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bluebutterflytattooed · 2 months ago

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GAME ON

Rugby!Sevika x College Roommate Reader

CHAPTER THREE

You had just finished applying your nighttime moisturizer when you heard a low, annoyed sigh from behind yourself.

You glanced over your shoulder to find Sevika lying on her bed, metal arm draped across her forehead, legs stretched out, her phone resting on her stomach. Her damp hair was messy from a post-practice shower, strands sticking to her forehead, and she was wearing nothing but a white ribbed wife beater and loose blue boxers.

The sight of her like that—relaxed, undone—was unfairly attractive.

You quickly turned back to your vanity, pretending to be deeply invested in you skincare routine. "What’s with the dramatic sighing?"

Sevika let out another long exhale, more over dramatic than the last. "I need help."

You frowned slightly, dabbing a bit of lip balm on. "With…?"

"Homework," Sevika admitted begrudgingly. "Stats. It’s kicking my ass."

You bit back a smile. You had never heard Sevika admit to struggling with anything. "And you want my help?"

Your roommate rolled onto her side, propping herself up on her elbow. "Yeah, princess, I do."

Something about the way she said princess—all slow and teasing—made your stomach tighten in a way you did not appreciate.

You cleared your throat, shaking it off. "Alright," you said, standing up and stretching. "Let’s see what we’re working with."

Sevika scooted over, making space for you to sit on the edge of her bed. The dorm wasn’t huge, so the proximity was unavoidable. You could feel the warmth radiating off Sevika’s skin, smell the faint mix of clean laundry, soap, and something deeper—woodsy and warm.

You focused very, very hard on Sevika’s laptop screen. "Okay, show me where you’re stuck."

Sevika groaned, running a hand through her damp hair. "Literally all of it."

You bit back a laugh and pulled the laptop onto your lap, scanning the assignment. "It’s not that bad. You just have to break it down."

For the next twenty minutes, you walked Sevika through the basics, explaining things in a way that actually made sense. Sevika, to her credit, tried to keep up, even though she was clearly exhausted.

At some point, she flopped back onto her pillows, groaning dramatically. "I don’t know how you do this."

You smirked. "Because I actually pay attention in class?"

Sevika opened one eye. "Rude."

You shrugged. "Just saying."

She smirked, eyes flickering toward your desk, cluttered with makeup and textbooks. "You’re such a nerd, you know that?"

You scoffed. "I am not."

"You literally have color-coded notebooks and a planner with stickers," The woman next to you teased.

"And you have no organization at all," You shot back.

"That’s why I have you," Sevika said, voice low and easy.

Your breath hitched for a fraction of a second before you yourself to ignore whatever that meant.

Instead, you changed the subject. "What do you listen to when you study?"

Sevika stretched her arms above her head, considering. "Depends. If I actually need to focus, probably Frank Ocean... If I’m hyping myself up? Kendrick."

You raised an eyebrow. "You would listen to Kendrick."

She smirked. "What, you don’t?"

"I mean, I do sometimes," you admitted. "But I listen to a lot of Queen, Chappel Roan…"

Sevika tilted her head. "Okay, Queen is solid. I didn’t know you had taste."

You rolled your eyes. "Gee, thanks."

The two of you lapsed into a comfortable silence. You leaned back slightly, stretching out your legs, your knee brushing against Sevika’s massive thigh. You pretended not to notice the slight touch.

Sevika’s gaze flickered toward your bed, and a slow smirk spread across her face. "You know," she said, "your bed looks like it belongs to a twelve-year-old."

You gasped. "Excuse me?"

She chuckled, nodding toward the pink fluffy comforter, the fairy lights strung up along the headboard, three extra fluffy blankets, the literal pile of stuffed animals.

"Do not come for my bed," you said, crossing your arms. "It’s cozy."

"It’s adorable. And childish," Sevika corrected, clearly amused.

You huffed. "Well, yours looks like a prison cot."

Your incredibly rude roommate shrugged. "What, you want me to throw a few teddy bears on it?"

You smirked. "I dare you."

Sevika chuckled, shaking her head. "Not happening, princess."

You rolled her eyes at her, standing up and stretching. "Your loss. Stuffed animals are great."

Sevika watched you for a moment, something unreadable flickering behind her eyes. But then she just smirked. "Night, Y/N. Thanks for the homework help."

You nodded, slipping into bed and turning off the light. "Night, Sevika."

——————————————————————

That night, you had a dream.

A very inappropriate, very vivid dream.

You were back in the dorm, but something was different. The air was heavy, charged. You was standing in front of Sevika, close enough to feel her warmth, close enough to notice the way her eyes darkened as she looked at you.

Sevika reached out, her metal fingers brushing against your bare shoulder, trailing down your arm in a way that sent a shiver through your entire body.

"You drive me insane, you know that?" Sevika’s voice was low, rough. Almost scary.

You swallowed hard. "I—"

Before you could finish the thought, Sevika’s hands were on your waist, tugging you forward. Your bodies pressed together, and you could feel every hard line of muscle against your own soft curves.

Sevika leaned in, lips ghosting over your neck, breath warm against your skin. "I bet you taste as sweet as you smell."

Your knees nearly buckled.

You felt Sevika’s mouth trail lower down your neck, hot and teasing, and—

You woke up gasping for air.

Your heart was pounding, your skin burning, your entire body wired with heat.

You squeezed your eyes shut, willing the dream to disapear, willing yourself to forget.

But it was no use.

Because now, when you looked over at Sevika’s sleeping figure—her broad shoulders, her steady breathing, the way her wife beater had ridden up just enough to reveal a sliver of brown skin—all you could think about was how it had felt to have Sevika’s hands on her.

Even if it had only been a dream.

————————————————————————-

The cafe was cozy, nestled between two bookstores on a quiet street just off campus. It smelled like espresso and sugar, warm with the hum of soft indie music playing overhead. Students occupied almost every table, laptops open, notebooks spread out, the occasional burst of laughter cutting through the steady murmur of conversation.

You sat across from Sevika in a booth near the window, your laptop open in front of you, a half-drunk strawberry iced matcha in your hand. You had thrown your hair up into an updo a few minutes ago, not thinking much of it—until she noticed Sevika watching you.

You weren’t sure why Sevika was watching you, but something about the weight of her gaze made your stomach tighten into knots and flood with butterflies.

You focused on your laptop, pretending that you weren’t suddenly very aware of Sevika’s eyes on you.

"So, where were we?" You asked, clearing your throat.

Your roommate blinked, as if she had been lost in thought. "Uh. Something about probability."

You bit back a smile. "Something about probability?"

Sevika smirked, sipping her incredibly boring espresso. "I don’t know, princess. That’s your job to figure out."

You rolled your eyes. "You’re impossible."

"And yet," Sevika said, leaning forward on her elbows, "you agreed to help me."

You sighed dramatically, clicking back onto the stats assignment. "Unfortunately."

Sevika chuckled but let you get back to explaining. For the next hour, you walked her through the material, breaking it down in a way that made sense, your fingers tapping against the table as you spoke.

Sevika wasn’t listening as much as she should have been.

She was too distracted by the way you absentmindedly chewed your bottom lip while you concentrated. The way your tank top hugged your figure perfectly, the soft golden glint of your necklaces, the smooth lines of your throat.

She definitely wasn’t thinking about the way you had lifted your arms to tie up your hair earlier, exposing the subtle curve of your waist, the sliver of tanned skin above the waistband of your jeans.

Nope. Not thinking about that at all.

You, on the other hand, were struggling for very different reasons.

Your mind had been a disaster all morning. Every time you looked at Sevika—really looked at her—flashes of last night’s dream hit you like a freight train. The heat of Sevika’s hands on your waist. The low rasp of her voice. The way her lips had felt, warm and teasing against your skin—

You clenched your jaw, pushing the thought far, far away. You were being ridiculous. It was just a dream.

Sevika caught you staring. "You good?"

Your face burned bright red. "Yes."

Sevika narrowed her eyes slightly, but let it go.

You wrapped up the study session about twenty minutes later, finishing off your drinks as students came and went around you two.

Sevika stretched her arms above her head, letting out a deep sigh. "Alright, nerd. I think my brain is officially fried."

You snorted. "I’m shocked you lasted this long."

Sevika smirked, leaning back into the booth. "You underestimate me."

You raised an eyebrow. "Do I?"

The woman chuckled but didn’t answer. Instead, she tilted her head slightly. "What are you up to now?"

You finished the last of your matcha. "Dance studio."

Sevika nodded. "Solo practice?"

"Yeah," you said, slipping your laptop into your tote bag. "I need to get in a few extra hours before I try out for the dance team next week."

Sevika hummed, considering. "Maybe I’ll stop by sometime. See if you’re actually good or if the school’s just desperate for dancers."

You gasped, scandalized. "I’ll have you know, I’m very good."

She smirked, amused by her indignation. "I guess I’ll just have to see for myself."

You rolled your eyes but couldn’t help the small smile tugging at your lips.

———————————————————————

The dance studio was quiet, the kind of quiet that made you feel like you could breathe again.

You stood in front of the mirror, hands resting on your hips, your water bottle set on the floor nearby. The room smelled faintly of wood and sweat, of polished floors and effort. It was your second home, the place where you could let everything else fall away.

But today, your mind would not shut up.

You had spent the entire study session fighting off the most inconvenient thoughts about Sevika, and now, as you stretched, those thoughts slipped through the cracks again.

Sevika, lying in bed with damp hair. Sevika, watching you tie up your hair with that unreadable look in her eyes. Sevika, calling you princess in that low, teasing voice.

You groaned, pressing your palms against your face. "Get it together."

You turned on the music, hoping it would drown out everything else going on in your mind.

———————————————————————

You lounged on your bed, a box of Raising Cane’s resting on your lap as you dipped a crinkle fry into a little tub of Cane’s sauce. Jinx and Mel were sprawled out across your comforter, all three of you decked out in fluffy pajamas and matching face masks—Jinx’s was neon pink, Mel’s a smooth clay green, and yours a soft lavender shade.

"I swear to God, this is peak self-care," Jinx said through a mouthful of chicken tenders, licking sauce off her fingers.

"I’m telling you," Mel chimed in, stretching her legs out, "nothing beats a greasy fast food binge and skincare. Even though those things are not related, like, at all."

You hummed in agreement, taking a sip of your iced tea. It had been a long day, and a girls’ night was exactly what you needed—something normal, safe, and completely unrelated to…

You shoved the thought away before it could form.

Jinx, ever the instigator, tossed a napkin at your face. "So, Y/N," she said, wiggling her eyebrows. "Speaking of things that nothing beats, and no one beats this certain persons hotness-"

You groaned. "Nope. Not doing this."

Mel giggled, adjusting her headband. "Come on! You’ve been weird all day."

"I have not."

Jinx rolled onto her stomach, kicking her feet. "Babe. You so have.

You made the very unfortunate mistake of hesitating. It was a fraction of a second, but it was enough for both of them to pounce.

"Oh my God," Jinx gasped, sitting up. "You’re hiding something."

Mel gasped. "Did something happen?!"

"No!" You squeaked, your face already heating up and betraying you and your lies.

Jinx grinned. "Y/N."

"No."

"Y/N."

"I hate you."

Mel grabbed your shoulders. "Spill."

You groaned, tossing your head back against your pillows. "It was just a stupid dream, okay?! That’s all."

Mel and Jinx screamed.

"Oh, this is wild," Jinx said, bouncing excitedly. "What kind of dream? Did you have a sex dream?"

"I hate you both."

"Was it about—" Mel gasped dramatically. "Sevika?"

You shoved a pillow over your face. "Oh my God."

Jinx practically vibrated with excitement. "You had a sex dream about Sevika?" She squealed.

You groaned into the pillow. "Please kill me."

Mel giggled, grabbing your arm. "Tell us everything."

"I will not."

Jinx nudged you. "Y/N. You have to."

You peeked out from behind the pillow, your face turning a violent shade of red. "It was just—" You cleared your throat. "It was…her. And me. And she was…um."

Jinx and Mel leaned in, eager to hear more.

"She was, uh…" You swallowed. "Very…close."

They screamed.

Mel fanned herself. "Oh my God."

Jinx grabbed your wrist, shaking it. "Are you kidding?! That’s so hot."

"It was not," You insisted. "It was humiliating."

Mel waggled her eyebrows. "Or…was it revealing?"

You threw a fry at her. She scowled at you and ate it.

Jinx grinned. "Okay, okay, but like…objectively speaking, Sevika is hot. Even though she like, has this stupid rivalry thing with Vi."

You groaned. "Don’t."

Mel wiggled her fingers. "Doooon’t deny it."

You buried your face in your hands. "I hate this conversation."

Before they could tease you more, the dorm door swung open.

And in walked Sevika.

She was sweaty, her skin glowing from the gym, dressed in loose gray sweatpants and a very tight compression shirt that clung to every inch of muscle. She had her duffel bag slung over her shoulder, her hair damp from sweat, and she looked unfairly attractive.

You felt your soul leave your body.

Sevika glanced at you and your friends, amused. "Should I be concerned about the screaming?"

Mel, being the worst, smirked. "Oh, don’t worry, it’s nothing important."

Jinx giggled. "Nothing you’d be interested in."

You suddenly had the urge to die.

Sevika raised an eyebrow but shrugged it off, tossing her bag onto her bed. She stretched her arms behind her head, the motion making her shirt ride up just enough to show a flash of her abs.

You were not looking.

(Okay, you were absolutely looking.)

Sevika smirked, tilting her head. "What? You three gossiping about me?"

Jinx beamed. "Why? Would you want us to?"

Sevika let out a low chuckle, and oh no.

Her gaze flicked to you, slow and assessing. "Depends."

Your brain shut down. Sevika was flirting with you, which Jinx and Mel caught onto immediately.

"Oh my God," Mel whispered dramatically.

You could feel your face heating up once again. It’s like you had a permanent blush. You were still thinking about The Dream, and now Sevika was standing there, looking annoyingly attractive, all muscle and sweat and teasing smirks. You cleared your throat, gripping your drink a little too hard. "We were just…talking."

Sevika’s smirk widened. "Just talking?"

Jinx grinned. "Wouldn’t you like to know?"

Sevika chuckled, grabbing a water bottle from her desk. "You’re all so weird."

Mel hummed. "And you’re so sweaty."

Sevika took a swig of water. "Thanks, princess."

You nearly choked on air.

Jinx and Mel had never looked so satisfied with themselves.

Sevika glanced at you, something amused in her gaze. Then, without another word, she grabbed her towel and headed toward the bathroom.

The second the door shut, all hell broke loose.

Jinx grabbed your shoulders, shaking you. "She so wants you."

Mel screamed into a pillow, overcome with giggles. "Did you see that?"

You buried your face in your hands. "I hate my life."

Jinx cackled. "Oh, babe. This is just the beginning."

The moment you all heard the shower turn on in the jack-and-Jill bathroom, your friends pounced.

You had barely taken a breath before Jinx grabbed you by the shoulders for a second time, eyes wild with mischeif. "Okay, listen up. We are going to make Sevika fall in love with you."

Your eyes widened in terror. "Excuse me?!"

Mel clapped her hands together, grinning. "No more playgirl Sevika. No more random girls in your dorm. No more flirting with you and pretending it means nothing. Nope. We are making her obsessed with you."

Your mouth gaped open. "You guys are insane, and so is this plan."

Jinx ignored you. "Step one: We use science. Psychological warfare, if you will."

You groaned. "Oh my God."

"Shut up, you love us."

"Not right now, I don’t."

Mel giggled. "Okay, okay, so here’s the plan."

Jinx leaned in, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "First, we use colors."

You blinked. "…Colors?" This is about the craziest thing you’ve ever heard.

Mel nodded sagely. "Sevika definitely has a favorite color, and also a favorite color that you wear sometimes. You need to wear it all the time."

Jinx grinned. "We already know she loves when you wear navy blue. You should also test out black and red. Vi says that Sevika likes those colors

You covered your face. "You guys are the worst."

Jinx poked your side. "Next: you have to start wearing things that’ll make her suffer."

"What?!"

"You know," Mel smirked, "tank tops, little shorts, crop tops. Walk around the dorm in tiny pajama sets. Maybe a towel every now and then."

You gasped, scandalized. "Mel!"

"What?" She sipped her iced tea innocently. "Just saying, if Sevika is already flirting with you when you’re not trying, imagine what happens when you do."

You groaned, dropping your head onto Jinx’s shoulder. "I hate this conversation."

Jinx patted your back. "No, babe, you love it."

Mel nudged you. "Next step: flirt with other people."

You shot up. "What?" You exclaimed again.

"Jealousy," Mel explained. "She needs to see other people wanting you. It’ll make her crazy."

You hesitated. "That feels kind of…mean."

Mel shrugged. "You don’t actually have to do anything. Just be you. We both saw her at the party. She noticed when you danced with Jinx’s sister. She noticed every guy who flirted with you. She notices everything about you, Y/N. You just need to turn up the heat."

Jinx grinned. "Oh, and you have to start going to her rugby games."

You tilted her head. "But I already support her—"

"Not like that," Jinx interrupted. "You need to show up in something cute, act like her biggest fan, and make sure she knows it."

Mel nodded. "And you have to make sure she sees you caring about her. Ask about her games, check in when she’s tired, bring her coffee when she has a rough practice. Girls like her act all tough, but deep down? They melt when someone actually gives a shit."

Jinx snapped her fingers. "Oh! And you have to invite her to your dance performance."

Mel gasped. "Yes! Can you imagine? Watching you on stage? Looking perfect and stunning and untouchable?"

You bit your lip. "I mean…that would be kind of nice."

Mel grinned. "Oh, babe. It would ruin her."

You exhaled, shaking your head. "You two are pure evil."

"Thank you," Mel said sweetly.

Jinx sat back, stretching. "Okay, that’s the plan. If you follow all of this, Sevika will be wrapped around your finger by Christmas."

You chewed your bottom lip, mind spinning. Could this actually work? Did you even want it to work? Sevika was…Sevika. Complicated. Dangerous. Gorgeous. Annoying.

But also—warm. And funny. And thoughtful, when she wasn’t being a menace.

And lately, you had been thinking about her way more than you should.

You exhaled. "I hate you guys."

Jinx smirked. "No, babe. You love us."

Meanwhile…

Sevika stood just outside the bathroom door, towel slung over her shoulder, hair still damp. She had stepped out of the shower a few minutes ago, so she had heard Mel and Jinx planning

And she had heard everything.

She smirked to herself, leaning against the wall.

So.

You were about to start playing games?

Cute.

Sevika had been holding herself back for weeks. She wasn’t stupid—she knew there was something between them, something electric and alive whenever they were in the same room. She had flirted, teased, pushed just enough to get a reaction. But now?

Now you were going to start testing her limits?

Oh, sweetheart. You have no idea what you just started.

Sevika ran a hand through her hair, her smirk deepening.

If you wanted to make her fall?

Then it was only fair that Sevika did the same.

Game on.

—————————————————————————-

oh my gyatt guys this is a long chapter😭 ALSO it has a title yay! i didn’t think that so many people would love this story, thank you!!

also oh my god finals are kicking my ass. if i’m slow with updates then that’s why!

i love you, blue🦋

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littlelovelunette · 3 months ago

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concept: Mechanics and Grinding

Contains suggestive themes, grinding, dry humping, Sevika being a smartass

“Youre too much of a princess to understand,” Sevika shakes her head and takes a sip of her drink. She coughs but she still smokes the cigarillo. You take her by surprise when you said you wanted to learn the mechanics of her metal, Shimmer-infused arm. Of course, she doesnt expect someone who had pretty manicured hands like yours to be interested in the mechanics of her arm, but then again Jinx exists proving that all sorts of inventors do. So, she is considering info-dumping you.

“Dont judge me already, we've barely been in bed together.” you take a comfortable seat on her lap, “Now, start talking.”

Sevika rolls her eyes, “Bold.” she exhales the smoke, “Might take you on that offer if that means I get to be judgemental.”

“Youre an asshole.”

“You really wanna know how this thing works, huh? Fine but don’t blink.” Sevika eyes your dress as it hikes up your mid-thigh, giving her a provocative view but she tries to focus instead. “Shimmer is a substance that should be heavily controlled in general, can be toxic if not refined,” Sevika pauses before adding, “But refined right, and balanced with just the right mix of stabilizers, it’s a power source. The core chamber—”

She shows you where the shimmer tanks are situated around her bicep and shoulder joint, you position yourself in a way that your legs are wrapped around her waist to see properly,

“—pumps shimmer through reinforced veins, and uh, there's synthetic tubing...” Sevika's breath hitches when she feels your warm crotch against her thigh, she swallows down the snide comment she wanted to make. “Shimmer heats and pressurises giving me enhanced speed, reaction time and uh—... Strength.”

Sevika isn't used to having to explain the way her mechanical arm works to others, no one ever cared to ask. Maybe that's the reason shes stuttering? It's either that, or the fact she could feel your wetness leaving a damp patch on her pants. Her own clit throbs.

“What's this do?” you whisper, pointing at her elbow.

“There’s a pressure regulator near the elbow. Gotta keep the shimmer flow stable. Too much, and it overheats; burns me from the inside. Too little, and I lose torque. That’s what this dial on the side’s for—manual override.” Sevika holds your waist so you don't topple over when she shifts.

You giggle and stare intently at her lips, “Keep talking...”

Sevika flexes her mechanical fingers, “The fingers? Precision servos. Each one’s wired with sensory feedback. Swear, I can feel it.” she trails off, feeling your wetness against her thigh, “Uh, Janna, you're enjoying this.”

You grin. “Dunno what you're talking 'bout.”

“The plating's titanium alloy with a copper coating—tough enough to take just about anythin’... And uh— that sound it makes when it charges? That’s the arc capacitor kicking in, builds kinetic energy before I strike.” Sevika takes another inhale from the cigarillo, “Maintenance is hell. I gotta strip it down every few days, clear the lines, re-stabilize the shimmer tank, replace burnt-out coils.”

“Mhm, and I bet you're really good at reaching in all of the tightest places.” you smirk, lips parting to form an ‘o’ when your clit pressed against the rough material of her pants, even if you were clothed, it felt too good.

“Thats where we're headed, doll?” Sevika chuckles with a shake of her head before she grabs your hips and forces you to grind harder against her. You moan and put your head on her shoulder. Small moans leave your mouth as your hips roll and pleasure shot through your body.

You whine when you felt Sevika's mechanical fingers hold your waist with ease, moving you forward and backward on her thigh, your cunt aches with need, arousal soaking the cotton fabric of your white panties. “Come on, already, fuck me,” you say causing Sevika to let out a hearty laugh.

“Are you that desperate? Do smart women happen to turn you on or are you simply horny for all women?” Sevika squeezes your ass before she forces you to hump her thigh.

It wasn't long until you felt the knot unravel in your lower tummy, your body going still as you came undone, soiling the white, pristine panties you had on.

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sandraharissa · 7 months ago

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I think one of the many things wrong with Jinx this season is how like, half of her personality was cut off and thrown out.

Like her reaction to grief. We see her suicidal after Silco’s death and she’ll be again very suicidal after Isha’s death. Makes sense. Don’t have notes on that part. However I have so much notes on her rage. In s1 we see Powder sometimes responding to bad situation by being shy and sad, but sometimes she reacts in a more adversarial way, like complaining they should try fighting Piltover or trying to stand up to Mylo. But we also get these moments like when she’s left behind and has an absolute meltdown and starts wrecking shit but more importantly her reaction to Silco. He says they’ll show them all and she throws the audience the most rage fueled look you’ve ever seen. When really pushed beyond her limits this is Powder’s emotional reaction to tragedy/being wronged. We see that all throughout acts II and III and we see it when she blows up the council after Silco dies. And that’s the problem cos that’s the part that’s missing from s2. They cut her personality in half and only kept one half. Anger as part of her personality and reaction to grief was discarded when writing her in s2. Even tho she goes through a lot of grieving in s2.

Another example is Isha. Jinx prioritizing family and just chilling? Wanting affectionate interactions with family? Having an easier relationship with a younger family member cos there aren’t any expectations or need to prove anything or gain anyone’s attention? No fear of abandonment/betrayal? She just has this kid who hero worships her and follows her around like a puppy so no stress? No notes. However I have a lot of notes about Jinx’s paranoia and how not normal and possessive and toxic she is about relationships. And I have notes on the generational trauma. Where did all that go? That’s not how ppl work. Living in a messed up society and Silco’s parenting won’t just evaporate like that cos Isha is just so overwhelmingly cute. It’s more likely that Jinx would corrupt the kid. (which you could argue on paper she does cos the kid in the end thought that suicide was dope but why did the narrative frame it as this beautiful thing lol)

And on the topic of fighting Piltover where did “we beat the enforcers with just the four of us imagine what the whole Lanes could do” go? Jinx definitely prioritized family more but she wasn’t neutral or indifferent on the Piltover matter. The enforcers wrong her/hurt her/threaten her family yet again, they kidnapped Isha, and she just acts panicked and sad, but also jokes and quips while on the mission. Where’s the rage and hatred and desire for revenge on the ppl who wronged her? Sometimes it’s just ppl around her being mean or lying or smth, anyone could be her enemy, like Sevika, Silco or Vi, but a lot of the time it’s Piltover, they killed her parents, they were her fathers’ enemies and drove them to hate each other, they chased them as kids and tried to arrest them, they kidnapped and abused Vi in prison all her adolescence, they would have killed Vi so she blew up the whole blockade, Council tried to turn Silco against her and now he’s dead so she bombs them, all her life she can see that the quality of their life is bad bcos of Piltover, she’s in Jayce’s apartment and immediately goes for the sandwich. Jinx doesn’t come off as a very politically/ideologically motivated character but what happened to all her personal beef with Piltover?

They also inexplicably just ceased to write her fucking up all the time. what about her y’know, being a jinx? In s1 even in acts II and III when she is proficient in fighting and bomb-making they still constantly show her being more of a burden and fucking up in other ways. While never explained (which was good) to me it came off as a symptom of trauma and being neurodivergent, like how ADHD kids can’t escape the allegations that they’re lazy, but on a meta level it did make it feel like she was supernaturally cursed. Part of what felt so profound and empowering about s1 finale and her embracing being jinx it that it was her embracing that she’s different (and ‘wrong’ in some ways) and can never live a happy life in the society she lives in and so she lashes out. Now she just chills and nothing ever doesn’t go her way (ig until Isha died but that wasn’t even directly her fault, Isha just acted on her own choice and agency). Suddenly her mental issues don’t exist or get in the way of her socializing and being a part of society. This bigoted, violent and unfair society.

Don’t even get me started on her mannerisms. Remember how she would bite her lip? I’m not sure if she does that even once in s2. “Sister, thought I missed her”??? let Jinx rhyme sometimes and in general say weird shit, not one-liners.

So the only way for the writers to have Jinx do nothing, heal up completely and just chill with a kid in her lair (and really everything else she does (or doesn’t do) this season) is to get rid of half of her personality, the traits that would dictate she take action and feel wrath and lash out/hurt her loved ones in the process.

All of her tragic traits from s1 that made her Jinx were just erased, not changed throughout the course of an arc, absent from the get go, so that they can have her say that Jinx is dead and have it make sense in the context of s2 cos from her very first appearance is s2 this Jinx was devoid of pretty much all of her jinx-y character traits from s1.

#jinx #arcane #arcane critical #my:arcane #arcane s2

1K notes · View notes

baisemains · 28 days ago

Text

Elements of Desire

Chapter 10: In the Air

single mom!sevika x fem!reader

word count: 8k

contains: fluff, angst, slight mentions of past trauma, descriptions of an anxiety attack, hurt/comfort, mentions of medication

description: competition weekend has finally arrived, but the first day is already riddled with a series of uneasy experiences and unwelcome surprises.

ao3 link | spotify playlist

previous // sevika masterlist

Two months have flown by in the blink of an eye, and before you know it, it's the morning you're set to leave for the competition site. You woke up feeling well rested for once, but the nervous excitement that's been building up the last several weeks suddenly hit you like a ton of bricks. Your stomach is now churning with anticipation, butterflies and anxiety warring in the pit of your gut. Shaking your head, you remind yourself that Powder and you have done everything you can to prepare, and she’s going to do the best job she can. Thinking of the girl also brings thoughts of her mom and how the other woman is feeling.

Sevika never took you up on your offer to help her pay for the hotel and plane tickets because, unbeknownst to you, she borrowed the money from Vander instead. She'd never been one to easily accept assistance, even if it was from someone that she trusted. Her prideful tendencies have worked against her in the past, her stubbornness often leading to more headaches than it was worth. She felt that same stubborn pride in this situation, not wanting you to give her what she felt was a handout, even if she was going to pay it back. Vander didn't question it when she approached him about the situation, knowing that if Sevika was asking for help, she really needed it.

When you hear the knock on your front door, you rush to open it before your roommates can, wanting to avoid their teasing this early in the morning. Sevika stands on the other side, dressed casually with her hands in the pockets of her worn blue jeans. You can see that her hair is still damp from her shower and she looks as gorgeous as ever, tired eyes brightening the moment she catches sight of you. As she takes you in, her eyes rake over your form, gaze traveling south to the bag by your feet before it drags back up to your face accompanied by a shy smile.

"Morning."

Returning her grin tenfold, you close the distance and wrap your arms around her waist in a tight embrace, letting her warmth seep into your bones. You hear a content hum above you before strong limbs wrap around your neck, eventually pulling away and leaving you to stare into expressive grey eyes. Sevika's hands slide to the sides of your neck, her thumbs rubbing gentle circles under your jaw in an affectionate manner.

“Sorry we’re a little late, I was…having a hard time saying bye to Isha before we left.”

Your eyes take in the way the other woman’s hold a sad appearance to them, rubbing her back gently as she explains.

“I’ve never spent more than a night apart from her, and that’s only when the girls sleep over Vander and Silco’s across town. I almost brought her to drop us off, but I don’t know if I would’ve been able to leave if I did.”

“That makes sense,” you whisper, seeing how affected Sevika is by having to leave her youngest behind. You already knew how amazing of a mom she was, but the more she drops her guard around you, the more you can feel yourself falling for her.

“Anyways,” the older woman clears her throat, slightly embarrassed at how vulnerable she just was, "You all set to go?"

Nodding once, you grab your carry-on and backpack and drag them over the threshold, turning back to lock the front door before following Sevika to the truck parked along the curb.

“Powder would’ve come down to grab you too, but she knocked out as soon as we left the house.”

A slight pout settles on your lips when you think about how exhausted the girl must be. Once you're close enough to see the shape sitting in the driver's seat, the passenger window rolls down to reveal none other than Vander. He quickly looks you both up and down before giving you a subtle wink.

"Well, don't you two look cozy this morning."

Warmth begins to spread onto your cheeks as you gear up a reply, ignoring the knowing glance he sends your way.

"Good to see you again, Vander. Sorry I've been too busy for poker night, I've really missed making easy money."

The man guffaws before hopping out and rounding the truck to help you with your luggage, hoisting it up and gently placing it in the bed.

"When you all get back from your trip, we're going to have to find a night for a rematch. Silco hasn't let me live it down since."

"Yeah, and I'm sure you let him know just how annoying that was."

Sevika's tone is dry and she rolls her eyes when he shoots her a cheeky grin, and you can see the subtle banter for what it is; a sign of familiarity and affection. She opens the back door for you to slide into, feeling the tingles spread up her arm when you gently brush her hand over hers.

The other woman snickers to herself as she climbs up into her seat, listening to the two of you continue to go back and forth with a slight shake of her head. She can't keep the warm smile off of her face though, the sight of your friendly relationship with one of her oldest buddies making her heart do back flips. Sevika cracks a window as you all begin your journey to the airport, spring leading towards summer and bathing the car with a comfortable breeze.

An hour later, the group of you arrive, Vander pulling into the drop off lane and causing Powder to finally wake up.

Rubbing her eyes, she mumbles, “Where are we?”

"Airport, sleepyhead."

Vander glances back at the teenager in the back seat, amused as she slowly shakes off the grogginess and focuses on her surroundings, confusion still clouding her expression as she processes where they are.

"Why are we..."

Powder's question dies on her lips as she finally turns around and sees you, the events of the morning suddenly clicking in her sleep-addled mind. Her drowsy expression is quickly replaced by excitement as her head perks up, wrapping you in a tight hug and squealing into your ear.

Sevika's lips twitch into a half smirk and she shakes her head, amused by her daughter's enthusiasm. "Easy, Powder. No need to bust any eardrums."

Powder's grip on you tightens briefly before she reluctantly peels herself off, sitting back in her seat. "Oops, sorry."

"It's alright, kiddo. I'm happy someone's excited about getting on a plane." Sevika reaches over and tousles her hair affectionately, earning a huff and a whine as the girl tries to fix her locks into an acceptable manner. Hopping down from the front seat, Sevika opens the back door to let you and Powder out while Vander begins grabbing the luggage from the back.

It doesn't take long for the group of you to make it inside, and the sound of hundreds of conversations fills the air, the noise of people chatting mixing with the overhead announcements. Powder’s eyes are wide as she takes in the busy environment, her neck craning in all directions as she tries to observe everything all at once. Sevika places a steadying hand on her back in an attempt to keep her from wandering off.

"Well, I should leave you all here, don't want to get a ticket for leaving the truck by itself," Vander announces.

"Probably a good idea."

Sevika nods her head in agreement, amused by Powder's awed expression as she looks around.

"We'll text you when we land. Thank you again for the ride."

Sevika gives Vander a firm hug, the both of them separating after a moment to mirror a rigid nod of their heads before stepping back. Powder throws her arms around the man next, telling him she'll send every update about the competition she can. When they pull apart, Vander pulls you into an unexpected embrace, slightly lifting you off of the ground, causing you to let out a surprised squeak. You hear Sevika call out "Vander, be careful!" behind you before he gently places you back on the ground, laughing at your reaction.

"What can I say? I like to keep people on their toes."

Winking in a playful manner, he claps a hand on your shoulder before looking at Sevika. A silent conversation transpires between them as each of them assess the other's expression. Whatever is communicated must leave them satisfied, because after a split second, he pats her on the arm and sends her a small smile. "Keep an eye out for trouble, yeah?"

Sevika's lips quirk up into a smirk, a familiar look crossing her face. "I always do. You watch yourself."

Vander huffs a laugh at the sight of it, giving her a lazy salute before turning away to head back towards his truck with one last wave. Sevika stares after him until he reaches the door before spinning around to you and Powder, her smile softening.

"Let's do this, then."

The three of you make your way to the security line, breezing through as you all brought carry-ons to make the process easier. Once on the other side, you quickly find your gate and settle into the first empty seats you find. Powder plops onto one of the waiting chairs, letting out a sigh of relief as she pops in her earbuds and pulls her phone out to start playing a game. You take your seat next to her, and Sevika takes the space to your right, her leg pressed against yours as you all get comfortable.

"Did you eat breakfast?" Sevika questions, loud enough for only you to hear.

Looking up after taking your phone out to look at the time, you shake your head. "No, not yet. I didn't want to get up any earlier than I had to."

Sevika hums sympathetically and reaches into her bag, pulling out a package of small muffins. "Well, you should probably eat something then. I don't want to deal with you fainting halfway there."

You can't help but let out a snort at the comment, even more amused by the fact that she's already so aware of your habits. "You're one to talk, you act like you run on coffee and pure adrenaline half the time."

"Touché."

She smirks and bumps her shoulder into yours in retaliation as you open up the muffin. A comfortable silence sets over the group as everyone gets lost into their own thoughts; the only noise coming from the occasional announcement and Powder sighing. You're snapped out of your daze when Sevika shifts next to you, her shoulder and leg pressing more firmly against your own. You look over at her curiously, only to see a slightly nervous expression adorning her features as she eyes Powder. The younger girl is oblivious to the looks, still intently focused on her game, and it piques your curiosity even more when Sevika leans closer.

"Hey, um, have you," the other woman takes a deep breath before continuing, making you a bit nervous, "ever been on a plane before?"

Your eyebrows raise as you process her words, taken aback by the random question. "Yeah, a few times." Your mind swirls with curiosity, wondering what the woman is leading up to. "Have you?"

"Never." She responds simply, fidgeting with something in her pocket. Your intrigue heightens as she looks away, now nervous and on edge. You watch the way her eyes flick back to Powder, the teenager completely oblivious to the conversation taking place right next to her as she continues to focus on her phone. She looks like she wants to say something else but is hesitating.

"Neither of us have, and I know Powder is excited about it, but to be honest, just the thought terrifies me. I keep thinking about the fact that we could just fall out of the sky."

Suddenly, understanding clicks in your mind and you can't help but reach out and touch the hand in her lap, the action causing Sevika to finally look you in the face. You give her palm a reassuring squeeze, trying to convey an air of comfort. "The chances of that happening are so incredibly rare, we're going to be okay."

The older woman tries nodding her head but the bouncing of her leg gives her away. "I know, I just–", she clears her throat in an attempt to stabilize her voice, "If something happened to me, the girls, they– they shouldn't have to go through that again."

The sight of her so vulnerable and uncertain causes your heart to clench, a flood of protectiveness washing over you. You scoot closer and gently tug on one of her wrists until your hands intertwine. "Hey," you start softly, waiting for her to look at you before continuing, "nothing is going to happen to you. Or Powder. We're going to get there just fine, I promise."

Before you can ask her what she meant by 'again', your group is called to begin boarding and Sevika pops up from her seat, nervously at attention. She grabs her bags and taps Powder on the shoulder, gesturing her head towards the ticket counter to start moving.

You make your way forward as the line in front of you moves slowly, stealing furtive glances at Sevika every so often. There's a stiffness to her shoulders that betrays her calm facade, and you can see her hands clenching and unclenching as she walks. Powder, for the most part, remains oblivious to her mother's uneasiness, her attention completely absorbed by the planes on the tarmac and blissfully ignoring the world around her.

After what feels like forever, you reach the front of the line and the person checking tickets scans all three with no issue, sending you down the tunnel towards the plane. Sevika's doing a good job of concealing her anxiety, but because you know what to look for, you keep an eye on her the entire walk down.

You can see the tension in her steps, her shoulders still held taut, and her grip on the handle of her carry on tight. Her gaze darts about, observing the people around her with hyper focus, and it's starting to set you on edge. You want to reach out to her again, try to ease some of the tension, but the bustle of the crowd makes you hesitant to attract any further attention.

Powder, on the other hand, is still completely unaware, eyes wide with excitement as she takes in the whole environment. She looks like an over excited puppy, her head moving back and forth so fast you think you get whiplash just by watching her. You can at least take comfort in the fact that she doesn't seem to be picking up on the anxiousness radiating off of her mother.

When you finally board the plane, you're all seated together as Sevika paid to have the spots next to you, fearing this exact scenario would happen. Powder takes the window seat, wanting to see everything she can, which leaves you sandwiched between her and Sevika next to the aisle. The older woman drops her backpack under the chair and puts her carry-on in the overhead compartment before grabbing yours and Powder's and sliding them next to hers.

Rolling her shoulders, she settles into her seat and tries to get comfortable. You watch as her jaw tenses and her leg starts bouncing again, eyes darting out all around the plane as if watching for threats. Once everyone is boarded, the captain begins speaking overhead, going through the safety protocols and what to do in the event of an emergency. This only causes Sevika's anxiety to spike, leaning her head back against the seat and taking deep breaths as she closes her eyes.

She's doing an almost convincing job pretending she's fine, but you can see through it, her leg bouncing even faster now and her fingers tapping out a rapid rhythm in her lap. You can see a muscle in her jaw clenching and unclenching, trying to will herself to remain steady and collected. You wish you could do something, anything to help her, but until the plane takes off, your options are limited.

As the plane jolts into motion and begins rumbling, you slide your hand into hers and whisper for her to squeeze as much as she needs. She startles slightly at the contact but responds immediately, lacing your fingers together with hers tightly. Her grip is almost bruising but you don't pull away, trying to show that you're not going to let go. As the plane moves down the tarmac to take off, she takes a shuddering breath, the anxiety in her spiking immensely.

Leaning in close so only she can hear, you begin to whisper words of encouragement in hopes it will help. "Hey, focus on the sound of my voice, okay? Everything is going to be okay, I'm right here with you, I'll be here the whole time."

Her breathing gradually slows, eyes still screwed shut as she tries to concentrate on your words. Her hand is still clamped around yours like a vice, your fingers beginning to tingle from the lack of circulation.

"Keep talking, please."

You nod even though she can't see you and keep whispering reassurances, continuing to rub soothing circles into her hand. "You're okay, you're gonna get through this. We're all gonna be fine, I swear, nothing is going to happen to us. Just keep taking some deep breaths, okay? I'll even do it with you. Ready?"

You place your free hand on her forearm gently in hopes of grounding her to you.

"Inhale, one, two, three," you hold your breath as Sevika does what you tell her, "Exhale, one, two, three." Repeating the process as the plane pulls up and climbs higher and higher into the sky, Sevika's grip doesn't waver but you see the crease between her brows lessen bit by bit.

When the aircraft reaches a safe height, the pilot announces to the plane that passengers may begin to roam around the cabin, to which Sevika immediately unbuckles herself and quickly stands up.

"Be right back."

You nod, watching as she disappears into the small bathroom a few rows behind you and hoping you were able to help her even a little bit. In her absence, Powder turns to look at you, a curious yet concerned expression on her face.

"Is she okay?"

"Yeah, I think she just needed to use the bathroom, she should be back soon."

Powder accepts your explanation with a small smile, plugging her earbuds back in and taking photos out of the window.

After a few minutes, you realize Sevika still hasn't returned, so you turn around to look down the aisle and see if you can catch a glimpse of her. There's no sign of the woman, and with a slight sense of unease, you make a split second decision, gently touching Powder on the shoulder.

"Hey, I'm gonna go check on your mom, okay? You stay here and I'll be right back."

After the girl gives you a quick thumbs up before going back to her phone, you get up from your seat and make your way to the bathroom, gently knocking on the door and softly calling, "Sevika? It's me, can I come in?"

After a beat of silence, you hear her voice respond, sounding much weaker than usual, and then a click of the lock.

"Yeah."

When you push the door open and walk inside, you find her with her back to you. She's bracing against the sink with her head hanging low, hair hiding her face from view and shoulders tensed.

Being careful to approach the subject, you close the door behind you and make sure not to touch her before you ask, "How are you feeling?"

A wry laugh escapes her lips, and you wince at the sound.

"Tired, honestly. Freaked out. But mostly embarrassed."

You shake your head, stepping closer and standing directly next to her, not saying anything and just letting her speak.

"I know it's ridiculous. I just didn’t expect it to be so…intense."

Sevika finally turns to face you, leaning back against the sink, and you're suddenly struck by how tired and worn down she looks.

That finally gets you to speak up.

"Hey, it's not ridiculous. I'm not going to pry, but this seemed like something else, not a regular fear of flying. Are you going to be okay the rest of the flight? I might have some Benadryl you can take to sleep through it."

Sevika shakes her head, not wanting to cause you any more trouble. "No, no, that's– you've done enough, thank you. I..." She trails off before locking eyes with you, her glossy ones staring into your concerned ones. "Can you just…hold me? For a bit?"

Your expression softens at the request, the desire to help the woman outweighing any other thought in your mind. "Yeah, of course."

Slowly reaching out and wrapping your arms around her neck, you pull her tightly against your chest and rest your chin atop her head, feeling the subtle tremors shaking her body.

"I'm here, I've got you."

Her arms wrap around your midsection, hands bunching the fabric of your shirt as she takes deep breaths, inhaling your scent and letting it soothe her nerves.

A few minutes later, Sevika leans back and looks up at you with an expression like you hung the moon in the sky. You reach out to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear affectionately, the tender moment causing your heart to skip a beat when she leans her head into the touch.

"Feeling better?"

She gives you a small smile before nodding, the grip on your shirt slackening as she straightens up. "Yeah. I think so."

"Good."

You barely take half a step back before she's pulling you back to her for what you assume is another hug, before feeling a pair of unbelievably soft lips cover your own. Your eyes flutter shut at the sensation, breathing into the minimal space between you as your mouths slide together in a gentle dance.

The kiss is chaste and sweet, lasting for only a few seconds before breaking apart, a small gasp falling from both of your lips as you look at one another. Sevika's arms remain around your waist, not willing to let go just yet, and her eyes search your face almost reverently, like you're the only thing anchoring her to Earth.

"Thank you. For everything, I...don't think I could've gotten through this without you, honestly."

You pull her closer with a soft smile, gently rubbing your nose against hers.

"I'd do it again if I had to." There's no hesitation in your voice, and you mean every word. "Now, c'mon, Powder's gonna start to worry if we're gone any longer."

Sevika rolls her eyes with a hint of fondness, giving your waist a squeeze before finally relinquishing her grip.

"She’s probably too into her game to realize how long it’s been."

"Yeah, you're right."

You move back and make sure you look presentable before unlocking the door and leading the way back into the aisle. Sevika falls in line beside you, and even if her steps are still a bit unsteady, she looks infinitely better than her state just minutes before.

When you reach your seats, you notice that Powder never even looked up from her phone and you can't help but shake your head fondly and suppress a small laugh. Sevika catches your gaze and quirks an eyebrow, looking almost like her old self as she murmurs, "See? Told you she wouldn't notice."

As the two of you settle in, Sevika silently slips her hand into yours before leaning her head back against the seat and letting her eyes droop shut, exhaustion finally getting the best of her. Not wanting to do anything that could possibly disturb her, you settle into your seat and watch as her breathing eventually evens out, the lines of tension on her face finally smoothing out as she relaxes in her sleep. You gently brush her knuckles with your thumb as the faint sound of the engines continues and the aircraft rumbles on, time slipping by and bringing you ever closer to your destination.

Minutes begin to pass, and you can't help but start feeling sleepy yourself. The stress of the day begins to catch up to you and the steady movement of the plane combined with the warm, comfortable feeling of Sevika's hand in yours makes it almost impossible to keep your eyes open. Before you can stop yourself, you find your head tipping to the side and resting on the other woman's shoulder, her warmth against your face and the rhythmic rise and fall of her breaths lulling you into the most peaceful rest you've had in ages.

A while later, you slowly begin to stir, shifting against the seat and subconsciously clinging to the fingers still in your grasp. Your eyes flutter open, bleary with sleep, and it takes you a few seconds to realize that your head is still on Sevika's shoulder, the two of you still holding hands. When the captain begins telling the plane that you'll all be at your destination soon, you perk up and start stretching before sitting back against your headrest.

The familiar rumble of engines almost lulls you back into a nap, but you feel the shoulder under your head move and look up to find Sevika watching you with a small smirk.

"You're actually pretty cute when you sleep, you know that?"

Heat immediately rushes to your face, and you pull yourself upright with a huff, trying to save some of your pride.

"And how long were you watching me, creep?"

She lets out a soft, short laugh, her eyes glimmering with slight mischief. "Not long, I promise."

You eye her skeptically and she relents after a few beats, holding her hands up innocently. "Maybe a few minutes."

A minute shake of your head and a quiet hmph is the only response you give Sevika, opting instead to check your phone and see if you have any service yet.

She doesn't say anything else, leaning back in her seat, silently amused by your reaction as a small smile graces her features. You can feel her gaze occasionally flick over to you, but every time you look at her with a quirked brow, Sevika quickly averts her eyes.

Your phone suddenly makes a familiar sound when it finally connects, and you see several notifications pop up on your screen. Seeing emails from the organization about check in, you begin to go through them, ignoring everything else until you feel the plane begin to descend and Sevika's hand shoots out to engulf yours.

Looking up at her, she's giving you a small smile, a silent plea for reassurance, and you immediately give her your full attention, covering her hand with your second one, rubbing over her knuckles with a soothing touch. She does much better during the landing, only squeezing your hand painfully once when the plane bounces as the wheels touch down.

Once you all pull up to the gate, she sighs deeply, finally accepting that the most anxiety inducing part of this journey is over. You turn to your side to gently wake Powder up, laughing to yourself that the girl has managed to fall asleep during her first plane ride ever. Once she jolts awake, you tell her to relax and inform her of the process of de-boarding, knowing it'll be a bit before you're allowed to stand up and grab your luggage.

Your turn arrives a few minutes later, Sevika shooting up and grabbing all three carry-ons from overhead and passing them to you. She quickly leads the three of you off of the plane, telling the flight crew thank you as she practically sprints down the tunnel to the main waiting area. You all step in the direction of the escalator and make your way towards the pick up area of the airport, Powder skipping next to you as she chatters away excitedly about the experience. Sevika lags behind a bit, but you can see the way her shoulders slowly relax once she's on solid, unmoving ground again.

Looking out for the shuttle the competition has allotted for participants, it doesn't take long to spot the vehicle amidst the taxis and regular cars, the sign on the outside displaying the event name clearly enough to see. You all approach and get settled in, Powder immediately taking a seat by the window, her enthusiasm contagious as she presses her face to the glass. Sevika sits down next to her, giving you another smile, this one brighter than the others since she now feels much more comfortable than earlier.

A couple more families board in the next few minutes, Powder eyeing the children warily before you introduce yourself and your group, not wanting there to be any awkward tension during the drive. On the journey there, conversation flows a bit more easily, Sevika joining occasionally, not wanting to seem standoffish to the other parents.

Once you reach your destination, everyone exits the vehicle in awe, the sheer size of the hotel capturing everyone's attention. Leading the other woman and teenager to the lobby, you begin to check in first, Sevika getting waved over to another employee. After you're both given your room numbers and keys, you all walk over to the elevator and enter the metal box, excitement beginning to brew in your stomachs.

"What room are you guys in?" You question, peeping over Sevika's shoulder at the fancy card sleeve in her hand.

"303?"

"Oh, I'm in 305! Just down the hall, what a coincidence."

"Seems like we got lucky."

You grin at the woman and turn to Powder, who's currently bouncing on her toes at the thought of finally getting to see the inside of the their room.

"You ready to see your digs for the weekend?"

Powder nods and practically bounces in place, her energy reaching a whole new level. You giggle at the teenager, her energy is so infectious that it momentarily distracts you from your nerves. The elevator finally dings on the third floor and you step out, following the signs on the wall until eventually reaching the section of your rooms. Sevika gets her own key out and unlocks her door, pushing it open to reveal an elegant looking room, complete with a large queen bed, a desk in the corner, a small kitchen, and a gorgeous bathroom.

The woman is slack-jawed as she takes in her new surroundings, suddenly glad she decided to book this hotel instead of one of the further, cheaper ones. Powder immediately takes off towards the bed, jumping up to land on the soft sheets before Sevika catches her mid air and sets her back down on the floor.

"Plane clothes, Pow, ugh. Shower first, then you can lay on it."

The girl giggles before nodding at her mom.

"Oh yeah, forgot about that."

She takes her carry on to the corner of the room before laying it down and popping it open, grabbing her toiletries and a change of clothes and heading to the bathroom. Once the door is locked and you hear the water turn on, Sevika turns to you and begins slowly making her way over, grabbing your hand with both of hers and lazily playing with it.

You lean against the wall and watch her with a curious smile, the sight of her being so relaxed putting you at ease. She looks into your eyes with that same fond look from the plane, leaning in until her body pins you to the wall gently.

"I have a question," she says softly, placing a hand on your hip.

Your heart skips slightly at the contact and you arch a brow, giving her your full attention. "Shoot."

She pauses, looking you over again as if to make sure it's okay to say what comes next. You hold her gaze, silently reassuring her.

"I know we're here for the competition, but..." Sevika continues, her thumb now rubbing over the fabric of your shirt. "You're gonna have some free time, right?"

Cocking your head slightly, your eyes rake over Sevika’s face before you respond. "Free time how? Like, to spend with you?"

"Yeah," she breathes, her hand on your hip tightening just a bit as she presses just a few millimeters closer. "I know you're going to be busy most of the time but..." She trails off, the nerves she felt earlier returning as she struggles to find her words.

"I don't know, it was just something on my mind," she shrugs, searching your eyes for even an ounce of rejection.

You have to suppress the urge to squeal, the vulnerable look in her eye pulling at your heart strings. "Yeah, I can definitely carve out some space in my schedule for you."

The tension drains from Sevika’s body almost instantly, something that seems to be a constant pattern between the two of you. She lets out a small huff of a laugh and rolls her eyes, trying to cover up the amount of relief she's feeling.

"You don't have to sound so excited." There's a teasing grin on her face, letting you know she's kidding.

You laugh in return and now roll your eyes, pretending to be affronted.

"You're right, how silly of me," you say, the sarcasm oozing from your voice, "Who wouldn't want to spend all their free time with the biggest grump in the world?"

She lets out a gasp, mock-affronted. "Hey, I am not grumpy!" The other woman’s hand shoots out to pinch your side in retaliation.

You laugh at the action, smacking her hand away playfully.

"You so are, always so broody," you tease, lightly pinching her bicep in return.

"I'm not broody," she retorts, "I'm just...introspective." You snort and squint your eyes, the sound causing her to huff and reach out to pinch you again. Quickly evading the attack, you catch her hand and pin it against her side to keep from any more surprise assaults. This puts her in close proximity again, and you can see the way her gaze locks onto your mouth for a fraction of a second before her eyes snap back up to yours.

There's a beat of silence, the two of you standing close enough to feel each other's breath. Sevika opens her mouth like she's getting ready to say something, but before she gets the chance, the sound of the shower turning off reaches your ears and Sevika takes a half step back, clearing her throat awkwardly.

"Guess Powder's done."

You pull back your own hand reluctantly, missing the feeling of her skin immediately. "Yeah, guess so," you say, trying to sound casual and hoping your voice doesn't give away how affected you are.

Standing up straight, you pull your phone out to check the time, seeing that there's a couple of hours before the first event. "The welcome banquet starts at five, so I should head to my room and unpack first."

The disappointment is obvious on her face, even if only for a moment, but she tries to cover it up by putting on a nonchalant expression and nodding.

"Yeah, right," she pauses, almost as if she was about to say something else, but just takes a deep breath instead. "I guess...I'll see you at dinner, then," she says, giving you a half smile.

You match her expression before hesitating a moment, opting to go with your first instinct and lean in for a quick kiss. Her mouth immediately relaxes beneath yours and she leans forward into it, wanting the contact as much as you do. When you finally pull back, her eyes are shut and it takes a few seconds before she opens them slowly, breathing slightly more labored than usual. Her lips form a small grin and she nudges her nose against yours briefly, making contact one last time before fully pulling away.

"Get out of here before you get me in trouble."

Biting your tongue at her remark, you shake your head with a quick laugh and slip out from under her, grabbing your carry-on and heading to the door.

"I'll come get you two a little bit early so we can all walk down together, okay?"

Sevika gives a small nod in affirmation, running a hand through her hair. "Yeah, sounds like a plan." She looks like she's itching to pull you back into her space, but manages to refrain herself, shoving her hands into her pockets to keep from doing so.

You linger for a few more moments, savoring the sight of the other woman before reluctantly tearing your eyes away and exiting the room. She watches you the whole time, shutting the door once you fully exit into the hallway. You walk the rest of the way to your own room in a daze, a little thrill of anticipation going up your spine at the thought of the night to come.

After a shower of your own, you unpack a bit and set aside your outfit for the evening. The dress code for dinner was cocktail attire, and though you didn't own anything exactly fitting for that, you managed to scrounge together something acceptable from your closet. Doing one last check in the full length mirror by the door, you deem the look worthy and head out into the hallway.

Making your way to Sevika's room, you lift your hand to the wooden door and give it a few raps. It swings open a few moments later to reveal the other woman, her gaze sweeping over you and eyes noticeably widening. Her hair is freshly combed and she's changed into a white dress shirt tucked into slim fitting navy slacks, the first two buttons of her top undone to show off the supple skin of her neck and collarbones.

"Hey." she says, her eyes still trailing over your figure, "You look...really good."

You can't help the warmth that immediately rises to your cheeks at the compliment, her gaze causing a bit of heat to begin blooming in your stomach.

"Thanks," you manage to reply, your eyes roaming over her form as well, the tight shirt clinging to her figure and showing off her physique perfectly. "You don't look so bad yourself."

"Get a room already!" a voice suddenly yells from the back of the room.

Peering past Sevika, you see Powder sitting on the bed laughing to herself while looking at her phone. Before Sevika manages to scold her, she flips the device around and you can faintly make out a tuft of red hair on the screen. "Vi says hi, by the way."

You can't hold back a laugh at that, amused by Powder's antics. "Hi Vi," you reply back with a grin.

Sevika just rolls her eyes and shakes her head at her middle child. "Don't make me take your phone."

That quiets Powder right away, telling Vi they've got to leave and that she'll call her later. Locking the phone and putting it in her purse, she hops off the bed and makes her way over to the pair of you. Sevika looks over at her daughter as she approaches, giving her an amused look.

"Ready to go?" she asks, raising an eyebrow.

Powder nods, slinging her small bag over her shoulder. "Yeah, I'm starving."

"Well, then what are we waiting for?"

Grabbing her matching navy suit jacket from beside her and slipping it on, Sevika steps out of the way for Powder to walk through, shooting you a small wink when the girl isn’t looking.

Once in the hallway, she falls in step beside you, shoulders squared and looking every bit as confident as you've ever seen her. Knowing how important it is to make a good impression on the committee members, and even the other parents, she's determined to put her best self forward. Entering the elevator to head to the lobby, all you can think about is how lucky you are to know such an amazing woman.

As the seconds tick by, there's just the faintest hint of nerves in the other woman's stance, fingers lightly drumming against her thigh. You discreetly brush your pinkie against hers, hoping the small gesture will give her some reassurance, and you softly bite your bottom lip when she intertwines it with her own.

Soon after, the elevator dings, signaling you've reached the lobby. You step out and head towards the banquet hall, hearing the soft sounds of conversation and the clink of glasses coming from the large room. There are quite a few people from other districts already gathering, all dressed appropriately and beginning to mingle. Sevika's stride slows slightly as she takes in the scene, her eyes sweeping over the room in a way that can only be interpreted as calculating.

There are easily a hundred people already in the room, undoubtedly not everyone who will be attending. When you see the way the other woman is observing the crowd, you lean in to tell her and Powder, "Let's go find our table, yeah?"

Quickly checking the email on your phone, you see the number you've been assigned and head in that direction. Coming upon the right one, you begin to set your things down, looking around the room for the rest of your party. Finding who you're looking for a few seconds later, a bright smile blooms on your face as you walk towards the approaching trio.

"You guys made it!"

Ekko matches your grin before engulfing you in a bone crushing hug. After the boy releases you, you greet his parents with less intense embraces as he notices that Powder and Sevika are also standing there.

"Um, hi Powder."

The two teenagers stare at each other before deciding to share a brief hug, awkwardly shuffling on their feet before Sevika reaches a hand out in Ekko's direction.

"It's good to finally meet you, Ekko. I’m Sevika, Powder’s mom."

He takes the woman's hand in a firm grip, giving it a sturdy shake.

"Likewise ma'am," he says with a confident smile, releasing her hand before standing up straight.

Powder's entire demeanor is a stark comparison to Ekko's, her entire body language shy and reserved. Ekko seems to pick up on this right away, his own smile turning into a kind, almost protective one.

His parents come over a moment later and introduce themselves to Sevika and Powder, chatting about how amazing it is that each of their children made it this far. All of you converse amongst each other for a few moments, the parents expressing their excitement and pride. Soon enough, the sound of a microphone being adjusted breaks up the conversation, catching everyone's attention as you all turn to look towards the front of the hall.

"Good evening everyone, I hope you've all had a pleasant journey to be with us here tonight. I am the president of the fair's board..."

The man continues to speak about how excited all of the committee members are to witness the presentations this weekend, setting an animated atmosphere amongst the room. When he concludes his speech a few minutes later, he welcomes everyone to take their seats as dinner will be served shortly.

The room is quickly filled with the scraping and scuffing of chairs against tile as everyone finds their assigned places, the buzz of excitement for the food palpable. You all sit down and begin waiting patiently, your stomach beginning to grumble slightly at the thought of eating. The sound doesn't escape Sevika's ear, and you see her lip quirk upward in a subtle smirk out of the corner of your eye.

The six of you continue to talk across the table as servers begin bringing plates out, being served a short while later. Dinner is delicious, and Sevika and Ekko's parents get along quite well, much to your relief. Glancing to the side, you see Powder and Ekko engrossed in a private conversation, animated facial expressions and boisterous laughter spilling over to the adults' discussions. You realize that this is what it’s all about; no matter the results of this weekend, these are the memories that the kids will carry with them for the rest of their lives.

Once the meal has concluded, the reception begins, the music turning to something a bit more upbeat but still family friendly. After a short while, Ekko stands up and looks toward Powder, an almost goofy grin on his face.

"Wanna dance?" He asks, and after only brief hesitation, Powder nods lightly and stands, flashing a small look to her mom.

Sevika gives an encouraging nod, and just like that, the two teenagers are off towards the small dance floor. The adults watch them go before returning to their conversations, though you notice the woman’s gaze following them closely. Lightly nudging Sevika's hand with yours under the table, you wait until she makes eye contact with you before speaking.

"She's okay. I promise."

She maintains your gaze for a moment before nodding, letting out a breath she hadn't noticed she was holding and forcing the worry from her gaze.

"I know, I know," she mutters, reaching up to rub some of the tension out of her neck. "Realistically, I know she's fine. But the mom part of my brain just won't shut up about it."

At that, you can't help but smile softly and reach over to give her a gentle squeeze on the knee.

"That's completely understandable. Looks like she's having fun though."

Sevika looks back towards where the teenagers are and sees her daughter laughing as Ekko spins her around, the two of them clearly enjoying themselves. It makes the tension in her shoulders loosen even more and she lets out another deep sigh, the tiniest smile pulling at her lips.

"Yeah, she is."

About a half hour later, the event comes to an end, and the president from earlier grabs the mic once again.

"Thank you all for joining us tonight. We are wishing all of our participants the best of luck this weekend, and we look forward to seeing what you have to show us. For the students, we are going to have a more official 'prom' style dance for two hours in the next room if you'd like to move there, with your parent's permission of course."

As the teenagers make their way back to your table, the adults all stand up and begin grabbing their things before Ekko and Powder ask to go to that party. You see a bit of wariness flash across Sevika's face as she looks down at her daughter, clearly conflicted. After pausing for a moment, a tight smile appears and she sighs.

"Alright, you can go. Just be safe, okay? No wandering off by yourself, stick together."

Right when you look at Powder to give her a thumbs up, a figure behind her captures your attention.

"Genevieve?"

The girl in mention freezes and slowly turns around, jaw dropped and wide eyed. The beginning of tears begin to well in your eyes, the little girl you once knew now standing before you, a young woman.

"What are you doing here, how–"

Your heart begins to hammer in your chest as the initial shock wears off and you realize what this means. If she's here, then...

"Well, well, well. What's that old saying? 'Speak of the devil and she shall appear?'"

Focusing your eyes to the side, you finally see the person you've been dreading running into for years, the reason you moved away to start a new life, the cause of your miscommunication with Sevika.

A wicked smile stretched across her lips, the woman takes a step forward as you take one back, willing yourself to wake up from whatever horrible nightmare this is.

Gert.

taglist! @daughterofthemoons-stuff @vii-v @runawaybaby3 @ferxanda @sevikas-whore @vikashoneybee @sleepingwasp @savedforlaterr @lia-winther @bebadoobie @nymanas @dyketoast

#DUN DUN DUN..........me and cliffhangers 🤞#AND WHO SAW THAT COMING BTW (you all better say no i stg)#the anxiety attack scene was also really important for me to showcase cause i feel like a lot of writers project onto sevika what they want #instead of making her an accurate/rounded character (in my opinion!)#but anwayssss ive been so excited to bring gert back ever since i saw how everyone reacted to her the first time 😆#next couple chapters are gonna be a doozy i promise so everyone dont get too mad at me ok! you've been warned 😘#sevika x reader #sevika fluff #sevika angst #sevika x you #arcane x reader #arcane x you #arcane fluff #arcane angst

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catiroll · 5 months ago

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A Dance for Two °❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

Synopsis: When your daughter wants to attend the Daddy-Daughter Ball, Sevika reluctantly agrees to take her. What begins as a simple favor turns into something far more meaningful than either of you expected.

Warning: nothin rlly

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ The tiny bow on Mira’s dress had come undone again.

You knelt in front of her, fingers carefully retying it, making sure it was straight. She stood perfectly still, her small hands gripping the soft folds of her dress, eyes locked on your movements with unusual intensity. Normally, she would have been talking—about the colors, the music, the way her shoes made soft clicks against the floor—but tonight, she was quieter than usual.

You noticed.

You always noticed.

“There,” you said, adjusting the bow one last time before pulling back. “Perfect.”

Mira didn’t respond right away. She turned slightly, lifting her dress in her little fingers and watching how the fabric shimmered under the warm glow of the lanterns. You could see the wheels in her mind turning, but she hadn’t yet found the words she wanted.

Then, finally—softly, hesitantly—she asked, “Mama… do I get to go even if I don’t got a daddy?”

Your hands stilled.

It wasn’t the first time she had asked about fathers. It wasn’t even the first time she had noticed she didn’t have one. But it was the first time she had linked it to something she might be missing out on—something other kids had and she didn’t.

Your chest tightened, and you forced a small smile as you tucked a loose curl behind her ear. “Of course you get to go, sweetheart. You don’t need a daddy to dance.”

Mira nodded slowly, but her grip on her dress remained tight. “The other girls said their daddies are taking them.”

Your throat constricted.

Before you could say anything, she looked up at you, something hopeful flickering in her wide eyes. “Could Auntie Vik take me?”

You blinked, caught off guard.

Sevika.

It wasn’t that the idea was bad—far from it. It was just… unexpected.

Sevika didn’t do things like this. She wasn’t soft, wasn’t gentle—not in the ways most people would recognize. But Mira saw her differently.

You saw it too, sometimes.

Sevika was the one who let Mira sit on her shoulders to reach the top shelf. The one who wordlessly passed her a piece of whatever she was eating, even if Mira never asked. The one who grumbled endlessly about how ‘kids were too much trouble’—only to let Mira fall asleep curled up in her lap minutes later.

Maybe… just maybe, this could work.

“You want me to do what?”

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ Sevika stared at you from across the table, one brow arched, her metal fingers drumming against the worn wooden surface. You’d just finished explaining the situation, and judging by her expression, she was either irritated or amused. Maybe both.

“Take Mira to the Daddy-Daughter Ball,” you repeated, this time a little slower, as if that would somehow make it sound like less of a ridiculous request.

Sevika let out a dry, humorless laugh. “You do realize I don’t fit either of those words, right?”

You sighed, crossing your arms. “You’re not an idiot, Sev. You know that’s not what this is about.”

She leaned back, exhaling through her nose. “Kid needs a dance partner? Take her yourself.”

“She doesn’t want that.” You hesitated. “She wants you.”

That got her.

Her fingers stilled against the table. Her jaw clenched—just slightly—but enough for you to notice.

“I don’t know how to do this shit,” she muttered, looking away. “Dancing. Balls. Dressing up like some… proper person.”

You took a step closer, lowering your voice. “She doesn’t care about any of that. She just wants someone who makes her feel safe.”

Sevika scoffed, shaking her head, but you saw the tension in her shoulders, the flicker of something you couldn’t quite place in her eyes.

“You’re good with her, Sev,” you continued, softer this time. “Better than you think.”

Silence.

Then, finally, a long exhale.

“Fine,” she muttered, rubbing her temple like she was already regretting it. “But you owe me.”

A slow grin spread across your lips as you reached up, fingers lightly brushing her jaw. “Oh, I’ll make it up to you.”

She shot you a look, but there was something warmer in her expression now, something less guarded.

She was going to do it.

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ When Sevika arrived at the door that evening, Mira gasped so dramatically you thought she might faint.

“Auntie Vik!” she squealed, practically vibrating with excitement. “You look so pretty!”

Sevika grimaced.

She stood stiffly, dressed in a deep navy vest over a crisp black shirt, looking like she had been physically forced into it. Her usual rough edges hadn’t disappeared—the scars on her hands, the imposing metal arm, the ever-present air of someone who had seen too much—but there was something undeniably striking about her like this.

Sevika scowled, shifting uncomfortably under your gaze. “Don’t start.”

You only smiled, stepping forward to adjust her tie, fingers lingering just a second too long. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

She held your gaze for a beat longer than necessary before clearing her throat and looking away.

Mira grabbed her much larger hand and started tugging her toward the door. “C’mon, we’re gonna be late!”

Sevika sent you a desperate, help me look.

You just waved. “Have fun!”

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ The ball was something out of a storybook—glittering chandeliers, soft melodies, rows of little girls spinning in their dresses.

Mira fit right in.

Sevika… not so much.

She was stiff at first, clearly uncomfortable under the warm glow of the ballroom. But Mira didn’t seem to notice. She grabbed Sevika’s hands, practically dragging her onto the dance floor, and demanded to be twirled.

And—surprisingly—Sevika did.

Not gracefully, not skillfully, but in a way that made Mira laugh, bright and loud and full. Sevika let her stand on her feet to waltz, rolling her eyes but not pushing her away. When the music shifted to something livelier, Mira pulled her toward the other children, insisting Sevika had to play tag.

And she did.

She let Mira sit on her shoulders to ‘catch’ the other kids, smirked when she won, and even—reluctantly—let her place a tiny, flower-shaped sticker on her metal arm as a ‘prize.’

It was a perfect night.

But then, near the end of the evening, as the last slow dance played, Mira—sleepy, warm, and utterly content—rested her head against Sevika’s shoulder and murmured, “I wish you were my daddy.”

Sevika froze.

Your breath caught.

Mira didn’t say it with sadness. There was no longing in her voice, no ache for something she felt she was missing. It was just a statement. Simple. Honest.

Sevika swallowed hard.

She could’ve brushed it off. Could’ve ignored it, changed the subject, made a joke.

But she didn’t.

Instead, after a long pause, she murmured back, “You don’t need a daddy, kid. You’ve got your mom.” A beat of hesitation. “And you’ve got me.”

Mira didn’t say anything else. Just snuggled in a little closer.

And Sevika held her a little tighter.

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ When they arrived home, Mira was fast asleep in Sevika’s arms.

You expected her to pass the little girl off and leave. Instead, she carried Mira inside, walking straight to her room and tucking her in without a word.

When she turned back to you, there was something in her eyes—something raw, something hesitant.

“She called me her dad,” Sevika said, voice gruff, but there was something thick in it, something heavy. “Can you believe that?”

You smiled softly, reaching up to touch her cheek. “She loves you.”

Sevika exhaled sharply. “She’s a little brat.” But her voice cracked, just slightly.

You kissed her.

And when you whispered, “Stay?”

She hesitated.

Then—finally—she sighed and muttered, “Yeah. Okay.”

And just like that, she was home.

Masterlist

A/N: i havent made one in so long my bad sorry yall but here we go we got sevika with a duaghter cuz lowkey i can never see her with a son. have a good day wherever u aree

#sevika headcanon #arcane art #yandere x reader #arcane series #sevika smut #fluff #arcane fluff #ambessa medarda #mel medarda #melvika #sevika #sevika x yn

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not-rigel · 7 months ago

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would you be interested in writing Sevika x (top) reader who is taller than her, stronger than her, and overall just larger than her and very masculine BUTTT is very submissive??? Kinda like a power bottom Sevika x sub top reader situation👀👀

uhhh YEA!!! hope i did your idea justice!

a little treat for arcane eve (i can expand more after arcane ends but i felt we needed a liiiitle enjoyment before losing our collective minds)

Set between s2 act 1 and 2

WC: 1.1k

Sevika honestly couldn't blame everyone for dropping ship when Silco decided to quit breathing. They have their own lives to lead. But the fact that you stayed stood out to her. When she sat in Silco’s office beaten and broken, you were the one that came to deliver the news and defend the Last Drop with her from the Chem Barons influence. You made grieving easier but the feeling was never gone. Sevika couldn’t talk about those things so most of the time she settled for drinking or flirting with you. Right now she decided on teasing you in her new office.

“So, pipsqueak, what’ll you do if I can't fix this shitstorm?”

You roll your eyes, you have no idea why she insists on giving you stupid nicknames, “Sevika, I could throw you across the room without even trying. Between the two of us, you’re the pipsqueak. And everything’ll be fine.”

“I argue that I can take you,” she says. Unbeknownst to you, she doesn’t mean in a fight.

She's been attracted to you the very moment she saw you, back when Silco hired you on for muscle. She never made a move, for the sake of professionalism. Even after Silco’s death she held back, unsure how she’d emotionally handle a sexual entanglement. But she was getting better, now that weeks have passed and she changed her look. So she let herself consider making a move.

“Alright, and how many times have I held you back while you were on shimmer?” you challenged.

“That’s in the past, pipsqueak. I'm talking now.”

There’s that nickname again, “Fuck you, Sevika. You need to stop calling me that, please.”

“Are you offering?” she quips back.

Your eyebrows pinch in confusion, “I don’t know what you mean by that.”

“You said ‘fuck you’. I’m asking if you were offering to fuck me,” she clarifies.

You’re speechless. Sure, you’ve thought about Sevika in that way on several occasions but it was always just a thought. You thought about her, when she barked out orders to Silco’s goons. Or stared down at Enforcers, daring them to so much as lay a finger on her. She was always scarier than you in that regard, someone who could take real charge. It always excited you. You watch her now, for some sign that she was messing with you but you can’t find any.

“Not initially but… I’m offering now,” you say before hesitation can sink in.

She smirks, standing from the sofa and walking over to the desk. You watch her open a drawer and pull out something you recognize. It’s her old choker, the one she wore before changing her appearance. You gulp as she approaches you.

“What’s that for?” you asked.

“It’s for you,” she explains. She fits the collar around your neck, adjusting the fit. You think it might be too loose but she slips a finger underneath and drags you to her by it. You let out a whimper as she pulls you by the choker to her lips.

“You’re so strong, so tall, so fucking masc. It turns me on so fucking much,” she whispers against your lips. You could take control right now, she’s only exerting a small amount of force over you. Holding you in place by a choker, but you don’t resist her.

She pulls the collar again, setting her lips right by your ear, “Been waiting for you to fuck me.”

Immediately you’re filled with nerves. You love to top but you’re not dominant, despite what your appearance might suggest. You want to fuck her and by all physical means you could manhandle her, but it never came naturally to you.

“Can you… Tell me what to do? I really want you, I do,” you sigh.

Sevika shivers. She’s never met anyone so perfect before. Sevika needs you to fuck her, but more than that she needed to boss you around. It always gave her the sweetest thrill. And to boss around someone physically stronger than her, to have you relent all the power to her? She could fall in love in a minute.

“Would you submit for me? Let me boss you around? Tell you how I’ve dreamed about you fucking me?” She purrs into your ear. Her words are sweet drops of fire, licking your skin deliciously.

Your chest rises and falls with heavy, uneven breaths, “Yes. Fuck, I’d love it.”

“You’re so strong and all I have to do to get you weak for me is pull you by your collar? You’re so precious,” she moans.

“I like it when you boss people around. Made me so wet. I’d do anything you tell me to, please Sevika,” there was no holding it in now, the choker and her words eased you into subspace.

That’s how you find yourself knelt between her spread thighs while she sits with her ass perched on the edge of the sofa, shoving your head into her cunt. She doesn’t wait for you to find her clit, instead shifting her hips to move it below your lips.

“Grab my hips,” she orders, needing you to manhandle her. Just to show that you could control her, but ultimately won’t. You grip her hips, and she shifts her thighs over your shoulders so you have to hold her weight up. You rest your elbows onto the sofa for support, and hold her hips in the air. Both of you were feeling a perfect rush, the sexual dynamic making you thrive like you never had before.

Sevika groans hearing your sweet little whimpers as she begins to grind onto your face. You move to keep up with her grinding, trying to hold the suction you have on her clit.

“Stick your tongue out, mouse,” she demands. She loves giving you nicknames to insinuate you’re small. You’re not little, and she loved that. Every time you convinced her to drop one nickname, she came up with another. It was a power trip for her.

You flatten out your tongue so she can ride it, and you moan as her fluids spread over your face. She leaked onto your chin and you loved the sensation of being covered in her. Loved how she barks commands at you.

“Shit, gonna cum on your handsome face,” she announces, knees bending to pull you closer. You keep your tongue still, letting her ride your face until you feel her thighs tremble. Her thighs squeeze your head as her hips stop their movement. You shove your tongue into her cunt, feeling her walls pulse around it. She cums loud and hard, juices leaking down your chin and neck. You shudder, feeling your own arousal drip from you. When her orgasm is over, she has you set her back onto the couch.

“You’re not done, runt. Still need you inside of me,” she rasps. You’re alight with excitement for more of her demands, ready to beg for her all night long.

#sevika x reader #sevika x you #sevika x masc!reader #i love sevika

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angels-hideaway · 2 months ago

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Left Astray

p2! Pls go read part one as well🩷

a/n: I AM SO SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG. I have an awful procrastination problem and I even tend to re write chapters I don’t like, which only prolongs my writing process. Anyways, I hope your wait was worth it, and thank you for the support!

cw: 18+, smut(doesn’t go that far) and that’s really it ig.

Thunder shakes the whole apartment, making it difficult for you to sleep. The last couple of days have been rough on you mentally. For some reason, you’ve been thinking about your mother and your family. Everything’s been triggering you lately, and it hasn’t gone unnoticed by Sevika.

So when you appear in her doorway at two am in the morning, she only grunts and pats the space on bed next to her.

“Nightmares again?” She questions. Not feeling like explaining yourself, you meekly nod in response. “S’okay…just stay here with me.”

Sevika likes moments like this. She likes feeling like you need her. Years of running around the undercity for a cause, only to be under appreciated, and harassed by Jinx. But helping you? It’s like it was all worth it. She kept putting up with Silco and Jinx’s bullshit for people like you.

“You know…if you don’t want to, you don’t have to move out so soon… I’m not here most of the day, so you’re free to stay longer.” That excuse was terrible, but she hopes you’ll believe her anyways. “Thanks Sevi..” That’s a new one. “S’no problem bunny rabbit.”

When you’re finally asleep again, Sevika gets up and lights a cigar. To make sure you don’t inhale any of her bad habits, she goes out on the balcony. Looking out at the twilight, Sevika starts to think. Does she really care about you, or is this all to fulfill some hero complex she has?

When you wake up, Sevika’s gone. She’s probably already at work. The bed smells like her, and a little bit of smoke. That’s when you remember: you slept in her bed. You feel hot. Had you cuddled her? You probably looked so pathetic, wanting someone to snuggle like some stupid kid.

You swing your legs over the side of her bed and get up, stepping in something soft. Looking down, you see a pile of her clothes. A tank top, boxers, and socks. What she always sleeps in. You lift the pile, and drop it into the hamper. All except the tank top. It smells like her too. Whiskey, and the distinct smell of cigar smoke.

The sky is unusually blue today. From Sevika’s balcony, you can see its natural color without any smoke in the way.

Sevika’s balcony has become a favorite spot of yours. Now, you’re sitting down in a folding chair enjoying a book she bought you the other day. A romance novel to be specific.

You’ve gotten more comfortable in your mind, and skin. Reading no longer opens an old wound like it used to, and you’re less jumpy. This doesn’t mean Sevika calling you “bunny rabbit” has ceased in the slightest. It’s grown on you.

Suddenly, a thought strikes you. Ever since you’ve gotten here, it’s always take out for dinner. Usually because Sevika gets home too late to cook anything, or maybe because she just doesn’t like to. So today, you’ll be cooking.

The whole idea is perfect… Surprising Sevika, your savior, with a nice, home cooked meal. Hopefully she’s impressed. The thought of her smile, and some words of gratitude make you all giddy. So you get to it. Sevika doesn’t have a lot of groceries in her house, but you find what you can.

Your final ingredient list comes out to some pasta, cheese, milk, butter, and a couple garlic cloves. You could make a nice sauce with these.

And so you do. Halfway through dinner, Sevika comes through the door. Shoot. You think. You really wanted to surprise her with the table set and the kitchen not a mess.

While you’re busy lost in your thoughts about how ruined the surprise is, a pair of arms snakes around your waist from behind. Sevika’s chin comes to rest on the top of your head. “What are you gettin up to? Making me dinner?” You continue to stir the pot like nothing out of the ordinary just happened.

“yes… it’s just-we always eat takeout so i just thought something homemade would be nice…”

“hmm…haven’t eaten anything homemade in a while..” Her voice sounds slightly distant… like home cooked meals mean something sentimental to her. She unhands you and turns towards her bedroom.

“I’m gonna go change into something not…covered in blood. Call me when dinners ready.” You look over your shoulder in surprise. You hadn’t even noticed the blood stains lingering her clothes, and the bruises on her arms and face.

When you’re sitting across from her eating, you notice more little scratches and cuts all over her.. She’s not acting hurt or upset at all though. Just eating quietly. “Uhm…what happened to you?” You question. Her eyes look up to meet yours and she shrugs. “Ran into someone today… I don’t know where you were a couple years ago, but Vanders girl.. the older one.”

She’s back? You kind of forgot about her after everything that went down… “And you fought with her?” Sevika seems a little frustrated now. “Correction, she jumped me. In the middle of a game too. Just as I won, I get pummeled across the cheek. Damn brat…”

You can’t help your curiosity. “Where’d she go?” Sevika runs a hand through her hair “Hell if I know.. she ran away with some enforcer shootin at me…” “oh wow…” is all you can say in response. You examine her face a little more, and before you know it you speak again. “Do you want me to help?”

“Help with what, bunny?” She raises her eyebrow at you. “Uhm.. with your injuries. You have a first aid, right?” She nods. “If you really want to help I won’t stop you.”

“Hold still..” You press the alcohol soaked cotton ball to a scratch on her cheek. “It stings..” she keeps flinching and turning away. “I know but I gotta clean them! You lean forward in an effort to reach her better. “Just stay still…” Sevika then chuckles. Her hand finds its way to the top of your head and she messes with your hair. “ I feel so special. My very own personal nurse.” The way she’s looking at you makes your heart flutter.

“yeah uh.. I guess I am!” Sevika suddenly pushes against you and sits up, gently holding your wrist to stop you from tending to her. “You have no clue the affect you’ve had on me, bunny. If not for you, I’d probably be smoking a blunt and getting drunk off my ass.” You can’t speak. She’s so close.

“I want to do something to return that” She sounds so sincere. Your voice returns “letting me live here is really enough! Cooking for you and helping you out is just thanks for that.” She shakes her head. “Maybe, but I feel like you’ve done more for me than I have for you.” A silence fills the small space between you. Sevika’s grip on your wrist tightens slightly. She lowers you down slowly, pinning you down by the wrists. “Uhm.. so do you need help with another bruise? Or..”

She kisses you. You’re caught off guard even though you expected it. you don’t resist though, and kiss her back. She’s holding your wrist above your head while her mechanical arm holds you tight against her. “Sev..” is all you can get out when you part before she kisses you again.

After around five minutes of just making out, she finally stops. The both of you are catching your breath. “Such a pretty girl…” Sevika murmurs affectionately, brushing a stray piece of hair from your face. “You’re not moving out any time soon baby.” You’re in Sevika’s bed again that night. Not because of any nightmare, but because she carried you here right after you finished patching her up. She’s lying on top of you, human hand caressing your cheek, mech hand lifting your shirt. She’s kissing you slowly, occasionally opening her eye’s to look at you.

“So pretty…wanna make you mine…” her lips trail down to your neck, sucking on the skin and leaving it a dark purplish-red color. “Sev…” is all you manage to say before she latches onto your right nipple. A whine slips from your lips, and her eyes meet yours. An almost mischievous glint appears in her eyes. She has experience with this. You remember your conversation about the brothel.

She shows your other breast some attention before lowering herself between your legs. “Sev?” She stopped moving. She looks back at you with a concerned look on her face. “Are you…okay with this?” You nod. “Sorry…I shouldn’t have.” She gets up and puts a cigar between her lips, looking for a lighter.

“We don’t have to stop… I wanna keep going.” She looks back at you with the unlit cigar hanging from those lips you wanted back so badly. “It just…feels wrong. You’re vulnerable, and I don’t want to take advantage of that.”

“you’re not! I love you too..” “Don’t say that…” She sighs, and sits back down on the bed. “I never had time for an actual relationship with anyone..I want to do this right for you. Not just casual sex like I’m used to.” You sit up, pulling your shirt down and leaning on her shoulder. “I haven’t had a lot of relationships either. Being homeless never gave me a lot of free time.”

She chuckles and pulls you closer. “Guess we’re both just figurin’ things out huh? We’ll just figure it out together.” You sleep in her arms that night. Things didn’t go any further, but you couldn’t be happier.

Sevika, meanwhile, was feeling conflicted. Is she just taking advantage of the fact that you look up to her so much? She’s not good when it comes to love. So how can she be genuine for you? Maybe this is all some fantasy she has, and once she sleeps with you she’ll stop caring.

Sevika was even surprised with herself. She knew she’d had some commitment issues, but she didn’t know it’d be this bad. She’s terrified to commit, because what if what she has with you isn’t even real love? What if it’s only lust?

“Sev?” Your sleepy voice snaps her out of it. “Uh- yeah?” She looks towards you. “I love you.” She sighs. “I love you too.” Sevika almost feels bad. She sees how your eyes shine when they look at her, or every attempt from you to gain her approval. She wants to love you just as much. All she knows is that she would give her life for you. The beacon of light in her dreary life.

Maybe she can love you.

just as much.

Not sure if you guys wanted to be tagged, but I wanted y’all to know my slow ass finally posted part two

@lift-heavy-be-gay @adora-moonshine

#sevika x reader #arcane x reader #sevika x you #sevika fluff #sevika my love #sevika x female reader #lgbtq #arcane sevika #sevika #arcane #sevika headcanon #sevika smut #sevika arcane #sevika angst #arcane league of legends #arcane season 2 #arcane art #arcane au

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cup1drul3z · 23 days ago

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★ — All That's Left Between Us

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 6 : ꜱʜɪᴛ ʜɪᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ꜰᴀɴ

ꜰᴀʀᴍʜᴀɴᴅ!ꜱᴇᴠɪᴋᴀ x ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ | 9.6ᴋ ᴡᴏʀᴅꜱ

TAGS : Southern sevika, childhood bestfriends, Ex's to lovers, homophobia mentioned, internal hatred, cowboy sevika, farm owners daughter reader, size difference, breeding kink, fingering, dry humping

A/N : back 2 back chapters baby

Summary : Camp life brings you and Sevika closer, the tension finally breaking in a heated moment behind closed doors. But out in the woods, something feels off—like you're being watched. Between stolen touches and lingering unease, summer is starting to feel a lot more dangerous than expected.

Knock knock knock.

The sound came like a hammer to your skull—way too early, way too loud, and definitely not welcome.

You groaned softly, rolling toward Sevika, who was still half-wrapped around you like a human furnace. Her hand lazily slid down your thigh and then flopped uselessly against the mattress.

Another knock. Then a pause.

“Y/N?” Jinx’s voice drifted through the door—low, hesitant, not her usual chipper chaos. “I, uh… I need your help—”

Sevika groaned, long and guttural, and dragged a pillow over her face. “If that little gremlin wakes me up one more time, I’m teaching her what ‘camp quiet hours’ actually mean.”

But your eyes blinked open fully now. Because that tone? That wasn’t teasing. It wasn’t mischievous.

It was… nervous.

You sat up, rubbing your eyes and stumbling to the door in just a tank top and your shorts. You cracked it open, squinting at the already-too-bright morning sun.

Jinx stood there, hair frazzled worse than usual, camp shirt on backward, and her hands black with something that looked suspiciously like charred marshmallow—or maybe soot.

You blinked. “What did you do?”

“I—” Jinx looked over her shoulder, then back at you, eyes wide. “I fucked up breakfast.”

You opened the door fully, stepping out. “Like… how bad?”

Jinx didn’t even try to explain. She just turned and started speed-walking toward the mess hall.

“I just—I wanted to help! The other counselors were still asleep and Carol’s doing inventory, so I figured I could just, y’know, toast some stuff and reheat the eggs and maybe try the pancake batter—”

“Try?” you echoed. “Jinx, what happened?”

She stopped halfway down the path and turned to you, wild-eyed.

“There was a small fire. It’s out. Kinda. Mostly. But I broke the coffee machine and the pancake mix exploded and there’s glass in the oatmeal, maybe? I don't know, man!”

Sevika emerged from the cabin behind you, one boot half on and shirtless, rubbing at her face. “Why are we awake?” she muttered, voice thick with sleep.

Jinx threw her hands up. “Because I may have caused a localized camp crisis before 7 a.m.!”

You glanced at Sevika, who blinked at you once—expression deadpan.

“Your problem,” she muttered, and turned around, heading straight back to bed.

You sighed, looked down at your bare legs and messy tank top, and followed Jinx toward the chaos, muttering, “This is why we don’t let you near appliances…”

The closer you got, the stronger the smell hit you—burnt sugar, rubber, and eggs. A deadly combo.

Smoke trailed faintly out of the mess hall windows. One of the stoves was hissing. Something brown bubbled on the counter in a mug labeled “Camp Queen” and you were pretty sure it used to be cocoa.

Jinx pointed like a war criminal surveying the battlefield. “See?! I tried.”

You pinched the bridge of your nose. “Go open a window. And maybe… find Carol.”

“Oh, she knows,” Jinx called as she ran off. “She screamed something about OSHA violations and left to get her clipboard!”

You looked around the room—scorched, sticky, barely salvageable—and sighed again.

Then you picked up a towel and started cleaning.

You stared down at the mess like it had personally wronged you.

The oatmeal was a lost cause—soggy, grey, and glittering faintly with shards of shattered measuring cup. The eggs were salvageable, if you squinted and added enough cheese. But the pancakes? They were still batter in a cracked bowl on the edge of the counter, looking sad and slightly runny.

You rolled your shoulders back, tugged your hair into a quick bun with the elastic around your wrist, and muttered, “Alright. Let’s fix this.”

You grabbed a clean pan, wiped it out with a dry towel, and cranked the heat. The pancake mix was too watery, so you added more flour—then remembered your bio mom’s trick.

You opened the spice rack, smiling at the dusty old tin of cinnamon and a half-used bottle of vanilla tucked behind a jar of paprika.

“Okay, okay…” you murmured, dumping a bit of cinnamon in, a little more vanilla, and—on impulse—a dash of nutmeg. The scent hit fast: warm, familiar, like Sunday mornings before your mom got sick, back when everything still smelled like syrup and laughter.

You ladled the new batter onto the hot skillet and held your breath.

The sizzle was promising.

Two minutes later, the pancake flipped perfectly—golden, fluffy, and smelling way better than anything deserved to smell at 7:15 a.m. in a smoke-scented mess hall.

Jinx returned just in time to see you plating a stack. “Ohhh shit,” she said, eyes wide. “That looks good.”

You smirked. “Here.”

You handed her a fork and she stabbed into the stack like a feral animal. One bite in, she stopped chewing, mouth full, face slowly turning red.

“Okay, wow. That’s—” she coughed once. “That’s got kick.”

You blinked. “It’s just cinnamon—”

“And nutmeg,” she wheezed, “and maybe the entire spice rack?! The kids are gonna think it’s like a cinnamon challenge!”

You stared at her. “It’s good, though, right?”

Jinx took another bite, chewed, and gave you a very shaky thumbs-up. “It’s... fire. Like literally. Like I might combust.”

You were about to argue when the worst thing possible happened.

The cowbell.

It clanged out front—Carol’s signature wake-up-call-and-breakfast-summons. Seconds later, the sound of pounding sneakers filled the path. The doors flung open and a tide of half-dressed, bed-headed children swarmed in like a plague.

“Oh no,” you breathed, eyes wide. “It’s too late.”

Counselors were dragging in behind them—Vi looked like she hadn’t slept, her hoodie halfway on, Sevika had reappeared in a clean tank top and a suspiciously smug look, and Carol stormed through the kitchen doors like a drill sergeant ready for war.

“WHO SET OFF THE SMOKE DETECTOR?” she barked.

“Long story,” you and Jinx both said at the same time.

But then—salvation.

A kid took a bite of the pancake and cheered.

“IT TASTES LIKE CHRISTMAS.”

Another chimed in: “I LOVE IT! IT’S SPICY PANCAKES!”

Carol blinked, took one of the plates, tasted a bite herself, paused—and then narrowed her eyes at you.

“You cooked these?”

You nodded slowly.

“…Do it again tomorrow.”

You exhaled, tension draining from your shoulders. Jinx collapsed next to the counter like she’d just survived a natural disaster.

Across the room, Sevika leaned against the wall, arms crossed, watching you with a slow, crooked grin.

You smirked back.

The sun had climbed high and hot, turning the archery field into a sweatbox of trampled grass and sunscreen fumes. You stood just past the caution line, squinting into the midday haze, your camp t-shirt clinging slightly to your back and your tan shorts already dusted with dry dirt. Your hair was frizzing out at the edges, heat turning every curl into its own rebellion.

You crossed your arms and glanced sideways. “Are we sure this is safe?”

Sevika stood a few feet away, arms folded, sunglasses low on her nose. She looked absurdly cool for someone standing in front of a weapons rack. “They’re shooting blunt arrows at foam targets from twenty feet away,” she muttered. “Pretty sure the biggest threat here is sunburn.”

“Or a rogue seven-year-old deciding they’re the target,” you replied, eyes trailing a camper who just released an arrow with their eyes closed.

The arrow flew comically wide, landing in the grass with a pitiful thump.

Sevika winced. “Okay, yeah. That one’s banned from Hunger Games night.”

You snorted and leaned against the post with a sigh. “Didn’t you say you used to be good at this?”

She raised an eyebrow. “I am good at this.”

You tilted your head, biting back a grin. “Wanna prove it?”

Sevika’s sunglasses slid down further on her nose. “Are you challenging me?”

“Unless you’re scared to lose in front of thirty children.”

A gasp rang out from behind you.

“OOOOHHHHHHH,” one of the kids screamed. “MISS Y/N’S STARTING BEEF.”

Another ran off to the other counselors yelling, “SEVIKA VS. Y/N! BOW SHOWDOWN!”

You groaned, already regretting your choices. But Sevika? She was thriving. She turned to grab one of the bows, flexing her arm just enough to make sure you noticed.

“Don’t embarrass yourself,” she said, passing you one.

You rolled your eyes. “I grew up around hunters, thank you very much.”

“Right,” she muttered, not hiding her smirk. “And I’m sure they trained you between riding ponies and picking peaches.”

“Oh, you’re done for.”

What followed was pure camp chaos.

A full crowd of kids had gathered behind the line, shouting over each other and waving half-melted candy bars as betting collateral. Jinx ran up with a notebook she’d stolen from someone’s cabin, shouting, “Odds are two-to-one in favor of Big Vika, but I’m giving bonus points for style!”

“That’s illegal!” Vi yelled from across the field.

“No rules, only vibes!” Jinx howled.

Carol walked by, paused, surveyed the situation, then muttered, “If nobody dies, I’m pretending I didn’t see this,” and kept walking.

You nocked your arrow, lips pressed together in concentration. Sevika watched you with that crooked grin, her stance relaxed, her fingers adjusting the grip like it was muscle memory. The air buzzed—not just with noise but energy.

“Loser cleans all the dinner dishes tonight,” you said, raising your bow.

“Loser sleeps on the floor,” Sevika countered, raising hers to match.

“Excuse me?!”

“Too late,” she smirked. “You already agreed.”

You both let your arrows fly.

Two dull thunks.

Yours landed just outside the red ring.

Hers? Dead center.

The kids exploded.

Screaming. Cheering. Someone threw a handful of Skittles into the air like confetti. Jinx was spinning in a circle like she’d just witnessed a historical sports moment. “OH MY GOD SHE ROBIN HOODED YOUR ASS.”

You turned to Sevika, jaw dropped. “Okay. Best of three.”

“Oh, now you wanna fight.”

“You’re going down.”

And for the rest of the hour, the kids were in heaven. You and Sevika alternated between competitive bickering and flirtatious sabotage—Sevika bumped your hip once during a shot and you nearly nailed the announcer tent. You flicked her ponytail while she was mid-draw and her arrow veered left.

Nobody remembered who actually won.

But by the time you walked back toward the cabins, hand brushing hers, sweaty and breathless and grinning so hard your cheeks hurt, it didn’t really matter.

The lake shimmered under the afternoon sun, water rippling soft and slow while the younger campers shrieked and splashed in the shallows. Their laughter echoed across the dock like music—chaotic and sweet. You sat at the edge, bare feet dangling over the water, your chin resting on your knees as the breeze played with your curls.

Behind you, Sevika dropped down with a grunt, knees spread wide, forearms resting lazily across them. Her camp shirt clung to her back from the heat, and she rolled a blade of grass between her fingers like she was trying not to stare at you for too long.

But she was staring.

You felt it—every time her eyes traced your profile, lingered a little too long on your lips. The air between you buzzed with a new kind of tension. Not the fiery, rough kind from last night. This was quieter. Slower. Like the calm just before a summer storm.

“I think you actually let me win that last round,” you murmured.

Sevika scoffed, but it was half-hearted. “You needed the confidence boost.”

You glanced at her sideways. “You’re just mad I called you ‘Robin Hood with a god complex’ in front of thirty children.”

“You should be scared of arrows now.”

You bumped her shoulder with yours. “You love me.”

It slipped out before you could stop it.

The silence after wasn’t awkward—it was thick. Full. You didn’t even breathe until you felt her hand shift behind you, fingers brushing your back gently as she leaned in closer.

Her voice was low. “Maybe I do.”

Your heart kicked in your chest.

You turned, facing her now, close enough to see the freckles just under her left eye. Her lips parted, her gaze dropped to your mouth, and your own breath caught.

This was it.

That slow, heavy gravity pulling you forward like the kiss would be inevitable.

And then—

“Counselors!” Carol’s voice came like a thunderclap from behind, full of clipped professionalism and absolutely zero regard for your moment.

You jumped. Sevika groaned, already leaning back with a hand over her face like she’d been hit with a brick.

Carol marched up the dock with a clipboard clutched to her chest like a holy relic. “Just a heads up,” she said briskly. “We’re getting a small wave of older campers this afternoon. They had their reservation at Camp Brookpine canceled due to mold in the cabins, and since we have space, they’re being transferred here. Middle school to early high school range.”

You blinked. “That’s… a big age gap.”

Carol didn’t even pause. “Yes, which is why we’re only assigning three counselors to supervise them. Since they’re older, they won’t require full handholding like the younger groups.”

You knew what was coming before she even said it.

“Sevika, Jinx, and Caitlyn—you’ll be heading up that group.”

“What?” Sevika sat up straighter. “Whos Caitlyn?”

Carol looked mildly annoyed. “She’s trained in self-defense, CPR, and conflict mediation. The teens are gonna adore her.”

“I think they’re more likely to plot a mutiny,” Jinx muttered from behind Carol, holding a dripping pool noodle like a club.

Carol sighed. “Just… show them around, make them feel included. They’ll be arriving within the hour.”

Then she turned and walked off with the efficiency of someone who didn’t care about the romantic tension she just destroyed.

You exhaled, shoulders slumping. “Well… so much for kissing you.”

Sevika stood and brushed her hands off on her shorts. “I’ll make it up to you.”

You arched an eyebrow. “Yeah?”

She leaned down, smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth.

“Middle schoolers don’t stay up late,” she murmured. “But I do.”

And then she walked away—boots heavy on the dock, already yelling at Jinx to stop hitting things with a foam noodle.

You were still smiling when the wind picked up, rustling through the trees like a warning.

Far off in the forest, something cracked.

But you didn’t hear it.

Not yet.

The bus hissed as it came to a full stop, its engine sputtering out like it, too, was dreading what came next.

The older campers filed out in clumps, dragging duffel bags, skateboards, and tangled earbuds behind them like a storm of hormones and dry shampoo. A few wore smug expressions like they already hated it here. Some rolled their eyes, some yawned dramatically, and at least one boy said, “This place smells like grass and sadness.”

“Lovely,” Sevika muttered under her breath.

You stood near the counselor’s cabin with Caitlyn beside you, clipboard in hand, her hair braided neatly down her back, expression unreadably calm. Sevika loomed to your left, sunglasses on and arms folded, looking every bit the “camp enforcer” the kids would absolutely make up rumors about before dinner.

One girl with long braids and glitter under her eyes smiled wide when she spotted you. “Oh my god, you’re so pretty. Are you like… a real counselor?”

You blinked. “Uh… yeah?”

Another girl with big sunglasses and a too-small tank top giggled. “You don’t look like the rest of these nature nerds.”

You smiled politely, cheeks warming as they swarmed closer, clearly deciding you were the safe adult to befriend. One offered you a jelly bracelet. Another asked what your skincare routine was. A third leaned over and whispered, “Does she—” she motioned toward Sevika, “—bite?”

Sevika, still wearing her sunglasses and a bored expression, didn’t even turn.

But the moment her head tilted just slightly in the girl’s direction—

She squeaked and scrambled away, muttering, “Yup, definitely bites.”

“She's not that scary,” you said with a laugh, glancing up at Sevika.

She didn’t smile—but the twitch at the corner of her mouth gave her away.

Meanwhile, Caitlyn was surrounded by three girls asking her how to get a body like hers and if she was “actually British or just faking it for the aesthetic.” Caitlyn answered all of them with deadpan charm, never once losing control of the clipboard.

Further down the path, Jinx had somehow already taught two boys how to start a water balloon war, and was currently using a rolled-up schedule sheet as a fake megaphone.

“Team Chaos, report to me if you don’t want to do any actual work!”

Carol caught wind of that in less than two seconds and dragged Jinx off for a “talk.”

You watched it all with your hands on your hips, shoulders already a little tense. The younger kids had been wild—but this? This was a new breed. Half of them looked like they’d grown up on TikTok and spite. And the way they looked at Sevika—like she was either going to murder them or teach them how to kill—was a little funny.

One of the boys passed you and muttered to his friend, “She looks like a final boss.”

Sevika heard that. She definitely heard that.

She leaned over to you and said, deadpan, “Should I start sharpening a stick just to mess with them?”

You snorted. “Please don’t traumatize the high schoolers on day one.”

“Fine,” she muttered. “Day two.”

You shook your head, laughing as the crowd began to thin, kids being directed toward their new bunks by Caitlyn and a few junior counselors.

But you couldn’t shake the feeling that the camp had just… shifted.

Older kids brought older problems.

And somewhere out in those woods, the story Jinx told—the one you’d tried to forget—still lingered like smoke you couldn’t quite clear from the air.

The crickets had finally replaced the children’s screaming, and the campfire was burned down to soft orange embers. You were sprawled across a log, your hair still damp from a quick rinse, cheeks flushed from s’mores and smoky heat. Around you, the other counselors lazed in varying degrees of exhaustion—Caitlyn flipping through her clipboard even now, Jinx playing with the last burnt marshmallow, and Sevika leaning against a tree trunk with one long leg stretched out, a soda can balanced on her knee.

“Alright,” Jinx suddenly declared, standing with a dramatic stretch, arms up and spine cracking. “Who’s down for a night swim?”

You blinked, glancing around. “Is that allowed?”

Jinx grinned. “Camp’s asleep. Carol’s asleep. The lake’s wide awake.”

And before anyone could argue, she peeled off her camp t-shirt, revealing a cotton-candy pink and blue striped swimsuit with one strap falling off her shoulder like it was made to be dramatic. She let out a loud, “WOOO!” and took off running barefoot toward the lake, sand kicking up behind her.

There was a beat of silence.

Then water splashed violently in the distance.

“…Well, shit,” Vi muttered, already tugging her own shirt off and calling back, “You better not drown before I get there!”

You laughed as Caitlyn shook her head, muttering, “Unbelievable,” but still stood and started walking toward her cabin with what you were pretty sure was a small smirk.

More followed—some counselors stripping down to their underwear, some ducking off to change, the quiet turning electric with the thrill of something forbidden.

You were already wearing your bikini beneath your shorts and shirt—had been all day. So you slipped your shirt off, dropped your shorts to the side, and brushed your hair back from your face, padding barefoot after the others toward the lake.

Behind you, Sevika stood slowly, her voice a low grumble: “Y’all are lucky I brought swim shit.”

You glanced over your shoulder just in time to see her heading for the cabin. A few minutes later, she emerged again—low-slung black swim shorts hugging her hips, and a tight black sports bra that clung to her chest in a way that made your throat go a little dry. Her tattooed arms were lit in silver-blue moonlight, hair tied back, jaw flexing as she caught your stare.

“Eyes up, sweetheart,” she teased, brushing past you.

You didn’t even pretend to be embarrassed.

By the time you reached the dock, the lake was alive with laughter—splashing, shouting, someone trying to push Jinx off a floatie and being promptly dragged under with her. The water glowed like ink and diamonds under the moon, warm and smooth like silk against your skin as you dove in.

You surfaced with a gasp, brushing water from your eyes—and Sevika was already next to you, floating lazily on her back, her voice rumbling through the quiet like a low drum.

“This counts as my shower, by the way.”

You snorted. “Noted.”

She cracked an eye open. “You still scared of the lake after that story?”

You paused, just slightly. “...A little.”

“Then stick close,” she said simply, and drifted a little closer, her fingers brushing yours beneath the water.

And for a few minutes, the world was perfect. Cool lake, warm hearts, distant laughter.

None of you noticed the figure standing just beyond the tree line.

Watching.

Waiting.

The water was warm around your waist, your hair slicked back as you laughed, wiping lake droplets from your lashes. The moon glimmered high above, casting silver across the rippling lake. Somewhere to your left, someone was humming an off-key version of a pop song while Vi and Caitlyn argued about if swimming at night counted as “reckless endangerment.”

Then Jinx’s voice cut through the chaos like a flare.

“CHICKEN FIGHT!”

Everyone froze.

You blinked. “Like… now?”

“NOW!” she yelled, already clambering up onto the broad shoulders of a guy with tight curls and an exasperated grin—clearly Ekko, her longtime partner in crime. “Get a team, coward!”

You turned, eyes landing on Sevika just as she raised an eyebrow at you.

“I know you’re not looking at me like I’m about to let you climb on my shoulders.”

You grinned wide. “Why not?”

“I could drown.”

“You’re literally the strongest person in this lake.”

She rolled her eyes. “Fine. But if I go down, I’m dragging you with me.”

You giggled and paddled over. She sank a little deeper, bracing her hands on your hips. “Up,” she muttered.

You braced one hand on her shoulder, one on her head, and hoisted yourself up. With a small splash and a breathy laugh, you settled onto her shoulders, thighs locked around her neck, her strong hands gripping your calves for balance.

“Comfortable?” she asked, dry as ever.

“Oh, so comfortable.” You leaned forward just slightly, brushing damp fingers through her hair. “How’s your view?”

Her grip tightened on your thighs. “Don’t ask questions you already know the answer to.”

Jinx was already howling across the water. “C’mon, cupcake! You better bring the heat!”

“You’re going down!” you shouted back, breathless from laughter.

Jinx raised her fists dramatically. “Let the Battle of the Century BEGIN!”

Ekko waded closer, grumbling under his breath, “I’m too old for this shit—”

And chaos erupted.

The waves slapped against your stomach as you reached forward, fingers locked with Jinx’s, the both of you laughing, shrieking, trying to knock each other off your human mounts. Sevika was a rock under you—solid, unbothered, smirking with every wave you swayed through. Ekko, meanwhile, cursed every five seconds as Jinx flailed and tried to pull your hair.

“FOUL PLAY!” you yelled.

“NO RULES!” Jinx screamed, trying to yank your arm while giggling so hard she nearly fell off.

It lasted maybe two glorious, chaotic minutes before Jinx miscalculated a grab and overreached. You saw it in her eyes just before it happened—the slow-motion panic.

“NOPE—no—”

Splash.

She and Ekko went under in a dramatic heap, water spraying like a mini tsunami.

You sat victorious atop Sevika’s shoulders, chest heaving, arms raised. The crowd of counselors watching from the shore erupted in cheers, clapping and laughing and screaming things like “CHAMPION!” and “SHE DESTROYED YOU, JINX!”

Sevika shifted beneath you, reaching up to grab your waist and slowly pull you down. As you slid off her shoulders and into the water in front of her, your chest pressed against hers, her hands naturally resting at your hips.

“Good work, sniper,” she murmured, smirking down at you, your bodies half-submerged, water beading on her neck.

You bit your lip, grinning. “You liked that?”

She leaned in just enough for her breath to brush your lips. “I like you on my shoulders.”

Your cheeks flushed, heart hammering as her fingers tapped gently against your hip.

You were about to kiss her again—right there in the water—when Jinx popped up between you with a mouthful of lake water.

“Next round!” she choked out. “I’m getting revenge!”

Ekko coughed behind her. “We need a break.”

You and Sevika dissolved into laughter, forehead to her shoulder as the summer night stretched on—wet, wild, and full of heat.

But just beyond the dock, behind a curtain of trees, something moved in the dark.

And it was watching.

The two of you left the lake after most of the others had either wandered off toward their cabins or stayed behind to float under the stars. Your bikini clung damp to your skin, the camp shirt you tugged on over it sticking in places as you walked barefoot down the gravel path. The laughter had faded behind you. The night was quieter now.

Too quiet.

Sevika’s steps were solid beside yours, boots crunching softly as she carried both your towels slung over her shoulder. She hadn’t bothered changing out of her swim shorts or sports bra, water still glinting off her collarbones in the moonlight. She looked calm. Relaxed, even. But the way her eyes kept flicking toward the trees said something else.

You noticed it too.

The air felt... heavier than before. The breeze was gone. The crickets had quieted.

“Hey,” you murmured, bumping your elbow into hers. “You alright?”

She didn’t answer right away.

“Something’s off,” she said, low.

Your stomach tightened.

You turned your head, scanning the dark between the trees lining the path back to the cabins. The moonlight didn’t quite reach beyond the trunks. Just black between branches. Deeper than it should’ve been.

Like the forest was holding its breath.

“I think that story Jinx told is still messing with me,” you tried to joke, your voice barely above a whisper. “The one about the guy who killed his lover and lives in the woods, hunting down couples?”

Sevika’s jaw flexed.

You both paused at the edge of the clearing where the woods broke into a thin trail leading toward your cabin. The air here felt colder—cooler against your skin, like stepping into a shadow that wasn’t supposed to be there.

Then—

Crack.

You froze.

A branch. Somewhere behind you. Not the soft snap of something falling from a tree—no, this was footsteps. Deliberate.

You whipped around, eyes wide, scanning the dark.

Nothing.

Sevika’s arm was suddenly in front of you, pushing you gently behind her. She said nothing, but her posture shifted—tense, alert. One hand resting against your hip, the other slightly curled at her side like she was waiting for something to lunge.

“Probably a deer,” she muttered. “Or raccoon. Might’ve followed the food trail back from the mess hall.”

But even she didn’t sound convinced.

You swallowed, voice tight. “Do raccoons break branches like that?”

She didn’t answer.

Another beat of silence. Still nothing.

She exhaled through her nose. “Let’s go.”

You didn’t argue.

You stuck close to her as you walked the last stretch, her hand resting on the small of your back, eyes never leaving the treeline. Your heart thudded hard against your ribs the entire time, ears straining for another sound.

But nothing came.

By the time your cabin creaked into view, the breeze had picked up again. The crickets returned. The forest breathed again.

Like nothing had happened.

But as you climbed the porch steps and Sevika pushed open the cabin door, you couldn’t shake it.

The sound. The stillness. The feeling of something watching.

And the faintest impression… that it wasn’t done yet.

You stood at the edge of the grassy field, sunlight beating down on your tied-back camp shirt as a swarm of kids buzzed around like bees high on sugar. The boxes of Color War shirts were stacked and sorted—bright reds and blues folded in neat piles, ready for that evening’s chaos.

“Blue if your birthday’s in the first half of the year,” you called out, holding up a navy tee. “Red if you’re born in the second half. Don’t lie just to match your best friend—Carol will find out and cry.”

Groans, laughter, and a couple dramatic fake sobs echoed around you as the line snaked forward.

“Here you go, sweetheart,” you said, handing a red shirt to a sullen eighth-grader who only grunted in response.

You bent over the box again, digging for a smaller size when—

“Careful,” a low voice murmured near your ear. “You keep bending like that, I’m gonna start charging admission.”

You rolled your eyes but couldn’t help the smile that spread across your face as you straightened. “Do you flirt with everyone during team prep?”

“Only the hot ones.”

Sevika stepped up behind you without warning, close enough that your back nearly brushed her chest. Her hands slid casually onto your hips—warm, strong, confident—just enough pressure to make your breath catch.

“Sevika,” you warned softly, glancing around to make sure none of the kids were watching.

“Relax,” she murmured, nose brushing just behind your ear. “They’re too busy eating dirt.”

You giggled despite yourself, your voice catching with the hint of a breathy squeak. “You’re the worst.”

“I’m the best,” she said, squeezing your waist once before stepping back. “Now hurry up and feed those gremlins or we’ll have a riot.”

You turned with a flushed smile and gave her a playful glare, swatting her thigh with a folded blue tee before tossing it to a camper. “Go terrorize your own team, Red.”

Sevika grinned and started to back away toward the red team’s section, but not before giving you a once-over that lingered just a second too long.

“You’re wearing that for me, huh?” she called over her shoulder, motioning to your tied-up shirt and jean shorts.

“Shut up and get your lunch,” you laughed, cheeks burning.

With the last few shirts handed out and the chaos momentarily settled, you brushed your hands on your shorts and made a beeline for the mess hall, ignoring the way your skin still tingled where her hands had been.

The mess hall smelled like grilled cheese and suspiciously runny mac and cheese, which was apparently enough to distract even the most feral campers. You slid into a seat at the end of one of the counselor tables, your tray clattering down with a sigh. Your shirt still clung to the sweat at your back, and your ponytail was doing more flopping than holding anything up.

Caitlyn sat across from you with her own tray, looking far too composed for someone wrangling children all morning. Her posture was perfect, her camp shirt somehow unwrinkled, and her expression—mild, curious—told you she was mid-observation.

“Color War shirts look good,” she said casually, poking at her steamed carrots with a fork.

“Thanks,” you replied, taking a sip from your water bottle. “Didn’t think I’d be organizing middle school battlefield aesthetics this summer, but here we are.”

“You seem… in high spirits,” she added, raising an eyebrow. “Despite the heat. And the drama. And the older kids who keep trying to vape in the bathroom.”

You squinted at her. “Is there a point coming, or are we circling?”

She gave a small smile, tilting her head. “Just noticing how close you and Sevika have gotten.”

Your fork paused halfway to your mouth.

“…We’ve been close.”

“Mm. Sure. But the kind of close where she stands behind you like she’s ready to rip out the throat of anyone who looks too long? That’s new.”

You blinked, then laughed nervously. “Wow. You always this subtle?”

Caitlyn shrugged. “Just curious. She doesn’t open up to many people. Especially not here.” She popped a grape in her mouth, then added, almost too casually, “You like her?”

The question hit harder than you expected.

You looked down at your tray, poking the corner of your grilled cheese.

“…Yeah,” you said softly. “I do.”

She didn’t press.

Caitlyn just nodded once, then nudged her tray forward. “Eat up. Color War starts in three hours, and you’re gonna need energy to fend off whatever chaos Jinx unleashes.”

You smiled—half-grateful, half-nervous.

Because even with all the teasing and flirtation, this thing with Sevika… it wasn’t just a summer thing.

Not for you.

And if Caitlyn had already noticed—others would too.

After lunch, most of the campers were off in clusters—some playing kickball, others hiking toward the lake, a few just lounging in the shade trying to survive the afternoon heat. You were refilling water bottles at the spigot behind the mess hall, the old hose sputtering and squeaking every time you twisted the nozzle too fast.

That’s when you noticed her.

One of the new girls from the older group, maybe thirteen or fourteen. Pale, with long brown hair braided down her back, and a sweatshirt tied around her waist even in this heat. She wasn’t with the others. Just standing at the treeline beyond the arts and crafts shed, half-shaded by pine boughs, arms hanging loose at her sides.

Staring.

Not at you—but past you.

You turned slowly, followed her line of sight.

There was nothing. Just the mess hall. A couple counselors. Jinx chasing someone with a pool noodle.

Still… something about the way she was looking made your skin prickle.

You capped the water bottle and made your way over, soft footsteps crunching on the dirt path.

“Hey there,” you said gently, keeping your tone light. “You alright? Not feeling sick or anything, are you?”

She blinked slowly, as if only just realizing you were talking to her. Her eyes flicked to yours—unreadable. Dark.

“I’m fine,” she said quietly.

You hesitated. “You sure? Everyone’s down by the lake, if you wanted to cool off. It’s hot as hell today.”

Another blink. A pause. Then—

“I wasn’t watching you.”

You frowned. “I didn’t say you were.”

The girl’s lips pressed into a thin line. She looked down at her sneakers, one toe digging into the dirt like she was waiting for something. Or someone.

“I saw someone in the woods last night,” she said suddenly.

Your breath caught.

“What?”

She looked back up. “When we got here. After lights out. I woke up and looked out the window. Someone was out there. Tall. Not moving. Just… standing.”

You swallowed.

“Did you tell anyone?”

She shook her head. “Didn’t want to sound crazy.”

Your chest tightened.

“Well,” you said softly, trying to keep your voice calm, “if you ever see anything weird again, come find me. Or Sevika. Or Carol, even. It’s our job to keep you safe.”

The girl didn’t smile. Just nodded once. Then turned and walked off toward the cabins like it was nothing.

But the weight in your chest lingered.

You stared into the treeline for a long second.

That strange silence from the other night echoed in your memory.

And behind your ribs, something cold flickered.

The late afternoon sun draped long shadows across the field, striping the grass in gold and green. You stood just outside the supply shed, clipboard in hand, checking off the last of the Color War stations as a slow breeze lifted your hair and cooled the sweat at your temple. But your fingers still fidgeted—thumb brushing nervously along the silver charm at your neck. That girl’s words echoed in your head no matter how many times you told yourself she was probably just overtired. Or making it up. Or—

“You’re overthinking again,” Sevika’s voice drawled from behind you.

You turned to see her approaching, red team bandana tied around her bicep like some war general fresh out of a camp magazine. Her wide-leg pants were tucked slightly into her boots, the assigned camp shirt cut at the sleeves. She was holding two baskets filled with colored face paint, little squirt bottles of water, red and blue flags, and glow sticks for when the sun went down.

“I’m not overthinking,” you said, even though your voice cracked slightly.

She raised a brow and handed you a basket. “Right. That’s why you’ve been checking the same clipboard box for the last two minutes.”

You blinked, looked down, and realized she was right. You hadn’t moved your pen at all.

With a sigh, you finally scratched a check mark next to “Capture the Flag Prep – South Field.”

Sevika stepped beside you, eyes scanning the list. “Everything’s ready?”

“Just about. We’ve got flag stations marked. Face paint for team identity. Water bottles. First-aid kits. Rope lines for the ‘prison’ zone.” You paused. “Still waiting on Jinx to finish the obstacle course… which, I’ve been told, involves tarps and vegetable oil.”

Sevika grimaced. “Why is she like this.”

“She thrives on chaos.”

You both started walking toward the clearing where the kids would be gathering soon. The camp was buzzing with movement now. You could hear the thud of basketballs on pavement, the distant splash of someone being shoved into the lake, and Carol yelling about sunscreen from somewhere near the staff cabins. Everything looked… normal. Almost perfect.

So why did it still feel wrong?

You glanced at the edge of the woods.

Sevika followed your gaze, then nudged you gently with her elbow. “You wanna tell me what’s going on, or keep pretending I can’t see it all over your face?”

You hesitated, lips parting—then closing again. You wanted to tell her. About the girl. The story. The sound in the woods. But something about speaking it out loud made it feel too real. Like if you said it, you’d summon it.

“I just didn’t sleep well,” you said softly.

She watched you for a second longer, then nodded—like she didn’t believe you but wouldn’t press.

“Alright. But if you fall asleep during war prep, I’m painting a dick on your cheek in red.”

You snorted. “If I fall asleep, you have permission to.”

By the time you reached the main field, the campers were assembling into their teams. Blue bandanas tied around foreheads, red ones waving like war banners. Counselors shouted team names, fake chants rang through the trees, and Jinx was holding a megaphone she definitely wasn’t supposed to have.

“WELCOME TO COLOR WARRRRRRRRRRR!” she shouted in a monster voice that made half the kids scream and the rest laugh.

Vi snatched the megaphone out of her hands mid-sentence and tossed it into the grass.

“Seriously, Jinx.”

You couldn’t help but smile. You raised your basket and started walking between teams, passing out face paint and glow sticks, showing the kids how to stripe their cheeks and wrap the glow sticks around their wrists like bracelets.

A blue team girl tugged your hand and asked, “Are we allowed to smear paint on our legs, too?”

“As long as you don’t ruin your shorts, go wild,” you said.

Across the field, Sevika was crouched in the grass helping a boy tie a red bandana around his ankle like a battle charm. When she stood, the kid saluted her and sprinted back toward his teammates like he’d just had a moment with a god.

You caught Sevika’s eye and smiled. She didn’t smile back—but she winked.

That made your stomach flip harder than you wanted to admit.

As you stepped closer to the red team to finish handing out their gear, one of the older girls from your cabin sidled up beside you. Her cheeks were already streaked in red paint, and her eyes sparkled with adrenaline.

“This is gonna be so fun,” she said, almost breathless. “Everyone’s freaking out about the woods. It’s perfect.”

You froze, glancing down at her. “What do you mean… freaking out?”

She grinned. “There’s rumors. That someone saw a shadow last night near the boys’ cabins. Tall, like—super tall. Didn’t move. Just stood there. Like one of those old ghost stories.”

Your heart dropped.

But before you could say anything, a whistle blew. Carol stood in the middle of the field with her clipboard, yelling over the buzz.

“Teams to the starting line! First event in fifteen!”

Sevika appeared at your side, hip brushing yours.

“You okay?” she murmured again.

This time, you didn’t lie.

“…Something’s not right.”

Her jaw flexed. She nodded slowly. “Then stay close tonight. Don’t go into the woods. Not even for a second.”

You looked up at her.

“I mean it,” she said.

And the weight of it settled over your chest like armor—heavy, necessary, and too late to shrug off.

Because tonight, the woods weren’t just background.

They were watching.

The sun dipped lower behind the treeline, smearing amber and bruised orange across the sky. The colors stretched wide over Camp Pinewillow, golden light slanting across the grass as the air turned thick with warmth and sweat and something else—something quieter. Sharper.

The games had begun with harmless chaos: tug-of-war on the south lawn, sponge relay races near the mess hall, dodgeball with soft foam balls that Vi kept launching too hard. Kids shrieked and cheered, flushed with excitement and sugar from the buckets of lemonade Jinx had swiped from the kitchen fridge. You'd gotten smacked in the back of the knee with a rogue dodgeball and nearly collapsed, but Sevika was too busy heckling from the sidelines to show mercy.

Still, it was fun. For a while.

Then the light started to shift.

You were on the edge of the field helping one of the younger kids re-tie her glow stick bracelet when it hit you: the crickets had gone quiet. No birds. No rustling leaves. Just the distant hum of voices and Carol’s whistle slicing through the air like it was working too hard to be heard.

You glanced toward the woods.

Nothing moved.

Sevika must’ve caught the tension in your shoulders, because she was suddenly behind you, a firm hand on the small of your back.

“You alright?”

You nodded quickly. “Just… thought I saw something.”

She looked too. Her brows furrowed, but she didn’t say anything. Instead, she kept her hand there—steady, grounding, protective.

It helped. A little.

You regrouped with the rest of the counselors as the final challenge was being set up. Capture the Flag. The classic.

Red team’s flag would be hidden in the woods past the rope line. Blue team’s was behind the volleyball courts. Rules were simple. Stay in bounds. No tackling. Capture the other team’s flag and bring it back to your base to win.

Simple.

Except nothing about the forest looked simple anymore.

You swallowed as the campers lined up at their starting points. The older kids were buzzing with nerves, their jokes too loud, their movements jittery. One of the boys was holding a glow stick like it was a sword, spinning it between his fingers like he was trying to keep himself distracted.

You stood near the edge of the field, clipboard in hand, as Jinx gave the starting countdown through cupped hands.

“Three! Two! One!”

A shrill whistle pierced the air and the kids scattered in every direction like ants kicked out of their hill.

You watched them vanish between trees and over hills, their bandanas flapping behind them like flags of war. A few stayed close to the sidelines. Some shot off into the brush with flashlights bobbing like fireflies. You lost track of them quickly.

But it wasn’t the kids who unsettled you.

It was the way the woods swallowed them so easily.

Like they were expected.

Sevika was nearby, her arms crossed as she scanned the edge of the trees. Every so often, she tilted her head like she was listening for something. Her jaw was locked tight, and her entire body held that still, predator-like calm you were starting to recognize—like she was waiting.

You edged toward her. “They’re okay, right? I mean, we’ve done headcounts and paired the older kids with younger ones…”

Sevika nodded. “They’re fine. It’s just a game.”

But even she didn’t sound convinced.

A loud whoop cut through the air as a kid emerged from the trees holding a red flag high above his head, his teammates shrieking in triumph. A flurry of footsteps followed as the rest of the blue team charged back toward their side, and the game shifted toward celebration.

Your shoulders eased.

But then you saw her.

The girl from earlier.

The quiet one.

She wasn’t celebrating. She was standing just inside the tree line, a few feet deeper than anyone else, half-hidden by shadows.

And she wasn’t looking at the flag.

She was looking deeper into the woods.

Frozen.

Still.

Like she was listening.

You started toward her—but before you could get close, one of the counselors called your name. You turned, just for a second.

When you looked back, the girl was gone.

The wind shifted.

And for a moment, it smelled like something old.

Something wet.

Something buried.

It had gotten dark. Too dark.

Color War was still technically going—teams were scattered in the woods and the fields, still chasing flags, still yelling—but the thrill of the game had shifted into something restless. The air felt different now. Heavy, like it was pressing down on the trees. And the trees... the trees didn’t feel like trees anymore.

You stood on the path leading away from the rope line, squinting through the dark, your breath puffing out too fast.

“Logan? Maya? Zeke?” you called, turning in a slow circle. “Guys, you’re not supposed to go this far!”

Nothing.

No answer.

Just distant whooping from the field. Then silence.

Your fingers reached instinctively toward your hip—but the walkie-talkie wasn’t clipped to your belt.

Your stomach dropped.

“Shit,” you whispered, patting your sides in case you’d missed it. It was gone. You must’ve dropped it somewhere near the rope line—but now, even the direction you came from didn’t look right. The trail was gone. Swallowed.

You pulled out your flashlight, hands trembling slightly, and clicked it on.

A narrow cone of light flickered weakly onto the brush. It didn’t reach far. You could see dust floating in the beam. Little white motes that looked too much like ash.

The light sputtered.

You hit the side of it. “Come on. Come on—”

It blinked once.

Twice.

Then died.

Everything went black.

Your chest rose sharply. The breath caught in your throat like a knife point.

You turned quickly, trying to remember which way the main field was—but the dark looked the same in every direction. No campfires. No lanterns. Just trees. Just—

Crunch.

Your blood froze.

The sound came from behind you. Footsteps.

Slow.

Deliberate.

You spun around, heart thudding, squinting hard to see anything.

Then—

Something moved.

A shape. Tall. Just between the trees. Standing like it was waiting.

And in its hand—

An axe.

Your scream tore through the trees, raw and wild and full of panic. You didn’t wait. You didn’t think.

You ran.

Branches whipped at your arms and face, tearing at your shirt as your feet scrambled over dirt and rocks. You didn’t know where you were going, only that you had to get away.

Behind you, the forest shifted. A crack of twigs. A whisper of leaves moving. A shadow dragging behind your own.

Your lungs burned.

Your legs screamed.

And still, you kept running.

Because you knew—

Whatever it was—

It wasn’t part of the game.

The game had run long.

Too long.

The humid summer night had sunk fully into the camp now, casting everything in a deep indigo that swallowed the tree line. The faint glow of flashlights bobbed here and there across the field as the last few groups straggled back toward the mess hall, most of them muddy, breathless, and loud from the adrenaline of the game.

Vi stood near the fire pit with a whistle tucked in her fingers, shouting over the chaos. “Alright! Bring it in! Color War part two tomorrow night! If you’re not back in ten minutes, your team forfeits flag points!”

Groans and laughter followed her call.

Sevika was further out near the edge of the woods, ushering a few campers through the rope line. She glanced at her watch—almost 10 p.m. Too late. Carol would lose it if the game dragged any longer. She tapped her walkie-talkie. Static. Just a little. But she could still hear Vi through the general chatter.

She looked back toward the trail, expecting you to come out of it any second.

But it wasn’t you.

It was your group.

Logan, Zeke, Maya, and Dani jogged up with flushed cheeks and dirt-streaked shins, breathless and grinning.

Sevika’s brows pulled together, stomach tightening.

“Hey,” she called, stepping forward, eyes scanning behind them. “Where’s—”

She didn’t finish.

Because Maya was already stammering.

“She was—uh—there was this thing, it was just a prank, I swear. Some of the older boys from red team, they said they wanted to scare her—just, like, a joke! They said they’d hide the flag and spook her a little, we didn’t think—she said she was gonna go after them and then—then we couldn’t find her—”

Vi was suddenly beside them, eyes narrowed. “What do you mean you couldn’t find her?”

“I thought she was still with us!” Logan added quickly. “She had a flashlight and everything!”

“She’s got her walkie, right?” Vi asked, already reaching for hers.

Sevika’s jaw clenched. “She did.”

Before anyone could say another word, a sound shattered the night.

A scream.

Your scream.

Raw. Panicked. Blood-curdling. Ripping through the trees from somewhere deep in the woods.

The field went still.

Campers froze mid-step. Counselors stopped mid-word.

Sevika was already moving.

She didn’t wait for permission. Didn’t hesitate. Her boots hit the path with heavy, determined thuds, pushing past the stunned group as Vi called for a flashlight.

But Sevika didn’t need one.

She could hear it in her bones.

You were in trouble.

And nothing—nothing—was going to stop her from getting to you.

Your lungs burned.

Branches tore at your arms. Roots caught your ankles. You didn’t care—you kept running, breath ragged in your throat, the shadows clawing closer with every frantic step. You didn’t know where the path was anymore. You didn’t even know where you were. Just trees. Just dark. Just the impossible thud of footsteps behind you.

Then—open space.

The woods broke.

You nearly skidded off a low drop before catching yourself—your feet hit mud and the smell of algae and lakewater hit your nose like a wall. The lake.

You didn’t think.

You just ran straight in.

The cold hit your skin instantly, cutting through the heat of your panic as you dove under. You kicked hard, arms slapping water as you swam toward the opposite side—your flashlight lost, your breath choked. You didn’t even know if you were being followed anymore.

But you weren’t taking chances.

The far shore was close now—so close. You could see the slope where the counselors swam sometimes, the tree roots that dipped into the shallows like fingers.

You broke through the surface, gasping, clawing through the last few feet of water and scrambling onto the bank. Your fingers dug into moss and wet leaves, pulling your soaked body upward.

But then—

Pain.

Sharp. Piercing. Sudden.

You didn’t even scream right away. It was like your body forgot how.

Then you collapsed—hard—onto your side, your wet shirt clinging to your back as you looked down in disbelief.

Your leg.

Your knee.

There was an arrow in it.

An arrow.

You screamed.

This time it ripped out of you like it had claws.

Your hands trembled violently as you reached toward the shaft sticking out of your skin, the blood seeping around the wound mixing with lake water. You couldn’t even think—just pure panic, pure agony.

Then—

Footsteps.

Crunching leaves.

You dragged yourself back, palms scraping the dirt.

And the figure emerged from the trees.

Tall. Holding an axe.

But it wasn’t some faceless killer.

It was Ran.

She stepped forward, her face lit only by the pale moonlight. And behind her—three boys. Older campers. One of them holding a bow. Another laughing like it was a game. The third with wild eyes and shaking hands.

“Jesus Christ,” Ran barked, voice sharp and furious. “What the fuck did you do?!”

“She was running!” the boy with the bow shouted, defensive. “I didn’t mean to hit her like that! It was just supposed to scare her—”

“Scare her, not shoot her!” Ran snapped, rounding on him.

You stared up at them, the pain turning your breath into hiccupped sobs. Your leg was on fire. You were covered in mud, your hands shaking as you curled into yourself.

“Please,” you choked, voice barely a whisper. “Please, don’t—don’t hurt me—”

Ran turned back, and for a moment, her face looked almost horrified. “Shit,” she muttered, kneeling beside you, hands hovering near your shoulders. “Shit, shit, shit—I didn’t—fuck, I didn’t think you’d run like that—"

You flinched when she reached toward the arrow. She stopped, eyes widening.

“Hey, hey—no one’s gonna hurt you, okay?” she said too quickly. Her tone was frantic now. “We were just messing around. It was a prank. It wasn’t—it wasn’t supposed to go like this.”

You tried to speak. Tried to move. But the pain was too much, and your voice just cracked into another sob.

The boys stood behind her, awkward, scared now too. Like they hadn’t realized this was real until blood was involved. One of them stepped backward. Another muttered something about going to get help.

“Shut up,” Ran hissed. “Don’t move. No one leaves until we figure out what the fuck to do.”

“We should take her back—” one of the boys started.

“No,” Ran snapped, eyes wild. “You think we can explain this? An arrow? We’ll get kicked out—fuck, we’ll get arrested! Just give me a second—”

“Please,” you gasped again, voice wet with tears. “Please—just let me go. Please.”

Ran looked down at you.

And for a split second—just one—something flashed in her eyes that wasn’t panic.

It was guilt.

And fear.

But not for you.

For herself.

“Okay,” Ran muttered, more to herself than to you, her palms hovering just above your knee. “It’s barbed, so if I just—if I turn it a little, I can maybe—”

“No!” you cried out, writhing as her fingers grazed the arrow shaft. Pain rocketed through your entire leg, blinding and sharp, worse than anything you'd ever felt. “Stop—stop please, I can’t—!”

Tears streamed down your face, hot and helpless. Your entire body shook like it was trying to run even though you were pinned to the earth by pain.

“Jesus, just hold still—”

She reached again.

You screamed.

And that's when Sevika arrived.

You didn’t see her first—but the boys did.

Their laughter cut off like a wire had snapped. One of them’s grin fell clean off his face. The bow clattered to the ground with a dull thud.

Sevika stood on the edge of the treeline like a storm breaking open. Her boots crushed through the underbrush, jaw tight, eyes locked dead ahead—on you. On the blood down your leg. On the arrow. On Ran’s hand.

Everything about her face changed.

“Get your hands off her.”

Her voice was low. Deadly. Rage threaded through every word like heat through iron.

Ran froze. Her hand jerked back from the arrow like it burned. “Sevika—listen, I swear—I didn’t mean for this to—”

But Sevika wasn’t listening.

She dropped to her knees beside you like the world had narrowed to just you and the arrow and the blood between you both. Her large hand cupped your cheek so gently it hurt. Her other hovered over your thigh, as if afraid even looking at it would make it worse.

“I’ve got you, sweetheart,” she whispered, voice cracking at the edges. “I’ve got you.”

“Hurts—” you sobbed, clutching the grass, your body half-curled. “It hurts so bad—”

“I know,” she breathed. “I know, baby. Don’t move, okay? We’re gonna get help.”

Behind her, the other counselors were arriving. Vi first, breathless and wild-eyed, followed by Caitlyn, Jinx, and Carol with a first-aid kit half-clutched in one hand and her radio pressed to her mouth.

“What the fuck is going on?” Vi barked, taking one look at the scene before her voice dropped. “Oh—oh no…”

Caitlyn stepped in quickly, kneeling beside Sevika and you. “Is that—an arrow? Is it barbed?”

Sevika didn’t answer.

She was still looking at the boys.

At Ran.

And then she stood.

Her whole body radiated fury.

“You shot her?”

Ran stood slowly, hands up, voice panicking now. “No—it was a prank, okay? I told them not to shoot, it wasn’t supposed to—she ran, and—"

“She’s bleeding!” Sevika snarled, stepping toward her. “You hunted her down like it was a goddamn game—”

Vi caught her arm before it could escalate. “Vik. Not here. Not in front of her.”

Ran paled visibly, shrinking back. The boys said nothing. One was crying now—actual tears. The other two looked like they wanted to melt into the forest.

Carol, still on her walkie, was muttering for emergency services. “...yes, arrow injury, female camper—counselor, yes—barbed, she’s conscious, bleeding, we need EMTs out to Pinewillow now—”

“Sweetheart,” Sevika said, kneeling again beside you, her fury momentarily caged by the shaking in your hands. “Hey. Look at me.”

You blinked up at her, vision blurred.

“I’m here.”

You nodded weakly.

“Good girl,” she murmured, her thumb stroking along your cheek. “Stay awake. Don’t close your eyes. You’re okay. I swear, you’re okay.”

But her eyes—her eyes never left Ran after that.

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