#when he mentioned the bird thing i like audibly gasped

[clowninthecoffeehouse]

will never get over casper’s bird thing like he’s literally just like me i have a spreadsheet i’ve been working on for ages with everyone i’ve ever met as a bird species

[yeehawbvby]

Falling Away With You | Ch. 23*

Sebastian x F!Reader and M. Rasmodius x F!Reader

Rating: Mature/Explicit

*CHAPTER-SPECIFIC TW: brief mentions of blood-play*

Chapter Summary: Sebastian’s a bit jealous of how close you are to the wizard 👀

Author’s Note: Seb is super rough and possessive and tbh a bit mean?? when things get steamy in this chapter. It's a short lived thing and they talk it out in the next one but I just thought it would be neat because I'm a horny sicko LMAO

It’s not mentioned in the moment at all as to not mess with the flow, but he’d absolutely stop if she told him to (but our y/n is a little freak so of COURSE she doesn’t want him to)

Enjoy some super intense smut, and a few Seb-heavy chapters!! x

Table of Contents + Work Summary

Check it out on ao3!

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“What the fuck are these?!” Abby loudly whispers, her eyes trained on Magnus’ berries as we ascend the stairs to his tower. 

I guess I get to see the resident emo girl in her element – exploration really must be something she yearns for. I smile, watching as she adorably shuffles over to inspect the blue fruits up close. 

Seb strolls up behind her, reaching out to feel one for himself. “Shit, those are sick.” 

I stand by the giant melon and its children. “Check out these puppies,” I quietly invite them over. Ooo, I can say the thing! I deepen my voice to prepare. “Don’t talk to me or my sons ever again.”

Abby snorts, and Seb mutters an amused but disappointed “god damnit” under his breath. Nailed it.

“Stooop. That is so adorable.” Abby takes out her phone and snaps a pic. She better not steal my terrible joke on her socials… “Let’s check out over there!” 

She points in the direction of some trees and wild berry bushes, where there’s a small opening that I never noticed before. We enter the clearing, now using Abby’s phone’s flashlight to guide us, and there isn’t much here. Just a bird bath and some green metallic garden chairs, albeit the flora’s adorned with pretty hanging trinkets. It’s a cute little sitting area, but looks like it’s rarely dwelled in, aside from to maintain the bath.

Abby is inspecting the shrubs, twirling a small decorative ornament in her hand and mumbling something about how she thought it would be creepier and more exciting here. Simultaneously, I hear cautious footsteps behind us.

I look at Seb, who’s peeking over my shoulder. He looks down at me and offers a comforting smile and nod, which I return. I wonder if he talked to Magnus with his big ol’ telepathic brain too. 

Either way, it’s showtime. Magnus is probably too early for my own plan to develop – maybe he’s just as antsy as I am? – so we’ll see how this plays out I guess.

“Who’s there?” Magnus shouts. 

Abby audibly gasps, dropping — and breaking, god damnit Abby! — the glass ball she’d been admiring. “Fuck!” she frantically whispers, kicking it under the bush. We lock eyes, both sets widened. Hers from nerves, mine from the fact that she just broke Magnus’ shit. I hope it wasn’t expensive or important.

The wizard shows himself, his faux black hair scruffy from “sleep” and a flashlight in his hand. He’s wearing a white tee, gray sweatpants, and some total dad slippers. He looks so normal. I can’t help but wonder if this is closer to what he used to look like, before devoting his mind, body and soul to his magical studies.

“What are you doing, trespassing on my property at this hour?” 

I thought he’d ditch the accent for the facade, but he doesn’t. Fine by me, I think to myself, my stupid primal neurons being activated by the rasp he’s added to his tone as he scolds us.

“I’m, w-we’re, um…” Abby stutters. “We’re lost?” She usually comes off pretty confrontational… so strange to see her like this.

“Mhm,” he hums nonchalantly, “I’m sure you—”

“It’s my fault,” Seb pipes up, playing into this. I notice a small nod of his head as their eyes meet. As though he’s trying to greet his old friend, without being too conspicuous about it. “They always thought your house seemed spooky, so I suggested we come check it out. Didn’t think anybody actually lived here.”

Abby and I nod along, just rolling with it. “We’re sorry,” I add. 

I can’t help but let a smile slip as he looks at me with a convincing amount of scorn. I’m so bad at acting. I luckily manage to keep it to the side of my face that Abby can’t see, saving our asses. 

“Careful, my dear,” his husky voice warns from his brain to mine. 

I look down and gnaw at my bottom lip, both to stop the grin from spreading and to distract myself from how warm his words made me feel. Unfortunately, though, I squeak. Fortunately, it’s quiet – might blend with the crickets if you weren’t listening specifically for it.

I seek out Seb, who’s looking at Magnus with furrowed brows now. I’m about to reach for his hand, thinking that maybe the stresses of being reintroduced to his magical former-friend are getting to him, but he grabs mine first. There’s a bit of haste to his movement – like he wants to protect me, or claim me, or something. 

Looking back towards Magnus, I notice his eyes widening at Seb. Then, he clears his throat, turning his attention towards Abby, whose gaze hasn’t left the ground since she last spoke.

What’s going on?

“Just… please leave,” the wizard says, sounding exasperated. “Now,” he adds, with more bite to his tone.

O-oh.

I thought this would need to go on a little longer, but I guess his magic really does work quickly. Us three non-elementals begin to leave, but I wanna make sure Magnus is ok – he seemed a bit disgruntled. I don’t have the energy to try and deliberately enter his psyche again… guess I’ll need him to train me in that a bit.

“Are you ok?” I think, hopeful Magnus’ll be listening. “What happened?” 

“It’s no matter,” he responds after a few short moments.

I take a deep breath. “Well… I’m sorry we did all that work for nothing, kinda,” I offer, hoping the dry and unamused chuckle shines through in my head-voice. “Did you at least get your answers?”

“Indeed. I am without a child, after all.”

“Oh!” My eyebrows raise, and I nod along to Seb and Abby’s conversation, pretending to listen. “Is that a good thing?”

“I suppose having found the end to my wonders is quite nice, yes.”

I peer back, and he’s sitting on his top step, cheek in palm, watching us — or rather, watching me — leave. I let my lips curve into a smile, and decide not to pry, with how glum of a mood this seems to have put him in. He grins back, but it doesn’t meet all of his features. 

“I’ll see you soon?” I ask, pulling my eyes away from his.

“Of course,” Magnus seems to sigh. “Good night, (y/n).”

“(Y/n)?” Abby calls, walking around from the other side of Seb and proceeding backwards so that she can wave a hand before me.

I’d been so focused on trying to see if Magnus was okay that I allowed myself to mentally stray from the other two that’re present. 

“Sorry. What happened?”

“I was asking if you’re all good,” she replies. “Dude kept looking at you kinda funny back there…”

I accidentally let a wide grin slip, happy she cares enough to ask. Maybe my plan worked after all. Maybe I’ll finally have a friend that isn’t a horny man. 

“Yeah, my bad. Just zoned out a bit.”

As if Abby caught herself being nice to me, and had to physically stop herself, she replies, “Whatever.” She does settle close by my side rather than Seb’s after the interaction, though.

The rest of the walk back is just as silent as the trek to the tower. When we’re close to Marnie’s ranch, Abby starts to break off. 

“Uhh. Hey,” she speaks up. I hum inquisitively in response. “Thanks for actually doing this with me, even though I kinda just…” she trails off a bit. “Y’know.”

“No problem,” I smile. “We should try this again sometime. But like, something that isn’t a house.” I shrug. “Preferably.” 

She looks surprised for a sec before crookedly smiling, and saluting me with her middle- and pointer-finger. “For sure. See ya.” Before I can offer to walk with her, she’s already zoomin’ away past the barn.

“So, that went okay-ish, I guess!” I softly announce to Seb with my eyes still on Abby’s back.

“Yeah,” he mutters.

Hm.

“Seb,” I slow my walk to a halt, hand still clasped in his. He keeps his back turned for a sec before facing towards me. “You okay?”

He nods slowly, but then sighs and shakes his head. “Can we talk about something?”

Not having seen him too shaken by anything in a while, my heart sinks. “Of course,” I frown.

“Can we do it at your place?” he shyly asks. 

I nod, humming my affirmation, as we begin walking again. I squeeze his palm, hoping to offer at least some solace.

_______________

As we near my farm, I let out a content sigh. The past few hours were a fucking rollercoaster, and even if this discussion with Seb doesn’t go well, at least I know I can end the day soon. 

I’m about to ask if he wants tea or something as we approach the door, but I can’t. 

His hands wrap around my cheeks and he cranes my neck so that my face can meet his, passionately kissing me the moment my lips are within reach. Feels as if he either hasn’t seen me in years, or he’ll never see me again.

Seb begins to back me up against my porch, and I giggle into his greedy lips before breaking away to toss aside my belongings. Seb lifts me to sit on the top step, uses his right hand to ground himself as he crouches in front of me, and he dips to my neck on the now-free side. He bites down and sucks harshly, emitting a sharp gasp from my lungs. As he’s doing this, he forces a knee between both of mine, allowing himself to take the space between my spread thighs.

“S-Seb,” I half-laugh and half-moan. “What’s this?” 

He licks his way up to my jawline before biting there, too. Bringing his lips back to hover over mine, he finally pipes up. “You’re mine, okay?” 

O-oh. Oh my fucking god.

That is so hot.

But now that I think about our night – the tense stare-off between Seb and Magnus, Seb grabbing my hand so almost-aggressively, the weird overall mood of that interaction he’s had since then – maybe this is about Magnus’... totally sorta flirty way of addressing me. Like, who just calls someone “my dear” like that? Seb probably heard it – like, telepathically, obviously – and then he got jealous, or something. 

Why else would he be so possessive right now?

I let out a shaky breath, scanning his eyes. “Seb…” 

His eyes trace mine right back, until he presses his forehead to my own and shuts his lids. The fingers that are still on my face inch up towards my hair, tangling into a firm grip. It sends a shock through my body, but before we do anything even remotely sexy, I want to make sure Seb’s okay.

“You… heard him, yeah?” I hesitate to ask. Gotta rip the bandaid off somehow.

A few beats pass before he nods against me.

“Do you want me to ask him not to call me that anymore?” 

“How many times has he?” 

I shrug. “A handful, I dunno.” Seb huffs out a breath. I put my palm against his warm cheek, and whisper, “Hey.” He looks up to me, deep indigo eyes dark with lust, but glossed over with grief, too. “I don’t think he means anything by it,” I offer.

It’s true – or at least I think it is. My stupid little totally-not-a-crush on the wizard totally has to be one-sided. There’s no way in hell I’d have Seb, Sam, kind of Alex just in our few passing interactions, and the town’s resident Magic Man all thirsting for me at once.

Seb’s brows furrow and he dives back to my lips again. “Doesn’t matter,” he grumbles between kisses. 

My eyes flutter before they shut, and I’m feeling… hazy, and super aroused? from the sudden wave of jealousy Seb is experiencing. Is that fucked up?

“You’re my dear,” he adds on before sucking my bottom lip between his sharp teeth, drawing some blood. “You’re my fucking princess,” he growls, yanking the hand in my hair down, to expose my throat to him again. 

An airy half-mewl, half-squeak slips from me as I’m overwhelmed by the strange eroticism of the situation I’m in. Gazing up at the full moon and shooting stars that are always fucking there for some reason. On land, the cicadas’ summer lullaby falls upon deaf ears. All I can hear is Seb’s lips smacking against my skin and the rustling of clothes. He lifts my shirt off me, only pulling away from my neck when he needs to slip the collar over my head. 

He greets my lips with his again, as he takes a boob in each of his palms, kneading the shit out of them. It hurts, but it feels so fucking good too. “Seb,” I whisper into his mouth.

He lowers himself, latching teeth onto my left nipple while the other is still occupied by his corresponding grip. He scatters bite marks and hickies all over my chest, soothing the areas with plenty of open-mouthed smooches. Everywhere he kisses sparkles under the moonlight, as though he’s creating art rather than demolishing me.

Seb peers up at me from beneath his long eyelashes. “Rasmodius ever done this to you?” he mumbles.

“W-what?!” I stutter, thrown off by the question. Does he think I cheated?! “Of course not!” I defend, eyebrows upturned. My eyes roll back as he bites down and sucks. 

“Have you ever wanted him to?“ 

“Sebastian,” I plead, shaking my head. “No, I haven’t.” 

Sure, my mind has been a little less than ideal at times around Magnus, but I haven’t thought of anything explicit in regards to him.

Tentatively, Seb rolls down the tight waistband of my leggings. He repositions to a more grounded kneel, lifting me up and shimmying my bottoms, socks and sneakers off my form before gently setting me down again. A stark contrast to how rough he was a few moments ago. 

My boyfriend’s gaze hasn’t left mine since his previous question. It only darkens more when he feels, with a light stroke of his pinky, just how wet I am. The blush on his cheeks contagiously spreads to mine, as I grow embarrassed by how much I’m enjoying this. His atypical ruthlessness, being touched like this outside… being totally naked outside.

Yoba.

He dips his little finger inside me, slowly curls it into my sweet spot, then pulls it out, before bringing it to his own mouth to suck dry. I swallow back a whimper while I watch. In turn, his lips curl into a devious smile. He knows he’s absolutely destroying me right now. The audible breaths coming from me are ragged as I reach for Seb’s belt, yearning to feel his visibly hardened dick.

“No,” he firmly warns, pinning my roaming hands down to the wooden planks on either side of me.

“Baby, please—mmph!“ he cuts me off with a kiss, and grinds his clothed dick onto my exposed slit. 

I struggle to calm my sounds as Seb pulls away, prying further, “Only I can touch you like this, got it?” 

I nod my head to answer him. “Magnus has never–” As I say the other man’s name, Seb wrings a whine from me with another slow grind and a tightening grip on my wrists. “Fuck,” I whisper. ”He’s never tried to do anything to me. I’ve never tried either– Ahh~” I’m cut off once more as Seb grinds again, and I groan, placing my forehead against his. “I’d never do that to you.”

“He might though.”

“Am I missing something?!” I frown, frustrated. “Why aren’t you like this with Sam’s dumb crush on me? What did Magnus do to make you so upset?”

Seb releases one of my wrists from his grip and teases the area around my swollen bud with his knuckles. My knees instinctively tighten on either side of his hips as my hands curl into fists: one in on itself, the other around my discarded top. God, he’s so close to where I want him to be. 

“Why do you keep saying his name, darling?” Seb interrogates. He leans in as if to kiss me, but doesn’t close the gap. I bring a hand to his face, hoping it’ll gravitate his lips to mine, but he doesn’t budge – only smiles knowingly. 

“We can talk about him later,” he purrs. 

Rather than honing in on my clit like I hoped he would, Seb swipes slowly downward, and dips a finger inside me. I roll my head back, moaning into the night air as he deliciously slides a second finger in too.

“For now, I’m gonna make sure my name is the only thing this pretty little mouth of yours knows how to say,” Seb threatens, now very rapidly pumping into me. “Alright, my dear?”

Holy fucking shit. 

“Yes,” I murmur. 

Seb releases his hand from my other wrist, brings it to my face, and kisses me hard, before harshly dragging his thumb down my cheek and wrapping the same hand around my neck. 

My mouth dumbly hangs open as he speaks into it, pathetically breathless huffs escaping me. His deep eyes are concentrated on mine, which are tearing up from pleasure and heat. “‘Yes,’ what?” 

“Yes, Sebastian.” 

He smirks and moves his hand upward toward my mouth. Squeezing my cheeks to prop it open again, Seb fucking spits inside of it holy shit–

“That’s my good fucking girl,” he rasps before rewarding me with a sloppy, almost desperate kiss.

The noises coming from me are absurd. He threads his fingers back into my hair, but doesn’t pull – he simply keeps ‘em there to support me.

“Godfuckingdamnit Seb,” I slur, drunk off his fingers. “I need you,” I beg promptly after, “I’m so fucking close, please—”

Hearing my pleas, he laughs evilly, before halting his movements. I whine as he removes the digits from my core, “S-seb, no!” 

I don’t care how distressed I sound. I was so close to release. So close!!

My legs fall limp, feet now planted against a lower step. My thighs’re vibrating from how tensely they were coiled around Seb’s hips moments ago. Chest is heaving. Pussy’s dripping enough that I can feel my juices trailing to my ass. Ugh.

Seb gravitates down my body, marking his territory every few inches or so. Scratching my sides, nibbling and sucking my skin. His eyes veer from my face to focus on what he’s doing, but every once in a while they flicker up to make sure I’m still watching him. Only him.

“Think about it, baby...” Seb mumbles against the skin near my navel. 

His right hand is softly cradling my hip, and the left is lower, palming my inner right thigh. When I don’t answer or ask what he means, he gives the fat of my thigh a beautifully tight squeeze. 

“If I were to let you finish so soon, you might forget all about me.” He plants another wet kiss near my pubic area. “And then, I won’t get to hear you break for me.” Yoba, save me. After hoisting my legs over his shoulders, Seb lowers himself so that his lips are brushing my labia as he muses again, “Where’s the fun in that?” 

He’s like a fucking incubus right now, what the fuck! 

This is so cool!

“Holy shit,” I airily laugh, nails digging into the wood.

As Seb tattoos the handprint he’d left on my previously squished inner thigh with teeth-shaped dents, he chuckles darkly, before digging into my skin hard enough to draw blood. “Say my name, honey.” 

Eyebrows upturned, I moan out a half-curse, stopping myself by replacing the second half with my lover’s name. Adrenaline’s coursing through me as I revel in the pain. 

“Oh, you love this, don’t you?” Seb questions. He has such a cocky undertone to his voice… Little shit. 

I nod my head in response to his inquiry. I’m reminded that a nod is, in fact, not his name either, as he bites again on the same spot.

“Mnnn!” I moan out, eyes tearing. “Yeah, Sebastian,” I strain.

“There. Not so hard, is it?” His eyes are expectantly locked into mine.

“N-no, Seb.” 

He rewards me for complying by cleaning the liquid crimson that’s trailing down my skin. First he uses his thumb to swipe it, and licks it clean; then, he simply trails his tongue from the bottommost drop-upward, closing his soft lips around the raw wound. 

I cautiously reach the hand that isn’t clutched on my stoop into his hair. When he doesn’t push me away, I ground myself in the jet black strands. Each lap against the broken skin sends a shiver down my spine and into my cunt.

Why am I… so fucking into this? 

Once he’s sure I’ve stopped bleeding, Seb brings the hand that was on my hip back to my folds. Spreading me open, then licking with a featherlight flick of the tongue. 

I can’t help the sigh of relief that comes out of me as pleasure ensues once more. He flattens his tongue against me, presses a little harder, and traces broader circles. My hand instinctively tugs his hair, and he laughs against me – he’s gotta know that he has me wrapped around his fucking finger right now. 

“You want more, baby?” My eyes widen at the telepathic intrusion. Oh my fucking god he can talk to me while literally eating me out that’s so fucking cool I love magic so mu–

I nod, almost too hard. “Sebastian, please” I quickly correct myself, hips wiggling into his touch. 

“Beg for it,” he commands with his voice.

For fuck’s sake, dude – as he pulls away, a string of either saliva or my wetness or both droops between his mouth and my cunt. I shiver at the lewd sight. Chest heaving, I do my best to think up a way to just get laid already he is KILLING ME. I’ve been begging, this man clearly wants specifics…

“Sebastian, p-please fill me…?” I stutter, because of course. As if I didn’t sound dumb enough… Like, fill me? Seriously? I avoid eye contact as I feel my whole body blushing, then hiss as Seb bites a new wound into my less-scathed thigh. 

“Eyes over here, darling.”

Oh fuck.

I look him in the eye as he proceeds back down onto my slit. I shudder, eyes flickering between his own and his tongue. Unable to focus my attention on just one or the other. He notices, and punishes me with a featherlight bite on my bud. 

“Ahh!” my eyes roll back and I harshly tug his strands. Vision hazy, I return my gaze to his. His dumb, beautiful face looks so fucking smug. 

He’s so gorgeous. It’s so unfair.

“Now,” he continues, leaving some kisses along my lower lips, “Try that again.”

I shudder, doing my best to hold contact. “Please give me your cock, Sebastian.” I swallow hard, eyebrows upturned, overwhelmed with embarrassment. 

He hums onto me, pleased. A human vibrator. Feels so nice…

“Good start,” Seb encourages. “More.”

I cover my mouth with the back of my hand, lightly gnawing at my knuckle as I hype myself up. “Please Seb, I need to feel you inside me so badly” I roll my eyes back and curse under my breath as he does some cool tongue move that I can’t see from this angle. I quickly return my stare back to his. “I’m yours, Sebastian.”

Something in him snaps at that last line. I hear a growl from his throat, and the next thing I know, I’m being lifted and pinned against the side of my cabin by his hands, his lips, his whole body. 

“Damn fucking right you are.”

Trusting that my shaky thighs will stay wrapped around him, Seb uses one hand to secure my wrists above my head, and the other to undo his belt and unzip his pants. When his dick springs free, it taps against my entrance. A broken hum escapes me at the tantalizing sensation. 

“Never forget it,” he groans against my ear before nibbling the lobe.

He thrusts into me, not giving any time for adjustment before going wild on my pussy. His nails dig into my thigh as he helps me stay propped up. 

“Sebastian, fuck!~” 

Unlike the last time I carved into my palms with my nails during sex, Seb doesn’t stop me. He’s too focused on fucking me senseless. A blessing, truly – I’d be so pissed if he stopped now.

“You belong to me,” he grunts just barely an inch from my lips. His velvety voice curses my name, then continues, eyes stabbing into my own, “You’re mine.”

I nod, “I’m yours, Seb.”

“Fuuuck, (y/n),” he half-laughs, half-moans, rolling his eyes shut. Pressing his forehead to mine. Pulsing even harder, creating wet slaps that echo into the late night air. 

I continue to cry out Seb’s name alongside self-soothing curses, with some “I’m yours”es and “I love you”s sprinkled in. Soon enough, he’s accomplished exactly what he sought out to do: The only thing escaping my lips is his name. Over, and over, and over, until my throat is raw.

[aziracrow-omens]

Aziraphale had not been quite sure how Crowley would respond to his actions. He had half expected him to shove the angel away after having just displayed such rage toward him. After all that expressed distress and anguish, what right did he have to add to those difficult feelings with the stress of a selfish kiss being imposed upon him without warning? Fortunately for him, however, the demon seemed too shocked to react badly. There was an audible gasp that he didn't know how to interpret but he had come too far by then to stop because of it. Nevertheless, the sound of it made his heart palpitate like a fluttering bird in his chest, hoping against hope that his behavior wouldn't be too unwelcome. It hadn't been like he'd asked, after all, but then Crowley hadn't bothered to ask when he'd kissed Aziraphale, either. The Prince of Hell didn't push him or shout. Instead, the Archangel was amazed to feel him actually begin to relax into his touch. The hands that had viciously clutched his coat loosened their hold to slip down and find his waist instead as their owner's body seemed to melt against his own. This maybe should have been a relief, but somehow, it only made his corporation's heart beat faster. It wasn't until Crowley pulled away that it stilled, but then it wouldn't function at all, like the fear of having upset or hurt the demon more than he already had had frozen it in place. It was lucky he was an angel and didn't actually need it to work. The nickname that was exhaled from Crowley's mouth started his heart up again, warming him from his core to his outermost extremities and causing his toes and fingertips to tingle in pleasure. He knew he'd missed being called that, but he hadn't realized just how much until the word and the tenderness with which it was spoken soothed him like balm for his soul. When refreshingly cool scales pressed to the heat of his forehead, he relished the sensation, but soon found his concern taking over when he noticed his favorite pair of yellow eyes were looking down instead of meeting his own.

Crowley began to explain why he couldn't find happiness in Heaven again, but his voice and tone were just as consolingly familiar as Aziraphale remembered them prior to their disagreement. He instinctively placed a tender palm against his beloved friend's cheek, offering him a melancholy smile warm with affection, when the demon said that he had been happy already - the happiest he'd ever been, evidently. "I was happy, my dear," Aziraphale revealed. "I just didn't think you were, the way you would suggest we should 'go off together' somewhere like you wanted to leave the bookshop, humanity, and Earth all behind.

"The original reason I left for Heaven even after you turned me down was so that I could try to make it a better place for you - a place you might want to come back to. But if you really don't think you could ever be happy there again, then I suppose that was in vain." He sighed, his shoulders falling. "Then the Metatron had to mention the Second Coming. And - well, I couldn't just let them do as they pleased with that, now, could I?"

Blue irises lifted to search Crowley's face. "Crowley...you said that things were almost perfect before. Was there something in particular that kept it from being perfect to you?"

Though Aziraphale might not have been aware that Crowley had felt disrespected or hurt by his having said 'you're the bad guys', he had known very well that he had caused the demon pain in other ways. The minute when Crowley had agreed with him that nothing lasted forever and put his shades back on was the minute Aziraphale regretted having said those words. It had been too late to take them back by then, though, and the fact that his friend had been ready to leave after that had been an arrow to the angel's own heart. That had been bad enough, especially after Aziraphale had been reduced to pleading, insisting that he needed Crowley. But then the demon had taken it upon himself to initiate that kiss.

He'd had no prior warning. He hadn't even been looking in Crowley's direction when his best friend of so many millenia had forcefully grabbed him and pressed his lips to Aziraphale's. The act had been so sudden, so shocking, that the angel had hardly known how to react when it was over. There were so many things he'd wanted to say. But what came out had been, 'I forgive you'. It had been yet another agonizing regret he had harbored since that day.

It wasn't that he hadn't liked the kiss; far from it. But the way Crowley had seemed to use it as a last resort to win him over, like a dirty trick equivalent to pulling the rug out from under his feet, felt like a betrayal. It was as though Crowley had tried to weaponize his feelings for the demon, threatening him with an ultimatum forcing him to choose between Crowley or Heaven when the only reason Aziraphale had even considered returning to Heaven had been for Crowley.

He had been in such agony afterward, knowing he'd hurt his friend and his friend had hurt him, that he had simply tried to push memories of the whole event to the back of his mind - until now.

The Prince of Hell was almost instantly in his face, fangs flashing, tightly gripping the cloth of his coat with those long, sharp nails as he shoved the Archangel against the nearest wall in mimicry of a situation they'd played out before. This time, however, was different. Aside from the fact that each of them had acquired new titles, this time, Crowley's hands were shaking.

Aziraphale swallowed - not because he feared Crowley or anything the demon might do to him, but because a hard knot of sorrow had formed in his throat at the thought of the intense mass of negative emotions that were so obviously overwhelming the prince. He was the cause of those emotions. It was his fault Crowley's hands were shaking. But despite knowing he was the source of Crowley's pain, he was still at a loss as to how to end the agony for both of them.

At least he was fairly certain of one thing now, though. He was almost positive that no one else was listening in or watching their meeting go on. Not when the Prince of Hell was acting as raw as this.

"Crowley..." he breathed, half-heartedly starting to raise a hand to touch the demon's shoulder or even his face, but eventually deciding against it. "...do you really think I consider you beneath me? You, who has gone of your way to do so much good, even at risk to yourself?"

His eyes began to glisten in spite of himself, moistening even more as they noticed the liquid gleam of the snake eyes he stared into. Aziraphale's voice, however, remained steady and soft, gentle as a mother's to her infant child.

"...Crowley, I told you," he reminded him with the delicacy of a feather. "I didn't want to go at first. I was about to turn the Metatron down. It wasn't until he brought you up that I began to realize how I could use the opportunity to help you."

A bittersweet smile ghosted his lips as he stared deeply into those slitted pupils. "I know you've never asked for my help, but...well, like you said, after everything you've done for me over the years, how could I not jump at the chance to finally be able to return the favor?" The ghost of a smile soon faded as Aziraphale's own pupils slowly drifted down Crowley's face.

"I just wanted you to be happy again - as happy as I remember you being when you were an angel." His hesitant hand eventually came up to try resting on the demon's taut arm. "If being the Prince of Hell somehow makes you happier instead, maybe I'd be able to understand. But right now, Crowley, you just seem more miserable than ever. I know that I'm at least partly to blame for that, if not completely, but it hurts me to see you like this, too."

He leaned forward slightly to rest his forehead against his friend's, his eyelids gradually falling shut. "I want to make it up to you. Please let me make it up to you. Even if you want nothing more from me nor anything to do with me after this, there's at least one thing I owe you from before - one thing you gave me that I want to give back."

Pressing in ever closer, Aziraphale brought both arms up to encircle either side of Crowley's neck as he pushed forward to meet the demon's lips with his own.

[zetsubo-billy]

　。 𝑹𝑬𝑨𝑳

　➙ 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬:　GN!AFAB!READER x LEVI ACKERMAN

　➙ 𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲:　YOU WAKE YOUR LONG-TERM PARTNER 𝐋𝐄𝐕𝐈 𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐑𝐌𝐀𝐍 UP FROM A NIGHTMARE. HE NEEDS REASSURANCE THAT YOU’RE REALLY REAL

　➙ 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞𝐬:　SMUT, ANGST, FLUFF

　➙ 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬:　MAJOR MANGA SPOILERS, MENTION OF WAR-RELATED TRAUMA, LEVI CRIES, VAGINAL FINGERING, SLIGHTEST HINT OF ORGASM DENIAL (but he didn’t do it on purpose, go easy on him), UNPROTECTED VAGINAL SEX (i advice you not to do this at home!!), CREAMPIE

　➙ 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬:　2.6K

　➙ 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬:　this is my own birthday gift to myself, and i hope you’ll like it as well🕺💕

　𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐎𝐑𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐀𝐆𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐁𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐒 𝐃𝐍𝐈 (𝐎𝐑 𝐄𝐋𝐒𝐄!!)

𝐘𝐎𝐔’𝐑𝐄 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐒𝐔𝐑𝐄 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 woke you, but you’re suddenly wide awake. Glancing towards the window you can barely see the first rays of sunlight peek out from behind the thick curtains, barely hear the earliest of birds. There’s a thick feeling in the room, more humid than usual — like when Levi has done the hardcore morning workout instead of his ordinary one — and worry pricks at your senses. The silence is next until deafening, unusual as his heavy breaths normally have a light, barely audible, snore to them. You haven’t told him about it, you have a feeling he might be embarrassed.

But his breaths aren’t as heavy as usual, and they’re surprisingly silent. Just little gasps of air, his arms tightening around your waist as he burrows his scarred face further into your neck. The skin of Levi’s forehead feels sweaty against the back of your neck, some of his black hair sticking to the pale surface of the top of his head. And then you hear it. You realise it must be what awoke you, because you could never sleep through the pitiful calls of your name that fall from his lips.

“[Y/N]...”, he mumbles, and there’s a painful feeling to his voice. Your breath hitches in your throat as he buries his face further into the crook of your neck. “Don’t go... Wait...” His already light breaths grow shallower and shorter yet, tight grip on you tightening as something wet stains your skin. He’s crying. “Don’t go there.”

You lift one of your arms, awkwardly reaching behind you to place it over the back of his head. It gives you a tiny bit of leverage, so you roll around in his embrace. “Levi”, you call out his name softly, grasping his pained face between your hands. Your thumbs trace light circles over the bones of his cheeks, smearing the salty tears into his skin. “Levi, wake up.”

He jumps in your grasp, eyes opening wide, nimble hands moving at top speed from your waist to your wrists to pin them harshly by either side of your head. Levi finds himself hoovering above you before he can even process what’s going on, the many years of hard training still serving him even when he’s fighting the heavy grasp of sleep.

You look up into his one good eye, cold and hard despite the tears. “It’s just me”, you murmur softly, not moving in the slightest. You’ve heard about things like these happening to soldiers; them sometimes not recognising their loved ones when they were scared. But you never thought it would happen to him. Not to your Levi. “It’s just me. Just [Y/N].”

He pauses, the frenzied look melting off his features. “[Y/N]”, he breathes. You can see the moment the gears connect in his head, and shame floods his sleep-ridden expression. He lets go of your wrists quickly, allowing himself to collapse against your soft chest. “’M sorry.” He’s still crying.

You fight off your own tears as you brush your fingers through his sweaty, black hair. “It’s fine”, you tell him softly. The weight of Levi’s lean build feels comforting draped over your own, and you tug him in closer. “What was the nightmare about?”

He groans. “Doesn’t matter”, he says, sniffles, tries to push himself off of you. In answer to his escape attempt you wrap your arms and legs around him so he can’t get away, which causes for him to let out a noise of protest. “Let go, we can’t sleep like this.” He looks up again to meet your gaze.

You shake your head against your soft pillow. “I won’t be able to go to sleep unless you tell me what the nightmare was about. Show me how I can help you.”

He stares you down with his angry glare, the very same glare that used to make Titans shiver and weep in their steps. You don’t budge; that side of him doesn’t scare you anymore. Levi quickly gives up on getting away, but still props himself up on his elbows. “I… I dreamt you didn’t make it”, he finally says while dragging his fingers across your collarbones, exposed by the low lining of your nightshirt. “It’s… The rumbling. Always the rumbling. I have the same dream every night, it’s nothing. I’m sorry I woke you this once.”

You lean up to press your lips softly against his. “I won’t die anytime soon”, you assure him, but you see the doubt lingering in his good eye. You nudge your nose against his tear-stained cheek. “What can I do for you?”

He sighs, a shiver running up his spine and making goosebumps break out across his bare torso. “Let me make sure you’re real”, he asks of you after a moment of silence, leaning down to push his lips up against the side of your jaw. “I need to know this is real”, he says against your skin.

You nod, unwrapping your arms and legs from his build in favour of holding his face with one of your hands, the other combing back some of his hair. He’s stopped crying, but the wet trails still feel fresh from both of his eyes. He leans into your warm touch, almost subconsciously, and you have to stop yourself from pointing out how sweet he looks in that moment. “I’m yours, Levi. For whatever you need.”

Levi feels his throat tighten, and he has to fight off a new wave of tears. He’d just stopped crying — he doesn’t want to kill the moment by starting up all over again. He doesn’t know for sure where all these tears are coming from. Maybe it’s suppressing them for so many years, maybe it’s the death of Hange and Eren (as much as he denies being affected by either, and even more the latter) or maybe it was the fact that it was finally all over. He doesn’t know, but one thing he does know is that he needs you tonight.

He leans down and kisses you, eyes closing as you spread your legs to allow him closer to yourself. His cold hands find their way under your sleepwear, tugging down the silky shorts swiftly and tossing them away in the darkness of your shared room.

He opens your legs wider, settling snugger against you and letting his fingers ghost over your lower stomach, trailing southwards quicker than usual. The tip of his ring finger is cold against your clit, almost uncomfortably so, but when he circles the bud expertly you moan nonetheless as your hips buck upwards. He replaces the digit with his thumb, allowing his lean fingers to slip down to your entrance and circle it teasingly, all while pressing his lips desperately against yours.

Levi pulls off of you reluctantly, leaning back and pulling his hand from your pussy to his mouth to wet his two fingers properly, tasting you faintly on his fingertips. You look at him where he’s sitting above you, all flushed cheeks and messy hair and reddened eyes from his earlier tears. He looks beautiful, but if you told him so you suspect he might hit you hard enough to make you see stars and galaxies. And not in the good way.

He leans down over you again as his hand finds its way back to where you want him the most. He looks at your face to gauge your reaction as he sinks his two fingers into you. Your mouth drops open with a silent moan, barely audible, but he catches it. Your hips lift impatiently from the bed as he crooks his fingers inside of you, boney knuckles bumping against all the right spots when he slowly thrusts them in and out of you. His fingers strain inside you, looking for that special spot that makes your eyes roll back into your skull. When you let out a louder moan, hips bucking again, he knows he found it. He keeps relentlessly prodding at that spot, alternating between thrusting and scissoring his fingers, spreading you open and preparing you for what was to come.

Levi leans down to your face again, pressing a peck to the corner of your lips before moving down the edge of your jaw to mouth at your throat, kissing and biting the delicate skin. Your hands move to grasp at his hair when his fingers speed up inside you, grazing over your g-spot with every thrust. He proceeds much faster than usual, the neediness prominent in his every move. When he places his thumb back on your clit to circle it in time with the push and pull of his fingers, your back arches up from the bed and your hands fly out to hold onto his upper arms. “Levi”, you pant his name.

You feel his lips stretch into the soft ghost of a smile against your throat, before he presses a kiss to the spot and once again leans away to be able to watch your face. “Are you ready?”, he asks softly as he pushes the greyish flannel of his pyjama pants down his strong thighs, freeing his hard dick and softly pressing it into the inside of your thigh. You resist the urge to whine as you feel your approaching high ebb out into nothing when he stops moving his hand, and instead nod quickly. This wasn’t about you, it was about him.

You eagerly reach one hand down to wrap around his length while the other brushes over his cheek. “Yes, Levi, please”, you breathe harshly as you stroke his cock, smearing the thick drops of precum all over him. He shudders, and is barely able to stop himself from fucking into your hand. Instead he pulls his fingers from your core and locks them around your wrist, pulling your touch away from him with a sticky hand.

Levi spreads your legs even wider, pushing them upwards until they’re bent at the knee on each side of his ribs, and moves closer. His thick cock brushes against your entrance, and you shiver where you lie in the linen sheets. Even though they’re pretty fresh they smell like him; a soft lavender, citrus and human.

He leans down to your face again, propping himself up on one of his elbows right by your head, to kiss you softly as he pushes the tip of his cock into you. You gasp at the sensation, even though you’re prepped you feel the stretch of his thick cock clearly. It’s a nice burn, one that you know will fade into pleasure within moments.

He kisses you, swallowing down your moans at the stretch as he thrusts back and forward gently, slowly, to cover himself in your slick and ease deeper into you. When he’s finally bottomed out, cockhead snug against your cervix, hips pressed flush to the insides of your thighs, thick girth spreading your insides apart, he finds his face in your neck again.

He didn’t even notice moving before the scent of your hair is right up in his nose, and the soft noises of your breathy moans are right by his ear. Your fingers thread carefully through the black locks tickling your throat as he presses a kiss to your shoulder. “I love you”, he mumbles, grinding even deeper into you and making you gasp loudly at the sensation. It feels like he’s right up in your throat. “You’re the best thing that has ever happened to me.”

You pull lightly at his hair, making him lift his head to be able to look at your face. “I love you too, Levi. So much”, you say softly. You love this soft side of him, the one that you discovered for the first time nearly nine years ago when he started opening up to you, and you would have loved to stay like this forever. Holding him, just looking at his reddened cheeks and lips, messy hair and bright eyes. Had it not been for the thick vein on his cock rubbing right at your soft spot when either of you as much as breathe. “Now move.”

Levi smiles a wolfish smile, pulling you in impossibly closer. “Alright”, he next until purrs at you before pulling out slowly, almost all the way, and pressing back in with a just as slow but surprisingly hard thrust. Your breath catches in your throat, back arching up off the bed as your legs give out over each side of his hips. He grips at your thighs, lifting you slightly to improve his angle, before giving another faster and harder but just as pleasurable thrust. It shakes your entire being, makes you clench around him with a moan and tilt your head back over the pillow with closed eyes. “So beautiful”, he murmurs, thumb of one of his hands sneaking over your thighs to prod at your clit as he kept on with his slow and hard thrusts. “Half of the time I can’t even believe you’re mine.”

You try to answer, you really do, but with the almost punishingly accurate thrusts he keeps up and the torturously good circles his thumb makes over your clit you can hardly do anything but moan. “I— I’m— mmh, Levi, I’m yours, I’m here, I— anhh!” You feel yourself clench down on him at a particularly well-aimed thrust that pushes right against the soft spot inside you that makes you see stars. Your hands have long since fallen from his shoulders, now gripping harshly at the white sheets on the sides of your head. This is only the second night you and Levi sleep in them, though the first night you did nothing other than literally go to sleep, but you would have to already change them come the morning.

Levi groans as you tighten around him, almost struggling to pull out again. His grip on your thighs tightens as he pulls you in even closer, leaning down to kiss your chin. “Will you let go with me?”, he asks shakily as he aims his hips to rut into the same spot again. “Please”, he grunts. “Show me you’re real.”

Another few thrusts of his hips and steady rolls of his calloused thumb over your sensitive clit has you falling over the edge with a broken moan of Levi’s name. Your eyes fall closed, back arching gently in his hold, slick walls clenching down hard around his cock that still thrusts inside you in chase of his own release.

He’s not far behind you, slapping his hips into yours one final time and emptying his warmth inside you with his forehead pressed against yours. His arms shake, trying to hold himself up since his legs aren’t quite what they used to be despite the high-quality rehabilitation and treatments he’s been receiving lately.

When you start to come back down from your high you look up into Levi’s scarred face. His beautiful face. You reach a hand out to place against his cheek, brushing your thumb over his forehead and that’s what finally makes his arms give out. He collapses on top of you, a welcome weight that brings you closer yet to the earth.

The only thing that can be heard in your bedroom is your and Levi’s heavy breaths, yours right up in his ear and his into your sweaty neck. Once your breathing has calmed down you speak up. “I love you, Levi. I’m yours, I’m real. I’ll never leave you.”

Levi leans away to be able to look at your face with his one good eye. His unscarred hand finds your cheek, tracing a pattern only he can see across your skin. “Thank you.”

[lxngbottom]

Mute | N.L.

in which the reader doesn’t talk, and neville tries to change that.

warnings: bullying, swearing, mentions of mental illness/anxiety, some angst (let me know if there are more!)

word count: 2,298

thank you for all of the love on my last two one shots!! it means so much ty ty okay now enjoy

—

“trauma, maybe? my dad’s friend who’s a muggle doctor said that trauma can completely change a person.”

there the three boys were again, sitting at the gryffindor table in the great hall, trying to understand the girl who would always sit ways away from everyone else.

“maybe she’s just really shy!” dean quickly replied, shooting down seamus’s suggestion. seamus shrugged, and took a large gulp of his morning pumpkin juice.

“no! longbottom is “shy”, but y/n? i haven’t heard her say one single thing since second year.”

neville listened in on his friend’s conversation, only letting his eyes leave them when he went to take quick glances at the girl of the hour.

y/n was to put it into simple terms... mute. it was very difficult to hear her utter a single vowel, let along a whole statement. everyone at hogwarts knew that she was not just quiet or shy, but completely silent. people wondered how one person could go without speaking for so long. she was a bit jittery, seemingly nervous all the time. if someone shot a single look at her and she noticed, she would look away without even giving the person a chance to smile or wave.

weirdly, she had always been this way. since the first day of first year, she kept to herself, not even attempting on taking the chance of getting to know someone who might become a life long friend. it really got under people’s skin when they asked her a question, and she just simply wouldn’t respond. so, this caused for students to completely avoid her. it seemed that it was a collective agreement among the school that no one should even try speaking to her. and that was because, again, they would never get a reply.

out of these students, neville longbottom seemed to be the most intrigued. he would never forget the first time he heard her speak. it was one day in third year, of course neville was clumsily making his way down the hallway. as he did so, he didn’t notice that y/n was walking straight for him. and of course, she didn’t notice him either until they both crashed into each other’s bodies. neville fell back onto the ground, letting a small huff escape from his lips. surrounding students cackled at the two as they continued walking. when he looked up, he saw the panic in her eyes and the way she quickly reached down to get her books.

“uh—merlin... sorry about that...” he stuttered, reaching down as well to help her. she glanced at him, but quickly looked away when he noticed. of course, she stayed silent. “are you alright?”

she nodded her head, and stood up with the books in her hand. “yeah. thanks.” and with that, she rushed away from him, not even giving him a chance to say one more word.

he would never forget it. the way her voice was so soft and fragile. he had honestly wished he could hear it more.

admittedly, neville felt bad for her. every time he looked at her, something nagged at him about the girl. every time she got called out in class to answer a question, he would panic for her as her face would drop.

she looked so lonely. she would sit in the back of the class always. he had seen her in the library quite often, just reading, sitting all alone at a table. he hated that she seemed so alone.

he wanted to change that.

—

the day was quiet. only the sounds of birds outside and the wind blowing through the trees on the castle grounds. saturdays were always the perfect days for going to the library, studying, or just to read a good book. that was y/n’s plans consisted of most of the time.

y/n made her way through the large halls, waving discreetly to the paintings on the wall. it seemed as if the lively pictures were the only people that ever respected her, told her hello as she walked by.

her fingers were tightly grasped around two books, as she was planning on returning both of them. her face didn’t show it, but she was quite excited to find two more books to add to her reading list. reading had always been considered an easy escape to y/n. pages filled with so many words, but told so many different stories. stories about love, heartbreak, dragons, princesses, noble wizards, y/n enjoyed all of it.

as she daydreamed about her next book, she hadn’t noticed the small group of students exchanging glances and laughing as they saw her approaching. before she knew it, her books were being slapped out of her hand, and hit the ground with a loud noise.

she looked up finally and saw draco malfoy standing right in front of her, hands in his pockets, chuckling with all of his friends from his choice of action against her.

“you gotta be quicker than that, mute!” he teased, and y/n bent down to grab the two books. when she stood up and met eyes with him again, he shook his head at her. “can’t think of a good comeback? or are you just too scared to say anything?”

she held the books tight to her chest, trembling from malfoy’s presence.

“thought so. see you around, mute.” he spat her way, but not forgetting to bump into her figure as he walked away, his friends following behind him.

y/n sighed, and turned around to make sure they were completely gone.

she started her journey once again, making her way to her sanctuary that people called the library.

when she arrived, she returned her books to madam prince silently, and this didn’t shock the librarian whatsoever. she was used to y/n coming in, checking out countless books, and checking them out and returning them muted.

as y/n skimmed the aisles, she came to the conclusion that she would once again read one of her favorite books. she had read it about seven times, but she could never get over how beautifully written it was. it was truly the best thing she had ever laid her eyes on, and she knew she would probably read it once more after this time around.

but when she went over the familiar bookshelf, the book in question wasn’t in the place it always was. she furrowed her eyes brows, and checked the rest of the shelves near just to make sure it hadn’t been misplaced. but of course, it was no where to be found.

malfoy had provided her with a sour experience already that day, and now she couldn’t even check out her favorite book? she already knew where this day was going, and she frowned in disappointment at the thought.

y/n had settled on some other fantasy novel that seemed to acquire to her taste. she checked it out, and made her way to the back of the library. she always went where it was secluded, almost no one else but her present. but little did she know, behind all the shelves she was walking by, someone followed her.

she finally found a small table to sit down at, and she did so with relief. it always made her so nervous to think that she might have to actually sit with other people one day. but luckily, that day wasn’t today. or so she thought.

because as a few minutes went by, and her eyes were glued to the book pages in front of her, she heard a chair being pushed. she looked up, and met eyes with neville longbottom. he shot her a small smile before speaking,

“can i sit here? it’s okay if not, everywhere else just feels a bit stuffy.”

she stared at his features for a moment, thinking back to the day when she bumped into him in the hallway. she gave him a single nod, and luckily, he didn’t miss it.

as he sat down in front of her, she gulped heavily. she hated being around others, even in a peaceful place such as a library.

a few minutes went by, the silence filling in the gap between the two. neville would glance at her a few times over his book, and she seemingly seemed lost in her own world. but at some point, she finally did look away from the words on the pages. she looked at the book he was “reading”, and noticed the familiar cover. if she hadn’t caught herself, she would’ve let out an audible gasp.

he had her book.

she seemed to be staring for too long, because neville looked at her.

“have you read this before?” he suddenly asked, snapping her back into reality. “it’s actually pretty good. i’m not big on fantasy, but this isn’t too bad.”

yeah, it’s an amazing book. she knew that very well.

but of course, she didn’t express that into words for neville. she only snapped her eyes back to her book, and neville frowned a bit.

did he say something wrong? he thought for sure that this was her favorite book. i mean, he had seen her with it more times than he could keep track of, so he could only assume.

“what’s that you’re reading? is it good?”

she looked up at him through hooded eyes, still not budging.

“well, anyways... i’m more of a herbology book lover. i love learning new things about plants. i think it’s really cool...”

y/n felt herself becoming confused, and almost bothered. she knew who neville was, but couldn’t understand why he was attempting to spark a conversation with her.

“i noticed that you like to read,” he mentioned, and y/n finally looked at him fully. “i mean—i see you here a lot, and you’re always reading from what i can tell. what’s your favorite genre?”

as neville attempted to get the girl to speak, he closed his book without looking. he realized that was a mistake when the heavy book closed onto his finger, and he let out a loud yelp.

as much as y/n tried, she couldn’t hold in the small giggle that fell from her lips. she covered her mouth in an attempt to hide it, but neville’s ears caught it.

“oh, you think my suffering is funny, huh?” neville joked, smiling out of triumph. she hadn’t spoke, but she laughed. and neville swore it was the most angelic thing he had ever heard.

she shook her head at his question, her cheeks turning a dark red from embarrassment. she had hoped he was okay, but nonetheless, it was funny.

the whole time they were in the library, neville rambled on about random things. he had brought up his interests in plants, making sure not to over explain his love for them. he talked about books, and random things that had happened to him and his friends during his time at hogwarts. he was making it his number one goal to get her to talk at least once.

but as darkness began to fall, and as curfew approached quicker and quicker by the minute, he hadn’t succeeded. he was quite shy at the fact that he had just sat in the library all day rambling to someone who never even spoke back. she had seemed to be listening, which took him by surprise. he had never had someone to listen to him as he spoke, let along not interrupt him in a conversation.

as much as she hated to admit it, y/n had a good time herself. she loved the way neville talked, how he explained things so deeply and with so much detail. he never seemed to miss a beat in a conversation, even if it was practically with himself. it made her realize that she wish she had the strength to speak. she wished she could respond to his questions without feeling her stomach churning.

the two left the library, their bags draped over their shoulders as they walked. y/n still had two books clutched into her hand, as she has checked out a random herbology book before leaving. neville smiled when she did so, feeling giddy inside that he had managed to spark an interest in her.

“that book is really good! it’s all about water plants! which are really cool, by the way. you should read up on gillyweed! it’s this really cool plant that—“ when he went to ramble on once more, he stopped himself. “never mind. i think i’ve talked a bit too much, today. wouldn’t you agree?”

for some reason, y/n wanted him to keep talking. it filled the silence that she considered her serenity, and she enjoyed every last word he spoke.

“well... i think this is where we part ways. do you need me to walk you back?” he asked, secretly hoping that she would say yes. but, she shook her head no. he was greatly dissatisfied, but, he tried his best to understand.

“oh, okay. well... goodnight, y/n. maybe we can hang out in the library some other time.”

he smiled at her, not expecting a word, but only catching a glimpse at the red that rose to the tips of her ears.

neville began to walk away, feeling a bit defeated.

suddenly, something that neville never wouldn’t expected:

“goodnight.”

he stopped in his place, and turned around. she covered her mouth with her books, but neville could tell that she was smiling. he couldn’t believe that the word had left her mouth.

“goodnight, y/n.” he repeated, and she shot him a smile before walking in the other direction. a genuine smile. the first one he had ever seen besides from her giggling.

he wanted to hear that voice, and those giggles more than she could ever have guessed.

[rubyleo-vibes]

✨ Evans and his morning sweets nothings ✨

- RUBY’S DIARY- 

Ruby’s note:

A couple weeks ago this situation came out of my mind while I was watching some Chris interviews and something else about him which a can’t remember the half of the things I saw,hear blah, blah. about him but suddenly my head was rolling with the idea and I couldn’t get over it for a couple  weeks. Warnings: +18, smut, age gap, unprotected sex, teasing, fingering, mention of oral (female receiving), dirty talk, dady kink, body fluids, cum kink , and maybe fluff?

-•-•-

Since the time we met ten months ago, both going back and forth taking the first flight we find and only to expend time with each other, being nothing more than exclusives cause we’re not exactly looking for a serious relationship due our busy and demanding jobs and of course don’t forget the 16 years age gap between us (not really bothering us since the first flirt ), but acting like a real couple and not really being a real one, the way we being working on our “relationship” has been way much better than we expected.

 Here I am, Wednesday early morning and getting ready for going to work and the thing is that I promised Chris that I would be doing home office during his time visiting me in the city where I currently live due my job, but a last minute call changed our plans for the day and thanks god he understood the situation.

Just like  everyday since he arrived we woke up to make our morning routine but this time earlier than usual, going first to the gym at the same time that i usually  go , letting Chris surprised how i was able to be an early bird when he perfectly knew that i'm not morning a person. I mentioned the night before that he didn’t  need to start his day the same time as me and  if he wanted to stay in bed more time I totally ge it, but like always he was the one of us in waking up first even that early morning. 

At 4:45 am  we arrived to the gym, pretending we came alone minding our business doing our workout and acting like if we didn't know each other when someone got closer as part of our plan  in case someone would recognised him even with his face mask on and a cap, because our way to “spend time in public”  was Chris checking me out every time he could and me being a shameless teaser. 

Once back at my place, he stepped in the shower first while i was getting all my things ready for the day, changing the dirty sheets from the night before, now as  part of the morning routine every time Chris is here, not because i like putting new and fresh sheets every morning but the messy activities we make every night along with our tiredness lazy assess and sometimes our body asking for a little more attention during the middle our sleep or in the morning before starting our day, so yes! It was necessary to replace the new ones, but don’t get me wrong  i’m not complaining at all, I mean this became a reminder of the fun stuff we do and learn about from the other. 

Once done with the bedding changing  i let the outfit that a picked the night before  in my bed and just in time when I was done with everything needed, a fresh and clean Chris walked out my bathroom greeting me with a cheeky smirk on his face while i was trying not get distracted by him walking in my room with a towel wrapped around his hip, his glorious tattooed hard chest with a few water drops rolling through his toned muscles, feeling his hand touched softly one of my arms getting my attention , his body close to mine and with a low and deep voice saying -“your turn doll”- and with that  i found myself already clenching my needy walls with nothing around but with the sound of his voice. 

By the time i was almost done with the final touches of  my makeup, Chris whose presence was absent in my room since i finished showering, walked back to my room with two mugs on each hand and right in the moment he stepped in i saw through my vanity mirror how he closed his eyes taking a deep breath from the mix of the aroma of his perfume with my mine, his chest slightly grown before opened his blue eyes and one more time just like in the gym checked me out, losing his gaze in some specifics curves of my body, with a smirk on his face he was getting closer to me 

-”here’s your tea doll”- hand me one the mugs, and while I was taking it from his hand I thanked him after I winked. He just nodded without leaving the smile on his lips and I didn’t notice but his eyes getting a bit darken when he felt my fingers brushed accidentally his hand.I took a sipt from the tea that he made for me, Chris knows that I prefer  taking tea every morning instead of the common cup of coffee, so every time we are around from the other, at my place or his, never letring me down without morning favorite tea, and that kind of details was one of reasons i can’t help myself but just melting and get even more attached to him.

Instated of leaving my room he prefer to stayed right next to me, drinking his coffee quietly, facing me and leaning in the vanity table, feeling his eyes glutted on me, following every of my moves and after a couple minutes of comfortable silence he finally says- “you look beautiful today doll, you always do”- he said running his gaze over my outfit taking mental pictures of how good looks his favorite curves covered on my cream cropped cable knit sweater and the green pencil under knee skirt, my high heels allowing me almost been at the the same height than him, i smiled wide never leaving my eyes off from my reflect in the mirror fixing my low ponytail i said 

-"thank you baby, you don't look bad yourself too"- and while i took my earrings to putting on, this time i turn my eyes to Chris and this time me doing the same thing he did with me before, I also took mental pictures of how hot this (my)  man looks on  formal clothes , with an air of Andy Barber in his outfit choice for the interview recording he was going to have later that morning.- “you really know how to wear this kind of outfits, i like what you did with the sleeves, told you it’d look great and way more relax but not too much for today’s interview, they gonna love it”- playing all the time with his shirt buttons, but  he  only let out a groan from his chest and closing the small gap between us  that he left after brought me the tea, with one hand taking me by the small of my back pulling closer-

 - doll, please… stop- he said, sounded desperate and squeezed my hip.

-what? what am I doing this time? literally nothing guapo!- I giggle for the tone he complained, trying to find his baby blue eyes with mine while I rest one of my hands resting on his chest . A deeper groan came out this time, and now both hands were placed almost under my cropped sweater, touching the edge of my skirt and little bit of my warm skin , he playfully squeezed my waist a little bit harder than before.

-Don’t play now like the innocent one here young lady.  You know exactly what i’m talking about - he said finally looking in my eyes and this time i’m  trying to read his gaze- 

-“the second you woke up you’ve been non stop teasing me , you wore the pink tights that i love how your bum looks and you wore it on your leg day! Well played by the way , then after i showered you were looking at me with pleading eyes and just before you  stepped into the shower you and your smart ass came out only wearing a pretty thong and your sweatie white top with nothing unederneath and you fucking adorable nipples casually greeting me , i bet you weren’t looking for anything isn’t? .- taking a deep breath before continuing his official greedy frustrated statement, feeling his hands pushing me even more to his body like if he was trying to make me feel him-.

-you always look amazing- he continued a little bit more relaxed but with darkened eyes- “but today… damn baby girl! you're stunning and this outfit is doing something more. And I see no panties lines or what are you wearing, missy ? oh oh plus!  your sweet fragrance is driving me crazy , and all of that right in the day you need to attend an urge in your office and just leaving me here without our morning sweets nothings , waiting here long hours without even trying before at least a bit of you doll”- his hands now in my ass, squishing them harder.

I just stayed there with my heart racing , blood running faster through  my entire body, feeling new beats in some places that I didn't know existed. Bitten my lip and a grin on my face, my hand placed on his chest slowly goes to his muscular shoulders and the free hand gives slight caresses to his beard, loving the feeling in my hand-  “really?, I’m sorry babe, I was just doing my daily routine, I didn’t mean to get you in this state, but i’ll make it up for you once I come back from work, ok? ”- I said softly, calm and  with my best innoce tone, my hand caressing his  beard , brushing my fingertips every now and then through his lips while I slowly adjusted my hips  feeling a pretty hard situation screaming for attention. I let out audible gasp and eyes and ears never losing a detail, pressing harder on our hips together , and shamefulness grinding his hardness covered in my needy core.

 -”mmmmmhh of course you’ll have to make it up to me after work... “- i whimper when i feel he stopped moving his hips and his hands holding tight my hips to keep me steady, he chuckle at the when i was trying to get some friction- “...cause right now we have much time to worship you the way i want it doll- my skirt rolled up  around my waist, his fingertips touching my burning skin,me  breathing heavily waiting for more. His eyes  widened and chuckled when he felt my undergarth - “oh oh oh! this is what you call panties doll?” - he said, grabbing the strips resting on my hips - “ well is a thong thou,  and i don’t need an awful pantie line showing off”- i said with obvious tone - “oh sorry, a tiny thong that i can’t remember you wearing it or at least showing me  before… ”-  feeling his  playful finger roaming my bum and hips, he leaned into my ear and feeling his hot breath in there- “also you’re lucky this is such a small peach doll and  perfectly fits on this  pathetic tiny piece of fabric that you were hiding away  from me”- a sweet released moan came out of my mouth at the moment he cupped my cunt into his warm hand, rubbing his palm and squeezing tight.

sliding the thong  to side his middle finger, he ran his finger between my lips without going further than that, my pussy began to feel slippery with the juices that could no longer resist being inside for any longer.- mmmmhh baby girl, all this for me huh?, you might be the brightest ruby, but I did not know that a gemstone could be juicy, oh  it is true, I forgot that only I have the honor of making this gem in a sweet and soft little peach, so juicy and exquisite-

a small scream from my mouth came out in protest of more, his forehead was against mine - please! - I begged between gasps- “please what? Do you want me to put my fingers in and touch you? that you want? - He growled excited to see that he only nodded, giving me a short kiss full of lust - "mmm if you want, I can do that- sliding two fingers inside, he began to touching me desperately, pressing lightly on my little button making circles sore He, placing my weak legs with his caresses- "Damn, you're fucking wet ... I wish I could eat you whole, but we don't have time for that, you know I like to take my time when I taste you- without warning I take out his two shiny fingers for my sweets juices, without taking his eyes off me, he introduced his two fingers covered with my flavor to his mouth, sucking rigorously, he let out a loud moan, a loud pop when he finished tasting the nectar of a gem, a quick and agile movement, he changed places, He is facing the mirror and Chris was behind me, he pressed his hardness against my butt, I let out a moan of despair, I need him inside me stretching my warm walls.

Without removing his gaze from mine reflected in the mirror, and with his eyes full of lust, the sound of his belt rumbled in my ears and my centers got even more wet, under his closure, I bend over leaving my butt exposed for him, he grunted as he stroked my butt and squeezed it, I moaned when he spanked me a couple of times with his big hands- “I'm going to take what's mine and I want to hear those beautiful sounds you make when I'm deep inside you, did you hear me baby do? - I nodded. He felt his big and hard cock hitting when I took it out of his boxers, I felt desperate, everything was spinning and my pussy was a mess and it didn't even enter me.

I moaned loudly  - "Yes baby, you feel incredibly tight, I love your little pussy, so perfect and good for me" - Chris entered me without warning, let out a pornographic moan, his cock was deep in me, he stayed still for a couple second, and then start moving uncontrollably, making us moan and beg for more.

-”oh daddy!, please make me cum, your cock feel so good”-i cried and moved my hips looking for more, Chris slapped my bum-” my baby girl so desperate for his daddy cock, so pretty and good for daddy… come on doll squeeze my cock with my sweet little pussy- his dominance turned me on even more and doing what he said- “aaaagggh, ye..yess doll, keep going, i’m gonna make us cum so hard, make a mess on daddy’s cock, give to me be a good girl a give me that slutty cum- Chris grabs my hips harder and pounded so hard and good that i was losing my battle and the dirty talk almost making come to the sweet release, i loud moan came out of me and, making a whole mess on Chris dick.

-”shit baby girl, that was so hot, i’m so close and this time you are going to carry me on that piece of fabric the entire day ok?- i without a warming i felt his cock twitching and milking him so hard, he groaned loudly and emptied himself inside me.

As a gentleman that he is, he helped me fix my clothes, my hair, makeup, but less to clean up his mess, he made me go to the office like that, I thought he would help me clean up, but no, besides being slightly late to the office He made sure I carried it in my panties .. I was so lost after that little show he wanted, Chris ended up taking me to the office, and the rest is another story.

 ---

Ruby’s note

sorry gems! but i need a moment, i know i could end better than that but uuuummmm i just couldn’t. 

i feel fucking tingles.

Let me know what you think and show me your love.

say yes to reblog

[talkfastromance4]

Three Days of Love--Luke&Lily Valentine’s Day Special

A little love from Luke and our flower girls!🥰💕

Word count: 3.8k

Warnings: implied sexual situations, mentions of pregnancy and morning sickness

Luke&Lily Masterlist

***

February is a very fun month for the Hemmings household. Yours and Luke’s anniversary is on the 8th and then there’s Valentine’s Day which the girls have always loved. Lily loved having you and Luke help make her Valentine’s Day mailbox for school; she loved using glitter and placing hearts all over it. Posy loved to make and decorate the heart shaped cookies you always baked and made one special for Ashton who boasted about it for days.

This year was a little different because ever since you found out you’re pregnant again, your morning sickness has been every day and all hours of the day.

You’ve had a migraine ever since you dropped Lily off at school. You gave her a kiss, made sure she had her Valentine’s all ready to hand out (a special glitter one was for Roman only) and reminded her Cory and Ella would be picking her up after school.

Thankfully, work was on the slower side, but your head and shoulders were full of pain and even the slightest bit of movement made your stomach turn but you never got sick which was a very small win considering. Halfway through the day there was a knock on your door and a man with a large red box and a white bow strode in.

“Y/N Hemmings?” he asks.

“Yes, that’s me,” you respond watching him set the box on your desk. There’s a small card under the ribbon with your name on it. You’d recognize Luke’s loopy script anywhere.

“Happy Valentine’s Day,” the delivery guy says and leaves the room.

You pull the box towards you slowly, making sure your stomach stays inside, and open the envelope. It’s a small card with two little lovebirds on the front. On the inside he wrote:

I couldn’t ask for a more wonderful wife than you. Thank you for being the wonderful woman you are and for being mine. You’re a bird, I’m a bird and we create the sweetest song. I love you endlessly my love.

xx Luke

The tears of love and tenderness fall freely, you won’t even deny it’s partially from your hormones, but Luke is the sweetest and you can’t wait to go home to him and spend the weekend together. You untie the ribbon and lift the box to see a beautiful display of red, pink, and white roses designed into a heart shaped ‘wreath.’ The smell is intoxicatingly sweet, but in a good way. At the bottom of the heart is another ribbon with the words ‘My Sweetheart’ written in glittered calligraphy.

How’d you get so lucky with Luke?

**

By the time you get home, your feet are sore, your breasts are tender, and you’re absolutely famished. Your nausea tends to disappear at nighttime, and you want to eat everything in sight. When you open the door and kick off your shoes, you see a display of all your favorite foods on the counter.

Luke and Posy are sitting at the kitchen table coloring in her coloring book she got from Ashton.

“Mama home!” she shrieks dropping her red crayon and slipping off the kitchen chair. Luke’s hands hover around her little body to make sure she doesn’t bang her head on the edge of the table, then she runs to you.

You set your box with Luke’s delivery on the table and lift her in your arms.

“Hi, my love bug,” you kiss her cheek and wipe away a leftover crumb from her goldfish cookies. “What are you coloring with daddy?”

“Veggies!” she raises her arms and you peer at the table just as Luke stands up. He’s wearing basketball shorts and his black FOF hoodie. He looks extra cozy.

“Ashton better frame each of these on his fridge since he’s such a veggie man,” Luke grins grabbing onto your elbow. He ducks down to give you a soft kiss. “Welcome home, lovie.”

“Hi,” you respond almost shyly, bringing his hand into yours. “What’s with all the food?”

“This is the first gift of the weekend. I have all the food you’ve been able to tolerate right now and the three of us are going to watch Princess movies until this little one’s bedtime.” He pinches Posy’s cheek lovingly; she giggles in response.

“And what are the two of us going to do, then?”

“You’ll see,” he winks. “Let’s eat.”

After singing and reading Posy to sleep, Luke takes your hand and leads you into your bedroom then into the bathroom. There’s candles lit, soft music playing, and the bath is drawn complete with bubbles and rose petals.

“Oh, Luke,” you exhale breathing in the warm glow of the room.

“I have your pajamas on the counter and bought you some new lotion,” he kisses your neck before pushing you closer to the safe haven of water. “I have your playlist set up but if you want to watch your shows or a movie, that’s all set up too.”

“Aren’t you going to join me?” you turn to face him, a slight pout on your face. His blue eyes dance with the flickering of the candles.

“Not tonight. Tonight, this is all for you,” he kisses your forehead. “Tomorrow it’s you and me because Posy is spending the night with Ashton and KayKay. More surprises are coming your way, Mrs. Hemmings.”

He gives you a soft peck, but you keep him closer by holding onto his neck. You press your body against his, feeling how warm he is, and your fingers tangle in his curls.

“I’d rather have you make me come…” you murmur. He groans.

“We have all of tomorrow and well into the night for that, trust me,” he gives you one more kiss. “Now, get in there before I change my mind.”

“Yes sir,” you sigh slinking away from him. He makes another audible groan, and you smile to yourself as you start to strip.

You peek behind your shoulder to see him watching you, his fingers stroking the sides of his beard that you’ve been aching to feel between your legs. The way he’s watching you gives you butterflies, it’s with such an intensity as his eyes follow your slow movements. The way he’s looking at you doesn’t even make you think about your stretch marks or the extra parts of skin you just can’t get rid of. The way he’s looking at you makes you feel…empowered and sexy.

“Stop looking at me like that,” you say bashfully and climb in the tub carefully. The water is the perfect temperature as you sink further in.

“Like what?” he asks picking up the tub remote. He turns on the jets.

“Like you’re about to devour me,” you pick up one of the red petals and give it a sniff.

“That’s for tomorrow, lovie. Enjoy your bath,” he kisses the air in your direction then exits the room.

**

You’re woken up to Posy’s cries from down the hall. Your muscles still feel relaxed from your bath and as you stir, Luke does as well.

“I’ll get her,” he grunts trying to get up.

“I got her, stay in bed,” you pat his shoulder affectionately and get out of bed. Petunia follows you into Posy’s room. “Good morning, Po!”

“Morn’mama!” she sits up in her crib, her curls looking like a rat’s nest from just waking up. “Unca Ash?”

“Not yet, Posy,” you shake your head lifting her from the crib and to her changing table. “Uncle Ash will be here at lunchtime. What do you want for breakfast?”

“Waffles!”

After breakfast, going for a morning walk, and Posy’s nap. It’s time for Ashton to come pick her up for her sleepover. Luke already has her overnight bag packed with all her essentials ready to go. After your shower, there was another little card pressed in the mirror’s edge.

Wifey was written on the outside. When you opened it you read,

While I prepare for OUR special night tonight, you will enjoy a full spa treatment. Mani pedis, a facial, and a ninety-minute massage. When you come home, you’ll be in the dojo of our love.

“You’re ridiculous,” you murmur into Luke’s neck from behind the couch. You pepper his cheek in kisses, his soft beard tickling your lips. He’s watching Blue’s Clues with Posy until Ashton arrives.

“How so?” he laughs craning his neck to look at you.

“You’re spoiling me way too much this weekend,” you wrap your arms around him.

“It’s my job to spoil you,” he hums and kisses your jaw.

“Where’s my favorite two-year-old?” Ashton’s voice booms as he enters your house.

Posy gasps and is quick to hop off the couch.

“Careful, Pose, careful!” Luke reprimands gently as she darts towards Ashton’s voice.

“Unca Ash!”

“Hi my girl! Are you ready for pizza and chocolate and dance parties and jumping on the bed?” Ashton tallies off as he spins Posy around.

“Ashton, do not—”

“Don’t worry, I’m supervising the children,” KayKay smiles shaking her head at the pair. “There will be pizza and chocolate and a dance party…but we don’t jump on the bed.”

You and Luke laugh at her statement but know full well the couple will take care of your Posy. She always has a fun time at their house.

“Thanks for taking her again,” Luke stands up from the couch. You follow him as he lifts Posy’s things to Ashton. “Want to have a special night with my lady.”

“Then why are you sending me away?” you laugh.

“It’s all a gift!”

“Ridiculous,” you shake your head at him fondly. “You be good for Uncle Ash and Aunt KayKay, Posy Mae, okay?”

“Otay, mama,” Posy smiles reaching her arms out to you. “Bye.”

“Bye, I love you,” you hug her tight and kiss her cheek before handing her off to Luke.

“We’ll see you tomorrow when we go pick up Lily. Have fun, yeah?” Luke pokes her nose, and she nods. “I love you, bug.”

“Love you!” she wriggles out of Luke’s arms to the floor then grabs KayKay’s hands tugging her to the door. “Time to go!”

“What time will you be by tomorrow?” Ashton asks hefting her two bags on his shoulders.

“Around ten, then we’ll get Lils from Cory’s,” Luke explains.

“Awesome, see you then. Have fun you two,” Ashton winks then follows his own love and Posy out the door. KayKay and Posy are singing baby shark, a song that Ashton introduced her to and wouldn’t stop singing for weeks.

“And then there were two,” you sigh dramatically twisting around to face Luke. You intertwine your fingers with his, grinning up at him like a lovesick puppy.

“Technically three,” his eyes drop to your stomach that is just starting to show. “How are you feeling today?”

“In love with my husband. And also wondering what he has up his sleeve,” you giggle.

“You’ll see soon enough, lovie,” he smiles.

**

Your spa day was very much enjoyed and went by too fast but that just made you more excited to get home to Luke and what he was planning. Before you left for your day, he told you to call him before you were on your way, so you did.

“Hi lovie,” he greets before the second ring went off. “How was your relaxation?”

“Amazing,” you sigh pulling away from the curb. “Am I safe to come home?”

“You are,” his voice surrounds the whole car over the Bluetooth. “Before you come inside…there’s something you need to grab from the mailbox first. Then ring the doorbell.”

You make a face at the odd set of rules.

“Uhh…okay? That’s oddly specific,” you laugh.

“I’ll see you soon. Drive safe.”

When you open the mailbox there’s a small box inside. You open it to see the cotton nightgown he bought you for your anniversary this year. It’s a blushing pink with white lace along the breasts and on the hem. It was also very see-through cotton. On top of the nightgown was a red blindfold with the words ‘sexy time’ written across the eyes.

“Ridiculous,” you chuckle and make your way to the front door. You ring the doorbell like he said and he’s quick to open and shut it behind him before you can peek inside.

“Let me put this on you,” he takes the blindfold holding it over your eyes. His fingers are gentle as he ties the satin, he kisses the crown of your head. “Now I’m going to lead you to the bedroom and you’re going to put this on for me and come into the living room.”

His lips graze your ear as he tells you the next set of instructions. You smell and abundant aroma of sweet flowers as you pass the living room. He spins you around, gives you a knee buckling kiss then takes the blindfold off.

“I’ll see you out there,” he hums.

When the door snaps shut, you move as quickly as you can to take off your clothes and put on the nightgown. You’re glad you shaved this morning in the shower. You freshen up a little bit, spritz on a bit of perfume and make your way downstairs where you hear Luke playing guitar.

When you turn the corner, you recognize it as ‘stuck in gravity’ which is your wedding song and Luke is sitting on the floor on a large, white fur rug. His black shirt is open, exposing the planes of his chest while he plays and hums along to the lyrics. He lifts his eyes to you, smirks, then starts to sing.

If he didn’t take your breath away then the rest of the room did. There’s balloons everywhere, fuzzy pillows and an array of sweet treats on the coffee table. A pink balloon is in front of the table forming the word ‘love’ and in front of Luke is a red rose.

“Luke…”

“Yeah, this high, high love that you give to me is dripping down my hands like honey, it’s all I’m missing…”

You take in the whole room, amazed at the twinkly lights and candles. The pool even has floating flowers that are lit up shining through the sliding doors. You move towards him, the fur rug tickling your toes and you sit next to him. He sings of dripping honey, but his voice is what sounds like it. when he’s finished the song, you launch yourself at him, kissing him hungrily.

“You’re the most amazing, thoughtful, kind, and best husband,” you tell him. He chuckles beneath you and shifts the guitar from his lap.

“And you’re the most wonderful, kind, loving, and sexiest wife,” he whispers.

He lays you down gently on the fur rug. You moan at the comfort of it and at Luke’s hand slipping up your nightgown. You make love amongst the flowers and sweet delicacies; his heavy breathing and your soft moans fill your space of love.

You eat the food he’s prepared, feeding each other chocolate covered strawberries. When a drop of chocolate drops on your shoulder, Luke is quick to lick it up and it’s your turn to push him on the floor.

It’s a night where you’re the only two in the world. Loving on each other, whispering sweet sentiments, fingers and hands exploring spaces you’ve memorized. You’ve never felt so loved.

**

Posy runs up the walk to Cory and Ella’s door where Ella is standing smiling and waving. She lifts Posy in her arms and waits for you and Luke to come inside.

“Happy Valentine’s Day, guys!” she says giving you both a hug.

“Happy Valentine’s Day!” you smile and take a good look at her. She’s almost a month further in her pregnancy than you are and she’s glowing with the perfect bump.

“I hope you two had a good night,” she nudges your elbow knowingly.

“The best. Luke spoils me too much,” you throw him a look and he grins.

“Mama! Daddy!” Lily exclaims bounding to you and Luke.

“Hi my sweet! How was your weekend?” Luke swings her up in his arms.

“Fun! I made you all Valentine’s!” Lily says happily. “And I got this from Roman.”

You and Luke look down at her hands that are touching a candy necklace. There’s a big heart in the center that says ‘be mine’ on it. You share a look with Luke. Roman and Lily have been best friends since kindergarten, you and his moms always tease about them getting married someday. Trina and Sophie are one of your closest friends and they’ve raised Roman to be such a gentleman.

He’s so sweet with Lily but he also brings her out of her shell a little bit. They’re a great pair of friends and now you know why she gave him the only card with glitter on it.

“That’s very pretty, Lily,” you smile. “Did you say thank you?”

“Yep! He liked my card and said he’d use it as a bookmark!”

“Hey guys,” Cory says. “Brunch is just about done if you want to head out back. Hey man.”

Luke and Cory shake hands then Cory gives you a sweet kiss on the cheek. You follow Ella to the backyard where they have a nice table set up with a pink tablecloth and a vase of daisies.

“I picked the flowers!” Lily states proudly pointing to them from Luke’s arms.

“They’re very pretty, my sweet, you did such a good job,” Luke kisses her cheek. “What are we having for breakfast?”

“She also selected the menu,” Ella smiles sitting down in a chair. She situates Posy on her lap. You sit next to her and give Posy one of her toys she brought to play with.

“Can I try and guess?” Luke asks and Lily nods while he sits next to you. “Hmm…I think Lily would pick…blueberry pancakes…hard boiled eggs…. prune juice….and turnips.”

“No! Wrong, dada!” Lily laughs heartily.

“What? What was I wrong about?” he fakes surprise.

“It’s scrambled eggs and orange juice and no yucky turnips!” she pokes his dimple.

“No turnips? Hmm…then…are we having cupcakes?”

“Cookies! I decorated with sprinkles!” she claps her hands excitedly.

“She did a very good job, too,” Ella praises.

“It sounds like a delicious meal, I can’t wait to eat it,” Luke smiles and kisses her forehead just as Cory comes out.

“We also have bacon and breakfast sausages; Ella’s been craving bacon.”

“Mm, and I’ve been craving breakfast sausage,” you smack your lips.

“Yeah you have,” Luke smirks over Lily’s head and you give him a stern look.

You learn about what else Lily did this weekend. She helped Ella pick out a design for the baby’s room and Ella cried when Lily presented her with Valentine’s cards for her and the baby. Lily’s really excited to be getting two more siblings.

“Are you two going to find out what you’re having?” Ella asks as you all sit back and let your food digest.

“I don’t think so, we want to be surprised,” you nod at Luke who’s also nodding.

“Are you going to find out?” Luke asks rubbing Lily’s back.

“Yeah, we want to know,” Cory smiles. We’re playing around with a few names, but nothing is really sticking.”

“How’s your morning sickness going?” Ella asks while Luke and Cory change the subject to a new lawnmower they read about.

“Still bad,” you laugh rubbing at your belly. “Luke got most of the things that were making me sick out of the house, and I calm down more at night. What about you?”

“I literally threw up before you got here,” she grimaces.

“Oh no, do you want us to go? You can go lay down,” you tell her.

“No, no, it’s okay. I want to hang out with you guys,” she smiles. “It comes in waves. Lily was such a big help this weekend, you’ve got one special little girl.”

“And me!” Posy shouts.

“Yes, and you, Po,” Ella laughs brushing her hair away from Posy’s forehead.

“She’s excited to be a big sister to your baby,” you tell Ella.

“I’m glad. I don’t want her to think Cory will forget about her or something…”

“I don’t think she thinks that. She knows he loves her.”

“I’m secretly hoping we’re having a girl,” Ella says in a hushed tone.

“As soon as you find out, I want to know!”

“We’ll have a party, don’t worry,” she smiles.

You spend another hour at Cory and Ella’s place then Posy is yawning. It’s almost time for her nap and you know she’s going to be asleep as soon as she’s in her car seat. You all hug each other goodbye, promising to get together next weekend.

Lily tells you and Luke all about her day at school Friday. She said everyone loved the glitter on her mailbox and she loved shopping with Ella. When you got home, Luke took Posy to her crib to finish her nap and the three of you looked through her Valentine’s from the rest of her class.

“Wait!” Lily slips off the couch and goes to her backpack. When she comes back she has two big cards and hands one to each of you. “I made these with Daddy and Ella.”

“Are these for us?” you ask and see her lopsided writing of ‘Mama’ on the front. There’s glitter and stick figures you’re assuming is you and Lily.

“Uh-huh,” she smiles joining you on the couch again.

You open it up and see Ella wrote what Lily probably told her to write.

“Read it out loud!”

“’Dear mama,’” you begin and pull her close, “’I love how you play with my hair and always make bad dreams go away. You’re the best mama. I love watching movies and finding rocks at the beach. Love your Lily.’ Oh, honey, I love it, thank you so much,” you cry into her hair and give her a big hug. You’re very emotional today and her sweet words pierced your heart in the best way.

“Dada’s turn!”

Luke clears his throat and opens the card dramatically.

“’Dear dada, I love when you sing, and I love singing frozen together. You make me laugh and I love when you make me chili! I miss you when I’m gone or you’re with Unca Cal playing for the people. I love you lots and lots. Love your sweet.’”

Luke is speechless and you’re crying even harder at her sweet words.

“You thought of all that by yourself?” you ask her.

“I did. Ella helped write because I don’t know some words. Do you like it?”

“We love it,” Luke tells her and pulls her on his lap. He hugs her tightly. “Thank you, Lily. I love you very much.”

“Love you, too, dada.”

For the rest of the day, you play outside. While Lily and Posy are playing with Petunia, you give Luke his present which are plane tickets to Australia. It’s been a while since you’ve been there and you want to head out before the baby arrives. His gift to you was a bracelet of pearls. It’s a lovely weekend that you never wanted to end.

Taglist: @calpalirwin @myloverboyash @loveroflrh @cxddlyash @princesslrh @spicylftv @notinthesameguey @itjustkindahappenedreally @calumance @thew0rldneedsmcreycghurt @sarcastically-defensive17 @another-lonely-heart @devilatmydoor @thatscooibaby @suchalonelysunflower @dead-and-golden​ @mymindwide​ @blackbutterfliescal​ @redrattlers​ @karajaynetoday​ @quasighost​ @i-like-5sos​ @creampiecashton​ @calpops​ @littledrummeraussie​ @sexgodashton​

[jwillowwolf]

Magic and Miracles - Prologue

Tag List: @sandersidesbigbang @thomassanderssidesbigbang2021 @theimprobabledreamersworld

First Chapter > | Masterlist

This is a multi-chapter fic I've been working on for the last couple of months as a part of the 2021 Sanders Sides Big Bang. The original idea came from this post by @remy-please-come-back [thanks again for letting me use the idea 💜].

Summary: Ever present, never seen. Feared and admired by all beings. The life that bursts from the earth, the secrets hidden in stone. It dances in the fire’s flames; it gives the wind its mournful tone. Here it is, this is it. Defined yet unexplained. In the depths of the ocean, and of your own mind. In the veins of all creatures, including humankind. For magic is in everything, yet unknown all the same.

For the longest time, Logan wanted to learn magic. So, when he was offered the chance to study it at a new magic school, he decided to follow his dreams. Along the way, however, he'll learn about so much more.

Warning/s: food mention.

Characters: Logan, Emile, Remy, OCs.

Read on AO3

0 | The Underdog's Debut

Ever present, never seen. Feared and admired by all beings.

The life that bursts from the earth, the secrets hidden in stone.

It dances in the fire’s flames; it gives the wind its mournful tone.

Here it is, this is it. Defined yet unexplained.

In the depths of the ocean, and of your own mind.

In the veins of all creatures, including humankind.

For magic is in everything, yet unknown all the same.

Perhaps this was why people found it so intriguing from such a young age. They wanted answers to what magic was, and while they didn’t find what they sought, they did learn how it could be used to their advantage. Spells were created to do anything that their caster’s heart desired. From creating a small orb of light for reading in the night to manipulating a tidal wave that could crash down on your enemies.

Magic was something not easily understood, which was one reason why the Council of Wizards evaluated all potential magic users. They wanted to gage that these young mages could safely use the power they were wielding. If not, then they needed to be properly dealt with before things got out of hand.

This was a good thing, but also not because to learn magic safely you would need someone else to teach you first-hand.

Now that doesn’t seem like much of an obstacle, except the only established wizards were of the nobility, and therefore only worked with nobility. The system was pretty much rigged to make it hopeless for average people to learn and use magic. Or it was until our protagonist came along.

He rose from poverty to royalty, became a hero among heroes, and faced off against one of the greatest threats to humankind that ever existed! But I’m getting ahead of myself -sorry- let's start from the beginning, shall we?

Oh, but where to begin? Ah! We’ll start from his first test with the Council of Wizards when he was only a young lad of 15. It was the beginning of spring, which is when the COW always held the learner’s test. This test evaluated your magical potential and gave the council a heads up on how many new mages there were. Yes, COW, don’t ask me why they went with that acronym.

The ceremony was being held in the grand hall of the palace, and it was open for anyone from the Srednas Kingdom to come and watch. The test itself was rather simple but the festivities that came with it made things feel like a special holiday. Nobility and common folk alike were gathered to watch and see what new wizards would be taking on learning magic. There was even a small market of sorts set outside the palace to take advantage of the crowds and sell foods, drinks, and commemorative merchandise.

Inside, people were everywhere, talking excitedly to one another and trying to find good places to view the proceedings. At the end of the room, there was a dais with two thrones where King Thomas and his husband, Prince Consort Nico, sat to watch. In front of the dais were nine chairs for the COW members, who talked with the royals and amongst themselves. Even they seemed eager for what was about to happen, and yet no one knew truly how monumental today was going to be.

The event had begun the same as any other year. Noble children from across the land showed off whatever three spells they’d learnt for the test. Most were common tricks like lighting candles or making plants grow. A handful showed off with advanced versions of these spells, such as holding the flames in their hands or making entire trees grow. Still, regardless of how many times these spells were cast, the crowd watched in awe with each new user who passed their test.

And then a young man in a simple navy tunic and black trousers stepped forward. He looked to be in his mid-teens, the same as most of the young mages and walked with an air of subtle confidence. He had a slender form and soft features that pronounced his youthful appearance. His hair was raven black, swept neatly to the side, and his eyes were such a dark brown that they seemed almost black.

“Please state your name and title.” Silvia, the eldest council member, said.

“My name is Logan Picani.”

“Title?”

“I don’t have any.”

Silence fell over the hall. “Pardon?”

“I don’t have any titles.”

“How do you not have any titles?”

“I’m not a noble.”

Some people audibly gasped and began whispering conspiratorially to one another.

“Young man, you do understand what this test is, correct?” Allen, another council member, asked with a thinly veiled look of disgust.

“Yes sir, I do. I also know for a fact that there are no rules against my taking the test because of being a commoner.”

Allen frowned and opened his mouth to say something but was cut off by Silvia. “I suppose not. Well then, let’s see what you can do.”

Logan took a deep breath and then held up his hand, “Ignyght.”

The tip of his little finger began to glow with golden light. The crowd watched on in silence as he carefully moved his hand to draw the necessary rune with the trail of light that flowed from his finger.

Once the rune was complete, he spoke again. “Solhart.”

The rune turned stark white and then disappeared. For a moment nothing happened, then a small white orb appeared where the rune had previously been floating. This earned a few excited claps from the crowd and an approving nod from two council members. But Logan didn’t stop there.

“Groh.” This time the light from his fingers was bright green. He made a different rune then repeated the sealing word, “Solhart.”

The orb multiplied until nearly fifty of them were floating in a cluster before Logan.

“Stahwynd.” A deep blue light flowed from Logan’s finger as he drew the final rune. “Solhart.”

The orbs burst apart from one another like birds flying off a tree in fear. Some people from the crowd shouted in shock as the balls of light zoomed off in all different directions until finally, they stopped. Now they were floating all around the room above the spectators who gasped as they realized what Logan had done. The hall’s ceiling was pitch black, so the lights looked like stars in the night sky. It was a breath-taking sight that inspired many to cheer and clap for the young mage.

“Alright, please settle down,” Silvia called over the noise before looking at Logan with a thoughtful expression. “Where did you learn this?”

“I taught myself.”

Silvia nodded then turned to talk with her fellow council members in hushed tones. Allen and two others seemed upset, while the rest of the council were neutral if not mildly impressed. After a few minutes, she looked back at Logan with a soft smile.

“Mr Picani, you are officially granted your learner’s license. I hope when we see you again in a few months time, you will once more surprise us all.”

The crowd cheered and Logan nodded before walking away with a look of pride. As he made his way through the crowd, he received congratulations from many strangers. And then he was tackled to the ground by an enthusiastic brown-haired girl.

“You did it! You did it! I knew you could do it!”

“Everleigh, my ribs.” Logan wheezed, causing the girl to release him.

“Oops, sorry. My bad. Is your chest okay?”

“It’s fine.” Both youths got up with smiles on their faces. “I did it.”

“Yep. In a couple of months, you’re going to be an official grand wizard.”

“Considering I just got my learners, I don’t think I’ll reach such a title that quickly.”

“You just created a night sky in the palace ballroom! I think you’re underestimating yourself.”

Logan smiled softly, “Come on, we should head back to the bakery to celebrate.”

Everleigh nodded in agreement and linked their arms so they could walk side by side. As they walked, Everleigh excitedly told Logan about how incredible it had looked from the crowd, and what kind of reactions the people around her had had.

Logan was uncharacteristically grinning by the time they’d reached the bakery. Walking inside only made his smile widen as the smell of fresh bread and sweet pastries filled his senses. It was after all the smell of home, so of course, it made him feel warm and welcomed. His father, Emile Picani, was standing by the counter helping an elderly customer when Logan and Everleigh walked in.

“Thank you, dear.”

“Oh, I should be the one thanking you, Mrs Goldstone. The brownie recipe you gave me has become a bestseller.”

“I’m glad to hear that. Have a nice day dear.”

“To you as well, ma’am. Oh, Logan, Everleigh, you’re back. And smiling,” Emile gasped, “did you get it?”

“He’s a wizard!” Everleigh dramatically announced.

“Not yet, I still need to finish the second test in a couple of months. I do have a learners’ license though.”

“Well, I think this calls for some celebratory tarts,” Emile said, ushering both youths into the back of the shop where the Picani’s sitting room/kitchen was located. “I’m proud of you logan. That hard work really paid off.”

“Speaking of hard work, you are going to take a break, right?” Everleigh asked.

Logan looked away from her sheepishly. “Well…”

“Come on, Lo. You’ve been working hard non-stop for months.”

“Yeah, kid, you work with me in the bakery all day, then study well into the night. And don’t think I haven’t seen you pull an all-nighter here and there.” Emile chastised.

It was true that Logan had worked long hard to get to where he was. it wasn’t exactly a simple task when books on magic were hard to find, and what knowledge they had was even harder to grasp. Figuring out pronunciation for the initiation/sealing words and learning to keep his hand steady as he drew the runes.

It had taken him many long nights of studying by candlelight to figure out the spells he’d performed. But with Everleigh’s library apprenticeship and his own persistent nature, he’d managed to learn a good deal about the basics. And now it was paying off. He officially had a learner’s license and would get a chance to become a genuine wizard.

Then he could use magic to help so many of the villagers who couldn’t afford the high-priced assistance of other magicians. Medicinal potions? Enchanted prosthetics? Transition spells? He would be able to give all this and more at prices his peers could afford.

Logan knew that what he was doing seemed near impossible, but he was going to do it or die trying! …okay, so maybe Emile and Everleigh were valid in their concern for his health, but this was his best and only way to study magic.

Before Logan could argue this, however, a stranger walked into the bakery. He was tall and slender, with a bronze tan and confident bearing. He was wearing a black leather jacket over a clean white tunic, black trousers, and dark brown riding boots. His short curly hair was the same dark brown shade as the boots, and his eyes were hidden by black tinted glasses.

“New customer, how do you how do?”

The stranger smiled. “Hey there, gorgeous. Sorry but I’m not a customer today. Is this where Logan Picani lives?”

“Yes, that’s my son.”

“Son? No offence honey but you look too young and handsome to be a dad.”

“Is there something I can help you with, sir?” Logan asked, taking over the conversation for his blushing father.

“Ah, yeah, I’m here to offer you a very special opportunity on behalf of the crown prince.”

Logan and Emile gaped. “The crown prince?”

The stranger nodded. “My name is Remy Animosni, and on behalf of his highness, I’m here to extend an exclusive invitation to the Srednas Magic School.”

Logan frowned. “I wasn’t aware that there was a magic school here in Srednas.”

“Well, that’s because there wasn’t, not until now anyway. It’s something that the prince arranged to start this year with a few students to show how good it could be to the council. You particularly caught his interest today with your starry spellcasting, hence the personal invite. You would learn alongside six other students under me about everything there is to know concerning magic, from the full basics of spells to how you can modify your own enchantments.”

“That sounds incredible,” Emile said.

Remy nodded. “Yep, and not only that but you will be given your own room at the school and anything you may need or want during your stay will be provided by us, free of charge. The location of the school is just an hour out of town, so you could visit home on weekends if you desired. So how about it, kid?”

Logan was gobsmacked. The crown prince had not only seen him but was impressed enough to send an invitation to learn magic at a special new magic school.

“Wait, what do I have to do for the prince in return?”

“Absolutely nothing. The offer is completely free of any fees or deceptive dealings. I promise. The prince even sent this with me to make sure you could have physical proof if so desired.” Remy stated, producing a scroll from inside his jacket.

Emile and Logan both looked over the document and found no problems. It was a straightforward invitation for Logan to study magic at the prince’s new school, with promises to provide anything he could need while he was living at said school, and nothing more. The father and son shared a thoughtful glance. It was definitely an opportunity.

Emile smiled. “Do it.”

“Really? You think I should accept?”

“A chance like this only comes around once, and I can always hire someone if I need the help. Follow your dreams kiddo.” Emile said with an encouraging smile.

Logan bit his lip as he considered things. He really hadn’t thought today could get any better, then this happened. He was worried about leaving his dad, but Emile had told him to take this chance. And he was right about this being a once in a lifetime opportunity. Besides, Remy had said he could still visit the town on the weekends…

“Okay. I accept.”

---

A/N: thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed this. I'll be posting two chapters a day until the full fic is up, so if you want to be tagged, you can just ask. [Also, here's a link to chapter 1]

I'd love to hear what you thought about the chapter if you wouldn't mind commenting. Thanks again for reading! Here's hoping you have a magical day 💜

[thesightstoshowyou]

Search and Rescue

Chapter 1

Featuring my Monster OC Kaith x F Reader

Warnings: Mentions of blood and minor character death

Here’s something a little different! Let me know what you think <3

~~

            It is your scent that first draws him; floral, a hint of cinnamon, and the acrid tang of adrenaline. Silently leaping from tree to tree, he follows his nose. He tracks you to a small clearing encircled by a ring of trees.

           The light is dying quickly, the sun having just set behind the mountain. Though, he’d smelled you long before now, your scent blown to him on the chilly breeze susurrating through oaks and pines. Pacing, unable to leave the safety of his cave until the sun had fully set, he thought he might go mad.

             Your boots crunch on crisp foliage as you slowly shuffle about, shining a flashlight onto something on the ground. Light illuminates violent red splashed across an outcropping of rock. He can smell it; coppery, tangy with fear. It is blood from the other human that came this way a day before.

            Insatiably curious, he tilts his head to the side and leans over a branch to get a closer look at you. He has seen no humans for decades and now two in the span of two days. He forgot how good they could smell.

             Your hair is pulled back away from your face and tied at the base of your neck. The slowly rising moon gives your smooth skin a lovely sheen. He bets it tastes just how it looks: Soft and supple. He leans a little closer, interested in the way your clothing clings to your hips.

             An icy breeze rustles the trees, knocking more yellow and red leaves from its branches. You shiver, hiking the blue outer layer further up around your neck. You turn and he is able to read the blocky white letters on the back of the garment: Search and Rescue. Ah, so you search for the male that wandered through this clearing yesterday. Alas, your search will end in vain. You will find no further trace of the young man.

             “Team Five to Team One, over. I found...what looks like blood, over.” You speak into a black square attached to your coat. Crackling static is the response. You frown. This is apparently not the reply you wanted.

             “Team Five to Team One, can you hear me? Over.” More crackling, then silence. He hears your heart rate pick up, the frantic sound sending a shiver down his spine. Unable to resist, he intentionally cracks the branch under his clawed foot.

             Your heart stutters as your head snaps in his direction. You search the trees, pretty eyes wide and anxious. Suppressing a devious chuckle, he ducks behind the tree trunk just as you shine your flashlight in his direction.

             When you bite your lip and turn your attention back to the blood, he silently moves two trees over. You give an uneasy glance over your shoulder before starting for the trees. The direction you walk is the same the young man took yesterday. It is unwise for you to continue on that path.

             What does this human speak? The writing on your clothing is in English. With only the slightest second of hesitation, he speaks, “I would not go that way, if I were you.” You whirl around, eyes wide in fear, heart hammering.

            Perhaps he should have let you enter the trees. However, he enjoys the way the moonlight illuminates your skin and how your heart sounds pounding against your chest. He is not ready for his fun to end.  

             “W-Who’s there?” you ask, voice cracking. You have a firm hold on the knife at your belt.

             “A…friend,” he replies simply. His voice, deep and scratchy as it is, must be quite something to hear coming from the dark. You visibly tremble. Poor thing.

             You hone in on the direction of his voice. He moves again, further to your left before the beam of the flashlight falls on the empty branches. Only a few leaves are displaced, fluttering to the ground to join their brethren. You take a small, tentative step toward his tree.

             “Are…are you Matthew?” you ask in a tremulous voice. He guesses this is the name of the missing human. It is a silly thing to ask, but you must be desperately trying to rationalize the situation. Your ears must be playing tricks on you. This can’t be real. These are the thoughts he can almost hear.

             “No,” he replies with a rasping chuckle. You quickly twist in the direction of his voice, gasping breath tearing from your throat. He can see the exact moment you realize you are not dealing with anything remotely human. He had moved a great distance without making the slightest sound. Your pupils expand, your pulse flutters like a trapped bird, and the scent to adrenaline fills the clearing. You do not use the flashlight, surely terrified of what you will find. Delicious.

             An anxious thought strikes him then. He shifts, his own nerves prickling on the back of his feathered neck. The scent that oozes from your pores is strong and will carry on the chilly breeze. It will attract something that will not be good for either of you.

             You step back on quivering legs. You ask, rather bravely, “W-What…what are you?” He hums quietly at your question.

             “I am…me.” He isn’t sure how to answer your question because he himself does not know. He doesn’t remember parents or family. He just is.

             “Are you t-the one that did this?” you question slowly, pointing to the congealed blood splattered across the ground. You hold your breath, awaiting his answer. He lets the silence drag and stifles another chortle when you tense, your knuckles white around the flashlight.

             “No,” he finally responds before moving around to the tree directly behind you. You release the breath, but remain just as tense.

             “Um…do you know who…or w-what did?” Just as you ask the question, he catches the scent he has been dreading. It moves quickly through the trees toward you, toward him. He glances down at you, so unsuspecting, so vulnerable.

             He could save you, possibly, but that would put him at risk. The creature flying through the trees is stronger and faster than he could ever hope to be, but he possesses the ability to completely mask his scent. Perhaps he can hide you as well?  

             Yet, why is he even considering it? He had watched the young man perish yesterday without so much as batting an eye. Why are you any different?

             His body makes the decision for him. As fast as lightening, he bolts from the tree, snatches you off your feet, and leaps back up into the branches. He claps a clawed hand across your mouth to quiet your terrified scream while wrapping you in giant, feathered wings. He must pin your writhing body to his own and threaten you with a long claw at your throat so you will still and be silent.  

             Shushing you, he peers into the clearing. As if on cue, in stalks a hulking creature. It walks on four feet equipped with fearsome claws. A long tail whips back and forth as it sniffs the ground with a toothy snout. Muscles ripple under brick colored skin as it paces through the foliage.

             You have gone ramrod straight in his arms. You must hear the beast prowling around on the ground below you. Your heart hammers so loud. He hopes the creature will not hear it.

             The creature sniffs at the blood coating the ground, its handiwork. Then it lifts its bulky head to sniff the air. Little by little, it edges closer to the tree.

              He tenses, every muscle pulled taut, prepared to flee if necessary. He will have to leave you behind if he wishes to survive, which would be too bad. He enjoys your sweet scent and how your skin radiates warmth.  

             With a huff, the creature turns away and sniffs the air. He smells it too; musky body odor and cigarette smoke. Perhaps it is from the other humans whom you were trying to contact earlier, Team One. There will be no way to warn them. It is regrettable, but inevitable.

             As quick as it had come, the beast disappears back through the trees. After a full minute, he finally relaxes and removes his hand from your mouth. You tremble in his arms.

             Gingerly, he sets you on the branch and scoots away, folding his wings along his back. Cocking his head to the side, he waits for you to speak. His image must be a great shock to your poor little nerves.

             “Y-Y-You saved m-me,” you stammer after several seconds of wide-eyed scrutiny. With a trembling hand, you reach out to ghost your fingers across the giant bird skull that is his head. Realizing he is tangible and not a figment of your imagination, you snatch your hand away as though it has been burned.  

             “What is your name, little human?” he asks, leaning forward minutely. He resists the urge to brush away the strand of hair that has caught on your parted lips, lest he startle you and send you toppling backwards out of the tree. Your whispered name is barely audible, fear and awe constricting your throat.

             “I am called Kaith.” Unable to resist, Kaith scoots forward a fraction. He is drawn to the warmth and alluring scent of your skin. You grip the branch tighter but do not try to move for fear you will fall.

             “Kaith,” you repeat and his feathers bristle pleasantly at the sound of his name in your mouth. Then, he is struck with sudden inspiration.

             “I fear the creature may return. We must flee the area,” he lies. He wants to move you somewhere he can touch you without risk of you tumbling to your death.

             “But, my team…” you object, turning to look through the trees. Kaith shakes his head.

             “No time.” He reaches out and pulls you to his chest once more. With a rustling of feathers, he extends of his enormous black wings and leaps from the branch, gracefully landing on another tree further into the forest. You wrap your arms around his neck, gasping and burying your face in the feathers of his shoulder. From this new position, he can feel your pounding heart beat against his chest, something that makes his own heart flutter with excitement.

             Surely, you will provide hours of entertainment.  

[some-cookie-crumbz]

BNHA, MomoJirou?

Prompts 25. "I know this looks bad, but I swear, it's not."

So many ways this could go~! Hopefully the route I took was a fun one!

Minor Trigger Warning: Mentions of Blood

Momo considered herself to be a rather fortunate woman. She had a financially successful family, a great relationship with her father and was working on things with her mother, a close-knit group of friends she loved dearly, and had started a paid internship just a few weeks back for a designing agency run by The Kayama Nemuri. She knew that she was an incredibly lucky person, that there were those who would kill for the opportunities she had been given, and made sure to wear her gratitude on her sleeve to everyone she knew. She put all her effort and energy into being a good daughter, a good friend, and a good employee, doing whatever she could through action to help emphasize the depth and sincerity of her gratitude. After all, actions were a great indicator of the merit of one's words!

But sadly… Her love life hadn’t seen nearly as many returns as the rest of her life had.

She’d had three relationships in the past and they’d all been… lackluster, to put it mildly. Her first relationship had been a situation where she agreed to date the guy more out of obligation than anything. He had been incredibly nice to her and her then-friends had insisted that meant she at least owed him a chance to prove himself as a boyfriend. The relationship had only lasted three months of her first year of high school and ended so horribly that her father had transferred her to a new school at the conclusion of her first semester.

The school she transferred to was a girls-only boarding school and where she grew into her sexual identity as a pansexual woman. She had a longer relationship with one of her classmates that started in the winter of her second year and ended in the spring of their third year, with her ex immediately jumping to date another of their peers within a week of the break up. It had been painful to watch and, for about a year after, she had avoided relationships for a while.

Her relationship after that had been even worse. She didn’t like to dwell on that ex too much simply because… Well, how incredibly awful it had been. The relationship had felt much more like the two of them getting together because they were afraid of being single in their group of friends. The two of them had nearly no common interests and her ex had always seemed to find her passion for fashion design to be a waste of time, frequently inquiring why she didn’t study something more “practical”. Momo herself, however, thought that her degree plan had been more than practical, considering her minor had been in business.

That relationship lasted ten months and ended when she learned of an affair.

She’d taken a two year break from dating after that, focusing instead on her friend and family and school. All of her friends had rallied around her after that break up, helping to lift her back up, and she had been incredibly grateful for it. They reminded her to never settle for less than she was worth, to wait until someone who deserved her commitment came around.

And then, one day, she met Jirou Kyouka.

Their first meeting had been an impromptu sort of thing. Momo’s dear friend Mina had to take her new puppy, Floofles, to the vet for vaccines and spaying. It was an overnight situation with a designated pick-up time, but Mina had to be at work during the time. She has begged Momo if, since she was free that day, she could pick Floofles up and monitor her until she herself was home. And not one to let a friend in need down, Momo had agreed.

In the lobby of the little vet clinic had sat a young woman in dark colors, with short cut indigo hair, and a snarling mass of hay colored fur in her lap. Momo had been a few minutes early and was urged to take a seat while she waited, causing her to settle into the vacancy next to the stranger and her displeased pet. Upon closer examination she realized that it was a cat, with a front paw that looked to be at an odd angle, which seemed to explain the attitude. “Oh, the poor little dear,” she murmured quietly, not thinking as the words left her mouth.

Dark eyes flickered up to her, the gleam of disinterest fading to a light of interest. Her lips twitched up in a small smile. “Thank you, but he did this to himself,” she hummed, reaching out to set one hand on the cat’s head. He responded by growling audibly and jerking his head out from under her touch. “Leave the patio door open unsupervised for one minute, and he leaps out to chase a bird. Eats shit and ends up hurting his paw.”

The cat let out a displeased hiss at his dirty laundry being aired, but it only resulted in both women laughing. The next few minutes waiting for Floofles had passed in the blink of an eye as she chatted up the cat owner, learning that the cat was named Dynamight and was just a grumpy old man trapped in the body of a young cat. Once Floofles was brought out to her, Momo asked for the other’s number, explaining she wanted to see how Dynamight was doing once his paw got looked at. And while there was genuine care about the cat’s well being involved, there had also been a selfish motivation behind it, too. Her companion seemed to know as much but didn’t draw attention to it as they exchanged numbers.

That was eleven months ago, with she and Jirou’s nine month anniversary as an official couple just on the horizon. And Momo couldn’t help but smile whenever she thought about it. Jirou was unlike her past partners in so many ways. She encouraged and supported Momo’s designing works, they shared a secret love of true crime love documentaries, and she was incredibly laid back. With her, Momo could feel her walls fall down and she felt genuinely secure about it. There was something naturally calming about Jirou’s presence and approach to life - of going with the flow and taking things as they came - that was refreshing and exhilarating. So much of Momo’s own life had been slotted around by activity start and end times, of living up to expectations both real and imagined, that the idea of simply letting things be and dealing with them as they came up was incredibly freeing.

The thought occurred to her as she stepped out of the elevator at Jirou’s apartment complex and started to make her way to her door. Normally, she made sure to reach out before dropping by. Part of it was because she didn’t like just showing up unannounced, but another reason was because of her girlfriend’s erratic work schedule. The other woman did freelance work of some kind - the details were vague and confidential - so her hours tended to shift depending on the needs of her client. Sometimes, she’d be free for a good three or four days, while other times she’d be engrossed in her projects for hours at a time. Things had been pretty quiet from what little she remembered last time they talked about work, though, so she felt things would be fine this one time.

She opened the door to the front door, unsurprised to find it unlocked. Jirou tended to leave the door unlocked in case her neighbor, a bedraggled single father, ever needed to ask for an impromptu baby-sitter. His daughter liked cats and Dynamight, as Momo herself had seen, was surprisingly agreeable with the young girl when she came by. She half expected to see young Eri settled on the couch, a Disney movie playing on the television, while Jirou prepared dinner or worked on something for a client, when she stepped in.

Only to stop just a few steps through the threshold.

A map of the city was spread across the coffee table, two large pillar candles set up at the far corners of the table, while Jirou was kneeling in front of it. She was cutting open what seemed to be a small blood donation bag with some scissors, a small wooden box to her left with what seemed to be crystals inside. After a moment, Jirou reached towards the box and pulled one out, a thin strand of yarn wrapped around the crystal. She released a slow breath. “Okay, Kyouka… This shouldn’t be too hard. You haven’t exactly used this combination before but it should work out fine,” she mumbled to herself, moving the crystal to dangle over the open lip of the bag.

Momo couldn’t help it; she gasped, loud and horrified. She was completely stunned. What was all of this? What purpose did it serve? It all seemed incredibly occult. Jirou had never seemed like the type to have such interests. Hearing her gasp, Jirou jerked to stare at her with a horrified stare of her own. She opened her mouth twice, clearly scrambling to find words to string together, before she clamped it shut with a soft click of her jaw.

They stared at one another for a long moment, eyes wide and their heart beats seeming to echo in the tiny space.

"I know this looks bad, but I swear, it's not!" Jirou yelped, finally cutting through the silence, dropping the blood bag in her hands and letting it hit the ground with a sickening splat sound. Momo felt her whole body shudder with the sound and her stomach flipped uneasily. She shifted her weight back on the heels of her feet while keeping her eyes fixated on Jirou.

“Tch! She’s gonna try and make a break for it if you don’t seal the door off, ya idiot!” For a moment, Momo was befuddled by the new voice she heard. She swore she could hear quiet, cat-like growls between their words, but… That wouldn’t make sense, right? Who does cat impressionations while speaking? Slowly she turned her head in the directions of the voice, her eyes landing on the familiar fluffy form of Dynamight sitting on the kitchen counter. His pupils shrunk to slimmer slits before he curled his lips back, the voice from before sneering, “Oh, looks like she’s starting to put shit together! Get your head back in the fucking game!”

Dynamight… Her cat… Was talking? But then… Talking cats were common of…

Momo whipped around and moved to rush for the apartment door, heart beating erratically in her chest. If this was all really happening, she needed to get out! Before a hex of some kind could be placed on her, or even worse! “Wait, Yaomomo! Please hear me out!” Jirou called out after her.

Just as her hands made to grab for the handle, it shriveled and withered into the door itself like a rotten fruit being reclaimed by its tree. A startled shriek left her as she scrambled backwards, watching with wide eyes as the rest of the door melted into the frame, the seam separating the two disappearing completely. She felt herself drop to her knees and wrap her arms tight around herself. “Oh God,” she breathed shakily, closing her eyes tightly as she heard soft footfalls approaching her. “I promise I won’t tell anyone about this! J-Just please! D-Don’t hu-hurt me! L-Let me go!”

There was a quiet swishing of wind and fabric before she felt herself being lifted slightly. Then, there was a soft and warm hand gently cupping her cheek. “I would never hurt you, Momo. Please… Even if you aren’t sure how to feel about the rest of this, please know that much is the truth,” The other woman’s voice hitched with pain as she spoke, clearly wounded by the suggestion. She peeked her eyes open to see she was floating just a few feet above the ground so that she was able to meet the other’s dark eyes. Those same eyes were pleading and vulnerable.

Momo swallowed thickly before timidly nodding her head. “I’m sorry,” she breathed softly.

“No, I understand. This… Isn’t what you were anticipating to walk into,” Jirou said with a small sigh before glancing over at the sacrificial site set up on her coffee table. “Just let me clean that up real fast, put on some tea and then I’ll explain.” Momo nodded with a bit more certainty before she was carefully floated over and set delicately on the couch.

She sat and watched in quiet bemusement as the other skittered to and fro, using what Momo could only assume was magic to help her. The longer she observed, the more relaxed she gradually became. While she worked at getting the blood cleaned up off the wood paneling, Dynamight actually rummaged through the kitchen cabinets to fish out the kettle and start filling it up. It was a little impressive to watch how he did it with his paws and teeth, though she could still hear the quiet grumbled swears he released as he did. Once all the summoning stuff and blood were cleaned up, Jirou prepared them each a cup of tea and settled into the couch seat a space away from Momo, giving her a good amount of breathing room.

She handed the cup over carefully with one hand. “I went with that citrus one you brought a while back. I remembered that one having a nice little zing to it,” she explained.

“Thank you,” Momo took a quick sip of her own cup, disregarding how it scalded her tongue just a smidge. “So… You’re a witch, I take it.” she said evenly.

Jirou nodded. “Yes, I am,”

“And Dynamight-!”

“Bakugo,”

“Huh?”

“His actual name is Bakugo Katsuki. Dynamight is just his… um.. Common cat name. Easier than explaining the logistics of a familiar,” she explained with a small nervous laugh.

“So he is your familiar,” she mused, taking another sip. The other nodded as she took a sip from her own cup as well, setting it on the coaster on the coffee table when she was done. 

Jirou’s hands clutched at her knees, eyes skirting down to stare at them instead. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. I’ve wanted to but… I was worried. There’s a lot of paperwork and hoops to jump through to get that kind of clearance. And even then… There’s no guarantee that you’d want to keep that knowledge. And if that happened, your memories would have to be wiped and I couldn’t see you anymore.”

Momo blinked in surprise. “Wait, what?”

“It’s a safety protocol that the higher ups implement to keep the general public safe, as well as those of us in the bureau,” she sighed, lifting her head to peek up at her worriedly. It was clear she was uneasy but was also being transparent. “Though, I suppose I should actually… Well, explain what’s going on here, huh?”

She nodded. “So… Is this related to your work?”

“Yes, actually. See, I’m aligned with what’s called the I.B.O.M.O., which is abbreviated further to I-Boom, and is short for International Bureau of Magical Events. As a representative, I have the ability to travel between this realm - the mortal plane - and the realm of magical creatures - the magical plane. As such, it is my responsibility to keep instances of magical creatures and mortal interactions limited. Part of that is tracking down rogue magicals that come into the mortal plane without the proper permissions and, if they encounter a mortal, wiping memories and issuing out punishments,” she explained, picking her cup back up and taking a sip.

“So what you were doing… Was that related to something like that?” Momo asked with a tilt of her head.

Jirou nodded. “Yes. I was trying to scry. My current assignment is to track down the heir of a noble warlock family who has apparently fled to this plane. He is apparently somewhere in this city but.. Well, since he hails from a high ranking family, his magical skills have been well-honed so trying to find him has been a struggle. I’d been hoping that by combining my scrying technique and a powerful conjuring technique using the bird blood I could… Well… Try to get some idea as to where he might be,” she sighed, letting her shoulders slump. “This is the longest I’ve ever taken on an assignment and it’s.. Well, it’s difficult.”

Momo stared at her before glancing back down at her cup. Her thumb traced along the rim of the cup thoughtfully, an idea turning about in her head. “Could… Could I help you find him?”

“Huh?”

“The fuck can a human like you do to help?” Dynamight - erh, Bakugo? - chimed in, hopping down from the breakfast nook and trotting over. He scrambled up and sat on the table, glaring her down with his ears back and fluffy tail lashing. “If a witch with as many accomplishments as Earlobes is having a hard time, what fucking chance does a mere human like you have?”

“Well, if you have an idea of around when he appeared, I can ask around,” Momo said, tone a little petulant. The sheer lunacy that she was arguing with a cat wasn’t lost on her completely - and she made note to ask Jirou later how, exactly, it was she could hear his voice - but she still felt the need to, as immature as it was. “I have a lot of connections around the city. I might be able to get you a list of suspects, since there is the chance he could do… Um… What is it called? Glamour?”

Jirou giggled a bit. “You’re right. Glamour is the tool magical creatures use to disguise their true forms,” She lightly tapped her chin in thought. “Hmm. That’s not a bad idea, actually. He could be using glamour to disguise his appearance since it’s so unique. Make himself harder to find.” Momo smiled at Jirou’s words, her heart fluttering a bit at the prospect of being about to help her girlfriend. “But… If you’re going to get involved, I’ll need to file the proper paperwork and make a protection charm for you. I want you to be safe. I don’t think the nobleman would harm you but… I don’t know the specifics of why he left the magical plan unannounced. I’d rather air on the side of caution.”

Momo nodded as she took another sip of her tea. A part of her told her she shouldn’t get this invested. It was Jirou’s work and she herself wasn’t a witch. She shouldn’t be getting involved too heavily. But… If she could help her girlfriend, wasn’t it worth it? If it gave her a chance to show how much she appreciated how good Jirou was to her, it had to be worth it.

[meridiansdominoes]

So a few weeks ago @thatfunkyopossum introduced me to his Coruscant Guard OC and I absolutely fell in love with him. His name is Grease. Grease is my favorite. I adore him, HENCE I am adding an additional scene into Dominoes that includes him. He might show up a few times in later chapters too, and I’ll make sure to at least give him brief introductions when he does so that anyone who misses this won’t be confused, but this is his original introduction. ANYWAY, here, this’ll be added to chapter uhhhhh 33! The beginning is the same, but it runs right into the extra scene so here ya go! 

_______________________________________________________

The mess hall is subdued when they arrive. The chatter is quiet, serious. News travels faster than a forest fire in clone barracks. Hevy grabs his tray and sits down next to Flak, whose face is twisted in distaste. 

“I think I’ve lost my appetite,” he mutters, and then jerks when Byte sets his tray down across from them, sliding into the seat. 

“Is it always like that?” Hevy dares to ask. 

“Not usually. There are better places to take captured criminals, it’s a rare occasion when we have to hold someone here although the brig is sizable—”

“No, not that. Those kinds of… comments, I meant,” Hevy corrects with a wince. Byte snaps his mouth shut. 

“Oh,” he says. “That. Yes. It’s true, anyway. He’ll be charged for property damage. Sometimes Thire tries to press manslaughter, but it doesn’t stand legally, so…”

“What!” Hevy hisses, banging his hands on the table and surging to his feet. “You’ve got to be kidding!”

“Hevy, sit down!” Flak demands, grabbing his arm to pull him. Hevy takes a breath. The eyes of every clone in the mess hall are on him, so he lowers himself back to his seat. Byte is looking at him strangely. 

“Don’t tell me that’s not something you’ve ever encountered,” he says, and Hevy has to take another deep breath to suppress his immediate urge to smash something. 

“It—I… on the battlefield, that doesn’t matter,” he manages to get out. “It’s the front lines, it’s war. There aren’t any charges to be pressed.”

“Hm. Lucky. Sounds so much easier,” Byte says wistfully. Hevy grits his teeth.

“We’re going to fix this,” he says determinedly. Byte raises an eyebrow. He opens his mouth to comment when suddenly he catches sight of something over Hevy’s shoulder and raises a hand.

“Hey, Grease!”

A clone in standard Guard armor jumps at the sound of his name, helmet turning to find Byte. He flinches when he notices the irregular splash of 501st blue and immediately tries to head towards a different table, hands clenched tightly around his tray. Byte leaps to his feet. There’s a mischievous glint in his eyes that vaguely reminds Hevy of Cutup and Fives.

“Oh, no you don’t,” he mutters, and goes after him like a shot. Hevy shares a bewildered look with Flak. 

“Alright then. Guess that conversation is over,” Flak says slowly, watching as Byte manages to cut the other Guard off. The new clone tries to duck away again, but his movements are hampered by the tray in his hands. He can’t stave Byte off properly. Byte is unfazed by his protests and practically frog-marches his abductee towards their table. A cheerful chirp accompanies their approach. Hevy glances down and blinks when he sees a tiny mouse droid zipping happily at their heels. 

“Sit,” Byte orders the other Guard in a light tone. The newbie hesitates for a long moment.

“We don’t bite, I promise,” Flak tells him. The Guard’s shoulders slump. He sighs audibly and drops into the seat next to Byte in resignation. 

“I can sense your glare, don’t give me that,” Byte tells him with a grin. “Wanna introduce yourself, kid?”

The Guard heaves another sigh. “Designation CT-3489—”

Byte elbows him in the ribs.

“M’Grease,” the Guard amends, disgruntled. Hevy offers him a smile.

“Nice to meet you, Grease. You a shiny?” Out of the corner of his eyes, he sees Byte’s expression flicker suddenly. 

“He’s… not a shiny. Not exactly,” Byte says under his breath before continuing. “Grease is a good kid. Real talented with droids. A bit shy, but if you ever need someone to fix up a speeder, he’s your man.”

“The droid is yours, then?” Hevy asks him. Grease glances down, presumably at the droid by his feet. It’s under the table, so Hevy can’t see it. 

“Yes ma’am,” Grease answers. 

“Ma’am?” Flak nearly chokes. “Uh—”

“Eh, that’s what he calls everyone,” Byte says with a wave of his hand. “Force of habit. He’s not the only one.”

“You sure he’s not a shiny?” Hevy says jokingly. Byte chuckles. 

“No, he’s just like that. Right, Grease?”

Grease takes off his helmet just in time for Hevy to catch the exasperated but vaguely fond eye roll that Grease shoots at Byte. Hevy only barely manages to stop himself from making a noise of surprise. Grease looks… oddly young. There’s a mole on his right cheek, and his face is just a little rounder than Hevy is used to seeing on brothers. He must have gotten the good genes. No wonder Byte calls him ‘kid’.

“Grease, huh? How’d you pick the name?” Hevy asks him. 

Grease shrugs. “I like working with machines.” The mousedroid chirps in agreement from out of sight. Flak perks up suddenly. 

“Oh yeah, Byte mentioned that. You like speeders too, right?”

Grease’s gaze settles on him, narrowing in on the oxygen box on Flak’s chest—an armor design unique to pilots. His eyebrows shoot up in realization.

“Yes ma’am,” he answers, ducking his head a little. Flak’s grin widens. 

“Yeah? Maybe some time you’ll have to come look at the bird I’ve been flying. She banks a little too far to the left sometimes, and I’m tired of running recalibrations. It’s gotta be something internal, maybe something with the stabilizers, but I’m not entirely sure. I could use a hand when you aren’t busy!”

Grease nods at him mutely, coloring just a little as Byte chuckles.

“There, see? They’re not that bad,” he urges. Grease shoots him a scowl that is far more endearing than it is threatening. He opts not to respond to Byte’s comment and starts to dig into his food instead with a quiet enthusiasm that Hevy hasn’t seen since…

Huh. Strange. 

Hevy hasn’t seen any clone inhale a meal like that since Kamino, when his limbs had ached from unpredictable growth spurts and his stomach had always seemed to be empty no matter how much he ate. Hevy looks at Grease’s face again and feels his blood suddenly run cold.

“Grease… how old are you?”

Byte winces. Grease pauses in-between bites just long enough to tilt his head in Hevy’s direction.

“Eight and a half, ma’am,” he manages. Hevy inhales sharply. Flak hisses out a curse.

Grease is young. Too young. He shouldn’t be out in the field yet. At that age he isn’t even finished growing completely. Byte’s casual address of ‘kid’ is literal. 

“Are you kidding me?” Flak gasps. “How the kriff—”

Hevy jerks his head over to stare at Byte, seeking an explanation. Byte sighs. 

“Coruscant is… safe. Supposedly. Since we’re not on the front lines and all. They started sending them younger a few months ago. We needed the manpower,” he says softly. Grease nods in agreement. 

“But an entire squad was just killed,” Hevy says in horror. “That doesn’t sound very safe to me!” He tips himself back in his seat, reeling in disbelief. The movement makes his legs sprawl out, and his foot taps the mouse droid, knocking it back a few inches. It chitters at him in annoyance.

“Sorry,” Hevy tells it hurriedly. “I just… that’s so young. Forget shiny, that’s… he should still be a kriffing cadet.”

“I’m good at my job,” Grease interjects stubbornly. Hevy clenches his jaw. There’s nothing that can be done to fix this, not right now. Not yet. 

“I don’t doubt that,” he replies honestly, and some of the tension in Grease’s shoulders eases away. 

“Do you work as a mechanic, then?” Flak asks. Grease shakes his head.

“No, ma’am. I work in the Senate.”

“He’s part of Senator Chuchi’s personal detail. Most of the younger ones get low-risk jobs like that,” Byte says. When Grease scowls at him, Byte holds his hands up non-threateningly. “Whoa, don’t give me that look! I said low risk, not low importance!”  

 Flak hums. 

“That would explain the ‘ma’am’,” he says in amusement. Hevy drums his fingers on the table thoughtfully. 

“Senator Chuchi. I’ve heard good things about her, I think. Do you think she could help us with something important, Grease? Is she sympathetic towards us clones?”

Grease frowns at him. 

“Sorry, ma’am. Not my place to say.” The declaration isn’t harsh, but it’s firm. Hevy sighs inwardly.

“That’s alright. You’re just doing your job, kid, I get it. Thanks anyway, though.”

For a moment, Grease looks surprised. Hevy sees a hesitant flash of pride cross his face before the young Guard shrugs nonchalantly and hunches in on himself again. Byte reaches out to ruffle his hair.

“Alright, that’s enough forcing you to be social for now,” he announces fondly. Grease wrinkles his nose at him, but there’s also a subtle hint of gratitude in his eyes that Hevy manages to glimpse as Grease gets back to his food. 

This is just one more thing that needs to be changed. Grease is eight and a half. That’s too young, no matter where you’re stationed. There are too many problems within the Guard, all out of the clone’s control. Hevy shifts anxiously in his seat and quietly hopes that he’ll be able to help with at least one of them before this is all over. 

[gustafsnightangel]

Shattered Lives Ch 38 Pt 2

With the kids in bed, himself freshly showered, he brought the teapot and cups into her office and shut the door. He wasn’t sure if there would be raised voices, but just in case he’d seclude them away until they were done. Pouring her a cup he sat on the edge of her desk, the stroke along her hand jolting her out of lawyer land, a soft smirk tugging his lips. He’d never get over how beautiful she was, wicked smart and beautiful.

She looked at him, the tea in his hand and prepared herself for the argument she knew was coming. The fight he had every right to lay at her feet. She stayed silent, prepared to let him rage at her for placing herself in that kind of danger.

“I want to be so angry with you.” He said softly after a moment. “For putting yourself in that position, for not coming back upstairs with the kids. I want to rage at you for scaring fifty years off my life when I saw him hit you.” His knuckles grazed her cheek, the bruise already blooming. “But I can’t.” He said shaking his head. “I can’t because you were doing what you thought was right, with the split second you had to make the decision to keep the kids safe.” A few years ago this conversation would have gone very differently, he thought. Back then he would have been quick to anger and let the rage rule his mind, rule his actions, rule his life. Now? Not so much, he’d mastered that demon well.

“I know now I should have just stepped into the elevator and come back upstairs.” She said gently. Hindsight was a wonderful thing, she thought bitterly. “But it didn’t even cross my mind.” He wiped the stray tear away, she hated herself for scaring him, for the whole mess of it. “All I could think about was getting the kids away from him. I didn’t even consider getting myself away from him too.”

“And you did keep them safe love.” He smiled. “You sent them to me.”

“I guess I am learning.” She scoffed at herself shrugging her shoulders. He toyed with her hair, his fingers raking through the waves. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t love.” He said shaking his head. “Don’t ever apologize for protecting your kids.”

“Our kids.” She sniffed. “They’re yours as much as they are mine now.”

“I know. I guess I’m still learning.” He murmured. Leaning over he brushed his lips against hers tenderly. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” She choked, her emotions still too close to the surface.

“What are you working on?” He asked, determined to move past it, nodding a head toward her open laptop, their front door feed paused ready to be played.

“Something that stuck with me, but because my brain got rattled around in my skull I couldn’t be certain whether he’d said it or whether I was confused and just hallucinating.” She chuckled at his confused look. “Have you seen the feed?”

“Only the first bit to make sure it was working, I haven’t had a chance to really watch or digest it.” He said softly as she stood up and gestured for him to sit, taking up residence in his lap once he’d settled. He snuggled her in, long limbs securing her to him.

“Ignore what you see and listen to what he’s saying.” She pressed play and he listened, but nothing really registered as out of the ordinary, just some mumbling after he’d struck Sildie that he couldn’t really grasp the first time around.

“I’m missing something, I know I am but...” He fell silent as she cued it up at a specific spot.

“Listen, close your eyes and listen, it’s really faint but it’s there.” She hit play once his eyes closed.

“Not unless you want me to bite your dick off.” He heard Sildie say clearly and smirked, she would have too.

“Time to collect what I’m owed you little cunt whore.” It was barely audible before the crack of his hand hitting her face. That was a sound that he’d never get out of his head. “Always fucking with my life, you little bitch. First my cunt sister and now you. Ana said you’ve been trouble for her, accusing her, setting her up. First your brother fucked me over taking my sisters money, now you’re getting in the way with Ana. I’m gonna take what I’m owed from you, fuck the money, I’m gonna fuck you until...” Sildie pressed pause on the feed not wanting to hear or see the rest of it again. She’d watched it enough and Gustaf didn’t need to hear the rest.

His eyes flew open with a choked gasp and he stared at her.

“I only vaguely remember him mentioning Ana. My face was on fire and I couldn’t be sure.” She said quietly, eyes searching his.

“She sent him to hurt you?” He murmured in disbelief that Ana would have gone that far, his own brain chewing over the thought. A fresh new wave of rage started to simmer.

“It’s a possibility.” She nodded. “We won’t know for sure unless he starts spilling the details in a confession. But Elias has hated me for a long time love. He wouldn’t have needed much of a push to come at me.”

“Does Leon know about this? Lucas? Lindstrom? Fuck, everyone?” He asked his eyes widening as the extent of Ana’s involvement clicked. She cupped his face in her hands and kissed him sweetly taking all that rage out of his sails in an instant.

“Take a breath love, and yes they all know. They have copies and a signed statement from me.” She kissed him slowly, a tenderness to soothe. “That’s what I’ve been working on.”

“This is good for us right?” He was unsure how he should feel, rage, anger, fear, joy, hopeful. His brain didn’t seem to know which emotion to settle on.

“It’s good for us, in a few ways. Elias will go away for multiple counts of aggravated assault, restraining order and court order violations. It was all caught on camera, it’s a done deal, I’ve filed the paperwork and sent it all to Leon, copies sent to Elsa, your lawyers. Family court will bury him for that alone, especially with multiple assaults already on his record. Then there’s the possible tie in with Ana.” She held up her hand to stop him from arguing as his mouth dropped open to do exactly that. “It’s only a possible, we have no proof it is her. All he says is Ana, it could be any Ana on the planet. Highly likely it’s our Ana but still. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. That piece of information is circumstantial at best.”

“I see your point.” He said tersely, his own brain working through the information.

“If it is Ana it will not only hurt her case if there is a connection, but hurt him and Dana’s family. To be honest, I’m kind of ok with a bruised wrist and jaw when it will kill two birds with one stone.”

“I’m still not ok with him laying hands on you.” He said bluntly, fingers stroking down her good cheek to bring her closer for a kiss. She let him deepen it, not able to bring herself to mention she’d heard him call her his wife, the microphones barely picking it up, but it was there. The way it rolled off his tongue so effortlessly, with so much love and conviction it had sucker punched her square in the gut.

“I’m ok love.” She said softly, her hand resting on his chest.

“Are you done in here for the night?” He asked, kissing her bare shoulder where her sweater had slipped down as she finished her tea.

“I can be.” She said softly. “I should be.” She sighed, knowing that if she pushed it any further the headache she currently had sitting behind her eyes ready to pounce would get worse.

“Headache?”

“Yeah, and my face hurts.” She winced as she realized just how much she’d been ignoring it.

“How’s the wrist?” He asked, brushing a finger lightly over the strapping the hospital had insist she wear.

“Not as bad as my face.”

“Well that’s something. Up for a soak? You need to switch off that wicked smart brain and let it catch up to the rest of you. It got a little rattled around in there.” His kiss gentle.

“Will you soak with me?” Her finger trailed down his jaw before she claimed that clever mouth tenderly. She wanted to see him calmer as well.

“No water sports.” He said gruffly, the smirk tugging the corner of his mouth.

“Spoil sport.” She pouted.

“But I’ll soak with you.” He kissed her softly. “Take care of you.”

“I think it’s my turn to take care of you, you’ve filled your quota for today.” She chuckled. “Maybe for the entire year.”

“We don’t keep score love, remember.” He murmured and kissed her longingly. “How about we take care of each other?”

“Now that I can get down with.”

“You take care of the teapot, I’ll run the bath.” He tapped her thigh for her to get up, but she stayed.

“I love you.” She said sweetly. “So much.”

“My Sildie.” He breathed. “My love.” He let the love for her pour out of him. “My home.” He kissed her tenderly. “You are my everything.”

While Gustaf readied the tub, Sildie rinsed the teapot and smiled as she looked around their home. Home, she thought, their home, their kids. Her hand went to her belly absently as that ever present question circled along with another. My wife, he’d said it with such conviction, complete commitment, that deep love he only had for her. “Do I want to be married?” She mumbled, almost startling herself with her own question. “Not that it would be much different than what we’re already doing.” She chewed on her lip and flexed her wrist wincing. “Just another question to add to the list I guess.” She muttered and turned off the lights and checked the front door.

She found him in their en-suite, the shirt already in the hamper, sweats slung low on his hips. Memories from their lazy morning flooded into her as she wrapped her arms around him and pressed her face between his blades. Her home, her man.

“You ok love?” He chuckled as he cradled her tender wrist to him.

“Yamnow.” She said and breathed him in, her cheek more a dull ache than earlier, she knew it would be worse tomorrow. He turned and helped her strip, holding out his hand for her to take so she didn’t slip as she climbed in the tub. He went out to the kitchen and brought back an ice pack in a towel and handed it to her.

“You’ll thank me tomorrow. Lots of ice now makes it more bearable in the morning.” He’d taken his fair share of knocks to learn that one quickly.

He scooped her into his lap, soaped his hands and massaged her shoulders as she held the ice to her face, the other wrapped against her wrist, and relaxed into him. His hands wandered, more to soothe and just feel her body than arouse. When she was nearly asleep he pulled the plug and dried her off, carrying her to bed and snuggling her in.

“Sleep now love.” He kissed her, lazy and slow, kisses that he cherished.

“Gustaf?”

“Mmmm.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead willing her to switch her brain off and let sleep take her.

“I love you and I’m sorry I scared you.” She mumbled.

“I love you too and try not to do it again ok?” He chuckled gently.

“I’ll try, I’m sorry.” Her voice barely there.

“Let it be done now love, sleep.”

“Kay.” She went under and he smiled at the sudden deadweight in his arms.

“I’m so in love with you.” He grinned, kissing her head and following her into sleep moments later, her scent soothing him.

@hausofobsession @ill-skillsgard @grandpa-sweaters @authentic90skidd @tuckersgirl @fairlyfallacy @flowers-in-your-hayr @raewritesfiction @stinkerbelle007 @kamie-b @mrsaugustwalker @skrsgardspam @loliwrites @trippedmetaldetector @lihikainanea @fay-walden @nandadb

[tarithenurse]

Nightingale - 45

Fandom: Naruto Pairing: Hatake Kakashi &/x Fem!OC Contents: Fluff, fun, feels, drinking, angst, Might Gai (that’s a warning in it’s own but not a lot of him, sorry). A/N: I’m not back on full power yet, so please be patient for a while longer. However! Things ARE going better (not quite enough to proof read, though). ASK or REBLOG for tag! HUUUGE thanks to all who are reblogging already <3

Ch. 45

Things were simpler a year ago, Kakashi decides. He has already picked up on the movement of the near-undetectable approaching man and the white-haired ninja’s first instinct is to want to slip away before he’s discovered. It’s been a long time, though, since he’s indulged in the odd friendship.

Ignoring time needed to sleep, 50% of Kakashi's time is spent either training or doing missions with Team 7, 20% or so are his own missions and another 20% an attempt at spending quality time with Uguïsu or working on the house – he’s gotten to the point of furnishing the place now and is quite pleased with the results so far. Right now, he’d stolen a rare moment leaded against his favourite tree in quiet contemplation of his favourite novel.

“HaHA!” Gai lands in a perfect combat pose, the tactical vest unable to cover the taught, green fabric beneath. “Finally our paths have crossed, eternal rival!”

Unfazed, Kakashi nods. “It seems so.”

For a while, none of the men speak as each pretend to be fully engrossed in reading or stretching. Well, the physical exercises are performed to perfection but much like before the interruption not a leaf is turned in the book and eventually it catches Gai’s attention.

“What troubles you? Are you afraid my wondrous team will defeat yours?”

Hyuga Neji will be a problem. “I admit that your team has its strengths but thankfully that’s not my problem just now.”

Getting to his feet, the captain of Team 7 turns towards the village while tugging the book away in a pocket – it’s the same pocket where a thin, circular instrument rests at the moment. He’s torn between heading back to the house to get some gardening done (not a task he’s used to doing in his free time) or stopping by a certain woman’s apartment again in the hopes that she’s returned.

“No! Not a word, dear friend.” Gai’s hand is warm and strong as it misses Kakashi’s shoulder by a few centimetres. “I recognize your agony. Oh, true love! The noblest of torments during the springtime of our youth!”

Kakashi bites back a groan. “I’m not agonizing and -”

“Don’t be shy, Hatake,” the friend insists. “We all know she turned down your proposal, but don’t worry because I will help you win the fair maiden’s heart!”

“Pro-? I didn’t propose!”

“Ah-ah! Here’s what you do...”

...

At some point during Gai’s lessons about gifts, walks during sunsets and the magic of starry nights, Asuma and Iruka had joined them and moved the conversation from the street to a gloomy bar. A variety of sake had been had until the Academy teacher had dozed off in the corner of the booth, snoring lightly in unison with Gai.

“I’m juss saying,” Asuma tries to explain stubbornly, “that however daunting it might sheem now...it’sh gonna be worth it.”

I know. The problem isn’t to convince me. But rather than point that out (again), Kakashi slips an arm around his team’s former teacher. “It’s getting late, Asu...let’s get these guys home.”

Gai stirs as he too is being manhandled outside like a sack of rice slung over the back. “Weeee...” the mumble fades out for a moment, “we-we-we’ll...tell her!”

“Please don’t.” Just the thought makes Kakashi’s cheeks burn hotter than the alcohol had achieved. “You just get home now and forget about all of this.”

By the time those too drunk for their own good are safely home and Kakashi unlocks the door to his little apartment, the stars are starting to fade in the horizon. It’s been a much longer night than anticipated...not to mention that it’s been spent in different company too.

Because of that, he’s happy to feel the breeze rush past his toes as he enters and closes the door. It tugs softly in his hair with invisible fingers of cotton that are capable of brushing away any worries.

“Hey there,” he whispers, knowing that Uguïsu will hear him, “missed me so much you had to come find me?”

Corporeal hands reach around to pull him close – chest to back, and her nose nudging the offending layers of black cloth away from his neck until there’s room to place a kiss.

“Mmmmaybe.” The smile is a teasing brush against the little while hairs. “Smells like you weren’t suffering alone.”

Managing to turn, he gets distracted for a moment and has to kiss the blue hair. “Not alone...but still suffering.”

“Liar.”

“I really did miss you.”

Big eyes find his before the woman shifts her attention to his gear. Kakashi has been wearing it all day, so he doesn’t object but helps as she unzips the vest. Layer by layer falls away until he’s wearing just underwear and all of his scars are clearly visible like red or white ridges and lines that barely react when Uguïsu’s fingertips trace them and set off waves of goosebumps.

“Why does it only feel okay, when you’re around, ‘Kashi?”

Not sure that he has heard the whispered question correctly, the jonin catches her chin with a finger and tilts her face up. “What do you mean?”

She snakes free of his loose hold. “It’s...” she bites her lip while searching for the words, “I like my place. And I like this place. But...only when you’re there too. It’s a bit better here because it smells of you, though.” Catching a strand of blue, she begins to wrap it around one of her fingers and Kakashi recognizes it as a sign of nervousness. “Prob-probably me being weird, I guess, and that why -” now, even her toes are digging into the floor as if she’s trying to dig a way out that way -”I’ve been..kinda...just sometimes...when you’re not here...”

The voice that normally holds the confidence of a songbird has dwindled and is barely audible anymore. Whatever it is...this is big. Gently, Kakashi guides the wreck of a girl over to the bed and sits with her. Waiting. Waiting for whatever it is she’s trying to understand.

Outside, the horizon basks in colours of red and orange as the morning tries to chase the night away but the world itself is still greys and the birds haven’t woken up yet.

But my Nightingale is going to pass out unless she breathes calmly, soon. “Sweetheart,” he catches Uguïsu's attention, “breathe. Whatever it is, I’m there for you.”

She does as he asks, releasing a shaky breath at the feeling of her lungs filling. Or maybe the situation. “But when you’re not...I’d like to live somewhere that reminds me of you. All of you.” Fumbling a bit, she manages to free the finger from the tangle to grab his hands. “I’ve been sneaking into your house. Sleeping there for a few hours.”

Stunned into silence, Kakashi listens to her confession of how it makes her feel safe because it’s like some of him is part of the building – whether it be his past that haunts the place or the knowledge of the work he’s putting into restoring it.

“What I’m trying to say is...it...” she gestures at nothing, “it feels like...”

“Home,” he gasps.

The smile is enough to prove him right...but not quite: “You feel like home.”

[anothertimdrakestan]

A Lovely Intervention  -  Damian Wayne x Jon Kent & Tim Drake x Conner Kent

Words: 2.3k

Requested? Yes! From a lovely anon!

“Can you make a fic out your short where Damian is taking after his brothers? Maybe like an intervention or something? I love your shorts I basically binged them😁😁”

LINK TO PROMPTS  -> REQUESTS ARE STILL OPEN!

I LOVE THIS! TimKon is my everything and we love Damian and Jon secretly taking after their brothers and it turning into a whole family moment. This req made me soft, thank you so so so much and I’m glad you like my shorts hehehe 💓 Hope you enjoy!

“We gotta talk get here asap.” Dick called his family, needing to investigate the current problem.

“I’m bringing Kon if you’re interrupting my day” Tim buzzed in, and Dick smiled, everything was going exactly to plan. “Yeah Red that’s fine, I want him here anyways” Dick replied, hearing the whoosh of Tim and Conner take off towards their rondevu point.

“Kay gang’s all here except the demon, you hiding him here somewhere?” Jason mocked, eliciting a harsh look from Dick.

“No, this meeting is actually about him, or about us. Have you guys noticed Damian and Jon trying to imitate us recently?” A lightbulb went off for Conner as he stole the floor, recollecting his most recent interaction with the boys.

“Oh my god yea, wait get this: I’m at the farm gettin’ work done so I could hang with Timmy - don’t blush babe everyone knew we were out together - yeah, then I see Damian tearing across the field with one of Ma’s horses. And I’m like ‘Hey Punk! She isn’t yours!’ and the kid gives me this shitty little smirk like he knows something, and he keeps going! Then he has the balls to flip me off! In my house?!?” Kon was waving his hands around trying to get the point across. “Is this gonna go anywhere airhead?” Jason interrupted, and Tim grabbed Conner’s hand, pulling him down back onto the ground after he began floating with anger.

“Shh babe lemme finish I was there too” Dick looked taken aback “TIM YOU SPENT THE NIGHT AT CONNORS? YOU TOLD BRUCE YOU WERE WITH THE TITANS” Tim quickly blushed and kept talking “Well yeah, but that’s not the point! I was watching Damian cuz he wanted to go over and ‘watch the stars’ which seems lame but the kid’s messed up enough maybe he needs some star gazing” Jason rolled his eyes, tapping his wrist to hurry his younger brother up. "Shit I took Kori star gazing a few weeks ago!" Dick mumbled before Tim got back to explaining.

“Sorry, sorry, so I wake up before Kon and go down and Jon is showing Damian pictures of all his pets then he ruffles Damian’s hair [ Dick audibly gasps ] yeah I fucking know, he let him touch him. Then it gets worse. Jon was wearing your jacket Kon. With the fucking spikes. The. Spikes. And Damian complimented him like I always do like he said ‘looking sharp Kent’ and that’s literally my line. So I have to do some recon but you’re right Dick, the kid’s a robot or something, not the demon” Kon nodded, finishing his story right after Tim “Oh my you’re right, Jon told me that he wanted to give Damian something to cement his feelings, like how I give you some of my clothes and souvenirs babe, except he gave the punk a whole ass horse!”

Dick realized it was getting worse that he thought. “This is good info guys, Tim I don’t think Damian is a robot but I think he’s taking after us, remember when I caught you trying on my Nightwing outfit? Jay you did it too, do I need to remind you about the Robin suit? And Kon you know what it’s like” The three boys shifted, uncomfortable with being called out by Dick.

“Alright so what do we do? Jump off a bridge and see if the demon follows? Kid doesn’t take after me so I don’t know why this is a problem?” Jason crossed his arms, still a little hurt by the robin reference. “Shut up Jay you’re with Tim running interference while Conner and I take the lead” Dick looked at the group explaining his plan. “Conner you’re talking to Jon about being himself, don’t roll your eyes they’re teens they need shaping in the right direction, it’s the least we can do. I mean look how well Jason turned out, you don’t want that happening to Jon!” Conner nodded, glancing at Jason who was openly scowling at the group. “Shut up Jay you’ve got the easy job unless you rather take mine and try to talk to Damian about his feelings. That’s where you guys come in, if Damian tries to make a break for it you’re security.” Tim and Jason high fived, excited at the possibility of having to cage a demon.

“So, plan A is the civil plan, plan B is caging the bird and then trying to be civil what happens if plan B fails?” Tim was well aware there were odds Damian wouldn’t want to hear it. Dick sighed, “well, plan C is disgusting Jon and Dami with Kon’s sappiness” and Kon cheered. “Plan C it is!” And it was time to set the plan (s) in motion.

“Dami look! I’m like a bat!” Damian tried to suppress a smile as Jon grinned, hanging upside down on the tree he’d climbed. “C’mon I can see that smile come hang with me!” Jon cooed and Damian easily scrambled up the tree, sitting on one of the limbs with his back against the trunk. “TT Kent I’m Robin not Batman, besides shouldn’t I be trying to impersonate your father?” he joked, tracing an S on his chest.

In a flash, Jon was pulled from the tree by his big brother. Damian jumped up, not sure what had taken Jon. “At ease soldier, it’s just Kon!” Tim walked up to the base of the tree, gesturing Damian down. Sliding down the tree Damian mumbled “your Kent stole my Kent” and Tim nudged him “so you’ve staked a claim huh?” and Damian blushed, looking down and walking towards the house. “Dames Dickwing needs you for something I think he’s waiting outside. “And you’re not coming? Gonna spend another night with Conner, who is your excuse this time?” Damian sneered as it was now Tim’s turn to flush with red. “Hey you wanted to go too! Don’t pretend like you didn’t hold Jon’s hand on the way over” Damian didn’t turn around, flipping Tim off as he raced toward’s Dick’s car.

“What’s with the super-snatching?” Jon huffed while Conner set him down on top of the family barn, the view of their home from on top of the barn was a favorite spot of theirs. “Well, uh, I’m never good at these but I’ve noticed you and Dames getting really close, and that’s really cool ya know”

Jon gagged and tried to begin climbing down from the roof, “oh god Kon no. I don’t want whatever talk you’re trying to give me. You really? Aren’t you already with a bat yourself?” Kon snorted “so you admit you wanna be with the bat?” and Jon huffed, sitting down again. “Maybe a little bit - what does it mean to you!” Jon refused to make eye contact with Conner. “Kid nothing’s wrong! But if you are I just wanted to give some advice, one SuperBat to another!” Jon shook his head at the cringeworthy ship name but eventually gave him attention back to Kon.

“What I’ve learned is that each of those boys is their own person, and so are we. And you know how hard that was for me to learn especially! So, I guess we’ve noticed you kinda trying to act like me and Tim but I just wanted to tell you that Damian isn’t Tim and you aren’t me, you gotta make your own path bro” Kon nudged Jon as he nodded, “yeah, I mean you’re right Damian is nothing like your coffee addict, he’s strong and passionate and really cares if you actually look deeper and - uh, yeah. I get what you’re saying.” Kon smiled, it wasn’t often they had a good “bro moment” but it went well. “Okay good talk bud, I’m gonna take ya back over now, but remember I’m here to give advice. You know Damian is emotionally constipated and so’s Timmy sometimes so I’m here when ya need me, okay bud?” Jon rolled his eyes “okay there we go, too sappy Kon, let’s go back... Oh no, are you guys trying the same thing with Dames?” Conner nodded, and Jon groaned knowing Dami was gonna be in a bad mood now if he hadn’t torn one of his brothers to shreds yet. “Let’s go back now”

“What do you need Grayson” Damian slumped in the passenger seat while Dick began driving. He noticed Dick locked the doors and noted all the ways he could escape if Dick wasn’t who he seemed to be. “Not much little-D just wanted to chat n grab some food, I’ve missed ya!” Damian narrowed his eyes, “I thought you liked Kent, you let Tim sleepover too and he had significantly more fun with the clone than Jon and I, who knows what they were doing while we traced star patterns” Dick cringed, noting that he’d have to talk to Tim later. “Well this is actually about Jon! You’ve gotten really close huh?” Damian shifted in his seat, getting a clear view of the car’s side mirror which showed none other than Red Robin trailing a couple hundred feet behind Dick’s car. “What is happening Grayson, we’ve done nothing wrong, not to mention nothing the clone and replacement haven’t done,” Damian couldn’t fathom why he was being tortured by his mom brother.

“That’s just the point baby bat, you and Jon haven’t done anything for yourselves. You invited Jon to star watch, Kori and I did that two weeks ago, Jon’s ruffling your hair the way Kon does Tim, and you’re saving news clippings from your adventures with Jon just as Tim does with Kon. It’s time to be your own guy Dames!” This was too much emotional intervention for Damian. Noticing Tim had fallen behind he pulled the lever on the car seat and use the momentum of it flying forward to push himself out the car’s side window. Never without his tool belt, he grabbed his grapple but cursed Smallville for having nothing good to swing towards. He heard cars honk and a child threw themself out of a window, rolled smoothly on the grass beside the road, and took off.

He was in the clear until he heard the rev of Red Hood’s motorcycle. Muttering under his breath he pulled out the comm he and Jon had exchanged just a few days before, he’d seen Jason do it with his teammates why shouldn’t he? As he signaled Jon he let his thoughts divulge for just a second at how similar he was to his brothers, and how Jon really liked to copy Kon as well. “Might have a point but this is good fun” he mumbled as he radioed Jon.

“They try the intervention?”

“I think I’m still being intervened for lack of a better word. Care to give me a lift these damn Smallville buildings aren’t big enough to swing from.” Damian heard Jon chuckle. “I would say ‘I’m on the way bird-brain’ but I think that’s Kon’s line and we aren’t supposed to do that anymore” Damian groaned at the realization they’d already gotten to Jon and knowing him he’d want to talk about it with Damian. There truly was no escape, but Jon was better than getting captured by Jason and Tim.

“C’mere you little shit!” Jason screeched as he saw Damian pick up the pace. Damian would usually know when he’d lost and go in for a fight but the kid kept running. “Something’s up, he’s not fighting” Jason lookup up to see Tim soaring down towards Damian. “Wings aren’t flapping Drake you’re not airborne much longer” Jason noted as Tim cascaded through the air. “Long enough idiot, pick up is on the way”

“of - fucking - course it is” Jason stopped in his tracks when he saw not only Jon but Conner flying in, Conner on Jon’s tail. “So is this just a fun exercise now? I think the kids got the message” Tim had connected Kon to the group. “Leave ‘em be let’s go for plan C” Dick told the group and the comms filled with Tim’s groans and Kon whooping. “Nah I’m out but I still wanna give ‘em a run for it. Dami is smart he’ll figure out what he and Jon are” Jason tried to sound caring and thoughtful, but really he wanted to chase Damian and not have to watch Conner makeout with his brother. “Alright we can talk later, go get them” Dick gave the go-ahead and the three took after their younger brothers who had quite the head start.

“Clone is on our tail, can’t you go faster?” Damian complained. “Good one Rob but if I’ve got this correctly I’m the one carrying you.” Damian rolled his eyes, using his wrist computer to find the quickest hiding spot. “Left here, hard turn” Damian instructed as Jon dove into a field of grains. “Not that hard idiot” Jon laughed and Damian couldn’t contain a giggle. “Well they won’t find us... what should we do?” Jon poked at Damian.

“Sometimes I wonder how I befriended you”

“So you admit we’re best friends!”

“Glad that’s what you got”

“Well now that we’re here wanna talk about our..... feelings?” Jon waggled an eyebrow at Damian.

“Forget it, Jason finding me is better than this” Damian began to get up when Jon grabbed his hand, stopping him dead in his tracks. “Stay with me Dames, just for a little” and though Damian wouldn’t admit it, he was glad Jon asked him to stay, because he was never good at the feelings thing but with Jon he kinda wanted to try. He wanted to find what the feeling of his heart pounding out his chest and his brain being fuzzy was, and just how he could feel it just a little more often.

[lotusthekat]

I keep my eyes on the door (but I remember)

Fandom: Steven Universe

Rating: T

Relationships: Platonic Lars & Steven, Minor Lars/Sadie

Characters: Steven Quartz Universe, Lars Barriga, Sadie Miller; other characters are only mentioned

Summary: Steven knows the good days and the bad. He’s felt the bad several times, but he always got through it. Steven never allowed it to get in the way for too long.

But the gray days are different. The gray comes out of warning and it’s never obvious.

Word count: 3.185

AO3 / Fanfiction

A/N: Wrote Steven with depression yet again to vent. I’ve been having a hard time lately. Please mind the trigger warnings below. Be safe. <3

TRIGGER WARNINGS - depression, suicidal ideation, suicide attempt, character death in dream, panic attack and mentioned character death.

--

Everything is gray.

Nothing is wrong with the world itself if that makes sense. Beach City is the same plethora of colors, the warmth blessed by the soft breeze, the diversity of people, the laughing children, the sand in his feet and hands, the seagulls singing in the distance.

Even so, it all… feels gray.

The gray is much like the inside of White Diamond’s head. Automatic, forcing a smile. Empty. Deprived of essence.

As far as he’s concerned, however, he’s not being mind-controlled.

--

Steven knows the good days and the bad. He’s felt the bad several times, but he always got through it. Steven never allowed it to get in the way for too long.

But the gray days are different. The gray comes out of warning and it’s never obvious.

Steven smiles through it. He cracks jokes and laughs. He helps gems and spends time with his friends as usual. He’s far from looking miserable – no, he’s seemingly normal most of the time. Yet when the night comes, the gray confronts him. What fills his chest is not just the tiredness after a long day. It’s an endless, empty and yet crushing weight that has never actually faded away. Somehow, it’s trapping him and staring at him.

To avoid it, Steven usually reads, watches a dumb TV show or gazes at the sea from his home. Stargazing in particular tends to help him relax and sort out his thoughts.

Except the stars are no longer guiding him. Because they only guide him through the darkness. The stars are useless in the gray.

His bed suddenly doesn’t feel as comfortable as it should be.

--

He knows he’s drawing himself away. He knows the gray absorbs his all, little by little.

It’s slowing him down. He can’t do anything right. He starts messing up more often at the school, at everything he does. Yet Steven is still going because everyone needs him; he could never give them up.

Regardless, Steven finds no pleasure or patience. Nothing in the world can soothe the gray. At some point, the sixteen-year-old can no longer avoids it with the things he likes, with his classes at Little Homeschool or even with the lighthearted calls with his dad and Connie. Because they all become gray to him, too.

--

When he receives the text that the gems will be away for a couple days, Steven might feel the tiniest bit of despair.

He’s obviously gotten used with being alone at this point – because stars, he’s sixteen and rebuilt an entire galaxy away from his family –, but he almost, almost cries for them. He actually gets to call his guardians and maybe convince them to stay.

Until he realizes.

And then, he wishes them a nice fieldtrip.

“Bye-bye, Steven!” they say. “We love you!”

It takes everything out of him to say I love you back.

When they hang up, the gray has enveloped him whole.

--

This is perhaps his most powerful enemy. It’s unreachable, invisible and yet omnipresent.

Steven tries. Oh, does he try.

But nothing can be done.

Nothing, except…

He goes for it.

…

Yet he soon returns home, no one wondering where he might be.

In the next day, the gem students at Little Homeworld greet him the same way as every day. They smile at him and see nothing wrong.

They have no idea.

(Does he even want them to know?)

Later at night, Steven lets out silent tears for the first time in days (weeks? He has no idea).

--

Despite everything, his schedule doesn’t change. He refuses to change it, so everything goes normal for the rest of the week. Finally, on Thursday, he’s heading to Lars’ house for a baking session. Steven has agreed to help him with the stuff from his pastry shop. Unlike Little Homeschool, which can be quite a handful sometimes, his time with Lars tends to be the most carefree he has, because Steven only works on pastries – he gives them some of his personality, crafting beauties with Lars’ amazing skills.

He has no idea how he will do it now, but he will try.

When he arrives, he hates to admit that a wave of relief washes over him at the sight of only Lars and no one else. The Off Colors and sometimes Mrs. Barriga join in and help them, but that’s not the case today.

Somehow, the instant Steven gets in the kitchen, Lars already questions if he’s okay. To be fair, though, he’s had others ask the same thing lately, except he managed to escape through the circumstances. The thing about Lars, however, is that he’s possibly the most stubborn person Steven knows – maybe on the same league as Jasper, even if in different ways.

Consequently, Lars has seen through the younger boy’s bad days before. The ex-space pirate would immediately postpone their baking time to help Steven get some rest. The sixteen-year-old has vented, has turned pink and raged in front of his friend.

But what can Lars do with the gray? What can he do when he is gray like everything else?

In the very least, Lars can tell how exhausted Steven is, even if it’s not your common exhaustion.  The bowls and ingredients are forgotten in the counter as the older boy guides Steven to his bedroom. Lars talks to him in a rather soft voice, but Steven can’t quite pay attention; all his words sound gray and static. Eventually, Steven acknowledges he’s lied down, and the door closes somewhere. Silence greets him once again and he has no idea whether it’s comforting or not.

The blanket does little to warm him. The skyscrapers above are not enough to catch his attention. It’s like Steven is floating in a pool that is neither cold nor hot. But it swallows him either way and can easily drown him without him noticing.

Thus, Steven sinks in and barely realizes when his eyes close.

--

The smell of strawberries is nice, but it’s no longer tasteful.

The sight of the Gem Battlefield is quite beautiful. Obviously, he could never admire the tragedy and brutality of war, yet nature has grown back in what was once a dead place.

Steven walks.

(He no longer runs to catch up with anyone. Nor does he guide them.)

Until he’s too close to the edge.

The ground below is hidden beneath the thousands of trees far away. Once upon a time, Steven almost fell there twice. The first time he was saved by Pearl and Amethyst. The second, he was expected to climb on his own. Both times, he didn’t want to fall.

Now, Steven notices it’s not as gray as everything else. It’s actually quite green down there.

He leans in.

A tiny part of his brain yells. Demands he walks back to safety. He shouldn’t do this, he can’t leave everyone behind. What would they think of him?

But the green, the green is so beautiful. It might solve everything. It might help and silence the gray for once and for all. He can’t stay in the gray anymore. He needs to catch the green.

He’s not scared of the height anymore.

The green sounds so peaceful. He can tell the birds are singing under his feet.

(A final song.)

The wind levitates his pink jacket. He looks up, knowing this will be the last time he stares at the gray.

(Will he miss it? Maybe. He’s stayed here for too long.)

The sunset is coming to an end, the light reaching the green down him.

Steven takes a breath.

He embraces him.

The falling wind is the only sound he hears. The gray no longer blinds or deafens him. It’s going away, and Steven knows he’s getting to the bottom soon.

He closes his eyes.

Crack.

--

His stomach bewilders him, as though he’s hit the ground.

It’s not hard, however. It’s surprisingly soft. There’s the scent of wood and clothes surrounding him, and he might recognize the vague smell of chocolate and butter.

Steven’s heart pounds in midst of the gray. He’s unsure if he should be relieved or disappointed that he’s sitting on a bed. Which is not his, he realizes. Right. He’s in Lars’ bedroom.

Despite how big it is, Steven can’t breathe. He can’t stay there.

He barely processes himself rushing downstairs, not as he somehow hears the wind and the birds singing. Is he seeking it? Is he running away from it? Why is he scared?

When the boy arrives, he finds no green in spite of the colorful home. Steven searches for something, anything. And then he’s staring inside the kitchen, where he recognizes laughter. Lars is talking to someone on the phone, while he prepares what appears to be pancakes and a mug of hot chocolate – which is also filled with marshmallows, Steven completes. It’s what Lars makes him when Steven stays a little longer, or when he has bad days.

He doesn’t know why, but Lars isn’t as gray as before. Steven can actually make it to what his friend is saying. Lars is talking to Sadie, laughing at something she’s telling him. At one point, she seems to ask something as Lars changes the subject.

“… ah no, sorry, I’m staying here tonight. Steven is… I dunno.” Lars’ smile fades in worry. “I’ve seen him have bad days before, but there’s something different this time. It seems… familiar, but somehow I have no idea either.”

There’s a brief pause before he sighs exaggeratedly and resumes, “Hopefully my masterful pancake might cheer him up a little?” He snorts at something Sadie said. “Oh, you know my pancakes make everything better! Steven loves them!” He pauses again and gasps, “Betrayal!”

Steven makes it to Sadie’s laughter on the speaker, even if it’s barely audible. Lars sighs again in defeat.

“Ugh, alright. I’ll call you back, okay?” he promises. The pink teen soon… blushes and protests, “Wha- I’m not the Mom Friend! Stop calling me that!” With his glare, Steven can assume that Sadie will definitely not quit it. “Bye, Sadie!” Lars jokes – until he softly adds, “Get some rest, okay? Yeah, I’ll tell Steven you said hi. Okay, love ya. Bye.”

The pink boy finally hangs up and it’s only when he turns around that he notices Steven.

“Woah, hey! Didn’t notice you there,” Lars clears his throat in embarrassment. He frowns a little when he actually pays attention to the other boy, who hasn’t moved or said a thing since. “Steven? Are you okay?” Lars asks.

The younger, for once, finds pink. Not the enraging pink that would blind his senses at times, but the welcoming pink that has accepted him before. That has comforted him before. And Steven—

Steven immediately launches himself forward, arms holding tight onto the pink. He loses air, his lungs are aching and his heart races his entire body. Lars is trying to talk to him, Steven notices, yet he can’t focus on it as he refuses to let go.

The moment Steven releases a loud sob, Lars wraps his arms around him back. They feel so solid that Steven cries harder. He hasn’t had this mess of feelings in such a long time that it overwhelms him, and Steven can’t help but crave it. He needs to run away from the gray and reach out for the pink.

Because he realizes, he could have lost it. He would never smell the pancakes and the hot chocolate, and he wouldn’t feel Lars’ arms ever again.

Steven hides in the hug, because he also knows Lars would never forgive him if he knew. How could Steven get so blinded by the gray?

The boy feels small as he sobs, weeps and clings to his friend. Lars is trying to calm him down by soothing his back up and down. As Steven focuses on that, his breath begins to return to its rhythm, and his heart no longer hammers his senses. For once, Lars tries to pull Steven away, even if just to look at him. The latter refuses; he knows Lars is going to ask. While the captain never pressures him to talk, Lars is definitely freaked out right now, which isn’t fair to him, Steven knows. But he can’t tell him.

“Steven,” Lars calls him, pleading, “can you look at me? Please?”

The younger shakes his head, sniffing in the other’s chest.

“Steven, you’re scaring me, what happened?” Lars insists more firmly while patiently. “Did you get hurt?”

The young boy keeps shaking his head, yet he ends up saying something for once. Hiccupping, he lets out, “I d-did”—he sobs—“I did something awful, Lars!”

“What?”

“Y-You’re…” Steven gulps, “you’re going to hate me…”

“Steven, I would never hate you. You know that, right?”

“Lars—”

“You can tell me, buddy, I won’t be mad—”

Steven fists his shirt. “I JUMPED, Lars!” he snaps, “I actually jumped from the Gem Battlefield and I fell all the way down, because- because everything is gray and empty, and I wanted it to STOP! I w-wanted!... I…”

Despite his uncontrollable sobbing, the kitchen has grown awfully silent. Lars’ hands still and the hug doesn’t feel as comforting anymore.

“F-For a moment, it felt good. I wanted to feel good. Nothing was making me happy anymore, and I thought that… that falling was gonna help. But I”—Steven shuts his eyes forcefully— “I got so scared that I floated until I landed. I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t.”

Steven’s voice becomes smaller and smaller, that he sounds like a scared child. Like the same fourteen-year-old child that didn’t know how to get through the Crystal Gems missions.

“And even then, I…” he opens his mouth before realizing it, “I still feel like I’m there, like I’m falling and falling… there’s nothing ahead of me. Nothing but the end, the end to all this gray and”—he gasps—“a-and even though I can’t see it, I know I’m going to reach it. I’m getting so close to the bottom. T-The worst part is, I don’t know if I want to.”

Lars is so still. The fact he was once dead terrifies Steven. Lars is immobile, his heartbeat nowhere to be felt and his breaths, gone. It only breaks Steven more, to the point the younger boy slowly loses his grip around his friend and drops to his knees. He faces the floor, his falling tears and his own shame.

“I’m useless. I-I’m… I don’t know anything. I can’t do any of this anymore, and I’m so scared,” Steven admits. At the long lack of response, he shoves his face in his hands and cries, “I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

He cries in the silence again. His emotions are still surrounded by the gray and Steven can’t take it any longer. He doesn’t know how to get through this.

(Sickeningly, he might regret coming back home at all. He could have ended this.)

Steven expects an answer. He awaits the angry yelling, the disbelief – How could you do that?! –, or even nothing at all.

When Steven listens to another pair of legs reaching his level, he can’t control the flinch and the tiny sob that follows. Not too long after, he’s…

… he’s yanked back in Lars’ arms.

It’s the tightest Steven has ever been hugged.

Lars still says nothing.

But he holds Steven like it’s the end of the world, and he reassures without words that he’s not letting go.

His hugs are different from the gems’. They’re not engulfing, they’re not delicate or motherly. Lars is vulnerable – he's shaking and his breaths are deep, trying hard not to lose themselves to tears. He’s broken and he’s human. Although he's Lars of the Stars, he's not necessarily a star himself. By simply holding the other boy, Lars swears to be there, in the good, the bad and the gray – even if they might not find a solution now, or in a long time.

Steven lets out muffled screams, tears as wet and aching as Blue Diamond’s. He glows pink, brighter than ever.

(And he’s actually relieved for that.)

--

After that day, Lars offers Steven to sleep over at his house when the gems go on fieldtrips. While a little reluctant, the latter accepts the kind invitation. The Barrigas are the sweetest people he’s known.

The gray for once stops absorbing everything. It’s not gone. It might never be gone. But Steven can find the joy, even if small, in the things he likes again. People do notice the difference, but they don’t fully question it.

He also notices that Lars has begun hugging him more often. Which is kind of unlike him; but Lars is always willing to hug him, maybe a little longer and tighter.

… To be honest, Steven is not complaining. It’s good to remember. When they hug, Steven almost forgets completely about the gray.

Things are slowly going back to normal, though in a different, good way.

--

One night, Lars invites Steven over – much to his surprise, Sadie is joining them. Steven hasn’t seen Sadie in person for a long time. She looks so different and so happy; it’s always a little odd to realize she’s shorter than him.

Even so, the three of them together brings him a sense of nostalgia. Steven, Lars and Sadie had their own adventures. Their own ups and downs. It takes Steven back to the mornings and afternoons at the Big Donut.

This time, Lars and Sadie hold hands, sitting side by side. Lars has baked them the good old Ube they shared two years ago. Steven doesn’t actually talk that much but he’s comfortable with that. He likes listening to Sadie, and her teasing Lars – still on the “Mom Friend” dilemma. Lars merely argues it’s because of his pink powers, but Sadie exposes his “mother instincts” to debunk the excuse.

Steven is smiling. Lars’ face flushes and Sadie’s laughter sounds pure. She plants kisses on the pink boy’s cheek, which manages to get a flustered grin out of him.

Nothing about the situation is remotely gray. Everything is alive. Everyone is bright and themselves. And Steven is… himself, too.

…

“Oh, Steven, what happened?”

Sadie stares at him with concern and a little surprise. Lars isn’t particularly shocked but he’s sympathetic. When Steven feels water wetting his hand, he dries his face. Only for him to laugh wetly and make an even bigger tearful mess.

“S-Sorry, I’m okay,” Steven reassures them, truthfully, “I’m okay. I just…” He laughs again. “I-I love you guys so much.”

“Aw, Steven… we love you, too,” Sadie replies, heartfelt. Lars doesn’t mention it, but his smile means the same.

Once Steven sobs, both Lars and Sadie go to him and hug the boy. They ruffle his curly hair and squeeze him between them.

Steven has never been so thankful for his friends.

[imagineclaireandjamie]

Fast Forward. Chapter 15.

Happy Sunday all - enjoy the latest FF chapter. Just a little filler <3 MBD

“Is that what he would have done to me? I mean, not in the same way…”

“Hush, lass, it was just a nightmare.”

Having held her since she’d fallen asleep, Jamie had noticed the subtle adaption of her body language as she’d scrunched closer to him just as the clock signalled 2am. When the cadence of her breathing changed from soft puffs through her nose to choked wheezing, he turned to his high school Gaelic. Whispering against her flushed skin, he let her dig her fingers into his back as she curled herself closer to him.

Having little working knowledge of the experiences she’d had before arriving in the present, he was struggling to completely remove her panic. As they’d grown closer he had done some research and had Raymond fill him in on the gaps his reading had left but it was nothing compared to being there first hand.

She hadn’t wanted to taint the near-perfect experience of the night before with nightmares from the past, but her dreams had dredged up some awful memories that she just couldn’t seem to shake.

“I havena ever had the knowledge of being touched wi’out my consent, but I remember when Jenny was first training as a nurse. She came home with some awful stories, so I canna imagine what ye were going through, Claire. Just ken that whatever happens under our roof, it’ll be because ye’re comfortable enough to want it, aye?”

“Things are still a bit...distant. I wasn’t in much of a state to be very coherent but I dreamed that he was there, his words echoing in my ears as I came in and out of consciousness. I’d only remembered the slash of his whip on my back and the more that fades, the more the other elements surface.”

The soft call of the birds started outside the window as an unsettled silence fell over them once more. As the world began to wake, Jamie and Claire dozed again, in and out of sleep. It allowed her to recalibrate, her mind worrying less over what had woken her before and concentrating instead on taking stock of the lovely warmth that had filled her since she’d finally lain with Jamie.

As the first signs of daylight started to pierce the darkness, their mouths found one another, soft kisses leading them into dawn as they moved closer and closer.

“Will we tell anyone?” Claire whispered against his mouth as his hand skimmed her back softly.

After he’d mentioned Jenny it was a thought that had been bothering her quietly. Would he be ashamed or worried about sharing their new relationship with them? Would she think Claire a whore for taking Jamie to her bed without being married first? A myriad of other questions rushed through her mind despite her knowing the present wasn’t as brutal as her past.

“Ye said ye loved me, lass, do ye think I’m going to ignore you and pretend we didna…?”

He left the sentence hanging in the air, his gentlemanly ways stopping him before he vocalised how far they’d gone. Blushing at his stunted sentence, she moaned a little as his hips connected with hers - he was clearly aroused and this made her lock her arms under his and around his back, anchoring them chest to chest.

In the haze she had trouble recalling what she had and hadn’t said but the words seemed achingly familiar to her. Had he said it back, she wondered, but with their bodies entwined as they were she had great difficulty in worrying too much.

During the night his touch had been so tentative. She marvelled now as he skimmed his palms up and down the deep-set ridges of her back. Each sweep seemed more gentle than the last, for a large man, he was incredibly caring. His caress lulled her deeper into some untamed unconscious. He spoke to her with each subtle move of his body, the tickle of his chest hair against her breasts making her giggle and press forward at the same time. In her other life this would’ve made her extremely uncomfortable; the mere notion of being bare and thrust against a man was certainly unthinkable.

This, though, didn’t feel wrong.

Breathless and needy, Claire touched her tongue tentatively against Jamie’s bottom lip, an audible gasp escaping her mouth as he pushed himself closer still. There was a brief moment when each ceased all movement. Soft pants filled the cool morning air. Permission was being asked and granted from both parties as they closed the remaining infinitesimal gap between them.

Lay as they were, face to face, Jamie could watch. He hadn’t planned it this way, but even in this muted light he could see the worry drain from her face as they moved calmly together. It was enchanting, almost ethereal, the golden flecks of dawn catching in her deep brown hair as beads of sweat dripped along her neck and down until they became lost between the both of them.

“This is how it’s supposed to be, a ghraidh, and how it always will be. Have no fear.”

She could see the strength contained in his arms as she lay her head flat against his chest and watched what she could. Pure muscle ran from shoulder to fingertip as he held her gently and she couldn’t help but marvel at his power. He hadn’t needed to say the words and she knew them to be true, no matter what their interaction, from the moment she fell into his and Jenny’s lives he had gone above and beyond in his attempt to treat her with care and dignity. Her body knew, so did her heart, it was only the bad memories that littered her subconscious that kept her from succumbing fully.

“Is it always like this,” she gasped, her words coming out as a stunted whisper against his lips as they broke their kiss for just a moment, “between a man and a woman?”

Answering truthfully, he pulled her tight against him. “I dinna ken, but I don’t think so. This feels,” pausing for just a second, he allowed himself an opportunity to take stock of their situation, to feel the warmth of her settling deep into his bones as the heat of the morning sun penetrated the curtains, spreading a different type of heat over the both of them, “different. Unique.”

“I meant it last night. I love you Jamie.” Reiterating her words, she held her breath (a hard feat considering how fast her heart was racing in her chest, her ribs vibrating painfully) and waited for his response.

He felt the words as keenly as he had the night before, the goosebumps rising on his arms as he brushed his nose against hers. Although he knew how she’d finally managed to fall through time, the story vividly replaying itself in his mind as if it had just happened, sometimes he felt as though he’d magicked her there himself. Calling out, he remembered the reason he’d escaped up to the fairy hill in the first place and it felt stronger than fate that she had appeared at that exact moment, “Oh, Claire…I love ye too, More now than ever.

-- --- --

“Ye ken we’re close, Jenny and I, but I was lonely. When she met Ian I kent that eventually she was going to marry him and start a family of her own. I walked up to Craigh na Dun at least once a week, but usually at a more reasonable hour, and when ye fell through the stones I was enamoured from the second I had ye in my arms.”

Peeking up at him drowsily, Claire smiled. Her whole body felt heavy and her eyes struggled to stay open, but she could just about make out the slight pinking of his cheeks as he spoke. “I’m quite glad you were less of a knight in shining armor and more a hero in your car.”

“Don’t tell anyone,” he whispered lowly, the hint of humour in his voice, “but I occasionally do ride the ponies up there wi’ my cape on, ye were just lucky you didna see me else you’d never recovered from the fairytale magic of it all.”

“Maybe that’s something to save for later…” she joked as she curled her leg over his hip and pulled the blankets up to cover her shoulders.

“I have an idea of a time when it’ll be useful.”

Although it was late in the morning and they could both hear people moving around downstairs, they let sleep claim them again. Content in the arms of the other with the sun covering any inch of bare skin, they slept well into the afternoon, neither feeling guilty for taking the day to recuperate from their intense night.

“Can you really ride a horse?”

“Aye, of course. I’ll show you, if you like...tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow sounds good.”