#how to flirt with a sociopath

[heavenlybodies333]

Fuck being subtle -S.R

Spencer Reid x coworker!reader

The Boston precinct was too goddamn cold, and you weren’t just talking about the weather.

You tugged your jacket tighter around your body, more out of habit than need, pacing just outside the conference room where the local detectives were discussing victimology with Hotch and Morgan. Spencer was already inside, seated stiffly at the far end of the table, avoiding your gaze with the force of a thousand suns.

You’d think, after working together for years, Spencer Reid would have grown used to you. Your sarcasm. Your sass. Your uncanny ability to get under his skin with surgical precision and a sweet smile.

But no. Somehow, you’d only gotten better at it.

"You're wrong," he said as you filed into the Boston precinct, case folders in hand.

"How comforting," you replied breezily. "Remind me how many PhDs it takes to miss the obvious?"

You turn to lean against the edge of a cluttered desk, smiling politely at the man who’s been tailing you since the BAU walked in. Detective Noah Keller—Harvard-educated.

“So… what’s your drink of choice?” Keller asks, a grin curling at his lips.

You glance up through your lashes, noting how he steps a little too close. “Depends who’s buying.”

Behind you, a sharp paper flick announced Spencer’s presence like a starting gun. “Maybe keep the fraternization for after we catch the guy mutilating women in alleyways?”

Your head tilted, amusement twitching at your lips. “Is that your professional opinion, Dr. Reid? Or—.” He interrupted as you watched him mutter something under his breath.

“I’m not the one flirting my way through a double homicide investigation,” he snapped, biting and low.

You paused, slowly turning your head back toward him. “Excuse me?”

Morgan, who’d been rifling through crime scene photos nearby, gave Spencer a look. “Yo, Reid, maybe dial it back.”

But Spencer stood, finally meeting your gaze. His expression was taut, controlled—but his eyes burned. “Maybe you should save the date for after the unsub’s behind bars. Or is that too much to ask?”

You blinked. “Oh, I’m sorry, were you under the impression I needed your permission to live my life?”

“That’s not what I said.”

“No, it’s just what you meant. Crystal clear.”

Your voice was too sharp, too loud. The room stilled around you, agents and officers alike looking up. Keller whistled low from the doorway and raised an eyebrow at Spencer.

“You alright, Doc?”

“I’m fine,” Spencer snapped. “Thanks for your concern.”

The silence after Spencer’s outburst was louder than any siren. You could feel your pulse thudding in your ears, heat flushing up your chest even though the Boston precinct was still fucking freezing. Hotch cleared his throat like he wanted to intervene, but Morgan’s hand on his arm stopped him.

You glared at Reid, your body taut like a drawn bowstring. “Let’s go talk,” you said, voice syrup-sweet but laced with venom. “Now.”

Reid hesitated.

“Oh, you can psychoanalyze a sociopath in thirty seconds, but suddenly conflict resolution’s a stretch?”

He stood with a sharpness that rattled the chair beneath him and stalked past you, out the door and into the dim hallway. You followed, heels clicking like a warning.

The moment the door shut behind you, you shoved him back against the wall, chest heaving. “What the fuck was that?”

Spencer didn’t even flinch. “You tell me. You looked like you were two seconds from crawling into Keller’s lap.”

Your eyes widened. “Are you seriously implying I was inviting it?”

He folded his arms, jaw clenched tight. “You were eating it up. Flipping your hair, flashing that smile—don’t act like you didn’t know exactly what you were doing.”

“Oh, fuck you,” you snapped. “I was being polite. You know, like professionals do when they’re not broadcasting a full-blown tantrum across a crime scene.”

His laugh was cold. “Professionals? Is that what you call it? I call it desperate.”

You stopped breathing for a second.

“Oh,” you said, voice calm in that dangerous way that always preceded an explosion. “There it is. There it is.”

“I’m not wrong.”

“No, you’re just a fucking child. A jealous, petty little boy with a god complex and an attitude problem.”

His eyes narrowed. “That’s rich, coming from the office flirt.”

You let out a sharp laugh, full of disbelief. “God, you’re such a hypocrite. You act like you’re better than everyone, but the second I don’t orbit around you—you short-circuit.”

“I do not—”

“You do,” you snapped, stepping in close. “Because you don’t want me, but you don’t want anyone else to have me either.”

His mouth opened, but you steamrolled right through it.

“You think because we’ve fucked a few times behind locked doors and you make me come with those pretty hands, you control me? You don’t.”

His face cracked, a flicker of pain behind the fury. “You think I’m trying to control you?”

You stepped back, slow and deliberate. “I think you like me best when I’m quiet, naked, and dependent. And I think the second I stop being those things, you don’t know what to do with me.”

“You don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about.”

“No, Spencer,” you seethed. “You don’t.”

The silence that followed was tense and scorched and final. Your pulse thundered in your ears.

He opened his mouth—but you cut him off with a raised hand, already reaching for the doorknob.

“No,” you said. “I’m done being the punching bag for your fucking feelings.”

He blinked, stunned at the authority in your voice. At the fact that you weren’t backing down. For once.

“I’m not your secret. I’m not your mess to manage. I’m not yours. Not unless you act like it.”

You yanked the door open, the briefing room’s quiet hum pouring back in.

And just before stepping through, you turned your head, your voice a calm, brutal whisper.

“Get your shit together, Spencer. Because the next time you come for me like that in front of the team, I will make you regret it.”

Then you slammed the door hard enough to rattle the glass.

You don’t talk to Reid the rest of the day.

You do, however, knock on his hotel door at exactly 10:04 PM.

He opens it with that same infuriatingly unreadable expression. “Lose your room key?”

You push past him, the door slamming behind you. “You wanna fight or fuck, Reid? Pick one.”

He’s on you before the question fully lands—hands sliding up your waist, grip iron-tight as he backs you into the wall with a thud and kisses you like he’s angry to want you.

“Don’t go out with him,” he mutters against your throat, breath hot, voice hoarse. “Don’t say yes to anyone but me.”

You bite back a moan, fingers tangling in his hair. “You don’t get to say that, Spencer. Not when you’re the one who said this isn’t serious.”

“I changed my mind.”

“Of course you did.” You arch into him as his mouth trails lower. “Right when someone else wanted me.”

His gaze darkens. “We have rules.” His hands find their way up your night slip, the cold shock hardening your nipples as he massages your breasts.

“We fuck, Spencer. That’s it. That was your rule.”

“It’s not just that,” he hisses. “Don’t insult both of us.”

You pull away, setting your hand forcibly on his chest. “Then say it. Say what this is. Because until you do, I’m free to say yes to anyone I want.”

His mouth is on yours before the challenge finishes leaving your lips.

You moan into him, dragged up onto your toes as he crowds you harder into the wall. The collar of his dress shirt brushes your neck, his tie already tugged loose. You get your fingers under it, dragging it off completely as you shove his jacket down his arms with a violent efficiency. He shrugs it off and tosses it to the floor like it’s suddenly the least important thing in the room.

“You want declarations?” he growls, pinning your wrists above your head. “Fine. You drive me insane. You make me jealous. And I can’t stand the idea of anyone else touching you.”

His mouth was back on yours, punishing and possessive, tongue sliding over yours in a filthy, desperate kiss. You could feel how hard he was, straining beneath his slacks, pressing insistently between your legs. You rolled your hips forward, relishing the sharp hiss that left his mouth.

You gasped as his fingers slid between your thighs, stroking over the thin lace of your underwear. He found you soaked already, the proof of your need slick impossible to hide.

“You’re wet,” he says, smug. “You like when I get jealous?”

You grit your teeth. “No. I like when you finally grow a fucking spine.”

He lets out a sharp breath and plunges two fingers into you without warning, and holy shit, the pressure, the stretch—it has you moaning before you can slap a comeback together.

“You sure?” he murmurs against your ear, his free hand curling around your throat just enough to keep you in place. “Because your pussy disagrees.”

You jerk under him, both infuriated and embarrassingly close already. “Fuck you, Spencer.”

He drops to his knees in a heartbeat, tugging your panties down your thighs and letting them fall to the floor. You don’t have time to make a quip about how polite he’s being before his mouth is on you—hot, devastating, desperate. His hands are spread on your thighs to hold you open and still, but you’re already bracing yourself against the wall, nearly slipping from how fast he sends you unraveling.

“Fuck,” you breathe, hand gripping his hair. He groans against you—deep and reverent—and the vibration makes you buck.

You’re already close, embarrassingly fast, the tension of the entire day turning to molten heat between your thighs. He flicks his tongue expertly, fast and purposeful, and then slows down like he wants to torture you for it.

When you whimper, he pulls back, “Nope not yet baby.” Covering your inner thighs with warm wet kisses as you whine in protest.

He spins you, hands shoving your slip up over your ass and hauling your hips back. You brace your hands against the wall, the cold surface anchoring you as Spencer unbuckles his belt with frantic precision.

“I should’ve fucked you in that precinct bathroom,” he mutters, yanking his pants down just enough to free himself. His cock presses hot and hard against your ass, dragging along your slick folds.

You only had a second to catch your breath before he thrusting into you.

You cried out, forehead thunking against the wood. His hips snapped against yours with punishing rhythm, all that pent-up rage finally breaking through. He gripped your hips like handles, fucking you with sharp, possessive thrusts.

Your orgasm hits you mid-sentence, violent and scorching, your whole body shaking as you cry out. He fucks you through it, chasing his own release, the rhythm of his hips faltering only as he spills inside you with a curse muffled against your skin.

You collapse against the wall, breathing hard, body wrecked and buzzing.

The silence after was heavier than before. Sweeter, somehow.

You turned your head just enough to see him. “So… does this mean I can’t go for drinks?”

He glared.

You smirked. “Kidding.”

“Not funny.”

“Little bit funny.”

a/n: jealous Spence is my favorite

⋆•★⋆ MASTERLIST ⋆★•⋆

[monochromed-elf]

Random astro notes 1

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Take what resonates! I'm no professional astrologer.

These observations are made from my experiences.

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✮⋆｡ 6h Jupiter and easily gaining weight. especially if you're also Jupitarian.

✮⋆｡ 6h Jupiter also makes you suck at managing your time and tasks (Overly optimistic about it).

✮⋆｡ Again, my experience with 6h Jupiter and being called big animals.

✮⋆｡ Cancer Mercury and what is that handwriting of yours omg I'm sorry you're getting complaints about it😭 I can understand a doctor's paracetamol but not your hello.

✮⋆｡ Cancer/4h Lilith, your mother is most likely to hate on your friend with a Cancer stellium/prominent Cancer placements for no reason whatsoever. Especially if the friend is healing your mommy issues. Your mother will automatically think they're brainwashing you.

✮⋆｡ 4h Lilith also means you always try to save your mother. Don't do it. Stop that. Because she won't appreciate your attempts and will side with what hurts her! Learn that she's not your responsibility.

✮⋆｡ I feel like Gemini Mars will certainly space out during anything sexual, literally getting railed while thinking of taxes or whatever is going on. It's definitely the ADHD lol.

✮⋆｡ Gemini Venus please stop accidentally flirting with us, oh and the mixed signals.

✮⋆｡ Heavy water placements but with an Aries Moon can give off the vibes of the therapist friend with heavy random outbursts when they're tired of therapitizing everyone. Especially if Moon conjuncts Uranus.

✮⋆｡ All of the Capricorn Moons I know have heavy sociopathic traits.

✮⋆｡ Meanwhile Aquarius Moons can't stop blaming body chemicals for their emotions (dopamine and all of that).

✮⋆｡ "Choose the person who has your Moon sign as their Venus sign" is actually true. But it won't last long (maximum 2 years) and you both will become strangers. (unless you both meet daily or live together).

✮⋆｡ Mars conjunct Saturn will make you like BDSM a lot.

✮⋆｡ 4h Chiron, please do not create a family UNLESS you are healed. You'll traumatize all of your kids but fucking be an angel parent to other families. Similar with 5h Chiron but it's mostly with kids.

✮⋆｡ 4h/5h Chiron could be an indicator of being a narcissistic parent too. I'm indeed traumatized.

✮⋆｡ Always remember that Neptune=Delulu. Be careful where it is, it's both a blessing and a curse.

✮⋆｡ A close person's Venus in your 12h and omg they fucking appear in your dreams.

✮⋆｡ 9h Saturn are one of the most closed minded people I've ever met. They are seriously unable to see other perspectives.

✮⋆｡ The Sun House shows you how you treat your own dad. 11h sun: your friend, 10h: your boss, 4h: an actual parent Imao. It also can show why your dad loves or hates you because of such status: "I'm your dad stop treating me like a: (11h) friend/(3h) older brother/(5h) kid".

✮⋆｡ Fire IC/4h ruled by a fire sign is really a strong indicator of a bad family.

✮⋆｡ 3h Saturn natives bond by talking shit about their siblings.

✮⋆｡ 3h Saturn also might indicate having a loud voice (especially with prominent air signs placements).

✮⋆｡ 3h Uranus and yes 90% chance your siblings were unexpected, or you may have an unexpected story of a sibling (like you had a sibling that died before you or smth wild).

✮⋆｡ I find that Lilith/Chiron placements are so...damn, similar. Except that Lilith is horny and Chiron is actually serious about the problem lol. An example: 9h Lilith might fetishize their religious trauma/an experience with a foreigner. While 9h Chiron will be disgusted and crying and trying to fix fix fix. Lilith needs to be embraced as it is, Chiron actually needs the fucking healing instead.

✮⋆｡ One vs one opposite Nodes will either fix or ruin your life. For example you're an Aries North Node. A Libra North Node will be quite the teacher for you.

✮⋆｡ 5h/7h stelliums have the juiciest stories about their love life. But 7h is more likely to give you great advice about love lol.

✮⋆｡ Pluto conjunct Ascendant is very likely to look young compared to their age (my bestie being called a high schooler while she's in college damn).

✮⋆｡ Give a 3h Neptune alcohol and watch them become a professional poet and creatively high (Like those old Chinese/Arabic/Persian poets lol).

✮⋆｡ Neptune conjunct Ascendant, always seen as lazy and sleeps a lot.

✮⋆｡ Cancer/Pisces Mars can be actually super violent and not the usual passive aggressive shit. Especially in men.

✮⋆｡ (Vedic!) We always hate the type of men/women with our DK planet energy somehow (But we end up being really good with them). Mercury DK hates young and childlike people. Venus DK hating overly romantic and artistic people. It's life's way of saying SIKE—

✮⋆｡ Having the South Node in a sign and someone having a stellium/prominent placements of such sign (like, you being Leo South Node and you meet someone with Leo Stellium). Please run away from them. Early meetings and encounters with them feel like heaven but will slowly ruin you.

✮⋆｡ The same goes with your Rising Sign. If someone's stellium/prominent placements is in the same sign as your rising. The stellium person will be better than you at the things the sign values and your rising will become bitter. It'll be ugly. Go for people with your descendant's energy.

Thank you for reading💜

@monochromed-elf

[sweetinsaniiity]

ateez as !mafia members

pairing: y/n x ot8 members (bullet format headcanon) genre/au: mafia!au, no smut, but still MDNI since there are depictions of violence (fitting for mafia members), though they are not explicitly described (warnings below), toxicity in relationships, falling in love, red flags, marriage, engagement, pregnancy, betrayal, deception, bank heist rating/warning: PG-18+ so MDNI!!! no smut (though there are hints of it), however the genre itself has mature settings, gun use, !daddy dom Hongjoong, mentions of sadism! Seonghwa, two-faced! Yunho, sociopath! Yeosang, Stockholm Syndrome! San, manipulative! Mingi, lunatic! Wooyoung, brutal! Jongho word count: 6K words (approximately 750 words per member) synopsis: Just Ateez in the mafia with their personalities and how they found love in the most unconventional manner. notes: I've been getting a lot of requests for mafia! Ateez and tbh, I've been itching to write something like this anyway while, spoiler alert, the second part of Sick, Little Games is ongoing. This was a plot for something else, but oh well. Enjoy! Warnings at the end. taglist: @ginger-mingi @0rangemilk @ruubyrubes @oddracha @jaytheatiny @roxannecos

networks: @cultofdionysusnet @wonderlandnet @othersideoutlawsnetwork @illusionnet @pirateeznet

HONGJOONG

The Sovereign; the head, the brains

pure evil because why the hell not?

honestly lacks empathy, he will get what he wants, come hell or high water

no nonsense bullshit leader, he is an extremely calculating, conniving and diabolical mastermind

he walks the talk and immediately takes action after making a bold decision without a second thought

always gets make fun of because of his height, but it's okay, they'd be dead by daylight

when getting information, he doesn't get involved. why?

because he's the one who taught everyone they needed to know, every bloody, gruesome detail

brilliant strategist and an absolute criminal genius, nothing gets past him

could off anyone or anything without any expression or remorse, whether they're innocent or not

there are rumours that Hongjoong had tied a cinder block on someone's foot and the tossed them in the ocean for information

or that perhaps he broke into prison alone to save Seonghwa and then broke back out without getting caught

we will never really know, but if it makes your skin crawl, then it's probably true

and speaking of Seonghwa, the other half of Matz, they built the mafia from scratch

feared by many but will burn the world to make his members happy

will sacrifice the world if it means being with them

or sacrifice Wooyoung if he gets pissed enough

but with how Wooyoung is, he'll end up sacrificing himself, instead

he will never, ever admit that he has a soft spot for the man, though

the others aren't any better either

but he'd tell himself, as long as he'd think of them as five year olds to begin with, being a leader becomes a bit easier

he meets you when he was in the pub one night and he saw you go in the bathroom

he was stunned and was immediately smitten

without thinking, he got up from his seat, went into the bathroom, locked the door, and waited for you

you were surprised and scared, obviously, but blushed when you realized that this was the guy that you've been eyeing all night

but you were too drunk to flirt back, so you ended up puking on his shirt

Hongjoong saw red, and in a fit of rage and lust, he demanded that you come home with him to make up for it

it was so embarrassing and the next year, you automatically remembered it when you woke up

you also woke up to a naked man who slept peacefully beside you and you were mortified, and you knew that this man was no normal man, so you couldn't make a move to leave

but it was okay, his demand to take you home turned into marriage after two years

!daddy dom

very demanding both in his profession and in bed

although you didn't agree on everything he did, you had no right to stop it, and if anything, you admired how he ran his empire

there has never been a time where left you unsatisfied not only in that area, but also in general when he has to get busy

not big on affection but loves holding hands, though he will never admit it

would get on his knees if you asked him to

8/10, approach him with caution

SEONGHWA

The Sadist; devil incarnate in looks and in action

causes as much pain as possible for his own benefit

not necessarily a schadenfreude, just extremely bitter and very goal-oriented

he doesn't hide the fact that he's a sadist, but he doesn't go around bragging about it

he just doesn't give a shit, he didn't invent the moniker

but Seonghwa never k*lls, ever

which makes things worse because he's a very patient man, he will get the information he needs even if it took him days or weeks

it prolongs his enemy's agony, in his mind, they'll eventually give in, and he's usually right

the other half of Matz

went to prison for Hongjoong because he wanted him to start Ateez immediately

he didn't mind prison, it was rather peaceful for him

if anything, it served as a turning point for his criminal life, he had made tons of connections, both by force and from his charm, and Hongjoong was less than surprised

if anyone was to grow their network, it was him because when God made Hongjoong, 95% was for his insane leadership and criminal mind, the rest was unknown

as a person, Seonghwa is cold and expressionless. the only time he shows emotions is when he's in an "operation"

he always gets his hands dirty, he would disable his enemies, but he would never end them

the fear of d*ath and the unknown is delicious, he said

it made him feel alive, or feel in general

he may not be the leader, but his members have a certain respect for him

except for Mingi. he does care for the taller member a lot, but Mingi made it his life's mission to annoy him as much as possible

and unfortunately for Mingi, his manipulation tactics don't work on him

"You think I'm an idiot?" Mingi would tease.

"Hardly. I think you posses above average intelligence," he would deadpan

you meet him when you tried to join the mafia

Seonghwa isn't a saint, but you're no angel either. you eliminated everyone trying out just so you could be on top

you didn't care if you cheated or crossed anyone, you had to be on top even if it killed you

and unknowingly, you had sparred with Seonghwa, and he lost

when you found out he was the Park Seonghwa, you were embarrassed because he had let you win on purpose

it hurt your ego, you had never lost before to anyone, and Seonghwa's smirk told you that he knew this

you trained under his wing, and slowly, you began to fall for him

he looks like he has never moved for anyone, like a panther, his moves are elegant, mysterious, and sleek

and you're the only he cares enough to hurt about, you were what truly made him feel alive rather than the blood that totaled his hands

at first, he rejected you, he didn't want romance to hinder him from his job and all of what came with it

you were heartbroken, but you accepted it, it made sense, falling in love wasn't in your cards, but you fell anyway

Seonghwa couldn't stay away from you, however, whenever he saw that you were making steps to move on, his heart would bleed

in the end, you won, because he did fall for you, he fell much, much harder

in fact, he had fallen for you way before you did, he just didn't want it fester in case it stopped him from being the ruthless Ateez leader

!possessive boi

so much so that he pretty much coerced you into a relationship, not that you minded, you thought it was hot

if he can't have you, then no one else can, he's going to make sure of it

a walking, talking, oversized red flag, but you're colour blind

the members often teased him for being whipped, he would just glare at everyone until they left

you always melted whenever he would pull you and gently kiss your on the forehead

in public, you'd both be very professional about the work, but when it's just the two of you, God knows how much you both can't keep your hands off of one another

9/10, approach at your own risk

YUNHO

The Serpent; a treacherous snake who will betray you

he's very friendly, like that of a small puppy, and may seem like he's very reserved

but make no mistake, Yunho excels in using psychological t***ure and will go to no end for his goals

behind his smiles is a brutal man who is worse than Seonghwa, for a man who is willing to betray anyone is very ruthless and powerful

when the enemies are getting interrogated, he often makes them believe that they are safe and that he's on their side

he will listen to them, bring them food and comfort items like clean clothes, clean pillows, and the likes, while they are detained

facade drops when he's done getting what he wants and destroys the enemy before they catch on

or when he's in an especially cruel mood, he would sometimes warns his enemies that he'd hurt them

the enemies would then panic while they're imprisoned, but Yunho would never do it. He would do this everyday until the prisoner goes insane waiting

but for the most part, Yunho typically let Hongjoong and Seonghwa handle all the bloody details, he had more penchant with the ones he had the settle some scores with, which was not common

he has a soft spot for Jongho because he's the only one who would shake his head at him when he got too far

Jongho would also be the one who'd tell him to cut his 'playtime' short because in his opinion, it's waste of time

he's so good at his act that the members don't even know his real personality sometimes

but Mingi, the other half of YunGi, does

they've been together all their lives, what's another life of crime? Only Mingi truly understands him

and you did too, you knew Yunho for who he really was and he absolutely loved you for it

Yunho and Mingi were childhood friends who had moved away when you were in middle school

you had the biggest crush on Yunho and you never forgot him even after all those years, and apparently, neither did he

one day when Yunho robbed a bank and held everyone hostage, his breath was caught in his lungs when he saw the fear in your eyes as you held your hands up

at first you weren't sure, but when you took a closer look at the man who had decided to rob the bank you worked at, you couldn't help but grasp

he completely aborted the heist and took you with him instead, much to Mingi's surprise

you didn't want a criminal for a boyfriend, but unfortunately for you, Yunho worked on his facade

he did everything to win you over, be it flowers, clothes, jewelry, etc.

you were going to fall for him all over again if it's the last thing he'll ever do, he had no idea why he was doing it or why it had to be you, but it had to be

you always frowned at him, he can't buy your love, so he changed his tactics, he began to cook, massage your back, rub your feet, and do every acts of service he could think of

and his hugs were always the tightest

Yunho was close, all he had to do was just do whatever it was that made you squirm, and behind all the sociopathy, he was genuinely happy that you were seeing him for who he was

you fell in love with the facade and he dropped it when you did, but it was too late

you knew in your head, that you shouldn't, but you couldn't help it

you didn't mind, he treated you like a princess and he was so sweet, and deep down, you knew Yunho was a good man

but was he?

every time Yunho thought about, he couldn't but smirk as a chuckle bubbled up from his chest

but he did really love you, he's always had, there's no doubt about it, how could he not when you're the most beautiful person he's ever laid his eyes on?

that love is based on his own standards, though, and you shall never find out, he'd rather end you than let you go

9/10, if you value your sanity, keep your distance

YEOSANG

The Resistance; he refuses to do bad by choice

he prefers to stay in the shadows because he doesn't believe that violence is a one and done all deal

he's more of a backup just in case things get messy

one could say that he's a pacifist, a peace monger of some sorts,

a very cunning and calculating person, however, when his patience runs thin or worse, out

has a very deceptive face that he uses to his advantage and he usually looks calm

but he's a true sociopath with no true open compassion with very warped beliefs

equally as psychotic as the others, if not worse

the others are very upfront about their brutality and violence

but Yeosang pretends that he doesn't like violence because of his disconnect with the world

but when he does get violent, the hair on everyone's arms rise

even Hongjoong is sometimes horrified of his actions, believing that he originally had good intentions, but lost them along the way

his pacifism is for the greater good, at least in his mind, but he definitely goes too far with his wickedness and delusions of grandeur

one time, he watched Yeosang interact with their enemies and he became very unsettled

he was just talking to them as if it was just a normal day

until he heard Yeosang say, "This is a brawl. I'll let the last man standing go free."

both of them watched as the enemies started betraying and eliminating each other until the strongest man was left

Hongjoong raised a brow when Yeosang offed the last man and he asked him why

"I don't like people with no honour," Yeosang shrugged. "He has no loyalty to his team."

Jongho, his best friend, wasn't at all surprised at how twisted Yeosang's logic was

they both decided to send him to a mental hospital for the time being to sort himself

that's a lie, the last thing the police would look for to find a criminal was in a mental hospital

and that's where he met you, he couldn't help but wonder why someone as sweet and innocent as you would be doing here

you never did tell him your reason, but he didn't care, he slowly lost his mind when he realized that he liked your company

when you saw him, you thought he was cute, until you found out that he was actually crazy in the head

that didn't stop you from hanging out with him though because you were curious why he was always alone

Yeosang mentioned that he has a violent background and he was pleased when you just shrugged and said that everyone lives differently and some things that are right for others may not be for another

he knew then and there that he had to have you

imagine Hongjoong's surprise when he picked up Yeosang and he threatened him that he'll remove the mental hospital from existence if you didn't come along

and he actually would, all you had to do was say the word

the leader sighed when all you did was smile at him, looks like Yeosang found someone to tether him down

the way Yeosang was looking at you as if you'd tell him to actually to burn the hospital was endearing and so Yeosang coded

8.5/10, just don't get in his way

SAN

The Assassin; the indestructible gladiator

if a job or task seems difficult, consider it done when it comes to San

the perfect machine, he will do everything and anything that is asked of him without questioning whether or not they're moral or ethical

he's very by-the-book and indifferent, his cruelty depends on who's asking and it ranges from tame to absolute destruction

extremely skilled at hiding his atrocities and never leaves behind any evidence

which is why he is Seonghwa's favourite member

because a psychopath following a psychopath always ends well for everybody

despite his rugged appearance, San is very quick-witted and very scheming, especially when he's about to get caught

second to Yeosang in making himself try to look normal in public

the only difference being that he is very hollow and he doesn't have a sense of entitlement in what he does

San is not interested in knowing why his tasks are the way they are nor why he has to do them while Yeosang only does them if he think there's some greater good in them

the sooner he does what is asked of him, the less headache he has

because he's perfectly aware that he's a tool for the mafia to use for their own benefit and he's perfectly fine with that

his platonic soulmate, Wooyoung, is trying to dissuade him from this line of thought, he's deeply saddened that that's how San thinks of himself

the tattoo on his thigh remind him of that everyday

he saw you for the first time when Seonghwa had instructed him to eliminate you because you were at the wrong place at the wrong time

at first it wasn't a problem so he kidnapped you in broad daylight

when San took the mask he had put on your face and took a closer look at you, his biggest problem started then and there

he had never seen someone so small, so pure, and so utterly scared of him

he couldn't do it, he couldn't eliminate you, especially not with his own hands, his heart wasn't letting him move at all

for the first time in his life, he felt the need to disobey

it was love at first sight, so after explaining to you honestly why he had to do it, you halfheartedly went into hiding in his house

he lied to Seonghwa that you were gone, and the older wasn't convinced, but regardless, he let it go for now

it was certainly a new arrangement for both of you, you were angry because you knew he put a hit on you

your greedy brother sold you to the mafia so before you changed your mind, you told San to do whatever he wanted with him

San smirked, for all the people he took orders from, yours was the one who made his heart sing

one day, Seonghwa visited San's house by surprise after a couple of months, he was shocked that you not only were you alive and well, but you were now playing house

so San does the most insane thing he could do, he proposed to you in front of a jaw-slacked Seonghwa

Seonghwa almost had an aneurysm when San came clean, mafia morals states that it's taboo to touch a member's partner

it wasn't difficult for you to say yes, you had come to love San for who he was although it was difficult at first

he was a gentle lover, and you didn't care what he was or what he's done, San's loving and caring personality made up for it

you two would stargaze on his roof as you both held hands, sometimes he would put a rom-com movie to make you happy, or he would plan a picnic just for the two of you

being engaged to San was the best decision of your life

you genuinely love the way he was, killing machine and all, but you couldn't help but fall in love with him more

especially with how attentive he was on your needs, especially adjusting to the mafia life

his kisses were definitely the sweetest

9/10, you'll be safe as long as someone doesn't put a price on your head

MINGI

The Politician; his silver tongue can make pigs fly

he has the ability to gain control in literally any situation because of the power he exudes

very charming and very dangerous because of his impeccable confidence towards himself

as charming as he is, he is mostly mad, intimidating and mad

smooth talker, he can get away with justifying his atrocities

he is a textbook diplomat, he can talk his way to get whatever he wants, whenever he wants, from whoever he wants

him and San made a deadly combination, one did whatever anyone wanted and the other can convince the enemy that being dead was good

Mingi's charisma is something to be trifled with, everybody wishes to shoot him but somehow find themselves compelled to not do so

highly intelligent and loves to manipulate people for fun to make himself appear more trustworthy, much like his childhood best friend, Yunho

in actuality, he is a heartless, psychopathic animal who would do anything to conform his sick-minded personality

when he's irritated, he'd violently force others into unfair deals sometimes for the mafia, sometimes because he's bored

expert extortionist, by the time the enemy realizes that they've been made to say and do whatever Mingi wanted, it's too late

there is no backing out because Mingi has no problem ending people who waste his time

he has no mercy, because unlike the other members, he eliminates swiftly, he doesn't care about playing games

his members, especially Seonghwa, Yunho, and Wooyoung, loved playing with their victims, Mingi did not

he also eliminates for absolutely no reason but for his entertainment and his intimidating aura helps him in this regard

as a person, Mingi is actually rather chill

San said that if he didn't know how deadly Mingi was, he would have killed him a long time ago with hoe annoyingly chill he was

"Look at this schmuck," San would scoff. "Doesn't even look like he can shoot a gun."

"Wanna find out?" Mingi shrugged. "Your muscles ain't shit."

and that's how he won against an angry San, who was blinded by his annoyance, when he smacked the gun out of San's hand

things like these always come easy to him, all he had to do was exploit their weakness and use it against them

and it was how he almost has you in the palm of his hand, all you had to do was surrender to him

he hadn't mean to see you, one day he was out with Yunho for coffee and when they were about to leave, you passed him and your scent was captivating

one thing that made his brows raise was that, yes, his manipulation worked on you, but something didn't sit well with him

you felt like the prettiest girl whenever Mingi would shower you with gifts and loads of attention

he was your type of guy - tall with jaws craved by God, body slim and hips begging to be held - he was a dreamboat in your eyes

sooner or later, what turned out to be curiosity on his end, transformed into an unhealthy obsession

you were his, whether you liked it or not, whether you knew it or not

and so you rejected him when he confessed his want for you, which absolutely shocked him, all you did was smirk, you had him where you wanted him

but it was your turn to be shocked when he smirked, all the obsession he showed, the attitude, the gazes, the confession, he had you where he wanted you

you couldn't help but laugh when you realized at how you manipulated each other, but Mingi was starstruck

you weren't complaining much, he had the most dominating hold on you, and if you escaped from him, you'd pay, because you can always run, but you never hide from him

10/10, do not approach

WOOYOUNG

The Hedonist; disorder and havoc are what makes him fully function

wholeheartedly believes that chaos is the only solution to peace

the most deranged out of everybody, his mania has no limit because unlike the others, his violence brings him pure pleasure

is the most headache-inducing member because of his impulsiveness and inconsistent cruelty, which makes him one of the most frightening members

he can be very cruel, and when he is, his methods are very, very slow and prolongs the agony of his victims until they beg him to just end them

sometimes they're so fast that his enemies don't know what hit them

- the master of prolonging his victims and playing with his food before devouring them

it all depends on his mood, but the point is, his unpredictability is what makes him very dangerous

he is highly capable of hurting everyone without hesitation due to his lack of restraint

however, what sets Wooyoung apart is his high impulse control, this means he can control himself on command

what makes him especially dangerous is that he is completely aware of what he's doing and he knows that consequences of his actions, he just doesn't care

in short, Wooyoung is absolutely crazy and not in his right mind

it was technically his fault why Yeosang was as unstable as he was, but he thought to himself, he was doing his friend a favour

"Have you ever regretted meeting me?" Wooyoung grinned.

"Every single day of my life," Yeosang scoffed.

sulking, he dragged San with him so they could get a tattoo together, later, he offed the tattoo artists for agreeing with him and not bothering to stop his decision

he was surprised that San didn't even protest, but that was his closest friend so he won't argue

when Yeosang was sent for damage control, the man just face palmed himself and left, deciding that he'd rather get punished by his leaders than involve himself in this mess that is Jung Wooyoung

but make no mistake, as demented and highly unstable as he is, he is Hongjoong and Seonghwa's right hand man and the members respect that

though they are close to ousting him and the members are very, very close on making a petition to demote him

brilliant planner, he plans his attacks in advance, as impulsive as he is, he always prefers tactical planning rather than facing his enemies face on

after all, his strategic mind was what led him to plan and steal you from your home

you were the enemies daughter, and Wooyoung's insanity knew no bounds because for all the things he had made plans for, your capture was the one that made his skin tingle and his blood run fast

but you can't change a leopard's spots, despite all his planning, Wooyoung ended up climbing your window at night so he can see you

you were half naked as you prepared for sleep, but you ended up screaming so loud when you saw a shadowy figure climb your roof

he quickly covered your mouth and you both his under the sheets when your father came in the room

you sheepishly told him that you saw a bug fly in from the window and got surprised, in the end, he bought the excuse and left

"Hello, princess," Wooyoung smirked as he traced your skin with his finger

you squirmed, you knew Wooyoung's fascination for you and at first it irked you, but only because both of you were in a Romeo and Juliet situation

you have always been attracted to him, and he knew it, but you couldn't do anything about it

months and months after that, he still kept pursuing you and it got so bad that he would purposefully pick a fight with your father just so he could have an excuse to see you

your father was livid, it wasn't really a secret how much of an absolute lunatic Wooyoung was in the mafia world

however, even he couldn't deny how intelligent Wooyoung was and how his operations were always a guaranteed success with no loose ends

Wooyoung being with you had more pros than cons and at the end of the day, your father was a businessman

when your father had requested a meeting with Ateez and proposed a merge, they had agreed after both sides presented their thoughts

your father hissed at Wooyoung to hold his horses when he tried to grab you

imagine everyone's surprise when Wooyoung said this merge would have happened anyway, because you were already four months pregnant

9.8/10, intelligence and insanity would bring the apocalypse

JONGHO

The Liar; the most complex out of them all

while everyone focuses on being out there in action and extracting what they need to know, Jongho preferred to be in the side lines

not that he didn't know how to be out there, rather, they don't want him in there

Jongho is extremely cruel, and what the other members are good at, he's twice as brutal

he's twice as sadistic as Seonghwa, the only difference is that he doesn't get pleasure in hurting, twice as deceptive as Yunho, though not as arrogant about it, and he's twice as manipulative as Mingi

a lot of their enemies always underestimated Jongho and it only made him smirk

he always looked calm, emotionless, and nonchalant most of the time, it's usually this time where Jongho strikes

an exceptionally clever and absolutely cunning criminal genius and is most similar to Mingi - he doesn't like to play with his victims

his bloodthirst has does not accept limit, it's to the point that fellow member, Yunho, once suggested that the mafia may not even be enough to satisfy his bloodthirsty ravaging

with all of that being said, Yunho had took it upon himself to pull Jongho out of the action

"Goddamn it, Jongho, so much blood," Yunho clicked his tongue in annoyance when he saw that the enemy was long gone. "What did you use?"

when he lifted up a frying pan, Yunho's mouth drops, how much force had it taken for Jongho to produce this much blood with that?!

instead, he became the interrogator, and he is in charge of extracting even the hardest information he can get

which is fine by him, he's sick of being told off by his leaders about his brutality anyway, he owes no one an explanation

Jongho doesn't like to get his hands dirty, most of the time he can manipulate someone or force even an entire group to give him what he wants without lifting a finger

so now, Jongho's content with sticking to the question, the physical and psychological t**t**ing was his members' forte

however, even some of the members fear him, it isn't like Seonghwa where it's fear out of respect

some enemies are hard nuts to crack, and this is when Jongho enters, they call their last resort

easily the most dangerous and spine-chilling member, he doesn't get involved in all the brutality now, but when he does, they're very vile

they're so vile and atrocious that Hongjoong had instructed that only the worst of the worst should be brought to Jongho

his best friend, Yeosang, tried to contest this verdict, but to no avail, even he knew how bad it can get with Jongho

of course, the higher the peak, the harder the fall, and in most cases on his end, it's pure, unadulterated rage

this is Jongho's biggest weakness as it causes him fatal flaws of mistakes that are very much crucial

like that one time you callously kicked him out of the local library

despite his ruthlessness, he actually loved reading and gaining knowledge on the most mundane of things

so when you started your new job there, of course, he took notice of you, how could he not?

you were something worth reading, you were an enigma that tempted him to read further on, but he stopped himself, he wasn't all evil - you were innocent, his life wasn't for you

you looked so sweet, he didn't want to corrupt you, but oh, did he want to so badly

his thoughts were interrupted with a phone call from Yeosang, and the next thing he knew, he was seething in anger outside

in your defense, you didn't mean to, you took notice of him too and you cheeks blushed all the time, you panicked and didn't mean to kick him out

you were going to pay for this, he thought, and so he had this brilliant plan of following you into your apartment

you were about to close the door when his foot stopped it and he squeezed his way in, you didn't even have time to be surprised, he left before he could do anything

"Dude, you're an idiot, that isn't how you pick up girls," Yeosang snickered in delight

"Rich coming from the guy that met his girl in the nut hut," he snapped

in the end, he did man up and apologized to you the next day, and to Jongho's surprise, you invited him to your place for coffee

you confessed that you had a bit of a crush on him, this straightforward attitude made his heart skip and he tried to dissuade the confession

but you surprised him more when you admitted that you knew what he was and what he does,

you were the daughter of a man who owed money to Ateez, and your father did end up paying all of it back, but Mingi wanted him gone anyway

Jongho decided to let him go since he did do his end of the bargain

it was absolutely wrong, you couldn't get him out of your head, and when you were about to forget him, he suddenly showed up at your new job

you eventually found out that his love was the most genuine

he wasn't the biggest fan of physical affection, but he did love showering you with it the best he could

he loved fixing your hair for you when it got windy, he loved patting your head and then leaning in to give you nose boops

the way he listened when you talked without making it about himself, it meant a lot to you

or when he would eat your favourite food with him even though the food you liked wasn't his cup of tea

or perhaps when he automatically removed food from your plate that he knew you hated

your favourite was when he would hold your hand under any table, or any hidden physical contact

10/10, extremely dangerous, do not approach at all costs

𝙵𝚞𝚛𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝙽𝚘𝚝𝚎𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚆𝚊𝚛𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜: please do not take this seriously. This is not a representation of the Ateez members in real life and this is not a go-signal for anybody to fulfill this type of fantasy. This is figment of this author's wild imagination to share with anyone and it shall stay that way.

𝙳𝚒𝚟𝚒𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚜: @thecutestgrotto

[namiusedbubble]

All That Power (Lex Luthor x Reader)

Pairing: Lex Luthor x Reader Fandom: Superman 2025 Disclaimer: Look, I know he's evil, but Nicholas Hoult is beautiful even when bald. His personality is mostly based on the show, so there's no spoilers.

You’re not supposed to be here.

Not alone. Not with him.

Your boss was supposed to come to this meeting. But he got “tied up.” (Lex's doing, you’re almost certain.) And now it’s just you, a stack of contract briefs, and Metropolis’ favorite sociopathic genius across the glass table, perfectly relaxed, arms folded, expression carved from arrogance and precision.

“You’re not what I expected,” he says, looking at you like he's already figured you out.

“I could say the same.”

“Really?” He leans forward just enough that the lights catch the curve of his skull and the sharp line of his mouth. “Because I find I’m usually exactly what people expect. Just with better tailoring.”

You hate that you notice the suit. The watch. The way he wears control like it’s stitched into his skin.

“You’re enjoying this,” you mutter, flipping a page just to have something to look at that isn’t him.

“Oh, immensely,” he replies without hesitation. “I get so bored of yes-men and sycophants. It’s refreshing, really. You have a spine. It’s cute.”

You glare. “You’re threatening my company’s autonomy.”

“I’m offering your company survival,” he corrects, tone clipped. “Don’t mistake pragmatism for cruelty just because I say out loud what others only whisper.”

There’s a pause. Then, quieter, like he can’t help himself:

“You’re clever. I like that. Clever people understand me.”

“Clever people run when they realize you’re circling them like prey.”

He smiles. Sharp and knowing, and it’s terrifying how attractive it is. “But you haven’t run.”

“I haven’t signed anything either.”

His gaze lingers. Not on your body. On your face, like the back-and-forth is intoxicating.

“I knew I wanted you on this deal the second I read your file,” he says. “But I didn’t expect to want to keep you.”

The room goes silent. You freeze. His words feel too personal, too unguarded. For a second, you forget how to breathe.

"... Is this your version of flirting or are you trying to poach me?” you manage.

Lex doesn’t answer right away. Just stares at you like you're a problem he's been trying to solve for years and now he suddenly has all the answers to. Then, with a tilt of his head: “I don’t flirt. I choose. And I don’t choose lightly.”

[calmcoldevening]

Slashers x reader who is very popular among people?

Slashers x reader who is very popular among people

Jason Voorhees

• Jason likes that out of all the people who hang out with you, he's the one who's your boyfriend. It makes him feel special. He appreciates your attention and care, and he's not being selfish or anything like that. He's just a big kid who wants love and understanding.

• Jason is a little jealous that you're so easy to get along with because he's always been the outcast. But he understands why, because you're so beautiful and bright like the sun. And people always gravitate towards good people. He's just glad that after all this crowd, you always come back to him.

• But if someone gets too close to you and even becomes intrusive, Jason won't ignore it. He'll discreetly remove them if they're not someone you care about. If it's someone from your friends or family, he'll just give them a scare.

• In any case, he tries to ignore these people and just show his love for you. Small gifts, treats, just something that shows him that you're really important to him because you're you.

Bo Sinclair

• This asshole is very possessive and jealous. In public, he may seem like a nice and well-mannered man who just needs to hold your waist and hold the door for you when you get into the car. But in reality, he dreams of preserving you in some basement and keeping you all for himself. He's holding on by a thread.

• In a way, he enjoys your popularity, which makes you a valuable piece in his collection. However, this doesn't mean that he likes other people. He's a fucking sociopath.

• If you're hanging out with someone and they're flirting with you, there's going to be a new exhibit at the Wax Museum. And you're in for a passionate night where Bo reminds you that you're all his.

• If someone spends too much time with you, they'll just walk up, take your hand, and lead you to the car, "Let's go home. Lester said that something happened in Vince's workshop" (Vincent, who just said he ran out of wax: ...)

• Deep down, he's afraid that one day, in this crowd, you'll find someone better than him, someone more normal, and leave him. This is the only thought that makes him doubt himself.

Harry Warden

• Harry is a very quiet and taciturn person by nature, and he can confidently say that he believes that happiness loves silence. Therefore, he does not like the abundance of people around you, as they irritate and anger him, but he tries to hide it for your sake.

• He may start "cleaning up" your overly fanatical fans, and you may end up with a closet full of heart-shaped chocolate boxes with their hearts inside.

• He doesn't fully understand how you chose him out of all these people, but he appreciates it. Harry is a very honest and loyal person, so no matter what happens, he will always stand by your side, protect you, and support you.

• If you distance yourself from him because of your friends or fans, he will be very angry. And he doesn't get angry often. Harry genuinely believes that you should prioritize him as your partner and family. He may inadvertently hurt someone you know or squeeze your wrist too hard. Later he will apologize to you on his knees.

• Harry will give you a beautiful ring so that everyone can see that you are taken. At night, when you are already asleep, he lies next to you and gently caresses your ring with his finger.

Hannibal Lecter

• If you're in a relationship with Hannibal, it means that he considers you to be a worthy, almost equal, and most importantly, interesting person. And people always gravitate towards such individuals. You're like a work of art in a museum.

• His jealousy is refined. If someone spends too much time and gets too close to you, he will invite them to a dinner together. As the main course, they will be served in a delicious marinade.

• Hannibal enjoys spending time with you discussing literature or psychology, and he values your opinions on these subjects. And if you praise his cooking skills in passing, his trust in you increases.

• He can't stand it when someone interrupts you. Such people usually... disappear under extremely mysterious circumstances. But maybe it's for the best, that person was too uncivilized and rude, why would you want to associate with such a person?

• If you spend too much time with your friends and not enough time with him, he will very tactfully hint to them that they should be more humble. The next day, they leave the country, oh no. You should remember that he's a possessive man, dear.

[orngbananaa]

Omg heyyy I just found your page and I NEED Dion relationship hcs

i miss my wife op. i miss him a lot. here's hcs for u

Dion Agriche relationship HCS author's note: i thought about poking him with a stick the whole time while making this

• imma be real with you dion's as dense as a rock when it comes to being flirted with, griselda herself said he didn't process shit whenever pandora tried to, she also said someone like him isn't suited to be in a relationship but we’ll ignore that for the bit–

• might go on a rant here but I feel like to be in a relationship w him you either have to be as freaky and damaged as him or just develop to be more dominant cause this man is someone who would rather follow you than lead you if you managed to tame his ass

• he doesn't get bitches. you could think that he's hot as hell but everything else about him cancels it out cause his personality scares nearly everyone who meets him, he's a pathetic little fuck and he’ll need someone as equally pathetic as him for his love life to be even a smidge stable

• PDA is not something he's into, maybe a hand on his or your waist but everything else is a no-no, in private tho he's content with a hand on his cheek or being curled up together in bed

• he doesn’t get enough sleep unless he's unconscious or on horse tranquilizers so instead of that he'll just watch you sleep, it gives him some inner peace and that counts as a kind of rest

• if you go on one of those rare trips of yours it'll be by the sea, you notice the sound of the waves puts him in a trance of some sort so the two of you will simply sit near the shore and quietly enjoy the environment

• you play with his hair sometimes, you'll jokingly tell him to grow it out further so you can braid it, and in response he'll give you the flattest look in existence

• he dissociates often so you make sure to touch him a lot to keep his head out of whatever fog he's experiencing

• when it comes to comforting you he's absolutely ass at it but he will at least make an effort--he won't say anything but he'll sit next to you and stare at you until you tell him what's wrong and that counts for something ig

• you like it when he's naked; NOT in a weird way, you simply like to busy yourself by noting down some small details about his body; moles here, scars there, the paleness of his skin and the veins you can clearly see beneath it, how long his fingers are or how much softer his face is compared to his father’s

• he's surprisingly sensitive to sunlight; comes with having red eyes, after all; you try to hold back your snorts whenever you see him squinting after light hits his face

• apologies after arguments are not his thing, maybe cause he was raised by a self-centered dipshit sociopath with no regard for others’ feelings but you guys can work on that, probably

•he will cling to you like a puppy if he's in one of his more somber moods, doing things like laying his head on your lap and letting you fiddle with his hair until he gets drowsy

• you both like it when you smell of e/o, washing together and using the same products helps with that lots

• the two of you are not guaranteed to have kids; emotional problems y’know?

• does not let you near his mother, maria lets herself near you though, she loves giving you random gifts and complaining about her son if she remembers he exists; whether you tolerate her or not is up to you

• he notes down random things that remind him of you so he can look or think about them to calm down when he’s feeling destructive

• ooc but if it's winter you're throwing his ass into the snow no questions asked, you maybe regret it when he starts to ominously roll a giant snowball while staring at you without blinking

i wanna braid his hair and put him in pretty clothes...

[hamliet]

All for the Game: In Defense of Melodrama

So a friend mailed me a trilogy of self-published books (not published by my friend) telling me it had all the trigger warnings but I needed to read it. So I did.

And it took me 3 days to read through all three books of the All For the Game trilogy. So I guess you could say I liked it. A lot.

The premise is... unhinged. Think a sports drama meets a mobster story meets a college story. Plus some romance. Oh, and the sport is made-up.

But hey, every major single character is a lost, angry murder child who had no fair shot at life, and yet is given one anyways. And their development is some of the best I've read.

And the rarest gem of all? The best portrayal of identical twin characters I've ever seen. Y'all know how rare this is for me to say!

A Found Family of Foxes

Coach Wymack only recruits troubled kids to join the Foxes. Essentially, we need more Wymacks in real life. Addicts, sex workers, murderers, runaways. Everyone gets a second chance, and no one is limited by their pasts.

The author does a wonderful job of interlacing the characters' pasts. They each have their own piece to offer Neil, our main character, as he joins, insofar as learning what family means. They also all learn from Neil, and from each other, and each character feels very unique. They have their own manner of talking, and their own journey. They felt real.

Nicky was one of my favorite characters to read. Neil, Kevin, Andrew, and Aaron's arcs were the best written. Andrew, of course, is the standout. He's so angry, so hurt, and so easy to write off as a sociopath. And in real life, someone like him would be written off as one. But he's anything but.

In fact, Andrew is the heart of the story. Him learning to love despite seeming like the longest shot at the start answers the thematic question of the story... especially because that theme is twisted to ask questions of the reader, because we learned Andrew has loved deeply, and all along.

Andrew's twin brother, Aaron, shares a very complex relationship with Andrew. It's codependent and also filled with resentment and deep care. The idea that love and hate are two sides of the same coin is really embodied by their relationship. Whatever happens between them, they are never apathetic.

Their arcs are complimentary but unique, with Aaron learning to fight for Katelyn and with Andrew learning to stay for Neil. Their relationship also foils Riko and Kevin's, in that again, they are something of a "set" and there are complicated feelings about being abandoned and protected between them, as well as just what gives their lives value. Riko and Kevin's brotherly relationship was tragic, however.

Andrew's romance with Neil is also well done slow-burn. You can slowly see Neil falling for him, despite being oblivious in his narration, and his inability to open up and realize that Andrew is down bad for him (and that he's also obsessed with Andrew and has been since their first meeting).

At the beginning I assumed the romance was Neil and Kevin, and I think it was an interesting subversion that it was actually Andrew and Neil. Though apparently the author flirted with the idea of a throuple of Kevin-Neil-Andrew, and I'm not gonna lie, you can absolutely see that in the story. It could have worked, but I'm not mad it didn't either.

Neil is also a great main character. His struggles with identity and purpose mirror those of a lot of younger people, and that's without the trauma and the literal switching of identities (a way in which he and Andrew parallel each other in their first meeting, by pretending to be someone they aren't).

His slow acceptance that he has worth, and that life has value, and that he can be loved and love, that he can even trust, and that even if tragedy strikes, it's worth being loved--that was genuinely moving to read. Like, I teared up.

Fox Faith

I really enjoyed the way the author wrote about Renee's born again faith, as well as Nicky's faith. Nora Sakavic portrays them as real people, flawed too, but also people whose faith clearly impacts their lives in a positive way. And those around them as well, but not in a preachy way.

Listen, I'll take any portrayal of queer-affirming Christianity I can. And that the author does this without dumbing down the reality of living their faith? I loved it.

I also found the way the scenes between Nicky and his family at Thanksgiving went down--the utter nightmare they were--to be a somewhat accurate commentary on the state of the protestant evangelical church. I mean, the father is literally named Luther. In his judgement, he throws a hurting child into the arms of a predator, unaware he's being played by forces far greater than his (the mafia). But that doesn't break him. No, what breaks him is his son being gay. A child is literally being abused in your house, and you don't even focus on that because oh no, the gay. Intentional or not, it works as a scathing commentary on the American church today.

The Critiques and the Features

There's really only one critique I have. Well, two. But one is a critique I think actually is a feature, not a bug, and the other is really a taste thing.

The first critique though is a spoiler, so skip the next three paragraphs. This is your one warning.

I didn't like that Riko died. I think it works for the story, actually. I also think him living would have worked. Andrew breaking his arm after he's lost the game in the end was poetic justice. He had nothing left. His brother killing him was kind of just unnecessary--but also kind of the point.

Because the reality is that Riko never had a chance. His entire life he was thrown away and desperate. He was awful, yes, and did many unforgivable things... but because the entire story was about humanizing the types of people seem as monsters, it also never lets you forget Riko is human. His story is a tragedy, and his death ensures freedom for Neil and the Foxes, but I personally would have preferred him to live. However, this is more a taste thing than a critique thing.

I also think that Riko ironically mirrors Seth's arc: both died tragically and never had much of a chance. And even though they are gone, Seth is still loved and appreciated. Riko really isn't, and that is, itself, supposed to rattle.

My other critiques are not so much critiques, just acknowledgements that AFTG doesn't conform to most westerners' expectations of fiction. The good news is that it sets this up at the beginning so the unrealistic elements don't really raise eyebrows because it never pretends it's going to be realistic. Expectations are fully managed.

Still, yes, you do have to suspend disbelief a bit. Neil's dad and his goons are comically evil (yet still terrifying). The coincidence of Kevin and Neil meeting again is a bit much. Also, Andrew's nonsensical medication that is just not how medicine works. And also, Exy. Okay, Exy as sport is basically lacrosse and Quidditch.

Larger Thoughts on Genre

AFTG also reminds me of what I think is missing from a lot of traditional publishing and is why a lot of people turn to, say, fanfiction rather than traditional work now. Actually, this extends beyond just publishing and gets into the western style of storytelling in the modern era.

It's too grounded in reality.

Not that realism is bad--I like realism a lot. But I do think a lot of the appeal of, say, K-dramas, J-dramas, Spanish and Greek telenovelas, and fanfiction is the melodrama. Modern western storytelling industries frown on melodrama, and indeed there are flaws inherent in melodrama, but there are also flaws inherent in realism. I do think modern western publishing and storytelling has, to use a cliche, thrown the baby out with the bathwater and forgotten how needed melodrama is. Too much realism leads to every story I consume from the west feeling muted and stale.

Really one of the few places in the English-speaking western entertainment sphere where you don't see an emphasis on realism is fanfiction. A lot of fanfics say the hell with reality, let’s portray the wildest possibilities. The ironic thing is that many of these melodramatic stories end up with something a lot more valuable to say, in terms of emotional truth and heft, than your average sanitized product from private equity firm controlled publishers in 2025.

AFTG takes wild possibilities and uses its melodramatic plot and premise and characters to portray emotional realities that everyone can relate to, and through the melodrama gives readers a safe space to explore those feelings. Feeling hopeless. Feeling trapped. Abandoned. Terrified of the past, and of the future. And it shows a family forming, trust forming, healing happening, despite scars.

While melodrama at its worst can be full of flat stock characters who never move past their archetypes, melodrama at its best--like in AFTG--takes those archetypes and breaks them down. It invites you into the premises of a story that could never happen in real life and asks you to explore the wildest reaches of the reader's capacity for empathy and hope.

Melodrama done well reminds me of the hyperbolized worlds of novels in the past. For example, Dostoyevsky's works, in which hyperbolized reality contrasts with the brutally honest realism of his characters' psychologies. Now, I'm not saying All for the Game is on the same literary level or anything like that. Not at all. I'm just saying that this work reminded me of melodrama's greatest strength: Hyperbolized worlds that enable us to explore the heights/depths of and questions of limits to human nature.

Melodrama at its best is a tool to enhance stories, and while it's got a bad rap, it is compelling ish when done right.

All this to say, I genuinely wish traditional publishing would open up to craziness again. Yes, all the YouTube dudebros will say "this would never happen" and they'd be right. But the emotional heft of the story is still very, very real.

[misspermitted]

Random Vampire Diaries discourse but I’ve been thinking about Bonnie and Kai and why they interest me so much. Because usually TVD’s sexually charged “he’s a terrible person but he’s infatuated with you” thing doesn’t interest me. Like I enjoy watching Klaroline and Delena as a guilty pleasure, but it doesn’t interest me. He’s just obsessed with her, and she eventually brings out the good in him, yada yada the messed up toxic guy brings out her dark side yada yada, she realises her power and so on. And I just don’t really care. I just watch it, and then I move on. I don’t linger on it for days and think about the characters.

But this random Bonnie and Kai thing that went on for 10 episodes, for some reason every so often I just think about them for days on end. And I reckon it’s because what the actors were setting up with them was really unique and not that trope. But then, since TVD is really badly written, after the prison arc they tried to turn it into the “guy is infatuated and redeems for her” and Chris Wood (who plays Kai) legitimately refuses to act that (which, like, good on him). So then they dropped the Bonnie/Kai storyline and just made him a villain.

But what were they then? At least originally? Because every time I get obsessed with these characters I go into fanon and it ruins my obsession, because it’s just that whole “evil guy is infatuated” thing all over again and it just doesn’t feel like them.

So let’s go through my reading of the Bonnie/Kai prison arc:

For me, what originally caught my attention about these two was that I thought Bonnie was the actually obsessed one. At least at first.

How Bonnie acts during their first scenes together

Bonnie spends seasons without her magic and this random guy shows up and gets under her skin so much she actually unlocks it? What? And the reason given is that she needed to save Damon but the spirits had straight up taken her magic. Her friends have been in life and death situations for ages and she couldn’t do anything about it to the point where she takes on dark magic. Clearly it is not just a desire to save her friends that unlocks it. And her becoming anchor does not change the fact that it had been confiscated. Forever. Who is this random guy that got her to unlock it by just taunting her?

And then she spends the whole first few conversations legitimately flirting back with this guy. Who just tried to kill her friend. When Bonnie doesn’t flirt with people. Like we have never seen Bonnie (until now, no bonenzo erasure) actually be interested in any villain ever. She typically just glares at them.

And that’s something that gets me about their dynamic. Bonnie acts so different around Kai than she does with anyone else. When Bonnie has dealt with evil sociopaths before. This guy is not new.

Bonnie tries to kill Kai (the first time)

What does Bonnie do when dealing with evil vampires or evil warlocks? Usually shes the one who is the voice of reason. With the plan. Who comes in at the end and saves everyone. Not Kai. She straight up throws an axe at him. On a hunch. When he actually hasn’t done anything that bad.

Bonnie doesn’t kill people a lot before this point. Unless she thinks it’s necessary. And they have to have done something really bad and she actually seems upset afterwards. But not Kai. Literally all he does is threaten them a little, offer to be friends, and kill his family 20 years before. Which is incredibly low stakes given the other stuff people do in TVD. Why does he get under her skin so much?

It’s so weird to me that she’s so against letting him out. I mean Bonnie is stubborn and has a strong sense of justice, but she also does bad stuff for the greater good. It’s far more like her to let him out for the greater good of getting them both out, and then stop him. But she’s not actually being reasonable.

Even Damon calls her on it. How she’s acting more impulsive and negative than he is. Just because Kai exists. It’s a level of caring and irritation that we don’t actually see from Bonnie a lot, who is usually cool and collected and strong.

How Kai acts in most of the prison world arc together

Kai meanwhile acts towards her how he later acts towards Elena. Flirty and off putting. Though he does later seem to realise that Bonnie is legitimately impressive and useful in a way that he decides Elena isn’t (which is just factually true). But Kai (in the first half) is a sociopath who uses people for his own benefit, and that is exactly how he treats Bonnie.

Especially later, after Damon is gone, he tries to play the sympathy card so many times and the “you’re different” tactic, but it’s all a lie and Bonnie is aware of it. And this it the other thing that I love about their dynamic, Bonnie is clearly very diverted and unsettled by this guy, but she is not an idiot. She has watched Caroline and Elena both fall for bad boys saying that they'll "change" for them. And she has spent the whole time saying they're being incredibly stupid. And she doesn’t turn from that awareness.

In my opinion, that’s the first thing that makes Kai act differently around her, the realisation that she is not gonna fall for any of that. He waits four months to manipulate them, and then suddenly is really impatient about when to do the spell? Why? And I think it’s because he realises that he’s not gonna get her to agree for long. She’s too observant. She figured out who he was so goddamn quickly. And she’s only gonna be scared for so long.

Kai takes her to his house

It’s so weird for Kai to take her to his house. He knew how to get out. He could’ve just left her. And it would’ve been less risky, since it’s clear at this point that he treats her as a danger.

Like he could just kill her. It would be safer to kill her. Bur he doesn’t. He brings her to his house. To gloat? He never seems interested in doing that before now. He’s cool for them to view him as irritating or a child or something to be scared of, depends on what’s useful. You don’t even see him gloat to Jo.

And this actually makes sense. Kai doesn’t care. Why would he need to gloat. He has a goal and he just needs to achieve it. Once he achieves it his revenge will be done and he will have won. He doesn’t have to villain monologue. He won. That’s satisfying enough.

In my opinion this is where Kai stops acting normal towards Bonnie. Like she’s just something to use for his goal. Or, rather, his goal changes.

Kai says he brings Bonnie to his house because he’s never had someone to share it with before. I feel like he might actually be telling the truth here, because it’s the only thing that makes sense.

Kai tries to manipulate Bonnie the day before wearing all his possible masks. An abomination making her scared and powerless. A misunderstood monster playing on sympathy, flattering her and saying he wants to be like her. And he believes it works. But it doesn’t. Bonnie not only outsmarts him, she outsmarts him and mocks the masks he wore. She take his manipulative bear that is supposed to be his attempts at fake kindness, and literally sends it away. He spends the whole first half of the day repeatedly trying to scare her and make her feel powerless, and her counter plan is all about how she is not powerless at all. He’s not in control. He needs her magic. And that’s hers. She controls it. And now it’s not here anymore. You’re welcome 😇

And while this is incredibly iconic of Bonnie, and irritating for him, it also means Bonnie sees past all those masks. For a guy who’s clearly used to pretending. For a guy who was always seen as an abomination even when he wasn’t. It clearly interests him that she actually just doesn’t see him as a monster, at least in any superficial way that he can use. Bonnie Bennet knew him well enough to know that he was lying.

So Kai brings Bonnie to the place where all of his memories are. Where he grew up. Where he killed his family and the blood is still there. And it’s clearly not to gain her trust through being misunderstood (the blood is still there, and he shows absolutely no attempt at remorse). And he is legitimately cordial and doesn’t restrain her, so he’s not purposefully trying to make her powerless or scared. So what’s his angle?

This is the thing, where Kai acts different as well. He shows resentment about his upbringing when he mentions it, not sadness or any pity based emotions. He babbles and cooks because he (as we learn) likes cooking. Bonnie later interprets it as him trying to gain her trust just to betray her out of sadism, but 1. Kai isn’t actually a sadist. Kai likes control, and can get angry and violent. He doesn’t care if he’s stabbing someone or not. We see it as he gets out, violence and manipulation is a means to an end. Always. And there is no end aside from revenge for him to try to betray Bonnie. Especially because Bonnie has been very clear that she will not trust him.

Then there’s the fact that he is not, as we’ve addressed, actually doing anything that would lead to trust. None of the previous masks. He’s actually being very open and generally having dinner with a psycho in the house covered in blood stains from when he killed children is not a trust building exercise. (Honestly, kind of weird that she thinks it was supposed to be. What, were you actually warming up to him during that dinner? A little suspicious Bonnie.)

But if, instead, Kai is doing all this to share himself with Bonnie. To be seen. He’s so irritated when she doesn’t understand: “Can’t you see I’m trying to apologise?” And then she very clearly states that she is not interested in spending any time with him, seeing anything, sharing anything, aside from the last dinner.

And we wonder why he puts it off, if his entire plan is just to stab her, leave, and gloat with a pager. Why does he drag the dinner longer than necessary? He’s about to leave, he’s been impatient to leave this entire time, but he actually puts it off. There is no reason to. He’s about to be around so many people to communicate with, but he wants to spend as much time with Bonnie as possible. Why??

And if the ascendant can only be used in the Mystic Falls tunnels, and he flies all the way to Portland, and it’s getting dark when he grabs the knife in the tree stump, then he puts off his return for an entire day. Just to eat spaghetti. Really slowly.

It only makes sense if he’s there specifically because his goal is to hang out with her. He wants to share. She pretty much acknowledges this and says she will never, ever care or like him. Stop trying to share with her. Leave her alone. Which, if he’s this excited about being seen, would be infuriating for him.

How Bonnie acts after he leaves

What really got me about the whole arc, though, is how Bonnie talks about what happens. Because that really shows how weird these two are.

Bonnie is furious with Kai and when she’s explaining what she went through to Damon, and doesn’t emphasise the stabbing or the manipulation as the worst part, but that Kai left her. All alone. He abandoned her.

Which is crazy, because that is so intimate for a complaint. But that is what she holds on to. Damon didn’t abandon her, even though he did. Her friends didn’t abandon her, even though they did. This random sociopathic guy abandoned her. Bonnie has the opposite of an abandonment complex, she is constantly overlooked and left and never gets mad about it, except this one time. With Kai. Who there shouldn’t have even been expectations about.

But it’s clear they were both aware there was. Despite Kai promising to leave her alone after a last dinner, his message isn’t “have fun” or something like that, it’s “I lied.” But he didn’t lie? He left her alone?

It’s like they were both aware that he was sharing and there was an expectation there. Where she would say she wanted to be left alone but he wouldn’t do it anyway, and she would keep paying attention anyway. That they were gonna play the “follow you around” intimacy game. Except Kai is like, woops jokes on you I can get out and I’m not taking you with me. Even though it was a given that I was gonna try to win you over, for fun. I know the hell I just condemned you to, enjoy.

Post Kai getting emotions (sort of)

And this reading gives an entirely new light to their first interactions post Kai getting emotions and how furious she is that he is trying to get her attention. Because fuck off, I gave you my attention and you left me. We’re not doing that again. You get nothing from me.

And also why he can’t stop thinking about her. Let’s be honest, the “I want to be forgiven” is bullshit. It’s far more, “I’m a new me and I want to be seen.” And Bonnie just refuses to. Not this time. I will not understand Kai as more than a monster. He doesn’t deserve that from me.

Kai asks her to spend the afternoon with her and she says no. Fuck you. You don’t get me to willingly walk into your house again. Fuck off.

It’s just so weird and personal especially to Bonnie. Like this is where I think they were getting Bonkai wrong. Kai is always shown as so unbelievably obsessed with her, but he doesn’t really think about her until she gets back. And it’s with the same weird determination that Kai gets about all goals.

It’s Bonnie who is so out of character. Despite all the stuff she’s been through and abuse she’s suffered, it’s Kai somehow that changes her. And makes her more emotional. Bonnie is the one that is weirdly touchy about it all and structures her life around (not) seeing him. Bonnie is the one that’s unreasonable about her reactions to him.

And it was so fun seeing a female character, especially the “saviour” female character, be so concerningly “enemies to lovers” obsessive over a guy, and the guy being so oblivious to it. Like it’s funny seeing all of Bonnie’s friends go “maybe you should chill out about Kai” and her just go “NO.” Meanwhile Kai’s just over here like “so Bonnie can see through everyone including me, so if I can convince her there’s a new me, that’s confirmation that I’ve changed 😊 Ah she’s so pretty I wish she’d stop trying to kill me. But Bonnie’s just like that I guess.” But she’s not. She’s not like that at all!!

I wish they’d explored it more but at the same time, if Julie Plec was gonna fuck it up then I’m okay with them going the villain route.

[bugsmunched]

"My Slut" - Derek Danforth X Reader

ASKS ARE OPEN, IF YOU HAVE ANY REQUESTS PLEASE ASK!!

Summary: A jealous Derek confronts Y/N, one of his mother's employees, about flirting with a bunch of guys at a party when they were supposed to be there to keep him in line.

A/N: This was a little rushed ngl, but I did my best My Jhutch hyperfixation is coming back. So expect more fics, and please remember if you have any ideas please share!

Contents: GN! Reader, drug usage, smoking, drinking, plot? What plot, filthy smut, Dom! Derek, degradation, use of 'slut' and 'bitch', choking, spitting, impact play, face fucking, spoiled brat Derek, no mentions of readers' genitals, hate fucking, no prep, no protection (wrap that shit), dumbification, possessive Derek, jealous Derek

Word Count: 2750

SMUT UNDER CUT, MINORS DNI!!

"I'm not your property, Danforth." you spat, venom lacing your words as you stared at him in a cold, annoyed manner.

"Aren't you?" he asked, raising a brow and looking at you with all the arrogance in the world.

God, he was SO annoying. You couldn't believe the audacity of this sociopathic con artist. "No Derek, contrary to popular belief, I don't fucking belong to you. I don't even work for you remember? Your mother hired me. " You hissed, placing the glass of bourbon that was in your hand onto the table in front of you.

"Well I don't think my mother hired you to flirt with a bunch of men like a little whore now did she?" He asked, taking a long drag of the joint that rested in his hand.

"She hired me to keep an eye on you, Derek. I'm a glorified babysitter, I might as well have a little bit of fun whilst trying to keep you sober. "

"Yeah you don't exactly do a good job of that, now do you? I wonder if my mother knew how poor of a job you were doing. "

"You threatening my job? " You snorted, rolling your eyes in amusement. "You're threatening my job just because I flirted with a couple of guys, how mature of you Danforth. "

"just flirted with a couple of guys?" He asked, raising a brow in amusement. "Honey-"

"Don't." You warned him, not wanting to hear the sickening nickname fall out of his mouth.

"Don't fucking interrupt me, slut. " He growled, his eyes narrowing with anger. " As I was saying before you opened your disgusting mouth- Honey, I don't think palming a guy in the corner counts as 'just flirting.' And the entire party does not count as 'just a couple guys.' You're a slut, admit it. "

Your face turned a bright pink, you hadn't realized that he knew about that. It had been a spur-of-the-moment thing, the drinks had just hit and one guy kept eyeing you up and down. So, when you noticed that Derek was preoccupied by some other guy talking about crypto or some similar nonsense, you snuck off and made out with the guy in the corner. But you were so deprived, that you had begun palming him desperately like a highschooler at a dance. But before it could escalate to anything more, you heard Derek calling you away, unaware that he had been watching you the entire time, seething with anger.

"I'm not a slut, Derek. If anyone's the slut it's you. You're the one who's hooking up with someone new every time I turn my head. " That really got him going. He placed the burnt-out joint in the ashtray in front of him and stood up, swiftly walking over to you, standing over you.

"You want to say that again?" He challenged, crouching down in front of you and meeting your gaze. When you didn't say anything, he growled and grabbed your chin. "What? Now you've finally decided to shut that big mouth of yours?" his grasp on your chin was harsh, yet his gaze was even harsher. Fire plagued his gaze, and his jaw clenched.

" Let go of me, you sociopath." You snapped, matching his energy.

"You can't talk to me like that. " He huffed, his grip on your chin tightening, leaving red marks on either side of your face.

"I can speak however I damn please, you don't control my paychecks."

"Someone needs to show you how to fucking respect others. " He said as he let go of your face. You rubbed the sore sides of your face, looking up at him with a scowl.

"Someone needs to teach you how to not be such a spoiled brat, you useless fucking-"

Your harsh words were cut off as his hand found itself wrapped around your throat. "shut up." he growled, squeezing the sides of your throat. Your face turned a bright red as you fought back a whimper from the feeling. When you stopped speaking, he smirked, clearly satisfied with the results of his actions. "That's all it takes to shut you up, huh? All the little slut needed was a hand around their throat?" he cooed, squeezing a little harsher.

You tried to speak, but your brain was a little bit fuzzy from the feeling of having a strong hand wrapped around your throat like that. You felt so stupid, so vulnerable, to have been so thrown off by that.

"You really are nothing but a slut, and I don't like that. I can't stand seeing you flirt with other men. You see, I don't have a problem with the fact that you are a slut, I have a problem with the fact that you're not my slut. " He said as malice laced his words.

You gave a little bit of a whine, looking up at him with desperation in your eyes. Your cocky demeanor had completely faded away, as it had changed into something new, something far more desperate and needy. Maybe he was right, maybe you were a slut...and maybe you should be his.

"C'mon baby, say something." he cooed, loosening his grip on your throat for a moment so you could speak. But you were absolutely star-struck at the moment, at a complete loss for words. When you didn't speak, a hand harshly landed a blow across your face, leaving a bright red mark. "I said say something. That wasn't a request, you dumb fuck. "

"Make me- make me yours. " You managed to stutter out, the smack he left on your cheek causing it to sting.

"Oh look, you can speak after all! The dumb slut can speak." He said with feigned amusement in his voice. "And they know their place. " He purred softly as he let go of your throat completely, standing up from his crouched position. " On your knees. And don't make me repeat myself again." He commanded.

You slipped off the couch and fell to your knees in front of him, looking up at him with pitiful, desperate eyes. What was happening to you? As soon as you were on your knees, his pants and boxers were around his ankles, belt resting in his hands, and his surprisingly girthy and pierced cock sprung free, half-hard already from the attention he was giving you. A hand harshly gripped at your hair and tugged you close to him, looping the belt around your neck and pulling it tight, much like a leash.

In one hand he held the belt that was wrapped around your neck, in the other he held his half-hard cock, stroking over the Jacob's ladder piercings. After a few moments, his cock stood at attention, a bead a precum leaking from the tip. He pulled you close via the belt, pushing his leaking tip against your lips. His other hand cupped your cheek, stroking it gently. "Open. " He commanded, and you quickly obeyed.

You parted your lips, which were now glistening with his pre-cum, as he pushed his dick into your mouth. He wasted no time in tugging on the belt, which forced you to take more of him down your throat. The balls of his piercings rubbed strangely against the walls of your throat, but you welcomed the new sensation.

Soon enough, he had forced himself all the way down your throat, balls pressed against your chin. "You really are a slut, huh?" he asked in amusement, amazed at how easily you took him down your throat. "Have you been sucking dicks behind my back? huh?" he asked as he spat on your face, it sliding down, coating your eyelashes in the process. You shook your head, trying to say something in protest, but that just caused you to gag on his cock, spit bubbling from your own mouth and dripping down your chin. It slipped off of your chin and dripped onto the floor. "You're cleaning that up later, fucking bitch. " He remarked, smacking your face lightly.

After a few moments of forcing your nose into the base of his cock, he pulled his hips away, leaving you panting with spit dripping down your face. After giving you a second to breathe, he smirked before slamming back into your mouth, holding the belt tightly in his hand as he began to roughly thrust in and out. His tip kept hitting the back of your throat, causing you to gag, which caused more spit to drip down your chin and pool on the floor.

"Fucking bitch, making such a mess." He growled, spitting on your face once again, his hand that was resting on your face going up to your hair, tangling itself in the strands roughly.

He loved the sight below him; you drooling and spitting all over his cock as his spit dripped down your face, his cock pumping in and out of your throat. The sight alone was almost enough to push him over the edge, but he wasn't anywhere near done with you.

Once again he pushed you all the way down his shaft, shoving your nose into the base of his cock. "Choke on it you dumb slut. " he growled softly, watching as you tried to breathe, which caused you to start choking on his dick, more spit bubbling on the corners of your mouth. Once he was satisfied with the mess you made on the floor beneath you, he pushed your head away, leaving you a panting mess once again.

"Looks like we finally found a use for that mouth that isn't bitching and whining, isn't that right, honey?" He cooed, using the belt that was wrapped around your neck to pull you off of the ground, his spare hand resting on your side. " answer me." he growled, his eyes filled with a dangerous lust.

"Y-yes sir." you managed to stutter out, the name for him falling out of your lips far easier than you would like to admit. he smirked at the nickname, his cock twitching in satisfaction.

"Call me that again." He purred softly, the hand resting on your side making its way to your clothes ass, gripping at it harshly.

"S-sir."

He smacked your ass, "Again." he commanded.

"Sir!" You yelped out, whining at the light sting on your clothed ass, imagining how much more that would sting if you were unclothed.

"Good job, slut. Now, undress and bend yourself over that table over there. " He said, pointing to a table that held alcohol and other drugs over in the corner.

You quickly obliged as he let go of the belt. You practically tore off your clothes, rushing over to the table and bending yourself over it, biting your lip. You scolded yourself for being so excited to fuck Derek Danforth, someone that you were hired to keep from fucking random people and doing drugs.

He sauntered his way over to you and pushed your face harshly into the table, the head of his cock pressing against your entrance. "Fuck, look at you, so eager for me to fuck you. Your boss' son, bending you over the desk and dicking you down, it's kind of pathetic, really. " He remarked, smacking your ass a few times till both cheeks were bright pink. The smacks caused you to mewl in pleasure, back arching against him slightly.

After prodding your entrance with the swollen and ripping head of his cock, he finally pushed past the barrier and sheathed himself inside of you. He didn't try and go slow, he just shoved himself deep inside of you as quick as he could, a groan escaping his lips. The lack of prep caused the stretch to burn your hole, making you wince and take a few deep, sharp breaths. You weren't used to being so full.

But before you could get used to the feel of being stretched out, he pulled nearly all the way out before slamming back in, causing your body to jolt forward, eyes rolling back slightly at the rough thrust. He repeated that rough thrust a few times, one hand resting on your hip, the other shoving your face into the desk. The harsh thrusts drew long, high pitched whines and moans from your mouth, hands gripping at the table harshly, nails digging into the wood.

"ah-ah! Slo-slow down!" You whined out, your pleading being muffled by the table. He smirked at your pleading, hips speeding up, the sound of skin hitting skin filling the air.

"I don't think I will. " He spoke in an arrogant tone, continuing to thrust his hips forward, burying his cock inside of you. A few moans fell from his lips, the grip on your hip tightening, he was sure to leave a few bruises.

" fu-fuck you." You spat, wincing as a hand collided with your ass harshly once again, a shiver being sent up your spine.

"Watch your fucking tone with me. " He growled softly, continuing to harshly piston his hips into you. His nails dug into your flesh lightly, leaving marks. "you're my little slut, aren't you?" He purred softly.

You moaned in response which caused him to smack your ass once again. " Say it. Say that you're my little slut. Tell me that you're sorry for flirting with other men. "

You opened your mouth to talk, but no words came out, your brain fuzzy from the feeling of being fucked like an animal. "oh, is the poor slut already fucked stupid? You're in for a long night, poor baby. " He mocked you, giving a particularly harsh thrust which caused you to cry out in pleasure. He stilled his hips for a moment, laying a harsh slap to your ass. "Still, I need to hear the words...say that you're my little slut. " He hummed softly, massaging the fat of your ass between his fingers.

"I-I'm yours..."

"You're my what?" he cooed, grinding his hips into you, which caused a long, drawn-out whine to fall from your lips.

"your little slut.."

"C'mon, use all your words..."

"I'm your little slut."

"I'm your little slut - what?" he mocked you, prompting you.

"si-sir. "

"Good job, bitch." He growled as he started up his thrusting once again, pulling nearly all the way out just before slamming right back into your tight hole harshly.

Foul, lewd sounds fell out of both of your lips, Derek's head rolling back slightly as he fucked into you like you were his personal fleshlight. He groped your ass, his nails leaving red marks as he marked his territory. He wanted to make sure that people knew you were his little slut, that you belonged to him. You were his little toy and he was your owner. He leaned forward and started leaving love bites on your neck, both in a way to mark you as his and a way to muffle his moans, which were slowly turning into whimpers as he got closer to his climax.

You, meanwhile, were already in a state of fucked out bliss, eyes rolling into the back of your head as you felt that knot in your stomach tighten. Your knees were becoming weak, and your entire body felt like it was on fire. You tried to warn Derek that you were about to cum, but you couldn't talk, so all you did was whine and smack at the table with your hand, arching your back to make him go deeper.

However, he was lost in his own pleasure and neglected to recognize the signs of you getting close, his thrusts quickening due to his own desperation for a release. After a few more thrusts, you yelped, a few tears rolling down your cheek as you came undone, but he barely even noticed, his growls turning into high-pitched whines as his hips stuttered.

You whined, feeling overstimulated, but soon enough he was coming undone inside of you. Thick ropes began to paint your insides, causing you to whimper at the feeling of being so full. He pulled out, which caused you to gasp at the sudden lack of something being stuffed inside your desperate hole.

He stood up straight and looked at you for a moment before realizing that you had made a mess of your own. He smacked your ass harshly, which caused you to whine out. "Dumb slut, you didn't ask for permission. Looks like... you're going to have to be punished." He murmured. You looked back and realized that he had already gotten hard once again. You were in for a long night.

[aurawra21]

Omg, I need to talk about it… unpopular opinion but… Nicole’s actions in the flip side were actually in character of her and we’re all too bias to understand that she only really cares about herself and messing with people that don’t cater to her. We’ve seen her do the same thing to Megan and Ari but the humor in the first game and being playing as the perpetrator made her actions seem silly or right even though it’s not, as seen with playing to Jecka. In other words Fanon Nicole > Real Nicole

I can agree that Nicole is no saint, she's a sociopath. That is not the problem I had tbh, it's how she reacted to Jecka on that one route in Flipside when Jecka refuses to split the job.

The reason I say this is because the way she treats everyone and the way she treats Jecka is slightly different actually. Why? Because Jecka is her best friend. Even in Flipside, when she was depressed and literally wanted to K-word herself, the person she wanted to be around and help her is Jecka. So it's safe to say Jecka is not just anyone to Nicole.

Nicole may not care about other people, but she cares when it comes to Jecka whether she says it outwardly or not, and proof of this is in the previous game, she once upsets Jecka because she left her alone down stairs with her annoying older brother and Jecka was like I'm never coming here/hanging out with you again.

The next day at school, Nicole purposely bullies Jeffery so she gets in trouble with the counselor. She is forced to see the counselor every morning as punishment for her actions, aka the same time Jecka likes to smoke in order for him to leave Jecka alone because he kept inappropriately flirting with her.

Nicole did that for Jecka so that Jecka can forgive her. It was her way of apologizing in her very Nicole way. Jecka admits that it's the nicest thing anyone has ever done for her and Nicole responds saying that's actually really sad to hear and immediately Jecka asked if Nicole wanted to hangout later, in other words "Ok, I forgive you."

So her actions in Flipside regarding that one route were weird towards Jecka. Jecka was getting upset at her yes, but overall when they get into arguments like that, Nicole rarely has the energy to actually spite Jecka for anything. She couldn't even handle the idea of Jecka not wanting to hangout with her anymore, so she tried fixing it the next day.

I think that is what most people meant when they said Nicole felt "out of character." Because of how she reacted TO Jecka, not everyone else.

[seraphimumbra]

Cannot emphasize enough how compelling Lane is to me with her genuine coldness and pragmatism. When she was sincerely thinking about throwing Greg off the snowmobile but only stopped because the crew was there to witness it and she would face repercussions? She would have remorselessly gone ahead and done it had that been not the case. And then she genuinely flirted with Greg the very next moment because her willingness to save herself over Greg doesn't say much about how she feels about Greg, whether he is good or bad, whether she finds him annoying or interesting, it just means that she fucking wants to survive. She often has to fake emotions to fit it even when in all honesty, she doesn't feel a thing. How this is her being insecure about herself for being different than others instead of being a sociopath.

All of this and still the past Lane is a mystery. Because at the moment clearly a lot of fucked up things are going on with her so we can't accurately tell - ugghhhhh.

Love her so so much actually. Relatable. Iconic. Hot. Smart. Impeccable fashion sense. My love.

[heavenlybodies333]

Dr. Reid, You’re Jealous -S.R

Spencer Reid x coworker!reader

“I’m sorry—who is going undercover with me?”

Spencer looks up from his files just in time to watch your brows knit in disbelief. You’re leaning against the briefing table, half-draped in your blazer like you might throw it off at any moment and dramatically quit.

Hotch doesn’t flinch. “You and Reid. You’re the most natural fit for the couple cover. He knows the tech better than any of us, and you’ve got experience with high-profile corporate clients.”

You blink. “And the pretending to be in love with my coworker part?”

Morgan chokes on his coffee. Spencer’s ears turn a little red. “I—I’m capable of performing relational mimicry.”

You swivel your head toward him, eyes narrowed. “That was romantic,” you deadpan.

“Okay, fun,” you continue, pacing now. “So the plan is: I wear a dress, flirt with the possibly sociopathic billionaire with a missing-women problem, and Reid plays my adoring arm candy?”

“Sounds accurate,” Rossi says without looking up from his notes.

“I don’t even like Reid.”

“I’m right here,” Spencer mutters, flipping a page.

You raise an eyebrow at him. “Do you have any experience pretending to be someone’s boyfriend?”

His brow furrows. “Statistically, if you factor in false identities during undercover operations and the barista at Quantico who referred to me as her ‘sweetheart’—”

“Oh my god.”

“You’ll both be fine,” Hotch cuts in. “We’ve got a target window of 72 hours. He attends the conference mixer tonight. That’s your first contact point. Reid, brush up on his published work in neural tech;” he turns to you, “I’ll have Garcia send you the guest list and wardrobe expectations.”

“I want hazard pay for having to fake-laugh at Reid’s jokes,” you mutter.

“Don’t worry,” Morgan grins. “We’ll be recording everything.”

You spend most of the jet ride bickering.

"Try to look less like a federal agent," you say, watching him scribble in the margin of the file.

"I am a federal agent."

"Yes, but we’re undercover. So maybe don’t say things like ‘spatial-temporal geographic profiling’ at a cocktail party.”

"Fine. Then maybe don’t wear heels that make you look like you’re hunting for a husband.”

You blink.

Morgan coughs loudly. “Shiiiit.” Your eyes narrow. Spencer won’t meet your gaze. Not until you kick him in the ankle under the table. “Say that again?”

He glances up. “Nothing.”

The suspect—Jonathan Keene, tech CEO, 42, recently divorced, charm level: unsettling—is playing host at an industry gala tomorrow night. You’ll be there, arm in arm with Spencer, to feel him out.

Literally, if you have to.

You’re in the elevator of the Ritz-Carlton when it hits you that this is your actual job. Spencer stands beside you, suitcase in one hand, Bureau briefcase in the other, looking like a nervous grad student trying to cosplay James Bond. He’s in a suit that fits way too well, hair slightly messy, tie loosened to project "casual tech genius" energy. You hate how good he looks. You hate him a little, honestly.

He glances sideways. “I know you think this is a bad idea.”

“Oh, no,” you hum. “I think it’s a terrible idea.”

“I can pull it off.”

You raise an eyebrow. “Can you?”

He bristles. “Is there some reason you find this particularly impossible?”

“Just that you blush when the barista accidentally touches your hand.”

“I don’t blush.”

“You’re blushing right now.”

“That’s a circulatory response to temperature.”

You smirk. “Right. Not attraction.”

You check in under fake names. You share a suite. Two rooms. One bed. Of course.

Garcia’s voice chirps over the coms in your ear as you step inside: “Try not to hate-fuck each other before the suspect dinner tomorrow night, please.”

“Garcia,” Hotch warns.

“I didn’t say don’t! I said try!”

Spencer looks like he’s going to throw himself off the balcony. You step into the suite and immediately know you're screwed. The whole room is ridiculous—sleek marble floors, fresh orchids, mirrored bar stocked with real crystal decanters. But it’s the bed that holds your attention: one king.

"Well," you mutter, dropping your bag, "this is subtle."

Spencer hovers awkwardly by the minibar. “I’m sure it was just a booking error.”

You cock a brow. “Garcia doesn’t make booking errors.”

You grab the bigger suitcase—the one with your cocktail dress—and brush past him toward the bathroom.

"I’m taking the first shower. Don’t fall in love while I’m gone."

“I—what?” The door shuts on his confusion.

Two Hours Later

You’re pressed against Spencer Reid’s arm at a high-profile tech mixer, your back aching from the arch of your heels and your smile straining from the force of your faked flirtation.

Jonathan Keene hasn’t looked away from you in fifteen minutes. He’s laughing, sipping bourbon, saying things like “Tell me more about your platform interface design” while obviously staring at your chest.

Keene’s laugh is just a little too loud.

You can feel the weight of his eyes dragging over your neckline for the fourth time in as many minutes, and if you didn’t have a job to do—and if you weren’t currently pretending to be madly in love with the most awkward genius on Earth—you’d knee the guy in the balls and call it a night.

Instead, you smile like you’re charmed. “Oh, that’s fascinating,” you purr, fingers curling lightly around Spencer’s arm. You feel him tense, his jaw twitching.

Keene tilts his head. “And what about you, Dr. Reid? You’ve been awfully quiet.”

Spencer’s smile is tight. Controlled. He doesn’t like being called out—especially not by someone with a Rolex and a neck tan.

“I find it more productive to observe.” His voice is crisp. “Listening tells you more than talking does.”

Keene raises an eyebrow. “Well, I hope you’re not the jealous type. Your girlfriend has quite a way with people.”

Spencer’s arm shifts under your hand. He laughs, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “She’s persuasive,” he says coolly. “It’s part of her charm. I’m used to it.”

Your stomach twists. It’s almost real, the way he says it. Like it’s not part of the act. You glance at him sideways, watching the tension in his jaw. You know that look. Reid’s annoyed. Jealous, even.

Which is perfect.

You lean in close and whisper against the shell of his ear, loud enough that only he hears: “Careful, Doctor. You’re starting to sound like you mean it.”

Keene excuses himself—something about drinks and board members—and finally walks away.

You exhale like you’ve just escaped a car crash, letting your smile drop the second his back turns. Spencer doesn't move. He’s still tense beside you, his body hot and tight where your arm threads through his.

You glance up. “Relax.”

He doesn't look at you. “I'm relaxed.”

“Sure,” you mutter, sipping your champagne. “You’re vibrating with serenity.”

“I’m not jealous, if that’s what you’re fishing for.”

“Fishing?” You smile slowly. “Oh no, Doctor. I was casting with precision.”

He exhales hard through his nose, finally turning his head. “You enjoyed that. Flirting with him. Letting him look at you like—”

You cut him off with a smirk. “Like what? Like he wants to fuck me? Yeah, that’s kind of the point.”

Later that night

You stumble back to the suite just after midnight, the heels in your hand and your patience long gone. The mixer was exhausting, Keene was touchy, and Reid was moody the entire damn time. It would’ve been easier if you hated him. If you didn’t like the way his hands felt on your waist when you laughed too loudly, or the way his fingers twitched every time Keene got too close.

“Do you think I was too much?” you ask as you unlock the hotel room you and Reid are “sharing.” You toss your heels by the door and flop onto the couch, sighing dramatically. “My back hurts. Carrying this case, this team, this whole fake relationship.” He doesn’t answer.

Which is a very Spencer Reid way of saying I’m angry.

You look over your shoulder. He’s standing rigid by the door, you raise your eyebrows raised. “Something wrong, Reid?”

His tie is off. Fingers working his collar loose. Jaw tight. “No.”

You toss your bag on the bed. “Spence?”

He finally blinks. “It was unprofessional.”

You blink, mock-offended. “I was charming. Convincing. He practically invited me on his yacht.”

“That’s exactly my point,” Spencer mutters, pulling off his blazer. “It was unnecessary. The plan was to observe him. Not seduce him.”

You smile, dropping onto the edge of the bed. “Dr. Reid…” You let it hang in the air. Teasing. He glances over, exasperated. “…are you jealous?”

His jaw twitches. “No,” he lies. “I’m focused.”

You grin. “You’re sulking.”

“I’m analyzing.” He starts to pace. “He exhibited classic narcissistic behaviors, and you fed into his ego.”

You fake gasp. “So I was playing my part?”

He narrows his eyes. “You were enjoying it.”

"That’s rich coming from you. I had to watch you let some AI investor in a backless dress show you her Bitcoin portfolio for ten straight minutes.”

He takes another step closer. “That was necessary.”

“Oh? Were her boobs full of evidence?” That stops him.

He narrows his eyes. "Why do you always do this?"

“Do what?” you ask, innocent as sin. You don’t let him finish, stepping in even closer. "You know what would really sell this fake relationship, Dr. Reid?"

He finally looks at you. "What?"

You smile. "Act like you actually want to fuck me."

His hand pauses halfway to his undone tie, fingers curling loosely in the silk.

“Excuse me?” His voice is quiet.

You step closer, toeing the line of his personal space like you’re daring him to push you back. “You heard me.”

His gaze flickers—your mouth, your eyes, your mouth again—“This isn’t funny,” he says tightly.

You tip your head to the side, smiling slow and sweet. “Did I say I was joking?”

“Keene thinks you’re my boyfriend,” you murmur, taking another step closer. You’re close enough now to see the faint flush creeping up the column of his neck. “If we’re going to sell this, you’re going to have to act like one.”

“Act like I—” he starts, then cuts himself off with a sharp inhale.

You smirk, stepping closer until there’s barely a breath between you. “You heard me, Doctor. Unless you want Keene to sniff out the act tomorrow, maybe you should practice.”

His fingers twitch at his sides. “Practice?” he repeats softly, voice lower than you’ve ever heard it.

“Mm.” You tilt your head, letting your eyes drag lazily down his chest, to the place where his shirt collar gapes slightly open. “You’re stiff as a corpse around me. If we’re supposed to be a couple, you need to convince me you want me. Convince everyone else too.”

“You’re—” He swallows hard, Adam’s apple bobbing. “You’re enjoying this.”

You let out a laugh, “I enjoy seeing you squirm, Reid. But mostly, I enjoy not getting killed on assignment because my partner can’t even fake attraction.”

That does it. His jaw tightens, and his hands curl into fists at his sides. “Fine,” he murmurs.

Before you can respond, Spencer’s hand snakes out, gripping your wrist and tugging you flush against him. “Let’s practice then,” he says, low and deliberate. “So you can stop doubting I can do my job.”

It’s uncharacteristic—he’s never been this bold. You force a laugh to cover the way your pulse leaps. “You’re full of surprises tonight.”

“Adaptability is a survival trait,” he murmurs, eyes flicking from your lips to your eyes.

“Mm. And this is just… acting?” you ask, almost daring him.

“Acting,” he echoes, voice husky.

You could pull away now. You should pull away. But instead, you tip your chin up, lips brushing his. “Show me, genius.”

He kisses you, it’s not awkward or hesitant like you expected. It’s deep, uncalculated—like he’s been thinking about this for far too long. His fingers flex against your spine, tugging you closer, and you let out an embarrassing little noise against his mouth.

When he finally pulls back, you’re both breathing hard. You blink up at him, dazed, still tasting the mint on his tongue, still feeling the phantom press of his hands on your hips. Spencer doesn’t move, his chest rising and falling fast. For once, his face gives nothing away—not a single nervous tic, no awkward deflection.

“Well?” he murmurs, voice low, eyes flicking between yours.

Your heart skips a beat. “Well,” you repeat, forcing levity into your tone even as your knees threaten to buckle, “I’ve had worse first kisses.”

A muscle in his jaw twitches. “You’re impossible.”

“And you’re… manipulative,” you shoot back, stepping out of his hold with a smirk that feels brittle at the edges. “Kissing like that? People might think you actually want me.”

His lips twitch, almost a smile. “Maybe that’s the point.”

You freeze, but before you can respond, his phone buzzes on the nightstand. He turns away sharply, shoulders stiff, and snatches it up.

“Reid,” he says, all clipped professionalism now.

You sink onto the bed, still trying to calm your racing pulse.

The next morning, You wake up to the smell of coffee and the sound of Spencer typing furiously on his laptop. He’s already dressed—suit jacket off, tie perfectly knotted. You’re still wrapped in a hotel robe, hair a mess from tossing and turning all night.

“Morning,” you mumble, padding toward the minibar.

“Morning,” he echoes, not looking up.

You raise an eyebrow at his focused expression. “Don’t tell me you’ve been up all night.”

“Of course not,” he says too quickly.

“You’re lying.”

He finally glances at you over the top of his screen. “I was… preparing. Keene has an extensive network. His company just announced a partnership with a private security firm—one that’s been implicated in trafficking cases before.”

“Which means he’s more dangerous than we thought,” you finish for him.

“Exactly.”

You sip your coffee, studying him over the rim of the cup. He’s back to being Dr. Reid now—precise, calculated, a fortress of logic. But you remember how his hands felt on your skin last night. You remember the look in his eyes right before he kissed you.

“So about last night,” you start.

“It was professional,” he says quickly. Too quickly. “Necessary for the cover.”

You raise a brow. “Sure. Totally professional to kiss me like I was the last glass of water in a desert.”

His ears flush red. “I didn’t—”

“Relax, genius.” You smirk. “I’m not about to catch feelings or anything. Just… don’t make it weird tonight when we’re back in character.”

He exhales, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I don’t make things weird.”

“Spencer, existing is weird for you.”

That earns you a sharp look, but you can see the corner of his mouth twitching.

The yacht’s upper deck is shimmering with golden lights, violins humming in the background as champagne flutes clink. Spencer offers you his arm as you approach the gangway.

“Ready?” he murmurs, his breath warm against your ear.

You glance up at him, catching a flicker of something intense in his gaze. “Are you?”

“Always,” he says, but there’s the slightest tremor in his voice.

As you step onto the deck, Keene’s eyes light up.

“Ah, my favorite couple!” he says loudly, striding over.

Spencer’s hand tightens on your waist instinctively, and you lean into him with a sweet, practiced smile. “I was just telling Dr. Reid,” you say airily, “that you’re the most gracious host.”

Keene smirks, gaze flicking between the two of you. “Oh? And what was his response?”

Spencer doesn’t hesitate. He pulls you in, pressing a slow, possessive kiss to your temple. “That you’d better keep your hands to yourself,” he says coolly, and Keene laughs like it’s the funniest thing he’s ever heard.

“I mean you’re a vision,” Keene purrs, eyes sweeping over your dress like he’s cataloging every inch. “How do you manage to stand out in a room full of models and billionaires?”

“Practice,” you say sweetly, keeping your voice light even as you feel Spencer go rigid beside you.

Keene chuckles and turns his attention to him. “Dr. Reid. You’re lucky to have her.”

Spencer’s smile doesn’t reach his eyes. “I’m aware.”

Keene’s hand slides from your back to your arm, his fingers brushing your bare skin under the pretense of guiding you toward the bar. “Why don’t you let me steal her for just a minute? I’ve got a vintage scotch I think she’ll love.”

Before Spencer can respond, you slip your arm from his grip with practiced ease and let Keene lead you away. You can feel the weight of Reid’s stare burning into your back.

At the bar, Keene orders two drinks, his hand grazing yours again as he passes you a crystal glass. “So tell me,” he says, his voice low, “what does a brilliant, beautiful woman like you see in someone like Reid? He seems… tightly wound.”

You laugh, the sound a little too sharp. “Maybe I like that. Besides, he’s smarter than anyone in this room.”

Keene’s smirk is predatory. “Smart doesn’t always mean satisfying.”

You barely resist the urge to roll your eyes. Across the deck, Spencer’s fingers are white-knuckling the stem of his wine glass. You can see him tracking every movement Keene makes, every time his hand brushes too close to your hip or shoulder.

When Keene insists on giving you a tour of the yacht, Spencer takes one step forward before stopping himself, his lips pressed into a thin line.

You let Keene guide you down a gleaming corridor lined with polished wood and gold fixtures, his voice a low murmur as he points out rooms and artwork you couldn’t care less about. You make sure to lean back against a doorframe at one point, laughing a little too loudly, knowing full well Spencer can see you through the open archway across the deck.

When you return to the main lounge, Spencer’s nowhere in sight.

“Excuse me a moment,” you say, setting down your glass with a saccharine smile. “Powder room.”

Keene’s eyes rake over you one last time. “Don’t be long.”

You slip away, catching sight of Spencer’s familiar figure vanishing down a side corridor. He’s walking fast, his shoulders tight, hands clenched at his sides.

You follow. “Reid!” you hiss, picking up your pace.

He doesn’t stop.

“Spencer.”

You catch up with Spencer halfway down the corridor, your heels clicking against the polished teak floors as you grab his elbow.

“Reid, what the hell?” you hiss.

He jerks his arm out of your grasp—You step in front of him, blocking his path. “Oh, no. You don’t get to storm off like the scorned lover you’re pretending to be.”

“I’m not storming off,” he says tightly. His eyes flick up and down the hallway before settling on you, dark and glinting in the low light. “I’m giving myself thirty seconds to not put Keene in a chokehold in the middle of his own goddamn yacht.”

Your lips twitch. “Oh? I thought you didn’t get jealous.”

His jaw flexes, the muscle feathering under his pale skin. “This isn’t jealousy.”

You fold your arms, leaning against the corridor wall like you have all the time in the world. “Sure. And I only wore this dress because it’s comfortable.”

Spencer’s eyes flicker to the dress in question. He swallows hard, as if realizing too late that looking was a mistake. “This is about the case,” he insists, his voice low and tight.

“Mm.” You glance toward the party down the hall. “So when Keene’s hand was on my lower back for—” you check your nonexistent watch, “five entire minutes, that was fine?”

His jaw clenches. “It’s not fine. But I can’t jeopardize the operation because my partner doesn’t understand how dangerous he is.”

“Mhm. Sure.” Your lips curve in a slow, dangerous smile.

“Do you enjoy it?” His voice is quiet now. He’s staring down at you, his posture rigid but his expression anything but calm. “Letting him touch you like that? Letting his hands on you?”

You blink at him, caught off guard by the sharp edge in his voice. And then—because you can’t help yourself—you grin. “What, like this?” Before he can stop you, you press your palm lightly to his chest, trailing it slowly down over his tie until your fingers ghost over his belt. He tenses, jaw tightening.

“Keene does like to touch,” you murmur. “Maybe I should let him pull me into one of those little side rooms and see how far he’s willing to take it.”

Spencer grabs your wrist before you can move further, his fingers curling tight enough to make you gasp—not from pain, but from how sudden it is.

“You didn’t have to let him touch you.”

You arch a brow, your voice dripping with saccharine venom. “Oh, I’m sorry. Would you prefer I didn’t do my job?”

His nostrils flare. “Your job isn’t to get pawed at by a man who—” He cuts himself off, jaw locking tight.

“Go on,” you murmur, taking a measured step forward until your shoulder almost brushes his chest. “Say it, Reid. Let’s hear what you’re really thinking.”

He exhales slowly through his nose, the sound shaky. “I think,” he says carefully, voice low and tight like it’s been locked behind his teeth for days, “if you let him put his hands on you again, I might kill him.”

“That wouldn’t be very professional,” you say, almost breathless.

His mouth twitches. “Neither is kissing you in a federal briefing room. Or watching your dress ride up every time you sit down. Or pretending not to care when every man in that room wants to fuck you.”

One hand braces against the wall by your head. The other curves around your waist—possessive as fuck. You gasp as his thigh presses between yours, anchoring you against the wall, and he takes the sound like a reward, leaning his head down to meet yours, his soft lips meeting yours.

His mouth trails down your neck, teeth scraping lightly over your pulse point before he sucks—hard enough to mark, and God, you want him to. You want everyone at this goddamn party to see the evidence of his need. Of yours.

You drag his tie loose and unbutton his collar, desperate to feel skin under your fingers. “We should be careful,” you mutter against his mouth, though your hands say otherwise—already sliding beneath his dress shirt, across the firm plane of his chest.

He huffs a laugh, hoarse. “You just offered to let a suspect drag you into a closet.”

You grin. “Only because I wanted you to do it first.”

His fingers reach behind you, tugging the zipper of your dress down fast, efficient—of course he’s fast at undressing, everything with Spencer is faster than it should be.

Your dress drops to the floor with a hush of silk.

He stills. You’re standing in nothing but sheer black lace—garters, stockings, and a barely-there bra.

“Jesus Christ,” he breathes. His hands find your waist, “Still pretending this is about the cover?” you taunt, voice shaking now. He lifts you—your back hits the marble counter of the sink with a sharp gasp.

He drags your panties down and shoves them in his pocket like he wants a souvenir. His hand slides up your thigh, "Already wet?" he breathes. "That didn’t take much."

You whimper. "I hate you."

"No, you don’t," he mutters.

You glare. “You’re such an ass.”

“I’m the one with my fingers inside you,” he says mildly, lips brushing your ear. “Might want to watch your tone.”

You tighten around him, deliberately. His breath catches. “Don’t start something you can’t finish,” you murmur.

“Oh,” he says softly. “I’m finishing it.”

His fingers curl, finding the spot that makes your hips jerk. You muffle the moan against his shoulder, nails digging into the meat of his bicep.

“Say it,” he whispers, fucking you slowly, rhythm building. “Say you want this.”

“I want this,” you choke out. “Fuck, Spencer, I—”

He’s stripping you before you can form another insult. Pulls his belt off with one hand. Unbuttons his shirt with the other.

His mouth is still on yours when he lifts you again—this time with less restraint. You’re half-naked and gasping as he spins you toward the counter, bending you forward over the smooth marble. The coolness of it shocks your bare thighs and jolts a whimper out of your throat.

Behind you, Spencer makes a low sound—nearly a growl. “You shouldn’t say things like that,” he mutters, kicking your legs open with his knee. “Shouldn’t tease me if you can’t handle what comes next.”

“Try me,” you hiss, breath fogging the mirror. “Prove it.”

He pushes in with a low groan, one hand bracing at your hip, the other sliding up your spine, flattening you to the counter. You moan—loudly—and he groans again at the sound, like he’s trying not to lose it too fast. He starts to thrust—deep, slow strokes that make your thighs tremble, the angle hitting something inside you that feels almost criminal.

“You like being watched?” he growls in your ear, one hand wrapping around your throat with just enough pressure to make your pulse spike. “You like him looking at you like that, thinking he has a chance?”

You moan, nails raking down his chest. “I like that it pissed you off.” You try to shoot back another retort, but he pulls out almost entirely and slams back in before you can speak. The breath stutters from your lungs as your fingers claw at the edge of the counter.

He wraps your hair around his fist, yanking your head back just enough to expose your throat. His teeth scrape your shoulder. His hips piston into you, hard and deep, hitting that perfect spot with cruel accuracy. You’re unraveling already, legs trembling, vision blurring.

He groans, thrusts erratic now, chasing release like he’s chasing air. You shatter again around him, and he follows you over the edge with a gasp and a quiet, broken moan of your name.

Silence crashes over you both, thick and stunned. His forehead drops to your shoulder. You're still trembling. Eventually, he eases out, helps adjust your dress, fingers gentle now. His voice is quiet. “We’re still undercover,” he says, trying to be clinical. Trying to compartmentalize.

He straightens your dress for you, palms lingering a second too long on your hips. He doesn’t meet your eyes.

“We’re still undercover,” he repeats, voice lower this time, like maybe if he says it softer, it won’t feel like such a lie.

You laugh once, breathless. “Yeah. Sure. Just practicing, right?”

Spencer finally looks at you—really looks at you—and you know he sees it. The way your pupils are still blown wide. The bite mark he left blooming just above your collarbone. Your lipstick smudged from the heat of his mouth.

“Right,” he says. But his throat bobs.

You tug your panties out of his pocket with a glare, slipping them back on slowly just to be a menace. “So that’s how you practice?” you murmur. “If that’s what you’re like when you don’t mean it…”

He steps back, like putting space between you will somehow help his brain reboot. “This doesn’t leave the assignment,” he says. “It can’t.”

Your chest tightens. “So what, we just go back to pretending?”

His jaw ticks. “It’s what we’re here to do.”

You turn toward the mirror and fix your hair, swipe your thumb under your lip to erase the smudge. You’re still flushed. “You’re a good liar, Dr. Reid but not that good”

He flinches like you slapped him, but you don’t give him time to respond. You open the bathroom door and step out into the golden noise of the yacht’s main deck, head high, voice sweet.

“Sorry about that,” you purr to Keene, who’s still near the bar, holding two drinks.

Spencer trails behind you, silent and burning, hand resting carefully—almost possessively—on the small of your back.

“Everything alright?” Keene asks, eyes narrowing between the two of you.

You smile. “Just needed a reminder of who I’m going home with tonight.”

a/n: slut me out

[dutchdread]

I honestly don’t like Zerith anymore. I have a hard time rationalising Aerith’s behaviour in Rebirth when she’s going to be all over Zack in P3, like how does that even make sense, it’s not a good look for her character at all and I think their reunion will just make me dislike her and the ship even more. I’d like to know your opinion on it.

I understand that, even so I think it's possible to look at Aeriths actions in a way that makes it less objectionable, and for the sake of enjoying the story I would recommend not making the mistake of leaning into interpretations that would lessen your enjoyment of it. I think you can be fair and criticize something while still doing your best to make the most out of it. Before analyzing Aeriths actions though I think it's important to always keep one thing in the back of your mind: SE doesn't want you to hate its main characters. It's totally possible for SE to fail in their story telling, for them to want a character to come across as likable but instead have them come across as completely annoying. But if we want to accurately judge a characters intentions we need to be able to separate how we see a character vs how the developers hoped we would see the character. This is something Cleriths have been historically bad at, which is where we get takes like "Tifa is a manipulative slut" or "Cloud just wants to forsake Tifa and the children so he can go die and be with Aerith" from. We have to make sure we don't fall into the same trap. Clerith try to defend these takes by arguing that the characters actions somehow diegetically point in that direction when any reasonable person should understand that that's not what SE would by trying to convey, and that therefor even if you were to be able to effectively argue that this is a reasonable interpretation of their actions that STILL doesn't imply that that's also the authorial intent. Rather it would simply convey a failure of storytelling.

SE clearly doesn't want to present Aeriths as some sociopathic hussy who would try to get into Tifas good graces in public, but then completely dismiss her feelings in private and attempt to seduce Cloud. If we look at rebirth and see Zack desperately fight through thick and thin for his love for Aerith, and see that contrasted with Aerith as living life, not a care in the world, flirting with Cloud, having long since pushed her memories of Zack off a cliff by merely spending a week with Cloud, then obviously that interpretation paints Aerith in a completely HORRIBLY negative light, which implies that said interpretation is wrong. The optics here are horrible; Zack suffers, and Aerith parties. now obviously in any real world scenario after 4 years of not hearing from a boy this is completely understandable, but the point is: Optics matter here because this isn't an unbiased documentary, this is a story, and stories are shaped by the telling. The optics are chosen by the developers, it's not been 4 years since we've seen Zack, it's 4 minutes. If something is framed in a negative light it is done so for a reason. If the developers don't want to invoke feelings of "this is wrong" when seeing Aerith with Cloud they could choose to simply NOT show Zack. When Cleriths argue that it's fine to move on after 4 years they're completely right of course, but this isn't real life. The developers chose to frame the story in such a way that Aeriths actions make us feel uncomfortable.

So now the question is "WHY"? What reading of this story makes it so that Aerith is a sympathetic character rather than a distasteful one? Well I can summarize it in a single core sentence: Through his living legacy, Aerith gets one last week with Zack. As I've gone over before, the developers would not want us to hate Aerith, yet they consistently frame Aerith in a way where, if you read Aeriths actions towards Cloud as romantically straightforward and geuine Aerith comes across as a borderline villain. You could defend her logically, but that doesn't change the framing. So the answer must be that that's not how the developers are trying to present Aerith. They are most likely trying to present Aerith in a more charitable light, and either failing because they're simply not doing a good job, or because we with our history of being tired from having to argue against her fans for 30 years have simply become prone to not giving her the benefit of the doubt. So is there a way to read Aerith that makes her sympathetic rather than distasteful? I think there is, I think the interpretation Clotis have always had for her does a fine job as long as we keep reminding ourselves of it. The reason Aerith is contrasted with Zack isn't simply to show that Zack is better for her than Cloud, and that Aerith is a frivolous girl who simply doesn't appreciate him and will jump on whoever is nearby, the Jenny to Zacks Forest Gump. No, the contrast is meant to inform the viewer of what Aerith is searching for, about the struggles she's going through. That she's not frivolous, she has her own trauma, a love that she feels she can never get back but is still yearning for in all her heart. When we see Cloud and Aerith have a nightmare date what we're intended to see is Aerith desperately coping because a part of her, even after all these years, misses Zack so much that she's not able to let go and is looking for any sort of life raft to keep her from drowning in it. When she says Zack has probably run off with some other girl that's not her undervaluing Zacks loyalty, or being callous, that's her finding a way to cope with the grief of him not being there. That's her forcing herself to act like it's no big deal to stop the reality of the situation from swallowing her up. At every point Aerith wants to move on, it's been 4 years after all, but can't, the shadow of Zack is everywhere. To me, if you don't look at Aeriths actions as a legitimate attempt at trying to seduce Cloud away from Tifa, but as just her recognizing something of Zack in Cloud, something she lost, and her trying to, clumsily, use that likeness as a way to reorient herself and give her back control of her life, allowing her stopped time to start moving again, then I think you can see her in a more positive light. After all, it's not just anyone that Aerith is coping with, it's someone explicitly channeling Zacks spirit, his living legacy. That itself should show that whatever actions Aerith performs are not because of a lack of appreciation for Zack, her feelings for Zack are strong enough that years later the mere shadow of Zack is still enough to make her unsure of herself. Aeriths one wish was to spend more time with Zack. Zack, under the water tower, promised to come see her, through Cloud Zack fulfills that wish. That is what the time with Cloud grants Aerith, closure. With Cloud Aerith gets to do the things she wanted to do with Zack. If you stop seeing scenes with Cloud and Aerith as being just about them, but start seeing them more as Zacks final promise to Aerith being granted through Cloud, the story starts making sense, and Aerith becomes a tragic character whose ultimate fate, while tragic, has a bittersweet silver lining.

Aerith gets to one last week with Zack, through Cloud, and as a result starts living in the now, and even though she doesn't want to get in between Tifa and Cloud she does want to explore her own heart, she needs to know what Cloud means to her simply to make sense of it and put it at rest. She doesn't know he's Zacks living legacy, she's confused and for a final resolution she needs to figure out what she feels. Even if she realizes it's love, that doesn't mean she'd try to steal Cloud from Tifa, her friend. For her own peace of mind she just needs clarity, and so, rather than looking for Zack in Cloud she tries looking at Cloud himself, at the person standing in front of her rather than just a stand in for Zack. But it's not the same, the spark is not there, they don't look like a couple. Aerith is glad she met Cloud, appreciates that he helped her move on, but while Cloud helped her get back on her feet what she feels for him is not the same as what she felt for Zack, and Clouds heart is likewise in another womans keeping. Do I think Aerith is consciously aware of all this during rebirth? No. I think the living Aerith, without the clarity of Lifestream knowledge, was simply trying to make sense of why she felt so strange around Cloud and what that means, she's more playful as one would expect a real person to be, handling everything the way a normal girl suffering from grief might, she's trying to come to terms with Zacks absence so she can let him go and live again. I think dream Aerith most likely is a bit more knowledgeable, aware of her impending (or bygone) fate, aware in some way of Clouds fake persona, and actively trying to put a concrete name to her feelings so she can now let HIM go and do her duty. Two Aeriths, two men, and two arcs, but Zack being her true love is core to both of them. Aerith comes to term with Zacks absence, but Cloud couldn't fill the void. Though now at peace, Aerith is still looking for her hero, and said hero is on his way.

[darkcommet]

Ranking the Mikaelson siblings dateability from worst to best because I’m bored…

((Not including Freya in this because I have a lot to say about her, but, I can make it a separate post if anyone is interested))

Bottom of the barrel (and I KNOW I’m gonna catch hands for this one)

ELIJAH MIKAELSON: I rank him so low because he’s probably the worst Mikaelson to get involved with realistically. Yes, he’s charming and he’s rich and generally seems pretty invested in his relationships… but he never REALLY takes steps to ensure his partner is safe. He idealizes love but prioritizes the people in his life perpetrating violence upon him which in turn makes it impossible for him to find genuine love

And I’m not even talking about being safe from enemies. I’m talking about being safe from Klaus. This whole “I love you so much, but I’m going to let my brother murk you and then I’ll be over it in a week or two” thing (while exaggerated here) really puts me off. He’s so good at protecting his siblings and is capable of protecting his lovers… yet somehow he always fails and when he does, he mourns, but then he’s over it.

There’s this whole element of choosing family before love that I can’t really get behind because Elijah is always going on about honor and dignity and being a gentleman… but there’s nothing honorable or dignified or gentlemanly about you actively letting the women in your life get murdered by your brother. A man you have known personally for upward of 1k years… like be sffr, please.

Next on the base of the pyramid….

Klaus Mikaelson: Listen. I love a morally grey sociopathic vampire with daddy and mommy issues as much as the next mentally ill queer woman… but REALISTICALLY you and I would not be a be able to change him. Klaus Mikaelson is too volatile, paranoid as fuck, unable to self regulate, and convinced everyone around him is out to get him.

This man was daggering his siblings (SIBLINGS) and leaving them in boxes for years at a time. People he claimed to love. For all his bitching about Esther and Mikael being horrible people Klaus sure fucking turned out like them. His only true redeeming quality is his love for Hope. He genuinely breaks the cycle with her and I respect that.

Know who he isn’t breaking the cycle with? You or me. He’s gonna get paranoid and then heads are gonna start rolling. You cannot change this man.

Middle rung of the pyramid (and lowkey equally ranked)

Rebekah Mikaelson: I love Rebekah. Genuinely. But I would absolutely hesitate to date her. Because at the end of the day, Rebekah is a victim of abuse. Klaus and Elijah domineer her life, one daggers her and locks her in a coffin and the other is real wishy washy about letting him. Rebekah is allowed to have sex, she’s allowed to flirt, but she is not allowed to develop genuine attachment with anyone that isn’t family.

Which leads to why I wouldn’t date her personally, but why I think she’s a solid choice.

If one managed to get close to the inner circle and actually manage a date with Rebekah, then you can bet your sweet ass that she is going to do everything in her power to keep her lover safe. She’s going to be doing a thousand times more than Elijah to protect a romantic partner from Klaus and I respect that… what I don’t really like is how her trauma has developed into jealousy, which lends itself to toxicity.

I think she’d be a good partner in terms of her Originals characterization. Not so much with her TVD characterization. There’s a little too much petty in TVD Rebekah for me to really say she’d be the perfect partner. But I think she’s a very solid choice… her loyalty to Klaus would also make me hesitant to date but that’s whatever.

Finn Mikaelson: LISTEN, if you got locked in a box for 900 years and became mentally aware somewhere around the 400 year mark and you said “I’m not mad at my family.” despite hearing said family being daggered and undaggered around you… I’d call you a fucking liar. If my siblings did that shit to me it would be on site. Finn’s reaction? Fucking tame. I personally think he should have been more murdery toward his family (not so much Hope but you can’t convince me the other Mikaelsons haven’t threaten to kill / killed a kid soooo).

In terms of dating. Old fashioned as fuck, but I don’t think he’s be intentionally cruel. Finn has a lot of respect for his mom, and while I hate Esther, you can’t say he totally disrespected women because he really didn’t? We don’t know enough about TVD Finn so a lot of this is based on TO. But, I do think that Finn would be a decent partner.

He loved Sage and I think if he ever dates someone other than her he would be a good option. He’s not loyal to Klaus, so any tomfoolery on Klaus’ part wouldn’t go too far, but I do think that modern anything to do with a relationship would be a struggle for him. Which isn’t his fault. Finn never got the opportunity to live and this never gave him the opportunity to learn. I don’t think he’d be a total misogynist, I genuinely do think Finn would want to learn and better himself if only because doing so offers him a sort of quasi humanity, but it would be a challenge.

I rank him higher than Rebekah because I feel more confident in my statement that if Klaus tried to get froggy, Finn would attempt to handle it before he jumped. I don’t know if Rebekah would…

Finally… the gold star… the God Tier standard…

Kol Mikaelson: the way he treated Davina. Enough said.

But realistically I think Kol would be the best choice. For starters he would do everything in hos power to mitigate any danger Klaus would pose to his partner. There wouldn’t be a question of, ‘if Klaus’ paranoid ass comes for me am I 1) making it out and 2) going to have to watch my Mikaelson partner stand by and let it happen’ because Kol’s not letting it happen. He’s playing chess to Klaus’ checkers and, sure, it doesn’t always work out… but he would absolutely prioritize you.

Second of all, the man surrounds himself with witches. He respects witches. He learns from them, engages with them, and yeah it’s self serving but he seems to have a little more respect for women / witches than the others.

Obviously he has his issues. Kol’s angry. And angry gets people hurt. But we’ve seen him have true, genuine connection with people outside of his family that I don’t think Elijah or Klaus are truly capable of. All in all, Kol is the best bet because at the end of the day he isn’t prioritizing family. He isn’t looking at Klaus and stepping aside if Klaus comes for your head. You’ll probably still die but, you know, at Kol will try to keep you alive.

Frankly, don’t date Mikaelsons at all… but if one were to get the opportunity… I would say Kol’s your best bet at a healthy-ish relationship.

[calaisreno]

His Move

1557 Words / Prompt: Manipulate

He shouldn’t have been surprised. Mary was an assassin, the business of her past never quite behind her. She’d run away once, and Sherlock had insisted they go after her. At that point, John was willing to let her go. They were never going to have the future he’d imagined when he bought her that ring. 

She was already dying when he arrived at the aquarium, and said the things you would expect a loving wife to say. You were my whole world. 

He felt a dull sense of relief, and hated himself for it. The problems of your future are my privilege. 

A future, cut short. And still, her problems would haunt him.

When Sherlock reached out his hand towards John, his eyes wide, John saw the horror-stricken expression on his face.. 

You were my whole world, he thought. 

Her body was lifted, put on a stretcher, and carried out. John followed.

Sherlock texts him: I’m so sorry. SH

John doesn’t reply.

Please talk to me, John. SH

He feeds Rosie, gives her a bath, puts her to bed. She fusses; she’s old enough to sense something is wrong. Now she has only her father to keep her world stable.

John, please. SH

He plans the funeral; there’s no one else. Mary has no family, only a few friends. It’s his responsibility. This keeps him busy, gives him space to work out what comes next.

Sherlock is actually sorry. This John doesn’t doubt. He’s not a sociopath, regardless of what he says.

John’s words at the aquarium were spoken in anger; he doesn’t blame Sherlock for Mary’s death. John is the one who brought her into their orbit. He can’t change that, but sometimes he thinks about what would have happened if Sherlock had returned six months sooner. Of course he would have been angry, and would have expressed how he felt about watching his best friend die, being abandoned for two years. Six months earlier, maybe he wouldn’t have paid attention to the new nurse, the one who kept flirting with him. 

He has no doubt that he would have come back to Baker Street if Sherlock wanted him. The compromise, as always, would have been on John’s part. Sherlock is never going to change. He will always treat John as a convenience, a habit that doesn’t require thought. 

Sherlock is rarely solicitous, never bestows compliments, only flatters someone if he’s being manipulative. The speech he gave at the wedding nearly knocked John over. Maybe Sherlock was only trying to do what was expected of him, but it was unexpectedly touching. 

Sitting there, hearing the two people who love you most, he’d had this thought: I would have waited for you, if I’d known. 

In his own way, Sherlock does love John. He also knows how to manipulate John, to get him to do what he wants. To keep John in the dark when he doesn’t trust him. 

Loving Sherlock has always meant giving something up. It means following him into danger. John isn’t sure he can afford that any longer, not with a child to care for. 

He has to be sure.

It doesn’t surprise John to see Sherlock at the funeral. Mrs Hudson sits with him, and Lestrade joins them. Molly slides into the pew, whispers something to Greg. It’s a protective entourage; they all know what John said.

Harry is home, watching Rosie. John sits alone, in the front row. 

Sherlock has texted him daily, and John hasn’t replied. That’s why Sherlock is here. He wants John to accept his apology, for everything to be as it was before he ruined it all by dying. Not that Sherlock understands it this way; he doesn’t think that dying ruined things. He’s convinced that he had to do it, that John would have died if he hadn’t. In his mind, there was no alternative. 

Maybe he’s right, but for two years, John carried the weight of grief. That’s just feelings, sentiment; Sherlock wan’t dead; he was saving John, saving the world, winning the game. He left John behind, let him grieve, because that was the only way to solve what happened at Barts that day. 

Sherlock will still leave John behind at crime scenes, run heedlessly into danger, and probably get wounded at some point. He will question John’s intelligence, talk to John when he’s miles away, text him impatiently while he’s treating patients. He will dismiss John’s concerns as frivolous, insist that sentiment makes him weak. He will break John’s heart again and again. That’s just the reality.

And John could break his heart, too. He has a temper, and letting go of anger is hard. Will that anger still be simmering in a year, two years? It’s hard for him to forgive; even in death, he hasn’t really forgiven Mary. 

Can he say he forgives Sherlock and really mean it?  

John prayed for a miracle, and hit the ghost when he returned. Sherlock didn’t hit back; he made a joke. He missed the point. 

But he pulled John out of a bonfire. His look of panic is something John won’t ever forget.  

He tricked John into forgiving him—but has also tried to be worthy of that forgiveness. 

He has expressed his love for John in front of a hundred people. 

These are not the acts of a heartless man.

Sherlock needs him. Maybe two years away was as hard for him as it was for John. 

Does John need him?

He imagines a life without Sherlock. He weighs it against a life without Mary. One is possible, one is past.

His wife was a master manipulator. He’s only beginning to realise the extent of that. He’d had doubts, but couldn’t put words to them until he was in Leinster Gardens, hearing her admit that she’d shot Sherlock, that she would do anything to keep John in the dark about who she really was. 

The woman he fell in love with saved him from despair.

The woman he’d married was a facade. 

He never forgave the woman who shot Sherlock. 

The woman he went back to gave him his daughter. 

So. Mary’s gone, and what he feels about that is a confusing mixture of guilt and sorrow—and relief. At some point, he loved her. Or the idea of her. He chose her. 

She made choices as well. She chose death, rather than allowing Sherlock to take that bullet. When John came back to her, she understood that he would never completely forgive her, that he was doing it for Rosie. She’d chosen to save Sherlock, to die rather than live with John’s grief over losing him a second time.

Sherlock didn’t kill her. She chose to die.

But when he stood at her grave, he didn’t ask her not to be dead.

What he wishes now is that they’d never met, that he could rewind time and make a different choice. That she was still alive, a stranger living somewhere else. 

But then he wouldn’t have Rosie. He loves his daughter completely, protectively, without rhyme or reason. He wants the best life for her, the carefree childhood he never had. And he imagines her growing up without a mother—with a father who has chosen to be alone. 

He pictures her, a child with pigtails and a stubborn streak. A teenager able to go toe-to-toe with her father and still see reason, take a small step back when she’s wrong. A young woman with curly blond hair and a teasing smile. She leaves for uni, and he’s alone again. He grows old, and remembers.

Does he need Sherlock? 

Absolutely, desperately. Like air. 

Can he trust Sherlock? 

Probably not. And he won’t change him.

He misses Sherlock. Whatever they have been to one another, his heart wants him. 

Is it worth the risk?

He’s standing in the church reception hall, drinking a cup of terrible coffee. Sherlock is across the room, looking at him. His expression is sorrowful, not the fake sorrow he can put on during a case, pretending he cares. His hands are stuffed in his coat pockets and he’s slouching against the wall, watching John.

Coworkers from the surgery express their condolences. Mrs Hudson hugs him tearfully. Lestrade tells him they need to get together over a pint. He accepts their sympathy, makes small talk because that’s what people do. All the while, he feels Sherlock’s eyes like a magnet, pulling on him. 

As the hall begins to empty out, he can resist the pull no longer. Sherlock looks up, surprised, as John walks towards him. His pale eyes fill with tears. 

John has given up so much already. He doesn’t blame anyone but himself. Maybe he’ll never fully trust Sherlock, but he’s already forgiven him. 

Setting aside all his objections, laying down his anger and his regret, he surrenders.

When he pulls Sherlock into the hug he’s always wanted, this time Sherlock hugs back. John makes deductions. He can smell a cigarette, maybe two (nervous). He feels his ribs, still too prominent (unhappy). He’s trembling with the emotion he hates (love). The world may have lost a fine actor when Sherlock Holmes became a consulting detective, but this is not acting.

“Please come home,” Sherlock whispers.

John smiles into his shoulder, his own tears beginning. “Oh God, yes.”

[mukbeez]

alright. Maybe I am attracted to black and white classic monsters. Maybe I did read your Adam Frankenstein fanfiction even though I don’t quite know if he’s the monster or just some other guy related to the scientist. Maybe I’ll request something.

I notice you don’t have any Jekyll and Hyde fanfiction. I can help with that. Maybe falling in love with both Jekyll and Hyde? Like, being in love with both and not knowing who to choose? Don't know if you can write something like that, but man am I thinking about it.

✧.* 𝐅𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐈𝐍 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐁𝐎𝐓𝐇 𝐃𝐑. 𝐉𝐄𝐊𝐘𝐋𝐋 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐌𝐑. 𝐇𝐘𝐃𝐄

╰┈➤ MASTERLIST. NAVIGATION.

╰┈➤ CARMILLAS NOTES: black and white monsters are so hot bbg nobody is blaming u 🙏 also if it helps adam frankenstein is a name for the monster given by the fandom because the creature/monster feels rlly mean. also if u have any other jekyll and hyde or frankenstein requests, i’m your girl

╰┈➤ WARNINGS: mentions of murder (its jekyll and hyde)

oh you poor soul

falling in love with them both is a horrible, horrible, mistake

jekyll is pretty oblivious to it, he just thinks you’re being nice, but he is suspicious because you’re being a little to nice

but for the most part he doesn’t overthink it

hyde, though, knows almost immediately

and it really amuses him

will start kinda rudely flirting with you and affectionately bullying you simply because he finds your reactions funny

will very subtly compliment you in some way and have to stop himself from laughing when you turn bright red

when jekyll finds out about this he is extremely embarrassed

embarrassed at the way hyde is acting and embarrassed he didn’t realize sooner

he begins thinking, and it really explains quite a lot

it explains the way you act around both of them, how you go out of your way to do things for them, how you switch up when your alone with them than with other people

jekyll is both honoured and terrified that you actually like him

it puts both of them at an impasse because they can’t agree on what to do

hyde wants to keep tormenting you and messing with your mind into thinking he likes you (he’s not even sure if he does or not)

but jekyll wants to either politely reject you or ask you out in a meaningful way

the main issue is they don’t know if they really do like you or not

hyde is mainly just surprised and almost disgusted you actually like him, but he’s too interested to not be more curious than anything

because, honestly, him?? of all people??

jekyll is sure he also likes you, but he’s also refusing to admit it because of hyde

he’s mainly concerned of what he’ll do to you if your feeling for him are one sided, he doesn’t want you to end up hurt

he’d rather die than be the reason someone else is hurt (that’s why hyde is there, but in this case he doesn’t even want hyde to do it)

they accidentally avoid you while trying to figure out what they’re supposed to do

hydes urge to kill you (if he ever really even had one) is gone almost immediately, he just thinks your very stupid and amusing now

he almost. almost adores you

the situation is much worse for you in your perspective

you like both a murderer and a sociopath, it’s not great for you

even worse you’re convinced you have to choose just one

and they’re also both kind of avoiding you which is really horrible

they don’t even realize they’re doing it, which is the worst part

so, while you’re trying to figure out who’s the best option for you, they’re trying to figure out if they both even like you

well actually they’re sure they do, they just can’t agree on a way to move forward

once their little era of avoiding you is over, they’re both very nice (hyde is nice in his own way)

jekyll invites you over and gives you a long meaningful talk about their feelings and where they are in figuring it out, and he also gives an apology for accidentally ignoring you for a week or two

hyde is still pretty much himself, but you find him looking at you more often and offering to kill people you mentioned not liking before

he most likely does it, even if you don’t want him too

he goes back to his regular affectionate(ish, you can’t tell if he’s being really serious or not) and slightly crude flirting

but now you know he really does mean it

you all take your time in finding out how you’d like to proceed, until they both just confess to you and you use hydes idea of just moving forward and figuring everything out as you go along