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r2d2lover · 9 months ago

Text

Healing Touch Part 2

Pairing: Mattheo Riddle x Reader (QuidditchPlayer!Mattheo x Healer!Reader)

Rating: E

Word Count: 3.3k

Warnings: Unprotected sex, vaginal sex, F/M, cunnilingus, aged-up characters, Hogwarts Uni AU, fluff, like maybe angst

Summary:

Mattheo Riddle comes back for a check up and an answer. (AKA happy smutty October). Part 1.

“Mr. Riddle is back. He’s set up in the same bed as last night and only asking for you. Something about his arm not being set right. I thought I taught you better than that,” Madam Pomfrey scolded you the second you walked through the door to report for your shift.

“Oh! Okay, I will check on him immediately,” You nearly dropped your items at the matron’s disapproval and hurry to set your things aside. You knew Mattheo said that he would be back the next day, but a part of you hoped that he had forgotten. You needed to buy more time to process what had happened between the two of you, so you had foolishly dodged him around the corridors and snuck food out of the dining hall just so he wouldn’t have an opportunity to corner you. You were surprised that he played you at your own game and decided to corner himself instead. You held your breath while you walked to the back of the infirmary while Madam Pomfrey gave you another look before disappearing into her office. With an embarrassingly shaky hand, you pulled back the curtains around Mattheo’s bed and revealed a smirk that drove a heat deep into your core. Mattheo leaned back in the bed, propped up with pillows with both of his arms folded behind his head. His expression didn’t change when he saw you; if anything, he seemed to grow more amused at the scowl etched into your face.

“I have a feeling you’ve been avoiding me,” Mattheo kicked his legs up on the bed with a big grin. “Now, do you want me to take my pants off or would you like the honors?”

“You can keep your pants on, thank you very much,” You sighed, turning away quickly so that Mattheo wouldn’t catch your reddened cheeks or creeping smile. You placed a temperature gauge into his mouth, which he opened up with a wink. You shook your head while rolling your eyes and a humored scoff, but still you brushed the back of your hand over his forehead and cheeks to feel for any clamminess. “I was told it was your arm that needed looking at.”

“Oh, I just had to say something that sounded serious enough for Pomfrey to let me wait on you,” Mattheo shrugged nonchalantly. “Your work is impeccable. I recovered fine after a good sleep and believe me, I slept really well after last night.”

“Your little stunt could put me on probation with Madam Pomfrey,” You frowned to fight your smile. You pulled out a fresh roll of bandages which delighted Mattheo greatly. He hooked his thumb through his belt loop and shook it in invitation. “And, by the way, I have not been avoiding you.”

“Oh really? Then maybe I was wrong. You don’t really seem the type to run and hide. You’re really bad at it, by the way,” Mattheo mocked. You bit down on your lip to save your pride while you started to undo Mattheo’s belt to get to his thigh. “Though, I will admit, I’m loving this new bashful side of you.”

“I’m not bashful, I’m just doing my job.”

“Are you really going to tell me you didn’t enjoy yourself last night? C’mon, you’re wounding my pride and I think there’s only one type of medicine that can fix it,” Mattheo watched you carefully as you slid his pants down. The memory of last night flooded your rationality and your mouth ran dry. Mattheo chuckled and assisted you in sliding his pants down further. You smiled upon inspection of your work, which was wrapped tightly enough that no extra bleeding seeped through. “Now you’re just a tease. Smiling at me with me exposed like this? Now’s not the time to act so innocent.”

“I told you it was a one time thing, Mattheo. If you need something for your pride, I’m sure you have a line of groupies who would gladly medicate you,” The moment you pressed the cold bandage shears against his leg, you could feel his entire body shiver, which in turn made you copy his movements.

“Sure, but none of them are as cute as you. Or so adept with their fingers,” Mattheo let out a sigh of relief when you cut the bandage free, revealing a well healed scar thanks to magic.

“Good news is that you don’t need another bandage. Your leg healed overnight,” You ignored Matteo’s joke and gave his leg a once over with the same salve from last night. He grabbed your wrist as a way to grab your attention.

“Hey,” Mattheo’s eyes bore into yours. His gaze was much more serious than before and it made your skin erupt in goosebumps again. “I told you last night: This isn’t a joke. But if you want me to stop, I will.”

“I’m saving my own pride. You can’t blame me for questioning your intentions,” You reply, forcing the words past the stop in your throat. “Last night was fun, but that’s not really what I’m about.”

“This isn’t a one off thing for me, princess. I know that’s what you think of me, but you’ve patched me up more than once and you… you actually see me for who I am. Not my last name, not my jersey number, you know…” Mattheo ran a finger across your cheek before letting out a heavy sigh. You froze in place and let your mouth hang open while you tried to figure out a response. Is he serious? It’s all just a cliche. “Merlin… Did I misread this whole thing? Was your conversation just… good bedside manner? Please, just say something.”

“Mattheo- I… No, I do have feelings for you! I just- I…” You finally manage to spit something out in your flustered state. Your confession stuns the both of you into silence. Mattheo's eyes widened, a flicker of hope igniting in their depths. He leaned in closer, his warm breath fanning across your face. He opened his mouth but shut it quickly, but your heart was pounding so loudly in your ears that you wouldn’t have been able to hear a thing anyway.

“You do?” Mattheo croaked in disbelief.

“Yeah, I’m not great with feelings and such,” You laugh awkwardly. Mattheo shook his head and smiled softly, his eyes crinkling at the corners. You reached out and gently caressed the creases. He reached out in reply and gently tucked a strand of hair behind your ear, his fingertips lingering on your skin.

"I'm not great with them either," Mattheo admitted, his voice low and intimate. "But I know how I feel about you. I've known for a while now."

"I thought... I thought you just saw me as the team healer," You whispered, hardly daring to believe this was real. Your heart skipped a beat at his words. You searched his face, looking for any sign of deception, but all you saw was sincerity and warmth. Mattheo chuckled, shaking his head again.

"At first, maybe. But you're so much more than that. You're brilliant, kind, and you challenge me in ways no one else does. I can't stop thinking about you. In the infirmary… out of the infirmary," Mattheo’s voice deepened and he snaked his hand towards the back of your head. Your breath caught in your throat as Mattheo's fingers tangled in your hair. The warmth of his touch sent shivers down your spine, and you found yourself leaning into him, drawn by an invisible force. His eyes flickered to your lips and despite the two of you having seen each other naked, you never felt more vulnerable. "Merlin…May I...?"

You nodded, unable to form words. Mattheo closed the distance between you, his lips meeting yours in a soft, hesitant kiss. It was gentle at first, a mere brush of lips, but it quickly deepened as years of pent-up emotions poured out. Your hands found their way to his chest, feeling his rapid heartbeat beneath your fingertips. You smiled slightly, an odd sense of pride bubbling at making the mighty Quidditch player nervous under your touch. Realizing where you were and on the clock no less, you had to pull away. When you finally broke apart, both of you were breathless. Mattheo rested his forehead against yours, a smile playing on his lips.

“We actually can’t have sex in here again,” You scolded playfully. Mattheo stopped you before you could fully step away, his arm strong against your waist. “Madam Pomfrey isn’t too thrilled with me, remember?”

“Mmm, you’re no fun. Fine, I’ll restrain myself for now. Meet me in my dorm after dinner,” Mattheo let a brazen hand travel down to your ass and gave it a firm squeeze.

“What a romantic request,” You joked, pulling him off the bed. “Tell my boss I didn’t mess you up on your way out.”

“Will do, princess,” Mattheo spun you around for one final kiss. “And it wasn’t a request. It was a demand.”

Mattheo wasted no time in dragging you into his room after dinner ended. You barely had time to finish your meal before he marched over, made up some lie about needing your assistance with something, and pulled you out of the Great Hall with his arm protectively - no, possessively - slung across your waist. You laughed at the whispers and jealous looks thrown at the two of you, but let the man practically carry you out.

The moment the door to Mattheo's room closed behind you, he wasted no time in pressing you against it, his lips crashing onto yours with a hunger that made your knees weak. Your hands tangled in his curls as he deepened the kiss, his tongue exploring your mouth with a fervor that left you breathless.

"I've been waiting for this all day," Mattheo hummed against your neck, his teeth grazing the sensitive skin. You shivered, arching into him.

"Impatient, are we?" You teased, but your words were cut short by a gasp as he sucked on your pulse point.

"You have no idea," Mattheo murmured, his hands roaming your body with an urgency that matched his kisses. He slipped a feverishly warm hand up your shirt and began pulling the blouse apart with so much strength that you were worried the buttons would pop. "Do you know how hard it was to focus on Quidditch practice when all I could think about was you? I thought about falling off my broom just so you could come patch me up again."

“That’s pretty dark. You don’t have to go to such measures just for my attention,” You smirked, fumbling for his belt. You dragged a hand over the building tension of his pants, causing him to groan.

“Lose the attitude or I’ll lose it for you,” Mattheo warned, raking his fingers down your body. He stopped at your breast, tugging the perched bud to make you moan, then moved down to the thin fabric of your underwear. Your breath hitched as Mattheo's fingers danced along the edge of your underwear, teasing but not quite touching where you desperately wanted him. He slowly slid a finger between you and the fabric and grinned. “So wet for me already. Does being a brat turn you on?”

You could only moan in response and squirmed against the door, trying to create more friction, but he held you firmly in place with his other hand. His finger traced lazy circles, deliberately ignoring your clit that practically pulsed with desire.

"Answer me," Mattheo demanded, his voice low and husky.

"Yes, I do. But I’ll be good! I’ll be so good…" You whined, your hips bucking involuntarily. "Please, Mattheo."

"That's more like it. I love it when you beg," Mattheo chuckled darkly, finally slipping a finger inside you. Your head fell into his chest with a gasp as he began working his finger. With the little composure you had left, you unbuttoned his shirt and pushed it off of him with frenzied greed. You could see the fabric of his shirt bunch up as you frantically unbuttoned it, revealing the toned muscles beneath. Thank you, Quidditch.

You started placing kisses on his neck, eager to move your mouth down to his chest. You could taste the bitterness of his cologne, but the warm taste of his skin took over your senses. As your lips moved down his neck, you could hear Mattheo's breathing growing heavier and more ragged. He hastily tangled his hands in your hair and pulled it back up to press it against the door.

“Get on the bed,” Mattheo growled, tearing himself off of you. You obeyed and shed yourself of the rest of your clothes before lying back on his unmade bed. You propped yourself up on your elbows to watch Mattheo to work on your poor attempt at undoing his belt. Mattheo's own fingers fumbled with the buckle, his usual dexterity hindered by his burning desire. You couldn't help but smirk at his struggle, a small act of defiance even as you lay exposed before him. Finally, he managed to undo his belt and pants, letting them fall to the floor with a soft thud. He was a sign of divinity proven in a full view of his carved muscles and dark briefs. You licked your lips, practically drooling at the sight.

Mattheo climbed on top of you for a quick kiss of desperation while his hand returned to your breast. He massaged the soft flesh, flexing his fingers deep into the mound. His lips quickly moved down to the rest of your body, stopping like his hand did on your breast earlier and taking your nipple in between his teeth. You let out a shrill cry and pressed your back up to meet his mouth. However, he kept moving his mouth down further until he reached your core. Mattheo's breath was hot against your sensitive skin, causing you to shiver with anticipation. He looked up at you, his eyes dark with lust, before dipping his head and running his tongue along your folds. You gasped, your hands instinctively grasping at the sheets beneath you. Your hand flew to his hair, but he laced his fingers with yours and held it against the bed. His skilled mouth worked you into a frenzy, alternating between long, languid strokes and quick flicks of his tongue. Your hips bucked against his face, seeking more friction, more pleasure. You chanted his name and squeezed his hand tighter as his tongue worked you. Mattheo's strong hands gripped your thighs, holding you in place as he continued. You could feel the pressure building, a coiling heat in your lower abdomen that threatened to consume you. Just as you were about to reach your peak, Mattheo pulled away, leaving you panting and desperate.

“Mattheo, I was so close-” You whined pathetically. Mattheo shook his head with a sinister grin.

“That’s for your attitude and your cheeky little smirk earlier,” Mattheo licked his lips of your arousal. He crawled back up your body, pressing his lips to yours in a searing kiss. You could taste yourself on his tongue, and it only intensified your desire. His hand trailed down your side, leaving goosebumps in its wake. He hooked his hands under your legs and pulled you closer to him while pressing your knees to your chest. You felt the blunt tip of his arousal pressing against your entrance, teasing you mercilessly. Mattheo's eyes locked with yours, silently asking for permission. You nodded eagerly, your body trembling with need.

With a slow, deliberate thrust, he entered you, stretching you deliciously. You both moaned in unison as he filled you completely. Mattheo stilled for a moment, allowing you to adjust to his size. It was different than the purely needy fever from last night, as if he trying to claim every inch of you. His forehead rested against yours, your breaths mingling in the charged air between you.

“Fuck. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to your size,” You whimpered, squeezing your eyes shut so that you would only be able to feel his every inch working you. You wrapped your legs around his waist, urging him to move. Mattheo obliged, starting with slow, deep strokes that had you gasping for air. His hips rolled against yours in a steady rhythm and he intertwined your hands with his, pressing you down into the bed while he started to move faster. You struggled to open your eyes as he started to scratch the spot you needed, but you knew that he would’ve wanted you to look at him.

“And I don’t even need to ask,” Mattheo snapped his hips with a grunt. “Such a good girl.”

The intensity of his gaze was almost too much to bear as he watched your every reaction, savoring each gasp and moan that escaped your lips. Mattheo's pace quickened, his thrusts becoming more forceful as he drove deeper into you. You mewled with every movement of his hips and let his name roll off your lips in drunken lust. The previous coiling heat in your abdomen returned with a vengeance, threatening to overwhelm you. Your fingers dug into his shoulders as you clung to him, desperate for more. Mattheo seemed to sense your need, angling his hips to hit that perfect spot inside you with each thrust. The pressure built higher and higher, your body trembling on the edge of release.

“Please, Mattheo,” You begged helplessly, bringing your hips up to meet his. Every word that followed was a filthily desperate drawl. “I’ve been good! You said I was good… I’m your good girl.”

“What a dirty mouth, but you can do better than that,” Mattheo dug his fingers into your thighs with a matched need.

“Mmm- I’m so close. Please, can I cum? Please,” You pleaded with no shame. Mattheo let out another growl and moved his hand down to your clit.

"That's it, let go for me," Mattheo panted, watching you come undone beneath him with dark, hungry eyes. The combination of his skilled fingers and relentless thrusts pushed you over the edge. Your back arched off the bed as waves of pleasure crashed over you, your walls clenching around him as you cried out his name. Mattheo groaned at the sensation, his hips stuttering as he chased his own release. Your vision blurred with the white hot stars of desire and Mattheo followed soon after. Your body trembled as aftershocks rolled through you, but Mattheo didn't slow his pace. He gripped your hips tightly, angling you just right as he pounded into you. The overstimulation bordered on too much, yet you craved more.

The moment stalled when Mattheo’s hips did and your breath finally caught up to you. He collapsed on the bed next to you, practically on top of you because of the small space. Your chest heaved as you struggled to catch your breath, your body still tingling from the intense climax. Mattheo's warm weight pressed against you, his skin slick with sweat. You turned your head to look at him, taking in his flushed cheeks and tousled hair. His eyes met yours, softer this time. He pressed a kiss on your forehead and lightly massaged your still-trembling thighs. Your fingers lazily traced patterns on Mattheo's chest, feeling the strong beat of his heart beneath your palm. He hummed appreciatively at your touch, his own hand skimming up and down your spine.

"That was..." You trailed off, unable to find the right words.

"Incredible? Mind-blowing? The best you've ever had?" Mattheo patted down your wild hair.

"Don't get cocky," You rolled your eyes but couldn't help the smile that tugged at your lips. Mattheo let out a laugh before rolling back over you and covering you in kisses while you squealed. With him hovering over you, you could only smile and drink in his beautiful face. The gentle curve of his jaw, the sparkle in his eyes, the slight dimple that appeared when he smiled at you - all of it belonged to you now. As his mouth met yours, you felt like the real champion.

Divider by @chachachannah

#mattheo riddle #mattheo riddle smut #mattheo riddle x you #mattheo riddle x reader #mattheo riddle quidditch #QuidditchPlayer!MattheoRiddle #mattheo riddle fic #Harry Potter smut #slytherin boys #Healer!Reader #Healer #Slytherin boys smut #trying this new divider thing

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bethanydelleman · 1 year ago

Note

I saw a post you reblogged at some point about Fanny being stuck in a time loop and it got me thinking: if the main men (both protagonists and antagonists) of the different Austen novels time travelled back to the day they first met their love interest/the start of the novel - whichever is latest so wentworth, knightley, and Edmund Bertram would travel to the day the main events of their novels start - who do you think would end up changing the least of the events and the most (intentionally or not)?

Because I feel like Knightley would change the least and Henry Tilney and the three S&S gents would come next. But like Wentworth would immediately throw the entire novel off track and like Darcy and Henry Crawford would come in close second trying to change their truly awful first impressions

(Also I just want to add that I really love your Austen takes and discussions 😊)

Thank you!

This is a fascinating idea. Here are my thoughts:

Wentworth just marches into Uppercross Cottage and proposes again. Doesn't even wait to be properly introduced to the family. He's getting Anne back NOW. (She says yes, of course)

I can imagine Darcy having a tiny little crisis as he decides if he really wants to be married to Elizabeth, maybe he could just not accompany Bingley to Netherfield and his life could go the way he planned... nah, he can't resist. Off to Netherfield he goes and he lets Bingley introduce him to Elizabeth at the assembly ball. Things progress unimpeded and by Christmas there is a double wedding and Wickham's character is known throughout Hertfordshire. He skips town and Lydia is packed off to Pemberley to benefit from some better society. (Side note: Mrs. Bennet would push Mr. Collins on Mary if she had any inclination that Darcy liked Elizabeth).

If Bingley knew everything, he'd never leave Jane. He'd return from London and marry her, no matter what Darcy or his sisters said. (I wrote that once actually)

Does Wickham count as a main? Because I don't want him having the ability to predict the future. Yikes on bikes!

Henry Crawford is very interesting, because does he actually understand where he went wrong? I'm not sure he does. Can he resist a flirtation with two very pretty sisters? That would be a fun fan fiction to write. Because if he went for Fanny right off the bat and she knew nothing else about him... he'd probably succeed with her, secret Edmund love or not. And she certainly wouldn't have a leg to stand on in refusing his proposal.

Does Edmund come back in the same timeline as Henry? That would be so agnsty! If not, he'd probably be doing whatever he could to keep Maria and Henry apart, but he's shockingly ineffective in canon, so would he even be able to change anything?

Henry Tilney would probably just try to prevent Catherine being sent home alone. He could easily come back early.

Mr. Knightley's best move would be to tell Robert Martin to propose in person. I doubt Harriet could have resisted. Then he could just sit back and watch everything else play out.

Honestly, I don't know if Frank Churchill would change a thing, other than making sure his final letter was posted to Jane. He enjoyed the subterfuge.

Poor Edward Ferrars has to travel back while engaged to Lucy? I feel like he wouldn't even want to relive the novel, there is nothing he can do anyway.

Colonel Brandon would probably change a lot. He could immediately save Eliza and challenge Willoughby. He might even spare Marianne from a lot of pain.

Reginald de Courcy (Lady Susan) would likely act as well and save Frederica earlier than in the novel.

#question response #this was very fun!#thank you #austen heroes #jane austen #pride and prejudice #mansfield park #northanger abbey #sense and sensibility #emma #persuasion #lady susan

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thequeenofneverland1 · 3 months ago

Text

Damon and Stefan Salvatore////In the shallow of Katherine Pierce Part Five The Final

Warnings: Violence and Gore, Emotional Manipulation, Grief and Loss, Supernatural Elements, Alcohol Consumption and Threats and Intimidation

The night was electric with tension as you and Katherine strolled down the street, still reveling in the chaos you’d left behind. Katherine was glowing with mischief, her smirk never faltering as she looped her arm through yours.

“Well, darling,” Katherine said, twirling a lock of her hair between her fingers, “I must admit, you’ve inherited my knack for drama. I’m so proud.”

You rolled your eyes, but a small smile tugged at your lips. “It’s not like they didn’t deserve it. The way they’ve been acting, someone had to shake them up a bit.”

Katherine chuckled. “Oh, they’ll stew over this for days. The Salvatores and Mikaelsons both. Men are such fun to toy with.”

You sighed, the humor fading slightly as you looked ahead. “It’s not all fun, though. I… I keep thinking about what they’ll do now. Damon, Stefan, Elijah… Klaus. It’s like I’m stuck in their worlds, but I don’t belong in either.”

Katherine slowed, her playful demeanor shifting to something more serious. “Darling, you’re overthinking. You’re my daughter. That means you belong wherever you decide to belong. The rest is just noise.”

You shook your head. “Easy for you to say. You don’t have half the Originals and the Salvatores scrutinizing your every move.”

Katherine smirked again, her sharp gaze softening. “Oh, sweetie, I’ve had all of them scrutinizing me for centuries. You’ll get used to it.”

Before you could reply, a familiar voice cut through the air. “There they are.”

You turned to see Klaus and Elijah emerging from the shadows, their expressions unreadable. Behind them, Damon and Stefan approached from the opposite direction, looking just as grim.

Katherine’s smirk widened. “Well, well. Look who decided to join the party.”

“Enough games, Katherine,” Elijah said coldly, his sharp gaze fixed on you. “We’re not here for your theatrics.”

Damon folded his arms, glaring at both of you. “And we’re definitely not here for your little mother-daughter bonding session.”

You stepped forward, crossing your arms defiantly. “What do you want? Haven’t we given you enough entertainment for one night?”

Stefan looked at you, his expression softer than the rest. “Y/N, this isn’t a game. We’re worried about you. You’ve been… different.”

Katherine snorted. “Oh, please. She’s finally learning to embrace who she is. Isn’t that what you all wanted?”

Klaus’s voice cut through like ice. “No, Katherine. What we want is for Y/N to stop playing your games and start making her own choices.”

You clenched your fists, the weight of their stares bearing down on you. “I am making my own choices. Just because you don’t like them doesn’t mean they aren’t mine.”

Elijah stepped closer, his tone softer now. “Y/N, this path you’re on… it will destroy you. And we won’t stand by and watch that happen.”

Damon scoffed, his frustration bubbling over. “Oh, so now you care? Where was all this concern when she was turning her humanity off? When she needed support, not manipulation?”

The tension between the groups reached a boiling point, and Katherine, ever the opportunist, threw her arm around you dramatically. “Oh, how touching. Everyone wants to save Y/N. But here’s a thought maybe she doesn’t want to be saved.”

Your mother’s words echoed in your mind as you looked at the faces of the people who claimed to care about you. Your voice, when it came, was laced with defiance. “She’s right. Maybe I don’t.”

Then, with Katherine’s hand in yours, you turned on your heel and walked away, leaving the two groups behind in stunned silence. The night swallowed you both, but the echo of their voices and their heartbreak lingered in the air.

The silence between the Salvatores and the Mikaelsons was thick with tension after your dramatic exit. Damon was the first to break it, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Well, that went just great. Got any more brilliant ideas, Elijah? Klaus? No? Didn’t think so.”

Klaus narrowed his eyes at Damon, his temper barely contained. “Do not mistake this for a lack of care, Salvatore. If anyone is to blame for her descent, it’s the two of you for coddling her like some fragile porcelain doll.”

Stefan stepped forward, his voice calm but firm. “Coddling her? Are you serious? You’re the ones who swoop in with your grand speeches and manipulations. What exactly have you done to help her?”

Elijah’s expression remained stoic, but his tone carried an edge. “We’ve done more than you know, Stefan. But this isn’t about assigning blame. This is about Y/N. We cannot let her continue down this path.”

Damon rolled his eyes. “Oh, please. Spare us the moral high ground, Elijah. You kissed her. Don’t think we forgot about that little stunt.”

Elijah hesitated, a rare flicker of guilt crossing his face. “It was a moment of weakness. Nothing more.”

Damon let out a bitter laugh. “Yeah, well, your ‘moment of weakness’ just added fuel to this mess.”

Klaus looked between the two brothers, his jaw tightening. “Enough. Arguing among ourselves won’t bring her back.”

Stefan sighed, his frustration evident. “So, what do we do? She’s with Katherine, and we all know what that means.”

Elijah’s voice was decisive. “We get her back. Whatever it takes. But we do it carefully. Y/N is in a fragile state, and any wrong move could push her further away.”

Damon crossed his arms, his eyes dark with determination. “Fine. But if Katherine gets in the way, I won’t hold back.”

Klaus smirked, his sharp wit returning. “Neither will I. For once, we agree on something, Salvatore.”

The uneasy alliance was sealed with a shared glance, and the group dispersed, each lost in their thoughts as they prepared for what was to come.

Meanwhile, you and Katherine were in a luxurious hotel room, toasting glasses of champagne. You lounged on a velvet chaise, your legs stretched out as Katherine twirled her glass, a wicked smile playing on her lips.

“Well, darling,” she purred, “it seems we’ve caused quite the stir. The Mikaelsons and the Salvatores teaming up? I never thought I’d see the day.”

You smirked, though your eyes held a flicker of something unreadable. “They’re predictable. Always trying to play the heroes. It’s almost boring.”

Katherine laughed, her voice light and carefree. “That’s my girl. But tell me, are you sure about this? Pushing them all away? Even the Mikaelsons?”

Your smirk faltered, and for a moment, vulnerability crept into your voice. “I don’t know, Mother. Sometimes I wonder if I’m just… lost.”

Katherine’s smile softened as she sat beside you. “Lost? No, sweetheart. You’re not lost. You’re free. And freedom means doing what you want, not what they expect of you.”

You nodded, trying to convince yourself of her words. But deep down, a part of you wondered if freedom was really worth the emptiness it seemed to bring.

The night stretched on, and somewhere in the distance, the people who cared about you were plotting your return. Whether they’d succeed or not was a question only time would answer.

The following evening, the uneasy alliance between the Salvatores and the Mikaelsons found themselves outside the lavish hotel where you and Katherine were staying. The building loomed over them, its lights glittering like a beacon of danger and uncertainty.

Klaus leaned against the car, his arms crossed as he surveyed the group. “What’s the plan, then? Kick down the door and hope for the best? That seems to be your style, Damon.”

Damon rolled his eyes. “Oh, forgive me, Klaus. I didn’t realize you were the expert on saving people. Last I checked, your idea of help involved murder.”

Elijah raised a hand, his calm voice cutting through the brewing argument. “Enough. We can’t risk escalating this. If Y/N senses our presence too soon, she’ll run, and Katherine will take her further out of reach.”

Stefan glanced toward the building, concern etched across his face. “She’s spiraling. If we don’t get through to her, she might do something she can’t come back from.”

Kol, leaning casually against the car next to Klaus, smirked. “Let’s not forget she’s with Katherine. Spiraling might just be the start of it. They could be planning to toy with us all night.”

Klaus turned his gaze toward his younger brother, his tone sharp. “Kol, if you’re not here to take this seriously, leave.”

Kol raised his hands in mock surrender. “Relax, Nik. I’m here, aren’t I? Someone needs to keep things interesting.”

Elena, having arrived moments earlier, stepped forward, her voice trembling with emotion. “You all just need to get her out of there. Y/N’s not herself. Katherine’s manipulating her, and she’s too hurt to see it.”

Damon sighed, brushing past Klaus toward the hotel’s entrance. “Fine. Let’s get this over with. But when we find her, she’s going to listen to me first.”

Stefan shot Damon a warning look but didn’t argue as they all followed him inside.

Meanwhile, inside the suite, you were sprawled across a couch, flipping lazily through a magazine. Katherine poured another glass of champagne, her mood light and celebratory.

“Well, darling,” she said with a sly grin, “what’s the next game? Shall we make them grovel a bit more before we reveal ourselves?”

You chuckled, setting the magazine down. “I don’t think groveling is in their nature, Mother. But watching them scramble has been entertaining.”

Katherine tilted her head, studying you. “And you’re sure there’s no part of you that wants to go back to them? To the Salvatores? Or maybe even the Mikaelsons? They do look at you like you hung the moon.”

Your smirk faltered for a brief moment before you recovered. “They’re all the same. They claim to care, but in the end, they only want to control me. Just like everyone else.”

Katherine walked over, sitting beside you and brushing a strand of hair from your face. “That’s my girl. Never let them think they have power over you.”

Suddenly, the door burst open, and the group flooded iDamon and Stefan in the lead, with Klaus, Elijah, and Kol close behind. Your mother’s smirk widened as she leaned back against the couch, entirely unfazed.

“Well, well,” Katherine drawled, “look who came crawling in. Didn’t take you all long, did it?”

Your eyes met Damon’s first, then Stefan’s. Both looked utterly heartbroken, their gazes searching for some sign of the person they knew. Then your gaze shifted to Klaus, Elijah, and Kol, who each wore varying degrees of determination and anger.

“Y/N,” Stefan started softly, his voice pleading. “You don’t have to do this. Come back with us.”

You tilted your head, a slow, predatory smile spreading across your face. “Do what, Stefan? Enjoy my life? Isn’t that what you always told me to do?”

Damon stepped forward, his tone sharp. “Cut the act, Y/N. This isn’t you. You’re better than this.”

Katherine stood, placing herself between you and the group. “She’s better now, Salvatore. Stronger. Freer. You should thank me.”

Klaus let out a low growl, his patience wearing thin. “Enough, Katherine. You’ve done enough damage. Y/N, come with us before this gets worse.”

You laughed, the sound cold and detached. “And why would I do that? So you can lecture me about how much you care? I’m over it.”

Kol stepped forward, his usual playfulness absent as he looked at you intently. “This isn’t you, Y/N. I’ve seen your fire, your wit—this isn’t it. This is just… her poison.”

Your jaw tightened, a flicker of emotion crossing your face before you quickly masked it. “Nice try, Kol. But you’re wasting your time.”

Elijah’s calm voice broke through. “If there’s even a part of you that remembers who you are, Y/N, fight for it. Don’t let Katherine win.”

Katherine rolled her eyes dramatically. “Oh, spare us the speech, Elijah. She’s exactly where she wants to be.”

The tension in the room was thick as everyone waited for your response. You stared at them, your expression unreadable, before finally standing and crossing your arms.

“Here’s the thing,” you said, your voice cold. “If you want to take me, you’ll have to take her too. And I don’t think any of you have what it takes.”

The challenge hung in the air, and for a moment, no one moved. The Salvatores and the Mikaelsons exchanged uncertain glances, each silently wondering how to save you without breaking you further.

Katherine smirked, clearly enjoying the standoff as she casually perched herself on the arm of the couch. “Well, this is awkward,” she purred, twirling her hair. “You all look so torn. Who wants to make the first move?”

Damon took a step forward, his fists clenched, but Stefan grabbed his arm to stop him. “Damon,” Stefan warned softly, his eyes fixed on you. “Let me handle this.”

Klaus’s gaze darkened as he watched the Salvatores silently debate their next move. “Handle it?” he echoed, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “The last time you two ‘handled’ anything, she ended up like this.”

“Excuse me?” Damon snapped, spinning toward Klaus. “You’re one to talk. Where were you when she needed someone? Oh, that’s right you were busy brooding in some mansion.”

Kol chuckled dryly, stepping forward with his signature smirk, though his eyes betrayed his concern. “And yet, here we are, watching you two bicker like children while Y/N enjoys her little rebellion.”

Katherine clapped her hands slowly. “Bravo! Such loyalty from both sides. It’s touching, really.”

“Enough!” Elijah’s firm voice cut through the tension, silencing everyone. His eyes locked on you, steady and unwavering. “Y/N,” he said gently, “we didn’t come here to fight. We came here for you. Whatever pain you’re carrying, let us help.”

For a moment, your mask slipped. Your gaze flickered with something a flicker of hesitation, a crack in the icy demeanor you had adopted. But Katherine noticed it, and she was quick to step in.

“Don’t listen to them, sweetheart,” she said, her voice soothing but manipulative. “They’re just trying to drag you back into their little web. We’re free now, remember? Free from all their judgment and control.”

Damon’s eyes softened as he looked at you. “Y/N,” he said, his voice low and almost pleading, “you are free. But not like this. You’re shutting yourself off from the people who care about you. Don’t let her win.”

Stefan stepped beside Damon, his expression pained but steady. “We know you’re hurting. We’re hurting too. But this isn’t who you are, Y/N.”

Kol, impatient as ever, gestured toward Katherine with a dramatic flourish. “If you think she actually cares about you, you’re more deluded than I thought. She’s using you.”

Katherine raised an eyebrow, clearly unfazed. “Using her? Please. I’m the only one who’s ever told her the truth. Unlike the rest of you, I don’t lie and pretend to care.”

Klaus’s voice cut through the argument like a blade. “Y/N, enough of this game. You know better than anyone that Katherine’s loyalty is to herself. Whatever she’s feeding you, it’s a lie.”

You crossed your arms, tilting your head as you studied each of them. The Salvatores, the Mikaelsons, all standing there with the same expressions: worry, anger, desperation. For a moment, you felt something stir a faint whisper of guilt or longing but you buried it quickly.

“You’re all so predictable,” you said, your tone mocking. “Coming here, acting like you’re my saviors. Newsflash: I don’t need saving.”

Damon’s jaw clenched, and he stepped closer, his voice sharper now. “You may not need saving, but you sure as hell need to wake up. You think this is freedom? You’re just letting Katherine pull your strings.”

Katherine sighed dramatically. “And here I thought you boys liked strong, independent women. Guess not.”

Kol ignored her and addressed you directly. “We’re not leaving without you, Y/N. You can pretend to be fine all you want, but we know you better than that.”

Katherine laughed, stepping protectively in front of you. “Oh, you think you know her? That’s adorable. But she’s with me now. So why don’t you all run along and leave us to it?”

You smirked, stepping forward to stand beside Katherine, matching her defiance. “She’s right. I’m not going anywhere. So unless you want to test how far I’m willing to go, I suggest you leave.”

The room fell silent, the tension palpable. Damon’s eyes flickered with hurt, Stefan’s with quiet determination. Klaus’s jaw tightened, Kol’s smirk faded, and Elijah simply stared at you, his expression unreadable.

“You’ve made your choice,” Elijah finally said, his voice heavy with disappointment. “But this isn’t over, Y/N. We won’t give up on you.”

As they turned to leave, Katherine leaned toward you with a wicked grin. “That went well, don’t you think?”

You didn’t answer, your gaze lingering on the door long after they were gone. For the first time, Katherine’s influence felt less comforting and more suffocating. But you shook the thought away, forcing yourself to stay in the role you had chosen no matter how wrong it felt.

The Salvatores and the Mikaelsons regrouped outside the house, their frustration palpable. Damon paced back and forth, his hand tugging at his hair, while Stefan leaned against the car, arms crossed, deep in thought. Kol broke the tense silence with a sarcastic drawl.

“Well, that went brilliantly. Clearly, we’ve won her over.”

“Shut up, Kol,” Klaus snapped, though his anger was aimed more at himself than his brother. “This is worse than I thought. Katherine’s poisoned her mind.”

Stefan sighed, rubbing his temples. “We can’t keep fighting her like this. She’s not in her right mind, and Katherine’s influence is only making things worse.”

Damon stopped pacing and turned to face the group. “So what do we do, Saint Stefan? Sit around and wait for her to come to us? That’s not happening. Not while Katherine is calling the shots.”

Elijah, ever the calm one, stepped forward. “We need a strategy. Y/N’s humanity is off, but that doesn’t mean she’s unreachable. There’s still a part of her—”

“How do you know that?” Damon interrupted, his voice sharp. “You saw her in there. She’s gone.”

“She’s not gone,” Elijah said firmly, meeting Damon’s glare. “I saw it in her eyes, even if only for a moment. She’s still in there, but Katherine is amplifying her pain and anger. We need to separate them.”

“And how do you propose we do that?” Klaus asked, crossing his arms. “It’s not as if she’s going to leave Katherine’s side willingly.”

Stefan straightened, his expression resolute. “We have to remind her who she iswho she was before all of this. If we can get through to her, even for a second, we can break Katherine’s hold.”

Damon scoffed. “Oh, great. Let’s just take a stroll down memory lane and hope she snaps out of it. Fantastic plan.”

Kol rolled his eyes. “As much as I love a good sarcastic remark, Damon, your pessimism isn’t helping. If anyone has a better idea, now’s the time.”

Silence fell over the group as they considered their next move. Finally, Klaus spoke, his tone cold and commanding. “If we can’t get through to Y/N, then we’ll take Katherine out of the equation. Permanently.”

Elijah’s jaw tightened. “Klaus—”

“No,” Klaus interrupted, his eyes blazing. “She’s the root of this. Remove her, and Y/N will have no one left to manipulate her. Then, we can bring her back.”

Stefan exchanged a glance with Damon, both of them clearly uneasy. “That’s risky,” Stefan said carefully. “If Katherine dies, there’s no telling how Y/N will react. It could push her even further away.”

“Or it could snap her out of it,” Klaus countered. “Do you have a better plan?”

Damon groaned, throwing his hands in the air. “I hate to say it, but Klaus might have a point. Katherine’s been a thorn in all of our sides for too long. She’s not going to stop unless we stop her first.”

Elijah hesitated, clearly torn. “If we go after Katherine, we need to be careful. Y/N is emotionally tethered to her right now. If we’re not careful, we could lose her for good.”

The group fell into a tense silence, each of them grappling with the weight of their decision. Finally, Stefan broke the silence, his voice quiet but firm. “We can’t give up on her. No matter what happens, we have to bring her back.”

Klaus nodded, his expression steely. “Then it’s settled. We’ll do whatever it takes.”

As the group prepared to move forward, none of them noticed the shadowy figure watching them from a distance. Katherine leaned against a tree, her lips curled into a sly smile.

“Let them try,” she whispered to herself. “They’ll never take her from me.”

It had been weeks of endless efforts from both the Salvatores and the Mikaelsons, their patience wearing thin as they tried to pull you out of the darkness you had retreated into. They’d tried everything memories, emotional appeals, even desperate confrontations but nothing had worked. You had built a wall around you emotions so impenetrable that it seemed impossible to break.

But they refused to give up.

Damon and Stefan sat across from you in the abandoned mansion they had brought you to, their expressions a mixture of exhaustion and determination. You, dressed in your usual dark attire, lounged lazily on the couch, you cold and detached demeanor as impenetrable as ever. You toyed with a dagger in your hand, a smirk playing on you lips as if mocking their futile efforts.

“Y/N,” Stefan began softly, his voice calm but firm. “We know you’re in there somewhere. This isn’t who you are.”

You chuckled, twirling the dagger between your fingers. “You’re right, Stefan. This isn’t who I was. But this is who I am now. Get used to it.”

Damon clenched his jaw, his frustration boiling over. “You think shutting off your humanity makes you strong? It doesn’t. It makes you weak. It makes you a coward.”

Your smirk faltered for just a moment, but you quickly recovered, leaning back with a scoff. “You’re one to talk, Damon. How many times have you flipped the switch? How many lives did you ruin while you were ‘off’? And yet, here you are, acting like the moral compass. Spare me.”

From the doorway, Klaus and Elijah watched silently, their expressions unreadable. Kol leaned against the wall, arms crossed, clearly itching to intervene but holding back for once.

“Enough of this,” Klaus finally said, stepping into the room. “If talking won’t work, then we’ll force her to face herself.”

“And how do you propose to do that?” Damon snapped, standing to face him.

Klaus smirked darkly. “By giving her no other choice.”

Before anyone could react, Klaus grabbed your arm and vampire-sped you to the middle of the room. He held you firmly, his grip unrelenting. You struggled against him, your anger flaring.

“Let me go, or I’ll make you regret it,” you hissed, your voice venomous.

“Enough, Y/N!” Klaus barked, his voice booming. “You want to act like Katherine’s puppet, fine. But don’t pretend this is who you want to be. We all know you better than that.”

“You don’t know anything about me!” You screamed, your voice cracking as you fought against him. “You don’t know what it feels like to lose everything and not care enough to fix it!”

Elijah stepped forward, his voice calm but full of emotion. “Y/N, you’re not broken. You’re hurting. And shutting off your humanity won’t bring Jeremy back. It won’t ease the pain it’ll only make it worse.”

For the first time in weeks, you faltered. The mention of Jeremy’s name struck a chord deep within you, and tears began to pool in your eyes despite you efforts to hold them back.

“Don’t,” you whispered, shaking your head. “Don’t talk about him. Don’t say his name.”

Stefan approached you slowly, his voice gentle. “He wouldn’t want this for you, Y/N. He wouldn’t want you to lose yourself because of him. He loved you too much for that.”

Damon stepped closer, his tone surprisingly soft. “Turning it off doesn’t make the pain go away, Princess. It just buries it, makes it fester. And one day, it’ll explode, and you’ll regret every moment you spent like this.”

“I can’t do this,” you whispered, your voice trembling. “It hurts too much.”

Stefan knelt beside you, wrapping an arm around you shoulders. “I know it does, but you’re not alone. We’re here. We’ll help you.”

Damon crouched down in front of you, wiping a tear from your cheek with a rare tenderness. “You don’t have to carry this by yourself, Y/N. Let us help you.”

Klaus and Elijah stood back, their expressions softening as they watched the girl they had come to care for finally begin to heal. Kol, though silent, looked genuinely relieved.

After what felt like an eternity, you looked up at them, your eyes filled with both pain and gratitude. “I don’t know how to move forward,” you admitted, your voice barely above a whisper.

“You don’t have to figure it out right now,” Stefan said gently. “One step at a time. And we’ll be here every step of the way.”

For the first time in weeks, you nodded, your walls finally crumbling as you allowed yourself to feel again.

You sat quietly in the Salvatore living room, bundled in one of Stefan’s old flannel shirts, your legs tucked beneath you on the couch. The weight of your humanity being back on was crushing, every memory and feeling rushing to the surface like a tidal wave. You had barely slept, and your eyes were still puffy from all the tears you’d shed.

Stefan walked in with a cup of tea, setting it gently in front of you. “I thought you could use something warm,” he said softly, sitting across from you.

“Thanks,” you murmured, wrapping your hands around the mug. You didn’t meet his eyes, still ashamed of everything you had done while your humanity was off.

Damon strolled in next, holding a plate of what looked suspiciously like his famous vampire pancakes, complete with a syrupy grin and blood-colored “fangs.” He placed the plate in front of you with a smirk.

“Thought you might need a pick-me-up,” he quipped. “Nothing like breakfast art to distract from existential dread.”

You managed a weak laugh, the first hint of a smile crossing your face in days. “Really, Damon?”

“Hey, don’t knock it. Those fangs took serious skill,” Damon shot back, plopping down beside you on the couch.

Stefan shot him a look but didn’t argue. He was just glad to see you react to something, even if it was Damon’s ridiculous attempts at humor.

You picked up a fork and poked at the pancake. “It’s still terrible,” you said, your voice wobbling slightly as another small smile tugged at your lips.

Damon feigned offense, clutching his chest. “Wow, Princess, and here I thought we were making progress.”

Stefan rolled his eyes but leaned forward, his tone more serious. “You’re doing better than you think, Y/N. It’s not going to be easy, but you’ve already taken the hardest step.”

You set the fork down and looked between them, your emotions threatening to spill over again. “I don’t deserve this. After everything I’ve done, everything I said—”

Damon cut you off, his voice firm but gentle. “Nope. Don’t go there. You were hurting, and you shut off your emotions to survive. We’ve all done it. Trust me, I’ve probably done worse things with my switch off than you ever will.”

“Definitely worse,” Stefan confirmed with a slight smirk, earning a glare from his brother.

You exhaled shakily, your guilt still eating at you, but their unwavering support made it easier to bear. “I don’t know what I’d do without you two,” you admitted softly.

Damon leaned back, throwing an arm casually over the back of the couch. “You’d probably be hanging out with those Mikaelsons, causing more chaos.”

Stefan shot him a warning look, but you surprised them both by laughing a real, genuine laugh.

“That sounds about right,” you said, shaking your head.

The moment was interrupted when Elena entered the room, her expression a mix of relief and caution. “Hey sis,” she said gently, glancing at you. “How are you feeling?”

“Like a train wreck,” you admitted honestly, though there was a flicker of light in your tone now.

Elena walked over and hugged you tightly. “I’m glad you’re back,” she whispered. “We all missed you.”

You hugged her back, a lump forming in your throat as you realized how much you had hurt everyone you cared about. “I missed you too,” you whispered back.

Damon cleared his throat dramatically, breaking the moment. “Okay, enough of this emotional stuff. Let’s focus on the important question: who gets credit for pulling you back to the land of the living?”

“Both of you,” you said with a small smile, looking at Stefan and Damon. “But don’t let it go to your heads.”

Damon grinned. “Too late Princess.”

The Salvatore brothers had been plotting something all morning, whispering to each other in the living room while you sat on the couch, pretending not to notice. You had a book in your hands, but you were not reading a single word. Their hushed voices and occasional glances in your direction were impossible to ignore.

Finally, Damon cleared his throat and sauntered over, his trademark smirk firmly in place. Stefan followed, looking slightly more reserved but equally determined. You raised an eyebrow, setting the book down.

“Okay, spill it. What are you two scheming?” You asked, crossing your arms playfully.

Damon leaned against the arm of the couch, his eyes sparkling with mischief. “Scheming? Us? Never. We’re simply… making plans.”

“Plans that involve you,” Stefan added, sitting on the other side of you .

You glanced between them suspiciously. “What kind of plans?”

Damon straightened up dramatically and pointed a finger at her. “There’s a party tonight. And since we’re the most charming men in Mystic Falls—”

“And modest,” you cut in with a laugh.

“—we’ve decided that you, Princess, deserve the honor of having both Salvatore brothers as your dates,” Damon finished with a wink.

Your jaw dropped in mock surprise. “Oh, both Salvatores? I must be the luckiest girl in the world.”

Stefan chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. “We just thought it might be fun. You’ve had a lot on your plate lately, and we wanted to make sure you had a good time.”

You softened at his sincerity, though you couldn’t resist teasing them. “So, this isn’t just your excuse to keep other guys away from me?”

Damon didn’t even try to deny it. “Well, I mean, that’s a bonus.”

You shook your head, laughing. “You two are ridiculous. But okay, I’ll go with you.”

“Perfect,” Damon said, clapping his hands together. “And just so you know, we’re expecting you to be the best-dressed person there.”

“Of course,” You said, standing up and heading toward the stairs. “But don’t forget if I’m the best-dressed, you two have to step up your game, too. No wrinkled shirts, Damon.”

Damon feigned offense, calling after you. “Wrinkled? I’m the king of style!”

Stefan gave his brother a pointed look. “She has a point. You might want to reconsider that leather jacket for once.”

Damon waved him off. “It’s iconic. She loves it.”

Your laughter echoed from upstairs as you got ready, feeling lighter than you had in weeks. The thought of being escorted by Damon and Stefan, the two people who had stood by you through everything, brought a smile to your face. It wasn’t just a party anymore it was a chance to feel normal again, if only for a night.

When you came back downstairs, both brothers were waiting for you , looking sharp in suits. Damon even ditched the leather jacket. Stefan nudged him with a grin. “See? Told you it was worth it.”

You took their arms, one on each side, and smiled. “You guys clean up nicely. Maybe I really am the luckiest girl in the world.”

Damon smirked. “Told you. Now, let’s go show everyone why you’re the star of the party.”

And with that, the three of you headed out, ready to make the night unforgettable.

The party was in full swing when you arrived, flanked by Damon and Stefan, who had been glued to you side since the three of you walked in. The room was buzzing with energy, the music loud, and the air thick with excitement. You had to admit, having the Salvatore brothers as your dates was turning more heads than you anticipated. You could feel the curious and envious glances following three of you as the boys and you moved through the crowd.

“See?” Damon said, leaning down to whisper in your ear. “We’re already the most interesting trio here.”

You rolled your eyes but couldn’t hide your smile. “Maybe that’s because you’re radiating jealousy at every guy who so much as looks at me.”

Stefan chuckled, but his eyes darted around the room. “He’s not the only one. You’ve definitely caught a lot of attention tonight.”

You smirked, pulling your hand from Damon’s arm to pat Stefan’s shoulder. “You two really don’t need to worry. I’m here with you, aren’t I?”

But your reassurance wasn’t enough to stop the boys from getting riled up when a confident stranger approached her. He was tall, with a charming grin that screamed trouble, and he wasted no time stepping into their little circle.

“Hey,” the guy said, flashing you a dazzling smile. “I couldn’t help but notice you from across the room. You look stunning tonight.”

Before you could respond, Damon’s smirk vanished, replaced by a pointed glare. He stepped forward, casually draping an arm around your shoulders. “Thanks, buddy. We noticed too. But you’re interrupting a private conversation.”

The guy hesitated, glancing at Stefan, who stood stiffly by your other side. “I didn’t mean to interrupt. I just thought I’d introduce myself.”

“Well, you’ve done that,” Stefan said with a polite but firm tone. “Now, if you don’t mind—”

You placed a hand on Stefan’s chest, stifling a laugh. “Guys, relax. He’s just being friendly.”

But the poor guy took the hint and backed away, muttering an awkward apology before disappearing into the crowd. As soon as he was gone, you turned to face Damon and Stefan, crossing your arms with an amused grin.“Really? You scared him off that fast?”

Damon shrugged, completely unrepentant. “He had no business coming over here like that.”

“Exactly,” Stefan agreed. “It’s disrespectful. You’re here with us.”

You laughed, shaking your head. “You two are unbelievable. I didn’t realize having two dates would mean having two bodyguards, too.”

Damon leaned in, his smirk returning. “What can we say? You’re too pretty for your own good. We’re just keeping you safe.”

“Safe from what? Compliments?” You teased, giving them a playful nudge. “You guys are something else.”

“Hey,” Stefan said with a small smile, “we’re just looking out for you. Besides, you’re the one who said yes to us.”

“True,” You admitted, slipping your arms back through theirs. “And I wouldn’t trade my overprotective dates for anything. Now, come on you promised me a fun night, and I intend to hold you to that.”

Damon and Stefan exchanged a look, their jealousy giving way to soft smiles as You led them further into the party. They weren’t about to let anyone ruin your night, even if it meant being a little overbearing. After all, they couldn’t help but be protective when it came to you.

The Salvatore house was unusually quiet for a Saturday night, and Damon couldn’t stand it. You was curled up on the couch, flipping through a book, your mood unusually subdued. Stefan sat in the armchair nearby, focused on his own thoughts. The silence was too much for Damon.

“Okay, enough of this gloomy atmosphere,” Damon announced, walking into the room with his usual flair. “I can’t take it anymore.”

You glanced up from your book, raising an eyebrow. “What are you talking about? I’m fine.”

“Fine?” Damon scoffed, stopping dramatically in front of her. “That’s what people say when they’re not fine. And you, Princess, are about as fine as a vampire trying to walk through a sunny field without a daylight ring.”

Stefan chuckled softly, but You only smirked and went back to your book. Damon frowned, clearly not satisfied. He leaned against the armrest of the couch, looking down at you. “Come on, Y/N. Give me a smile. Just one. I’m not leaving until I see those dimples.”

You tried to keep a straight face. “Damon, I’m trying to read.”

“Read?” Damon repeated in mock disbelief. “Boring. Let me tell you something more entertaining.” He dropped to the floor dramatically, sitting cross-legged in front of her. “Did you know Stefan once got stuck in a bathtub for two hours because he couldn’t figure out the faucet?”

Stefan groaned, glaring at his brother. “Damon.”

Your lips twitched, but you didn’t look up. “Nice try.”

“Okay, okay. How about this one?” Damon leaned closer, lowering his voice as if sharing a great secret. “Stefan once serenaded a squirrel because he thought it was a girl he’d compelled. Spoiler alert: it wasn’t.”

This time, You did laugh, a soft chuckle escaping before you could stop yourself. Stefan sat up straighter, throwing Damon a warning look. “That never happened.”

“Oh, it absolutely did,” Damon said, grinning at his success. “And don’t get me started on the time you—”

Before he could finish, Stefan launched a pillow at Damon’s head. Damon caught it mid-air with a dramatic flourish. “Oh, now we’re resorting to violence? You wound me, brother.”

You closed your book, finally smiling fully. “You’re ridiculous, Damon.”

“And yet, you’re smiling,” Damon said, leaning back smugly. “Mission accomplished.”

Stefan shook his head but couldn’t help the small smile on his face. “You know, Damon, you could just try being normal for once.”

“Normal is overrated,” Damon replied, tossing the pillow back at Stefan, this time hitting him square in the face. “And besides, I’ll do anything to cheer up our favorite hybrid witch–vampire. Even if it means embarrassing you in the process.”

You laughed, leaning back into the couch. “Well, whatever works. Thanks, Damon.”

“Anytime,” Damon said, giving her a playful wink. “Now, let’s talk about that time Stefan thought he could dance.”

As Damon launched into another story, you couldn’t help but feel a little lighter, grateful for the brothers’ endless antics to keep you smiling.

“Alright, Y/N,” Stefan began, setting his glass of bourbon on the table. “Since Damon is always the one telling embarrassing stories about me, I think it’s time you heard one about him.”

Damon froze mid-sip, lowering his glass slowly. “Oh no, Stefan. Don’t you dare.”

You perked up, a grin already forming. “Oh, this I have to hear.”

Stefan smirked, ignoring Damon’s warning glare. “So, this was back in the early 1900s. Damon had this phase where he thought he was the ultimate charmer. We were in Paris—”

“Stop right there,” Damon interrupted, sitting up straighter. “This is revisionist history. I was, in fact, the ultimate charmer.”

Stefan ignored him, addressing you directly. “Anyway, there was this fancy masquerade ball, and Damon decided he wanted to impress a certain young lady. But instead of just introducing himself like a normal person, he decided to, uh, make an entrance.”

“Oh no,” you said, laughing already. “What did he do?”

Stefan leaned in, grinning. “He climbed up to the balcony where the girl was sitting, rose in hand, and started reciting Shakespeare. He had it all planned out until his foot got caught in the drapes.”

You gasped, covering your mouth to keep from laughing too loudly. “You’re kidding.”

“I wish I were,” Stefan said, shaking his head. “He tripped, fell into the room, and ended up knocking over a table full of champagne. The girl was soaked, the host was furious, and Damon being Damon just stood up, adjusted his tie, and said, ‘This is exactly how I planned it.’”

You burst into laughter, clutching your sides. Damon groaned, leaning back dramatically. “You’re leaving out the part where the girl was still impressed by my charm, Stefan. She was laughing too.”

“Probably because she couldn’t believe someone could be that ridiculous,” Stefan teased.

Damon rolled his eyes but couldn’t hide his smirk. “I was ahead of my time. People love grand gestures.”

“Sure,” Stefan said, clearly enjoying himself. “But I’m pretty sure the host banned us from that estate forever.”

You wiped away a tear, still laughing. “Damon, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to look at you the same way again.”

“Good,” Damon said, leaning toward her with a wink. “Keep me mysterious. That’s part of the charm.”

Stefan shook his head, chuckling. “Mysterious isn’t exactly the word I’d use.”

As the laughter died down, you leaned back into the couch, feeling lighter than you had in days. “You two really are something else.”

“And don’t you forget it,” Damon said, raising his glass in a toast. “To unforgettable memories and Stefan’s selective storytelling.”

You laughed again, grateful for moments like these, where even centuries-old vampires could make you feel like everything would be okay.

The three of you were lounging in the Salvatore living room, the mood light and playful after Stefan’s storytelling session. Damon stretched out lazily on the couch, a smirk firmly in place as he swirled his drink. Stefan sat nearby, leaning forward with his trademark calm curiosity.

“Alright, Y/N,” Damon said, raising an eyebrow. “Your turn. Tell us something embarrassing about yourself. Spill it.”

You shook your head, leaning back and crossing your arms. “Oh no. See, unlike you two, I don’t have a catalog of idiotic moments to pull from. I’m not stupid like you guys.”

Damon clutched his chest dramatically. “Ouch, the truth hurts. But you’ve got to have something,” he teased. “Come on, Princess. Don’t keep us waiting.”

Stefan nodded, his lips twitching in amusement. “Yeah, Y/N. We’re all ears.”

You rolled your eyes but couldn’t help the small smile tugging at your lips. “Fine. I’ll give you one, but it’s not embarrassing just funny.”

Damon leaned in like a conspirator. “I’ll be the judge of that. Go on.”

Taking a deep breath, you began, your eyes twinkling with mischief. “So, when I was a kid, my mom had this vase. It was her favorite, this super old, super fancy vase that she always told us not to touch.”

“Classic mom move,” Stefan said with a grin.

“Exactly,” you agreed. “Anyway, one day, I was playing tag with Elena in the house because why not? and I accidentally knocked the vase over. It shattered into about a million pieces.”

Damon’s eyes lit up. “Ooh, I like where this is going. What happened next?”

“Well,” you continued, leaning forward conspiratorially, “before my mom came into the room, I did what any resourceful kid would do: I blamed Elena.”

Stefan chuckled, shaking his head. “Of course you did. And did it work?”

“Oh, it worked beautifully,” you said, biting back a laugh. “Elena got grounded for two weeks. I even acted all innocent, like, ‘Mom, I told her not to run in the house!’”

Damon burst out laughing, slapping his knee. “You little mastermind! Poor Elena didn’t stand a chance.”

Stefan was laughing too, though he tried to look disapproving. “You let your sister take the fall for two weeks? That’s cruel, even for you.”

“Hey,” you said, holding up your hands in mock defense, “I was, like, eight. Survival instincts kicked in.”

Damon wiped a tear from his eye, still chuckling. “I knew I liked you for a reason. You’ve got a wicked streak.”

You smirked, pointing at him. “I learned from the best.”

Stefan shook his head, smiling despite himself. “Does Elena know the truth now?”

You shrugged nonchalantly. “I mean… I might have told her eventually. But only after she broke my favorite doll and blamed me for that. So really, we’re even.”

Damon leaned back, raising his glass in a mock toast. “To little Y/N, the queen of framing siblings. I’m proud of you.”

You rolled your eyes, laughing along with them. “You’re terrible influences, you know that?”

Stefan grinned. “We prefer to call it… moral flexibility.”

The room erupted in laughter again, the kind of easy, genuine joy that reminded you how much these two had become a part of your life even when they were ridiculous.

It was a quiet, somber evening at the Salvatore house. The atmosphere had been heavy for days, a weight pressing down on everyone since Jeremy’s death. You sat on the couch, staring blankly at the flickering fire, your hands tightly clasped together. The emptiness in your chest felt unbearable, even with Damon and Stefan hovering nearby, trying their best to comfort you. Nothing seemed to work.

Stefan walked in with a small glass of bourbon, his eyes soft with concern. “Y/N, you should try to eat something. Or at least drink this.”

You shook your head. “I’m fine,” you muttered, though your voice was raw and lifeless. “I don’t need anything.”

Damon, leaning against the doorframe, let out a sigh. “We’re worried about you, Princess. You’ve barely slept, barely talked. If you don’t let us help you—”

“I don’t need help!” you snapped, standing abruptly. The sudden movement startled both brothers. You clenched your fists, willing yourself not to break down again. “I just… I just need Jeremy back. That’s all I need.”

The room fell silent, the words echoing painfully in the air. Damon and Stefan exchanged a helpless look, neither knowing what to say. Just as the silence became suffocating, the front door creaked open.

You turned, your heart sinking as you prepared to tell whoever it was to leave. But when your eyes landed on the figure in the doorway, your breath caught. Your vision blurred with tears, and for a moment, you thought your mind was playing a cruel trick on you.

“Jeremy?” you whispered, your voice trembling.

Standing there, looking just as alive as the last time you’d seen him, was your brother. His clothes were disheveled, his expression uncertain, but it was him. His warm brown eyes locked onto yours, and he gave you a small, almost hesitant smile. “Hey, Y/N.”

You didn’t even think. You ran to him, throwing your arms around his neck and pulling him into a tight hug. The feeling of his solid, living body against yours made the dam finally break, and you sobbed uncontrollably into his shoulder.

“You’re alive,” you choked out. “You’re alive. I thought I lost you forever.”

Jeremy hugged you back just as tightly, his hand gently rubbing your back. “I’m here, Y/N. I’m okay. I don’t know how, but I’m here.”

Damon and Stefan approached cautiously, their expressions a mix of disbelief and relief. Damon broke the tension first. “Well, look who decided to come back from the dead. Again,” he said, though his voice lacked its usual snark. His eyes softened as he looked at Jeremy. “Welcome back, kid.”

Jeremy gave him a small nod before glancing at Stefan, who offered a rare smile. “It’s good to see you, Jeremy,” Stefan said quietly.

You pulled back just enough to look at your brother’s face, your hands gripping his shoulders as if you were afraid he might disappear again. “How is this possible? Who did this? Was it Bonnie? Where is she?”

Jeremy hesitated, his expression darkening slightly. “I… I don’t know. I woke up in the woods. I don’t remember much, but I think someone… or something brought me back.”

The room fell silent again as the implications sank in. Whatever had brought Jeremy back, it wasn’t normal. It wasn’t natural. But none of that mattered to you right now. All you cared about was that he was here.

“Promise me you won’t leave again,” you said, your voice breaking. “Promise me.”

Jeremy smiled softly, his hands gently squeezing yours. “I promise, Y/N. I’m not going anywhere.”

For the first time in days, the crushing weight in your chest began to lift. Damon clapped Jeremy on the back, muttering something about the family being complete again, while Stefan quietly observed, his protective nature on high alert.

But you didn’t care about the mysteries or the potential dangers. For now, you let yourself feel the relief and joy of having your brother back, holding onto him as if your life depended on it. Because in many ways, it did.

After Jeremy’s miraculous return, you were buzzing with excitement. You couldn’t believe he was alive and here, standing in front of you, as though the nightmare of losing him had never happened. But as overjoyed as you were, there was one more person who needed to share this moment: Elena.

You grabbed your phone, dialing her number quickly. The line rang a few times before her tired voice answered. “Y/N, I really can’t do this right now. I’m exhausted, and I just need some time alone.”

“Elena, I get it,” you said softly, though your voice was shaking with anticipation. “I know things have been hard lately. But trust me, you’ll want to come over for this. It’s important.”

“Y/N,” she sighed, “I don’t think I can handle another lecture about how I need to ‘stay strong’ or how everything’s going to be okay. Not today.”

You rolled your eyes but kept your tone light, masking the giddiness bubbling under the surface. “It’s not that, I promise. Just… come over, sister. I’ve got a surprise for you.”

“A surprise?” she asked, her skepticism clear. “I’m really not in the mood for surprises, Y/N.”

“Elena, listen to me,” you said firmly, leaning into your usual big-sister authority. “You need to come. This isn’t some silly prank or some distraction to cheer you up. It’s real, and it’s important. Trust me.”

There was a pause on the other end of the line, and you could hear her debating. “I don’t know…” she murmured.

“Elena,” you said, your voice softening. “You’re my sister. When have I ever led you wrong when it really mattered? Please. Just come. You won’t regret it.”

After another long silence, she finally let out a sigh. “Fine. I’ll come. But this better be worth it, Y/N.”

You grinned, clutching your phone tightly. “Oh, it will be. Trust me.”

You hung up and turned to Jeremy, who was sitting on the couch with Damon and Stefan, all three of them looking amused by your persistence. “She’s coming,” you announced.

“Good,” Jeremy said, his lips curling into a small, nervous smile. “I wasn’t sure how she’d react, but I’m ready.”

Damon smirked, swirling his drink. “Oh, she’ll react, alright. Can’t wait to see her face when she walks through that door.”

Stefan shot Damon a look but smiled at you. “You did the right thing. She deserves to know.”

You nodded, your excitement and nerves mixing into a strange cocktail of emotions. “I just hope she doesn’t faint when she sees him. Or, you know, scream at me for keeping this a secret.”

Jeremy laughed softly. “Elena? Scream? Never.”

You laughed too, but deep down, you knew how overwhelming this would be for her. Still, you were determined to share this moment. Elena had lost so much, and seeing Jeremy alive again might just give her the hope she needed.

Now all you had to do was wait. And you didn’t have to wait long.

The sound of a car pulling up outside had you springing to your feet. You quickly glanced at Jeremy, who was nervously tapping his fingers on the edge of the couch. Damon and Stefan exchanged knowing looks but stayed silent, letting you take the lead.

“She’s here,” you whispered, as if it were some sacred secret.

Jeremy stood, smoothing his hands down his shirt. “What do I even say?” he muttered.

“You just be yourself,” you said softly, placing a reassuring hand on his arm. “She’s going to be over the moon. Trust me.”

The sound of the front door opening echoed through the house. “Y/N? I’m here,” Elena called out, her tone hesitant and wary. “This better not be one of Damon’s ridiculous pranks.”

You shot Damon a pointed look, and he held his hands up in defense, smirking. “I’m innocent this time.”

“Elena!” you called out, walking toward the doorway to meet her. Your face betrayed none of the emotions swirling inside you. “Thanks for coming.”

Elena crossed her arms, her expression guarded. “Alright, Y/N. What’s this big surprise? And why do I feel like I’m about to regret this?”

You stepped aside, giving her a full view of the living room. Jeremy was standing there, his hands shoved into his pockets, a nervous but hopeful smile on his face.

Elena froze. Her eyes widened, and for a moment, it seemed like time itself had stopped. “Jeremy?” she whispered, her voice cracking.

“Hey, ’Lena,” Jeremy said, his voice soft but steady. “It’s me.”

Her breath hitched as she stumbled forward, her hands covering her mouth. “No… no, this can’t be real,” she whispered. Tears were already streaming down her face as she slowly approached him. “You… you were gone. I buried you. How is this…?”

Jeremy stepped closer, his hands gently taking hers and lowering them from her face. “It’s real, Elena. I’m here. I’m okay.”

The moment his hands touched hers, the dam broke. Elena let out a sob and threw her arms around him, holding him so tightly it was as if she feared he might disappear again. “Oh my god,” she cried. “Jeremy, I thought I’d lost you forever.”

As the three of you stood there, wrapped in a moment of shared relief and love, Damon broke the silence with a dramatic clap of his hands. “Alright, family reunion’s over. Who’s hungry? Because I’m thinking pizza.”

Stefan sighed, shaking his head. “Way to ruin the moment, Damon.”

But even Elena managed a watery laugh, and for the first time in what felt like forever, the weight of grief lifted, replaced by a fragile but hopeful joy.

The living room was filled with the smell of pizza and the sounds of lighthearted chatter. Everyone had gathered around the coffee table, plates in hand, and for the first time in a while, things felt normal. You smiled, watching Jeremy laugh as Damon tried to steal a second slice from Stefan’s plate without getting caught.

“Y/N,” Damon suddenly said, sliding closer to you on the couch. “Mind if I—” Without waiting for permission, he plucked a bite-sized piece from your slice and popped it into his mouth with a smirk.

“Seriously?” you groaned, glaring at him. “You have a whole pizza, Damon.”

“But yours tastes better,” he said nonchalantly, leaning back like he hadn’t just committed a crime.

Jeremy, sitting on the armrest of the couch, watched the exchange with narrowed eyes. His lips slowly curled into a mischievous smirk, and he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “Hey, Damon. Stefan,” he began, his tone casual but clearly calculated.

Stefan, mid-bite, glanced up suspiciously. “What?”

Jeremy’s grin widened. “Do you guys like Y/N?”

The room went silent. Damon froze, pizza slice halfway to his mouth, and Stefan nearly choked on his bite, coughing violently. You stared at Jeremy, mortified. “Jeremy!” you hissed, swatting at his arm.

Jeremy shrugged innocently, though his smirk betrayed him. “What? It’s a valid question.”

Damon finally recovered, clearing his throat as he set his plate down. “Whoa, whoa, whoa,” he said, raising his hands in defense. “Let’s not jump to conclusions here.”

Stefan, still trying to compose himself, nodded. “Yeah, we’re just… friends. That’s all.”

Jeremy’s smirk didn’t waver. “Friends who steal her food and stare at her like she hung the moon?”

Damon and Stefan exchanged a panicked glance, and you buried your face in your hands, groaning. “I’m going to kill you, Jeremy.”

Jeremy ignored you, leaning back and folding his arms like he had all the power in the world. “If you do like her,” he continued, his tone suddenly serious, “just know thisif you hurt my sister, I’ll—”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Damon cut him off, waving his hands dramatically. “No need to threaten us! Elena’s already got that covered. She’s practically got a stake with our names on it if we mess up.”

Stefan sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “She’s not wrong.”

Jeremy raised an eyebrow. “Good. Keep that in mind.” Then, with a satisfied smile, he reached for another slice of pizza.

Damon slumped back against the couch, muttering under his breath, “I liked him better when he was dead.”

“Hey!” Jeremy shot back, throwing a napkin at Damon, which he caught effortlessly.

You couldn’t help but laugh despite your embarrassment. “You’re all ridiculous,” you said, shaking your head. But secretly, you found it endearing the protective brother, the flustered Salvatores, and the silly banter that made your house feel like home again.

The house was quiet, eerily so. You had been on edge all day, feeling like something or someone was lurking in the shadows. You were right.

Katherine appeared without warning, leaning casually against the doorframe, her smirk sharp and dangerous as ever. “Oh, my sweet daughter.” she cooed, her voice dripping with venom. “Playing house with the Salvatores? Pretending you’re the better version of me? It’s adorable, really.”

You clenched your fists, stepping forward. “What do you want, Katherine?”

She laughed, the sound cold and hollow. “Want? Oh, darling, I don’t want anything. I just thought it was time we had a little… family reunion.” She stepped closer, her eyes gleaming with malice. “You see, I’m tired of everyone fawning over you. The Salvatores, the Mikaelsons… even your little witch friend. It’s pathetic, really. They’ll learn soon enough you’re no better than me.”

“You’re wrong,” you said firmly, grabbing a stake from behind the couch. “I’m nothing like you.”

Katherine tilted her head, a cruel smile spreading across her face. “Aren’t you, though? The anger, the darkness oh, it’s there. I see it. It’s only a matter of time before you turn into me completely.”

“Shut up,” you snapped, your grip tightening on the stake. Your heart pounded in your chest, but your voice remained steady. “I’m not going to let you hurt anyone else again.”

Katherine laughed again, stepping closer until she was only inches away. “And what are you going to do about it, little girl? Stake me? You don’t have the guts.”

That was it. All the pain, the loss, the manipulation—everything she had put you and everyone you loved through—boiled over. Without thinking, you lunged forward, plunging the stake directly into her chest.

Katherine gasped, her eyes widening in shock as she staggered back. Blood oozed from the wound, staining her dress as her hands clawed at the stake. “You… you actually…” she sputtered, her voice weak.

“I told you,” you said, your voice cold and unrelenting. “I’m nothing like you.”

She stumbled, her legs giving out beneath her. Her body hit the ground with a dull thud, and for a moment, the room was deathly silent. You stood over her, your breathing heavy as you watched the light fade from her eyes.

Katherine’s smirk faltered for the first time, replaced by something almost human fear. “This… isn’t over,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. And then, just like that, she was gone. Her body crumbled to ash, leaving only the stake behind.

You stood there for a moment, staring at the pile of ash on the floor. Your hands trembled, and your chest heaved with the weight of what you’d just done. The room seemed darker now, the air heavier.

The front door burst open, and Damon and Stefan rushed in, their eyes immediately landing on you and the remnants of Katherine. “Y/N,” Stefan said softly, taking in the scene.

Damon approached slowly, his usual bravado replaced by something more cautious. “Are you okay?” he asked, his voice unusually gentle.

You nodded, but your voice cracked as you said, “She’s gone.”

Stefan placed a hand on your shoulder, grounding you. “You did what you had to do,” he said firmly.

But as you looked down at the ashes, a cold realization settled over you. Katherine was gone, but her shadow still lingered and you couldn’t shake the feeling that this was only the beginning.

The Mystic Grill was alive with laughter and warmth, a rare moment of peace that none of you took for granted. The gang had gathered around the largest table in the restaurant, plates of food and glasses of drinks scattered across its surface. The lights twinkled softly, and the air buzzed with the sense of relief and celebration. For the first time in what felt like forever, there was no immediate danger looming over you.

Damon leaned back in his chair, a playful grin on his face as he raised his glass. “Alright, everyone. I think we can all agree that this might be the first time in years we’ve had something to celebrate without a vampire, werewolf, or hybrid ruining it.”

Jeremy chuckled, nudging you lightly. “Yeah, and it only took the death of one of the most psychotic vampires in history to get us here.”

“To Katherine finally biting the dust!” Damon added, raising his glass higher.

“Cheers to that,” Caroline chimed in, clinking her glass with everyone else’s.

You smiled, but it was faint, your mind still lingering on everything that had happened. Elena noticed and reached over, placing a comforting hand on yours. “Hey,” she said softly, “you deserve this moment too, Y/N. We all do.”

“Yeah,” Matt added, sitting across from you. “It’s been a long road, but we’re finally here. No more Katherine, no more Mikaelsons… at least for now.”

“Speaking of the Mikaelsons,” Tyler muttered, taking a sip of his drink. “Can we just agree to keep them in New Orleans this time? No offense, but they bring chaos wherever they go.”

“I’ll drink to that,” Bonnie said with a wry smile, raising her glass. “And to all of us surviving it.”

Damon smirked, glancing at you. “You should be especially proud, Y/N. I mean, not everyone can say they outsmarted Katherine Pierce. That was a showstopper.”

“Yeah,” Stefan agreed, his tone softer. “You were amazing, Y/N. We all saw it.”

You felt their eyes on you, warmth blooming in your chest despite the lingering ache from everything that had happened. “Thanks, guys,” you said, your voice quiet but sincere. “I just… I’m glad it’s over. And I’m glad we’re all here, together.”

Caroline grinned, leaning forward. “Okay, enough with the sentimental stuff. Let’s talk about how we’re going to spend all this free time now that no one’s trying to kill us!”

“I vote for more pizza nights,” Jeremy said, earning a nod of agreement from Matt.

“Or a road trip,” Bonnie suggested, her eyes lighting up. “We’ve never done that as a group.”

“Road trip?” Damon scoffed, shaking his head. “Do you know how many bodies we’d have to bury if we were stuck in a car together for hours?”

Elena rolled her eyes, laughing. “Come on, Damon. Can’t you just admit you’d enjoy it?”

“Only if I get to pick the music,” he shot back with a smirk.

The table erupted into laughter, the kind that felt free and unburdened. For a moment, it was as if the weight of the past few years had lifted entirely, leaving only the bonds you all shared.

As the night went on, the food kept coming, and the conversations flowed easily. Stories were exchanged, memories shared, and even the occasional teasing argument broke out. You found yourself smiling more and more, letting go of the heaviness you’d been carrying.

Toward the end of the evening, as everyone started to settle down, Stefan leaned over to you, his voice low so only you could hear. “I hope you know how proud we are of you, Y/N. You’ve been through so much, but you’re still here, still standing.”

You looked at him, his earnest expression grounding you in a way you hadn’t felt in weeks. “Thanks, Stefan,” you said softly. “I don’t know what I’d do without all of you.”

“Well,” he said, a small smile tugging at his lips, “you won’t have to find out.”

The night at Mystic Grill stretched on, filled with laughter, love, and the rare joy of knowing that, at least for now, everything was finally okay.

The table at the Mystic Grill was alive with chatter and laughter as everyone started sharing stories, reminiscing about moments that, in hindsight, seemed funny despite the chaos at the time. Plates of half-eaten pizza, glasses of soda, and a few drinks sat between you all, but the food was almost forgotten as everyone dove into the conversation.

“So, there was this one time,” Damon started, leaning forward with a smirk, “when Stefan here thought he could outrun a pack of werewolves. Let me tell you, it did not go as planned.”

Stefan groaned, shaking his head. “You’re really going to bring that up?”

“Oh, absolutely,” Damon said, feigning innocence. “It’s a classic! So, there he was, all heroic, thinking he could ‘distract’ them while the rest of us got away. Next thing we know, he’s running full speed, yelling at me to help him because they’re gaining on him.”

The table burst into laughter, Bonnie nearly spitting out her drink. “Wait, Stefan? Running from werewolves?”

“It was strategic!” Stefan defended, though his cheeks tinged pink. “I wasn’t running away—I was leading them away.”

“Sure, that’s what it was,” Damon teased, earning another round of laughter.

“You think that’s bad?” Jeremy jumped in, pointing his fork at Damon. “You weren’t there the time Damon got stuck in a tree because he thought he could take on an entire coven of witches by himself.”

“What?” Caroline shrieked, leaning forward. “How does Damon Salvatore end up stuck in a tree?”

“I was strategizing,” Damon said, mimicking Stefan’s earlier defense. “They threw me in there with some sort of spell, okay? I wasn’t stuck I was temporarily inconvenienced.”

“‘Temporarily inconvenienced,’” Matt repeated with a laugh. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard that one before.”

Elena was shaking her head, wiping tears of laughter from her eyes. “I wish I’d been there to see that. Damon, stuck in a tree? That’s gold.”

“Alright, alright,” Damon said, waving his hand. “You’ve all had your laughs. Let’s hear someone else’s embarrassing story.”

Bonnie smirked, glancing at Caroline. “Care to tell them about the time you tried to compel a guy to ask you to prom but forgot he was on vervain?”

Caroline gasped, covering her face with her hands. “Bonnie! Why would you bring that up?”

“Wait, wait,” you interjected, laughing. “What happened?”

Caroline peeked through her fingers, groaning. “Okay, fine. So, there was this guy I really wanted to ask me to prom. I figured, why not give him a little push, you know? Turns out, he was on vervain and knew exactly what I was doing. He gave me this lecture about consent, and I was so mortified I couldn’t even look at him for the rest of the year.”

The table erupted into laughter again, and Caroline buried her face in her hands, though a small smile peeked through. “I hate all of you.”

“Don’t worry, Care,” Tyler said with a grin. “At least you didn’t accidentally compel someone to fall in love with you. Oh wait, wasn’t that Damon?”

Damon rolled his eyes, raising his glass. “Alright, that’s enough about me. Let’s move on to Y/N. You’ve been suspiciously quiet over there.”

All eyes turned to you, and you laughed nervously. “Me? I don’t have any embarrassing stories.”

“Oh, come on,” Jeremy said, leaning back in his chair. “There’s got to be something.”

You thought for a moment, then smirked. “Okay, fine. When I was a kid, I accidentally broke my mom’s favorite vase, and instead of owning up to it, I blamed Elena.”

Elena groans. “ because of you. I was grounded for two weeks.”

“I regret nothing,” you said with a grin, earning more laughter from the table.

As the stories continued, the room seemed lighter than it had been in years. Each tale, whether embarrassing or triumphant, wove together the history you all shared, a testament to how far you’d come and how much you’d endured together. For once, the danger felt distant, and in this moment, surrounded by friends and family, everything felt okay.

Later that evening, after everyone had parted ways from the Mystic Grill, you found yourself standing on the Salvatore porch, looking up at the stars. The cool night air carried a sense of calm that contrasted with the storm of emotions swirling inside you. Damon and Stefan stood nearby, their usual bickering replaced by a shared curiosity about why you’d asked them to stay behind.

Damon broke the silence first, leaning casually against the doorframe. “Alright, Princess, you dragged us out here. What’s the big reveal? Are you finally going to admit I’m your favorite?”

Stefan rolled his eyes, crossing his arms with a small smirk. “Or maybe she’s going to confess how insufferable you are.”

You laughed softly, shaking your head. “Neither. Can you both just be serious for once? I need to tell you something.”

The playful banter faded, replaced by their undivided attention. Stefan straightened up, his gaze soft and encouraging, while Damon cocked his head, the humor in his expression giving way to something more genuine.

Taking a deep breath, you stepped closer to them, your heart pounding. “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately. About everything about us, about how far we’ve come, and about how much you two mean to me.”

Damon raised an eyebrow, his usual sarcasm held back as he listened. Stefan’s brows knit slightly, concern flickering in his eyes. “Y/N, what’s going on?” he asked gently.

You smiled faintly, your voice trembling just a little. “What I’m trying to say is… it’s always going to be you two. No matter what happens, no matter who else comes into my life, you’re my home. You’re my constants.”

For a moment, they both just stared at you, their expressions unreadable. Then Damon broke the silence, his lips curling into a sly smile. “Well, of course, it’s us. We’re irresistible.”

Stefan shot him a warning look but quickly turned his attention back to you. “Y/N, are you sure about that? We’ve made a lot of mistakes… I’ve made a lot of mistakes. We’re not perfect.”

You stepped forward, placing a hand on Stefan’s arm and looking between them. “I’m not asking for perfect. I’m asking for you both of you. Damon, with your sarcasm and your knack for making me laugh when I don’t want to, and Stefan, with your endless support and the way you always believe in me, even when I don’t believe in myself.”

Damon blinked, his usual cocky demeanor softening. “You really mean that, don’t you?”

You nodded, your gaze locking with his. “I mean it. You both have been my anchors in this insane world. And I don’t know where I’d be without you.”

For once, Damon was speechless, his smirk replaced with something softer. Stefan smiled warmly, his eyes glistening with emotion. “You mean a lot to us too, Y/N. Probably more than you realize.”

Damon finally found his voice, stepping closer with a grin. “Alright, Princess, you’ve got us wrapped around your finger now. But don’t let it go to your head.”

You laughed, the tension in the air breaking. “Too late for that.”

Stefan chuckled, placing a hand on your shoulder. “We’re not going anywhere, Y/N. You’re stuck with us.”

“And you’re stuck with me,” you said with a teasing smile. “Good luck with that.”

The three of you stood there for a moment longer, a comfortable silence settling over you. The world outside still had its dangers, and there were sure to be more challenges ahead, but for now, you had each other and that was more than enough.

The three of you were still basking in the warmth of the conversation on the Salvatore porch when Damon clapped his hands together, breaking the silence. “Alright, who’s ready for my famous vampire pancakes?” he announced with a mischievous grin.

You blinked at him, confused. “Damon, it’s nighttime. Who eats pancakes at night?”

Damon pointed dramatically at himself. “Uh, me. And anyone else who appreciates the fine art of breakfast-for-dinner.”

Stefan groaned, rubbing his temples as if dealing with Damon was a full-time job. “We just had dinner, Damon. Like, barely an hour ago. How are you hungry already?”

Damon shrugged nonchalantly. “Being this charming is hard work, brother. Burns a lot of calories.”

You burst out laughing at the sheer absurdity of it, holding your stomach as the giggles overtook you. “Damon, you’re impossible. But I have to admit, vampire pancakes do sound kind of intriguing.”

Damon smirked, already heading inside. “See? I knew you had taste, Princess. Come on, let’s whip up a batch.”

Stefan groaned again, but this time there was a hint of amusement in his voice. “You’re encouraging him, Y/N. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

The three of you spent the rest of the evening in the kitchen, the earlier tension completely gone. It was moments like these simple, silly, and full of laughter that made you realize just how much you cherished your time with them.

The night outside the Salvatore house was quiet, the soft glow from the windows illuminating the porch where you and the brothers sat laughing over Damon’s infamous vampire pancakes. Inside, the warm light and the sound of your laughter created an idyllic scene, one of rare peace.

But in the shadow of the trees just beyond the house, a figure stood, cloaked in darkness. Her sharp eyes glinted as she watched the three of you, her expression twisted into a smirk that was both bitter and triumphant. Katherine Pierce.

Her lips curled into a devious smile as she whispered to herself, her voice dripping with venom. “They thought they could kill me. How sweet of them to underestimate me.” She folded her arms, her gaze fixating on you through the window. You looked so happy, so at ease with the Salvatore brothers. It made her blood boil.

“My sweet, naive daughter,” she murmured, her smirk deepening as she tilted her head. “You’ve truly taken to playing the perfect little sister, the innocent girl surrounded by her knights in shining armor. How charming.”

She leaned closer to the window, almost as if she were a phantom haunting the edge of your peaceful world. “Don’t worry, Y/N,” she hissed, her voice laced with menace. “I’ll let you enjoy this little fantasy for a while longer. Laugh, eat your pancakes, play the good girl. But don’t forget who you really are. Don’t forget who I am.”

Katherine stepped back, her eyes glinting with malicious glee. She turned to leave, her heels crunching softly against the gravel as she walked deeper into the shadows. But just before she disappeared entirely, she stopped, turning her head slightly as if to savor her next words.

“I’ll be back for you, my daughter,” she said coldly, her voice carrying a deadly promise. “And when I come, I won’t just take you back I’ll make sure they all suffer. Every single one of them. The Salvatores, the Mikaelsons… anyone who dared stand against me.”

Katherine was gone for now. But her words lingered in the air like a haunting refrain: she wasn’t done with any of you yet.

#the vampire diaries #the vampire diaries x you #the vampire diaries x y/n #the vampire diaries x reader #Damon Salvatore #damon salvatore x you #Damon Salvatore x y/n #Damon Salvatore x reader #Damon Salvatore imagines #Stefan Salvatore #stefan salvatore x y/n #stefan salvatore x reader #Stefan Salvatore x you #stefan salvatore imagines

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milliesfishes · 10 months ago

Note

billy asking you to marry him please

⋆౨ৎbilly asks you to marry him⋆౨ৎ fem reader x billy the kid

The ring was gold. It had been stowed safely on his mother's finger on the journey by ship to Ireland. Billy had fuzzy memories of her leaning on the railing, salt spray in her eyes, stroking the band and murmuring a prayer for their safe arrival.

Now it was sitting in the palm of his hand, looped on a ribbon so he wouldn't lose it. Tossing and turning in the throes of a fever, his mother had pressed the circlet into his hand, wearily telling him to save it for a special girl.

He liked to think that up in heaven she'd pulled strings to send you his way. She would have loved you, with your easy smile, cheerful nature, and warm eyes. Billy could hardly believe you were real most days, let alone that he got to hold you. It was nothing short of a miracle. A miracle that got him believing in a higher power again.

For all he had suffered, he'd hoped there'd be a good thing at the end of the road to comfort him and tell him what a wonderful job he'd done, that all the misery was over. He found it in your arms, or when you were in his, pressed up against him in the later hours of the day, eyes closed, breathing soft as you slept. The fact that you could find safety in him, a man people fled from when they heard his name, was nearly unbelievable.

You'd taken one step into his life and brightened it beyond what he thought was possible. The world was more beautiful with the knowledge that you were in it. He'd thought people like you were a myth, like the folk tales his mother used to put him to bed with. But here you were, lively and breathing, putting your heart in his hands as though you trusted him not to break it.

It was only logical that he take this next step. As far as he was concerned, there would never be another one for him. Love had burst into him like a firework, colored his vision in an impossible way. Billy didn't know much, but he did know that a woman like you only came around once in a lifetime. And he wanted to grab on and hold you tight while he could.

With this in mind he was walking hand in hand with you, a little bounce in his step as the two of you trekked through tall grass into the nearby forest. You were curiously giddy, wide-eyed as you looked around. "Where're you taking me, Billy?"

"'s a surprise, sweetheart," he chuckled, noting your excitement. His girl was happy no matter the circumstances, and he hoped he'd be adding to it now. Squeezing your hand, he made sure you didn't trip over any rocks studding the dirt, or any sneakily placed tree roots.

Once he saw his landmark, he stopped turning to you. with a smile that made you tilt your head. "Close your eyes, honey."

You did, a little hesitantly. He was touched by the simple act of it. The way you trusted him warmed his heart more than anything else. In a clean motion, Billy swept you up into his arms, one hand bracing under your knees, the other at your waist. Giggling, you said, "Billy-"

"Keep 'em closed!" he insisted, spinning around once to make you laugh again. Billy chuckled too, brightened by your sunshine presence as always. He carried you steadily, ducking under branches to get to where he was going.

Arriving at the spot, Billy carefully helped you stand on your feet, making sure your eyes were still closed. He slid his arms around your waist, resting his chin on your shoulder, not wanting to let go of you for even a moment. "Open."

Your gasp was gift enough for him as you realized where you were. A blanket of wildflowers bloomed before your feet, as if they'd been planted in anticipation of this very moment. A rainbow of color was laid across the field, fresh with springtime. Bouncing on your heels, you exclaimed, "It's so beautiful!"

"Pretty flowers for my pretty girl." He nosed against your cheek, pressing a kiss there. "Knew you'd love it."

"I do. Oh, I do." Turning around, you threw your arms around his neck. "You found this spot just for me?"

"Just for you, baby," he grinned as though he'd planted every bloom himself. "C'mere. Got somethin' else to give ya."

Smiling excitedly, you let him pull you deeper into the field as he said, "Just over here baby-woah-!"

You tripped over a stray rock, tumbling into Billy and sending him to the ground. He'd been caught off guard or he would have made sure to hold fast and steady the both of you. Instead, he was sent backwards to the ground, sprawled on his back. Despite his surprise, he made sure to fall under you, so you had a place to land that wasn't the hard earth.

"Oomph," Billy grunted, lifting his head with a wince. He looked down at you, lying sideways across his chest. "You okay, baby?'

Giggling, you nodded, and he couldn't help his smile. Only you would laugh at falling facefirst to the ground. Billy was sure when he looked over you later you'd have a bruise or two. Before he could ask, your eyes widened, and you reached for something on the ground. "Billy...what's this?"

He had to do a double take. Between your fingers was the ring, previously stowed in his pants pocket. It must have fallen out when he fell. Billy cringed at the sight, knowing his grand plan was ruined. When you turned to him for an explanation, he squinted, exhaling through his nose. "It's...you weren't s'posed to see that yet."

"Yet?" Then your face lightened, lips parting slightly. "Oh!"

"Oh," he teased, sitting up and bringing you with him. Billy couldn't help the brief laugh that escaped him at your expression. "Was gonna do it all proper 'n everything."

Your eyes were wide as the centers of daisies. Quickly, you shoved the ring into his hand, covering your eyes with your hands. "I can pretend I didn't see it!"

Laughing again, he reached for your hands. "Don't be hidin', sweetheart. C'mere." Prying your hands from your face, he found a guilty expression.

You pressed your lips together. "I ruined it, I'm sorry."

"Didn't ruin a damn thing," he insisted, pulling you close so you were sitting sideways across his lap. Giving you a reassuring smile, he kissed the side of your head. "This feels more like us anyways, huh?"

"Yeah," you giggled, leaning into his kiss.

"Alright then." Billy gave you a pointed look. "I'm still gonna ask you."

"Ask away," you lifted your chin, smile beaming.

Holding the ring between his fingers, Billy wrapped the other arm around your waist, holding you steady. "I've wanted to marry you for a long time. Ain't nobody who brightens my world just by bein' in it the way you do. I wanna build a life with you at the center. I-" he swallowed. "I want to call you my wife."

You looked as though he'd stripped every star from the sky and strung them on a necklace for you to wear. He smiled, bouncing you once on his thigh playfully. "Will you marry me-?"

"Yes!" You threw your arms around him, sending him backwards into the flowers again. He hugged you tight around the waist, kissing your hair.

"That ain't everythin' I wanted to say," he murmured into your head, and you laughed, watching him slide the ring onto your finger.

Lifting your head and shifting so you laid directly atop his chest, chin resting on your folded arms so you could see your new ring, you murmured, "You've got a long time to tell me."

Leaning in, you kissed him softly, and he muttered against your lips. "Yes I do, Mrs. Bonney."

#billy the kid #billy the kid x reader #billy the kid fanfiction #billy the kid x you #william h bonney x reader #william h bonney fanfiction #william h bonney x you #billy the kid 2022 #billy the kid imagine #billy the kid imagines #billy the kid fic #billy the kid fluff #billy the kid fanfic #william h bonney #william h bonney imagine #milliesfishes billy

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justkillingthyme · 9 months ago

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Hi, can you tell us more about your AUs please?

I’ll take this opportunity to tell everyone about the singular au I’ve said nothing about because I keep forgetting to make an actual post about it. DL Hershel

DL stands for Death Loop because it was a nickname that stuck and I haven’t found a better name yet.

The essential idea is that Hershel has an understanding of the save points between chapters. I haven’t yet decided on whether or not this applies to Akbadain but the answer is most likely.

Major CW for death (and suicide) from here on out cause it’s like the whole plot

Yeah he dies. A lot. And every time he does he goes back to the start of the chapter with the knowledge of what happened last time and a lingering pain. Most of the time (towards the beginning) it’s not his fault. For example the first death in LS is that he went out to make sure Browne was gone and got squished by the specter.

This does affect his perspective on things A LOT, because he acts differently towards people that have killed him in past runs (coughs at all the villains) and even more so if they’ve hurt his companions.

Eventually he figured out that he can go back if he kills himself too. So it kind of becomes a mad scramble to see if he can die before the chapter flips if something major happens. He associates the two, that major events (like schrader dying) means that there’s a new save point coming, and if he wants to change something, he’s got to go fast. This doesn’t work in the case of schrader, because we start the game having schrader already dead. It’s incredibly distressing.

He’s also gotten into this sort of obsession with control and something like a martyr complex. If something isn’t going as expected, or he thinks he’s going to a bad outcome it’s lights out. So much unnecessary suicide on his part. Coming out of an embarrassing conversation like I’m gonna kms except he would. He’s so nonchalant about it to it’s fucking insane

I think as of this point I’ve tallied over thirty deaths? The tagline of the au is pretty much Murphy’s law. If something can kill him, it will. One of his deaths in DB is they make a tea so astronomically bad that it’s toxic and kills him.

The only thing I haven’t figured out is how to deal with the end of AL. He needs to die there with everyone else but I can’t have him reset. Unless I choose a major canon divergence path. My idea there is possibly have it be azran related. As in the azran gave him that power and thus the death still counts. Might have something to do with Akbadain if that ends up happening. That’s my only issue with this au that I’ve run into

#thaus #thposts #thasks #dl!hershel

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boos-gh0st · 1 year ago

Text

Ever since we finished in stars and time my friend and I have been silly when reading dialogue in all of our playthroughs (currently finishing our second, working on two of our friends) and our current spiel is everyone having Jordans and the King having AF1’s and so [⚠️SPOILERS FOR ACT 5 END⚠️] when everyone shows up after the Mal Du Pays fight we were like

King: “Yknow what fuck you -creases your Jordans-“

And it is so funny to me thinking about everyone getting to the King without creasing their Jordans, just walking funny the entire way up and if someone tripped or wasn’t as careful someone else shouted “CAREFUL!! YOUR JORDANS!!!”

(Inspired by an Odile Ballin’ drawing I saw and sent him)

We also had one with Loop and Siffrin chats where we were just so obnoxious and silly as Loop and I can’t for the life of me remember ANYTHING of what we said regarding that topic and most of the other so I may make another post when I do but I am bestowing the thought unto you, the reader: ISAT crew but jordans…and the King with the AF1’s…

We were also in VRChat the other night with our friends and found an ASMR world and so we went there and for a while were just going off in our king voices going

“oohhhhh…. Ooooohhhhhh…. Bright one…. I see you have creased your Jordan’s…we see which side the universe favours…”

“Ooooohhhhhh…….. oooooohhhhhh… traveller….. you with the Jordan’s… no not- not you… the old one…. I hear air force ones are better for your hips…”

“…Siffrin, crease his air forces”

[you quickly salute to Odile and run over to the King, whom is shocked at the dastardly act you are about to commit.]

(Crease his Air Forces?)

>>(You only live once… Crease!!)<<

(You only live once… Run back to your family)

“BRIGHT ONE!!! WHAT THE FUCK!!” (/j)

We had this funny idea that it would be goofy if you could just type “crease his jordans” on your keyboard and you would insta-kill the king

Omg I was proof reading this and had the thought of siffrin whipping out a keyboard:

“Bright one what are you doing”

“[crease his jordans]”

“BRIGHT ONE WHAT HAVE YOU DONE- [dies]”

Party: “…”

Siffrin: “hey guys looks like we saved Vaugarde!” -insert the smile frame after he one shots the sadness-

I’m begging someone (maybe I will) to properly write something out for this because everyone having Jordans and the king with AF1’s and NOBODY wants to crease them is so funny to me. The king wanting someone to join his side, being the only one in all of Vaugarde who has AF1s

Imagine getting to BigFrin and it’s just

“Siffrin!! Don’t do this! You’ll crease your Jordans!!”

“Stars You’re right my bad homies” -shrinks-

This is a joke

But I think it’s funny anyway

I proof read this twice and missed a typo in the FIRST WORD sobs

I misspelled “you’re” this is embarrassing

#in stars and time #isat #isat siffrin #loop isat #isat bonnie #isat mirabelle #isat king #isat memes #isat au #isat odile #isat isabeau #jordans #af1 #PLEASE SOMEONE DO SOMRTHING WITH THIS CONCEPT ITS SO FUNNY TO ME JUST IMAGINGING EVERYONE GOING THROUGH THE HOUSE TRYING NOT TO CREASE #stars am I really going to write the entirety of act 5 with Jordans #yes I am give me a few days guys #(please let me know if anyone does anything with this)#isat spoilers #isat act 5 spoilers

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arcane-ish · 7 months ago

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Okay, so about Mel

I have a lot of Mel fans on my "following" list, so know I'm on a different place than most of them. I thought I would still sit down as a more casual Mel enjoyer and try to explain why I listed Mel as one of the better things in the last arc and genuinely read her as having one of the better arcs.

First let me say, I think I get some of the disappointment. There apparently was a lot of acrimony in fandom. And there sadly is often always a lot of bitching about being right. It's also one of those really annoying instincts for fannish people to value being right or getting character/ship payoff over quality. The kind of crappy shows or reasons I've seen people defend just because their ship was in it.

And I include myself within that. Two of my favorite ships, Timebomb and Zaundads got some stuff, and that has deeply clouded my perception of the season, even though my more neutral opinion is that season 2 was extremely spotty.

I get that from "I had to fight people in fandom" point of view, Act 3 sucked. I get that from a personal fan engagement point of view, it is always easier to stay excited and produce media if have a ship to hold on to rather than just being the fan of a singular character.

I'm kind of in a special situation, that I've always lowkey not liked Jayce and really only found him tolerable around Mel. I thought the beginning of Act 3 was still reasonably respectful to them. They protect each other, they do a couple fight with each other.

Yes it's weird that Jayce brings up now of all times to complain about the past, but for me that was pretty much wrapped by them fighting together against Viktor. Then we have this moment where Mel explains her situation to Jayce, we have Jayce complimenting her. Honestly, before the last minutes went full on "zomg, looping timeline gifts and zapping into space together", I thought the MelJay was a bit muted, but decent enough in a finale that was generally super busy and where tons of other characters didn't have too deep writing either. But again, I see where characters wound up, completely changed people's perception of how they get there (ie that Mel and Jayce actually had a decent relationship throughout most of the show and that in my opinion both Jayce and Viktor always and Cait and Vi recently had some really spotty writing).

Somethign that is more easy for me to bear, because, like I said, I never liked Jayce that much, so it's easier for me to not care.

Everybody's Arc Was Kind Of Shit And Mel Was One Of The Better Ones

This is my basic premise of season 2. If I think of season 2, if I think of the characters who to me had the better arcs I come up with for example Sevika and Ekko.

They had better arcs because they stayed roughly in characters, formed some new relationships, got some badass moments and ended up in interesting places in the end. However both their arcs BRUTALLY suffered by lack of airtime and often missing from episodes or even arcs like Ekko.

I think Jinx had one of the better arcs, because it was very emotional and poignant, was constantly present, but even if felt choppy and all over the place at times and people are mixed on where it ended up.

I guess Jayce counts as somebody with a really meaty arc with lots of airtime, emotion, ending up in a different place, getting hero moments, saving the day etc. But like I said, I dislike Jayce too much to really think about whether his story was actually good this season.

I count Mel as among the better arcs, because she got at least semi-constent airtime, she imo stayed generally in character, she got to be badass, she ends up in a very interesting situation and they tried to be emotionally poigant with her and Ambessa. (her killing Ambessa giving major Jinx and Silco vibes even if the context was completely different) The pain of Mel's storyline has always been that she was a bit isolated from other characters, so I was happy that she at least got a badass fight together with Caitlyn. [honestly, in retrospect it's noteworthy that Mel got that spot with Caitlyn rather than Caitlyn fighting side by side with either her love Vi or her nemesis Jinx]

Just getting a badass fight isn't the same as actually getting poignant moments and developing a relationship with new characters. So that was definitely missing. People are just prone to not care as much about Mel's relationship with Ambessa, LeBlanc or Kino because from the point of view of the audience those are side or new characters and the audience only cares if the show really puts a ton of work in like in the case of Isha.

Overall the gist of Mel's storyline to me is that it seemed to be very League dictated. It's the origin story of Mel as a badass fighter, it sets up her character premise.

TBSkyen, a well known content creator in the League of Legends space, "reacted" to Arcane and he got quite angry at the finale, exclaiming something along the lines of "I thought this was gonna be a closed story, that the characters would complete their stories. But these stories are not complete, this is a sequel tease".

And that's exactly why Mel's story feels unfinished. She feels like she's part of that sequel tease (together with Cait looking at those strange map, maybe hinting at an alive Jinx).

There's a chance that Mel will get a proper resolution. But to be honest. I can't promise that. Maybe she'll get a badass Noxus based either animated or live action sequel... but we might have to wait 5-10 years for it.

Maybe the "Ambessa" novel is actually 95% about her. Maybe she will get a badass intro trailer like Ambessa. But I'm not gonna lie, even if the next season of League will be heavily Noxus based and they make heavy use of Mel in it. I'm not gonna lie, League's story telling can be very, very spotty. And even when it is decent, not everybody is particularly into collecting their infomation from short stories, splash arts, music vids, in game voice lines.

#arcane #arcane spoilers #league of legends #mel medarda #jayce

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double-vandammage · 11 months ago

Text

Title: Stripped

Word count: 2,192

Rating: 18+

Ship: Bret Hart x Shawn Michaels

Tags/Warnings: Shawn POV, Jealous!Bret, Strip tease, Pet names, Biting, Anal sex, hand jobs, play fighting

Also posted to my a03: aa_beatrix

Oh my this took a lot out of me. 🫣 I spent many nights wrestling with my thoughts on how to write a sexy strip tease and this was the result. I listened to Cherry Pie by Warrant more times than I care to admit to help move this thing along. It turned out WAY smuttier than my first Hartbreak fic I was originally embarrassed to write. 🥴

I got inspiration from the In Your House: HBK vs. Goldust Dark Match for the WWF Title (10/20/1996). That gave me a mixed bag of emotions and I am still thinking about it. 😵‍💫

Shawn waited for Bret leaning against the side of the ring. The stadium seats were vacant and shrouded in darkness save the overhead lights illuminating the empty ring. The match he had with Goldust was sure to have ruffled a few feathers, including one Hitman. The two had been messing around for months on and off. They would meet in private before, after, and in between various matches or promos. Nothing got Shawn going faster than when Bret would berate him in front of a live audience. Surprisingly enough Bret had made the first move. What began as a fistfight ended with a kiss. Shawn found himself backed into a wall, preparing for a punch. Instead he was met with Bret’s lips on his. It was lust at first fight.

“Quite the show you put on with Goldie.” came Bret’s low voice from out of the shadows. Shawn smiled, eyeing Bret’s delicious frame striding down the entrance aisle. “Aw, you know Goldie ain’t mean nothin’ by it.” he grinned. Bret placed his hands on either side of Shawn, bracing himself with the edge of the ring. “You kissed him.” Bret said, those dark eyes searching him. “All part of the act, sugar.” Shawn drawled, hooking his fingers into the belt loops of Bret’s jeans, and tugging him closer. He moved in for a kiss, but Bret was quick to grab a handful of hair to stop him. Shawn let out a sharp hiss in response. “Not so fast boytoy.” Bret commanded, swiftly twisting Shawn around to face the ring. “Someone needs to teach you a lesson…get in the ring.” he growled into Shawn’s ear, nipping at the skin.

Shawn hurriedly jumped up and rolled under the ropes, standing to lock eyes with the Hitman. Bret began to leisurely make his way around the ring, never breaking his focus with Shawn. “Take off your clothes.” he demanded cooly. Bret was never usually this forward and never asked him to strip. May have had something to do with his entrance. Maybe. “Really?” Shawn asked, eyebrows raised. Bret stopped, “Now.” he ordered. “Well okay darlin’.” Shawn beamed, moving center stage. He wasn’t used to a party of one and no music, but who was he to argue with Bret The Hitman Hart?

He watched as Bret pulled a chair from under the ring, setting it up in the aisle. He had strategically placed the chair just before the overhead lights, obscuring the older man from Shawn’s view. Shawn shrugged out of his jacket first, swinging it a few times before letting it fly. Slowly he undid his belt buckle, gliding the strap from his waist. He paraded around as he usually did, untucking his t-shirt and giving Bret just a peak of his chest and stomach before covering back up. He removed his hair tie, giving his head a few good shakes to show off his soft blonde hair. Shawn knew how much Bret secretly salivated over how his lengthy hair would cascade past his shoulders and down his back.

He fell to his knees, bringing his t-shirt back up to expose his stomach and chest again, placing the hem of the t-shirt in his mouth. Unfastening the button and zipper of his jeans, he leaned back to then kick off his boots. Bret remained reserved, continuing to hide in the black. “You can join me anytime Bret baby.” he cooed, shedding his t-shirt and flinging it to the side. He lied down, stretching out on the mat, and began to sluggishly peel off his jeans. He slid his boxers down just enough for Bret to admire the cut of his hips. “Leave 'em on.” Bret said sharply, voice echoing. “Ya wanna take ‘em off cowboy?” Shawn teased, biting his lower lip. The chair Bret was sitting in, scraped across the floor as he stood up. Shawn’s heart began to race with anticipation as Bret approached him, his dick already hard.

Bret entered the ring in between the ropes, kneeling to crawl towards Shawn, and moving among his legs. He kissed his knee, beginning a careful ascent with his lips to his thigh and hip. Bret’s fingers dug into the waistband of his boxers, pulling them only to expose the heart tattoo above his ass. Shawn was well aware of Bret’s stance on his tattoos, he heard it regularly during the show but now he only seemed too pleased to see it. Bret licked at the tattoo, tenderly sucking at the skin. He shifted back to kiss his inner thighs, taunting Shawn’s erection. His breath caught as Bret bit down on his flesh. “Holy Jesus, don’t keep me waiting.” Shawn begged, his hands finding Bret’s mess of hair, trying to guide him towards his dick. Instead Bret rose to a standing position, holding Shawn’s legs in the air. “Oh shi-, oh come on!” he managed to squeak out before he was forced and curled into a sharpshooter.

Shawn felt his back scream as Bret contorted his body and held fast with his most notorious move. “Fuckin’ ow.” he wheezed, scrabbling against the mat. Bret gritted his teeth, adamant in keeping Shawn stuck. “How you doin’ boytoy?” he asked, mocking. Shawn smiled, “Jokes on you mark man, I’m only getting more turned on.” Bret squeezed, tightening his hold. “Is that so?” he freed Shawn, allowing his legs to flop to the floor. Not wasting any time, Bret flipped him; his back smacking harshly into the mat. Bret pried off Shawn’s boxers, nearly tearing them to reveal his slick and pulsing member. “He sure is happy to see ya.” Shawn said, highly amused. Hastily in an effort to avoid another opening for Bret, he knocked Bret’s feet out from under him, and caught him in a headlock.

“Fuck.” Bret snarled. “Not much fun being on the receiving end huh?” he jabbed. Shawn knew he would much prefer for Bret to be inside him right about now, but holding him in a naked headlock was too good. He could practically feel Bret’s seething annoyance. “Are you ready to play nice?” he asked, continuing his solid grip on Bret’s neck. “Not quite.” he grunted, slithering out of his grasp to firmly wrench Shawn’s arm up and behind his back. Again he found himself face first into the mat, Bret letting his full weight rest on top of him. “Ah– god damn.” he panted into the ground. Bret leaned down, kissing the length of his shoulder and running his tongue up the side of his throat. He sank his teeth into his skin, biting him again. Shawn winced, a mix of pain and delight flooding his body.

Bret fumbled around for his jacket pocket, withdrawing a condom and small tube of lubricant. “Such a boy scout.” Shawn groaned, as Bret began to work him open, inserting his fingers leisurely one by one. He could sense Bret’s impatience, wanting badly to punish him. He closed his eyes, listening to the shuffle of Bret undoing his pants and pushing them down. He inhaled sharply as he felt Bret enter him. Bret let his head fall onto Shawn’s back, his breath hot against his flesh. He kept one hand attached to Shawn’s hip while the other continued to contain his arm behind his back. Bret sank into him slowly at first with each thrust becoming more and more vigorous. “Bret baby…” he whined, reaching to touch his own leaking cock.

“I don’t think so.” Bret said, bending Shawn’s arm to join the other; preventing any further movement. “Oh fuck you.” Shawn moaned with agony. He squirmed under the weight of the Hitman driving his dick deeper, keeping his rhythm unrelenting. The side of his cheek rubbed into the mat as he turned to whip away his long hair clinging from his face. His body was already drenched with sweat. After what felt like an eternity of depriving the desperate ache between his legs, Bret began a rapid stroke to match the pace of his hips. Shawn’s body turned weak, unable to sustain the arch in his back. He had no more snarky remarks left, he was reduced to whimpering nonsense.

“Jesus, you feel so good.” Bret gasped. Shawn was in a haze, Bret’s motions becoming more erratic as he pounded into him. He felt Bret’s teeth rake at his shoulder, biting down harshly and grunting a string of obscenities as he came. Shawn yelped over the sudden sting at his shoulder, it was definitely going to leave a mark. The sensation would only fuel his pleasure, threatening to throw him off the edge. Bret licked at the fresh wound he inflicted, causing Shawn’s heart to stutter. “Motherfucker-…” he choked, his face still rigid against the mat. Bret remained inside of him, dick pulsing. Shawn’s arms were released, sore from being restrained. He steeled himself as Bret kept him propped on his knees. Bret continued to pump his cock, his cadence turning torturously slow.

Shawn thrashed around in a frenzy, his hips bucking into Bret’s fist. He knew as another form of punishment, Bret was only going to let Shawn cum on his terms. Bret lowered their bodies to relax onto the mat so he could nuzzle his face into the back of Shawn’s head. “You gonna behave?” Bret muttered, his words muffled through Shawn’s damp hair. “God no.” Shawn exhaled, ready to blow through his fervent euphoria. His answer to his amazement was well received as Bret quickened his strokes. He believed Bret inwardly relished his constant disobeyment, otherwise they wouldn’t be fucking around like they were.

Bret held Shawn in place as he came, white strands coating his palm and dripping onto the ring. Shawn was instantly flipped over to face him, as if Bret wanted to admire his work. He knew his face was flushed, hair wet and wild. His body trembling as he tried to adjust from the convulsions of his orgasm. Shawn met Bret’s stare, his eyes conveying possibly something more than just lust. Bret ran his fingertips along the bite mark he had indented on his neck, “Shit…” he said concerned. They typically hid their bites and bruises well, but they weren’t always careful. Occasionally and usually Shawn had to be creative with his wardrobe to conceal their enthusiasm. “Don’t worry about it.” Shawn said, bringing his hand up to caress the skin of Bret’s forearm.

Bret rolled off of Shawn to lie flat on his back. They never spent much time together afterwards, it was always just sex and nothing more. Shawn moved to his side, propping a hand behind his head to rest on his elbow. He reached out to wipe the sticky hair from Bret’s forehead. He knew he was lingering too long as he began to trace the outline of his face, his fingers languidly smoothing Bret’s bottom lip. Bret shied away from his touch, “Stop Shawn…” he said, his voice horse. “Okay.” Shawn said as he watched Bret hoist his pants back up. He selfishly wondered if Bret was sleeping with anybody else backstage. Shawn reached for his discarded boxers and slipped them back on. Bret was usually the one to bounce as soon as his appetite was satisfied. Shawn found he was longing for some semblance of affection from the older man.

“I gotta go.” Bret stated, straightening his clothes. Shawn in a bleak attempt to keep Bret just minutes more, grabbed the lapels of Bret’s jacket to drag him forward. Shawn’s lips were starving for a kiss he was denied. To his surprise Bret returned the kiss, his hands on Shawn’s waist pulling him closer. They kissed until both of their lips were red and swollen. Bret broke away first, their breathing shallow. Shawn held fast to Bret’s jacket, urging him to stay. “Bret…I-” he stammered. Bret gently pushed his hands away, his mouth forming a hint of a smile. “Gotta go.” he repeated. Shawn sighed, his hands fidgeting. “Yeah. Yeah, I know.” He watched as Bret departed through the ropes, jumping to the floor. Shawn followed, but stopped short in front of the ropes. He leaned over, watching Bret’s shape disappear into the darkness of the arena. He foolishly hoped Bret would reconsider and choose to spend the rest of the night in his hotel room.

He never expected their relationship to become more than just casual. If anything, he thought Bret would form an attachment first. The Heartbreak Kid with a broken heart. Total bullshit. He collected the rest of his clothing and got redressed outside the squared circle. The overhead lights were suddenly too bright and too hot. Time to go. He gave the ring one last glance, the remnants of their affair still drying on the mat. Shawn snickered quietly, shaking his head. It wasn’t the first time he had a sexual encounter in the ring and it certainly wouldn’t be the last. He was also never sure he and whomever he was with was completely alone either, but he didn’t care.

Shawn made his own way out of the arena, already scheming on how best to infuriate his Hitman in a match once again.

#fanfic #fic #a03 #hartbreak #bretshawn #bret hart x shawn michaels #goldust (mentioned)#wwf ships #ns/fw #smut

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ultimateshixiongfuckertournament · 1 year ago

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Semifinal 1: Fei Du vs Jiang Cheng

Semifinal 1 is between Fei Du (shixiong: Luo Wenzhou) from Mo Du vs Jiang Cheng (shixiong: Wei Wuxian) from Mo Dao Zu Shi

Propaganda under the cut

Fei Du:

Fei Du: evidence? The entirety of Mo Du. His shixiong is is Luo Wenzhou, a dude with an eight-pack and parents who love him and love fei du as well, and a dude whom fei du is willing to not die/consider the future with, and consider himself not a monster to be with. Fei Du says shixiong to Luo Wenzhou so flirtatiously that they both stop and stare. Luo Wenzhou gets him birthday cake, a video game when he was small and a promise. (Also, they are cat parents)

Jiang Cheng:

Clinged to WWX constantly for 7+ years, wanted to have WWX as his right hand man forever after becoming sect leader, cried after WWX left, cried when he discovered what WWX sacrificed for him, was TORN APART when it got explained to him that if they were more outwardly close knit, WWX might not have died

PROPAGANDA!! to start, i'm still very bitter about how fairy lost the sentient animal poll and i want to win this badly. very very badly. current stats are 50.6 in favour of jc but that's too less of a gap for me. jc should be winning this by a landslide, y'all hear me? anyways. starting with a class act, like the clown i am->

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a few links ( because i'm chengxian trash, as always and i'd love if poll-guy could copy paste them on the og post): one, two, three, four (gif), five, six, seven (gif), eight (thoughts on different wavelengths), the absolute circles of them saving each other, the fucking golden core reveal scene. golden scene reveal part 2, jiang cheng will always forgive wei wuxian

to start with. jiang cheng is literally the picture of "i knew from the moment i met you that i'd spend a lifetime forgiving you".

the earliest dynamic of jiang cheng and wei wuxian is jiang cheng giving away his dogs (the only gift his father has ever given him, btw) because wei wuxian is scared of the dogs. tis only the start of it.

his father very obviously prefers his shixiong over him, his mother berates him for not being as good as wei wuxian and tells him his inheritance is in danger, and his sister (in my opinion) has more care for him (visibly. maybe jiang yanli doesn't show it because jc is an emotionally complicated purple grape, maybe because jc doesn't need it, or wei wuxian is traumatised but that's my opinion). but still. still. Jiang Cheng loves Wei Wuxian. so much. jealousy is like. the most tame response i can think of. and jiang cheng is proud of wei wuxian, okay? he'd believe his big brother if he'd said anything. want proof? well, here you go-> link

to paraphrase the link:

Jiang Cheng had just lost his family, his home, and his very golden core, and his older brother - his brilliant older brother who could fix anything, who could sneak wine into Cloud Recesses and defeat an ancient turtle nearly-god and make Jiang Cheng share a smile when Jiang Cheng’s mother was disappointed and furious at both of them - His big brother smiled and said, “I can fix this.”And Jiang Cheng believed him then, and believed him three months later when Wei Wuxian crawled out of the Burial Mounds (just the second miracle in three months), and believed him every day of the next seventeen(?) years until the pieces were shoved into place for him to see.

also. the circle these two go in protecting each other. (gif set by @sandushengshou), the 'if one of us is to die, then, i beg, let it be me' that they both do for one another in a seemingly neverending loop of sacrifice. via this post a la my lovely @backtoyunmeng

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jiang cheng is a cannonically ruined woman archetype, justified via the countless posts you'll get in the top posts of jiang cheng tag. he keeps chenqing, wwx's flute in perfect condition even when he hates wei wuxian, even when wwx, if only indirectly, has a part in jiang yanli's murder and oof okay someone pointed out to him that he's known to have killed wei wuxian and he almost cries. he absolutely believes, with his whole heart, that wei wuxian lives even when the world is sure he doesnt. and it always read to me like, i'd know if he was dead. he's a part of my soul, so i'd know if he was dead. he can't be dead.

this is getting too long, so, to sum up, some absolute poetry by @jiangchengsjawline

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#JC On The Other Hand Has His Entire Life Shaped By His Shixiong And Ended Up Cast As The Ruined Woman By The End

#jiang cheng though. wasn't able to fuck his shixiong but his shixiong definitely fucked with him

#hello?? the answer is Jiang cheng pls#he's the shixiongfucker or all shixiong fucker you wish you could be as pathetically in love with your shixiong as he is#chengxian

#i do not go here (chengxian) but the propaganda is incredibly correct they are insane abt each other#also sorry jiang cheng ik you're suffering but they are so funny to me#neway VOTE JIANG CHENG FOR CLEAR SKIN

#look I rarely go here#(here being chengxian)#but by GOD their lvoe compels me#they’re tragic and doomed and they love each other without knowing how to say it in words the other would understand#or in words at all because communication??? we don’t know her???

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he didn't even think about sacrificing himself, and consequently his entire bloodline, his sect, pretty much everything that depends on him for his shixiong??????????

is this not convincing->

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#had to vote jc though i have more feelings about chengxian#i think jc should have a huge gege kink

#like. jiang cheng should win the entire tournament hands down period

#fei du #luo wenzhou #mo du #silent reading #zhoudu #jiang cheng #wei wuxian #mdzs #the untamed #chengxian #priest vs mxtx

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isa-ghost · 1 year ago

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amfmn missa.. p please.. please mother … feed us

I'M BEING ENABLED PPOVERHEAT

He's an actual grim reaper. That's where he's disappeared to so often in canon, reaper duties. It's a very demanding job, you know.

Doesn't stop him from feeling terrible about being gone so often though. He misses his husband and kids and hates how often he's out of the loop :(

Fr though Phil and the kids make him so so happy after spending countless hours working such a sad job. It's also partially why he sings and makes art. That brand of fun is catharsis for the soul.

He has all his canon weapons but I ALSO gave him a reaper deathscythe. And boy is he gonna use it. Fucking AWOOGA MissaSinfonia when he's angry.

Btw as a reaper he can FEEL souls. He can see their power, their condition, feel the surface level emotions and personality of its owner. This will come in handy later in the fic. ;)

As per the post I made asking for Missa appreciation so I can characterize him properly: He's undyingly loyal, he fights hard and loves even harder, he's protective, silly, and goddamn can he flirt.

All his wet cat behavior is a result of getting too overwhelmed by The Horrors. He's seen A Lot as a reaper. But somehow Quesadilla Island and all its... Everything. Always manage to show him a new brand of What The Fuck he's never even imagined before. Hence all his screaming and weeping when he's caught up on what he's missed. Like how tf else is he supposed to react??

Somewhat attached to that, he and Phil rlly were a match made in Federation Heaven bc they both have issues with self-doubt despite being insanely skilled and sharp-witted. Missa is better abt it than Phil though. His only acts up when he messes up a lot or just. Doesn't have a clue how to handle a situation where it's dire that he does. It's more of an insecurity about being unprepared and failing his loved ones than it is a doubt he has skill. He KNOWS he does, he hates when it's not enough. That's how he differs from Phil, who thinks he has none at all.

Btw when you fuck with the people he's protective over, he gets PISSED. We're getting a LOT of pissed off Missa in AMFMN <3 Ofc there'll be a lot of reaper tears too, his husband is suffering and there's little he can do about it. :( But ohohoho when the sad turns into rage. BARK WOOF. Eventually he decides EK is catching these hands and scythe.

He also shakes hands with his husband on being a self-sacrificing little shit. And. Yeah this is gonna happen later in the fic. (He's not dying dw dw)

You have no idea how excited I am that I basically get to build his dynamics with Fit, Etoiles, and Bagi from scratch. I'm so hyped. People are welcome to reply with this with any crumbs we have of their dynamics in canon but afaik they've rarely interacted outside of very minor moments, so AMFMN will largely be a sandbox for me to establish what I THINK they'd be like. Which in my fic plan so far, is largely taking each character's personality and applying how I think they'd react to a situation, and how that would look when two of them are interacting in that situation. Ex: at one point Etoiles has to comfort Missa bc he's just having a ROUGH time with this saving Phil stuff. But Etoiles is NOT a comfort guy. So he does his Etoiles thing: hearing Missa out while also cracking his usual brand of jokes in an attempt to lighten the mood.

I also have a plot point planned with him and Bagi when shit is hitting the fan the hardest and OUUGHHH. That self-sacrificing shit am I right.

God I'm being so mean to him specifically in AMFMN though. Ender King is a sack of shit, he knows exactly who to harass most using Phil's body >:/

See in my AMFMN Fitza headcanons, I said they're each other's confidants. Which IS true. However, no one in the fic gets the honor of Phil FINALLY communicating with someone about his issues other than his husband. Missa is the person he caves and confesses things to. Missa gets the HC Deity lore and what's been happening to him lately. This is actually what Chapter 3 is :D

Also I am so sorry but I'm sliding a Missa Romantic Love Confession attempt into the fic and it gets interrupted by The Horrors. But yeah Missa is romantically in love with Phil, he just respects that Phil sees things platonically. He still wants to communicate his feelings though.

#qsmp #qsmp pissa #pissa #qsmp philza #qsmp missa #AMFMN things #deathduo #qsmp deathduo

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leeknowsnot · 12 days ago

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CHAPTER 17 — "A Crisis in Three Acts"

By the time the following week rolled around, Lina was beginning to think that having a slow-building existential crisis was just part of her new daily routine — right up there with brushing her teeth, fake-smiling at Seungmin on the walk to school, and avoiding eye contact with any classmate who was too pretty, too lively, or too effortlessly feminine.

Yunjin had not done anything wrong.

In fact, Yunjin had been nothing but kind.

Too kind.

She started hanging around Lina and the girls more often, always looping her arm through Hana’s or laughing at Soojin’s chaotic takes on love triangles in dramas. She even related to their fangirling — to a degree Lina hadn’t expected.

“Wait, you watched Season 2 of My Boyfriend’s a Vampire CEO?” Soojin had squealed once.

Yunjin grinned, mid-bite of her sandwich. “Twice. Because I missed how Jungwoo looked in a tux in Episode 8. Sue me.”

They’d screamed. Giggled. Collapsed dramatically over the lunch table. Even Hana slammed her forehead down in fake defeat, whining about how unfair it was that Korean boys looked that good in fictional jobs.

Lina sat with them. Chewed on her food. Sipped her juice. Let the noise float around her like wind through trees.

She didn’t dislike it.

She just… wasn’t in it.

Sometimes she chuckled. Sometimes she nodded. But her heart was never quite in sync with the high-pitched joy or the exaggerated gasps. There was always a small beat of delay — like she was buffering on a bad connection. And sometimes, she quietly wondered:

Am I even normal?

She knew what girls her age were “supposed” to be like. They wore their hair in trendy waves. They exchanged skincare tips. They squealed over boy groups and saved up for lip tints. They curated their lives in aesthetic collages and talked about being soft or pretty or polished.

But Lina? She was just… Lina.

She still wore the same oversized hoodies from junior high. Still used the same drugstore lip balm that barely added any tint. Still didn’t know how to wing her eyeliner and didn’t care to learn. She made sarcastic jokes and rolled her eyes on reflex. She wasn’t ugly, maybe, but she definitely wasn’t cheerleader pretty.

She’d always told herself she didn’t care.

But lately — she wasn’t so sure.

Especially with Yunjin around. Who was effortlessly radiant, unapologetically girly, and somehow still kind. Lina didn’t want to resent her. And she didn’t — not really.

But something inside her did falter.

And it finally cracked on a Wednesday, during lunch break, when Yunjin slammed a bright pink flyer onto the table and grinned.

“Guess what?” she said, eyes sparkling. “Cheer club’s holding open tryouts next month. I’m gonna join.”

Hana gasped like it was fate written in glitter.

“YES. You’d be so cute in the uniform,” Soojin said, eyes already glowing with the imagined fantasy. “It’s the perfect balance to your soft-slash-hot aura. Like, iconic.”

“I was thinking you two should try out too,” Yunjin added, smiling.

“I mean, why not?” Hana said, flipping her hair. “We’ve got the school spirit. And the legs.”

“I’m in,” Soojin said immediately, standing with mock pride. “Let the thighs be put to work.”

The three of them laughed and high-fived dramatically.

Then — silence.

All three heads slowly turned.

Lina blinked. “…What.”

The grins they wore could only be described as devious.

“No,” she said flatly, already backing away from the table like it was cursed. “Don’t even think about it.”

“Come on,” Hana whined, grabbing her wrist. “You’re class rep. If we’re there, you should be too.”

“Yeah, for balance,” Soojin added. “You’d be like… the chill one. Our ace in sarcasm.”

“I don’t even own a pair of shorts that short,” Lina argued.

“We’ll buy you some,” Yunjin said brightly.

“I don’t have the cheerleader look,” she pressed. “I’m not— I don’t— Look, cheerleaders are cute. Bubbly. Flippy. You know, like you guys. You—” she pointed at them with mild annoyance, “—are all thin and bright and radiant and whatever. I’m me. I’m chubby, gloomy, and my voice literally drops two octaves when I’m annoyed.”

“That’s why it’ll be amazing,” Soojin said without missing a beat. “You’ll be the meme queen of the squad.”

“I’d rather die.”

But they weren’t listening anymore. It was three against one. And Lina, though verbally sharp, physically weak against Hana’s grip and Soojin’s dragging, lost the war by sheer force of momentum.

Before she knew it, they were in the gymnasium. An actual group of girls were already stretching, their laughter echoing off the polished wood floors.

And there she stood — in the doorway, arms crossed, jaw clenched — watching her own slow descent into chaos.

Yunjin turned to her, beaming. “Welcome to the dark side.”

“I hope your ponytail gets tangled in your lip gloss,” Lina muttered under her breath.

But even as she said it, something inside her trembled — not quite resistance. Not quite surrender either.

Maybe it was curiosity.

Or maybe it was fear.

That if she never tried anything outside of being “just Lina,” she’d always feel this… invisible. Like the background character in her own story.

She didn’t know if cheerleading would change that.

But right now, dragged against her will or not, she was standing in the center of a space she’d never imagined for herself.

And maybe — just maybe — that counted for something.

#skz #stray kids #skz fanfic #skz imagines #stray kids fanfic #stray kids imagines #stray kids lee minho #lee know #skz leeknow #skz lee minho #stray kids leeknow #skz seungmin #2min #skz family #2min skz #2min skz family #leeknow x seungmin

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zenkor123 · 5 months ago

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Squad 452 and 451 on break WIP October 4th

Trigger warning: False SA memories. Sexual content, Morphling, effects of torture also from D13 treating Katniss badly, Katniss mentally spiraling, Peeta's delusions, Peeta recording all new memories because he does not want to lose his memories again may be triggering to some people.

I see Peeta marking a page with my name and curtly ask “what is this?” Peeta looks up and chuckles “Tong asked me the same question,I’m saving all new memories on paper to keep them safe, to protect memories of people I’m making pages for them Dr Aurelius suggested this.”

“Katniss Everdeen, target of the capitol, lover of Gale, Mockingjay of the rebellion, hunter of wild beasts”

This is the step up from the bed red x he marked me before, at least. I have nothing further to say he put my age as likely 17! I try to avoid looking at the paper further so he continues writing. This continues until he looks up and says

“Katniss I'm sorry for the way I've treated you since my return, trying to kill you, calling you a piece of work, ugly and small, you were doing whatever you had to survive, and have nothing to apologize for, I really hope you and Gale make up”

From whatever Peeta thinks is real I did nothing to him, I’m his victim now, no I’m leaving “the capitol did this to you, you're not responsible for any of this!” I go to the ventilation pipe in the women's restroom avoiding Peeta.

Peeta asks Finnick “Hey Finnick, what the hell is going on with her? I know I or he did bad stuff before all this, I hate this so much but It still feels like I'm out of the loop of something. Does anyone want to explain why Katniss is behaving so strangely? Or is that restraining order territory?

“There's no way to know unless Coin stops threatening restraining orders, sadly it's pretty explosive” Finnick says

Gale yells out “And it's you, it's all you, Coin and Snow!”

Peeta looks at Gale like he’s crazy, “So me, Coin and Snow are doing what exactly?

Finnick tries to disentangle the two, “there's nothing you can do about it, it's out of your hands”

To which Peeta nods “uhuh” but Gale does not back off “Peeta you know deep down I see it in your eyes, what it is stop insulting all our intelligence”

Peeta shakes his head, “The only time she ‘loved’ me was when either I or the capitol were forcing me on her,she had to pretend to love me for food, but her heart was always your, it's why he gave Katniss the locket as some pathetic type of apology”

Boggs storms in and brings Gale to a private talk

“I'm already working my ass off keeping Coin off our backs, what are you trying to do to provoke him into an episode?

Gale replies:

“ Isn't Coin’s whole thing exposure therapy? He's surrounded by triggers all the time and isn't allowed his morphling, he deserves to know the truth. Why is it required that he believe deranged lies in order to be a citizen of 13? I will stop but Coin is hurting my best friend. At least exempt her from the watch that's destroying her.”

Boggs replies “District 13 believes that Katniss never cared about Peeta, Coin seems to believe it. The perception among 13 is that it's all an act for the cameras and the second he came back hijacked she kissed you in 13 and abandoned him giving Peeta to us. This is what 13 believes, but Coin believes that Peeta is dead to Katniss even if she knows she loved him in the past. “

Gale says “That's not true, has 3 days of seeing her die inside made any impression on Coin?

“You know I opposed the allocations and knew this would happen and tried telling Coin this but she just laughed and said “now she cares about him what a bunch of crap! You are dismissed. “

Gale has a question: “why does Coin hate Katniss?”

Boggs answers “Jealousy, Coin does not like sharing the spotlight”

Katniss thinks: Gale is wrong, I am not dying inside, I will not go to the hospital wing, I will kill Snow. I am just a regular guard on his rotation.

“I will talk to Coin to see what he can do”

I walk out

“No, guarding Peeta is no different then guarding Annie I am keeping my rotation”

Boggs looks hesitant “look you've done better than I've expected, no one could have expected that you holding Peeta's hand would actually calm him down, and while unprofessional Peeta needed to work out some of his demons in order to be comfortable In the same room withI you let alone on the watch, but Gale is right your breaking apart from the seams”

“I'm not I'm just fine, you said I'm doing fine, Boggs please your going to get me sent to the hospital wing, you can't give me special treatment”

“Alright Katniss I can't guarantee Coin’s reaction but you can return to your shift”

So Boggs interrupts them and Gale disperses counting his ammo on the far side of the bench

While this is going on Peeta, Leeg and Tong are discussing me, I run back to the bathroom vent not wanting to engage.

I notice a brief puase until Peeta takes a deep breath and begins spilling words out:

“Annie, I don't get it, I was unfairly jealous of her, 13 should be the peak of her life, she has Gale, her family is safe, most of the people who she knew growing up are alive. She as Mockingjay can fight snow. Yeah I did horrible things to her, she had to do certain stuff after her father died, she survived 2 arenas, but there are people far worse off than her. Like me for example. After my return, only 13 really cared about a doomed mad mutt slowly clawing his way to something resembling sanity. But we all know that she isn't in the bathroom to pee, sighs there's a brokenness to her, she's numb and is as quiet as an avox.

Annie sighs: “The heart works in mysterious ways”

Tong says to Peeta: “Finnick injured himself rather than be seperated, if she cared about you she never would have left you in that state, fuck her”

“But Tong, the time she did visit I called her a piece of work and said she was small and ugly”

Tong responds: “would that bother Finnick, if Leeg went through what you did I would never abandon her ever. shallow teenage relationships and actual connections are not the same thing”

“Maybe your right,if I had a love for real and she was hijacked I don't think I could handle the hurt, I would need to be institutionalized. They showed me footage of how I was, it's pretty brutal, If she really was my lover I wouldn’t want to be near me” ” Peeta says.

“No not real Peeta, do you think this is easy for Finnick, it would hurt but most would never cower. It's not you, I think she'll get over whatever is bothering her" Tong replies

"Have I told you I really love your morphling bottles" Leeg said to Peeta

"Thanks!" Peeta says smiling

"I must say, in your second games, the Mockingjay really had us fooled during the beach"

"I'm confused about that as well"

"My 2 credits: it's called the hunger Games, for a reason though only she knows"

"She's only 17 and she's already gone through hell and back she's just so young. And when she's back she has to be the Mockingjay, If I was her lover she would probably handle the pain of a mutt lover, like a 17 year old" Peeta says.

"In D13 she would constitute an adult, now your infantalizing her, in D12 as you know she hunted for food. But if she isn't mature enough to be by your side when you need her the most

But I don't need her! It's my recovery not hers!

Tong ignores the interruption

Then she was never mature enough to have a lover. Let's compare her to you,

Me?

"Yeah, you suffer from constant episodes, yet you still have the strength to fight through them, despite surviving the capitol you still haven't given up. If someone was hurt I have no doubt you would run to the persons aid. Delly said you were making progress you were no physical or emotional threat to her yet she discarded you no longer had any use to her.

"You think to highly of me are you flattering me, I don't think I could handle a hijacked Lover honestly. This sounds like one of my jackered rants. She was only practical becuase she had to survive, it's District 12, but she feels strongly, she did all this to feed her family and keep Gale alive. She's not naturally a cold manipulator as your portraying, Its something she was forced into just like everyone in District 12. "

Its hard for someone from D13 to imagine the barter and competition for the daily meal, but do you have any hard proof that she ever had a lover?

"Maybe Gale but no"

Tong says "yeah when did you do anything normal together, without a gun to your head?"

Peeta just nods.

“None that I know for sure, in the arena we had to play up that star crossed lovers strategy and get those sponsors, am I right? Peeta says

“In my opinion, yes, acting in love is not the same thing as real love unless you're the capitol."

Leeg speaks up "you are perfectly in the right for being mad at Delly for pulling the rug from under you and at Katniss for not doing one thing to help, she could have answered all your questions and don't give me the emotions excuse that just means she wasn't willing to put any effort into you. But that bitch lost her chance, if she cared about you she would feel something when Coin challenged her but that bitch can't feel anything. Why the fuck does she deserve to be the Mockingjay?"

"She doesn't strike me as that much of an actor, but being fed lines by me, or Haymitch and having a gun to your head does wonders for your acting skills. And even before I imposed this, she had to let's just say um perform for supper. That's why I believe she fell for Gale, she didn't need him and their relationship was one of willing equals"

Hmm

"The one good thing about this sickening act is that she isn't as hurt by my mutation as she otherwise would be. I would be a full scale psychological torture device if it was real, as if kneeding her larynx isn't bad enough."

"There's lots of lies in the games, it must be so confusing for you" Tong says

Peeta responds

"That's because that's what Panem is, it's a giant twisted game. And even if I was able to ask Katniss which are lies and truth, she probably doesn't even know. When I was verbally assaulting her about if she loved me or not she said "That's what everyone says" now I gave her grief over this but I think that's her honest answer the full details are something she wouldn't want to discuss in public or she felt ashamed over her confusion."

Tong laughs : "from what your describing I don't want to know it makes me feel sick".

"I was hijacked to feel mad, then I felt a longing at times for it to be real, but now I just cringe when I rewatch the lovey dovey part of the games. So much fucking implications, lies and subtext. I'm glad I don't have to touch it anymore."

Leeg says "Never forget that your supposed lover and wife left you to fend for yourself. That's why children in 13 call her catpiss"

Tong laughs.

"I don't think I'm the same person, it's probably a good thing that I'm not, I don't see why she would want to help me. I'm talking about Katniss's Perspective if she was my lover, objectively she doesn't have to do anything"

Leeg "your compassion is why she never will deserve you, we're all talking about her moral backbone which she has none"

Peeta says "ugh, I'm glad she can't hear us but even if I was her lover at one point, there's nothing I can do to help her. There are simply some things that I will never know. In all likelihood we weren't lovers but if Gale was mutated I don't think she would behave differently but who knows? So anyway, how's the den in military sector going?"

Leeg: If Katniss was hijacked, how would you be treating her?

“Your not letting up on this are you”

“Nope”

“Well you're assuming the Star Crossed Lovers thing was real, which it wasn't. Um, I think I would try to help at first but then give up on her after a week of watching her rant incoherently, if we were lovers; same thing but with lots of heartbreak, it would be really ugly, I might stay for longer"

You think you're this cold?

"Yes, well no, If we were lovers, then the pain of seeing someone who loved you, hate you, forget you, try to kill you, with a mutation that has no cure would be too much for me in the end. I think when I called her a piece of work I somehow knew her insecurities, I'm surprised she hasn't responded to this with a mention of my mom."

"Katniss sure would be an interesting hijacking victim" Tong says

"I don't think Katniss has it in her to kill someone the way the capitol wants, with her bare hands, fast before security comes during the target's moment of weakness. Sure she's a creature of instinct, but she needs to be mentally present to kill with a bow, maybe they would just sharpen her teeth like Enobaria, and make her nails really long and sharp."

Wouldn't that ruin the disguise? The idea is who would expect someone from the capitol dungeons to be strong enough to do anything? Leeg says

" Maybe they would Snow her nails, with a lethal dose, so the scratch is fatal, Jacker venom would already be in her bloodstream, so they could use that. If she resists the small dosages the capitol would equip her with modified antibodies."

"Then she would handle our Tracker Jacker problem!" Leeg says.

Tong and Leeg leave to refill their canteens.

Finnick asks Peeta "what makes you think she's mourning you"

"Well I don't know shit about her but she has cut herself from her family, and hides in closets holding the pearl from the quarter quell, and it's the way she hates me"

"Hates you?" Finnick says

"I haven't seen it from anyone, the bitterness and snapiness, it reeks of pain, because I huants her. Me not him, when I told her she's free, I made it worse for her. I was being an ass about it until I saw her hiding in a closet."

Gale says "well yeah, deal with it"

"But that's just it I did bad shit to her, and to you, maybe it's him not me, besides her battered throat, I don't know Katniss, like he did how da fuck do I know? I never said her pain proves her his lover, her pain! Gale is it you?

"Nope, this is your problem not mine" Gale says

"Oh fuck you Gale, first of all what if she wants to avoid the mental hospital for some reason, and is putting on a mask, nah she can't manipulate a door open something always leaks with her."

"When you were in the capitol, she walked around like a grieving widow"

"Yeah sure she did, what am I supposed to do? From watching her she hates pity of all kinds and I will only make things worse. If she was my lover then maybe she has some token to remember me, like that blasted pearl, only the ghost of my old self can help her if that's who she needs. What would she see in that damn runt anyway?"

"Why are you paying so much attention to her?" Gale says

"If I can see who she is in the present, his past will be clearer, the doctors say it has value so there's that."

"Why do you care about that runts memories?" Gale scoffs

"There useful to me that's all" Peeta snaps angrily

"Just so you know the reason she wants to avoid being in the hospital? So she can kill Snow?

"Yeah it's a little hero fantasy of hers, she's the Mockingjay after all" Peeta snorts

"She wants to kill Snow to avenge what happened to you, because your now a mutt she has no plan of returning, she became the Mockingjay to save your ass after you began sucking the capitol's dick"

Gale leaves the room without saying a word

Peeta runs through the door, his hands shaking, after what Gale told him, he radiates anger, His eyes look bloodshot, and his warts are red, and his hands are shaking,he left his gun back at the benches

"You, ... Am I really expected to believe that you cannot live in a world where the boy who raped you! dishonored you! when you planned to die for him, is gone?"

I want to run but can I leave the bathroom, with him looking at me this way? In the bathroom we have some privacy, maybe Coin won't hear us.

"Your not my rapist" I snap indignant

"Your dying" his hands continue to shake "for nothing, the runt has no value at all, none at all! the nights before the arena, he enjoyed it, that sick fuck! That Sick, Sick Fuck!"

rape, he's hinted at something like that a few times, I feel uncomfortable talking about it with him, audience or no audience and move to leave as fast as I can, I'll sedate him once I'm out the door "I'm telling everyone what I did, I'll go to Coin herself with this, she can't give me a restraining order"

I freeze and close the door, he leaves me no choice, "listen you didn't rape me, I initiated both times, me"

"But you were screaming, I remember it, well wait wait, it was consensual, what about Gale, what about you getting pregnant"

"I didn't plan on leaving the arena and me, Gale were not like that."

"What about your screams"

"There was a drunk scuffle, in the street below us, it went on all night"

"You can sedate me now" His body continues to convulse. I press the button and give him a low dose so he wakes up in a short amount of time.

Finnick says “5 minutes until training starts again” This shouldn’t be a problem because Peeta will be up in 5 minutes.

Will Coin really argue that Peeta should have continued believing he raped me because of an episode that led to sedation for just 5 minutes?

seeing Peeta's limp body I try to imagine not being able to tell illusion from reality. Not knowing if Prim or my mother loved me. If Snow was my enemy. If the person across the heater saved or sacrificed me. With very little effort, my life rapidly morphs into a nightmare.

#thg katniss #mockingjay #katniss and peeta #peeta mellark #the hunger games #everlark #suzanne collins #katniss everdeen #thg #a mutts worth

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