#we'll be fine was interesting that was the only one i knew nothing about going in

[weirdly-enough]

hm. first listen ranking

Love In Paradise

God Games

Little Wolf

We'll Be Fine

Legendary

[cressidagrey]

It's a Love Story - Chapter 1

Summary:

Azriel's shadows find their master a wife.

Azriel would just really like his heart not to get broken again.

And Sky...well, she's just really surprised that that far too handsome male is interested in her at all.

Warning:

Rhys Bashing (as usual), I classified this as Azriel x OC, even when it't technically Azriel x Sellyn Drake (but we kinda know nothing about Sellyn Drake other than that she writes books so Sky is kinda an OC), Cassian is kinda a good guy for once, Azriel has a horrible time, as usual... Stuttering, toxic families (For once I do not mean the IC), Self-Esteem Issues, Secret Identity, Body Image Issues

If any of this triggers you or makes you uncomfortable, please take care of your own mental health and don't read it.

Koschei the Deathless Sorcerer was killed by the Spymaster of the Night Court. 

It was less dramatic than it sounded. At least Azriel thought so. 

And if Lucien hadn���t been a fucking idiot and put himself into a position to be kidnapped by the very same deathless sorcerer…then they wouldn’t even have been in that kind of situation. 

But he had been and so it ended with Azriel so magically exhausted that he collapsed the very same moment Truthteller stroke true once more. 

At least Koschei was slayn. 

And the only reason Azriel had gone to rescue the red-headed male in the first place was the fact that  Lucien was Elaine’s mate. Lucien was the male Elain loved. Azriel couldn’t let him die. 

Couldn’t let Elain feel the devastation of a mating bond broken by death…so his decision making had been quick. Either he would manage to get Lucien free…or he would die trying.  There wasn’t many things that he wouldn’t do for the female he loved. Even when he knew it shouldn’t be. 

Azriel had never been very good at knowing when enough was enough after all, wasn’t he?

No price was high enough to pay when it was about Elain’s happiness, as far as Azriel was concerned.  

He hadn't expected to wake up, and yet… there he was. Alive and whole.

*I hope it was worth it, Master,* the shadows sniped at him.

He blinked, taking in the dim light of the room, taking in the familiar surroundings. His room in the House of Wind.

“You are a fucking idiot, you know?” Cassian hissed at him from his place at his bedside and Azriel blinked at him.

"Lucien?" he brought out hoarsely.

"Not as much as a fucking scratch on him. Thanks to you," Cassian responded. "You on the other hand...Madja thought you were going to fucking die from pure magical exhaustion!"

Even Azriel he had...it would have been worth it. Lucien had made it out alive - and that was all that mattered in the end. Elain would be happy. That was all he cared about.

He didn't say that aloud though. 

He took a deep breath, opening his eyes again. "How long was I out?" he asked.

"Three days," Cassian growled. "Three. Days."

Azriel sat up slowly, wincing at the ache in his muscles. It felt like his entire body was one giant bruise, every inch of him pained and sore.

"Lay back down," Cassian snapped.

Azriel shot him a glare, but sank back onto the bed nonetheless. "I'm fine," he grumbled. "Just tired."

"Yeah, well, we'll let Madja be the judge of that," Cassian snapped. "And when you are feeling better, I am going to kill you for going off on your own!"

Azriel just gave him a weary look. "Better me than you," he said dryly. He closed his eyes, feeling a deep exhaustion settle over him. Cassian had Nesta to think about. Azriel didn't. Azriel just had himself.

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?!" Cassian demanded.

Azriel didn't have the energy to answer

He dosed off, feeling the shadows twine around him. They were muttering, words he could c quite understand, bitching under their breath but for once it was comforting.

He woke up, feeling groggy and disoriented. His eyes felt like sandpaper, and his limbs were heavy. He groggily blinked at the room, feeling like he was in a haze.

It took him a moment to realize he wasn't alone. Cassian was still there, as was Madja.

Azriel groaned, pushing himself up into a sitting position. His head was throbbing, and his vision was a little blurred. He rubbed his face, trying to clear the fog from his mind. "Hey," he said, his voice rough and gravelly.

Cassian and Madja both looked at him, their expressions relieved. "How are you feeling?" Madja asked him, moving closer to the bed and waving a hand in front of his face.

"Like I was hit by a wagon," Azriel admitted. His muscles felt tight and sore, his body heavy with fatigue. His wings felt like they were made of lead, and every movement took a huge effort.

"That's unsurprising considering you nearly magicked yourself to death," Madja said gruffly. "Your body had a tremendous amount of stress and strain put on it. You're lucky to be alive."

He gritted his teeth. "Yeah, well, I didn't have a lot of other options," he pointed out.

Madja just let out a huff and began prodding and poking at his body, running her hands over his wings and checking his pulse. Cassian watched anxiously from the side, his arms crossed over his chest.

Azriel bore her ministrations in silence, trying not to wince as she poked and prodded at him. He knew she was just trying to help, but it didn't make the ordeal any more pleasant.

After what felt like forever, she finally stepped back, nodding to herself. "You're lucky, shadowsinger," she said gruffly. "You're lucky you're so damn resilient," she said, and he couldn't tell if it was a compliment or just an observation.

He looked at her blearily. "I guess I can add that to my list of things to be proud of," he muttered sarcastically.

Cassian barked out a laugh, but Madja just rolled her eyes. The door opened at that moment. "How's he doing?" Rhys demanded.

Azriel wanted to let out a sigh at the sight of Rhys. He loved his brother, but he didn't have the energy for a lecture right now.

Madja turned to Rhys. "He's weak and he's stupid," she snapped. "But he's alive."

Rhys let out a sigh, the tension in his shoulders easing just a little. "Thank you, Madja," he said. "Would you...give us a moment?"

Madja nodded, patting Azriel's leg as she got up to leave. "Rest," she ordered. "And no strenuous activity for at least a week."

As soon as the door closed behind her, Rhys turned to Azriel. "What were you thinking?" he demanded, his eyes blazing.

"I was thinking that I was saving Lucien's life," Azriel replied evenly, meeting his brother's gaze. "I couldn't let him die, Rhys."

"Wouldn't that have made it easier for you?* Rhys demanded sharply mentally. *You are the one that fancies himself in love with Elain.*

Maybe it shouldn't hurt him as much as it did. He didn't fancy himself in love with her. He was in love with her. Had been in love with her and Rhys had been the one to order him away from her, which had given Lucien the opportunity to swoop in and Elain had...Elain had given in. Given in to that Siren Song of the Mating Bond and was very much in love with her mate now. 

It hurt to hear Rhys say it like that, like it was just some passing infatuation that he'd gotten over.

*Lucien is her mate,* he responded simply. He didn't say what he really thought. He didn't say that he would rather have Elain be happy and never talk with him again than to have her wilt like one of her flowers because her mate had died and the mating bond would be broken… He didn't say that he loved Elain enough, that her happiness was more important to him than anything else. He didn't say any of that.

*At least you are recognising that now,* Rhys said with a snort.  Azriel didn't flinch. Didn't react.

He hid away in that little corner of his brain he went to when everything became too much. Where he could just shut up all his feelings, all these pesky emotions, and just be...nothing. Nothing. That's the only thing he still had left.

He just shrugged, schooling his face into a careless expression. "I did what I had to do, Rhys," he repeated stubbornly. "Lucien is a good male. He didn't deserve to die."

"Elain wants to thank you," Rhys said suddenly.

Azriel's stomach twisted as Rhys mentioned Elain. He felt a pang of longing in his chest, a desperate ache to see her, to touch her, to hear her voice. But he knew he couldn't. He couldn't subject himself to the torture of seeing her with her mate, seeing her happy in Lucien's arms.

So his answer was definite: "There is no need for that," he said simply.

Rhys gave him a sharp look. "Don't be an idiot," he said gruffly. "She's been worried sick about you."

But Azriel just shook his head, even as his heart thudded in his chest.

*You can keep it together for 5 minutes,* Rhys snapped into his mind.

"Rhys," Cassian said carefully. "If he doesn't want to, just let it..."

"He's being ridiculous," Rhys snapped, interrupting Cassian. "Elain is family.”

Azriel grit his teeth but didn't respond. He didn't have the energy for an argument right now. He just wanted to sleep.

*See her for 5 minute snad then you can sulk like a spoiled child until you feel better about yourself,* Rhys bargained drily.

Azriel hesitated. He knew he should see her, knew that it would make things easier for everyone if he did. But the thought of seeing her, seeing her happy with Lucien when he was so miserable, was like a knife to the gut.

"Does it even matter what I want?" he asked, his voice flat.

Rhys let out a frustrated sigh, looking at him with exasperation. "Az, stop being so damned stubborn. Elain has been worried sick about you - the least you can do is let her see that you are alive."

Azriel didn't say anything. Didn't respond. He just stared at Rhys, feeling like every fiber of his being was being pulled apart. He wanted to see her. Wanted to see her more than anything. But he knew that once he saw her, he wouldn't be able to hold himself together. He would break. He would shatter into a thousand pieces.

"Just...come on, Az," Rhys said finally. "Let her see you. She needs to know you're alright."

Azriel knew he couldn't say no. Knew he couldn't hurt her like that. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. "Fine," he said softly. "But just for five minutes."

Five minutes. He could do five minutes. He had to. For her…

She was still as achingly beautiful as she always had been. These devasting brown eyes, the caramel curls...

Azriel's breath hitched at the sight of her, and he felt a wave of conflicting emotions wash over him. Love, longing, sadness, and that bittersweet pang of being so close to something he could never have.

Behave, Rhys warned him sharply.

He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. Trying to push back that wave of feelings that threatened to drown him. It was just five minutes, he reminded himself. Five minutes. He could do this.

The shadows swirled around him, welling up with intensity, shrouding much of his body in inky blackness and Elain flinched back from them.

She had never quite warmed up to them. Azriel was just thankful for that display, for keeping her away from him as she entered the room, Lucien on her heels.

"How...How are you feeling?" she asked him, her voice soft.

He could tell that she was worried, that she was concerned for him. It warmed something inside him, and he hated himself for it. 

"I'm fine," Azriel answered hoarsely.  "Just tired.

"I...thank you," Elain said softly, binting her lip. "If you hadn't...if you hadn't killed Koschei and freed Lucien...I...Thank you, Azriel."

Hearing her say his name again was like a punch to the gut. It was both a comfort and a torture, to be so close to her and yet so far away. He swallowed hard, biting back the words that threatened to spill out.

"You don't owe me any thanks," he said quietly. "I just did what had to be done."

"I do owe you my life," Lucien disagreed. "Thank you. Without your interference...I wouln't have survived, " he said flatly.

Azriel just shrugged, feeling a wave of bitterness wash over him. He had saved Lucien, had risked his life to save the male who was mated to the female he loved. It was a strange sort of irony.

"It's fine," he said roughly. "I'm just glad I got there in time."

He couldn't look at her. Couldn't look at Lucien. It hurt too much. So he stared at the floor, willing the shadows to consume him entirely.

"We are all just happy you are feeling alright," Elain said softly. "I...I was worried about you. Everyone was."

Azriel forced himself to look up at her, his heart clenching at the sincerity in her eyes. She really had been worried about him. "I'm alright," he promised her, his voice rough. "Really. I just need some rest."

Elain hesitated, taking a step forward. He could hear her heartbeat, could feel the warmth radiating off her skin. It was torture to be so close to her and yet so far away. It was torture to know that she was so close and yet so unattainable. He wanted to reach out, to touch her, to hold her, but he knew he couldn't. He held onto that last shred of reason he had.

She tugged a piece of hair behind one delicately arched ear...and that was the moment he saw the gold and pearl ring that decorated her ring finger.

"Congratulations." He wasn't sure how he even brought out these words...how he managed to make them sound...appropriately happy for her.

It took a herculean effort to say those words, to offer a smile that barely reached his eyes. Every fibre of his being was screaming in protest, yelling that he should have been the one giving her that ring, that he should have been the one by her side. But he pushed back those feelings, burying them deep down inside of himself. He couldn't let her see how he truly felt. He couldn't let her know how much it was tearing him apart to stand there and look at her. Look at her with her mate, with the male she loved, the one she had chosen. 

"Congratulation," he repeated, his voice a little rougher than before.

"It wouldn't have been possible without you," Elain said, with a smile.

Azriel just nodded, feeling a lump in his throat. He couldn't find the words to respond, couldn't find the words to express the tangle of emotions swirling inside of him. He just sat there, feeling more alone and isolated than he had in a long time.

Elain took another step in his direction, seemingly ready to reach out, but Cassian intercepted her. placing a gentle hand on Elain's shoulder. "He needs his rest," he said softly. "Let's leave him be for now."

Azriel felt a pang of gratitude towards Cassian. Elain hesitated, looking torn.

"I wish you every happiness," Azriel brought out his voice hoarsely. Not even a lie.  It was the frank truth in these words and Elain gave him a smile, before Lucien's hand came to rest at her lower back, guiding her out of the room.

Thank the cauldron. They were gone. 

He slumped back into the pillow.  He was falling apart. He was exhausted, emotionally and physically. He just wanted to be left alone, to lick his wounds in peace.

"Az..." Cassian said carefully, but he cut him off.

“I am tired,” Azriel said, his voice hoarse. “I need to sleep.”

The shadows swirled around him tighter. 

Rhys and Cassian exchanged a look, before Cassian nodded, "Alright," he said. "Get some rest."

He laid down properly, closing his eyes, calling the shadows to him wordlessly. They swamred around him immediately. Damn Near suffocating him.  It was the only thing that kept him from starting to sob.

The shadows embraced him, wrapping him in their inky blackness, shielding him from the outside world. They were his only comfort, just like they had been for centuries. 

*We are there, Master.* They promised him softly. *It will be fine, Master.*

He didn’t believe a fucking word they said. 

*We are not willing to lose you, Master. We aren’t interested in finding a new master,* they told him seriously. He choked out a laugh that turned into a sob. 

*Sleep, Master. We'll keep watch,* they promised him.

And they did. 

Bone deep exhaustion meant that at least his sleep was dreamless. At least that was given to him. It was a small mercy. 

When he woke up again, Nesta was there, sitting in an armchair reading.

Azriel blinked, feeling disoriented and groggy. He sat up slowly, wincing as his wounds protested the movement. Nesta looked up from her book, her expression neutral.

"How are you feeling?" she asked him quietly.

"Fine," he answered, his voice hoarse. He was fine. He would be fine. 

"Thank you," Nesta said suddenly.

Azriel looked up at her, surprised. He wasn't even sure what she was thanking him for.

"For what?" he asked, his voice rough with sleep.

“You nearly got yourself killed to save my sister’s mate. I think Thank you is the least I owe you," Nesta said drily.

She mustered him with grey eyes and he knew that she knew. Knew that she knew or at the very least could guess about his feelings for Elain and probably be right. She wouldn't say anything, but she knew.

He didn’t want to talk about this anymore. It was over with. Done. 

Lucien and Elain could be happy and Azriel…Azriel would hide away somewhere. 

"You don't owe me anything," he waved Nesta off weakly, but she didn’t seem to want to take the hint, sticking out her chin. 

"Yes, I do," Nesta disagreed. "You are the reason why my little sister is happy right now," she told him fiercely. He swallowed down the unkind words at the tip of her tongue...didn't say anything. Didn't.... He didn’t want to think about this. He didn’t…

"Is there anything I can do?" Nesta asked him, her voice soft. "Anything at all, Az?" H knew that he could ask for anything and Nesta would do her level best to give it to him. She was stubborn like that. He had half a mind to ask her to use her silver flames to put him on fire and put him out of his misery. 

He didn’t. 

Even that wouldn’t fix it. 

There was nothing. There was absolutely nothing to make it any better. There was nothing that could...that could fix the ache in his chest.

"Porridge," he said, his voice hoarse.

"Porridge?" Nesta repeated incrediously.

"Porridge with honey. I am hungry," he repeated, meeting her gaze. Food. Food. More Sleep. More Work. He could fill his waking hours with useless things and everybody would be happy. 

Nesta just looked at him for a moment, then inclined her head.

"Porridge with honey. Alright," she agreed. Just a moment later a massive bowl of Porridge with honey drizzled on top, appeared on his bedside table, so hot it was steaming. Seemed like the house was in a mood to spoil him. He even got a whiff of cinnamon from it.

"Thank you," he thanked Nesta's creature aloud as the shadows fetched the bowl and held it up for him to eat a spoonful. "What are you reading?" he asked Nesta, changing the topic. 

She was polite enough not to say anything about it. 

Nesta held up her book. “The newest Sellyn Drake novel,” she replied.

"Is it any good?" he inquired, stirring his porridge gently.

“It’s brilliant," Nesta gushed, her eyes devoured the pages as soon as she looked down to continue reading.

"You seem to really like it," he pointed out, taking another bite of his porridge. "It is brilliant," Nesta agreed readily. “The plot is so intricate and twists and turns and the characters are so deep and complex and their emotions are so real and the romance is so...” she trailed off, blushing slightly.

He opened his mouth to respond...but then he heard her.

Mor. Of course.

He couldn’t deal with Mor. Not right now. But there she was, Rhys hot on her heels.

Nesta heard her too, rolling her eyes, curling back up on her chair, making it very clear that while she was going nowhere, she was letting him deal with it on her own. 

And he didn’t want to deal with Mor. 

But there she was. 

Mor came strolling into the room, her usual confident smile firmly in place. Rhys just looked at Azriel, his expression unreadable.

He didn't say it.  But Azriel knew. Behave. That’s all Rhys was telling him these days.  Either it was about Elain and Lucien...or about Mor and Emerie. Like Azriel would ever do anything to put that in jeopardy. Like Azriel was a jealous child that wouldn't allow Mor to be happy on her own terms. Like...

Azriel ignored the sharp pang of hurt that shot through him at Rhys's look.

Still it was better than looking at Mor…he couldn’t bear to look at Mor. 

 Didn't want to look at Mor, in her usual bright red, skin baring dress, that clung to all her curves...didn't want to look at the female he had spent centuries in love with even when he had known that she was never going to return his affections...it hadn't helped him. He had still been in love with her.

And he had still hoped...hoped against all hope that maybe...maybe there would be a time where she would return his affection...that maybe there would be a time where...

But there wouldn't. He knew. He knew. And he had still been in love with her.

Would have given damn near anything for her attention, for that broad smile on her face to be directed in his direction...would have given anything for her to bound over to his bedside and envelope him in her arms...to feel her soft skin against his as she hugged him fiercely, cinnamon and citrus enveloping him.

Now...now it felt like somebody was pouring salt into a gaping wound. Now it felt as painful as the fire and oil on his hands had. She was flaying him alive and she wasn’t even aware that she was hurting him. 

"How are you feeling, Az?" Mor's voice was gentle, concerned. He knew it was genuine, knew that Mor really cared about him. But he couldn't bring himself to look at her. Not when his heart was bleeding out just from the sound of her voice.

"Fine," he answered, his voice flat. "Nothing that sleep won't fix," he promised her, even as her hands fluttered around him as she sat down on his bedside...

She was so close. He could reach out and touch her, could feel the soft fabric of her dress against his fingertips. He clenched his fists, willing himself to keep his hands to himself.

But he couldn't help it. He looked up at her, meeting her eyes. He could see the concern there, the worry. He felt a pang of guilt for putting that look on her face. He didn't want to cause her any distress. 

"I'm just glad you are feeling better," Mor sighed, gently patting his arm. "You had us all worried for a moment there," she admitted softly.

Even just the touch of her hand felt like she was branding him. He wanted to flinch away and forced himself no to.

It was like a bittersweet poison, the way she touched him. It was so familiar, so comforting. But it was also so painful, a reminder of what he could never have.

He looked away, staring down at his hands. They were shaking, just a little. He clasped them together, the monstrous scars that covered them, standing out starkly.

The shadows trembled around him, pulling nearer, growing darker and Mor watched them with a raised eyebrow. "Worried, are they?" she teased him slightly.

*You are fine, Master,* the shadows promised him. *No more fire,* they promised him fiercely. But it didn’t help. He didn’t trust himself to speak without his voice cracking.

Mor seemed to sense his discomfort and stood up, her hand slipping from his arm. "Just rest and get better soon, alright?" she said softly, taking a step back.

"Thank you," he thanked her, his voice hoarse.

He risked a glance up at her, just a quick look. Her face was soft, her eyes filled with warmth. He felt his heart squeeze in his chest and he had to look away again. He wasn't sure how much more of this he could take.

"We should let him rest, Mor," Rhys said, giving Azriel another look.

"Right, right," Mor agreed, already turning towards the door. "Rest up, Az," she said again, giving him one last smile as she disappeared out the door.

Azriel felt a sense of relief wash over him as she left the room. 

Gone. Thank the cauldron. He couldn't take much more of her presence, not right now. 

He didn't even want to know why Rhys had accompanied her. Probably because he was worried that Azriel wasn't going to behave.

What was he supposed to do instead? Tell Mor about how much she had hurt him over the centuries? How she had given him jut enough scraps of her affection to make him yearn for more but never telling him that she didn’t love him like that? 

He wasn’t going to do that. 

He didn't want to look at Rhys right now, didn't want to face the scrutiny of his high lord's gaze. He just wanted to be left alone.

He knew that Rhys was watching him, that the male wanted to say something. But Azriel didn't want to hear it. He didn't want to hear the lecture, the warning. He just wanted to be left alone.

The room fell silent, except for the sound of his own breathing. He closed his eyes and sank deeper into the mattress. Maybe if he just pretended to sleep, Rhys would leave him alone.

"He's tired. You should let him sleep," Nesta said flatly.

Leave it to Nesta to tell Rhys to stuff it, he reflected weakly. He heard Rhys sigh, but he kept his eyes closed. And after a moment, he heard the sound of footsteps leaving the room.

He let out a breath he didn't know he was holding, feeling a wave of relief wash over him. 

Alone. Safe. Mostly at least. 

Life went on. It always did.

The exhaustion went away after a few days... he caught up on Paperwork in the meantime. He sent the shadows off to find him one information or other and they didn't even bitch to him that badly, which told him that even they felt bad for him.

Behave. That’s all Rhys was telling him these days.

So he did. He behaved.

He did his job. He did everything Rhys could possibly want from his spymaster. 

He didn’t argue. He didn’t fight. He did his job and he trained and he did everyhting that was expected off him. 

And then he hadn’t tortured himself enough… and he went to visit Rosehall.

Where his mother lived.

Under the Mountains had it’s own kind consequences. This was one of them: His mother didn’t even want to talk to him anymore. 

50 years without him...and his mother had made herself a new family. A family that he wasn’t welcome in. A family that she wanted him nowhere near. He couldn’t fault her for it. Not at all.

She had been half a child when she had had him and it hadn’t been by choice.

So who could blame her for making a new family with people that weren’t as fucked up in the head as he was? Not Azriel.

Azriel didn’t blame her at all. Azriel left her in peace. He didn't reach out. He made sure that she was fine, that she had enough money to never worry about it and otherwise dissappeared from her life. 

His shadows kept an eye on her…He shored up the wards around Rosehall and caught a glimpse of her. And then he left it at that. She looked happy. That’s all he cared about.

Happy and safe and…she didn’t need him. She didn’t want him around her either, and he could understand that too.

And still, it hurt. It hurt so fucking much. 

But 

*You know the rules,* he told the shadows quietly. *You don’t need to report to me about her anymore. Keep an eye on her and only tell me if she is in danger or hurt.*

*Yes, Master,* they agreed readily. 

So he went back to the House of Wind. Back to Velaris…Back to work. 

He went back to his routine, back to his duties, back to his mask of indifference. He hid the pain behind his usual stoic facade, only letting his shadows know how much it hurt. He threw himself into his work, using it as a way to distract himself from his own loneliness.

And when he wasn't working, he would spend hours and hours in the training ring in the House of Wind, working himself to exhaustion. Anything to try and drown out the ache in his heart.

For gods sake, he even attended Elain and Lucien’s mating ceremony. And gifted them an appropriate gift. He behaved just like Rhys wanted him too.

He even summoned up a smile for them on their special day, hiding his own pain behind a mask of false happiness. He congratulated them both, feeling a pang in his chest at the sight of Elain's beaming face. But he didn’t let it show. He behaved. Like Rhys wanted him too.

He stayed for the whole thing. Stayed for the dancing, stayed for the feast. Stayed until he could physically take it no more. And then he had retreated to that training ring again, beating his pain and loneliness out on whatever dummy he could find.

He was so tired. Tired of hiding, tired of pretending. Tired of pretending like nothing was wrong. He wanted nothing more than to just scream and rage and shout and cry. But he didn’t. He held it all in. Bottled it up like he was so good at doing.

He was in the bathtub, sluicing off the sweat he was drenched in…shaking off his wings just because he could move them however he wanted to

*You should go out, Master,* the shadows suggested seriously. *Go out and find a female.*

He just snorted. *Not interested,* he sniped back harshly. *I am not getting my heart broken again.*

Everybody could just fuck off and leave him alone. Even when he was aching…aching for somebody in his life that loved him. For whom he could be everything. Somebody he could dote on. Somebody that wanted his attention, that wanted his love…that would like his ruined hands on their body and wasn’t paid to simply acccept it. 

*You could let us pick her!* the shadows suggested brightly.

His eyes snapped back open and he glared at the shadows swirling around the room. *Absolutely not,* he said firmly. *I mean it, you stay out of it.*

*We can’t do a worse job than you do,* they sniped at him. *Neither The Seer nor The Morrigan would have suited you at all.*

*Excuse me?!* 

*You heard us, Master,* the shadows said, sounding far too smug for their own good. *And you know it.*

Azriel just glared at them, feeling his temper start to rise. *I know I wasn’t good enough for them,* he snapped. *You don’t need to tell me that.*

*You think you weren’t good enough for them?!* The shadows asked him incredulously.

*They deserve better. So much better than me,* he said quietly. "I'm not good enough for either of them. Never was.*

What was he, after all? An Illyrian bastard? A monster? Either? Both? 

He had never said it out loud before, not even to himself. But in that moment, lying in the water, his heart so raw and exposed, he couldn't help but speak the truth that he had always known but never admitted to himself. "I'm not good enough for either of them," he repeated softly, the weight of his words settling heavily on his chest.

He knew it was true. Mor was a golden ray of light, the embodiment of beauty and grace. Elain was sweet and gentle and kind, a pure soul in a sea of darkness. 

And what was he? Damaged. Broken. Scarred. Inside and out.

He had done unspeakable things, things that would haunt his nightmares for centuries to come. He was nothing compared to them. He was darkness, they were light. And they deserved better than him, far better than him.

Even if he had loved Mor with every fiber of his being, even if he had yearned for her with every beat of his heart, even if he had dreamed of her every night, it didn't matter. It had never mattered. Because he wasn't good enough for her. And he never would be.

He wasn’t good enough for Elain. The mother hadn’t thought it to be prudent to make them mates. Both of his brother had been gifted with a mating bond, but not him. That should tell him everything he needed to know abotu the state of his own soul. 

So why…why should he even try anymore. 

Why shouldn’t he just stew in his own misery, alone and heartbroken and a monster and expect everybody to just leave him alone? There was no point of putting himself out there again. There was nothing out there for him. Nothing but more pain.​​

So he closed his eyes again, sinking lower into the water, letting the warmth soothe his aching muscles. He let out a long sigh, his mind already racing with thoughts of his next missions, his next assignments. Because that was all that really mattered now. His job. His duties. His responsibilities. That was all he had left.

Behave. That’s all he was good for. 

*Alright, that’s fucking enough,* the shadows snapped. *You are not letting The High Lord talk to you like that any longer, Master.*

Azriel was so surprised by their fucking vehemence that he could just stare at them. 

*The Morrigan used you for centuries to make herself feel better about herself,* the shadows snapped. *She used the feelings you had for her and that she was very much aware of to strangle you and keep you in line.*

Azriel swallowed. He knew they were right. He knew that Mor had used his feelings for her for a long time. She had led him on, given him false hope, only to yank it away time and time again. It had been a painful cycle, one that had left him feeling used and broken and worthless.

*She could have stopped at any time but she never did,* the shadows hissed. *But instead she hurt you on purpose. Instead of turning you down, she slept with other males to show you that you would never have her!*

Azriel felt bile rise in the back of his throat. Mor had flaunted her other lovers in front of him, making it clear that he would never be enough for her. She had used his devotion to her as a weapon against him, wielding it whenever it suited her needs. And he had let her. He had been foolish, desperate enough to cling onto any scrap of affection she might throw his way.

*And The Seer?! Granted she has never done that, but her feelings for you weren’t particular deep when she replaced you on her affections with The Fox as soon as you weren’t available anymore! If she had cared, truly cared, she would have thought about what happened during Winter Solstice,* the shadows snapped.

*And The High Lord? Don’t even let us get started on him,* the shadows snapped. *You haven’t even done anything since that Winter Solstice, and he keeps behaving like some kind of despotic Overlord, worried that his orders won’t be followed. If you wanted to punch him in the face, you probably had every right to it,* they mumbled.

Azriel couldn’t help but snort. 

*You deserve better, Master,* The shadows told him fiercely. *You deserve somebody that loves you.* 

. He wanted to believe the shadows. He wanted to believe that he was good enough, that he deserved more. But the scars on his body and the memories in his mind told him otherwise. He had done terrible things, things that he could never undo. How could someone like that be good enough for anyone?

*Alright,* he finally agreed weakly. *Find me a house,* he told the shadows, as he closed his eyes.

*A house? What kind of house?* the shadows gave back, sounding surprised.

*A house,* he repeated. *A home. Somewhere in Velaris. Find me a home.* Something that could just be his.

A home. The idea sent a flutter through his stomach. He had never…never truly had a home. Had something that could just be his and nobody else’s. Just…a place that was his, where he could be whoever he wanted, where he was accepted and loved...it was appealing. Maybe even more than just appealing.

He closed his eyes, picturing it in his mind. A cozy little house, just large enough for himself. Warm and cozy and filled with light.

*That’s what a male needs to take a wife after all, right?* He asked, a flicker of uncertainty crossed his face. Was that what he should want? What he was supposed to want? He had never really thought about getting married before. But now, at the mention of it, he couldn't help but feel a pang of longing. A wife...a family...love and companionship. It all sounded so…so nice.

*You want to get married, Master?* the shadows asked curioulsy. *To whom?*

*You pick,* he told the shadows. They swarmed out in pure excitment. Azriel couldn’t even remmeebr the last time they had been so excited. 

He couldn't help but chuckle at their reaction. Maybe they would do a better job than him. At least they could probably sieve out females that were in a romantic relationship or preferred females themselves. 

*Find me somebody that I could make happy. Somebody that….Somebody that could want me.* Some long-suffering female for whom Azriel could maybe try to be enough. Somebody that would love him.

*What should she look like?* they asked seriously.

*I don’t care. Find me somebody that loves me and she’ll be the most beautiful female to me anyway.*

[mustainegf]

➜ 𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐏𝐎𝐒𝐓

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟐 — ❝ 𝐆𝐈𝐆𝐒 & 𝐆𝐋𝐀𝐑𝐄𝐒 ❞

The afternoon was late, and finally, the house was silent. No in thewall drumbeats, no guitar riffs drowning out my own thoughts. I sat at the kitchen table, swirling a half empty cup of coffee, trying to work out how I'd survived a whole month living with four guys who seemed hell bent on driving each other crazy. I wasn't paying attention as Kirk came bounding down the stairs, that familiar wild look in his eye.

"Hey, I got an idea," he said, practically sliding into the chair across from me.

I quirked a brow, instantly suspicious. "What kind of idea?"

Kirk grinned. "We got a gig tonight. Small local bar, nothing fancy. You should come.”

I groaned inwardly, my mind flashing to say no. The last thing I wanted to do was stand amidst a sea of sweaty strangers, some guys that I lived with screaming into microphones, headbanging like their lives depended on it. I knew Metallica was on their way up to the top but I wasn't exactly what one would call a "metalhead."

"I don't know, Kirk," I said, slumping back in my chair. "I'm just not really in the mood for—"

"Come on!" he interrupted, the dramatic pout accompanying his lunge forward. "You've been cooped up in this shithole for weeks. You need to get out. Besides, it's not like you've seen us live before."

"I've heard you guys practice," I muttered. "That's pretty much the same thing."

"No, it's not," he said, shaking his head. "It's different when you're out there with the crowd, feeling the energy. It's-

"Why you forcing her arm, dude?" Cliff's tone sliced in as he strolled into the kitchen, his accompanying cloud of weed smoke entering the room a fraction of a second before he did. He followed that up by moseying over to the counter and grabbing a beer.

Kirk fell back in his chair and threw his hands up. "I just want her to come see us play."

Cliff took a sip of his drink and glanced over at me, flashing a lazy grin. "Tell you what, if you come to the gig, I'll share some of my stash with you before we head out. It'll make the show way more interesting, I promise.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Bribery? Really?"

Cliff chuckled. "It's not bribery. It's… encouragement."

I weighed the pros of his offer, the merit of the decision, for a moment. And Kirk wasn't wrong, I had been cooped up in here for weeks, and a part of me always wanted to see these guys live. Then, of course, there was Cliff's weed, which really was the opposite of something to say no to.

"Alright, fine," I finally exclaimed exasperated, rolling my eyes. "I'll go. But only because of the weed."

Kirk triumphantly punched at the air. "Yes! You won't regret it, I swear."

"Yeah, we'll see about that," I said grumbling.

By evening, it became a kind of pre gig war zone, Lars clattering about the kitchen, grumbling at something to do with his bloody drum kit, Kirk and James in and out of their bedrooms noisily tuning their guitars. I kept out of their way sat in the living room, fingers crossed they wouldn't drag me into whatever tortures they were going through.

“Hey," Cliff said, appearing in the doorway with that mischievous grin tugging at his face. He held up a joint between his fingers, wiggling it slightly. "You ready?"

"More than you know," I sighed, getting off the couch and following him out into the backyard.

It was cool outside tonight, a real break from the relentless heat inside. Cliff hit the joint and passed it over to me. I took a deep drag, letting the smoke fill my lungs before exhaling very slowly. The unmistakable warmth settled in almost at once, and I could feel myself begin to relax for the first time all day.

“You're gonna dig the show," Cliff leaned back against the railing. "It's different when we're up there, y'know?"

"I'm sure," I said, handing the joint back to him.

"Especially watching Kirk," he added, taking a hit, "That guy's in his element when he's playin’ live.”

I smiled at that. Kirk had always been obsessed with music, ever since we were kids. To see him actually living his dream, playing guitar, was actually something I was kinda proud of. He deserved it.

Cliff and I had showed up a bit later than everyone else. He gave me one last hit off the joint, his arm thrown casually around my shoulders as we pushed through the crowd.

"Relax, you'll have fun," he said, guiding me through to the side of the stage. "Just try not to overthink it."

"Easier said than done," I muttered, though I did appreciate the sentiment.

We found a spot near the stage and Cliff handed me a beer he'd picked up. I took a sip, looking around at the sea of leather jackets, ripped jeans, and wild hair. This was Metallica's crowd, and though I might not fit in, I couldn't deny the excitement in the air.

The lights went further down yet, and the crowd cheered as the band took to stage. First up at his drum kit, Lars twirled sticks like some sort of showman. Cliff slung his bass over his shoulder, shot a wink in my direction then started plucking out the opening notes of the first song. Kirk and James followed, guitars in hand, the spotlight catching the glint of the metal strings.

And off they went.

I was stuck on Kirk. He was so good up there, tearing through solos like nobodys business. His fingers flew across the fretboard with ease, like it was an extension of himself. Every so often he would glance up toward the crowd where this huge grin would stretch across his face, flashing those crooked teeth.

I couldn't help but smile too, proud of him. Proud that he'd made it this far. I always knew Kirk was destined for something bigger than the shitty suburban life we grew up in, but seeing it in real time was unreal.

But then there was James.

Every now and again I'd catch James shooting me a glare between verses. The first time, I was like, I’m imagining things. But no, there it was, again… and again… and again. His eyes would lock onto mine, narrowing slightly, like he was pissed off for no reason at all. What threw me off was that it made me feel uneasy, like some weird game of chicken with him I hadn't exactly agreed to play.

I had no idea what his problem was. Maybe he just didn’t like my presence, or perhaps he was still sulking over our constant wrangling back at the house. Whatever it was, he seemed pretty determined to keep the hostility alive, even on stage.

The more the night wore on, the rowdier the crowd was, headbanging and shouting their lungs out. Chaos reigned, but alive somehow.

The bar was pretty much vibrating after the show, adrenaline not quite burned off yet. The band was still busy packing up their gear and I retreated backstage to wait for Kirk and Cliff. The weed had worn off by now, well, it left me feeling a little too sober, and a little too aware of the tension in the air.

First to emerge from behind stage, James was dripping with sweat, guitar slung over his shoulder. Really, I didn't expect him to say anything, in fact, I rather he'd just leave me well alone, but this was James.

"Enjoy the show, princess?" he asked, his tone oozing sarcasm.

I gave him a look. "Don't call me that."

A smug smile crossed his lips as he mopped his face with a towel. "Why not? It fits you.”

Arms crossed over my chest, my patience evaporated. "Yeah, well, you're an asshole."

His grin spread wider, seeming to actually like the sparring. "You think I don't know that?"

I rolled my eyes and turned away from him, but he wasn't done. "You looked pretty impressed up there," he called after me, his voice mocking. "Bet you didn't think we were that good, huh?”

“Not everything's about you, Hetfield," I snapped, wheeling back around to face him. "I was watching Kirk."

That seemed to strike a nerve. His smile wavered for half a heartbeat, but in an instant, he snapped it back into place. "Of course you were. Always watching Kirk."

"What's your problem?" I exclaimed frustrated. "Why do you always have to be such a-"

"A what?" he cut in, moving closer. "Go on, say it.

I clenched my jaw. "A jerk."

James laughed again, but there was something wrong with the laugh this time; it was just a shade too dark. "Yeah? Maybe it's just what you bring out in me."

I blinked, something too much like surprise getting the best of me. What the hell was I supposed to take from that?

Before I could utter a word, Kirk bounced out from backstage, totally ignoring the silent friction. "Hey! There you are," he said, flashing me that goofy grin as he threw an arm over my shoulders. "What'd you think of the show?"

I forced myself to smile, trying to brush off whatever weird thing had just happened with James. "You were amazing, Kirk. Seriously, you guys killed it.

"Thanks!" Kirk beamed, still high off the performance. "See? I told you it'd be worth it."

"Yeah," I said, feeling James's gaze on me from a few feet away. "It was definitely something."

But Kirk didn't seem to grasp the unease, and I sure did. I could feel it by the way James's eyes kept on me, awaiting something. But I didn't give him that pleasure of showing it.

I turned back to Kirk instead, who was saying, "Let's get out of here. I'm exhausted.".

As we left, I couldn't shake the hostility from James. For some reason, that thought shook me more than it should.

𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭: @killazilla777— comment or dm to join the taglist!

[crisiscutie]

Yooo been ages, miss you boo! 👀 that you're asking for requests to help with writers blocks. Lets see...

How about if Vincent actually fell for that adorable intern who worked with lucrecia instead? Considering lucrecia revived him out of guilt when he confronted hojo, maybe he as chaos instinctively looked for the darling afterward?

Make it as yandere slash monstrous however much you like it! Or tame. Or drama filled if lucrecia gets jealous, hojo meddling with Vincent's crush, or whatever.

Hey there bae! Thank you so much for this interesting request! Let's just say there are some pretty interesting implications if you spy some hints 👀...

Content Warning: Nothing really beside drama and angst. Pregnant Darling.

Pairing: 🕵️Turk Vincent Valentine/Intern Darling👩‍🔬

Vincent's hand gently glided down your aching body, providing support as he stood you up. Yes, you expected your first pregnancy to be difficult, but that doesn't mean you couldn't complain. The frequent morning sickness, swollen feet, and a back that felt like it was full of tiny painful knots made almost every moment hell for you. That's ignoring the strange, lucid dreams you had since it started. Were those dreams a normal part of pregnancy, or were they a result of the "treatments" you've been involved in? There was no way for you to know, as you had never experienced pregnancy before and had no one trustworthy to guide you. And it would stay like that until you're out of Nibelheim with Vincent tonight.

Although he wanted to give you time to rest and relax, he knew it wasn't feasible. This plan had been in the works for a while, but the worsening of your condition forced both you two to act now. Neither of you could let Hojo and Lucrecia continue their twisted experiments on you. Lucrecia had you doing busy work as her intern until she and Hojo offered you the opportunity to carry their child, in exchange for the better life you'd get after they're born. And like the feckless grunt you were, you took it, and it easily became the worst decision you ever made in your life.

"I'm fine, Vincent," you said and moved away from his grasp. You picked up a small bag and hastily walked down the hallway. Just as you were about to reach the entrance, he caught up to you and placed a hand on your shoulder.

"Darling. We need to talk."

"We don't have much-"

"No, you need to listen to me," you pleaded, turning around to meet his pained, red eyes. Your own eyes were on the verge of tears. "You didn't ask for this. You had no idea they were going to subject you and their child to experiments."

"That's the point! I should've fucking known! Two lunatics somehow needing a surrogate should've been suspicious from the start! And I didn't even want to do it. But I let them talk me into it. All because I wanted the money for us to settle down..."

"And we can still do that now. We'd give their child a normal life away from this. Together." he whispered. That very last word of his broke you down. You're not sure you're ready to be a parent. You're just barely getting started with adulthood, but this mess happened. A part of you knew you should've stayed a paper pusher in this shitty science department. Despite this internship from hell, there was one silver lining, Vincent himself.

Ever since you were assigned to work under Lucrecia, he has always been there for you. He was not just a shield to protect you from harm; he was your soulmate. The only bond you had within the cold, dark halls of this mansion. She wanted you to stay away from, but you couldn't care less. He was simply the best you could ever ask for.

"There might be guards outside, waiting for us..." you said.

He moved in closer, resting his forehead against yours. "We'll make it through," he assured, before giving you a deep and passionate kiss. It caught you off guard, but this reassurance was exactly what you needed. Your frown transformed into a small smile.

"I'll hold you to that," you said, squeezing his hand. He chuckled in response. Resting your other hand on your belly, you both continued to walk together. You knew there would be people waiting on the other side of that door, but you were ready to face them down with Vincent at your side.

I had to cut a bit out but I definitely wanna continue this if y'all liked it?

[privatehousesanatomy]

House x Reader

Reader forces House to go with his Team (you decide which combo) and Wilson to an amusement park. And with Reader of course.

House only agrees because he secretly has a thing for Reader.

_________

I just think this could be very funny. LMAO :D

this is literally such a cute little idea i love it! hopefully this does it justice!

GREGORY HOUSE X READER

🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷

Amusement parks weren't typically disability friendly as there weren't many rides that would accommodate people with mobility aids. The mere idea of going to an amusement park sounded dreadful to House.

"Oh, come on, House. It'll be fun. We've all got tickets for this weekend," you urged. Cameron, Chase, Foreman and Wilson were all going as well.

"Do you honestly think I want to spend hours walking around in the hot sun just to watch everyone else go on rides?" he scoffed, shaking his head.

"It'd be good for you to get out for once. How many more Saturdays can you spend alone on your couch with a porno magazine?" you joked.

"That's not fair. I'm too old and crippled for amusement parks," House frowned.

"Just come with us. You'll have fun, I promise," you begged. "Besides, I think there's supposed to be a monster truck jam in the evening."

The prospect of watching monster trucks live piqued his interest, and as much as he wanted to decline, he knew he couldn't. Plus, it would be a day he would get to spend with you, but he'd never admit that he had a thing for you.

"Fine. But I'm only going for the monster trucks. And you'd better pay for all of my food, too," he huffed, and you simply nodded and smiled.

When Saturday rolled around, House climbed out of the car when the crew pulled up to the amusement park. It's been years since he'd last been to one, and even then he couldn't remember the last time he'd even been to one.

"You guys really expect me to walk around in this heat? I'm going to collapse before we even get through the gates," he scoffed sarcastically, grabbing his cane from the trunk of the car.

"We'll get you one of those scooters," you teased.

"Right, like that won't make me look like an old geezer," House rolled his eyes, though he wasn't completely opposed to the scooter. In fact, he fully planned to rent one.

As they all made it through the gates, the first thing House did was rent one of the scooters, and he sighed in relief when he sat on the seat.

"See? Now you won't complain as much," you teased, and House smirked a little.

"Bold of you to assume I won't find something to complain about today. Or many somethings."

"I wouldn't expect anything less from you."

The day went surprisingly better than House expected it to. He didn't dare get on any of the rides, and no one bothered to pressure him into getting on any rides, either. But the heat was relentless, and House was beginning to get slightly restless.

"You really had to pick the hottest day of the year, didn't you?" he grumbled as he drove the scooter under a shaded area, breathing a sigh of relief when he felt a slight cool breeze.

"It's the only weekend for the next month that wasn't calling for rain," you shrugged, sitting down on the bench beside his scooter. Everyone else was either on a ride or exploring different parts of the park, but you'd stuck with House and Wilson for most of the day.

"Yeah, well, next time you come here, don't bother inviting me. I'll stick to my porno magazines," he joked, grabbing the bottle of water from the cupholder and taking a large drink.

"Oh, come on. You've gotta be having some fun, right?"

"There's nothing fun about being a cripple in an amusement park, Y/N. I'm only here because you wanted me here," he said, and you felt your eyes widen slightly.

"I thought you were only here for the monster trucks?"

"Yeah, right. The monster trucks...That's what I meant," he said, trying to recover himself, but he knew that it was too late.

"You're really here because of me?" you asked. House knew there was no point in trying to argue, so he nodded.

"You were right...I can't keep spending my Saturday's alone," he admitted, looking away for a second. He might have put on the facade that he liked being alone, but in reality, being alone was, well...lonely.

"Well, for what it's worth, I'm glad you agreed to come out today. Next time we'll do something that's a little more your speed."

"Do we have to invite the team? Or Wilson?" he asked, causing you to raise your eyebrows.

"Just the two of us? Like a date?" you asked. House wanted to say no, but deep down, he knew he'd be lying.

"Yeah...I guess like a date," he mumbled. He wasn't good at this whole thing, and he was left feeling pretty awkward.

"I'd like that," you say, much to House's surprise.

"Really?"

"Yes, really. Why do you think I was so insistent on you coming with us today? It was an excuse for me to spend time with you," you said. It all made sense now, and House couldn't believe that he'd missed those clues.

"And so you picked dragging me to an amusement park?"

"I figured the monster trucks would interest you," you shrugged, causing him to smirk a little.

"Well, you were right about that," he replied. At this point, everyone was walking over to where they were sitting, ultimately interrupting the moment.

"The sun's setting. We should probably head over to the arena before the show starts," Wilson said, which everyone promptly agreed to. House glanced over at you and patted the seat on his scooter. You climbed on behind him.

"How come she gets a ride and none of us do?" Cameron asked, and House looked up at her.

"Because she paid for the damn thing," House rolled his eyes, though you knew the real reason why. And with that, House started up the scooter and began driving behind his colleagues as they headed for the arena.

[vulpixisananimal]

"Can you see it from there!!"

(You were all taking a break from walking, it had been a very long day, but! With a bit of luck! You could sleep somewhere that wasn't in a tent! That's why Siffrin, wait, not Siffrin, was up in a tree, having climbed it before anyone even asked.)

"Patience, 'Bella" (Nille replied. She had been comparably fine with the travels.)

"O-oh, right."

(Oh Mirabelle, you should really be used to this by now. You had traveled for what, a whole year before this? You should be used to the long walks and dusty roads.)

(Mal Du Pays jumped off the branch they were hanging from and hopped to the ground with a huff. It tapped its eyes with its fingers and nodded. "I saw it.")

"W-well, if that's the case then we should get going!" (You say, excited. Finally, a nice bed!)

"Hmmmmm, how far away is it though?" (Nille asks.)

(There's a delay before Mal replies, it sighs. It makes two fists and pulls them apart, then makes an x with its arms. "It's far, we should rest.")

"O-oh. . ." (You say, disapointed, b-but, that was ok! One more night out here would be fine!) "You'll be ok with that?"

(It looked at you, nodded, then walked off.)

"pleasant. . ." (Nille said sarcastically, then sighed.) "No, I shouldn't say that."

"I-it's fine, w-we'll get used to it." (You had to admit, Siffrins mental health situation was. . . Complicated. Their memory only got worse, and Mal wasn't exactly easy to work with. Although, it was a small miracle everyone knew sign language already. Either from House of Change classes, defender lessons, looking out for neighbors, or just by Being Odile.)

(You'll get used to it. You and Nille head back to where everyone was resting up to relay the news.)

(Boniface was looking for cool rocks, Odile had found a place to sit in the shade and read, and Ramos and Isabeau where chatting about something. Mal had already disappeared, probably into the woods to be alone.)

"We'll make it there tomorrow, it looks like!" (You say, finding a place to put down your pack.) "S-sorry."

"No need to apolagize, Mira!" (Isabeau says, cheerfuly.) "There's no problem with one more night in the woods!"

"Bugs, Isa, that's the problem." (Ramos replies, crossing their arms) "It's bugs."

(Isabeau grinned.) "What, is it bugging y-"

"BAD!"

"HAHA!!"

(You giggle. Ramos was. . . Interesting. Still not sure what to make of them. No time to worry about that now, though. Time to get ready for a long night. Oh and you were REALLY looking forward to a nice bed too.)

(You perk your head up. What was that?)

"You ok, 'Bell?" (Bonnie asks, they had a pile of rocks in their arms.)

"Huh?" (You turn to them.) "O-oh! Yes just, did you hear anything just now?

"Wha?" (Bonnie squinted at you.) "Bird? You mean the birds?"

"N-no! Like, someone? I think?"

"Nuh uh." (They shook their head.) "It wasn't those two?" (Bonnie gestured to Ramos and Isabeau.)

"N-no! It wasn't them either!"

"Hehe, was it an imaginary friend?"

"No!!!" (You huff. Bonnie finally relents, going to help Nille set up a fire pit for dinner. You go back to setting up your own tent.)

(. . . There it was again. You ignore it.)

(. . .)

(Aaaaaand again?)

(. . . . . . . . . .)

(Ok that's it. You stand up, and start walking to the woods.) "I-I'll be right back!"

"Don't get lost!" (Isa calls back.)

(R-right. . .)

(You couldn't quite place that sound. It sounded like. . . A cry for help, a wail, and someone saying hello all at once. It was weird. You carefuly walked through the wood, trying not to get your dress caught on branches and such.)

(It was getting so dark, the canopy above you got thicker and thicker, blotting out the evening sky. It was amazing, honestly, seeing how the world itself was changed by nothing but trees.)

(The sounds got louder.)

"Hellloooooo?" (You call out. No response.)

(Could someone be in trouble? Or hurt??? Maybe they've been trapped in these woods for weeks! O-or, or maybe it was that stranger again! What was it's name. . ?)

(You walk a little bit more, stopping at a tree for a moment. What a thick forest. You're so glad there was a road, it would be so much slower trying to go through this thicket. Maybe if you stay here for a minute you can find-)

(What's that smell?)

(You sniff the air, there was a weird smell. Wait, was it mint??? No, no it wasn't mint, it was so overwhelming all of a sudden! Why so fast!! It's-)

(Your heart skips a beat. You look up.)

(Sugar!)

(You jump away from the sadness as it crashes down on where you were standing. You draw your sword, thank Change you didn't leave it behind!! Oh no, what do you do!! C-c'mon Mirabelle!! You've fought a lot of sadness' before!! J-just, just take a second and. . .)

"HELP!!! SADNESS!!!" (You yell. Please hurry, friends!!)

(The sadness looks at you, as if it's staring into your soul, before screaming.)

(You wince at the sound, but grip your sword! You strike, yelling as you lash out at the sadness with your weapon. The strike leaves a gash, but nothing more.)

(The sadness tilts its head at you, and screams again, bringing a claw down on you. You block it with your sword.)

"A-ANYONE!!!!"

(You hear someone reply, but it was too far away. Just, j-just a little bit more, Mira! You throw up a hand! Artsy Silent Burst!!!)

(It glances off the sadness, barely doing anything.)

(The sadness growls angrilly, before clapping its hands together and screaming. You wince again, what the Change was that?!? You ready yourself again and-)

(Just then, a blur of white sprints past you, it was Mal!! It brandished its dagger and sliced and stabbed at the sadness again and again and again!!)

(Only for each blow to be deflected. Mal du Pays jumped back, for the first time you see it shocked.)

"I-It. . . It didn't do anything?!?" (You craft your spell to make your friend stronger!) "Is anyone else-"

"HERE!! I'M HERE!!!" (Running past you before you could stop them, Ramos dashed at the Sadness with their tonfas and struck out. This time it actually connected! it didn't do much but it connected!!)

"Careful!!" (You run up to Ramos.) "where's everyone else!!"

"Catching up!" (Ramos clenched and unclenched their hand.) "I hit it's weakness and still did blinding nothing."

"It's real strong, be careful!!"

(Mal was circling around the Sadness, it attacked with a fist and dagger, this time making contact with the sadness, it screamed.)

(It looked at Mal, it had hatred in it's eyes.)

(Mal Du Pays was frozen in time.)

"NO!!!!"

"W-WHAT THE?!?!?"

(Your heart dropped. No, no no no no. That's, that's not possible!! You beat the king!! You unfroze the country! You fixed everything!! But you never learned how to unfreeze people!!! You, you couldn't fix this!!!)

"That's, that's, that's-" (Ramos looked petrified seeing Mals frozen stare. R-right, they where probably frozen too back before you beat the King.)

(Wait!! You did have something!! You clap your hands.) "T-this'll stop you being frozen, b-but. . ."

". . ." (Ramos looked between you and the sadness, that confidence they came into the battle with quickly fading.) "I-I, I might have an idea."

"Is it a good one?"

"N-no way, but. Oh crab it!!" (Ramos gritted their teeth and charged forward, with a yell they struck the sadness on the head with their rock/scissors sign.)

(There's a moment where both stop. You smell a little bit of mint- mind craft?!?)

(Ramos had refrained from developing their mind craft, the most they ever did was Odile asking to see some of it. They knew it left a bad taste in Siffrin's mouth, so. . .)

"OW OW OW OW OW OW-" (Ramos collapses back, clutching their head, as the sadness wails clutching it's own head in turn.)

"MIRABELLE!! RAMOS!!" (That was Isabeau! You turn, he, Nille, Bonnie, and a bit further behind, Odile, where running up to join in. Isa gasped seeing Mal.) "WH- WHAT HAPPENED?!?!?"

W-woah!!" (Nille brandished her hammer, standing between you and the sadness.)

"GET OUTTA HERE!! STUPID!! GRABBING SADNESS!!!" (Bonnie stood next to their sister, yelling all kind of things at the strong sadness.)

"C-careful!! It froze Mal in time!!" (You yell, getting up.) "I-if we beat it then maybe we'll, w-we-"

(The sadness. . . Ran away?)

"Uh. . ."

"What???"

"Gems. . ."

"YEAH!!! KEEP RUNNING!!!"

(You breathe in, and out.)

(Mirabelle is now level 47. . . And learned the skill "Lovely Moving Cure!")

(Ramos is now level 21.)

(You feel dizzy, and sick, Oh Change what just happened!?!? Y-you, Change, oh you- YOU NEED TO UNFREEZE MAL!!!)

"M-mira!!" (Isabeau was already by your frozen friend as you got over there.) "C-can you, fix? It?"

"I-I, I think I can! If, if I just, do this. . ." (You take a breath, and hold out your hands. Please unfreeze please unfreeze please unfreeze. . .)

(Your friend gasps and collapses to their knees, they're coughing and shaking.)

"Oh thank Change that worked!!" (You kneel down next to them, Isabeau joining you.) "A-are you alright?!? Do you need a heal?!??"

"W-where. . ." (They shook their head. Not Mal?) "Uh, what, where, am I? What. . ."

"Easy, easy. Who's around right now?" (Isabeau asked softly.)

(They look up at you, then at Isabeau, then back at the ground.) "Uh, Siffrin, i-it's just me, what, uh. . ."

"I-I, I got attacked by a sadness a-and, and screamed for help and Mal came from nowhere to help but, b-but got frozen in time and I was, I-If, if you. . ." (You're hyperventilating. If you, if you hadn't figured out how to unfreeze them, then, then, t-then--)

"Relax, 'Bella." (Nille came over and knelt down next to you.) "Take a breath, you saved the day again, held your own too against that thing!"

"I-I, I guess so. . ." (You breathe in, and out. Just like Sif does. You were already calming down.)

"What was that sadness?" (Odile sat down by a tree, clearly winded from running here.) "It looked similar to sadness near the house of change, rather than. . ."

(Ramos looked away.)

"Maaaaybe it's lost?" (Said Sif, he leaned back onto Isabeau.) "Or it's a fan."

"Some fanclub." (Isabeau sighed, gently patting Siffrins head.) "It's still around though, isn't it?"

"It smelled really bad." (Bonnie adds.) "Stinking of sugar, toooo much sugar."

"You? Saying it's too much sugar?" (Nille jokes.) "Can't be possible."

"HEY!!!"

(You all laugh. Even if it was scary, you all get a chance to laugh. What a great family you have.)

". . . I, hate to be the one to say it," (Odile stands up.) "We cannot sleep here tonight."

"Good point."

"Agreed."

"I-if we hurry, we should make it before it gets dark."

"Fingers crossed. . ."

(It was going to be a long walk.)

[tf-boi]

Maybe a story of a guy transforming his boyfriend into an almost completely inanimate mannequin, renting out his body to store while he takes his boyfriend's head and junk home, the only parts of him that are animate.

(Finally after being in my inbox for a million years~)

"Sign here . . . and here . . . aaaaaannndd here. There we go thats everything!" A medium build man wearing some square glasses (Tom), standing by a slightly taller man (Andy). "My boyfriend is yours for two weeks." the smaller man says with a smirk.

"Babe you gotta stop saying that when you rent my body out." Andy said sighing.

A girl passes the clipboard back to Tom and giggled "Oh don't worry we'll take great care of him~". The girl walks away and returns with a box of clothes. "Just get changed into these and you'll start right away!"

Tom and Andy walk into a changing room as Andy starts stripping. "grrrrowl. . . " Tom said admiring his boyfriend.

Andy blushed "You have to be in the room while I change?"

Tom chuckled "Well we don't have too much fun when we do our thing so why not take it all in while I have you?"

Andy sighed "That's true I guess, but renting our our bodies to these popup stores does making ends meet easy. Plus the after pick-up sex is amazing too."

The two college students embrace and kiss. As Andy and Tom walks out of the changing room, the popup store manager eyed Andy and gave a nod of approval. "Okay you'll be in the front of the store soooo lets get to posing!" The three make their way to the front of the store as Andy strikes a few pose, they eventually settled on a neutral pose.

"Alright, perfect! Lets go home~" Tom said as holds Andy's hand. Andy's body started to turn a shade of grey and blue his body started shining a nice glaze like a fine plastic, his joint's becoming like a doll's. This spread until it reaches Andy's head. Tom then reaches up and puts his hands on Andy's head, that has remained the same, and gives it a nice tug as it pops off his body. "Ahh, babe!" Andy exclaimed. "Ahhh sorry don't know my own strength~" Tom chuckled, "well we can't forget this!" He reaches down Andy's pants and gives another tug as he pulls off Andy's unchanged manhood.

"Thanks for renting, we'll be back in a few weeks!" Tom said walking off.

"Hey feel free to come back if you want to loan us your body too!" The manager waved at them.

Tom and Andy make their way home, Andy's head under Tom's arm, getting a few stares from people. Some thinking its a realistic head commenting on it, but the others who are in the community looking at it lustfully. Renting out their bodies for these stores was a convenient way for them to make some money and good way for them to make new friends. As they entered Tom's apartment, many other mannequins could be seen around the apartment. Some of them are their exes, most of them willingly gave their bodies to them.

Tom set Andy's head on the bed as they both lie there watching TV. It was an awkward silence for a bit before Andy spoke up "What's up babe?"

"W-what? Nothing!" Tom stuttered.

"Please, you were quiet on the way back and you are quiet now. That only happens when something's on your mind."

"Ughhh fine. . . you always know how to read me. Remember what I said at the store? About not having fun while one of our bodies is being rented out?"

"Mhm?" Andy said interested.

"Well what if . . . we changed that?" Tom said blushing.

Andy looked intrigued now "Ohhhh what did you have in mind?"

Tom said "Well . . . well . . ." "You know what? No need to ask, just do babe. My powerless head is under your control~" Andy winked.

Tom gulped but knew Andy was serious. Tom dropped his pants and picked up his blonde prince and put his mouth against his rock hard cock. Andy knew what to do and started out with a whiff of Tom's cock. Tom's dick was smaller than Andy's but his nerdy brunette boyfriend was still packing a decent size. "Ohhh . . ." Tom moaned as Andy started to suck Tom's dick. "mmmm . . . mmmmm . . ." Andy moaned as he savored Tom's cock in his mouth. Andy suddenly felt his head being moved forward and back as Tom started to fuck Andy's head. "Ahhh ahhh" Tom moaned as he let out his inner beast. For years he's been the bottom but now he finally found a boyfriend to let him be on top. He laid face down on the bed, Andy's head still sucking on his dick as he pound's Andy's head. He moves faster and faster but couldn't hold back as he lets out a load into Andy's mouth. Andy moaning as he slurps it up. The cum flows into his head but out of his neck soaking their bed. Tom's cock retracts out of Andy's mouth and he lies next to his boyfriend.

Andy gasped for air. "That was pretty good, but I wish it could have lasted a bit longer . . ." He said with a pout.

Tom looked a bit embarrassed "Sorry it was my first time topping . . ."

"But you were great with your cock, it felt so good and hard . . . when we get my body back, this time you're definitely topping!"

"really?" Tom grinned.

"Yup . . . but first round 2" Andy said lustfully.

"But I'm out of cum . . ." Tom said confused.

"Oh you are but, my cock is ready~ And by the way babe, its my turn."

Tom was shocked by the sudden request but walked into the living room to retrieve Andy's dick. He walked back into the bedroom and gulped. Tom lied next to Andy as he used his power on himself. His body having a nice plastic sheen as he detached his dick and replaced with Andy's massive cock. He winced a bit at how much more testosterone he had as it fills him up. He was tempted to fuck his boyfriend's head again but decided to follow through with his command. Tom put his hands on his body and popped his head off placing it next to Andy. The two share many kisses as Tom's hands reaches for Andy's head and places it onto his neck stump. Instantly Tom lost control of his body as he see's Andy feel his new body.

Andy felt up his new body admiring every inch.

Tom blushed "What are you doing??"

" Just admiring my new self. Having all my muscles is great but sometimes I want to try a slimmer body you know? Besides this is the first time I had your body while you are awake."

"Awake?? How many times have you done this?"

Andy ignored this question and picked up Tom's head and started making out. Their tongues wrapped together as they moaned into eachother's mouth. Tom suddenly felt his head get pulled away as it is placed in front of Andy's rocket. Tom started to suck Andy off wrapping his tongue around Andy's meat. "Ohhh babe you know all the good spots..." Andy moaned as Tom's head serviced him. Just like Tom, Andy started to use Tom's head as a fleshlight stroking his rock hard dick with him. Tom loved being used by his boyfriend and it even aroused him knowing it has his body being used. Tom gladly played the role of a toy and pleassured his boyfriend.

Once again Tom felt himself pulled away as a new sensation filled his head. Andy had slid his cock into the bottom of Tom's neck hold and started fucking him. Tom wanted to moan but Andy's cock filled his throat. His mind went blank as he eatches his boyfriend fuck him through the neck. Tom tightened his throat to squeeze Andy's cock. From the corner of his eye, Andy saw Tom's disconnected dick had gotten hard again and he picked it up and shoved it into Tom's mouth. "Mmmmmmm mmmmm mmmm" Tom moaned as he sucks his own dick. As Andy kept fucking Tom's head Tom came into his mouth, the streams of sperm lubing his throat for Andy's still hard member. Wanting this to continue, Tom got his cock hard again and kept sucking himself off. He came several more times until he felt it. Andy's cock releasing his love juices into his throat. The sensation made him cum once more as pools of cum pour out of both ends of his body. As they finished cumming Andy leaned back on the back of the bed a bit too hard and his head pops off Tom's body landing next to his boyfriend covered in their cum.

"That was amazing babe! We should definately do this more often." Andy said.

Tom didn't respond. His mind completely blanked out.

Andy still in control of Tom's body picks himself up and reattaches himself to Tom's body. "Well guess we went a little too hard..." Andy picks up Tom's head by the hair. "I guess its me and his body for the next couple of weeks."

Andy stared in their closet filled with their exes petrified bodies. "Well maybe I'll give our exes' body a spin too so it won't just our cocks being shoved in you~" Andy says picking out a body for round three.

[lee-lucius]

Tickletober Day 14: Soft

Summary: On a shared day off, Tanjiro and Muchiro spend it together reminiscing about their childhoods, and Tanjiro discovers something very interesting about his friend.

Word Count: 2,001

Muichiro rarely took days off. He had the option to but found it unnecessary unless he needed to recover from injuries. Before he recovered his memories, there was no reason to. He had nothing he wanted to do, no one he wanted to be with. He knew nothing of his previous life or family, and his only motivation was the ever-present rage that grounded him. 

Now, he knew what had happened to his family. There was still little reason for him to spend his time doing anything other than training and killing demons. He was a Hashira after all, his time was more valuable than the other slayers. 

But when Tanjiro had sent him a letter asking to spend some time together, he supposed he could take one day off.

Muichiro met him at the Butterfly Mansion. Tanjiro had written in his letter that he was recovering from some minor injuries he'd incurred on a mission, but Muichiro hadn't been prepared for the extent of them or the spark of anger that flared in him.

"Are you alright?" He asked, reaching up to gingerly touch the bandage around Tanjiro's head.

"I'm fine. Don't worry, it's worse than it looks," He reassured, smile as blinding as usual. Besides the bandages around his head and neck, he was walking with a noticeable limp in his right leg, and without his haori on, Muichiro could see more bandages around his ribs.

He didn't believe Tanjiro but didn't push. Instead he continued to worriedly examine Tanjiro, despite his protests, until he was satisfied. 

"It really isn't that bad! Miss Shinobu even said I could leave and go to town!"

"No."

"Oh, you don't want to? Did you have something else in mind?"

"You're still injured. You shouldn't leave. Can you even walk?" Muichiro asked, looking around Tanjiro's private room. He didn't see any crutches.

"Mhm! I can get around fine!" He insisted, standing from his seat on the bed and walking around the room for emphasis. Muichiro didn't seem impressed, making Tanjiro pout as he grabbed his robe and haori, slipping both on. He would have earlier, but he didn't realize how quickly Muichiro would arrive. 

"We'll stay here. I'll ask one of the girls to bring us a meal," Muichiro told him and was leaving before Tanjiro could react.

He didn't really mind. He thought they would enjoy a peaceful day walking around town, but he was content as long as he got to see Muichiro. They wrote to each other regularly, but it was rare to get to spend time together. He always treasured it when they could.

Muichiro returned quickly with Sumi, Kiyo, and Naho, each carrying food that they deposited on the table. The three girls huddled around Tanjiro, chattering with him for a few minutes before they left to return to their chores. 

The two boys kneeled across from each other at the table. As they began eating, an awkward silence fell over them. Tanjiro, while normally sociable, always found himself struggling to speak with Muichiro. It was easier when they wrote letters, when he didn't completely lose all sense looking at Muichiro, when the odd, pleasant warmth wasn't overwhelming.

Before he realized it, he was drawn out of his thoughts and blurted, "There's sakura mochi!"

Muichiro smiled at him, tilting his head to the side. "Is that your favorite?"

"No, but it's not little sister Hanako's absolute favorite! We only ever had it a few times, but she loves it! She practically drools anytime she sees it," He said, laughing at the fond memory.

"I didn't know you had any siblings other than Nezuko."

Tanjiro stilled, his smile tightening as a sad look passed over his face. "They passed. When Nezuko was turned…"

They were silent again. Muichiro waited for Tanjiro to continue speaking; he didn't. 

"I had an older brother," Muichiro began, "A twin. I couldn't remember him for a long time."

"That's awful," he frowned.

"It's okay," he smiled. It was better remembering. "I don't know what his favorite food was. We never had much, so we took what we could."

"We didn't either. I sold charcoal to support us."

"We provided for ourselves after our parents passed. He was always mad at me. And cold. Said I never worked hard enough or fast enough."

"That sounds a little like my brother Takeo! He could be a little harsh sometimes, but he's really a sweet kid."

"How many siblings do you have?"

He told him and named them, and they talked about them and Muichiro's brother. Tanjiro told him things that he hadn't thought about in years, because there was always something going on, some other threat, and there was rarely a moment for reflection like this. Once he got started, it was surprisingly easy for Tanjiro to talk about. There was almost something comforting about it, like a weight he hadn't realized was there was being lifted off of his chest.

Muichiro told him things too, about his brother and parents; memories that had barely just returned to him. Tanjiro wondered if it was as cathartic for him. It must have been, because neither of them could find it in them to stop talking, sharing stories until they were both smiling and laughing, feeling oddly at ease in having someone that understood and being able to escape that pain for a few moments. 

"I used to be a crybaby. It always annoyed him."

Tanjiro laughed good-naturedly. Muichiro didn't think he could do anything otherwise; he didn't have an ounce of malice in his body. "Really? It's hard to imagine with how you are now."

"Yeah. I don't think he liked seeing me upset. He always tried to cheer me up," Muichiro abandoned his half-eaten meal, shoving it away from him and busying his fingers with untangling his hair.

"How?" Tanjiro asked, tilting his head curiously. He also had stopped eating, but it seemed as if he had forgotten his food was there, as if all of his focus was on Muichiro. It was an odd feeling.

"Oh, he used to tickle me."

"I do that to my little siblings too! It's so cute whe—" Tanjiro cut himself off, staring at him with his mouth agape. "Wait! You're ticklish?"

"Uh, yeah," He felt his face redden slightly and blew a stray strand of hair out of his face. "Is that… not normal?"

"Oh, no!" Tanjiro shook his head, waving his hands, "I didn't mean anything bad by it! It's perfectly normal; I am too! I was only surprised considering how you were when we first met. I would have never thought that you were ticklish, though I guess it isn't more surprising than Genya…"

Muichiro laughed at Tanjiro's rambling and thought back to his earlier words, "You're a good big brother."

His eyes clouded over as he thought of Yuchiro. His memories had returned, but it still felt as if a piece of him was missing without his brother. There was a constant, piercing ache in his heart that oddly felt less painful the they talked, every word dulling the pain, if only for the moment. It helped, being here with Tanjiro.

He was drawn out of his thoughts when Tanjiro poked him in the side, making him shy away. He hadn't noticed when Tanjiro moved next to him. Had he missed something important again? 

"Sor—"

"You seem a little down today. It's a good thing I know how to cheer you up!" 

Tanjiro poked his side again, and Muichiro bit the inside of his cheek. He eyed Tanjiro cautiously and was greeted by a kind smile and gentle eyes that made his heart stutter. He trusted Tanjiro and knew he would never intentionally hurt him; it wasn't something he'd experienced in years, but if it ever were to happen again, he supposed he wouldn't mind if it was Tanjiro. After all, he had enjoyed those rare moments when his brother was affectionate.

Besides, it was nice to see Tanjiro smiling like that. Muichiro would do anything to keep him smiling like that.

"It's been awhile. I don't know if I'm still ticklish."

"Want to find out?" His eyes sparkled.

"Yeah," Muichiro's face felt hot.

"Okay," Tanjiro was kneeled beside him on the mats, earnest eyes that Muichiro couldn't meet bore into his skin as he skittered his fingers across his stomach. "Then let's try here!"

He gasped, squirming at the nostalgic sensation. "It seems like you still are! Now let's try somewhere else…"

Tanjiro tweaked his ribs, delighting in the small huffs he elicited from the other boy and his widening smile. His touch was gentle, barely ghosting over his skin in a way that left a tingling sensation long after the touch and made him yearn for more.

"You… don't have to—to be soho… gentle. I'm nahat that… fragile," Muichiro managed between his breathy giggles.

"If that's what you want!" Tanjiro's smile widened as he dug his fingers into his ribs. 

He squeaked, bursting into rapid giggles at the intense sensations. He clutched his hands into fists, straining to keep them at his side and ignored his instinct to curl up into a ball.

Tanjiro's touch was still light, allowing him to enjoy the sensation without desperately needing to escape. It was so different from Yuchiro. He tickled him mercilessly, wrecking him in his worst spots until his laughter was silent and he was on the verge of tears. It was awful but also left him feeling so light-headed and giddy he couldn't wait for it to happen again.

Tanjiro's hands shifted, moving to gently glide his short nails along Muichiro's back to give him a break.

Muichiro made an inhuman noise, giggles becoming louder and more rapid as he doubled over. He clenched his hands in Tanjiro's haori as he buried his face in his chest, too distracted by the ticklish sensations to realize how embarrassing their position was.

"Are you alright?" Tanjiro asked, stifling a laugh and temporarily stilling his hands.

He nodded against his chest, still giggling, and Tanjiro resumed his playful attack, making him writhe and shriek.

"That's good, because I'm really enjoying this! Your laugh is so cute!"

He bit back a groan, shaking his head that was still resting on Tanjiro's chest.

"You don't think it's cute?"

"Ihihihits nahahahaht!"

"Yes it is! It's adorable!"

"Nohoho! I behet yohohohours ihihis cuhuhuhuter!" 

"Wha—no it's not!" Tanjiro exclaimed, and the tickling suddenly stopped.

Muichiro's face burned as he realized what he'd said and their intimate position. Tanjiro was practically hugging him, and Muichiro was clinging to him. But he didn't want to stop. He was still lightly giggling when he finally mustered enough courage to peek up at Tanjiro. 

His face was as red as Muichiro's, his smile wide, and his eyes nervous. He didn't know what to make of that.

"I… I think you're cute," Tanjiro finally spoke up, voice hushed.

Muichiro's throat was dry. He didn't know if it was his or Tanjiro's heart that was beating so fast. 

He wasn't sure how much time had passed, but it was enough for Tanjiro's face to fall as if anticipating a rejection. He wouldn't get one.

Muichiro leaned closer, and before he realized what he was doing, he'd pressed a kiss to Tanjiro's cheek.

His smile was more radiant than Muichiro had ever seen it. Tanjiro reached out his hand to smooth out Muichiro's frazzled hair. 

After what felt like an eternity, Tanjiro said, "I like you."

He couldn't quite meet his eyes. "Me too."

This time, Tanjiro leaned in, and Muichiro met him halfway, sinking into the short, soft kiss—his first kiss.

Then Tanjiro pulled him into a hug, gently cradling him and burying his face into his shoulder, but Muichiro could still imagine the blinding grin and the red flush he must've had.

Once again, they sat together in silence, one that was comfortable and reflective, and Muichiro found himself quite thankful that he had taken the day off.

[msschemmenti]

hinge - a potential series

eventual melissa schemmenti x reader

synopsis: melissa joins hinge. who will she match with?

a/n: hello yes i know i’ve been gone for over a month after saying i was going to finish some things. my job got SUPER busy! but i’m trying to get back into writing and with that in mind i wanted to do a little writing exercise that i thought could be fun. so basically this will be a one shot series where melissa matches with different readers each installment. i was thinking if you all were interested i could open my requests for descriptions of readers you’d like to see melissa chat with and date! this is just an introductory piece to the vision, but let me know if you all would be interested in submitting readers for this. if not that’s cool as well ahaha! but either way, i hope you enjoy this chaotic prologue.

“You know, you should really get back out there Melissa.” Jacob’s voice floated over Melissa's shoulder. The older woman felt the tension between her eyebrows tighten as she slowly turned to address the young teacher. Not only had he been listening in on her conversation with Barb, but now he was giving advice. She knew they shouldn’t have let him stay for the Christmas dinner, now he thinks he’s a part of their circle. 

"What are ya talking about?" Melissa glared. Jacob had the sense to look a bit squeamish under her gaze but still cleared his throat as if to speak.

"I just mean, it's been months since Gary stopped stocking the vending machine. And kind of disappeared off the face of the Earth. And you're a beautiful woman, who deserves to be treated well. I'm sure there's a sea of men just waiting to make you their wife." Jacob rambled as his face grew red.

"First of all kid, I had nothing to do with Gary's career change and if you tell anyone different we'll have a problem. Second of all, I know I'm hot. I'm a Philly 11. I don't need no man making me his wife. I'm perfectly fine with the way my life is right now. Not that it's any of your business." Melissa scoffed with an eyeroll.

"Well that doesn't mean you can't see what's out there." Janine piped up from her seat next to Jacob.

"Oh you're one to talk, what does that even mean?" Melissa asked.

"Well, I'm not looking for a relationship right now because I'm working on myself. But that doesn't mean I don't want to see who's out there. Or even get a little validation from knowing someone wants me."

Melissa listened curiously, "and how exactly do you do that? Are you going to bars and turning down drinks or something?"

"No! Dating apps. People see my profile and like me but I don't have to say anything back." Janine explained.

"Oh yes! Before I met Zack I had a profile on all of the apps, just to make sure I wasn't missing any of the validation." Jacob added in causing Janine to nod.

"I think that could be good for you." Barb hummed before taking another bite of her salad.

"Not you too!" Melissa groaned before Ava walked through the door swiping on her phone.

"What we talking about?" Ava grinned looking around the tables.

"We're trying to convince Melissa to get back out there. On a dating app."

"Oh you should definitely do that. There's a market of men you're missing out on. Get you a young thing to get all up in that Italian Dressing." Ava said wiggling her eyebrows before reaching to make her coffee.

"Okay. None of that." Melissa groaned as she and Barb shook their heads in disappointment.

"No, you don't have to start out doing that. You can just start out seeing who's out there. Getting some likes, giving some likes, and then if you want to you can move it to chatting. It's all at your own speed." Janine tried to explain.

Before Melissa could even try to continue disagreeing, Ava had finished dumping sugar in her mug and had snatched Melissa's phone from the table. "The question is, what app do we get her on. I think Tinder is out if she's not gonna let any all up in her business. Bumble is dead and boring. What else is there?"

"How about none?"

"Oh Hinge! That ones really good." Jacob volunteered and Ava nodded moving to download the app on the older woman's phone.

"You are insane! Give me back my phone." Melissa tried to lunge at the taller woman.

"Stop fighting girlfriend. Just let it happen." Barbara appeased placing her hand on Melissa's shoulder in an attempt to calm her.

"Oh not you too!" Melissa sighed.

"Give in Schemmenti. I'm already creating your account." Ava grinned flashing the phone toward the older woman.

Seeing the phone, Melissa just shook her head. "I hate all of yous."

Ava took a seat in the middle of the table and smirked over her shoulder at Melissa. "Alright so let's get these questions and pictures together. Gotta show every how hot you are!"

Melissa scoffed but only rolled her eyes in response.

"So I got all the basics, now who are you looking for? Just men? Or are you down for a lil lady action? You seem like you'd know your way around the lady parts." Ava asked.

"Oh my god. You are the WORST!"

"That's not answering my question. You know what, I'll just put it as bisexual for now. Keep your options open. Let's find pictures for the prompts. You have any nudes in here I should be worried about seeing?" Ava asked shielding her eyes playfully.

"No? What kind of lady do you think I am?"

"I don't know. I'm just saying. Okay I already did the first one now the next one is 'As seen on my Mom's fridge', how about this cute picture of you and your blonde sister?"

"Yes that would be cute!" Janine smiled.

"Oh put this picture I secretly took of her crocheting on there. People love crafts!" Jacob said air dropping the photo to Melissa's phone.

"Why are you secretly taking pictures of me?" Melissa glared.

"Oh hush, it's helpful now. Oh a writing prompt, what are your simple pleasures?"

"Food, wine, and the Eagles." Melissa answered quickly.

"Let's say Cooking, wine, and the Eagles. People like cooking." Janine amended.

"Another picture, let's do this cute one with me in the back. That'll really get you some likes. I'm pretty well known around this app."

"Last prompt, the key to your heart?" Janine asked.

"A clean kitchen and an empty stomach." Melissa spoke with a shrug.

"Oh cause you like to cook for people. You're so good at this. Yes." Janine swooned.

"And with that, you're live. Now you just wait for the local baddies to match with you."

As Ava handed the phone, Melissa had no choice but to scroll. Well I guess this is what we're doing now.

"If this ends poorly, all of yous better watch your back."

[shockinglyangel]

THE SLYTHERIN BOYS REACT TO YOU BEING OBSESSED WITH THEN WHEN THEY DONT LIKE YOU BACK

MATURE (kinda)

NOT PROOFREAD

DRACO

you stood in front of the blonde slithering, a few of his friends trying to hold back the laughs, Draco had only moments before rejected your advances of being your date to the Yule ball.

He claimed to have already gotten a date, though you knew well that he was only that morning complaining about no one wanting to go with him.

"Oh no it's fine, it doesn't matter." You lied through gritted teeth, trying not to make it obvious.

His friends hit one another and doubled out in laughter as you walked away and back to your dorm, you couldn't see why he wouldn't want to go to the ball with you, you were beautiful, kind, thoughtful, you would make an excellent partner and he would be lucky to have you.

"It'll work next time." You placed a short kiss onto your wall, the one you had decorated with Malfoy's face, pictures he probably didn't even know that existed painted your walls, some of him in class, others while he was sleeping. All the ones you had taken.

And God you couldn't wait to show him.

THEO

"Hi Theo!" you walked over to him with a large smile, a box of chocolate hidden behind your back, he was stood next to his friends - the well-known group of Slytherins.

"Hi?" he slightly questioned your presence, he truly didn't know who you are and wasn't sure if you wanted to find out.

Have you handed him the box and claimed it to have been a present for him for catching the snitch at last night's Quidditch practice.

he received them with a small smile and thanked you with a head nod, you skipped off happily, making your way out of the building where you would wait for your plan to work.

It didn't take long before the boy was grovelling for your attention, telling you how much he cared for you and wanted you in his life.

Amortentia sure does work.

BLAISE

Blaise was picky when it came to who he gave his heart to, he had rejected you a few months back, he told you there was nothing wrong with you and it was simply just a clash of interest.

You thought you could get into his good books by helping him look for his beloved bunny which had gone missing.

He appreciated your help since none of his friends saw it an argent issue and having you by his side was a distraction from the motherly concern he was wrapped up in.

Blaise placed the last of the posters on the wall and turned to face you. "I really appreciate your help today Y/N, you're a lifesaver." He gave you a smile.

You moved closer to him. I'm sure we'll find Apollo tomorrow Zabini," you leaned up to give him a kiss on the cheek which he returned with a flushed face. "Good night."

You made your way into your dorm and laid down on your bed, your hands behind your head as you fell into deep fantasies of you and Blaise.

A rattling was heard from under your bed, you lightly hit the metal bars of the cage. "Silence Apollo, I'll take you home tomorrow."

MATTHEO

Mattheo riddle, the son of Voldemort himself, he was a beautiful man, dangerous by nature, but God did he look lovely.

You followed him on his way to the astronomy tower where he was meeting up with some Gryffindor girl, he had a bottle of alcohol in his hand, eager to see the girl he was intending to.

Jealousy was a disease and I had made you it's victim, you felt your blood rush when you saw her and her blonde hair, she was gorgeous and they looked good together, it was torture.

You watched in disgust as their lips met, you could only hope that you'd get to experience the heaven that is the case of Mattheo, perhaps it would even kill you in an instant, either way - you longed for his touch.

Mattheo had rejected you only a couple of years ago, claiming your ways of charming him were creepy, though you didn't agree, you thought everyone had voodoo dolls of their favourite people.

LORENZO

Lorenzo might as well have been labelled the most wanted Slytherin for all you cared, so many girls were praying to be in his presence and you for sure wanted him, that was clear.

You sat next to him in Transfiguration class, you'd become friends since the start of the year and you enjoyed each other's presence.

You told Lorenzo how you felt and he repaid you with a sorrowful smile, he'd mentioned that his heart had already been captured by a Slytherin girl.

You were completely heartbroken and now vulnerable, he wouldn't want to be friends with someone who had feelings for him.

So you did the only thing logical. You stood in the room of requirement, something you are sure Lorenzo now regret showing you, you would ask him if he wasn't too busy tied up in a chair - soft cries leaving his lips as he looks down at the lifeless body belonging to a black head girl in Slytherin robes laying in front of him.

TOM

You'd memorise Tom's entire schedule, making sure you could see him in the hallways to every class, you only wanted to make sure he wasn't with anyone else of course.

Today was a random Wednesday, you should defence against the dark arts class with Tom, normally he stood beside you, eager to throw some sort of overpowered spell at his opponent during the duels.

Though today Riddle hadn't come to class. And from what you remembered, this was his favourite and there would be no way he wouldn't miss it.

Trying to ignore the emptiness in your heart caused by Tom's absence you made your way into the girls toilets, you found yourself staring at your reflection in the mirror when something hit you, it was a say it was as if a shock of death run through your body, you fell back in an instant - you couldn't tell if you were bleeding out or not.

"That'll teach you for keeping tabs on me."

[sparrowrye]

Demi Demon || Alastor x Reader, A2 part 1

Synopsis: It’s been over a year since we were brought under Alastor’s watchful eye. We’ve unlocked our Demonic powers, discovered our own talents, and began building the Safe Haven with Charlie and co. Alastor seems increasingly interested in the power we hold as one and intends to use it properly.

Previous part

Act 2, Part 1: a teacher

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Safe Haven was only known through word of mouth. The group had managed to convince some Demons already in Hell to return to the surface where they would be safe. They seemed to regret their decision upon realizing Alastor was involved.

The children were becoming increasingly difficult to handle. They were getting bored and started fighting with each other at random because they had nothing else to do and that was all they knew how to do. So I paired them up with an adult and instructed them to make sure they didn't get hurt and to help in any way. I turned it into a game and told them they had to report back to me every finite detail about the day.

The teenagers seemed obsessed with me. Whenever they weren't doing something they were out looking for me. At first they gave each other space when one of them was talking with me, but now they often sat around each other as if they weren't there. They were starting to be okay with one another.

The Safe Haven was well underway with construction. The grand hall had been built first with lots of upper windows and a large kitchen in the back. The roads were being flattened and paved with smooth stone. It was a rough start but at least it was one.

Alastor had recently gotten into the habit of staring at me again. Though this time he was being a little more obvious about it. It made the teenagers unsettled so I often tried to use illusion magic to hide us from him when they wanted to talk to me. The rest of the time he was within hearing distance when I was interacting with the younger children.

I had figured out my tolerance for meat fairly quickly. I could go three days before I started to get pains. Alastor always had a snide remark when I asked him for it. He would put a hand on my shoulder and soak in our combined magic until I had eaten it. It was a trade off.

"You know..." He had both claws on my shoulder as he leaned down so his head was level with mine again. I hated when he stood behind me but it seemed like his favorite spot. "We'll need to begin your training again soon. It's been far too long since our last session." He pressed through my shields but I kept myself in reality.

"I'm busy," was all I could manage.

"I don't intend to pull you away from your precious little devils for long." He pushed his cheek against mine as his presence reached all the way to my toes.

"They're getting worse with every day." I swallowed the last of the meat and stepped away from him to cut the connection. "I'm essentially raising twenty-eight children." I hadn't realized how much I would need to look after the children once we saved them from the ring fights. It made sense how overrun orphanages could lose sight of a few.

"They seem to be doing just fine," he rested his arms behind his back.

"I'm breaking up fights left and right. The adults aren't helping, either." I left the kitchen to stand on the porch. Alastor followed and stood a hair beside me.

"Perhaps they need someone else to look after them," he said.

"I won't pull any of them away from each other." I watched as Angel practically wrapped himself around Husker. He growled at the white and pink Demon as if he hated it, but I could tell from his lack of shoving that he didn't mind it. He hadn't noticed that I had been avoiding him for awhile, now. Alastor looked at me sideways, his mind ticking away.

"I find it hard to believe," he started, "that there isn't a Persecuted teacher in need of somewhere safe to stay. It would take some time off your hands." His eyes followed my gaze and landed on a trio of teenagers talking and casting glances up at us. "And...give you more time to spend with those unruly teenagers."

I huffed a chuckle. "They're only unruly if you piss them off. Which is easy to do."

"You seem to do that the least."

"No, I'm sure I piss them off. But I'm the only one who understands the shi---the things they went through." I casted a glance up at him but he didn't make a remark on my curse. For once we were having a calm, normal conversation and I didn't want to ruin it.

"Fair enough. Regardless, providing the little devils with a teacher to keep them busy during the day would aid everyone, not just you."

A thought came to mind as he looked out at the construction. "Why are you okay with them building the Safe Haven here?"

"Hmm?" He looked at me sideways.

"Surely you wouldn't want anyone to hold anything against you. Wouldn't having a Safe Haven to protect do just that?"

"Hardly. Not many people cross me to begin with so I'm always hunting for my--our--next meal. Having a target on this town will bring the food right to us."

I looked down at my hands. I hated what I had become so I constantly wore my Human form, especially in front of the children. It made me more approachable and relatable.

"It also negates having to teleport from here to the town. I have more accessibility to you."

"You hardly have that as is." I brushed past him, careful not to actually touch him, and walked across the grass to the trio of teenagers.

****

The woman burst through her apartment door and slammed it shut. She dove for the partly packed suitcase under her bed and threw it open. She ran for her drawers grabbing anything and everything that was important to her.

She grabbed snacks from her kitchen and shoved them into her purse. She past the entryway and stopped dead in her tracks. Her head slowly turned to the shadow standing at her door. Their eyes were a bright red and their claws were long and sharp, glinting in the moonlight from the window.

"Hello Ms. Vivian," the shadow spoke.

"What do you want?" Vivian still hadn't moved from her frozen state. She worried any slight movement would trigger the shadow to attack.

"I have a proposition for you." The shadow cast a sphere of light into the center of the room. It was just enough to light both their faces without giving away that anyone was home. "My name—"

"Snake Demon. You're the Snake Demon."

I held out my hands to the side and gave a slight bow of my head. I had come in my Demon form, hoping to show her that I was just like her.

"You don't seem too happy to see me." I looked the woman up and down. She had a short stature, pale skin, and curly dark hair. I had seen her Demon form earlier with long, lamb ears and hooves. Her small horns jutted out the top of her head, practically camouflaged with her dark hair.

"I've heard plenty of you," she growled, showing off a set of sharp fangs, "and all the children you've been stealing."

"Stealing?" I walked closer to my sphere of light so I could see her face easier. She looked between me and her suitcase. "Go ahead. You'll need it regardless of how our conversation goes."

"What do you want?" she demanded, refusing to move.

"I want to offer you something. A job. And a Safe Haven."

"I'm not making any deals. I learned my lesson." She finally moved from the kitchen to her bed. She finished stuffing everything in the suitcase and used her weight to clip it closed. "And I'm not going anywhere with a kidnapper."

"What do you think I do with those children?" I asked, my tone genuine. This was the first I had heard of my reputation being painted in a bad light.

"I don't know and I really don't want to." Vivian closed the suitcase and hoisted it up on its side. "If you don't mind, I have somewhere to be."

"Someone to avoid." I nodded in agreement. "Right now they're being occupied. Until we're done talking, that is."

"You still haven't told me why."

"Well first, I'd like to set my name straight. The children I took from the rings are safe and sound in my Sanc--Safe Haven. All twenty-eight of them have two meals a day, free roam, a soft bed, and great protection."

"I really don't-"

"And I want you..." I stepped close so we were an arm's length away. Her Demon side had come out fully and I could see the dangerous shift in her eyes of an animal ready to fight. "I want you to help me take care of them."

"Why?"

I let out a short sigh. Always with the why. "Because I have other matters to take care of and I can't keep track of twenty-eight rowdy children every waking hour. I need help."

Her demeanor calmed. Her shoulders relaxed but she was still tense all over, ready to explode if danger poked her with a stick. "Out of everyone, why me? How did you even find me?"

"You're a teacher, aren't you?" I shifted into my Human form so we only had a few inches of height difference. "I need someone who knows how to live in both worlds, someone who knows how Humans and Demons work. Someone to guide children of both species. Is that something you could do?"

The sphere turned a shade of blue and I pretended it was a signal that something was outside. Alastor's presence left my mind for a brief moment. When it returned I heard yelling in the distance.

"How did you know about me, though? Have you been watching me?" she questioned.

"In a way, I suppose." I turned back to face her. "I've been looking for a teacher for some time and you were one of the top choices."

"What exactly is this Safe Haven?"

I heard the yelling growing louder. She obviously couldn't hear them yet. "It's a place for Demons and Humans to find safety and shelter. Ever since the Demons broadcasted about themselves, things haven't been the smoothest for both species."

"Why did you take the children though?" Her ear twitched and I forced myself not to smile. Now she could hear them.

"Starting with new, young minds is the best way to ensure both species can live peacefully side by side. There are adults there but getting past their hatred can be...challenging."

Now her head turned to the noise. She grabbed the handle of her suitcase. "Maybe you can reach me another time. I need time to think."

"You either leave tonight and I won't bother you again, or you come with me and make a difference for these children's lives. I can't give them what you can." I snuffed the light and went to the window, peeking out through the shade. Alastor's illusion of Vivian was running down the street with three people behind her. "I'm trying to keep these children from a life like this. A life of constant running and fear."

Vivian was torn. She needed more time to think. She knew of the Snake Demon's history of illegal ring fights. Vivian, herself, had lost some students to those horrible things. Through this Safe Haven she could keep children from falling into those murderous hands and actually give them a life. She could be the foundation of something good in this period of change. She could be safe to be her true Demon self. No hiding or secrets.

"What's your decision?" I asked. The illusion ran into the building and whisked out of sight. The group chased after it, slamming their bodies into the building door.

"Is this Safe Haven even real?"

"I wouldn't be asking you for help if it wasn't. Though I suppose you'll have to trust me until I bring you there." The building door flew open. They stormed up the stairs, an invisible force causing them to trip and fall on each other. They yelled her name. "What is your decision?"

"Okay. Okay! I'll do it. I'll help."

"Beautiful," I smiled. Alastor manifested from the shadows and the woman's eyes widened. I let him put an arm around my back as I held out a hand to Vivian.

"What? What is this?" She backed away, eyes jumping between us.

"A generous protector of the Safe Haven," I answered. "You said yes."

"But...I...I'm...you didn't say anything about the Radio Demon!"

"He's necessary for the Haven to function. Now let's go." The group ran up the remainder of the stairs and tried opening her door. They started kicking near the door handle to burst it open. "Or we can leave you here to handle them."

With nowhere left to go, Vivian grabbed her suitcase and ran across the room. Our hands wrapped tightly together a second before Alastor teleported us back. She closed her eyes and held on tight to my arm, refusing to open them until we arrived.

One eye opened at a time. She looked around at the basic huts and construction. The adults didn't pay her much mind but Charlie was instantly at her side with her big eyes and wide smile. I let her explain everything to Vivian and watched the woman's reactions.

We settled on introducing her to the children tomorrow since most of them were already well asleep or settled in their huts for the night. Charlie showed her to her own bed while Alastor and I walked up to the house.

"That was awfully close," Alastor half growled. His cane tapped the grass while he held his other arm behind his back.

"Like you couldn't have handled them."

"You should've pressed her more."

"I did it just right. If you're so upset about the way I did it, teach me how to teleport during our next session." I turned around and held my arms out wide as I sidestepped the porch stairs.

He rolled his eyes and followed me into the house. "I have something else in mind."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Author’s Note:

Act Two time baby! Vivian is our first OC and I was super excited to write her. I can’t wait to use all these other amazing OCs! Y’all are so creative and talented 😍

If you have ideas on how Alastor might act or want to see anything in particular, you can request, message, or comment it. I love taking ideas and running with them. For now, our boi needs to develop a sense of respect for us, eh?

[honeypiehotchner]

Devil's Backbone (Unsub!Hotch x Fem!Reader) -- part nine

We'll be back to Wed/Fri next week I promise!! Btw I listened to "Decode" a lot while writing more of Hotch spiraling so......

Warnings: reader dealing w the aftermath of how Hotch treated her in the last chapter, more lies

Follow @honeypiehotchnerlibrary and turn on post notifications to be "tagged" when a new chapter goes up!

Nine: How did we get here? -- "Decode" by Paramore

After you left, Hotch continued talking to himself for a few seconds before “ending” the phone call. He felt stupid faking a call, but he needed you to leave and not ask questions. He knew you had questions, and that was worrisome.

He hadn’t meant for all of that to happen. But he felt better now, reinvigorated, so that was worth it, he supposed. He needed the boost of energy. He had unsubs to find. You would understand.

The unsub who ran would be hard to find, Hotch knew that. He was good at hiding, it was what took them so long to track him down in the first place, and they wouldn’t have if it weren’t for the kid.

But there were others Hotch could take care of in the meantime. One in particular was just a few hours south. He could use a road trip.

+++

You didn’t tell anyone about your night with Aaron. You couldn’t. You were barely able to make sense of it in your own mind, let alone speak it out loud to someone else.

The way he handled you. It was different from before. His hands had changed.

You took the day off from work, telling Rossi you just needed to sleep. The last case exhausted you; that was all. He tried to press, but eventually let you go.

But you didn’t sleep. You slept after having sex with Aaron because you were past the point of exhaustion. You had no choice but to sleep, but now you weren’t tired enough. Your mind was still awake and running wild with questions.

You replayed the night over in your brain until it felt like it didn’t happen at all.

You laid on your couch, stared at the ceiling, and dozed. Remade the night in your head until it was a fantasy of what could’ve been if he had only let you in and let you love him in the first place.

Your phone rang and you wished it was Aaron, but knew it wasn’t. It was Penelope.

You rolled over, and let your voicemail answer.

+++

Hotch made good time driving south to North Carolina. Between energy drinks and chewing Excedrin, he barely needed to sleep at all. The four-hour drive breezed past, and soon he was sitting outside the unsub’s neighborhood, waiting.

He thought too much about you. Turning the radio as loud as it went did nothing to fight off the images of you that flashed before his eyes.

The previous version of him, before Foyet, would have called you instead of repeatedly searching the radio for something interesting. He always ended back up on the news, wanting to hear what was going on locally. Sometimes he checked national news, and sometimes he checked specific forums that he knew to watch, just in case he appeared there.

His stomach growled, and he cussed at it. He knew he should’ve eaten something before parking, but he couldn’t get this unsub off his mind. He’d eat after he handled this unsub. That was a deal he made for himself. He’d be hungry after this, and he needed to drive back to Quantico tonight, too. He couldn’t stay.

It took a few hours until Hotch saw the unsub’s car returning to the neighborhood. Hotch waited a few minutes before jumping out of his car and following.

With his gun tucked in the waistband of his jeans on his back, he knew what he had to do. He didn’t have as much time as he wanted with this unsub, but that was fine. He walked right up to his house, bypassing the open garage to ring the doorbell out front. The unsub answered with a confused greeting.

The ruse worked all the same. The unsub let Hotch into his house willingly, asking “Gideon” how he had been. How nice it was of him to check in. How the unsub had his life turned around.

Hotch waited until the unsub bent to grab drinks from the fridge. He shot him twice in the back of the head and neck, and left him there. The unsub lived alone, but someone would find out eventually. It wasn’t Hotch’s business.

He closed the garage and shut the lights off before he left. No one was home, after all.

+++

You went back to work after one day off. You needed to get off the couch and out of your apartment before you drove yourself insane with overthinking.

What the hell were you thinking? Going to Hotch’s place and going inside like that. Letting him do those things to you. No one could ever know about that. You knew that much. It had to remain a secret. You weren’t supposed to have any contact with him. You knew that, and you broke that rule. Foolishly. You knew better than that.

Penelope was the first to ask how you were doing. You swore she had special senses or something because she was waiting for you when you got off the elevator.

“Hey,” she called out, walking beside you, her heels clicking on the floor. “Rossi said you stayed home yesterday out of the blue. I tried calling you but it went to voicemail.”

“I know, I’m sorry Pen,” you tried to smile. “I was just really tired so I didn’t look at my phone or anything.”

“Okay,” she frowned. “Can I do anything? Tea? Do you want to get lunch together?”

“Sure,” you conceded, smiling genuinely then. “I’d love that. Let’s do lunch.”

“Awesome,” she grinned, her pink lipgloss sparkling with her smile. “I’m off to the cave. Come see me if you need anything, okay?”

You nodded. “I will, thanks Pen.”

Her concern worried you more than anything. You didn’t think you were that obvious with how bad you were doing. You thought you were hiding it well, but then again, there was never any hiding when working with profilers. Even Pen, who didn’t profile every day, still knew her friends extremely well and knew when something was wrong.

Everyone else knew, too. The second you walked through the glass doors, Emily was up and giving you a hug, asking if you felt any better. JJ followed and rubbed your back, asking if you wanted any coffee. Derek came over and gave a hug as well, and his stern look of worry. Reid waved from his desk and said it was glad to see you back.

“I was gone for one day,” you laughed, putting your purse down on your desk and plopping yourself down in your chair.

“It was kinda out of nowhere though,” Reid piped up. “Were you sick?”

“Sure,” you shrugged. “I was just exhausted, I think. I slept the whole day.”

“Were you avoiding something?”

“Reid,” Morgan warned. “Relax.”

Spencer grimaced. “Sorry.”

“It’s okay, don’t worry about it,” you shook your head. “Maybe I was, who knows? I’ll bring it up to my therapist,” you grinned, but none of them laughed. You cleared your throat. They stared back at you. “Why are you staring at me?”

“Nothing,” Emily said, shrugging, letting out a weak chuckle. “We all need therapists after the few months we’ve had.”

“You guys don’t have therapists?” Reid asked.

That got everyone to laugh.

“Oh, uh, by the way,” Morgan nudged your shoulder. “Rossi wanted to see you at some point today.”

“Okay…” He probably just wanted to check on you, but still, it unnerved you. “I’ll go get that over with now.”

You hauled yourself up and skipped up the stairs, bypassing Hotch’s office. You tried not to look at the door too long, but it startled you, seeing it empty. You kept walking, knocking on Rossi’s door and listening for him to invite you inside.

He opened the door for you, looking relieved to see that it was you. “Hey, come on in.”

You were welcomed inside and sat down on Rossi’s couch, and he took the seat next to you. You thought this meant that the conversation was a friendly check-in, but it verged away from friendly very quickly.

“Did you visit Aaron?”

You tried to keep your shock under control. “I did.”

“How was he?” Rossi asked.

“Good,” you lied. “I gave him some flowers. They seemed to cheer him up.”

“That’s good,” Rossi smiled softly. “How are you?”

“Fine,” you lied again, this time shrugging. “Moving on from it. Thanks for letting me have yesterday off. Resting really helped.”

Rossi waved his hand. “No need to thank me, but I’m glad it helped.” He paused, exhaling. “Strauss is worried about Aaron.”

“We all are,” you shrugged. “He’s been through a lot.”

“Yes, he has,” Rossi agreed. “But she’s…more concerned than we are, I’ll say. I was wondering if you wanted to shed some light on how he’s doing.”

“I mean, he…” You trailed off, fiddling with your hands. Should you say something? You didn’t care about betraying him. You did that when you first contacted Strauss. Betraying him wasn’t the issue.

It was admitting to yourself that something was wrong with him. Deeply. Enough to cause serious, genuine worry. Enough to intervene.

But what proof of that did you have? That he fucked you and kicked you out? You were not going to disclose that information, especially not to Rossi.

“He’s as good as you can expect him to be while grieving,” you finally said. “I think he’s fine.”

Rossi clearly did not believe you, but he let it go, and let you go back to your desk, which was completely fine with you.

You were saddled with paperwork that you didn’t do yesterday, and more because apparently new Use of Force reports are due. When are they not due?

Lunchtime rolled around slowly, and you sprung up from your desk like you were on a trampoline when Penelope came waltzing through the doors.

She laughed when she saw you were already standing. “Normally I have to pry you from your desk.”

“I’m starving,” you said. It was a half-lie. “Where are we eating?”

“Wherever you want,” she linked your arm in hers. “Anyone else want to join? JJ?”

JJ walked past briskly, shaking her head. “Can’t, sorry, sorting through some files.” She bounded the steps to the second level, pausing to lean over the railing. “I’ve misplaced a couple-- It’s not a big deal, they’re probably just buried under everything, but still. Thanks though.” She breezed into Rossi’s office and shut the door.

Pen blinked. “Okay.” She gave you a weird look and you returned it. “Any other takers?”

Reid was mid-bite of his usual PB&J, and Emily and Morgan were on the phone, shaking their heads.

You and Pen left the BAU alone, preparing for an ultimate girls lunch. Complete with food and gossip. Except, you weren’t in the mood for gossip because all Pen wanted to know about was Hotch. Before you even ordered food, Pen started with the questions.

“Okay, obviously something happened, because you never go off the grid like that.” She leaned forward on the table. “What happened yesterday?”

“Nothing happened,” you insisted. Because technically, it was the day before. Not that that even remotely mattered. “I was just tired.”

“Did you go see Hotch?”

Your eyes widened. “Penelope.”

“I knew it!” she cheered quietly. “I knew it! You two were too close when he was here, I knew you’d keep in touch.”

“We haven’t exactly kept in touch,” you replied. “He refuses to speak to me.” Technically the truth. He did refuse to speak to you. He might have fucked you, but there was no talking involved. Barely any.

“What?”

“I went to his apartment with some flowers to apologize and wish him well but he… He refused to speak to me,” you shrugged. “I mean, he took the flowers, but we barely spoke, and I left.” You kept your eyes down on your drink, swirling your straw, hoping you came across as ashamed and not a liar.

“Oh, babe…” Penelope rested her hand on yours. “I am so sorry. You really liked him.”

“I did,” you exhaled through a small laugh, then shook your head. “But it’s fine. Other fish in the sea, and all that. Not to mention,” you lowered your voice, “he’s my boss, Pen. What was I thinking?”

“Uh, you were thinking how hot it is,” she replied, her voice just above a whisper, but she was grinning. “It’s fine to have fantasies! Don’t beat yourself up over it.” She squeezed your hand.

“Thanks, Pen,” you smiled, squeezing her hand back. “Now. What are we thinking for food? I really am starving.”

+++

Hotch was just about to head out to find another unsub when his phone began ringing. He sighed heavily and spun around, hoping it wasn’t you, because the last thing he wanted to do was deal with you any more. It turned out to be Rossi.

“Hey Dave,” Aaron made sure to smile as he said it, hoping that translated in his tone. “What’s up?”

“Oh, nothing much,” Rossi sighed. “The usual. What are you up to?”

Aaron set his duffle bag down gently. Rossi never called for no reason. “Was just about to head on a short run,” Aaron said.

“Running a lot lately, huh?”

“Yeah,” Aaron chuckled, suddenly worried. Was Rossi onto him? How was he supposed to know? He felt ridiculous, being a profiler and unable to tell what Rossi was feeling. “It’s been good for uh…coping, you know. I don’t know,” he laughed. “I probably sound stupid.”

“Not at all,” Dave replied. “I won’t keep you. I just had one quick question.”

There it is. “Sure, what is it?”

“JJ is missing a few files, and I was just wondering if you might have them. The Holman case, the Goodman case, and a few others.”

“Holman?” Hotch asked. “Wasn’t he killed a few days ago?” Only a few days ago…what happened to the time?

“Yeah,” Dave sighed. “Anyway, take a look through your office after your run and give me a call, deal?”

“Deal,” Hotch said, smiling again. “I’ll talk to you later.”

“See ya,” Dave replied. “Don’t give yourself a stroke.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Hotch laughed. “Bye.”

Hotch sighed, setting his phone on the counter. This next unsub had to wait until the next day. Hotch had files to burn.

[shyvien]

Here are 100 random quotes from Beelzebub!

Sourced from the OM! Wiki, chats, devilgram, screenshots I found, etc. I made this list to help with studying to write the characters in character. (Not really proofread, sorry if there are mistakes. Also, there may be spoilers. If so, they're minor spoilers)

✧༺⚜️༻✧

“You look tasty.”

“*sniff* *sniff* You smell good.”

“I'm fine. I'm sure it'll go away. It's nothing new. Whenever Belphie gets sad, I get sad, too. That's probably what's happening now.”

“ Sorry, that was a really strange question to ask, wasn't it? Forget I said anything.”

“Cool, this works.”

“Huh? This is an interesting feeling. I'm finding it hard to relax.”

“I'm hungry, but I feel like another part of me is full.”

“It looks like someone's having fun. I'm glad.”

“So. hungry... You look delicious.”

“That tickles.”

“You are what you eat. You know what that means, right?”

“You can touch me. I don't mind.”

“Yeah. Tie it nice and tight, okay?”

“Standing watch at the gates means being ready for anything. So, I'm going to do some combat training like this.”

“Oh, hey. Perfect timing. I was hoping you'd spar with me.”

“I want to poke his cheek, too…”

“..This feels..really close, huh?”

“It's all because of the custard.”

“That's the spirit! Nice form, MC.”

“Great! You did it, MC! Not many people get it on their first try. That was amazing.”

“The light's turning the sea orange. It's like waves of delicious orange juice are rolling onto the beach.”

“Can I hold your hand...?”

“I don't know... Either way, I'm heading to the kitchen.”

“…I take it this means we're heading for something much more intimate than just partners in crime… One thing's for sure, MC... You and I are going to be amazing together.”

“I want you to film me while working out. If my form's not right, I won't be able to work the right muscle groups the way I want to. It shouldn't be tough getting here. Just ask somebody out on the street for directions.”

“I'm not constantly eating all the time. I'm only constantly eating sometimes. There's a big difference.”

“It said that in the human world, lovers who don't kiss at least once a day are destined to break up. Is that true?”

“I'm glad you mentioned something besides how much I eat. Thanks.”

“But there's no way that I'lI ever forget what you did for me then. And if you or MC are ever in trouble, I'll be there for you. Next time, l'll be the one saving you.”

“I'II protect you if something happens. Don't worry.”

“If that will make you smile… Heh, good. You smiled. I want to see your smile more. I would do anything if it means I get to see you smile like that.”

“Were you lonely? Don't be mad.”

“My face feels like it's on fire. I hope I can cool down before we get to class.”

“I’m going to take you as my hostage, MC. I don't want the Fallen Angel's Tear anymore. I've decided to rob you of MC here instead.”

“Take care, MC. We'll meet again...before my stomach growls.”

“Could I nibble on you just a bit? Just a taste.”

“What's that? Some sort of dessert?”

“The more I think about it, the more I start drooling.”

“The cookies I was saving in my pocket for later... All that's left are crumbs.”

“That explosion sent whipped cream flying everywhere. It's all over you too, MC. You're covered in it from head to toe. ...Which actually makes you look even more delicious than you did before. I was trying so hard to resist the urge to nibble. But now that I see you standing in front of me covered in delicious whipped cream, I... I…”

“It's just too much to handle! First things first, we've got to do something about all of the whipped cream you've got on you. Otherwise there's no telling when I might lose control and just...”

“Your lips? MC, it almost sounds like you want me to give in to these urges... Still, your lips look so soft... How can I say no? ..See? I knew it. They are soft. And sweet. It makes it really hard to stop. It's like...I can't get enough of you…”

“…Sorry. I was trying to stop you from falling…but we both ended up falling.”

“Are you comforting me..with a kiss on my cheek? Thank you, MC.”

“…I admit it. I'm jealous of the people who get close to you, MC.”

“This is so embarrassing.”

“You're so weird. But, thanks.”

“My feelings are still a mess... Can I hold you, MC?”

“You know, I was just thinking I was hungry. Come here, l'm going to take a few bites out of you two.”

“‘Do not eat’… It says ‘Do not eat.’ ‘Do not eat’…That's what it says...

“Don't blame me if the contents of these pages keep you up at night.”

“*gulp*... Whoops. I may have just, um...eaten that entire book…”

“You really are... Hm. I don't know how to say it. Mysterious? Strange? Incredible?”

“Do you want to sleep next to me? Not that I mind. But if there's something else you want, don't hesitate to say so.”

“Fun? No, no time for fun. This is about getting candy. This is war.”

“I… can't take it anymore. This is your fault. Your blood smells so good... Too good...”

“You want me to feed you? It's really sweet. Here... *munch* Oh, whoops. I didn't mean to eat that. Let me try again... Don't pout, I'lI be careful this time.”

“Pancakes!”

“Check out those buns!”

“I've put him in a sleeping bag for easy transport, so someone else can drag him along.”

“Yeah. He's just lost faith in humanity more than usual, that's all.”

“…You're so warm--inside and out.”

“He fell asleep hanging from the bar...? That's some grip.”

“Qu-Quit it, MC! Th-That tickles...! Hahaha! Stop…! Okay...okay. I promise to stop tickling you. Just no more tickling me back, please!”

“It's a little embarrassing holding you this close. You can probably hear my heart beating. But, it does make me feel happy.”

“It's really nice to see that my workouts are paying off. And now you can count on me to carry even heavier stuff. It'll be good training.”

“I'm working out in my room right now. Something welled up within me, and I got the sudden energy to lift 10 times as hard. I can't do all the stuff I want to unless I have a spotter, though. That's why I want you to come here and be my workout partner. Oh yeah, I'll be hungry from lifting, so can you bring some food with you as well?”

“...I don't know what happened in there, but whatever it was really messed with Belphie... I'm not letting that thing get away with this.”

“You bet. I'm going to destroy that bogeyman.”

“When push comes to shove, I know they've always got my back. My family is what drives me. Wanting to keep them safe makes me strong. I'm going to have to work harder at protecting them from here on out.”

“Hup...! Hah! ...Heads up!”

“You'll always be the only one on my mind. ...Okay, you and tasty treats.”

“You sure have been paying attention, huh? I'm always looking at you, too. But, now l'll be watching you even more, so that I can draw you from memory.”

“Use my power, MC. My power is yours to command. Everything I do, do for you and for Belphie! Evil spirit, sinister and foul! In the name of Beelzebub, Avatar of Gluttony ...be gone!”

“It's strange. Normally when I'm hungry, I'd be going into a rampage right now.”

“Calm down, Levi. That cake just fell into my mouth by accident, that's—“

“You're the only one who will always have my attention, MC, now and forever.”

“Thank you. This candy tastes like the Destroyed Devil Burger I wanted but was sold out. Is this your way of letting me try it? You don't know how happy this makes me.”

“*munch* *nom* Sorry, I ate it before I could say thanks. It was great. I appreciate it.”

“Don't barge in on my mealtime.”

“I just might eat you from the head down. ...You don't seem that delicious though.”

“You don't want to see me angry. I'll just get even MORE hungry.”

“Was that an earthquake? Ah, nope. Just my stomach.”

“Aahh, this is taking too long... If I die from starvation it's your fault.”

“Geez, you left me so hungry I almost ate YOU.”

“Do that all you want. I'm not giving you my food.”

“Hm, that... felt pretty good.”

“It looks...mouth-watering.”

“And...I like how touching you makes my heart speed up.”

“I can't wait to dig into some freshly grilled meat!”

“Got you! Nope. I'm turning the tables on you. ...Tickle attack!”

“Ah... Ahahaha! Wait, I- Hahahaha! Come on, give it a res--Pfft! Ahahaha!”

“...I did some of my combat training blindfolded, actually. So, this kind of brings me back.”

“I thought so. You look good. I'll buy it for you… A matching look? I've never done that before, but why not?”

“This can't be happening...say it's not happening! I'm scared…..! Please…..don't go anywhere, MC... Please, I'm begging you, don't go...”

“…I think I've calmed down a bit. I feel a lot better with you in my arms. But...this isn't fair. I'd like to also see you getting jealous of people who get close to me. I wouldn't mind. I'd like to see that side of you too.”

“Oh, I know. If I sit next to you, then you won't feel so self-conscious, right? Hang on, try lying down on the bed. Okay, good.”

“You can't even throw a pillow far enough to reach me. You should give up before you hurt yourself.”

“Open your mouth then. Say "aah" Well? Tasty, right?”

“Don't stop, MC. Kiss me more…”

Extras! (It’s hard to pick just 100 y’know?)

1. “Were you waiting for the perfect time to kiss me? That's adorable. It's my turn next.”

2. “Belphie, you've got that dead look in your eyes again.”

3. “My feelings for you won't change, not even after a thousand years...no, a million years.”

4. “It's sort of like...you're more special to me. Do you understand what I'm trying to say? ...Up to now, I always felt like I was hungry for something. I'd eat and eat and eat, but I still wasn't satisfied, so I'd eat more. But when I'm with you, it's like that hunger is suddenly gone. For once I feel strangely satisfied.”

5. “I hope I'll always have you here by my side, just like I have them. From here until…..forever. No matter how I might change in the future.”

6. “When I feel you in my arms like this, it lets me know for sure that I really am alive.”

7. “Even though as a human, your life is a lot shorter than that of us demons. And yet you still tried to save me. ...That meant a lot to me.”

8. “Where do you think you're going? Whoa, I don't think so. I'm not letting you go anywhere.”

9. “It's all right, MC. Just listen to my voice, MC. Forget about everything else...”

✧༺⚜️༻✧

𝑀𝒶𝓈𝓉𝑒𝓇𝓁𝒾𝓈𝓉

𝒮𝒽𝓎 𝒲𝓇𝒾𝓉𝑒𝓇 ༝༚༝༚

[wesawbears]

At the buzzer, but here is my fic for the @daylightficfest! My prompt was: Character study of Kevin through the lens of his and Jeans relationship. Scenes from their relationship from the beginning in the Nest to their time apart at Palmetto and USC, playing pro exy and post retirement.

Enjoy!

--

“He won't last three months.”

Kevin turned to look at Marcus, disliking the mix of malice and amusement on his face. Thankfully he was a fifth year, with a pro contract to boot, and so wouldn't be around in three months to check on his bet either way. But Jean Moreau, with his guarded pretty eyes looked interesting at least, and he must be capable on the court– otherwise, the Master would not have taken him on. He at least wanted a chance to play with him before the rest of the Ravens got to him.

“He will have to,” Riko said at his other side, jolting Kevin back to attention. “The Master would not have accepted an investment that was not likely to pay itself off.” He grinned, a sharp-toothed thing that Kevin both abhorred and was drawn in by. It meant trouble, and where Riko is concerned, Kevin was bound to be caught in the crosshairs. It was his place and he knew it, but that wouldn't stop the pit of dread from settling in his stomach. He watched Riko clap his hands together. “Doesn't mean we can't have some fun in the meantime.”

Kevin followed as Riko walked up to their new charge, stopping a few feet away. He was taller than Riko, but that had never cowed him before. What did he have to be afraid of? He was King, and only the Master had dominion over him. As long as it did not affect their performance on the court, he would not intervene. 

“You are Moreau?” he said. 

“Jean-Yves,” the boy said, eyes hard and mouth set. Kevin inwardly flinched at the look of it.

Riko waved a dismissive hand. “You are a Moreau. You will learn your place or you will have it taught to you. Remember that.”

Moreau nodded and Kevin struggled not to let his relief show. He knew the time would come for Riko to take the full measure of the newest Raven, but Kevin wanted to postpone it as long as possible. 

“We'll have to see your skills on the court,” Kevin said, hoping to appease Riko. “We don't know how long it's been since you played. None of this means anything if you cannot hold your own.” The Court could hurt, but it was a cleaner pain. Different.

Moreau shot him a flat look, and Kevin did his best to match it. “I can play. Give me a racquet.”

He wasn't wrong. Kevin had to know about backliners– many Exy players made the mistake of only learning their own position, but understanding the role of each member of a team made your job easier. A good backliner had to be fast and ruthless, simultaneously focused on their mark and seeing the whole field at once. 

Kevin prided himself on knowing the measure of a player after one match. After playing Jean-Yves Moreau for the first time, he saw that he played not like he had either everything or nothing to lose. Rather, he played like it was the only thing, like he was willing to do anything to achieve his goal. He played like his body didn't matter. 

As they headed off the field, Kevin caught him by the arm. “You did well. They will do what they can to injure you. It does no good to play like that if you're only going to handicap yourself with injury.”

“Somehow I do not think it will matter if I am injured or not,” Moreau said, wrenching his arm out of Kevin's hold.

Kevin watched him walk away, unsure what he could say to contradict that.

–

Kevin glanced behind himself, checking once more that Riko was asleep. He had made this particular walk enough times to know it would be fine– Riko was a heavy sleeper, and he wouldn't be gone more than an hour. None of Jean's temporary partners, if they noticed, would dare to reveal his secret. Riko was King, but Kevin had enough standing that the other Ravens knew he could make their lives hell just as easily. So they turned away when Kevin slipped into Jean's room in the dead of night.

He sat on the edge of the bed, careful not to jostle Jean too much. He'd taken a considerable amount of hard checks at practice that day. Not that he ever didn't. Still, Kevin knew how much worse it had gotten now that they were full members of the team. 

It'd be worse if Jean indicated that any of it bothered him, but he woke without even a pained grunt, just soundlessly opening his eyes and turning to look at Kevin. The fight, the hard edge that had been there when they met two years ago was gone, replaced with flat, empty grey. Kevin hated it, hated his part in putting it there. Still, he was here, doing what he could to get some of the light back.

“So. Three words tonight?” he asked tucking his leg up underneath him.

Jean nodded and sat up, wincing a bit at the pull in his ribs. “It would be easier to learn if you were willing to try sentences.”

Kevin sighed. Jean was right, of course, as Kevin had mostly learned Japanese by being thrown into the deep end. But this was all he had to bargain with, to get these few moments alone with him, to see that he was okay. There was a smaller, buried part of him that could admit he just wanted the closeness, but examining that would open doors Kevin knows are better left closed. It wasn't an option, to be anything but what the public required of him. Desirable. Charming. 

Straight.

So he contented himself with the lilt of syllables on Jean's tongue, the way the sound sends a lick of something up Kevin's spine. And when he's learned his words for the day and exhaustion makes his pronunciation too egregious for Jean to bear, he can curl into the warmth by his back and close his eyes, feel the rise and fall of Jean's breath with his head resting on his shoulder.

It's too dangerous to stay, but he always waits until he's sure Jean is asleep to slip away, leaving the safety of dreams for the reality down the hall.

–

It was four in the morning and Kevin was half convinced that Jean was dead.

More than half sure, if he's being honest. It wasn't fair, what he'd done, but it was the only chance he'd had. Riko wouldn't have killed him, but Kevin isn't sure that what he's been left with is any better. He only half remembered the drive, hopped up on pain and adrenaline with his wrist cradled to his chest. It felt like atonement, though he didn't think Jean would agree with that assessment. Not when he was surely experiencing ten times worse. 

Kevin's name kept him insulated from the repercussions of his actions, but even if he had been able to take Jean with him, there's no guarantee that the Moriyama's wouldn't have had him killed. At least, that's what he told himself. Andrew called it equivocating.

So he paced the length of the room that's only been his for forty eight hours and tried not to panic as his phone refused to light up with an answer from Jean. The first thing Andrew had done once Wymack had passed him uneasily into the cousins' custody was sit him down and watch as he deleted every contact in his phone of the Ravens and blocked them. He had done it– shaking the whole time, but he'd done it, understanding that he had no choice. But as he'd stared down at Jean's name, he looked up at Andrew's placid smile and shook his head.

“He needs me,” he'd said.

“He needed you,” Andrew corrected. “You left him. He will not see it otherwise.”

“Then at least leave me the option to repay the debt I owe him,” Kevin said, appealing in a language he knew Andrew understood.

Something in the desperate glint in his eyes must have convinced him, because he handed Kevin his phone back, grin growing wide.

“Playing with fire. Maybe Dan is wrong about you being a Fox after all.” 

Half sick with desperation, Kevin clicked call before he could second guess himself and waited for the beep of Jean's voicemail. He knew he probably wouldn't be coherent, but the words had been choking for him for two days, and he felt like they were going to rip him in two soon.

“Jean. I-I know you hate me, and you should- I- fuck, I left you and I'm selfish, I'm so selfish that I have to know you're okay, that you're alive. Just tell me that and I'll never bother you again.”

 He doesn't mean the last bit– Jean is too much a part of his bloodstream to ever be able to stop checking for him, at every game and gala, in every shadow and tucked into his heart when he sleeps. But he was trying to be better and that meant letting the space close as long as he knew Jean was alive.

His phone chimed three days after he sent the voicemail, and the sound startled him so much he almost smashed it against the wall. But he opens it with a shaky hand and saw what Jean wrote.

I am alive. Never call me again. Coward.

–

Kevin visited California alone for the first time during the week between Christmas and New Year's. Andrew and Neil were headed up the coast, everyone else scattered to their various homes. He'd known that Abby had been genuine in her offer for him to stay with her and Coa-his dad. But he'd stayed there in the week leading up to the holidays, and through them, and it had left both of their nerves a little raw. Besides, he had put off seeing how Jean was long enough. It was best for him to have space to settle in with the Trojans, and he'd known he was in good hands with Jeremy.

He knew it was selfishness rather than altruism that made him want to visit. A horrible voice whispered and clawed in the back of his mind, wanting to know if he's been replaced, if the rupture between them is large enough that it can't be healed. Jean had certainly had nothing kind to say to him while holed up at Abby’s. But he hoped that time and distance had done some of the work for him. Now it was up to Kevin to do the rest.

Jeremy was the one to pick him up from the airport. “Jean's sorry he couldn't make it– backliners day for pre-semester physicals. He'll meet us at the house once you're settled.”

Kevin knew a practiced lie when he heard one– he'd told enough of them himself. Jean didn't want their first meeting in six months to be in a small car with no way out. “How is he really?”

Jeremy sighed. “He's doing as good as he can? Leagues better than he was in June.”

“But?”

“But you left a hell of a lot out, man.”

Kevin nodded. “It is…difficult to explain.”

Jeremy nodded. “I'm not angry. And…neither is he. I don't think. That's probably an overstep so don't repeat that, but…just give him time.”

When Kevin did finally get to see Jean later that night, he did look good. He was no longer ghostly pale, and more present than he'd seemed in a long time. He's gained muscle back, but it sat better than it had with the Ravens. 

Jeremy, Cat,  and Laila clear the table to give the two of them a chance to talk and Kevin feels all of the words he'd wanted to say flee him.

“You're alone,” Jean said to break the silence.

“Huh?”

Jean rolled his eyes at Kevin's ineptitude. “I meant that you came alone. I'm surprised is all.”

“Andrew wouldn't set foot in California if I paid him.”

Jean shrugged. “Or maybe you don't need him the way you think you did?”

“Maybe,” he answered noncommittally. He didn't know if Jean was really past the partner system or not, but it still bothered him to think Jean has freed himself from it far sooner than Kevin had managed to. “I think we're both pretty well adjusted. All things considered.”

The weight of names and bodies hang between them. So many Ravens dead or good as, and for what? He has asked Thea once how she had moved on and she dad shrugged and said she hadn't. She just kept moving. He supposed that without something to move towards, they had been lost. Kevin had his father, and Jean…

Jean had the Trojans now. 

He looked up as Jeremy tapped on the doorframe, looking apologetic. “I'm heading up to bed. You need anything?”

“We're fine. Good night, Jeremy.”

There was something in the look that passed between them and Kevin knew. It wasn't something yet, but it would be, and he would be happy for Jean when it happened. He owed him that much.

–

Three things were true: Kevin had just won his third gold medal, he hadn't had a drink in thirteen years, and he was in a bar.

He held his hand against the cold of his glass, full of club soda and ice. His hand cramped up after a game, and the cool felt nice against his palm.

He heard someone slide next to him and even after years intuited who it was. “How did you know I would be here?”

Jean snorted. “You are not difficult to predict.”

“I wasn't going to drink.”

“I know.”

His hand fidgeted on the glass as weighed his words. “Shouldn't you be celebrating?”

“I am exactly where I want to be.”

Kevin looked over at him. Years between them and so much changed, but not Jean's eyes. The same grey, the same kind look. Despite.

“I think this is it,” Kevin said quietly. 

“Your hand.”

 It was a statement, not a question, but Kevin nodded anyway. “The doctors wanted me to retire two years ago, but I wanted another Olympics. My coach signed off on it, with the condition that I was done after this.”

Jean nodded slowly. “You should talk to Jeremy. He had a hard time when his knee took him out a few years ago. He might have some suggestions.”

“I see a sports psychologist. I've been preparing for this for a year.”

“But it's different than you thought it would be.”

There was a ghost hanging between them, an unspoken absence no one else could see. “It's easier on the court. I could manage it there.”

“You will manage without it. It can't love you back.”

“You sound like Andrew.”

“Perish the thought.”

They chuckled and the tension broke, long enough for Jean to take his glass of melted ice away. “Come. We are going somewhere else.”

Kevin stood, confused but not concerned. Even now, he would follow Jean anywhere. “It's eleven at night.”

“There are streetlights.”

Kevin stopped short as Jean made his way over to a motorcycle, passing a helmet to Kevin. “I am not getting on that thing.”

Jean laughed. “Yes you are. You drive in a car with Andrew.”

“That's different. It has doors.”

“Do you trust me?”

Kevin faltered at that, feeling too much like an eighteen year old version of himself clinging to Jean in the dark. But he found that it wasn't a question at all.

“I do.”

–

“Dad!”

Kevin looked up to see Amalia making her way through the crowd. It still startled him every day to see how tall she was getting. Her features were all Thea, but the demanding tone was him.

“Yeah?”

“Uncle Jean is here!” 

“Can't really leave, honey. Let him in and tell him I'm back here.”

She ran off and returned, pulling 6’5” of backliner through the kitchen. 

“They trust you in front of a stove?” Jean greeted. 

“I'm learning,” Kevin said. “If you're going to make fun of me, you're going to help. Chop,” he said, gesturing to the vegetables to his left. 

Jean smirked, but didn't argue, taking the knife with an air of practice. “Glad to see you haven't lost your inexplicable need to boss everyone around.”

“It comes in handy,” Kevin said without heat. “Jeremy coming?”

“He got commandeered by your daughter. She wanted to show him the tricks she taught Lucky.”

Kevin chuckled. Amalia spoiled that dog, but then, she had caught Kevin giving her a pup cup, so he wasn't totally off the hook. “Losing your husband to a dog.”

“I accepted I would lose that bargain long ago,” Jean said with a laugh.

A companionable silence passed between them, the sounds of chopping and sizzling serving as the backdrop. 

“It's weird how normal this is, right?” Kevin said at last.

“I don't know– I tend to think everything involving you is made weird.”

Kevin rolled his eyes. “You know what I mean.”

Jean hummed, wiping his hands and turning to face Kevin. “I think the feeling you're experiencing is happiness, Kevin.”

It was rare that he took the time to take stock of his life. The years since his retirement had passed in a sea of trial and error– of becoming a better father and husband, of trying on hobbies and habits, until the patchwork he'd cobbled together resemble a life. And he was, he found, happy, against all odds. He liked getting called old by Amalia, having to squint at her phone when she showed him TikToks, yelling at Neil over the phone after a match they'd both watched, quiet double dates with Jean and Jeremy, and feeling the weight of their history melt away with the years.

Kevin was forty, and Jean was in his kitchen, and they were smiling, and they were going to be okay.

“I think you might be right.

[writingintheshadowsforever]

The Setup Kate Bishop x Reader

Summary: Yelena knows Kate has feelings for you but won't ever act on them on her own. So being the best wing woman she can be she forces Kate into some interesting situations with you.

"Yelena where are you? I'm ready for extraction" Kate whispered in her comms. She wast trekking through the woods doing her best to stay quiet, but still move fast. The mission almost without a hitch breaking into the sketchy billionaire’s home was fairly easy. The retrieval of the little black notebook was a bit more complicated considering. The notebook was pretty simple in looks and there was nothing special or distinctive about it, and the man had a lot of notebooks. Eventually after causing minimal damage to his home office she stumbled upon a tiny secret safe behind a painting. Because of course the notebook would be hidden in the most cliche spot possible.

It took her sometime to crack the code, but once it was done. There was the goods waiting for her to snatch them up, and disappear into the night. Leaving behind no trace of her appearance and that's what would've happened. If she had accounted for the cliche alarm system that sounded off the second the safe was opened. It alerted all ten bodyguards who initially Kate didn't see a point in rendering unconscious. Because the whole point of this mission was to remain unseen and unheard, Yelena told her if she really was as good as she thought she was. Then it wouldn't be a problem and Kate accepted her challenge ready to prove how much she has approved as a spy. Now here she was regretting that decision running through the woods from her pursuers. Who from the sound of the all the tree branches being snapped from heavy footfall was gaining on her.

The highway couldn't be much farther away, but she didn't bring her own getaway vehicle, because Yelena promised her the extraction part was already taken care. But so far the only answer she got from comms was more static. It had her wondering if she did something to anger the blonde, and this was her getting revenge. Letting her believe she was going to to get captured by the bad guys, only to swoop in. At the last minute to save the day was something Yelena would totally do.

"Stop your inner panicking Kate Bishop your ride will be waiting for at the road. She has your coordinates and is only a minute out from your location. If you pick up the pace you might beat her" Yelena's voice came through the comms.

Kate let out a breath a sigh of relief leaping over a fallen tree in the path. She landed on her feet and kept going. No time for rest not when the road came into view just a few feet away. A roaring engine revving filled the air, and a light came into view as well.

Who exactly did Yelena send to pick her up?

Not even a minute Kate got her answer when you brought the motorcycle to a stop right at the beginning of the path. You weren't wearing your usual mission suit instead you sporting a more casual look. Black skintight jeans, a white shirt with a small cut at the shoulders revealing some skin, and black leather boots. The helmet was covering your face, but still Kate knew it was you. She would know you and your style anywhere.

Kate paused a few feet away from you with a look of confusion.

"Kate what's wrong? Get on we got to go" You told her leaning forward to see behind her. The bad guys weren't in sight yet, but you could hear their pursuit. "We don't have a lot of time."

"Um where am I suppose to um you know-" she let her voice trail off shooting you a nervous smile.

"Just climb on behind me and put your arms around my waist. We'll be fine I won't crash I promise" You said.

Oh she was going to kill Yelena because no one else was responsible for putting her in this predicament but her. Kate dashed over and climbed on behind you. She placed her hands on your waist but only just gripping it.

"Kate no you need to get a better grip put your arms all the way around me. I don't mind" You explained eyes focused on the woods.

"Oh right" she replied with a nervous chuckle. Her arms wrapped around your waist, and her hands clasped together resting on your stomach.

"Tighter" you demanded.

Kate took a deep breath before constricting her arms all the around your waist. Which in return forced her to close the gap between her body and yours. So now her front were pressed up against your back and her chin was resting on your shoulder. Not wasting another second you revved the engine, and the motorcycle went peeling off into the night.

Thirty minutes later you were pulling into the Compound's garage with Kate still clinging to to your waist. You sat up straight taking the helmet off. "You can let go now if you want to."

"Oh right" Kate let out a nervous chuckle removing her arms from your waist and scooting backward giving you space. It was a good thing your back was to her because her entire face was red right now. "Hey thanks for the save I owe you one."

You shook your head. "No problem next time you need a partner just let me know."

"I thought you had plans tonight" she replied gesturing to your attire. You were dressed for a night out in the city.

"I mean yeah I did but it's you Kate if you had asked. I would've dropped those plans in a heartbeat. My night was going sour anyway when Yelena called you know." You said with a shrug finally climbing off the motorcycle.

Your comments just made her blushing worse and she was glad that. You didn't stick around to further the conversation even more. It was Yelena who brought her out of her train of thought just a few minutes later smacking her shoulder. "How did the recovery go?"

Kate have her shoulder a harsh shove. "You set me up and you know it. No more shenanigans okay just leave it alone." She was really starting to regret confiding in the blonde about her feelings for you. Even if Yelena picked up on the little things herself. Kate could've still denied it but now it was too late.

"Then go tell her how you feel right now" Yelena demanded.

Kate went pale at the idea shaking her head profusely.

"Good then we do this my way" Yelena concluded walking away with the archer behind her protesting.

The next setup came a few days later at a restaurant. Kate invited Yelena out for lunch and they were seated in a booth. Both of them choosing to sit on the opposite side across from each other. The waiter came by to get their drink orders. It was when Yelena ordered two drinks Kate got suspicious.

"Who's the second drink for?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

Yelena just shrugged her shoulders with a knowing look on her face. A second later you slid into the booth next to Kate throwing your arm across the back of it. "Did you get my drink order?" You asked nodding in the blonde's direction.

"Yeah the server just came by you're right on time" she replied leaning back with a grin.

"Oh hey Kate you don't mind if I sit here do you" You greeted her turning your head to the side.

"No you're all good" the archer answered way too fast becoming really interested in the menu all of a sudden. She brought it up to her face blocking your view of her redden cheeks. She wanted to stab Yelena with a fork.

"Its cool that I invited y/n right Kate Bishop I remember you telling me you forgot to do it, and figured she had plans" Yelena said.

Kate moved the menu down far enough so her eyes were visible to glare at the blonde. But then her eyes turned to meet yours which were shinning with amusement. "Yeah its cool I'm glad you could make it y/n."

"I'm glad to be here I don't know how many times I have to keep telling you. If you need me for something, or just want to hangout all you have to do is ask."

Her blush got even worse if that was possible. Inside of her head Kate was freaking out trying to figure out. How she was going to make it through the entire lunch without giving her crush away.

The waiter returned a few minutes later ready to take orders, and for a second she got a breather as all three of you ordered your food. Of course Yelena got a side of mac and cheese, but surprisingly she ordered an actual meal. A crispy chicken salad with all the dressings on the side. The blonde insisted she had to try all of them to see which one she liked, and if all else failed she would just use hot sauce.

You ordered a burger with fries and a side of buffalo sauce for Yelena in secret. It seemed crazy to you that with her love for hot sauce, she had yet to taste buffalo sauce yet.

Kate ordered the personal pizza and decided to keep her menu in case she wanted to order something to-go later, or dessert. In reality she wanted to continue to use it as a face shield just in case.

And it was a good thing she did because not even five minutes after the waiter left. Yelena let out a huge yawn stretching her arms and legs. You scooted over closer to her Kate to make room for the blonde to prop her legs up on the bench. It was really a tight squeeze because she had still had plenty of space by the window. But your body was close enough to hers where even the littlest of movement would have your leg brushing up against hers.

"Are you comfortable Katie?" You asked turning to her.

She gave you a quick nod still hiding her face.

"Really because you seem a little nervous am I too close?"

Never in all truth you weren't close enough is what she wanted to say, but didn't have the courage. "Its fine" she muttered with a smile.

Yelena shot her a quick wink while you were distracted by a ping on your cellphone. Kate wanted to angry with her for putting her in another compromising position with you, but she couldn't help the little smile on her face, or the glint of hope in her eyes.

The food would be brought to the table twenty minutes later, and you would pass Yelena the buffalo sauce for her salad prompting the blonde to push all the other dressings to the side, and order more buffalo sauce.

"Just wait until she tastes buffalo wings she's going to obsessed" Kate whispered in your ear.

"Okay but who isn't obsessed with buffalo wings its like the perfect comfort food that goes with any occasion" You whispered back with a grin.

"Hey what are you two lovebirds talking about over there" Yelena demanded to know.

"Wouldn't you like to know" You shot back

"Um yeah I would that's why I asked y/n" she stated in slight confusion at your response.

"Its between us two lovebirds you'll find out one day."

Your words had Kate's face red as tomato but you were too busy diving into your food to notice.

A week went by without any setups courtesy of Yelena, and part of the reason was because you were sent on a three day mission. But on your return she did take the time to put together a welcome-home gift for you, and gave Kate all the credit. Well except for baking the cupcakes considering baking was not the archer's specialty. The last time Kate tried to bake a batch of chocolate-chip cookies. They came out hard as brick despite the fact you nearly lost a tooth eating the one she gave you to try. You finished it and the other four she brought to you immediately after.

Yelena on the other hand took one look at frisbee cookie and refused to even taste it. So you ate hers as well insisting that she play along so Kate's feelings wouldn't be hurt. It was crazy because that was the moment Yelena decided. You had to have hidden feelings for the dark-haired girl, otherwise you would've had no problem being honest with her.

But other than the welcome-home scheme things had been quiet, and Kate found herself missing the unexpected unofficial dates with you. She was at the point where she was going to ask Yelena if she had given up, or maybe it was worse. Maybe the blonde discovered you were already in a relationship.

Kate figured that was something she would know about you with the two of being partners and roommates, but then again you could be secretive when you wanted to.

She came up with a plan to regroup with Yelena after the movie tonight. A new action flick had hit theaters just a day ago, and Yelena was excited to see it. Going to see a movie in theaters was perhaps one of the blonde's favorite activities. She got to hang out with her friends, but didn’t have to deal with the pressure of maintaining a long and normal conservation. Something she still struggled with from time to time.

Kate let out a huff in frustration with the breath becoming visible in the cold of New York. She had been standing outside the theater for the past thirty minutes waiting for Yelena to arrive. She texted the girl more than three times and was left on read. Her eyes scanned the busy street bustling with hustlers, families, and people on the go. Searching for her familiar face getting out of a cab, or maybe exiting a Subway entrance. Heck she even looked towards the tall buildings to see if Yelena had chosen to scale one of them, and make a flashy appearance. It definitely wouldn't be the first time, but still no sign of her.

The archer was ready to call it quits when finally a familiar face did come into her line of vision. It wasn't Yelena though.

It was you.

Dressed in a pair of comfy black joggers, a long sleeved white cotton sweater with a black puffer jacket for an extra layer of protection. A white scarf was wrapped around your neck, with a black beanie to top the outfit off. It was such a simple look but the way you rocked it made it more stylish.

"Y/N hey I didn't know you were coming" Kate greeted you trying not to sound too excited.

You flashed your beautiful smile and went in for a quick hug that made her stiffen for a moment a bit nervous. "I know its because I'm filling in for Yelena again. She said something about a stomach flu from eating bad fish, and asked me to tag along so you wouldn't be flying solo" You explained.

Kate fought back the urge to scoff already knowing the blonde was fibbing. Yelena didn't even like fish. She should've known that the games weren't over, and Yelena had still been plotting all along. But once again Kate couldn't bring herself to be back angry or even annoyed. She was just appreciative of the fact that she was spending more time with you.

"This didn't get in the way of any of your plans did it?" Kate asked with a slight frown.

You wave her question off with a snort "of course not, and like I keep telling you. I would drop any plans for you in a heartbeat Katie."

"Right you did say that" She muttered dropping her head as heat rose up on her face. Could you go a single day without making her blush?

"Come on the movie starts in five minutes." You grabbed her by the hand pulling her into the theater. It wasn't until two hours and a half later after the movie was over, and the two of you were stumbling down the streets of New York. Going on about how awesome the movie was, and it was fun to just do normal people stuff.

Kate realized you were still holding onto her hand, and you had never really let go. Except for the few times the two of you had to separate because the space was necessary. Maybe you had forgotten or just did it out of instinct. You were a pretty affectionate and protective person, so it could be your way of keeping her close just in case something happened.

But a tiny voice in her head was telling it was something more. It was your subtle way of revealing your feelings for her, because just like her. You were too nervous or scared to come out and say it outright. You had to like her the way she liked you, or Yelena wouldn't be pushing you and her together so much if you didn't. While the former assassin was fond of pranks, and Kate was her main target most of the time. She wouldn't be that cruel.

The tiny voice urged her to make a move now there would never be a better time than now. She couldn't let Yelena do all the work, eventually Kate would have to take the initiative. So mustering up all the courage in her body.

She did just exactly that.

A small gasp of surprise left your mouth as your body was tugged to the side, and backed into deserted alleyway. You opened your mouth to ask Kate what was wrong. Eyes looking around in a panic for enemies in the shadows trying to ambush the two of you. But there were only a few non-threatening pedestrians walking along the street. Not paying either of you any attention just focused on getting to their destination, and out the cold.

"Kate is something wro-" Your words were forgotten on the tip of your tongue. As Kate pressed her body closer to yours moving her hands down to your waist. You looked up to meet her eyes which were filled with love and desire. The emotion came off her in waves, and nearly overwhelmed you.

"I know this might come off a little too strong but I want you y/n. I want to be with you more than I've ever wanted anything in my entire life. Got damn forget wanting I need you y/n I don't know what it is about you, but ever since you walked into my life. I just find myself thinking about you all the time."

Kate took a deep breath pausing for a bit choosing her next words carefully. "I'm falling way too fast and way too hard to keep silent anymore. Alright I can't keep going on feeling this way without knowing if you feel the same."

You stood there listening to her pour her heart out, and confess her feelings. Not giving anything away with your facial expression which remained neutral, and that scared her a little bit. But still she kept going, and now here it was your turn. The moment of truth and instead of giving her words. You gave her action leaning forward to press your lips to hers.

The surprise kiss caught her off guard and Kate pulled back almost immediately with a small frown. You matched her but more so in confusion and annoyance.

"Wait does this mean you like me to."

You let out a exasperated sigh gripping her hips tightly, and pushing off of the wall to turn her around, and pin her body to the wall. She let out a small yelp at the sudden change in position. "Bishop I'm so beyond liking you, and while I don't have the right words to describe my feelings for you. I'm more than happy to show you if you would let me."

Kate barely nodded before you planted your lips back on hers in a fiery kiss that had on her tippy toes. Her hands gripped your waist a little tighter until it wasn't enough. The little gap between yours and her's bodies was a bother to her. So she fixed it constricting her arms around your waist bringing your body flush to hers. You cupped her face between your hands deepening the heated kiss.

There was enough heat to light up both of you with a fire. Just like that the harsh-biting cold was just a after thought as your scarf came undone hanging off your neck. When Kate brought a hand to the back of your neck, as she pulled away for just a second to turn the tables again. Pushing you back up against the brick wall as the one kiss turned into a slow and passionate make-out.

You weren't too sure how long your lips stay attached to hers as you, and Kate got lost within each other. You poured your heart into every single kiss letting her know you wanted her just as much. No you weren't good with your words all the time, but you were a hella good kisser.

It was your phone going off that brought you and Kate back to the world of living. At first both of you noticed as her lips parted for your tongue to enter her mouth. But then a few seconds later hers went off as well, and finally Kate pulled away digging her phone out of her pocket as you trailed kisses down her cheek to her neck.

It was Yelena.

"Um y/n its getting dark and I think Yelena is starting to worry oh wow." she said pushing down a moan when your lips found a sensitive spot.

You pulled away with a smirk. "I'm saving that spot for later, but yeah we should get going before she gets worried, and comes out to look for us."

"I thought she was a sick" Kate joked stepping back letting you off the wall.

"Oh please we both know that was a lie, and she's been playing matchmaker from the start." You told her with a knowing look in your eyes before walking away.

The revelation left Kate frozen in place as she processed your words. You just admitted to knowing what was going on the entire time. She had to jog to catch up with you. Her hand slipping into awaiting one with ease. "Wait why didn't you say anything if you knew this whole time?"

"Because I was a bit scared all these feelings is new to me Kate, and I didn't know how to come out and just say it. So when Yelena started plotting I just let her figuring something would come from it eventually."

"So you felt the same way about me this entire time?" Kate pressed you.

"Did the pass twenty minutes not answer that question for you?" You responded in disbelief.

Kate thought about for a second before turning to you with a hint of mischief. "Not really I might need an encore."

You grinned "I'll give you as many encores as you need Bishop."

And when the two of you finally arrived home after getting an earful from Yelena about answering your phones. In the future when she called for a check up. You pulled her into a privacy of her room kicking the door shut, but not before giving the blonde a quick thumbs up.

You gave her the encore she asked for, and later she would fall asleep in your arms but not before hearing the words leave your mouth.

"I need you to Katie."

Kate didn't need to hear it, but it just made everything more perfect.

Tag List: @manyfandomsfanvergent @romanoffomixam @danveration @xxromanoffxx @xxxtwilightaxelxxx @natashasilverfox @lizlil @meimei-a

[cat-at-a-writing-desk]

Hello to the LU fandom. I'm honestly kinda new, here, but LoZ has taken my creativity only to run away with it. That is to say, I have a story idea and I wanted to see if anyone here would be interested in it? I'm putting a blurb of the second story here into this post to see what you guys think. Please note that the stories are far from finished and I still need to find an editor or something, but I still wanted to gauge interest levels...

Link stared in disbelief at the swirling magic she and Zelda had just come across. At the bottom of the freaking castle ruins, as if the gloom hadn't been bad enough. Link turned her stare to her dearest sister, praying to the Fierce Deity that Zelda hadn't just said the worst possible sentence she could have come up with in this moment.

"Zelda. Zel. Zi. Dearest sister whom I love ever so much. What, and I cannot stress this enough, the actual heck are you talking about?"

Zelda, in all her wisdom, just rolled her eyes with a sigh. "Link, relax. We're just going to go check out what that magic over there is. It doesn't even look anything like the gloom that's floating around, so we should be just fine."

"Fine?" Link waved her arms in emphasis at their sketchy surroundings. "Zelda! This is textbook beginning of a hero adventure! Look at this crap! You've heard plenty of dad and grandfather's stories. The second we go check out this…whatever the heck this is, we'll be pulled into Save Hyrule 2, the Redux. And I, for one, refuse to do this again. I did my time. A full century of it! I am not doing this all over again."

"Oh, for the love of-" Zelda paused to breath. She knew her sister had issues about the hero thing. Zelda couldn't even blame her, not after what had happened the first time. Zelda looked at Link for a moment, recognizing the very real anxiety on her face, and hoped that her words would be able to calm Link down a bit. "Look. Even if we end up doing a second adventure, and that's not a guarantee, it's not like it would be the first time in history it's happened. We'll be fine. Look! The magic is green, okay? What idiot would ever make an evil magic color green? We've met greenish bluish spirits and that's never been an issue."

Link crossed her arms, drummed her fingers on one of her arms, and was not convinced at all. "That is so not the point! Retired, ZiZi. We're supposed to be retired. Dad didn't have to do a second adventure before retiring."

"He did if you count the time traveling Chain adventure. And grandfather did go through two normal adventures, so it's not out of the family norm."

Link looked to the side at this, muttering her next words under her breath. "Nothing about grandfather's stories about Clocktown are normal."

"LiLi!" Zelda finally snapped. "Focus. We're going down there. We're checking out the magic. And then we'll be back up and out in time to get you back to the Domain. Happy?"

Link closed her eyes, breathing in deeply. She gave Zelda a very pained look once she opened her eyes back up. "…I reserve the right to say 'I told you so' when we get pulled into adventure two."

"I accept your reservation. We've got this, though." Zelda tried to smile at Link, hoping some levity would help her sister get into a better headspace.

"Famous last words, ZiZi…"