#you have in fact woven them together even if you didn't realize it

[thatgirlonstage]

man the way Magnus entrusted his relic to Jack and June because they were good people with rustic hospitality and it turned an entire town into a place of betrayal and coups and distrust and finally an inescapably looping nightmare for years where death was perpetually an hour away and the way that the town was ultimately saved with kindness to animals through reuniting the purple worm with her children and the self-sacrifice of the town's self-appointed protector

and the way Merle's relic took love that had bloomed from rivalry and twisted it into a desperate need to prove oneself capable and better, to become unto a god, the way it drove Sloane to run away from everyone she cared about rather than reach out to them for help, and the way it was only stopped with peacemaking, with reaching back for her still when all hope seemed lost, with Hurley leaping headfirst into silverpoint knowing full well she would be killed but doing it because she cared about the person inside even at her worst, even when she was irredeemable, even when no one else would think to find anything human left in there at all

and the way Taako's relic was put to the use of science and exploration and used, for a while, successfully, but with too much greed, with too much selfishness, with too much focus on Maureen and Lucas's goals and too little trust of other people's word on how dangerous these relics are, the way it ultimately became the tool of a creature trying to claw its way back to the life and loved ones it knew and had lost, a creature that had long since lost its sense of self, that had merged with others just to survive, and the way familial love was necessary to stop it, the way Lucas got to his worst out of love of his mother and the desperation to do anything to get her back, the way he got brought back to his senses by that same love and the realization of how badly he'd failed her, the way he was still an untrustworthy dick at the end but they let him go anyway and he came back when it mattered

the way Lup's relic was locked away for a decade and ultimately uncovered and reactivated by Gundran's desperate desire to reclaim what once belonged to his family, the way it was not stopped, the way the loss of Phandalin haunts the narrative, a reminder of failure and of people the boys couldn't save

the way Davenport's relic gets caught up in a game of smoke and mirrors while on the harsh time limit of the end of a journey, the way part of Jenkins' ploy is that he seems utterly unthreatening, the way Hudson's death and the loss of his head in particular is practically collateral damage, the way the train could not be saved but this time the people were

the way Barry's relic is in the hands of two liches who are very obvious and intentional foils to him and Lup, but even more than that, the way it's so buried in the suffering of losing everything that makes you yourself, over and over and over and over and over, the way Wonderland is designed to make you eventually dependent on this cycle of loss just to stay alive, the way it's only beaten by changing the rules of the game

and of course the way Lucretia's relic stays glued to her side, the emblem and reason for her loneliness, isolating her in a bubble of her own making, until, of course, she lets her family back in, and as raw and painful a reunion as it is, as it has to be, because you can't stay safe from your mistakes forever, the seven of them together find the solution she could not find alone

[cupids-chamber]

WHERE Malleus falls for his gardener's one and only child, and promises to protect them for the rest of his life.

GENDER NEUTRAL READER

Malleus found significant comfort in your arms, the weight of your body felt heavy on his chest as he tightened his grip on your waist, refuting the idea of letting you go.

It was at this time where Malleus reminisces about the two of your first meeting, how he fell for you in the first place.

Malleus remembers getting injured, he can't quite remember how as his memory blurs when he tries to relocate the memory, however he does recall the fact that he was upset with his tutors and Lilia at the time, so he ran off in the palace garden to catch a breather.

That's when he caught you, picking the plants from the garden and placing them in a woven basket ever so carefully, each movement careful. He was mesmerized by each movement, his gaze locked onto your form.

Later he found out that you were the palace gardener's one and only child, and that you were covering for your mother, who had fallen ill.

At that moment little Malleus thought 'Was that an angel', his childish and naive mind couldn't comprehend how someone his age could take up such a hefty job for their parents.

The idea of poverty was foreign to Malleus, or the idea of having a typical healthy family, he remembers being 10, hiding his identity and meeting with you. He remembers meeting your parents, the tiny and cramped place you lived in, shook him to the core, he questioned if this was your house, hearing your enthusiastic reply threw him off track.

That's when he realized, even in such a living situation you were happy, you had no father and your mother was the sole breadwinner of the house, yet even despite all that she still made an effort to be there for you.

Malleus watched as your mother joyously hummed, putting down the freshly baked bread on the table. "Is that your friend?" She asked you softly, watching you with a loving gaze, you nodded in response.

Everything you did and experienced was so foreign to Malleus, so new..

Malleus remembered the day your mother died, he still hadn't bothered to tell you his identity, yet the two of you were as close as ever. When you were hurt, he was hurt... especially this time around.. your mother played a huge motherly role in his life, advising the young prince when Lilia couldn't.. that day Malleus felt as if he had lost his parents all over again.

Malleus remembers the day you had confessed to him, the day you both opened up about your love for one another, the two of you were young and in love, blissfully unaware of what the future held.

Malleus didn't tell you about his identity then, maybe he should have.. truly he should have..

His grip tightened harder on your body, silent begs for a reaction fell deaf to your ears, as you still didn't react to a single action from Malleus.

Malleus promised himself that from the day the two of you had gotten together, that he would cherish and protect you till your last breath.. sadly, he couldn't really keep that promise..

"Why aren't you breathing!" Malleus cried, as he asked for a doctor to be brought in immediately.

After all, many had warned him... a commoner and a prince are not meant to be…

© cupids-chamber, do not repost, plagiarize, translate, or adapt my work without prior permission and or confirmation.

[elizabethemerald]

Summon the Cat: Part 5

Master post

It was hobby night in the Kyle household. The past two months had been wonderful for Selina. She had gotten Danny and Jazz enrolled in school under fake identities created by Oracle. She was delighted that both of them decided to take her last name. Danny and Jasmine Kyle. 

Without the pressure of their previous living situation, both kids were excelling. Jazz of course loved school and was happy and excited to be back. The fact that she didn't have to worry about her brother getting hurt by a ghost allowed her to top the school charts and get involved in the clubs she never had time for before. She also didn’t have to tutor to make sure she had enough money to buy food for herself and Danny, which freed up so much time. 

Danny was also doing well. It had only taken two conversations and one training session with him to realize he was neurodivergent just like Dick was. While Dick and Jazz had learned some coping strategies for how their brains functioned, Danny didn’t have those. So she paid extra for a tutor to help him learn those coping strategies. On top of that, Gotham Academy’s young engineer program was known worldwide for its incredible quality in hands-on learning. He was able to put the brilliant and creative mind that had helped him survive two years as the solo hero in Amity to more productive use. 

Even in the just two months he was there, he already had two patents filed. Selina was so happy for him. Being an astronaut was now probably beyond his reach because of his medical problems, but he could still help NASA and Star Labs with their space programs. If Bruce would finish up with his whining and complaining he would be a shoe-in for the Wayne Space and Aeronautics program. 

Of course Bruce was still at the height of his bitching and moaning about how Danny must be an otherworldly being that was trying to take advantage of her naivete. She wanted to shake him or slap him. Of course he was an otherworldly being! That’s what a ghost is, you idiot! But he’s not taking advantage of her, he’s being protected by a parent for the first time in his life, you obstinate prick. 

The two kids were still working through a lot of issues left over from their previous guardians. Selina couldn’t even call the Fentons “parents” in good conscience. Hell, they barely counted as guardians. The two of them still shared a bedroom, partially out of necessity due to the lack of bedrooms, and partially out of a desire to be there for each other when they had nightmares. Selina’s heart broke every time Danny’s screaming nightmares woke up the household. He had no shortage of nightmare fuel, from the ghosts he had fought, to the GIW, to what his own parents had done to him. 

Unfortunately, Jazz wasn’t immune to the nightmares either. Selina would often wake early to make breakfast and find Jazz already awake with dark rings under her eyes. Sometimes when Selina returned from her “evening work” Jazz would be awake and studying on her own, unable to fall asleep. She hoped that given enough time her kids would eventually be able to at least sleep through the night. 

It was in the effort of them recovering from the horrors they had experienced, that had them all enjoying hobby night. Harley and Ivy were with them as well, though the Bat girls hadn’t been able to make it, much to Jazz’s disappointment. Jazz was working in front of a large basin of water as she wove a small basket. Ivy was leaning over her shoulder and giving her directions as well as telling anecdotes about weaving plants together. Ivy’s plants were already in some cases stronger than steel, and when woven properly they could be strong enough to stop Bane dead in his tracks and even restrain Superman. Jazz laughed and said that wasn’t quite her interest, but it was nice that she could relax with Selina’s friend. 

Danny was playing with his ice ability, with Harley giving him suggestions on what to create. The Kents had given her the suggestion that allowing her son to play and normalize his powers was vital to keep him from suppressing his nature. So as Harley gave Danny suggestions and he laughed and shaped his ice to follow, showing how normal and accepted his powers were. It also helped train and improve his control as he made little icy music boxes and puppets. 

Selina also had her own craft in front of her. Part of the hobby night was not just a chance for all of them to hang together, but also a time to engage in each other’s hobbies. Danny and Selina had each made their own baskets, Selina’s ended up looking more like a bird’s nest, which had Danny floating in the air with laughter. Now she was working on a model of the solar system to enjoy Danny’s hobbies. 

She took a moment to look around at her, her friends and her kids surrounding her and happy. Now seemed the perfect time to bring up the topic that had been on her mind almost since the first night Danny and Jazz had slept over. 

“Since we’re all here, do you mind if we talk about something?” Selina asked. 

She couldn’t help a small flinch as Danny and Jazz reacted. She had tried to keep her voice uplifted and cheerful, but her two kids both looked like she was going to share bad news. Jazz had tensed, ready to move in any direction. While Danny looked like he was about to fly out of the room through the wall. Selina hated again what the Fentons had done to her kids that even a family conversation was such cause for concern. 

“I want to buy a new house where we all have our own rooms and space.” Selina said quickly to clear up the fear and confusion. “I’ve squared away my finances and done some research into homes.” 

Jazz relaxed a little and Danny at least looked like he was relaxing though Seline could see he was still ready to flee if necessary. Harley and Ivy looked up with confusion and curiosity respectively. 

“Ya want us to leave, ‘Lina?” Harley asked. 

“No, this is relevant to you too.” Selina said. “I was thinking that with the Sirens pooling our wealth we could get a larger place with more rooms for our interests.” 

“Oh that would be amazing!” Harley cheered. 

Selina could see Danny brighten at the idea, but also Jazz dim and start to withdraw. She wouldn’t allow that to happen. 

“Jazz, you and Danny will have your own rooms so you don’t have to share, but with large enough beds so you can if you want. You would of course have space for any baskets or any other hobbies or interests. Danny, you would have room to do your homework and store some telescopes. Then maybe we could have room for my after hours work and perhaps a greenhouse or some gymnastics equipment.”

Now Jazz looked happier and Danny had started floating up above the couch in excitement. Selina smiled and pulled out the packet of papers she had prepared and passed it around. Danny started flipping through some of the papers with Harley leaning over his shoulder pointing out the details of the houses. 

“Drake Manor? Are we looking at buying a manor house?” Jazz asked in confusion with one of the papers in her hand.

“What? Drake Manor-?” Selina sat up and leaned over and could see a pamphlet laid out in the exact same manner as the others she had created but she definitely didn’t choose that one. 

“Oh Ancients! We’re going to be fruitloops!” Danny said, then swooped over to Jazz and looked at the paper. “Wow, it's even cheaper than the townhouses.”

“Wait, really?” Selina stood up and looked at it and sure enough the manor next door to the Waynes was for sale at an incredibly cheap price. She looked closer and saw that the Manor was being sold by the owner, the Heir of the Drakes. 

Selina squinted her eyes for a moment before she smiled. It seemed Tim wanted his family close, even though it would piss Bruce off, or maybe especially because it would piss the Bat off. 

“Hmm. I must have missed the price when I put it in the packet.” Selina said, giving a meaningful glance to Harley and Ivy, who both smirk back at her. “Drake Manor might just be perfect for our needs, if that works for all of you.” 

[naavispider]

Spider stood outside the apartment, trying to calm his pounding heart. Maybe this wasn't as great an idea as he thought. What if Quar - his dad didn't want to see him after all they had been through?

"The uncertainty will drive you crazy. To move forward, you have to try. If he refuses, you will know that this chapter of your life is closed for good. However, if he agrees, you can start over together." - The voice of his therapist, Janine, rang in his head. Spider sighed quietly. At the urging of Norm and the Sullys, he finally agreed to start therapy to work through all the turmoil in his life, and although it did bring some relief, the process itself was not very pleasant. And that's how he found himself at his father's door, with whom he decided to cut off all contact. He nervously adjusted his hair, automatically running his hand over the beads that Tuk had woven into it. "Breathe", he reminded himself and took a preventive puff of his inhaler. "The worst thing he can do is close the door in your face". Finally, with a trembling hand, he rang the bell. "That was it, there was no turning back".

He heard footsteps and a moment later the door opened. Quaritch looked the same but a bit older. Spider noticed more gray hair and more wrinkles around blue eyes wide open with surprise look . They both spent a few seconds just staring at each other, taking in the sight of the other.

"Um...Hi, Dad." He began, mentally cursing his trembling voice.

"Son" The man replied and Spider felt a lump in his throat. Even though he heard that word from Jake's mouth almost every day, it felt like he was hearing it for the first time in 4 years. An uncontrollable smile appeared on his face, which was an attempt to hide his nervousness, even though he had a feeling that it didn't work out well. Quaritch still didn't speak. "Damn, you should have warned him somehow, instead of appearing in front of him without any warning.." He shifted awkwardly, swallowing and saying a quick mental prayer to Eywa that his greatest fears of rejection would not be realized.

"Can I come in?" It took all of his willpower to keep himself from running away as Quaritch mercifully nodded in agreement and Spider almost sighed aloud in relief as he crossed the threshold.

“Sit down,” came the voice of the homeowner. He tried for the last time to put together what he had to say (of course to no avail, as he collapsed due to his nerves) as he crossed the room to carry out the order. He saw Quaritch move out of the corner of his eye and looked up hesitantly. The man was rubbing tattoo. A tattoo that evoked so many feelings in Spider that he couldn't even describe them. His dad caught his eye and immediately stopped, probably not wanting to scare him away. He then took a hesitant position, leaving enough space between them that Spider wasn't afraid to make a move. "Get your shit together, you're an adult and it was your choice to come here, so start a topic". Maybe he should start the conversation with the fact that after years of feeling separate and stupid, he was finally diagnosed with ADHD? Maybe then Quaritch would understand why he's sitting here speechless, as if his brain had shut down.

"This is weird" he focused on honesty. To his relief, his dad laughed lightly.

"I'm sorry for... dropping in."

So that's it, that's all for now because I don't know if it makes any logical sense at all 😅 Spider's thoughts are originally written in italics, but here they are removed, so they are in quotation marks. Sorry for any mistakes, but English is not my first language and I have never written anything like that. If you like it, I can write something more because I have some ideas haha

Jsjshsjjsjs OMG?!!! You wrote JANINE?!!! When I read her name I screAMED 😭😭 of couRSE she’s Spider’s therapist in this au 😭😭 I loved this so much! I was grinning the whole time 😍 Please, if you’d like to write more I would LOVE to read it! 🥰💞💙💞💙

[ahoyimlosingmymind]

I think what gets me about the situation, is that Fitz knew. He knew Keefe liked Sophie, and I genuinely believe a small part of him that he tried really hard to ignore also knew that Sophie liked Keefe-- but she was so dishonest with him about it. And I know the argument is that she didn't know she liked Keefe yet-- but in an objective, real life way of looking at it... that argument falls so flat for me. Like Sophie would have to be legitimately stupid to not realize she liked Keefe. I really don't see what harm her having an acknowledged crush on him would have done. There's the argument that she didn't want to lose their friendship, but she had no qualms about crushing on Fitz secretly, and he's one of her best friends too.

ANYWAY- not the point lol

Sophie notes a feeling of 'being caught' a few times when Fitz walks in on Keefe and Sophie, and it honestly felt like she was gaslighting him for most of the book. She tells him she wasn't avoiding him, when you could read it plain as day in her own internal monologue that she was, she told him she would work on talking to him and being honest, and from where I'm standing, she never really did. There were a lot of subtle things that Sophie did woven throughout the relationship that gets pushed aside a bit, because God forbid she be in the wrong.

It got to the point where Keefe was having to make loud horribly awkward comments about Sophie being Fitz's girlfriend, him having to make a point to tell her to tell Fitz things. The fact that Sophie can't tell that Fitz and Keefe are aware of something that she 'is not' is just... so dumb, from a writing standpoint but whatever. Keefe and Fitz both know the other likes her, and they both make comments about it and she's just like 'lalalalala'. (Bestie had a lot on her plate, but good God, she gets insufferable sometimes. And I used to be in love with her character, sooooo you know, I didn't always have a more negative opinion of her. )

Fitz knows exactly how Keefe feels. He knows that Keefe likes her, that Keefe feels guilty, but that Keefe also isn't really willing to back off fully, (regardless of his own claims) because he still wants that chance. Like maybe Keefe is trying to not act on his feelings for Sophie, but it's the fact that Fitz knows that Keefe does care about Sophie romantically that puts it in a whole new light. And he knows Keefe feels bad for it... but it's there. That undertone is there.

Then you have characters like Ro, who make Fitz out to be irrational and jealous and hysterical, and like he's in the wrong for asking Sophie about her internal world, and about Keefe, like he isn't literally her boyfriend. *rips hair out*

I'm not saying Fitz was perfect in the situation... but uhhh... it's giving traitor by Oliva Rodrigo. He KNEW, and there were so many signs he tried to ignore to avoid being a pushy and interrogating boyfriend, but he knew, and his concerns were dismissed. and for Sophie and Keefe to get together a few months later... oh my god. I"M ILL.

idk. I don't blame him for being suspicious and questioning, bc I personally would not be super chill with my S/O always hanging out and emotionally confiding in a person I knew liked them. Even if I trusted them not to do anything, it would just be horrendously anxiety inducing. Especially if my S/O was already being avoidant and not completely open with me.

Fitz was messy AF in their relationship too, but really, only when it came to matchmaking. Which he tried almost tirelessly to get a clear answer out of Sophie about, and every time she would clam up, or Ro would be like 'Why do you care?" like maybe because they're dating??

It was fairly obvious that Sophie wasn't 100% down for all the matchmaking stuff, and Fitz probably should have just accepted that, but I think he was taking her lack of a concrete 'no' as hope, even though he knew it was never going to end up the way he wanted it to. The way Fitz cared about matchmaking too, was arguably shallow. I'm not saying he was in the right for putting so much pressure on it, but it is understandable, given his upbringing. And these were all things they should have known about each other and discussed fully before ever committing to anything. But as we've established, Sophie is overly secretive, and clearly saw Fitz on a pedestal and not like a real person, which hindered her honesty. And Fitz low-key knew she liked Keefe the whole time anyway, and that Keefe liked her, and he was just hoping something would change, so he took her dodginess and lies at face value so preserve the ship he knew was sinking the whole time.

anway this turned into a rant about like five different things and I don't even feel like its coherent atp but haha

legacy keefe, letting it happen

that sounds like he doesn't actually care, or at least not enough to actually do what's right.

'But he also knows that it’s seriously wrong because Sophie is with fitz and even if Sophie doesn’t realize what they’re doing, Keefe absolutely does. He does, and he wants Sophie to be better, but he also doesn’t want it to stop.'

that's not a good friend

he can be conflicted or whatever, but that doesn't change that he doesn't really care about fitz- at least not anymore

Hmmm no I disagree.

Because keefe really did do everything he could short of stopping seeing Sophie altogether, that’s literally the reason he felt guilty about it. He wanted Sophie and Fitz to be happy and he didn’t want Sophie to be emotionally cheating in Fitz. He really wanted their happiness.

Where it gets messy is that they both liked the same girl which isn’t their fault by the way. Keefe isn’t a bad friend in any right for liking Sophie.

The thing that makes his situation in legacy tough is that he knows that without realizing it, Sophie really is emotionally cheating on her boyfriend, but he can’t tell her that without telling her her heart emotions actually like him, which he doesn’t want to tell her because that isn’t fair. She should get to figure out her emotions on her own. And of course he’s going to want to keep hanging out with her.

But he’s also very clear that they need to be good friends to Fitz. He tells Sophie she needs to be honest with Fitz about their project—Sophie just ended up forgetting cause she had so much on her plate. And he makes lots of jokes whenever they’re around about how happy they are together and how great Fitzphie is even though he still wants Sophie.

He’s in this really difficult situation where he really likes a girl who he knows really likes him, but who also really likes his friend and is technically dating his friend. So every time they hang out, even as friends, Keefe feels a little guilty about it because he knows what’s going on with Sophie’s emotions—which ALSO isn’t his fault by the way.

But naturally there’s a part of him that’s happy his feelings aren’t unrequited. That’s to be expected. And it only adds to his guilt in legacy because of course he secretly hopes Sophie will eventually choose him and can tell it might be an actual possibility. He really, really likes her. But of course he doesn’t want Sophie to be a bad girlfriend—and he clearly cares about Fitz in legacy, telling Sophie to reach out and wanting them to communicate and be happy.

Keefe can simultaneously care about Fitz and wish the girl he is dating would choose him instead. Honestly, your ask kind of sounds like you’re calling Keefe a bad friend for simply having his own feelings outside of wanting the best for his friend. I’m sure it isn’t your intention, but keefe can both care about Fitz’s feelings and also want something for himself.

Like I mentioned, the messiest part is that keefe knows all of Sophie’s emotions all the time, which he can’t even turn off, so that’s not his fault! He wants to hang out with Sophie, and he doesn’t mind that she has these feelings for him… he actually WANTS her to have those feelings… but he hates that it’s during her relationship with fitz and wishes Sophie would either be happy with fitz and go communicate and be a good girlfriend or break it off with fitz entirely and maybe start talking with keefe with those little flutters in her stomach then. And you know what? It’s not keefe’s job to make that happen. It’s Sophie’s, and she’s a little confused and oblivious in legacy, which isn’t keefe’s fault at all.

So… yeah no.

The situation is complicated. Of course keefe feels conflicted in the position he’s in. He doesn’t have a lot of right options—or any—and he’s a seventeen year old with a lot more on his plate.

Of all the issues in the Keefe and Fitz friendship (which I’d love to see worked through in canon), them not caring about each other has NEVER been one of them.

Sophie didn’t handle everything perfectly—but she didn’t realize what she was doing.

Keefe didn’t handle everything perfectly—but he really, really tried his best, and didn’t do half bad of a job either.

Fitz didn’t handle everything perfectly either. What can I say. They’re teenagers.

Hope you have a good rest of your day anon :)

[catt-leya]

I have an idea for your smutty may! Can you write something for cocky/horny Rick x innocent reader? She's a virgin, but she suprises rick by her dirty mouth.

Prompt 98. X 76.

Innocent (18+) || Rick Grimes

I may have gone a little too far with the innocence, but I just felt like writing something like that (there's no getting around the fact that I think Rick would really go for it) 💅🏼

Trigger: light slapping, dirty talk

Groaning, I straighten up again and look up at the sky.

The sun shines pleasantly on my skin and I direct my gaze back to the meadow in front of me. For a long time, I have collected the flowers on the lawn and woven myself a flower crown with them and now my knees just don't cooperate anymore.

Satisfied, I put the daisies on my head and beam all over my face.

When I was younger and the world was not yet full of walkers, my mom used to braid a crown for me in the field in front of our house and call me her little princess.

Then, when I got older, she showed me how to do it myself and I kept it up, even after she died.

Unfortunately, most of the flowers have already been trampled by people and walkers and I really had to search forever until I found suitable flowers.

Lightly stroking my fingers over the small flowers on my head, I hear the voice of my companion behind me, "What are you doing?"

Still with the bright smile on my lips, I turn to him and look into his blue eyes.

Rick is standing maybe five feet away from me on the lawn as well, looking down into my face from my crown.

I was asked to join Rick on a run today and since I was eager to leave the confines of Alexandria anyway, I said yes right away.

Admittedly, I am also extremely happy to be out on my own with him and feel incredibly safe. That's also why I started weaving the crown. I know that he will take care of me.

Waiting, he looks at me and that's when I realize I haven't answered his question, as I bridge the few feet that separate us and grab his hand to lead him off the lawn and cheerfully say, "I just wanted to braid a crown."

A little hesitantly, Rick slips the fingers of his left hand through mine and follows me to the little cabin we were looking at before Rick went to check something in the bush and I saw the meadow.

When we're not alone, I see the looks the others give us when Rick and I are holding hands because we're not together or something.

Rick and I are just friends, but sometimes I'm still a little surprised that he always goes along with my attempts to hold his hand.

It's kind of my way of showing him my affection and the first time, he seemed surprised, but even then, didn't reprimand me and held my hand, which has now become second nature.

Again and again, he holds my hand in his, although it is always me who still grasps his hand. It is like an unspoken law that I take his left hand so that he, as a right-hander, can reach for his weapon if something should be.

What I particularly like, though, is how much we complement each other.

Rick is quite a bit older than I am, and intrinsically much tougher and colder, whereas I am relatively young and extremely lighthearted.

That's probably why some people are surprised at how well Rick and I get along. But as arrogant and calculating as Rick is with others, the kinder he is to me.

My best friend also sometimes teases me that Rick would have a crush on me and I always deny it, even though my heart always stops for a moment.

Briefly, I look behind me at Rick and bite my lower lip. It's ridiculous that he has a crush on me, but I've clearly fallen for him.

Rick's eyes roam the woods and I let my gaze wander over his body.

His light brown shirt stretches over his shoulders and his pants hang low on his hips. I could even swear they would just slide down if he wasn't wearing his belt.

Because I'm practically turned toward him, I trip over a protruding root and immediately he jerks his head around and grabs me by the waist to keep me steady.

Gratefully, I smile at him, "It's all good. I just wasn't looking at the ground."

I know he's suppressing an eye roll and murmurs, "Figured as much, baby."

Immediately my eyebrows go up, but Rick is already looking back at the cabin, so I pull on his hand to get him to look at me again, but he lets go of me and is already pulling me toward the cabin. That's why I just ask, "Why did you just call me 'baby'?"

If I didn't know him so well, I wouldn't have even noticed, but his shoulders tense briefly before he quickly says, "I didn't."

With all my strength, I brace myself against him and he actually stops.

It seems to be really uncomfortable for him to have given me this nickname, so I want to tease him a bit and chuckle softly, "I heard it exactly."

Some might consider it silly but I take a small step towards him and slip the fingers of my free hand through his belt loops.

Playfully I tug on it and he weakly staggers another step toward me and I cheerfully say, "I'm not saying I think it's bad, Rick. I just want to know how you suddenly came up with it."

I have to put my head far back in my neck to look him in the face, but he keeps avoiding my gaze. Sighing, I rest my chin on his chest and could swear he flinches before finally looking me in the face and muttering, "Just forget it."

I pull my fingers out of the loop and place them on his lower belly. Now I'm certainly not imagining it, he tenses and says hoarsely, "You better get your hand out of there."

Irritated by the change of subject, I don't move an inch and pull my eyebrows together, "What? Why?"

His eyes dart over my face and it looks like he's trying to assess what to say now.

Involuntarily, my hand slips to his belt buckle and he bites his full lower lip before making his decision and whispering, "You want me to show you?"

I can't gauge what he means and just nod.

Gently, he takes my hand resting on his belt buckle and slides it lower until my small hand is on his hard crotch.

I'm unable to break eye contact or pull my hand off his hard cock, though his grip on my hand is so loose I could easily pull away from him.

His normally bright blue eyes are much darker due to the arousal I'm giving him and completely fixated on my face to notice every movement.

Slowly he guides my hand over his crotch and my mouth hangs open as he elicits a guttural sound with my hand.

The surroundings around us fade completely into the background and my head shakes completely as I stroke the denim more firmly of my own accord and he drops his hand with a soft gasp, "You want to finish it, baby?"

Slightly dumbfounded, I just nod again and he growls harshly, "You'll have to say it."

The bra I'm wearing feels way too tight as I take a deep breath and mutter, "I want to jerk you off."

He immediately bites his lower lip again and moans, "I never thought I'd hear you say that, fuck, that's hot."

Impatiently, I break away from him and reach for his hand and he immediately intertwines our fingers together, then pulls me behind him into the cabin he'd secured earlier.

With wobbly legs, I stumble after him as he drops onto the old sofa in the 'living room' and pulls me astride his leg.

Surprised, my eyebrows dart up as my most sensitive spot pleasant hits his thigh.

As impractical as it may be, I totally love to wear dresses and because I didn't expect anything drastic today, I reached for one again this morning.

That's why it's only my panties that offer some resistance and Rick knows that.

Unsure what to do with my hands, I clasp them behind his neck and say softly, "Rick...I..."

Patiently waiting for me to say something, I sigh softly, "You have to show me what to do. I've never done it before. None of it."

Gently, he leans forward, more reminiscent of the man who lets me hold his hand just to have me close. His face hovers in front of mine and he turns his head slightly to breathe a light kiss on my cheek like I did before and whispers, "Have you ever kissed anyone?"

Silently I shake my head and hear him laugh softly and harshly, "You just told me you want to jerk me off, but you've never kissed anyone?"

Embarrassed, I close my eyes and he purrs against my ear, "I didn't think you had such a loose mouth, baby."

He lowers his head a little and his perfect nose brushes my cheek, making me wince pleasantly.

When our eyes meet again, I know that today is going to be intense and I want to reach for my crown on my head with my hands, but before I can even touch it, he grabs my wrist and puts it back on his neck.

Questions I look at him and he murmurs with his eyes firmly fixed on the flowers, "I hope you don't think it's totally weird now, but I like it when you wear the flowers on your beautiful hair. It makes you look even more innocent and delicate than you already are."

I can't help but laugh softly and playfully peck his cheek, "You can admit that my flower crown makes you horny."

He acts annoyed and rolls his eyes before correcting me, "Don't bullshit the flowers. It's the way they highlight your essence that turns me on."

It feels good the way he lightens up the situation and still makes me all chirpy on his leg. That's why I tug lightly on the short hair at the back of his head, "Now will you show me what to do?"

Instead of giving me an answer he pulls me close to him. So close that my thigh presses against his hard crotch and before I can react, his lips are already on mine.

I have absolutely no idea what I'm supposed to do and whether I'm being a total idiot, when Rick whispers to my mouth, "Relax."

With that, his hands slide down my neck thighs to my sparsely covered butt and presses me harder against his leg, eliciting a soft moan and allowing him to explore my mouth.

It's probably not the best kiss Rick has ever had, but I do my best to loosen up in his arms and mirror what he's doing.

Apparently, I'm doing something right, because I can feel his breathing getting bumpy on my sensitive breasts.

Gently I pull his hair and as I do so he moans against my lips and I gush with pride that I am able to elicit these sounds from Rick Grimes.

Slowly I let my body do what he sees fit and I grind against his leg, bumping against his cock again and again.

I can barely think straight as he lightly bites my lower lip and growls, "You do what I tell you, understand?"

Hectically, I nod and stare at his swollen lips as he leans against the back of the couch and whispers, "I want to see you come." My gaze is questioning and he adds, "On my leg."

My eyes dart down to his cock, which is clearly visible through his pants, and I ask hoarsely, "Don't you want me to jerk you off?"

Gently, he takes my chin between his fingers and directs my gaze back to his face, "I'm going to fuck you. You don't have to jerk me off on that one, baby."

The fact that he doesn't ask me, but simply states that he's going to fuck me sends a pleasant shiver down my spine.

I push some of my hair strands behind my ears and then rest my hands on his shoulders to steady myself and then nod, "Okay."

Gently, I start swaying back and forth on his leg, trying to find the right spot I so desperately need.

Cockily, he lets his eyes slide over my body, down to where I'm making his pants wetter and wetter.

Rick has always been a huge temptation to me and didn't expect me to approach him the way I do.

But now that I can properly interpret his gaze, I notice something.

That's why I whimper softly, "You've looked at me like that before."

It's a simple statement that makes his head lift and he blinks several times before asking, "What?"

At that moment, I thrust my hips forward enough to moan softly before I can answer, "I've never understood it, but you've always looked at me like that, like right now."

Gasping, I lean forward and press my lips to his as I say, "I bet you jerked off more often thinking about me."

Jerking his hips up uncontrollably, he emits an animalistic sound, "Fuck, way too often."

I know he wanted me on his leg but my whole body practically craves him and I can't help but whimper, "Fuck me. Be my first."

Immediately I notice his cock on my leg responding to my words and he tenses completely as he moans, "Are you sure? Once I start, I won't stop."

I nod frantically, the crown on my head slipping slightly and he grabs it before I can.

Gently he straightens it and his voice is soft as velvet, "Doesn't change the fact that you're only getting my leg first though."

I hoped that I would make him fuck me immediately, but I see in his face that there is no point in arguing with him.

In his face I see that it has no sense to argue with him and let my movements on him become more violent.

My eyes are glued to him as his cheeks are flushed and his hair sticks out in all directions due to my hands.

He's never looked more beautiful.

With fingers trembling with desire, my hands slide to his chest and I undo the buttons of his shirt and when my palms finally touch his warm, broad chest everything inside me tightens.

I can barely see sharply and am about to climax when I hear the groan of a walker from outside.

He must have heard us and is scratching at the door.

Panicked, I tear my eyes open and am about to push off Rick when he grabs me by the waist and continues to navigate me on his leg, "I didn't say anything about stopping."

I stare at him, "But outside...there could be more."

Amused, he raises his eyebrow and purrs, "Then I guess you'll have to keep it down, baby. Either you keep going or I won't fuck you and then jerk off to your sweet sight again. You decide."

I don't even have to think for a second and press a hand over my mouth as a precaution to stifle my moan, but Rick pulls it away from me and pushes me down to him by the back of my head until my lips are on his neck and he's muffling my whimpers.

Again and again, he runs his hand through my hair, praising me for how compliant I am.

How beautiful and horny I am just for him.

How I need him and how much he wants me.

The walker behind the door fades completely into the background and I bite down hard on Rick's neck as the tension in my stomach releases and I come shaking and gasping on Rick's thighs.

It feels like I'm melting in his arms and I collapse weakly in his arms. My legs feel like they're made of rubber and I'm high on Rick's scent enveloping me.

I can't run another step, I'm sure of it, pressing me closer to him as his hands move to my butt and he whispers, "Good girl."

Gently I start sucking on his neck and his grip tightens, "You know I'm holding back from fucking you over this kitchen counter, don't push your luck."

My heart hammers in my chest as I lick over the hickey now glowing on his neck and whisper, "Don't hold back."

It takes maybe a second for him to realize what I just said before he pushes me onto his hip and effortlessly stands up with me.

I quickly wrap my arms around his neck and let him carry me to the kitchen counter.

With each step, his hard cock rubs against my dripping wet center and he bites down hard on his lower lip to keep himself somewhat under control.

Briefly he sets me down on the floor, then quickly turns me around and pushes me down on the kitchen counter in his fluid motion.

My nipples, already hard anyway and clearly stale under the thin dress, almost hurt as I lie with my upper body on the cold counter.

For a brief moment, I remember the walker outside the door again and am much more relaxed because I don't hear him anymore and he must have moved on.

I cross my hands under my face and lie down on them so that I can see Rick out of the corner of my eye.

His eyes are literally glued to my ass and he's slowly pulling the thin dress to my waist now before he looks me in the face and asks, "How hard do you want it?"

Waiting, I push my ass towards him and whisper lasciviously, "Just because I'm a virgin doesn't mean I can't take it hard. Rick, hit me."

Gasping, he closes his eyes and braces himself left and right next to my hip, "You act so innocent and yet you're so fucking depraved."

Instead of answering him, I press my butt off his twitching cock and gasp, "Fuck, I've wanted you to take me for so long I can't see straight. Rick, every time I think about what it would be like to have your cock inside me instead of my fingers, when I do it to myself and dream about you being there. Please make my dream come true. Please."

Gently, he pulls down my panties and runs his palm over my ass before he lunges a little and complies with my request and slaps me.

My whole body jerks forward and I groan loudly.

Again, he lunges and slaps me on my other butt cheek and hisses, "You can really act like a whore."

It feels kind of dirty that I'm so turned on by him calling me that, but the answer slips easily from my lips, "I'm your whore."

I close my eyes and enjoy the sound of him undoing his belt and murmuring, "I can get used to having your bare ass in front of my cock."

My heart tightens at his words because it sounds like a promise of something longer and just emit a 'please' before he presses his tip lightly against me and I give in.

His knuckles around the kitchen counter next to me turn white as he hisses, "Fuck, you're wet."

Unable to do anything productive, I just whimper another 'please' and don't care how pathetic and submissive it makes me sound.

All I want to do is feel Rick inside me and I almost completely snap when he asks seriously, "Are you sure?"

Impatiently, I look back over my shoulder at him and hiss, "Damn it, Rick. Yes, I want you."

Far too gently, he pushes my legs even further apart before slowly entering me.

The feeling of having his big twitching cock inside me and being stretched by him is incredible.

As good as it feels, it's still unfamiliar to me and I could kiss him right back when he asks in a clenched voice, "Are you okay?"

Groaning, I nod and my mouth hangs wide open as he pulls back a little and enters me a little harder this time.

I hear his rasping breath and whimper softly at his next thrust, "I want to touch you. Take me from the front."

His big warm hands settle on my hips and in one fluid motion he spins me around to face him and slides back inside me as he pushes my ass a little on the counter.

I immediately push his shirt off his shoulders and dig my fingernails into his shoulder blades.

The vein on his neck stands out clearly and his whole face looks like he's holding back. That's why I gasp, "Harder."

Immediately, his lips settle on my mouth and his cock penetrates me deep and hard, making my insides tighten and I wrap my arms around his neck.

His beard scrapes across my chin and the hand that is not holding my dress up slides between us. The first contact with his hand already brings me to my climax and without warning my muscles contract around him.

Rick's hand grabs my chin and pushes my head back enough for him to push his tongue deep into my mouth and I pull hard on his hair.

Softly he mumbles against my lips, "Do you want me to come inside you? Do you want me to mark you as mine, baby?"

I quickly cross my legs behind his back and pull him close, "Do it."

It only takes him two more thrusts before he gives me everything he's got.

We're both sweating and clinging to each other, but I've never been so happy in my life as I am at this moment, looking into Rick's eyes as he pulls out of me and gently reaches for the flowers to arrange them on my head.

Silently, we look at each other before he reaches for my hand and intertwines our fingers. A smile forms on my lips and I ask him softly, "Did you like it?"

Surprised, he looks at me and replies harshly, "I've been dreaming about it for months and it was better than anything I imagined."

He then leans forward slightly and kisses me lovingly on the nose, "I hope it doesn't just last that one time."

@positive-squid @hail-yourselves @mrsxreeves

[seidenbros]

Ok.. you are the BEST WITCHER WRITER OUT THERE !!! Seriously, your posts are fabulous and they make me so happy! ❤

So I take the advantage and shoot something over again 😊 Let’s go for another Geralt one (cause come on he’s a bomb). Maybe where you’re a couple and traveling with him and it’s all fine until he meets Yennefer again so you start getting jealous somehow and feel in the way as you see how they react with each other. So you leave the camp one night to clear your mind when the other sleep, but you get attacked and hurt. When Geralt sees you’re not there as he wakes up he freaks out and searches you, just to find you barely hanging on. Then he tries all to save you and realizes that his behavior was not the best but you are the one for him forever? Is that weird ? I hope not haha I looove fluffy Geralt so much ! (also I really hope I don't annoy you with sending another idea)

First of all: Let me love you!

Second of all: your message really made my day/week/month

Thirdly: You don't annoy my in the slightest with sending another idea, I always LOVE these messages, so you're always welcome to send something in 💚

Then I have to apologise that it took me so long to write this, but covid really had me down for more than a week and I'm still exhausted rather quickly, but at least I'm able to write. And writing this was so much fun, even with all the angst woven in, so I really hope you enjoy it 💚

(Requests are open, and if you need inspiration, there are some prompt lists to be found)

Pairing: Geralt x Reader

Warnings: bit of blood and violence, hurt/comfort, angst, fluff

Word count: 3188

____________

Only in the darkness can you see the stars

“Well, well if it isn't my favourite Witcher.”

You hear a voice behind you and turn around only to be met with the most mesmerising eyes. She didn't have to introduce herself, you knew who she was. Yennefer of Vengerberg. The two of you had never met before, but you'd heard stories – some had been told by Geralt himself, but not all of them. Yennefer wasn't a topic he spoke about frequently, but you knew who she'd been to him.

Geralt turned with you, but let go of your hand. Whether it was due to turning around or because of Yennefer, you didn't know, but you had a weird feeling about this.

“Yennefer,” he said with a tone in his voice that was usually reserved for you. The smile that lit up his face was a rare occasion as well. “What are you doing here?”

“I'm staying with a friend for a few days before I move on. What about you?”

“Just passing through. Hoping to get a room for the night.” You'd just arrived and hadn't yet had the chance to ask for a room at an inn, but that was next on your agenda.

“I think you're out of luck. They're all booked. There's an event tonight, so there are no rooms left.”

“Fuck.” Geralt sighed and pinched the back of his nose. He didn't have a problem with setting up camp for the night, but after weeks on the road, you certainly deserved a nice, warm bed.

“And you are travelling together?” Yennefer pulled him back from his thoughts and looked at you, a warm smile on her lips.

“Right, sorry,” Geralt apologised, putting his hand between you shoulderblades as if to push you forward a little bit. “This is Y/N. Y/N, this is-”

“Yennefer of Vengerberg,” you finished the sentence for him, as if you'd just found your own voice again. “I've heard a lot about you on my travels. It's a pleasure to finally meet you.”

Maybe, that was an exaggeration, because you didn't know what to make of this situation, but you were certainly curious to get to know her a little bit better, see what all the fuss was about.

“The pleasure is all mine,” Yennefer replied, still keeping her smile in place. “You should join me for dinner, catch up. My treat!”

Geralt didn't even look at you before he agreed. You weren't mad at him, in fact, this sounded like a good opportunity to get to know her better, but you wished that he would have at least asked you before agreeing.

In the end, the dinner with Yennefer wasn't exactly something you wanted to repeat. Most of the time, you felt like you were in the way of the two of them. Now and then Yennefer asked you something, and while you were happy to answer her questions, you felt like Geralt pretty much ignored you, his eyes on Yennefer the whole time. It was understandable, she was beautiful after all and the two of them had a certain history, but you just wished that you didn't have to witness this. Geralt could have gone without you, or could have told you that you're just the second choice next to her, because it certainly felt like it.

You didn't blame Yen at all, because she was wonderful to you. Geralt on the other hand... It was painful to say the least.

Only when you'd said goodnight to Yennefer and were on your way back out of town to set up camp, did he speak to you.

“You've been awfully quiet tonight. Is everything alright?”

You couldn't see the worried look on Geralt's face, because you weren't able to look at him right now, tears brimming in your eyes, so you just sped up a little bit.

“Yeah, just tired. I need some sleep.”

It was the perfect moment to tell him what was going on in your head, how you were feeling, how he'd made you feel, but you kept your mouth shut. Right now, you weren't sure whether your feelings were valid, or if you were making a mountain out of a molehill. After all, if Geralt still wanted to be with Yennefer, he wouldn't be here with you, right? Well... you still had some doubts about it.

“Mhh,” Geralt simply responded, but kept his eyes on you, watched you intently. He knew that something was up, but he didn't know what. He'd give you some time, because pestering you about it wouldn't get him an answer.

Without a word you set up camp and tried to not look at Geralt. As soon as he'd lit the fire, you got in your bedroll and took a deep breath.

“Good night, Geralt.”

“Good night, sweet one.”

Usually this term of endearment made you smile and steal another kiss before bed, but not tonight. Your head simply wouldn't shut up about Geralt and Yennefer and it was driving you mad. You tried your best to fall asleep, but even after hours, you hadn't succeeded. Geralt on the other hand was lying peacefully on his back, fast asleep. For a moment, you watched him, but that didn't help you at all. You needed to clear your head, so you got up, wrapped your cloak around your shoulders and walked towards the stream. Being near the water had always helped you calm down, so you were hoping that it would do the same this time.

Fresh, cool night air filled your lungs when you took a deep breath and sat down on the stones next to the water. The moon was reflected in the water and for a moment you found yourself simply watching it. You tried to clear your head, think of nothing, but it didn't really work. Instead, your eyes filled with tears again. You didn't want to cry, but you couldn't keep them from coming. You'd thought that you were happy with Geralt, that he loved you, but right now, you weren't sure. Not after you'd seen the way he'd looked at Yennefer.

With a sigh, you closed your eyes, until you heard water splashing and what sounded like footsteps. Immediately, your eyes opened again, you scanned your surroundings, but couldn't see anything.

“Hello? Geralt?” you called out, but it wasn't Geralt you saw a moment later.

Geralt woke with a start because he heard a scream. It couldn't be far away. It didn't take him long to see that your bedroll was empty, and immediately his stomach plummeted. His initial fear had been that it had been your voice he'd heard, and right now, he was pretty sure that he'd been right. Without wasting any more time, he got up and reached for his sword before he followed the noises.

What he saw when he got there, sent his blood boiling. There was too much blood, your blood, and you weren't moving. A drowner was leaning over you, but looked up when it heard Geralt. He lunged at the beast, tore it away from you, before he went completely berserk and slashed the monster into pieces. He was full of rage – some of it directed at himself for not asking you what was really going on with you and for not realising sooner that you were gone.

He was covered in the drowner's blood, when he came back to you, carefully looked you over, and swore under his breath. He could hear your heartbeat, slow and weak, but it was still there, so not all hope was lost. Your injuries were bad, and there was only so much he would be able to do. Geralt needed help, and he knew just the person he could ask.

With you in his arms, he quickly ran back to your campsite, managed to get you both on top of Roach to get you back to the town. He knew where Yennefer's friend's house was, so he hastened to get there.

“Yen!” he yelled even before he'd gotten off Roach, not a care in the world whether he woke up the neighbours. “Yennefer! I need help!” He yelled again, gathering you up, before he brought you to the door. Before he reached it, it already opened, and Geralt sent a prayer to Melitele,

“Are you out of your fucking mind, you moron?” Yennefer asked him in a hushed voice, tying her robe around her, before she cast a look around, but it didn't look like anyone had woken up apart from her. Then her eyes fell on you and she froze. “What happened?” Suddenly awake and sober, she ushered Geralt inside and into one of the rooms.

“Drowner,” he managed to say, carefully putting you down, his eyes never leaving your body. “I knew something was up, but I didn't want to push her to talk to me. And then she left the campsite in the middle of the night.”

“You really are a moron, Geralt.” Yennefer sighed, before she pulled your ripped clothes aside to get a better look at your injuries, but then decided to cut them off your body, because she needed better access to your body.

“What do you mean?”

“You pretty much ignored her all evening and you're wondering what is wrong?” Yennefer shook her head at the blatant ignorance of that man.

“That's not true,” Geralt objected. Or was it? Right now, he wasn't so sure anymore.

“If you say so... this is not the moment to start a discussion. Get me some clean water. Now!”

Geralt did as he was told and assisted Yennefer as much as he could. He couldn't lose you. Not now, not like this, especially because he blamed himself for everything that had happened tonight. It was his fault that you were here, that you were injured, had nearly lost your life. Yennefer was right, he hadn't paid attention to you all evening, too focused on the mage, because it had been some time since they'd last seen each other.

“Come now.” Yennefer's voice ripped him from his thoughts, her hand on his forearm made him look at her. “She needs some rest, and you need a bath my friend. When she waked up and sees you like this, she'll probably faint.”

When, not if. That one word already made the tension in Geralt's shoulder ease a little bit. Yennefer was right. He was covered in guts and blood, some of it yours, and he didn't want to scare you away as soon as you woke up.

After a bath, after washing off all the dirt and guts and blood, Geralt tried to get some sleep. He stayed close to you, where he could keep an eye on you, but at one point, exhaustion took over and he really fell asleep.

The next morning, he woke to a wonderful smell that made his stomach growl. Slowly, he sat up, but before he went and followed that delicious smell, he came to your side. You looked so peaceful, apart from the bandages around your body, the small scratches in your face. But you were alive, that was everything that mattered right now.

It was hard for him to leave your side, but he had to say thank you to Yennefer, so he left for the kitchen. She'd already prepared two plates with breakfast.

“Good morning,” Geralt said once she turned around to him.

“Morning... You look like shit.” Always the charmer, but her words made Geralt's lips twitch up in a little smile. “Were you able to sleep a little bit?”

“Yes. Not much, but a little.”

Yennefer pushed one of the plates towards him and gestured for him to sit down. She did the same and started eating. After a moment of silently eating, Geralt eventually spoke up.

“I don't know how to thank you, Yennefer.”

“Oh I do,” she said with a smirk and leaned back.

“I was a moron, I admit that.” Geralt knew what she wanted to hear, or at least part of it. “You were completely right. I don't even know why. I should have included her more, but seeing you after so long, was just...”

“Strange. In a good way.” Yennefer nodded, because she felt the same way. They had a past, but they'd separated for a reason. It didn't mean that they couldn't be friends, they just hadn't had the chance to try that until now. “I've seen the way she looks at you. Like you're the one who put all the stars in the sky just for her.”

“If I could... I would do that. She's the most wonderful person I've ever met and she deserves the star.”

“Then tell her that. Make sure that she knows exactly how you feel when she wakes up. And tell her that nothing will ever happen between you and me again. We're better off as... friends. Or whatever you want to call this.” She hid her smile beneath her cup, but Geralt knew that it was there.

“Friends... sounds good.” They'd have to try, see if it worked out, but he agreed that they would never get romantically involved again.

A low moan drew his attention away from Yennefer, making him get on his feet in a matter of seconds. When he got to you, he saw that your eyes were open. Relief flooded his body, even more so when he took your hand in his and felt you give a little squeeze.

“Hey, sweet one,” he said quietly, sat down on the side of the bed and scanned your body. “How are you feeling?”

“Like somebody tried to rip out my insides,” you managed to say, voice coarse. Geralt reached for the water to help you take a sip. You needed some water and especially food and he'd make sure that you got everything you needed.

“That is pretty much what happened. A drowner got to you. I managed to get you here and Yennefer helped you.”

Upon hearing Yennefer's name, you stiffened slightly, took a deep breath. You were thankful to her, of course, and yes, you'd overreacted last night, but hearing her name right now, still managed to get you a little worked up.

“Listen, Y/N, I'm sorry for yesterday. I never wanted to make you feel unwanted or anything like that. I shouldn't have excluded you like I did, and that wasn't my intention at all. Seeing Yennefer again was just like meeting and old friend, and it was kind of exciting to hear what she's done all these years. But that's what we are. Friends.” He had to make sure you understood what he was saying, what he meant with that. “You're the one I love, you're the one I picture my future with.” However that would turn out, he didn't know, and he really didn't want to think about the day, he'd inevitably lose you, because you wouldn't live forever. But he wanted this, wanted one lifetime with you more than an eternity with someone else.

Tears were welling up in your eyes, as you reached out your hand to caress Geralt's cheek.

“I love you, too.” Carefully, you pulled him down to kiss him. “And I'm sorry. I should have said something when you asked me yesterday. But I just thought, I was being irrational about this, but I just couldn't sleep, and-”

“It's okay.” Geralt stopped you, smiled down at you, but leaned in for another kiss, before he kept going. “Just promise me, that you talk to me when something is bothering you next time. I thought I'd lost you, and I didn't know what to do. I don't know what I would do without you.”

“But you saved me. And I'm not going anywhere.” You leaned up to him, wanting to kiss his lips, but the pain in your upper body pulled you back down.

“Easy, sweet one. You still need a lot of rest. Yennefer said we can stay here until you're better. If that is alright with you.” He didn't want to make that decision for you or force you to stay here, but it was the safest option right now.

“It's very generous, and I don't really think I can travel like this. So I'd really like to thank her for that offer.” Now that Geralt and you had talked, you didn't mind staying here with her, because you trusted him. In addition, you'd loved listening to her stories the night before, so you'd enjoy hearing a couple more.

As if she'd heard you, Yennefer appeared at the door with a try laden with breakfast and some herbal tea for you.

“You need some food, and that tea will help as well.” Yennefer walked up to the bed and put down the tray before looking at you again. “It will take some time for you to heal, but it's not as bad as it looks.”

“Thank you,” you said, reaching for her hand. “Really, Yennefer.”

“You wouldn't be here, if it weren't for that idiot, who got you in that situation in the first place.”

Geralt grunted and rolled his eyes. It was all friendly banter, but her words still held some truth.

“If he'd been a bit more considerate of you, this wouldn't have happened.”

Her words managed to make you smile. You were both responsible for what had happened last night, but it wasn't good to dwell on that too long. Instead you'd rather concentrate on the good things.

“Has he always been like this?”

“Oh, you have no idea.” Yennefer rolled her eyes, earning another grunt from Geralt. “Why don't you check up on Roach, give us some time to talk?”

He knew that he couldn't win an argument right now, so he got up, placed another kiss on your forehead before he left the two of you alone. He knew that you were in good hands, so he didn't need to worry.

“He really does love you, you know?” Yennefer said when she turned back around to you. “And you don't have to worry about us. We're trying this whole friends thing now, but he's never looked at me the way he looks at you.”

“What do you mean?” Carefully, you sat up a little bit so that you could eat some of that delicious breakfast Yennefer had created.

“Like you're the sun, the moon and the stars all rolled into one. The one thing that lights up his entire being, his whole life.” Yennefer put her hand on top of yours and smiled at you. “You two are meant for each other.”

Yes... yes you really were, because he was all that for you as well. Now even more than before, and your trust, your faith in him had only grown this morning.

[inquisitcr]

Weakness was for people who did not, or would not, step on the necks of others to get what they wanted. Somniar had never classified himself as weak. He had crawled to the top. He had woven his web as Lloth intended and it was by pure skill that he had been noticed. Luck was not something that he believed in. Weakness was even worse. He would be neither. If he got something, he had earned it. If there was strength to be had, it wasn't because he was weak. No, it was because he was desperate to have more power than he could ever dream of. Weakness was not something he could afford to have.

It was something that applied to him when it came to Felandaris though. Weakness. He had never thought himself weak until the architect had cast his gaze upon him. He had never known weakness like that, but it had made him crumble to his knees. It wouldn't have been noticed though. Nobody would have been privy to that information unless he wanted them to know. Wasn't that his role in all of this? He was to put the fear of Ayi'ig into the eyes of every captured individual. He was to get information and keep that information within the palms of only their hands. Yet he was sure the look in his eyes when he so much as blinked in the other's direction could be noticed by anyone who saw him.

Weakness. That was what love was. Felandaris had tethered them to each other with his name across Somniar's heart. He had let that happen and he had not uttered a word of disapproval. But Felan wasn't the only thing that he loved. He realized that now as he saw these leeches clinging to a life that they were about to lose in mere moments. Somniar wasn't sure if that would be his fate, too. He hadn't ever really come to terms with the fact that death could come to him, that death could come to these illithids that he had raised from their inception. The Elder Brain was tattered along with everything else that he had worked so hard to build. They were a weakness. Just like Felandaris. And, just like the architect, he would not have them die on his watch. Not now. Not ever.

An outstretched arm pulled itself inward and settled at his side as he turned his head. The half of his face that was still in tact caught a glimpse of Felan's face. It caused his eyes to close, more half breaths leaving his mouth as he did. Tears were a weakness. Felandaris was a weakness. Somniar was a weakness for the architect just the same. He could tell that now. As his body was slowly stitched back together, he could feel himself trying to slip away. There was a part of him that still felt like the man holding him wasn't actually here. It was all just a dream. Maybe it was one of those things where someone's life flashed before their eyes before they died. He wondered what that was like. Then he wondered...if he thought someone's whole life, flashed before their eyes, did that mean that was what Felandaris was to him? His whole life? He supposed so.

He didn't open his eye as he spoke, but he was sure that a semblance of a smile would've appeared on his face regardless. It would probably not be seen as it drifted away just as fast as it had made itself known. "Is it...crazy...if I say....it feels...kind of...good?" A bit of laughter came out of the corner of his mouth, only ending when he started wheezing. He could barely speak, but he was going to try to give Felan some sort of hope that he was making it through this. Even if he didn't believe it himself. Death would feel very good, he determined right there as he opened his eye. The hand he still had lifted to try and reach the other's face, but it fell immediately after he let a finger brush Felan's cheek.

"I would...love...if you...killed...me."

Blind, white hot, scorching rage pumped its way through Felandaris' veins. He'd once been a creature pious to false Gods, and the absence of their salvation hadn't been enough to drive him to such ends. The drow would tear the realms apart, break every bone across the World Tree and grind their miserable lives into dust if anything happened to the Inquisitor.

Love. Such a weak, pathetic term. Love at it's very core was selfish, it made you compromise the things you valued most of all: Felandaris had not fallen in love out of loneliness or necessity, he was comfortable in the solitude that his soul inhabited. He was fine in the dark. All the conquests and all the casualties, the bodies left in his wake, the secrets that Felandaris had harboured. He'd brought an empire to the ground floor of the mortal realm, and still walking beside Somniar had become his life's greatest privilege.

To continue without him, Felandaris' love would be like trying to breathe without air. He had become his everything, his reason for every heartbeat, his purpose behind every treachery; in the darkness that Somniar exuded Felandaris found solace in a life that had seemed so barren. It was an emptiness that the Architect knew well, so palpable that he'd forgotten how love could sting, how love could burn, and how it could ruin all those left in its wake.

The love they shared was a flame that others yearned to ignite in their hearts, undying loyalty, death would not be the greatest loss in Felandaris' life. Far more profound would be the void it left in the heart of the soulmate that Somniar would leave behind. An unnatural death, a cruel death, a black hole that would consume him and drag everything into its core. The light, the realms, and the stars itself. He'd invoke every deity of the Abyss, fling open every gate he could find, he-

Somniar spoke and Felandaris praised Lloth under his breath. Balefire crackled about the Inquisitor's scorched skin, it eroded at Felan's magic but dissolved shortly after. Powerful.

"Fool." Felandaris sniffed, his face was streaked with tears, though he had no awareness of their presence, the sensation was so foreign to him now that the drow wouldn't have recognized himself. He sat against the wall and cradled the Inquisitor's head gingerly in his lap, beautiful but forever scarred. Felandaris' shadows worked to stitch the other's wounds closed as he wove restoration with masterful skill and precision. "I'll kill you myself if you ever try to leave me again." Their forces were scrambling, the drow's numbers still greatly outmatched the fey and even the senate as well. Not that they weren't largely otherwise preoccupied, but the many failures here today would come with a price. Still, Felandaris couldn't bring himself to think about anything but the Inquisitor, thoughts of how to deal with the Titan again would have to wait.

[dabilove27]

Chapter 1

Masterlist | Next Chapter

Paring: Draken (Ken Ryuguji) x Fem!Reader

Rating: Teen (for this chapter) I am still an 18+ blog so please minors do not interact

Word Count: 6.1 K

Warnings: Friends to feelings, changing canon, idiots who won't tell each other their feelings, canon typical violence, discussion of brothel, manga spoilers, fluff, angst, creepy guy hitting on reader, Ken and Draken used interchangeably, OC as one of reader's friends. If I missed anything please let me know!

a/n: welcome to this baby I have had in my head for awhile! It is not canon compliant so please be aware of that. I hope y'all enjoy and thank you for reading! I do not have a consistent upload schedule but will try to do chapters regularly! A million thanks to my beautiful wife @lady-lunaaa for beta'ing and screaming over this and helping me get through all my thoughts with it! Love you so much!

You never would have guessed how a big smile on a boy you met in grade school would change your life.

Around five years old, you met a loud, cocky little boy that would eventually become your best friend. You noticed his smile first, bright and beaming. It instantaneously brought a slight smile onto your own face. Whether he was smiling because he beat someone in a fight or outsmarted another, you couldn't stop yourself from staring as he showed off his smile to the world.

On a bright spring day, after that cocky little boy outsmarted another kid out of their snack by naming useless facts about motorcycles, he caught you staring as he was smiling for the world to see. You hadn’t realized he caught your gaze that was trained on him until he let out a, "Hey! Why are you staring at me?" 

Typical of a five-year-old, he had no tact woven in his question, just an emboldened attitude aimed directly at you and a finger pointed in your direction. 

Embarrassment flooded through your veins, and panic tried hard to overwhelm you. The smile is replaced with a look of confusion on the boy's face as he watched you flounder. Your thoughts stammered, trying to find an excuse that wouldn’t be weird for why you were staring. With the lack of rational thought flowing through your brain, your words came out before you could keep them in. "I-um, you have a really nice smile!" The words tumbled from your lips, and you felt absolutely mortified as you focused your eyes on the classroom floor. You hoped he just went away and never looked at you again, this was so embarrassing. The silence was overwhelming you, the boy wasn’t saying anything.

A slight tint of pink reached the boy's cheeks at your words. No one ever really paid him much attention, and even less gave him compliments. He could feel his heart swell at your words. He moved up to you, feet shuffling along the floor as he stopped right in front of you. "I'm Ken! Ken Ryuguji! Wanna be friends?" 

Your eyes snapped up, and you're blinded by that massive smile on his face. Bright white teeth met you along with eager dark eyes. You weren't sure what you expected, but this is not where you thought this interaction was going. Thoughts of being bullied by this kid vanished with that one look. You nodded timidly and returned his smile with one of your own.

Ken felt that small rush of heat meeting his cheeks again as he watched the smile grow on your face. He had never made many friends because most of the children knew where he lived, and their parents didn't want them associating with someone like him. Not that it ever bothered him before, but something told him that he would feel pretty sad if he didn't get to know you more. 

Five Years Later           

Over the last five years, you and Ken had grown to know each other well and ended up becoming best friends. It was odd; the quiet little girl becoming friends with the boisterous loudmouth. But the two of you were drawn together quickly after that first meeting. It felt right; the two of you complimented each other, meeting each other's weaknesses with your strengths.

Of course, you were still both children, so spats were typical. Sometimes, Ken was too brash and unintentionally hurt your feelings with his words. At times you would hold onto your feelings instead of letting them out. But no matter what happened, the two of you would come back together. Usually, Ken would woo you back by picking wildflowers or buying a small bouquet for you if he was lucky enough to have extra cash to apologize–even if you were the one in the wrong. Ken always wanted to smooth things out between you if tension ever arose. Surprisingly, he was the calmer and collected one out of the two of you.

The two of you stuck together year after year of school. But as you grew older, the old playground the two of you regularly spent time in after school was crowded with other children. Sitting on the swings and talking with Ken with all of the little bodies running around became hard. The two of you didn’t want to be bothered by little kids.

The two of you eventually made a plan to go to Ken's place one afternoon. You couldn't have him at your home because your younger sister would be worse than the children at the park. Plus, you weren't sure what your parents would think of you bringing the kid with a reputation for starting fights home.

On one Spring afternoon, the two of you make your way to his house. To your surprise, you find the two of you walking away from the subdivisions you were used to. You hadn’t ever talked with him about home life, Ken has always shied away from the subject. But even more surprising, you find that Ken is leading you to the red light district of Shibuya. It’s still early afternoon, so the neon lights are dull in the bright sunlight. The streets are pretty bare except for a few people scurrying down the paved road. Confusion and intrigue flood your mind as Ken gently drags you forward by your wrist. 

As you continue to make your way to your destination, you can't help but notice the posters practically flinging themselves into your eyesight, scantily clad women with sultry looks peaked out from every poster. You turn your head to focus only on Ken's back, paying as much attention as possible to the fabric of his sleeveless red jacket so that your eyes don't meet the posters desperately vying for attention. 

After an eternity of analyzing every thread on his jacket, Ken stops at one of the many establishments lining the streets. He looks back at you, his larger hand still holding onto your wrist, and gives you that smile that makes your stomach flip. You know he would never hurt you even though he hasn't explained precisely why you're here. 

Ken takes in your quizzical expression, and his smile drops as his teeth meet his lower lip in a pensive expression. "I should have said something before we came out here, but I was scared you wouldn't come. Or that you wouldn’t want to be my friend anymore." He drops his eyes to the ground, not sure if you’ll be angry with him for not being truthful. 

His eyes are still staring down at your shoes when you respond calmly, "It's okay, Ken, promise you'll tell me everything when we get to your uh–" You falter still trying to keep a gentle tone, not knowing if he even has a room here. Hurting his feelings is the last thing you want.

Ken doesn't waste another moment after hearing you aren't upset with him. His eyes shoot up to meet yours, and his signature smile is plastered back on his face. "Yes! Yes, I promise! Don't listen to what anyone says; they can be embarrassing." The words tumble out of him quickly as he pulls you through the open-air doorway, past the unoccupied front desk, and up the stairs to a long hallway. 

The place is cleaner than what you've expected, everything is neat, but there isn't too much in the hallways besides what seems like countless doorways. You think that maybe Ken just lives here because it looks like no one else does, but that thought quickly vanishes when a young woman steps out of one of the rooms.

She's very pretty, with long brown hair cascading down her back, big eyes that draw you in, and her face is soft and sweet like an older sister you've always longed for. She's dressed in a blue kimono-type robe that covers her figure. 

A grin beams across her face when her eyes meet the two of you. "Kenny! Is this your girlfriend?! What's her name? She's cute!" The bubbly words fly out of her mouth a mile a minute as she starts moving toward the two of you.

"Shut up, Yui! She's not my girlfriend. Just leave us alone!" Ken yells back at the woman while he continues to propel the two of you forward towards the end of the hall. 

You look back at Yui standing in the hallway with a pout on her lips and arms crossed over her chest as she huffs out, "Awww, Kenny, come on!"

Ken ignores her plea and ends up at the last door on the hallway's left side. He yanks open the doorknob and quickly pulls you inside. Letting out a large sigh before turning back to you. "I'm sorry about her; freaking woman can't mind her own stupid business," he mumbles that last part before stepping aside to let you come farther into his room.

It's small but very typical of a pre-teen boy's room. A bed sits in the right-hand corner of the space under a small window, his blanket on top haphazardly splayed across his bed. A small array of brown shelves sit right above his bed, lined with magazines. A stereo sits to the left of the doorway as well as a few weights. A corkboard behind the stereo spans half of the wall opposite the side of the bed. A singular poster of a motorcycle is hanging, but the rest of it is bare. In the corner of the room sits a small area holding a shower. You wonder if all of the rooms contain a shower here. He had everything except a kitchen and toilet in his room. 

"So uh, this is it! Welcome to my home!" Ken beams at you as he plops down on the bed. You follow his lead and sit on a black stool beside his bed. 

Glancing around the room, you try to take everything in until the question weighing on your mind finally comes out. "So, why do you live here?" You knew a little about Ken's family, but he didn't tell you too much. He said he never knew his dad; his mom died when he was two. You were only six when he told you, and you had dissolved into tears and told him he could come live with you. He laughed and thanked you but said he had aunts who he lived with. You knew now that that probably wasn't the case. 

Ken clears his throat before responding, "Well, I–my mom, she was a prostitute." He lays back on his bed and places his hands behind his head, as he stares up at the ceiling. "She had me here, and I don't know how she died, but the women here took me in. Raised me as their own." He clears his throat again, and you can see he's trying not to get upset. "They aren't, ya know, the best moms, but they try their hardest." 

You can't stop the tears that start leaking from your eyes. Ken has been alone all this time, you thought he was with his family, but he wasn't. You're relieved to hear he has people who care for him, but your heart aches to know his dad left, and he doesn’t have his mom around either. 

You're trying to figure out what to say to him, how to comfort him when he starts talking again. "But, then I met you. And things seemed better. It didn't hurt as much anymore. I didn't feel like the odd one out. And that's why you're my best friend." He shifts in his bed to look directly at you. That stunning smile spread across his face again, "You're my family now," he says with a soft whisper of your name.

And you can't hold yourself back anymore after that. You fling yourself into Ken, tears pouring down your little cheeks as you wrap your arms around his neck. "I love you so much, Ken! You're my family too! I'll never leave you alone!" Your words are tumbling out of your lips as the tears fall. You would do whatever you had to let him know he was important to you, that you wouldn't abandon him; you promised yourself right then and there.

"Aw, come on now, get off. You're getting my shirt all wet!" Ken jests with you as he sniffles and pushes back some tears threatening to come out of his eyes. 

He gently detaches you from him and sits you back down on the little stool. You thank him for sharing those things about himself and dry your tears with the sleeve of your sweater. Things return to normal shortly after; you joke around and talk about what happened at school today. Ken brags about his latest win in a fight. And everything seems right with the world at that moment.

A few months later, nearing the end of your fifth-grade year, Ken comes into your homeroom one morning with an exuberant story about how he was walking around last night and came across this "huge" black dragon mural he saw some kid doing. Ken details how it looked, a fire blazing in his dark eyes. He talks animatedly about how he gave the kid some food, and since "he ate it all, I'm claiming that design." 

You quirk your eyebrow at that. "What do you mean you're claiming it? It's not like you can take the wall home," you laugh as you ask him.

His face furrows just for a moment before that wide grin you know so well stretches across his face. "I'm going to get it tattooed! Right here!" He explains enthusiastically while tapping to his left temple.

You can't help it when your eyes fly open wide at his proclamation. Words fail to come to you immediately; you didn’t want to hurt or bring him down because he's so happy. And taking away his happiness is the last thing you want to do. So you approach slowly and gently, "Ken, we're only in fifth grade; who's going to do it for you?" 

Even though you were aware that Ken could probably find someone to make his request, it was the only thing you could think of to ask. He quickly confirms your suspicion that he already has an artist lined up that he plans to visit after school today. His face still holds that excitement, and he's looking at you as an expectant puppy would it's master; you realize then he wants your approval.

Your heart crumbles in your chest; as much as you care about him and worry that this might not be the best choice, you can tell he wants to do this so badly. Swallowing all your doubts, you respond with a smile, "That's really cool, Ken; it's going to look so cool. But please, please promise me you'll be careful and take care of it. It could get infected and–" 

"Ah yes, yes yes! I'll do all that! I can't wait to show you tomorrow!" The excitement is beaming off of him, and it soaks directly into you as he bounces around you, trying to describe the design. You smile and listen to him, happy that he's excited, while also making a mental note to stop by the store to pick up items he might need.

And while you’re worrying about him all Ken can think about is the one time you mentioned how cool guys with tattoos are. He finally found the perfect design to impress you and he couldn't wait to show it to you. 

The next day you arrive at school anxious, a bag of new washcloths, unscented soap, and petroleum jelly stored away in a small bag sitting next to your feet. The store clerk had given you a judgemental and confused look when you asked what might be needed for tattoo care but still helped you find what you needed yesterday. You just hope Ken was okay, that it went well, and that he could attend school today. 

Like the day before, Ken walked proudly into the classroom but with less energy. He still holds his signature grin, but dark bags were set heavy under his eyes that you assume are from lack of sleep. You can’t imagine it was easy sleeping peacefully the day of getting a tattoo on your scalp. 

When his tired eyes meet yours, his grin grows more expansive as he pulls a chair across the floor with a loud scrape next to your desk. Everyone in the classroom is looking at the two of you now, but Ken doesn’t care. He is focused solely on you, on any reaction you could give him. Hoping desperately you like it. "Well? What'cha think of it?" He asks as he turns his head towards the front of the room, giving you a full view of the black ink on his head.     

The dragon was utterly black, spanning in swirls from right behind his temple to behind his ear and flowing down part of his neck. It was much more flowy than you had initially expected, but it looked clean enough, and that's what mattered the most to you–that it didn't get infected and that he was okay. You did have to admit to yourself it is pretty cool. You always liked tattoos.  

"It's cool, Ken! Really cool!" You didn’t miss the flash of pink that tinges his cheeks and how it makes your tummy flutter. "How bad did it hurt?"

"Ahh, it was fine! Didn't hurt one bit." You didn't believe that, but you'd let him pretend so that it didn't hurt his ego. "Just really loud cause it was right next to my ear and all," he says as he touches the ink.

"Wait! Did you wash your hands? You're supposed to have clean hands before you touch it!" The worry in your voice spills out before you know it. When you see his face in shock, you want to crawl into a hole and never be seen again. It isn’t your job to be like a mother to him, but you can’t help yourself. You know that no one else would help him, and you care about him a lot.   

"Oh, I didn't know that," he mumbles as he takes his hand away from his head sheepishly.

"You gotta take care of it, Ken. It could get infected easily, and I–" you stop, embarrassment stopping you from continuing. 

"You what? You know all about tattoos now?" Ken pokes your cheek as he jokes with you, trying to lighten the mood.

You're feeling frustrated because he isn't taking this seriously, and it is a serious thing. A skin infection so close to his brain wouldn’t be good. And all that frustration pushes you to finish your previous sentence, "I care about you! I don't want to see you hurt, Ken!" The words rush out louder than you want them to, and now it seems like every pair of eyes in the room is on you. 

One of the boys in your class begins to taunt with an ohhhh before Ken whips around to tell him to shut up. Your embarrassment is more because Ken knows this information, you don’t care if the class knows, so you end up laying your head on the desk with your arms covering up your heated cheeks.  

You flinch when you feel warm arms wrap around your frame. A shiver runs down your spine when you feel Ken's warm breath next to your ear. "Thank you for caring about me. I care about you too. Will you come out now?" He whispers sweetly, and you can't help the rush of emotion that flows straight to your heart. While the two of you had been friends for years, you didn't ever express those types of things. It was nice to hear he cared and that this wasn't just a fleeting friendship. 

Slowly you lift your head up to meet his smile, and for the first time, it gives you butterflies. That was when you knew you liked Ken, maybe more than just a friend. 

The next few months pass uneventfully between the two of you. You end up pushing down your feelings for fear of rejection. Ken was your closest friend, the only person you truly trust with your deepest secrets (minus your true feelings about him). You didn't want to risk screwing all of that up. Especially when Ken's interests are more focused on bikes, fighting, and more bikes.

Many girls in your class tried to confess their feelings to him, and he always turned them down. His excuse was always about how he didn't want a relationship right now. So what chance did you have when those other girls didn't? Many of them were prettier, smarter, or had some knowledge of motorcycles that you were lacking. 

That feeling was even more profound when one day, Ken came rushing into class, much like when he found the initial dragon design, to tell you about this kid he had fought. He tells you about a really short guy who looked basically like a child (you didn't have the heart to tell him you all were children). And this kid kicked “some older kid's asses without even breaking a sweat.” It’s apparent how impressed Ken is with this kid, who he later became known as the infamous Mikey. 

As time passes and the two of you move into junior high, Ken talks more and more about a gang he’s building with Mikey. And while bikes were still one of his favorite topics, Toman became the new obsession.

He spent every free moment discussing Toman and the plans the two of them were making. Years pass quickly, and before you know it, the two of you are fifteen. You had met Mikey countless times during those years and the two of you became close as well. He was engaging, with a deadpan humor that made you laugh easily. And thankfully you weren’t the only girl around. It made it a little easier to be around the sheer amount of young teens and raging testosterone by spending time with Mikey's girlfriend, Aoi. A spit-fire herself with ever-changing hair color kept your mind occupied whenever the boys entered a fight. The two of you bonded quickly and you marvel at how she’s able to ground Mikey from the get-go.  

But you notice that Ken tries to keep you separated from Toman over time. It was a gradual change but you can tell he’s nervous having you so close to fights that left them all bloodied and beaten, even if they won. 

Ken hates seeing you cry when he can’t get up the next day because his wounds are too painful. And so the two of you decide you’ll come around, just not when any fights are coming up. You understand he’s just worried about you, but separating from all the members as well as Aoi. Your friends included Mikey, Baji, Chifuyu, and the list goes on and on. You know they are only your friends by association with Ken but it hurt because it was the only group of friends you truly had. You never spent time with the other kids at school especially after meeting the members of Toman.  

But above all, you still harbor those feelings for Ken, and your attraction only grows as he starts to become less of a pre-teen and more of a man. And because of these feelings you do what makes him less worried, what brings him less pain, and what doesn’t harm your friendship with him. Because he is one of the most significant people in your life. So it was okay with you, even if you only got to see the others every now and then. You would keep your promise to him that you made when you were young. 

On the other hand, Draken is a mess on the inside around you; he can’t focus, can't think straight. You’re the most distracting thing in the world to him. The one and only time you were around during a fight, he was so worried about you that he wasn't focused and ended up with double black eyes. He didn't want to admit he had feelings for you; the two of you had been friends forever, and you had never made any move on him, so he was sure your feelings were purely platonic. Even though it made jealousy flare up, he is pretty sure you were interested in Chifuyu. The two of you would spend hours talking and laughing, you always were so happy around Chifuyu. So why not let you be happy with him, he knows Chifuyu is a good guy?  

But Draken didn’t want to put you at risk anymore so after discussing with you, you both decide it’s safer if you don’t spend the same amount of time around the gang. It hurt not to have you around the gang as much anymore but he needed to make sure you were safe. And he'd give up anything, his bike, Toman, anything to ensure you were happy and safe. 

But he can tell you’re upset when he brings up spending more time away from Toman. The tears shining in your eyes and threatening to fall makes his chest ache. But he sees how scared you are when he’s hurt, how much anxiety it causes you to see him get punched. So he knows he can’t put you through it anymore. He tries to make things better by still including you in the fun stuff, festivals, cafe visits, and meetings that aren’t too serious. He hopes it makes you happy without having to be around the more dangerous activities. He wants you to know this part of his life, he loves that you’re friends with his friends. Cutting you away from Toman completely would hurt everyone.    

But he knows can’t have you fully involved, can’t risk your life because he loves you, maybe more than he wants to admit. But Toman feels so right to him, like another family that he just fits into. So he tries to find a way to have both of you in his life. But he knows deep inside of him that eventually, one would have to give. 

Life between you and Ken continues to change as the years fly by, and two significant events are approaching quickly that unbeknownst to you, will shatter your relationship with him.

The older the two of you became, the clearer it was that you aren’t just little kids anymore. Both turning eighteen changes the way both of you are viewed in life. Ken seems more jaded by the world from the violence he has seen, and that has made him fiercely protective over you. While he adores fighting, you can’t imagine what he’s seen in his time with Toman. But you can tell it changes him because even with the separation from fights he is on edge constantly. Always looking out for you, continuously checking in on you. It’s nice that he cares so much, but you have no idea the impact it would have on your relationship with him. 

One weekend in early spring, you make your way to his "home." You try not to go to the brothel too often on weekends because of the heavy clientele, but since it was early enough in the day, you feel more comfortable with seeing Ken to help with a school project that day. 

The bright neon lights of Shibuya are dim as you saunter down the familiar streets. With the welcome spring weather gracing your bare legs, you feel happy and content. You always love when you could ditch your winter clothes for airy skirts once winter is over, and today was no different.

Passing multiple establishments that sleep during the day, you finally find yourself in front of the brothel where you have spent so many years. The women there have become a second family. Opening the glass door, you slip in through the front to meet Yui at the front desk, trying to schedule one of her regulars. 

"Oh, hey!" She calls out your name with a lazy wave and a wink. The man she's checking out turns to see who she's greeting. He's tall and lanky, with dark glasses perched on his pointed nose. Beady eyes widen at you as he doesn't hide the way he ogles at your figure.

You shift uncomfortably under the man's penetrating gaze as you slowly wave to Yui. The man doesn't stop staring, and you end up clearing your throat while starting to move towards the stairway that leads to the rooms. 

A low whistle comes from the creep, and that stops you dead in your tracks.. You don't want to cause trouble, but this guy makes you uncomfortable and you aren’t sure if you can keep quiet. "Alright, Aoki, you are all checked out! I'll see–" Yui begins in a bright, cheery tone before the man cuts her off.

He doesn't even look back to Yui; his eyes are trained solely on your figure. "Where have they been hiding you? And what does your schedule look like?" His voice is gruff and sends panic down your spine.  

Your stomach churns at his proposition. You may be an adult, but it was clear you were younger than most of the women here. And even if you didn't look so young, you are sure you aren’t giving off the welcoming vibes that the others did. Words struggle to come out of your mouth as you try to tell him you don't work here. But instead of coming out, they stay stuck on your tongue. 

Your heart is pounding in your chest, and you can feel the moisture of sweat beginning to come from your palms. It was a mistake to go on a Saturday; you should have just stayed home. Thoughts race through your head as you try to stammer a way out of this. You can hear Yui let out an annoyed sigh at Aoki's question. But you can't let her ruin her rapport with a client for your sake. 

Clenching your fist, you open your mouth to retort back, hoping it doesn't cause trouble for Ken and the other women. But a deep voice beats you to it. "You know the booking procedures, right? So why are you bothering a woman who just walked through the door?" You can hear the anger in Ken's voice, hardly controlled, as he stands at the entrance to the stairway.

He's intimidating as he stands unmoving, towering over the creep, arms crossed over his broad chest and biceps rippling underneath the black t-shirt. His obsidian eyes glare into the patron. Aoki would be even more of an idiot if he decided to fight back against Ken. It was clear just based on stature who would win that fight. 

Thankfully, the man retreats, hands held up in a surrender gesture as he backs towards the door. "Yeah yeah, I know, Draken! She's just really pretty," he nervously laughs as he continues to move towards the door. And astonishingly, the man turns back to you and says, "Can't wait to see you again, sweetie." And like the coward he is, he rushes out the door before Ken can get ahold of him.

Ken's hands curl into tight fists as he lets out a snarl towards the closing door. "Fucking bastard, Yui, control your freaking customers!" He snaps at the woman at the counter.

But you interject before Yui can yell back, "Ken, it wasn't her fault! He came onto me; there's nothing she could’ve done." You move closer to him, placing a hand on one of his closed fists. His expression melts into a much softer one when he looks into your pleading eyes. 

Yui is in the background offering you an apology that you wave off kindly and tell her she doesn't have anything to apologize for as you continue to look at Ken. You just want to go into his room and forget this whole event, knowing that he would just worry more than he already does. 

Ken sighs heavily, and you watch his shoulders droop after being held so tightly. "You shouldn't have had to deal with that piece of trash," his voice is quiet as he watches you, waiting for you to run away from here. Run away from all the danger he can't protect you from. You would be so much safer without him in your life. The thought hurts, but he knows it's true. You never would have been propositioned at a brothel if he wasn't in your life.

With that ache in his heart, he turns and walks silently with you down the long hallway to his room. The two of you move quickly into working on the project for school, but tension still lays heavy in the air. You didn't want to bring up what just happened for fear of how Ken would react. Scared that this would turn into another Toman. Where you were only allowed on specific days and times. And you didn't want that for your friendship. 

On the other side of the scattered assignment papers, Ken sits pensively. The event playing over and over in his head. How he wants to crush that man's skull given a chance. He would have to ensure he isn’t around the next time Aoki comes; Ken isn’t sure he could trust himself after the way that sleaze looked at you, after what he said to you. But most of all, he didn't want it to happen again. And as much as it pains him to do so, he knows what he has to do. 

The two of you complete the project within an hour, and as you try to lighten the mood by suggesting something to watch, Ken holds up his hand to stop you before you can even make one recommendation. 

"I care about you a lot," his voice cracks as he whispers your name. "And what happened today was inexcusable." 

"But Ken–" you start, dread spreading throughout you.

"Let me finish, please," pain is evident in his tone, and he's struggling to maintain eye contact with you. Damnit, he should have done this long ago before it got this deep. You sit quietly as anxiety churns inside your stomach, hands clenched in your lap; you know what's coming next. Your fears are going to come true.

"I was stupid to think some of the assholes here wouldn’t cross a line. You mean so much to me, and I would never forgive myself if one of those idiots put their hands on you. And I–" he pauses and swallows, evading his eyes from you.       

You can feel the pain swelling inside you, tears stinging your eyes. He doesn't even have to finish the statement because, you know what comes next. 

But he does, and it hurts worse hearing him say it, "I don't think you should come around here anymore." It hurts because he doesn't listen to you. He cares about your safety, yes, but doesn't he understand? This has been your second home for over a decade now. You don’t want to lose what you have with Yui and everyone else here. 

You don't want to let him see you cry, so you quickly pack up with a cold, "Okay, Ken, if that's what you want." There's no use in arguing at this point; you aren't going to force your way into his home. If he doesn't want you here, then you won't be here.   

He trails behind you as you briskly make your way to the front door. You can't even bring yourself to say goodbye to him. But as you slip out the door, he calls out to you, letting you know he'll call you later. You don't acknowledge it. All you can do is move your body forward as the tears begin to slip down your cheeks and your heart crumbles into pieces.

At the brothel, Ken watches the glass door slam close behind your retreating figure. His chest is aching. You didn't even say goodbye to him, but how could he expect you to just be okay with this? He quickly returns to his room and slams the door, angry that this is the hand he's been dealt. Mad that the two of you can't have a normal friendship. That he can't protect you from the terrors of this world. That he can't tell you how much he actually loves you because of the target it will put on your back. 

He slumps onto his mattress and places his face in his hands, willing the tears weighing heavy in his eyes not to fall. But he can't stop them as he heaves out a heavy sob.          

Thanks for reading!

[trishmishtree]

I seam ripped an entire skirt apart and re-sewed it entirely by hand, all in a day, and now my hands are ouchy

Yeah, this^ fucker

So I made this skirt around March of 2021. It's pretty and swishy and I get lots of compliments when I wear it in the office.

But it was one of the first items of clothing I had ever sewn and I had No Flipping Clue what I was doing at the time. And now that I have had 1.5 years of experience in hand sewing and making my own clothing, I cringe every time I look closely at this skirt. Let me count the ways this skirt was a mess:

The pockets were too small. Yes, I thought to add pockets to the side seams. No, I did not take into account the fact that the opening for the pocket has to be wide enough to fit not only my phone (which it does...barely) but also the width of my hand (which it just barely does if I really struggle to get my hand through it).

It's a circle skirt cut from a quilting cotton fabric. Which is woven. And because I was a noob to sewing, I didn't realize that you're supposed to hang up garments that are cut on the bias (which circle skirts are) to let the bias edges stretch out before you hem them. So for the past year, the hem of this skirt has been 2 inches longer in the front and back than at the side seams. Which looks silly and is really hard to unsee whenever I look at it.

Also, because it's a circle skirt, the waist line is also cut on the bias. Which stretches. Which I didn't realize when I was making the skirt and trying it on. So when I oh so cleverly calculated the diameter that I needed for the waist, I didn't account for the fact that the waist would stretch out if I tried it on before attaching the stabilizing waistband. So the waist of the skirt ended up too big. I tried to make up for this by pleating down the extra width. I added 4 pleats to the center back and 2 pleats to the center front. Except I backstitched through the pleats to hold them in place, and didn't bring the waistband down far enough to hide the backstitching. Oh, and the pleats in the front are completely wonky and angled wrong.

Even with the fancy pleating, the waist still ended up being too big, so the skirt always sat awkwardly low on my hips. The misplaced hook and eye keeping it closed didn't help either, since they were overhanging the edge of the waistband, which only made it gape even wider

I don't know how Past Me put that side zipper in, because it was Not how I would have done it now.

I've picked this skirt up a few times over the last year, trying to see if I could find a quick fix for the above issues I had with it. Each time, I would put it back down without doing anything to it. Why? Because I have no fucking clue what Past Me was thinking when she sewed those seams. As far as I could tell, there was a backstitch involved, but then there was another row of backstitching on the seam allowances? Was I trying to flat fell the seams because I hadn't learned how to properly fell yet? Was I trying to do a French seam on a seam where the allowances on either side were supposed to be finished separately because there were pockets inserted? Did I backstitch the seam allowances down before backstitching the main seam? It made no sense and I concluded that I would have to take the whole thing apart and do it again properly for this skirt to meet the standards I have today.

So yeah, this morning I took a deep breath, sucked it up, and seam ripped the entire thing and pressed out the creases until I had the original pieces back. And then I chopped off the extra-long biased hem and proceeded to hand stitch the skirt back together, correctly. And then felled the seam allowances down, correctly. And reattached the zipper and hook and eye, correctly. And redid the pleats to make the waist actually fit me, and moved all the pleats to the back because the front ones looked stupid. And then I put in a 1/4 inch double folded hem at the bottom because the original hem was 1 inch wide and I have no idea why Past Me did that. I also ripped off the tiny pockets and am planning to make some giant pockets, but I didn't get around to doing that today because all those alterations took me all day to sew.

The end result doesn't look all that different from the before photo, but I'm much happier with it, and I'll be even happier when I put in the giant pockets.

Anyways, my hands are ouchy.

[cube-cumb3r]

Retrospective analysis of the bedrock bros /rp

(TW for brief descriptions of abuse and mention of suicide.)

We need to reframe the discussion of bedrock bros. Usually it tends to boil down to an argument about who betrayed who, which often misses the point as to why it happened in the first place. I will make an effort to not be antagonistic towards Techno, even though I'm clearly biased in favor of Tommy, in looking back retrospectively at what would lead to the fallout during the Green Festival.

Firstly, it’s relevant to point out that at the time Tommy agreed to team up with Technoblade, Dream had isolated Tommy away from his friends in exile, he had been emotionally and physically abusing him for what is implied to be weeks, possibly months, and after finding out that Tommy had been hiding gear from him, Dream had blown up all of Tommy's items and the entirety of Logstedshire, telling him to "think about what he's done." which is what lead Tommy to finally attempt to escape his exile for good, after surviving a suicide attempt. After escaping, he found Technos house, stole food and gear out of his chests, and dug out a room under his house for shelter.

It’s also relevant to point out that at the time Techno discovers Tommy living under his house, he had just been captured by the butcher army of new L'manburg, a considerable amount of his tools, weapons and items had been taken by them, he'd been executed without trial, and he'd beaten Quackity in a bloody fight with only his pickaxe, then he'd escaped back to his home in the arctic with most, but not all, of his usual gear missing. and because of this, he had a plan to get his revenge on New L'manburg.

(By the way, the way their storylines perfectly got woven together completely seamlessly with Technos butcher army stream and Tommy’s team-up stream? Chefs kiss. This is peak Dream SMP writing for me.)

Techno discovers Tommy living in his floorboards and gives him an ultimatum, either Tommy allies himself with him and aids in the destruction of L’manburg and Techno offers to help Tommy get back the discs in return, or Tommy has to leave the premises. And throughout the discussion Tommy restates several times that doesn’t need Techno’s help to get back the discs, and he's planning to do it on his own.

The reason Tommy initially declines the offer multiple times is because he still holds a grudge against Technoblade for aiding in the second destruction of L’manburg, and he also holds a grudge on Tubbo's behalf for his firework execution. When Tommy declines the offer multiple times, Techno tells him to leave. Which he does! He wanders out into the snow, but Techno keeps pushing with his offer regardless.

Tommy: Y-you'll help me get back my discs if I team with you-

Techno: I'll help you get back your discs, Tommy.

Tommy: I won't help you but you'll help me. I don't wanna destroy L'manburg. [overlapping]

Techno:[overlapping] You'll help me destroy the government-

Tommy: I won't help you destroy the government, but you'll- you'll let me... [glances back at the house].

Techno: Tell-tell you what, we’ll do some minor terrorism from which the government can- [stuttering] you- you know what, Tommy? We-we’ll get the details on the way, we’ll get the details on the way, Tommy. Alright?

Tommy: Technoblade, I am a huge fan of minor terrorism.

Techno: That’s just what I wanna wanna hear. Tommy-

Tommy: Not major terrorism, though. No- I don’t, I don’t wanna take down no governments. [...]”

"Tommy Teams with Technoblade in Exile" (18:37-19:13) [link] (I also made a longer transcription of the conversation here)

Even though Tommy desperately needed protection as Dream without a doubt WOULD later come looking for him, he still initially declined, repeatedly. Yet Techno kept insisting even when Tommy told him no and even walked away. Therefore, it’s arguable that Tommy only agreed because Techno was willing to "compromise".

Later in the stream, when they’re together in the wither bunker, it's VERY obvious that Tommy is under the impression that Techno wasn’t planning to destroy L’manburg at all.

Tommy: What!? Ok-, look at me in the eyes, look at me in the eyes! We’re just getting the discs back, alright? We’re not-

Techno: Yeahhh.... [overlapping] We’re just- getting the discs back-

Tommy: [overlapping] -I don’t wanna take down no government, I do not wanna upset Tubbo! [overlapping]

Techno: -by any means necessary!

Tommy: [overlapping] No, no... No, no, no, no, no!-

Techno: [overlapping] By any means necessary!

Tommy: Not by any means- by-… Well, I guess by any means necessary. But not-

Techno: Yeahhh!

Tommy: [stutters] Technoblade, look at me, dead in the eyes.

Techno:

Tommy: Although they have wronged me, they have wronged me, it is because of Wilbur*, not because they chose to. We will not. Upset. L’manburg, and we will not. Upset. Tubbo.

Techno: [stutters] w-we’ll negotiate the finer details later, Tommy. We’ll negotiate the finer details later- [...]

*Tommy might’ve meant to say Dream here, seems more likely in this context. However, I can't say for certain.

"Tommy Teams with Technoblade in Exile" (22:40-23:14) [link]

That is why I don’t think you can make the argument that Tommy used Techno for his own gain, unless you’re implying that him seeking shelter any way he could get it when he needed it the most, knowing he’d never go through with the destruction of L’manburg, is somehow exploitative. And not only is that arguably a bad faith argument, it’s also inaccurate because Technoblade wasn’t upfront about their deal. He had even deliberately given Tommy the impression that they had compromised.

That being said, I wouldn’t at all imply that Technoblade only pressured Tommy into joining him for his own gain. In fact, he wouldn't gain much from allying with him because Tommy had very little to offer in the first place. Both in terms of both manpower and resources, or even as a strategist, especially not in the state he was in at the time. Therefore, it is more likely that Techno felt as if he were, albeit a bit reluctantly, taking Tommy under his wing.

It's also important to stress that Technoblade was not aware of the extent of torment Tommy had just experienced in exile, and was therefore not aware of how urgently Tommy actually needed shelter and protection. This is because Tommy could never bring himself to tell Techno, because at this point in time he had not had the time to process and make sense of what he had actually experienced. it was obvious he didn't even know how he felt about Dream, or realized he was a victim of abuse. The only thing he had told Techno before they allied was that he and Dream had, in his own words, "had an argument".

During their time together Techno did not only offer shelter, but also protection, food and armor to Tommy, he hid Tommy as best he could when Dream came around, and he listened as Tommy attempted to make sense of what had happened to him. obviously, Techno noticed that to a certain extent, Tommy had clearly developed some sort of severe trauma as well, and he calmed him down when Tommy had panic attacks. So it would be untrue to say that Techno didn't care at all.

But the fact still remains that their allyship and friendship was always conditional, and not even that, and I apologize if I come across as repetitive, Techno was never upfront about what those conditions actually were in the first place. And we could speculate that if Tommy had managed to tell him the extent of what had actually happened to him, or maybe Techno had just happened to like him a little bit more in the first place, maybe he would have offered shelter unconditionally. But nevertheless, these miscommunications (both the intentional ones and the unintentional ones) was what was gonna doom their allyship (and their friendship) from the start.

[doubledgesword-2]

Soulmate Au Part 3

Part 1 and Part 2 are here! Requests for the Adult trio are open!

WARNING DUB-CON AND EXPLICIT SMUT +18 Please do not te upload somewhere else!!

You started to suspect something was wrong with you when you walked deep into the forest, looking to harvest the crops. Your mind screamed at you to keep walking. Walk away from this place and leave them behind. The minute your feet took one step forward, the most intense migraine struck you. You tried to walk forwards and work through the pain, but it became too debilitating to the point your legs gave under you, and your body crumbled to the ground.

Your eyes clenched close, and your body tucked in into a fetal position, your hands clutching your shirt in hopes it would lessen the pain. Suddenly, you heard a rustle behind you, but couldn't really be bothered to turn and look at the disturbance.

"Oh, here you are. I was worried something might have happened" Chrollo came from behind a tree, his coat gracefully moving as he came to stand before your crippled form.

He sat down beside you taking your body into his lap. His hands stroke your hair as tears came down from your eyes.

"(Y/N), this is such a nice and peaceful place you've built" his voice was so calm, and his hands went through your locks with such comfort that you were calming down for a second.

He took a deep breath, eyes close with a smile as if truly enjoying the quiet and the light breeze blowing through. Chrollo leaned down close to you, your body shaking in pain still. His hands petted away a couple of strands of your hair as his lips came close to your ear.

"You weren't thinking of leaving now, were you?"

The tone of his voice made the question feel like a gentle threat. But a threat nonetheless. He kissed your temple and kept running his hands through your hair, breathing in once more, smiling at the sunbeams coming through the leaves and shining down on the two of you.

"I am delighted you have decided to stay with us. It would have broken all our hearts to know you weren't happy here" he looked down at your form, no longer distressed but still slightly shaking and sniffling.

"You are happy here, are you not?"

You nodded weakly in response, and he beamed at you. He picked you up gently, bridal style, while his hand carried the woven basket underneath you.

"Let's go, I'll prepare dinner tonight. Just the two of us, little treasure. All is well".

Chrollo brought you all the way to the cottage, filling the air with casual banter along the way. His excitement grew whenever the prospect of a new book came into the conversation.

"It's very eloquent poetry. I am sure it'll sound melodic coming from your lips".

Chrollo walked into the cottage with you still in his arms. The other two were nowhere to be seen, and it confirmed what he had said: you two were truly alone. Chrollo settled you on the sofa, your fluffy cat meowing around his legs. He crouched to pet the cat's head.

"What are you craving today, love?" Your eyes were close, dried tear streaks under them, but you opened them to see him smiling warmly at you while still petting your cat.

"Chef's choice," you replied simply, trying a smile of your own, but it came out more like a grimace.

"Mmm, hard choice, I'll surprise you then" he gave your forehead a kiss and moved away from your vision line.

After leaving you on the sofa, Chrollo had draped his coat over the chair, washed his hands, and got everything ready for the food. Your eyes were droopy, body tired after your horrific headache, so you drifted off into a nice comfy nap.

A fantastic smell wafted around the house, waking you up to find you have drooled on the decorative pillow. Chrollo was in front of you, smiling at your cute and sleepy face.

You shot up, looking around as if you weren't in your house, and you didn't know who was in front of you. Then it all came back, the realization hit you, and you wiped the drool with the back of your hand. Chrollo chuckled at you and got up to kiss the top of your head, lingering for a second, hugging you to him.

“Dinner is ready, come on love."

A bit disoriented and groggy, you got up and went to the table. Everything was set up with candles surrounding the dinner table and the kitchen. A single rose in a vase was in the middle of the table, the same vase that you had changed the flowers that fateful day they had found you. Chrollo was waiting beside the chair he had pulled out for you. He had a proud smile as you went to sit at the chair, and he gently pushed you in. The whole thing was adorable, and it would have been romantic if you weren't wary of the man. He sat down as well and was looking at you with loving eyes. You pretended he wasn't fixed on you as you took the first bite out of your food.

"I hope it's to your liking. I had never made this one before" he had ended up making your favorite dish, and you were happy to have it; the food was truly delicious.

The fact that he knew your favorite dish shouldn't give you the feeling of dread, and yet it did. You knew the trio had most undoubtedly memorized everything about you, no matter how small the detail was. Still, you couldn't wrap your head around the idea.

"It's delicious, thank you" you forced a smile at him, and he chuckled under his breath, looking down at his own plate.

"You don't have to pretend with me (Y/N). I'm not Hisoka or Illumi; I'm a simple thief but a gentleman at heart. I know you're uncomfortable, and this situation is new to you. I don't blame you".

You looked down to your plate, feeling a bit embarrassed that he noticed your inner turmoil. His words should have offered comfort, but you couldn't feel it or find any. Instead, they further pushed down the heavy stone in your stomach.

"I-I don't know how to feel, still. I'm adjusting, trying to at least" you took another bite and gave him a close-lipped smile as you chewed the food.

Chrollo's dark eyes pierced yours; he wasn't buying it.

"Then perhaps we haven't fully helped you experience love in this relationship," he gave you a closed eye smile and took a mouthful of the food.

You felt shivers run up your spine, body tingling in fear and dread as if you were at the dropping point of a big coaster ride. Your heart beat faster to the point where you started hearing it in your ears.

The door seemed like an excellent option right now.

Your hands went under the table to grip the edge of the chair as you tried to ground yourself back into the moment. 'He didn't say anything. He just made a suggestion with a smile', you told yourself, looking for the logic in his words, and calming yourself. But it wasn't working, you had felt it. Felt the tiniest flare of his aura reach out to you in silent warning. Nothing big but just enough to put you back into place. There were so many meanings behind that little jesting phrase that it made you anxious.

"Are you alright? You seem a little pale" he placed his utensil down, getting out of the chair and crouching near you.

His cold hand reached to your cheek, caressing you and making you look down at him.

"Perhaps some air will do you good," he grabbed both your hands in his and pulled you up and out of the chair.

You were in a slight daze watching him as he placed a coat around you and dressed in his own. Chrollo exited the cottage with you around his arm. The two of you looked like a loving couple taking a stroll in the middle of winter.

As you walked into the forest, passing by trees and bushes taking in the sights under the moonlight, Chrollo pulled a book from inside his coat and handed it to you. You took it. Still, a bit shook but figured some reading might do you good.

"I borrowed it," the way he said borrow told you he meant stole "figured you might like it" he side-eyed you as your doe-like eyes looked up to him in question.

You looked down at the cover seeing it was a very elusive limited edition copy of one of your favorite authors. Your heart skipped a beat, and for once in a long while, you were pleasantly surprised and excited. Your lips pulled into an unconscious smile, and by the time you had noticed you were smiling and tried to hide it with a serious look, Chrollo had already smiled and locked the sight in his mind. You looked precious.

"Why don't you read it out loud. I'm sure it's a good night for some reading if you don't mind?" His suave and smooth voice questioned, but you knew better than to resist him.

So you nodded, muttering a thank you. He nodded back, closing his eyes briefly and then looking back at you with expectation. You opened the first page and started to read the prologue as the two of you walked. Your lips never stuttering a word as you got lost in the story, pulled into it to the point were you forgot his eyes on you.

Chrollo was looking around the trees, admiring the majestic scenery as your words filled the nightly air. He knew your tone was hesitant and scared. You hated reading out loud and especially to him. You'd told him it was something about the sound of your voice in your ears. But he loved it. The way you pronounced or mispronounced words made his heart flutter. How your tone changed when you got lost in the narrative and started muttering small comments for the characters under your breath. Your little mannerisms made you adorable in his eyes, and the more he looked at you, the more he wanted.

He wasn't satisfied.

At the beginning of his relationship with Hisoka, there were some bumps he had to overcome when it came to the clown. But once he did, he could say he came to love the jester. When Illumi came into the picture as his second soulmate, he was a bit surprised. He, at some point, even doubted the assassin could actually be capable of emoting or loving. But one night, when they were all together tucked away in a vacation home right in front of the beach, he realized something about themselves.

He was sitting on a comfy armchair sofa in the balcony, book in hand, a glass of wine resting on its wooden arm. The sun was setting as cliche as it may sound, but his eyes rested on the page's words. When suddenly, he felt a head fall on his lap.

Assuming it was Hisoka, he didn't even glance down in hopes of secretly riling him up. Though curiosity got the better of him, so his eyes did glance down, and he was surprised. On his lap, long black hair fanned across it, was Illumi with his eyes close and a peaceful expression on his face.

Chrollo's heart fluttered.

He felt his cheeks heat up as he stole glances of the assassin. He almost closed the book, but he was afraid the sound would shake the scene and make the Illumi leave. So he kept pretending to read, not being able to fully concentrate with the comforting weight of Illumi on his lap.

They bonded after that, growing closer together. Hisoka was proud of them. The troupe had always been his family but getting to feel this kind of love was different.

That's when he realized soulmates were meant to be together for a reason. So when your name appeared on their skin out of nowhere, he knew they had to find you. You were not being loved as you should. That's why he understands your apprehension and your wariness of them. They're not exactly good in lawful standards, and their moral compasses might be slightly broken. But if there's one thing they know for sure, loving you is one of their main goals.

You just need to see it.

"As soon-"your reading got interrupted by a pair of lips on yours.

Chrollo's hands grabbed both sides of your face and brought you close for a fevered kiss. The book fell out of your hands as they came to rest on his arms.

"I couldn't resist," he mumbled out of breath against your lips. You, on the other hand, were freaking out a bit.

The fact that you were in the middle of a clearing in the forest was making you anxious. Chrollo dived in again, looking for your lips, but you turned your face away bashfully. You looked down to the grass seeing the book and bending down to pick it up as if he hadn't just kissed away your breath.

He was a bit hurt, but he had to remember that you weren't like them. You needed a little more coaxing to come out of your shell. He would help.

You straightened, inspecting the book for any creases or tears in the pages. You dusted away some dirt, closing the book delicately and looking up at Chrollo.

You frowned at the sight. Not that it wasn't a pleasant one, he was handsome and pretty, but you weren't buying it. At some point, you were pretty sure you were in soulmate denial.

"What are you doing?" You asked meekly, seeing as he had shaken away his coat and was shirtless at the moment.

Your fight or flight sense was glaring up, and you hugged the book to your stomach. Chollo placed his coat in the grass, open as if it was a picnic blanket. He turned to eye you, his eyes no longer cold.

"I know you're afraid, but there's nothing to be afraid of. Let me show you just how much I love you," that was your cue.

He took a step, and you mirrored him taking one back. This made him slightly tilt his head to the side, the look playfully menacing. Chrollo took another step and your nen flared up in warning, this time stronger than the last time you had tried this. He looked proud instead of intimidated, and it angered you.

The loving way he looked at your nen didn't help your case, and so you attacked. Your nen moved fast, striking the spot where he was. But he was fast, as quick as Hisoka, and that was a disadvantage to you.

Chrollo had suddenly disappeared and left you in the middle of the clearing. You leaned down to quickly put the book out of harm's way and then stood in attention. The moon shone brightly on you, giving your dangerous look and angelic glow. He could've groaned and moaned out loud just like Hisoka would've done, but he bit his lip instead, looking at you through the foliage.

Your ears were strained, searching for any noise as little as it may be. But there was no noise when he came, fast and swift bringing you down. The two of you rolled around on the grass, he chuckled as you winded up, straddling him. Your face scrunched up in concentration. His hand lifted to your cheek, caressing it, which made you flinch for a second. Chrollo then flipped the two of you, causing you to shriek at the suddenness. He pinned down your wrists, bringing them beside your head. Your wide-eyed looked at him startled, yet something was growing in your stomach's pit.

"You're getting better. Illumi should be proud," he leaned down, bringing his lips close to your ear. "Your nen is worth stealing, I wouldn't mind, if it meant keeping you as well" he bit your earlobe, making you bite your lips.

You tried to wriggle your wrists out of his hold, but his hands tightened around them. Chrollo started kissing your neck, nibbling and sucking his way down your collarbone. Still, you kept muffling your noises, biting your lip, and holding your tongue.

He wouldn't have it. Chrollo bit down in between your neck and shoulder, making you moan loudly.

"That's more like it," he chuckled against the spot soothing it with a lick and kiss, "Do you think I could steal some more noises from your lips?" He asked, bringing his lips close to yours.

"Would you let me?" You could feel his breath on your lips as he talked.

Chrollo kissed you hard, tongue poking your entrance and biting your lower lip so you wouldn't deny him. He sucked on your tongue, relishing in your futile attempts to keep quiet. His hips started grinding slowly into yours, pressing down his hard-on on your clothed spot. He was only wearing his pants, back and chest bared under the moonlight and shining with a thin layer of sweat. He separated for some air, leaving you a bit dazed and fuzzy. His hands coming down to your clothes gripping your shirt and tugging at it. That jerked you up from your state, making you gasp, your hands coming to his own grabbing them. You tried to pull them away from you, but he took both of your wrists in one of his hands and pinned them hard on the ground.

You groaned at the slight pain, and he took the opportunity of your raised arms to slide the shirt up and jumble it around your hands in makeshift bounds. He smiled down at your bra and the way your brows scrunched up in struggle. Your fight was strong, but he was stronger.

Chrollo leaned down to your chest, kissing the curve of your breast pressed on the bra. He bit down on the mound, making you groan.

"You're so soft, so beautiful," he whispered to your chest as his hand slipped the breast out of the bra. He massages the nipple, head dipping, and licking the other to attention. You started squirming under him, bringing your tied hands to stop him but ended up hugging his head closer to your chest, a moaning mess.

A fire was rising in between your legs, and you felt the electricity go down your spine.

'What were they doing to you?!' You screamed in your mind trying to fight the feeling.

Chrollo's hand left your mound, his mouth kept sucking on the other, as he sneaked down to your waistline. You had been wearing a comfortable attire since it was a bit hot, and you were tending to the crops today before your accident. He easily slipped down and into your panties. His calloused and experienced hands didn't waste any time and felt your slit. He smirked when he found you wet, but not enough for him. Chrollo gathered some slick and gently rubbed on your hooded pearl. You jerked under him, muffling a moan by biting your lip. His lips left your peak, glistening and wet under the dim moonlight. He went to the crook of your neck, inhaling your scent, and planting open-mouthed kisses as his other hand maintained a steady rhythm on your nub. He didn't change the speed, going in gentle circles on your bundle of nerves.

You were getting desperate, feeling the pleasure rising in you, and pushing shame to the back of your mind. Your hips bucked unconsciously, and he tutted you like a child, smiling in victory against your neck with closed eyes.

"Tch, tch, tch, not yet, I think you deserve some punishment for being so stubborn with me" he bit your earlobe, making you whine in response.

Your body struggled against him, but he let his weight drop on you, making you stay still. Chrollo's hand then went quicker and quicker, driving you deep into pleasure but not all the way. You whined again, trying to move away from his hand, but he went faster. Suddenly you felt the ice-cold rush from the tip of your toes to your core, pleasure flooding your system like a wave. Your body shook under his, toes curling, and you let out a moan closing your eyes at all the sensations.

Chrollo groaned with you, his pants too tight for comfort. He grinned against you softly and sat up, still straddling you. In your high, you didn't felt as he pulled the rest of your clothes down and his arousal out, the tip an angry red as he stroke it, shuddering under the feeling. He then pushed into you, making you gasp and open your eyes wide to the see him. His eyes closed, and he bit his lip briefly. Then his dark eyes opened slowly, looking down at you in adoration. His mouth was slightly opened, breathing heavily at the feeling of your warmth engulfing him. Hair was falling sideways and forwards, almost covering the cross on his forehead. The light glowing behind him gave him a surreal look and feel.

It was euphoric.

You moaned, and he started moving slowly, leaning over you to capture your lips as he sped up. His hands were beside your head, supporting his body as he rocked with you. He rested on his forearms, bringing himself closer to you as he changed speed and slowly rolled his hips, making you feel everything.

"I love you so much," he whispered into your cheek, kissing it afterward.

Chrollo groaned lowly when he bumped into a special spot that made you clench hard around him. You moaned.

"Found it," he chuckled low, speeding up and hitting the same spot over and over.

Your hips buckled, meeting his as he sat up. He gave you a half-lidded look, smiling at you. His hands came to rest on your hips, pressing them down as he rammed inside you. He couldn't take how good you felt, your same walls gripping him and becoming him deeper. He complied, going faster and deeper, making you moan and whine. Chrollo's hand sneaked to your hooded pearl, rubbing it at matching speed with his thrusts.

Your body jerked, heat, and cold consuming you at equal measure. Your body glistened with sweat under the moonlight, making you glow and shine like a jewel worth stealing. Chrollo bit his lip at the picture, wishing he could just have it to look at it all the time. Instead, he committed it to memory, his hand rubbing your nub furiously.

Suddenly your body arched beautifully, your breasts offered to him as you came with a shriek. Pleasure flooded you, making you twitch and shake. He joined you with a groan, head thrown back as his body arched as well, driving his length deep inside you, releasing all of himself into you. Your walls massage him as he thrusts slowly.

The two of you panted heavily.

Chrollo's hands were beside your head, supporting his body as he caught his breath. He looked down at you, your skin looking perfect under the lighting, your lips puffy and slightly opened as your naked chest heaved, making your breasts move up and down. You looked gorgeous, and he couldn't ask for more. He was satisfied, and a sense of fullness filled him at the moment.

He pulled out, making your face scrunch up in pain at the slight discomfort of the tenderness. Tucking himself back in his pants, he zipped them up and laid down beside you. He undid the mess around your wrists, and you pulled them down beside your body, resting the aching muscles. His head was supported on his hand as he laid on his side, looking at you in love. Your eyes were closed, and you seemed to be calm, almost sleeping.

His fingers came to lay on your stomach. The ginger touch made you jump slightly at the suddenness, but otherwise, your eyes remained closed. They moved around your form, tracing your marks, your waves, the way your mounds curved into your chest, your collarbone, and finally, they came to rest on your neck. He caresses it with the back of his hand, coming up to your cheek and staying there.

You opened your eyes slightly, looking at him through a tired glaze. Chrollo smiles warmly, coming close to peck your lips. He pulled the coat around your form, covering you from the night's chill, and gathered you in his arms.

Chrollo stopped to pick up the book you had neatly placed away from the mess and chaos. Smirking at your thoughtfulness. He gave you the book or at least propped it on your stomach as your sleepy form was losing the fight. He carried you all the way back to the cottage, where he placed you on the bed. You turned to the side, and he petted your hair, kissing your head. He came back to put the leftover food away and the dishes in the sink, making sure to turn off the candles. Your cat was eagerly following him like he had treats in his pockets.

Chrollo went back to the room, taking off the rest of his clothes and stripping you of this coat. He draped it on your vanity, the rest of the clothes scattered in a corner of the room. Your fluffy black cat went to them, kneading the fabric and then laying on top.

Chrollo pulled the covers back and brought you close to him, pulling the two of you under the sheets. He snuggled closer to you, the two of you naked as the day you were born. He pressed a kiss to the back of your ear, nuzzling your neck afterward and then resting on top of your head.

"Sleep well, my love," mutters, and you reply with your own muffled and unintelligible goodnight. He smiled, closing his eyes in bliss.

He couldn't wait for the morning to do it all over again.

[yurtletheturtlehenderson]

COSMIC - S1:E1; Chapter One, The Vanishing of Will Byers - [Pt. 3 - FINAL]

A Will Byers x Male!Reader Series

𝘖𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘢 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥'𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦, 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘨 𝘞𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘴 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘧𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘏𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘶𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘶𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘣𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘢 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘱 𝘰𝘧 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥.

|| 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫'𝐬 𝐏𝐎𝐕 ||

The bell rang, signaling the end of class. The guys and I were quick to pack up our belongings before making a beeline for Mr. Clarke's desk, eager to see if the Heathkit came. All the while Mr. Clarke was reminding the already fleeting class of our homework assignment.

"Remember, finish chapter 12 and answer 12.3 on the difference between an experiment and other forms of science investigation. This will be on the test, which will cover chapters 10 through 12. It will be multiple choice with an essay section." His voice faltered towards the end of his sentence as he realized no one had been paying attention.

His head turned to us and he didn't seem too surprised to see us so eager. Mike couldn't take the wait any longer and spoke up on the behalf of all of us.

"So, did it come?"

Mr. Clarke looked solemn. "Sorry, guys," Our heads began to hang in disappointment at his words. "I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but... It came!"

My face lit up with relief. We followed Mr. Clarke down the halls in anticipation. Mike got to the door first and eagerly threw it open, the rest of us close on his tail.

"Yes!"

Since Mike was the first through the door, naturally he dove for the desk chair as the rest of us scuttled over each other, each of trying to get a close look at it. Lucas and I seemed to have the same idea as we fiddled with the knobs on the Heathkit as Mr. Clarke addressed the new device we were all so eager to see.

"The Heathkit ham shack," The boys and I were in awe.

"Ain't she a beaut?" Mr. Clarke sighed. Dustin then spoke up. "I bet you could talk to New York on this thing."

"Think bigger." Said Mr. Clarke. I rose my eyebrow and looked to my teacher as I questioned, "California?"

"Bigger." 'No way.'

"Australia?" Mike pressed. We all turned out heads hopefully to Mr. Clarke as he responded with a smile and the shake of his head. We all exclaimed.

"Oh man," Lucas chuckled in excitement. "When Will sees this, he's totally gonna blow his shit." My smile faltered at the mention of Will, as Mr. Clarke scolds Lucas for his foul language. Lucas apologized turning back to the Heathkit, and I shake my head slightly trying to get my mind off of Will.

Lucas seems to have found the right settings on the dials based on the high pitch frequencies coming out of the Heathkit. Mike has the headphones on and begins to speak into the mic in an Australian accent.

"'Ello, this is Mike Wheela', president of Hawkins Middle AV Club."

Dustin then practically ripped the headphones off of Mike's head, a big goofy grin on his face as he placed them on his head. Mike was in a fit of giggles as he spoke. "What are you doing?" Dustin proceeded to do the exact same thing as Mike just moments ago.

"'Ello, this is Dustin, and this is the secretary and treasurer of Hawkins Middle AV Club. Do you eat kangaroos for breakfast?" I giggle, shaking my head thinking about the poor confused soul who is stuck listening to the boys ramble on. As Lucas grabs for the headphones, I turn around so I'm facing Mr. Clarke, and I give a polite, yet warm smile. "Thank you."

"You're very welcome Mr. Henderson," He returned the smile, seeming appreciative of the fact that at least one of us said 'Thank you'. He has always been a great teacher, and I don't think anybody ever really appreciates or even thanks him very much. I can't imagine how frustrating it can be as a teacher. I laugh to myself at the sight of my friends playfully fighting over who gets to use it next, when our fun gets cut short at the sound of a knock on the door. We all turn our heads to see the Principle walk in, a couple of men behind him.

"Sorry to interrupt, but, uh, may I borrow Y/N, Michael, Lucas, and Dustin?" To say my stomach dropped would be an understatement as I got a better look at the men out in the hallway and realized it was the Chief and one of his officers.

My mouth ran dry.

'Will.'

The four of were seated on the couch in the Principal's office, Chief Hopper, and officer Callahan - I believe his name was - seated in chairs opposite us. I was seated between Mike and Dustin, I kept my mouth shut unless told otherwise, and my hands have woven together in my lap, much too afraid to do otherwise. The boys, on the other hand, were freaking out and all trying to speak at once. I tried nudging them warningly with my elbows but they just ignored me. It seemed I had made the right choice in being quiet, as Hopper seemed to have gotten impatient almost immediately.

"Okay, okay, okay. One at a time all right? You." He points Mike. Mike shakes his head. "You said he takes what?"

"Mirkwood."

"Mirkwood." His face scrunched up in confusion.

"Yes," I croaked involuntarily, wanting to explain to him that it is just our name for road.

"Have you ever heard of Mirkwood?" He turned to the officer.

"I have not. That sounds made up to me." The officer replied. This timid, awkward man gave me the impression he was more of a 'Yes-man' and knew nothing about what he was doing.

"No, it's from Lord of the Rings."

'Oh, here we go.' I think to myself, sighing.

"Well, The Hobbit."

Mike and I look at each other, knowing what's happening.

"It doesn't matter." Lucas retorted.

"Knock it off!" I warn, trying my best to throw my whisper across the couch without drawing attention to myself.

"He asked!" Dustin nearly shouted.

"Guys!" I hissed.

"'He asked'" Lucas mimicking Dustin, not even listening to me.

I looked over at Mike for help but he is already checked out.

They continue talking over each other in a childish manner and the chief leans forward trying to silence them.

"Hey, hey, hey!" They quieted down finally. "What'd I just say? One at a damn time. You." He nodded to me. He seemed to tolerate just Mike and me.

"Mirkwood, as Mike was saying. It is a real road. It's just the name that's made up, it's what we call it. It's where Cornwallis and Kerley meet." I finish.

He seems satisfied, finally having a straightforward answer. He leans back in his chair, talking now to Callahan.

"Yeah, all right, I think I know that—"

"We can show you, if you want." Mike offered hopefully, cutting the chief off mid-sentence.

"I said that I know it!"

"We can help look."

"Yeah" Dustin added hopefully.

"No."

And just like that, the boys begin to talk over each other once again. Knowing better than to waste my breath trying to shut them up, I sit back once again, hands in my lap waiting for the Chief to continue.

"No," He says loud enough to quiet the boys. "After school, you are to all go home. Immediately. That means no biking around looking for your friend, no investigating, no nonsense. This isn't some Lord of the Rings book."

"The Hobbit."

"Shut up!" Lucas gave Dustin a swat on the arm.

Dustin reached over and hit Lucas back, knocking me and Mike back in the process. I roll my eyes in annoyance, and fight every urge I have not to shout at them.

"Hey!"

Mike finally snaps. "Stop it!"

They continue hitting each other and Hopper finally leans over and says quietly, in an irritated tone. "Do I make myself clear?"

I was the only one paying attention so based on his tired, lowered voice and his eyes on me, I could tell he was just talking to me at this point.

I shook my head. "Yes," I mutter.

He nodded his head at me in thanks. All the while, the boys were still bickering. Hopper's gaze landed on the boys, and he stood up and walked forward towards us. The way his tall frame towered over us was overwhelming, and enough to shut the boys up. In a deep, intimidating voice, he repeated his words, slowly.

"Do I make myself... clear?" The boys nod their heads in fear, their necks craning up to meet his eyes.

"Yes, sir."

"Yeah."

"Yes."

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

I've been laying in my bed, staring at the ceiling for about thirty minutes, give or take a few. I had managed to do all of my school work, including my project that wasn't due for another week and a half, read three books — granted, they were fairly short — and I was still left with nothing to do but worry about Will. The fact that I'm not allowed to help is driving me crazy, even though I keep trying to tell myself the adults are better equipped to deal with this stuff. My thoughts are interrupted by the crackling of the walkie-talkie that was sitting on my dresser. Since our mom couldn't afford two walkie-talkies, Dustin and I share one. I usually have it though so I can talk to Will.

The voice coming through sounded like Mike. Rather than getting my hopes up I just decided to stay put, staring at my ceiling, listening in.

"Lucas, do you copy? It's Mike. Lucas? Over."

"Hey, it's Lucas."

"I know it's you. And say 'over' when you're done talking so I know when you're done. Over." I roll my eyes and smile.

"I'm done. Over." I chuckle at this.

"I'm worried about Will. Over." My smile quickly falls.

I can hear Lucas sigh. "Yeah. This is crazy. Over."

"I was thinking..." Now I was really paying attention. "Will could've cast Protection last night, but he didn't. He cast fireball. Over." I sat up slowly, my eyebrows furrowed at the walkie.

"What's your point? Over."

"My point is... he could've played it safe, but he didn't. He put himself in danger to help the party. Over." A bittersweet smile flutters across my face briefly at this.

"Meet me in ten. Over and out."

'To hell with adults.' I tell myself. I leap off my bed and grab the walkie, knowing they'll still be able to hear me.

"Forgetting someone? Over."

"Y/n? Over." It was Mike.

"Don't worry, I'll let Dustin know. Over and out."

I retract the walkie before shoving it into my bag and heading for Dustin's room.

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

Once I had caught Dustin up on everything, the four of us had met up and we are now currently riding down Mirkwood. The thought of my best friend disappearing right here, exactly 24 hours ago was enough to give me chills.

"Ah, man. This is it." Lucas broke the silence as we approached the barrier closing off the path where his bike was supposedly found. We all came to a stop.

For a brief moment, the woods were lit up by lighting in the distance as thunder bellowed across the sky. Dustin looked up at the blanket of clouds above the trees, his voice shaking.

"Hey, guys. You feel that?" He was obviously referring to the rain that fell on his face. I roll my eyes. "I think maybe we should go back."

"No!" Mike and I said simultaneously.

"We're not going back. Just stay close." Mike and Lucas continued on into woods. I was eager to follow them but not without trying to reassure my brother.

"Dustin, he's right. Look, I know you're scared right now, okay? I'm scared too, but can you even imagine how scared Will must be? We have to do this. For Will." I didn't wait for a reply and ran to catch up with Mike and Lucas.

Knowing my brother, he would rather stay in a group than split up. Sure enough, he gave in.

"Hey, guys, wait up!" He said, dropping his bike. "Wait up!"

We started walking again, and as we did it I could feel the rain start to soak my neck and shoulders. I pulled my hood up over my head, turning on my flashlight and set off into the night, eager to find my friend.

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

The thunder rumbled, and as we ventured deeper into the forest I could feel the light drizzle of rain evolving into a steady downpour.

"WILL!"

"WILL!" I cried.

"Byers!" Lucas yelled.

Dustin tried a different approach. "I've got your X-Men 134!"

Our flashlights were hardly making a difference at this point. Dustin spoke up again. "Guys, I really think we should turn back."

"Seriously, Dustin?" Lucas exclaimed. "You wanna be a baby, then go home already!"

"I'm just being realistic Lucas!"

"No, you're just being a big sissy."

"Did you ever think Will went missing because he ran into something bad? And we're going to the exact same spot where he was last seen? And we have no weapons or anything?"

I start to slow down once I heard something in the bushes.

"Dustin, shut up." Mike spoke up.

'Okay, thankfully, Mike must have heard it too.'

"I'm just saying, does that seem smart to you?"

"Dustin!" I snap. "Zip it!"

Now the rustling was loud and clear.

"Did you guys hear that?" Mike asks.

I just shake my head, looking around for the source of the noise. The rustling is louder than ever and we all turn in the direction it came from. All our flashlights pointed in that direction. Then we heard it again. It was right behind us. We whipped around to find a girl, with a buzz cut, wearing nothing but 'Benny's Burgers' tee t-shirt. We all stood there, mouths agape at this girl, shivering and cowering in fear.

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

❥ Let me know if you would like to be added to or removed from the taglist! ❥

[fydream]

"Y/n!" A familiar voice calls out to you from down the hallway. It's less crowded now due to the majority of the students being in a classroom while the few that were there were either at their lockers or socializing with friends. This allowed you to see who was calling for you, to no surprise it was your best friend, Lee Donghyuck.

As soon as you spot him a wide grin appeared on his lips, one to be mirrored by you. "Is that my savior, Lee Donghyuck coming to rescue me?" You joke as you walk towards him.

"Why yes it is." He giggles, following along with the joke. "Oh and what a savior I am to be walking across campus to help my best friend find the cafeteria."

"You ruined it." You taunt, punching his arm lightly. "You wouldn't have to come get me if you showed up earlier this morning y'know.."

"Okay listen," He starts, which you reply to with an "I'm listening."

"You try sleeping over at a friends house on a school night trying to work on something for your best friend, then we'll talk." He scoffs.

"Aw you made something for me? I'm touched." There's a hint of playfulness in your voice and Donghyuck doesn't seem to pick up on it.

"Of course I did! What kind of friend would I be to not give my best friend a gift after not seeing them for so long?"

"You're so dramatic Hyuck," You sigh. "I was just kidding, besides I would've been happy to see you gift or not."

"Okay first of all," He starts. "You think I'm dramatic?"

"Did you really just ask me that question?" You ask back.

You roll your eyes at the boy walking next to you before replying with "You're literally the worlds biggest drama queen, but okay Hyuck. Whatever you say.."

He scoffs at your comment, "It's like you're not even trying to insult me Y/n. We both know I'm dramatic, so thank you. I try." He laughs.

"Anyways, my friends and I already made you one which is why you're getting one missy." He taunts and all of a sudden a warm feeling is brought back to you would get whenever you talked to Donghyuck.

It was a heartwarming feeling, to know that even after the couple of years you spent apart you two would still bicker over the silliest things. It was just another reminder to let you know that somethings never change, for the greater or for the worst. In this case, it was for the greater good.

You smile at him, it’s one of those smiles that you get when you remember a favorite memory of some sort. A sad, yet happy smile. It’s subtle and short but Donghyuck manages to see it.

“What?” he asks, looking at you weirdly. “Why’d you look at me like that?”

“It’s nothing.” You reply with, gathering your thoughts together.

“Okay.. Weirdo..” Hyuck comments, earning another light punch on the arm from you.

Another minute or so passed by until the two of you reached your destination. The school cafeteria, oh fun.

It’s noisy and loud, just as any other place full of teenagers would be. There’s tables set up in the middle and to the right of the room while the lunch line is on the left. There’s an isle between the tables in the middle and on the right that leads to a door outside towards the field of your school.

“Over there.” Hyuck nearly shouts, trying to make sure you hear him over the noise of the chatty students around you. He points to a boy with purple hair and another boy just a couple inches shorter standing next to him, who you assumed to be his friends.

A couple tables over you spot Jeno, Jisung, and another boy with them. "Huh, I didn't know they were friends." You thought to yourself. You notice that the  purple haired boy was sort of eyeing Jeno and that Jeno was returning the favor. Jisung must've noticed you looking at Jeno and the purple haired boy because he had hinted at Jeno to quit it, earning a bunch of snickers from the other boy seated next to him.

"Weird." You thought. Before you knew it Donghyuck was pulling you through the crowded cafeteria by your wrist. He gave a few "Hello's" and compliments to certain people while you mumbled a couple "sorry's" to whoever you bumped into. Sooner than later you were in front of the two boys that Donghyuck was pointing at.

"Lele! Junnie!" Hyuck called out as he waved at them.

"Hyuck!" The shorter boy said running towards you two. "Is this the infamous Y/n I keep hearing about?"

"Hell yeah it is." Donghyuck replied, introducing you to his two friends. "Y/n, this is Renjun" He said pointing at the shorter boy, who waved at you in response. He was holding what looked like a poster due to it being rolled up and a rubber band keeping it together.

"And this is Chenle!" He said pointing at the purpled haired boy. Chenle was holding a box which you assumed was the gift the three of them made you due to it being wrapped and having a red ribbon on top of the lid.

"Welcome to NCT High!" Chenle greeted, handing over the box to you. You were just about to grab it when Donghyuck snatched it from him.

"Lele!!" He whined, "Not yet!!! We have to give her a proper introduction." He pouted.

"That was a proper introduction, Hyuck." Renjun scoffs, taking the gift box from his hands and handing it back over to you. "Don't mind him." Renjun smiles. "He's just excited."

"Boy do I know.." You laugh, looking over at your best friend who was now giving Renjun puppy dog eyes. "He really hasn't changed at all." You mumble to yourself as you watch him attempt (and fail) to get things go his way.

"What's in the box?" You ask Renjun, turning your focus on to him.

"It's a surprise." He giggles. "You have to open it."

"Boo.. You're no fun." You joke as you tug on the ribbon, watching it easily fall apart.

Taking the top off of the box, the first thing you notice are the three letters taped to the bottom of the lid. Each envelope had one of the boy's names written on them along with a small doodle. "Aw, cute." You say as you file through them before putting them down back onto the lid. "I'll read these later" You think to yourself before continuing to open the gift. You don't notice it until now that the other two boys had started watching as you opened the gift from them.

"What?" You ask looking at the two boys in front of you.

"Nothing." Hyuck smiles, "Just keep opening it."

The second thing you find, or things in this case are woven and beaded friendship bracelets. The woven one followed the color scheme of purple, white, and blue, while the beaded one had your name spelled out with black and white beads and a heart next to it. Picking both up to put on your wrist you notice that Donghyuck is wearing another bracelet with the same color scheme as yours, just witth a different pattern, and Chenle the same. When you look over at Renjun you ask why he doesn't have one on and he explains that he clipped it onto his backpack.

"That's not the point of a bracelet though, Junnie." Chenle comments.

"I didn't want it to get dirty!" Renjun protests and Chenle snickers in response.

The last thing in the box is a small black leatherback journal. Painted on the cover is a pink heart that appeared to be melting at the bottom with the letters "DNYL" outlined in yellow on top of it. Confused, you open it to see it's empty. "What's this?" You ask holding the journal up to show the two boys in front of you and the one sitting next to you. None of them respond and all you gained was a fit of giggles from the three boys. "What?" You ask again, this time for firmly.

"You'll find out soon." Renjun replies, as a smile appears on his lips "But for now, welcome to the club y/n."

As you continue to question the three boys what "DNYL" stands for, a couple tables over Jisung couldn't help but watch you socialize with Lee Donghyuck and his friends.

"Whatcha looking at?" One of his friends asks from behind him in a mischievous tone. It startles Jisung at first before he realizes who it is. The boy hops over to sit next to Jisung and Jisung scowls at him. "Jesus christ Jaems, you fucking scared me."

"That's her isnt it?" Jaemin says teasingly, poking Jisung's side. "That's Y/n, huh?" He asks again.

Jisung swats away Jaemin's hand before giving him a more annoyed look. "Maybe it is," He responds. "Why does it matter?"

"Let's go say hi!!" Jaemin prompts excitingly as he attempts to drag Jisung off of the table and towards you, but Jisung doesn't budge and Jaemin is stopped by Jeno grabbing his forearm.

"No, Jaemin." Jeno starts. "As much as I'd like to, don't know you how badly this could go if all three of us just waltz over there right now? Can't you see who she's with?" He sighs.

"Yeah? Lee Donghyuck and his crew?" Jaemin questions. "What are they gonna do? Tell her what happened with us right there?"

"Yes! A thousand times yes! That's exactly what they're going to do!" Jisung exclaims. "Who do you think she's gonna believe more? Jeno and I? The two people she just met today. Or Lee Donghyuck? A boy who she's probably known her whole life." Jisung asks harshly.

"God god, okay." Jaemin backs off, not wanting to start a fight. He stops for a second trying to find another option to try and talk to you. "Jeno don't you have her number? Just text her and ask if she can meet us after school or something." He scoffs, turning his attention back over to his unfinished lunch.

"You're so eager.. And for why?" Jeno teases in a light voice, handing Jaemin his phone. Jaemin glances up at Jeno then back to his` phone before raising an eyebrow as if he's asking "Why?" after all, Lee Jeno isn't one to be so careless. Jeno picks up the confused and unsure vibes from Jaemin as he nudges it closer towards him. "Are you gonna take it or what?" He asks, a hint of annoyance in his voice.

Jaemin doesn't hesitate to snatch the device out of Jeno's hand as he frantically searches through his contacts for yours, and Jisung snickers at the fact that Jaemin is definitely in no rush to talk to you.

"You're so needy, Jaeminie~" Jisung teases, earning a light slap on the back of his head.

"Fuck off. You're one to talk." Jaemin hisses, handing Jeno his phone back.

"You're both needy. There." Jeno scoffs, rolling his eyes as he tucks his phone back into his pocket. "What did you even message her?"

"Nothing much, I just asked if she wanted to hang out after school that's all." Jaemin says, smiling innocently.

"Whatever you say Jaemin, just know that I can still see whatever you sent."

"You don't trust me?" Jaemin gasps dramatically, hand coming up to his chest to show that he'd been hurt.

"You're so annoying." Jeno teases, rolling his eyes at Jaemin. "But I believe you, just this once."

"Thank you, Jeno!" Jaemin exclaims, eyeing Jisung who still happens to be looking in your direction. "Nice to know some people will believe me."

"I didn't even say anything!" Jisung defends, hands shooting up.

"Will you two ever stop fighting?" Jeno asks as a dramatic sigh escapes his lips as he watches the two boys go back at each other again. He knows it's all just playful banter but sometimes he wishes the two would just quit it.

"I'll stop when he stops." Jaemin mumbles to which Jisung responds with "You started it!"

"No I didn't! You did!"

"You sound like children." Jeno snorts diverting his attention away from the two boys and on to his phone where he see's Jaemin's text to you. "I guess he wasn't lying." Jeno thinks. Soon enough he sees a bubble pop up on his screen indicating that you were typing. A message appears from you saying "i'll see if i can ask my mom! if not maybe over the weekend? :]"

Jeno smiles but before he could respond the bell rings indicating that lunch is over and all the students in the cafeteria, including you, leave to go to their next class. He sighs and packs up his lunch as he watches the other two boys continue to bicker.

"Jaemin, are you coming?" He asks, getting Jaemin's attention. "The bell rang and I can already tell Ms. V doesn't like us.." He mumbles.

"Yeah yeah, just give me a second." Jaemin responds before sticking his tongue out at Jisung.

"They're both children.. I swear.." Jeno mumbles to himself was he watches Jaemin pack up his bag and Jisung leave walking to the doors opposite from where they were sitting.

"You two are annoying, y'know." Jeno snorts as he and Jaemin walk to their history class together.

"I know." Jaemin smiles, "But you love us anyway."

"Sadly.." Jeno sighs, earning a "Hey!" from Jaemin.

"You know it's true.~~"

"Yeah. It is."

13 | previous | next | m.list | main m.list |

✰ how to be a heartbreaker

↳ so what happens when park jisung, the school’s infamous fuckboy runs into the new girl at school? out of boredom he decides it’ll be fun to have someone new to play with, but little does he know, she’s learning how to be a heartbreaker. 

[daechwitatamic]

Ok I'm fully rested and ready to tell you all my favorite parts of the last chapter.

1) "I never felt like I didn't know you." YES! We all really needed to hear this. I was worried initally Taehyung might confirm Nina's comment. I felt so frustrated bc even though she was hesitant I thought there were so many genuine moments we saw OC fight against her survival instincts and push herself out of her comfort zone to share parts of herself, and I'm so happy Taehyung saw that. It's ok to not feel comfortable opening up to someone until trust is established and Davis and Nina proved that they were not worthy of earning OCs trust so they have no right to gaslight her into thinking she was the cause for their treacherous actions. Do you see OC and Nina ever making up or do you think she will learn its best to let Nina go?

2) "An outline of the boy who sees you, knows you, loves you." Ugh this might be favorite line of the whole series.

3) "Since Strindberg!" Omg the way I can picture irl Taehyung doing the exact same thing in this moment. It reminds me of the "medic! medic!" moments from Run BTS. I remember you saying you only write for Taehyung right now bc you feel most comfortable writing in his voice and this was a moment where I felt your ability to capture his playful but earnest spirit really shone through.

4) The smut scene at the end was so good! When they first went to the basement I was like really? On the pong table? After that sweet love confession? But then per usual you surprised us with a switch up and a steamy but still very sweet scene! I love how you pepper in realistic moments of silliness or awkwardness during these scenes, like OC getting a leg cramp a few chapters earlier. It makes them feel so much more real than so much of the smut out there that sometimes describes things that are not even physically possible lol.

5) And lastly Taehyungs final words. Just the perfect ending moment that was romantic in all the right ways while still being authentic. And don't get me started with the fact that the first thing he called her in that list was smart. Swoon.

And yes 😱 you totally had me going for a moment! I was like girl did you not just say "what was it all for??"

I'm so sad this series is over but so excited for more CF drabbles and Trip! I can't wait to reread the whole series again once I start missing it and find more of the little threads you've woven throughout that I probably didn't see the first time. And in the meantime will start making my wishlist of WWH drabble requests.

Ty author for the wonderful story! I hope you are not overwhelmed by my long and frequent messages, I just love your work and want to give back even a fraction of the joy you give us readers! 💕

🌴

Ughhhhh 🌴anon i love you 😭😭😭😭😭😭

and 2. kind of go together. Something I wanted to convey in WWH is that he REALLY *knows her*. Bad, good, he GETS it. And that’s partly him, but it’s partly her LETTING him, despite everything, despite every instinct telling her to throw up walls. And as you talked abt last time - how she extends so much grace to him? Once he’s cooled down, in his heart he extends the same grace to her and that’s something that makes me SO emotional abt these two.

Honestly, as an adult person who has walked away from MULTIPLE toxic friendships and came out stronger for it, no, I don’t see oc and Nina reconciling. OC deserves better from her friends, and she’s learning through this story to realize her worth. I made my ride or dies in college, and i see that future for oc, kiko, and brig.

bless you for saying this 😭😭😭 the taetae i know and love is SILLY and him teasing her up through the last second feels so true to me 🥺🥺🥺

4. Ty for complimenting the smut bc it still feels so difficult to write 😭🫣🫣🫣 jimin voice, I’m shhyyyyyyy 🫣🫣🫣

5. Fr fr i feel like if you asked wwh!tae what attracts him to oc his #1 answer would be that big sexy brain!!!!! Also of course he has to tease her even then “look how easy this is” I LOVE HIM 😭😭

6. POV requests go up tmrw morning! Looking forward to it! Thank YOU for these amazing reviews. I could never be overwhelmed, i wish every reader did this. I think most authors would agree, getting to talk with ppl abt their thoughts and reactions to what we create is honestly the dream.

[starsinshadows]

firelightfables​:

First contact never got easier. Steve was a fixer by nature, and every fiber of him wanted to ease the pain of the process. He’d tried so many ways over the years, yet what had been drilled into him over and over was the simple fact that there was no way to make this easier: Bucky would have to go at his own pace. What was a few weeks to literal years? Particularly when it came to downloading a truly ungodly amount of information.

Still, selfishly perhaps, he didn’t remove his hand from Bucky’s elbow. Thrumming with the contact and pointedly ignoring the rune that was newly etched on one of his rune coins. An acknowledgement of the deep magic it sensed, though Bucky didn’t need to know that now. All in due time. All that mattered was the man kept the pendant, and Steve was pleased there was no attempt to give it back.

“One of them waiting you out, huh?” He wasn’t hideously surprised at that. The Shadows tended to get bold when a reunion was close and they’d only grow more aggressive the more memories Bucky gained. Hand curling into a loose fist, Steve murmured some words, the smell of pine and rain filling the air. Somehow, his gaze found the direction Bucky’s place was in, a coin flashing in the light. “We’ll handle it when we get there.” A pause, then an apologetic smile given. “Sorry, I will. You’re not quite ready for that.” 

The ‘but you will be’ was left unsaid.

Dutifully, he followed. Fingers weaving in the air, eyes a bit distant. Not unaware, though perhaps just a shade distracted weaving together what he’d need. By the time they reached Bucky’s hallway the aggression emanating from the room beyond was apparent. Putting a hand out to stop Bucky from approaching, protective even though he’d seen Bucky obliterate greater with a flutter of her eyelashes. He wasn’t her, or her, or him. Not yet.

“Wait here.” When he moved, he left the smell of pine in his wake. For those attuned, they’d see it then. Something ancient and woven around him, moving in blue wisps. Forming a great sword in his hand, a round shield on his back. Eyes blazed with a magic that had once been whispered to him in the dead of night, next to a smouldering fire and with the smell of fur and clay against his chest.

Putting a hand to the door, he spoke a word. <Open.> And moved in with a singular speed that left blue after images of a thousand warriors in its wake. From within the apartment, a squeal, a screech, a rush of cold air that billowed into the hallway then disappated as quick as it came. Inside, Steve closed his eyes. The rush of ice in his veins a parting gift, bundling into a cruel laugh and blood spilling into the snow before he felt himself right again.

Hand flicking the sword and the ward away, he poked his head back into the hallway. “Shadow free. For now. We’ll fix that though.” A sheepish grin came next. “Sorry, didn’t mean to ruin the tour.”

     Current-Bucky had no idea what was happening, but the Bucky of lives past had done what could be done to help smooth the process, including the jump start that was the pendant. It had pushed the process along by a few days, easily, to get memories flowing, and it would keep pushing, ensuring that James kept remembering, cutting the process down from what might have been years of Steve gently trying to be involved and to help to just a few weeks. It was more intense, but it was by now a proven method and Steve needed his other half, especially this time around. The shadow people were getting more aggressive, far more threatening, and while James didn't realize just how much worse, Steve would.      He didn't try to remove his elbow from Steve's grip, finding some comfort in it as they walked back, even if he didn't quite understand the why or how of it all. He also didn't even think to try giving the pendant back, and his jaw clenched when Steve asked about one waiting him out. "Yeah, I've been seeing them a lot, but never like that," he admitted, which made this the first person he was really being open about the things with. His relationship had fallen apart because he'd been coping badly with the nightmares and the shadow things, and that wasn't a serious loss (Clint had been more than willing to fill her void whenever James wanted to give him a call to hang out), but he hadn't been willing to talk to anyone about it all.      "Ready for what?" he asked, though it was useless. He breathed deep, drawing in the scent of pine and rain, cool and fresh, and his mind wandered. It made it easy for Steve to gesture he stay put, since he was just as distracted as the blond and about to be moreso. His own eyes practically glowed, green with a deeper gold, but it was too soft, not strong enough to do anything. He saw, though.      He saw the sword, the shield, the blue of the magic that swept in around Steve as he entered the apartment, and he could have sworn he saw apparitions, or memories of others. All Steve?      Just as quickly, it was gone, and James blinked the afterimages away, suddenly trying to reconcile the gentle demeanor of the big man with what he'd just seen. "Oh. You know, don't worry about it. Tour's not that good, anyway," he admitted, finally moving through the wash of pine scent to enter his own home.      For all of the outright dread that had been wafting out of the apartment even through the door, it had evaporated with a cold blast of air after the shrieking was over, and as he walked in after Steve, it felt...not even normal. Safe, comfortable, better than normal. The door shut behind them and he stared at Steve a moment, then shook his head like he didn't believe any of this.      "You want a beer? You have a lot of talking to do if you're going to convince me I haven't lost my damn mind, so you're gonna need something to drink."