#we have labyrinth at home AU

[jowbokitten]

My brain is fried but at least the gang's all here!!

[frenchkisstheabyss]

♰ ⱠɆ₲łØ₦ ♰

♰ Pairings: demon!matz x chubby!fem!reader, demon!wooyoung x chubby!fem!reader, a sprinkle of demon!san x chubby!fem!reader, (eventual priest yeosang/jongho/yungi x chubby!fem!reader in the future)

♰ Genre: demon au/horror/smut

♰ Summary: Congratulations, darling! It's your destiny to be impregnated by four demons in an ancient Satanic sex ritual that'll lead to the birth of the Antichrist and bring about the end times. Now hop down into this demons' layer and let's get this thing going. Armageddon awaits.

♰ Word Count: 3.1kish

♰ Warnings: breeding kink, unprotected sex, no pulling out, double vaginal penetration, overstimulation, nipple play, breast play, rough sex, lots of breath play, ritualistic sex, scratching, a lil blood, oral sex (f receiving), sensory play, a lil nibbling, huge huge demon dicks so there's mucho vaginal stretching, the dicks can shapeshift (yes, shapeshift), demons give some dom vibes, reader's for sure subby, a lil possessiveness, demonic powers, religious themes, bondage, a lil choking, telepathy, your body's controlled via powers at some point, pet names (pet, little one, darling, good girl), and that should be it.

♰ A/N: Hold on, hear me out, I can explain. No, I can't. I'm a heathen. I like spooky shit and fucking demons so, ya know, here we are. This is the first part in a series I'm writing and it'll probably only get more unhinged from here honestly so, yeah, hop in babes. It's apocalypse time.

“And he asked him, ‘What is thy name?’And he answered saying, ‘My name is Legion, for we are many’” - Matthew 5:9

♰ ♰ ♰ ♰ ♰ ♰ ♰ ♰ ♰ ♰ ♰ Laberinto del Demonio ♰ ♰ ♰ ♰ ♰ ♰ ♰ ♰ ♰ ♰

Tucked away on the tree shrouded grounds of an aging Spanish manor, a labyrinth spirals deep into the earth. Beneath the lush grass and packed dirt, surrounded by the twisted roots of trees that feast upon the decaying corpses of those who attempt to intrude, this labyrinth is home to fearsome creatures who’ve peacefully slumbered here for hundreds of years. But tonight they awaken. For you. 

“Such a beautiful girl. Just let me…” Wooyoung compliments, fussing with a few flyaway strands of your hair. In the year that’s passed since Wooyoung came into your life all he’s done is fuss over you. You’ve never known a more attentive lover. Never met a man so intent on catering to your every whim.

Wooyoung likes to say that it’s the Fates that brought the two of you together but that’s more than a grave exaggeration on his part, it’s an outright lie. If he’d waited on the Fates it’d have been another 200 years before he stumbled upon a female descendant of your bloodline. Finding you by any means necessary, however brutal, was paramount to fulfill his mission and to soothe the heart that ached for what he lost when his love was stripped from him all those centuries ago.

Your resemblance to her is uncanny but everything else about you is incredibly unique. It stimulates him in endless ways, everyday with you marked by some new, exciting experience. He adores you beyond measure and the others, soaking you in through their collective consciousness, have grown incredibly fond of you too. 

“There. Perfect, as always” he smiles, taking a step back to admire your silk adorned figure glowing under the light of the moon.

Atop the labyrinth, you admire the torch lit staircase that spirals beneath you. It emits a certain energy that hangs heavy in the crisp autumn air, drawing you towards it. You know what awaits you tonight. Wooyoung went over it with you a dozen times in the last 24 hours alone. It’s something you long for, something that has your body flush with heat at the mere thought of. Yet you can’t seem to shake the nerves that have your fingers trembling as the handsomely dressed dark haired man takes your hand.

Wooyoung strokes your cheek and you soften at his touch, “Are you nervous, my pet?” 

“Not nervous. It’s just…” you sigh, nibbling at your inner lip, “What if I’m not who you think I am? What if I can’t handle it?” 

Wooyoung lets out a laugh you’ve come to liken to a jackal. Loud, mischievous, and undeniably his. “Can’t handle it? It’s that all you’re worried about?” 

He steps in closer to you, stealing a quick, passionate kiss from your crimson stained lips. “You were made for this. In every lifetime you have been and in every lifetime you’ll always be. Now come, the others are waiting.” You soak in Wooyoung’s words, forever a sponge ready to absorb his praise, and gift him the faint smile he needs to lead you forward.

Less forward, more down. 

Down past walls built of jagged stone, thick vines weaving between the cracks sprouting tiny emerald flowers you’ve never seen before. Down past ancient symbols carved in meticulously measured increments. It seems to be instructions of some sort. For what you aren’t sure but a tugging in the pit of your stomach tells you that you’ll soon find out. 

At last reaching the bottom of the labyrinth you find yourself in a cavernous room dimly illuminated by a hundred or so candles. At the center you spot a large pool of slithering black silk not unlike that which hugs your body. Wooyoung leads you to the center and, as he does, you feel the material begin to writhe against your skin. It snakes its way around your curves, exposing your plush figure to the warmth of the pit as you sense you’ve become one with it.

A chorus of voices begin whispering in your ear, invisible hands grasping at your most intimate areas. Wooyoung captures your lips in another kiss, already groaning at thoughts of what he has planned for you. His hands wander below your waist, fingernails growing sharper as they sink into the softness of your ass. You throw your arms around him, deepening the kiss, but he indulges you only for a brief moment before he begins to back away.

“Soon, my love” he says without speaking a word, “See you on the other side.” 

“Woo, wait!” you call out to him but a strong wind whips through the room, extinguishing the flames of the outer candles and swallowing him into darkness. The force of the wind knocks you off your feet but you land with no impact at all, the pit catching you in its embrace, thin strips of silk winding around your thighs. The air around you floods with laughter layered upon laughter, Woo’s melded somewhere in between. 

“Aah, finally I see her through my own eyes” a voice breathes out, tickling your spine. 

“Such a precious little human. So cute” another much deeper voice hums, the vibration ringing through your chest. 

“And she looks so, so…” a third voice chimes in, light as a feather, “Soft!” 

In the blink of an eye the silk wrapped around your thigh transforms into a hand, pitch black with razor sharp claws dripping a thick scarlet liquid down your leg. You let out a scream of absolute terror and it transforms back into the harmless material. It’s as if it were all in your head and the hand was never there to begin with.

“Seonghwa, you’re scaring her!” Wooyoung shouts and invisible arms envelope you, comforting you as your fear subsides. 

“Oh, no. I’m so sorry. I got a little carried away” Seonghwa apologizes, emerging from the pit in his human form.

He swims through the pit as if it were a pool, only his torso visible as he comes between your legs, his much gentler hands smoothing their way up your thigh. You don’t recognize the face of this beautifully androgynous creature but you’re positive you’ve felt his energy around you before.

“Is this better for you?” he asks, breath hitching at the sight of the slick, sweet arousal dripping from your core. 

“Seonghwa?” you moan his name for the first time as his tongue extends to flick your bud. “Woo’s told me so much about you.”

A shimmer of gold ripples across the dark pools that sit where his eyes should be, lips curling into a grin that’s both alluring and sinister. “Aah and what did he tell you about me? Good things?” he asks, his tongue whipping down to prod your tight hole. Seonghwa delights in the string of moans you release as he teases you, pushing his moist tongue into you little by little. Your walls eager to grant him entrance, stretching to accommodate the increasing thickness and length of his tongue. 

“Good? Y-yes, good” you breathe out, shocked at the depths his tongue manages to reach. There are no limitations, no bottoming out. He slips his way into every part of you. Tickling the back of your stomach, lapping at your walls in every direction at once. You can taste yourself on the back of your tongue, a sudden fullness in your throat suppressing your desperate moans. Your body’s no longer yours. It does only what he wishes it to. Moves only as he commands. 

“You’re being greedy. Share her. Now” something inhuman growls, breaking through the fog in your mind.

It’s not something you were meant to hear, the shedding of those performative voices existing solely for your comfort, but you’re far from afraid. On the contrary, such brutality laced with so much need has you clenching tighter, juices gushing out of you as Seonghwa’s tongue thrusts harshly into your core.

Seonghwa grunts defiantly, lifting you a few inches above the pit without laying a finger on you. Your arms dangle at your sides, fingertips grasping at nothing as your body arches against air. Droplets of your arousal run down your thigh, landing on the silk below and the creatures around you release a collective sigh of satisfaction. They can taste you, the ghost of your flavor lingering on their tongues. 

“You are like the other women in your bloodline…” the inhuman voice whispers, becoming more human the closer it gets, “Delicious.”

Two hands reach from outside of your field of vision to caress your plump breasts, firmly pinching your sensitive nipples. Your head falls to the side and you're met with another new face. This one more boyish in his handsomeness but more authoritative in his presence. Wooyoung told you that you’d know his leader when you met him. That you’d feel this immense need to gain his approval, to be as obedient to him as you can be.

“This is Hongjoong” you think and the leader smiles in response.

“Delicious and smart, mmm” he hums, leaning into your neck and breathing your scent deep into his lungs. “Let her speak.” 

The fullness vacates your throat at once, leaving you gasping for air, all those suppressed moans echoing off the labyrinth’s walls. Seonghwa’s tongue flutters softly inside of you now, his pace slowing just enough for you to speak. 

“You know what you’re here for, don’t you little one? Our Wooyoung’s explained it to you well?” Hongjoong asks, kissing you on the neck, his canines nicking at your smooth, fragrant flesh.

You let out a whine, adrenaline coursing through your veins, “Yes…he…everything…told me.”

Hongjoong laughs at your incoherence, finding it quite adorable, “And this is what you want? To let us have our way with you?” He releases one of your breasts, twisting the bud one last time before his hand's gliding down your body to grab handfuls of your belly. “To let us fill you with our seed and let it grow so that we’ll be, all of us, a family?” 

You’re fixated on him, a constellation of tears twinkling on your lashes, “I want it. I want this.” 

“Aah, then we shouldn’t waste any more time” Hongjoong sighs, gesturing to Seonghwa, “Let’s take her together, shall we?” 

Seonghwa’s tongue retreats slowly from your core in an S motion that makes the tip lash sharply at your walls on its way out. The space between you and the pit below begins to close, all current information misleading you to believe the arms you fall into will belong to Hongjoong.

“Relax your body and watch the skies” Seonghwa instructs as you fall against his chest and the vines between the stone walls climb their way up the ceiling. They radiate a vibrant amethyst, the sprouting emerald flowers emitting a sparkling dust that mists through the air. A trail of it drifts down the wall, drawing your attention to the shadows cast upon it by the light of the candles.

That’s when you see it. The silhouette of the creature crawling its way up your body. You’ve yet to feel him but he’s there, advancing up your figure, twisted horns brushing your cheek as it’s face meets yours. Hongjoong takes you carefully by the throat, tilting your head to face him in his human form, “The skies not the shadows, pet. Never our shadows.” It isn’t a threat and it need not be. Your obedience is promised, sealed with a kiss richer than any wine.

Hongjoong’s mouth sips hungrily from yours as he spreads your legs, the swollen head of his cock leaking arousal as it stretches your already soaked core. “Mmphmm” you whine between his lips, your lids squeezing shut the further he pushes into you. He grants pleasure to your walls unlike any the earthly realm could bring. He seems to transform inside of you, shifting into whatever he must to perfectly fill every ridge of your delicate pussy.

Your body wants to clench around him, to feel him as completely as it can but, no matter how hard you try, an invisible barrier prevents it. Anatomy 101 dictates that, with the size of what you’ve taken, there should be not a centimeter of free space. By all means you should be screaming in agony, not pouring out such blissful moans. But, as Woo said, you were made for this and so there’s room still when Seonghwa’s palms come to rest behind your knees, hips rising to lift his pulsing length into your warmth.

Your eyes fall open and Hongjoong breaks from the kiss, freeing you to gurgle and moan as you at last watch the skies. There’s no need for clenching now, no possible way for you to do so. Buried deep within you, they exist both as one and as two. As one when they thrust into you, their demonic growls contrasting the lightness of your moans. As two when they split at the head, charting their own courses to punish your tender nerve endings. 

Seonghwa nuzzles against your neck, licking beads of sweat from your shoulder before it extends down to trace your collarbone. Hongjoong cups one of your breasts, fingertips digging into its plushness as he purses his lips around your nipple, suckling at the bud. Seonghwa’s tongue envelopes your other breast, the tip of his tongue circling your nipple.

Your body’s overcome with an unnatural heat that ravages you like a wildfire. Your mind’s whirling as you think of everything and nothing at once. Your teary eyes remain glued to the skies—always the skies, never their shadows—and your senses begin to shift. No longer are you smelling the honeyed scent of the flowers, you’re tasting it. And what you smell are colors, amethyst and emerald now aromatic as if they were herbs. 

“You are such a beauty to behold” Hongjoong’s voice praises, breaking through the fractured barriers of your mind. 

Seonghwa’s voice coasts in after his. “We haven’t felt this alive in centuries” it says, tickling your consciousness as does the breath at the back of your neck. “Maybe we could keep her like this. Whining and quivering between us. Forever our plaything. Would you like that, darling?” 

Hongjoong dips a hand between your legs, gathering your slick and dragging his drenched fingers across your lips. His laughter rings out in your head, “I think she likes the idea of it. Maybe…”

“Aaah!” you let out a scream that cracks to pieces in your throat. You’re hit with a rush that makes you feel absolutely feral, your nails thrashing at Hongjoong’s back as it overtakes you. 

“Good girl” he coos, unphased by the blood trickling from his wounds, “Come your pretty little brains out for us.” 

Seonghwa allows your legs to drop, strips of silk reaching up to coil around your ankles. His arms come around your waist, keeping you in place to fuck into you harder and faster. Thrusting. Pulsing. Claiming you. Flooding you with their seed until it’s spilling from your core and you’re coming all over their cocks, soaking them in your juices. Never in your life have you felt this perfect. This complete.

It’s impossible to differentiate between the labored breathing shared between the three of you. Even as you drift down from your high your breaths all sound as if they’ve left the same body. You arrived at this place a human but maybe now not as much. A part of you has been given away and, if it means feeling this way forever, you don’t want it back. 

Seonghwa softly brushes your hair away from your cheek, showering it in kisses, “You’ll rest with us now.” 

“Don’t be afraid” Hongjoong says, kissing his way down your tummy, “It can get a bit dark down here.”

“Down where?” you ask weakly before you’re snatched beneath the surface of the pit. Instinctively you begin flailing your limbs in a desperate attempt to keep yourself from drowning but your panic’s soothed by the two sets of arms cuddling up to you.

Surrounded by their warmth, you let the darkness swallow you and drift off to sleep. 

♰ ♰ ♰ ♰ ♰ ♰ ♰ ♰ ♰ ♰ ♰ ♰ ♰ 2. Despertar ♰ ♰ ♰ ♰ ♰ ♰ ♰ ♰ ♰ ♰ ♰ ♰ ♰

“Woo!” you scream, shooting upright, your heart pounding in your ears. You can’t fathom how long you’ve been asleep, the finer details of the previous events lost in the haze of sleep. You look around for Woo, for any of them, but you’re met only with the light, sparkling mist that hung from the ceiling above the pit.

Stretching your aching legs you feel something slink across them. “Wh…what is this?” you gasp, watching the fluorescent vines curiously explore your figure. Flower buds bloom as the vines reach between your legs, curving to ride your thighs up and around your torso. 

“Pretty aren’t they?” Woo asks, appearing behind you without a sound. 

“Woo, you scared me!” you pout, tempted to elbow him in the shin for frightening you so terribly. 

Woo crouches down to loop his arms around you from behind. “I’m sorry. I didn’t expect you to be so easily frightened all things considered” he teases, resting his chin on your shoulder. A graceful wave of his hand and he’s plucked a flower from the vine, twirling it before your eyes. You marvel at its beauty, the emerald glow creating a halo around your irises.

“Where do these come from?” you ask, brimming with wonder.

There’s a rustling in a nearby corner, the silhouette of a broad shouldered man emerging from the darkness. He smiles at you as he steps into the light of the mist, striking you with his features. Woo tucks the flower behind your ear, pointing to the approaching man. “They come from the mountain.” 

The man kneels before you, his dimpled cheeks inches from your face, and the vines tighten around you at his will. “But you can call me San” he says, obviously as smitten with you as you are with him. “Are you ready for us, love?”

You swallow hard and take your last full breath of air before the vine’s snug around your neck. “Yes, mmm, ready” you moan softly, surrendering to the strength of the vines. 

San takes you by the chin, his thumb tracing your jawline, “Hmm, breaking you will be fun. Just try not to look down too much. Might get lightheaded.” 

“Down?” you ask, glancing around at the bed of vines. You put all of your focus into watching them, searching for something you might’ve missed. But they’re as they were before, humming and glowing, doing their master’s bidding.

San guides your head in the opposite direction, revealing the pit of writhing black silk and the room illuminated with candles. 

“Oh, darling, haven’t you figured it out yet? You aren't down there anymore” Wooyoung laughs, tossing a flower into the air and watching it drift down into the pit, “You’re up here.” 

[divinelyparkjimin]

— craving you [m] | jhs.

◦ summary ↠ getting involved with the mafia means trouble—and their dangerously sexy boss might just be the most tempting trouble of all.

◦ pairing ↠ hoseok x reader

◦ word count ↠ 6.4k

◦ genre ↠ smut, angst, fluff

◦ content warning(s) ↠ mafia au, dom!hoseok, sub!reader, suggestive/explicit content, dirty talk, penetrative sex, ejaculation, f. and m. orgasm, fingering, alcohol consumption, aggressive sex, oral sex, slave kink (?), face-fucking, deep-throating, unprotected sex

a/n: i'm back after ten years lol. hope you guys enjoy!

masterlist

You woke up with a pounding headache, your surroundings unfamiliar. Blinking against the dim light, you took in the room: a simple bed with worn but elegant dark wood, a matching desk, and a vanity. The furniture looked aged but still somehow charming, as though it had once belonged to someone with taste but had been neglected over the years.

The last thing you remembered was being out at a club with your friends. You’d had a bit too much to drink, and everything after that was a blur. Now here you were, in a strange room that felt too odd to belong to someone’s home.

You rubbed your temples, trying to piece things together, when the door creaked open. A boy with a ruffled bowl cut stepped in, his expression unreadable.

“Hoseok is waiting for you,” he said, his voice calm but firm.

Your brows knitted together. “Who?” you asked, sitting up on the bed. “Who are you? Where am I?”

For a moment, he looked just as confused as you felt, his lips parting as though to answer, but then he seemed to think better of it.

“I’m taking you to Hoseok,” he said instead, stepping further into the room. Before you could react, he grabbed your arm.

“Let go!” you barked, pulling against his grip, but he was much stronger than he looked.

“Am I a prisoner?” you snapped, glaring up at him.

“Somewhat,” he replied with a small chuckle, his tone so nonchalant it made your blood boil.

He dragged you out into a hallway, the floor creaking underfoot. The place was massive, the walls lined with intricate carvings and faded wallpaper. The air smelled faintly of wood polish and something musky, almost intoxicating. Chandeliers hung from the ceiling, their crystals catching the dim light and scattering it across the room like shards of broken glass.

“Where are we?” you demanded, but the boy—who still hadn’t given you his name—remained silent, leading you through the labyrinth of hallways until you entered a large sitting room.

There, lounging casually on a leather couch, was a man with an aura that immediately put you on edge. His sharp features were softened by a devilish smirk, and his eyes sparkled with amusement as he took in the sight of you being dragged in.

“Thanks, Jungkook,” the man said, addressing the boy who had brought you. “Hope she wasn’t too much trouble.”

Jungkook merely nodded, releasing your arm before stepping back.

“What am I doing here?” you demanded, your voice trembling despite your efforts to sound strong.

The man—Hoseok, you presumed—leaned back, crossing one leg over the other. He held a glass of red wine in one hand, swirling it lazily as he studied you.

You’re here because your little friend couldn’t keep their word. It’s that simple.” he said, his tone almost cheerful.

“That doesn’t explain why I’m involved,” you shot back.

He tilted his head, a mocking smile curling at the edges of his lips. “Oh, but it does. You see, they offered you as collateral. And who am I to turn down such a… lovely arrangement?”

You flinched at his words, anger bubbling in your chest. “You’re insane. I’m not some object you can just—”

“Hey,” he interrupted, his voice suddenly cold and commanding. The shift in his tone made you falter. "You’re here now, and you’ll stay until the debt is paid.”

You glared at him, refusing to back down even as your heart raced. “And what if I refuse?”

He chuckled, shaking his head. “You don’t really have a choice. But don’t worry—I’m not completely heartless. I take good care of what’s mine.”

He took a step closer, and you instinctively took a step back, bumping into the edge of the bed. “You’ll find it’s not so bad here,” he continued, his tone lightening. “You’ll be working directly under me. My personal attendant, you could say.”

“Attendant?” you repeated incredulously. “Yeah, right.”

“Oh, don’t be so dramatic. I’m not that bad. In fact, I can be quite… generous.” He reached for a small box on the bedside table and tossed it to you. “Here, something for you to change into.”

You opened the box, your face flushing when you saw the contents: a skimpy, silk dress with lace trim that barely qualified as clothing.

“You’re joking,” you spat, glaring at him.

“Not at all,” he said, his smirk widening. “Jungkook will show you to the changing room.”

Jungkook escorted you to a room down the hall. Once inside, you reluctantly put on the dress, feeling both humiliated and strangely curious. Why was everything in this place so luxurious, so well-kept? It didn’t match the idea of being a prisoner.

When you emerged, Jungkook was waiting, his face immediately flushing red at the sight of you. He avoided your gaze, clearing his throat awkwardly before leading you back to Hoseok.

You were taken to a room, one that seemed to be Hoseok's. This was soon confirmed as Jungkook gripped the handle of the wooden door, swinging it open. He gave you a nod yet again, as if signaling you to enter. Your feet felt glued to the ground, your nerves unable to actually make a step forward into the mystery of a room.

Once you'd finally taken a peek into the room, you immediately took notice of Hoseok leaned casually against the edge of the bed, his gaze raking over you like a predator sizing up its prey. The dress clung to your figure, its delicate lace and silk leaving little to the imagination. You shifted uncomfortably under his scrutiny, wishing you could disappear, but his dark, unreadable eyes pinned you in place.

“Well,” he drawled, his voice low and smooth, “you look even better than I expected. Perfect, actually.” The door shut behind you, and your heart pounded harder within you.

You crossed your arms over your chest, glaring at him despite the heat rising to your cheeks. “If you think I’m going to play along with this, you’re delusional,” you snapped.

He smirked, amused by your defiance. "Oh, sweetheart, you can play hard to get all you like. It only makes this more interesting for me."

Your breath hitched as he pushed off the bed and closed the distance between you in a few strides. His presence was overwhelming, the scent of his cologne wrapping around you like a haze. When he stopped just shy of touching you, you felt the heat radiating from him, your pulse quickening despite yourself.

His eyes softened for a brief moment, though his smirk remained. “You know,” he murmured, his tone soft yet dangerous, "I could have given you to one of my men. But I chose you for myself. That should tell you something."

Your lips parted to respond, but the intensity of his gaze stole your words. He tilted his head, waiting, and then leaned in just enough to brush his fingers against your arm. The featherlight touch sent an unwanted shiver through your body, and you hated the way he noticed.

“I chose you because I always get what I want,” he said, his voice dropping to a near whisper. “And right now, I want you.” He took your chin between his fingers, tilting your face up so you had no choice but to meet his eyes.

The way he looked at you made your knees weak, and you hated how much your body betrayed you. You wanted to hate him, to push him away, but the magnetic pull between you was undeniable.

"Get over yourself," you managed to say, though your voice lacked conviction.

He laughed, a deep, rich sound that sent shivers down your spine. "You're adorable when you try to act tough," he said, releasing your chin and stepping back. "But we'll see how long that lasts."

He walked to a small cabinet and poured himself another glass of wine, the muscles in his back flexing as he moved. "You look tense," he remarked, turning back to you with a wicked grin. "Would you like me to help you relax?"

Your cheeks burned at the implication, and you turned your head away. "I’d rather die," you muttered.

He stalked back to you, setting the wine glass down on the bedside table. "Don’t tempt me, darling," he whispered, his voice laced with dark humor. "I might take you up on that offer."

Before you could retort, he leaned in close, his lips brushing the shell of your ear. "But I’d rather hear you beg for something else entirely."

Your breath hitched, and you felt his smirk against your skin. He pulled back just enough to look into your eyes, his own dark and unreadable. "Now, be a good girl and get some rest," he said, his tone suddenly lighter. "You’ll need your energy for tomorrow."

He turned away, heading toward the bathroom, but not before throwing a final, teasing glance over his shoulder. "Unless, of course, you’d like to share my bed tonight. I promise, I don’t bite... unless you ask me to."

The door closed behind him, leaving you alone with your racing thoughts and a pounding heart. You hated how much his presence affected you, how much his teasing had stirred something deep within you.

The room was quiet after Hoseok left, the weight of his words lingering in the air. You sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the door he had disappeared through. Your pulse still raced, a mix of fear, anger, and something you didn’t want to name swirling inside you.

A soft knock broke the silence. You stiffened, your heart leaping to your throat. The door creaked open, and Jungkook stepped inside, carrying a tray of food. His expression was softer now, a hint of guilt shadowing his face as he set the tray down on the small table near the bed.

“I thought you might be hungry,” he said, his voice low.

You eyed him warily. “What’s this? Poison?”

Jungkook flinched, his lips pressing into a thin line. “It’s not poisoned,” he murmured. “Just eat."

You crossed your arms, still glaring at him. “Why are you doing this? Why are you helping him?”

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “It’s not that simple,” he said, his tone tinged with frustration. “Hoseok… he’s not as bad as he seems.”

You raised an eyebrow. “Not as bad as he seems? He just told me I’m his collateral. What part of that isn’t bad?”

Jungkook hesitated, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. “I know how it looks, but… he has his reasons. He doesn’t hurt people unless they deserve it. And trust me, the people he deals with usually do.”

You snorted, shaking your head. “Yeah, because kidnapping innocent people is so noble.”

He winced again, looking genuinely remorseful. “I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “For what it’s worth, I didn’t agree with this. But once Hoseok makes up his mind…” He trailed off, his gaze dropping to the floor.

“Why are you telling me this?” you asked, softening slightly at his sincerity.

He looked back at you, his dark eyes earnest. “Because you’re not just some pawn to him. If you were, you wouldn’t be here, in his personal quarters. He… he sees something in you.”

You frowned, unsure how to respond. Before you could ask anything else, Jungkook turned toward the door. “Just… try to eat,” he said over his shoulder before leaving you alone again.

You stared at the tray of food for a moment before reluctantly picking up a piece of bread. It smelled fresh, and your stomach growled in betrayal. As you ate, your thoughts churned, trying to make sense of everything.

The door creaked open again, and you looked up to see Hoseok stepping inside, now dressed in silk pajamas that hung loosely on his frame. They were matching to your own, something that you audibly scoffed at. He looked relaxed, his earlier edge dulled by the casual attire.

“Enjoying the food?” he asked, his tone teasing.

You glared at him, though the corners of your mouth twitched. “As much as someone in my situation can.”

He chuckled, closing the door behind him. “Fair enough. But I hope you don’t think I’m completely heartless.” He gestured toward a couch on the far side of the room. “I’ll take that tonight. You can have the bed.” The couch dominated one corner of the room, its size nearly rivaling the bed itself. It was upholstered in deep, rich velvet, the kind that looked invitingly soft to the touch, with intricate stitching along the edges. The cushions were plush and overstuffed, creating a luxurious sprawl that promised comfort beyond reason.

You blinked in surprise. “What? No more threats or innuendos?”

He smirked, crossing his arms. “I’m full of surprises, darling. But even I need to sleep.”

You tilted your head, studying him. “So all that earlier? It was just bluffing?”

His smirk faltered for a moment, replaced by a flash of something that looked like amusement—or perhaps respect. “You’re braver than I gave you credit for,” he admitted, walking toward the couch. “But don’t push your luck.”

You laughed softly, more at the absurdity of the situation than anything else. “Goodnight, then.”

“Goodnight,” he replied, settling onto the couch. Despite his earlier bravado, he didn’t seem the least bit uncomfortable, draping an arm over the backrest as he reclined.

You climbed into the bed, sinking into its softness. As your head hit the pillow, you felt a strange sense of calm, even in the midst of the chaos. Hoseok’s presence, infuriating as it was, didn’t feel as threatening now.

The next day, Hoseok kept you busy. As promised—or threatened—you shadowed him as his personal attendant, though most of the tasks were menial. You were getting a glimpse of the operation he seemed to run: shadowy meetings, coded phone calls, and a surprising amount of charm that he wielded like a weapon.

Late in the afternoon, Hoseok asked Jungkook to bring you something from another room, leaving you alone for a moment. It was then that you felt someone’s gaze on you. A man with sharp eyes and a cruel grin approached, his steps deliberate. He was dressed in black, and his aura screamed trouble.

“Well, well,” the stranger purred, his voice smooth but unsettling. “Hoseok’s latest… acquisition. He always did have good taste.”

You tensed, instinctively stepping back. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” you replied, trying to keep your voice steady.

“Oh, but I think you do,” he said, circling you like a predator sizing up its prey. “You’re new here. That makes you vulnerable. And that means... I could help you, for the right price.”

Your stomach turned as he moved closer, his hand reaching out to brush a strand of hair from your face. You slapped it away, glaring. “Don’t touch me.” The man slipped a hand into his pocket, pulling out a pocket knife, to which you flinched at the sight of.

The man’s smile only widened, as though your defiance amused him. “Feisty. I like that.”

Before he could say more, a voice rang out, cold and cutting. “Step away from her. Now.”

You turned to see Hoseok standing a few feet away, his face devoid of its usual playful smirk. His eyes burned with barely contained fury, his posture tense.

The man raised his hands in mock surrender. “Relax, boss. I was just saying hello.”

“Your greetings are unwelcome,” Hoseok snapped, his tone lethal. “Touch her again, and I’ll make sure it’s the last thing you ever do.”

The dealer’s grin faltered for the briefest moment before he backed away. “No harm done,” he said, retreating with an air of false nonchalance.

Once he was gone, Hoseok turned to you, his expression softening slightly. “Are you okay?” he asked, his voice low.

You nodded, though your hands were trembling. “Yeah. I… I’m fine.” He stepped closer, his hand hovering near your arm as though debating whether to touch you.

For a moment, you saw something in his eyes—a flicker of genuine concern that sent your heart racing. You muttered a quiet “Thank you,” but he only nodded and turned away, leaving you with an unsettling mix of emotions.

As days turned into weeks, you found yourself increasingly drawn to Hoseok. His care for you, however begrudging it seemed at times, was impossible to ignore. He wasn’t the monster you’d initially pegged him as—he could be cruel, yes, but also fiercely protective and surprisingly thoughtful.

One evening, you had found Hoseok seated at his desk, staring at the reports before him. His fingers run through his hair in frustration. Another failed deal. Another betrayal. The day's losses have piled up, and he’s feeling the weight of it all. Normally, he could compartmentalize—keep his emotions in check, maintain control. But today, seemed like you were seeing an entirely different side of him.

The door creaked open. He didn't even need to look up; he knew who it is. You.

You'd been working with him for a while now—part of his inner circle, trusted, competent, but not someone he’d let too close emotionally. Until recently, things had changed. Maybe it was the way you always knew when something was off with him, when his temper was too short, when the pressure was mounting. Maybe it was the way you didn’t flinch when the violence around him got too real. Or maybe, just maybe, it was because, in your quiet moments together, you saw through the ice and stone he built around himself.

Today, you found him in a rare vulnerable state. His usual composure seemed to be gone—he was leaning back in his chair, staring at the ceiling, looking lost.

"You okay?" you asked softly, standing in the doorway. He didn't respond immediately. The tension in the air was palpable. You were used to the cold, dangerous version of him. But this... this was different.

He finally glanced up at you, his gaze heavy. "No," he muttered, the word hanging in the air between you. "It’s been a long day."

You stepped closer, your presence a silent offer of comfort, a safe place amidst the chaos. The silence stretched, but was not uncomfortable—just heavy. The unspoken understanding between the two of you had always been there, but now, it was almost as if it was pulling you closer.

He stood up abruptly, pushing the chair back, his usual sharp movements somehow slowed, drained. "I don’t need sympathy," he muttered, his voice rough, like he was holding something back. "I just need… something to take the edge off."

For a moment, you don’t move. You could feel the weight of his words. The tension between you both was unbearable—too close, too intimate, a fine line you’d never crossed before. And yet, there was no turning back.

You take a step toward him, standing just within arm's reach. The air between you crackled with tension. Without thinking, you lifted your hand, brushing his jaw lightly, feeling the softness of his skin beneath your fingertips.

Hoseok’s breath hitched, and for a split second, the hardness in his expression softened. He reached up, his fingers brushing against your wrist, guiding your hand down gently until it rested against his chest. You could feel the rapid beat of his heart beneath your fingertips, the tension, the frustration still lingering in his veins. He was holding himself back, but for how much longer?

"Are you sure about this?" he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. His lips were dangerously close to yours, and you could feel the pull between you.

You didn’t answer with words. Instead, you closed the distance, your lips brushing his in a soft, tentative kiss. The kind of kiss that said more than words ever could.

Without breaking the kiss, he moved his hands under your thighs, firmly guiding you into his lap. You could feel the weight of his body, the tension in every muscle, and the way his hands tightened around you.

His hands traced over your body with a mixture of reverence and possessiveness, moving to the buttons of your shirt. "You really think you can tease me like that?" His voice was low, laced with a playful challenge. His hands paused for a moment on your waist before undoing the buttons, pulling the fabric open just enough to expose the soft skin beneath.

"You’re not wearing a bra?" he teased, a grin tugging at his lips as he met your gaze. His hands roamed more freely now, his touch confident, leaving trails of warmth in their wake. "You’re full of surprises." He let his fingers skim over the soft skin of your breasts, the touch light but filled with intention. You let out small, soft moans with each graze.

The soft touches soon turned rougher as both of his hands were put to work, one on each of your breasts. He began fondling them, an expression of delight evident on his face.

"Fuck, who knew my little assistant had such beautiful tits?" He praised, his fingers beginning to twist around your nipples. The tingly sensations caused higher-pitched moans to escape your mouth, your hands gripping harder around his toned arms for stability.

You didn’t respond, allowing your breath to catch in your throat as you felt the heat radiating off him. You grinded your body against his, feeling his hard member under you. It tickled you, teasing you before it even got the chance to make an appearance.

He smirked, noticing the effect he had on you. "You really think you can just walk in here, all innocent, and not expect me to notice?" His lips brushed against yours as his hands roamed to your waist, pulling you closer still. "I don’t think you realize just how much trouble you’re in."

You met his teasing gaze with your own challenge, teasing him with a smile. "Maybe I like trouble," you moaned breathily. Your fingers grazed his chest, unbuttoning his shirt slowly, feeling the muscles beneath the fabric.

You tore it off of him, gliding your hands along his chest. Your hands lowered to his belt, tugging on it a bit. Your lips continued to reconnect, hands roaming along one another until Hoseok finally picked you up off of him. The two of you were now standing up, still practically devouring each other's faces. You took turns sucking each other's tongues, your pulse quickening by the second.

His lips brushed against yours once more, and as he deepened the kiss, you felt his hands move to the waistband of your pants, his fingers tentative at first, as if asking for permission. You nodded and not even a second after he grasped the waistband of your pants and pulled you closer, effortlessly tugging them down. The movement was quick, decisive, leaving no room for hesitation.

Your hands moved to his belt, unbuckling it with an eager, but controlled urgency. The space between you was shrinking, the intensity of his touch making everything else feel distant. You slid out of your own bottoms, now standing before him in only the barest of clothing.

As the kiss broke, Hoseok’s eyes lingered on you, intense but with a hint of mischief. He gave you a slight smirk, his hands sliding down to your hips as he guided you toward the bed.

With a gentle but firm push, he helped you sit down, the bed soft beneath you. He stood before you for a moment, eyes flicking over your body, his chest rising and falling as he took in the sight of you. Then, with a quiet, almost teasing chuckle, he knelt in front of you.

“You won't be needing these anymore, right?” His gaze directed at your lace panties. His voice was low, a playful edge in his words. His fingers slid to the waistband of the garment pulling them down with a slow, deliberate motion.

You shivered slightly as he discarded them, his gaze never leaving you. He stood again, his movements still confident and purposeful.

"Why don't you help me with this Y/N? You are my personal attendant." His hands cupped over yours, bringing them to the waistband of his boxers.

"Fuck, I'd love to." You said, your voice low and filled with longing, as you leaned closer. Slowly, you pulled them down, your breath catching as you were met with a surprising warmth and firmness.

His length was better than you could've imagined, its tip glossed with pre-cum. You admired it, every vein and crinkle of flesh. Your hand reached out to touch it before Hoseok interrupted you with an eyebrow raised, smirking with that dangerous grin of his.

“Getting eager, aren’t we?” His voice was low, almost a growl as you nodded impatiently. He didn't let you continue as his hands quickly found your hips, giving you a firm pull as he hoisted you up. Your legs instinctively wrapped around his waist, giving you immediate tingles from the direct skin contact.

Before you knew it, you were pressed against the wall, your back against the cool surface, but Hoseok's body was anything but cold. He gaze lowered as he positioned himself to enter you, before looking back up at you to assure your readiness. You nodded, biting your lip seductively in anticipation.

As soon as he got your approval, he roughly thrusted himself into you. You could feel him forcing your tight walls open, folds rubbing against the soft skin of his shaft. Your quiet exhales grew in volume, before forming into full-fletched moans.

Your body naturally moved with the rhythm of his, bouncing on his hard cock to increase the roughness of each thrust.

As the intensity of his movements grew, so did the volume of your moans. Your hands instinctively wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer as your lips met in a fierce, passionate kiss. The sensation of his tongue dancing with yours only added to the overwhelming pleasure that was building inside you.

Hoseok's grip on your hips tightened, his fingers digging deep into your skin as he continued to drive into you with unrelenting force. The sound of your bodies colliding echoed through the room, a rhythmic slap of skin on skin that seemed to match the pounding of your heart.

Your back scraped against the wall with each thrust, but you didn't care - the pain was a distant second to the pleasure that was consuming you. You felt yourself getting closer and closer to the edge, your muscles tensing in anticipation of the release that was to come.

Hoseok's eyes locked onto yours, his gaze burning with an intense desire as he watched you unravel beneath him. His movements became more frantic, his thrusts shorter and more rapid as he chased his own climax. You could feel his cock swelling inside you, the pressure building until it became almost unbearable.

As Hoseok's eyes burned into yours, his voice dropped to a low, husky growl. "You're mine now," he whispered, his words sending shivers down your spine. "You're mine to use, mine to fuck, mine to play with.”

"I always was, wasn't I?" you replied, your voice barely above a whisper, but laced with a hint of defiance. You tried to sound brave, but your voice trembled slightly, betraying your true feelings. Hoseok's eyes flashed with excitement, his gaze burning with an intense desire, as he took in your response. He seemed to like the fact that you were standing up to him, even if it was just a little bit.

Hoseok's eyes never left yours as he took a step closer, his body towering over yours. You could feel the heat emanating from him, and your skin prickled with awareness as he reached out and grasped your hips. His hands were like grips, holding you in place, as he pulled you into him. You felt a rush of excitement as your bodies touched, and you knew that you were in for a wild ride.

He spun you around, pinning you onto the bed, his body covering yours as he gazed down at you with an unyielding intensity. His hand slid between your legs, stroking your inner thighs, and you felt a shiver run down your spine as he touched you. His touch was gentle, yet firm, and you couldn't help but moan as he began to explore your body. You felt yourself getting wetter, your body responding almost immediately to his touch.

"How many can you take?" he whispered, his voice low and husky, as he slowly inserted one finger into you. You gasped, your body arching into his touch, and he smiled, his eyes glinting with excitement. "Two?" he asked, his voice dripping with anticipation, as he slid another finger into you. You felt yourself stretching, accommodating his fingers, and you couldn't help but moan as he began to move them in and out of you. His touch was gentle, yet firm, and you felt yourself getting closer and closer to the edge.

As he fingered you, his other hand began to rub your pussy, a pair of two fingers applying gentle pressure to your clit. You felt yourself trembling, and you knew you were on the verge of something explosive. His fingers quickened in pace, stroking your inner walls, and you felt a sense of pleasure that you had never experienced before. You were so caught up in the moment, so lost in the sensation of his touch, that you didn't even notice when he added a third finger.

Your body coiled with anticipation in response to the overwhelming feelings of pleasure that were coming over you. His touch was like magic, weaving a spell of pleasure around you, and you knew that you were powerless to resist. You felt yourself trembling, your body shaking with pleasure, as he brought you to the brink of orgasm. And then, just as suddenly as it had started, everything stopped. Hoseok's fingers stilled, his hand ceasing its gentle rubbing, and you were left feeling frustrated and unsatisfied.

Hoseok's fingers slowly slid out of you, and he brought them to his lips, tasting the wetness that coated them. His eyes locked onto yours, a spark of desire igniting within their depths. With a gentle smile, he leaned forward, his mouth descending onto your sex.

His tongue dragged along your folds, tracing a slow path of sensation that left you breathless. As he reached the apex of your thighs, his tongue swirled around your clit, sending shivers coursing through your body. The pressure was building inside you, and you could feel yourself tightening with each passing moment.

The sight of him between your thighs was a lovely one, a position you never expected to find yourself in, despite the growing lustful thoughts you seemed to have for him. He kept his tongue extended, bobbing his head in a gentle rhythm as he licked you.

The sensation was intoxicating – the soft lapping of his tongue against your sensitive flesh sent waves crashing through your body. You felt yourself melting into the touch, your hips rising to meet the

Suddenly, Hoseok's mouth closed around your clit, suctioning onto it with a gentle yet firm pressure. You moaned out loudly as the sensation washed over you – the suction sending sparks flying through your nerves. Hoseok's response was to suck harder, his mouth closing tighter around your clit as he drew on it with increasing intensity.

The sound that escaped your lips was almost primal – a raw expression of pleasure that echoed through the room. Your body arched upwards, pushing against Hoseok's mouth as you sought more contact. The suction grew stronger still, until finally you felt yourself reaching the edge of climax.

As you crested over the peak and began to tumble down the other side, Hoseok slowly released his suction on your clit. His chest rose and fell with ragged breathing as he gazed up at you with eyes that burned with desire.

"Touch me," he whispered urgently. His voice was low and husky, and you knew exactly what he meant. "Didn't forget about pleasing your master, right?" he asked, his tone dripping with expectation and a hint of warning.

"Of course not, master," you replied, trying to sound calm despite the excitement building inside you.

"Good girl." He smiled, a small, satisfied smile. You reached down, your hand wrapping around his cock, and he let out a low growl of pleasure. His eyes seemed to burn with an inner fire as he gazed at you, his pupils dilating with desire. As you held him in your hand, you could feel his cock growing harder and thicker, the veins standing out in stark relief. The skin was smooth and hot to the touch, like silk wrapped around steel.

You smiled to yourself as you began to stroke him, your hand moving up and down the length of his cock in slow, teasing motions. You took your time, savoring the sensation of having him in your hand. Your fingers explored every inch of him, tracing the curves and ridges of his cock. You could feel the pulse beating within him, a rhythmic throbbing that seemed to match the beat of your own heart. As you stroked him, Hoseok's breathing grew heavier, his chest rising and falling with ragged gasps.

After a few moments of stroking him, you leaned forward, your mouth opening to take him in. Your lips wrapped around the head of his cock, and he let out a hiss of pleasure as you began to suck him.

His hands tightened around your head, holding you in place as he began to thrust his hips upwards, fucking your mouth with slow, deliberate strokes. His breathing grew more ragged, his chest heaving with excitement, and his voice dropped to a low, husky growl. The sensation was almost overwhelming - the taste of him filled your mouth, rich and earthy and utterly masculine.

"Fuck!" he exclaimed, his words torn from his throat as he felt himself getting closer to the edge. "My slut is so good," he panted, his hands gripping your head tighter as he pulled you down further onto his cock. "You're so fucking perfect, you know that?" He thrusted deeper into your mouth, his hips jerking upwards.

You couldn't respond with words, but your expression said it all - you were his, completely and utterly, and you loved every moment of it. Your gaze was filled with a mixture of adoration and submission, your eyes sparkling with a hint of excitement and pleasure.

"You like sucking my cock, don't you?" he growled. "You like feeling me deep in your throat." He thrusted his hips upwards, even harder than before, pushing himself deeper into your mouth. "Take it all," he ordered. "Take every inch of my cock, princess." His words were like fuel on a fire, making you burn hotter with every passing moment.

Each thrust was like a wave crashing over you, basking in the feelings of bliss. Your mouth was stretched wide around him, but you couldn't help feeling a thrill of excitement at the way he was using you. The sensation was almost too much to bear, you couldn't help but crave for more.

Despite the pleasure that was building inside him, Hoseok's patience soon wore thin. He pulled his cock out of your mouth and grabbed your shoulders, pinning you back down onto the bed. His eyes blazed with need as he gazed at you, his face twisted with desire.

"I need you right now." he growled, his voice rough. You felt a sense of power, knowing that you had the ability to make him feel this way, and you reveled in it. In a swift movement, he flipped you onto your back and settled between your legs, his cock nudging against the entrance to your sex. His eyes locked onto yours, burning with an inner fire that seemed to burn brighter with every passing moment.

"You're mine," he whispered urgently as he pushed himself inside you. "Every inch of this body belongs to me." His words were like thunder in the background. Maybe it was wrong, maybe it was shameful, but all you could think about was the need to be used by him, to feel him deep inside you, to let go of everything and just give in to his desire.

Hoseok’s hand began blocking your head from banging against the headboard as he began to fuck you with a ferocity that left you breathless. The room was filled with the sound of your bodies colliding, the slap of skin on skin, and the heavy breathing that accompanied it. It was a primal, animalistic sound, and it only added to the excitement that was building between you. You felt yourself getting lost in the moment, lost in the sensation of his touch.

As you approached the edge, Hoseok's thrusts became faster and harder, his body pounding into yours with all his might. You couldn’t seem to contain the feelings of pleasure that spread throughout your body. And then, in a moment of pure ecstasy, you came, your body exploding into a thousand pieces as Hoseok's cock pulsed inside you.

His hand held your head in place, his fingers tangled in your hair, as he watched you come apart beneath him. Your body vibrated with the aftershocks of your orgasm, as you felt the warm liquid fill you up, his cum spilling into you like a gentle flood. It was a sensation that was both comforting and exhilarating, as if his very essence was merging with yours. You felt his warmth spreading through you, a soothing balm that calmed your trembling muscles and left you feeling languid and relaxed.

As you lay there, embracing the glow of your orgasm, Hoseok's expression softened, his eyes filling with a deep affection. He caressed your face, his fingers tracing the curves of your cheeks and the line of your jaw, his touch gentle and soothing. He leaned in, his lips brushing against yours in a soft, sweet kiss, and you felt your heart melt at the tenderness of the gesture.

For a moment, you two of you simply laid there, wrapped in each other's arms, the only sound being the gentle rhythm of your breathing. Then, Hoseok's face broke into a cheeky grin, one that you knew came with nothing but mischief.

“Wanna go again?”

a/n: hi, thank you for reading! let me know guys what you think and feel free to request something new <3

masterlist

[rmd-writes]

raebelline, can i ask you (and your friends) for a rec of angsty tk/carlos fics? with a happy ending ofc!!! let me slowly dip my toes into this fandom :')

Hi nonnie (assuming this is the same new to tarlos anon??)!

Angst isn't my most read category of fic, but here is a list of some of the angst to happy ending Tarlos fics that I love:

Canon-ish (compliant, divergent, adjacent)

to build a home by @freneticfloetry

lost in the labyrinth by @strandnreyes

What is Sown, What is Grown by @never-blooms

balancing act by @reyesstrand

There's Always Tomorrow by @three-drink-amy

and a cheeky self-rec, Precious Love

AUs

a long time ago (we used to be friends) by @welcometololaland

time, curious time by @strandnreyes (make sure you read the entire series)

First Aid by @heartstringsduet

Because you asked for recs from my friends, I also asked @strandnreyes @reyesstrand and @heartstringsduet who all read (and write) more angst than I do for some recs and they have suggested these fics as well. There was a lot of overlap in their lists, so I'm just doing one combined list of their suggestions (PS. I think it's so cute that they all rec'd each other when I asked them separately 🥰):

Canon-ish (compliant, divergent, adjacent)

Where all This Love Comes From by @carlos-in-glasses

monday by @butchreyes

Ashes, Ashes by vaguenotion

come what may, I'll still stay by @strandnreyes

call my bluff, call you babe by @strandnreyes

Blood on the tracks, fire in the hills by thenorthface

What we leave behind by @goodways

When I'm Like This by @cold-blooded-jelly-doughnut

The Space In Between by @decafdino

AUs

The Weight of Your Name by @heartstringsduet

Cause It's Your Life by GoOffCredits

my beatin' heart belongs to you by bartsy

3 Rules by colonoscopys

I've done my best to tag the authors where I know their tumblr usernames, but if I've missed anyone, please lmk and I'm happy to edit to include their tags!!

Happy reading nonnie! 💖

PS. mind the tags and ratings on each of these fics. Take care of yourself while reading xo

[lowkeychenle]

masterlist + all about me (and nct dream)

hi everyone! name change/rebrand alert ;)

prev @/lowkeyjaemle, now @/lowkeychenle :D

i'm juls (as some of you already know) and my ult group is NCT Dream! i'm chenle biased (this will never change lol) and the majority of my blog is also chenle biased lol.

i do not have a bias wrecker. chenle is safe (although jisung is my #2, which just makes sense bc chenji is a package deal okay).

i'm 23 years old, and my pronouns are she/her. now that all this intro/boring stuff is out of the way, please keep reading for my updated masterlist ;)

p.s. if u are also a chenle stan, there are so many chenle fics here just for u

AY YO! MDNI >:(

text!au masterlist | smau masterlist

labyrinth

Chenle was more complex than you originally gave him credit for, and unfortunately for you, that would be your downfall. Lost in the labyrinth, you’ll always struggle to find your way out when the rose-colored glasses don’t let the light shine through.

the hardest part (M)

You, Chenle, and Jay have been best friends since before you could even remember. After moving away to pursue your dreams, you don't talk to them as often as you should. One day, you get a call notifying you of Jay's passing. When you go back to your hometown, you find everything is different except for one person--Chenle.

Some Things Can't Be Taught (M)

In which you are failing college physics, and your childhood best friend offers up one of his friends as your tutor—except, there’s a little something he wants to learn from you in exchange.

Guilty As Sin? (M)

Chenle is everything you want--everything you need. Somehow, the thought of him manages to pull you back in even after you were free. Messy kisses, late night trysts, and him tracing the word 'mine' on your thigh--barely anything, so how could you possibly be guilty as sin? (based on Guilty As Sin? by Taylor Swift)

And Then It Was (M)

After your marriage with Chenle was arranged by your parents for a company merger, things with him aren't quite like you expect. In your life full of obligations, he's determined to finally give you the ability to make your own choices. (smut/fluff/angst) *WC>10k

Cruel Summer (M)

He wants you. Everything to do with you--your heart, your body, all while keeping your friendship. What's a man to do during a 30-day hook up to get you to stay? (smut/fluff/angst) *WC>10k

See My Sea (M)

You never expected your lab partner to be the captain of the basketball team...or a decent human being, but you get proved wrong twice. Despite a rocky past of your own, you find yourself falling for him faster than you thought. Maybe, with his help, you can finally find your way home and see your sea. (smut/fluff/angst) *WC>10k

Like We Just Met (M)

Everything else about the day is completely normal when Chenle realizes he wants to marry you. It hits him like a tidal wave, and he's itching to tell you just how much he wants to love you forever. (smut/fluff) *WC>10k

SOS (M)

Road trips with Chenle are your favorite thing. Late at night, the two of you stop at a hotel, but it's not everything it seems to be. You barely have time to settle before you get a call to evacuate immediately. Beneath red neon flashing lights, you and Chenle have to try and escape the group of people hunting you down. (suspense/thriller/smut)

this is me trying (M)

Meeting Chenle was a fluke--a good one, at that, but you never expected things to escalate the way they did. But despite the whirlwind romance, you'd go back to December if you had the chance... (smut/fluff/angst) *WC>10k

Is It Over Now? (M) (Feat. Jisung)

Your relationship with Chenle is nothing but fight after fight. Amidst the toxicity, infidelity comes into play--except you're determined to one up him...but is it ever truly over? (angst/smut) *WC>10k

Within the Piano Keys (M)

For as long as you could remember, Chenle has been your neighbor and childhood best friend. That is, until one day he disappears without a word…or so you thought, since your mother hid all the letters he sent you. (smut/fluff/angst) *WC>10k

Paris (M)

Pure smut on a hotel room balcony in Paris! Woo. (smut)

Sunshine (M)

You're not usually able to wake up with Chenle due to his schedules, but on the days that you can, it's certainly worth it. (smut/fluff)

Quiet Down (M)

You and Chenle visit your parents, but he just can't help himself... (smut)

You're Not Sorry

You and Chenle broke up two weeks ago. The first time he calls you at 3am, you ignore it. Then he calls again. You answer, and you go to him knowing there's nothing he could do to fix what he's broken. (angst)

The Last Straw (M)

Chenle has been your best friend for as long as you can remember. Being in love with him isn't easy, until you find out he reciprocates those feelings (thanks to Cockblocker!Jaemin). (smut/fluff/angst)

Chilled Nights, Fogged Windows (M)

After being gone for weeks, the first thing Chenle wants to do is get ice cream with you. One thing leads to another, and suddenly, you're in the backseat (oooops). (smut)

In Your Dreams (M)

What started as innocent phone sex hotline stuff (if that can ever really be innocent?), you get an offer you just can't refuse...you just have to be a little sleep deprived ;) (Chenle as Freddy Kruger Halloween thing lol)

Irrevocably (M) Series Masterlist

You were friends with benefits with Chenle until he got a girlfriend...fast forward months later, and now they've broken up--leaving Chenle to come back to you, very much in need of a distraction. (angst/smut/fluff)

Opposites Attract [Poly!Jaemle AU] Series Masterlist

Your relationship with Jaemin started out simple--friends with benefits with zero complications...until there was one. That complication's name is Zhong Chenle, and after Jaemin agrees to expand your exclusivity deal to involve him, there's only one logical thing left to do... (smut)

모래성 (ONE) (TWO) (THREE)

You and Mark have had a friends with benefits relationship for almost a year now. He's in love with you, addicted to you, but you don't feel the same. You're his poison. (smut/angst)

Late Nights (M)

Mark's busy schedule only gives him time to come over late at night, but it's safe to say neither of you are complaining by the time you fall asleep. (fluff/smut)

Empire State of Mind (M) (Feat. Jisung)

Life with Jisung is almost perfect. He loves you, and you love him. But when you run into your ex, Mark Lee, you realize the one thing you've been missing all along is him. (smut/angst)

Lost & Wayward Mini-Masterlist

After the worst couple weeks of your life, you finally break down in the middle of an alleyway. Jaemin hears you and comes to comfort you, and little do you know, he's about to change your life--in more ways than one. (fluff/smut/angst)

[chillinglyadventurous]

Spooktober Day 23 - “Look at the mess you made.”

I believe this is BillStill AU (I don't remember who created it, but I love it).

Ford had wanted to clear his mind. He enjoyed his daily adventures with you and Dipper, but he wanted some alone time, to relive the good old days. He loved his adventures with you. Sometimes, however, he wanted to have his own time. There were certain dangerous activities he just didn't think were safe for you or Dipper to experience.

He had been gone for longer than he had anticipated. He had gotten caught up in an intricate labyrinth beneath the lake. He was excited to tell you and Dipper about it and planned to take the two of you tomorrow.

Once he'd finally made his way home, he couldn't wait to see you, to see the excitement on your face when he told you what he'd found. When he walked in, the Shack was quiet.

“Hello?” he called out, setting his bag down by the door. “Anyone home?” Silence greeted him. His brow furrowed. Normally, he would hear the chatter of the twins, your voice in conversation, or Stan grumbling about something, but, now, there was nothing.

“[Y/N]?” he called again. “Kids? Stan?”

The living room was empty and so was the kitchen. Then, a sinking feeling gnawed at his stomach. He quickened his pace, heading toward the attic. That’s when he found you. You were lying on the floor, unmoving. Dipper and Mabel lay beside you, equally still, as though they had simply collapsed where they stood. Your bodies were oddly posed in the shape of a triangle.

Panic shot through Ford. He rushed to your side, kneeling down. His hands trembled as he checked your pulse. You and the twins were alive, but unconscious, and he had no idea why.

He leaned over you, shaking you gently. “[Y/N], please wake up.” He glanced over at the twins. No response. Ford’s mind raced, trying to think of what could have done this. Was it a curse or a spell?

As he stood up, his heart pounding with fear, a slow clap echoed through the room.Ford turned sharply, his heart stopping mid beat as he saw the source of the sound. Standing in the doorway, illuminated by the dim light was Stan. The yellow glow in Stan's eyes.

“Bill,” Ford whispered, his blood running cold.

Bill grinned wider, tilting his head in mockery. “Well, well, well, look who finally decided to show up. You’ve been a little busy, huh, Sixer?”

“How are you here? We erased you!”

Bill chuckled darkly, taking a step forward. His hands tucked casually in Stan’s pockets. “Oh, come on, Fordsy. You really think you could get rid of me that easily? I’m a multi-dimensional being. You can’t just zap me out of existence.”

“What have you done to them?” He glanced at your motionless body. Ford’s jaw clenched. He could feel rage bubbling beneath his skin, but he knew better than to let Bill Cipher provoke him.

Bill’s grin stretched wider, “Oh, don’t worry. They’re just taking a little nap. I needed them out of the way.” He waved a hand lazily at the scene before him. “Look at the mess you made me make.”

Ford’s eyes narrowed, confusion and fury swirling inside him. “What do you mean?”

Bill spread his arms, still wearing Stan’s twisted grin. “You made me do this. All those years of chasing after things you weren’t supposed to know, I helped you find, smart guy! You just couldn’t help yourself, could you?”

Bill laughed. The sound was horrific, Stan's gruff laughed mixed with bill's high-pitched shriek. Ford put himself between your unconscious bodies.

"We had a deal, Stanford," Bill insisted.

Ford’s heart ached at Bill’s words, but he shoved the guilt aside. He wouldn’t let this monster break him. “If you’ve come to kill me, just do it. Leave them out of this.”

“Now, where’s the fun in that? You think I’d come all this way just to end things quickly? No, Sixer, I want you to suffer. I want you to see the people you care about get hurt and it's all because of you.” Bill tsked, wagging a finger.

Ford’s breath hitched, refusing to show fear. “You won’t win, Bill.”

Bill’s eyes gleamed with delight. “I already have.”

Ford was torn. He wanted to protect you, protect the twins, but he couldn't hurt Stan. One hand hovered over the gun on his hip, fingers twitching as he struggled with his own logic.

Bill strolled closer, his grin never fading. “Oh, don’t worry, IQ. I’m not going to kill you, yet. I want you to watch me take everything from you. Your brother Your girlfriend. The kids. One by one, and you’ll know it’s because of you.”

Ford’s vision blurred with rage, but before he could even think of a response, Bill snapped his fingers, and the room began to warp. The air felt heavy, the walls bending and distorting as reality itself twisted around him.

[karinamay]

Holiday shout outs - KarinaMay's fic recs of 2024

The year is almost out, and with the holidays coming up I hope we can all find some time to cozy up with a hot drink and a good fic. In case you're unsure what to read next, I've compiled a list of my absolute favourites of the year. (Sorted by fandom for your convenience.)

Baldur's Gate 3

Magistrate's Advocate by @cinnamontails-ff

An Astarion/female OC fic that absolutely blew me away. The romance between Astarion and Zoroya is a beautiful, delicate tale of two people growing up together, growing apart, and finding each other again. Beyond that, the fic takes magistrate!Astarion to court for some delicious intrigue that left me on the edge of my seat. Not to mention that Zoraya is just one of my favourite OC's in fiction. 11/10, I kicked my feet, I cried, I was cackling by the time someone did actually yell "objection!".

Portrait of the pale elf by @larvasmoon

Another Astarion/female OC fic - with a twist. Set post the game narrative, tailor!Astarion meets a painter Selene and they get twisted up in a very complicated dark romance. I'm always enchanted by larvasmoon's writing. This fic is an absolute must-read for anyone who loves the romantics and gothic horror/romance stories. Vibes range from "Desperate Romantics" to "Crimson Peak". I'm absolutely obsessed with this one.

A Tale of Fools and Tricksters by @obsessedwhyyes

Continuing on the Astarion/female OC trend, this fic by obsessedwhyyes is, in her own words, a "mystic circus AU", which I didn't know was something I needed until I read it. Slightly spooky vibes as well, and very whimsical, featuring Astarion as the ringmaster of a travelling circus that makes wishes come true. Reminds me of "Alice in Wonderland" as well as "Labyrinth".

Rings of Power

In which we explore my unwavering love for modern AUs

ode to a nightingale by SephySpector

Galadriel/Halbrand. As of writing this, I haven't yet caught up with the final few chapters, but I have been *screaming* about this one on the inside. Modern/kind of college AU that happens to actually be set around Christmas, so it's perfect for this time of year. "The sluttiest thing a man can do is read poetry" made into a fic and let me tell you. Yes. Yes it is.

This is hell, and he is the devil by @lisenberry

Galadriel/Halbrand. Modern AU, Gal is a student/waitress, Halbrand a chef in the restaurant she works at. Now this one is very spicy. I think I read the entire thing in two days, I absolutely loved it. Especially recommend for anyone who's worked in a restaurant before. Definitely one for the dom/sub enjoyers out there.

The Venus of Valinor by @thecoziestbean

Galadriel/Halbrand. Modern AU, Gal gets fired from an art auction house, Hal is a thief breaking into her family home. Due to some complicated circumstances in Gal's family history, she and Hal end up a somewhat reluctant art heist team. The way this fic combines an intriguing, fast-paced heist story with a hot-as-heck romance is masterful, honestly. It reads like watching a movie.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard

How to Steal a Crow in Ten Weeks by queenofseventeen

Lucanis/Rook. Low stakes AU in which things in Veilguard aren't as bad. Focusses on the Crows as a whole, with the Lucanis romance, but also centered around the relationship between Rook and Viago. As of me writing this, just the first chapter is up, but I know this author, and I promise their work is worth the read and the wait. Their writing is fast-paced, innovative and overall just a delicious read.

[icarusignite]

So i have a weird reaquest heheh i just read you finan x reader where they die instead of osferth and the final sentence being about them meeting in heaven SO i got this idea about like in the next life maybe like a modern AU they meet by accident in our time like idk the boys go to a bar or something after a day of work and she is there and Finan just feels like they know each other and something and massive fluff!!!

Thank you<3333

A/N: Heyyoo, I love love loved this request, so cute. Hope you like this fic. I had alot of fun writing the "in another world" vibes lol. This is my first time writing modern AU so apologies if it's abit nonsensey.

Word Count: 2.5K

Pairing: Finan x Fem! Reader (no use of y/n), Modern AU

AO3

In this labyrinth of time, our souls entwined

The bar hummed with an energetic atmosphere, vibrant and alive. Warm, dimmed lights cast a golden glow across the space, illuminating the polished wooden surfaces and richly upholstered seating. The air was filled with the mingling scents of aged whiskey, fragrant hops, and delectable cuisine, creating an inviting aroma that embraced the four men who had just entered.

The sounds of conversation, laughter, and clinking glasses merged harmoniously, creating a symphony of human connection. Patrons leaned against the sleek bar, engaged in animated discussions, their voices rising and falling like waves crashing on a distant shore. Bartenders, skilled and swift, expertly crafted cocktails, their movements a well-practiced dance behind the counter. The clatter of shakers, the clinking of ice, and the pop of corks added a rhythmic backdrop to the bustling scene. There was also the occasional burst of applause that erupted from a corner where groups engaged in friendly games of darts or pool. The walls were adorned with eclectic artwork, vintage posters, and memorabilia, and the music, carefully curated to suit the mood, resonated throughout the room. 

As for Finan, Osferth, Uhtred, and Sihtric, they navigated their way through the bustling crowd, exchanging nods and friendly greetings with familiar faces along the way. Their destination was a cozy booth nestled against the far wall, worn leather seats beckoning like old friends. The table, scarred with marks of countless conversations and camaraderie, stood as a testament to the memories made within its embrace and the friends settled into their respective spots, each claiming their corner of comfort. 

"Now, Osferth," Finan teased, nudging his friend playfully. "Remember, moderation is key tonight. We don't want a repeat of last time, do we?"

"Hey, that was not my fault!" Osferth retorted. "Sihtric was the one who made that stupid wager."

"Well, whatever it was, your girlfriend wasn't too happy about having to drag your drunk ass back home when we called her," Sihtric smirked.

Uhtred rolled his eyes, "How'd someone like you even get a girlfriend Osferth?"

"You're just jealous that our boy here is in an actually stable relationship. Maybe you should learn a lesson or two from him?" Finan threw an arm around the blushing younger boy. 

"What, and deny the ladies all this?" Uhtred spread his arms wide and gestured to himself, making the table erupt in snickers. 

Osferth's face reddened slightly as he chuckled, his eyes flickering with embarrassment, "I'll make sure I don't lose it today. I don't really wanna bother her."

"Awww, he's in loooove," everyone cooed together, making Osferth blush harder.

"Can we-uh-can we just order, please!"

Uhtred raised his hand and summoned one of the waitresses over. She was a confident-looking woman, and when she caught sight of the boys, her eyes sparkled with familiarity and warmth. 

"Evening, gentlemen. What can I get for you today?" she grinned. "Will it just be the usual?"

Uhtred raised a hand to his heart, "Oh you flatter us Amelia, you know us so well."

"It's only right that I remember the order of my best tippers," she winked.

"I supposed it does help that we come in here every Friday night and order the exact same thing?" Sihtric raised an eyebrow playfully.

"I suppose. So yes, the usual then?"

"Thanks, Amelia, you're a doll," Uhtred smiled widely and leaned conspiratorially toward her. "And by the way-"

"Nuh-uh, don't try that with me," Amelia tapped her pen against her notepad. "Cassie from last week was here earlier and she did not look happy."

"Hmm, I wonder what that was about."

"Uhtred..." she warned, equal parts amused and annoyed.

"Oh c'mon, it's not my fault she got attached. It was a one-night kind of thing."

"Uhtred, Uhtred, Uhtred."

"Amelia, Amelia, Amelia, your disappointment in me stings."

Amelia rolled her eyes, "Good. You should learn from Osferth here. Now this is a true gentleman."

She ruffled his hair affectionately, making Uhtred groan.

"I'll send someone over with the food and drinks boys. Have a good time!"

As she walked away, Uhtred leaned back in his seat, a self-satisfied grin playing on his lips, "Did you see the way she looked at me? No woman can resist my charm."

Finan chuckled, shaking his head. "Oh, Uhtred, your ego knows no bounds. She's definitely not into you!"

"Hey, but she could!"

Sihtric sniggered, "Leave it to Uhtred to flirt with every pretty face he comes across."

"And besides, there's no way she'd be into you when you go around breaking the hearts of every woman in her establishment," Osferth chimed in.

Just then, their drinks arrived, and Uhtred was saved from responding. He took his glass absentmindedly from the news server, eyes still lingering on the woman who had retreated behind the counter and was now currently issuing orders. 

The four friends were just raising their glasses, toasting to the adventures they had shared and those yet to come, when there was a sudden hush in the atmosphere. The boys turned their eyes toward the commotion along with everyone else in the room. 

A drunken man, fueled by liquid courage, had crossed the line of decency, attempting to grope a young woman who had been enjoying her drink in solitude at the bar. The atmosphere crackled with a mix of anger and concern, a collective discomfort rippling through the patrons. The woman's discomfort was palpable, her eyes darting around for help as she swallowed nervously. Uhtred stood, accompanied by his friends, ready to step in immediately, but then a figure burst through the crowd.

You were fierce and unyielding as you emerged, eyes flashing with defiance. Your voice boomed with a fiery determination as you confronted the perpetrator. 

"Get your fucking hands off her before I cut them off!"

The drunken man, taken aback by the unexpected confrontation, slurred a profanity-laden response "Mind your own business. The whore was asking for it."

The victim, your friend whom you had left unattended for a moment while you went to the washroom, shuddered at his words and it made your blood boil. You stood your ground with unwavering resolve, managing to stare down your nose at him despite being almost several inches shorter. 

"And you know what you're asking for, you pig? A fucking beating?"

The drunk man snarled and the entire bar waited with bated breath. Finan watched you curiously. He had never seen you in his entire life, he knew that much for sure, and yet there was something about you that seemed so familiar. Something about the steely determination in your glare and the way your voice echoed without strain. He found himself worrying for your safety just then, and he told himself that it was just very human of him to be wishing for the safety of a fellow patron of the bar.

"Oh yeah, and who'd gonna give me the beating? A pathetic thing like you?"

The drunkard lunged toward you, his intentions clear. But he had gravely underestimated your strength and resolve. In a swift movement, you dodged his attack, your smaller stature and sober mind giving you the advantage of speed and better coordination. Your fist connected with his jaw in a powerful counterstrike. There was a satisfying crunch and he crumpled with a howl. The sound reverberated through the room, silencing it for a split second before the eruption of applause and cheers.

"Alright, the show's over, get that fucking clown out of my bar!" Amelia finally arrived at the scene with security and everyone watched them throw the man out, returning the familiar buzz of conversation to the environment. 

The aftermath of the confrontation still hung in the air as Finan, Osferth, Uhtred, and Sihtric returned to their booth, feeling quite impressed at your bravery. However, there was something else lingering in the air—Finan's undeniable fascination with you. 

As they settled back into their seats, Osferth's eyes twinkled mischievously, "Finan, my friend, it seems your attention was captured by more than just the excitement of the moment."

Uhtred chuckled, leaning back with a knowing grin, "Indeed, it appears our fearless Finan has met his match. A strong-willed woman who can throw a punch? I totally see the appeal."

Finan's cheeks flushed, a mix of embarrassment and amusement tugging at the corners of his lips. "No, no, it's not that. I feel like-I feel like I know her."

"You seen her before?" Sihtric raised an eyebrow.

"A one-night-"

"No! Nothing like that!"

Uhtred raised his hands placatingly, "Alright, alright. Shall I ask Amelia then? Maybe she's a regular here?"

"Maybe, I don't know."

"Just go talk to her Finan," Sihtric sighed in exasperation. 

"What if she thinks I'm a creep or something?"

"Oh I think she's more than capable enough to handle creeps don't you think?"

"Hey! I don't wanna be handled like a creep!" Finan exclaimed indignantly.

"Well then, you better be on your most gentlemanly behaviour dude," Osferth clapped a hand on his shoulder.

With the resounding support of his friends, Finan steeled his nerves and rose from the booth once more. He crossed the bar, weaving through the mingling crowds until he reached your side. You were still comforting your friend in hushed whispers when she nudged you to turn your attention to the newcomer.

Finan wore an easy confident smile as he leaned against the bar, eyes twinkling with mischief.

"You know," he began, his voice filled with playful charm, "I could swear we've crossed paths before. Perhaps in a previous life?"

You snorted, "Oh wow. That was-"

"Charming?"

"Oh, is that your go-to line?" you raised your eyebrow unimpressed. 

"Well, it hasn't failed me yet. But I must admit, it doesn't seem to be working splendidly in this instance," he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

"Well, consider my curiosity piqued, charming stranger."

"Finan, at your service," he extended his hand which you took in a firm handshake.

The moment your palms met, a kaleidoscope of emotions and sensations cascaded through his being, and Finan felt a jolt of familiarity as if the tapestry of time had woven your destinies together long before your paths had crossed here in this bar. Time itself seemed to stutter, as though a forgotten melody had suddenly resurfaced, stirring memories buried deep within him and his heartbeat quickened. He knew you, he could swear it. Within that ephemeral moment, the boundaries of space blurred, and the present moment fused seamlessly with echoes of the past and the whispers of the future. The sensation transcended the confines of the physical world, creating a bridge that spanned eons, traversing the realms of memory and eternity. Finan then pulled away, feeling quite foolish. No girl had ever made him feel this way before but surely it was foolish to be drawn this way to a stranger he had just met. He looked up at you, trying to deduce whether or not you felt a similar connection, or if this familiarity was something on his part alone. 

Your eyes were warm as you smiled at him, but there was no recognition in them. That was all well enough, he supposed. The stressful week must be getting to him. This was the first time he'd seen you because there was no way he'd ever forget someone like you if you had made his acquaintance in the past. 

"So, will I get to know your name, or are you determined to stay an enigma?"

Your smile grew wider as you introduced yourself. 

"That was quite a punch back there," Finan eyed your bruised knuckles in concern. "I must say, I'm impressed."

You laughed, the sound echoing through his ears pleasantly. 

"Flattery will get you far, Finan. But tell me, do these lines usually work for you?"

Finan leaned in, his tone conspiratorial, "I'd say they've got about a 50/50 success rate. Though I must confess, it's never been quite as genuine as it is with you."

"Well, you certainly have a way with words. Perhaps, just this once, I'll let you get away with it."

"Wow, in that case, would you let me buy you a drink?"

"Hmm, I'd like that. Thank you."

Finan flagged down the bartender, ordering your preferred drink. Then, with a worried glint in his eyes, he added, "And may we also have some ice for her bruised knuckles, if you don't mind."

The bartender returned, placing your drinks on the bar along with a small bowl of ice. Finan took a few napkins and wrapped a few pieces of ice in them, reaching out to brush his fingers gently across yours.

"May I?"

You nodded hesitantly, and he pressed the cool relief to your knuckles, making you sigh. 

You smiled, "Thank you. It's not often I find someone who pays such attention to the little things."

After that, the conversation seemed easy, your words flowing effortlessly like a dance. The bar's ambient sounds faded into the background, leaving you wrapped in a cocoon of shared laughter and connection. You didn't even notice your friend slip away from your side, leaving you two alone at the counter. 

Finan's friends observed the scene from their booth, their eyes fixated on their smitten companion. Uhtred leaned in, his voice filled with mischief. "Well, well, it seems Finan has truly met his match."

Osferth nodded, a warm smile on his face as he watched the two of you laugh and engage in witty banter, "He's found someone who can match his wit I guess. It's entertaining for sure."

"How long before he works up the nerve to ask her out?" Sihtric chimed in.

"If he hasn't already," Uhtred pointed out.

"Nah, I don't think he's done it yet. He seems different this time."

"Oh you think you're the expert now Osferth," Sihtric nudged him with his elbow.

"Well, I am the one with the long-term relationship, so yeah, I guess that makes me the expert. We can't very well call Uhtred the expert now can we?"

Back at the bar, you and Finan had continued to share stories, your laughter intertwined with glimmers of vulnerability and shared interests. Finan leaned closer, his voice uttering your name sincerely.

"You know, there's something about you that is so truly captivating. I find myself drawn to your spirit, and I can't help but want to know more."

"My spirit huh? Damn, you definitely have a way with words. So what is it that you want to know, Finan?"

"Everything. I want to know your dreams, your passions, and the adventures that have made you the person you are. I want to know everything about you!"

"Oh."

"If you'll let me of course," he amended quickly, not wanting to scare you off.

Your cheeks flushed a deep red, "I assure you my life has been very ordinary so far, but perhaps you shall hear about it another time."

Finan reached out, gently taking your hand in his, "I eagerly await that time. Until then, may I have the honour of taking you out for dinner?"

"Oh," your eyes widened. "Well...okay yeah, I'd like that. I'd like that very much, Finan."

Your voice tugged at his heart. The cadence of your voice, the melody of your laughter, and the animated movements of your hands, as you talked, resonated deep within him, stirring emotions that defied explanation. The sense of déjà vu enveloped him, painting the air with shades of nostalgia and anticipation. he tried his best to recall the origin of this profound connection, but they slipped through his fingers like whispers in the wind. 

His heart called your name, even though it had just learned the shape of it today and your souls, separated by the veil of existence, recognized each other anyways.

[shadowuserannie]

WIP Wednesday

So I'm doing this again, apparently.

Rules copied (and mildly changed) from @cer-rata;

Make a list of five (or so--) of your WIPs for anyone to chose from.

I like providing short synopses/teases to give some context, but you can be super vague if you desire

Post a snippet from one of your fics that you’ve worked on in the past week.

You get to send an ask with one of the five listed WIPs!

You must then write a paragraph or so in that file. If the filename is one you can’t share from (for example, an event or gift fic), write a paragraph on it anyway, and then another that you can share from something else.

That’s it! You can invite others to join in, or just post.

If you’re reading this, you’re invited!

Files;

we could hide away in daylight [ongoing, already published] Hiro Hamada heads to Gotham, hoping to trick Batman into not discovering BH6's identities. The plan he executes is heavily convoluted-exactly as a blood son's would be. [BH6 x Batman: WFA, Bio! son of Bruce Wayne Hiro]

Charge of Lightning, Beware The Earths [ongoing, not yet published] Denki Kaminari is almost 13 years old when he and his mother are attacked by a massive black dog and he's sent to a camp. The Fates whisper of another child of the eldest gods-concerning as the Battle of the Labyrinth is about to begin. [MHA x PJO/HOO, son of Zeus Denki Kaminari]

The Elementals [ongoing, not yet published] In the wake of a mysterious earthquake that devastates his home, Tanah moves to Pulau Rintis to live with his grandfather. He meets two mysterious girls-Halilintar and Taufan-just as aliens bear down on the planet. [Boboiboy 7 Elementals AU, begins with Tanah, Halilintar and Taufan and then continues on, series rewrite]

and even if it seems like it leads to glory (what is left in between) [ongoing, not yet published] Tai Pham is 14 years old when he meets Damian Wayne. Tai Pham is 15 years old when he's benched for being too young. Tai Pham is 16 years old and he stays benched because his family asks him to. Tai Pham is almost 17 years old and if John hadn't held him back he would've tossed a middle finger to the Guardians as thanks for letting him have his ring back. [Tai Pham 'The Kids Are Alright' AU by @cer-rata, Green Lantern Legacy]

Demigod Mercenary [ongoing, published] 032 is only half-brothers with 006. He's well aware and has been staying alive for years without needing a likely-just-as-hellish-as-the-last-one camp, okay?! He doesn't need Camp Half-Blood, and he is going to do his damn best to escape. [Teenage Mercenary x HOO/TOA, a demigod 032 AU]

Miraculous: Tales of Sophie Foster and Fitz Vacker [ongoing, unpublished] Sophie receives the Ladybug Miraculous after helping an old man. Fitz receives the Black Cat after helping an old woman. The Butterfly holder warns of rebellions and elves, of secret societies and torn loyalties between wishes. Sophie and Fitz must find the cracks in the lies to unearth the truths-if what's left of these century-old rebellions don't tear them apart first. [Miraculous x KOTLC fusion AU, with Ladybug! Sophie and Black cat! Fitz, series delving into development is up]

Eyes of an Oni [ongoing, unpublished] Fang's Power Band is taken by a purple serpentine alien, so obviously he's prepared to get it back. Wait, what do you mean his Shadow Dragon looks like an ancient evil that's been terrorizing this dimension since before time was named?! [Boboiboy Galaxy x the GiAG AU by @sunnylighter, Fang's Shadow Dragon looks like the Overlord in this AU where the prophecy never came to fruition and Pythor is a bastard so he weaponizes it]

grabbing a red pen (my destiny is in my hands) [Ongoing, unpublished] Twelve-year-old Fitz Vacker's father is the police commissioner of Eternalia, who's been working with the Council to hunt the freaks that are the rebels-except Fitz can hear thoughts, just like them. But then he meets another 'freak' who can manipulate any technology, a tiny ten-year-old with too much bitterness and rebellion for his height-Dex Dizznee, who's been in the Black Swan since he found out his mother was. They're the beginning of a team that changes the United Cities-Team Rebel is taking their destiny by storm. [KOTLC human! superhero AU, team grows in following order, | is joining at the same time, Dex|Fitz (as founders), Tam|Linh, Keefe, Biana, Marella, Sophie, any others after the Nightfall crew are...in idk]

Shadow Users Team [ongoing, published] The Shadow Users' timelines have begun receiving some...corrections. But the Shadow Users begin getting suspicious of the girl who brought them together-especially after Nico relays news of a body none of them knew existed. [Boboiboy Galaxy, Estranged, Ever After High, Keeper of the Lost Cities, My Hero Academia, Trials of Apollo]

soot on skin and cinders between teeth (feel the fire, watch it blaze within me) A fic about Cinder Carter, Changeling King of the World Below, charting a new adventure as he battles a troll uprising and maybe gets some friends other than his golem, boyfriend and siblings. [Estranged, TBA fandoms]

Feel free to ask! (help please)

Tagging: @cer-rata @crippling-pages @ohmygoly @thelasttaleofthepari @kotlcpuppetshow @telugu-girl-13 @bookworm-fangirl1 @samaniala @ksqvljhz @fantasygeek-134 @crazybookenthusiast @theaspengrove @floofeeeeee @eternal-everblaze any other people I missed

anyway just ask what you want

[jowbokitten]

Imagine having a dick so small that you get jealous of a cat like bro 💀💀💀

[allovesthings]

You know how in Robin Year One, after the Two Face incident and being taken Robin away from him, Dick headed out in the streets to crime bust on his terms which caught the attention of an underground school for training assassins?

Well what if instead of that school….it was the Court of Owls and the man who instead was approaches Dick to offer him enhanced training to react justice on Two Face…was William Cobb, not in Talon suit?

Hi 💜

So I went and reread the last two issues of Robin Year one and while out-of-universe, the court of Owl didn't exist at that time, in-universe, both Dick and Bruce got so lucky nothing like that happened.

Would Dick have gone with him if Cobb tried to gain his trust ? Because the impression I got was that he followed Strike and the revenge school of assassins because he was suspicious and other kids were involved, One guy trying to get him to come with him might have done the opposite and made him run in the other direction.

1) if he does and manage to escape, then Dick might be in a situation where he is on the run from the Court, completely sad because Bruce fired him and not sure if he should go back here with Two-face out and about also at the same time. That's a lot for a 10 to 12 years old. In that scenario, I think maybe Dick goes home to Bruce sooner because he realize he is way over his head sooner.

What's interesting about that is that with the kidnapping attempt, the Court of Owl is on Bruce's radar (again) way way way sooner than usual and Dick has a bigger target on his back now that they know about the Court of Owl.

2) The second scenario is Dick decides to go because he is suspicious like Strike and accidentally on purpose infiltrates the Court which is so fun too considering we know Brainwashing would be coming for him so the question becomes can he stay on that idea of infiltration through that ? At 10 to 12 ? That sounds like such a fun concept (although a bit horrifying considering he is 10 to 13). Can he find a way to contact Bruce and get that information out ? I have a feeling if he did that, Bruce might have a heart-attack and just decide to rescue him regardless of Dick's choice to infiltrate ?

3) The third scenario, which is it's a kidnapping attempt and it's successful, the question becomes: can Dick break free (either by escaping and/or break free of the brainwashing) ? For me yes, is a funner answer but what's interesting is when ? Does he escape the Labyrinth a la Bruce and run back to Wayne manor after being tortured? Does he break free from the Talons after he is turned ?

The second question of the scenario is what is Bruce doing ?

I think a lot of this would depends on Bruce a lot ? In Robin Year one, we don't have Bruce's pov but from Alfred's point of view, Bruce is not looking for Dick when he runs off... Which, it feels a little bit out of character for Bruce I cannot for the life of me be normal about Dick Grayson Wayne.

In my opinion, Bruce was probably investigating Two-Face so intensely because he thought that would lead him to Dick (in my own little headcanon).

So in that scenario we have Bruce getting Two-face and realizing he won't find Dick that way and I'm guessing investigating more which might put him on the Court of Owl's track so now we have a race against time on whether Bruce can find Dick before the Court does its thing with the CoO one step ahead. That's so interesting too ? It would be a bit of a thriller honestly, that would be so fun.

4) the fourth scenario which is Bruce wasn't actually looking for Dick at all, we might get to see Talon!Dick goes after Bruce later on (if I was a secret society who had a talon that was knowledgeable on Batman and with who batman has an emotional attachment, I would definitely send him after Batman) and him going after Bruce and seeing what Batman does as a superhero might be the trigger to debrainwash him.

I had so much fun with that ask, I'm so sorry for writing a bit of a novel !! But this AU is so good !!

Thank you so much 💜

[bk-179]

CROB AU IDEA I JUST REMEMBERED NOW: Gingersnap AU

I’ve had a lot of gripes with post-retcon ovenbreak in all of my cookie run phases, so! I made an au idea abt it a while back where in the modern Cookie Run: Ovenbreak story, the fight that the main characters had in the labyrinth of remembrance update was MUCH worse than the one we canonically got. It got so bad, that when Gingerbrave and the others split up, they split for good.

Gingerbrave escapes the labrynth, goes off into the forest, and travels up north; they have no idea where they’re gonna go, but he finds comfort in the cold.

Gingerbright and the others, who still have the compass, continue trying to find a home and get roped into the shenanigans of canon but this time being lead by Bright.

The au is Gingerbrave and Gingerbright (who’s personality is more akin to the bright in ovenbreak as opposed to witch’s castle) centric; namely, exploring what their lives would be like thrust into the elements they don’t belong in. Brave, the natural leader and Cookie Run’s “power of friendship” protag, is now caught hurt and without a warren (friend group). Bright, who in this interpretation has been most comfortable just following the friend group and their little adventures, now has to deal with the responsibility of leading and protecting the group of equally traumatized kids through the perilous post-retcon OvenBreak events. The gang is being held together by trauma bonding and masking tape/hj

but uhhh yeah! These kids are going through the wringer. In all my headcanons Bright and Brave are besties so I wanted to make a story where they were fully seperated and scorned, but haunted by the other’s absence. I got silly that’s why

(Tagging ppl in case they’re interested, if not please ignore lol- @kotymeaw (I think I actually asked u abt this a while back!) @projectmoonlightproductions @foggymud @someonebeatyoutothisuser)

[thunderstomm]

Joyride - HWLR Future AU

Word Count: 2701

Summary: “After the success of the pet shelter day, Cruise and Coop bust into Professor Rearview’s lab to pay the monsters a visit”

“Where are we going, anyways? We’ve been walking for ages!”

The sound of footsteps echoed through the far tunnels of Hot Wheels City, and his voice projected loud. It was far from his first venture into any of the city’s underground labyrinths, but it was one of his first times doing so on foot. The navigation seemed slower, but more careful, and there was not much choice but to follow along.

The tunnels all looked the same when you took them in slowly. They were narrow and winding, something that made him feel uneasy. He hated slow, and he hated small spaces. And yet here he was, traveling through them at the whims of a former enemy. He focused his attention on her, as she dragged a hand along the side of the tunnels, as if to search for something.

“You remember visiting the animal shelter?” Cruise asked him.

“How could I forget?” Coop exclaimed.

The two of them had taken turns, bringing one another to activities or pastimes they enjoyed. She had taken him to the city’s animal shelter, where he’d ended up taking home a kitten, and he had taken her to that year’s classic car show… mostly for the free ice cream.

“Exhaust misses you, by the way.” He added. “But what does that have to do with us walking though the far tunnels?”

Cruise came to a halt, stopping suddenly as her fingertips brushed something. Coop failed to pick up on the movement quickly enough, bumping into her. He took a step back quickly afterwards, feeling both embarrassed and further perplexed.

“You’d say you liked spending time with the animals?” Cruise asked him, as she pressed what looked to be a hidden button on the tunnel’s side. “I thought today… we could visit a few more.”

She grinned- it was the kind of mischievous smile she gave when she had a grand plan, or won a race. Coop’s eyes went from her to the wall, as a small keypad was revealed in the wall.

“Wait, are we breaking into something?!” He asked her, raising a brow in concern.

“Is it breaking and entering if you know the code?” She quipped, swiftly typing ‘2-5-0-4’ into the keypad.

“Uh… yes!” He exclaimed. It wasn’t like he’d never committed a crime in his life. After all, his first day at the Ultimate Garage Camp had resulted in a LOT of property damage. There was definitely more to be said, but most of it had been in the name of saving Hot Wheels City! This, on the other hand… was not.

Before he could argue his case more, the tunnel began to shake. A hidden door slowly opened, revealing a passageway big enough for a person, but certainly too small for a car, to enter. Dimly lit, but short enough that he could see it led to a large, open room with who knows what inside of it.

“Don’t look so worried!” Cruise grinned, grabbing him by the wrist, and dragging him through the passage. The door slammed shut behind them, with a loud thud. “I come here all the time. Or… as much as I can. Once a month? Point is, I haven’t been caught.”

“What is this place, anyways?” Coop asked her, as they neared the room. “How do you know the codes? And why did you bring up the-“

They reached the room, and his last question was answered before he could even finish.

The two of them stood before a massive, dimly lit room, which contained five habitats, each of which contained one of Professor Rearview’s giant monsters. Five sets of bright eyes all now staring at the two of them with great intent, as if they were debating if they start attacking.

“This is…” Coop began, trying to wrap his head around everything. Cruise let go of him, running towards a glass tank filled with dark water. She excitedly pressed a hand against the glass, and the giant shark on the other side bunted its nose against the glass in turn.

“This is where my Dad keeps the monsters. You know, when he’s not busy destroying the city, or doing his experiments.” Cruise finished for him, her eyes still fixed on the shark.

“We’re in one of his labs?!” Coop exclaimed, clutching his head in one of his hands. “What if he catches us? You’re just as much his enemy now as I am, we’re practically doomed!”

“Quiet!” Cruise whipped around, covering his mouth gently with one of her hands. “The monsters are very, and I mean VERY sensitive to sound. Got it, Cooper?”

Using one of his own hands, Coop moved her hand away from his face. “Loud and clear. But seriously, why would you bring me here? Liking a few kittens is very different to being face to face with five killer monsters!”

Cruise sighed. “They’re like my pets too! In a sense. And I might be the only person other than my Dad who this bunch will listen to. You and your friends are always stuck cleaning up his messes, I thought that maybe seeing the monsters like this could… help you out with that.” She looked over to the first tank again, the shark still waiting at the glass. “They’re monsters, but they’re not… horrible? They’re just following orders. Like I was. And if, by some miracle, my Dad ever gets stopped for good, I want someone else to be able to attest to them finding a new home, instead of just being locked up or forgotten.”

Coop exhaled, looking down at Cruise. His face relaxed slightly, understanding the situation better.

“You want them to have… a second chance?”

“They deserve it. More than I did, anyways. At least they don’t know any better.” She admitted, looking back up at him.

“Didn’t know you cared so much.” He laughed, raising an eyebrow. “You going soft on me, Rearview?”

“Don’t call me that!” She laughed, the quip reinvigorating her energy. “It sounds like you’re addressing my dad!”

“Fine.” He laughed, too. “Now, introduce me to your ‘pets’, I’m sure they’re just dying to meet me.”

Cruise nodded, turning her attention back to the first tank, where the shark remained. She placed a hand to the glass, and the monster tapped its snout against the glass again.

“Sharky-Poo here is real into anything that shines. Treasure, jewels… cars.” Cruise explained to him, rolling her eyes at the list. “It’s like bulls and the colour red- you show them something that glitters and things get out of control.”

Coop nodded, looking at the shark. He took a nervous step forward, the movement catching the beast’s attention. He braced for any sort of reaction- after all, this thing had already swallowed him whole once- but was surprised to only be met by a brief stare, before it swam away entirely. Anticlimactic, to say the least.

Cruise sighed, leading Coop to the second tank, which seemed to contain the only other aquatic beast present. She tapped the glass, and soon after, the Octopus emerged from the shadows. It placed one tentacle to the glass, and seemed to be attempting to reach another out of the tank, as if to grab something… or perhaps, one of them.

Before he could react, Cruise’s voice sounded. “No! Don’t try to grab me again! I don’t have a change of clothes and am not going home soaked again!” The beast looked to Coop briefly, changing its target before she spoke up again. “Not him either. As funny as it would be, I can’t let him get drenched too.”

The octopus looked dejected, as it retracted back into the tank, eyes still fixed upon the racers before it. Cruise rolled her eyes at the beast, hands placed firmly on her hips.

“Eightacles is… playful, to say the least. Likes to pick things up and get a good look. He doesn’t mean bad by it, but has a bit of an attitude when told no.” There was an emphasis on the last word, as she stared at the beast, who was trying to reach out again.

Coop chuckled to himself, trying his best to hide his amusement. It was so odd to see the beasts under a more casual lens.

“I know that there’s not a lot of good history regarding monsters, and car washes, but it wouldn’t be a bad idea to have the big guy work in one. He could pick up the cars and drop them in the tanks… after a few more years of training to ensure none of them get destroyed.”

“You think so?” Cruise asked him.

“Anything’s possible.” He shrugged in turn. “What’s next?”

He felt a tug at his sleeve again, as they charged for the next enclosure. Like the others, a glass door separated them from the beast, but there was no water this time. In the middle of the enclosure hung the giant bat, sleeping soundly.

“Screech is never awake when I come. Nocturnal and all.” Cruise shrugged. “Try not to wake them!”

Coop nodded, making sure to follow her as quickly as possible to the fourth enclosure. Another glass wall, separating them from the giant snake which lived within it. The monster eagerly came as close to the glass as possible, as if it expected something.

“This is Noodle. Always hungry. Does the best tricks… for the best treats.” Cruise waved up at the giant cobra. “Don’t have any today, sorry!”

The cobra seemed upset, if only for a moment, before turning its attention to Coop. He remembered his first meet-in with the monster vividly- the day he and his friends had delivered five-hundred pizzas to another one of Rearview’s bases. Perhaps now-defunct, considering the one he was in currently. The cobra looked at him expectantly, perhaps remembering the day too, and thinking he had another stack of pizzas to feed it.

He shook his head, showing his empty hands to the monster. “I don’t have anything for you either! I swear!”

‘Noodle’, as Cruise had dubbed them, seemed uninterested in the statement, and continued to eagerly await some sort of food. Cruise shook her head to the beast again, urging Coop to do the same. Both kept up the action, as they backed away from the cobra, and towards the final and largest of the five enclosures.

“You know, they’re not that bad. A little eccentric, but… not as scary as they are when they’re destroying the city.” Coop quipped, as they finally were out of the cobra’s line of sight. “All that’s left is…”

“Firepants!” Cruise exclaimed, pointing out the scaly beast behind the glass. Standing much taller than the rest was the majestic red dragon, which exhaled a soft smoke from its nose. “You ever seen a dragon dance?”

“Actually… yes.” Coop concluded, looking up at the beast which stood before them.

“And he’s been practicing, too…” Cruise mumbled. She placed a hand to the glass, watching as the dragon bent its head down to her level, pressing its nose against the glass, causing it to fog up.

Coop stepped closer towards the dragon, looking at the beast. Scaly, sweeping tail, a wingspan double the size of its body, and atop its head, it had equipped the white and grey “ride pad” which he had seen the Professor use to travel atop the beasts with.

“Anything else interesting about this one?” He asked, watching as the dragon wagged its tail at the attention, much like an excited puppy.

“Let’s see…” Cruise hummed. “Firepants can fly faster than most of the cars in Hot Wheels City can drive.”

He scoffed at the prospect. It was a bold claim, but not one he’d dare to believe. “Yeah, right. The giant lizard is faster than the best racing cars in the best racing city?”

“Faster than both your best cars.” Cruise insisted to him.

“Prove it!” Coop doubled down. “Then I’ll believe you.”

Cruise laughed, taking the statement as a joke. “Good one..” she snorted. She looked at him, waiting for him to laugh too, but he never did. “Wait… you can’t be serious.”

“I mean… is it stealing or borrowing if we take the dragon for a test flight? After all, we’re already here, and you know all the codes…” Coop feigned a look of innocence, echoing the same sentiment she had when they arrived. It wasn’t exactly wise to let arrogance get the best of him, but the need for speed, plus the golden opportunity seemed too good.

“Uh… yes!” Cruise responded, before realizing the predicament. “I see what you’re doing. I’m not falling for it! That’s a one way ticket to getting caught and in trouble!”

“I suppose you’re right.” Coop sighed. “Unless… we call it a ‘rescue and rehabilitation test’ and not stealing? But I don’t blame you for not wanting to do it. Figures you’re scared I’ll be right.”

“You’re good at this.” Cruise admitted to him. It was too easy to get her competitive side, and need to prove her point, going. She headed to the end of the wall, where another keypad was located. Hastily, she typed in another code, and the glass cage door slowly lowered, and a hatch which led out of the tunnel opened, revealing a launch-pad of sorts.

“You want a joyride? I’ll give you a joyride. But if we get caught, you’re shouldering the blame.”

“Do I at least get to fly the dragon myself?” Coop asked her.

“Do you know how to fly a dragon?” Cruise retaliated, walking back towards him.

Returning to the dragon, she held out her arms, hugging Firepants to the best of her ability.

“Firepants! I missed you!” She cooed. “Now, are you ready to fly faster than you’ve ever gone before?”

Firepants gave what appeared to be a nod, and lowered their head further, allowing Cruise to climb on. She steadied herself on the white ride pad, gesturing for Coop to join her. Cautiously, he approached the beast, being careful not to step anywhere Cruise hadn’t, not wanting to aggravate it, or set off any secret alarms. Cruise helped him onto the ride pad, before clicking a button with her heel, revealing a set of handlebars.

“There’s only one set, so I’d recommend you hold onto whatever you can find. Don’t want you falling off!” Cruise told him, as she reached into her pocket, hand brushing across the small charm which allowed for the city’s helmet-summoning technology to work outside of their cars.

Coop brushed his own hand against the white button on his jacket, summoning his own helmet. With not even a seatbelt or airbag available on a giant dragon, it was the least he could do if the worst was to happen. Cruise’s words echoed through his head- there really wasn’t much to hold onto to stop him from flying off, and while the traction of his shoes were good, they weren’t built for this. He could try holding on to one of the dragon’s horns, but that would also mean having to step off of the ride pad. Seeing no other solution, Coop grabbed hold of Cruise.

“That works too…” she mumbled, before grabbing hold of the handlebars. She tapped her foot gently on the ride pad again, gaining the attention of the dragon. “Firepants! Let’s fly!”

Firepants did not miss a beat. The dragon stood its ground slowly, spreading its wingspan as far as the room allowed. Claws hit the ground in short and sharp bounds, before the beast leaped from the open hatch, opening its wings fully as the wind hit its body. The duo of racers braced for the rush, before being met by the streaming light of the sun, and the sight of Hot Wheels City, growing smaller below them with each flap of the dragon’s wings.

“Woah.” He exclaimed breathlessly, eyes taking in the city below him. The wind beat in his face, the only clear sound becoming the flapping of wings, the heavy breathing of the beast, and his own voice. “Now… you said the dragon is faster than most cars in the city?”

“Prepare to have your mind blown. Firepants- show him what you’ve got!”

[m-for-musings]

Ashes to Ashes

Pt.1

A Baldur's Masquerade (BG3 X VTM) AU, based in the 5th edition of Vampire: The Masquerade TTRPG.

Completely inspired by @ryttu3k

Dividers by @marquisedegramont

Astarion adjusted the lapels of his coat, his reflection in the cracked mirror showing only an elegant void where his features should be. It was a pity; he had always liked looking at himself. The candlelight flickered, casting a ghostly dance of shadows across the worn wooden floor of his quarters. It suited the house of a Hecata — elegant, ancient, and decaying, much like the Szarr family itself.

His thoughts, however, were not on the cracked mirrors or the crumbling walls. They were on Cazador, his sire, who had once again sent him on an errand that seemed beneath even the lowest of the Duskborn. Couldn't he had sent one of the other six thin-blood lackeys he had under his wing? Nonetheless, at least he'd have some time outside of the mansion.

Astarion ran his fingers over the soft, velvet fabric of his coat one more time before turning away from the mirror. No point in mourning what couldn't be changed. The mansion was a labyrinth of dark corridors, lined with dusty portraits of the Szarr family and their many lost heirs. Each step echoed lightly on the cracked marble, the sound hollow in the otherwise silent house. He could hear the distant murmurs of the other thin-bloods, tucked away in their corners, likely plotting their own pitiful schemes. Not that they’d get far. Cazador had them all tightly wrapped around his cold, skeletal fingers.

As he descended the grand staircase, the scent of old parchment, dried blood, and decaying flowers filled his nostrils. It was the familiar smell of home. A home that reeked of death. He passed through the main hall where heavy curtains shrouded the windows in perpetual gloom. Sunlight, if it dared peek through the cracks, was but a distant dream here.

"Off on another errand, Astarion?" came a mocking voice from the shadows. Violet, one of the other Duskborns, lounged lazily in a torn armchair near the hearth, a smirk playing on her lips. Her dark eyes gleamed with amusement as she twirled a lock of hair between her fingers. She always seemed too smug for someone just as chained as the rest of them.

Astarion didn’t break stride. "Jealous, are we? Looks like Cazador trusts me more than the rest of you rabble. Don't worry, perhaps one day you'll graduate to fetching his dry cleaning."

Violet laughed, a sharp, bitter sound. "Oh, I’m sure. Enjoy your little freedom, Astarion. We both know it’s only a matter of time until you fuck up and end in the kennels again."

He didn’t dignify her with a response, pushing open the front door of the mansion and stepping into the night. The air outside was refreshingly cold, crisp compared to the stifling rot within. For a moment, he let himself enjoy it, the feel of the night breeze on his face, the distant hum of the city below.

The streets stretched out before him, dimly lit by flickering, half-broken street lamps, casting weak pools of light over crumbling sidewalks. The silence was thick, almost suffocating, broken only by the occasional distant siren or rustle of garbage in the alleys. This neighborhood had once been grand — a place of wealth and opulence — but now it had rotted, decayed into a shadow of its former self, much like the Szarr mansion looming behind him. The city, like Astarion himself, wore two faces — one bright and bustling by day, the other dark and treacherous by night. And it was the latter that he thrived in.

As he walked, his steps light on the cobblestones, Astarion found his thoughts drifting back to Cazador. For all his grievances, there was a twisted sense of pride that flickered in his chest, one he loathed to admit. In the early years of his ‘internship’ under Cazador, Astarion had been the least of them — the most despised, the easiest target for Cazador’s wrath. He endured the harshest punishments, the ones designed to break a person from the inside out. The humiliation was relentless, stripping him of every ounce of dignity. But then, after Amanita — Cazador's favourite — disappeared, something shifted. He couldn’t say why, and the change unsettled him. Suddenly, he wasn’t the lowest anymore. The punishments didn’t lessen, but the hate felt… different. He knew that being the new ‘favoured’ Duskborn was a double-edged sword. Yes, it gave him a slight edge over the others, a fleeting sense of superiority — but it also meant he bore the brunt of Cazador’s cruelty. The expectations were higher, and the leash tighter. Every task, even one as menial as tonight’s errand, was both a privilege and a punishment, a reminder that his ‘favour’ came with a price. It was freedom in the smallest of doses, a bitter taste of what he could never truly have.

Astarion let out a breath he didn't need and straightened his coat again, more out of habit than necessity. The night was his. And if he had to endure a chore or two, so be it. After all, freedom — even in the smallest doses — was something he’d learned to savor.

He paused at the gates of the Toreador Primogen’s haven, a stark contrast to the crumbling slums he had just passed through. Mizora’s estate was nestled deep in the Upper City, a gated sanctuary for the elite, where the streets were spotless and even the air seemed fresher. The mansions here, including hers, were grand and flawless — a world apart from the decay of the Szarr mansion, which stood ironically at the very edge, straddling the line between wealth and ruin, separating the opulence of the Upper City from the slums below.

Mizora. Her name tasted bitter, like poison on his tongue. He would never forget that she had been the one leading the charge, advocating for the eradication of all Duskborn in the city. A Toreador more obsessed with ancient tomes and occult rituals than with the shallow vanity most of her clan indulged in. Her library was legendary, even Tremere scholars whispered about it with envy. If Cazador had sent him here, whatever book he sought had to be important.

The task was simple: retrieve a book. Cazador hadn’t bothered to explain its significance, and Astarion hadn’t asked. He didn’t care. Whatever dark magic his sire was dabbling in, it wasn’t his concern — as long as he could avoid becoming a part of it. He was here to do the job, nothing more.

As the door creaked open, Astarion fully expected a servant to greet him. Instead, it was Mizora’s childer who appeared, Wyll Ravengard. Astarion’s lips twitched into a polite smile, masking his surprise.

Wyll stood in the doorway, tall and effortlessly graceful, his dreadlocks tied back loosely, with a few strands framing his striking features. His skin practically glowed with the Blush of Life he always maintained, even when there were no mortals around. His physique, smooth and flawless, as if sculpted by an artist’s hand, was balanced between strength and elegance — Astarion had always been almost painfully aware of it. 

“Ah, Astarion, good evening. You were expected,” Wyll said, his voice warm and polite, his words laced with a warmness that contrasted sharply with how Duskborns were normally greeted in this city. He stepped aside, gesturing for Astarion to enter. “My sire isn’t home at the moment, but she’s left everything in order for you.”

Wyll’s charm was almost disarming, and as he welcomed Astarion into the mansion, it was clear this hospitality wasn’t an act. “Please, come in and make yourself comfortable in the lounge. I’ll gather what you’ve come for.”

Astarion gave a small nod, hiding his unease behind a faint smile. He stepped inside, following Wyll through the polished floors and lavish décor. The young Toreador moved like he knew exactly how attractive he was, but there was no arrogance in it. It was so blatantly obvious why Mizora Embraced him, the little Mr. Perfect. 

Astarion desired him. Astarion desired to be him. 

Astarion hated him.

Wyll led the way toward the lounge, trying to make a small talk about how busy his sire was lately, but Astarion wasn't interested, answering the banter with curt nods and practically monossilabic affirmations.

Astarion settled into the lounge, his eyes wandering over the room's modern, clean furnishings. The faint smell of smoke lingered in the air, and his gaze drifted to the unlit fireplace. The logs inside were only half-burnt, the embers smoldering softly as if the fire had been extinguished in a hurry. Ash clung to the edges of the hearth, scattered across the floor as though someone had stamped it out hastily.

Curious, he noticed a few scraps of burnt paper near the fireplace. He crouched down, picking one up between his fingers, examining the charred edges. It seemed to be part of a letter. Most of the writing was unreadable, but a few words caught his eye—"sire," "investigate," and "rewarded."

Astarion raised a brow, piecing together what little he could from the fragmented words. It seemed Wyll had received a proposition, and it probably involved investigating his own sire. Astarion's lips curled into a wicked smile. Oh, this was too delicious. He stood, the paper still between his fingers, his eyes gleaming with devilish delight.

The Toreador’s perfect façade wasn’t so flawless after all, it seemed. And now Astarion had something far more valuable than whatever menial task Cazador had sent him for — leverage.

"Well, well, Wyll," he murmured to himself, a twisted satisfaction creeping into his voice. "It seems you’re not as obedient as you appear. How… delightful."

He tucked the burnt scrap into his coat, his grin widening. This little secret could be the key to bending the ever-polite childer to his will if needed. Blackmail was always a game he enjoyed playing, especially when the stakes were so personal.

Wyll came back, every movement as smooth and poised as a courtier, yet as he entered the lounge, his steps faltered ever so slightly. Astarion stood by the fireplace, one hand resting on the mantel, his gaze too casual, too knowing.

For a brief moment, Wyll’s expression shifted — his uneven eyes flickering to the half-burnt logs and the scattered ash before darting back to Astarion. The unease was barely there, a slight tightening of his jaw, the faintest twitch of his brow. But just as quickly, he composed himself, his face smoothing back into that polite mask he wore so well.

“Astarion,” Wyll greeted, his voice as warm as ever, though a subtle tension lingered beneath it. “I’ve retrieved the book you came for.”

He held it out with both hands, but his gaze lingered on Astarion a moment longer, betraying a flicker of suspicion as the Duskborn reached out, his fingers brushing the leather-bound cover of the book with a deliberate slowness, savoring the moment. His lips curled into a sly grin as he took it from Wyll, practically reveling in the tension radiating off the Toreador.

“Thank you, Wyll,” Astarion purred, his voice dripping with mock sweetness. He tilted his head, amusement dancing in his eyes as he added, “Tell me — how long have you been plotting against your sire?”

The look on Wyll’s face was priceless. His carefully composed mask didn’t crack completely, but Astarion saw the brief widening of his eyes, the way his grip tightened ever so slightly at his sides. For a split second, there was real panic there — then it was gone, replaced by a calm, practiced smile.

“I’m not sure what you mean,” Wyll replied, his tone as steady and polite as ever, but Astarion could hear the faint edge beneath it.

Astarion let out a soft, mocking laugh, leaning in just a little closer, thoroughly enjoying himself. “Oh, darling, no need to play coy. I know a secret when I see one.” He tapped the spine of the book with a single finger.

Astarion turned to leave, the book tucked neatly under his arm, and threw a parting glance over his shoulder, his voice dripping with playful malice. "Don't worry, Wyll, I'll keep quiet… for a price."

He barely made it halfway to the door before Wyll was suddenly in front of him, moving with supernatural speed that caught Astarion completely off guard. One moment he was across the room, the next he was standing mere inches away, his previously composed expression twisted into something darker, less controlled.

“Careful, thin-blood,” Wyll hissed, his voice low, dangerous. “You don’t want to tread this path.”

Astarion’s eyes widened for a heartbeat, alarmed by the sheer suddenness of Wyll’s shift in demeanor. His mind raced, but he quickly reminded himself that Wyll wouldn’t dare strike him. Not here, not now. It would be too suspicious, and even Mizora’s childer wouldn’t risk unnecessary tension between the Camarilla and the Hecata. No, Wyll couldn’t touch him — at least, not physically.

Astarion raised his hands slowly in a mock gesture of surrender, the sly grin returning to his face as he masked his brief moment of panic with his usual nastiness. “Easy now,” he drawled, “I didn’t say that to rat you out.” He paused, his grin widening. “I mean, that would be terribly… inconvenient.”

It was a lie, of course. He had fully intended to blackmail Wyll, but now a new idea wormed its way into his mind. One that might just be more interesting than the first.

“Actually,” Astarion mused, tapping a finger against his chin thoughtfully, “perhaps we could help each other instead.” He leaned in, voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “I want the same thing. Perhaps we could work together… in getting rid of our sires, hm?”

He could see the flicker of uncertainty in Wyll’s eyes, and Astarion's grin widened further. Wyll’s eyes narrowed, studying Astarion for a long, tense moment. Astarion could see the calculation flickering behind that perfectly composed face, the uncertainty hidden beneath layers of Toreador poise. For all his outward grace, Wyll was clearly rattled. His shoulders, usually so relaxed and regal, now held a subtle tension.

“This… is a dangerous game,” Wyll finally said, his voice measured, evasive. He wasn’t giving Astarion anything, not yet.

Astarion’s smile didn’t waver, but inside he felt a flicker of frustration. Of course, Wyll wouldn’t jump at the chance to join forces. He was too cautious for that, too concerned with appearances. But the fact that he hadn’t outright dismissed the offer was telling. There was something there — something Astarion could work with.

Still, it wasn’t enough. Not yet.

"Well, I do like a dangerous game," Astarion replied, his voice light, teasing. "Keeps things interesting, don’t you think?" He tilted his head, watching Wyll closely, trying to gauge whether he was leaning toward caution or intrigue.

Wyll’s face gave little away, but the tension in the air was palpable. He was weighing his options, and Astarion could see the doubt flickering in his eyes, as if he was unsure whether to push Astarion away or pull him into the fold.

Astarion wasn’t about to let him off the hook that easily. "Think about it," he said, his tone almost coaxing now. "We both have something to gain, and our sires have far too much control over us, don’t they?" He leaned in just a fraction, his grin widening. "You know as well as I do that power is best kept in your own hands."

Wyll’s gaze flickered, just for a second. There was something there — an opening, however small. Astarion’s smile sharpened. He’d planted the seed. Now all he had to do was wait for it to grow.

Wyll’s eyes narrowed again, and the corners of his mouth lifted in a slight, knowing smile. "It's a bold statement coming from a Duskborn," he said, the words soft but pointed, as if to remind Astarion exactly where he stood in the grand hierarchy of things.

Astarion’s grin froze, fury boiling just beneath the surface. The audacity of it — being looked down on by someone like Wyll, a Diva's lapdog. But Astarion said nothing, forcing the biting retort back down his throat. Wyll didn’t wait for a reply, his expression remaining as poised as ever. "There's a Sabbat envoy named Karlach," he continued smoothly. "Give me her location. Prove you're capable, and perhaps we can discuss working together."

Astarion felt his fists clench at his sides, anger bubbling to the surface. His eyes flared as he snapped, "I was offering you an alliance, Wyll, not volunteering to be your errand boy. If you think I’m going to run around the city at your beck and call, I might as well give your sire what I've found—"

Wyll cut him off with a scoff, his smile now entirely condescending. "And if you think Mizora would believe you over me... well, you're more deluded than I thought." He crossed his arms, his stance firm. "But if you’re so eager to work with me, then these are my terms. Find Karlach."

Astarion’s jaw tightened, his mind racing. Wyll had him backed into a corner, and as much as he hated it, he knew the Toreador had a point. Mizora wouldn’t take a Duskborn’s word over her own childer’s. Even with a proof that Wyll could dismiss as a refused proposition. Astarion berated himself inwardly for his own recklessness — fortune not always favoured the bold, as it seems.

But he needed this. Needed a way out of Cazador’s grip, and if Wyll was the key to that… well, he would play along. For now.

"Fine," Astarion finally spat, his voice tight with barely contained fury. "I’ll find your Karlach. But this had better be worth it."

Part 2

[pikahlua]

If Bones kidnapped you to plot a MHA movie what would you make it about ?

Assuming I'm under duress and forced to follow the Bones movie formula (and that I'm forbidden from making the Fantasy AU movie), there are two options.

My preference: a movie sequel to the story proper. Can't do that without knowing how it ends though.

A movie that summarizes the themes of the final arc, much like how the first two movies tried to do (we don't talk about the third movie).

The Bones formula stipulates I must have some weird original central character, but this is often the reason their movies fail (imo). The easiest way out of this problem is to make the original character like a dog or cat or baby, someone that is necessarily one-dimensional so they don't come across as vapid. Unfortunately Bones tried both of these already and still somehow managed to screw it up. So, considering THAT and the themes of the final arc, my OC is gonna be a villain.

Let's go with two villains who are childhood friends.

Villain A grew up rich and with a powerful quirk that allows them to manipulate the things they touch, but because of a physical abnormality (perhaps heteromorphism) they become socially isolated from the rest of the world. Villain B, Villain A's childhood friend from before the abnormality took form, visits Villain A from time to time. As Villain A slips into loneliness and eventually madness, they come to take control of their home (a mansion). All the occupants living in the mansion take pity on Villain A and indulge their whims.

Cut to a present where the world has all gone to hell after AFO breaks out of prison. (We're gonna squeeze a few more days in there between Izuku's return to UA and the final battle with TomurAFO.) AFO encounters Villain A in their home and decides to leave another trap for Izuku. He boosts Villain A to be able to manipulate people as well as objects, and Villain A uses it to sate their loneliness. They convince Villain B, who is loyal to and feels bad for Villain A, to lure more people to Villain A for A to manipulate and play with, and over the month Villain A takes over the entire town.

At some point after Izuku returns to UA but before the fight with TomurAFO, Izuku and his search team come across Villain B seemingly in trouble and save them. It's actually a setup to lure them to the town. The team is comprised of Izuku, Katsuki, Shouto, Tenya, and Ochako at minimum. We can find bit parts for others if necessary :P

The plot is: Izuku's team gets lured by Villain B into a living labyrinth mansion controlled by Villain A.

Over the course of their struggle to escape, Izuku tries to prompt Villain B to talk so they can learn more about Villain A and figure out a solution. It is Shouto who picks up on all the clues from Villain B and the occasional traps they run into and determines how Villain A came to be this way and how Villain A may be lonely deep down--because Shouto relates to Villain A in many regards. Shouto believes they can try to reach Villain A in much the same way Izuku reached Shouto back in the sports festival. Izuku and Ochako are all for trying to save Villain A while Tenya secretly considers the logistical difficulty of this task and mentally vows to support and protect his friends. Katsuki keeps up his usual attitude but claims to be interested in taking down a power-boosted AFO-influenced villain who could have info on AFO's whereabouts.

Villain A becomes more unhinged and enraged by the heroes who won't play their game and loses control of the mansion. The mansion goes more and more berserk over time, which results in the group being forced apart.

Shouto and Ochako end up in one group that explores their admiration for Izuku and his heroism and what Izuku has done to inspire them. They get out of the mansion as it goes ballistic, and their main struggle is protecting the town from the chaos. Ochako and Shouto try to restore the wills of the people all under Villain A's control so that they can protect each other.

Katsuki and Tenya end up in group two. The tension between them is in how to handle the situation. Tenya expresses concern for the others, especially Izuku and Shouto, and wants to protect them from themselves because of how self-sacrificial they can be. Katsuki eventually gets across his view that anyone can be a danger to themself if they don't have friends there to keep them in check, but otherwise they are ALL capable of overcoming this ordeal together. Tenya decides to believe that supporting and aiding his friends can be the same as protecting them. Since the others were so adamant about saving the lonely, lost child in Villain A, Katsuki and Tenya work towards that goal. Tenya and Katsuki find Villain A, and Tenya carries Katsuki across the final leg to get Katsuki to Villain A before they are separated again.

Katsuki faces Villain A alone and attempts to find that lonely child trapped inside. Katsuki manages to bring that scared child out by appealing to how he was always so scared of Izuku but managed to get past that and strengthen their friendship in the end through understanding, but the mansion does not calm down as a result--rather it goes out of control as Villain A becomes emotionally unstable. Katsuki, emulating Izuku, steps in the way of a lethal blow from the mansion meant for Villain A, and he devotes all of his remaining strength to protecting Villain A just like All Might and Izuku would.

Izuku ends up in the final group with Villain B. Izuku spends that time coming to the conclusion that Villain B needs just as much saving as Villain A. By prying into Villain B's past, he decides that Villain B was motivated by their own heroic heart to save Villain A, but B just lacked the power to do so. Izuku steadily encourages Villain B to do the right thing and help stop Villain A, and he appeals to his and Villain B's mutual admiration of All Might to do so. When the house goes out of control, Izuku carries Villain B and attempts to find Villain A to hopefully stop all of this. Izuku uses all of OFA's quirks to avoid the mansion's attacks while searching for Villain A. They are only able to find him when Katsuki sends up a flare through all the chaos.

However, when Villain A sees their friend Villain B in trouble, they begin to internalize the blame for all the destruction. Izuku intends to bust through to Villain A and reunite Villain B no matter the cost, but Tenya shows up and reaffirms his vow to run alongside Izuku. Even though he knows Izuku would try to do this alone, he doesn't have to, and they are all stronger together, all that great shounen friendship action.

Izuku distracts the mansion while Tenya carries Villain B to get to Villain A. Down below, Shouto and Ochako convince the town to take action and defend the town, including Villain A whom they failed to care for. Ochako picks up a building and throws it at the mansion. (I NEED THIS SOMEHOW AND I'M GETTING IT NOW.) Shouto uses the debris from the resulting crash to create winding paths of ice, which Tenya uses to skate and boost across to help Villain B finally reach Villain A. HAVE YOUR GODDAMN SAKUGA.

Villain B overcomes their cowardice to try to connect with Villain A again. Even when Villain A apologizes to Villain B and Villain B gets Villain A unstuck from the house, there's nothing they can do to take back control of A's quirk (because of AFO's sabotage). But Katsuki, despite his grave injuries, gets them to hold onto him and he flies out of range of the debris of the house. Izuku OFAs the shit outta the mansion. Then, working together, Shouto freezes all the collapsing house debris into a ball to roll down an ice ramp and launch towards the sky, Ochako taps it to make it weightless, and Izuku launches it into outer space. Fuck that house.

Katsuki was only able to blast him and the villains out of range of the house but not to the ground, so he runs out of steam and falls. Izuku catches them. It's kinda gay. Especially when Villain A and B reconcile with each other and Katsuki gets to reflect on the savior Izuku is and his rescue-hero-cheesy goals that Katsuki has accepted and Izuku gets to reflect on Katsuki's insistence on doing things as a team. They both are secretly like "Awww it's his way of caring for me--and now I'm instantly repressing that thought." Izuku also forgets to pay attention to his landing and Tenya tries to catch them both and it's a dogpile of people landing on top of each other. INSERT COMIC RELIEF. (Ochako picks everyone up.)

The crux of what this movie needs that most of the other movies have failed at is BANTER. So we get Ochako and Shouto trying to be out-inspired-by-Izuku (lol not really this is a joke) as Shouto gets to make the townspeople feel at ease and Ochako sees the smiles on all the crowd as the town is saved. Tenya supports and keeps an eye out for his friends and transports people to Villain A because Ingenium would race across the land to take the hand of a lost child. Katsuki's dumb posturing collapses immediately in the face of his opportunities to oops-gotta-be-a-real-hero-now and he gets all deep with the villains and reaches their hearts or w/e, and Izuku finds victims to save everywhere all over the place all the time and brings people together in the way Katsuki and the rest of Class 1-A did for him when he ran off on his own.

And that's how you write a decent Bones filler where the characters actually get to be the characters they are and reflect on canon themes of the story without risking contradicting any canon and still building up a potentially emotional and meaningful story via some actually relevant OCs to showcase those themes with TONS OF KAIJUU HOUSE MONSTER PUNCHING because childhood homes are symbols of evil and trauma in MHA and apparently need to be destroyed. And Ochako throws a fucking building, finally.

Enjoy your disgusting happy fuzzy feels ❤️

[frostironfudge]

Labyrinth - Bucky Barnes - Chapter VIII

Summary: labyrinth (noun), a complicated set of paths and passages, through which it is difficult to find your way. Bucky and You would do anything for Steve and Wanda, your respective best friends. In an attempt to avoid a tradition Steve and Wanda come up with a lie involving their best friends.  A lie, that involves building a labyrinth. Bucky and You begin to build but will you two find your way out or be caught in it?

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Female!Reader, (Modern AU)

Word Count: 8.1 k || Dividers: @firefly-graphics

Warnings: chapter contains 18+ moments, minors DNI, angst, fluff, sm/ut, dir/ty talk, p in v, worried bucky, swearing, soft bucky, protective bucky, drinking.

Main Masterlist || AO3 || Fic Masterlist || Fic Playlist

There is a shuffle near Bucky’s chest, then the warmth begins to slip away. He frowns, his arms tighten around his source of comfort pulling it closer to him. A familiar softness is flush against him. 

Sleep leaves him as he pulls you closer. Hands roaming your body, hips grinding against yours, your little squeak has him smile. 

“Morning Sunshine.” He whispers stubble tickling your neck, you giggle feeling his hard on. 

“You’re excited.” You laugh as he tickles you again, turning you in his arms. 

His hair tousled, blue eyes happily meeting your own. You lean closer kissing his nose he scrunches it making him look even more adorable in the morning light. 

“You’re adorable, Puffin.” You declare.

“I’m not adorable.” He huffs. 

“Oh yes I forgot, you’re a diabolical evil genius wanting revenge.” Your eye roll has him lean above you. Holding himself up with one hand while the other guides your leg around his waist. 

You bite your lip, his strength was always something that impressed you. Your palms rest upon his chest, slowly your eyes and fingers drift to the constellation that he has tattooed. 

“Why this one?” You ask, the question always burns on your tongue, you had never dared to ask him about his ink. 

Now though? 

The way you feel as if this one last layer separating the two of you was gone. Giving you all of him and giving him all of you. 

“You always did like that one.” He murmurs, your gaze lifts to him. Warmth spreads across your cheeks and he smiles. 

“You think I didn’t notice it is one amongst your favourites to touch and trace.” He nudges your nose with his; his chest filled with love and happiness. He had so much to tell you. So much to share. Now no longer needing to bite his tongue. No longer did he need to hold back his emotions.

You trace it yet again, the little stars and the intricate line work. Even as he had an impressive expanse of tattoos this one never seemed to be overshadowed. A small linework sun nestled near it. That was your second favourite. You trace it as well. 

“Do you know the constellation?” He murmurs, there is something in his voice that draws you in, you nod. 

“It’s a zodiac sign.” You answer, his soft laughter greets you. 

“Yeah, but which one is it, Sunshine?” He kisses your forehead. 

Your eyes drift to the tattoo and then back to him. Bucky watches as your eyes widen, then you do a double take. Realisation hits you, it's your sun sign. 

A soft gasp leaves your lips, “Bucky.” 

“You remember when we took you guys back home in that taxi?” He recounts, “You fell asleep right against my left arm. Your head rested on that very spot. I had my arm around you for the first time. The way I wanted to for so long. I swear I felt your presence against that spot for days after.” 

Your eyes meet his, Bucky looks at you with some of the love he carries for you. 

He knows if he looked at you with all of the love he has, it would consume him before he could show it all to you. 

He would never be able to look away because he hasn’t been able to look away since the day his heart decided to harbour you. He may have tried to rid his heart of you, but all attempts were feeble, fleeting and futile. 

“Six years ago, you took my heart. I thought you broke it but it turns out, you had it tucked away safely. Waiting for me to find it again. Look at it and then give it back to you. I love you, Sunshine.” As Bucky speaks, tears brim over, you look up at him and a tear from his eyes falls onto your cheek mixing with your own. 

“Bucky,” You sniffle, “I love you so much with every bit of me.” Your hand moves from his chest to cup his face, the other remains over the tattoos inked onto him that signify you. 

Bucky meets your lips with an urgency, the need to have you near him ever growing. Clawing into every part of him. You allow him to sink into you, every bit of him igniting every bit of you. 

How could you have been such fools? 

How could you have let anyone else ever try to take the place in your heart which Bucky had carved for himself? 

How could he have sought you out in the most meaningless of nights when you were already inked onto him, etched onto his heart? 

How could it be that the two of you lost years of togetherness, lost years of happiness, lost years of being the one the other could come home to, run to, fall in love every single day?

The kiss is messy, needy, the two of you wanting more, needing more. Your hands seek him out, legs parting. Bucky’s hand finds yours, fingers intertwined. You arch into him as he sinks into you inch by inch. 

Moans swallowed by the kiss, his forehead rests against yours as he moves, deep, slow and pleasure blooms with the love creeping along your veins, taking its rightful place. 

Bucky drowns in you, your warmth, your scent, your body, you. 

The languid pace with which his strokes have you cry out his name. The way he feels your walls claim him. Your arousal marking him, your call of his name, your declaration of your love for him met by his own for you. 

“I love you.”

“I love you.”

“I love you.”

“I love you.” 

The two of you shatter together, mending back with pieces of one another. There is so much that awaits and will remain for when the two of you awaken again from the afterglow. 

For now Puffin would hold his Sunshine closer, whispered sweet nothings on the precipice of slumber. 

Dreams awaiting to be explored together. 

Steve runs from the bathroom into the kitchen where Wanda glares at the airfryer. 

“Check your phone!” Steve bellows, his fiancé turns, staring right at him and then her eyes move downward. 

“Steve, you’re… naked?” She questions. 

“Fuck that.” He says pointing at her phone. 

“Oh I plan to fuck that,” she grabs her phone pointing at him, well one of her favourite parts o him. 

Her eyes widen and Steve screams with joy as she starts jumping up and down excited at the text message you’ve sent. 

“WE DID IT!” Steve declares with mirth. 

“Holy shit Steve!” Wanda leaps towards him. 

Steve catches her, “We did it!”

Wanda’s legs wrap around his hips, she kisses him deeply, smiles can’t be wiped from their faces. 

“Celebratory shower?” He whispers, eyes darkening, she nods, ridding herself of his sweater as he carries her towards the bedroom. 

“No reply from Steve either?” You ask, Bucky meets your gaze over the kitchen counter, shaking his head. He pushes your plate of food towards you as you take a seat opposite to him. 

The snowstorm still raged. The hotel was nice enough to drop food supplies for at least two days and a few board games. 

“Bet they are celebrating in their own way.” He adds after a moment and you start laughing. His quiet laughter turns boisterous as the two of you recall every place they have gotten kicked out from due to their indecency. 

Your phone lights up from an app notification. You can’t help but smile at the new lockscreen. 

When the two of you woke up again, Bucky decided that you needed a polaroid to mark the day, encapsulate the new beginning you two are upon. 

He had set up the tripod and somehow timed it just right as you exited the bathroom from your shower all dressed in fresh warm clothes. He pulled you to him grinning down at you and cupping your face. You had a shy smile on your face, eyes giving away your mirth and the flash took you by surprise but the picture was everything. 

Bucky insisted on more pictures, the two of you had eight couple polaroids to share and one individual one that the other took. Your keepsake was of Bucky washing the dishes with soap on his cheek (that you smeared) and Bucky’s was of you sticking your tongue out at him when he had a dollop of soap placed upon your nose. 

The lock screen was the couple picture you requested that has his heart beat erratically. Recreating your head resting over the spot on his arm that was yours. It wasn’t a fake sleeping candid, you were awake and looking at each other. 

You took the picture to be your lock screen before Bucky demanded he wanted the picture as his keepsake. 

Bucky watches you trace the screen, “I wanted to ask you something important.”

You look at him with furrowed brows. 

“So are we still fake engaged or are we reverting to still in the first date wooing phase?” He raises a brow. 

“I’d consider the cake tasting our first date.” You hold back your laugh. 

“So we were almost cursed by dolls on our first date?” Bucky shakes his head. 

“No, we were almost eaten by those dolls.” You correct him. 

“Right and we did it in my car on the first date.” Bucky smirks when your knees brush against his under the table. 

“I suppose we aren’t a conventional couple.” You shrug, you fiddle with the ring, “So what do these mean then?” 

“These rings are a promise,” He says, grasping your hand with his own, “from me to you.” 

“Careful Mr. Puffin, I’ve had promises broken.” You try to say it as a joke. 

“Raza de soare (sunshine), I only ever would give my word to you.” Your hand is lifted and he kisses the spot under your thumb. 

Your fingertips brush over his cheek, “I trust you.” 

“It means so much that you do.” 

It’s quiet for a few moments then he chuckles thinking over something. Your questioning gaze has him nod. 

“Remember when you said I’m a diabolical person out for revenge?” He quotes you. 

“I was making a joke, Bucky,”

“No I know that, but those two aren’t going scot free.” 

“Bucky leave it, what they did was shitty but we aren’t stooping to their level—,”

“Sunshine.” He says incredulously. 

“Fine, okay I want to pull her hair extensions out ever since she flirted with you in the library.” You admit. 

He snorts, “I wish you had.” 

“How do you think that book fell on her head from the top shelf?” You confess the crime. 

“That was you?” Bucky stares at you in disbelief, “Are you secretly evil?” 

“When I need to be.” You rest your chin on your palm. 

Bucky is about to say something when his phone rings, he frowns, staring at it then looks up at you, “It’s work, I’ll take this in the room but if you need to come in then you can don’t worry about disturbing me, okay?”

You nod but don’t say anything, just push around your food with your fork. 

“Hello, yeah I have a moment.” Bucky raises a brow when you don’t verbalise your response, he cups your jaw, “hang on,” he says into the phone.

Carefully he tilts your head, meeting your gaze, “Sunshine, did you hear what I said?” 

You nod, he tilts his head, “I did, I won’t bother you.”

“Baby, you wouldn’t be a bother ever, if you need to use the room or you need me, you come to me. Okay?” His words and sincerity make you blink. 

“Are you sure?” You whisper, he nods looking between your eyes. 

“Absolutely. Now this shouldn’t take too long, if it does I’ll come and tell you, okay? Unless you’re inside at that point. Don’t worry about the dishes okay?” Bucky kisses your forehead.

As he is about to leave you grab his sleeve, stopping him, he yet again pauses the call. 

“Thank you.” You reach up kissing his cheek, Bucky’s cheeks tinge red and he rewards you with his bright smile which you return. 

“Yeah, tell me…” He keeps his eyes on you as he makes his way into the room. 

A shiver runs up your spine, the throw blanket on the couch wasn’t cutting it. You had loaded the dishes into the dishwasher despite Bucky saying not to bother. Now, however, you felt you should go into the room. 

The blanket wrapped around your shoulders you head to the room, hand hesitating on the doorknob. It had been twelve minutes. You knock on the door, then open it. Bucky faces away gazing out of the window, his laptop open on the small desk. He turns eyes moving over you. 

“Yeah, I can understand why that would be causing distress,” He says while walking over to you. The back of his hand makes contact with your forehead, “I mean the numbers seem fine. Nothing out of line but there is an unsecured loan. I need the details. Just a second,” he places the phone lower.

“You’re getting a bit warm.” Bucky’s thumb strokes your cheek, you lean into his touch.

“Feeling a little cold too.” You admit, sighing in content as he continues to stroke your cheek.

“Okay, get into bed,” He guides you, taking the blanket back, “Hey, can I call you back in a bit? My girl’s unwell. Thanks, yes I’ll tell her.”

“You didn’t have to–,”

“Sunshine, work can and will wait,” Bucky cuts you off, finding it absurd how you still don’t want to verbalise your need for help or wanting care, “Now come on, get into bed, sit for a bit, have your meds then lay down.”

Bucky makes sure you’re okay before he heads to your carry-on luggage, knowing the packing cube that has your medicines. You had given him a tylenol for his headache during the short layover so he knew you had other medicines, 

He brings back a paracetamol and a vitamin C tablet each, a bottle of water and a hershey kiss. You chuckle seeing the chocolate, “Why?”

“Because you’re having icky meds and this is the reward.” He laughs, “Habit that mum instilled in Becca and I.” 

Bucky brings his laptop and diary onto his side of the bed, connecting one wireless earpiece, carefully he tucks you into his left side. His warmth further reduces the cold feeling. 

“If I begin to talk too loudly just pinch my side okay?”

“You don’t have to be bothered, Puffin, I can–,”

“Sunshine, I’m sensing that you were told to stay away and stay out by others.” He shakes his head in disappointment when you look away affirming his suspicions.

“Who did that to you? Who made you believe that you were a bother when you are the only one that should matter?” He kisses the top of your head, patiently waiting for your answer, “I know in our misplaced anger and ire I may be responsible too, I’m going to work on that, I know we can’t erase or forget it but we can grow from it.” 

“Beck… and sometimes members of my family… I know, you never made me feel as if I was a bother to you, just, I think it was mutual that we both felt unwanted by the other? Which was misplaced and somehow I feel so irritated with myself that why did we both just not talk and sort things out earlier?” You sigh, looking up at him, “Do you think we should go to couple’s therapy? It may help us navigate and not allow the past to seep in and ruin the future we’re hoping for together. The love is there and now known.” 

Bucky’s eyes fall to where you fiddle with the blanket, he had tried therapy, it was helpful. He did in fact want to avoid the past of the way you both were indifferent and well rude on occasion to each other not to taint the future, “I think it will help.”

He smiles seeing you smile, “Okay good.” 

“Now get some rest and if I begin to get annoying I want you to pinch or smack my side.” He taps your nose. You roll your eyes but snuggle closer to him. 

“You’re so warm.” You practically purr happily, his laughter rumbles, your head near his chest. Warm palm rubbing up and down your back coaxing you further into slumber. 

“What the fuck was that for?” Bucky whisper-yells, blocking the pillow coming his way.

“You tell me you got together but not that she almost got hypothermia?” Steve glares looking for something else to throw at his best friend’s head.

“We wanted to tell you in person!” He defends, making sure not to jostle you. 

“James Barnes if anything happens to my best friend.” Wanda warns while glaring at Bucky.

“Nothing happened to her! Also how the hell did the two of you get inside?” Bucky questions.

Wanda points at the masterkey she had made, “I’m the mastermind here.” She declares.

Steve coughs.

“We’re the masterminds here.” She corrects, Bucky snorts.

You whine curling closer to your man. Bucky runs his palm over your head to coax you back to sleep, “Wan, shush, I’m cuddling Bucky.”

It makes the three of them laugh. You huff, opening your eyes, the two of them stand at the foot of the bed smiling at the pair of you. Your cheeks heat, hiding your face against Bucky’s chest. He pulls you closer, “I love this,” he whispers. 

“Same.” Wanda claps happily.

“I don’t think that was for you to hear, Wan.” Steve laughs when she shoots him a glare.

You look up at Bucky, smiling at him, impossibly happy and warm. You reach for him, wanting to give him a kiss. He beams, closing the distance, happy to give you whatever you ask of him.

When the two of you pull away, giddy grins grace your happy faces.

“Now, can we catch up?” Wanda demands the two of you. 

Bucky shakes his head amused, you tuck the strands of his hair that fall forward. 

Steve exchanges a happy glance with Wanda. Finally his best friend had found his sunshine.

The four of you make it to the living room only after Bucky has the fireplace running, plus he’s burrowed you in a plethora of blankets. As well as a mug of hot chocolate in your hands and of course he somehow has you snuggled with him. Then turn by turn you both begin to recount everything.

Wanda and Steve blink at the two several times before they both launch into yelling at the two of you.

“I was right!”

“I told you Bucky could never say that!”

“I knew Y/N would never ever talk about someone that way!”

“And you!” The pair say in unison to each other, then launch into a seemingly old argument, over the two of you being stupid and stubborn and idiots in love.

“Should we stop them?” Bucky whispers to you.

“I think we let it play out, you know catharsis?” You take a sip of your beverage. Bucky wipes the whipped cream from your top lip, bringing it to his own lips. He hums, you narrow your eyes at him, “Tease.” 

“Just warming you up.” He drawls, licking his lips.

“Oh you both are worse than us.” Steve points a finger.

Bucky scoffs, “You both had sex because we got together.”

“Uh uh, we had sex cause our plan worked.” Wanda waves her hand dismissively.

“And what was the goal of the plan?” You would move but Bucky has you cocooned. 

It’s silent for a beat.

“Moot point?” Steve offers a white flag.

“Moot point.” Bucky agrees in acceptance.

“So how are we taking revenge?” Wanda produces a new notebook, Steve stares at her in disbelief.

“I have information however we have to wait for a few things, also this stays between the four of us.” Bucky tilts his head till there is a satisfying crack sound, then sighs at the release of tension.

“Well, go on.” Wanda urges excitedly.

“Wan,” Steve shakes his head grabbing the notebook away, she pouts, he gives her a stern look.

“Fine, you don’t let me have any fun.” She grumbles, crossing her arms.

“I let you have plenty of fun.” He shakes his head, then looks back at Bucky, “Go on.”

“Alright,” Bucky clears his throat, he meets your gaze, “So we know how Brock and Sharon are married correct?” 

“Yes…” Steve, Wanda and you answer.

“Alright Steve your uncle, Sharon’s dad is basically a very rich man?” He raises a brow, his best friend nods in response.

“Brock’s company, which is in joint with Beck, although Brock thinks we’re only looking to acquire Beck’ sole company. But mainly the joint one is on our radar to be acquired by a third party, they want to take over, retain the lower level jobs but get Brock and Beck out. On further digging it turns out it’s bleeding money but they are hiding it by showing profit in the books. We got our hands on their balance sheets from previous filings and audit reports, and there is a major unsecured loan on Brock's side. Which has come from,”

“Sharon’s dad?” You offer making Bucky nod.

“Now I don’t understand why he would loan such a huge amount to Brock. From what I recall Steve, you said, and I quote, ‘My uncle thinks Brock is with Sharon for the money and Sharon is with Brock for his money.’” Bucky shrugs.

“Wait a second, Sharon told me there was a prenup signed.” Wanda pipes up.

Steve gives her a confused look, “I don’t know about this?”

“Sharon spilled the details once when she enjoyed the wine at mum’s place but not enough details to know about the prenup.” She adds.

“So why don’t you guys ask Brock under the pretence of a guy’s night. Steve can say that his dad is insisting Wanda signs a prenup but get him sort of drunk I suppose?” You bite the inside of your cheek, contemplating if you should have stayed quiet.

“That is actually a pretty smart plan.” Steve nods, then looks up at Bucky, “Would this help?”

“If we know where the loan has come from–,”

“We can get the prenup to come into play.” Wanda cuts Bucky off.

“Wan…” You shake your head, breaking up a couple that didn't sit right with you.

“Y/N, come on, they kept you and Bucky apart for god knows what reason?” She seethes, “It isn’t fair that you both had to suffer and lose out time.”

“Wan,” Steve reaches for her hand, “I know, but maybe,”

“No shit we lost time, but if Brock and Sharon were the catalyst we had our own roles in it as well.” Bucky adds, “Yes I want them to pay but ruining a relationship, hard no.” 

“I’m not saying ruin it, just jostle it a little, be chaotic, have fun, live a little.” Wanda’s eyes sparkle with mischief. You’re familiar with it, hell you’ve been part of her elaborate pranks on the mean girls who stayed on the upper floor of the dorms and reigned hell.

“I mean they flirt left, right and centre with other people…” Steve purses his lip, “So is the marriage really…” 

“Steve Grant Rogers, are you suggesting that it is a mutually benefitting marriage? A sham marriage? A founded on a lie to your very religious and tradition believing Uncle and Aunt marriage?” Wanda’s eyes are wide but there is a grin on her face.

“Wanda I don’t think that is a matter of smiling…” You trail off, she shushes you and looks at Bucky, “If they get busted, does it help with your deal?” 

“If I reduce the value it's a better negotiation for the buyer because the two can’t drive up the prices, we still get a commission and I think we get a bonus depending on the contract signed.” The wheel’s in Bucky’s mind turn and churn, “However, if the value reduces drastically they may fire employees who are innocent.” 

“What is your timeline?” Wanda reaches for the notebook Steve had tucked between his thigh and the armrest, he rolls his eyes as she begins to jot things down.

Bucky goes on to explain how the possible acquisition will take place around the time of Wanda and Steve’s wedding. Insider information stating that Beck is eager to sell off the company to retain some of his money. 

Wanda jots down the points, you look at Steve, he sighs. 

“Okay so we have only tomorrow night to get any information before we leave the day after.” She decides.

“Wan…” You shrug the blankets away, Bucky makes a sound of protest, “Bucky it’s getting too warm.” 

“Okay, okay,” He helps take it away.

You look up at him, Bucky gives you a soft smile but a raised brow as well. Patting his thigh he chuckles, setting you between his limbs and your back against his chest, arms circled around your body keeping you close. 

“Much better warmth.” You grin happily.

Steve can’t help the smile that takes over his face, he can’t even help himself when he picks up his phone to take a picture of this moment. He would remind Bucky, of the one night they were talking about deep things. Their friendship turned into a lifelong bond. 

--

‘You know what I want, Steve?’ Bucky passed the pint of ice cream to his best friend.

‘What?’ Steve takes it, twirling his spoon around to gather the best bits of the toppings.

‘I want a girl to call mine, you know? Want her in my arms all the time,’ Bucky shoved Steve when the latter snickered.

‘I’m sorry but, all the time?’ The blond shook his head in disbelief, ‘I mean we’re going into college and well, I don’t know if something so permanent will find its way to me atleast.’ Steve gave the pint back.

‘Mark my words, you’re going to find someone you’re head over heels for, and you will pull me into some elaborate scheme to help you woo this girl of yours, Stevie.’ Bucky pointed his spoon at him, then stared down at the pint of ice cream, ‘You ate all the toppings.’

Steve’s on his feet before Bucky can throw the spoon on his head. Bucky still chucked the spoon at him. It fell off his back and onto the floor. 

Bucky lay back on the carpet, heart thudding at the thought of college, the scholarship and him needing to find a flexible job to help.

Steve returned with a fresh pint of ice cream, ‘Listen, I’m pretty sure your girl who will be in your arms always, will support the schemes I rope you into.’ 

Bucky takes the ice cream, ‘You better not get us into any big messes, punk.’

‘Why would I, jerk?’ 

‘Because you will, you have all the stupid with you.’

‘Trust me, and I say this with love, you’re taking all the stupid with you to the library tomorrow.’

--

Steve returns to the present feeling Wanda rests her head on his shoulder. He kisses the top of her head. He was glad Bucky’s words came true. 

“I’m so happy for them.” Wanda whispers, looking up at her man.

His blue eyes meet hers, a grin on his face too, “I am too.”

They both gaze back at Bucky and you, he’s whispering something to you as you trace the calluses on his palm. Soft laughter as you both snuggle impossibly closer. 

Bucky nudges your cheek with his nose, then he makes a face at something you say to him.

“What? That book was funny to read to you.” You recall the moment.

“I know, I couldn’t get the thought of you doing that out of my mind.” He admits, thumbs tracing the skin of your abdomen, “I brought your book, you left it in my car, I was meaning to give it to you, oh and even the bear you won at the Khan’s.” 

“You kept it?” You wonder why it surprises you, “I thought you would have given it away.”

“Sunshine, I want to keep reminders of you wherever I go, wherever I am.” Bucky slowly shifts you aside, he only answers your questioning gaze with a kiss to your nose. He returns from your shared room holding the said bear. 

“I fought off Alpine for it.” He shows you the now faded scar from his cat.

“My brave knight.” You kiss his cheek when he settles in behind you. 

The bear stays in your arms, you play with its ears as the conversation flows between the four of you. No more awkward stretches of silence only filled by Steve and Wanda. No more cold shoulders given to each other.

Wanda and you fall asleep halfway through the random movie Steve selected. The two men chuckle as they adore your sleeping forms. 

Bucky tucks the stray strands of your hair behind your ear. You’re laying on his chest, a smile graces your features and he promises himself he would do everything in his power to not let that smile fade. An hour later Bucky carries you to bed and then helps Steve turn the couch into the pull out bed before returning to you.

The morning light wakes you up from one of the most peaceful sleeps you’ve gotten. The sun rays have Bucky glow in the morning light. You trace your thumb over the freckles on his cheek. He stirs in the slightest but his breathing evens out. Bucky nuzzles closer to your palm. 

His hair falls forward on his forehead, the sunlight highlights the light brown in his hair. You think back to the feelings that you had developed in college. Wondering how it would be waking up next to Bucky, having him close. Loving him in every way you could show him.

“It’s rude to stare.” He mumbles, the crinkles by his eyes give away the blooming grin that takes over him. 

“I’m admiring.” You counter, kissing the corners of his eyes, making your way to his lips.

Bucky hums happily, hands roaming over you, then cupping your face. When you pull away from the kiss his cheeks tinge pink at your adoring gaze. 

“What?” He wonders, your thumb traces over his chin and then his cheek, your loving gaze doesn’t waiver.

“Just, thinking about college me.” You smile, “She used to wonder what it would feel like, waking up next to you.”

“So she thought about sleeping with me?” Bucky raises a brow, you roll your eyes and then grab onto him as he shifts you above him, “Does it live up to her expectation? Because college Bucky would be fucking ecstatic he got his dream girl.”

You laugh, cheeks heating, “Pretty sure she’s squealing into her pillow.”

Bucky sits up and you continue to straddle him, “I want you to bake the brownies.”

“Bucky–,” Your palms rest on his chest, your path towards his tattoos interrupted by his request.

“Please? I want us to rewrite that moment.” Blue eyes sincere, look between yours. He worries his bottom lip waiting for your answer. 

“Alright. I’ll bake them.” You smile, his hand trails from your lower back to the back of your neck pulling your lips to his yet again.

Sharon stumbles to the booth of the small club, clearly she had enjoyed pre-gaming while getting dressed. 

“I’m still sceptical about you as maid of honour. No strippers? Booooooooo.” She pokes your cheek.

“Well none would match up to Steve’s body for Wanda.” You shift away taking a sip of your own drink.

“True, he’s got a banging body. You know who else does?” Sharon bites her bottom lip, failing to hide her lust.

“Brock?” Wanda offers and Sharon looks like she was just given pickle juice with the way her nose scrunches in disgust.

“Please, I’m talking about Loki.” She sighs dreamily.

“When did you see his body?” Wanda adds laughter, she widens her eyes at you.

You school your features to one of surprise.

“I approached him right before the storm, he warmed me up, you could say.” She giggles, twirling her blond hair as a group of guys walk by the table.

“Are you not happy with Brock?” Wanda enquires then takes a sip of her drink.

Sharon blows a raspberry but doesn’t give a verbal answer. 

“How are things with Bucky?” She turns to you.

“They are well, we got over the fight. He’s stressed about work.” You shrug, she nods.

“Yeah Brock has been moaning about the buyout, like shut up and swipe your card. You understand right, Wan?” Sharon reaches for the red head’s hand.

“Um, yes but we might be getting a prenup.” Wanda pats Sharon’s hand.

“You too?” She sighs sadly and then pouts.

“What do you mean by that?” Wanda hopes for a breakthrough. 

“Let's dance!” Sharon pulls Wanda and in turn you get pulled to the floor. 

Wanda motions for you to text Bucky about the hitch, you hoped they could have better luck with Brock.

Bucky stares at the message then back at Brock who was on the table dancing to the random song that was playing. 

Steve sighs from next to him both of them stare at Brock as he jumps to the floor then climbs the bar table and continues dancing.  

“Live a little!” Brock cheers and hollers at the equally drunk woman clambering up with his help to dance with him. 

The song changes and Bucky can’t help but smile. It was the song where he had taken a leap of faith and danced with you. 

“Man, Sharon had promised me head if I poured my beer on Y/N and you.” Brock cackles and Bucky is pulled out of the memory. 

“What?” He calls out, Steve holds him back by his arm. 

“Yeah she totally was pissed you blew her off for her. Not you sweetie, I got my eyes on you.” Brock pulls the woman closer, their dance turns obscene. 

Bucky stares at Steve, “I will punch him.” 

“You will not punch him.” 

“Give me one good reason not to punch him.” 

“Y/N isn’t here to tend to your wounds.” Steve offers. 

“Bold of you to assume I’d get hurt in the process, this fucker I’m going to—,” Bucky takes a steadying breath at the thought of you. 

“I’m going to the table after I return from outside, you separate the leech from the poor woman.” Bucky presses a finger to Steve’s chest, then heads out. 

The line rings and he hopes you pick up the cold air helps get his anger into a simmer and your voice saying hello calms it further. 

“Puffin?” You wait for him to speak, hearing him breathe steadily. 

“I need you to give me a reason not to punch Brock.” He requests. 

“As long as you give me a reason not to punch his wife.” You chuckle, Bucky feels his heart warm. 

“He was the one who poured the beer on us on her request.” He hears your sharp intake of breath. 

“The fuck? Why? What the hell?” Your mind reels for any kind of inclination as to why would that happen, “Wait was it all because you didn’t go out with her?” 

“I’m thinking yes, that is exactly what happened.” Bucky taps the wooden barricade. 

“It just got a lot more personal didn’t it?” You bite the inside of your cheek, your earlier hesitation to take them down turning into nothing. 

What kind of people would do that to someone? Knowing full well how you felt about Bucky. 

“It did, Sunshine.” He affirms. 

“I’ll get the prenup information for you.” You promise him. 

“No punches.” He reminds both of you. 

“No punches.” You agree, “I love you.” 

“I love you, I’m sorry I was stupid enough to believe these idiots over you.” Bucky sighs, shoulders slumped. 

He hears as you take a deep breath, “The both of us were stupid enough to believe the lies that these two said to us. Maybe, it was meant to be this way, us finding each other amidst this entire chaos of pretending.” 

“Because we know the way out, together.” Bucky adds with a smile on his face. 

“Exactly, my Puffin.” You smile as well, “Now we get to work.” 

“We get to work.” 

Steve’s head is between his hands when Bucky returns, Brock is drinking right from a bottle of whiskey, “Come on Rogers, lighten up you’re getting married!” 

Steve looks at Brock and gives him a short lived smile. Then looks towards Bucky with a help me face. 

“He would be happy if she wasn’t so controlling all the time.” Bucky slides into the booth with a wink towards Steve.  

“Ugh, tell me about it! it's like they plan the littlest of things and if you don’t behave a certain way they’ll chew your head off complaining.” Brock rolls his eyes and points the bottle at Bucky, “You’re lucky you can break your engagement still.” 

“I don’t think that is going to happen.” Bucky narrows his eyes at the drunk man. 

“What things does your wife control? I mean I know Wan’s meticulousness is persistent but is it that bad?” Steve feigns worry and it seems to do the trick with Brock as he sets down his bottle. 

“It's not even a recent thing, it started way back at college when we were hooking up. If she wanted a guy’s attention she’d plan for me to come in and make the dude a jealous fuck. It even occurred with Barnes but she was so pissed he wasn’t interested in her at all then the way you blew her off over the date, sheesh I didn’t hear the end of it while I went down on her during our hook up like? I know my skills with my tongue yet all she does is moan and complain, not even the hot kind of moans.” Brock stares at the bottle yet again. 

Bucky signals the server for another, Steve shares a disturbed glance with him.

“What were these other plans then?” Bucky redirects as the new bottle comes in, Brock lights up at the new bottle. 

Steve raises a brow in concern, Bucky brushes him off with a wave of his hand. 

“She planned this whole thing when the beer spilling didn’t work, at your party. I had to say things to Barnes and she had to say things to Y/N, to break them up. She was elated when it worked.” Brock chugs more of the bottle. 

“Then she got all pissy over the engagement and kept saying it's fake, it's fake. Like bitch please shut up let it go the guy isn’t interested in you.” Brock groans, donning a mocking mimic of Sharon, “It’s gotta be fake Brock, they hate each other. I made sure she couldn’t get him if I couldn’t. She deserved a disloyal guy like Beck, she stole Bucky from me.” 

“Sharon knew Beck was a cheater?” Bucky keeps his expression neutral, heaven forbid he do anything to mess up this tell all Brock moment. 

“Man she’s hooked up with him so many times, St. Tropez she was all over him.” 

“Weren’t you together?” Steve interjects. 

“We keep the cheating on the DL or together, if her dad even sniffs out infidelity that prenup will ruin me, because little miss Sharon would never be the kind to chase another dick.” Brock rolls his eyes, “I’ve kept tabs.”

“So what, you're just together for the money?” Steve says hoping the surprise in his tone isn’t evident. 

“My money is stuck with Beck, the loan was collateral to him gambling things away to high stakes people.” Brock sighs dejectedly. 

“Oh.” Bucky frowns, mind running a mile a minute to bring forth everything he knew about the deal. 

“Cutting costs and I’ve been wanting to push for the sale but Beck isn’t agreeing.” Brock takes another large gulp, he seems displeased. 

Then Brock grins, “I shouldn’t be telling you any of this Barnes, you won’t betray me will you?” 

Bucky smiles at him, “Oh don’t worry, I’m too drunk to remember anything.” He takes a sip of his own drink. 

“Yep, so drunk Brocky.” Steve adds for good measure. 

The man eyes the two best friends, gauging their levels of inebriation. Both of them grin and laugh to play along. Brock breaks out into a grin as Bucky and Steve exchange a glance and a sigh of relief. 

“Why don’t we take pictures?” You cheerily suggest as you head back to the booth where Wanda and Sharon are taking shots. The latter made a dent into the former’s line of shots as well. 

“Oh my gosh! Yes! Wan gimme your phone!!! Y/N get into the frame!” Sharon cheers, grabbing Wanda’s phone. 

An idea pops up in your mind. 

You: Steve text Wan about looking through the prenup draft

Steve: ????

Sunshine: Bucky, can you text Wan from Steve’s phone about looking at the prenup draft?

Puffin: on it 

Sharon begins taking pictures along with Wan and yourself, you wait for the moment and keep smiling through the Sharon focused pictures and then it happens. 

Snoopy Sharon reads the text and turns wide eyed. 

“You got a prenup too?” She gasps, her words still slurred

“Too? You have one as well?” Wanda gasps, you gasp too. 

“Wait, you have a prenup too?” Sharon narrows her eyes, “Sweetheart, prenups are for rich people, so sweet you think Bucky’s rich. Oh, poor dreamy baby.” She reaches for your hand to offer comfort and coo. 

“I’m gasping on behalf of Wan. Also prenups aren’t always about money.” You hide your intention to punch her behind your smile and pat Sharon’s hand. Your mind brings forth Bucky from this morning basking in sunlight looking every bit of an angel. 

“Oh makes sense, well what's your prenup saying, know what it's all the same isn’t it?” She turns back to your best friend taking another shot. Wanda offers you an apologetic look. 

“Anyways as I was saying do the prenup, but make sure you get dirt if he breaks any of the conditions. I have so much on Brock he will be drained dry for every penny. Also…” Sharon giggles, “I cut a deal with Beck, I’m going to divorce Brock and take all the money and invest it with Beck in a new venture.” 

“Sharon, that is unethical and wrong!” Wanda shakes her head.

“Oh please nothing is in this marriage, it's out of convenience for both of us.” Shron taps Wanda’s nose with her index finger, “Oh sweetie, this love shit fades, dollar bills, they remain.”

Pursing her lips Wanda is about to say something but Sharon’s eyes widen and then she hunches over to the side and retches. 

You cover your face as she further hurls the contents of her stomach out. Wanda scrunches her face while rubbing Sharon’s back. 

After a hefty tip and multiple apologies the three of you return to Wanda’s cabin where Sharon falls asleep on the couch. 

“What a disaster.” Wanda sighs as she slides a bottle of water towards you. 

You shake your head, disappointed you couldn’t help your boyfriend? Fake fiancé? Man? Yes, your man. You giggle at the absurdity. 

Wanda chimes in laughing as well, “What's so funny?” 

“Just in my head I didn’t know what to call Bucky and then I settled in on, ‘my man’.” You laugh harder. 

“He is your man.” Her arms envelope you in the tightest of hugs. 

You hug her back, sighing with relief and with so much happiness, “Does it always feel this way? Finding smaller things to love about him every day?” 

“Some days you will want to strangle each other and some days you will want him to strangle each other in a risqué way.” Wanda laughs and you lightly hit her arm, “It’s true.” 

“I think we’ve done enough of the former strangling.” You tease as her eyes widen comically and she pesters you to dish details about the other kind of strangling. 

“Tell me again why are we not taking him back to his cabin?” Bucky huffs carrying Brock across the threshold of the hotel to wait for the cars. 

“Because,” Steve takes a deep breath, “On three.” 

They set him down onto the sofa, Brock grumbles then turns to his side snoring loudly. Bucky glares at Steve.

“I didn’t make him drink.” The blond defends. 

“Oh and I made him drink?” The brunette counters. 

“Why are you both arguing?” You ask as you hold the to go cups of hot chocolate. 

“Sunshine?” Bucky whirls around a smile spreading across his face and then his expression turns stern, “Why are you out in the cold?” 

“We wanted hot chocolate and there was limited staff so I asked if the driver could pick me up and well…” You raise your full hands, “I’m wearing a sweater and thermal wear and this coat.” You assure Bucky when his worry does not relent. 

He stalks over to you, grabbing your chin and tilting your head to look up at him. Blue fills your vision, as his eyes connect with your own. His thumb traces over your lips. His own press into a thin line as he considers his next move, you watch his tongue dart out and lick his bottom lip. Then you feel his lips and your hands are now grasping the lapels of his coat as he deepens the kiss. 

Bucky hums appreciatively as you draw him closer, almost wanting to chuckle at how you've forgotten all about the hot chocolate which he holds now in his right hand. When his tongue meets yours, you moan the sound ignites every fibre of his being. 

Bucky pulls away, his left arm encircling around your waist. His lips brush along your earlobe, “If you keep making sounds like that Sunshine, I’m going to have to fuck you right here in this lobby.” His voice is low, inviting, and you almost want to tempt fate. 

“Bucky,” You mean for yourself to sound stern and chastise him but all your voice conveys is how much more you want him. 

Bucky kisses your jaw softly and then your neck, then kisses the love bite and he nips at the flesh at the base of your neck. 

Your hand finds his hair tugging on it wanting his lips back on yours, and then someone clears their throat. 

Bucky and you both glance to the side, Steve points to the car waiting out front. Your man huffs annoyed and then hands the hot chocolates back to you. 

“When did—, how?” You look up at him not recalling when it was taken from your grasp. Bucky winks at you heading over to help Steve with Brock. 

Heading back inside Steve and Wanda’s cabin, the boys drop Brock right next to Sharon on the couch and they instantly cuddle up. 

“For people who want to drain the other dry they sure do cuddle like a married couple.” Wanda whispers as the four of you watch them from the kitchen. 

“And we thought we were in a fake relationship.” Bucky brushes your shoulder with his, grinning at you. 

“You think we should tell them that the other confessed about wanting to end the marriage and do the prenup thing?” You stare at the two lying, cheating scumbags. 

“Maybe we should, maybe add our own spice to it.” Steve nods in agreement. 

Wanda and Bucky share a look of concern. 

“Nah, maybe not.” You dismiss the thought.

“I agree, let karma do its work.” Steve agrees and then looks at Wanda. 

“You wanna tell them don’t you?” Bucky whispers, you nod, “Give me till the flight time to set the business end in order and then we can pick them off and pull their move on them.” He didn’t want to resort to it, but the two left no choice. 

“Did you know your best friend and my best friend almost engaged in public sex?” Steve speaks as if he has the latest scoop. 

Wanda gasps, “When?”

“Almost being the key word.” You defend, Bucky kisses your shoulder, pulling you to him. 

“A very insignificant key word.” He assures with a teasing grin. 

Wanda looks up at Steve, “They might take our spot.” 

“We can’t have that now can we?” Steve nudges her nose with his, grinning as his fiancé giggles. 

You look up at Bucky, he smiles down at you, arms encircling your waist, your hands placed upon his and fingers intertwined. He raises a brow sensing you want to say something. 

You just smile at him, squeezing both his hands three times.

A.N.: i know it has been a while but i hope you enjoy this update, i am very nervous to post since it has been this long but I hope i get back to my regular posting schedule, thank you for reading and being kind and showing your love and for sticking around 💜

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