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starwarsmum · 23 days ago

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Maribat Mix Match Monster Mash day 7, I'm Hunting Cryptids & Bad Luck

The night was starting delightfully quietly. Marinette had been preparing for Samhain all week and everything was culminating in the festivities of that evening. Her cat, Plagg wound around her legs as she pulled her pumpkin bread out of the oven and she stepped deftly around him.

Plagg meowed, but she ignored him in favour of slicing the still warm bread. She picked at a piece absently before preparing Plagg’s dinner. Then she grabbed the pumpkin seeds she had harvested and dropped the smallest of them into Tikki’s feed tray. Many of the larger seeds would be planted ready for next year, but she would also toast some as snacks for herself.

As the afternoon light dwindled, she stepped outside into the early evening air. Breathing deeply, she felt the tingle of energy sweep through her. It was slightly darker than her usual energy, but she welcomed it all the same, sending silent thanks for her many blessings this past year.

Marinette smiled as she set about organising her personal bonfire and stripping the surrounding area of grass. It was tedious work, but she had no desire to end her evening as she had the previous year when visiting her fellow Wiccan, Nino, who had only just managed not to completely destroy his home.

She was throwing the dead grass onto the top of the bonfire when she sensed a presence behind her. Her movements stilled momentarily before she moved to step into her home. She was at the bottom of the steps leading to her porch when a shadow in the darkness moved.

Instinctively, she swept a foot out, summoning Plagg to pounce onto the intruder. The usually lethargic and docile cat morphed as he jumped, becoming an otherworldly feral beast, with glowing green eyes. Whoever had been sneaking around her home didn't stand a chance and she stood over them with a band on her hip.

Her breath caught when the person glared up at her with eyes greener than anything she had seen outside of Plagg. Thry had a sword pointing at Plagg's snarling face but Marinette wasn't concerned; Plagg could turn incorporeal when it suited him.

“Call off your minion,” the boy - because it was clearly a boy about her age, on the cusp of adulthood and likely out to prove himself - clipped at her haughtily. When she merely raised her eyebrows at him, he practically growled. “Tt, I do not wish to harm the creature, but if it does not remove itself from my person, I will have no choice but to defend myself.”

“You sound pretty confident for someone lying on their back in a witch’s front yard,” Marinette replied sweetly, her eyes glittering with the dark power flooding her veins. It was fairly tempered by the last of her summer magic, but Samhain was always a time of mischief. She felt the exhilarating rush that goaded her into bantering with the boy. “Besides which, he does not enjoy being called a minion.”

“Your familiar, then,” the boy ground out. Breathing in and out slowly, she allowed herself to check his aura. She saw plenty of violence on him, but none directed at her, or even at Plagg. Sighing through her nose, she gestured for Plagg to get off of him. He did, shrinking to his usual cat form before he trotted into the house. “Thank you.”

“I wouldn't thank me yet,” she said, watching as he stood fluidly. He was taller than she had expected, his spiked hair making him look even taller. “Care to tell me what you're doing on my property?”

“I am searching for the Witch of Slaughter Swamp. My associates informed me that her house is at these coordinates, but if this is your property, they must have made a mistake.”

“I see.” Marinette was silent for a beat, weighing up the likelihood of the boy trying to kill her if she revealed that she was, in fact, said witch. “What, do you need a love potion or something?”

“Tt, I have no need for a love potion,” the boy said, raising an eyebrow at her. “I am hunting for the Abominable Swamp Slob, and require her assistance. I understand that she is a powerful mage and has an affinity for creatures of all kinds.”

“What would you want with an Abominable Swamp Slob?” Marinette asked, bewildered. She had heard of them, of course, but they were seldom believed to attack without cause and were often thought to be linked with aliens.

“I have an interest in all creatures. I am something of a zoologist and would like to prove its existence so that I may declare its habitat as a protected space,” he explained, something akin to passion making his words resonate within her.

“Okay,” she said simply, turning to pick up her wand and broom. “Plagg, Tikki, guard the house whilst I'm gone. And if the others show up, let them start the festivities.”

“I do not understand, are you taking me to see the witch?” The boy eyed her curiously, head cocking to the side ever so slightly. Marinette gave a short laugh and started walking. “I will be fine with directions, I would not want to take a child into harm's way.”

“Okay, first of all, I'm nearly eighteen,” she said, whirling towards him with a glower. She let the energy flood through her, her eyes glowing and sparks dancing at her fingertips. He stepped back in surprise, hand dropping to the hilt of his sword. “Secondly, you asked for my help and I am graciously agreeing to assist you.”

“You are the Witch of Slaughter Swamp?” The boy said incredulously. His hand dropped away from the sword but he looked suspicious. “Forgive me for saying so, but the witch is well known for her magical prowess and was recommended by several individuals. Not one has mentioned your youthfulness.”

“That would be because I don't tend to deal with people unless I trust them to keep my secrets,” Marinette said with a sniff. “Can you imagine the problems I would encounter if people knew I was not yet of age? They would either condescend to me or think that they could destroy me. I would rather not have any fool’s blood on my hands because I had to defend myself.”

“...very well, I apologise if I have offended you at all. I was not anticipating dealing with someone so…” he trailed off, eyes glinting as he gave her a once over. She felt herself flush and raised her eyebrows at him, daring him to continue that thought. “Regardless, I appreciate your acquiescence in this matter. It is important that I get the evidence as soon as possible so that I may protect the creature.”

“Right, okay then,” she replied, willing her blush to fade. She motioned for him to follow her before stepping out of her front yard and towards the swamp. She could sense him stalking after her, though she couldn't hear him. “So, tell me what you know about this swamp creature.”

“You have not heard of it? I have been informed that it lives here, are you sure you are the witch?” The boy sounded sceptical and it made her raise her hackles.

“Listen boy, I work with the creatures who introduce themselves, I don't just wander around looking for them! And of course I've heard of it, I asked what you knew about it. Because I wasn't aware there was one living here given that I've never run into one.”

“Tt, call me Robin,” the boy said, clearly giving her an alias. “I know that they are linked with extraterrestrial life, but the aliens I have spoken with have had little to add to the matter. But I believe them to be endangered and require our protection.”

“Okay, fine then, ‘Robin’,” she said, making it clear that she did not for one second believe that it was his real name. “I have noticed a larger than usual life form in the swamp, occasionally visited by someone. The thing living in the swamp is generally solitary, and seems to protect the plant life with extreme prejudice. We'll make our way over to it and hope that it is the creature you are looking for.”

The walk was fairly pleasant all in all, but Marinette watched the stars as often as she could so that she could tell the passage of time. It was several hours later that she finally sensed the swamp creature nearby on their left. She stepped close to Robin, pressing her fingers to his lips to indicate that he should remain quiet.

His fingers grasped hers, a light increase in pressure indicating that he knew to be silent. Muttering under her breath, Marinette cast a protective charm on them both, letting the comfort of her familiar, Wayzz, wash over them. A hexagon patterned orb flashed into being before going transparent, and she grabbed Robin's hand to lead him forward.

“Who intrudes on my swamp?” Came a low and smooth voice, and Marinette was instantly alert. In all her research and everything that she had heard, Abominable Swamp Slobs didn't speak. She was grateful that she had prepared a protective spell but didn't intend to hide. Whatever this creature was, it did not hold claim to the entire swamp, and she meant to make it clear.

“I, Marinette, the Witch of Slaughter Swamp, am in search of a creature in this swamp,” Marinette said clearly and confidently. “My companion and I are searching for a creature called the Abominable Swamp Slob. He believes it was sighted here and wishes to help protect the creature.”

“I know of no such creature,” the swamp thing said, sounding annoyed. “Who is your companion?”

“I am-”

“-none of your concern,” Marinette cut in with a warning glance at Robin. She didn't know what powers this creature held, but it was always better to be cautious. “I have introduced myself and our intentions. My companion is under my protection and is not your concern.”

“You think to challenge me?” The creature rose out of the swamp and Marinette braced herself to defend them. She stepped out of the protective orb, eyes glowing brighter than ever and felt herself rise off of the floor. Levitation was a simple enough spell and she wanted height before she dealt with whatever this was.

“It is not a challenge as you are not the owner of these lands. I have lived here since I was a child and am in tune with the various life forms within these waters. I have made pacts with Tikki and Plagg, I carry the mark of the guardians and I will not be threatened in my home. If you wish to be the ruler of these lands, then it is you who challenges me.”

The creature faltered and Marinette stared at him until he acquiesced. After several tense moments, she lowered herself to the floor and stepped back into the protective shell. She could feel Robin's eyes on her but refused to look away from the Swamp Thing.

“Alexander? Is everything alright?” Marinette whirled toward the new voice before relaxing and giving a bright greeting. “Sapling, what on earth are you doing here this late on Samhain? And in the company of Damian Wayne no less.”

“Ivy, lovely to see you! Ro- Damian and I were just having a little look for a creature rumoured to be in these parts. I don't suppose you've heard tell of an Abominable Swamp Slob in the area?”

“...Jason gave you that tip, didn't he?” Ivy said, sounding both resigned and amused. When Damian didn't answer but instead glared off into the darkness, Marinette got the feeling that they had been sent on a wild goose chase. “Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but those have only been sighted in Illinois. Whatever you did recently to annoy Jason, I'll bet it was a doozy.”

“Tt, he is a man-child and my retaliation shall be swift and unforgiving,” Damian grumbled, turning apologetically towards Marinette. “I am sorry for wasting your time tonight, I shall escort you back to your home and be on my way.”

Ivy pulled Damian aside for a moment to speak privately and then he returned and gestured for Marinette to lead them. The walk back to Marinette's home was filled with an awkward silence, as opposed to the expectant and anticipatory silence they had shared prior to meeting the Swamp Thing and Poison Ivy.

“Thank you for your assistance, Marinette,” he said stiffly as they stood outside her property. She could hear that the festivities were mostly over, the fire low and hushed voices of her friends giving a pleasant white noise. “I apologise for my brother's prank, I will be more diligent in future to ensure the accuracy of his information.”

“Oh, it's okay,” she said, fingering her wand. She likely wouldn't tell him, but she had rather enjoyed the adventure, fruitless though it was. She was lost in thought, wondering whether she should invite him to join the last of the celebrations when his hand tilted her chin up and his mouth met hers.

Electricity jolted along her veins and she barely had time to kiss him back before he was pulling back. She stared up at him as his ears were tinted red, but he made no move to put distance between them.

“Wh-what was that for?” She whispered, already swaying back towards him.

“I…Ivy said that I should present you with a Samhain’s kiss as an apology. She said that you would have bad luck if you did not receive one tonight,” Damian said, sounding uncertain but not uncomfortable. When she couldn't find her voice, his uncertainty seemed to make him anxious. “I assumed it was part of your Samhain rituals that you must have missed due to our misinformed adventure, but if-”

“Samhain's kiss is a flower,” Marinette squeaked, eyes wide. “We use it as a ward against evil spirits, but I don't know if Ivy knows the significance for we Wiccans.”

Damian froze, his ears and neck flaming. He cursed in a language she didn't recognise and attempted to step away from her. She let her hands slip down his arms but held tightly to his wrists, worried that he would run away before they could talk.

“I- I apologise for my forwardness, Marinette. It should have occurred to me that Ivy would be speaking of a plant and I have overstepped,” he said, looking anywhere but at her.

“I didn't mind,” Marinette said softly, focused purely on the boy in front of her. He looked back down at her and she thought she could get lost in his eyes. She hesitated for only a second more before pulling him back down for a second kiss.

#maribat #mm&mmm2024 #mlb x dc #damianette #daminette #damian x marinette #dc x mlb #ao3 #ao3 fanfic #fanfic #witch au #a.s.s #abominable swamp slob #bad luck

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chosos-husband · 25 days ago

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Can you do a junker queen X fem reader an angst but loving story so something like they get into a big fight but later that day or a few days later they talk it out and make up?

I love junkerqueen so much. Idk, I'm also just a certified tall woman enjoyer qwq. So obligatory tall women fluff at the end

As mentioned in my last post, I can write the reader as any gender. But, I'll stick with neutral just because :3 though, the reader is gonna be shorter than her definitely. I don't think any of you guys are over 7'(if you are pls hmu)

You were, by nature, a pacifist. Which made living in Junkertown quite hard for you, almost bordering impossible. Everyone that could did take advantage of your kind and trusting nature.

You let in someone who said that they just needed to use the restroom and ended up kicking you out of your own shitty apartment.

This was how Odessa found you. You were teary eyed and embarrassed that you allowed yourself, once again, down on your luck because you were trying to be nice. Usually, Dez was used to seeing people being cruel. So, to see someone crying without being beaten before, was unusual. Emotion was often foreign in Junkertown, as it was a weakness. She found your unprovoked kindness unusual.

Odessa, though, understood the desire. She grew up around here. In a way, all those thieves were here community. However, she knew as good as anyone how cruel these people could be. She knew changing them was impossible. Therefore, she adapted to the environment that she was given.

You just wanted to change that environment.

When she asked you why you were crying, you weren't sure whether or not you should answer honestly. But, she was the queen and you feared further trouble. Therefore, you explained your situation to her.

At the end, she smiled and placed her hand on your shoulder.

"Hey, don't worry about them." She shrugged. "They're all boneheads. Come on, you can stay with me."

You tried to insist that it wasn't necessary. But she insisted. It got to a point where it would be disrespectful to not take her offer. Therefore, the plan was for you to stay a week. But a week became two and two became three.

Your relationship with Dez spiraled from there. She was a protective lover. She hated seeing you hurt, emotionally or physically. You gave her someone that could ground her. She knew that you wouldn't bring her anymore chaos or stress. Rather, someone to help her calm down.

And she found she recovered from nightmares better with you sleeping next to her. It reminded her that everything was, in fact, okay. Dez would just pull you a little closer, make sure you were breathing, and go back to bed.

However, your nature caused a lot of issues. You had issues with how Odessa handled things. Her hot-headed approach frustrated you and you often wished that she handled things more gently. She couldn't understand how you were able to have a passive view about everything. But luckily, it usually worked out for you two.

Usually.

Dez handled something quite abruptly. Once again, leading more with her temper than her thoughts. Though Dez would more kind than previous rulers of Junkertown, that didn't mean you approved of how she managed things.

You heard about it through some mutual friends. Another raid that Dez led instead of trying to reason with her adversaries first. It annoyed you. Dez noticed something was off with you as she was tinkering with something she found. You were sitting next to her on the couch, but you weren't watching her fiddle with the metal anymore. Rather, you were spaced out, thinking about Dez's actions.

"What's wrong with you? You look like you got some bad news or something." Odessa frowned. She really didn't like seeing you upset.

"It's nothing, Dez." Though, your tone said something completely different and she knew that.

"Don't try to lie to me. I know you too well." Odessa moved closer to you. She wanted to know so she could fight with whoever made you upset.

"I just hate how you manage things. I mean, can't you try to reason with people before going crazy? Does it always have to be violence, Dez?" You frowned. Your girlfriend was immediately quite defensive.

"Hey, I give them more than enough chances to apologize."

"That isn't reasoning. You have to try to see their perspective. Maybe you're wrong too. It's hard to tell until you try to talk to them." You insisted.

"You know as well as I do that isn't how it works around here." She crossed her arms.

"But why can't we change that?"

"You really think you are going to change the people out there?" Odessa stood up. She was getting frustrated with you. She only lived because she fought. She only got to where she was because she fought and was unforgiving about it.

"I would at least like to try!" You stood up too. The height difference between you two became apparent.

"You've been here so long. How don't you get it?" She was raising her voice at you, but not recognizing it.

"I don't wanna just accept that maybe some people are just bad." You explained, but she largely wasn't listening.

"Is that why you ended up kicked out of your own house? God, where do you think you'd be? You still think you'd be fine?" She sighed "You're being so fucking stupid!"

She wasn't making eye contact with you. Odessa didn't see you tear up. She only saw you turn around and leave. Her thinking wasn't clear, if it was, she would have gone after you.

You went to stay with someone that you and Dez both trusted. They listened to you ramble about your argument with Odessa. They sided with your girlfriend. They experienced the same life she did. They saw how much you struggled because of your nature.

But they still listened to you and understood where you were coming from, and they let you sleep in their small guest room for the night.

Dez went to bed angry. She thought you were being completely irrational. She told herself that she didn't care where you ended up. But, when she woke up from a nightmare, she panicked without you next to her.

She looked for you, she yelled your name. Dez couldn't rationalize with herself for a solid minute. Rather, was consumed with the worry that she lost you.

Once she calmed down, Dez sat back down on the bed. Her breathing was irregular, and her thoughts scattered. She ran a hand through her hair while she tried to figure out what to do.

She was angry at you. But she knew that there was a reason she loved your calm demeanor. She loved how calming you were especially in moments like this. She needed it. Most importantly, she had to know that she wasn't losing you.

Dez thought about where you would have ended up. She knew you well enough to know that you would have been too scared to venture too far. She also knew that you weren't bitter enough to try to fully move out.

She figured that you went to a friend's house. Odessa knocked one door after door before reaching the friend that you chose to stay with. Of course, she was immediately let in.

You weren't able to sleep that night. You kept thinking about your fight with Dez. You worried about if this was going to be the end. Thoughts like that made it impossible to sleep.

The Queen knocked on the spare bedroom door.

"Come in." You said just loud enough to be heard. She immediately opened the door.

"y/n, come on. Can you come home please?" You sat up. It was the most desperate that Dez ever sounded.

"Are you still mad at me?" Your voice was soft.

"Can you please just come?"

The walk home was silent. But she did watch over you. Luckily there weren't many people out at this time of night. If they were, they recognized the Queen from afar and tended to stay away. She was just centered on getting home.

She opened the door for you. You assumed that the rest of the night was going to be quiet too. But, as soon as she shut the door, she grabbed your arm.

"Babe, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be so rude to you." Odessa frowned. "I just was upset. I didn't think you were wanting to understand. I grew up where my personality means not getting taken advantage of. It means getting what you need and getting access to what you want." Dez shook her head "But I like how you are."

"It's okay, Dez. I wasn't being the nicest either."

"But you didn't call me stupid." She stepped forward, the height difference between you and her became apparent once more. "I like that you talk soft and always try to see the best in others. It's cute." Odessa shrugged. "But if I'm not the way I am, you are going to get hurt again. I just wanted you to get that this isn't me being mean. It's just the say it is.

There was a long pause before she spoke again. "Are you gonna be mad at me?"

You looked up at her. You realized you are likely the only person that the Junkerqueen Queen would ever apologize to.

"No. I understand that you didn't mean it, Dez." You smiled. Odessa put her arms around you and picked you up. She carried you like this back to your shared bedrooms. She slightly threw you onto the bed. But you both shared exhaustion.

She laid next to you and put her arms around you. You smiled, feeling better that you had the queen to protect you while you slept. She pulled you close to her. Odessa observed that you were breathing and that comforted her. She gave you a kiss on your jawline.

"I love you. Even when I don't show that the best."

#junkerqueen #junkerqueen x reader #overwatch #overwatch x reader #ow #ow x reader #odessa stone #odessa stone x reader

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pure-garbage · 3 months ago

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The Force Of The Sword Master's Haki! Curiosity And The Cats It Killed

An hour didn't manage to pass the pirates by in full while they raided Hawk-eye's kitchen. The most laborious part of the task was reaching it in the first place. The halls of the manor were enormous and eerily empty. Lana and Zoro's banter was easy and familiar despite the farewell looming over them. The only hint that something was different came in the urgency with which their hands remained locked together as he attempted to guide her through the palatial dwelling.

While they searched, they shared their tales of flight, landing and the weeks that followed. Their voices bounced off the walls, echoing back at them as if the house had taken a liking to its unoccupied state and rejected even the sounds of trespassers, as if it could ward them away with its lack of hospitality.

There was no point of the foraging mission at which the two were not completely, hopelessly lost, but Lana didn't mind for once. Aside from her pledge at Shakky's bar to trust Zoro regardless of how bad his sense of direction was, this time, she wasn't in a hurry to get to where they were going. The more time he spent meandering aimlessly like a handsome, hapless little mouse in a massive maze, the longer they delayed her impending departure.

Even so, the time came far too quickly for them to leave the kitchen with a stuffed pack. Their foraging ended at the doors of an imposing wardrobe.

"Whose clothes are these?" Lana asked, rustling through them with one hand.

"Hell if I know," Zoro shrugged. "Not Perona's, not Hawk-eye's, so I'd assume whoever used to live here must have left them behind. Go ahead and pick something. Hawk-eye wants to see you before you leave."

Only now did a trace of unease creep into Zoro's tone, a twinge of uncertainty flitting over his face. Lana suspected he was wondering the same thing she was, but she had to ask anyway.

"We've only just met, and so briefly. What could he want with me?" Lana frowned.

"I don't know."

Zoro avoided her inquisitive gaze, throwing himself into the task of flipping through garments. Whatever Hawk-eye's intentions, Zoro found himself wishing his master and lover hadn't crossed paths. He'd known nothing it the world could keep Lana from pursuing him, not while she had her vivre cards, and he was unspeakably glad to have seen her one more time. The knowledge that she was alive and well set a whispering little imp on his shoulder at ease, spared him it's incessant catastrophizing.

Still, a simple truth tainted his anticipation while he awaited her arrival. Now, dread blossomed into worry, an ill-tempered flower that loomed over his back and gnawed at his shoulder with dull, persistent teeth.

'Lana can take care of herself, it's true. But she's about to walk into a room with the only man in the world I can't protect her from if push comes to shove.'

The helplessness squirming in Zoro's gut had taken shape before he met Lana, long before he ever dreamed he might one day love her. The terrible scar from his first fateful duel with Hawk-eye ached, a permanent reminder of the unfathomable distance that still separated him from the man he now studied under.

'What the hell could he want with her?'

"Zoro."

A hand on his cheek pulled his gaze firmly to hers. She searched his outwardly impassive expression for a mere instant that laid his soul bare before her. She could read his dark eyes like an old book, some familiar classic whose pages she had committed to memory.

"I'll be fine," she assured him.

Zoro let himself sigh, leaned into her grounding touch and closed his eyes for a moment. He didn't trust Hawk-eye, but he had no choice when it came to his unwavering faith in Lana.

"I know," he allowed grudgingly.

"Now, what am I wearing?"

Suggestions passed back and forth, but the end result was a compromise. Zoro selected a white shirt with a single, fitted sleeve and a slight ruffle at the top hem. Lana chose a straight, draping skirt with slits as high as the thighs.

"Lovely," he sighed with a small smile.

As Lana braided and coiled her hair close to her head in an intricate bun, Zoro lingered at the door.

"I'll see you out front soon," she promised.

"It's a big place. Easy to get lost, so be careful," he told her in parting. Zoro left her with those words and the smile they brought to her face.

Apprehension tugged vexingly at the seams of Lana's composure as she stepped over the threshold of the room where Hawk-eye waited for her. It was a grand, imposing space with soaring ceilings and towering windows draped with what felt like miles of fabric, but Hawk-eye's presence made even such a magnificent setting feel claustrophobic. His aura was suffocating, a crushing force that closed around Lana like a wall of contracting steel.

She gulped, meeting his sharp gaze with all the courage she could muster. It was plain to see where his moniker came from. Lana felt like a field mouse caught in the gaze of a predator, cold-blooded and more powerful than she had any hope of comprehending.

"It's, uh... it's a nice castle you've got here," she managed. "Are you a lord or something? I don't mean to be rude, I'm just not sure if I should, like, bow or curtsy or whatever."

"No need. Why would one pirate bow their head to another?" Hawk-eye asked.

'Right, he's a warlord. I forgot.'

"Sit. Share some wine with me," Hawk-eye invited.

Lana didn't feel like making herself comfortable around this frightening man, but she couldn't bring herself to refuse. She did as he bade, sipping from the glass he offered her. His bright eyes appraised her with intent, single-minded focus that made her feel naked. The urge to hide jolted through her carried along by a rush of adrenaline, but she suppressed her instincts and held her ground. She set the wine down, afraid to spill it and betray the shaking hands she couldn't bring fully back under her control no matter how hard she tried. She gripped the cushion of the seat, burying her fingers in the plush velvet to hide their trembling.

"I appreciate the wine," she said, only the slightest ghost of a quiver revealing itself in her voice, "... but why am I here?"

Hawk-eye extended his hand in a way that was almost dainty, despite his terrifying, stoic demeanor.

"If you would be so kind, might I borrow your hand a moment?" he asked.

"You're not gonna cut it off, are you?" Lana asked, alarm shooting through her.

"If I wanted to cut it off, I would already have done so. Now, if you would..."

'I've never met such a scary guy in my entire life... not even Zoro's aura comes close to filling me with terror like this,' Lana observed, a trained, pragmatic corner of her mind still analyzing the situation as if from a great distance.

Lana complied with his request, fear gripping her as her skin met with his. He was shockingly warm, his palm nearly burning against hers.

"As for why I wanted to see you," he went on, "... I wanted a second look at you. Roronoa has never once used his haki in my line of sight, but I know you were using it during your fight with Perona."

Mihawk didn't consider himself a naturally curious man, but there were things about Roronoa Zoro and the straw hat pirates that piqued his interest. Irregularities and eccentricities that, when cast in the shadow of their impossible ambitions, made him want to know more.

Haki was a word Lana had never heard before in her life. The more time she spent in Hawk-eye's imposing presence, the more she realized she had a lot of questions as well.

___________________________________________________

<== Previous Chapter

Next Chapter ==>

== First Chapter ==

#one piece #fanfic #oc #roronoa zoro #sandbox adventures #pure garbage #zoro #dracule mihawk #hawkeye mihawk

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darkeraurora · 1 year ago

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Admissions - Chapter 8

Enjoy some NSFW :)

MNDI please

Status: ON GOING

Chapter 8 of ??

Ghost had been riled up for the past week nonstop. His temper unusually volatile, even to his team who had known him for years. Any attempt to engage him was met with a wrathful “fuck off,” assuming he said anything at all and his glare didn’t annihilate the other person on the spot.

He had buried himself in work and any free time he did have was spent either brooding on the roof or in the gym where he passed hours burning off his frustration. Eating only when his body demanded it and his sleep routine was completely fucked. Price told him to take the day off to “find that stick and get it out your arse, for fuck’s sake,” but that wasn’t going to fix anything. The stick could stay where it was for all he cared.

Ghost was miserably lonely.

His little one was gone. Sereza had left three weeks ago for a conference she had to attend. Something-Spine Care–something-something. Whatever it was, it kept her away from him and he hated it. Fucking responsibility. Did she have to be so good at her job?

Then weather delayed her return. So fuck that too.

She was supposed to have been back almost four days ago and he missed her. Really missed her. More than that even. His other half was gone and his soul felt her absence.

XXXXX

When did he end up in the hallway?

Simon’s body wandered wherever it wanted to, with him just along for the ride. He didn’t particularly care where he was or where he was off to. His little one wasn’t there so it didn’t matter. Nothing did. He did manage to overhear some chatter about movie night being tonight, which he was absolutely not in the mood for.

Deciding the solitude of their room was infinitely more preferable, Ghost made an abrupt right turn just in time to see the door to his room swinging closed. Rage beginning to boil the blood in his veins, Ghost’s long, irritated strides carried him the rest of the way. With the look of a vengeful god fully prepared to slaughter whoever was stupid enough to invade the space he shared with his little one, Ghost’s hand smacked the door open.

“Mi amor! You scared me!”

The sight of his love and the sound of her nervous giggle melted away all of his tension. Instantly his arms encircled his little one, holding her tightly to his huge frame. Head buried into the soft silk of her hair, filling his lungs with the hibiscus scent of her shampoo.

Sereza hugged him back just as fiercely.

Well, almost. Not exactly a match for Ghost’s strength. “S-Si… my love… I hate to complain but… you’re crushing me to death.”

Simon let go, dropping Sereza back onto her feet. The impact knocked a tiny noise out of her that had Ghost chuckling at her cuteness. “Fucking hell I missed you Love,” his rough voice ground out as she pulled off his mask so their mouths could finally reach each other again, “So, so fucking much.”

Unable to respond in the face of Simon’s dominating kiss and his bruising grip on her, Sereza ran her hands over every part of him she could reach. Through his hair, over scarred arms, across his wide chest to claw at his clothes as she pressed herself impossibly closer to him, feeling every taut muscle underneath. Humming into his mouth in satisfaction.

“Patients?” Ghost’s husky voice murmured, parting from her lips to kiss up to her temple.

“I have coverage for…hng, another hour…” Sereza responded, melting further into him with a deep sigh. “Hmm, Simonnn…”

At her breathy sigh of his name, Simon’s control snapped.

Seizing her delicious mouth again, Simon lifted her into his arms, making her squeak in surprise, and carried Sereza to their bed where he dumped her before dropping to his knees over her. The size of his hands accentuated as he gripped the back of her neck, forcing himself deeper into her mouth to steal the breath from her lungs. God he missed her taste. The small, amorous whine Ghost brought out of her fueled the fire of his constant need.

“You make the… sweetest sounds Love.” Simon’s mouth parted from her swollen lips over to the shell of her ear. The contact making Sereza gasp and arch under him. Simon growled low in his chest at the feeling.

Sereza felt as if she’d been kissed stupid. Every ounce of sense in her head gone at the feeling of Simon’s warm mouth on her skin and his overpowering presence. Craving more, she reached for his hand and brought it up to her chest until the palm fit over her breast, whining louder as he squeezed gently.

Holy fuck he was hard.

Simon sat up on his heels, jerking Sereza along with him by her wrists, and began frantically pulling off her shirt. Eyes captivated by her pale pink lace bra against the darker color of her olive skin. His thumbs grazed over dusky nipples visible through the lace. “Don’t need this anymore, right? Show me how to take it off Love," Ghost rumbled as he continued kissing her, "...before I cut this one off you too.”

Sereza shuddered at his intense stare and deep baritone voice. Quite convinced that he’d follow through on that threat. Fingers around his wrists, she pulled his hands to the clasp in the center between her breasts, brushing back up his hard forearms as he fiddled with the clasp until it snapped open. Sliding it off her shoulders and tossing it out into the room. Simon’s arm around her waist pulled her against him. Eagerly latching onto her, exploring the luscious curves of her chest with his tongue. Sereza’s head fell back as she moaned deeply at the attention Simon’s mouth lavished on her bare chest.

Fucking hell, Love.

“I wanna touch you too,” she pouted, doe-eyed and pink-cheeked, as Simon laid her back on the sheets. “Can I? Please?”

He visibly swallowed at her request. A slight tremor ran through Ghost’s body as his still-hard cock pulsed. As if he needed some reminding that it was still there and demanding attention.

Pushing aside his apprehension, he picked up her hand and placed a loving kiss on the inside of her wrist. “Go slow,” he whispered, the slightest bit of vulnerability coming through, before he tentatively pulled her hand forward to the bulge in his sweats.

Her palm made him throb even more. Simon had to bite on the inside of his cheek in both nervousness and pleasure. Fortunately Sereza seemed to have picked up on his emotions as she stayed perfectly still, giving him time. Honey-colored eyes absorbed by the sight of her hand on his crotch and the feeling of his cock moving underneath.

“Y-you feel… huge,” she breathed out, unknowingly calming Ghost’s nerves a little. “Are you good or do you want to stop?”

Ghost wasn’t exactly sure. It felt good – very fucking good – it was his mind that was getting in the way. It felt like his heart was going to break through his chest. He hadn’t allowed anyone else near… there. Not since–

His eyes snapped shut as he tried to keep those memories at bay. A cool hand on his neck followed by a tender kiss on his cheek helped ground him again. “We can stop if you're not okay Si, it's fine.”

“No.” Placing his hand over hers on his crotch, Ghost pushed her against his arousal more firmly. “You can… keep going.”

Sereza nodded and rubbed her palm over his clothed erection, causing Simon to groan deeply and his eyelids to become heavy. Tingles skittered up and down his spine as pressure built within his sac. She was only palming him over his pants yet her steady touch and rhythm were quickly undoing him.

Encouraged by Simon’s panting and the very subtle press of his hips back against her hand, Sereza rotated her hand and gripped around his cock as best she could through the fabric. “Ughh,” Simon’s deep voice rumbled in his heaving chest. He could feel precum leak from his tip as his pleasure spiraled. Sereza smiled and scooched a bit closer.

Her squeeze tightened…

Ghost nearly lost his mind.

Fuuuck… He pulled her hand away from him, kissing her deeply to reassure her when worry filled her eyes. Before he could allow himself to finish, Ghost felt driven to see to his love’s pleasure first. Simon lowered himself over her, one arm sliding under her shoulders and his other gently pinching her dusky peaks. Making her tremble for more of his touch. Ghost relished the small cries and moans and wondered what other sounds he could coax from her.

Rough fingers brushed from her breasts down her lithe stomach, past her navel, to toy with the waistband of her leggings, pausing to allow her time to stop him if she wanted. He appreciated that he wouldn’t have to argue with a drawstring like her scrubs had. He surmised these were probably more comfortable for the long flight.

When Sereza gave no signal that she wished for him to stop, and keeping his eyes on her expression just in case, Ghost’s hand slid into the soft material of her leggings, creeping further down until he felt lace against his fingertips. The heat from her noticeable already. He paused, “Should I stop?” Simon whispered, wanting her full consent before venturing any further.

Sereza shook her head before she craned her neck back to reach Simon’s lips for a kiss. While she was distracted Ghost’s fingers slipped beneath the lace, past small curls until he reached the wet, silken skin of her slit. His touch making Sereza outright purr at the feeling. Legs opening to give him more access.

Simon’s pulse raced as his fingers slid over her wet heat. “So wet already, Love?” he smirked, circling his thumb over the sensitive bundle of nerves while his middle finger ran up and down her folds.

“Your… fucking… fault! Ugh!”

Ghost chuckled at her answer, happy to take the blame. His tongue licked up the column of her neck before coming to a stop when he found her pulse, sucking at the tender skin. He eased his middle finger past the swollen folds into her entrance, making Sereza squeal and her pelvis rock against Simon’s hard palm.

Pausing to give his love time to adjust to the new sensation of something being inside of her, and careful to not go in too far, Simon took a moment to focus on the tight, wet walls gripping onto him that no other man before him had touched. “I love you Sereza,” he mumbled against her throat before he began leisurely sliding his finger in and out of her. His thumb alternated between fast and painfully slow circles as she became more and more malleable in his hands. Her hips rose to meet his finger every time it dipped into her slick.

Simon added another finger.

His little one threw her head back into the pillow and bit onto the side of her hand to quiet her sounds.

That wouldn’t do. Ghost nudged her toward his face and covered her mouth with his own, taking in all of her sounds though their kiss, as he increased the pace of his fingers inside her. She was close. He could feel her legs trembling, her core becoming hotter and – somehow – even more drenched.

As his plunging fingers squelched inside of her, he found a small spot that felt different from the smooth walls. Above and slightly behind her entrance. Almost… spongy? Curious, Simon curled his fingers up to it and pressed.

Sereza’s entire body arched off the mattress and Ghost had to quickly clamp his free hand over her mouth to muffle her scream before it drew someone’s attention. Those small, slender hands latched onto his forearms with impressive strength. Far more than he would have thought a tiny thing like Sereza was capable of, the force of her grip turning her fingertips white. Ghost continued to toy with her, undisguised lust in his eyes as he watched her writhe through her orgasm. Utterly mesmerized by the slick heat gripping his fingers and her little incoherent noises. Only slowly withdrawing his fingers from her when she began to push him away.

Fucking beautiful.

His hand that had silenced her screams brushed over her face, smoothing back strands of her hair as Simon kissed her cheek. It took a moment before Sereza was able to respond to him and return his amorous kiss.

He brought his fingers, still slick with her juices, to his lips and licked them clean, groaning as the taste of her hit his tongue. Delicious.

A small hand on his neck drew his eyes back down to her. “Your turn?” she breathed.

“It’s alright Love, you don’t have to.” Simon ran his palm down the length of her pleasured body, from her neck all the way down to her knee. Seeing her like this, and knowing he was responsible for it, was satisfying enough for him.

“I’d like to if you’ll let me,” Sereza carefully pushed.

Ghost swept his hands over her body again, caressing her naked breasts and lightly thumbing hardened nipples as he thought. It was proving immensely difficult to reject an offer of something he craved, but his fear of scaring her away was practically eating him alive. Emotions and feelings warring with the memories of profanities and slanders heaped upon him as a child by his father.

After he was -- well, then it just became something that made him want to vomit anytime he thought about another person seeing or touching him.

“Si,” Her soft voice drew him away from unpleasant memories. “You’re allowed to have needs and desires, mi amor. I can tell that you’ve been… needing… for a while now. Whether it’s right now or another time, know that you deserve and are allowed to get those needs met. But just as importantly, you're also allowed to say no. It won't change anything if you do.”

He winced a bit as his cock throbbed painfully. She was right, he did need. Severely. His entire body felt like it was on fire. Ghost just wished so much that he had the ability to take her and love her as a normal man would. Maybe… maybe if she didn’t see him? Maybe that would work? He could feel his cock leaking and his sac move. Demanding he do something.

Fuck he needed the release.

“I love you. Hope you know that,” Simon murmured against her temple with a kiss. A sort of apology for what he was about to do, hoping it wasn't going to be too much to her. His calloused fingers entwined with her slender ones as he tenderly kissed along her cheekbone and down toward her lips, communicating without words how much he appreciated her understanding and patience. “Close your eyes for me, Love,” he rumbled huskily before he firmly covered her eyes with his hand.

With his free hand, Ghost pulled the waist of his sweats and boxers down enough for his cock to spring free. Fucking hell, he was shaking. Both with anxiety and with unbearable need.

He guided Sereza’s hand toward him until the pads of her fingers met the head of his cock. Ghost grit his teeth at the stimulation. As soon as she felt his hard flesh, Simon let go of her wrist and allowed her time to examine him.

Dainty fingers traced over the head, feeling the hot skin, her pace intentionally slow and delicate. Moving down the wide length of him. Feeling the veins bulge under her fingertips. Coming back up again to press against his frenulum with her thumb before wrapping her hand around his girth as much as she could. Ghost’s entire body jerked at the sensations she was giving him. Gasping for air and deep growls thrumming throughout his chest. His eyes almost rolled back in his head when her small fist closed around him.

Ghost groaned deeply. It was all he could do to keep from coming right then.

“Agh, a little… tighter…” He covered her hand with his and squeezed, teaching her what he liked.

Keeping the firm pressure he showed her, Sereza’s hand began moving. "God, yes." Ghost’s cock twitched, clear fluid pouring out of his slit onto her smooth stomach. Perfect lubrication. His hips began to buck as his sac tightened and the heat within him increased to sweltering levels.

He began lightly thrusting, dragging his cock faster through Sereza’s hand. “Ahh, don’t… don't stop Love,” his gravelly voice unrecognizably deep, the sound of it making Sereza lightly bite on her lower lip.

“Fuck,” Ghost snarled, panting and hissing thru his teeth, “I’m– uughh… I’m close…”

Sereza moaned at his sounds but obediently kept her eyes closed under his palm, feeling him quickly straddle further up her hips. Ghost’s fist encased her smaller hand within his, sliding them both rapidly up and down his cock, showing her the speed he needed.

The touch on his cock, her little noises, and naked breasts below him, plus the torment of months’ worth of erotic dreams ...

It all made quick work of him.

“Nnghh, ugh… I’m gon- cum-,” he gasped out a split second before his orgasm knocked the life out of him. A shot of fire zinged down his spine and through the length of his cock as his orgasm hit him hard. Searing heat coursing through him. The sheer force of it momentarily rendering him blind. Hips jerking his cock through her fist as he rode out his euphoria. His seed, hot and thick, coated the olive skin of her stomach, breasts, and throat.

Fascinated by seeing his seed on her skin, the contrasting olive tone and creamy white, Simon ran his thumb across some on her nipple, making her gasp.

Touching it to her plump lips. “Ohhh fuck, Love…” Ghost wheezed as Sereza slowly sucked his thumb into her mouth, licking it clean of his seed.

XXXXX

Late that night, after both had showered and Sereza had seen to her patients, Ghost relaxed in bed.

His little one was back beside him and cuddled flush against him. His left hand stroked along her forearm resting on his chest while his other arm curled around behind her, right hand resting on her hip. Every curve of hers molded perfectly to every hard plane of him.

All was right in his world. Finally.

His mind had never felt more calm and clear than it did now. Fucking hell she had felt incredible earlier, even if it was her first time and they had only been touching. He’d only fucked her fist yet it was the most phenomenal orgasm he’d had. Ever.

Sereza tugged at his shirt to get his attention. “Simon, mi amor,” she tilted her head up to see him with a contented sigh, her expression sleepy, “maybe I should go to conferences more often if I’m going to come back to that.”

Simon’s chuckle jostled her sleepy body. “Don’t you dare Love. You’re not leaving again for a long time.” He smoothed her hair down and kissed the crown of her head. “I liked it too.” He whispered.

“I’d been wanting to tell you for a while now that when you… need, it’s alright to ask. If you’re okay with it of course. I don’t mean right away, necessarily… just so you know. Okay?”

Oh he was okay with it. With the idea, sure.

What he wasn’t okay with was the possibility of scaring – or worse, hurting – his girlfriend by either rushing into sex too quickly or with what she would find underneath his clothes.

Simon mentally chastised himself for the double standard. He couldn’t wait to see what the rest of her looked like under her clothes – especially now that he had felt her between her legs – yet when it came time for him to do the same, to return the favor he supposed, Ghost just couldn’t bring himself to.

She deserved to know how much he desired her. And fuck he was trying, but the scars from his past continued to hold him prisoner. Not allowing him to fully live.

“I promise I’ll think about it.” Ghost kissed her forehead before resting his own against her.

The silence filled their room. Simon had begun to think his little one had fallen asleep.

“Simon?” Sereza’s normally confident tone sounded unsure. “Um… I have an idea that might help make this a little easier. Help you feel slightly less – exposed. Not sure what you’ll think about it though.”

“What’ve you got?” He asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Uh… do you have a bandana or… something?” Her cheeks suffused with light crimson.

Ghost was a little perplexed. “Somewhere yeah, I think so-” His eyes went wide as he caught on.

“…oh.”

“I’m willing to… if it will make things easier for you.”

Such sweet concern touched his heart. And that probably would feel better to her than his hand covering half her face. “Are you sure? You’re really okay with that?”

“I’m okay with you doing it.”

“You’re sure?” Ghost stressed. “You don’t have to do anything you aren’t completely comfortable with just to make this easier on me. You’re what I’m concerned about.” He had to know beyond any doubt that she wasn’t forcing herself into something she wasn’t ready for just for him.

Sereza squeezed his hand. “I’m sure, Si. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Because, well- because,” fuck, please don’t be mad, “You’re a… virgin, aren’t you?”

“That is true but remember I’m also a doctor, sooo… I’m kinda already familiar with how sex works. And everything that you have I've also already seen a lot of.” She explained a bit sardonically. “But what matters to me, mi amor, is you. The state of you earlier, you were practically shaking like a leaf. I could tell even before I left that it was getting to you. So, if you need…,” she paused as her eyes darted around for the right word, “special attention … that badly, you can ask.”

Ghost was momentarily dumbstruck at her offer. The amount of trust she was showing she had in him was mind-blowing. Sereza was willing to let him take away her sense of sight, to put herself in his hands at her most vulnerable, all to put him more at ease because she cared about him and wanted him to feel safe.

“Pick a safe word.” He demanded.

Initially Sereza tried to argue that she didn’t feel she needed a safe word since she trusted Ghost implicitly, but he wouldn’t hear of it. Her comfort as well as her pleasure during sex would be his indisputable top priority, and Ghost couldn’t stomach the idea of Sereza being traumatized by anything he did with her. Having a safe word was a non-negotiable requirement for him.

Sereza relented easily once Simon explained his reasoning. Her safe word would be…

“Gummy bears?!” he chuckled, “How did you come up with gummy bears?”

“I was thinking of you!” Sereza whined at his teasing. “You shared your gummy bears with me, remember? During movie night right after you guys got here?”

“I remember you fell asleep on me during the movie.”

Sereza pouted at him. “You’re mean. I'd had a long day.”

“And you’re cute,” Ghost retorted as he continued to laugh softly.

“I don’t like you anymore.”

The Brit kissed her with every ounce of passion he had in him. He looked down into her dazed eyes with a smirk. “Still don’t?”

“…I forgot what we were fighting about.”

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subdued-moderation · 2 years ago

Note

✈️

Ask Meme - Personal Stories ✈️ - Flying

"I'm not a...Big fan. Of flying. Not scared of it. Just prefer my feet on the ground.

"But I have piloted. A few times in the 1900s. Once or twice in the past two decades. All of them small planes. Nothing like an airliner.

"Most of them were only for travel or to chase. But there was..."

Temperance clears their throat, needing a moment to prepare themselves for the tale.

"It was...I forget the year. Was within the past few decades. When military aviation was approaching current modern advancements but not quite there yet.

"A Vice, in mortal disguise, had risen to a position in power in...One of the human militaries. They were weak but very charismatic and cunning.

"The plan was essentially cutting the head off the snake before it could cause problems. With the kind of technology for war the humans manage to cook up...The results could be devastating.

"I was sent to infiltrate the base they were stationed at. Solo. As is usual.

"All I had to do was assassinate them. The literal cutting the head off a snake.

"However, there were...Unforeseen complications. They were alerted to my presence. So was the base.

"I only cut down whoever was directly between me and them, avoiding lethal injuries if I could. But thats not always possible, even with my restraint.

"I can only imagine how they tried to report a large man in armor suddenly appearing and tearing through their ranks...

"...The Vice reached a fighter jet while I was occupied, presumably in an attempt to escape. I was hot on their tail, however.

"Quickly realizing I wouldn't make it, I boarded one of the other fighters, destroying any others I could as I passed.

"Oil is hard for me to move but guiding a spill and setting it alight does wonders to keep mortals at bay.

"Managing to take flight in the fighter, I chased the Vice in the air.

"I'm not sure if they planned it or not, I was at a disadvantage in the air. Especially cooped up in a flying hunk of metal. And clear, blue skies at that.

"But they turned their fighter around. To fire at me in mine.

"A dogfight is what they wanted. Probably irony in that. As...Well.

"Anyway, air-to-air combat is not something i'm trained in. But I veered to dodge, what counts as my heart pounding in my chest.

"I had no backup plan if I got shot down. While I would certainly survive, it would mean my mission would fail, and my reputation as the Tempered Blade would falter...

"And if that were to happen..."

Temperance trails off, staring down towards the ground. He's silent for a good minute, before taking a breath and continuing.

"I once heard someone compared dogfighting to the modern day version of jousting...

"And as our planes danced in the air that day...I think I could see what they meant.

"It was...Intense. I might have enjoyed it, if I didn't have the mission to worry about.

"...I struggled. Greatly. I would certainly lose if things kept going the way they were.

"So I had to take a chance.

"As we turned toward eachother for a final joust, I aimed my vehicle. I tore open the cockpit. I rose, took position...

"Then as they flew past...

"I swung. Their plane was sliced into two, front to back.

"The Vice included. Mission complete.

"After that, I merely allowed myself to fall.

"I blacked out...And merely reawoke later.

"The end."

#ask #Anonymous #ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴇᴍᴘᴇʀᴇᴅ ʙʟᴀᴅᴇ [Main Verse]#[IC: Temperance]#ask meme

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voidselfshipp · 4 months ago

Text

Enamorado Tuyo

Cw: bi-han being awful as always.

Summary: Smoke scapes a boring meeting to yearn for jerico under her Window.

A/n: song is "Enamorado Tuyo" by El Cuarteto de Nos. I heard this song by this Argentine band and I had to use it.

Smoke has never fell in love before.

He had his crushes, specially when he was young. But the Lin Kuei left little time for anything but training and protecting of Earthrealm.

Not like Bi-Han appreciated the few times his brother scurried off to try and pursue someone...

But this...

He couldnt fight this

A scold and a harsh look and maybe a reprimand from Bi-Han didnt temper his yearning for one particular geomancer...

The look on his oldest brother's face was priceless,every time they went to consult with Liu Kang he would sneak off unnoticed as he was trained to be. The lin kuei grandmaster would be annoyed and surprised his sibling managed to scurry off like that,he defenetly underestimated him- but he would never admit that.

In ocassions Like these is when Tomas sits underneath the Window that Jerico's room has. He has his legs up to his chest,elbows resting on his knees and his head hangs low with saddened yearn for the geomancer.

Have you ever met someone who is just...full of life? Someone who just enjoys the world laid before them? Thats Jerico,she laughed loudly,she danced the night away, they werent afraid of making a fool out of herself.

A big smile on her lips,she had fun,she wasnt afraid to speak her mind even if the person on the receiving end gets bitter about it (Like Bi-Han). She would go from cursing Someone up and down to then just turn and give you the biggest grin.

He still remembers their first meeting,Bi-Han tried to boss Jerico around seeing as she was being.."loud" by his standards.

She Turned,looked him up and down and began just laying it on him. Liu Kang seemed so amused before he broke up the brewing fight.

Tomas has never seen anyone mouth his brother like that,he is a scary guy but she did not care. If it wasnt for his mask,she wouldve seen his agape mouth that day.

Now he sits under their window,holding a branch of Jasmine in his hands as he listens to the Song that loudly play above.

Jerico existed loudly

Out there for whoever May please to see,unapologetically,shamelessly.

Whilst he was taught to live life hiding,unseen,unnoticed. He was a ninja,he was silent,deadly,he imposed respect and he could dissapear in the blink of an eye. He blended in, he could be there one moment and be gone the Next.

Perhaps thats why hes unable to just go and talk to her. Yes,theyve spoken small talk- but by this point he wants to just show up and ask her out already, theyve known eachother for months now since shes been training in the Wu Shi academy.

He sees the golden shine above,filtering through the blinds from her room. He sees the vines growing from the windowsill down the wall to the ground, sunflowers Bloom from the stems and he realizes now that shes feeling happy.

Jerico bloomed with her feelings,quite literally- She grew the flowers that represented the feelings within her.

Once, he saw her Bloom a Rose when he passed by- but he isnt sure if it was a Rose or not. (It was,but he's in denial).

She bent the earth to her Will,and he simply became smoke,hid in the mist- Its all so painfully fitting. Like dandelions growing on the cracked pavement,Jerico existed even when she wasnt wanted to...

And to really drive the point home,the song that comes on is on spanish, and hes completely lost on what it means. But she isnt,she sings along and the meaning is crystal clear to her.

"Y si te parece que yo estoy enamorado tuyo

Eso es un invento, intuyo, no des crédito a murmullos

Porque casi nunca llamo para decir que te amo

Y más de una vez lo hice a un numero equivocado

Casi nunca nadie dice que yo estoy enamorado tuyo"

Her voice is sweeter than heavens choir, lovelier than the morning song of birds. The rumbling of their voice travels through the vines on the wall and the ground like theyre cables for sound.

Tomas revels in the Beauty of the singing,he brings the Jasmine closer to his chest and smells It. He knew of the language of flowers,he knew what they meant- And jasmine,a plant popularly grown on the academy,meant "hidden love"

Finding the irony quite bitterly funny, he broke off a branch and held it as a symbol of his inner battle.

Not a day went by where he doesnt wander into his mindscape thinking of her,the pull and tug towards her was so strong that it burnt In his chest. It hurts,he hisses at the pain and puts a hand to his chest.

Be still his beating heart,people could die of heartbreak after all.

"Raramente desespero por tenerte aquí a mi lado

Y eso no significa que tenga un significado

Si pensás que amor yo siento, por favor no hagas pamento

No comentes con tu gente, sobre nuestro asunto

Casi nunca nadie dice que yo estoy enamorado tuyo"

He feels like such a coward,he could fight,he could defend,he could beat a Group of guys with only a Knife to his name or no Knife at all. He spent his life training,facing danger

But rejection? Oh,it would kill him.

Tonight these feelings would eat him alive,and he'd simply sit under the moonlight,breathe in the cold mountain air and simply suffer In silence while his beloved shone with warmth he could never grasp for hes frozen in fear of unrequited love.

He felt like she deserved better,not because he was a bad Man,but because he has always felt less than his siblings- than anyone.

Bi-Han has made it clear multiple times that he'd never be Lin Kuei.

And though he shouldnt listen to the bitter old git,theres only so Many times you can be told something without ending up believing it

Frozen,scared and yearning there with the evening's Cool breeze of mountain air, the scent of jasmine lingering in his senses with the vines slowly inching to his armor.

"No te vistas, no te hagas la nunca vista

Tengo en lista a cantarte un "hasta la vista"

No te vistas, no te hagas la nunca vista

Tengo lista una canción que dice "hasta la vista, señorita" "

He wondered what they were doing up this late? Playing games? Drawing? Maybe re-arranging their room in a fit of boredom? Lord knows hes done that last one before.

What he'd give to see her,their smile,that glint in their eyes. They had a normal life,a life he'd kill to experience with them.

But for that he had to actually go and talk .

And that wasnt happening any time soon...

"Casi nunca veo la foto tuya en mi celular

Sigue ahí por la pereza que me da apretar "borrar"

No estoy tan obsesionado, vale como aclaración

Si pensás que es por eso que yo canto esta canción

Casi nunca nadie dice que yo estoy enamorado tuyo"

If she was to ask,his lingering gazes,his shy smiles,they meant nothing more than friendshipp and politeness.

But what a fool he was to deny them the truth.

"No te vistas, no te hagas la nunca vista

Tengo en lista a cantarte un "hasta la vista"

No te vistas, no te hagas la nunca vista

Tengo lista una canción que dice "hasta la vista, señorita" "

Thankfully,nobody was told on him yet- Bi-Han couldnt care less and Kuai Liang respected his desicion.

And as the windows swung Open,he quickly stood up and hugged the wall last thing he needed is to be found out by his own stupidty. Thankfully, he was well hidden from view by the overhang above. Thank the elder gods , he thought.

Dust falls from above and he cant help but chuckle. Yep,cleaning spree it is.

"Y si te parece que yo estoy enamorado tuyo

Eso es un invento, intuyo, no des crédito a murmullos

Porque casi nunca llamo para decir que te amo

Y más de una vez lo hice a un numero equivocado

Casi nunca nadie dice que yo estoy enamorado tuyo"

And as love often does,it makes Tomas do something irrational. He climbs up the wall,away from the Window and simply watch hidden from view.

She's wearing short short,a t-shirt croptop and theyre swaying their hips to the song and putting trash in a bag. He loves how messy she is,he could never Get away with it in the Lin Kuei temple.

Her desk is covered in things,her bed unmade and her room has posters and Many memento-filled shelves. He wishes he could enter and see it properly and not from this skewed angle.

Tomas tries to engrain her form into his mind,god knows how long itll be until he finally sees them (properly) again.

"No te vistas, no te hagas la nunca vista

Tengo en lista a cantarte un "hasta la vista"

No te vistas, no te hagas la nunca vista

Tengo lista una canción que dice "hasta la vista, señorita" "

When she goes to take out the trash bag,he goes down to sit back under the overhang and stares at the ground with a sad smile.

--Ahem...--Came the voice of Lord Liu Kang.

The lin kuei stands up suddenly,rigid and spooked--Lord Liu Kang!--He greeted with a bow.

Liu kang chuckled--Dont fret, Tomas. I was simply looking for you,your siblings are begging to leave.

His face goes a little red--Apologies,perhaps I should get goin-

--Be careful,Lest Jerico sees you

He stops,just in time too as Jerico pokes her head out from the Window--What are you doing here?--She asked towards the god,who was not under the cover of the overhang.

--Taking a stroll to clear my mind,the Lin Kuei left

--Aw,bummer..--Jer answered,resting her face on their hand--Wanted to say Hi to Tomas.

--He sends his regards--Liu kang smirks towards the ninja who is bright red.

--He does?--she sounds so happy...--Thats nice! Shame I couldnt see him...hes always a sight for sore eyes..

The god tries not to laugh,but he does smile--Im sure he isnt without his charms

A lovesick giggle leaves her--Hah! Yeah. Well thats one way to put it, hes gorgeous but anyway I wont bore you with my rambling. I need to take out the trash first,and find my damn headphones before that...

Jerico ducks back into their room and Liu Kang turns to smoke--I believe its about time you ask her out

--I...I know of no way to do so without being a coward...

--A cowardly method is still an option,pursuits of any kind can be scary--The god said with a reassuring tone to his voice. --I dont think she'll mind, and its better not to run yourself into the ground for being human

--I should be able to..

--"should" is a you ought to clear from your tongue. It only puts unnecesary pressure,my Friend. Ask them out in any way you can,It'll work regardless

He nodded,not one to argue with a god. But he does have one more question to ask him--What...what was the song she was listening to? What...what was it about?

And god,The smug grin on Liu Kangs face terrifies him--Its about a Man who is too scared to admit to himself he is in love with a woman

Thats all Tomas needed to hear to up and leave with a polite goodbye,he speed walks and keeps to the shadows with his face bright red.

Liu Kang Snickers to himself and leaves the young Man be,how amusing it is to watch the world unfold.

-♡-

With the gods words in his mind,Tomas is unaware of the path hes walking as he leaves for the entrance. The only thing that pulls him from his train of thought is the sudden smack against his chest, he grabs the biceps of whoever he stumbled upon and his face drains of color.

Green eyes,gold And brown hair and pale skin of porcelain.

Oh god...

--Tomas!--Jerico squealed,so viscerally happy that hes here--Thought you left?

He shrugged--My brothers were in a hurry to leave,I wasnt.

She smiled and hugged him--I was hoping to see you--The sincerity in her voice makes him falter, the hug makes his heart flutter.

--You..you were?--He hugged back whilst trying not to sound so obviously surprised,and failing miserably.

--Yeah! I wanted to see you. I...I missed you

Okay yeah he was in love there was no denying it.

He smiles too,tightening his grip around them--I missed you too

She grins against his clothes and she pulls away--Im sure you have places to go and.. --Jerico tripped over their words as his palms pressed Gently against her Lower back. His warmth seepes into them and his rough leather gloves brush against their skin.

--Im in no rush--Tomas re-assured,offering them a gentle look-- how have you been keeping?

--Alright,training's got a lot easier now. At least I dont feel like ive been ran over..--They half joked--You?

--Much the same,training--He admitted--but its good to see you.--He makes a short pause,it was now or never--if I May ask,when are you fre-

--Tomas!--Barked the voice of Bi-Han--Make haste! We've been waiting...

Jerico Turned to glare at the Man clad in blue and then Turned back to the silver haired boy--ugh,not this guy again..--She pulls back, hug broken--I dont want to argue with him, ill take my leave now

"No...no dont leave now that I was so close...damnit Bi-Han!" He thought,utterly panicked. He tried to spurt out the rest of his sentence but he felt so,so nervous.

--Take care,Tomas--She stood on the tip of her toes and kissed his cheek,close to his lips--Ill be seeing you

Jerico leaves,steps calm as she puts on their headphones,Rendering her deaf to the world outside of their music.

--I swear, Tomas!--yelled Bi-Han--Snap out of it!

Fuming,the youngest of the siblings begins to walk towards his eldest brother and shoulderchecks him on the way out for good measure.

He isnt one to lash out,to be violent towards his brothers but...

--Its that damn woman--the grandmaster spat out with venom--Didnt I tell you to put her out of your mind?

--Its not that easy...--He growled under his breath,anger dangerously laced in his voice.

--She is a civilian,loud and with no respect. Dont waste your time on-

Tomas turns and grabs his brother by the neck of his clothes,a fire in his gaze that could rival Kuai Liang's. He narrows his eyes towards the eldest and with his voice wavering from rage he says:

--Dont you dare finish that sentence. --His grip tightens--Dont speak about them like that

--Or what,you'll strike your grandmaster?

He scoffed with bitter anger--No. Ill break my brother's nose

Gripping the clothes of Bi-han,he Shoves Him away. A glare is shot towards the grandmaster before he begins to walk off to the exist, with his head low and fists balled up.

Love does make people feral and unreasonable,but for Tomas it makes him scary.

And though filled with rage,he does write a letter to his beloved crush asking them out. Perhaps cowardice was the way to go after all,all he wanted was to find a method that Bi-Han couldnt ruin or meddle in.

He was going to get his lover one way or another.

#tomas tag #mk s/i

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lovely-lacy-hybrid · 5 months ago

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Come home, little wolf || Luci and Lacy

Lacy hugged herself as she walked. She didn't know how far she had gone but she did know the sun had set and was about to rise again. She could feel the air around her heating up.

She had grown too tired for vampire speed some time ago, so she just started walking. The land had become more flat and a little more grassy and hot so she was pretty sure she was in Texas, or pretty close to it. Texas was huge and completely different from any terrain she had ever lived in. Who was she kidding, she had only ever remembered living in Wayward.

She didn't stop, even as her legs ached with the extra weight she carried. When she was able, she walked in the little streams to cool down her feet and ease some of the stress on her ankles.

The doctor has warned them, the baby would get heavy. With normal pregnancies the baby slowly grew so the mother could acclimate. If Lacy has been human, her muscles would have given up already.

She kept walking, trying not to think about the strange baby in her belly, or the fact that she was a single mother to it now, or the fact that it could keep growing as it was once born and she would have to keep it away from humans if so.

She tried not to think about how it was possibly a hybrid and that she would have to train it, even though she had such little experience herself. She had such a temper and couldn't stay out of her wolf form to save her own life.

She had stayed out of wolf form to save the baby though. She hoped her love would be enough.

How was she going to educate the baby? She had a GED and was starting college but she didn't even know where to start to teach them.

Baeu or Kori. Whoever they were inside her, she grieved the life they could have had if it hadn't been for that beautiful angel with the golden curls. Cassius would have been an amazing, loving, and protective father. He had once been loving and protective of her.

Her hair started to stand on end, her wolf had caught a familiar scent but it had been so faint she couldn't place it, but it caused a chill to run down her spine.

She tilted her head, alerting to a sound so minute she almost didn't believe it was an actual sound.

She tenses to run but somehow faster than she could move, Lucifer had her pinned to a tree by the throat. She dug her nails in his hand and wrist trying to pry him loose.

He grinned in her face as she started to see stars. Why was she so damn weak!? Hadn't she done everything to become stronger, the same as Aaron and Cassius? Hadn't she become exactly what they were? The archangels had no power over them other than the power they seduced them with. Cassius was probably the strongest being on the mortal plane.

Her vision was going black.

He loosened his grip and she sucked air in, choking on it but unable to move.

"You've got to come home, little wolf." He whispered, pressing his cheek to the side of her head in an almost affectionate way.

"I won't." She managed.

Lucifer threw her so hard and so far that when she landed it scraped her firearms and shins. She got up but he was on her again and this time he lifted her up and started punching her in the face.

"When... You force me to go back... And Cassius..." He hit her again and she spit blood,"When Cassius sees me, who will you blame? He has Alexander."

"see, I'm not going to force you home this time. I'm not going to teleport you back and throw you at his feet." He punched her in the chest causing her to stumble back and fall to the ground gasping.

"What are you going to do?" She sobbed, one hand on her chest, one on her stomach.

Lucifer knelt down and caressed her bloody face.

"If you refuse... I'm simply going to kill you." He said with a shrug as Lacy's body went cold. He meant it.

"You going to tell Cassius it was an accident? That you beat me and I accidentally died? He will see what you did to my body." She snarled, "What you did to his baby. "

"No he won't. I'll kill you and throw your body into the ocean over in India. He won't find you. I'll tell him I lost your trail somewhere in the Rockies up near Alaska. You used to live in Alaska, right?" He pushed her over and crawled on top of her as she panicked and tried to squirm away.

"Don't kill my baby!" She screamed. No one had seemed this dead set on her death until now. Lucifer had done it before. She remembered now. Him whispering to her after Brigh broke her neck. Him sending her to purgatory, him messing with her hybrid nature.

"I'm not going to... If you come home. " He leaned down into her face.

She nodded quickly, agreeing as she lay in the dirt and sticks.

"One more thing." He started to pull her shorts down and she panicked, trying to crawl backwards away from him. He grabbed her hips and slid her back to himself, growling in her face. She started to sob and shake her head as he pulled her shorts and under where down as far as he needed.

"Why!? Why are you doing this!?" She screamed.

"Well, usually it's just to get off and to make you and all the others feel me inside you. To make you think of me every time you make love or someone touches you the ways I touch you. Control, in a way." He pulled himself free of his jeans and started to rub against her to work himself up.

"Not..." She screeched but forced herself to look at his face as she spoke through her teeth,"It's not that this time?"

"nope." He entered her so slowly as she squirmed.

"Why, WHY!?"she tried to pull away and get him out of her.

"Because my dick has special abilities. I've been trying some tricks the past few times but with Cassius out of the way you're just getting me." He laughed.

He started to scream and he grabbed her by the throat, cutting off her blood supply to her head again, slowly pumping his hips.

"See, when I fuck a pregnant woman it can do many things. It can... Change the parentage of the child, making them mine, it can form a whole second baby, or it kills the baby in a way that looks completely natural." He started to grunt lightly with the effort.

She scratched his face and he slapped her hard, rolling over so she was in his lap. He held her hips still and still held her throat.

"Cassius was feet away last time. Feet away and he didn't believe I had done it." He started up a quick pace.,"You only came once, he came three times." He laughed.

She started to feel dizzy again but she knew if she fought any harder he would just kill her. Her vision started to go dark again.

He didn't release his hold on her throat until he came, keeping himself deep inside her so that she was forced to take all of his cum.

He tossed her aside again and waved a hand to redress her.

She shuddered as if cold, her body trying to heal the many different wounds he inflicted.

He leaned over her and healed the scrapes and where he had bloodied her face.

He slowly gripped her throat again, though not tightly this time, as he got close to her face,"I'm leaving this here to remind you of me. I think I'll just keep making it every time it starts to fade."

He appeared in the infirmary with her barely coherent.

#come home little wolf #luci #pretty graphic

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thirstworldproblemss · 4 years ago

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Fic: It’s All About What You Want, p1

Fandom: The Mandalorian Pairing: Din x F!Reader (no Y/N) Length: 11,131 words in part 1, ~21k total Rating: Mature (Explicit in part 2) Summary: Omega!Reader starts to feel differently about her Alpha employer, Mando, during a stopover on a planet with an unusual social hierarchy. [Set between seasons 1 & 2]

Warnings: A/B/O fic; this part contains scent-marking, confusion, implied f masturbation, and lots of UST; author doesn’t know how plots work [Part 2 has a drugged drink and the alpha/omega heat sex (p-in-v sex + knotting)]

Notes: This is my extremely belated Secret Santa fic for @lark-cale who has been absolutely the best possible sport about my extended tardiness, and also wrote this absolutely lovely Marcus Pike fic for me. Here you (finally) go, love. Thank you for your patience! I hope it you like it.

I also owe so many thank yous to @keeper0fthestars who repeatedly listened to me rant, talked me down, and picked me back up when I was ready to quit (and also read all 20k pre-editing which deserves a goddamn medal) and to @yespolkadotkitty for yet more encouragement (I needed a LOT), the beautiful custom banner, and beta’ing this beast!

It’s All About What You Want - part 1

[ twp’s Masterlist | Part 2 >> ]

—

Din stares at his reflection in the small mirror in the fresher.

“Pull it together, di-kut!” he tells himself, and then quickly shoves his helmet back on so he doesn’t have to see his stupid lovesick face any more. After all, only a complete idiot of an Alpha would fall in love with an Omega that didn’t love them back.

—

“So, where to next?” you ask Mando as he pilots the ship up though Duron’s atmosphere. “Do you have another bounty or are we going back to Nevarro?”

From the copilot’s seat, you watch as the blue-green sky fades to the black of space. The baby is tucked comfortably in your lap playing with his favorite control knob.

“Another bounty. Last known location Reglan II.” Mando says, but doesn’t elaborate right away, and that’s fine. Over the half-cycle you’ve been working for him, you’ve learned not to take Mando’s silences personally. He always gives you what you need eventually.

Sure enough, once the ship is out of atmo and presumably pointed in the right direction, Mando turns to you, pulling up a holomap of the galaxy and zooming in on a section near the Mid Rim.

“Here,” he says, pointing out the dot labeled Reglan II. A quick tap, and an info card for the planet appears.

You look it over, narrating for the baby’s sake. You don’t know how much he actually understands, but he babbles back happily. “A temperate climate—that means not too hot or too cold—that will be nice! Moderately developed. Ooh, maybe there’ll be someplace we can go shopping and get you some fresh fruit. And it’s a... a gynocentric omegarchy? What does that mean?”

“It means there’s a rigid social hierarchy.” Mando answers you. “Omega females at the top; Alpha males at the bottom. Should be safe for you and the kid to go out alone.”

“Wait, you mean Omegas are in charge?” you ask, surprised, and he nods. You try to imagine how that could possibly work. Usually it’s the asshole Alphas that have all the power because they’re willing to use their biological advantage and what or whoever else they can to get it. Of course—you eye the back of your employer’s shiny helmet—not every Alpha is a complete bishwag, but enough of them are to make an Omega-run society sound implausible. Nice, but implausible.

Something else occurs to you.

“And Alpha’s are on the bottom rung? Will that cause problems for you when you’re trying to catch the bounty?”

“I’ll manage.”

You imagine he probably will.

Arriving dirtside on Reglan II is uneventful... for all of about five minutes.

After getting your things together, you follow Mando down the ramp, and out into the space port, the baby tucked into a carrier slung across your front. The grey-jumpsuited ground crew working in the shipyard mostly ignores the three of you, at least until you get within scenting distance. You watch bemused as a short, furry Beta whirls around to stare at you with wide yellow eyes. They scent the air, then turn their back, speaking urgently into a com link.

You can’t make out the words, but Mando probably can. When you see his shoulders tense up, it’s enough to have you stepping a little closer. A few cycles ago, you’d have laughed at the idea that proximity to an Alpha could mean safety, but that was before you’d started working for Mando. It had seemed like the best of a bunch of bad options at the time, but he’s never given you cause to regret it.

“Let’s go.” He grabs your arm, urging you back towards the ship. You start to retreat, but before you can make it to the Crest, you’re intercepted by uniformed guards.

Mando sweeps you behind him with one arm, crouching slightly. You step in close and clutch the baby protectively, watching the guards warily as some of them spread out and circle around to surround the three of you. They’re all armed but none have their weapons drawn. Yet.

“Is there a problem?” Mando asks. His voice is calm, but the hand that hovers over the gun holster on his hip tells a different story. You’re sure the guards notice too. The baby whines into the tense silence, wiggling in protest against your too-tight hold. You shush him without looking down, trying to keep an eye on Mando and the guards at the same time.

“There doesn’t have to be,” one of the guards says, stepping forward with hands raised in a deliberately non-threatening way. She seems to be the one in charge. “If you come with us. We just need to ask you a few questions.”

Mando turns to you, and you feel him hesitate. Can tell he’s weighing the likelihood of being able to shoot his way back to the ship with you and the baby without anyone getting hurt. You give a slight shrug, trying to let him know you’ll follow his lead. You trust him to calculate the odds better than you can.

After a long moment, Mando turns back to the guard leader and nods. “We’ll come.”

The guards relax, and so does Mando, but you notice his hand doesn’t stray far from the gun on his hip. You resolve to stay alert and make a point of sticking close to his other side—just in case.

You’re escorted into one of the buildings surrounding the spaceport, down a long hall, and through a set of double doors flanked by another pair of guards. Security headquarters, you assume, based on the sheer number of uniformed guards in the room. Oddly enough you can’t smell a single Alpha among them, only Betas, and even a couple of Omegas which is weird. You’ve never heard of Omegas being part of a security force before, but maybe it has something to do with the social hierarchy Mando was telling you about.

The leader of your pack of guards keys you through a heavy duty blast door and into yet another hallway. This one is narrower and dark, featureless except for a row of doors with small windows in them. You jump as the blast door clangs shut behind you. Kriff. You don’t like being so cut off from the outside and your only means of escaping this planet if things go bad. You hug the baby close and scoot a little closer to Mando. You don’t like this at all.

“It’s okay,” Mando says, quietly. You turn a deeply skeptical look on him, but he looks the same as he ever does. The armor blocks most of his scent, but what little you can smell seems calm—overly so, like maybe he’s putting out calming pheromones. Or is he just so used to terrifying situations that they don’t affect him anymore?

Before you can question him, one of the doors along the hallway opens, and a tall, white, androgynous alien in an even whiter robe steps out.

“Mistress Omega, this way, please,” they say, putting their four arms to good use as they prop the door open with one hand, hold a holopad in another, and gesture you through with the remaining two.

A moment later, the guard leader says, “Mandalorian, you’re with me,” as she opens the neighboring door. Your anxiety spikes as you realize they mean to separate you.

“But...” You cast a pleading look at Mando. Realize with a start just how little space there is between the two of you. You wonder if you’ve been subconsciously edging closer to him or if he closed the distance himself. Then he wraps one large gloved hand around the back of your neck and squeezes, and you freeze in shock.

Your mind catalogs the feel of worn leather, cool and smooth against your skin, and the way his scent is suddenly filling your senses. Then Mando lets go and steps back; gives you the smallest of nods, like nothing out of the ordinary has happened; and follows the guard through the door.

You stare after him. Did that really just happen? Mando’s never touched you like that before. He hardly ever touches you, much less to scent-mark you like some storybook Alpha comforting a skittish packmate. Kriff, you kind of are a skittish pack—er—crewmate, aren’t you? Was he trying to make you feel better? If so, it seems to have worked. You’re still not happy to be here, but you definitely feel less nervous now. You kind of hate that.

Stupid Omega biology. Stupid feelings.

“What was that?” you grumble to the baby. He just babbles back as you finally get your ass in gear and follow the polite white alien through the door they’ve been holding open for you.

The room you enter is… nice. Welcoming, even. There’s soft lighting, framed art on the walls and a comfy-looking couch and two armchairs that sit on a large, fluffy rug in the center of the room. Except for the lack of windows it wouldn’t look out of place as some rich family's living room. However intimidating the hallway had been, this room was obviously designed to put people at ease.

“Please. Have a seat,” the alien offers. Now that it’s just the two of you, you can smell that they’re also an Omega, which makes you feel marginally better about being stuck in here with them. They watch as you sit gingerly on the couch before settling into one of the arm chairs.

The baby cranes his neck in an attempt to look around the room—no doubt checking to see if there’s anything edible. You free him from the carrier, settling him on your lap where he begins to fidget with your fingers.

“So what happens now?” you want to know.

“Now I ask you a few routine questions. The goal of this interview is to gain information about the intended purpose of your visit to Reglan II, and to verify your safety as an unmated Omega traveling with an Alpha.”

“Oh. Huh.” You’re not quite sure what to make of that, but you suppose it can’t hurt. “Okay.”

They smile at you encouragingly, then read the first question off the holopad. “Are you being coerced, restricted, restrained, or otherwise influenced against your will in any way by the Alpha you are traveling with?”

“What? No!” you exclaim, “He wouldn't do that.” You’re almost offended on Mando’s behalf, but.. well... you know how the universe works.

Your interviewer nods and makes a note on the holopad, smiling faintly.

“I am required to ask. Then you are traveling with this unmated Alpha Mandalorian of your own free will?”

“I… Yes.” Those are actually some pretty important questions, you realize. Maker, you wish they’d ask questions like this in more places.

“Good.” They nod again. More tapping at the holopad.

“What would happen if I... wasn’t?” you ask, thinking grimly of all the horror stories you’ve heard over the years. The ones you’ve seen firsthand.

“Then we would help you regain your autonomy. The government of Reglan II believes in an Omega’s right to self-determination without compulsion, and our society works to ensure the comfort and autonomy of all Omegas. If you were being held against your will, you would be offered sanctuary, and your attacker would be permanently expelled from the planet.”

“Oh,” you hear yourself say. There's an odd feeling buzzing in your chest at the idea that there is a whole planet working to protect people like you. It feels a little like fury and a little like grief and a whole lot like joy. Your lips tremble and stretch in an unfamiliar way. You think you’re smiling, but it feels strange, sharp. Your voice comes out unintentionally vicious when you continue, “I think I’m going to like it here.”

The alien Omega smiles back, a touch of the same sharpness in their smile, and a moment of understanding passes between the two of you.

They’ve just looked back down at the holopad to ask the next question when the baby lurches suddenly to one side, almost falling off your lap completely before you manage to grab him.

“Whoa! You okay there buddy?”

Big eyes slowly blink up at you, and he leans heavily against your arm.

“Are you getting tired? It’s almost naptime.” He’s usually a pretty good sleeper, but you have to wonder if he’ll really be able to go to sleep here in such an unfamiliar situation.

You look back up at your interviewer. “Do you mind if I walk around with him while we do this?”

“Not at all.”

So here you are, walking in slow circles around the couch, rocking the baby as you answer questions:

You came to this planet because Mando’s hunting a bounty.

No, you don’t know who he’s hunting. A female twi’lek Beta... uh... you think?

You’re pretty sure the plan is to stay until Mando catches the bounty, maybe a little longer.

It’s almost embarrassing how little you know, but plans are really more Mando’s department. Your job is to watch the baby and be an extra set of hands when needed. In exchange you get to travel the galaxy with Mando. It’s a pretty good deal, actually.

At this point you’re answering questions mostly on autopilot, more focused on keeping your voice quiet and trying to project a calming aura in hopes of lulling the baby to sleep. It all seems pretty routine, until...

“What are your heat preferences?” the alien asks.

Wait, what? You look over at them, confused. “What preferences?”

“Heat preferences. For a partner.”

You blink stupidly for a moment, trying to make sense of the question.

“I can put your Mandalorian companion down as your preferred heat partner,” they prompt. Your face or scent must give away your shock, because they quickly continue, “Or social services has a selection of safe, clean Alpha partners in a variety of genders on call. There are also well stocked isolation rooms available if you prefer to work though heats alone?”

“I…” You’re still stuck on the first option. Mando? Sex with Mando?!

“But I have a suppressant implant!” you finally manage to squeak.

“You will still need to make a selection. We are required to have one on record so that your consent is not violated in the event of a breakthrough heat.”

You duck your head to stare down at the baby. Thank goodness he’s already dozed off, because you’re sure as shit not projecting calming energy anymore.

“I— Can I think about it for a minute?”

“Of course.” Long white fingers begin tapping away at the holopad, and you’re grateful your interviewer is giving you at least the illusion of privacy.

You take a minute to tuck the now-sleeping little one back into his carrier, trying to decide what to do.

It's not like your answer will matter at all. You’ve been on suppressants for a long time without any issues, and your current implant is good for another three years. You haven’t had a heat since your very first ones as a teenager!

They are still expecting you to answer though, so you should probably at least try to take this seriously.

You close your eyes and take several deep breaths in through your nose, blowing them out through your mouth, trying to fight down the semi-hysterical laughter that wants to bubble up as you consider the offered options.

Mando? You snort. Yeah, No.

And definitely not some random Alpha.

You think about those “well stocked” isolation rooms. They’re almost guaranteed to be a damn sight nicer than the shitty rooms you’d locked yourself away in to ride out your first few heats. That was a long time ago, but you still remember how miserable it had been. The heat and the longing, the aching emptiness that eventually turned to cramping pain when nothing you tried could satisfy the need to be filled. It had been unbearable. You’d done everything you could think of—scrimped and saved and worked your ass off—to be able to buy suppressants as soon as you could, and you’d never looked back. You’d sworn at the time that you’d never feel that way again, and the promise of some fancy isolation room isn’t enough to change your mind.

But you also can't imagine letting an unknown Alpha help you through your heat. Your stomach knots up just thinking about being that vulnerable with someone you don’t know, and you have to take a few more carefully measured breaths to fight down a sudden bout of queasiness.

That leaves… Mando.

You’ve never really thought about Mando that way. Not after you got over your initial worry that he might try to take advantage of you like some other Alphas might have. Mando is just Mando. Your solid, dependable employer.

You might trust him enough, but you don’t even know what he looks like; barely know what he smells like under all that armor. But... The feel of his hand on the nape of your neck comes back to you, and you try to imagine that feeling, but more. What would it be like to be close to Mando, surrounded by his scent? To have him between your legs, pressing against you? What would it be like to have him inside you? The image comes easier than you’re expecting, arousal shooting though you hot and sudden.

You gasp, eyes flying open. You meet the politely questioning stare of your interviewer, feeling somewhat appalled with yourself. Your cheeks are burning, and you wish you could blame the heat there on embarrassment alone.

“I’ll just put you down for an isolation room, shall I?” they say, obviously sensing your distress.

“N-no. No.” You try to sound more certain than you feel. “Put the Mandalorian I’m travelling with down as my preferred heat partner, please.”

The interview wraps up quickly after that, and all too soon, you’re heading back out into the hallway, brand new temporary ID bracelet shimmering on your wrist. Mando’s already there, looking shiny and solid as always, but your all-too-recent thoughts about him fill your head, making it almost impossible for you to look at him. Out of the corner of your eye you see his helmet tilt forward slightly as he looks you and the baby over, and a shiver goes through you.

When the guard opens the door to escort you out, you’re glad for the excuse to turn away.

Mando’s silent on the way out. You think you feel his eyes on you, but you still can't look at him. You keep your head down and try to think about anything other than the bracelet around your wrist, which, among other things, lists Mando’s Bounty Hunters Guild identification number under ‘preferred heat partner.’

Once outside and out from under the watchful eyes of the guards, Mando immediately pulls you aside. Your stomach clenches in a not-entirely-unpleasant way when he presses in close, his bulk crowding you back against the wall of the building.

“Are you okay?” he demands, his voice low and raspy over the modulator. Has it always been that deep? Have his shoulders always been that broad? You catch yourself leaning in unconsciously, and okay, you need to stop. Mando is your employer. Your crewmate. A comrade—yes, a friendly one—but nothing more.

He raises a hand with—Kriff!—a matching ID bracelet to hover near your shoulder uncertainty. Is he going scent-mark you again? You inhale, trying to get a better handle on what is going on, then you narrow your eyes at him. He smells unsettled.

“Are you?” you ask, turning his question around on him. You wonder if the guards asked him any uncomfortable questions, or if he’s just reacting to the turmoil in your scent. It’s common knowledge that Alphas have a strong drive to protect those under their care. You’ve seen Mando go into worried protective mode over the kid before. You stare up at him, a little disconcerted to realize that you want him to get all protective of you too.

“I’m fine.” he says gruffly, hand dropping as he steps away. “Let’s go.”

Shit. You had to go and make it weird, didn’t you?

You tell yourself not to be disappointed that he didn’t touch you again.

—

The spaceport turns out to be on the edge of a good-sized town, which is also the bounty’s last known location.

You walk side by side with Mando on the road from the spaceport, content to follow his lead in silence. You’re trying to use the quiet time to sort out what’s going on in your head.

Okay, so you’ve had some unexpected thoughts about your employer. And that’s fine! It’s normal, even, for an Omega to think about an Alpha they spend a lot of time around. It doesn’t have to be a big deal. It's not like Mando’s interested in you that way, so as long as you don’t do anything to make things awkward, it should be fine! You just need to relax and forget about it.

You tilt your head back, trying to let the warmth of the suns beating down on you and the gentle weight of the still-sleeping baby wash away the lingering tension. Spaceport security aside, this planet is actually really beautiful. The sky is wide and bluish-purple, twin suns peeking out from behind feathered white clouds. The low buildings that line the road are painted in a rainbow of colors, green plants springing up between them or hanging from their balconies. It’s… peaceful.

You turn to look at Mando and find his helmet titled in your direction. You smile at him, and he looks away.

As you get further into town, the road starts to get more crowded, and some of the sentients you pass shoot alarmed looks at Mando. You wonder if the Alpha thing, the Mandalorian thing, or the giant rifle strapped across his back. Probably all three, you think with pride. He is pretty intimidating.

The road eventually spits you out into a wide open square filled with row after row of colorful booths and stalls and shops. A marketplace! Your lips quirk up.

“Do we have time to look around?” you ask Mando.

He nods, adding, “I’ll ask around about the bounty while you shop.”

You shoot him a grin, taking off towards one of the rows of stalls. You have some pay saved up, and you’re excited to see what you can get with it.

You look over the contents of each little shop and stall carefully as you make your way down the aisle, stopping occasionally for a closer look or to ask for or argue over prices.

You’re surprised by how friendly everyone is. Strangers nod and smile and move out of your way, and the shopkeepers all seem to want to chat, some even spontaneously offer you a discount. Everything is going so well that when you start to feel nervous, it takes a little while to figure out why. Everyone is being too nice. It makes you feel like you should be waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Then it does, but it’s not the shoe you were expecting.

“I don’t have anything to say to you, Alpha.” The sharp words make you look back at where Mando was trailing a little ways behind you.

Now that you’re paying attention, you see the way the crowd has parted around him, people tense or outright glaring, and it’s… odd... to see your own general mistrust of Alphas reflected in the faces of these strangers in the marketplace. They’re treating Mando like chopped convor liver, and it makes you want to defend him—to announce to these random market-goers that it’s okay: he’s trustworthy; one of the good ones. You don’t, of course, because that would be ridiculous, but you have to do something.

“There you are!” you call, backtracking to Mando and smiling up at him. “C’mon, there’s something I want to show you!” You hope the smile on your face looks more loving and less frantic than it feels. You’re trying to make it clear that you’re here with him, and, more than that, that you’re happy to be here with him. You are happy to be here with him, you remind yourself, trying to swallow down your nerves so your scent doesn’t give you away.

After a moment some of the tension melts out of the crowd. It’s working! Disgust fades into disinterest, and people start to move on with their shopping.

You tow Mando away, thankful that he follows your lead back to the stall you’d been exploring before the interruption. The seller tenses a little as the two of you enter, but relaxes when you start up a conversation, chattering about the colorful blankets he’s selling. A lot of heavy praise, a few minutes of bargaining, and one purchase later, he even condescends to answer a couple of Mando’s questions.

“Thank you,” Mando says quietly as the two of you step back out into the marketplace.

“You’re welcome!” You realize that you’re still holding his arm, and you give it a small pat before letting go.

After that, you pay more attention to how Mando’s being treated, watching him out of the corner of your eye as he collects nasty looks anytime he falls too far behind. One particularly rude Devoronian Beta even spits at him!

And after that, you hold onto his arm at all times, practically gluing yourself to his side. Things start to go a lot smoother like that. Everyone is just as polite to you either way, but they’re a whole lot more likely to answer Mando’s questions if you’re right there looking equally interested.

Once the baby wakes up, you discover that parking him in Mando’s arms works almost as well. But only almost, so you continue to stick close. You’re glad you can do something to protect Mando for once. It’s usually the other way around.

—

You stay at the marketplace until dinner time.

You and Mando have split up—he’s taken the baby to look for a fruit seller, and you’re in charge of finding the rest of dinner. You’re standing in front of two promising-looking food stalls, trying to decide between them, when a voice comes from behind you.

“Go with the one on the left. They don’t cut corners with their ingredients.”

You turn to see another Omega woman about your age, gesturing at the non-offending food stall.

“Oh, thank you!” You get in line, and when she joins behind you, you turn and introduce yourself.

“Lovely to meet you,” she says after you give your name. “I’m Aitana.”

“Nice to meet you too! And thanks for saving me from possible food poisoning. Do you have any recommendations for what to order that will survive a walk back to the spaceport?”

She does, as it turns out, and recommends a couple of types of stuffed bread, one with savory filling, the other spicy.

“Just make sure you ask to have them put in different bags,” she tells you. “If they sit together for too long the scents spread and it dulls the flavors.”

You thank Aitana for her help and place your order. You’re hoping to chat more with her after she orders, but by then both Mando and your food have arrived.

It’s time to go home.

—

Later that night, after the baby’s asleep, you and Mando sit together in the cockpit. He’s been telling you about some of the different worlds he’s visited, and he just finished a story about an ice planet where a giant sea creature apparently tried to eat the Crest. You think he must be pulling your tail, and you tell him so.

“It’s the truth,” he swears, then, “I’ll take you there someday if you like.”

“I don’t know,” you tease. “The ice planet I’d like to see. The gigantic hungry sea monster, not so much.”

“Good choice. Two words: fish breath.”

You can’t help but laugh out loud at that, but it also reminds you of something. Something you were thinking about earlier because of scents and prejudices and delicious bread.

“Oh!” you turn towards Mando suddenly, surprised to see he’s leaning in, closer than you expected.

“Do you think I should scent-mark you tomorrow?” you muse.

“Wh-what!?” He sounds so incredulous that it makes you giggle.

“No, really,” you tell him, liking the idea more the more you consider it. “Think about it! Everyone in the marketplace treated you much better when I was nearby today. The baby and I can’t go within you all the time, but people also treated you better once you smelled like me, even if I wasn't right there! So all I have to do is rub on you in the morning. You should have an easier time of things once you smell like you’re mine. Uh… Mando? You okay?”

He’s been getting progressively more and more tense as you babble on, finally ending in a strangled sound during your last sentence. Your stomach swoops when he doesn’t answer. Oh kriff, you’ve probably offended him! Why didn’t you just keep your stupid mouth shut.

“I mean, I could scent-mark you, if you think it would be helpful?” you try to backtrack, “But we don’t have to! If… if it’s weird or you’d rather not, then that’s fine, and oh Kriff—I’m sorry, Mando. I didn’t mean to imply that you couldn’t do it yourself or needed my help or…”

Mando’s hand covers yours and you fall silent. You squeeze your eyes shut, waiting for his judgement.

“It’s a good idea. Thank you,” he says, deliberately, before getting up stiffly, and disappearing out the door and down the ladder.

You sit there for a few minutes staring after him and wondering what just happened. It’s not until you get up to head to your own bunk in the storage space behind the cockpit that you realize you still have a goofy grin on your face.

He thought it was a good idea!

Of course, it doesn’t seem like such a good idea the next morning when you actually have to do the scent-marking.

You’re barely awake, just out of the fresher, and still in your ratty, threadbare pajamas, when Mando catches you in the hold and announces, “I’m going out. I should be back by dark.”

You cross your arms over your chest and stare at him for a moment, trying to get your brain to wake up. “Oh….kay. I guess I’ll take the baby back to the market today. If… um… if that’s okay? I can take the com link in case we need to contact each other.”

“That’s fine,” he says, but he still doesn’t make any move to leave. He’s just standing there facing you. If he were anyone else you would say he looked expectant, but… oh, kriff! Your conversation from the night before comes back to you, and your stomach swoops as you think about actually making good on your offer.

He must be able to smell the way your scent goes wonky or maybe your hesitation shows on your face, because Mando steps forward and lays a hand on the back of your neck again. Squeezing just like he did at the spaceport yesterday.

It’s simultaneously better and worse than last time. The gesture helps to settle your Omega, but it also reminds you of your thoughts from the day before, and heat blooms in your cheeks and the pit of your stomach.

“It’s okay if you’ve changed your mind,” comes his reassuring voice. And how does he do that? How does he always seem to know what you’re thinking? Maker, you sure hope he doesn’t know everything that you've been thinking.

“No. I do want to—“ you have to pause to swallow down the impulse to say mark you. Why is he still touching you? And why do you like it so much!? You ignore the way your skin tingles as the heat from his hand seems to leach through the glove, and finish instead, ”I want to help. Sit down, please?”

You gesture somewhat frantically to one of several crates scattered around the hold, and he finally, finally releases your neck and sits down facing you.

The newly released skin at the back of your neck prickles, goose bumps spreading outward from where his warm glove has been replaced with the cool air of the ship. You do your best not to shiver visibly under his gaze.

You circle around behind him, hoping to gain a little privacy. It takes a few false starts and a little bit of flailing on your part, but you do eventually run your hands across the back of his wide shoulders and down his arms. You stroke over the folds of his cape too, and hope that will be enough. It’s the best you can do, unless… You hesitate for a moment, then lift your hands to rub over the scent glands on the sides of your neck before bringing them down to mark the cowl around his.

A staticky exhale comes from the helmet, and Mando stands abruptly, spitting out a low “thank you” as he heads for the already-lowering rear ramp. You barely have time to call out “you’re welcome” and “good luck!” before he’s gone, the ramp beginning to rise again as soon as he’s clear.

“Okay, that was weird,” you say to the baby, who had poked his head out of Mando’s bunk when the ramp started lowering. You scoop him up, trying to ignore the way your hands still tingle where they touched Mando’s clothes. Your stomach feels a little shaky too, but you're glad you did it. Mando’s out there smelling like you, and it’s going to make it easier for him to find the bounty. Fierce pride spills through you.

It was a damn good idea, after all.

—

A supply run is also a good idea. A necessary one, you discover when you go looking for breakfast and come up empty. You dress quickly, pack up the baby and some sturdy bags, and head back out to the market.

You return to the same food vendor as yesterday, ordering more of the savory bread for the two of you. It was the baby’s favorite last night. You wonder how difficult it would be to make.

You’ve just snagged a spot at one of the long tables situated nearby, when a friendly voice calls out “you again!” and you’re thrilled to see Aitana, your acquaintance from yesterday, heading your way.

“So where’s your Alpha?” she asks, sliding in across from you, a steaming, yummy-smelling pastry in hand.

“He’s not my Alpha!” You concentrate on doling out bites of bread to the baby so you don’t have to look at her.

“No? Big shiny dude from yesterday? I’m pretty sure my nose says different!” she teases, and then smothers a laugh when you try to surreptitiously sniff yourself. You actually do smell just the tiniest bit like Mando. You try to ignore the thrill that shoots through you at the discovery.

Upon hearing you’re there for supplies, Aitana offers to give you a tour of the marketplace and help you find the best deals. The three of you set off after breakfast, the baby cooing happily in his carrier, and you very quickly realize that you’ve gotten lucky. Your new friend knows exactly where to go to get the best prices. She also seems to know all the best dirt on the shopkeepers.

Your first stop is a clothing stall. According to Aitana, the owner likes to get drunk off his ass every night and keeps trying to climb onstage to sing along (poorly) with the band at the local cantina, but his prices and wares are good. That’s good because you need some new pajamas—your encounter with Mando has driven home just how worn your current pair has gotten—and maybe see if you can find a jacket small enough for the baby.

After looking around a bit, you’ve found both and are now debating the relative merits of buying the baby a tiny cape to match his dad’s when Aitana calls your name.

“What about this?” she says, holding up a beautiful black wrap dress. The cut is nice as is the quality, and you're sure it would make anyone, even you, look elegant and beautiful. You make the mistake of running your hand over it, and discover that the fabric is thin and floaty without being see-through and one of the softest things you’ve ever felt. It’s not even all that expensive. Unfortunately it’s also not something you need.

You admire it for a long moment, before gently returning it to the pile.

“You’re not going to get it? It would look so nice on you!”

“It is lovely,” you agree wistfully, “but I don’t need it or have anywhere to wear it.”

“What about wearing it for your Alpha?” She’s teasing you again, but you can’t help but imagine it anyway.

What would it be like to stand before Mando wearing just that dress and nothing else? The image of him unwrapping you like the galaxy’s biggest Life Day present steals the breath from your lungs, and you have to shake your head to clear it.

“He’s not my Alpha,” you repeat, not sure if you’re reminding her or yourself. You give the dress a last lingering pat—it is very soft—then you make your purchases and move on to the next shop on your list.

It’s mid afternoon by the time your shopping is done, much more cheaply than usual thanks to your local guide. You thank Aitana profusely for her help and her lovely company, then head off towards the spaceport, weighed down by your purchases and the baby dozing in his carrier.

And if you make one extra stop at a certain clothing stall on the way back to the Crest, well that’s no one’s business but your own.

—

That night, you’ve just finished preparing dinner when Mando comes up the ramp. He seems to be in a better mood than this morning. His footsteps are lighter, and when the baby goes running to him, Mando chuckles and scoops him up easily.

When you ask, he helps you move a couple of the big crates in the hold, making a place for you to sit across from each other. You realize you can still smell yourself on him, just a little. It surprises you how much you like it, and you remind yourself sharply that he’s not really yours. He’s just your employer.

But as he sits with you and the baby, keeping you company while the two of you eat, you think he might also be your friend. The idea makes you smile.

Mando trails off in the middle of telling you about visiting the local cantina, just staring at you. At least you’re pretty sure he’s staring at you. You can’t see his eyes, but the weight of his gaze makes your skin prickle with awareness.

“What is it? Do I have something on my face?” you ask, shifting self-consciously.

“No, I just—” He pauses. “No.”

You wonder what he was going to say, and cast about for something to fill the suddenly-awkward silence.

“So the hunting went well?

“I didn’t locate the bounty yet, but I have some leads,” he says. He also thanks you again for scenting him. “It was a good idea. I don’t think I would have made as much progress without it.”

“You’re welcome. I’m glad it worked.” You smile at Mando again, proud that you could help him. When his visor stays trained on you, you imagine that he’s smiling back, and it makes happiness spread like liquid honey through your chest. You only wish you could smell him a little better, or that he could take off his helmet and share a meal with you.

You try to imagine what it would be like. He’d come home to you just like he did today, but once the door of the Crest was shut, he’d remove his helmet. You can’t imagine his face, but you can imagine the way his scent would be that much stronger. The way he might step forward and wrap a hand around the back of your neck again, only this time, he’d use his grip to pull you in, kissing your lips gently before ducking his head to lick and suck gently at your neck.

An indecipherable noise from Mando interrupts your daydream, and you realize with a guilty start that you’ve been fantasizing about the poor guy right in front of him.

“I—” his voice is hoarse over the modulator, and he clears his throat and tries again, “I need—”

He stops. You stare at him, taking in the tense set of his shoulders and the way one of his hands is gripping his knee so hard the leather squeaks, and will him to continue. You try not to imagine all the ways that sentence could end, ‘I need… you.’ It could end that way, right? Yeah, it could, but ‘I need you to stop stinking up the ship with your pheromones’ was probably more likely.

Oh, Maker. He probably can smell you. Shit! So much for not making things awkward! Your already heated cheeks burn hotter as embarrassment curdles in your stomach. What are you even doing, thinking about him that way?

“I need to go eat,” Mando says curtly, interrupting your panicked thoughts. He stands abruptly, grabs the bowl you prepared for him, and heads for the cockpit where he usually retreats to eat his meals in private. He hesitates for just a second as he passes by the crate you’re sitting on, and you feel the slightest brush of leather over the nape of your neck. Then he’s gone up the ladder with a soft “thank you,” leaving you staring blankly at the baby, breath stalled in your chest as warmth seems to ripple down your spine from the place where he touched.

What is he even doing??

—

You think it over carefully, lying in your cot later that night. You catalog the ways you've reacted to him. The things you’ve been thinking about. The way you decided not to shower tonight because you didn’t want to wash away the tiny hint of his scent that lingers on you.

And okay: you’re definitely attracted to Mando, and you might—might—be developing feelings for him.

That’s… not great, actually, since there’s absolutely no way he’s interested in you. Your chest clenches, and you roll onto your side trying to shake off the hopelessness weighing you down.

He’s been nothing but completely professional since he hired you, all those months ago. You consider it a win that he’s warmed up enough to have a friendly conversation with you, but there’s been nothing to suggest he considers you more than a valued employee. Except… well… you run your hand over the back of your neck, thinking about the times he’s touched you there over the last few days, and then you have to press your other hand to the surging ache between your legs. Yeah. You chuckle humorlessly to yourself there in the dark.

You’re totally screwed.

The next morning comes too soon, and you stumble out of bed and down the ladder to the fresher in a daze. Mando and the baby are sitting side by side on one of the crates in the hold, the baby munching on something from a little tray.

At least, you think blearily to yourself, I’ve got my new pajamas on this time.

Once you’re finished using the fresher, you wash your hands and stare at your anxious face in the tiny mirror. Now that you’re a little more awake, your stomach is in knots at the thought of facing Mando after your moment of... self discovery last night.

You make yourself take a couple of deep breaths and splash a little water on your face. Then you practice smiling at yourself in the mirror until it looks almost natural instead of half asleep or terrified. Okay, you can do this. One last deep breath, and you open the door smiling a hopefully-not-obviously-terrified smile.

You can’t quite force yourself to look at Mando, so you focus on the baby instead, making your voice as cheerful as you can.

“Good morning, little one. What have you got there?”

The baby coos and lifts his little tray up to show you.

“Oh I see.” You make a show of bending down and very seriously examining the contents, overly aware of Mando watching from beside him. You force another smile. “Looks like dad got you a good breakfast.”

Mando makes an odd sound at that, and you turn towards him, somehow surprised at how close he is. And, oh shit! You take an involuntary step back when you realize what you just let slip. You’ve been calling him the kid’s dad for a while now, but you’ve never said it in front of him before.

“Oh, sorry! I know that he’s not— That you’re not— I—” You try to fumble your way through an apology, but he only lets you mumble on for a few moments before cutting you off gently.

“It’s okay.”

You just shake your head, still feeling awkward and horrified at your lapse, because he explained this to you when he hired you to look after the baby.

“It’s okay,” he says again, standing and wrapping that big hand around the back of your neck again, and you can’t help the way that your eyes flutter shut and your head tips forward. He must be trying pretty hard to pump out calming pheromones, because even with the layers and helmet you can actually smell him clearly for once.

“Okay,” you whisper, and you relax under the weight of his hand, your head dropping even further forward until it’s almost touching his chest plate. It feels so nice that you guiltily resolve not to move a muscle so that you can continue enjoying the feeling of his hand on your neck for however long as he’s willing to stand here. It turns out to be a pretty long time, his scent slowly fading from calming to just calm.

Eventually a loud clang breaks the silence, and you both jump back from each other and stare down at the baby’s little tray, now on the floor, food scraps scattered around it.

“Oh no, buddy!” You say at the same time that you hear Mando swear. You drop to your knees and pick up the tray, trying to sweep up all the little bits of food.

“I have to go,” Mando says from above you.

“Alright,” you respond automatically, distracted trying to pick a particularly stubborn piece out of the floor grating.

“Would— will you—” Mando stumbles over his words, and heat rises up to fill you when you realize what he’s asking for, nearly stealing your breath. He’s asking you to scent-mark him before he leaves.

You set the tray on the crate with forced calm and stand, awkwardly brushing your hands off on your pants.

You step up in front of him, trying to ignore the way the heat is pooling in your cheeks and… other places. You don’t dare look at his visor, so you stare at his chest plate instead. Just like yesterday, you start by rubbing your hands across his shoulders and down his arms, but it’s so much more intimate when you’re standing face to face. He’s so broad and tall.

Mando stands solid and still as you touch him. You’re not even sure he’s breathing as you run your hands down his chest plate. Some madness seizes you, and you step forward and press your face to it, beskar cool and hard under your overheated cheek.

You hear a raged inhalation from under his helmet, and it brings you back to yourself. You can’t believe you just did that!

You start to step back, having embarrassed yourself yet again, but Mando has you by the back of the neck before you can go too far. You can hear someone’s heavy breathing rasping in and out, but you can’t tell if it’s you or Mando or both of you.

You realize that you want to scent-mark him. Not just so people will be more polite to him, but because you want every bit of him to be absolutely covered in the scent of you.

You are suddenly very aware of every inch of your body and his and the places they connect. And the places they don’t.

With his hand on your neck, his vambrace is lightly resting on your shoulder almost touching the scent glands on the side of your neck. You tilt your chin up, unconsciously angling your head until they make contact with his wrist, then arching your body to rub along his glove and vambrace.

Mando groans like you’re torturing him, and his other hand comes up to grip the side of your jaw, fingers splayed cover the scent gland on that side, lifting up and forward. The pressure forces your head back at a sharp angle, and you go up on your tiptoes without meaning to, every part of you straining forward towards him.

Then just as suddenly he lets go and steps back.

“I— I have to go,” he says again. And for the second morning in a row you’re left watching Mando’s back as he beats a quick retreat out the rear ramp.

You’re not sure how long you stand there staring blankly at the rear of the hold, your body still twitching and shivering and begging for him. Eventually you’re distracted by something squeezing your ankle, and you look down to see the baby hugging your leg. You pick him up, and he squeaks and coos at you excitedly.

“He just ran away, right buddy? That was running away.” You close your eyes, trying to get your body under control. “What am I doing? I have got to stop getting distracted and making your dad uncomfortable.”

The baby coos again, and you smile at him. It feels a little stiff around the edges, your mind still focused on Mando.

At least you’re damn sure he smells like you today.

—

After the scent-marking debacle, you can’t stand the idea of staying on the ship with only the baby and your thoughts for company. Somehow you manage to pull yourself together, finish cleaning up the spilled food from the floor, and get both of you ready to go. You decide to head back to the marketplace, hoping Aitana might be there again today. You could use a friendly face.

She is there, sitting at one of the long tables, and you're so relieved to see her, you feel like you could cry. When you sit down next to her, she greets you cheerfully and offers you one of the pastries off her plate. You thank her, and share it with the baby. It’s delicious. You wonder if Mando would like it? You rub a palm over your face. After this morning you’d better hope Mando still likes you, or you’re going to be right out of a job.

Aitana, more observant than you might like, asks if you’re okay.

“I…. I don’t know. I’m just so confused.” The whole situation with Mando is confusing—much too much so to try to explain in the middle of a busy marketplace. Instead you ask if she can take you somewhere less crowded, “Maybe somewhere that the little guy can stretch his legs?”

“Of course. Come with me.”

She leads you through the marketplace and down an alleyway that cuts through several rows of colorful buildings before delivering you to the edge of town.

You step out of the shadow of the last building and gasp. A wide meadow of gently waving green and grey grasses stretches out before you, scattered yellow flowers are being visited by delicate pink butterflies, and the perfectly clear blue-purple of the sky arcs overhead. It’s so beautiful that you actually stop and stare for a moment.

The baby seems to be enjoying the view as well. He babbles excitedly as you walk out into the meadow. You stroll along until you find an area with slightly shorter grass to let him down on, and you and Aitana sit nearby, smiling as you watch him roll happily through the grass and chase the butterflies. You have a small moment of terror when he starts munching on one of the yellow flowers, but your friend quickly reassures you that they’re safe to eat.

“Even for people,” she says, picking two and taking a bite off one before offering you the other. You take it, but decide against eating it, tucking it behind your ear instead.

She asks you again if you’d like to talk about what’s bothering you.

So you do, trying to borrow a little of the serenity of this perfect place to bridge the gap where your own inner calm is failing.

You tell her about everything that’s happened: getting detained by spaceport security, thinking about Mando that way for the first time, the way it’s only gotten harder not to think about it, and how your bright idea to scent-mark him so he wouldn’t be mistreated is not helping!

Aitana looks sympathetic at first, but more and more amused as you go on, until she’s barely hanging onto her composure by the time you’re struggling to describe how Mando keeps…. keeps….

“He keeps running away every time I do something awkward!”

Aitana loses it at that, the bright peals of her laughter ringing out across the meadow. And maybe it’s a little rude of her to laugh, but here under the gentle warmth of the twin suns you can’t quite manage to be annoyed. The situation can’t be all that bad if your friend is laughing, and… and Mando did look pretty silly this morning, cape streaming out behind him as he made his escape off the rear ramp.

The memory makes you snort, which sets Aitana off even more, and soon the two of you are laughing hysterically together. After a few minutes, she seems to master herself and sits up, gazing seriously at you, but as soon as she opens her mouth, she starts laughing again, which sets you off again, which, well... It may not be getting you any closer to figuring out your feelings, but you can’t help but feel better for the release of tension.

After several long minutes and false starts, both of you are finally calm again.

“You’re going to be fine,” Aitana begins, and you're hoping that maybe she’s finally going to give you some insight into the situation when the tranquility of the meadow is interrupted by a shout of your name.

Mando comes bursting out of the mouth of the alleyway, and you're up on your feet, already scooping up the baby before you even realize you’re moving.

You look to Mando for some clue of what’s going on, and quickly realize you panicked over nothing. The way Mando’s moving, his arms swinging loosely and the tiniest bit of bounce in his step, tells you that he’s bringing good news.

“Mando!” You shout, and wave, and his ground-eating stride covers the distance between you quickly. The baby’s hover pod trails along behind him. By the time he reaches you, you’re certain:

“You found the bounty, didn’t you?”

“How did you know?” he asks, sounding confused.

“Because you’re excited” you tell him, but that only seems to confuse him further.

“How— How do you always...?”

You just shrug and then make a face at Aitana who seems to be laughing at you from behind Mando’s back.

It occurs to you that they’ve never officially met, so you do a quick round of introductions. You’re glad to see Aitana treats Mando politely.

“My younger brother is an Alpha,” she explains. “He moved offworld many cycles ago.”

The baby reaches for Mando, so you hand him over, watching with a smile as he shows him the yellow flower he has clutched in one tiny green hand.

“Very nice,” Mando tells him, then immediately starts cursing when the baby shoves the entire thing in his mouth, “Spit that out you little—”

“It’s okay. They’re edible,” you reassure Mando, patting his shoulder, then looking at him in confusion when you feel him tense up.

“I did find the bounty,” he spits out, then hesitates before elaborating, “She’s holed up in the local Omega Club.”

“The Omega Club?” Aitana looks him over incredulously. “You’ll never get in there without—”

“Without an Omega,” Mando says, looking at you.

“Okay, wait. What even is an Omega club? And why do you need me?”

Mando hems and haws for a few moments until Aitana takes pity on him and explains.

“Omega Clubs promise to cater to any and all Omega needs, but they mostly exist to provide relief to Omegas in heat since there aren’t enough Alphas to go around.”

You wonder if that was where you’d find the “well stocked isolation rooms” mentioned back at the spaceport.

“Solitary Alphas aren’t allowed in unless they work there,” Mando says, “so the only way I’m getting in without a firefight is as your bodyguard.”

“Or your lover,” Aitana adds, and it sounds like Mando chokes on his tongue.

“Oh.” You very deliberately do not think about that second scenario. “What about the baby though? Won’t it be dangerous?”

You can’t imagine leaving him on the ship alone, but bringing him with you doesn’t seem viable either.

“I won't let anything happen to you,” Mando says quietly, and the hand he brushes over the back of your neck short circuits your brain before you can tell him you were worried for the baby, not yourself.

He turns to Aitana and looks her over appraisingly, then asks, “Would you be willing to watch the kid until tonight? I can pay you.”

“This little tadpole? I’ll watch him for free.”

She and Mando argue briefly about payment until she eventually accepts a small handful of coins to cover the cost of their dinner.

You and Mando walk Aitana home, the baby trailing behind you in his hover crib. She tells you a little bit more about the local Omega Club on the short walk, but it’s not enough that you really feel prepared. All too soon you’re giving the baby a kiss and waving goodbye.

Then all that’s left to do is go back to the Crest and get ready.

—

It had sounded so simple earlier: just get dressed up and go with Mando to the Omega Club.

“Sure. Simple,” you mutter to yourself, trying to check your appearance in the fresher’s tiny mirror.

You make a face, feeling self-conscious in the unfamiliar clothing. The wrap dress is simple but elegant, and far nicer than anything you’ve worn in years. You mostly stuck with drab, utilitarian clothing after you'd presented as an Omega during puberty, not wanting to draw any extra attention.

The dress is lovely though. You run your hands down your sides, enjoying the way the soft fabric settles over your hips. You adjust the neckline one last time to make sure you’re covered. Here goes nothing.

Mando is standing by the open weapons locker, and he turns to look at you when you exit the fresher.

You freeze in the middle of compulsively smoothing the dress over your hips, as heat rises under your skin and locks the breath in your lungs. He seems to be frozen too, and the moment stretches out until Mando finally gives himself a shake and turns back to the weapons locker. If it’s going to be like this all night you’re not sure you’ll survive. You’re just so aware of Mando, and you like having him look at you more than you should. You wonder what it would be like to submit to him.

“Good,” Mando says, and you shudder at the thought of it before you realize he’s talking about your dress. You stare down at yourself, and run your hands over the fabric self-consciously, smoothing imaginary wrinkles and ruthlessly squashing the urge to preen for this particular Alpha’s attention.

“Here. Put this on under the dress. Just in case,” Mando says, handing you a small bundle.

You stare at the leather wrapped metal in your hands for a minute before you realize that he’s just handed you a mini blaster and a holster for it. You try to straighten out the straps, but the weight of Mando’s gaze on you makes your fingers slow and clumsy. After the second time you nearly drop the stunner, you give up, looking for a place to set it down before you accidentally shoot yourself in the foot.

Mando must have reorganized the hold, because the crates you’d been using as seating are now lined up neatly by the rear ramp. The only flat surface left at this end is… Swallowing hard, you walk over to the open hatch of Mando’s bunk.

You look back at Mando seeking… something—permission, maybe?—but he’s closing up the weapon locker and doesn’t even glance in your direction.

Feeling like an intruder, you lean into the bunk just enough to set the gun down gingerly on the mattress. Mando’s rich, earthy scent seems to permeate the small space, along with a jumble of Alpha pheromones and traces of leather polish and gun oil. Your body responds, thighs trembling as you lift a foot and brace it on the edge of the opening. Making sure your back is to Mando, you fold back the open edge of the wrap dress to expose your thigh. Kriff. This feels way too intimate, too personal, being so exposed here in Mando’s space, but it’s too late now.

You puzzle over the mess you’ve made of the holster, straps twisting every which way around the formed leather piece. Thankfully it doesn’t take long to sort out the two straps and secure them around your leg, just above your knee. The holster sits oddly though, and you poke at it, trying to figure out why.

“It’s too low.” Mando’s voice comes from close behind you—much too close.

You panic, trying to spin to face him and flip your dress closed at the same time, and nearly fall on your face when your foot gets caught on the edge of his bunk. Only his big hands gripping your upper arms save you, but that mean he’s even closer! (Not nearly close enough, a little voice in your head insists.)

“Oh,” you breathe, trying to right yourself, too stunned by his nearness to even feel embarrassed. Once you find your balance, he releases you, one hand sliding up to wrap around the back of your neck. Warmth seems to radiate from his gloved hand, and a wave of heat rises up from your stomach to meet it, skin tingling in all the places he’s no longer touching you. You feel both calmer and paradoxically more on edge the longer you stand here, and you have to take a step back before you do something stupid like stepping forward to rub up against him.

“It’s—” Mando clears his throat, then continues, “It’s also upside down.”

What’s upside down?

“Can I?” he asks, inclining his helmet toward your leg. Oh, right. The holster!

“Uh huh,” you manage. You part the edges of your dress far enough to provide access to the holster, then wait, stomach feeling shaky with anticipation and not entirely sure what, exactly, you just agreed to.

Mando drops to one knee in front of you, and all you can do is stare down at his helmet as his hands reach for you. He makes contact just above your knee, and you have to remind yourself to breathe.

“Here.” His voice is going to be the death of you. Low and rasping and deeper than before, it makes your stomach clench. The fire there burning hotter as his large gloved hands make quick work of releasing the straps and flipping the holster.

“Like this,” he says, directing you to spread the edges of your dress wider.

You do as he asks, baring more of your leg to him. Kriff, this isn’t fair! Then his hands slide the holster high up your bare thigh, and you forget to breathe entirely.

Your entire being focuses, laser-like, on the feel of his leather covered fingers brushing across your sensitive skin as he wraps one of the straps around your thigh and buckles it. If it were any other man—any other Alpha—touching you like this, you would have been doing your best to incapacitate them and run for the hills, but with Mando you just wish he would touch you more.

A second later, you get your wish, as Mando reaches between your legs to position the other strap. Oh, Maker. Your whole body clenches. Then you jump as the cold metal of his vambrace makes contact with your inner thigh. You spread your legs a little wider to give him more room and try not to pant audibly. This is torture.

There’s a staticky gasp over the modulator, and Mando’s hands fumble for just a moment. Then they’re moving again, ghosting over your skin as they finish securing the second strap in place.

Shit. You’re so turned on that you can feel how wet you are. You close your eyes in mortification. Don’t even want to think about what Mando must be smelling down there.

Stupid Omega hormones. Stupid Alpha sense of smell.

Thankfully, Mando doesn’t comment, just smooths the material of your dress back into place over your thigh and stands, mercifully retreating to the far side of the hold. You stare after him, feeling overheated and shaky, but still mostly in control of yourself, until...

“Come here,” Mando demands gruffly, beckoning you over with two crooked fingers. No Alpha in his voice, just a dangerously pleasant rumble that makes you shiver all over again. “I want to see if it shows when you walk.”

You cross the hold towards Mando slowly. It pleases you more than it should to be obeying him. Mando stands stock still as you approach, but you know he’s watching you—watching your thighs—as you walk, and you can’t help but put a little extra swing into your hips. Fuck. Have you completely lost your mind?

“Looks good,” he rasps, and your body clenches. “Time to go.”

You’re not sure you’re going to survive the night.

—

[ Part 2 >> ]

[ Alternative p2 Links: Reblog or For Desktop ]

Edited to Add: The links above work fine for me, but apparently some people are having trouble with them, but you should still be able to copy & paste one of these addresses into a web browser):

https://thirstworldproblemss.tumblr.com/post/640140098884812800/itsallaboutwhatyouwant2

https://thirstworldproblemss.tumblr.com/post/646157327064580096/fic-its-all-about-what-you-want-p2

https://www.tumblr.com/blog/view/thirstworldproblemss/640140098884812800

Want more to read? twp’s Masterlist | twp’s Author & Fic Recs

——

End Notes: Part 2 is finished UP! The whole thing is finished, but I split it because I can’t handle trying to deal with a 21k post, and so that it’s easier for people who don’t want to read the accidental drugging scene that happens in the next bit to skip it (see the end notes of part 2 for more specifics).

SW References Used: Mando’a database, The Wookiepedia

Adorable Planet Dividers made by @whimsicalrogers

—

Tagging: (See my Tagging Lists Page to be added or removed)

@agirllovespancakes @heatherbel @keeper0fthestars @knittingqueen13 @lark-cale @pedropascalito @rosiefridayrogersunday @songsformonkeys @yespolkadotkitty

(Unsolicited tagging of people I think might be interested): @absurdthirst @frannyzooey @fromthedeskoftheraven)

#the mandalorian #din djarin #din djarin x reader #a/b/o #omegaverse #pedros12daysofchristmas #(but i'm so late it's actually the 12th day of the new year)#pp stuff #star wars #din x reader #my fic #fanfic #slow burn #because these idiots are almost too stupid to get to the lovers half of #idiots to lovers #mutual pining #ust #(resolved in p2)#it's all about what you want

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xaharadesert · 3 years ago

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Badass & Chill MC - Headcanon

Arcana Characters (Main 6) x MC

A/N: This one is for @sam-gad, although Tumblr won’t let me tag them for some reason!! They were very helpful in determining where I would take this prompt! The premise is fairly self explanatory— MC who is chill for the most part, but can absolutely kick anyone’s butt if necessary! Please let me know if there are any spelling or grammar mistakes :) requests are open! And thank you everyone who has continued to send in support over this past week, it means the world to me!

❤️Julian❤️

Oh, this man is more than excited to find out that you can destroy anyone in a fight

When he first met you, and saw how relaxed you seemed to be, he was worried that you wouldn’t fit well with his more… dangerous lifestyle

But the moment the two of you had ended up in danger, with seemingly no way out, you practically changed into a different person

He had been ready to defend the both of you, but clearly there was no need

From then on, it was usually you who would do most of the fighting (Julian would do his best to help, but let’s be real, you could probably take down two or three people in the time it took him to take down one)

Julian would likely find himself getting injured or arrested significantly less than before, which he would only be mildly disappointed about

When you weren’t helping him out in a fight, your relatively chill demeanour would certainly help keep him from doing anything more reckless than necessary

In personality, you seemed to be opposites, but your lifestyles complimented each other perfectly

Where you will calm, he was dramatic, and where he was clumsy, you were infallible

🧡Portia🧡

Admittedly, Portia isn’t exactly the kind of woman to need much help in a fight

She more than makes up for her lack of combat training with enthusiasm, and, honestly, most people would flee after she tries to bite them

However, having someone as skilled as you around for when some stubborn jerks refuse to back down is always a good idea

Portia is super excited to see how awesome you are in a fight, and absolutely wants to learn some of your cooler moves

(You might have to break her heart a little by telling her it takes a very long time to learn, but she’s nothing if not determined)

Your relaxed personality is a big help to her in day to day life, seeing as she’s so excitable

That’s not to say her enthusiasm is a bad thing, it’s just good to have someone around who can keep a level head and work through things calmly when she tries to charge ahead with nothing but her emotions

You two balance each other out perfectly— she makes sure your day to day life is exciting, and you make sure the adventures you take her on are as safe as possible

💛Lucio💛

As we all know, Lucio is absolutely one to talk about his past battles; or, more specifically, one to tell grand tales about his many glorious victories

With that being said, you would likely allow him to ramble on about himself, not too concerned about comparing your own skills to his

So when the moment to fight comes, and Lucio tries to step in front of you in an attempt to protect you, and you absolutely demolish the enemy within moments, suffice to say, he was shocked (and maybe a bit disappointed he didn’t get to show off)

He shakes off his initial surprise easily enough, and immediately starts declaring that “of course you’re one of the strongest warriors to walk the Earth, I have impeccable taste in romantic partners”

(And let’s be honest, he’s only all the more attracted to you after he finds out how amazing you are in battle)

He brags to everyone he meets that his partner is an undefeated champion of combat, even if you may be significantly more humble

Admittedly, he is slightly insecure about the fact that you could beat even him in a fight— he always prided himself on his combat ability, and thought it would be one of his more charming aspects that he could bring to the relationship

If you agree to spar with him, it might be in your relationship’s best interest to let him win a round or two, if only to motivate him into practicing harder until he really can defeat you

You having a more calm approach to life definitely helps keep Lucio grounded; he sometimes struggles with his temper and pride, and having you with him helps him to keep himself from flying off the handle at whoever dared breathe wrong in his direction

💚Muriel💚

You never lose a fight? Thank goodness, then he can let you handle yourself

Muriel doesn’t enjoy fighting, and generally prefers to not be involved at all, but he knew that if it really came down to it, he would protect you however necessary

But when he found out that you were more than capable of looking after yourself, his relief was monumental

He was still somewhat irrationally nervous about you going to dangerous locations alone, and insisted on accompanying you, but every time he witnessed you knocking someone out it only served to reassure him that you genuinely would be fine without him

Furthermore, your calm personality helped reduce his anxieties greatly

Spending time with you, enjoying the simple pleasures of life, and seeing how you were supposedly never really worried about anything brought him great amounts of comfort

You were like a rock he could always rely on for support: unshakable, strong, and dependable

Honestly, not a lot of people picked fights with the two of you

Between your completely relaxed demeanour in even the most threatening of circumstances, and Muriel’s sheer size and intimidating presence, most people did their best to stay out of your way

💙Asra💙

Asra is, perhaps, the only person who could rival your calmness on a day to day basis

The two of you seem to be completely in sync with your emotions (even without the help of your shared heart), and constantly exist in a state of relaxation

Even when you journey to the far ends of the Earth, the two of you seem to be completely comfortable with whatever situation you find yourselves in

You could be kidnapped and tied up in the back of a wagon, and you’d be joking with each other, seemingly not at all concerned with the circumstances

Of course, this is largely in part of the fact that both you and Asra now you could destroy anyone you really wanted to

Not that you would, but you absolutely could

Asra feels very reassured by the fact that he doesn’t have to protect you, even if he wants to do so anyway (although, the exception is anytime you appear to be sick, at which time he panics and refuses to allow you to do anything that may make it worse)

In all honesty, despite your skill, Asra doesn’t particularly want to encourage fighting

He would much prefer the two of you to cuddle up in the shop, drinking tea, and discussing what you did in the few parts of the day you weren’t together

💜Nadia💜

Admittedly, she’s a bit worried when she first witnesses your prowess on the battlefield

As incredible as your skills are, she worries about what you will do with him (her past with Lucio still makes her anxious, no matter how irrational the thought may be)

However, she’s greatly reassured when she sees how calm you are otherwise

She’s grateful to have someone relaxed in her life, to remind her to slow down and process what’s happening in her life, if even for a moment

Nadia enjoys hearing about your perspective on topics that are often emotionally charged— you seem to be able to remain level-headed when her couriers cannot

She also enjoys sparring with you when she has some time off

It’s a great way to relieve stress, and, since you’re a much more impressive fighter than she is (as outlandish as that may seem), she feels as though she’s actively improving for each moment longer she manages to stand against you

Please don’t go easy on her, she doesn’t appreciate being condescended to, and she’s eager to learn

Nadia appreciates that the two of you have so much to offer each other; learning and growing together is one of Nadia’s favourite parts of your relationship

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thehaitanis · 3 years ago

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𝔰𝔥𝔶 𝔭𝔞𝔯𝔱𝔫𝔢𝔯: 𝔰𝔞𝔫𝔷𝔲, 𝔯𝔞𝔫 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔦𝔷𝔞𝔫𝔞

❮★❯ summary: how will the sanzu haruchiyo, haitani ran and kurokawa izana be with a shy partner.

❮★❯ warnings: none, maybe bad writing but nothing new.

❮★❯ disclaimer: english is not my first language, so forgive me for any mistakes.

i think sanzu would feel really comfortable with your shy nature, he himself is not shy, but he does appreciate the fact that you don’t need to be talking every moment you spend together to feel like you’re alright with each other. the silence between you both brings him comfort and a sense of relief that he doesn’t even get when he’s by himself.

he’ll probably take advantage of you being so calm to prove that he can protect you from any harm, taking the role of the talker in your relationship so you can feel secure only around him. i feel like you both will spend a lot of time inside either your rooms, playing all sorts of games or watching whatever you want to, he doesn’t really mind what you do if it means he can be with you, besides, he won’t even pay attention to anything else that’s not you.

he thinks nothing of your shyness until you get flustered because of him. the first time it happened was such a surprise to sanzu, to hear you squealing and avoiding his gaze after he complimented you or managed to say something that got you embarrassed, your reaction made him feel like he just won the best prize out there and he felt immediately addicted to your cute face. sanzu will be extremely proud and you can be sure that he will hate anyone else that makes you feel remotely the same. only he can be the one in charge of that.

he’s not above getting into fights if someone even dares to make fun of you for your shy nature, sanzu can be cruel, so people need to be careful with what they say because he’ll be hearing everything. but if by any chance you think he has exceeded in his actions, you just need to ask him to calm down for him to stop completely. sanzu is a loyal partner and among other not so good traits, he is always aware of your feelings and needs.

ran absolutely adores your shy nature, it makes him feel so alive whenever you squeal under his gaze that it is pretty weird to not see him always close to you, with his arm around your waist or his chin resting on your shoulder. whatever it is, you can rest knowing that he’s gonna make damn sure you’re always around him when strangers are close. ran is also very vocal, so your cause of death might be his never ending string of compliments, all of them directed to you and your pretty self. he takes pride in knowing every detail about you and he’s gonna talk about them every time he pleases.

usually, your outings always involve you getting dragged around by the haitani brothers in whatever business they have to attend and this is because ran hates to leave you alone or with people that you still don't feel comfortable enough with so, what’s his best solution? dragging you all around roppongi so you both can have little dates while rindou deals with their problems of course. ran has power and he is going to use every single little ounce of it to show you what he can do just to make you feel at ease.

the older haitani is protective by nature. even if you were someone more outgoing he’ll still feel the need to protect you. he doesn’t take a “no” for an answer so you better get used to his intimidating presence looming behind you.

let’s say someone actually manages to be brave enough to make fun of you for being so shy, do you think ran will let it slip? of course not. this guy will not even blink more than once before said person is lying on the ground, head completely smashed and nose bleeding to death. no one is allowed to mess with you in his presence or not.

for some reason, at first he didn’t know what to do with you and your shy nature, was this going to make it hard for him to get closer to you? he didn’t have time to wait for you to be comfortable enough with him, or so he thought because all the patience izana didn’t have suddenly appeared every time he was with you. it was amazing to see him get all careful with you.

as i have said before, izana prefers to spend time with you alone, so all your dates will be either inside your house or in some secluded place where no one is going to bother you. he yearns for his time alone with you so it wouldn’t be a surprise is he loses his temper when someone interrupts you two, however, he’ll try to refrain from doing anything dumb just in case you feel scared, he knoes how difficult is for you to be around new people so he’ll be careful.

he feels extremely protective of you now that he understands you better and he’ll also get softer whenever you’re with him just because now it is engraved in his brain that you are far more “delicate” than the other people he’s met. honestly, you’ll have to try and change his mind if you don’t want to be seen as someone weak because to izana, you must be protected from anyone that doesn’t understand just how shy you are.

anyone that dares disrespect or make fun of you because of your nature is immediately dead, izana doesn’t allow anyone to make you feel bad or uncomfortable. you’re his precious partner and he will not fail to protect you or act upon whatever it is making you feel bad, so expect him to be as rude as possible with whoever dares to make fun of you, nope, that’s not allowed to anyone, not even him.

❮★❯ requests are: opened!

#tokyo revengers #tokyo revengers imagines #tokyo revengers x reader #sanzu haruchiyo #haitani ran #kurokawa izana

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edendaphne · 4 years ago

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“Discordant Sonata” Chapter 20

>>Click here to read on Ao3<<

>>Click here to read on Wattpad<<

–––––

CHAPTER 20: PRESTISSIMO

Music glossary:

Prestissimo - "Extremely quickly”; to be played as fast as possible

* Fun tidbit: The name “Gaspard” means "bringer of treasure" *

–––––

(Mood Music: “Dead Things” - Philip Glass)

Adrien cursed into his gag, feebly squirming on the back seat of the car he’d been dragged into. The windows were heavily tinted, so there was no chance that anyone would be able to see him. Not that that mattered right now anyway, as he couldn’t even sit up at the moment. In fact, he couldn’t feel any of his appendages due to whatever drug his bodyguard (or... whoever he was) had injected into him.

One thing was certain: since neither of these men was the real Gaspard, they must be akumas, and his father had used their likeness to trick him.

Damn it. Why had he left his guard down back there? He should’ve known not to trust anyone. And now thanks to his idiocy, Marinette had gotten dragged into this giant mess, and he had no idea where “Fake-Gaspard #2” had taken her. He’d never forgive himself if anything happened to her. He seethed silently, consumed by fear and anger, both simultaneously raging for control.

He could feel Plagg behind him trying to fiddle with the zip ties that bound his arms together; but it wasn’t as simple as merely unlocking a safe or a door. Having Plagg with him was his only ace in the hole, so he had to remain hidden. Adrien had to plan his escape carefully for when the effects of the drug had worn off enough. Even if Plagg wasn’t able to remove the ties, he could still unlock the car door, so Adrien could roll out and... hopefully not be crushed to death by traffic. He let out a muffled grumble.

Okay... maybe that wasn’t the best idea.

He had to do something soon though; there wasn’t much time left before they arrived back at the Agreste mansion, and the only feeling he’d regained was in his hands and feet. He supposed he should consider himself lucky. If the dosage had been any higher, it could’ve interfered with his lungs, or worse.

Not that Father would care, he huffed impassively. If anything, it would get him out of the picture permanently, and he’d no longer be an inconvenience to Hawkmoth’s schemes.

Adrien’s thoughts drifted back to Marinette; worry and anxiety about what had happened to his beloved roommate clouded his mind, interfering with his concentration. He replayed her scuffle with the bodyguards over and over in his head, the overwhelming feelings of guilt and shame causing his entire being to ache in agony and self-loathing. This was all his fault. He was pathetic. Degraded from superhero to hostage with no one but himself to blame.

If Gabriel locked him away, would he ever find out what happened to her? Memories of being locked in a small, almost completely barren room for days at a time as punishment for misbehavior flashed in his mind, causing his insides to churn and his hands to get clammy. He fought the panic that threatened to boil over within him and firmly shoved the memories away. He needed his wits about him at the moment, and getting sucked into a spiral of panic would prevent him from being able to think logically.

His thoughts were interrupted as the car screeched to a halt, and had his Not-Bodyguards not partially strapped him into the lap seatbelts, he would’ve been thrown onto the floor from the momentum. He managed to turn his head and shake it slightly to try to get the hair out of his eyes, letting out a small grunt of puzzlement. What was happening??

His confusion didn’t last long.

An enormous force hurtled down from the sky onto the hood of the car, squashing it like an empty aluminum can, crushing the engine and rendering it useless. Once the dust and debris settled, Adrien peeked as high as he could, trying to catch a glimpse of what had landed on the car. Despite his meager view from the back seat, coupled with his blurry eyesight (as he’d lost his eyeglasses sometime during the scuffle), he could still make out the unmistakable red boots and black leggings that stood on top of the broken metal.

A million questions swirled around in his head in a jumbled tornado of confusion and elation. He tried calling out her name, having completely forgotten that he couldn’t, and he doubled his efforts trying to squirm out of his bindings so he could get her attention.

His endeavors were cut short though. Despite his impaired vision, he saw the distinct glowing masks form in front of the men’s faces.

I knew it!! he thought, glaring at them with distaste.

They rushed out of the car without a word, and he couldn’t help but utterly loathe the thought of Ladybug fighting both of them by herself, despite her partner being mere feet away, albeit totally useless.

God, I hate being a damsel in distress, he frowned. I hope she’s gonna be okay.

In a vicious display of skill that shocked onlookers, barely a minute later Ladybug had the two men strung up with her yo-yo from a street light. They hung several feet above the ground, expressions slightly miffed but otherwise still rather blank, which, for an akuma, was unusual to say the least.

“Ugh, not in here either,” Ladybug remarked crossly, discarding a broken watch onto the floor, joining the plethora of other torn items and belongings scattered all around them. “Where the hell is it?!” she grumbled after tearing a shoe in half and still not seeing any blackened butterflies.

She frowned, twisting her mouth in annoyance. If I keep going like this, they’ll end flashing all of Paris, she thought. Best to turn them over to the authorities and continue this search at the police station. She needed to check on Adrien anyway.

Right on cue, the police arrived and secured the area. After making sure the police had a handle on the situation, Ladybug rushed to the busted car to retrieve Adrien.

She jerked the car door open––or rather, tried to– accidentally yanking the entire door handle off and warping the metal of the door itself. She cursed in irritation, deciding to bypass the door altogether, and leaped onto the top of the car. With a strained heave, she peeled off the entire roof like a can opener, all the while muttering a colorful string of expletives Adrien had never heard his mild-mannered, even-tempered partner say before.

She dropped down next to him onto the back seat, releasing the seatbelts and assisting Adrien into a seated position. She reached up to touch his face, apologizing sheepishly before carefully peeling off the tape that covered his mouth.

Despite the gag being gone, Adrien remained speechless, staring at Ladybug with an intensity she’d never seen coming from him before. With a small, flustered stutter, she summoned a Lucky Charm. A pair of small, polka-dotted scissors landed onto the palm of her hand. She made quick work of his bindings and briefly inspected the red marks on his skin to make sure he was unharmed.

Adrien threw his arms around her, bringing her into a bone crushing hug, his entire body shaking like a leaf.

“Oh, Adrien,” she whispered, her voice still a bit raspy, and squeezed back firmly. “I’m so glad I found you. I was so scared.”

He didn’t reply, as he was near-hyperventilating, but his grip around her shoulders tightened and he buried his head into her neck, seeking comfort.

A few moments later, Ladybug gently lifted Adrien out of the car, careful not to touch the jagged metal edges. She hopped down to the ground and gingerly sat him on a nearby bench. He wobbled unsteadily, but managed to stay upright as she examined him.

“How are you feeling? Can you tell me what happened?” she asked, seemingly snapping him out of a haze.

Without a word, his head whipped up and his eyes developed a determined glint. He shot up to his feet– or, at least, he attempted to– barely managing to take a single wobbly step before crumpling onto the ground.

“Adrien!!” Ladybug called out as she halfway caught him. “Are you injured?! What’s happened to your legs?”

“Paralyzing drug,” Adrien slurred. “I’ll be fine,” he continued as he clumsily broke away from her hold, successfully taking a couple of shaky steps forward.

Ladybug exclaimed, horrified, “They drugged you?! What did they want?” She stepped in front of him, placing her hands gently on his chest, halting his attempt to flee. “Where are you going?? You’re in no condition to be running around right now, we need to take you to a hospital!”

Adrien shook his head, his tone becoming increasingly desperate, his pace becoming faster and more frantic as he stumbled ahead. “No no, please, I need to go look for her!”

“What’s wrong?” Ladybug asked, perplexed. “Look for who?” she said as she rushed beside him.

“I have to go back!” he pleaded. “I have to make sure she’s okay! She could be in danger, I need to find her!”

At this point, they’d reached a grassy portion of an adjacent park, and the uneven ground caused him to trip over himself. He cried out as he fell on top of Ladybug, who had surged forward to catch him.

“Please…” he looked down at her, barely able to hold himself up with his arms in their weakened state. “I have to find Marinette. She got hurt trying to save me,” he uttered quietly, his voice quivering and eyes glossy. “If anything happened to her, I don’t think I could–” his voice cracked, unable to continue. He inhaled slowly, then uttered with a trembling voice, “Please, I need to go back. She’s really important to me, I can’t go anywhere else until I know she’s alright.”

Ladybug’s face softened, touched by his concern. “She’s fine!” she blurted out. “Marinette’s fine!”

Adrien gave her a puzzled look. “What?? But how do you know?”

She attempted to give him a reassuring smile, trying her hardest to avoid looking like a demented clown. Think, you knucklehead, think!! Ladybug screamed inwardly in a panic.

“Uhh, she’s the one who contacted me!” she lied, then lowered her voice, as if she were letting him in on some forbidden knowledge. “She’s been secretly helping me and Chat Noir, so I gave her a way to contact me privately in case of emergency. But of course, this has to remain a secret; so please don’t tell anyone.” She helped him to a sitting position on the ground and added, “Can I trust you with this?”

Adrien’s face and posture relaxed, his eyebrows upturned with both amazement and affection. “Always,” he breathed out softly. “You can count on me, always,” he murmured, a kind smile etched on his handsome face as he reached for her hand and squeezed.

Ladybug smiled fondly in return, remembering why it had been so easy to fall in love with him several years ago. He was truly a selfless and sweet person at heart.

He lifted his hand up to her face, rubbing his thumb across a cut on her lower lip and wiping away a spot of blood which, unbeknownst to him, she’d gotten as Marinette. Her breath hitched, face suddenly feeling rather warm.

“It seems like we always meet under less than ideal circumstances,” Adrien chuckled softly. “Fate has a cruel sense of humor sometimes. I’m sorry.”

Ladybug’s stomach tingled, a sense of familiarity descending on her yet again. She must have been staring because Adrien swiftly withdrew his hand with a quick apology, muttering sheepishly how he’d never been very good at recognizing the need for personal space.

Not wanting to make him feel uncomfortable, Ladybug forced herself to pretend to have a functioning brain and smiled politely, helping him to stand and letting him use her as a support. “It’s okay, no worries!” she added amiably. “Would you let me take you back to the school? My yo-yo’s better than a taxi, or so I hear.”

He grinned widely, then nodded. “Yeah. I’d appreciate it.”

Ladybug picked him up, acutely aware that crowds were beginning to gather around the area. As she was about to take off with Adrien, she heard one of the cops call out her name.

“What is it, Officer Raincomprix? Do you have the situation under control? I’m taking Adrien back to the school to get him checked out by a medical professional. You can get a statement from him there, away from the public and from–” she added, an annoyed crinkle forming on her forehead “–from all the reporters. Be on the lookout for any possible akuma.”

Officer Roger Raincomprix’s face was one of pure bewilderment. “Uh– well, ma’am, something’s happened. I’m not sure how to explain. You’d better come take a look for yourself.”

Ladybug and Adrien exchanged puzzled glances, then she nodded as she and Adrien made their way to where she’d detained the kidnappers.

Upon arriving back at the scene of the battle, Ladybug gasped, almost dropping Adrien in shock, with a look on her face like she’d just witnessed an alien invasion.

“WHERE ARE THEY?!” she shrieked. “How did they escape?!?”

“We’re not sure,” Officer Roger stated. “Somebody caught it on camera, maybe you can get some clues from the video.” He called over one of the cameramen from a local news crew. “Rewind it, please,” he instructed him.

Ladybug and Adrien stared at the tiny screen in awe. The two men had been released from the lamppost and were being walked towards the police car in handcuffs. Once they’d almost reached the vehicle, they halted mid-step, then fell to the ground, faces twisting in agony, and they let out a bloodcurdling wail, like their insides were being ripped apart. A cloud of dark, indigo smoke engulfed them, obscuring them completely; and when it cleared, there was nothing.

Ladybug gaped in total confusion. “So they just… disappeared??” she cried. “Vanished without a trace??”

The officer shook his head. “Not entirely. These were left behind,” he added, presenting two small, white feathers.

Ladybug accepted them, even more confused than before. “And you’re absolutely certain you saw no akumas leave their bodies?”

Roger nodded. “Positive. There was nothing else. We’re searching the area for clues; we’ll let you know if we find anything.”

Ladybug exhaled sharply, feeling like she’d been thrown into a freezing lake, the tiny hairs at the back of her neck standing on end. What in the world was happening??

(Mood Music: Ballet from “Orpheus and Eurydice" - Christoph Gluck)

By the time Ladybug had gotten Adrien situated at the school nurse’s, the effects of whatever neuromuscular drug he’d been injected with had waned somewhat, and he’d regained most of the feeling and mobility in his limbs. Since he waved off the need to actually lie down in one of the beds, she helped him sink into a small sofa, adjusting the pillows, fussing over him, asking if he needed a blanket or something to drink. All the while, he kept trying to reassure her that he was fine (although his face did look a bit flushed during this exchange, which didn’t ease her apprehensions).

As the nurse examined his vitals and gave him a quick check-up, Ladybug’s thoughts slowly shifted from doting concern to one of regret and guilt. This was all her fault. She should have listened to Tikki and transformed instead of rushing in headfirst without knowing the full situation.

Her earrings rang out their second beep, reminding her that her time was beginning to run short. She knew she needed to part ways, but a pressing question rooted her to the spot. She couldn’t leave just yet. Not until she knew.

Adrien must’ve sensed her discomfort; as soon as the nurse excused herself to fill out a health report and speak to the police, he touched her arm and asked quietly, “Is everything okay?” He motioned for her to sit next to him, patting the cushion with a friendly gesture.

She complied, trying to appear as calm as possible as she took a seat. “Well, it’s about… earlier,” she began hesitantly, then lowered her head to whisper, “Do you think this had anything to do with those photos of us from a few months back, when we went to the movies together? Maybe the pictures got leaked after all, and the wrong people got ahold of them. I can’t help but feel like that’s why you were targeted.”

Adrien’s eyes popped wide open as he jerked his head up. “Oh, no!! No, it wasn’t!” Adrien replied, arms waving in emphatic denial. He tried to calm his voice again as he continued to insist, “Believe me, it’s not connected to that at all!”

“What?? B-but how are you sure? You can be honest with me; you don’t have to downplay it for my sake,” she insisted. “I accept all responsibility for everything that happened that evening. I should’ve known it was too dangerous and that it would put you at risk. I just want to fix things and make sure what happened today won’t ever happen again.”

“The timing was just a coincidence, I promise,” Adrien assured her, reaching forward and giving her shoulder a squeeze. “This has nothing to do with you... and everything to do with my father,” he added darkly.

Ladybug’s jaw dropped as a realization dawned on her. “Oh no, your father… he’s going to be so upset!! The police have probably already notified him, he must be worried sick!” Ladybug groaned in dismay, her head dropping into her hands, entirely missing the way Adrien’s eyes rolled sardonically. “Would it help if I escorted you to your home myself? Just to make absolutely sure that you arrive home safely? It’s no trouble, really! I’d just need to go recharge real quick and–”

Adrien looked like he’d just been set on fire. “NO!!!’ he cut her off, unable to keep the terror out of his voice. “Please, don’t!!”

Ladybug recoiled back like she’d been slapped in the face, utterly bewildered at his response. Adrien’s hands began to tremble, and he gripped the fabric of his pants to try to keep them still.

“Uhh, what I meant to say was, ‘no thank you, that won’t be necessary.’ M-my Father is, uhh... very particular. Fastidious, really. Someone will drive me back.” He grimaced as if his words tasted bitter, then he exhaled, seeming to compose himself. “I appreciate the offer, it’s very kind of you. But there’s really no need.”

“I… b-but…” she stammered, twiddling with the hem of her skirt, unconvinced. “Are you absolutely, positively sure you’ll be alright?”

Adrien nodded. “I’ll be fine. Trust me.”

Ladybug let out a deep sigh. “Well… alright. Sorry I kept pushing, it’s just…” She bit her lip, trying not to think about the chillingly blank stares of the impostor bodyguards. “It’s just that those men were no ordinary akumas. Actually, I don’t even know if they were ever really human in the first place. Or akumas. Something is very wrong here. I don’t like it.”

She felt Adrien shuffle nervously beside her, and her posture straightened like she’d been smacked with a rod, her head whipping up to meet Adrien’s concerned eyes again.

“Oh goodness, I’m so sorry! I shouldn’t be blabbing all this stuff to you, especially after what you’ve just been through. You’re safe now and I’ll make sure it stays that way, alright? I swear it! So, please try not to worry about it. I’ll discuss this incident with Chat Noir and see if he knows anything about this weird phenomenon, okay? We’ll protect you.” She grinned and took his hands into hers, giving it a gentle squeeze.

An odd look crossed his face, but it shifted into a cordial smile before she could think much of it. “Right. Thanks, Ladybug. I’m sorry you had to get dragged into this.”

Ladybug sputtered, “Not at all! Please don’t be sorry! It’s my job! I was happy to do so! W-well, I mean– not happy you almost got– I mean, obviously not that, but happy that you... that I—“ she stopped her ramblings with a loud, embarrassed facepalm. “Ow. Anyway, you know what I mean,” she finished with a self-deprecating grin.

Adrien was about to reply when the door to the infirmary swung open, crashing into the adjacent wall with a loud bang.

“ADRIEN!!! BRO, ARE YOU OKAY??!” a despondent-sounding Nino rushed to his side, throwing his arms around him without even noticing Ladybug’s presence, a concerned Alya following closely behind.

Adrien hugged him back, touched at his concern. “Nino!! Boy, am I glad to see you! I’m fine, really!”

“You’re not hurt?? You’re really okay?!”

“Of course! I’m fine now, all thanks to Ladybug and Mar— wait…” His head whipped around the room, squinting his eyes as he searched (the action reminding Ladybug that Adrien’s glasses were still missing). “Where’s Marinette? She’s not with you guys?”

Ladybug let out an odd squeak, then tried covering it up with a cough.

Alya shook her head. “I tried calling her, but there’s been no answer. But someone pulled the fire alarm and called the cops, so maybe that was her? I was able to squeeze some info out of one of the officers. He said a young woman called and claimed she saw Adrien Agreste get taken away in a vehicle against his will. He mentioned that she sounded out of breath, almost like she was running or chasing after them. If that doesn’t sound like Marinette, then I don’t know what does.”

Adrien bit the side of his cheek, brows upturned in concern. “She saw us and tried fighting the assailants. She could be injured, I have to go find her,” he said as he stood up, still wobbly but able to do it unassisted.

“NO!!” Ladybug yelped, leaping off the sofa like it was made of hot coals, and they all looked up at her. “I mean, you shouldn’t push yourself. D-don’t worry, I’m sure she’s on her way! You should stay here so she knows where to find you! No sense in having you both running around and potentially missing each other, right?”

Adrien crossed his arms, not quite convinced, but deciding to follow her instructions. “Well… I-I guess. We should try her cell phone again.”

Ladybug continued, words dribbling out like a broken faucet, “Anyhoo, my earrings are about to beep again, so I’d better get going! But you all know how to get a hold of me if anything happens, right guys? Right?? Right... Anyway, bug out!!”

And with that, Ladybug scampered away like a white rabbit late for a tea party.

A few minutes later (the entirety of which Adrien spent answering Nino and Alya’s worried queries as well as filling out a police report) a rather rumpled-looking Marinette quietly entered the room, not wanting to interrupt.

She didn’t stay undetected for long, however. Upon seeing her, Adrien’s features morphed from surprise into joy, followed by relief, then concern. He’d never seen her look quite so… tired .

He must’ve uttered her name out loud because she approached them sheepishly. “Umm… hi. S-sorry, it took me a little while to walk back to the school and my phone ran out of battery on the way. Are you oka––”

Adrien sprung off his seat and shuffled towards her, halfway dragging his still-sluggish legs. He threw his arms around her, clutching her as tight as he could, as if she might disappear again at any second.

“Marinette, thank God,” he cooed, gently cradling the back of her head. “I don’t know how to thank you. If it hadn’t been for you, I would’ve been–”

“You would’ve done the same for me,” she said as she embraced him with matching fervor. “I’m just glad you’re okay now.”

They felt a large thwump as someone wrapped their arms around them, followed by another set of arms joining the pile.

“This most definitely calls for a group hug,” Nino said, squeezing hard.

“Especially after what Adrien told us happened,” Alya added. “Girl, you are so brave! I’m so proud of you!! Ladybug and Chat Noir better watch out or you’ll be stealing their jobs soon!” Adrien heard Marinette let out an amused snort as he and Nino chimed in in agreement.

Now that the danger had passed and the adrenaline had subsided, a moment of calm was exactly what they needed.

As the group pulled apart and he was able to get a better look at her, it was then that Adrien noticed how truly beaten up Marinette appeared, physically. Her hair was out of place, her clothes torn in a few spots, her usual hair accessory was missing, and she was covered in grime, cuts, and bruises.

“Oh, Mari…” he whispered sadly as he slowly turned her head by the chin, gently thumbing a large cut on her lips and ghosting the tips of his fingers over a darkening black eye, moving her hair out of the way.

Marinette then realized that, in the midst of all the commotion, Ladybug had forgotten to use her Miraculous Cure.

Damn it! Screwed up yet another thing today.

She wondered if she could summon another Lucky Charm later today and try to fix things then . She’d never tried using a Lucky Charm outside of battle once the danger had already passed. Would it even work?

Marinette winced. “That bad, eh? Do I have to wear a paper bag over my head for a few days to avoid frightening the children of Paris?” she joked. She instinctively stuck out her tongue to search for the cut on her lip, then flinched when the wetness of her saliva made it sting.

Adrien frowned. “Nonsense. Here,” he said, leading her by the hand back to the sofa. After she sat down, he began gathering some of the first aid materials that the nurse had left on the countertop, then rummaged through the drawers and cupboards for more.

Marinette let out a flustered squeak as he brought the supplies over and pulled up a chair, sitting across from her.

“Oh! Don’t worry about it, it’s totally not necessary,” she said, holding her hands up. “I can take care of it later, it’s no big deal, you should really get some rest–”

Adrien leaned forward in his seat, reaching for her hand. “Please. Let me do this.” he murmured, insistent. “It’s the least I can do.”

Marinette could feel her face getting flushed from all the attention, but didn’t want to argue with him. He was clearly blaming himself for what had happened, and maybe this would be a way to help him feel better, even though it wasn’t his fault whatsoever. She shyly tucked some hair behind her ear, then nodded in consent.

As Adrien treated Marinette’s wounds, they overheard Principal Damocles and Madame Bustier conversing as they walked down the hallway outside of the nurse’s office.

“—And now there isn’t even anyone left behind for Monsieur Agreste to press charges, since the police claim that the perpetrators disappeared into thin air!” Mr. Damocles lamented as he paused in front of the slightly ajar infirmary door. “It’s not like he can sue Ladybug or the authorities for their negligence in capturing the culprits. Or, come to think of it, maybe he can! He is friends with the mayor, after all,” he pondered, continuing his musings. “Regardless, the blame will surely fall upon us!”

“Perhaps this isn’t the time to worry about that, Principal Damocles,” Mme Bustier spoke in a more hushed tone. “Surely M. Agreste must be feeling absolutely distraught after what nearly happened to his son. He’s such a caring and devoted father, always worrying about Adrien’s well-being, especially since his wife’s disappearance. His son is all he has left. We should try to be more considerate.”

“Hmm, yes, I suppose you are correct. Perhaps if we send him a basket of fruit to show our condolences about this incident, he’ll let the whole thing slide and we can avoid a lawsuit.”

“Sir…” Caline Bustier let out a troubled sigh as the two continued down the hallway.

The room was quiet again and Marinette had to work really hard to suppress an irritated groan, as her acting skills were put to the ultimate test of avoiding outwardly cringing at her principal’s misdirected priorities.

Her attention turned back towards Adrien, and at this point she realized that his actions had halted. His arm hovered in mid-air holding a cotton ball soaked in antiseptic, glassy eyes staring blankly at the ground. He looked rather pale, almost like he’d seen a ghost, and his face was downcast, yet somehow still unreadable. She supposed that years of concealing his emotions came naturally for him as well.

Marinette knew that Adrien’s relationship with his father was rather strained, particularly over the past year, with him becoming more and more strict and Adrien having to deal with increasing pressure to maintain a near-impossible standard of conduct. But judging by Adrien’s dramatic shift in mood, she couldn’t help but wonder if there was more to it than that.

She reached forward, lightly touching his opposite forearm to get his attention. His gaze whipped up to meet hers, his eyes revealing an ocean of sorrow. But he cleared his throat and gave her a small smile, that perfect default smile, the one that she hated seeing on him. Then he resumed tending to her various wounds, briefly apologizing for getting distracted.

She noticed in her peripheral vision a miffed-looking Nino pulling Alya to the other side of the room, speaking in hushed tones. She couldn’t hear what they were saying, but it sounded like they were disagreeing about something.

“–You can’t just go around making those kinds of accusations!” Alya hissed, almost too quiet for Marinette to hear. “It’s literally the worst time for that!”

“I won’t!” Nino whispered back. “... For now. But it doesn’t mean I’m gonna stop suspecting him. I’m telling you, he’s not a good dude! If he’s such a ‘perfect’ father, why isn’t he here right now?! After what just happened?” His posture drooped and he crossed his arms. “I just… I’m worried about Adrien, babe. What if he’s not actually okay?” he asked with a slight quiver in his voice.

“Oh, Nino…” Alya’s face softened as she brought him into a tight embrace. “Everything’s gonna be fine, hon. Don’t worry.”

She glanced over and made eye contact with Marinette, giving her a small smile; then she and Nino walked off together to a more secluded area to continue their private conversation.

Adrien finished wrapping up a nasty-looking gash on her shin, which had bled through her pants leg. He’d rolled up the fabric to treat the wound, and was now rolling it back down.

“Thank you, Adrien,” she said quietly. “I should get going, my parents are probably worried; they usually keep the news radio turned on in the bakery, so they’ve probably already heard about what happened.”

Adrien stood when she did. Always a gentleman, she thought with a smile.

“Will you be alright? Can I walk you home?” he asked.

Marinette spluttered incredulously. “You’re asking me if I’m alright?! After all that you just went through??”

He shrugged slightly, giving her a tiny, contrite smile. “Well… you went through it with me. And, as amazing as you are, you’re not unbreakable. I just wanna be there for you like you were for me today. And like every time you’ve been there whenever I needed someone.”

Marinette’s heart thumped loudly in her chest, touched by his concern and gratitude. He spoke so sincerely, and she could sense that many things were left unspoken, and there was a weight behind his words that she couldn’t decipher. “What about your car ride?”

“I…” he faltered slightly. “I’ll tell them to pick me up from your place. No biggie.”

“Well… if you’re sure. The company would be nice,” she relented.

“Great!” he said cheerfully, offering his arm. “You can be my seeing-eye mouse.”

“A what? A seeing-eye mouse?” she giggled. “Actually, that reminds me–” she paused, opening her purse and rummaging through it.

Adrien’s eyes grew wide as she conjured up his missing eyeglasses from within.

“I went looking for them before coming to find you. It was lucky that they were still there, in the locker room. One of the lenses has a small scratch, but they should still work fine until you can buy a new pair.”

Adrien let out a small, incredulous laugh, then put on his glasses. “I can’t believe you went back for them. You’re a lifesaver, Marinette; in so many ways. Thank you.”

Marinette’s face warmed at the compliment, despite trying hard to smolder the remainders of a flame that was once there. She cleared her throat and teased, “Can I still be your seeing-eye dog?”

“You mean, my ‘seeing-eye mouse’!”

She raised an amused eyebrow. “Why a mouse?”

“You’d be a mouse ‘cause you’re little and cute!”

Marinette blew a raspberry as she giggled. “You’re such a dork! Alright, I’ll do it, but you’d better be there when I need someone to fetch something from the top shelves!”

Adrien chuckled and gave her a wink. “That’s a promise.”

–––––

As some of you correctly guessed: YES! The peacock miraculous was used to create sentimonsters in the image of Adrien's old bodyguard to deceive him and take him back to Gabriel.

There's some plot decisions I have to make (whether to follow my original outline of what comes next or if I need to tweak some things to improve the flow of the story), so it's back to "normal" updates again, but I'll do my best to update a bit more consistently :)

#CW: kidnapping #Miraculous Ladybug #Ladynoir #Enemies AU #enemies to lovers #Marinette Dupain Cheng #Adrien Agreste #Chat Noir #Ladybug #fanfiction #Discordant Sonata #ML AU #aged up #Eden writes

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imagine-this-fandom · 4 years ago

Text

The Rescue: BNHA x Fem! Reader- Black rat snake

the rescue intro: here

Leading you back into the main section of the shop, she released your hand and put Izuku into a nearby cage. Turning back to face you, she pulled out her phone.

“I just need to double-check something with the owner of the shop real quick. He likes to hear about any adoptions I supervise from a particular group of animals we have. You go ahead and look around while I confirm the one I have in mind “

You offered her a smile and a nod before turning to look around. Wandering the aisles of the store, you couldn't help but relax. There was some music playing in the background, too low for you to recognize the lyrics. You noted with amusement that your bird friend, Hizashi, was perched by the radio, bobbing along to it enthusiastically. You started to make your way towards him when a flicker of movement caught your attention from the corner of your eye. Turning to face the shelves of glass tanks, you searched them for the smooth movement that had captured your gaze. Perusing the tanks nearby, you were excited to find the one in the corner occupied. Inside was a large black snake. He was beautiful. Shiny black scales decorated the majority of his body save for his stark white underbelly and chin. It was hard to tell how long he was because he was wrapped up on a branch, coiled tightly as he watched you unblinking.

Tilting your head, your eyes scanned over the little sticker on the corner of the tank telling you his name and breed.

"Dabi, huh? Whoever named you was absolutely trying to be edgy," you crouched so your face was level with the tank and you could see him better. "Dabi is the name of a super dangerous villain, you know?"

Dabi watched you silently, serpentine tongue flicking in annoyance. He was used to the stares and the gawking from other store patrons, but that didn't mean he enjoyed it. You at least weren't tapping on the glass and whining when he didn't do anything interesting. Still, to him, you were a temporary distraction in the long borning sameness his days had turned into. He cursed the day he got involved with the league of villains and the quirk experiments that Shigaraki's "master" put into effect.

When Inko came to find you, she rounded the corner to see you sitting in front of the snake, mirroring his movements and sticking your tongue out in time with his. To be honest, she was a bit nervous about this arrangement, but Nezu had insisted you take the villainous young man home with you. Something about personalities and the change he needed or something like that. Still, if you were somehow the key to breaking the effects of the quirk like Nezu expected then it was worth the worry.

"I see you've found him all on your own!"

You whipped your head around to look at her in shock.

"Wait, a snake? Aren't they super hard to care for?"

"Not really, especially his breed," She answered calmly, offering you her hand to help you off the floor. "snakes are good pets, even if they look intimidating."

Taking her hand, you allowed her to pull you from your kneeling position. Looking back at the snake, you couldn't deny that he was interesting. You always thought snakes were really cool, and with some research, they could be really good pets. Besides, he was the one Inko wanted you to take home, and she knew so much more about him. You could trust her on this, and you honestly wanted to.

"If you help me, I will happily take him home. But you have to give me lots of info about him so I can do research. Okay?"

"It's a deal."

Inko helped you gather supplies for your new pet, making idle conversation and giving you tips on how to properly care for Dabi.

"Be very careful when you handle him, dear. He's got a mean temper and he's nipped me a couple of times. He comes from a not-so-friendly background so he's mistrusting. "

You nodded slowly, expression falling at her words. You would have to be very careful, but you were going to earn his trust no matter what. Inko noted your determined expression as she put supplies into a cart for you, a small smile tugging at her lips. Maybe Nezu was right, you could handle this. Perhaps there was hope for Dabi yet.

Once you had successfully gathered all the possible tools you would need, Inko fetched a pair of heavy-duty gloves and a snake hook. Carefully, she transferred the irritated snake into a bucket to transport him in before quickly latching the top.

"You'll want to make sure his container is firmly latched once you get him home. He's a bit of an escape artist. "

You were a bit concerned due to all the warnings given, but you were more determined than ever to take good care of the snake now within your care. He was going to feel loved, like it or not. Giving her a nod, you carefully took the container from her, cradling it close to your chest to give him any extra warmth you could grant him for the cold journey home.

Inko shooed you out, eager for you to get home before it got any darker or colder. You hugged her tightly before stepping out into the cold with your new pet.

Luckily, the trek home didn't take very long and you found yourself at your apartment door before you knew it. Stepping inside, you quickly set to heat up the space. You weren't taking any chances in keeping your snake healthy.

"I'll get you settled as soon as I can, buddy. Just hold on for me."

Setting the container aside, you quickly got to work setting up his tank. While you were focused on the task at hand, you missed the lid of the container lifting as Dabi pushed out of his temporary cage. Slithering out, he relished his momentary freedom. While he was well aware that he couldn't escape in this form, that doesn't mean he wasn't going to cause as much mischief as he possibly could in the process.

While you were distracted, he explored the apartment. He had to admit, the change in perspective from when he was human was disorienting. As a human, he stood at five foot nine, but as a snake, he was mere inches off the ground. Because he was a python, he found that climbing wasn't too difficult, so he quickly made his way up a nearby chair to settle on the counter and get a better vantage point. Surveying his surroundings, he noticed with gathering annoyance that his new home belonged to a hero fan. You had various merch such as an allmight mug and a red hawks wing patterned blanket. Still, at least he hadn't seen anything flame patterned. You at least didn't have the worst taste in that regard.

As he looked around, you finished setting up his tank. Looking back towards where you left him, you stiffened, panic filling your veins. The container was clear, and you could clearly see it was missing a snake. Slowly, you rose to your feet, trying to quell the panic invading your mind.

"Dabi? Where'd you go?" trapping your lip between your teeth, you started scanning the floor.

Dabi watched with amusement as you searched frantically for him. He could tell it was going to be fun to tease you. Had he been in human form, he would have called you out for your pointless panic.

'I'm right here, stupid girl,' he hissed, knowing you wouldn't be able to understand him, but wanting to express the sentiment regardless. Slithering to the edge of the counter, he perched there ` and hissed softly to get your attention.

Hearing the strange noise, you were shocked to see the reptile on your counter. The tank he had been in didn't do him justice. He was easily five feet long now that you could see him stretched out. While this situation was someone's worst nightmare, you couldn't help but catch your breath. You had never considered snakes to be all that pretty, but Dabi managed to be. The black of his scales was onyx against your counter The white scales of his underbelly just barely showed on his sides, a striking contrast. The most obvious separation of color was at his jaw, the underside bright white as if someone had pieced two colors together there.

You broke out of your thoughts to find the snake coiled around a pillar by your counter, now exactly eye level with you.

"Sorry, you got bored waiting for me. But your new tank is finished. Now you have a nice comfy place to sleep."

He gave you an unimpressed look. He would have rolled his eyes if he could. He was expecting more of a freak out instead of the weird half-smile you gave him while standing completely still for like 15 seconds. Weirdo. He pulled his focus back to the present as he felt your hand close gently around his middle. Jerking back, he bit you. The yelp that sounded made him cringe internally, but he steamrolled over the small part of him that felt remorse. He was determined to get rid of any trace of that if he wanted to move forward as a villain. Still, he didn't take pride in the blood that was welling up on your hand, that was more toga's thing.

You clutched your hand to your chest, looking back at him with wide eyes. Backing up until you were out of his reach should he decide to go for a longer bite, you looked down at the red beading up from the tiny pinpricks on your hand. It didn't hurt that much and had mostly just surprised you. However, you were understandably a bit freaked out. You checked over your injury before pouting at Dabi, regaining some of your confidence now that the adrenaline was fading.

"Well, that wasn't very nice, Mr. grumpy scales. I just wanted to get you to your tank." skirting around him, you made your way into the small kitchen area. Keeping your gaze trained on Dabi, you went about washing your hands to try and disinfect the bite. It wasn't deep, but you weren't about to risk getting sick. Before long, you had the small wound clean and bandaged. However, this left you with the task at hand that had gotten you bit in the first place, getting Dabi to his tank.

"Now how are we gonna do this, my little spit-fire? I can't exactly leave you to roam the house, but I don't want a matching snake bite piercing for my other hand."

'whatever woman, it's your problem, not mine' Dabi watched you, tongue flicking lazily as he waited for you to decide your next move. He had to admit, you were more fun to mess with than the Midoriya lady. He always got chewed out by the various occupants of the store whenever he tried to cause trouble for her. Here, it was just you and him and he could be as much of a jerk as he wanted. It's not like he expected you to interact with him much anyway, so why waste time playing the well-behaved pet?

While he amused himself with his thoughts, you remembered the stick Inko had used to transfer him back at the store and recreated it with your broom handle. Dabi was not expecting the sudden change of perspective when you scooped him up, so he didn't think about resisting. Gently placing him in the bottom of the tank, you slid the handle out and carefully latched the tank lid.

"There we go Dabi. Sleep well. Tomorrow should be less stressful and you can take some time to settle in." You offered him a smile, a brief light in the dark living room before you retreated to your room. Dabi watched you go in disgruntled annoyance before settling down, knowing it was pointless to stay up and agonize about the strange day. Curling around himself until he was arranged in a neat little coil, he drifted to sleep.

~~~~~ "Dabi!!!! How did you get up there?" You stared wide-eyed, mouth agape at your snake. You had been living with him for just over two weeks now, but he still managed to surprise you. Right now, he was lazily draped over the top of a bookshelf in your living room. If he could emote, you would have easily seen a cheeky grin adorning his smug face.

"How, I... You're impossible!" You threw up your hands, not having the mental stamina to deal with his shenanigans for the day. "Fine, if you want to be tall, far be it from me to stop you."

You gave him a triumphant look before turning your back to him.

Unbeknownst to you, he was waiting for an opportunity and you had just given him the perfect one. He carefully stretched out over the edge of the bookshelf and let himself fall around your shoulders, his tail wrapping around your bicep to steady him. Obviously, you screamed and tried to dislodge him in a panic. The shrill sound hurt his ears, but the surprise he saw was worth it. If you could have seen your face, your eyes had been wide and crazy and he hissed out a laugh as you finally settled down.

Your heart was still beating in your throat but you quickly realized that it was just Dabi coiled around you. His cold scales against the bare skin of your neck and the foreign weight had been terrifying in the moment. You moved slowly, considering his sharp teeth that he had no qualms about using. He was a strange animal. He hated being handled but would take every opportunity to antagonize you. Still... he had grown on you. However, that was horrifying, and had he not been more secure, you would have flung him away.

You instead glared at the reptile, breath still heaving as you recovered.

"That was rude Dabi!" A pout formed on your lips, "You know, you could have been hurt. That was reckless. Also, you nearly gave me a heart attack."

You watched him warily. You didn't think he would bite you again, but he was unpredictable so you moved carefully. You slowly reached out with the arm opposite the one he was wrapped around and carefully ran a finger over the scales on his back, enjoying the smooth and cool feeling of his scales under your fingers.

The feeling was alien to Dabi, but not uncomfortable. While he didn't like people touching him, your touch was featherlight and gentle. There was no promise of pain behind it, no expectation, just softness, and curiosity. He froze at the contact, unsure how to respond to the touch. In the past, he was faced with extremes. Always too hot, too rough, too painful, too much, and too expectant.

But your touch was gentle. You were soft, warm rather than scalding, gentle and careful, and...caring. Despite his behavior and lashing out, you stayed patient with him. You confused and irritated him to no end. Still, he supposed he could endure your touch for a little while longer. 'it's just because I'm a snake now. I'm drawn to her warmth' he muttered to himself, a soft hiss all that you heard.

Without knowing his true thoughts, you took his response as displeasure and pulled away quickly.

"Sorry spitfire, I didn't mean to bother you. I'll keep my hands to myself then," You started towards his cage, "let's get you put away, and then I'll leave you be."

Without even thinking about it, he tightened his hold on your arm slightly. You shot him a surprised look before deciding it was your imagination and carefully untangling him from your arm and placing him in his tank. You latched it and gave him a small smile and wave before walking away, going to the couch to give him space.

Meanwhile, Dabi was having a mental battle with himself. He knew that it had felt nice to be near you, but he was confused as to the why. He decided that he froze because he was used to people being too scared of him to caress him so casually. Still, a part of him, a part he tried to bury was convinced that he was avoiding the real reason. Looking back at you, he felt warm and confused. The warmth wasn't painful like the blue of his quirk, but rather, soothing. It calmed him yet made him feel funny all the same. Perhaps this is what true annoyance felt like, anger at being unable to faze you. He narrowed his gaze as much as this form would allow and glared back at you. He fell back on one of the few emotions he allowed himself and stewed in a fit of quiet anger.

Your skin prickled lightly as you felt his unblinking gaze on you. Turning your head from the book in your hands, you offered him a small smile, eyes soft. It was a direct opposite to his hard eyes and he was a bit taken aback but didn't let it show. The moment lasted only a few moments before a twinkle of mischievousness lit your eyes. Leaning forward slightly, you brought your fingers to your lips and blew the grumpy animal a kiss, bursting into giggles when he jerked back, affronted by your action.

You rolled back on the couch, heaving with laughter at the simple but funny reaction. Your eyes scrunched with mirth as an ungraceful snort left your mouth before you were able to recover, shoulders still shaking as you righted yourself. Looking back at the tank, your expression was bright with humor, cheeks red from the laughter.

"Oh come on, it was a kiss Dabi, it wouldn't have hurt you. " You made your way in front of him and crouched to his level. "Alright, I'm sorry for scaring you, but hey, payback's a *****. "

A broad smirk formed as you watched him flick his tongue in annoyance. "If that startled you so much, maybe I'll just have to spend more time with you so you're used to my antics."

He watched incredulously as you dragged a chair to the table his tank rested on and settled on it, watching him with elbows on your knees and chin resting in your palms.

"There. Now we can get to know each other. I'm afraid we got off on the wrong foot. " You gave a little bow from the chair before straightening. "I, am (y/n). I moved here from America, and my quirk is the ability to resist other quirks."

He slid to the front of the tank, interested in any information he could glean from this strange encounter. You were the only one he could interact with, so he might as well know a bit about you to use against you later if he ever turned human again.

'Now what, huh? You can't understand what I'm saying so you look pretty stupid right now. ' he spoke, but only hisses reached your ears. You pretended to listen intently regardless.

"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you Dabi. What's that? You're from here in Japan? Well, I must say, my accent is atrocious compared to you." You laughed, winking conspiratorily. "And what's your quirk? Spitfire? Do tell what that's like."

'You are by far the strangest person I have ever met and if we met when I was human, I'd squish you like a bug. And what's with the nickname being my quirk? animals don't have quirks, idiot.'

Not for the first time, Dabi wished he had arms again. He had to settle for flicking his tail with annoyance rather than punching the glass as he would have preferred. Still, you kept talking, oblivious to his annoyance.

'Spitfire huh? What name fits you then? I could just call you bug. You're annoying like one. Firefly then. You're obnoxiously sunny and useless.'

He smirked to himself, proud of his choice, and let you ramble on. The conversation was all about you and your job and favorite heroes. Everything and more than he wanted to know was shared with him. Still, it was better entertainment than staring at the tank in silence so he was grateful for it in a small measure. He didn't realize how intently he had been listening until you stopped. He straightened as he heard your voice waver for the first time in the half-hour you had been talking to him. Turning his reptilian eyes to you, you had changed demeanor completely. You had gotten to the family section of your story. Inhaling and pushing forward, you forced a fake smile that made his heart twist in something he told himself was disgust rather than sympathy.

"I have family, I suppose. I mean, they're still alive that is. But... Since I decided to move, they don't want anything to do with me," you cleared your throat, having not really taken time to talk aloud about it and process it fully and getting more choked up than you thought you would. "They think I'm an idiot for leaving. Considering my quirk, they thought I might as well not have one. They didn't think it was safe for me here and that it was a betrayal to leave them for my own dreams rather than their expectations."

You weren't looking at the tank anymore, instead focusing on the pale carpet at your feet, trying to distract from the feeling of hurt that had filled you so suddenly.

"They uh, they wanted me to be a hero. " A humorless smile flitted across your face briefly. "Their quirks were quirk paralysis and forcefield. They thought I would get some ability that could be used to save people. But no... I can only save myself. And that's only if they attack me with a quirk. I can still get hurt from falls, weapons, all that fun stuff. I disappointed them. Because I was born wrong, I took away their dreams of being a good child." You swallowed thickly, blinking hard to suppress the stinging in your eyes as angry and hurt tears filled them.

Dabi watched, transfixed by this girl who was so similar yet so different. Yet with all you had gone through, you hadn't turned bitter You still liked heroes despite your inability to join them. You were not what he expected and he suddenly didn't want you to stop talking. He needed to know more. Unfortunately for him, you were emotionally drained and had gone quiet.

Standing, you wiped your eyes with the heels of your palms before offering him a watery smile, trying to mask any hint of the sadness that had just consumed you.

"Kind of went off the deep end there! sorry about that. it's getting late, so I'll let you sleep. "

Before he could make any move or sound to protest, you had vanished into your room, the light switched off and plunging the room into darkness.

~~~~~~~~~

Ever since that day when you talked to Dabi, he had been friendlier to you. It was subtle at first, and you had to pay close attention to notice any difference. Dabi was less hesitant to spend time with you and as time went on, he became comfortable with you handling him. Now, months after taking him into your care, he was always with you around the house. He was still a jerk and nipped you on occasion, but he never broke skin anymore.

He had taken to riding around on your shoulders, wrapped loosely there with his head resting on your collar bone. You would continue about your day with him resting there, occasionally you would reach up and stroke him. You talked with him often, having one-sided conversations as you cooked, whispering to him conspiratorily as you commented on the various actors on tv. Once you even took him to the store with you without realizing it. It wasn't until the cashier nearly screamed that you realized you had forgotten to put him back in his tank. You could have sworn he was laughing at you on the way home, hiss coming out in disjointed little huffs.

Dabi was, of course, amused by your mistake. He wrapped himself around your neck, applying light pressure as if to remind you that he was in fact still there as you hurried home. 'I was wondering how long it would take for you to realize. I didn't think you would actually make it to the store, firefly. How unobservant can you be, I'm a five-foot snake.' He tickled the base of your throat with his tongue, grinning to himself as you shuddered.

"Hey! Stop that, you wouldn't want me to drop you. I promise the pavement is not as forgiving as the carpet in my apartment." You gently pushed his head away, tucking him into the hood on your jacket.

Your shoe caught on a rock as you passed an alleyway, briefly causing you to stumble. You nearly sent Dabi flying from his place on your shoulder.

"Hah! See? Careful." laughing, you settled him back in place, patting him goodnaturedly

'real graceful there, firefly. Trying to seduce the pavement? Because you almost kissed it. I could do better and I don't even have legs.' As much as he teased, he couldn't help but be endeared to your clumsiness.

"careful there, girlie. That could have been a bad fall. Wouldn't want to get that pretty face marked up."

You whipped your head around and looked owlishly at the man who had spoken. He was in the alleyway beside you, leaning against the brick with a cigarette. He watched you lazily, eyes trailing over you with something akin to appraisal.

Stepping back, you gave a tight nod and a forced chuckle.

"Yeah, really lucky there. um," Shifting uncomfortably, your eyes darted towards home before hurriedly returning to the mystery man, not sure you wanted to let him out of your sight, "I'll just be going now, can't keep my boyfriend waiting." You ducked your head and swiftly kept walking, the feeling of his eyes following you leaving a gross slimy feeling crawling up your spine.

Once you were out of range and you couldn't feel his gaze again, you took off for home. Your hands went to your throat, holding Dabi steady as you sprinted. When you arrived at the apartment, your breathing was heavy and punctuated by the occasional gasp. Dabi could feel your pulse fluttering against his side frantically. Once you were inside, you dropped your bags and whipped the door shut. Fumbling with the locks, you didn't relax until all of them were secured tightly. You rested your forehead against the wood, heaving quietly as you tried to relax and give the adrenaline a chance to wear off. You wouldn't have reacted like this normally, but something about that man had activated your fight or flight response.

Dabi watched you carefully, not admitting that he was concerned by that display. Stretching out to get a better look at you, he was relieved when your eyes found his form and focused on him rather than the blank distance you had been occupied with before.

"Sorry about that Spitfire, I bet that was a wild ride." Standing, you slid off your jacket and carefully unwound him from your neck, "And hopefully, you will never have to experience that ever again."

Dabi curled around your arm, his weight a comfort that helped ground you as you calmed. Setting him down on the counter, you turned your attention to the bags you had abandoned by the door.

"What do you think that was about?" You wrinkled your nose in distaste, as you remembered the man. You didn't like how he looked at you, " I think I lost him, so we should be alright."

You focused on putting the groceries away and started rambling about the movie you were looking forward to that was in production.

"Oh you would love it, it has my favorite actress in it and I always liked the story. I can't wait to see what direction they take with it."

You looked back at the snake as if to ask his opinion before nodding sagely.

"Ah yes, I agree, they might absolutely ruin the storyline by adding an unnecessary romantic subplot."

Dabi mentally rolled his eyes at your antics. he may act like it didn't affect him, but he quite enjoyed it when you talked to him. You treated him like a trusted friend. He adored when you smiled at him. Throughout his life, he had never had anyone smile at him as you did. You looked at him like he was the most important thing in your life and if he were human, he probably wouldn't be able to conceal the awed expression that would follow just one of your smiles.

He listened intently as you worked, mind wandering as he thought of what would change if he were human. He'd get to see your cute annoyed pout more often, that'd be for sure. He would tease you mercilessly, but he knew you would respond in kind, probably teasing him back and poking fun right back.

Still, it was better this way, at least in his mind. This way, he could actually be around you without scaring you off. His burns would likely intimidate you if his reputation as a villain didn't. No, he was better off as a snake. Maybe it was selfish to pine after you this way, but he wouldn't have to face your true reaction to him this way. The possibility of actually being able to be with you as a human and you rejecting him was not something he would be willing to face. He supposed being a snake had that small advantage. You would never know what an awful person he was and leave him, to never grace him with that annoyed look or that silly nickname. Besides, he couldn't care about you, not really. He told himself that he didn't have emotions anymore. Those feelings died the same night Touya did.

He was pulled from his thoughts when you picked him off the counter, carefully coiling him around your arm. You placed a quick kiss on the top of his head before you lowered him into his tank. Laughing, you tried to slide him off your arm, amused by his reluctance to let go.

"Dabi, let me go! I gotta go to bed!"

You succeeded in removing him from your hand before bidding him goodnight, not bothering to close the tank as he always managed to escape anyway. He watched you go, only averting his eyes when you passed from his view. Settling down to rest, he briefly let himself think of what happened next. Maybe Dabi died too. When he became a snake, he couldn't return to being human, he couldn't return to being Dabi. Maybe this version of him, this one could be allowed to love. From afar of course. He sighed and focused on your door, letting himself drift as he surrendered to sleep.

~~~~~~~~

Work had been difficult today. You were relieved to put up your apron as your shift ended. the day actually reminded you of the day you had stumbled across the pet store. That day, while awful in the beginning, became one of the best days of your life. If it hadn't been for the difficulties of the day and the need to stay late, you wouldn't have had to brave the store and find that amazing pet store. You smiled to yourself as you reminisced on that day and finding Dabi. The thought of getting back to your apartment lifted your spirits and you were quick to clock out and leave work. There was a spring in your step as you followed the familiar route home, mind full with a plan forming of how you were going to spend your evening with your best friend and pet.

Unfortunately, your happy mood was exactly what got you in trouble. You hadn't been paying as much attention as you should have been, mind focused too much on what came next than on your surroundings. Before you knew it, a hand reached out from the alley you had rightly fled the day before. The man from before tugged you harshly into his chest, hand clasped tightly to your mouth while the other held a knife to your throat.

"We meet again, girlie. Now just be real quiet for me and you'll be alright. "

Your blood ran cold as you listened to his commands, following him into the shadows as he led you further away from the safe and welcoming light of the street. It disappeared along with your hope as he pulled you harshly along. He led you through a maze of alleyways and shortcuts for what felt like forever. A dilapidated warehouse rose in front of you and he harshly tugged you inside the dingy building. You wanted to fight, but he wasn't using a quirk. You could survive a knife to the throat if it was a quirk controlling it, but a plain mugging? You were still vulnerable. You felt your heart sink when he removed his hand. He didn't trust you, so that meant he was confident any sound you made would not reach any ears that mattered.

"What do you want from me? I'm no one special, I'm not useful to you, why would you take me?" You searched his face frantically, looking for some explanation.

He laughed and pushed you into a chair, attaching your wrists behind it with a rope. The practiced movement made you grit your teeth as you realized that the ease of it meant you weren't the first he'd done this to. Biting down fear, you glared at him.

"Let me go! What are you planning with me?" You spit your words, the fear fading to anger at the horrible man. You pulled against the rope as he stepped away but it held tight.

"You, my dear, are going to be a beautiful addition to my collection," you craned your neck as he circled you, that same wrongness from that first day insisting that you keep him in your vision.

"you see, my quirk allows me to identify the quirks of others. The more powerful it is, the more vague the details I get, but yours is fascinating."

Leaning forward, he grabbed your chin and forced you to look at him, eyes dancing with amusement at the anger and uncertainty that shone in your expression.

" I can't see your quirk. But... You're not quirkless. Tell me," he squeezed your cheeks, amused expression turning dark, "What are you hiding from me, girlie? I have quite a few buyers who would be interested in a pretty young thing like you, but I need to see if you're worth my time."

Narrowing his eyes, he let your chin go and stepped back.

"Tell me your quirk or I'll have to mark up that pretty frame. I don't like to resort to torture, but I assure you, I am well-practiced in it. "

You clenched your jaw and lifted your chin, eyes sparking in defiance.

"You'll be caught. The heroes will find us. I'm sure of it. You will be found." Your gaze faltered slightly as he erupted into laughter at your expense.

"Silly girlie, the heroes won't find you here. And if they do, I'll be long gone by then. No one knows to look for you, you're all alone, and if you don't cooperate, you'll scream and no one but me will get to hear the pretty sound." After checking your bindings one last time, he smirked at you and unceremoniously tied a gag in your mouth. "How about I let you think about what happens next, see if some time alone will make you more responsive." And just like that, he walked away, leaving you in the center of the cold warehouse, tied to a chair.

Once he was out of sight, you frantically fought to free yourself, crying out as you rubbed your wrists raw in an effort to slip them free of the rope. Unfortunately, they held true and tight. You bowed your head after what felt like hours of struggling and let yourself rest, building up strength for what could be a fruitless fight.

~~~~~~~~

Dabi waited less than patiently for you to come home from work. You were late and he was not pleased in the slightest. He slid around the bottom of his tank, glancing back at the door every few seconds. He worked his jaw irritably, frustration growing with each moment that passed. You were supposed to be here and he didn't like the breach in routine.

The room grew dark as the sun traveled across the sky, vanishing behind the horizon along with Dabi's anger. The frustration that had been building in the pit of his stomach had soured. Now worry was his prevalent feeling. You had never stayed out this late before. He slipped out of his cage You never latched it anymore because he was always escaping anyway. slipping onto the floor, he made his way through the house, wondering if he had somehow missed you coming home in the first place. Alas, there was no sign of you and as he tasted the air, he could find no trace of you.

Worry ate at him as the hour grew later and later. Thoughts of possible outcomes flooded his mind with unpleasantness. His frantic thoughts slowed when the sun peeked into the living room. Any doubt that something was wrong was gone. he growled and threw his small body at the door, furious that he could do nothing. 'She's in trouble and I'm useless! I can't just sit around and do nothing! The woman I love is in danger somewhere and I'm a ******* snake!'

The anger in him boiled in his veins and he felt odd. With a loud pop, his gaze was now level with the doorknob rather than the bottom of the door. He blinked slowly as he took stock of what just happened. He was human again. He grimly took stock of himself, making sure all features were accounted for before realizing the implications of being human again. He had been thinking about you when he transformed, how much he needed to be human again to help you. He waved away the thought with irritation. He wasn't ready to believe you had broken the quirk's effect on him like some ******** fairy tale curse. Still, thinking on this brought him back to the matter at hand.

He searched your apartment for clothes before bolting out the door. He searched all the places you talked about, looking for clues to your whereabouts.

His search had lasted all morning and he was getting desperate as the evening approached with no real solution. He ducked into an alleyway before pausing. He recognized this place... This is where you had tripped just the day before last. He had been focused on you then, but he remembered that a man had talked to you here. Dabi thought of how terrified you had been and hoped you weren't scared now, where ever you were. About to give up on this section of the city, he nearly tripped outside the alleyway. He kicked the object in anger and it ricocheted off the brick and pelted him in the leg. He felt his mouth grow dry in horror when he noticed exactly what the object was. It was your nametag from work.

Picking it up, his fears were confirmed as he looked it over. You had been taken by the man from the alleyway. A deep growl of anger escaped him and he had to tuck the nametag into his pocket for fear of incinerating it in his anger. He turned quickly and strode back into the street. Hopefully, Giran was available because he had a favor to cash in. He would locate the man who took his little firefly, and if they had harmed you... well, only ash would remain when he was done.

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

You glared at your captor through tired eyes, eyes stinging from the punch you had received after insulting him.

"Now really, all I want is a measly bit of information. Your quirk, what is it."

You closed your eyes and relaxed your expression before giving him a weary look. Bowing your head, you mumbled under your breath.

Taishi, as he had introduced himself, stepped forward to hear better. "What was that? Speak up."

You repeated your words, quiet still. It was spoken as if you lacked the strength to speak louder. Growling in annoyance, he leaned closer to hear.

Inhaling deeply, you waited until he was close, " I said... **** YOU!" You screamed at him, kicking him between the legs with all the force you could muster. As he fell to the ground, your chair tipped over from the force of the kick and your vision swam as your head bounced on the floor.

Taishi rose, venom in his gaze as he kicked you sharply in the stomach, glowering in rage as you yelped.

"You could have done this the easy way, but no! You just had to be a *****!" He readied a blade as he stood over your prone body.

You slammed your eyes shut in preparation for the pain, but it never came. There was the sound of fire coming to life, and an uncomfortable stream of hot air brushed over you accompanied by a horrid stench and the screams of your captor.

Daring to open your eyes, you were met with a strange sight. A man you had never seen before stood above your captor, his hands aglow with a blue flame. Covered in burns and staples, there was no question in your mind who it must be, the villain Dabi.

Once he was certain Taishi was not going to get up again, he turned to you. His turquoise eyes locked onto yours and you could see fury burning in them. But as he looked you over, they softened a bit, and concern mixed with the anger. As he approached, you tried to scoot backward away from him, a whimper escaping unbidden.

Dabi froze at your obvious fear. He regarded you for a moment as he tried to figure out what to do. He was furious, but he knew you needed him calm instead if you were to trust him. Closing his eyes, he extinguished his hands and held them up in a placating gesture.

"Shh... It's okay firefly, I'm not going to hurt you." He hated that you looked at him with such fear. You had blood running down your face, lip obviously split from a punch, and various bruises and cuts on your arms added to your pitiful state. Still, you were strong, and he knew that if he didn't diffuse the situation, you would try to fight.

"Are you alright, firefly? Anything broken?" He scanned you for pressing injuries relieved to find nothing too major. He knelt on the floor beside you as you strained to look back at him, still freaked out and confused.

"What are you doing? Why are you here? What do you want from me?" your questions were rushed as you tried to make sense of what was happening. You hissed in pain and closed your eyes tightly as he freed your wrists, fresh blood welling from the raw skin as the rope agitated it one last time. You were weaker than you wanted to admit, but it didn't seem like the villain was going to do anything.

Dabi tossed the chair away and gently pulled you onto your back, cradling your upper body in his lap as blue eyes scanned over your face. His shoulders sagged in relief and he pulled you close.

" Don't you ever scare me like that again, idiot!" He scooped you up and walked out of the warehouse with purpose before shouting for someone named Kurogiri.

You clutched him in panic as a dark void opened in front of you and you both vanished inside you screaming as you tucked your face into his shoulder.

Dabi rolled his eyes as he stepped out of the matching portal in your apartment.

"Stop screaming, you'll get a noise complaint." He carried you into your room and laid you on the bed before disappearing to get a first aid kit while you glanced around in shocked bewilderment.

"But, how? Home, and the dark, and you're a villain. " This day had sucked, and you were fairly certain you were having a mental breakdown. "What is going on?" You wailed, dropping your head into your hands as your head pounded.

"I brought you home, firefly. Also, I'm you're pet snake. Surprise. Now sit still so I can patch you up." He plopped down on the bed beside you and immediately began tending to your wounds while all you could do was stare in disbelief.

"You're insane. Or I'm dead. I suppose those are both viable options." Still, something about his words rang true.

"If you're actually Dabi, my snake, what's something only he would know?"

Dabi rolled his eyes and fixed you with a scowl but stayed quiet in thought as he contemplated an answer. You searched his gaze, almost challenging him to say something to prove he wasn't crazy.

You jumped when he grabbed your hand. His thumb traced a familiar pattern on the inside of your palm that he identified without even looking at it.

"Right there, Is where I, your 'Spitfire' as you called me... bit you during the first week I was here." He watched your eyes widen and continued when you stayed silent. "You also told me your whole life story, but I figure you've been through enough today without me recounting all the parental disappointment you've told me about. Now, are you going to let me fix you up or not?" He quirked an eyebrow in a movement that you recognized from his time as your pet. He had tilted his head a little bit, his tell when he was annoyed. Or at least, it was what you had told yourself when you still thought he was just an animal.

You swallowed and reached out, hand cupping his cheek gently, mindful of the staples. You watched his eyes cycle through various stages of panic, as well as affection and fear as he kept a calm and cocky facade to all who didn't know him as well as you did.

"You're really him. You're my spitfire?" He nodded, watching you uncomfortably as you searched his face. He waited for your verdict, where you rejected him outright and drew away. Instead, you leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips before pulling back shyly.

"You saved my life. Thank you, Dabi. I know you're a villain, but.... You were my hero today."

He debated keeping up his facade before saying to heck with it. He pulled you into a fierce kiss, all his worry and relief and love pouring over you as he held you tight. You relaxed into the embrace, kissing back as you let him tell you how he really felt. Pulling away when you needed air, a breathy giggle escaped when you bumped noses.

His smile was one of the most beautiful sights you had ever seen and you were looking forward to learning what had happened to put such a mysterious and amazing man in your life.

He shushed you as you moved to ask, shaking his head tiredly. "After, my firefly. Let's get your injuries tended to first, then I'll tell you everything."

Taglist:

@witch-o-memes

@nightlygiggless

@ravensfeatheruniverse

#dabi #touya todoroki #touya #mha dabi #mha touya #bnha dabi #bnha touya #dabi x reader #touya x reader #dabi x you #touya x you #x reader #bnha x reader #reader insert #my hero academia #boku no hero academia #mha #bnha

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heliads · 4 years ago

Text

Top Initiate

As an Amity transfer, you’ll have to work pretty hard to survive the initiation process into Dauntless. Good thing you’re more than prepared, especially as you grow closer to Eric Coulter.

masterlist

You had always had a fiery temper for an Amity. You weren’t sure how long you’d had this heated frustration, but it had simmered behind your mind every time you were forced to put on a smile, pretend the world was happy, and grin like everyone had your back.

It frustrated you to no end that every Amity was so naïve, so trusting. They would let anyone walk all over them, believing every lie without having to be a Candor. They were just so placid, so lacking in genuine character, so- pretentious, maybe.

You suppose it wasn’t a surprise that you found yourself in the middle of the Choosing Ceremony, unflinchingly slicing open your palm and casting your blood onto the smoldering rocks of Dauntless. When you look back up at the crowd, you can barely see the disappointed looks on the faces of your family, too focused instead on the black-clad arms welcoming you into your new faction. This is where it all begins.

As you take your place among the other Dauntless trainees, you can hear whispers behind you. It’s rare that an Amity would transfer to Dauntless, even rarer than the odd Abnegation that somehow makes the same decision you did, so you’ve already managed to garner a fair amount of attention. Before you know it, the Choosing Ceremony is over, and you’re running free with the Dauntless towards the trains. Sprinting out of the darkness of the building into the bright glow of daylight, hearing the whooping and hollering of the Dauntless around you, everything culminates in this amazing feeling bursting out of your chest that tells you that you made the right choice for your faction.

Your first test comes after everyone has made their way to the rusting train tracks and you’re told that you’ll have to jump onto the train. The wind blows your hair back from your face, and your feet are pounding as you try desperately to keep pace with the quickly departing train. A split-second decision, and you throw yourself onto the train, grabbing gratefully onto an outstretched hand and pulling yourself inside. You give yourself a few quick breaths to calm down, then turn around in a slow semicircle to get your bearings.

The rest of the initiates are clustered around you on the train, all in the same state of ruckus and disheveled chaos as you. Slowly, you feel more and more eyes on you, taking in your bright yellow garb and status as a former Amity. So you’re not exactly blending into the crowd, fine, but at least you’re here. That’s a start.

You’re distracted from thoughts on factions when someone shouts out from a distant corner of the train car that you’ll be heading out once more. You watch as some of the other Dauntless jump from the train, landing in a controlled roll on the gravel-carpeted roof. Before you can psych yourself out, you leap from the train, reveling in the moment of free fall as you hang suspended in the air. Your heart feels like a bird caged in your chest, let out only when you hit the ground in a stumbling run.

As the rest of the initiates start to jump out of the train as well, you all shuffle into a circle around the Dauntless leaders. One of them, an arrogantly confident man with tattoos slicing up his neck, begins to speak. “I’m Eric, one of the leaders. You wanted to join Dauntless? This is the way in.” He gestures to chasm behind him, an empty pit spanning the gulf between the rooftops. From what you can see below, there’s nothing there save a broken hole at the bottom.

Eric turns back to the group. “So, who’s first?” Around you comes the sound of nervous muttering, and no one steps forward. A thought comes to you- this is the way to prove yourself. Everyone’s already singled you out as the weak one because you’re Amity, right? Let’s change their minds.

If people weren’t already staring at you, they are now, as you make your way to the rooftop edge. Eric raises an eyebrow at you, but says nothing. You climb onto the ledge of the roof, forcing yourself to stand tall despite the gaping distance below you.

From behind you comes the mocking voice of some gangly Candor boy. “You scared, Amity? I don’t think telling the ground you love it will stop you from breaking your neck.” You turn around, facing him and the rest of the group. “Trust me, I’m not scared.” With that, you spread your arms and fall backwards. The last sight you see are the shocked faces of the initiates rushing away from you, Eric being the only one to look intrigued.

Your journey to the bottom is over far faster than you expected, your fall being broken by the squeak of springs on a massive net. You’re helped out by a tall, brown-haired boy, and shakily give your name when he asks. His voice echoes around the hall. “First jumper- Y/N.”

By the time the other initiates arrive one by one off of the ledge, you’ve had plenty of time to take in your surroundings. Dark rooms, high ceilings, dozens of other Dauntless pretending to look busy but stopping by to see the fresh blood.

You and the rest of the trainees are directed into a series of rooms, and you’re all too happy to switch out your faded yellow for some Dauntless black. From there, it’s time to start your training.

You’re actually better at this than you thought. After the first few days, you pick up fighting really easily. Maybe it’s because everyone expects you to be terrible (you were Amity, after all), or maybe because you finally stop holding yourself back, allowing yourself to beat the other kids into a bloody unconsciousness. You were first jumper, and so you had the privilege of taking part in the first fight. It goes very well for you- barely a few minutes in, you had already won. The girl on the ground in front of you had to limp away muttering excuses to her friends, and you got to enjoy your victory.

Before long, you had quickly risen through the ranks to become one of the highest on the rankings. You win fight after fight, always walking away with bloodied knuckles and surprisingly, a few words of advice from Eric later.

You’re not sure why, but the Dauntless leader had taken an interest in you. He almost never spoke to initiates except to criticize their form, but for you, he almost seemed agreeable. Maybe it’s just because you beat up everyone in front of you, but he still seemed to treat you like one of the only initiates worth mentioning.

The days at training go by faster than you’d like, and you find yourself in the dining hall only a few days away before Stage One of training ends. The last few fights will take place over the next couple of days, but your ranking is high enough that you have nothing to fear.

A few seats down from you, though, is a boy who definitely has a lot to lose. You’ve done the math, and he should be the last person you’ll fight in Stage One. He keeps looking over at you, nervous, and is in the middle of a hushed but frantic conversation with his other friends. You suppose he’s right to be afraid- if he loses this fight (and it’s almost certain that he will), his ranking will go down enough that he’ll probably be under the line and get cut.

After dinner, you swing by training to get in some last minute practice. It’s late when you finish, and the halls are empty by the time you start heading back to the living quarters. You’re surprised when you hear a noise behind you, almost like the footsteps of someone trying hard not to make a sound. You turn around to see what’s there, but you’re just a few seconds too late.

When the first hit lands, you’re flung to the ground. Distantly, you can make out the figures of multiple Dauntless initiates. You exchange blows, fighting as hard as you can, but it’s no use. No matter how good you are, there are too many and they caught you by surprise. Your hits come slower and slower, and everything around you seems almost unreal, too blurry to focus.

From a hallway in front of you comes a distant shout. The initiates look up, suddenly afraid, and take off running. You try to get up, but you can’t move or do anything except lie there. The owner of the mysterious voice comes up to you, and slowly, you realize it’s Eric. He’s saying something, but you can’t quite make it out. There’s a ringing in your ears, and Eric looks worried, far more worried than you’ve ever seen him before. You don’t have much time to think about that, though, because the world is starting to fade into nothingness.

When your eyes finally blink open, you’re surprised to find yourself in the medical wing. Dazed, you start to sit up and instantly regret it as your head starts pounding. As you lay back down, you look at yourself and are stunned to see your arms covered in bandages. There’s a faintly metallic taste in your mouth, and it takes a moment for you to realize it’s blood.

A woman comes up to you once she realizes you’re awake. “Oh, good, you’re up. We were hoping you’d be conscious soon.” You blink up at her, succeeding at sitting up this time. “How long was I out?” The woman clucks her tongue in annoyance. “Two days. I’m so angry with whoever attacked you, Eric said it was too many on one. Completely out of line.”

You raise your eyebrows. “Eric?” The woman grins as she checks your bandages. “You’re healing nicely, that’s good. Yes, Eric’s been here more than a couple of times. I think he’s here now, actually. I’ll tell him you’re up. I haven’t seen him this concerned about an initiate in a while.” With that, she walks briskly towards a far corner of the room, leaving you feeling confused. Why has Eric been so worried?

By the time you’re starting to stand up, Eric has found you. “Good to see you’re up, initiate. You had me worried for a second.” You can’t help a grin. “I heard about that. Didn’t know you were so involved in the affairs of a trainee.” He rolls his eyes, but then a sudden thought occurs to you. “Wait, what happened to my ranking? The nurse said I’d been out for a few days!”

Eric laughs. “You’re unconscious for several days, and the first thing you ask about is your ranking? You’re a Dauntless for sure.” At your fixed stare, he sighs in mock exasperation. “Yes, your ranking is fine. You’re not going anywhere, that’s for sure.” You nod determinedly. “Good, because I’ve got a few scores to settle.”

By the time you’ve been deemed healthy enough to fight once more, you’ve built up enough wrathful energy to strut confidently to the training room. Last fights are just wrapping up, and Eric nods at you in greeting from across the room. After the last match is finished, you walk onto the ring. “Logan. Let’s fight.”

Logan, the boy you were supposed to fight in the last round a few days ago, reluctantly joins you in the ring after receiving a pointed stare from Eric. As he stands before you, arms raised in preparation, another memory of his face flashes before you- that night a few days ago, when he had attacked you to save his spot in the rankings.

The fight is over quickly, with him lying unconscious and beaten on the ground in front of you. You simply move his body to the side and speak once more. “Jordan.” The process is repeated- same attacker from earlier, same fate. “Shawn.” “Nathan.”

Finally, the four boys are on the ground in front of you, blinking dazedly after being soundly beaten. Finally, you speak to them, voice loud enough to carry throughout the entire training room.

“You know why I wanted to pull this little stunt? Three days ago, you tried to ambush me after practice because you knew the only way you could survive in Dauntless was to avoid a fight with me. You thought trying to kill me was the only way you’d live, so let me tell you this- Dauntless is no place for you. Not today. Not after this. When you’re out living with the factionless, think of me. I’ll be here, doing far better than you could have ever dreamed.” With that, you leave the fighting ring, leaving a few other initiates to drag their bodies to the medical wing.

You stand at the side of the room, watching a few cowed initiates begin their own fights. Eric strides over to you, mouth twitching like he’s trying to hold back a laugh. “You here to reprimand me for beating up your trainees?” Eric just smirks. “They’re not my top initiate. You are. And besides, I think that was the best thing I’ve seen here in a while.”

You look over at him, grinning. “You sure that’s due to the fights, or because it’s me?” Eric raises his eyebrows, intrigued. “What are you trying to say?” You return his gaze. “I was told that you checked in on me all the time while I was unconscious. Got an explanation for that?”

Eric chuckles, folding his arms over his chest and looking back out over the training room. “I had to make sure you were going to be alright. Suppose you’re important to me.” You look back at him, and can’t help a smile. Life in Dauntless is going pretty well.

#divergent #eric coulter #eric coulter imagine #eric coulter x reader #eric coulter imagines #divergent eric coulter #divergent eric imagine #dauntless #dauntless imagine #dauntless x reader #divergent imagine #divergent x reader

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ddarker-dreams · 4 years ago

Text

Puppet Strings. Yan Ghost Josuke x Reader [COMM]

Warnings: Josuke’s temper flaring, typical yandere elements, brief alcohol mention. Word count: 3.1k

You didn’t think much of it when you saw your window wide open.

No, it wasn’t that particular moment that sent alarm bells ringing. It’s remarkable what the human mind is capable of scrounging up to justify an otherwise horrifying situation. Moving from one place to another is an exhausting effort -- you reasoned to yourself -- maybe you reopened it and forgot. That sounds perfectly plausible. Sleep came easily to you that night and all was forgotten the next morning. There were some other minor occurrences, cabinets being open, the television flickering. Nothing incriminating, nothing to worry about.

For a time, this logic worked in your best interest. The last straw was when your personal belongings started going missing. Lip glosses, shirts, and even some sketchbooks. Contacting the police served to be no help. When they asked who could hold a vendetta against you, you had no solid leads. You’d only been in Morioh a little over a month. Earning an adversary in that short a time felt unlikely, if not impossible. Classmates were interviewed, their alibis clearing them of possible suspects, the investigation stagnant. Your neighbors hadn’t seen questionable figures lurking around your home. Days went by, and a few patrols later, the police claimed there wasn’t much else they could do. There were no signs of breaking and entering, no fingerprints, no leads.

No peace of mind.

You’ve explored every logical avenue. Not knowing what to do next is the worst part, it’s what serves to frustrate you the most. Sighing, you dry your hands off, mulling over what to do next. Now that you’ve finished washing the dishes, there are no other chores to procrastinate with. Guess I better get started on that project, you think. God, but it’s so hard to focus anymore.

Without noticing it, you felt drawn to the living room. Anyone would understand, that from the stress you’ve suffered, it’s fine to take a break. A distraction from reality sounds great right about now. Your PlayStation 2, which has been collecting dust, can finally get used. The multiplayer games are bugged -- a Player 2 shows up even when you play it with yourself -- so you haven’t used it in some time. Scanning over the various game choices, you never get a chance to pick one out.

“Huh, so they released a sequel to that?” An unknown voice, masculine and lighthearted, chimes in behind you. Your immediate reaction is to whip your head back, searching for the source. Heart pounding, you realize this is exactly what you feared. That whoever was stalking you would eventually come to settle things for seeking help from law enforcement. You don’t see him, even though the voice had been close enough to assume he’s behind you. There’s no way you imagined it. Where is he?

That’s when you see him.

Whether or not it was intentional, he stands blocking your path to the kitchen, where your phone is. A young man of imposing size, easily dwarfing you. His style throws you off, it’s like he was ripped from another time. That hair… a pompadour? Narrowing your eyes, you stand from your kneeling position, preparing to hold your ground. He might be blocking your ability to call the police, but there’s still the option of running out the front door to alert your neighbors. It’ll be fine, you tell yourself, not entirely convinced. Just don’t panic.

“Who are you?” Is the first question that slips past your lips. There’s unfiltered hostility in the words, despite your hesitation to aggravate him. Your eyebrows furrow when he puts his hands up in defense. It gives an impression of mockery in an otherwise grave scenario.

“Woah, calm down there,” he lets out a nervous chuckle that further irks you. “You can call me Higashikata Josuke.”

This person -- Josuke -- is acting too casual about this. There’s no doubt in your mind that he’s the source of your torment these past few weeks. How else could he be standing in your home, acting in such a deplorable manner? For your own best interest, you bite your tongue, that’s dying to hurl numerous insults his way. In contrast to his polite speech, he’s dressed like a stereotypical delinquent. Who knows what Josuke would do should you provoke him. You’ve heard rumors of rambunctious youths in the area and don’t want to test the validity of those claims.

“Alright, Higashikata-san, I’m going to ask you to leave. This is my house. If you just… leave me alone, I won’t contact the police. Alright?” You feel like your proposal is a considerate one, even if you don’t intend to follow through. Once you get to safety, like hell you’re going to let this punk get away with it, he just doesn’t need to know that yet. Josuke shifts weight from one leg to another, contemplating your words.

“I can’t do that. Besides, the same way you feel this is your house, I equally feel like it’s mine.” Josuke replies, scratching his cheek. His tone almost sounds… apologetic. As if it isn’t completely within his control to leave. You gulp when you realize your approach might not work. Maybe he’s not mentally sound? That’s the most plausible solution. Taking a deep breath, you shift to a less combative posture, still hoping to talk him down.

“Is there someone I could call? A guardian, a friend? Let’s figure this out.” You will yourself to keep each word steady to lure him in. The innocent inquiry doesn’t have the intended effect, Josuke frowning as soon as the word guardian left your lips. Shit. Was that a sensitive topic? The scowl is gone in a split second like it never existed. He takes a step closer to you and you take a step back.

“There’s not much to figure out. I’ll be honest then since I’m sure you’re freaking out right now. Which makes sense. I’d be freaking out too…” he trails off, going deep into thought. Finally, Josuke manages to choose the proper words. “How do I go about this? Alright, I’ll just come out and say it.”

“Well, to put it in simple terms, I’m dead.”

You blink. Tilting your head, you conclude that this Higashikata Josuke is not mentally well. Getting in contact with a professional is your new top priority. Josuke picks up on your hesitant body language and rushes to give credence to his claim.

“I know, crazy, isn’t it? I’m sorry about your stuff, by the way. Felt like the best way to understand my new housemate without sending you running right away. I’ll return it now,” Josuke’s demeanor doesn’t give you the impression of a liar. Still, a spirit? You don’t know what to think anymore. He sighs at the sour expression on your face. “How to prove this to you… ah, I know. Hey, check this out.”

Josuke points to the controller sitting on your couch. Not a second later, it starts levitating in the air, your jaw-dropping at the unfeasible spectacle. Josuke lets out an airy chuckle at your bewilderment. “Sorry, that was pretty lame. I didn’t know what else to do.”

“There’s… really a spirit, in my house.” You struggle to say it aloud. The people living in Morioh could be superstitious, a view you attributed to living out in the country. This paranoia, or sometimes reverence, never fell in line with your beliefs. There was no solid proof that the supernatural existed. It made for riveting local stories, for youths to gossip and movies to adapt, but the line was drawn there. A timeline plays in your head of the past few weeks. It would explain how no one in this active community spotted an intruder, or how the police never found physical evidence.

“Our house, actually.” He corrects with a beaming smile.

ii.

Maybe it’s not so bad.

Josuke, with whom you have an unusual relationship, makes for decent company in your otherwise uneventful life. You still can’t help but feel on guard around him for his earlier behavior. As he explained it, borrowing your belongings was just a way to get to know you. He apologized wholeheartedly for the stress he put on your life. It felt genuine, but an apology doesn’t make everything go away at once. Little by little, Josuke’s grown on you, worming his way into your heart. Memories and feelings fade, your first few weeks after the move are no different.

“Have you seen my red scarf anywhere?” You call out, peeking underneath your pillow. Josuke appears from thin air -- an element that took some getting used to -- helping to look around your room. One of your conditions for remaining here was that he’d show up in your room only when invited, a condition Josuke was more than happy to agree to. You guess everyone is lonely in their own way.

“It’s not over here,” Josuke yells from beneath your desk. “What do you need it for, anyway? Can’t you just turn the heater on?”

“Well, I could, but that wouldn’t do me much good. Some friends invited me to karaoke tonight, and the weather report said it’ll drop to four degrees celsius.” Feeling defeated, you plop onto your bed, staring at the ceiling. Josuke leans over, popping into your line of sight. He’s lacking the trademark smile you’ve grown used to seeing. For such a minor change, it packs a punch. Josuke sulks like a kicked puppy.

“Karaoke, huh?” He mutters, more to himself than you. “My old classmates used to do stuff like that. Sounds fun.”

You sit up and cross your legs. Josuke’s tone is a longing one, wishing to fulfill a dream that can never be, visage painfully bleak. Guilt bubbles up in your stomach for the insensitive comment, not realizing he has a lot on his mind too. Josuke’s bubbly personality stood on a thin sheet of ice, ready to plunge into the depths at any moment. You wrack your mind to try and appease him.

“It really isn’t anything that exciting. I was going to say no, but they insisted. Just imagine it as a bunch of tone-deaf people drunkards belting, that’s all it is.” You console. Josuke doesn’t light up at your joke, his eyes hollow. From what you know about spirits, if they linger in this realm instead of moving onto the next, that means an obligation is holding them here. You’ve never asked Josuke why he hasn’t passed on. That leaves room for speculation, numerous hours spent ruminating over theories. Maybe he’ll tell you one day, or maybe he won’t. Either way, it’s still tragic he never got to live his life.

“Mm… guess so, yeah.” He isn’t paying attention to your words. Guilt as sharp as knives slices through you at Josuke’s gloomy mood. For a split second, you consider canceling with your friends, to stay home and cheer him up. He always loves playing games with you or just speaking over trivial matters for hours. You push the idea away. Fraternizing with a spirit on the daily isn’t enough to supply your social needs, only friends of flesh and blood can fill that role.

“Hey, I’m sorry for mentioning it. If you want to talk about--”

“No,” he cuts you off, shaking his head. “Go ahead. Go live life.”

You don’t offer a rebuttal. Josuke probably needs time to think, you decide. We can talk about it later.

iii.

“What’s up?”

You lean against the wall, payphone pressed against one ear and your hand covering the other. Music blares in the background, terrible acoustics of the crowded bar making it difficult to hear the other line. One of the workers grabbed you, saying you had a call, your guesses of who it could be next to nonexistent. You scrunch your nose up when you hear Josuke’s distinct voice on the other side.

“It’s late,” you hear him say. His voice is muffled, but the exasperated tone is hard to miss. “Shouldn’t you be back by now?”

Sighing, you struggle to rationalize why Josuke’s pestering you like this. You never gave a time when you’d be home, not thinking it was necessary. “I was going to leave soon. I don’t have class in the next few days, so it’s fine.”

“It’s dangerous to be out on your own--”

“Josuke,” you deadpan, rubbing your temples. “I appreciate the concern, really, I do. But I used to live in Tokyo, remember? If I could survive the city at night, I can survive here.”

“That’s not the point here,” Josuke counters, voice dropping dangerously low. Your patience is wearing thin at his attempts to police your autonomy. It’s not his place to enforce a curfew on you. “You don’t know what kinds of danger lurks in Morioh.”

Josuke’s statement is full of bone-chilling conviction. Almost like he was speaking from firsthand experience. You take a deep breath, remembering that you’re speaking to someone who likely died in a traumatizing manner here. Maybe extending a little grace wouldn’t hurt. It’s a shame to cut the night short, but it’s not that big a deal.

“Okay, I get it. It’s about a fifteen-minute walk back home. I’ll see you soon, alright?”

Softening your voice seems to have the effect you intended. Josuke takes a second to consider, the two of you waiting in tense silence. This is the first time you’ve gone out with friends, maybe he just wasn’t sure what to make of it. You hold no intention of bending to his every whim, but this one time, you’ll offer him peace of mind. There’ll be major boundaries set up in the future.

He sighs begrudgingly. “... Right.”

iv.

This is getting ridiculous.

Josuke’s behaving no better than an entitled child, your paper-thin patience starting to give way. The circumstances you’ve been placed into were unusual enough, to begin with, but they never felt malicious, not until Josuke’s personality seemed to switch in the blink of an eye. What you can only describe as sabotage has become a regular occurrence. It perfectly parallels the problems you had upon first moving into this house, only now you know the one responsible. He’ll act none the wiser, claiming innocence in what has to be his doing.

Cut phone lines, missing shoes, personal journals disappearing into thin air, nothing has been spared. Maybe you were foolish for trusting a spirit. You’d like to have thought you were on solid terms with Josuke, your mortal mind doing its best to wrap around the otherworldly events. You’re at your wit’s end, now fully prepared to confront him on this unacceptable display. It’s a shame it came to this, you think. Confrontation is the worst.

“Josuke.”

“[First].”

The two of you sit in the living room, on opposite sides of the couch. Ever since the karaoke disaster a few weeks ago, Josuke’s attitude has taken an undesirable turn, as evidenced by how he’s acting now. Never did you imagine he could be so petty. You straighten out your posture, squaring your shoulders, and placing your hands on your lap. He stares at you with faint interest, cerulean eyes shining at your attention.

“I’ve tried my best to be understanding,” you wince at how dramatic your words are. It almost sounds like you’re breaking up with a partner. “If I did something that upset you, please just be honest about it.”

Josuke gives a nonchalant wave. “Nah, it’s not that important anymore. I recently made up my mind, so I don’t feel too concerned about it.”

There weren’t many expectations in place for this talk, but Josuke dismissing you this fast wasn’t an outcome you envisioned. It feels like a slap to the face after you spent days dreading this talk. What did “recently making up his mind” even mean? Irritation rises in your throat like bile, words snapping out before you can stop them.

“You don’t just get to be that dismissive,” you point out with a scowl. “I know what you’ve been doing. Taking my stuff again, right, Higashikata? I’m fed up with this shit. Maybe I should just move out--”

Your sentence gets cut off by the coffee table’s glass shattering. The high pitched noise makes you jump, shards flying in multiple directions on the floor. Glancing from the mess back to Josuke, you find the sight of him as a stronger cause for worry. He looks thoroughly unimpressed with your emotional outburst. Thick eyebrows knit together, his face contorting from friendly to enraged. You gulp when a sudden chill in the air sending shivers down your spine. With how friendly your relationship with him had been up to this point, you forgot to watch your tongue, the initial reverence wearing off long ago.

Josuke stands up, flaunting his towering build. Looking down at you through lidded eyes, he reaches down, and you catch a glimpse of light blue and pink. Huh? What was that? A trick of the lights, maybe? As fast as it was destroyed, you watch in awe as the pieces return to their original place. Broken glass, chips of wood, screws and all, become whole as if it was a movie playing in reverse. Is this something else a spirit can do?

“Y’know, [First],” Josuke begins with a humorless laugh. “This is great. I wasn’t sure how to do this part. Now I don’t have to worry about that, so let me cut right to the chase.”

You feel the blood draining from your face, goosebumps dotting your skin. This is wrong. Whatever he’s doing now, you can’t stand another second of it. “Josuke, you’re scaring me.”

“That’s fine by me.” He smiles. There’s a palpable thickness in the air, tension elevating as each second crawls by. Your mind trips over itself in search of a solution to this, but deep down inside, you’re filled with dread. A dread that this damage is beyond repair and that you’ve made a fatal mistake. Would screaming even help you? Could you outrun a ghost? Your heart pounders against your ribcage and you pray it isn’t Josuke who’s trying to rip it out.

“You saw that table,” Josuke points to the once destroyed furniture, now neatly put back together. He frowns at your lack of confirmation, pressing further, voice increasing in volume. “Right?”

You somehow manage to nod. Your throat and tongue are too dry to use and the room feels like it’s spinning.

“That makes this simple then,” Josuke sits back down to his spot from before and stretches his arms. “There’s a lot I’m capable of. Way more than I’ve shown you. Breaking things apart and fixing them is my specialty, but… that last part can easily be omitted.”

Josuke turns to face you, eyes peering into the depths of your soul.

“Threaten to leave me again and I won’t even bother to put you back together.”

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