#middle emerald pool

[thewolfnessphotography]

Zion national park

Utah

[swordgrace]

𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬.

┊ 𝐬𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬: bob tells you that he loves you.

𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠: robert reynolds (sentry) x fem!reader.

𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 1.5K.

𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: mention of past insecurities/trauma, love-starved bob, very fluffy drabble!

𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫’𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞: this is short & sweet, wanted to get this out of my system before I post longer works! I hope you all enjoy! 🫶

Three words, eight letters, and two bleeding hearts.

Bob tells you first — though, it didn’t fully register, the seriousness of it, until you’d both fully stirred from slumber.

Dawn’s first breath whispered through tinted window panes, slivers of an ember-orange pooling over the foot of your bed, passing over marble floors. Within your quarters, you’re tangled together in a heap of joined limbs, locked legs.

It murmured still, exhaling tendrils of vibrancy, veiled through darkened glass, striking your visage with a sudden glower. Brows furrow, reactionary to the first glow of morning.

Twilight began to dissipate, with not an ounce of haste, dismal darkness giving way to violet, the celestials clinging to the horizon. Sun began to pierce through, sharp, still early enough for you to fall back asleep.

Each breath he takes is full, unburdened — his flesh radiates with the body temperature of a superhuman, a constant fever pitch. Against your collar, his cheek is pressed beside your shoulder, tangled around you as if he’s coiled, protective.

Space is a nonexistent thing whenever you sleep together, an amalgamation of limbs, woven within one another, two hearts intertwined. It was something you’d grown accustomed to, his heartbeat a tranquil melody in your ears.

It’s hushed, in the early hours before the Watchtower stirs; it’s your home, he’s your home.

Whatever pain he feels is lighter when you hold him, when he holds you, mesmerized by the serenity you bring him. Bob couldn’t ask for someone better than you — someone kind, someone who holds his heart with gentleness.

A soft hum reverberates through his chest, a contented sound that accompanies his waking mind, eyes still fluttered shut. Hands rest over your abdomen, one arm looped beneath you, the other draped across your body.

Your hands are holding steadfastly to his forearm, keeping him anchored there beside you, chin nestled against his downy crown. As the glare of dawn begins to blanket your features, you sigh, wanting to swat it away.

His shirt clings to your frame, a few sizes too large, fabric kissing the middle of your thighs, fuzzy socks tugged to your shins. Bob’s sweater sleeves are a touch too long for his arms, emerald wool prickling against your bare arms.

It’s him who begins to move first, limbs beginning to stretch, knees bumping into yours. Warm digits flex into your ribs, akin to stoked embers seeping through the material of your shirt.

Eyelashes flutter in rapid succession, a low exhale tumbling through his lips as he cranes his head, catching a glimpse of your countenance, relaxed by that of sleep. Bob smiles to himself, a reminder that you’re real, beating heart calling your name.

In the gentle hours of morning, Bob’s owlish stare never wavers from you, admiring you as if you’re the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen; you are.

Sometimes, he still feels disbelief sitting heavy within his heart, still surprised that you’ve stayed with him after everything, after knowing him. Shadows haunt his steps, but you chase them away, the light that persists.

Holding you close, his heart thrums a soft serenade, climbing up a tick when your leg threads with his, shuffling atop the sheets. Bob’s hands trace circles into your sides, as if to soothe both himself and you, face buried beside the hollow between throat and shoulder.

Lips reverently grace your shoulder, mouth warm as it sinks into your bones, enough to cause you to stir. Your eyes remain closed, still groggy, fingers dancing over his hand as you snuggle closer, if that were even possible.

Without thinking, without hesitation, three words come tumbling from his mouth, as if it’s second nature, something he’s said before to you in-secret.

“I love you.”

His utterance is tender, though still touched by recent rest; the gears in his head begin to turn when you absorb it fully. Wide, bewildered eyes gaze at him, floored, lips parting to make room for a startled gasp.

Bob says it as if he’s spoken it into existence a thousand times before, wrought with a softness, cadence still hazed by the fringes of sleep. His body stirs beside you, brunette tresses mussed from the pillows, arms caged around your middle.

It’s as if you’re caught within a dream, when his half-groggy confession slips through your ears, a whisper carried upon the breeze. At first, you barely register it, brows furrowing together, wondering if he’s mumbling in his sleep.

“What?” It comes across as discontented, but that’s far from the case — you’re still wondering if that’s what he meant, heart slamming into your sternum.

Realization washes over him, followed by the white-hot sting of embarrassment as he attempts to mumble an apology. He fears he ruined things — maybe he said it too quickly, maybe you weren’t ready, maybe you didn’t feel the same way.

Bob swallows the growing lump within his throat, averting his gaze as he untwines from you, shifting into a sitting position. In the recesses of his mind, like a patient predator watching through black hedges, he hears It.

She doesn’t love you.

The Void slithers through the patched cracks in his thoughts, as if attempting to claw through his barriers, the ones he’s worked tirelessly to repair. Bob ignores It as best as he can, jaw tense, feeling your hand press against his knee.

“Bob, did you … Did you really mean it?” Admittedly, you prayed that it was the case, that he meant it, not something whispered with vague meaning. Your heart burns a gaping hole through your chest, overcome with a wave of emotion.

Sleep suddenly dissipates from your body, as if you’ve been assailed by cold water. Within your throat, your breath catches, fingers skimming until they find his elbow, physical contact reminding him of where he is.

Bob valiantly wrestles with validation, with the snarling hum that threatens to manipulate his own insecurities. He’s winning, heartbeat beginning to steady as he regains composure, swallowing anxiety, head jostling in a nod.

Blue hues flutter to you, turned onto your side, digits caressing over his arm, bringing him back from the encroaching penumbra that threatened his thoughts. A slow smile tugs at the corner of his mouth, sheepish.

The look you give him is nothing short of ardent, a gaze meant only for old lovers, a confession shared through heartbeats. Sluggishly, you pull yourself up into a sitting position, missing the comforting heat of his body.

He’s loved you forever — loved you in-secret, wondering if you would reciprocate. Part of him didn’t think himself capable, terrified of it being consumed by darkness, but it hasn’t overtaken him; he knows it won’t.

“Yeah, I — I meant it,” Bob murmurs, cadence stirring with a flicker of confidence, resolute in his admission. There’s tears swimming in your gaze, lips splitting as a laugh of disbelief flutters from your throat, hastily wiping at your eyes. “Meant it for a long time, now.”

Daybreak crests over the horizon, a golden aurora, framing you in picturesque lighting, as if the heavens were giving you a sign. It strikes against your features, bringing out a euphoric glow within your gaze.

Bob stares, world passing him by, his eyes all over you; a subtle hitch festers within his throat, perspiration slicking his palms as he steels himself for your response.

“I love you too, Bob — I love you so much.” As those beguiling words slip from your tongue, he wants to sob, chin warbling as he withstands the onslaught of sentiments that come crashing around him.

It’s gentle, clean; he scarcely recalls the last time someone told him that they loved him and meant it. Much of his life were fragments, of lost love, of isolation, of feeling unlovable.

He knows that you mean it wholly, unconditionally; tears sting his eyes, and he feels as if he’s soaring. The tenderness and sincerity within your cadence is something that he clings to, something pure.

Careening forward, your forehead nudges his, noses ghosting over one another, a gesture that settles his nerves instantaneously. Bob is smiling now, wide and elated, marrow echoing your name, his heart threatening to burst from his chest.

A shudder passes through him when your palms come to cradle his jaw on either side, thumbs tracing circles over his flesh. His fingers curl around your wrists, soothingly caressing your skin as his eyes flutter shut.

It isn’t some crescendo of a confession — it’s stable, oozing with warmth, offering a mutual sanctuary that you seek in one another. Though, in the ardent silence, he’s murmuring ‘I love you’ even still, lips pressing into your palm.

In the afterglow, he finds you — he finds his heart.

[ladadiida]

𝐛𝐥𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐱 𝐟𝐞𝐦!𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

heavily injured from a battle in the xianzhou luofu, you thought it would be the first and last time you see your stellarmate—but then you wake up in his arms, with him treating your wounds despite showing signs of disinterest in your bond when you first met.

𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐬 soulmate au, angst, unrequited love, mentions of blood and injury descriptions, possessiveness, blade's pov, him just taking care of you with a sprinkle of angst

𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞 stellarmate = soulmate (inspired from stellar jade so original i know) this is actually from the blade fic that i plan on writing but this can be read as a standalone! also, if you get the ts reference in this we are automatically besties. may blade wanters be blade havers

𝐰𝐜 1.8k

soaking the dirty piece of cloth in the cold water, blade let the icy liquid gather in the fabric before lifting it out and wringing it dry until it became nothing but an improvised damp towel.

it wasn't even guaranteed that it was clean enough to be put on your forehead, since the cloth was only ripped off from your dirtied skirt. however, he had no choice but to use it in the end. your body went into a shock after losing too much blood in a battle between you and some mara-struck soldiers, resulting into a high fever.

with the moon positioned at its highest point in the night sky, blade guessed that it was already midnight, meaning that he hadn't caught a wink of sleep ever since he fled the xianzhou with your unconscious body in his arms and warped to a planet he first thought of. this was nothing new. he could stay up all night and his body wouldn't feel anything at all.

blade approached your resting figure in the small cave you were both currently residing in. observing your face for a moment, which was formed in a deep frown, he brushed away the stray hairs out of your face as carefully as he could, then placed the damp cloth on your forehead.

your fever wasn't going down throughout the evening, with your body covered in sweat and hastily wrapped bandages. your shoulders were bare since your most grave injury was a stab wound near your heart, caused by a sharp blade of a mara-struck soldier, and so he was forced to rip open the top part of your shirt to stop the bleeding.

beside your now wrapped wound was none other than your mark. your stellar mark. blade can only stare at it. even when he was placing a bandage over your wound, he didn't dare touch the area where the mark rested on your skin. until now, he was still in disbelief over the fact that the aeons gave him a counterpart, his other half. after all the torment and pain, he, of all people, was blessed with a stellarmate.

he went over to the bonfire in the middle of the cave, where he was boiling medicinal herbs with water using a bowl he made out of stone. years worth of travelling between planets made him gain knowledge of which food to eat or which plant is safe to intake. emerald-iii wasn't a foreign land to blade; he had visited the planet before twice, accompanied by kafka.

speaking of his companion, blade thought back to the xianzhou while waiting for you to wake up and for the medicine to finish cooking. she must be looking for him right now, maybe even asked silver wolf to track him down. your astral express friends might be searching for you too.

he closed his eyes. the image of you lying in your own pool of blood appeared in his mind. blood was also dripping down the side of your mouth, and your eyes were already starting to close when he found you. the pain and rage and fear he felt all over his body was nothing compared to his never-ending death. and he felt his mark burning too, wanting to seek revenge to the people who hurt what was his, wanting to kill them clean with his broken—

"b—lade?" your broken voice came out in a pained wheeze. you coughed shortly after, throat dry and parched. blade turned around and looked at you. your eyes were barely open, but he can see your confusion and distress. "you're...h-here?"

"fool. don't try to talk. you are currently in a weak state." he scolded, glowering at you with his crimson eyes narrowed in slits.

you shook your head repeatedly, slowly lifting your shivering arms and wrapping them around yourself. "i-it hurts, blade..." you complained as tears lined up your eyes, fingers brushing against your wounded shoulder, "...and it's c-cold."

blade gave you a blank stare. he didn't know what to say to you. it was the first time you talked to each other properly, and the first time you were alone together. but it seemed like you were in a state of delirium, seeing that you weren't scared of expressing yourself.

you whined while sniffing, "so cold...why is it so cold?"

he sighed in defeat and shrugged off his tailcoat, leaving him in only bandages wrapped around his torso. he scooted over to you and covered your body with his coat. "we are in emerald-iii, therefore, the weather is constantly changing. endure it while i finish the medicine."

"medicine?" you asked curiously, pulling his coat up to your face.

blade clicked his tongue in annoyance. "one more question and i will abandon you here."

you were silent for the next minutes as you patiently waited beside him. he removed the stone bowl from the fire, and saw that the water has turned a greyish green due to the medicinal herbs. to further melt down the remaining floating leaves, he gave the liquid a quick stir by moving it in a back and forth motion.

bringing it up to your lips, he commanded, "drink."

moving your head forward, you sipped from the bowl, but you immediately coughed it out. after recovering from the series of coughs, you let out, "it's bitter—!"

"you dare complain when i boiled these herbs for hours just so they become pure enough to consume." blade snapped impatiently, "do you wish to be well or not?"

you nodded quickly, not wanting to anger him any further. "okay. i'll drink it."

it took you a few more tries before you get to take all the medicine down your throat, your face scrunched in disgust by the time you finished drinking it.

without warning, blade scooped you up and placed your head against his shoulder. he started taking off your bloodied bandages, and once it was all removed, he examined the wound. he already cleaned and stitched it up hours ago, but it was still bleeding. it can't be helped. the supplies were sparse and the cut was too deep, and with your fever adding up, he was not sure if you'll survive the night.

sweat began lining up his forehead. gritting his teeth, he took a fresh batch of bandages and started to wrap them on you again.

why? why was he doing this? why was he trying to keep you alive? each time the bandage circled around your arm, blade's movements became more frustrated and quick and rough. he didn't even notice you gazing at him with a dazed expression until you chuckled softly.

blade scowled. "speak if you wish to say something."

"are you real?" you murmured weakly, your hushed voice cracking in between words, lacking the usual gentle tone yet it was still tinted with naivety and awe that it made him freeze. all the frustration and anger was washed away and was instead replaced with confusion to your question.

your eyelids kept drooping down, not allowing him to see the beautiful shade of your warm eyes that reminded him of the brightest stars of the xianzhou sky. it was fine; as long as he gets to hold you like this, your head against his shoulder, your bare skin against his with the moonlight shining over you, then everything was fine.

feeling his heart skid to a stop for a thousandth time that night, blade can't help but to slowly reach out, and although his bandaged hand hesitated to land on your skin, afraid it might tint your innocence with his sins, he allowed himself to caress your cheek. it did not surprise him at all when your face fit perfectly in the palm of his wounded hand, your warmth proceeding to seep through his thin and bloodied bandages. a stray tear suddenly fell down your smooth skin, and this time, he didn't hesitate to wipe it off with his thumb.

"what do you mean?" he whispered, leaning in closer to you. you didn't answer for a minute, your breathing growing heavy.

then you laughed. "i don't know," you said, "i feel like i just made you up."

more tears escaped from your eyes as you continued, "you wouldn't...boil some strange herbs for me, or wrap me up in your coat. or treat my wounds, or even talk to me. you wouldn't want to be near me. you wouldn't do that."

"i have no time for your nonsense." blade replied with the intention of sounding harsh, but it came out weak instead. you smiled at him tearily, placing your hand on top of his.

"we are going to be unbound soon." you assured him, and blade swore his stellarmark was stung the second you said those words, "and as soon as i get well, i will immediately seek the aeons and get our marks removed. then you wouldn't have to see me ever again."

he swallowed, speechless for the first time. unbeknownst to him, he was slowly pulling you closer to his chest, his fingers digging into your skin in an attempt to keep you all to himself. his breathing grew uneven as he thought of you walking away from him, forgetting him, not thinking of him, and you belonging to someone else that wasn't him. his heartbeat grew irregular at the thought of not seeing you again.

blade had the sudden urge to cover up his mark and protect it from the world. it was his. it was his and his alone, and no one was going to take it away from him. not even the aeons.

"but do you want to know a secret?" you continued quietly, your smile growing wide, "if the aeons would give me a chance to pick a stellarmate again, i would choose you."

yes. he was going to keep this mark. and he was going to keep you. ever single person who will lay their hand on your skin will meet the sharpness of his sword, and every single one who will stand in between your bond shall face his wrath.

"i would you choose you, again, and again, and again, until you want me back. until you love me back."

the second you wake up from your delirious state, he'll tell you of his new plans, and he imagined you in disbelief, surprised and hesitant and hopeless but you'll nod and you'll take his hand, and you'll run, run, run, and leave it all behind.

"oh, look at the moon," you exclaimed, pointing a finger to the crescent shaped light, and he ignored the way your breaths were growing shallow each time you talk, "look at the moon, blade. it's so pretty. the moon is so pretty."

blade pulled you closer to his chest and rested his chin on top of your head as a sinister grin started to grow on his lips, along with an unfamiliar flame beginning to ignite in his amber crimson eyes. you were his. you were his.

and not even elio can change that.

[heartlilith]

WHAT THE VENUS SIGNS REMIND ME OF

🩷Oddly specific things I think about when I hear ______ venus

Aries Venus: Summer, rubies, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, rollercoasters, fast cars, the color red, vampire fangs, Saturday nights, liquor stores and gas stations, fireworks, sour candy, cool bic lighters, “you’re mine”, Mario Kart, boys who wear nail polish, fuck it energy, oversized sweatshirts, middle finger emoji, cherries

Taurus Venus: Satin pillowcases, white candles, pearls, mirrors, hand holding, walking someone home at night, vinyls, red lipstick, full lips, fancy dinner dates, the wine and dine, old romantic movies, wallets and purses, hotels, French manicures, old money, “I won’t get on my knees for no man”

Gemini Venus: Driving around at night listening to music, reading to someone, comedy shows, mimosas, Samantha from Sex and the City, libraries, nerd kink, hot teachers/student kink, emerald green, laughter, swing sets, looking out of the window and just watching, untied shoelaces, dogs and puppies, dad jokes

Cancer Venus: Soft feather pillows, a bowl of warm soup, a bubble bath, tears and running mascara, babies and how babies laugh, poetry, “I’ll be whatever you want me to be”, hot tubs, hot coffee, teddy bears, heartbeats, soft hands & skin, lotion, bagels and cream cheese, doodling in your journal

Leo Venus: Lip gloss, mojitos, getting drunk at brunch, diamond tennis bracelets, drunk texts you regret sending later, the block button, lonely nights, shooting stars, blowing bubbles, piggy back rides, art museums, glittery eyeshadow, jumparoos, birthday parties

Virgo Venus: Taking a shower, Dove soap, smooth skin, symmetry, butterflies, the smell of books, getting a facial or going to the spa, chicken caesar salads, the good tasting water, chunky headphones, acoustic guitar, running errands, getting your eyebrows done, neat handwriting, neutral colors, sushi

Libra Venus: Blush, dimples, Y2K fashion, Hello Kitty, makeup skills, those little hand mirrors, princes and princesses, cupcakes, pedicures, Margaritas, taking pictures, art, castles, Disney movies, daisies, spin the bottle, cartwheels, soft hair, bubblegum, skincare, watermelon and pineapple

Scorpio Venus: Psychology, neck tattoos, “until death do us part”, Kings & Queens, snakes, sacred sex, chess, secrets, hickeys, the feeling after you stay up all night, the feeling of being at a concert, roses, knives, tequila shots, legs intertwined, dirty martinis, sparklers, Avril Lavigne, fantasy books, true crime and dark history

Sagittarius Venus: Clouds, rock climbing, rappers, Hip Hop and R&B, going on vacation, açaí bowls and fresh fruit, sun kissed/radiant skin, the color yellow, retreats, history, yoga and Pilates, spicy food, “it is what it is”, curly hair, the smell of weed, casinos, the last day of school, Las Vegas

Capricorn Venus: Leather, red wine, the cow pattern, cowgirl boots, the color brown, espresso, dark chocolate, briefcase of money like in the movies, the movie Scarface, whiskey on the rocks, bosses, owls, turtle necks, caramel, wearing suits, lingerie, business, New York City

Aquarius Venus: Lightbulbs, telescopes and microscopes, LED lights, hamsters, college parties, glitter, peace signs, 70s concerts, food trucks, skipping school, “fuck it”, diving in the pool, the beach at night, disco balls, getting detentions in school

Pisces Venus: Mermaids, kittens, cartoons and Disney princesses, champagne, Webkinz, little kid stories like Goldilocks, 3 Little Pigs, Hansel and Gretel, clear glittery lip gloss, holographic, snowmen and icicles, swimming in the pool, flower gardens, glow sticks , picnics, bumblebees, sand castles, elementary art class, 3D movies

Book a Reading 🩷

Masterlist 🩷

[bitingdrivers]

Your stuff is really cool! Are you still taking prompts? Cuz I would love the 'Dandelion' one with Max, its such nice word play I find. He's the dutch lion and the dandelion flower literally translates to lion's tooth, no? (In French it's dent-de-lion)

Would be kinda cute, but feel free not to though, no pressure, have a nice day

hello!! i took a little bit different approach with the prompt, hope you still like it!!! in my head, i set this in the verse of this fic , but you can totally read it as a stand alone

22. dandelions

Fallen branches and pine cones crunch under the wheels, as their mustard Range Rover crawls through the woods, following the path carved into the forest floor by other people that ventured here. Young birches and firs accompany their journey, with rustling of leaves that glide along the windshield and sides of the car, and prickly spruce paws that poke inside the rolled-down windows.

Through the crowns of pine trees rises the clear summer sky, blue like the forget-me-nots that grow in their garden. Rays of scorching sun peek from behind the tree branches, casting pools of golden light on the underbrush.

The road is uneven, and as the car jumps on another bump, Daniel jumps with it, swearing under his breath; the seat belt digs sharply into his bare shoulder. Beside him, Max laughs, shifting the gears.

"Why couldn't we go to the shore with normal road?" Daniel asks, reaching to turn down the volume of the song that's been blaring through their stereo.

"Because," Max starts, "This shore is private, of course."

The car jumps on another bump.

"Of course it's private, there's no road!" Daniel exclaims, as the car's suspension wobbles on a turn.

Max shifts gears again, his long legs clad in tiny shorts moving on the pedals, and drives downhill. Ahead of them is a rickety bridge — two wooden boards thrown over a trench.

"Daniel, you do this every time. We have been going to this shore for years, I know how to drive on this road," Max replies nonchalantly.

The car's wheels touch the wooden planks of the bridge, and despite the nervous pit in Daniel's stomach, the wood doesn't break, and their Rover smoothly makes it to the other side.

Daniel breathes out, relieved.

Max pats him on the thigh and says sympathetically, "We're almost there."

"Yeah, I know."

They continue to drive through the forest, until the woods open into the river bank — it's covered in bright green grass and littered with tiny yellow dots of coltsfoot, dandelions and buttercups; near the murky emerald water, the field turns into cracker-dust sand.

Max parks their Range Rover in the middle of the grass, shielding them from the other unlikely visitors. They leave the doors open, music paying loudly in the empty field.

Daniel leaves his thongs in the car and steps out onto the field, tiny grass blades tickling his feet. Max does the same, then goes to the boot to get their stuff.

The sweltering heat eases off with the breeze from the water — Daniel breathes in, feels the air cool down the sweat on his bare chest. Bugs buzz around, and if he listens very closely, Daniel can hear the distant bird song from the forest.

Once they spread out their blanket, Max goes to the water — the water is too cold to swim in, but he still dips his feet it.

"No," Daniel hears him say from his place on the blanket. Soon, Max appears beside him and sits down, taking his shirt off.

Daniel chuckles, "Too cold?" and reaches for the sunscreen.

"Freezing," Max agrees, smiling, and turns his back for Daniel to put the cream on — Daniel covers his pale shoulders, dotted with tiny freckles that only come out in the summer, moves to Max's arms with the tine lines ending at where the sleeves of his t-shirts sit, makes sure to cover his soft stomach and thighs.

After they are both covered in sunscreen and Daniel made sure to put a hat on Max's head, they lounge in the sun, reveling in the cool breeze from the river.

About thirty minutes into their lounging, Daniel gets bored of lying around and baking in the sun. He stands up and wanders a little farther into the green and yellow field.

Max interrupts his story about a sim race he had yesterday to ask, "Where are you going?"

With a cheeky grin, Daniel replies, "Gonna make something for you, Maxy," and begins to pick the dandelions that litter the grassy shore.

Max watches, eyes peeking out from the elbow that his head is lying on. "You're doing a bouquet?" he asks, eyeing the bunch of flowers in Daniel's hand.

"Better."

Satisfied with the number of flowers, Daniel comes back to Max and sits down on the blanket. Then, he picks up two dandelions and twists them around. Max watches, as Daniel uses the stem of a third flower to tie the two buds.

After Daniel weaves more dandelions together, Max catches up.

"Oh!" he gasps, "You're making a crown!"

Daniel nods, delighted, and brings the unfinished crown on Max's head to measure how much more he needs to weave.

"I didn't know you can do that," Max says, sitting up and picking up a dandelion tp play with the stem — the milky fluid from it sticks to his fingers, and Max whispers "Ew", wiping his hand on the blanket.

"I was bored last summer, while you were away on your trip," Daniel explains. Max went back to the Netherlands for a couple of days to visit his friends, and Daniel was doing anything to stop missing him — cleaned their house twice, worked in the garden sunrise to sundown, taught himself how to make flower crowns: he made one for himself and two for Sassy and Jimmy, but they did not appreciate it when Daniel tried to put the crowns on their heads for a picture.

"Here we go," Daniel says once the dandelion crown is done. "A golden crown, fit for mylion. prince" He can't fight his smile as Max takes off his cap and allows Daniel to gently place the crown on his head.

"How do I look?" Max asks, shyly looking at Daniel. His cheeks and nose, dusted with tiny freckles, are pink from the sun, the corners of his eyes crinkled with intensity of his smile.

Daniel's heart flips; he loves Max so much.

"Like the prettiest prince I've ever seen," he replies, unable to stop himself from kissing Max. Max makes a soft noise and kisses back.

Once they part, Max says, a little out of breath, "Daniel, I cannot be the only one with the crown, you need to be a prince too, of course."

He picks up two dandelions from the blanket. "Teach me how to make one."

Daniel smiles and leans in for another kiss.

"Okay, Maxy."

[andvys]

Love of my life | E.M.

Warnings: hurt/comfort, slight angst, Eddie is a little mean for a second but he makes it up to reader right away, happy ending, grumpy!Eddie x sunshine!reader

Pairing: Eddie Munson x female reader

Summary: Eddie gives you the cold shoulder because he fears his feelings for you after you confront him and he realizes that he could lose you, he makes a confession. Based on this request, also combined it with this one.

Word count: 4.2k+

stranger things masterlist

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Eddie had always been good at reading people, it always came easy to him to see right through someone else’s intentions. He knows when someone is trying to play with his feelings, he knows when someone pretends to be nice only to make fun of him later on, he knows when he gets asked out for a bet or just for the fun of it, he knows that the girls he sells weed to only play nice so they can get a discount– in reality, they hate him and think he is weird, he knows it, he knows everything. 

It was always hard for him to trust people that tried coming into his life, knowing that they always wanted something from him. 

Then, you came along. 

Your family moved to Hawkins two years ago and you settled in pretty quickly. You joined the cheer squad, befriended the popular girls, went to every single party that you got invited to, hung out with King Steve and his then girlfriend Nancy Wheeler, you always wore fancy clothes, expensive boots and designer leather jackets, it was pretty clear that your parents had money. 

But you weren’t– aren’t stuck up, rude and snotty like Jason Carver or his group of friends are. You don’t brag about the wealth your parents have, the house you live in, the car you drive or the clothes you wear. You don’t put others down, you don’t bully people, you don’t look down at the ones that have less than you do. No, you aren’t like the other rich kids in school, you are kind and sweet, you are helping, always cheerful and there to make everyone smile. 

The popular girls are always feared, you aren’t. 

He likes you but he struggles to show it, he struggles to let you in because despite knowing about the things he can clearly see, he struggles to read you, to see through you and your intentions.

He knows you aren’t like the others that came into his life to play with his feelings, to hurt him and take something from him, you aren’t like any of those hungry vampires that came just to suck the energy out of him. You are not like them. Yet, he struggles to give you a chance. 

Despite being friends with girls from the cheer squad or guys like Steve Harrington, you always come back to him. Since your very first day in school, you have been trying to befriend Eddie. Why? He doesn’t know. As far as he knows, there isn’t much that you have in common. 

Eddie lives in the trailer park, you live in a big house with a pool. Eddie drives an old van, you drive an expensive car, Eddie is hated, you are loved. Maybe it’s superficial of him to judge by these things. He doesn’t know much about you personally, he never even gave you a chance, he never gave himself the chance to get to know more about you. He was scared to do it. He was scared to let you in, to give you a part of him that no one ever gets, to be vulnerable and risk getting his heart broken, knowing that you would break his heart if he gave you the chance to. 

He likes you, despite telling himself that he doesn’t. He likes the clothes you wear, he loves the leather jacket especially, he loves the cute dresses and the pretty skirts, the rings on your finger that remind him of the ones his mom would always wear, there is one on your middle finger, one with an emerald stone, it’s almost identical to the one he still has in his drawer, hidden in a little box that has her belongings. He loves the way your nails are always painted a new color every week. He loves your sweet perfume and the way it fills his senses when you walk past him, he loves the way you do your makeup and the way you always greet him with a smile even when he doesn’t give a proper one back. 

But he hates the way his heart flutters when you sneak notes into his locker or into the pocket of his jacket during class– he keeps every single one of them, he hates the way his heart beats faster when your hand brushes his when he walks with you to your next class on a rare occasion, he hates the way butterflies fill his stomach when you wave at him from across the room despite sitting with the girls from the cheer squad, the ones that always glare at him and talk in hushed whispers when they pass by him in the hallways. He hates the way you keep trying to get to know more about him, he hates the way you get along with the guys from the Hellfire club, he hates the way Wayne asks about you after he only met you once when you brought over homework for Eddie after he missed a school day when he was sick. Eddie hates the way you always take over his mind, the way you are always there, even in his dreams, the way you sneaked your way into his heart.

You are everywhere. When he doesn’t see you in school, he runs into you at the record store, at the diner or even the hideout. One night when he was drunk on beer and high on weed, his filter was gone and he let his emotions out, he found the note you slipped into his locker, the one that had your number written on it with your nickname and a small heart, he called you– if he wasn’t so drunk, he would have heard how cheerful your voice had gotten when you realized that it was him. He invited you to watch him play and you agreed to come right away. Ever since then, you came every Tuesday to watch him play and cheer him on, his friends teased him for it, just like the Bartender who knew Eddie since he was seventeen. Eddie pretended to be annoyed but he secretly loved that you were there just for him. 

He started warming up to you, the longer you stuck around, though he was still apprehensive and careful, still expecting you to reveal that your kindness towards him was only a part of a huge prank. Deep down he knew that it wasn’t the case, you have been there for longer than anyone else has, yet he was scared and continued to close himself off from you not realizing that he was hurting you. 

You are always smiling, you are always cheerful and happy, sometimes it irritates him– not because he doesn’t like it but because it makes him feel guilty for being so grumpy when you are nothing but sweet to him. 

The closer you both get, the more he becomes a part of your life. He finds out more about you and realizes that you have much more in common than he thought, he finds some cassettes of his favorite bands in your room, his favorite book on your bedside table, you both share a love for horror movies– especially Halloween. He finds out that you can play guitar and he swore, the moment he saw you play and heard your pretty voice, he fell in love. 

But while you let him in closer, he still kept pushing you away and it was hurting you. 

“Do you have any plans for spring break?” 

Eddie shakes his head, leaning back in his seat, he places the empty milkshake glass on the table and looks around the diner before his eyes settle on you, “no, what about you?” 

You shake your head, “not really,” you mumble. 

Eddie doesn’t notice the sad look in your eyes, he is only focused on the smile on your face, the one he doesn’t realize is fake.

“Rich and popular girl has no plans for the summer?” He snorts. 

You restrain yourself from rolling your eyes, you never minded his little jabs or snarky remarks but lately it’s been getting on your nerves. Why are you here? Why are you still sticking around when he clearly doesn’t want to spend time with you? He never wants you around, anyways. He only came to the diner because Gareth and Jeff canceled their plans with him and you were already here when he got here. 

“I mean I’ve been asked on a date,” you shrug as you play with your straw, staring at the pink liquid in your glass, you don’t notice the way his face falls or the way he tenses up and swallows harshly. 

“A-A date?” He asks. 

You nod. 

Eddie stares at your black nails, at your pretty makeup and your soft red lips that always look so kissable to him, your dress is new, he wonders if you put it on for someone or just for yourself. 

“Who asked you out?” He asks, digging his nails into his palms. 

“Mason,” you mumble as you finally look up at him, “you know, the guy from the school band?” 

Eddie clenches his jaw, suddenly his chest tightens and an ugly feeling rushes through him. He doesn’t want you to go on a date with someone else, he doesn’t want to see you with someone else, you are meant to be here, with him. 

“Yeah, I know him.” And he can’t even hate him, Mason is nice, not just to you but also to him and everyone else, his dad owns the record store downtown, the one Eddie always goes to, Mason works there after school and he always gives him discounts and even supports his band. 

“S-So are you going?” Eddie asks, nervously. 

As you look into Eddie’s eyes, you notice something that you haven’t seen there before. Possessiveness, jealousy and sadness. Maybe you should feel joyful to know that he hates the thought of you going on a date but it angers you and it makes you scoff in annoyance. 

Eddie keeps giving you the cold shoulder, he keeps pushing you away, he keeps treating you with halfhearted kindness while you give him nothing but love and kindness. 

“No.” 

“Why not?” 

“Because I don’t like him like that.” Because you like someone else. 

The tension leaves his body right away and he sighs in relief, his face visibly relaxes and he chuckles, “thought I’d lose my favorite girl.” 

On a different occasion, it would have made your heart flutter and your smile would be big but not today. Today, you are overwhelmed by your emotions, the realization that you have fallen in love with him, laid heavy on your heart because you know that he doesn’t feel the same and that it will only end badly for you. 

“Right,” you scoff as you tear your gaze away from him and reach for your purse, taking out your small wallet, you pick out the $20 bill and place it on the table, “like you would care.” 

Your sudden outburst and the snappy tone in your voice catches him off guard a little, you have never snapped at him before, you have never glared at him, you have never rolled your eyes at him, you have never walked away from him. 

But now, he frowns in confusion and watches you rush out of the diner with your purse and jacket in your hand, not even sparing a single glance at him before you push the door open and walk out. 

“What the hell,” Eddie mumbles, jumping to his feet and running after you without a moment of hesitation. He rushes out of the diner, running through the parking lot before you can get into your car. Just as you open the door, he reaches for your arm and pulls you back, shutting the door before he pushes you up against your car and steps right in front of you. 

Your eyes widen a little when you realize just how close he is to you, you have never been this close. 

“What’s gotten into you?” 

You put your hands on his chest and try to push him away but he won’t budge, he grabs your wrists and holds them tightly but gently. 

“Let me go!” 

“No, tell me what���s your problem, why are you acting so rude? You’ve been doing it all night.” 

“Oh, I’m rude?” You scoff as you keep trying to push him away, “you are the rude one!” 

He chuckles at your words and shakes his head, “you are the one who just stormed out for no reason.” 

You furrow your brows as you look up at him. His eyes are filled with curiosity and his lips are pulled into a smirk, he irritates you. You’ve had enough of this, of him giving you the cold shoulder, of him teasing you, knowing damn well that you have feelings for him. 

“I mean in general, Eddie! You are always cold towards me, you always act annoyed when you’re with me even when you are the one coming to me!” You say angrily, tears well up in your eyes. 

Eddie’s smirk begins to fade when he sees the tears in your eyes. 

“Whenever I’m at the hideout, I’m there just for you and you don’t even seem to want me there, not even when you were the one who asked me to come in the first place!” 

For the first time, Eddie watches tears roll down your cheeks, the look in your eyes is one of anger and sadness but also longing. You are longing for him. You are longing for him to apologize to you, to pull you into his arms and tell you that he will do better but he can’t, not when he messed up so bad, not when you are crying because of him already. 

The angel on his shoulder tells him to apologize but the devil tells him to push you away the way he should’ve done a long time ago, for your sake or his? He doesn’t know. 

“A-At first, I didn’t even care that you were being s-so cold but now it just hurts. I wanna be your friend but you make it so damn hard,” you whisper as you try to blink your tears away, “you know everything about me but I don’t know anything about you–” 

“Is that what you want?” Eddie asks, “to know things about me?” 

His brown eyes flash with anger, his voice is laced with bitterness. He lets go of your hands and takes a step back. 

“So you can make fun of me, right? You wanna know things about my family, about my dad? About what he did to my mom?” He snaps, “that’s what you wanna know? So you can run back to your asshole friends and tell them all about the trailer trash gossip?”

Your bottom lip quivers and your shoulder slump, a look of disappointment crosses your features. You would never do this, you don’t even consider those people your friends and he knows it, yet he can’t stop himself from spewing all those ugly words to you. 

“That’s why you kept running after me and that’s why you stuck around for so long, right?” Eddie asks, “tell me, was it a bet? Did they set you up to this?” 

You shake your head, the wind picks up a little, blowing through your hair and messing up your bangs a little, you don’t bother pushing them away, you keep staring at him through your blurry vision. 

That’s what he thinks of you? 

You have given him nothing but kindness, you dropped some of the people you used to call friends, because you realized how badly they treated him, because he is more important to you than anyone else. 

You stare at him in disbelief, his eyes that usually give you comfort despite the coldness he only ever gives you, make you shudder in pain, his lips are set in a frown, his skin looks pale beneath the moonlight and you hate yourself for thinking that he is still the most beautiful person you have ever laid your eyes on. You hate yourself for still longing for him and you hate yourself for loving him when he clearly hates you so much. 

“Why would you think that?” You whisper shakily as you clutch your purse tighter.

He blinks, he shifts a little, taking in the sight of your tear stained face, the hurt in your eyes and the quivering lip, your voice sounding so heartbroken. 

He was wrong but he knew that already, he doesn’t know why he is ruining things for himself, why he is hurting you so much. 

He hesitates, his hands itching to reach out to you and pull you into his arms, to hold you and hug you for the first time but he can’t. 

“You’re my friend, I dropped them all because I realized how awful they all were, especially to you! You’re important to me, Eddie. And I would do anything for you, anything! I-I knew you never wanted me around but I tried because I wanted you so badly, I really really wanted you and I kept running after you like some lovesick fool but it was for nothing,” you whisper, watching the way his eyes widen at your words, he stares at you in disbelief. 

Lovesick? He wishes he could speak now but all he does is stare at you in shock. 

Your one sided friendship is over, you don’t have to keep any of those secrets that you thought would ruin this thing between you anymore. 

“I love you, Eddie,” you whisper, biting back the sob that rises up in your throat. 

His lips part in surprise and his heart leaps to his throat as tears well up in his eyes just the way they did in yours. You are telling the truth, you have always been telling the truth.

He built walls around him to defend himself from all the pain that you could cause him if you broke his heart but right now as he stands here in front of you and he looks into your soft eyes, he realizes just how big of a fool he always was. 

You would never break his heart. You love him. Why? He doesn’t know. You are this sweet angel that waltzed into his life and chose to give all her love to the guy that didn’t even know how to accept it. 

He doesn’t deserve you, at least that’s what he thinks. 

Your sniffles break him out of his trance, his heart breaks at the sight of you. He made you cry, he broke your heart. The girl that has done nothing but bring joy into his life is now crying because he messed it up. 

You wipe your tears and turn away from him, you open the door and throw your purse and your jacket into the car. 

“Goodbye, Eddie,” you whisper. 

Panic fills his chest and his eyes widen as he looks at you. You are leaving. You are leaving him. His heart screams at him to do something, to pull you into him, to wrap his arms around you, to kiss you and apologize over and over again, to make it up to you. 

His heart starts beating faster, his hands begin to shake. 

He can’t let you go, he can’t let his stupid fears control him, he can’t keep listening to the lies, his anxiety keeps telling him about you, he can’t keep doing this to you. 

“I love you too!” 

It was loud and probably a little dramatic but he doesn’t care, he finally said it. A huge weight falls off his shoulders and suddenly he feels free. 

You freeze, shock ripples through you and you stare into blank space for a moment. 

Eddie takes a step forward, staring at the back of your head with a soft look in his eyes, he reaches for your arm and he slowly turns you around so he can see your face again. When your eyes finally lock, you notice the adoration in them, one that you have never seen before because he always hid it from you. 

“I love you, y/n,” he whispers softly as he tugs you closer, he raises his hands towards your face and cups your cheek slowly, touching you the way he never did before– he should have done it a long time ago, “please don’t leave me,” he whispers with a hint of fear in his voice.

You stare at him wide eyed. 

“I know you wouldn’t do any of those things,” he whispers as he strokes your cheek, “I-I was just, fuck, sweetheart, I’m scared.” 

“Of what, Eddie?” 

“Of this,” he whispers, pointing between the two of you, “y-you’re so perfect and amazing, you do all these things for me. You support the band that no one gives a fuck about, for fucks sake! A-And I’m just a–” he pauses, sighing, “I’m the town freak!” 

“Yeah and I freaking love you!” 

His heart flutters in his chest, warmth fills his body, a kind he has never felt before.

“Why?” He asks softly. 

You grab his wrists and step closer to him so your chest is pressed against his, “you are perfect, Eddie. You are so talented in so many ways, you are so good to the people around you, you protect your friends, you are always there when someone needs you and you always made me feel safe, even when you kind of acted like a dick. You are better than any of these people living in this shitty town, you are better than those assholes you called my friends! Y-You are just perfect to me, Eddie,” you pause, raising your hand towards his face, you brush away the curls from his face, “and you’re not a freak, by the way.” 

A tear rolls down his cheek and you quickly wipe it away, letting your hand rest on his cheek, “and you’re so beautiful, Eddie.”

His heart soars at your words. He leans into your touch and closes his eyes for a moment. He could have had this for so long already but his fears have led him to push you away, to hurt you, to make you believe that you aren’t anything special to him. Like he didn’t create D&D characters based on you, like he didn’t have a bunch of drawings of you at home, like he didn’t spend every second thinking about you.

Like he isn’t utterly in love with you. 

“Please forgive me for pushing you away, for saying all these horrible things to you, sweetheart,” he whispers as he opens his eyes again, “I-I know that I’m really fucking bad at showing this but, I’m so crazy about you, y/n.” 

You smile at his words, blushing and biting back the excited giggle as your eyes shine with happiness again. 

How could he ever be scared of you? You will never hurt him, you will never break his heart, you will never leave him. You will always be the one to stay, like he will be the one to stay with you. 

“I’m crazy about you too, Eddie,” you whisper as you wrap your arms around him and place your head on his chest, hugging him the way you always craved to. He sighs at the feeling, this might be the best feeling in the world, feeling you in his arms. He spent so many moments thinking about this, finally, he gets to do it. He wraps his arms around you and leans down to kiss the top of your head. 

It’s only the first time that you are in his arms, yet it feels so natural. You can feel his heart racing, it matches the beat of your own heart.

“This is so much better,” you murmur. 

“Better than what?” He asks, squeezing your arms. 

“Better than you being grumpy.” 

“I’m sorry, sunshine,” he says as he pulls back so he can look at you again, cupping your cheeks again, he gives you a soft smile, “let me make it up to you?” 

“I’d like that,” you whisper. 

His eyes light up, he looks down at your lips and tucks your hair behind your ears, “you’re too good to me.” 

You stand on your tippy toes and wrap your arms around his neck, “it’s what you deserve, Eddie, you deserve to be loved,” you whisper and lean in to kiss his cheek. His breath hitches in his throat, the feeling of your lips on his skin might make his knees weak, “so please, let me love you.” 

He lets all his walls crumble, he lets the love in, your love. He smiles sweetly and whispers a desperate, ‘please’. 

You kiss his other cheek and place your hand on his neck, “I’ll love you forever if you let me.” 

“Only if you let me love you,” he says with hope in his eyes. 

“It’s all I ever wanted,” you smile.

“Me too,” he admits, finally. 

“I’ll love you forever, you’re gonna get sick of me,” Eddie says, making you giggle. 

“I could never get sick of you, Eddie.” 

“Good,” he smiles before he finally kisses you for the first time ever, letting himself fall into your arms completely, knowing that he and his heart will always be safe with you. 

[wrongbodies]

Bodies Between Friends, pt. 3

The line wasn't too bad outside the bar. They recognized most of the waiting people, too. As they slid into the line, the girl right in front of them turned around, and smiled when she recognized us.

"Oooh! Hi guys, how are you doing tonight?" She asked. This is Ella, a pretty girl with straight blonde hair and emerald eyes. She seemed particularly interested in Robby, who outwardly appeared as Jace, of course.

"We are doing quite well, Ella." Robby said, smoothly. Jace and Brandon exchanged a look, surprised at how good of a start Robby was having.

"Good! Wanna sit with me and my friends? It's just us girls so far, and they are already inside." Ella invited.

"Sure, we can mingle." Jace said, once again tugging on the sweater he was wearing.

"I wouldn't mind either." Brandon chimed in.

Ella beamed, but was next for the bouncer to check her ID, so she turned and got in easily.

All three of the boys were also successful in having their IDs checked as well. The irony of handing over a drivers license belonging to their borrowed body was not lost on them.

Inside, the bar was bustling. They were waved down at a table near the pool tables by Ella. They got to the table, and made their greetings to the girls. Along with Ella was a cute girl named Amy with glasses and a black bob cut. And then there was Julia, the last girl who was tall and had braids, wearing an orange romper.

After making introductions, only a few awkward moments where the boys each had to remember which body they were in, they went to order some drinks. While waiting for his drink, Brandon noticed a cute guy talking with some folks at the other end of the bar. His gaydar was going off, something about how the guy was standing and gesticulating. His cute face was like a beacon, but he was dressed slightly sporty. College hoodie, backward cap, it was a cover he was sure.

He saw the guy give him a look, and then turned away, but looked back with a slightly too long look. Yep, he's gay or bi or whatever. Brandon took his drink and went back to the table. All the while, during drinking and talking, he kept stealing glances around the bar for the guy. Brandon realized he should have been bold and approached him. He must have left.

The night progressed fine from there. Jace was successfully chatting up the girls, who seemed interested in Brandon's body, considering the charismatic Jace piloting it. Even Robby was doing well with Ella. It's clear she has had eyes for Jace for a long time, we've all picked that up before. Jace wasn't really into her, but he seemed fine to let Robby flirt with her considering we all set the standard earlier in the dorm.

At some point the group moved to a pool table and began playing. Brandon noted that Robby's palate didn't really enjoy beer, so he was ordering some mixed drinks. He also forgot that Robby is rail thin. He was tipsy before he normally would have been. He ordered some greasy bar food to try and soak up the alcohol. While hanging out at the bar, he noticed that the cute guy from before was no longer there. He was bummed, when he heard a voice from behind.

"Hey, I've seen you at the bar before." The cute guy with the faux-sporty look said. Brandon was suddenly very nervous, feeling Robby's face blush. "I'm Riley!"

"Oh-uh, I'm Bra- I mean, Robby." Brandon sputtered. He was holding a basket of greasy fries and his long island iced tea.

"Want to sit down with me?" Riley asked, gesturing to a two-person high top in the back of the bar, which was a little quieter.

"Sure!" Brandon responded, the tipsiness definitely giving him some atypical bravado.

The two walked over to the table, Brandon finding he had to hop up a bit more to get in the seat than normal, given his shorter borrowed body. Riley smiled across the table, and Brandon pushed his fries to the middle.

"Please have some! I can't eat them all." Brandon offered.

"Don't mind if I do..." Riley said. "So, you go to Bailey too?"

"Yeah! I'm a junior. How about you?" Brandon replied, taking particular care to not eat messily or talk with food in his mouth.

"I'm a junior as well. I transferred in this year though." Riley explained.

"Oh, that makes sense. I know most people from our class year." Brandon said.

"I've been doing my best to mingle with the juniors. I don't like being cooped up in my room." Riley said.

"Oh, I get that. Do you play on a team or belong to any clubs?"

"Yeah, I'm actually on the lacrosse team, if you can believe it." Riley laughed. "I know it seems counter-stereotypical. A gay guy on the lacrosse roster."

"I wouldn't have guessed!" Brandon laughed as well.

"What, that I'm gay, or that I'm on the lacrosse team?" Riley asked, smirking.

"A little of column A and column B, honestly." Brandon smiled back. He was feeling bolder than ever, like Robby's body was giving him some bravery he normally lacked.

The two chatted for a while, fries disappearing and drinks dwindling. Over by the pool tables the other guys were getting a bit closer and friskier with their chosen girls. Jace didn't say it out loud, but he was sandbagging leaving with his partner so he could witness Robby leave with Ella on his arm. It didn't take too much longer. As they made to leave, Jace leaned in to whisper to Robby.

"Don't forget, go to MY room, not yours. And again, use protection please." Robby nodded, a slight blush spreading across his cheeks. Then he left, Ella holding on to his arm.

Jace didn't waste too much time, either. Only, he went to check on Brandon. He found him cozying up to a guy he didn't recognize. The two seemed to be hitting it off.

"Hey Robby, I'm heading out. See you tomorrow?" Jace asked.

"Absolutely, see you!" Brandon said, waving his friend off.

"Actually..." Riley started. He blushed, and looked down to find a fry.

"Actually what? Go ahead." Brandon prodded.

"Umm... would you want to hang out in my room? I have a single." Riley inquired.

"Yes, please." Brandon said, blushing but excited. They cleared up and closed their tabs. And then they were outside, and walking together to Riley's dorm.

TBC

[beegomess]

T.N. || Summer wine

Summary: You and Theodore spent the summer vacation with his family on the Italian coast, something you definitely loved. However, your boyfriend could be somewhat insistent when it came to having you and your beautiful body near him for so long. Warnings: obscenities, +18, smut, relationship established.

A/N: Inspired by @motherearthlovesus imagine/moodboards about spending the holidays at Theo's summer house in Italy. I loved it so much and I had to write about...💕💕

Orders are open!

The sun threw its golden rays with a magical intensity over the Italian coast, making the turquoise sea shine like an immense sparkling emerald that extended to infinity. The heat vibrated in the air, creating a slight tremor on the surface of the water, and the gentle breeze that blew from the ocean brought the salty and fresh aroma of the waves. Every time the breeze passed, it caressed the skin like a touch of velvet, offering a gentle relief to the scorching heat of the day.

You were relaxed on the lounger by the pool, with the crystal clear water reflecting the clear sky and accentuating the feeling of tranquility that surrounded the environment. The heat of the sun seemed almost palpable, heating your skin and making the pool an irresistible oasis of freshness. Your eyes, semi-closed and shining under the sun's rays, slowly slid through the pages of the book you held, each word unfolding in a hypnotic rhythm.

The scenery around him was a visual and sensory delight: the waves beat lazily on the rocks in the distance, emitting a soft and rhythmic sound that mixed with the distant murmur of seabirds. The warmth and peace of the environment created a perfect refuge.

While you were completely immersed in reading, Theodore was at the edge of the pool, his forearms resting relaxed on the edge, with crystal clear water running down his arms and creating small waves. His shoulders, slightly tilted forward, revealed a relaxed posture as he watched his every move with a mixture of affection and worship. The heat of the sun highlighted the tanned texture of her skin, and her slightly misaligned hair completed the look.

When you raised your eyes and found his gaze, the affectionate and fun glow made you smile. Theodore, with a charming smile, approached and, in a sincere tone, said in Italian:

- Sei così bella oggi.

You smiled, touched by the compliment.

- I'm thirsty. - you mentioned, and he laughed, with a look that promised something more.

- How about we go to the kitchen? I promise to prepare something refreshing for you.

You followed him to the kitchen, which was integrated into the external environment of the house by large glass doors that opened to the garden. As soon as you entered the environment, Theodore turned around and pulled you for a deeper and more passionate kiss. The kiss was intense, a moment full of desire and connection, and you felt the heat intensify as it deepened.

Soon, his hands were around his neck, at the same time that he put you sitting on the white bench there in the middle in the middle of laughter and heavy breaths as the kisses went down his neck.

However, the kitchen door opened abruptly and Charlotte, Theodore's sister, came in, a little surprised to see you.

- Ah, sorry for interrupting. - Charlotte exclaimed, trying to hide a fun smile. - I just came to get something to drink.

- Hadn't you gone out with your friends? - Theodore asked with a note of irritation in his voice, as you came down from where you were with a flushed face and a racing heart.

- Yes, three hours ago... - The girl responds as if it were obvious and fun to see the embarrassment in you.

- So, how was your afternoon? - You decide to change the subject, while Theodore will finally make the drink he promised you earlier.

- It was great, but it looks like you were busy around here. I hope I didn't get in the way too much. - Charlotte, with a welcoming smile, took a bottle of juice.

- No, not really... - You clear your throat by noticing a clear malicious smile on Charlotte's face while she drinks the juice. - What did you do?

With the mood relaxing again, Charlotte joined you, bringing a touch of lightness and humor to the moment.

That night, Theodore made a special dinner for you. He cooked very carefully, and the aroma of the dishes mixed with the breeze of the night. Dinner was on the balcony, on a small table with a white towel and candles, which gave a soft light.

While they were eating, the conversation flowed naturally and the laughter filled the air, creating an atmosphere of relaxation and pleasure. As dinner progressed, you watched the reflection of the stars in the sea water, which sparkled under the brightness of the moon, creating a magical and quiet scenery. The murmur of the waves and the freshness of the night contributed to the feeling of peace and contentment that involved everyone there.

The next morning, you woke up slowly, surrounded by a cozy heat. The sun rose lazily on the horizon, dyeing the sky with soft shades of orange and pink. The first rays of light invaded the room, filtering through the white and almost transparent curtains, which swayed gently with the light breeze of dawn.

Lying on the bed, you felt Theodore's comfortable warmth next to you. His body, still sleepy, settled in the vicinity of him, while the heat of the sun entering through the windows warmed the environment, creating a pleasant contrast with the cool breeze of the morning. The soft sounds of the world awakening outside, combined with the delicate movements of the curtains, formed a symphony of serenity.

The golden glow that flooded the room seemed to amplify the feeling of peace, and the soft touch of sunlight on the skin mixed with the heat that emanated from Theodore, creating an atmosphere of tranquility and contentment.

You turned slightly on the bed, allowing your eyes to rest on Theodore. He was still sleeping, the serene expression, the features of the face softened by peaceful sleep. Your lips were ajar, and you could see the slight movement of your chest going up and down with each calm breath. The soft light of dawn caressed his face, highlighting his features in an almost angelic way.

While you were watching him, Theodore began to wake up slowly. His eyelashes trembled slightly before opening his eyes, revealing that deep look that always made his heart beat a little faster. Without saying a word, he sketched a soft smile, still half asleep, and extended his arm, pulling you gently against him.

His body found his naturally, fitting perfectly into the curve of his arms. Theodore squeezed the hug, engaging and protective, while his fingers slowly traced the lines of his back, as if he wanted to prolong that moment of closeness. The warmth of his body was comforting, and you felt even more welcomed as he whispered, with a hoarse voice of sleep.

- Good morning... - He tilted his head to leave a soft kiss on top of yours, his face still relaxed by the slow awakening.

His body, which until that moment, was covered by nothing more than a white shirt of Theodore, was caressed from under the fabric. The affection started slowly, but soon you started to feel your fingers going down more on your back, then waist and hips.

He pressed you a little more against him while placing light kisses on his face and neck. His hands traveled to Theodore's warm skin, feeling him tense under his touch, until you decide to start a slow but warm kiss.

His tightness on your skin increases as your kiss deepens. And in a quick movement, you see him between your legs, leaning over you and savoring every piece of exposed skin.

One of Theodore's hands climbed over his belly, groping his body until he found his breasts, you sighed as you felt a slight squeeze in one of them. The shirt you wore was folded and accumulated over his hand.

A smile formed on Theo's face immediately when he heard you sigh and whimper with such simple touches. In addition, the fact that he has his body pressing against his hot and humid core made him delirious quickly.

Theodore moved his face away just to observe his expression when he lowered his hand again, heading towards the middle of his legs. His bright and sleepy eyes looked at him with expectation.

- Do you want that, love? - His low voice invaded your thoughts quickly, making you nod positively. - So, say, let's go...

- Theo, please... - You whisper, causing chills all over his body, completely euphoric about the idea of fucking you in every possible way. - Please, I need...

A smile appeared again on Theodore's face when he heard you and lowered his fingers to his folds, realizing how wet you were already, completely under him now. A low moan escaped you when you felt it rub your nerve point, it started slowly to provoke you, I wanted to see how far you could stand it.

Therefore, he introduced one of his long fingers into you without stopping what he was doing. You moaned a little louder in surprise.

- Lower, dear, we don't want to be interrupted again, do we? - Theodore said if a somewhat possessive way, it was as if he waited too long for that. - I can't stand being interrupted anymore whenever I want to fuck you.

The movements in you only increased, the wet noise echoed in every room, your warm face threw itself back whenever you felt the knot form at the foot of your belly.

- Damn, you're sucking my fingers... - And in a matter of minutes you were a complete mess, your liquids spilled on the white sheets while Theodore shamelessly stared at the reaction of his body. - Yes, bella, come on, keep it up...

Your breath failed when you felt yourself spilled on the fingers of your boyfriend, who looked hypnotized at your orgasm happening, trying to prolong it even more.

While his discharge was happening, Theodore got rid of the only piece of clothing that prevented him from finally having you. Suddenly, you feel him stretch you little by little, loving the feeling of having him inside you.

- Damn... - Theodore murmurs as soon as he gets to the bottom. It positions your face on your neck as it starts with slow movements so that you get used to the increased stimulation, absorbing every moan of yours close to your ear.

- That's so good, Theo... - you say and your voice comes out a little more tearful than you would like. - Faster, please...

Your words just make it clear to him that you would no longer mind being careful with the noises or discomforts, so Theodore leaned on his arms again, seeing how you smiled maliciously at every beat of your hips, at the same time that your eyes rolled.

Theodore holds the head of the bed as a support, pushing the body against his own at a frantic pace. He just discounted all the desire he had accumulated since the day before, when he saw you in that pair of bikinis perfectly fitted to his body.

His voice mixed with the noise of the bed hitting the wall, while his other hand held one of his legs, with the intention of making his body stable.

It was amazing how much he seemed to know his body, hitting the exact places at an exact rhythm that made you even closer to another orgasm.

- You accept me so well, dear... You don't know how much I would do that all the time if I could. - The nicknames he used with you only gave more stimulus. Theodore felt you get close once again, hypnotizing with your face writhing with pleasure once again. - Make a mess, bella...

- Theo... - His voice was whispered, completely destroyed.

Your body writhed once again, squeezing Theodore and taking him along with you, your mind completely lost in him again, feeling every drop of the two of you drip between your legs.

He moved away from your body after a few seconds, coming out of you, also panting and convinced of having taken it twice. Your tired body sought refuge in it, you nestled just to catch your breath.

Theodore placed a kiss on the top of his head while you supported her on his chest, you could hear his heart beating fast, his tanned body had small droplets of sweat, just like yours.

He took you to the shower after that, you spent more than an hour in the bathtub, just talking and laughing.

While you were finishing breakfast at the same table on the balcony of the interior dinner, Charlotte appeared at the door, with her pajamas crupted, shaggy hair and her face swollen with sleep.

- Why did they wake me up so early? - The girl grumbles, dragging her slippers to one of the chairs, bothered by the sunlight. - It's still new hours.

- Don't overdo it, Charlotte. We didn't even make noise with the coffee. - Theodore answers, while drinking a sip of his cup.

- I was talking about the knocks on the wall, actually. - The girl replied, without realibing what it could be. Your face flushed and your eyes widened, while you choked on the food. - What were they doing, anyway?

- Just hanging a painting in the room, to decorate... - Theo responds with a malicious smile directed at you, taking advantage of his sister's slowness.

- You two are crazy. - She grumbles while serving herself a glass of juice.

____________________________

masterlist

xoxo, bebe💌🫶🏼

[krispycreamcake]

Ayato Sakamaki boyfriend scenarios ➹♡ (P2)

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚　˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

Prompt: Jealousy

Fandom: Diabolik Lovers

Not proofread it's lit 1am

Tws: Cussing, physical violence, degradation, blood, slight nsfw, mentions of sharp objects

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚　˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

It was the middle of summer, cicadas chirping wherever you went, the sun beating your skin to a bruised pulp as you tried to siphon as much wind as possible despite there being an unfortunate lack of breeze, shaved ice being sold at every corner.

You thought about how it was just winter not too long ago, as the sound of a fan's slow and guttural hum could be heard throughout the classroom, lights slightly flickering above you as the teacher fanned herself with the roll call sheet. Your fingers glided past the windowpane and you gently slid it open, allowing for the tiniest bit of fresh, cool air to envelop your overheated face. The relief however, did not last long as the world seemed to come to a standstill once more.

Sweat was beginning to drip from your face and the frilly, two layered uniform certainly did not help. All of a sudden, you felt cramped and claustrophobic, the heat boiling you alive as you sat uncomfortably at your desk. You wished you could just kick your feet up and lay back, but no. You were in a tightly enclosed desk at the far back of the class, an entire row of students sitting in front of you.

You glanced out the window once more, trying to distract yourself from the next hour. You looked down at your worksheet, you hadn't even begun and the words already started to make less and less sense. There was no way you could focus, all you saw were blobs of ink that sort of resembled letters.

"Hey..."

Your head shot up. You looked around the silent classroom and couldn't find the owner of the voice, let alone anyone that wasn't looking half dead.

"Oi... I'm talkin to ya!"

You snapped your neck in every which way and still couldn't find who was calling out to you. Was the heat that desperately horrid that you began to have auditory hallucinations?

"Over here!"

You finally looked out the window. At first, you couldn't see anything besides the darkened silhouette of the trees outside. It took your eyes a second to adjust to the darkness before realizing that a pair of emerald eyes were staring right back at you.

You almost jumped out your seat, a shiver running up your spine before you heard a chuckle.

Ayato was leaned against a tree, throwing small rocks your way. What was he doing out of class? Maybe you were hallucinating after all.

"Ahem... Maybe YOU could tell us the difference between rosuvastatin and rosuvastatin calcium."

You felt your heart sink as you realized the teacher must've caught you looking out the window. The entire class was now looking at you, some of them already begging to say the answer, only to be let down by the teacher who looked expectantly at you.

"The difference is... Uh- Ow!"

The rest of students bursted out laughing as the teacher rolled her eyes.

"What is it now?"

You looked on the floor before picking up a pebble the size of your thumbnail. You shamefully glanced at the teacher, showing her your discovery.

"I think someone threw-"

You stopped in your own tracks, realizing just exactly what had happened just now. You clenched the stone in your hand, fumbling for words as anger pooled in the back of your head.

"Someone threw this at me!"

The teacher pinched her nose bridge before looking out the window.

"Seems like we have a comedian now. We'll see who's laughing once your grades are in."

Your hands gripped the edge of your chair on either side.

"I swear I-"

The teacher raised her voice, causing the entire room to go quiet.

"I DON'T want to hear it."

Your face grew red with embarrassment as you asked to be excused to the bathroom. Once you finally left, you almost felt tears of shame run down your cheeks. You could still here their bitter remarks from the other side of the door.

You marched outside angrily and saw him waiting in the courtyard with a knowing grin on his face. You stomped towards him, the sound of your shoe echoing throughout the surrounding area. Your body was rigid as the night air blew past your hair, slightly cooling the overwhelming heat in your cheeks.

You pointed an accusatory finger at him as you practically ran up towards his chest, eyes gleaming with determination.

"You! Look what you did! Now everyone thinks I'm some airhead that doesn't know the difference between rosuvastatin and rosuvastatin calcium!"

Ayato couldn't help but laugh at your puny attempt of a confrontation. His laughter mocking your anger, which caused you to grow more defensive.

"Apologize!"

Ayato halted his laughing, looking at you curiously.

"Who gives a fuck about your academic reputation anyways? Shu's always gonna bring down the average, so it doesn't even matter."

You looked at him with disbelief. You clenched your fist before feeling a small, hard object in your hand. The moment you registered what you were holding, you immediately took a step back and swang your hand harshly towards him, pelting him with the same pebble that he tossed at you, hitting him in his cheek.

All was quiet for a moment and you soon began to regret your decision.

"You bitch-"

As soon as the words came out his mouth, you took off. He wasn't far behind as you dodged and swerved past a couple students, Ayato close behind, bumping into every person you managed to avoid.

You turned a sharp corner and almost twisted your ankle as you sprang up the stairs. Eventually, you made it to the roof. You tried barricading the door but he easily pushed you out the way and onto the floor. You crawled back as he stood there, one arm holding the door wide open as his gaze was glued to the ground, refusing to look at you.

He stalked towards you before grabbing you by your shirt collar and raising you off your feet.

"Who the fuck do you think you are? You think you've got some special privilege over me just cause I drink your blood more than anyone else's? You're not the only one out there with a working heart, I've got my choices laid out for me, so don't be fooled just because I give you more attention."

You felt like throwing up, for more than one reason at this point. How did it even get to this? Your day couldn't have gone worse. You felt a gnawing in your chest, like something was scraping against it. Your throat started to ache as well and began to tighten.

Eventually you couldn't take it anymore and just began to let it all out. After everything that happened, what was the point in trying to keep your composure any longer?

Ayato's eyes widened slightly as you began to shake, tears pouring relentlessly as you didn't even bother to wipe them away. Your head just hanging there, motionless, save for the sniffling.

He dropped you back to the ground harshly, your body not even possessing the will to stand up. You slumped over to the floor, eyes trying to focus on his shoes in hopes of zoning out.

"Don't give me that crying crap. You put yourself in this position."

You stayed quiet, refusing to answer him. Your tears had stopped by now, but the aching in your heart hasn't.

"This wasn't called for... You're acting-"

Ayato cut you off, placing his feet at either side of you.

"I'm not acting like anything! You're getting what you deserved. You don't think I don't know what's going on!? You don't think I see the way you treat him? I'm not a fucking idiot."

You were taken aback. You slowly lifted your head up at him, trying to recall what he was talking about. Treat who like what?

"I don't understand what you're talking about..."

Ayato grabbed your arm and pulled you off the ground, his forehead touching yours.

"Tch.... Like hell you do. I've seen it for myself so there's no point in lying."

Your eyes finally met his and all you could see was unbridled rage. You knew you had to choose your words carefully from now. The chatter of students below didn't help your thought process. What have you changed recently that seemed to be bothering Ayato?

"Wait, you don't mean..."

Ayato sharpened his gaze, waiting for you to finish your sentence. Anticipating your next words.

"We were partnered up for a project...and Reiji said it was fine to not switch. As long as we did the work at school."

Ayato gritted his teeth.

"Well why the hell wouldn't you want to switch? What's so wrong with having me as your partner?"

You almost rolled your eyes. You couldn't believe this is why he was upset. But... Maybe it wasn't. Maybe something happened. You couldn't tell, so you just played along until he cracked on his own.

"Wouldn't it be strange that I dropped every partner I had, just to switch them out with you? People would find it suspicious."

Ayato eventually let go of you. He stormed away, walking towards the edge of the roof.

"I don't get it... It's not like I'm choosing them over you! I just thought it'd be a good change of pace, so people don't start getting ideas!"

It was quiet. He had stopped walking and didn't even bother to turn to you.

"You're ashamed of me... I knew it. You don't want people knowing that I claim you every night."

You blushed at his use of words. Still, you thought you weren't meant to be anything other than prey. So what does it matter if he drinks your blood every night?

"I'm not ashamed! It's just... Rumours spread and I-"

"That's a bullshit excuse! Who cares what people say!? I told you already, you're mines! You belong to me!"

Ayato whipped himself around before speed walking towards you, grabbing your by your throat and sinking his fangs deep into your flesh.

You gasped from the lack of air and tried to control your breathing despite it being impossible.

Ayato pulled his fangs out and released you from his grip. Your freedom was short lived before he pulled your hair back and forced you to look up at the sky as he bit down onto your nape.

The sucking sensation mixed with the pain, felt uncommon, but not necessarily unwelcomed. He continued lower and lower down your body until your shirt was half way off your chest.

"I'll show everyone what's mines, whether you like it or not. I'll bruise this stupid mortal body so badly that the teachers get worried for your safety. I'll write my name on every inch of you, no matter how long it takes, or what it takes. I'll use a knife to be more efficient, you won't get away from me. No matter where you are, your body will always scream my name."

Ayato began licking down your belly button. He forcibly held your wrists together, knotting them so you couldn't stop him.

Just then, you heard the door squeak open. You immediately spun your head around to see who it was, Ayato uncaring to the situation. Continuing to lick and suck at your waistline with complete disregard.

Your eyes widened with horror as you saw your teacher staring at you blankly. You felt so embarrassed and began to try to wiggle free from Ayato's grip, instead his mouth landed on your thigh as he looked up at your teacher. A stern look on his face as he made eye contact with the shock ridden woman, a look that made her immediately go back down the stairs as she yelled for the dean.

You took in your own disheveled appearance and soon realized that the dean would be the least of your worries once Reiji hears about this.

You heard Ayato chuckle, scanning his face to see what was going on inside his head. You thought he was upset, now this is funny because you got caught?

"Ayato, this isn't funny! We're going to get suspended!"

Ayato looked up at you as he kneeled on the floor, your calf tossed over his shoulder as he bit your lower leg.

"Wait... You- You knew this would happen! This was your plan all along! You knew she'd come looking for me! You expected us to get caught, didn't you!?"

Ayato lapped up the blood that dribbled down your knee.

"Now everyone knows who you belong to. And the rumours won't just be made up stories, so you can rest assured, heh."

Authour's note: credits for the divider above @kodaswrld

[druidwolf21]

Shipwreck part 2

Magnus the red/f reader

SORRY IT HAS TAKEN ME SO LONG

I've had a LOT on my plate recently and honestly, the bajillion drafts currently sat waiting for me are a liiiiittle overwhelming!

But here is part 2 finally!

I rewrote it a few times before settling in this!!

As with everything I share, this is not proofread lol

Mostly fluff, some smut at the end beneath the 💦 emoji so you can enjoy the fluff without the spice.

Although even if you skip the smut I recommend reading the last little bit just for a bit of extra context 👀👀

As always let me know what you think!!!

Cw: sexy time beneath the 💦 emoji, brief implied threat

@thisuserislilsilly @jaghatai-khock @moodymisty @beckyninja @lemon-russ @astrohymn @echo-of-damnation @kitty-chan33 @laura-naruto-fan1998 @cosmic-cryptid-from-beyond

A soft breeze carried the scent of fresh grass to you as it tousled gently through your hair, sweet honeyed pollen filling your nose. You smiled as you strolled the garden, running your hands along the top of the waist high hedges that lined the gravelled path and with each step you took, a faint flittering mist caressed your skin.

The garden was large, flower beds surrounded by low hedges were bordered by long paths that swept around in a cross shape, culminating in a marbled fountain in the middle. Each step crunched pebbles underfoot as you strayed from the path to wonder amongst the rainbow hued buds. Your long satin dress pooled around you in a puddle of purples and gold as you knelt to reach for a flower, caressing the soft bell of its petals as you brought it to your nose and inhaled deeply. The bloom was a vibrant red, the crevices of its core lined and flecked with yellow whilst the greens of its leaves were a vivid emerald. The perfume wafting from the blossom was rich and warm, like wine and cinnamon and you smiled as the scent brought forth memories of cold nights around a warm fire, sipping mulled ciders from heated cups. A firm hand on your shoulder pulled you from your reverie and you jumped slightly at the contact, accidentally ripping the flower from its stem as you twisted towards the contact.

"Magnus, you frightened me" you sighed, allowing a soft chuckle to escape you as you looked at the severed flower head settled in your lap, picking it up gently and turning it in your palm sadly.

"my apologies, my lady, I saw you settled in the flower bed and came to make sure you had not fallen" his tone was warm and light as he offered you his hand, lifting you to your feet effortlessly with a gentle pull. Your heart fluttered as Magnus bent and brought your hands to his face, pressing a light kiss across your knuckles, his eye never leaving your face as his lips grazed your skin. "No, thank you, I was just admiring the flowers, they smell wonderful" you felt breathless as he released your hand a rose back to his full height. "I'm amazed you can grow anything at all in this rock"

Magnus chuckled, waving vaguely across the garden. "Did you think me a liar when I told you about the gardens? This took barely a moment for me to make"

You followed his hand as he gestured, admiring the vibrant colours before returning your gaze back to him. "You? You made this? You planted this yourself?" Your eyes widened as you looked up at him in awe "you grew so many flowers? That's amazing!"

The man stilled, his single eye trailing your face as his smile faltered for a moment "I.. certainly 𝙢𝙖𝙙𝙚 them yes" he continued to watch you as you viewed the gardens with renewed vigor, thin opalescent mist curling around you in frail tendrils, before you looked down at your clenched hand and raised it up towards him.

"I'm so sorry, you must've worked so hard" you muttered, showing him the decapitated plant in your grasp "I didn't mean to, it was an accident, it was so pretty so I just wanted to look and..." he shook his head, thick red locks bouncing as he huffed. "It's only a flower, they live such short lives anyway.." he paused as you continued to look down at the quickly wilting petals, cocking his head in thought. "Much like humans I suppose. Such short pretty lives" he mused, reaching down and covering the flower and your hand with his own. "Both so pretty, being plucked by things much bigger than themselves to be displayed and admired, only to die so quickly"

You glanced up at the primarch's face, shifting uneasily at the sudden intensity he watched you with, a shadow seemed to cast over his face as his stare seemed to pierce through your mind and soul. "My lord?" The shift in his face happened so quickly you thought you'd imagined it, the intensity and harshness vanished, replaced by a relaxed smile and gently flushed cheeks. He knelt, dropping to one knee and cupping your cheek with his other hand.

"my apologies, little bird, I was thinking aloud. If the flower upsets you, I can fix it, would you like that?" He searched for yours, questioning as his thumbs ran over your soft skin. You leant into his caress, closing your eyes briefly and nodding "I would like that very much, Magnus"

You felt a warmth in your hand and your eyes shot open, he pulled away from you, and you stood clutching the flower in amazement.

The flower retained its vivid colour, but the once soft petals were now rendered in carved ruby, softly flecked with freckles of gold. The stem of brilliant emerald and jade felt smooth in your hand as you twisted it between your fingers, watching as the light refracted through the crystals.

"how did you.."

He turned away from you and stepped over the hedge, before turning and reaching out towards you. With a cocky smile, he helped you over and pulled you flush against him. "Pretty things are my speciality, little bird"

✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨

Sitting on the bench by the fountain, you felt the soft spatter of water droplets hit your back as you continued to admire the jewelled flower. Magnus sat beside you, long legs sprawled before him and a muscled arm lazily stretched behind you as he quietly watched you.

"is this something all primarchs can do?" You queried, finally setting the flower down on the rim of the fountain, following the soft ripples of colour it reflected into the pool before you returned your eyes to him. He shook his head and the muscles beneath his robe popped as he shrugged and shuffled in his seat. "No, this is something I learned, much to my father's disappointment"

You froze. "This is...warp magic?" Your eyes darted back to the shimmering plant, then back to the man now leaning towards you, single piercing eye trained on your face as his arm rose from the bench and draped fairly across your shoulders, calloused hand resting against your arm.

'does that scare you?"

You had been magnus' guest for 3 weeks now, and he had been the perfect gentleman. Your memories from your first day were hazy admittedly, but each day after he had come to your room and tended your wounds as sat by your bedside. He brought you plates of warm food and brushed out your hair as you ate, telling you tales of the imperium and answering your questions happily when you asked. But he never spoke of the emperor and he never spoke of his rumoured dalliance with chaos.

Were you scared?

You lent into his arm, running a small finger across the burnished skin of his knuckles. "No, I'm not scared of you, Magnus"

You felt his chest vibrate as he hummed, pulling you towards him until your body rested against his ribs with your head nestled against his firm muscle. You felt heat rise in your face at the sudden contact. You and Magnus had danced a fine line of gentle touches, kissed to fingers and the soft grip of his hand on yours as you walked. But this? Feeling the heat of his body against your own, feeling the powerful thump of his hearts. This was new.

Wasn't it?

"I am glad, little bird, I do not want you to be scared." He held you a little tighter as he spoke "your company pleases me and I would like you to be content. happy."

Butterflies burst into flight in your stomach at his words as you sat, soaking in his scent of warm spice and something else? What was that, burning? ozone? No, it was gone, there was only nutmeg, myrrh, cinnamon. You nuzzled into the silk of his clothing as you inhaled, grinning as he continued to grip you tightly.

"the warp should only be feared by those who can't control it"

You froze.

"can you?"

"...for a price"

You reluctantly pulled away from his warmth, blushing furiously as you placed a palm against his firm abs to steady yourself. Magnus refused to meet your gaze as he looked forward over the garden, the mist now dusting the tops of the hedges like a faint pearlecent spray. You slipped from under his arm, sliding across the bench as the primarch rose to his full height. The bliss you had felt just moments ago being pressed to his mass was now smothered under dread as he towered over you.

"what price?" You whispered, tears pricking your eyes as you searched his face desperately, recoiling slightly as he reached for you.

"what price, Magnus?"

He paused as he stretched towards you, his hand stopping inches from you. "Don't you trust me, little bird?" He hand dropped and he sighed. "Very well, I will show you" he rolled his massive shoulders with a Ｃｒａｃｋ and you gasped as he stood before you.

"is... That it? The price.... Was this?"

You looked up at Magnus, eyes widening as your gaze followed the gentle curve of giant wings. The feathers a kelidescope of colour as they ruffled softly with each movement. You rose to your feet and reached out a trembling hand, you brushed a finger along the keratin, admiring the way the dim light bounced from the feathers as they shuddered under your touch. A large hand grasped your wrist and you yelped as Magnus drew your hand away. Kneeling, he clasped your palm against his chest, The strong beat of his hearts vibrated through your bones as his large fingers wrapped softly around your wrists to keep you still.

"do I scare you now, my lady?"

"throne Magnus, no! I thought you were going to kill me!" You laughed, wiping away a tear that threatened to fall. "The way you were talking, I thought you were going to sacrifice me, not grow a pair of bloody wings!" He shook his head at your words, chuckling with you as you fanned yourself.

"No, my lord" you hummed, finally calming down. You pulled your hand away and brought both palms to his cheeks, smiling warmly up at him. "I think you are beautiful"

His face became unreadable, the pupil of his eye narrowing as the laughter died in his throat. Suddenly his hands were on your hips and your back pulling you against him as he kissed you. Melting into his touch, you closed your eyes and tangled your fingers through his thick auburn hair. You whined when he pulled away, chasing his lips for another heated kiss.

"forgive me, little bird, that was too forward" he began, dipping his head at you "I apologize"

You grasped his face and pulled him back towards you, leaning in to taste him again "don't be" you whispered "I want this"

He smirked, a dark desire flashing across his face impossibly fast before his mouth grazed yours once again.

"if this is what you want, little bird"

💦💦💦💦SMUT BELOW💦💦💦💦

Magnus grinned as he pressed a soft kiss against your neck, listening to your breathless sighs as he peppered your skin with gentle touches and nibbles. You'd accepted his wings with no pushing, and now you accepted his advances willingly. His hands kneaded the soft flesh of your hip as he moved back to silence your breathy moans with a kiss. Soon he'd show you his true form, but, this was a very good start. And this time, he had you willing and wanting, without twisting your pretty little thoughts.

You gasped as you felt Magnus nip at your neck, tilting your head to allow his access to the delicate skin as he sucked and nibbled. His lips soon returned to your own, his tongue licking you, teasing to allow him to taste you and you moaned as you allowed him in. His hands roamed your body, gently squeezing at your hips before firmly grabbing your ass. He lent back from you, pawing at your rear as you panted. "Let me have you" he purred, his fingers trailing up your back to find the zip of your dress. "Let me make you mine"

You nodded, too breathless to form words as he pulled the zip down and shrugged the delicate fabric from your body. Red blush flooded across your chest and cheeks as he devoured you with his eye, almost black with desire as his pupil expanded.

"still so beautiful" he muttered before taking a nipple between his teeth and sucking, rolling the sensitive flesh across his tongue and fangs. You head fell backwards, arching forward into his touch as you ran your fingers across his scalps.

Wait

Still? So beautiful?

You didn't have time to linger in the thought as his thumb trailed down your stomach and stopped at your clit, pausing for a moment before pressing down gently on your nub. You felt his mouth twitch as you shuddered at his touch, his thumb beginning to gently rub in circles. He released your breast and licked a trail up your chest and throat before pressing his lips to your ear.

"do you like that, little one?" He whispered, twisting his hand around to run a thick finger through your heat as his thumb continued to rub. "Does it feel good, little bird?" He pressed a finger slowly inside you, feeling your walls twitch and grip at his digit as he curves his finger inside you, pressing into that spot he remembered you liked as he gently dragged, in and out of your core. "Magnus" you panted, hands gripping his shoulders as your ground against his hand, the knot in your belly tightening with each thrust of his finger inside you "please" The knot got tighter and tighter, so close, nearly there. You cried out as you came, your chest heaved and your core spasmed as it rolled over you in waves, whining when you were left feeling empty as Magnus pulled his hand away. You blushed as he put his finger in his mouth, eye staring straight at you as he licked his finger clean. He grinned as you shivered, before standing and picking you up. He carried you the few steps to the bench, his lips locked with yours as he sat resting you in his lap. You ground against him, enjoying his deep grumbles as his hips jerked against you with every move you made.

The soft flutter of feathers caught your eye and you reached around his shoulders, running your fingers along the rainbow wing that sprung from his back. A deep groan erupted from him, encouraging you as your nails dragged along the feathers, tangling deeper between the quills. Your teeth found his ear, nibbling the lobe as you rubbed the pinions "Another price of warp magic, My lord?" You giggled, only to find your shoulder marked by his own teeth in response and he huffed.

"enough teasing" you whispered as you slid away and fiddled with the buttons of his robe, popping them open one by one and placing a soft chaste kiss every inch of ruby skin that was revealed. Finally resting on your knees between his legs as you undid the last button of his robe, you tugged at his trousers freeing his dick from the tight waistband. You grasped him softly, unable to fully grip around his girth, you slid your hand up and down his cock, thumb grazing his tip. You looked up at him with doe eyes as you stuck out your tongue and ran it flat along his length, relishing the sharp hiss of breath he took as you took his tip in your mouth and ran your tongue in circles around him. You began bobbing your head, swirling and flicking as you moved in tandem with your hand, flicking your gaze up to him as you felt his hand stroke your face. "Such a good girl" he moaned, admiring the way your eyelids dropped as you tasted him "so good for your primarch"

His head fell back and his fist bunches into your hair as he jerked his hips upwards to meet you. You gagged around him, eyes running as he fucked your mouth. The taste of salty precum lined your tongue and you gripped his thighs as you continued to gag on his thick cock, you could feel him twitch in your mouth and knew he was close.

Running a hand up his abdomen, you stared up at him until he met your gaze with his own misted stare. As he looked down at you, you thrust your head down as far as you could and hummed, vibrating the soft flesh of your throat and jaw around him.

Your mouth filled with ropes of cum as he finished, hot and thick in your mouth. Before you could swallow, he yanked your head back, looking down at you and fisting himself as he shuddered, threads splattering across your face and breasts as he finally came down from his high.

You opened your mouth, showing him the cum in your mouth before swallowing and opening again sticking your tongue out.

Magnus smiled, a tired content smile as he leant over in his seat and gripped your chin gently, turning your face left and right to admire the mess. "I like this look on you, little bird" he cooed before wiping you with the corner of his robe. You laughed and stood up, collecting your dress from the floor, tripping slightly on the deep furrows carved in the gravel.

Wait, were these always there?

You were swept up suddenly, cradled in strong arms as Magnus carried you back through the garden.

"we should visit the gardens more often, my lady" he laughed, bouncing you slightly with each step. You snorted and rolled your eyes "maybe you could show me something different next time? I'm curious to see what else you've managed to do"

"of course, little bird, I can show you anything your heart desires"

You buried yourself into his chest, sleep lulling you softly into its depths as Magnus' wings enveloped the two of you as he walked.

Around you, with each giant step, the garden succumbed, burning ashes drifting and dissolving into purple sparks as it faded back into the warp.

Nothing left but rock and ruin.

[vvmpsuegiku]

aglaea x f!reader

summary:: aglaea knows everything, doesn’t she? and when she notices something that has tried to escape her ears, she focuses her attention on that something. even if it means fucking them in a private bath. 🤔

content:: smut, fingering, bondage, degradation, reader is a switch, groping, little to no plot, questionable use of golden threads

a/n:: i wrote this in the middle of the night so it’s probably crappy. anyway aglaea is so hot!!

—————————————————————————————

“I appreciate you coming to this little one-on-one meeting, Y/n.”

“Of course, Aglaea.”

The golden-haired woman gazed at you with a soft smile- something almost akin to a smirk, if you knew better. She trailed a hand over the surface of the hot pool, the water rushing to brush against her fingers. You stood a few feet away, arms folded behind your back, awaiting instruction.

“The bathhouse certainly has wondrous private baths, doesn’t it?” Aglaea retrieved her hand, slowly approaching you. “Perfect for many occasions”

“Ah… correct.” Your mind was in the gutter. And she seemed to notice.

Aglaea’s emerald eyes twinkled with a slight of mischief, and she extended her pale fingertips to your cheeks, thumbs sliding along your face. “You truly are a beautiful girl, aren’t you? And willful as well. So much potential to be grand.”

You shivered underneath her touch, hardly registering her words. Aglaea was never this… touchy. It was absolutely mesmerizing. And jesus, you found yourself yearning for more, face unconsciously leaning into her hands.

“It’s truly a shame,” She started, with a light, seductive voice. “That you may never live up to that ‘potential’.”

It took a moment to process. The two seconds for your gaze to fall from her gorgeous features, to the golden threads that now binded your waist to the wall behind you. They were trailed up and down your body, restraining your wrists above your head, and pressing your thighs tightly against the wall.

A small breath escaped you. You looked to Aglaea, small hints of panic resounding in your body. “What-?”

“Hush, Y/n.” Aglaea came toward you, her smile now something more sinister- more knowing. “There are things you’d like to tell me, aren’t there? But if you don’t feel so inclined, I could always offer a push for motivation.”

What a tempting offer. Wait- no. You hadn’t done anything wrong. What is this? “What the hell is going on?”

“You betrayed my trust.” She said with a raise of her brows, reaching to stand in front of you- so close, you could reach out and touch her had you not been restrained. “Informing the travelers from afar of information I specifically entrusted to you? I believe some explanation may be in order.”

“No- Aglaea, that’s a misunderstanding.” You shook your head rapidly.

“Then make me understand.” Aglaea leaned her face toward yours, eyes boring into yours. As if a reflection of her intense emotion, you could feel the golden binds tighten against your flesh, almost vibrating as they did so. The feeling against your skin brought slights of pain, but also something akin to pleasure.

“I…” Not only did those feelings distract you, but so did the glowing woman before you- and the absolute loss of words that met your brain.

“I don’t hear a quick and easy response, Y/n. You’re hiding something, aren’t you?” Aglaea pressed, speaking right against your lips. Her hands didn’t even touch you, yet you could feel your legs trembling under her sight.

It didn’t matter if she was putting you under some sort of hypnotical mesmerization. You wanted her so, so bad.

“Perhaps you’re under-stimulated. Is more pain necessary to get you to speak?” Aglaea whispered closer to your ear, her breath fanning over your cheek.

“I wouldn’t mind.” Even in whatever kind of state she’s got you in right now, it didn’t stop you from being a smartass.

Aglaea hummed, closing her eyes. “Pathetic.”

The simple word cut you deep in such a delicious way. You inclined your face as close to her as you possibly could. “I’m up for different kinds of stimulation, if you’d prefer.”

“The audacity.” Her warm hand suddenly gripped around the front of your throat, pressing at your airway. You could tell she was feeling some sort of surprise at your words, and that seemed to almost loosen the threads against your skin. Of course, the only thing on your mind was the lack of air in your lungs.

“Gh-!” You gasped, limbs trembling.

“Is this good enough for you?” Aglaea snapped into your ear, her hand squeezing your neck. “You forget this is a bathhouse, not one for whores.”

“I don’t mind being your whore.” You chaffed back, forcing your lips into an upturn to piss her off as much as possible. If this worked, you could be set free.

And the line hit the mark. Utter shock fanned over Aglaea’s face, and you felt the threads thin- until they completely came undone, your body rushing straight into hers as the two of you fell back into the warm water behind you.

You landed sitting atop her lap, and after a moment passed to catch your bearings, you quickly gripped into her shoulders, pressing her back against the wall of the hot tub.

“You’re truly gonna live up to what you said, aren’t you?” Aglaea didn’t even struggle beneath you. In fact, after the initial irritation passed, you could almost see amusement in her gaze.

“Were you worried I wouldn’t?” You couldn’t even resist. She looked so hot- her wet and disheveled blond hair clinging to her neck, her white dress hugging her curves and almost turning see-through. You didn’t even give her a chance to respond before harshly pressing your lips to hers, hands tightening against her shoulders.

She moaned into your mouth and held the back of your neck, groaning as you began to press kisses down from her lips to hers collarbone.

As you became focused on lapping your tongue at her soft skin, you could distantly feel her hand shift from the back of your neck to the back of your hair- scratching soothingly at your scalp. You whimpered as her free hand cupped your breast.

As much as you didn’t want to resist, you paused your movements and gripped at her wrist, eliciting a yelp. “Don’t try and take charge.”

A flirtatious smile shaped itself on her lips. “Of course, Y/n.” The smile practically screamed she’d take control later no matter what.

As a form of punishment, you reached your hands underneath the warm water and began to finger at her pussy.

A gasp contorted her features, as her hips bucked into your fingers- hands clutching at the back of your head. You took the opportunity to press your head into the nook beneath her head, trailing your index finger along her folds as your free hand trailed its way underneath her dress, reaching her bra.

Aglaea guided your face down to sit between her breasts, her legs wrapping around your torso as soft whimpers and praises left her red lips. You let your other hand slip under her bra and wrap around her breast, thumb gently stroking her nipple.

That seemed to get her going. She moaned at the pleasure that was so clearly coursing through her body at all the stimulation, and you became so determined to send her over the edge. You thrusted two fingers inside of her, eliciting a pleased cry as she desperately humped your hand, splashes echoing in the room at her body’s movements. You let your thumb circle her clit roughly, the warm water somewhat restricting how fast you could make your movements. You continuously squeezed her breast, relishing in the needy noises that escaped her mouth. “Y/n- mhh.. please-“

She came quickly, her eyes rolling to the back of her head as her pussy clenched around your fingers- thighs pressing against your wrist. She moaned deeply, and the sound itself was almost enough to send you over the edge too. She looked so angelic in her orgasm- completely coming undone before you, a pleasing difference compared to her always getting the upper hand over you.

Once Aglaea came down from her peak, she gazed at you with slender eyes and blushing cheeks. “My, you’re good at that.”

“I’ve had practice.” You couldn’t help but brag. “I don’t suppose you’d like another rou-“

As if she’d been saving all her strength for this moment, Aglaea stood up in the pool and effectively pushed you off of her- water dripping down her sopping dress.

“Wh-?” You didn’t have time to protest before Aglaea reached her arms out, and pressed you against the wall at the other end of the pool. She nudged your legs apart with your knee before straddling your thighs, both hands on gripping your waist.

“I believe your turn is over, my dear.” She wore a proud smile, as her hands began to gently climb up your waist to either side of your neck.

“Fuck…” You exhaled, both with disappointment and pleasure. It had been such an emotional and physical relief, seeing Aglaea in such a submissive way- but here she’s gone again, getting the upper hand.

And though it frustrated you, it felt so damn good.

“You know something, Y/n?” Her soft, wet hands stroked up and down your neck. “I think you look better when you’re tied up.”

As if on clue, the golden threads reappeared- this time spreading you open before her, and fastening your arms to the wall. You were completely immobile.

“Much better.” Aglaea smiled so calmly, you could almost forget how she was mewling and begging for more just seconds prior. Her hands wandered all around your body- your forearm, your collarbone, your breasts- you moaned and squirmed slightly- as much as you could, at least, while being restrained.

“Be a good girl for me.” Aglaea’s hand trailed downward, knuckles gently rubbing against your clothed heat.

“Mm- fuck… Aglaea, please..” You pleaded, your pussy already clenching against nothing.

“Patience, darling.” One finger slipped under your underwear, softly rubbing at your clit. A moan escaped you as pleasure rose in your body.

This time, your noises seemed to amplify the vibration of the threads against your skin. A whimper escaped you at the relentless teasing of her finger, and the threads keeping your thighs parted quivered against your sensitive flesh.

“Mmmmnhh…” You leaned your head back, legs trembling against the feeling. It only started up again- the threads that wrapped around your waist and your wrists twitching.

“Having some trouble, darling?” Aglaea continued to fingerfuck you, but of course she wouldn’t do so without making things harder for you. You felt the extension of a thick thread wrap around your breasts- tightening and sending a wave of pleasure through you.

“Aglaea- please!” The combination of the frequent squeezing at your nipples and her long, slender fingers swirling inside you made you feel so weak. And as if it couldn’t get better, the threads began to extend downward.

“I’ll take a short break, my love- my hand is getting tired.” Her fingers slipped out of you, and you felt momentary dissapointment.

But then, the thick, soft threads began to trail down your ribs and down your pussy, leaving tingles where it brushed against your folds and kept your entire body still. They began to vibrate, feeling as if a million fingers were softly stroking at your skin, everywhere on your body.

“God-!” You exclaimed as pleasure burned every inch of your skin, amplified with the warm water that you were seated in. You couldn’t even squirm against all the stimulation- you were kept forcibly still under the confinements of the strong threads, as they relentlessly pressed into and brushed against your skin, constantly torturing you with frequent moans and a gradual elevation into a full body orgasm.

And Aglaea watched you the entire time. Her smirk made you felt so weak, so helpless- you couldn’t help but call out and moan her name as her threads toyed with your body. You could almost swear you saw her hand under the ripples of the water, stroking at her own heat at the sight of you. And then, all of your feelings crashed down onto you, as if a giant wave. You moaned deeply as your thighs spasmed, the most intense pleasure you ever felt electrifying your bones and the nerves on your skin.

You had clearly had enough, Aglaea knew, so she released your body and waded forward in the water- pressing a gentle kiss to your forehead.

“Now then…” she began, her voice somewhat unstable. “…What, exactly had I brought you here to tell me again?”

[dreamingofmarauders]

𝐈'𝐦 𝐒𝐨 𝐒𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐲

𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙁𝙤𝙪𝙧

James Potter x Slytherin!Fem!Reader!

Summary: In which you go back home only to find something dreadful waiting for you there already

Word Count: 1.4k

Warnings: Mentions of abuse, torture, also blood but nothing extreme, crying, death(s), knives, I think that's it?

Previous Part Series Masterlist Next Part

───※ ·❆· ※───

Over the next week and a half or so, James was there as you recovered. To the surprise of Lily and Molly, you were doing better than they expected, you were healing fast. Of course, only you knew how many times you had been tortured that landed you on the brink of death, and made it back, all in that hellhole you used to call home.

James was constantly asking if you were alright, if you needed something, and even though you had told him not to, James Potter was full of guilt.

Not only had he misjudged you and been rude to you for years, he was the reason you could have lost your life. He had to make it up to you, somehow. And he was glad you two decided to turn back the pages and write a new story, as he found your company very pleasant.

Sirius was completely blown away at the behavior of his best mate. Sure, you had saved James' life, but that didn't mean James had to follow you around like a lost puppy. Sirius had nearly stopped his cold behavior towards you but didn't try to warm up either. Remus merely quietly chuckled to himself at the sight of James and you. It was quite amusing to him, how James had hated your guts but was now wanting to spend quality time with you.

Going into the second week after the incident, you realized you were well enough and had to head home. James however declared he would escort you home, and would not take no for an answer.

"Potter, I'll be fine." You gritted through your teeth. James' constant stubbornness did manage to get on your nerves from time to time.

"No. I am going and that's final." He said, being stubborn as ever.

"Prongs, let L/n go if she says so." Sirius spoke in between, not happy about the newfound connection between the two of you.

James glared at him and gripped your forearm with a tight grip so you couldn't remove his hand, but not tight enough to hurt you.

You sighed in exasperation. "Fine." You said, giving in. You waved goodbye to Remus and Sirius, the latter not giving any response while Remus wished you farewell.

You and James walked out of headquarters before you closed your eyes, imagining your little cottage and the two of you apparated. You felt a wave of nausea hit you as your feet hit the ground and you bent over.

"Are you ok?" James asked with worry, trying to peer at your face.

You waved a hand, "Yeah, I'm fine." You answered, straightening up. However your mouth went dry and fear filled your whole being at the sight before you.

The door to your cottage was wide open, darkness pooling out. Above the building you called home, a colossal skull, composed of what looked like emerald stars, with a serpent protruding from its mouth like a tongue, etched against the black sky like a constellation.

The Dark Mark

"Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!" You whimpered, running towards your cottage with James on your tail. You rushed in, halting near your kitchen when you saw a dark red liquid staining the walls. Your breaths began to come out short and quickly, you felt your legs weaken as you leaned against the wall for support.

"This can't be happening." You breathed out, afraid of what you would see if you walked a few more steps in. James came from behind and wrapped an arm around your shoulders, surveying the situation.

"Y/n," He spoke softly, "We should go. I'll let the Order know and they can come and-"

"No." You shook your head as you freed yourself from the young Potter's grip, walking further in.

“Y/n.” James tried but you paid him no heed.

In the middle of the room sat such a heart wrenching sight that crushed your heart and soul entirely.

Your beloved House-Elf, the one companion you had since childhood, the one who healed your wounds, the one who had always made sure you ate and slept properly. The same House-Elf who had stayed by your side no matter how many times you had freed him, the one true friend you had for the longest time.

Dead.

And what broke your heart even more was that he had sacrificed his life, as his body lay lifeless in front of a small bundle of fur, also drowning in a pool of blood. The same puppy you had rescued from the streets only two months prior.

Both of them,

Dead.

You sank to your knees, sobbing your heart out.

"I'm so sorry." You managed to say out in between the heavy sobs escaping your mouth. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you two."

James stood rooted to his spot, reeling in with shock.

You shakily raised your hands out, grabbing the handles of the very metal that was pierced into your friends bodies and pulled them out. You tossed the knives to the side in anger, letting out a scream. At that, James finally snapped out of it and kneeled down beside you, bringing you into his chest.

"I'm so sorry." He said, rubbing your back as you cried.

You two stayed in that position for the next few moments. However a new sound caught both your attention.

Crack!

You pulled away from James' chest, wiping your face as you both exchanged a look.

Someone had just apparated onto the premises.

You both immediately jumped to your feet, wands raised in front of you.

You heard very tiny sounds of the pitter patter of feet and James moved forward, putting himself in front of you. You watched with bated breath over James' shoulder and when the newly arrived came into view, you shrieked, happiness and relief overwhelming you as you pushed past James. You fell onto your knees as you hugged your best friend.

"Willy! You're alive!" You spoke, feeling like your heart would burst.

A bark sounded and a very small bundle of white fur pounced onto you, excitedly licking your face. You picked him up, peppering his face with kisses.

"Hello to you too, my sunshine." You spoke as you hugged your dog, Fluffy, to your chest and pulled in Willy for a hug with your other arm. You were so overwhelmed with joy that tears began to cascade down your face again.

"Mistress, please do not cry. Willy did not mean to make Mistress cry."

You let out a watery laugh.

"How many times have I told you to call me Y/n, Willy?"

The House-Elf's cheeks colored pink. "Sorry, Mistress."

You wiped your tears away and then frowned, turning back to look at the scene in the kitchen.

"But if you're alive then, what's that?" You asked Willy, pointing over your shoulder.

"Those are fake, Mistress." Willy squeaked out. "About two weeks ago, I heard someone apparate and the wards shifted. Willy thought it must be you, Mistress, but it was not. You had told us to run if anyone evil came here, and we did but Willy had a good idea and with magic, Willy made the impostors so the evil people think it is us but Fluffy and Willy were gone and safe."

You let out a happy cry.

"You are an absolute genius, Willy, always have been! But how did you know we were here?"

Willy's ears bounced as he replied, "Willy had put up a new ward that allowed Willy to sense a new arrival if someone passed that ward."

You shook your head, smiling brighter than James had ever seen as you turned around, almost forgetting he was there.

"We need to go back. I need to stay at Headquarters until I can find a new place to shift us all."

James nodded but spoke without realizing, "Of course, but you could come to my place, it's fairly empty."

He mentally slapped himself. You two were at loggerheads two weeks ago and now here he was offering you to stay at his flat.

You smiled, "Thank you for the offer, but it wouldn't be nice of us to intrude, plus," You looked down at the excited puppy in your arms, "Headquarters may be more ideal for Fluffy in terms of space."

James nodded, not trusting himself to speak for if he did, something stupid would escape his mouth again.

James and you went through your cottage, collecting anything of importance and essentials, before apparating back to Headquarters, leaving the cottage in the state it was in case someone came back.

════ ⋆★⋆ ════

A/N: Hey everyone! I hope you're all well! This chapter was okay I feel but I'm more excited for the next few chapters, you'll see why when they're out! Take care! <33

Wizard Buddies (Taglist): @quack-quack-snacks @jamespottergf @themarauderswife7 @amethyistheart

[fanaticsnail]

Chapter 5

Masterlist here, Moodboard here

Sapsorrow Masterlist

@i-am-vita, thank you for the beautiful banner

Word Count: 8,910

The Storyteller - Sapsorrow "Whom so ever fits the ring becomes wed to the warlord who owns it" Themes: enemies to lovers, arranged marriage, forced proximity, lord and subordinate, one bed trope, apprehension, mutual pining, obligation, slow burn, eventual love, protective, "where is my wife" trope.

Tag List: @sordidmusings @writingmysanity @gingernut1314 @since-im-already-here @feral-artistry @be-good-please @little-bunnybabe @sukilovesyou @buggyenjoyer @thesailus @under-kitty @acehyacinth @andriannag @one17 @canthebest1 @khaleesihavilliard @quirkyrascal @hungrhay @sentieence @lebanese-afg-ya @captaincupio @szired @sexc-snail

(FanaticSnail Note: I did not get every element I wanted to into this chapter, but I didn't want it to go for too long. Much more to come!)

Song Suggestion: Nocturnal Waltz

The air was siphoned from your lungs at the firm tug of satin ribbon at your back. You hung your head low, eyes closing as you braced yourself against your bedframe with your palms and forearms. A small giggle rose from the woman behind you, continuing her incessant tugging and cinching with all her might.

“Not quite so tight, Perona,” you winced, focussing on stabilizing your voice as you firmly directed her. A small whined groan of disapproval was called from her throat as she began to lessen her firm grip. 

“But you have such a pretty waist, my lady,” she complimented you while weaving the dual strands into each other, “Of all the times to show it off, now would be the time to display exactly what Mihawk signed up for.” She concluded her knot tying, ballooning the satin out into a delicately knotted bow and tucked it within the laced corset to hide it from view. 

Huffing out a final breath of exasperation, you placed your right palm beneath your breasts to rest atop your diaphragm and elevated to a formal posture. The gown felt spectacular to wear; the material feeling lighter than air while giving you the comfort and security of having the object melt into your figure. The dress was black, an option you did not choose for yourself. In fact, none of this dress was what you would have chosen for yourself.

The black material clung to your chest, a single triangular sash attached to your left shoulder that was pinned to the middle of your back and waterfalling down your frame to pool behind you at your feet. Your bust was an interesting choice. The material was bunched in a fashion to mimic feathers, stitched above a heart-shaped cup to carry your breasts within it. The deep cut in the middle of the gown accentuated your cleavage and stopped just below where you would deem it tasteful to halt its descent.

You sighed in defeat as you stepped over to your vanity, looking at the assortment of jewelry you were tasked with placing atop your body. The dress flowed as effortlessly as the veiled tailfin of a betta fish; imprisoned within the pool of its owners’ design. You had never felt more like a fish on display, the glass sheet of clarity distancing you from the expectant audience. 

“Are you okay, my lady?” Perona’s voice uncomfortably close to your right hand side caused you to jolt at her squeaked question. You snapped your head over to greet her wide and innocent eyes, staring unblinkingly at you. Her lips were elevated into a smile, although concern was written on her brows. 

“I am perfectly well, Perona,” you stated automatically, turning once again to fixing your collection of ear and hairpieces atop your head. All emeralds, golds and platinums sparkling with an assortment of topaz stones in their deep amber hue. You elected to ignore how close Perona drew herself against you, her face now perpendicular to your cheek as she continued to gaze her unblinking eyes directly into your face. 

You growled beneath your breath at her proximity, finally clasping your right earring to your lobe. You reached down to open your vanity draw, raking your fingertips over an assortment of glass vials of fragrances. You halted your hand over your usual scent, rising it from its space in the drawer and beginning to uncork its steel top from its glass canister.

“Are you really going to wear that one?” she whined at you, her hands floating down to the wooden drawer and brushing her hands along the variety of bottles, “what about that one that you wore when we walked in the garden? The one that smelt like bitter honey, and it had that intoxicating woodiness. The one that screams: ‘I’m a sultry mistress, take me by the hips and guide me firmly onto your-.”

“-Perona! Halt your vulgarity!” Your disciplinary voice cut through her train of thought, prompting her eyes to upturn into a mischievous twinkle.

“...I was going to say ‘dancefloor’, Governess,” she giggled, raising a bottle of her suggested fragrance and thrusting it into your hands while simultaneously removing the one you had opened prior. You inhaled deeply, rolling your narrowed eyes at her before apprehensively uncorking the vial and spraying the fragrance on your wrists. You circled the vial around yourself, placing the scent on the sides of your neck, the point between your shoulder blades and began to place the glass bottle back into the cabinet. 

Perona snatched the bottle from your hands, quickly sprayed the lowest point of your cleavage and laughed as she dropped it back into the vanity draw. Hastily, she floated her ghostly body away from you and made her way towards the door - as far away as she could be with a feigned surprise expression; reveling in how cross she had made you. Your jaw hung open at her audaciousness, eyes wide in fury only briefly before you sighed out a laugh at your ward. 

You glanced at yourself one final time in your mirror, checking to see if there was a single manicured curl out of place before you nodded to your reflection and turned to exit your chambers. As you opened the door, you were greeted by Zoro with his arm elevated in front of him. His fist was balled, his knuckles about to begin their descent to alert you of his presence beyond the wooden barrier. 

His hazelnut eyes met yours, his breath halting in his throat as he took in your formal attire. You smiled at him, dancing your eyes over his attire before your brows furrowed at the stretched satin vest firmly clenching his wide torso. In the light of the black material, accents of green were patterned within the embroidered material. The relinquishment of a pale shirt beneath it being a final firm act of defiance at squeezing himself into the mold of the upper classes, but remaining incredibly attractive to the eye regardless. 

“Woah,” Zoro sighed, using his surprise to examine your attire while you continued to take him in. You met his eyes once more before your eyes darted up to a single sprig of his moss-coloured hair hanging in the middle of his forehead. You smiled, immediately bringing your bangled and jeweled hand upwards and claiming the lock into your fingertips and tucked it backwards into his combed hair.

“You look very handsome, Zoro,” you praised him, slowly drawing back your hand as you searched for more out of place elements of his outfit to correct his frame with. You noticed a small amount of fray of satin on his left pectoral, prompting your fingers to delicately pick at the material to remove its strand. 

As you were distracted by searching over Zoro’s frame for more irregularities in his attire, Perona shot Zoro a teasing look; her lips curling upwards into a broad smile. Zoro’s frown deepened as his blush continued to dust his nose, ears and cheeks. His top lip sucked into his mouth, his bottom lip curling into a deep pout in embarrassment as he continued to ignore his elevated heartbeat as you praised him. 

“What a gentleman,” you purred at him, Perona laughing gleefully behind him at his tense stature. As her taunting giggle, you spun to chastise her. Her dark eyes were complimented in the accents of black in her tulle and taffeta skirt, her own corset accented with a pink so deep it almost seemed red in the candlelight. 

“That’s enough mischief out of you, young lady,” you reprimanded her, her giggle halting with a gasp. She bowed her head to you, eyes closing and pouting with her lips. Shaking your head, you drew your hand away from Zoro and claimed her chin beneath your fingertips. 

“You look beautiful, Perona,” you praised her, meeting her large doe-eyes as her eyelashes parted. Her pout softened into a smile as she reached forward to interlace her hands into your own. You crinkle your nose at her, an action reciprocated with the pink-haired debutant, allowing a moment of playfulness to fall between you and your ward before you turn back to the young gentleman. 

“Are you ready to go?” Zoro asked you, his brow arching up in question. You inhaled as deep as your corset would allow you, before nodding along with your slow exhale. 

“You seem nervous, are you sure you’re okay?” Perona asked, eyes holding concern while searching your face. You lulled your neck back, looking up into the ornate ceiling and taking a moment to notice all of the intricate carvings drilled into its mastery. Placing your hands up to cradle the back of your neck, you allowed your professionalism to slip in front of your wards for the first time; speaking to them as you would friends, rather than pupils.

“I usually have no qualms in attending formal galas,” you admitted, not yet bringing your head back down to meet with your wards, “but this-... this is not just a formal gala. This is a ball thrown to announce the intentions of unifying myself and a lord. I-...” you trailed off, finally meeting the patient eyes of your wards. Perona’s expression was full of empathy at your confession, brows creasing at the center while Zoro’s face remained unmoving and firm. You allowed your lips to twitch up into a small smile, nodding briefly and slowly blinking your eyes at them.

“-I am ready,” you ushered them with your hands in front of you, shooing them with your fingers. Perona was the first to turn from you, interweaving her hand within the crook of Zoro’s elbow and tugging him away. He continued peering at you over his muscular shoulder, shooting you a pointed look to wordlessly ask you if you were truly comfortable with them leaving you to make your entrance. You warmly smiled at him, eyes soft and delicately reassuring him. He finally turned away, revealing the dark satin knotted pattern vertically cinching his waist and straining under the pressure of his broad chest. 

Zoro was wearing a corseted waistcoat. Someone had to cinch in his corseted waistcoat. You narrowed your eyes at them, watching how proud Perona looked as she raked her eyes over his assembly of attire. You allowed a silent laugh to fall from your lips as you drew the conclusion: Perona cinched Zoro into his corseted waistcoat. 

As your pupils disappeared from your sights down the hall, you began your own trail down the halls towards the uproar of lively strings in jovial melody. Knowing the protocall, you waited by the partially closed doors for your formal announcement. You peered through the crack of the door, noticing how extravagantly the ballroom was decorated through this small window into your future. 

Dracule Mihawk had spared no expense in adorning the walls and halls with an intricate display of his vast wealth. The walls had ropes of golden cast vines dripping from the ceiling, leading down their intricate spirals in spirals towards the guests with bushels of crystalline rose-shaped flowers. The assortment of guests were freshly decorated in clusters of frills, furs and feathers; their pearls and gems glistening under the candlelight. 

That is where Mihawk caught you, breathless as he took in his beautiful intended bride to be. You were a sight to behold: wonderment dancing without restraint behind your eyes as you took in the celebration occurring beyond the door. He stuttered in his movement, opting to remain in the shadows just a moment longer as he continued looking over your body firmly secured within the material of his own design. If you got to choose three outfits for yourself to adorn on your wedding day, he wanted just one to suit his own interests. And within that singular choice he made, you were pure perfection incarnate. 

He straightened his shoulders, rotating them within his pale sleeves below his own cinched vest to rid himself of any final nerves as he approached you.

“My Betrothed,” Mihawk’s purred voice broke you away from your stooped position; your body responded immediately by fixing your hunched posture upright. You turned, eyes meeting with the amber hued orbs shrouded in shadows.

“Betrothed,” you responded, dipping low into a deep curtsey with your head bowed. The small dip of your head bounced your curls and jangled the intricate headpieces within your manicured locks. Mihawk clicked his tongue, stepping away from the shroud of darkness to finally grace you with his presence. 

Mihawk’s signature hat was no longer attached to his head; his hair displaying their natural curl and wave beneath a dark, embroidered tricorne. The usual white of his feather was replaced with a blackened ostrich feather, ombre with a deep crimson accentuating the tips. He paid extra attention to his grooming, ensuring not a single sprig of his facial hair was out of place. A pale shirt with ballooning sleeves was tucked beneath a tight black vest. The boning running down his torso catching your attention and forcing his built chest to display; the way it tightened him was sinful and made his shoulders look that much broader.

As you continued to shamelessly rake your eyes over his slowly approaching body, Mihawk’s yellow eyes were hyper focussed on the small gap in your plump lips as they parted. He couldn’t help the tingle that shot up his spine, knowing how you truly felt for him from your unwitting confession earlier. He relished in being an object of desire, not feeling this form of flattery for quite some time.

By the time your eyes met, you noticed a small twinge of a smile threatening to break through the honey-coloured irises. You tried as you might to remain professional and stoic, knowing within your heart that this match with him was never something to occur naturally between you. You closed your eyes, taking a moment to collect yourself as you attempted to regain your composure. He was intoxicating, every ounce of the lord of Kuraigana was simply-.

“-So beautiful,” he spoke in a voice above a whisper, reaching down to adjust the darkened satin strap clinging to your shoulder by the pinch of his thumb and index finger. You looked down at your dress, noticing his eyes continued to linger on the satin sashes and interwoven pieces attached to your bodice. 

“Yes, I suppose it is,” you smiled, watching the way his fingers danced atop the material to smooth over the dress. Mihawk’s eyes drew themselves quietly over your neckline, dancing at your jugular and slowly seeking residence on your lips. He watched as your breath rose and fell between the two rose-coloured borders framing your mouth, fixated on every crevice and divet atop them. He watched them begin to dance as you uttered to him in question.

“Am I everything you hoped I would be?” he heard your voice ask him, breaking him away from his thoughts and snapping his intense eyes upwards to gaze into your own.

“What was that, Betrothed?” he asked, desperately hoping for you to say those words once more. 

“Is this everything you hoped it would be, my lord?” you restated your words, blissfully unaware of Mihawk’s mind fluctuating words and unspoken intentions between the lines of your question. You gestured to the dress and fixed your posture once more, waving over your diaphragm to rid the material of any gathered lines from your prior stoop.

He huffed out a small breath of exasperation briefly before gesturing with his right index finger in a circular motion, indicating his desire for you to twirl for him to view it in its entirety. You sighed out your own exasperated breath and skillfully stepped backwards and twirled the pooling skirts of the intricate dress. The slit on your right thigh split to reveal your sheer, black stockings beneath your sharp, pointed heeled shoes. He raked his eyes over your slow turn, looking to each of the elements he had chosen to include: the boned corset with the laced back, the embroidered satin with feathered details and the plunging neckline to mimic his own. 

You were perfect. Everything, perfect.

As your twirl halted its crescendo, your skirts fluttered before falling back into their waterfall position by your feet. Looking up into his face, his stoic expression was completely unreadable. You had no idea what thoughts plagued the eyes of your betrothed, nor did you ever assume it would be your place to ever ask. 

“We never did choose a title to address each other with, did we?” Mihawk’s left eyebrow elevated as the corner of his lips twitched in question, “Although I do remember stating that you lowering yourself into your subordinate default was no longer appropriate.”

“We initially discussed referring to each other as ‘betrothed’, my-,” He shot you a warning look, forbidding you to say a final utterance to the formal title. You rotated your neck to rid it of its agitation as the two of you began circling each other. Each step Mihawk took, you mirrored it with a step of your own, “But I suggested that was no longer appropriate and sounded too rigid.”

“And have you thought more of it?” Mihawk questioned, allowing his body to be danced with yours a few steps in front of the door where you were to make your grand entrance. He halted his rotation, opting to step forward and bring your bodies all the more closer to each other. You refused to allow him to intimidate you with his presence. 

“Have you?” You quipped in return, stepping closer to him and almost pressing your torso against his. He almost cracked a small smile, the ghost of its presence whispering over his mustached lip as he continued to stare his unmoving gaze into your eyes. 

“When I introduce you to our guests; I will refer to you as my bride,” he declared, choosing to press his right hand an inch above your hip; slowly dragging it to fall into the mid of your back, “But as you’ve plagued my thoughts of late, my heart calls to you by another name.”

His eyes held a firmness to them, desiring for you to understand your place as his intended, but also harboring more affection for you than you once realized. You were drawn back to your conversation earlier with the Farm-Hand of Kuraigana, your heart singing the praises of the eyes and the voice of the man in front of you. That voice now referring to you almost akin to the prospect of ‘beloved,’ both had you reveling at the notion of affection being possible between the two of you, but also frightening you with the aspect that this could all be due to the suspicious curse that haunts the ring on your unity finger. 

“I am your bride,” you whispered, dancing your eyes between his briefly while placing your right palm atop his heart and pushing against it firmly, “and I am fine with being introduced as such, as I would introduce you to our guests as my beau.” 

As your heart began to drum frantically, and anxiety nipped at your neck at your approaching confession; a loud fanfare began its call to introduce the lord and intended lady of Kuraigana to the guests below the marble staircase. The shock of the interruption broke you both from your trance, eyes snapping from one another and jolting to the awaiting audience below. 

You felt the left arm of Dracule Mihawk reach forward and claim your right arm within the crook of his elbow. Stooping down, he gently voiced a small utterance, “We will talk more on this later. For now, know this,” He leant down to whisper a small secret within your ear, lips brushing gently with the outer shell as his breath danced over your skin, “I’m here by your side, and I will not drop you.”

Your mind immediately began swimming with circling thoughts of the dirt, twig, fur and feather-covered Farm-Hand who has spent his morning with you. He journeyed with you, educating you on interests throughout the land belonging to your betrothed you clutched with your arm. He carried you, allowed defenses to break down between you and confessed to his own romantic ailments. 

You refused to let your displeasure be shown on your face by the knowledge that this man you called ‘friend’ had spilled your secrets to your intended beside you: opting to falsify a pleasant smile as Mihawk chaperoned you to the balcony. This would be a conversation to be explored between you the next the two of you should meet. 

Applause erupted below as you stepped in tow with your fiance, his face stoic and unreadable as it was moments prior. He guided you down the steps, slowly making your descent below with the mable clicking pleasantly with yours and Mihawk’s formal shoes. As your feet concluded its journey down the steps, the room had once again sprung to life with the merriment of your guests and the uproar of melody drawn from the small orchestra at the corner of the room. 

Perona and Zoro were off to the side, opting to stare at the amount of guests within the large ballroom while drinking wine together. You raked your eyes over to several members within the upper class you had trained from youth; a broad, warm smile drawing itself to your face as your eyes met with your former gentlemen and debutants. Each of them you locked gazes with, stooped to a low and perfect curtsey and bow. Your pride in their tutelage swelled your heart and greatly improved your prior disgruntled mood. 

That was, until, you caught the whiff of the choking scent of a sour cigar. The nicotine-woven smoke spurred towards you, drawing over your hair and face and dancing with the perfume you had meticulously applied against your skin earlier. You snapped your head towards the position the intrusion was occurring, narrowing your eyes as they met with the purple irises of an incredibly tall and broad gentleman.

Your beau beside you was no short individual, his height far greater than yours. But this man in his broad stature eclipsed the two of you with his presence. His beady eyes held a dangerous, cold-blooded and reptilian stare as it met with your own. You refused to look away from his intimidation, choosing to feign your practiced kindness against your features. 

“Sir Crocodile,” Mihawk curtly addressed the man in front of you, “allow me to introduce my bride.” He carefully unwove your hand from within the crook of his elbow, prompting you to automatically step your body between Mihawk’s and this ‘Sir Crocodile’ to formally greet him. He had a cigar clutched between his teeth, his brows upturned in boredom but his eyes holding nothing but complete intrigue. He removed his bitten cigar from his lips by stabbing the tip of a golden hook attached to his left hand and moved to collect your right within his. 

Stooping low, he drew up the back of your hand to press his lips against your knuckles with his eyes closing in respect. From this angle, you had the brief opportunity to study his face; noticing a large scar separating his eyes from the bottom half of its face that looked to be particularly painful in origin. 

“A pleasure to meet you, my lady,” His raspy voice rumbled at you, the air of danger being omnipresent in the air and surrounds, “I have heard many wondrous things about you.” He opened his eyes at you while his face remained close to your knuckles, looking up at you through his eyelashes with narrowed eyes. Opting to mimic his response and mirror it back to him, you responded in a similar likeness.

“The pleasure is mine, sir,” you uttered in return, a smirk now pulling at your lips in lieu of your false smile, “And I truly wish I could say the same in return.” The rumble of his voice was now ignited with a small chuckle thrust from his lips as he ascended back to full height. 

“The Hawk of Kuraigana has not spoken about me to his blushing bride?” Sir Crocodile quipped, his brow raising as his eyes snapped over to Mihawk’s, “My, my. And here I thought we were friends.” Mihawk attempted to contain his composure, not allowing the Crocodile’s suggestion get the better of him.

“I do not recall making much mention regarding my bride’s achievements to you either, Crocodile,” He uttered through a clenched jaw and narrowed eyes. You continued to hold your gaze firmly on the man in front of you, watching his nonchalant amusement dance over his eyes. His jaw continued to hold a bored and exasperated expression, even as he returned his cigar to his lips on the pointed tip of his golden hook.

“I did my own research on such a woman. A governess, Mihawk,” he inhaled a deep breath of nicotine-lace smoke and turned his jaw away from you to relinquish its presence in his mouth while his eyes remained on yours, “And a talented one at that.” You felt the tension between the men rushing between them like the rapids of a river of cloudy water. 

“I am an exceptional governess, sir. May I confess to you a trade secret?” you smiled, stepping closer to the larger man and putting a greater distance between you and your fiance. You smirked as he stooped lower, using his pointed hook to smooth a stray hair from his forehead back. 

“Please,” Sir Crocodile’s eyes narrowed and humor danced behind his darkened pupils.

You angled your chin upwards, looking down your nose at him through your elongated eyelashes and holding your face stern, “One of the greatest joys in my line of work is finding the stubborn ones,” you stepped closer into him, his smile creaking at the sides, “breaking them in,” your own smile continued to pull upwards, mirroring the playfulness now depicted between you, “and taming them.”

In an instant, Sir Crocodile’s eyes snapped over to meet the intense amber gaze of your beau behind you; an unreadable darkness contained within his purple hue. You witnessed the pointed gaze reflected in the irises of the crocodile, the deep amber hue of your betrothed honing in on the man in front of you; eyes narrow and jaw clenched tight as a steel vice. 

“And what a fine job you will make of him yet, my lady,” the rumbled laughter of the crocodile ran through his chest, finally returning to his great height and releasing your hand from within his. He returned his eyes to meet yours, curtly nodded his head in a polite manner and uttered a simple, “Congratulations to the both of you,” before turning back to Mihawk.

“After you conclude with the pleasantries, you will both meet me in the foyer to view the item I have made for you,” he ordered, a smirk pulling at his lips as Mihawk’s frown deepened, “As we agreed, Mihawk. A hundred hands have sewn it.”

Your eyes widened only slightly at the thought, remembering the words Perona had uttered while in her trance; “a crocodile has the moon.” So this is how he is doing it. A wealthy man with the world at his beck and call, commanding those around him by the curt snap of his fingers. Sir Crocodile’s smirk broadened, nodding again and adding a simple; “Lord Dracule,” and a further utterance of, “my lady.”

Mihawk’s presence once again found itself by your shoulder, an elbow extended for you to weave your own through it. As you took his left arm, you found his dominant hand atop your right hand and held it firmly in place. You turned your head to gaze up at the man beside you, his eyes fixed firmly on the back of the retreating figure of the reptilian man from earlier. 

“You managed him quite effortlessly,” he uttered in a voice only available to your registry, “But heed this warning,” Mihawk turned his head, his eyes meeting yours and depicting complete seriousness within his face, “Sir Crocodile is not a man you can trust, nor would I want you to ever be left alone with him.”

You nodded your head to him, your gaze fluttering down to focus on his lips moving so beautifully beneath his tailored mustache as he so eloquently spoke. Mihawk followed your eyes, your eyelashes fluttering as they continued to hold firm to his lips. He furrowed his brows, watching as your eyelashes fluttered up to meet your eyes against his amber orbs. 

“Consider your warning received,” you uttered breathily, angling your chin up to look down your nose at him, “Are there any further guests I should be equally fearful of, or is it just the crocodile being cause for concern?” He hummed, beginning to chaperone you throughout the grandiose ballroom; all the while continuing to hold his dominant hand over yours within his arm. 

As Mihawk opened his mouth to begin disclosing information about his other unruly guests, a loud commotion was occurring within the lounging area of the room. Muffled yelling, angry voices and clashes of wood slapping and scraping against marble echoed within the halls; the musicians electing to continue performing their serenade despite the interruption. 

“Can’t you do anything right? No! Over here, here,” the scratchy and hoarse voice barked, prompting the steady shuffle of feet and another loud crash of plank on tile. Mihawk released your hand from within his, continuing to link his elbow with your arm as he hastily drew himself closer to the sound. 

As guests parted, your eyes could not seem to form rhyme or reason as to what you were truly looking at. Your eyes were initially drawn to the train of thick, blue locks that veiled down the back of the brightly colored jester in front of you. Clasped firmly around his neck, an off-white ruff with a tight crinkle spiking off with its horizontal diameter incredibly large in size. You raked your eyes down his back, noticing a pale shirt ballooning out and tapering at the wrists beneath a gold, blue and red diamond-printed and patterned vest. Leather pants of the same pattern clung to his body like armor, accenting every muscle beneath it as he stomped his boot-clad feet against the marble floor.

“You idiots,” he growled, folding his arms over his chest briefly before flailing it out in front of him, “This is for Mihawk’s bride! Do you want to lose your heads? Because, so help me, if you drop that box one more time, I’m gonna-!” He turned away from the people in front of him, locking his teal eyes against yours. 

All words fled from the mind of the blue-haired clown-captain as his teal eyes danced with your own irises. His lips opened and shut, nothing forming within his painted mouth as his throat struggled to produce coherence. 

“Buggy,” Mihawk curtly snapped, bringing the clown’s attention over to meet Mihawk’s warning face, “May I introduce you to my bride to be?” Immediately Buggy’s entire body was fixated on taking you in. His arms gesturing out in front of him, his right heel extended and bending his left knee in a deep bow. He held unbreaking eye contact with you, taking in your every expression and response you gave to him: from the softness in your smile, the reprimanding presence in your eyes, to your manicured curls, to the way your breasts were perfectly displayed in the tight bodice of the-.

“-A pleasure to make your acquaintance, sir,” your melodic introduction broke his attention away from staring at your bodice, drawing his eyes up to once again meet with your own. 

“Believe me, Starlight. The pleasure is all mine,” Buggy’s voice rumbled, a small quiver detected in his throat. Mihawk’s sharp cough drew the clown’s eyes back to meet with the lord of Kuraigana with a winced grimace-like grin forming over his painted lips. 

“Mihawk,” He elevated his voice in a loud greeting, leaning forward and clapping his left hand over his right shoulder, “I have the thing for you,” he cocked his head over to the large wooden chest, the smallest sliver of pale chiffon jammed within the iron brim of the frame. Your eyes darted over to the material, your legs carrying you far enough away to no longer hear a hushed conversation between your intended and the jester.

“Fuck me, Mihawk,” Buggy hushed out his breathy exclaim, choosing to fix his gaze on your stoop as you looked at the box with curiosity, “She’s spectacular. And you’re telling me you didn’t want her as soon as you laid eyes on her? If you still feel that way, by all means I’ll take her off your hands-.”

“-No.” That verbal warning was all it took to have the clown-captain sucking his lips into his mouth and eating his words. The two men continued to stare their unwavering eyes over your body as you rose from your stoop. 

“Is this-,” you began, attempting to hide your unease at the notion that two of the three requirements were potentially presented to you in the same night, “-Is this one of the-?”

“-This is starlight for you, Doll,” Buggy chimed in, a broad grin decorating his painted face as he stepped closer to you, “If I may?” he asked, presenting his right hand out to collect your own. You danced your eyes briefly over to meet with Mihawks, an unreadable expression once again remaining stoic against his face.

You placed your left hand within Buggy’s, his grimace-grin softening with his eyes as he brandished your arm open to take in your whole appearance. He started with your feet, drawing his eyes up the slit of the full bodied, satin skirt and stopped his gaze at your waist. Holding it there a moment, he stepped closer to you and continued slowly looking over your figure, small hums exiting his large, red nose at each point he drew his attention to. 

“You. Oh, you,” He exclaimed, stepping closer still to your body. He hovered his left hand in front of your waist, his right still claiming your left within its caress, “You are going to look so radiant in that dress. You’re going to want to kiss me, Mihawk. Your bride- you, Doll,” he hovered his hand over you, eyes watching yours as you held your attention fully on reading the flashy individual in front of you, “The stars are going to envy your radiance. Fuck, you’re gorgeous-.”

“-Enough, Clown,” Mihawk’s bored vocal warning hand Buggy’s embrace immediately flees from your arms and holds them up to display defenselessness. Mihawk made eye contact with one of the members of the household staff, wordlessly directing them with a small gesture to remove the wooden box and move it elsewhere, away from prying eyes. 

You took that small moment to look over to where your former students were gathered, each taking to the dance floor with ease and gliding along the surface with practiced precision. Your heart swelled, the feeling of pride rising to adorn your cheeks with a content smile. Mihawk turned away from Buggy and the staff, his lips parting as he began to relay something no longer deemed important as he stood in awe. He wanted to commit the way your face lit up to memory: the upturn of your eyes, the shape of your lips as they rose in glee, the way your eyelashes partially shielded your twinkle in your irises. 

“You danced with your bride yet, Hawkie?” Buggy quipped at Mihawk’s ear in a tone and pitch low enough to only be heard by the swordsman. Mihawk looked through the corner of his eye, narrowing his pointed gaze at the clown by his side. 

“We are greeting our guests, Clown,” he spoke through his scowl, his voice warning the clown to desist with his incessant line of questioning and lewd comments regarding his intended spouse. Buggy’s eyes widened with an enthusiastic twinkle, his pearled teeth baring into a large smile. 

“Well, hop to it, bird-boy,” Buggy jested at the broody lord, pressing his gloved hand down to clap over Mihawk’s left ass-cheek. If Mihawk were not indebted to the clown for creating a prominent piece to save his mortal soul, he would have had him drawn and quartered for such an action. 

The curt sound of a slap drew you away from your students to seek out its source, only to find the clown with a triumphant smile plastered on his face while your betrothed bore his eyes into him with a burning hatred. Sensing a small amount of tension from the two, you nodded your head to the clown with a polite smile and wove your right hand within the crook of Mihaw’s left arm once more. 

“It was a pleasure to make your acquaintance, sir Buggy,” you meant every word spoken through your lips; your smile genuine for the flashy fool, “And I thank you for aiding my beau with his task in completing an impossible task. Truly, sir.” Buggy’s face beamed up at you, his body now crouched in a flamboyant bow to humble himself before your feet. 

“My lady,” he uttered in a hushed whisper, rising once more to his full stature; his frilled collar bobbing beneath his lengthy blue hair, “I am just a clown. I aint worth all that-.” You shook your head, elevating your voice to cut off his train of thought.

“-And I am just a governess, sir,” you nodded your head, pursing your lips and smirking up at him, “We are worth far more than the titles that make us, do you not agree?” Mihawk continued to lay his face stoic, attempting to disguise his rise of adoration through clenching his jaw. He gave a short nod to the clown, dismissing him as he led you further within the crowd. 

You stood silently at his side, nodding politely as he continued to guide you on to make the acquaintance of several more lords from nearby lands, and notorious pirate captains he felt obliged to extend a formal invitation. He could not fault your ability to navigate the room, carefully balancing and reflecting energies and intentions back without fault nor flaw. 

That was, until, your eyes met with the intense and playful glint of a redheaded captain Mihawk truly thought would pose no threat. Standing amongst several close members of the Red-Hair pirates, all dressed in tailored suits with their weapons tucked in tasteful spaces amongst the belts and ribbons. As Mihawk began to form words to introduce you to his former rival, the Redhead immediately shot a wide and winning grin pulling at his lips, with surprise written in his chestnut eyes. 

“Vile Exterminator!” Shanks exclaimed with glee, his eyes meeting yours with enthusiasm. Mihawk’s face paled, shock written all over his face at his introduction to you. He snapped his head over to meet with your face, meeting only with playfulness depicted within your eyes

“Red-Haired Rat!” you responded back with an equal amount of surprise. You unwove your arm from its place hooked within your betrothed as Shanks stepped forward and circled his one arm around your waist. He hoisted you off your feet, circling you around within the air as his eyes danced between yours. 

“I thought that was you in the announcement,” Shanks uttered affectionately into your cheek, pressing a chaste kiss upon the skin, “Could recognise the disdain in your eyes anywhere, love.” He placed your feet back onto the floor, giving you an opportunity to place a gentle reprimanding slap against his chest. 

“Charming as you ever were, Rat,” you uttered, stepping away from the redhead captain and politely bowing to the silver-haired first mate beside him, “Beckman, always a pleasure. Keeping the Rat away from the henhouse?”

“Always, Exterminator,” Beckman smiled, inhaling a deep breath from his cigarette and exhaling it away from your face.

“Good boy,” you praised him, watching the corner of his lips tick into a small smirk at the verbal reward you offered him. The lord of Kuraigana followed the exchange like a hawk examining a potential kill. He was not amused.

“It appears you have history with my bride, Red-Hair,” Mihawk stated with narrowed eyes, warning written in his unspoken expression. Shanks’ grin only seemed to grow further, if at all possible. Shanks danced his eyes between the two of you, taking in your appearance as you stood beside the broody former-warlord beside you.

“I have been known to bump into her from port to port,” Shanks confidently declared, shooting a winning wink from his tri-scarred eye. You rolled your eyes at the movement, returning back to your prior position beside Mihawk and interweaving your arm within his. 

“One or two of my prior debutants had an affection for sailing men,” you spoke slowly, training your eyes on the pirates smirking with pride in front of you, “It was my job to chase them out.” Mihawk released a breath he didn’t know he was holding, slow enough to not draw your attention away from your stare in front; but not subtle enough to escape Shanks’ knowing glace. 

You turned to the man at your side, noticing the tension arising in his jaw as he continued to look at the redhead captain in front of you. Placing your palm firmly on his bicep while circling it, you gave his arm a small reassuring squeeze, drawing his attention back down to you. Your left brow quirked up at him, a small purse of your lips as your gaze drew down to his mouth. 

“I have also been known to acquire passage aboard the Red Force if I am in dire need,” you commented, floating your eyes back up to hear the amber hue of your intended’s eyes. He stooped down, turning his head away from Shanks’ teasing expression. His breath tickled your neck, his scent intoxicating as he purred a gentle reprimand in the shell of your ear, “And you said you were a lady.”

The hue of a warm blush rose in your chest, flushing your cheeks with its radiant heat. You clenched your jaw tightly closed, your brows furrowed as Mihawk pulled away from your neck with his lips twitching up into a small smirk. Shanks raised his right arm out defensively, a huffed laugh exiting his mouth with a grimace-grin akin to one the clown presented earlier.

“I assure nothing untoward has ever occurred between myself, my crew, and your intended, Hawk-Eyes,” he laughed, prompting a rumbled chuckle to gather within the chest of the smoking first-mate beside him. You snapped your pointed gaze back to the red-head captain, narrowing your eyes at him and wordlessly chastising him to hold his tongue. 

“Rat,” you nodded your head, dismissing yourself from this conversation while unlinking your arm from within Mihawk’s. 

“Exterminator,” He nodded in return, training his eyes after you as you made your way unchaperoned within the ballroom. Mihawk stood in place, turning back to glare at the red-head in front of him. He again opened his mouth to begin a lengthy verbal battle with his former rival, only for Shanks to immediately speak over his words.

“I have almost completed your request: so close I could almost see the vision. Mihawk-...” Shanks paused, stepping closer to the swordsman and turning him away from his crew. Both mens eyes fell over your form as you smiled and conversed with your prior students; introducing them affectionately to both Perona and Zoro now at your sides. All smiles, all beautiful and lovely smiles capable of having the highest of highs stoop to the lowest they’d become under the majesty of your smile.

“-Mihawk,” Shanks again spoke breathily, “I hope you are truly aware of how much of a lucky bastard you are,” He wrapped his arms firmly over the lord’s shoulders, the feather atop Mihawk’s hat bobbing under the swift movement. Mihawk sighed, closing his eyes and feeling a rise of agitation forming as the redhead continued to keep his one remaining arm hooked over his shoulders. 

“I am fully aware of how truly amazing she is, Red-Hair,” Mihawk began, clicking his neck in an attempt to rid himself of such agitation, “And I can admit to you, as my oldest rival, that I have begun to develop a fondness for her. I would never give in to such an emotion, but rather shield her from how much I adore her.” He turned to face the captain once again, baring his eyes fully into his with a blinding and furious intensity; remaining blissfully and shamefully ignorant to your slow approach behind him. 

You heard the next words of their hushed conversation, each word twirling like a dagger to the heart; but no context of the prior words spoken between them.

“I would have never chosen such a woman for myself,” Mihawk confessed to his rival, “I never wanted to marry, to take a wife, and to open myself up to the prospect of love. I am hating every minute I have to continue leading this facade.”

Your face fell, hearing the swirl of those words echo within your mind falling from the lips of your betrothed to your oldest acquaintance. Your heart shattered, hearing the words formed with a man you had begun to harbor affection for - a man who you were set to marry as soon as the final demand was met. You bit back the rise of bitterness within your throat and opted to not respond or react to the hurtful words spoken from the lips of your betrothed, but rather clear your throat and stilling your expression by flipping back to your prior state of pure professionalism. 

“I am glad we agree on our mutual displeasure at the prospect of joining together in matrimony,” you attempted to mask your heartache by allowing your rage to bubble to the surface, “Perhaps after we conclude with this sham, we could ask Red-Haired Shanks to process a speedy annulment? He is a captain, after all.” Mihawk snapped his face over to meet with your own, watching as your lips drew into a thin line and chin drew upwards into the air. 

“Would you excuse us, Shanks,” Mihawk stated suddenly, immediately reaching his left hand forward and grasping your right within his palm. Rather than to react by pulling your hand out of his grip and stomping away like the young teenager within you screamed at you to do; you allowed him to lead you away from the soiree of guests and out onto the quiet balcony overlooking the moon-dusted garden. 

You held your surliness prominently against your face, not speaking nor listening to the amassment of voices laughing merrily together within the ballroom. As soon as you both marched through the threshold of the balcony, Mihawk immediately shut the doors behind you to shroud you both in darkness. Without turning to face you, he uttered darkly with his voice dripping in unrestrained ferocity.

“Is that how you truly feel about me? About this?” Mihawk growled, balling his fist and placing it on the wall beside him. You remained expressionless, choosing to vocalize your answer. You compartmentalised your emotions, boxing them away as you had trained yourself through the years to do so. 

“Answer me,” He whispered, turning to finally face you. His brow was deep, his lips parted and eyes brimming with fury. 

“What good would gracing you with an answer do here?” you asked him, shaking your head at him. He stepped forwards, prompting you to dance away from his rapid approach. His footsteps stuttered, his arm halting its reach for you as you continued to hold your face stoic and expressionless.

“Was it all a lie?” Mihawk whispered accusingly, “Everything you told me: was it a lie? My eyes, my voice - all of it?”

You furrowed your brows into the middle of your forehead, attempting to recall a conversation you had with him regarding those aspects of your adoration for him. Your eyes held a seriousness to them, the private moment you shared with the Farm-Hand being the only time you had ever confessed to such a thing again dancing into the forefront of your mind. 

“You were eavesdropping on me? Ensuring I was behaving as your intended should? Watching me with the Farm-Hand as a parent would hover over an undisciplined child?” Your fury began to rise and elevate your voice within your throat, “I can assure you, my lord,” that final title had another growl free itself from the throat of the lord of Kuraigana, “I have never behaved in a manner unbefitting a lady-.”

“-That does not answer my question, Governess,” his voice roared with passion, his hair being freed from its confinement beneath his hat as his right hand removed it and cast it to the side, “Was it all a lie?” You backed away from him, your fingertips finding the coarse cement of the marble barrier behind you. You sighed, huffing out your agitation and allowing the moment to suspend your rage as you glared at him.

“Was what a lie? Articulate your words, sir, and I may yet grace you with the answer you so desperately seek,” your passion flared, your correcting reprimand strict and firm in your voice and stature. 

At that small challenge, Mihawk was on you in an instant; his hands seeking out your waist and pulling you flush against him as his lips bruised yours in a vicious caress. The intensity of the oscillation dizzied your head, swelled your heart and confused your mind with this degree of unrestrained affection. 

He raked his hands over your ribcage, drawing them behind your back, his fingertips slowly raking up each of the divots of the corset behind you. He hooked his arms between your shoulder blades, as your hands found themselves entangling within his raven curls. The brush of his silken mustache grazed your gradually swelling lips as you returned the kiss with equating intensity. You felt his teeth take your bottom lip between them, biting with fury as he drew you closer within his firm embrace. You gasped into his mouth, feeling a groan siphon itself from his lips into your own. 

He broke his lips away from yours and began to place open mouthed and heated kisses against your jaw, relishing in the way your skin felt beneath his lips with the cries of surprise propelling him onwards.

“You have ruined me,” he growled into your cheek, raking his teeth over your jaw and up to your ear, “Look at what you’ve made of me.” He drew his lips away from your earlobe and began trailing hot and desperate kisses down your neck, inhaling the sweet perfume Perona had so subtly sprayed on you earlier. You whimpered as he placed a kiss on your pulse, soothing over the rapid beat with his tongue as he felt your breath hitch. 

���Mihawk, stop,” you whispered, his actions immediately halting as he snapped his head away from your neck to gaze up into your eyes. Wide and worried was the expression he was met with, his desperation seeping out of his eyes and weeping down onto his face. He sighed, pressing his forehead onto your own, his eyes closing as he felt your anxiety roll off of you and onto him.

“I would never hurt you. You are my bride, my belov-...” his words trailed off as his throat closed them painfully between his tonsils. Your eyes widened as his remained closed, watching the pain draw up onto his face at his unspoken confession. You closed your eyes, leaning into his affectionate touch and inhaling deeply. 

“I would never allow myself the luxury of harboring affection for you should you desire severance,” you admitted with a soft smile, drawing your forehead away from his as his eyes reopened to meet with yours. He sighed, both removing your arms from one another while remaining a whisper away from each other. 

“And I would never find myself willingly breaking away from you, my lady,” Mihawk quipped in return, his lips threatening to break into a curled smirk beneath his mustache. You were the first to smile, reaching up your right hand to caress his left cheek beneath your palm. 

“Perhaps we should return to our event, my lord,” you uttered, dancing your eyes between his before reaching your thumb down to remove some of the lip paint that had passed onto his face from your own, “I may even provide you with the dance you asked me for those many years ago.” 

A sound fell into the air that you didn’t realize your heart yearned to hear fall from the parted lips of the lord of Kuraigana. His lips broke upwards, eyes cracking gently at the corners and his heart poured from his mouth in a small uproar of hearty laughter. This laugh felt so familiar to you, yet the sight of his face depicting such a sound was the most beautiful thing to take into your sights. He sighed, leant into your palm and pressed a gentle kiss into your flesh with his eyes briefly closing. 

“I would want nothing more, beloved.”

[coeurcanelle]

𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐦𝐲 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐟 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐝 pt2

pairing:surfer!ellie x reader

✮⋆fluff,sad ending

masterlist

You cant help but fall deeper for Ellie,you're even ready to confess. However things take a turn after the both of you team up for a competition

"what's that"

"my surf journal"

The journal was open across her knees, and she held a stubby grey crayon in one hand. Her fingers moved with ease, sketching waves, horizons, and faint outlines of surfers mid-flight on the ocean.

You and Ellie had started hanging out beyond the beach lately—beyond the wild, crashing waves that had first brought you together. Ellie wanted to show you her favorite secret spot and,as always,you followed.

So now you found yourself in a cave.

Not a creepy one—though you had started to second-guess that when she had suddenly dove under the water, motioning for you to follow. The rocks around you had seemed to close in, narrowing into an underwater passage that twisted into shadows.

Before panic could take hold at the thought of no exit, Ellie had glanced back, her eyes sparkling even in the dim, underwater light. Her hand had reached out, a silent encouragement, and something in the steadiness of her gaze had calmed you.

Then, she had disappeared around a bend.

You pushed forward, your lungs burning slightly, until the narrow tunnel opened up into something breathtaking. When you and Ellie resurfaced, your gasp wasn’t just for air—it was for the view.

It was like a secret world, carved into the edge of the coastline and hidden behind jagged rocks and foamy waves. The air was cool and fresh, carrying the salty tang of the ocean. Overhead, a large circular opening framed the night sky, the moon perfectly positioned above, spilling silver light into the space below.

The glow touched everything—the rocky walls, the rippling water in the center of the cave, and the two of you now sitting near its edge.

The water in the middle of the cave was like a natural pool, still and glassy, reflecting the moonlight with an almost magical glow. It lapped gently against the rocks, making soft, rhythmic sounds that seemed to echo in the quiet space.

You sat close to her, close enough to see how her brow furrowed slightly in concentration, close enough to notice the faint streak of moonlight catching the curve of her cheek. Occasionally, you leaned forward, trying to get a better look at her journal without disturbing her.

She was truly an artist, whether she was carving through the waves like she was born under the ocean or sitting here with a crayon, capturing the sea’s beauty on paper. The soft, precise lines seemed to breathe life into her sketches, as though you could feel the weight of the water and the warmth of the sun through them.

At this point, you started to wonder if there was anything Ellie couldnt do.

Suddenly,she flipped over a page. You noticed her quick glance at you before returning her eyes on her blank page. With a smirk that didn't betray the mischief in her green eyes.

"I should add your amazing wipeout from earlier that was epic"she added with a chuckle before sketching again.

It wasn't even an hour ago. A big wave was forming further away and ellie encouraged you to take it,biting back her mischevious smile.

You had taken the bait, of course, paddling hard and catching the wave just as it began to curl. For a brief, thrilling moment, you were inside the wave, surrounded by walls of rushing blue and white. It was perfect,until Ellie’s board appeared out of nowhere.

She surfed alongside you like it was nothing, her movements fluid and controlled, before she deliberately angled her board just close enough to nudge yours. The contact was subtle but effective. Your balance wavered, and then the wave claimed you.

For a brief second, you saw the shimmering wall of water surrounding you, an emerald dome illuminated by sunlight. Then came the chaos—saltwater crashing against your body, spinning you in a disorienting dance before the wave spat you out mercilessly.

Your board shot out one side of the water, while you were ejected the other way before falling back into the water. When you resurfaced,she was in front of you unable to hold back her laugh after watching the whole thing.

"Are you gonna add the other rest of my top 5 most embarassing moments too"you asked rolling your eyes,her laugh from earlier echoing from her lips again.

"Relax"she said her eyes not leaving her journal,"you just didnt see it from my pov." She began sketching, her pencil moving deftly across the page, and you leaned over to catch a glimpse. It was you, ejected out of the ocean mid-wipeout, flying through the air like an electrified cat.An unnecessary, over-the-top rendering that you didn’t need to see to remind yourself how humiliating it was.

"It was legendary. If it was me i'd probably be in a wheelchair right now" she added with a light chuckle knowing damn well you could have ended up like this after she pushed you.

You were lucky you didn't break your spine after that. Hospital bills weren’t exactly in your summer plans, and giving up surfing just when you’d started to get the hang of it wasn’t an option either.

Her pencil stopped, and she turned to you with a glimmer of curiosity in her eyes"but what's your top 5 ?"

Not only was she talented at drawing, but she also had an uncanny ability to make situations worse

"theres no way im telling you"you replied crossing your arms arms firmly.

"Is it that bad?"she smirked,the hint of curiosity in her eyes now shining with mischief. "Was it waving at the wrong person? Peeing in your pants?"

"Worse"

Images of you doing the world's stupidest things flashed in her mind. "Oh, no. Did you-wait-did you shit your pants?"

Your face twisted in disgust, and she burst out laughing, clearly enjoying how much she was getting under your skin.

You decided to tell her anyway."Fine, I’ll tell you. I was crossing the road-"

"you got hit by a car?"Ellie cut you off looking at you with wide eyes.

"You just spoiled it. Thanks"

Her cold hand found warmth on your arm as she gently shook you, as if trying to make the details of your story bubble out of your mouth. Just another excuse to have her hands on you.

"What? Tell me! And why the hell weren’t you looking for cars?"

"It wasn’t my fault!" you defended, the images of your small accident replaying in your mind. Even if you tried to forget it, the embarrassment still lingered, clinging to you without peace.

"The green light was for me," you continued now that she was all ears. "So I was crossing the road, and this car hit the brakes too late. It wasn’t going that fast—city traffic—but next thing I know, I’m kissing the pavement."

The ghost of her cold hand grazed your arm as her mind replaced the scene of you ejected by the ocean with this new spectacle of you on the ground instead. Skill issue.

"I got up and kept walking," you said casually.

She furrowed her brows in disbelief, "You just walked off? Like nothing happened? Were you even hurt?"

"Of course I was, but everyone was staring—I just wanted to get out of there. I didn’t break a leg, but I was limping, and some kids were even laughing at me." In that moment, all you wanted was to disappear, to act as if it never happened. Yet here you were, telling Ellie, who found the whole thing anything but serious. "Bet you would’ve laughed too."

"Me?" she pointed at herself, fake surprise lacing her voice. "Never! I’d feel bad for you!" she said, biting her lip to suppress the laughter that was already bubbling up.

She would have been worse than those kids.

"Right. You’d come running over with your stupid journal, sketching me like, ‘Whoa, that was legendary! Can you do it again?’ while the doctors put me on a wheelchair."

That was it. She couldn’t hold it in any longer. Her laughter erupted, loud and shameless, tears streaming from her eyes as she doubled over.

Between gasps for air, she grabbed her journal and flipped to a blank page. "There’s no way I’m not adding this." In seconds, the page transformed into a dramatic sketch of you face-planting after being hit by a car.

Her laughter continued, filling the space around you, and despite yourself, you couldn’t help but smile. Even as she laughed at you, there was something undeniably endearing about being the reason for her joy.

"I can't tell you anything, can I?"

You still ended up telling her the rest of your top 5 most embarrassing moments, not getting any justice in the way she represented you. Soon, her surf journal was a collection of doodles of you doing the stupidest things known to mankind. Even if it wasn’t all about surfing, she still wanted to have a piece of you in it.

But she promised she’d never show anyone.

It was a secret between her and you.

♡°♡°♡

As days passed, when you were away from the rhythmic sound of the waves, you were never truly far from Ellie. Even in her home, where the scent of salt and water didn’t linger in the air, there was still this tide. It was much different from the ones she had encountered,much bigger and tighter.

This pull between you and her.

"Why the surf?" you asked, turning to her. You were both lying on her bed, staring at the fluorescent stars on her ceiling. They had been there since she was a kid, left to gaze at when she wasn’t at the beach stargazing at far-off planets.

Her body wasn’t cold next to yours, having just stepped out of a warm shower. Your arms brushed, and if you dared to move away, even that simple gesture would surely tear her heart in pieces.

A moment of silence followed your question before she replied honestly, "Makes me forget about everything. I always try to keep my mind busy at home, but surfing at the beach just hits different. Like I can let go of everything and just focus on the waves, you know?"

Ellie knew a lot about you, but no matter how much she talked, she was still like a closed shell. And when she opened up even a little, you feared that if you got too close, she might shut again. Since she wouldn’t tell you everything, your mind wandered through her mysteries.

Was her smile just naturally that bright, or was it a mask?

Had her eyes always been this light shade of green, even in the shadow of the sun?

Did she love the sea because it was everything to her, or because it was all she had?

Before your thoughts spiraled too deep, she pulled you out of them. "You?"

Surfing had only recently become your passion, but you knew it wasn’t anything comparable to Ellie’s. "I like water," you shrugged.

A light chuckle escaped her lips. "Deep."

"No, I mean, like, water’s nice. I always end up with bruises when I try land sports. Never when I’m swimming," you explained, trying to imagine yourself practicing another sport. If it wasn’t near the sea, then Ellie wouldn’t be with you. That was something you wouldn’t have minded a few weeks ago, but now, it felt inconceivable.

"Well, you can drown," Ellie pointed out. She wasn’t wrong, but it wasn’t a fear of yours. Not anymore.

"Drowning’s not that bad," you replied.

Ellie’s curiosity piqued. She turned to you, her eyes narrowing as she picked up on the seriousness in your tone. "You’ve drowned before? I thought you were a good swimmer."

Your lips formed a smile instinctively,ready for another storytime "That was before I even learned how to swim."

Her green eyes locked onto yours as you transported her to your past with just your words.

"I was in the water, like a dumbass, and an asshole pushed me into a spot where I couldn’t touch the bottom. I don’t remember anything as I sank, but when I woke up, I didn’t feel like I had just woken up from a good night’s sleep. I felt like I had just woken up from pure void."

Drowning had never been an experience for Ellie. When she didn’t know how to swim, she simply avoided the water. So, she couldn’t fully understand how you felt, but she tried to imagine it.

"It’s weird and peaceful at the same time," you added.

Drowning underwater didn’t seem peaceful to her. But something else did—something she was afraid was real.

Ellie’s eyes shifted back to the stars on the ceiling. "Or maybe your brain just... kinda erased the traumatic part. Before drowning."

"I’m sure it did. I wouldn’t want to remember that." The thought of being helplessly swallowed by the water, despite your best efforts to fight back, seemed too painful for your heart, too damaging to your mind. It was easier to pretend like nothing happened.

Ellie noticed your unfocused gaze at the shiny stars above, their light not reaching your eyes. "Guess you could say you got watered down by the situation, huh?"

Your lips pressed into a thin line. Unimpressed. But at least she brought you back to the present.

"Come on, it wasn’t that bad, was it?" she grinned.

You shook your head. "No, it was totally awful."

Ellie didn’t tell you, but she made a promise. A promise to herself that she would be your shore when the ocean threatened to pull you under, the breath of air that filled your lungs and brought you back to life, and the sun that chased away the clouds, painting your summer days with light.

Because as long as she was here, she wouldn’t let anything happen to you.

♡°♡°♡

Days? Weeks? You didn’t count how much time you spent with Ellie. You just knew she was becoming more and more a part of your summer. The more you found yourself in her arms after a long day of surfing or simply holding her hand, the more you started to picture the two of you forever.

That night, as you sat together on the sand watching the fireworks, you couldn't stop thinking about telling her.

How you could barely call your heart your own, how every beat seemed to echo her name. Not to mention, the two of you had never argued, never been on bad terms, which made the fear of rejection and distance feel even heavier. But you couldn't stop the warm swell in your heart, the feeling that was about to explode.

You had to tell her.

"Ellie, I—"

You turned, tearing your gaze from the explosions of color to look at her, only to find her ghost.

Your heart skipped a beat, panic blooming briefly in your chest, until you spotted a figure sprinting toward the water. The familiar green surfboard in her hands glinted under the scattered light of the fireworks.

Excitement rushed over you like a wave, washing away your unease, your heart racing for a new reason. Without hesitation, you followed, your feet sinking into the cool sand before the icy waves greeted your legs. The water was cold, but you didn’t care—not when Ellie was smiling at you, inviting you to join her for a better view of the fireworks as she sat on her board.

Her board wobbled above the water as both of you balanced on it.

"Comfortable?" Ellie asked, her voice softer than the seafoam she drew with the same board.

"Yeah," you assured, shooting her a small smile that betrayed the huge affection swelling in your heart. With that, Ellie turned her gaze to the sky, where a dance of colors shone in her eyes.

That same explosion of light and color burst in her heart, igniting every time you returned her smile, sparking brighter whenever you reached for her hand or rested in her arms.

So when you moved closer now, resting your head gently on her shoulder, she didn’t hesitate.

Her arm slipped around you instinctively, pulling you in with a warmth that felt more comforting than the summer sun.

Neither of you said a word. The rhythm of your hearts beating in sync as one said it all.

Your confession could wait. For now, you wanted to keep melting in her arms until the magic of this night ended.

♡°♡°♡

The next day, the ocean gleamed under the early morning sun, the waves rolling in with perfect rhythm, each one an open invitation.

Your time at the beach had seamlessly expanded from afternoons to entire days; at this rate, it felt like you practically lived there. Mornings began with Ellie at the beachside café, sharing breakfast and trading sleepy smiles over warm coffee. Afterward, you’d stretch together on the sand before diving headfirst into the waves.

By midday, with the sun hanging high above, you’d both sit on your boards, taking a break to enjoy the sandwiches you’d packed that morning. Ellie never failed to praise your cooking, even though it was always the same simple meal.

“ellie, it’s just a sandwich. Anyone can make it,” you’d tease.

“Still, it’s the best sandwich I’ve ever had. The way the cheese just melts in my mouth. Epic ,” she’d reply, her mouth full, grinning like you’d handed her a gourmet feast.

You’d laugh and return each day with the same lunch and receive the same praises, the small moments between waves growing into something you treasured.

When the moon replaced the sun, you’d either follow Ellie to the moon pool cave to gaze at the stars or retreat to her cozy apartment if she was too tired for a nighttime swim.

Surfing lessons had long since stopped being your reason for coming to the beach. Ellie rarely instructed you anymore, instead offering small tricks or tips, leaving you to practice and perfect them yourself.

Her eyes shone with admiration whenever you were on a wave, and the way her voice laced with praise left you grounded.

You only came because of this invisible thread pulling you toward her.

Much like the wave forming before your eyes.

Ellie sat on her board, floating near the shore. She took in the view—you. Lately, you'd been practicing her tricks, and her eyes glimmered with curiosity, wondering how well you'd execute them today.

This morning, the ocean invited you to try something bold.

A towering wave began to form in the distance, its crest foaming as it gathered strength. You positioned yourself perfectly, your body instinctively moving in harmony with the swell. As the wave rose higher, you paddled hard and caught it, the rush of momentum pulling you to your feet in one smooth motion.

Ellie’s gaze followed you, her smile fading into something more serious as she realized what you were attempting.

This was your chance to impress her more than ever.

You glided effortlessly along the curve of the wave, your body leaning into the motion like you were born to ride it. Then, with a calculated shift of weight, you turned sharply and disappeared into the barrel, swallowed by the cascading tunnel of water.

For a heartbeat, you were gone, completely hidden from view.

Ellie sat frozen, her eyes fixed on the spot where you’d vanished. The wave’s roar seemed to stretch time, the moment suspended in a breathless hush.

Then, as if summoned by the ocean itself, you emerged from the other side of the wave, your silhouette cutting cleanly through the spray.

But you didn’t stop there. You had more tricks under your sleeve.

With precision, you launched into a series of spins,one, two,three. The sight of your board slicing through the air like a knife through silk was caught not only by ellie but all the surfers in disbelief around the beach.

You landed back on the water with a controlled grace, your board skimming the surface as if the wave itself had bent to your will.

Ellie’s mouth dropped open, and her eyes widened.

She had briefly instructed you on spins, expecting you to try other, simpler tricks more often. But not only had you just successfully nailed them—without demonstration—you did three in a row without falling!

"Watch out for the flies," you teased, seeing how agape her mouth was.

Quickly, she snapped her mouth shut, pressing her lips into a thin line, and her praising words got caught in her throat. "My mouth wasn’t that wide open," she defended.

"Just watch out," you chuckled.

"Shut up," she rolled her eyes, the images of earlier still replaying in her mind, unable to forget your impressive moves.

You casually walked along the shore, planting your board down. Surfers around you watched your every move, taking note of your board.

That’s how people would recognize you from now on.

Your eyes caught a quick glance at them before falling back on Ellie. "Okay, but you gotta tell me why were you practically drooling over me"

Her cheeks flushed red, the color deepening as she kept her eyes on yours. "I wasn’t—I was just... ugh."

She had to tear her gaze away from how good you looked out of the water to form words. "You were really cool. Amazing. On that wave."

Your heart screamed at how adorable she was. It took every ounce of self-control not to squish her red cheeks. "Really?"

"Yeah... there’s a competition coming up soon," she said, scratching the back of her neck. "With teams of two. So if you want—"

A competition? And she wanted you to team up with her? Ellie, the best surfer on the beach?

"I don’t know. I’m still nowhere near your level," you cut her off, your confidence fading with the last remnants of adrenaline.

Ellie blinked in surprise. "No need to be on my level."

You shook your head. "But you're so good at everything. Balance. Flow. Precision." You pointed at her board, catching the sunlight by her feet. "Bet you could even do triple backflips without slipping a beat."

She stared at you, blinking twice.

Have you seen yourself on the waves?

"Okay, don’t get carried away. I do fall..." she revealed, but she knew it never happened when you were watching. She made sure of that. "Sometimes. Just not when you’re watching."

The words lingered in the cool air before dissipating, leaving you silent.

Ellie approached you, wanting to dispel the uncertainty clouding your eyes. Confidence looked good on you, and she didn’t want to be the one to watch it disappear.

"There’s no one else I want on my team," her voice softened as she locked eyes with you. She meant every word. "Seriously, have you seen you? You’ve come so far in such a short time. You can do stuff I would have killed to be able to do when I was at your level."

Her gaze quickly fell to your lips, which curved into a small smile.

But she didn’t mirror it.

Your envy smile.

"Yeah, but I still want to be like you," you admitted. Because to you, your skills were never good enough. You’d try countless times to execute them, but the shadows of self-doubt still clawed at your board. You weren’t sure what it was, but every time you watched Ellie on the waves, you were reminded you could never be as good as her.

As perfect as Ellie.

"Don’t," Ellie’s eyes darkened with seriousness. She didn’t want you thinking that.

She didn’t want you to compare yourself to her.

"I watched you do three spins in a row. I didn’t even show you how to place yourself, how to shift your weight on the board in the air, or how to prepare for the landing. And you landed without even losing your balance. Do you have any idea how impressive that was?"

If you were honest—no, you didn’t. You just did it, remembering how Ellie executed it in the air and trusting the feeling. You weren’t thinking much about all the technicalities.

Ellie hesitated before placing a reassuring hand on your shoulder. No matter how close you were, the hesitation still lingered in her mind. But you accepted her touch with your heart.

"And the ocean doesn’t need two of me. It needs you," her gaze softened again. She wanted her words to reach your heart and carve themselves there instead of your doubts"Your style, your flow—it’s all your own. You’re unique in your own way. Even better than most surfers here."

Your eyes shifted from her to the figures dancing on the waves ahead. This might be the first time you paid attention to them, as the world around you always blurred when you surfed beside Ellie.

"So don’t make that rookie mistake, trying to match me. You shine differently when you’re being yourself." Her cold fingers found their way around your warm ones, lifting the heavy weight in your chest. Her sincere look, when your eyes met hers, chased it all away.

"You don’t need to change anything."

Because that’s how the ocean carried your name through the waves.

Because that’s how the sun kissed your skin when you floated above the waters.

Because that’s how her heart found space for you.

Only you could make it melt with overwhelming warmth when you took her into your arms.

"You’re not just saying that so I don’t break down in front of you?" you asked, as she hugged you back, her cold arms wrapping around your waist. She held you like you were the most precious treasure in the world, unwilling to let go.

"I mean, we already have a whole ocean here. I don’t need you to cry me a river," she chuckled, until you pulled away. Her body started to warm up next to yours.

"Seriously, you’re amazing," she whined, desperate to feel the warmth of your body embracing hers again.

But she quickly played it off, leaning on her surfboard, which couldn’t wait to meet the water. "I wouldn’t ask you to be on my team if you weren’t. Getting humiliated in public isn’t really my thing," she said casually, glancing at the surfers on the waves, before turning back to you with a smirk.

Her casual smirk that secretly begged for a reaction.

"Unless you do want to eat your surfboard in front of everyone and make us lose. I’m personally not into it," she shrugged.

You weren’t much into competition. Like Ellie, surfing had become your passion, something personal. The only person you felt like you’d been competing against this whole time was yourself, with Ellie always helping you surpass your limits. Proving your skills to others never particularly appealed to you.

But the way Ellie was looking at you, with that burning determination in her eyes, made you not want to let a stupid refusal extinguish it. She wanted to show the world how good you were—and how amazing the two of you were.

"Okay. Count me in. Looks like you don’t give me a choice anyway," you said.

Ellie’s heart jumped with excitement, already imagining you and her floating above the ocean, effortlessly winning against the others, just like in her dreams.

"I do," she chuckled, trying to seem casual. "You can choose me, or those other dudes over there." She pointed to the surfers, each doing a mediocre job at recreating your spins from earlier.

Wow,the impact you had.

You mirrored Ellie’s smirk, grabbing your surfboard, your eyes shining with the same determination. "Nah, I wanna beat them."

Ellie grabbed hers and began walking toward the water, lying flat on her board before paddling. Her heart burned with more than just excitement.

"Now we’re talking."

♡°♡°♡

"Watch out, everyone! The queen of the waves is back on the beach. Will she conquer them or let them swallow her whole?" Ellie declared with exaggerated flair, balancing on your board. Her dramatic tone earned an easy laugh from you.

The competition was tomorrow, and it wasn’t just you and Ellie who couldn’t stop talking about it—every surfer on the beach buzzed with anticipation. This was the moment everyone had been waiting for. Not just for the bragging rights or the chance to show off, but because the prize money was enough to fund the rest of the summer in style.

It wouldn’t make you and Ellie millionaires, but it was more than enough to guarantee endless fun.

Still, nothing could compare to the moments you shared with Ellie, moments that felt absolutely priceless.

One second you were lounging on your couch, and the next she was standing on your board. All because you casually mentioned she couldn’t perfectly capture the way you moved on the waves.

You hadn’t meant it as a challenge, but there she was pulling a series of acrobatics like a clown whose sole purpose was to entertain a king.

"Will she do a handstand? Can she do a handstand?" she asked with over-the-top enthusiasm. Before you could respond, she kicked up into a wobbly handstand, her legs shaking but holding steady.

Your laughter filled the room, and she couldn’t hold back her own grin as she tumbled down.

She was just warming up.

Next, she stood on one foot, arms stretched out like a tightrope walker. "And for my next act!" she announced with mock gravitas, her voice dripping with theatrics.

You raised an eyebrow, silently wondering how far she’d go just to make you laugh.

And then she crouched low, launching herself into an attempted backflip. A loud smack echoed as she landed awkwardly on your board, sending both of you into hysterics.

It wasn’t about imitating you—she just wanted to impress you.

And it worked.

Slow clapping, you shook your head with a wide grin. "Okay, show-off. I’m not doing all that."

"Come on," she teased, placing the surfboard back against the wall before plopping down beside you. "Think of the crowd going wild when you pull off moves like these!"

You rolled your eyes. "I can’t even do backflips on solid ground. Imagine me trying that on a wave."

Ellie laughed, the sound warm and infectious. "Fine, but I still think the crowd would love it. Even if you wiped out."

"Yeah, they'd go wild watching me eat it right after," you said, your own laughter joining hers.

In that moment, the looming pressure of the competition melted away. All that mattered was the sound of her laugh mingling with yours, and you wished you could stretch this moment into forever.

The next morning arrived in the blink of an eye. The sun blazed high in a bright blue sky, and the ocean roared its waves, promising both challenges and surprises.

You tried to focus on the two boys ahead of you, weaving tricks on the waves, but the weight in your chest grew heavier with each passing second.

Your turn was next.

"Hey." Ellie’s voice pulled you out of your thoughts. She’d noticed the far-off look in your eyes.

You turned to her, offering a nervous smile.

"Don’t overthink it," she said, her voice unusually soft, searching for the right words. "Just pretend it’s like any other time. Like we’re training. Just… having fun together."

Her attempt at reassurance didn’t erase all your anxiety, but it chipped away at the edges, making the weight in your chest a little more bearable.

"I don’t have to pretend," you replied, your voice steadier now. "We’ll be having fun together anyway."

Your words brought a smile to Ellie’s face, one that seemed to lighten something heavy she’d been carrying deep inside.

The commentator’s voice boomed across the beach, announcing your names, and the crowd erupted with cheers louder than the waves crashing behind you.

With one hand holding your surfboard and one hand holding ellie's you were more than ready to face whatever the ocean had to offer.

You stepped forward with Ellie, the sand cool beneath your feet and the salty breeze brushing against your face.

Ellie gave your hand a reassuring squeeze,"Ready?"

"Always"you nodded before she let go of your hand, lifting her surfboard with ease.

The roar of the ocean sounded less intimidating now and more like an invitation.

Both of you paddled out into the water, finding your rhythm as you navigated the swells. The ocean churned beneath you, each wave growing taller, sharper, and more powerful.

'Dont overthink too much'

Ellie caught the first wave, her movements fluid and confident as she carved through the water. She rode the crest with precision, her board gliding over the shimmering surface as if it were an extension of her. Then, with a burst of speed, she launched herself into the air, twisting her body into a corkscrew before landing gracefully.

The crowd erupted into cheers as she paddled back out to join you.

Your turn came quickly.

The wave rose high behind you, its power vibrating through the water. You pushed forward, feeling the surge of adrenaline as you stood on your board. The wind rushed past your face as you leaned into the wave, your body moving instinctively.

Then, you saw your opportunity.

The wave curled into a perfect barrel, and you disappeared inside, the world narrowing to nothing but the wall of water around you. Time seemed to slow as you emerged from the tube, launching into the air. You spun—once, twice, three times—before landing smoothly, the ocean steady beneath your feet.

Ellie had told you to do this trick again,it easily impressed her so it would surely leave the same effect on the jury.

The competition continued, with both of you pushing yourselves above limits you would have thought were impossible to reach a few weeks ago,each performance feeding off the energy of the other.

Ellie executed a flawless 360 flip, followed by a graceful descent back onto the wave. You responded with a series of rapid cuts, spraying water high into the air as you sliced through the wave’s face.

But toward the end, Ellie caught a towering wave that swelled higher and faster than expected. You watched from a distance as she launched into the air for a daring trick, her body twisting perfectly.

For a moment, it looked like she’d nailed it,but the landing came too fast.

Her board slipped out from under her, and she hit the water with a splash, disappearing beneath the surface.

“Ellie!” you shouted, fear gripping your chest as you paddled toward her.

She resurfaced quickly, coughing,“I’m fine. Go finish it"

You teared your gaze away from Ellie ,focusing on finishing what you started instead.

The pressure was on, but you took a deep breath and refocused. The ocean offered you one last wave, and you seized it. Riding its crest, you leaned into a sharp turn, letting the power of the water propel you forward. As the wave began to close, you leapt into the air for one final spin, landing cleanly to the sound of the crowd roaring in approval.

When you paddled back to shore, Ellie was there waiting, the crowd erupted once more, cheering for your performance.

Despite Ellie’s fall, the energy was undeniable,you had both given the audience a show to remember.

"Are you okay?" you asked, concern evident in your voice as you looked at her, her wet auburn hair plastered to her face.

It was the first time you'd ever seen her fall.

"Yeah, it’s nothing," she replied, her gaze refusing to meet yours.

Maybe she was upset—falling at such a decisive moment, especially when she never struggled with those same tricks in practice, away from the watchful eyes of others.

You decided not to press further, not wanting to make it seem like a bigger deal than it was. Truly, it wasn’t. You knew Ellie’s strengths, her skills, and how she was better than all the surfers here combined.

After what felt like an eternity, the judges finally delivered their verdict, the commentator’s voice ringing out loud and clear.

You had won first place.

A warmth of pride and joy spread through your chest. Your first victory in surfing—and you won it alongside the person you loved most in this world.

"You did it," Ellie said, her eyes finally meeting yours, glowing with pride.

To her, your tricks had saved the team. If not for you, her wipeout would have surely dragged her rank lower.

But you disagreed. "We did it."

Ellie had done more than just fall. Her tricks were far more advanced than any of the others here. Her fall wasn’t from a lack of competence—it was a reminder that she was human.

She was just like you.

And in that moment, you realized she wasn’t the perfect image you’d painted in your head. You didn’t have to envy her skills anymore.

Without thinking, you leaned in, planting a quick kiss on her cheek.

In the span of a few seconds, her face turned as red as a tomato, her eyes wide in surprise. But it didn’t take long for that shy smile of hers to return.

Before either of you could say much, the two of you were surrounded by the second and third-place teams, posing with your golden medals for local photographers and fumbling through unprepared answers for eager journalists.

"Ellie! Ellie, over here!"

Both of you turned toward the high-pitched voice.

A little boy came running across the sand, his eyes shining with excitement as he approached Ellie.

"Can you sign my shirt, please?" he asked, tugging at his blank white shirt impatiently.

"Sure, where’s your pen?" Ellie asked, noticing he hadn’t brought one.

The boy dashed back to his parents and returned quickly, nearly stumbling on the sand. He handed Ellie a black marker.

Crouching down to his level, Ellie quickly sketched a moth before signing her initials beneath it.

"You’re so cool! My mom says I can’t surf because it’s too dangerous, but when I grow up, you’ll teach me, right?" he asked, looking up at her with hopeful eyes.

Ellie straightened, returning the marker to him with a soft smile. But this time, the smile didn’t quite reach her eyes.

"Of course," she said, ruffling the boy’s hair. His face lit up with pure joy.

You watched the scene unfold, your heart warming at the sight. For the boy, it was undoubtedly the best day of his summer.

As Ellie stepped back, the boy turned to you, holding out the pen hesitantly.

You crouched down, ready to sign something for him as well.

"Who are you?"

Your smile faltered.

"I won the prize with her. You didn’t see me? I was right beside her on the wave," you said, trying to mask your disappointment.

He shook his head. "Uh, no."

Ellie, failing to suppress her laughter, quickly looked away, her shoulders shaking with amusement.

You really thought you’d leave a lasting impression with your moves, but maybe your expectations were too high for certain people.

“See you next time!” the boy waved as he ran off.

But you knew he only meant it for one person.

A few minutes later, your prize was ready. The bald commentator approached, holding a massive check in his hands, the flashes of cameras nearly blinding you if you dared to keep your eyes open for more than a few seconds.

You’d never received a check this large before—and neither had Ellie. When the sun began dipping below the horizon, you decided to do something special to celebrate your first win with her.

Your initial thoughts included hosting a small party with her and the other surfers or simply spending time together at your apartment. But every plan sank before it could fully form.

“Yeah, uh, maybe next time? I’m just really tired right now,” she admitted, struggling to meet your disappointed gaze.

You didn’t press her further. She’d been training alongside you for this competition, pushing herself hard and taking on the punishing waves. These daily surf sessions must have drained her—not just physically.

So, you nodded and handed her the check, trusting you’d see her again tomorrow, just as you had every day this summer.

But the next day, she didn’t even answer your texts.

10:03 AM: “Wanna meet up to cash the check together ?”

10:10 AM: “Ellie?”

Normally, she would’ve replied almost instantly—telling you she was on her way to the beach or asking if you planned to surf all day so she could tidy up her room before you came over, half-exhausted from the waves.

But today, you weren’t even left on read.

10:11 AM: “You awake?"

Still hopeful, you drove to the beach with your surfboard, heading to your usual spot on the sand.

The sun moved lazily across the sky, but Ellie never appeared. Hours later, when you checked your phone, you finally saw a reply.

5:46 PM:“Spent the whole day cleaning up. Maybe tomorrow"

Cleaning? Ellie, who always said surfing was her escape, choosing chores over the ocean?

You guys had just won something together—something that might not seem huge to her, given the collection of gold medals and trophies on her shelves. But it was monumental to you. It was proof that every single roll of the wave, every fall, and every hour of effort had been worth it. Proof that, for once, you didn’t suck at sports.

With a heavy heart, you still replied that tomorrow worked, still holding out for an explanation for her unusual behavior.

The next day, the sun still shone with the same brightness as yesterday, and the beach was alive with cheerful vacationers and competitive surfers. Life around you continued as if everything were normal—as if Ellie hadn’t stood you up for the second time in a row.

The waves ahead of you, no matter how huge or threatening, couldn’t drown out your thoughts about Ellie’s strange behavior.

Everyday when you checked your phone, you were met with more excuses and apologies, followed by hours of silence.

6:13 PM :"Jesse wanted to hang out. How about tomorrow morning?"

4:44 PM:"Sorry I overslept"

9:55 AM :"I’m tired, sorry."

Was it you? Had you done something to upset her? Maybe kissing her cheek had crossed a line? Maybe you’d made a sarcastic comment she took to heart? Or was it her fall during the competition? She knew this ocean better than anyone, yet she stumbled while you didn’t.

The absence gnawed at your mind. Each day apart stretched the distance between you painfully further.

Then, one day, the sun didn’t make its usual bright appearance, hidden behind gray clouds. That was when you learned the truth.

Ellie had used all the prize money.

It wasn’t something you’d explicitly agreed to split, but you thought it was obvious—you were partners, weren’t you? You’d imagined using that money to explore different seas together, creating memories beyond the beach. Fairs, aquariums, movies—anything to make her smile and deepen the bond you believed was also precious to her.

But it wasn’t just the money that churned the storm in your heart.

It was the fact that she wasn’t sharing anything with you anymore.

Ignoring you for days, as if you had never carved each other’s names on your boards.

As if you had never spent hours talking under the stars until the sun rose.

As if she didn’t have to buy a new journal because pages of you filled her other one.

Was she just pretending all this time?

“Hey, what’s up?” a random surfer asked, sliding unsteadily on the wet sand to catch up with you.

You’d noticed more people recognized you after the competition, finally learning your name now that Ellie hadn’t been on the beach for days. But still, you were known only as her partner.

“You seen Ellie around?” he asked again, a smirk tugging at his lips.

He knew.

Everyone knew Ellie didn’t share the prize with you, leaving you alone on the beach.

And you knew what everyone thought of her now.

“No,” you replied sharply, hoping to end the conversation.

But he pressed on, his friends trailing behind him like a pack of seagulls circling a stranded fish.

“Is it true?” he asked, stepping in front of you to block your path. “The rumors? That she didn’t give you a single cent?”

His friends burst into laughter, as if being used was the punchline of the century.

It took every ounce of restraint not to slam your surfboard into his face and wipe that grin away.

“What do you want?” you asked coldly, your piercing gaze silencing their mocking snickers.

You were already upset enough about Ellie. You didn’t need random surfers adding fuel to the fire burning in your heart.

“I’m just asking, bro. Chill out.” He stepped back, raising his hands in mock surrender. Then, with a smug grin, he added, “But I gotta say...”

You didn’t want to listen, but his words forced their way into your mind like uninvited guests.

“...That was a really asshole move.”

An asshole move?

Definitely.

But was Ellie an asshole?

"I wouldn’t stick with her if I were you," his words lingered in the air as he slid away with his group.

Ellie wasn’t an asshole, right?

She was a smoker, but were you really just a stash of cigarettes?Something she burned through, inhaling every last bit of you to appease her cravings, only to toss you away once you were used up?

But if you were a cigarette, wouldn’t that make you her addiction? Something she couldn’t live without for the rest of her life?

You needed to know.

You had to.

You didn’t want those random dudes, who knew nothing about you or Ellie, to be right.

Since the texts and calls hadn’t worked, you decided to show up at her apartment. Taking a deep breath to calm your racing heart, you raised your hand, ready to knock on her door.

But the sound of paper rustling at your feet made you pause.

You bent down, picked it up, and unfolded it to reveal her handwriting:

“I think it’s better if we don’t see each other for a while. Sorry.”

Maybe she was right.

Maybe she’d be better off without the warmth of your hand.

And you,without the cold of hers.

[sonic-takeover]

(Urgh the setup, now that Sonic's actually getting pushed around in the pool I'm more worried about the hooligans showing up in the middle of their fun time. 😭 The suspense is good but now I can't wait to see what happens. You'll have me checking every chance I get tomorrow if we're done playing for the night Mod, good stuff! Poor Sonic if they attack him while he's that vulnerable though, especially if they cause him to get pushed towards the deeper end of the pool. 😭)

Tails... Charmy... Go inside.

But-

Now, fox. Do as your brother says.

*Tails relunctantly nods and picks up Charmy, flying him inside since his wings are still wet* Okay.. Be careful! *They disappear inside the bigass house*

*Shadow helps Sonic out of the pool and climbs out of the water to stand next to him. Wave climbs out beside them, glaring at the trespassers. She's seen them before. Rouge and Silver get out of the pool on the opposite side, unsure if they're needed to handle the threat. Espio moves forward to stand in front of everyone else, squaring his shoulders as he stares down the enemy*

*At the edge of the backyard, three mobians stand shoulder to shoulder. On the left, Bean the Dynamite. The green bird is doing a goofy scowl with one eyebrow raised, tossing a fist-sized bomb up and down in one hand. On the right, Bark the Polar Bear. Towering above the other two, the silent fighter is rolling his shoulders and punching his fist into his gloved hand, his eyes narrow. In the center stands their leader, Fang the Sniper. He stands wide-legged with one hand hovering above the handle of his popgun, ready to draw. His lip curls in a snarl as he takes in the group before him. It's not a fair fight, but it sure is a showdown*

Well well well... What a mighty strange group of fellers we got here.

Yeah! Who's the Mister Grumpyface Broodington Edgelord of the Hot Topic?? Nice highlights, Dracula!!

What did you just call me, punk?? *Shadow growls and steps forward, fists clenched*

Shadow. *Sonic puts a hand on Shadow's check to stop him* Ignore him.

Hey!! Don't ignore me, that's rude!

*Bean gets ignored. Espio steps forward, his hands forming mudras as he calms his mind in preparation for a fight* We meet again, Hooligans.

Aaah yes. Team Chaotic. At long last we get a rematch.

Chaotix. What have we to fight over? You have no reason to be here. Our fight ended ages ago.

Yeah right! I know what you and yer fellas did to our tracker, ya yellowbellied bastard. Screwed it up is what you did! Now we've had to track emeralds down the hard way!

*Espio crosses his arms. He doesn't betray it very much, but there's a twinkle in his eye showing he's pleased with himself* Oh really. How unfortunate.

That bein' said, lizard, we're in the know 'bout yer emerald. Hand it over. Or things. Get. Ugly.

What emerald? *Espio stays cool and collected. Sonic and Shadow exchange a glance. Fang notices*

One of y'all has it and I know!! But I won't take an unfair fight. You, the emo, and the Blue Blur. You got to the count of three before the fightin' begins! Ready??

The what??

There's no emerald. This is pointless.

'Nuff talk! One! *He takes one step forward. His buddies follow*

You're making a fool of yourself, Nack.

Two!! *One more collective step*

*Espio sighs and calls over his shoulder* Prepare yourselves. They're being idiots.

THREE!! DRAW!! *He takes out his popgun and shoots a cork at Espio. He dodges it easily, letting it fly into the pool behind him and the others*

*Espio chuckles coldly as the rest of the group retreats to the side of the house, shrugging apologetically at the three left fighting. Shadow glares at Rouge. She blows him a kiss for good luck. He glares harder. He's brought back to the fight as Bark punches him in the cheek, sending him flying into the pool as his defenses were down. The fight has begun*

[lothirielswandc]

Read the full story on AO3 here!

Tires squealed across the pavement. A flash of black and white hurtled towards them.

Harley’s already-pale complexion became ghostly. She bit her lip. “Fuck.”

Raven looked between her and the black and white-checkered limo. On each square, an old-fashioned outline of a jester in a clown suit smiled with eerie eyes and too-wide mouths. 

It screeched to a stop a few yards away.

“Dammit.” Gordon muttered curses under his breath. GCPD officers swarmed around them, some taking positions in front of them, others hiding behind the cars, pistols aimed at the newcomers.

A clown in a formal suit-and-tie emerged from the driver’s seat. They sauntered toward the middle section, and pried open the door. 

“We have to get out of here. Now. Take Robin.” Harley gave Damian another shove towards the inside of the police car. “Raven, come on.” 

Raven watched, frozen. Thoughts scattered in her mind as two long legs appeared beneath the car door. Green socks stretched out beneath violet pants. 

“Raven.” Harley pulled on her arm.

Raven had never met the Joker. Damian and Constantine had excessively forbidden it during her Gotham visits. As an empath, nothing could be more dangerous than being in a room with a mentally, emotionally, unstable murderer. Now, that fear no longer existed.

Except for the whole not-having-powers part. 

A slender figure stood, casting a too-large smirk at the weapons pointed at his face. Emerald eyes caught hers. 

He wasn't there during the Flashpoint. An epiphany struck her hard. Who was the first person Batman killed when Darkseid took control over him? Who would’ve been the biggest threat, the true monster among monsters? 

Raven took a step forward.

Joker’s grin grew wider, stretching to his ears.

Raven walked across the blocked-off street. Cops murmured behind her. Adrenaline thrummed beneath her skin, just as it had with Bane. 

A pair of footsteps ran to her side.

“Are you nuts?” Harley hissed in her ear. “Get in the car. Now .” 

Raven didn't look away. “But he wasn't there during…he could help —”

“Raven, I was his psychologist. For years. Look at what he did to me. Do you think the Joker is capable of helping anybody?” Harley’s nails pierced Raven’s skin, biting into her arm. 

“Trigon’s little bird!” Joker clapped his hands together. “Good to finally see you in person. I can't believe it's taken this long for us to finally meet.”

“Take a good look!” Harley scoffed. “ ‘Cuz this is it, asshat!”

Joker ignored her with a brief frown. His smile always returned. “Your daddy told me you’d stop by…eventually.” 

Raven’s jaw clenched. She tried to not let surprise seep onto her face. She tried to remain smooth, even as her fingers continued to shake at her sides. 

Raven turned to Harley. Her voice was more calm than she expected, “Harley, please take Robin home. I’ll see you at the GCPD station.”

Harley gawked at her. Raven took advantage of her surprise, shrugging out of Harley’s grip. She took brisk steps towards the Joker.

Joker held out a gloved hand to Raven. She regarded it, but didn't dare reach out to touch him. His jade brow rose.

“So stiff. Why don't you join me for a night on the town? Robins can be so dull — they’re really party killers .” Joker held her gaze, laughter dancing in his eyes, as his words cut deep. 

Jason, I’m sorry. Harley, I’m sorry. Damian, I’m sorry. Dick, I’m so, so — 

Raven’s fists were numb. Regret already pooled in her stomach. But she had no choice. If she was powerless — permanently, or for too long — their plans against Darkseid would fail. They needed an alternative. 

“You know of the Flashpoint,” said Raven.

Joker bowed his head, curls alive and writhing along his scalp. “It’s a vivid thing, Batsy killing you. It’s my favorite nightmare. Always wake up laughing…”

“You can stop him,” said Raven. She added, “Darkseid, I mean.”

Joker gestured at the limo. “I can be persuaded.” 

Raven looked between Joker and the car door. Darkness awaited her inside. She was vaguely away of Harley still standing a few feet away. The cops eyes’ punctured her back like icicles, transfixed.

Raven lifted her chin. “Let’s talk business.” 

Joker turned away from her. He seized the driver, waiting still and patient beside the car. Gloved hands curled around the clown’s neck, and removed the tie. 

Joker strode toward Raven, black tie in hand. Without warning, he strapped the thin fabric over Raven’s eyes, wrapping it tight behind her skull. 

Harley and Jim Gordon’s shouts of protests filled the street. Raven was pulled forward, stumbling into darkness. 

The limo door slammed shut.

Read the full story on AO3 here!