#truly i understand where the instinct comes from i do it myself

[96percentdone]

Maybe I'm just autistic but I feel like a lot of infighting on this website can be boiled down to "I read a thing a person said about xyz discourse topic and here are all the secret implied messages that person is REALLY saying and by exposing the secret hidden meaning i have proven that people on side x of xyz are evil liars that support the devil" and like. idk man i think acting like everything is a coded message isn't the most helpful. y'know. maybe. maybe treating everything as a matter of ulterior motives doesn't say anything about the other side of the argument but just your own cognitive biases and what you already believe. maybe taking people's words in good faith and asking questions about the things you don't understand, or that don't mesh with how you understand the world, or that fly in the face of known research and facts is good. maybe we should do that instead of ascribing hidden meaning to human people on the internet with beliefs that are different than yours, even when they are flawed or expressed badly, like they are works of fiction up to interpretation.

[bonny-kookoo]

Jungkook

YEARNING || Trust

There's always choices to be made.

Tags/Warnings: Dragonblood!Prince!Jungkook, Human!Reader, Angst, Some fluff if you squint?, Jungkook is emotionally constipated oops

Length: 5k words

-> Masterlist

There is no taglist for this fic.

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“You’re so gentle with them, it’s really nice to see.” Taehyung says, as he watches you help clean the still soft scales of the young dragon in your lap. “It’s like you’ve got a natural talent for it.”

“I wouldn’t call it talent.” You laugh, gently running the damp towel over the head of the heavy but still young creature in your lap, it’s eyes closed in bliss as it’s resting on your thigh, nearly asleep. “Isn’t it a.. normal instinct to care for children?”

“Children of your own kind, maybe.” Seokjin sighs. “But normally, humans don’t see anything positive in the whelps other than monetary value.” He mumbles, preparing food for the smallest hatchlings.

“Jin..” Taehyung warns softly, but you shake your head.

“no, he’s right.” You sigh. “and I’ll probably never understand how you can look at these beings and feel.. nothing.” You mostly talk to yourself, as someone else enters.

“Its good to see you up.” Namjoon offers. “I’m sorry for not having taken into account how sending Yoongi must’ve looked to you.”

“Its nothing to apologize for. I overreacted.” You wave off. “I hope he wasn’t scolded?” You worry, but Namjoon shakes his head.

“No, Jungkook understood.” He nods, before he seems to fall into thought. “which actually… would you like to accompany him and myself today? We will be taking a regular look at the borders later.” He asks, and both Seokjin and Taehyung share a look that shows only confusion.

But you nod. You reckon its most likely to show you a way to leave from, and where to go so you can truly make your way out of this place without getting in the way again. “good. I’ll come back later to fetch you.” He nods, before he leaves.

“Border patrol? That seems.. weird.” Taehyung bluntly states.

“Its mostly weird that he’d want you there.” Seokjin says towards you, who just shrugs.

“Maybe to give me an idea where not to cross again.” You explain. “It’s likely. Considering I can’t stay.”

“I still don’t get why not.” Taehyung huffs to himself, disappointed. “You’re so good with the hatchlings, and you’re clearly nice. Yoongi gets to stay too, why not you as well?” he mumbles to himself as Seokjin gives him a bottle to feed to the already jumping baby at his legs.

“I’m sure he has his reasons.” You simply say, as you help feed the small dragons, making it clear that you do not want to talk about it any further.

It’s later on that you realize Namjoon must’ve forgotten to tell Jungkook that you’ll be accompanying the two of them- because the glares the prince keeps sending his advisor could surely kill at any given chance.

And the biggest reason for that, is that apparently, Namjoon had forgotten that he can’t actually tag along at all, leaving the prince and you alone.

“You can just show me where to go, and send me off.” You tell him, as he rides closer to the border, horse calm but curious while Jungkook makes sure to keep an eye on you riding close to him, on one of the horses usually meant for other riders who patrol the borders.

“…you won’t leave today.” He mumbles, frustrated with himself. “...unless you want to, of course.” He offers, but you just sigh, petting the horse’s neck.

“I don’t think I could make that decision on my own.” You answer him, earning his full attention. “I would just act selfishly.”

“How so?” He asks, steering his horse past a few rocks.

“I would stay.” You shrug. “I don’t.. know why. Being here makes me feel guilty, and yet something inside of me craves to stay.” And at those words, Jungkook begins to feel guilty himself. If it wasn’t for his weird situation, you wouldn’t be stuck feeling like this.

Wait. You.. Shouldn't be feeling anything connected to the bond. This whole thing should be one-sided.

“Did you.. Are you sure your mother was entirely human?” He asks you, as the horse tilts its head a little to look at something for a second, before Jungkook steers it back on track. You shrug, before you nod.

“Very sure.” You say. “I’ve.. Seen some Hiwern women fleetingly, these past times I’ve been here. And she looked nothing like them.” You respond to him.

“And what about your father?” Jungkook asks- feeling you sigh.

“He died, during the last war.” You say, making Jungkook tense up. “I remember him leaving, when he was drafted. He.. Really didn’t want to fight, but he couldn’t risk us getting punished for his actions either.” You shake your head.

“Fear is a powerful emotion.” Jungkook says. “It’s however still brave to face it as an act to protect one’s family. Honorable, even.” He admits, despite his natural.. Negative feelings towards anyone who fought against his own kind.

“He wasn’t scared.” You deny however, causing him to perk up in interest. “He just.. Really didn’t want to fight. Because he felt like.. The enemy wasn’t his.” You explain. “That’s what my mom said.”

It’s quiet for a moment. What you say paints a different picture to how the war had been taught to him- if your father didn’t want to go to war against the Hiwerns and dragons, how many felt the same, but were forced to do so to protect their loved ones?

This is all getting way too muddy for his liking. Everything seems to blur and bleed, no clear lines visible anymore to him.

However, looking at you from a new perspective, he has a hunch as to who your father might’ve been. “Did he ever become a defector by chance?” Jungkook wonders, and you shrug.

“I’m not sure. My mom.. Mentioned something like that, but we never really got any definitive proof.” You explain. “All we had was a letter, and uhm.. This.” You say, pulling a necklace out of your coat, Jungkook taking a look at the tag on it- a silver soldier’s tag to be specific. “Someone told my mom that the three lines scratched in there mean he surrendered.” You say, and Jungkook leans over to inspect the tag a bit closer-

And you’re not quite right about the meaning of those three lines.

The three lines were a sign of acceptance- symbolizing a dragon’s footprint, they’ve been scratched into soldier’s tags after they did something meaningful for the Hiwern people. Simply surrendering would only really gain soldiers a way out.

This means that your father must’ve been accepted at some point.

“Hm. How did you get that?” Jungkook asks, letting go of the necklace for you to tuck away back beneath your clothes again.

“It was given back to us, together with his body.”

Jungkook quiets down at that. He doesn’t want to imagine your mother having to explain to you that your father would never return back home- that he was dead, and gone forever. A child shouldn’t have to grow up without any of the parents missing- but the world is a cruel place, and people always end up hurting themselves for nothing.

Jungkook quietly brings you both back to Taehyung and the rest- leaving you with them, while he himself investigates his own suspicions a bit further. If your father really got accepted, there has to be records of it somewhere in the archives, and Namjoon is the one keeping track of it all.

Because if what you say is true, then there has to be evidence of this somewhere.

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“There. The Number on the tag is the same.” Namjoon offers, having finally found an entry that seems to be what Jungkook has been looking for. A few documents written about him, and a small leather bound book, a journal most likely. It’s common for soldiers to write one after all- to leave something behind for their families if they don’t end up making it back.

And your father didn’t. It’s a shame he never even got to give it to you either.

He skips over some things, before something catches his attention. “..proved his bravery as he fought for his kind, and not against it.” Jungkook furrows his brows. “..despite his actions of mingling with the human kind, he still kept his dragon heart and stayed loyal to the tooth.” Jungkook reads.

“He was a Hiwern?” Namjoon wonders, surprised. “Well that certainly changes things.” He mumbles, looking over Jungkook’s shoulder to read what’s written down in the memorial book for himself. “So she is a hybrid Hiwern. Very interesting..” Namjoon says, as he instantly moves to look for something, while Jungkook is left behind.

Your father basically gave up his place within the lines and kingdom of the Hiwern people- just to be with your mother? He looks through the pages to find the mention of you and your brother- children he had raised as his own, even though you and your brother were not his.

This is just getting more and more confusing.

‘When I found her, naked and left to join the course of nature out in the winter, I did not hesitate to take her in as my own, despite the fact that she was not mine.’

Is written down in the journal pages attached to the memorial entry for your father. The leather of the booklet is worn and torn from age, so its not unusual to find the pages loose and out of order, a lot most likely missing entirely.

‘She was neither this nor that- discarded as a mistake meant to be forgotten.’

Jungkook sits down near a window, crossing his legs in a more comfortable position as he continues to read the handwriting.

‘they were not the same, but I raised them as such.’

He writes further, with that most likely meaning that your brother was his lover’s son, while you were not- but that he didn’t make any difference between you or your brother.

‘They are my children, cared for by my beloved, who had longed for another child for way too long, but was denied by nature to never receive one from me.’

Jungkook has to imagine the situation, somewhat. Has to think of what your childhood between all those humans must have been like, unaware of why you actually were. And he does admit that you do have something strangely familiar to him, even though he does not know you. Like a fable told to him years ago, as if you’d jumped out of those tales, made by the words and descriptions written down. If you have even just a hint of dragon’s blood in you, his attraction would finally make sense.

He flips through the pages of the journal, some of them burned, dirty, or torn. Your father most likely held onto them until the very last, before he gave them to the libraries to be archived.

‘Is it odd that I feel like she is starting to look like my beloved? Not in appearance, but in mannerisms. The way she hums the same song as her mother, the way she brushes her hair alongside her in the mornings, the way she carries the basket to help with the gardening. I see my beloved in her, every day a bit more. And I feel soothed by the thought that she will carry those parts of her even once we will no longer be here to watch over her.’

Jungkook’s heart aches for your father. He most likely never found out what happened to his partner, how she was taken away by force of the law, and not by the simple rule of time.

‘She will one day do well amongst the Hiwern people. She belongs there, I feel it every time I see her watch the dragons above with a certain sense of longing. One day I will bring her there, because her real home is amongst them.’

This catches Jungkook’s attention, as he remembers how you’d told him how you feel almost as if you’re pulled towards this place, instead of your former home. If your father was right, it would most likely be the blood yearning to go home, where it belongs, even though it’s not pure.

Your father is right, he decides, as he moves a bit to close the book. You belong here, even if he himself isn’t too fond of the thought. He has no right to deny you your place.

A piece of a page falls out and onto his boot, making him pick it up to read it, sentence cut but context still very clear on the burned scrap.

‘...oever it might be that one day might reach out for her hand;’

‘please, do not leave her out in the cold again. Dragons need warmth, after all.’

“Jungkook?” Namjoon asks, making the prince mindlessly tuck the torn piece of yellowed paper into the pocket of his coat, before he looks up. “what will you do now?”

“Well, I believe all the bits and pieces fit together.” He sighs. “from the way the younglings act towards her, to the memorial entry and the tag of her father. I can’t deny her a place here.” He accepts a bit reluctantly.

“And the bond?” Namjoon asks, watching the prince intently.

“Can wait. I don’t.. I can’t make a decision about that right now.” He refuses to answer properly, getting up after giving the book to his friend.

As he walks through the several bridges connecting the tunnels and houses hidden inside the mountains, he finds his interest sparked as a lot of the youngest dragons seem to be on the hunt for something- clumsily crawling over the grounds of a larger mountain top where much grass has grown, edges protected by fences to make it safe. The youngest are poking their heads around stones and trees, playing around it appears like. “Hide and seek.” You explain from behind him, partially hiding beneath, ironically, a large stone carving of the daughter of the mountains. “Seokjin said it trains their hunting instincts.” You explain, watching the little hatchlings searching for their ‘prey’- finding Taehyung who didn’t put too much effort into his hiding spot as to not make it too hard.

“How can you be a good example to them, showing yourself so openly?” Jungkook.. teases? You’re caught off guard for a good second, and don’t notice his hand in the pocket of his coat feeling the folded paper.

“Well, I mean-“ you stammer. “it’s not like you’re gonna hunt me..” you say, when you spot the way his lips begin to curl up, a sparkle in his eyes flickering. And somehow, there’s some odd internal words exchanged, or something else you can’t quite figure out.

“What makes you so sure?” He asks, eyes still on you-

When you suddenly run off, hearing the prince running right after you, Taehyung laughing together with someone else as the Hiwern chases you around the small patch of grassy grounds, your own laughter soon joining in as you try your hardest to escape the dragon blood, opting to climb a tree he doesn’t follow you up on.

Instead, he stands at the tree’s roots, arms crossed, chest rising and falling from his quickened breathing. “You will have to come down at some point.” He challenges.

“I will, when you’re gone!” You call back towards him.

“I have time, and patience. I can wait.” He responds, and at that you move to sit more comfortably on the thick branch, looking down at him.

“Have you found out more about my father?”

He’s caught off guard by this, and sighs, moving to face away from you, leaning against the stem of the old tree. “I did.” He responds. “how did you know?”

“You’re very easy to read.” You simply answer, swinging your legs.

“am I?” He scoffs, and you laugh.

“Yes. Very.” You dig the dagger deeper, and he rolls his eyes- not that you can see. “He was a good man. I hope he was remembered as such.”

“He was archived as a very good man.” Jungkook reassures you.

“He was one of you, wasn’t he?”

“he was.” Jungkook responds.

“it’s funny.” You say, watching the other hiwern afar struggle with one of the bigger helps. “if he’d never met his lover, never found me, do you think fate would’ve still created me?” You wonder.

Jungkook believes that in that case, he wouldn’t exist either. Because if the complimentary part to his blood did not exist, why would he?

“we will never know.” He answers because of that.

And that’s where he leaves you- figuratively, and literally.

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The next morning, everyone already seems to be busy and scrambling around, as he opens the windows to watch multiple staff hurry to wash clothes and sheets outside in the gardens on top of the hills and smaller mountains. This wouldn’t be unusual-

But there’s also medical personnel running around, instructing male and female maids to fetch things needed left and right.

A knock on his door is heard. Namjoon steps inside, bows politely. “whats going on?” Jungkook wants to know, wary now that he can see his friend place down a tray of water, breakfast and a steaming mug of herbal tea with a distinctive smell.

“There’s been multiple reports during the night of Hiwerns feeling sick. We’re still investigating, but the symptoms do point towards an outbreak of Scale Haze. One of the mother dragons must’ve brought it in.” Namjoon explains, as Jungkook takes the tea into his hand to sip the bitter liquid. “it also seems as if we might be.. getting our proof. About her blood, I mean.”

At that, Jungkook’s interest is peaked- though his gaze is alarmed, rather than curious. “She caught it too?” He asks, and Namjoon nods.

“She has the same symptoms.” Namjoon says, which makes the prince turn towards him fully.

“All the symptoms?” He asks, and namjoon nods.

“All of them.” He says, sitting down at a small table where Jungkook’s breakfast was placed, the Hiwern prince sitting down to eat while he listens. “fever, confusion, nausea, you name it.. but she’s visibly struggling a lot more than even the younger dragons.” He sighs.

“Her human side.” Jungkook says, speaking out loud what his friend is hinting at. Namjoon nods.

“Her body isn’t as good at dealing with it, especially the fever. But we’re trying our best.” He says.

“Make sure she gets the treatment she needs. Isolate her from the rest if necessary.” Jungkook mumbles, crossing his arms.

“You can see her and the others, if you’d like. But only from afar.” Namjoon instructs as Jungkook finishes his breakfast. “it might boost their morale. I’ve heard humans especially benefit from emotional support during sickness.” He says, as the prince gets up to get dressed.

“We’ll see how much is true about that theory.”

When Jungkook later on enters the rooms where the currently sick are being treated, he sees what he expected. Scale Haze is like a viral infection amongst dragons after all- it happens, though any kingdom or group should try to avoid it due to it being a pretty nasty ride, and very dangerous for the very young and elderly. But when he reaches the room you’re held in, he’s not prepared for just how bad you’re coping.

If one could even call it coping.

You’re asleep, or at least not conscious, sweat on your skin, while several maids tend to you, making sure to keep you both comfortable and your temperature down as much as possible. “Is there anything she needs?” Jungkook questions, but the tending maid shakes her head.

“Yoongi has gone through a fever before too, and he survived. She will be just fine.”

And while Jungkook doesn’t quite believe that fully, he has no choice but to exit the halls of the sick, to keep himself safe, and the kingdom running as always. He might not want it to be so, but the sight of you in such a miserable state hurts him physically, due to the bond, mostly. It’s growing steadily with every breath you share near him apparently, getting stronger every day.

A decision has to be made soon- but for now, the prince needs to focus on his own duties.

And yet, over the course of the next few days, he’s constantly distracted by the thought of you- how you’re doing, if there’s anything changing at the very moment, or if there was anything he could do to somehow make it easier on you. He catches himself watching the window often, always anticipating the moment you’ll join the other recovering Hiwerns outside- but do you even need sunlight to recover properly?

He knows from reading here and there, that humans do indeed need sun exposure here and there, but that they can also burn their skin since its a lot more sensitive. But the more he thinks, the more he starts to become a bit more confused.

Your father was a Hiwern. That much is certain. But your mother was not your biological one- he had found you out in the woods. True, you don’t look like you have full dragon blood- but maybe you’re just an anomaly. It happens, after all- from Dragons born without scales, to missing their wings or being unable to fly. The same goes for Hiwern people- they come in all shapes and sizes, taller, shorter, blind or deaf, missing their markings or having more prominent marks than others.

Why does this occupy his mind so much?

“They’re having a bit of trouble with your mate.” Yoongi teases as he sits down in front of Jungkook, setting down a few papers meant to be signed and sent off to another Hiwern Hideout.

“What do you mean?” Jungkook asks, alarmed- but also, surprisingly enough, no longer fighting the term used to refer to you any longer, as if he’s starting to accept it, slowly but surely. “Did something happen?”

“She’s recovering, so calm down.” Yoongi reassures him. “But the caretakers are having quite a hard time keeping her in bed. She’s quote, ‘acting worse than any other hatchling’, I’ve been told.” He says, and Jungkook sighs, running a hand over his face.

“What is she doing?” The Hiwern asks, and Yoongi laughs under his breath.

“Helping, as she calls it.” He explains. “She watches out for any chance, and then strikes to take over any task she can manage. It does help, but it’s also very obvious that she should slow down a little.”

This alone makes Jungkook visit you later on, arms crossed as he observes you wash some of the clothes. “You should be resting.” He scolds, and you jump at that, instantly turning around to face him.

He has to admit- looking at him like that, he couldn’t ever really see himself getting extremely angry at you.

He takes the fabric you’re currently holding onto from you, before he waves an actual caretaker over to do the task for you, keeping a hand on yours as he drags you back to what he remembers was your bed in the makeshift quarters. “But- I’m doing better!” You complain.

“Better is not good enough. You’re supposed to rest, not prolong your sickness because you don’t give your body enough time to recover.” He denies your complaint, only letting go of you once you sit on your bed again.

“I’m not contagious anymore.” You argue once more with crossed arms- just like he is standing in front of you.

“I don’t care.” He answers.

“I can help-” You try again, and he’s quick to shut you down.

“Not like this.” Jungkook denies.

“But I can’t just lay around and do nothing.!” You whine, clearly agitated over this.

Jungkook sighs. He can understand that you’re most likely restless, he himself knows the feeling well- but there’s nothing he can really do in this moment. He doesn’t want you to be harmed by your own stubbornness, but he doesn't want you close either because he knows he won’t be able to properly handle that.

But he’s unable to resist any further it seems like.

Because hours later he’s working on reading through the documents before signing them, while you’re sleeping on his bed of all places, dozing away what’s left of your sickness in your body, and this alone makes him feel lighter, in a way. He watches you for a good little moment, just thinking about what would really happen if he was to just give in, and reach out for you.

Would it really be as horrible as he thought it would be?

You’re basically almost the same, simply a little different, but nothing near impossible to make work. Your father seemed to have been just fine raising his children alongside a human mate- and even though Jungkook’s position is very much a different one, no one could ever blame him for just wanting to be selfish at least once in his life.

Until now, his entire existence had always been devoted to his role of future leadership. It’s always been about what he can offer to the people, to the small little kingdom left to his kind- but he wants to just be stubborn for once. Betray his title and gain something that’s simply just for himself, and not to be shared with others.

He wonders if it could work.

And if it would-

How his life would turn around.

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While you didn’t sleep in his chambers, but rather returned to your very own soon after your nap and a decent meal, Jungkook still feels as if your scent alone left on his pillows offered him a sense of company at night.

Now, this morning, it’s obvious that you’re recovering well- though you still seem rather tired. He can’t help himself when he spots you laying down on a blanket outside in the gardens where other dragons currently reside as well-mostly mother dragons taking care of their recovering younglings. When he walks closer, you don’t seem too alarmed, though you sit back up properly, as if you expect him to say or ask something.

He doesn’t.

Instead, he sits down on the blanket with you, wordlessly patting his leg as if to invite you to lay your head there- and you do so, unsure yourself as to why this seems so impossible to deny. There’s a strange attraction in yourself that you cant properly explain yourself- as if you’ve known him forever, and want to be as close as you can be, just because everything feels better the closer you are.

So you watch from where you’re laying down now, with your head on his thigh, how the mother dragons curl up for a nap in the sunlight as well, resting as they recover from their illness. “How are you feeling?” He asks, and you notice his hand resting on your waist by now, casually, with no other clear intentions. You simply nod, eyes closed, and he can’t help the soft chuckle that escapes him at the sight of you so blissful.

It’s a clear and obvious sign that while your body might be painfully human, your blood is still a dragon’s- and it’s calling out to his own, reaching out and clinging to him already.

“When do I have to leave?” You ask, still not opening your eyes- and his hand moves a little at that, adjusting its position as he sighs.

“You don’t.” He admits. “You belong here.”

“Do you want me here?” You ask, now looking up at him. “it’s fine if you don’t. You know.. I can maybe travel to another Hiwern outpost then-“ you explain, but he shakes his head.

“No, you will stay here.” He denies. “I.. there is something I need you to know.” He starts, and you nod, slowly sitting up- and while he internally doesn’t like it, he has to let it happen, mind aware that putting at least a bit of distance between you two is for the best, especially considering the topic he’s about to begin. “Hiwerns.. have mates.” He says, and you lean your head a little to the side in confusion. “It’s a blood connection, so to speak.”

“And I am yours?” You ask, making him nod as an answer.

“There’s.. no real bond yet, but it is why I’m holding you at arms length.” He admits to you. “I am in a position of power, and every move and decision I make has to be carefully calculated.” Jungkook explains. “But I can’t help but.. crave to be selfish.”

“selfish?” You wonder, unsure what he means. “Because you want to.. I guess, accept that bond-mate thing?” You ask, and he nods- avoiding eye contact now. “But how would that be selfish? It’s not like I’d automatically fall into power as well.”

This makes him stutter, he’s widening as he realizes you’re right.

You’d gain nothing from this. You’d simply be his mate, but other than that, nothing would change. He’d been worried about how he’d be perceived by the other people under his ruling, but at the end of it all, you are right. It’s not selfishness-

If anything, his act of simply seeking out an emotional and physical connection to someone else, taking on a lover and mate, just makes him painfully human.

And is that truly such a mistake?

“You’re right.” He nods after a moment of thinking. “You’re right.” He repeats softer, and you smile.

“so-“ you start, leaning a bit closer to him to finally catch his gaze again.

“Does that mean I’ll finally get to know you?”

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“You accept her?” Namjoon wonders as be walks into Jungkook’s office, where he stands to watch outside of his window, observing you help some others in hanging up laundry. Jungkook nods.

“Its up to her to accept me now.” He says. “she wants to get to know me first.”

“So?” The fellow Hiwern laughs. “What are you doing in here then? It’s hard to get to know someone else by simply staring from afar.” He jokes, and Jungkook sighs, crossing his arms.

“I don’t.. know what she thinks she’s going to find.” He says, a little frustrated. “I don’t know what she wants to find.”

“I don’t think she wants to find anything specific.” Namjoon denies, walking to stand next to his friend. “I believe she just.. wants to know who you are.”

“She knows.” Jungkook frowns. “my name, my place, my history. What else is there to know.” He argues.

“What you like and dislike. What you dream of, or what you enjoy eating. What you were like as a child, or what you like to do in your free time. Jungkook, just.. be yourself for once. You can be a leader any other time of the day-“ he advises, a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “-But please, take this chance.”

Take this chance.

It’s a little later that morning that he finally finds the courage to seek you out again- this time finding you way down at the foot of the mountains, where you’ve agreed to help a group of Hiwerns in bringing a few horses back that they have traded with a human outcast near the border.

“Does this happen often?” You wonder, as you walk towards Jungkook , holding the reigns of a dark brown horse. “trading with humans, I mean.” You wonder, not even seemingly surprised that he’s there.

“not often, no.” He denies, taking the reigns from you before he walks besides you back to where the horses are hidden from sight. “we have.. contacts that we trust, and that is where we leave it most of the time. It’s purely business more often than not.” He admits.

“Hm. Because new connections aren’t really trustworthy yet, I guess...” you say, making the prince nod.

“Trust has to be earned, and nurtured. It’s not to be freely given away.” He agrees, and you stay silent for a few steps, before you speak again.

“How.. can I earn your trust?” You ask, as he gives the reigns to another person who brings the new horses into their stables, leaving you and Jungkook behind.

The prince seems to think for a moment, before he answers.

“I don’t know.” He says.

“You know, answers like that.. make me trust you.” You admit, a drop of water falling onto your shoulder, skies having darkened a little with heavy clouds. “because you’re honest.” You say, and Jungkook turns to look at you.

“You deserve honesty.” He simply offers, making you smile.

“thank you.” You respond, and he can’t help the way his lips tilt upwards as well, smile creeping up on him by the sight of you.

“come on now. Before it starts to rain.”

On the way back, he notices it again- the song you hum, while holding your own hands behind your back, walking with your steps easy and light. You really do look right at home in this place- you seem to glow almost, like an animal set free into its natural habitat. It’s no wonder that he feels enchanted already- he’s almost convinced that even without the blood-bond, he’d have found interest in you either way.

So he finally sets himself free as well, as he walks closer, and moves his own hand between yours to take hold of your palm. It’s a wordless gesture, but the fact that he interlocks his fingers with yours to keep you at his side makes it obvious what he’s trying to tell you with it.

“I’ll have to help take down the laundry again before it rains.” You say, but he shakes his head as he leads you somewhere else.

“the maids can do that.” He denies. “right now, I’d like.. your company.” He asks almost, and you laugh.

“my company? For what?” You repeat, bumping a bit into him- surprised however to see him smile so openly at you now.

“to get to know you.”

[tsxkkis]

omg omg can i request? pls ignore if you dont!

s3 of haikyuu will always be my favourite season, maybe due to the fact that tsukishima realizes his potential in playing volleyball? (him having his MOMENT is my favouriteee scene)

so could you write gf manager reader x tsukki, where reader witnesses him having his first moment (blocking ushijima's spike), injuring his hand etc etc up until they receive their throphy and medals in the end ?🥹🥹💕 shes a proudddd reader and literally just smooch smooch hug hug tsukki because hes the mvp of karasuno x shiratorizawa 🥰😤

i realized that theres nobody includes this scene in their fics and i wonder why? 🤔🧐

# tsukishima kei - mvp

a/n: i am terribly sorry anon bcs this took so long T-T i'm not quite sure about some parts of this fic but overall i really enjoyed writing this request!! tsukishima is my fav for many reasons, one of which being the fact that i see myself in him a lot, and the particular moment during the shiratorizawa vs karasuno match is also my fav from the entire series!! i hope u enjoy reading this fic^^ i feel like it's not exactly what you asked for, so i'm sorry if i went too far away from your idea....

summary: tsukishima finally regains his love for volleyball.

warnings: a few swear words here and there, the fic doesn't exactly portray what happened in the series (i switched it up a bit)

'are you stressed?'

'not even a bit.'

'you're lying. i can read you like a book.'

tsukishima kei let out a deep breath, rolling his eyes as he looked away from your face. you were obviously right; there was no way he wouldn't be stressed before the game that determined whether or not karasuno would go to nationals. as much as he hated to admit it, he was almost as stressed as others. he was just better at controlling which of his emotions are shown.

you squeezed his hand, his fingers instinctively intertwining with yours. all it took was a reassuring smile from you to help with his nerves, his muscles finally relaxing after being tensed up for the last twenty minutes or so. he still tried to get used to you being more than a friend. your relationship was quite awkward and fresh, so much so in fact that you never even had your first kiss yet.

'i'm sure you'll do great.' you stated calmly, trying to hide the fact that you were even more stressed about the match than him. 'in fact, i'm positive that you'll win.'

'even if we do, it won't be because of me.' he mumbled, letting out a silent laugh when he saw the angry look on your face. 'oh, come on. it's not like i'm the greatest player this team has.'

'you know i hate it when you talk down on yourself.' you said, the tone serious and sharp, rather unusual for you. it stayed like that for only a short while, taken over by a softer, understanding one. 'you're a vital part of this team, tsukishima. winning this match is not up to a single person. it's a team effort. your input is as important as that of kageyama or hinata.'

he opened his mouth to say something but was instantly stopped by the voice of his captain, daichi, calling the team up to quickly warm up as the match was about to start.

you smiled at the boy, letting go of his hand before lightly patting him on the back.

'do your best for me, alright?'

'i will.' a barely noticeable smile appeared on his face, his hand affectionately ruffling your hair. 'don't worry too much about it.'

you finally realized why tsukishima kei never tried more. why he would never stay longer like other karasuno players to polish his skills, why he didn't truly seem to love the sport he chose to play in high school.

'you're insufferable, you know?' his words sent shivers down your spine. 'why don't you leave it the fuck alone?'

opposite forces, some might say. no one really knew what drew you and tsukishima to eachother - both of you completely different from one another, and yet oh so similar at the same time. frustration took over you every time you looked at him, and now you knew why.

he was like a mirror in which you could see all your flaws, and it irritated you a great deal.

his outlook on life and the way he viewed himself made you furious. how can someone be so full of contradictions? so cocky and confident, and yet so vulnerable and self depreciating at the same time. so full of himself and yet so hateful towards the person he saw in the reflection of every window, every mirror.

how can someone so great at what they do, so intelligent and talented, be so critical?

'because i can't! i can't leave it alone, you absolute moron.' the thought of how loud you were didn't stop you from continuing to shout, a mixed look on your face that tsukishima couldn't quite decipher. were you angry or sad? and why the hell would it bug you so much to evoke such strong emotions within you?

'you're saying i'm insufferable? from the moment i laid my eyes on you, you've been nothing but insufferable. so much so, that i want to gouge them out every time they spot you.' you ignored your watery eyes and tsukishima's surprised face, almost as if he didn't expect you to blow up like this. 'it pains me to see you be so full of doubt and hatred and i- i can't understand why you would think so lowly of yourself, why you feel inferior to the other guys in every way possible, when you could be so much more than them. do you even realize your potential, tsukishima?'

he stayed silent. for the first time since knowing you, tsukishima kei did not have an answer to your words.

'your doubts are so irrational i don't know if it makes me angry or sad. you're truly incredible on the court. you're intelligent, you can read the opponents well, you have the physical predispositions for volleyball and a natural talent that you choose to ignore because-'

'but what is talent without passion?'

that singular sentence managed to catch you off guard so much you had no idea how to answer him. such a simple question, and yet such a philosophical, confusing one.

'why should i put my all into something i'm not even passionate about, huh?' tsukishima tried to keep his composed nature, but it was hard to stay intact after what you've said. as much as he did not want to admit it, your words hit him deeply. 'why waste my time and energy for something that does not give me any satisfaction at all? tell me that, because i have no fucking idea.'

'passion is not something that dissapears once and never shows up again, you idiot.' you took a step closer, as if that was going to help you get your point across. 'if your passion is genuine, it will always be there. whether small or big, it will always crawl around in the back of your mind. if you ever truly loved volleyball, the moment where you fall in love with it again will come sooner or later.'

your words were met with complete silence, but you didn't mind. tsukishima slowly processed your words, a focused look gracing his face, lips in a tight line. even though it was only a couple of minutes, for you it felt like hours - awaiting an answer, any answer at all.

tsukishima moved closer, his tall frame hovering over you as he wrapped his arms around you, catching you in a tight hug, much to your surprise.

'thank you.' he mumbled quietly, glad that in this very moment you couldn't see his face, and the stupid smile plastered to it.

the moment where you fall in love with it again will come sooner or later.

tsukishima's mind lingered over these words whenever he played, awaiting this moment to come almost eagerly. the match was particularly hard - with ushijima wakatoshi as their opponent, the chances of winning were incredibly slim. every spike of his went through the block, his serves were absolutely killer, and his teammates did everything to deliver the ball to him at all costs.

what a hassle.

you noticed that his demeanor on the court changed from what it used to be. tsukishima seemed more invested now - almost as if he was trying to impress you, to keep his word. as happy as it made you, you were still anxious about the match and it's final score, hand shaky and a bit sweaty as your eyes followed the ball flying around from one side of the net to another.

another spike from ushijima, it'll probably be another point for shiratoriza-

and that's when you realized.

you saw the ball hit the ground on shiratorizawa's side of the net surprised gasps from everyone watching the match. you saw the shocked look on ushijima's face, the horror in the eyes of his teammates as the ball bounced off of the floor for the second, third, fourth time.

silence took over the court for just a mere second, quickly interrupted by tsukishima's triumphant scream.

he looked more than content with his performance. he looked... happy.

the rest of the boys joined him, screaming in unison. it was just one point, right? but for some reason, for both you and tsukishima, this one was worth a thousand.

for the first time in years, tsukishima kei felt that his spark for volleyball came back.

you noticed that his eyes were now focused on you, a full, cheeky smile gracing his face, and it only made you tear up. a short moment, probably insignificant for people around, but for the two of you it was like a breath of fresh air, like getting rid of the shackles that once held you in place, enabling you from moving forward.

'y/n, are you... alright?' coach ukai looked with his brows slightly furrowed, confused by your teary eyes and big grin plastered to your face.

'yeah, yeah, i'm fine. sorry, coach.' you mumbled, bowing a little as your eyes focused on the court. 'actually, could kiyoko replace me here for the rest of the match? i'm not quite feeling well.'

'tsukishima is injured.'

'what?' akiteru spoke in unison with you, terrified voices mixing together as you looked down from the stands to see the boy walking off of the court and rushing to the medical office along with kiyoko. your instincts took over you - feet moving on their own as you quickly ran towards the same place.

the two blondes followed right behind you, stopping only when in front of the door to the medical office, gasping for air after such a short run. as athletic as your boyfriend was, you were quite the opposite; getting tired after a little to no physical activity at times.

tsukishima saw your head peeking through the doorframe, a small smile on his face the moment he laid eyes on you.before you opened your mouth to say something, he already gave you an answer.

'yes, i feel fine.' he stated quietly, sitting down on the edge of a chair. 'you don't need to worry.'

'are you going back on court?' he only gave you a small nod in response, seemingly feeling better already as he stood up, his hand taped up.

you looked up at him, taking in the expression on his face, just how focused he already was. he looked almost as if he already had a plan to defeat shiratorizawa in this match. seeing him so eager to go back and play almost made you laugh a little - you swore you never saw him get this invested into something ever.

'go and win then.' you mumbled, patting him on the shoulder as he headed towards the gym hall.

'oh don't worry. we will.'

you couldn't stop the tears rolling down your cheeks as you saw karasuno emerge victorious from the hardest volleyball match they had to play this year, hugging yachi tightly as both of you celebrated the win of your team.

the triumphant screams filled the gym hall, the team emotional after doing what many deemed impossible. as most of them enjoyed themselves, not planning on leaving the euphoric state for a long while, tsukishima could only think of doing one thing - going to you.

you were the only person he truly wanted to celebrate with.

after the ceremony of getting the medals, to everyone's utmost shock, considering your relationship wasn't exactly public, tsukishima went up to you almost immediately, a cocky smile on his face as he ruffled your hair, looking down at you from behind his glasses.

'you didn't exactly look quite as content with your performance before getting the prize.' you mumbled, looking at the blonde haired boy with your head tilted to the side.

'well, i could've blocked more of ushijima's spikes.' he started, rolling his eyes at the sole idea of not being able to do that during today's match. 'i only managed to block one and-'

you decided to use the only method that was for sure going to shut him up in that moment, lightly grabbing him by the tshirt and pulling him closer, lips clashing for a split second in a short, sweet kiss.

'no talking down on yourself today, kei.' you said, unconsciously smiling as you saw his face getting red at what you just did, cheeks covered by a tomato-like red colour. 'i'm proud of you no matter what you think about today's match.'

he stood still for a few seconds, as if processing what had just happened seconds ago, the redness on his face deepening with each passing moment. his hand was quick to grab yours, almost dragging you away from the team and to a more private, less occupied area of the building.

'do that again.' he mumbled, after he finally led you to a quiet hallway.

'huh?'

'it was... nice.'

your eyes lit up, a cheeky smile gracing your face as you finally realized what he was on about.

'ohh, you want another kiss?' you said teasingly, eyes quickly glancing from his face down to his lips. he rolled his eyes, unamused by your act of playing dumb.

'come on, don't make me repeat myself.' still somewhat embarrassed of what he was asking for, tsukishima stood in one place, awaiting your next action.

a sigh left your lips as you took a step towards your boyfriend, standing on your tippy toes to be able to reach his face.

'alright. i guess you deserve it, match mvp.'

your arms were wrapped around his neck in no time as your lips gently touched his, tsukishima immediately kissing you back, hands positioned on your waist as you felt a smile creeping up on his face. he let out a short laugh, seeing your face being just as red as his was moments ago, hand reaching to squeeze yours.

'what?' you mumbled, as he hasn't spoken a word since breaking the kiss.

'that's surely the best prize i got today.'

taglist: @moonswolfie @wyrcan @kitsune-kita

[exitpursuedbyavulcan]

Fracture: A What Is Broken Oneshot (18+)

Two moon turns before he returns to you, Aemond calls Alys to him to relieve his stress, only for her to teach him something that Aemond will soon teach you, as well.

Pairing: Aemond Targaryen x Alys Rivers, Aemond Targaryen x fem!reader (mentioned)

Warnings: Angst, pregnancy, infidelity, very vague sex

Author's Note: A prequel to my mini-series, What is Broken, based on this ask, and expanded upon with the help of my horny mind.

High Valyrian Translations: Abrazȳrītsos - little wife Raqiarzītsos - little darling

Fracture

Aemond was at the southern window when she arrived, gazing towards his home, to where his ābrazȳrītsos was held captive by their would-be usurper of a half-sister and their deranged uncle. It was a mistake to do so, to let his mind wander to her. Doing so only unsettled him – dredged up a sickly feeling of longing and guilt within his chest.

Thinking of her made his resolve waver. Dangerously.

His instincts screamed at him, clawing from within his heart as they begged him to mount Vhagar, fly south, and kill as many people as was necessary to take his ābrazȳrītsos back.

“You summoned me, my prince?” A sickly sweet voice called from the doorway.

The owner of that voice was the sole reason he kept his feet firmly planted to the stones of Harrenhal. Not for any affection he felt for her, for there was none. But because of her assurances that his ābrazȳrītsos was alive and well and would remain so. Because the witch Alys Rivers had seen it in her visions—the same visions that had guided him to victory time and time again and demanded that he remain in the cursed castle until the war was won.

It would be soon, Alys told him. In time for him to be by his ābrazȳrītsos’s side before she took to the birthing bed. He just had to endure a little while longer.

But to endure, he would need Alys’ help.

He hated himself for it, but he needed it – needed her – nonetheless.

“You took your time arriving.” He really shouldn’t have looked south while waiting for her, now he was in an even fouler mood than before.

Alys tutted. He hated when she did that – it reminded him of his mother. “Apologies, my prince, but I was with Maester Artos.”

He whirled, eyes wide as they settled on her abdomen, where the babe lay.

Their babe – Aemond and Alys’. His bastard.

He knew he shouldn’t care about it, should have commanded her to drink moon tea when she first suspected his seed had taken. But it was just a child. His child. And it had happened so quickly. With his ābrazȳrītsos, it had taken nearly two years for their efforts to bear fruit. For it to happen almost immediately with Alys… Perhaps this bastard had been the will of the gods, meant for some purpose he could not yet understand.

“The child?” Aemond asked, trying to mask his concern. Not that he had ever been able to lie to Alys; her grass-green eyes were too perceptive, almost owlish.

“Perfectly well.” She walked into the room as if it were hers, inspecting the maids' work with a finger dragged atop the low table near the bed. It was, apparently, satisfactory. “I was inquiring after something for myself.”

Strange. Alys and Maester Artos hated each other. For her to willingly seek his help, it must be something serious. “But the babe is not in danger?”

Alys laughed, patting the swell of her stomach. “The babe is the source of my discomfort, in truth.”

“Discomfort?”

She spoke to him as if he were a foolish child, asking if it were true that a great white bird brought babes to their parents swaddled in pink and blue blankets. “Come, my prince, you cannot truly think there is no discomfort in pregnancy?”

There was. He knew there was. His poor ābrazȳrītsos had been so ill when he left. Grand Maester Orwyle told them that some sickness was to be expected in all pregnancies, but the degree of her illness was unusual.

He had felt so guilty. He had done this to her. The babe was the product of both of them, but she was the only one suffering for it.

The only thing that dulled his guilt was the letters she’d sent him soon after he arrived at Harrenhal to gleefully inform him that the sickness had finally abated. But when Rhaenyra and Daemon took King’s Landing, the letters stopped.

He went mad with grief and rage, and would not have hesitated to march south with Ser Criston were it not for Alys’ visions. That he must remain at Harrenhal. That Daemon would kill his ābrazȳrītsos if he tried to reclaim her, and the war would be lost. That his raqiarzītsos and their babe would be well, and they would all be reunited soon.

So, he remained in this cursed castle, and Ser Cole was killed on the march to King’s Landing. Rhaenyra ruled from the Iron Throne, his ābrazȳrītsos her prisoner. Daemon and one of the bastards who had somehow claimed a dragon continued to elude Aemond, and the war waged on. And through all of it, Alys remained at Aemond’s side and in his bed.

He should feel guilty for Alys’ suffering, too, should he not? After all, he was also responsible for the babe she carried, much as it shamed him. He could not be there to ease his ābrazȳrītsos’s suffering, but he could be for Alys. Grand Maester Orwyle had said that it was better for the babe for the mother to be happy and healthy.

“What is your discomfort?”

“An aching in my back,” she explained, turning to show him where she rested a hand against the base of her spine. “The babe is growing swiftly, and the weight is not easy to bear.”

Aemond raised a brow in confusion. A babe was a small, tiny thing, and this one was only half-formed. It could not weigh more than a pound or two, yet it somehow caused enough pain to send Alys to the Maester?

As if she had read his thoughts, she shook her head in admonishment. “It is not only the weight of the babe itself, my prince, but of the changes my body must make to accommodate –”

“I don’t need to hear it,” he interrupted, hoping to prevent the vague lightheadedness that threatened him whenever he heard talk of such things. It was knowledge meant only for women and Maesters, and he was happy to let it remain so. “All I need know is if there is any risk to the babe.”

Alys sighed, turning to the low table where an untouched decanter of wine lay, and poured herself a small glass, swirling the liquid for long moments before speaking. “There is always some risk to any pregnancy, especially when the mother is in discomfort.”

Orwyle had said something similar months ago when they first learned that his ābrazȳrītsos was with child. It was why the Grand Maester had only grown more concerned when her illness worsened. And if Alys herself was worried enough to see Maester Artos, whom she hated openly, she must be quite concerned.

“What can be done?” he asked, cursing himself for worrying for the bastard – his bastard. If something was wrong, perhaps it was the gods' will, their merciful hand intervening to wipe his sin from existence. But there was still that tug, blood to blood, that compelled him to protect, protect, protect.

Shrugging, Alys sipped at her wine. “Little. Small measures to ease the weight on my spine.”

“Such as?”

A sly smile that set Aemond’s skin prickling. “Allowing someone else to bear the weight for a moment or two.”

It was as close as she would ever come to giving him an order. Never spoken plainly, always implied. Always glittering in those unnatural eyes.

Though anger welled within him, righteous indignation at the power this woman, this servant, this bastard exerted over him with mere whispered words, he obeyed. He abandoned the window and the distant view of his home, his wife. He descended once more into the dark, damp depths of Harrenhal and the grasp of its Witch Queen.

“If you would stand behind me, my prince,” she said gently. Too softly, as if she had not just masterfully manipulated him like a mummer’s puppet.

He allowed her to pull his strings, obeying silently.

“You must stand closer, my prince.” So he did.

“May I lean on you so that you could put your arms around me?” She was against him before he’d righted his chin from a nod.

“Just a little lower, your grace.” He lowered his hands until they cradled the swell of her belly.

“Now, lift just slightly. You’ll know when you’ve done it properly.”

And he did. Alys sighed as the weight – certainly more than a pound – settled into his grasp. The most natural, human sound he’d ever heard from her. As if the relief this small favor had granted was as great as lifting the burden of the world from her shoulders.

It was only fair. He was the one who had put this particular burden inside her.

The moment was strangely peaceful, when he realized, with a small, secret smile, that this was the first time he had held his child. Indirect as it was. And not at all how he’d imagined it would be.

No, in his mind, the first time he held his child would be mere moments after it was born. It would be swaddled in a blanket bearing the red and black sigil of his house, stark against the silver-white of its hair and the wide, warm brown eyes it shared with its mother…

Any sympathy he had for Alys’ discomfort vanished the moment his ābrazȳrītsos entered his thoughts. Who was helping her when her back ached? Who held her close to bear the weight of their child?

No one. Because it should only be him, her husband. But he had abandoned her and the babe. Left them both to fight their brother’s war, left them vulnerable when the Blacks took the castle, and –

Fuck. His mind was racing again. He could feel panic in his fingertips, creeping into his veins like a thousand tiny spiders. He needed to calm himself, clear his mind, and fast.

“Get against the wall,” he commanded, stepping away from Alys.

She grunted slightly when he released his hold on her belly. “My prince, that will not ease my discomfort.”

She grunted again when he wrapped a hand harshly around her neck. Not to choke or harm her, but to impress upon her his distinct lack of patience as he growled against her ear. “Then bend over the fucking bed.”

Aemond didn’t wait for her to obey before he shoved her roughly toward the bed, one hand pushing her down while the other tore at the laces of his trousers. Already, the blood that pounded in panic within his heart was slowing, rushing lower as his mind slowed, drawing away from the love he could not reach to the easy release that was already within his grasp.

Alys hit the bed with a wince, scrambling to reclaim her composure and poise as she raised herself on her hands and arched her back. The movement brought her belly to rest against the bed, cradled gently in the soft blankets.

A cruel, dark laugh escaped Aemond, one he knew would terrify those who thought they knew him and loved him as the man he no longer was. “I think this is a fine solution for your pains, don’t you?”

“It is, my prince,” Alys grunted, struggling to maintain her calm, sultry tone.

He leaned down, plastering his front to her back as he drove into her hard enough to make the bed lurch beneath them, sinking his teeth into her shoulder to hold back his animalistic moan of pleasure. One of her hands moved to hold his waist, but he wrenched it away, holding it to the bed as he sank in, out, in, out, in out.

All thoughts of a pretty little wife, soon to bear a perfect little heir, faded away. As did the scents and sounds and sensations of brutal war. Aemond became not a creature of mind and soul, of thought and reason, but of flesh and bone, of feeling and instinct.

This was what he had to become, had to be, if he wanted to survive to reunite with that pretty little wife and meet that perfect little heir. The monster would win the war so the man could return home.

To her.

I no longer do taglists. If you'd like to be notified when I post a new fic, please follow @exitpursuedbyavulcan-writes and turn on notifications!

[sarawritestories]

Look Up at the Stars

Cassian X Fem Reader

Summary: Your refusal to take care of yourself while Cassian is away has your friends worried that you're being too hard on yourself. And tell the General as much so he forces you to slow down and reminds you why self care is important.

Dedicated to @milswrites and @lady-of-tearshed who are always scolding me to take care of myself.

Content warning: overworking, not taking care of yourself,

Cassian landed on the balcony of your shared home where he was surprised to see your two dear friends, Milly and Eve, waiting for him. Brows furrowed as he noticed your evident absence.

"She's doing it again." Eve clipped, sipping her tea. "She won't listen." Cassian let out a sigh before pinching the bridge of his nose.

Milly rose from her chair and gripped his arm, "She's been in the library at the House of Wind for days Rhysand, even when he has given her explicit orders have not gotten her out of there." She worried her bottom lip with her teeth, and Cassian instinctively placed his hand on top of hers.

"You two are good friends, you know that, right? She is lucky to have you both."

Eve smiled, "We're lucky to have her. Now go get her, bring her home."

Before the General moved, he smiled, "Will you two do something for me before you go?" The two females smirked deviously as Cassian began to tell him his idea.

✨️✨️✨️

Guilt laced your whole body. You had yet to turn in those reports you promised Rhys a week ago. What good were you in his court if you couldn't even reach the deadlines you placed for yourself. Worst than that when you saw him last, he only looked worried for you. Was livid when you ignored his direct order to go home. One look into your pleading eyes had him back off and leave with an exasperated sigh and you knew Cassian would hear about it.

The gold thread tying you to your mate was still blocked on his end, meaning that he was still away maybe you would be able to still fin-

"Someone has been busy while I was away." The low timbre of Cassian's voice elicited tears from your eyes. It had been a few months since you saw him last. Turning around, his hazel eyes were bright, and a beard had grown in since he left, and the sight of him alone caused heat to grow in your belly. "Hello, Sweetheart."

You dropped everything and leaped into his arms. He held you close, opening the bond to let his love flood your system. "I missed you." You held him tighter, "I thought you were still away."

"Rhysand wrote to me. He had concerns. Milly and Eve expressed those same concerns when I got home." You pulled away to meet his loving gaze only to find worry there.

"Work comes fir-

"You come first. Always." Cassian's tone was clipped. "In my life, you are my number one priority. You should be making time for yourself, too."

Heat rose to your cheeks. You knew he was right. You two had argued over this multiple times before. "But I-

Cassian interrupted you once more, only this time he sealed his lips to your own. You hummed, not remotely bothered by the beard scratching against your skin. He pulled away, and you pressed your forehead to his own, taking in his scent or the fact he still held you in his arms. "I'm not listening to you being stubborn. We can argue over your work habits another day. I missed my mate. So we're going home. Understand?" You nodded as your eyes fluttered close. "Good." He turned and you watched the stack of papers become smaller as he walked out of the library.

✨️✨️✨️

You walked out of the bathroom post shower and into the shared bedroom where Cassian was out of his leathers and into a black t-shirt and lounge pants. He looked so handsome you forgot these last few months how beautiful he truly was. "Feel better?" He asked, quirking a brow as he met your gaze.

You did feel better to be clean. Cassian had set out his favorite nightgown of yours; red silk and had a bath set up with your favorite soaps and salts. "I feel like me again."

Cassian walked over and kissed your lips. "Good." His wings blocked the view of the balcony, as they were splayed wide. "I have a surprise for you." He held up a blind fold, and you raised an eyebrow. "Not that," though he got low, your noses were touches, "You and I are off for the next two weeks. That's plenty of time to make sure my mate is properly fucked." He winked and your heart sputtered.

Cassian placed the blindfold over your eyes and led you to his desired destination. Your feet hit cold concrete, and the summer breeze of the night air tickled your skin. Cassian removed the blindfold, and you gasped. Your balcony had a mountain of blankets, pillows, and your favorite snacks. Movement in the sky caught your eye as a shooting star flew across the sky. Then another. "There are supposed to be a cluster of falling stars tonight. Watch them with me?"

You turned to the male, smile wide, and your hand cupped his cheek. "Of course! I don't know what to say except." You kissed him, "I fall deeper in love with you, with every day that passes."

"Me too, Sweetheart." He kissed your forehead, "My beautiful, stubborn, hardworking mate." He kissed your nose, and you giggled and Cassian's eyes lit up at the sound.

✨️✨️✨️

You spent the whole evening looking up at the Stars, your head on Cassian's chest as he rubbed circles on your back. He chuckled as you kept pointing to ever fallen star you saw. His smile grew when you moved to your own pillow, your hand finding his, as you looked to the sky in awe.

Cassian could care less about the stars in the sky. Your smile was what lit up Cassian's world.

[mpregfan76]

I can feel the chill of the morning seeping through the high stable windows as I lean against the wooden stall. The scent of hay and leather surrounds me – familiar and soothing. It was here, among the shadows and the smell of horses, that I first felt truly alive. That I first felt like myself.

He stands just a few steps away, barefoot on the straw-covered floor, his hands darkened from work. His smile – shy but sincere – ignited something in me I could no longer ignore. It was wrong, I knew that. I was a Duke, married to a man of stature, a union of not just love but political significance. But what were titles and duties when my soul cried out for something else?

I look at him. Micah. The stable boy. My secret. Our child. My hand instinctively moves to my stomach, where a new life grows, born from a single night when the world outside no longer existed.

“Micah,” I whisper, and he looks up at me with those eyes that understand far more of me than I have ever dared explain to anyone.

“Yes, Your Grace?” His voice is soft, but there is no distance between us. Not really.

“I… I am forbidden to ride anymore.” My voice falters. “My doctor says it is too dangerous now, because of the child.”

He steps closer. I feel the warmth of his presence, but it is a warmth I know I will soon lose. “Then I’ll come to you,” he says, and I want to believe him, truly. But we both know that isn’t possible. A stable boy cannot simply walk into a Duke’s chambers without raising suspicion. And I, with my growing belly, cannot come here much longer, not to the stables, where every glance, every whisper could expose our truth.

I look at him, trying to memorize every detail of his face – the line of his jaw, the way his lips move when he speaks. “Micah… what do we do?” I ask finally, my voice barely more than a whisper.

He reaches for my hand, a gesture both bold and perilous. “We’ll find a way,” he says, and for a moment, I almost believe him. But the world around us is not so forgiving.

I know our days of seeing each other are numbered. But in this moment, between the shadows of the stables and the smell of hay, I cling to his hope – fragile as it may be.

[torialefay]

hiii idk if you've talked about this before but intuitively + astrologically speaking, how do you think chris would deal with a s/o who at first glance is hyperindependent/in constant i-can-do-it-myself mode due to being let down too often

hello honey! i haven't addressed this specifically, so i will go ahead and do that here. that's such a great question! i'll go ahead and link this post here that i also made that i think goes along with/supplements the points i'm going to make <3

how would chris deal with a s/o who is hyperindependent?

• his mars in sagittarius: sag is one of the signs that most values independence. having his mars located here, he himself goes through life by taking charge and being independent & self-sufficient. he highly values that freedom that comes along with it. and because of that, i think that he's easily able to understand where people come from when they also take action in this way. it's only instinct for him, so he knows WHY other people would be that way too. and tbh, i feel like he prefers someone who is able to take initiative.

• his libra sun,moon,mercury & scorp venus: in relationships, chan needs to feel like he can read you like a book. and if you are hyper-independent, more than likely he CAN. because he too knows exactly what it's like, so he knows the internal struggles that he may sometimes have as well. and as we've discussed before, chan can have a caregiver complex as well, which i think is heavily influenced by his libra placements & thus his need to be useful to those around him. he's very much in tune with people's emotions & in a way, he gets his own validation from being able to help others.

• so let's put all of this together! chris probably REALLY admires someone who is independent & will likely look for that in a s/o. he likes people who can take care of their own shit, but can be soft for him & him only. i think that when he is with someone who handles everything for themselves, he will see someone who needs more relief than they let on. and he LOVES knowing that he can figure that out in you. he LOVES knowing that even if you manage to be completely self-reliant, you would feel safe letting your guard down for him... and to give in to him. he loves being able to take care of you like no one else can. it gives him meaning & purpose, as well as that soul-bonding connection that he so deeply craves.

• i truly believe that this would be an ideal match for him. someone who can handle their own & do their own thing, as well as he can do his. but at the end of the day, you always have each other & your safe space away from the world ❤️ it's all about duality

• bonus: i think his MBTI backs up part of this as well. with his ENFJ, he has the extraverted feeling function, as well as introverted intuition. from his extraverted feeling, he's really able to focus on/pick up on the emotions of others around him... even more than his own. with his introverted feeling function, he's able to process that by rationalizing and relating his own experiences to perceive what you need. so he will be able to pick up on it quickly, as well as relate to it quickly. he just gets it <3

[ladyxskywalker]

lost without you, i & ii

Anakin Skywalker x F!Reader/OFC

a momentary separation between you & anakin happens while you are not feeling well. however, despite the circumstances, your hearts have only grown fonder of one another each time you speak on the phone. 💙

I wrote this a while ago & was kindly asked to repost it here on tumblr. also available to read on ao3. based on a real life situation. 🌼

i.

It's been weeks since you've been together. Something awful and truly beyond your control, forcing your current separation. A horrible flu making the rounds in your home world, where you - after attending a wedding, unfortunately, had come down with it as well.

"I confess, my love, I haven't been doing well without you." Anakin confides quietly in you, taking advantage of whispering in hushed tones over the phone.

"Anakin..."

"I know you're still recovering, but I can't help it, I'm selfish for you. I want you here...right now."

A softened sigh of your breath leaves your chest with a slight struggle, a cough escaping there, and a tear drop too.

"I will be back soon, I promise. Being without my other half has truly been unbearable."

"I just...I just want to hold you."

"You will again, soon enough. I promise."

But what you really meant to say, through the emotional heartbreak you've been facing is - yes, I know things have been difficult, I just hadn't realized that you'd been going through this just as much as I was.

"Will I, though?"

It hurts the most when his own mind leads him away from reality and the truth. Right away thinking or feeling like he'll never see you again. But the thoughts are only just intrusive ones, they have no real bearing on what lies in your heart.

"Yes."

Your head starts to feel too heavy, and your pillow is much too nice for you to even attempt getting up right now.

Sleep was inevitable. You hadn't been able to rest in days. Too nervous with worry to let your eyes close.

Too sad and unable to sleep without him all alone.

"This war...sometimes feels as though I am completely by myself, even though I know I'm not. I sense everything so strongly, it's harder than I thought."

"You need human contact. I understand that more than you know."

"Yes. I want it from you."

All while laying down, your cheeks have felt your eyes as they've already gone ahead into weeping. Another sort of instinct, telling you to finally let it all out.

"Tell me...what you miss...what you hope for most when eventually I do return."

Anakin pauses on his side of things, taking a breath before surrendering to his own heart.

"I just...I just want to be close to you."

"I want that too."

"I want to hug you for as long as I'm able to. Hold you in my arms while we sleep together in our room. Watch you smile at me from the door when you wake up. But..."

"But what, handsome?"

"The days...they're too long, too far."

After holding things in for so long, he begins to get a little bit choked up.

"I miss you, Anakin."

"I miss you too..."

So for now, all the two of you can do for one another is wait. A few more days for him to be home, and another stretch of time for you to start feeling better once more.

And then, there's a little static.

Background noise.

Another voice coming through over the phone.

"General Skywalker, there are enemy hostiles about. We should flank them on foot. Surround them."

"Good call, Commander. Lead the way, I won't be long."

You can almost picture his face in your mind then. A distance resonating in his eyes, veering off somewhere towards the setting suns, before looking back down.

Confident.

Brooding.

And, maybe even a little bit tired from it all.

"Go."

"I'll call you again tomorrow. And..."

"Hm?"

"I just want you to know, I'm not going anywhere."

Right then and there, even from across the airwaves, you sensed his light and the force of his love deep within your bones.

... 🌼

ii.

after being apart from one another for quite some time, anakin gives you a warm welcome home ❤️

this part is rated M or E for smut feel free to skip if this is not for you additional content tags: soft smut, couch time, sleepy morning intimacy, implied things happening, nothing crazy

It started with a long hug and a gentle hello. A smile for you, already gleaming with excitement as he greeted you by the door.

You were going to dinner that night. A fancy one he'd been planning for weeks for your birthday. Thoughtful gifts, wrapped with care, just needing to be opened. A release of kind breath, leaving the anxious state of your lungs then, because now - finally, all is well.

And you were home .

"Are you feeling better, sweetheart?"

"Mhmm."

He pulls you closer. Your hands, finding their way up to the back of his neck to feel his still wet hair from the shower.

Anakin hums, tracing the tip of his nose along your neck - leaning into it, enjoying the touch of your skin. The smell of your perfume that he loves so much.

"Do I look stupid?" He chuckles, all while holding you tighter to him.

"No. You're perfect."

"Good. Now go, open your gifts. You've waited long enough."

But for just a minute, you'd rather just take him all in there instead. To say how much you truly missed him while you were apart. That the greatest feeling in the world right now is knowing that Anakin is the best gift of all.

The night went by so fast. Laughing with each other first, then with friends...

Sneaking off somewhere for a while in a dark corner of the bar...

The softened shadows, encasing you both in their ease of surrounding comfort. And his hands, showing you the way toward his hips in front of everyone else, without a care in the world.

Your arms wrap around him easily.

His incredible blue eyes, focus on your lips.

Then your palms cup his face, completely letting go - falling on air immediately when he begins to kiss you hard.

"Want to get out of here?"

"Mm. Yes ."

"We don't need to be here anymore."

And so, you go.

"Come here."

He reaches for you to straddle him on the couch, insistent on his keys landing somewhere on the hard surface of his table below. Making a slightly abrupt noise that he knows someone else might have complained about...

But, he doesn't care where anything is supposed to go right now, and neither do you.

Not with the way you've been eyeing him sweetly from above...

Your shoes ending up someplace with his boots as they've already fallen over...

His belt buckle, already lost underneath his messy chair on the floor.

"I missed you. I thought...I thought you were never coming back. That, maybe you were gone for good."

Anakin caresses your face, brushing your cheek with care at the tips of all his fingers.

"You're my other half, I'd never leave you. Never..."

Anakin sighs, almost afraid to speak. Always brooding, so deep in thought.

"All those weeks...I couldn't bear it. I wasn't myself."

You kiss him slowly, slotting your lips together, chests pressing, getting even closer.

"I know."

Leaning down, you trace every line of his neck with kisses. Gripping the hems of his clothes. Shifting your hips against his, silently begging for him to help take them off.

But it's you that he wants first.

Completely vulnerable and bare on top of him.

Another hand, slipping between your thighs - teasing you with his strong and capable curling. Eliciting a budding sensation there that makes you moan.

The tip of his tongue, encircling the pebbled skin of your breasts, his eyes soothed to a close as he takes each one into his mouth.

"Yes... oh , please... please ."

Then, he grins, feeling that stray shiver he seems to know so well. Shifting you just the slightest for a second to take his pants off. Guiding your hand lower against his hardest part just to arrogantly show what you do to him.

"I want you. Right here ."

And as you lower yourself down upon him, it feels as though everything is made right again.

Affectionate sighs of impassioned relief, escaping there from you both...

Foreheads dipping into an almost blind surrender to the simplest form of selfish touch...

It took some time for you to drift off. The adrenaline and excitement of seeing and truly being with him again, almost feeling like too much.

He hums when he sleeps sometimes, sensing when occasionally your eyes tend to open - watching him. Closing them softly again when you know you've been caught.

You missed his bed. The smooth sheets. His warm pillows.

The broad span of his chest, and the cool feel of his arms.

Snuggling closely to him, you check the time. Looking across the room at towards the window, judging that by now it had already been morning. Your calming hint being the comforting light of the sun.

"Mm. I haven't slept at all..."

You whisper to yourself. Unable to fathom the last time you did something like this. Or that all of it had truly been real as well.

"There you are..."

Anakin slowly opens his eyes, allowing them to adjust.

"Morning, handsome."

Looking over, you see that all this time, the sheets have grown tighter. Sliding your hand beneath the warmth of your blankets to palm what lies beneath them. Though, before you know it, both he and you are no longer guarded by your covers.

"Where do you want me?"

You whisper, pressing each word against his waiting mouth.

His kiss, feeling like the only sort of sensual welcome you ever want to know.

Then, wordlessly, he takes you by the wrist, carefully and protectively, leading you back up and over where you belong.

Reaching around the hardened length of him, the pad of your thumb grazes over the smooth tip, before guiding it towards that sensitive spot. Letting go.

He kneads at your flesh, grasping at the skin of your thighs, rolling you forward, kissing you hard. His fingers, holding tightly to the back of your head. Freeing you only when you stretch, sitting back up. Your entire being, on passionate display for him there.

"I'm a lucky man..."

He smiles, all while mumbling a string of endless thoughts. Secrets from his mind that he's been keeping. Allusions to everything he loves about you, never spoken, always bottled up. Until this overwhelming moment.

Until, right now.

"You're a goddess... so beautiful..."

You can't help it when a single tear begins to fall, when you see his pure surrender to joy slipping with dampened eyelids of his own.

A rough hand then changing the scene...

Emotions running wild when a mere gentle moment turns into something else.

Your lips, pressed into momentary capture by the welcome feeling of his palm.

All you can do is watch him, as he's watching the joining spaces between you. The quickened pace that comes from the rolling of your hips. Your fingertips, toying with your own chest there...

And then he releases you. A moan escaping, then his shuddered breaths...

Another kiss...

Then one final glide.

Your blinding wave and loving fall, following his right after...

He's so warm, so safe like this. That when he eases you off of him, carefully making space for you to sleep next to him some more, you almost can't believe that you are really here with him now.

That you've almost spent four seasons of time with this amazing man.

That either one of you no longer had to fear the thought of being alone.

No universe exists where you would ever dream of being with someone else.

And you loved him.

... ❤️

thanks so much for reading 💌 xo A

[thegreenthepeacetheorange]

Everlark (Mockingjay, Ch. 25-27)

peeta also being in the burn unit bc he was in the city circle

what i personally believe is that he's the one who tried to put out the fire that overwhelmed katniss, hence his own burnt hands and forehead

her using peeta's coping mechanism of pain to stay grounded in reality

when katniss talks about all the people she trusts being said, she highlights that there is peeta but he wouldn't know any more than her about 13's plans.

"we are both fire mutts now" - still a (broken) team

"those same blues" mentioned again

haymitch understanding katniss. the dad that stepped up. i love that he says "i'm with the mockingjay" instead of "yes"

katniss being our fave feral girl by literally biting into peeta's hand as he stops her from taking her nightlock

the fact that when she says "let me go", our baker boy with the beautiful words and the charm can only say "i can't"

just another instance where these can't let each other go. has anyone made a counter for these instances?

peeta is well and truly back. to do that. to know he can't let her go. that even when she bites him so hard he bleeds, he just looks into her eyes and lets her know he can't let her die

the fact that after the way katniss was used in the games and then in the rebellion, afterwards when she's damaged and broken and bruised and they have no more use for her, she's just sent off to 12

"there's no obstacle now to taking my life. but i seem to be waiting for something" - the same way peeta kept his hand open with the nightlock pill waiting for katniss to curl over his hand for him, katniss waits for peeta's permission to die

i love that she doesn't even mention peeta by name when she sees he's returned. we just know instinctively that he's the "him" that's back.

peeta says dr aurelius wouldn't let him leave the capitol til the day before which makes me think peeta had really been trying to be discharged to get back to katniss.

"his eyes have lost that clouded, tortured look"

katniss who understandably has fallen into physical disrepair over the last two chapters now feels "defensive" as peeta looks at her, frowning, and tries to push her hair out of her eyes somewhat. her relationship is SO different to the one she has with everyone else. and that's because it's really the only one where she's concerned with romance and her looks etc

peeta digging up and bringing her primrose. the boy with the bread is still here bringing gifts that can't have a price put on them. he is the sweetest most beautiful fictional boy

katniss is relieved that gale is in 2, far away. that era of her life is over, that friendship is over.

although she's still confusing right to end. why are you thinking about gale's lips kissing other lips. i think it's just like her finding closure but still.

katniss falling asleep on the sofa but waking up in her bed. we can guess who got her there

it's only after peeta comes back that katniss starts to hunt, find closure, grieve with others.

peeta bringing her a warm loaf of bread again.

them taking the family plant book and creating a new book to honour and remember the dead. her, peeta and haymitch creating their own makeshift family book. so tragic so beautiful

"peeta and i grow back together" - like it was inevitable.

But his arms are there to comfort me. And eventually his lips. On the night I feel that thing again, the hunger that overtook me on the beach, I know this would have happened anyway. That what I need to survive is not Gale's fire, kindled with rage and hatred. I have plenty of fire myself. What I need is the dandelion in the spring. The bright yellow that means rebirth instead of destruction. The promise that life can go on, no matter how bad our losses. That it can be good again. And only Peeta can give me that. So after, when he whispers, “You love me. Real or not real?” I tell him, “Real.”

i love how simple and matter of fact this whole passage is. she doesn't need to go into flowery descriptions or explanations. she's already done that for three books.

i just love this whole passage so much. so much hope. so much love. after all that's happened, katniss learns to live again, to hope again, to love again, to see goodness again. and peeta is a key to her achieving that. and it's so beautiful

as an adult, i now know that this scene is alluding to their first time having sex. the mentions of his arms that build to his lips that build to her hunger from the beach that night. "so after" is after that night, that moment in their relationship where things become elevated in a new way.

him whispering that is not him asking her to declare it or say it. he's asking her to confirm what he feels, has felt. that she loves him. and she knows now her answer forever. real.

[lorilane33]

Midnight Musings

Pairing: Echo x Reader

A/N: I think I should start a bingo card for myself with all this fandom hopping I'm doing lol Star Wars is my current hyper fixation, and one special copy paste boy had my soul in his hands.

Summary: You wake up to find Echo not in bed.

Word Count: 1,098

Warnings: This is truly the saddest thing I've ever written, which isn't saying much. But Echo has been to hell and back, and he needs all the hugs in the entire universe. So this was my self indulgent self doing just that.

In a quiet bungalow somewhere on lower Pabu, something suddenly pulls you from the pleasant dream you were having. In the bed you share with Echo, something didn’t feel quite right, but you couldn’t place what it was.

You huff, mildly annoyed at the inconvenience of being pulled from sleep and snuggle deeper into the blankets in hopes of finding sleep again. 

You sleepily reach behind you in hopes of Echo being able to hold you until you fall asleep again, only to find the sheets cold. “...Echo?” you mumble, sleep thick in your voice. Less sleepy than you were mere seconds ago, you now understand what had pulled you from your sleep. 

Your boyfriend was not where he needed to be, and you had a feeling you knew just where to find him. Pushing the covers off yourself, you swing your feet over the edge, sliding until your feet gently hit the floor. 

You start your journey out of your shared bedroom and into the living space, leaning against the doorway. Looking around for his familiar bald head, you find him sitting at the table, head resting in his good hand.

From what you can see, he’s glaring down at his scomp link that rests in his lap. “Honey, are you alright?” you whisper. Some nights Echo had a hard time with nightmares or sometimes it was his survivor’s guilt that did him in. 

In the light of the moon, Echo looks up at you, a shimmer of regret in his eyes as he responds, “I’m sorry, cyare. Did I wake you? I didn’t mean to.” A sad smile lifts at the corner of your mouth as you pad towards him. 

“It’s okay, really Echo. I woke up and you were gone so I thought I’d come find you.” Reaching the table, you place your hands on his shoulders to gently pull him back into a sitting position. “What was it this time, my love? A nightmare again?” 

He sighs and reaches his hand up to hold yours that sits on his shoulder, then shakes his head no. “No, mesh’la. Not this time.” 

Leaning forward you place a kiss to the top of his head. “Then if not a nightmare, what is keeping you awake at this hour, hmm? And if you think of fibbing to me and saying it’s nothing, then you will indeed have another problem to reckon with,” you respond, almost whispering the words into the top of his head where your lips remain. 

You hear him chuckle tiredly at your sass, the sound of his laughter lifting your spirits a little. Breaking the hold of his hand on yours, you slide your hands over his torso, stopping at the chest plate that sits atop his sternum. You feel him sigh, simultaneously in relief and in resignation at your touch. 

“Alright, fine.” The low cadence of his voice soothes you, as you hold him from behind. He reaches his good hand back up to lay over yours again, and you smile into his neck as he answers your question. 

“Cyare, it’s just…I don’t…,” he sighs, struggling putting his feelings into words. “I miss Fives, so kriffing much. The rest of the Domino Squad too, but Fives and I were brothers by choice. The two of us had been together since Kamino. Having to carry on now? Knowing he doesn’t get to? It hurts.”

You feel him shudder in your arms as speaking becomes too much for him, your arms instinctively pulling him closer into your arms. Heart breaking for this beautiful man, you softly respond, “I know you wish you could bring them back, and if it were possible, I’d do it for you in a second.” 

Stepping back, you keep one of your hands clasped tightly in his as you slowly slip around his shoulder to face him. Dropping to your knees, you reach up to caress his face with your free hand. When a tear falls from his amber eyes, you lightly brush it away with a swipe of your thumb. 

You squeeze his hand before continuing, “But I do know that wherever they are, they are so kriffing proud of you, Echo. You may have the scars and some metal parts to contend with now, but you survived. And are all the stronger for it. Your resilience and quiet strength are a couple of the millions of reasons why I have fallen in love with you.” 

A small smile graces your lips as you drop his good hand and gently pick up his scomp link still sitting in his lap. “This old scomp link? Is proof to me every day that you survived and are here with me. I wouldn’t trade that for anything, Echo. And if you need me to remind you every kriffing day that I love you, and that I’m not going anywhere, then that’s exactly what I’ll do.” Lifting it to your lips, you place a gentle kiss against his scomp while retaining eye contact with him. 

His bottom lip quivers, and his eyes blink slowly. You can see the emotions churning below the surface of his beautiful face. Then, you are suddenly yanked up into his lap and into his embrace as he holds you close. 

You place one arm around his neck, pulling yourself level with him. His response is a rumble of emotion, “Thank you, my love. You always know exactly what to say to me to make me feel better. I’m sorry you have to-”

“Ah!” you suddenly place a hand over his mouth. “If I hear another apology out of your mouth, good sir, then I'll have to punch you. And I’d really hate to have to do that, Echo.” A grin breaks out on your face, as you make eye contact with him. 

He looks emotionally drained, but graces you with one of his genuine smiles as you lean forward and place a kiss against his headset. As soon as you move your head away from him, you feel him turn his head and pull you in to press a gentle kiss to your lips.

“You’re not wrong, cyar’ika. I’d hate to have you get violent. Your punches hurt.” He chuckles, and you feel it tingle on your lips. “And for the record? I love you too. Thank you for being so understanding.”

He kisses you again, pulling you close. The two of you continue to sit in the quiet of the kitchen, trading kisses and soft words until the sky outside turns gray; a new day on the horizon.

[personastrologyhub]

The Journey Between What Was and What’s Next

So a little transparency post.

Right now, I’m at a transitional point in my life, and I love learning more and more about astrology because I realised how practical and fundamental it is in helping me understand myself better. I’m currently trying to really investigate and learn all there is about how each house manifests, looking into deeper interpretations of what we can learn about each part of life through the houses.

Lately, I’ve been exploring the 1st House with a lot of focus on the Ascendant. We already know that the Ascendant represents the lens through which we experience the world, so I won't get into detail about what it means assuming that we all know but nevertheless, I was looking into text and work from Howard Sasportas and I really love his perspective of the Ascendent describing it as the "maze" we navigate, which also holds clues to finding our way out. Out to greatness, and out to our sun, where we shine.

For example, as a Scorpio Ascendant, which you probably guessed, the moment I mentioned (investigate). I know there’s an association with uncovering truth. I have always been about trying to find out how things work and digging deeper, uncovering doors that people would rather leave closed.

The lens through which I see the world can sometimes be of depth, sometimes secrecy, but most importantly, it's through transformation. For me, my path involves, investigating my own inner fears and shadows, bringing them to the surface and then truly transforming by letting go of habits that no longer serve me and coming face to face with my own devil.

Doing so requires me to go deeper, to surrender and let go of control and trusting that things will work out for me, and that sometimes, things need to be destroyed so that you can rebuild.

There's a connection there, between the Ascendant and how we experience new beginnings —not just literal birth but every new phase, chapter, or transition in life will bring about or evoke the Ascendent. In the book, "The Houses" he suggests that early life experiences, particularly around birth, set the tone for how we approach these moments. For example, Capricorn/Saturn Ascendants may feel cautious or hesitant, rooted in early struggles or responsibilities tied to Saturnian energy.

Scorpio Rising on the other hand, are often marked by physical, emotional, or situational crises—a dramatic or difficult entrance into the world, may approach things with suspicion, lack of trust and the need to control everything.

I thought this was fascinating, and went to investigate and uncovered that during my birth, there was a real tussle between life and death for both my mother and me. When the doctors were delivering me, I was breached so they had to do a Emergency C section then things were going wrong and my heartbeat was raised, the process was so frantic that they accidentally dislocated my shoulder as i was being pulled out. My first baby pictures shows me in the hospital wearing a little baby sling. It’s fascinating how astrology can provide insights like this.

So for me as Scorpio is ruled by Pluto (modern) and Mars (traditional), both associated with transformation, survival, and regeneration.

Approach to New Beginnings:

Transitions for me often involve endings first—a symbolic death before rebirth.

Every new era in my life resonates with my instinct to dig deep, transform, and emerge stronger, much like the mythical phoenix rising from the ashes.

Starting this blog for me was really hard. IT WAS quite literally a tussle between my old self, thinking "will people want to read this, I'm not good enough or more knowledgeable enough than the other astrologers bloggers here and my new self that wants to rise into this new version of me where I am doing what I love to do. I snuggled immensely with cautiousness and inability to just let go and trust that it will all work out.

The Role of Intensity and Regeneration:

Scorpio Rising thrives in situations that push them to evolve. They may unconsciously attract or create circumstances that force them to confront their limits and grow.

Each new phase in life echoes the qualities of the Ascendant and the issues tied to our first house. These echoes are like subconscious patterns imprinted at birth that reawaken during transitions.

Aries Ascendant

Maze Created: Life is seen as a battleground where action, courage, and decisiveness are necessary. They interpret life as a place that rewards boldness and initiative.

Birth Symbolism: Often associated with quick or eventful births, Aries Ascendants may have entered the world energetically, perhaps as fighters, literally or figuratively.

Transitions: They approach new beginnings with enthusiasm but can rush headlong into situations without full consideration, often learning through trial and error.

Way Out: They must learn patience and strategy, realizing that not every situation requires immediate action or confrontation.

Taurus Ascendant

Maze Created: Life is seen as a place to seek security, comfort, and stability. They create patterns focused on holding onto what they have.

Birth Symbolism: Taurus Ascendants may have had slower, steadier births or situations where grounding and perseverance were required.

Transitions: They approach new phases cautiously, preferring to ensure stability before taking risks. They may resist change, needing time to feel secure in new beginnings.

Way Out: They must embrace change and let go of attachment to material and emotional security, learning that true stability comes from within.

For someone with Scorpio Rising, the story of their birth—literal or metaphorical—might hold keys to understanding their life’s themes. How do you feel about transitions? Do they mirror the intensity or struggle associated with birth? Are new beginnings met with a sense of profound transformation, or is there resistance tied to fear of change?

Understanding these patterns can offer deep insight into how we meet life and find ways to break free from the "maze" we’ve constructed.

[charonsferry]

A Volunteer Musters In

Decided to write something longer for a change. Vaguely inspired by another post I saw.

The door opens to a witch's office on a quiet urban street. It's late at night, but today she has an appointment which will likely last until the next day.

"Welcome! Please come on in so we can verify some details."

In steps a young man, at most twenty years old, who bears a neutral expression yet a face that only shows a troubled life. The reader surely understands that this "man" is simply incapable of comfort with her body, and this is the nature of her appointment.

The witch closes the door behind them and guides her client upstairs to her office desk.

"I have yet to actually ask," said the witch, "Is there a reason you have come here in particular? There are certainly other witches who work specifically for people who need their bodies refined-"

"That's the thing, miss," replied her client, "I just don't want to be a person anymore. It has simply been... too much." A faint tear builds on the corner of her eye. Instinctively, the witch reaches for a handkerchief to wipe it off for her, but she moves back in rejection.

"A hesitation like that makes me wonder if you'll be a good fit, but... oh well, I guess I could just..."

Reaching back into her desk, she pulls out an object the client does not recognize - but soon places her in a state of tranquility. The tears fade and a resolve she has almost never felt to speak her mind builds within.

"My life as a person has simply been one form of torture after another. I had thought about transitioning, I had thought about domestic dollmakers, but my heart is simply too cold. I need a life as cold as it."

The witch was now satisfied with her response. "That certainly seems like what my dolls go through. I myself don't treat them as poorly, but war is indeed a cold and bitter thing. I had initially put in some requests after losing some dolls on a tour, but I certainly didn't expect a request from a volunteer. It's been a while..."

"Where do you normally get them from, anyways?", asked the client.

"Well, it's not a pretty matter normally," the witch sighed. "Only a few types of people can be legally made into dolls without consent. Most are actually infants and children who perished before baptism. Some criminals are sentenced to it from time to time - I don't do that, personally. Which is why I'm quite thrilled by this, really. You will be a perfect fit for us."

"So, are you ready to do it tonight?" the client said with as much impatience as the spell would let her have.

"Yes, I just have some waiver you'll need to sign. Just paperwork, really. You'll need to sign with your legal, by the way."

The client was now concerned more than the spell could withhold - could her deadname be the last thing she ever writes? Or worse, would this not fulfill her desires at all?

She asked the witch this, to witch she replied "Of course I'll make a girl of you! Or at least as much of a girl as a doll can be, even though I doubt you'll care much once it's all done."

"Of course I'll care," the client said as she took a pen and signed the waiver that she felt she'd already seen before, "It's the only thing I've ever wanted."

But as soon as the ink with her now truly dead name was on the paper, a strange chill filled her body, soon followed by numbness, and then - she couldn't move a muscle!

"Phew, I did that right!" the witch said, "With your new Stillness you are now technically a doll already, but there will certainly need to be some work done from here on out. Let me start with shaving your face and, uh... actually I'll do that later..."

The client - apparently now the doll - began to slip into some different form of consciousness. A flurry of thoughts were dancing about in her mind. I'm really becoming a girl! I'll finally be everything I want to be!

But... what do I want? Do I specifically want something for myself? Maybe my desires lie in...

Minutes passed into hours, and the witch continued to work away at the new doll's unnecessary flesh, swapping atrophied tendons for rigid balljoints, fully removing the source of those years of dysphoria to leave another barren plate.

She... Miss... She did it! I wish I could thank her right now! But, I don't know if... Maybe this one should ask Miss before using that word again...

This one must follow Miss's every command. Miss is this one's lifeblood. Miss is this one's Purpose.

The doll opened its now porcelain eyes. Its witch sat before it with an anxious expression.

"M... Miss? Thank you, miss..." said the doll with a voice at least an octave higher than the one it had earlier that night.

"You're welcome, my new doll! You turned out perfectly! I made sure to put extra effort into your hair, if it still matters."

"What should this one do now, Miss?"

"Follow me downstairs to where your quarters will be and be Still where the other dolls are. I need to go to bed, and you need to be up at 6 for training."

"Understood, Miss."

The doll stood up on its new legs, and walked in a pace already resembling a march to a room right next to the witch's where four dolls were seated side by side. The doll sat down, and again dipped into Stillness.

Just across from it was a small mirror that reflected a beautiful facsimile of a woman, but the doll closed its eyes - it'd prefer to just see Miss for now.

[antivanbrandy]

i wanted to take a crack at the relationship chart meme for bg3, but made life harder for myself in the process by doodling everyone asdfghjkl

a bit of info about the relationships under the readmore!

so to start from the top and work around clockwise:

Astarion: her best friend, her partner, and love of her life. his flippant hot-n-cold attitude at the start of their relationship (she failed that first big insight check so she didn't know it was all an act at the start) leaves her feeling bad about herself at times, but once they have their Act 2 heart-to-heart, their relationship only goes from strength to strength. we all know what a supportive and loving tav does for spawn!Astarion, but over the course of their adventure he supports her, too. they make each other stronger.

Rhapsody's self sacrificing need to help everyone, no matter how thin it spreads her, comes dangerously close to breaking her by late Act 2. Astarion talks her back from the ledge, so to speak, and helps her realise why she's doing it (Family Trauma Hour 2, Shitty Father Boogaloo) and the harm it's doing her in turn. it's purely self-interest that motivates him at first, because if she burns out then his protection and best chance at taking on Cazador goes with her, but once he comes to care for her his motives are much kinder.

i have so many post-game thoughts for these two, which includes an eventual cast of good old Reincarnation (which i honest to god rolled for and nearly squawked at the outcome) and the very specific complicated feelings that digs up for them, but if i keep typing i'll be here all day.

-

Gale: truly one of her best friends. she could sit with him in silence, just reading together, or her playing an instrument while he studies the weave, and be perfectly content. Rhaps is a lore bard, so she really enjoys swapping stories, information, and theories with him. she's also a big fan of his cooking, and enjoys the simple companionship of doing vegetable prep while he cooks and they chat together. she'd go to bat for him against anyone.

-

Wyll: a dear friend, and inspiration for more than one epic ballad (which makes him proud-blush every time). they swap tales, often together with Karlach, and he's been known to join her in a song and dance when she plays at camp if he's feeling in the spirits. they bond over complicated relationships with their fathers, love of good red wine, and most importantly, their unflinching dedication to helping people in need.

-

Lae'zel: their relationship is complicated. they both operate on a level the other just does not understand, and chafe against the others attitude to life. they grow to respect each other, but never truly become friends, which is sad because Lae'zel does get to a point where she'd like to extend that offer but has no idea how to voice her growing fondness, and then the adventure is over and she leaves with Voss.

-

Minsc: definitely a friend, even if they're not especially close. for his part, Minsc is delighted when Rhaps comes up with a little ditty about him ('from top to tail, evildoers do fear - Boo gnaws their eyes, Minsc kicks their rear!').

-

Jaheira: Rhaps' liked Jaheira immediately, as soon as she clocked the wine was spiked and Jaheira gave her that knowing smile and asked her to drink anyway. Rhaps grew up starved for parental approval and attention, and there's an undeniable current of Momther™ that carries with Jaheira's approval, stories, pick me ups, and pep talks that she latches onto very quickly. Jaheria herself is reluctant to be seen as a mother figure, she has her own kids after all, riiiiiight up until the point the gang come face to face with Rhaps and Aisling's father and she sees first hand how she's treated and how much she wilts in his company. After that it's just kind of defiant instinct, if a parental-flavoured pep talk is what the cub needs to get through the end of days, that's what she'll get, and her old man can go get fucked.

-

Shadowheart: Shadowheart and Rhapsody have a rocky start - Shart's combative attitude puts Rhaps on the backfoot, and they have a two steps forward one step back slow-crawl to understanding each other. There's a bit of a blow-up between them in the shadowlands that sets them back even more; Shadowheart's constant sneering and too-edgy-for-you remarks regarding Selune and Selunite magic grate on Rhapsody, who is already spread desperately thin by this point and is absolutely baffled Shart can't keep it buttoned for ONE minute when Selune is all that's standing between the people at Last Light -the tieflings she fought tooth n nail to save- and a gruesome death. and the more evidence they see of Shar's cruelty in the shadowlands, the more Rhaps begins to truly understand what Shar is capable of and the thinner she's spread from trying to help people in this bleak situation, the closer she gets to lashing out, until eventually Shadowheart goes one snippy comment too far and Rhaps blows up at her. they have it out, and it's bad, but when they eventually make up afterwards theyre stronger for it, and by the end of Act 3 theyre a lot closer than they ever thought possible.

-

Halsin: Halsin is a calming presence in Rhapsody's life. she thought turning down his offer was going to make things awkward for them, but it never did. there's a lot to learn from him, and a call to a calmer life and a sense of peace that Rhaps feels most keenly when she's out in nature with him. the druidic life isn't for her, but those moments of peace do wonders for her when she needs it.

-

Karlach: darling dearest bestest friend, platonic love of her life, sister from another mister, 'would absolutely ride the rollercoaster in the front car with you' bestest best friend forever. Rhapsody adores Karlach, admires and is inspired by her. Rhapsody has had very little interaction with other tieflings, and in comes Karlach full of friendly cheer and good humour and a massive heart, emotional vulnerability and honesty and cheeky smiles, all things Rhaps is drawn to and wants to be. she'd do anything for her, go to any lengths, and I can't even begin to describe how heartbroken this makes her on that dock at the end.

[misc-obeyme]

I'm curious now. Could you tell us more about your Brainrot over Barbatos "cosmic powers"? Or his time travel abilities?

Do you ever think he's old as time itself? (Google said Time itself is 14 billion years old). I wonder if he's the FIRST demon to exist right after the Demon king.

Anon, are you sure you want to get into this with me? Because when I tell you I've thought about it way too much...

I think there are a lot of possibilities for what the game means when it says that Barbatos has been around since before the Devildom took shape. I think that's what most of us are thinking of when it comes to considering how old he truly is. There's this general idea that the game hints at that Barbatos is far older than anyone and knows a lot about everything. It's implied that he had a younger phase or time of his life when he was less refined and restrained. It hints that there is so much more to his story.

Could there be something actually waiting for us that the devs have considered regarding Barb's history? Possibly. But considering their track record, I'm not sure if we'll ever actually find out what that might be. And if we do, it might be somewhat underwhelming.

That leaves us to speculate what it could be. And I've seen many different takes on it, some I like and some I'm like meh about.

For myself, I have considered multiple possibilities, especially in regards to his powers. What does it mean to be able to manipulate time? To be able to see a vast array of potential timelines? To move through them?

I explore some of this in The Threads That Bind. The curse that MC is hit with causes them to be able to see this sort of in between place where Barbatos can see the streams of different timelines.

But I also explored a slightly different take on it in a drabble where MC asks him if they meet in every timeline.

It's a concept that's so complicated and so twisty that you can write about it in multiple ways and still never fully explore all it could mean.

I tend to go with whatever works best for the scenario I'm writing. In Threads, I kept the ideas consistent with each other, but outside of a longer story like that, I find it fun to see how those powers can work in different ways.

That being said, I generally think about it like there's one main timeline - the one he's in. And then there are many other timelines and he exists in all of them. For instance, we have Timeline A and Timeline B. Barb A can see Timeline B and Barb B in that timeline and vice versa. They're aware of each other but they exist separately.

However, Barb A can also see the various ways that his own timeline can change. Every choice causes it to branch. So while he can see timelines like Timeline B that start separately from his, he can also see branches from his own timeline. Thus creating something like a Timeline A-1, a branch where a Barb A-1 now exists and makes different choices and changes in ways Barb A does not.

But this can get complicated and kinda brain hurty, so sometimes I just scrap all of that and think about it more in terms of vibes. Or perhaps in a more muddled way, such as the "time soup" description offered up by the game itself.

I like to think that Barbatos understands these complexities in a way that's natural to him. He just has the ability to feel and understand it all by instinct. Maybe he explains some concepts to MC in ways he thinks they'll understand or in ways that make them feel like their own current existence isn't meaningless. But he can never really explain it to them in a way that would allow them to understand it like he does.

I also like the idea that he deliberately shuts off his ability to tell what happens in the future. I mean we know he does this and that he'll only travel through time with Diavolo's permission. (Though really it's more like at Dia's request.) It's just so badass to be able to tell how each decision you make will change the course of your future and decide that you'd rather be surprised.

As for his age, I think it makes sense for him to be as old as time itself. But I do think he could potentially be slightly younger than time. His understanding of it doesn't mean he had to exist for all of it. Or maybe he traveled back to the beginning just to witness it all for himself.

If time is a soup, Barb's age probably is, too.

And I like to think he existed before the first Demon King. I think he's older than the Devildom, therefore older than its ruler.

I think Barb is more powerful than the demon kings ever were, but prefers not to have that particular rank or title. He's more of a working in the shadows type of guy.

But of course these are just my own thoughts. Well this is the tip of the iceberg of my thoughts a;dlkjfasdflj. Ask me next week and I might say something completely different lol!

[bupia]

Hello ✨ could you please do 28, 29 and 36 with Copia? <3

Inexperienced Smut Prompts: Copia, Papa Emeritus IV

"Do that again." "I never knew you could make such sweet sounds." - "Me neither..." "I got you."

There’s a smut bellow the cut, +18 only, please. [fem!reader] (voyeurism and oral sex) — I guess I wrote a lot for this one.

You inhaled deeply before your hand grasped the doorknob to his office. This wasn't your first time entering his office; in fact, you had been here many times before. However, a sense of nervousness gripped you this time, unlike any previous visits. It was different now that it was he who had summoned you with an air of urgency.

Gathering courage to face Papa, you sighed and reached for the doorknob, opening the door of his office.

"Papa...?" you called for him as you opened the door.

"Sorella! Vieni, vieni!" Copia exclaimed, gesturing with his hand inviting you to come inside. "Come inside, per favore."

"Thank you, Papa," you said, entering his office, closing the door behind you.

"I'm glad you found a time for me. I know you've been very busy those last few days."

"Oh! Yes, since you left your Cardinal role, things have been changing and you know how we need to rearrange everything inside of the ministry for you."

"Sì, sí," he nodded. "But that's not the reason I called you here today, sorella," he cleared his throat before continuing. "You should know that you are one of the most remarkable members of our ministry, I appreciate your devotion and your posture inside of our unholy house, but, a little bird told me your little secret."

At this moment, you come to a halt where you stand. What was Papa referring to? Maybe...

"At our ministry," he went on, "We wholeheartedly embrace the seven deadly sins, as you are aware. However, a little bird whispered to me that you, sorella, are unacquainted with one of them."

Copia strode towards you, coming to stop right in front of you. His hands extended towards your neck, his fingertips gently caressing the skin as he traced upwards, ultimately reaching for the knot of your habit's veil situated at the back of your head. With a deft motion, he untied it, allowing the veil to cascade down and settle onto the floor.

"P-Papa..." you uttered, your breath catching in your throat. "I... I can... explain."

"There's no need for you to offer any explanations, sorella," his hand extended toward your scalp, his fingers weaving through the strands of your hair as he administered a soothing massage to your head. "I've not come to pass judgment upon you, not in the slightest. In fact, I called you here today to assist you."

Your gaze met his, a blush warming your cheeks, as his gloved hands continued their gentle ministrations on your head. The sensation of his fingertips kneading your scalp made your lips part involuntarily, a soft sound escaping your throat, almost a whimper, as you surrendered to the sensation, closing your eyes to fully savor the moment.

"Does it feel good, sorella?" Copia murmured.

"Y- Yes..." you whispered, swiftly opening your eyes and instinctively moving a step away from him. "I apologize, Papa. I'm truly sorry."

"There's no need," he reassured, his smile carrying warmth. "Now," he continued, stepping back towards his desk. "Share with your Papa what transpired, why you find yourself unfamiliar with the sin of lust."

Copia shifted his position, leaning against the desk for support, while you advanced a few steps, positioning yourself before him—close enough to engage yet maintaining a respectful distance.

"You see, Papa, I... I..." you began, your voice laden with a hint of uncertainty as you attempted to summon your courage to speak. "I've already touched myself, sometimes, but... I just never did it with someone else."

"Oh, sì," he nodded in understanding. "So the issue here is that you never actually engaged in it, sì?"

"Yes, that's the reason I haven't... partaken in the sin of lust," you affirmed.

"And is it your desire not to, sorella?"

"I do want to," you nodded. "However, I don't wish to engage in such an act with just any fellow member of the ministry, Papa."

"What do you mean by that, sorella?"

"I'm not entirely sure how to explain, Papa," you responded, your gaze drifting away from him to focus on your feet. "It's not that I lack the desire, but rather that I believe I shouldn't."

"Shouldn't? How so?"

"Well... I mean, technically I could, but I don't think I should with someone I don't genuinely desire."

He concurred, his expression understanding. "You are absolutely correct, cara," he acknowledged, his hand lifting to touch your chin, gently tilting your head to meet his gaze. "But if you have a particular someone in mind, remember that you can always confide in me, cara."

You nodded, watching as he stepped away from the desk and made his way to his chair. You observed him as he seated himself, then took a deep breath, your fingers gripping your habit.

"You," you admitted.

"Hm? What?"

"I... I w- want it to be you, P- Papa," you stammered, nervously.

His eyes widened slightly, then narrowed slightly. "Eh?" he asked, his tone conveying surprise. "Why would you wish to have me, cara?"

"I... I... I just thought..." you stammered. "That you might be able to help me... I mean, I know you're our Papa, but..."

"It is true, I am Papa," he confirmed, nodding. "But that does not mean I can't share my bed with a sorella."

"I know that, Papa," you sighed. "I was hoping that perhaps you would be willing to share your bed with me, though."

"Carissima," he smiled, inclining his head. "You are very beautiful, cara, and you are also one of the most devoted siblings of our ministry, so I would be honored to share my bed with you, sorella."

Your heart leapt within your chest, causing your breathing to become erratic.

"I suppose we should discuss the details of this arrangement, cara," he said.

"What details?"

"The specifics of our arrangement, for one thing, cara," he explained, his smile growing broader. "And of course, I will need to know more about you, cara. Do you have any experience in matters of the flesh?"

You blushed furiously, averting your eyes. "I..." you began, your voice faltering. "I haven't had much experience in such matters as I said before, Papa," you confessed.

He chuckled softly. "Ah, cara, you are adorable. I am certain that you will be an excellent lover, sorella."

You watched as he stood up and walked over to you, his hands reaching out to cup your face.

"But enough talk, cara. It is time for us to consummate our agreement."

You blushed again, then looked up into his eyes, your lips parting slightly.

"Papa..." you whispered. "Are you sure?"

"Sì." His hand slid around your waist, pulling you against him. "Let's go to my chambers, cara?"

"Yes, Papa," you replied, your voice trembling.

He walked towards the door of his office, opening the door for you. You walked in his direction, leaving the office. He followed you and you both walked through the corridors, your heart pounding within your chest. You were afraid that you were going to faint, but managed to keep your composure.

As you two arrived on his chambers, Copia opened the door for you and you entered with him following you right after, closing the door behind him.

He turned to you, smiling, his arms reaching out to pull you close. You placed your hands on his shoulders and kissed him passionately, your tongue sliding between his lips. His arms wrapped around your body, holding you close as you continued to kiss him.

He pulled away from you, his hands sliding down your back until they reached your bottom, pulling you closer against him. His fingers slipped between your legs, caressing your mound through the fabric of your habit. You moaned softly, your hips moving against his hand.

"You want me, don't you, cara? "he asked huskily.

"Yes, Papa," you gasped, your voice breathless.

"I want you so badly, sorella."

He lowered his head, kissing your neck, his teeth nipping at your skin. You felt yourself becoming wetter as he continued to touch you, his fingers sliding inside your panties. He moved them slowly, rubbing against your clit, making you gasp.

"You are so wet, cara," he whispered, his breath hot on your neck. "I can feel how wet you are. You are already soaking wet for me, aren't you, cara?"

"Yes, P-Papa," you breathed, your voice husky. "I'm so wet for you. I want you so bad, Papa."

He groaned, his fingers continuing to rub against your clit, making you even wetter. "Oh, cara, I want you so badly," he moaned, his voice low and rough. "I want to taste you, cara. I want to taste all of you."

You whimpered, your hips pushing against his hand. "Please, Papa, please," you begged.

"Anything you want, cara. Anything you want," you could hear the lust in his voice. "Anything, cara. Just tell me what you want."

"I want you, Papa," you breathed, your voice hoarse. "I want you so much, please."

You heard him groan. "Sì, cara, you'll have your Papa. But first..."

He pulled away from you, your hands falling to your sides as you stared at him, your breathing ragged.

"First..?" you asked, your voice trembling.

"First, I want you to remove your clothes," he looked at your eyes. "I want to see you, I want to see all of you."

You started to unbutton your habit, sliding it down your body, staying before him in only your underwear.

"Take it off.," he ordered, his voice deep and demanding.

You did as he said, unhooking your bra, letting it fall to the floor, your eyes never leaving his face.

"Now, cara, lie down on the bed."

You walked towards his bed, lying down on the bed. He stood over you, staring at you.

"You told me you never did it before, but that you did it to yourself, so show me, sorella, show me how you touch yourself."

You smiled up at him, your fingers sliding into your panties, your folds moistening with excitement. You breathed his name in a whisper and he knelt beside the bed, leaning forward to look at you. His hands reached for the waistbands of your panties, slowly sliding it down your ankles.

"Oh, sorella, look at it," Copia said, leaning down, running his tongue along your slit. "Come here, I got you."

You gasped, your hips jerking upward. He licked you again, this time along your inner thigh, his tongue slipping between your flesh. You moaned softly, your hips moving against his mouth.

"You taste so good, cara. So sweet," he grinned.

His tongue slipped between your lips, licking up and down, dipping into your entrance. He moaned, his tongue sliding deeper inside you, tasting your juice. He removed his tongue from your entrance, sitting back on his heels, smiling up at you. He flicked his tongue against your clit, sucking it into his mouth, rolling it around his tongue.

"Ah! Pap-Ah! Fu-Oh! Please, this is so good!"you moaned, arching your back, rolling your head on the bed.

"Sì, cara, I know. I know that you like that. I know that you like my tongue on your pussy," he murmured, getting up from his knees. "But now, show me, cara. Show me how you touch yourself, for your Papa."

You reached down, your fingers slowly stroking your wetness. Your finger sliding easily between your folds, your wetness flowing freely. You closed your eyes, and your finger slid inside your entrance, but you quickly removed it. You heard a hum of disapprove from Copia, causing you to open your eyes, looking at him.

"No, cara," he shook his head. "Do it again, touch yourself properly for your Papa."

You slid two fingers into your entrance, curling them upward to rub your clit. He watched you, his fingers rubbing his growing bulge on his pants. You removed your fingers, going with them to your clit, circling it, spreading your legs wider.

"Papa... Papa, this is so goo-Oh!" you whimpered, rolling your eyes to the back of your head.

You moved your fingers back to your entrance, thrusting them faster inside you, your hips grinding against your hand. His fingers were still moving on his hardness, as he tilted his head to the side, watching you attentively. You were panting now, your fingers moving deeper, your hips moving faster as you curled your fingers, hitting your spot, crying out as your orgasm his, your body writhing beneath his gaze. You came hard, your walls clenching around your fingers.

"Oh, Satan, Papa! Oh Satan," you moaned softly, closing your eyes.

Copia grinned mischievously. "Did you enjoy that, cara?" he asked, pulling his clothes off.

"Yes, Papa, I did," you said, breathless.

"Molto Bene, because I have more for you. And this time, I'm going to give you want you want," he bent down and kissed you softly.

[countrymusiclover]

10 - A Special First Date

Part 11

Dr. Redheaded Neighbor

Comment your thoughts down below or in a reblog post

Tag list - send an ask to be added @annieradcliff @watermeezer @zaidatorcuatomorgado @kmc1989

Getting out of the Uber car I walked inside the firehouse 51 small door since the larger vehicle doors were shut most likely until they received a call for an emergency they needed to attend to. Seeing the back doors of the ambulance were hung opened and I saw some familiar blonde hair moving around. “Sylvie Brett!”

“Yeah that’s me. Can I help you – Mallory, what are you doing here?” She glanced over her shoulder sending me a huge friendly grin on her face.

I stopped walking when I was standing outside the doors with a hand on my hip. I was wearing my old Army jacket that I hadn’t felt like wearing after the day I returned home. “I have a few hours before Will comes and picks me up, so I figured I’d come and hang with you. “

“Awe that’s cool. Although I gotta say that today has been pretty slow. But I do have some good news for you. My boss told me when you come into his office he has an application available for you at the ready.”

“How about right now. I’m free for a little bit.” I suggested hopefully.

She nodded gesturing her head toward an office door. We walked inside the building turning a few corners until we stood outside an office that read Chief on the door. “Chief Boden, I’d like to introduce Mallory Easton. She’s the former Army k-9 officer I have been telling you about.” She lead me inside where I saw a tall black man wearing a white shirt sitting in a desk chair.

“It’s nice to meet you, chief Boden.” I extended my hand to the man causing him to rise from his chair.

He shakes my hand firmly. “Nice to meet you, Ms. Easton. Brett has told me quite about what you did in your friends building. You saved her life.”

“I wasn’t sure if the clot would hold. I just remember seeing some pretty bad wounds when I was deployed. Just followed my basic instincts.” I shrugged my shoulders in response.

“Well, it was very impressive. And that is one of the reasons I am considering hiring you to be on my team.”

I shake my head still making point that he needed to understand regardless if they both wanted me to work here in this fire department. “I appreciate the opportunity. Truly I do. But I don’t have the experience of a paramedic or a firefighter. I know I can take the course to learn but would you mind that I’d be having to learn everything and be on the team at the same time.”

“If you’re considering taking the job you can start taking the courses now. Once you’ve gotten through them you’ll have a job waiting here in a few months.” He explained leaning his back against his desk. “The fact that you are a former Army vet will boost your credibility to get through the programs.”

I parted my mouth open processing if I took the opportunity or not. In all honesty I was spending most of the time when Will was at work by myself. Maxon’s company could only do so much considering he couldn’t talk back. Being in this department would be a good distraction and I could help people that I couldn’t necessarily do when I was deployed overseas. “Fill out the application information for paramedic training and I’ll be seeing you soon.”

“Thank you so much, Chief Boden.” I smiled shaking his hand again before Brett and I exited his office and back outside to the trucks.

Brett paused in her steps hugging me before saying a word back. “I can’t believe you’re going to be working here.”

“Woah slow down, Brett. I’m not anywhere near completely getting the job yet.”

She breaks the hug and I sent her a smile. “I’m just excited for you is all. I’m not worried about you getting to work here. You’ll do fine given the injuries and situations you’ve been through.”

“Thanks for having high confidence in me.” I responded before a car horn started going off and I saw a familiar black car driving up to the open double doors. I knew I recognized the vehicle but wasn’t entirely sure till the driver door opened and auburn hair came into my view with that cheeky grin. “Will!”

He shut the door coming over to us. “Mal. Sylvie.”

“What are you doing here. I thought you didn’t get off work until 5. It’s 3:50.”

He shoved his hands in the jacket he wore over his red hospital scrubs. “Natalie agreed she’d take on the rest of my shift for me. Plus I knew I wanted to surprise you.”

“Awe.”

Brett chimed in. “Hey if you need somebody to watch your dog for the evening I’d totally be open for it.”

“That would be great. Thanks, Sylvie.” I hugged her back too as a thank you.

Will held out his hand for me knowing we both needed to change clothes before going on our first date tonight. “Are you ready to go then, Mallory?”

“Yep.” Placing my hand in his we started walking back to the car. “We’ll drop Maxon off here!”

Sylvie grinned calling back to us. “Treat my girl right, Dr. Halstead!” She watched us drive away from the firehouse feeling excited just like the both of us were about the upcoming evening.

5:30 rolled around by the time we had gotten back to our apartment building and changed clothes. I had slipped on some black leggings underneath a short orange shirt that fell almost down to my knees. Will was in some jeans, a green short sleeve shirt with a black jacket thrown over it.

“So where are actually going now. You haven’t told me a single thing about the plans.” I asked as we made the drive further into downtown once we had left Maxon with Sylvie.

Will had one hand on the steering wheel when he glanced over at me in the passenger seat. “If I told you what we were doing it would ruin the surprise.”

“You are terrible at keeping secrets around me.”

He scoffed with a chuckle. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Mallory.”

“The first night Maxon and I spent in your apartment you attempted to blame Maxon for eating the last of the Oreo’s even though dogs can’t have chocolate.” I sent him a glare knowing I was right. “When in reality you felt guilty that you did it and fessed up telling me the truth two seconds later.”

He rolled his eyes recalling the moment. “That is completely different. This time I want this to be a surprise so you’ll just have to wait.”

The drive didn’t last too much longer before he parked the car outside of a restaurant I hadn’t been to before. He came around helping me out of the car so we walked inside arms linked with one another. The hostess led us to the nearest booth where we sat across from each other. “The waitress should be with you shortly.”

“I can’t believe you brought me here. I wasn’t expecting you taking me someplace like this. I thought you’d be taking me to Molly’s for drinks and dinner.” I chuckled picking up the menu seeing that they had pretty much everything on there you could think of getting.

Will picked up his own menu looking it over. “We can go to Molly’s another time if you want. But I’d thought since this is our first official date it should be something a little more special.”

“What can I get you two to drink tonight?” The waitress with her brown hair tied up in a bun while carrying a notepad in her hands.

Will and I responded at the same time. “Angry Orchard.” I snorted a laugh out seeing a huge grin get plastered across his face.

“Okay, I’ll be back to take your orders.” The waitress slowly walked away with her eyes lingering on my best friend and I watched her sway her hips back and forth trying to seduce him making me gag at the thought.

Focusing back on the menu I saw that they had a Mac and cheeseburger that sounds pretty good. I knew we were at a somewhat fancy restaurant but they still had it listed on the menu so I should give it a try. “What are you gonna get, Will?”

“I’m not really that picky. We can split something if you wanted to.”

The waitress came back taking out a pen. “What can I get you tonight?”

“I’ll have a Mac and cheeseburger with fries. Oh uh – were gonna share that.” I handed her back the menu and she scribbled something down walking away. She came back a few minutes with two plates in her hands sitting it down in front of me.

Will cut the burger in half and we both silently ate. I take a few more bites before I saw some of the cheese coming out from under the bun and the next thing I felt was Will’s hand brushing against the tip of my nose. “You got something right there, Mal. There you go I’ve got it.”

“I guess you can’t take me anywhere, Halstead.” I chuckled watching him lick the cheese off his thumb.

We finished eating the burger and fries with him paying the bill where I thought we were about to go home for the evening yet that wasn’t accurate. We drove for a few minutes until I recognized the parking lot and building we were pulling up to. “Will, why are we at the hospital?” I asked shifting around in the passenger seat.

“I wanna show you something and don’t worry I’m allowed to take visitors in.” He unbuckled his seatbelt getting out first and I followed him towards the front sliding doors of the hospital emergency room.

We walked into the building going directly to the elevators. He hit the button that said up and then the one that was labeled roof. I kept trying to figure out what he was wanting to show me that was up there. The elevator doors slid open where I started to step out yet he covered my eyes with his hands causing me to laugh. “Will Halstead, what are you doing. If you want me to see whatever is up here, you gotta remove your hands.”

“You’ll see what I want to show you in a second.” He responded slowly walking the both of us forward out of the elevator.

I chuckled holding my hands out feeling my fingers touch the edge of a metal railing. “Don’t you dare let me fall over the edge of this thing.”

“I’d never let that happen. Now open your eyes in three, two, one.” He lowered his hands where I blinked my eyes a couple of times seeing all the building lights at the ground. From how high we were off the ground everything looked so small from here.

I dropped my mouth open twirling around on my feet seeing my best friend flashing me a huge grin on his face. “This is amazing. I’ve never seen the city from this high above before from the time I have been living here.”

“I’m glad you like it, Mallory. My boss pointed out to me that you could see the whole city from up here and maybe share some drinks. Like I told you earlier I really wanted this to be super special cause you’re special to me, Mallory Easton.” Will closed the gap pressing our chests together wrapping his arms around my waist, nuzzling his nose down onto mine.

I giggled nuzzling my nose back with his own, wrapping my arms around his neck. “You sure know how to show a girl a good time. And you’re special to me too.” Leaning up on my toes I captured his lips with mine, threading my right hand into his ginger curls. He leans closer deepening the kiss enjoying the moment.

Unknown to us my phone was vibrating in my purse that he had set down on the table near where we were standing. The caller was someone I wasn’t expecting to hear from since I had returned home.