#waiting patiently........ for someone...... to drop figures of this season........

[beanghostprincess]

Don't expect me to say anything coherent about these shots because the one thing in my mind right now is how much they mean to me, how gorgeous this opening looks, and how it shows all you need to know about them with only a few pictures

[littlemissmiller]

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐧 𝐆𝐢𝐫𝐥

Pairing: billy the kid x fem!reader

Summary: you are a bartnder/saloon girl at a bar in town. when billy rides into town, he is absolutely in love with you, but takes it slow. one night you invite him home and he can’t resist you any longer

Warning: 21+ (drinking) fluff, smut, p in v, semi-rough sex (ass slapping), hickeys, oral (f receiving), aftercare, porn with a plot

Word count: 5.1k

A/N: hello friends :) first i just want to say thank you for the support! it has truly exceeded my expectations given i thought like three people were going to read my last two posts sooo thank you thank you thank you all! second, i was trying to get this out to y’all sooner, especially with season 2 being announced, but alas life be busy and i wanted to get this just right so here y’all go! a cute lil fluffy smutty billy moment. i hope to release more billy(and coryo) related content as well as other stuff soooo get excited ♥︎ ! p.s. there is a lil treat at the end ;)

Artwork

The moment you saw him ride into town, you knew you had to have him. You had seen a lot of cowboys come into town, handsome ones too. Something about Billy however, had you wondering about what the story was behind those mysterious eyes. His pretty blue eyes that pierced into your soul. He always looked at you so intently under the brim of his hat and would study you. Trying to figure you out just as much as you were with him. 

Billy became a regular at the saloon and would start to stay and wait for you to walk you home. It never went beyond that. He was such a gentleman, despite how easily you would have accepted him had he offered himself to you. Little did you know that he was being patient with you because he liked you so much. His last encounter with a woman ended up being a short and fast heartbreak, which pained him at the time and made himself feel like a fool in the long term. So he had swore to himself the next time he had the inclination to want someone he thought was good enough for love, he wouldn’t rush it. He didn’t want to scare you off like the precious creature you were to him. 

One morning you can’t stop thinking about him on the way to the market. Your sister was coming into town with her family and you had a big dinner to plan. As you arrived at the market, you were greeted by a familiar face. 

“Well good morning, darling” Billy stated tipping his hat “What brings you into town so early?” 

“Could ask you the same” you smiled “I need groceries”

“New rope for cattle ranching. Could I offer you any assistance sweetheart?”

Your heart fluttered at the pet names and your face went flush. You felt hot, your corset somehow becoming tighter, and your stomach nearly dropped. You nervously tucked your hair behind your ear. 

“Well if you insist” you quipped back

Billy held your basket for you as you shopped. He eventually obtained his rope and the pair bought their goods and were on their way. Of course, Billy offered you a ride home, despite the short distance. You rode on his horse as he rode with you behind him. You loved the feeling of being able to grip onto his waist like this. A seemingly innocent action that you reveled in. And with being this close to him, you happily took in the scent of gunpowder and fresh pine wood that wafted from his shirt. He would occasionally glance over his shoulder to sneak a look at you. He smiled to himself at how pretty your eyes looked as you held onto him tightly, your basket of groceries tucked in your elbow. They arrived soon enough at your home and Billy assisted you inside. 

“Well thank you Billy. Always willing to help me ain’t ya.” You smiled sweetly at him. The kind of smile that made Billy loose his thoughts. Your big doe eyes once again captured his attention. 

“Of course. A lady like yourself deserves all the help in the world.”

“Why are you sweeting me up like I’m hot tea William Bonney?” 

“Maybe because you are sweet. Like honey.” He smiled back, taking a step closer to you. This time, sensing your nerves, he pushed your hair back behind your  ear. 

“So what is all this food for anyways. Not that I would judge but it seems like a lot for a women who lives alone.”

“Got family coming in. They’ll be wanting a nice meal the first night at least.” You explained lightly gripping his bicep, rubbing his arm with your thumb. 

“And I reckon you’ll need some help cooking that. Don’t you think?” 

Normally you wouldn’t need the help. Especially since you enjoyed to cook and was very picky about who was in your kitchen. But with Billy asking, how could you say no.

“You don’t have somewhere better to be” she teased 

“Where else better to be than with you. Besides just so happens I’m free all day, sugar.” 

“Well then, I suppose I better keep ya busy. But I ain’t no nice cook. You’re going have to listen to me” you instructed 

“Yes ma’am” he agreed 

The two spent the whole day preparing the meal for later that evening. Billy practically danced around you all day. Using any excuse to get close to you. Whether it was reaching across you to grab a cutting knife or touching your lower back when he had a question about something, he was as bold as a man could be without crossing the line too much. Not that you didn’t want him to. His actions were more than welcomed and excited you each time he said “pardon me darling” or “I got another silly question for you dear”. 

With Billy’s help, preparations took half the time it usually would. You poured a glass of whiskey for you both, as they finished the last of the preparations. 

“Well I think this is well deserved. Thanks again for all the help.” 

“Anytime. Thanks for the drink.” He smiled

“It’s the least I could do Billy.” 

“Don’t worry, I’ll be out of your hair before your family shows up.” He announced, taking a sip of his drink

“Oh don’t feel rushed.” You reassured 

“I don’t want to overstay my welcome darling. Don’t worry about it.”  

He finished his drink and you insist on pouring him one more, just to keep him longer. He thanked you once again for the drink, tipped his hat to you, then was on his way. He gave you one last smile over his shoulder and was off back to the ranch. 

Once your sister arrived, you found it hard to concentrate on the joy of seeing your family. They were only in town for the weekend, on their way to visit your brother-in-law’s family two towns over. As excited as you were to see your sister, nephew and brother-in-law, your mind was elsewhere. And your sister noticed. 

“Hey, you seem distant. Is everything alright?” 

“Yes. Just lost in thought.” 

“Lost in thought about what pray tell?” Your sister asks

“A man” you whispered 

“You’re finally seeing someone?” Your sister, asked suspicious yet hopeful. 

“Not really. I’d like to. I sure do fancy him.” You admitted 

“Does he fancy you?” 

“Seems to.” You guessed “I tried to make him stay and dine with us but he was too polite”

“He was here?” Your sister perked up

“He helped prepare the meal.” 

“Did he now? A gentleman and a cook”

You rolled her eyes. “You know I didn’t let him get anywhere near the oven. He washed and chopped some vegetables. And helped season the beef cuts. 

“What a fine young man nonetheless” Your sister smiled

The rest of the evening went by. You’re sister, her husband and their son stayed until about 8 o’clock. After they left, you went upstairs and prepared yourself for bed. You changed into a white nightgown, and your long hair falls out of your neat, tight bun. As you brushed it out at your vanity, your attention wondered back to your favorite cowboy. You couldn’t help but wonder what he could be getting up to at the moment. You desperately wished that somehow he would want to find his way back to your doorstep and come stay the night with you. You didn’t care if that was too unbecoming of a proper lady. You wanted him. 

The next morning when you woke up, you headed off to see how your sister and their family were settling in for the weekend. They had rented a room at a boarding house at the end of town, you got ready and made it out the door. Once she arrived, her sister was already sat down at breakfast with her son and husband. They spotted her and invited her to join them. Another patron entered the bar and you turned to briefly look who it was. As he entered, Billy looked around for a seat and spotted you. He smiled, tipped his hat, and strode over to the bar where he took a seat. 

“Is that him?” She asked and you nodded

“My word ain’t he handsome.” You’re sister exclaimed 

“He looks familiar…” your sister’s husband noted as he peered at him 

“That’s just because a pretty face like his stands out.” You’re sister smiled at you 

The rest of the day you, along with your sister’s family, shopped for some new shirts for your nephew, some new dresses for herself, and you’re sister insisted on buying one for you to impress Billy. 

“Come on! What about this blue one?” She exclaimed

She held up the dress and you examined it. It was long, ruffled, and had a square neckline that was laced in white trim. It was pretty, but something else caught your eye. A purple dress, with a sweetheart neckline. The sleeves were short, puffed out and the waist was made to look like a corset, tying snugly in the front. 

“If you’re gonna get me a dress to impress Billy, then this is the one I want” You declared, striding over to the dress and showing it off to your sister. 

Your sister bought you the dress and you accompanied her family back to the room they were staying in. You tried on the dress, which fit you perfectly. Your sister was practically gawking at you, in awe at how beautiful you looked in it. 

“You’re so beautiful” you’re sister exclaimed 

“As are you.” You rolled your eyes

“Not as beautiful as you look right now!” Your sister protested. “He’s going to love it” she whispered. 

Your sister and her family left the next morning to see her husband’s parents. You bid her a goodbye and watched as she rode out of town. You decided to head into the boarding house for a quick breakfast. You enjoyed a plate of eggs and ham alone, paid, and headed back home. 

“Family left this morning I see!”  Billy’s voice called out to you as you stepped out of the boarding house. You whipped your head around to look at him and smiled. He was hauling two jugs of water over his back with the intention of hooking them up to his horse to bring back to the ranch. You walked towards him and he set the jugs down next to his horse. He grabbed a torn up towel from his hip and wiped the sweat from his brow. From this distance, you could see that he had already spent a hard morning working. His face was dirty, his handsome features almost hidden. 

“They did. Thanks for all your help again the other day.”

“Of course. Anything for you darling.” He smiled 

“You know I was thinking I really wish you had joined us the other night for dinner. They would have loved your company I’m sure.” You smiled back 

“It’s fine. Don’t want to intrude.”

“Well I want to make it up to you regardless. Are you free tonight?” You asked tentatively 

“I can be. Why?” He asks, taking curious steps toward you

“Well I was thinking maybe tonight you could stop by and actually have dinner. Now that everyone is gone. I thought it could be just us?” You suggested 

“That’s sounds lovely darling. I get done at the ranch at sundown. I’ll swing by after. How does that sound?” He asked with a light grip under your chin. He rubbed it in between his thumb and forefinger, smiling at you  lovingly. 

You nodded, but Billy held his grip on you. He spoke up again. “That ok?”

“Yes. I’ll see you after sundown.” You spoke up 

You silently begged for him to kiss you. You wanted to taste his lips, his salty sweat, and his tongue dancing with your own. You decided to be somewhat bold and also get a taste of what you wanted. You kissed his cheek, savoring his soft, slightly dusty flesh against your lips. 

“Don’t be too late now.” You whispered into his ear. You pulled back before he had a chance to take any action. As much as you wanted to kiss him, you wanted to leave him wanting more. 

You rushed home enthusiastically. You spent the rest of the day cleaning your house and making cornbread for dinner. You had some extra cuts of steak from dinner the other night and decided it would pair nicely with some potatoes, and would make a steak and potato stew, which you knew how to season just right. You were nervous, wanting everything to be perfect for him. Thankfully, you prepared for his arrival with just enough time. After putting the cornbread in the oven, and keeping the stew on a low simmer, you went to take a bath. You bathed and shaved your body. Not that you were expecting anything to happen between you and Billy tonight, but you weren’t sure what type of man he really was. How badly did Billy desire you too? You supposed you’d find out tonight. 

After your bath, you adorned the purple dress you had bought with your sister. You admired yourself in the mirror and picked out a purple silk bow to match. You tied your hair half up with it and gave yourself one last look in the mirror. You were absolutely adorable and you knew it. Finally you heard a long awaited knock on your door and scurried over to answer it. 

Billy stood in your doorway, nervously straightening up his vest and looking down at the bouquet of wildflowers in his hand. 

“Mr. Bonney. Glad you didn’t keep a lady waiting too long. Please come in” You invited him, giving him a girlish smile

“Of course not. These are for you.” He replied handing you the flowers. You gladly took them and he watched your expression as you did, noting how cute you looked as your lips curled up into a wider smile.

“Always such a gentleman. Can I get you a drink?” You asked

“A whiskey would be great.” 

You poured him a glass of the brown liquor and he took it as he sat down on your couch. 

“You seem like you had a long day.” You remarked 

“I did. But glad that you invited me over. Makes it worthwhile.” 

“Then I should invite you over more often” 

“You should.” He agreed, taking a sip of his drink. 

You poured yourself your own glass and joined Billy on the couch. You scooted close to him, your knees barely grazing. 

“So…” he started pushing your hair behind your ears. “Tell me about your day.” 

“It wasn’t anything special. Just spent the whole day getting things ready for this handsome cowboy.” You whispered knowingly 

“Oh really? Sounds like you were working hard too hmm?” He remarks 

“Not too hard. As long as he likes my cornbread then it will all be worth it.” You smirked 

“I’m sure he will.” 

You sipped on your whiskey without taking your eyes away from the piercing blue ones in front of you. You batted your eyes at him and moved closer. Just as you felt as if you’re about to lose yourself in his eyes, the smell of cornbread fills the room, indicating that it was done. You excused yourself and took them out of the oven. You also take the opportunity, while you are up, to completely turn off the oven and blew out the flame under the stew so it doesn’t boil over. You walk back to him, sitting even closer. 

“Hungry?” You ask

“I-I hate to be rude but…” Billy started leaning in closer. “I just…Can I please kiss you darling?” 

You nodded and closed your eyes in anticipation, but Billy needed verbal permission from you. To hear it, to make sure that it’s what you wanted from him. He didn’t move in, but simply danced his thumb over your lower lip, waiting for you to speak. 

“Yes Billy, please kiss me.” You gasped 

He swooped in, capturing your mouth. He held your chin delicately in his hand, tilting your face up more. He kissed you deeply, not wanting to break away. He finally had you. Finally got to feel you in some way and he wanted more. Damned be any dinner, despite his hunger he felt, he was hungry for something else. He moved his lips with your own, hoping that his movements didn’t come off as too needy. Just before he pulled back entirely, he placed a few sweet, quick pecks to your lips then, he smiled at you. 

“You have no idea how long I’ve waited for that.” He remarked 

“As have I” you breathed 

Billy dove back in. His soft lips danced with yours again. He cupped your face fully, eliciting a moan against his mouth that made him smirk in satisfaction. His thumbs caressed your cheeks, touching you as if you were made of glass. He was in awe of the moment he found himself in. Having you all to himself like this was exhilarating. You moved to straddle him, your dress pushing up against your thighs as you did. Billy splayed his hands over your newly exposed skin, inhaling sharply as he touched you. You were soft, legs freshly shaved during your bath, which Billy noticed. He snaked his fingers through your hair and admired you on his lap like this. It made his length twitch against your core. 

“Billy, ain’t you hungry?” You asked softly 

“I’m starving sweetheart, but I’m only hungry for one thing at the moment.” 

Billy recaptured your lips, pressing his firmly against your own. He continued to cup your face, holding you like he never wanted to let you go. You sighed into him and rolled your hips against his crotch. He moaned at your actions and sprung into action. Billy moved to stand, gripping your ass, hoisting you up. You gasped as he moved, clinging to him. He loved the way you held him and loved that he was strong enough to hold you like he was. It made his chest swell with pride. 

“Where is-“ Billy started 

“To the left” you huffed 

Billy carried you to your bedroom, kicking the door behind him and tossing you onto the bed. He stood at the edge of the bed, pulling his suspenders off his shoulders, all the while never breaking eye contact with the beautiful girl in front of him. He smirked as you stared up at him, gawking in awe. You slowly sat up until you were on your knees. You placed your hands around the sides of his neck as he snaked his own behind your back. He was quick to untie the thin string that held your dress up. It fell past your shoulders and you gasped at the cool sensation of the room. He brushed the rest of your dress down, revealing your bare breasts to him. He dove in, groping them and massaging them, while he pressed deliberate kisses to your chest. The soft mounds of skin fit perfectly in his hands. Both hands giving you the amount of attention and pleasure you deserved. 

You arched your back at the sensation, shoving your chest further into his face, which Billy very much enjoyed. He continued kissing your chest fervently. Feeling bold and drowning in lust, Billy started to leave marks all over your chest. He sucked and bit down on your flesh, causing you to mewl.

“Billy” you whispered 

Billy gave your chest a few quick kisses before pushing you back onto the bed. He undid the buttons of his shirt before tossing it off. He climbed back on top of you. He stroked the side of your face gently, admiring the pretty girl below him. He glanced down to your chest, equally admiring your bruises. He slipped the rest of your dress off, stripping you of everything. Bare before him, you felt timid and vulnerable. You had been with men before. A few men in town had fancied you, but also fancied other girls at the same time. As you laid under the handsome cowboy, you were utterly breathless and anticipatory.  Billy splayed  his hands over your stomach, grabbing the fat of your hips.  

“So gorgeous like this. More beautiful than I imagined.” 

“You imagined me like this?” 

“From time to time. I just couldn’t help myself darling.” 

You gasped with a small smirk at the confession. The feeling of being wanted in that way made your core throb. Billy had imagined you like this several times in fact. He would imagine you bare for him as you are now, begging for him to touch you, taste your sweetness, and the feeling of you around his cock. Billy found himself more and more thinking about you in such an intimate way. He couldn’t help but get off to the idea of you. And now he had you all to himself, caged in under him. He palmed his now hard, aching cock through his pants. 

“What else did you imagine…with me?” you whispered 

He cocked his head, his jaw going slack as he looked at you with amusement. He leaned back down and kissed your cheek. 

“Why don’t I just show you?” 

You bit your lip in anticipation. Billy began to kiss down your body, each kiss feather light and delicate. You were sensitive to his touch, flinching slightly as each kiss landed on you. When he reached your hip bone he sucked down to leave another scandalous mark. You shuttered at his actions, and slithered your fingers through his hair.  He finally made his way down, down, down, until he reached your thighs. He spread your legs apart, roughly and greedily groping the meaty flesh. He began to suck. The idea of marking you up so much drove him crazy. He liked leaving you with the small reminders of the pleasure he gave you. 

“Billy!” You gasped “why you leaving so many marks on me?” You raked your fingers through his chocolate brown waves and gave him a curious look. 

“You wanted to know what I was thinking about when I was getting off to you right?” 

She nodded her head. 

“I thought of you branded like this. I just want you to remember every spot I touched you at. So you know this ain’t no dream.” 

Lazily, you nodded your head. His lips trailed closer and closer to your core. He glances up at you for approval and you nod. Billy moves his mouth to capture your wetness. He lapped you up, his lips practically making out with your sweetness. Your hips moved in his face slightly. You couldn’t help it, the pleasure he brought you was overwhelming. Billy didn’t seem to mind too much however and you became aware of how much he was enjoying you. 

“Christ Billy, I’ve never been with a man who loved to taste a woman this much.” 

Billy pulls away with a gasp, looking up at you with the most dazed out look in his eyes. As he smirked, you noticed how wet his mouth is covered in your juices. 

“That’s cause they ain’t real men, sugar.” He gave the inside of your thigh a few sloppy kisses, resting his head against it. He groped the soft skin greedily. He trailed his fingers over your clit, rubbing gently on the sensitive bundle of nerves. You cooed at him, squirming slightly. He grinned against you. 

“You gonna let me keep tasting you then?” 

You nodded your head and he kissed your clit. His passion overtook him as he sucked and swirled his tongue on your core. You watched him, transfixed on the way his mouth moved against you. You let out a few shaky breaths, gripping his hair harder. Your head fell against your pillow and you let your body unwind. As he ate you out, all you could do was moan and grind against his face. Billy did truly love tasing a woman like this. Especially a woman such as yourself. The sweetness, how wet they got. How their thighs would quiver around his cheeks. He loved it. Which is exactly what he loved when he was pleasing you. Especially the way in which you fell apart under his tongue. Billy was satisfied watching you like this. But he craved more. As did you. He pressed a few more fervent kisses to your slit then pulled away. He crawled up on his knees. 

Billy worked feverishly to undo his belt, his hand trembling slightly. He quickly wriggled out of his pants, taking his boxers with him. Grabbing the base of his cock, Billy lined himself up with your slit. You moaned as he coated himself in your wetness, diving into your weeping entrance. Billy pressed in slowly, then bottoming out. He took a moment to feel you around him before he began to move his hips. 

Lust over took his sensibilities and all he wanted to do was keep you here, caged under him, inside you all night. Billy quickened his pace at the thought. His actions elicited beautiful moans that rolled off your lips. Billy reveled in the fact that he could play you like a guitar as you continued to let him know how good he felt. A devilish grin curled up in the corner of his lips and he scoffed in amusement.

“Oh my god you’re so beautiful.” he whispered gently 

 He looked down at you with curiosity and amazement. He wondered just what else he could do to you. What else he could coax out of you. He trailed his hand down your stomach until his thumb was pressed firmly on your needy clit. He rubbed tight circles, enjoying you as you writhed, once again, under his touch. He did his best to keep your back on the bed, pressing a hand to your pelvis. The movement of his thumb was almost overwhelming. You were completely under his control, despite the seemingly involuntary movements of your hips bucking up against his hand. 

“S-s-so good Billy. Please just like that.” You groaned as he sat up on his knees, readjusting his angle. 

He gripped your ankles and tossed them on his shoulder. He kissed down your ankle and along your calf. You decided to take some control and moved your hips with his rhythm as he pumped into you. He ducked his head down, squeezed his eyes and let out a groan. His jaw went slack and he glared down at you. He slowed down his movement and tossed your legs back down on the bed. You gasped in confusion. Billy let a knowing grin sit on his face as he maneuvered your hips and waist, flipping you on your stomach. He kissed your shoulder and down your back, each kiss sending an electric current up your spine and shoulder blade. Then, with one hand on your upper back, he lowered you down. 

Billy adjusted you so you were on perfect display for him. He admired your perfect, round little ass perked up for him. He slipped back into you, pulling your hips toward his. He gripped onto your waist with one hand and gave your ass a firm slap with the other. You yelped and Billy gave you another one. He wasted no time moving inside you at a quick, tempered pace. He knew he wasn’t going to last much longer, so he simply enjoyed the view and fucked you with a satisfied grin on his face. You squirmed and whined under him. You could feel yourself becoming undone. His free hand wandered down your spine, tracing your body to memory. His touch was toxic, his fingers felt like fire. He continued to rock into you. He loved the way you bounced against him, and he filled you up so good too. 

Your collective moans filled the room, and soon enough Billy was pulling out and readjusting you one last time. He made you stand up for a moment while he crawled under you. He rested his head against the headboard and patted his thighs. You nodded your head, swinging your legs around his waist. You slowly sank onto his cock, your ass landing down with a small plop. You bit your lip and watched Billy’s face melt into pure ecstasy as you rode him. He loved having your breasts bounce in his face like this. He groped them and sucked them as you continued taking him. You tried to steady yourself on him, cupping his face as you rocked your hips. You lean in and kiss him, his lips felt hot and dangerous now. His hands travel up your back, holding you close to him. 

“You have no idea how long I’ve wanted this.” He panted “How long I’ve wanted you.” 

All you could do is nod. He smiled, and returned your lips back to his own. He held your hips and began to move them a bit faster. He was close and so were you. Your stomach began to tighten, your legs felt weak and before you knew it you were shaking around him. Billy pulls his face away to watch you. He gawked at your fucked out form on top of him. It nearly sent him over the edge. A few more hard bounces and he was spent. Billy spilled himself inside you, panting as you tamed your breathing. 

“Fuck.” He groaned sharply. 

You both settled down from your high, breathing in sync as you rested your sweaty forehead against his. He kissed your jaw and cheek, regaining his composure. You chanted his name like a prayer, whispering it into his ear. 

“Mmm yes baby?”

“Th-that was so good. You’re so good.”

He nodded in agreement and kissed you once again before he spoke. 

“Say darling, would it be too forward of me to ask to spend the night?” He asked

“I would want nothing more than to share my bed with you Mr. Bonney” you smirked

“You sure doll? I know how townsfolk like to gossip and peg beautiful women such as yourself with such nasty names. I just want to be sure-“ he started but you cut him off with a deep, passionate kiss

“Does that answer your question?” 

He nodded lazily, a goofy, boyish smile planted on his face. With that he stayed. You crawled off his lap and the pair settled under the sheets. He held you in his arms, playing with your hair until you fell asleep. He kissed your forehead occasionally as you slept, continuing to stroke your hair, until sleep found him as well and he rested his head against yours, holding you close all night long. 

꧁🝮❤︎︎🝮꧂

Artwork

[bloodykora]

Hellooo. I am here to hurt everyone's feelings. This is a Viktor x reader however it will spoil season 2 act 1 so! Make sure you've seen that before reading this.

No use of y/n and its gender neutral!! It is angst but I hope y'all enjoy

Vik Masterlist

The gathering sat in circles around him. A barren scrap yard that had been used for shimmer addicts now brimming with a new hope. These people, his followers were waiting for something. And you had no clue what but you felt relief seeing him on his feet. It was a surprise reaching the lab after taking the break Jayce insisted on, just to find out Viktor had woken up and left. Thinking about it made your blood boil again. Storming out the lab to find the man who had awoken. 

It was off putting how quiet everyone was. They didn't dare to bother him, instead waited patiently until someone may be called up or spoken to. The outer rings of the formation had people without cloaks on, their backs and bodies looking almost completely normal until a spot. A scar? All the same scar but in different places. Some up the arm, or from their spine up the neck, swirling around the side of the back. 

You stand there, far back enough to not been by anyone. Not yet decided on what your actions should be. Would the mob try to stop you, would he? If he had pushed Jayce away then who is to say he won't do the same to you. He shifts, catching your attention immediately. Out reaching his hand, or at least what you assume was a hand. From the distance it just looked like a purple shape, perhaps gloves or something to keep him warm. You could see make out the shape of his cane but, it didn't seem he was as dependent on it as before. 

A person stands to their feet, approaching Viktor and taking their hood off. Your view of him is obstructed, curious on what is happening before shocks of bolts come from the pair. Wind now whipping out from them as well, you can see the stranger's  body beginning to light up with purple.. energy? Then a halo like ring appears, winding around and you can't even describe the pattern within it.  The rest of the members seem calm but intently watching as it happens. It finishes with a flash of white light making you close your eyes. You blink before returning your sight to them, the stranger now standing taller. Their hood now removed, skin bright and healthy, each hair placed almost perfectly, and that same scar. You could just make it out. 

You hear the thud before you see him falling to the ground. Your instincts now taking over as you flee from the hiding spot. Your feet seem to be so loud, adrenaline pumping in your ear as you run past all the hooded figures staring at you. 

“Viktor! Viktor.” Yelling to him as you approach, his head tilts up to the sound. His hand holds him from hitting the ground, hands, fore arms, shoulders running even past that purple. But not skin. There was no skin.  You drop to your knees right in front of him, scooping his face into your hands. It was the only part that seemed to be left of his flesh. Your thumb rubs his cheek as you stare at him.

“What happened? No, why did you leave? I was so scared that I wouldn't find you or you'd be hurt or worse. Why did you leave, you need to be checked out. You shouldn't have left, I can take you back okay? We're gonna go back and and!” You gasp in a breath, tears brimming your eyes as you shake your head in semi-shock.  His hand reaches up to one of your own, he doesn't stop staring at you but his brows furrow for a second before beginning to shake his head. 

“I am staying here. I have work here to do.” He pulls one hand of his head, still holding it with the hand not on his cane.

“Don't, no. I am not Jayce. You are coming home and we're gonna fix this.” His eyes, you realize they weren't golden anymore. They were like an opal, white and pale hues like pink and blue along with it. 

“I have no connection there, I am needed here. This is where I'm staying.” A small puff of frustration pounds through your chest at his stubbornness. 

“You have your apartment up there and me and all your work. Your books and and, you have to make sure that stray has her dinner.” He removes you from his body and stands, without speaking he makes it clear he has no intention of following you. You small head shakes become bigger, tears now threatening to spill down your face, cheeks heating up in anger.  You can't think or breathe, confusion overtaking most of the thoughts in your brain. Pushing off the ground with your hands, rising onto your feet in front of him.

You're breathless for a few seconds still in disbelief about what was happening. 

“Where is my husband?” A whisper from your mouth, mostly to yourself before deciding to repeat yourself. 

“Where is my husband, where are you?” Viktor's face still stays calm at the outburst, not cold yet unattached. His eyes hold no debate behind them, no trying to decide, no emotion. Flashes of him go by, memories of deciding which tarts were the best for morning meetings or nights you curled on the couch beside him while he stayed up writing notes, everything you knew of him. Everything that was Viktor. 

Now seemed non existent. 

“Go home.” Tears streaming down your face, shock and betrayal littered your face. 

Defeat. 

[iamwhoami]

Babysitting 101

Chicago Med

You and Connor babysit Owen so that Will and Natalie can still have their date night after the babysitter calls in sick.

Warnings: None

Requested = Yes

Y/L/N = Your Last Name

"Nice job back there Dr. Y/L/N," Connor smiled at you.

The two of you had just finished a relatively easy surgery and had returned to the ED to help with the backlog of patients. Between the icy roads and flu season, they could use all the help they could get in there.

"You weren't too shabby either Dr. Rhodes," You shot back and Connor smirked.

"Quit flirting over there lovebirds," Maggie called out, "Y/N you're needed in Treatment 2. Connor, we have an incoming five minutes out, you're going to Baghdad."

"I'll see you after shift then?" Connor quirked an eyebrow and you nodded.

"You bet."

~~~

The rest of your day flew by without any sight of your boyfriend. You were so busy, constantly rushing from one room to next in an attempt to catch up with the schedule.

By the end of your shift, you were absolutely exhausted and wanted nothing more than to open a bottle of wine and put on your favourite movie while snuggling Connor on the couch.

It was that thought that managed to keep you on your feet.

"I am ready to call it a night," You breathed out while you gathered your items, "I don't know if my feet could stand a moment longer."

"Well, they're going to need to find some juice if you want to get to your car," Maggie joked.

You laughed, "Not if I can convince Connor to carry me there."

"I don't think you'd have any trouble," Maggie said and shook her head, "That man is whipped for you..."

You both chuckled at that but you both also knew it was true. Connor would fly to the moon for you.

"Well, have a good night Y/N," Maggie said and left, leaving you to wait for Connor alone.

You quietly waited on the couch for Connor to finish up his last surgery of the day. Nurses and doctors bustled in and out of the lounge and you wished each and every one of them a good night. You were mostly just on your phone, not actively engaging in any other conversation when you overheard your friend Natalie speaking.

"Sorry Will," She was saying, "The nanny just texted. She can't stay later tonight, something with her sister came up."

"Don't worry about it," Will responded, "I'll cancel the reservation then."

You spoke before you could really think things through, "I can watch Owen!"

When your sudden outburst was met with confused silence, you flushed and fumbled with your words.

"I wasn't eavesdropping, I just overheard," You mumbled quickly, "But seriously if you guys need someone to watch Owen, Connor and I can totally do it."

"Connor won't mind?" Natalie asked and you shook your head.

You and Connor hadn't really talked about kids but this wasn't anything like that. All you had to do was look after a toddler for a few hours. How hard could that be?

"We don't have anything better to do tonight anyway," You told them, "In fact, I think it'll be really fun!"

Natalie chuckled at your enthusiasm, "Well I can assure you that it won't be dull."

"Exactly," You pointed your finger at her, "You and Will go on your date. Do. Not. Cancel. Connor and I will watch Owen."

Will and Natalie took a moment to look at each other as if they were contemplating your offer. Finally, Natalie turned back to face you and nodded.

"Thank you Y/N," Natalie said genuinely, "I owe you one."

You shook your head though, "Nah...you don't owe me anything. I'm just glad I can help."

It was decided that Natalie and Will would go and get ready for their date and that they would drop off Owen when you and Connor were back at your apartment. You figured that you should give Connor a heads up but he was still in surgery and you weren't going to disturb him because he was suddenly on babysitting duty afterwards.

He'd get over it.

About ten minutes later, a tired-looking Connor walked into the doctor's lounge and the deepest part of your gut felt bad that you had dragged him into babysitting Owen after a long shift. That guilt caused you to just stare at your boyfriend for a solid minute before he pointed it out.

"What did you do," Connor demanded teasingly as he turned to face you.

You quickly snapped out of your trance, "Nothing!"

"Uh-huh..." Connor raised an eyebrow, "I know that look Y/N."

You feigned offence, "I don't know what you're talking about."

Connor only continued to stare at you and after a while, you finally caved.

"Okay fine," You sighed. "You have to promise that you won't get mad."

Connor nodded, "Okay..."

"I..." You squeezed your eyes shut before opening them again. "I kind of volunteered us to babysit Owen while Nat and Will go on a date."

Silence.

“So…” You stared at Connor, “Thoughts?”

Connor raised an eyebrow, “You voluntarily agreed to look after a toddler…after working a 12 hour shift…”

“Correct.”

The two of you stood there, staring at each other, unmoving. After a hot second, Connor let out a slightly exasperated sigh and ran a hand through his hair.

“Alrighty then, I suppose we should get going then,” Connor gave you a small smile, “wouldn’t want to keep Nat and Will waiting now would we?”

~~~ Perhaps you had underestimated how exhausting looking after a toddler could be.

No, you definitely had.

Dinner had been tiring enough. Somehow more food had gotten on you and Connor than into Owen's stomach.

"You've got a little something there," Connor teased and wiped mashed potato off your eyebrows.

You laughed, "What? Are you sure it's not my new makeup?"

Game after game. Activity after activity. It just didn't end, and yet somehow, it was you and Connor that were tired out, not Owen.

"Y/N!" Owen's little voice gleefully called out. "Come play!"

You huffed but smiled big for the little boy before pushing yourself onto your feet.

Connor couldn't help but chuckle, "Are you having some regrets right about now?"

"Pfttt, never," You shook your head as you sat yourself down on the ground next to Owen. "Right buddy? We're having a blast?"

Connor smiled at you affectionately. He couldn't deny that he was tired but he also had zero regrets. You were so good with Owen. The way you spoke to him. The way you naturally were so attuned to his needs. The way you understood his toddler language.

It took about another hour before Owen's energy began to wane. After a ten minute chase around the apartment, you had managed to wrangle Owen into his pajamas and Connor convinced him to brush his teeth.

Another twenty minutes later and Owen was passed out in bed and you and Connor collapsed on the couch.

"I'm not sure which was more exhausting," Connor joked. "Our twelve hour shift or this."

You teased, "Did a toddler outdo you?"

"Absolutely," Connor shook his head. "I was absolutely outdone by a toddler."

Laughing, you leaned against Connor who wrapped his arm around your shoulders and pulled you closer to his chest.

"You're really good with him you know," Connor softly said.

You hummed, "You weren't so bad yourself."

"Maybe we should babysit more often," Connor added and you scoffed.

"I think we need a few weeks to recover before making any big decisions."

[somber-sapphic]

35, 🥀, 🌷 with Maya x carina x reader where reader is really sick out of nowhere?? I’m so addicted to your fics atm haha

Better Tomorrow

My first Station 19 story!!

{may include unintentional spoilers}

Okay, wow, I got a little carried away. I had so much fun writing this but I figured that I could only fit so much into one post. I have more, I actually have probably two more parts of similar length, but I won't post it unless you guys want. - You loved your girlfriends and you loved your job. Unfortunately as a nurse, you were also on the front line during flu season. Lucky that you're dating a doctor and a firefighter. (marina x reader)

Word Count: 3810

-----

Perhaps being an ER Nurse wasn’t everyone's cup of tea, but you absolutely loved it. One of the best parts of your amazing job was that you got to work at Grey Sloan Memorial alongside some of the best doctors in the country and your beautiful girlfriend Carina Deluca. 

And then there was Maya. Sweet, beautiful, uptight Maya. You loved the stubborn firefighter with everything you had and both you and Carina showered her with affection at every chance you got. The poor woman had so much unprocessed trauma, all the two of you wanted was to make her feel important, like someone cared. 

Even still, there were days where it wasn’t great. She’d lash out, forget to eat and spend the whole day working out. The three of you had had a rough week. Maya was angry about station politics, Carina had lost a mother and you were on the receiving end of just about every flu case that came into the hospital. On top of dealing with all of the sick people, you also had to meditate at home.

Some people had shown up with minor colds, demanding treatment that they didn’t need. You’d seen several parents ordering you to give their children antibiotics, refusing to listen to you when you explained the difference between bacteria and viruses and why antibiotics won't cure their children's illness. 

Now, it was Sunday and you were almost done with your 48 hour shift. You were supposed to have tomorrow off, but with everyone falling victim to this monster of a flu there was a good chance that you would be working for at least another twelve hours. 

You were exhausted beyond belief and it was getting harder and harder to ignore the growing pressure in your sinuses and the dull ache in your bones. You were probably getting sick, well no, you were definitely getting sick, it was just a matter of how long you could keep it from affecting your work. 

You sighed and took two Tylenol, swallowing them dry. A rumbling cough forced its way through your lips and you glanced at yourself in the mirror, studying your pale complexion. To be fair, you didn’t look great. What with the bags under your eyes and the slight reddish tinge on your cheeks and around your nostrils. 

You grabbed a mask and slipped it on, just to be safe. You figured that you could probably get away with working for at least two more hours before someone noticed that you were too sick or you became a legitimate risk to the patients. Plus, since you were one of the few nurses left who could even hold a pen there was a good chance that as long as you sanitized and wore a mask that you would be allowed to work until you dropped.

When you reentered the ED you found a line of people, all waiting with impatient expressions. You sighed internally and forced a smile, pulling on a pair of gloves as you walked to the first bed. A woman sat there with her arms crossed over her chest, showing absolutely no signs of illness. 

“Hello Ms. Hanford, what brings you in?” You rasped, clearing your throat quietly in a vain attempt to bring back your voice. She sneered at you and huffed quietly, rolling her eyes. 

“I need a pregnancy test.” She demanded, giving you a thorough glare. You paused for a second, wondering if your seemingly cotton stuffed ears had heard her correctly. She came to the ER. For a pregnancy test. A pregnancy test that she could’ve purchased for less than ten dollars at any drugstore. 

“Ms, we’re in the midst of a very severe flu season, it may be safer for you to purchase one from the grocery store.” You said tiredly, fully prepared to get snapped at. She had come for a pregnancy test and there was no way that she was leaving without one. 

“I. Want. A. Test. Now. Don’t make me get your supervisor.” Ms. Hanford threatened, searching for someone who may be your superior. The nurse, Kayla, who had been running the ER had been sent home earlier, leaving one attending or another to check in on you every so often. 

“Okay.” You sighed, too tired to put up much of a fight. You went and grabbed a urine sample cup and walked back to her bedside, smiling so wide that you were sure that it would be seen in your eyes. 

“If you would just take this over to the bathroom and provide me with a urine sample we can get that pregnancy test done.” Ms. Hanford scoffed loudly and shook her head, checking her watch as if to make you upset. You were already upset, but it wasn’t something that you could show. It was your job to be stoic and professional. 

“Are you serious? I could have gotten that kind of test at the store and I wouldn't be in here among all of you sick people! No see, I want a blood test.” She was repeating your words from earlier, turning them on you to make you feel less than. You took a careful breath which spurred a fit of coughing. You whirled away from the woman and muffled coughs into your shoulder, your chest aching with each wheezing breath. 

When you turned back, your eyes watery and nose running freely in your mask, the woman was wearing an absolutely disgusted expression. 

“Get me someone different. I need a different nurse. Get out, get someone new.” She ordered, pointing towards the nurses station. The empty nurses station. Because everyone was busy. Because everyone was dealing with someone sick. Or hurt. Or otherwise miserable.

“Ms., I can't. If there were anyone else I would, but right now we’re very short staffed. Would you like the test or not?” You asked shortly. It was your job to be professional, not to be kind. Technically you didn’t even have to be polite, you just had to treat her. 

“Get a doctor then! Look, there’s one! Dr! Dr., you need to take over here, this nurse is absolutely incompetent.” You looked over to see Amelia walking towards the two of you, a concerned expression on her face. 

“What seems to be the issue over here?” She asked, giving the woman a little nod. You knew that as long as Ms. Hanford was polite to Amelia that she would get what she wanted. Being rude to you was however a pretty big mistake. The female neurosurgeon happened to really like you and often treated you like a sister. 

“This nurse,” She spat, using the most demeaning tone as she shot daggers at you, “came into work sick and thinks that she is going to take my blood! Would you please take my blood?” Her voice changed from hate to sweet and sugary, with an over exaggerated smile.

“Ah, so rather than going to purchase a test at, I don’t know, the Walgreens right down the street maybe, you decided to come into a hospital, which sometimes has sick people, and yell at one of my nurses?” Ameila returned the smile, her eyes filled with pointed anger. You ducked your head into your shoulder and sneezed quietly, only serving to make your mask even messier. 

The brunette turned back and gave you a sad smile, gesturing you over to a bed. 

“Go sit. Ms. Hanford is going to wait until someone else is ready.” She ordered, squeezing your shoulder gently. Ms. Hanford was trying to yell at Amelia, but she wasnt hearing any of it. She was literally just ignoring the angry woman. 

“I’ve got some paperwork to wrap up before my shift is over.” You mumbled, turning to shuffle away. 

“I’ll call Carina!” She threatened after you, earning a little shrug in return. Your girlfriend was busy, she was always busy with one birth or another. People just kept having babies. You slunk into an office and plopped yourself down into a chair, pulling out a patient file. 

After about five minutes the words on the page began to blur together, the sentences becoming totally unrecognizable. As you continued to struggle through the file your writing got more and more sloppy and your eyelids began to slip closed. Your head started to fall and you finally put it down, resigning yourself to sleep. 

==

“Y/n. Wake up bubba.” A voice spoke, pulling you out of your fever dazed sleep. Someone, the owner of the voice, shook your shoulder and you forced your eyes open so that you could glare up at Amelia, who had woken you up. You opened her mouth to complain and sneezed wetly, only then realizing that you had neglected to take your mask off before falling asleep. 

Shepard winced and wrinkled her nose at the sound, pulling away from you. You coughed freely, figuring that since it was still on, it didn’t really matter. The neurosurgeon gave you a sympathetic smile and grabbed some hand sanitizer. 

“Come on germ bag, sit up. I’m going to give you a quick exam before Carina finishes with the mom upstairs.” You lifted your head, forcing yourself up into a sitting position. That much movement made your head swim and you found yourself falling too far to the side. Amelia grabbed your shoulders and steadied you, her lips turning into a little frown. 

“Take your mask off.” She instructed, motioning to her face with blue latex gloved hands. You shook your head, embarrassment flooding through you. There was no way that you were taking it off, you knew that it would be gross and she didn't need to see that. The brunette dropped her shoulders and sighed, giving you a look. 

“Either you take it off, or I will. I promise you, I’ve seen worse.” Now it was deciding whether or not it was more embarrassing for her to take it off for you or for you to do it yourself. 

“I don’t need you to do this. It’s allergies.” She snorted and broke into a laugh, raising an eyebrow at you. 

“Wow, that was bad even for you. Take it off.” You slumped, but refused to take the mask off. It was both keeping her from getting sick and keeping you hidden. It was almost like you could pretend to be fine as long as it was there. 

Amelia rolled her eyes and leaned forward, very gently unhooking the mask from your ears. She pulled it away and made a soft sound of concern, shaking her head slightly. She grabbed a tissue and handed it to you, allowing you to clean yourself up before she continued. 

“You okay?” She asked, noticing the tears glittering in your eyes. You nodded silently and opened your mouth, allowing her to shine a light down your throat. “Ouch.” The brunette murmured, removing her stethoscope so that she could check your lungs. 

You did your best to take the deep breaths that she requested but every one led to a coughing fit that left you gasping and wheezing. It was just your luck that Carina burst into the office while you were in the midst of a particularly harsh fit, bent over with Amelia rubbing your back. 

“Cara,” She whispered sadly, coming to kneel in front of the chair. She rubbed your knuckles as you fought to catch your breath, offering much needed comfort. You finally got a deep breath and the spots cleared from your eyes, leaving you dizzy and utterly exhausted. 

“I want to give her a nebulizer treatment before you take her home, her lungs sound like crap.” Amelia explained, directing her words toward your worried girlfriend. She nodded, squeezing your hand as a sign of affection.

“I don’t want it.” You muttered, trying your best to keep the waver out of your voice. You really didn’t want the treatment, you didn't want any medicine. Cough syrup might be nice, but the nebulizer was famous for making people jittery and all you wanted to do was sleep. 

“You don’t get a say. If you had told Maya or I that you were sick maybe we could have avoided this.” Carina hissed, giving you a deadly glare. You knew that she loved you but she was also angry with your lack of self preservation. 

“Please.” You sniffled, sounding admittedly pathetic. Her expression softened and she leaned over to kiss your forehead, resting her lips there a moment longer than necessary. 

“How high is her fever?” The Italian woman asked, making a worried noise when you dropped your head down onto her shoulder. If you were going to give into being sick you would be given attention. You really just wanted to be held. 

“103.5, I’ll throw an IV in with fluids and we’ll see what we can do to get it down.” Carina nodded your approval but you whined quietly, slightly afraid of the idea of getting an IV. You had absolutely no problems administering them, you were actually amazing at giving them but you didn’t love needles. 

“Alright. Come on bella, I’ll call Maya okay?” You shook your head as Amelia helped you stand, leaning heavily on her for support. 

“No Maya, she’s working.” You mumbled, stumbling forward as you tried to take a step. Your body completely gave out and you crumpled into Carina’s arms, your head bouncing off of her chest as she caught you. Both women cursed, Amelia slightly louder than your girlfriend. 

“Amelia, get a wheelchair. Y/n, can you hear me?” Her words were filled with desperation and anxiety as she helped you back into the chair, cupping your cheeks in her incredibly soft, sturdy hands. 

“Mhm.” You weren’t unconscious, just weak and wondering how you had gone downhill so quickly. At least she was there, she was warm and made you feel fuzzy inside. You loved her so much. She carded her fingers through your hair and smiled warmly, her eyes full of remorse. 

You ducked away and coughed hard into your lap, finally managing to get some of the crap out of your lungs. Unfortunately it was now in your mouth which felt absolutely disgusting. Carina pressed a tissue against your lips and allowed you to spit it out, caressing your arm as you placed your head back on her shoulder. 

“Alright kid, hop in, you’ve got a ride.” Amelia announced, using that stupid nickname. You weren’t even sure why she called you that, it didn’t make a whole lot of sense, but since she discovered that you didn’t like it it had become one of her favorite things to call you. 

“Ready?” Carina asked softly, raising an eyebrow at you. You didn't answer, just shrugged and allowed her to help you into the chair. You leaned back as the neurosurgeon wheeled you out of the office and over to an open bed which you crawled into gratefully. It felt nice to lay down even if it was in an uncomfortable hospital bed with only a curtain separating you from other patients. 

“Okay Y/n, let's get you set up.” Amelia said, lifting up an oxygen mask that you knew would soon pump medicated air. Carian took it away from her and slid it over your face, carefully adjusting the strap behind your head. She didn't want anyone else to treat you, her protective urge flaring up. 

The other doctor didn't protest, knowing that she was probably frightened for you. The last time Meredith had gotten sick she had gone definitely overboard. She stuffed her sister with every medicine that she could think of and had quite literally forbade the woman from getting out of bed. Doctors would go to unnecessary extremes when it came to taking care of the people they loved. 

“Quick poke.” Before you could protest Amelia had slipped an IV into your hand. You glared at her and scooched closer to Carina, wishing that the mask wasn’t in the way. She wrapped an arm around your waist and hugged you to her chest, speaking to you in quiet Italian. You couldn’t understand the words but it didn’t matter. Her voice was soothing and the medications being pumped into your body were making you feel a little bit better. 

“Y/n!” You jolted out of your comfortable daze and looked up to see Maya walking over, her hair frizzy and piercing eyes full of worry. Carina shushed her as she rushed over, immediately grabbing your face so she could touch your forehead and the back of your neck. 

When she pulled away she was wearing the same look of disappointment that your other girlfriend had earlier, her eyebrows knit together and lips turned into a frown. 

“Damnit, every time. Do you need to do this every time?” As much as you hated to admit it, the blonde had a point. You tended to do this, work yourself to the brink of exhaustion and then require some sort of intervention whether it be from them or the obvious current situation. 

Tears filled your eyes and you looked away, not wanting her to see how guilty you felt. You had pulled both of your girlfriends away from work saving lives to sit by your side as you dealt with a stupid virus. 

Maya let out a slow breath as she realized how her words had come out and nudged your arm, pushing you just enough that she could sit on the bed. 

“Let's get this off.” She said softly, easing the mask off of your face. The round of aerosolized steroids was done and your chest didn’t hurt quite as much. The blonde glanced over at Carina, a puzzled expression on her face. 

“How bad is she?” Maya asked, clearly not trusting your judgment on the situation. The doctor shrugged, moving her hand in a so-so way. 

“She is bad. Hopefully the nebulizer will take care of her lungs for a while but it may not last. I will write her a prescription for an albuterol inhaler. Once the IV bag finishes we can bring her home.” Carina explained, seeming to know more about your medical information than you did. At least they weren’t taking any blood. 

“So about a half hour?” Maya looked down at her Apple watch, stroking your hair absently with one hand. 

“Si.” You looked back over at Carina who smiled and kissed your hairline. Tears filled your eyes and you sniffled pathetically, not really wanting to talk. Your throat hurt badly, so much that every breath grated against the raw flesh. 

“Scoot over for me.” Maya instructed, nudging you with her elbow. You didn't exactly understand what was happening or why she wanted you to move. All you wanted was to cry. The medicine had made it easier to breathe but your entire body still ached. 

“Oh Y/n, come here.” She lay down in the bed beside you, fitting herself nicely on the cot beside you. You tucked your head under her chin, trembling as you tried not to sob. It was humiliating, you were a nurse who was crying because of the flu. Carina tried to lay on your other side, but there wasn’t much room left. 

You whimpered into Maya’s shirt, shaking hard as the tears finally began to spill down your cheeks. The blonde carded her fingers through your hair, shushing you as you cried. Carina went back to speaking to you in Italian, both exchanging glances over your weak frame. 

You weren't sure how long it was when you felt the tell tale prickle reappearing in your sinuses. You tried to pull back from Maya, not wanting to sneeze on her, but the woman reacted a moment too late. Maybe she had thought that you were just shifting or she was just tired from what was probably a long shift and she was laying with you. 

You attempted to curl up as best as you could, intending to stifle the sneeze against your own chest, hoping that it wouldn’t be very wet. You sneezed quietly, but another, much louder one followed, sounding worse than the first one. Both of you froze for a second and Carina cooed softly, not seeming to entirely realize your distress. 

You pulled back and pressed your hands over your nose, sitting up quickly, fully expecting her to berate you for sneezing on her. She didn’t even glance at the wet spot on her shirt, just grabbed a tissue and tried to hand it to you. 

“I’m sorry!” You gasped, your words blurred by congestion. You sniffled hard, trying to fix the issue without accepting her help. 

“Oh baby, no, don’t apologize. You’re sick, in fact I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this sick. You get a pass.” Carina nodded her agreement and tucked a strand of hair behind your ear. 

“Blow your nose bella, no more sniffling. Your IV is finished, once you blow your nose I will text Ameila and then we can go home. Does that not sound good?” The brunette coaxed, her voice full of love. You had made up your mind to take the tissue when you sneezed again, into your hands, and then sneezed twice more. Ugh. Damnit.

Maya wrinkled her nose in an apologetic manner, the lines on her forehead becoming more prominent. Carina rubbed your back and kissed your shoulder, both of them offering incredible loving sympathy. 

You took the fucking tissue from the blondes clutches and quickly lifted it to your face, blowing your nose quietly as you did. She handed you another one to clean your hands and then Carina gave you some hand sanitizer. 

“I wanna go home.” You rasped, finally speaking again. Both women smiled and each gave you a kiss on your head. Maya got up and held one of your hands, reaching for the other as you swung your legs over the bed and let your feet touch the floor. 

Carina grabbed your waist as you stood, holding you there until you were sure that you would pass out. Sure you were dizzy, but with some help you were sure that you could get out to the car. 

“All set?” Maya asked, shifting so that she had taken your Italian girlfriend's place with her arm around your waist, supporting you from the side. You nodded while Carina grabbed her bag, slinging it over her shoulder before draping your coat over your shoulders. 

“Come along Y/n/n. Let's get you into bed.” The brunette said softly, walking slightly in front of you. She had your bag too and you couldn’t help but wonder when she’d grabbed it. 

With the help of your girlfriends you shuffled out to the car, hoping that you would feel better tomorrow. Afterall, you were one of the last nurses standing. 

[annaelizabethhenry1]

Spy Royale

Summary: River Cartwright finally may have found a way out of Slough House when a minor member of the Royal Family is hit with death threats and needs protection. The posh socialite Lady Alice Highgrove is niece to the King and isn’t keen on having some government lacky tagging along after her all day, crimping her style. However, when it becomes very apparent someone is indeed trying to off her, she and River are left untangling a web of deceit that goes back to a very unsuspecting place. Question is will they be able to figure it out before it’s too late for both of them?

Warnings: Violence similar to the show/books and cursing and bodily functions from Jackson Lamb ;-) River Cartwright x OC. As to spoilers I’m trying to stick to the end of season one as the pick-up point of this story so more people can enjoy it.

Word Count: 2,481

Chapter One

River Cartwright huffed up the creaky staircase of Slough House balancing a case of copy paper that had just been delivered.

“Catherine! Where do you want the paper to go? Copy room or your office?”

River started when she soundlessly appeared in front of him from the opposite end of the hall.

“Oh, River – thank you!” she said smiling, almost shyly. “My office. Last time I left it in the copy room half of it disappeared in less than a week. Some people have no qualms about stealing supplies from MI5.”

River pursed his lips and said, “Yeah, what cheap arseholes we work with.” Including himself as guilt washed over him.

“Cartwright!”

River dropped the case of paper at the sound of Lamb’s voice. He knew he should’ve waited till Lamb popped out for lunch next door to bring this upstairs, but River hated how nervous Catherine would get if he left it near the entrance – heaven forbid someone fell in an emergency she always said.

“River do be careful – it almost landed on my foot.”

“So, sorry Catherine,” he said.

River sighed, his shoulders drooping at the thought of dealing with Lamb. He shuffled across the hall to Lamb’s office – entering a thick cloud of cigarette smoke tinged with the rotting remnants of pad Thai in the rubbish bin from the night before.

“You screamed?”

“Is that a question? You’re so daft you don’t recognize my voice?”

River bit his lower lip, forcing himself to not respond to the jab.

“Just making sure.”

“Yeah, well thankfully we don’t have any other rejects from your gene pool cluttering up the office. Good thing your mum quit while she was ahead and stopped at you.”

What an insufferable twat, River thought.

Lamb descended into a coughing fit that shook his whole body. River wondered how he passed his medical every year sounding like a tuberculosis patient.

“Anyway, Lady Di has a task for you – seems you were chosen especially since you’ll relate well to the environment among other things.”

“Oh?” River was curious, but worried given how the Park liked to screw Slough House at every turn.

“Yeah – protection duty.”

River’s face perked up as he imagined some high ranking government official in need of his services. “I’m grateful for the opportunity.”

Lamb grabbed the file nearest him and waved it towards River. River reached over to grab it. “Yeah, don’t thank me yet.” Lamb released the folder and leaned back in his chair as it groaned under the strain of his grith.

River opened the file and frowned. “Why does she need protection if she’s never had it before?”

“Death threats – the Royal Family has been getting a slew since the coronation.”

“Isn’t this detail usually handled by the Met?”

Propping his sock encased feet up on the desk, he leaned back further, hands now resting on his rotund belly. “Yep, not enough resources to babysit a spoiled rich girl.”

“She’s only the niece of the King – they must feel it’s credible to give her protection, no?”

“Seems so. Personally I hate the lot of them. That pomp shite – huge waste of taxpayer money. Anointed by divine right my ass. You wouldn’t catch me bowing to someone who shits just like everyone else.”

Right on cue Lamb ripped a loud fart. River backed away to avoid the oncoming stench.

River flipped through the file, skimming over the threat assessment report and his assignment’s fact sheet. Lady Alice Highgrove, age 28 went to Cambridge University, job socialite. What? That’s not a job. Sure he’d seen her splashed across the gossip pages pictured at glitzy events Royals attended, but he didn’t realize that was all she did. River had a bad feeling about this duty.

“Umm, maybe Louisa would be better suited for this as she’s a woman.” Not that Louisa would get on with a spoiled Royal socialite, but at least she’d maybe vibe with the girly crap he dreaded.

Lamb belly laughed, his greasy hair shaking on his head. “She’d murder her inside of 24 hours.”

“One of the dogs?”

“Nope. Lady Di said her Royalness wanted someone at least somewhat attractive.”

River quirked a half grin.

“Yeah, don’t let that go to your head. You’re not being chosen for your skills, but for your pretty boy looks. Her father the Duke demanded she get government protection – you know him right – Duke of Windemere?”

“Ah, yes – the sketchy one with ties to Middle Eastern sheiks and princes and whispers about underage girls.”

“Yeah, that’s the one – don’t get mixed up in anything dodgy. Trot off to the Park for your gun and a stipend. They’re expecting you.”

“What?” River lit up – they were entrusting him with a gun? Maybe this was his ticket back into the Park.

“God, you look like an excited golden retriever. Don’t fuck this up Cartwright – or else they’ll stuff you in the Tower of London and throw away the key.”

“River,” Catherine chirped at him as he neared the staircase.

He stopped and smiled at her, “Yeah?”

“I had seen the file – I’m so proud you got the detail. I think you have a chance of finally getting out of here. You’re grandfather will be chuffed – protecting a Royal.”

“God, I hope so. And she’s a minor Royal,” River said attempting to down play the importance of the protection detail. He didn’t want to give his hopes up, especially since he didn’t know what Lady Alice was like when she wasn’t smiling in a fashionable ensemble.

“Nonsense! She attends Christmas at Sandringham and Royal Ascot. This is so exciting.”

River chuckled. “I think maybe you’d like the detail more than I would. I’ll text you if I need any insight – which I might.”

Catherine looked down and then focused upwards again on River. “That’s kind you’d think I’d be able to help you.”

River didn’t want to point out the obvious – namely her stack of Royal Life and Hello, arranged neatly in chronological order coupled with a Golden Jubilee mug she had on her desk as dead give aways that she certainly knew more about the world he was about to enter.

River arrived at Regents Park about 30 minutes later, file clutched in his hand with a spring in his step. Security let him through seamlessly as he was on the visitor list for a change and he didn’t even need an escort this time. Things were looking up.

Pushing his way through the maze of corridors, he spotted Spider up ahead holding a cup of coffee in one hand and an iPad in the other. River contemplated jogging to catch-up to him, but stopped himself from gloating about the protection detail. Did he need to brag and tempt the fates? No, absolutely not. He had had so little luck since crashing Stanstead that it wasn’t worth the momentary charge it would give him and risk the wrath of karma.

River knocked at an inconspicuous door that required a card swipe which he did not have – yet. He heard shuffling on the other side and the lock disengage. Duffy appeared in the doorway and eyeballed River with a blank look on his face.

“It’s the prodigal nepobaby. I assume you’re here for your service weapon and stipend?”

“Nice to see you too, Duffy. And yes I am,” River said entering the drab windowless office.

“Better you than me. Hope you enjoy garden parties and horse shows and all that posh crap,” Duffy said while unlocking a large metal cabinet. It was the gun safe. He pulled a simple handgun out, checked the tag, jotted down the number onto a form and continued, “Try not to shoot yourself in the foot or worse her with it. You’ll need to sign the form. Let me grab some bullets.”

River signed the release form. Duffy returned with bullets and a small back holster for the weapon. “Oh, and this,” he added, pulling out a credit card from a drawer in his desk. “Remember any charges will require back-up proof of the work necessity for the purchase.”

“Of course, I’ll keep a log. Thanks, Duffy.”

“You need to report to her flat at Kennington Palace at six this evening. She’s attending a fundraiser at the National Portrait Gallery. Look like you belong there – suit, tie – got it?” Duffy said.

“I know how to dress,” River said suppressing an eye roll. No bad karma. He had to stay charming, polite and lose his frustrated attitude about his work.

River arrived early at the Palace to ensure he wouldn’t upset his charge. An actual real life butler answered the door and let him into a foyer more grand than luxury hotels. To the right was a semi-spiral staircase to the left a checkerboard black and white marble floor that led to an archway where he heard a commotion.

A small ball of fur darted out in a blur of brown and white with flying floppy ears. All energy and shrill barking. River took a step back as it charged at him, excited paws scratching on his trouser leg.

“Whoa! Down boy or girl!” River tried backing up more and more till he bumped a plantstand.

“Sir! Have a care, please!” the butler said as he rushed over to steady a large crystal bowl of fresh flowers.

“So sorry,” River responded, feeling his cheeks warm.

In the chaos River hadn’t seen the young woman who he recognized as Lady Alice Highgrove enter. She wore a smirk as she bent down to pick up the energetic dog. “Naughty, naughty Mr. Darcy, you scared mummy’s new friend.” She nuzzled the dog to her cheek while batting her eyes at River.

“Pleased to meet you ma’am,” River extended his hand which she didn’t take and continued, “I’m River Cartwright.”

Lady Alice gave him the once over. “You’ll do, but you are bit more scruffy than I expected. I thought protection detail had to be clean shaven. Oh, and it’s Lady Alice, not ma’am. God, I’m not that old yet,” she said in a very posh RP accent.

She wandered past the archway into another room while River stood there wondering what he was supposed to do. “Well, aren’t you coming? Are you daft or something?”

“Uh, no, I didn’t want to seem impertinent,” River mumbled.

River took a deep breath. He was so out of his league with this detail. He hadn’t had time to find a protocol sheet on what to call her and all that other nonsense etiquette rubbish. He’d text Catherine later for some pointers.

Following Lady Alice into what he assumed you’d call a sitting room, unless it was a drawing room – he had no idea what the difference was to be honest. He watched her drop down on a very overstuffed toile patterned sofa and put her dog down next to her. The dog wasn’t sitting for more than five seconds before he made a bee-line for River again, barking and anxiously scratching all over his leg again.

“He likes you! That’s a good sign. You can pet him, maybe he’ll stop pestering.”

River supressed a sigh. Bending, he patted the fluffy cavalier spaniel’s head and smiled. “Hi there fella.” The dog snarled, snapped a little and River recoiled.

“Mr. Darcy! Stop that!”

“It’s okay, ma – I mean Lady Alice.”

“Is this your first day on the job?” she asked giving side long glance to her butler.

“No, I’m an experienced agent. I assure you.” Just not used to yipping dogs and Royal protocol he felt like adding. River also noticed she wasn’t dressed appropriately for a fundraiser at a museum more like a night out. He glanced at his watch, it was already quarter past five.

“You have somewhere to be?” Lady Alice asked, brow arched, head cocked, not unlike her dog as she too had brown hair and warm, but cunning hazel eyes.

“No, but don’t you? I was told you’re attending an event at the National Portrait Gallery tonight at six.”

“Oh, that’s what I told my parents. No, we’re actually going to Sketch to meet up with a friend of mine for drinks and then maybe a club afterwards.”

River scowled. There was no place more difficult to keep a potential target safe than a bar or nightclub. The noise, the crush of people, the lights, the alcohol and drug use made it a nightmare. Not to mention he couldn’t shadow her into the ladies toilets.

“Do you always look like that or do you have indigestion?” Lady Alice asked, stroking Mr. Darcy’s head.

Taking a deep breath and trying to make his face as neutral as possible, River said, “No. I’m just concerned about the challenge of keeping you safe in a bar or a club.”

“You said you’re experienced. Plus, I can’t believe someone would want to hurt me. I’m like 18th in line or something. I’ve lost track, too many cousins with babies ahead of me.”

He forced a smile. “Yes, I am. Certain venues are just not ideal, especially since I already mapped all the exits out for the National Portrait Gallery and various routes away from the venue just in case.”

Lady Alice hopped off the sofa and strode towards River and patted his cheek nonchalantly, “Aww, how cute, you like to be prepared. James Bond improvises all the time quite well. I suspect you can, too.” 

River felt his cheeks burn and bit his lower lip to stifle himself. “With all do respect this isn’t a film and that’s not what MI-5 is like ma’am.” He called her that on purpose – two could play at this game.

“The Sketch is only on the other side of the park and isn’t far from the National Portrait Gallery, so don’t worry, it’s the same escape route back to this heap. Come on, Cartwright, I’ll even let you drive my car,” she said with a wink as she made her way to the foyer.  “Wilson, do you have my coat and bag ready?”

River had no choice but to follow after the spoiled Royal. The butler apparently named Wilson helped her into her coat and then handed her the handbag seemingly out of thin air. She clicked open the purse, dropped her phone in and pulled out a set of keys. Wilson opened the door and she exited, River trotted after her with the dog zooming through his legs, almost tripping River. Regaining his composure, he noticed the butler followed them out and saw his minor mishap – not of his doing. However, that didn’t stop Wilson from giving him glaring side-eye.

“You think maybe the dog needs a leash or some training?” River said to no one in particular as he just couldn’t help himself at the sheer frustration. No one paid his comment any mind and he muttered, “Fuck me – I’m screwed.”

[1uvtae]

mistaken jungkook we need more of you

oh em ghee!!! since the fic dropped i've been sWARMED with these comments ??!! mistaken!jungkook is quite the catch.

some mistaken!jungkook mo's;

after the first official date with jungkook, he walked you back to your dorm just like he did the other night after the basketball game. you stopped outside of the tall dorm building, his tall figure in front of you. jungkook's nervousness seemed to radiate into the air. his hands were in front of him, unconsciously gripping his left hand with his right hand. this was definitely not the jungkook you knew a week ago. "...what's your favourite fruit?" you randomly asked him in a soft tone, hoping to drag the time a little longer, since you definitely did not want to say goodbye to him just yet. "huh?" jungkook was hesitant, he did not expect you to ask such a question. "if i had to pick one...grapes? i'm not really picky." he looks down at you as you reach into your jacket pocket digging through to find the correct candy. you slowly unwrap the individual packaging, and plopped the hard candy into your mouth, letting it sit in your mouth for a few seconds. the sweet, fruity taste melting in your mouth, a swish movement of you pulling him by his crewneck collar, your hands moving to cup his face, his soft lips meeting yours. tingles ran jungkook's back as he responded almost immediately to the kiss, he was just about to wrap his arms around your waist when you pulled away, "i only had grape candies today, i'll treat you to actual grapes next time." you turned back to the from the door and ran upstairs. through the window from your bedroom, you spot him still in the same spot downstairs. pink-ness flushed from his ear to his neck, a gigantic smile on his face.

exam season. you've been grinding all week on papers, revision...and when you finally got time to see kook at the campus cafe, you really needed someone to rant your heart out to. from latin legal terminologies to how awful your professor is being, you could not help but go on and on. jungkook patiently listens (he's not really paying attention because you've been rambling for the past hour non-stop but he knows you really just need to get these thoughts out before you two can do your lovey-dovey talk), waiting for you to take a break and sip your coffee. "y/n...do you not have anything else to say to me?" you were caught off guard, swallowing your coffee to respond. ".....i love you?" the large, soft hand holding yours under the table suddenly tightened its grip, he bowed his head shyly suppressing a fat grin, muttering under his breath. "you know you can tell me that in private..."

you went back to your family home for a month during the holiday season (before you and jungkook started properly dating) :

jungkook: whatcha doing

y/n: karaoke :P

y/n look at these dope microphones theyre pink and they echooo

y/n: sent an image

jungkook: why does the mic look massive

y/n: idfk my hands are small

jungkook: might need to hold your hands soon

( in conclusion, jungkook might be VERY slightly whipped for y/n!!!))

[she-karev]

Quarantine (Andrew DeLuca x Alex Karev’s Sister Covid Imagine)

Age Rating: 12+

Chapters: One of Three

Fandom: Grey’s Anatomy

Ship: Andrew DeLuca x Amber Karev (Alex Karev’s Sister)

Canon Episode: Season 17 Episode 4

AN: Hey guys the next chapter will come tomorrow, let me know what you think below and like and reblog.

Summary: Amber is quarantining in her hotel room after testing positive for covid and suffers from the symptoms. Her family tries calling her, but she doesn’t answer, they reluctantly let Andrew DeLuca check on her when their out of options.

Words: 2136

April 15th, 2020

Jackson Avery has his phone to his ear tapping his fingers impatiently on the kitchen counter of the attendings lounge waiting for the person he’s calling to pick up. It’s been three days since his best friend and roommate, Amber Karev, tested positive for covid and has been quarantining in a hotel room provided by him.

He, Alex and Jo have made a schedule where they each call Amber and make sure she’s okay. At first, she was asymptomatic but over the past 24 hours she has had headaches, fatigue, coughing and loss of taste. Her increasing symptoms have worried her family who pushed for twice daily nurses’ visits despite Amber insisting she is fine and has no shortness of breath. Alex knows that Amber acts tough to hide her pain which makes Jackson worry about her more.

He hears her voicemail for the eighth time causing him to mutter under his breath, “Fuck.”

He turns to face Alex and Jo who are in the lounge as well on their lunch breaks looking anxious and worried as well. The three of them have tried calling Amber over the past seven hours but she hasn’t answered their collective 25 calls. The one thing all three of them share in common is their love for their sister figure Amber and the stress that has come over the past three days.

“Should we call the paramedics?” Jo asks in worry for the only sibling she has ever had.

Alex inhales rubbing his tired eyes, “Let’s send a nurse to check on her and report back, she could be sleeping. Covid patients are out like a light throughout the day and her last nurses visit said her lungs were clear.”

“That’s the thing with these patients, their fine one minute and then they tank the next.” Jackson reminds him sharply, “Instead of sending her antibiotics we should have given her supplemental oxygen and taken her in for a scan.”

“Okay, okay.” Alex tries to soothe Avery’s worries sharing them as well, “Let’s send a nurse first and if Amber doesn’t answer then the paramedics barge in and take her here.”

“Your gonna have to come up with another plan.” Webber tells them with regret as he exits the bathroom in his uniform, “All of our nurses are busy with visits the whole day, the next available one is tonight.”

The three of them groan at that before Jo makes a suggestion, “What about 19? Jackson can you call Vic and see if she can visit Amber?”

“I would but their firefighter’s god knows what their schedule is like, and I don’t know if Vic would do this for me a month after she dumped me.” Jackson inhales in agony, “I would check on her, but I have a daughter and I don’t want to risk exposing her.”

“I have a full day.” Alex says with regret.

“Me too.” Jo adds with a frown.

Webber steps in knowing the pain their feeling and wanting to mend it, “I know someone who’s off today, he’s a surgeon, he’s worked on plenty of covid patients, and he would drop everything to make sure Amber is okay.”

Jackson groans knowing who his stepfather is talking about, “No! Anybody but Andrew DeLuca.”

“He saved my life.” Webber reminds Jackson, “He’s a damn good doctor, he’s stable and he loves Amber.”

“Yeah, he loves her so much he broke up with her and kicked her out after he told her she was like her abusive parents.” Jackson sarcastically points out.

Alex nods, “I’m grateful he saved your life but when it comes to my sister he can go to hell before he goes to her hotel room.”

“Look I know what he said to her was awful, but I was there at the intervention, and I saw the pain in his eyes when he admitted there was something wrong.” Richard retells to the angry men, “His priorities have evolved, he knows when to set limits and he knows to appreciate the people he loves more than ever and make up for his mistakes his illness caused. I wouldn’t make this suggestion if I didn’t believe he would move heaven and earth to make sure Amber makes it through this virus and comes back to you all alive and healthy.”

Jackson and Alex are still on the fence as they were both witnesses to Amber’s sorrow following her breakup with Andrew. Alex hugged her close to him as she cried when Andrew had a public breakdown in the lobby. Jackson opened his door to her when DeLuca viciously kicked her out during the blizzard.

Jackson thinks of Amber as his little sister and along with Alex hated seeing her growing depression over the past few months. They both know seeing Andrew again is gonna make Amber feel worse than she already does and are vehemently against Richard’s idea.

Jo however knows what it’s like to have your mental illness push the people you love away and refusing to acknowledge there’s something wrong. She knows the guilt she felt after she threatened to leave Alex and wanting to make up for it as best as she could. She’s known DeLuca longer than Amber and knows that he’s a good guy who will go above and beyond to help people especially the ones he loves.

“I say we do it.” Jo says in agreement causing Alex and Jackson to look at her in shock.

“What?” Both men ask equally annoyed.

“I’ve been where he’s at and I know the guilt he feels will drive him into checking on her and making sure she’s okay. DeLuca will cross his t’s and dot his i’s like he does with all of his patients. We can’t afford to be petty especially when it comes to Amber’s health.”

The boys are slightly calmer but still apprehensive of DeLuca visiting Amber so Jo tries again, “Hey think of it this way, maybe seeing her bastard ex will make her wake up with renewed energy that she’ll use to kill him. It’s a win-win.”

Jackson and Alex’s eyes brighten at that scenario looking at each other before nodding in agreement. Jackson turns to Webber.

“Call him and tell him she’s at the Royalton, room 1401.”

Later

Andrew walks down the hotel hallway wearing PPE carrying medical equipment in a rolling suitcase behind him. When he found out Amber was positive for covid 19 he felt scared for her life despite seeing firsthand people her age are more likely to walk away from this thing. He knows she’s healthy and in prime shape and takes necessary vitamins and fruits daily to boost her immune system. But knowing this doesn’t stop the worry that grows every day.

Webber told him that Amber hasn’t been returning her family’s calls and her symptoms have gotten worse since last night. He also said the nurses were busy, so he appointed DeLuca to go and check on her since it’s his day off.

He put on his spare baby blue scrubs that he had around his apartment knowing he would need to burn his clothes after the visit. He is grateful to Maya for lending him a gown, goggles and KN95 mask from her station when he told her where he was going. She also told him to come back after so she can hose him down with sanitizer in a serious tone.

He stops outside room 1401 and knocks on the door, “Amber? It’s Andrew are you in there?”

He waits several moments that feel like an eternity before he knocks on the door harder, “Amber?!” He pulls out the spare key the front desk gave him and the door opens after scanning. He quickly enters the room, closing the door behind him and sees Amber in bed huddled under a blanket with her eyes closed. The sight of her unmoving body causes him to assume the worst and he shakes her body trying to wake her up.

“Amber! Can you hear me?!” Amber groans at his voice slowly opening her tired eyes, seeing her awake and responsive finally makes Andrew breathe, “Thank god your awake.”

“Andrew?” Amber asks in a nasally voice looking up at him with confusion, “Am I in hell?”

Andrew chuckles at that willing to take an insult if it means she is able to, “No thank god, can you sit up?”

Amber groans but complies sitting up in full view in her blue tank top. She’s wearing black sweatpants that are covered by the comforter on her lap. She reaches over to her nightstand where she has two tissue boxes and a mask that she puts on. Andrew registers a small trash can next to her bed that is filled with used tissues no doubt used by her. He hooks her up to a pulse ox monitor on her fingertip before moving to check her breathing.

He takes his stethoscope out, “Didn’t you hear the phone ring? Your family has been calling.”

Amber explains as he hears her chest, “I turned the ringer off and set up my alarm for three hours I don’t know why you all are making a big deal out of this.” Amber checks her phone that causes her to see the problem, “And I didn’t start the timer, that’s perfect. How long was I out?”

“Seven hours. Lean forward.” Andrew informs her as she leans forward so he can listen to her breathing in her back, “Your lungs sound good on both sides, they said you’ve been getting headaches and feeling fatigue has it gotten worse since then?”

“Why are you here?” Amber bitterly asks with a nasally voice, “Aren’t there nurses that do this or did I draw the short straw as usual and get saddled with you?”

“Our nurses are busy with other visits.” Andrew tells her trying not to take her insults too personally, “There are other staff members that caught this thing and their hotel rooms are scattered across the city.”

“I guess I’m not the only one who got infected by an arrogant asshat who likes to spit in people faces.” Amber half jokes, “I think you and that guy should get a beer and make a podcast on why your right and everybody else are idiots.”

“You’re not gonna drive me away Amber.” Andrew states blankly knowing her tactics, “I’m here, I’m doing your exam and if need be, I’ll take you to the hospital if your numbers aren’t where they should be.”

“Not if I kill you first.” Amber numbly says feeling her anger dissipate due to her illness, “And I don’t have to drive you away it didn’t take much last time.”

Andrew inhales knowing she’s mad that he’s here while she’s vulnerable and is putting up a mean front to push him away. However, he knows the only way to gain Amber’s trust in him is to ride through her punches and show he’s committed.

“Well last time I was manic and irrational and made very stupid choices that almost drove all the people I love away. I’ve set boundaries, I’ve been taking my meds and going to therapy. I’ve impressed Webber enough for him to vouch for me to your folks who agreed to let me come here and make sure your okay.”

“They sent you here because they were hoping I would kill you by either strangulation or covid.”

Andrew chuckles darkly, “Yeah, I know. Your pulse ox is at 94, do you feel shortness of breath? Do you have trouble breathing?”

“No, I can breathe as long as I use up half my tissue supply.” Amber informs him as she lies back on the bed, “And my D-dimers and inflammatory markers were all negative the last time the nurse drew my blood.”

“Yeah, but that was 24 hours ago I’m gonna draw more blood and put a rush on it.” Andrew sets her up for a blood draw.

“Fine whatever just take what you need and go.” Andrew is hurt by her cold tone and what follows, “And next time I’ll take a nurse even if the next one is by the end of this thing. I already see you at work and it’s painful enough I don’t need to see you when I am sick and tired it makes everything worse. Okay this is actually causing me pain and not the good kind. Just put the needle in my vein and leave.”

Andrew sighs at that and is anguished by her cold treatment but does as she instructs taking her blood choosing to keep quiet seeing that his presence upsets Amber. He only wishes he was the one to mend her pain instead of amplifying it.

Next Part Here

[clairedaring]

/surprise leap out from your screen! Hahahha!

Yo Claire, first! I gotta say, I didn't expect to read BL meta essays when I followed your blog, but now that it's part of my dashboard, I like it! I'm not familiar with BL culture and stuff (the only BL stuff I really like is this Japanese manga named The Summer Hikaru Died, and even then I'm more sucked in by it being of the horror genre with interesting philosophical explorations), so these essays are so interesting to read!

And another thing! This post about the highest-grossing GDH movies mentioned The Medium (which I liked!), and that reminded me: I need Thai horror recommendations!

I don't know if you're into it, but maybe some of your friends do? And they can give me some good stuff? It's been so long since I've watched Thai horror—I grew up with that shit, man. I figured that someone who watches a lot of Thai media probably knows quite some newer Thai horror films I can watch on a weekend or something. Thanks!

(P.S. I realize I still have so many thoughts about สาธุ. I'm rewatching it when I have the time and realized there are still more details I forgot from the first viewing. A lot of them is embodied by the actors so well! I hope to find the time to write some essays/rambles about those things these days! Honestly... this is the only thing I can contribute to the สาธุ/The Believers tag 🫡🥲)

Hiiii Lyn! You are always welcome in my humble inbox.

You cannot imagine my happiness knowing you will soon fill he สาธุ/The Believers tag with insightful metas/essays. No pressure though but I am now indeed impatiently waiting for more สาธุ posts.

Aw, I'm so happy to hear that you've enjoyed the BL metas I've put on your dash even though queer love series are not usually ones you would watch because they're mostly romance based. ಥ_ಥ

Okay now onto the main part of my answer. Even though romance and comedy are indeed my favorite genres of series, as an enthusiast and follower of Thai actors and their works, it is inevitable to come across horror works (films or series) starring my favorite actors. Even though I'm not the biggest fan of horor (i'm a huge scaredycat), the genre has never stopped me from watching works of my favorite actors before -> I've definitely watched more horror media than I wanted to (┬┬﹏┬┬). I'll separate my recommendations into two part: one for series and one for films.

Thai Horror Anthology Series Recommendations

1. Girl From Nowhere Season 1 & 2 (2018 -2021)

Synopsis: A mysterious, clever girl named Nanno transfers to different schools, exposing the lies and misdeeds of the students and faculty at every turn.

Thoughts: although it would qualify more as thriller than a horror, girl from nowhere offers sharp commentaries about violence, sexual assault, bullying and various social issues. The series is more like an anthology with each episodes presenting a different story. The way my jaw dropped when I found out that the storylines in the episodes are inspired by actual real news reports/stories. Watching both seasons, you may feel that S1 is less budgeted than S2 which is true because S1 wasn't funded by Netflix Thailand. After picking S1 for streaming, Netflix decided to invest in a S2 for GFN and the cinematography for S2 is just immaculate.

2. After Dark (2020)

Synopsis: When the night falls, humans are more of a threat. Composed of 4 interlinked horror stories:

"Blind Date": Pink, a dating app addict, meets Q, a mysterious handsome guy. They establish a deep connection that ends up with Pink having a strange pregnancy which haunts her until the end.

“Requiem of the Adolescent”: Lada, a nurse hired with a vast amount of money to take care of Her Serene Highness Srisaang. Her terrors awake when her patient abnormally gets better.

“Death Channel”: Off and Boat, a successful youtuber and an idol team up to create a paranormal activity channel that has been sponsored by an anonymous user, they never know what is waiting.

"Into the Hole”: Chai, a charismatic person is a one-night stand expert in hopes to record a sex tape to earn a dime. Then he meets Dao, a charming woman. His mischievous behavior continues, but this time it would not be as easy as before.

Thoughts: it's gory, gross, raw, rough and scary as hell. some of the most visually traumatic series i've ever watched. incredible acting performances.

3. Angkhan Khlumpong The Series (2021)

Sypnosis: It is made based on ghost stories that people called and shared on the "Angkhan Khlumpong" radio program.

Thoughts: Episode 5 'Imaginary Friend' is scary as hell. All the episodes are quite scary in general. The stories rely a lot on jumpscares but Thailand is really good at making scary ghosts, the makeup team is always going all the way.

Note: Netflix Thailand is producing the sequel series Terror Tuesday: Extreme (2024), which comes out in 10 days (August 20). Netflix Thailand has never really disappointed with their budget so I'm pretty sure it'll be spooky.

Thai Horror Films Recommendations

1. Hoon Payon (2023)

Synopsis: Tham searches for his brother Te in order to deliver the news of their parents' passing. Te is ordained as a monk at a temple on Don Sing Tham Island. On arrival, Tham meets Jes, the grandson of the former abbot. Jes makes hoon payon, enchanted effigies of the dead. Tham learns of a rumour that Te vanished after murdering the abbot. Tham doesn't buy the story nor does he respect the villagers' strange reverence for the sculpture of Pho Pu Sing Tham. Though his appearance is unsettling to Tham, Pho Pu Sing Tham is said to protect them. Soon, a girl goes missing, a wild predator roams the island, a vengeful ghost is rampant and worse yet, the figure of Pho Pu Sing Tham is destroyed. The enraged villagers prepare to curse and hunt down the unknown culprit.

Thoughts: I watched this for Up Poompat who plays Te and I was genuinely shocked by his performance. Not scary enough as old Thai movies but still very thrilling.

2. Shutter (2004)

Synopsis: Tun, a young photographer, and his girlfriend, Jane, were driving home after drinking with friends, when suddenly they crash into a girl that was walking in the street. Panicking, Tun tells his girlfriend to run away. The next day, Tun discovers mysterious shadows in his photographs, and his girlfriend start seeing strange things in his house.

Thoughts: This is a classic Thai horror film and arguably the best horror film Tong Banjong (the director of The Medium) has ever directed. Director Tong's forte is really horror so please don't mind that the next 3 recommended films are all from him. They are truly THE classic horror films of Thailand.

3. Alone (2007)

Synopsis: Conjoined twins Ploy and Pim are very close until Pim meets a boy named Wee, causing her to decide to separate from Ploy. The surgery is performed but Ploy does not survive. Years later, Pim and Wee are living together in South Korea when Pim suddenly has to return home to take care of her mother after she has a seizure. While back home, Pim is haunted by a ghost from her past.

Thoughts: I really don't know what Director Tong is lacing in his horror films but they're always keeping me on the edge of my seat and most of the time my hands glued to my eyes 😭

4. Phobia (2008)

Synopsis: A horror movie anthology containing 4 stories-Loneliness: a woman confined to her apartment starts to receive texts from a stranger, Deadly Charm: a group of high school delinquents get cursed by a student that they bullied, The Man in the Middle: Four friends go on a camping/rafting trip that turns out far differently then they had planned, The Last Flight: A flight attendant has to accompany the body of a princess, the wife of her lover.

Thoughts: Another horror classic from GTH studio. I can't remember the details to all these stories but I can assure you when I was closing my eyes through half of this film because of how scared I was. I wanna say it's because I was young when I watched it but I'm sure I'd still be keeping my eyes close shut if I watch it again.

5. Phobia 2 (2009)

Synopsis: A horror omnibus consisting of five stories - Novice: a teenager takes refuge at a Buddhist sanctuary after committing a crime, Ward: a biker has to stay overnight in a hospital room with a strange man after an accident, Backpackers: a Japanese couple hitchhikes across Thailand until; they accept a ride from the wrong person, Salvage: karma visits woman who has successful business fixing up cars that were involved in fatal accidents, In The End: the movie crew working on a horror sequel experience a night of real fear.

Thoughts: They're all scary but I think the scariest segment is 'In The End'. I would say this is one of those rare occasions where the sequel outdid its predecessor Phobia.

6. Sick Nurses (2007)

Synopsis: A group of sexy nurses who harvest organs are haunted by the vengeful spirit of one of their dead patients.

Thoughts: this is more slasher than horror but i remember watching this when i was younger and i was scared as heck. I don't even dare to search up the trailer to embed here.

Bonus: 'not purely horror, only has creepy elements but deserves a honorable mention on this list because it's super underrated' film

Malila: The Farewell Flower (2017) dir. Nuchy Anucha Boonyawatana

Synopsis: Former lovers Shane and Pich reunite and try to heal the wounds of their past. Shane is haunted by the tragic death of his daughter, while Pich suffers a grave illness. As death approaches, Pich dedicates his remaining time to making Bai Sri, a ceremonial ornament. Meanwhile, Shane decides to become a Buddhist monk until one night at a graveyard, he encounters his lover in another form.

Thoughts: not horror but i think this film is the first that pops into my head while watching The Medium. Similar feels in their portrayal of Thai rural village lifestyle and Buddhism being a big part of both stories.

You may notice that most of these horror films from GTH Studio share similar directors, screenwriters or other creative staffs with The Medium. And that's because GDH 559 is basically the successsor of GTH Studio (which got dissolved in 2015). I've always a big fan of GDH films and I do try to watch as much GDH/GTH works as possible, but horror is really not my forte so I can only offer you these humble recommendations. I hope you'll enjoy at least one among the ones in this list.

[loudlooks]

Day 30 Realizing their feelings

30 day challenge notes: quantity over quality, limited editing, stand-alone/unrelated stories unless specifically stated otherwise, not always tiva, chronologically randomly set in whatever pre-s11 season seems to fit

A/N: Tiva sequel to Ladybugs, it's not smut, but maybe don't read it at work when your boss is standing right next to you...unless you like awkward situation. This was brought to you by @hopeless-nostalgiac comment on that fic, and a migraine which prevented me from coming up with something new today...

Tag for blocking/following: 30 days of spring

Prompt: Realizing their feelings

Word count: somewhere around 1000

-

She was halfway through removing her shirt when there was a knock on the door. For a moment, she paused, staring at the door with enough intensity to hopefully make whoever was on the other side leave. Pulling her shirt down with a heavy sigh, she was at the door in a few strides, and after a longing look in the direction of her bathroom, opened the door.

At the sight of Tony’s  half grin, the heaviness in her body seemed to double. She checked her watch, and cut him off before he could so much as greet her. “I’ve been home for less than ten minutes.” She walked towards a nearby cabinet and grabbed her gun. “I haven’t showered, I haven’t eaten since breakfast.” She holstered the gun, turned towards Tony just as her stomach rumbled, and noticed the pizza box he was holding. Some of her frustration and fatigue disappeared at the prospect of food, and she grabbed her backpack off the floor next to the couch. “I suppose I can eat on the way."

Tony frowned. “On the way where?”

“The Navy Yard,” Ziva said reaching for her coat.

“I...” Tony pushed past her into her living room, closing the door behind him, and placed the pizza on the table. “You want to do this at the office?”

Ziva dropped her backpack and coat at the door and walked over to him, the smell of pizza too hard to resist. Through a mouth full of pizza, she asked, “What was the breakthrough?”

Tony’s confusion was overridden by her tongue darting out to lick some grease from her lips. “This morning?”

“What? Do we have to go the office, or arrest someone somewhere?” She took another bite, and looked at him desperately fatigued. “Please don’t tell me it’s another stakeout.”

Tony glanced around, trying to figure out if he had completely misunderstood their breakthrough conversation that morning. A very enticing breakthrough, the thought of which had kept him on his feet during the long and hectic day that had followed. “No, it’s...I’m not here about the case.”

Ziva swallowed the last bite of her slice, and wiped her mouth with a napkin. Feeling decidedly less frustrated, she waited patiently for him to elaborate.

“I thought we, um…” He scratched at the stubble on his cheek. “We agreed to a…a revenge McGee workshop this morning.”

Ziva’s eyes went wide as she remembered their conversation. It had slipped her mind as more disturbing details of the marine’s death had come to light. “I’m sorry, I-“

“Hey, it’s been a long day, it was early, we were still tired from the last case, it’s fine if you changed your mind. ”Trying hard not to let his disappointment, not to mention his breaking heart, show, he shrugged, and added, “We could glue him to his keyboard again, instead.” He tapped his right temple. “Can’t write about us if he can’t type.”

Ziva stepped in closer until they were almost touching. “That is not very original.” She plucked at non-existent lint on his coat. “There’s something on your coat, you should take it off.”

Tony stared down awkwardly at his coat, then shrugged out of it quickly, remembering the ladybugs that had hitchhiked on his jacket into the car that morning.

At the sight of his shoulder holster, Ziva bit her bottom lip. “You are not playing fair.”

Tony puffed out his chest, and stared at her with hooded eyes. “Just trying to play to my strengths.”

“Hmm,” Ziva said thoughtfully, staring at her hands as she ran them over his chest and shoulders, linking them behind his neck. Standing on tiptoes, she grazed his lips with hers. “It’s working,” she said huskily, and pulled his head down to kiss him, draw him in, taste him.

His left arm snaked around her waist, holding her loosely, and he grinned against her lips. “You taste like pizza.”

“You taste like whisky.” She pulled back enough to judge his sobriety, not that he seemed drunk when she opened the door.

“One drink, before I left.” He shrugged, then pecked her lips. “Guess I needed a bit of liquid courage.”

His fingers moved against the base of her skull and he kissed her again, slowly, lazily, which poked the flicker inside her into an erratic flame. She gently tugged at his hair, urging him closer, but all he did was slow down even more and smile against her lips.

“McGee is gonna hate this,” he murmured.

“What?” Her brows knit, but before her mind could think of anything other than his hands now clutching her firmly to him, his lips had moved on to her neck, fanning the erratic flame into a roaring fire.

His hand slipped from her lower back to her ass, and as he pulled her to him roughly, she let out a whimper.

Her pulse stumbled over itself, there was no reason for him to have this effect on her. Not this fast. She pushed herself against him, not caring of how needy it made her look. Strong, nimble fingers slipped under her shirt, sending shivers up and down her spine as they inched closer and closer to her bra strap.

He kissed a feather light trail from her jaw line to her mouth, leaving every nerve ending his lips had touched tingling and begging for more. Claiming her mouth as his so boldly there was no doubt in her mind that this was how it should be, how it always should have been.

As his left hand moved lower again, barely slipping underneath the waistband of her pants, the fingers of his other hand trailed lightly up and down her neck, making her knees go weak. The barest whimper escaped her mouth, right into his, and he drew back just enough to stare at her, willing her to open her eyes.

And when she did, all she saw there was years of pent up lust, desire…love. Her breath hitched, and she bit her bottom lip, trying to regain some semblance of control, but all it did was remind her of his taste, how he had sucked on her lip, how his scent seemed to permeate her consciousness.

“You know…” he rasped, and cleared his throat, blinking rapidly.

She kissed the corner of his mouth, inhaled deeply and nuzzled his cheek, the stubble eliciting new cravings she tried to ignore.

“If we do this,” he breathed heavily, fingers tickling along the nape of her neck. “On Gibbs’ desk, McGee will have a heart attack.”

“Tony,” she sighed in his ear, as his lips left another trail down her cheek, her jaw, her neck.

He hummed against her tender skin.

“Why do you keep bringing up McGee?” Her eyelids fluttered as he nipped, then licked, then pulled back without a warning.

There was no more than a few inches between them, but in that moment it may as well have been the Grand Canyon. She looked at him questioningly, trying to gather her thoughts, trying not to miss his lips against her skin.

“Just so we’re clear,” he said in a low voice, locking eyes with her. “We’re not...doing this to annoy McGee, right?”

“Yes, I mean, no, I…” She closed her eyes and tried to tamp down the building frustration. “I do not care about McGee…” She shook her head. “I do not want to think about…” Her gaze drifted to his mouth, every nerve ending in her body craving to be touched by those soft, skillful lips. “I want to think about you…” She blinked slowly, then forced her gaze to meet his. “I don’t want to think,” she husked, getting lost in the depth of love in his eyes. “I just want you.”

His face relaxed as soon as her words registered, and he seemed to fold around her, cocooning her, his forehead resting against hers. He swallowed hard, then breathed out her name. “I want you, too.”

[cherrywoodmaeg]

Shortcut Pt. 13

Tired. Exam in two days. Procrastination. Enjoy!

A conversation, Part 2

Niphka was surprised how good the hours of sleep felt. Upon waking up, her mind was less clouded by doubt and irritation. She felt calmer, more patient, and prepared to deal with whatever the day had in store for her.

Before long, the two were on their way again. As always, she held him high so that they could easily talk while she carefully stepped over the uneven ground.

Whenever she saw signs of settlement, Niphka adjusted her path. She could still sense the pull of the earth, telling her where exactly she was, and was very aware of the delay their detours caused. On the other hand, it gave her more time to figure things out.

“What do think we should do when we reach our destination?”

He perked up at her question.

“I haven’t really thought that far, to be honest. I’ve been so focused on getting there – but we have to tell someone. Someone with power, influence, like a politician.”

Niphka clicked her tongue.

“Then we can only hope they react swiftly.” And she added, “If they really want to prevent the disaster, that is. Who knows how high up this conspiracy goes.”

She could feel Jon squeezing her thumb tighter.

“Don’t worry,” she quickly said, “I’m sure we will find a way to save the town.”

He nodded, and she gently pressed his forearm between two fingers.

“And what are you going to do after?” she changed the subject.

“Maybe I can work as a carpenter again. Seems like a sailor’s life just wasn’t meant for me.”

“Maybe, maybe not. Look, Jon, I’ve met a few people, and none of them was born ready for the challenges of life. But they grew into themselves. If you really want to be a sailor, or anything, really, you can’t give up at the first sign of trouble.”

He sighed.

“You could be right. Even if I’m not cut out to live a life on a ship, I can still be near the sea, right?”

“I that’s where you want to be, then why not?”

She absentmindedly brushed his back.

“I think I will return to the ocean. I could search for my sisters. Just this last adventure, and then I’m ready to leave.”

Jon put his left hand to the finger that hat stroked him, now resting gently on his shoulder. He held it in place, his touch soft enough as to be barely noticeable.

“Or, you could stay for a bit. I could rent a fisher boat and come visit you from time to time. Make sure you don’t get into trouble.”

Niphka laughed. The lump in her throat didn’t feel bad, instead, a sense of warmth built up in her chest and radiated through her body.

“That sounds like a fun idea. You would also get to have your personal, on-call lifeguard. How does that sound?”

He returned her grin.

“From all my experience in the sailing world, I’m afraid I might rely on that.”

Niphka made through another set of hills. Behind them, an orchard of neatly planted trees stretched as far as her eye could see.

Jon was equally intrigued and leaned forward. She instinctively curled her free hand around him in a loose grip.

“Do you want to steer away again or are you up for lunch?”

That was a proposal Jon couldn’t say no to. It wasn’t quite the right season yet for the apples to be harvested, but even in their green colour, nothing on this planet seemed more inviting to him. He eagerly waited for Niphka to reach the edge of the field. But instead of lowering him to the ground, she dropped him onto the branch of a particularly strong apple tree. At first, Jon struggled to keep himself safe on his new look-out spot, but Niphka didn’t retreat her hand before he had steadied himself.

He wasn’t exactly happy about this new position. However, the branches around him carried more fruit than he could count, and even if they still tasted quite sour, he grabbed one after another. Niphka watched him, laughing.

“Careful, or you’ll choke!”

“Easy for you to say,” he replied between chews, “I’m starving!”

She furrowed her brows.

“When is the last time you have eaten?”

“Ida gave me some bread. She had my coat, and her carriage was broken. I helped her with the repairs.”

She sat on the ground with her legs crossed. She was still above Jon’s eye level, but within comfortable range.

“I’m sorry, I had forgotten to make breaks for that.”

Jon swallowed his last bite. “That’s okay, I could have told you.”

Niphka looked at her hands resting in her lap.

“I need you to tell me these things,” she said, more quiet than before. Before Jon could find an adequate response – telling her that she needn’t worry, that her help was already more than enough –, she looked back at him.

“Let’s not dwell on that. You said Ida had your coat?”

If she wanted to change the subject, Jon would let her.

“Yeah, I think I lost it at some point. Someone must have found it I guess. She told me that she’d been pushed off the road. Whoever that was, they had it before her.”

“That’s unusual.”

“Yah, it is.” He fell silent for a moment.

Ask. Now or never.

“I wanted to ask- Can you tell me what happened?”

“What do you mean?”

“The night that I got lost. I don’t… I don’t really remember that.” Without wanting to, he held his breath for her response. He was scared that his question would upset her, that she’d be angry.

Her shoulders visibly slumped.

“I wasn’t your fault. You had a nightmare, and when you woke up, you didn’t recognize me. I couldn’t keep you from running off.”

While her account of the night made sense to him, something in him refused to accept it. How had he been able to run away, with his legs much shorter than hers and above that, injured?

While he searched for the right words, Niphka continued.

“You were so scared. It was worse than when we met. I think you needed space. But that doesn’t mean that I wasn’t worried for you.”

“So you waited.”

“I waited,” she confirmed. Then, her head bolted up and she stared him straight in the eyes.

“Please, I know you didn’t leave on purpose. But when the time comes that you want to, please, please just tell me. I would never try to keep you with me against your will, do you understand?”

Jon’s heart skipped a beat as he processed what she said. He felt lightheaded and suddenly struggled to keep his balance on the tree branch.

“I-,” he began, “I… I need to get out of – please, get me off here.”

Before he knew it, he found himself gently plucked out of the apple tree and sat down by its roots. Jon took a shaky breath.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, “I just need to know that- ”

“No!” he interrupted, his voice louder than he had intended. “Why do you think I’d want to leave?”

His tone grew desperate as he staggeringly got on his two feet again, not minding any of the pain.

“You think I’m nothing like the men you used to know. Yes, I can’t do much, neither for myself nor for anyone else!” He took a deep breath.

“But still – Niphka, you’ve saved my life! You’re here with me, far away from your home, just to help me save mine! I don’t want to leave! You’re… you’re my hero!”

She shook her head.

“You wouldn’t say that if you remembered. I saw the panic in your eyes. You were scared for your life.”

“Well, I’m not scared now!” he shot back.

Within milliseconds, Niphka’s hand shot at him and pinned both of his arms to the ground, leaving him trapped on the ground.

“How about now, then? Jon Williams, listen to me when I tell you you should be!”

“I don’t care!” he cried hoarsely. “I don’t care! Do what you want, but I just don’t believe that you want to hurt me! I know you!”

He paid no mind to the tears that formed in the corners of his eyes. Okay, so Niphka could crush him in an instant if she wanted. But nothing she had done so far had given him any cause to see her as anything but – …

“You’re my friend!” he pleaded.

Bit by bit, as if time itself had slowed down, he felt Niphka’s grip loosen. When her fingers stopped pressing him down, he held onto them, not wanting to let her go. She pulled away regardless and his grip lost hers.

“I am so, so sorry.”

“It’s okay! I promise, it’s okay.”

Niphka buried her face in her hands. Despite her size, she looked small, defeated. Jon wished that he could somehow console her, embrace her and convince her that his nightmare hadn’t meant anything.

“I need you to trust me,” he said, softly. “Just like I trust you.”

Please.

Her breath was shaky.

“I don’t know what’s happening to me,” she finally said, rubbing her eyes. “I have never felt like this. I don’t know why, I don’t know how, but everything is completely different. Everything is upside-down.”

“Imagine how I felt when a giant fairytale mermaid pulled me out of the water!” Jon urged, insistent on lightening the load both of them were carrying. “But that doesn’t mean I don’t thank the Gods every day since!”

He wanted to move over to her, but he wasn’t sure if his legs would carry him all the way.

“Niphka,” he said, and immediately had her full attention. “Please let me prove it.”

Extending one arm to her, Jon signalled that he wanted her to pick him up. She reluctantly complied.

Carefully, he directed her to hold him closer. When she did, he threw himself into her chest, determined to leave as much of an impact as possible. The height didn’t bother him anymore; all he cared about was making her feel better. Jon held himself as close as he could, tightly clinging to the fabric of her clothes.

Hesitantly at first, then with more heart, Niphka returned the hug. Jon became aware that she could do so with only two or three fingers, but instead of pulling away, he leaned into it.

She was everywhere. He could feel the warmth of her gentle touch, keeping him safe. He noticed her faint smell of earth and a hint of salt. The beat of her heart resonated through his entire body.

He knew that this was just as big a step for her as it was for him. Still, it felt right. For the first time in a while, Jon believed that everything would be fine.

Part 12 < Part 13 > Part 14

[kitty-space-marine]

Mission to Fluxi X, part 1

(this takes place circa 470M38)

I smiled upon my seat on the Bridge, wearing my helmet for the first time since it was fixed to fit my new ears. My Honour Guard surrounded me, though they were mostly joking around with each other. I looked over a data pad, trying to figure out where next our fleet should go, when a Chapter Serf came running onto the bridge.

The gruff voice of one of the men in my Honour Guard speaks up. "Ho, who gave you permission to be here?"

I waved my hand, and stand up. "Come now Albus, they ran all this way, it must be important."

Albus nodded his head, and then looked down at the Serf. "Speak then, don't keep her waiting."

I knelt in front of the Serf, and smiled at them. "Please, forgive Albus. He's a little gruff but he means well. Tell me, what is it?"

The Chapter Serf was clinging to the hem of their robe, and then took a deep breath. "The Astropath says she has a message, there's a small Order of the Adepta Sorotitas in a nearby system that normally sends messengers out every solar season, but it missed the last window by a solar month."

I nodded along with their message, and then looked at my Guard. "Well people, it looks like we have our new objective." I turned back to the serf as I rose to my feet. "Did our Astropath say what the Order's name was?"

"The Order of the Cerulean Rose, m'lady." The Chapter Serf bowed deeply, and I dismissed them with a wave, before getting on my vox-caster.

"Oh Felicitia, my wonderful Chief Librarian, are you there?" I smiled mischievously, signalling that my Honour Guard should get messages to the fleet to prepare for Warp and possibly battle.

"Oh Emperor," her voice cracks over the vox-caster. "You know I can hear your smile, what do you need?"

"I need information on the Adepta Sororitas' Order of the Cerulean Rose." I wait patiently as I can almost hear her sorting through her collection with her mind.

"What sort of information, I might have a book of various Imperial Adepti in this Sector." Felicitia sighed, and I hear her muffled voice talking to someone else.

"Oh great, my First Captain is with you! Send her to the bridge please. I hope I wasn't interrupting date night." I sat down on my throne, and started to tap my fingers as I waited.

"No, you didn't Rose... and here we go, it looks like they average around 1,100 members, they're in the Fluxi System, that's only a small jump from here, and hmm, wait is this our next misson?"

"Yes, do they have their own fleet, or do they rely on the planetary defense force for that?"

"It looks like they're based on a mostly uninhabited planet at the outer range of the system, and rely mostly on seasonal supply shipments, sent from Fluxi Prime after they check in. I can see a couple ships that they use for transport to missions, but other than that, nothing too serious that we can't handle." Felicitia sighed audibly, and I could hear the frown on her face.

"Well, hopefully it's just a wellness check, yeah? Get ready, once the other barges respond we're gonna Warp to the edge of the system, just outside the range of any planetary defenses."

"Roger that. By the Emperor's Grace they just had a ship malfunction and have been too proud to send for help." Felicitia grunts as she uses some of her Psychic powers to return the book to it's shelf. "Signing off."

I leaned back into my Throne, as the captain's of the other ships in my fleet vox over that they're ready for Warp. I gave the Navigator the coordinates, and off we went. As we were traveling, my First Captain made it to the bridge, and we discussed what we'd do if there was actual resistance.

"Shall we send the 10th Company to establish a ground base, or should we drop someone else as a friendly party first?" The First Captain had a Chapter Serf running around her, getting her into her armor as we talked.

"I don't know, maybe send the 5th and 10th Company... Maybe the 5th in Drop Pods and the 10th in ships. I'd like to get the Scouts some experience as soon as possible, we'll need as many full Marines as we can get." I looked forward, as I heard the Navigator give word that we're about to come out of Warp. "Denilla, any thoughts?"

"Should we attempt to Vox them first?" she said, as her Chapter Serf placed her helmet on her face.

"Well let's see what kind of welcome we get." I then activated my Vox-caster, calling to my Marines that were on standby. "Coming out of Warp now, I want the 5th and 10th Company ready to move, 5th in Drop Pods, 10th to our Drop ships!"

The two captains acknowledged my orders, and I turned towards my bridge crew, and looked out into Space. There was nothing waiting for us, and I turned towards a Techmarine that ran our external communications.

"Can you attempt to hail the Adepta?" I walked up to the Techmarine, and placed my hand on his shoulder.

"I can try, my Lady." He started to fiddle with some knobs, and I turned toward Albus, who was holding onto a sword.

"Ah, thanks for holding onto Thorn for me, my friend!" I took the Power Sword from him, and looked out over the bridge, savoring the calmness that was about to erupt into a flurry of action.

The Techmarine looked back at me, finally having gave up with the vox-caster. "My Lady, no response? What are your orders?"

"Tell the 5th and 10th Companies, their Battle Barges, and their escorts to hover over the south pole, then have the 5th Company establish a base and the 10th Company scout outside. Have the 6th and 9th Companies on standby, and let's see what happens. If there's contact, we'll need to move fast, there's about a thousand of the Sisters here, if they've been corrupted by Chaos we could have a huge situation on our hands!" I think and turned towards Denilla.

"That sounds good my Lady, it'll be done. I'll have all Companies on standby ready to drop if contact is made." She turned and walked away, to go get her Company ready.

"Two Companies per Barge, four Companies should be fine for now. If a base is established we can land the rest of us..." My voice trailed off, as I established positions for the remaining Barges and escort ships to patrol, in case of trouble.

"Plan Vine might be wise for now, don't you think? With the Adepta's fortress where it is, we can have the two remaining barges patrol a latitude one third and two thirds between our landing point and the base, leaving us above the base to keep attempting to make contact." Albus grunted, looking rather bored. "The planet is small enough that the Barges can come to assist us if they launch any counter attack."

"Good idea. Fleet, run Plan Vine, once our landing point is established we can go from there. Alert the nearest Barge if you make contact on the ground!"

The 5th Company Captain responded with the roar of engines behind him. "Yes, my Lady. We're approaching landfall now, no contact currently."

"Thank you, for the Emperor!"

"For the Emperor!"

I sat back, and waited patiently, ready to respond to anything that happened. It could be a long battle, or it could be a short repair trip.

[writerleo86]

Terravenger - Season 5: Part Two - The Beau Ravenstone Crisis Arc - Episode 407 (Do Not Copy)

   A figure revealed itself behind Tai Ravenstone and Mercury Fakinos as they both stood at the edge of the Taurus Road Bridge. And the pair looked forward with fair in their eyes.

   This was a regular-sized male humanoid with a muscular figure. He had dark skin and long blue hair growing from the right side of his head. The color of his lips were green. And his right eye was covered in darkness. He had a large circular plate worn as a pad on his shoulder. Two wires from the plate had lowered to a long band covering his left wrist with silver armor. He also had a mechanical implant covering his left eye with a large lens shining red. On the right part of his topless chest was a silver circle implanted with the number 2 printed in red. And he wore long black leggings with his waist covered in metallic armor.

   The newcomer slowly placed his left fist forward. His fist soon turned into a long silver cannon which blew out a large wave of gray energy. The projectile had fired at the back of the two warriors.

   Suddenly, someone opened their eyes and looked around as they remained laying on a stretcher that was pushed forward by four different medics dressed in white clothing and full-headed masks.

   Someone else hurried to the right side as the medics continued to carry the person through a hallway full of various beings.

   The person who was running was the determined doctor wearing the same clothing as the other medics -- Rose Avery. She was an Asian woman with fair skin and black eyes. Her long black hair was styled in a bun at the back of her head. And she wore her pair of clear eyeglasses.

   "Can you hear me?" She asked the patient.

   The person on the stretcher continued to move his eyes around as Rose cried "You'll be okay! We will work our hardest on you. You're in great hands Counselor."

   The patient turned out to the young knight, Mercury Fakinos. He had pale skin, blue eyes, and short dark-blond hair. He wore a pair of black pants with black kneepads attached and black boots that had silver protecting his toes. He didn't have on a shirt. And he had a white mask that covered both his nose and mouth.

   He had a large gash on the left side of his chest while a large cut remained on the right side of his forehead which had blood dropping down.

   "Stay with me Mercury!" Rose told him. "We're almost at the emergency room!"

   A few moments later, many medics along with the head-doctor Rose began working on him as Mercury laid unconscious in a small room.

   "Doctor!" cried a male medic. "He's losing a lot of blood!"

   "Get some plasma pens!" ordered Rose.

   And Rose yelled to the others "Everyone! Keep the Counselor steady!"

   At another part of the Midas City Hospital hurried the fearful commander -- Beau Ravenstone -- through the hallway.

   Beau wore a long white top with a thick white belt and a blue coat with golden pads on his shoulders. He also had on a pair of black pants and short black boots. And his MAF badge was placed on the front left side of his coat.

   "Please wait for me!" He thought in his mind. "I am coming, Tai!"

Terravenger - Season 5: Part Two - Episode 407:  Sadness Falls in Midas City; Those Who Have Sacrificed For Their Nation

   A week later, a quiet ceremony had occur while every being that lived in Midas City stood at four sections before many tombstones at the Griffin Courtyard during one dark morning. And every being was dressed in black clothing.

   On the center of each tombstone was the name of the person that had died during the recent events that affected everyone in the city. Some of the tombstones had the names of certain people who gave up their lives to protect those who weren't able to themselves -- Officer Cody Durant, Officer Ricardo Montoya, Medical Student Treis, Officer Tiger, Trista Noir, Nicholas Penn, Leonard Duncan, Officer Tattoo, Eliot Peters, Cleopatra Regal, and Bradley Maddox.

   Beau Ravenstone stood at the front of the group at the front right side with his head lowered. And members of his family stood with him -- his son Denny, Anna Blair, Thomas Ravenstone, Ren Ravenstone, Violet Roberts, Tris and McKennah Roberts, and Beau's own father.

   Abraham Ravenstone who was by the left side of his son was an older man with brown eyes and fair skin. His hair was gray and fell near his shoulders. And he was nearly as tall as Beau.

   Denny who stood at the other side of his father had held at a large book in his arms.

   Everyone in the Ravenstone family continued to stare at one particular tombstone which stood before them. The tombstone had the name of the person at the center as a photo remained below it. It was of one student of the Midas Armed Forces -- Daniel Austin Ravenstone.

   At the back of a row of the second group behind were the remaining members of the Paigettes who were led by their leader, Paige McCormack. Beside Paige's right side was her aunt Sally who held her head down. Standing by the large woman was the student Akari Mido who was with her loving father, Max Muji.

   Behind that group were Officer Aoi Iruka and Officer Lilah Fakinos who had her husband, Doctor Pluto Fakinos.

   Standing behind the Ravenstone family were officers Rian Simms and Sage Wood along with Coach Bryan Chaolan, Rome Fenmore, General Kastano, Doctor Leora Archer, and Lieutenant Victoria Sidney. And Officer Gavin Deorceage stood by the side of his wife Victoria along with his father, Doctor Corbin Deorceage.

   Those who remained behind the Paigettes were Dilan Carr, his father David, his older cousin C.J., and many from his family. Ayr Alistar was present along with his mother Ayane, his brother Ebi, and his father. Declan Sharpe and Cheetah stood behind them along with Officer Anton Clark, Colby Fox, Ash Iliakos, Trip Douglas, and Seth Black. And Clay Wilcox was also present who laid his right hand on the right shoulder of his mourning girlfriend Akari.

   And those standing at the other side of the front were Greg Griffin and his family -- Susanna, Jonny, Laura, and Serena. Doctor Rose Avery stood among them with Travis Griffin by her side.

   After the long ceremony was finished, everyone began making their ways out of the large area.

   By the front end of the gates surrounding the Griffin Courtyard were the two officers -- Aoi Iruka and Lilah Fakinos. And Doctor Pluto Fakinos remained by the side of his wife.

   "He hasn't shown up," reported Lilah.

   Pluto lowered his head and responded "Erik has closed himself off from everyone including his own family. I offered Houston to bring him back to Corinth for a few weeks. But Erik... He would not. Even Micah tried to get through to his uncle."

   A male voice asked "You guys are talking about Mercury, right?"

   Bryan Chaolan gathered with them and replied "He blames himself for the death of that Ravenstone boy. And you two know Mercury is."

   Lilah shook her head and asked "You worry about him too?"

   Pluto informed his wife "It was Erik that help Coach Chaolan on becoming a member of the Midas Armed Forces after all."

   Aoi said "The Counselor met Chaolan while he was undercover on the Prison Planet. Mercury vouched for him to General Sidney. Since then, Chaolan has always looked up to the Counselor."

   Bryan lowered his head and responded "I was an inmate for ten years. I thought I would rot in prison. But there came Mercury. He looked at me as if he expected great things from me. He knew about my situation. And he did what he could to have the Superiors overturn my sentence."

   And the others shook their heads as they gave out smiles.

   Standing before the tombstone of Tai Ravenstone was a sad Beau along with his good friend -- Anna Blair -- who stood by his left side.

   "Tai was always full of life," described Anna. "He thought he was able to move mountains and run through sleet in order to help those around him. And he didn't only help everyone he knew."

   Tears came down from his eyes as Beau responded in a calm voice "He was always that way, even when he was a toddler. My son was surely the loudest of my household. But he was also very giving. And he had the power to brighten the soul of those who he just met."

   And a male voice said "Including myself."

   Beau's father Abraham stood behind them and replied "My grandson... He was a very affectionate boy. He was eager to know about everything around him, and that included everyone he meets."

   Abraham walked toward them and Beau said "Thank you for coming Dad. I know you had a lot of work this week."

   "He was my grandson Beau," replied Abraham. "Once I received the call from Anna, I hopped onto a plane quickly."

   Anna implied "I hated that it had to be this that brought the family together."

   Then Abraham added "You Beau never called me after the Armed Forces Exams. So I knew something was not right. And Anna was the one that confirmed my suspicions. But Tai..."

   He lowered his head as tears fell from his eyes. And two more people arrived.

   The mourning Violet Roberts wrapped her arms around her father and said "That boy... He brought us together today."

   Thomas laid his left hand on the right shoulder of Beau and replied "Ren isn't doing too well."

   A sad Anna lowered her head and commented "This must be more devastating for our son than the rest of us. Simon has lost both his cousin and his former boyfriend in one day."

   Thomas claimed "Ren met with Eli's family earlier today. He tried to hold it in. But the parents were there for our son."

   Anna shook her head and responded "I only discovered today that Eli did come from a struggling background. His life was not as fortunate until he started at the Academy. After a discretion on his part, Eli still remained a part of our son's life."

   Violet informed everyone "Tris and McKennah are not doing well either. But both of them try not to show how they feel."

   "Tristan and Tai were thick as thieves," implied Anna. "I can understand how it is for him Violet. Tai was practically his younger brother."

   "McKennah was the same way," added Violet. "My daughter and Tai always talked to each other like siblings."

   Suddenly, tears from Beau's eyes.

   Thomas held his devastated brother with his arms and said "It's okay Little Brother. We are all here for you. Dennis too.

   Meanwhile, a grieving Ren laid his head on a tree at another part of the cemetery as he cried quietly.

   A hand was placed on his left shoulder. Then a teary Ren turned around and found his good friend Cheetah. Along with Cheetah was Declan Sharpe who held Ren in his arms.

   "It's okay," Declan told his boyfriend. "You can let it out, Ren. You just lost two people that you cared deeply for."

   "We're here for ya Mate," said Cheetah.

   Another male voice called out "Hi there."

   And both Cheetah and Declan spotted someone standing before them.

   This was a young man who had short dark-brown hair, brown eyes, and fair skin. And he had a well-built body. He wore a buttoned white shirt with long sleeves and a thin collar. He also had on a pair of thick black jeans and short black boots. And he had a dark-red tie wrapped around his collar.

   "Who da hell are you?" asked Cheetah.

   The newcomer presented himself with a kind smile and said "You're Ren... Ren Ravenstone. I saw you with your family at the ceremony."

   He stepped closer and told Ren "I met Tai a few weeks ago. He made me feel welcome in this town."

   After he wiped the tears from his face, Ren faced the young man.

   "I just moved here from Indian Rock," The newcomer claimed. "I met Tai at a Q-Z Mart. And we hung out at a small club near the Jordan Airport."

   "You knew my cousin?" questioned Ren.

   Beau and the rest of the family soon arrived.

   "Commander Ravenstone," greeted the newcomer.

   And he informed the family "I moved here five weeks ago. I knew nobody in Midas City until I met Tai."

   "You knew Tai?" asked Thomas.

   "Briefly sir," answered the boy.

   Then a concerned Beau stared at him as the young man replied "Tai was the first guy I met here. He showed me the greatest hangouts. He even showed me around the Academy."

   Beau responded "Yes. You are a new student. The last city you and your family lived was in Indian Rock."

   "We moved from city to city," said the young man. "My dad is a technician. His business has him move to different areas to advertise new equipment. But Dad wants to make roots here."

   Anna stepped forward and greeted "Hello there. I am Anna Blair, a close friend to this family. I would like to thank you for coming over and talking to us."

   "Tai was a cool guy," replied the newcomer. "I wish I had known him better."

   A relieved Beau shook his head and told the young man "Thank you for reaching out to us. I am certain it was not easy for you given the circumstances."

   The boy gave another smile and responded "I gotta go now. But I'm sure I'll see you later, Commander."

   He turned to Ren and told him "Take care of yourself Ren."

   And the mysterious youth walked off as Beau watched.

   Then the commander shifted his head forward and continued to watch in awe.

   "That boy," He thought to himself. "Why does he look familiar to me?"

[gracebutnotgraceful]

patchwork - ted lasso

pairing: ted lasso x gn!reader, no Y/N

warnings: language, roy is here folks

word count: 1.5k

notes: finished this one a little early so i thought i’d post it a little early :-) hope everyone is having a good week! this is inspired by this article that talks about a shop owner within the area tl is filmed and how she embroidered face masks for some of the cast. i thought that was so cute and wanted to make a little story about something similar! 

summary: one day a hat embroidered with afc richmond’s logo suddenly appeared on ted’s door step. every time he wears it, the team wins. he and the other coaches go on a mission to find out who made it. 

Another win.

After the game, the coaches did a little celebrating with the team in the locker room before letting them go. With how well they’d been playing lately, they didn’t really need to spend a ton of time talking about what they could improve on. This wasn’t the Richmond that fought themselves just two seasons prior. This Richmond was stronger, more cohesive. They were winning as a team. 

“It’s definitely the hat,” Beard said after the final player had left, leaving behind just the coaches and Higgins who had come to chat after the game.

“It’s gotta be. Why couldn’t they play this fucking well when I was out there?” Roy agreed with a huff. 

“Come on now, I’d like to think we’re doin’ a little something to make this happen,” Ted responded, though he also thought the hat had at least a little something to do with it. Roy rolled his eyes and gave a grunt in response before plopping into one of the office chairs. 

“If you don’t mind me asking, where did you get that hat? It’s not official merchandise, I know that much.” Higgins asked. 

“You know, I actually have no clue where it came from,” Ted answered, taking the hat off and running his thumb over the AFC Richmond logo embroidered on the front of it. “It just showed up.” 

“Showed up?” Higgins’ brows quirked up questioningly. 

“On his door step, outta the blue.” Beard replied, standing up from where he’d been lounging at the desk. 

“That’s fucking creepy,” Roy grumbled. 

“Come on now, Roy, you were just saying it’s got some magic in it,” Ted joked.

“Well, we do win every time you wear it,” Beard said. “You ever find out who dropped it off?” Ted shook his head. 

He’d been trying to figure out who made it since it showed up a couple of months ago. He figured it had to be a local, someone who lived or worked near his flat. He wouldn’t put it past fans to somehow figure out his address though. It’d happened in Kansas. He didn’t get a nice hat then. Instead, he’d gotten eggs splattered on his front door and windows after a terrible loss. 

“The only real lead I’ve got is that quilt shop up the road,” He answered, “but it’s always closed by the time we finish up here, and it’s not open on Sundays. Figure I’d be able to find a time to go soon, let y’all take over training for the morning if I have to.” 

“You know,” Higgins started, checking his watch before continuing, “it’s only two. How late is it open on Saturdays?” 

“Higgy, you genius! Let me look it up,” Ted pulled out his phone, typing the name of the shop into Google to look up its hours. With any luck, they had at least a couple of hours before it closed to go ask around before going to Crown & Anchor for their usual after-game dinner. The guys waited patiently as Ted searched for the shop’s hours. He looked up at them shortly afterwards, a giddy smile on his face.

“Well?” Higgins asked.

“Five! We got time. Let’s go!” Ted threw the cap back on his head, grabbing his wallet and keys from the desk before darting out the door. Higgins followed, and Roy stood up with a groan. 

“You know, you don’t have to come,” Beard said in response to Roy. 

“Oh, I’m coming. I want to know about this fucking hat.” He muttered, gesturing for Beard to go out. He followed, shutting the door behind him. 

After a short walk, they found themselves standing in front of the little quilt shop a couple of doors down from Crown & Anchor. Ted saw a couple of people strolling about inside looking at various quilts and embroidered items on display. All of a sudden, he felt a little nervous. This was the moment. If the person who made this lucky charm of a hat wasn’t in here, he had no idea where else they could be. 

“Are we going to just stand here or are we going inside? Bloody hell,” Roy complained, snapping Ted out of his thoughts. 

“Right, well, I guess this is it,” Ted shrugged. He opened the door, waving the others through before walking in himself. The woman behind the register looked up at the sound of the door opening.

“Oh! Welcome in, welcome in! Is there anything I can help you find?” She asked, coming over to greet them. They all looked at Ted.

“Afternoon, ma’am! We were actually just wondering”—Ted took the hat off and held it out to her—“if maybe you knew who did the work on this hat? It showed up on my doorstep on mornin’ and I just wanted to thank the person who did it.” 

The woman took the hat into her hands, running her fingers over the stitching. Her eyes widened, the corners crinkling as she smiled.

“Oh! You got their hat! They’re here, I’ll be right back!” She gave the hat back to Ted and ran to a door behind the counter, opening it and disappearing up a staircase. They came down shortly after, someone else trailing behind them. 

“Laura, I’m off today and I’m still working on a commission! Can’t this—Oh my god. You’re Coach Lasso.” You stared wide eyed before looking down at the hat in Ted’s hands.

“The man himself,” Ted joked. “Laura here told me you did this,” he held the hat out. 

“Uh, yeah,” You fiddled with your hands, not making eye contact with Ted. “I hope you don’t think it’s weird that I left it at your door. I live upstairs, so I see you come through here a lot.” 

“Better than some of the things left at my door across the pond,” Ted laughed. You smiled. “I just wanted to thank you. It’s beautiful work.” Your cheeks flushed.

“Please, it’s nothing. I just wanted to give you something to celebrate the return to the Premier League!” You responded.

“It’s not nothing. That thing is bloody magic or something!” Roy exclaimed. You looked at him in shock, as if you had just noticed him, before looking back at Ted.

“Magic?” You asked. 

“We’ve kinda won every game that I’ve coached with this hat on,” Ted answered. “Bit of a good luck charm now.”

“Oh, wow. That’s awesome.” You replied. 

“And I think we owe you a bit of a thank you. Would you maybe want to come with us to dinner? We were just going to go to Crown & Anchor,” Ted pointed over his shoulder. 

“Oh, I wouldn’t want to impose!” You said, shaking your head.

“Nonsense, you’ve helped us win six straight games! The least we could do is buy ya dinner!” Ted waved his hands. You gave a small smile. 

“Let me just grab my coat.” You went back upstairs, returning shortly after and walking over with the guys to the pub. 

Dinner was pleasant. The coaches talked about the team and the past few games, spilling some secrets about the players and some of their weird pre-game traditions. They also got to know the maker of the team’s good luck charm, asking you about your shop and how long you’d worked there. Ted felt incredibly comfortable with you, something that didn’t happen all that often. After dinner, Roy split off to meet with Keeley and Higgins left to go home to his family. Ted and Beard offered to walk you back. It was on their way, after all. 

“You said you take commissions?” Ted asked. You nodded in response. “I think we may just have to getcha to make a couple more of these for the rest of the coaches. You know, extra luck,” 

“I think I can manage that,” You laughed. “Thank you for dinner and for walking me home.” You bid them both goodnight before walking inside.  

Ted and Beard walked for a few minutes in silence before Ted broke it. 

“I’m glad we did that,” he said.

“I can tell,” Beard responded. 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Ted asked with a laugh.

“You just seem happy, that’s all,” Beard answered. That was definitely not all.

“They were super nice. I don’t know why, but I built the whole thing up in my head. I thought they were gonna throw us out or something, like they left it for me on accident.”  Beard listened as Ted rambled about you, how kind you were, how he liked getting to know you. When they reached Ted’s door, they stopped walking. 

“You know, it sounds like you finally found someone to stitch up that heart of yours after Michelle,” Beard said. 

“Hey now!” Ted exclaimed, his face flushing. “I just wanted them to be comfortable!”

“Mhmm, ‘You said you take commissions?’” Beard mocked Ted, earning him a smack on the shoulder. 

“Come on, Coach, it’s been long enough. You deserve a little patchwork. Good night,” Beard walked away, leaving Ted standing outside his door dumbfounded. He’d not really felt feelings for anyone since everything happened with Michelle. He’d tried, the occasional date or hook up, but nothing seemed to be what he’d thought it should feel like. That is, until now, and he couldn’t believe Beard knew it before he did. He turned back toward where your little shop stood, wondering if you could see him from here before shaking his head with a laugh and walking inside. 

Maybe he could negotiate a dinner for each hat he wanted to commission. 

[litgwritersroom]

A rewrite of the sexy dance-off scene, where one character can't hide their real feelings. Feel free to write for any of the seasons and any of the characters for this one.

WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?

S1 | Tim/MC | 3100+ words | Bia (crimswnred)

Tim figures out that the electricity on the air was not fruit of his imagination.

For a whole summer of his life, Tim had done that type of thing many, many times. Trying to pay for his stay in Spain, he danced, took his clothes off and exhibited his naked body to countless thirsty older ladies as he pointed out the beautiful and historical sights of Barcelona. What a coincidence it was that he would do something similar during the first season of the British dating show Love Island? At least, this time, he wouldn't have to get naked or memorise a bunch of information. It was easier, right?

So why was he feeling more nervous than ever?

He could admit he was not the luckiest lad in the Villa right now. From the moment he stepped inside the place, he had a feeling in his guts that it wouldn't be easy for him to fit in with the other contestants and that feeling only became stronger once he took a look at the other fellas. He was shorter than the most, not as near as fit as them and the only thing he had going on for him was his jokes and the way he would speak with confidence, which he had heard many times the girls saying was a bit too much. The only person he found himself being able to open up to about those things was Olivia.

It was obvious that every guy on that Villa would want a piece of Liv. She was only a bit shorter than Tim and had astonishingly blue eyes that would look right through him. Her natural filled lips were always smiling at him and her dirty blonde hair would blow so easily with the Marloca breeze. There was no way someone would ever look at such beauty and say she was anything but an 11. Especially if they had seen her rocking those tiny bikinis that would make her ass even prettier.

And of course, there was much more to her than what met the eyes. Liv was the funniest girl Tim had ever met and also the most honest. When they were hanging out, Tim never felt as if he was doing something wrong or that he was annoying her. Even when he would drop some lines she would bop her head to the rhythm and sometimes add some lyrics of her own. She also always picked his side, standing up for him even when it was just Mason being a knob. It was obvious that he had a crush. But everyone had a crush on Liv.

That was exactly why she was such a waste in the hands of the likes of Levi. Tim knew something was going on between the two of them, perhaps the whole Villa knew. Of course, both her couples were not successful—Jasper was a complete disaster and Jake was only a friend to her—and she kind of had a free pass to crack on with whoever she pleased right now and there was not much the other girls could do to stop her. It was how the game rolled, he knew that, but Levi was not worth the shot.

Tim watched patiently as the girls danced through their rounds, his sweaty palms revealing how much he was dreading his turn. Jen was the first of the girls, expending most of her time on Levi, almost as if she was leaving a mark. It was obvious she was the girl that was most insecure about Oliva's popularity, especially 'cause Levi was always paying more attention to Oliva's body than whatever Jen was talking about by his side.

At first, Tim had thought Jen to be one of those posh birds that would treat people like shite just cause they weren't fancy enough. Yet, now, he could see she was just a normal girl that wanted to find love like every other girl there and… maybe… she was even cute. If he tried to see her past her posh accent, that is.

Talia was the second girl to go and her turn went by in a blink of an eye as she danced to the boys and shimmied her body, seeming more interested in whatever girl was waving and whistling at her from the roof terrace than the line of lads seated on the fire pit bench. Tim always had a hunch she wanted a piece of Olivia as bad as them and maybe he was not so wrong about it—he was quite smart after all.

The third—and maybe most boring one—was Allegra. She played around on each boy's lap, doing some hip dance and avoiding real contact with everyone but Jasper, who she let grossly touch her, in a way that maybe was just a sneak peek of what they would be up to that night. At least someone was keeping those beds busy for the producers.

Erikah dared to do a shy dance for both her current couple, Rohan—who was smiling from ear to ear the whole time—and Mason—who just relaxed and enjoyed the private show for a bit. Like most of them, she didn't even try to show some dance moves to Tim and if all of them kept it going like that, he was easily going to win that shit.

The next one to go was Cherry, who was using a shimmery dress that almost showed her boobs to the world. She teased the boys for a while, showing what her mum—or money, Tim was not so sure—gave her as she burst out laughing with them, sounding a little tipsy and spending more time on Mason's and Jake's lap.

A round of applause announced the end of the red-haired routine and she left the fire pit winking at them over her shoulder. The silence felt all around the Villa as the song turned down. Tim could feel his heart beating tight in his chest, realising it was her turn now.

"It's the grand finale now," Tim heard Mason saying from the other side of the bench. "Keep your hearts calm, boys."

Obviously, the production had left Olivia for last. She was the one that the boys were looking for the most and not even Rohan was trying to pretend he was not eager to have her twerking on his lap. Luckily for Tim, she would ignore him like the other girls and he wouldn't need to pretend to not be nervous about it, it was an easy win.

Or so he thought.

He wasn't so sure when it all began but his crush on Olivia had developed into a real sexual tension. When Liv was around him now, Tim would feel this electricity in the air and his blood would pump. Of course, she was flirty with him like she was with every other boy but lately, he had been feeling it a little bit different. There were slight brushes, quick touches, playful pinches and kisses on cheeks that would send Tim's thoughts into a spiral and make his heart beat faster. Sometimes, he wondered if she was doing it on purpose.

A familiar click of heels echoed through the Villa, making its way to where Tim and the rest of the lads were sitting. Slowly, Olivia's silhouette showed up from the dark corner of the Villa and her body started to take shape against the fairy lights. As she got closer to them, Tim could swear she had stolen the air around him. Or was it ever so hard to breathe?

He ran his eyes throughout her body. She was wearing a ridiculously tight white dress that ended just a little over her hips, barely covering her asscheeks. On her chest, a slightly opened zipper showed an attention grabber cleavage that could leave any man speechless. Her blonde hair was now lightly curled on its ends, falling onto her back like cascades, making the white nurse tiara she had on even more evident. It was, perhaps, a poorly done tribute to her career as a doctor, that only looked even more scandalous with the cherry shade of lipstick and bloody nails she was wearing. 

"Hey, boys," her voice echoed through the Villa as she eyed each of them with a smirk. "I guess you are all… tired."

"Not tired at all, princess," Tim heard Mason saying again. Didn't he just have an almost private session with Cherry? Could he be less of an attention seeker?

With a roll of his eyes, Tim shifted on his seat, catching Olivia's attention. She smirked at him and winked cheekily, making his heart skip a bit and a smile showing on his face. "I'm afraid most of you lads will be only watching this time, 'cause I just wanna dance for one boy and one boy only."

Olivia turned on her heels, taking Tim's wide smile with her. Of course, he never expected her to give him a private lap dance, after all the crush was a tad one-sided, but at least a little something so it wouldn't be too obvious she was not interested. Considering they were best friends.

When the beat started again, Olivia swayed her hips in front of the boys, taking her time to tease them one by one, with the notable exception of Jasper. She started her streak on Mason, running her hands through his thighs, provoking him with her bright eyes and dirty movements before kissing his cheek and moving to the next, leaving him crestfallen.

Levi was, unfortunately, the next to get her attention, but she didn’t take long with him, not longer than with Mason but the sight of her grinding on him—even if it lasted just a few seconds—was sickening. As she dropped down with her back to him and slid back, Levi tried to touch her but she dismissively swayed to Jake’s lap.

And for “just a friend” Jake was more than into it. Mocking Levi, he kept his hands behind his neck and let her do all the work on his lap, laughing as she dared to kiss his neck. Tim tried his best to not look upset. He had gone through all the girls’ rounds without the attention, he could take another one.

But then she got closer and he felt his heart jump and twist on his chest and the butterflies come alive as she was so, so close but not enough. She teased Rohan with a very loose hand and she bent a little, just enough so Tim could see her asscheeks on his periphery, whispering something in Rohan's ear that made his face drop.

Finally, she turned to Tim with a devilish grin and flames in her eyes. She slowly swayed her hips left and right until there was nothing between them but the smallest gap he had ever seen, causing him to raise his chin to meet her eyes, a movement she gladly accepted as she cocked her head and flashed him a bright, innocent and provocative smile that made a hot wave creep him.

She reached her hand behind him, pinning him against the wall as she looked down at him, making some strands stroke against his skin. "Hey, Timothy," she whispered, so close to him he could smell her lilac perfume. "Fancy seeing you here."

"What are you doing?" He asked in a whisper as she caressed his and brought them to her waist, his hands fitting so perfectly on the small of her back.

"I thought we couldn't touch?" Levi chimed in, trying to be funny but only sounding jealous. Tim couldn't help but smirk. 

"You can't touch," she answered, not even sparing him a look. "Tim can." And as the others rumbled something, she winked. "You're mine now, Big T."

A pop-ish and pretty damn sexy melody followed the already playing beat as Olivia did a half-circle with her neck slowly, flipping her hair and leaving her collar bone completely exposed to him. Tim licked his now so dried lips, trying to compose himself as she arched her back, bringing her body even closer. He didn’t even get the chance to properly touch her before the lyrics to the song started and she crouched in front of him.

She moved her hands on his skin, running them slowly against his legs. He swallowed hard when she caught his eyes and moved a bit forward, lips parted enough to lead his imagination to where his wildest dreams were. She winked, knowing exactly what she was doing with him, as Tim could feel his cock throb.

"Fuck," he let out as he hung his head to face the sky above him. He could hear some boys howling as others huffed, but all the noise got muffled by the little giggle that escaped from her mouth, bringing Tim to look at her again. She had a bitch of a smile on her lips and a mischievous sparkle in her eyes that made his heart rate pick up again.

Stay calm, Big T, this is a challenge, remember.

That would be a fucking long night.

And just as he was nearly normalising his heart rate again, her hands moved upwards and stood up slowly, locking her gaze on his. When she finally reached his shoulders and was eyes high, she straddled him. He could almost feel the warmth of his skin, the friction of his jeans begging to let go and yet, they weren't touching. Moving her hips to the rhythm of the song, she raised one of her hands from his shoulders and stroked his cheeks with it before tapping his chin slightly so he would look her in the eyes. So fucking hot.

She arched her back, leaning to him, her lips so close he could feel her breathing against his skin. There was a silence on the patio as she grabbed his chin and brought him near, without a doubt everyone was shocked by the closeness as well as Tim was. He knew she could feel his hard-on now but that didn’t stop her from rolling her hips and guiding his face closer. When he thought they were finally going to touch, she hung her head, moving off of him and his lap. He was so hard it hurt.

Tim's senses came back rushing just in time so he could hear the roars and shouts from the other lads as she turned against him and slid down his body, arching her back, until she was seated right between his legs. She grabbed his hands, running them through her body and just letting them go when Tim took the hint. Feeling his blood pumping to all the worst places, Tim felt the thin fabric of her costume, the shape of her body forming on his palms, her hard nipples under the dress and the way she was breathing slowly.

Fuck, fuck, fuuuuuck.

He let a deep breath out in her ear and she let out the sexiest giggle he had ever heard in response, getting out of his lap and moving away from him. He couldn't help but feel a little disappointed by the sudden cold breeze that took her vacant spot, to feel empty now that she wasn’t there. She kept walking, her dress doing nothing to cover her ass as she took every single boy’s breathe away and the music kept playing. It was just when she turned around to face him again that Tim realised they were still going.

She didn’t smile at him as she approached this time around, her face darkened and he could see the sobriety of her eyes being replaced by a drunk feeling of… need. She got nearer, zipping her cleavage opening down, revealing the sides of her breasts and looking straight into his eyes. Tim could see them begging to be let out of that tight, tight dress, to be touched and squeezed and kissed.

Licking her lips and parting them again ever so slightly, as if she could hear his thoughts and was wishing the same, she straddled him again. This time, she let her ass down, leaving not a single space between their bodies. He could feel her weight on his crotch, the warmth of her skin and the beat of her heart as he ran his hands through her thighs and rested them on her bare ass.

"Feeling comfortable, Big T?" She whispered, not daring to look away as she batted those beautiful big blue eyes at him. "Took you long enough."

"You're such a tease…" he said, his voice husky. He could feel his cock throbbing under her, the only thing between them being their clothes. Were they ever so thin?

She got closer, circling her arms around his neck and locking their gazes. "Who is teasing?"

He smirked, narrowing his eyes in an almost challenging way. Fuck. There it was again, that electricity between the two of them. Or was it just his cock wishes speaking louder? Slowly, she moved her hands to his face, bringing it closer and when she cupped his chin, raising his head, he held on tighter to her ass, squeezing it, knowing it was just another playful manoeuvre.

Except it wasn't. Taking his cheeky hands as a green light, Liv closed the almost non-existing gap between them, moving her lips against his and sending an electric shock through his body. He could just think about all the fun things they could be doing alone, with no cameras and no islanders as he melted into her, deepening the kiss and feeling the taste of her tongue against his own. As she grabbed his head, he did the same, pulling her locks slightly, earning a delightful moan from her.

They moved fast, unleashing a desire that was bottled up all this time. He could hear the screams, whistles and cheers from the others but there was nothing that could take him out of that moment. The taste of her, the way she felt against his hands, the little moans she would let escape as they would feel each other and how her legs were spread perfectly on his lap. How he wanted to grab her and lead her to the bedroom so that he would make her cum his name over and over again. The mere thought was enough to make him crazy.

She was the one who break off the kiss, leaving them both breathless and wanting more. With her eyes on him, she took a deep breath and stood up, her legs almost failing her as she tried to stand. As the others cheered her and the song ended, she turned around to leave the fire pit, checking him from over her shoulder before she was gone.

And as Tim was trying to catch his breath, Jake remarked: "After that, we are definitely losing."

"I dunno, mate," Tim answered with a smirk. The others would perhaps dislike his audacity, but who cared? "I feel like I just fucking won."

[heyidkyay]

Hii! I’ve really wanted to get back into writing for the longest time now, and after reading these beautiful books and watching season one of The summer I turned pretty, I figured I’d try to write a series based around it:)

Not sure who the endgame will be as of yet but feel free to msg me ideas if you enjoy the first part! Just a forewarning the themes used will be similar to those in the books.

Hope you like it??

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Paper cuts.

Summary: Aurelia Cunnings, eighteen, freshly graduated, and stranded with no real family to phone or friends to reach out to. The past year has been a neverending nightmare, one she can’t seem to escape from. But will this be the summer to change all?

Part One.

Part two>

—

I had nothing. Nothing and no one.

As I sat there, on the side of the road, phone clutched tightly in my fisted hand, that was all I could think of. I had no way out this time. No friends I could call. No family that would be interested. Nothing.

I squeezed my eyes tightly shut as I inhaled a staggered breath, dropping my head into the space my knees had created.

My bags. Just the two of them, an old duffle and all too overused backpack, waited patiently on the curb beside me.

Term time had just ended, and summer had just begun. But yet, here I still was, stranded a million miles from the place I knew was no longer my home and the school I’d been forced to leave.

Well, I say leave, but how else was I supposed to describe it? I had just graduated, I had college waiting for me in the fall if I could still somehow make that prospect work, and everyone had already cleared out for the summer.

They had meant to be there- my family. Mum had texted me ahead of time upon hearing from the school’s pa, but then she’d missed graduation, skipped out on my leavers ceremony, and gone completely off the grid. And by that I mean, she practically upped and left the country. Left me. Stranded and alone, figuring I already had some place to go.

And I might have, once upon a time. Before- before everything that happened last October.

I sighed and willed myself not to cry. I wouldn’t cry. I couldn’t. I was stronger than the emotions she brought out in me. I wouldn’t cry, not for her.

“Fuck!” I cursed underneath my breath, already rubbing at my tired eyes.

I hadn’t slept well in, weeks? Months? But the last couple of days had been stressful. Too difficult to describe. And too horrendous to even think about. All I wanted was a warm bed.

I chewed my lip harshly as I tapped my thumbnail against the side of my phone. The screen came to life when I accidentally hit the power button but instead of letting it dim out, I forced myself to scroll through my contacts once more. There had to be someone, anyone, decent enough to-

My chest tightened on its own accord as my eyes came across one familiar name.

I thought it over, once, twice, then before I could think better of it I hit call.

Another shaky breath escaped me as I held the phone up to my ear. It rang. One. Two. Three.

“Hello? Aurelia, is that you, sweetheart?”

I gulped upon hearing her voice and couldn’t help the way I completely fell apart when I finally answered.

“Susannah.” I sobbed.

—

The drive to the airport wasn’t a long one, but the flight from Chicago to Massachusetts was. And even though I now had a place to go, somewhere safe, somewhere warm, I still couldn’t will my exhausted body to sleep. Not when my phone call with Susannah was still so fresh in my mind.

It had been months since I’d last seen her. I think the last time we spoke had been in early May the previous year.

A few years prior, my father had egged me into volunteering at one of her many charity events. I’d been fifteen and from the very first moment I saw Susannah, I knew she was the kind of woman I wanted to grow up to be.

Though I’d been helping out, we never crossed paths much, not when there had been a billion other kids doing the exact same job as me. Some forced there by overzealous parents, others just looking for something else to add to their college app.

But looking back, I don’t know how, and I really don’t recall when, but Susannah Fisher grew quite fond of me. So much so, that by the time the next event rolled around that same year she had dubbed me as her executive little helper.

I’d been so pleased with the title. Susannah had a simple way of making any and everyone feel important.

I’m not ashamed to say I grew rather attached, and it wasn’t surprising to say the very least, my own mother and I had never seen eye to eye. She was far too busy in her own world. She left almost everything to do with me down to my dad. My brother on the other hand, had always been her golden boy. The school’s quarterback. Prom King. He had it all. And me? I’d only craved her attention from the sidelines.

Susannah was the complete opposite of my mother.

She was warm, where my mother was cold and closed off.

Susannah laughed, loudly and without care, whilst my mother rarely ever smiled.

She painted for hours on end and spoke of her sons as though they were her greatest achievement. And in a way, I knew that they were. She was the perfect role model. In the time we spent together we bonded and I came to look at her as the mother figure I’d missed out on.

The last real conversation I’d had with my mother was almost six years ago now. I’d been twelve, just declared the vice captain of my cheer team. A team I had only joined to appease her. She had been so proud. Practically paraded me around to all of her friends.

When I’d quit after a bad fall a year later, I had seen the disappointment in her eyes. She could hardly stand to look at me, even though my grades had never slipped below an A, and I had forced myself to try out for the school talent show whilst my leg healed up. I’d come in second place, by the way, the runner up to a group of seniors who had choreographed an extensive dance routine. Not that she had even attended.

My dad had though. He always came through.

But that was in the past now.

I shook my head to clear my mind and instead focused my attention on the plane’s cabin. An air hostess further up front smiled at me all as she took to her place just in time for the pilot to announce our descent.

This was it, I thought as I buckled my seatbelt, this was the start to my summer.