#was almost not gonna post this but thought eh fuck it

[messagesfromthestarrs]

Stress Relief

ship: Shigaraki Tomura/Dabi

fandom: my hero academia

genre: all smut no plot

warnings: none, its pretty vanilla. slight ooc. the writing may seem a bit cringe at first but it gets better trust me okay.

word count: 3.5k

They had a close call with the heroes. Luckily, the league of villains managed to escape last second.

Tomura was fucking stressed. So, so many narrow escapes, it was a huge surprise that his fellow league members made it out of there safe.

He paced around the "common room" area of the League's new hideout. Everyone else had already retired to their rooms. Tomura was scratching his neck, thinking, planning, analysing, criticising. He didn't notice his right hand man sitting on one of the chairs, watching him. Tomura was startled out of his thoughts when Dabi sighed and called out to him from across the room. "You look like you need a drink."

Tomura's scratching only got worse at that. He refused to look into Dabi's eyes, because he knew that the second he would, he would be trapped by Dabi's icy gaze and eyes that were the same colour as his fire.

That was the other reason Tomura couldn't relax. He couldn't stop thinking about Dabi. Couldn't stop himself from staring at him. Couldn't stop himself from imaging unholy things about him. Tomura couldn't breathe normally when Dabi would shove him out of the way of an attack and end up on top of him. Tomura stoped himself from thinking about Dabi's scarred hands on him. About what Dabi could do to him. About what he could do to Dabi.

Tomura started to lose control of himself when he was around Dabi.

Little did he know that Dabi felt the same way about Tomura.

Little did he know that Dabi had a plan in mind, something that he had been wanting to put into action for an embarrassingly long time.

"Well, don't we all." Tomura replied a few seconds later than normal since he was so busy imagining what Dabi's low and gravely voice would sound like in the morning after a particularly good night.

Tomura finally decided to look into Dabi's eyes and tried to decifer what he was thinking. Dabi looked the same as always, barely a scratch on him, his fire keeping away his enemies. But there was something different in his eyes. Something similar to how he looked when he was thinking and planning. What was he thinking about? What was he planning? Tomura couldn't help but wonder.

"Tell you what," Dabi said as he stood up from his seat and walked towards Shigaraki, "since we both need to blow off some steam, how about we get some drinks and give each other some company?"

Shigaraki considered the offer for a bit, then shaked his head "No, I don't want to drink anything right now. I just... I don't know."

"Ah, well, in that case," Dabi casually stepped into Shigaraki's personal space, locking eyes with him and lowering his own voice, "I had some... other things in mind."

There was a challenging look in his eyes, as if he was daring Tomura to take this further. So he did, "What did you have in mind?"

"Well..." Dabi stepped even closer to Shigaraki, still refusing to break eye contact, his voice and eyes hypnotic "we could, uh, you know, give each other company in a different way. I know some other ways to relieve stress" Dabi finished his sentence in an... odd manner. There was something different in the air, something that Tomura had never felt before.

And that's when it hit him. "Oh. Oh " he blurted out. Huh. Wow, this was a lot for him to process. He looked deep into Dabi's eyes to verify if this was what he thought it was.

Dabi's pupils were blown wide, making those turquoise eyes (that Tomura thought about in the wee hours of the night) look darker yet brighter at the same time, with a mischievous glint in them. Tomura couldn't stop looking into those eyes. Tomura felt his heartbeat get a little faster than he'd like, the adrenaline from their narrow escape starting to creep back into his body.

They seemed to be having a silent conversation by their eyes: 'you wanna do this? you know we can never go back from this'

Tomura felt the urge to kiss Dabi, to do so many unimaginable things to him, to get so many unimaginable things done to him by the arsonist. Dabi had the same feelings.

Dabi looked him up and down, and raised an eyebrow at his boss. Tomura nodded his head, a silent command in his crimson eyes. It was hard to tell who lurched forward first, but before they knew it, their lips clashed. Tomura let out a shaky breath he didn't know he was holding.

He felt ecstatic. The person he had been obsessed with the past who knows how long, the person who haunted his dreams, was currently all over him.

Their kiss deepened, their breaths got heavier, they got needier. They both wanted more.

Breaking the kiss with a small gasp, Shigaraki grasped Dabi's shoulders, looked him in the eye and commanded "Bedroom. Now."

Dabi breathed out a "fuck yes ", then they practically ran towards Shigaraki's bedroom.

Dabi paused, and realised that there was a good chance Shigaraki might decay him. "Hey, wait do you have some sort of gloves to stop your quirk?"

They finally reached their destination, shoved open the door and stumbled inside, locking the door behind them.

"Yeah- yeah I do, give me a second" Tomura quickly made his way to his bed, Dabi following him and removing his coat. Tomura went through the bedside table and fished out and put on a special pair of gloves that covered only his pinky and ring fingers.

With that taken care of, Tomura shoved Dabi onto his bed, pushing him up against the headboard, into a sitting position, and Dabi just let him. Tomura then gathered his courage, sat on Dabi's lap and straddled him. They resumed their kissing, but this time with Tomura grinding his hips against Dabi's lap in a slow rhythm, soft moans and groans escaping both of their mouths.

To Tomura, every little touch sent small spikes of electricity through his body, his blood rushing.

Their kiss deepened as Dabi and Tomura began exploring each other's bodies more freely. Dabi's hands slid under Tomura's shirt and moved up and down his back, firm and holding him close. Tomura threaded his hands through Dabi's hair, reassured by the gloves and desperate for something to hold on to.

Because of the way they were sitting, they could feel the other's erections growing by the second. Dabi decide to try something a little more mischievous as his hands made their way to Shigaraki's thighs, stroking them. He bit down on Shigaraki's bottom lip at the same time as he jerked his hips up into Shigaraki's, relishing the lewd moan that escaped his boss's mouth.

Shigaraki broke the kiss to catch his breath, "fuck, Dabi, I want more."

"Glad we're on the same page, Tomura." Shigaraki shivered at hearing his name in that tone and voice. Dabi continued, with a tinge of desperation in his voice "so how d'you wanna do this? Fast or slow? Soft or rough? I'll do whatever you want baby, I'm all yours."

Shigaraki's face reddened at that. "I'm... not sure. Look, this is my first time okay? I don't know anything, really" he confessed, feeling rather embarrassed.

Dabi felt weirdly happy to be Shigaraki's first time. He lifted him off of his lap and shifted so that he was on top of Shigaraki, lying down. Dabi loved the way Shigaraki was blushing right then; he leaned down slightly to whisper "i could teach you a few things" and kissed the area right behind Shigaraki's ear (where the jaw starts), making him shiver again.

"Hmm, I like that. A lot." Said Shigaraki, "ya know what? I'm leaving this up to you. You can do whatever you want to me, I'm all yours." He was giving up control. He was gonna let Dabi take the reigns instead, let loose and relax. Huh, this was a good idea.

Dabi looked deep in thought for a few seconds, deciding what things to do to Shigaraki, where to start. Shigaraki started to grow impatient, imprisoned underneath Dabi. After some good consideration, Dabi finally decided on a few things.

"Hey, I want to see you. Can you strip for me?" Shigaraki did not hesitate a second to rip off his clothes, almost decaying them in the process. His skin was pale, tinted pink with his blush and marked with old scars and some beauty spots here and there. Dabi looked downward immediately and was impressed at the sight, and slightly surprised since he didn't expect Shigaraki to be that big. "Dang, gamer boy, you're impressive" Dabi purred at said gamer boy, who's face and chest were a lovely shade of reddish-pink.

Dabi then slowly scanned the rest Shigaraki's body with his eyes, clearly enjoying the view. The blue-haired man in question got even more impatient "just fuck me already, I want you, now."

Dabi chuckled lightly at the desire and desperation in his boss's voice. "Quite eager, aren't we?" He teased lightly, warming up his hands with his quirk and massaged Shigaraki's thighs. Shigaraki shivered at the touch and tried to move a bit so that Dabi's hands would be on his cock instead, but it was to no avail since Dabi held him firmly in place. So instead, Shigaraki tried to touch himself, but Dabi grabbed both his wrists and pinned them above Shigaraki's head. Shigaraki whined at the lack of friction, which provided Dabi further motivation to tease him. Dabi leant down and began kissing Shigaraki's thighs, then stomach, then chest and neck. He tried to kiss everywhere he could, everywhere except Shigaraki's dick.

"Oh for fucks sake, just do it already please Dabi please just fuck me already!"

Dabi let out a satisfied hum at that. Shigaraki's begging made him harder, and as much as Dabi wanted to suck the soul out of his boss, he still wanted to drag this thing they had going on a bit longer. The chances of something like this happening again were low, so Dabi had to make the most of it.

"Look at you, such a needy little slut" Dabi growled in a taunting tone "so hard, so desperate, and just for me?" Shigaraki grumbled and turned his head away, blushing harder, his hips jerking involuntarily. So apperantly Boss was into degradation, noted.

"Alright then Tomura, you're gonna be a good boy for me?" Shigaraki grumbled something again, and blushed harder. Dabi let his hands stray near Shigaraki's thighs and cock, barely touching. Leaning down close to Shigaraki's ear, "Now now~ I won't give you any pleasure if you're gonna be a brat. I could just leave you here, all alone." Dabi purred seductively, and bit Tomura's collarbone who whimpered in response, gripping his bedsheets tightly. "I'll ask again; are you gonna be a good boy for me? You're gonna listen to me and make pretty little noises? Do exactly as I say, understand?"

"Hnnng yeah I will- just fuck me please I'll be a good boy! I'll do everything you say! Please, just do something! "

Dabi's stomach did some funky backflips at hearing the pure lust and desire and desperation in Shigaraki's voice. "Fuck- say that again"

Shigaraki lurched forward, muttering a few colourful curses under his breath. He caught Dabi and wrapped his arms tightly around Dabi's shoulders, smashing their lips together in a brief yet heated kiss. He stopped kissing for a second to say, "Fucking- I'll be your good boy okay! I'll moan and scream for you I'll do whatever the fuck you want me to do, just- just- ugh! " and promptly brought their lips together again.

"Oh fuck yes, Tomura, I'll fuck you good and hard all night long, baby." To prove his words, Dabi gently, finally, stroked Tomura's cock, and the rewarding lewd moan Tomura let out was music to Dabi's ears.

They readjusted their position slightly, so now Shigaraki was sitting at the edge of his bed with Dabi kneeling on the floor in front of him. Finally, after what had felt like hours of torture and teasing, Dabi spread Tomura's legs wide, and leant down and put his mouth around the head of Tomura's cock. Tomura gasped at the touch, his hips jerking up in surprise. Slowly, Dabi began to sink lower, taking in as much of Tomura's huge member as he could fit in his mouth, going slowly at first, then suddenly quickening his pace.

Tomura shouted in surprise as Dabi swallowed him down, the tip of his cock bumping against the back of Dabi’s throat. Without thinking, Tomura tangled one of his hands into Dabi’s black hair, his grip tight and punishing. Dabi rumbled in pleasure, sending a vibration down Tomura’s length that had his toes curling, "Fuck- fuck, okay yeah cool"

Dabi looked up at him, a smug look in his eyes.

Slowly, Dabi brought his head back up then slammed down again, resulting in a gasp from Tomura. Dabi began to bob his head up and down in a slow and sensual rhythm, holding eye contact the entire time. He was enjoying himself.

Dabi was being torturously slow and that annoyed the hell out of Shigaraki. But their eye contact was held as a challenge, to see who would break it first. That was a thing Tomura was struggling with. Dabi seemed to have complete control over him, despite being the one looked down upon. To Tomura, just the sight of Dabi seated between his legs, mouth filled with his cock and that look in his eyes; that was more than enough to fluster Tomura, despite the lack of friction. He was the first to look away, bite his lips to poorly hide a whimper.

Immediately after the eye contact broke, Dabi rose his head up, moving to suck and bite Tomura's inner thighs instead.

All the foreplay had already put Shigaraki on the brink of collapse. He was turning into a whimpering and moaning mess, gripping onto the sheets with one hand and Dabi's hair with another.

"ughh please Dabi- more-"

Dabi, on the other hand, was having a power trip. Shigaraki Tomura, enemy of the nation, most dangerous man alive, falling apart with barely any effort. Shigaraki kept whining and gasping and desperately tugging Dabi's hair. The boss was the one completely naked and covered in possessive marks, while Dabi simply languidly moved his tongue across that monstrosity of a cock. It fueled Dabi's obsession and also made him realise how tight his pants were getting. He was getting impatient.

"do you have any lube? and condoms?"

"uh- no?" right. of course he didn't.

"right. of course you don't. fucking virgin."

that earned Dabi a sharp pull of his hair, to which he fake moaned dramatically. "all right, let me get some from my room" he said, getting up.

"w-wait- " Tomura seemed to panic, grabbing Dabi's wrist "don't go…" he pouted.

Dabi's heart fluttered. he leaned down to peck his lips, "dont worry boss, I'll be back soon" and sprinted to complete his mission

upon returning from his room, which took less than 2 minutes mind you, Dabi came upon quite the sight: Shigaraki Tomura, wearing nothing but Dabi's coat, jerking himself off. Dabi stood transfixed for a moment, eyes unable to turn away from that veiny, weeping cock, from Shigaraki's bony hands moving at inhuman speeds, muttering Dabi's name into his coat, breathing in his scent.

Dabi might as well go insane.

Tomura's eyes fell on him at last, making eye contact. He seemed to be getting off on being watched, came with a shudder and Dabi's name on his lips.

Dabi… might as well go insane.

"Uh. boss."

"yes, my soldier?" a cat like smile, eyes still dazed

"...I thought I told you to wait for me." he crosses his arms

Tomura gets on his stomach and elbows, hair falling over most of his face, coat slipping off one shoulder. "what're you gonna do about it?" he murmured, " punish me?"

and with that, all of Dabi’s self control went down the drain.

He charged onto the bed, flipped Tomura over, pinning him to the bed. They kissed passionately, completely engrossed in the other's essence, blind to the world. Yes, Dabi did shove his tongue down Tomura’s throat and yes, Tomura did respond with a strangled moan.

Breaking away from the kiss, Tomura looked even more fuckable. Hair messy, covered in bites and hickeys, mouth slack and red, eyes lidded, panting, his own cum on his stomach and his dick already hard. What a painting. Dabi could not wait a moment longer to wreck him more.

Dabi got rid of his clothes as well, put on a condom and started to work open Tomura's hole.

Tomura lied down on his back, spreading his legs open,allowing dabi access.

dabis fingers were warm and gentle as they began teasing the rim, slick with lube. he made sure to prep tomura properly, he definitely wouldn't want to hurt him. not only because he cared for him, but also because Tomura would literally rip Dabi's dick off if something went wrong.

the fingers penetrating tomura felt cold and uncomfortable at first, but soon enough he was enjoying himself. dabi was warming up his hands with his quirk and was curling his fingers just right.

Dabi gazed at Shigaraki as he continued his ministrations, and a fleeting thought came- he wanted to ride his boss' dick some day. it would be a waste not to.

and soon enough, with all the preparations done, they were ready. Tomura's hole clenched in anticipation. He felt like he'd been waiting for this for an eternity.

"relax" dabi said.

Nodding, tomura responded "I'm ready"

dabi coated his penis with some leftover lube, and pressed the head up against the rim. slowly, he pushed inside. he didn't go all the way just yet, and waited for Shigaraki to give him the green to continue.

tomura bit his lip and scrunched his eyes in concentration, getting used to the feeling of fullness. he nodded at dabi.

fuck that went deep. very deep. Dabi slid out slowly, then slammed back in, shaking Tomura's whole world.

dabi pulled out, and pushed his dick in all the way until he bottomed out.

Tomura had half a mind to tell Dabi to slow down, but to be honest he liked it. he liked the way dabi dragged his length in Tomura's hole, he liked the way the man above moved harshly and desperately.

dabi was trying hard to keep his cool, but tomura was just so warm and tight, he made all the right noises and his back arched and his ass was so plump. dabi had one hand gripping tomuras waist and the other hand in that soft blue hair

tomura was lost in his own pleasure, chasing that dopamine high. his moans were loud and he was chanting Dabi's name as his hard dick stretched his walls.

they kept going at it, dabi pounding him progressively harder, hitting all the good spots. tomura was practically getting hammered into the bed, which creaked with every thrust. tomuras eyes rolled back, a string of moans and incoherent begging escaped his mouth. their minds were filled with buzzing and a warm feeling was gathering rapidly in their lower abdomens.

at one point, they switched positions to doggy style. this allowed dabi a better view of that ass, and he found the perfect angle to ram into Tomura's sensitive spot.

the sound of skin slapping against skin filled the room, along with lewd sounds. their bodies were sweat-slicked and hot. this was everything tomura had dreamt of, and dabi had craved. who'd have thought they'd be doing this.

soon enough, Tomura's asshole was clenching as he came a second time, Dabi's name on his tongue, eyes rolling and back arching.

dabi himself was unable to hold on any longer and burrowed deep inside Tomura's tight warmth, also coming.

.

later, after having cleaned up, the two were cuddling on the bed, spooning. yes, dabi was big spoon. Dabi's one hand was caressing Tomura's hair, and the other mischievously snaked down Tomura's abdomen and grasped the base of his cock.

Shigaraki grunted, asking sleepily "what are you doing now…"

dabi pressed closer from behind to the other's ear, talking sensually "tomura, I am going to ride your dick one day." he began pumping, feeling Tomura get a bit harder "i want this inside me so bad… you're great when you're submissive and breedable but fuck man… it would be a waste if I didn't… i wanna be filled up by you too…"

then, tomura turned around suddenly to face dabi. he stared intensly for a moment, and pulled another bullshit move that would make dabi go insane. Tomura climbed on top of dabi, stared right into Dabi's eyes, hot blue and cold red, and breathed out "What are you waiting for?"

dabi smirked to himself. this night was far from over.

[obsessedwithceleste]

Mother Brother Knows Best

Theodore Nott x reader

Based on this request 🫶🏽

Summary: In which Theodore is no match for the sheer determination of a twelve year old fueled by sugar, pumpkin juice, and spite.

word count: 4.1k

©️ obsessedwithceleste. all works posted here belong to me and should not be reposted or copied in any way or form.

“Take a picture mate, it’ll last longer,” Mattheo says, collapsing onto the sofa next to his brooding friend.

Theo looks at the boy next to him in annoyance. Mattheo had been meant to meet him in the library thirty minutes ago, and while he was waiting on his habitually late friend, he’d been forced to watch the love of his life practically sit on bloody Cormac McLaggen’s lap. What you saw in that boy, Theo had no idea.

Theo had fancied you for what felt like forever to him at that point, and it’s not like he was exactly subtle about it. At least he didn’t think he was being subtle, but ask any of his friends and they’d say that holding eye contact from across the room for over 3 seconds did not count as a declaration of love. But what did they know. Not that it mattered anyway because somehow, he’d managed to lose you to the toadstool that the Gryffindor house claimed to be a fully functioning wizard.

“I wasn’t staring,” he mutters defensively, breaking his steady glare away unconvincingly.

“Sure you weren’t. How is little y/n anyway? Haven’t seen much of her since she and ole McLaggen started snogging and such,” Mattheo responds easily, an amused grin spreading across his face as he watched his friend tense.

“Fuck off. Don’t remind me.”

With a silent snicker, Mattheo leaned back in his chair. Ever since you had started going out with Cormac, it had been increasingly easy for Mattheo to ruffle Theo’s feathers. The boy really had been taken with you for months now, and Mattheo simply saw this as payback for all the hours he’d been forced to listen to Theo’s rather pathetic pining. She doesn’t even know I exist this, and we made eye contact for a whole 7 seconds that. You’d managed to bring the ever stoic Theodore Nott to his bloody knees, and you didn’t even know it.

“So, about that charms homework…” Mattheo says eventually, breaking Theo’s blazing gaze away from you and Cormac once more.

“No time. Carter should be here any minute since you, are thirty minutes late.”

Mattheo raises an eyebrow.

“You’re still gonna tutor that little gremlin? Thought you were just trying to get on y/n’s good side. No point now eh?”

For the past few month or so, Theo had been tutoring your younger brother in charms and transfiguration and, while Mattheo was right about his initial intentions, the little bugger had slowly grown on him. Like a fungus.

Theo shrugs noncommittally as he spots the young Slytherin from across the library.

“Not just gonna let Carter fail. He’s a good kid.” He mumbles.

“Aw Teddy, you’ve gone soft,” Mattheo teases as his eyes follow the young boy making his way excitedly towards them.

Making a face at his friend, Theo tosses a scroll of parchment across the table and Mattheo reaches out to snatch it.

“Get outta here ya tosser.”

With one last smirk, Mattheo rises lazily from their place on the sofas, nodding once at Carter who sidles up to him before making his escape, a completed charms essay successfully secured.

“Hi Theodore!” Carter greets, swinging his bag onto the sofa next to Theo before climbing up himself.

“Hey buddy, what’re we working on today?” Theo asks, a fond smile growing on his face as the young boy makes himself comfortable.

Usually Theo wasn’t one for children of any sort. He found them to be, sticky. But Carter almost reminded him of a younger version of himself. Feisty and energetic with a sharp tongue. The pair honestly got on like a house on fire and Theo actually looked forward to their tutoring sessions.

“Levitating charms,” Carter replies with a look of disgust. “Ew. Is that Cormac and y/n?” He asks, spotting his sister across the library.

Matching Carter’s face of disgust, Theo nods his head in confirmation, pulling out his own charms book.

“He’s the bloody worst. I wish y/n would date someone cool for once. She has a talent for always picking the worst ones. I heard Cormac say he wants to see what’s under y/n’s skirt once, so I told him that the only way he was going to get laid was by crawling up a chicken’s arse and waiting. He didn’t like that. But his friends all thought it was funny. But then he locked me in a broom closet. But it was fine cause Enzo found me a few minutes later and beat Cormac’s arse for me,” Carter rambles, flipping through the pages of his textbook.

Salazar, for a second year, this kid was certainly mouthy, Theo thought.

“Think Enzo mentioned that to me actually.” He replies off-handedly.

“Yeah. He’s so cool. I think y/n used to have a crush on him a few years ago. Don’t tell her I said anything though. You’re cool too.” Carter says, looking down at his book. “Hey! Why don’t you date y/n? Then I could see you during holiday! Hopefully Cormac doesn’t stick long enough to make it to Christmas. I don’t want him to stink up the house.”

Theo feels his cheeks begin to redden at the boy’s statement and he begins to stutter. Damn he hoped his filter wasn’t this bad when he was twelve.

“Let’s just get back to the lesson,” he mumbles, hoping to redirect the young boy.

Lucky for him, Carter obliges, allowing the older boy to guide him through the precise wand movements essential to the spell in question.

“Windgardimum leviosum”

“Wingardinum liviosa”

“Windgarnium leviosauarasurausrus.”

“Now you’re just making words up,” Theo laughs as the boy fails to pronounce the spell correctly for what feels like the hundredth time.

“Because I am!” The boy says with frustration.

“Hey, c’mon, it’s fine okay. Ready? Win.”

“Win”

“Gaurd”

“Gaurd.”

“E-um”

“E-um”

“Wingardium”

“Wingardium”

“Nice! Now the second part. Lev.”

“Lev”

“E-o-sa”

“E-o-sa”

“Leviosa”

“Leviosa.”

“Great. Now put it together.”

“Wingardium Leviosa.”

“Perfect, now add the wand movements,” Theo instructs.

Moments later, Carter has a textbook floating through the air with ease.

“So will you date my sister?” Carter asks as he slides his books back into his bag.

Theo chokes on air. It had been a bit over an hour and the two had perfected the boy’s levitating charms and worked on turning a flower into a teacup, so Theo had assumed that their previous conversation was all but forgotten to the younger boy. Apparently not.

“Sorry?” He splutters, looking over at his companion.

“My sister. Will you date her? I saw you get all red earlier so you must like her, at least a little,” the boy says nonchalantly as if pointing out the most obvious thing in the world.

Theo feels the heat rushing to his cheeks once more.

“Look little man, I appreciate the support, but it’s not really entirely up to me to decide. Your sister is taken,” Theo tries to reason.

The boy just shrugs.

“We’ll just have to break em up then. Cormac is dumb as rocks, so it’s not like it’ll be hard,” he replies.

Theo can barely hold in his laughter. Salazar this kid was great.

“You know what Carter, if you can break those two up, yeah, I’ll ask out y/n,” he says, patting the young boy on the back.

“Deal.” Carter says, sticking out his hand. “But don’t think I don’t know that I’m doing you a favor too. I’ve seen you stare at my sister. Oh. And if I need help plotting, you have to help me too.”

Damn this kid was good. A right and proper Slytherin.

“Deal.” Theo replies, shaking the boys hand.

As he’s leaving the library, he hears Carter’s voice ring out.

“Hey Cormac! The village called and said they want their idiot back, so you better get going!”

Salazar he’d really found himself the perfect ally he thought gleefully. With a final snicker, Theo pushed open the library doors and headed back down to the dungeons.

You watch with silent amusement from the entrance of the Great Hall as your younger brother once again made Cormac’s life a living disaster, sending pumpkin juice flying all over the older boy’s robes. For the past week or so, you’d noticed your brother sabotaging your boyfriend’s every move with varying levels of discretion; from tripping him in the halls, causing him to trip into you, to sticking him to his chair in the library during a study date.

At first you’d found it annoying as you’d known your brother didn’t like your boyfriend, but thought he didn’t have to make the boy miserable. But then, as you were passing by what you thought was an empty classroom, you’d heard your brother’s voice whispering to one Theodore Nott.

“Do you think it would be too far to just get him expelled? If I have to see him snog my sister one more time, I’ll release one of Hagrid’s beasts on him myself!” You’d heard Carter exclaim, followed by Theo’s low chuckle.

“Easy there little basilisk. Let’s not get the guy expelled, as aggravating as he might be.”

You’d never really spoken to Theo much in the past, and aside from brief eye contact from across the classroom, you really couldn’t remember interacting with the boy at all. But he’d begun tutoring your brother a few months ago, and Carter would not stop going on about the boy. You knew your brother was quite picky with his friends, and very difficult to impress, so to be so taken with the bloke. You knew Theodore had to be something special. You’d started noticing him more after that, dark and broody, but also sharp witted and fiercely loyal to his group of Slytherins. Not to mention ridiculously handsome.

You subconsciously take a step closer, listening to the two boys.

“I don’t understand why she likes him. He’s so dumb. And mean. He’s always picking on me and my friends when y/n isn’t around. And he thinks he’s so cool because he’s a bloody Gryffindor. I don’t know why she wouldn’t just date you in the first place. You’re the best,” you hear Carter grumble as you feel yourself blush.

You hear Theo laugh again. “Let’s finish this chapter and then you can continue plotting Cormac’s demise okay?” You hear him say.

“Fine. Do you think y/n will break up with him if he smells? I wanna hide a dung beetle in his robes.”

“That’s actually not a bad idea. Now- quill pen into a telescope, let’s go.” Theo says with a snort.

After that, you’d begun to take your brother’s words to heart, noticing Cormac’s rash reactions towards the younger students, and loud outbursts whenever something didn’t go his way. You’d always assumed Carter was just goading at your boyfriend, but maybe he had a point.

Breaking away from your usual group of friends, you divert your attention to your younger brother who was now sitting alone at the long green and silver table on the other side of the hall.

“Morning Carter,” you greet, sitting down next to him at Slytherin table, quiet chatter filling the Great Hall.

“Didn’t want to sit next to your boyfriend covered in pumpkin juice?” Your brother asks innocently, taking a sip from his own pumpkin juice filled glass.

“Mm. I saw.” You respond dryly, side eyeing your brother as you filled your plate.

“It was an accident.”

“I’m sure. So, how are your tutoring sessions going? Mum and dad gonna be on you next holiday?” You ask.

“No way. Theo has me getting top marks on all my assignments. He’s the best,” Carter brags.

“Yeah? You seem to like him. A lot more than Cormac that’s for sure.” You comment.

“Well duh. Theo’s like, one of the coolest blokes in Slytherin, and Cormac is one of the biggest tossers in the whole school. Bit of an insult to even compare Theo to that wank-cloth to be honest.”

You struggle to maintain your composure, holding in your laughter, and before you’re able to probe your brother any further, a plate is plonked down across the table.

“Carter! My favorite little second year!” Enzo says brightly, taking his seat.

“Enzo it’s too early for you to be this cheery. No one is that cheery at 7:30 am let’s reel it in,” Mattheo groans, sitting down on Carter’s other side.

“Theo!” Carter exclaims as the brown haired boy takes his spot across from you.

“What’s up little man, how’d that charms exam go?”

“I got the top score in my class,” your brother responds proudly as you gaze across the table at his tutor.

Theo really was handsome.

Quickly shaking the thoughts from your head, you force yourself to zone back into the conversation.

“I remember being in second year charms,” Mattheo was saying.

“No you don’t, you never showed up,” Enzo snorts.

“Shut up pretty boy.”

“Speaking of second year. Where are your friends in second year?” You interrupt, suddenly realizing that your brother was in fact surrounded by a whole gang of sixth years.

“They’re all scared of them,” Carter shrugs nonchalantly, gesturing towards the boys around you.

Mattheo’s jaw drops open in mock offense.

“I can assure you y/n, we are prime role models for young Slytherins.” He says.

“Didn’t you and Draco just get a detention for sending a hoard of rabid pygmie puffs after a group of firsties?” Carter asks, taking a large bite of his eggs.

“Minor details.”

“Right. Note to self, Theodore is the only one of you to be left alone with Carter. Got it.” You joke, almost missing the tinge of red in Theo’s cheeks as he ducks his head, suddenly very interested in his breakfast.

“That’s fine with me. Theo skips class all the time too, so I won’t be missing much,” Carter says matter of factly as he proceeds to drown his pancakes and eggs in syrup.

Now it’s Theo’s turn to drop his jaw at the young boy.

“Little snitch, you said you wouldn’t bring that up,” he says, throwing a bit of his toast at your younger brother.

Carter just laughs, tossing sticky egg right back.

“That’s on you for trusting a twelve year old, I can’t be held responsible for my actions, I’m just a kid,” he replies, sticking his tongue out at his tutor.

You watch the scene before you play out, a smile growing on your face.

“Oh he’s going to make Slytherin house proud,” Mattheo says with a grin as Theo proceeds to throw a bit of muffin back your brother’s way.

“Woah woah woah there Theodore, leave y/n’s brother alone,” a voice says from behind you.

You turn to see Cormac approaching the table, dried pumpkin juice still staining the front of his shirt.

“Piss off Cormac,” Mattheo tells him, a scowl quickly taking over his face.

“Don’t think I will. Can’t stand by and watch my girlfriend’s brother get bullied,” he says, placing a protective hand on your shoulder. His gesture might’ve been nice a week ago, but at the moment you wanted to hurl.

“Right. Like you weren’t the one who locked Carter in a broom closet the other day you bloody bastard. How’d you like a replay of our little encounter?” Enzo sneers, going to rise from his seat only to be sat back down by Theo.

“I’m sorry, you did what?” You ask, fury rising in you as you whip around to face your boyfriend-for-not-much-longer.

“Relax, it was just some man to man bonding,” Cormac says, giving Carter a pat on the head. Carter smacks his hand away.

“Salazar Cormac, are you always this stupid, or do you just show off when we’re around? Get lost,” Theo says, the annoyance clear in his voice.

“Yeah! If I wanted to hear from an asshole, I’d just fart!” Carter adds, glaring up at the boy with crossed arms.

With a scowl, Cormac sneers at the group of Slytherin boys glaring right back at him before giving your shoulder a tug.

“C’mon then y/n. You shouldn’t be hanging out with this filth anyway,” he practically growls.

You frown at the Gryffindor. What on Earth had made you like this boy? The mix of sheer embarrassment, disgust, and rage sends a shiver down your spine.

“Fuck of Cormac. We are so, so done. And my brother isn’t filth.” You snap, abruptly turning your back on him.

You’re met with a satisfied smirk on Theo’s face as the other boys jeer at Cormac as he stomps away.

“Bloody hell, who let me stay with that tosser for so long?” You mutter, stabbing at one of your sausages.

“Not to say I told you so, but I totally told you so,” Carter says through a mouthful of egg.

“Point very well taken.”

The five of you eat in silence for a moment, but when you look up, you see Carter mouthing something furiously at Theo who looks mortified.

“What’re you two on about?” You ask, breaking the silence as you glance back and forth between the two boys.

“Yeah Theo, what are we on about?” Carter says pointedly at the older boy.

Mattheo and Enzo, now also fully invested, look between Carter and Theodore as well, a sinister grin spreading across Mattheo’s face as realization grows.

“Oh I think I have a good idea of what they’re on about,” he says, taking on a playful tone.

“Don’t you start.” Theo grumbles.

You look blankly between the boys as they seem to be having a silent conversation amongst themselves.

“Well this has been lovely really. So glad you all got a front row seat to the drama that is my life, but I think it’s time I head out,” you say finally when none of the boys speak up.

As if coming to a stalemate, four heads turn to you, and you leave to a chorus of “Bye, y/n’s and see you laters.”

You found yourself once again seated in the library, scribbling away on your DADA assignment. It had been a bit over a week since you’d dropped Cormac and you’d forgotten how bloody nice it was to not be constantly dragged down by him when studying. As you continue to scratch away at your parchment, a loud thud shakes you out of your focus.

“What’s up sissy?” Carter says, his bag joining his large stack of books on the table as he makes himself comfortable in the chair next to you. “Matt over here!” He whisper tells, gesturing frantically to the curly haired boy who was quickly making his way over to you.

“Ah y/n! Perfect timing! Been such a pleasure chatting with you for the last several hours eh?” He says, sliding into the seat across from you.

You furrow your eyebrows in confusion.

“Huh?”

Just then, a miffed looking Theo bursts through the library door, eyes quickly zoning in on Mattheo and your brother.

“What did you two do?” You hiss as the boy begins stalking over.

“Nothing!” Carter says quickly.

You glare at the two boys.

“We might have allegedly started a small fire in the dorms,” Mattheo grumbles, trying to look invested in one of the random textbooks that had been strewn across the table.

“You did what?” You whisper yell across the table.

“Allegedly!” He emphasizes, still not looking up.

“I know it was you two. And also probably Enzo.” Theo states unamusedly, walking up to the table, arms crossed.

“Us? We would never! We’ve been here studying with y/n this whole time!” Mattheo says, looking very offended for someone who was in fact guilty of what Theo was accusing.

“Yeah?” Theo asks. “You’ve been here reading Advanced Love Spells in the third edition?” Theo says, raising an eyebrow as he gestures to the book Mattheo was holding.

“Uh, yeah,” Mattheo responds.

“Really? Because it’s upside down,” Theo replies, snatching the book and turning it right side up before giving it back to Mattheo.

“I enjoy a challenge.” Mattheo retorts, doubling down as he snaps the volume shut.

Theo just dead stares his friend for a moment before sighing and slumping into the last remaining seat.

“I’m not covering for you if Snape asks me who did it.” He says eventually.

“But you won’t snitch?”

Theo glares at his friend.

“Don’t insult me.” He grumbles. Then turning towards Carter. “I’m advising to Snape that I begin tutoring you in potions too before you burn the entire castle down,” he tells him.

Carter just grins bashfully.

“Great! Now that that’s all settled, I’ll be off. Y/n, pleasure as always. Boys.” And with one last nod, and a sarcastic salute, Mattheo is off.

“One day, I’m going to murder him, and drop his body in the Black Lake,” Theo says under his breath.

“Alright. Which one of you is going to explain?” You ask, looking sternly between the two boys you were left with.

Before Theo has the chance to get a word in, Carter shoots up.

“I just remembered that I need to get a book for our tutoring session tonight! Be right back!” He exclaims, running off.

“Well I suppose that answers that,” Theo mutters.

“Are my parents going to get an owl? And if so, how bad will the howler be on a scale of 1-10?”

“I don’t think they’ll be owled. If anything, Matt will take the fall for the three of them,” Theo assures you.

“So what exactly happened?”

“Not entirely sure, but from what I gathered, Matt and Enzo decided that they would be able to help your brother with his potions homework, proceeded to forget about the cauldron sitting on an open flame, and then had the audacity to be surprised when a stack of parchment caught fire because Matt’s side of the dorm is a mess.”

You purse your lips.

“Yeah, that sounds about right. I’m so sorry. You share a room with them don’t you?”

Theo nods his head.

“How’d you know that?”

“Carter hasn’t shut up about you since you started tutoring him.” You reply with an awkward laugh. “Thanks for doing it by the way. And for letting him hang around you lot. He seems so much happier lately.”

A small smile appears on Theo’s face.

“We like having him around. Kid’s a spitfire. And an excellent alibi. Not that we’d ever get him into trouble,” he says quickly.

You let out a light laugh.

“I’m very sure that Carter would find trouble with or without you lot. He tends to go looking for it.”

The two of you fall into a comfortable silence as you wait for Carter to return, and you try to turn your focus back to your assignment. It’s significantly harder to concentrate you find however, with the handsome Slytherin sitting across from you fingering idly through one of the textbooks he’d picked up.

“Someone’s deep in thought.”

Theo’s voice jolts you into the present, and you blush knowing he’d definitely caught you staring.

“Just annoyed with this bloody DADA assignment,” you mumble, hoping he hadn’t realized just how long you’d been staring.

“Did it earlier. It’s a bit of a snooze.”

You nod your head in agreement.

“Would you want to work on it together sometime?” He asks suddenly, words practically tumbling from his mouth.

You look up at the boy in surprise.

“Um, I’m not sure a really need a tutor…” you say trailing off.

Theo gives you a lopsided grin, shaking his head a bit.

“I meant as a study date.”

You feel yourself blush for what feels like the thousandth time.

“Oh. Then yes. I’d like that.” You say, holding back the huge grin that was threatening to take over your face.

“I’m back!” Carter sings, skipping his way back to the table and effectively ending the moment. “Was that enough time for you to ask her out? I can only stare at those dusty shelves for so long before I start going crazy.”

Your jaw drops as you turn to your brother.

“Did you really just set me up?”

“Duh. Christmas is only a few weeks away, and you clearly don’t have good judgment. I can’t risk having to see some stinky loser over break! And Mattheo said Theo’s had a crush on you since forever, so it was really a win for everybody.”

Now it was Theo’s turn to look embarrassed and offended.

“You didn’t need to tell her the last bit,” he hissed at your brother.

Carter just shrugs in response.

“This is what you two get for putting a twelve year old in charge of your love lives.”

“Carter, I don’t think either of us put you in charge of our love life,” you tell your all too satisfied younger brother.

“Well you should’ve. I got better results in a couple weeks than you two did in sixteen years.”

And that’s a wrap! I know I strayed from the rec a tad bit, but hopefully I did your request justice🫶🏽 Anyway, live laugh love Carter🙌🏽

[violentdelightsandviolentends]

hi! i’d love to request a blurb with lip gallagher x northside!reader with prompt 26."You don't want them to hear, do you?" and m. Keeping the relationship a secret

thank you <33

Forbidden Fruit.

college!lip gallagher x northside!female reader

warnings - smut. cursing.

written for my 5k celebration - post here, masterlist here, inbox here.

You were doing so well.

You got up bright and early, put on the outfit you’d picked out last night, did your hair and makeup all pretty. Ate breakfast, drank a coffee, packed your stuff and set off on your walk.

You were finally going to turn up to your 9am class on time.

And then you bumped into Lip Gallagher.

“Hey, Northside. Where you goin’?”

“To class, Lip. Which is where you should be going. We have a test next week.”

“Eh, I’ll be fine.”

You roll your eyes, scoffing.

“Sure, smartass. I’m gonna be late. See you around.”

“Tonight?”

You take a deep breath.

“No. I told you last week was the last time, Gallagher. I’m not doing it anymore.”

Lip gives you the look. It makes your skin prickle, the hairs on the back of your neck standing up. Your breathing picks up, chest heaving as you refuse to break eye contact. You won’t let him win.

At least, that’s what you told yourself.

Now, he’s got you pressed up against the door of a tiny storage room on campus, one hand covering your mouth and the other one with two fingers curled inside you.

“Shh, baby. You don’t want them to hear, do you? Their Northside angel, getting fingered in a janitors closet…” he clicks his tongue. “What would they say, hmm?

All you can do is whine and keen, squirming against him. His body is pressing yours into the cold wood, face smushed against the door. His fingers keep up their rhythm, thumb pressing against your clit in firm circles. You can hear how wet you are, and it would be embarrassing if you weren’t so turned on.

“Please, Lip.”

“Fuck, you sound so pretty when you beg for it. Whore.”

He says it so affectionately, pressing a kiss into your temple.

“You’re almost there, huh?”

You nod frantically, grinding your hips down into his fingers. The hand that was covering your mouth moves to rest on your throat, squeezing gently.

“Come on, baby. Let it go for me.”

“Atta girl, that’s it.”

“Fuck, you’re so hot. Make a mess for me, you got it.”

“There we go. Good girl. You look so pretty when you come, angel.”

You come so hard you see stars, squeezing his fingers like a vice. He talks you through it, low, murmured words spoken right into your ear.

You relax, going loose against the door. Lip holds you up, both arms around your waist. Turning in his hold, you lean up to kiss him, groaning when he slips his tongue into your mouth.

“Take me home, Lip. Want you to fuck me.”

He chuckles, pressing his lips into your neck.

“What about class? Thought we had a test next week.”

“We’ll be fine,” you wink, linking your fingers with his and dragging him down the hallway.

[writer-jamie]

| Aphrodite's Spell | Chapter Two |

Summary: Aegon was the definition of fuckboy. He didn't care about people's feelings, fucked with no strings attached and used whoever he wanted. He never got attached. Never made friends. That was until he met you online. You didn't know him, nor his family. You were an innocent his family and their legacy tainted. Someone new. Something new.

Warnings: Talks of alcohol and drugs, some slight smut, angst.

Author's note: Thank you for all the love on the first chapter of this series! I'm feeling extremely motivated to write so I will try and get as many chapters written while i'm in this motivated mood. Can't promise this will last though, but will try my best to keep to regular updates.

Taglist: @neithriddle @sab-falco @prp-butterf1y @deltamoon666 @sewmxx

Link for taglist.

Divider: @fairytopea

You squinted at the bright screen as you sipped on your wine.

EggTarg liked your post.

Who the fuck is called Egg?

You knew all your other likes, mainly your friends or the guys online who followed you to wank over your photos, but this Egg guy is new. You clicked on his profile and there wasn't much to see. His profile picture was the side of her face but you couldn't see much of his features. The thing that stood out was his striking hair.

Blonde. That explains a lot.

Your friends would describe you as a creature of habit. Always went for the blonde boys, smokers, "rat looking" as Lisa would say. You knew what you liked and there was no shame in that. So when you looked at Egg's profile picture and saw the blonde hair, you could have sworn you felt your heartbeat in your clit.

You finished the rest of your wine in one big gulp and placed your glass on your oak bedside table. Leaning back into your headboard, you pulled your laptop closer to your chest and began typing.

Direct Message - User EggTarg

Me: You have peaked my interest Egg 🥚

EggTarg: As you have mine...pretty name, pretty face, what’s not to like.

Me: Romanic as well as one of my favourite foods, I think you are a winner.

EggTarg: Winner?

Me: You’ll see...

You couldn’t help laughing from behind your screen, feeling a rush of heat over your body. He sent you a photo. Oh. No guy ever sends you photos, just wants sex or a hookup.

EggTarg: Image attached.

EggTarg: You like what you see?

Me: Well I’m not blind so yeah 🤤

EggTarg: ***-***-**** call me

That was easy. A phone number and a shirtless pic in less than ten minutes. He must be either desperate or horny. You debated picking up the phone and calling him. What if he was a serial killer or a weirdo wanting to eat your body.

Eh anything would be better than going to work in the morning.

***-***-**** added to contacts as Egg.

Calling Egg…

Buzz buzz…buzz buzz…buzz…”Hello?” A man’s voice answered the phone. He sounds Egg like. “Egg? It’s Y/N?” You could almost hear his posture shift as he realised who was on the other end of the phone. “Y/N. You called. Thought you weren’t gonna.” He sounded well educated but there was something about him that seemed off. He definitely sounded hungover. “So how can I help you EggMan?” You smirked down the phone, hearing him chuckle on the other end at the new nickname.

“You fancy hanging out? I don’t do public really well but we can go out for some food or drinks?” He heard you take a deep breath in, realising quickly how strange it sounded that he ‘doesn’t do public’. “I mean I do do public just not great. My family is kinda well known and I never get any peace and quiet when I’m out and-“ The panic in his voice obvious. Great you fucked this up Aegon.

“Egg. Egg it’s ok, I don’t ‘do’ public either. My family has a lot of drama surrounding it and I usually like to go out of town for dates or stay home. Or rent a hotel.” He suddenly felt at ease with your response. “I have a hotel room booked for this evening. Rook’s Nest Hotel. Ever heard of it?” You asked, pulling up your reservation and adding an addition person to the booking. “Meet me in the lobby at 7pm?” You suggested, pausing before clicking the save button on the reservation email.

“See you there. Wear something red.” He said with a smile and hung up the phone. Cheeky cunt. You sent him quick text with a lips emoji before laying back in your bed. “What the fuck have you gotten yourself into?” You asked yourself, running your fingers through your hair.

You adjusted your dress as you sat on the soft leather seat, nursing your red wine as you awaited Egg to show up. You looked down at your phone. 7:08pm. He's only eight minutes late, traffic is probably bad. No traffic isn't bad. He's just late. What if he doesn't show up? What an embarrassment. You debated getting up to leave, looking around seeing many couples drinking in the lobby. You knew almost everyone here by name, the staff and the regulars.

Pepper was one of your favourite bell boys. He always is the first at the door to welcome you. He has worked at the hotel since he was sixteen and he was now thirty two. You used to see him every summer when your parents would take you to the hotel for your first of many family getaways. Your father always tips well, but for Pepper he was the most generous. He saw him like a son figure, after all he only had you and God knows he wishes he had a son. Instead he was stuck with you. Even now, Pepper is the first to take your bags to your room. He never expected a tip like a lot of the other workers. He knows you give tips at the end of the stay. But normally it would be enough of a tip to feed his family for at least four months (until you showed your face again).

Denise was your favourite cleaner. She knew when you were staying and would leave strawberry chocolates on your pillow. She's also been working there since you were young. She must be pushing sixty now and definitely didn't need to work but she worked her whole life and would probably be really bored at home. She was the sweetest lady you had ever met, she felt like a grandma to you. Denise never felt a need to change her posture or attitude when she saw you or your father. She was 100% Denise and you admired her for that. Most people would stand up straighter when your father entered the room, but Denise would continue dusting or hoovering, telling your father to lift his feet or move his ass if he was in the way.

You were snapped out your daydream by Mr Mortez, the hotel manager, who placed his hand on your shoulder gently. "Miss Y/L/N. Can I get Pepper to escort you to your room? I hate to see you sat alone." You smiled sweetly at the gesture. "No thank you. I will be ok." He nodded and turned around, walking back to the reception desk, joining many staff looking at you with worried expressions.

7:28pm.

You pulled out your phone and opened up your messages with Egg.

Me: You are a cunt

The message sent quickly before shoving the phone into your bag, grabbing your wine glass and cardigan before standing up. You walked past many couples who were enjoying each others company. Not looking where you were going you bumped into a figure who was hastily walking through the lobby doors. "Oh God I am so sorry..." You mumbled, grabbing your bag and cardigan off the floor. You rised to your feet and looking the stranger with a soft smile.

"Sorry I'm late." He said with a smile, taking your hand into his and placing a soft kiss to your hand. "Egg?" You looked the man in front of you up and down, making sure this was the same man you arranged to meet mere hours ago. "Aegon. But Egg works too." You relaxed your shoulders and put your hand on his chest, seeing his shirt was now stained red with your wine. "Oh Aegon I'm so sorry! Let me take you to the laundry room and we can wash your shirt." Grabbing his hand and walking him towards the laundry room.

Pepper looked at you with a soft smile, almost checking you were ok. You gave him a reassuring smile in return.

You placed your key card to the doors lock and it opened with a click. Aegon followed you inside, impressed with this hotels facilities. You put your bag and cardigan down on the floor and opened the washer, grabbing the items from the shelves and preparing the stain remover and liquid. "Take off your shirt." You demanded plainly, hopeful this could be sorted soon so you could enjoy your evening.

"At least buy me a drink first." Aegon replied, a smirk spreading across his lips. You shook your head and walked towards him, placing your hands on his chest and began unbuttoning his shirt buttons. His sparce chest hair came into view as you unbuttoned his cream coloured shirt. "Don't push it." You replied. Aegon rested his hands on your hips as you continued to remove his shirt. The shirt came off quickly and just like that the moment was over. You threw the clothing into the machine and set it off.

"Let's hope that comes out. I don't fancy buying you a new shirt." You said with a smirk, walking back over to him and sitting down on the other washing machine.

"Red." Aegon said with a dark expression behind his eyes.

"Yeah. Do you like it?"

"How could I not?" Aegon replied, his hands wandering towards your hips again. You rested your hands on his soft chest. He had small blemishes on his chest as well as a couple birth marks and moles. He looked perfect. Something must be off.

"So what's wrong with you?"

Aegon's face dropped. "What?"

"Well you are literally so perfect, there must be something wrong." Aeon chuckled under his breath, an almost confident chuckle. "Family trauma, dead parent or sibling, abuse in childhood?" He couldn't help laughing at the suggestions.

"All the above." Aegon raised his eyebrows at you. "Does that scare you?"

"Nah, I'm a big girl. I can handle my bad boys."

The bumping of the washing machine was the only noise heard for miles. Almost like the busy hotel outside wasn't there. It was just you and Aegon at that moment. Nobody else mattered. You watched as his chest began to rise and fall quickly as you raised your hands up his chest, past his nipples and to the sides of his neck. You found the back of his hair that rested on the nape of his neck. The blonde locks that lay there were soft. He definitely used conditioner. It felt as if the oxygen in the room had been sucked out as he looked into your eyes with his. Placing your hands on his face, he leaned into your touch. He was touch starved. He loved the feeling you of your touch. He had had sex with plenty of women, sometimes the same booty call over and over again but nobody looked at him the way you did. Nobody looked into his eyes like you did, or genuinely made him laugh the way you did.

Aegon placed his thumb on your bottom lip, pulling it down slightly exposing your lower teeth. You leaned into his touch, wanting him to make the move, but not knowing if he would at this rate.

Also as if he could read your mind, he grabbed the sides of your face and pulled you in close. Lips gently grazing yours softly. He was gentle. You didn't expect that. The softness of the kiss.

Then it got intense. Fast. It was as if you couldn't get enough of each other. Your tongue danced in his mouth, fighting his tongue for dominance. Aegon pulled you closer, almost like he was trying to climb inside your body. He needed you. Gasps and moans were heard in the room. "Aeg..Fuck!" You groaned, running your hands through his hair and pulling him closer. "Don't fucking stop…Jesus." Grabbing his wandering hand and placing it closer to your inner thigh. Aegon didn’t stop. His fingers pushing your black underwear to the side and he slides a finger between your folds. You felt your stomach flip as he played with your wet entrance. “Oh darling so wet for me already? That’s so hot.” That nickname. “Call me that again..” You looked up at Aegon with hooded eyes.

He pushed a finger into your tight hole, a groan leaving your lips. “Darling..”

[justwearthegoddamncardigan]

Hello ! Eh could you May write a minho x reader (the maze runner ofc bc I'm currently obsessed and I love your writing) we're he and reader have a cute lil picknick date in the savehaven bc happy endings are deserved

Happy endings are most definitely deserved. Also, the line between cuteness and cheesiness was definitely blurred with this one. Hope you enjoy!

First date

Minho x gender neutral!reader

Set post-tdc

Scrolling through pinterest for these photos is incredibly fun but also the most offensive slap in the face as a single person TT

Also, Newt is alive!

Warnings: language

He's been planning for weeks.

You know this because no matter how subtle he tries to be, you've seen the way he's been throwing you weird looks and acting uncharacteristically skittish and suspicious ever since you got to the Safe Haven.

He'd asked you earlier that day (Mr. oh so casual and cool), caught your hand before going off to work. "Y/n, can I take you to dinner tonight?"

As prepared and expectant as you thought you were, you'd just stuttered out a surprised yes and stood there blushing as he grinned and walked away.

But now he's standing in your open door, and you know that this is the moment he's been planning for weeks.

You drink in the sight of him, framed by the sunset behind, and you can tell that the smile on his face is nervous, despite how well he's hiding it.

"Hey," you say, running a self conscious hand through your hair. The Safe Haven is a place for refuge, and doesn't have much in terms of fancy clothes, so you're dressed in a plain long-sleeved shirt and... you're reluctant to say you're wearing sweatpants to a date, but they're pretty much sweatpants.

Minho's dressed similarly, just a grey T-shirt (likely to make you panic over his arms) and a jacket slung over his shoulder, presumably in case it gets cold later.

Still, he gazes at you like you hung the moon, and says in the most genuine, sincere tone, "You look beautiful."

Fuck. "Thanks," you manage to say. "You do too."

Minho smirks. "I know."

"God-" you huff out a breath, rolling your eyes and pushing him out the door.

He nudges you with his shoulder, grinning at you, and you let out a laugh, relaxing instantly. You can read it in his eyes; it's just me. The one person in the world you're most comfortable with.

"Darling?" he says smoothly, offering you his arm with a cocky grin on his face.

Your heartrate picks up, but you simply raise an eyebrow at him. Two can play at that game. You slide your hand into the crook of his elbow and lift onto your toes to whisper in his ear. "Let's go, baby."

You smirk at the flustered expression that crosses his face, before he recovers and starts to lead you forward. "Let's."

So, you and Minho... technically haven't had a first date yet.

You got together after escaping the Maze and WCKD, your first kiss being a searing, desperate, we-almost-got-killed-by-zombies crush of mouths. From then, you haven't had the chance to go on a proper date.

Basically, you have no idea what to expect as he leads you to Newt and Thomas' hut.

Minho shoots you quick smile as he knocks on the hut door, which immediately opens.

You're greeted by twin smirks, before Thomas disappears into the hut with Minho, who squeezes your hand and gives a quick "back in a sec".

"Any idea what he's got planned for you?" asks Newt, leaning on the door frame.

"Not a clue," you reply. "You got anything to share?"

"Can't spoil it, sorry," says Newt, shrugging.

He glances over his shoulder. "Look, I've got about five seconds now where I could give you the shovel talk, but I really don't think you, or Minho, need that, so I'm just gonna give you this: You guys are perfect together. Have fun, yeah?"

You huff out a laugh, ducking your head. "We will. Thanks, Newt."

He nods at you as the other boys come back, and your eyes drop to the picnic basket clutched in Minho's hand. "What-"

Minho chuckles at your widened eyes. "Come on, we're going to the beach."

⭒----⭒

"Minho, this is amazing," you say incredulously, staring at the picnic spread out in front of you. There's a blanket thrown over the sand, with food boxes and drinks resting on it. Plus, a lantern sits in the centre, casting a warm glow over your faces.

"You like it?" asks Minho, a smile tugging at his lips.

You nestle closer to him and wrap your arms around his neck, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "It's perfect. I love it."

Time floats by as the two of you talk and eat, watching the sunset and trying to stop the napkins flying away in the breeze (you have to slap a hand over them, and Minho nearly knocks over a drink catching the one that escapes your grasp, and neither of you can stop giggling; yes, giggling).

"Here, just pack it all in the basket."

"Yeah- shit, where'd it go?"

"I've got it," says Minho, tossing the cups in.

You place the picnic basket behind you, on one of the corners of the blanket.

"Hang on," you mutter. You grab a couple more rocks to weigh down the blanket so the corners stop flicking up. "Fuck- shit," you shake your head as the sand flies into your face, and you groan to yourself as you brush it off.

You drop the last rock into place, dusting off your palms and nodding at your handiwork, before turning and- oh.

Minho's sitting back, hands braced under his shoulders, with the softest, fondest, most tender expression on his face. Just... watching you.

You smile self-consciously, and he shakes his head, face breaking into a smile. He sits forward, raising his hands and opening his arms in a 'come here' gesture, and you oblige immediately, melting into him.

"I love you," he whispers, lips pressing against your head.

You lift your eyes to meet his, nudging your noses together. "I love you too," you reply softly, before capturing his lips in a kiss.

You push him down gently, rolling over on top so you can slot your mouth over his, one hand cupped around his face as he loops his arms around you to pull you closer.

He tastes like sea air, and the sweet cordial you were drinking earlier, and home.

"Wait, wait."

You let out a small noise as Minho breaks the kiss, pulling away.

"I had one more surprise planned for tonight," he tells you, reaching into a hidden box.

You watch curiously as he hooks up a speaker and turns on a small screen.

Minho grins at you as his finger hovers over a 'play' button on the screen.

"You didn't," you breathe.

"I did," he responds.

"Minho, how'd you even find-"

You stop speaking as light instrumental music fills your ears, and you close your eyes as the present blurs into the past.

"We look stupid."

"I really don't care."

Bare feet whisper through the grass as you join hands with Minho.

You step through the sand, taking Minho's hand.

"I mean, I did promise you."

"I'll get you music next time, trust me."

"It's okay, just dance with me now."

Two figures spin in the darkness, moving with no rhythm, no song playing to guide.

Minho's face glows in the lamplight, and he twirls you as the music swells.

He catches you in his arms as you spin back to him, and you tip your head up so you're nose to nose.

Then you're kissing, arms wrapping around each other as the water sweeps up around your ankles.

"This is perfect," you murmur. "You're perfect."

Minho laughs softly. "Nah, that's you, sweetheart."

IM BACK TY FOR WAITING

[narrators-journal]

Needing RyoMina ideas? Allow me!

Minato: oh no, im surrounded by enemies and they may kill me(note the dead tone and sarcasm)

BadGuys: Thats Right! Surrender and We MAY not kill you- whats thats bubbling?

Shadow oozes dripping from ceiling

Minato: Oh Thats just my Wife

Death Shadow Morphs around Minato, Howling protectively

Minato: :} say hi love! And don’t leave left overs!

Shiny coming in clutch, fuck yeah! Thank you SO much for feeding me, dude. I’ve been struggling to put the words to paper for these two for days now, but this was so fun that it came so easily! Even if it is also a little...hasty. I was excited to write and post this bad boy, so it might be a little eh on some parts lol. But! I hope it was fun regardless, even if not a perfect match! I went less direct shadow this time, but if you DO really want more of the red riding hood au type of shadow form, feel free to request again! I still love my bird nightmare too <3

CW: Violence and kidnap first and foremost, this is a little bit of an intense set up here lol. Also, be warned, I’ve stated Ryoji has a dark sense of humor, and it shows a bit here, so be mindful of morbid humor when you read!

You’d think kidnappers would be better prepared than this. Minato thought to himself with a muffled oof when he was thrown against the door of the cat-callers’ small car. The rancid sock that they’d stuffed down his throat and handcuffs they’d slapped onto his wrists no help for the midnight-haired man’s mood as tweedle-dumb and tweedle-dumber scrambled into the car before tweedle-dee could drive off without them. “Can’t believe this cutie was walking around at night all alone like that! Did you see how easy she was to sneak up on?” Tweedle-dumber crowed in triumph while he zip-tied the ex-SEES member’s ankles together, even though Minato hadn’t bothered kicking at them. And you’ve set a record for stupidity. “Yeah! Girls usually aren’t that stupid, she really sets a record!” The man at the wheel laughed, the trio seemingly too caught up in their hubris to notice nor care when the emo pushed himself up into a sitting position.

In fact, it took them almost two entire minutes before Tweedle-dumb finally gave the midnight-haired man a bewildered look. “What are you gonna do, sweetheart? Try to jump out of a moving vehicle?” He snorted, though the wildcard could tell his deadpan stare swiftly discomforted him and Tweedle-dumber ever so slightly. “Maybe she’s one of those freaky types. Y’know, those girls who are into being kidnapped and tied up.” said moron suggested, which earned a chorus of lascivious giggles and snickers from the other two. Yet, all Minato did was look the two men over in the passing lights of the street lights and businesses.

Tweedle-dumber was closest to Minato, and thus easier to identify in the darkness of the car. HE wore a backwards snapback, a patchy attempt at goatee that gave him away as a darker-haired man, and baggy college hoodie. Tweedle-dumb, meanwhile, had shoulder-length, badly bleached hair worn in a small ponytail with streaks of missed hair mixed into it. Clothes-wise, Tweedle-dumb wore a tank top that all but flaunted his sides just as much as he surely flaunted his musclular arms. Minato might’ve found the two rather cute in a pathetic sense given a different situation, but all he could think of about the frat boys now was how they surely had an impressively stupid track record and too much axe body spray on hand. Which, despite being unable to see Tweedle-dee through the driver’s seat, the midnight-haired- Would I have technically dropped out if I’d died? -emo was pretty sure that he’d be the same type of skeezy bar-crawler as the first two.

Before he could look out of the window to see how long he’d be here still, a hand tangled itself into his shaggy hair and yanked his attention back to the hat-clad bastard. “Hey! Are you stupid or something? Why are you so nonchalant about this?” He asked, and the wildcard glared at him for a long moment before he spat the sock out at him. “I thought you guys were happy I wasn’t fighting, why are you so grouchy now?” He asked flatly to humor the duo. Might as well burn the time with some fun, I guess. “I mean, it makes this easier, but you sitting there so silently is fucking weird. What’s wrong with you?” Tweedle-dumb asked with a nod from his fellow goon and Minato rolled his eyes. “Sorry, let me try again. Oh noooo, I’m so scared. Won’t someone save me.” He monotone’d, before he fixed the duo with a bored raise of his eyebrow. “How was that?”

Expectedly, the sarcasm that dripped from the wildcard’s flat voice earned him a punch to the jaw from the one in the hoodie, yet the backseat duo only got more disturbed when Minato simply took that moment to move his knees to be against the back of the driver’s seat so that his shoes didn’t have to sink further into the mat of empty cans, food wrappers, and possibly used condoms. Then, he simply looked back at them without even a twitch of pain in his expression. “The hell type of punch was that? I’ve been hit harder during sex.” “What the fuck-” “You dumb bitch we’ll-” “I’ll fucking kill-” They both were cut off before they could choose a threat when Tweedle-dee finally spoke up again from the front seat. “Ayo, there’s some rando in the street.” His words like a brief magnet for their indignant wrath while Minato simply leaned over to look through the car’s windshield.

Sure enough, there was a familiar figure stood beneath the yellow light of a dimmed street light a good bit ahead of the car. And, while Tweedle-dee had slowed the car to almost a crawl due to the thick miasma of dread that seeped into the car more and more, Minato could still tell who it was beneath that weak light. Even as the other two’s anger turned to confusion at the unmoved figure in the darkness. “It’s probably just some tweaker. Just fucking gun it and they’ll move.” Tweedle-dumb said while Tweedle-dumber shoved Minato back against the door. “Just hit the douche. If he doesn’t get out of the way, it’s his own damned fault.” the man suggested.

Minato was all but forgotten by his seatmates at that point. Both of them had their eyes glued to the approaching figure while Tweedle-dee, to his credit, braved the thick atmosphere and sped the car up to try and spook the stranger out of the way. So, he was free to lean back over and watch as the man’s grin came into focus. However, instead of a quick dash to the sidewalk like the frat brothers had expected, he jumped up to land deftly on the hood of their small car. Crouched to stare in through the windshield, unbothered by Tweedle-dee’s slam on the brakes. Minato was a little less lucky, as he was only kept in place by how he had his knees. “Dude what the fuck?!” The driver shrieked over the other two in a wobbly voice, tears inevitable. “Oh, what good timing. Guys, meet my wife.” Minato hummed, his flat voice finally edged with a crumb of amusement as he watched Ryoji’s bottomless eyes turn back to their beautiful, unearthly blue hue so that he could look over the three strange men who were too scared to even remark on the ex-SEES member’s comment.

On average, the 5’11 brunette on the hood was already an impressive sight when he stood, but Minato could truly appreciate how surface level that intimidation factor was now. Because, as Ryoji sat on the balls of his feet, his elbows casually on his knees so he could look into the car, the midnight-haired man could see just how much of an uncanny nightmare his lover was. With the lack of teeth in his open-mouthed smile, unblinking, lightless blue eyes, ghostly pale complexion under the artificial street light, occasional twitches, and then abruptly normal scarf and button-up-and-slacks combo, it was no wonder that the group refused to dare a breath under his gaze.

Yet, just as quick as Minato’s heart had begun to race, the spell was broken when Ryoji stood. Only to stomp the windshield out with a cold ease. And, in an instant, the car went from a horrified silence, to a cacophany of scream-queen shrieks. One silenced when the shadow yanked Tweedle-dee’s face into the steering wheel. Tweedle-dumber silenced when the nightmare swung himself into the car and one of it’s feet slammed into his ribs with a crunch that Minato could hear all the way from his spot against the door. And, finally, Tweedle-dumb was silenced when the shadow’s hand shot out like a viper to crush his airways. Only then, did those pools of moonlit waters meet Minato’s eyes, and when Ryoji spoke, his words were their usual, bright and friendly selves. As if the brunette wasn’t sat perched on the middle console. “Are you hurt, Funeral Li- What happened to your face.” At least, until he spotted the bruise that had formed after Tweedle-dumber had punched Minato. Then, the shadow’s words fell into a cold whisper that vibrated with a power that the midnight-haired persona user had only felt a handful of times. “I-I’m fine, Mochi, I promise. It barely hurt when he hit me.” He assured as he leaned into the tall brunette’s gentle touch. No care shown to the trio of unconscious or stunned men. “Why…” He had to pause to regain his composure, “why did they grab you? I thought I was close enough to scare anything off.” Ryoji asked as he wrapped a finger around the small chain between Minato’s cuffs and tore it apart as if it were wet paper when he yanked the wildcard into his hold. “They seemed to think I was a girl, somehow.” the wildcard hummed. His quickened heartbeat no longer fueled by fear when he could bury his face into his lover’s sunny scarf and breathe in the scent of cold graveyard dirt.

The softly dark chuckle his words earned a further balm to the adrenaline in his veins. “Well damn, why didn’t you tell me you were a girl, Funeral Lily? If I’d known, I would’ve been the one to cuff you. Though, I wouldn’t have bothered with your feet.” Ryoji joked, a heartbeat before he reached down and ripped apart the zip-ties next with a simple twitch of his wrist. But, Minato just shook his head with a snort and leaned back to ask, “What’re you gonna do about them, Nightshade? Turn them into the cops?” “No.” Was the brunette’s simple response, as if Minato had asked him for his preferred dinner. Those pools of blue dimly aglow in the darkness of the backseat, one of his feet now planted firmly into tweedle-dumber’s crotch so he could face the midnight-haired emo as he chuckled, “Well then, you better not leave anything for the police to find if they come looking. I don’t think Mitsuru could pay off the police like she did the teachers at Gekkoukan.” Which got a small noise from one of the trio, but Ryoji simply smiled and gave him a quick peck on the lips. “Of course not, Funeral Lily. Not even their blood.”

[daydreamgoddess14]

The Escape Artist - Chapter 9

Masterlist

CH 1 | CH 2 | CH 3 | CH 4 | CH 5 | CH 6 | CH 7 | CH 8

Tag list: @moonmaiden1996 @theskytraveler @acrackintheteacup @succulentthief

When I said one more chapter.... I didn't anticipate that that might be, like, 14k words so I decided to split it!

I'm just in the trenches editing the finale so I'll get gushy on the last post - let's not detract you all from the smut, eh? 🔥

He settled atop her once again, his hands roaming over her body, pulling her closer.

"Wait. Bedroom?" she asked, tearing her lips from his. 

It was all so much. 

It had never been like this with Eddie, it was never easy and natural.

It was never, ever about her. Any orgasm she’d experienced in the last ten years at least had been either purely accidental or by her own hand - literally.

Prior to that… there must have been something there. A reason she fell in love with him.

Now, she had no idea what that reason was.

Where she thought at the time that she was being wooed, she was being groomed.

"Yes, god yes," River breathed, the need in his voice almost palpable.

Ella was overwhelmed. 

His hands moved to her hips, gripping them for a moment before he pushed himself up and off the couch.

He held out a hand to her, his gaze dark and heated as he said, "Come with me.”

He led her to the stairs where she took the lead, showing him the way. River followed her up, she could feel his gaze constantly drawn to the sway of her hips as she led the way. Each step closer to the bedroom felt like an eternity, Ella could feel him getting more impatient with each step. "Go, go," he chuckled, nudging her forward with a gentle push in the small of her back.

When they finally stepped into her bedroom, River wasted no time in pulling her into his arms, his hands roaming over her body as he backed her up against the wall.

His mouth found her neck, his lips and tongue trailing down the sensitive skin as his hands skimmed over her hips, her thighs. She slipped her leggings down over her hips and shimmied out of them, kicking them away. He pushed her back against the wall, crowding her against the cool surface.

"You're so fucking beautiful," he murmured, his hands running over the newly bared skin. He got to his knees, his tongue tracing the four leafed clover tattoo on her hip, his lips following the path his tongue had taken. 

She didn’t dare believe him.

It seemed impossible that he was telling the truth, and it was a far cry from what Eddie deemed to be a compliment. 

"There is a bed, you know?" she teased, her words turning to a gasp as his teeth grazed the tattoo

River chuckled against her skin, his teeth scraping gently over the tattoo once more. 

She tried to push the bad memories away.

"I know," he murmured, his voice low and rough.

He looked up at her, his gaze dark with desire. "I just can't get enough of tasting your skin," he admitted, his words sending a shiver through her.

He stood and pulled her to the edge of the bed, his hands grasping her hips as he guided her to sit.

He undid the buttons of his jeans, pushing them off his hips and kicking them aside, his gaze never leaving her face. Her lower lip caught by her teeth, she clenched her thighs together, impatiently waiting for him. He moved back between her thighs, his hands trailing over her legs, his touch teasing and electrifying.

She arched her back, desperately seeking more of everything.

He leaned down, his mouth trailing over her belly, his tongue tracing the smooth skin, his hands still holding her hips in a firm grip.

"Gonna show you how you should be loved," he mumbled against her stomach. Her hands tried to hide the softer skin there, the faint stretch marks. "Don't hide from me," he whispered against her skin, his mouth trailing over the stretch marks, his tongue tracing a path of kisses over her stomach. "All of you is fucking beautiful.”

It was all too much.

She felt niggling shame as she recalled being called whore and slut by Eddie.

The memory of being forced onto her stomach so he didn’t have to see her body.

And still he was surprised when she tried to avoid sex.

She stilled underneath River, the memories turning her stomach.

He moved up, covering her body with his, his hands gently cupping her face. "You are enough," he said, his voice a gentle but firm reassurance. 

Her eyes welled and she nodded hesitantly in acceptance.

“He never deserved you, El.”

He held her so gently, so careful not to overstep or move too fast. 

“I know,” she whispered. “I’m sorry, what a fucking mood killer.” 

“No, no, it’s not. No pressure, remember?” He rocked against her, making sure she felt how hard he was. “Feel that? Because of you. I've never wanted anything more.”

She cupped his face, searching his blue eyes - darkened with lust - for the truth.

She half wondered whether to tell him the truth and admit everything she’d said when he’d been asleep in hospital.

She chose to lean into his desire and worry about the consequences later.

Moving her hand to hold his chin, keeping his eyes on her. "I'm not going to break, River," she whispered bravely, kissing him fiercely. 

Her hips rolled against his with intent. River chuckled softly.

"I know, but I still want to take my time with you," he teased, his body molding against hers as she pulled him closer. He pressed a kiss to her shoulder, his lips trailing over her skin. "I want to memorise every bit of you.”

"Please River, let me feel you," she urged, hooking a leg over his thigh to hold him against her.

Her words, whispered desperately against his ear, were the last straw. 

“Have you got a -” he started. He felt her sharp inhale underneath him, her eyes wide with disbelief as she shook her head.

“You don’t?” She countered. He shook his head slowly. “I didn’t expect… I mean, jesus River, I never thought I’d have sex ever again. I'm not even on the pill.” She sighed impatiently. His laugh started quietly, a low rumble, but soon became contagious as Ella giggled too. She blushed, her hand covering her face. “Oh my god, this is so unfair,” she whined. “I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve wanted -”

“It’s ok,” he laughed, not moving from between her legs. “I didn’t expect this either.”

“Isn't this what Lamb would refer to as a ‘Cartwrong’?”

“Oh god,” he grimaced, “please don't mention him while I've got such a hard on for you right now.” 

Ella giggled again. 

“Rain check, then,” she sighed, waiting for him to move.

“Not entirely.” He kissed her again and then started moving down her body. “Believe me, there's still plenty of things I can do instead,” he paused and gazed up her body. She blushed, excuses and apologies on the tip of her tongue. “Don't make me beg, Cole.” 

Her breath caught in her throat as he continued down her body, his words and intentions clear. She opened her mouth to speak, but his gaze, darkened with desire, stopped her.

The look in his eyes, the way he smiled up at her, made her blush and her protest faded. 

She swallowed hard, her pulse racing, and managed a shaky nod. "Please..." she whispered, her voice thick with need.

His hands, slightly trembling, reached for the waistband of her underwear, pulling the soft fabric down her legs. The action, paired with his smoldering look, sent a shiver of anticipation through her. “Brave girl,” he said softly.

She lay before him, exposed and vulnerable, her skin flushed with desire. 

Her breath hitched in her throat, her heart racing as she waited for his next move.

He lay back down, spreading her out before him.

His mouth, hot and soft on her skin, traced a path over the sensitive skin of her inner thigh, his kisses light and yet searing. She shivered, her body arching subtly in response to his touch.

She held her breath as he made his way closer to his goal.

River smiled slightly as he felt her tremble, the anticipation in the air thick and electric. 

He continued his path, his mouth moving further up her inner thigh, the kisses growing more deliberate and lingering.

As she felt his hot mouth on her aching cunt, her hand reached down, seeking him out to ground her in reality, and landed on his head, her fingers tangling in his hair. He continued his assault on her senses, his mouth and tongue moving against her, his own desire burning fiercely, but there was an element of tender reverence in the way he touched her.

His hand, resting lightly on her stomach, was a contrast of control and comfort. It held her in place, anchoring her to the moment, while simultaneously offering reassurance and a silent promise of safety.

He looked up at her, his gaze locking with hers, as he continued to lavish attention on her. 

The look in his eyes a mixture of desire and tenderness.

She writhed beneath him, teetering on the edge but afraid to let go fully. There was a hesitance in her, a part of her holding back. He leaned up, his mouth moving back up her body, leaving a trail of kisses in his wake. 

His hands caressed her skin, his touch firmer, steadying her. "Let go," he murmured against her ear, his voice low and rough, "Let yourself go, love. I want to hear you, I want to taste you," he told her, going back to his work. 

His words, spoken against her skin, sent a fresh wave of heat through her. The sound of his voice, ragged with wanting, coupled with the sensation of his hot mouth on her, was like electricity shooting through her veins.

"Please... I want that too," she gasped, her words coming out in a shaky breath as he continued his onslaught on her senses.

“So let go,” he told her. “Come for me, Ella.” 

His words, spoken softly yet firmly, were like a catalyst that unleashed a torrent of emotion within her. She felt the last of her restraint slipping away, her body and mind surrendering to the overwhelming tide of pleasure. River watched her as he flicked his tongue over her clit again, again, again. 

"Oh god, River," she gasped, her breath coming in ragged pants as she allowed herself to fall completely into the moment, surrendering herself completely to his touch. 

He felt her pulsing against his tongue and reached up her shaking body to take her hand as she wailed his name again. 

Without letting her come down fully, he slid two fingers into her. 

She arched up to meet his hand as his fingers fucked her, the walls of her cunt contracting around them. “Please, please, please -” she begged for another release that was just out of reach. He circled her clit with his tongue, and the combination had Ella seeing stars. “F-fuck, River, oh fuck, oh fuck -, I can’t -” she whimpered.

“Yeah you can,” he said softly as she reached another climax, her body shuddering and shivering under his touch. River pulled back slightly, watching her ride out the wave of pleasure.

The sound of her whimper, low and desperate, sent a thrill through him, a deep sense of satisfaction in the knowledge that he had brought her to this point.

She felt him lean over her, his hand gently caressing the side of her face, his eyes drinking in every detail of her sated expression.

His hand gently tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, a soft smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

"See, told you there were other things," he murmured. She giggled breathlessly, greeting him with a kiss. "Don't think for a moment that I'm even close to done with you yet.”

"What about you?" she frowned. "I want to make you feel good too," she kissed him deeply, the taste of her lingered on his mouth.

River responded to her deep kiss with a low moan, his tongue darting out to meet hers. 

"You make me feel more than good," he murmured against her lips, his hands roaming over her body, trailing over her curves. "This isn't about me. I want to make you feel everything.”

"It's never been about me before," she admitted. Embarrassment flushed in her still pink cheeks. "No one has ever asked what I want.”

He gently cupped her face in his hands, forcing her to look at him, his gaze burning intensely. "Well, I want to know," he said, his voice steady and firm. “I want to know what you want, what makes you feel good.”

"You might regret that," she smiled, letting her hands roam over his body. "You'll make me insatiable.”

"I’d never regret that," he said, his voice thick with desire.

"I won't be able to keep my hands off you," she teased.

"Then don't," he said, his voice rough. 

She ran her tongue over her bottom lip, drinking in the sight of him.

She felt his hands moving to her hips, pulling her body flush against his. She could feel the heat of her body against his, the desire pulsing between them.

"Tell me what you want," she asked, her confidence growing under his shelter. She pressed herself against him. “I want to know,” she urged.

Hearing her utter those words, surrendering herself so completely to him, was the last straw. 

With a low growl, River captured her mouth in another heated kiss, his hands roaming over her body, tracing paths of heat and desire on her skin. 

She reached down between their bodies, palming his erection through his tight boxers.

“Jesus, River,” she groaned, her hand barely covering him. “You didn’t answer me?” She breathed, her hand slipping underneath the thin material and wrapping around him. He inhaled deeply as she exhaled in wonder. 

“El -” he gasped, “don’t.” 

She stopped the hand lightly stroking his hard length.

“Oh,” she blushed, “‘m not very good at… y’know. I just thought,” she avoided his eyes, embarrassed and pulled her hand away. 

He held it in place, firmly against his painfully hard cock.

“No,” he stopped her, “I didn’t mean don’t. I want you to, fuck Ella, I really want you to.”

“So… what?”

“I don’t want you to do anything you don’t want to do,” he explained weakly. 

Her hand moved almost involuntarily, tentatively as she made a fist around him and pumped it up and down the length of him.

“Is this ok?” she whispered nervously. 

“F-fuck, Ella, it’s more than ok,” he moaned.

The pad of her thumb swept over the tip of his leaking, throbbing cock, making him jerk into her hand.

His hand covered hers, encouraging her to tighten her grip on him.

With his head tipped back against the headboard, he didn’t immediately notice Ella shift on the bed until he was engulfed in the wet heat of her mouth.

He looked down to see her swirl her tongue around the head of his cock before taking him back into her mouth. Her hand joined her mouth to take the rest of him.

“God, you feel amazing,” he grunted, brushing her hair from her face. 

She took him deeper, letting him hit the back of her throat and hollowing her cheeks as she bobbed up and down. 

She paused for breath, letting her hand do the work as she looked up at him, flushed and disheveled because of her. 

It made her pussy ache for him. 

She dragged her tongue from the base to the tip of his firm length and stretched her lips around his shaft again. 

She let the bucking of his hips drive out the voice in her head that said she was no good. The heat of River’s skin and his twitching cock told her otherwise. 

His fingers threaded through her hair again and caressed her cheeks, she looked up at him again as his hips stuttered.

“El, fuck… I need -, I can’t -” the warnings of his impending release tumbled from his mouth so she responded by taking him as deeply as she could. 

The muscles in his thighs tightened under her hand and his cock pulsed in her mouth as he came. She swirled her tongue once more and let go with a soft pop. 

“Fuck me, Ella,” he gasped breathlessly. 

She brought her hand to the corner of her mouth to swipe away anything she hadn’t managed to swallow, but he beat her to it. 

His thumb brushed over her lips, parting them, and slipped inside her mouth.

She moaned, pressing her thighs together, needing more. 

She reached for him again, finding him half hard against the palm of her hand. 

He rolled them over, caging her beneath him. 

“Is this ok?” He asked softly, gently taking her hands and pinning them above her head. 

She nodded.

“I’m clean,” she mumbled, blushing. “I had to get checked. Eddie, he -”

“It’s ok, you don’t need to explain,” he insisted, kissing her reasons away. 

She melted against him, hooking her leg around his to bring him closer. 

“I need you inside me,” she pleaded.

Ella had never felt so needy - or needed. 

She could easily have been embarrassed by her openness, but she could see it so clearly reflected in River that there was no reason to be. 

He was equally as affected, equally as needy and equally desperate.

She’d never known how intoxicating it was to be wanted. 

She felt him draw a shaky breath as she made her request, and then, the most exquisite stretch as he pushed slowly into her. 

With her hands still pinned above her head by his, she was entirely at his mercy, and for once in her life it didn’t terrify her. 

His nose brushed against hers once he was fully buried inside her, a silent check in.

“Ohh, f-fuck,” she trembled.

“Yeah?”

“Yes, god, River please move,” he freed her hands which immediately spread across his shoulder blades, bringing him closer to her. His breath tickled her ear as he laughed.

He set an easy pace, Ella savoured every roll of his hips into hers, feeling the tension coiling inside her.

She lifted her hips to meet his and wrapped her legs around him, crying out at the change in angle.

He responded to the way her body begged for him, her arching back and the nails that raked his back.

He felt the muscles in her thighs tighten against him, the walls of her cunt fluttering around his cock as she came again with his name on her lips. She trembled as she continued to plunge into her.

“God, El… I need -”

“Show me” she breathed, pushing against his thrusts as he increased his speed, chasing his own release. 

He pulled out of her and wrapped his large hand around his cock, wet with Ella’s climax. He watched her, unable to take her eyes off him as he pumped his hand up and down until he came over his hand and her stomach. 

He slumped against her, his face buried in her neck as she ran her fingers through his damp hair.

“Jesus, Ella.” He huffed, his breath warm on her skin. 

She laughed, reveling in his arms wrapped around her.

*

She leaned against the doorframe watching Eugene race around the garden. 

River's t-shirt didn't cover nearly enough of her legs to shield her from the cold. 

She whistled for Gene to come back, reaching out to fluff his ears. 

“Time for brekkie, pup.” She left him in the kitchen, already snoozing under the radiator and took two mugs upstairs. 

River slept on as she carefully put the cups down and slid back into bed. Her now cold legs tucked behind his as she wrapped herself around him. 

“Fuck, you're freezing,” he mumbled into the pillow. 

She slipped her arm around him and lay her cheek on his back. 

“Had to let Genie out,” she said softly. 

She felt the muscles in his back moving and shifting as he twisted in her arms to lay on his back before pulling her back in. 

He trapped her legs between his own, warming them back up. 

She sighed contentedly as his hand moved under his t-shirt to rest on her bare back. 

Her finger moved lightly back and forth over the gunshot scar on his side as she drifted in and out of sleep. 

“What time's Clo back?” River asked sleepily.

“Ten. It's early, we should go back to sleep.” She nuzzled into his neck.

“Hmm, we should make the most of being alone,” he smiled into her hairline, his hand ghosting over her ass. The butterflies in Ella's stomach woke up, along with the low ache of need. She freed her leg from between his and rose up on her knees to straddle his hips. He sat up to meet her. 

“What do you suggest?” 

“I think you’ve already read my mind,” he grinned wickedly as she sank down onto him with a hiss, her thighs still burning from the night before. 

He pushed his t-shirt up and took it off her, exposing her to him. “Better,” he declared, rolling a nipple between his thumb and finger. 

“Ohh, much better,” she agreed, spreading her knees wide to take him deeper.

*

The doorbell woke Ella. She checked her watch, but she could tell from the silence outside that it wasn’t late enough to be Clover back from her sleepover. She pulled on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt and made her way downstairs. Eugene joined her at the front door.

Two officers stood on the doorstep. The same ones who’d arrested Eddie.

Ella frowned and looked past them at the Range Rover. Neither of the dogs acknowledged her.

“Can I help you?”

“May we come in, Ms. Cole?” She held open the door and let them in, taking a quick hold of Eugene’s collar to stop him from showering them with love as soon as they walked in.

“Leave them alone, Gene,” she chided him lightly. “Can I get you a coffee?” She asked politely. 

“No, thank you. I’m afraid we have some news.”

Ella stopped on her way to the kitchen. She could hear movement upstairs, River searching for his clothes.

“A body has been found, Ms. Cole. It’s been identified as your husband, Edward Cole.” The officer continued. Ella sat down quickly, feeling lightheaded.

“Who identified the body?” She asked. 

“We did. Well, officers did, I mean. He’s a recognisable man.”

“Do… do you know what happened?”

“He has stab wounds to his neck, severe. They suggest it was quite a frenzied attack. He was pulled out of the Thames by a taxi boat.”

Ella nodded, growing nauseous. 

“I take it you’re looking at his work associates?”

“We’re looking at everyone who knew him.” The officer said pointedly. “He had many enemies.”

“Well… if there’s anything I can do to help -”

“You could, actually. We would like you to come to the station.”

Ella rubbed her hands together to hide the fact that they were shaking.

“My daughter will be back shortly, I’m afraid I can’t do that,” she started. “I’m sure if it’s contacts you need, I can dig the information out. Or his brother would probably be useful there.”

The officer cleared his throat, glancing at the stairs as River made his way down with their empty coffee mugs.

“Good morning,” he greeted them with a short nod.

“Morning, Mr…?”

“Cartwright.”

“Indeed. Ms Cole, as I was saying, we need you to come to the station.”

“Yes, but you haven’t explained why,” Ella replied firmly, chancing a glance at River. 

The officer sighed.

“Ms Cole,” he said weakly. She raised her eyebrows. “Can you please just come with us?”

Ella crossed her arms, waiting. 

The other officer stepped forwards.

“Ms Cole, I will not hesitate to arrest you. We would like you to come to the station to discuss  your potential involvement in Edward Cole’s death. Please, if you could come with us?”

“He had a lot of enemies, you said it yourselves, why me?” She asked. “I can’t just come with you, I have Clover, she’s due back any minute -”

“You’ll have to make arrangements. The sooner you can arrange childcare the better, this is just a formality. Hopefully you’ll be out before dinner. We just want to verify some things with you.”

“Without warning? Do I need my solicitor?”

“We can wait for you.”

“Not in this house you can’t. I’d like you to wait outside. Please.” Ella told them, holding the door open.

“Very well, we’ll be ready when you are. You’re not under arrest at this stage, you don’t require a solicitor.”

Ella closed the door firmly behind them and turned to lean against it. 

Her breathing grew more laboured as her thoughts raced.

River stepped up to her, his gaze on her face, concern etched into his features. "Ella, breathe. Look at me," he said, his voice steady and soothing. He saw her chest rising and fall rapidly, her breathing ragged as her reasoning and rationale spun out of control.

"I can't, I can't -" her chest heaved. She looked up at him, terrified as panic started taking hold of her. 

His hands coming up to hold her face gently in his hands, his thumbs rubbing soothing circles on her cheeks.

"Love, you need to slow down," he said, his voice trying to stay steady, though the concern in it was evident. "Just look at me, focus on me.”

"What am I going to do?" Her hands shook as she dragged her palms over her jeans. "I can't breathe, River, I can't breathe,”

He gently gripped her hands, his fingers lacing with hers, the contact hoping to ground her, to anchor her to the present.

"Ella, love, focus on me. We'll figure something out, but right now you need to calm down," he said, his voice firm and steady. "Just breathe, in and out, nice and slow. Come on, do it with me.”

She shook her head, the tightness in her chest increasing with each shortened breath.

He could see the panic gripping her tightly, the desperate way she shook her head, seemingly unable to follow his instructions to breathe.

"Come on, breathe in, please. For me.”

She hiccupped unsteadily, tears streaming down her cheeks, "What about Clover? River, what am I going to do?”

“Let me worry about Clover, ok? You're not going to the station like this, anyway.”

"They'll know, they'll know I did it -"

"They will if you can't calm down, you need to be calm" River told her quietly.

River's voice was a soothing beacon in the midst of her panic attack, his words cutting through the chaos of her thoughts. He could see her spiraling, her words revealing her fears and guilt.

"Ella, listen to me, okay?" he said, his grip on her hands tightening, trying to capture her wandering attention. "I know you're scared, I know you're worried, but you need to focus.”

River held her gaze steadily, his eyes focused on hers as her breaths slowly began to steady. He could see her searching his face, desperate for answers, for reassurance.

"There you go. Keep breathing, just like that," he said, his voice gentle and steady. "You're doing so good. We'll figure this out, I promise. Just focus on your breathing, nothing else matters right now.”

As her forehead rested against his, River felt his own heart rate slowly begin to ease. Her deep breaths in and out, mirroring his own, were a soothing rhythm, a sign that she was slowly coming out of her panicked state.

"That's it, love," he murmured, his hand gently coming up to cup her face. "You're doing so well.”

"They'll know it was me," she worried her bottom lip with her teeth. 

"They might not," he said calmly.

He tried to reassure her, but his own mind was racing with thoughts of what might happen once she was in police custody.

"I still have the knife."

"Even if they try and put this on you, it was self defence." River reasoned. "They won't be able to get a murder conviction, they'll have to drop to manslaughter" he said carefully. 

"That's reassuring, thanks" Ella said, her voice laced with sarcasm.

River chuckled wryly at her response, appreciating the gallows humor. He knew the situation was dire, but her attempt at a joke was at least something.

"I can't second guess them," she admitted sadly. "I'll just have to see what happens. But what the hell am I going to do about Clover?”

"I know you're worried about Clover," he said, his voice soft but steady. "And we'll figure something out. She can stay with me, or I'll stay here with her. Catherine, Louisa, they'll all help out," he told her

River's reassuring words made her heart skip a beat. Knowing that he was willing to take care of Clover, and making other arrangements to help, lifted some weight from her shoulders. She took a deep breath, her mind starting to clear as a plan was taking shape.

"Thank you," she whispered, her voice filled with gratitude. "I— I don't know what I would do without you.”

"C'mon now, you need to get this over with," he reassured her.

River's words were a firm but gentle nudge, and she knew he was right. She had to face this, as much as she dreaded it. With a heavy sigh, she looked at him, her eyes filled with trepidation.

"You're right," she murmured, her voice a little shaky but determined. "Let's get it over with, I don't want Clo to see me in a police car.”

She pottered around quickly, brushing her teeth, picking up a warm jumper, pushing her feet into her trainers. As she trailed around the house, River followed.

“She does breakfast club every morning, Wednesday is gymnastics club after school. I'd better take a jumper, it'll be freezing in there. Umm… she hates broccoli, she'll only eat eggs if they're scrambled. She's not really allergic to anything, but she pretends to be allergic to homework…” She stopped suddenly. “This is ridiculous, what the fuck am I doing?” She said with a heavy sigh. 

“I'm sure I won't need any of this. Not for today or this week, anyway.”

“Eugene is the easiest pup ever, his food is in the cupboard by the door, he just wants to be loved all the time.”

“Don't we all?”

“I can't do this.”

“Yes, you can.”

“I had such a lovely night,” she said sadly. “I should have known it was too good to be true.”

“Ella, they're not sending you down for life, we'll fix this.”

The doorbell rang and Ella froze.

“I can't do this,” she mumbled again. 

“You can, I promise you can.” He wrapped his arms around her while Eugene yapped loudly at the front door. “It's going to be ok,” he said, kissing the top of her head. She wasn't sure if he was trying to convince her, or himself. 

*

The air in the interview room was cool and sterile, the fluorescent lights bathing the small space in stark, unforgiving illumination. Ella fidgeted nervously, her hands moving restlessly, seeking some small source of comfort from her current surroundings.

She looked around, taking in the bare walls, the hard chair she sat in, the camera in the corner. The entire scenario felt like something out of a bad movie, not her reality.

Her thoughts raced. Clover and River consumed her mind. She should have been on cloud nine after her night with River, but instead, she found herself terrified that it could all end before it even had a chance to begin.

Ella's mind was a constant chant of the same questions: why would River want to be with a killer?

Why would he take on looking after a nine year old for however long she was expected to be held by the police?

Ella jumped slightly as the door opened, the sound reverberating through the otherwise silent room. The two officers entered, the first one speaking apologetically.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Ms Cole," the officer said, taking a seat opposite her.

Ella's voice was soft, her words tinged with both resignation and sarcasm. "I don't exactly have much of a choice, do I?"

“We'll try to get this sorted as soon as possible so you can be back home," he said, his tone somewhat sympathetic.

"Ms Cole, your husband was released on bail shortly before his murder. did he come to find you?" the other officer asked. 

"No, he didn't." Her response was immediate and resolute, not a trace of doubt in her voice.

The officer raised an eyebrow at her response, nodding as he made a note on his pad. "And what about your daughter, Clover?" he asked, his tone clinical and detached. "Did Eddie try to find her?”

Ella's voice was slightly defensive as she spoke, her words tinged with a hint of desperation. "I'm sure there are many more people out there who would be more capable of murder than me."

The officer's expression didn't change, his gaze staying trained on her as he continued taking notes.

“Did he try to find your daughter?” He repeated. 

His line of questioning was persistent, and each question made her more uneasy. He met her gaze as he spoke, his voice even and calm.

"If Eddie was as possessive as you say he was, don't you think it's strange that he didn't try to find you, or your daughter?" he continued pointedly.

"He was usually more concerned with his business activities," she replied, her voice tinged with bitterness. “You've been after him for years, you know he didn't give a shit about Clover and I. We were just trophies." she repeated, her tone almost mocking.

The officer jotted more notes on his pad, his expression unreadable. "Did you stay in contact with him while he was in prison recently?" he asked.

“No. I left the family home, I had no intention of going back to him but… in the end, I thought Clover would be safer. I should have known he'd want us back when he was released," she murmured. "Moving out gave me a glimpse of the life I could have without him.”

"And was that when you decided to kill him?" The officer's question was blunt and direct, cutting through the air like a knife. Ella's expression faltered for a moment, a flash of pain and guilt crossing her face.

“No, of course not.” Ella's voice dropped to a whisper, the memories of her past evident in the pained expression on her face. "He's had me imprisoned since I was 17. I could never escape him."

The officer's expression softened a little as he listened to her, his tone shifting from detached to almost empathetic. "And so you killed him?" he asked gently.

Ella's denial was firm and steady, her voice not wavering as she spoke. "No, I didn't," she repeated.

There was a moment of silence as they stared at each other, the officer's questioning gaze never faltering. He took a moment, making a note on his pad before speaking again. "Are you sure about that?" he pressed

Ella's mind was a jumble of emotions and thoughts, the truth on the tip of her tongue yet stuck in her throat. The desire for freedom, for release, weighed heavily on her.

She fidgeted in her seat, her hands twisting in her lap as she met the officer's gaze. He waited patiently, his expression giving nothing away.

A sudden knock at the door startled both officers and Ella, the unexpected interruption breaking the tense silence in the room. The door swung open, and a young desk sergeant moved aside to let Diana Taverner into the interview room.

“Sir, this is Ms Taverner, from service?”

The officers' expressions changed from confusion to surprise, their gaze shifting between the unannounced visitor and Ella.

"Please continue, gentlemen," she insisted.

Taverner took a seat next to Ella, her presence immediately commanding the room. The officers, taken aback by her unexpected entry, exchanged a quick glance before nodding.

"Of course," the officer in charge said, his voice carefully neutral. He adjusted his notes on his pad before continuing, his questions aimed at Ella once again.

"So, you're sure, Ms Cole, that you had nothing to do with Eddie's death?" he repeated, his tone steady and unwavering.

Ella's heart thudded in her chest and she forced herself to meet the officer's gaze firmly, her voice just a hint of a tremble as she answered. "Yes, I'm sure.”

"If I might interject here," Taverner spoke up. "The Park will be taking over this investigation. We've had Eddie Cole on our radar for a long time so we have plenty of background here. Ms Cole remains an employee of ours and I’m sure you know who her father is?”

The officer's eyes widened slightly at the unexpected interjection of Taverner. He opened his mouth, about to protest, but shut it quickly.

Taverner continued, her voice firm and authoritative, "if you could go and arrange the paperwork for Ms Cole's release, I'd like a word in private with her." Taverner dismissed them.

After a brief moment, they nodded and stood, obediently leaving the room. The door shut with a quiet click behind them.

The room was silent once more, the air thick with anticipation. Taverner turned to face Ella, her gaze steady and intense.

"How have I gotten into the habit of getting you out of sticky situations?" she asked Ella coolly.

Ella's lips twitched into a small, tired smile at Taverner's comment. "I don't know," she replied quietly, her voice betraying just a hint of exhaustion. "You must have a knack for it, I suppose, ma’am.” They sat in silence, Ella not wanting to open up the conversation she knew was coming next.

“The dogs reported into Flyte this morning that you were escorted here by the police.” Taverner started. Ella kept quiet. “The dogs which, it turns out, have not been required for the last two months. At the safe house that has not been required for the last two months. You should have told me from the start.” And there it was. Not with a bang, but with a whisper. Confirmation that Diana Taverner knew it had been Ella.

“I’m not sure what you mean, ma’am.” She replied coolly. Taverner tutted, clearly not happy at being kept in the dark.

“Don’t play silly buggers, Cole. The coroner report suggests his body had been in the water for the best part of two months. You should have told me when I first came to you.”

“Should I?”

“Yes,” Diana said sharply. “In case you hadn’t noticed, dear, without me you’d be facing a murder charge. You owe me.”

“You used me! You knew what was going on under my roof and you didn’t step in, you dragged it out to get more on him.” Ella exclaimed.

“You really got us out of a fix by killing him, top marks. And now, you see, we both win. Let’s call the dropped charges my apology, shall we?”

“I don’t know, shall we?” Ella asked, incredulous.

“Look, I get to keep my seniors happy that a troublesome criminal has been neutralised and you get to walk away a free woman, profiting from his business dealings. So, when can we expect you back at your desk?” Taverner asked brightly, pulling on her leather gloves and getting ready to leave.

“At the Park?”

“Where else?” She laughed, “not Slough House, surely?” 

“I don’t want to leave there.”

“Don’t be foolish, everyone wants to leave there. You’ll end your career if you stay there.”

“So be it,” Ella said firmly.

“You owe me, Cole. It’s not too late for me to hand you back over to the police with a gift wrapped case for conviction. I wonder how poor Clover would feel, her mother in prison for the rest of her life?”

“No, no, you wouldn’t -”

“Don’t test me, girl. I’ll call this in when I’m good and ready. I don’t need you at the Park for that.” Taverner rose from her seat, "and you can move out of my damn safe house." She breezed from the room, leaving Ella's life in turmoil once again.

CHAPTER 10 - the finale

[ichtios]

03.06.2024

I got back to exposures. I realized that I am ready now. I knew the concept for years, and tried it many times (as you know if you've followed this blog) but I wasn't ready, because I thought the stakes were high. I thought I had so much to loose if I failed. My train of thoughts (not really thoughts, as it was something almost unconscious, some deeply rooted beliefs) was like that: if I fail this it will mean that I don't deserve to be loved, because I can't be "normal" -> my boyfriend will get really tired of me and leave me/my ex-boyfriend will not get back to me -> I will be alone, completely, utterly alone -> which is unbearable and I'm gonna die.

If you make it short it sounds like that: if I fail -> I'm gonna die. Kinda pressure, eh? if I get into this bus, and then have anxiety attack -> I'm gonna die. Yeah, that would make someone really calm. Great way to not be anxious. 12/10 recommended.

So I tried but it was like 2 steps forward 3 steps back. As I already wrote somewhere here (I think) - fighting anxiety from the place of anxiety and fear is a lost battle.

It was in the end of January that I noticed something had shifted. I was no longer experiencing so much anxiety in situations when I would before. Then I realized it is because I have nothing to loose anymore. Nobody cares if I fail or not, if I die or not, if I succeed or be this fucked up way till I die. It is easier to play when the stakes are low, it is much less stressful.

But I still experience anxiety, not that severe, not in all of these little situations that I used to, but still. Because it became a reflex, my body learned it through years, it is habitual. And it is time to unlearn it. Rewire.

I finished working in school last Friday, so I decided I will start in June. And continue for three months. There is no more excuse that I don't have time, because rn I have all the time in the world (I still have lots of my own work, but I can decide when I do it and how much I do it, and I can prioritize exposures over work). The trick with exposures is that you have to to them literally every day. Whether you feel like it or not.

So last 2 days (June 1st and 2nd) I went on exposures, and right now I'm preparing to go for another one. I will post photos from them later because I know Y'all like to see Warsaw from time to time.

I don't really wanna go. Yesterdays exposure was already hard, and I cried through. But I need to at least show up no matter how it will turn out.

Sorry for butchering grammar all over this post, but I haven't been using English lately.

[aku-soul]

WARNING P5R SPOILERS AHEAD GO PLAY THE GAME FOR YOURSELF AND SKIP THIS POST IF YOU DONT WANNA BE SPOILED

So anyways I finished persona 5 royal a couple days ago, here's my thoughts:

Absolutely amazing game, I loved it so dang much and I'm so sad it's over. And now, onto the character reviews

Ren Amamiya (protag): It's me! But man do I feel even worse for what he had to go through. Seriously, going to jail twice, temporarily losing his memory and hoping that he would get stuff right... Dude the scene where akechi shot me gave me chills it was done so well. I was seriously about to cry thinking I messed up. Also, if I was joker at the end of sem 3 after I graduated I would immediately come back to leblanc because coffee dad duh.

Sojiro Sakura: HE CALLED ME FAMILY, COFFEE DAD CALLED ME FAMILY OH MY GOD BEST DAY EVER. I love dad so much. It was so sweet when he cried after I left, that almost made me cry too.

Ann Takamaki: Yeah she sure does exist, uh huh. I barely interacted with her... I don't think her phantom thief outfit helped at all with that issue.

Morgana: Congrats on finally becoming human for a while dude. Also him being part of the velvet room was not something I expected. At all. Also when he was about to disappear I almost freaking cried what the hell. You can't do that to me game. AND THEY DID IT TWICE. Those scenes made me realize how much I actually care for morgana the cat (cue "I AM NOT A CAT")

Futaba: SISTER SHE IS MY SISTER! I am going to feel so weird when I romance her for completions sake... I love the bond her and I have as siblings. She did such a good job growing up within such a short amount of time, I am so proud. Also holy hell was she smart with the akechi phone thing. No wonder she did something so out of character in that moment.

Makoto: I am going to beat up Eiko's boyfriend so hard. I never finished her story though, I got up to level 8 with her. Eh whatever there's always next playthrough. Her heals are pretty good, to bad I hardly ever use her.

Igor (both false and real): Dude I could not get over the real igors voice, please give me back the fake igors voice that one sounded so much better seriously. Also I checked and igor is indeed voiced by dad from fe3h love that. The boss fight for him though freaking sucked, like can you please stop giving my cat lust with your gun, seriously?

Haru: I'm gonna be completely honest, I didn't start her confidant till like 5 days before the final battle because I thought I'd need her for true ending (I thought true ending required all confidants, better save than sorry). Honestly, no real opinion on her. She certainly does exist. I wonder if the vegetables she grows are any good... If they're for sp that'd be nice because sp recovery items are so hard to come by.

The twins (and lavenza): Dude I nearly cried when I had to execute the twins, it felt so sad. But hey, at least I got lavenza out of it. I'm guessing she's the one who wrote the list then. Also her avatar in persona 5 tactica is so cute.

Ichiko: Drunk aunt type. I got close to finishing her storyline but didn't. Whatever. I hate how she's an option for romance but my harem bois aren't??? What is this atrocity.

Kawakami: Yeah look I don't care if you're getting threatened by the mafia or loan sharks or whatever. Please stop texting me "Hello master!" when you said yourself you don't want the history on my phone to be available. I only got two things in because my god am I super uncomfortable with calling my teacher up for maid services...

Hifumi: If I didn't hc joker as super gay for my harem bois (I will explain who those people are later) she'd probably be the one I'd ship him with. I like her a lot honestly, she might be my favorite romanceable option.

Tae Takemi: Her ex boss fucking sucks, get off your high horse dude. At least we managed to change his heart and get her back on track. I'm hc'ing miwa chan as continuing to visit Tae even after she gets better and eventually following in Tae's footsteps and helps out around the clinic.

Iwai: GUN UNCLE GUN UNCLE. Him giving me a gecko at the end had me tearing up. He considers me family too oh my god. Also hell yeah I got a cousin out of that deal. I love uncle Iwai so much.

Mishima: I maxed him out and then promptly forgot about him. Seriously, when the scene of him petitioning for signatures happened I immediately thought "oh shit yeah mishima is a person who exists". Sorry mishima...

Yoshida: Yeah, I started him and that was about it. I really don't care about him at all if I'm being honest. I will have to eventually level him up though... Next playthrough

Shinya: Woo younger brother alert. I'm so proud that he gave back the money he took from other kids and apologized too. Good job Shinya, you did good.

Maruki: Ugh his character arc was so good. Dude the 2/2 reveal broke my heart I was so tempted to take the offer, but I knew I couldn't. But dude. Why are you a taxi driver at the end. What is the reason for that what.

Ryuji: HAREM BOI NUMBER ONE BABY!!!! The numbers don't matter it's just when we got introduced to em. I love him so much. In tactica I was able to "marry" him and I was so excited that I took screenshots. Dude when he saved us in shido's palace and we thought he died I almost cried. I love Ryuji so much.

Yusuke: HAREM BOI NUMBER TWO BABY!!!! He is so gay I love him. At the end when he gave me his painting I teared up. I absolutely love him so much. A great addition to the harem bois. Best artist boi.

Akechi: WHY MY GUY FUCKING WHY! HAREM BOI NUMBER THREE!!!! You were the reason why I was so tempted to take Maruki's offer, don't treat your life as if it was nothing. Also you don't hate me you love me admit it. Robbie Daymon does such a good job on everday akechi I love it so much. I leveled him up as soon as I could. Also because of the ending he's still alive and no one can change my mind, I *need* him to be alive. Dude I bougth tactica and the dlc just so I could see him again. I love akechi so freaking much. Also his official va and joker's official va made a cover song together and it's so good I am obsessed and I have seen some good things made out of it.

I think that's all? If anyone wants me to give my opinion on anyone else I will. Anyways back to playing tactica and once I finish that it's onto strikers

[applestorms]

for the character ask game: I'll throw Light at you :D I figure he might be an interesting one for the "first impression" vs "what do you think of him now" comparison

oh lord. that might be kinda difficult actually asldfkjsdklfj i started reading DN sooooo long ago... BUT i will do my best!! (ask game)

first impression: i genuinely don't remember all that well. to be entirely honest, i don't know if i even thought about him all that much at first-- if i'm not Fixated on a story for some reason (like Serious fixations that i blog about a lot on here, or even just paying extra close attention like for an assignment or something since i watch a lotta movies for film classes) i tend to not do a whole lot of analysis for my first go at a story =3=" like i'm almost Always shocked by plot twists cause i won't even bothering stopping to think "oh shit, what's gonna happen next," i'll just be too Invested in the Moment to think ahead. (guess i kinda do that in actual irl social situations too... all my thinking comes afterwards LMFAO i'm very no thoughts head empty all Survival Instinct when i'm talking to people. whoops.) the fact that i started reading the manga way back in my freshman year of high school (Quite a few years ago now) also doesn't help. lmfao. and also the fact that i stopped reading midway through like, vol. 9/10... ;w;

if i had to guess though, i think my (somewhat fandom-osmosis influenced) view of him was that he was kind of an uptight dumbass with highly questionable morals. scrolling all the way back through the death note tag on my archive kinda points at this, like my mild amusement at these three posts speaks to that kind of surface level view of him. i certainly didn't have a lot of nuance or original hot takes involved in how i thought of him-- not until this post fucking exploded my mind a couple months ago and dragged me into the Trenches for good. idk though, i think a lot of my currents views on him were still present, just kind of dormant or not yet evolved...

impression now: my beautiful evil wife. next question

favorite moment: ehehe i've said this before, but his death!! in the manga specifically, but i enjoy any solid light death in any adaptation (the stairs in the anime & requiem in the musical, in particular). i think i've read the last few chapters of DN the most overall, from his speech until those 2 black pages... this panel is forever burned into my mind as one of if not The best page in the entirety of DN to me.

perhaps i'm just biased since i re-read the entirety of DN a second time just to remember the context so i'd be prepared getting into the ending, but that final volume of the series (eh final two volumes? i have the black edition, vol.6) will forever hit the hardest to me. light's Terror upon realizing he's going to die is just so absolutely deliciously horrible, it makes me sick to my fucking stomach in my favorite way. it's such a cathartic comeuppance, a vicious humbling that no other adaptation has really managed to get at in the same way for me. luv watching u die bbygrl <33

idea for a story: cries forever. uhm... lawlight but it's this tweet...?

unpopular opinion: this is also kinda hard to answer cause i feel like most of my Hot DN Takes are just. ways of adding additional nuance to common fandom takes? e.g. i don't think light is all that overtly bigoted, or at least not in a way that He himself is aware of. like, i've definitely made a joke about light being a republican before, but realistically i think light's politics are just about whatever he thinks will make the most people like him-- he just skews more conservative a lot of times cause he's in a very privileged, pro-cop household and social environment.

i guess my hot take might be related to that, actually-- i've talked in-depth about my thoughts on light's intelligence before so i won't get into That again, but as a kind of sidenote to those points, i don't think light is very emotionally aware when it comes to reading himself. part of this might just be a side effect of the KIRA stuff, the Cycles he traps himself in to avoid having to think about all the ways he Might Actually be a Bad Person, but part of it might just be his immaturity or (male) socialization as well?

i actually find this kind of relatable about him, sometimes-- like in the second half of the series, he often responds to Panic with an anger response, which he usually takes out on either misa, ryuk, or the JTF (usually matsuda, since that's the most Acceptable target to get annoyed at for dumbassery). light Feels everything very strongly, often in contrast to L who very rarely gets attached to things (except for the rare cases where he gets Super attached) but he doesn't really have a good outlet for dealing with those feelings so he just represses everything instead. you can see this w/ his depression in the second half of the series too-- Work & L & KIRA, balancing all those titles and responsibilities is what matters, so he autopilots through it all in a desperate bid to escape facing the fact that his soul has been withering for the last half a decade since L's death.

it's hard to be a person when you're trying to meet Everybody's expectations, i guess, and KIRA does nothing but provide light with even more expectations to live up to if he wants the validation that will definitely totally absolutely make him happy and his life perfect and amazing and meaningful.

favorite relationship: i mean, ship-wise it's obviously lawlight, though i have grown somewhat of a soft spot for matsulight after writing them recently. for character dynamics just in general though-- i really really really like how good yagamane are at casually torturing each other just by Existing, one day i'd like to write a fic about those two set at some point during the time skip. i also love any moonriver interactions, ofc, those are some of the funniest in the series just for how fucking dramatic light is, especially in comparison to the Dead Inside-ness of near. the ways that light idolizes his dad is also very interesting to me, and i'd like to look into that more.

as for more underrated dynamics... i think i'd like to look into some mello/light stuff a little more sometime :3c ehehe

favorite headcanon: HM. hard to pick a favorite. uhh as more of a minor one, i really like that idea that light counts to 40 to calm himself down. actually, speaking of-- in terms of Mental Illness headcanons that i don't see super often, i really like giving light anxiety. for no particular reason. <- (projecting) askfjsdjk ok but like in terms of general/social anxiety specifically, not just OCD (though i'm fond of that one too). this is mostly because i think light's anger problems are just a product of his underlying anxiety mis-management, though again i may just be projecting SO. probably about time to end this post huh. askldjfksldjfkd

thanks for the ask =3=

[stolitzsings]

💖, 🖋 and 👨‍👩‍👧 for the ask game! (I probably got at least one of the emojis wrong but hopefully they still make sense 😂) - @blitzwhore

�� What do you like most about your own writing?

Can't believe you're gonna make me think of something nice to say about myself 🤣 I've been told I have a very "lyrical" style of writing, and sometimes I'll write a sentence or paragraph that flows really well and just Hits. I love those moments when I feel like I've really nailed it at a word-for-word level.

👨‍👩‍👦 Do you tell people in real life that you write fic?

Most people in my life know I do writing of some sort, but I'm pretty vague with the details lol. I only talk about writing fic with irl friends who also write/read fic (and I don't tell most of them that I write smut, just bc I know it isn't their jam). I told my therapist I write "character studies," because what is smut if not horny character analysis? 🤣

🖋 Post a snippet from a current WIP

Putting this one under the cut!

Ok I was a little nervous about sharing this because it's from a longer AU I've been toying around with, and historically I'm very bad at sticking to longer projects. But regardless of what I do with it I had a lot of fun writing this scene of M&M tormenting Blitz lmao

Blitz could feel his face heating up. “He isn’t— It’s not like—” Fuck, he was losing this one fast. “Okay, so maybe we’re boning or whatever, but it’s just a casual thing, you know? It’s not like we’re dating or anything.” Moxxie raised an eyebrow. It was almost impressive how smug he looked. “Who said anything about dating?” “I think he just did, babe.” Okay, now they were getting on his nerves. He could feel his spines starting to bristle.  “Look. It’s just a convenience thing, ‘kay? He gets to have his bad boy fantasy, and I get a reliable fuck who I know won’t steal my kidneys while I’m asleep.” It wasn’t like Stolas would ever really consider a relationship with someone like him. Disowned or not, he was still a royal. And that was fine! Blitz didn’t want anything complicated, anyway. Fucking was easy. It was comfortable. It was all either of them was looking for.  “If you say so, sir.” Moxxie had somehow dialed the smugness up to eleven.  Blitz rolled his eyes and walked towards the door. “I’m firing both of you. And I’m keeping your shares for today.” He was pretty sure Moxxie started to say something in response, but he was out the door before he heard it.  He let himself stew as he made his way down to the parking lot. “Looking for excuses,” for fuck's sake. They were hired killers! What did they expect? He was going to get injured sometimes. And it only made sense to go see Stolas, who knew more about this shit than any of them did. Besides, a quick fuck sesh was good for you, or something. Boosted your sero-whatever levels. Got your blood pumping. It was basically healthcare, anyway. Talk about a bedside manner, he thought to himself, grinning. He made a mental note to use that one with Stolas later. He'd think it was funny.

“C’mere, B, let me take a look at that scratch for you.” Millie had opened up their first-aid kit and had just finished bandaging a shallow cut on her thigh. Blitz looked down at the wounded arm that she’d gestured to. It wasn’t serious— an annoyance, more than anything. He shrugged. “Eh, that’s okay. I’ll just have my guy take a look at it.” Millie eyed him skeptically, like she was trying to catch him in a lie. “You know, you’ve been spending an awful lot of time with this mysterious “guy” of yours lately.” Moxxie looked up from his paperwork with a conspiratorial smile. “You’ve been seeing him for everything, even minor injuries. Almost like you’re looking for excuses to pay him a visit.” Oh great, the famous M&M tag team. “What? No, I haven’t.” Even he knew he sounded defensive. “Sure looks that way to me.” Millie crossed her arms and perched on the edge of the desk so that she and Moxxie could give him the double stare-down. Cute. “Are you sure that medical attention’s all he’s been giving you?”

Thank you for the ask @blitzwhore! I'm still answering these prompts if y'all are curious 😊

[elacular-kink]

So, odd thought: Does anyone else ever worry about getting too specific? Like, as an example, I hyperfixated super hard on a specific gay ship of secondary/side characters in a specific anime and wrote multiple hiccup stories with them, and I've only posted one so far. There's more reasons than just this for that, but there's a certain weird feeling to me about...flooding the market, I guess? 'cause this isn't a ship that gets a lot of attention, and having three hiccup stories in a row as the only E-rated ship fics focused on them feels almost rude.

I think similarly about combining hiccups with other kinks, those I have and those I don't. There's actually a separate story I wrote during that hyperfixation that I ended up just completely excising the hiccups from because they were so random and minor and there was so much other shit going on. And I don't think that was the wrong decision for that fic, which I'm really proud of and I'm gonna post on my normal account at some point, but it begs the questions of who my intended audience is. And I am writing for an audience of more than just me. Like, I've come to really enjoy rereading my own writing, even outside of a kink context, but I won't pretend that the positive reinforcement isn't something I absolutely adore (and thank you all so much for that!).

So I run into things like "Is writing something for this relatively underserved ship that's so focused on such a niche kink weird? Who is this for besides literally just me? And if it's for other hiccup lovers, then what if they can't deal with the random other kinks that I get involved, like bdsm or stuffing (which also comes with the complication of wanting to portray fatness as beautiful but worrying about fetishizing and blahdy blahdy blah). Not to mention the fact that I have, on at least one occasion, tried to write the sexy part and just...accidentally ended up not having the characters ever get the fucking hiccups.

Eh, I dunno. I know that I'm overthinking things, and it's not as if writing itself doesn't give me joy (thanks, adderall!), and part of it is definitely capitalism brain saying "Yeah, but who's buying stock?", not to mention kink embarrassment both about my fetish and about various related and unrelated auxiliary kinks and yadda yadda. But these are the sort of thoughts I have from time to time, and that sometimes keep me from sharing works that I'd really like to.

[spamtoon]

DCRC Book Club TWO !

for last week. oops. i'm so sorry puffy school and driving have been kicking my metaphorical ahh BUT. i need to read more of the funny uno comic. you have uno it came free with your ducklair tower (has said this joke like five times)

PLEASE know this is just going to be like. liveposting. rather than an analysis im typing this all while i'm reading the comic

pkna spoilers. again long post do not feel like you have to read unless you want to

please know that every time i look at an evronian now i think HOLY SHIT ! its Agron from Evron! me and my friends had a very enjoyable reading of issue 1 but this bad boy is allll me baby

i was going to say wow this penguin guy looks sick i wonder if he's an actual charcter and then i realized the big metal thing is NOT armor that is their WEAPON and i am more dsappointed but yknow what sure. we need more penguin representation in duck.verse aside from those fuck ass penguins (referring to tus.kernini's penguins)

i would also like to note that the italian sound effects are very funny. i am told there is a SPAM later in the comic and i would like to see that come to fruition

ooh? you're already at the making breakfasts stage donald? how fascinating... sorry no matter if i get an attachment to uno i will acknowledge he is forever donald's alright. the fucking way uno looks back i'm so... he's so goobity. he's such a thing. such a goober in fact

well you see uno. this vandal is a club penguin fan and is looking to recreate the box dimensio--nevermind he's not taking any of the boxes joke cancelled HAH NEVERMIND HE IS TAKING THE BOXES see i told you

your AUNT is a mutant. obsessed with the idea of donald duck using your aunt instead of your mom because of his family being full of a whole bunch of uncles and aunts its beautiful i think

angus fangus can you please get your bitch ass out of here and into the other hemisphere for me? thanks. you made donald sad. you made him so fucking sad im so (feat lyla lay swagger)

cog i ough. from what i understand from other comics the publication that tries to frame them is almost never Actually On Their Premises. this could lead to some interesting setups...

donald yyou little fucking shit. i see where the 87 triplets get it from. i mean i approve but you little fucking shit. i love that uno just goes along with it like yeah this guy's a dick let's mess him up

im appreciating how they write lyla okay. she's so Manipulative but not in a bad way you know. yes she just said she was the duck avenger but she's doing it in order to gague donald's reactions, or as donald thinks possibly tip him off? she clearly knows a lot more than anyone gives her credit for and yet here we are.

oh she fucking knows knows actually alright. alright i see where they're going with this (i dont) (i am reading with Intrigue...) wait wait my epic brain thoughts alright.t they're doing the thing where they set something up and then they have a reveal so lyla lay. just might be a mutant like time fucky wucker was talking about eh? eh?

the fucking fight scenes int his comic... the way they show the differences between weapons and just like. play with the panels. it might be standard for th medium and i just havent read hat many comics but i love shit like this

please know that if uno didn't exit camera 9 would be my favorite character. spamcore. to me. and the fucking way they portray time travel here ough. cool as fucking hell. the slow stepping forward and the Wind Effect oho. ohoho.

uno's fucking face sory i just. i too wonder how the fuck they're gonna outliquida.tor themselves out of this one becuase this. guy does in fact seem overpowered but donald probably has to deal with many more overpowered people

2 issues in and we've already introduced time police dear lord i wonder how it's going to snowball from here.

the duck avenger version of the everyone's an idiot d.arkwing falacy. everyone's a fucking snoop and its beautiful. donald is so serious here and yet everybody else is like five steps ahead of him

uno smiling is so fucking precious i don't care what anyone says its so fucking precious okay. please know i'm starting to feel important is making me emo but im writing the rest of this post immedaitely after rewatching a goo.fy movie with people so... and after three episodes that make em fucking nsnngamgsnmgngnsmgab you know

the fucking way i actually went :O over this i'm so predictable omg. that's so cool. robots... are so cool holy shit. so there's just robots everywhere alright thats Fucking Sick Actually. i retract the thing i said in vc today acab does not apply to her i think she's... a silly girl...

hey uno. you see with uno. i dont even know much about him yet. i don't want to say it for certain right now but it feels like. not quite a bright spark in terms of Level yet but like. like bright spark in that i feel like him rejecting me would make me feel good you know. yes please list all the ways that though i am mechanical i am a disgrace to all robotkind, with my primitive technology and even more primitive habits. this could change. i am on the second issue of this long running comic. but at this point that probably isn't the case. uno makes me feel like a rat in that he's beautiful and i will prioritize saving him over the various citizens in the city. not that he needs it

gay ahh wink from this mega.mind lookin ahh... dude i literally went to movie night and then when i came bakc there were like. two three pages left. but y'know what i ough. as i've said before i am invested in this thing and i have homework to do but i also kinda wanna do week three right now y'know. oughghghg i just. i'm so glad that they like gave l.yla lay an acutla purpose like i knew she had to be the only pk.na character in mudae for a reason but from her introduction i was SO worried they were just gonna have her be. The Girl Friend Character but she is shaping up to be so so so much more than that.

thank you dipshit duck for getting me to like. suck it up and be comfortable with reading comics because theres so much duckverse has in store for me and i cant wait to experience it all

[star-vibing-prompts]

Random quotes from different Fandoms as prompts.

Yes you can use these. Yes you can change the pronouns. Also NOTE: None of these are in particular order.

Warnings: Mentions of drugs, swearing, a very long post, and maybe yandere stuff??

"I hope he didn't care about that pizza..."

"[Name], have you seen [Name] this morning?" "Yeap. He's hanging out with some weirdo. I think he's trying to vaporize [Name]."

"[Name], I blame YOU for this." "Eh, that's fair."

"Also, I cleaned up your awful, awful mess. You’re welcome." "You did WHAT?! I have a system!"

"I never asked for it to be this way. I never asked to be made!"

"Admit it. I'm just an embarrassment to you!"

"I'm not gonna let you stand there and remind me of everything I hate about myself!"

"How will StarClan come back if we keep breaking the code?"

"I really-really-like you. I've always felt that we might be mates one someday. And now that I'm a warrior, maybe this is the time for us to start thinking of each other in a new way?" "I'm sorry. I had no idea you felt like this, [Name]. I like you a lot, but I always thought of you as a friend-a really good friend, almost like another littermate. I've never felt...that way about you." "But now that you know how I feel...do you think that in time, [Name] you might feel the same way?" "I don't think so. Actually I...I like another cat. I'm so sorry, [Name]."

"Wow, [Name]. I know your thing is honesty, but come on!"

"No disrespect ma'am, but there's a big difference between pushing yourself as hard as you can, and just being reckless. And if being reckless is what gets rewarded around here, if that's what it means to be a Wonderbolt, then I don't want any part of it."

"Hey, now wait a minute! Just because I don't have a pet now doesn't mean I never want a pet!"

"Oh, that's my new toy. Pretty, isn't she? I bet I'm the only queen with my very own RainWing."

"Now really, this is getting insulting. You're in my territory. Apparently you're living under my mountain. I am only the most important dragon for hundreds of miles. How dare you not recognize me?"

"It doesn't matter what Earth is like, it's not going to be like anything soon!"

"Don't you Gems have anything better to do than annoy me?"

"Ohh, I adore these fantasies! They have the best fashions."

"Wait! I-I wouldn't have called just to waste your time with a report."

"Just being on a ship with [Name] made me tired."

"So am I gonna have to wear a star? Where am I gonna put the star?!"

"It'll be better this time. I've changed. You've changed me. I'm the only one who can handle your kind of power."

"You can't lie to me. I've seen what you're capable of. I thought I was a brute, but you... you're a monster."

"There's always someone to fight! There's just no one left worth fighting..."

"Uh, that was way more explosive than I expected."

"Someone ordered some noodles?"

"Yeah. I was about to take my break. So..."

"To be fair, do you trust any man? Any men? Men?"

"Does that mean I don't have a free room anymore? Aw, well shucks."

"OH MY GOD! My drugs! Damn it!"

"W-well I-I just wanted to look a little nicer for you. This is our first real date after all."

"I'm sorry, [Name]. I'm sorry for…everything…happening right now. I know it's…a lot. I, uh-- I should have listened."

"We're rich and we are hot. People want our money AND our bodies! Speak for yourself, princess."

"I swear… If you go near her I will destroy you!"

"I don't care what your arrogant brother thinks!"

"That. Was the sound…OF A FUCKING DIVORCE!"

"My hair is ruined!"

"My face. My face! MY FACE! GIVE ME BACK MY EYES!"

"I bet you don't even HAVE friends..."

"Your fans are watching you right now. I know."

"What's that supposed to mean, you got a problem or somethin', sour cream? Don't fuck with me!"

"Alright shit talker, but there hasn't been a soul yet who can beat me at my own game. So you better bring the fire baby!"

"Could've just used the door, dude. Doesn't need to be this whole thing."

"Do you think they saw me? Fuck! I did my make-up shitty today!"

"Oh, what does it matter?! You’re not my real dad, I was almost eighteen!"

"Totally. But since then, you've had me teaching you. You're stronger now. Don't you feel stronger?"

"I found out where it lives."

"I've won. You can all see that. We can end this now, without killing anyone. I ask you all to let him live!"

"He's just a human! He isn't a threat at all! He's not one of them!"

"I just want to go home."

"You don't understand! Just leave me alone."

"Slow down, kiddo. This is the thanks I get for checking in on my favorite student?"

"Unloaded all your secret insecurities on me! I know! But hey, no shame in that, man. Sometimes you just gotta talk it out, y'know? I don't really do it. Maybe I should. But we'd be here all day so..."

"Totally. But since then, you've had me teaching you. You're stronger now. Don't you feel stronger?"

"What we had wasn't healthy. I never want to feel like I felt with you. Never again! So just go!"

"I was terrible to you. I liked taking everything out on you. I needed to. I-I hated you. It was bad!"

"[Name], you can still wear the hat, if you want." "Thanks, but I'm not putting that on my body."

"It was an endless, crushing darkness. Wet and bleak and suffocating. Water was the tomb I lived in for those months."

"You do realize that I spent the last few months trapped under the ocean, right?"

"For a moment, I really felt like things were different, but they're not. No matter where I go, I'm trapped."

"I'm done being everyone's prisoner! Now you're MY prisoner! And I'm never letting you go!"

"Let's stay on this miserable planet, together!"

"Spoiler alert, the butter is spoiled."

"Sorry I fucked your husband."

"The FUCK is "insurance"?"

"It's only just come into existence, and it already doesn't like us."

"He can be a real sweetheart once you get to know him."

"We knew for sure you would prevail."

"I'm the monster."

"You're... going to LOVE ME!"

"Now that we've gotten that out of the way, how about a game?"

"A baby dragon! Oh, I've never seen a baby dragon before. He's so cute."

"[Name], I think our work here is done." "Put your clothes on, [Name]."

"I just want everyone to know: my plan would have also worked."

"All that matters is that [Name] is happy."

"What's in these things?"

"That's not my baby!"

“If I were forced to sing those same stupid songs for twenty years and I never got a bath? I’d probably be a bit irritable at night, too.”

“I’m still here. I will put you back together."

[silvernevermind]

so its like one day you decide your gonna stop using social media. and now its been a few months all your still jobless and havent worked a lick on your personal projects but now your not looking at tumblr anymore. and then one day your dog sitting for a few days and you think eh why not lets browse tumblr again, im away from home its not like i have anything else to do. and all the people you followed have kinda scattered like ants but theres still some left. and whats left of all those weird tumblr trans girls u remember fondly are posting about being therians deer therians dog therians. and you pause cause like what the fuck is a therian. its the first time maybe your whole life where weird internet subculture words are already boiling instead of slowly heating up around you like they used to. and your like wow its great im disconnected from the internet and im still jobless and personal projects yada yada this is what being offline is all about. and since your not one to judge weird internet subcultures you google what this therian stuffs about and its about thinking or wanting to be an animal in spirit or something and you think oh its just kinning. and your confused for a moment. if its just kinning why not call it kinning? but almost as soon as you ask this question you realize that you havent seen someone identify as kin with anything in years even before you went offline. but you bring it up to a friend whos still using twitter and they kinda get what you mean but they only really remember the markiplier jokes kind of kinning so to them it feels different. so then you think well okay isnt it also just what being a furry is. but again before you finish that thought you realize well your a furry and you dont usually think of yourself as an animal so sure i guess theres probably major overlap but its different. so now kinning a rabbit online is called being a bunny therian and it doesnt really matter, your just not used to being out of the loop, and your mind wanders. you think of final fantasy house. you dont really remember what terminology they used back then but its the same. you realize its just kinda a big circle where people keep coming back around to realizing they wanna be an awesome animal. and even without the internet your still jobless and even without daily tumblr even without logging in and blogging about being a therian you still fantasize about having really big soft pawed feet so you could give really awesome foot jobs.

[misslisamiray]

Took a little longer than I thought to get this chapter posted, but here's Chapter 11 of Down With the Rickness!

Time to check back in with Summer and Space Beth, and for the first time since she got sent to work before the sun came up, Earth Beth! Jerry is still too busy sulking to be in this chapter. We'll see him again later, but it's going to be a while.

Please note: this chapter features some spoilery dialogue about the events of S7 ep. 7, "Wet Kuat Amortican Summer" I debated on putting that part in due to the fact I know not everyone's seen the latest season, and this fic otherwise has no S7 spoilers. But I needed something for Summer and Space Beth to talk about other than Rick's stupid errand list, and that is where their conversation led. If you want to skip that part, scroll to the picture and you're safe. Any other S7 references in the fic will be of the vague, non-spoiler, blink and you'll miss 'em variety. New chapter below the cut!

Summer and Space Beth’s next several errands were far less eventful than the first few. Having both made a considerable dent in their lists, they decided to take a break and meet for lunch. The two were sitting in a booth inside a small café on an asteroid at the edge of the solar system.

“Thanks again for helping out today, Space Mom. We’ve already got, like at least half of Grandpa’s stupid list done.” Summer said, taking a sip of her milkshake.

“No problem. Barring any further worker uprisings at greedy megastores or having to negotiate with more of Dad’s asshole “friends” until they see reason, we’re on track to be home tonight. Tomorrow morning at the latest.” Space Beth replied, sipping her wine.

“Cool. Morty texted me something about Grandpa being crazy and Dad being an idiot, but eh, what else is new? It doesn’t sound like anything’s on fire, at least not literally. They’re fine. It’s been a while since we got to hang out like this, huh?” Summer glanced at her phone briefly before putting it back in her pocket. Beth nodded in agreement.

“I got one from Jerry asking me, ‘If the Sailor Scouts were real, do you think they would be able to cure Glopydropian Mimicking Disease?’ With the follow-up question, ‘Is there a dimension where they are real?’ Oh, God. He sent that to me individually, and to our group chat with your Earth mom. I… How am I supposed to answer… What the fuck am I even supposed to do with that?!” Space Beth said, slapping her forehead as she put her own phone away. Summer giggled. A waiter placed two plates on their table.

After taking a few bites of her food, Summer asked, “So, what’s new with you?”

“Oh, you know. Took down a New Federation base last week. Freed some wrongly imprisoned inmates from a maximum-security prison on Jupiter. The usual.” Space Beth replied casually.

“Cool. I, ummm… got an A on my science test. And me and some friends almost got caught smoking weed under the bleachers, but then we didn’t. God, school is so boring compared to your life.” Summer replied. She sounded excited at first, but her enthusiasm quickly faded.

“Hey, that stuff counts, too. I realize it probably sounds sarcastic and condescending coming from me, but look at it this way. You’re 17 and have already seen and done more than everyone else in your lameass school put together likely will in their entire lives. It’s okay to be happy about the more mundane parts of your life, too.” Space Beth told her.

“Huh. I never thought about it that way. Thanks, Mom.”  Summer’s smile returned, and she went back to eating.

After a moment, Space Beth said, “So you’re really gonna hold out on me and not tell me the biggest thing?”

“What do you mean?” Summer asked.

“Oh, nothing. Just that I heard you met someone.” Summer’s face turned red, and she dropped her silverware to the floor.

“I’m gonna kill him! Why did I ever think Grandpa Rick could keep a fucking secret?!” Summer exclaimed, covering her face with her hands.

Space Beth laughed and said, “Calm down. I’m normally the last person to defend anything Dad does, but he only blabbed to me because he’s happy for you and wanted to tell someone. He figured you’d want to tell Earth Me and Jerry yourself when you’re ready, and that Morty would be jealous over you getting a girlfriend before he did. So that left me.”

“Oh.” was all Summer could manage as an answer. She was still blushing a little, but no longer furious.

“Morty already knows, or at least suspects. And I was planning to tell you all soon. It’s just…”

“You weren’t worried about telling us you’re dating a girl, were you?” Space Beth asked hesitantly, half joking but half genuinely concerned that was the issue.

“As if anyone in this family only swings one way. I mean, mayyybe Morty, but eh, jury’s still out on that.” Summer scoffed, rolling her eyes. Beth visibly relaxed and nodded in agreement, while Summer continued, “It’s still a really new relationship is all. And yeah, I’ve hooked up with people off-planet before, but I’ve never actually been, like, involved with anyone who doesn’t live on Earth. Before now, I’d never even dated someone who went to a different school. We don’t see each other as much as we’d like to, and it’s hard sometimes, y’know?” As she spoke, Summer went from grinning ear to ear to looking sad.

Space Beth placed a hand over hers and said softly, “Yeah, I get it. Look, I’m not exactly the hands-on mothering type, but if you ever need someone to talk to… Someone who might understand better than your other parental units… But who can also keep their damn mouth shut better than your grandfather…”

“Thanks, Mom. I’ll keep that in mind.”

“God, I’m going soft. First helping Dad, and now this Lifetime original movie mother daughter bonding mush. What next? You and Morty are both too old to need, like cookies baked for some dumb school thing, right? That’s not a thing in high school, is it? Because if you do, that shit is strictly Jerry’s department.”

Laughing again and glad for having the moment lightened, Summer agreed, “Totes. And don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone about your soft side. I can keep a secret better than Grandpa, too.”

“Good.”

“So, he told you because he’s happy for me? You sure he wasn’t just bored and trying to gossip?”

“Mmmm-hmmm. But I do think he was proud of you and looking to brag a little, too. Apparently, you met this girl when you saved her from being trafficked by illegal Kuato dealers?” Summer just nodded.

“Damn, you really were holding out on me. So spill. I’m not gonna pester you with questions like ‘When do I get to meet her?’ – trust me, that will also be Jerry's department like, the second he finds out – but I want all the details on this, got it?”

“Sure. It all started with this party…”

Meanwhile, Morty had quickly discovered that Rick wasn’t lying or even exaggerating about not sleeping well when he was sick. One minute, he’d be sound asleep, snoring loudly. The next, he’d wake himself up coughing or sneezing. Sometimes, he’d just blow his nose and mutter a complaint or two, then change positions and go back to sleep. Other times, he’d be awake for a while, drinking and watching whatever boring thing had come on the TV next.

“Fuck, isn’t this shit over yet?” was a frequent question, asked in a whinier tone of voice each time.

“*SIGH!* Not yet, Rick. Try and go back to sleep.” Morty would tell him, usually while looking at something on his phone and looking increasingly concerned by it.

Beth was having an ordinary, and honestly slow day at the horse hospital. Having some downtime between patients, she decided to check her phone, and discovered a number of texts from her family.

Summer: Pictures of some of the nonsense she’d had to get for Rick. A lot of it was gadgets and parts that Beth couldn’t identify, and a few that she could. Crystals of many different colors, sizes and shapes. The rest looked to be a variety of alien junk food and liquor.

“Yep, nothing surprising here.” Beth murmured to herself.

Space Beth: Mostly photos similar to Summer’s. Then there was one of her making some friend of Rick’s – Beth had met him briefly before – was his name Gear Man? – pose for the camera with her. There was a frightened look on his face, and a huge grin on SB’s.

“I’m sure there’s a story behind this picture. What I’m not sure is if I want to know what it is.” Beth sighed.

Rick: Several paragraphs worth of random letters, symbols and emojis. A few blurry photos of the living room ceiling and floor.

“Are these drunk texts or ‘Dad fell asleep on his phone’ texts? I’m guessing the latter, since his drunk texts usually have at least a few actual words. Unless this is in an alien language, and these are words?” Beth puzzled, looking at the messages from a few different angles, including upside down. Determining that Rick’s texts were gibberish, she moved onto Jerry. There were so many messages from Jerry.

“I have a great idea, and you’re going to be so proud of me!”

“Let’s never fight while we’re trying to organize old VHS tapes again.”

“Beth, Morty’s being mean to me!”

“Do you know if Morgluxian measles are real? What about Venutian varicella or Floopfloopian ass fever? Your father won’t tell me which one he made up.”

“You know how I said I had a great idea earlier? Yeah, forget you ever saw that.”

And of course, there were the bizarre Sailor Moon questions. Beth couldn’t help noticing most of the messages had been sent both to her individually, and to their group chat with Space Beth. Not knowing how to respond to any of her family’s texts, Beth was about to put her phone away, when she saw the one text from Morty.

It read, “Hey Mom, since you’re sort of a doctor, I figured you were the best person to ask. Can someone actually cough up a lung? That’s just a saying, right? Rick’s got a nasty cough and I’ve seen him spit out some gnarly looking stuff a few times, but I don’t think any of it was like, an organ. I just wanted to check.” Beth’s brow furrowed.

“Aww, poor Dad. Maybe I should go home.” she worried, deciding to call Morty back instead of replying to the text.

Morty was staring at a screen that read, in increasingly ominous looking letters, “Is it a cold, The Flu, or SOMETHING WORSE?” when his phone rang. Startled by the unexpected noise, he dropped the device – directly on Rick’s head, which of course woke him up.

“Oww! What the *COUGH!* fuck, Morty?! What was that for?!” he asked groggily.

“Sorry! Sorry. That was an accident. Hang on a second.” Morty apologized, scrambling to grab his phone, which was now slipping between the couch cushions. Rick sat up, rubbing his forehead and throwing the blankets and his labcoat on the floor again.

“Hello?”

“Hi, Morty. I saw your text, and yes that’s just an expression. Human anatomy doesn’t work that way. Well, for most people, at least. I guess for your grandfather it might be possible? But unlike the average person, he’d also be able to put it right back in. So I wouldn’t worry. Much. How’s he doing, anyway?” Morty looked over at Rick, who was clinging to his trash can and tissue box again, while staring blankly in the general direction of the TV without really looking at it.

“Not great. You want to talk to him?”

“Yes, please.”

“Here. Mom wants to talk to you.”

“Huh? Oh, sure.” Rick was initially confused by what Morty was saying, but grabbed the phone once his sleep and germ-addled brain caught up to what was happening.

“Hi, Dad. How are you feeling?” Beth asked worriedly.

“Eh, I’ve been better. But I’ve also been a lot *COUGH!* *COUGH!* worse. I’m okay, Beth. It’s just uhhh, been a long time since I last had Mimicking Disease. Turns out it hits harder when you’re a little older.” Rick said, forcing a laugh and trying to make himself sound normal. Morty picked up on that immediately.

“Dad, drop the act. I talked to Space Beth, so I know that it is at least two kinds of impossible for you to have Glopydropian Mimicking Disease.” Beth told him, her voice quickly going from concerned to annoyed and impatient.

“Shit. I forgot that.” Rick admitted.

“Uh-huh. I also know that you just have a cold, which is normally not something worth worrying about. But my son texted me because he’s concerned you might actually cough up one of your lungs. And frankly, you sound like you could. So without any further bullshitting, how are you, really? Do you need me to come home?” Rick winced at how badly he was failing at convincing Beth he was alright.

He finished off the contents of his flask for the second time that day, then, putting even more effort into trying to sound normal, said, “No, Beth. I sent you off to work at the asscrack of dawn specifically because I didn’t want you around to worry over this nuisance virus and get yourself sick trying to take care of me. It’s not necessary.” He forced back a sneeze – fuck, that hurt.

“I guess, but what Morty said…”

“Beth, come on. You know the kid’s a worrywart. You’ve spent 99% of your life on Earth – you’ve had colds before. You feel like shit, but there’s nothing that wrong with you, then you’re fine. *SNIFF!* I know you know this.”

“*SIGH!* You do have a point. But please take it easy. Lots of rest and fluids. And do we even have any medicine for this sort of thing?"

“Um, no. Morty checked and we don’t.” Rick lied quickly.

“Well, I doubt you included anything that practical on the massive list you threw at Summer, so I’ll get you something on my way home. You sure you’re okay until then?”

“Yes, sweetie. I’m *COUGH!* fine. Or going to be, at least. Here. Talk, talk to Morty again.” Rick said, tossing Morty’s phone back to him. He sneezed twice in a row and started coughing immediately after.

“Morty, keep an eye on your grandfather, okay? I’m sure he’s going to be alright, but just do that until I get home.” Beth instructed, listening to the sound of Rick’s harsh coughing in the background.

“Yeah, that’s the plan, Mom.”

“I do think he probably sounds worse off than he really is, so I’m not rushing home right now. But it’s slow today, and I have been here since the asscrack of dawn. So I should be able to leave a few hours early. Okay, honey?”

“Yeah, I can handle things til then. Thanks, Mom.”

Beth was about to say something else, when an alarm went off at St. Equis.

“Now what?” she sighed.

The doors burst open, and a man in blue scrubs charged in yelling, “We’ve got 10 patients incoming! We need all hands on deck!”

“10?! What the fuck happened?��� Beth asked incredulously.

Before the other doctor could answer, a man in an old-fashioned circus ringmaster costume ran in, wailing, “Who would have thought that Horses On Ice: The Musical could end in disaster like this?! That is, besides all those protesters and the actors who walked out so I had to replace them with people I found at the bus station.”

Beth glared at him, then turned back to the other doctor and asked, “Do you mind if I?...”

“Go for it. The only reason I didn’t is because I knew you’d go harder.” he replied, grabbing up supplies from behind a counter.

Beth promptly slapped the ringmaster across the face, then without missing a beat, told Morty, “Sorry, looks like I’ll be home late. Take care of Rick, and if you get a chance, try to help your dad with whatever the hell he keeps texting me about. Or maybe just hide his phone. Love you!” “Right. Love you, too. Good luck with your horse crisis.” Morty sighed, shoving his phone back in his pocket. So much for having help soon.