#this was surprisingly nerve wracking to write but

[angelicangelzz]

Synopsis: MC gets kidnapped by Caleb for “protection”, but little does he know about her true feelings of dependency.

CW: NSFW, fem MC, Caleb and MC are red flags, angst, kidnapping, easily overwhelmed and crybaby MC, codependency, obsession, surprisingly fluffy smut ?, dry humping, fingering, p in v.

English is not my first language and this is my first time writing smut, so I apologize for any mistakes.

MDNI

The silence was overwhelming.

There wasn’t even a single noise in that dark space, devoid of any sensation. At least, that's how she felt, her weak breathing was almost inaudible. The sighs would never reach her ears. She shivered, even though it wasn’t cold, she couldn’t contain the emotions that were slipping through the cracks. The girl was in a comfortable bed, with a warm blanket and a lot of pillows, just how she liked it. But, nothing could comfort her at this moment. She delighted in the nothingness, disconnecting herself from all of her senses.

“Knock knock”

She took a few moments to process the sound of steps. She was alone for so long that she didn’t think anyone would show up for at least a few more hours. The girl took a deep breath, coming back to her senses with a wave of sensations. The fabric of the sheets, the cozy smell that felt like home, the steps, the tears running down her face… her breathing. The sounds were getting louder as she prepared herself mentally. She knew who was coming. She wasn’t ready to face him.

And in a moment, there he was, his feet unmoving in front of the door as he locked it again. The girl was not brave enough to look at him directly, her emotions were a mess and she didn’t have the capacity or the time to process them correctly.

“You haven’t eaten anything.” An affirmation. That was the first thing that left his mouth for what felt like years. She held her breath for a second. The man sounded worried, she knew there was a lot of weight behind those words and felt her shoulders tense. He wanted to see her fine and healthy, and it was exactly this worry that brought her to this situation. She couldn’t say that it wasn’t nice to be the object of his attention. She liked it… she liked it a lot more than she should. That’s exactly why she was so confused. He didn’t have to do this, to go this extreme. She didn’t mind being alone with him, being locked up with him. She wanted to be the only thing he needed, just like she only ever truly needed him and nothing else. So why…? Why is it that he didn’t hold any trust in her feelings?

She nodded and hummed in response, with her head held down. She tried to conceal her face, red with tears, but knew it was futile. He would notice. He probably already knew.

“You need to eat well, pip-squeak” he said her nickname with a heaviness to his tone, a deep sadness that she couldn’t tell with precision where it came from, but it was certainly related to the situation at hand. “I’m not hungry.” she answered in a weak voice, and they went silent. She couldn’t read his expression while looking down, so she had no idea about what he could be feeling. It was nerve wracking. She couldn’t bear this distance, but his lack of belief in how strong her feelings were truly hurt her. She wondered if he felt the same, if he was also itching to get closer, both emotionally and physically.

“I know you are probably angry at me.” He started talking. “But… I had to do this, I had to protect you.” Was this an excuse? Did he truly wish for her protection and that was his only motive? Or did he want… more? Did he have a want, or a need, to have her stay by his side? To keep her enclosed and warm, near and at his disposal at every hour of the day? Was she thinking about her own wishes as she wondered this? She couldn’t tell anymore. It was selfish, yes, but humans are full of selfish needs at the end of the day. She didn’t want him. She needed him. And she wanted him to need her just as much, but didn’t know exactly if his actions meant that he did or meant that he felt like she was useless and incapable. Just an annoying “little sister” type of girl that he thought was dependent on him. If that was the case, he was at least right about one thing. She truly was dependent.

“I’m not angry, I’m just frustrated.” She said abruptly and loudly, finally meeting his eyes. He was looking at her, but at a safe distance and looked quite taken aback by her sudden outburst. “I feel betrayed Caleb, I don’t feel like I’m being understood or seen by you. Not really.” She looked away for a moment, hesitation starting to rise in her throat but quickly being replaced by anger and pent up feelings left unsaid. “Why have you felt the need to do this? Don’t you understand?” She was throwing a fit, almost screaming as she cried and moved her hands at a faster rate than he has ever seen her move while talking. Shocked would be an understatement to express how he felt.

“I don’t get it! I just don’t! Do you truly see me as someone who needs protection? Because that’s wrong. I don’t need protection! I need you! I need you so badly it hurts, and I need to be with you all of the time, I need to consume you and have you and make you mine. But I can’t! And you just keep pushing me away like this, making me doubt myself and doubt your feelings. And I’m tired. I’m so fucking tired of this, Caleb.” She started sobbing, tears streaming down her face while she wailed loudly and pathetically. She truly felt pathetic.

“Princess, I-…” He felt a pillow smash into his face, ruffling his hair and catching him off guard. Was she really acting like a child right now? But he knew her, he knew she could get overwhelmed easily and didn’t know quite how to deal with her emotions but, well, neither did he. He wasn’t expecting this, he didn’t think that she felt that way, that she felt so strongly about him. He thought about it sometimes, thinking about maybies and possibilities, but at the end of the day, he never dared to think it was true. She would never want him as much as he needed her, right? He picked up the pillow from the floor, and stepped closer bit by bit, waiting for her to calm down and for his heart to stop beating so fast. The rush of adrenaline was slowly fading away, and deep embarrassment was taking roots in its place.

“I’m sorry… Caleb I don’t know what came over me…” He motioned for her to stop talking.

“It’s okay… I’m… sorry too.” He spoke quietly as he finally stopped by her side, standing up next to the bed. He was getting closer hesitantly, wanting to comfort her but not having the words to express himself. He thought that if he said too much in this moment, it could make her even more anxious and overwhelmed. So he knelt down next to her, pushing a strand of hair away from her face, and slowly getting closer and touching his forehead to hers. A gesture that always made her calm down. The feeling of his breath, his heartbeat. Having actual living proof that he was real and standing so close to her made her relax her tensed shoulders. After being locked up for a while, she could finally feel his skin against hers again. Even without words they could feel the meaning of this touch. A silent “I’m sorry, you mean too much for me to lose”

“I’m sorry but I can’t keep it in anymore… I love you Caleb, I really do. And it’s killing me seeing you so distant.” She said quietly, almost like a whisper. “I love you too, maybe more than you could ever realize.” Her heart skipped a beat. “I just never thought that you could forgive me, it felt like you hated me for not being the same boy that I was.” He sounded almost scared, like this was all a dream he would wake up from in the morning. “I could never hate you. Sometimes I feel hurt by your actions, but It doesn’t matter because… I want you in every way. In each form or facade you create I will always need you with me.”

Maybe he was always like this.

Maybe she was always like this.

Her hands were tugging at his shirt, so tightly so he could never leave. His breathing hitched on his throat as he felt her slowly pressing her body more and more against his chest. It seemed like she was trying to suffocate him, from how strongly she held onto him. She lifted herself up slightly, sitting on his lap while hugging him with a death grip. They sat there for a moment, feeling each other's warmth and heartbeats.

“Well… even if you apologized, I have to say… what you said was pretty interesting.” Breaking their comfortable position, Caleb lifted her chin, making her look directly into his eyes. Her eyes were watering, and her face was flushed. She looked like a little surprised deer, she wasn’t expecting him to bring this up again. “But I thought you said it was fine.” She said sheepishly, shifting slightly in place, making him shiver. He winked at her, as a way to comfort her, and to assure he wasn’t being completely serious. She understood and waited to see what he would say next. “I might forgive you, if…” he said teasingly “If…?” She repeated, curious and slightly hopeful. “If you say it again.”

He grinned. “Tell me about how muuuch you need me.” She stopped the hug, moving away from his chest and crossing her arms. “What do you mean? I won’t do that! I already said more than enough.” She said that, but felt a warm feeling in her stomach. She loved it when he talked like this, but after the embarrassment from earlier she wasn’t ready to admit it.

“If you won’t do it then I will~” he paused, and looked her in the eyes with a serious expression. “I love you. I always wondered when I thought about you, if you were also thinking about me. If you felt the same way… if this constant need to have you in my life was not a weight I carried alone. You are everything to me. Without you, there is no me, there is no Caleb.”

She felt the weight of his words resonate with her as he slowly lowers the distance between their faces. His thumb caressing her lower lip before he finally brushed his lips against hers. The kiss started agonizingly slow, like he was testing the waters to see how she would react, but she was getting impatient. She grabbed him by his hair and forced him harder against her, deepening the kiss and exploring his mouth. Getting another confirmation of her need, Caleb started getting bolder. Hands roaming each other's bodies as they shared this heated kiss. From the shoulders, to the waist, to her thighs. His hands explored her body, getting to know her once again, learning about her curves and what made her shiver and gasp. He gripped her thigh, which made her grind closer against him as the pressure she felt on her lower region tightened. The kiss left her breathless as he hungered for more, more of her. She felt him getting hard against her, and it only turned her on even more. She had dreamed about this, about seeing the effect she had on him, making him hard and with his breathing unsteady in just a few touches. He grabbed her waist as he guided her movements, making her grind against his clothed cock with fervor.

“Caleb… Please…” She said, breathless against his ear. “I need more…” she whined against his lips. “Then say it. Say that you need me.” His eyes had a different glow to them, more possessive. She liked it a lot. “I- I need you. I need you badly, and I need you to touch me more because I am yours and only you can make me feel like this.” He smiled, with his cheeks flushed and suddenly lowered her body on the bed, looking at her up and down, trying to memorize every part of her in this moment like he often did. Clothes fell on the floor, hastily thrown away. Their eyes and hands wandered on each other's bodies, and they felt right, as if they were made to fit one another. Caleb’s hand brushed her skin until it reached her wet pussy, teasing her in different ways until he found the places that made her squirm and breath out his name so naturally that it made his chest hurt. He felt… amazing. It was as if he finally drank the purest water after years of thirst. It was better than he had imagined many times, because it was her. It was real. And it was finally happening. It was a rush of emotions and sensations. Warm skin touching warm skin and their smells intertwining as she kissed his neck and gripped his muscles. She sighed and moaned while his fingers explored her pussy in a sensual rhythm, he felt overwhelmed with love and a primal need intertwining as he watched the most beautiful sight he had ever seen.

“You are doing so good for me… taking my fingers so well.” He said and kissed her forehead. She threw her head back while pleasure washed over her, closing her eyes and moaning his name repeatedly as she came. She was in complete bliss, earlier worries only feeding the excitement she felt. She finally had him. After taking a few deep breaths she murmured “Caleb I need you… more…” she dug her fingers into his arm, as if trying to find a way to break in, and looked at him pleadingly, apparently not done yet. She wanted nothing more than to have him deep inside of her, for both of their pleasures, yes, but mainly for wanting to be together in the truest sense of the word. “Can I…?” He asked, positioning his throbbing erection between her thighs, teasing her entrance. She nodded and kissed his shoulder, pulling him closer. He groaned as he thrusted, heart swelling with happiness to have her completely but with a bitter feeling of… regret for his actions? Maybe? He couldn’t quite tell at the moment, but the only thing that truly mattered was her… finally being inside of her and chasing that high together. Their mouths met again in a passionate kiss, stealing the others' breath away in an instant. He fucked her in a slightly erratic rhythm, their bodies tightening until they released. They hugged each other tightly, not wanting to let go.

Yes, she was dependent but she thought that maybe… The feeling was mutual.

[cowpokemythology]

in which jacaerys velaryon is a soccer captain…

and you're the captain of the women's rugby team. tags: a lil bit of smut (18+), just little headcanons. a/n: this is, quite possibly, the most self-indulgent au ever. (i will be writing a whole series about this).

Jacaerys who is captain of the men’s soccer team at King’s Landing University, the most successful men’s sport of the university. And you, captain of the women’s rugby team, the most successful women’s team on campus.

Jacaerys who is a legacy student who comes from a wealthy socialite family (supposedly descended from ancient kings). You, who are only able to attend because of a sports scholarship.

(Jacaerys who is surprisingly humble and hardworking).

Jacaerys, whose team practices on a field directly next to yours.

Jacaerys, who is at a loss for words the first time he sets eyes on you. You with scraped knees, heaving breaths, mouthguard in, hair wispy even when tied back, and making one of the most brutal tackles he’s seen. (It was your first contact practice of the school year).

Jacaerys, who “accidentally” kicks a soccer ball onto your field.

Jacaerys, who just HAS to go and get it himself.

(Jacaerys, who definitely used that as an excuse to strike up a conversation. You’d, conveniently, recovered the stray ball he kicked).

You go on a date two weeks after that. You start officially dating after the third date.

(Jace wants you so bad and you’re not complaining).

JACAERYS IS A SUCKER FOR A MUSCULAR WOMAN AND I STAND BY THIS.

Jacaerys who attends all of your home games (ALL EIGHTY MINUTES). You, who attends all of his.

Jacaerys, whose phone wallpaper is of you both after one of his games. It was a candid moment on the field caught by one of your mutual friends. You’re beaming up at him, arms wrapped around his neck to hold him close. His eyes are soft, his curls a bit disheveled from the game, and he’s still in his kit. His hands are on your hips and his smile is wholly adoring.

(Your own wallpaper is similar; one taken after one of your own matches and he’s spinning you around in the air).

Jacaerys, who tapes up your legs whenever you need it.

You constantly (playfully) debate over whose sport is better.

(It’s rugby, don’t come for me).

Jacaerys, whose after practice routine is to shower at your place and slide under your covers to nap. You often are doing homework beside him while he snoozes, his face pressed into your hip while you balance your laptop on your lap.

Jacaerys, who attempts to lift you in a single-man lift. He narrowly avoids dropping you flat on your ass. He pretends not to be embarrassed (he definitely is).

Your most nerve-wracking game is the one his parents attend. 

Jacaerys who CANNOT stand seeing you hurt, even when you try to tell him it comes with the game. He worries like a mother hen, always patching up your turf burn and pressing kisses to your bruises. He’s a pro at tending to scrapes, after dealing with his little brothers. (You better hope you don’t get a concussion, you will not hear the end of it).

Jacaerys, who insists you workout with him.

(Jacaerys, who finds it weirdly attractive if you can lift more than him).

Jacaerys, who loves to braid your hair before a game. He learned from his mom.

Jacaerys, who insists you massage his shoulders after a soccer game.

Jacaerys, who loves showers together after a game or practice.

Jacaerys, who makes sure to make time for you. Even though you’re both student athletes (not to mention captains) with rigorous academic standings, you make it work.

Whether it be a quick stop at a coffee shop before you part ways, studying together, or even just sleeping over after a long day; you make time.

Jacaerys, who gets really needy for you after a game. He can’t help it, you were just so hot out on the pitch. Once you’re both through the door of his apartment, he’s on top of you. His warm hands will slide under your shirt as he presses himself to your back, arousal evident. He’ll brush your disheveled hair aside to nip at your neck. Jace does not care when you state you should shower first. His girl deserves a reward for playing such a good game, no?

Jacaerys, who will immediately put an end to it if you’re too sore or not in the mood. He’s content to pamper you and go straight to sleep. (Though, often you’re all too willing to let him take care of you after a tough game).

Jacaerys, who really admires you for playing such an intense sport. His girl was a strong one.

Jacaerys, who loves your body and muscles.

Jacaerys, who LOVES your strong legs.

Jacaerys, who loves when you ride him. He’s so pliant and pretty beneath you. He loves smoothing his hands up your muscular thighs, feeling them ripple as you move above him. He can hardly ever tear his gaze away from you. He whines and begs, sliding his warm palms up to your hips to help you grind down on him as his own hips snap up into yours. And you never get tired. You’re used to playing a rough game for eighty minutes, riding your beautiful boyfriend into the mattress is light work.

You tease him too; hands planted on his chest as you gaze down at him, whispering filthy praises. Jace has to reel himself in so he doesn’t come just from the sound of your voice.

(If you fuck him in ONLY his jersey, he’s gone).

I’ve just got one thing to say about the both of you: ENDURANCE.

Sometimes being in bed together is soft and caring; wanting that intimate connection. Other times, it’s like a competition. You often try to outcompete each other by leaving the other a mess. But by the end, you’re both too spent to move; covered in love bites, a bit sticky, and flushed and panting. You’re both headily satiated and maybe a little sore. There’s never a winner.

Jacaerys, who is good enough to go professional but he doesn’t really want to.

Jacaerys, who makes juggling the ball and scoring a goal look easy.

Jacaerys, who looks insanely attractive when he’s sweaty.

Jacaerys, who loves to distract you during your practices.

Jacaerys, who is (lovingly) pissed when the first time you say ‘I love you’ is when you’re concussed AND have a fractured nose. (He’s not mad about the words, of course, but he’s worried sick about your head and the blood pouring down your chin). 

(He makes sure you mean it when you’re actually coherent).

[hoe4hotchner]

A night to remember

Pairing: Aaron Hotchner x Reader (x BAU)

Words: 1k

Warnings: Alcohol

A/N: Brain was not braining while writing this, so it’s a little all over. I like it though 💕

The team had just wrapped up a particularly nerve-wracking and challenging case, and with work finally behind them for the next day or two, Morgan and Prentiss had suggested a night out before flying back to Quantico to regroup for their next case. The local bar was surprisingly lively, a cozy spot with exposed brick and upbeat music.

The team arrived in high spirits. Morgan and Prentiss were especially excited finally having gotten Hotch to agree to let the team go out. They quickly took charge, persuading the bartender to mix up a round of colorful, strong cocktails. The drinks arrived, each one a vibrant concoction that pledged to a good time.

Morgan slid a drink toward you with a grin. “Here’s our special celebration cocktail. You’re going to love it.”. You looked at the drink with hesitation, not used to drinking as much as some of your more seasoned colleagues. Your college years had been spent focusing on studies, not on parties.

Emily leaned in, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Yeah, relax and enjoy. We’re here to make sure you have an unforgettable night before Mr. Suit and Tie over here cracks the whip again.”

As the evening progressed, the atmosphere became even more lively. The drinks flowed down your throat, and your demeanor shifted to an intoxicated happiness. Morgan and Prentiss ensured that you never had an empty glass, continuously encouraging you to try different cocktails, mixers, and liquors. The infectious energy around you loosened your usual restraint, and soon you were laughing more freely, even joining JJ and Spencer on the dance floor.

Meanwhile, Rossi and Hotch had stepped outside for a break, enjoying the cool night air and some quiet conversation away from the bar’s chaos. They leaned against the wall, discussing the case and catching up on personal matters. Hotch, ever the responsible one, was still keeping an eye on his team through the windows.

Morgan and Prentiss, never ones to miss an opportunity for a bit of fun, decided it was time to focus on their favorite target once again: You. They had noticed that you were incredibly lightweight when it came to drinking, and they were determined to make sure this would be your most memorable evening out with the team.

Morgan nudged at your side with a playful grin. “Alright, time for another round. You’re doing great!”

Emily joined in with a conspiratorial whisper. “We’ve got a plan. You’re going to have the best night ever. Just keep enjoying yourself.” You didn’t catch the mischievous glint in their eyes.

As the evening wore on, the booth gradually emptied, leaving you somewhat slumped over, your mind a foggy haze. Reid had joined Rossi outside, while Morgan and Emily had pulled JJ back to the dance floor for the night’s final songs. Glancing around, you noticed how the booth seemed emptier than before, leaving you confused and disoriented.

As the evening progressed, the booth you all shared became empty. You were sitting somewhat slumped over as your mind felt foggy. Reid had joined Rossi outside. Morgan and Emily had joined JJ on the dance floor as the last few songs were being played for the night. You glanced around, noticing that the booth seemed emptier than before. Not knowing where the others were.

“They left without me,” You said loudly, wobbling out of the booth. “They do this every time! Why? Doesn’t anyone love me?” The dramatic outburst drew amused glances from the few people left in the bar. The scene was more humorous than distressing, with your exaggerated tone providing a bit of comic relief.

Hotch, noticed the shift in your mood and decided it was time to step in. He quickly finished closing the team's tab before he approached with a gentle hand on your arm. “Hey, let’s get you out of here,” he said calmly. Trying not to startle you.

As they made their way to the exit, you almost stepped in a puddle of vomit left by a large, bulky man who had just finished throwing up on the sidewalk. You recoiled, exclaiming, “Eww, SICK! Hey! Wide body, curb it next time!”

Hotch quickly covered your mouth to stifle any further comments as he turned to the man with an apologetic look. “I’m sorry about that,” he nods before guiding you away from the scene.

Back at the hotel, Hotch helped you into your room. The rest of the agents already having retreated into theirs. As soon as you walked in, you began looking pale and became unsteady on your feet. “I don’t feel so good,” you said, clutching your stomach.

Before Hotch could respond, you hurried to the bathroom, the sound of retching following shortly after. Hotch’s concern grew. He knocked gently on the bathroom door. “Hey, are you alright in there?”

“Yeah, just reallyyyy sick. I think I had too much to drink.” You slurred, your head bobbing a little to the side.

Hotch stayed just outside the door, ready to kick it down to help if needed. After a few minutes, you emerged, looking slightly better but still pale. Hotch helped you to bed, making sure you were alright one last time before leaving you to rest.

The next morning, the team gathered at the airport to head back to Quantico. You looked exhausted and pale, clearly not having slept very well and still feeling the effects of Morgan and Emily's overindulgence. Your head was spinning. They couldn’t resist teasing you about it.

“Hey, baby face,” Morgan said with a grin, “looks like someone had a rough night. I guess the drinks were a bit too much?” You stuck your tongue out at him, clearly annoyed with how cheerful he was.

“Yeah, you might need to work on your drinking skills. You were quite a scene last night!” Emily joined.

You managed a weak smile and rolled your eyes. “Very funny, you two. I’ll stick to water next time. Thanks.”

“How are you feeling today?” Hotch asked, concern evident in his voice. He had been watching the exchange with a sympathetic look.

“Better,” You replied.

Hotch handed you a bottle of water. “Here, drink this. Let’s get you through the flight and back in one piece.”

On the plane ride back to Quantico, you tried to rest, still feeling the effects of the night before.

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[twilight-nephilim]

Ditto || Nagi Seishiro

Pairing: Nagi x Fem!Reader

Summary: In which, Nagi finds a peculiar note in his locker from a special someone…

Warning/s: None ! Just general fluff

Word Count: 1.3k

Note: This is the first oneshot I’ve written for bllk or literally anyone in awhile so some grammatical errors here and there, besides that I hope you enjoy <33

Nagi walked to his locker with reo, he opens the door as he noticed a note sitting there, on top of all the books he put. Reo notices how Nagi looked stunned for a second and teases the white haired male. “Nagi~ Looks like you got your first love letter” The said male looks at him dismissively and opens the note to read it.

‘Stay in the middle, like you a little, don’t want no riddle. Why won’t you say it back, oh say it ditto ;)

- ♡ ’

He looks at the note and slightly blushes over it, but quickly goes back to his usual bored and chill demeanor, but not before catching the attention of Reo. “Seems like someone has a crush” Reo teased as Nagi just shrugged and put the note in his pocket. “I don’t, love seems like such a bother… unless it’s her…” He mumbles the last part and walks away.

You watch from a distance as you saw Nagi opening the locker, looking away in embarrassment. Too afraid to see his reaction. You turn to look back and saw Reo teasing him about it from the looks of it.

“If you’re gonna keep staring, might as well approach me already…” The voice caught you off guard as you saw Nagi, along with Reo now in front of you. “Sorry! I didn’t mean to stare I was just dozing off I guess…” You made up an excuse on the spot as Reo looked at you suspiciously while Nagi just shrugged it off.

“Yeah I get it… Wanna go to class together? Standing in the hallway is bothersome” Nagi suggested as he grabbed your arm and dragged you along with him, You gave Reo an apologetic look as he looked slightly annoyed but amused in what you and nagi were doing.

The three of you reached your next class as you sat down on your seat, beside Nagi. As he got his phone out to play another game, you caught yourself staring at him. The way he looked focused on his game, the way his hair looked so fluffy and his eyes slightly reflected from the light of the room.

You thought back on the note that you had put in his locker, You never saw his reaction but it was still nerve-wracking. Sure you’ve liked him since the two of you became friends but he would never see you the same way, but at the same time, he would never know it was you right?

Endless chatter from your classmates filled all of your ears but all you could focus on was him.

The front door opens as your teacher walks in, starting the class, you grabbed your notebook and started to take down notes, you were trying to solve an equation but you couldn’t figure out how the hell you were supposed to find x in that equation, looking beside you, you saw Nagi, who surprisingly wasn’t asleep.

You ripped a piece of paper from your notebook, writing ‘Nagiiii help I don’t get what teach is saying

(╥﹏╥) ‘ You passed it to Nagi beside you, looking at him, pleading. He sighs, before writing something for a bit then discreetly passing it back to you.

‘I’m not sure how to explain, but the solution for both equations are at the back, just re-read them over and over again and try to understand it srry :x’ You looked at the back of the paper where Nagi wrote both solutions, You slowly started to understand it and turned the paper over and writing, ‘tysm nagi ur a lifesaver •ᴗ•’, Passing it back to him, Nagi looks at you softly and quickly writes back, trying to pass it back but was caught.

“Mr. Nagi and Ms. Y/n why are the two of you passing notes in my class???” The teacher questions the two of you, and before either of you can respond, she shuts the two of you down with a raised voice. “Detention for the both of you!”

The bell rings as the teacher dismisses the class and you moved your chair slightly closer to nagi’s. “Sorry I got you dragged with me to detention… You have to miss your practice because of me…” You apologize sheepishly as he looks back at you and says, “It’s fine Y/n… It was worth it if it meant I got to help you, besides- practice is lame anyways.” Nagi pats your head reassuringly as you blush at his words and actions.

“W-Well… I have a different class from you and reo so see you later nagi and reo!” You said as you got your stuff and went to a different classroom.

“ ‘Love is a bother’ you say nagi???” Reo jeers at his friend as he tries to shrug it off again. “It’s nothing Reo, besides it’s not like she would see me as more than a friend anyways…” Nagi muttered the last part but the purple haired male somehow overheard it. “So you DO have a crush on Y/n—“ Nagi put his hand over his friend’s mouth, shutting him up. “I never said I did”

The day quickly passes by as it was time for both you and nagi to go to detention together, the teacher came in the room and told you to stay put while shes gone since she still had a meeting to attend to, as soon as she left the room, you saw Nagi getting his stuff. You looked at him dumbfoundedly.

“That teacher never comes back anyways… Are you not gonna leave with me?” Nagi says, “Wait really? Yeah I'll just go with you…” You got your stuff and as soon as you got all your things, Nagi grabbed your hand and straight up ran out of the door.

The two of you ran through the empty hallways as you tried to keep up with Nagi, “Wait Nagi! I'm not an athlete like you damnit!” You yelled out as he slowed down a tiny bit.

You both made it out of the school as you panted for air. After awhile you looked at him then said, “Now what?” You asked him. “You can stay at my apartment for awhile… I got a new game and I wanna play it with you�� Nagi offered as you looked at him excitedly “Yeah we can do that!”

After rounds of continuous defeats for you, you decided to take a short break from playing. “Nagi! This isn't fair, you know all the controls and combos and I dont!” You complained after he beat you for like the tenth time in a row. “That seems like a skill issue” Nagi jabbed.

“Ugh! Screw you nagi!” You said back, annoyed, as you were about to get up from your spot, Nagi pulled you back down, causing you to land on his lap.

Your face started to heat up as you could feel his breath beside your ear as he whispered, “...ditto”. You turned to look back at him in shock, completely speechless from everything. “You're the one who sent that note right?” Nagi asked, but with full certainty to his voice.

“Wait-! But how did you know it was me-? Wait you like me back–? Wait—” Nagi cut you off by placing his hand over your mouth. “First, the handwriting is obvious, second, only you and reo know the code to my locker and third, I said ditto didn't I?”

You look at him speechless, unsure of what to say. Nagi notices and moves his hand to cup your cheeks.

“May I kiss you?”

You nod excitedly as he chuckled, “Words, angel”

“Yes! You may—” Nagi cuts you off by placing his lips on yours, fireworks went off in your head as you kissed him back, wrapping your arms around his neck, deepening the kiss.

You both pulled away for air as you both panted for air while staring at each other, Nagi then laid down on the floor of his room, bringing you down with him. “Wait nagi– I have to leave–” “Stay.” That one simple word shocked you as you looked at him.

“Can we stay like this for awhile? I don't like being touchy with others, but I don't mind if it's you.”

[the-uninformed-zennial]

What's your favourite lore stream and why?

Oh goodness… I have done a lot of lore streams and I don’t know if I can choose a favorite, especially if we’re talking about all the smp’s I’ve been on... I can maybe narrow it down to my top three though?

So first I need to say my last DiO stream. It’s one of my favorites for a lot of reasons; DiO was the very first server I ever streamed on, it’s where I met Olive and Moki and Konics and so many other friends I still have today, and it’s also one of the first places I did lore. DiO’s lore was very loose and vague and typically unplanned and improved. But, for my second to last and last stream, me, Volc, Olive, and Dark decided to plan everything out and it went really, really well. It maybe isn’t the best lore stream I’ve done technically speaking, but it still sticks with me both because of nostalgia and the sense of accomplishment that I have regarding being able to pull it off as well as we did with so little experience. It was really cool.

The next one I wanna talk about happened recently (ish) on siege; Mara’s turning! I’d had that stream planned since the first few months on Siege and it took me a year to finally get to the place where I could portray it. And I could not’ve asked for a better group of friends to help me do that. Corn and Cyra did so much between helping me with cutscenes and builds behind the scenes, to their tremendous acting. Those lore streams are some of my proudest work so far and I’m still impressed they went as well as they did lol.

Finally, I think I’d be amiss if I didn’t talk about the Mojave returning stream, with it’s 8 cutscenes, like 8 additional people, and skybound pre-finale-ness. It was especially nerve wracking because my pov was the only one being shown, so if anything went wrong with my stream the pre-finale to the first season of bound was toast. I was so stressed before that stream. I spent that whole week I had off just going over the plan I had in my head and making sure everything made sense and would work out alright, and surprisingly enough, I think it pretty much did! There were a few little hiccups here and there, but considering how many moving parts there were, I’m surprised it went as well as it did. It would not have been possible if not for Heyhay and Art and all of the other amazing cast of Bound. Everyone who sat with me for the hours I spent editing the cutscenes together the night before stream, as well as everyone who was there to welcome Mojave back at the end of it. It was so crazy to look back and think about how three years ago I was writing fan songs for fable and now the amazing people behind that project were helping me tell one of my own alongside them. Just an amazing and incredibly stressful experience, 10/10 (would recommend without the 8 cutscenes edited the night before lmao)

[otakusheep15]

Flufftober Day 17 - Letters

Content includes: Idia x reader, pre-relationship, reader is referred to as Prefect, reader has anxiety, Idia and his strange way of speaking (affectionate)

The first time you sent a letter to Idia Shroud, you were quite nervous. 

You’ve been wanting to talk to him for a while, finding him interesting even if you only knew him through a screen. However, you are just as shy as he is, and the thought of even approaching his Ipad was enough to freak you out. 

Originally, you had planned on finding him online. That seemed much easier, plus he would be more likely to engage that way. Then you remembered that you don’t have a phone. For that matter, you have no access to the internet at all. 

That’s why you decided on the letters. 

You spent all night writing out your first letter, wracked with nerves as you tried to think of the perfect things to say. The thought of actually sending this out embarrassed you to your very core, but you knew it was at least worth a try. 

Since you knew you wouldn’t be able to get to Idia on your own, you enlisted the help of Ortho. The next day at school, you approached him, awkwardly handing off the letter with an equally as awkward explanation of your plan. 

Ortho, for his part, is absolutely delighted at your idea, happy someone wants to be friends with his brother. He happily agrees to be your delivery boy, which does help to ease some of your nerves. 

You spend the rest of the day feeling nervous, hoping Idia won’t think you’re weird for this. Some people would definitely find this strange, but maybe Idia will be more open minded. 

Surprisingly, you get your answer the next day in the form of a letter. Ortho floats up to you, as sunny as ever, excitedly handing you a letter. 

You thank him, taking it out of his hands. For now, you place it in your bag, deciding to read it once you return to your dorm. 

The day seems to just drag on, almost as if it doesn’t want you to read the letter. It grates on your nerves, and you’re so thankful when the final bell rings. Without saying anything to your friends, you dart off to your dorm. 

When you actually pull the letter out of your bag, however, you hesitate. Ortho certainly seemed happy, but did he know what Idia wrote? What if it was something bad, like that he thought you were weird? The anxiety ate at you, and you almost chickened out of reading it. 

But, before you could let those thoughts win, you push them away and open the letter, taking a deep breath before reading it. 

Hi Prefect, 

This is pretty unexpected ngl. I was gonna ignore this at first, but that was before Ortho told me it was from you. That sounds kinda cringy, I know. 

Anyway, thanks ig. I didn’t think anyone wanted to talk to me, especially like this. It feels so old time-y, but I guess that is sorta your vibe, huh? I’ll let you decide if that’s an insult or not. 

If you wanna keep this going, I guess I wouldn’t mind. Ortho says it’ll be good for me, and unfortunately, I can’t say no to him. He looked so excited, but I’m sure you already saw him too. 

And, don’t worry, he didn’t read this, or yours. He kinda wanted to, but I told him no. So, feel free to say whatever in these. Only I’ll see them. 

Idia Shroud

You smile, relieved that this went well. His writing is exactly how you imagined it would be, but that’s all part of the charm. 

After thinking for a moment, you decide it best to keep his letter in the drawer of the desk next to your bed. You place it in gently, smiling at it one last time before closing the drawer. 

Then you sit down at your desk, taking out a sheet of paper, thinking about how you want to respond. This time, your anxiety is almost nonexistent, instead replaced with a more giddy feeling as you put pen to paper.

[sykosomatic]

Thank you for accepting my request!! It was delicious😭❤️ i love the way you write Hannibal. Not to be greedy or anything, could i request hannigram x ftm reader? He just took his first shot of t, and his two lovers want to celebrate *wink wink*

you’re so welcome!! this is perfect, i love it so much <3 i love all the ftm x [insert character here] i’ve gotten recently! it’s so inside my comfort zone it’s crazy <3 companion fic to this.

i hope you enjoy!!

hannigram x ftm reader taking his first t shot!

(reader wears a binder/is pre-top-surgery)

cw: threesome/group sex, praise kink, creampie finish, double penetration, oral sex (afab&amab receiving), anal sex (afab&amab receiving), p in v sex, fingering (afab&amab receiving).

thanks to your lover, hannibal’s, connections in the therapy world, you’d finally gotten your hands on something you’d been waiting on for what felt like forever: a prescription for testosterone. at this point in your social transitioning, you figured you were ready to take the next step. it was a little nerve-wracking, as most new things are, but so exciting all the same.

your other lover, will, had kindly offered to go pick up the prescriptions with you; you’d shown some apprehension at the thought, and he’d immediately offered his assistance.

once you’d gotten back to hannibal’s place, you got all settled in; your testosterone vials and needles sitting up on the counter. they looked a little daunting; you’d never used a needle on yourself before, so this was going to be a really different experience for you. the doctor had explained to you how to do it, and it seemed pretty straightforward. but still. nervous.

you didn’t necessarily want to do it with hannibal and will watching you; just because you were nervous you may look silly, and you didn’t want them to get worried if you did it wrong. but then again, you didn’t want to do it without them, because what if you did do it wrong?

you decided to do your first shot on your own; you wanted to make sure you could do it by yourself, and wouldn’t they be so proud of you when you did?

you took a breath, grabbing the stuff you would need and heading to the bathroom. sitting on the toilet, you prepped everything the way the doctor told you to, and prepared yourself for the feeling of the needle going in.

it was surprisingly easy, but the sting and pinch were going to need some getting used to. letting your breath out, you cleaned up and put everything away, opening the bathroom door to see the two men standing outside the door.

you smiled at them, shaking your head. “worried about me, huh?” you asked them. hannibal stepped closer to you and inspected you, asking you how you felt. “i feel fine,” you assured him with a small chuckle. “it went really well… it was a lot easier than i thought it would be.”

will smiled at you, nodding as you spoke. “we knew it wouldn’t be a big deal. well..” he corrected, looking at hannibal. “i did, at least.”

“we should celebrate, no?” hannibal asked, kissing the top of your head. “such bravery and expertise should be rewarded!” he exclaimed, leading you and will to the kitchen.

hannibal popped open a bottle of wine and started pouring three glasses, handing them out. before long, he and will were discussing how proud they were of you, making your face flush; the wine wasn’t helping, either.

“so handsome and so perfect,” hannibal said, in response to will leaning in to put a hand on your thigh. “both of you,” he added playfully, making will sport a wry smile. hannibal stood and walked over to stand behind you, massaging your shoulders gently. he leaned in to kiss will’s lips deeply. it was clear the two of them were planning a different kind of celebration. you were excited.

hannibal’s hands dipped to start rubbing your chest, his fingers brushing over your nipples once he’d found them. you leaned your head back against him, watching him and will kissing passionately. warmth spread into your stomach and you could feel yourself getting ridiculously aroused.

will pulled away from the kiss he shared with hannibal to start kissing you, his hands starting to tug at your clothes; he was asking permission, and you eagerly allowed him to undress you. hannibal watched the two of you, starting to undo his own pants and taking his shirt off. before long the three of you were undressed and the two of them started leading you into the bedroom.

will pulled you into his lap on the bed, his legs draped over the end as hannibal came up behind you. being sandwiched between the two of them turned you on an insane amount. will started to kiss your neck, licking stripes up your neck as hannibal leaned in to kiss your lips. both of the men’s hands explored your body, hannibal’s on your hips and grabbing your ass and will’s exploring your chest and pinching your nipples.

you moaned into hannibal’s mouth as you felt will’s fingers exploring your wet slit, playing with your clit while he teased your nipples. hannibal put his fingers in your mouth for you to slicken up as he followed will’s lead. he slid one finger into your asshole, making you moan and buck your hips against will’s fingers. will slid two fingers into your pussy, curling them up to hit your g-spot. the two of them played with you for a little while before you ended up squirting all over will’s hand.

the two of them praised you for how handsome you were, how well you took their fingers and came for them, peppering your skin with kisses before they moved positions. will laid on his back, starting to slide his cock into you, stretching your sweet pussy out. hannibal began to finger will’s ass as will fucked up into you and grabbed your ass. you leaned in to kiss him as he got finger-fucked, and then leaned back to kiss hannibal as he slid his cock into will’s stretched asshole.

the two men moaned in beautiful succession with you, all of you in complete bliss. their hands explored you and each other. after a few final rough strokes, hannibal bottomed out inside will and came deep in his asshole, making him in turn cum deep into your pussy.

but they weren’t done; hannibal slid his cock into your asshole next, making you shiver and whine, scratching on will’s chest. his curls lay over his face, covered in sweat. will hadn’t taken his cock out of you yet. he started rocking his hips again after you’d gotten adjusted to hannibal’s cock, the noise of the creampie inside you squelching as his balls slapped your taint.

the three of you finished again, and you were flipped over on your back so that hannibal could eat you out; his tongue was magical as he licked will’s cum out of your hole. his tongue slid in and out, and circled your clit. you shuddered and came a third time, grabbing his hair and wrapping your legs over his shoulders. hannibal proceeded to clean off will’s cock as well, will laying right next to where you were as he got sucked off. he gave you sleepy kisses, waiting for hannibal to come back up for air. the two of you shared slurping on hannibal’s cock until it was cleaned off, and fell asleep naked on the bed, fully satisfied.

[it-happened-one-fic]

Thats How You Know - Leona

Author Notes: This fic is actually for the @briarvalleyarchives "Anthems of Old" event. It was inspired by its namesake song, "That's How You Know" from the Disney film Enchanted. It's surprisingly nerve-wracking to be posting a fic for an event, but I had fun writing thing and had to curb the urge to not just rip of the scene from the film. As per usual, reader is gender neutral. I hope you enjoy.

Type: Fluff/ romantic/ gender-neutral reader/ sfw

Word Count: 1782

“You know he likes you, right?” Ruggie had leaned over to look you in the eye better as he voiced his question, but you looked away as soon as his words registered. 

His question drew a sigh from your lips that didn’t quite match the odd smile on your face as you kept your silence. You weren’t quite able to answer his question, even as Ruggie frowned at your silence.

The truth was that, in a lot of ways, you felt like Leona did like you just as much as you liked him. But he never really did anything to show it if he did, which left you with questions. 

How could you really know if he did like, much less love, you?

Despite what others said, you weren’t certain. You knew you liked him. After all, you’d taken to picking up on his interests, worries, and other such little tidbits that made up the individual that was Leona. They’d affected you, becoming interests and worries of your own.

What had started out as curiosity and wanting to get to know him better had swelled from there. You’d fallen in love with Leona. And while you knew that Leona didn’t hate you, the matter of romantic interest was….. Well, it was a whole other can of worms that you weren’t nearly as confident about.

Or at least you weren’t until recently. 

It had started out simply enough, with a small note being left on your desk on top of a stack of books. The note itself was pinned in an elegant but largely unfamiliar hand and mentioned the upcoming practical magic test.

Something you knew you were going to flunk, what with your lack of ability to practice magic.

But after just a little bit of studying, it became clear that maybe you had a better chance of passing than you had thought. 

The books in the mysterious stack handled the subject well, showing intensive instructions for how to draw an appropriate magic circle that would help you pass the test without having to actually use magic.

That wasn’t what really caught your attention, though. What caught your attention was the signature on the reverse side of the note, which you hadn’t found until you’d given it a closer inspection.

 Elegant and small-lettered, the signature was barely noticeable but easily capable of causing a smile to appear on your face.

Leona Kingscholar.

You’d known he’d helped Ruggie get caught up with the rest of the school in terms of tutoring and having uniforms when he’d first come to NRC, but you’d never expected him to help you.

Perhaps he did care a bit more for your concerns and troubles than you’d thought….

You’d thanked the Savannaclaw housewarden after you’d passed the test, but he’d  brushed off your gratitude with an almost trained ease. 

“You help Jack out with his work, so if I give you stuff, I don’t have to tutor him myself,” A lazy smirk had spread across his features. He’d looked over his shoulder at you as he’d walked off, throwing a final comment back at you, “Less work for me that way.”

His words had caused you to frown slightly, but you shrugged them off. He wasn’t wrong after all. You and the other first-years often studied together to help each other with your problem subjects. If you could teach Jack things, then Leona wouldn't have to worry about it. Though you were pretty sure he’d never bothered with that in the past either.

But what followed the next day had you forgetting your previously dismissive thoughts. 

You and Grim both stared down at the bright yellow flowers that greeted you from your doorstep. At odds with the otherwise dreary day, they smiled brightly up at you from the discolored wood of your porch. They were one of your favorite flowers from the ones you’d seen since coming to this world, simply due to how happy they looked.

You frowned at the blooms even as you knelt to collect them. They were tied with a rough cord, an oddly rugged touch to such a sweet sentiment. 

You fingered the cord slightly before taking them inside to plop in a glass of water before heading off to the botanical garden for Potionology class.

Except when you at last reached the botanical garden, you froze. Staring at the familiar yellow flowers that greeted you, yet again, with smiling faces from alongside jaggedly cut stems that had no doubt been where your little bouquet had once resided.

It could have been a coincidence that Leona spent large amounts of time in the botanical garden where these pretty little flowers, that perfectly matched the color of yellow he wore on his dorm uniform, grew. 

It was a color that was slowly becoming one of your favorites as the days wore on and was possibly one of the reasons you did like these flowers so much

 Either way, the oddness of it all was enough to make you wonder and smile to yourself at the possibilities.

You were still smiling as you were chopping the potion ingredients and you almost missed the grin Ace was wearing when he leaned over closer, “So, anything interesting today?”

You frowned, immediately suspicious since you knew good and well that Ace didn’t bring those flowers when he’d just claimed they aggravated his allergies mere seconds ago.

 His question, though, was incredibly fishy considering that getting a bouquet of flowers from an unknown sender was definitely an interesting start to your day.

“I got some flowers this morning…. Some of those yellow ones you said you were allergic to,” You eyed him skeptically, but he merely snorted.

“Ooh, got an admirer, have we, Prefect?” He bounced his eyebrows at you before laughing at your eye roll and continuing on.

“My day had a weird start too. First thing this morning, Deuce informed me that Jack apparently overheard Ruggie telling Leona that you couldn’t read minds.” 

The redhead’s grin was sly now as he shouldered you playfully, “Weird, huh? Would’ve thought everyone knew that. After all, if you could read minds, you wouldn’t have needed those books to help you with the practical magic test, right?”

You blinked in surprise at the redhead, ignoring the teasing tone he used in favor of thinking about this new information.

The rest of class went by in a blur until Ruggie came trotting over, an exasperated expression on his face, “Y/n, hun, help a guy out?”

You sighed almost immediately at his wheedling tone but found yourself turning to face him anyway, “What is it, Ruggie?”

You were fully prepared for some sort of grand tale about how he had too many jobs and needed help running something to a class or that he’d found some sort of new couple deal and wanted to go on a fake date in the name of sales.

But it was none of those things. Instead, you were met with a sandwich being shoved into your hands, “Give this to Leona for me. I haven’t got the time, and he’s miffed with me anyway. You’re a real pal, bye!”

He was skittering away, waving with his signature snicker, before you even had a chance to object. You glanced Ace’s way only to be met with a rapid head shake, “Oh no, he gave that to you. You’re on your own, Prefect.”

The redhead backed away like you were carrying a bomb and quickly abandoned you to your newfound work. You rolled your eyes at both of the men’s dramatics but turned on your heel, striding towards where Leona always napped with a sandwich in hand. You had some questions you wanted to ask him anyway.

You stepped into the clearing to see him sitting there with some food already in front of him, causing you to frown at the sandwich in your hand.

He looked up at you with his tail flicking in an oddly energetic fashion behind him. Unlike you, he didn’t seem to  be surprised in the slightest bit. In fact, he almost seemed amused by your confusion.

“About time you got here. I’d almost begun to suspect that Ruggie had somehow missed you,” His words were delivered with the customary smirk, and all of the various pieces snapped into place.

“So, the flowers were from you?” You grinned slightly as you sat down across from him and started unwrapping the sandwich in your hand, only to find that, rather than his preferred variety, it was your favorite kind of the sandwiches offered by the cafeteria’s deli. A rare luxury that you couldn’t usually afford.

Leona looked down at the food in front of him and, instead of answering your question, posed one of his own, “So, have you got an answer for Ruggie’s question yet?”

Your eyes widened slightly at his nonchalant question, and your mind went racing back to just a couple of days ago, when Ruggie had been questioning if you knew how Leona felt about you. “You heard him?”

Leona grinned outright at your shock, “Oh yeah, I heard the whole conversation.” He looked up at you, ears twitching almost pointedly as he leaned back. Totally relaxed despite your own embarrassment.

“You ought to pay better attention to your surroundings. Herbivores like you have to be careful if you don’t want someone catching you off guard.”

He was so smug, but you found yourself recovering from being flustered as a thought registered, “But that’s how you came to know how I felt. Right?”

He snorted before leaning forward, entering your personal space with a single easy motion that had your previous confidence failing you, “I already knew. You’d already proved that plenty of times.”

Mercifully, he leaned back, “So, have you got your answer?”

You found yourself smiling slightly at his question this time despite how pleased he seemed with himself.

 Because of course you had your answer. After he’d done so much to prove that he did care and that he paid special attention to you, how could you not?

He’d known that you’d needed help on a test, that you liked those flowers in that specific color, and that you liked this sandwich. They were all little things, but those little things made up who you were. And he’d taken the time to do all of those things just to show you that he did care and did like you because he’d overheard Ruggie’s question and correctly interpreted your own concerns even though you hadn’t voiced them.

 Paying attention to little things like that and taking the time to reassure you…. That's how you know that someone loves you.

[wake-me-up-inside-imagines]

hii, i would love if you wrote more about leo, anything you would like, really 🩷 or maybe some moving in/living together with him headcanons/fic. that would be great. thank you so much 🩷

Sure thing! I love getting to write more for Leo so this’ll be a treat!

Sweet! Boyfriend Moving In/Living Together Headcanons

Gn! Reader

Warnings: None other than Leo’s awkward anxiety, mostly fluff

Divider credit goes to @animatedglittergraphics-n-more

Moving in:

-The prospect of moving in with his s/o is a big deal to Leo, so he’d probably wait to talk about it until you bring it up. As with most things, he doesn’t want to push a boundary before you’re ready, so he’ll let you take the lead on this one.

-Once you do bring the subject up, Leo is somewhat receptive, but he won't immediately say yes. It's not that he doesn't want to move in with you, but moving in is a huge step in the relationship, and he wants to spend some time talking it over before deciding to take the leap. Rest assured, he does want to live with you, he just wants to be fully prepared for any challenges that could arise.

-Prepare to have a lengthy conversation about living and sleeping habits, what kind of apartment you'd want to look for, how you'd want to set the living space up, whether pets are allowed, expected house rules, what's expected of each other, stuff like that. He'll probably make a list and send you a copy so you're both clear on everything that was discussed, and hopefully by the end of the whole conversation, you'll come out understanding each other's living habits better. After all, living with someone is way different than just staying the night with them occasionally, so it can only help to know what it'll be like to live together before you actually move in.

-Once y'all have talked it over and fully decided that moving in is something you'd both like to do, you and Leo will search around for available apartments together, eventually landing on one that seems to suit your needs. Leo would probably suggest a two bedroom apartment, just so you have room for all of your stuff, but he's cool with whatever you think is best.

-Now, as smooth as everything seems to be going, Leo is very nervous about the move in process. He's not great with change and moving into a new place with a partner he's never lived with before is a huge change, so he's freaking out a little on the inside. You'll have to reassure him that it'll be fine, that you'll both adjust pretty quickly, that you'll be there to support him until he fully adjusts, but he's definitely gonna have a level of fear resting in the back of his mind until move-in day, probably for a week or two after as well. It has nothing to do with you and everything to do with a switch in routine, so don't blame yourself for his nerves.

-Once move in day finally comes around, Leo’s both tense and surprisingly focused. He does a good job at getting everything into and set up at the new apartment, but you can tell he’s quite stressed about the whole ordeal. It’s a good thing you’re there to help him keep all of his nerves under control, otherwise he probably would have had a nervous breakdown halfway through moving in.

-As you transfer all your stuff into the apartment, you keep each other distracted by joking around, chattering about whatever comes to mind, and messing around with the placement of items around the apartment, once everything’s actually been brought in. It keeps you both relaxed enough to forget any worries, and it gives the two of you a good idea of how you want to have everything set up.

-While there’s no big rush, Leo will want to get as much set up and organized as possible. Having a completely unfamiliar living space is nerve wracking enough, but leaving all the items that give Leo a slight sense of home in boxes for days? Yeah, not a good idea. He will start freaking out a little, not at you exactly, but he’ll be more visibly shaky and unfocused, flittering from place to place while rambling absentmindedly. Helping him set everything up will keep you both busy and give him a sense of control, something he desperately needs in a place that doesn’t yet feel like his own. Even if you don’t get everything organized in a day, getting at least some of your items together will help him feel like he’s somewhat at home.

-The first night together is…a little rough. Now that you two have settled for the day, Leo’s anxiety is on full display, his trembling getting worse by the second. He’ll probably ask to watch a movie or YouTube together while cuddling, just so he gets a slight sense of familiarity. Your presence helps calm him down, especially when you hold him to your chest, promising him that the next few weeks of change will be less frightening than Leo thinks it’ll be.

-If you yourself are nervous about the move in, Leo will do his best to distract you, albeit clumsily. His own nerves may rub off on you a bit, but he’ll do his best to keep you distracted, or reassure you, or do whatever it is you need from him while moving around/settling in. He’ll try his best to hide his own anxiety in the event that you’re afraid, but some nervous habits of his will slip through the cracks here and there.

-Once it’s time to actually go to bed, Leo will curl up to you and try his best to get some shut eye. He’ll either be out like a light or not sleep at all, but either way he’s gonna hold on to you for dear life the whole night, desperate for the warmth you provide, and he’ll be hit with the sudden realization that he’s gonna get to spend every night like this, curled up next to you as he tries to sleep.

-Needless to say, he ends the day on a high note

Living together:

-Living with Leo isn’t all that stressful, thankfully. He’s a pretty decent roomate, and he does his best to make sure there are no issues between his living habits and yours. He also values communication, so he’s pretty quick to fix any problems that may arise, as long as you tell him maturely.

-Leo can be a pretty messy person, but now that he has someone he’s living with, he’ll do his best to keep your living space clean and tidy. He’d hate for you to feel obligated to clean up his messes, so he’ll clean up most of the time, fixing any issue as soon as you bring it up. Forgive him for the odd dish or discarded piece of clothing here or there, he’s doing his best.

-When it comes to a normal dinner routine, Leo will either order out or pop something easy into an oven or pot. He’s kinda lazy when it comes to making food, so unless you want to make something nicer, or unless you ask him to make something less basic, he’ll just take the easy route. He’ll definitely make enough for you though, he’s not gonna leave you hanging if you’re hungry.

-Leo will definitely give you your personal space when you need it, but he’s so happy that he gets to spend more time with you that he’ll try to hang out with you pretty much every day. He’ll back off if you tell him to, but he worries he’ll be neglecting you if he doesn’t make the effort to bond with you when he can.

-Don’t be surprised when Leo needs his space too though, he’s an introvert and tends to regain his energy by getting some alone time. If you guys have a guest bedroom, he’ll probably chill in there for a bit before rejoining you, or he’ll just crash in a room you aren’t in. It has nothing to do with you and everything to do with his energy levels, so don’t feel bad when he needs some alone time.

-Leo’s totally chill with you bringing friends over to the apartment, he’d just like a heads up before you do. In return, he’ll ask or warn you when he’s bringing his own buddies over so that you aren’t caught off guard.

-Despite your varying work schedules and the fact that you live together now, Leo will still try to go on actual dates regularly. He aims for every week, but he won’t beat himself up too much if your schedules don’t align well enough to support that all the time. He’s just happy to get any time with you, on a date or just at home.

-If possible, Leo would prefer to split the chores 50/50. He thinks it’s important that everyone be doing their share to keep the apartment clean, so he’ll be down to share the chores with you. If you work longer and more frequent hours than he does he’ll gladly do more of the chore load, but if you work about the same hours, he thinks it’s only fair you split everything evenly.

-With rent payments, it’s the same deal. Leo would like to split the pay 50/50, but if you make considerably less than him, he’ll take on more of the burden. As for you…well, if you make more than him, he’ll still want to pay at least 50%, simply because he doesn’t want to be unfair to you. Rules for me, not for thee, as Leo likes to think of it.

-Leo has a tendency to stay up really late when he doesn’t have something the next morning, so expect him to be up later than you on most nights. He’ll still snuggle up to you though, and having another person around with a normal sleep schedule might help fix his. Either way, he’ll try to be quiet once you’re asleep, creeping around the house in fear of waking you.

-Getting ready with you in the morning would be something Leo enjoys, although it really depends on your schedule and his. When you two get ready for work together, he’ll treat it like bonding time, helping you out with whatever you need and hugging you whenever it won’t be inconvenient.

-Expect hello/goodbye kisses every time you go to and from work, Leo loves making sure you know he’ll miss you while you’re apart, no matter how short the time apart is.

-Overall, living with Leo isn’t all that stressful. He doesn’t go out a whole ton besides when he’s working, and he’s pretty chill most of the time, so for the most part, there aren’t any major issues. He hopes you won’t regret moving in with him, because he sure doesn’t regret moving in with you. With any luck, you’ll eventually be able to score a house together, although that might take awhile.

Hope you guys enjoyed!

[yandereonepieceimagines]

Hey there!! Congrats on your new blog!! I didn’t really see a list on what characters you do or won’t do, so feel free to reject / modify my request. I was wondering if you can do hcs for romantic yandere kizaru sfw and/or nsfw? No worries if you can’t / won’t. Take care and I look forward to reading your imagines.

---------

Thank you so much! I really hope I can meet your expectations. It’s always a bit nerve-wracking starting a new blog for a different fandom. I do write for a lot of characters romantically, as I mentioned in my rules. Since there are so many, it tends to be very request-specific. That said, your request is absolutely fine as it is and I can definitely work with it!

I hope you’ll enjoy what I’ve written below!

----------

Warning!: NSFW Below!

Borsalino Kizaru

SFW

* Kizaru first notices you due to your reputation as a powerful individual, with abilities on par with someone who would have a four hundred million belli bounty if you ever were to use your capabilities against the interest of the Marines and the World Government. What catches his attention isn't just your strength, but the freedom with which you operate. Unbound by Marine classifications, justice systems or piratical ambition. You're an anomaly in their structured world. A sole explorer. Someone who walks the line between law and chaos with effortless confidence. That unpredictability fascinates him. And from the moment he learns of you, he begins to watch more closely than he ever has anyone else.

* He begins monitoring your movements under the guise of coincidence, appearing near places you visit and lingering just out of sight. Your strength, independence and mystery only deepen his fixation.

* Kizaru doesn’t confront or claim you openly. Instead, he manipulates circumstances from the shadows. Removing perceived threats, redirecting dangerous encounters and influencing your environment to keep you somewhat isolated without your realizing it.

* While never restricting you physically, he subtly ensures you will start relying on him more. Both emotionally and mentally. Helpful warnings, strategically placed resources and timely interventions create a dependence on his presence. Both seen and unseen.

* Though outwardly unbothered, he becomes silently enraged when others get too close. His reactions are never loud or immediate, but rather chillingly precise. Rivals disappear, suffer setbacks, or simply fall off the radar, leaving behind no evidence of his interference. Even those who merely express interest in you often find their paths inexplicably blocked, careers stalled, or reputations quietly ruined. His lax demeanor hides a vicious, calculated protectiveness. One fueled by the belief that only he can truly understand you. He doesn't tolerate competition, even if he smiles lazily through it.

* He tracks your every move with light-speed ease. You may find signs that someone is always one step behind. Faint flashes of light, unexplained shifts in your surroundings, or an eerie sense of being watched.

* If you're ever harmed or truly threatened, Kizaru acts without restraint. He eliminates anything in his path with devastating precision, breaking his usual passive façade in favor of cold, overwhelming power.

* He doesn’t express love through words or touch. Instead, his love is calculated. Ensuring your safety, eliminating distractions and keeping you just isolated enough to need him.

* Despite his manipulative ways, he holds onto a skewed sense of honor. He refuses to let others harm you and insists on being the only one who can be close, as though it's his responsibility to protect what he considers his. Surprisingly, he grants you a wide berth of freedom. Allowing you to travel, explore and live life on your terms. So long as you don't show signs of drifting away from him emotionally. The moment he senses distance or disloyalty, however subtle, that freedom becomes tightly monitored, his control reasserting itself beneath the surface.

* If you ever confront him, he never admits anything directly. His calm, dragged out tone and ambiguous responses make it impossible to catch him in a lie. Leaving you unsure whether you're imagining things or if he truly orchestrates everything around you. He deflects with ease, sometimes making you question your own sanity, as though you’re chasing shadows. Even when you lay out concrete details, he remains composed. Tilting his head, offering a smile that reveals nothing, yet somehow disarms you. He might change the subject effortlessly, redirecting the conversation in a way that leaves you doubting your own instincts. There’s a strange comfort in his presence even during those moments, making it all the more difficult to pull away. It’s not denial. It’s a slow, elegant erasure of your doubts before they can take root.

NSFW

* In private, when you’ve finally given into his advances, Kizaru becomes softer in his expression and tone. His usual sarcasm and teasing slow to a near-whisper. While his movements are still deliberate, there’s an unexpected warmth in how he touches you. Like you're something precious he can't quite believe is real. With him, willingly.

* Intimacy with Kizaru is slow, languid and controlled. He doesn't rush. Ever. Every kiss, every touch and every moment is calm and pinpointed. He likes to savor you. There's a quiet intensity in how he undresses you carefully. As if memorizing each movement and each sound you make in the process.

* Though gentle, his possessive tendencies slip through. Subtle but unmistakable. He'll leave faint hickey marks on your skin, hidden from public view, but just enough so he knows they're there. He’ll murmur subtle reminders of how no one else gets to see you like this. Be with you like this.

* He learns your reactions intimately and he takes pride in being the only one who knows how to unravel you completely. Every sigh, every shiver… He watches, listens and remembers. It's not just desire for him. It's data and love tangled in precision.

* Kizaru rarely gives commands. Instead, he guides you with leisurely touches, looks and the pressure of his fingers at your waist. Especially when you ride him. His control is constant and lingering, but never cruel. It’s the kind of dominance that makes you feel safe and completely seen.

* Afterwards, he becomes unusually still. He doesn’t fall asleep right away. Instead, he lies next to you silently, eyes on the ceiling or your face. Sometimes he strokes your hair, other times he wraps an arm around you in a protective hold.

* To you, he's tender. But even in moments of vulnerability, he’s calculating. When you're asleep, he watches you, traces your skin and wonders how long he can keep this peace.

* His love feels like gravity. Behind closed doors, he builds a quiet world where you're safe, desired and wholly his. He never says you need him. He makes you feel like no one else could ever compare. Like he’s the only one who could ever know how to handle you.

* Whenever there’s tension or doubt in your relationship, he doesn’t argue. At all. He touches, kisses and makes love to you until you forget why you were upset. It’s not always fair, but it’s always effective. He uses closeness as a way to try and bring you back to him.

[elronds-meleth-nin]

Randir

I actually started writing this before Season 2 came out, but something like half of it was inspired after Season 2 began. Idk. Brain said 'smooch the Uruk' so here we are. 🤷‍♀️ I might write a follow-up with the actual smut, but for now, I hope you all enjoy this!

Randir = Wanderer (Sindarin)

Cross-posted to AO3 here.

~*~

Adar (RoP) x Reader

[A/N: This has innuendo and implied smut, so 18+ ONLY, MINORS DNI!!!]

Warnings: Caring for an injury, hurt/comfort (physical), mentions of blood, mentions of injuries but nothing too graphic, attraction at first side, Uruk/Human relationship, Uruk/Human romance, Uruk/Human sex (eventually), interspecies sex, kissing, Adar in a bath (yes it's a warning because holy hell that thought is so sexy), slightly dom!Adar, she falls for him hard, he loves her like a moth loves a flame, soft!Adar, angst with a happy ending, implied smut, implied interspecies sex, implied Uruk/Human sex, nudity, literal sleeping together.

~*~

He came out of the woods limping and obviously injured just as I was removing one of my shifts from the clothesline. Looking bedraggled, with matted hair and a cloak that appeared mere moments from unraveling, the Ellon with scars on his face stumbled into my yard and collapsed amongst the wildflowers.

Dropping my laundry without a thought, I gathered my skirt and ran over to him. He was barely conscious when I dropped to my knees.

"Can you understand me?" I asked as I fumbled with the breastplate of his heavily worn armor.

"Yes...my lady," he breathed. The gentle rasp of his voice was surprisingly pleasant, but I couldn't focus on that. I had to find where he was bleeding. Nearly his whole side was soaked in it.

"I'm not going to harm you. Can you tell me where you're hurt?" His hand met my arm, touching me gently, drawing my gaze to the point of contact between us then up to his eyes. Valar, they were a beautiful shade of green!

"My...left side...and my right thigh," he answered, but instead of letting his hand fall away, he reached farther up, touching my cheek.

"You'll be alright," I murmured, wanting to comfort him. He looked up at me as if I was a light shining in the hopelessness of the dark, somehow looking peaceful even as his eyelids fluttered dangerously toward unconsciousness.

"Yes...I'm certain that I will...with you...t-to care for me," he managed between labored breaths as a small smile stretched his lips. "Thank you...my lady."

His hand fell away as he passed out, and a sense of renewed urgency rushed through me as I worked to staunch his wounds. His blood was incredibly dark - nearly black - but I could find no evidence of poison. How curious!

No matter the color of his blood, he'd already lost so much of it. I had to tend to his injuries. With a bit of elbow grease, I managed to get him into the house and onto my bed. As my language was coarser during that process than would be considered ladylike, I was rather grateful that my patient wasn't awake to hear it. Once he was free of his armor and blood-soaked clothing, I cleaned his wounds and bandaged them more securely.

For long hours, he did not wake. The slash across his side had not been terribly deep, but it did bleed more heavily than I would've preferred. Embedded in his leg was the broken-off tip of an arrow. Removing that had been the most difficult and nerve-wracking part.

That night as I snuffed all but a few candles and settled in to keep vigil over my injured guest, I took a moment to observe his face. His wounds had already partially healed - the wonders of Elven physiology, I assumed - and the salve I'd applied beneath his bandages would help them heal the rest of the way without scarring.

But his face...he was gorgeous. Clearly, he'd been the subject of either torture or a terrible accident. Scars of all sorts covered his body, reaching all the way up to his face. The poor man. I had no idea what he'd been through, but he deserved a measure of gentleness. Earlier, after binding his wounds, I'd gently cleaned the grime from his skin to the best of my ability and dressed him in a clean set of clothes. I was glad I did.

He was beautiful.

His chest rose and fell at a steady rate, suggesting sleep rather than a complication from his injuries. His pulse was, by then, hale and hearty, so without too much worry, I settled in at his bedside to keep watch over him.

Eventually, the steady rhythm of his breathing lulled me quietly to sleep.

--

"Am I dead?" The quiet rasp of his voice drew me out of my half-doze. Lifting my head from the edge of the bed against the protests of my stiff neck, I found those green eyes open again and fixed upon me. His gaze seemed clearer.

"No, sir, you're not." My voice came out a bit rougher than I anticipated from sleep. "You're in my home and quite alive."

The slow, gentle flex of muscle in my grasp made me glance down, and I realized with a sleepy blink that I was holding his hand. When had I gotten the courage to do that? Had I done it in my sleep? His long, obviously strong fingers squeezed mine so gently that when I looked back up at him, I couldn't fight the little grin that tugged at my mouth.

"How are you feeling?" I asked as my thumb absently skimmed over the backs of his knuckles. He drew in a deep breath and winced at the tail end of it.

"Not perhaps my best, but much better than before," he murmured. "May I ask the name of my savior?"

I answered, and he repeated the word slowly, allowing the syllables to roll around in his mouth as if savoring their taste. My own name had never sounded so good.

"And you? What do you prefer to be called?" I asked as I lifted the hem of his borrowed shirt and checked the dressing on his side. The light, white fabric was thankfully loose enough around his torso that I was able to do so without disturbing his wound.

"My real name has been lost to time. To most I am known simply as Adar," he answered, and it hit me then how old he might be. He was an Ellon, of course. It was entirely possible that he was hundreds of years old.

"Adar." Repeating his name as carefully as he had mine, I was treated to another charming little smile from my patient. "Well, Adar, you appear to be healing quickly, though, from what I've heard about your people, that's not uncommon. You should be able to get up and move around come the morning."

The dark-haired Ellon shook his head.

"The credit lies with you. Had you not found me, I could well be dead. I owe you my life." As he spoke, he still made no effort to remove his hand from my grasp.

I was not disappointed by the prolonged contact.

Struggling to distract him from how obviously I must be blushing from his gratitude, I addressed some concerns that I would've had myself if I'd been in his position.

"Just so you know, I had to undress you to treat your injuries, and as your clothes were soiled rather completely, I've dressed you in a clean shirt and pants. Your own clothes have been washed and are drying on the line," I said gesturing vaguely toward the window. "The rest of your possessions are on the table just to your side, and I did clean your armor. Although, I didn't want to risk using the wrong polish, since I couldn't tell what sort of materia–"

Silencing me by pressing a few of his fingertips against my lips, Adar breathed my name. I looked at him wide-eyed.

"You have no need to explain yourself. You could have allowed me to die, but instead you chose to help me. I have seen many types of people since the birth of the world, and you are not the sort who would rob me while I was lying vulnerable in your home," he said as his fingers slid down my chin, then descended the column of my throat to the dip between my collarbones.

I barely suppressed a shiver at his tone - whether pleasure or unease, I couldn't tell. Then, his eyes dropped to my lips, and I settled firmly on pleasure.

"Since the birth of the world?" I asked quietly, and he nodded his head. "But...that would make you thousands of years old...?"

"Does that surprise you?"

My eyebrows shot upwards.

"A mortal woman caring for a being who has lived through entire ages? Certainly not. It happens every fortnight." The playful sarcasm slipped out before I could stop it, but instead of being offended by my casual impertinence, my patient let out a rough huff of laughter.

"As vain as it sounds, it pleases me that you are. Perhaps I don't appear as ancient and broken as I feel," Adar said as his fingers squeezed mine lightly.

"Had I not known, I would've assumed that you were no more than a century old," I teased, and he grinned up at me.

"Ah, now you are deep within the realm of falsehoods, my lady. Do not sully your integrity attempting to placate a relic's ego," he muttered, but beneath his teasing words, a lingering sort of sadness filled his eyes. "I am not worth any dimming of your own light."

Without thought, I reached up and brushed a few strands of hair behind his pretty, pointed ear.

"I speak only the truth. Now, let me get you some water, and then you will require more rest."

"I dare not argue with my healer's wishes," he murmured as I got to my feet. Just before I turned away, I saw him clench his newly-released hand a couple of times. Assuming I'd held it long enough for the muscles to stiffen up, I made a mental note not to do so again.

As he faded in and out of sleep, I went about my day, tackling minor chores and tasks, checking on Adar every so often to see if he needed anything. Eventually, after I fetched his clothing from the line, I found him lying awake in bed late in the evening, watching me as I puttered around.

"How are you feeling, Adar?" I asked taking a seat beside him, and when he looked over at me, he seemed much more alert than before.

"I feel almost whole, my lady, thanks to your tender care," he answered, and as I carefully lifted his shirt to check his newest dressing, he continued. "May I ask something...of a rather personal nature?"

Giving him the go-ahead, I looked up just in time to see him eyeing me with a contemplative expression.

"You appear to live alone, yet this shirt seems to have been made for a man. Is...your husband away? In my current state, I do not think I could defend myself against an irate spouse."

I couldn't help but giggle.

"I have no partner, Adar. These clothes are my brother's. He left a few sets here for those rare occasions when he deigns to visit," I explained, and a look of surprise crossed his features. "He despises carrying more travel bags than is absolutely necessary, so having a small stash of spare clothes here suits him."

Was he relieved by my answer, or was that my imagination at work in the dim candlelight?

"My apologies for prying," he murmured, but I just shook my head.

"You may ask me anything you wish without guilt," I assured, laying a hand gently atop his chest. His eyes flicked between my hand and my face as if he was warring with himself over something. "What is it?"

Still, the Elf hesitated before speaking up.

"Have you a stream nearby or perhaps a lake? Any body of water will do, really. I feel as though I am covered in half a countryside's worth of dirt," Adar said with a sheepish smile. "I do not wish to dirty your brother's clothes more than necessary."

"Clothing can be washed. As for yourself, well," I began getting to my feet, "I think we can do much better than a cold stream, don't you?"

--

With the practiced ease of someone who'd done this alone hundreds of times, I heated water for my patient's almost-bath. I could not fill the tub completely for fear of reopening his wounds, but I was able to put in just enough that we'd be able to help him slough the dirt off of his skin. His bleeding had stopped the night before shortly after I'd bandaged him, so I didn't see any harm in him soaking for a short while, as long as I could keep an eye on his injuries.

I would, of course, have to help him, otherwise we would run the risk of his injuries opening themselves once more, but it could be done. My patient certainly wasn't too proud too accept help when he needed it. I bore much of his weight as I helped him over to the partially-filled tub.

Together, we made quick work of the task, but I couldn't keep from my mind thoughts of what terrible things he must've been through to accrue such an array of injuries. As I carefully scrubbed the parts of his back which he could not reach, I went a bit slower than was necessary, taking the time simply to observe him.

Each raised ridge and callused swirl spoke of cruelty beyond comprehension. Who could've done something like that to one of the Elves? They were among the strongest people in all of Middle Earth. Certainly no dwarf or man was capable of this. A wizard perhaps? Or something else with abilities beyond those of mortals?

"I sense a question brewing," Adar rasped, and though he could not see my face from that angle, I feared he would feel the heat radiating from my blushing cheeks. "You should know that the courtesy which you extended to me earlier is mutual. You may ask me anything you wish."

Biting my lip as I wrung out the rag and picked up a pitcher of warm, clean water, I let the silence float between us. As the water sluiced soap and dirt from his back, I reminded myself that it was not my place to ask about the scars beneath. If he wished to speak about it he would, but I longed to ask him who'd done this to him so I could do something about it.

"It...is not a question, so much as..." I trailed off as I searched for the right words. "It is impertinent for me to say, and I do hope you'll forgive me. If your scars hurt you, I have a salve that'll ease the ache."

Adar turned very carefully and looked at me.

"My dear lady, it is abundantly clear to me that we have very different ideas about what constitutes impertinence," he murmured as his lips quirked into a small smile. "As kind as your offer is, however, these wounds are so ancient that even a salve made by the most famed healers in all of Elvendom could not hope to affect them. I do not wish to waste your resources in such a futile exercise, but you do have my most sincere gratitude for taking the time to consider such a course of action."

I was struck by his tone. It almost sounded as though that was a new experience for him...as if people did not often think of such things in regard to him. Did he not have anyone to care for him or think of such things?

"Is there anything that I can do to make you more comfortable?" I asked, and my Ellon guest gave me an incredulous look.

"You have opened your home to me, treated my wounds, fed me, and clothed me. Truly, I cannot ask anything more of you."

Beginning to massage soap into his scalp, I lowered my voice further.

"You can ask anything of me that you wish." That was an admission I ought not make, but I could not restrain it.

Within moments, I had helped my guest rinse his hair and dry off, and I'd only stolen one glance - alright, maybe two - at his rather gorgeous physique. Scarred, he might be, but Adar was still lean, muscular, and utterly beautiful. No wonder Elves were rumored to enchant mortals across the ages. Even after as much untold pain as this Ellon had experienced, he was still kind and attractive, with a voice that made my heart race.

Late into the night we spoke, he reclining in bed, and I seated beside him in the chair I'd dragged over the night before. We talked of everything and nothing. For his part, Adar looked healthier than I'd yet seen him, and at his final bandage change before bed, I was pleased to note that his injuries were well on their way to being healed.

Adar was kind enough to indulge me when I asked about his own life, recounting a few tales from several millennia ago. Just imagining him joyful and untroubled, reclining in the noonday sun brought a smile to my lips. He was handsome as I'd seen him, but my mind's eye conjured him in more traditional Elven clothing - sumptuous silks that clung to his figure and fluttered in the wind - and my cheeks heated.

My thoughts must've been written more clearly on my features than I'd anticipated, because Adar skimmed the backs of his knuckles down my cheek.

"You would have fitted that time to perfection. All was gentleness and light, and the world was awash in beauty," he murmured as his expression flitted to one of nostalgia and a hint of longing. "I hope you'll pardon me if this is too forward, but when you came to my aid, I believed I was beyond help, but I realized that I could make peace with my end if your face was the last I ever saw. Your beauty reminded me of all I had seen in those early years of the world...you took my fear and replaced it with contentment. None before you have been able to do that."

Unable to find anything even remotely adequate to say in response to such a sweet sentiment, I grasped his free hand and blinked back the tears his words had inspired.

"You are much too generous with your praise, sir," I stammered, and Adar shook his head.

"I do not know why you insist upon minimizing your virtues, but I wish it to be known that I am speaking the truth." His fingers squeezed mine carefully. "You complimented me before. It seems only fair that I be allowed to do the same, especially since neither of us were telling falsehoods."

To that, there was no rebuttal. Eventually, we fell back into a rhythm of give and take. Before I knew it, Adar's eyes had fluttered shut, and so had mine.

--

As the morning's first light streamed in, I blinked slowly awake and found myself entranced. Adar stood at the foot of the bed inspecting his injuries, his borrowed shirt laid neatly atop the quilt behind him. His torso, riddled with scars and signs of past injuries, seemed even more lovely in the light of day, and the Ellon did not seem weakened by his experiences. Surely, I had no reason to be ashamed of looking?

I must have made some sort of small sound, or perhaps my breathing changed enough to draw his attention, for within a moment, I found him smiling over at me and stopping my breath in my throat.

"You have a great deal of medicinal skill, my lady. I doubt these will leave a scar," Adar praised as he took a few slow steps toward me. Lifting one of my hands in his grasp, he guided my fingertips to press gently against the raised, reddish line that used to be the injury upon his side. Elves truly did heal more quickly than any mortal could. "One less scar is a welcome change, as you can undoubtedly see."

His hand didn't release mine, nor did his gaze stray from my face. My tongue seemed to have deserted me along with my good sense. I couldn't stop staring at him. Eventually, he grasped my chin and lifted it, forcing me to look into his clear, green eyes.

"I believed that I had imagined it last night...your desire. I thought it a residual component of my delirium or a symptom of my exhaustion," Adar breathed in that beautiful, raspy voice of his. Had I truly been that obvious? "After all, why should you crave the darkness when you are so obviously a creature of the light?"

"You are not as dark as you might believe," I muttered, and he smirked as his fingers slid from my chin to my jaw, grasping me a bit tighter. Leaning down so that his lips brushed the shell of my ear, he lowered his voice to a whisper.

"If you could hear my thoughts and see my desires, dear lady, you would not say such a thing." If that was meant to be a warning, my mind did not take it as such.

"Mine are no more innocent," I admitted, against my better judgment. There was something irresistible about the Ellon towering above me. He stepped closer, tilting my head up with his hold on my jaw, and when his lips met mine, I surrendered myself to him. Perhaps I was a fool to do so, after all, we'd only known each other for a matter of days.

And yet...there was something about him that just...fit. In my home, in my life, and in my heart - in every way possible, Adar filled a void of which I had not even aware. His heart, scarred and filled with self-loathing as it was, called to mine in a way I'd never experienced before. Being around him was effortless and pleasurable. I'd grown accustomed to hearing his voice and catching his eye as I puttered around my house.

This new intimacy felt right. At least, that is how I justified it to myself when his tongue brushed mine and I moaned into his mouth. A low, hungry sound mirrored my own, but Adar pulled away after a long moment. I couldn't seem to form coherent thoughts in the wake of his passionate demonstration.

"Forgive me," he breathed, but he didn't sound particularly remorseful. Removing his hands with a great show of reluctance, Adar redressed. I ought to have moved closer and kissed him again, but I was simply stunned by the sheer strength of my body's reaction to him. I wanted to throw myself to the ground before him and plead for him to take me. As unladylike as that was, the urge was nearly overwhelming.

I didn't remember getting to my feet, but after a moment, I found myself topping up my horse's food and water in the stable. Her sable hair gleamed in the light as I began to brush her. She'd been my brother's horse, but he'd given her to me when the father of his betrothed helped him acquire a rather beautiful black stallion. So, Míra - for that was her name - had become a rather good friend of mine over the years.

"He kissed me, Míra," I whispered to her as if it was a secret. The only person who could possibly overhear me was my guest, and given that he knew rather intimately what we'd done, I doubted he'd care if I told my horse. He might think me strange, but given the relationship between Elves and nature, I doubted that he would.

For a few quiet minutes, it was just me and Mira, but soon a shadow stretched from the doorway into the stable.

"Míra rocco," Adar said as he walked slowly toward us. I blinked at him in surprise.

"How did you know her name was Míra?" I asked, and he looked at me with a lopsided smile.

"I did not, my lady. I intended no more than to compliment your pretty steed, but it seems her name is one. You see, 'míra' means beautiful in one of the forms of the Elvish language," he explained, and I let out a huff of laughter. No wonder Elrond always seemed so amused by her name!

Adar turned his gaze back to my mare, murmuring her name amongst a string of other Elvish words. Typically, she was shy around strangers, backing off or huffing and stamping until they backed off or I calmed her, but she let Adar caress the side of her head immediately. Apparently, she trusted him just as much as I did, despite the short duration of our acquaintance.

"It would seem my brother chose well, then," I said as I watched Adar lift a handful of her feed from the barrel where I stored it.

"Indeed, he did." After a few more moments of bonding between Míra and her new bosom companion, Adar faced me with what looked like determination flashing in his eyes.

"I apologize for interrupting, but I wish to pay you back for your kindness," he began, and as I opened my mouth to protest, he held up a hand to stop me. "I know that you will likely say that no such thing is necessary, however, I would be a poor patient, indeed, if I did not at least attempt to show y gratitude. Give me something to do. Chores, tasks you would rather avoid, anything at all. If you are worried about my injuries, I assure you, they are sufficiently healed for all but a sword fight."

I thought for a moment, and grabbed a few tools from their place inside.

"There are a few short log rounds that need to be split for the hearth," I began, "but if you feel that would be too hard for right now, I could give you something else to do. I do not want you reopening either of those wounds."

Looking at me with a mixture of mischief and pride, Adar took only the axe from my hand, not my makeshift splitting wedge or hammer.

"I could fell whole trees for you and expend no more effort than you did brushing Míra." I didn't know if I believed that, even if the Elves were stronger than mortals.

"Do not overexert yourself. I would hate to have to drag you into the house unconscious for a second time," I ordered with no real venom behind my words. In truth, I was just happy to have him by my side.

He placed a gentle kiss upon my brow and walked out of the stable. I was so overcome by the tenderness of his gesture that I took a long moment to lean against the wall and savor the feeling before returning to my own long list of chores. Most of the ones I'd put off were inside the stable, so I had no reason to step outside.

By the time everything was finished, I headed inside, thinking that Adar must be resting after having split the wood. After all, he was still regaining his strength. Surely, he was exhausted after such hard work. But, when I walked inside, he was nowhere to be seen.

"Adar?" There was no answer to my call. The sound of my voice carried through the house in the way only an empty space could manage. My gaze fell to the table where a small, purple bundle lay.

It was a bouquet of little, purple flowers tied with simple twine. Sage blossoms, presumably from the stream near my home. When had he gone to the stream? Beside them was a note written on a piece of parchment.

'My lady,' it read, 'I beg your forgiveness for my abrupt departure. I am incredibly grateful for your kind ministrations over the last few days. You wished me to have a more rest, but I fear in must move on. My absence will undoubtedly return some semblance of peace to your life. With all my heart, I wish you every joy this world can bring. Thank you for giving me the blessing of looking upon your light. It will shine all the clearer for the lack of my darkness. You will be safer for it, and the acknowledgment of that fact appeases my own aching heart, somewhat. Forgive me, my sweet lady. Your kisses will ever fill my dreams. Sincerely yours, Adar.'

I dropped into one of the chairs beside the table as loss clawed at me from the inside out. He'd left. He'd...actually left. Beyond the letter, he had not even said 'goodbye.'

Hoping against hope, I looked around my home, both inside and out, but instead of Adar, I found enough chopped wood to fill the box near the door, the rotten beam in my fence replaced with a sound one, and the clothes I'd lent him hanging on the line to dry after being washed.

He must have worked quickly to do all of that without attracting my notice, and I had not even asked him to repair the fence or wash the clothing.

Darkness, indeed. Would a being of darkness truly take the time to wash a shirt and trousers in a cold stream and hang them to dry? I'd have thought they'd leave them in a crumpled heap on the floor, instead.

With a sniffle, I realized that I was being ridiculous. I'd known he would leave eventually. Nobody would want to be stuck in this lonely, out-of-the-way, little cottage for long. Even I had debated traipsing off to Rivendell and accepting Lord Elrond's invitation to stay for good. But, why would he leave so suddenly? Had I said something that offended him? And what was this darkness to which he kept alluding?

Lord Elrond! Of course! He might be able to answer my question or give me some insight into what was going on. I hoped he would not take offense to my showing up unannounced, but I had no choice. I needed answers.

Mere hours afterward, I had packed a small bag - including the flowers Adar had given me - mounted my horse, and departed for Rivendell.

For the entirety of the two day journey to Rivendell, I rode hard, taking breaks only long enough to avoid either my horse or myself collapsing. By the time I entered the Hidden Valley of Imladris, I must've looked as haggard as I felt.

Lindir strode down the steps into the courtyard just as I managed to pry myself from my saddle and land unsteadily on my feet.

"My lady, welcome to Imladris," he called, but concern colored his voice. "You seem in dire need of respite–"

"Thank you, Lindir, but I am afraid that I cannot rest until I have visited Lord Elrond's library," I stated trying to sound less exhausted than my shaky legs looked. "If you require his permission, I am more than happy to wait. Please convey to him my apologies for arriving unannounced, but it was unavoidable."

"And...what may I tell him is the reason for your visit?"

"Something odd occurred a few days ago," I began. "Normally, I would not trouble him, but this raised several questions...questions which I believe only the records kept here might be able to answer."

Lindir nodded his head despite his skepticism.

"Mellon-nín, you know I would not ask for this over a mere whim," I murmured looking into his eyes, and that was what seemingly convinced him.

"Very well, your horse will be tended to. You may, of course, proceed to the library while I convey this to Lord Elrond."

I waited only long enough to thank Lindir before rushing up the steps. I'd been to Imladris countless times, and on sunny, warm days like this, I knew it would be empty enough for this particular line of research to remain confidential.

Asking the library attendant where I might find information on old Elvish armor designs, I made a beeline for the section she indicated. A set of scrolls marked 'Second Age' caught my eye, and I pulled them down with care. Soon, I had a whole table full of scrolls laid out, and a note in the margin of the oldest I'd pulled made mention of older designs incorporating natural patterns such as rivers and mountains.

...Had Adar been alive since the First Age? He did mention the 'birth of the world,' so...I supposed it was entirely possible that he had. Returning that set of scrolls to their rightful places, I searched the much smaller stack of early First Age scrolls. Many had been rewritten on fresh parchment several dozens of times over, but were in dire need of yet another fresh copy.

The second scroll I unfurled was where I found it: an illustration of several ancient armor styles, including the one with the same pattern that I'd copied down.

Dropping heavily into a seat, I read the notes on that style with shaky hands. Apparently, the pattern itself was conceived during an era called the 'Years of the Trees,' which was seemingly the earliest part of the First Age - Elvish year classifications always made my head spin.

The only problem was that all the descriptions I could find referred to gold, silver, and occasionally white armor. There were no references to dark versions. I supposed Adar's armor could've been discolored across the years, but given how consistent it was, that didn't seem likely.

Swearing under my breath, I opened the other two I'd picked up, but there were no further mentions of that which I sought.

"Mellon-nín?" My friend's voice tore me from my puzzlement, and at the sight of him, regal and serene, standing with a rather confused expression upon his lordly features, I nearly burst into tears. I hadn't meant to disturb him. I'd hoped to find the answers myself.

And if the dread weighing my stomach down like lead was any indication, I wasn't worthy to be trespassing upon his lands. Surely the lack of records about something like this had to be significant. Either this was nothing and I was being dramatic, or it was awful and absolutely meant to be forgotten. After all, it did not do to dwell upon darkness when one could live quite happily within the light.

"I-I'm sorry," I stammered as I got to my feet, and Elrond took a few steps closer, surprise flashing through his warm, gray eyes. "I did not intend to bother you. I would not have come here unless it was truly important."

His hands grasped my shoulders lightly, and the Lord of Rivendell smiled reassuringly at me.

"Peace, I know," he murmured, and I took a shuddering breath. "Now, Lindir said you had questions. Urgent ones, if I were to take a guess."

I nodded my head and tried to compose myself.

"I recently encountered this pattern. I've found records of it, but...I still have...concerns. Have you ever seen it before?" I asked handing him the scrap of parchment on which I'd copied down the engravings adorning Adar's armor. I'd drawn it initially because I liked how the pattern looked, but once I'd given his note more thought, I became curious about its origins. What could have been so dark that he did not wish to endanger me?

Taking it carefully from my hand, my friend nodded his head.

"Yes, this was often placed upon Elven clothing, armor, shields, and the like, but it has not been used in thousands of years," Elrond said looking from the page to me and back again. "I cannot imagine where you would have seen it, but it appears that you have located our records on the subject."

"I found information about the pattern, yes, but...well, I do not believe they are complete. This scroll here mentions gold, silver, and even white versions of armor with this engraving, but what about darker metals?" I asked, and this time his gaze snapped up to meet mine.

"Darker?" Laying the parchment upon the desk nearest us, he gestured for me to have a seat. "We use those three colors to symbolize Ilúvatar's light shining within us - the light of the Valar. For this pattern to appear in dark colors, especially black, it would make a mockery of that most sacred light, the way that Morgoth did when he created the first Orcs using Elves."

My heart nearly skipped a beat. Was that what he was?

"Can you tell me about that?" I nearly whispered, and he agreed.

"In the very beginning of the First Age, Morgoth stole several of the Elves - widely speculated to be of the Avari - and tortured them," he said, and my heart sank in my chest. Was that where he got all those scars? From a wrathful godlike entity? "Twisting and manipulating them, he created in them the first Orcs, the Moriondor - Uruks, they called themselves, though they still appeared very like the Elves. From them, he bred an army with which he intended to conquer Middle Earth."

In horror, I covered my mouth with my hand and felt tears burning the corners of my eyes at the thought of all that Adar had been through, assuming this was what he'd meant.

"Have you seen the armor that you described, mellon-nín?"

Unable to summon my voice, I nodded my head, and Elrond leaned closer, grasping my hands with his. Thankfully, he remained silent, allowing me to speak in my own time.

"It was engraved on a black breastplate that looked pitted and rough, aged beyond anything I'd seen before, but still well-maintained, all things considered." I paused for a moment, wondering how much I should tell him.

"Why the curiosity about armor, mellon? I have never known you to be interested in such things before," he wondered, and I looked up at him with tears gathering in my eyes. I intended to answer his question, truly, I did, but another escaped my tongue instead.

"How did you know?" I asked, and he blinked blankly. "With Celebrian, how did you know that she was the one?"

Elrond's eyebrows shot upward at the rapid shift in topics.

"It was a combination of things, I suppose. I felt at ease around her, conversation was effortless and enjoyable, but most of all, I did not feel as if I needed to hide any part of myself from her," he explained. "Though I am but Half-Elven, she did not treat me any differently than she did anyone else. She accepted me, flaws, differences, and all."

Acceptance. Could it be that simple?

Adar had not judged me for being mortal. He'd been equally surprised when I refused to listen to his self-deprecation, instead offering him genuine compliments. We conversed easily for hours during his short-lived convalescence, and every moment I was in his presence, it felt as though I was wrapped in a comforting hug.

He fit so perfectly into my life that it was frightening. Perhaps, after all that he'd been through, assuming that he was one of the Moriondor as Elrond had mentioned, it had frightened him. After thousands of years of pain and torture and violence, a gentle touch must be surprising. Perhaps, even a little unnerving.

But he'd left. He was gone, so there was very little chance that I would ever know for certain.

Lightly, Elrond grasped my chin, turning my head so that our gazes met.

"Why these questions, mellon-nín? Never before have I seen you so troubled," he murmured. Concern twined in his every word and glittered in his eyes. "Speak to me. Tell me what burden has weighted your soul so that I might help you carry it."

Fear and regret, pride, an odd sense of excitement, and dread rose in my throat, clawing at my tongue as I spoke, fighting with each other as I warred with my own heart.

"I have done something...made a choice which I cannot alter," I admitted in barely a whisper, "but even if I could, I do not believe that I would wish to."

My vision blurred beneath a veil of tears, and my sweet, worried friend pulled me into his arms. He always seemed to know exactly what I needed, even if that was an excuse to hide my face so that I could more readily confess to my actions. Elrond waited patiently, allowing me to choose whether or not to continue.

"I have saved a life," I breathed against the softness of his robe, beginning to relate the tale to the only person whom I knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that I could trust. By the time I spoke of the kiss, the note, and the flowers, I wept openly.

"Mellon-nín...oh, my dear friend," he cooed brushing away my tears tenderly and laying kisses upon my brow. "You have nothing about which to feel guilty. You saved an injured person's life without knowing who he was."

"But...but if he truly was one of those taken by Morgoth as you mentioned earlier, should I not feel some sense of...of shame that a being of darkness lives because of me?" I asked between sniffles. "Should I not feel guilt or remorse or fear or sadness? Why do I feel relieved? Why do I feel as glad as I would have if it had been your life in his stead that I had managed to preserve?"

Giving me a patient, affectionate smile, Elrond cupped my tear-stained cheeks and looked into my eyes.

"Saving a life is an act of compassion. What he chooses to do with the time you have gifted him is not your burden to bear. It matters not if his heart knew darkness, for he may yet choose to step into the light. Would you deny him that chance?" Mutely, I shook my head, and Elrond smiled. "None are truly lost until their last breath is spent."

I nodded my head, but something else nagged at me.

"I love him. Darkness or no, I feel for him as you did for Celebrian," I breathed. "Should I not be ashamed even about that?"

His arms gave me a gentle squeeze.

"We cannot control with whom we fall in love. What you can do, however, is listen to what your heart is trying to tell you. Love always has a reason for being, some lesson to teach us, even when it is found in the most unexpected places," Elrond murmured against the top of my head, and I took a deep breath.

"Then, I have realized that too late. His note sounded so...final. I doubt I will see him again," I said trying to pull myself together. "I am sorry, my lord, for troubling you over something so insignificant–"

"Hush," he ordered giving me a stern look. "It was important that you uncover those answers, and I am glad beyond measure to have helped you find them. If nothing else, you have learned that your compassion runs deeper than even I previously thought."

Getting to his feet, Elrond helped me return the scrolls to their rightful places. He knew I'd had a long journey, but despite how exhausted I was, my mind was too active for me to even consider sleep. Instead, my friend led me to his own chambers, poured me a cup of tea, and kept me company until my mind felt clear enough to venture toward the set of chambers that he reserved for my use. Admittedly, however, rest did not come easily.

--

I remained in Rivendell for three days, seeking some sort of peace over what had transpired. Sitting in meditation with Elrond in the mornings and trawling through Elvish poetry in the afternoons left me emotionally primed for an evening walk filled with thoughts too loud for my mind to contain.

Had he seen sights like this? Or, did Morgoth take him before places like Gondolin and Lindon existed? Had he been at peace, even once after he was stolen away? If he really was one of the Moriondor, why was he not with the Uruks now? They massed in Mordor, so...why was he here? Could he not find belonging with either race?

I'd posed some of those questions to my host, and he told me of one of the Moriondor he'd met on the field of battle in the Second Age. Fiercely loyal was he, but eventually, he was tricked and ousted by Sauron. His children, as that Moriondor called the Uruks, had betrayed him and chosen a new master, barely escaping with his life. None knew where he'd gone and most argued that he'd died of his wounds or his grief.

Something in that melancholy ending resonated within me. The sadness in his eyes, the surprise when I'd tried to care for him...was that why? Had been so used to caring for his children that he'd had nobody to care for him?

The day I left, Elrond met me in the stables.

"Mellon-nín, I doubt he would be a threat to you if your mystery lover returned, but if you ever need me, I am here," he said as I buckled my horse's saddle in place. "Truthfully, if he is the Moriondor I encountered, and if, as you say, he harbors even the smallest amount of affection for you, you might be safer than either of us realize."

I made some noncommittal sound, then mounted my horse, but Elrond grasped the pommel before I could depart.

"Do let me know if you marry him. I have always wanted to see you happily lovestruck," he said with a mischievous wink.

"He would need to return for that to even be a possibility, mellon," I muttered, trying very hard to stop my cheeks from heating up. Thanking him for all he'd done, I began my journey home at a much less frantic pace than before.

Once or twice when I stopped along the road to tend my horse, I thought I heard twigs snap in the woods, but I put it down to animals. There were many rabbits and deer in this part of the world. By the time I returned home two days later, I tended to my horse, tore my riding leathers off and practically fell into bed.

--

A small noise awoke me in the night. A second followed it from just outside my door. Grasping blearily for the dagger beneath my pillow, I slipped it from its sheath and slid as soundlessly as I could out of bed. In reality, I'd probably made quite a bit of noise, as I'd been awakened from sleep that I'd desperately needed. I nearly leapt out of my skin when a shout sounded from outside and was abruptly silenced and followed by a dull thud.

Quite suddenly, I was no longer tired.

Raising my dagger, I threw open the door and froze at the sight before me. The Ellon I'd nursed back to heath, who had left a week ago, was crouched not far from my door, covered in blood once more, illuminated by the first pink glow of the sunrise. Only, this time, the blood splattered across his armor, sword, and dotting his face, wasn't his. It belonged to the man lying motionless at his feet through whom he had run his sword. There was another body a few feet away with its head detached.

Fierce, green eyes met mine, and I lowered my arm.

"Adar?" After cleaning his sword on the dead man's shirt, he sheathed it and walked slowly toward the door. Lifting his now empty hands in surrender, he acted as though the sight of him covered in another mans blood would scare me away.

To be fair, it likely should have.

"My apologies for disturbing your rest, my lady," he called, stopping a handful of paces away from me. "These men intended to kill you and steal what valuables they could find."

A cool breeze curled around us, ruffling my nightgown and reminding me sharply of my state of dress.

"Come. Let me help you clean up," I said gesturing inside. He removed his muddy boots at the door before stepping over the threshold. With infinite care, he took a seat at my kitchen table.

As I set a candle before us, my heart pinched at the familiar feeling of him in my space. It still felt right to have him here, but...was he here because he wanted to be or because he felt some sort of obligation?

For long moments we were silent. Adar watched as I shuffled around grabbing a pitcher of water.

"They followed you...on the road," he stated as I fetched a cloth and a bowl. How could he possibly know that?

Unless...

"I presume your knowledge comes from having followed me yourself?"

"Indeed. Tell me, how was your stay in Imladris?" He asked as I filled a small basin with water. I paused mid-pour.

"It was quite helpful," I answered, and a small hum came from my guest.

"You surprise me, my lady," Adar murmured, "I expected you to deny it."

Carrying the cloth and bowl to the table, I looked at him curiously.

"Why should I deny it? Lord Elrond is my friend." I watched as he dipped the clean cloth into the water. "All I wanted was advice."

He let out a rough huff of laughter tinged with bitterness.

"How best to kill the Uruk who'd deceived you, perhaps?" His voice was deadly quiet, his eyes sharp and pain-laced. My heart thumped at the confirmation, but...I still couldn't muster any regret about loving him, even after he'd killed two people in my yard. "He and I have met upon the field of battle. Though it was in another Age, I still remember how many of my children I lost at the hands of Herald Elrond and his illustrious High King. Each of their names is seared into my mind as if it had been only yesterday. I imagine that the extermination techniques he passed to you were efficient and creative...?"

"I inquired about matters of the heart, actually. He's been married before. I haven't."

Adar looked surprised at that, but I held his gaze unwaveringly. My conversation with Elrond had given me a boost of confidence I sorely needed.

Taking the damp cloth carefully from his stunned fingers, I wiped the last of the nearly-dry blood from his cheeks, holding his head steady with my other hand.

"Thank you for saving me," I murmured, but I made the mistake of dropping my gaze to his lips before meeting his eyes again. I hadn't realized how close I was to him. At such close proximity, it was easy to see how his pupils dilated when he glanced at my mouth. Was he remembering the kiss like I was?

Once the last red drop had been removed from his skin, I set the cloth aside and took a chance. Slowly, giving him the chance to refuse me if he preferred, I leaned in and pressed a soft kiss onto his lips. I kept it as chaste and brief as I could.

He remained stationary as if frozen in place, looking at me wide-eyed when I finally pulled back. My heart plummeted into my stomach at his expression.

"I apologize," I breathed, "I should not have taken such a libert–"

Adar grasped the back of my head and slanted his lips hungrily over mine. Melting into his grasp, I surrendered as easily to him as I had the first time he kissed me.

"I was a fool to leave you before," he breathed when he finally came up for air. "I will not make the same mistake again."

Like a man starving after a long period of fasting, Adar claimed my mouth once more, his movements both hungry and loving at the same time. My thoughts all faded away as I returned his affection, and my mind became a sieve only capable of focusing upon the points of contact between us. All else fell away.

"Your lips have haunted me," he admitted once we became desperate for breath. He skimmed the pads of his thumbs over the offending skin as gently as a morning breeze. "I was gone mere hours before I could no longer fight the urge to return. Every step, every breath that drew me farther from you made me feel as though I was being ripped apart from the inside out, so I turned back."

We'd likely missed each other by a matter of minutes, but I could not regret my time in Rivendell when it had been so valuable.

"When I found you gone, I berated myself for my cowardice and tracked your path," Adar explained as he leaned close enough that our noses just barely brushed against each other. His hands slid down my shoulders and my back, gathering the loose fabric of my nightgown in his grasp. "Even more foolish was I for suspecting that one as gentle as you would make such a sojourn for nefarious purposes. I owe you more apologies than breath will allow."

Grasping at the clasps of his armor, I smiled up at him and spoke in a much breathier voice than I'd anticipated.

"No matter. I'm quite sure you can make it up to me." His eyes flashed roguishly at my bravery, and as I began to remove his armor, his lips connected with my jaw. Nips and kisses seared a path down my skin as I managed to remove his armor. Adar lifted the hem of my nightgown slowly in his grasp, revealing my figure bit by bit to the fledgling sunrise and flickering candlelight.

Our hands moved faster, then, separating clothing from skin in a flurry of desperate fingers. We were both mostly nude when I found my curiosity spilling from my throat in a rough almost-whisper.

"If you thought I had gone to Rivendell to ask how best to kill you, why did you come back? Why did you save me?" With great self-control, Adar pulled his lips from my pulse where they had lingered and looked into my eyes with a mix of pain and devotion.

"Because...after all the millennia I have endured, if ever there was one person to bring upon me my destruction, though it would have pained me, I would have been honored for it to be you," he confessed, and the tears which had filled my eyes finally dripped down my cheeks. He kissed them away, but his words did not cease. "I would have accepted defeat from nobody else. If you were the one to plunge a knife into my back, I would still have drawn you close enough for mine lips to taste yours just once more before finally embracing my end."

Nearly delirious with desire and the potency of my own love for him, I shook my head.

"I would never hurt you–" I pleaded with him hoping that he would believe me, but his mouth slanted over mine again, swallowing my desperate protestations and stealing the breath from my lungs.

"I know," he whispered when he finally allowed me to regain my breath. Looking into my eyes as he soothed me, a tear dampened his own lashes. "Shh, I know you would not, meleth-nín."

When I threw my arms around him, burying my face against his shoulder, he embraced me without hesitation. With ease, he lifted me into his arms and carried me to the bed, sitting upon its edge whilst I clung to him. Readjusting myself in Adar's lap, I straddled him, settling my damp core against the tent in his trousers. His hands gripped my waist as he looked into my eyes.

By that point, we were beyond words, hands exploring one another as we each drank breath and sounds from the other. My hips gave an involuntary roll, but were stopped by his grip.

"I adore you," he began, "and I would love nothing more than to continue down this path. However, having followed you, I know that you have had very little sleep over the last few days."

I opened my mouth to protest, but he swallowed my words with a kiss. Damn, that was much too effective!

"I swear to you, I will lavish you in pleasure when you wake, but I fear that you could not take me now without dire consequences for your health." That was a damn bold claim, but before I could say so, a yawn betrayed me, and I was forced to recognize that he was right. "Come, let me hold you, and I will make you sing when you wake."

Reluctantly, I let him reposition me so that we could lie down together. Admittedly, that being held like that was so pleasant that I was out in moments, but not without hearing a string of words I didn't recognize. My last thought before I lost the fight with my eyelids was to wonder whether it was Black Speech.

I very much looked forward to waking up.

~*~*~

Taglist:

@asksizworld @bigblissandlove1 @gandalfthepimp @horta-in-charge @zoya-olenko

[grandlinedreams]

Hey hey hey! Your writing captures these characters in ways that I could never. I’ve had this idea wracking my brain, of Ace as a mechanic for some reason- but, hear me out. The shop owner is Whitebeard, and Ace meets Pops daughter when she comes in to help out one day at the shop not knowing who she is, and I honestly think you can bring this vision to life.

Thank-you, it really is an honor to hear that and I appreciate it!! But also BESTIE UR BRAIN MWAH MWAH MWAH that is SUCH a good concept and I hope that I can do it justice!!

[Heads up!: mechanic!au, afab!reader/gendered terms]

ㅡ

It's sheer luck that lands Ace the job. He's been looking for a while now, desperate to land something that pays more than pocket change an hour because even with Sabo and Luffy also employed, they've been barely making ends meet.

He won't tell them that though, swipes bills out of Sabo's hand before his brother can even open them. "Not your job to worry about it," he tells him when Sabo glares. "It's mine."

He doesn't want them to have to worry about things like that, not when Sabo's found a good balance in college and Luffy's finally considering college at all. So when he finds the ad for the position while aimlessly scrolling through one of the many job application sites, he offers up a plea to whatever god might be listening and applies.

And he gets an interview.

The shop, aptly titled 'Whitebeard Mechanics' is surprisingly in the nicer end of town, situated at the very edge just before the road leads into the sprawling heart of stores and gated communities.

The smell of motor oil is what he catches first, the muffled sound of voices overlapping from an open garage bay and undercut by the whirr of machinery.

"Are you Ace?" He pivots to find the speaker watching him, a man with an interesting cut of blond hair and blue eyes that evaluate him in a way that makes Ace's nerves all the worse. When he nods, the man holds a hand out. "I'm Marco, co-owner of the shop."

"Nice to meet you," Ace says, shaking his hand. Marco's grip is firm, his fingers calloused and seemingly permanently stained with axel grease.

"Pops is waiting for you," Marco says, jerking his head for Ace to follow him into the main building. There's a waiting area with worn chairs and a coffee machine set onto a wheeled storage cabinet, the only decor that of a tropical plant in the corner. "He's in his office."

Ace follows his gesture, a door with a shiny gold plaque that labels it as such and swallows, moving towards it. Steeling himself with a breath, Ace steps inside.

The man sitting behind the desk is Edward "Pops" Newgate ㅡ or at least that's what the little desk tag says, and Ace can tell that the older man would tower over him if he stood. 

"You must be Ace," he greets, gesturing to the plush chair in front of his desk. "Have a seat." 

Ace does so, hands resting on his knees to hide the nervous tremor of them as he watches the other man rifle through a folder ㅡ his application.

"Your references are acceptable," Pops says, and tosses his folder down. "Background checks out, no criminal history…" He leans forward, staring at Ace over steepled fingers. "But why do you want the job?"

Ace blinks. The threat of my brothers and I going homeless and hungry is a great motivator, he wants to say, but he doesn't. Instead he thinks for a moment, shaping his words carefully. 

By the time he's done, Pops is smiling. "Congratulations," he says, "you've got the job." 

ㅡ 

Settling into his new job is surprisingly easy. There's a natural camaraderie when there's no hierarchy to be found ㅡ and friendship comes naturally.

So it's to be expected when Ace comes into work and stops by one of the garage bays, he makes a beeline for the pair of familiar boots sticking out from beneath the undercarriage of a vintage car. 

"Marco," he says as he approaches and knocks his own boot against the one closest to him. "You should come out with me and my brothers for drinks sometime." 

He expects the blond to answer and when he doesn't, Ace frowns and nudges his boot again before stepping back when the dolly begins to roll from underneath the car.

It's only then that he realizes that the boots are not Marco's, and the person on the dolly is not his friend. "I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't kick my feet while I'm working."

Ace stares for all of thirty seconds before his mouth starts working again. "You're a girl," he says and immediately kicks himself for both how dumb he sounds and how your eyes narrow. "I ㅡ no, I just mean ㅡ I've never met you before."

"It's because she only shows up when she wants to," answers Thatch from behind him, and he watches you roll your eyes and scrub a hand against a smear of oil on your cheek as you get up from the dolly. 

"More like whenever dad decides he wants me to come in and lend a hand," you huff, taking the towel that Thatch hands you to wipe your hands off before you turn towards Ace. "So you're the new guy, huh?" 

"Yeah, I'm Ace," he says, mentally patting himself on the back for not stuttering. Your eyes flick over him, assessing him with a curious gleam to your eyes.

"Nice to meet you, Ace. I'm [Name]." Your attention shifts to Thatch as you clap him on the shoulder and begin walking away with him. "Please tell me dad hasn't killed that plant in the lobby while I've been gone." 

Watching you go, it's only then that Ace registers that you've called Pops dad.

ㅡ 

"So…is Pops really your dad?" 

Weeks worth of tentative exchange and working together has afforded him the chance to eat lunch with you when you're at the shop and with the way you look at him over your sandwich, it's clear that you still think he's a little strange. 

"It's what it says on my birth certificate," you answer, and Ace catches himself watching the movement of your mouth as you talk, hurriedly averting his gaze before you can call him out. "Most of the guys are like brothers to me since I've grown up around them. Dad has a habit of pseudo-adopting the people who work for him." 

He knows that well, the parental warmth with which Pops has a way of talking to him making him try not to think about his actual parents. It doesn't matter, not when he has Sabo and Luffy. 

"And what about me?" The question is out of his mouth before he can stop it. "Am I a brother to you?" 

For one horrifying moment, you stare at him as though he's grown two heads ㅡ and then you laugh. Not mocking, not teasing, a full bodied genuine laugh that Ace swears sounds better than anything else he's ever heard. 

"You're still the newbie," you say, but your tone is colored with affection even as you raise an eyebrow. "Thought you already had brothers."

"I do," Ace answers. He's mentioned them to you a couple of times, entertained the idea of introducing you ㅡ and then immediately scrapped it for fear of the resulting potential disaster. 

But he wants to know where he stands with you, aware that his own feelings for you are a little deeper than just that of coworkers. He's also aware that his boss is your father, and that there are a thousand ways this could go very, very wrong. 

Doesn't stop him from wanting to try, though. And it gives him hope for the fact that you're not immediately writing him off, compelling him to continue, "Let me take you out on a date." 

Of all the things you'd expected Ace to follow that up with, asking you out is not one of them. It's rare that anyone isn't spooked off by your circle of pseudo-brothers, and even rarer still that they don't tuck tail and run when your father is involved. 

You should say no. You should make it clear that there's a boundary not meant to be crossed, even without the fact that your father is his boss. But you can't deny that he's grown on you, with his spatter of freckles and loud laugh, a magnetic charm that draws people to him, yourself included. 

"Okay," you say, surprising both him and yourself. "But you better not disappoint me, pretty boy." 

Ace grins. "Wouldn't dream of it." 

[videodromeda]

Hey does writing count?

For the DP OC Parade!

@dpocparadeevent

Name: Aviatrix Iris Minoso Flint (they got the name order wrong)

Description: A mixed-race hispanic girl 16 years of age, shoulder length wavy hair in a bow, Thick-Rimmed Glasses won't conceal her amber gaze. A long-sleeved light green blouse for a top and shin-length patterned skirt with loafers.

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

It was quite obvious the newest Junior student at Casper High was Not Even Trying to fit in.

Looked like the Oklahoma native was actively driving people away.

Not like a certain trio was actively concerned, with stranger than usual spectral activity going on. ('I mean seriously, 2 false alarms and one not even making my ghost sense go off is nuts!')

So of COURSE the four Juniors get detention together, despite the newbie acing all the school work beforehand.

"Judo-flipping that skeevy jock was pretty cool, though!"

... No dice.

Somehow, a boring hour of study and no ghost attacks felt more nerve-wracking than one with it. Especially with how Iris was still as death the entire time.

Personality

Headstrong is a word. It can describe her, but it can't get the full picture. Seemingly haughty, but surprisingly patient with others. Quick to point out something incorrect, but will listen intently for explanation.

Powers

Yeah turns out she's no ghost or vampire or whatever kinda undead creature.

Aside from Martial Artistry, Iris is one of the most potent Psychics in the Americas, specifically with extreme mastery of knowledge and imparting that knowledge onto people or objects.

"So, are the beams necessary?" "Yes, now hold still."

Not to mention the ability to mentally detach herself. ("So you Are the ghost from earlier!" 'An Astral Projection. We are quite keen on the difference'

Weaknesses

Its on and will be on and goes on Iris can't rest, only meditate.

Overexposure to Ectoplasm MIIGHT do something weird? It's a case by case basis for Psionics.

(A lesser known hindrance to All Psychics is Temporal Manipulation. *Looks at Clockwo- AH MY EYES*)

Family

Rose Flint (nee Estrada Minoso) (Mother)

Aurora Estrada (Aunt)

Eugene Estrada Gamez (M-Grandfather)

Terrarium 'Terri' Flint (Father)

Corinthia and Laconia Flint Minoso (Twin Younger Sisters)

Prometheus 'Theo' Flint (P-Grandfather)

Winnifred Flint (nee Irving)

[jamisonwritestf2trash]

may i request some sniperscout sillyness.

aka first date between them :3

Sniperscout First Date!

————————————————————

Of course you can! SniperScout is one of my all-time favorite ships 😭 I love writing about them. So I'll break this down into two things because I've gotta add the silliness of Scout asking Sniper out.

————————————————————

So, off the bat, neither of these guys knows how to ask someone on a date or how to date. Sniper tried sp hard to ask Scout out, working up the courage multiple times only to talk himself out of it at the last moment. Like Sniper sneaks up to Scout's door after successfully avoiding all the other mercs, with like flowers or something and knocks, all ready to confess, but then he hears Scout get up to open the door and he panics and leaves. Scout just opens the door and is so confused. He probably thinks the base is haunted. Scout is also way too nervous about asking Sniper out, but he's the one who ultimately makes the first move. Honestly, he'd end up doing the same thing as Sniper but gets caught.

Scout runs up to Snipers van. He's nervous as hell, hands shaking slightly, he knocks lightly on the door and the second he hears Sniper shuffling towards the door it all becomes to real and he freaks out, he starts to run away but Sniper has already opened the door, and is calling him back. Scout turns around, clasping his hands together in a nervous way, chuckling a little,

"Hey, Snipes! Uh, how ya doing?" Is the only thing he manages to say. He starts babbling about this and that trying to find an excuse for why he was there, his face is a little pink already. Sniper finally just bluntly asks him why he's there.

"Well, I- you see, I uh," Scout internally freaking out, he doesn't know why this has to be so hard, he's asked Miss Pauling out repeatedly and has been turned down every time, so why was that was less nerve-wracking than this? He finally just takes a deep breath, looks up for a minute, and spits it out before he has a chance to stop himself,

"Will you go on a date with me?" Sniper is turning a shade of red under his glasses as a moment of silence fills the air, Scout immediately takes this as a rejection and goes on damage control,

"Uh, SIKE! You shoulda seen the look on your face, haha, imagine us together that'd be so..."

"Yes." Scout immediately shut up,

"Wait, really? Uh, I mean, of course you'd say yes, who could resist this?" He says, gesturing to himself. Sniper just shook his head and told Scout to meet him at seven. They both acted cool when they walked away but immediately freaked out after they were a good distance away from each other.

————————————————————

Surprisingly, Scout was more nervous asking Sniper out than he was actually taking him out on a date. They end up deciding to go to some shitty burger joint outside of town. Scout gets to the restaurant at 7... am. (kidding! But that's one of my favorite Scout quotes). They agreed to meet at Sniper's van. He's driving after all. Scout knocks on the door, Sniper answers, and he's actually sort of dressed up, well as dressed up as he can be, and Scout gets a dumb grin on his face, teasing him about it. Sniper just hits him on the head, muttering something about regretting this already. They get in the van and drive off. Scout spends most of the drive talking about random things to fill the dead air that would have otherwise laid around them, and Sniper just listens with a soft smile. Nothing has change between them, Sniper was afraid of that, he almost turned Scout down when he asked, scared of ruining their friendship, but he'd be lying if he said a large part of him didn't want their to be something more. They pull up to the burger joint and head in, and it goes much the same as it did in the van. Scout joking and talking Sniper's ear off, and Sniper is listening in, his feelings growing more and more as the minutes pass. Scout even managed to finally drag a couple of laughs, stories, and jokes out of Sniper. They spend the night just eating and enjoying each other's company. But in the end, as Sniper is driving back, he looks at Scout, who's tired but still smiling and talking softly, looking out the window. He wonders if this was any different than what they normally do. Sure, maybe during dinner, the conversations got a bit deeper than usual, but does that mean anything more that their friendship growing. Scout can pick up on the fact that Sniper is getting in his own head, and as slyly as he can, grabs a hold of his hand, sqeezing it gently. They pull up back to the base, both getting out of the van, Sniper asking Scout if he wants to stay and talk for a minute, maybe share a drink, Scout agrees and heads inside, they talk for more than a minute thought, more like an hour or two. Sniper eventually asks something about how their relationship is going to change or has changed, his worries from earlier slipping out, flowing freely due to the alcohol. Scout tries to think of a way to describe it, but he can't quite get the words, so he resorts to action. He grabs Sniper by the collar and kisses him. It's soft and gives off all the emotions Scout would have loved to vocalize. When he break the kiss he has a shit eating grin, and says,

"Now I can do that!" He feels proud of himself for all of two seconds, then realizing what he did, he turns a shade of red no human is able to replicate, he jumps up and starts speaking way to fast, walking to the door, laughing slightly,

"Ahaha, um, oh would you look at the time! I should actually be leaving. You know gotta rest up for tomorrow and all, bye Snipes!" He's walking down the stairs ready to make his run to the base only to be pulled back by Sniper, who Scout didn't realize had recovered from the kiss a lot faster than he had anticipated.

"Oh no, you don't get to just run away after that." Sniper teases. Scout only lets out a nervous chuckle and starts trying to mix an appology and explanation together,

"Oh, well actually, um, see, I only did that because-" Sniper just shuts him up with a kiss of his own. Once it ends, both of them are blushing, and both of them know exactly what's changed. Sniper asks if Scout wants to stay the night, and Scout agrees. The get in the bed together and lay in the quiet darkness for a moment, before Scout asks,

"You know what else I can do now?"

"What?"

"Tell you that I love you." Sniper just laughs a little at the cheesiness and just says,

"I love you too."

————————————————————

Oops, this became way too sweet! Also, sorry, not much sillyness about the date itself, I think these goobers save all their sillyiness as pre - and post stress before events. I'm giggling rn. I love these two. Anyways, one ask down, 20 to go 💪💪 thank you guys for being patient with me :,)

Also, I always finish these fics right before I go to bed, so I'm always paranoid they make no sense, but it's fun.

[iolaussharpe-24]

Wolf in Sheep's Clothing - Chapter Two

Shoutouts to @reallyrallyauthor, @redeyerhaenyra, & @my-secret-shame-but-fanfiction who are all my biggest inspirations for this story. (Grace Smith is my OC inspired by Samara Weaving. I have no experience writing 'xreader' fanfics and I have no talent for writing in the 2nd person POV.)

(I'm gonna leave this one marked as 'For Everyone' because there's nothing too explicit. Little bit of gore, but it's hand waved away. Brief mention of a sex dungeon, but no one uses it.)

Story part under the cut. Cross posted on my Wattpad page.

She knew too much about him. There was no leaving. There was only dismissal. And that would likely mean a hail of gunfire that would cut her life short in the living room before his massive bodyguards took her away to some place where she’d never be found again.

All because she caught his eye.

~ One Month Later ~

It wasn’t supposed to be a big deal.

It really wasn’t.

Tony Thompson wasn’t really anyone to Grace. He was just another rich asshole that did business with Mr. Vogelweide. Not even big business at that. Just gambling. As far as she cared to know at least.

He was a young man. Younger than her. It showed. He was a naïve idiot. Exactly the kind of person Mr. Vogelweide liked to work with. Someone easy to manage. Tony was the kind of guy who could be told that the sky was green and believe it without a second thought until someone else told him to go outside and look up.

Thank God he was good in bed.

Grace had started seeing Tony about two weeks after her nerve-wracking “talk” in the office. Tony had been over to the mansion to pay off a debt he owed after some high school game and Grace had been working that same day. She’d been the one to open the door for him and the one to lead him to the office.

They’d talked during the walk and found that they had a lot in common. And, once his meeting was done, they’d talked a little more and Grace had been given Tony’s number. After that they’d gone out a time or two. And they’d gotten physical with one another.

Grace couldn’t say she loved Tony – not so early in their little relationship – but she liked him. He was friendly enough. Though, it was incredibly hard to believe that someone like him could have business with someone like Mr. Vogelweide. Mostly because Tony was.… what’s the word?.... spineless. He was spineless. Like a jellyfish with no stinger. A small one that can fit in the palm of your hand.

He was the best kind of pathetic. He’d never hurt anyone. Not in a million years. He oozed affection and took every single micro chance he got to show it. He was like a clingy little kid always hanging on her leg because he didn’t want to be alone. She liked it. She liked him. A lot.

For a while, her life was good. Surprisingly good. Well paying job working for an obscenely rich gangster, a friendly and non-threatening “boyfriend” that knew how to show a girl a good time, and a free dorm room in a smaller building on the same property as the house. She didn’t have to worry about travel expenses or rent. She didn’t need to worry about a lot of things. Despite everything, Mr. Vogelweide took care of the people under him. He made sure everyone was comfortable. He kept everyone safe from external threats. (Though, protection from internal threats like Mr. Vogelweide himself was off the table.)

Of course, all good things must eventually come to an end.

The day started off normally. She went to work in the mansion, cleaning up fresh blood from the back patio where some poor schmuck tried to run and failed to get away. She found a chunk of bloody meat while she was scrubbing. It was the size of a coin. Maybe an earlobe? She couldn’t know. Instead, she wrapped it up in a handkerchief and gave it to someone else to take care of.

Afterwards, she dusted the bookshelves in the library. Snuck a few peeks at a couple of books while she was at it. Old literature that was written in German and smelled sour. She couldn’t understand a word of it besides ‘ja’ and ‘nein’ but, judging by the pictures, it looked like a sex ed book from way back when. Then she found a fake book. The cover opened to reveal that it was hollow and… contained a dildo. A very strange one at that. Shaped like an octopus tentacle. Had to be new.

From there, she went to the bedroom and changed the sheets. The white ones came off and the gold ones were laid down. Tomorrow, it would be the navy sheets, she reminded herself as she unfolded the burgundy comforter that went with the gold sheets. She took her time setting it on the massive bed. This should be a two-person job, but since she was the only one doing it, she needed to make she that everything was straight and that there were no ruffles or lumps. If the other maids were to be believed, there was one girl who apparently lost a finger for making the bed wrong back when Mr. Vogelweide was younger. Grace didn’t want to find out. She’d just gotten her nails done and she’d prefer to keep all ten of them.

She ate lunch outside in one of the smaller gardens. Óscar passed by, going to the shed to get his cleaning supplies. When she waved, he looked down his nose at her in disgust and kept walking. Clearly still upset by how he’d been treated lately. It wasn’t really her fault, but there wasn’t much she could do about it aside from what she was already doing. Which was to pretend that none of it had actually happened.

The sex dungeon was next. Good god it was a mess. Every time she had to come in here, Grace wore latex gloves on top of latex gloves, a face mask, a pair of goggles, and a shower cap because she never knew what to expect from this room. Especially after the incident. After that day, she could come into this room wearing a full hazmat suit and it still wouldn’t feel like overkill. It always took her forever to completely sanitize everything. And then she did it again just for good measure.

Mr. Vogelweide had a meeting with Tony and a few other associates that day. Grace heard the gunfire while she was dusting outside.

She went in to clean up the blood once everyone was gone and the body had been taken away. But, she quickly realized that she wasn’t alone when a pair of hands grabbed her around the waist as she bent over to start cleaning. She jumped up and turned to see Tony behind her.

“Go away, I’m working,” she told him with a smile.

He grinned and kissed her cheek. “Come on, how could I come all the way here and not say hi? I missed you, Gracie. Didn’t you miss me?”

“You’re crazy. But yes. I missed you. A little bit,” she teased. “Now go away. You’re gonna get me in trouble.”

“Okay, okay. Today’s… Friday, right? You get off a little early?”

“Yeah. Donut day. Get up early, get out early. Off day tomorrow. Why?”

Tony grinned wider and wrapped his arms around Grace’s slender waist. “I’m taking you out to dinner tonight. And then, I’m not bringing you back until Monday morning. Just in time for the laundry. That sound like a plan?”

She gave him a quick peck on the lips. “That sounds perfect. I’ll see you tonight, okay?”

“Yeah. Tonight. It’s a date.”

“Shoo.”

He laughed, kissed her cheek, and left the office so she could get back to work.

She knelt down again to clean, only to be startled by the sound of feet quickly stomping back into the room. Looking up again, Grace caught sight of Tony just as he slapped her ass and then took off running again.

“Hey!” she shouted, getting up to chase him. “Come back here you perv-” She froze in the doorway and lowered her head. “Hello, Mr. Vogelweide.”

“Having fun?” he asked, raising a thick eyebrow over the frame of his glasses.

“I… I’m sorry; it won’t happen again.” She turned on her heel and went back into the office. This time, she actually got back to work and started scrubbing the blood out of the rug.

“You seem quite close with Mr. Thompson. Is this a recent development?” Mr. Vogelweide asked, his tone light and unbothered.

Grace nodded. “Yes sir. We uh… well…. He’s nice to me.”

“Did this happen before or after our talk last month?”

She swallowed, unsure where he was going with this. “It was after, sir.”

He didn’t say anything else. He just stared at Grace through those gold lenses while she went back to cleaning. Part of her regretted telling him that. She shouldn’t have done it. For all she knew, she could have accidentally put Tony’s life at risk. But… shit, if she hadn’t there was always that strange chance that he’d know anyway. He always seemed to know everything. And if he knew and she tried to lie about it that would piss him off. And when Mr. Vogelweide was pissed off, the guns come out and heads get blown off, and then bodies get taken away to be disposed of, and-

She jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Looking up, she saw Mr. Vogelweide staring down at her. For fuck’s sake, that leg brace announced his every step, how was he constantly managing to sneak up on her like this? He idly trailed his fingers over the top of her head, curled her baby hairs around them, and said, “So long as you are happy, I suppose. That is the important part. You’re such a lovely woman.”

“…. Sir?”

He removed his hand from her head. “Go enjoy yourself. I’ll have Ms. Baxter finish in here. And… tell Mr. Thompson that I will cover your expenses for the night.”

She sat up on her knees and stared up at him, surprised and , quite frankly, shocked. She heard his breath hitch as he stared down at her. Which, granted, she probably should have expected from a man as hypersexual as him. He caressed her cheek for a moment, just like he had a month ago, and smiled. Not for the first time, she wondered why he did it. Was it because he wanted to make her feel comfortable around him? Was it just a sensory thing? Or… was he inspecting her? Honestly, it felt like the latter.

“Thank you, Mr. Vogelweide. You’re too kind.”

“No. I’m not. Run along now.”

Grace stood up and slowly walked away, only taking a brief moment to look back at him over her shoulder for a quick goodbye before she left the room entirely.

~ Dinner ~

Grace stood outside the restaurant, wearing a skintight black dress, with her hair pulled up in a French twist. Tony had told her to be there and ready at six for their reservation. She’d arrived early, wanting to meet him outside, but he hadn’t shown up yet.

When her phone beeped at six, she went inside without him and used his name to be seated. She was handed a menu, a glass of ice water, and a basket of hot bread was placed in front of her. She thanked the waiter and decided to wait for Tony before she started eating anything. Instead, she alternated between reading the menu and watching the door for him.

Half the things on the menu didn’t even sound like real things. And most of the descriptions sounded… disgusting. The pictures didn’t look much better. Thankfully, there were a few things that seemed normal and edible. The pastas looked good. Maybe a nice alfredo.

…. He’s twenty minutes late. He’s never been this late before. Did something come up?

She checked her phone for any sign that he’d reached out to her. No text. No missed call. Nothing on any of his socials. His last post was a week-old beach selfie of him in a speedo. Oh, and there was Grace in the background. Sitting in the sand. Wearing a bikini that left absolutely nothing to the imagination.

She zoomed in on the background, staring at her own tits for a second. Right along the edge of the cup was a circular mark on her skin. Darker than the rest of her porcelain skin. Not a bruise, she could tell that much. But she didn’t know… oh.

“Oh, shit. That’s a nipple. Jesus, that has to be why so many creepy people were looking at me that day.”

She put her phone down and looked up towards the door again. Still nothing. He wasn’t there yet. Somehow. He was usually early. Usually already waiting at the door ten minutes beforehand just so he could see whatever she was wearing before she made it in. He said that she looked good in low light. It gave the illusion that he skin glowed, according to him.

It wasn’t normal for him to be late. It wasn’t normal for him not to say anything. He’d cancelled on her before. Why should this be any different? That is, if he really needed to cancel… he wouldn’t stand her up, would he? No. He was too sweet for that. And he sounded so excited in the office when he asked her out. Made it sound like he had plans for them. And the stars had finally aligned so that both of her off days landed on Saturday and Sunday. She was the lucky one with the blessed schedule. Why wouldn’t he be here?

Did she do something wrong? Did Tony think he did something wrong? Could it be traffic? What does traffic look like where he lives? …. Where does he live? She’d never asked. He’d never shown her. When they spent the night together it always involved an overnight bag and a nice bed and breakfast he picked. Hell, her bag was packed. It was sitting in the trunk of her car. Not that it was her car; per se, it was one of the rentals that Mr. Vogelweide kept on hand for his staff. It wasn’t even a nice one. She deliberately took the car that got used the least just so no one would miss the vehicle.

God, she felt scatterbrained!

“Grace!”

Startled, she looked up to see the last person she was expecting to bump into outside of work. Mr. Anselm Vogelweide himself. She’d never seen him leave the mansion, what were the odds that he’d show up here and now?!

She quickly rose to her feet as he limped over to the table, a smile on his bearded face. Hoping to make it easier for him, she walked towards him as well, meeting him in the middle. She kept a bright smile on her face. The same one she tended to wear while working. It was… something. Fake. Wide. Joyless. She felt like a Barbie doll. Blonde and plastic with a perfect white grin molded onto her face. She asked, “What brings you here, sir? I… had no idea you’d enjoy places like this.”

“I do not leave my home often, it’s true. However, this fine establishment has treated me well for many years. More, I believe, than you have been alive.” He looked around for a moment. One person at a table for two. Two menus. One drink. An untouched basket of bread. “I thought you were supposed to be out with Mr. Thompson?”

“I am- well, I will be. He’s running a bit late. But I’m sure that he’ll be here soon. He’s never let me down before.”

Her heart was pounding in her chest as she spoke. To hide her fear, she kept her smile plastered on her face. She’d done this before. It was something she was good at. Hiding her emotions. Pretending to be something she really wasn’t. It kept her alive. And, before that, it got her ahead in life where she would have fallen behind.

“Do you mind if I sit with you?”

[cha-melodius]

2023 Fic Year in Review

I've been doing these for three years now, and they always grow each year as I get tagged in other year-end posts that make the rounds. Feel free you grab it if you want to do your own review! And I’d like to add a hearty thank you to each and every person who’s read my fics over the years, y'all continue to make this a joy!

2020 Review | 2021 Review | 2022 Review

AO3 Username: chamel  My Page: Link  Active Fandoms:  Red, White & Royal Blue: 20 works The Man from UNCLE (2015): 8 works Loki: 5 works New Fandoms: None thank GOD Total Number Of Completed Works/Word Count  This Year: 33 works, 278k words  All Time: 113 works, 1.27 million words

This year a little movie that came out in August absolutely destroyed these stats lmaoooo. Most Popular One Shot (by kudos): This Year: Always Where I Need To Be (RWRB, Alex/Henry, T, 5.5k) All Time: Class(room) Warfare (RWRB, Alex/Henry, T, 7.8k words)

Most Popular Completed Multi-Chapter (by kudos):  This Year & All Time: Please Don't Let Me Be So Understood  (RWRB, Alex/Henry, E, 20k words)

Events/Challenges: The Man From U.N.C.L.E. Gift Exchange 2023, The Brownstone Anniversary Fic Exchange, Halloween Huh?

More reflections, stats, and planned fics below the cut!

Additional Random AO3 Stats

By number of fics: 85% one shots, 15% multi-chaps

By word count: 52% mult-chaps, 48% one shots

Ratings by number of fics: 48% T-rated, 33% E-rated, 15% M-rated

Musical artists contributing highest number of titles: Jeff Tweedy (Tweedy/Wilco) & The New Pornographers, tied at 3 each

Looking back, did you write more fic than you thought you would this year, less, or about what you’d expected?  Somehow I topped my word count from last year by 10k, which I was not expecting. That said, this year was right about average.

What’s your own favorite story of the year?  God this is a hard question this year because I wrote a lot of fics I really really love. For one single fic I'll go with Nova, Baby, because I love the story and I've got a lot of lovely feelings about it.

Did you complete your writing goals from last year?  The Goal: I want to complete a few large multichapter fics, which will probably mean my one-shot production goes down. I completed one long mulitchap, and then a few mid-length (~20k) multichaps. I think I wrote more of those than I have any other year. Surprisingly, my one-shot production wasn't super significantly decreased.

Do you have any writing goals for the New Year? Ok, I gotta come up with something. My goal is to have a similar mix of fics as least year, and also to write my first collaboration with @cricketnationrise, which will be a long multichap.

Did you take any writing risks this year? Wrote on a topic outside my wheelhouse (therapy 😬) and also posted a fic in a fandom where there weren't a lot of fics in similar genres (action/spies). Now that's no longer true, but at the time it was really freaking nerve-wracking.

Story of mine most under-appreciated by the universe, in my opinion: Every fic I write in a fandom that's not RWRB? 😅 It's hard to complain too much, especially considering what happened to my numbers this year.

Most fun story to write: All the Old Showstoppers, Will You Brie Mine?, You're the Perfect Gift for Me. Silly RWRB boys being silly, basically.

Biggest disappointment: Again, I feel like it's hard to complain when I have a fic that's closing in on 4k kudos. The goalposts keep moving, don't they, though? I still live in fear of pouring my heart into a multichap and having what will count as "lukewarm" reception, when before this year I didn't have a single fic above 1k kudos.

Biggest surprise: Most definitely Please Don't Let Me Be So Understood. Like I figured it would do pretty well (I hoped, since I put so much into it), but holy shit?? I still can't really believe it's on page 2 of the tag by kudos? And honestly also Always Where I Need To Be, this little one-shot about David stealing glasses.

Coming soon/planned for 2024:

False Dichotomy (RWRB You've Got Mail AU)

Kissed Out (RWRB pro-pool players AU)

RWRB 1940s noir AU

RWRB conductor/piano soloist AU

RWRB hockey AU (with cricket)

A shitload of prompts from my fandom fest

Extremely delinquent MTH fics

TMFU art thief/gallery owner AU

Thank you for the tags on your end-of-the-year fic reviews @loki-is-my-kink-awakening, @kiwiana-writes, @rmd-writes, @lizzie-bennetdarcy, @indestructibleheart, and @welcometololaland!