

Crack.

Call it what you will: fate, destiny, bad timing, but there now, there was no way in hell he’d escape the expensive bill the motel would surely send.

The bed completely gave out.

It had taken a few seconds for it to register, the sudden drop and the loud noise. But, once you had, now it was your turn to laugh.

And boy, did you.

Your laughter filled the room, and your entire body shook. He started to blame it on the production of the bed, of course, but you knew deep down he couldn’t escape the big fat bill the motel owner was going to send.

He even got up to try to find another possible explanation, and as you pulled his jacket closer to cover yourself, you watched him try and fail to find one.

The smile never left your face, and when he turned to look at you, his dark eyes were studying your expression.

"You think this is funny?"

"Very," you grinned and leaned up on your elbows. "How about we go out for dinner tomorrow night, Edward?"

Logan's eyebrow raised, and he stared at you. You could see the visible disappointment on his face, and it was amusing.

"Alright, come on," he took hold of your arms, and pulled you out of the bed, jacket and all.

"Where are we going?" you asked and let him lead you out of the room. "The shower?"

"Yeah," he nodded, and led you into the bathroom, "I think it's time I teach you how to swim."

You grinned, "We have no hot water, remember?"

"Then, I’ll just have to make sure you don't get cold, won’t I?"

[busycloudy]

The Love Potion

 *Sigh* Here we are, once again. This is the 3rd and FINAL part, hurray! 

 ft: The rest of NRC students

Tw: None, but if I need to add any please inform me!

 A fluff and crack fanfic

The reader is MC and goes by they/them pronouns. The reader is already in a relationship with these characters.

 Characters may or may not be ooc 

Hope you enjoy!

Ace Trappola

Bro really asked Crewel "So, do I have to attend my classes still, or...?" He used you as and excuse to skip classes, and somehow it worked. He brought you back to Heartslabyul with a big grin on his face. When Riddle stopped him and asked why he wasn't at class he just said "I gotta take care of my dear MC here" And Riddle just stormed off to ask a teacher about it. Ace brought you back to his room to hangout and chill since he had the joy of not having to go to classes. He was just casually going through his phone when you plopped your head on his lap. He gave you a quick peck on the lips, well was going to, until you cupped his face and smothered him in kisses. He was a bit taken aback but quickly recovers and a small grin grew on his face. He kisses you a few times all over your face, then returning back to his phone. Lovesick you was a teensy bit upset his phone was getting more attention than you, but you let it slide, for now. Jokes on him, he had 10x more homework than he did before. That's what he gets for using you as an excuse to skip class.

Deuce Spade

Why is he even surprised? It's just more trouble caused by Ace and Grim. He brought you back to his room and went to his classes, before doing so he gave you a peck on the forehead. After all his classes were done he went back to his room and started on his homework. You were wanting his attention so you walked over to behind him and put your arms over his shoulders. "Hm? Do you need something MC?" He raised a brow. "No, just wanted to cuddle" You innocently smiled. "Has anyone ever told you how cute you are? Your smile is brighter than the sun!" You said. Deuce blushed "T-thanks..." He mumbled. Once he was finished with his homework he cuddled you for the rest of the day.

(Deuce deserves more writing and love but I do NOT know what to write)

Cater Diamond

Cater was walking around the halls, scrolling on magicam, his finger gliding across the screen as he scrolled down. He saw some cute pictures of a cafe that had recently opened. Maybe he would take you there sometime-"Cater!!!" A familiar voice interrupted Cater's thoughts. It was Ace, and Grim, and Deuce holding you over his shoulder-Wait...Deuce holding you over his shoulder?!"What'd you freshies do this time?" Cater asked as Deuce put you in Cater's arms, trying to not seem so worried. Then Cater saw the hearts in your eyes, and he immediately knew. "How did you get prefect to drink a love potion??" Cater questioned. "It wasn't our fault! They was the one that drank the water!" Ace defended. Cater looked confused. "It's a long ish story" Grim shrugged. Cater felt a sudden warmth to his cheeks as something cupped his face. "Well, we're gonna go" Grim announced, the three then leaving."Aww, your cheeks are so squishy.." You said with a droopy smile. Cater blushed. "W-well..." "I could take so much pictures of you and show em off. You deserve to be seen my everyone" You cut Cater off. Cater felt the heat on his face grow. Ok, you're a bit good at making him flustered...If you continued he was gonna turn out like Riddle when he's mad."Instead of staying in the hallways we should go back to my room.." Cater mentioned. The time you were under the influence of that love potion Cater took many pictures of you, and some videos too. You was just too cammable! How could he not? Don't worry, he won't post anything without your permission! (The pictures were mainly for him to look back at and smile...)

Jack Howl

His ears twitch at the sound of 3 freshmans voices. "JACKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!" they yelled, to which he simply sighed in return. "What is it this time!? Wait, why does prefect have hearts in their eyes???" Jack was puzzled as Ace quickly gave you to him. "Perfect drank a love potion, which was totally NOT my fault, it was all Grim's," Grim groaned in the backround "So yeah anyways goodluck taking care of them the potion doesn't wear off until tomorrow!!!!" Then he ran of with the other freshman. Jack was confused, to say the least, but alas took you to Savanaclaw.When he walked in he got some strange looks while you was being carried over his shoulder, but simply ignored them as it wasn't a big deal."Jack, Why ya carryin' MC over ya shoulder?" Ruggie questioned as he walked oast Jack."Ace, Grim, and Deuce somehow got them to drink a love potion, so now I gotta be with them" Jack shrugged."Oh, well good luck with that" Ruggie chuckled, then going his own way.Jack had finally let you down after you got to his dorm, then he got started on his homework while he let you hug him from behind. Offly enough, he was much more comfortable this way and it kinda helped him focus.

Soon enough it was 9pm, and he was drowsy, so he went to sleep, ans joined him so he wrapped his arm around you, placing a kiss on your neck.

Floyd Leech

He was walking around the hallways, upset because he hasn't seen his shrimpy all day! Where in the world could they be??? People moved out of his way, noticing he wasn't the happiest at this moment. He then felt a tap on his shoulder and turned around with a frown, which faded away when he saw you. "Aw~ Shrimpy where have you been?" He smiled as he took you from the troublemakers. Meanwhile Ace and Grim were fighting over which one should tell him, but Grim got shoved forward "Nya! No fair! You owe me tuna after this!" Grim angrily said to Ace. Ace rolled his eyes in response "What is it Baby Seal?" Floyd raised a brow. "MC drank a love potion..." Grim said. "Myah! Run!" Grim, Ace, and Duece then ran. Floyd huffed "How do you get in this much trouble so often shrimpy? Whatever, this may be a bit fun" Floyd smiled, then taking you to his room. He was supposed to be at monstro lounge, but Azul wouldn't mind. "Floyd, has anyone mentioned how adorable you are?" You brought up. "Eh?~ Thank you shrimpy, but I'd say you more adorable yourself, ehe~" He said in return with a toothy grin. You two had comments like this for practically all day, and cuddled when the day ended.

Epel Felmeir

Epel was in the Botanical Garden. Why? Probably for something in potions. He had a basket of things for his potions assignment and began to walk back on his merry way but heard a familiar voice.Grim entered the garden as you were being carried by Deuce and Ace. "Epel, MC drank a love potion!!!!" Grim squealed out of breath. "H...huh?! How??? Y'all troublemakers always causin' a problem for MC huh..." Epel saw you, hearts in your eyes, and was worried but also noticed how adorable you was. "Take your partner instead of admiring them all day long, would ya?" Epel put down the basket and took you in his arms, well, more like let you lean against his shoulder as he helped you walk back to pomefiore, but you get the point!Epel let you take a seat, then beginning to work on his homework. You and the other freshman were supposed to all study together today, but because of the love potion you obviously won't be able to.You walked up behind Epel, as you was beginning to get bored, and quite lonely at that, wrapping your arms around him and looking at his homework.You could practically feel the heat radiating off of Epel when you did this, which made you have a small grin.You had seen Epel get stuck on some questions, so you had graciously helped him, to which he thanked you for.Epel said it was starting to get dark and that you should get sleep, and you had gone to the bed, hut said "Hurry up and cuddle with me soon though..." in a drowsy tone, so Epel wrote his letter to his meemaw about this whole thing and you quickly, then cuddling up next to you with a small blush.

Silver

Silver was startled awake from his sleep with a yell. "SILVER!!!!!!!!!" Ace yelled.Silver jumped awake with a questionable look on his face. "Hm? What exactly is it you need, Ace?" Then he saw the look on your face. And your eyes.Silver had heard about a love potion from his father, and from potionoligy, and how anyone who drank one would have hearts in there eyes, and you certainly did."Take your significant other!! I ain't taking care of them all day!" Ace quickly gave you to Silver, then going off with Deuce and Grim.Silver was still a bit drowsy, but he needed to ask Lilia if there was any way to cure this.Silver walked into Diasomnia, you clinging onto his arm."Boo! Oh? Is that your little partner clinging into you?~" Lilia chuckled.Silver didn't have much of a reaction to Lilia's scare, as he was used to it at this point, but nodded his head yes, then saying "They had drank a love potion, considering the look in their eyes. I'm not sure how, but do you know if there's a cure?" "No, there's no cure that I'm aware of, so good luck with your clingy partner" Lilia said, then smiling cheekily.Silver walked off to his room, and you just continued clinging onto him. "Silver, your eyes are so beautiful... I could get lost in them" You smiled. "Being with you doesn't feel real, it feels like a dream" You continued to ramble on.

Silver chuckled, running his fingers through your hair. Your warmth made him get more and more drowsy, causing the two of you to soon fall asleep.

Oh, Lilia will DEFINITELY take a picture of this.

Sebek Zigvolt

Sebek was on his way to Diasomnia since he had finished all his classes and wanted to check if Malleus was fine, and there he happened to see 3 freshmans and his significant other being carried at the end of the hall. "MC!" Sebek ran to the part of the hall you were at and immediately took you in his arms. It was silent for a moment, then Deuce spoke "MC, somehow," Deuce looked at Grim amd Ace, "drank some of a love potion. Crewel said the effects will only be around for about 24 hours" Ace bit his lip, expected loud enough yelling to make him go deaf, but instead it was silent. So silent you could almost hear crickets as Sebek had a look of confusion, anger, and, most of all, worry.The freshman slowly backed up, then ran away.You played with Sebek's hair, booped his nose, and kissed him so much on the way to Diasomnia Sebek couldn't help but blush. He entered the dorm and continued walking to his room until a Lilia appeared. "Ah? Why's MC here?"Sebek looked frozen. "Those idiot humans somehow got them to drink love potion" Sebek answered, a tinge of sadness in his voice.

Malleus's voice came about "They'll be just fine Sebek, there's no need to worry." Lilia interrupted "That's only if they had a tadge bit. Did they have a tadge bit?" Sebek responded, saying Deuce said it would only last 24 hours according to Crewel. "Excellent! Well get on your merry way then" Lilia chuckled as he went to get tomato juice. "Thank you Waka-sama and Lilia-Sama" Sebek did a half bow and left.Sebek couldn't really focus on his work. No matter how much he wanted to. All the complements, kisses, hugs from behind, everything you did just out him in a different thought process."MC, I need silence and complete focus to work on this homework" Sebek stated. "My soldier, you've been working on that foreverrrr, can't I just get a bit of attention? Please?" You had a look on your face Sebek found hard to say no to. "...Fine, but only for a few minutes!" Sebek slightly frowned, but wasnt the slightest bit upset.Unfortunately, Sebek had fallen asleep in your arms as you brushed his hair with your fingers.

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

AHHHH IT'S FINALLY DONE!!!!! IT'S BEEN MONTHSSSSSS BUT I FINALLY FINISHED IT!

Anyways, I hope you lovelies enjoyed! I will be writing more every so often, but I got this for now!

[blue-sadie]

Misleading

Sorry this was a request but Tumblr being Tumblr I lost the post and had to rewrite it, I don't do part 3s but I made it very similar to it

Sully Family x Sibling Reader

Summary: the sullys always protect one another especially the baby (you)

Warning: platonic

Yn/3rd person pov

The adrenaline was wearing off, my panting breath was the only thing I could hear through my ringing ears, i looked through my blurry eyes up to the top of the hill which I fall down.

I was a long ways down I groaned as I slowly rose to rest on my elbows so I could see my surroundings I don't know where I am nothing looks familiar, I raised one of my hands to my forehead letting out a shakey breathe as I felt the hot crimson liquid.

"F-fuck" I cursed bringing the hand infront of my eyes, the blood dripped down my fingers I watched a drop slide down the palm of my hand.

"I'm never gonna be let out again" I muttered breathlessly and brought my hand to the communication device attached to my neck "d-dad" i sighed in pain and closed my eyes tightly.

"What's wrong yn are you hurt" his voice sounded fizzy through the radio but I could still hear the concern in his voice "I was out l-looking for stuff for mom and I I fell" I murmured and groaned as i sat up straight.

"Are you hurt my yn" mon spoke "just a little but I'll live" I said and slowly tried to stand up but lost my balance each time "where are you so we can come get you" this time it was neteyam speaking his voice somewhat panicked.

"I don't really know the last thing I know was just passed the abandoned shack where we get the nice fruit I like from" u sighed I heard faded voices through the radio probably lo'ak and kiri "ok we're on our way hold on tight".

Neteyam and jake both rushed to their ikrans and lo'ak came closely behind trying to reason with their father "dad I know where she is" he tried going to his ikran but jake stopped him "enough, go home and stay put do you understand me".

Lo'ak sighed and nodded defeatedly watching them mount their ikrans and dive into the afternoon sky, his eyes twitched debating his next move "fuck it" he muttered running to his ikran and flying out, lo'ak made sure to avoid his father and older brother in the sky using all the short cuts he knew.

Lo'ak was the first to get to me "yn" he yelled jumping off his ikran and running to my side "l-lo'ak where's dad" I felt dizzy from the loss of blood, my body trembled as he held me "close i-i think" he stammered looking towards the sky I looked up at him he differently gonna be in trouble.

He grabbed some cloth from his satchel and wrapping them around my wounds somewhat slowly the blood flow "thanks-" I was interrupted by the sound of dad's ikran "lo'ak" dad called making lo'ak cringe.

Dad and neteyam hoped off their ikrans and came towards us dad's eyes fill with anger intill he saw my wrapped wounds "good job but next time listen to me" he hissed and lo'ak nodded "let's get you home baby girl" dad turned to me, neteyam and lo'ak grabbing my sides helping me to my feet.

They brought me over to neteyams ikran and helped me on "don't fall... again" lo'ak tried to joke making me love sarcastically "funny" I muttered and groaned as neteyam settled behind me.

"Are you ok" he murmured as he wrapped his arms around me preparing to fly "just dizz-" my vision slowly turned black and my body limp "yn" his voice faded into nothing.

-Time skip-

My eyes slowly fluttered open and a pained groan left my lips as I felt a dam cloth being layed on my forehead "w-who" I whispered trying to left my hand but he clasped my hand gently keeping it down.

"You need to rest sister" his voice was low and caring as I heard water being rung out and another cloth pressed over my shoulder "neteyam" I hissed the medicine stinging my wound making him chuckle lightly "next time maybe watch where your going".

I huffed rolling my eyes "next time I'll just make you get the stuff for me you skxawng" he chuckled again shaking his head as his arm moved under my body helping me to sit up.

"Maybe next time tell me where your going so I can go hunting while you collect things ewya knows moms never letting you leave alone again"

[djarindroid]

Against All Odds

Pairing: Eric (AQPDO) x Reader

Summary: After meeting Eric and slowly growing closer to one another will you be able to get back to each other in this new silent world?

Word Count: 5,876

Warnings: Descriptions of violence, death and blood

Comments: I dunno why but I'm more nervous to post this than I have been about anything else I've written. Hope you enjoy!

The nights spent working at the NYU Law School library were peaceful. Where dimly lit aisles provided a sanctuary to any student burning the midnight oil. Your job was easy enough, re-shelve a few books and help the occasional student find something. Whilst night shifts weren’t ideal it was a sure way for you to save up to achieve your dream; going to art school. Besides, it gave you plenty of time to work on your sketches.

It was nearing 2am when someone burst through the doors, looking up from the returned books you were sorting though you saw a disheveled young man anxiously scanning the room until his eyes landed on you. Rushing over he blurted out, ‘Excuse me, I need a book on constitutional law. I have a paper due and my laptops just crashed on me.’ 

You smiled, hoping to ease his panicked state. ‘You’re gonna need to go up a floor to aisle 23, there should be some constitutional law books on the 2nd and 3rd shelf.’

‘Okay, perfect, aisle 23,’ he repeated as he began to walk away. ‘Thank you so much!’ 

You watched him go, slightly chuckling to yourself as he went to go downstairs instead of up, clearly too distracted to remember everything you said.

‘Hey,’ you softly called out. He halted, and turned to you. ‘Upstairs,’ you pointed up to emphasise where he went wrong.

‘Oh right, yeah of course, you said that. Thanks again,’ he stammered out as he quickly corrected himself, bounding up the stairs two at a time. You couldn’t help the small laugh that escaped you as you watched him go. Shaking your head you returned to sorting the books.

The next few hours passed uneventfully, a couple of other students came in and out but no one needed anything from you. As the clock ticked closer to dawn you decided to take a walk around the library, to check if any books had been left out.

As you made your way upstairs you wondered if the guy from earlier had found what he needed. Turning the corner at the top of the stairs you spotted him, working diligently in a sea of open books. The desk light bathed him a soft glow as he ran his hand through his already tousled hair. You don’t know what possessed you to go over to him, you only ever spoke to the students if they came up to you at the front desk, but you found yourself drawn over to him.

‘Hey,’ you said quietly, not wanting to break the serenity the library provided, ‘did you find what you were looking for?’

His deep brown eyes met yours with a hint of gratitude as they flicked up from his notes. Despite his frazzled appearance he had an undeniable charm. His slightly stubbled jaw line may have been tense with the stress he was under but there was a softness to his features that drew you in.

‘Oh hi, yeah I found everything,’ he gestured to the scattered books around him. ‘Thank you again for pointing me in the right direction, this place is still a bit of a maze to me.’

‘Not a problem, late night book adventures are all a part of the job,’ you joked, earning you a small chuckle from him.

‘I’m Eric, by the way,’ he said as his gaze lingered on you, causing a warmth to spread inside you. You hoped you weren’t blushing as you managed to reply with your own name.

He repeated it, his English accent making each syllable sound deliberate and thought out. ‘Thanks again. I should probably get back to it before the caffeine completely wears off.’

Understanding his situation, you nodded. ‘Good luck, if you need anything else let me know,’ with that you made your way back to the front desk. You tried to work on some of your sketches but your thoughts kept wandering back to Eric. You’d seen your fair share of late night students, but none had captured your attention quite like him.

Hours slipped by, the library remained quiet with only the occasional rustle or soft footsteps echoing in the stillness. Each sound drew your attention to the stairs, hoping to see Eric walking down.

But soon enough the first rays of sunlight began to filter through the windows, signalling the end of your shift. You packed your stuff, glancing over your shoulder every few seconds in the hope of seeing Eric one last time before you left. Feeling a bit foolish for lingering over a brief encounter you sighed and stepped outside.

The next night came around quickly and before you knew it you were back in the library, among a new shipment of books, in need of scanning and logging onto the system. The smell of fresh pages and the rhythmic beeping of the scanner offered a welcome distraction from the lingering thoughts about Eric. You’d scolded yourself for fixating on a man you’d only had a few interactions with, deciding you needed to get out more.

You settled into a steady rhythm of logging the books but time still seemed to drag. Just as you were about to take a break the main door creaked open. A smile unconsciously spread across your lips at the site of who walked in. Eric seemed calmer today but he still had a determined glint in his eye.

He spotted you and matched your smile. His steps towards you were more confident than the previous night, your heartbeat picked up the closer he got. ‘Hey Eric, need help finding something?’ you greeted him first.

His smile widened as he reached the desk ‘no not quite. I actually wanted to come back and thank you properly, you really saved me last night.’ He leant on your desk, resting on his forearms as he looked down at where you sat.

‘Oh you didn’t have to come back just for that,’ you flushed. Had he really just made the trip here in the middle of the night to thank you again? Maybe you’d affected him as much as he had you, you tried not to dwell on the thought.

‘Yeah I was actually planning on bringing you coffee but I wasn’t sure what you liked,’ he scratched the back of his head nervously. ‘Didn’t want to bring you the wrong thing you know? And a lot of people don’t like to drink caffeine at night so I didn’t know if you’d want it at all, and it might be a bit weird for me to just turn up with it…’

He was anxiously rambling and boy did you find it endearing. ‘I like coffee,’ you gently interrupted, once again hoping to put him at ease. ‘I usually stop on my way here for a latte.’ You nodded towards the empty takeaway cup you’d thrown out earlier.

His shoulders visibly relax, ‘good to know.’ His smile returned as he spoke, somehow warmer this time.

The subtle implication that he was remembering that information didn’t go amiss, filling you with pleasant anticipation. A comfortable silence fell over the two of you, you wanted to continue the conversation but had no idea what to say. 

‘Well I guess I should leave you to it,’ he said as he straightened up again, tapping the desk as he did. You couldn’t stop the small pang of disappointment at him leaving so soon. Why had you expected more? After all, you barely knew each other.

Despite the urge to ask him to stay, you were technically working and were unsure of how appropriate that would actually be. You found yourself saying ‘okay, have a good night.’

You could’ve sworn you saw a flicker of hesitation in his eyes. He gave you a small nod and said ‘well, until next time.’ He flashed you one final smile before he turned and left as quickly as he’d arrived.

Watching him go, the echo of the closing door filled you with a mix of regret and anticipation. You wished you’d had the courage to ask him to stay but the moment had passed.

Sighing you got back to scanning the new books. You spent the remainder of your shift internally debating yourself. You’d only just met Eric, you felt crazy thinking about him so often but there was just something about him that lingered in your thoughts. And his parting words ‘until next time’ left you wondering if perhaps you weren’t crazy at all. 

It was rare for you to speak to any of the other people that worked at the library, due to being on the night shift you always worked alone, offering polite hellos and goodbyes to the people you swapped shifts with. That's why it was odd that Jennifer, the girl you were taking over for, approached you as you arrived at work a few days later.

‘Hey, someone came in here looking for you about an hour ago,’ she began whilst rummaging through her bag for her keys. ‘Cute guy, kinda had a lost puppy vibe. Anyways I told him you started at 10.’ Without waiting for your response she triumphantly lifted her keys from her bag, said goodbye and all but skipped out of the building.

She had to be talking about Eric, right? You’d been doing your best not to think about him the past couple of days. He hadn’t been back in since his second visit and you figured he was probably just being polite. You took a seat and began trying to sort through the returned books you’d need to re-shelve but you couldn’t stop glancing at the doors knowing Eric could walk in at any moment.

Why were you so nervous? You attempted to distract yourself by focusing on the task at hand but your mind kept wandering. What if he didn’t show up? What if he did? Your stomach churned at the thought of both possibilities. The familiar quiet comfort of the library did nothing to calm you tonight. 

You couldn’t help but over analyse every fleeting interaction you’d had with Eric. Was he really interested or were you reading too much into it? Maybe he wasn’t planning to come back after he’d left earlier. You told yourself it didn’t matter, that you didn’t care if you saw him today. But you did care, more than you wanted to admit and the uncertainty gnawed at you.

Just before you had the chance to truly spiral the door swung open and there he was, the man who had been occupying your mind, holding two coffee cups. Relief seemed to wash over him as he spotted you, a shy smile making its way onto his face. 

‘Hi,’ he greeted, making his way over to you. ‘Hope I’m not bothering you.’

‘Not at all,’ you replied, your heart fluttering. 

He placed one of the takeaway cups down in front of you, ‘one latte, like you mentioned.’ 

‘Thank you so much, you really didn’t need to,’ you flushed as you reached for the drink. Your fingers briefly brushing against his sending a tingling sensation to shoot up your arm. 

His smile was calm and warm as he looked at you. ‘So… is working the night shift at a law library as glamorous as it seems?’ He joked as he took a swig from his own drink.

You laughed, ‘it’s not so bad, yeah it’s messed up my sleep schedule but it’s a pretty easy gig.’ Not taking the risk of him leaving again you continued the conversation, ‘what about you? Is being a law student as hectic as you made it seem?’ 

His laughter filled the air, a sound you could definitely get used to hearing. ‘Probably more stressful than I made it seem.’ he admitted before continuing, ‘so I take it you aren’t a student here then?’’

‘Oh, no. Law definitely isn’t for me,’ you replied, noticing his raised eyebrows prompting you to carry on. ‘I needed a job and it just so happens that not many people are rushing at the chance to work the night shifts here. I’m actually trying to save up to go to art school.’

His eyes lit up with interest, ‘art school? That’s amazing, are you planning to go to one here in the city?’

‘That’s the plan,’ you grinned up to him. 

A slight tension buzzed between you both as silence fell. Neither of you were eager for the conversation to end but both nervous to take the next step. Eric finished his drink and attempted to throw the cup in the bin, missing spectacularly. 

‘Oh shit,’ he scrambled to pick it up, his cheeks reddening with embarrassment. You couldn’t hold back the laugh at the failed attempt. In a playful gesture you picked up a crumpled piece of paper from your desk. Throwing it with a flick of your wrist you got it on the first try.

‘Oh I see how it is,’ Eric said, rounding the desk and pulling up a seat next to you. His arm brushed across your shoulder, the contact sending a shiver down your spine, as he reached around you to grab another piece of paper. ‘It’s on,’ he concentrated with mock seriousness, his tongue peaked out between his teeth. With one eye squinted he dramatically tossed the paper, landing it perfectly.

He threw his arms in the air and in a faux commentator voice exclaimed ‘And Eric makes the epic shot with only seconds left to spare! The crowd is going wild!’ 

You both dissolved into laughter, the moment completely breaking the ice between you. Any lingering awkwardness dissipated and you settled into a rhythm of throwing paper into the bin and sharing stories about your lives. It was easy, and the quiet of the library was the perfect backdrop to your flourishing connection. 

After hours of uninterrupted conversation Eric glanced at the clock. ‘Woah I didn’t realise it had gotten so late,’ he stretched into a yawn as if to emphasise his point.

‘Yeah, I guess I’m just used to it at this point,’ you replied, trying to stop your eyes from drifting down to where his top had risen during the stretch.

‘As much as I would like to stay, I have an 8am class,’ he murmured, another yawn escaping him. He looked over to you, not yet making a move to stand up. ‘Maybe I could come back and see you sometime? If that’d be okay?’ 

His eyes locked with yours and your pulse quickened, his words were confirmation that you weren’t reading too into this connection. 

‘I’d like that,’ you replied softly, feeling a light blush spread across your cheeks.

Eric’s smile widened, the tiredness in his eyes briefly fading. ‘Good, that’s great,’ he couldn’t hide his happiness at your reply. Standing up he added, ‘I’ll see you soon.’ 

‘See you soon Eric,’ your smile didn’t fade as you watched him leave. 

Just as he reached the door he paused to turn back to you, ‘goodnight.’

‘Goodnight,’ you echoed with a small wave. He returned the gesture as he stepped out into the night, leaving you looking forward to your next shift with a warm feeling in your chest.

Over the following weeks Eric became a constant part of your life. He frequently turned up during your shifts, always bringing you a drink and staying with you to talk. What started as nervous small talk soon blossomed into something more. You found yourselves sharing stories, your dreams and even just being able to rant about your daily lives to one another. You’d even swapped numbers, occasionally sending each other random texts throughout the day.

So why had neither of you taken the step to suggest meeting up elsewhere? You wanted to, you really did, but the fact he hadn’t suggested it yet made you hesitate. Was he content with the way things were, or was he just as unsure as you about taking things further? 

You found yourself lost in thought one evening, internally debating whether you should just take the next step and ask him out or keep things the way they are. A rubber band hitting your arm drew your attention back to the present, and the man sat in his now usual spot across from you.

‘Hey,’ he gently called. His eyes, soft as they met yours, showed genuine concern. ‘You were in your own little world over there, are you ok?’

‘Oh, yeah, I’m fine. Just thinking about some stuff,’ you deflected, hoping he wouldn’t pry any further.

‘Hmm,’ Eric hummed as he raised an eyebrow, a mischievous smirk playing on his lips. ‘Were you thinking about finally letting me see your sketchbook?’

Heat flooded your face, but you couldn’t suppress a smile. ‘Definitely not,’ you replied, placing a protective hand over the book.

‘Oh come on,’ he persisted. ‘I’ve seen you drawing for weeks now. They can’t be that bad!’

You shook your head, ‘they’re not bad, it's just… personal.’ If you were being completely honest you’d never show anyone your sketchbook and the thought of sharing yourself like that felt almost too intimate. 

He offered you an exaggerated pout and his best puppy dog eyes, you’d be lying to yourself if you said it wasn’t working. ‘You wound me,’ he clutched his chest dramatically. 

‘Wound you?’ you laughed ‘I’m sure you’ll survive if you don’t see my drawings.’

Eric let out a theatrical sigh ‘You never know, I might wither away from curiosity.’ He chuckled as he cast you a playful glance.

‘You’re so dramatic,’ you teased, rolling your eyes in an attempt to hide your amusement.

He leaned forward, ‘Dramatic? I’m just expressing my unfulfilled wish to see your artistic genius.’

You laughed at that, shaking your head. ‘Artistic genius? Now you’re just trying to butter me up.’

‘Is it working?’ he asked with a hopeful grin, his eyes sparkling as he leaned even closer.

Your heart almost skipped a beat at the way he was looking at you. You stuttered, trying to put a cohesive thought together. ‘Not a chance,’ you managed to say.

He laughed, leaning back in his chair ‘Okay, I’ll drop it,’ he turned back to his work. ‘For now.’

A comfortable silence fell over the two of you, the kind of silence that only comes when two people are genuinely at ease with each other. You were content, happy to spend your time in this little bubble the two of you had created. Eric apparently had other ideas as he broke the quiet after a few moments.

‘So, I’ve been thinking,’ he began, his tone had shifted to something more sincere. You turned to see him looking nervous, his eyes downcast.  ‘I’ve, urm, I’ve really enjoyed spending time with you,’ your heart jumped up your throat, what was he about to say? ‘I was thinking we could, if you wanted, we could go out sometime. To dinner?’

His eyes finally met yours, showing his vulnerability. For a moment you froze, the weight of what he was asking sinking in. A smile spread across your face, ‘I’d love that.’

His face lit up as the words left your lips, relief evident in his eyes. ‘Great! How about this Friday? There’s a new Italian place I’d love to take you to.’

‘Perfect,’ you agreed, feeling a flutter of anticipation. Friday couldn’t come soon enough.

Friday arrived quickly and you could hardly contain your excitement. You spent the morning out running errands. You found yourself in the grocery store, mind buzzing with thoughts of your upcoming date. Whilst reaching for a carton of milk your phone buzzed in your pocket. Seeing Eric’s name made you smile like a schoolgirl that just found out her crush likes her back.

‘Can’t wait for tonight, see you later :)’ 

You felt a rush of warmth and quickly typed back a response,  ‘Me too, see you soon!’

Before you could fully revel in the anticipation an ear splitting crash shook the world around you. The store windows shattered, sending shards flying causing you to duck down instinctively. All around you chaos broke out, people were screaming, car alarms blaring outside and another sound you couldn’t quite pinpoint.

Heart pounding, you stood and assessed the situation. Everything was in disarray, broken glass covered the floor and random produce was everywhere. Dust and debris clouded the air, obstructing your view of the outside. What the hell was happening? 

Screams were still ringing out and you could hear car wheels screeching. Adrenaline surged through you and before you knew it you were rushing outside. You couldn’t believe the chaotic scene that unfolded before you the moment you stepped onto the street. Rubble rained from the sky, people ran in all directions, and a bus was flipped on its side in front of you. 

Panic surged but you forced yourself to move. Moving where though, you had no idea. Would your home be safe? Should you even try to get there? Your legs began to push forward of their own accord, taking you away from whatever was going on here.

A screeching sound rang out and you whipped your head in the direction of the sound. A large shape rushed by the corner of your eye, its speed too high to fully comprehend what you had seen. Adrenaline took over again and you began running in the opposite direction. 

An army truck roared into view, a speaker on the roof blaring out a message- ‘STAY INSIDE! TAKE COVER!’ Suddenly the truck was violently flipped into a nearby building. You skidded to the floor and looked to where the truck had previously been. Your mouth fell agape at the scene before you, a giant monster stood in the centre of the road. 

You froze, taking in the unbelievable sight before you, as a woman ran past you shouting for help. The monster's head snapped towards her and it lunged, smashing her into the ground with one swift swipe. 

A scream stuck in your throat and you scrambled backwards. What the hell just happened? What the hell was going on? You had to be dreaming, this was some manic nightmare and you prayed you’d wake up soon. 

You continued to crawl backwards, your hands scraping against the rough ground. Whatever was left of the woman’s body laid a few feet away from you. The creature's head turned, snapping towards any sound that rang out. You held your breath, every instinct in you told you to stay silent. 

A siren sounded out nearby and the creature bounded off towards it, Seizing the moment you scrambled to your feet and sprinted down a small alley. Hoping that the narrow passage would provide some sort of cover. You crouched low behind a bin, curling yourself into a ball and covering your head. You could still hear the sounds of the absolute havoc going on around you. 

Tears began to stream down your face, you wrapped your shaking hand around your mouth to stifle any sobs that threatened to escape. You were, understandably, terrified. Nothing could prepare a person for this situation. Your body shook uncontrollably and your mind raced, trying to grasp at any logical explanation. 

You shifted slightly and felt your phone digging into you from your back pocket. Your mind instantly fell to Eric, was he okay? You grabbed your phone, without thinking you tried to call him but the line was completely dead. You prayed he was okay, that he’d found a safe place to hide. You knew you couldn’t stay here forever, maybe you should make your way to where he was and try to find him. 

A crashing sound echoed in the alleyway and you looked up just in time to see one of the creatures jumping from one roof to the other. Debris cascaded down and the last thing you remembered was raising your arms to shield yourself from some falling bricks before the world went black. 

You regained consciousness hours later, it was dark and the chaos from before had fallen eerily quiet. Dust completely covered you and your head throbbed. You tried to focus and come up with a plan but the pain was making it difficult to think clearly.

You brought a shaky hand up to your forehead to try and alleviate some of the pressure. Your fingers met something warm and sticky, pulling your hand away you were sickened to see your fingers covered in blood. A groan threatened to escape but you quickly remembered the situation, remembering how quickly the monster had reacted to sound. 

Despite the pain you knew you couldn’t stay here much longer. Deciding it would be safest to move once it was daylight you huddled closer into the small space you found yourself in. 

The silence pressed down on you, making every breath you took sound far too loud. You put your hand in front of your mouth to dull the sound of your laboured breaths. Images of the creature's viscous attack flashed across your mind. As the hours drew on, the terrifying thought that there were probably more of them gnawed at your mind. The city was far too quiet for there to just be one.

As you hugged your knees to your chest, praying for time to move faster, your thoughts circled back to Eric. Had he managed to find safety? You didn’t let yourself think of the alternative. You hoped with every ounce of strength you had left that he was somewhere safe, and that you’d be able to see him again.  

As a dim light began to rise, a rhythmic thumping noise began to grow louder and louder. As it drew closer you realised it was a helicopter and from it a message was blaring out.

‘BOAT EVACUATIONS ARE BEGINNING NOW AT SOUTH STREET SEAPORT. TRAVEL SOUTH WITH EXTREME CAUTION.’

You forced yourself to stand, taking small careful steps forward as you focused on the remainder of the message.

‘THIS IS A MANDATORY EVACUATION ORDER. WE REMAIN UNDER ATTACK, SEEK SHELTER ON WATER, THE ATTACKERS CANNOT SWIM.’

Hope. If you could make it to the boats you stood a chance of escaping this living nightmare. You made your way to the alley's exit and tried to figure out the best way to go. The street that you would usually expect to see filled with people and cars was silent. The paths were now littered with rubble, cars were abandoned haphazardly, smoke billowed from a few of the buildings and people’s belongings were scattered everywhere you looked. 

The once vibrant and bustling city had been turned into a war zone. You began to make your way south, walking as quickly as you dared to go. Every small sound had you on edge, terrified that one of those things was going to appear at any moment. Your head still throbbed though the blood covering your forehead seemed to have dried.

As you continued through the city, more people began to come into view. As everyone silently walked in the same direction you couldn’t help but look to the other faces around you, hoping to find a familiar one in the ever growing crowd. Dread filled every step you took, the more people that joined the silent march the more you lost hope. How would you find Eric in all of this? 

You clenched your fists, determined to not let thoughts like that overwhelm you. Eric was okay, he had to be. 

Before long at least a hundred people, maybe even more, had joined the crowd you were in. No matter how quiet everyone was trying to be a group that large couldn’t help but give off noise. You carefully made your way to the edge, thinking it would probably be best to find another way to get to the seaport, away from the bustling of the large group. 

Just as you made it to the edge, loud screams tore through the air sending a chill down your spine. The monsters had found you all. Panic instantly erupted in the crowd, people tried to run, desperate to escape from the terror that had arrived. 

Your heart raced as you dived into what had been a clothing shop. You ran to the back and crouched behind an overturned display, trying to steady your breathing. Peeking through a crack in the counter you could see the creature's terrifying forms moving wildly through the crowd. 

You waited with bated breath, until the world had fallen silent again to emerge from your safe spot. Your whole body shook but the seaport was still your only chance to get out so you forced yourself to move. Slipping back onto the street you found it almost empty, a few survivors darted away, smoke billowed from buildings, more rubble had fallen and in the middle of it all stood a black and white cat.

The cat seemed to be looking at you. You tentatively took a step towards it, but it scampered off. Your eyes followed it, watching as it playfully chased a rat down the middle of the road, before it ran towards a subway entrance out of your eye line. For that brief moment, amidst the devastation the sight of the cat felt strangely grounding.

You let out a breath you didn’t realise you had been holding and turned away, refocusing yourself. You didn’t think you had too far to go now, though the imminent threat had you treading carefully, staying vigilant to not draw any attention to yourself.

As you continued the sun began to slowly set once again, how had a day passed already? And to make your journey even harder, it began to rain. Deciding it would be too dangerous to continue at night in the rain you opted to find shelter. 

You found a small abandoned cafe nearby and slipped inside, grateful to be taking shelter from the hard rain. You tried to make yourself comfortable behind the main counter. The hours dragged on as you stayed hidden, listening to the thunder rolling overhead. Exhaustion tugged at your eyelids, though you fought to stay awake, fearful of what could happen if you let your guard down. 

You found a small abandoned shop nearby and slipped inside, grateful to be taking shelter from the hard rain. You tried to make yourself comfortable behind the main counter. The hours dragged on as you stayed hidden, listening to the thunder rolling overhead. Exhaustion tugged at your eyelids, you fought to stay awake, fearful of what could happen if you let your guard down. 

Dawn broke and thankfully the rain had stopped. You cautiously stepped out, determined to reach the seaport as fast as possible. You kept to the shadows, moving as swiftly as you dared. It wasn’t long before the faint sound of water lapping the docks reached your ears. Turning the corner you spotted a crowd waiting at the edge of the water, silently filling onto a boat. The sight spurred you on, safety was so close. 

You stumbled onto the deck, your trembling legs almost giving out beneath you as relief flooded over you. A shuddering breath escaped you as you looked back to the city, now a desolate landscape. You found a spot near the back of the boat, watching as others boarded too, their faces a mix of exhaustion and desperation. 

As you looked over the people boarding, a tousled head of brown hair caught your eye. You stood up on your tiptoes, your heart beating faster. Could it be him? It was like a scene from a movie, the crowd began to part, you held your breath as the man's face face was slowly revealed to you. Though your heart dropped as more of his face came into view. It wasn’t Eric. You felt foolish, believing that out of everyone in the city you’d actually make it onto the same boat as him.

Taking a seat you wrapped your arms around yourself. It all felt surreal, being caught between two worlds. The chaos you had escaped and your uncertain future that lay ahead. The boat pushed away from the city, finally putting the hell behind you. All that was left for you to do was to wait, and hope that everything would turn out ok. 

‘Stop the boat…STOP THE BOAT!’ shouting jolted you from your thoughts. The urgency in the voice made everyone turn back to look at the city. Standing you followed the gazes of everyone on board and spotted a lone figure sprinting towards the water’s edge. The sight of the monsters chasing them made your blood run cold. 

The entire boat seemed to hold its breath as the person ran with everything they had, the monsters closing in on them fast. Without hesitation they leapt into the water, narrowly escaping the creature's outstretched arms. People rushed to the side of the boat, lowering ropes as they shouted encouragement. You noticed a discarded blanket on the deck, and grabbed it, knowing they would need it.

As you pushed through the crowd you caught sight of a drenched cat being lifted from the man's hands. And then your breath caught in your throat. The man’s eyes met yours and time seemed to stop. It was Eric. 

The shock hit you like a wave and before you could fully process what was happening you lunged forward, reaching out for him. ‘Eric!’ His name escaped your lips, a mixture of disbelief and overwhelming relief.

He looked equally as stunned as he whispered your name, his voice full of emotion. You fell to your knees in front of him and wrapped your arms around him tightly, afraid he might vanish if you let go. ‘You’re here,’ you heard him murmur as his arms closed around you. Tears welled in your eyes, blurring your vision as you held onto him. ‘I thought…I didn’t know if...’

You pulled back just enough to look into his eyes, not giving him a chance to finish that thought. ‘I’m here,’ you reached up and cupped his face gently. ‘We made it.’ You looked into his beautiful soft eyes, his tears mirroring your own. You wiped away a stray tear and smiled as he leaned into your touch.

And then, without another word, seeming more determined than you’d ever seen him, Eric closed the distance between you, capturing your lips in a desperate but tender kiss. The warmth of his touch grounded you in a way that nothing else could, washing away the horrors of the past few days.

Eric’s hand came up to cradle the back of your head, deepening the kiss as if he was pouring all his unspoken words into it. When you finally pulled away, breathless, his forehead rested against your own. ‘We made it,’ he echoed your words, his voice barely above a whisper as his lips brushed against yours.    

Against all odds you’d found each other. The world around you seemed to fade away as you sat there, holding on to one another. The boat rocked gently beneath you as it resumed its journey away from the city. Despite everything that happened, despite the chaos of this new world, you were together, and for now, that was enough. 

[justevelynnnn]

Happy Halloween…🧡🖤🧡🖤

Notes: Special post for halloween 😍🤗 this is what the poll was for too btw. Not a continuation of my mini series either. Not proof read.

Content: Nerd!Armin x blk!fem reader, mentions of drinking and one sorta nsfw joke at the end

It’s halloween night and this time it wasn’t Eren throwing a party but Reiner. You didn’t like him that much but a party’s a party and it’s halloween!!

You decided on a vampire like fit since it was last minute. You were going with Mikasa and Eren who just decided to be thing one and thing two.

The party wasn’t far so the three of you decided to walk. Eren and Mikasa went to your house to pick you up so you alll could walk together.

“You’ll finally get to meet Armin!” Mikasa exclaimed as you three walked to the party.

From what you knew Armin was their 3rd friend before you and was realll nerdy now so he was often caught up with homework or studying. You went sure how Eren or Mikasa convinced him to put the book down for a party but you were a bit glad tbh. You really wanted to meet him especially since you had a thing for nerdy guys maybe he was cute…

It was obvious which house the party was behind held at. The music was so loud you could faintly hear it at your own house!

Once inside you, Eren and Mikasa push through a sea of dancing monsters, fake celebrities and other goofy dressed people. Eren got distracted somewhere in that sea but you and mikasa made it to a kitchen area. Mikasa yells she’s going to get a drink but you barely hear her so you just nod while still walking.

You weren’t really sure where to go or what to. You thought about getting a drink or two yourself but before you can finish that thought you bump into a slightly tall ghostface.

“Oh, sorry, my fault.” You say quickly looking at him.

He just stands there a bit and you were about to question it until Mikasa catches up to you.

“Im back- Oh hey Armin!”

Oh, so this was Armin?

He just waves and you both look at each other. Mikasa notices and tries to further introduce you two.

It’s still kinda awkward and also kinda hard to hear so Mikasa pulls you two outside where there were let people.

“Guys loosen up! It’s a party!” Mikasa exclaimed taking a sip from here drink. “Y’know what? You two just need a drink too, wait right here!”

And just like that she was off. You were starting to think she was an extreme lightweight.

“Soooo..” You said breaking the ice. “What made you not wanna nerd out tonight?”

Armin shrugged and looked down then away.

“What’s your major?” You ask.

He mutters something that has science at the end of it.

Smirking you say, “Can you take your mask off? I cant hear you..”

He slowly takes the mask off and you’re baffled.

He has the rosiest cheeks right now but he also had gorgeous blue eyes and soft looking lips. Also the curliest looking blonde hair. Adorable.

“Hey handsome..” You said playfully poking him. He just smiled and looked away.

Clearly he was shy but you found that cute as hell.

Mikasa comes back with two cups and hands them to you both.

“He’s so shy, Kasa..” You whisper in her ear.

“He’s just like that at first just give it time.” She says. “I’m gonna go dance and find Eren you two have fun out here ok?”

“Sureee..” You say sipping from the cup.

She runs off and you look back at the blushing blonde boy in front of you.

“Comeon, talk to me Min.” You say playfully.

His face reddens at the nickname and he says, “I like your costume..”

“Thankssss!” You twirl for him. “I liked yours too.”

He smiled.

The two of you talked outside for a bit longer. Armin finally started to open up more especially with the drink in his system. He even accidentally slipped he thought you were stunning and hot.

“Aw, thank you minniee!!” You say giddy.

He looks very embarrassed because of that but still smiles at your reaction.

“Hey, so i gotta go but…can i get your number?” Armin asks.

You smile big and quickly write your number on a candy wrapper and hand it to him saying, “Happy Halloween!”

He chuckled at this and turned to leave.

You were sad to see him go but once he did the party started dying down and here comes Mikasa again. This time Eren is with her.

“She partied too hard so times up, y/n.” Eren laughed.

“Nuh uh.” Mikasa says wobbling a bit.

You laughed and started walking with them. Eren asks about armin and how he missed him and you tell him he’s fine.

“He was dressed as ghost head!” Mikasa exclaimed.

“Ghostface.” You corrected.

“Well so was Connie and Marco.” Eren says. “I couldn’t tell who was who!”

Just then you get a buzz in your pocket from your phone. As Mikasa and Eren talk about party and read the text you got from and unknown sender.

- Hey, It’s Armin…

- I know vampires suck blood but i’d love to know if you’re down to suck something else ;)

You smile big at your phone as you demand an address. Did you just score a cute boy who happens to be intelligent as well??

Oh happy halloween to you….

[theharrowing]

Collateral 🗡️ POV: Taehyung

In the aftermath of the latest attack, Taehyung patches everyone up, then rips a man apart for information.

PREVIOUS | INDEX | NEXT

❗ THIS IS A CHARACTER POV CHAPTER!!!

if you do not wish to perceive any POV that is not the main character, please feel free to skip this one!

🗡️Taehyung x Jungkook

🗡️ word count: 10.9k

🗡️ mafia au, violence & gore, established relationship, smut, angst, fluff, nsfw, explicit, 21+

🗡️ warnings: this chapter is very violent & gory!!! Taehyung has a katana & it is still inside the man he stabbed; lots of blood; the briefest mention of past abuse by Yoongi's father; Yoongi has been shot off screen; tending to Yoongi's wounds; Taehyung & Jungkook have a hostage; threatening a man with a gun; some technical anatomy & doctor jargon since we're in Taehyung's head; Taehyung & Jungkook really enjoy torturing people...if you catch my drift; pain play including pressure on genitals; use of a bone saw!!!; use of lye on wounds; improper use of an epipen; body dismemberment; a touch of dissociation; rough shower sex (bottom Jungkook, top Taehyung); use of restraints.

🗡️ notes: mc is referred to in 3rd person (she/her) pronouns for this chapter! this opens just after the chapter where they are chased in cars, there is gun fire, and Taehyung runs a katana through a man! i researched bone saws for this chapter!!! it is violent right out of the gate.

🗡️ early draft beta read by @neoneunnajimin - with minor unbeta’d edits done since.

🗡️ posted april 2024 - originally may 2023 | read on ao3

"What is the matter with you?" Jeongguk shouts, panting and sounding somewhat frantic.

Every inch of Taehyung buzzes—vibrates with an energy he only gets when he is covered in another man's blood. The tail lights of Namjoon's sedan drive further away, and Taehyung is fixated on them, watching as the red dots become smaller and smaller before fading entirely.

"Be more specific," Taehyung mutters as he slowly slides his katana from the man whose hair he holds tightly in his fist, feeling the weight of him drag down as his body continues to convulse and fully lose consciousness. 

"You're gonna fucking scar buttercup, you idiot," Jeongguk grumbles as he yanks away the dead man and throws him aside. "She did not need to watch you gut this man."

Taehyung's arm stays suspended in the air for a split moment, then he drops it to his side and looks up at Jeongguk. Jeongguk's hair is disheveled, face is smeared with blood and dirt, and he is the prettiest fucking thing Taehyung has ever laid eyes on. 

"She's stabbed a man before," Taehyung reasons, unsure what the big deal is. Sooner or later, she is going to need to become a hardened killer too. Or hide away in the brothels with little Jimin. 

With a sigh, Jeongguk grabs Taehyung's bicep and roughly pulls up, attempting to lift him. But the blood that covers him makes it impossible for Jeongguk to get a good grip, causing Taehyung's arm to slide away. 

"Get up!" Jeongguk sounds pained, or possibly angry. "Yoongi-hyung is hurt."

At that, Taehyung's heart seems to jolt in his chest and every nerve sparks with panic. Taehyung looks up and searches Jeongguk's face for any hint that he is joking or exaggerating. 

"Why didn't you lead with that?" Taehyung practically shouts as he scrambles to his feet, holding his katana pointed to the ground. 

Frantically, he looks around, trying to listen for where Yoongi could be, but everything around them is unusually quiet. That, or Taehyung's ears are ringing too loudly. 

"He's not seriously injured, but he has been shot in the chest, over the vest. And a bullet grazed his hand."

This news is shocking to Taehyung, and he allows Jeongguk to drag him off to where Yoongi is sitting against a sedan with Seokjin and Hoseok huddled on either side. Not since he was a teenager has Yoongi been shot. Of everyone, he has come away with the fewest injuries overall—with the exception of those left by his father. 

Yoongi holds a hand over the center of his chest, leaning forward and catching his breath. A weak smile tugs on his face, and as they approach, the loud ringing dulls enough for Taehyung to hear him say, "I'm fine, really."

"I'll take you to my place to check it out," Taehyung insists as he crouches before Yoongi, places the sword onto the pavement, and lifts his injured hand. 

Sure enough, from the thenar web space between Yoongi's thumb and index finger, up to the scaphoid bone on his outer wrist is a shallow gash left by a hot bullet. The skin is opened and slightly cauterized shut, leaving behind a hell of a red mark. 

"How do you feel otherwise?" Taehyung asks, assessing Yoongi to make sure his vision seems clear at a glance. "Can you take in a deep, slow breath for me?"

Yoongi nods and smiles, then sucks in air. Although his inhale is shaky, undoubtedly from a bruised bone, he does not seem to be in dangerous levels of pain, leading Taehyung to hope that the bullet has, in fact, only bruised him, and that there is no internal bleeding. 

Taehyung reaches into his slacks pocket and pulls out a thin flashlight the size of a pen, then presses a button on the end of it, lighting it up. He holds the light just under Yoongi's right eye and says, "Eyes on me, boss," as he slowly lifts the light and watches Yoongi's pupil constrict, becoming smaller. Then he holds the light just under Yoongi's left eye and does the same, yielding the same result. 

"No immediate sign of a concussion," Taehyung says as he clicks the flashlight off and shoves it back where it belongs, catching a little metal hook on the end of it to the material of his pocket so that it stays snug. "Alright, let's get you up and into a vehicle. Jeongguk and I will take you home."

Seokjin and Hoseok stand and take a step back, and Taehyung looks upward, glancing between them, "Are you two good?"

"Yeah," Seokjin responds, and Hoseok mutters, "I'm good."

"Good," Taehyung says as he stands, then he turns to Seokjin and asks, "And did you manage to keep one alive for me?"

With a grin, Seokjin tilts his head to the left, toward Taehyung's vehicle, and says, "Knocked out and bound. He's all yours."

"Perfect," Taehyung responds, feeling a thrill quake through him. "Thanks, hyung."

* * *

A little over halfway to the mansion, the man in the back seat begins to stir. First, he makes a low grumble, and then he begins to whimper. Taehyung glances through the rearview mirror and waits for the man to notice him before he snarls.

"Good morning, sunshine," Taehyung says, watching as the man becomes frantic, attempting to thrash. 

Jeongguk, who sits beside the man, pulls a gun from his thigh holster and lifts it, cocking the hammer nice and loud. Taehyung finds it difficult to keep his eyes on the road, absolutely enthralled by the anger in Jeongguk's eyes while he points the gun in the man's face.

"I will paint the window with your brain if you don't shut the fuck up," Jeongguk practically growls, pressing the weapon against the man's head. 

All this does is make the man squeal more, and from the passenger seat, Yoongi huffs out an impatient sigh. Taehyung glances over to find Yoongi sitting stiffly with his head pressed into the seat, staring ahead. He cannot tell how Yoongi's breathing is only from a glance, but he does not hear any labored breaths, so he continues to drive without pressing him. 

Whoever the man in the back seat is, he does not deserve the pleasure of overhearing that one of his men has managed to injure Boss Min. Even if he does only have a few more hours to live. 

It is unusual for Yoongi to be so quiet, especially with a hostage present, so Taehyung imagines he must be pretty sore. He had not bothered to turn in his seat to have a look at or taunt the man, as he is usually wont to do. Taehyung wonders who this man is and whether he knows who Yoongi is. He supposes he will find out soon enough. 

In the back seat, the man has quieted down, but continues to mutter into the tape over his mouth. They are less than a mile from the property now, and Taehyung speeds up, gradually pressing his foot on the accelerator and listening as the engine hums. Nobody is ever on this stretch of road; nobody who knows who this road belongs to would dare. 

As soon as his mansion comes into view over a low hill, Taehyung lets up on the gas a little, taking the hill at enough speed that it rattles the vehicle. He remembers too late that his boss is injured; he is always so eager for the light-headed rush that comes from flying over the hump that he was only focused on the thrill. But Yoongi says nothing beside him, hands clasped over his lap while he stares ahead. 

"Sorry, boss," Taehyung mutters anyway.

"I always do it, too," Yoongi responds, and Taehyung glances over to find a small smile pulling at his lips. 

Silence falls a little longer, and Taehyung slows to approach the driveway, turning to the right and stopping before a large metal gate. He pulls down the visor and punches an eight-digit code—Jeongguk's birth year, month, and day—then waits as the gate opens. 

"How long have we known each other?" Yoongi asks, taking Taehyung by surprise. 

Taehyung glances to find Yoongi staring ahead, looking pensive. 

"A long time," he responds, unsure exactly how many years it has been. Somewhere around fifteen, he surmises. 

Yoongi hums, and Taehyung pulls into the circular drive, parking the sedan parallel to the garage. He shuts off the engine, unbuckles his seatbelt, and turns to Yoongi, who slowly reaches to undo his own belt.

"A long time," Yoongi repeats with a soft smile, then he reaches for the handle and opens the door, letting himself out. 

Ordinarily, Taehyung would cause a fuss and insist on Yoongi waiting for help, but he knows better. Yoongi is not going to appear weak in front of the man in the back seat. He does groan when he gets out, however, and Taehyung takes note of the sharp intake of breath as he steps onto the driveway and rotates to shut the door. 

"Do you need help with him?" Taehyung asks, voice coming out a little more gruff than he expected it to. He glances into the rearview mirror and finds Jeongguk eyeing the man and shrugging. 

"Nah, I got him. Take care of the boss and I'll drag this shithead inside when you're ready."

With a nod, Taehyung opens his door and slides out, slamming it shut and jogging around the back of the sedan to get to the front door of his house before Yoongi does. He punches the years Yoongi and Jeongguk were born into the keypad, then stares into the retina scanner, feeling impatient to get inside.

"That pass code is weak," Yoongi grumbles, making Taehyung scoff. 

"You always say that, boss," Taehyung responds as he twists the knob and reaches a hand high to hold the door open as Yoongi enters.

Yoongi hobbles inside, hugging his arms around his chest, then he approaches the wall beside the door and leans back while taking a deep breath, staring down at his feet. Taehyung approaches, letting the door close behind him, and takes a knee, smacking Yoongi's slowly lowering hands out of the way before untying his right boot and then his left. 

"I can do it," Yoongi grumbles, and Taehyung glances up to watch Yoongi look at the ceiling and let out a deep sigh.

"What do you always tell us?" Taehyung asks as he holds onto the heel of the right boot and keeps it still for Yoongi to pull his foot free. 

"I tell you a lot of things," Yoongi responds as Taehyung grabs the left heel, "most of which you do not bother to listen to."

As Yoongi pulls his left foot free, Taehyung looks up, raising his eyebrows as if he has been insulted, though unable to keep himself from smiling. 

"You and I both know that is not true, boss," Taehyung says, watching as Yoongi stares down incredulously. "You always tell us not to try to do everything alone, isn't that right?"

Yoongi hums and scoffs, then wraps his arms around his torso. He appears to have a lot on his mind, but Taehyung does not want to prompt him to tell him what it is. In the years he has known Yoongi, he has come to learn that the man will only divulge what he wants when he wants to. 

Taehyung shifts his weight back and unties his left boot, then he adjusts to untie the right boot and stands. His legs and back feel tired, and he lets out a slow exhale as he kicks the boots off and leads Yoongi down into his basement. 

With a press of a button near the ramp that leads down, everything glows a hot, blue-white. The fluorescent lighting is bright, taking Taehyung's tired eyes a moment to adjust to as he wraps an arm around Yoongi's shoulder and guides him down to the next level, slowly taking one step at a time. 

Silence hangs, thick and oppressive, buzzing through Taehyung much in the way he imagines gas and mercury buzzing through the bulbs overhead. He does not mind the silence—preferring it to filler bullshit—but Yoongi's demeanor has him worried. No use dwelling on it, he decides as he leads Yoongi into an exam room just off to the right of the main room. 

Taehyung's basement is massive, stretching further than his house, in the direction of the main mansion. If someone were to dig a hole into the shrub maze in Yoongi's garden, they would likely end up in the worst part of Taehyung's estate. The main room is a large sterile white space with doors on the right leading into an exam room, an operating room, and storage rooms. 

Through the space, straight ahead, is a steel door that leads to an area of the property that men only go to in order to die.

They walk into the first room on the right, and Taehyung flips on a switch, casting more bright, fluorescent light.

"Have a seat," Taehyung says as he guides Yoongi over to the examination table and waits for him to turn around and get situated.

Once Yoongi sits, he drops his hands to his sides, and Taehyung makes quick, careful work of unstrapping the bulletproof vest. The velcro is loud as it tears apart, seemingly echoing throughout the otherwise empty room. Yoongi raises his arms, wincing from the motion, and Taehyung slowly lifts the vest, doing his best to slide it away and not add any additional pressure to the center of his chest. 

"How is the pain?" Taehyung asks while setting aside the vest and taking Yoongi's wrists to slowly help him lower his arms. Even if it is just a bruise, the ribs can still hurt, and the movement can put strain on the injury.

"Fucking sucks," Yoongi grits through his teeth as his arms rest at his sides, "but it is manageable. Just need a valium and a bath and I will be fine."

"I'm surprised you took a bullet at all," Taehyung mutters before he can stop himself. 

Silence hangs, then Yoongi snickers and responds, "Even dexterous monkeys fall from trees sometimes, Taehyungah."

Of all the animals in the kingdom, Taehyung cannot imagine likening his boss to a monkey. A lion, perhaps. Or a leopard. 

Taehyung hums as he begins unbuttoning Yoongi's shirt, revealing a black tee underneath. As he slides away the garment, he wonders if they should just cut away the undershirt to save Yoongi some trouble, but Yoongi shrugs the material off and slowly begins to lift his shirt, pulling it up until it reveals a nice red welt right in the center of his chest. 

Bruising is minimal, but the area is raised and irritated. Taehyung decides that he can assess the injury without fully undressing Yoongi, so long as he is able to hold the cloth in place. 

"Would you describe the pain as sharp or dull?" Taehyung asks as he turns to grab a stethoscope from the table to his right and situate the ear pieces into his ears. 

"Not sharp," Yoongi responds. "Not quite dull either. But it doesn't feel like anything is broken."

Taehyung walks around the operating table and lifts the back of Yoongi's shirt a bit higher, muttering, "This might feel cold against your skin," as he touches the stethoscope beside his right scapula. 

"Deep breath in," Taehyung instructs, listening as Yoongi does as he is told. There is nothing indicating any sort of injury; his oxygen flow sounds smooth and unobstructed. Taehyung lowers the stethoscope, following the scapula bone shape down, instructing Yoongi to take another breath and then another, then repeating it on the other side, carefully listening to his lungs. Once he is satisfied, he pulls off the stethoscope and slowly lowers Yoongi's shirt. 

"Sounds good, but I want to take an x-ray to be sure," Taehyung grumbles as he walks back around to the front of the table.

Yoongi stands from the table, sighing as he says, "Of course you do," then he empties his pockets of his phone and wallet, removes his Rolex, and drops everything onto the exam table before exiting the room. 

He takes a right, leading the way through Taehyung's basement as if he owns the place, making Taehyung smile to himself over the man's impatience. Taehyung sets the stethoscope down onto the spot where Yoongi had been sitting and follows behind, out to the right, past the operating room to the third door on the right. 

Yoongi is already in position in front of the detection panel with his back to the x-ray machine, lights turned on. Taehyung smiles to himself and walks through the small, sterile white room, through a lead door, and into a much smaller room. 

Lead walls and windows shield him from radiation, and in the confined space, there is only a small desk with a computer, a tablet, and a microphone for a two-way intercom. Taehyung, however, keeps the door open, not concerned about radiation since it is rare that he uses imaging equipment these days. 

With the flip of a few switches, the equipment buzzes to life, and Taehyung settles back in a black leather chair as he uses a computer program to align the camera with Yoongi's chest and takes an x-ray. A tablet sitting to the right of the computer lights up with a notification that the image has been received and Taehyung lifts it, opens the photograph, and has a look. 

Meanwhile, Yoongi begins to hobble out of the room, to a small black couch that sits just on the other side of the door to wait, as he has become accustomed to doing. Taehyung chuckles and shakes his head, then returns his attention to the image.

There is no sign of fracture on the sternum, for anything to indicate a fracture in any of Yoongi's ribs, and Taehyung stands with the tablet in hand and leaves the lead room, walking past the equipment and out into the large, empty outer room. 

"Looks good, hyung," Taehyung says as he passes the tablet over and lets Yoongi have a look. "Since the area is likely just bruised, you should feel better after a warm shower and some rest. Take some painkillers, and don't put too much strain on yourself."

"Thanks, doc," Yoongi responds, lifting the tablet for Taehyung to take, which he does. 

"Now would be a good time for that vacation you have been talking about."

Yoongi nods his head, tired eyes staring straight ahead at the plain white wall. 

"Perhaps one of Jimin's rooms in Paris is free," Taehyung suggests, making Yoongi nod more. 

The seven of them own penthouse suites here and there, sprinkled across various continents, and he imagines both Namjoon and buttercup would be easily charmed by the city of love.  

"Jimin has been in Paris for the last few days, laying low and taking some time for himself," Yoongi says. "I'll get in touch and see if we can use one of his suites. Perhaps a night in the city with him will be good for our darling, too."

Jimin is in Paris? This is news to Taehyung. Although Jimin's absence has been felt lately, he prefers not to pry, but he is surprised to learn that his friend is on the other side of the globe. Taehyung hopes he is doing well. 

"We have the meeting with The Tigers in Hong Kong," Yoongi mutters, fidgeting with his hands in his lap. "I'll plan a trip from Hong Kong to Paris for a long weekend. Think you and Jeongguk can hold things down here while we're away?"

Taehyung chuckles, hums a soft, "Mmhmm," and turns, entering the x-ray room to return the tablet to its home and shut the equipment down. As he switches off the last set of lights and pulls the door to the room closed, Yoongi stands, pressing his palms into his knees with a deep sigh. He holds out a hand to help keep Yoongi steady in case he needs it, hovering it around his lower back. 

"I want to clean this hand wound, and bandage it a little so that the sight of it doesn't freak buttercup out," Taehyung says, using his fingertips against the palm of Yoongi's hand to encourage him to lift it. 

The wound is not too deep, and Taehyung leads Yoongi back into the first room, then grabs and rips open an antiseptic wipe packet, rubbing it over the surface of the wound to clean it. He grabs and unwraps a sterile pad while the antiseptic takes a moment to air dry, then he places it over the wound, positioning it diagonally so the entirety is covered, and gently wraps the hand in bandage tape that sticks to itself. 

Yoongi opens his fingers and squeezes them tightly closed, seemingly pleased with his range of motion, then he stands and begins to gather the items he discarded before having the x-ray,  dropping everything into his slacks pockets. Slowly, Yoongi slides his arms into his black button-up, and Taehyung helps him situate it over his shoulders.

"Let's get you home," Taehyung says as he wraps an arm around Yoongi's lower back, leading him back out to the main room and shutting off the light in the exam room. "I'm going to take care of our little friend. Anything you want me to ask him?"

Yoongi shrugs. "Just need a name or motive. I have a feeling I already know what this is about."

As they walk through the basement, toward the ramp leading up, Taehyung gives Yoongi's side a gentle squeeze, smiling when Yoongi leans into his side for a brief moment. He wishes they had more moments like this, with just the two of them, minus the injury. But, as it is, they both seem to have their hands full. 

"Do you think The Tigers will be able to handle the operations better than we have, if they decide to take over?" Taehyung asks as they walk up the ramp, to the foyer. He reaches to switch off the lights to the lower level, blinking as his eyes adjust to less light. 

"I think they are more than capable," Yoongi responds in a tone so flat, there is nothing to glean from it but the words themselves.

Taehyung nods, then asks, "And tonight...do we think this has anything to do with the men Jeongguk took out? Or do we think it is a personal attack from Ryujin?"

Yoongi hums, releases himself from Taehyung's hold, and turns to lean against the wall. Taehyung begins to crouch to retrieve Yoongi's boots, but Yoongi swats his hands away, letting out deep, long breaths as he bends. 

"Just give me time to do it," he mutters, so Taehyung nods and retrieves a pair of athletic slides, then he stands and joins Yoongi with his butt against the wall, sliding his feet into one sandal at a time.

By the time Taehyung is standing straight against the wall, Yoongi has his first boot tied, and Taehyung relaxes his shoulders and waits. 

"Seokjin thinks Ryujin may no longer be in charge of the Busan operations," Yoongi says after a pause, still bent in half.

"Oh?" Taehyung asks, not entirely surprised. He has heard whispers of such a thing. 

Yoongi hums, then stands still with his hands on his knees to catch his breath. Taehyung is happy to see his range of motion is not inhibited too much, and continues to patiently wait. 

"He is working on gathering more information. Hopefully Hyunjin will have some insight, and we can sit down and talk with him once we have him safely in hiding."

"Ah," Taehyung responds, remembering a conversation about their informant finally being pulled out. 

He wonders if they plan on sending anyone new in his place, but does not ask. Information like this hardly leaves the small circles in which it is discussed until plans have been set in motion and they can safely discuss it openly. It took two years for him to learn they had an informant there, in the first place. 

"But to answer your question," Yoongi continues, sliding his foot into the second boot, "and to bring all of this mess—for lack of better term—together," he sighs heavily, "it is not that I think The Tigers can handle things better, necessarily, but if Ryujin, or whomever, does call for war, I do not want Jeongguk on the frontlines. Not only is he reckless and too willing to charge into a scenario like that headfirst, but he is our maknae. I found him as a kid dazed and scared on the street, covered in another man's blood, and I promised myself that nothing terrible would befall him again. Of course, I have failed at keeping that promise…but if I can keep him alive and healthy, I will do whatever it takes."

Relief washes over Taehyung and he rests his head back against the wall, letting out a deep exhale. He knows that Yoongi loves Jeongguk, and that protecting him has always been a priority, but he is glad that steps are being taken to pull Jeongguk out of operations that have kept him close to Busan. The guy is far too smart to be in charge of drug running, and it is high time he is given more responsibility that keeps him close to home. 

Perhaps Taehyung is selfish, but he does not want his Jeonggukie constantly traveling to the shore and back. He wants him here, where he belongs. If anything were to happen to Jeongguk, Taehyung would raise every demon from hell and burn this city and every building from here to the shore down to the fucking ground. 

"Nobody is more brilliant at logistics than Jeongguk," Yoongi continues, bent in half again and slowly tying his second boot. "Having him oversee drug operations has been monumental in our financial success, and thanks to him, the clubs have more high-spending clientele. Our success—that which we gained, and which was not passed down from the old man—is largely thanks to him. He has worked hard, and it is time for him to rest."

The thought of Jeongguk resting makes Taehyung chuckle. "You know that of all of us, he is the second most restless, after only you, hyung."

"I am aware," Yoongi responds with a hint of mirth in his voice. With a groan, he stands tall, resting his head back against the wall, and Taehyung watches him—watches as his long lashes flutter against his high cheekbones and his brows knit slightly. At times, he wishes he could read the man's mind. "I'll make sure he is kept busy. There is no shortage of bullshit to handle."

"Rumor has it, Jimin wants him to help with the clubs," Taehyung mutters, momentarily picturing muscular, tattooed Jeongguk spinning around one of the poles at Paradise wearing a tiny black thong with his piercings glittering in the light. 

Of course, stripping would not be one of the duties Jeongguk would be appointed to, but a man can dream.

"That certainly is an option," Yoongi responds as he opens his eyes and turns his gaze to Taehyung, soft and calm. "He can help Hoseok with weapons too, if he would like. Anything that strikes his fancy; this world is his."

Although Taehyung is not often one to openly show affection toward his boss, he cannot help himself as he turns and pulls Yoongi into a hug. Although Yoongi grumbles a sound of confusion, he lifts his arms and gently settles them around Taehyung's hips, and he does not balk at Taehyung resting his head on his shoulder. 

"Thank you, hyung."

Yoongi chuckles and begins to ask what Taehyung is thanking him for, but Taehyung shakes his head and gently hugs him tighter around the upper arms, careful not to compress against his chest. 

"I know you love us. I know that you look out for us, not just because it is your duty as our boss, but because you genuinely care about us. But I still want to acknowledge what you do to keep us safe. God only knows what could have become of Jeongguk, if— Just—" To his surprise, Taehyung feels emotional from his words, and he takes a fortifying breath. "Thank you." 

"Ah, Taehyungah," Yoongi grumbles, finally pushing free from the hug, making Taehyung momentarily hold on tighter, "We are a family."

"An incestuous family," Taehyung teases, earning him a smack on the side of the head, making him laugh as he finally releases the hug. 

"Nobody is forcing you to fuck one of the family men," Yoongi grumbles, hardly sounding defensive.

Taehyung laughs, mutters, "Sometimes he does," with a smile, earning him one more smack against the head before they walk to the front door and open it, greeted by cold night air and the sight of Jeongguk sitting on top of a body that lays face-down on the cement while smoking a cigarette. 

"Speak of the devil," Yoongi mutters, and Taehyung chuckles, feeling affection warm him. How can one man be so unhinged and so dreadfully beautiful, covered in blood and sweat.

"Gonna walk hyung home, then we'll take care of him?" Taehyung asks.

Jeongguk nods and tugs his lips into a small smirk. "Looking forward to it, hyung."

The walk back to Yoongi's mansion is quick and quiet, with gravel crunching and twigs snapping underfoot. The fountains appear somewhat ominous underlit in the dark—eerie and foreboding. When they reach the mansion, Yoongi looks up toward the only lit window on this side of the house and chuckles. 

"Want to take bets on whether they are in the tub or the shower?" Taehyung asks playfully.

"Definitely the tub," Yoongi responds with a soft smile that falls to something akin to worry. "I'm sure our darling is pretty shaken up from everything."

With a knowing nod, Taehyung hums. Perhaps he should not have run his sword through the man right in front of her. In the moment of passion, he finds he has a hard time with reason, seeing red and only considering the most effective way to maim and kill. 

"I'm a little surprised she hasn't been scared off, yet," Taehyung says against his better judgment. Thankfully, Yoongi never seems to take things too seriously when it comes to casual conversation between the family men, and he just hums in response.

"She's more resilient than she seems," Yoongi mutters after a moment. 

Taehyung wonders how true that might be. He has no reason to think she is weak, but is she as strong as they give her credit for? Or does she simply have nowhere else to go? 

He certainly would never blame her, either way. If being at the mansion is something she wants, then he wants her to find comfort and happiness…but he also worries about the unorthodox way in which she arrived at the mansion in the first place. 

Is there a chance she still feels like a prisoner in her own home? Are Yoongi and Namjoon distracting her with sex and a seemingly endless supply of money, drugs, and champagne?

As they round the mansion to the front door, Taehyung is relieved to find only one vehicle in the drive. Although he did not necessarily expect Seokjin or Hoseok to be around, he is glad to not have to stay and chat. Knowing there is a man at his home who he needs to deal with has him feeling antsy and eager to return. 

Yoongi's steps begin to slow as they approach the front door, and Taehyung steps in closer to offer a hand, which Yoongi pushes away as he goes through the various security measures to get into the front door. 

Once they are inside, however, Taehyung closes the door tight and gets down on his knees, ignoring Yoongi's protests for help, and unties his boots for him. Then he holds each one steady for Yoongi to step out of, stands, and wraps an arm around Yoongi's middle to guide him to the steps. Yoongi does not bother turning on any lights; a yellow glow from outside security lamps shine through the windows, making it easy enough to see. 

"I can walk just fine," Yoongi grumbles despite allowing Taehyung to continue with the assist. 

"You can," Taehyung agrees as he steps out of his slides and kicks them aside, "but you're slowing down and I want to get back home."

"Go fucking home then," Yoongi says with a gentle shove of his shoulder, but without a hint of malice in his tone. 

"Gotta make sure your darling doesn't have a concussion, and then I will."

Yoongi hums, then they round the staircase and take it nice and slow to the top. Although Yoongi winces and groans less, he leans more into Taehyung the closer they get to the landing, and he seems out of breath once they reach their destination. 

"How's your chest?" Taehyung asks as they approach the open door to the master bedroom. 

"Eh," Yoongi responds. "The pain is minimal compared to before. Now I just feel really fucking tired."

"Well," Taehyung says in a teasing tone as they enter the bedroom and swing to the left, toward the ensuite, and only light that appears to be on in the entire mansion, "no vigorous activity tonight. Leave all of that to Namjoon."

Yoongi chuckles, and Taehyung clears his throat, schooling his features to appear a little more impassive as they turn the corner and face Namjoon and buttercup in the tub. Namjoon appears to be giving her a foot massage, nearly making Taehyung crack a smile. No wonder she puts up with their bullshit. 

Although Taehyung should have expected such a response, he is taken slightly aback when she sees Yoongi and sits up quickly with a look of fear on her face. As she moves, water sloshes over the side of the tub, and it seems to take her a moment to realize her bare breasts are exposed before she lifts an arm to cover herself. Taehyung swallows a lump in his throat and does his best to appear as stoic as possible…Jeonggukie is going to be so jealous, but now is not the time to feel giddy about that.

“Don’t panic,” Yoongi says, holding his injured hand in the air. “I took a bullet to the vest, right in my sternum, and it hurts like a mother fucker, but I just need to rest.”

“You took a—” buttercup gasps, voice sounding weak before dying in her throat, and Taehyung is suddenly uncomfortable with having to witness this exchange, letting his vision lose focus as the moment passes. He really wants to get back home. 

“It’s okay, sweetheart,” Namjoon says calmly.

Eager to check buttercup's eyes and get back to his captive, Taehyung walks Yoongi over to the toilet and stands close while he takes a seat on the closed lid, then he approaches the tub, pulling his little flashlight from his pocket.

“Yoongi, Jeongguk, and I are all fine after the bout of whiplash, but I would like to check your eyes,” Taehyung says, squatting beside the tub.

Buttercup nods and stares up at Taehyung, who switches on the flashlight beside the right side of her face and slowly pulls it upward until some of the light hits her eye. Everything looks good on this side, and he moves the light to the left side and does the same, then he switches it off and cracks a smile, relieved to find that she is fine. 

“Your pupils are dilating properly. Do you have any severe head or neck pain?”

She shakes her head and mutters, “No, just a little soreness where my head hit the seat.”

“Nausea or dizziness?”

“Kind of, but I think it’s just related to all the anxiety.”

“Alright,” Taehyung says, standing and taking a step backward; her responses are pretty standard, and her speech is fine. She seems perfectly cognizant. “If you happen to become dizzy or nauseated enough to vomit, or experience any sharp head pain, please call me and I will come right over.”

“Thank you, Taehyung,” she says softly, sighing with what sounds like relief.

Unable to hold back a shy smile, Taehyung says, “Don’t mention it, buttercup,” then he backs up, turns gracefully on his socked feet, and takes his exit, leaving Yoongi to undress himself and join his little harem in the tub. 

With a pep in his step, Taehyung leaves the master suite and practically slides to the top of the stairs, barreling down two at a time, jumping over the last three. As he practically sprints to his slides and throws the front door open, adrenaline spikes, and Taehyung takes off back to his property as quickly as his sandaled feet will carry him.

When Taehyung reaches the basement, finding the fluorescent lights turned back on, he notices boot tracks and droplets of blood on the otherwise polished floor, leading back to the dungeon. Just the thought alone of Jeongguk dragging a desperate, whimpering man through the space has blood rushing to his cock, and he steadily makes his way to the back of the long, mostly empty basement space, standing before a large metal door that Jeongguk has conveniently left cracked open. 

Taehyung's steps are light, sandals making minimal sound as he slowly pulls the door open and takes in the sight before him. The man is hanging limp in the center of the cement room with his wrists in chains, muttering something weakly with his head hung low, and Jeongguk is leaning against the far corner with his black button-up hanging half open exposing an enticing strip of golden skin while he smokes another cigarette. 

"Finally," Jeongguk says, dropping the cigarette to the floor and stomping it out beneath his boot. He looks angry to have been kept waiting, which fuels the already growing wildfire just beneath Taehyung's skin.

"Copping an attitude already?" Taehyung bites back with a glare, stepping through the space in a rush, past the man, to take Jeongguk's pretty little jaw in his hand and squeeze. "I had to take care of our boss. Have you no respect?"

Jeongguk is the first to crack, smiling with his lips squeezed between Taehyung's fingers, making Taehyung laugh. He pulls Jeongguk close, slots a leg between his thighs and presses their bodies together until Jeongguk whimpers. 

"I hope you didn't hurt him too much without me," Taehyung groans, digging his thigh higher into Jeongguk's balls until the poor guy's eyes begin to fill with tears. 

"N-no, sir," Jeongguk mutters sweetly, nearly making Taehyung consider putting the torture on hold so he can fuck him against this grimy cement wall.

But he wants to make this man scream. He really wants to.

"Damn," Taehyung mock pouts, dropping Jeongguk's jaw and taking a step back, watching as a mix of emotions flash before Jeongguk's face, including a hint of disappointment. "I was hoping to have a reason to punish you."

With a sudden devious grin, Jeongguk reaches for the holster around his thigh, pulls out a handgun, and lifts it, pointing to the man. He clicks the hammer back while raising his eyebrows, and Taehyung grabs his hand quickly, twisting the gun from Jeongguk's grasp and holding it behind his back. 

"Don't you fucking dare," Taehyung challenges, and Jeongguk laughs, bright and pretty, making him absolutely crazy. 

"God, you should have seen the look on your face," Jeongguk teases, stepping forward and reaching around Taehyung for his gun, which Taehyung allows him to have. "You looked like you were going to kill me."

"Please don't give me a reason to," Taehyung responds, shoving Jeongguk back into the corner and lifting his hands to rake them over the dirty, bloodstained shirt. "As pretty of a trophy as your head would make, I would suffer a great loss without you."

"So romantic," Jeongguk groans as his freehand presses into Taehyung's semi-hard cock and gives it a squeeze. 

The feeling is exquisite, especially with how tight and constricting Taehyung's slacks are, and he lets out a deep, pleased groan, allowing Jeongguk to tease him just a little more before getting his hands dirty. With a chaste, soft kiss, Taehyung backs from Jeongguk and turns back to their captive, who stirs and grumbles, head slumped forward. 

"Did you rough him up?" Taehyung asks as he crosses the room, over to a large metal rack that contains some of his retired tools. "He seems more out of it now than he was in the car."

"Yeah," Jeongguk responds, "while you and Yoongi were down here, I shot him up with a little baby dose of heroin."

A mix of anger and surprise spikes in Taehyung, and he spins, searching Jeongguk for any sign that he may be joking. "Heroin? Where the fuck did you get that?"

Jeongguk chuckles and shakes his head, holding up a hand. "Relax, hyung. Our friends in Japan sent some over in case we wanted to try it out, but I have been holding onto it only to use for purposes like these."

This information does not compute, and Taehyung watches Jeongguk a moment more, hoping that he will continue to talk. When he does not, Taehyung turns back to his rack of rusted, dull surgical instruments, and attempts to gather his thoughts. 

Bringing heroin back into the family, even unintentionally, could yield catastrophic results. The last time Yoongi had his hands on a supply, they nearly lost everything, including the man himself. 

Now is not the time for this conversation, but he does not want to let it go. With a sigh, he grabs onto his trusty Serratec III—feeling the weight of the steel, handheld bone saw—and flips the switch on, watching the blade whirr and spin to life. The sound rings out loudly in the otherwise silent space, and the man chained in the center of the room stirs, jerking his head upward. 

Blood drips from the top of the man's head into his eyes, and Taehyung takes a step forward, watching as clarity hits and the man begins to fully understand the gravity of the situation. 

"What is your name?" Taehyung shouts over the shrill buzz of the saw, standing about ten feet from the man, who jerks at the chains holding him. 

The man shivers like a leaf caught in a storm, whipping his head frantically from left to right. 

"P-please," he begs, "please don't do this."

"Please don't do this?" Taehyung asks loudly, taking a step closer. "That's a long family name…doesn't sound Korean."

Behind the man, Jeongguk snickers. Then he grabs the man's face with both hands and uses his thumbs and index fingers to open the man's eyes wide, forcing him to look at Taehyung. 

"Name," Taehyung shouts, crouching slightly to be eye-level with him. 

The man whimpers pathetically and turns his head away, blood, sweat, and drool coating his ugly face. Taehyung switches off the small metal saw, and silence falls as the spinning blade slows to an abrupt stop. Using the end of the semi-rusted blade, Taehyung presses the tool against the man's chin to push on his face and make him look at Taehyung a little more squarely. Jeongguk continues to hold open his eyes, which the man attempts to blink.

"You really should answer my questions," Taehyung says softly. "Men who don't follow my orders don't make it out of here alive."

With a low squeal, the man manages to twist out of Jeongguk's grasp, dropping his head to the side. Jeongguk roughly grips onto the man's greasy, short dark brown hair and jerks his head up, making him sob. With the ability to blink, tears fall freely down the man's face, and he shakes his head in quick, shallow movements. 

"I know who you are," the man mutters, spitting through his words while snot dribbles onto his upper lip. "N-nobody comes out of this basement alive."

Taehyung snarls, eyes wide with his teeth bared, doing his best to look as horrifying as possible. The man winces, shivering, and Taehyung chuckles, glad his plan has worked. 

"You know who I am, hmm?" he asks in a playful voice, scraping the edge of the saw blade gently up the man's jaw. 

"Y-you're d-doctor death," the man croaks through sobs. "Everyone has heard of you."

"Doctor death?" Taehyung repeats, chest swelling with excitement over the moniker. "My, my, my, I am honored to have earned such a title."

"Please just kill me," the man whimpers, shaking so hard his teeth rattle. 

"Ah, but I can't do that," Taehyung responds, cocking his head to the side to mirror the angle of the man's head. "I need to know who sent you to us tonight. And the longer it takes you to talk, the more painful it will be, do you understand?"

"Y-you know who it was," the man bleats, wincing when Jeongguk tugs his hair harder. 

With a sigh, Taehyung stands straight and flips the saw back on. The smell of piss hits his nose in an instant, and glances down to see a trickle running from the man's pant leg, into the small metal grate at his feet. 

Taehyung wonders how long this man has worked in this business, and what his rank might be. He appears no older than Yoongi or Seokjin but he cowers like a bitch who has hardly seen any action. 

"If you're so afraid of me, you should just talk!" Taehyung shouts like a parent scolding a child. 

"B-but they'll kill me," the man sputters, barely audible over the saw. 

"What I will do is worse than killing you!" Taehyung insists, holding up the saw so that the man has a good view of it. 

Finally, the man screams bloody murder, eyes screwed shut and spit falling from between his lips. 

"You're a lamb hung out to slaughter," Taehyung mutters, uncaring whether the man can hear him or not. "And nobody can hear you scream."

"P-please," the man whimpers, shaking his head, which is still being tugged by Jeongguk. "Tonight was nothing. She already has attacks planned at a much greater scale."

"She does, does she?" Taehyung asks, receiving at least one answer. 

There have been whispers, however, that Ryujin may not be in charge of the Busan operations. Nothing more than voices murmuring rumors…but Taehyung is curious whether there is anything to substantiate those murmurs, especially since Yoongi and Seokjin seem to also think they could be true; Yoongi knows Ryujin better than anyone. 

The streets tend to talk a lot, but something about this particular rumor seems to hold a little weight, if it is who Taehyung believes it may be. Although Ryujin has her bone to pick with her ex, she was never quite the vindictive type—not on this scale. 

Kim Hyungseo, on the other hand…

"P-please," the man sobs. "If you can promise me a clean death, I will tell you everything."

Taehyung's head rolls back as he laughs, making the sound as boisterous as he can muster. Just who does this man think he is, trying to tell Doctor Death what to do?

"Are you giving me orders?" Taehyung snaps, leaning in close while Jeongguk yanks the man's head hard enough to make him scream. 

"No! No, please, no, I was just—"

Taehyung leans in closer, speaking nice and slow, "Because I don't take too well to being given orders."

The man's eyes widen, full of fear so great, it makes Taehyung's heart soar to the heavens. Taehyung lifts the saw and gently nicks the man's jaw, causing a splattering of blood to hit him on the chest. The man squeals like a pig, frantically yanking at his restraints and causing Jeongguk's grasp on his hair to slip. 

"Who is your boss!" Taehyung screams, making the man scream in response, and Taehyung lifts the saw high and nicks the man on his ulna bone, just below his wrist, deep enough to hit the bone, but not deep enough to sever anything important.

"Fuck!" the man screams, "Please, please just kill me!"

"You know I won't do that," Taehyung teases, moving the saw around to hit the other arm in the same spot, letting the saw collide with the metal chains holding the man in place to make a horrific metallic scraping sound. "My reputation precedes me, remember? Doctor Death, was it?" 

It always amazes Taehyung how much a man will tolerate just to keep his mouth shut, and he leaves more little nicks along the man's arms, causing blood to run down in thin streaks. He is certain he would be able to withstand torture to keep Yoongi safe, but that is Yoongi, after all. 

What could this man possibly stand to gain, as a grunt sent into a gunfight? Is his life really worth more than whatever he is willing to protect?

"Alright," Taehyung sighs, turning the saw off once more. "Let's suit up and really make this pig squeal."

Beside the metal rack of nearly-defunct toys is a large, metal cabinet that holds hazmat suits, oxygen masks, and other protective barriers, as well as tubs of cleaning agents. Jeongguk slaps the man on the back of the head, then joins Taehyung by the cabinet.

The two of them make quick work sliding into two white suits that zip in the front, pulling hoods over their heads and covering their faces with masks that have a clear plate over the eyes, and respirators over the mouth. They put on sets of nitrile gloves, and Taehyung grabs a small tub of powdered lye that he hands to Jeongguk. 

Taehyung retrieves his saw and returns to the man, who trembles hard, bleating out pathetic pleas to be spared. Jeongguk removes the lid from the lye and tosses it aside, then pulls out a little blue measuring scoop and begins to sprinkle the caustic powder onto the man's hands and arms. 

The effect where the man is cut is instant—the lye begins to burn at the skin, eating away and causing the wounds to fester. The man thrashes and screams, spit and sweat flying from him as unintelligible syllables fall from his mouth as his chains clatter.

"You really should just answer my questions," Taehyung sing-songs, voice sounding even more menacing as it filters through the oxygen mask. "I can shoot you up with epinephrine and keep you alive for a long time."

The man curses and screams, frantically shaking his arms, rattling the chains loudly, only serving to make every nerve of Taehyung's spike—making him itch to hurt the man more. 

"Is Shin still in charge?" Taehyung asks, watching as the skin on the man's hands and wrists slowly turns a horrible yellow-pink. 

The man shakes his head, but it is not enough of a response; for all Taehyung knows, it could simply be a reaction to the pain. 

"Answer me!" Taehyung screams, and the man jerks away, frantically thrashing in his chains. 

"Y-yes," the man whimpers, but it is not convincing. He screws up his face in a way that tells Taehyung he is lying. 

"You're sure about that?" Taehyung asks, inching closer. "Rumor has it Kim is in charge, and Shin is a pawn."

The way the man's eyes light up tells Taehyung he is onto something, then he shakes his head and squeezes his eyes shut, quaking with fear and pain the likes of which Taehyung can only imagine. 

But then the man says, "I d-don't know what you are t-talking about," squeezing his eyes shut even tighter. 

Taehyung hums, lifts the saw, and shouts, "Let's jog that memory of yours!" as he flips the switch and it whirrs loudly to life. 

Without waiting for the man to react, Taehyung begins to tap the spinning blade against the man's elbows and the fatty bits below the pronator teres and tricep muscles, careful not to go deep enough to sever any of the veins and nerves.

The screams that come from the man are nothing short of astounding. Jeongguk dips his nitrile-clad hand into the bucket of powdered lye and pulls out enough to begin spreading over the wounds, causing the wailing and shrieking to increase.

Taehyung worries the man might pass out a little too fast if they keep this up, but the sounds are magnificent, and he loves making men walk the thin line between consciousness and unconsciousness.  

"What other plans does she have!" Taehyung shouts, and the man screws up his face, unwilling to open his eyes or look at him.  

"I don't—" the man spits, shaking his head slowly, "I don't know."

"Now is not the time to lie to me! You said she has plans for large-scale attacks! What does that mean?"

The man sobs, tears streaming down his face, and he heaves in deep breaths, appearing as if he might slowly be losing his grasp on reality. 

"She knows where you live," he mutters, head drooping low as all of his weight begins to tug on the chains around his wrists. 

Taehyung shuts off the saw and hands it over to Jeongguk, then he reaches into the pocket of his suit to grab from a stash of epinephrine pens and removes the safety cap from the end.

"Everyone knows where we live," Taehyung responds as he jabs the pen into the man's thigh and holds it in place, watching as the man jerks around and begins to scream again, appearing confused by his surroundings. 

"We could do this all night," Taehyung mutters, tossing the epinephrine aside and gripping the man by the jaw. "Tell me what she plans."

"She—" the man mutters, eyes widening before they begin to search the room as if the man has no grasp on where he is, even with the added adrenaline. 

"Fuck," Taehyung spits under his breath. 

Although an attack on their homes has always been within the realm of possibility—Ryujin lived in the mansion for years, after all—Taehyung does not like that the man brings it up. Hoseok has equipped each home with some fairly intense, high-tech firepower, but Ryujin could be expecting that. 

And if Hyungseo is the one in charge, there is no telling what their next moves might be. Taehyung needs to report back to Yoongi and Seokjin immediately. 

"Alright, well if you won't talk, I guess I will have to kill you," Taehyung says, exasperated and annoyed.

The man squeals, but he hardly seems to have any fight left in him. His skin is corroding where Jeongguk applied lye, festering with puss and blood and undoubtedly leaving behind a stench. 

Taehyung switches the saw back on, and Jeongguk pulls out the little blue scoop from the lye, holding it above the man's head. 

"May as well," Taehyung says with a shrug, and Jeongguk nods once before dumping the powder onto him. 

Soon it will mix with sweat and get into the man's eyes. Taehyung fails to think of anything more horrible to experience. 

With a yawn, Taehyung crouches and begins to hack away at the man, making him easier to dispose of later. He starts with his ankles, slicing through the material of his black slacks, which catches on the blade of the saw, yanking the man around. 

The sounds of the man screaming are drowned out partially by the pounding of Taehyung's heart in his ears, and he watches as one of the man's feet hangs on by tendons and sinew, dangling from a stump that gushes blood. 

The rest of his movements are mechanical, hacking the man at each major joint while Jeongguk uses scissors to cut away at the clothing and make it easier for him. He feels so tired suddenly—so worn down from the events of earlier—that he has half a mind to drag the man into the next room over and toss him into the cremation oven just as he is. 

Taehyung has no idea how long it takes, but by the time Jeongguk is shutting the oven door and exiting the dungeon to peel off his clothing, Taehyung feels as if he is blinking from a trance. 

He feels exhausted and disgusting. He needs to shower, and he needs to cum. 

Jeongguk helps Taehyung undress, carefully piling their clothing into a corner to be dealt with later, retrieving phones, wallets, and any other items from their pockets and carrying them in his hand. They walk through the basement in the nude, feet lightly slapping against cold white tile, and make their way to the main floor, through the foyer, up the flight of stairs, and down the hall to the master bedroom. 

Taehyung takes his phone once Jeongguk has set all the items down on a small marble table beside the bedroom door, and he shoots a text off to Seokjin and Yoongi with what little information he has. That he tried to confirm the whispered rumors, but the man hardly spoke; that the man said "she" knows where they live, but lost consciousness shortly after.

Water runs and steam pours from the ensuite, calling Taehyung like a siren's song. He tosses his phone onto the table and turns, meandering ungracefully into the bathroom. He feels the overwhelming urge to curl into a ball and let sleep claim him, but the sight of Jeongguk scrubbing the grime and blood from his perfect, tattooed body invigorates him.

Taehyung steps into the large white tiled shower and goes straight for Jeongguk, cornering him despite his limbs dripping with suds. He reaches for Jeongguk, who swats his hands away and shoves his washcloth into his grasp.

"You can touch me when you're clean, hyung," Jeongguk teases, snaking out from the corner to rinse himself.

Taehyung wastes no time squirting more soap onto the cloth and washing himself. He takes extra care to get behind his ears, and cleans his hair and face. Then he tosses the rag aside and reaches to the upper lip of the white tiles—to a space a few feet below the ceiling—where he has cloth restraints connected to a metal bolt in the corner.

"Trying to reenact the scene downstairs?" Jeongguk teases, taking his place in the corner and lifting his hands over his head.

"So fucking bratty tonight," Taehyung growls as he wraps each of Jeongguk's wrists in the restraints and closes the velcro tight. 

Taehyung keeps Jeongguk facing him, and he reaches between his legs, wasting no time prodding him open with one finger. Jeongguk squirms and squeals, getting onto his tippy toes before crashing back to his heels, over and over. 

"Lube, hyung," Jeongguk whines, and Taehyung shoves his finger in deeper. 

"What do you call me?" he grits between his teeth.

"Sir! Please!" Jeongguk whines, "F-feels good but it hurts."

Taehyung pulls his fingers away and grabs the bottle of lube that sits between his shampoo and body wash, squirting some on his fingers and setting it aside. He reaches between Jeongguk's spread thighs once more and prods with two fingers, slowly stretching him, giving him brief moments to catch his breath until he is settled knuckle-deep.

"Reassure me once more that Yoongi does not have access to heroin," Taehyung says, fixing Jeongguk with a stern look, watching as his eyes widen. 

"Sir," Jeongguk mutters, pulling on the restraints around his wrists. "Hyung, is now the right time?"

"Reassure me that you were given product in person, from someone you know. Nothing was mailed to the property? There is absolutely no way that it was a man from the Busan crew trying to get drugs into the mansion somehow?"

"Hyung!" Jeongguk responds, much more forcefully, with his brows knit. 

"I just need to be absolutely certain that our boss is safe."

"Can we talk about this later?" Jeongguk asks, eyes wide and frantic. "Since when are drug operations any of your responsibility?"

Taehyung slips his fingers from Jeongguk and takes a step back, feeling anger fizzle through him. He crashes his palm against the wet marble, sending water flying in a weak-sounding, somewhat painful slap, making Jeongguk flinch and grimace.

"Keeping our hyung alive is all our responsibility, Jeon Jeongguk!" Taehyung snaps, barely able to register the look of fear and confusion on his boyfriend's beautiful face. "If anything happens to him, I'll—"

Overcome with emotion, Taehyung slides his hand from the wall. The steam from the shower is too much, and he stumbles back, twisting to catch himself against cold tile that is not hit by the scalding stream of water. 

"You're tired, hyung. Let's fuck and go to bed, yeah?" Jeongguk suggests sweetly, shaking his restraints in wet smacks against the tile. "Or untie me and we'll talk about this." 

Taehyung takes a moment to catch his breath. Panicking over the health and safety of one man is not going to get him anywhere. Not when that man is safe in his home, sandwiched between two very clingy people who are just as determined as he is to keep him safe. The thought makes Taehyung chuckle and shake his head, coming back to himself. 

"I am tired, but first I'm going to fuck that tight little hole of yours," Taehyung says, fixing Jeongguk with a smile that he knows must appear maniacal—eyes wet and bloodshot, bearing his teeth. Nothing Jeongguk is not used to, but my, what a spectacle he must be. 

Jeongguk takes in a deep breath that comes out ragged, and Taehyung wastes no time grabbing him by the jaw with one hand while his other reaches between his thighs, pressing two fingers past the knuckle back into him. 

With a strained chorus of, "Ah, ah, ah," Jeongguk's head rolls back, sweat and condensation from the hot shower pouring down his chest, dropping from the little metal balls of his nipple rings. 

Taehyung licks from the center of his chest to his clavicle, coating his tongue in salty-sweet sweat, groaning in tandem with Jeongguk's deep, needy moan. He does not allow Jeongguk a moment to adjust, fucking his fingers deep while Jeongguk trembles and bleats out broken, desperate sounds. 

It takes no time at all to stretch him enough to get him begging, and Taehyung slicks his cock with lube, then lifts Jeongguk's leg, hooking it over his hip while pulling him into a position that is far too precarious to be doing in the shower. 

Jeongguk sighs and gasps as Taehyung presses his cock slowly, carving him open much wider than his fingers possibly could. The tight squeeze feels incredible, and Taehyung stills once he is buried deep, taking a moment to clear his head and catch his breath. 

He fucks Jeongguk slowly at first, pinching and rubbing his fingertips over pierced nipples and a pretty clavicle while his other hand holds him firmly by the hip. Jeongguk sings for him, moans and sobs echoing through the enclosed space, pitchy and broken and beautiful, driving Taehyung absolutely fucking insane. 

"Just look at you," Taehyung growls as he picks up his pace, eager to fill Jeongguk with his release. "Look at how that pretty cock bounces, untouched and leaking." 

Jeongguk whimpers and attempts to bury his face against one of his arms, but Taehyung grabs him roughly by both hips and says, "Look at me," in a stern enough voice that has Jeongguk's eyes widening, tears and water falling from his long brown lashes. 

That look alone sends Taehyung hurtling over the edge, and he fucks impossibly harder, water squelching in the spaces where their bodies meet. With one hand, he takes Jeongguk's cock and strokes it, rolling his palm over the head, just the way he likes.

"Please," Jeongguk sobs with desperate eyes, and Taehyung nods, biting his lip hard in an effort to stave off his own orgasm.  

Jeongguk cries out as he paints his tummy in release, eyes screwing momentarily shut before he opens them wide, trained after years of Taehyung forcing him to look at him while he cums. Taehyung cannot hold any longer, and he slams his cock deep, quaking from pleasure as he fills Jeongguk, gripping onto his hips tightly, desperate to never let him go. 

As Taehyung pulls out, he wraps his arms around Jeongguk and buries his face into his neck. He hates that he gets this way—so overcome with affection and love that he feels the urge to sob. 

"Thank you," he grumbles into Jeongguk's skin, then he slowly begins to reach up and undo the velcro restraints. 

"Felt good, hyung," Jeongguk mutters as his hands are freed and he is able to pull Taehyung close. "Let's get to bed."

Taehyung wants to get to bed—needs to rest his weary head and relax his tired bones. But he hugs Jeongguk close, breathing through the surge of anger and fear that spark throughout his limbs and sizzle beneath his skin.

"I won't let her hurt him," he grits through his teeth, picturing the way Yoongi was so worn down today—so unlike himself. "I won't let anyone hurt any of us."

"Shh," Jeongguk whispers softly, reaching to shut off the stream of water, making the warmth on Taehyung's skin instantly turn cold. "We won't let anything happen to anyone, hyung. We'll keep them safe."

"We'll keep them safe," Taehyung mutters in response, feeling sleep claw at him, dragging him down, down, down. It is a promise he does not take lightly. Every last person in Busan had better watch out.

*

woof, that one was a doozy! for those who don't know who Kim Hyungseo (BIBI) is, here is a palate cleanser.

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[girlnextmorgue]

Helen Otis x Reader: You would sleep with me (if you could do it comfortably)

Hiiii everyone it's me I'm back :P I'm finding that I don't really agree with my past characterizations of these characters but I'm gonna leave my old posts up anyway... anyways here's a Helen oneshot I wrote last night. It's sort of a continuation of the first one I wrote (read that here) but can be read as a standalone. It's crossposted on AO3 (here) and I love getting kudos so please gas it up there if you so choose :P Reader is gender neutral (they/them pronouns) and (Y/N) is used.. It isn't smutty or anything (sorry) but it's kind of romantic. Around 1300ish words (a little less). I hope you enjoy!

edit: pspspsps heyy look theres a 3rd part HERE!!! if u enjoy this go read that ok bye...

-

The screen door swung shut with a sharp smack. The sound used to make Helen jump, but he’d grown used to it with all the time he’d spent out on the porch. It was early spring now, and sprigs of green were beginning to poke their way out of the ground in the midst of all the brown. A chilly breeze carried all the fresh smells of spring, along with… cigarette smoke?

“Hey, handsome.”

That made Helen jump. His head snapped to his right, and he was graced with the sight of a familiar face leaning against the railing, lit cigarette in hand. The corners of his lips twitched. He was fighting back a smile.

“You’re back.” He said matter-of-factly, trying to seem uncaring, and not as if he had been awaiting their return with bated breath (god, he couldn’t believe it, he was acting like a damsel.) “Where were you?”

“If I told you,” they paused to take a drag (and, Helen suspected, to add dramatic effect), turning to look at the trees as they exhaled, “I’d have to kill you.”

Although there was a playful grin on their face, Helen knew that they were only half joking. The Operator’s proxies were incredibly hush-hush about their missions, and (Y/N) was no exception. Usually, he didn’t mind too much, but Helen had found that he was much more curious than he wanted to be, at least when it came to (Y/N).

“So.” (Y/N) spun around so that their back was now facing the woods. They motioned to the sketchbook in Helen’s hands. “Draw any pretty pictures lately?” They grinned.

Right. Helen had come out here to draw. He unconsciously tightened his grip on the book, averting his eyes. Since that fateful winter afternoon, he had been inspired to draw things other than the trees… (Y/N) in particular had become his unknowing muse. 

No way in hell was he showing them that. They’d probably think he was a creepy freak and never speak to him again. As much as Helen hated to admit it to himself, he didn’t think he’d be able to handle that happening. 

So instead, he fumbled for words, trying to save himself. “Uh, you know… more of the same, nothing new.” Helen refused to meet (Y/N)’s eyes. He chewed on the inside of his mouth nervously, picking at the edge of his sketchbook. He felt as if he was a child that had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

(Y/N) pursed their lips and then sighed, seeming to decide not to press his buttons about it. Over the course of their blossoming friendship, they’d learned that Helen could be quite protective over his artwork. It was best to leave it be.

So, (Y/N) changed the subject, knowing that Helen wouldn’t do it on his own. “Why don’t we sit, hmm? I’m tired of standing. I feel like I’ve been standing for like, like forever, man.”

“Okay.” Helen said, his shoulders sagging in relief. (Y/N) stubbed their cigarette out on the railing before they moved to plop down on the porch steps, their hiking boots clunking against the stairs as they got situated. Helen took his usual place next to them.

The pair settled into a comfortable silence, just staring out at the wilderness. Helen’s sketchbook lay on the stair, untouched. He couldn’t bring himself to open it in front of them just yet.

Instead, he looked over at (Y/N), trying to remain discreet. Early on in their friendship, Helen had decided that he liked their face (purely from an artistic standpoint, he was sure) and so he had taken it upon himself to memorize it (again, purely for artistic reasons). Not much had changed about them since he’d last seen them. There was a bandaid on their cheek, sure, but other than that they were still the same (Y/N). 

Except, they looked so tired. Deep, dark circles rimmed their eyes, and their eyes themselves were completely bloodshot. Helen was all too familiar with this kind of tired, something he experienced after many sleepless nights sitting at his easel. He was shocked that (Y/N) was managing to stay awake in their state.

“Haven’t I told you that it’s rude to stare?” (Y/N) asked suddenly, startling Helen. They turned to him, cocking an eyebrow. Despite how exhausted they seemed, they were still alert as ever. A proxy trait, no doubt. “Do I have something on my face, orrrrr…”

“No, no…” He shook his head, looking forward again. He really wasn’t appreciating what the teasing lilt in their voice was doing to his brain and heart, but his concern for them seemed to outweigh that. God, he hated that he was concerned. What was wrong with him?

“Then what? You like what you see or somethin’?” (Y/N) leaned in expectantly, smirking. What an asshole.

Despite how close (Y/N) had gotten, Helen managed to look them in the eye (though he was practically holding his breath). “You look… tired, (Y/N). Really tired.”

(Y/N)’s smile softened, the mischief in their eyes fading. They moved back slightly, looking back out at the forest. 

“Are you… alright?” Helen asked hesitantly, brows furrowed in concern.

(Y/N) sighed, taking a moment to answer. “...Yeah, I’m fine.” They brought a hand up to their face, rubbing one of their eyes absently. “‘S just… you’re right. I’m way tired.”

“...I know.” Helen mumbled, gaze never leaving their face. His hands twitched in his lap, wanting to do something to comfort his weary friend. Instead, he asked, “Rough mission?”

“So rough, ugh.” (Y/N) laughed quietly, as if they were reminiscing about a happy memory. “I got into a crazy fight with this guy – man, he almost killed me. You should’ve seen him though, I messed him up.” 

Helen frowned. He knew that they shouldn’t be telling him these things, and he was not a fan of the idea of (Y/N) putting themselves in danger. It was a part of their job, sure, but in his heart he wished it didn’t have to be. 

“(Y/N)...” They perked up when he spoke their name and his heart nearly jumped out of his chest. “I think you should go and get some rest.”

(Y/N) huffed, their expression going sour. “Yeah, but… I wanna-” they cut themselves off with a yawn before continuing, “I wanna spend time with you, y’know? It’s been a while. I missed you.” 

Helen felt like he was going to die at those words, his heart pounding against his ribcage. “Oh, well, um…” I missed you too, he wanted to say, but he couldn’t bring himself to.

“I have an idea.” (Y/N) said suddenly, scootching toward Helen until their legs were touching and their shoulders were touching and oh god-

And then (Y/N) leaned their head on Helen’s shoulder and all he could smell was lavender shampoo and cigarette smoke and he was going to faint (but he didn’t). Their hair tickled his neck and they were so warm and Helen wished he could wrap his arms around them and pull them closer. Instead, he sat stiff as a board, breath caught in his throat.

(Y/N) either was too tired to notice or didn’t care. “Wake me up if something interesting happens, okay?” Was all they said before knocking out, snoring lightly (oh my god they snore).

They were definitely going to kill him.

[abandoned-anemoia]

Home is Whenever I'm with You

☯ Pairing: Vernon x fem!reader (3rd person) ☯ Genre: angst, fluff, slow burn? ☯ Word count: 3.7k ☯ Summary: Vernon tries his best to make his best friend feel loved but will it be too late to tell her how he really feels? ☯ Warnings: themes of aggression (not from Vernon), mentions of sadness/loneliness ☯ A/N: Minnie is really just a random name I picked so imagine whoever you want to! If you need to change the name, you are of course free to do so. Please Let me know if I need to add any warnings! ☯Disclaimer: None of my work represents any of the idols included in any way. This is merely fictional and all based on my opinion as a joke! I have nothing against any of these idols and love them all dearly.

☯Song rec: Home by Edith Whiskers (very specifically this version)

Please do not copy, translate, or post as your own!

The fridged wind whipped around her, stinging her face as she sat on the balcony of her hotel room. Tears streaming down her cheeks as she curls up in the chair. 

Winter was always her favorite. It made her feel alive. She was not feeling alive as of late. Everything was a mess and it all came crashing down on her at her best friend Minnie's wedding. 

She and Minnie had a mutual best friend, Vernon, who was rooming with her for the few nights leading up to the wedding and after. All three had grown up together and had been virtually inseparable their entire lives so it was not a big deal to them. Except for the fact that she hated that Vernon had to deal with her being upset the night after their friends' wedding. 

So here she is, sitting outside by herself and sulking in self pity. The idea that Minnie would no longer need her or Vernon in her life was bothering her. But that was not even the main reason for her being upset since she knew it was stupid to ever think Minnie would just drop her two best friends. No, she was afraid that she would be the one who would be alone for the rest of her life. No happy ending like Minnie.

The sliding door opened with a loud screech. Stepping out on to the balcony, Vernon holds a blanket out to her. 

"You'll get cold" he says as he goes to hand her the blanket. She says nothing and stares blankly into the night sky, unmoving. Taking the blanket and laying it over her, he sits down in the chair next to hers. 

"Come on. You're gonna freeze out here."

"I'll be fine."

Silence envelopes the two as they sit outside in the cold. After a few minutes of prolonged silence, Vernon sighs, "Talk to me. I'm here for you. Always have been." 

Tears welling up in her eyes again as she speaks, "It's just us now."

"What?" Vernon was shocked. He didn't understand what she meant by that. 

She sighs and smiles sadly at him. "She has a husband and wants to start a family soon... And here we are, single with no spouse for the forseeable future." 

"Hey! That's so rude. Who's to say we won't find someone?" He nudges her to get her to crack a smile. "Besides, you think we won't be best friends with her anymore?" 

"No, not that we won't be friends anymore, just that... well, it won't be the same because family means more to her than anyone." 

"So what, she's family oriented, that's not a bad thing" he sighs, "Your mind is not being kind to you, is it?" He looks to her just to see her head fall. 

She nods, "No… I know it's all in my head. She's our best friend. It's just been the three of us for as long as I can remember, but something about the way she looked at him at that altar... like her whole world was right in front of her… I'm not sure if I want what she has or if I am afraid I'll lose one of my best friends." 

"You don't have to worry about either of those things. Minnie isn't going to just leave us. Sure, she'll be a bit more preoccupied if she has kids but until then, nothing has really changed. She has a ring on her finger and a document to change her last name, nothing else to it. As for wanting what she has… I think everyone wants someone who makes them light up the way she does when she sees him." Vernon knows what she means, he had felt the same thing a few months back when she had gone on a date with a guy she met at work. She had come to tell him about how it went and the way her eyes lit up made his heart drop to his stomach. How she feels now has to be a mixture of both not wanting to lose Minnie and wanting what she has. 

He holds out his hand to her, in hopes she would find some sort of comfort in his words or even just his presence, to make her feel like she does him. She slips her hand into his, interlocking their fingers, tears still streaming down her face. God, she's so beautiful. Vernon reaches for her, cradling her face with his free hand as he wipes away some of the tears sliding down her cheek. 

"You're going to get sick, come back inside." His voice was soft, fearing anything he said could break her. 

She nods, allowing Vernon to pull her up by their interlocked hands, "Thank you." 

She didn't need to say anything more. He knows she was grateful for his words as she moves their linked hands over her head, his arm now resting on her shoulder as she curls into his side. He pulls her close and leads them into the hotel room, sliding the balcony door shut behind him. 

…

A few months after Minnie's wedding, nothing has really changed. Vernon was right. She really didn't have anything to worry about when it came to Minnie forgetting about them. The jealousy hadn't gone away though. The way Minnie talks even more fondly about her husband, the way she discusses how happy she is having someone who understands her on a certain level, the way she talks about her future with such certainty. 

She doesn't have that and it upsets her. After bringing her feelings up in a conversation with Vernon, he reassures her that she will find someone that cares for her, "You never know when it'll happen, but one day you'll love someone who loves you just as much." 

Letting out a sigh, she stands from her seat at the little table in the quiet café. He had stopped by with her favorite food while she was on her lunch break, knowing she had forgotten to pack food for the day since she had complained to him about it earlier. She had sat with him and talked about her woes as he listened intently. 

With her lunch break now over, she hugs Vernon and thanks him for bringing her food and listening to her ramble on about her feelings. He looks at her as if she is his world—as if she hung the moon and the stars in the sky. She hasn't noticed the little things he was doing for her, subtly attempting to hint at his affection for her. He was testing the waters, seeing how she reacts to every little attempt he makes. Vernon watches as she goes back to work, deciding it's time he heads back home.

…

She is having a bad day. Everything that could have gone wrong has. The pastries she was baking burned. The coffee she made was spilled all over her new shirt. She ripped her pants when she squatted down to help clean it up. She broke a piece of the frothing machine and got it taken out of her paycheck. Nothing has gone right.

Sitting in her living room, frustrated tears streaming down her face, the doorbell sounds through the room. She isn't expecting anyone but gets up from her place on the couch, wiping her tears away as she makes her way to the door. 

Upon opening it, she is greeted by a smiling Vernon, a large bouquet of an assortment of her favorite flowers in his hands. He hands her the flowers as she moves aside to let him in. He knew she was having a bad day and wanted nothing more than to bring a smile to her face so he came to visit her, bringing her some of her favorite things.

She stands in the doorway, shocked by his gesture. She closes the door and follows Vernon into the living area, where he is sitting on her couch, unpacking his bag. He pulls out her favorite candies, snacks, and her favorite animal in plushie form. He looks to where she stands, motioning for her to come sit next to him with a smile. She sniffles, letting out a small laugh and walking over to him, "Is this for me?"

He nods, "You texted the group chat saying you were having a terrible day so I thought I would try to cheer you up!" 

The smile on his face is as pure as gold as she watches him flip through channels on her television, presumably trying to find a movie they could watch. She can't comprehend that anyone would do this for her from simply telling them she is having a bad day. It isn't until he clicks on her favorite movie that her eyes well up with tears again. They aren't sad tears this time but when Vernon looks over and sees her crying, he is quick to wipe her tears away, "Hey, hey, it's okay. Don't cry, please." 

You shook your head, launching yourself at him to wrap him in a tight hug, "I love you so much." 

Those words both make his heart soar and drop the pit of his stomach at the same time. She means it, but not in the same way he does when he sighs and repeats the phrase. He doesn't know that when the words came out of her mouth, her slowly growing feelings were hidden behind those words. 

Spending the whole night joking, talking, watching her favorite films, and eating her favorite snacks, the two of them wrapped around one another on the small couch. Every bad thing that had happened that day was no longer a worry for her. Being in his arms makes her feel safe—loved. Their breathing evens out, sleep overtaking them as the television continues playing in the background. 

…

Sitting on the steps of her apartment building, quietly reading a book, she basks in the warm air blowing gently around her, the sun high in the sky but covered my white fluffy clouds. A man walks past, glancing at her before backtracking, "Excuse me, but I can't help but notice how beautiful you are." 

She is shocked. No stranger had ever complimented her so directly. Her cheeks turn pink, glancing around her as if to see he was talking to someone else. When she sees no one else, she looks back to the man who is still standing at the bottom of the stairs, only a few steps away from her, "Thank you." 

The man continues talking to her, making random conversation and throwing in compliments along the way. She thrives in his attention, hearing him discuss random things about his job and him asking about hers. He asks her to go out with him, exchanging numbers and telling her he would let her know when to expect a date. 

As he walks away, she can't help but to feel giddy. Excitement rushes through her body as she stands from the stairs she is sitting on and races to her apartment. She calls Minnie, adding Vernon to the call when she answers. She tells her best friends about her interaction with the man, excitedly letting them know her thoughts and how he had treated her in the short time they talked. 

Vernon felt uneasy, listening to her gush about this stranger. He hasn't gotten to vet this man, to see if he is good enough for the one person he loves the most. If she is going to choose someone else, he is at least going to make sure that that person is good enough for her. 

…

Vernon sits quietly on her bed, watching her scramble around her room, occasionally asking him for his advice on an outfit or idea she has. She had called Vernon and Minnie to ask them to come over and help her get ready for her date. Vernon was the only one free at the moment, Minnie having had a meeting to go to. 

He's worried she may get hurt because this guy was just moving so fast, never met her friends or even really talked to her since the day they exchanged numbers. Somehow he knows this guy is no good and he has asked her multiple times how she really feels but she is so excited, too caught up in the idea of finding someone to love her. If only she would see the person sitting on her bed, worrying for her, pining after her. 

She looks so beautiful, so perfect in his eyes. He wonders if he could give her what she needs, continuing to pretend he's not falling into the deep end. He wishes to continue the friendship they have, too scared to have no one to hold if he ruins everything, so he keeps his thoughts to himself.

Ready for her date, she stands in front of Vernon, smoothing her outfit out in a panic and presenting herself to him. His breath catches in his throat at the sight of her, "You look out of this world." 

She beams at him, "Really? Are you sure I look okay?" 

"You look way more than just okay. Anyone who tells you differently is blind and doesn't deserve to look at you." His flattery only succeeds in making her happy and never making her notice his love for her. 

As she readies herself to leave, a car horn can be heard outside. She runs to the window, looking out and excitedly grabbing her purse, hugging Vernon tightly, telling him he can stay if he wants. She rushes outside to meet the man who asked her on a date, who hadn't even parked the car or opened the door for her. Vernon watches as the car drives away, heart heavy and breath ragged.

…

The date hasn't gone as planned—as she thought it would. The man sitting across from her hasn't complimented her, not that he had to but his lack of attention hurt her a bit. He has only commented on the price of the food, the annoyance he has with the waitress, and the misogynistic tendencies he has. He makes her uncomfortable and self conscious but she can't seem to find an excuse to leave that he believes. 

When he gets up to use the bathroom, she pulls out her phone and texts Vernon and Minnie, asking if one of them had the time to get her. Vernon is the first to text back, telling her that he is on his way. Minnie apologizes for not being able to be there for her today but she assures her friend that it is okay before the man sits back down in front of her, asking her why she is on her phone. Though she knows he didn't deserve an answer, she gave him one anyway, telling him that her friend is planning to pick her up. 

He didn't like that answer, upsetting her when he slams his fists down on the table and storms out of the restaurant, leaving her sitting in the now quiet room. All eyes are on her, most of the patrons giving her looks of pity. She gets up, pulls out her wallet, places plenty of money on the table to pay the bill with a generous tip for the waitress as well, and exits the restaurant. 

Once outside, she is bombarded with insults and many choice words from the man who had been so kind when they had first met. She receives a text from Vernon, telling her that he was there and would come get her. When she turns to meet him halfway, he grabs her wrist, holding it tightly and jerking her back to him. Before he can say a word, Vernon is shoving all of his weight into the man in front of her, successfully pushing him off of her and to the ground. 

Vernon pulls her into his side and quickly rushes her down the street and into his car. Starting the engine, he pulls onto the street, heading to her apartment, "Are you okay? Did he hurt you?" 

She shakes her head, staying silent for the entire ride. She is grateful for the man sitting in the driver's seat, he has always had perfect timing, today just proving it. Vernon worries about her, wondering if she wants to tell him something and can't or if she really is alright, "He didn't deserve you anyway. You're too good for men like that."

As he pulls the car up to her street, parking it in the nearest spot, she speaks up, "I know… I was just excited, that's all." 

Before she can get out of the car, Vernon grabs her hand, holding it firmly, successfully making her look at him, "Do you want me to stay?"

He silently hopes she will tell him yes, but his hopes are crushed when she shakes her head, "I'll be fine. Thanks, Vernon. For everything you do for me." 

She squeezes his hand before climbing out of the car, leaving Vernon to sulk. He silently watches as she walks to the door to her apartment building, disappearing inside. Sitting in the car for a moment longer as the heavens open up and rain beats against the pavement, he curses himself for not telling her how he feels but then again, Would it be too soon? Or too late?

As she closes the door behind her, letting out a breath, tears begin to make their way down her cheeks, dripping from her chin like the rain outside her window drips from the seal. The adrenaline had worn off and the mix of emotions inside of her were too much to bear. Her back presses against the door, sliding down it until she is sitting on the floor. 

She lets her tears run dry, breathing beginning to even out as she sniffles, wiping her face with her hands. She just wants someone who pays attention to her. Someone who tries to understand her feelings even when it seems impossible. Someone who cares for her and knows all of her favorite things. Someone who she can just sit in silence with and know they care. Someone who… Wait. Her brain briefly stops its train of thought before chugging along again, bringing her to her next conclusion. Someone like Vernon. 

She jumps to her feet, quickly opening the door, silently praying for his car to still be outside. And there he is, sitting in his car in the pouring rain. He looks up at her, seeing her standing in the doorway. Fuck it. He decides that he needs to tell her how he feels before it truly is too late.

Getting out of the car, he rushes toward her. She leaves the doorway of the apartment building, quickly moving to meet him despite the rain. She meets him on the sidewalk, standing face to face in silence before they both speak at the same time. Stammering as they try to let the other say what they need to say, Vernon holds his hands in front of him, signaling for them both to pause, "I'll go first, okay?" 

The rain clings to his hair, water droplets falling from the tips. His clothes are stuck to his body, being soaked through by the downpour. She assumes that she looks similarly as she lets him speak, his words quickly falling out of his mouth in rapid succession, "I love you. And I mean that in an I'm in love with you kind of way and not a you're my best friend kind of way. It's totally fine that you don't feel the same way, I would never want to pressure you and-" 

She didn't let him finish his rambling, crashing your lips into his. He only froze for a moment before reciprocating the kiss. She cradles his face in her hands as he grips her waist, pulling her closer. The raindrops pelt their bodies, almost as if a bucket of water had been thrown from the sky, but neither of them care, too lost in each other to focus on anything else.

When she pulls away, smiling and out of breath, she moves his hair out of his face, "I love you too. And I'm so sorry that I never noticed how good you are to me—that I never noticed my feelings before now." 

Vernon smiles at her, carefully cupping her face in his hands before leaning down to press a chaste kiss to her lips. Her hands rests on top of his, staring up at him when he pulls away, "We should get inside." 

He nods, pulling her into his side and leading her into the apartment, just as he did on the night of Minnie's wedding. The night that started it all. 

He had always been there. When she needed a shoulder to cry on. When she needed someone to rant to. When she was feeling lonely and needed a friend. He was there. And now, he's standing in her apartment, both of them drenched and shivering slightly from the cold water soaking their clothes. 

She leads him into her bathroom, leaving before quickly coming back with the clothes he keeps at her place. Towels line the floor as the both dry off, giggling at the ridiculous amount of water that had spilled onto the floor.

After changing into dry clothes, their hair still damp, they make their way to the living room, sitting down on the couch and making themselves comfortable. Her legs lay across his lap, one of his hands right above her knee, the other wrapped around her torso, pulling her close and keeping her warm. She curls into his side, flipping through different channels and apps until she finds a movie they both like. 

Vernon grabs the blanket that is draped over the back of the couch and slings it around the two of them, maneuvering it until it covers their bodies. Basking in his warmth and the added weight of the blanket, she feels at home—cradled in his arms with a movie playing on the television screen. 

[starset21]

A Dark Day

A/N: Surprise! Here's an addition to the collection with another coming on Tuesday!

Standard disclaimer: I do not consent to the posting, translating, or publishing of my work to any 3rd party site, the only place it may currently be found is on tumblr and Wattpad under the name @.itswildflower

Looking for more? Chicago Fire Collection Masterlist 

Word count: 2.5k

Warnings: cannon typical depictions of fires/accidents, explosion

“Please make sure you register at least 30 minutes before the race begins,” the announcer calls over the PA as Matt placed a box on the table. Gabby sighed, “Really? Goat shirts?” Dani brought over another box. “Those are collectors' items,'' Matt defends. “Yeah, garbage collectors,” Gabby laughs. “You guys gonna run the 10k?” Jameson, one of the guys from another firehouse asked. “Uh, Halstead and I are, Casey chickened out,” Gabby told them, high-fiving Dani. “I'm more of a sprinter,” Matt tries to defend himself. “Heard you're gonna introduce the commissioner later,” Jameson teased. “Yeah. Not sure how that fell on me,” Matt grumbled. “Well, a ceiling fell on you while you were saving a baby, baby,” Gabby smirked. Dani pretended to gag. “Hey. It's... it's Kim, right?” Gabby asked, hearing the clattering and turning to see a woman struggling with putting up a display for CPD. 

“Yeah. Hey,” she replied. “Hey, you... you need some help?” Gabby asked. “I... I kind of have no idea what I'm doing,” she admitted with a laugh. “She was part of the team that got Diego back,” Gabby told Matt. “On it. Firefighters bailing out cops is a long tradition,” Matt teased. “Oh, okay. Well, when you need a police officer to…” she trailed off. “Yeah, I've got nothing,” she said and they all laughed. “Who's this?” Matt asks, referring to the young girl digging around in a box next to the table. “Oh, this is my niece Zoe,” Kim introduced. “How old are you, Zoe?” Matt asks, helping to set the frames up for the display. “I'm nine,” Zoe tells him. “Really? Let me see your driver's license,” Matt jokes. “I'm nine too,” another little girl comes up to them. “Wow. Well, uh, you're the designated driver because she doesn't have her license,” Matt tells them and they giggle. “Imogene, don't bother them. They're setting up,” a woman says as she approaches. “Oh, no, it's totally fine,” Dani reassured. “Do you want to go see them unload the animals for the petting zoo?” Zoe asked Imogene who nodded excitedly. “Go ahead,” Kim told her niece. “Stay where I can see you,” the other woman tells the two girls. “Okay,” they call out and run off. “Hey, you're the new pediatrician, right?” Gabby asks. “Yeah, Holly Thelan. Nice to meet you. I’m the new pediatrician, just moved here from New York,” she replies. “Well, welcome. Thanks for volunteering on your day off,” Dani tells her with a smile. “Yeah, my pleasure. I'll see you guys,” Holly tells them. 

“Hey, I guess I'll go get started with registration,” Gabby tells Matt. “You’ll sign me in and we can meet at the starting line?” Dani asked her, stretching out her limbs. Gabby nodded. “Have a good race, I’ll be rooting for you,” Matt tells Gabby, pressing a kiss to her cheek. They finished setting up pretty much everything so Matt offered to walk with her to go find Gabby. The two girls go running past them with huge smiles and balloons in their hands. “Wait for me!” one of them called out. “Hey, I like the balloons,” Matt called out to them. Dani watches them with a smile and goes to nudge Matt when an explosion goes off in the hospital. The blast throws the two friends to the concrete and the world goes black for a moment. Dani’s ears were ringing and she felt someone shaking her shoulder. She let out a few coughs before blearily opening her eyes, spotting Matt checking her over quickly. She pushed herself up so she was sitting and took a moment to take in the chaos. A man with a bloody leg was limping away from the scene, and those that weren’t hurt too badly had already begun helping where they could. She could hear screaming and crying through the ringing in her ears.

 “Danielle,” Matt called again and she could hear him clearer than before. “Oh my god,” is all she says as Matt stood up and grabbed her hand, helping her up. The two of them started walking towards the wreckage. There were cars flipped over and burning as they assessed the scene, a chunk of the hospital gone and crumbling. “Matt, look, the girls!” Dani took off for them. “Girls! Girls, can you hear me?” she asks, sliding to her knees in front of them, “Are you hurt?” “My head,” Imogene groans. “My tummy hurts,” Zoe tells her. “Hey. What's your name?” Matt asks a man who was getting up next to them, a bleeding wound on his head. “Vaughn,” he tells him. “Vaughn. I need you to run around to the other side of the hospital... and check to see if the ICU is intact…” Matt trails off as Vaughn ends up collapsing. “Hey! Hey!” Matt tries to wake him. “Oh, my God! Zoe!” Kim runs over and kneels beside Dani. “Imogene got knocked in the head. Zoe said her stomach hurts. This man just passed out,” Matt tells her, moving to assess the man. “Im? Im, talk to me, sweetheart. You know where you are?” Holly asked as she too kneels with the girls. “I'm at the race,” she mumbles. “That's right, honey. Are you okay, baby?” Holly asks. Sirens blared as emergency vehicles began arriving. “Ow!” Zoe cried. “Oh, my God. I think she might have a cracked rib,” Holly told Kim. Matt looked around for a moment before looking back to the women. “Hey. E.R.'s gone. We'll use that tent as triage,” he told them. “Okay, good.” They all nodded and jumped into action picking up the girls. “Everyone, this tent will serve as triage! Start moving people off the street and out of the rubble! Anyone that can help us, help us!” Matt yells. 

“Can you move?” Dani asked Vaughn who had started sitting up again. “I think so,” he told her and Dani grabbed his arm, pulling him up and helping him over to the tent where paramedics were already beginning to triage people. “Chief! Chief!” Matt called out as he and Dani pushed through the crowd after spotting the trucks. “Big explosion, no idea of the cause,” he tells the Chief. “You okay?” he asks the two firefighters, pointing at Dani’s cheek where there was a thin line of now drying blood. “Yeah, we’re fine,” Matt starts. “It’s just a flesh wound, triage in that tent. E.R. took it hard,” Dani told the chief. “Alright, people are gonna be trapped up on those higher floors,” Herrmann says, stepping beside the Chief. “Okay, you, Otis, and Mouch... you get the aerial moving,” Chief orders. Herrmann nods, rushing off. “Exterior oxygen and fuel tanks are on the other side of the building. This couldn't have been an accident,” Chief begins briefing the situation as Otis and Mouch hand Matt and Dani extra turnout jackets and gloves. “A bomb?” Matt asks. “The structure's unstable. Where's Dawson?” Chief asked. “Oh, God. She went inside,” Matt’s eyes widened. “Dawson's in there?” Severide asks. “We think so,” Dani told him. “We'll get her,” Severide assures Matt. “Go! Cruz, Mills, stay back!” Chief orders and everyone else gets to work.  

There was still debris falling closest to the collapsed zone. “Fire department, call out!” Severide yelled as the others pushed debris off of people they could easily get to. They helped people up and took trips carrying those who couldn’t walk over to triage. “Gabby? Call out!” Kelly yelled. “Hey! Dr. Arata, right?” Matt yelled up to a familiarish looking man. “Yeah,” he called back. “Did Gabby Dawson come in here? Have you seen her?” Matt asks. “Dawson... I did. I left her at the nurses' station,” the doctor told him. “She on this floor?” Kelly asked but the doctor burst into a coughing fit. “Hey! Casey, there's a ton of pockets in here. We'll find her,” Kelly tells Matt as Dani comes back over. “Hey! If you can move at all, get away from the exposed wall! Move back towards the center!” she calls out, noticing some people dangerously close to the edge of the exposed floors. “Gabby! Anyone! Call out!” Matt yelled.

“Hey! Hey! Seriously? What's your problem?” Matt yells as two men try to push past a man who was on the ground with a gurney. “We need to get this man out of here,” one of them tells him. “Here, take it,” Matt pulls the other person out of the way and he groans. “Hey, listen! A lot of people need to get out of here, all right?” Matt yells at them. Creaking sounded and Kelly looked up at the ceiling. “Casey, get back!” he yells but it's too late and part of the ceiling collapses. Matt coughs as Kelly helps him up. “I'm okay,” he grunts. “I'm okay,” he reassures. “Hey, stand back,” Kelly tells one of the men who was trying to get past Matt previously. “No, you get back! This is Alim Al Safir, ambassador from Syria to the United States. Ambassador Safir was here in your city's protection, and if he's dead…” the man begins. “Capp, Tony, get this guy to the "A" wing,” Kelly ordered. “You got it,” Tony told him, climbing over some rumble. 

“Severide!” Matt yells, standing up from where he had been kneeling looking at the rubble. “Yeah?” he asks. “There's plenty of room under the debris, the way it's fallen. I'm going in. If Gabby's under there…” Matt starts and Dani shakes her head. “Casey, I don't know if that's safe. You guys get stuck under there…” Capp trails off. “We won't get stuck,” Matt tells him. “Casey, Severide, maybe you should have me go, I’m smaller and can fit through gaps easier,” Dani tries, falling back on her training. Matt looked at her with narrowed eyes as he shed his jacket, shaking his head. Dani looked at Kelly, who looked like he was debating it. “Casey, it makes sense, I follow her in,” Severide tells him. Casey still looked reluctant. “I’ll get her Matt,” Dani tells him. “Halstead,” Capp tosses her a flashlight and she sheds her jacket. “Ready?” Kelly asks and Dani nods, slithering down into the hole in the rubble. “Gabby! Hello?” Severide calls out. “Hey! Gabby! Anyone! Call out!” Dani yells. “Halstead,” Severide says from somewhere behind her. “Yeah?” she asks, pausing. “If we don't find a space big enough to turn around, we're going to have to do this backwards,” he tells her. “I know. It’ll be fine,” she tells him, crawling forwards again. “Well, it might not be the smartest course of action,” he tells her. “We're going to be smart about this now?” she asks him. “No,” he responds. “Then we keep going,” she called back over her shoulder. In the world above Herrmann and the rest of the truck's crew finished evacuating people from the floors above and began gathering with the rest of the squad. “Hey, Casey! Tony! Where's Severide and Halstead?” he asks. “Down there somewhere,” Tony told him. “All right, let's spread out. Let's go, guys. Dig 'em out.” 

“I see someone! Call out if you can hear me!” Severide yelled. Dani didn’t quite hear him. “It's not her!” he yells. “What?” Dani yelled back. “She's dead,” Severide yells. “What?!” she yells back. “It's not Dawson!” Severide yells and Dani lets out a sigh of relief. “Gabby! Anyone! Call out!” she yells. “Gabby! Call out!” Severide yells. There is a distant metal clanging. “Shh, shh, shh, shh, shh. I hear something,” Dani shushed Severide. They froze, listening carefully for the clanging. “Keep going!” he told her and with a renewed vigor the two of them crawled through the dirt and debris. “The space up ahead is too small,” Dani tells him, moving some of the smaller rocks away and trying to make the hole a little bigger. “You can do it. I'm right behind you,” Severide encouraged. Dani managed to make it wide enough for her to crawl through into the next chamber. “Hey, Herrmann? Casey? Can you hear the banging?” Severide radios to the others. “Hey! Quiet everyone! Kill that torch!” Herrmann shouted. They listened carefully for any kind of banging and it didn’t take long to hear the faint metal banging. “Is that you, Severide?” Herrmann asks. “No.” Banging continues. “That's from over there!” Casey yells and everyone jumps into action, moving debris piles. 

“Gabby! Gabby! Gabby,” Dani shouted as she shined the light and spotted a figure. “You came,” the other woman muttered as she quickly moved into a crouch, trying to check her over. “How bad?” Dani asked her. “It's just my head, but I think I'm okay. Matt and you okay?” Gabby asks, as Dani takes a closer look at the large cut on the side of her head. “Yeah, we’re both fine. Matty’s freaking out up there, trying to get to you,” she tells her. “Damn, Dawson. You look like hell,” Kelly says as makes his way into the space behind Dani. They all laugh. “I'm not 100% sure I'm not dreaming,” Gabby tells them. “Hey, guys, Halstead and I have Dawson. She's alive,” Kelly calls into the radio. The guys cheer and applaud. “We're not out of the woods yet, boys! Let's get this concrete off of them!” Herrmann yells. They worked swiftly to uncover them and set a ladder down in. “Drop the basket,” Severide tells them. The two of them carefully place Gabby on it and strap her in. “Ready to get out of here?” Dani asks her. “Yeah,” Gabby nods. “Lift her up!” There was more cheers and applause along with welcome backs from the guys as they helped Gabby free from the basket. Once Gabby was cleared Severide gestured for her to climb up before him. She was clapped on the back as she moved away from the area so Kelly could climb up. Matt was holding Gabby tight, relief evident on his face. The whole of house 51 migrated from the debris to grab water and rest for a moment as another company arrived and took their place. Dani leaned on a barricade, watching the scene when she noticed a blue SUV with flashing red and blue pulled up. Jay Halstead and the rest of the intelligence unit climbed out, looking around. Dani’s green eyes met Jay’s and he gave her a subtle nod in greeting before he followed his unit. “Hey, Chief, commissioner's here,” Severide says. 

The commissioner walks over to them. “Fire commissioner,” Chief greets. “Deputy District Chief just brought me up to speed,” the commissioner tells him. “Dark day, sir,” is all Boden has to say. “That, it is. Listen, I am informed that you and your men from Firehouse 51 were first on scene and saved dozens of lives today,” the commissioner tells him. “Yeah. Plus one of our own,” Boden says. “Well… You can fall back, let some relief do some digging,” the commissioner tells him. Chief Boden looked at the company, everyone had stood, looking ready to get back to work, giving him the impression that they weren’t willing to leave so soon. “We think we'll stay,” Boden tells the commissioner. 

[snekthedemonnoodle]

okay guys, i said i would post the first few bits of the story im working on. it doesnt have a name for now, but rb with suggestions ig

enjoy!

March 3rd

My mom insisted on picking me up today, but she said that she would be late, so I waited outside after school. I sat on one of the benches that no one really uses and listened to music while studying for about an hour and a half. A couple minutes before my mom pulled in, she walked out. She looks at me in weird ways that I can’t seem to figure out. And every time I catch her looking, she smiles crookedly and looks away.

I wonder what she sees when she looks at me.

March 7th

I could feel them looking at me in science like my presence makes them uncomfortable. I felt their eyes from behind me and the tension when we tried to go into the classroom at the same time. 

I just need to forget about them. They’re the past. They didn’t like me for me. They were manipulative and toxic.

I’m pretty sure the universe decided that our friendship was doomed to fail. 

March 13th

She’s beautiful. Short, fluffy brown hair. She loves music- she wears a band hoodie almost every day.  Her friends like her a lot, and I can see why. She’s always with them, laughing at some joke that she made. But she doesn’t know that she’s a little too loud when she laughs. 

From afar, anyone can tell that she’s super close with her inner circle. 

I wish I was part of it.

March 21st

I knew that they were gonna try to get me back one day. They caught me washing my hands in the bathroom. They started with an apology- obviously. When I walked away, towards my locker, they followed me all the way there, trying to make me forgive them.

I’m not that gullible.

Our friendship only benefited them, not me. They kept me around for nothing and any time I tried to bring up the fact that they didn’t talk or text me for two months they blamed me. 

Eventually, I got mad at their begging. I looked them in the eye and said no for the last time. I pushed past them, storming out the front doors and speed walking home in fear that they were following.

Knowing them, it's not the last time they’ll try to get me back.

March 25th

After school today, I went out into town. My family’s favorite ice cream shop opened today and we’re always there the day it opens. I walked down the sidewalk, listening to my playlist on shuffle.

I stopped at the crosswalk and press the cross button. Then, her and her two closest friends came walking down the sidewalk. They stopped at the crosswalk. Her friends were laughing about something on their phone, but she looked up at me. She smiled that same crooked smile that I’ve gotten to know too well these last few weeks. 

As she opened her mouth to speak, the light switched from stop to go. Her friends grab her arm and walk across. I followed after a second, jogging when the light started counting down. One of her friends said something, and she doubled down with laughter. 

I don’t know why she acknowledges my existence.

But.

It kind of feels nice.

April 2nd

My last class is with her, but they’re there too. I sit in front of her, and I can feel her eyes. Not in a creepy way. Unlike a certain someone who sits two seats away from me to the right. I know they’re not staring at me directly, but I can feel the tension coming from their direction. 

Now they’re both staring at me. Great.

After class, I walked to my locker to grab some math notes I had forgotten. Their locker is in the same hallway as mine, and I felt their eyes on me as I searched my backpack for my notebook. I felt their eyes on me as I slammed my locker door and turned away. As I walked out of the building. 

[mettywiththenotes]

Machia’s Cloak

What makes me laugh is how there is no explanation as to why Giganto Machia had a cloak over him when he was first introduced (in Kiri’s flashback)

The only explanation I can think of is that Ujiko put that cloak over him and was like “yes! a perfect disguise! nobody will know what he looks like now!”

I can kinda see it if Machia was gonna be discriminated against, because while Hero Society preaches that “Some people born different are good too”, people still discriminate against others who look different, so there IS the chance of Machia being attacked, which wouldn’t dent him at all but it would cause Machia to fight and, well, put a target on his back. Which Ujiko/AFO didn’t really need, especially when they were in the process of kidnapping/killing Heroes

But the cloak didn’t even HIDE Machia well, it still outlines him as this big monstrous figure! It didn’t change his height! Especially with how Machia threatened Mina and the girls, there was no way he was gonna stay out of view

I think it’s one of those things that shows, in little ways, how Ujiko and the League try to stay out of sight so they don’t get attention from the authorities. They try to blend in. Hiding Machia didn’t even change much of anything (his height, the power he holds, the threat of said power) but I guess it did stop him being attacked outright, which would have compromised the mission of kidnapping/killing Heroes

Idk, upon first glance its like “haha that cloak doesn’t even hide him that well! what a bad attempt at a disguise” but when you look deeper, I guess it was a strategy in order to get away with doing something far worse than just going out into public

The League/Ujiko ARE Villains who do reject society, but in order to get away with it, you also kinda need to act the part of “just another civilian”. Machia, in that scene, IS a bad guy. But because of how society has developed with heteromorphs and such, within that context, he looks like he could just be another civilian except with a rougher personality

Kinda makes me think about how if Machia went out without the cloak, he would have been immediately attacked/questioned because of his hulking figure (ESPECIALLY if he went up to Mina and the girls, because he was cornering them anyway), but with it, he hides himself in order to be left alone

Which is kinda how society works. Like “you can exist, just hide yourself so I don’t have to see it”, you know? Even if its just a cloak, it works.

It works in the favor of Ujiko/AFO so their creation doesn’t get questioned and targeted, but it also works in favor of the civilians to feel “safe”, even when a big hulking figure such as Machia threatens a group of school girls

(Btw did anybody even follow up on that incident? Were Heroes called to the scene, and did they try to find Machia?)

It’s the same as Tomura wearing his hoodie out at the mall, hiding his face and acting like an excitable nice Hero fan, Dabi wearing that rain coat outfit that hid his burns and his features, Toga wearing her school outfit (because the world was just a tad nicer to a schoolgirl), and even Twice wearing that paper bag over his head (because of him “splitting” but also because his face is what caused him to be discriminated against as well as the mental illness and lack of support system). All of these disguises hide who they are, and sometimes, they make them blend in with the general civilians in order to not be targeted

I think it was the same thing with Machia, that he couldn’t go out into the world without hiding how he looked, lest he immediately be seen as suspicious (he was suspicious either way, cuz he threatened the girls, but at least the cloak didn’t make him LOOK like an attacker)

I’m just thinking about that scene, and what the point of the cloak was. It is funny that it doesn’t even hide him well, but I think it also points to disguises and how just the simple act of covering up and blending in in Hero Society makes you less suspicious, regardless of whether your intentions are good or not

Just thinking thoughts

[bcofl0ve]

dad austin is so cute but i neeeed to know your thoughts on a pregnancy scare w austin and priscilla actress!reader please 😌

ik who sent this hi callie :* but yes as you and the conference room™️ know i have many #thoughts it’s headcanon time. also s/o to the og on this @elvisabutler every time i remember the “i though i was pregnant” text headcanon i want to roll around on the floor screaming.

- you have a gut feeling when you’re more nauseous than you’ve ever been in your life. you tell baz you’re puking too much to come into set on the way to the pharmacy. you don’t tell austin.

- when everyone is getting ready for the day baz mentions in passing that they have to push back shooting the post-vegas show graceland scene because you’re sick. austin thinks it’s weird you didn’t tell him you were calling in. he thinks it’s weirder when you don’t answer his calls or texts.

- by the time he’s showing up at your flat at the end of the day you’ve taken 6 tests and haven’t stopped crying since the 3rd one came back positive. you know who it is when the doorbell rings.

- you splash some water on your face and blow your nose and throw all the tests in the trash before you answer the door. but your eyes are puffy and the second he asks what’s going on the waterworks start again.

- poor clueless austin has no idea what’s happening and is holding you telling you it’s okay begging you to talk to him. when you babble out that it’s so bad and that he’s going to be pissed he tells you whatever it is, you can figure it out.

- you pull back from where you were just sobbing into his shoulder, breathing shaky as the words “i think i’m pregnant” leave your mouth and he goes as white as a piece of printer paper.

- “okay,” he says slowly, trying to maintain his composure for you. “okay, you took a test?”

- you can practically see the lump form in his throat when you say “six”

- you mention something about calling your doctor to get a blood test and he just nods along, pupils blown and he looks almost as sick as you’ve felt all day. but he takes you back into his arms and kisses your head and tells you that you’re gonna figure this out- and that it’s going to be alright.

- you’re out sick the next day too but austin has to go to set like his world wasn’t just turned upside down. something is off- it’s obvious, and about three seconds pass between baz asking him what’s up and “she’spregnant” tumbling out of his mouth. baz looks like he’s waiting for a punchline that doesn’t come, austin sinking down onto his office couch.

- you know he ran his mouth when your phone rings and it’s catherine’s caller id. you’re crying all over again the moment she says hello and she’s so sweet assuring you about costumes- though that’s the least of your worries in regards to the whole “having austin’s baby” thing. and catherine knows it, but she knows how to help with costumes- not so much that.

- austin goes with you to the doctor’s appointment and paces a hole through the floor while you’re waiting for the results. he’s talking just as much to himself as he is you about how this isn’t the end of the world. he makes a joke about naming the baby elvis that you’re surprised you laugh at.

- you aren’t pregnant.

- you’re relieved more than anything, but you see austin’s face drop just a little and it makes your gut twist. baz sees the same thing when he gets the news, looking almost a little sorry as he lightly tells you both to maybe be a little more careful.

- when you’re approaching austin’s trailer later you hear him on the phone, and he’s referring to whoever’s on the other end as ashley but you aren’t sure if it’s his sister or best friend.

- “i know i sound ridiculous mournin’ something that didn’t exist in the first place” he says and you stop short of opening the door to eavesdrop. “but i had started picturing what it’d all look like, had this whole picture in my head of us with a little baby. little dressed up toddler running around the premiere in a few years,”

- you turn tail and walk away instead of listening to the rest. never mind the baby names tab you still have open in safari, or the ‘what if’ that still keeps you up at night over a year later when he’s with kaia.

[like pa actress!reader? check out my series here]

[inutaffy]

could you maybe tell me about the various byler gates ? when you have the time ?

yeah sure!

so there were a bunch of theories after vol1 drop (we didn't call them gates then) and after vol2 they all started to get fleshed out and with the joke of "watergate" made by dustin (and vecna opening all those gates) we just kinda adopted it for different theories for season 5 or analysis about byler or season 4

scriptgate: this is the non show related one. so 8flix is a site that like gives scripts to people/public (film students use it etc) and there was a gofundme to donate to 8flix and like you would get your email signed up on the list and then the stranger things script sent you. the first one was episode 8 (vol2) basically it was supposed to come early august. like august 3rd or something i do not remember exactly but nick (8flix guy) got a lot more people on his email list than ever, and he wanted to do it one by one rather than a big release so we waited like 3 days or so (THIS TIME PERIOD IS SO ICONIC HONESTLY HILARIOUS SO MANY MUTUALS MADE.) there was like people drinking sangrias, i made a pizza, people were making crafts in the tag, it was a big sleepover. very fun, each time it got delayed it was funnier and funnier 😭. anyways we finally got the scripts (but at what cost) and they were so fuckinf depressing there was not a dry eye in the house. will said "i hate who i am" and nancy said "jonathan who?" it was terrible. and a couple days later stranger writers basically implied they were fake. like they were fake scripts. AND THEN EVERYONE TURNED ON NICK. it was a big thing but basically he was saying they weren't fake, and there's 2 big theories: that either he had very early scripts or just a bad source. anyways netflix said he could keep posting them as long as it wasn't revealing anything that wasn't already known (spoilers for season 5 i guess) (worth noting that when nick got his acc hacked on twitter "he" said shit like he was gonna name his source and 2 actors had confirmed the scripts. he was hacked so ignore this. i believe him at least)

letter gate: theory that mike has written letters to will while he was gone but never sent them, also most people believe that he kept said letter in his pocket in the custom blue shirt he wore throughout season 4

pocket gate: finn mentioned this in the hair chair before the st costume designers said this but, they made him a custom shirt (the iconic one for season 4.) few things to know! the pocket opens sideways, it looks like there could be something in it (because it never creases), the costume designers used triangle imagery on robin because of its meaning to the queer community and the pocket is a blue square with a grey triangle, and the pocket was mostly pointing towards will the entire season, will was always on mikes left! very few times was it pointing towards anyone else

breathgate: so i THINK this gate is about mike and max paralelling/lumax+byler endgame secured. so when mike saw the painting in the scripts that the stranger writers twt released it said "his breath catches" and when max was asked by lucas if she wanted to go to a movie friday it said "her breath catches." this could also be about how byler... breathed in sync when they were out in the field in the ending scene. or it could be about that very deep breath mike took when he was looking at will when they were in the van!

bald mike wheeler: i don't wanna talk about it <- traumatized 😶 KIDDING anyways so people basically edited this pic of mike in the hell fire outfit as bald and started creating a "cult" out of it and making their mutuals and friends worship bald mike. byler tag chaos obvi. my mutual rori sent like 20 images in my inbox. i was frightened.

matt duffers basement: ok so someone was pretending to be matt duffer on tumblr and made an "official" account and idk how really but people started claiming he was locking him in his basement and people started making a joke out of it and the person running the account played along too lmao. it was a sleepover in there

twilightgate: basically people editing mike and will's faces on edward and bella . don't miss that era .

wormgate: OK THIS COULD EITHER BE ABOUT THE TIME PERIOD WERE PEOPLE PUT MIKE AND WILL'S FACES ON WORMS OR ITS ABOUT MIKE OR WILL ASKING THE OTHER "would you still love me if i was a worm" i think it's the former tho

mikhailgate+background guy gate+wills love interest gate: they're all connected im sorry. so mikhail is enzo/dmitri's son, and people started theorizing saying mikhail was going to make an apperance in hawkins i forgot the logistics of it, but basically he's boris from the goldfinch but like. stranger things. so he looks like mike but more russian LMAO. i forgot the- willhail! that was the ship name! basically so mike could be a jealous bitch they made up an entire character! there was fanfic and fanart, people were serious. background guy, were basically taking a bunch of extras and making characters around them. like that dude with "hell" on his shirt i think his name was brett, there was fanart of him ! and then the goth girl that looks similar to eden was el's gf apparently! those 2 are most prominent i forgot the others. and will's love interest was just all of this. people would even take people from other media. like i saw one that had miguel from cobra kai (apparently argyles cousin 💀)

birthdaygate/memory gate: so this one i don't keep up with because i don't like it. i know what it's about though! so will's birthday is mar 22nd and people in the pre vol2 era thought his bday was gonna get addressed in vol2 but it wasn't so now there's a big conspiracy that it's going to have a bigger play out in s5 (like him blowing up at everyone /mike etc) but some people think it's because vecna can... steal memories. this claim is backed up by the lyric "let me steal this moment from you now" from running up that hill. someone can explain this gate better than me

babygirl gate: someone made a tweet that made it to tumblr basically saying will was rubbing his back whispering babygirl in mikes ear so he could say i love you to el/his girlfriend. which sparked people to make will's quotes to mike say babygirl instead of mike(his name.)

decedants gate: is just like twilight gate. i forgor if mike is mal and will is ben. i think that's right. yeah. it was cool!! comparing byler to their relationship!! about how mal chose to be with ben because he makes her happy!

playlistgate: mike has a very queer coded playlist, promiently "smalltown boy" by bronski beat. it's a song about running away/leaving. this could also be about finn's playlist called "drive" which could be a playlist for mike (it's known that he makes playlists for his characters.) or this could be about (tender emotional music) and how the stranger things sound track proves byler endgame! or about how spotify /st took off a bunch of peoples playlists (some songs off mike and maybe will's too i think.) im not Exactly sure what this one is about.

flickergate: !!!!!!! MY FAV!!!!! season 5 theory mike and will go to the upside down and kiss in the wheelers garage! REMEMBER HOW MIKES GARAGE LIGHT FLICKERED AS WILL LEFT? byler kiss secured! that "it was a 7. the demogorgon, it got me." WAS THEIR FIRST REAL ONSCREEN CONVERSATION! also where everything went wrong, and immense forshadowing. any 7 is a byler number. also the upside down is stuck on nov 6 (day will went missing) so they would technically kiss on that day. a lot smarter person can explain this one.

salt lamp gate: basically a pic of mike licking a salt lamp and people in the byler tag talking about licking their salt lamps . i don't know what prompted this

gridgate: so duffers posted this story boarding grid (blank) back in like end of august/september. and then updated it but it was BLURRED. they blurred it. fucking tease. so people started to unblur it and read what it says but u couldn't make out anything really. and something we thought was a drawing was a pen holder. upsetting. what the hell. they were making fun of us. anyways we were insane for that.

things i'm not smart enough to cover or idk what they're about: 8:15 gate, ikea gate, google maps gate, mjgate, white rabbit gate

anyone feel free to add on!/tell me anything i missed!

[messrmoonyy]

Have you seen that popular post of tonks going to Remus class after the war and taking teddy with her? cood your write something with that? Please 😃

I sure have anon! I loved this. Some happiness amongst all the angsty asks I have lmao.

I took some mild creative liberties with the conversational abilities of portraits and the timeline is slightlyyyy wobbly. But enjoy

Read my other writing in my masterlist and feel free to drop me a request

Pairing: Remus lupin x Nymphadora Tonks

Warnings: none

When Tonks woke up Remus was already gone, her fingers reached around blindly on his side of the bed and found nothing but cold sheets and she groaned. In the year that they had been living at Hogwarts with Remus back teaching again, she had gotten herself into the habit of waking up with him. But Teddy had simply refused to sleep last night so she had been up for hours with him so that Remus could sleep. She opened her eyes and saw there was a steaming mug of tea on the bedside dresser with a little note propped against it and she reached over to grab it.

'My dear Dora,

Don't be mad at me for not waking you, you needed to rest. I checked on Teddy before I left. I have a class of 6th years 3rd period so feel free to come down if you want to. I have a free afternoon too, so tea in Hogsmede?

Yours always, Remus'

She smiled and sat up in bed stretching her arms up above her head with a yawn, grimacing slightly as her arm popped. It was one of the main reasons she still hadn’t gotten back fully into working herself, an injury from the war that still hadn’t recovered. The curse still that had hit her making it seem like it might not ever recover properly. Madam Pomfrey saw her once a week to help with it, but it wasn’t much better really.

She felt quite useless some days. She was desperate to get back into working again. She was never one for just lazing around doing nothing. She had been offered her job back at the ministry when ever she was ready to return to it, a hefty promotion waiting for her too. She still dis small things for the ministry, Kingsley has worked very closely with her and Remus on getting equal rights for Lycanthropes, made wolfsbane much more accessible. But for now she didn’t really mind that much, it meant having plenty of time with Remus and Teddy. Now in terms of work she she just helped out around the school where she could, because they didn't mind if she brought Teddy along with her. Some days she helped out in the hospital wing, her extensive knowledge on healing coming in handy. Other days helped with Minervas homework study groups, helped Remus plan his classes, she kept busy.

Teddy started to fuss and she got out of bed with a roll of her shoulder to try ease the morning pain. She peered into his cot to see him wide eyed and awake. He had Remus’ eyes. Big and brown and beautiful. He looked so much like Remus, she knew the older he got he’d simply be a double of his dad. Minerva was already joking that with them looking so identical now she would resign the day he was old enough to attend Hogwarts. With Remus and Tonks as his parents he was certain to have a mischievous streak in him for certain. It was practically fate.

" my silly boy huh " she said as she saw he’d managed to completely change ends he was sleeping on. She smiled, rolling her eyes with a smile and picked him up. His hair was a vibrant shade of red today, like the phone boxes back in London. His hair was the one of the only thing that seemed to change about him at the moment but he was already starting to control it. He had seemed to have learnt how to change his hair to match who he wanted to be held by when he was particularly grumbly. Which made things particularly difficult if they were staying at the Weasleys. But also quite cute when they would visit Harry and a little scar would appear on his head. She didn't even mind that just lately it would go brown more often than pink because seeing Remus and Teddy together was one of the greatest feelings in the world. Seeing Remus happy was one of the greatest feelings in the world. Because he so often would wake up in the night in a cold sweat as his nightmares replayed all the trauma of the war back to him. But work kept him distracted. And Teddy did. And she did. And though he would never admit it, the fact that he was sole income for the family now kept him motivated too.

She carried him over to her bed and sat down with to feed him, knowing that must be the reason he was fussing. It was quite peaceful sitting there in her room with him, it was raining outside and the rain hitting the window panes was almost melodic. Remus loved the rain and she’d grown to love it as well, sometimes convincing him to go out dancing around in it with her. If she listened closer she could hear the chatter of the children, she glanced at the clock and saw second period would be starting in 5 minutes so they were noisily moving between their classes. Even though there were no classrooms by the teachers wing in the castle, she could still hear them.

When Teddy had had his fill she propped him up on her pillows as she opened up his little wardrobe to get him something to wear. There was a quidditch friendly later on the evening, so she pulled out his little hufflepuff quidditch jumper ready. Molly had knitted it for him and it was an almost perfect replica. Even though Harry had tried to convince her he should be wearing Gryffindor. But even Remus agreed Teddy would be a hufflepuff. Through and through.

" wanna go see daddy teach later, hmm? You like being in his classroom don't you? Mummy does too because daddy looks very handsome in his teaching robes doesn't he? He does " she said as started to get him changed, unhooking his foot that he had shoved into his mouth “ are you going to be a good boy whilst he’s teaching? My good boy huh? “ Teddy gurgled an answer and went back to trying to get his foot into his mouth again.

With a half hour or so to go until his 6th year class she left their quarters and took Teddy down to his second favourite place in the castle. In one of the corridors off the main entrance hall a long row of portraits of those that had been lost in the war had been hung. Including one of Sirius. The first time they had seen it both Remus and Dora had cried only to have had the painted Sirius tell them both to grow a pair. But getting to introduce Teddy to his family was worth it, even if it did still make her emotional to see his face and hear his voice again.

When she reached Sirius frame he wasn't in it and she rolled her eyes knowing exactly where he would be. She walked down a couple more portraits to Fred Weasleys. And there was Sirius. Turns out even painting Sirius and Fred were mischievous and Sirius acted like the marauder he once was around Fred as they tried to play pranks on the others in the hall.

" do you ever actually stay in your frame?" Tonks said with a smile, bouncing Teddy lightly on her hip.

" Tonksie! And my little man! " Teddy started laughing as he heard Sirius voice and made grabby hands towards him. Tonks held him to the frame and Sirius pulled stupid faces at the little boy making him laugh even more. She wished Sirius was still around to truly play with Teddy. To make him laugh and turn him into the little prankster she knew he would grow up to be. But a portrait would all she was going to get nowadays. So she took what she could get " where's moons? Teaching? "

" yeah. We're going to see him now. Arent we Ted? Gonna see daddy? “ Teddy’s hair shifted brown at the mention of his dad and with a slight worry he would start crying and disturb classes, she said a quick goodbye to Sirius and made her way down to Remus’ classroom. She was a little early but Remus tended to let his class go early if he knew she was coming down.

And as exactly as she had suspected he had let his 3rd years go early when she arrived and they were piling out of the room. They all smiled as they saw her, all of Remus’ students knowing who she was.

" morning Mrs Lupin! "

" hi Ted! Hi Mrs Lupin! "

" good morning Mrs Lupin, oh hiyya Teddy! " some of the children greeted her as they left the classroom and she smiled at them all eagerly still just loving the sound of ' Mrs Lupin ' as she stepped into the classroom Remus had his back to her, tidying something on his desk and she snuck up behind him, wrapping her free arm around his waist.

" hi " she said softly and stood up on her tip toes to kiss his cheek. He turned in her embrace immediately, a smile gracing his faces the sight of his family. He leant down to kiss her only to be disturbed by Teddy yanking on his hair.

" oh I'm sorry, does someone feel left out? " Dora said with a laugh and handed him over to Remus who kissed his nose and both his chubby cheeks.

" kisses for both my favourite people " he held the baby boy up in the air and playfully tried to bite at his little feet making Teddy squeal in delight. Remus was well and truly in his element as a father. He had taken to the role so well and it warmed Doras heart watching them together. He may have had a rocky start. But he was more than making up for it now. He doted on his son, spoilt him completely rotten and showed him all the love and affection she’d known he’d had in him from the start.

Teddy soon became disinterested and far more interested in the model of some small creature on his desk. Remus handed it to him and sat him down on the floor as he gurgled to himself, inspecting the skull as if it was the most amazing thing he’d ever seen.

“ did you catch up on your sleep? “ Remus asked turning to Dora then as she watched Teddy with a smile “ you look tired darling “ he pulled her into, his hands on her waist. She gave a small shrug and looked up at him. His face was mildly concerned. He always worried too much. Always.

“ a bit “

“ you should’ve stayed in bed. Gotten some more rest “

" I’m fine Remus. Honestly. Besides. I like watching you teach " she said with a smile and hopped up to sit on his desk after a look towards Teddy. He was still babbling to himself as he investigated the small skull, still insanely amused by it.

" people aren't allowed to sit on my desk you know " Remus said and moved to stand in front of her, his hand reaching up to tuck her hair behind her ear.

“ if I recall we’ve done much more than sit on this desk Mr Lupin “ his cheeks flushed and she couldn’t help the giant grin on her face. After all the time since they’d first met she could still get him flustered. She loved it.

" you're a tease you know that? " he murmured and pressed a kiss to her cheek.

" I'm well aware. But you married me didn't you? You signed up for it " he smiled and she brushed her lips against his with an smile to match his. Though he’d barely kissed her for a second when there was the sound of children in the corridor, his next class arriving. Dora gave a small sigh and pressed a quick kiss to his lips before hopping off of the desk and picking up Teddy.

“ you’ll stay? “ Remus asked, straightening up his desk and pulling her back in gently before she could go “ it’s mostly just a study lesson, you won’t be a bother darling “ how could she say no to him when he was looking at her like that? He made her melt. She gave a nod and pressed a kiss to his cheek, before retreating to the back of the classroom so she and Teddy wouldn’t get in the way “ in you come class! “ the children piled in, some stopping briefly to talk to Tonks and Teddy before finding their seats.

She’d attended so many of his classes by now and she’d never seen any children really misbehave. They all seemed to love him, all listening with pure interest in everything he had to say. And maybe it was his parental instinct, but he was practically a father to some of them. They went to him for advice, just to talk, some of the more quiet students would even seek him out at lunch break so they didn’t have to eat alone. There were the odd few that were still coming to terms with the new easing of laws regarding werewolves, having grown up around people always saying they were bad. But everyone quickly grew to love him.

Just like she’d said they would.

He’d been a little hesitant to take on his old job after the war and had declined twice before finally accepting. She’d had the joy of watching him flourish after returning to work, he was truly in his element. He was happier. More confident than ever. And she loved him even more for it.

Teddy remained quite as Remus started teaching, always looking at his father almost in awe. He only became a little restless when Remus set the students off to do their own working, a quiet chatter filling the classroom.

“ Mrs Lupin? “ Tonks turned her head as she heard her name and smiled as Ravenclaw girl looked at her expectantly “ could you give me a hand with this one? “ she happily walked over to the girls desk, crouching down to help her with her questions on the behaviours of Pukwudgies. Teddy continued to wiggle around as she tried to help the student so placed him down to sit by her feet.

She had only taken her eyes off of him for a few moments , but Teddy took his chance and wiggled out of his mothers grasp and crawled away to sit at Remus foot who was stood a few desks away helping a student himself.

" oh- Teddy " Dora hissed and went to snatch her child back to their place in the back of the classroom. But Remus simply bent down and picked Teddy, not even stopping his explanation to his student , and placed him on his hip which made Teddy clap his chubby little hands excitedly. Tonks finished helping the girl before hurrying over to Remus, ready to relieve him of their son. But Remus declined with a smile.

“ it’s okay. Have a break. He’s fine sweetheart “

He held him for the rest of the lesson , even when he brought the classes attention back to the front for the final part of his lecture. He held Teddy in his arm and acted as if it was a perfectly normal thing to teach about the life expectancies of dark creatures with a small child on your hip. None of the students seemed fazed by it either and Dora sat at the back of classroom with a smile so wide it hurt her cheeks. Nothing would ever come close to the sight of Remus happy. So at ease with being a father now, so at ease back in front of classroom. Helping. Teaching. Shaping small futures as he has always dreamt of doing.

And of course the cherry on top. His family. Something he had never thought he could have. He was finally living the life she’d wanted him to have since that first meeting back when she joined the Order. The war was over. He had lived most of his life in war. And now he was finally free. Free with her. And their son.

[a-funny-little-sunflower]

Yandere Elves stuck in Mandos Au Part 1

In this Au, our lovely Yandere Elves are now in Mandos domain, some are there for longer than others but the thing to remember is that they are currently unable to leave, but it is possible to break out, but keep in mind that this is an incredibly difficult feat. So, unless they manage to escape, they are unable to see their darling, and because these elves are Yandere’s, this face upsets them incredibly.

The elves that are currently being kept in Mandos is Feanor, Fingolfin, Celegorm, Fingon, Glorfindel, Finwe, Maedhros, Maglor and many more! Requests are open for more elves so don’t be afraid to ask! They don’t even have to be canonically in Mandos.

So, because of this, misbehaviour in Mandos began to run rampant and arguments, as well as physical fighting, broke out easily.

Now, Mandos decided that he needed to find a way to stop this, so he set up a reward system to keep the elves in check. One of the first few things put in place was the production of pictures in the likeness of the elves s/o. The reward system was simple, if you behave well, you get pictures of your s/o.

The pictures quickly became a hot commodity in Mandos. Can't see your darling? Pull out that photo and try not to get anything on it.

However, some of the elves decided that a simple picture of their s/o was much too common of a thing to have, and the more elite elvish residence of Mandos decided to commission portraits of their s/o. That way, they could have control over what position their s/o was in or what level of clothing they were in.

However, not everyone can afford such high price portraits and so Mandos decided that he would start offering a catalogue of care packages! These care packages can vary but the cheapest one usually consists of a small magazine similar to a playboy one, except, it’s all hand-painted pictures of the s/o.

As well as that they usually have a recording of the s/o’s voice, a fleshlight, a plant that allows the owner to have more realistic and lifelike dreams of their s/o and an article of clothing belonging to their s/o. The more expensive the care package is, the more things are included.

When it comes to the making of said portraits, no one wants to be the painter for Feanor's s/o. He's already got a critical eye before Yandereness. Can you imagine if you mess up her face or something like that? If you mess up a single feature of his beloved, he's gonna mess up your entire bodily anatomy.

However, Mandos sees the potential to expand the lines of communication once more. Mandos has recently installed a Palantir so that the Elves can communicate with their s/o’s. Some of the families even have Palantir in their quarters.

Palantir’s are used for facetime or sending messages to s/o. The Palantir glows in preparation for an incoming message, and it’s even possible to send ‘gifts’ or audios with the Palantir. However, there aren’t enough Palantir’s for everybody. They are normally used by the elite, like princes or elven lords. But Mandos has to decide who gets them since there's a limited quantity.

The problems about the Palantir’s starts when there isn't enough and Feanor keeps hogging all the airtime. This leads Fingolfin to confront Feanor by saying, “stop hogging the Palantir, I want to talk to my s/o too!”, which quickly develops into pushing and shoving.

Eventually, the solution they came to at council is that Feanor will be last in line to use it due to his offences of hogging airtime. If he tries to go before his turn, the Palantir will not respond to him and not send his messages, it acts as a phone without service.

(A more detailed post on the Palantir is coming soon!)

When you are unwilling to send gifts in the beginning, each of the elves reacts differently.

Some Yandere have no shame and will outright demand audios or pictures of you, but this rudeness causes Mandos to hover over them and threaten to take the Palantir away, causing the elf in question to get bitchy and glare at Mandos.

In retaliation, Mandos would snatch the Palantir, and nobody gets it. He puts it on a high shelf in his office...Which results in the elves getting on each other’s shoulders to get at it.

Eventually, Mandos decided that he will allow visitors in, which means that the elves finally get to see their s/o! In advance, Mandos set up a system that goes as follows. If you were on good behaviour, you get these rewards:

•You get to see your s/o.

•You get a calendar to mark down the days until the next visit.

•You get more time to rail the reader.

•The ability to send their s/o letters and being allowed to have pictures and painting of their s/o in their room.

Feanor’s s/o doesn’t want to visit him at first, but eventually, they are forced to go because Feanor isn't behaving and Mandos is tired of it. So, they sent Eonwe to retrieve them.

Feanor would be a combination of happy yet disappointed if s/o had to bring to Mandos by force to visit him. He would be happy that you're there but when finds out that you were forced on him, he would feel so hurt.

When visiting finally does begin, it's utter madness. Mandos would have chains over the door whenever the reader comes to visit, especially if they are visiting Feanor. Mandos is very happy about you being there because Feanor is always on good behaviour whenever you’re there. As well as that, Feanor would rail the reader for hours on end when they come to visit.

When it comes to Fingolfin, he would be tamer if his s/o were to visit him. He understands that he just died, and they've been separated, so he’s willing to wait a while, or at least, after the 2nd or 3rd visit...then he just wants to rail his s/o and be warned, Fingolfin will make it so you can’t walk for a while.

Some Yanderes like Celegorm would try to keep their s/o with them in Mandos for longer by wearing out their legs. Glorfindel will just tie you to the bed to keep you there. However, there would be some Yandere like Fingolfin and Fingon who might let you go but the thought of you all to themselves might be too tempting.

When it comes to making excuses for not visiting, there are many different ways to go about doing it.

Say you had an argument with your yandere, and you decide to punish them by not coming back for a visit, you could do that, but then the elf might act up and Mandos would bring you back by force.

If you make the excuse that you’ve been sick, you better get ready for puppy eyes, tears and begging you not to leave when you finally do come to visit.

If you use the “I’m pregnant” excuse with Celegorm to explain why you haven’t or won't visit, he will break out to come to see you. Also, if you are telling the truth about being pregnant when you finally give birth and come to visit again, Celegorm would put his dick inside you from behind while you breastfeed your child.

If you and Feanor or Celegorm have had a baby, they would be expecting to see their child on visits, and they will also want for you to stay for longer so they can have more family time.

Now when it comes to leaving, your yandere doesn’t want you to go so they may try to trap you there. Now you could try to plead with Mandos to help you leave but he might just keep her there to save himself the trouble of having to deal with a misbehaving yandere.

However, the s/o can leave if they're fast enough. By that I mean, if they can get to the gates before the hourglass runs out, they can go home but that includes running across the hall with fluids dripping out. As well as that, their legs would be aching because of how much their yandere had railed them.

But say you do manage to escape, the yandere’s only source of contact with you will be by using the Palantir, and as soon as they’ve realised that you’ve escaped, they will be demanding that you send them audios, pictures, the works.

However, you may be unwilling to send pictures of yourself, so you may decide to send fake pictures, and by that, I mean, sending a picture of someone else, for example, a picture of the famous porn actress Belle Delphine could be used.

If you sent a fake picture to Feanor, he would immediately be like “Who is this? This isn’t you; her chest is lopsided, and her body is unproportionate!” He would then proceed to demand Mandos return that picture, even though Feanor already used his weekly time at the Palantir.

With Fingolfin, the only time he gets pissed is when he doesn't get his visits from s/o or if he gets pictures of Belle Delphine. He doesn’t want those; he wants audios of his s/o in the millions. (I’m serious, he’s pulled a dagger on Mandos and demanded hours’ worth of audios of you touching yourself before.)

If you constantly make excuses to not see Fingolfin, he will break into Rivendell and bring a vibrator with him. You can try to run from him, but Fingolfin is already chasing you throughout Rivendell.

This man would be full feral at this point, he hasn't had you in God knows how long so the second he grabs you; he’ll take you to the floor to rail you. Doesn't matter if you're in public or not.

(After this incident, Elrond and Erestor make the place of limits. So, because of this, a black market of bribery emerges. Erestor takes bribes of books and silence in his library.)

When sending things to Finwe, his preference is breast pictures or pictures of your face on the brink of orgasm. If you think playing play dumb will work with him, and decide to say, “What's an orgasm?” jokes on you, he has a corruption kink, and it turns him on when you pretend not to know what he's talking about.

If you didn’t send Finrod any goods it would upset him because he thought that you loved him and would want him to be a part of everything, and he thought that you loved him enough to send such photos.

On the unlikely occasion that a Palantir ends up sending your nude picture to another elf on accident, if that elf teases the Yandere, or says that they enjoyed the picture, they're gonna wind up dead.

Now eventually, the elves are allowed to leave Mandos. After leaving Mandos, all this portrait and audio business would be something that the elves never discuss. Everyone knows that they did it, but no one talks about it, if it’s even hinted at in public every elf in the vicinity freezes.

At least until Mandos starts expanding his services….

You see, Mandos realised the potential of his reward system and the thought eventually hit him. Why not expand?

So, in short, Mandos has become the Hugh Hefner of middle earth. It all started as a reward system. Now they’re expanding their services to living people. Hey, you're on guard duty in Lothlorien or fighting orcs in Rivendell? Well go to your local Palantir and order a portrait of your s/o. They have a Maiar deliver it straight to you, and if you're royalty, one of Manwe's eagles will have it delivered to you.

He even has bargains, like you know those 75% per cent off Bath and Bodyworks sale? Mando’s would so do that. Like 75% discount on catalogues and portraits.

Every 100 years or so Mando’s would clear out all the portraits and put them in catalogues. He would sell them to humans since it would seem new to them. Therefore, Mando’s saves money on making new material.

A quote from Mandos:

A Maiar: Is this even allowed?

Mandos: Don't care. I got a business to run.

[otptings]

You Deserve It

slightly Tsundere!Taeyong

-angst (argument) , smut ( head f receiving, face fucking, emotional sex, unprotected (please wrap it before you tap it)talking during sex) 

angry/makeup sex loosely based off of this post, 

“I fucking hate you.” I stared at Taeyong, eyes filled with tears. I can’t even remember how this argument started. Same argument, different day. I’ve never said I hate you before, but all of my emotions came boiling over and I need him to feel my pain. He’s just been so nonchalant about everything recently. 

We weren’t always like this. The constant arguments, and crying. Screaming at each other for hours on end, until he walked out of the apartment. Stale mates for days until we made up or had another argument, and the cycle repeated. It was tiring and I was tired of not knowing the person who I went to bed with every night. 

Our relationship started off so sweetly. He confessed to me during our 3rd date. I remember the sun was so bright in the sky, beaming down on us. We were at a beautiful restaurant sitting on their terrace enjoying the warm weather. Taeyong was nervous, he complimented about 10 times while handing me the beautiful bouquet. I remember my face burning constantly because he was so sweet. The way he held every door open for me, and pulled the chair out for me. We laughed for hours over our food, just enjoying each others company. How he stopped eating and started up a whole speech just to confess to me.

 He wasn’t truly my type. At least that’s what I thought so. My past relationships spoke for themselves, all of them being rude, cocky assholes. However, the boy with the pink hair who couldn’t meet my eyes caught my heart. 

I couldn’t help but accept his confession. He was so incredibly sweet, and extremely attractive I’d have been stupid to reject him. He was a gentleman in every sense of the word. Our relationship was perfect or so I thought.

 I’d sneak into the music building to bring him coffee, we’d talk in the studio as he excitedly showed me his beats, and lyrics that he was working on. Sometimes I’d walk in on him and his friends as they were recording, and would hear how as soon as he stepped into the booth he exuded confidence. Every time I walked into the studio he would look up at me, his eyes bright and doey as he made eye contact with me. A smile blooming over his face, as he came to me and pulled me into his arms. Always placing a kiss on my right then left cheek in that order. 

He’d come to the library if I forgot to answer his texts. He’d always bring me a fruit smoothie because he knew that I couldn’t have caffeine. Sometimes he’d bring the smoothie along with food, or a snack because he knows that I tend to forget my meals. He’d made some noise before he approached me because he knew that I was jumpy when I was focused. Sitting down beside me he’d wrap his around me. Telling me jokes causing me to cover my mouth to hold in my laugh. Once we even got kicked out of the library because Taeyong kept on telling me telling cheesy pickup lines, and I couldn’t help but laugh.

I don’t know how our relationship became this way. I don’t know what I did to make him stop caring, or when he stopped caring. If I could’ve even stopped it from happening.

“Bedroom now.” I wanted to fight him. Tell him that I refused to listen to him if he didn’t care about our relationship. The other part of me, a different part of my brain knew that this was potentially the last time. The last time of me feeling his love, even if it isn’t truly his love. 

Walking to the bedroom I took a glance behind me to see that Taeyong was staring at me. His eyes were full of fire, and I quickly opened the bedroom door and closed it behind me. I didn’t know what he wanted me to do besides this so I just sat on our bed. 

Looking at the night stand I saw the picture of me and Taeyong from one of our last dates. Before we became like this at least. We were at the amusement park for my birthday trip. His arm is wrapped around my waist, and my arms are thrown around his neck. I have a big smile on my face as I look at the camera, and Taeyong was staring at me. Love shining in his eyes. I wiped the tears away  and looked at the door right when Taeyong walked on.

Any sadness I felt was gone. The tension in the room became incredibly thick. Taeyong pulled his shirt over his head, before making his way over the bed. Grabbing my neck Taeyong pushed me back on the bed, placing my head below where our pillows were. 

Without even talking Taeyong pulled my shorts and panties down in one go, tossing them across the room. Taeyong glared at me, a silent warning to not move, before releasing my neck and spreading my legs.

Taeyong got closer to my pussy, letting his breath ghost over it but didn't make any move. I whined and reached for his hair, but he smacked my hand away. “Don’t touch me.” Contradicting himself he instantly attached himself to my clit. Sucking on my clit causing me to let out a loud moan. I prayed that my neighbors weren’t home. 

Taeyong lightly bit my clit causing me to hiss from the pain, before running his tongue over it. Taeyong’s tongue moved lower, yet never stopped moving or even slowed. Swirling in and around my hole I couldn’t even begin to contain any of my moans. 

“Fuck Taeyong please.” I didn’t even know what I was begging for. I just felt overwhelmed not having him touch me for months, to suddenly him teasing me, constantly moving between my hole and my clit, giving them both equal attention. I didn’t know if it was because of how aroused I was or because of Taeyong’s spit (both) but I could feel myself dripping.

Without warning Taeyong inserted two of his fingers into my pussy as he sucked on my clit. I moaned as I reached for the pillows behind my head, desperate for something to hold on to. Out of reflex I felt my hips lift off of the bed, but Taeyong took his hand that was holding my thigh and pinned my hips down. 

I felt the fire in my stomach start to grow intensely  when Taeyong suddenly pulled away. His fingers never stopped moving, as he stared up at me. Anger and lust present in his eyes. Taeyong’s glare had me so overwhelmed that I came with a loud moan. 

Taeyong never still didn’t stop moving his fingers, continuing his ministrations helping me ride out of my orgasm. As I finally started to come down, I could feel the overstimulation setting in when he finally pulled his fingers out. Tapping them against my lip I opened my mouth. Sucking off all of essence from his fingers, I swirled my tongue around them making eye contact with him. Tae whispered a fuck before pulling his fingers out.

Taeyong quickly took off his sweatpants, before changing our positions so he was laying down and I was in between his legs. Taeyong was pretty in this position.  Looking down at me, hand gripping my hair as he held his tip to my lips. He was incredibly hard, his tip flushed red from the adrenaline of our argument still flowing through him. 

“Open up. Time to put your pretty mouth to good use.” Opening my mouth I made my jaw relax and let him use my throat. His thrust started off slow, but soon he quickened his past. I breathed out through my noise, feeling the tears coming to my eyes. Drool came out of my mouth every time he thrusted him, and I could feel him hit in the back of my throat. I held my thumb in my fist tightly, trying to keep my gag reflex at bay. 

Taeyong slowed his thrust and grabbed me by my throat again pulling me towards him. I straddled his lap when he grabbed my face and caressed it softly, looking in his eyes I saw that the anger had died down. For the first time in weeks he kissed me.

Our lips move in sync. I felt the tears streaming down my face, knowing that this was going to the last time. The last time we kissed, the last time we have sex, the last time I held him in my arms. Pulling away from the kiss Taeyong grabbed my face with both of his hands and wiped away my tears. “Baby I'm so sorry.” 

Taeyong started peppering kisses over my face, I felt my heart swell with joy. It’s been so long since he’s treated me like this, as if he cared that it only made me cry harder. “I’ve been so stressed out with everything recently that I’ve been taking it out on you. I’m sorry I never meant to treat you like that, and I know it doesn’t make up for my behavior but I’m gonna try so hard. I’m gonna treat you the way that you deserve, I love you so much.” Taeyong kissed me on my lips again. I felt butterflies in my stomach, even after 3 years, and this near breakup he still makes me feel the same way.

“I love you, I'm so sorry I don't hate you. I just wanted to make you feel my pain.” 

“You have nothing to apologize for, I'm so sorry. Can I show you that I'm sorry?” Nodding my head Taeyong held me up by my hip, and held his dick so that I could lower myself down on him. 

After not having him for months, the stretch was almost too much. After I got halfway down I laid my head on his shoulder. “You’re doing so good baby.” Taeyong suddenly thrust up causing me to wrap my arms around his shoulders and dig my nails in his back. I whispered a quiet fuck as he apologized before thrusting up in me again. This time the pain lessened and I could only feel pleasure. Holding onto his shoulders I slowly started riding him. Swirling my hips occasionally to get friction on my clit.

Taeyong’s grip on my hips tightened and we made eye contact as I rode him. My breathy moans with his low groans filled the room along with the sound of skin on skin. I clenched around him causing him to let out a loud fuck, and I did it again to tease him. 

Taeyong flipped out positions making sure that my head was resting against the pillows before he slid back in. My legs over his biceps as he held onto my wrist and thrust into me slowly. From this position he was hitting deeper then he was while I was riding him. I could feel his cock dragging against my walls better and I felt my head slowly start to get floaty. The only thing on my mind as he quickened his thrusts was him. 

“Fuck baby you feel so good. It’s been so long.” I nodded my head,

“Too long I missed you.” Taeyong moved his grip to my thighs pushing them further down so that I was almost bent in half. His thrusts slowed down again, but he made sure that every thrust was powerful and hit deeper than the last. I felt him rub against my sweet spot with every thrust. Him pulling out until only the tip was inside before he thrusting so deeply that I could almost feel him hit my cervix.

“I’m so sorry, I love you.” Leaning down to me, Taeyong met my lips again and started to jack rabbit into me. Every time he hit deeper, and his hips meant mine as he thrust. I could feel the fire in my stomach growing at a quicker rate. Along with his steady pace I knew that I was going to cum soon. Grabbing his hand I intertwined our fingers, feeling the knot getting tighter and tighter.

“Fuck I'm gonna cum,” I felt tears coming out of my eyes, the feeling of him consistently hitting my spot along with my previous orgasm had my eyes closing him from the please.

“Cum for me baby.” His free hand reached down to rub my clit, and I felt my orgasm hit me full force. My eyes closed as I came with Taeyong's name on my lip. Taeyong continued to thrust helping me ride out my orgasm, before I felt his thrust stutter, and felt him coming inside of me. I felt his warm come fill me up as I felt my self go in and out of consciousness. 

I flinched awake when I felt a warm rag rub over my face, and pussy (in that exact order). Opening my eyes I saw Taeyong look apologetic as he cleaned me up, and threw the rag on the floor before climbing into bed beside me. Pulling the covers over the both of us Taeyong pulled me into his arms so my head was resting on his chest, and our legs were intertwined. I listened to the beat of his heart as I lulled off to sleep. The last thing I heard was Tae promising me.

“I promise I'm going to give you the world. You deserve it.”