#when i feel helpless I have to do SOMETHING

[yanderedrabbles]

Yandere Survivor - Zombie Apocalypse Au

Yandere! Survivor who's at ground zero when the infected start attacking. Who watches the world turn to chaos in the blink of an eye.

Yandere! Survivor who's willing to face off against hordes of infected because he wants to live. Even if the grisly horror of it turns his stomach.

Yandere! Survivor who knows there isn't hope for anything. The army is scattered and helpless. The cities are overrun. The people don't have a chance in hell.

Yandere! Survivor who knows but fights anyway.

Yandere! Survivor who saves you from a whole pack of infected. Who can't belive his eyes when he sees you. The city is overrun with freaks and you're still wearing a pretty little sundress, not a single weapon in sight.

Yandere! Survivor who stands frozen when you hug him. Who can feel the way you're trembling, your fingers knotted into his shirt. Who finds his voice and promises to keep you safe. Somehow.

Yandere! Survivor who fights tooth and nail to get you out of the city. Who scavenges guns and ammo off dead soldiers and tries not to look into their milky, rotting eyes.

Yandere! Survivor who finally has someone to look out for and it makes the loneliness much more bearable.

Yandere! Survivor who gets stronger each day. Who can feel his muscles literally straining against his shirt.

Yandere! Survivor who tries to teach you self defence and fails miserably, because every time he has you pinned under him he can't help but get turned on.

Yandere! Survivor who inspects the hem of your sundress and let's his knuckles brush against your thighs. Who scoffs and tells you its way too flimsy to keep you safe, that a zombie could bite straight through it.

"Hell, I could rip it off without even trying."

Yandere! Survivor who loves how helpless and scared you are. Who feels a rush of pride every time a zombie shrieks and you immediately grab onto him.

Yandere! Survivor who quickly learns to trade with other survivors but to never let his guard down.

Yandere! Survivor who notices the way men stare at you. Like they're dying for a taste of you even worse than the zombies are. Who notices the way people talk about you like you belong to him.

'Your girl.'

Like you're his property or something.

Yandere! Survivor who feels a rush of pride every time it happens. And soon he starts thinking that way too. You're his responsibility therefore you are his.

Yandere! Survivor who never settles down or allies himself with other people. He doesn't trust them. But more than that, he doesn't trust them around you.

Yandere! Survivor who finds it easier and easier to kill the infected. And from there, it's just a small step to start killing the living.

Yandere! Survivor who slits the throats of an entire trading party because he heard them talking about you. In the morning, he tells you they just left early and that it's nothing to worry about.

Yandere! Survivor who doesn't let your disappointment linger when you have to leave camp and move on. Who constantly reminds you he's doing what's best for you.

Yandere! Survivor who insists on being with you when you bath in the rivers and lakes that dot the countryside. He'll keep his back turned for most of it, but inevitably he'll find an excuse to turn around and watch you. Your clothes always cling to you afterwards and he's throat always goes dry when they do.

Yandere! Survivor who takes any chance he can to share a bunk or sleeping bag with you. Who tosses his arm around your waist and tells you it's just to conserve heat.

Yandere! Survivor who knows there isn't a future for the world, but he'll be damned if he can't see one with you.

[revelboo]

I love the idea of Thundercracker and Screamer having civil relationships with their humans and then we have Skywarp

"I think mine might be feral. What are the symptoms of rabies?"

"You're holding it upside down-"

They’re both feral honestly.

Swearing and 18+ below the cut

Stop Talking Pt 2

Skywarp x Reader

• “If you don’t stop that, I’ll stop you,” Skywarp snarls as you scream at him from the far corner of his berth where he’d left you. For such a tiny, fragile thing, you have surprisingly little survival instinct. Just screaming he can understand, but you’d been swearing at him and defiantly screaming demands to be let go since you’d woken up and saw him. You are scared despite the act, though. You must be to have pressed yourself so tightly into the corner as far from him as you can get. The threat combined with thumping his fist on the berth so hard you nearly fall works and you lapse into sullen silence, trembling as you glare up at him.

• It’s like a bad sci-fi movie as you try to keep out of reach of those huge hands, wishing you had actual clothes not just the swimsuit you’d been sun bathing in, because it’s freezing wherever he’s taken you and you’d feel less vulnerable if you weren’t half naked. If big, purple and scary didn’t seem as uncertain as you are, you probably would have just huddled in the corner crying. Instead of cursing him out like you’re too stupid to live. But he’d flinched when you’d screamed the first time upon waking up to him leaning over you and prodding you with a servo. He’d reared back, grimacing. Like the shrill screeching scared him, so you’d leaned into it, because if he’s going to squish you like a bug, he can look you in the eye while he does it. “Go fuck yourself.”

• Not entirely sure what that means, only that it sounds like an insult, he tries to figure out what to do with you. He’d just assumed all humans would be as docile as Star’s had seemed. And that messing with you would be fun. That temper, though. It’s almost cute. You have to realize how small and helpless you are against him, but you still refuse to back down. Refuse to submit, even as it spreads through him with the temptation to prod at you just to watch you lash out. “If I were your size, I’d be a bit more respectful.”

• That tone is almost teasing, definitely mocking as you flip him off. “And if I were your size, I wouldn’t be a huge, kidnapping dick.” Apparently Skywarp, as he’d told you to call him, doesn’t know that word either. The gist, though? You almost laugh when he very slowly flips you off right back. “I hope the military nukes your ass,” you taunt, surprised when he grins crookedly at you. Not getting angry, but seeming amused instead. Because apparently, he’s as dysfunctional as you are. Enjoying snarling right back at you.

• “I hope you get caught in the crossfire,” he snarls, struggling against a grin. Because you aren’t scared or at the very least you’re pretending not to be. Refusing to take any attitude from him and how long has it been since he had someone to argue and pick at? Thundercracker had never cared for squabbling with him, but Starscream had before he’d become obsessed with power and climbing higher. Leaning into your space, you crane your neck to keep glaring at him. Standing your ground. And he freezes as his spark flares, heat rushing through him in a flush of hunger at that defiance. His spike stirring because of a stubborn, little organic with a mouth. Shocking him into shoving back, away from you and that deviant urge. Because something is very wrong with him.

Previous

[magnificentstrawberryomen]

scariness & comfort of feeling (noah sebastian x reader one shot)

For everyone who goes through rough times rn, with also extra smily Noah. <3

“It feels like i haven’t seen you in ages.”

Noah’s words makes my head snap up from my phone, meeting his gaze. The small smile that is curled around his lips is warm, but his dark brown eyes look at me worried. I sigh, putting my phone inside the pocket of my hoodie in front and shrug.

“Yeah, sorry. Been busy,” I mumble, my eyes flicking down to his soft sheets of his bed that I’m sitting on. He joins me, sitting close next to me, his body turned just enough to face me well, feeling him studying my facial expressions—and I hate it, making my cheeks flush by shame, awkwardness and fluttery.

He knows me long enough to know that something is going on.

“Busy with what?” Noah asks me, his voice still gentle yet also letting me know that he sees right through me. I sigh once again, just deeper this time, more frustrated, feeling myself heat up more and more by his stare undressing my every secret and emotion.

“Just… my head. I guess. Thinking. Surviving.”

He nods slowly, pursing his lips a bit, his eyes then ranking down to my oversized hoodie, hiding my small body. I begin to tug at the sleeves a bit, feeling exposed underneath his gaze—and he knows that.

“I’m sorry things are going backwards for you again, y/n.”

I slightly frown, trying to brush off the truth with a small, soft laugh, as if he is overreacting. He is not. “What? Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.”

“Yeah?” he taunts me, his voice now sounding less warm, more worried, but also frustrated with worries for his best friend. “Y/n, you’re almost drowning in that hoodie.”

“You know I like oversized clothes, especially hoodies.”

“Yes, but this is insane.”

“What do you mean, insane?!” I snap, my brows furrowing deeper, my nostrils flaring as anger, but mostly defeat frustration comes up, going all the way to my throat to slightly squeeze it by sad emotion as well. I know he’s right. “I’ll be fine, Noah. Always made it through.”

“Yeah, but for how long though?” he then fires back, his voice slightly rising, his face now dropping in raw emotions of worry, sadness, and anger for the current situation I can’t seem to get out of. “It kills me to see you like this, and that you don’t get the help you need, you deserve. It’s insane that you have to do this all on your own, and I get the energy that gets pulled out of you by that, and not being able to handle almost anything or anyone—but pushing me away won’t get you anywhere, ‘cause I actually want to help you. Please, y/n, stop resisting me and tell me how I can help!”

Noah’s loud words echo around through his bedroom walls, bouncing right into my ears, making their way into my mind and leaving me speechless for a moment. I blink, a shuddering breath escaping my lips for a moment as my heart pounds louder into my chest, a knot of shame, anger and sadness appearing into my stomach and chest. But most of all, the feeling of helplessness and loneliness, being pulled out of the depths of my soul and getting unlocked by Noah just like that, after successfully being able to hide it away for so long.

And then, I just start sobbing, hiding my face in my trembling hand in shame, my cheeks flushing even more. I hate crying, showing emotion and being vulnerable, but Noah pulls me into a tight hug right away, making me wrap my arms around his strong but warm body—feeling safe yet terrified at the same time, as my deepest emotions flush out my squeezed shut eyes, my forehead leaning on one of his shoulders, my cries muffled by his own hoodie he is wearing.

His tattooed hand gently rubs my back, his chin placed on my hair, and when I then feel him press a loving, soft kiss on it my chest gets replaced by a tight tug of warmth and flutters, the knot in my stomach slowly loosening.

“It’s okay,” he murmurs, his hand then going up to my hair being held together in a low bun, his fingers caressing though my roots in a gentle way, “let it out. It’s insane that you hold it in so much for such a long time. It’s healthy and much more relieving to let it be there, to progress it all, both for your mind and body.”

“It’s scary,” I sniff in response, knowing his words are true, but sounding like a terrifying taks for me. “Letting it in, letting the emotions be there, be real, overwhelming me… it’s horrifying. I have no control and it’s horrifying.”

“I know,” Noah softly whispers, pressing yet another gentle kiss on my head before we then slowly let go, and he brushes a loose strand of hair out of my face and behind my ear as his eyes look at me comfortably, lovingly and calm—easing the storm inside of me much more than anything else could the past months. Having someone in front of you, caring for you on such a deep level, immediately makes a difference for me, making it easier for me to breathe again, the rope around my neck that got tighter and tighter with each day passing slowly loosening up.

“And if you want to, and if you tell me how, I can try to make it less complicated and scary for you. Make it comfortable and easier. And I came prepared, actually.” His lips slowly curl up, as he then stands up and leaves the room for a moment, the twinkle in his eyes promising me that everything is okay and he’ll be right back.

After a minute of two curiously fidgeting with the ends of the sleeves of my hoodie, Noah comes back again with two ice cream cups of my favorite Ben & Jerry’s flavor, making my face instantly light up as a breathless, surprised laugh escapes my lips.

“Told you,” he grins, as he then hands me a spoon and sits down as well. “You praise this flavor so much that I of course have to try as well.”

I warmly and thankfully smile at him, and for the first time since months things indeed feel less scary and dark—the two of us together like this warming my scarred heart.

[shomatoriashi]

11/20/24; 08:30pm

{ drabble | comfort fic }

itoshi rin x fem.reader

itoshi rin hated seeing you cry…

he hated the way your lips seemed to tremble as those crystalline droplets would form against those expressive eyes.

he hated the sounds of your choked sobs that echoed throughout the room, seeming to further accentuate your despair and how helpless it made him feel.

but most of all, he hated the loss of your smile.

your smile was what kept the almost obsessive soccer player from breaking down, giving rin the strength to move forward despite the many trials and tribulations he has faced in his life. your sunny personality was enough to light up even his darkest moments in life-

so to hear your broken sobs past the locked door of your shared bedroom-

the sound was physically hurting him, making his heart clench as he found it was getting harder to breathe. your pain resonated deeply with him-

and rin was willing to do anything to get you out of such a slump.

with his lips pursed, he rests his forehead against the cool surface of the door, jostling the knob to find it impossible to budge due to how you had kept it locked. he says your name, failing miserably to conceal the concern in his voice.

“open the door.” rin attempts to keep his voice even all while knocking at the door with his fist clenched. when your soft sobs were all he could hear in response, rin was filled with desperation to reach you.

“come on, open up. w-we…we can talk about it. you don’t have to go through this alone- not when i’m here.”

silence was all rin could hear, and he was ready to kick down this damn door had it not been for the shuffling sounds heard coming from inside the room. a mere few seconds later, rin heard the sound of something clicking before being greeted with the sight of your bloodshot eyes and cheeks that still remained stained and damp with your tears.

he says nothing, allowing your body to fall naturally within his embrace. holding you tightly against his chest, he allows your tears to soak into the fabric of his shirt all while rubbing comforting circles behind your back. no words were spoken, but rin became achingly aware of how your arms tighten around his back, visibly relaxing while in his embrace as you hid your face while within his chest.

“thank you.” your voice was raspy, yet still, you cling to him all the same. letting out a hum of your name, rin continues to hold you tight, swaying your body back and forth in hopes of further soothing you.

a few beats later, you manage to remove your face from his chest, showing him the same smile he had grown to love oh so much. using the pad of his thumb to wipe away your tears while framing at your face, rin basks in the feeling of being your sole source of comfort.

end notes: i literally wrote this in 15 minutes as a form of self therapy for me. this is an unedited mess, but was truly written to help with conveying my feelings ♡

all stories are written by rei; please do not repost, plagiarize, or translate my works!!

[rafeskai]

Life as We Know It — Rafe Cameron

Chapter Five

Two opposites must navigate love, loss, and unexpected parenthood to discover the meaning of family.

Summary: When tragedy strikes, two very different individuals find their lives unexpectedly intertwined as they become the guardians of an orphaned child. As they navigate the challenges of co-parenting, balancing careers, and confronting their pasts, they discover that family can form in the most surprising ways. Through heartfelt moments and unexpected humor, they explore what it means to build a life together—one step at a time.

Pairings: Rafe Cameron x Reader

Warnings: Character deaths & angst.

Author's Notes: 2 more chapters to go!

Masterlist: Here

The courthouse doors slammed behind you as you stepped into the empty hallway, your chest heavy with grief. The weight of the decision still hung in the air, pressing down on you like an unbearable burden. Ward had won. He had won Willa.

Your heart was a storm of emotions: fury, betrayal, hopelessness. You had tried so hard. You had fought for Willa, for Sarah and John B., to give her the life they would’ve wanted. But it wasn’t enough. In the end, the system didn’t care. The judge didn’t care. No one cared.

You found yourself sinking against the cold marble wall, your body trembling with the overwhelming sense of failure. You had promised Sarah you would look after Willa, that you would protect her. And now, in a single blow, it felt like you’d lost her.

You felt a tear slip down your cheek, and before you knew it, a sob broke free. The grief, the exhaustion, the helplessness—all of it hit you like a tidal wave. You buried your face in your hands, trying to steady yourself, but it felt like everything was slipping through your fingers.

And then you heard him.

Rafe’s footsteps echoed in the hallway, and you didn’t even have to look up to know it was him. He didn’t need to say anything at first—he simply crouched beside you, his hand reaching out to gently pull yours away from your face. His eyes, red-rimmed and brimming with pain, met yours.

“I... I don’t know what to do, Rafe,” you whispered, your voice thick with emotion. “I promised Sarah and John B. that I would protect her, that I would keep her safe. And I failed them. I failed her.”

Rafe’s jaw tightened, his own pain etched across his face, but he didn’t say anything. Instead, he reached over, pulling you into his arms, holding you tightly as if he could shield you from the storm of grief swirling around you both.

He didn’t say anything for a long while. The only sound between you was the occasional shaky breath, the quiet sobs that escaped without warning. But then, Rafe spoke in a voice that barely reached above a whisper.

“You didn’t fail her,” he said, his voice raw. “You fought like hell for her. We both did. We’ve still got a chance to fix this. We’re not done yet.”

You pulled away slightly, looking up at him, trying to see some trace of hope in his eyes, but all you saw was the same frustration, the same loss that mirrored your own.

“I don’t know how we can fight this anymore. Ward’s got everything on his side. He’s won... and I don’t know what to do, Rafe.” You shook your head, feeling the tears come again. “I just want her back. I want to make sure she’s okay.”

Rafe’s hand cupped your cheek, his touch gentle despite the storm brewing inside of him. His eyes softened as he gazed at you, and you saw something there—a kind of resolve you hadn’t noticed before.

“I’m not letting her go, [Y/N]. I’m not,” he said fiercely, his voice trembling. “I’m not giving up on her.”

You nodded slowly, letting his words sink in. You needed to hear that. You needed to believe it.

“Okay,” you whispered, your voice cracking with emotion. “But how? How do we stop Ward?”

Rafe was quiet for a moment, his eyes drifting away as if he was piecing together a plan in his head. His brow furrowed, and you could almost see the wheels turning. Then, his gaze locked onto yours once more, filled with an intensity that made your heart race.

“We take it back to court,” Rafe said, his voice steadying with determination. “We find a way to show that Ward’s not fit to raise her. That we are the ones who should be raising her, not him.”

“Rafe,” you said slowly, your mind racing. “How do we do that? We can’t just... ask for a new judge or something.”

Rafe stood up, pacing back and forth as he thought. You watched him, waiting for him to finish putting the pieces together. He was quiet for a moment, then stopped in front of you, a glint of determination flashing in his eyes.

“We need evidence,” he said, his voice hardening with resolve. “We need proof of what he’s done. All the times he’s hurt us, hurt Sarah, hurt me. All of it. If we can show the court that he’s dangerous, that he’s unfit to care for Willa, we have a shot at getting her back.”

Your heart skipped a beat as Rafe’s words settled in. You knew what this meant. You knew the kind of things Ward had done. The abuse. The manipulation. But it had always been buried under layers of lies and secrecy. It was the one thing that had kept Ward in power for so long.

“You really think we can do that?” you asked, your voice barely above a whisper.

Rafe’s gaze softened, but the fire in his eyes didn’t flicker. “I know we can. We’ve got to fight for her. We’ve got to fight for Sarah and John B. We owe it to them.”

You stood up, wiping your eyes, feeling a spark of something in your chest—a glimmer of hope, the first you’d felt in weeks.

“Okay,” you said, your voice steadier now. “Let’s do it. We’re not giving up. We’ll fight him.”

Rafe smiled slightly, though it was tinged with sadness. He reached out, pulling you into a tight hug, and for a moment, neither of you spoke. There was only the quiet comfort of each other’s presence. The grief was still there, weighing heavily on both of you, but now, there was a plan. A way forward.

“We’ll get her back, [Y/N]. I promise.”

And for the first time since the hearing, you believed him.

Together, you’d fight for Willa. You’d fight for Sarah and John B. And this time, you wouldn’t lose.

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

It was late into the night when you and Rafe began mapping out your plan. The house was eerily quiet, the silence only broken by the occasional murmur of Willa's soft breaths from her room. Rafe sat across from you at the kitchen table, the dim light above casting shadows across his face as he tapped his fingers on the surface, his thoughts clearly miles away.

You, too, were deep in thought, mentally piecing together everything you knew about Ward, everything you had endured growing up in the Cameron household. The years of his emotional and physical abuse. The fights. The silence that followed each blow.

You felt sick just thinking about it, but you couldn’t stop. You had to. This was the only way forward. If you were going to keep Willa safe, you had to make Ward’s past a part of the case, even if it meant digging into old wounds.

“I can’t believe we’re doing this,” you muttered, staring at the open folder on the table in front of you. It was filled with legal documents and notes from your lawyer, a roadmap for how to fight back. But it felt impossible—too big a task, too much to uncover.

Rafe leaned forward, his face tense, but his eyes were determined. “We have to, [Y/N]. We can’t let him get away with it anymore. For Willa. For Sarah.”

His words hung heavy in the air, and you knew he meant it with every fiber of his being. The weight of Sarah’s death had been unbearable for both of you. But now it was more than just grief. It was about keeping Willa safe, keeping her away from the monster that had shaped so much of their lives.

“We need proof,” Rafe continued, glancing at the stack of papers. “We need to find something. Anything.”

You nodded, your mind already racing. You knew that Ward’s past was buried in the same place as all his lies and manipulations. His anger had always been a weapon—aimed at Sarah, at Rafe, and even at you when you had been younger. There had to be something—some record, some shred of truth that you could use to show the world just who Ward really was.

“Do you have anything?” you asked, looking at Rafe.

He exhaled slowly, his gaze distant. “I know a few things,” he admitted quietly. “But they’re not enough. Not on their own.”

You sat back in your chair, trying to calm the nervous fluttering in your chest. “What do you mean?”

Rafe leaned back, rubbing his hands over his face. “I remember... there were moments. When I was a kid. I overheard things. Conversations. There were times when Sarah would—she’d try to protect me, try to shield me from Ward’s anger. But there were... documents. Letters. Things that could prove how he manipulated everything.”

You felt a chill spread over you, a sense of urgency taking over. “Where are they? Can we find them?”

Rafe’s eyes narrowed, and he looked down at his hands. “They’re in the attic. A box of stuff that Sarah and I hid. I don’t know exactly what’s in it, but I remember Sarah saying she didn’t want Ward ever getting his hands on them.”

Your heart raced as a plan started to form in your mind. "We need to go through it, Rafe. Everything we can find. We need to dig through all of it."

He nodded, his jaw tight with determination. “I’ll go through it. I’ll find it.”

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

The following morning, Rafe and you set out for the attic. It felt surreal as you made your way up the stairs to the small, cluttered space that held so many memories—memories of a past neither you nor Rafe had wanted to confront, but knew you had no choice but to face now.

Dust filled the air as Rafe opened the attic door, the wooden steps creaking under your weight as you followed him up. The space was cramped, boxes piled high, old furniture tucked away, things discarded and forgotten. You could smell the mustiness of years gone by, but there was no time to linger. No time to let the memories flood you.

Rafe began to dig through the boxes, pulling out old papers, photos, and forgotten trinkets that had once meant something to Sarah and him. You watched him closely, the tension in his shoulders unmistakable. He was doing this for her—doing this for Willa.

After a few moments, Rafe paused, his fingers brushing against something wedged behind a dusty old coat. He pulled out a small, weathered cardboard box, the tape on the sides barely holding it together.

“This is it,” Rafe murmured. He opened it cautiously, as if he expected something to jump out at him. You peered over his shoulder, trying to calm the pounding in your chest. Inside, you saw a tangle of old photographs and folders—records from the past that, hopefully, would be the key to winning Willa’s custody.

Rafe pulled out a folder first, his fingers trembling as he flipped it open. Inside, there were handwritten letters—letters that Rafe had clearly never meant to read, written in Sarah’s handwriting, detailing arguments, moments of fear, and Sarah’s attempts to escape their father’s control.

“I knew it,” Rafe muttered, his eyes scanning the pages. “Sarah... she tried so hard to protect us from him.”

You felt a lump in your throat as you read over his shoulder. The letters were raw, emotional, detailing Ward’s abusive behavior—his temper, his verbal cruelty, his violence. There were accounts of physical injuries Sarah had tried to hide from the world, and she’d written about the times Ward had hurt both of them, though she never named it outright. She’d tried to find ways to escape him, even at a young age.

“This is what we needed,” you said softly, a feeling of relief flooding through you. “This is it, Rafe. This is proof. We can use this.”

Rafe stared down at the letters, his eyes glossy. He didn’t speak for a moment, and the weight of everything he had lived through—everything you were now uncovering—seemed to press down on him.

“I never wanted her to know,” Rafe whispered, his voice thick with emotion. “I never wanted Willa to go through what we went through. I thought I was protecting her by keeping her away from all this.” He swallowed hard, his voice barely audible. “But we can’t keep running from it. If we want to win this, we need the truth.”

You nodded, reaching out and placing a hand on his. “You didn’t fail, Rafe. You’re doing everything you can for her. We’ll make sure she’s safe. We’ll make sure Ward doesn’t win.”

Rafe exhaled deeply, looking at the papers in his hands. “We’ll do whatever it takes. We’re not losing her.”

And for the first time in a long time, you believed him.

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

The attic felt smaller as the hours passed, the musty air thick with the weight of the secrets it held. You sat beside Rafe on the dusty floor, the pile of evidence between you growing larger. Letters. Photographs. Police reports. Even old school records. It was all beginning to paint a picture of a man no one ever truly understood—the man who had shaped Sarah, Rafe, and their entire childhood.

You flipped through a few more papers, the words on the pages starting to blur as your emotions overwhelmed you. There were times Sarah had begged to be seen, to be heard, and each word you read was like another stab to your heart.

“God…” you whispered, your hand trembling as you gripped the edge of a photo. It was one of Sarah, just a child, smiling in a way that didn’t quite reach her eyes. The darkness that had been lurking in the background of their lives, the abuse they had endured, was so clear now. It wasn’t something you’d seen before—perhaps because you hadn’t wanted to see it. But now, as the layers were peeled back, the reality hit you like a flood.

You didn’t realize you were crying until Rafe’s voice cut through the silence, soft and gentle. “Hey, you okay?”

You blinked and wiped at your eyes, trying to keep it together. But the tears didn’t stop. “How could he do this to her?” Your voice cracked as you looked down at the photograph. “How could he hurt them like this? How could he… do this to you?”

Rafe was silent for a long moment, and you felt him shift beside you. You could feel the heat of his body, the tension in his muscles, the quiet grief that hung in the air like a thick fog.

You turned to look at him, catching him staring at you, his eyes shadowed with pain. The walls he had built around himself were always so thick—so hard to penetrate. But now, in this moment, with all the pieces of the past laid bare, the mask he wore seemed to crack just enough to let you see the real him.

“I’m sorry you had to see all this,” he said quietly, his voice heavy. “You didn’t deserve to know the ugliness of it.”

Your chest tightened. “No, I needed to know. I need to understand.”

Rafe took a deep breath, rubbing his hand across his face. His shoulders slumped, and for the first time since you’d met him, you saw a man who wasn’t just the spoiled, angry son of a cruel father. You saw a man who had been broken by his past, a man who had been fighting every day to prove he wasn’t his father. But in his search for redemption, he’d never realized that the hardest thing to do was forgive himself.

“I know I’ve done a lot of things I’m not proud of,” Rafe muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. “But I didn’t... I didn’t want to be like him. I never wanted to be like him. I was just... trying to survive. Trying to protect Sarah, protect myself.”

You swallowed hard, your heart aching for him. You had always seen the worst in him, the ways he lashed out, the cruelty that sometimes bled through. But now, as you sat there with him, you understood. You understood that his anger, his rebellion, was just a defense mechanism. A mask for the hurt he carried, the fear that had been instilled in him from a young age.

“Rafe…” Your voice trembled as you reached out, placing a hand over his. “You’ve done so much for her. For Willa. You’re not like him. Not in any way. You’re more than what he said you were. More than anyone ever saw.”

The words were barely out of your mouth when you saw something flicker in his eyes. Vulnerability. Pain. A need for validation. For the first time, you realized just how much he needed to hear that. Needed someone to see him for who he truly was.

Rafe leaned forward, his forehead coming to rest against yours, his breath shallow and uneven. For a moment, neither of you spoke, the weight of everything hanging between you. His hand, warm and slightly trembling, cupped the back of your neck, his thumb brushing the sensitive skin there. You could feel the electricity between you, the way his body tensed, the way you both seemed to exist in this moment where everything else faded away.

And then, as if something snapped, you moved without thinking. Your lips found his in a soft, tentative kiss—a kiss that was born from shared grief, from the fragile hope that had flickered between the two of you ever since you had started this journey together. It was a kiss full of longing, of understanding, of something neither of you had been ready to admit until now.

Rafe kissed you back, slowly, as though he was testing the waters. His hand slid to your jaw, holding you gently as his lips pressed against yours with a tenderness that surprised you both. There was nothing frantic about it, no rush. Just the simple, raw need to connect, to feel something good after all the loss.

When you finally pulled away, your breaths came in shaky bursts. Rafe’s eyes were wide, his lips slightly parted, as if he couldn’t believe what had just happened. You didn’t know what to say. Words didn’t seem to matter in that moment.

But then you both spoke at once, as if trying to make sense of the overwhelming emotions swirling between you.

“I… I didn’t mean to—”

“Wait, that was… I shouldn’t have—”

You both fell silent, the awkwardness creeping in. But something had shifted. The tension between you had transformed into something else—something deep, something unspoken. You realized, maybe for the first time, that the lines you had drawn between each other were no longer so clear. The walls were crumbling, and in their place was a fragile, but undeniable connection.

“I just…” you started, your heart racing. “I just needed to tell you that you’re not your father, Rafe. You never were. And I... I see you. I see all of you.”

He exhaled sharply, his thumb gently caressing your cheek, his gaze intense. “And I see you too. I don’t know what this means, but I—”

Before he could finish, you pressed your forehead against his, closing your eyes. “We’ll figure it out. We’ll figure everything out. For Willa. For us.”

Rafe nodded, his hands still resting on your face. You both knew that the road ahead was going to be hard—there was no easy way forward. But for the first time, you felt like maybe, just maybe, you weren’t alone in it anymore.

© 2024 rafeskai | All rights reserved. This fanfiction is a work of fiction inspired by characters from Outer Banks, and no part of it may be reproduced or distributed without permission.

[taojjang]

riize when you're on your period ✮⋆˙

pairing: bf!riize x fem!reader, genre: fluff (tiny bit of crack idk), warnings: menstrual cycle, blood, medication

♡⸝⸝ how he'd spoil you rotten during that time of the month

shotaro . . .

◦ oh how sweet he'd be :(

◦ taro is always the sweetest to you, treating you like a princess every waking moment of your life.

◦ but when you're on your period, he does everything in his power to lift your spirits and make you feel better.

◦ he wouldn't shy away from buying your feminine hygiene products! a real man, we love to see it!

◦ he'd be at your house every day, calling you beforehand to ask if you need him to get something for you.

◦ even if you say no, he'll never arrive empty-handed. he'll bring your favorite ice cream and maybe even a new teddy bear!

★ - "i'm sorry you're having a tough time, honey... is there anything i can do for you?"

eunseok . . .

◦ not a single day goes by where eunseok isn't spoiling you, waiting for your every request

◦ nothing changes during this time of the month; your caring boyfriend still stopping at nothing to make your life as easy as it can be.

◦ the only difference is that he'd never leave your side for even a second.

◦ he'd be sat beside you stroking your hair, occasionally checking to see if you're in pain or need anything from him.

◦ in the morning he'd ask you what you feel like eating so he can plan out today's meals, always ensuring his baby is happy and well-fed </3

◦ once he notices even a small wince from you, he wastes no time, rushing to grab a hot pack and leaving soothing kisses on your forehead.

★ - "i know it hurts, darling, i'm sorry. i'll take care of it, i promise."

sungchan . . .

◦ your cuddle buddy!

◦ whenever it's that time of the month, really all he wants to do is scoop you up in his arms and hug all of the pain away :( ... which conveniently works!

◦ when you're experiencing cramps, sungchan is always beside you, gently rubbing your tummy. he holds you delicately in his arms as if you'd shatter with too rough of a touch.

◦ his large, warm hands work wonders for your minor cramps and he knows that, so he never stays far from you in case you need him.

◦ but when your cramps are intense, sungchan always feels so sad and helpless :( he frantically researches remedies while you curl up in his lap, crying against his chest.

◦ he wipes your tears and kisses their trails, trying his best to soothe you in any way possible.

★ - "i'm so sorry, princess... the medicine should be kicking in any second now. should we try to take a nap?"

wonbin . . .

◦ a clueless cutie (・・ ) ?

◦ he'd be helplessly sitting beside you, too scared to touch you in fears of hurting you even more.

◦ nevertheless, he'd still be layering you with blankets and googling how to help his suffering gf (he's a loser and you love him!)

◦ in the end, he asks you to tell him whatever it is that you need, but all you want is cuddles and snacks :( so ofc he delivers!

◦ he'd order a bunch of your favorite snacks and find a good movie to watch

◦ would put on a comedy but laughing hurts your stomach so you watch a sappy romance instead, aaaand now he's stuck wiping your tears while you ugly cry over some cliche movie...!

★ - "you're such a crybaby. come here, let me kiss you."

seunghan . . .

◦ the way he treats you when you're on your period alone is already grounds for marriage

◦ seunghan would cater to your every need— buying your hygiene products, running errands, completing house chores, shit maybe even doing homework for you

◦ he just can't see his baby in pain :(

◦ the second you're leaning over in pain, he's running over to hug you probably with tears in his eyes

◦ every little flinch and he's asking if you need to go to the hospital

◦ he's the most caring boy in the world and he'd do anything for you <3

★ - "i'm sorry it hurts so much, angel... but i'm so proud of you, you know that?"

sohee . . .

◦ sohee would wear a stoic and confident act, but the poor boy is just a confused, scared, anxious little dude...

◦ he would be less clingy than the other members but would still travel lengths to make you feel better.

◦ sohee would work on lifting your spirits! he'd love to pick up food from your favorite restaurant and eat with you :3

◦ he'd do anything to make you smile— often ordering frozen yogurt at 2am and watching naruto until sunrise

◦ he knows how excruciating your menstrual cycle is, so he does everything in his power to make you happy even if its just for a split second.

◦ he's just your little ball of sunshine <3

★ - "i know it hurts, pretty girl... how about i order froyo? would that take your mind off of it..?"

anton . . .

◦ GOD SAVE THIS POOR BOY

◦ he is just about as emotionally drained as you are...

◦ every time you'd whine in pain, he'd hold you close to him and cry with you, constantly whispering apologies and comforting words.

◦ he goes out to buy your hygiene products but probably ends up calling you to tell him which one to buy... poor boy is super shy but he reminds himself it's for your girlfriend!

◦ he probably asks you questions about your period so he can become more prepared and knowledgeable, but you're not in the mood to talk so you end up cuddling instead (◡﹏◡)

◦ you lie cuddled up against his chest as he strokes your hair with one hand and rests the other on your lower back, soaking in each others' presence.

★ - "you're so admirable, my love. you're doing so well."

[freaky-deaky-cookies]

Can I ask for a Halsin x gn reader dealing with the flu and trying to refuse to be taken care of? I'm fluing... and no ones taking care of me because apparently adult don't need to be taken care of?? wtf?? 😭😭

Thank you and have a nice day! ❤️

Halsin x Sick! Tav (who refuses to be taken care of)

It was late—later than usual, but your body had insisted on collapsing into a restless sleep long before the others had even started preparing their meals. You had tried to fight it, of course. Tried to push through the aching in your limbs and the heavy weight in your chest.

But now you were awake again, head pounding and the blanket feeling far too warm as you shivered. You reached for the side of the tent, but the moment your fingers brushed against the cool fabric, a wave of dizziness washed over you.

“Ah, I see you’re still awake,” a familiar voice rumbled with a gentle but knowing tone. Halsin’s tall silhouette appeared at the entrance of your tent, his presence warm and grounding. “How are you feeling?”

You scowled, brushing away a strand of hair from your sweaty forehead. “I’m fine,” you lied. “I just… need some rest. You don’t need to worry about me.”

Halsin, with his calming eyes and warm smile, wasn’t fooled for a moment. He stepped inside, the scent of myrrh filling the space. His deep voice softened as he knelt by your side, a worried look flashing across his features when he saw you trying to sit up.

“You don’t look fine. You’re burning with fever, and your body is telling me you need rest."

“I’m fine,” you repeated, though you couldn’t stop the cough that rattled your chest as you spoke. Your throat felt raw, and your body was exhausted, but… you hated being pampered. You hated being treated like you couldn’t take care of yourself.

“Please,” you grumbled, trying to sit up straighter. “I don’t need anyone looking after me like I’m some helpless child.”

Halsin’s large hand gently pressed against your shoulder, his touch warm and reassuring but firm enough to keep you from moving further.

You frowned, trying to swat his hand away, but he wasn’t having it. His fingers were warm and insistent as they gently guided you back down onto the bedroll.

“I’m fine, Halsin,” you mumbled, but there was a distinct weakness to your voice now, an exhaustion you couldn’t hide.

Halsin’s expression softened, his eyes full of concern as he smoothed a hand over your brow. “I know you are used to doing things on your own, but you are not alone here. Let me take care of you for once.”

You felt a twinge in your chest—a mix of frustration and relief. You hated needing help, hated feeling vulnerable. But there was something in the way Halsin spoke, in the way he looked at you, that made it hard to refuse.

“I guess... a little help wouldn’t hurt,” you muttered reluctantly, your body already sinking into the warmth of the bedroll.

Halsin smiled warmly, reaching over to grab a flask of water and gently offering it to you. “Rest now. I’ll make sure you’re well cared for while you sleep. You’ve given enough of yourself to this world. Let us give back to you, even for a little while.”

You took the water, letting him settle beside you, his large frame almost instinctively becoming a comforting barrier from the world outside. The sound of his heartbeat, slow and steady, lulled you into a sense of security, and you finally gave in, letting sleep take over.

[letmeoutofthebasementt]

Lee Know Jealousy

SKZ Jealousy series pt. 2: (when they're in a serious relationship do they get jealous at all? What makes them jealous if they get jealous? How do they act in a relationship? What's their response/behavior when jealous? How do they handle it?)

If anyone has ever told you he’s not jealous they’re a liar. Fibber. Deceiver. Storyteller, even. Believe nothing they’ve ever said after that. Lee Know and Jealousy are two peas in a grenade.

First off, when he’s jealous you’ll know. He’s not the type of person who won’t show it out of fear for what will happen if he does. He’s just not. He stands his ground and isn’t about to let some weirdo flirt with his partner right in front of him. That’s not how he operates.

He fights for what’s his. And that includes whoever he’s with. If he DOESNT get jealous…He simply doesn’t care. Doesn’t want you anymore. Because his jealousy is part of him fighting for his partner and their relationship because he WANTS it and doesn’t want any threats to it.

He wants a stable relationship. Anything that would stoke jealousy is a threat to the relationship’s stability, plain and simple. And he won’t be satisfied until that thing is over and done with. Out of the picture and out of his life. For good.

He has a very restless mind. He overthinks, and over analyzes. He can’t help the thoughts that come up that’re jealous when his partner is a little too friendly with another guy. Because he’s a thinker. And once someone stokes that jealousy in him it will keep bubbling up. It will linger in the back of his mind.

He holds onto things a lot. So I WOULD NOT recommend getting him jealous on purpose. He will remember. And trust me, it will stack up against you. That’s how he is.

Generally he’s content and comfortable with his jealousy. It’s part of him. He doesn’t hide or deny it. Hell, he’d tell you he’s a jealous person if you asked. He’s always been that way. And he has a wealth of it to give out.

Jealousy builds and builds and builds with him. And it will stay until he’s 100% sure what started it will not be an issue again.

But even then he probably would throw it back in your face during arguments if it’s still lingering in his mind.

He’s content in his jealousy. But that doesn’t mean it’s not draining. If you constantly flare it up, he will feel like he can’t trust you. And trust is the most important thing to him in relationships.

Make him too jealous and he’ll be exhausted. Helpless. It’ll affect his self esteem slowly but surely, make him wonder why his partner keeps doing these things that make him jealous when they have him. It’ll make him doubt the relationship and his partner’s love for him, point blank period. And he may lose focus or interest in the relationship.

But he also doesn’t mind a jealous partner. Im getting a balance and equality there.

He wants to work past whatever it is that made him jealous. Because if he’s with you and caring and trying he loves you. And he doesn’t like losing those he loves, contrary to popular belief. And conversely he wants to know if the actions caused by his jealousy hurt. He’s like that with most things. He can say and do hurtful things but he won’t know they are unless he’s told. And he wants to be told. He doesn’t care if he is at any point as long as he is.

He will act like it’s fine after all is said and done but it’s not. It lingers. It causes a lot of turbulence in him. He’ll probably be on edge and the jealousy will be quick to flare back up. He’ll constantly be looking out for something.

The type to go through his partner’s phone without them knowing.

He may keep it a secret if it lingers too long because he doesn’t want to start rocking the boat for something that’s passed.

But he will throw it in your face in an argument.

Just a lot of emphasis on VII of Swords specifically here.

He likes it when he can get over these things. Or when he feels he doesn’t have to hide it and can safely express its still bothering him with his partner. It makes him feel grateful for them. Grateful that they’re understanding of it. Like he’s lucky.

It makes him all the more content and emotionally satisfied in that relationship/situation.

This can start a lot of arguments though. Jealousy. And he’s not the kindest in arguments because his priority is protecting himself and his own peace.

He can be aggressive and say very hurtful things with no real compassion. He may possibly feel guilty or ashamed after the fact if he realizes it hurts you and he…Well, cares, but he’ll very rarely offer an apology unless you express how much it hurt after.

[ri-writes-if]

I'm usually a Vezmancer, but this time I decided to try all the routes and Laz...my my my what do we have here? I love the Oracle being this morose, hissing wet cat to him, hitting him with the "Why are you doing this I'm doomed to die sooner or later, stop it, let me die in solitude" is just marvelous (I'm a sucker for that sort of thing). (I also love being able to just pick whoever without worrying about always picking that RO in other scenes).

I truly hope at some point we get to circle back to the loneliness conversation (for added angst maybe after Laz fs up and get to hit them with the "should've stayed lonely I guess" and idk turn invisible or into a bird/butterfly so they can't/won't look at us and fly off).

I do have a question, mostly because I can't remember what the warnings were prior to this chapter, but just how dark can we make the story? Cause I noticed that every time the Oracle starts to go dark, they immediately bounce back. Like with Argellan (apologies if that's not how it's spelled, I don't remember assholes' names out of disrespect lol jk I'm just terrible with spelling) they almost start to cry and then just don't. Or they feel helpless and then just get determined even if most options I pick are the passive/I deserve this and "oh well guess I'll die" options. I'm not complaining, mind, I get going down the major depression path is not something everyone wants to do nor is comfortable doing, and that's 1000% ok. Your story, I'm just here for the ride.

I'm mostly curious given the warnings on if those tags are for the other characters? Or if it depends on our sanity or if it can get darker later? To set my expectations if you will. No need for spoilers and if it makes you uncomfortable/upset apologies, please don't feel the need to answer.

Regardless I look forward to confusing all the ROs with my pessimism and chaos.

I’m glad you enjoyed Laz’s route! Thank you for sharing your thoughts 💛

I understand you might want more “depressing” options, but it’s just not the direction I planned for this main character. They can end up in a pretty bad situation if their sanity falls, but overall, their potential tragedy is in misinterpreting what they need to become happy.

The Oracle is someone who wants a better life. It’s at the heart of their character. Every decision they have been making their whole life is pushed by this desire. They might be doomed, but they’re not going down quietly. They will force themselves to get up even when the situation is bleak, and that was the point of that moment—to show that they don’t allow anyone/anything to beat them down easily. They never have, and that’s why they’re still alive and trying to not just live, but live well.

Their developing arc isn’t “I want to live love laugh” vs “I’ll die so everything’s meaningless”, it’s more like “I’ll become a better person against all odds and find my place” vs “I’ll take what I want by any means necessarily even if it makes me miserable”. That’s as much as I can say without spoilering things.

So yeah, they’re not staying in the gutter. We’re actually at the point in the story where they begin to pick themselves up and take control of their life.

For the warnings—it’s mostly for what the Oracle encounters, though some of it will apply to them if you go down a particular path. Let’s just say… they might end up in a worse situation than they’re in now, you know? 🌚 Perhaps you'll enjoy that route! :)

[control-z-my-decisions]

Now that you have answered the poll, I want to share something else. I made this blog to talk about cartoons, but today I want to use it to spread this Gofundme and this family's story:

Hello all,

I am Falestine Asad, I am 36 years old, married, and I have a three-month-old child named Youssef. I gave birth to him during the war during very harsh conditions that no human being can bear. I moved from the hospital immediately after giving birth, to the tent where we were staying after we were displaced when the Israeli bulldozers completely bulldozed my house. Kamel has become featureless, and my suffering did not start there. Rather, I have been suffering since the beginning of the war, and I am still suffering. I cannot provide enough milk or diapers for my baby. Even medicines and vitamins are not available.

I ask you for your urgent help in disseminating the link to my family and communicating it to people interested and able to help us. I didn't want to do it, but the tragic situation we are living in is what pushed me to do it. I feel sad and helpless, after we had everything, we are now homeless on the streets, living in a tent next to a dilapidated public toilet and there is sewage, dirt and waste everywhere, we sleep on it! We suffer from terrible heat, insects, scorpions, the danger of death, bombs and missiles, in addition to hunger of course, the danger of pollution and terrible diseases, especially the digestive, respiratory and reproductive systems!

My father and mother could not bear it any longer. My father had a stroke after losing his home and his place of work, and my mother suffers from chronic diseases and needs treatment.

Do you have the right to imagine that when you spend your life building for yourself and your children to live a decent life, all of this disappears in the blink of an eye, and now when you reach the age where you should rest, you are forced to start again!!? But the most important thing now is to try to survive and protect your children from all the factors of death that surround us! I ask everyone who has humanity or conscience to feel our situation and put themselves in our place. How can someone who has lived with dignity all his life accept this? We are slowly dying every day.

Your donation, no matter how small, can have a big impact. It can provide a meal for my little one, a clean bottle of water, or a moment of safety under these difficult circumstances. Every donation brings with it a ray of hope, alleviating our suffering and giving us the strength to face a new day.

I ask you to donate and support the steadfastness of the Gazan people, and share this campaign with your friends and families. Together, we can make a difference and help my family get through this ordeal.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your generosity and support.

Warm greetings,

Falestine

[therowdymagpie]

No because I NEED to ramble about The Princess and The Dragon(TW: Spoilers for the Pristine Cut.):

I got such whiplash from this vessel...she is just...SO aufghughaurigh, so unexpected and wonderful, one of the sweetest and kindest vessels in the game. Not to disregard the others, like the Shifting Mound has said, they are all different manifestations of our love for her and her love for us, but the Dragon (I call her The Dragon) FEELS different.

Literally I love the Specter route which the Princess and the Dragon derives from because we have a chance to have an actual, normal(kind of) conversation and because she is dealing with what happened in a realistic manner, sure she's angry at us but she really doesn't care, she just wants "to go home, wherever that is". But it's very important for the game to apply a certain Uncanny valley to her and every other Princess even the one from the Hero and the Princess, so that they have a reason to be dangerous, capable, slightly dehumanizing them at times, which OK SM and LQ aren't actual people but still the vessels just become something other than what we have been led to believe.

A ghost, a demon, a predator, a literal god, an eldritch horror made of blades, all of them are formed by our beliefs and expectations, they are the ways we perceive her, they are perspectives. It is a very skillful way to subvert the damsel in distress character that the princess has been shoved into, she is never JUST a princess and yet at the same time the Dragon is the only princess that is actually very human in how she confronts the fact that we are who we are and we do what we do to her with such Grace and forgiveness.

Now when it comes to the other Princesses, even if the Damsel is technically an innocent as well and doesn't try to kill us, her always trying to "make us happy" is the thing that immediately sets her off and gives us an excuse to believe she is strange and off-putting. Even the witch and the thorn , who make us feel terrible for hurting them at certain times because one can present a certain remorse and the other is simply broken so much that there's nothing else to hope for. Both of them immediately back pedal into being hostile if you hurt them again though, since that's what they have to do to survive. I could go on for each vessel but no matter how much we dig into the psyche of the princesses and find out that they have a genuine reason or a not genuine reason to kill us at all, they are all trying to survive and follow their nature, they all progress for their characters with a predictable unpredictability.

But the Dragon? She is SO forgiving, so kind, especially when in some cases, she shouldn't even be. We've killed her twice yet, much like the Specter, she doesn't hold a grudge, doesn't try to immediately kill us afterwards, she isn't following some twisted narrative of doing something that was always meant to be. She is just...curious and trying to understand why we're doing this, how she can get on our good side, how to work together to make the best of this situation. Out of all the vessels, I think she is the purest manifestation of Swifty's belief every time we see her that 'we are the only thing like her and she's the only thing like us', so they should be together, try should try to get along…right?

Also a funny thing I noticed is: The fact that we see things from her perspective kind of gives more leverage to some of the other princesses for being mistrusting and hostile, I mean we're a terrifying bird thing that is often quiet, holding a Knife and doesn't always answer you, often doing unpredictable actions…I wouldn't trust this either. And STILL, she says that even though we look scary, she doesn't mind, "Looks aren't everything" and tries to communicate with us, at the same time not being completely helpless. She speaks her mind, tries to be assertive and bringing up good points during the entire time.

Basically what I'm trying to say is, The Princess and the dragon feels like the most Princess character in the entire game, even more than the Happily ever after, even more than the Damsel, exactly because out of all the princesses she has the capacity to understand us and we have the capacity to understand her, it is so incredibly human and surprising.

For the first time ever we are dealing with someone who is painstakingly our equal, not above or below us, not our better, not our worse, not something out of our understanding but simply? Another confused inmate in this Twisted Concept, that tries to create the best case scenario where we both survive like us. The Shifting Mound calls her the empathetic heart...it's the first time we see her perspective of US for a change, it's how we have truly become ONE, even more so than The Wild and that breaks me...

[constellationguy]

Say That We’re Sweethearts Again

TW ⚠️: murder, attempted murder, blood, physical violence, domestic violence

“Oh dear…. How did it come to this my love?” You ask Alastor as you caress his cheek, his head lying on your lap.

“Life used to be a gay thing

A filled with happiness, night and day thing

It was something to have and to hold

But it seems that your love grew cold”

Just like it was today in the snow and ice covered forest.

“I never knew that our romance had ended

Until you poisoned my food”

You debated doing the same but Alastor never let you mess with his food, he was always so particular with everything around him.

“And I thought it was a lark

When you kicked me in the park

But now I think it was rude”

Alastor had a strange way to keep you in line at any cost, at first it was fine but looking back it hurt you more than you thought.

“I never knew that our romance had finished

Until that bottle hit my head”

Another memory that seems so obvious to you now but back then you didn’t have the strength to leave your husband for blowing up and hurting you. Perhaps you should have ran back then, before everything spiraled out of control.

“Though I tried to be aloof

When you pushed me off the roof

I feel our romance is dead”

Just like he was now.

“It wouldn't have been so bad if you'd told me

That someone had taken my place”

Even though this truth hurt deeply if he told you out right, maybe you wouldn’t have had to do what you did.

“But no, you didn't even scold me

You just tried to disfigure my face”

So instances crosses your mind for when you should have left Alastor. Even though he threatened to do so to you, you couldn’t find the courage to harm his face too much, he just looked so peaceful now, unlike how he had been lately.

“You'll never know how my poor heart is breaking

It looks so helpless, but then

Life used to be so placid

Won't you please put back that acid

And say that we're sweethearts again”

Looking back you said so many things to Alastor that your parents would’ve probably killed him for making you say. But to everyone else you both seemed so happy together.

You used to have a loving household, you and Alastor used to live together and love one another. However, now it seems only you love him and only you are still living.

“Oh, how well I remember that night in Bridgeport that was the night you gave me the hotfoot I thought that there was sort of a strange look in your eyes but you smiled, and well, it made everything alright”

The old happy memories start flooding in but maybe they were never happy, it seems only now that Alastor is gone you can see how terrible he used to be.

“Then there was the time we went canoeing and you set fire to my dress you said you pushed me overboard to put out the flame but I never quite understood why you held me under water so long”

Now that you’ve put all the pieces together… it seems odd now that you ended up killing Alastor before he killed you seeing how many times he tried to end your life.

“Now, I've never met this girl who's taking my place but I wish you all the happiness in the world and if there's anything I can do you know you can always reach me in room number 304 in the General Hospital.”

You are only here now since you told the hospital you were getting another jacket from home for the cold weather.

He’s done so much to hurt you but somehow you still wish him well, in hell that is. You hope that him and that girl can be happy together, should they meet each other after you kill her too.

“Farewell, my sweet”

You set his head back down in the snow, his blood flowing from the bullet wound on his forehead.

“You'll never know how my poor heart is breaking

It looks so helpless, but then”

You might have been helpless then, but now you’ve become a similar monster to your now late husband.

“My love can go just so far

Won't you please put down that crow bar

And say that we're sweethearts again.”

Another phrase you told him once, but as the roles were reversed you felt no remorse as you used the same crow bar to break his leg, just like he threatened to do to you.

Perhaps it was weird to talk the to corpse of your dead husband before you mutated it, but it felt comforting to finally tell Alastor how much he’s hurt you, even if he isn’t present to hear it.

And now that you’ve killed Alastor, you and him would forever be sweethearts, just as it was ment to be. Because everyone knows that people cannot divorce their wife’s after they died, you two will forever be married, just like he promised and you always wanted.

[bayeprose]

‿︵ ‧˚⭒ excerpt from please stay, hippocrene on ao3

(warning: contains suggestive text + mentions of kissing) ‧˚⭒

Frank eventually sputtered, “I’m... I’m just gonna try to explain what happened, and you can just tell me to shut up when it’s TMI, okay?” “Okay.” Percy said. He lowered his voice even more. Shadows from the gray sky made it seem like he was about to tell a ghost story. “Last night, things with Hazel got kind of... weird...” “Weird?” “Yeah... weird.” “How weird?” “We... we were kissing.” “Oh.” Percy blinked. That’s not where he thought this was going. “Okay. Uh... do you guys not usually do that, or—” “No, no, we’ve kissed before. But this time, we really kissed. A lot. Like, we were making out. And it was great.” Out of respect, Percy tried not to visibly grimace. No offense to either of them, but Hazel was like a little sister to him, and it felt really strange to hear Frank talk of her like that. It just wasn't something that he wished to visualize. “Okay,” he said calmly. Really. He was trying his best to be calm. “And?” “Well...” Frank twiddled his thumbs. “We’ve never done that before. And it got really intense, and I... I kind of reacted to it too much.” Now, here was some telling information, finally. Percy felt like he was starting to understand what his friend was getting at. But... their first time making out? Last night? Really? Percy’s free time was quite limited, and he spent approximately zero seconds of his days thinking about what other people in his circle did behind closed doors. He’s a--‘That’s none of my business.’--type of guy, to the extent that Annabeth was often irritated by his lack of interest in demigod drama. She’d come to him with fresh, riveting gossip like, “Did you hear? Sherman and Miranda got caught in the Big House together.” and he’d have little more to say than, “I forgot they were dating.”

Like... sure, he figured that the couples he knew of were sleeping together. He could even surmise that the singles he knew of might be sleeping together. But... so what? They’re adults, now; it’s not really all that scandalous or interesting, and in fact, people not sleeping together seemed a lot more noteworthy than the alternative. So to hear that Frank and Hazel had never even made out before... not only was it noteworthy, considering how long they’ve been together, but it was so surprising that he needed to know more in spite of his discomfort with the sordid subject matter. Is this why people like gossip? “... Wait,” Percy started nervously. “What do you mean you ‘reacted too much’?” Frank blushed, which made Percy even more nervous. “Um... Hazel was, well, we were on the couch, and we just finished a movie, and we were just really close, and I kind of— “Oh gods, Frank, you didn’t... do that, did you?”

Summary: In Frank's eyes, Percy and Annabeth are the perfect demigod couple. They're grown, they're engaged, and they've overcome so much together. Feeling helpless in escalating his own relationship to their coveted adult achievements, he seeks out Percy's help. Unbeknownst to Frank, Percy and Annabeth are grappling with some intimacy struggles of their own.

read on ao3 ⭒ 25k/ongoing ⭒ explicit content/18+ only ⭒ percabeth/frazel

[camellcat]

"cordelia could you please drive me home?" "of course" OF COURSE she replies to buffy, softly, without hesitation. even if she goes right back to harping on about the world ending, of course she'll help buffy. head in my fucking hands

[virsancte]

you wouldn’t think having a good time would be so goddamn hard

[angeldcgs]

lana wasn't used to men like sully, but, then again, men like sully weren't the sort who sought out her services. none of her clients who were married with kids had the level of care and respect for their families that mr. landry clearly did, most even viewing them with some level of resentment, as if they were to blame for a man's unhappiness. he wasn't the sort of guy she attracted in her real life, either— or, perhaps she herself wasn't as attracted to the sturdy, dependable types like him. he was obviously very handsome, but it wasn't until she saw the way he treated those around him that she really began to feel smitten. it was the sort of infatuation that made her a little crazy, never quite certain of just what she'd do in order to have him, and that potential for a loss of control scared her. she needed to feel like she was in the driver's seat of her own life, making her own choices and relying on no one but herself for her own survival, otherwise she'd swing to the other extreme and end up feeling like a helpless victim of the universe. it made sense, then, that she would have to be the one to take the first leap when it came to exploring a new side of her relationship with sully. "don't say that," she said with a playful giggle, gently smacking him on the shoulder. after taking a pause to wet her lips and let her gaze do one last trail up and down his form in the driver's seat, she leaned closer until her faintly glossed lips were very nearly grazing his earlobe. "i've got a real active imagination..." without delay, and as swiftly as if it had never happened, lana settled back into her seat, though she remained turned towards him with her touch ever present. had he been born later or vice versa, they might have had the chance to meet organically, and who knows what kind of connection they could've had in that case. she could've ended up becoming mrs. landry, or, more likely, he would've been just another in a long list of flames that burned too hot too fast and exhausted themselves within weeks. though the circumstances behind them meeting in this way seemed unfortunate, something about how unplanned it all was made her feel like maybe it was fate. when he didn't initially shoo her away, lana took it as a sign that he had accepted her advances, and so she brought her palm down to rest directly over his crotch, pressing down in order to get a feel of his cock through the flimsy fabric. "but i am worried, mr. landry! your wife—" becoming flustered by his gentle removal of her hand, she fumbled over her words before quickly correcting herself. "i heard her... on the phone... your wife, talking to her sister about how you two haven't fucked in seven months— that's before you hired me!" a fact she herself was quite reaffirmed by, as it was definitive proof that she wasn't the cause of any problems in their marriage. his attempts did little to derail her now that she'd gotten her mind set on tempting him, going right back to groping at him over his pajama pants. "d'you wanna find somewhere to park instead maybe? then i'll take care of you, just like you need..." her eyes darted from his crotch to his face, watching to see how his body responded to her touch.

upon finding lana cornered by one of his work colleagues at their last christmas party, a variety of emotions had come over sully and all revolved around how strikingly protective over her he had become. it had taken a lot of back and forth to get her to confess as to what was going on but once the nature of her previous job had been announced, those feelings of needing to defend her only grew more prevalent. it had been a shock to say the least, learning that not only had she slept with a man like that but she'd done so for money, he didn't know if it would be better for worse if for some strange reason she'd done it of her own accord. the details of her previous employment had been kept brief, namely because he didn't know how to address it delicately but also because he doubted his wife would be pleased with the notion of having a former sex worker looking after their kids. by that point, both sully and his kids were far too attached to let anything get in the way of making sure she stuck around, even if that meant keeping secrets and lying to his wife about why he'd made such a big deal about ending the party early that night. learning about her past had naturally brought about questions, for the next week or so he found it nearly impossible to go about his day without picturing her in all kinds of situations, both fetishizing her for that work and worrying about the possible things she had been made to endure as a result. he put himself in a difficult position of both needing to protect her from anything bad happening again and craving things from her that would have to come from her very exploitation. "oh, i think i'll leave it up to your imagination." he chuckled awkwardly and took a glance down to the hand that had settled on his shirt, in part because he felt it was wrong to be discussing his past rowdy behaviour, especially when he had worked so hard to leave it all in the dust and build himself into the man he was. although, he was also curious to what she thought him capable of. he'd engaged in the usual drunken debauchery expected of a man in his twenties, allowed himself to submit to each and every whim that came about no matter the cost, it had been a fun life but ultimately not maintainable. she was clearly very intoxicated, he didn't want to take anything she said or did too seriously or make her feel bad for acting out of sorts. the imagine of a bunch of young guys throwing themselves at lana didn't exactly fill him with joy but when delivered in that low, sultry tone, how could sully do any but do as she wished and pictured him there to save her? his arm tucked tight around her waist as he pulled her out from the dance floor, his hand wandering down the curve of her hips till his fingertips found the hem of her dress and helped pull it down to cover herself up, his days in clubs were far behind him but it was a nice thought nonetheless, one he banished immediately after he let it play out. he offered nothing but a small hum in response and before he could even think to answer her next questions, that nimble hand had made its way down his torso to the waistband of his pants. he didn't dare look down again, instead he kept his eyes on the road and swallowed back the surprised gasp that had threatened to come out. she'd always been a bold, confident girl but never to such an extreme, he chalked it up to the alcohol and god knows what else she might've ingested that night and quickly realised he had to be careful with how he dealt with her suggestive proposal. "you don't need to worry about me." carefully, he reached down and pried her hand away from his crotch, then brought it back over to her lap where he set it down with a gentle pat. "just relax, we'll be home soon." it didn't need to be a big deal. maybe she'd forget about it in the morning and they could both pretend it didn't happen, or perhaps she'd come to him apologising profusely and he would have the chance to comfort her once again. either way, sully knew he had to turn lana down before he was too weak to do so.