#we saw a dress a while back that fit her vibes and so we drew xer in it!! its linked in the caption <33< /div> Explore tagged Tumblr posts

[silent-sentinels]

Nyx, lady of the night / Urania, muse of the stars

[xinnamonbun]

Got Nostalgic

So I decided to look at some old Inanimate Insanity humanizations I did a couple years back. I'm pretty sure I did these RIGHT when season 3 released. Good times-

(Looks)

...

AAAAAAAAÆ-

Below will be humanizations of: Soap, Bow, Paintbrush, Blueberry, Goo, Cabby, Test Tube, Cherries, Taco, Apple, Fan, Lightbulb, Suitcase, Balloon, Lifering, Microphone, Marshmallow, Nickel, and Yin-Yang

⚠️ WARNING OLD ART ⚠️

Off to a great start...the soap hair tie is almost cute...almost. (also I'd like to mention that I only knew like three types of shoes so you're going to be seeing these once or twice)

It's... Okay. This is one of the better ones we're going to see. Why does she have ballerina shoes???

I was really really bad at drawing guys and was much better at drawing girls (not that that was very good either). Paintbrush being an entirely different thing made me nervous that I was going to make them too masculine or too feminine. I remember being SO proud of myself... And like this one isn't terrible... But why are they wearing ice skates- (they're not supposed to be ice skates but that is NOT lined up)

Not terrible. I think that this still gives Blueberry vibes it's mainly the shoes that are bugging me. But other than that it's not BAD.

I remember one of my cousins called him Caillou, I sobbed... I hate that they were right- I MADE HIM BALD

Did not know how to draw a wheelchairs (still don't but I hope I could do better than THIS) THIS DOESN'T LOOK LIKE CABBY. END OF STORY. I also don't want to talk about the dress- it's bad

I guess I don't hate this one. I don't love it either. This one is pretty much just "I could believe that's test tube" BUT THERE'S NO SPICE

I had this headcannon that one of the cherries was trans which is why they never spoke because they were self-conscious of their voice. Not the worst head Cannon but I just can't see it anymore. These outfits also just suck. And the return of the ice skates-

This is season 1 Taco specifically and the idea was upon show to hide the hands while having her fancy spy outfit underneath. With the little that you can see of the spy outfit it sucks. The top doesn't look super bad I guess. I also gave her little fangs that I decided to make gray for some reason so they blended into her skin.

I remember this one was my absolute FAVORITE like I thought this was peak character design. It's not that good but at the very least it's definitely the most okay one here... Except for the fact that APPLE'S KNEES ARE LIKE 5/8 DOWN HER LEG- WHO BROKE YOUR LEG?!? Also are those green jeans? Also return of the ice skates.

RONALD MCDONALD!!! IVE FOUND YOUR COUSIN- in case it wasn't clear (it isn't) this is Fan... Excuse me while I bash my head into the wall- WHAT IS THIS ABOMINATION?!? AND ON TOP OF THAT WE HAVE ANOTHER CASE OF ICE SKATES- I swear if I see one more ice skate I'm going to lose it-

This is...kinda adorable??? The hair doesn't fit though. I still like the socks.

This one isn't THAT bad, it's just...the nose. The idea of her having a backpack to carry stuff is still cute. And-... Are those. Ice. Skates. (Inhale) AAAAAAAAÆ---

Burn it with fire. I didn't even like this one when I first drew it! I always had plans of redrawing it but I never did. In case you need clarification this is Balloon... In my slight justification for why he's wearing... that. I was originally going to give all of the returning season 3 contestants vacation clothes because they thought they were going on a vacation but I didn't really do this with any of the others so it just looks out of place and ugly.

I saw an ad around the time I drew this that showed a child missing their upper lip. I thought that that would be an interesting design choice for Lifering to to represent the hole in his face. I was correct that it's interesting. It being a good design choice before this art style is a different topic- still like the earring I gave him though.

I hate those fingers. They're so small. I hate it. I remember this was my favorite outfit, and now I don't like it that much. But I guess it's not THAT bad. It's still kinda bad.

This is Marshmallow. I needed to lead with that otherwise you wouldn't know who this is. This is straight up isn't marshmallow. That is some random girl that should not be trusted with hair dye.

This one is just...okay. at least compared to the other ones on this list. It's not the worst. It's DEFINITELY not the best. His hair is... Something. Also the return of the ice skates

This one is honestly just funny to me now. Yin just looks done (I feel you buddy) I really played around with a vitiligo (the reason why they have both pale and dark skin; look it up) and I do like the concept I had of this I just don't think I have the skills at the time to properly pull it off.

Wait...is that it? IM FREEEEEEE-

Bonus: (this was made before season 3 and I only found this because it was one of the reference images for my Bow humanization shown above)

You know what I said about Balloon? I take it back. Burn THIS with fire.

Ok NOW I'm free.

(for the record I give you full permission to bash me in the replies, in fact I encourage it. I'm planning on making redo's of these humanizations with my (hopefully better) art skills. So pointing out things that you didn't like in the previous designs or things that you think would be nice to add are greatly appreciated feedback)

[agathasangel]

written in the stars (wilhemina venable x fem!reader)

Warnings: None really? This is like a short lil fluff/soulmate/love at “first sight” kind of fic.

Summary: (This is kind of a post-time reset part 2 of “her favorite”?) Years ago, the apocalypse happened and you fell in love in an underground outpost, but the timeline reset so you remember nothing. Years later, you went to party because you were bored. And she only went because she needed to work on her personal life after quitting her job. But you were just so familiar to each other.

You were at the birthday party of a girl you went the college with, Mattie Venable. It was the year after you graduated, but even after a year you forgot how overwhelmed you got at large house parties like this. You looked for a quiet room to sit in and calm down, and there was one that was occupied by someone you could never have missed. A woman a bit older than you with flaming red hair dressed head-to-toe in lilac, with a cane in one hand and a glass of red wine in the other. She was absolutely stunning, and you could have sworn you had seen her before, but you couldn’t possibly put your finger on where.

“My sister is a little too old to be throwing this kind of a party for herself, don’t you think?” the woman asked you.

“You’re Mattie’s sister?”

“I am. Wilhemina Venable.”

You’ve never heard of a Wilhemina Venable. So why did that name sound so familiar?

“I’m (y/n).”

“Were you particularly close friends with Mathilda, (y/n)? Forgive me, but I swear I’ve heard of you before.”

“Mathilda?”

“That’s Mattie’s real name. Our parents liked the idea of giving us unusual old-fashioned names and then more “normal” nicknames. Mine is Mina. But were you close to her?”

“Not really.”

“That’s for the better. She is a drunken spoiled brat who only cares about herself.”

“Why are you here then?”

“I recently quit my job. I don’t have friends so I thought that coming here might be a good idea.”

“What was your job? Can I ask why you quit?”

“Have you heard of Kineros Robotics? I was the secretary there. But in reality, I ran the whole place. I did almost everything but building the robots. I don’t know what those two imbeciles are going to do without me if I’m honest, but I suppose it’s not my problem. I quit because I was not able to have a life outside of work. Which would have been fine if those two idiots had given me more agency, treated me with more respect.... I’m rambling, I apologize...”

“No, go on...”

“And I suppose that I wanted some kind of life outside of work. So here I am. But I can’t say I’ve liked any of the people my sister keeps around. Except you, (y/n). I can’t put my finger on why, but you seem... different. Tolerable, at the very least.”

“Thank you?”

“What are you doing here if you aren’t close with Mattie and obviously don’t like big crowds and hard alcohol?”

“I was just bored. I graduated last year with Mattie and I don’t really have anything to do or anyone to visit. And then she invited me to her party and I thought, hey, why not?”

“Do you have no friends?”

“I have a couple but they never seem to be available.”

“Boyfriend or, um, girlfriend?”

“No. I dated a girl for a while junior year though. But it didn’t work out.” you hoped the woman would pick up on the hint that not only were you into girls (if she was, you weren’t sure but you definitely got a vibe) but that you were available.

“What about you, Wilhemina Venable?”

“You may call me Mina. And no, I barely even have friends.”

“I’m your friend now, Mina. Unless of course you want me to be something else...”

“Maybe I do. Would you like to- how do I put this... get out of here?”

“I think I would.”

You left the party, and Mina drove you to a wine bar.

“This can be our first date,” she told you, “Although I swear I know you. You seem incredibly... familiar.”

“You do too. It’s almost as if in another life we had a whole relationship already.”

When you were sat down at the bar, she attempted to start another conversation with you.

“I’m not sure what I should ask you.”

“Anything!”

“Um...what do you do for work?”

“Well I work as a waitress now but I’m looking to get jobs as a writer or illustrator.”

“So you write? And draw?”

“I do. Can I draw you?”

“Yes, I would love that (y/n).”

She asked you to spend the night with her, and you agreed. You drew her in a fancy Victorian-style purple gown, still holding her cane, without her glasses and with her bright red hair pinned pack out of her beautiful face.

“(Y/n), I- I love it. It’s... exactly how I wish I saw myself.”

So you took the drawing out of your sketchbook and gave it to her to keep.

“I have such a clear vision in my head of you exactly like this. I don’t know why.”

“I see you in a similar purple gown and a corset. Almost like a memory. I actually... have several, maybe I have one that would fit.”

So you went into her closet, which had several lovely period-style dresses in all different shades of purple. She found a corset that she thought would fit you and the two of you played dress-up in her closet for a bit.

“I got into this type of fashion when I was quite young. My parents liked it, but what made me really interested was the fact that I had to wear a back brace that was very close to a real corset to improve my posture.”

“Why?”

“I- I have scoliosis, a very bad case. It’s the same reason I walk with a cane now. I would prefer not to let you see my back. For a while, at least.”

“That’s fine. Whatever you’re comfortable with.”

When you found a dress that, according to Mina, suited you perfectly, she asked if she could take a photo of you. She darkened the room and lit candles, and then took several pictures.

“Lovely. You are so beautiful, (y/n). I’ve had this image in my head for a long time, of a girl who looks like you in a dress like that. Of kissing her in low candlelight. May I please kiss you, little one?”

“Please.” you said.

You were often quite tense and stiff in your kisses, but with Mina it was easy. She knew exactly how to kiss you. Take control, gently bite your lip, and softly cup your face before moving her hands down to your waist and then wrapping her arms around you.

You both changed into pajamas after that, both of you wearing nightgowns owned by Mina. 

“I’ve been racking my brain all night wondering how I know you, little one, but I know we’ve never met.”

“Me too.”

After months of dating, you and Mina came to the conclusion that you were in fact, soulmates.

“I know it seems ridiculous. I never even believed in love before all of this and now I’m here talking about “love at first sight” and “soulmates” and “destiny”.” said Mina

“You and I were meant to be, Mina. I love you.”

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

Omertà👄2

Warnings: noncon sexual acts (sexual intercourse); tags to be added throughout series

This is dark!Bucky and dark! Loki and explicit. Your media consumption is your own responsibility. Warnings have been given. DO NOT PROCEED if these matters upset you.

Summary: Your father was a bookie and taught you everything you know about numbers. After his death, you were taken on as a bookkeeper for Loki Laufeyson, resident crime boss in Manhattan. But can you keep your place in the background when a man from Brooklyn threatens to drag you to the forefront?

Note: We vibing these two bad boys so here’s chapter 2. Be safe.

Hope you enjoy it. Thank you. Love you guys!

As always, if you can, please leave some feedback, like and reblog <3

The dress was plain, but you were certai, nice enough for the occasion. You didn’t expect Loki’s approval, that was a rarity, but you were content in your malicious compliance. The long burgundy crepe was held up by thin straps and hugged your body enough not to be entirely baggish. You wore a thin black shawl over your shoulders as you hailed a cab and gave the closest intersection to the underground club.

You hadn’t been this dressed up since your regrettable prom night. Then you were still naive enough to dream about a Lizzie Maguire fairytale. You hadn’t even been arm candy that night, you had merely been a ploy to make some other girl jealous. You’d left early upon the realisation. ‘Fuck ‘em’, your dad had given his usual snipe and since your inner monologue tended to echo him.

A decade later, a little more than, and your cynicism had aged like a stringent and oaky whiskey. You hooked the strap of your small beaded clutch around your wrist as you got out of the cab and peered down the street. Streetlights illuminated the smoke blowing up from the sewer and distant neon light stared back at you from the end of the block.

You would appease Loki and whatever game he was playing. You knew his moods, his tricks. He grew bored often and quickly flitted to his next delight. You suspected he was merely reminding himself of his power after a near disastrous war. And you, too.

You descended the iron steps and knocked on the painted door. The tiny slat slid open and a muffled din wafted through. “Slate,” A voice cut through the night and you replied swiftly, “Pyramid”. A heavy lock turned and you were let into the dark corridor.

You’d been here once before. You were sixteen, your father had been with you. He’d played a game of Hold ‘Em with Diablo and won a few times too many. The two of you had barely escaped before the droopy-eyed owner caught on. That was long ago and yet, nothing had changed.

There was a thick velvet curtain at the end of the hallway. The doorman escorted you to it and pulled it back to reveal a bright room full of men in tailored suits and women draped off their arms like peacocks. You shook your head and stepped through. You needed a drink. You needed an excuse to turn back. But you went on.

Loki was slender but tall, a few inches above most men. You saw him amid the crowd, a snifter held to his nose as he inhaled the scent of the dark liquor. You passed a man in a crushed velvet jacket and his eyes caught yours. His arm was around a slinky redhead distracted by another boisterous guest. He winked and you scowled.

You wove through the bodies and appeared at Loki’s shoulder.

“Where do I get some of that?” You pointed to his glass and he looked down his long nose at you. If he was surprised, it was hard to tell. Only the slight part of his lips cracked his stony veneer.

“Darling, I’d stick to the wine,” He preened.

“Darling?” You scoffed. “You know my name.”

He smirked and turned to you entirely. He was overt as he looked you up and down and touched the fabric at your waist.

“I thought I said to wear something nice,” He muttered. “At least I can see your eyes.”

“You told me to wear a dress. Should I have gone with the black victorian number?” You challenged.

He considered you as his smirk fell.

“Kitty has found her claws,” He taunted. “Best she keeps her growls to herself.”

“I don’t understand why I’m here,” You said. “Tell me you couldn’t find a better date among your harem.”

“Harem? You make me sound a king,” He mused. “As you are so generous to yourself. This is not a date, darling.”

“Then what is it? Is it really necessary for you to wag your--”

“Watch it,” He warned as he pointed his long index finger at you. “You’re not playing at this anymore. You are made or you are burned. There is no in-between.”

“I tend to doubt your concern for my standing so long as my work benefits your own,” You said. “So forgive my suspicion.”

“Your father was on the scene, he made a name, as detestable as it is, and your grandfather has not been forgotten either,” He said. “We are both a part of this city’s legacy.”

“Mm,” You arched a brow. “I still don’t believe you.”

“Believe what you will.” He shrugged. “But best to start thinking for yourself before another does it for you.”

You squinted and looked around. A woman in a feather dress carried a tray of tall wine glasses. You preferred another taste but you would settle for the pale chardonnay. You beckoned her over and took one as Loki perused the room.

“Is this all you do at these things?” You sipped. “Coil like a snake in the corner?”

“I observe. I learn.” He grinned. “And the snake does not bow to the mice, rather they cower before him.”

“Poetic,” You said dryly. 

“Well,” A deep voice came from your left and you looked to the man you vaguely recognized. His golden brocade was embroidered with dragons; a gaudy Oriental knock-off. Finely tailored but still ill-fit to his person. “Is that Georgey’s girl?”

You greeted him with your usual straight-lipped stare. You batted your lashes sharply and he chuckled.

“I remember you,” He carried on. “You’ve grown.”

“As have you,” You gestured to his stomach, poorly hidden beneath the gauche jacket.

He laughed even louder and turned to Loki.

“I did hear you had the bookie’s daughter,” He boomed. “I wouldn’t trust that ilk to keep my books but call me prudish.”

“Don’t you worry, I wouldn’t touch your books over my father’s dead body,” You snorted. “Even I couldn’t untangle that knot with a blade.”

“Oh, I see,” Diablo shook his head. “The mouth on her.”

“Yes, rather endearing, isn’t it?” He sneered.

“Not sure anyone else would agree,” Diablo said. “The prettier one’s are much quieter.”

“Yet--” You began.

Loki raised his hand to silence you. You clamped your ships and your nostrils flared in anger.

“Let us excuse ourselves,” Loki gestured Diablo away. “And discuss in private, yes?”

“Best while everyone else is distracted,” Diablo replied and peeked over at you. “I dread our next meeting.”

“As do I,” You assured him.

Loki looked at you from the corner of his eye as his lip curled. He directed Diablo away from you and you watched them go, a smirk slowly spread across your face. You never wanted to make your father proud but he would’ve been beaming. 

You finished your drink and searched for a table to dispose of it. You set it down carefully on a tall corner table and slipped your shawl down around your elbow. You glanced around. You thought of fleeing as Loki was distracted but you knew he wouldn’t forget you. In fact, it seemed he had grown intent on you for whatever reason.

A shadow blotted the edge of your vision and you turned to greet your assailant. You were slightly surprised to find Bucky Barnes closing in. He smiled and tilted his head as he stopped before you. He wore a deep violet jacket over navy trousers, his eyes shone in the contrast.

“I wasn’t sure you got my invitation,” He said.

“Invitation?” You shook your head. “What--”

“Loki, he-- I mentioned I’d like to see you again,” He said staunchly. 

“What?” You scrunched your brow.

“I like the colour,” He admired your dress. “But I think a different cut might suit you better.”

“Oh, I didn’t take you as a purveyor of fashion. Well, nothing beyond a g-string and stilettos.” You huffed.

“Ah, I run a pretty classy joint,” He winked. “My girls have nothing but the best, even if it isn’t much.”

You pushed your shoulders back and looked around once more.

“Well, I was not told my presence was at your whim,” You said. “In fact, my being here is entirely undesirable.”

“If I had my way, sweetheart, you’d be doing a lot more than just standing here in that pretty little number,” He snickered.

You looked at him sharply.

“I need a drink,” You stormed off in search of the girl in the feathered dress.

You sensed him following behind you but ignored him. As you made to swipe a glass from the tray, he reached around you and grabbed it first. He caught your hand before you could take another and drew you back to him as he placed the slender flute into your hand.

“I wasn’t done, sweetheart,” He closed your fingers around the glass. 

You were livid. Had Loki brought you here to whore you out? Another pawn to secure his peace?

“Loki’s my boss but he is not my pimp,” You pulled away from him. 

“I didn’t say that,” He said. “I didn’t think it, either.”

You flicked the glass at him so the chardonnay splashed across his front and dripped down his face.

“Not interested,” You snarled and swept away with the empty glass.

“Sweetheart,” He sang from behind you. “I wouldn’t do this.”

“Get away from me,” You rushed away from him towards the door. “If you see Loki, tell him I’ll see him at the shop. To be frank, I don’t care either way.”

“We can just talk,” He purred. “Come on. You haven’t even given me a chance.” He caught your elbow and turned you back. “No other girl has ever thrown her drink in my face because if she had, I’d break hers. Now, I have no intention of hurting you. You see, I will look past your little slip.”

“I came here for business, or so I was told,” You said. “I am not interested in talking to you about anything beyond that.”

“Is this about the boss, hmm? This has nothing to do with him or our relationship, if that’s what you think.”

“I think you are all the same. You all just like to poke and poke and poke at each other until guns come out.” You said. “And I’m not going to be a part of whatever you two are doing.”

“Your loyalty is admirable, especially around here,” He kept hold of you. “Loki doesn’t even know what he’s got.”

“Let go,” You ripped your arm away. “I am not interested in being a comare. Especially yours.”

His brows lifted and slowly he smiled. His blue eyes twinkled and he wiped away the last of the chardonnay with his sleeve as the rest soaked into the front of his jacket.

“Comare… noooo.” He coaxed. “No, you’re not that type.”

You rolled your eyes and turned away from him. His arm shot out and he planted his hand against the wall to block you. You sighed and crossed your arms.

“Look, I know you, you’re just like the rest of them. You don’t like being told no. Little baby.” You snarled. “But I don’t like to repeat myself. So--”

“There you are,” Loki called from behind you. Bucky pushed himself straight as you looked over your shoulder. “Barnes…” He lifted his chin as he approached.

“Loki,” Bucky’s jaw squared. “I was just getting to know your little secretary, but she’s not very chatty. Hasn’t even given me her name.”

Loki snickered and peeked over at you.

“Don’t be rude, darling,” He said. You bit down and looked at Bucky and stiffly recited your name. He smirked. “She’s shy, that’s all.”

“I wouldn’t say that,” Bucky countered. “I feel like you’ve been sneaky, hiding her away.”

“Well,” Loki’s arm slowly snaked around your waist. “I thought we agreed to keep to our own territory.”

You went rigid and tried to pull away. Loki tightened his hold and kept you against him. Bucky watched you squirm and his thoughts wrinkled his forehead.

“And I thought we were just becoming friends,” Bucky returned.

“Allies,” Loki corrected. “Have I not been peaceable?”

Bucky poked his cheek with his tongue as he glanced over at you. You stared at him blankly and he nodded.

“I’ll see you tomorrow.” He cleared his throat. “Both of you?”

“Of course,” Loki spread his hand over your hip and squeezed. “You know where to find… us.”

“I do,” Bucky affirmed and turned away.

You watched him go and wished you had more wine to throw as you stared at your empty glass. You tore away from Loki and jabbed his arm.

“What the fuck was that?” You snapped.

“That, darling, was how you play the game.” He grinned.

“You’re disgusting.” You glared at him.

“Oh, I wouldn’t deny that but you see, that man, oh, he is a tough nut to crack but I’ve finally found something he wants.” He said. “Something he really wants, not just some stretch of land.”

“No, no,” You spun and set your glass down. “No, I will not do this.”

His heels clicked behind you as you closed the distance to the curtained door. He shoved you through and pulled the velvet back into place as he grabbed your wrist.

“You will do whatever I want you to do.” He lowered his voice as his shadow loomed over you in the dark corridor. “You are good at what you do; your numbers, and I am sure you will recall a little jot in your margin. That one marked with the star.” He squeezed your wrist. “That’s you, darling.”

“Me?” You sputtered.

“Diablo, along with Viscardi, old pals with your father.” His other hand played with the strap of your dress. You gulped at the latter, the name of your father’s killer. “That bounty was not just for old Georgey, that was for every drop of his blood left. You…”

“No, no.” You said.

“I paid that bounty. I still pay it and it keeps you alive and in my pocket, until I should need you and your time has come.” He taunted.

“I don’t--”

“My father always said the best investments are people.” He touched your neck and tickled. “They are the most useful tools in this business. The most profitable.” He drew away and stroked your chin. “Know your worth, darling, and you might just prosper from it.”

[comfyswitcherblanketfort]

Geralt and the Minotaur p3

Y’all this could get hella complicated if I go hard with all the character sub ideas and all that but I’m here for the relationship so its gonna be bare bones on combining the canon bc I’m just not that skilled as a writer 😂 

Pairing : Geraskier

Warnings: talk of human sacrifice, talk of cannibalism, ye ole impending death, mention parents death, imprisonment, public humiliation (kinda), we got major soft boys falling for each other vibes too

part 2 here!

__________

Geralt woke with his head still resting on Jaskier’s thigh, though he was now lying on his side, resting his head against Geralt’s hip just above the dagger tucked in his belt. He had draped his arm over Jaskier’s waist as they slept, holding him closer, and Jaskier’s arm was resting on Geralt’s chest. It was still dark and, from the sounds of it, everyone else was still asleep save a few soldiers at the helm. The waves had settled to a gentle lapping at the hull and Geralt found himself completely relaxed and at peace for the first time in weeks. His hand rose and fell in a gentle rhythm with Jaskier’s breathing and every now and then the blue eyed boy would sigh, bringing a soft sleepy smile to Geralt’s face. He didn’t dare move, lest he break the spell, but someone else woke from a nightmare with a scream that shattered his illusion. 

Jaskier hummed and nuzzled into Geralt’s hip before he was fully awake, making the prince blush furiously and gasp. Sure he’d fallen asleep with friends and romantic interests back home, but that sensation was… different. 

“Is it morning?” Jaskier mumbled, not moving to sit, but at least the nuzzling had stopped. 

“Probably,” Geralt answered, resisting the urge to run his hand over Jaskier’s shoulder, “still early.”

“You haven’t been lying awake all this time have you?”

Geralt forced a breath out his nose in amusement, “Only a few minutes or so.”

Jaskier sat up, laying his arm over Geralt’s, keeping it wrapped around his waist as he moved to be able to inspect the young hero’s face, “You still look… weary.”

Geralt frowned, shifting so he was leaning on his elbow over the boy’s legs, still very much resting on him, “I wonder why?”

Jaskier smirked, “Is it true you’re a child of Poseidon? Why not sink the ship and we can all ride horses made of sea foam back to the mainland?”

Geralt cast his eyes down to the deck, “They’d just come back for more. It doesn’t matter who’s son I am or what favor I do or don't have.” 

"Pull the weed at the root." Jaskier nodded. 

Geralt hummed in agreement, sitting all the way up to lean against the mast next to the brunette, "What about your family? Anything exciting waiting for you at home?"

Jaskier hooked his arm around Geralt's and rested his head on his shoulder, "Doesn't matter." 

"Does to me." Geralt mumbled, a little taken aback by the physical affection. When Jaskier rolled his eyes he laid his hand over his knee, "Humor me." 

They sat and waited for the sun to rise over the water as they discussed Jaskier’s life. His parents death, the farm he worked for his uncle, the mundane little things like how often he gets sent to the market and who cuts his hair. They learned each other's birthdays as a joke, but the hopeful side of Geralt still repeated it to him a few minutes later just to be safe. Jaskier asked him about life at the palace, if it was as grand as everyone believed. Geralt felt squeamish admitting he didn’t know, seeing as he'd only really lived in the lap of luxury. Sure his trek to Athens was dirty and many nights he slept in barns, but most of his 20 years were spent in bright white togas and tunics with colorfully stitched hems. Jaskier didn’t seem bothered, he just asked more specific questions about the beds and the fountains. He pontificated for a while on the poor musical choices made in a performance at the amphitheater last summer and did his best to explain to Geralt how to delicately pluck a harp using a lock of his white hair as a prop. Joking was easy, being earnest wasn’t quite effortless, but it was easier than with other people, and Geralt lamented that they’d only met yesterday. 

“Do you think you’d’ve given me the time of day?” Jaskier asked.

Geralt grinned, giving the brunet's leg another squeeze, “You wouldn’t have given me a choice.”

Jaskier rested his chin on Geralt's shoulder, his hair fluttering into his eyes and glowing gold as the sun began to peek over the waves, "Probably not, no." His voice was soft in Geralt's ear, the warmth of his breath made the hairs on the back of his neck stand at attention. 

Geralt turned to look at him, their noses brushing. He was about to ask Jaskier something reckless and naive, no doubt born of desperation, but the moment was broken by shouting. 

"LAND" Echoed from various soldiers and strangled sobs broke out in response. Reality was once again stubbornly planted in the forefront of Geralt's mind and he forced himself to pull away. His heart beat furiously in his chest as he stood to get a better look. 

Someone gripped his elbow and spun him around, staring up at him with wide eyes full of terror, "You can do it, can't you? You can get us home?" The harsh whisper seemed to carry over the whole group, commanding their silence and attention as they formed a circle around him. 

Vessimir's parting words echoed in his head, he was a leader now, he had to act like it. His year of lessons and training and taking notes were over and he knew right then that even if they made it back, he'd never have a day of peace again. 

With a glance back toward Jaskier he nodded, "I will bring us home or die trying." 

The person's grip on his elbow tightened and he stared back at them with what he hoped was reassuring confidence for a moment before they released him, "Do you have a plan?" 

All his preparation could never have braced him for the absolute devastation on the group's faces when he hesitated. In the fraction of a second he took to open his mouth they knew. Only Jaskier seemed to accept the facts and take them in stride. 

"All I know for sure is that we need to make it out and back to the docks by dawn." Geralt's admission was met with curt nods from some and fresh tears from others, "I'm sorry." 

Jaskier pipped up, stepping into the center of the small crowd with Geralt, "You volunteered to try to save us. We need no apology." He sent a glare to someone about to speak in protest, cutting them off, "It's more than we've had in the last 18 years and I, for one, am grateful." 

Geralt gave him an appreciative nod but their theatrics were drawing attention from the soldiers. He shooed everyone away, not sure he could handle another altercation this close to the soldiers homeland where they'd have something to prove to onlookers.  

As they drew nearer to the shore they heard shouts of laughter and music, saw banners waving in the wind and people dancing around the port. They were throwing a festival. A festival of revenge and dominance over their enemies, where people who would have been sacrifices delighted in the activities. It made Geralt's stomach churn. 

Jaskier stood next to him as close to the bow as they were allowed, "Twisted, isn't it? And they wonder how we so readily believe they eat their brethren." 

Geralt took his hand, searching for anything to ground him as the fear crept up his neck and threatened to strangle him, "Monsters never think they're monsters." 

"You like being cryptic don't you?" Jaskier sighed, keeping his eyes forward as the festivities grew clearer and clearer. 

Geralt only shrugged in response. 

Soon enough they were all corralled by the soldiers with shouts and shoves. They tied Geralt's hands first, yanking on the rope so it burned into his wrists. The man was watching his face, waiting to see him wince or twitch. He gave them nothing. The end of the rope was then tied to Jaskier and so on until they were all lined up, hands bound in front of them and linked like sausages. 

When they docked there was a heavy drum roll, fitting for the captives in line behind Geralt trembling. The plank was lowered by soldiers in what had to be ceremonial dress and when they stepped back the drummers hit one last beat, leaving the whole crowd silent. 

At the front, surrounded by soldiers and standing on a throne made to be carried, was King Minos. His eyes were cold and calculating, and it was clear he was declining in health, but he still invoked fear with his gaze. There was no doubt to any rumors anymore. Geralt was sure this man was capable of absolutely anything. 

The Queen sat in a similar throne, next to them was their daughter, walking but flanked by guards. She didn’t take her eyes off Geralt as they prodded him down the plank. Her eyes were soft, betraying the rest of her face set in a hard mask of disapproval, and she made no effort to hide her ogling. Geralt stared right back, never one to back down from a challenge, until they were ushered past the royals into the crowd. The citizens were far more animated. Some threw food scraps at them, some jeered and gestured rudely, others spat, though they all blamed the 14 young men and women before them for the death of a prince before they were even born. 

They marched through winding streets and up set after set of switchback stairs to reach the palace dungeons. The guards were having their fun with Geralt in the lead, shoving him around when they needed to change direction and tripping him when they passed a large crowd. 

When they finally reached their cells they were shoved in, two to a cell, and the rope was cut. They had to hold their arms through the bars for the soldiers to cut the knotts. They took the rope with them when they left, leaving only bread and water on the bed and one torch lit hanging outside each cell. It was dreary and cold, and Geralt could hear the others crying.

Jaskier broke the loaf of bread in half and tossed it to Geralt, taking a long pull directly from the pitcher of water, “Eat. No arguments.”

__________

part 4 here

tag list: @hailhailsatan @so--many-fandoms

hmu if you want tagged 💕 I will cry tears of joy in my coffee

[keichanz]

More Than

so i was listening to the song More Than My Hometown by Morgan Wallen which is now my new obsession and i shit you not, the ending to this little drab popped into my brain so fast i knew i had to write it down. thus, this angsty little blurb was born. 

now as i was writing, i realized that it was giving off sooo many One Last Ride vibes, written by the ever so talented @lemonlushff​​, that i decided to tweak this so it could tuck somewhere into the story itself as a sort of unofficially official glimpse of their breakup. i’m happy to report that it has Lemon’s official seal of approval and she loved it! 

so now i’m gonna share it with all you fine folks and i hope you enjoy it too! :) and since it is in the OLR universe, there will be angst hahahaa. 

so this is for you Lemon, my sweet and sour friend~ ❤️ 

one last thing--i highly recommend either having the song above playing while you read this, or at least listen to it beforehand. yes, it’s a country song, but it really is so good and the lyrics - which i’ve italicized and bolded - seem to reflect Inuyasha’s thoughts perfectly, which is why i thought it fit so well with OLR’s theme. 

....shit okay one last last thing: i swear to fuck that the ending jumped out of a scene from a goddamn western harlequin romance novel with its level of cliche and drama and yes i am entirely proud of that fact ;ljadfilajflkahjsfue

She stood beside the bed, feeling empty, cold, hollow as she stared down at the pillows and blankets. It was still unmade, the sheets twisted, messy from her hasty retreat just that morning. Tears burned her eyes as she remembered why; the argument, the begging, the screaming. The heartbreak.

Her heart twinged and Kagome gasped, closing her eyes as she brought up a hand to cover her mouth. Was this…was this really it? Were they really going to leave things like this, unresolved and painful between them? God, she didn’t want to. She wanted to run outside, run through the night to his house, throw open the front door and beg him to—

Her bedroom door crashed open and Kagome gasped, whirling around with wide, liquid eyes, heart in her throat. Golden eyes, furious, hard, bore into her own and suddenly a heat suffused her body, chasing away the previous chill, and her stomach swooped as he shut the door and stalked toward her.

Her breath left her in a stuttered exhale, body trembling, coming alive from the heat in his gaze.

“Inuy—”

“Shut up,” he growled, grabbing her waist, hauling her in tight against him. His lips fell over hers, swallowing her gaps, the crush of his mouth hard, unforgiving, punishing.

Hands – frantic, desperate – removed clothing, touching, grabbing, caressing. They fell on the bed in tangle of limbs, skin against skin, heart against heart, flushed, needy, desperate. Growls, moans, whispered pleas echoed throughout the darkness of the room as they rocked together, moving in a dance as old as time. Fingers grasping sweat slicked skin, hearts thundering wildly and then perfectly syncing in a moment of euphoric completion. A stuttered breath, a gasp of a name; then silence.

Tears trekked down her flushed face as she was gathered against a hard chest, as familiar arms wrapped around her stated body and held her as she cried.

Girl, our mamas are best friends and so are we The whole town's rooting for us like the home team Most likely to settle down Plant a few roots real deep and let 'em grow

Kagome stood in front of the full-length mirror and ran a brush through her still damp hair, the yellow and blue sundress she wore complimenting the blue of her eyes. Blue eyes that were dull as they stared at her reflection, but didn’t really see it.

Which was just as well. She didn’t know why she picked this dress to wear, but had felt compelled to wear it anyway, even if looking at it made the vice on her heart tighten even more.

A gentle knock on her door startled her out of her thoughts and she blinked. Kagome turned her head in time to watch her mother crack open the door and poke her head inside, her smile kind, but her eyes sad. The older woman took in her daughter and her smile faded, but she didn’t comment as she stepped inside.

“Souta brought the car around,” she said softly. “And the keys are in it. Do you need help with your bags?”

“No,” Kagome answered and looked at her reflection again. “I packed most of them in the car last night. I just have my carry-on left.”

Mama nodded but said nothing as gazed at her daughter. Her heart ached at the pain she saw reflected in those dear features, in the eyes were that identical to her late husband’s—Kagome’s father.

“Kagome…” she started, but then sighed as those sad, sad eyes turned toward her once again. Mama shook her head. “Are you going to say goodbye?”

Kagome’s breath hitched. She didn’t need to ask who she was talking about. She swallowed past the lump in her throat and tried to ignore the butterflies that took flight in her belly.

“I…I’m going to try,” she whispered and god help her, but she couldn’t stop the tears from welling in her eyes. “But Mama, I don’t…he probably doesn’t want to see…”

Her throat tightened and she pressed her lips tightly together to stifle the sob that welled up. Immediately arms, warm and familiar, surrounded her. Kagome buried her face in her mother’s shoulder as the tears spilled from her eyes.

“I’ll talk to Izayoi,” Mama murmured and kissed her daughter’s head, her heart aching for her little girl as she felt her own eyes getting hot with the threat of tears. “If anyone can talk some sense into that boy, it’s his mother.”

Kagome sniffled and nodded, grateful that her mother would help her in this endeavor. It was unlikely he’d want to see her, but she had to at least try…

Closing her eyes as her mother rubbed her back and smoothed her hair, Kagome clung to her mother and let herself remember, the memories flashing before her mind’s eye and then fading away just as quickly, only to be replaced by another one, fresher, more precious, more painful than the one before.

But we can't stop this real world from spinnin' us Your bright lights called, I don't blame you for pickin' up Your big dream bags are all packed up and ready to go But I just need you to know

“Shhh! Quit laughing or they’ll hear us!”

Another badly stifled giggle echoed in the night as he drew her into the darkness of the trees, toward their secret spot they’d found years ago. One hand held a six pack while the other held tight to her hand, fingers laced, and he couldn’t stop the grin from spreading across his face before an exhilarated chuckle of his own burst from his lips.

Darkness gave way to the orange glow of a fire, the soft crackling of wood breaking the stillness of the night.

“Why is this so good?”

“Because we’re seventeen.”

“If we get caught, I’m blaming you.”

“Shut up and maybe we won’t be.”

“Hey, this was your idea—”

The rest of the words were stolen in a kiss, a hand coming up to cradle her jaw as a ragged sigh whispered against her lips. He tasted like beer and spearmint gum. She smiled. A strange combination, but it was him, and she loved it.

--

“You should have seen it, Inuyasha,” Kagome gushed a year later, sitting on her bed as she excitedly gushed about her time in LA to her best friend. “The sunset was absolutely gorgeous, like nothing you’ve ever seen before! God, I wish you were there with me. I just know you’d love it.”

Inuyasha smiled and reached forward to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. “I doubt I can love anything more than you.”

Blue eyes widened as a flush spread across her cheeks; her breath hitched, lips forming his name and eyes drifting closed as he leaned forward and took her mouth in a warm, lazy kiss.

--

“Would you ever wanna go?”

“Go where?” Fingers racked through dark hair and her sigh was blissful, a soft melody in his ears.

“California.”

“…You mean like…visit?”

“Well, maybe longer than a visit…like an extended trip, or something…lots of opportunities out that way…”

A brief pause before the fingers continued. “No. …Do you?”

“Mmm…dunno. Maybe after graduation? I had so much fun last time, but…”

“But what?”

A pause. Then, “Nothing. Kiss me.”

A husky chuckle before a pair of lips covered her own and any thoughts about the Golden State far, far from her mind as she returned his kiss.

That I love you more than a California sunset More than a beer when you ain't twenty-one yet More than a Sunday morning Lord Turnin' some poor lost souls 'round, Hallelujah bound

“Ewww, get that away from me!”

“C’mon Kagome, it’s just a worm! It ain’t gonna bite ya!”

“Eeee! Inuyasha, don’t you dare—!”

Laughter as he chased her around with a baited hook, the sound of water splashing as bare feet waded into the lake.

“Wait, I think I got something!”

The crank of a fishing rod as he reeled it in, the water splashing as whatever was caught struggled against the pull. Grunting, muttered curses, and soft giggling before with a splash the bass burst from the water, dangling from the hook.

“You got it!”

“Damn, ain’t nothing more satisfying than that feeling when the bass hits the hook!”

“I can think of one thing…”

Soft lips, warm and smiling, pressed against his own and Inuyasha abruptly decided that yeah, this was definitely better.

--

“California?”

“Yeah! Can’t you just imagine it, Inuyasha? The lights, the nightlife, the ocean, and no more snow! You always complain about the snow.”

“Yeah, but…Kagome, I don’t know…”

“Just think about it, okay? I’m not asking for you to decide right now. But this is something I’ve thought about for a while now, Inuyasha, and I just…I want to experience it with you. Please?”

A pause, and then heavy sigh. “Fine. I’ll think about it.”

A brilliant smile, soft lips pressing to his cheek in a warm kiss. “You know I love you, right?”

“…I know, Kagome. Me, too.”

--

“I can’t believe you’re reading that crap.”

“It’s not crap, it’s romantic. You could probably learn something or two from these books, you uncultured dog.”

“Uncultured? Really?”

“Besides, I like it when the guy gets the girl at the end. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy.”

“I can make you feel all warm and fuzzy, too.”

Her gasp was cut off as lips pressed against her neck and hands slipped beneath her shirt to roam across soft skin. The book fell from her fingers to dive into silver hair, eyes closing as her head fell back with a breathy sigh.

--

“Yes.”

The blood was rushing so loudly in his ears he barely heard her and the thundering of his heart against his chest was so forceful, it was a wonder it didn’t leap out into her waiting hands. 

“Y-yes?” he echoed, voice naught but a disbelieving rasp as he stared at her with wide, shocked - and cautiously hopeful - golden eyes.

A half-sob, half-laugh burst from her lips and her eyes were bright from more than just the unshed tears brimming the beautiful depths.  Lips trembled as she smiled, hand trembling even more as she held it out before her.

“Yes,” she whispered. “Yes, Inuyasha, I’ll marry you. I—”

What she felt next wasn’t the cool metal of his grandmother’s ring as it found a new home on her finger, but instead the warmth of her beloved’s hand as it wrapped around hers and yanked her forward into his arms. They tumbled to the ground, laughing, crying, exchanging endless kisses and promises of forever as the ring, forgotten on the ground but still nestled within the velvet box, glittered merrily in the warm glow of the fire.

Yeah, I love you more than the feeling when the bass hits a hook When the guy gets the girl at the end of the book But, baby, this might be the last time I get to lay you down 'Cause I can't love you more than my hometown

“Come with me.”

Silence; thick, stony. Cold.

Desperation made her voice high, the words falling from her lips fast. “Inuyasha, please, come back with me—we’d have such an amazing time together, learning, living and—you can enroll in my school, Inuyasha! It’s not too late, there are so many programs to choose from, and I just think you can do so much more with your life than—”

“Than what, Kagome?” The words were snapped, harsh, biting as he whirled around to peg her with a hard stare. “Than taking on the valued responsibility of the ranch that’s been in my family for fucking generations? Than building our fucking house? You know, the one we'll live in after we’re married? I can’t do that, Kagome. I won’t.”

“But that’s just it, Inuyasha, you have no room to grow here! You’re stifled by the responsibility you feel to take over the ranch when leaving could relieve you of that burden! The world is so big, Yash, and there’s so much more beyond this little town, so if you would just trust me—”

“You’re asking me to drop and leave everything I know behind, Kagome!” His voice was loud, thunderous in his anger, his frustration, his pain. “This my home, our home, and you just want me to leave like it don’t even matter! Like the fucking life I’m trying to build for us don’t even matter!”

“That’s why I’m asking you to come with me!” Tears, hot, salty ran unchecked down her face, blue eyes big and pleading and flashing with undisguised panic. “I want to be with you, Inuyasha, I do, but I need you to understand—!”

“Then be with me here, dammit!” A note of desperation, amber eyes pleading, frantic, angry.

A choked sob, a muffled whimper. “I can’t…”

An anguished sound, a shattered cry, and then a door slamming shut, loud, devastating, final.

--

The words slammed into him harder than any blow he’d ever received, the shock greater than hitting the unforgiving ground after falling off a horse, and the pain far, far worse than he ever could have imagined.

Fuck, it would have hurt less if she’d just outright slapped him in the face.

She wouldn’t look at him, her gaze focused on the ground, dark hair hiding her expression. He swallowed once, twice; his mouth felt like a desert, his tongue heavy, thick, useless. His throat worked but no sound came out. Ice replaced the blood in his veins, freezing his lungs, making it hard to breathe.

“Wh…what did you s…” He shook his head, swayed on his feet as he blinked hard. He couldn't have heard her right. She couldn't have just told him—

“…I cheated on you. Inuyasha, I—”

He didn’t hear the rest of what she said. His legs abruptly gave out and he stumbled back, sitting down hard onto the fallen log behind him. The log he’d proposed to her on. The log they’d kissed on—

He shook his head again, a frown pulling his brows down low over his eyes as he tried to register the words spilling from her mouth a mile a minute. Two days…two days ago. That—that didn’t make any sense. He couldn’t—he couldn’t smell anything, couldn’t detect any sort of incriminating evidence that suggested she’d been unfaithful. 

Amber eyes lifted, flashing with tentative hope. She’d been drunk—she didn’t remember, so maybe if he told her—

The sight of his grandmother’s ring, nestled in the middle of her palm, might as well have been his heart because it sure as sure shit felt like she’d just ripped it out of his chest. His stomach clenched, the breath seized in his lungs, and a curious numbness spread throughout his entire body. The realization hit him even harder than the pain had, and that in and of itself would have brought him to his knees had he not already been sitting. 

Honeyed eyes, agonized, pleading, lifted to her face. Again she would not meet his gaze, eyes closed against the tears that spilled down her cheeks. He suddenly tasted salt and with a start he realized he was crying too, the tears warm as they streaked down his pale face but he gave them no mind. 

“K…Kagome…” It was the only thing he could get through a throat tight from anguish. A plea, a prayer, a question all in one as he stared at her, heedless of the tears that continued to fall. 

Her eyes squeezed shut and she shook her head; a clenched sob broke from her lips as she reached forward, grabbed his hand, closed his fingers around the ring, giving it back, giving back his heart that she no longer wanted. Pain, sharp and intense, pierced through him and he gasped, unable to do a damned thing as she backed away from him, arms folded around herself.

“I’m sorry,” she rasped, shaking her head, over and over, backing away. “I just…I can’t…”

A sob, borne of a sorrow so deep, of regret and fear and pain so sharp it felt it in the very marrow of his bones, broke free of her lips right before she whirled around and dashed away, through the night, through the trees, away from the fire, away from him.

Inuyasha could do nothing but sit there, his rejected grandmother’s ring clutched in his fist and his vision blurry from hot tears as he watched her run. Curious, that instead of the crushing pain he expected to feel in his chest, there was a hollow ache that resonated, like an echo of a mournful howl for the one who had just run away with his heart.

What hurt more than the pain of watching her go, however, and more than the diamond cutting into his palm, was the jarring realization that the woman he loved more than his own life would rather fabricate a lie of infidelity than be with him. 

And because he loved her more than his own happiness…he’d let her. 

I ain't the runaway kind, I can't change that My heart's stuck in these streets like the train tracks City sky ain't the same black Ain't that a map dot shame, man, to think that

Sitting on his bed, freshly showered and donned in simple jeans and a t-shirt, Inuyasha’s head was bowed between his shoulders and his arms were propped on his knees. His hands, clenched into tight fists, gradually relaxed and a breath he hadn’t’ even realized he’d been holding rushed from his lungs, escaping his mouth in a harsh exhale that did absolutely nothing to absolve the torment wreaking his mind.

As the last vestiges of the memory faded away, far more painful than all the ones before, he opened his eyes and stared down at the hardwood floor, scuffed and scratched and worn. He frowned, his chest feeling tight, his stomach in knots, his muscles tensing and relaxing with a restless energy that was hard to ignore. He wanted to punch something, to run, to fight, fight for her to stay, fight for them.

But he remained where he was, hands flexing, jaw clenched, eyes shut tight against the pain that was determined to bring him to his knees. God, why, why did she have to—

Gentle rapping on the door before it was cracked open. He didn’t look up but he didn’t need to; he knew why she was here. The ache in his chest intensified, sharped, traveled up to knot in his throat and make it harder to breathe.

She didn’t say anything at first, simply stared. Then, “…She wants to see you.”

Inuyasha turned his head, looked out the window.

A pause. Then a sigh, resigned, sad. “Asako called. Before she showed up at the door, I mean. Asked me to talk to you. Said I would, but didn’t make any promises.” Pause. “You already know how I feel about her doing this, but…you should at least say goodbye. You’ll regret it if you don’t. You know you will.”

A tightening of his jaw and a deep furrowing of his brow was her response.

“…I’m sorry, my love.”

The door closed with a soft click.

A minute passed. Two. Three.

Inuyasha exploded to his feet, grabbed the lamp on the nightstand, and hurled it against the wall with a roar that was equal parts rage, frustration, and deep, intense anguish that reverberated throughout the entire house; echoing, thunderous, shattering.

Deafening silence followed his outburst; he sank to his knees and wept.

I love you more than a California sunset More than a beer when you ain't twenty-one yet More than a Sunday morning Lord Turnin' some poor lost souls around, Hallelujah bound Yeah, I love you more than the feeling when the bass hits a hook When the guy gets the girl at the end of the book But, baby, this might be the last time I get to lay you down Cause I can't love you more than my hometown

It was impossible not to hear it. As the color drained from Kagome’s face and her heart clenched in her chest, Izayoi stared at her with eyes hardened from the ache she was feeling for her son, the sorrow she felt at his heartbreak twisted into bitter, resentful anger at the woman standing before her.

Kagome closed her eyes, bit her lip to stifle the sob that welled in her throat, sucked in a shaky breath meant to harden her resolve. It didn’t and she fought not to fall apart on the front porch, locking knees that threatened to give out on her.

“Go,” Izayoi muttered in a voice like flint and ignored the younger woman’s flinch. “You’ve done enough damage here. And I’m not talking about whatever he just destroyed.”

Hot tears pricked the back of her eyes. Her throat tightened, preventing any words, protests, to spill from her mouth. She stared at the older woman with wide eyes, someone who she, for the longest time, had looked upon as a second mother, someone to confide in, to trust.

She found none of the warmth that she was used to seeing. No fondness, no compassion, no understanding. Coldness spread through Kagome’s veins, turning her blood to ice, knotting in her stomach, heavy, uncomfortable.

Izayoi stared back, cold, unforgiving, unregretful.

“I’m sorry,” Kagome whispered.

The older woman pressed her lips into a thin line and looked away, arms tight across her chest.

Rejected, heartbroken, Kagome turned, her feet feeling heavy as they carried her back to her car. The tears ran unchecked down her face now, streaming down pale cheeks. She tasted salt and she got in the vehicle, closed the door. Her body felt like it was on autopilot as she revved the engine and started down the long dirt driveway.

It wasn’t until she had gone halfway that she broke down, great, gasping sobs erupting from her throat. Her vision was blurry from the unending tears and her knuckles were white from gripping the steering wheel so hard. Without even realizing it her foot had slipped from the accelerator and she was merely coasting now, too distraught, too tormented to think about anything else but the pain ravaging her heart. Unbidden one last memory, the most recent, flashed before her mind’s eye, twisting the knife keeper, crushing her, killing her…

“Don’t do this.”

He froze at the softly uttered words, spoken in a tone so raw with pain that it trembled. He swallowed hard and turned his head just the slightest bit, but said nothing.

Silence. Thick, tense, deafening.

Then he tightened his jaw, hardened his eyes, and continued putting his boots on.

A choked sob, the rustle of cloth. “Inuyasha, please—”

“I’m sorry.”

He stood up from the side of the bed and refused to look at her as he collected his jacket, still sitting in a heap on the floor from where it was hastily thrown the night before.

A stuttered breath, followed by the salty scent of tears. His lips drew into a tight line and his hands fisted tightly at his sides as he forced himself to head toward the door. But, goddamn him, he paused right in front of it, hand on the knob, jaw clenched so hard it ached.

“Please,” she begged and the word was a raspy plea, vision blurry from tears. “If you would just—we can talk about this—”

“I love you, Kagome,” Inuyasha said and he heard her sharp intake of breath, but he didn’t turn around. He swallowed once, twice, and closed his eyes as he opened his mouth and forced the words past a throat tight with emotion.

“Inu—”

“But I can’t…love you more than this. I just…I can’t.”

Another sob, a hitched breath, and his chest ached. He bowed his head.

“See you around, Kagome,” he whispered and left, his footsteps fading down the hallway and down the stairs until the slam of the front door echoed in the dark house.

Kagome dropped her face into her hands and wept.

The front door burst open and Inuyasha was desperation personified as he rushed past his alarmed mother, sprinting as fast as he could toward the barn that held the horses. Not even a full minute later a white blur sped from the barn and bolted through the open gate of the pasture, following the car that was leaving with his love, his soul, his very heart.

Standing on the porch, Izayoi pressed a hand to her heart while the other covered her mouth, muffling the sob that burst from her lips as teary eyes watched her son chase after the woman who broke his heart.

'Cause I love you more than a California sunset I love you more in a twenty-dollar sundress Hate that loaded down car you got your keys in Girl, but I hate even more that you're leavin'

Urging his mount to go faster, harder, the thundering of her hooves against the ground rivaled that of the thundering of his heart in his chest. Hands gripping the coarse hair of her mane, Inuyasha grit his teeth against the harsh wind, his eyes wild, desperate and bright with unshed tears as he kicked the mare’s flanks to go faster, dammit, faster!

The distance between them was closing, the rumble of the engine, of gravel crunching beneath tires becoming louder until he was riding alongside her, along the fence that enclosed the front pasture. His hands fisted his mount’s mane in a while-knuckled grip as he leaned over her neck, legs tight to her sides.

He turned his head and wild, despairing golden eyes collided with wide, tear-filled blue.

Kagome’s heart lurched in her chest, making her gasp as goosebumps erupted on her skin. She sobbed, shaking her head, mouthing his name and forcing her eyes to look straight ahead. What—what was he doing?! Why?! God, he was making this even harder than it already was, taking her heart and stomping on it, cruel, cold, conniving.

But it made sense, didn’t it.

She had broken his heart, and now he was doing the same to her.

'Cause I love you more than the feeling when the bass hits a hook When the guy gets the girl at the end of the book But that ain't you and me so I guess I'll see you around 'Cause I can't love you more than my hometown

Inuyasha didn’t let up, not even when she looked away, gritting his teeth, kicking his mount to keep up when she accelerated. She was crying, and although he couldn’t hear her, he could see the way she shook, shoulders jerking, chest heaving, face wet from her tears and fuck she was wearing the sundress—

The end of the drive was in sight. Kagome slowed down, so did he, but she didn’t stop as she once again turned her head and caught his gaze. Inuyasha was already staring at her, heart in his eyes, a silent plea falling from his lips, willing her to hear….

“Don’t go.”

A sob, raw, choked, anguished.

“I’m sorry.”

Without even realizing, he let up on his mount, the mare slowing to a trot, a walk, and then stood still, recovering from the hard gallop. Golden eyes, awash with ears, watched the car reach the end of the drive and turn, driving away, going, going, getting smaller, fading.

Gone.

Something inside Inuyasha shattered and he didn’t think it could ever, ever be repaired.

Love you more than my hometown Love you more than my hometown Love you more, baby, love you more

[stareyedmoonchild]

@dawnwave16​ hope you don’t mind, but I had to modify the dialogue a bit to fit the scenario. I hope you enjoy it.

Marinette knew things would end like this. Don’t ask her how she knew, because she wouldn’t be able to give a good enough answer other than, “It’s Gotham,” but here she was, running from the psychotic killer clown inside an abandoned warehouse.

Pause! You must be wondering what lead up to this. Well, allow me to indulge your curiosity.

It all began when Marinette’s parents where requested to cater at the New Year Charity Gala hosted by Bruce Wayne himself. Apparently he wanted the best, and from what he could gather it was them. He even offered to pay for the airfare and suite that they would be staying at for two weeks, their own kitchen too. With all this being offered, who were they to say no? Besides, it’s Bruce fucking Wayne. You must be out of your mind to say no to a man with that influence, well, unless you're Tony Stark. Now that man has denied almost every invite from Mr. Wayne, mainly because he would try to out shine Bruce with his own gala, but that’s besides the point.

Anyways, the point is they said yes, which lead them to them flying out to Gotham. 

“Now Marinette, while we are here try not to bring too much unwanted attention to yourself. This is the world’s most dangerous city, and we don’t want anything bad to happen to you,” Her mother said, with a stern voice.

“That being said we came up with a list of Rules,” her father said, as he sat straighter in his seat looking her dead in the eye. 

“Do not talk to strangers,” Her mother began.

“Do not stay out past sunset,” her father followed. 

“Most of all if something doesn't feel right, you immediately head head back to the hotel.” 

“Try to avoid any and all confrontations”

By the time the plane landed, Marinette had more than a hundred rules to follow, and the worst thing was that she wouldn't even remember half of them.

"Maman, Papa, please, I'll be fine. Besides, how bad could the city be? It should be nothing compared to the akumas we face on a daily basis," Marinette reassured, but for some reason, she felt as if something was going to happen. Something that would go horribly wrong, and if she wasn't careful, it would be her life on the line.

If only she listened to that feeling.

Over the course of their stay, she was very diligent when it came to helping with the baking and decorating of various desserts. Her parents feeling as she deserved a break from the kitchen, told her to go outside and enjoy the city. Before she could argue, they were already pushing her out of the kitchen and out the door, saying, "be back by sunset."

With that, Marinette found her herself in the streets of Gotham. 

It was okay, she didn’t really stray too far from the building where her parents are working, and just sat outside at few tables that coffee shops set up, and drew.  However, that didn’t mean she didn’t notice the few looks and mutterings of passerby. 

“Excuse me.”

Turning her head to look behind her, she saw a boy about her age. He had this somewhat rich kid vibe, mainly because of the uniform he was wearing.

“Can I help you,” she asked, with near perfect English. 

‘Thank you for those lessons Adrien,’ she thought.

“I was wondering, could I take a picture with you,” seeing the her unsure look, he continued saying, “I know that it’s a weird question, but I feel like your going to be someone pretty soon, and I would like to one of the few who gets to say I met you before the fame. Hope that’s cool with you.”

“uh, okay,” Marinette said, still a bit unsure.

“Sweet,” He said excitedly.

He was quick about it. Wrapping a friendly arm around her shoulders, with a big grin on his face, as Marinette posed with a timid smile and peace sign. Soon enough there was a quick flash and the picture was done.

“Thanks,” he said, as he ran.

Marinette just stared at his vanishing form, and just shrugged it off. 

‘That was weird. Must be an American thing,’ she thought, going back to her drawing. If only she knew that the picture would be posted later that night, with the caption, “Possible new Wayne?” If only she knew that it would blow up. If only she knew that villains like to keep up with almost all topics about the Wayne family.

It was only on the fourth day of their stay, and Marinette wanted to get some fabrics for her families outfits for the Gala. when permission was granted she went to the nearest fabric shop, only to lose track of time. 

She’s so grounded after this. 

She turned into an alley, that Google said was a short cut. Holding the fabrics closer to her person, she began to feel as if something was following her. Something that had malicious intentions, and if she wasn’t careful, her life could very well be over. 

Marinette began to walk faster, and faster until eventually she found herself running. She didn’t even notice that she dropped her fabrics. Her heart was pounding in her ears, but when she heard it, the being that was her predator, the laugh that she only heard from countless videos from people who had close encounters with this person, it only got louder and faster. Her blood becoming ice in her veins, and by now she was running on pure adrenaline. If the sound on the video sent shivers down her spine, it was nothing compared to the real thing. 

That’s what lead her to where she is now, taking shelter in an abandoned warehouse, running from a killer clown. Fun.

‘Think brain, think,” she thought, looking round for a good place to hide so she could come up with a plan.

Her attention caught a corner were a good amount of boxes could, if arranged properly, hide her from plain sight. She got to work immediately, and by luck found a crowbar that she could use if he did by chance found her. 

Crouching within her box barricade, she slowed her breathing and gripped the crowbar so tight that her hands became white as snow. She was determined to survive this. 

Marinette listened to his footsteps, as he opened the closet on the other side of the room, and as he began to knock things over and rummage the room.

“”Come out, come out, wherever you are,” he said slowly, followed by a crazed laugh.

“I just want to make you laugh.”

He stopped in front of her barricade, and head the shift in fabric. She knew her hiding place would be compromised, so she prepared herself for to attack. Everything became slow motion then. 

Marinette burst out from within, with an upward swing to the clowns face. She didn't even give him time to recover from the first blow, she attacked head on and couldn’t stop herself even after he was down. Her mind was telling her that if she stopped for even a moment, her life would be in his mercy. It wasn’t until she felt strong arms wrap around her from behind, restraining her from attacking, the bloody beaten clown. She struggled within their grasp, ignoring the reassuring words coming from their mouth, before headbutting the the man who held her. 

Turning to face this new character, did she get a good look at what was happening around her. Two men were taking the clowns vitals, making sure he would live, the youngest informing them of police and medic’s arrival, the intimidating one in a black cowl, and the bloody crowbar still in her hands. 

Well, this was not a good picture to paint. Especial when you’re in front of four Gotham heroes. She was going to be in some deep shit when she got home. 

“Damn kid, what’s your head made of? Cement? Consider this the last time I take my helmet off as to not scare anyone further than what they are,” Red Hood asked, as he held his nose to stop the blood flow.

“Dude, you should know to use caution when dealing with someone who fight mode, rather than flight,” Nightwing said, as he and Red Robin let the medics take over.

“Yeah, yeah, but she was suppose to be the damsel in distress, right? You know harmless.”

“She was beating Joker to death with a crowbar,” Robin said.

“Still.”

Clearing her throat, Marinette caught their attention and said, “Hi. I was a damsel, I was in distress, I handled it. Have a good night.”

She threw the crowbar to the side, feeling somewhat badass. However, just before she was about to leave she realized she had no idea how to get back to the hotel.

Turning around sheepishly, she said, “Do any of you by chance know how to get to the hotel that Bruce Wayne owns on fifth street?” 

They all looked at Robin.

“Really?”

There was a moment of silence before, the boy sighed and walked toward her.

“Keep up and follow me.”

She smiled, waving goodbye to the other three heroes as she ran to catch up to the boy dressed in traffic light colors.

Bonus:

“So did you find out who she is,” Bruce asked, as Tim turned to face him.

“Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Damian’s age, French, and has parents,” He responded, stressing the last part.

Bruce merely hummed at that bit of information before taking a sip of his coffee. So what if she had parents? It never stopped him before, just ask Barbara. Marinette will become his daughter one way or another, and when that happens, Tony will have nothing on him.

Tim stared at Bruce, knowing full well what was going through his head. Guess it’s time to warn the others of what is to come.

Send a number!

[traincat]

opinions on the new taylor swift album (in terms of spider-man ships) ? 👀👀

YES okay yes I have lots of thoughts. One of my favorite things is when a new Taylor Swift album comes out and I get to decide which songs are what Spider-Man ships. I did a twitter thread about this when the album first came out, which has my initial reactions, but I’ve had time to sit with it now, so let’s dive back in:

the 1: first reading is this is a Peter/Felicia post-breakup. But we were something, don't you think so?/Roaring twenties, tossing pennies in the pool/And if my wishes came true/It would've been you.

(Spectacular Spider-Man #112)

However, I think Taylor Swift’s oeuvre is one especially good for applying to One More Day from Mary Jane’s point of view (New Year’s Day, anyone?) and the 1 doesn’t let us down here.  

I have this dream you're doing cool shit/Having adventures on your own/You meet some woman on the Internet and take her home/We never painted by the numbers, baby/But we were making it count/You know the greatest loves of all time are over now. (ASM #561)

cardigan: My first impression was that this is like the ultimate college years Peter/MJ/Gwen song -- leaning slightly more towards the GwenMJ leg of the love triangle/threesome -- and I have not changed on that front. Sequin smile, black lipstick/Sensual politics/When you are young, they assume you know nothing? A friend to all is a friend to none/Chase two girls, lose the one?? 'Cause I knew you/Stepping on the last train/Marked me like a bloodstain???  Tried to change the ending/Peter losing (G)Wendy?????????????

You drew stars around my scars, but now I’m bleeding/”She saw through the party girl mask I always wore. Saw the frightened, abused kid inside.” (Marvel 1000)

the last great american dynasty: this one’s a little too biographical to work for a Spider-Man ship but I think it could be a good women of Spider-Man song. The maddest woman this town has ever seen etc etc. Alternatively it’s for the version of canon where Doc Ock marries May for her nuclear power plant inheritance and then she turns the tables and poisons him for his criminal empire. good for her.

exile: look, this is a love triangle tragic breakup song, and Spider-Man is the king of both of these things. I’m going to make a call and say that exile, while I think it’s both an excellent PeterFelicia and PeterMJ, leans towards PeterMJ after MJ rejects his first proposal, when they’re seeing other people but everyone keeps trying to get them back together. I can see you starin', honey/Like he's just your understudy/Like you'd get your knuckles bloody for me/Second, third, and hundredth chances/Balancin' on breaking branches/Those eyes add insult to injury.

The dueling narration of 'Cause you never gave a warning sign (I gave so many signs) and I never learned to read your mind (Never learned to read my mind) is a pretty perfect early PeterMJ summary.

my tears ricochet: okay okay okay so my tears ricochet + mad woman are my ideal “Gwen Stacy gets a resurrection revenge narrative ala Bucky Barnes and Jason Todd” song duo. And if I'm on fire/You'll be made of ashes, too.

mirrorball: Taylor Swift released THE definitive Mary Jane Watson song in 2020. We are talking about the feminine art of performance, we are talking about masks, we are talking about trauma baby!!! I want you to know/I'm a mirrorball/I can change everything about me to fit in/You are not like the regulars/The masquerade revelers/Drunk as they watch my shattered edges glisten.

I've never been a natural/All I do is try, try, try (ASM #143)

We are ALSO thinking about Mary Jane’s iconic mirrored mini dress from ASM #59. An entire Mary Jane anthem.

seven: this song CRIES OUT for childhood friends, which Spider-Man is a bit lacking in, what with the entire friend group coming together in college, but in my head it belongs to a version of canon where Gwen and Mary Jane were friends as children and lost touch with each other. alternatively, it’s the Peter/Flash childhood friends song, since they’re as close as we get to childhood friends in canon, and also because these lyrics in conjunction with that make me want to cry: And I've been meaning to tell you/I think your house is haunted/Your dad is always mad and that must be why/And I think you should come live with/Me and we can be pirates/Then you won't have to cry.

Also, “just like a folk song, our love will be passed on” makes me cry thinking about longform storytelling like superhero comics so like that’s fun. A real Spidey fivesome sort of feeling.

august: I’ve been thinking about it, and I think this is a Peter/Betty set during their initial romantic relationship. Your back/Beneath the sun/Wishing I could write my name on it/Will you call when you're back at school?/I remember thinking I had you.

this is me trying: A FLASH THOMPSON SONG. Like, I think “I didn’t know if you’d care if I came back/I have a lot of regrets about that” is a big PeterMJ sentiment during several key points of their relationship, but overall the vibe of this song is a Flash. Probably a Peter/Flash, while we’re at it. 

illicit affairs: okay, in my heart, I want this to be another Peter/Betty, because the point in canon where they’re sleeping together behind Ned’s back is just so sexy of them, and it’s a favorite fictional extramarital affair. However, I also don’t feel like this song is straight enough as its core to be about them. I also feel like “and you want to scream don’t call me kid, don’t call me baby” is a BIG Gwen Stacy mood. So I’m kind of leaning towards an MJ/Gwen affair while PeterGwen is happening. Which would also be very fun of them all. I think at a push we could also make this a Peter/Flash while Flash is seeing Sha Shan, if we wanted to warp canon around to have a good time. What I’m saying is Spider-Man should have a few more affairs in its body of canon. For the song.

mad woman: I mentioned this up with my tears ricochet but we’re going to say AGAIN for the people in the BACK: this is a Gwen Stacy jam. If they were ever to make an extremely good movie about resurrected Gwen on a murderous revenge spree, this song should be playing in it. What do you sing on your drive home?/Do you see my face in the neighbor's lawn?/Does she smile?/Or does she mouth "fuck you forever"?

(Spider-Island: Deadly Foes) Also, not that the Gwen clones get like, full narratives or are allowed to be their own individual characters like the Peter clones (it’s the misogyny) but if they were, mad woman would be such a good Gwen clone song. No one likes a mad woman/You made her like that.

epiphany: this is very rare for me in Taylor Swift’s discography, but I think this is really a Peter solo song. 

Crawling up the beaches now/Sir I think he’s bleeding out (Peter Parker #89)

betty: You have no idea how badly I wanted this to be a Peter/Betty, but it is just not. I think there’s a version of Spider-Man high school canon though where this is a Betty/Liz. 

peace: This album is light on Taylor Swift Spideytorch hits -- previous examples including Love Story and Call It What You Want To, among many others -- but peace is such a Spideytorch. But I'm a fire and I'll keep your brittle heart warm/If your cascade ocean wave blues come/All these people think love's for show/But I would die for you in secret/The devil's in the details/But you got a friend in me/Would it be enough/If I could never give you peace?

(ASM #790) @bipeteparker said that Johnny COULD give Peter peace but they’re dramatic, so it works, and I stand by that, but I also like it with the juxtaposition of their lives -- Johnny being so famous and such a public figure and Peter having eschewed that life by keeping the mask on. 

hoax: and we’re closing the album the same way we started! I think there are various Spider-Man readings you could do, but my big two are PeterFelicia and PeterMJ -- both with the lens of the post-One More Day deal and how that altered both of their relationships with him. 

Your faithless love's the only hoax I believe in (ASM #16HU)

My only one/My kingdom come undone (ASM #545)

[spn-is-baee]

Lydia’s Legacy

Author: Me

Info: This is a story i am working on that’s none important and I wanna post the first chapter draft here to see what tips I can receive. Overall the story is based off a horribly vivid dream I had regarding a young witch and the coven elders/supremes.  

So, here’s my chapter one. 

Lydia rode the train from Amber Court to Lilac Lane. She didn’t know why but her familiar brought a note addressed back to here. The familiar sat around her neck, judgingly. She felt powerful with her partner around her neck; Dermon, the familiar, was large and a powerful serpent. He protected Lydia from danger or led her to new and exciting adventures her coven may disapprove of. This time it was more frightening.

Traveling wasn’t Lydia's favorite, but when Dermon brought a note from an anonymous source simply stating “Only you can,” it definitely sparked some interest into the young girl's mind. Though she knows she mustn’t travel without some kind of communication, she goes without those means. She feels the aura radiating off the note; the feeling of plea and desperation. Something about it should be secret. 

Hours on the train and still two stops to make. If it wasn’t forbidden in her coven she’d teleport to this place, she’d lose her means of power for life and be banished to mortal worlds. Something about this trip was anxiety ridden. Something was going to get her in trouble with the coven but she couldn’t figure out what. She had found a small pamphlet on her coven. This place wasn’t like others. Her coven was a large community of maybe upwards of 15,000 witches and warlocks. Her father and mother are high leveled witches working alongside the elders in top secret bunkers where only they would know where. Being in this coven meant giving up a normal mortal life and swearing your soul to the god and goddess of Wicca. This swearing gives people powers they couldn’t ever imagine, but there are laws and if broken there are some EXTREME consequences to ignorance. 

Lydia had scraps with the Elders, for mostly using small spells to attack her bullies or using her familiar to put fear into those who crossed her. Familiars must also be summoned with certain precautions. Most of which Lydia ignored. Her parents have begged the Elders multiple times that they’d get her under control and was only given minor slaps on the wrist. Lydia promised them the last sixteen times she’d stop doing such reckless things, but where’s the fun in being a good witch?

Watching out the window, one stop away from her destination. She wondered what her parents may think of her disappearance. The trees sag as the air blows by them from the train. Leaves thrashing around when picked up off the ground. The sky was dark though, maybe a storm was coming that Lydia wasn’t informed of? She ignores that thought and her eyes wander to a figure in the middle of a field they pass now. It gave such strong negative energy which caused Lydia to peer out the window closer, she watches as this figure raises its small petite hands. The fingers of this decrepit hand form and move into a spell, only used by outlawed or banned witches who avoided power removal.

This spell sent off a powerful blast of energy coming straight for Lydia's part of the train. Dermon slithers off her into his humanoid figure to cover Lydia as this energy crashes into the steel car. Lydia braces herself while being held protectively by Dermon. The energy tho wasn’t to destroy the car but it seeped through the cracks of the car and made their way to Dermon and Lydia. 

She moves past Dermon, his long arms reach for her to keep her from this entity. They grasp her arm and pull her to him, “S~stay.” 

“What is it?” Lydia’s smaller frame turns toward him, her face full of worry and wonder.

“S~something that s~shouldn’t be here,” Dermon hates to admit it but he didn’t know what it is, but something within him said to keep her away. His only job was to protect her and he couldn’t mess that up. 

“Dermon, let me see it.” She looks curious and strict, she wanted answers and if risking her life meant to figure it out, she would take the chance every time. Dermon simply shackles his head in disapproval. 

“Absolutely not, Mis~stress,” Lydia was annoyed with this answer and cast a simple protection spell over herself. She pushes Dermon gently to the side and goes toward this energy swirling around, “Lydia, no.”

She didn’t listen and continued to reach out to this entity. Almost instantaneously the energy hits her hand and swallows her whole.  The entity becomes black in color and Dermon rushes to get her out but is blasted backward into the adjacent wall. A groan escapes his lips and now he begins panicking. He knew he had no power to save Lydia, he may have just lost the only person he cared about. 

Lydia watches her familiar from inside the entity. She felt her heart drop with fear as her friend was thrown away from her. “What do you want from me?” She pleads.

No response. 

Suddenly a rush of power surges through her. Something she has never felt before. Her head flies back as her eyes light with a purple hue. Her body felt such pain right when she realized the power intensity. She lets out a scream so bloodcurdling, she thought her voice box may explode from the stress. Dermon hears her cries and yells for the entity to stop, though he knew they wouldn’t yield. 

As fast as it happened and as fast as they tried to move, the entity disappears without a trace. Lydia was unaware of her body being lifted into the air, her body felt paralyized. Once the entity dissipated her body fell to the floor of the train. Dermon rushes to her side.

“Lydia? Please respond to me, my s~sweet,” His voice cracked in fear, he loved Lydia so much and couldn’t bear being masterless. 

“I’m fine, Dermon. I’m alive.” Her voice was weak and she moved as though her bones were as stiff as stone, “Don’t sweat about me, I saw the entity throw you. Are you alright?”

“Miss~s, I am fine. I didn’t get engulfed by such a negative force. Are you feeling well? Shall we go return home?”

“No, I think the note had to do with whatever just happened.” 

“That’s ridiculous~ss,” Dermon looked at Lydia with anger, but Lydia saw fear in his eyes. 

“Dermon, who sent me that letter, you know it and won’t tell me?” Lydia sits up, her thick thighs bring her body up. She waits for Dermon's response but instead a horn and the abrupt stop of the train pulls her attention. She grabs her bag and races for the door, Dermon simply follows her out. She reaches a hand out back away from her toward Dermon. She doesn’t look to him, only creates this sad gesture to ask him silently to go back to his serpent form. He sighs but obliges to her request. He gently grabs her hand and kisses it gently as he turns back into his dangerous form. Slithering himself up and around her neck to rest while they travel.

Lydia's alternative style clashes with the cottage-core vibes of the village she arrives in. It evokes looks from everyone, not one of menace but curiosity. Most smile and move about their day. These witches were a part of her coven of course, though she knows the different separations of the powers happens. Her family's power relies on the energies and darker arts. Those from these more light and flower-ish communities are nature reliant. She always wanted her powers to be based on nature, but those who receive can’t choose. 

Her eyes caught those of another young witch, her age. The young woman's skin tan, not from the sun. She was naturally glowing a carmel color off her cheek bones. The girl's hair was bobbed and blonde. The ladies eyes were a fierce and electric blue. Lydia glazed at the outfit, Her shoes were elegant loafers that were perfectly rounded to fit her feet. The socks she wore were cuffed and edged with lace. The dress reached right below her knees, and the color of a dark denim. underneath this denim dress sat a puffy armed shirt in white to collide with her socks more flowingly. The girl smiled shyly at Lydia with a small look of flirtation. Lydia had never been one to initiate a pick up line, but this girl drew her in. 

She walked up to the girl with a small amount of confidence. Right when she stops in front of the girl, a small feline crosses between the two. All black, usually a sign of negative forthcoming, but Lydia never saw it as that. 

“Apologies for my familiar. He happens to be protective over me.” Her voice was soft and created this warm happiness in Lydia’s heart. Something she wasn’t used to. 

“No worries, darling. Very handsome familiar you have,” Lydia's longer hair falls in her face a bit as she gives a smug smirk toward the girl. She pushes the hair back and sees the girl give her a once over. Lydia follows the girl's eyes down her own body seeing her outfit. She felt straight out of a fan-fiction with her black ripped jeans, more rough ripped than most she sees on morals. Hers are self created. Then her over-sized black sweater hung low on her body as one shoulder slid down her arm to flash her very bright red bralette. 

Their coven community was very mortal styled. They weren’t in the 1800’s so they kept up with the style choices of modern times. Elders believed being dressed similar to morals created a safer hiding when they built up their communities. This helped keep moral witch hunters at bay.  

“Your style is very dark core, huh?” The girl laughed softly as Lydia seemed distressed over her outfit choices now, “You’re cute,” the honesty and bravery intrigued Lydia. 

“What’s your name?” Lydia stands up straighter and smiles at the girl warmingly. 

“My parents are kind of a wild card when it comes to name. I have what most people would refer to as ‘quirky,’” the girl giggles and looks around a minute almost as if to summon courage, “I’m Persephone, most call me Steph because it’s less flashy,” she seemed embarrassed by her name. It was perfect for her, she embodied the overall presence of the goddess. The story of Persephone and how she reacts or acts about things almost aline so far with what Lydia had seen so far. 

“I’m Lydia, keep my digits cutie,” Lydia hands the girl a slip of paper and winks. Steph smiles and nods. 

“I will, Lydia,” Steph turns and walks away disappearing from Lydia’s vision. She watched her leave with curiosity, something about that girl made her heart beat faster. 

“Don’t go around giving random people things~ss, Lyd,” the serpent hissed at her. 

“Quiet,” She silenced Dermon with one simple word. Had he hurt her enough to make her hate him now?

[ladyboltontoyou]

Arthur Morgan x Reader: Farmer’s Daughter. 2

Warnings: Cursing probably. Smut. 

Pairing: Arthur Morgan x Reader

A/N: HELLO AGAIN. Listened to ‘Home’ by Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros while I wrote this lmao.(Okay I listened to it like three times in the span of the three hours it took me to write this) You should all listen to it, gave me young Arthur x reader vibes tbh, it’s super cute and happy. RIGHT OK so I hope you guys like this one as much as you enjoyed the first one, didn’t plan this to be more than a one-shot but more than one person wanted it to be so here I am. Hope the smut didn’t feel too rushed! I was going to do a few time skips but this just felt right to me. Thanks so much for your notes, comments, and reblogs, they mean the world to me.

It had been a week without any sign from Arthur, and on the seventh day you had almost given up hope. But he showed up right when you were about to fall asleep, knocking over a vase on your table when he climbed through the window it sat in front of.

You sat up in bed and pulled the sheets over you, frozen solid in fear for a good ten seconds before your eyes adjusted to the light and you made out Arthur picking up the vase from the floor. 

“You scared the daylights out of me.” You whispered as you calmed down from the near heart attack.

“Your doors were locked, so I uh, knocked on the window. You didn’t wake up and, well, here I am.” He sounded slightly embarrassed, taking his jacket off to put on the floor. “Sorry about that.”

“You don’t need to do that, a little water is okay.” You said as you climbed to the foot of the bed, but his jacket had already soaked up the spilled liquid. 

“Exactly. I’ve got other coats. At least it ain’t leather.” You both laughed a little at that and then you lit your bedside candle. 

“Close the curtains, will you?”

He looked over his shoulder and realized he’d not only left the window open, but he gave a good view to anyone who looked up at the balcony. He quickly did as you asked, closing the window too. “You draw anything while I was gone?” He asked as he walked back over and sat in the chair at your table. 

Another reason he was such a good man, he sat a respectable distance away from you when there was a whole bed he could have taken advantage of. 

Which damn, you wished he would. 

If there was anyone in the world who was sexually frustrated, it was a tie between you and Arthur. You had sex only once in your life, and it wasn’t even good. You had many other opportunities with pretty attractive people, but your family was almost constantly on you so you had no time to sneak away. And for Arthur, well, it’s self explanatory. 

“A few things.” You admitted and crawled back to the head of your bed and pulled out the drawer of your nightstand. Your brand new sketch pad laid in there, your father had bought it for you a few days before since you had already filled up your last one. 

“Really? Well, I’d love to see them.” He hated how vulnerable he felt then. Snuck into some girls room, knowing damn well he was a fool for being there. He fawned over you a little too much for his liking, last time he had butterflies over a girl he was very, very, very young. But that was the last thing on his mind for once. All he cared about now was the farmers daughter in her silk night-dress with the sketch book in her hands. 

You opened to the first page where a simple sketch of a cat waited to be praised. “This is my cat Scully.” 

Arthur got up from his seat and walked over to where you sat on the edge of the bed, squatting down at your knees so he could see properly. “Well, look at that.” He grinned and you handed the book over to him, which he gladly took. “How’d they get that?” He pointed to the right ear which was missing the top half. 

You leaned over to look at what his finger pointed to and sighed. “One day when I was real young, I was playing outside and the neighbor's dog came over, guess he didn’t like how I smelt so he started growling at me. Scully, she saw me crying and came over, kicked its ass then chased it off.” You laughed when you remembered how your parents treated the cat afterward, taking her to the most expensive vet they could find. She was queen of the house from then on out. 

Arthur snorted, his head bobbing slightly as he did so. “That so? She’s braver than any man I’ve ever met.”

You smiled and nodded in agreement. “You can go through them, there's only two more in there.” Your heart sped up in excitement when you remembered the last picture was something you’d done for him, a silhouette of him standing on your balcony overlooking your farm land. 

He turned the page slow as to not wrinkle the expensive paper. When he saw the next one he raised his brows. “Christ, girl. You need to be selling these.” 

The one he was looking at was a more detailed sketch, one you had done the day before. You still needed to do a little more shading on it, but it was mostly done. It was your parents sitting outside at the bench in your garden, they were both laughing and holding wine glasses. Your father had told your mother something funny and she was almost doubled over, one hand in front of her mouth and the other holding the glass outwards so she didn’t spill any on herself. They were surrounded by their roses and jasmine. 

“How do you remember something like this?”

You shrugged with the biggest smile on your face and a blush in your cheeks. “Something like that just sticks.” 

He looked up to you and shook his head before looking back down. “You’ve got me speechless.” He flipped to the next page and completely froze. He didn’t say anything for a minute, which worried you, but then he just let out a huff-like laugh of disbelief. “This me?” He knew it was him but for some reason he felt like he had to ask, just to hear you say it.

“Yes, it’s not weird, is it?” You asked while you chewed on your bottom lip nervously. 

Arthur scoffed and stood up before sitting down on your bed next to you, his eyes on the paper the whole time. “I’ve never seen myself the way you draw me. Even though this is just my damn figure.”His words really hit you. You knew what he meant by it and although you wanted him to explain it himself you knew it was something he wouldn’t go into detail about. He probably didn’t even mean to say it, it was most likely a slip of his tongue. 

After what seemed like several minutes he closed the book and handed it back to you. “No, this is for you.” You opened the book back open and cleanly tore the page out, handing it to the man sitting next to you. 

“I appreciate it. I really do.” He said and walked over to the table, setting it down on top of his satchel. His hand lingered there momentarily, considering taking out his own journal and giving you the paper he had spent days perfecting. Anxiety gnawed at him and he pulled his hand away, turning back to you. “Sorry I didn’t come back earlier, by the way. Got caught up in some business and ended up in Valentine for a while.”

“No, don’t apologize.” You waved him off. “You didn’t even have to come back, we barely even know each other. You got what you came for the first time anyways, you could have taken my hundred dollar drawing and sold it to make yourself a rich man.”

He laughed and sat down at the foot of your bed, making sure to keep a proper distance from you so he wouldn’t scare you off. If only he knew you wanted the complete opposite. “Now, a hundred-dollars isn’t very rich, why do that when I could keep coming back and get more? That would be one hell of a business.”

Where on this cold earth did this man come from? How were you so lucky to know such a good person? Given, you had only seen him two times, but he had still made a name for himself. He had a good sense of humor, he was polite, and goddamn he praised your art like it was god. If there was one sure way to your heart it was through that. And not to mention he was incredibly attractive. Fit as could be, well-groomed yet he had this dangerous look about him that said he could put you down in two seconds flat if you tried him. 

You wished he would.

In an attempt to clear the dirty thoughts that had flood your head you brought up a new subject. “The last time you were here you said my drawing was better than yours, you never answered me when I asked if you drew too.” You said and tried to look casual as you watched him for a reaction. 

He cleared his throat and looked away from your gaze, his eyes landing on everything in the room besides you. “I said that? Of course I would. That sounds like something I’d say.” He laughed to try to chase his anxiety off. “Sure, I do. A little bit.”

“Do you have anything you could show me?” You asked and pulled your legs back up onto the bed, making yourself comfortable as you continued watching him. It was hard not to, every single thing he did was mesmerizing.

He scratched his chin and sighed. “Yeah, I do.” He reluctantly grabbed his satchel from the table and pulled his own journal from it. “They’re not the best, but, well, look for yourself. There’s some writin’ in there too, pay no mind to that.” He handed you the worn leather book and you flipped through it. It was mostly full of wildlife, plants and scenery. 

“These are really good. This wolf looks like a photograph.” You said as you went through the pages. Some of his work was way better than anything you could ever dream of drawing, but he probably thought the same about yours. There were a few small doodles that made your heart melt, like one of a poodle that looked like he drew under sixty seconds. 

You had gotten so wrapped up in looking at the pages you didn’t even notice the way he was looking at you. He looked at you like he was seeing something so magnificent, and if he dared look away he would miss something. The way your eyes scanned over the paper, the way you would smile when you saw something you found his drunk doodles, it made him feel like he was drunk then and there. He had almost forgotten about what he drew you, on the newest page. When your expression changed to something unreadable his heart sped up and he shifted anxiously on the bed.

“This is me?” Your voice was barely a whisper. You couldn’t believe what you were seeing, it was the most beautiful thing you’d ever seen. Not because it was you, but because you knew it was the way he saw you. You were wearing that pretty white sundress you had worn the day he first saw you and you had jasmine flowers in your hair. You looked like you were in the middle of walking, your left hand trailing through the tall grass he had drawn you in. You had a small smile on your face and you were looking directly in front of you as if you knew you were being drawn. It looked amazing, so beautiful you couldn’t believe that was actually you. But sure enough it was identical. “I look so pretty.”

Arthur scratched the back of his head, torn between feeling utterly in love with you and feeling disgusted at how sappy and vulnerable he was. “I draw what I see.” 

That was all you needed. You set the book down beside you and threw all your inhibitions out the window, crawling to the foot of the bed to kiss him. You took his face in your hands and pulled him towards you. His trimmed beard felt rough in your hands but you loved every bit of it. His lips felt even better against your own, they were hot and tasted raw as if he had been chewing on them for hours. 

Arthur inhaled sharply through his nose, his eyes wide and his hands raised off his lap in surprise. He wanted to push you off because he knew it was wrong and you’d regret it later. He told himself you had to have been drinking, there was no way any woman like you would kiss someone like him. 

You were the one to end the kiss, but only because you were running out of breath. It seemed he had been too, since when you parted he sucked in a breath. 

“Now why did you do that?” He asked immediately, his voice faultering.

“I don’t know.” You admitted with a shrug and a soft laugh. “I just wanted to. I’m sorry, I should have asked. I just, really… really like you, Arthur. I know we haven’t been in the same room as each other a total of ten hours… but I don’t know. I’ve never felt like this. I don’t know what the normal thing to do is when you like someone like this.”

Arthur shook his head and sighed. “Don’t do that. Please. Don’t.” 

“Give me a reason.” You were still so close you were practically touching, your knees a hair length apart. “Because I don’t see any good reason not to.”

“(Y/N), I’m not a good person. I don’t know if I’ll stay around here long, I don’t normally stay in one place for too long. You’ve got your whole life ahead of you, you’re a young beautiful woman. You could have any man, hell, any man or woman you’d ever want.”

“Really? Well, I want you.” 

He sighed and closed his eyes, shaking his head again. “Don’t say that.”

“But it’s true, I want you, Arthur. I don’t want anyone else, not right now at least. And right now is all that matters.”

At your words he groaned, hearing the sentence ‘I want you’ coming from your mouth was too much for him. “But-”

You shut him up with another kiss, this one shorter but more heated. “Listen Arthur, I’m a big girl, okay? I won’t be heartbroken if we never see eachother again. I’ll be sad for a while, sure, but like you said. I’ve got my whole life. I’ll get over it.” You smiled and took off his hat, setting it beside him. “You think pretty highly of yourself if you think one night will be the end of me.”

Arthur laughed and finally looked at you. “You’re stubborn. You know that?”

“Of course I do. But now you’ve got me interested, what’s so good about you that you want to protect me from missing?” You questioned with an innocent smile, placing a hand on his knee. 

He grew serious again and the playful smile disappeared. “(Y/N), I don’t think this is such a good idea.” He warned while he still had the mindset to think that deeply. Your hand on his knee wasn’t helping his good intentions. “If your folks-”

“Don’t worry about them. They sleep on the other side of the house with the river right outside their window. The only thing that will wake them is screaming, or the dogs outside. But don’t worry, I can be quiet.” You winked and took his hand in yours, impressed by how huge they seemed compared to you. “Please?” 

There was no way of explaining how you got the idea to start kissing his fingers, it just felt right. Arthur closed his eyes and groaned in the ‘What have I gotten myself into’ type of way. There was no way he could say no to you, not when you were doing… that. “Christ, woman.” He hissed when you pulled him forwards towards the head of the bed. 

He took a quick second to take his boots off and blow out the candle, providing you with a more comfortable sense of safety. There was no way anyone besides the two of you could see what was going on in your room.

He climbed back on the bed and kissed you, one hand on your cheek and one on the bed beside you. Arthur kissed so sensual and deep that you felt like you were kissing someone you had been married to for your entire life. Your heart swelled and all the blood made its way between your legs in a hurry. “Take this off.” You whispered against his mouth as you unbuttoned the front of his shirt. 

He finished the rest of the buttons, sitting up on his knees to pull his arms out of the shirt. Once it was off he hurried back to kissing you like his life depended on it. He loved the feeling so much he totally forgot about the rest of his clothes and only stopped when you placed your toes on his belt buckle and gently pushed him back. 

You smiled when he laughed and shook his head at you. “What? Don’t like taking your time?” He teased and lowered his hands to unbuckle his belt. The imagery mixed with the gentle clink of metal as he took his belt off drove you mad.

“I do once the clothes are off.” You meant to tease him back but you sounded far too serious. He had nothing to say to that so he just finished taking his belt off, laying it with his hat at the foot of the bed. When he leaned forward again you stopped him with your foot on his chest. “Keep going.”

“Maybe you should've been the one warning me.” He breathed and pulled his pants down his hips, standing from the bed to pull them off the rest of the way.  “There’s no way I could have you just once.” 

Good. You thought. You didn’t want him just once either. 

Once he finally got his pants off you felt it was unfair that you were still fully clothed so you reached under your dress and pulled down your panties. He watched as you pulled them off of your raised feet with a look that just screamed sex. “Am I dreamin’?” He asked with a laugh, sliding back onto the bed in front of you. 

“Come here and find out.” You grinned and spread your legs a bit, just enough to notice but not enough for him to see anything exciting.

“Jesus, woman.” His voice was barely a whisper and he leaned back into you, grabbing your waist gently to pull you flat on your back, his hips pressed flush against you. You could feel how hard he was through the thin fabric of his underwear and it drove you fucking crazy. He finally started taking the lead then and he slipped his hand between the two of you, sliding his fingers down your slick folds to your entrance. When he pushed a finger inside of you the both of you gasped, he didn’t expect you to feel so good around him. 

“Oh, fuck.” You muttered and closed your eyes, grabbing onto his biceps. His arm muscles tensed under your touch, mostly his right arm since that was the one with its fingers inside you. 

He kept at that for a while, curling it inside you in sync with the beat of his heart. You came just from that. When he felt you tense up around him mixed with the feeling of hot cum oozing down his hand he lost any patience he had left. He took his hand out from between your legs and kissed you again, using his right hand to take the last article of clothing he had off. When he pressed back down into you the breath hitched in your throat. 

“God.” You moaned and moved your hands from his arms up to tangle into his hair. “I want you so bad, Arthur.” 

As if he couldn’t be in any more of a hurry, you had to go and say that. 

“You have no idea.” He said with a grunt and used a hand to guide the tip of his cock against you. He rubbed it up and down your slit a few times and you let out the filthiest sound he had ever heard. You locked your ankles around his back and pushed him into you, catching him by surprise. 

The feeling of his cock fully inside of you was indescribable. You arched your back and rolled your head back into the pillows. He groaned and grabbed the bottom of your nightgown to pull off of you. You had to help him get it off your shoulders. After it finally came off he sighed, looking down at your body.

“You’re going to be the death of me.” He whispered and leaned back down into you. His thrusts were slow, but only for a few of them. Once he was sure you were ready he let himself go completely. You pulled his head down to yours and kissed him again as his cock drove in and out of you at a quick steady pace. He felt so amazing inside you, the feeling of his cock rubbing against that one special spot gave you your second orgasm. 

Your third came when he rough handled you a little bit for the first time, he had grabbed your thighs roughly and slammed himself inside you about four times. The sheer force of it all knocked the air out of your lungs and left you paralyzed. The fourth time you came he had flipped you onto your stomach. The way he could manhandle you to easily was so hot to you that you swore you fell in love with him then. 

When he pushed his cock back into you at the new angle was when you came, and god, he felt it. He almost came with you but he thankfully had the will to pull out and give himself a few seconds to calm down. Once he had enough time he continued fucking you into your mattress. 

This all went on for what only felt like a few minutes. You had no idea that you’d actually been at it for nearly two hours. You probably would have gone longer if you didn’t decide to sit in his lap, that had been what finished him off. 

When you were on top of him his cock reached deeper inside you than it had ever been before. He was stunned for a second, unable to move as you rode his cock and pulled his head back by his hair. When you sunk your teeth into his neck was when he truly lost it. He came undone in you, grabbing you by your hips and forcing you down further onto his length. 

The noises that came from him sounded so primal it led you to your final orgasm. Thank god you came with him because there was no way he’d be able to go again after that. He’d be surprised if he had the energy to climb down that lattice and onto his horse. 

No one said anything for a good while but that was okay. You couldn’t talk if you tried. You were too busy gasping for breath to form words.

Arthur was the first to speak. “I should probably leave now, I told Dutch I’d only be out a few minutes.” He sighed when he remembered that the older man had told him not to stay out too long since the law was keeping an eye out for them. You had no idea who Dutch was but you nodded anyways. 

“Alright. I should go to sleep anyways, I’ve got to wake up early in the morning to go to town with my mother.” 

Arthur nodded and ran a hand through his sweaty hair, noticing how messy it had become. Before he came over he had made sure it looked nice but now he was sure it looked as if he had no idea what a comb was. 

You watched him pull his clothes back on, almost forgetting his hat and belt. He slipped your picture for him in his journal and safely secured it, sliding it back into his satchel. 

After he gathered his things he gave you one last kiss at the doors, full of more passion than any others you had previously shared. “Could I come see you again sometime?” He asked after you parted with the most adorable smile on his face. 

God. He was right in his warning, there was no way you could get over a smile like that.

“Arthur, you know the answer to that.” 

[camillemontespan]

lost stars [AU. drake, camille, leo and olivia] [final chapter]

Here we go, the final chapter! Thank you to everyone who has commented, reblogged and messaged me to say how much they’ve enjoyed this series. I’ve loved writing it. 

Warnings: NSFW. Also a disturbing ‘Would You Rather?’ question. My boyfriend once asked me this and I had to use it for this fic. I’m sorry. 

Fluff (shitload of fluff). 

@jovialyouthmusic @fromthedeskofpaisleybleakmore @moonlightgem7 @pug-bitch @sirbeepsalot @dcbbw @iplaydrake @drakewalkerisreal @notoriouscs @emceesynonymroll  @themingdynasty 

@gardeningourmet @burnsoslow @sawyeroakleyscowboyhat @katedrakeohd @of-course-i-went-to-hartfeld @carabeth @rainbowsinthestorm @drakesensworld

If anyone’s interested, here’s the song that inspired the name of the series and general vibe: 

            ***************************************************************

Drake opened his eyes slowly, having been awoken by something touching his body. Rubbing his eyes, he looked down and smiled softly when he saw Camille kissing her way down his chest.

'Hey you,' he murmured, feeling himself harden as he watched her lips kiss his skin. Camille looked up at him from under her eyelashes. 'Good morning,' she whispered.

Drake groaned as he felt her tongue lick down his hip lines as her hands roamed the muscles in his arms. She was practically worshipping him.

'I could get used to this type of wake up call,' Drake joked. He reached out to take Camille's hands, just because he wanted to touch her. Camille's lips trailed like wildfire across his body before he felt her take hold of his hard cock. He let out a gasp as she leaned down to take him in her mouth.

'Oh fuck, Camille!'

She continued to move her head up and down while her hand slowly pumped up and down his length. Camille took him in deeper, groaning as she did so. Drake listened to her enjoying working him.

'I want you,' he whispered.

Camille slowly pulled away and looked at him with a mischievous smile on her face. 'I was hoping you would say that.'

She straddled him and Drake reached out to touch her- she wasn't wearing underwear under her pink silk negligee. He could feel her wetness and it made him hungry.

She gently slid down onto him, taking Drake in fully, and began to buck her hips as she moved. Drake sat up, pulling her in close. He slipped her negligee off and cast it aside, dying to feel her skin against his. He kissed her neck as he cupped her breasts with his hands, kneading her and teasing her as if she was unmade clay.

Camille looked at him, the gold flecks in her brown eyes shining. Drake growled at the sight of her and his mouth crashed against hers. He was mad for her. Completely and utterly mad for her.

                          **************************************************

Once they had disentangled themselves from the bedsheets, Camille and Drake went through to the kitchen to brew coffee. Drake's mouth twitched at the corner when he saw how dishevelled he had made Camille's hair.

As Drake set up the coffee machine, Camille leaned against the kitchen counter, her arms crossed. 'So I'm going to be busy for a few hours today,' she told him. 'I'll be here but I need space.'

Drake blinked. 'Oh. What are you doing?'

She awkwardly shuffled on her feet and tightened the rope of her mint green silk dressing gown.

'I'm getting rid of stuff that reminds me of Leo,' she admitted. 'He took his things but there's still stuff in the apartment that reminds me of him, so I'm having a Leo detox.'

Drake smiled weakly. 'I get it. You want me to head out for a few hours? Leave you alone?'

She nodded. 'If that's okay? I just think it would be best if I dealt with it myself.'

Drake drew her in for a hug and pressed a kiss on top of her forehead. 'Of course. Take all the time you need.'

                       ****************************************************

Leo and Olivia had ended up on the same return flight back from Paris, which would have annoyed her originally except Olivia had now just accepted that he was her little Parisian shadow. Her annoying little Parisian shadow.

They were sat on separate aisles but that didn't stop Leo from turning around to catch her attention, two aisles in front of her. He inclined his head towards the plane bathroom and gave her a wink.

Olivia rolled her eyes and continued to read the in-flight magazine, trying to concentrate on the article.

She couldn't.

Leo tapped the flight attendant on the elbow and said something to her which Olivia couldn't catch. The flight attendant caught Olivia's eyes and gave her a knowing smile. She strutted down the plane and Leo chuckled, turning back to read his book.

Olivia went back to reading about the best restaurants to eat in if you happened to be in Budapest.

'Miss?'

Olivia jumped. Standing at her seat was the flight attendant. She held out a glass of champagne to Olivia and gestured towards Leo.

'The blonde gentleman sends his love,' she told Olivia with that knowing smile again. It grated on Olivia.

Olivia took the glass and watched as Leo turned to look at her with a lazy smile on his face. Olivia scowled and tossed back the champagne before unbuckling her seat belt. She began to stride towards Leo and as she passed him, she muttered, ' You are relentless.'

She strode with purpose to the bathroom and let herself inside. Facing the mirror, she studied her reflection.

The door knocked three times and opened slowly.

Leo's reflection stared back at her, triumphant.

'I may be relentless,' he said, ' but you love it, Nevrakis.'

As he kissed her hungrily, Olivia couldn't deny it.

                      ***************************************************

It turned out that a lot of the items in the apartment reminded Camille of Leo. For the third time that morning, she considered just burning down the apartment all together.

She was sat cross legged on the living room floor with objects scattered around her. She picked up a photograph of her and Leo which was taken at one of Camille's work events. It had been a Beaumont Bash, named after her law firm Beaumont LLP, and it had been a black tie affair. The photo showed Leo twirling Camille around the dance floor and the camera had caught her during fits of laughter.

Leo always liked to dance dramatically as if nobody was watching.

Camille felt a twinge in her heart. They had had good times, happy memories.

Leo and Camille had been together for a long time. There was still some love there, of course there was.

Camille's eyes scanned the rest of the objects before settling on a diamond necklace Leo had bought her.

It had been ostentatious. Too sparkly and over the top. Diamonds were not Camille's thing at all, but when he had presented her the necklace after they had argued about something stupid, she had accepted it with a wide smile on her face and put it on. She had pushed down the feeling that she was suffocating.

Leo didn't really know her. That was the overwhelming thought Camille kept having as she sorted through these items.

Camille felt a flicker of excitement when she realised she could start making memories with Drake.

So why hold onto these things that reminded her of Leo? Why not just get rid of it all? Especially after Leo had broken the picture frame of the photo in Paris. Remembering the photo, she rushed to the bedroom where it lay crumpled on the side table. She picked it up and placed it with the other memories.

Defiantly, Camille gathered up the photographs, the necklace and other objects. She threw them into a rubbish bag and carried it downstairs to the skip on the other side of the road. She dumped the rubbish bag into the skip with a flourish and triumphantly made her way back to the apartment, deciding that a celebratory glass of wine was needed.

                 ***************************************************

Drake decided to go back to Camille's after being out at a coffee shop for four hours. He had mainlined five coffees on that time and he was buzzing.

He opened the apartment door with the spare key Camille had given him and frowned when he heard music coming from the living room, the beat guiding him through the hallway.

Entering the living room, he stopped to watch Camille who was dancing around the living room, her back to him, with a glass of wine in her hand, singing along to the music.

All the women, who are independent

Throw your hands up at me

All the honeys, who making money

Throw your hands up at me

All the mommas, who profit dollars

Throw your hands up at me

All the ladies, who truly feel me

Throw your hands up at me

She proceeded to drop down to the floor as she sang, 'Girl I didn't know you could get down like that, Charlie, how your Angels get down like that!'

Drake burst out laughing, making Camille scream. She whipped around to face him, a look of horror on her face. The horror quickly faded to embarrassment.

'Oh god, you caught me dancing to my jam..' she mumbled. Drake smiled and made his way over to her.

'So did you do your Leo detox?'

She nodded. 'Yup.  It’s all in the garbage, which is when I decided that Beyonce, Kelly and Michelle would feel proud of me. So.. here I am.'

Drake twirled her around and kissed her softly. She tasted of wine.

'But you're okay?' he asked gently.

Camille looked up at him, her gaze steady. 'Now I'm with you, yeah.'

                     **************************************************

Leo and Olivia made their way through JFK. Olivia held her head high, trying to ignore the fact that she had yet again degraded herself on an airplane bathroom sink.

Leo walked with a swagger because he had had sex with her on said airplane bathroom sink.

They reached the taxi rank. 'So, want to share one?' he suggested brightly. Olivia crossed her arms and stared at him with a look that could break glass.

'No. We're not repeating our Paris trip,' she said.

'Ah, our Paris trip!' he replied, grinning wolfishly.

Olivia turned red and stumbled over her words. 'No, I didn't mean that, I meant MY Paris trip which you hijacked!'

He looked at her seriously now. 'Olivia,' he sighed. 'To quote Ferris Bueller, you are so tight, I could shove a lump of coal up your ass and in two weeks,  you would shit out a diamond.'

She glared at him. 'Fuck off. And that's not the script.'

Leo shrugged. 'It's true though. You’re so uptight and rigid about keeping your feelings in, you won’t let go. When are you just going to stop trying to deny this? You like me. I like you. Give it up.'

Olivia closed her eyes. 'You're just.. Ugh I don't know. I don't need you.'

Leo stepped closer to her, his green eyes focused on her. His thumb ran softly along her hand. 'I know you don't need anyone,' he whispered. 'That's one of the reasons why I like you so damn much. But you want me, Liv, and that's a big difference.'

He opened the taxi door for her. 'Your chariot awaits.'

Olivia frowned. 'You're not sharing?'

His eyebrow quirked up in amusement. 'Why, do you want me to?'

Olivia bit her lip, unsure of what to say. Leo rolled his eyes. 'Get in the cab, Liv,' he told her. 'Safe trip home.'

She got inside silently and Leo passed the driver a 50 dollar bill. 'Get her back safe,' he told the driver.

The taxi rolled away and Olivia watched out the window as Leo picked up his luggage and went to the bus stop.

The silence in the taxi was excruciating. She had become used to her little Parisian shadow. Olivia thought back over the past few days in Paris when they had hung out, taking in the sights and actually having a good time. No, scratch that. They had a riot. 

He had helped her pick a red Chanel lipstick, patiently waiting as she tried different shades. When he bought her the shade she liked, she had spontaneously kissed his cheek, leaving her mark. Leo had actually blushed before clearing his throat, suggesting they get a drink.  

She had pushed the memory to the back of her mind, ashamed that she had voluntarily kissed him on the cheek in a sickeningly playful way.  But as Olivia thought about him, she realised that things with Leo were different; he was fun. He challenged her. He made her step out of her comfort zone. 

The memory of the Chanel lipstick woke her up to what she was driving away from. 

'STOP!' she shouted, causing the driver to jump. He stopped the vehicle and Olivia grabbed her suitcase before bursting out of the taxi door. She began to run towards the airport bus stop, not caring that her heels were too high for such an activity or that she looked undignified.

The airport bus to the city pulled up and the line of people, including Leo, began to make their way towards the open doors.

'Leo!' Olivia shouted, picking up the pace. 'Leo, wait!'

He turned with a confused look on his face. His eyes widened when he saw her racing towards him with her red hair falling out of its neat bun.

'Liv?' he said, staring at her.

Olivia reached him. Out of breath, she threw her luggage down to the ground and threw her arms around his neck. Her lips crashed against his and he let out a surprised gasp.

Olivia was certain he would push her away. But he didn't. Instead he picked her up off the ground and twirled her, still kissing her desperately.

They didn't notice the bus pull away. They were too caught up in each other. Besides, they could always catch the next one.

            *********************************************************************

One Year Later

Drake and Camille were sat at a table near the corner of the Italian restaurant. Around them, diners happily ate their dishes and toasted their glasses, laughing merrily.

Drake and Camille were playing, ‘Would You Rather?’

‘Hmmm.. would you rather... have vaginas for ears or vaginas all over your back?’ Drake asked. 

Camille burst out laughing. ‘Ewww, Drake! That’s disgusting!’

Drake shrugged and took a sip of his beer. ‘Come on now.’

Camille took a sip of her wine and thought seriously, her eyebrows knitting together. Drake could see the cogs in her mind turning. 

‘Vaginas for ears. I can always hide them by having my hair down. I do not want vaginas all over my back.’

Drake chuckled. ‘Okay, you ask me.’

Camille was about to think of a more disturbing question but her attention was caught by two people waiting at the restaurant door to be seated. 

‘Oh my God, there’s Leo and Olivia,’ she whispered. 

Drake looked up and his face paled. ‘Oh god. We haven’t seen them since..’

‘We broke up,’ Camille finished. ‘I didn’t know they were together!’

Drake was still staring at them.  ‘Well, this is awkward.’

Olivia looked around the restaurant and her eyes caught Drake’s. Her eyes widened in surprise. 

Drake held up his bottle of beer in greeting as Camille waved shyly. Olivia inclined her head at the two of them, a casual hello,  before her eyes flashed to Drake’s bottle; she looked relieved when she saw it was only beer. Drake’s heart warmed. Clearly, she still cared enough about him to want him to stay away from whiskey.  

Leo looked over at them and visibly stepped back in shock. Again, Drake and Camille greeted him as they did Olivia. 

Leo raised his hand as a hello before the waiter took his attention. Olivia and Leo were led to the other side of the restaurant. 

            *******************************************************************

Olivia was glad she couldn’t see Drake and Camille. That had been a surprise. Instead, she could see Leo sat in front of her, all golden. Once he had recovered from seeing Camille (he had gone very quiet), he was back to being his usual jubilant self, which was how Olivia liked it. 

She studied the menu. ‘So, I’m going to go for the lobster..’ she mused, ‘but I’m thinking we could just have dessert to go?’

Leo blinked. ‘To go? You don’t want dessert here?’

Olivia ran her foot up his leg towards his crotch and gave him a wicked smile, the one she knew he couldn’t resist. 

‘I was thinking we could have it in bed? I can do some twisted things with a cherry on my tongue..’ 

Leo grinned and snapped his menu shut. ‘I fucking love you.’

               *********************************************************************

Drake helped Camille with her coat. As she thanked the waiter for the hospitality and gave him a generous tip, Drake opened his coat discreetly to check it was still safe. 

His grandmother’s engagement ring was inside his jacket, neatly stashed. 

Drake had been paranoid he would lose it on the taxi ride over to the restaurant but thank God. 

‘So, taxi home?’ Camille asked, shooting him a bright smile. 

Drake’s plan needed to come into motion now. ‘Actually, I was thinking we take a walk through Central Park?’ he suggested. ‘Lovely night, quite warm, the stars are out.’ 

Camille kissed him gently. ‘You’re such a marshmallow,’ she told him. ‘A walk through the park sounds perfect.’ 

Drake smiled and placed his hand on the small of her back to guide her out the restaurant. He didn’t look back at Leo and Olivia.  Why would he? 

He had everything he needed right here. 

They wandered towards Central Park and Drake pushed down his nerves. This was it. He hoped she would say yes. 

The city around them buzzed with vitality but when they reached the park, it was peaceful in comparison. Drake and Camille went inside, the sounds of the city fading the deeper they wandered. Drake looked up at the sky which was clear. He could see the stars shining down on the two of them, their own galaxy. 

Reaching out for her arm, he stopped Camille, who turned to him in surprise. ‘You okay, Drake?’ she asked. 

Drake cleared his throat, willing courage to come to him. 

‘Camille, I have something to ask you...’

[r3b3lgrrrrrrrl]

A LunaTic and her Gunn (Part 60)

"The Queens of Dirty Secrets"

@creatureofthen1ght-v3

@lovemythsworld

@kellysimagines

@crystalbaby12

@southsidequeen

Luna's no angel. She cheated on Justin. Once. With Tommy. For 9mnths. She didn't lie when she said she'd never had a one night stand.

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Luna had met Tommy randomly at a Rancid show in Queens. She went alone that night because Justin was out of town at Rehab #2. Tommy spotting her first. Being 6yrs older than her, he had introduced himself confidently. The two of them easily falling into quick banter as if they had known each other for ages. Luna drawn into his deep, blue eyes and overwhelming personality. Asking if he could buy her a drink, she had told him immediately that she had a boyfriend. Tommy laughed and said he didn't care to Luna's rolled eyes as she told him No Thanks and made her way to the stage. She had to get away from him. There was something in her bones that didn't trust herself near him. She was right. Halfway through the show, he slid up behind her, wrapping his strong arms around her tiny waist. She had recognized his scent automatically and against her better judgment, let herself stay in his presence. More then slightly drunk, Luna bounced with Tommy to Rancid as he kept his left arm around her waist, while running his right hand up and down her slender body. Making her heart pound with the music's fast beat. It was during Red Hot Moon that he took the plunge, slipping his hand up her leather skirt. Tommy fingerfucked her in the crowd that night. Luna letting him. She was blinded by his being and the feeling of his thick fingers inside of her as the punk tune floated through her head. Tommy liked that she hadn't resisted and the way he could feel her low moans against his chest. Body shaking in his arms. Luna literally cumming in his hand to her senses. Angry with herself, she had pushed Tommy out of her and disappeared into the crowd, still seeing stars. Licking his fingers, he watched her go, amused at how he thought he could taste peaches. Justin had come home a week later, promising to stay clean. "This time." Leaving Luna raked with guilt. Yet, she couldn't help that every time she masturbated, that moment and THAT man in Queens popped into her head. It was around 3mths later that Luna ran into Tommy again. At a bodega on 133rd Street. Unable or unwilling to deny their chemistry that time, she climbed into his Eleanor when he'd asked if she wanted to take a blunt ride. They had wound up by the East River, making out heavily in Tommy's mustang. Luna refusing to fuck him, Tommy getting tested in less then a week. Luna knew it was wrong the whole time but she couldn't deny the energy between the two of them. Tommy seemed to make her lose all of her common sense. He had a way of sucking Luna into his strong, charismatic, no bullshit attitude. It was a change and escape from the darkness that seemed to be consuming her and Justin. From the moment he saw and watched her, Tommy was mesmerized by Luna's beauty, rawness and sass. They were a wild a rollercoaster ride, twisting and turning. Dipping and soaring. Leading Tommy and Luna to fuck and party all over the five boroughs for almost a year. She only broke it off when he told her he loved her. Realizing that she loved him too but knowing that despite everything, she would never leave Justin. She had crawled out of his bed that night, with tears rolling down her cheeks. As she got dressed, she babbled on about how their relationship wasn't fair to him. And that she was sorry. Too hurt by her rejection, he let her go. She willingly walked from Queens to Brooklyn that night. Contemplating suicide for the first time in her life during those long hours. Luna never told a soul. Not even Ashley. Tommy and Luna's paths never crossing since then.

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

"Aren't you a sight for sore eyes?" Tommy smiles at Luna. "No love?" His blue eyes dare her.

Reluctantly, she stands as he swoops her up. Tight and strong. Placing her arms around his neck, a ton of memories flood them both as they embrace. Fitting like two puzzle peices. Feeling the intimacy Luna wiggles out of his grasp, sitting back down.

"You still look great, Little One." The nickname both excites Luna and makes her cringe at the same time. "You just get better with age, don't you?" He asks her, pulling out the stool and sitting next to her. It's been over 5yrs since they last saw each other. "Eh! Lemme get another round here." He calls to the bartender, pointing between himself and Luna. She's quiet, trying to keep her composure.

"You should leave. You should leave. You should leave. You should leave. You should leave." Her brain keeps repeating over and over.

"So, where's the boyfriend?" Tommy's words break Luna's thoughts like a sledgehammer.

She thinks about her words before she speaks them. "We're not together anymore." She tells him without looking at him. His eyes are deadly.

"No fucking shit!!" Tommy slams his hand on the bar. Partly amused, partly irritated. "So, what the fuck did it take for you to finally leave his loser ass?" He asks bluntly.

Luna looks at him now. Square in the eye, with a flash of anger. She tells him coldly "He hung himself in our bedroom."

"FUCK." Tommy let's out. "What a fucking pussy." He has no filter.

"SERIOUSLY!?" Luna glares at him.

He shakes his head and places his hand on the small of her back. "I'm sorry. I guess he never got clean, hunh?"

Luna sighs. Tommy knows more about Luna and Justin's relationship than their closest friends. Looking at him directly again. She says "No. He actually started using needles sometime in the last 6mnths. I threatened to leave him and I'm pretty sure that's why he fucking killed himself." Luna doesn't break eye contact from Tommy. Besides Colson, he's the only person she's ever uttered those words to.

He breaks away as his heart drops for her. "When?" He asks her quietly, looking into his drink.

"Almost 3yrs ago." She answers him.

Looking up, he slides his left arm around her shoulders as he uses his right hand to pull her barstool closer to him.

"You need to fucking leave. You need to fucking leave. You need to fucking leave." Her brain keeps telling her as she feels her body flush from the closeness of his.

"Are you okay?" He asks, lowly in her ear.

"Yeah... Look I'm seeing someone..." She spits out.

Tommy erupts into laughter, not bothering to move his arm. "Some things never change, hunh? You're still caught up and I still don't give a fuck." He tells her matter of factly. Their faces are close together.

Luna knows it's true. She pulls away to finish the rest of her drink, reaching for the other round Tommy had ordered.

"This is different. I'm happy." She tells him to his smirk.

"Yeah?" He laughs again. "Then why are you alone in a bar at a punk show, just the same as I found you before?" He snips at her.

Annoyed, she states again that this is different. Still taunting her, arm still around her shoulder. He asks how. Shaking him off of her, she tells him it just is. He's making her think about Colson and Justin drug use similarities.

"Okay." He leans in close to her. "How long?"

Luna takes another drink. Closing her eyes, she turns her head and opens them at him. "Two months."

"Only two months?? Fuck, I've got a hell of a shot." He laughs, lifting his glass to cheers her as he slides his arm back around her. He knows the crazy control he has over her.

"Fuck you. No, you don't. I'm in love with him. Have been since before you. Fuck. I sold my apartment and am basically living with him." The words explode out of Luna's mouth.

All Tommy hears is two words in her whole statement. "Before me?" He asks, showing a hint of emotion.

Luna sighs again. Not being able to side step him or want to, she places her hand on his right one that's on the bar now. "I met him almost 10yrs ago. When I was still with Justin. Our vibe was really intense and I ran away. He's from Cleveland so we didn't cross paths again until recently.

"Fucking Cleveland?" What? Are you dating Drew fucking Carey??" He gives her a dirty look, throwing his hands up. He knocks her shoulder as her one hand flies up with his. Wincing from the hit, she looks up at him with her big, blue eyes. Shaking his head, he brings his right hand up to stroke her face. "You should've left him for me, a long time ago."

In her heart, Luna isn't sure if she disagrees.

The band begins to rumble.

Tommy hears it too.

"You wanna bump?" Tommy asks her with a gleam in his eye.

"Nah, I've been off that shit since we split." She tells him. Tommy was the biggest cocaine distributor in all five boroughs. Probably even bigger now.

"C'mon, you know I got that pure." He coaxes her.

"Nah, I'm good. I'm gonna go catch a cigarette before the band kicks in." She tells him, sliding off her stool. "It was good to see you." She says him to his unhappy look.

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

Outside Luna tries to call Colson again. He doesn't answer. Checking her watch, it's not even 11P. Hearing the band kick on, she finishes her cigarette, rummaging through her bag for her camera as she walks back in.

Annoyed, she thinks to herself "He never answers when I'm fucking home." Glancing at the bar as she makes her way to the stage, she sees that Tommy is gone.

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

Colson and Casie are passed out on the couch in Ohio. They had finished their FortNite match and fallen asleep watching Maleficent. Colson's phone ringing in the kitchen.

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

The band is amazing. They're called Product of a Government. They're fast and loud with INCREDIBLE lyrics. Ripping through Trump, Pence, Alabama, Kavanaugh and Brock Turner. Luna makes her way up front. Shooting them as they play. Bouncing and bobbing to their melodies and the crowd.

Once the show ends, Luna approaches them on stage.

"Hey." She greets them. They stop what they're doing like most men do when Luna speaks. "You guys are uniquely incredible." She praises them. "Are you signed?" She asks.

The guys look around at each other. "Nah..." They answer in unison.

"I'm Luna." She says, reaching her hand out. "I'm a local artist who just broke free of my lable. I'm gonna start my own. I think you guys would be a great launch."

The guys each shake her hand individually. Yet leerily. Because, what GIRL, starting her own lable is going to help them.

She sees their reluctance. "Check me out before you decide." She tells them as a group. "Luna Smith. That Brooklyn Bitch." She says as she turns to walk of stage.

The name rings in an ear. "Fuck. Like THAT Brooklyn Bitch???" A voice asks behind her. They've heard of her folklore.

"The only one." She turns around smiling. She's got 'em. "It's not up and running yet, so do you. But let's exchange numbers and if you're not signed by then. I've got you." Luna shrugs.

She exchanges numbers with all members. Reassuring them she got great shots during their set. Luna secretly pleased to still be known for her photography above all.

Tommy watching her on stage.

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

Tommy catches her outside smoking. He can't help but yearn for her as she glances over her shoulder at him with those eyes.

"Lemme buy you a drink. To make up for earlier." He says approaching her.

Luna rolls her eyes as she inhales. "Okay." She agrees against her better judgment, as always with him. She finishes her Newport before following Tommy back into the bar.

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

Luna's always enjoyed Tommy's company. It's one of the things that made her fall into him so easily. He's funny, sharp and nasty. Three qualities Luna fully enjoys.

They exchange stories of the passed missed years. Deals, robberies, and beat downs, amongst many other illegal activities.

Luna telling him about ICE and the shots exchanged. Tommy's impressed and worried at the same time. Wanting to look at her wound to her laughing decline.

Loose and always able to tell his truth to Luna, Tommy divulges that he fell in love after her. It hurts but she listens.

Luna's one of the few that Tommy trusts, who know's his whole life. He tells her how he lost control and killed his girlfriend because she had turned on James.

Luna isn't surprised. She knows Tommy's undying loyalty to his friend. It's a commonality they share. She's also seen what Tommy is capable of first hand. Never towards her, but they had been together long enough and he had trusted her deeply enough to show her all of him. To this day, he wonders if it was him that scared her and if that was the reason she wouldn't leave Justin for him.

It wasn't.

She can see the torment all over him. Without thinking, she stands up, slides in between his legs and pulls him close for a hug.

The moment their bodies connect there's a surge. Luna's cheeks flush as she feels Tommy's dick grow against her. She mentally shakes it off and holds him for a moment, stroking the back of his neck and hair. His breath is warm on her collarbone. Realizing what can happen, Luna pulls away gently.

"What were you doing on stage?" Tommy asks her, feeling her about to go. Looking for any reason to make her stay.

"Oh! I think I'm gonna start a record lable myself." She tells him, shifting gears as she slides back onto her stool.

Luna tells him her idea as she bitches about Charles, this weird fame that's creeping up on her and how she feels exposed.

"That's why you need you an undercover brother." He teases her. "I'd keep you tight."

"Shut up." Luna tells him, rolling her eyes. She knows she has to get the fuck up outta there soon.

Finishing her drink, Luna looks at Tommy. "I gotta go." She tells him.

"Lemme drive you..." He coaxes with a grin.

"Noooooo..." Luna laughs, shaking her head.

"No fucking way in hell." She thinks to herself. "You are in this with Colson, Loons. FUCK NO!! FUCK THIS MOTHERFUCKER." Knowing in all honesty she doesn't trust herself around Tommy. With him, she undercover hurts people and makes bad decisions.

"Okay, lemme walk you out then and hail you a cab." He tells her. Luna agrees, tipping the bartender before they head out.

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

Luna lets Tommy lead her outside. It's too easy to fall into his strong step.

Standing on the curb, he teases her about her upcoming fame. They're too close to each other. Laughing, Tommy scoops up Luna in his big arms, gripping her ass. Falling out of reality for a second she wraps her legs around him.

"I knew you loved me." He grins.

Luna can't help but smile while reaching to place a hand on his throat. She closes her eyes for just a moment. Breathing him in before dropping her legs. She moves her hand down and pushes against his defined chest as she slides off of him.

"Mmmmm... Let Daddy take you home, Little One." Tommy moans as her body slips through his hands.

"FUCK." Luna thinks as the simple words bring her back to their enticing kink. She feels her pussy plump. "You've gotta fucking GO!" Her brain screams at her.

Luna spots a cab. Throwing a hard whistle, it pulls over for her.

Unable to help herself, she kisses Tommy hard on the lips. "I did love you." She states before jumping in the cab and hustling it off.

Tommy stands there, the same way he laid the night she left him. Confused, heartbroken and longing for her.

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

"WHAT THE FUCK LUNA!?!" She scolds herself. Shaking her head, she leans back in the cab. "ARE YOU FUCKING INSANE!?!!... Well, at least you didn't fuck him this time." She battles with herself. Still worried about Colson. "You're a fucking ASSHOLE." She thinks of herself.

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

Back at her B&B, Luna feels guilty as fuck. It's too late to call so she Snaps Colson.

Luna bumps two 30s, swallows a bar and burns through three joints trying to calm her mind from tonight's bullshit.

"Fucking Tommy....... I never thought... FUCK." She feels her body heat up as her heart aches. Her mind rejecting him in the moment. "How the fuck did you even end up here?" Luna wonders drunk. Slightly confused about her entire fucking life.

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

To be continued......

[fangirlfiction]

The One Mission That Went the Right Way (it’s all downhill from here)

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x enhanced!reader (married)

Word count: 2.6k

Warnings: An allusion/reference to sexual assault, mentions of violence, fighting, imprisonment, and some death. Some cursing, and a lil bit of spicy mentions!

Prompt: This came from a prompt requested by @coal000 for my Fanfic Anniversary Celebration, which was "behave".

Summary: Bucky and reader are on a mission in Russia, looking for one of their own.

a/n: helloooooo angels! So, I've been suffering with a bit of writers block, which broke just long enough for me to type this up in the early hours of the morning. This is going to be part of a lil married Bucky x reader series (called Walking Disasters: The Hilarious Misfortunes of a Century Old Man and His Hothead Wife), with each chapter being something you could read on its own, or read in order. Let me know what you guys think of that! I also think I subconsciously drew a little bit of inspiration/vibes from @kentuckybarnes fic Fata Organa, and @justreadingfics Dangerous Dalliance! Both of which I highly recommend ❤️

Bucky extends his hand to you, helping you from the back of the sleek, black limo. You both stand tall, confident, as you survey your surroundings. Ivanov’s mansion, and the grounds surrounding it, stretch as far as the eye can see. You both hide your dumbfounded reactions behind neutral expressions as you follow the crowd inside the sprawling estate. Champagne is immediately offered to you as you step inside, and you and Bucky each take a glass, glancing around the room with nonchalance. Ivanov spots you both from across the room, and hurries to greet you in Russian. “Nikita,”  he kisses your hand, before turning to nod at Bucky. “Alexei.”

You both smile politely back at him, and you respond, “Mr. Ivanov, your home is beautiful.”

He bows in way of thanks, and turns the conversation to business. “I’m sure you will both find the display of freaks to your liking. Every monster you will see tonight is for sale, available for you to do what you wish with it.”

You feel your blood heat up, boiling in your veins at his words. Bruce’s voice comes through both of your comms, “Bucky, her temperature is spiking. Keep her calm.”

Bucky squeezes your hand lightly and you take a deep breath while he responds, “I trust your opinion, Mr. Ivanov. We look forward to what you have in store for us.”

Ivanov smiles and waves at someone behind you both. He bows slightly to you both and mutters, “If you’ll excuse me.”

You both nod and he walks off, and Bucky immediately turns to you and places his hands on your face, the cool metal of his left arm dissipating the heat in your cheeks. “I need you to cool it, hothead. We’re going to find her and get her out.”

You nod and Bucky presses a kiss to your forehead. “I’m going to check out the security, see if you can find out anything about the prisoners. Meet back here in ten minutes.”

“Okay.”

He gives you a smile before turning away, and you scan the room, looking for a good source of information. You smile when you spot a man at the bar, immediately noticing that he doesn’t quite fit in with the crowd. He regards the room with a mild look of disgust, as he tosses back sips from a beat up silver flask. You make your way towards him, before sliding into the seat next to his at the bar. You catch him glance at you from the corner of his eye, just as the bartender puts another glass of champagne down in front of you. You take a sip, and fake a look of disgust before setting it back down with a clink. Seconds later, the man slides the flask towards you. “Fancy something smoother?”

You turn to him with a smile. “Whisky?”

“Of course.”

Your grin widens, “Then yes, please.” You take a sip of the whiskey and pass the flask back to him. “I’ll never get used to the awful champagne at these fancy parties.”

He extends a hand. “Sergei.”

You shake it and answer, “Nikita.”

He eyes you up and down. “What brings you here?”

“I married a man with unusual hobbies. I hear the product here tonight is the best for that.”

“Oh it is.”

You turn to Sergei and lift a brow. “And what makes you so sure?”

He takes another sip of his flask before setting it on the bar between you. “Because I’m the one that hunts and catches them.”

Your eyebrows lift in surprise. “So, if you hunt and catch these freaks, you must have an idea on what’s up for grabs tonight.”

He gives you a sleazy grin, and you suppress a shudder. “I do. I’ve got 6 of mine up for grabs tonight, including my best catch.”

“Best catch?”

Sergei leans close. “You know the Avengers?” You feel your breath stutter in your throat. “I’ve got one of their own. A witch.”

You give him a smile. “A witch? Sounds like the perfect gift for my husband.”

You nearly jump in surprise at the voice behind you. “Nikita! I thought I told you to stay at my side at all times.”

You turn to Bucky and give him a look of relief. “I’m sorry, my love. I was talking to my new friend, Sergei. He hunts and catches these monsters, can you imagine?”

“Wow.” Sergei grins, enjoying Bucky’s mock awe. You turn to Bucky and loudly whisper, “Says he even caught a witch!”

You don’t miss the clench in his jaw, but Sergei does. Bucky gives a low whistle, impressed. “A witch, huh? Sounds like the prize of the night.”

Sergei leans back and shrugs. “Maybe. She’s a real piece of shit. Really only worth anything because of where she comes from. Otherwise, I would have used her and tossed her already.”

You fight the bile rising in your throat and place a single manicured finger on the silver flask, watching as the metal glows red hot with your touch, oblivious to Sergei. Bucky turns to the man, giving him a nod. “Thank you for keeping my wife out of trouble.”

Sergei eyes you up and down once more. “It was my pleasure.”

Bucky offers you his arm and you stand and take it, turning to say, “Thanks for the drink!”

You are only a few steps from the man when you hear him curse, followed by the clink of the flask hitting the floor. You smile, but Bucky squeezes your hand and mutters, “Behave.”

You give him a sharp look, your voice coming in an angry whisper. “Behave? How can I behave when that waste of space is talking about Wanda? Our teammate. Our friend!”

He gives your hand a reassuring squeeze. “I know, but we have to be smart about this. We’re two ‘freaks’ in a room full of enemies.”

You turn to Bucky, an idea forming. “We’re two freaks...but there are plenty others.”

Bucky gives you a proud look and speaks into his comms. “Bruce, Tony, can you guys get me the blueprints for the house? We have some prisoners to free.”

Tony’s voice comes through first,”Uhhhh….” There’s a brief pause, before, “Aha, yes. There’s a large space two floors below you. Big enough for plenty of prisoners.”

“Thank you, Tony.”

You and Bucky start walking to the hallway near the edge of the room, hands intertwined, before Bucky starts to tug you back, eyes trained on the guard near the hallway entrance. “We got a security guy and a room full of witnesses. Can’t knock em out.”

You turn to him with a mischievous look. “No, but I look like a knockout.”

You wiggle your brows at him and he smiles, “No denial from me.”

“Good. Follow my lead.” You loosen up his top buttons and mess up his hair before pulling your dress down lower. Bucky raises a brow but says nothing as you hang onto his arm and start pulling him towards the hall with a giggle. As soon as you get close, the guard steps into the middle of the hall, blocking your path. “This area is off limits to guests.”

You turn and give the man puppy dog eyes and start to plead, “We were just looking for some alone time, away from the guests.” You lean in close and whisper, “You see, he’s not my husband.”

The guard repeats the same warning. “This area is off limits to guests.”

You turn back to Bucky and lean up to kiss his neck, your lips chasing a path up to his lips. When his mouth connects with yours, he immediately grants you access, allowing you to dip your tongue inside and draw a moan from him. Your reach down and grab his growing arousal and proclaim just loud enough for the guard to hear. “C’mon baby, I’m sure Mr. Ivanov has a pretty nice bed that we can find.”

You start to walk away when the guard calls out, “Wait!”

You turn back to him with a polite smile, and he gestures you closer. You step in, dragging Bucky with you, and the man asks, “If I let you pass, can I watch?”

You exchange a look with Bucky and the guard continues, “There’s a guest room down the hall and I have access to every room in the mansion. I can get you in.”

You lean close and whisper, “Deal.”

He gestures for you to follow him, and he hurries down the corridor, as you and Bucky follow with a smirk. The guard walks you past a few doors before stopping at one at the end of the hall, near a staircase. You look back at Bucky, before following the guard into the room. He closes the door behind you both, turning to look at you expectantly. You take his hand and lead him to the chair across the room, before leaning in close to whisper, “I think you’d be more comfortable watching from here.”

As you whisper to him, your hands brush his belt, removing the stun gun you saw earlier. You reach in the space between you and flip the switch, watching as the stun gun lights up and knocks the man out. You lean back as he slumps over in the chair, before pulling a vial from your purse and dropping some of the liquid below his nose. “That should keep him out for a while.”

You yank the keycard from his belt and turn and hold it up. Bucky smiles and starts to kiss you, before guiding your other hand to the bulge in his pants. You moan at the sensation before pulling away with a smirk. “To be continued.”

Bucky groans. “Seriously? I’m starting to think you like doing this.”

You roll your eyes, “Just because it’s happened a few times doesn’t mean I like it.”

“A few? Seriously? New York, Barcelona, Hong Kong, Paris, Dub-”

You cut him off, “Okay, okay, I get it.” You step away from him and move towards the door, tossing over your shoulder, “I won’t do it anymore.”

You pull open the door and glance both ways before stepping into the hall, leaving Bucky to scramble after you. You begin walking down the stairs as Bucky whisper argues, “Wait, wait, wait. No, that’s not what I want!”

You say nothing, you just continue to wind down the two flights of stairs, pausing when you reach the bottom. The room is dimly lit, leaving most of it dancing in shadows. You and Bucky turn to each other, each pulling out a gun, as you begin to walk deeper into the room. A few feet inside, the enclosures begin. You and Bucky look at each other in shock and horror as you pass person after person, locked up and bound inside, shock collars secured around their necks. You don’t see her until the last enclosure. She is bound and collared like the others, huddled in the back of the small space, as far away from the door as possible. You turn to Bucky and whisper, “Find the keys!”

“Wanda.” She remains unmoving, and you whisper louder, “Wanda, it’s me.”

Her head lifts and her eyes meet yours, the light of recognition instantly sparking hope within her. “You found me.”

You press a hand to the lock of the door, melting it off, before yanking the door open and kneeling inside. You start to move towards her slowly, giving her time to adjust as you whisper, “Wanda, I am so sorry. I’m sorry you were taken, I’m sorry it took us so long to find you, I’m sorry for whatever they did to you.”

She gives you a soft smile. “It’s okay, you’re here now.”

Bucky appears at the enclosure door again, before handing you a set of keys. “I’m gonna get you out of here, okay?”

She nods and you release the restraints and collar, before guiding her out into the dark room. She already seems more confident just with having her freedom back. You turn to her and Bucky. “Let’s release the others.”

You all open the enclosures and free the others, and in a matter of minutes, you have 15 additional inhumans and enhanced individuals. You and Bucky quietly tell everyone the plan as you turn to Wanda and give her the car keys. “We came in a limo. Bring it around and get everyone to the meeting place that's programed into the GPS. Tony will pick you up from there. But before you go, mind taking out a few guards for us?”

Wanda smiles, “I don’t mind at all.”

You lead everyone up the stairs and down the small hallway to the entrance, moving aside to allow Wanda to manipulate her magic and mess with the minds of half the guards, leveling the playing field for you Bucky. You squeeze her hand in thanks and pass her your comms and the key card. “Just in case you need it. Exit is right through there. We’ll see you back at the compound.”

She hugs you and runs off, leading the others to the exit. The rest of the room was too distracted with the guards to see the 15 ‘freaks’ slip out the door. Bucky turns to you. “We’re down a comms unit, so we need to stay close. Ivanov is on the other side of the room, and we need to get to him before he leaves and we lose him again.” You nod and follow Bucky through the crowd as he weaves amongst the partygoers, many still oblivious to the beginnings of chaos that are taking hold of the room. You are near Ivanov when you spot Sergei at the bar, and Bucky doesn’t even notice you slip away to make a beeline towards him. Sergei must sense the change, because he jumps up and climbs over the bar, disappearing through the kitchen. You push through the crowd and follow him over the bar, dodging people and equipment as you weave through the room and out the back door. You see Sergei up ahead, disappearing into the woods, and you push yourself harder to close the distance between you. You chase him through the woods, dodging the bullets he occasionally sends back to you, only for the chase to come to an abrupt halt. Sergei stops at the edge of a ravine, turning to face you, gun drawn. He spits, “Avenger or freak?”

You wave your hand, summoning the flames as you give him a smirk. “Both.” You step towards him, “And I’m going to kill you for what you did to Wanda.”

He sneers, “I thought Avengers didn’t kill unless necessary.”

“Oh, they don’t. But I do. It’s why they send me in.”

You see the fear flash over his face moments before the fireball burns through him, his body dropping to the ground with a satisfying thud. You turn and trudge back through the woods, towards the house, greeted halfway by a frantic Bucky. “I thought I lost you!”

“I’m sorry. I saw Sergei and I knew I couldn’t let him go.”

“Is he dead?”

You nod and he takes your hand. “Just let me know before you disappear? Please? We are in a mansion of hostiles, my mind gets creative.”

You lean forward and kiss him. “I’m sorry.” You lean back just enough to whisper against his lips, “But I think I know how to make it up to you.”

Bucky leans back and gives you a look. “Yeah?”

You grab his hand and lead him to the car. “Yeah. There’s a SHIELD safe house not far from here.”

At that, Bucky speeds up and begins pulling you after him. “Then let’s go!”

[ontheline-ff]

2 | somethin’ cute

A/N: y’knooooooow... i think i’ma change the title soon. I might also add again before thursday. thanks for clicking on this. I appreciate it.

Venus was hungry. That was enough to get her up and get her going.

The chicken fried rice she’d scarfed down earlier got digested like wafer crackers. She was definitely hungry as hell as she finally got off of the couch, so breakfast didn’t sound bad. Meeting up with Adonis wasn’t going to be anything good, and she knew it.

Adonis: wear something cute, maybe we can take a walk or something after we eat...

Venus blew out a long breath as she tried to figure out what all of this meant, honestly. It would get her out of the house, and that’s all that mattered. She needed that, alone anyway, because it wouldn’t be long before she had to face Juanita. She didn’t want to think about that right now though.

Her mind was focused on a distraction, and this was definitely one way to accomplish that.

Venus kissed her teeth after re-reading the text, knowing it wasn’t a request, but a demand. She wasn’t going to respond, but knew he was doing her some good, luring her out in the daylight. She knew it would help recall things, which was good too. She needed to find something to latch on to, and she knew he always had something up his sleeve that did just that.

She was trying to reason with herself as she got off of the couch, and pulled open the curtains in her room as she walked into the center of it. The sunlight was still bright, but just not as intense. She figured she could go, she would go, will, is, going, that was settled. But, if he wanted his shit, which she’s still finding in places she didn’t expect, or simply overlooked the first time, he’d have to come back here and get it for himself.

She attempts to convince herself the the only reason she's acting this way is because she deserves a redo, more than anything else. It was so unfortunate that her mind seem to just basically corrupt the memories of last night, because they had been bullshitting around when it came to being physical for a while, and she didn’t remember shit.

The short video clips she didn't send to her snap story didn't make matters better. They were all over each other in the back of an uber; his hand was actually weaving into her hair, and grazing her scalp while he licked at her neck until he pulled away and kissed her temples. It was more sentimental than explicit, and even while they were both visibly buzzed, a warmth filled her that made her lips turn up in a smile.

There was a whole video of the two of them lipsyncing to some super old Ace Hood, just holding hands, both matching the intensity of each other. They synced up like that; that, was instinctive. It was natural in a way that didn’t happen without the two of them realizing it, and smiling about it.

They just fit, in a way that she couldn’t put her finger on sometimes.

She wasn’t worried about being taken advantage of with Adonis, and that was probably the one thing that gave her hope about how her night went, even if she didn’t know any or most of the details. She knew that she wanted to have sex with him. They never had disagreed about it; they just never pushed for it to happen, despite how bad they both wanted it, considering…

She wasn't focused on hurting anyone's feelings, anyone talking shit, or any of that right now. She couldn't recall the last time she had good, really good sex, or got blackout drunk, either. Funny how the only person who usually didn't want to indulge in that kind of shit was the one to make sure she'd got all of that out of him as soon as they linked up.

The text thread under his Brooklyn based number, which was saved as Donnie in her contact information, had all of the tea. She had been wondering if he would come out, and once he did, she was on his ass until he stopped responding to her fuckery and just latched on to her hip. At some point he'd lost the phone, she realizes this now, or switched to the 215-line for whatever reason. The texts had stopped on the Brooklyn line and resumed later in the night on the other line; she doesn’t know why she just realized that.

Venus had time to sit and analyze everything now that she had trekked to the north side of Williamsburg from Crown Heights, just for him, and still beat him here.

Last night was still weighing heavy on her mind though. She was never heavy on drinking. She had her limits, always has, but on occasion, she was known to let her hair down and show up when she needed to. The entertainment business would keep her thoroughly entertained and even more thoroughly drunk off of whatever she wanted to endorse, so why not? The same for him. She knew damned well he was promoting that damned liquor, so no wonder he was going to be able to finesse more than just liquor courage out of her once she opened up.

Venus definitely saw more explicitness in her my eyes only section that made her shift her hips against the chair she was sitting in. She knew the sex was good, but she couldn't explain how she didn't remember what she knew what was memorable as fuck. Just another side effect, she supposed.

Venus had showered, gotten dressed, and found herself staring blankly into a menu that she didn’t need fifteen minutes after she’d gotten the text to go. She hadn’t moved that quickly in a while, but she was here, and there was no turning back.

Once she heard the jingle of keys drop onto the table, and the second menu got picked up, her stomach flip flopped. She was never really nervous around him, but she knew it wasn’t impossible for the situation to make her feel that way. Venus’ eyes drew up and down slowly as she looked up into a face of mischief, gold teeth, and an all american pullover that she knew read CREED on the back.

“You order yet?” He asks, smirking.

She was waiting on him, actually. Le Barricou ain’t cheap at all. There are daisies in a little mason jar on the table, and water in a green carafe, waiting to be poured. The menu is in French on the other side. Kamasi Washington is playing quietly in the background of things. It’s upscale, but casual.

She has money of her own, but honestly, if he wanted to get her french toast, they could have just gone to Tom’s. The ceiling fan above them hovers and spins slowly, and distracts her from answering him. She doesn’t recall ever being shy, or silent when it comes to interacting with him. Today is just filled with a hesitant, uneasy vibe that she wishes she could stop maximizing.

“What do you want to go with your French Toast?” He asks, sitting the menu back down.

“Or are you going to just sit there and not look at me or talk to me?” She’ll actually do anything but lock eyes with him, and she cuts her eyes as he calls her out on it.

She opens her mouth to speak, but shuts it, and shakes her head softly. She’s thirsty now, and doesn’t know what to say to even get a conversation started. She’s still pulling her thoughts together, and wanting to look at her phone, watch the videos again, and interrogate the fuck out of him about the things she can’t recall. There are several rows of liquor backed up against a wall across the room, and her eyes cut to the bar, but the last thing she needs is another drink.

There won’t be any mimosas today.

“Duck hash. Orange juice, no mimosas.” She rattled off as he chuckled, and caught her off guard as his hand extended to touch her face, and lift her chin up.

“Quit being mean to me. Say hi, or something. Actually, stand up,” He instructs, and she pushes away from the table instinctively.

“Bring it in, give me some love.” His arms loop around hers as he pulls her into his chest, a little taller than her, but not too much.

Her mumble of, “Hey, Donnie,” gets trapped in his chest as she breathes him in, and he squeezes her tightly, and presses his lips against her forehead before she bats him away, immediately putting him in box mode. She sucks her teeth and waves him off as he laughs, and sits across from her again.

“Whussup V? You good?” He asked, eyebrow up.

Venus got a good look at him and scoffed softly. She wanted last night to pour into her, really, but, it just didn’t. She pressed her fingers into the bridge of her nose as she looked at him, taking in what she saw. He wasn’t smug, he wasn’t being an asshole, but he was sitting across from her, genuinely curious about her current state.

“I’m good. I’m just… fighting my thoughts internally. Trying to piece shit back together. I really don’t know how to feel, other than confused as fuck, and a little bit annoyed. Jealous. I didn’t even know it was possible to be jealous of yourself.” She shook her head softly, and he did as well, mirroring her actions.

There was so much she wanted to ask about, and maybe even yell about, but she just couldn’t. There was no point in flipping out or causing a scene, or anything to draw attention to the two of them, but she needed answers. Heads already turned when Adonis Creed walked into the room, and she had her fair share of looks when people pointed out Venus Carter, so, the last thing she needed was a scene.

What she did need though, was for him to fill in some blanks before she considered what was going to happen next. He sat a cell phone out on the table, not the same one she had recalled him having in the past, and her eyebrows went up at the sight of it.

“You left Philly three years ago, whussup with the 215 bullshit?”

It’s a cop out, but it’s a start. He gets eye contact, with her head tilted a little, and hands gesturing at the idle phone on the table.

“It’s a burner.” He shrugged, not elaborating. She decided to pour herself a glass of water, and cut her eyes back up at him.

“You could have just told me that, asshole.” She hissed with a little edge, and he didn’t look as out of place as he used to, sipping the water from the little flute after he pours it for himself.

“About the Philly line? It’s just easier. I can talk to certain people… and won’t have to pull them into the shit I have going on in Brooklyn. I didn’t think it was going to fuck you up like that,” He admitted as he licked his lips, and eyed her.

“But, you’re right, I should have said something. I apologize.”

“Your memory’s getting better though,” He added, smiling. “I told you, you’ll be back in shape in no time.”

Venus waved off his praising and tried not to smile at it. He locked eyes with her and sat back, slouching a little, instinctively giving into bad posture that she would usually tease him about, but she didn’t. They were avoiding the bigger situation that lingered over the two of them, and they both knew that too.

She wanted to call him out for trying to distract her, but instead, she just sipped her water and slid her phone back across the table, with the thread open between the two of them.

“I still can’t remember all of last night. So, I suggest that maaaaaybe, you start talking.” She insists, and he runs his hand down the plane of his jaw before leaning in forward, and smirking.

“I don’t know where to start, but I’m pretty sure that you know as well as I do that last night wasn’t a mistake,” He starts, telling her what she wanted to hear.

It’s the tone of his voice that makes her shift in her chair though. She knows he’s not bullshitting here. With that level of honesty between the two of them, she feels comfortable enough to just listen, and see where it’ll take her.

“We were both a little fucked up, but, we knew what we were doing. We were both rational enough to make that decision.” There was no beating around the bush, acting coy, or denying what happened. She appreciated it that much, but fuck. She wanted to remember what happened, not just be spared the details.

“You know we’ve been skirting around our feelings since Vegas. After the fight even.” They rarely reference the accident, the one that pushed her out of the game for a minute.

He pauses at he glances at her, waiting to see if he’s overstepped a boundary, or tripped anything, but she doesn’t respond. Venus just looks at him, hanging off of his every word. Her eyebrow goes up, and he keeps talking.

“Even then there was still something. Right when we thought you'd lost everything… I knew you were still in there, fighting temptation, and the way I made you feel. You never had to say anything, ‘cause it was all in the way you looked.” He pulls his phone out, the Brooklyn line, and after a few seconds, a video she knows well plays.

They were at Summerlin Hospital, still in Vegas. Venus was in the bed, fully conscious, but definitely a little bit beat up still. Her right eye was puffy; her head still partially bandaged. It was fucking bad. But, while the wounds would heal within a few days, her memory would take nearly a month for her to fully grasp again. Donnie was there, holding her hand, pulling her through the entire time.

“Before you even started talking again, before the PT and the rehab, you knew me. You focused in on me, looked for me, before anyone else. Even Juanita, even before your parents. You’d look at me too long. Grip my hand too long. You'd avoid punching me when you finally got back into the right state of mind to start sparring again. You treated me more delicately than you used to, like whatever dream world you were in for just a few hours made you realize what you wanted deep down. We’ve been fighting our attraction to each other for too long.”

She hates when things get intense like this between the two of them. It doesn’t happen that often, but when it does, she just hates it. He’s proactive with his feelings, whereas she, treads lightly.

She has to admit, it’s admirable when a man knows what he wants, but for whatever reason, in the back of her mind, and sometimes, even in the front, the direct front, she fights matching the energy she knows she can put forth with this. It’s just a little too messy, too delicate to pull apart or attempt to make right without fucking it all up.

“Last night was just… a fucked up, but good first date, honestly.” Donnie shrugs, and Venus scoffs again as their drinks arrive, and her head shakes again at the word date as if that was just it.

“A date? That I don’t remember at all, huh? You gon’ just claim it, just like that?”

Instead of responding, he just shrugs, and flicks to another video on the phone on the table.

“If I wasn’t married, I’d still be tryna date and fail. I deserve a good night out though, I always wanted to go out and just get sooooo drunk, ion’ remember what’s up when I get up, but I know I had fun. I’m just glad I got somebody by my side who’ll help smooth that thang out, know what I’m talmbout? I always wanted a nigga who would take me to like Paris or somethin’, you know? I always wanted somebody who’ll… give me a full surprise on my birthday, with you know, a candlelit dinner, fire ass hotel room in like, Tennessee or something so we can get in good on the snow, I want… roses just because. I always wanted to be courted. Ion’ think niggas do that anymore, unless you’re lucky. You gon’ court me, even tho’ we already married?”

“You know, I'll never let you forget the fact that you thought we were married.” He teases her as she rolls her eyes softly.

Her face gets warm and she can’t vocalize that her stomach is literally flip-flopping, like it always does when he brings that up, with video receipts. It's been a minute since he's reminded her of that day; probably the only highlight out of the entire situation.

And, for the record, she thought Juanita was her assistant, and she was like a second coming of Beyonce, so, he can honestly pull himself from whatever alternative universe she was in after suffering from head trauma and post-traumatic amnesia.

But, as devastating as that entire ordeal was, he was there for her through the whole thing.

Venus remembers how she came to, initially realizing what was going on. She’d been in a bad fight, had been assaulted, actually. The papers did a good job of not sparing any detail and pulling that back to her mind with vivid clarity.

There had been a coma - a few days, and then, she was up again. After the brief coma, she woke up looking for her husband, a husband that she did not have, but definitely had been identified as Adonis. He was there, sleeping in a chair, with his hands folded across his chest, slipping in and out of consciousness himself. His knuckles were still bruised, and his eye was still swollen. She could see the dried blood all over his shirt, and knew that little of it was his.

Donnie swiped the phone, with more videos to share. She didn’t need her memory jogged on this though; she knew this was just a way to butter her up, and get her to relax. She knew he was a good guy before anything else, but husband material?

The jury was still out on that one.

“Where is my husband? Nurse Marie, you seen em? He ‘bout, this tall? Probably has gold teeth in the bottom still? Looks like the ‘Merican flag threw up on ‘em? Angry for no reason, arms big as …. I SEE YOU, DAMNIT.”

Venus’ eyes rolled as he smiled at her, and when their eyes met, she was smiling too. She recalled that video, when she was finally stable enough to talk, and once she did, she wouldn’t shut up. He was hiding in hallway with takeout when she had got up, and recorded the whole thing from his vantage point against the wall.

“I need some more recent stuff,” Venus insists as food arrives, giving them a second to pause. 

In retrospect, last night went exactly like she anticipated it to. Venus told herself that she deserved a night out. She deserved to get cute, no, fine as fuck, get fucked up, and go home and do things that she would possibly regret with someone who looked good enough to come back with her.

Maybe.

She doesn’t live life with many regrets, except for this one.

She also admitted to herself that she was drinking to forget, but she didn’t need to do that. Her memory is spotty at best. Like a forgetful ass blue tang fish, at times. It’s frustrating because she wants to remember what the fuck happened, honestly, it’s spotty. She knows it’s useless to be upset about it - this has been the reality for her for the last two years, with little breakthrough.

It’s not helping a fucking thing that she doesn’t know what exactly she needs to do to trigger her memories to be easily recalled, and now she has to deal with it. It’s not impossible. She knows that, and Adonis does too. There has been many breakthroughs between the two of them, but sometimes, she just can’t recall things like she should be able to. Like she used to be able to.

The lingering after effects of barely escaping brain damage and suffering through post traumatic amnesia wasn’t really that bad to live with, it just was… a difficulty.

Venus wonders if her request went unheard as he tears into his super fluffy pancake and pushes the plate of lamb sausage that she wanted, but wouldn’t order, towards her. Spearing a link, her eyebrow goes up, silently anticipating him showing he something that she hasn’t seen before.

She’s not patient about it either, and he laughs.

“You’re so damned antsy,” He smiles, and then motions down at the giant pancake, which she shakes her head at. “Try the pancake. It’s good as hell, V.”

A second later though, she does scoop a little of the strawberry butter onto a small piece and tries not to blush as he smiles at her.

“You trust me, V. Never forget that. I won’t steer you wrong.” Donnie insists, and somewhere near her heart, Venus knows it’s not a lie, or a line. It’s real.

“I could go into my phone and pull up thousands of videos that prove my point when I say that you want me just as bad as I want you. History kinda tends to send me a good woman when I’m not looking for her, and in our situation, I looked the wrong way.”

“I know it’s going to be fucked up once it grows legs, but, I just… I want this. I feel like it’ll be good for you if I just… prove it to you. Gimme a chance to stay with you. A night, a weekend, whatever. I know it’s better now to secure the things I want and not let them slip away from me before it’s too late.”

The conversation resonates with her as she just nods, no protest, and eats her food. Underneath the table, his foot bumps hers. She can’t recall ever seeing Adonis be as smooth as he is, but he is, it works for her, and then, she recalls a time, and smiles.

“You weren’t smooth like this when we first started to flirt, but once you realized I was flirtin’ back, you kinda scared me,” Venus spears a piece of potato, and he chuckles.

At some point, they went from separate dishes to sharing, after he pushes the spring mix to a different plate, it’s a cohesive mesh of pancake and duck hash on both of their plates.

“I used to think… he’s big as fuck. I’d ask Ju before we even knew you personally, like, you see his arms? You see how cut…” They could be having this same conversation in several different places, with the two of them acting the same no matter where they were.

“That’s what does it for you? The arms?” He flexed his muscles for a second as she bit down into her lip, and rolled her eyes softly.

“These same arms are strong enough to lift you up, pick you up when you’re down…” He finished off his water, and repoured it for the two of them as if it was an expensive bottle of wine.

Venus exhaled. For a second, she damned near forgot that she was in public.

“You remember, or you wanna see?”

Her eyes go to his immediately. “Lemme see.”

The bottled tension in her shoulders slipped away when he stood up, making an excuse to go to the restroom, but not before coming behind her chair, and gingerly massaging her shoulders as if she was about to head back into the ring. Venus’ head immediately dropped forward, and seconds later, picked back up to see the Brooklyn line on the table, with the videos section open.

“And, before I come back, just know that it was your idea to record, by the way.” He whispered gently, and her eyebrow went up as he pressed a kiss behind her ear, and served her nothing but back as he headed towards the restrooms.

She watched him the entire way, feeling familiarity overcome her like she hadn’t in a while.

[kpoppedlovely]

If You’ll Have Me

Kihyun One Shot

Word Count: 1565

Summary: Your friend sets you up on a blind date, which you didn’t want to go on. You go regardless, but by the end of the night, you’re glad you did.

I do not want to be here. Why does Nova think I need a boyfriend? I’m perfectly fine being single. Besides, I could get a boyfriend on my own if I wanted one; which I don’t. I stood outside the restaurant ranting to my friend in my head. She set me up on a blind date with her boyfriend’s friend, Kihyun, and set up a reservation at my all-time favorite Hibachi restaurant. She knew eating here would make me more likely to say yes. She knew I wouldn’t like the idea of a blind date, which I don’t, but she thought “you would look good with Hyunwoo’s friend”.

Hyunwoo was nice enough; cute, funny, quite attractive. And he treated Nova like a princess, and was always a gentleman so I gave my friend stamp of approval. But I had never met, or even heard of, his friend Kihyun. I hadn’t seen pictures of him either. I began to guess what he may look like and overthink about what could go wrong.

I wonder if he works out with Hyunwoo. Is he super buff? Maybe he doesn’t work out at all. What if he’s weird? What if he smells bad? What if he’s shorter than me? What if- As my mind began to wonder of what could go wrong with this blind date, I felt a tap on my shoulder followed by a sweet, angelic voice. “Excuse me. Are you Y/N?”

A man, probably early 20’s and about 5 inches taller than me, stood behind me. He had short, chestnut brown hair that reached right above his dark brown eyes. He had a gentle smile and nice sense of fashion; dressed in black skinny jeans,  black converse, a blue and white striped shirt, a dark blue dress shirt over it, and two small dot earrings, one in each ear. He… he’s matching what I’m wearing! That sneaky Nova! She must’ve planned this! I thought it was a little weird she offered to dress me for this date.

“Y-yes, I’m Y/N. Are you Kihyun?” I stammered out my reply and noticed his face lit up a little when I said his name.

“Yeah,” he said while bowing. “I’m Yoo Kihyun. It’s very nice to meet you.” I bowed in response. He’s very charming. And cute. This evening might not be that bad. “Well Miss Y/N, are you ready to go in?”

I smiled at his gesture. “Yes, Mister Kihyun. I do believe I am.” I giggled and walked through the door as he opened it for me. What the heck, Y/N. Don’t giggle like that, it’s weird! Kihyun told the host his name, and he showed us to our table. Looking around the restaurant, it’s super nice. Not too fancy, thankfully. It wasn’t too packed this time of day. It was a little after noon so people were still at work. There was one other couple, two separate families, and a small business meeting. Kihyun’s voice drew me out of my thoughts. “After you,” he said sweetly as he pulled my chair out for me.

We our seats and proceeded to order. I just ordered teriyaki chicken with fried rice and broccoli. Kihyun ordered chicken and steak, fried rice and vegetables with some spring rolls. When our food arrived, I focused a lot on eating thinking it would make me less nervous but nope. I hope he doesn’t think I eat weird. Crap, we locked eyes. Look away, Y/N, look away. Wait, is he smiling? What’s he smiling about? Do I have food on my face??

Dinner went pretty smooth, mostly. I felt so nervous talking to him, only short responses would come out of my mouth. I hated not talking more but I’m not much of a “people-person”. I was sure he didn’t want to be there. I just kind of got that vibe from him. We were getting to the end of our meal which meant the end of the date. I sat patiently; tapping my fingers on the table, sipping on my water, and looking anywhere but at Kihyun. Why am I so nervous?? He’s just a boy. He’s friends with Nova so he can’t be dangerous right? He seems nice enough, but what if he’s just acting nice? He could be playing nice for now but then he’ll turn around and start being a jerk just like Kris and- for the third time today, Kihyun pulled me out of my thoughts by coughing and grabbing my attention.

“You’re not having a good time are you?” I looked up to see Kihyun playing with his food. He sounded… sad? “Nova said you might not like the idea of a blind date with me but I kind of kept insisting…” Is he blushing?

“You kept insisting? Why?” I started to blush, partly because embarrassment. He brushed his hand through his hair, slowly looking up to meet my gaze.

“Because I heard Nova tell Hyunwoo about you. You sounded really nice and funny and, out of curiosity, I asked to see what you looked like.” Kihyun bit his lip, but I could tell he was trying to hide a smile. “I think she said it was from when the two of you went to the Winter Ball. You looked beautiful.” He was looking deep into my eyes, smiling widely.

I immediately knew which picture he meant. I was wearing a slim, figure-fitting red dress. It went down to my ankles and had a slit in the side, going to right above my knee. I wore black heels with a red sole and diamonds on the heel. I looked down at my food, trying to hide my reddening face. I can’t believe Nova showed him that picture! We’ll have to have a talk about that later.

We finished up dinner, paid, and headed outside. He asked if we could walk through the neighboring park, and I responded by just nodding my head. It wasn’t chilly out, thankfully. But our conversations had come to a halt so we just walked around, appreciating the pretty lights illuminating the walking path of the parks perimeter. I looked up at the sky and saw some stars peeking out and I smiled a bit. I felt Kihyun looking at me so I blushed and looked down at the ground and continued walking.

He continued talking, a little more hushed this time. “Nova began to brag about you before, when I asked about you. She said how nice and caring you were, how smart you were, how you loved to cook and play video games. I asked her if she could set us up and told me you weren’t huge about dating. I figured I could try and change your mind… if you wanted to give me a chance.” I could only look at him wide-eyed. Did he really think that about me?

“But we don’t even know each other?” I was quite confused at this point. How could he feel so… strongly about someone through just hearing a description from someone else?

“I know, it’s weird,” he whispered. We both had stopped walking now, him standing only a couple of inches from me. He moved his hand closer to mine grazing his long fingers against the back of my hand. I didn’t flinch as the goosebumps made their way up my arm to the back of my neck and a light blush found its way to my face. “But, when she started describing you and your personality,” he started to hold my hand and moved closer so his eyes were level with mine, “I wanted to get to know you.”

My heart was leaping out of my chest. I didn’t know what to say! How do I respond to this? I want to get to know him too but I’m nervous. I wanted to respond but I could only stutter out nonsense. Kihyun’s eyes widen. He let go of my hand and takes a few steps back. “I am so sorry, I didn’t mean to move so fast! I should’ve known you didn’t like me like that. I shouldn’t have touched your hand without your permission, I’m so sorr-” I cut off Kihyun by quickly stepping forward and kissed his cheek. What the heck Y/N! What are you doing?!

We both stood staring at each other. My face had gotten cherry red, trying to find the words to explain why I just did what I did. Kihyun let a breath in, getting ready to say something but I spoke first. “Kihyun, I’ll be honest with you. I haven’t had the best luck with guys. The last guy I was with he…. it doesn’t matter. But after that, I took a long break from guys; longer than I even realized.” He let out a sigh and looked towards the ground. I curled my finger under his chin and lifted his face towards mine. “But, I’m willing to try. If you’ll have me?” Kihyun perked up and gave me a cute, wide smile. He wrapped his long, warm arms around my waist and twirled me around.

“Thank you so much Y/N. I’ll try and make sure you won’t regret this. I’ll treat you better than any of those jerks from your past.” I giggled and reached my hand up and fixed his frazzled hair.

“I know you will, Kihyun.”

[dotthings]

spn 14.05 is another solid ep, and I’m pretty excited for both Sam and Dean’s invididual storylines this season as well as how their dynamics are evolving.

Breaking my commentaries on the ep out into separate posts. This post is Sam and Dean’s individual arcs with some notes about how the bunker crew links with that since I had a lot to say.

Sam

SPN has been telegraphing Sam as ops manager and a leader of hunters for a few seasons, mostly in S12, so this isn’t coming out of nowhere, but it is also a little surprising because it is defying the expected roles. Dean has been head of family and leader of TFW (which he named) for a really long time. But rather than “stealing” Dean’s storyline—Dean has his own meaty storyline going on—this is a flip in roles. Sam is now the lead manager and strategizer watching over everyone while there is Something Wrong With Dean (more on that in the Dean section).

I have been wanting to see this for a long time—Winchesters as teachers of hunters.

Sam worried about Dean was Sam not sleeping and not shaving. Sam getting Dean back is Sam shaves again but left a little stubble I noticed...and now he is sleeping but only about 3-4 hrs a night which is like the grief beard is gone but leaves some stubble behind. What’s going on in your head, Sam?

He seems grounded and focused and I’m getting no vibe here of Sam trying to hide in being busy, otoh not sleeping enough and losing himself in his new role are red flags. Sam seems to be thriving, but the lack of downtime or full sleeps, he’s compensating for something he felt was lacking before. A sense of purpose other than just killing monsters. A whole bunker of people relies on him. This aligns with Cas finding sense of purpose in being a father to Jack. Jack trying to figure out his own role. Dean is adrift (more on that in the Dean section). What’s Sam’s role outside of Dean’s shadow and little brother, just as we ask what is Dean’s role outside of watching over Sam.

The bunker people are like the cantina is Star Wars. I noticed spn casts and costumes and dresses them non-generically. They are distinct, if un-named and unknown to us. Uptick in incidental casual representarion. Like the cantina, you know every one of them has a good story to tell but we aren’t going to see it. They are background. Worldbuilding. There to give main characters a frame. The crowdedness, the lack of connection the audience feels—kinda part of the point. It’s there to reflect on our main characters. Sam as leader, Dean feeling out of step. Hunter community at work.

Sam leads them and he knows them and cares—remember he knows them and audience doesn’t (please try to remember that distinction)—but he isn’t one of them. Sam takes point in saving Maggie and feels responsible for watching over this rookie hunter. He’s not in the group hug reunion with Maggie. He watches over them. SPN is having Sam and Dean witness a warm supportive hunter community circle, while they build and expand their extended family, Sam, Dean, Cas, and Jack all living under one roof even if some wander in and out, their connection with Jody and the Waywards, Mary (who is in and out) maybe AU Bobby...AU Charlie question mark...Rowena is possibly drawn into this as well, she is there in a pinch. But 4 steady bunker inhabitants.

The big warm circle that surrounds Maggie isn’t anything Sam and Dean had growing up...maybe SPN is showing them a possible future. Maybe telegraphing, maybe just a comment on what they’ve somewhat missed out on but are building for themselves, and the AU hunters will return home.

Sam is emerging amid all this into a role other than “little brother in distress” or “research guy.”

Dean

The annoyance Dean feels at the bunker overrun with strangers, the sense of being out of step, while Dean recovers from trauma—that’s all on purpose and it’s not here to diminish Dean or cut him out. Dean had drilled into him by John since the age of 4 that his only value was “watch out for Sammy” and then that expanded to “keep all my loved ones alive.” “You did it for me, for Jack, for family.” Or look at Dean’s devastation over losing Cas. It’s not just about Sam. Dean’s relationship with family is a mutli-armed thing. Dean doesn’t define himself looking after Cas the way he did with Sam but Dean’s primary role is still “protect the ones I love” and that encompasses Cas. Which is admirable but also what else is he? Just as Sam isn’t just little brother in peril research guy with demon blood. Who is Dean?

S14 is showing Dean’s trauma and showing us more of his geeky side. It’s explored how fear drives his actions at times. In this ep we see his out of stepness with the crowded bunker. Dean, without a whiff of restlessness or regret or resentment, accepts Sam’s new role. Dean still seems like head of family, emotionally. But Sam is managing a bunkerful of hunters and takes point to save Maggie. What role does Dean see for himself if “Sammy” is a capable, competent grown-ass adult with a skill for managing a whole team of hunters and has become a mentor to them? Dean has already mentored Sam and now the mentor is mentoring others. Which fits with Sam and Dean mentoring Cas who is now teaching Jack how to hunt.

The talk Dean has with the old man’s daughter, about the old man, yells with John parallels. The father consumed with his work who emotionally neglected his children. All the things we know of how John raised his kids, not just neglect but at the least emotional abuse. The horrors he drew his children into. Dean advising her to put it behind her, to not let the bad feelings and hurt define her and how he tries to do that “every day” inplies it’s not the least bit easy and it’s a work in progress. It’s not about forgiveness even. It’s an admission it’s not okay what happened but he’s also not willing to let it consume him. It doesn’t define him. Dean has come to terms with John as a not great father. He had his confrontation with Mary, he loves her and hates her and forgives her. Dean’s his own person, not consumed with pleasing his parents. It hurts but he’ll keep moving forward. He’s trying to figure out how not to drown in the post-Michael trauma—no getting over it but he’ll keep putting one foot in front of the other and be Dean as much as he can. Not avoiding or denying. It just is.

Dean’s post-Michael trauma isn’t healed but Dean seems to be moving towards some self-acceptance. He’s not threatened by Sam as leader he just isn’t sure what his role is while Sam is doing that. He’s so used to his job being watching over someone who is now on more even footing with him. Roles change. Characters evolve—as they certainly should on a show over a decade old.

As I expected, Michael Dean continues to be an A-plot. This time sneaking into a MOTW. So we have flashbacks and we have Dean being directly confronted in realtime with the dominoes Michael knocked over, his supermonsters.

That djinn saw something horrifying when it touched Dean. It was something that scared the beejesus out if a djinn who specializes in feeding off other people’s fears. So it’s something that scares the djinn, not just something Dean fears. WTF did the djinn see inside Dean?

Maybe my theory about sleeper Michael hiding in there isn’t wrong, or maybe it’s something even scarier than Michael.

So for Dean we have a slow burn self-acceptance and how he is dealing with his trauma, Dean coming to terms with the nature of his parents as parents, Dean trying to figure out how he fits in the crowded bunker, Dean’s role re-aligning as he and Sam move past their childhood roles of “Dean protect Sammy” as their primary mechanism, and Dean continuing to be faced with his nemesis, Michael, via fallout...his mirror as well as Michael represents some fears Dean has about the darker aspects of himself.

There’s a lot going on for both Sam and Dean and in turn the relationship is growing into a space where I’m regaining some of my feeling of connection with it that I lost. While placing them in context of being part of the wider family of TFW 2.0 and plonking a warm supportive hunter community under their noses for them to witness. Oh and Cas is with Jack in Sarasota, a beach community, after Dean’s talk last season about TFW retiring on a beach.