allthingsr-betternotbeingnormal - Tumblr blog

allthingsr-betternotbeingnormal · 4 months ago

Text

long gone

Din Djarin x f!reader | 6.3k | 18+ | main masterlist | ao3

summary: Din won't let himself remember.

a/n: hi everything is terrible right now and I channeled that into some angst! This is for @almostfoxglove's let's write some angst challenge -- PLEASE go look at the amazing moodboard Freya made me. I borrowed two of the images for the header. and yes, the prompt is "avoid mementos." 👀 thank you @katareyoudrilling for beta-ing and being generally amazing!

tags/warnings: angst, Razor crest destruction, flirting, flirting with intent, memories, touching, holding hands, banter, smut - fondling, groping, grinding, manhandling, fingering, p-in-v sex, praising (mesh’la, good girl), being restrained, cuddling, i'm not lying about the angst, fyi

...

Din still dreamed of it sometimes.

It had taken him a moment to really understand the truth when it happened. He’d been panicked, out of his mind with worry for Grogu. When Fett had blown the Storm Troopers out of the sky, he’d felt, for a brief moment, like he could breathe. Ready to run back up the hill and grab his kid.

And then he’d turned around and lost everything else he had in the blink of an eye.

He’d run forward a few steps, wanting to stop it, but what could he have done? He’d stood there, frozen. Staring. It had felt incomprehensible then and it still did, sometimes. The Crest, gone? For good? After all the credits, the long days and nights and years, the blood, sweat, and actual tears he’d put into her?

How could she be gone?

He still looked for her in loading bays. He still pictured her anytime he thought about heading home at the end of a long day, anytime someone asked if he had somewhere to stay.

She was his home.

And when she was destroyed, everything he owned was, too. As he pulled the beskar spear and the little silver ball from the wreckage, his gut had wrenched with the knowledge of what he’d lost. His weapons, painstakingly collected and claimed over his years hunting and fighting. His tools and clothes, not necessarily precious, but unmistakably his, perfect for his needs.

Din wasn’t the type of man who kept mementos. Before Grogu, he didn’t have much of anything to keep mementos of. He didn’t have trinkets or souvenirs or keepsakes. He had himself and he had his ship.

But still, he couldn’t help but count the things he’d lost sometimes, especially on nights he couldn’t sleep. He’d lie there, wherever there was for the night, and cycle through the images in his mind. The Crest herself, of course. His weapons. That one rifle he’d favored. His extra cape. His tools. His favorite flightsuit.

Grogu’s hammock.

As he walked the Crest in his mind’s eye, he would picture every corner he’d known so well, every scratch on the floor and dent in the plating. The one ladder rung that listed a bit to the right and the crate with the latch that stuck, that only he knew the trick to get open.

Even after he got Grogu back, he would fall asleep dreaming of the home he lost.

And even then, walking the length of his ship night after night, his mind still shied away from remembering it fully. He couldn’t – wouldn’t – let himself turn his mind’s eye to the darkest corner of his bunk, the one he knew without a doubt he could still remember perfectly, even though he could never quite bring himself to think about it.

The one with the metal strut so perfectly placed, directly in his line of vision when he would lay down to catch what sleep he could.

The one with the metal strut that had the thin length of braided leather twisted and tied around it, and then knotted securely in place. It had been dark brown, the painted design long since worn off, worried between nervous fingers.

It had been yours. And now it was gone.

…

Mando was your favorite customer.

He didn’t come by often – you knew he was busy chasing bounties around the galaxy. That was how you’d met the first time, after all. He’d found his quarry right there in the cantina where you worked on Takodana. You’d watched, intrigued, as an unknown Mandalorian stalked in, tall and menacing. The guy at the end of the bar – the new guy, who had just arrived that day – had taken one look and made to run for it. But the Mandalorian had quickly captured him with some sort of cord that whipped out of his vambrace. He’d easily hefted his quarry over his broad shoulders, nodded to you, and left.

It had all happened so quickly, and the bar had been so busy at the time, you’d had no choice but to put it out of your mind. So you’d been surprised when he came back the next day, and even more surprised when he’d politely asked you where he might find the closest mechanic.

You still remembered how it had felt when he’d stepped up to the bar in front of you. You were intimidated, even though his body language was so different from the first time you saw him. All of the menace and threat he’d carried with him so easily seemed to have disappeared. He was still armored, of course, and the helmet alone was mysterious and intimidating, but he didn’t loom.

“A ship mechanic?” you’d asked, setting down the glass you’d been cleaning. When he nodded, you continued, “the best one around is Taz, down by the shipyard. Tell him I sent you and he won’t overcharge you.” You gave him your name.

The Mandalorian had paused and tilted his head. “Thank you,” he’d said in his low voice, but it sounded like a question.

You remembered smiling when you answered, “that guy you carried off yesterday harassed three of the servers and tried to start a fight with Gareth at the door before you got here. So take it as a thank you for taking out the trash.” And he hadn’t even made a mess while doing it.

His shoulders had twitched, then, and you wondered if he was stifling a laugh. Looking back, you knew that was it, but at the time you hadn’t known him at all, couldn’t read his body language yet.

“Alright,” he said, nodding. “Thank you.” This time it didn’t sound like a question.

You’d offered him a drink but he’d refused. As he started to turn to leave, you’d felt a twinge of disappointment that made you call out, “well, next time, then.”

He’d paused, and turned his head to look back at you over his shoulder. After a pause, he’d said, “we’ll see.” Watching him go, you couldn’t help but notice that his shoulders really were very broad.

He’d been back three weeks later. “On a hunt,” he said, as he slid onto a stool across from you. His quarry wasn’t on Takodana that time, but he’d stopped to refuel and stock up on supplies. It was on his way, he said, but you noticed he was a bit tense as he said it.

You couldn’t help but wonder if he’d thought of you at all, like you’d thought of him (and his shoulders) from time to time.

“Well, I’m glad to see you again. Can I get you a drink this time? I still need to thank you.”

But he shook his head, refusing both the drink and the thanks. “I’ll take something to go. And you did thank me – Taz gave me a discount.”

“Good,” you said, leaning onto your elbows on the bar. “You know, you didn’t give me your name last time.”

He was quiet for a long moment and you felt heat start to creep up your neck, embarrassed. You wanted to take it back, and were wondering what you should say, when finally he said, “call me Mando.”

You nodded, wanting to ask more but not wanting to chase him away. He was so hard to read. “Alright. Mando.”

He lingered a bit, and you found yourself telling him how long you’d been on Takodana (a little over a year) and about the cantina and what you liked about it.

“Do you stop here much?” you asked, but doubted it, since you had never seen him before.

He shook his head. “Not in the Mid Rim much.”

That made sense, with what little you knew about bounty hunting. “Well, make sure you drop by next time. I should be here.”

You’d surprised him with that. He leaned back on his stool and looked you over. “Why?”

There was no rancour in his voice. He seemed genuinely curious.

“Well, why did you come back this time?” You smiled at him and winked, wishing briefly you could tell if he smiled back.

He’d been quiet again, but surprised you with his reply, avoiding your question. “I don’t know when, but if I come back, I’ll stop by.”

You nodded. You were honestly a bit glad the question had gone unanswered – you weren’t sure you could answer it yourself. You just… liked him. Wouldn’t mind seeing him again.

And he did come back a month later, and then two weeks after that. He came to talk to you each time, always taking food to go, never staying long, though he did ask you about your work. You fell into a habit of giving him updates on the local gossip, which seemed to amuse him, if nothing else. And then, three months after you’d first met, he’d come to visit on his way back from a hunt, rather than on his way out.

“Mando!” you greeted, grinning at him. It was early afternoon, so the cantina wasn’t busy. The perfect time for your favorite customer to slide onto the stool across from you and take up all of your attention. “You’re back.” You leaned on the bar across from him and noticed his hand twitched where it rested flat on the bartop.

He said your name and you hoped he didn’t notice the shiver that ran up your spine. His voice was as deep as always. “Finished up with the pucks I had, figured I’d stop for supplies on my way back. And get an update on your noisy neighbors, of course. And that feud in the market.”

The teasing was new. It made your heart rate pick up and you leaned closer. You laced your fingers together, resisting the urge to reach out and touch his hand, which was still lying on the bartop just a few inches from yours. You’d wondered, during his last visit, if he was flirting with you. He’d leaned a little closer to be heard – it had been busier in the cantina – and his gloved fingers had brushed briefly against yours to get your attention. But you worried you were reading into his actions, seeing what you wanted.

Why would he come all the way out here, though – just to talk to you? That couldn’t be right.

“Well, I’m glad to see you,” you said, smiling. “Where were you this time?”

He told you, briefly, explaining that he’d chased four quarries across five planets. It had taken him a bit longer than he expected. He didn’t give you too many details about the hunts themselves, but you were still impressed.

And you couldn’t help but notice that all five planets were in the Outer Rim.

Wherever he was going back to, Takodana was very much not on his way there. It couldn’t be.

A warm feeling started to fill your chest, and you felt your smile grow wider. “That’s impressive, Mando. How do you keep all of them in your ship?”

“Carbon freezer.”

“Of course.” You wanted to ask more but the knowledge that he’d come here, out of his way, was taking up all the space in your mind. Here. To see you? You wanted to hope and were afraid to hope, all at the same time. Should I ask? You didn’t want to scare him away, but oh, you wanted to know.

You had to know.

“Mando,” you said, and you unlaced your fingers, pressing your palms flat against the bartop. “I can’t help but notice something.”

He hummed, helmet tilted down. You wondered if he was as aware of your hands as you were of his.

You listed off the planets he’d mentioned and his helmet snapped back up. You hoped he was meeting your gaze. “Those are all in the Outer Rim.”

He nodded and you watched a bit of tension enter his shoulders.

You started to smile again. “Takodana is Mid Rim.”

He nodded and started to lean just a bit away from you. You didn’t like that.

You slid your hand forward on the bartop, nudging your fingertips gently against his. “Mando, did you really just stop for supplies?”

He was quiet for a moment, and you hoped you hadn’t pushed him too far. But then suddenly he picked up his hand and laced his fingers through yours. His hand was big and his glove was so soft. You felt warmth wash over your body and wondered if he could see the effect he had on you. It felt obvious, written all over your face.

“I do need supplies,” he said, voice low, “but Takodana isn’t exactly on my way, no.”

You’d grinned, then, and squeezed his hand. “I thought I was imagining the flirting.”

Mando shook his head, and leaned closer. Your forehead was almost touching his helmet when he murmured, “no.”

“You know,” you said, voice teasing, tracing his gloved fingers with your free hand, “if you wanted to stay a bit longer, this time, I might know somewhere you could stay the night.”

He was quiet again, and you wondered if somehow you’d still gotten it all wrong. You started to move your hands away from his but he held on, squeezing gently. “The helmet. I– it stays on.”

You looked at him, thinking about how that fit with his secretiveness about his identity and the details of his work. “Alright,” you agreed. “What about the rest of it?”

He shifted in his seat, and you grinned. “The rest of it?” he asked, sounding confused.

You nodded. “Is it just the helmet, or does all of your armor have to stay on? Gotta admit, I can work with that.”

His grip tightened on your hand again and you bit your lip. His helmet tilted downwards and you shivered. “Just the helmet,” he said, voice almost a growl.

“Ok,” you breathed, and you knew he could probably hear your reaction to his voice in your own. “I’ll be done after the dinner rush. Walk me home?”

He nodded. “I’ll go take care of those supplies. But I’ll be back.” Before he stood, his left hand, which to this point had stayed in his lap, appeared above the bartop. He lifted it slowly and ran his thumb lightly along your jaw. “Later,” he promised. Your eyes drifted closed at his gentle touch on your face, and you heard him take a deep breath.

He pulled away, and when you opened your eyes, he was already headed towards the door.

You floated through the rest of your shift, something your coworkers couldn’t help but comment on. You only smiled and shrugged. You couldn’t believe you’d been right – Mando had been coming back just for you. It made your entire body feel warm and tingly, even as you wondered what you could possibly have done to catch his eye like this.

He’d obviously caught yours – how could he not, with that walk, and those shoulders, and those hands, and that competence? Everything about him screamed danger but he’d never turned that on you. He’d been nothing but polite and, later, teasing. Flirting with you.

And you were pretty sure he’d be able to hold you up against a wall and fuck you.

You found yourself holding an overflowing glass under the running sink, staring off into space, just thinking about it. Shaking your head, you started moving again and laughed at yourself. A few more hours, you thought, and you’d find out.

When he came back, about half an hour from the end of your shift, you didn’t see him come in. The cantina was busy, and you were working quickly behind the bar. And then, when you turned away from the drinks you’d just placed in front of another customer, there he was across the bar.

You grinned. “You’re back!” you greeted, echoing yourself from earlier in the day. “I’ll be done soon.”

He nodded and leaned forward on the bar. “I can wait for you outside.”

You shook your head. “No, stay there. It’s busy but I can still talk a little.”

He slid onto a stool and settled in. You turned away to help the customers who were waiting and by the time you got back to him a few minutes later, you noticed that a little space had opened up on either side of him. You quirked an eyebrow.

He shrugged. “People don’t usually want to get too close.”

You smirked at him and winked. “Not all people,” you said, teasing.

Mando tilted his head at you and you had a feeling he was smirking back. “No?”

You leaned in so you wouldn’t have to shout to be heard, and he tilted his helmet towards you to help. It made you smile. “Just leaves more room for someone who might want to get closer.”

You started to pull away, but his hand caught yours. He squeezed gently. “Not afraid of the big, bad bounty hunter?” His voice was still teasing, flirting, but you wondered if he meant it.

You laughed and shook your head. “Afraid? Of the strong, attractive man who took care of an asshole customer and crossed the galaxy just to see me?” You squeezed his hand back and leaned back in. “No, Mando. I’m not afraid of you.” You slipped one of your fingers just under the edge of his glove, brushing lightly against his skin. You were close enough to see his sharp intake of breath.

“How much longer?” he growled, and you grinned.

“Ten minutes,” you promised, and moved away to finish up your shift. You felt his eyes on you the entire time.

When you finally turned back to him, he was watching you with his hands flat on the bartop. You smiled. “Meet me out front?”

He nodded, and silently stood and turned for the door. You watched him go, just for a moment, and then turned to grab your things.

Rana, your fellow bartender, was standing just a few feet away and smirking at you. “Is that your Mando?” they grinned.

You rolled your eyes. “He’s not my Mando.”

“You sure about that?” They shook their head and waved you away. “Go on, don’t keep him waiting.”

You laughed and did as they said. When you stepped outside a moment later, Mando was leaning against the wall of the cantina, looking nonchalant and very attractive. You smiled. “Mando.”

He said your name and straightened up. “Still got a place for me to stay?”

It warmed you a little, that he wanted to check in like that. “Follow me. It’s not far.”

He fell into step beside you, and you noticed he made sure to place himself between you and the path. It made you smile.

The building with the rooms you rented was just around the corner, and you couldn’t resist reaching down to grab Mando’s hand as you turned. “Here,” you said, and bit your lip when he laced his fingers through yours.

You stepped inside the vestibule and reached into your bag for the fob that would open your door with your free hand. As you searched for it, you felt Mando step up behind you. He let go of your hand but before you could even feel disappointed he rested his hands lightly on your hips. You sucked in a sharp breath just as the door finally opened, and he followed you inside.

“Mando–” you started to say something, you weren’t sure what, but before you could you found yourself with your back against your door and a very attractive, strong Mandalorian crowding you against it.

You realized he’d somehow taken off his gloves without you noticing when his bare hand touched your neck, holding you lightly in place. You shivered.

“Tell me what you want,” he said, voice low and gravely. His thumb ran up and down the side of your neck and you found yourself gripping his cape where it bunched around his neck.

“What–” you took a deep breath. “Is it just the helmet? Is there anything else I should know?”

He shook his head and leaned closer. “Just the helmet. Tell me what you want, mesh’la.”

You smiled at him, tracing the lines of his visor with your eyes. “You, Mando. Since the first time I saw you.”

He kicked your legs slightly farther apart and slotted his thigh in between yours. The pressure of his armor against your pussy made you gasp.

“The first time?” he murmured. “When I carried that hu’tuun out of the cantina?” He sounded surprised.

You nodded. “You’re very strong, you know.” He huffed a laugh and it made you grin. “And you came back.”

He nodded and leaned the side of his helmet against your head. His free hand came to rest on your hip and tugged you closer to him. You sighed at the way his thigh pressed tighter against you.

“Mando…” you trailed off when his hand slipped around and gripped the back of your neck. “Why did you come back?”

The hand on your hip began to travel upwards, snaking under your top, and you sighed again.

“You weren’t afraid of me,” he said, voice low. “You thanked me.” His fingers danced higher. “And you wanted me to come back.”

You blinked. “That’s it?”

He laughed again, and it made you smile. “And you’re beautiful. I noticed you the moment I stepped inside, the first time.”

“Really?” you grinned at him, flattered. “And you came back?”

He made a sound under the helmet that you were pretty sure was another laugh. It did something to you, that you could make this man – this warrior — laugh. This time he tugged you away from the wall and started to walk backwards into your apartment. You reached for the light, but he caught your hand and shook his head. The streetlight through your light curtains cast him in shadow. “I told you. People don’t usually want to get closer, when they see me. Never anyone like you.”

You shrugged, letting him lead you forward towards your bed. “Their loss.”

“Your door’s locked?” he asked, coming to a stop next to your door.

“My fob is the only thing that opens it. Why?”

He pulled the strap of your bag over your head. “Taking my armor off.”

You tilted your head. “You don’t have to, you know.”

Mando leaned closer and slipped his hands under your top. “I want to,” he murmured, and slipped it off and over your head.

You found yourself quickly stripped of everything but your smalls, while he still stood fully armored in front of you. You raised your eyebrows. “Need some help?”

He shook his head and reached for his left pauldron. “Faster if I do it.”

You stepped back and sat on the bed, noting that his helmet tracked you. You smiled and leaned back on your hands, stretching out your torso. “See something you like, Mando?”

His armor was disappearing quickly and forming a careful pile on your table. He stared at you the entire time. “Beautiful,” he murmured, down to only his flightsuit. You stood up when his hands moved to the zipper.

“Can I?” you asked, and he nodded. You replaced his hands with yours at the top of the zipper at his neck. You glanced up at his visor, and then back down to your hands.

As you unzipped him, slowly, you gasped. The skin you slowly revealed was golden and warm, and as his chest was revealed to you you felt your face and neck heat.

He was gorgeous. You could see his strength in the lines of his body and cut of his muscles. He was probably in his late 20s, if you had to guess, and in very good shape.

Your hands reached his waist and stopped, smoothing upwards over his torso instead. As soon as you touched him his hands were on you.

He grasped your waist, tugging you closer. When your skin touched his he moaned.

“Please,” you murmured, “touch me, Mando.”

His helmet tilted downward as he watched the path of his hands, smoothing over your back and down to your ass, which he squeezed. You jumped. “Take these off,” he said, tugging on your smalls.

“I will if you will,” you said, smiling.

Mando pulled your smalls down and guided you to sit on the bed. “Off,” he repeated, tugging them down your legs. He tossed them somewhere behind him and fell to his knees between your legs. “Lean back,” he said, voice firm, and you were falling onto the bed before you could think about it.

His shoulders were so broad, you had to open your legs to let him move closer. You knew you were wet, you’d been wet since he teased you in the cantina. Knowing he was looking at you now made you wetter.

You felt his fingers run up your inner thighs and shivered. “Can I make you come, mesh’la?” You shivered and nodded. He hummed in response. “Tell me,” he said, grabbing your hips.

“Yes,” you breathed, bucking slightly under his hands. “Please.”

Mando hummed and ran his fingers lightly over your pussy. You bucked your hips forward again, but his left forearm came down across your hips like a bar. “Easy,” he said, and his voice was so deep.

You felt two of his thick fingers open you up to him and gasped. You looked down and saw that his visor was fixed on the view in front of him.

He ran his fingers lightly from your clit to your entrance. “So wet,” he murmured. “For me?”

You nodded, letting your head fall back against the bed. “Since you touched me in the cantina,” you breathed, and he hummed again.

“Good girl.” HIs fingers began to circle your entrance as his thumb came to rest against your clit, and you moaned.

It took your breath away, how quickly he worked you up. Maybe it was the knowledge that he was watching so intently, maybe it was his voice. Maybe it was the press of his broad shoulders on your inner thighs. Maybe it was the skill of his fingers as he slipped one and then another inside of you, crooking them just right as his thumb worked your clit.

Maybe it was just him.

You felt an orgasm building inside of you quicker than you ever had before. His thick fingers had you gasping at the stretch, and his thumb kept up a rhythm that made you arch your back and try to thrust your hips forward under the firm grip of his left arm.

“Just like that,” he said, curling his fingers inside of you. “Come for me.”

You did. It crashed over you like a wave, washing down your spine and sending tingles across your skin. You gasped for air and arched your back, and for a moment you could have sworn you felt the cool pressure of his helmet press lightly against your pussy. As if he needed to get as close as possible to watch you come.

Before you could say anything, mind still spinning, pleasure dripping down your spine, he surged upwards and kicked off his flightsuit. You looked up, chest heaving, and watched as his cock sprang upwards. It was thick.

“Fuck,” you cursed, reaching for him. He set his knee down next to you and grabbed your hips, manhandling you into the center of the bed. Once he had you where he wanted you he leaned forward and pressed his chest to yours. You felt his cock brush against your hip and moaned.

You reached down for him and just brushed your fingers against his cock when he grabbed your hand. He trapped both of your hands over your head in one of his.

“Can I fuck you?” he asked, voice tight. “I want to see that again. I want you to come on my cock.”

You moaned and thrust your hips upwards. “Yes, Mando,” you said, almost begging. “Fuck me.”

“Are you–” he cut himself off on a moan when he thrust his cock against your hip. “Do you need–”

You twitched your hips towards him and shook your head. “Implant. Fuck me, Mando.”

He nodded and reached down to grasp his cock. You felt the head nudge at your pussy as he moved it up and down, lightly brushing over your clit. You looked down and watched the muscles in his torso flex as he held himself up, still holding your hands above your head with his other hand. He was so strong.

You felt his cock notch against your entrance and sucked in a sharp breath. “Yes–” you started to say, but before you could say anything else, he started to push inside.

Your back arched off the bed as he slowly pushed forward, sheathing himself inside of you. His cock had looked thick but it felt even thicker, opening you up slowly and unrelentingly. It felt so fucking good, and you thought you might have moaned his name – Mando – as he did but you were barely aware of anything but the way his cock stretched and filled you.

When his hips came to rest against yours, you both sighed. He leaned down, bracing himself on his elbow right by your head, and murmured, “good girl.”

You gasped, and at the same time he shifted his hips backwards. When he thrust into you again it felt like every nerve ending you had lit up all at once with pleasure.

“You take my cock so well,” he said, nudging his helmet against the side of your head. “Perfect.”

The rhythm of his hips, driving into you so solidly, took your breath away. You wrapped your legs around his waist and thrust your hips upwards to meet his, and something about the change in angle made another orgasm start to build inside of you. It was like fire licking up your spine.

“I can feel you,” he said, voice low, right next to your ear. He still had your hands trapped in his own and it was all you could do to try to keep up with his thrusts. “You’re about to come, aren’t you? You’re squeezing me, mesh’la.”

You nodded, and made some sort of noise that was half moan, half agreement. He huffed another laugh, and something about him laughing made the fire build higher inside of you.

“Come for me,” he said, voice commanding. “Now.”

You tipped over the edge as he demanded, and it pulled you down and swept you away like the tide. You cried out, you weren’t sure what, and felt his hips speed up as you rode the crest of your orgasm in his arms.

As the tingles ran down your spine like aftershocks, you felt him thrust once, twice more, and then moan into your ear as he came.

You were both panting, chests heaving, as he dropped his helmeted head onto the bed beside yours.

“Fuck,” you breathed, tugging at your hands. He released you, finally, and you wrapped your arms around his neck, burying your face in his sweaty shoulder. “Fuck,” you said again, a bit louder.

He laughed, again, and you pinched him. He squirmed and the movement of his soft dick inside of you made you gasp. He reached down and gently, much more gently than he’d fucked you, pulled out and then flopped next to you on the bed.

You turned on your side to look at him and were surprised when his arm came up to gather you against his side. You went with it and found yourself pressed against him with your head on his chest and your arm across his torso. His left hand came up to meet yours on his chest and he began to play idly with the stack of leather bracelets you always wore.

For a moment you both just breathed.

“You’re pretty good at that,” you said, finally, smiling against his chest.

He ran his hand soothingly up and down your spine and you melted into it. “Thanks.” He sounded amused. “So’re you.”

You laughed. “Want to do it again sometime?”

There was a long pause, and you bit your lip, afraid to look up and meet his gaze. Did he not want to?

But his left hand was still toying with your bracelets, and his other arm was still holding you tight against him. You waited.

“I do,” he said, voice wary. “I don’t know when I’ll be back. And it can only be this.”

You took that to mean it could only be sex, which was fine with you. “Just sex, as long as we both want to,” you agreed, finally turning to look at him. “Pretty great sex. Drop by anytime.” You winked at him and felt his laugh in his chest under your cheek.

“Pretty great sex,” he said. His hand trailed from your back down to your ass. He took a firm grip and squeezed. “Want to start now?”

You laughed and let him pull you on top of him. You did.

…

After that, Mando was a regular visitor on Takodana. He’d stop by every month or two and then stay the night, and it was an arrangement that suited both of you, it seemed. You were always happy to see him and he was always great in bed, but it didn’t go farther than that.

It worked.

Until you fucked it up.

…

You and Mando were lounging in your bed after yet another round of “pretty great sex” when you ruined everything.

“Hey,” you said, reaching over and tracing your fingertips lightly over his chest. “How far away is Takodana from… wherever it is that you go?”

He shifted, turning his helmet to look at you. “What do you mean?”

You shrugged, pulling your hand back. “There have been some other bounty hunters coming through here in the last few weeks. No idea where they’re going, but one of them mentioned Nevarro to one of the other bartenders and it made me wonder. That’s pretty far.”

He’d tensed at something you said, and you weren’t sure what. The other bounty hunters maybe? Shit.

“How many?” His voice wasn’t relaxed anymore and you propped yourself up on your elbow, wincing.

“Bounty hunters?” He nodded. “Four or five? Not sure. More than usual, definitely.” He sat up and you felt your stomach drop. “Mando?”

He swung his legs off the bed and you scrambled to follow. “I have to go.”

“Wait,” you said, almost jumping off the bed. “Why? Mando–”

But he was shaking his head, somehow already zipping up his flight suit. “This was a bad idea.”

That brought you up short. A bad idea? This was, what, the 15th time he’d been naked in your bed? Why now? “Mando, wait–”

He started attaching his armor and you felt yourself start to panic.

“I shouldn’t be here,” he said, voice suddenly distant. He hadn’t spoken to you like that – so emotionless, like a stranger – since the beginning. “No one can know I’ve been here.” He paused, holding his chest plate, and looked at you for the first time since he’d stood up. “Don’t tell anyone you knew me, alright?”

Knew. Past tense. Fuck. You’d known better, and you’d still broken the one unspoken rule – don’t ask Mando personal questions. Ever. Was that it?

“Mando, stop. What’s going on?” You knew you sounded desperate but you had no idea what was happening. “What are you talking about?”

He shook his head and you watched as he wrapped his cape around his neck. When he was done he was somehow already fully dressed. He looked at you again and seemed to take a deep breath. “Never tell another bounty hunter I was here, or that you knew me. Got it?”

You nodded, wrapping your arms around your naked chest. You felt suddenly exposed and self-conscious in a way you never had around him, not once. “Mando–”

“Never,” he repeated, voice harsh. “I shouldn’t have let this go on so long.” For the first time since he’d stood up, he seemed to hesitate. You stepped closer, but he stepped back, away from you. You felt your heart drop. You wished you weren’t naked.

He was leaving.

“I’m sorry,” he said, voice low. “I won’t be back. I can’t–” He looked down and you saw that his fists were clenched. When he looked back up at you, you couldn’t find anything recognizable in the way he held himself. Nothing about this man, this bounty hunter, was the Mando you knew, the one who had only moments before been naked and relaxed in your bed.

He turned without another word and walked towards your door. You felt yourself begin to shake and you weren’t sure if it was from frustration or anger or something else.

“Mando,” you said, voice shaky. “Please.” You weren’t sure what you were asking, only that you didn’t want things to end like this, with him so closed off and far away. You didn’t even know what had made him decide to go.

He stopped at the door and tilted his head slightly, but didn’t turn. “Goodbye, cyar’ika.” You’d never heard him use that word before and had no idea what it meant. You felt goosebumps break out all over your skin and held in a sob as the door closed behind him.

…

It wasn’t until a few days later that you noticed one of your bracelets was missing.

…

When Mando finally came back to Takodana months later, you were long gone.

And years later, as he avoided remembering that corner of the Crest, he knew – so was the last thing he had that was yours.

...

a/n: ow!! I'm sorry! *hides*

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allthingsr-betternotbeingnormal · 5 months ago

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𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 '𝟐𝟒 - 𝐟𝐢𝐜 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐬

a/n: welcome to my little reading corner! This post is my love letter to the fics and authors that stole my sleep, left me clutching my heart, or made me shed tears. These are the stories that left their mark on me last year. New or older, re-reads or first times. I hope you’ll find something here that speaks to you as deeply as it did to me. And if you have a recs to share or a favourite trope to gush about, my comment section is always open or jump here to tell me! Let’s keep celebrating the beautiful chaos of what this fandom can bring. Love you fairies. PS: I cannot wait to dive into the projects I have started on my own ♥

𝐑𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 @sailoryooons Namjoon x female reader; werewolf au - absolutely astonishing, amazing rendition of the trope, kept me in the world from beginning till the end, an unmissable gem; i've found it difficult to find good namjoon!werewolf content on this app for a long time and this just embodies everything and even more that I was hoping for.

𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐛𝐲 @personasintro min yoongi x reader; zombie apocalypse au - I actually revisited this fic and it was just as perfect as when I read it the first time, heck, if I wasn't sucker for Min Yoongi then, this made me crush on that man even more.

𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐛𝐲 @solecize jungkook x reader; friends to lovers, inspired by stardew valley - beautiful, beautiful and beautiful, cutest fic ever, i was rooting for them so much and I just might go and re-read this now as this was so touching to read.

𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐋 & 𝐃𝐈𝐂𝐄 𝐛𝐲 @lostberet min yoongi x female reader; racer boyfriend; smut - HOT, HOT, HOT, did I say HOT?

𝐌𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐅𝐔𝐂𝐊𝐈𝐍’ 𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐍 𝐖𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐊! 𝐛𝐲 @lovieku fuckboy!jungkook x female reader; fwb - I actually re-read this today, or yesterday, whenever, depends on when I post this, and the way the narrative flows is so captivating, and I love me some miss grande inspired content, naturally fell in love with this fic

𝐁𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐈 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐛𝐲 @hollyhomburg polyamory bts x reader; omegaverse au, mafia au; dom-sub dynamics - like what do you mean that I cannot marry this fic, tsk, i want to, i need to, so many sleepless night because i just wanted know what happens next; to confess, i did avoid this fic, and now i can tell that this is just the kind that you avoid and avoid and then you're completely soft and fluffy for it. such complex themes being incorporated into the narrative in a way that's going to tight your aorta enough for you to cry and cry and then it will release and you'll feel the dopamine and excitement flowing through your body. bravo.

𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 & 𝐋𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐛𝐲 @ktownshizzle dad yoongi x teacher female reader - when i say that this fic slapped me you won't believe why, but it did. Cutest, emotional, and just so captivating to read. ps: capybara capybara capybara capybara capybaraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

𝐚𝐦𝐲𝐠𝐝𝐚𝐥𝐚 𝐛𝐲 @chaoticpuff17 yandere yoongi x named mc; mafia au - Becca the queen has always a way to characterize the shit out of her yandere male characters and MIN YOONGI is something here! I perceive this masterpiece as a good reinvention of fics with named MCs coz we gradually forgot about that it seems. Becca to the whitehouse pls!

𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐛𝐲 @angelicyoongie yandere ot7 x female reader; soulmate au - as someone whose academia expertise became the study of narratology, I propose this to be a new submission to the field because this narrative structure is illegally good. Excellently crafted, scenes are gradually built upon from chapter one till the very end, and the end makes your heartbeat faster and in unison the oc (ain't gonna spoil).

𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐠𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐲 @97kuu jungkook x reader; smut, friends to lovers au - car sex became underrated trope and we should all learn and f*cking worship this smut area, pleaaaseee, I love car sex smut, I need to read about it more often and this fic is just chef's kiss.

𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮. 𝐛𝐲 @hueseok jungkook x reader; inspired by purple hearts - since the movie came out I was waiting who will jump to do a fic with the boys inspired by it and this one did not disappoint. Remarkable, amazing rendition, and I wish I could read it again and again for the first time.

𝐚 𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐛𝐲 @chaoticpuff17 yandere namjoon x female reader; mafia au, forced marriage - words will never be enough to talk about how this fic has my brain occupied for years. it holds a special place in my heart, as this was the first ever bts mafia fic i've ever read. hence, i am doing annual re-read. sometimes even several times a read. covid times were rough and i'm glad we all had something to hold space for at the time. this fic it is for me, a sanctuary, albeit its themes, and subsequently its sequel 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧

until we meet again fairies. love, p.

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allthingsr-betternotbeingnormal · 6 months ago

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So… did Zayne cause a blizzard in the whole city because he got horny?

#love and deepspace #lnds #lnds sylus #love and deepspace sylus #zayne love and deepspace #lads zayne #lnds zayne

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allthingsr-betternotbeingnormal · 8 months ago

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ུᩧ JJK TWITTER LINKS !

৻ꪆ instructions. before clicking, you must be logged into your acc and have twitter open in order for these links to function .

TOJI FUSHIGURO. ꒱‎

full nelson. ⋆ choking you. ⋆ fucking your ex. ⋆ squirting. ⋆ eating you out w a chain around his neck. ⋆ degradation (spanish ver.) ⋆ backshots.. but you’re the one who’s cuffed. ⋆ sending the porn he made w you to your bf.‎

CHOSO KAMO. ꒱‎

sensitivity. ⋆ mirror play. ⋆ tw: playing a risky game. ⋆ ‘manhandling’ you. ⋆ worshiping + sucking your tits. ⋆ his balls slapping against your clit. ⋆ using your titties to get off. ⋆ stroking him while he plays video games.

NANAMI KENTO. ꒱‎

sweet bunny. ⋆ riding him. ⋆ shower sex. ⋆ teasing + denying you. ⋆ thigh highs. ⋆ treating you and fingering you. ⋆ fingering his passenger princess. ⋆ distracting you while you read.

GOJO SATORU. ꒱‎

handcuffing you. ⋆ groping you. ⋆ dick just too good. ⋆ taking the condom off. ⋆ gripping onto the headboard. ⋆ fucking you in socks. ⋆ ravishing you senseless. ⋆ thrusting into you. ⋆ toying w you.

GETO SUGURU. ꒱‎

fucking you in the dark. ⋆ backshots. ⋆ fingering you until you turn into a water fountain. ⋆ squirting. ⋆ jerking him off. ⋆ sucking his balls. ⋆ fucking you dumb. ⋆ missionary w your legs closed.

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allthingsr-betternotbeingnormal · 9 months ago

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productivity apps for self improvement

you know i had to include the ultimate form of social media. pinterest is one of the only truly peaceful social media apps out there and focuses on sharing photos to your themed boards. this app is everything if you’re into making vision boards, moodboards, beauty, productivity, and really anything else. there’s something there for everyone!

finch

this is a wonderful self-care app, in which you take care of a bird while taking care of yourself! this is my new favorite app. i use the free version and it is adorable. the app asks you some questions about your goals and how you feel about self care, and gives you some daily goals based on your answers, but you can delete and add goals of your own. the more you log in and track your goals, the more adventures your bird can go on and the more they grow. i recommend this app to absolutely everyone and i will never shut up about it.

gymshark training

this is a free training app including many different types and styles of workouts. you can search for workouts based on duration, equipment used, the targeted muscle, and so on. you can also add workouts and plans of your own and track your progress.

i am sober

this is my favorite app for if you have something you want to quit. this isn’t just for substances or alcohol, but can also be used for quitting sugar, skin picking, caffeine, fast food, and so many other things. you can track your progress, review your days, make pledges, and connect with others who are struggling with the same thing you are. you are also given motivational quotes and reminders when you log into the app. there is an option for a subscription, but i use the free version and have had no problems with it at all.

study bunny: focus timer

an adorable focus timer where you gain coins with every goal/time you accomplish something with your focus timer and you can spend your coins on cute little accessories for your bunny! the only real issue with this app is that the ads are kind of crazy, and it’s $15 a month to go ad-free.

flora - green focus

this app includes a pomodoro timer and plants a tree in a rural community based on how often you stay focused using the timer on the app. the app does not plant a tree unless you opt for their subscription, which is $2 per year and allows you to plant one tree for 120 hours of focused time. you can also plant a tree every 24 hours with the $10 plan.

focus to-do: focus timer&tasks

this app combines a pomodoro timer with a daily to-do list. the app is free to use, but includes additional features for those with a subscription, which is $3 for every three months or $9 for a lifetime membership.

balance: meditation & sleep

a great app that includes nightly reviews, meditations, and sleep sounds. this app has great reviews, but it’s worth noting that it’s not completely free. it includes a trial, after which is $12 per month, or $70 per year.

insight timer - meditate & sleep

just as it sounds, this is another great app for meditations, ambient sounds for sleep, and progress tracking. there are tons of free things included in the app, but if you want to unlock everything, the premium plan is $10 per month or $60 per year.

structured - daily planner

an app with great reviews intended to help organize your daily tasks into achievable goals and track your progress. the app has basic features for free, but also includes a premium subscription if you want to unlock all the features.

routineflow: guided routines

this app caters to those who have difficulties staying focused and maintaining a set routine by guiding your routine for you and managing your progress. the app gives you one routine for free, but if you want another, you would need to pay for the $30 annual subscription.

how we feel

a wonderful free journaling app developed by therapists and scientists for logging your emotions, talking to other users, and tracking your mood patterns.

gentler streak fitness tracker

if you’re tired of the constant work and grind mentality, this may be the app for you. this app takes a gentler approach to fitness by tracking exercise, giving encouragement, and notifying you if you are overworking yourself. the app itself is free, but certain features require a subscription, which is $8 per month or $50 per year.

glo | yoga and meditation app

glo is a highly rated app for yoga, pilates, and meditation. unlike most of the other apps listed, you can’t really access much on glo for free. to access the full courses, they offer two plans: $30 per month or $245 per year.

waterllama

another adorable app that lets you track your water intake with a cute llama! super motivating and is free for basic features. if you want to unlock all features, the subscription is $7 per year.

mindllama

made by the same people as waterllama, this app allows you to practice and track your meditation and breathwork practice with a cute llama! like waterllama, the app is free, but some features require a subscription, which varies depending on whether you want the premium plan, the anxiety relief plan, or the sleep focused plan.

daily bean - simplest journal

another super cute app that helps you track your days and moods. the app itself is free, but a premium plan is also offered, which is $20 per year.

schmoody: mood & habit tracker

this app aims to help you through depression, anxiety, and/or adhd by helping you track your habits, talk to other users, and give you the resources to get you back on track. the free version includes the “essentials” to support mental health and well-being, but they also offer a premium version, which unlocks more resources and personalized options. the subscription is $15 per month, $60 per year, or $100 for a lifetime membership.

meditation timer - zenitizer

this is a meditation timer that focuses on simplicity and organization while tracking your meditation practice. a free version is available with a limited amount of content, but a premium version is also offered, which is $3 per month, $20 per year, or a $50 one-time payment.

mineral - gratitude journal

this is a free journaling app that is secure in the fact that you have to use face id in order to access your journal. this app is definitely more simple, but effective nonetheless.

focus keeper: productive timer

this app is a popular pomodoro-style timer app. i’ve heard that this app works wonders for many people with adhd. the app is free, but includes additional content and features for those with a subscription.

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allthingsr-betternotbeingnormal · 9 months ago

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Eunoia // Masterlist

eunoia (noun): beautiful thinking, the possession of a well-balanced mind, which exhibits goodwill and kindness

Pairings: Hybrid! BTS x reader

Summary: You are a world famous director and you have dedicated your life to your job.You have everything you could ever dream of; wealth, recognision, talent, your friends and family. But loneliness isn’t cured by success. So what happens when you somehow rescue seven hybrids? Can they fill the void?

Genre: Angst, fluff, hurt/comfort, eventual smut

Warnings: past abuse, past sexual abuse

Part I

✧ Chapter 1

✧ Chapter 2

✧ Chapter 3

✧ Chapter 4

✧ Chapter 5

✧ Chapter 6

Part II

✧ Chapter 7

✧ Chapter 8

✧ Chapter 9

✧ Chapter 10

Part III

✧ Chapter 11

✧ Chapter 12

✧ Chapter 13

✧ Chapter 14

✧ Chapter 15

✧ Chapter 16

Part IV

✧ Chapter 17

✧ Chapter 18

✧ Chapter 19

✧ Chapter 20

✧ Chapter 21

✧ Chapter 22

✧ Chapter 23

✧ Chapter 24

✧ Chapter 25

✧ Chapter 26

✧ Chapter 27

Part V

✧ Chapter 28

✧ Chapter 29

✧ Chapter 30

✧ Chapter 31

Extras

The First Christmas ~ Christmas special

Stories ~ Yoongi’s POV of the last scene in chapter 24

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allthingsr-betternotbeingnormal · 9 months ago

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The Hunter, a baby and the unexpected forming of family in unlikely places: Chapter Three

Summary:

Hunter Lyssa Williams finds a baby abandoned outside her apartment complex. The 24-year-old is way over her head and does not know the first thing about looking after a tiny human. However, as the saying goes, 'it takes a village to raise a child' and in her case a group of unlikely men come along for the ride.

Genres: Slice of life, comfort, eventual relationships, eventual romance, enemies to friends, frenemies, fluff...

Word count: 2343 words

Warning: Angst in the first half, thoughts about suicide due to trauma, reference to violence.

Eventual Relationships: Xavier/MC/Rafayel

Zayne/Sylus/Lyssa

Chapter Three: Good at overthinking with my heart

The erratic pounding of her heart sounded loud in her ears as she tried to steady her breathing. It was another nightmare plaguing her sleep. It was the same one over and over, of that day; the day she nearly died, the only survivor of her once living family.

Staring up at the ceiling, a headache beginning to form the same time her vision blurred.

Jasmin felt the tears swell in her eyes. The scent of smoke and fire from the building was in her nostrils, the distant sounds of sirens and shouting echoed. Caleb’s necklace gripped in her bruised and soot covering hands.

It’s been months since their murder—yes, she knew deep down, it was no accident—and the terrors of her mind did not get better and had no signs of going away. It doesn’t look like it ever will, not until she uncovers the truth about her grandmother and Caleb’s death.

The trail was getting colder in her investigation and the only information she had was that voice recording and the picture of a dead man in a hotel room. Then there was that name, one single name.

Onychinus. An organization and something that has so many unknowns.

Jasmin pulled back the covers in frustration and sat upright.

The chill of the room reminded her of the cold air of the morgue and the aura of dead when having to identify the bodies.

A hissed curse left her lips at the direction of her thoughts. When will the madness end?

Gods above! Her emotions were all over the place tonight. It wasn’t right nor it fair that they had to die while she lived. This survivor’s guilt was suffocating.

Maybe she shouldn’t have returned to work so soon, Nurse Yvonne did tell her that talking to someone about the trauma would be the best route. However, the thought of having to bear her soul to a stranger wasn’t ideal in her opinion.

It didn’t help fourteen years ago so why would it work now?

Would it be wrong for her to give up on living? Jasmin doesn’t consider herself a suicidal person but sometimes thinking about all that has happened, all that she endures, and her unresolved demons didn’t help when her thoughts took a turn for the worst.

There were a few times when she found herself with a handful of pills in her hand and the intrusive voices would shout for her to swallow everything and just let go or when she would be standing at a busy crosswalk and the urge to step into upcoming traffic was strong.

There wasn’t anyone she was awfully close to. Yes, Tara was her best friends and she and Zayne are childhood friends but talking to them about her feelings made her uncomfortable. They had their own problems and didn’t need her adding to it.

It would be so easy, there were so many choices. All she had to do was commit, yet something always snaps her out that headspace just at the right moment.

She needed a cup of tea. Going back to sleep was a lost cause and besides, work was in a few hours anyways.

Nodding, Jasmin slowly left her room and made her way to the kitchen. A quick glance at the wall clock showed 4:45 A.M. Maybe watching the sunrise would improve her mood.

Her body moved on auto pilot as she maneuvered around the space. Rafayel’s face popped into her mind. It jolted her something fierce. Then she remembered that conversation. The bounty out for him.

Shit! How could she have forgotten that. Maybe he could give her some insight on why he was wanted in the N109 zone or point her into the direction of someone that could provide intel about Onychinus.

She would need to be careful with her approach. If whoever she was after could go at such lengths to terminate her family, they won’t hesitate to take her out. Maybe going in alone won’t be the right course but who could she talk to about this?

Jasmin bit her lip and fiddled with the hem of her shirt. She called Rafayel during her lunch break and asked him to meet her at the café they frequented. He sounded so excited, going on about her finally seeing what a good match the two of them were.

She rolled her eyes but smiled. He could be insufferable at times and a sass mouth, yet he came through for her in the most convenient of times.

There was a slight guilty feeling about having to use him to get want she wanted but this was too important an opportunity to pass up.

“What’s got you lost in thought, Ms. Bodyguard?”

Rafayel’s voice brought her from her thoughts, and she looked up to see him standing at the entrance of the booth she chose.

Jasmin took the time to admire the artist. She won’t lie, he gave her butterflies in her stomach just at the sight of him and every time he was near, the smell of the ocean followed him, tantalizing her senses; making her as calm as ever no matter how frazzled she might be.

Today he wore black pant, a white shirt and a cardigan (it looked so soft). The piercing on his right ear was a recent addition to his look and she tried to push back the blush that wanted to make itself present.

If it wasn’t for the self-control or the conviction that she would not pursue any romantic relationship with anyone until she gets her ducks in a row, Jasmin would have kissed him.

“I feel like you’re judging me with that glare in your eyes.”

She couldn’t stop the eye roll “Just sit, I don’t have the energy to judge you; maybe some other time.”

Rafayel looked at her and smiled “I’ll confess that your call threw me for a loop. Normally, I’m the one calling first. Miss me?”

That mouth. Why did she wait two months to talk to him?

“So, what if I missed you? Even on good days you prove to be entertaining.”

He faked a dramatic gasp “you’re showing your scales today. I’m not only here for your pleasure.”

They went back and forth, ordering their respective drinks and keeping light conversation. Jasmin felt lighter and it was freeing.

“I called you because I came across something that left me concerned and it involves you.”

This caused Rafayel to knit his brow, the look of confusion plain on his face

“I ‘ve been investigating a case that is leading me to the N109 zone, and I came across a bounty for your capture. Why are you wanted? I thought you were a painter?”

She could see the sudden shift of his eyes, they narrowed, and his gaze became like steel “I am a painter. Why is a rookie Linkon hunter taking on a case with the N109 zone connected? I thought that was left for a higher tier of hunters.”

Folding her arms, she leaned back into the seat “I’m not a rookie and yes, cases concerning the N109 zone do get assigned to higher ranking hunters, but this case has nothing to do with the Association. This is personal, Rafayel.”

He frowned “When I start to think that you’re staying out of trouble, you prove me wrong. Make me understand why you need information on the N109 zone.”

“Have you heard about Onychinus?”

“I am or may not have. What do they have to do with your case?”

She was hesitant to let him in on why she was doing this. Rafayel pouted “You can’t come to me asking about serious stuff and then pull away. Work with me here.”

Sighing, she told him “I believe Onychinus is responsible for the death of my family.”

“Yet you want to risk going down the rabbit hole to find out about them. What are you planning to do once you find Onychinus, invite yourself for tea and biscuits? The N109 zone is not for the faint of heart and there are a great many unsavory characters.”

Jasmin scoffed “You’re speaking from experience.”

Rafayel gave a smirk “I was invited as a guest to an auction there and refused to create a painting for some douchebag and the next thing I know, a bounty is on my head. My talent is both a blessing and a curse, I swear.”

“You got a bounty on you cause you refused to offer your services? That’s it?”

He huffed “Yeah! What were you expecting? Most day I’m procrastinating, going on walks on the beach and just lazing about, why waste my time taking a job that was going to take me away from my downtime. No thank you.”

“That makes sense, I guess. Look, I know that I have no right involving you in my problems, but I really need to get into the N109 zone undetected and a way to gather information about Onychinus. Can you help me… please?”

“If I help you, you’ll owe me, Ms. Bodyguard. Can you handle what I want when it's time for me to collect the debt owned?”

Alexandra sat across from Lyssa sipping a drink and watched as her friend stabbed a fork into the cheesecake they ordered.

“So, we were being followed. That is interesting.”

Lyssa gave her a deadpanned look “something tells me you were anticipating it. Care to share with the class?”

“Oh, it’s nothing serious. I may have left the zone right after there was a missive not to do so. We get full lockdowns from time to time but I wasn’t feeling this one. I wanted to see you and you take precedence over even the head honcho.”

Lyssa frowned “should I be worried? I do not like unknown people following me. It doesn’t end well, you know this.”

Alexandra grinned like she had a juicy secret to spill “I would not deliberately put you in harm's way tweets and by extension the chick. I wanted to prove a theory that is all. When I return to the zone, my tag along won’t be a bother for anyone.”

It was Lyssa’s turn to grin “Some one got on your nerves I see. Well in that case, I don’t feel sorry for the sucker.”

“With that out the way, have you made the moves on that Doctor you have a crush on?”

Lyssa’s breath hitched nearly causing her to choke on her spit “No I have not, and I would appreciate it if you don’t ask such foolishness. I have no interest in pursuing a romantic relationship, besides, he is not interested in me.”

“Did he tell you this himself?”

“Didn’t need to, body language says everything.”

“Which can be faked if you have the training for it. You should talk to him.”

“I did... Yesterday before you showed up. He found the apartment.”

Alexandra raised a brow, her interest caught. How did the renown Dr. Zayne find tweet’s apartment if she didn’t tell him?

“He showed up. Okay, what did he want?”

“To see if I’m still breathing, I think. I decided to turn off my phone after talking to Captain Jenna, booking my leave and didn’t feel like talking to anyone. Seems my little disappearing act got a few people concerned.”

The brunette laughed “and that isn’t a sign blaring at you to ask the man out? I know you didn’t give him the apartment’s location, that little act shows he cares.”

“No, Jenna gave him the fucking location. That’s the last time I tell her anything important. I’m sure he only came looking for me cause Dr. Waverly is a worry wort, going full mother hen and batshit crazy cause I miss my appointment and didn’t notify him as to why.”

Alexandra kissed her teeth “Stop being fucking cynical tweets. Not everyone is out to get you. I still think you should shoot your shot.”

“When pigs fly, and hell freezes over. I hate it when you bunch play matchmaker, the last person didn’t understand boundaries and ended up in the hospital with three bullet wounds. I would like to not have a repeat of that, thank you very much. I need to set a good example for the baby.”

“Aww but tweedy, violence is part of your love language. What is declaration of love without a little blood.”

“Psycho.”

“That's me. Hey! You remember that mission we went on and got infiltrated by that guy? I’ve never seen you so bloodthirsty. You totally had the hots for him.”

“Lexie, we are not having this conversation. That was years ago and just to put the record straight, he was trying to steal my codes, they were worth millions.”

“Wish you could have a go at him again. The chemistry you two had was wild.”

Lyssa giggled; Alexandra always got like this when she was trying to get her to date. Any guy that Lexie sees breathing in her direction she wants to play match maker. Some things never got old.

“Whatever happened to him though? Last thing I remembered was you two falling through the floor, still fighting.”

“We kept fighting until he had me pinned, did something to me with his Evol and I panicked. Bit the fucker hard enough to draw blood and counter attacked before I bolted out of there when I got free from his grasp. He was too strong for me, and I know my limits.”

“How romantic.”

“You need help, I swear to the Gods.”

“I am perfectly normal, plus my tendencies got me my husband so you can’t say it doesn’t work.”

“He and you are cut from the same cloth no matter how meek he might look.”

“You never know Tweets, maybe fate will send your mystery man your way since you’re stubborn about pursuing the good Doctor.”

“Nah. Fate and I don’t like each other in the romance department. I got you bunch and little Ella. I’m contented.”

Alexandra giggled excitedly “We’ll see.”

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allthingsr-betternotbeingnormal · 9 months ago

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Hellboy Recs - Stories, Headcanons & Imagines

Will add more links, when I find good stuff.

Hellboy 2019 -

You Can Stay General, Smut - Hellboy x Reader

Towels General, Slight Angst, Smutish - Hellboy x Reader

Melt the Day Away Smut - Hellboy x Reader

Grooming General, Fluff - Hellboy x Reader

Jewelry and Sass - Part 1 General, Slight Sexual Tension - Hellboy x Reader

Drunk Hellboy - Part 2 General, Slight Sexual Tension - Hellboy x Reader

Touch Starved Angst, Fluff - Hellboy x Reader

Meet The Demon Slight Angst, Smut - Hellboy x Reader

Closet Case Sexual Tension - Hellboy x Reader

Hell of a Good Time Pure Smut - Hellboy x Alice Monaghan

Hellboy x Reader Headcanon-ish

Welcome Home Fluff - Hellboy x Reader

Cuddling up and having a making session with Hellboy after a mission

W.I.P Fluff, Slight Angst - Hellboy x Reader

Smoke Show General, Slight Sexual Tension - Hellboy x Reader

Hellboy x Reader (hurt and comfort) General, Slight Angst

Pamcakes General, Slight Fluff, Slight Angst - Hellboy x Reader

Keep Me Warm General, Slight Sexual Tension - Hellboy x Reader

Taking Care of Hellboy after he comes home from a fight - General, Cute - Hellboy x Reader

Hellboy with a s/o who is skilled in magic

Hellboy 2019 Headcanons General, Personality stuff

Hellboy as a sub and his s/o the dominant in their relationship Headcanon

Stolen moments in the library Slight Smut - Hellboy x Reader

Domestic Hellboy Headcanon General, Slight Fluff - Hellboy x Reader

Video Call Headcanon General, Slight NSFW - Hellboy x Reader

Pampering Big Red Headcanons General, Slight Fluff - Hellboy x Reader

Chubby! S/O x Hellboy Canon General, Fluff, Slight Smut - Hellboy x Reader

Hellboy x Super Affectionate/Bodyworshipping S/O Headcanons

Get outta bed General, Fluff - Hellboy x Reader

Forever and A Day Domestic, Pregnant - Hellboy x Reader

HELLBOY x READER, (reader self conscious about weight HEADCANONS)

Training with Hellboy Headcanon - Hellboy x Reader

Going on A Date with HB Headcanon - Hellboy x Reader

Playful Hellboy Headcanons - Hellboy x Reader

Hungover Mawwiage w/ HB Headcanon - Hellboy x Reader

Hellboy x Short ‘n’ Smoll S/O Headcanon - Hellboy x Reader

All Good Things to Those Who Wait Smut - Hellboy x Reader

Hellboy Food 10 Headcannons w S/O

Hellboy Headcannon - Hellboy trying to seduce s/o

Writing prompt! ‘It’s not fair’ ‘What isn’t fair?’ 'You have no business having such a sweet face with that killer bicep.’ Hellboy x Reader

Head Cannon - Anung Un Rama with a human s/o

Fandom - Hellboy 2004 & 2019

Hellboy x Plus size reader Headcanon

HELLBOY HABITS HEADCANONS

Reunion Sex with Hellboy Headcanons

Finding a Way to Say Sorry General, Slight Angst - Hellboy x Reader

Hospital Bills General, Slight Angst - Hellboy x Reader

Hellboy Headcanon - Hellboy x Reader

Take a Damn Break General - Hellboy x Reader

NSFW Hellboy Alphabet

S/O going missing for nearly a year

STUCKAGE Smut - Hellboy x S/O

Hellboy X S/O with his Tail Smut

Hellboy x S/O smut

S/O who has insomnia/nightmares Slight Angst, Cute - Hellboy x S/O

Hellboy 2004 -

Ninlil: The Eldritch Abomination General, Angst, Smut - Hellboy x OFC

Altar Smut - Liz x Hellboy

Hot-Headed and Hurt General, Slight Angst - Hellboy x Reader

Dating Hellboy Headcanons

Puzzle Pieces General, Fluff, Slight Angst - Liz x Hellboy

One kiss led to another - Liz x Hellboy

Hellboy falls for a reaper Headcanons

Headcannons on dating Hellboy

UnSouled Angst, Romance - Liz x Hellboy

Hellboy and Liz Smut, Romance

The Five Times That Liz Sherman Almost Kissed Hellboy Slight Angst, Romance - Liz x Hellboy

Love After All Smut, Romance - Liz x Hellboy

Headcanon where Hellboy is jealous of a human flirting with his S/O

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allthingsr-betternotbeingnormal · 10 months ago

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Daddy? Sorry- daddy? Sorry- MOMMY

#kim seokjin #bts jin #worldwide handsome #hes so beautiful

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allthingsr-betternotbeingnormal · 10 months ago

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What are few things you would advice to young girls to stop doing right this instance? Like right now? It could health wise, emotionally, physically etc

first of all, thanks for the question, I loved it! here's a list of things I wish I could tell younger me:

stop posting your face, name and general personal information online. people who say that it's "suspicious" or "inappropriate" to not have personal information online are potential predators. you owe nobody nothing! keep your anonymity, it's your right!

on that note, please stop sending nudes. not in a slut-/kink-shaming way, but in a you really don't understand how not private the internet is so please don't assume you're safe way. only send pics that you wouldn't mind if they got out!

the future is so fucking unpredictable it will make you sick. it will make you literally dizzy. you have zero control over like 99% of what will fundamentally direct your fate. so truly it is in your best interest to find a way to only concern yourself with what IS under your control.

for teens in particular: older men who claim you're special, mature and different from other girls your age are lying. the most mature teenage girl in the world is still a teenage girl, and they know it. no, it's not because girls mature faster than boys: it's because they know you'll fall for that shit so they can violate you and get away with it. if you're into older men, that's fine; older men who are into you, however, are not fine.

remember that there is an entire social structure that profits off your insecurities. people are making money off of you thinking that you're fat and ugly, and they want to keep benefitting from your tears and suffering. don't let them!

no person in the world is a permanent presence in your life. no matter if they're childhood friends, family members, love affairs: if they make you suffer, get away from them. cut them off. you owe nobody nothing.

save some fucking money whenever you can. honestly.

and, of course, QUIT SUGAR!

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allthingsr-betternotbeingnormal · 10 months ago

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How to make a Masterlist on Tumblr App

The first thing is to go to your tumblr in Google chrome. Screach for the fic post so you can copy the url. For example here I have the original post for the first chapter of one of my fics.

Next highlight and copy the url of the post. You do this by holding your finger over the address bar.

Open the app and make a new text post.

Type the name of your fic into the text post and press down then highlight the text. Click the button in the far right corner that looks like a chain link.

This will pop up so you can link the url.

Hold your finger down over the prompt box until it gives you the option to paste the url.

Click add link once you have pasted the url.

This should give you a live like! Repeat as many times as needed.

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allthingsr-betternotbeingnormal · 10 months ago

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God! I forgot about this. I need to hurry and get part two done.

Alucard x reader

She’s been living in the mansion for a few months now. The supernatural life being quite normal now.

She loves her job as a mercenary/vampire hunter/part-time receptionist for the Hellsing organization. Yes, it was a demanding job but she couldn’t see herself doing anything else.

Currently walking through the halls of the mansion, she tried balancing a stack of paperwork that needed Integra’s approval, an arm full of bags that needed to be distributed among the staff and her cell phone which was currently to her ears as she spoke to Sir Penwood

“I’m sorry Sir Penwood but Sir Integra would not be available to meet with you throughout this week. Her schedule is quite swamped and I cannot make any exceptions at this time.”

The sound of mumbling on the caller’s end could be heard since Penwood does not have a quiet telephone voice

“I understand what you are saying Sir but as I stated we cannot accommodate your presence for this week……well I’m not sorry about how you feel. Even at this organization, we have rules and regulation and since you cannot seem to understand this I will disconnect this call. Have a nice day.”

Using her tongue on the inside of her mouth, she managed to disconnect the call and dropped it into one of the bags.

Reaching Integra’s study, she hit the door with her right foot and somehow managed to get the door opened

“Sir Integra, I’ve returned with everything you’ve requested and also I do need your approval on these reports”

Integra looked up from what she reading

“Thank you. I know today is your day off, so just set the files on my desk and the bags in the corner; I’ll have Walter distribute them later and you’re free for the rest of the day.”

Doing as instructed she prepared to head out the door

“One more thing, can you deliver Alucard’s blood packet. Walter is quite busy at the moment.”

She froze at the sound of his name and Integra smirked. The blond was up to something but what?

To be continued.

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allthingsr-betternotbeingnormal · 10 months ago

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Insectember day 6: Chlorogomphus papilio

Common name: [not found]✨

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allthingsr-betternotbeingnormal · 1 year ago

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BTS | OT7 | FIC RECS

Hi guys, it's been a while since I've posted. Exams are finished and I'm starting to write again so I can't wait to share the works that I've collated over the past few months!

But this post isn't about any upcoming works. It's about loving and supporting our fellow writers. In the next few upcoming posts, I've collated fics that I really liked and I hope you'll enjoy them as much! Don't forget to support the writers and artists as well. Whether it is to leave a like, a comment, or follow them, I know they'll appreciate hearing from you.

Some of the fics below contain smut, so read the labels before clicking. If there are any fics that you guys would like to recommend, I would love to hear them as well! 😃

Little do you know, @yoongiofmine (Fluff, angst, smut, playmate au, idol au, ot7 x reader, poly relationship)

Moonchild, @yoongiofmine (fluff, angst, smut, non idol au, ABO, werewolf au)

Emerald Gem, @sweetlyskz (Hybrid Au, Strangers to lovers, slow burn, Ot7 x reader)

Unnatural Instincts, @bangtanflirt (angst, fluff, smut, OT7 x Fem Reader, Human CEO Reader, Human Assistant Yoongi, Wolf Hybrids)

Snow Angel, @daichiduskdrop (A/B/O AU, Fluff, Angst, Strangers to lovers, Ot7 x reader)

Lone Wolf, @sopebubbles (a/b/o, omegaverse, angst, hurt/comfort, poly ot7 x reader)

The Sanguis Duology, @boratha (Fantasy, Romance, Smut, Hurt and Comfort, Vampire!AU, Magic!AU, Polyamory!AU)

Abundance, @angelicyoongie (hybrid au, enemies to lovers/strangers to lovers, ot7 x female reader)

Caramel, @blue-and-grey-army (BTS, Idol AU, poly au, BTS x reader, OT7, OT7 x reader, Idol BTS, Dom BTS, sub reader, angst, fluff, eventual smut)

Cry me a river, @minniepetals (angst, slight fluff, poly ot7xreader, mafa au, poly au, arranged marriage au)

Boyfriend for hire, @remedyx (bts ot7 x reader, angst, fluff, smut, poly au, relationship for convenience, strangers to lovers, long crush, slow burn)

7 hybrids moved in with me, @lillsisamarshmallow (Hybrid!Poly!BTS x Reader, Slight Swearing, Homelessness, Mentions of Violence, Blood, Fluff)

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allthingsr-betternotbeingnormal · 1 year ago

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To Be Loved - 01

Here's where she meets prince charming.

⤑ pairing: namjoon x reader ⤑ genre: hybrid au, romance, hurt/comfort ⤑ rating: 18+ ⤑ word count: 5.2k ⤑ warnings: DEPICTIONS OF READER IN A TOXIC RELATIONSHIP (i.e, manipulation, domestic/verbal abuse, threats, degradation, violence toward reader), bullying toward reader, the "gaston" character is a straight-up asshole lmao, hyrbids are treated as second-class humans, description of bodily harm, sexual harassments, minor violence, based off 2013 namjoon in this chapter lol. please be mindful of the warnings!! ⤑ note: happy birthday, namjoon!! while i was taking a break from magic shop, i've been working on a couple other projects and i finally finished one. it's truly a coincidence that i completed this story today lol. this story is loosely based off beauty & the beast but with hybrids.

Chapters: 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05

It was a dark and stormy night.

Flickering fluorescent lights. The heat of the jeering crowd. Grey concrete in the old warehouse. Speakers reverberating a deep bass that fills the room. Thunder is drowned out as two amateur rappers spit lines on the small stage, eliciting reactions from the audience before them.

One of the contestant’s attention drifts to the crowd until he makes eye contact with you. It seems like he was looking for you. The moment you raise your hand to offer a tiny, half-hearted wave, the corners of his lips tug to a haughty smirk. Then, with the microphone to his lips, he puffs out his chest, turns back to his opponent, and begins rapping.

You’re less than impressed when he finishes his turn and is declared the winner of the round.

To be fair, however, this isn’t your scene. It’s too loud. Too rowdy.

If it were up to you, you’d be at home. Safe and cozy in your warm bed, curled up to a good book or movie. Initially, you didn’t even want to come, complaining that the weather is awful, the venue is too small, the floors are sticky, and that there are too many people.

But he insisted that you come tonight. For him.

One of his friends has her arm linked with yours, anchoring you to her. Her eyes are bright with excitement as she screams in your ear, “Fighting! Kangdae!”

The one you’re all here to see stands on the stage, relishing in the audience’s attention. There’s a smug look on his face when he meets your gaze, as if checking to see if you’re just as impressed with his performance as the rest of the audience is.

Politely, you clap your hands, not quite sure what the etiquette for these types of things are.

The host continues to rile up the crowd, daring any of the other contestants to step forward and challenge Kangdae.

No one does.

Except for one.

Silence follows as a lanky, tall contestant comes onstage. One that no one has heard from yet. Sunglasses cover his eyes, but you can make out some of his predominant features: his full lips, the deep dimples in his shy smile, his tanned skin.

“Okay, kid,” the host says, intrigued. “Show us what you got.”

The kid is handed a mic. Kangdae looks him up and down and scoffs.

The difference between the two is telling.

Kangdae lives for the attention, wildly gesturing and getting into his opponent’s face. He encourages the crowd to cheer him on like that. Their hoots and hollering pumps the adrenaline in his veins as he verbally attacks the guy ballsy enough to challenge him.

His opponent, to your surprise, stands quietly as he’s thrown insult after insult. Then, when it’s his turn, the room falls in awe. His flow makes him sound professional, even though he sounds quite young. You’re impressed with his wordplay, how he keeps up with the rhythm, how he delivers the lines.

He’s by far your favorite of all the ones you’ve heard tonight.

There’s a clear winner after the boy with sunglasses is done, though rather than shove his victory at his opponent’s face, he holds out his hand to Kangdae and offers a dimpled smile.

Rap Monster.

That’s what they call him.

And as Kangdae bitterly shakes his hand, stunned at the turn of events, you’re beginning to see why they call him that.

In your small, provincial town, Kangdae has it all. He’s a handsome young man, athletic and popular. His family is well-off; so much so that he can indulge in expensive clothing brands, own the newest models and gadgets, and party every weekend at some bougie club or resort. Guys look up to him. Girls are in love with him. He lives off the attention and praise from his big circle of friends.

And yet, for whatever shallow reason, he seems fixated on you.

Unlike Kangdae, you hate being in the spotlight. It makes you shy. It makes you feel nervous. You tend to keep to yourself because of that, reading books or watching animal videos on your phone. You feel like you hardly have any friends in the town.

Then, one day, seemingly out of nowhere, Kangdae declares he wants you to be his girl.

And suddenly, you’re on everybody’s radar.

Why would someone so brilliant and outgoing even be interested in a boring and quiet person like you?

That’s a question even you often wonder.

Finding the answers to that, however, becomes unwarranted.

People start to talk to you. People you’ve never spoken to before suddenly act friendly toward you. People who’ve never spared you a glance suddenly want to know all your dirty secrets. People who don’t even know you begin to spread rumors.

“The whole town already knows you’re my girl,” Kangdae tells you one day, while you’re sitting on the steps of your house, eyes red from tears of a recent bullying incident. He doesn’t seem to care about that though. In fact, you’re certain he’s even laughed about it at your expense. “Why don’t we just make it official? You’re not dating anyone, are you?”

“Are you even attracted to me?” you ask him seriously.

He shrugs. “Yeah, you’re hot. I heard quiet girls can get quite freaky too.”

“No way,” you cut in, repulsed by his insinuation. You stand on your feet, turning to go inside. “I’ll never–”

Before you could open the door, you’re suddenly shoved against it. Kangdae towers over you, anger burning in his eyes. He’s never been rejected. He always gets his way.

It’s something you learn the hard way.

“Then I’ll make sure your life continues to be a living hell,” he threatens before he releases you.

More than before, unwanted attention is thrown at you. As soon as you enter the classroom, people stare and sneer. You hear them whisper about you in the hallways. You’re confronted in small groups. Accusations that you think you’re too good to be dating someone like Kangdae. How there must be something wrong with you.

In the eyes of many, Kangdae is perfect. Objectively handsome. Popular among his peers. Comes from money. All the guys you know want to be him. All the girls you know want to be with him. What makes a nobody like you think that you can do better?

You hardly had any friends in the town, but not once have you ever felt this isolated. You’ve never felt this singled-out. It feels like the whole world is against you.

You can’t take it.

“Kangdae,” you call out to him, stopping as he’s about to head to the field. He’s dressed in his sports uniform, about to go into a match against another school. “One date.”

A Cheshire smile spreads across his face. “I knew you wouldn’t resist, babe.”

You try not to cringe when he plants a wet kiss on your cheek.

Maybe you’re naïve. But maybe that’s why Kangdae is after you.

You’re quiet, soft-spoken, and incredibly shy. You don’t have a lot of friends, and you haven’t had a serious relationship before him. You don’t know anything about what love really is. Yet, despite what an odd loner you are, you’re a beautiful girl. Innocent and loyal to a fault. An easy target for Kangdae to walk all over.

With his hand around your waist, you feel like an accessory. Before you ever considered dating him, he already declared you as his girlfriend, telling even strangers that he passed by that you would one day be his.

“Right from the moment I saw you, I think I fell in love,” he admits on your first date, taking you to a nice, upscale restaurant. It’s different from anything you’ve experienced in your small town. The menu items are so expensive, it doesn't list pricing, and each course that is presented at your table is like a work of art.

What’s most interesting about this restaurant, however, isn’t just the food. But the staff.

Gorgeous women in white blouses and black skirts that show off their voluptuous curves and long legs. Poking at the back of the skirts are tails. And on their heads are pairs of animal ears. Some of them have stripes or spots on their skin, some have nails as sharp as claws, and some have unique eyes like cats and reptiles.

Hybrids.

Neither human, nor animal. But something in-between.

In your town, coming across them is rare but not unheard of. They usually dwell in the cities, where sanctuaries housing them are. Some are adopted into families or are hired to do difficult and dirty work with an employer willing to work with them. But most aren’t as lucky, and are treated as sub-human. Worse than how some people care for their beloved cat or dog.

“What makes you say that?” you ask Kangdae as a bunny hybrid brings out the next course. She, like the other hybrids, is quite beautiful.

“Because you’re gorgeous,” he simply states as he sips on some liquor. Then, suddenly, he smacks the hybrid’s ass. “Hey, isn’t my girlfriend gorgeous?”

“Kangdae!”

“Yes, sir,” the hybrid quickly answers before practically running away from the table. You feel awful, but Kangdae cackles as if it’s the most entertaining thing he’s seen all evening.

“Babe, don’t be mad. She’s just a hybrid.”

One date turns into another. He showers you with expensive gifts, and takes you out to luxurious places. Sometimes, it’s nice. You never imagined you’d be leaning against the railing of a yacht, feeling the salt air against your skin as the boat cruises through deep blue waters. Or fine dining at rooftop restaurants in the big cities with a breathtaking view of the skylines.

You find yourself watching underground rap contests, and witnessing the skill and poetry of a particular contestant that caught your attention once. A tall boy with a thick pair of sunglasses and a dimpled smile.

Other times, it can feel overwhelming. Like you’re undeserving all the things that he bombards you with, and you owe it to him for one more date. One more party he wants you to come with him too. One more ‘this is the last time’ before he asks you again.

He introduces you to his friends, showing you off to them despite how out of place you feel among them. He texts and calls you all the time, wanting to know where you are and who you’re with, and letting you know that he’s thinking about you in persistent, long messages. He posts about you on his social media, calling you his girl, as engagements of likes, views, and comments fill underneath it.

People tell you all the time that you’re lucky though.

Of all the girls he could’ve been with, he picked you. Someone handsome, rich, and popular fell in love at first sight with a boring, quiet, lonely girl like you.

And maybe that’s why you stay. Who else would love you if not him?

Next week, you find yourself in the same, abandoned warehouse. Another night, another show. Another chance for Kangdae to redeem himself.

One thing about him is that he hates to lose. His pride just wouldn’t allow it.

Yet, once again, he doesn’t stand a chance.

This time, Rap Monster seems to be the crowd favorite. Everyone cheers for him once he steps onstage, wearing the same dark sunglasses over his eyes. He seems a bit more confident as he raps, his flow and rhythm even better than last week.

You feel like a fan as you and your group stand close to the stage. Although you’re supposed to be there for Kangdae, you can’t help but cheer his opponent on. Your heart jumps when you see Rap Monster catch your eye and give you a dimpled smile, bowing like a prince when he ends his round.

A shift can be felt once it’s Kangdae’s turn with the mic. People in your group and some of the audience make some noise, but the majority of strangers in the crowd are merely nodding along or quietly listening.

Until the first heckle comes. Followed by someone else yelling at him to get off the stage.

Mean laughter fills the room, and you almost feel bad for Kangdae.

Had it not been for what he does next.

Gasps and exclamations of shock are followed when he suddenly punches Rap Monster.

“Hey, no! You can’t do that shit!” the host yells as the security guards make haste to handle the situation. They pull Kangdae away, trying to de-escalate, but it’s too late. The crowd gets riled up, shouting and egging him on. Two men have to hold Kangdae down, but he’s strong. He nearly manages to break free and get to Rap Monster’s face a couple times. Rap Monster’s sunglasses are knocked off, and he’s holding his face with one hand, covering an eye.

Because when he opens the other one… it looks strange.

It doesn’t look human.

A couple people up front scream in terror as they point at him. “A monster!”

“He’s one of them!” another shouts in disgust. “He’s a hybrid!”

Suddenly, the room seems to quiet down as they all look at him, stunned, horrified, disgusted. You could see him trying to hide his face as the host snaps at him, “This event is for humans only!”

The sunglasses have fallen near you, and without thinking, you quickly grab them and climb onto the stage. You don’t know what’s gotten over you. You hate attention. You hate being in the spotlight. You’re often shy and insecure, and always stay in your lane.

But you have to help.

“Here,” you tell him gently, pushing the broken sunglasses toward his hand. Up this close, you feel so small standing next to him. “You should get out of here.”

He nods his head and takes them from you, seeming grateful and a little scared. His eyes look reptilian like a serpent, but they’re pretty. You feel like you can’t forget them.

In the innermost area of the iris, near his slightly vertical pupil, is a hint of warm brown, but the rest is a mix of deep blue and purple. The color of indigo.

“Get away from her, you beast,” Kangdae commands, but Rap Monster is already walking away from the stage. Away from you.

Somehow, the rain outside seems to pour harder as he leaves.

It’s been years since that night.

Kangdae seemed over it, wanting to chase his fifteen minutes of fame elsewhere. And while you were interested in one of the rappers, you aren’t keen enough to keep going back. It isn’t like that Rap Monster would be welcomed at the future showings anyway.

However, you start listening to hip-hop music more than other genres these days. Secretly hoping that, if you’re to meet him again, maybe the two of you could talk about some of the artists you like. Books that you’ve read, movies you’ve seen.

But you haven’t seen him since.

You end up working for Kangdae’s family. In such a small, provincial town, there isn’t much of an option. His family seems to own and have connections to everything.

To the point where even your family tells you how lucky you are. Kangdae is a catch. Marrying him would guarantee a well-off life with someone objectively handsome, who thinks you’re the most beautiful woman in town, who you’d be out of your mind to leave or break things off with.

Although your father and your siblings mean well, you could only nod in defeat. You can’t bear to tell them how miserable you are with Kangdae.

The same man who tells you you’re the one for him, but flirts with other women in front of you. Who gets angry over little things and takes it out on you, screaming at your face, throwing things that nearly hit you, punching holes in walls and doors, or leaving you confused and worried for days without a word until he finally decides to come back. He’d shower you with expensive gifts and affection to make up for it, but his sweeter side never stays long before the cycle repeats.

And you can’t seem to find your way out of it.

The constant pressure to be with Kangdae has you wishing you could just disappear from the town. To run away from it all and never go back.

But you’re a coward, and you don’t know where else to go. Everyone in town likes Kangdae, and even your family wouldn’t believe what a monster he really is.

In the apartment you share with him, it’s dark and empty. Empty bottles of soju and beer are on the coffee table, dirty dishes are in the sink for you to clean, there’s still a gaping hole in the pantry from an argument a couple weeks ago that hasn’t been fixed. But Kangdae’s shoes aren’t by the door, and you don’t imagine he’d be back anytime soon.

With a quiet, defeated sigh, you take off your shoes and your coat, place your purse down, and begin cleaning up the mess. You go through the motions of it, exhausted from work, from having more to do once you get home, and as you gather the bottles, you see that he’s placed some on top of a book.

A fairy tale story about a far-off place, daring sword fights, and a prince in disguise.

It’s your favorite. The local librarian gave it to you as a gift, and Kangdae is using it as a coaster. And one of the half-empty bottles has spilled over, soaking through the pages.

Angry, you drop the bag on the ground, letting the bottles clatter against each other, and pick up the book, trying to salvage the ruined cover. But rings of liquid stain the front, and the pages are wrinkled from the liquid, blurring the texts so they’re unreadable.

Even before, the book is already a bit worn-out when it was gifted to you, but it still makes you want to cry. Kangdae doesn’t seem to care about you at all anymore.

How much longer are you going to put up with this? Shouldn’t you deserve your own happiness? Shouldn’t you deserve to be loved?

You have to leave him. You don’t know when. You don’t know how. But you have to.

That much you know.

Your plans are foiled by a single question.

“Will you marry me?”

Horror strikes your face. Down on one knee before you is Kangdae with a beautiful diamond ring. You could feel every person in the room staring at you, waiting for an answer. All his friends, your family, and even random strangers at the venue are gathered unexpectedly and witnessing his proposal. Wide smiles and excited looks surround you, as if they already know you’ll say yes.

Do you want to say yes?

Are you going to tell him no? In front of all these people?

“Kangdae, I—” you start to say, your voice trembling. You could feel the pressure weighed upon you, setting you close to a panic.

Your boyfriend doesn’t notice how uncomfortable you are. He’s busy flashing a bright, charming smile at the anticipating crowd for his big moment. His smile starts to falter when you take too long to respond.

Behind the smile, you could almost sense it. The heat of his anger.

You have to say something. You have to decide.

You have to tell him no.

“I…” you begin again. Your gaze catches Kangdae’s family, and how they nod their head, encouraging you to continue. Your voice is very soft and almost defeated when you say, “Okay.”

“Yes? You’re saying yes?” Kangdae exclaims loudly as the people around cheer and clap. You even see some girls start to burst into tears. Girls you know Kangdae frequently talk to. Your family seems relieved, worried that you’d reject him, that you’d shame and humiliate them with your refusal.

But it’s when you look at Kangdae’s family where your blood runs cold. They whisper to each other and nod, gauging the reaction of those witnessing the proposal. It feels like they’re in a business merger, and it occurs to you that maybe, to them, it is one.

You feel numb as Kangdae pulls you into a kiss and a tight embrace.

You’re engaged now.

And it makes you want to throw up.

“Come on, don’t be like that,” Kangdae whines, trying to pull you closer to him. “Why are you upset? We’re engaged now!”

“Is it because you want to marry me? Or because your family made you?”

He scoffs. “What are you saying?”

It’s been years since the two of you have been together. Years of you being compliant, years of you arguing behind closed doors, of you silently suffering and hoping that things will get better. That, perhaps, one day you could convince yourself that he’ll change his ways. That he'll love you.

Perhaps in front of your family and friends, the two of you act like a happy couple.

You’re the girlfriend he brags about. Arm candy that he can show off because you’re the prettiest girl in town. Someone that his parents approve of, and often question when he’ll pop the question to you. A question, you suspect, puts his inheritance on the line if he hadn’t proposed so soon.

“Kangdae, do you even love me?”

Kangdae laughs. It’s a dark, biting chuckle that makes your skin crawl. “For a pretty girl, you sure say a lot of stupid shit. What kind of fucking question is that?”

Your mouth snaps shut. Until he snaps at you to answer him. “Kangdae, I…”

“Didn’t I propose to you? What more do you want, huh?”

“I’m sorry—”

“Don’t you realize how lucky you are to be with a guy like me? I spent so much money on you! I buy you nice things. I take you to beautiful places. I’ve helped you get a job at my parents’ company. I’ve bought you a home. And this is how you repay me?”

“Kangdae, please, just hear me out,” you plead, but the guilt and fear are already eating at you. It’s true that he’s provided you with so much. Are you being foolish? Ungrateful?

“Don’t forget, stupid bitch,” he threatens, his voice low as he grabs your face, squeezing your cheeks with his grip. “You will be my wife. You’re nothing without me. I will make your life a living hell. If you think this is the worst, then you’ve seen nothing yet.”

He storms out.

And as the door slams shut, you slowly sink to the floor, trembling as his words of a very bleak future run through your head. Crying in misery and frustration that you, once again, couldn’t stand up for yourself. That you still feel too scared to just leave him and all you know behind. That his anger and selfishness will continue to wear you down.

That, soon, you’ll be married to a monster.

It’s after a long day at work when you see Kangdae again. However, he isn’t alone.

“What’s going on? What is this?”

You frown at the sight before you. Kangdae is on the couch, and kneeling by his feet and wrapped in a ribbon is a young man.

No, a hybrid. A bunny hybrid.

He’s very muscular, with bruises and scratches covering his golden skin. His hair is dark, matching the long, black ears on his head. And his eyes are big, round, and full of fear as he stares back at you.

“Don’t you like him? Watched him in a fight last night. He’s pretty tough for a bunny, but lost in the final round. His owner was pissed! Nearly knocked him out himself!” Kangdae cackles with laughter, seeming to have found it amusing. "But babe, remember our first date? Remember those hybrid servers you kept staring at?”

“Yes,” you reply with a frown, not really sure what he’s getting at. What do they have to do with the bunny hybrid currently in your living room?

“I convinced the owner to let me borrow his hybrid for the night. As an apology gift,” he states with a proud smile. “Had to fork up a lot of money, but the guy wasn’t too pleased about his prized fighter losing the match anyway.”

“I-I’m not… he’s…” You’re at a loss of words. How could he explain this to you so casually?

“I wanted to make it up to you, babe. Girls dig shit like this, right? Owner kept bragging on and on about how obedient he is and how much stamina he has.” Kangdae can see you’re not into the idea and comes up to you, touching your arm. “I don’t mind. I’d love to watch. Hell, I might even invite the girls over to give him a try.”

“Stop. You’re disgusting.”

How could he think you’d be okay with this? How could anyone?

Hybrids often get treated like pets, but they’re still human.

“Ungrateful cunt. Can't you see I’m trying to do something nice for you?!” Kangdae roars, and you feel the sting on your face before it registers what happened. He just slapped you.

You’re still in shock and a bit of pain as he grabs his car keys and a jacket. You cradle your cheek as you numbly ask, “Where are you going?”

“I’m going for a drink. Don’t wait up for me.” He slams the door on his way out. You blink back the tears as a deafening silence follows the roar of his engine, the squeals of his tires as he takes off.

Is this all your fault again? Are you being ungrateful?

No, no. Kangdae is the one taking things too far. And you’re so fed up with it.

You've always been afraid to speak up for yourself. You’ve always been a coward, and wanted to play things safe. You’ve always let him walk all over you. You could never save yourself from such a miserable situation.

You’re so preoccupied with your thoughts, you almost forgot you aren’t alone. The sound of rustling catches your attention, and you see the bunny hybrid trying to unravel himself from the ribbon binding him.

“I can help you,” you offer, and he flinches at your voice. You soften your tone and try again. “Would you let me? I promise, I won’t hurt you.”

He thinks about it for a moment, glancing at you with suspicion and weariness. But he nods his head. Despite how bruised up he is, he probably figures he could overpower you if you really intended to harm him.

The two of you are silent as you untie the long ribbon from his wrists and slip it off his torso. But being this close to him also gives you a good view on all the cuts and sores he received from the fight.

Your heart sinks for him. Not only is it highly illegal, but this one is a prey. They’re not supposed to fight in the first place.

“Wait here,” you tell him once he’s free from the bondage. He rubs his wrist, but continues to sit on the floor. Nothing is really stopping him from leaving on his own, so you hurry to find a first-aid kit.

When you return to the living room, the bunny hybrid is still there. He hasn’t moved an inch from his spot. He eyes the little box in your hands, seeming to recognize it.

“I think this should help with some of your wounds. Is it okay if I help you with this too?”

This time, he nods his head more eagerly.

Again, a silence falls between you two. But it isn’t uncomfortable. In fact, it’s been a while since you’ve been in the presence of someone else and the silence felt natural. Every now and then, you’d give him a head’s up about the sting of a topical spray or ask him if the bandage you’re wrapping around him is too tight. And he watches you the whole time, nodding and shaking his head when prompted, seeming used to this. You wonder how often he has to treat his own wounds after being thrown in battle.

The silence is cut when his stomach growls loudly. He looks incredibly embarrassed as you offer a small smile. “I have some food in the fridge if you’re hungry. Let me just finish doing this.”

It doesn’t take too much time at all to treat his wounds and wrap fresh bandages on his injuries. You’ve only encountered hybrids a couple times, so you’re not entirely sure what he’d like to eat. You assume fruits and vegetables, but would that be enough?

You start to pull them out and you’re startled when you see the hybrid standing over your shoulder. You see him eyeing a jar of kimchi and take that out as well.

“Does kimchi fried rice sound good to you?” you ask him, and he nods his head more excitedly. His eyes look brighter too, as if you guessed exactly what he’s craving.

Endeared, you begin to get to work. You pull out the leftover rice, sauces, and the ingredients needed to cook it. The hybrid watches as you chop the vegetables and first cook out the onions before adding in the other vegetables and rice. In another pan, you fry a couple eggs to serve over the rice, and sprinkle some toppings of sesame seeds, nori, and sliced green onion. You ransack your fridge for some side dishes you could pair it with, serving some yellow pickled radishes, pickled cucumbers, and seaweed salad in small bowls.

The hybrid watches with big, round eyes and a jittering leg as you set the food before him. You tell him to eat and you barely take a bite of your own dish before he picks up his bowl and devours it like he hasn’t eaten in days. His brows are furrowed and he starts huffing, but he’s quick to grab the side dish closest to him and cleans that as well.

“Is it good?” you ask him tentatively.

He gives a brief nod, mouth too full to answer, and fills his bowl with seconds.

“I’m glad. I would’ve made more if I had known you’d be this hungry,” you tell him, heart full just seeing him eat well.

You can’t help but feel sorry for him. You can’t imagine what he’s been through, and you don’t want him to be sent back to his owner. You don’t want him to be put in another dangerous and exploiting situation.

“I’m sorry about him. That guy that was here earlier,” you begin. You’ve barely eaten, but you push your share toward him. “He’s not a nice person.”

The bowl he takes from you covers his face, but his ears twitch toward you. They show that he’s listening to you.

“Your owner isn’t a nice person either, huh?”

The hybrid freezes at the mention of his owner. He lowers the bowl a little and he looks terrified. For the first time, he speaks to you. His word is barely a whisper. “Don’t…”

This time, your eyes widen. “What?”

“Please…” he begs, putting the bowl down. Grains of rice stick around his mouth as he looks at you with pleading eyes. “Please don’t let me go back to him. Please help me.”

Thank you for reading ♡ Comments & reviews are greatly appreciated!

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